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.

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

Zanu PF has started distributing farming inputs under the Presidential Input Scheme, four months before the start of the summer cropping season, to ensure they reach the beneficiaries on time.

Addressing ZANU-PF supporters at a rally in Bindura on Saturday, President Mnangagwa attributed the early distribution of inputs done a few weeks before elections to hard work by his Government.

“We have already started distributing inputs under the Presidential Input Scheme. What kind of Government can you yearn for?

“We are in July and you usually received inputs between October and November. Early distribution of Presidential inputs is due to hard work from my team.

“If you do not perform, then we can never work together,” said President Mnangagwa.

ZANU PF is well known for using government hand outs to campaign especially in the rural areas.

He said inputs under the Command Agriculture Programme will also be released soon.

“There is also Command Agriculture, the inputs will also be coming soon. There are those who supervise that area.”

President Mnangagwa told the gathering that Zimbabwe was now harvesting more tobacco than during the colonial era.

He said Government was on a drive to support cotton farming as well.

“Still in agriculture, we are now farming tobacco more than the days of Ian Smith. On cotton, yesterday (Thursday) we were in Gokwe where we saw loads and loads of cotton,” said Mnangagwa

Self exiled former minister Jonathan Moyo has claimed he has never been a political ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa even during the days of the Tsholotsho Declaration, adding he holds the country’s leader in “disdain” and as the instigator of Gukurahundi.

Moyo was viewed as a key player in the 2004 declaration when a group of six Zanu PF provincial chairpersons, members of the politburo, central committee and war veterans met in Tsholotsho to plot and push Mnangagwa to occupy the vacant post of Vice-President following the death of Simon Muzenda.

The move was undone by then President Robert Mugabe’s move to amend the party constitution to ensure one of his deputies was a woman.

The decision saw now opposition leader Joice Mujuru become Vice-President.

“The widely held view that Mnangagwa and I have, at any time before now, been so-called political allies, or that I supported him in the Tsholotsho saga, is pure fiction. Mnangagwa and I know only too well that we have always held each other in mutual contempt. Ever since!

“As captured in Wikileaks, on 21 December 2001 Mnangagwa, as Speaker of Parliament, ‘voiced his disdain’ for me to US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Joseph Sullivan. He said that knowing I too was, as I still am, disdainful of him as the ugly face of what’s wrong with Zanu PF and Zimbabwe!,” Moyo wrote on his Twitter timeline on Friday responding to a question why he blames Mnangagwa for the Gukurahundi massacres.

Mnangagwa stands accused of having had a hand in Gukurahundi since he was State security minister, a charge he vehemently denied saying the blame laid squarely with Mugabe.

“Mnangagwa has flatly refused to acknowledge, take responsibility or apologise for his role in the Gukurahundi atrocities. He’s on record before the coup declaring Gukurahundi a closed chapter.

“A person who does not acknowledge a tragic problem, like Gukurahundi, can’t be expected to solve that problem. President Mugabe acknowledged Gukurahundi as a moment of madness. But he failed to solve it, because he was held hostage by Gukurahundi denialists who ousted him!,” Moyo wrote.

He added: “An obvious question to ask is, why has Mnangagwa refused to acknowledge, take responsibility and apologise for Gukurahundi? An obvious answer is simply that he knows only too well that he was, and is, the most culpable; as the leading instigator and enforcer of Gukurahundi.!”

Mnangagwa refused to take responsibility or tender apologies for the Gukurahundi massacres during an interview in Davos, Switzerland. The President has appointed a National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to deal with the 1980’s mass killings.

Moyo added: “Under Mnangagwa’s unfettered control and direction, assisted by Danny Stannard and their coterie of British and apartheid intelligence operatives, the CIO manufactured lies that Zapu leaders and Ndebeles were fomenting insurrection and tortured and murdered alleged insurgents!

“The lead state organ in the execution of the State of emergency in the dark Gukurahundi years between 1980 and 1987 was Mnangagwa’s brutal CIO. In this period, illegal detentions against court orders, widespread torture and murder on a mass scale were the order of the day!”

THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) which seeks to employ 130 000 election officers has written to the Bulawayo City Council requesting 101 staff members to join Zec for the July 30 harmonised elections.

In a letter signed by the district elections officer, Mrs Sithembiso Khuphe, Zec asked the local authority to second staff for the elections.

“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is an organisation that is mandated by Section 239 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe to prepare and conduct elections. The Commission recruits personnel from Government departments, parastatals and other commissions for its activities as prescribed by the electoral act,” said Mrs Khupe.

She said the seconded staff must as part of the qualifications have honesty and integrity, Ordinary levels plus tertiary education and be non-political activists.

She said council was expected to contribute ward election officers, deputy ward elections officers (National Assembly), presiding officers, polling officers, three statisticians and three data capturers. “It was further brought to the attention of the Council that three members of staff namely Messrs M Ndebele, E Panesu and Miss S Ndlovu were provisionally seconded to Zec in the capacities of logistics Committee member, Constituency Elections Officer (CEO) and Deputy Constituency Elections Officer (DCEO) respectively, for the coming harmonised elections. That brought Council’s staff contingent under Zec secondment to one hundred and one (101),” read the letter.

Council resolved that authority be granted for the secondment of the 101 employees to Zec for the 2018 Harmonised General Elections scheduled for 30th July.

The Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube was authorised to nominate staff who are eligible for Zec duties in line with the provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

The council also resolved that the employees seconded to Zec should be granted special leave.

Zec has revealed that it will recruit about 130 000 polling officers for this year’s harmonised elections.

That will be about 22 percent increase from 106 000 polling officers that were recruited during the 2013 harmonised elections.

Zec acting chief elections officer Mr Utoile Silaigwana has said the electoral body works in accordance with the Electoral Act which stipulates that officers are drawn from the civil service.

“According to the Electoral Act, recruitment of polling officers is done form State institutions, local authorities and the Health Services 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.

Some school headmasters have already submitted lists of teachers to be seconded to Zec for the elections. Most schools will be used as polling stations.

Chronicle

Opposition MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa has called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to stop persecuting former President Robert Mugabe.

Addressing thousands of his party supporters at a campaign rally held in Marondera on Sunday, Chamisa said that the former President deserves to be respected as the founding President of an independent Zimbabwe.

“Mnangagwa must stop tormenting Mugabe,” said Chamisa. “He is the first President of the republic he must be treated with respect.”

“We need to respect whatever he did right while we quickly correct all the wrong he did,” said Chamisa.

Chamisa’s calls come among rumours that the former President is living in near house arrest under President Mnangagwa’s governemnt which took over power from Mugabe in a military coup in November last year.

By A Correspondent| Today the Transform Zimbabwe President and MDC Alliance Candidate for Bikita East, Jacob Ngarivhume held a powerful ward meeting in ward 14 of Bikita East were he met with Chiefs, village heads, community leaders and residence of the ward as part of his campaign ahead of the 30 July elections.

The meeting was highly electrified as the people rejoiced over meeting one of the Alliance Principals and having the privilege to be represented by him as a constituency in the forth coming elections.

In his message, Ngarivhume began by emphasising the importance of the Alliance and what it means for the people of Bikita. “Ever since the beginning of the Zimbabwean politics, the opposition has been winning parliamentary seats but has been failing to get power in the highest office which is the presidium” said Ngarivhume.
“This has had negative consequences on development in Zimbabwe because an MP can not do so much under a president who is anti-development. This is the main reason why the Alliance was formed, to assure victory to Zimbabweans in the highest office in Zimbabwe. Come 30 July 2018, let us make sure that we vote for president Nelson Chamisa into office and usher in a true new dispensation with change that delivers” said Ngarivhume.

Ngarivhume went on to highlight how each alliance partner was allocated constituencies to contest in under the Alliance agreement and that Bikita East was one of the constituencies allocated to TZ to contest.

It is of paramount importance that we vote for MDC Alliance candidates in all the contested tiers of governance. If we fail to do so, even if we win the presidential election, president Chamisa will not be effective in government because he will not have a good team around him. Therefore, to make sure that president Chamisa gets an effective government, let us vote for MDC Alliance Candidates in council, MDC Alliance Candidate (himself) for MP and MDC Alliance president Chamisa for President.

“Bikita East is my home and my roots. I am fully aware of the challenges we face in this community. I remember how we used to walk for kilometers to schools. I experience daily the challenges of travelling in our delapidated road systems. I experience first hand the day to day challenges you face which have all been created by this evil regime.

It is my desire as a child of this community to see my community develop, and our desire as the alliance to see our community prosper. We want to usher in a new dimension of development as spelt out by our SMART document to this constituency” said Ngarivhume.

Ngarivhume went on to explain how one of the school construction projects he was undertaking construction of Mapango primary school in the area to shorten school travel distance for pupils was stopped by the Zanu PF leadership in the area.

This election presents us an opportunity to put an end to such irresponsible leadership. This election presents an opportunity to vote for the true new despensation. Behold the new. The development which has been hindered by power hungry officials can begin to be experienced if we vote for MDC Alliance said Ngarivhume. And we are not people of mere talk, but of action.

Listening to the plight of the people, Ngarivhume commissioned the construction of one of the bridges in the area which has been presenting serious traveling challenges for the residents of the community. Ngarivhume called upon the people to work together to construct the bridge irregardless of political affiliation because ultimately it benefits everyone. He will be providing the raw materials for the project.

The meeting ended with the people overwhelmed with joy, with even respected dignitaries, the chief of the area dancing with joy of the dawning of a new era.

Ngarivhume also took time to visit Negovano clinic in his tour and access the state of this key health service institution in the area. After accessing the state of clinic, Ngarivhume promised to begin work on the electrification of the clinic with immediate effect to improve and strengthen the health systems and health welfare of the people.

Tomorrow Ngarivhume will continue his Bikita East tour, meeting with more structures and residents in other wards.

*2018 Chamisa Chete Chete*
*2018 Mari Muhomwe*
*2018 munhu wese kubasa*

A family in Willsgrove, east of Bulawayo, was allegedly subjected to hostage trauma by a gang of 10 men who severely assaulted them with an assortment of objects before one of them raped a teenager at the house.
Two of the gang members have since been arrested and police have launched a manhunt for the remaining suspects. Clement Moyo (38) and Russel Gamela whose age was not given, last Thursday appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya facing unlawful entry, assault and rape charges.

They were remanded in custody to July 18 for continuation of trial. Prosecuting Mr McLean Ndlovu told the court that the gang members had broken into several houses in the area stealing property before pouncing on the family they held hostage.

The court heard that the gang assaulted the family members including the girl Moyo later raped.

Thereafter the gang allegedly tied one of the family members’ hands behind his back using a belt and then ransacked the house and got away with a 32 inch television set, three amplifiers, 1 Samsung DVD player, two Samsung cellphones, one tablet cellphone, 1 Vodaphone, one Huawei cellphone and two Nokia 1202 cellphones, all valued at $2 791.

The gang also looted beer, beef, rice, washing and bath soap from the house . They also stole a convertor, 29 grammes of gold and $30, the court heard. – state media

State media – Vice President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday said it was improper for local authorities to disconnect water from defaulting residents as such measures pose a health hazard.

Addressing Zanu-PF youths and supporters at Malbereign Shopping Centre in Harare, VP Chiwenga said Government will ensure that councils stop the practice.

“Councils should not disconnect water for defaulting residents because of the health implications. I will speak with Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo so that he directs councils to stop that,” he said.

VP Chiwenga was responding to residents who complained that City of Harare was disconnecting water supplies to their homes.
He also urged youths to defend the gains of the liberation struggle.

“The youths are the future and it is your duty to safeguard the gains so far achieved. It is President Mnangagwa who is the best man for the job judging by the commitments shown by the international community in his short term in office,” he said.

“Thousands of people perished in the liberation struggle. Zimbabwe is in the hands of the youth. Our sun is setting, but we want to leave the country is safe hands. We want to rebuild the country to its former glory. This is what President Mnangagwa is doing. We already have $20 billion worth of investments lined up.”

“We must shun corruption. Whoever is practising it must be extracted from us and be thrown away so we concentrate on rebuilding our country. We have many resources with the important one being human resource. We have the best in the African continent. The second resource are our minerals. We also have good soils and weather. Youths should use their skills and we want to create jobs for our youth.”
VP Chiwenga said youths must play the leading role in rebuilding of the country saying the “Zimbabwe is open for Business” policy did not mean that only foreigners should come and invest, but locals should also play their part.

He said the country suffered a lot in its 18 years of isolation and urged youths to be innovative and start small and medium enterprises.

“Two weeks ago President Mnangagwa opened the Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank. We are going to fund it. Our women were failing to access loans because of collateral. This bank will assist all enterprising women with loans. Empower Bank will assist youths with funds to start up their own businesses,” he said.

“Government will keep funding the two banks. We want them to grow. What we want from you now is discipline. Let us unite and work for the good of our country. There must not be any retrogression. It does not bring food on our table. You must however, not forget.”

He said on average every Zimbabwean should have at least $3 500 in his pocket.

VP Chiwenga said President Mnangagwa implored Zimbabweans to be God-fearing people.

He said President Mnangagwa was a hard worker and wants to work for the country.

Earlier, VP Chiwenga had addressed the Asian community and Belvedere residents at Belvedere Teachers’ College.

“What we want is unity among our people. If we are united we can engage our friends and among ourselves so we can do business with the aim of rebuilding our country. We should also re-engage those we had rubbed shoulders with,” he said.

“Our young people were now frustrated with the shrinking of the economy in our 18 years of isolation. We had become trillionaires. It is imperative for Zimbabweans to unite and work together to build the country.”

VP Chiwenga said he appreciates the role played by the Asian community during the liberation struggle and in the development of the country.

He said Zimbabweans across race and colour poured into the streets last November, during Operation Restore Legacy that saw Mr Robert Mugabe resigning.

VP Chiwenga said the impending elections will be free, fair, credible and non-violent.

“Elections have to be done every five years to ask people if they still want us. But President Mnangagwa has already showed the path which the country is taking. He said Zimbabwe is open for business and encouraged ease of doing business,” he said.

“We need to build companies so that our youth leaving universities and colleges will get jobs. We want to build our economy. The terror on June 23 will not deter us nor will it stop the election. We will go ahead with our agenda of rebuilding Zimbabwe.”

Chiwenga was accompanied by the Zanu-PF Harare province hierarchy, youth and women leaders.

By Own Correspondent| MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa has indicated plans to reduce parliament once elected into office arguing that Zimbabwe is a small country which does not need a bloated parliament.

Addressing a large crowd of party supporters in Marondera, Chamisa said “we are going to have 15 ministers and we also intend to reduce Parliament 270 is a big number for a small country like Zimbabwe, we dont want to create jobs for the boys…” WATCH VIDEO:

THE majority of senior teachers will this month smile all the way to the bank as the Government will start paying cash-in-lieu of outstanding vacation leave days, in addition to a 17,5 percent pay hike, a scenario that will see some tutors getting as much as $3 000.

The Government in May, agreed to pay cash-in-lieu of vacation leave in excess of 123 days maximum accrual for teachers.

Payments will be done on a staggered basis from July to December 2018. Teachers that are eligible are expected to receive between $2 000 and $3 000, depending on the modalities the Government will use for the payments.

The vacation leave days being paid for came after Government rescinded its decision to bar teachers from going on vacation leave. Vacation leave for teachers was deferred in 2016 as a cost-cutting measure. The Government argued that it did not have enough resources to pay relief teachers for the months substantive educators would be on vacation.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango confirmed the imminent windfall for teachers. The Government also agreed to hike salaries for the rest of civil servants by 17,5 percent effective this month, following protracted negotiations with civil servants representative in May.

“The payments will be done as agreed by the National Joint Negotiating Council. I wouldn’t know the conditions off the cuff.

You check with the Salaries Services Bureaus (SSB). All I know is that Government agreed to pay cash-in-lieu of outstanding vacation leave days and a list is there of those that are eligible,” Dr Utete-Masango said.

Apex Council chairperson Mrs Cecelia Alexander also confirmed that teachers would start receiving payment for accrued leave days at the end of this month. She said teachers eligible for the payments were those who had accrued 123 days by end of June this year. Mrs Alexander also confirmed the pay hike for the rest of Government workers.

“I can confirm that those who by June this year had accrued 123 days will be eligible, yet initially we had agreed April as the cut off. The 17,5 pay hike is also effective this month for the rest of civil servants,” she said.

Efforts to establish how many teachers were eligible to be paid for the outstanding leave days were fruitless. The 17,5 pay hike is the first pay increase for Government workers in almost a decade.

The Apex Council however, maintains that negotiations for a further salary review will continue with other non-monetary incentives being considered.

Pay hike for civil servants comes after the Government also increased earnings of junior and middle level doctors as part of efforts to improve the welfare of its workers. This was after the doctors had downed tools for almost a month in a job action that threatened to collapse the country’s health delivery system.

In May this year, the Government paid nurses up to $5 000 from outstanding allowances. Prior to the National Joint Negotiating Council agreement, teachers had threatened to go on strike to force a pay rise and compel the Government to rescind the ban on vocational leave days. President Mnangagwa has maintained that Government is committed to improving the conditions of service for its workers.

State media

ZANU PF leader Emmerson MNANGAGWA had a song dedicated to him but which instructs him saying, ” don’t you dare mess with the voters roll” FOLLOW THE LIVE VIDEO BELOW –

By Paul Nyathi|The MDC Alliance President Advocate Nelson Chamisa has written to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba requesting to meet and discuss electoral concerns ahead of the mass demonstration by the opposition party set for Wednesday.

The letter which Chigumba has not responded to reads as below: