Eddie Cross: I Never Said Mnangagwa Will Defeat Chamisa, State Media Has Been Trying To Get Me To Commit On That For Some Time

By Simba Chikanza| MDC Alliance senior politician, Eddie Cross has said that he never said that ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa is going to win Monday’s elections.

Speaking to ZimEye yesterday, Hon Cross said he never backed or sounded out that Mnangagwa is winning.

“I never said that.”

“No no, no, the state media has been trying to get me to commit myself on that so sometime, and my position is every clear. I think the election is too close to call. I don’t think anybody, anybody could predict who is going to win this election. In fact I think Chamisa has narrowed the gap between himself and Mnangagwa dramatically in the last few weeks.”

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW BELOW:

RBZ Imports More Cash, $150 million

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has increased monthly cash imports to US$150 million from US$100 million, as efforts to ease cash shortages in the country continue.

The central bank said it would continue to work on measures to improve the availability of cash, but emphasised the need for Zimbabweans to use plastic money when transacting. Last week, most banks were dispensing cash with some depositors managing to withdraw up to $300 in bond notes. RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya last week said the improvement in foreign currency was attributable to the support from Afreximbank; and exports of gold and tobacco.

“We are going to continue providing cash as well as promoting a cashless society. This week alone (last week) we injected US$25 million and next week (this week) we are putting US$30 million, so this month we are saying we have increased it from US$100 million to US$150 million. The Afreximbank has been very supportive, they approved disbursement of funds into the economy. There has also been the increase in gold and tobacco exports which have seen the increase in foreign currency in the country.”
According to the RBZ quarterly statement released in March, cumulative gold output stood at 7 741 kg, signifying a 53,5 percent from 5 044 kg produced in the comparable period in 2017. Statistics from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board released in the first week of July also show that the volume of tobacco sold so far is a 32 percent increase from 167,7 million kg worth $492,3 million traded during the comparable period last year.

In addition, out of the $3,5 billion in exports, $2,2 billion came from shipment of goods, $630 million from remittances and $588 million from loan proceeds. The RBZ has imported $600 million since the beginning of the year in order to ease cash shortages, as well as meet rising demand from recovering industries.

Afreximbank has been pivotal in supporting the local economy. Most notably, the bank’s president and board of directors’ chairperson, Dr Okey Oramah, met President Emmerson Mnangagwa 19 days after his inauguration and announced a $1,5 billion economic stabilisation package that was meant to revive the productive sectors of the economy.

President Mnangagwa has been employing various measures to increase cash circulation in the country. Recently Government put a $10 000 cap on cash holdings by individuals, as the new administration seeks to bolster deposits and clamp down on a thriving currency black market.-state media

Let’s Protect Our Progress

By Dr M Mavaza and Paul Mugari| On Monday 30 July Zimbabweans will head to the polls to choose their next government, with millions of voters desperate for a functioning economy. International election observers have been invited to monitor the elections. The role of the observers is normally to: engage citizens in the election process; deter fraud; expose problems and irregularities; provide an accurate measure of the quality of the election; promote confidence in the process and outcomes; and provide recommendations for improving the process for the next election. This is good for Zimbabwe as this helps give election integrity. It is therefore imperative that the opposition and the people note the gestures from the new dispensation and do the very best to make it work. This is better than being overly cynical, suspicious and cold. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

This is a time for the opposition to show good will, and prepare for unity, and thinking outside the box. In some cases, there is no box. We face an election post former president Robert Mugabe and post former opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. These are uniquely different times, and an opportunity for a fresh start. The former president spent most his last days as the president dominated by reports of being between Singaporean hospitals and a gilded-cage Harare mansion. Some have called for the legacy of the former president strongman’s legacy to be exorcised, in the interest of convincing investors to return to Zimbabwe. The main opposition party the MDC T likewise also saw the final days of its former leader Dr Morgan Tsvangirai dominated by reports frequent visits to a South African private hospital. The political polarisation that existed during this period may have contributed to the overstay of these two leaders at the expense of progress. Both the Zanu pf and MDCT should reflect on how their leaders dragged and clang to the top job, and how the party members and supporters allowed his to happen.

Moving on, because we must, some significant progress has been noted. The former president Mugabe’s ouster heralded the beginning of a new Zimbabwe. There have not been widespread reports of pre-election violence. At least not the level of the 2008 polls which was blamed on Zanu pf. It is often assumed that election violence is used precisely because it works in favour of those who use it. It can be argued that political participation in Zimbabwe was becoming a dangerous business. Therefore, when pre-election violence drops it signal a change in policy, a notable change. One life lost is too many, because life is sacred. In Zimbabwe pre-election violence has been blamed on the ruling Zanu PF, often associate with the prolonged rule of the incumbent. This type of violence poses a serious threat to the personal safety of the opposition and voters. Therefore, the reduction in incidents of pre-election violence in Zimbabwe must be welcomed by the opposition if it is true that ZANU PF was behind it. If opposition downplays the reduction in pre-election violence, then we have reason to doubt their sincerity; whether they had something to do with it or at least if at all they care about their supporters.

In the past there has been attempts by this writer to draw parallels between Kenya and Zimbabwe. This writer was thinking that the former president Mugabe would take from the former president of Kenya HE Daniel Arap Moi who left power and became the father of Kenyan politics. Every presidential aspirant almost seeks the blessing of Moi in Kenya. This writer wished that president Mugabe would become the Moi of Zimbabwe, but it wasn’t to be. Instead we were close to Gambia and the fall of Yahya Jameh, and the subsequent onslaught on his close allies. A lesson for the new dispensation? But some parallels can still be drawn with Kenya. There is nothing new under the sun. The opposition and civic society activists’ deep scepticism of president Mnangangwa needs moderation. Because these together with some utterances of the opposition leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa, can help fuel post-election violence. And, as such all the gains of the reduction in political violence will be lost. Even though the run up to the election has far maintain calm for the most it, there could still be a risk of a Kenya style post-election violence.

If such a calamity awaits us next week, this writer has a few points to highlight.
• The conservative estimates of displaced people in the world currently stands at over 30 million, with liberal estimates as high as 65 million. Zimbabwe does not need to add to that number. We have an economy to rebuild.
• As already argued (hopefully) we have already made some progress. Violence is down. A journey of a thousand miles has already begun, and what we want to see next would be; free and fair elections, Can Zanu-PF accept defeat, if it comes to that? Can the opposition? It is important to see the glass as half full.
• The Kenyan post-election violence resulted in over 1000 deaths and 180,000 – 600,000 displaced. Yet, later the political party leaders signed an agreement and worked together. No significant prosecutions. Zimbabweans should resist being used to prop up some politicians into some positions after participation in violence.

In conclusion we have a country to build. We have seen the optimism and cautious hope that surrounds president Mnangagwa’s ascendancy to power. He promises technocracy that would bring back the economy. The main contender Adv Nelson Chamisa promises a 100 billion economy in a decade, major infrastructural development that will include the transformation of rural economies into industrial hubs, an effective rail system boosted by the introduction of bullet trains, and the construction of modern freeways. And indeed, we have many other presidential aspirants. This is enough to reason to protect the peace and stability we enjoy so far, and if anything, to improve it. It’s time to see our next step in the journey to recovery and give the winner a chance.
Rome wasn’t built in day.

We therefore need to strengthen our institutions to help avert any possible post-election unrest and skirmishes. And in the run up to the elections we should urge all influential people to speak responsibly. Faith communities, civic groups, people of influence, members of Political Debate Group, should urge each other and more to shun any violence. New billboards must be put up shunning any form of violence. All sermons on Sabbath and Sabbath School classes must shun violence. Likewise, all sermons on Sunday must reject violence, and warn the young and the restless not to participate in any skirmishes if they come up. Let’s protect our gains. Iwe neni tine basa.

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74 Yr Old Mudede’s Office Door Flung Open During Elections

Tobaiwa-Mudede

The Registrar-General Tobaiwa Mudede’s Office will be open from today (Saturday) till Monday.

This was announced yesterday and is meant to assist registered voters who lost their national identity documents to obtain new ones.

Identity documents are important so one can vote during Monday’s harmonised elections.

The 74 year old Mudede told a press conference in Harare that this is not new and has been done in previous elections.

Mudede said,” This serves to inform the public that the offices of the Registrar General; i.e Central Registry, Provincial and District Offices will remain open for issuance of lost, misplaced or defaced identity documents and confirmation of citizenship (where necessary). These services will be extended to all registered voters to facilitate voting on the polling day.

He also added saying today and tomorrow the offices will be opened between 0700 hours and 1600 hours, and on Monday from 0700 hours to 1900 hours.

Chamisa’s Final Push LIVE Video Broadcast | 7 ANGLES

ZimEye today brings our valued readers and contributors LIVE coverage of the MDC Alliance’s final push in the capital, Harare.

This is Chamisa’s 80th rally and concludes all his campaign engagements this year. ZimEye will on the sidelines also cover bits of the ZANU PF rally in the National Sports stadium, Harare.
– REFRESH THIS PAGE TO WATCH –

Chamisa Will Win But Will Be Declared A Loser, Says Reader.

A ZimEye.com reader Ronald Mapfumo wrote the following as an opinion on a ZimEye.com publication:

I’m # pro -chamisa. But let me share my doubts.

With the situation ED might win not because of the votes but from
other scrupulous means. Chamisa will be declared a loser.

For Chamisa to win it’s only by the hand of God because a pen and ink from the majority will never remove Zanu Pf. Only if our Heavenly Father intervenes then Chamisa will win and it will be a shock to Zimbabweans if Zanu Pf concedes defeat.

Without God intervening Zanu Pf not ED but Zanu Pf in general will never ever ever concede defeat to an opposition party if it looses. We have 2008 as standing evidence because there is
still an open case in courts today concerning those elections that even those who use to be #pro-mdc that year who have turned to be #pro-zanupf after the events of November 2017 crystal clearly know that Zanu Pf store our votes.

Now just imagine. The fact that, that case is not closed and justice done
shows that Zanu Pf is in charge of everything including our judiciary. Everything is flawed and compromised. If that case has not been saved Zanu Pf still holds confidence to repeat it
because all systems are in their favor.

Brace for another life time in the hands of unfairness maZimbabwe.

Thank you…

Voting Day Basics

THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has provided some publications with basic voter and polling station procedure for election day, but not all aspects can be covered. First time and repeat prospective voters are urged to take the time familiarise themselves with Section 51 of the Electoral Act and refrain from over reliance on rumours and hand me down information, which will most likely be tilted towards any agenda.

Where are polling stations found?

They are set up at convenient places within constituencies which are readily accessible to the public. One’s polling station was notified at the voter registration. The number and location of polling stations spacing is determined by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), using the data they have on constituency populations, density and other useful pointers. Zec has a duty to ensure there are enough polling stations for the population in a constituency. Voting is now strictly ward based and polling stations were set at the biometric voter registration stage. The polling station stated would have been the nearest in proximity to the given residential address and unless the voter applied to change it, it is the only station they can vote at.

Can there be objections to establishment of polling stations?

Details of all the polling stations were published in the pubic media. Political parties were empowered to lodge concerns or objections pertaining the location of any polling station and make suggestions and recommendations to the constituency elections officer.

What about disabled persons access?

Section 1(a) compels Zec to locate all polling stations at readily accessible places to cater for people with disabilities. Buildings with staircases or steps or elevated platforms where wheelchair ramps are not provided cannot be polling stations. Reports should be lodged if this is the case.

Are there any prohibited locations?

It is prohibited to site polling stations at premises owned by political parties or candidates, police stations, military barracks, cantonment areas or any other place where police officers or members of the defence forces are permanently stationed. This is to eliminate the possibility of actual or potential intimidation, although police officers will be on duty at all polling stations to maintain law and order as required.

What about other independent places?

Bars, hotels, or any other such places registered under the Liqour Act cannot be polling stations, as well as places in which inferences or actual possibilities may be drawn that voting confidentiality and safety may be compromised cannot be polling stations. Examples include the side of a busy road or noisy pedestrian thoroughfare, where safety and practicality and integrity can be breached.

What are the opening hours for voting?

Polling stations are typically open at 7am to 7pm for twelve hours. However, there may be just cause to depart from these times, but should meet at least the prescribed 12 hours. The constituency elections officer is mandated to extend the opening time if there are still prospective voters still in the queue until all of them have cast their vote.

How do we ascertain that the ballot box will be empty?

The elections presiding officer has to show proof that the ballot box is empty before polling begins to the accredited observers, electoral offices, candidates and other authorised people present. The presiding officer has to show that the ballot box has not been stuffed with ballots prior to the official voting to allay rigging fears.

What if some voters are given more ballot papers than allowed?

Before commencement of polling, the presiding officer is supposed to count and record the total number of ballot papers received at the polling station in the presence of the officials, candidates and other authorised persons and observers present. This will be used to verify the total number of ballots cast and the total number of voters who voted at that particular polling station. Furthermore, the ballot papers each have a unique serial number, with a matching counterfoil from which they are detached and audited against. The different elections agents from various parties and independent candidates participate in the verification processes and sign off when they are satisfied with the procedures. These measures are in place to eliminate or allay fears of rigging, because the number of ballots cast should tally with the numbers of voters.

What proof of identification should I take?

A passport or national identity card. It helps to carry the voter registration slip, although this is not a strict requirement.

Can I take photographs in the polling booth?

Section 25 of the Electoral Regulations stipulates prohibition of taking of photographs within a polling-station or while polling is in progress for oneself or other person, except with the permission of the constituency elections officer.

What about if I make a mistake on my ballot?

Voters are urged to be careful as mistakes such as tearing the paper or putting marks elsewhere other than the allowed places result in spoilt ballots and will not be counted.

If a voter makes a mistake they are allowed to return the spoilt ballot while they are still inside the voting booth. The spoilt ballot is returned and a new one issued at the discretion of the presiding officer after satisfaction of the genuineness of the error.

What is assisted voting?

Illiterate or handicapped persons may request assistance in the polling booth. They can nominate anyone of their choice such as a friend or relative. If they do not come with anyone the presiding officer can assist them, but only in the presence of two other electoral officers or Zec officials and a police officer of duty. The detailed procedures of assisted voters are described in Section 58 and should be adhered to.

Newsday

ZEC Has “Voters Born In 1877 Going To Vote On Monday”

The exiled fomer Higher Education minister Professor Jonathan Moyo speaks stating that there are old voters on the ZEC database with date of births as far back as 1877.

FULL TEXT:

Khupe Dares Chamisa On Mugabe Relations

Leader of the splinter MDC-T Dr Thokozani Khupe dared her rival Nelson Chamisa who retained the mainstream MDC-T ast their split to come clean over his alleged links with former President Robert Mugabe.

Khupe spoke to Standard weekly newspaper in an exclusive interview where she declared that she has no links with the osted former strongman hinting that Chamisa is instead having relations with Mugabe.

Below is her response a question on her supposed funding from ZANU PF.

“I have not had any relationship with Zanu PF led by Robert Mugabe or the one led by Emmerson Mnangagwa.

I am not the one who is in alliance with former Zanu PF members. My party does not have Zanu PF or former Zanu PF members as candidates.

Ironically, despite the legal position that states that the party should have access to the political finance money as defined in the Political Finances Act is the MDC “T”, the current government for reasons best known to them, even after I had written to them to await resolution of the contestation of leadership, decided to allocate that money to a group that now call themselves by another name.

Secondly, another organ of the state led by Zanu PF, which is Parliament, against legal advice from my lawyer and me, took an unprecedented decision to accept a letter of recall purportedly written by people with no locus standi.

They proceeded even after the first High Court ruling by Justice Francis Bere to appoint an illegitimate person as leader of the opposition.

Therefore, if there is anyone who has been favoured by the current government, it is not me.

The only difference is that some of us do not believe in casting aspersions on others.

The direct beneficiaries of the past and present system are known by all.

For the avoidance of doubt, Thokozani Khupe even in her private dealings has not had business deals with both the past and present regime.

I am happy to declare publicly my business deals which are limited to a small plot in Bubi, which is my family home.

Perhaps it is time all the 23 candidates were asked to declare their assets and business deals so we can tell who indeed has worked both privately and publicly with the past and present regime.

Supreme Court Reverses Ruling On Children At ZANU PF Rallies

The Supreme Court has quashed a High Court judgment barring Zanu-PF from “forcing pupils and teachers to attend political rallies” saying the lower court had erred.

Chief Justice Luke Malaba sitting with Justices Paddington Garwe and Ben Hlatshwayo, set aside the High Court decision and slapped the Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) with an order for costs.

The High Court had also interdicted Zanu-PF from forcing or asking pupils and teachers to attend political rallies.

The ruling party was also barred from using school property, including structures and buses for political activities following an application by ARTUZ.

However, the Supreme Court granted Zanu-PF’s appeal after convincing arguments by Advocate Lewis Uriri, who was being instructed by Mr Nickiel Mushangwe of Mushangwe & Partners.

The lawyers argued that the High Court issued an order against Zanu-PF without proof of any of the alleged infractions.

The operative part of the Supreme Court order reads:

“Whereupon after reading documents filed of record and hearing counsel, it is ordered that:

1 The appeal hereby succeeds with costs

2 The judgment of the court a quo is set aside and substituted with the following order:
“The application is dismissed with costs”.

The court of appeal found that ARTUZ unlawfully sought and obtained a final order under the guise of an interim order.

It also came out of the proceedings that the High Court misdirected itself when it granted the order in favour of ARTUZ.

The erroneous High Court order was granted despite opposing papers filed by Zanu-PF challenging the union to prove that Zanu-PF was indeed guilty of such violations.

In its grounds of appeal, Zanu-PF argued that the judge erred by granting the order based on unsubstantiated allegations against Zanu-PF.

“The learned judge in the court a quo misdirected himself by granting the interdict against the appellant in circumstances where there was no evidence linking same with the alleged infractions other than an erroneous construction that conflates the party and the State,” reads the notice ofappeal.

During the High Court proceedings, Mr Mushangwe opposed the application, saying there was not a shred of evidence that Zanu-PF commandeered school buses.

He also argued that the teachers’ union failed to prove that teachers and pupils were forced by the ruling party to attend the rallies.

Mr Mushangwe argued that the union was confusing the Government and Zanu-PF, which is a mere political outfit, in framing the allegations.

“The applicant did not establish a well-grounded apprehension of irreparable harm or injury actually committed,” he said.

“There is no single piece of document, evidence or sworn testimony that connects the first respondent with the attendance of children at its rallies.

“What appears seems to be a tenuous attempt to conflate the first respondent (Zanu-PF), a political party, which also happens to be the ruling party and the Government, which is a separate entity that operates educational matters through the second respondent (Minister of Primary and Secondary Education).”

The court also relied on a human rights report which was more than a year old, which was compiled during the tenure of former President Robert Mugabe.

In the new dispensation, the lawyer argued, all the allegations levelled against Zanu-PF were unsubstantiated and baseless.

“However, in this matter the facts are distinguishable as this is a new dispensation where there is a new way of doing things,” said the lawyer.

“What are being relied on are events that happened over a year ago when the former President of this country was in office. There is now a new Head of State who has zero tolerance for hate speech and has arguably made the country a safer and more tolerant society during election time.”

Zanu-PF argued that the urgent chamber application granted by the High Court was fatally defective.

ZEC Scoffs At Ballot Paper Issue

THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has scoffed at social media claims that presidential ballot papers were being transported in Zanu-PF trucks to various polling stations across the country with the intention of rigging the elections.

A clip showing a car alleged to be that of Zanu-Pf aspiring candidate Cde Tichaona Karimazondo loaded with alleged presidential ballot papers has gone viral on various social media platforms.

Blogger and former Sunday Mail Editor Edmund Kudzayi posted on his personal Facebook wall yesterday an image of what he claimed were presidential ballot papers on the back seat of a Zanu-PF bakkie marked Uzumba Constituency.

He did not explain how he knew the papers were ballots and specifically presidential ones.

But Zec Commissioner in charge of public liaison Dr Qhubani Moyo dismissed the claims, saying the picture of a Zanu-PF vehicle purportedly carrying ballot papers is fake and coming from the purveyors of misrepresentation and anarchism whose intention is to destabilise the smooth running of elections.

“This is being circulated by fake and alarmist individuals working against the progress and good work done by the electoral body,” he said.

“The commission is not transporting its ballot material using trucks. The commission transports ballot papers and security material in the presence of representatives of the contesting parties.

“The ballot papers have been distributed to constituencies and are being transported to polling stations in the presence of agents of all contesting parties who accompany the distribution.”

Dr Moyo dismissed Kudzayi’s claims as unfounded, false and alarmist.

He explained that polling agents of the various candidates were allowed to sleep inside the polling stations guarding the ballots together with the police and Zec officials.

“Polling agents are allowed to sleep in polling stations if they so wish guarding the ballots together with police officers and Zec security.”
Kudzayi claimed that Zanu-PF supporters will be given the ballot papers before going to the polling station and will switch them while in the ballot booth.

State media

ZBC Rejects Powerful Chamisa TV Advert

By Dorrothy Moyo| The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Authority has refused to broadcast an MDC Alliance TV commercial citing reasons the party has described as “flimsy.”

The advertorial, which is the People’s President Nelson Chamisa’s prayer for the Nation of Zimbabwe was returned to the Party for re-editing saying the true reflections in the commercials are inciting.

ZimEye reveals the video advert below:

Harare Breaks Into Two Groups

The country’s two biggest political parties will on Saturday flex their muscles against each other in terms of numbers when they hold their final rallies within ten kilometres of each other in the capital city ahead of the elections on Monday.

The ruling ZANU PF will hold its “mega rally” at the National Sports Stadium while the country’s biggest opposition the MDC Alliance Will hold its “cross over” rally at the nearby Freedom Square at the same time.

As stipulated by the Electoral Act, all political parties and candidates must wind up their public campaigns 48 hours before Election Day.

In an interview with state media on Friday, Zanu-PF’s Secretary for Legal Affairs and electoral affairs spokesperson Paul Mangwana said his party was ready for the mega rally which will be addressed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“His Excellency President Mnangagwa will address the rally. It’s our last rally the Presidium will be there as well as Zanu PF top leadership and Commissariat. We are expecting not less than 200 000 people to attend because there has been massive mobilisation,” said Mangwana.

He said Zanu-PF’s campaigns went on well and they are expecting nothing short of a victory. “So far so good, we are expecting a landslide victory,” he said.

The MDC Alliance spokesperson Professor Welshman Ncube also said the coalition was ready for the rally which they have termed the “cross over” to government rally which will be addressed by their presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa.

“We are expecting the whole of Harare here and the key speakers are the Alliance speakers. Our campaign has been going on very well, we began in January, we’ve been in this thing for seven months now and we have been criss-crossing the country. We’ve gone back where we started. We think we have done everything we could, we have the energy and we think people deserve better than what they have now,” said Prof Ncube.

Both ZANU PF and the MDC Alliance have been drawing huge crowds to their campaign rallies throughout the country. The figures have been so close leaving critics not sure which of the two has been able to draw bigger numbers to their rallies.

The country goes for watershed elections on Monday to choose a new leader between Chamisa and Mnangagwa who are evidently the only two competing for the top job in the country compared to the other 21 contestants.

IS HE TELLING THE TRUTH? – Chiwenga Says Chamisa’s Lawyer Is Inciting Violence

State Media FULL TEXT –

Vice President General Constantino Chiwenga (Retired) yesterday warned lawyers against making reckless statements with the effect of inciting political violence. He said lawyers must uphold their responsibilities as officers of the court.

VP Chiwenga also implored those who would have lost in the Monday harmonised elections to congratulate the winners and accept results. Addressing a rally in Goromonzi yesterday to drum up support for President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF, he said lawyers are expected to behave responsibly.

His warning coincided with a statement by Advocate Thabani Mpofu,legal adviser to MDC Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa, who on Thursday claimed a transitional framework for the transfer of power from President Mnangagwa to his client was now in place.

Without mentioning names, VP Chiwenga said lawyers risked being prosecuted if they incited violence.

“Today we have heard from those who regard themselves as renowned lawyers in the country. If you are a lawyer you are an officer of the court. Yes you might be a lawyer or an Advocate but you are also an officer of the court. If you are an officer of the court you abide by the requisite laws. You cannot say in one breath I am an officer of the court and in the same breath you say I am not. If you are a court official you do not incite violence. No one is allowed to incite violence no matter your reasoning. When you incite violence and abuse the law or in breach of the law you can be charged. If people get injured because of what you would have said you are also accountable,” said VP Chiwenga.

He said both winners and losers should shake hands upon announcement of election results. “So we are saying there will be a winner and there will be losers. Those who would have lost election must accept defeat and congratulate the winner. Also the winner will say I have won and next time you do better. There should be no violence. We warn those who upon entering the race refuse to accept defeat. If you had not adequately prepared accept it,” said VP Chiwenga.

Turning to Caledonia, a sprawling settlement east of Harare, VP Chiwenga said Government will come up with a comprehensive plan that ensured that they were properly settled with social amenities. He warned one of the leaders of housing cooperatives, Mr Oswald Gwanzura, to stop threatening people in the area that he would repossess their stands should they not vote for him in Goromonzi South constituency where he is battling it out with Zanu-PF candidate Cde Petronella Kagonye.

Mr Gwanzura lost to Cde Kagonye in primary elections before standing as an independent.
VP Chiwenga said Government was aware of challenges faced in Caledonia related to land barons, double allocation and absence of social amenities.

He said those who stood as independents like Mr Gwanzura ceased to belong to Zanu-PF.
“This land does not belong to Gwanzura so he has no such powers. We do not want people who threaten others. You want to threaten people when you committed crimes of fleecing people of their money. You shall be held to account for your crimes,” said VP Chiwenga.

The rally was also attended by Zanu-PF Politburo member Cde Sydney Sekeramayi, deputy national political commissar Cde Omega Hungwe and provincial chairperson Cde Joel Biggie Matiza.

ELECTION BUBBLE GUM? – Chivayo To Be Prosecuted On Instructions Of Mnangagwa’s New PG

Election bubble gum or real prosecution? 

State Media – Acting Prosecutor General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi has directed the police to immediately take businessman Wicknell Chivayo to court on allegations of defrauding Zimbabwe Power Company of $5,6 million.

ZPC, a subsidiary of Zesa Holdings, was misled into awarding a tender for the setting up the $200 million Gwanda Solar Project to Intratrek Zimbabwe Private Limited through its managing director Chivayo.

Chivayo allegedly received $5,6 million for pre-commencement work, but failed to deliver.
Mr Hodzi said investigations into Chivayo’s matter were now complete and he will appear in court soon.

He said he directed the police to bring him before the court for trial.
“The Acting Prosecutor General having considered criminal dockets pertaining to one Wicknell Chivayo has directed the police to bring him to court for a formal court appearance at Harare Magistrates Court immediately,” reads a statement from the National Prosecuting Authority.

Sources close to the matter said on October 23, 2015, ZPC signed an engineering, procurement and construction contract with Intratrek Zimbabwe’s technical partner Chint Electric for the construction of a 100 megawatt solar plant in Gwanda.
Chint Electric is a Chinese registered company.

The sources said according to the agreement, ZPC was supposed to avail $4 million for the pre-commencement works, while Intratrek would contribute $1 million.
Intratrek, through its directors, Chivayo, Tinashe Marvin Chavi and Yusuf Ahmid allegedly hatched a plan to defraud ZPC.

Ahmid and Chavi are yet to be located.
The sources said Chivayo, using his links with jailed former Minister of Energy and Power Development Samuel Undenge, pressured ZPC to release the pre-commencement funds to Intratrek in the absence of an advance payment bank guarantee.

They fraudulently raised five invoices claiming substantial amounts of money giving a false impression that they were doing the pre-commencement works.

Acting on the misrepresentation, one Hubert Chiwara transferred a total of $5 299 203 from ZPC’s
Stanbic Bank account to Intratrek’s account with CBZ Bank.

Investigations later revealed that Intratrek had no capacity to carry out the feasibility study and that it subcontracted the work to a Chinese company called Shanghai Electric Power Design Institute Co. Ltd.

Further investigations show that Intratrek never paid a cent to the Chinese firm for the purported feasibility study. The sources said according to investigations, Chivayo and the other directors did not channel the $5 million towards pre-commencement work.
They allegedly converted the funds to personal use.

In a bid to cover up for the misappropriated funds, Intratrek bosses presented a fictitious acquittal of PRC3 and 4 forms purporting they had paid $1,9 million to various service providers subcontracted to do some work on the solar project in Gwanda.

The investigators established that Intratrek never subcontracted JTL Equipment, Makumimana Private Limited, Pietznack Plant and Earthmoving Services, Geoearth Minerals and Interpine Modular Structures Private Limited on the Gwanda project as claimed.

Makumimana, according to investigations, turned out to be a fictitious company, while Pietznack could not be found on the internet.

Sources said ZPC, according to the investigations, was prejudiced of about  $5,6 million.
Only a paltry $47 775.91 was spent on the project and the rest was converted to personal use, the sources alleged.

FULL TEXT: Wutaunashe Pulls Churches To Nat Sports Stadium For ED

*A HIGH PRIORITY MESSAGE FROM APOSTLE ANDREW WUTAWUNASHE: CHAIRMAN, FAITH FOR THE NATION CAMPAIGN*

27 July 2018

*SUBJECT: PRESIDENT’S INVITATION TO A THANKSGIVING RALLY ON SATURDAY 28th JULY, 2018 9am AT NATIONAL SPORTS STADIUM, HARARE.*

His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa is inviting us as God’s people to join him tomorrow Saturday at 9am in the National Sports STADIUM, Harare for a time of national thanksgiving to God for the peace that has prevailed in the nation before the elections. He sees this peace as an answer from God to the prayers of the church. He has therefore himself purposed as a child of God to dedicate this, his last pre-election star rally to giving thanks to God.

We are witnesses to God’s Prophetic call upon his life to be a Joseph leader and Answer of Peace to our nation, (Genesis 41v16). I therefore invite and urge you to put everything aside and join us at this important gathering. COME VERY EARLY IN ORDER TO GET A SEAT INSIDE.

We have faith for the nation.

Apostle Andrew Wutawunashe
Chairman
Faith for the Nation Campaign

VIDEO: A CROC or A 40yr OLD SHARP BLOKE! But Brett MuVhet Says Lets Vote Others In

By Brett Holley| A very important election coming up. Your vote is probably the most potent weapon you as a citizen have at this time. There are a few ways to play that vote.

First and foremost, we have numerous candidates at various levels who are contesting. Personally as you all know, I am favouring change. However I would prefer REAL change, not just a change of people, and keeping the same system.

You see, paBhora kana muchitamba 4-4-2, and you change the entre team and still munongotamba 4-4-2, pane zvachinja here?

We have had 2 of the biggest parties involved in a GNU Government. These parties have held various portfolios in Government, council, Parastatals etc etc and most have performed dismally. They have a clear cut track record: of failure. These people lived luxury lives and yet we have alarming levels of poverty.

So why don’t we vote for change? REAL change? There are 3 choices to make: Councillor, MP, President.

Personally I would say a vote for APA, BZA, ZIPP, POVO and the many independent MPs and Councillors. Why do I say this? The official opposition has been voted for as Councillors and MPs since 2000, in Parliament and Council they are ineffective simply because of 2 things;

1-      They are hamstrung by the fact the local government and ministers are controlled by Zanu and they have no power to do anything anyway.

2-      The little that they could do, is not done because they are either incompetent or corrupt or a combination of both.

So if we know that this is what we are going to get yet again, why not try someone new? Imagine a parliament or council with a majority of Independent members? What do we have to lose really by voting for another MP or councillor other than Zanu or MDCT? NOTHING, because nothing has been happening anyway!!!!

Even those who say our best hope to remove zanu is to rally behind the most popular candidate.  2 THINGS about that. Mugabe was popular, so was Hitler and Stalin. 2ndly is an observation I have made. I have come into contact with so many people who admit that cadre Nkosana and cadre Manyika and a few others are better qualified and suited to lead Zimbabwe but don’t have numbers. Well imagine if we all followed our gut feelings and voted for those 2, either of them doesn’t matter, as long as its REAL change. They probably actually already do have the numbers, its just that we are stuck in our old way of thinking.

Personally I don’t see a military takeover losing an election. And even if they lost, I don’t see them leaving office. So what we are voting for, is the official opposition. If we are lucky, the opposition may be invited into a GNU as the best possible outcome.

So, wouldn’t it be great to have the likes of cadre Moyo, Manyika, Blessing, etc etc as part of the GNU or official opposition. Imagine if we all went to vote for APA, BZA, ZIPP, POVO and we had a re-run and one or more of them featured? Imagine these leaders were mature enough to form a coalition among themselves and decide to combine forces in that re-run? Imagine that coalition actually wins? This is what can happen if we all follow our gut feelings.

Politics has changed in Zimbabwe. We have options. We have decent, morally upright and qualified options. We have matured, we have the ability to chart a new course. No matter who wins, our political landscape will never be the same again. A solid foundation has been laid.

If you support REAL change, speak up. Let your voice be heard.

You cannot do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. That is called madness.

Lastly cadres, this is an election. Life will go on afterwards. It is not worth a life, or killing or hurting others. Remember, once everything is done and dusted, vachanywa Tea vese. Be safe and think about the Zimbabwe you would like to leave for your kids and grankids.

BREAKING NEWS- PICTURE: ZANU PF MP Candidate On Camera With Ballot Paper Look Alikes Stashed Inside Car

ZimEye has received the below tip off on what strongly shows to be ballot papers stashed inside a ZANU PF politician. – THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY –

Dear Editor.

Please see the below picture and zoom in and see the Presidential Ballot inside the car belonging to Zanu PF’s aspiring National House Of Assembly for Maramba Pfungwe.

#openballot

“Shut Up!” Zhuwao Tells Sibusiso Moyo

Terrence Mawawa

Patrick Zhuwao has lashed out at Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo describing him as a hypocrite.

In a twitter message in which he responded to Moyo’ s remarks on the current situation in the country, Zhuwao said the Minister was out of sync with the reality on the ground.

Zhuwao wrote: “Someone please respond to this…. treasonous ediot who violated the Constitution of Zimbabwe in a coup on 15 November 2017.

He is recognised and acknowledged by the United Nations as a thief, looter and plunderer of DRC resources through the army.”

We Have Gone Out Of Our Way To Address MDC Alliance Concerns- Silaigwana

Utloile Silaigwana

Terrence Mawawa

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Acting Chief Elections Officer Utoile Silaigwana has said the MDC Alliance is exerting too much pressure on the commission.

Silaigwana told a daily paper the poll management body had actually gone out of its way to accommodate concerns from political parties, especially the Chamisa-led MDC Alliance.

“All political parties initially got the ballot paper before printing, then after printing, and they could have tested. We have also given them copies of the voters’ roll free of charge,” he said.

“Anybody who says he or she wants to test the ballot is planning to disrupt the electoral process and that will be in contravention of the Electoral Act.”

Asked why Zec could not allow political parties to pick ballots randomly for testing before Monday, Silaigwana argued this could cause shortages.

“We have printed ballots that tally with the number of registered voters at each polling station plus a 3% contingency. If we allow people to pull out ballots for the supposed testing, there could be shortages. One thing we must all remember is that ZEC does not necessarily act in the interests of parties alone. It also acts in the interest of ordinary voters and, in our view, they are more important than anyone else,”added Silaigwana.

“We have conducted our elections in accordance with Sadc guidelines, but for us to deliver a free and fair poll, we will need parties to behave. Even with the best referee, as long as the players are bent on disrupting the process, it would be difficult for anyone to deliver.”

Mnangagwa’s Kids Get Massive Billion Dollar Contracts – Jonathan Moyo

By Farai D Hove| Top former ZANU PF spin doctor, Professor Jonathan Moyo has claimed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s children of obtaining multi-billion dollar government contracts.

Prof Moyo accused Mnangagwa of dishing out lucrative projects to his children without going to tender. He said Mnangagwa will grow worse once elected to a 5 year term.

“It’s been eight months since Mnangagwa grabbed power in a coup & already at least 12 of his 40 plus grown up kids have received lucrative govt projects valued in billions of dollars without going to tender. Imagine what they’ll do if he gets 5 years on July 30,” Moyo tweeted.

It Took Israelites 40 Years To Reach Canaan, Zim Left With 2 Years: Oppah Muchinguri

Zanu-PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said President Mnangagwa is assured of an emphatic victory when the nation goes to vote in the harmonised elections on Monday.

Speaking at the star rally addressed by Mnangagwa in Mutare last week, Muchinguri-Kashiri equated Zimbabwe to children of Israel who travelled 40 years to Canaan from slavery in Egypt.

“Zimbabwe is like the biblical Egypt,” she said. “It took the Israelites 40 years to reach the Promised Land of Canaan. Zimbabwe has been on the journey to the Promised Land for 38 years now and there are only two years left for us to reach our Canaan. President Mnangagwa will take us from Egypt to Canaan.

Kashiri recently returned into the country after being hospitalised in South Africa for a month after surviving a bomb attack at a ZANU PF rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo on June 23. She immediately joined the intensive ZANU PF election campaign programmes.

US Foreign Affairs Committee House Passes Zimbabwe Sunctions Bill

Press Release|Ahead of the July 30 elections in Zimbabwe – the country’s first since Robert Mugabe’s ouster – the House passed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Amendment Act (S. 2779) to call for free and fair elections and key reforms. The bill now heads to the president’s desk for his signature.

Chairman Royce submitted the following remarks for the record:

“I want to thank Senators Flake and Coons for their leadership and sustained engagement on this issue. I also want to thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Bass for their focus on Zimbabwe at the Africa subcommittee.

On July 30th, the people of Zimbabwe will have the opportunity to vote for their next president. As the first election since Robert Mugabe, this is a pivotal moment for Zimbabwe. For 37 years, Zimbabweans have suffered greatly under authoritarian rule and economic devastation. The government drove the economy into the ground and violently suppressed any opposition to their power.

With elections now just days away, the situation in Zimbabwe should be viewed with cautious optimism. I am encouraged by some of the statements and actions taken by the government. President Mnangagwa, along with key opposition candidates, signed a public pledge to ensure peaceful elections. The opposition is allowed to campaign across the country, the voter roll has been released for inspection and U.S. and international observers will be permitted to observe the elections.

However, reports of voter intimidation, efforts to politicize food aid and increased military presence in rural polling stations are deeply concerning. The people of Zimbabwe, as well as the international community, remember the horrific violence that occurred during the 2008 elections. That cannot happen again.

That’s why this legislation is so critical. This bill makes important changes to update the 2001 Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act. It lays out our expectations for a free and fair election, as well as actions needed to achieve key economic reforms. The expectations of the 2001 legislation hold true today – Zimbabwe must make credible progress towards holding free and fair elections, restore the rule of law and ensure military subordination to the civilian government, among other desperately needed reforms. These are realistic and universally recognized standards.

Both the government and the opposition must follow through on their statements to hold a free, fair and credible election on July 30th. This is an opportunity to chart a dramatic new course for Zimbabwe. We urge the next president to take bold and immediate action to address key governance and economic issues. We stand by the people of Zimbabwe in their efforts to see a more democratic, peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe.”

Court Orders ZEC To Make Sure Staff Cast Their Votes

THE High Court has ordered Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to ensure that all teachers and other civil servants seconded to the electoral body as electoral and polling officers, will be allowed to cast their votes on Monday, provided the said persons were registered voters.

The ruling was made by Justice Isaac Muzenda yesterday following an urgent application by the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz).

“The applicants, (Artuz) members and any other civil servants who have been duly seconded as electoral officers and/or in any capacity are entitled to vote on the July 30, 2018 if such persons are duly registered in terms of the law and satisfy the requisite conditions on the day of voting,” Justice Muzenda said.

“Notwithstanding the secondment or deployment of the persons mentioned in paragraph 1 to areas in which they are not ordinarily registered to vote, the first respondent (Zec) shall ensure that any such persons are able to vote on July 30, 2018 at their appropriate polling stations.”

Artuz had, through its lawyer Denford Halimani of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, expressed concern that its members’ fundamental rights were likely to be infringed on by the electoral body’s actions in deploying them to areas in which they were not registered to vote.

Justice Muzenda ordered Zec to give teachers and all other civil servants serving as electoral and polling officers or in any other capacity, a temporary break from conducting Zec’s duties to enable them to cast their votes at their registered polling stations.

“In order to facilitate the voting of applicant’s members and other civil servants seconded to the first respondent as electoral/ or polling officers or in any capacity, the first respondent shall take such measures and steps, which include but not limited to providing transport to and from the respective polling stations where each member is entitled to vote at, affording a temporary break from first respondent’s duties to enable applicant’s members or any other civil servants to vote on July 30, 2018 before returning to their respective deployed polling stations,” Justice Muzenda ordered.

Unlike in previous elections where a person registered in a constituency could be allowed to vote at any polling station within that constituency, this year’s voting is polling station-based as stipulated under section 22A(3) of the Electoral Act.

Newsday

Undenge Takes Appeal To The High Court

FORMER Energy Minister Samuel Undenge, who was last week jailed for an effective two-and-a-half years for abuse of office, has withdrawn his bail application at the magistrate court on the basis that the State was showing lack of urgency.

Undenge, through his lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama, has since appealed against both conviction and sentence at the High Court.

The High Court application was based on the fact that he felt the penalty he had received was too excessive and induced a sense of shock and outrage.

He had argued that a community service or fine would have been appropriate.

It was on the basis of the High Court application that Undenge had made a bail application at the magistrates’ court that would enable him to await judgment from the higher court while outside prison.

He appeared before magistrate Mr Hosea Mujaya after the matter was rolled over to yesterday since the State had indicated that it had just been given the notice of appeal and needed time to go through it.

“Your Worship, I have received instructions from my client to no longer proceed with the bail application,” said Mr Muchadehama.

“We have decided to launch the bail application at the High Court.

“This court is not treating the matter with the urgency that it deserves.”

Mr Majaya did not respond to the allegation, but simply ordered that the matter be removed from the court roll.

Undenge was convicted for abuse of office after he hand-picked a public relations company for the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) without going to tender.

The public relations company, Fruitful Communications, owned by Zanu-PF Highfield legislator Psychology Maziwisa and former ZBC News anchor Oscar Pambuka, received more than $12 000 from ZPC, which the court says it did not deserve.

Maziwisa and Pambuka are appearing in court over the matter.

State Media

ZANU PF Ballot Paper Rigging Plan, ZEC Fingered In It

By Paul Nyathi|Anonymous sources within the ruling ZANU PF have revealed to ZimEye.com that the party is urging them to take part in an election rigging plan which will deny opposition members from taking part in the voting process at the national elections set for Monday.

The sources said that the party cell leaders around the country are going around urging party members to take advantage of the provisions of the Electoral Act and go out early and make deliberate mistakes on ballot papers and ask for replacement ballots so that ballot papers run run out before members of the opposition cast their votes.

The ZANU PF members who raised the issue as a query to ZimEye.com on whether it is legal to make a mistake and ask to be given another ballot paper to vote said that it is their first time to hear that there is such a provision within the laws.

“Our cell leader has been telling us to wake up very early and be the first ones at voting stations and make mistakes on ballot papers so that we finish the papers before the MDC members cast their votes,” said the source.

ZimEye.com investigations revealed that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission voter educators are also going around teaching voters that they can go to the polling stations and make mistakes on the ballot papers and will be given replacement ballots.

The Electoral Act provides that a voter who feels they have made a mistake on a ballot paper is entitled to another ballot paper at the discretion of the presiding officer. The Act also provides that no more than ten percent more ballots will be printed above the number of registered voters at a polling station.

Several incidents of ballot papers running out were reported at the 2013 elections that also saw a huge increase in the number of spoilt ballot papers.

Speaking at the Victoria Falls Press Club on Wednesday evening, Zec Commissioner Sibusiso Ndlovu also highlighted the teaching.

“If somebody feels that he or she has made a mistake, they will have to say it and no one will ask to see how and where the mistake was made. The person will be given another ballot paper. The presiding officer will issue an envelope, fold the ballot paper and place it in the envelope and indicate that it’s a cancelled ballot,” said Commissioner Ndlovu.

“You can even stop when you are about to deposit the ballot paper in the box and indicate that you made a mistake. However, what we will not allow is when one says he or she made a mistake when they have already dropped it (ballot paper) in the box,” she said.

She jokingly said those who will make a mistake more than once will be taken for counselling or examined for mental illness.

ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE – Mnangagwa Aide Says: “Elections Are Not Won On Election Day. You Win the Election On First Day You’re Sworn Into Office”

By Farai D Hove| IN WHAT STRONGLY indicates vote rigging preparations currently underway, Mnangagwa aide and ZANU PF Secretary For Legal Affairs Paul Mangwana has said that the upcoming polls will not be won on election day, contrary to laid down procedure that states that the poll outcome has to be immediately printed out at the polling stations as the soon as the ballots are counted.

The current procedure states that the tally data has to be immediately placated outside the polling stations. But Mangwana’s statement strongly points that next week’s polls will be handled differently. It also strongly suggests that ZANU PF plans to alter the figures soon after polling has been concluded.

Mangwana was speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with Comesa observers led by Ambassador Ashraf Gamal Rashed at Zanu-PF Headquarters on Wednesday.

He said this as details emerged that voters roll file revealed mid last month has since been severely distorted. Thousands had at the time of printing, complained that they have been notified by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission that their polling stations have changed.

One complainant reached ZimEye.com on Thursday night revealing she has received a text message that says she is no longer voting at Alexandra Park School and will now be moved to The Hellenic School.

ZimEye is compiling more details.

SEE VIDEO BELOW –

Meanwhile, Mangwana said the Emmerson Mnangagwa party does not expect to lose the forthcoming elections. He said Zanu-PF will accept defeat although he does not expect people to vote otherwise. Mangwana said, “we are going to win. We do not expect to lose. Elections are not won on the election day. You win the election on the first day you are sworn into office.

“There has been a lot of progress in the five months after the swearing in of President Mnangagwa. The President has been ushering in new projects nearly everyday, the vision and direction are there for everyone to see.

“We will accept the decision of the people if we lose, although I do not expect my people to vote otherwise.”

ZANU PF Urges Vendors To Remain In The Streets

Empty chairs at the vendor meeting

In an obvious election campaign gimmick, the ruling ZANU PF has told street vendors to continue doing their business from the streets at major urban centres in the country.

In a very lowly attended interface meeting with the vendors in Harare on Thursday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa represented by the ZANU PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri told the vendors that the government will make sure that the vendors are not harassed by Council authorities while doing their businesses from the illegal vending points.

Mnangagwa promised the vendors that government will gradually building designated vending places while they remain operating from the streets without harassment. Mnangagwa blamed the opposition dominated urban councils for harassing the vendors.

National Vendors’ Union of Zimbabwe (NVUZ) chairperson Sten Zworwadza showered praises on Mnangagwa indicating that the vendors have agreed to back him in the electuons elections set for Monday.

“We have been marginalised for long but we now want to work with Government to ensure there is financial inclusion.

“President Mnangagwa has proved to be a double hero and we see him fit to solve the challenges we are facing daily. We will not rally behind leaders who do not even care for us but who instead perpetuate our suffering.”

The vendors presented grievances relating to harassment and corruption, access to loan facilities and Government empowerment programmes, housing and social security.

Accept Election Results: Chiwenga Tells Fellow Comrades

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga

Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters at Murehwa Council grounds yesterday, Acting
President Constantino Chiwenga urged the party’s candidates to accept election results.

Chiwenga urged Zanu-PF supporters not to resort to violence if the party loses the election. Said Chiwenga:
“There are those who are instilling fear and inciting violence as we head for elections, you must shun them. Do not join them. However let me commend you for being a peaceful district, I heard that you are conducting yourselves well. We do not have time to fight each other. If you run a race there is bound to be one winner.

If you are defeated in elections accept your fate. Elections should be free, fair and free of violence. Everyone should go out and vote so that we can be able to build the Zimbabwe we want.”- state media.

MDC Alliance Appeals For Donations To Feed Election Agents

 

In an interview with Chronicle yesterday, MDC Alliance spokesperson Professor Welshman
Ncube confirmed that the Nelson Chamisa-led coalition does not have money to sustain its election agents during the elections.

Ncube said the coalition had resorted to recruiting agents who would not need transport fares to cut
costs.Said Ncube:

The issue of polling agents requires
funding, a lot of money over two to
three days. We will clearly need
whatever support we can get. Some
candidates are also able to support and sustain their agents. At the
constituency and ward level we have
people who have volunteered to cook
for the polling agents, who will deliver food from the village. We have volunteers where transport will be required.

MDC-T deputy treasury general Mr Chalton Hwende appealed for funds yesterday through his Twitter account. Said Hwende:
“Zimbabweans we need your help to
finish the struggle. We still need your
hand in feeding our polling agents.
Donate $5 and adopt one election
agent. We have a total of 45 000
elections agents throughout the
country.”

SPAGHETTI ROADS NEEDED: Zimbabwe Loses $406 mln To Roads Accidents

Zimbabwe is losing over $406 million to road accidents, it has been reported.

This was said by the Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joram Gumbo.

Gumbo said Zimbabwe is experiences mass annual losses – $406 million a year to road traffic accidents.

This reportedly amounts to 3% of Zimbabwe’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 1 041 people have died in road accidents between January and June this year, compared to 830 people last year (same period 12,5% increase). Gumbo said, “Zimbabwe is estimated to be losing about $406 million every year due to road traffic accidents.

“This is almost three percent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is estimated at $14 billion.

“It is sad to note that from January to June 2018, Zimbabwe has lost 1 041 people due to road traffic accidents, up from 830 people killed during the same period last year.” – state media

‘Be Patient With Mutasa’

‘Be Patient With Mutasa’

Dynamos chairperson Isaiah Mupfurutsa has
asked the club’s supporters to retain their faith in
coach Lloyd Mutasa as the Glamour Boys continue
to struggle in the Castle Lager Premiership.

DeMbare lost 1-0 to Ngezi Platinum Stars on
Sunday at Rufaro Stadium which was their eighth
defeat of the season and left them 13th on the log
with 22 points from 20 matches.
The Glamour Boys are just three points above the
last relegation slot and could suffer the ignominy of
dropping down to the second tier if results keep
eluding them.
Speculation surrounding Mutasa’s future has
escalated with each fresh setback and, despite the
newly-appointed club president Solomon
Sanyamandwe issuing a public backing of the
coach recently, rumours that the hierarchy’s
patience is running out have refused to die down.
Mupfurutsa, who assumed his role last month,
feels while the results have not been coming their
way lately, firing the coach at this moment is not
the solution.
“It’s not a secret that we are going through a
difficult patch. I know Dynamos is a big brand, we
have expectations and we are not used to losing.
Usually, when things are like this, we tend to lose
patience, fans and other stakeholders, but we need
to pull in one direction,” he said.
“I think the most important thing at the moment is
to bring stability to the club. I believe you will agree
with me that the situation has stabilised since we
assumed office.
“There is a significant improvement from how the
team is performing. I think against Ngezi, the boys
were just unlucky.
“We don’t want to rush into firing the coach.
Remember, there was a time when the coach was
briefly sacked and he had to start all over again.
“We can’t rush to say the coach has failed. We all
know where we are coming from and where we
want to go.
“Let’s work together and support each other.
What’s important is for the team to finish at a
respectable position which I think is very possible.
We will be too ambitious to say we want to
challenge for the championship.”
Mupfurutsa continued: “If we are to bring in a new
coach, he will also have to start from somewhere.
What we want to do is to give him (Mutasa) all the
support. If we can pick wins, we will be in a better
position.”
The banking executive added that the newly-
appointed DeMbare leadership has also not given
up on bringing midfielder Brett Amidu to the club
saying negotiations are at an advanced stage.
“We are working tirelessly to bring Amidu and other
players who are on the coach’s shoplist.
Negotiations are taking place and we should
conclude soon to bring Amidu,” he said.
“We are coming from a deep end and we need to
understand it’s a process but it takes everyone’s
support including our fans to achieve our goal.”
On the other hand, Mutasa has also not lost hope
and is confident his team will come good soon.
“I wouldn’t want to say much about the things we
do not have control over but I’m saying probably our
target as Dynamos is to try and be the best team at
this stage of the season,” Mutasa said.
“We lost a match but I would love to believe we are
not very far from what we want to be. If we up
ourselves in terms of scoring we will be a team to
compete.
“We have only played three matches in the second
half of the season and there are still 14 matches to
play and I believe we can still bounce back.” –
Daily News

Substituted by elimination Lloyd Mutasa

Zvorwadza Backs Mnangagwa

The National Vendors’ Union of Zimbabwe (NVUZ) chair Sten Zvorwadza has endorsed Emmerson Mnangagwa saying he is fit to solve the challenges vendors are facing daily.

Zvorwadza made this statement after a private meeting with Zanu-PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri who represented Mnangagwa.

For years Zvorwaza has been the face of vendor activism while teaming with Evan Mawarire’s #Thisflag movement.

Said Zvorwadza: “we have been marginalised for long but we now want to work with Government to ensure there is financial inclusion. President Mnangagwa has proved to be a double hero and we see him fit to solve the challenges we are facing daily. We will not rally behind leaders who do not even care for us but who instead perpetuate our suffering.”

Joining in the discussion, the Munhumutapa Royal Charter president Mr Ephraim Chizola said MDC-T-run councils had failed them. – state media

BREAKING – Report Claims Russian Jet Has Flown Into Harare With Ballot Papers

By A Correspondent| A report published on a blog last night declares that a plane has flown from Russia into Zimbabwe straight into the capital, Harare.

The report has got flight tracking data which ZimEye was at the time of writing establishing the origins and exact details. The report shows that the flight under the below tracking numbers landed in the capital city and alleges that it was exempt from normal immigration and Customs control checks.

It is very possible for flight tracking data to be unavailable for a private jet, an aviation source at Lanseria Airport told ZimEye. ZimEye has for instance been able to track president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s hired private jet after flying into South Africa secretly. During those times the flight tracking data was impossible to obtain on the ttacking websites.

this is a developing story – refresh this page for the updates.

 

IS HE TELLING THE TRUTH? – FUEL SHORTAGES: Minister Says It’s Social Media

Simon Khaya Moyo

Government has said there is no need for fuel panic buying as the country has adequate supplies and people should ignore social media claims that there will be a shutdown of petrol stations as this is mere dirty politics ahead of elections.

Addressing a press conference in Bulawayo yesterday, Energy and Power Development Minister Simon Khaya Moyo urged Zimbabweans to ignore false messages about fuel shortages and desist from panic buying.

He also announced that Government had reduced the petrol blending ratio from E20 to E10 with immediate effect until August 8 to allow suppliers to build their ethanol banks as they were facing logistical challenges in the transportation of the liquid from Chisumbanje to their depots.

Min Moyo said the Beira to Msasa pipeline was pumping fuel every time with three large vessels carrying fuel for the country expected to dock this week to add on to the stocks that are already there. “I wish to assure the nation that the country has and will continue to have adequate supplies of fuel. Accordingly there is no basis for the panic buying of fuel such as we continue to witness as we have adequate stocks to meet our demand and we continue to import through the same pipeline and by road 24/7,” he said.

“Given the above, from a bulk supply point of view, not only do we have fuel stocks in the country but the whole supply chain is active with no discernible material bottlenecks or challenges except for an inadequate supply of Ethanol to blend at E20. In order to allow for fuel companies to build up their own ethanol stocks, the blending level has thus been reduced to E10 until 8 August,” he said.
Min Moyo said the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe had on Monday allocated US$15 million to fuel retailers with assurances that similar forex releases would occur every Monday to allow fuel companies to plan their fuel purchases for the ensuing week as well as their logistics.

“In addition to the cash forex allocations to fuel companies, the RBZ has also arranged Letters of Credit for some major oil companies totalling more than $26 million. It is also important to note that one of the oil companies has an appreciable open credit with its international fuel supplier.

“I must also state that there is a social media message assertion that is currently doing rounds claiming that petrol stations will be closed on Friday 27 July 2018. I wish to state categorically that this is not true and there is no basis for such a shutdown.
“Petrol filling stations shall operate as normal and as usual clearly there are some elements within our society who are bent on causing unwarranted confusion, alarm and despondency. The truth is that petrol filling stations shall remain open to disperse fuel as usual,” said Min Moyo.

He assured motorists that there was no need for panic buying as a result of the social media messages as there was enough fuel in the country.

“So you can be rest assured that we are on top of the situation as a Ministry and as Government and we can assure the entire nation that there is no need for panic buying. I am aware that some people thought it necessary to fill their tanks as quickly as possible because of some mischief fuelled by social media. There is no need for that, the nation shall continue to operate as normal and indeed we are very much on top of the situation,” said Minister Moyo.

He condemned those behind the social media messages saying they were desperate and playing dirty politics.state media

LIBERT MASUNDA AND CLEMENCE MARIJENI JOINED THE FRAUD GAND IN UK

By Dr Masimba Mavaza| As pressure from Zimbabwe makes people do wonders, a Zimbabwean family man was sentenced 17 years in prison in the UK for benefit fraud and doing fake marriages. John Bilston a crime reporter reported that Clemence Marijeni has been locked up for 17 years after producing fake documents for two huge West Midlands United Kingdom fraud rackets.

Most Zimbabweans are under pressure to please people at home and as a result go on to do whatever brings them money to meet the great expectations from Zimbabwe. The social pressure associated with diaspora has created many jails for the Zimbabweans who are forced to do whatever possible to make money. Unlike Marijeni who was caught most have survived and sipped through the police radder. It is those who are not caught who make it difficult for others who end up doing anything to match their friends and avoid the ridicule from home.

Another of those jailed was former Blackpool and Zimbabwean national team footballer Liberty Masunda from Mapleton Road, Hall Green – now a clinical engineer in Somerset – who received a three-year jail sentence for his involvement in the conspiracy. Liberty Masunda who was a prolific player in Zimbabwe soccer circles exchanged the boots for prison gab after the benefit temptation proved very strong. Masunda made over four hundred thousand pounds from the scam before the long hand of the law caught up with him.

Clemence Marijeni, , and his wife started building a mansion in Zimbabwe but have both been jailed The master forger behind one of the West Midlands’ largest sham marriage scams and a £720,000 maternity allowance fraud has been jailed for a total of 17 years.

Clemence Marijeni produced fake documents for the money-spinning rackets, which ran simultaneously for almost four years, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The Zimbabwe-born 44-year-old father of two completed a law degree at Wolverhampton University after coming to the UK in 2006 and claimed to earn £30,000-a-year from his role in a shipping business.

But the graphics expert pocketed more cash by selling forged paperwork to others involved in the two frauds while using eight bank accounts under false names to collect at least £55,000 from bogus maternity allowance claims for him.

Meanwhile he and his Zimbabwean wife, Poula Chikuhwa, aged 37 – also part of the swindle had a mansion built in Zimbabwe from the ill-gotten funds.

The gang made at least 165 fake maternity applications between May 2011 and August 2015, pocketing £450,000 but would have collected £720,000 if a considerable number had not been spotted as phony by Department of Work and Pensions officials and rejected.

Henry Bazra, the alleged brains behind the operation, was interviewed by investigators but fled the country before he could be arrested and is now thought to be in Zimbabwe.
Hundreds of bogus documents involving both this swindle and the sham marriage racket were found on a computer discovered at the home of Marijeni in Weston Road, Bilston, but the maternity allowance conspiracy was still under investigation when the other case went to trial.

Marijeni was a key player in the bogus marriage fraud, creating fake histories in a bid to help at least 45 West Africans to stay in the country illegally through bogus weddings. Czech and Slovakian people allegedly working and living in the UK were paid to tie the knot. This is because any person from the EU is allowed to stay in the UK so their partners will be allowed too. The Zimbabwean Whizz kid will them take advantage of the louse system and exploit it to his pleasure and his pocket’s satisfaction.

He was jailed for 10 years when convicted of the fraud following a trial in October 2016 and now a further seven years have been added to the term after he was found guilty of being ‘at the heart’ of the maternity allowance racket.
Mr Harpreet Sandhu, prosecuting, said: “He was more than just a facilitator of criminal activity – he was directly engaged with it.”
Personal details of almost 30 people working with one of the gang were used on fake benefit claims which were laundered through the bank accounts of others among the dozen people convicted of involvement in the fraud.
Bogus application forms were submitted with a forged maternity certificate confirming either a pregnancy or birth, apparently signed by a member of a GP practice with an official stamp meant to prove the document’s authenticity.
This included the personal identification number of the alleged signatory who knew nothing about it.

Bogus pay slips were sent with the form in a bid to trick officials into believing the applicant met the basic requirement of having worked for at least 26 of the 66 weeks immediately preceding the birth.

Judge Barry Berlin said while passing the latest sentence on Marijeni: “You are a clever, devious, thoroughly dishonest man.
“This was a well organised and ruthless fraud against the public purse and you were one of the prime movers.”

The defendant’s wife Chikuhwa was jailed for three years after using the name of a cousin to set up two bank accounts into which money from the scam was paid but made the mistake of settling her own rent with some of the cash.
The judge told her: “You built a house in Zimbabwe and I am quite satisfied that was part of the motivation for your involvement.
“You assisted your husband when you knew he was at the heart of the web.”

This case has embarrassed the Zimbabwean community in the UK who are now viewed as criminals. It is true that most Zimbabweans are very hard working and are not involved in the criminal activities.
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BREAKING – Military IT Expert “Exposes” Chigumba, Mnangagwa Today?

By Own Correspondent| The computer expert employed by the Zimbabwe national army between 2013 and 2014 who was also their strategist just before he became The Sunday Mail news editor, Edmund Kudzayi today promises more “leaks.”

He told ZimEye.com, “Friday is the day I will leak more stuff on Chigumba.”

So far, Kudzayi has among others, released the below video –

– REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR THE LIVE UPDATES –

Date For Battle Of Zimbabwe Set

Terrence Mawawa

The date for the second leg of the Battle Of Zimbabwe has been set

Highlanders will host Dynamos on the 5th of August at Barbourfields Stadium. The first leg of the tie played in May ended in a 1-0 victory for the Bulawayo Giants and a win next month will see them complete a double over their rivals.

Log leaders FC Platinum date Bulawayo City on Saturday while Ngezi Platinum lock horns with Nichrut at Baobab Stadium.

Fixtures:

Saturday, August 4, 2018
Harare City vs Mutare City Rovers (Rufaro Stadium)
Chapungu vs Bulawayo Chiefs (Ascot Stadium)
Bulawayo City vs FC Platinum (Barbourfields Stadium)
Yadah vs Herentals (NSS)
ZPC Kariba vs Triangle United (Nyamhunga Stadium)
Ngezi Platinum vs Nichrut (Baobab Stadium)

Sunday, August 5, 2018
Highlanders vs Dynamos (Barbourfields Stadium)
CAPS United vs Black Rhinos (NSS)
Shabanie Mine vs Chicken Inn (Maglas Stadium).

Epoupa Dumps Dembare, Joins Botswana Club

Terrence Mawawa

Big bustling Cameroonian international Christian Joel Epoupa Ntouba has joined Botswana Premier League (BPL) outfit Orapa United ahead of the new 2018/19 campaign.

The former Dynamos striker signed a two-year deal with the Orapa-based club.

Epoupa left DeMbare before the season started after the Harare giants failed to pay him his dues. He had a year left on his contract. The Glamour Boys made efforts to bring him back, but they gave up.

Earlier this year, the 25-year old underwent trials with former South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions Bidvest Wits, but the deal could not be completed due to an injury.

Elderly Zanu PF Supporter Hospitalised After Being Hit By Mnangagwa Aide Vehicle

Terrence Mawawa

An elderly Zanu PF supporter has been hospitalised after being hit by a ruling party official’ s vehicle.

Ruling party sources claimed Lilian Magade from Chief Charumbira’ s area sustained serious injuries after being hit by Zanu PF Provincial Chairperson Ezra Chadzamira’ s vehicle at a party rally last week.

Magade would not disclose whose motor vehicle hit her.

Ruling party sources said: “Magade is lucky to be alive after being hit by Chadzamira’ s vehicle at a party rally last week.

She sustained serious head injuries following the incident,” a party official said.

Chadzamira was not immediately available for a comment on the matter.

38 000 Cops May Not Vote

Terrence Mawawa

Police sources have claimed close to 40 000 cops may not vote despite the High Court ruling on the democratic rights of civil servants to vote.

Impeccable police sources have revealed cops have been strategically deployed in a move calculated to block them from voting.

Irate police officers have accused ZRP boss Godwin Matanga of working with Zanu PF to muzzle junior officers’ rights.

“There is a calculated move to block us from voting.There is no doubt that we are regarded as unruly elements.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa knows that the majority of police officers will not vote for him.

Although the High Court has ruled that civil servants must be allowed to vote, it is too late because ZRP cops have already been deployed to various polling stations,” police sources revealed.

Senior Assistant Commissioner Erasmus Mukodza, the head of the Elections Command Centre , said police officers were given ample time to apply for postal voting.

Police Ban Opposition Activities

Terrence Mawawa

Police in Masvingo have blocked an aspiring opposition MP from carrying out campaign activities.

Although President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said in the new dispensation, political parties are allowed to campaign freely, ZRP cops have banned Build Zimbabwe Coalition aspiring MP for Masvingo Central Constituency, Ranganai Pazorora from carrying out a free medical outreach programme in the area.

Pazozora has sponsored medical doctors to provide free services in the constituency.

Sources in the area said ZRP cops from Muchakata Police Station ordered the medical doctors to stop their operations without stating the reasons for doing so.

A disgruntled Pazorora expressed frustration at the ZRP cops’ overt bias and partisan conduct.

Clergyman Upbeat About Electoral Victory

Terrence Mawawa

A Masvingo based pastor is upbeat about victory in the coming election.

Pastor Admire Dovi, who is an aspiring councillor for ward 7, Masvingo Urban Constituency, has pointed out that the Lord will guide him to electoral victory, come election day.

“As a God fearing person I will carry out my duties in an objective manner.

God is raising leaders after his own heart. In this season, God fearing people will take up positions of influence,” said Pastor Dovi.

“I am not a politician as such, rather I am a community leader.

My role is to serve the people in my community.Gone are the days of electing raw politicians into key positions,” he added.

High Court Orders Chigumba To Allow Teachers To Vote

By Dorrothy Moyo| High Court judge Justice Isaac Muzenda has ordered the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission boss Priscilla Chigumba to allow all teachers to vote in the upcoming elections.

The verdict also deals with other civil servants who will be working as election officers on July 30.

Justice Muzenda ordered Zec to give the affected people a break from their duties and to provide them with transport to allow them to exercise their rights to vote. This follows an application by the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz).

The court order reads in part:
WHEREUPON, after reading documents filed of record and hearing Counsel

IT IS ORDERED BY CONSENT THAT:

1. The applicant’s (Artuz) members and any other civil servants who have been duly seconded as Electoral Officers and/or in any capacity are entitled to vote on the 30th July 2018 if such persons are duly registered in terms of the law and satisfy the requisite conditions on the day of voting.

2. Notwithstanding the secondment or deployment of the persons mentioned in paragraph 1 to areas in which they are not ordinarily registered to vote, the 1st respondent (Zec) shall ensure that any such persons are able to vote on the 30th July 2018 at their appropriate polling stations.

Bloomberg Hard Hitting Comparison Of Mnangagwa And Chamisa

Zimbabweans will choose between 23 presidential hopefuls when they vote on July 30, but only two have a realistic chance of winning: the incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa, who leads the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front; and Nelson Chamisa, who’s backed by a fractious alliance of seven opposition parties headed by his Movement for Democratic Change.

The election will be the first in 18 years that won’t be a head-to-head contest between Robert Mugabe, who the ruling party forced to quit as president in November, and Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC leader who died in February.

Here’s an overview of the two main contenders:

President Emmerson Mnangagwa

A veteran of the war of independence in the 1970s, the softly spoken 75-year-old Mnangagwa is known by his nom de guerre Ngwena, or crocodile in the Shona language. One of Mugabe’s closest allies for more than four decades, Mnangagwa served as his spy chief, justice minister and vice president. His critics accused him of being among the security and intelligence officials who masterminded the massacre of about 20,000 civilians and armed opposition dissidents in the southern Matabeleland province in the 1980s.

Mnangagwa clashed with the president last year after Mugabe backed his wife, Grace, to succeed him. Mnangagwa was fired as vice president and fled to neighboring South Africa, returning to take over as president after the military briefly took power and the ruling party forced Mugabe to resign under threat of impeachment. Since taking office, Mnangagwa has sought to show his commitment to rebuilding the battered economy, attracting foreign investment and tackling corruption. While he’s promised a credible and violence-free vote, the opposition says the necessary conditions haven’t been put in place and the ruling party retains an unfair advantage. He had a narrow escape on June 23, when an explosive device went off near him at an election rally in the city of Bulawayo. Both his deputies were injured.

Nelson Chamisa

A 40-year-old lawyer and church pastor, Chamisa has been a leading figure in the MDC since its formation in 1999 and served as Tsvangirai’s deputy for more than a decade. He was arrested several times during Mugabe’s rule and was hospitalized in 2007 after being badly beaten by the police. Chamisa served as telecommunications minister between 2009 and 2013 after regional leaders coaxed Mugabe into a unity government with the opposition after a disputed election. When Tsvangirai died, Chamisa was appointed as MDC leader for a year ahead of the party’s other deputies, Elias Mudzuri and Thokozani Khupe.

Unlike Mnangagwa, Chamisa is a proficient public speaker who can whip up crowds at election rallies. An end to political violence and intimidation since Mugabe’s exit has enabled him to make inroads into parts of rural Zimbabwe that were previously no-go areas for the opposition. Chamisa has used his legal experience to advocate for electoral reforms in the courts. He’s pledged to build new roads, rail links and other infrastructure, improve the education and health-care systems and revive the economy if elected.

Debt Prone Finance Minister Ordered To Settle School Fees Debt

Deputy Finance minister Terence Mukupe yesterday suffered the embarrassment of being ordered to settle fees arrears for his children by High Court after he had failed to pay their school for nine months.

Mukupe owes Harare International school nearly $30 000.Part of the court papers filed by the school which cannot be named to protect the two minors read:

“Defendant (Mukupe) is the parent and natural guardian of two minor children (names withheld). As per the educational services offered to the defendant’s children, plaintiff (name withheld) charged tuition and levy for the same

The customer ledger for the defendant shows that the defendant owes the plaintiff a total of $29 948 for the services rendered to the defendant’s children. The period for the amount above is August 2017 to April 2018. The above amount is still owing and accruing interest. Despite demand, defendant has failed, neglected, denied and/or delayed to pay the capital debt in question.”

The Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning is also waiting to respond on another case where he has been sued for $28 000 by China Industrial International Group.

The company alleges that Mukupe has become evasive about paying the debt which came after the firm constructed his city offices. Part of the court papers filed by the Chinese firm read:

“The project was successfully completed to the defendant’s (Mukupe) satisfaction and was handed over to him on February 22, 2018, at which point the balance of $28 000 became due. Defendant made numerous undertakings to pay the balance, but he has not honoured his undertaking.”

State Security Seal Off Access Roads To ZEC Offices

STATE security agencies in Harare on Wednesday sealed off all strategic points previously used by the opposition for demonstrations as political tension continues to mount ahead of Monday’s general elections.

As early as 6am, police had mounted water cannons and deployed heavily on all roads leading to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) offices and at the Robert Mugabe Square in anticipation of protests by opposition activists.

The opposition’s other favourite hunting ground, Africa Unity Square in the central business district, has also been taken up by a week-long State-organised cultural event, in a move described by the opposition as a well-planned clampdown on democracy.

The latest heavy police deployment came shortly after a ban on the MDC Alliance’s planned demonstrations to demand transparency in the electoral processes.

MDC Alliance spokesperson Welshman Ncube said “the ban and heavy police presence shows that the mask was coming off the monster and will come out in full force, with all its horns if President Emmerson Mnangagwa wins the forthcoming polls”.

He said it was clear that Mnangagwa was pretending to be a reformed leader to lure people to vote for him, adding “slowly, the sheep’s clothing on the wolf is coming off. There is no difference between former President Robert Mugabe and Mnangagwa”.

“He (Mnangagwa) has banned our demo and the deployment of the police in and around Zec offices shows the hyena is finally coming out. Zanu-PF has been what it is and will remain like that.

Mliswa Mocks Chamisa And Chiwenga After Norton Rallies

Incumbent Independent Norton Constituency Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has taken to social media to dismiss both Nelson Chamisa of the MDC Alliance and Constantino Chiwenga of Zanu PF recent campaign visits to the constituency.

Mliswa wrote on his Twitter page on Thursday morning a day after Chamisa’s rally.

1) Now that the Presidents have been to Norton and gone back, the matter goes back to who has exhibited effective representation amongst us the contesting candidates. #DevelopmentCheteChete #BhuruMudanga2018

2)The answer is clear because I’m still competing with two defective politicians. One who cannot talk, lacks charisma and the other is a vindictive bundle of archaic politics. #DevelopmentCheteChete #BhuruMudanga2018

A Presidential rally is no barometer for gauging a Parliamentary contestant’s standing. After the “audience” finish watching @nelsonchamisa they will still go back kumatanga avo. Only the puberty boys of social media remain in political dreamland. #DevelopmentCheteChete

NUST Lecturer Sales Bull For $24k

Dr Themba Dlodlo a lecturer at the National University of Science and Technology who is also a cattle farmer in Esigodini on the outskirts of Bulawayo made his own record when he sold a bull for $24 000 in a cattle sale held in Harare.

The day was a busy day for the farmers as their livestock fetched huge prices
Some of the top prices were as follows:

1st Breed Brahman- $24000 Nguni brahmans
2. Breed Brahman $18700 Ruvale brahmans
3 Breed Brahman- $17000 Ruvale brahman
4 -Breed Brahman – $16500 Ruvale brahmans
5.Breed Brahman- $15500 Reed brahmans

Mnangagwa To Address Vendors

Sten Zvorwadza

By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa is today expected to interact with vendors in a move aimed at addressing their concerns as the nation gears for the harmonised polls.

The meeting, set for Harare International Conference Centre was organised by the National Vendors’ Union of Zimbabwe (NVUZ) led by Sten Zvorwadza.

Said Zvorwadza:

“Our meeting is a clear indication that we pin our hopes on a leadership that addresses our plight.

We have invited the President not only as the Head of State, but as the number one civil servant whom we pin our future on and if he attends, we will outline the challenges that we encountered under the previous administration.”

Serena Williams Wanted Italian Food for Dinner So Her Husband Took Her to Italy

Italian dinner

In proof that celebrities are not just like us, Alexis Ohanian whisked Serena Williams off to Italy this weekend after the tennis star revealed that she was craving Italian food.

Alongside an Instagram photo of the two drinking wine, Ohanian wrote the caption, “She wanted Italian for dinner, so…” Per the Instagram’s tagged location, the couple was in Venezia, Italia — or, Venice.

Williams too bragged about her Italian getaway on Instagram, posting a video of her lying in bed with her dog Chip at L’Albereta Relais & Châteaux, from which she “got to look at stars” at night.

“This week has been a dream!” she wrote.