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Last month Veritas, with the Association of Rural Teachers Unions of Zimbabwe [ARTUZ], launched an urgent application in the Masvingo High Court to prohibit the use of school property for political purposes and the forced attendance of schoolchildren at political rallies. The Judge granted the application on 28th June and issued a provisional interdict prohibiting ZANU-PF from:
· forcing schoolchildren to attend rallies
· causing the closure of schools for any of its rallies or activities
· compelling teachers to attend rallies, to wear party regalia, to prepare performances for children to deliver at rallies, or to make contributions towards rallies
· holding rallies on school premises
· using school property for political purposes.
The court also prohibited the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education and his officials from assisting political parties in any of the above activities, and ordered the Minister to take active measures, including the making of regulations, to prevent political parties from abusing school property, staff and schoolchildren.

The Case is Non-Partisan: It should be noted that Veritas and ARTUZ are not taking up this issue to strike a blow to ZANU-PF, as was suggested by one newspaper. We do not take political sides. We are taking up this case to strike a blow for children’s and teachers’ rights, the correct use of our educational resources, and for the rule of law and constitutionalism.

If there is evidence of other political parties using schools, school buses, teachers and schoolchildren for party-political purposes we will do our best to ensure that any court ruling also applies to them.

Court Decision Praised by United Nations: The court’s decision was praised by the United Nations as being in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, that the best interests of the child must be the paramount consideration in every situation and at all times. [UN statement link]

In Line with Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Report: In 2017 the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission investigated complaints by various teachers’ unions about ZANU-PF’s misuse of school premises and property and abuse of schoolchildren. Its conclusions were:

“The compelling of children and teachers (and to contribute financially for teachers) to attend political rallies is a violation of their right to freedom of association and assembly in terms of the Constitution. … It was also noted that there was abuse of school property and other public property as the ruling party tried to secure attendance at their political rallies. There was use of vehicles from schools and other public institutions which is undesirable.”

The Commission recommended various measures to stop the abuses, but its report and its recommendations were ignored. [ZHRC Report link]

Response by ZANU-PF

ZANU-PF has responded to the High Court’s interdict by filing a notice of appeal which is noteworthy for its vagueness and does not address the real issue in the case, namely the illegality of compelling children and their teachers to attend political rallies and of using school property for political purposes [For those interested, the response and all the other court papers are on Veritas Website [link].] The effect of noting the appeal was to suspend the High Court’s interdict pending the hearing of the appeal.

The Supreme Court will hear ZANU-PF’s appeal on the 27th July, too late for the appeal court’s decision to have any impact on the conduct of ZANU-PF and other parties in their current electoral campaigns – polling day will be only three days later.

Abuse of Schools and School Children Continuing:
In the meantime, ZANU-PF has ignored the interdict. According to ARTUZ, during the period 6th-8th July, the party held a rally at Arcturus Mine to which supporters and schoolchildren were transported in school buses. The President [in his role as a presidential candidate] himself addressed a rally at Mapfungautsi Primary School in Gokwe which schoolchildren were forced to attend, and buses from various schools were used to ferry supporters to it. The party also convened a rally at Liebenberg High School in Chivhu which teachers from the surrounding district were asked to attend. These incidents are confirmed by photographs, press reports and letters from teachers.

Undemocratic Conflation of Party and State:

ZANU-PF’s conduct is just one example of the conflation of ruling party and State which has been a feature of Zimbabwe’s political life since 1980. Senior members of ZANU-PF have regarded the party as the real government of Zimbabwe with the right to use, commandeer and dispose of State assets for its own purposes. This attitude is inimical to democracy and good governance, which section 3 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe defines as including “a multi-party democratic political system”.
Veritas/ARTUZ Urgent Application Lodged
Veritas and ARTUZ therefore instructed their lawyer, Mr Doug Coltart, to lodge an urgent application with the Masvingo High Court seeking an order that the court’s interdict should remain in force pending the hearing of the appeal. This seems the only way to stop the continuing abuse.

Appeal to ZEC:

Stop political Parties Use of State Resources and Abuse of School Children
The repeated abuse of children and State property is deplorable.
Veritas appeals to ZEC, as the body responsible for ensuring that electoral campaigns are conducted fairly in accordance with the law, to put a stop to this abuse of schoolchildren and misuse of school premises and property.
Holding political rallies at government schools; commandeering school buses for transporting people to rallies; compelling schoolchildren to attend rallies and provide entertainment there; and making teachers attend rallies, wear party regalia and contribute to party funds: all these are illegal and always have been:
· School vehicles and other school property belong to the government or to school development committees. They cannot legally be used for party political purposes or for furthering non-educational objectives.
· Teachers are civil servants and as such are supposed to be politically neutral. The Constitution of Zimbabwe prohibits civil servants from being partisan or furthering the cause of any political party. Teachers who allow school property to be misused are guilty of misconduct under regulations governing their conditions of service.
· Intimidating people to attend rallies is a criminal offence in Zimbabwe. It is also prohibited by the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
· Compelling schoolchildren to attend political rallies amounts to child abuse and is specifically prohibited by the Constitution.
Moreover teachers stand in loco parentis towards their pupils and have heavy responsibilities towards them. Children who are in their teachers’ charge should not be allowed to leave school property without a letter from their parents giving permission for them to go out with a specific person or persons. If teachers allowed pupils to leave their schools to attend political rallies they would be grossly irresponsible because rallies are not safe environments for children: there can be intra- and inter-party violence and crushes in which people get injured, and recently an explosion at a presidential rally killed and injured several people. If a political party compels teachers to bring schoolchildren to its rallies or even ferries willing pupils to rallies without parental permission, the party is acting very irresponsibly, perhaps even criminally. The argument put forward by some political parties that children attend voluntarily is not tenable.

The leader of the APA party, Dr Nkosana Moyo has said the MDC Alliance must consider joining ZANU PF.

This was during a local radio broadcast conversation and below was the part transcript:

The country’s film industry has been plunged into mourning following the death of Elizabeth Nyanguridza known for her role in Studio 263 as ‘Tete Jari’.

58-year-old Nyanguridza who was in the film industry for more than 15 years, passed on early Monday (yesterday) morning at the Mbuya Dorcas Hospital after a short illness.

Family members and former workmates in the arts industry gathered at her house in Chitungwiza described the late as a unifier and added that the film industry has lost a great treasure.

Nyanguridza was known for her role in the once popular drama Studio 263 where she featured as ‘Tete Jari’ aunt to Vimbai and Jabu.

She was also in other productions including Ganyawu, Playing Warriors and Gringo.

She will be buried in Chiendambuya Headlands this Wednesday (tomorrow) and is survived by her husband and five children.

Mourners are gathered at house number 606, Unit F, Seke, Chitungwiza.

Newsday

Some traditional leaders have reportedly started pushing for the ouster of the Chiefs’ Council president Fortune Charumbira (pictured), whom they accuse of frog-marching them into Zanu PF politics when they were supposed to be non-partisan.

The council is set to hold elections for new office bearers today in Masvingo under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec).

Efforts are reportedly also underway to strip Charumbira of his chieftainship after the Traditional Leadership Support Services Department (TLSSD) last year questioned his legitimacy.

The department wrote to the Local Government and National Housing ministry calling on the minister to set up a probe team to investigate the traditional leader’s legitimacy.

Chief Vezi Maduna is tipped to take over from Charumbira as the Chiefs’ Council president while in Matabeleland North and South, Chief Sibasa and Chief Jahana are likely to take over as provincial chiefs’ council chairpersons.

The TLSSD memorandum to the minister provides a clear lineage of the Charumbira chieftainship, which excludes the incumbent Chief Charumbira.

“We refer to an application by F Mhihwa Mapingure to His Excellency (President Emmerson Mnangagwa) for the resolution of the Charumbira chieftainship dispute. After perusal of the Charumbira file, the department thinks that the claim has substance… The Charumbira chieftainship was started by Mudavanhu Chief number one who passed on the chieftainship to his sons in order of seniority as follows: Mututuware − chief two, Mapingure − chief three, Mutana − chief four, Mataruse − chief five, Mudzimbasekwe − chief six, Mawoni − chief Seven, Magura − chief eight and Magyira − chief nine,” the memorandum read in part.

TLSSD further traced how the chieftainship was handed down before it was abolished and Mazha was appointed Headman Charumbira under Chief Chekai Shumba on May 1, 1950, on the grounds that he had been acting chief for several years and he was relatively younger than the correct claimants.

A meeting held in March 1961 established that Mazha was not the correct office holder and the resuscitation of the chieftainship had to pave way for the right heir (from the Mapingure house), according to the memo.

It was further noted that the legitimacy of Mazha’s claim was never questioned even though the sons of Mapingure and Magura had stronger claims.

TLSSD stated that appointment was done in terms of the vote against the Charumbira custom on March 5, 1962 when a meeting which comprised of 24 kraal heads voted to select a successor among Mazha of the Madyira house, Nyaku of the Mapingure house and Muchati of the Mataruse house. Nyaku had 37 votes, Mazha 35 and Muchati 2.

“Once again, despite the vote which Nyaku won, customs and tradition were at this point deliberately violated by the colonial system when the provincial native commissioner recommended Mazha in his stead. Mazha was appointed Chief Charumbira 10 on March, 1964,” the memo read.

“On December 23, 1968, one of Mazha’s sons, Zefaniya was appointed deputy chief to assist his father in performing his duties. While he was deputy chief, Zefaniya was appointed into the provincial assembly. Following Mazha’s death, his son Zefaniya was appointed acting chief.”

Zefaniya acted for four years during which he rose through the ranks to beSenator Chief Charumbira. He is believed to have used his influence in the Council of Chiefs and his relationship with the Rhodesian authorities to rise to the chieftainship “contrary to the succession custom of the Charumbira clan”.

Zefaniya was appointed substantive chief in 1975. Following his death on February 10, 1991, his son, Fortune, was appointed acting chief on January 14, 1992, before he was promoted substantive chief by former President Robert Mugabe.

The Mapingure clan contends that the chieftainship was supposed to come to their house.

It is against this backdrop that TLSSD recommended a probe to correct the error and appoint the deserving chief in line with the culture, customs, traditions and practices of the Charumbira community.

Efforts to get comment from Charumbira and TLSSD director Felix Chikovo on the developments were fruitless as their mobile phones went unanswered since last week.

On Monday, Local Government minister July Moyo said he could not comment as he was in a meeting and his number was unreachable yesterday.

Newsday

By Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnagagwa has all but conceded to defeat on the ambitious vision for the country by the opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa.

In his statement on Wednesday morning after he officially launched a very wishful Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency programme, President Mnangagwa declared that the country must begin investing in an ambitious future.

Mnangagwa and his ruling ZANU PF party members have been castigating Chamisa for making “outrageous” promises for the nation like promising to build spaghetti roads when he comes to power.

“Yesterday, we launched the Zimbabwe National Critical Skills Audit , the Zimbabwe National Qualifications Framework and the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency programmes,” said Mnagagwa.

“The New Zimbabwe is a forward looking, optimistic and ambitious Zimbabwe.

This is why we have decided to invest not only in the future of our nation, but we have chosen to invest in an ambitious future. A future with the right skills for the right jobs.

The message must be clear: Through education and hard work, we can and will achieve our dreams.

In this new era, the sky is no longer the limit!”

By Munesu Chigada| Norton MP Temba Mliswa defied the odds and drew a staggering crowd at his Ward 12 and 15 rallies on Saturday in a move that shook the ZANU PF and MDC Alliance camps on Saturday ahead of the July 30 harmonized elections.

The rallies, coming a day after Chris Mutsvangwa held his own rally at Takunda Primary, was a huge testament of intent from the independent candidate as his crowd dwarfed the paltry audience that came to listen to the Special Advisor to President Mnangagwa, Chris Mutsvangwa.

The venues the rallies are reputed strongholds for ZANU PF and MDC.

Mutsvangwa had a paltry crowd just below hundred at his own Nyaga City event where he lambasted those seeking to support Mliswa.
However events from Saturday showed that many are not to be deterred from following the man they call Bhuru.

People started flocking out in huge numbers as early as 9 am defying the winter weather and assembling at the school whilst the combative legislator was still at another rally in Ward 15 at Nyaga City.

Eyewitnesses spoke.

“There were thousands here from morning but some went home when they saw that the MP was late in arriving at the venue but still you can see there are thousands still here,” said one lady at the rally.

Mliswa has slowly entrenched his hold on Norton through a huge number of developmental initiatives which have seen the building of school blocks, drilling of boreholes and repairing of roads.

Various roads in Garikayi, Maridale, Mashlands, the Chibero-Sandringham road and Madziyire, from Zvimba road to Bulawayo road, have been graded courtesy of his sponsorship.
All these have endeared him with the Norton population which is still smacking from 7 failed years under ZANU PF and MDC-T leadership.

Speaking at the rally in Ward 12 which is the biggest constituency in the urban zone, Mliswa promised to remain the people’s representative by working outside the limitations of parties.
“I don’t have time for cell or ward meetings, I only have time for doing the job that I’m elected to do which is to represent the people”, he said to an elated crowd.
An equally joyous occasion unfolded in Ward 15 earlier in the day when Mliswa addressed the biggest rural ward where thousands again braved the cold weather to gather for the penultimate rally before the July 30 harmonized elections.
Mliswa has vowed to finish his developmental projects if he wins this year and then proceed to contest for higher office.

THE Mphoko family has come under fire for allegedly hijacking the Choppies retail business and “looting” cash from the outlets countrywide without board approval.

Mr Siqokoqela Mphoko, son to former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, is a director of Nanavac Investments (Private) Limited, a local partner for the Botswana-registered Choppies Distribution Centre (Proprietary) Limited.

A shareholder in the retail business, Mr Mphoko is accused of abusing his power to “loot” cash realised from sales at different supermarkets and replacing it with transfers.

Another family member identified as Nomagugu Mphoko is also accused of bulldozing various shops demanding cash.

The two, according to the foreign investors, are using threats of deportation against Choppies employees.

The boardroom war has spilled into the High Court, with Choppies seeking to bar the Mphoko family from interfering with the retail business’ operations.

Choppies wants the family barred from taking money from the business and harassing workers.

Mr Mphoko and Nomagugu have been listed as respondents in an urgent interdict filed at the High Court this week.

Choppies accuses Mr Mphoko of being ungrateful considering that he was being paid $10 000 monthly and a dividend annually as part of their deal.

He also uses a company vehicle and draws fuel from Choppies.

Mr Mphoko, according to court papers, gets school fees allowances for his children, among other benefits.

A founding affidavit by Choppies chief executive Mr Ramachandran Ottapathu says the Mphoko family is on a looting spree.

“First respondent (Mr Mphoko) has, without board authority from third respondent (Nanavac Investments), agreement with any of the applicants and without seeking their consent, demanded and looted cash from different supermarkets. He has embezzled to date the sum of $45 258. He has also extended himself unauthorised lines of credit, which have seen him misappropriating the company’s stocks and fuel amounting to $6 687,06.

“He has also, without authorisation, transferred $7 000 from the company for his personal use,” read the affidavit.

Ms Nomagugu Mphoko, who is not a director or employee of Choppies, is said to have demanded and collected $30 230 cash from the daily takings at various outlets in Zimbabwe.

“Second respondent, who is neither an employee, member, director nor shareholder of third respondent, with apparent blessing of the first respondent, has been taking all the cash generated from the business operations of the third respondent forcibly from cashiers and swiping back at point of sale machines from her own personal account or those of her family members,” read the affidavit.

Any attempts by workers to deny the Mphokos access to cash, the papers read, was met with threats of deportation, physical harm and in some cases, riotous, vulgar and racist utterances.

“The first and second respondents’ behaviour has continued unabated leaving the company on the brink of a financial meltdown and a genuine fear and reality of a potential exodus of highly skilled expatriate staff. The business survival is at risk and there is real fear of irreparable harm should the first and second respondents continue with their destructive behaviour unabated,” the court papers read. The behaviour of the Mphokos, the court heard, was likely to strain the bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Choppies claims to have invested $66 million in the retail business and that it employs 1 800 people. The Mphoko family is yet to respond to the urgent chamber application.

State Media

TWO Filabusi siblings who were reportedly part of a mob that beat up and killed a man after accusing him of stealing have been arrested two years after committing the offence.

Aotar (26) and Innocent Ndlovu (24) were not asked to plead when they appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Mr Obedience Matare facing murder charges.

They were remanded out of custody on free bail to August 13 after the State pointed out that investigations were still underway to link the two men to the case.

Two other murder suspects Nkululeko Ncube and Wisdom Mkandla recently appeared at the Gwanda Magistrate’s Court facing a murder charge and they were placed off remand pending further investigations.

Mr Matare ordered the two siblings to report to Filabusi Police Station once each month and warned them against interfering with State witnesses.

“The State is not opposed to free bail and they have pointed out that investigations are still underway to link you to this offence. Furthermore you came to the court willingly after being summoned by the police. Therefore I will remand you out of custody to August 13 on free bail,” he said.
Prosecuting, Mr Moses Gondongwe said Aotar and Innocent were part of a mob comprising about 150 people that beat up Thabisani Moyo to death on November 7 in 2016.

“On 7 November 2016 at Hayhill Farm in Filabusi area Aotar and Innocent connived with Nkululeko Ncube and Wisdom Mkandla and other people numbering about 150 who are still a large and attacked Thabisani Moyo whom they had accused of stealing.

“They beat him up with sticks, stones and machetes and left him seriously injured before fleeing. Moyo died as a result of injuries sustained during the attack,” he said

Members of Parliament are set to get a $4million windfall in the next few days for their outstanding allowances.

Each MP is expected to pocket about $30 000.

The money is over and above what the legislators have been getting in previous weeks as Treasury paid them allowances covering September last year up to March this year.

Parliament has submitted bids to Treasury covering the last five months, which should clear all the outstanding allowances for the Eighth Parliament.

Those expected to make rich pickings are MPs who consistently attended sittings and those with distant constituencies but used private accommodation like residential houses in Harare if Parliament could not book them into hotels.

In an interview yesterday, Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Chokuda confirmed the development saying they had gone a long way in clearing their indebtedness to MPs.

“We have already paid MPs up to March. Right now MPs are getting their outstanding allowances. In fact we have paid the bulk of what we owe them. What now remains is payment of the last five months that is from March to July. We expect the money to be released in the next few days because we have submitted bids,” said Mr Chokuda.

He could not however say how much in total they received or how much each MP got in the last batch and what an individual legislator would get for the remaining months.

“As we speak MPs are getting their allowances in respect of the previous period. The balance for March up to July we will pay them before the month comes to an end,” he said.

Over the past months, parliamentary business has been disrupted as legislators pressed to have their allowances paid. At one stage, a pre-budget seminar was delayed as MPs insisted that they wanted concrete time frames on when they would be paid. In another instance, Parliament had to prematurely adjourn after MPs refused to conduct business of the day demanding their outstanding allowances given that their term of office was coming to an end.

Most of them complained that they were subsiding Parliament by coming to work using their own resources.

Government yesterday released pay dates for civil servants for this month with its employees also expected to start receiving their 17,5 percent salary rise.This will be their first pay increase in nearly a decade.

The health sector, Zimbabwe National Army and Air Force of Zimbabwe will get their salaries on Monday, while police and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service officers will receive theirs on July 20.

The education sector will be paid on July 24 and the rest of the civil servants will be paid on July 27.
Pensioners will be paid on July 31.

Civil servants body, Apex council secretary general Mr David Dzatsunga confirmed this month’s pay dates.

He said in fulfilment of an agreement between Government and civil servants following salary negotiations, employees are expected to receive an increment this month.

“Unless something drastic happens, the agreement we have with them (Government) is that the salary increment is coming this July, with effect from 1st of July. So it will be legitimate to say they will certainly effect an increment this month,” he said.

Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said teachers were expecting to receive a pay rise as no communication to the contrary has been made.

He said what teachers were now seeking is Government’s clarification on the payment of cash-in-lieu of outstanding vacation leave days.

“We expect them to start rolling out the issue of cash-in-lieu because that is a special allowance for civil servants,” he said.

The Minister responsible for the administration of the Public Service Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Two Filabusi siblings who were reportedly part of a mob that beat up and killed a man after accusing him of stealing have been arrested two years after committing the offence.

Aotar (26) and Innocent Ndlovu (24) were not asked to plead when they appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Mr Obedience Matare facing murder charges.

They were remanded out of custody on free bail to August 13 after the State pointed out that investigations were still underway to link the two men to the case.

Two other murder suspects Nkululeko Ncube and Wisdom Mkandla recently appeared at the Gwanda Magistrate’s Court facing a murder charge and they were placed off remand pending further investigations.

Mr Matare ordered the two siblings to report to Filabusi Police Station once each month and warned them against interfering with State witnesses.

“The State is not opposed to free bail and they have pointed out that investigations are still underway to link you to this offence. Furthermore you came to the court willingly after being summoned by the police. Therefore I will remand you out of custody to August 13 on free bail,” he said.
Prosecuting, Mr Moses Gondongwe said Aotar and Innocent were part of a mob comprising about 150 people that beat up Thabisani Moyo to death on November 7 in 2016.

“On 7 November 2016 at Hayhill Farm in Filabusi area Aotar and Innocent connived with Nkululeko Ncube and Wisdom Mkandla and other people numbering about 150 who are still a large and attacked Thabisani Moyo whom they had accused of stealing.

“They beat him up with sticks, stones and machetes and left him seriously injured before fleeing. Moyo died as a result of injuries sustained during the attack,” he said.-state media

The MDC Alliance should stop being cry-babies and let the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) do its job as mandated by the Constitution, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga said yesterday.

Addressing a rally at Simchembo 1 Primary School in Gokwe North, the Vice President said Zanu-PF has no control over ZEC as it is an independent body.

Of late the MDC Alliance led by Mr Nelson Chamisa has been accusing ZEC of being biased towards the ruling party. The coalition has a scheduled demonstration against ZEC today and has previously threatened to pull out of the July 30 harmonised elections citing some alleged irregularities.

“ZEC is an independent body and as Zanu PF we have nothing to do with it. The elections will go as planned. Surprisingly they are being cry-babies yet they were part of the process to put the electoral body in place,” said Vice President Chiwenga.

He said Zanu-PF was not slowing down its campaign machinery in a bid to win the elections. He said Zanu-PF was the only party that was going to develop the country in the next five years as evidenced by the socio-economic growth witnessed by the country in the past seven months under the new dispensation.

“The future of our country is in our hands so is the future of our children. So come July 30 you must vote for your Zanu-PF councillor, your Member of Parliament who in this case is Cde Lovemore Chikomba and President Mnangagwa. President Mnangagwa on July 31 will become our new leader of the country and he has already declared Zimbabwe is open for business meaning a brighter future for every Zimbabwean,” he said.

Vice President Chiwenga said following Operation Restore Legacy, Zimbabwe under the leadership of President Mnangagwa would not recede to the levels of yesteryear.

“President Mnangagwa after November 24 promised a new Zimbabwe of opportunities for everyone and so Zimbabwe won’t go back to the old. We are doing new things and we want to satisfy every Zimbabwean,” he said.

The VP said the masses were the rightful owners of the party adding that no individual was bigger than it.

“It’s you who elect the leadership of the party and you elect the leaders of the country. Zanu PF is too big and can’t be placed in anyone’s pocket. Even if you are the most popular member, we won’t allow you to put the party in your pocket. But what is good about Zanu-PF is that it accommodates everyone, “he said.

Gokwe North, Vice President Chiwenga said, was being considered for development in health, education and infrastructure development.

He said Government was aware of the challenges the people of Gokwe North were facing in light of the impact of sanctions which had affected the development of the country.

The Vice President said Government was also recruiting qualified teachers so that they teach Tonga in primary and secondary schools in Tonga-speaking Gokwe North.

He said Government was going to install electricity in Simchembo area shortly so that there is power at schools and health facilities.

“We are aware that you need good roads and we are going to put gravel on some roads which are sandy as well as tarring those which need to be tarred. I have promised the Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Owen Ncube and the Zanu-PF Provincial chairperson Cde Daniel MacKenzie Ncube that we are going to bring centre pivots and start an all year irrigation scheme which will be under Chief Simchembo as a matter of urgency,” he said.

VP Chiwenga will move to Matabeleland South where he is expected to address party supporters at Zhove in Beitbridge this morning before moving to Ntepe Business Centre in Gwanda in the afternoon.

Tomorrow he is scheduled to address party supporters at Filabusi Centre before proceeding to Dingumuzi Stadium in Plumtree in the afternoon.

Zanu-PF Matabeleland South provincial chairman, Cde Rapelang Choene said the province was preparing to meet VP Chiwenga.

“As a province we’ve started preparing and we’re trying to mobilise transport to get all people to attend and also to meet Vice President Chiwenga,” he said.

He said the first rally will be held near Zhove Dam where they’re planning to launch a very big irrigation project.

“Zhove Dam is one of the dams that is underutilised and an irrigation project is expected to be launched there by Vice President Chiwenga,” he said.-state media

ZANU PF has blown more cash on ten more expensive Ford Rangers, it has emerged.

The vehicles were distributed yesterday.

The cars will enable the Women’s League to visit their constituencies as the party continues to canvass for support from the electorate..

Officially handing over the Ford Rangers to chairpersons of the country’s 10 provinces at the party’s headquarters in Harare yesterday, the Secretary for Administration, Obert Mpofu, said participation of women in national, local and community leadership roles enhances development as well as democracy.

He said the Women’s League comprised 70 percent of its party membership.

“This is history in the making for our party. We have been going through records and statistics this morning and have realised that women participation is strong to the effect that on every meeting we hold, we are assured of 70 percent of our Women’s League. To encourage the support from our women, the party decided to give 10 vehicles one each per province,” he said.

“This is the first batch throughout the country. We urge the chairpersons of these provinces to look after these vehicles well. You are no longer pleading for mobility from us men as you now have your own transport system.”

Mpofu said the same facility had been extended to the youths, provincial secretaries and would cascade to all Central Committee and Politburo members.

“The programme is ongoing,” he said.

Women’s League secretary Mabel Chinomona thanked the party for the noble gesture.

She said Zanu-PF was assured of victory come July 30 as women could now conduct door-to-door campaigns using the vehicles.

“You do not know what this means to the Women’s League. To all the chairpersons who are going to use these vehicles, these are not vehicles to show off or to be used in selling cabbages. We assure you that the Women’s League will use the vehicles to campaign for the party as we are now well equipped in terms of transport,” she said. – state media

By Own Correspondent| Police Spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba has hinted that preliminary investigations by the police have so far revealed that the death of Professor Lumbe, the 2 year old Glendale boy whose mysterious death was linked to politics by his father,  Rambai was not politically motivated.

Addressing journalists in Harare this morning (Tuesday), Senior Assistant Commissioner Charamba said the police was currently seized with the unfortunate incident but they were currently waiting for post mortem results for the case to be concluded.

“Concerning the murder … not murder but unfortunate incident which resulted in the death of the 2 year old Professor Lumbe, from Mazowe, we are still waiting for results from the post mortem.

However, preliminary findings do not point to politically motivated violence as previously claimed by some sections in society. However, as the police we are seized with the matter and we are currently waiting for the post mortem results for us to conclude the matter,” she said.

The late Professor’s father, Rambai claimed that his son was abducted and murdered four weeks ago because he had defected from Zanu-PF to the opposition National People’s Party (NPP).

Lumbe who is the Mazowe North parliamentary candidate for NPP told mourners at his son’s burial that his son, Professor went missing on a Saturday afternoon but was only found dead by some kids harvesting soya beans on Sunday.

“This came as no surprise considering that we are living in a politically-charged environment where I receive a number of threats on my family. There are a number of cases where Zanu PF activists came and threatened me saying I was not a member of Zanu PF anymore, so I didn’t deserve to stay on the land that I was given by Zanu PF.

I was told clearly that my involvement in opposition politics endangers my family… Their warning was straight-forward that I was putting my family in danger and I was supposed to make a choice,” Lumbe told mourners at his son’s funeral.

 

By Farai D Hove | The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba yesterday indicated that it is not illegal to deny the opposition access to observe the printing of ballot papers.

She said she allowed the opposition who include the Nelson Chamisa led MDC Alliance, to observe the printing of ballots out of mere moral duty. The opposition complains that the viewing she allowed was limited to a balcony 20 metres away from where printing was taking place.

“The law does not compel ZEC to invite political parties to observe the printing of ballot paper. The recent invitation was done in the spirit of inclusivity and transparency,” said ZEC Chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba.

She was speaking during her press conference yesterday.  WATCH VIDEO:

 

VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga yesterday fired shots at the youthful MDC Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa, describing his pledge to introduce spaghetti roads as day-dreaming.

Chiwenga was addressing Zanu PF supporters in Chamisa’s Kuwadzana East constituency, where he challenged the opposition leader to complete his community library project before dreaming of building national roads.

“The city has been destroyed, we no longer want people who rush to say we want to build spaghetti roads when you have failed to even build a library or dig boreholes,” Chiwenga said.

Zanu PF has struggled to break into urban settings since the opposition MDC emerged at the turn of the century and Chiwenga pleaded with residents of Kuwadzana not to be “enticed by temporary things”.

“If you are given beer today and forget that the very same person will not come back, let us do the right thing that will see our country going forward,” Chiwenga said.

Earlier in the day, Chiwenga addressed the Asian community at Belvedere Teachers’ College, urging the normally conservative community to join mainstream national programmes.

“One of the major problems with the Asian community is that you were being taken as aliens with the zeros denoting (your district of origin). Those zeros are no more because I checked the law and there is nothing like that. We are all Zimbabweans,” Chiwenga said.

“It is our intention as the new dispensation that we interact with everyone in Zimbabwe, so that together we come with a way forward for Zimbabwe,” he added.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has attracted a barrage of attacks from would be voters in Matabeleland after he sent messages on mobile phones canvassing for votes in extremely broken Ndebele.

The message reads as follows:

THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) says it will set up 10 985 polling stations countrywide for the ward-based election to be held on July 30.

In a notice on Monday, Zec said Bulawayo has 428 polling stations while Harare has 1 174 polling stations.

“Notice is hereby given in terms of Section 51 (3) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has identified ten thousand nine hundred and eighty-five (10 985) polling stations where polling will take place on 30 July 2018. The polling stations for the harmonised elections shall be located at the centres specified in the schedule,” read the notice.

Zec said polling shall take place on Monday July 30 from 7AM to 7PM for the purpose of electing the country’s President, members of the National Assembly and councillors for various wards in local authorities.

It said it will recruit about 130 000 polling officers for this year’s harmonised elections compared to 106 000 recruited during the 2013 elections.

Zec acting chief elections officer, Mr Utoile Silaigwana said the officers would be drawn from the civil service in line with the Electoral Act.

“According to the Electoral Act, recruitment of polling officers is done from State institutions, local authorities and the Health Service Board. We write to them and inform them of the qualifications that we need for one to qualify to be a polling officer. That is how we select polling officers,” said Mr Silaigwana.

The electoral body last week revealed that about 7 200 people had applied for postal voting in the July 30 elections.

Postal voting is only available to individuals who will be outside Zimbabwe on national duty on the day of voting as well as Zec or election officials and members of the security forces working on the day.

Police in Karoi discovered a field of marijuana in Sakadza village under Chief Nematombo area in Hurungwe and have arrested two suspects in connection with the illicit activity.

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers from Karoi discovered the field after initially recovering four 20 litre buckets with processed marijuana at one of the suspects’ homestead.

The suspects then led the officers to his field where they stumbled upon 190 plants of marijuana.

The plants, which had an average height of about 2,1 metres, were then uprooted and taken to Karoi CID offices as exhibits.

Another suspect from the same village was also found in possession of a sack-full of the illicit drug.

“Police received a tip off and made a follow up after which they apprehended one suspect who later led them to his field. The same suspect also led to the arrest of another drug dealer who was found in possession of processed dagga. We are reminding members of the public to desist from peddling in dangerous drugs as they will face the full wrath of the law,” police spokesperson for Mashonaland West Province, Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara said.

The two suspects are scheduled to appear before the Karoi magistrates courts for initial remand hearing.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday offered his condolences to the Mohadi family following the death of Steven Dugish Mohadi, brother to Vice President Kembo Mohadi.

Mohadi (58), a war veteran and a former Zimbabwe National Army officer, died on Saturday at Trauma Centre Hospital in Borrowdale, Harare after some illness.

He is survived by his wife Emma, six children and five grandchildren.

Burial arrangements are yet to be announced.

President Mnangagwa, accompanied by VP Constantino Chiwenga, visited the Mohadi family home and offered a State-assisted funeral to the Mohadi family.

The head of State consoled the family, encouraging them to be strong during the bereavement.

“I know you are going through a difficult time where you lost a family member at a time when VP Mohadi is in hospital.

“Some members are looking after VP Mohadi in South Africa, while others are attending the funeral here. You have to be strong during these trying times.

“As comrades, we console each other. We assist each other in times of trouble.

“Therefore, we have offered to assist the family during the funeral and burial of Cde Mohadi,” he said.

He also offered to assist the family left behind.

The President said he had to stop VP Mohadi, who is still receiving treatment in South Africa, from coming to mourn his brother as a way of allowing him to recover.

“We had to stop him from coming. Since the late Steven is also our brother, we decided to assist him from this end while he recovers,” he said.

Family spokesperson Mrs Patience Nleya described the death as a blow to the Mohadi family.

Mrs Nleya said Mohadi left for war at the age of 15.

“VP Mohadi and his two brothers crossed the border for military training during the war period.

“The late Mohadi made the sacrifice at the age of 15. Out of the three brothers, only Steven and Kembo came back while the other one died there,” she said.

In this interview with NewsDay senior reporter Richard Chidza (ND), Vimbai (VT) who will represent the MDC Alliance later this month as a parliamentary candidate in Glen View South constituency, comes short of disclosing a wish to take over the leadership of the opposition MDC-T formed by her late father almost 20 years ago. Below are excerpts;

ND: How did you end up a politician, following your father’s footsteps?

VT: I have been a politician and coming from a political family it is always been there. And being a child to Morgan and Susan Tsvangirai, you would not have escaped it.

ND: Tsvangirai was terrorised by former President Robert Mugabe for the greater part of his political life. Would you think Mugabe has changed now after November last year?

VT: Let me begin by explaining my father’s character. He was a forgiving man no matter how much you wronged him. At some point he would forgive you. That’s why you will find that despite him winning elections, they robbed him of victory, but he came back to sit down with them and form the Government of National Unity despite the killing of opposition activists as well as the violence.

ND: Why did you choose Glen View South constituency?

VT: It was one of the first seats my late mother helped set up structures. So I have always been connected to it and it made sense to me to go there.

ND: So your mother helped set up political structures?

VT: Yes

ND: Did you accompany her? Very few people know that Susan Tsvangirai was involved in real political activity?

VT: I was still young but I feel a connection to it. Oh yes she was. Actually in most areas she was heavily involved.

ND: But there have been suggestions that your father chose that seat for you after initially trying Mt Pleasant?

VT: True, we sat down and he indicated he wanted me to take up the challenge and try to represent Glen View South.

ND: You don’t think your father imposed you on the people of that constituency?

VT: No. I don’t think it is imposition because the people of Glen View South love me.

ND: The family at some point was divided over the leadership of the party with reports that majority were against now president Nelson Chamisa’s leadership. When did allegiances shift?

VT: I think the MDC is a democratic party. But unfortunately as regards the family we have uncles in the family and they are better placed to answer these questions.

ND: We have heard that Mrs Elizabeth Tsvangirai held a memorial that most family members did not attend. Why?

VT: Tsvangirai was a man of the people and a former Prime Minister of this country. At the time of his death many people would have held memorials and they were free to do that. The family is still planning to hold one.

ND: There was talk that Tsvangirai might have been declared a national hero. How would you have felt?

VT: My father fought for democracy in Zimbabwe and remains a national hero.

ND: Do you see yourself eventually taking over the party leadership?

VT: I don’t know. We will see what the future holds. But for now we are fully behind MDC Alliance presidential candidate Advocate Nelson Chamisa. He is the president at the moment.

ND: What if the MDC Alliance and you lose this election. What happens?

VT: It is impossible for us to lose this election. Given the people we are gathering and the numbers we see at our rallies, there is no way we are going to lose. I also strongly believe that in the hearts of each Zimbabwean, there is a yearning for change. This is the time. We will win this election.

ND: How do you juggle politics and church business being the wife of a pastor in your own right?

VT: I am a woman of God and it does not change whether I am in business, politics or at church. I think there is need for more God-fearing leaders in the political arena. I have seen the ugly side of politics. I think we should move away from the narrative that politics is dirty. If we are going to move this country forward, we need God-fearing leaders.

ND: What are your plans for Glen View South?

VT: I am a town planner by profession and I would want to help especially as regards infrastructure issues. The roads, water and sewer reticulation decay is heart-breaking. It is unfair to have people getting water for only two days a week. I want to fight for that. We all pay the same rates to the same council despite the geographical divisions between the high and low-density areas. We will also look at empowerment projects for the youth and women. Morton Jaffray Waterworks was built to serve half a million people but now it is over-stretched. Something needs to be done and I could help.

ND: If Chamisa wins, Local Government minister?

VT: Well. I don’t know, but we will see.

Newsday

A Bulawayo woman who was arrested after being found in possession of 3,14 kgs of cocaine with an estimated street value of $314 300 in April was acquitted yesterday.

Sheron Tholiwe Tshuma (25) from Emganwini suburb was facing charges of dealing in dangerous drugs (cocaine) when she appeared before regional magistrate Mr Crispen Mberewere.

Tshuma who recently returned home from South Africa is alleged to have been told to collect a parcel by someone in the neighbouring country that had been sent from India.

The woman was represented by Ms Taboka Nyathi of Makiya and Partners who said Tshuma was not aware that the parcel contained cocaine as she had only been told that she was supposed to receive fabrics and forward them to South-Africa, hence she submitted her details.

In acquitting Tshuma, the magistrate ruled that the state had failed to prove that the accused had knowledge of what was contained in the parcel.

“The accused was found in possession of the drugs but that does not mean she was aware of what was contained in the package. State witnesses have failed to prove that the accused had the knowledge and intention to receive dangerous drugs. The legal meaning of possession implies knowledge and intention to possess and the police failed to take account of that,” said Mr Mberewere.

“The evidence of the WhatsApp text messages that have been produced show that the accused did not know what was in the package.

“The State does not have proof that the accused had knowledge of what was contained in the parcel. Accordingly, I will therefore return a verdict of not guilty and the accused person is acquitted.”

Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo said Tshuma was arrested on April 11 at Zimpost at the corner of Fort Street and 8th Avenue.

“The accused person was stopped and searched by the detectives and was found in possession of cocaine weighing 3,143 kgs with street value of $314 300,” he said.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi has been re-deployed to Harare where he has been elevated to the position of senior judge in charge of the Civil Division of the High Court.

Justice Mathonsi had been stationed at the High Court in Bulawayo since January 2016 when he moved from Harare.

Judicial Service Commission (JSC) Secretary, Mr Walter Chikwanha said: “I can confirm the re-deployment of Justice Mathonsi from Bulawayo to Harare with effect from July 1. He has been elevated to senior judge in charge of Civil Division of the High Court. He now has more responsibilities.”

Justice Mathonsi takes over from Justice Lavender Makoni who headed the Civil Division at the High Court prior to her appointment to the Supreme Court bench in May.

Asked if there is already a replacement for Justice Mathonsi, Mr Chikwanha said there was no gap on the bench as there was Justice James Mabhikwa who was deployed in May.

“I know there is judge Mabhikwa who was deployed to Bulawayo, if there are other deployments they are done by the Judge President. It’s the prerogative of the Judge President to make deployments,” said Mr Chikwanha.

Justice Mathonsi was appointed judge of the High Court in 2010.

He has worked both at the Harare and Bulawayo courts. In 2015, the late former Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku named Justice Mathonsi as one of the top performing and hardworking judges.

Opening the 2015 legal year in Harare, the late former Chief Justice singled out Justice Mathonsi for special mention after the former Harare High Court judge wrote a staggering 72 judgments in 2014.

State Media

A registered voter has approached the High Court seeking to bar the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) from acceding to demands by various political formations for the electoral body to provide them with a voters’ roll including her photograph or anyone else’s.

Ms Ethel Tsitsi Mpezeni argues that the demands by the opposition political parties violated her constitutional rights to her private life.

In an urgent chamber application filed in the High Court, Ms Mpezeni listed ZEC and Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi as respondents.

The application comes in the wake of opposition political parties’ incessant demands for a final voters’ roll with pictures, a proposal considered by observers as an intimidation scheme.
ZEC is on record insisting the voters’ roll contained sufficient information.

In her application, Ms Mpezeni said she was concerned that the electoral body was being asked to produce “my photograph next to my name”.

“I got very concerned, because now, the public space that I have so carefully ring-fenced away from my private life is under threat of being pierced,” says Ms Mpezeni.

“If first respondent (ZEC) accedes to the demands being made by the various political formations and provides them a voters’ roll that contains my full biographical details and my photograph, it will become possible for those who have different views from mine to know my real name, my national registration number and my address.

“All the effort I have made to keep my public political engagements and opinions away from my personal space will come to nought.”

Ms Mpezeni said her real fear was that she might have people coming to her house to attack her.
She made reference to disagreements she has had on her Facebook Wall with people that did not agree with her political views, but had always taken comfort in the knowledge that the most they could do was to insult her on that platform.

“It is my firm belief that the law must exist for a reason, and that reason must, well, be reasonable,” she argued.

“I do not believe that there is any reasonable reason why Statutory Instrument 85 of 2017 included the requirement for a photograph in its list of what information must be recorded on any voter.”

Further, Ms Mpezeni also believes that the preceding requirements (first and last name, sex, date of birth, national registration number and address) were adequate for the purposes for which a voters’ roll exists, namely to particularise individual voters with enough detail to determine that they are legally entitled to vote in an election in a specific area.

“In any event, even if there is a reason, I believe that such a reason is in violation of my right to privacy, in that it constitutes an unwarranted interference into my private space,” argued Ms Mpezeni.

“I do not believe that such interference is fair, reasonable, necessary or justifiable in a reasonable democracy.”

She further contends that these days criminals were coming up with more and more ways to use personal data for identity theft hence a reasonable Government agency would be very circumspect in its use of citizens’ private information.

“Given that a voters’ roll is accessible to all and sundry, I just feel that this particular requirement goes just way too far in disclosing personal data,” she argues.

“The photograph makes it possible for anyone so minded to clone national identity documents without the need for any effort or research, because all the information is available.”

To bolster her case, Ms Mpezeni attached papers demonstrating other countries’ approach to data protection in this digital age, which point to the potential for criminals exploiting too much data.

“I do not believe that first respondent should produce a voters’ roll that includes my photograph or anyone else’s,” she argues. “I believe that paragraph 9(c) of Statutory Instrument 85 of 2017 is in violation of the right to privacy as protected under section 57 of the Constitution. I believe that a finding of constitutional invalidity of that one sub-paragraph is called for, and that such a finding would not affect the production of a voters’ roll that can be used in the harmonised elections on 30 July 2018,” argues praying for an order in terms of the draft order she attached to the application.

The electoral body and Minister Ziyambi are yet to respond to the urgent chamber application.

Zanu-PF yesterday assured the African Union Election Observer Mission that it will respect election results for the July 30 harmonised elections regardless of the outcome as it is guided by the Constitution.

The party’s Secretary for Administration, Dr Obert Mpofu, said this yesterday while briefing journalists after a two-hour meeting with the mission headed by Mr Francis Kissinger Kakai at the party head- quarters.

Dr Mpofu said they had a fruitful meeting with the AU mission and clarified several issues that they had sought to understand.

“They raised some issues which they felt should be clarified. These included preparedness, whether the process is above board and acceptable to other players. The other issues raised related to the outcome of the election whether Zanu-PF is prepared to accept the outcome if it did not favour it and we assured them that what we are saying, and what our President is saying is what is going to happen. The President has opened this election to the world and it is the world that is going to observe and see how committed we are to this process,” said Dr Mpofu.

He said they assured the mission of Zanu-PF’s commitment to ensure that elections were held in a peaceful environment.

“So, it is the concern that has been raised by other observers who have come to see us and we will continue to explain to them that we mean what we say. They are quite a big contingent that came to see us and we continue to assure them that all our security apparatus and institutions are geared to ensure that people go about their political business in a free and fair environment without being harassed or interfered with. They seem to understand us; where we are coming from,” said Dr Mpofu.

He said allegations of bias raised by the MDC Alliance against the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission lacked merit.

“We told them that as Zanu-PF, we view ZEC as an independent constitutional body whose mandate is clearly mandated in the Constitution. Anything that they do within the confines of our Constitution, Zanu-PF has no problem with that but where we feel that they have deviated from what is constitutionally mandated to them, we will raise those concerns.So far, we feel they are within their mandate of applying what is expected of them by the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” said Dr Mpofu.

He said it was important for people to realise that ZEC was a product of all political parties and Zimbabweans following a wide consultative process during the constitution-making process.

He said ZEC was constituted by both Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations during the inclusive Government.

Last week the Zimbabwe Defence Forces assured the nation that it will respect the outcome of the polls as it was guided by the Constitution.

The assurance was given by ZDF spokesperson Colonel Overson Mugwisi while addressing journalists in Harare on the role of the ZDF during the 2018 harmonised elections.

Col Mugwisi said ZDF members, like any other citizen, were free to vote for a political party of their choice in national elections. – state media

A 27 Year old Lusaka youth has stormed social media with suprises after he posted a video of himself complaining that his teacher’s deceived him.

In a nine minutes video clip, Robert chikwanda says his teacher’s taught him things that do no apply in society.

He says he is shocked that teacher’s were busy teaching him X + Y = 23 when all the formulas are not applying in society.

Chikwanda feels that his parents have been robbed because not even bank accountants use the English of rewrite.

“To all my teacher’s who taught me I’m taking you to court for robbing my parents money. You were busy teaching me rewrites in English, Starch, X + Y = 23 when none of the above is applying in society. In banks we don’t use rewrites. I feel you taught me things that you knew could not add value in society ” complained the youth.

Yesterday he met two of his lawyers who agreed to help him deal with his ex primary and secondary school teachers.

“At first people thought he was jocking but he is very serious, yesterday he consulted his lawyers,” Said a close friend.

The MDC-T Treasurer General Chalton Hwende says that the donations being sent through by well wishers of the party are beginning to show results as the party has used the funds to set up campaign billboards for Presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa.

Hwende wrote on his official Facebook page:

When we launched our appeal for donations Zanu-PF laughed now that they have seen that our supporters are now funding us they have started lying that we received money from Foreign sources??‍♀️ . Our appeal for donations through our I Donate platform is working. We are now putting billboards in some places. We still need support to put up paid adverts on Radio and TV. We would like to urge our supporters to continue helping us achieve real change by donating today. Thanks to the people who are sending us donations through the Ecocash Platform

A 42-YEAR-OLD MDC-T activist based in Epworth appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Friday for allegedly assaulting a colleague over his decision to defect to the rival faction led by former Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe.

Asifa Mutsinga of Domboramwari was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Josephine Sande, who remanded him to August 9 on $50 bail.

It is the State case that on June 30 this year, Mutsinga confronted the complainant who is not identified in court papers at Domboramwari shops in Epworth and asked him why he had stopped attending Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance meetings.

The State alleges that the accused started accusing the complainant of defecting to Khupe’s faction. Mutsinga allegedly tried to assault the complainant, but was restrained by onlookers.

On the same day at around 10pm, Mutsinga, acting in common purpose with eight accomplices who are still at large, approached the complainant at his house, singing songs denouncing his defection.

It is alleged on July 4, the accused person in the company of his accomplices returned to the complainant’s residence and started chanting slogans before they pelted the complainant’s house with stones, causing property damage worth $120.

The complainant made a police report, leading to Mutsinga’s arrest.

Delight Mauto appeared for the State.

Newsday

MDC Alliance spokesperson Welshman Ncube has urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to urgently address opposition coalition leader Nelson Chamisa’s complainants over ballot paper printing or risk a national shutdown by disgruntled voters.

Ncube made the remarks while addressing MDC Alliance rally in Ntepe, Matabeleland South province on Saturday.

“I want to talk about the ballot paper printing. Those who listen to the news and read newspapers, you heard Advocate Chamisa on Wednesday saying if the issue of ballot is not resolved, there will be no election, not that we will boycott the election, but there will be no election,” he said.

“The ballot is important because the vote that must be on the ballot is the vote from you. The X that you place on the ballot is the one that should take someone to State House. Not the X that is put at KGIV (army headquarters) in which the ballot is put secretly and when you put your X later on your X disappears and the one put at KGIV is activated.

Those who did chemistry know the chemical reaction and with the ballot paper it is possible that they can do so.”

He said it was important that when the ballot papers were transported from the polling stations, party agents must be there, observing that they are not changed along the way. Ncube said this was the other way to guard against theft of votes.

“That is why we say what they are doing to print the ballot alone no, no, no. We are saying the ballot printed where we are not there will certainly not be used in the July 30 election, we are not saying we will boycott, but we say there will be no elections,” Ncube said without clarifying how they would block the polls.

“They have started cheating with the ballot. Even the greatest old vote rigger, Robert Mugabe used to follow the alphabet starting from the top downwards. The one for (Priscilla) Chigumba (Zec chairperson) she has started from number one to nine and went ahead to place Mnangagwa who is number 10 who is now at the top in the second column. If you subtract nine from 23 it’s equal to 14. If you want to make the ballot short, you cut it from half way, you do not cut it at nine so that President Emmerson (Mnangagwa is at the top so that when one looks at the paper first sees his name when his surname starts with an M and is supposed to be at the bottom. They have started cheating and we are saying we will not allow that.”

Ncube’s remarks came at a time Zec has rapped the MDC Alliance for making what it called “frivolous” complaints against the electoral body indicating that it would not give in to such demands.

Newsday