The Minister made the call in a circular to all councils on the 13th of June according to information from the Bulawayo City Council.

The Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube revealed this in a letter to his councillors informing them that there are no more council meetings until after the holding of the harmonised elections.

According to the circular sent to councillors last Monday, Mr Dube informed them that his office had on 13 June received a directive from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to stop holding special council meetings as some incumbent councillors were now abusing special full council meetings for personal gain.

The ministry ordered that if any special full council meeting was to be held councillors should submit a full agenda of the meeting 10 days before the meeting.

“As you may all be aware the current term of all councillors expires on 29 July 2018. In this regard, my office has received complaints against some councillors who are abusing special full council meetings for personal gain. Accordingly, in terms of Section 155(2) of the Rural District Councils Act Chapter 29:13, I hereby direct all councils not to convene special full council meetings without my approval in an effort to preserve the scarce council financial resources.

In addition to the above, local authorities intending to sit for a special full council meeting must submit the full agenda of the same to my office at least 10 days before the scheduled day of the meeting, unless otherwise directed by this office,” reads part of the circular.

In an interview, Mr Dube justified the cancellation saying they had noted that it was not logical for them to hold any further committee meetings as this would have to culminate in a council meeting which would only be held after the expiry of the current councillors’ term in office.

“In the circular, the ministry has made it clear that council can no longer hold any unscheduled meetings and in terms of the Bulawayo City Council we had already held most committee meetings but for us to continue holding these meetings will not be logical as the decisions can only be held with a full council meeting, which in our case can only be held on the first Wednesday of the month and this will be after the harmonised elections. However, this is not to mean that council has been dissolved, it is just a decision that has been reached noting the time frames and council policy,” said Mr Dube.

Contacted for comment the city’s mayor, Councillor Martin Moyo confirmed receiving the communication from the town clerk saying while they had wanted to conclude council business with a special council meeting this was now impossible.

Tune into ZimEye as a CIO boss submits ZRP evidence saying he was never arrested over the White City bombing attack as reported in a weekly at the weekend.

The short LIVE bulletin beings at 9.30 am (8.30 am UK time)

– REFRESH THIS PAGE TO WATCH –

THE MDC Alliance has labelled Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba and her officials as a serious threat to national security for reneging on their earlier pledge to implement electoral reforms proposed by the opposition to ensure credible polls on July 30.

MDC Alliance spokesperson Welshman Ncube, who is also the leader of the MDC, told supporters at a campaign rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo at the weekend that it was now clear Zec was not committed to free and fair elections.

“We are tired of this junta government. The biggest national threat today, the challenge to national security today, the biggest obstacle to a new Zimbabwe is Chigumba and her colleagues at Zec,” Ncube said.

The opposition movement has accused Chigumba of conniving with Zanu PF to rig polls on behalf of the ruling party’s presidential candidate, Emmerson Mnangagwa, a charge Zec denied.

THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has ruled out chances of postponing next Monday’s national elections, insisting it was all systems go despite complaints by opposition parties that the ground was not yet level for a free and fair contest.

Briefing accredited observers in Harare yesterday, Zec deputy chairperson Emmanuel Magade said they had handled the election preparations in a manner that did not warrant a disputable outcome.

The opposition MDC Alliance has threatened to block the holding of elections until Zec has guaranteed transparency in the security of the ballot paper.

Magade said if anyone had problems with the Electoral Act, they should go to Parliament because the commission’s role was to implement the law.

“We pride ourselves in being servants of the law,” Magade said. “There is no way we can subvert the Constitution. I think if there are things that are humanly possible for us to rectify, to intervene in the time left between now and July 30 then that can be done, but postponement of the election is out of the question.”

“In terms of the Constitution, we have to abide meticulously and religiously by the provision of the Constitution.”

With regards to the “shambolic voters’ roll”, Zec commissioner Qhubani Moyo said it was in a good and usable state.

“Our position as a Commission is that we are satisfied that the voters’ roll is in perfect order. It is a new voters’ roll that has been under construction since last year in September,” Moyo said.

“We gave it out for people to check their names or any errors and omissions that needed to be corrected. We went on to check for ourselves using the AFIS system to see if there were any duplications and we are very much satisfied that the roll is very much in order.”

Moyo admitted that there could have been some typographical errors, adding that those had since been rectified.

Moyo said Zec had been engaging the parties so that they could point the exact areas where there were inconsistencies.

The commissioners also expressed disheartenment over the nature of abuse spewed against the female commissioners, especially on social media.

Newsday

Acting Prosecutor-General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi has hit the ground running, directing the prosecution of at least five high-profile figures on corruption charges, with the cases expected in court soon.

Hodzi, who took oath of office before President Mnangagwa on Monday morning, immediately ordered the prosecution of the suspects, whose dockets had since been completed.

Hodzi took up the post in an acting capacity pending an investigation into why Advocate Ray Goba allegedly failed to execute his duties to expectation.

Adv Goba was recently suspended on allegations of failing to prosecute high-profile cases, travelling without Cabinet authority, use of abusive language, among other charges.

In an interview, Hodzi said his priority was to effectively prosecute all corruption cases without fear or favour in line with Government’s thrust to create a corruption-free society.

He said all corrupt elements were going to be prosecuted regardless of their status.

“Today, my first directive to the NPA office and all the key stakeholders who answer to me in terms of my constitutional mandate, was to ensure that key corruption cases be formally brought before the court henceforth,” said Hodzi.

“Those that are guilty of corruption will be rigorously prosecuted without fear or favour. Already, I have directed the prosecution of a number of high-profile corruption cases and five or so of the accused persons are expected to appear in court soon.”

Hodzi said he will respect the rights of the accused persons during the prosecution.

“I have also directed that rigorous attention be paid to the rights of all accused persons,” he said.

“This is a new dispensation. Gone are the days where accused were brought to court in leg irons and at the back of open trucks.

“Gone are the days when accused persons would be over-detained or harassed in any manner. But when it comes to prosecution, I will ensure that those that are guilty of breaking the law are prosecuted to the fullest extent.”

Hodzi said he will carry out his duties impartially and in consultation with key stakeholders.

“I am a professional and have been professional for the past 33 years,” he said. “I intend to carry out my responsibility impartially and professionally, with integrity. I will do so in full consultation with key stakeholders, including the citizenry of Zimbabwe.

“I will work with the Law Society of Zimbabwe, Judicial Service Commission, the Attorney General’s office, to put in place case management rules to ensure cases are prosecuted at the earliest possible time and are completed within reasonable time.”

In an interview soon after holding a meeting with President Mnangagwa, Hodzi said the Head of State and Government had assured him maximum support in fighting crime.

“I have just had a brief with the President,” he said. “I promise the country that we are going to hit the ground running. There is plenty of work to be done. I have promised the President that we will prioritise the work of fighting corruption.”

Hodzi said they will also compliment Government thrust of ensuring an environment conducive for business and investment.

“We are going to ensure that according to the dictates of the new dispensation, we will ensure that whatever laws we will enforce, especially the prosecution, it will make the business environment very friendly for investment,” he said.

“We are also cognisant that we are moving towards elections. One of the priorities that I have as Acting PG is to ensure that we maintain the peaceful environment that has existed. I think we all agree that the election period has been the most peaceful environment.”

Hodzi said the President had been clear in terms of his expectation.

“The President has been frank,” he said. “He wants us to maintain a rigorous rule of law programme. He would also want to ensure that peace prevails in the country. He said he will give us maximum support to ensure that the laws of the country are observed.”

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said Hodzi’s tenure would run for four months by which time a tribunal established by President Mnangagwa would have concluded an inquiry on Goba.

He dismissed claims from some quarters that the Special Prosecution Unit in the President’s office led by Thabani Mpofu would undermine the independence of the PG.

“The Special Unit is composed of prosecutors, but it is not a prosecution unit,” he said. “It is an anti-corruption unit to assist the investigators, to complete the dockets and recommend anything so that we have complete dockets ready for prosecution.

“What the Prosecutor-General would then do is that if he sees it fit he can then assign anyone of those prosecutors to proceed to prosecute and then issue a prosecution certificate. This unit is to enhance our work to fight corruption and the President saw it fit to have it in his office to show the seriousness that we have to fight corruption.”

THE Government is committed to fighting corruption by public officials as evidenced by the jailing of former Cabinet Minister Samuel Undenge and more prosecutions of that nature will help fight against graft, the Acting Minister of  Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Simon Khaya Moyo said on Monday.

Addressing Zanu-PF supporters in Maphisa, Matobo District, Khaya Moyo who is also the party’s national secretary for information and publicity said some officials were driven by greed to engage in corrupt activities.

“We know there are thieves, not you but us.  I saw a former minister was sentenced to four years in jail, if they arrest 12 to 15 of us, you will see this country changing because what is affecting us is greed,” he said.

Moyo said before the amendment of the indigenisation law some officials were abusing the piece of legislation to push corrupt activities and amassing unreasonable amounts of wealth.

“You find a person with 12 houses alone boasting with ill gotten wealth, we say down with thieves,” he said.

Undenge, the former Energy and Power Development Minister who was accused of prejudicing the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) of $12 650, was last Friday sentenced to an effective two-and-a-half years in prison.

Undenge appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya facing charges of abuse of office and was convicted after a full trial.

He was sentenced to four years in prison, with one-and-a-half years suspended on condition he does not commit a similar crime.

His lawyers have since appealed against the sentence.

In what could be a dark reminder of the Jealousy Mawarire court victory against the late Morgan Tsvangirai in 2013, the High Court judge Justice Happias Zhou has ruled against the call by Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance party’s defence and demand for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to issue a voters’ roll with photographs.

Justice Zhou said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is right on not issuing a voters’ roll with photographs to political parties or any member of public.

The verdict goes on to state that the electoral body has rights not to be compelled on it.

A Zimbabwean woman Ms Ethel Tsitsi Mpezeni, had sought from the High Court an order barring ZEC from releasing a voters’ roll bearing registered voters’ pictures. The petition prompted opposition political parties and activists who comprised MDC-Alliance, Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe, People’s Democratic Party, Coalition for Democrats, National Constitutional Assembly, Ms Theresa Manase, Pastor Evan Mawarire, Mr Harrison Nkomo, Mr Jeremiah Bamu, Mr Douglas Coltart and Mr Warship Dumba to combine and file a join application. They argued that they will be completely prejudiced by the order Mpezeni sought saying it would have a negative result on the credibility of the July 30 harmonised elections.

Justice Zhou ruled that Ms Mpezeni’s fears that the provision of a photograph will enable criminals to clone national identity documents were properly founded to warrant the court to grant the relief she sought. Justice Zhou said, “there is no reason why publication of the photograph should be allowed to people without a legitimate reason to have it. Granting of the interdict does not irreparably prejudice the respondents.”

Excerpt from 33 Strategies Of War:

ENVELOP THE ENEMY: THE ANNIHILATION
STRATEGY

People will use any kind of gap in your defenses
to attack you. So offer no gaps. The secret is to
envelop your opponents–create relentless
pressure on them from all sides and close off
their access to the outside world. As you sense
their weakening resolve, crush their willpower by
tightening the noose.

Is Home Affairs Minister Obert Mpofu plotting to destroy MDC Alliance leader by incriminating him?

State Media –

Government will not condone or tolerate any acts of violence, intimidation and incitement to commit lawlessness in the country during the election period and has activated all security institutions to be on high alert.

The MDC Alliance led by Mr Nelson Chamisa has been threatening violence at rallies if he loses harmonised elections set for Monday next week.

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday afternoon warned Mr Chamisa against causing anarchy in the country, saying he should desist from student activism type of politics and focus on ensuring that the July 30 elections were conducted in a peaceful environment.

Addressing a press conference in Harare last night, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Dr Obert Mpofu said Government had a duty to maintain law and order and ensure that there was peace and security.

“The Government of Zimbabwe wishes to advise the nation and foreign visitors alike that the security situation in the country remains calm and peaceful,” he said.

“However, as Government we are deeply concerned with threats of violence, intimidation and use of hate speech that has been steeped up by some political parties, who have openly declared that they will shut down Zimbabwe and make it ungovernable.

“As the Minister of Home Affairs, let me categorically state that we will not allow or condone or tolerate any acts of violence, intimidation and incitement to commit lawlessness in the country.”

Minister Mpofu said Government took exception to such conduct meant to derail the peace prevailing in the country.

“Government has a duty to maintain law and order and ensure that there is peace and security,” he said. “It is against this background that I call upon all political parties to abide by the laws of this country.

“Every political party, group or individuals should share the same space while exercising their constitutional right and should be balanced with the maintenance of law and order in the country.

“Let me reiterate that both State and human security are of paramount importance to us as Government during this election period, hence our security institutions are on high alert. Let me also remind those who are planning demonstrations that they have an obligation to respect the laws of the country.”

Minister Mpofu said Government opened the democratic space, but that right must not be abused by anyone.

“The Government of Zimbabwe is doing all it can to ensure that every citizen exercises his/her democratic right to vote,” he said. “We have, therefore, put all State security apparatus on high alert and all those bent on causing disorder are being warned that the long arm of the law will be applied without fear or favour.

“The Zimbabwe Government is a signatory to various international conventions that guard against all forms of discrimination and violence against women.

It is, therefore, with deep concern and regret that we have noticed that some political parties have resorted to using violence and unpalatable threats against women through social media.

“Let me remind you all that as Government, we do not condone such behaviour and actions. The Zimbabwe Republic Police is currently pursuing all such cases of intimidation and threats perpetrated against individuals and duly constituted institutions with a view to bring such perpetrators to book.

“We are making a passionate appeal to all citizens to respect the dignity and liberty of other people. We urge those concerned to desist from such unbecoming actions.”

Minister Mpofu urged citizens and other stakeholders to remain peaceful and shun all forms of violence.

“We are appealing to citizens and stakeholders not to be hoodwinked into committing acts of violence and unlawful conduct,” he said. “Zimbabwe recognises the rule of law and let us all take advantage of the peaceful environment prevailing in the country to campaign peacefully.

“Let us also take heed of His Excellency, Cde E.D Mnangagwa’s continuous calls for peace and tolerance.”

Minister Mpofu said the police, together with other security organisations, will continue monitoring the security situation in the country.

The press conference was attended by the ministry’s permanent secretary Mr Melusi Matshiya, police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga and police Deputy Comm-Gen Levie Sibanda.

Addressing hundreds of Zanu-PF supporters at Whitecliff Farm in Zvimba district during a campaign rally aimed at drumming up support for the revolutionary party, VP Chiwenga said Mr Chamisa should stop purporting to be speaking on behalf of all the opposition parties and their presidential candidates.

Mr Chamisa has been threatening to disrupt the elections if his demands are not met by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

He has also threatened to unleash violence on Zimbabweans in case he loses his presidential bid.

This is despite advice he has been getting from both local and international election observers and fellow candidates to approach the courts if he feels aggrieved.

“We have 23 presidential candidates,” said VP Chiwenga. “We now see others are now afraid. They ran a 21-kilometre race as if they were running a 100-metre race, they have now capitulated.

“They now say they want to direct Harare to disrupt everything, they want to stop Zec from conducting elections the same way they used to do at the university. Are you now the representative of all the political parties? You should respect the will of the people and if you lose the election accept it and say chero ndasara ndiri mupenyu (at least I have another chance next time).

“You need not to cause anarchy in the country. If you insult a woman you would have also done the same to your mother. Zec is an independent body. The executive has nothing to do with its operations. It is a commission put into being by Parliament through the Constitution of Zimbabwe. They are not subjected to any directive other than the Electoral Act and the Constitution.”

VP Chiwenga said the time of student activism and demonstrations where property was damaged was over.

He said those who would have been given loans should be honest enough and repay the money and not repeat what used to happen when Mr Saviour Kasukuwere was Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, where there was no culture of repayment.

“You will get loans to do projects from the Empowerment Bank for youths and Women Microfinance Bank and return the money where you would have borrowed after selling your products,” he said.

“We don’t want a repeat of the situation when Kasukuwere was minister when those who accessed loans did not repay them.  We want people who are honest, who are not corrupt.”

VP Chiwenga said Government would not tolerate corruption and offenders would be imprisoned. – state meda

A woman was caught in the act allegedly stealing from former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s Choppies supermarket.

The Bulawayo woman has since been remanded out of custody for allegedly conniving with her husband to steal groceries worth more than $2 000 from Choppies Distribution Centre in Belmont.

A court heard that Sisasenkosi Maphosa (29) and her husband Mandlenkosi Maphosa, who is a cleaner at Choppies, loaded their vehicle with groceries on Saturday using the backdoor.

A security guard, Mr Gilbert Nyakatsopa, received a tip off from one of the people who noticed that the duo was stealing.

“I was on duty that night and as I was checking out the front view, someone told me something was happening at the back,” said Mr Nyakatsopa.

“Upon arrival I saw a Honda Fit that was already leaving and stopped it. Maphosa fled from the scene and left the driver and his wife in the car. I searched and found the stolen goods”.

Prosecuting Mr McLean Ndlovu told the court that on Saturday at around 7PM, Maphosa and his wife parked their Honda Fit at the shop’s backdoor and loaded it with goods from the shop. Maphosa and his wife stole groceries worth $2 013,48 which were later recovered.

Th wife pleaded guilty to theft before Bulawayo Magistrate Miss Adelaide Mbeure and was remanded out of custody to August 6.

Maphosa is still at large. – state media

Tweets by edhasmyvote

The dramatic characteristics of the Zimbabwean election is gone with the legendary former president Robert Mugabe as his exit left the political scene dull with unusual peace and calmness, an award-winning playwright has said.

Controversial playwright and actor Cont Mhlanga said with a few days to go to the Election Day and by normal standards when Mugabe was participating, this is the most boring election by comparison.

“Now that he is gone, the ‘Mugabe Must Go’ political factor energy and excitement has left many in our politics without a clear purpose and mission.

“Civil Society Organisations have also not been spared. Even the arts sector lost steam to zero.

“The international community too has responded to the Mugabe factor with election observers over flooding to this election.

“Like it or not this proves that Mugabe was the political soul and centre of Zimbabwean politics,” said Mhlanga.

He said Zanu PF had over focused on Mugabe as their sole Messiah while those in the opposition as their sole Lucifer forgetting that they will always be life after him (Mugabe) and a country to be developed.

“The swift activity decline and scattering of opposition politics to over 100 or so political parties and 23 presidential candidates speaks volumes of the impact of the ‘Mugabe Must Go political’ factor.

“It proves he was the glue that kept them united and the enemy that gave them purpose and reasonable speeches.

“In the Mugabe era they developed thick skins of the politics of blame and excuses.

“With Mugabe not in the centre of political action anymore they have to find a new enemy, new blame targets and new excuses, hence different focus and directions this time around in this election.

“And after the ballot we will see if Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has become the new enemy and a substitute to ‘Mugabe Must Go’ agenda.”

Mhlanga said Mugabe’s election campaigns have always been full of election violence drama and action since the 80s starting with Gukurahundi.

“This always gave political actors in Zimbabwe an emotional election agenda to take to the people and to the international community.

“Now that Mugabe is gone with his election violence drama, the political actors are now left politically bankrupt running with very shallow campaign agendas and issues.”

The playwright believes NGOs thrived in Mugabe’s election time in the field of Human Rights though narrow and selective.

“Now that Mugabe is gone, the funding for those activities has dried up and it is noticeable with their reduced appearances and activities in this election.”

He said Mnangagwa’s main election message is influenced by the Mugabe era.

“It is about how he fell from being vice president to rise to be president.

“All candidates are silent on how they will address current economic challenges facing the nation such as unemployment, cash shortages, rural economic growth, unplanned informal sector, urban planning chaos and so on.

“Political economy debate is very shallow, limited to Zimbabwe is open for business and international engagements… if not official launching of this or that.”

Mhlanga, however, said the removal of Mugabe from power — never mind how — has brought an immediate change to doing political business in Zimbabwe.

“Not just change but very positive change as witnessed by how Zimbabweans have conducted themselves during this first post Mugabe election.

“This for sure gives those who removed him credit even if it is the same people who sustained him for many years.”

He added that Zimbabweans have come to know and accept that there is life after Mugabe, and even better civilised ways of conducting political and government business.

“Now the next point of interest will be to see if Mugabe’s absence in government after the elections will also translate to immediate change in the economic sphere of the country like it did in the political sphere.

“Will we see a change in the ways government and citizens conduct business as a departure from doing business when Mugabe was still the centre of Zimbabwean politics?”

DailyNews

A former Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) director with alleged links to former first lady Grace Mugabe was arrested on Saturday morning in a suspected clampdown against Zanu PF’s G40 faction.

Tadzingaira Tachiveyi, a deputy director in the spy agency until former president Robert Mugabe’s ouster in November last year, was allegedly picked up at his farm in Musana during an early morning raid.

Sources said Tachiveyi was arrested during a joint operation that involved the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Law and Order section, Zimbabwe National Army and CIO.

The team first raided his home in Harare before tracking him to Shamva.

Although details of Tachiveyi’s arrest were still sketchy at the time of this article, sources said he was being accused of trying to destabilise President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba could not confirm Tachiveyi’s arrest, saying she was in Chinhoyi on business.

On Friday, Mnangagwa said his enemies tried to wipe out the presidium after an explosion rocked Bulawayo’s White City Stadium during a Zanu PF rally last month.

Two security agents were seriously injured and died a couple of days after the blast.

Vice-president Kembo Mohadi and Zanu PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri were seriously injured in the incident, but survived.

– The Standard

MDC Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa yesterday urged his supporters to fast for the whole week to facilitate smooth transfer of power from the ruling Zanu PF party to the opposition after the July 30 elections.

Addressing thousands of supporters at Mkoba Stadium in Gweru, Chamisa said he was confident of victory adding that there was need for a week of national prayer and fasting to ensure smooth transfer of power from Zanu PF.

“This whole week (from Monday to Saturday) there is need for fasting,” Chamisa said.

“To all those who can (fast) please do so and fast for your country. Then on July 29, that is on Sunday, it should be a national day of prayer. We want to ensure a smooth cross-over.”

Chamisa’s call came after MDC Alliance women assembly early this month said they would fast every Friday for Chamisa for God to be with him in this election.

The women also declared that on July 30 they would camp close to polling stations until Chamisa gets keys to State House. The MDC Alliance leader told the gathering that there was not going to be a run-off in this year’s election as he would emerge the “ultimate winner” in the plebiscite.

“There is no run-off, in fact, there is a run over in this election,” he said.

“We are winning this election. In fact, we have already won this election.”

High Court judge Justice Charles Hungwe, has dismissed an application filed by a visually-impaired potential voter, Abraham Mateta, who had petitioned the court seeking an order to compel the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to print braille ballot papers to visually-impaired potential voters to exercise their voting rights in next week’s polls.

Through his lawyers Innocent Maja and Justice Mavedzenge, Mateta filed an urgent court application in the High Court on May 11, 2018 seeking an order to compel Zec to print some ballot papers in braille, to print the template ballot and/or to provide tactile voting devices for the visually impaired potential voters.

But Justice Hungwe dismissed the matter, saying Zec had indicated that it was going to put in place measures that would ensure the visually-impaired would be catered for.

“The law permits the visually-impaired voters to bring their trusted persons to assist them in casting their votes….there is consensus that the visually-impaired persons bring with them a person of their choice to the voting places and if nobody is present to assist, election officials will be present to render assistance to them in terms of the Electoral Act,” he ruled.

In his application, Mateta had argued that visually impaired eligible voters had the right to cast their vote in secret or by secret ballot as provided for under Section 67(3) of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Justice Hungwe also dismissed another application that had been filed by a civil society organisation, Veritas alongside Valerie Ingram-Thorpe and Brian Desmond Crozier, seeking to compel Zec to conduct elections in a transparent manner.

Veritas had argued that Zec was required by the Constitution to promote transparency in all its operations in terms of section 3 (2) (g) and section 233 (d) of the Constitution, hence its petition seeking a declaratory order that Zec should avail, for public scrutiny, all its standard operating procedures, processes, policies and internal manuals relating to the conducting of elections, including the 2018 harmonised polls.

But Justice Hungwe dismissed the application, saying a court has no jurisdiction to intervene in Zec’s administrative decisions, adding the granting of a declaratory order by the courts was discretionary.

Newsday

The ruling ZANU PF party has described its main rival the MDC Alliance coalition as being superstitious on its demands that are raising doubts on the elections set for Monday next week taking place.

In a wide ranging interview with private media at the weekend, ZANU PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana described the MDC’s claims that ZANU PF is intending to rig the elections using a scientific ballot paper that will see ballots move between candidates after being cast as believing in witchcraft.

“Scientifically, it has never happened anywhere. There is a level of superstition that is acceptable in the living world, but this level of superstition is completely unreasonable,” Said Mangwana.

“Votes cannot move, otherwise people can stop writing examinations if, when writing exams, answers move to another candidate. That is what they are saying and it has never happened anywhere,” quizzed Mangwana.

“…in this modern- day world you cannot base your demands on witchcraft. Basically, MDC Alliance believes in witchcraft but we are not sorcerers,” he said.

Mangwana said that the opposition party demands come as a surprise to other political parties as the parties have been meeting for the last four years to discuss the elections.

“These demands came to us as a surprise. We have been involved in interparty dialogue and I have been leading the Zanu PF team and these dialogues started almost four years ago. The three political parties represented in Parliament meet once every week and these particular demands never came to the agenda. We were actually taken by surprise.

Mangwana said that his party will win the upcoming election without any rigging as it remains popular with the electorate.

“We don’t have any fear. We have our very popular leader and we have popular policies, and we are taking Zimbabwe to the right direction and the people love our leader. We don’t fear and we don’t need to have witchcraft in order to win the elections.

We are going to win the elections on the basis of the popularity of our party, policies and leader,” he said.

On Tuesday the political parties will be going for a multi-party liaison meeting where MDC Alliance has warned that it will push through its demands for the last time failure to which the party has threatened to stop the elections from going ahead.

Mangwana, however said that there is no way the MDC Alliance will block the elections from taking place as all other parties are ready for the election.

“MDC Alliance cannot hold Zimbabwe at ransom. They don’t own Zimbabwe. They are a voluntary organisation which exists on the basis of volition. If they decide that they will not participate in the elections, it’s their choice, but we will continue with the elections,” he said.

Top Bulawayo Industrialist and United Refineries chief executive officer Mr Busisa Moyo has defended the continued use of the bond note, saying the surrogate currency has never been a problem for business.

Commenting on suggestions on the removal of the currency, Moyo said the bond note has in fact helped businesses “in terms of change, divisibility and other medium of exchange functions.”

Moyo said: “The total is $300m. Our real problem is the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) totalling $8 billion. This one you can’t say “let’s remove RTGS” its savings.”

“Our companies need the bond chief. Before the bond coin, business was a nightmare. Our soaps and cooking oil were affected by this. What has helped is plastic money but it doesn’t cover the whole population. On small commodities name one shop that doesn’t accept bond notes,” he added.

The former Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president said removing the bond note will create further medium of exchange problems.

“It (bond note removal) only removes a perception created by ourselves and the confidence created by this removal will be short lived because our ability to buy & sell daily will become more difficult,” he added.

Moyo also said that it is the RTGS money, and not the bond notes, that have driven out the United States Dollar.

“The bond note was brought in to plug the money that had already been driven out. My point is the $8 billion is the problem not the $300 million hard notes and coins,” he explained.

Moyo suggested that reduced Government expenditure was the answer so that it does not fuel RTGS balances. He also believes localising and increasing productivity in the productive sectors through friendly policies for exporters, lowering upfront taxation on business, resolving the national debt and Foreign Direct Investment will go a long way in arresting cash shortages.

Moyo also suggested that adopting the South African rand was the right step in addressing the imbalances.

“I am a proponent of an African Currency in the future and the rand is a logical step. We can adopt without being in the Rand Monetary Union (RMU) for now, plan to join the RMU say in 6-8 years & then push for a broader regional currency to complement African Continental Free Trade Agreement (afCTFTA),” he said.

However, Reserve Bank Governor Dr John Mangudya has ruled out the adoption of the South African rand as foremost medium of exchange to ease obtaining cash shortages, saying Zimbabwe is not a member of the South African Rand Union, which also has Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia.

Dr Mangudya also said the rand cannot be a major currency because it is already in the multi-currency basket introduced in 2009.

Moyo’s calls for the Bond Notes to remain in circulation follow opposition MDC Alliance’s promises that they will get rid of the currency immediately on coming into power if they win the elections coming in seven days.

A teacher ran amok, attempted to kill his wife and two children, before attacking other teachers during a misunderstanding over transfer issues at a school in Binga.
The teacher allegedly crashed his Toyota Wish vehicle several times into cottage walls at Siansali Primary School in Binga District where his wife works and destroyed verandas before setting the car alight in a fit of rage.

Ishewunesu Makota (31), a teacher at Siyawagadza Primary School, Mwambani area in Gokwe District, went into a frenzy over why his wife, Raviro Nduru (26), was not transferring to a school closer to him.

The couple originally comes from Gutu in Masvingo Province. The incident occurred on Thursday at around 10PM and the suspect was arrested and is in custody at Binga Police Station.
Makota allegedly claimed to regret his wild actions saying he was drunk Chief Siansali yesterday said Makota surrendered himself to the police.

He said Makota arrived at the school in the evening and engaged in a heated argument with his wife, demanding to know why she was not transferring to a school closer to him where she had been offered a place.
“Nduru has failed get a provincial transfer for a while now, but got a place at a school in Binga closer to where her husband teaches. Binga Education District Office has however, not yet cleared her to transfer. This did not go down well with Makota resulting in him attacking his wife.

“He chased after his wife and children with a kitchen knife, vowing to stab them to death. After the woman managed to disappear into darkness, heading to a villager’s home to seek refuge, Makota turned onto the other staff members.

“He attacked two female teachers and chased after them. He kicked and punched them, injuring one of them who was rushed to Binga District Hospital where she is receiving treatment,” said the chief.

He said Makota went on to vandalise school property and cottage verandas as he drove his car repeatedly into cottage walls.

“Speeding like a man possessed, he terrified teachers by crashing into cottage walls but because they are stronger, his vehicle got extensively damaged.

“He got out of the car and set it on fire. The vehicle was completely destroyed,” said the chief.
Chief Siansali said it is alleged that the couple was constantly in disputes and the man accused his wife of not wanting to transfer for undisclosed reasons.

He urged members of the public to desist from violence and rather engage third parties for resolution of disputes.

“People should learn to manage anger and not act on emotions. Couples should understand it is not easy to transfer from one place to the other due to varying reasons. I also appeal to the Government to ensure swift transfer of civil servants to allow couples to stay together to avoid such unnecessary squabbles.”

Binga District Schools Inspector Mr Edson Masungo said he had not yet received the report.

“I haven’t received a report of such shocking news. Let me find out right away and I will get back to you,” he said. – state media

A COMMANDO in the Zimbabwe National Army heroically dodged a bullet before disarming and manhandling an armed robbery suspect who, alongside two accomplices, had broken into his home in Magwegwe North suburb of Bulawayo.

Nqobile Dube (35)’s partners in crime fled and left him at the mercy of the lone soldier, Mr Douglas Musengi (26), on Saturday at around 3 AM.
Dube fired a bullet point blank at the soldier from a pistol but missed after Mr Musengi (rank not supplied) used his Special Forces training to dodge it.

A mob, roused by the commotion, meted out instant justice on the hapless robbery suspect.
Dube was admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital after residents vented their anger for numerous break-ins in the suburb, on him.

He was discharged yesterday with a plaster on one hand and bandages to cover numerous bruises on his face. His accomplices got away with Mr Musengi’s 42 inch Samsung television set.

Police yesterday reportedly arrested another suspect identified as Zvinai Nyamandishe while another, Witness Hlongwane, is still at large.
Mr Musengi, who is stationed at Cranborne Barracks in Harare and was in Bulawayo to visit his family, told The Chronicle yesterday that he escaped death by employing skills that he acquired from the special forces training.

“I was awakened by the sound of my bedroom door being opened. I saw a man with a balaclava on his face and a yellow dust cloth covering his mouth,” said the diminutive soldier.
He said Dube realised he was awake and fled.

“I rushed after him in my shorts and woke my younger brother who was sleeping on a sofa in the lounge. Dube scaled a perimeter wall into the house next door. I went after him in a flash because the Heliborne Unit specialises in obstacle training. It is then that I saw Dube had company,” Mr Musengi said.

“The other two shouted at Dube to kill me but they fled in a different direction as I closed in.”
He said Dube pulled out a Star Pistol and took aim at him.

“I saw the glint of the gun and realised it was pointed in my direction. A few metres separated us. I feigned to the left and moved right at the last moment.

He fired and missed. Before he could pull the trigger again, I was on him and I wrestled the gun from his hand,” said Mr Musengi.

He said his younger brother, Takaindisa, arrived at the scene and they tied Dube up.
“Residents came out of their houses and I went to call the police. I’m hearing from you that Dube was assaulted. I don’t know who did it,” Mr Musengi said.

“I think those who assaulted Dube were doing it as revenge for their stolen property. These robbers have been a nuisance in the community and I think people were now venting out their frustration on him.
“I thought the gun was loaded with blanks so I was surprised to see it had live rounds when the police arrived.”

A neighbour who asked not to be named said the robbers stole the TV first and Mr Musengi interrupted them when they were returning to the house to steal more property.
“He is a brave man who could have helped to solve numerous break-ins in the area in recent months. Imagine rushing at a gunman like that. It shows the training they undergo at the army barracks is special,” said the neighbour.

Dube and Nyamandishe are expected to appear in court soon.- state media

Tweets by edhasmyvote

Afrobarometer Report|For the first time in a generation, Zimbabweans will vote in presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections on July 30, 2018 without the name of Robert Mugabe at the top of the ballot. Instead, the race for the presidency – the top prize in Zimbabwean politics – will pit Mugabe’s long-time collaborator, Emmerson Mnangagwa of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), against newcomer Nelson Chamisa, who, with the death of Morgan Tsvangirai in February 2018, inherited the leadership of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T Chamisa and MDC Alliance).

At least on the surface, the 2018 election is unfolding in a somewhat more open political atmosphere than the country’s previous contests, which were often marred by violent intimidation and disputed results. The opposition has been permitted to campaign throughout the country, and access to the election proceedings has been granted to a wide spectrum of international observers. But undercurrents of concern remain about the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the illicit distribution of public largesse by the ruling party, and the unknown intentions of the security forces, which in the past have repeatedly shored up ZANU-PF against any loss of political power.

Against this backdrop, Zimbabwean voters wonder whether 2018 will break the mold of past elections by ushering in the country’s first-ever alternation of presidential leadership. Certainly the electorate longs for a leader who can bring an end to four decades of economic mismanagement and rising poverty. In response, both Mnangagwa and Chamisa are campaigning on messages of economic reform and job creation. But a skeptical citizenry has every reason to question the sincerity and feasibility of politicians’ easy promises and, in the absence of unbiased information from a polarized and partisan press, to wonder which political party is actually ahead in the quest to occupy the top offices of state.

This dispatch reports results from a survey of public opinion on the status of the electoral race conducted one month before the day of voting with a representative sample of 2,400 voting-age adults drawn from all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe. The survey was commissioned by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, Afrobarometer’s core partner in Southern Africa, and implemented by the Mass Public Opinion Institute, Afrobarometer’s national partner in Zimbabwe.

National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) presidential candidate, Professor Lovemore Madhuku has dismissed as baseless suggestions that ballots cast in favour of a particular candidate can shift positions to another as part of a ploy to rig elections.

Addressing mainly pensioners whom he is providing free legal representation, Professor Madhuku said there is no magic or scientific chemical used to move ballots once they are cast.

His sentiments come in the wake of social media talk suggesting that there is a formula of rigging where a chemical solution on the ballot moves a mark from a voter’s preferred candidate to another.

To this end, he urged the electorate to go and vote on 30 July and appealed for them to also consider him as one of the presidential candidates even if his chances of winning are highly slim.

Professor Madhuku said the election is not only a race between Zanu PF and the MDC Alliance but a democratic process where even the minority parties have a claim of the stake and a voice to be heard.

He urged the electorate to resist the temptation of getting divided over political figures and commended President Emmerson Mnangagwa for preaching the gospel of peace.

Meanwhile, the NCA has pledged to work towards improving the social conditions of the worker and offer better payouts for pensioners.

Zbc News

THE Dr Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T says it is financially incapacitated to take care of the needs of polling agents ahead of the watershed elections and they are taking legal action against Mr Nelson Chamisa’s MDC demanding $1 million from the money they received under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.

The party was awarded about $1,9 million before the split and the MDC-T said they did not get part of the amount after they split and eventually won the right to use the name MDC-T in the battle for legitimacy that ensued.
Treasury availed a total of US$9 million to Zanu-PF and MDC-T but the latter did not get the funding after the split that followed the death of MDC founder president Morgan Tsvangirai. Dr Khupe said they have written to the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to register their complaint.

“We have not received any money from the $1,9 million that was disbursed, not even a single cent. We wrote to the Ministry of Justice informing them of our position. We need our money for campaigning and they are mum on the issue,” she said.

Dr Khupe said they have started legal proceedings to pursue the matter with the Government.

“We have decided to take the legal route, we are engaging our lawyers with our VP (Obert) Gutu over the matter but the truth is we are in sixes and sevens over the issue, we are hoping that a miracle happens and we get this funding as soon as possible,” she said.

Dr Khupe said the $1 million that they were demanding was meant for voter education and deployment of polling agents.

State mefia

Former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo, who is facing a plethora of criminal cases involving corruption, fraud and criminal nuisance, has been granted temporary reprieve after the High Court granted an order for an indefinite stay of his prosecution.

Justice Charles Hungwe’s order came after Chombo had filed an urgent application seeking permanent stay of his trial, citing infringement of his constitutional rights.

“The criminal prosecution of the applicant (Chombo) be and is hereby postponed sine die until the determination of HC6515/18,” reads part of the ruling.

Chombo, who was represented by Lovemore Madhuku when he appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Lazini Ncube, had successfully applied for the postponement of the case to August 2 pending the High Court determination on his urgent application.

In the High Court matter, Chombo said he wanted the court to determine whether or not the state, during his arrest, did not violate his constitutional rights when he was allegedly abducted by its agents, blind-folded for nine days and subjected to torture and other forms of inhumane and degrading treatment.

Chombo said his lawyer had written to the prosecutor-general, Ray Goba, advising him of the need to postpone the trial.

However, Goba had insisted that the trial should proceed despite the pending High Court application.

“The attitude of the State and National Prosecution Authority is grossly unreasonable and it undermines the rule of law,” Madhuku argued.

“Proceeding with the criminal prosecution before a determination renders the latter academic.

“Why should an applicant be taken through a criminal prosecution that may be declared void?

“Chombo has more than a prima facie right. Serious violations of his constitutional rights can be remedied by a permanent stay of prosecution.”

In his application, the former minister had said: “I should not go through a criminal prosecution I believe is unconstitutional before my application challenging the constitutionality of the criminal prosecution has been determined.

“HC6515/18 must be determined first. I believe this is the only way in which my constitutional rights can be protected.”

Chombo claimed that he was tortured by the army when he was arrested on the night former president Robert Mugabe was put under house arrest by the military in November last year.

The Standard