Six people have been arrested after Saturday’s apparent assassination attempt on President Nicolas Maduro in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, the nation’s interior minister said on national TV.

Maduro survived the assault after several drones armed with explosives flew toward him during a speech at a military parade, an attack he blamed on far-right elements and Colombia’s outgoing president, Juan Manuel Santos.

“Those arrested are accused of “terrorism and assassination,” Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said Sunday.

Reverol said one of the detained had an outstanding arrest warrant for his alleged role in the August 2017 attack on a military base in Valencia.

Another of the detained people was previously arrested during the 2014 anti-government protests. Reverol said he doesn’t rule out further arrests.

Attackers used two DJI M600 drones that each carried 1 kilogram of C-4 explosive, Reverol said.

The munitions could cause damage in a radius of 50 meters, and intelligence services were able to identify the nearby streets that were used for launching the drones from a distance, he said.

One of the drones flew over the presidential stage with the intention of being detonated by the attackers, but he said the authorities were able to cause it to lose control and detonate outside the area the attackers targeted.

Reverol said the second drone lost control and fell into an apartment building, where it exploded on the first floor.

The incident took place as Maduro was speaking at a commemoration of the 81st anniversary of the Venezuelan national guard that featured a military parade.

Live footage of the event showed him suddenly looking up startled midspeech, while beside him his wife, Cilia Flores, winced after a loud bang and dozens of soldiers were seen scattering. Seven members of the national guard were hurt during the attack.

Venezuela’s attorney general, Tarek William Saab, said he had ordered an investigation into the incident, assigning three prosecutors to the investigation.

Maduro appeared on national TV a couple of hours later, when he spoke about the investigation and arrests.

He said the Venezuelan political far right in collaboration with the Colombian far right and Colombian President Santos were behind the attack. He also blamed Venezuelans living in the United States.

“The preliminary investigation indicates that many of those responsible for the attack, the financiers and planners, live in the United States in the state of Florida,” Maduro said.

“I hope the Trump administration is willing to fight terrorist groups that commit attacks in peaceful countries in our continent, in this case Venezuela.”

The Venezuelan government has long blamed Colombia for plotting overthrows, and far-right elements in Bogota and Miami for attempting to undercut Maduro. Ivan Duque takes over as the Colombian President this week.

– CNN

Popular traditional drummer Douglas Vambe who died at Parirenyatwa Hospital on Wednesday last week was buried at his home in Magunje area in Uzumba yesterday.

It was an emotional send off for Vambe as people from all walks of life converged at the Vambe homestead in Uzumba to bid farewell to the ambassador of Jerusarema-Mbende dance.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Dr Thokozile Chitepo who worked with Vambe when she was in the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) board and Zanu PF politburo member Dr Sydney Sekeramayi described Vambe as a hero in the arts industry who gave the Zimbabwean people their cultural identity.

“I worked with Vambe when I was still in the NACZ board and he was such a devoted artist who gave Zimbabweans their cultural identity,” said Dr Chitepo.

“Vambe was a dedicated artist who played his part in popularising the Jerusarema-Mbende dance which is now popular worldwide,” Dr Sekeramayi said.

Uzumba constituency legislator Simbaneuta Mudarikwa and the area’s traditional leader Chief Nyajinya said Uzumba is proud to have produced an artist like Vambe.

“Uzumba area has produced some of the country’s arts heroes including Jah Prayzah and Andy Muridzo and we are proud of that,” he said.

Chief Nyajinya said: “Although a lot of people think that Jerusarema-Mbende dance is from Murewa, it is actually from Uzumba area which is where it originated.”

The funeral was also attended by senior government and Zanu PF officials who include Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa, Commander Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Retired Major General Paradzai Zimondi, Zanu PF provincial chairman Joel Matiza and legislators from the province.

Zbc News Online

Can Zimbabweans trust the crocodile?

Media Statement|MLO would like to put it categorically clear that the newly elected Zimbabwe’s President, Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule will stretch as far as Mashonaland boundaries. And that this side of the Jameson Line (border between Matabeleland and Zimbabwe), we do not take him as our president as he views us as cockroaches and publicly refused to withdraw this statement or apologise for Matabeleland genocide.

We only recognise him as the president of one of our neighbouring countries (Zimbabwe) who shot to presidency through the barrel of the gun and later rigged elections to fraudulently achieve political legitimacy.

According to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission official report Matabeleland registered the lowest number of voters in 2018 elections. In Matabeleland South, only 239 367 registered, Bulawayo, the capital city of Matabeleland, only 243 146 registered and in Matabeleland North, 319 549 voters were registered. That means less than 900 000 people registered in Matabeleland at large. This apathy shows without any aota of doubt that people of Matabeleland boycotted Zimbabwe elections in their large numbers. The majority of the people who voted are the shona deployees of the 1979 Grand Plan that were strategically settled in Matabeleland from Mashonaland by the shona supremacist government of Zimbabwe.

The small number of votes that were cast by a few Matebeles constitute a protest vote that went to the opposition. Evidently, Zanupf managed to get a few votes from its resettlements like UMguza and a few other areas. Otherwise 99% of its votes came from Mashonaland.

A lot of lies were said about the low voter registration in Matabeleland except the truth. The truth being that; Matabele masses have given up on the Zimbabwe untrustworthy electoral system, tribalistic and oppressive supremacist system.

Through this massive election boycott the people of Matabeleland have sent a strong message to the government of Zimbabwe and the world that they no longer want to be part of Zimbabwe.

They have rejected supremacism rule, they have rejected marginalisation, tribalism, domination, genocide, rape, economic mismanagement, corruption, military coups, vote rigging and all other political and social ills that Zimbabwe is associated with.

Under the direction and authority of Matebeleland Liberation Organisation Supreme Council, The President of M.L.O. Paul Siwela served the British government under the leadership of David Cameron and Zimbabwe government under the leadership of Robert Gabriel Mugabe with Notices of Demand for The Restoration of Matebeleland State on 5 December 2015 and 7 December 2015 respectively.

Both addressees acknowledged receipt of The Notices by signing for them. Surprisingly, the government of Zimbabwe deeps its head in the sand regarding this important issue.

World leaders, investors and the public in general is warned to take extreme caution against cutting deals with the government of Zimbabwe when they want to invest in Matabeleland territory. Anyone who ignores this warning either through ignorance or being deceived by the government of Zimbabwe risks losing their valuable investments.

Given the above we believe as MLO we have done our level best to let Britain and its proxy Zimbabwe know of our intentions to restore the statehood of Matabeleland. This we have done in most polite, diplomatic and peaceful manner. But it seems our good manners are mistaken for cowardice. Please take note that no one should blame us for whatever will happen in future , for we shall arrive unannounced and make the most frightening breaking news of all time. Watch this space!

Izenzo Kungemazwi!

Ayihlomihlasele!

Israel Dube

MLO Secretary for Information and Public Affairs.

By Paul Nyathi|Opposition MDC Alliance Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora has been quoted by the state media in what the Herald has turned into a claim that party President Nelson Chamisa contributed to the party loss in the just ended elections by associating himself with former President Robert Mugabe.

The paper indicates that Mwonzora told them in an interview over the weekend that he was against the involvement of Mr Mugabe and made his position clear even before last week’s harmonised elections.

“My opposition to Mugabe is known in the party. I did not like Mugabe. I have opposed working with him. I think Mugabe is a kiss of death. I still maintain that,” Mwonzora is quoted.

He added: “I do not think there is any wisdom in working with him. We are not working with Mugabe as a party. Mugabe is 94 years old. He must just rest. He must not be involved in political processes of the country. I think at 94 he must rest and have nothing to so with the country. That is my personal opinion. I am against any association with Mugabe.”

But Mwonzora does not in any way or at any stage mention Nelson Chamisa; and neither does he suggest there was a rift between him and Chamisa.

By Paul Nyathi|Newly elected MDC Alliance Member of Parliament for Zengeza Job Sikhala has issued a warning against anyone within the party who opposes party leader Nelson Chamisa in his efforts to discredit results of the just ended presidential and parliamentary elections.

In a highly sensitional post on his social media platforms, Sikhala warns party members against thoughts of splitting the party yet again this time on how to handle the aftermath of the election loss which was hinted by weekend state media.

Wrote Sikhala on his Facebook page:

“Someone posted me a story from today’s Sunday Mail insinuating that there are people in the Alliance who are plotting or fighting President Chamisa over the way we must treat the shameful results of the presidential votes announced recently.

Let me state it unequivocally here, that no one should ever dare distract Chamisa from accomplishing what we have asked him to do for us as Zimbabweans. Let it be known and set as a warning that we will not tolerate any nonsense again to destabilise the party. If there is anyone harbouring such ambitions to destabilise the party, be warned beforehand.”

State media has been awash with reports that some senior MDC members are up against Chamisa’s challenge of the election outcome all claiming that the party lost the elections out of its own bundling and not of any rigging by ZANU PF.

Top amongst the officials who arw quoted as suggesting that Chamisa’s elections challenge efforts are futile are veteran Bulawayo based former parliamentarian Eddie Cross and the party Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora.

The media reports that the opposition party is set for another split if it fails to handle the aftermath of yet another disastrous election.

On Wednesday in Harare supporters of the MDC Alliance demonstrated to vent their anger at the delay in announcing the presidential election results. Their belief was that the delay indicated the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the incumbent government were using it to manipulate the election results. The demonstration turned into a riot with some of the demonstrators throwing stones and setting fires in the middle of the streets. The army was called in to assist the police quell the riots, gunfire was heard throughout the city and three people were killed, many injured and three more subsequently died. There were innocent bystander and passers by that were caught up police and army blitz and witness reports claim that some of the dead and injured were shot in the back.

This bulletin outlines the legal and constitutional provisions about the Defence Forces being employed to assist the police in maintaining law and order.

When can the Defence Forces be Deployed in Zimbabwe?

Section 213 of the Constitution states that “only the President, as Commander-in-Chief”, has power to authorise the deployment of the Defence Forces, and that, with his authority, they may be deployed within Zimbabwe “in support of the Police Service in the maintenance of public order”.

Obviously the Defence Forces should not be deployed lightly. Their members are trained to kill rather than to use peaceful means of persuasion. They are the ultimate coercive arm of the State, to be used only as a last resort when gentler ways of compelling citizens to obey the law have failed. That is why the Constitution reserves to the President the right to order their deployment.

According to reports, the army was called in at the instance of the Police in terms of section 37 of the Public Order and Security Act, which reads:

“If, upon a request made by the Commissioner of Police, the Minister [of Home Affairs] is satisfied that any regulating authority [i.e. a senior police officer] requires the assistance of the Defence Forces for the purpose of suppressing any civil commotion or disturbance in any police district, he may request the Minister responsible for defence to authorise the Defence Forces to assist the police in the exercise of their functions under this Act in the police district concerned.”

The section does not mention the President at all, and to the extent that it seems to give the Minister of Defence power to authorise the Defence Forces to assist the police, it is unconstitutional.

A further point is that Vice-President Chiwenga has been appointed as Minister of Defence, and his entitlement to hold that portfolio is open to challenge since section 215 of the Constitution states that the President must appoint a Minister – not a Vice-President – to be responsible for the Defence Forces.

It is unlikely that the deployment was in fact ordered by the Minister without involving the President, but if that is what happened then the deployment was illegal. If on the other hand the President did in fact authorise the deployment then it was lawful under the Constitution regardless of any deficiency in section 37 of the Public Order and Security Act or any defect in Vice-President Chiwenga’s appointment.

Was the killing of civilians legal?

Whether the members of the Defence Forces were trying to restore order on the authority of the President under section 213 of the Constitution or on the authority of the Minister of Defence under section 37 of the Public Order and Security Act, in either event they are bound to obey the law like everyone else in Zimbabwe. While they can use whatever reasonable force is needed to quell a riot, they are not entitled to kill anyone because the right to life is inviolable under the Constitution.

Although most of the human rights guaranteed by the Declaration of Rights can be limited in terms of section 86 of the Constitution, and although the Constitution allows courts to impose the death penalty in limited circumstances, the right to life cannot otherwise be limited and no one may violate it: see section 86(3)(a) of the Constitution. Hence if soldiers or police officers shot and killed the three civilians yesterday, they did so illegally however necessary they may have believed the killing to be.

– Veritas

Vic Falls man crushed by train
A Victoria Falls man was crushed by a passenger train on Saturday afternoon near Masuwe River, a few kilometres from the resort town in a suspected case of suicide.

The 38 year old man identified as Hilton Makanda was crushed by the Bulawayo bound passenger train.

The deceased is said to have been lying motionless on the railway track before being crushed by the train.

It is yet to be established whether Makanda was still alive when the train crushed him.

When the ZBC News team arrived at the scene, a few Victoria Falls residents were on the scene, while Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers were busy removing the body parts from the track.

According to the engine driver, after realising that there was a body on the track, he tried to stop the train while at the same time hooting but the man remained motionless and was crushed by the train.

The body of the deceased was taken to Victoria Falls hospital for post mortem.

Zbc News Online

The MDC Alliance National Chairperson Morgen Komichi has opened up broadly on his party’s position in the aftermath of the general election which they claim was rigged by the ruling ZANU PF in favour of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF.

Komichi revealed the party concerns in a wide ranging interview with The Standard Newspaper Everson Mushava. Below are excerpts from the interview.

EM: Mnangagwa has said Chamisa has a role to play in the future of the country. The statement seems to suggest the president-elect might be mulling coming up with a deal that will enable him to work together with Chamisa. What is your comment?

MK: President Mnangagwa must learn to be different from (former president Robert) Mugabe, but anyhow, when Mugabe was defeated by president Tsvangirai in 2008, he wanted to hand over power to Tsvangirai, but it was Mnangagwa who reversed the results of the 2008 elections. He is not a new person in this matter. He is the master of deceit. He must not pretend to be good to the world, he knows what he did; that he rigged the elections. He steals an election from us and he wants to extend an olive branch to us. Can that be real politics? It is a culture that is developing in Africa and we cannot allow that kind of thing, let a winner be the winner.

EM: If you are offered government of national unity (GNU), are you going to accept?

MK: We don’t want people to abuse their power, abuse the guns to rig elections . Let the GNU come out of free and fair elections, let it come out of a voluntary process where the winner should lead the GNU. Let the GNU be a policy of the party, not to rig elections and call for GNU, that is not acceptable.

EM: Commissioner Qhubani Moyo has been on social media claiming you are being dishonest. He says that you ran away from the verification process and now you claim that you were dribbled. What is your comment?

MK: He is being used by the junta system to pronounce a junta position. He must be able to define what verification is. I have defined verification in the context that I know it. I was entering the room where they were inputting data — that is not verification. I expect him to understand the basic definition of verification. Did he give me data from constituencies? Did we compare their V11 forms and mine? And did I sign those results? I did not do any of that, so I did not verify.

Morgen Komichi

EM: On Thursday night, you sprang forward to interrupt a Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) press briefing announcing presidential results and declared the results fake in front of the whole world following the proceedings. What drove you to do that with all the dangers associated with such a move?

MK: Verification by its simple definition is to check the figures coming out from Zec. Input of the figuresis done after adding results from each of the 210 constituencies. Zec was supposed to give us these figures so that we compare them with the V11 forms which we got from our agents. Presidential results are collated constituency by constituency before they are collated at provincial level and lastly national level. So the verification starts at the constituency level. For the last two days Zec technical people were inputting these figures from the V11 forms. Zec was working with 24 computers and 10 985 V11 forms. That was the activity taking place; it was not verification, but observing people inputting figures into 24 computers.

So verifying was supposed to start after inputting had been completed and we get printed results constituency by constituency and we compare them with the figures which we have from our V11 forms. After that, we should have signed the results constituency by constituency. We discussed that with Zec’s chief elections officer, Utoile Silaigwana, in the morning. We agreed on the procedure and he promised me that he would give us the printed results and would not announce until we had signed them constituency by constituency.

We waited as they were inputting the figures until 9:59pm and when I knocked at his office asking him if they were announcing results, he said no, we are only announcing results for the outstanding four provinces and those for senators, proportional representation and provincial councils. Silaigwana assured me that they would not announce now because we had not yet been given the printed figures for verification. He indicated that the results would be announced the following day. I then went back and relaxed, but then I saw (Zec chairperson Justice Priscilla) Chigumba on television announcing the results of the remaining four provinces and soon after she went on to announce the presidential results.

Then I said this is cheating, this is rigging, and these are fake results. We don’t even know where that woman got those results because the results which were being computed should have passed through my hands, according to the Electoral Law. I then saw that the world was being cheated, my country was being cheated, my party was being cheated and Zimbabweans were being cheated. I took a sacrificial decision to put myself before the guillotine and I couldn’t care if someone had shot me. Of course, I could have been killed, but I wanted to save my country, save my party, save my president and save my nation. That’s what pushed me to go to the podium to tell the truth that these results are fake and are not from the processes which we went through because I was the chief election agent for the MDC Alliance candidate together with Jameson Timba. Many other chief election agents for other parties and candidates like APA were there. None of us was told to come in and verify and sign the results.

EM: There have been messages on social media, with the likes of David Coltart calling on all agents, especially from Mashonaland Central and West provinces to submit the V11 forms. This suggests the party had no V11 forms and people are beginning to think you are holding the nation to ransom when you don’t have evidence of rigging. What is your comment?

MK: You are free to visit our offices and see the V11 forms with your own eyes. Don’t follow social media speculation. Things that are being speculated on social media are written by the CIOs to confuse people. We had polling agents at every polling station; where we did not have local polling agents we hired people from Harare to areas like UMP. Our own people brought those V11 forms. Never be cheated. We had agents at more than 98% of polling stations as one or two missed due to other reasons.

EM: You lost majority seats in Parliament and you seem to have conceded defeat. Are you also challenging the parliamentary polls?

MK: We are challenging the parliamentary polls. The example I am giving is Chegutu West where our figures were swapped with those of Zanu PF candidate Dexter Nduna. Our clever polling agents quickly identified the anomaly and it was officially reversed by Zec. Zec confirmed they had swapped figures. We have a number of MPs who have lodged complaints and are challenging the results.

EM: Can you hint on how many constituencies you intend to challenge?

MK: We have around 20 MPs who have lodged petitions before the electoral courts, for example, Mutasa North and Zvimba East. You know that Chipinge South MP Enock Poruzingazi’s car was found with ballot papers. Where did he get them? In the offices of Zanu PF in Mutare, a sympathiser saw stacks of ballot papers. The sympathiser is prepared to write an affidavit. So Zec gave Zanu PF ballot papers in advance and evidence is Poruzingazi’s car which was found with ballot papers. Every Zanu PF candidate was given similar packages.

Where did they put them? It was for a purpose. Zanu PF MPs were given tonnes of rice and agricultural inputs. Those things are fundamental issues because to be involved in vote-buying is against the code of conduct. Observers saw these things and people reported it to Zec and they did not care.

EM: Many people say you don’t have to look beyond yourself as a party for your “defeat”. They cite your failure to control double candidates as the source of your waterloo. What is your comment to that?

MK: How many double candidates were there? There were not even more than 10. Most of them withdrew. What we are saying is that the electoral process should have been be free and fair. Was food not being distributed? Did we get the voters roll? Did we participate in the voters roll printing? Those are the electoral issues which were critical.

The Standard

Letters to the Editor.

Anyone who personally know the relatives of those who died on the unfortunate shooting please contact Zimbabwe Council of Pentecostal Churches, and advise us on the funeral arrangements, We need to help in a small way. Call +263 7 19382058, 0772601820, +263 7 72414902.

 

Media Statement|Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) condemns the Zimbabwe Government’s deployment of the army into the country’s major centres and mounting of roadblocks in cities and across the country’s major highways. This follows the disputed 30 July polls that have so far claimed 6 citizens following protests in Harare.

The response by the military to fire live ammunition into crowds on 01 August 208 is regrettable.

The Commissioner General of Police’s attempts to justify the deployment of soldiers arguing that the police had invoked section 37 of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) is both unconstitutional and ill-advised.

As Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, we firmly hold the view that the military must not usurp policing duties from the police.

We remain greatly worried on the safety of citizens following the shootings and the beatings of civilians in Harare and Chitungwiza.

The continued presence of the army in the streets only confirms our view that since the military coup of 15 November 2017 human security in Zimbabwe is at stake.

We are equally worried with the intimidation and assault of media personnel covering an MDC Alliance press conference at Bronte Hotel in Harare. In addition, both local and international journalists have been assaulted by the army and police while carrying out their constitutionally guaranteed duties.

Such undemocratic actions confirm our fears that the Mnangagwa administration is not sincere with ensuring that the country moves towards a more open and democratic society through reforms to state institutions and the political environment.

The events of the past 3 days after the July 30 polls are an indictment on the part of the Zimbabwe Government and the military contingent and indicate that the military government has upped its game since the June 2008 state sponsored terror which claimed more than 200 lives.

Following the military coup of November 2017, we have been clear as Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition that the only way for Zimbabwe to return to its constitutional order is to uphold the dictates of Chapter 4 of the Constitution and repeal of legislation that curtails human freedoms guaranteed by the constitution.
We reiterate our position that Zimbabwe is now a fully-fledged military state and that unleashing the military on unarmed civilians can only plunge Zimbabwe into a deeper crisis.

As CiZC, we implore regional, continental and international partners to intervene in resolving the Zimbabwean crisis which if unabated, is a potential threat to peace and stability in the SADC region and the globe at large.

For and on Behalf of Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition

Tabani Moyo

CiZC Spokesperson

MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa did not at all say thay he has conceded to Emmerson Mnangagwa, as claimed by the ZANU PF controlled, Herald newspaper FULL VIDEO:

The use of the Zimbabwean military to respond to political protests, or the use of the police force to disrupt press conferences, does not signal a new era, rather it echoes a dreadful past.

WASHINGTON – U.S. By Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, today released the following statement on the July 30, 2018 election in Zimbabwe:

“Over the past several days, I have had the privilege of observing Zimbabwe’s historic elections. After decades of misrule by Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe deserves to have a government worthy of its people.

“After a day of peaceful voting on July 30th, the violence on August 1st that claimed the lives of at least six people and injured many more was a throwback to the old days. The use of the Zimbabwean military to respond to political protests, or the use of the police force to disrupt press conferences, does not signal a new era, rather it echoes a dreadful past.

“In order to instill confidence in the election results, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission must now make good on its commitment to release comprehensive polling data in a transparent manner that includes results from each polling station signed off by party agents who were present for the casting of ballots and the tabulation of results. Challenges to the results must be pursued through legal channels.

“During my visit to nearly a dozen polling stations scattered throughout rural Zimbabwe, I saw citizens, some young and agile, others bent with age, walking miles for the chance to cast a vote that mattered. I saw representatives of ZANU PF and MDC Alliance sitting together, chatting amicably and helping each other keep proper tallies. In everyone I encountered, I saw the hope for a brighter, more democratic and prosperous future for Zimbabwe.

“Here’s hoping that future is at hand.”

Nelson Chamisa latest message to Zimbabweans on Twitter:

“I’m aware of your anxieties, concerns and worries.Your hopes & aspirations I so dearly carry. We won but they declared the opposite. You voted but they cheated.Over 2.5 ml votes can’t be ignored.We’re doing all to secure your vote & defend your WILL. Change is coming!#Godisinit”

By Nkosana Moyo|The message below, as much as it appears to have resonated with a lot of people on social media, was NOT authored by me or any of our APA officials.

I wish to make it clear to all that it did not come from me, and is expressed in a way I would not necessarily articulate.

If you do not see a statement on my or Alliance for the People’s Agenda – APA’s Facebook or Twitter accounts, it is probably unauthentic.

…………………………..
Nkosana Moyo’s statement below is very true

PEACE

Never take politics too seriously. The power of politics to change lives is overstated. If the fundamentals in your own life are not correct then it doesn’t matter who is the President. Work your own life and stop fighting for other people to get political Jobs.

Every Zimbabwean has to know that, the biggest beneficiaries and losers of these elections will be the politicians themselves.

You, me and every other ordinary voter will still be wearing the same clothes, sleeping on the same bed, eating the same meals and mingling with the same friendships after the polls.

As such, I would be a fool to let these elections steal away my friends and acquaintances, or destroy my social circles, or strain my professional life.

These elections may mean the end of the political careers of Joyce Mujuru, or Nelson Chamisa, or Emmerson Mnangagwa, or other politicians, but your professional career will still go on; and has to go on.

It’ll be folly to hitch your future and that of your family to the wagon that’s carrying your favourite politician’s future.

To those who do politics; Yes, be very active and vigorous in pushing for the success of your favorite politician, but equally be mindful of the fact that it’s merely politics.

It’s not war; it’s just a battle for support. Whoever wins these polls may not change the quality of your life to the same extent as your close friends, family and acquaintances do.

Remember ED, Chamisa, Chiwenga, Khupe, Nkosana etc are not even sworn enemies. They all know it’s politics. Don’t take this personally, or seriously. You’ll ruin your relations for no good reason.
After all God appoints Kings and rulers of this world.

Report on Visit to Zimbabwe by Kate Hoey MP and Conor Burns MP May 31th to June 4th 2018

Our visit sponsored by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK branch had two aims
To report on possibilities of a free and fair election and to see what the CPA branch might do to further links with Zimbabwean parliamentarians after the election.

We met with a wide range of people from Government, political parties, business and civil society as well as speaking to Zimbabweans going about their daily life both in Harare and Bulawayo. A list of who we met formally is attached.

The British Embassy arranged two specific meetings for us -one with President Mnangagwa and one with the Head of the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission (ZEC) Judge Priscilla Chigumba. Foreign Minister Moyo contacted us the day we arrived and asked us to meet him that afternoon. We had met with him during his visit to London a few weeks previously and he was keen to assure us that we would see the President. All other meetings were arranged by us through our various personal contacts from the APPG and previous visits.

It is worth remembering that elections in Zimbabwe since 2002 have been both violent and rigged. In 2008, the ZEC took more than 5 weeks to declare a result and more than 270 activists, almost all belonging to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were killed. The last national polls in 2013 were relatively peaceful but internationally regarded as rigged. There was gross manipulation of the voters roll in favour of rural voters where Zanu PF have the greatest support.

Without doubt there is a different atmosphere in Zimbabwe. Gone is the open presence of police and army. Indeed the once common police road blocks where drivers had to hand over money were virtually non-existent. The ousting of Mugabe last year by the military led to hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans coming out onto the streets to celebrate. The feeling that change had happened was widespread and overall there was an optimism amongst the general public that this would continue. The most common remark of the ‘man/woman on the street was “We want real change”!

There were a number of common concerns expressed to us about the elections.

1. ZEC and the Electoral register.

The electoral roll has been compiled with approximately 5.7 million names on it. While we were there was concern that there still was no access to the full electoral roll in an electronic form suitable for campaigning. We raised this with the ZEC and were assured that at the earliest it would be available on June 7th and at the latest June 14th. Delay was put down to the huge task of cleaning up the countless names of those who had died or never existed. (It got released to political parties over the weekend of the 14th/15th with the opposition MDC alliance only getting theirs officially on the 17th/18th June. Nominations closed for the parliamentary/Council and presidential on the 14th June and as a result of no official roll some candidates were ruled out in Matabeleland because of not being able to check properly their nominee’s names and details on the electoral roll.

We also raised with ZEC concerns that many of their employees were ex-Army and that this was perceived as not being truly independent. Justice Chigumba did not deny this but said it was perfectly legitimate for retired military to be working at the ZEC and that the opposition’s fears were unfounded.

2.Polling Stations.

The decision had been taken to limit the number of electors per polling station to 1000. This was presented as a way of preventing large queues and people being turned away to go to another polling station. The worry expressed to us was that particularly in rural areas it will be very easy for the voting intentions of a small community to be known and that there will be reprisals as happened last time when an area did not support Zanu PF. This combined with the reports that soldiers discarding their uniforms have been deployed in the countryside (where more than half the voters reside) to monitor voting behaviour and then be able to hand out punishments like withholding food handouts.

3. Access to state media

Although the majority of newspapers support the current Government the opposition get some coverage in Harare but usually of a negative kind. However in rural areas the radio is the principle means of communication and this is very much in the control of the state. Election Law and the constitution say that during the campaign period which started the day we arrived all parties must be given equal coverage. But with a multitude of Parties standing, this means tiny ones will get the same amount of time as the main opposition. State television and state radio were not covering any of the MDC rally’s at which Nelson Chamisa spoke.

The main roads leading into Bulawayo and Harare are full of large billboards and posters of Mnangagwa and there is little doubt that the blurring of the state with Zanu PF means huge extra resources for ZanuPF. The MDC Alliance has not got the funding to in anyway start to compete with the Governing Party. Their rallies are huge and they have held some in rural areas where they have never been able to be before.

4. Ballot papers

This is another controversial area. The Government refused an open tender for their procurement and there were calls for observation of the printing of the ballot papers. This was allowed but there are still concerns that they will not be distributed fairly with bundles being kept for double voting. When this was raised with the ZEC they stuck to the same mantra-“Give us evidence of abuse and we will deal with it”

5. Role of Parliament

There are 23 candidates for President and around 2000 for Parliament as well as huge competition for the Council seats in local municipalities. Many of the incumbent Zanu PF and MDC MP’s have stood down or were deselected. There are also some very credible independents standing for Parliament. So whatever happens in the vote for President the expectation is that Parliament will become much more important than it has been for a long time. Many of the politicians we spoke to said they would welcome involvement from the CPA UK branch in their role.

Some of the suggested areas for support were

(A) help with ways of enhancing scrutiny of Government departments.

(B) Role of MP’s working with constituents —casework, campaigning

(C) Working across the Party political divide to achieve better results.

The decision of Zimbabwe to apply to re-join the Commonwealth was broadly welcomed by all who we met. Some people seemed to think the decision to allow them back in would be down to the UK Government. We reminded them that it was up to all the member countries of the Commonwealth and that it would be two years before any decision would be reached.

We were disappointed at how every element of civic society and politicians outside Zanu PF had the belief that the UK Embassy- and in particular the Ambassador is biased in favour of the incumbent regime.

Huge offence was taken that our Ambassador wore a Mnangagua scarf outside 10 Downing Street earlier this year on her visit to the UK. This offence and fear of bias was compounded when the first person to retweet it from his official account was Mnangagua himself. The Embassy organised a dinner for us to meet some Zimbabweans and we found that most were supporters of ZanuPF. Indeed prior to the dinner the Ambassador was openly ridiculing the leader of the MDC Alliance.

The coming election will have more foreign observers than ever before and they will play a vital role. At previous elections observers from the African Union and the Southern African development Community gave them a clean bill of health! This time there will also be a European Union team-already in the country and a joint mission from America run by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican. Institute (ITI). The Commonwealth have been invited but it is still unclear how many they are sending and as Zimbabwe is not in the Commonwealth it will be a different type of monitoring than in other elections. The UK government is being allowed to register as official observers but this is being carried out by Embassy staff already there.

There needs in our view to be continuing and rigorous scrutiny both into the election arrangements and what follows on from July 30th. Questioning those responsible for the electoral process and for administration more generally-media included- is one of the best ways HMG and UK parliamentarians can show real friendship towards Zimbabwe and help move the country forward. Being prepared to accept second best or flawed processes is patronising and sends the signal that our care and concern for Zimbabwe are not genuine. It is important that even if this election turns out to be freer and fairer with no violence any re-engagement with the current administration should only be on the basis of rigorous caution and healthy scepticism?

LOCAL Government minister and President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa’s close confidant July Moyo was “buried” in the July 30 parliamentary polls after losing to a Redcliff Municipality employee, Lloyd Mukapiko (pictured) of the MDC Alliance, who is a full-time undertaker of the local authority.

Mukapiko will now walk into Parliament while Moyo, the boss of all local authorities, will have to await the goodwill of close ally President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa to name him into his Cabinet.

Speaking after taking on his boss, Mukapiko said despite facing Moyo, who appeared to have a huge war chest, he had faith in the electorate.

“I went into an election against a well-resourced candidate, a minister with access to funds. He put up billboards, used his position as minister to make promises and held sports festivals and even had access to council resources, but the people were not fooled,” Mukapiko said.

Months before the election Zanu PF had pledged to romp to victory, saying it was going to be an easy ride as nobody would vote for an undertaker ahead of an educated and organised Moyo.

Zanu PF Midlands spokesperson, Cornelius Mupereri was upbeat soon after nomination court processes about Moyo’s prospects.

“How do they expect to win when they field an undertaker as a candidate? We have a tried and trusted person who delivers. He has hit the ground running and pushing developmental projects at schools and is already solving the water problems that have hit Redcliff over the years,” Mupereri said.

In 2013 Moyo, who was eyeing Senate fell by the wayside after failing to find his way into Parliament when MDC-T grabbed two Senatorial seats against Zanu PF’s four.

Moyo is among Mnangagwa’s top allies who fell by the wayside together with outgoing Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa, the President’s adviser Christopher Mutsvangwa and Labour minister Petronella Kagonye making up the numbers

Zoom Zimbabwe

By Paul Nyathi|Vendors in Harare woke up to a sorrow scene with all their vending bays demolished by soldiers in an overnight blitz.

The vendors were not previously warned of the pending action on them by the soldiers.

In his interface meeting with the vendors couple of days before the elections, President Emmerson Mnangagwa promised the vendors that his government was not going to evict the them from the streets.

Chief Zimuto from Masvingo has died three days after his installation.
He was 94.

Chief Zimuto, who was buried in Zimuto village on Wednesday and born Mhumhi Mapfumo, was installed on July 24 and died on July 27.

Masvingo Provincial Administrator Mr Fungai Mbetsa confirmed his death saying the province had suffered a huge loss.

“I can confirm the death of our newly installed chief, Chief Zimuto. We are saddened by such a loss,” he said.

Mr Mbetsa said the community of Zimuto had suffered a huge loss considering that he had just been installed.

“Chief Zimuto was installed last week and in three days’ time, he was no more. He has left a governance vacuum in Zimuto community and largely in Masvingo District,” he said.

Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Senator Josaya Hungwe also sent a condolence message to the Zimuto family.

“Our hearts and indeed our thoughts are with the Mapfumo family and the rest of the Zimuto family at this difficult moment. Let me hasten to assure you that this is not your loss alone but what we have together. We therefore share in your grief,” he said.

“Let us however, take comfort in the fact that this man lived a full and blessed life during which he accomplished everything that any person could wish to achieve.”

Sen Hungwe urged surviving family members to be united.

“Let this tragic moment not be the cause of divisions and conflict as this will only serve to retard developmental efforts. Let us therefore do everything that is necessary to ensure that there is continuity of leadership as required and provided for both by our customs and the laws of the country,” he said.

Born in April 1924 in a family of five, the late chief is survived by his wife, Getrude, five children and several grand-children and great grand-children.

Chief Zimuto was also a member of the Johane Masowe WeChishanu Apostolic Sect. — state media

JAILED former Energy minister Samuel Undenge has been granted $1 000 bail to challenge his four-year jail term for corruption.

High Court judge Justice Erica Ndewere on Wednesday ruled the former energy minister was a suitable candidate for bail and as part of his provisional freedom’s conditions, the court ordered him to continue residing at his Harare Glen Lorne house, report once every week at his nearest police station and to surrender title deeds of his house.
Undenge, who is being represented by Aleck Muchadehama, was last month convicted by a Harare regional magistrate on charges of criminal abuse of office after prejudicing the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) of the sum of $12 000.

In his bail pending appeal application, however, Undenge said Zanu PF MP, Psychology Maziwisa and broadcaster; Oscar Pambuka used him in their plot to defraud the power utility.
Undenge further said Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya had misdirected himself when he convicted him of the offence “for merely signing a letter which was dictated to him by Pambuka and Maziwisa” on behalf of the duo’s company, Fruitful Communications.

Undenge further said the magistrate also erred in ignoring that the said letter, which formed the basis of his conviction, was motivated by Pambuka, Maziwisa and Fruitful Communications with an intention to defraud the power company. It was the State’s case that sometime in January 2016, Maziwisa and Pambuka took Undenge’s signed letter to ZPC, directing the power utility company to work with Fruitful Communications at intervals of six months per engagement.

It was the State’s further contention that on March 8, 2016, Maziwisa and Pambuka, with the same intention of defrauding ZPC, presented to one Chisveto, an invoice claiming they had hosted various programmes on Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, National FM and Power FM.

Following Undenge’s letter, the power company engaged Pambuka and Maziwisa following which it then lost $12 000. Newsday

Harare businessman Wicknell Chivayo yesterday appeared in court on allegations of defrauding the Zimbabwe Power Company of over $5 million.

He appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Mr Elisha Singano charged with fraud, money laundering and contravening sections of the Exchange Control Act.

He was remanded in custody to today for continuation of bail application. The State indicates the charges arose after Chivayo’s company, Intratrek Zimbabwe, was corruptly awarded the Gwanda solar power plant tender by ZPC at the instigation of the then Minister of Energy and Power Development Samuel Undenge.

It is alleged Chivayo failed to deliver on the project despite getting $5 607 814,24 from Government. The State also indicated that Undenge, who was recently convicted of another charge, would also be arrested and prosecuted in connection with Chivayo’s case.

Prosecuting, Mr Michael Reza together with Mr Zivanai Macharaga and Ms Venranda Munyoro, both from the Special Presidential anti-corruption unit, represented the State.

Lead prosecutor, Mr Reza opposed bail on the basis of interference, abscondment and seriousness of the offence, among other reasons.

“Fraud is a crime of deception and the total prejudice is $5 607 814,24 and of that amount, not even a single cent was recovered,” he said.

“The accused and his accomplices have managed to hide that money. The State papers indicate that Undenge is yet to be apprehended and your Worship, he would be apprehended soon and jointly charged with the accused person.

He said if released on bail Chivayo was likely to abscond. “The likely sentence of fraud is a maximum prison term of 35 years. If that will not induce a man to run away, then I do not know what would,” he said.

“The docket is almost complete and it is most likely that on his next remand, the State will furnish him with a trial date. The State has a strong watertight case.”
Mr Reza said granting Chivayo bail would not be in the interest of justice.

“There is this public perception that people who have money can buy their freedom hence this court should lay that perception to rest and show that the law is fair regardless of one’s position in the society,” he said.

The prosecution called the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Benjamin Nyahema to the witness stand.

He narrated how Chivayo was arrested at Robert Mugabe International Airport on his way to South Africa. He said Chivayo was a flight risk and should not be freed. Chivayo’s lawyers, Advocates Lewis Uriri and Onias Takaindisa, argued that their client was a proper candidate for bail.

Adv Uriri dismissed the State’s claims that Chivayo was a flight risk. They argued that it was published in local press that Chivayo was wanted by the police and even though he was in America at the time, he returned to Zimbabwe.

“Even when he came back, no one contacted him and, through his lawyers he wrote to the Prosecutor General telling them he was not on the run and that they knew where to find him than to look for him through the press,” he said.

Adv Uriri said when he was arrested at the aiport, his client had bought a return ticket meaning he was not running away.

The court heard on October 23, 2015 that the ZPC acted on the misrepresentation and signed a contract with Chivayo’s company for implementation of the Gwanda solar project.
It is alleged that the ZPC released $5 607 814, 24 into an Intratrek bank account for the project to take off.

Chivayo is said to have converted the money to his personal use. The court heard he was also authorised by the RBZ to load $849 479 into his Visa cards for importation of earth moving equipment from America and nothing came into the country.-state media

State Media – President Mnangagwa yesterday castigated attempts by the Zimbabwe Republic Police to bar journalists from covering a press conference by losing MDC Alliance presidential candidate in Monday’s harmonised elections, Mr Nelson Chamisa, saying such actions have no place in society.

He tweeted soon after the incident: “The scenes today at the Bronte Hotel have no place in our society and we are urgently investigating the matter to understand exactly what happened. Over the past nine months we have protected freedom of speech, of assembly and the right to criticise the Government.”

The ZRP also released a statement yesterday apologising profusely.
Riot police ordered both local and foreign journalists off the venue of the press conference before Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Acting Minister Dr Simon Khaya Moyo intervened.

A statement from the Police General Headquarters said the ZRP regretted the inconvenience caused.

“Given the prevailing security situation and events that unfolded on the 1st of August 2018 and intelligence at hand, the police responded purely on the basis of tenets governing meetings and gatherings according to the country’s laws,” reads part of the statement.

The ZRP also stated that it respected the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.
“The ZRP sincerely apologises and wishes to state that we respect freedom of the media, freedom of expression and freedom of association as provided for by the Zimbabwean laws,” said the police.

“This isolated incident should not be misconstrued to mean that we are heavy handed. We have a constitutional mandate to ensure that law and order is maintained.”- state media

State Media – The Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Chief Air Marshal Perrance Shiri (Retired) has approached the High Court seeking an eviction order against a company that is unlawfully operating Gwaai Halfway Hotel in Hwange district.

Minister Shiri, through the Attorney-General’s Office, filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court, citing Tetra Heights, as respondents.

He is seeking an eviction order against Tetra Heights and all those claiming any right through the company. He has deposed an affidavit on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, Mr Ringson John Chitsiko.

“The property in dispute was formerly owned as one business entity together with the farm prior to acquisition of the farm by the State. Upon acquisition of the farm, my Ministry decided to excise the hotel and service station from the remainder of the farm with the intention of creating a separate business entity which would be leased off to qualifying tenants who intended to utilise the same for business purposes,” he said.

Mr Chitsiko said the remainder portion of the farm was left out to a qualifying indigenous beneficiary to continue with the agricultural business.

In an effort to find a suitable tenant for the hotel and service station, the Ministry flighted an invitation to tender for the lease of the properties.

Tetra Heights was one of the companies that responded to the tender for the lease of the hotel and service station and its application was turned down.

In its submission, Tetra Heights argued that it was already in occupation of the hotel and service station through a lease granted to it by the former farm owner.

However, Mr Chitsiko argued that the lease is not enforceable at law due to the fact that farm is State land. He said the former farmer had no authority to lease out State land. Mr Chitsiko said no one has power to occupy any portion of land which was acquired by the State without a written consent of the Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement.

“I submit that the property in dispute is acquired State land and is wholly administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Resettlement on behalf of the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. It is clear in this case that the respondent does not possess any consent in whatever form from the applicant to use, occupy and possess any portion of the property herewith. Accordingly, the applicant has locus standi and a legal right to pray for an order in terms of the draft,” he said.

In February this year, Tetra Heights, through its lawyers Mutuso, Taruvinga and Mhiribidi Attorneys, filed a chamber application at the Bulawayo High Court citing Rtd Chief Air Marshal Shiri as the respondent.

The company sought an order directing the Minister to suspend the notice ordering it to vacate Gwaai Halfway Hotel.

Tetra Heights also wanted Minister Shiri to be compelled to provide written reasons for rejecting its application to lease Gwaai Halfway Hotel.
The company argued that it has been in occupation of the premises since August 2016 with the blessing of former Lands Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora following the eviction of former owner,

Mr Rob Sterling, as part of the land reform programme.
Tetra Heights said it was advised that they should possess the property until such a time that the Government of Zimbabwe would have nominated a new tenant to occupy the premises.
When Mr Sterling was removed from the farm, his employees continued running the hotel until the Government brought Tetra Heights.

The Government flighted a tender in December last year inviting interested persons to apply to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement for a lease agreement. Tetra Heights, which was one of the applicants, was not successful.

Tetra Heights was on January 4 this year given a notice to vacate the premises.
Tetra Heights has since last year been locked in a legal wrangle with former workers, who have invaded Gwaai Halfway House Hotel wanting to control the property.

Tetra Heights was allocated the farm by Dr Mombeshora, but has faced resistance from six former workers, who have seized part of the farm, including a hotel, kiosk, service station and a workers’ compound.

By Paul Nyathi|The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance is set to announce its own presidential results soon despite the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announcing President Emerson Mnangagwa as the winner on Thursday night.

The ZEC announced that Mnangagwa had received 50.8% of the votes while his political opponent Nelson Chamisa secured 44.3%.

The commission announced the final presidential results four days after Zimbabweans cast their ballots in a crunch election that drew interest from around the world.

The MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa made the announcement at a press conference in Harare on Friday.

Meanwhile in the capital city of Harare it was business as usual on Friday.

Unlike on Thursday, people are going about their business, shops are open and there is no sign of the army.

Outside the MDC Alliance headquarters, there are scores of police officers in a police truck.

They’re on standby while Nelson Chamisa plans to release what he calls the true verified election results – which confirm him as president.

In a tweet on Friday morning, he referred to the results announced by the ZEC as fake.

By Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has criticised members of the police who disrupted an MDC Alliance press conference at the Bronte Hotel on Friday afternoon.

The press conference was addressed by the MDC Alliance losing Presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa but not before the police tried to stop the gathering and chased away the journalists from the hotel.

“The scenes today at the Bronte Hotel have no place in our society and we are urgently investigating the matter to understand exactly what happened. Over the past nine months we have protected freedom of speech, of assembly and the right to criticise the government,” said Mnangagwa in a statement.

Mnangagwa said that his government was not hiding anything from anyone by stopping other elections stakeholders from talking to the media.

“This is an indispensable part of the new Zimbabwe. It is non-negotiable and will not change. We won the election freely and fairly, and have nothing to hide or fear. Anyone is free to address the media at any time,” he said.

President Mnangagwa sent a senior ZANU PF official Senator Simon Khaya Moyo to the hotel with a message to the police to stop disrupting the press conference.