Former Energy Minister Samuel Undenge who is at the centre of the Wicknell Chivayo scandal, has been sentenced to four years in prison albeit for another matter.

Undenge was earlier on convicted of a charge of abuse of office and was thereafter sentenced to 4 years in prison by Harare magistrate Hosea Mujaya.

Magistrate Mujaya suspended a year and a half leaving the former minister to serve an effective two and half years in prison.

Undenge was convicted of the offence after the court determined that he truly authored a letter ordering power utility ZESA to engage the services of Oscar Pambuka and Psychology Maziwisa’s company, Fruitful Communications to do public relations work for the power utility.

The magistrate determined that this was despite the fact that Zesa has its own public relations department. As a result of the letter, Fruitful Communications later received a payment of $12 650 from Zesa.

Undenge once served in former President Robert Mugabe’s administration and is now the first former Mugabe minister to be convicted of a crime, somewhat to confirm what the military declared last year when they removed Mugabe in November 2017. Back then they said they were only targeting criminals around former president Robert Mugabe. To date however, only Undenge has been jailed.

Caps United have finally recovered their team Bus after clearing their former employee Joyce Kapota’s dues on Wednesday.

The team Bus was attached last month by the Sheriff of the High Court after the 2016 Champions reneged on a payment settlement plan in the $10 000 debt owed to its former employee Ms Joyce Kapota.

The former club’s communication officer, Kapota, was awarded $10400 by the Labour Court in a non-payment of terminal benefits dispute following the unlawful termination of Kapota contract in February.

Speaking to SportBrief, Kapota confirmed that she finally received her dues after 40 days of the attachment ruling.

” Its true that I finally received my dues from Caps United today (Wednesday), 40 days after we attached their bus,” she confirmed.

Kapota was reported to have received $3 460 prior to the Sheriff’s gesture as part of the payment plan, which the club later on defaulted.

The latest development comes at a time when the team is set for a blockbuster match against current log leaders, FC Platinum at Mandava Stadium on Sunday.

The two teams have met 14 times so far in the professional league, Caps United dominate the statistics after winning five, drew 8 and lost only once to the current Champions.

The Afrobarometer survey which President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s media celebrated last month when it reported that MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa is getting 31% of the vote, has reported a new paper that predicts a slight up for Chamisa.

Chamisa has closed in on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s gap down to 3 percentage points. Chamisa is now projected to get 37 percent of the vote compared to Mnangagwa’s 40 percent. 20 percent of the voters refused to reveal their preferences or are still undecided about who to vote for. A measly 3 percent confirmed that they will be voting for the rest of the 21 candidates combined.

Afrobarometer says Chamisa needs to win 66 percent of the 20 percent who are undecided in order to get 50 precent + 1 votes in order to avoid a runoff. Afrobarometer announced saying :

Important, too, are the 20% of citizens who did not declare a voting intention. This group is made up of the 15% who refused to answer the voting-intentions question and the 5% who said they did not know whom they would vote for.8 Yet the choices of undeclared voters at the ballot box could have a decisive effect on the outcome of the presidential election. So how might they vote? Some speculative estimates are possible, as follows:

If undeclared voters split their votes in the same proportions as declared voters (i.e. 40% for the ZANU-PF and 37% for the MDC), then we estimate that the incumbent candidate could win on the first round.

But what if, as seems more likely, undeclared voters lean toward the opposition? What proportion of these reticent citizens would have to vote for the MDC to ensure the opposition a majority of votes (50% plus one) on the first round? According to our calculation (see Box 1), the MDC would have to obtain about two-thirds (66%) of undeclared votes in order to secure a first-round victory in the presidential election. In our opinion, this prospect lies within the realm of reasonable possibility.

The Welshman Ncube led MDC, a member of the main opposition MDC Alliance, is reported to have violently grabbed a party vehicle from a Gwanda based workshop without paying for its repairs.

According to a ZBC News report, the party sent the vehicle for repairs at Majongozi Panelbeaters six years ago and has been failing to settle the debt for the repairs plus storage costs amounting to over a thousand dollars leading to violently grabbing the vehicle from the workshop.

According to the workshop owner, Mr Bekile Mhlanga, the party sent through a group of thugs from Bulawayo to violently remove the vehicle from his workshop.

“They broke the key to the workshop and took the vehicle away without paying the charges,” he said.

Mhlanga castigated the party for its violent behaviour indicating that he has since made a report to the police.

“If they are this violent before they are even in power what more can we expect when they get into power,” said Mhlanga.

ZimEye.com could not immediately get a comment from the MDC officials. Police in Gwanda confirmed getting a report on the matter indicating that investigations are still in progress and arrests will be made soon.

Harare City Council on Thursday resolved to send names of three successful candidates for the position of town clerk to the Local Government Board (LGB) for consideration.

The three are Engineer Hosiah Chisango who scored 1 052 points, former Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) finance director Robert Mangwiro 903 points and a University of Zimbabwe lecturer Eugine Makaya who managed 852 points.

A special council meeting held yesterday resolved to forward the name of Mangwiro despite that he was dismissed by Zimra after being found guilty of 21 counts of misconduct in 2016.

Mangwiro challenged the dismissal at the Labour Court, claiming the conviction was made in error, but the disciplinary committee maintained that a dismissal was appropriate in light of the conviction. Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni said council had resolved that Mangwiro’s name should be forwarded on the principle that everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty

“We met as council to receive the recommendations of the Human Resources and General Purposes Committee on the interviewing process for the next Town Clerk for the City of Harare,” he said.

“The recommendations were acceptable after a lot of debate. As you appreciate, there are indications that in the public space there are challenges facing one of the aspirants for the position.

“The position that we have adopted is that everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty, so the recommendations are proceeding as per the outcome of the interviews, so there will be no objections on this particular matter that is still under consideration.”

Queried on when the public can expect the appointment of the new town clerk after LGB approval, Clr Manyenyeni said, “We have no idea. The Local Government Board operate at their own space and if you ask me l do not even know how often they meet. We engage them when we have a position for senior management.”

During council’s debate on Mangwiro’s case, acting chamber secretary Charles Kandemiri said council had the legal right to vary, alter or reject the recommendations from the human resources committee.

He said in terms of the Urban Council’s Act, it did not specify the number of candidates that council should refer to the LGB.

“If council is convinced that candidate number two has some misconduct it is not pleased about, council has the power to remove him,” said Kandemiri.

“It is subject to council to decide because this is a recommendation.”

Harare has failed to fill the position over 30 months owing to various reasons with the latest attempt seeing a consultant going through over 127 applications, with only 11 candidates being shortlisted for the position.

The post fell vacant in 2014 after Dr Tendai Mahachi’s retirement.

CHRONICLE Business Editor Prosper Ndlovu on Wednesday scooped the first prize at the 2018 Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Media Awards presented in Lusaka, Zambia.

Ndlovu, who was covering the regional body’s 20th Summit that ended yesterday, won the first prize in the print category for outstanding economic and regional integration journalism.

The award, which includes a trophy, certificate and cash prize, was presented by Comesa Authority chairperson and Madagascar President, Henry Rajaonarimampianana.

Ndlovu, a holder of an Honours Degree in Journalism and Media Studies and just completed his Masters Degree in International Relations, said he was humbled to receive the recognition.

“I am excited to scoop the award and humbled with gratitude at the same time. The recognition of quality journalistic work by an organisation of Comesa’s stature has a huge significance in my professional growth and indeed the reputation of my employer, The Chronicle and the entire Zimpapers Group,” he said.

Ndlovu was congratulated by the head of the Zimbabwe delegation to the summit and Presidential Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Industry, Commerce and Enterprise Development Minister, Dr Mike Bimha and Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Zambia, Gertrude Takawira.

The Comesa Media awards were launched at the 13th Summit of the Comesa Authority of Heads of State and Government which was held in Zimbabwe in 2009.

The awards promote reporting of Comesa regional integration activities and recognise journalists whose works contribute to the integration agenda.

The awards which are open to journalists from the 19 Comesa member states also acknowledge the role of print and broadcast media in setting the agenda for public discourse.

Chronicle

Former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo (pictured) has filed an urgent High Court application seeking permanent stay of his trial, citing infringement of his constitutional rights.

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

Madhuku told magistrate Ncube that the High Court should determine whether the State during Chombo’s arrest did not violate his constitutional rights when he was allegedly abducted by State agents who blind-folded him for nine days and subjected him to torture and other forms of inhumane and degrading treatment.

Madhuku told the court that he wrote to the Prosecutor-General, advising him of the need to postpone the trial, but the State indicated that the trial would proceed despite the pending application.

“The attitude of the State and National Prosecution Authority is grossly unreasonable and it undermines the rule of law. Proceeding with the criminal prosecution before a determination renders the latter academic. Why an applicant should be taken through a criminal prosecution that may be declared void?” Madhuku said.

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

Madhuku is seeking the court to permanently stay all the criminal charges levelled against Chombo.

Chombo is facing various allegations of corruption, fraud and criminal nuisance.

Tapiwa Kasema appeared for the State.

Newsday

Press Statement:The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has completed its audit of the 2018 Voters’ Roll as provided by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on
the 18th of June 2018.

Auditing of the 2018 Voters Roll is particularly important given the concerns raised about the 2013 Preliminary Voters Roll. ZESN’s analysis of the 2013 Preliminary Voters Roll found duplicate registrations, under registration of urban and young
voters and over registration of rural and older voters.

The objective of the voters roll audit was to provide independent non-partisan information about the quality of the 2018 Voters Roll. This serves to enhance the transparency and accountability of the process.

ZESN’s audit of the 2018 Voters Roll had two components: field tests that involved comparing registration information collected from voters with what is on the 2018 Voters Roll; and computer tests that entailed analyzing the 2018 Voters roll for internal consistency and in comparison to the 2013 Preliminary Voters Roll and census data.

The 2018 Voters Roll was assessed along three dimensions: Accuracy (the degree to which the voters roll has errors); Currency (the degree to which the voters roll has been updated); and Completeness (the degree to which the voters roll contains all eligible voters).

“Overall, ZESN finds that the 2018 Voters Roll received on the 18th of June is an improvement over the 2013 Preliminary Voters Roll” said Andrew Makoni the ZESN’s Chairperson.

In terms of accuracy, the audit did not identify anomalies in the 2018 Voters Roll that affected a large percentage of registrants or were they concentrated amongst registrants of a particular area, gender or age. While no voters roll is perfect, a less rushed process would have allowed more time for ZEC to identify and address anomalies.

The 2018 Voters roll is more current than the 2013 Preliminary Voters Roll as there is a significant number of new registrants as well as more urban and young registrants and fewer
extremely old registrants.

In terms of completeness, the 2018 Voters Roll is more inclusive than the 2013 Preliminary Voters Roll which was with generally higher registration rates – though registration rates for
urban and young voters remain lower those for rural and older voters.

ZESN was not able assess the impact of the deduplication process itself as the ZEC has not provided an electronic copy of the 2018 Preliminary Voters Roll or the Exclusion List.

In the interest of transparency ZESN encourages the ZEC to release these documents to interested
stakeholders.

It is also evident that the ZEC continues to make revisions to the 2018 Voters Roll. For example, there are 11,344 more registrants on the List of Polling Stations released by ZECon 07 July 2018 than on the 2018 Voters Roll.

ZESN calls on the ZEC to provide political parties and observer groups with the version of the Voters Roll that will be issued to polling stations and used on Election Day.

ZESN remains committed to promoting credible elections and will continue monitoring electoral processes and the environment.

ZESN-Press-Release-on-Audit-of-the-2018-Voters-Roll

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has had a bad cold over the past few days that saw him taking medication in public, his spokesperson George Charamba has claimed.

Charamba made the clarification after a picture of the President holding a packet of tablets went viral on social media.

In an interview with State Media, Charamba said there was nothing amiss with the President holding the tablets.

“He had a bad cold that saw him dropping off the burial of General Valerio Sibanda’s mother, Gogo Yowana Kubvoruno, where he was then represented by his deputy, General Constantino Chiwenga (Retired),” he said.

“There is nothing to picture home about. The Meteorological Services Department has been giving us periodic updates about the chilling weather conditions. Even the President lives under the same weather just like you and me – they are also susceptible to cold.

“The President is back in form and that is why he is back on his campaign trail.”

MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa’s security team on Wednesday had to use minimal force to stop a stubborn party member from interfering with his security set up.

Crispa Musoni was stopped from driving inside Chamisa’s motorcade by the security details after he insisted on wanting to meet with the opposition leader who had declared him as an unsanctioned candidate for the party for Gutu Central Constituency.

Musona was advised by the party to withdraw his candidature after the June 14 nomination court to pave way for Alliance partner candidate Ernest Mandigo from the Multi-Racial Christian Democrats, one of seven political parties in the MDC Alliance.

Chamisa had earlier paraded Mandigo as the Alliance candidate in a rally in Gutu promoting rage from Musona who tried to force audience with Chamisa at the end of the rally who would not entertain him in public. Musona then drove his car behind the opposition leader’s in the hope of getting his attention.

On reaching Chivhu with Musoni behind them, Chamisa’s security team stopped their vehicles and took Musoni out of his vehicle and threw his car keys into a thicket to stop him interfering with the motorcade.

Speaking to state media, Musoni sensationally accused Chamisa for ordering an attack on him by the security details.

“We both submitted our papers and continued campaigning. I only learnt that he had been made the official candidate ahead of me during the rally. After finishing addressing the rally, Mr Chamisa called Mr Mandigo to the podium and introduced him to the electorate. He dressed me down and I was shocked,” said Musoni.

“Being someone who has worked in that area for long and has high respect for the people there, I chose to do the wise thing, that is asking for an audience with the president through the party leadership. When he (Mr Chamisa) was about to come off the stage, I tried talking to him, but I was pushed away by the aides and they drove away, but because there was traffic, they could not speed off.”

Musoni said he went into his car and decided to follow Chamisa who was heading to Harare.

“The timing of this was painful and that is the reason why I wanted an audience with him,” he said. “I only wanted an explanation and I thought maybe he had some words and reasons that would ease my emotions.

“When we got to the T-junction in Chivhu, Chamisa’s crew stopped and blocked me. The other cars which were behind then arrived and I was encircled before they shouted at me saying I was mad. I told them I was not mad, but wanted to see the president,” Musoni told the media.

Musoni said the aides took away his car keys and threw them away before applying pepper spray on his eyes.

“I have not found the keys since then,” he said.

“I was only helped by a Good Samaritan, an apostle who was travelling with his fellow church members. They took me to the police station, but I told them to take me to hospital first because I did not know the type of chemical which was troubling me.

“At Chivhu hospital, they took close to an hour trying to clean my eyes and later referred me to Harare where I sought further treatment at the Avenues Clinic.”

The same media says that Chamisa’s spokesperson Dr Nkululeko Sibanda yesterday said the actions of the aides were in order as they wanted “to protect the president.”

“They have to do that if there is a security threat to the president,” he said. “You have to realise the issues that have been happening in the country, the bombing and so forth. I wouldn’t be surprised that our security is taking such measures.

“The security is cautious all the time, does what is best. That is within norm and would happen in any party.”

Nelson Chamisa’s aide for economic affairs Tapiwa Mashakada has been blocked from getting Harare Council’s.top job.

Harare City Council yesterday announced that it has dropped him on the basis of suitability.

The municipality resolved to send names of three successful candidates for the position of town clerk to the Local Government Board (LGB) for consideration.

The three are Engineer Hosiah Chisango who scored 1 052 points, former Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) finance director Mr Robert Mangwiro 903 points and a University of Zimbabwe lecturer Mr Eugine Makaya who managed 852 points.

A special council meeting held yesterday resolved to forward the name of Mr Mangwiro despite that he was dismissed by Zimra after being found guilty of 21 counts of misconduct in 2016.

Mr Mangwiro challenged the dismissal at the Labour Court, claiming the conviction was made in error, but the disciplinary committee maintained that a dismissal was appropriate in light of the conviction. Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni said council had resolved that Mr Mangwiro’s name should be forwarded on the principle that everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty.

“We met as council to receive the recommendations of the Human Resources and General Purposes Committee on the interviewing process for the next Town Clerk for the City of Harare,” he said.

“The recommendations were acceptable after a lot of debate. As you appreciate, there are indications that in the public space there are challenges facing one of the aspirants for the position.

“The position that we have adopted is that everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty, so the recommendations are proceeding as per the outcome of the interviews, so there will be no objections on this particular matter that is still under consideration.”

Queried on when the public can expect the appointment of the new town clerk after LGB approval, Clr Manyenyeni said, “We have no idea. The Local Government Board operate at their own space and if you ask me l do not even know how often they meet. We engage them when we have a position for senior management.”

During council’s debate on Mr Mangwiro’s case, acting chamber secretary Mr Charles Kandemiri said council had the legal right to vary, alter or reject the recommendations from the human resources committee.

He said in terms of the Urban Council’s Act, it did not specify the number of candidates that council should refer to the LGB.

“If council is convinced that candidate number two has some misconduct it is not pleased about, council has the power to remove him,” said Mr Kandemiri.

“It is subject to council to decide because this is a recommendation.”

Harare has failed to fill the position over 30 months owing to various reasons with the latest attempt seeing a consultant going through over 127 applications, with only 11 candidates being shortlisted for the position.

The post fell vacant in 2014 after Dr Tendai Mahachi’s retirement. In 2016, council appointed former banker Mr James Mushore to the post of town clerk, but just a few hours after council announced his appointment, Government rescinded the decision because the local authority flouted procedures of appointment as laid out in the Urban Councils Act.

Council then conducted fresh interviews, where top MDC-T official and former Cabinet minister Dr Tapiwa Mashakada came up tops, but the Local Government Board did not approve the three short-listed candidates.

Dr Mashakada was dismissed as a suitable candidate by the board, which said his curriculum vitae did not offer a concrete history in an appropriate executive management position, hence his experience was nowhere near what was required of a town clerk.- state media

As the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chair Priscilla Chigumba continues to block access to the voters roll database server, she has said that the edited the copy she availed last month is clean copy.

State Media – The 2018 voters’ roll has been printed and does not have double registrations, nor dead or ghost voters, as it was specifically compiled to address the flaws of the 2013 voters’ roll, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chair Justice Priscilla Chigumba has said.

In a statement released yesterday, Justice Chigumba said: “The Commission would be pleased to receive a list of these dead voters for further investigation”, while failure to prove such claims would mean the allegations are false.
Justice Chigumba said the Commission would not deny voters with similar names and dates of birth their right to vote simply because of allegations that they were “ghosts”.
She said the Commission was willing to provide evidence proving that these were “unique individuals with unique photographs and fingerprints.”

The final voters’ roll has demographic details of the voter such as the first name, surname, date of birth, ID number and a photograph of the voter appear on the roll.
The MDC-Alliance led by presidential candidate Mr Nelson Chamisa has been at the forefront of spreading claims that the voters roll is flawed because it does not contain pictures of voters and that it has numerous dead and ghost voters.

This is despite the fact that the alliance has failed to provide evidence of all its claims, whose main aim is to discredit the July 30 elections.

“In 2017, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission made a bold decision to compile a new voters’ roll for the 2018 Harmonised Elections because of the shortcomings of the 2013 voters’ roll which stakeholders had brought to the attention of the Commission,” said Justice Chigumba.
“The Commission and stakeholders were in agreement that the 2013 voters’ roll had become defunct because it was not constantly updated to cater for changes in the demography of voters. The Commission, therefore, finds it very strange for anyone to compare the 2013 and the 2018 voters’ rolls when it is well documented that stakeholders had unanimously agreed that the 2013 roll had become difficult to use for any credible election.

“What is even more shocking is the allegation that the Commission copied dead voters from the 2013 voters’ roll. It is difficult to imagine how a dead person from the 2013 roll could have resurrected and showed up at a registration centre between September 2017 and June 2018 to have their photo and fingerprints recorded for the new voters’ roll.

“The Commission would be pleased to receive a list of these dead voters for further investigation. In the absence of receiving such a list, we can only conclude that this is a false allegation.”

In a bid to produce a water tight voters’ roll, the commission set up inspection centres throughout the country to allow physical inspection of the voters’ roll between May 19 and 29.
Following the inspection period, Justice Chigumba said, additional work was done on the voters’ roll to effect data corrections.

“During the inspection period, 114 691 requests for voter registration data corrections were received and effected,” she said. “Section 32 of the Electoral Act 2:13 mandates the Commission to ensure that no one person appears more than once in the voters’ roll.

“The same law allows the Commission to remove any duplicates that are found in the roll. In compiling the 2018 voters’ roll, 31 248 duplicates were identified and removed while 39 892 transfers were effected.”

Justice Chigumba revealed that 8 146 registered voters had died before printing of the voters’ roll and had since been removed.

“In order to identify dead voters on the 2018 voters’ roll, the Commission engaged the office of the Registrar General who is responsible for the registration of births and deaths,” she said.

“During the compilation of the 2018 voters’ roll, the Commission noticed that several people shared identical ID numbers. Such cases were referred to the office of the Registrar General for verification. Some cases were resolved while a number are still under investigation.

“In order for the Commission to finalise the voters’ roll in time for the elections, 1 667 cases of duplicate ID numbers that are still under investigation were excluded from the voters’ roll and compiled in the Exclusion List. 510 of these shared the same ID numbers but with different details while 1 157 shared the same ID numbers and details, but are different individuals based on the biometric data.”

Justice Chigumba emphasised that she welcomed factual information proving discrepancies in the voters’ roll

Zanu-PF National Assembly candidate for Buhera South Cde Joseph Chinotimba has taken a swipe at Chief Chamutsa from Buhera for meddling in political issues.

Cde Chinotimba described Chief Chamutsa as a full-time politician who has since turned his back on his traditional roles as a chief.

He said this on Tuesday while addressing people during the commissioning of Nyadi Bridge in Buhera South by Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Senator Monica Mutsvangwa.

“There is one of our chiefs who is troubling us here in Buhera,” he said. “This chief has turned himself in to a full-time politician. His name is Chief Chamutsa. I have tried on several times to engage him, but to avail. He is the only chief from Buhera who has been giving us problems.”

Cde Chinotimba said there were some village heads who were also dabbling in politics and accused them of receiving incentives from certain politicians.

He suggested that Government should withdraw incentives to all traditional leaders who were being fingered in political squabbles.

“I think those who are being involved in politics should stop receiving their incentives from the Government,” he said. “This is because they are getting something from politics and they should not also receive what others who are not actively participating in politics get.

“We know there are some village heads who have since joined politics. They should stop executing their traditional roles.”

Speaking at the same event, Minister Mutsvangwa commended Cde Chinotimba for the developmental work he is undertaking in Buhera South constituency.

She promised to look into some of the challenges that Cde Chinotimba highlighted.

“I have heard you complaining that there are people from Buhera who are drinking water from Devure River,” said Minister Mutsvangwa. “As Government, through the District Development Fund, we will make sure that boreholes are drilled in Buhera.

“I heard that there are nine boreholes that need fittings and I promise that within two weeks, work will commence on those boreholes.”

Minister Mutsvangwa said Government, through the relevant departments, would make sure that some parts of Buhera with no cellphone coverage would get base stations.- state media

ZANU PF strongman Simon Khaya Moyo may just be finding his way out of the ruling party with reports that President Emmerson Mnangagwa has lost faith in him.

Khaya Moyo who has been the party spokesperson was on Thursday unceremoniously relieved of his duties as spokesperson and replaced by the party Deputy Secretary for Legal Affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana.

The party claimed in a statement to media houses, that Moyo was being relieved from the spokesperson position as he has to concentrate in campaigning for the Bulilima Senatorial seat.

However, highly reliable sources within the party told ZimEye.com that Khaya Moyo may soon be dismissed from the party on allegations that he is still peddling the rival G40 agenda within the party.

The sources rubbished claims by the party that Moyo was being relieved of his spokesperson duties because he was involved in campaigns.

“SK is not the only party official involved in the campaigns, why would he alone be excused from his position to concentrate on campaigns when even the Vice Presidents are involved in the campaigns,” said a source.

“The truth of the matter is that Mnangagwa is positioning to dismiss Moyo and this will be done shortly after elections,” the source added.

President Mnangagwa on Tuesday made a passionate call for all party members who are still paddling G40 ideas to quit the party or risk dismissal. He at the time did not divulge who those members were.

Opposition MDC Alliance candidate for Zengeza West Constituency Job Sikhala says he ready to die in fight against rigging of votes if the votes are stolen in the July 30 general elections.

Addressing his party supporters at Zengeza 2 Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza on Thursday, Sikhala said he will not hold arms and watch ZEC rigging the people’s election.

“I am ready to sacrifice my life for the people of Zimbabwe, if Zanu PF and ZEC want to rig our victory then they should brace for a fight as we will not fold our hands and just sit idle,” he said.

Sikhala added that even if the military intervenes or interferes with the election, he will not be intimidated by their guns as he will be protecting the voice of the people.

“We are not afraid of their (army) guns, we have seen many dictators who are no longer there if the people say no it is a no and the will of the people should be respected and this time around the will of the people will be respected,” said Sikhala.

The former St Mary’s legislator also took the opportunity to pay tribute to former President Robert Mugabe for endorsing Nelson Chamisa’s candidature for the post of President.

“Even Mugabe who once led Zanu PF has endorsed our young and energetic president Advocate Nelson Chamisa, he has realised that the party he once led has destroyed the future of this country and Zimbabwe now needs fresh legs to run the affairs of the country,” he said

Meanwhile, Sikhala has said he is sure that Zanu PF will not get 2000 votes in Zengeza West, adding that should it happen it will be a very big surprise.

Zimbabwe is scheduled to hold elections on 30 July this year, but the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) which is charged with running elections has been accused of trying to favour Zanu PF at the expense of other political parties that successfully filed their nomination papers.

ZEC is currently at loggerheads with civic society organisations that specialise in elections to the extent that it has been taken to court on several occasions.

Openparly

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is scheduled to meet the minority white people community in Harare over the weekend, ZimEye.com is reliably informed.

A message being circulated amongst the white people in the country and copied to ZimEye.com indicates that Mnangagwa will meet the group on Saturday allegedly to hear concerns from the community which colonised the majority black people before independence.

Thousands of the white Zimbabweans left the country at the turn of the century when then President Robert Mugabe effected a ruthless and chaotic land reform programme which grabbed land from the white people and was given to the majority black people.

The message circulated to the community reads as follows:

“Good Morning Fellow Colleagues,

Please come out in your numbers to support this unique occasion. Let us unite behind President ED Mnangagwa.”

THE opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) party has hauled the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and its Chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba to court seeking an order to stop the elections management body from posting ballot papers for the presidential election to applicants who have applied for postal voting and to redesign the ballot paper.

The Tendai Biti-led PDP party filed an urgent chamber application in the Electoral Court on Wednesday, seeking an order to stay the use of the current presidential ballot paper designed and printed by ZEC and for the elections management body to take some corrective measures.

PDP, which is represented by Tonderai Bhatasara of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, argued that the way ZEC designed the ballot paper for the presidential election gives unfair prominence to another candidate to the prejudice of PDP’s own candidate, who is Nelson Chamisa of the MDC Alliance.

The opposition political party argued that the ballot paper that was designed by ZEC and is being distributed by the elections management body for the forthcoming presidential elections is inconsistent with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the electoral guidelines.

ZEC and Justice Chigumba, the PDP argued, have not given contesting political parties and presidential candidates access to the ballot paper to allow them to participate effectively in the electoral process in contravention of section 155(2)(c) of the Constitution and had also proceeded to conduct postal voting for the election of a President without presidential candidates having access to the ballot paper.

PDP argued that ZEC made, designed, produced and printed a presidential ballot paper that is not in the prescribed form as provided in section 57 of the Electoral Act and its regulations.

The opposition political party charged that ZEC and Chigumba’s conduct is in breach of section 156 and 68 of the Constitution and hence there is urgent need to preserve the transparency, integrity and credibility of the electoral system.

PDP wants the Electoral Court to order ZEC to design a ballot paper for the 30 July 2018 presidential election in the manner prescribed by the law, where names of the candidates are listed in alphabetic order, one after the other, until the last one.

The opposition political party also wants ZEC to be ordered to cease posting ballot papers for the presidential election to applicants who have applied for postal voting.

More than 1 000 non commissioned police officers from the force ranks countrywide have been promoted as the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) seeks to win back public trust and confidence.

Speaking on behalf of the ZRP Commissioner General Godwin Matanga during the promotion parade for 172 non commissioned officers in Harare at Morris Depot today, Officer Commanding Harare Province Senior Assistant Commissioner Elliot Mvere said the promotions took into account the need to ensure a 50-50 gender parity.

“The initiatives are being made to ensure we do our work in a diligent manner for the benefit of the nation,” he said.

He also called on the promoted officers to seriously consider the mandate of the force in ensuring that they comply with relevant ethics enhance, police visibility and professional services to clients as well as the public.

“We are really considering that the force becomes a shining beacon of the nation for the benefit of the nation,” said Senior Assistant Commissioner Mvere.

It emerged at the promotion parade the exercise is also aimed at improving service delivery, operational efficiencies, while mobilisation of adequate resources is also being taken into account.

Zbc News

MDC Alliance Presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa has warned that his party will shut down the City Of Harare if he fails to reach an agreement with Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, ZEC, Chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba on the production of the ballot paper for the upcoming elections.

Addressing a bumper crowd of MDC Alliance supporters in Kariba on Thursday, Chamisa said that his party is pushing ZEC to reprint the ballot paper involving all political parties in the designing and printing of the paper.

Chamisa said that his Alliance wants ZEC to also involve the parties in deciding where the paper is printed and how it is distributed to the polling stations around the country.

“If we fail to reach an agreement with Chigumba on our demands on the ballot paper by next week, we will march in the streets of Harare in huge numbers until ZEC agrees to our demands,” said Chamisa.

“We will bring everyone from around the country and we will shut down Harare,” he added.

Chigumba has insisted that ZEC has completed the printing of the ballot papers and all political parties were invited to monitor the printing process and the political parties did not attend in full.

Chamisa further reiterated that his party will not boycott the elections but will make sure that the elections are not held at all if ZEC fails to adhere to the expectations of the opposition party.

LIVEBLAST: President Emmerson Mnangagwa came short of re-stating his entire 1983 public statement at the height of the Gukurahundi massacre (back then) when he Thursday afternoon repeated the following: “Blessed are those who remain in ZANU PF, so that they can remain in rulership,” Mnangagwa said at Rimuka stadium. FOLLOW THE LIVE COVERAGE BELOW –

…

Former Zimpapers journalist Clemence Marijeni and his wife conned £450,000 in maternity payments in the United Kingdom and bulding themselves a mansion back home in Zimbabwe.

Clemence Marijeni, 44, was at the centre of a 12-person fraud ring who claimed taxpayers’ cash meant for mothers of young babies.

They claimed £720,000 in maternity allowance payments over more than four years – but got their hands on less than half a million pounds worth after DWP officials became suspicious.

Pictures of the building:

PARALLEL market rates have finally hit 100% when using EcoCash or bank transfers to buy the greenback, the first time they have reached such a rate since dollarisation and the main question now is how and why we got here.

On Friday last week, a snap survey done by NewsDay at all the major cash dealing points in the central business district found that at 10am the previous day, the parallel market rates increased to 100% from between 70% and 80% earlier that same day.

Tinashe (name changed), one of the cash dealers whom the paper spoke to on Friday, who is in his early 20’s said the reason was due to talk of seizing disbursements of cash to depositors.

“Rates have increased my brother. It started yesterday (Thursday last week) around 10am. What I know is if you want to do a transfer its now 100%. This is because Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya said that individuals can no longer get United States dollars from the banks” Tinashe said.

Not only do these new rates represent massive erosion in the trust and confidence of government, but they also signify just how bad the liquidity situation in the country has reached to as one banker put it.

“It is a demand and supply thing at a basic level, where you got a set of economic agents who require foreign currency and another set that have it and through a mutually beneficial market mechanism are able to exchange that value. At the second level, it becomes a policy issue to say are we pursuing the correct policy in terms of the relationship between the real monetary sectors because one is a representation of the other,” a banker who wished to remain anonymous said.

“I do not see it is as a problem, because it is the market responding to the policy framework that is there and markets really have a life of their own. You cannot legislate a price, it does not work, so what markets simply do is that they will find their own mechanism to function, so I do not see it as a problem, but as a response to a policy environment.”

With 25% or more of forex used by manufacturers coming from the parallel market, it is important to examine how this new rate of 100% was an eventuality and not a hypothetical.

Basically, it is due to more business leaders turning to the parallel market to service their forex need to import raw materials, individuals seeking to have more value for their cash and the forthcoming elections.

Back in May this year, when the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) released its composite Business Confidence Index wherein it stood at minus 14,4 for a quarter-on-quarter basis, CZI explained business leaders were losing trust and confidence in government.

Explaining these results, CZI said that most of the lack of trust and confidence was due to growing pessimism in how government was handling the foreign currency situation, as producers were getting below their forex requirements.

By business losing confidence over the forex issue, this forced them to hold onto any cash they get and at the same time increasingly turn to the parallel market for any shortfalls they required.

The result was cash barons instructing their dealers to hike rates due to the increased demand.

Compounding the situation further was the central bank and banking sector.

Over the past few months, the central bank and banking sector have been making statements deliberating on whether to continue disbursing cash to depositors considering the money was not coming back.

These talks have eroded further trust in these institutions from depositors who already did not trust them due to the menial disbursements they were getting.

As such, many depositors withdrawing cash have chosen to keep it rather than circulate it. Instead yhey take the cash to the parallel market to get a higher value in terms of RTGS or EcoCash funds.

This has also contributed to demand, as more people are visiting cash dealers on a daily basis.

As such, due to more companies and individuals sourcing cash from the parallel market demand went for forex rose.

Finally, as it is an election month and there has been a lot of uncertainty in terms of freeness and fairness of the vote, as experts and opposition parties have raised many irregularities in the election processes.

Cash barons have seized on this uncertainty to further hike rates to ensure that after the election they have made huge profits.

Cash barons with access to top banks in the community are fueling the parallel market, followed by diaspora remittances from individuals and retailers involved in cash businesses.

Africa Round Table chief executive officer and economist, Kipson Gundani said it was inevitable that the parallel market rates would hit 100%.

“If government continues the way it is going with its fiscal deficits, all these rates are going to continue to go up, because the parallel market has the forex,” he said.

He, however, added that elections was also a factor, saying “in simple terms, it is and that speculative behaviour is associated with the holding of elections where those with United States dollars hold on to it, which creates a demand and supply problem on the black market”.

Responding to these increases on Friday last week, Mangudya said that the cash barons behind the dealers would soon lose out, since the central bank had increased forex into the market.

“We have released and are going to continue releasing foreign cash into the market in order to stabilise the foreign currency market…I was out myself, as you know and I just arrived yesterday (Thursday last week) and we have received a good boost from our financiers, including as usual the Afreximbank and we are putting that money into the market,” he said.

He said fuel operators, cooking oil producers and wheat producers were allocated their foreign currency requirements.

“…over and above that, we are putting a substantial amount of cash in the market. We started this week and will continue next week, so people should not confuse the monetary side and political side, I think we would prefer that people do not confuse these two. On the monetary side we are clear with what we want to do,” Mangudya said.

“You are also aware that we are giving 100% cash to the diaspora, continue to give 70% of foreign payments to our artisanal gold producers, and monthly we do $100 million and we have now increased starting from next week (this week).”

His advice to “those who are selling foreign currency at ridiculous rates, they are going to regret, because people are just making money out of them, its just arbitrage.”

The central bank will now be injecting $150 million a month into the economy, up from a previous of $100 million.

Newsday

It appears that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission [ZEC] has printed presidential ballot papers with the presidential candidates listed in alphabetical order in two columns. The President’s name, which would be towards the middle of a single column, heads the second column.

What the Electoral Act and Regulations say about the Form of Ballot Papers

Section 57(a)(i) of the Electoral Act states that on all ballot papers, including papers for the presidential election, the names of the candidates must be printed in type of equal size, “in alphabetical order of surnames”. It can be inferred from this that the names should be printed one below the other.

The Electoral Regulations, 2005, elaborate on section 57 by stating that ballot papers for the presidential election must be in form V.10, which is as follows:

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: FORM OF BALLOT PAPER FRONT

Name of Candidate NAME OF PARTY SYMBOL PHOTOGRAPH MARKING SPACE

Clearly, the form envisages the names of the candidates being listed vertically, one below the other.

Section 3(11) of the regulations confirms this by saying that in form V.10 “the number of horizontal segments shall equate to the number of candidates nominated for election … to the office of President …” To make it even plainer, the section goes on to specify what each of the “vertical segments” must contain: the “first of the vertical segments” must contain the names of the candidates, the “second vertical segment” must contain the name or abbreviation of each candidate’s political party, and so on.

In terms of the regulations, therefore, the names of the candidates must be listed one below the other in alphabetical order of surnames. This is important because in Zimbabwe as elsewhere people read lists from top to bottom, and the candidate whose name heads the list has a slight advantage over those whose names appear lower down. Under the Act and the regulations that advantage goes to the candidate who, by chance of birth, has a surname that begins with a letter towards the beginning of the alphabet.

What Happens when there are Many Candidates?

What is to be done if the number of presidential candidates becomes so large that, if listed vertically, they will not fit on to a normal sheet of paper? Neither the Act nor the regulations seem to have envisaged this – understandably perhaps, because until last November wise people thought twice before standing in opposition to the incumbent President.

There are two options: either to split the list of candidates into two columns, as ZEC has apparently done or to list the candidates in one long column on a long thin ballot paper, as the South Africans did in 2014.

Of the two, the second option accords more with what is implied in the Act and the regulations. If the ballot paper has two columns, the names of the candidates in the second column are not contained in “the first of the vertical segments” as required by section 3(11) of the regulations: their names are contained in the sixth vertical segment, i.e. the first segment of the second column.

One can say, therefore, that by listing the candidates in two columns ZEC’s presidential ballot paper does not comply with the Electoral Act and the regulations. It does not comply with it in another respect, too: ZEC has added an extra column numbering the candidates.

Must ZEC Comply with the Electoral Act?

Does ZEC have the power to ignore what is laid down, if only by implication, in the Act and the regulations? The chairperson of ZEC has suggested that her Commission can do so because section 236(g) of the Constitution states that one of its functions is:

“(g) to design, print and distribute ballot papers …”

The constitutional power to design ballot papers, she argues, can be exercised regardless of any restrictions imposed by an Act of Parliament such as the Electoral Act and regulations made under it.

The chairperson’s argument does not hold water.

Section 157 of the Constitution gives Parliament the duty to enact an electoral law providing for the “conduct of elections”, and though the section does not specifically mention ballot papers they are an important part of the conduct of any election. So section 57 of the Electoral Act, which states that ballot papers must list candidates in alphabetical order, is probably valid and binding on ZEC. Furthermore, the regulations, which go into specific detail about the design of ballot papers, were not enacted by Parliament but by ZEC itself under section 192 of the Electoral Act. ZEC chose to make regulations for the design of ballot papers and those regulations are binding as law. ZEC is not above the law, even laws which it itself has made. If it wants to change the form of ballot papers it must amend the regulations – and it cannot do so at this stage of the electoral cycle because of section 157(5) of the Constitution.

If ZEC had free rein to design ballot papers in whatever way it chose, disregarding the Act and the regulations, why should it stop there? It could disregard statutory time-limits; prepare voters rolls in any form that suited it, put polling stations wherever it wanted, and so on. Obviously, ZEC must obey the law, and the law lays down the form of ballot papers.

Has ZEC Been Impartial?

One further point needs to be made strongly. Even if ZEC did have the power to design ballot papers as it chose, it would have to do so fairly and impartially. If there are compelling reasons for listing the presidential candidates in two columns, then the two columns must be of equal length, or as nearly equal as the numbers allow, so that the candidates who head each column get that advantage solely by virtue of the alphabetical order of their surnames.

In the present case, where there are 23 candidates if the list had to be split the ballot paper should have had two columns, one with 11 names and the other with 12. Instead, ZEC’s columns, one with 14 names and one with nine, are artfully designed to ensure that the President has the advantage of heading the second column. There can be no legitimate reason for this.

A final point is that when ZEC’s officials have been asked why they cannot use their broad constitutional powers to fill in gaps in the electoral law, they have answered that they must stick to the letter of the law as contained in the Electoral Act and its regulations. It is strange, to say the least, that in this instance they have chosen to ignore the clear provisions of the Act and regulations, and instead purported to rely on the Constitution.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa cannot be tried for any misdemeanour committed in his personal capacity while he is still in office, the High Court has ruled.

The Chamisa-led MDC had sought to impugn the conduct of President Mnangagwa for alleged interference with the independence of traditional leaders ahead of harmonised election on July 30.

President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF denied ever encouraging candidates to bribe traditional leaders.

In her ruling yesterday, Justice Mary Dube said section 98 (1) of the Constitution created presidential immunity, hence the court has no jurisdiction to try President Mnangagwa. “I decline to exercise my jurisdiction over the President of Zimbabwe,” she said, adding, “the President of Zimbabwe is improperly before the court. The relief sought against him cannot be granted.”

The MDC was accusing President Mnangagwa of inciting Zanu-PF candidates to offer trinkets to chiefs and traditional leaders to get their support in the harmonised elections.

The opposition party argued that President Mnangagwa’s utterances, which were made on June 9, 2018 to Zanu-PF party supporters in Mutoko in Mashonaland East province, motivated some ruling party members to engage in corrupt practices for the purposes of vote buying ahead of the elections.

But President Mnangagwa’s lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri of the Temple Bar (Inns of Court) argued that the application was political grandstanding.

The application, he said, was meant to make a political statement for external forces thought to have an impact in the conduct of international relations, bearing in mind that international relations are based primarily on the principle of recognition.

Adv Uriri argued that the intention of the MDC application was to find basis to undermine the recognition of the Government of the people that would be elected on July 30.

Justice Dube declined to deal with the matter on papers, saying the utterances at the centre of the dispute could only be ventilated through leading oral evidence. “I am satisfied that a material dispute of fact exists on the papers between the parties which cannot be resolved on the papers,” she said. “There is a need for oral evidence to be led to establish the authenticity of the audio recordings.”

Justice Dube said MDC had not requested the court to refer the matter to oral evidence in which the case has discretion either to dismiss the application or direct that evidence be led in the application to ventilate the dispute or that the matter goes to trial.

The court, noted Justice Dube, was not asked to either refer the dispute to trial or lead evidence in the application on the utterances in dispute.

“The applicant chose to insist that there was no material dispute of fact exhibiting itself on the papers,” she said.

“I find it undesirable for me to mero motu (voluntarily and without prompting or request) refer the dispute to trial. It is for this reason that I will dismiss the application.”

President Mnangagwa, who was cited in the matter along with Zanu-PF party, Chief Fortune Charumbira and Chief Alfred Tome, also argued that the law did not allow a sitting President to be sued in his personal capacity in matters of that nature and that the court should simply refuse to hear the matter.

They argued that the MDC-T leadership wrangle was still pending before the High Court and that Mr Chamisa and his faction cannot be allowed to hold themselves out as the legitimate MDC before determination of the matter.

Justice Dube disagreed with the respondents that the Chamisa-led MDC had no legal footing to bring such an application.

She ruled that MDC was contesting the elections under the umbrella of the MDC Alliance.

“What is clear is that the MDC is not contesting in the current elections under the MDC name for reasons which are not before the court,” she said.

“The court is able to identify the party or faction of the MDC before it. The question regarding the legitimacy of the applicant should not detain the court.”

Justice Dube noted that the Chamisa-led MDC, being a party contesting in the elections and having fielded candidates for the elections, it naturally has an interest in issues that have a bearing on the fairness of the campaigning process and the actual elections themselves.

“The MDC is directly affected by the campaigning process and as such has a direct and substantial interest in the conduct of the election and campaigning process,” she said.

“The applicant qualifies as an aggrieved party and therefore has the locus standi to ring these proceedings.”

Adv Uriri was instructed by Mr Aston Musunga of Musunga and Associates.

Mr Alec Muchadehama and Mr Jeremiah Bhamu acted for the MDC, while Adv Thembinkosi Magwaliba instructed by the Civil Division of the Attorney General’s Office appeared for Chief Charumbira and Chief Tome.

State Media

Chief Musarurwa allegedly tried to bribe other traditional leaders with blankets ahead of yesterday’s elections for the posts of president and deputy president of the Chiefs Council.

It is understood that Chief Musarurwa, who wanted to contest Chief Charumbira for the presidency, made a last-minute withdrawal on Tuesday night after most traditional leaders rejected his manoeuvres and exposed him.

This saw Chief Charumbira winning the elections uncontested.

Chief Charumbira’s deputy, Chief Mtshane Khumalo from Matabeleland North, was also nominated without any contest to retain the post.

Chief Musarurwa was reportedly working with businessman Mr Stanley Kasukuwere, who was trying to influence traditional leaders from his home province, Mashonaland Central.

Several traditional leaders interviewed by state media confirmed Chief Musarurwa wanted to bribe them.

Chief Chiwara said Chief Musarurwa had approached him.

“I met him when I was coming out of my room to have food (at Rainbow Towers),” he said. “He told me that we had to finish the job as we could not continue to be ruled by the current president of the Chiefs Council.

“He then said he has my parcel downstairs. I later learnt they were blankets which had been bought for me after he went downstairs with Chief Mazungunye’s son. I categorically told them that I don’t even want to see the blankets as I have blankets at home.

“I told them that if it was about voting, that was my right and I would exercise that secretly without being influenced.”

Chief Mazungunye of Bikita also confirmed Chief Musarurwa’s shenanigans.

“He personally phoned me while I was on my way to Harare,” he said. “He phoned again after I had checked in into the hotel. He came and knocked at my door before telling me to vote for him saying he was my son.

“He then said he had gifts which he was giving people and he wanted me to benefit. I then instructed my driver to go with him while I told Chief Charumbira and my provincial chairperson Chief Chitanga. We wanted the blankets to come and use them as exhibit. When they came, pictures of the blankets were taken.”

Chief Musarurwa and Mr Kasukuwere yesterday denied the allegations.

“I don’t know about that,” said Chief Musarurwa. “If there is a chief who came with the blankets, he bought them for himself. But does it mean we don’t have to associate? In elections, everyone uses various means to succeed, but I don’t know about the allegations.”

Mr Kasukuwere said: “I am young and have nothing to do with chiefs. Chief Chiweshe is from my area, but I don’t even know what chiefs were doing. I just read about it in the press. I don’t get anything from that.”

Mr Kasukuwere is said to have spent the better part of Tuesday with Chief Musarurwa and Chief Chiweshe, having meetings at Rainbow Towers Hotel and Harare Showgrounds.

He is alleged to have offered Chief Chiweshe four beasts to back Chief Musarurwa.

Chief Chiweshe responded: “That’s not the story. I don’t want to talk to you.”

Chief Charumbira and Chief Mtshane retain their positions as leaders of the Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs, positions that automatically make them Senators.

The election was conducted by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) officials at Mkwati Building in Harare ahead of the July 30 harmonised elections.

Chief Charumbira comes from Masvingo province, while Chief Mtshane is from Matabeleland North.

State Media

Build Zimbabwe Alliance leader, Dr Noah Manyika has said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba must resign if she can’t address candidates’ concerns. He said Chigumba and her officers at the ZEC must resign if they fail to address the oppositions’ concerns.

In his press statement, Manyika says ZEC has little interest in transparency and a fair and level electoral playing field.

Below is the full statement:

PRESS STATEMENT FROM THE BUILD ZIMBABWE ALLIANCE REGARDING THE IMPARTIALITY OF THE ZIMBABWE ELECTORAL COMMISSION

It is with grave concern that we note the continuing impasse between the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and many in the opposition regarding the perceived fairness of the election process. We have made statements regarding our own concerns in the past. However the matter is of such gravity now, and the issues so numerous that we believe a further statement of our position is required.

Over the past weeks, Zimbabwe’s opposition has raised concerns about the printing of the ballot paper, the integrity of the voters roll, the location of polling stations and the questionable process of postal votes amongst others. The basis of the objections is in the public domain, as are the inadequate responses from the ZEC, and we will not go into these matters further: they are merely the symptoms of a profound lack of trust in a body that is supposed to be impartial.

It has reached such a point that we in the Build Zimbabwe Alliance believe that there is no reasonable doubt that ZEC has little interest in transparency and the pursuit of a fair and level electoral playing field.

In consequence of the above, the Build Zimbabwe Alliance calls for the ZEC to immediately address all key opposition concerns, failing which we call for the resignation of the Chairperson and commissioners of the ZEC to be followed by an impartial reconstitution of this body. There is no other way to restore the trust so urgently required.

We thank the international community for their observation missions and call on them to note our deep reservations. We wish for our country that which you expect from yours: free and fair elections. It is not acceptable that this election be simply a small improvement on the wholly deficient elections of the past.

DR. NOAH MANYIKA

PRESIDENT

A 38-year-old Domboshava man appeared in court yesterday after he allegedly tried to kill his three children by poisoning them.

He appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Milton Serima charged with three counts of attempted murder. He was denied bail and remanded to July 31.

Prosecuting, Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on July 11 in Dzavara Village under Chief Chinamora, the man had a domestic dispute with his father and brother.

As a result, on July 12, he allegedly took his three children aged 14, 9 and 5 to the shops. While there, he allegedly bought two 300mls bottles of Coca Cola and termic poison. The man proceeded to mix the poison with the drink and drank it after instructing his three children to drink as well.

The offence was discovered when at night the children and the man became ill and were rushed to Makumbe Hospital where they were treated and discharged.

The children sustained internal injuries as a result of the poison. The matter was reported to police, leading to the man’s arrest.