Kraal heads in Zimuto Communal Area in Masvingo North Constituency are blocking MDC Alliance supporters from pasting the coalition’ s campaign posters.
A report compiled by the MDC Alliance Masvingo indicated kraal heads in Masvingo North were working with Zanu PF MP for the area, Davis Marapira and his supporters to block the pasting of MDC Alliance posters.
“Zanu PF MP for Masvingo North Constituency, Davis Marapira is working with kraal heads to block the pasting of MDC Alliance posters in Zimuto Area.
Villagers in the area have been ordered to desist from pasting MDC posters.
Shop owners have also been threatened by Marapira’ s supporters,” read part of the report.
There is a raging hegemonic battle between Zanu PF and the MDC Alliance in Masvingo province as the two parties fight for political supremacy six days before the polls.
Both parties claim their posters are being destroyed in spite of the pleas for peace and tranquility from stakeholders.
A statement released by the MDC Alliance Masvingo yesterday indicated that Zanu PF supporters allegedly destroyed the coalition’ s campaign posters in ward 9, Rhodhene, Masvingo last Friday.
“We regret to inform you that our posters are being destroyed by unruly Zanu PF thugs.
Zanu PF supporters destroyed MDC Alliance campaign posters in Rhodhene, Masvingo last Friday and we urge our members to remain calm,” read part of the statement.
Zanu PF youths have also blamed MDC Alliance supporters of destroying ruling party posters.
By Dorrothy Moyo| The EU ambassador Philippe Van Damme never criticised, attacked, or labelled MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa, “sexist,” contrary to what the Herald reported.
The state broadsheet had reported that the MDC leader has been condemned after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Priscilla Chigumba made claims that she has been abused and villified for being a woman. Critics however say Chigumba abused herself, literally stripped herself into nakedness at both a professional and a personal level when she uttered falsehoods while refusing to address concerns over fairness on the handling of the upcoming polls. She was also found to be in a clear conflict of interest at both a professional and a moral level. Judges and public civil servants must declare their attachment to politicians or persons who can potentially affect their performance at work. But Chigumba has never declared her sexual affair with a sitting politician and minister. Her professional conduct drew questions on her sexual and adulterous relationship with a Emmerson Mnangagwa subordinate and relative who is a cabinet minister.
In the above tweet, the EU embassy dismisses a report in the Herald that makes
Suspected ruling party agents are accusing clergymen in Masvingo of supporting opposition parties, it has emerged.
Impeccable sources revealed to ZimEye.com at the weekend several clergymen were threatened by suspected Zanu PF agents for allegedly campaigning for the opposition.
The sources further disclosed the ruling party agents visited several clergymen in the city of Masvingo and ordered them to desist from campaigning for the opposition.
“Zanu PF agents are claiming church leaders are using the pulpit to campaign for opposition parties.
Several church leaders have been phoned and threatened for allegedly sabotaging Zanu PF activities,” a Masvingo based clergyman who declined to be named said last week.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has implored the people of Zimbabwe to show hospitality to international visitors before, during and after the July 30 elections.
Addressing delegates at a discussion forum at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport today, Mnangagwa described the people of Zimbabwe as “mature, cultured and dignified.”
“Let us show hospitality to international visitors before during and after the July 30 polls.
Zimbabwe has mature and dignified people who love peace and harmony,” said Mnangagwa.
“The Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport is a centre of attraction and we hope that through this noble project it will attract more international visitors,” he added.
Never on earth, with such easiness, has a country faced a tough moment as is Zim. We have a choice to make. An agonizing one, yet easily made so by the international community. We have on one hand, a fresh party to choose as our next govt. On the other hand we have what the world has never ever, and hopefully will never ever be asked to do again. We have an illegitimate coup govt led by well known and documented mass murderers, Gukurahundi and 2008 political violence. Would the world have allowed Himmler and Goring to dispose of Hitler and be supported back into power? After 38 years of reducing a beautiful country and scattering it’s citizens as paupers worldwide, we are encouraged to choose these Mugabe’s Henchmen akin to Hitler’s Henchmen!! If Mnangagwa and Shiri and Chiwenga were heavily cited in Gukurahundi, and the international community sees it as bygones, why blame Mugabe for human rights abuses? Did Mugabe not rule with Mnangagwa and these Army generals. Were the Mugabe regime attrocities not carried out by the same generals we are now asked to choose as our leaders? Even Himmler and Goring blamed Hitler as the commander in chief but the same western hypocrites never accepted it because even Hitler himself, like Mugabe, never personally killed a soul!! Even after the murder of the fellow whites during the land repossession era, the same guys are forgiven to bring in a new order!! Could Himmler and Goring be the ones to be supported to save Jews after the second world war? Zim is cursed!! With our cool as cucumber clueless Mnangagwa, very loyal to Mugabe like Himmler to Hitler, and all then ZDF bosses, cited by the very noble UN as corrupt and running International mafia thuggery, we are still asked to cheer them as our leaders!! How can a nation be so cursed? What do we have e they makes our country be a special case for international thuggery!
By Paul Nyathi| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has sworn in Acting Prosecutor General (PG) Mr Kumbirai Hodzi at State House this morning.
This follows the suspension of Prosecutor General Advocate Ray Goba for misconduct.
Mr Hodzi was the Deputy Attorney General before his latest appointment.
In an interview after the swearing in ceremony at State House this morning, the Acting Prosecutor General said he is committed to upholding the Constitution through curbing corruption and other malpractices through prosecuting those found wanting.
Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Mr Ziyambi Ziyambi said the investigations into the conduct of Advocate Goba are expected to be completed within the next four months adding interviews in public will be called in the event that the suspended PG is convicted by the tribunal set.
A tribunal has already been set up to investigate allegations of failure to prosecute corruption cases, travelling without a cabinet authority and use of abusive language by the suspended PG.
Advocate Goba took office from Mr Johannes Tomana and if convicted, he will be one of Zimbabwe’s shortest serving Prosecutor General.
TWO former Highlanders’ chairmen Ndumiso Gumede and Peter Dube have bounced back into the club’s leadership structure as board members following an endorsement by members at a poorly attended mid-year review meeting at the clubhouse yesterday.
Only 24 members attended the meeting yesterday, which kicked off more than an hour late.
While Gumede and Dube, both previously banned without trial by Zifa last year before the sanctions were lifted, were endorsed, the members refused to endorse two other nominees, Nicholas Nyathi and Methuseli Mafu, saying the duo would better serve the club as executive members instead of the largely ceremonial board position.
“Let us not have such young people being put in the board because we want them as executive members and some of us had actually approached Mafu to be the executive secretary in this year’s elections, but if you elevate him to the board, it means we can’t have him next time,” said club member Thembinkosi Thwala.
Former vice-chairman Sikhanyiso Moyo concurred with Thwala, saying Mafu and Nyathi must be in the executive committee.
“I know Mafu is an accountant by profession; he knows figures and we want him there (executive) not in the board,” said Moyo.
Highlanders’ members will next year vote for a vice-chairman and treasurer; positions presently held by Modern Ngwenya and Donald Ndebele respectively.
The counter proposals then forced board chairman, radio legend Luke Mnkandla, to put the matter to vote and a majority endorsed Gumede and Dube.
Speaking earlier before announcing the new appointees, Mnkandla had told the meeting that there were positions in the board that needed to be filled in terms of the club’s constitution.
“We all know that there was a board member who resigned some time back (Davies Sibanda) and has not been replaced. Another board member Devine Ngwenya was transferred to Harare almost soon after being appointed into the board and has largely not been attending meetings and to his wisdom he has also said maybe we need to find a replacement and consider him in future when he maybe reverts to Bulawayo. Also in our possession is a letter of resignation from another board member ubaba uNgwenya (Thomas), so we need to fill those positions,” said Mnkandla.
He said in coming up with suitable candidates for board positions, the club considers certain expertise, which the identified individuals can bring to the club.
Gumede first became chairman of Highlanders from 1978 to 1980 and from 1985 to 1987, while Dube, who previously held the club’s secretary general position, was voted chairman in 2012, taking over from Themba Ndlela. He was chairman until his suspension last year, which was also his last term in office in terms of the club’s constitution.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission boss, Priscilla Chigumba has missed an opportunity to build trust, a lawyer and critic has said.
His critique comes at a time when the ZEC prepared itself for a presser on Monday. The ZEC boss insists she has not done anything wrong and the ZEC today announced that nothing will stop the elections. SEE LIVE VIDEO:
Writing last week, Alex Magaisa said: Justice Chigumba seems to have found the transition from the bench to the hot-seat at the election management body rather difficult. She forgets that right now, her judicial robes and wig are in the wardrobe, and she is in a very different role as the referee of an elections body. During the interview, she made reference to her oath of judicial office and to judicial officers and lawyer-politicians whom she referred to, in a warning tone, as officers of the court. It’s not fair on them to have to answer to her as a judge when the rest of the candidates who are not lawyers carry no such obligations.
His article began with a citation of Chigumba’s latest radio interview:
“The silly season is out in full force,” said the ZEC Chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba as she made an appearance on Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa’s radio show on Monday.
Magaisa went on to say Chigumba did not give clear answers. He wrote :
“When asked about it by Ruvheneko, Justice Chigumba did not have a clear answer save for referring to advice from designers and the issue of cost. Asked to name the cost of the presidnetial ballot paper, the head of ZEC had no clue. You would expect an administrator who uses cost as a reason for a decision to have figures on her finger-tips. But Justice Chigumba didn’t even have an estimate.
“More critically, she completely avoided the Form V.10 issue. Either she did not know about it or if she did, she simply had no answer. Perhaps Ruvheneko should have placed a copy of the Electoral Regulations before the ZEC Chairperson and asked her to explain why they had overlooked Form V. 10 in designing the ballot paper. Justice Chigumba cannot hide behind advice from designers because Parliament has already provided the design that the ballot paper must take.
“The net result is that ZEC’s approach to the ballot paper design is a significant departure from its usual pedantic approach to legal compliance, which smacks of double-standards. The law is clear on how the ballot paper must be designed and ZEC has chosen not to follow it. As things stand, there is arguably ample ground to challenge the legality of ZEC’s ballot paper.
“Why did ZEC not use Form V.10 to the letter? This is where critics think ZEC designed the ballot paper in order to place the incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa at the top of the second column rather than have him buried in the middle of a 23-candidate list of presidential candidates on account of an unfavourable alphabetical order.
Postal voting
“The controversy over postal voting was an opportunity to demonstrate humility, remorse and to make corrections. ZEC has made contradictory statements from day one. As reported by The Herald, ZEC said one thing, while the ZRP said another. ZEC was forced into a huge climb-down a few hours later, realising they were wrong about postal voting which had already started. Despite efforts to remove and change the story, the damage had already been done. Instead of admitting to errors, the ZEC Chairperson went on the defensive and put blame on the media.
“This is taking people for granted. The public is not stupid. They see when someone is trying to pull wool over their eyes. They deserve far more respect than ZEC is giving them.
“Besides, the explanations did not add up. At one point Justice Chigumba said the printing of ballot papers was not yet complete, since council ballots were still to be printed. This did not sit well with the fact that postal voting had already started in Bulawayo and had since spread to other areas. How did they do postal voting while some ballot papers are still being printed?
“Quizzed on the issue by a caller, Justice Chigumba tried to wriggle out of the sticky moment by saying they were printing the ballot papers by province and they had finished the Bulawayo ballots. But this does not answer how postal voting was taking place elsewhere when the ballots were still being printed.
“Besides, an interpretation of section 75(1)(d) of the Electoral Law shows that Monday 16 July 2018 was the last possible date for ZEC to receive the postal ballots. Yet as at that date, hours after the scheduled time of receiving postal ballots, the ZEC Chairperson was telling the world that ballot papers were still being printed. How then had postal voting taken place when ballots were still being printed? Is there a separate stash of ballot papers elsewhere? Or has ZEC disenfranchised thousands of postal voters by its inefficiency? That’s because those postal votes which have not complied with section 75(1)(d) would be invalid.
Investigating suspicious activity
Justice Chigumba insisted that ZEC could not act on any issue unless a formal complaint was raised. But that’s an abdication of duty by an elections supervisor. ZEC can commence its own investigations without prompting if there is suspicion of irregularities, which there was in the Bulawayo case where the alarm had been raised. ZEC should know that the reason why police officers cannot identify themselves is that they fear for their jobs. A responsible election management body could have taken action mero motu (on its own and without request) to protect the integrity of the election.
It is legally inaccurate to say ZEC has no mandate to investigate as averred by Justice Chigumba during the interview. Of course, as the elections supervisor, ZEC can investigate election irregularities. As argued before in these pages, section 342 of the Constitution confers wide powers upon constitutional bodies, including ZEC, to do whatever is necessary to fulfil their mandate. ZEC has the mandate to run free, fair and credible elections and if it must investigate irregularities to ensure fulfilment of that mandate, it would be well within its powers to do so.
In any event, having denied the power to investigate on postal voting, in the same interview Justice Chigumba went on to claim ZEC and the Ministry of ICT were jointly investigating the mass messages sent to voters by ZANU PF and a website which appears to use ZEC data but is hosted in the UK. These apparent inconsistencies do not help ZEC’s image. ”
Nobel Peace Prize winner and Liberia’s former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is heading for Zimbabwe to co-lead a joint international observer delegation of the International Republic Institute and the National Democratic Institute for the July 30 harmonised elections.
Sirleaf will be joined by United States Congresswoman, Mrs Karen Bass and former US Assistant Secretaries, Mr Connie Berry Newman and Ambassador Johnnie Carson. In a statement last Friday, the joint mission said it had received accreditation from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for it to commence work in earnest. Sirleaf’s team comprises of 25 long-term staff who are already in Zimbabwe, including 14 long-term observers covering all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe.
The dramatic characteristics of the Zimbabwean election is gone with the legendary former president Robert Mugabe as his exit left the political scene dull with unusual peace and calmness, an award-winning playwright has said.
Controversial playwright and actor Cont Mhlanga said with a few days to go to the Election Day and by normal standards when Mugabe was participating, this is the most boring election by comparison.
“Now that he is gone, the ‘Mugabe Must Go’ political factor energy and excitement has left many in our politics without a clear purpose and mission.
“Civil Society Organisations have also not been spared. Even the arts sector lost steam to zero.
“The international community too has responded to the Mugabe factor with election observers over flooding to this election.
“Like it or not this proves that Mugabe was the political soul and centre of Zimbabwean politics,” said Mhlanga.
He said Zanu PF had over focused on Mugabe as their sole Messiah while those in the opposition as their sole Lucifer forgetting that they will always be life after him (Mugabe) and a country to be developed.
“The swift activity decline and scattering of opposition politics to over 100 or so political parties and 23 presidential candidates speaks volumes of the impact of the ‘Mugabe Must Go political’ factor.
“It proves he was the glue that kept them united and the enemy that gave them purpose and reasonable speeches.
“In the Mugabe era they developed thick skins of the politics of blame and excuses.
“With Mugabe not in the centre of political action anymore they have to find a new enemy, new blame targets and new excuses, hence different focus and directions this time around in this election.
“And after the ballot we will see if Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has become the new enemy and a substitute to ‘Mugabe Must Go’ agenda.”
Mhlanga said Mugabe’s election campaigns have always been full of election violence drama and action since the 80s starting with Gukurahundi.
“This always gave political actors in Zimbabwe an emotional election agenda to take to the people and to the international community.
“Now that Mugabe is gone with his election violence drama, the political actors are now left politically bankrupt running with very shallow campaign agendas and issues.”
The playwright believes NGOs thrived in Mugabe’s election time in the field of Human Rights though narrow and selective.
“Now that Mugabe is gone, the funding for those activities has dried up and it is noticeable with their reduced appearances and activities in this election.”
He said Mnangagwa’s main election message is influenced by the Mugabe era.
“It is about how he fell from being vice president to rise to be president.
“All candidates are silent on how they will address current economic challenges facing the nation such as unemployment, cash shortages, rural economic growth, unplanned informal sector, urban planning chaos and so on.
“Political economy debate is very shallow, limited to Zimbabwe is open for business and international engagements… if not official launching of this or that.”
Mhlanga, however, said the removal of Mugabe from power — never mind how — has brought an immediate change to doing political business in Zimbabwe.
“Not just change but very positive change as witnessed by how Zimbabweans have conducted themselves during this first post Mugabe election.
“This for sure gives those who removed him credit even if it is the same people who sustained him for many years.”
He added that Zimbabweans have come to know and accept that there is life after Mugabe, and even better civilised ways of conducting political and government business.
“Now the next point of interest will be to see if Mugabe’s absence in government after the elections will also translate to immediate change in the economic sphere of the country like it did in the political sphere.
“Will we see a change in the ways government and citizens conduct business as a departure from doing business when Mugabe was still the centre of Zimbabwean politics?”
A former Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) director with alleged links to former first lady Grace Mugabe was arrested on Saturday morning in a suspected clampdown against Zanu PF’s G40 faction.
Tadzingaira Tachiveyi, a deputy director in the spy agency until former president Robert Mugabe’s ouster in November last year, was allegedly picked up at his farm in Musana during an early morning raid.
Sources said Tachiveyi was arrested during a joint operation that involved the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Law and Order section, Zimbabwe National Army and CIO.
The team first raided his home in Harare before tracking him to Shamva.
Although details of Tachiveyi’s arrest were still sketchy at the time of this article, sources said he was being accused of trying to destabilise President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba could not confirm Tachiveyi’s arrest, saying she was in Chinhoyi on business.
On Friday, Mnangagwa said his enemies tried to wipe out the presidium after an explosion rocked Bulawayo’s White City Stadium during a Zanu PF rally last month.
Two security agents were seriously injured and died a couple of days after the blast.
Vice-president Kembo Mohadi and Zanu PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri were seriously injured in the incident, but survived.
Sibangilizwe Nkomo, son of the late former Vice-President Joshua Nkomo, says he has chosen to remain unattached to any of the country’s political parties, but regularly attends their meetings to preach peace.
Nkomo told weekend media on Sunday that his appearance at the MDC Alliance rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo on Saturday should not be misconstrued as confirmation of his membership to the opposition party.
“I was invited by the MDC Alliance and my job is to build peace bridges. I attend any political party meetings only by invitations to preach peace. I have been invited by Zanu PF, PF Zapu and attended. My message to the people is “peace, love and tolerance”. I always tell people to preserve peace. No one wants to see another person’s blood,’’ said Nkomo.
Nkomo is on record saying that he was not yet ready to join mainstream politics.
He insisted that he was not yet mature for political party politics although he came from a family with a strong political background, adding his most preoccupation at the moment was revival of the Joshua Nkomo Cultural Movement in honour of his late father.
By Own Correspondent| The British Prime Minister Theresa May’s office was descended on by demonstrating Zimbabweans from the Zim Human Rights Organisation in London among other groups over the Gukurahundi massacre.
Speaking to ZimEye soon after handing their petition at No 10 Downing Street last week, ZHRO leader, John Burke claimed he has discovered some documents that allege the British government supported former President Robert Mugabe at the time of the atrocities.
The petition document was also submitted to the African Union soon after the demo. Below were some of the LIVE scenes at the function –
MDC Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa yesterday urged his supporters to fast for the whole week to facilitate smooth transfer of power from the ruling Zanu PF party to the opposition after the July 30 elections.
Addressing thousands of supporters at Mkoba Stadium in Gweru, Chamisa said he was confident of victory adding that there was need for a week of national prayer and fasting to ensure smooth transfer of power from Zanu PF.
“This whole week (from Monday to Saturday) there is need for fasting,” Chamisa said.
“To all those who can (fast) please do so and fast for your country. Then on July 29, that is on Sunday, it should be a national day of prayer. We want to ensure a smooth cross-over.”
Chamisa’s call came after MDC Alliance women assembly early this month said they would fast every Friday for Chamisa for God to be with him in this election.
The women also declared that on July 30 they would camp close to polling stations until Chamisa gets keys to State House. The MDC Alliance leader told the gathering that there was not going to be a run-off in this year’s election as he would emerge the “ultimate winner” in the plebiscite.
“There is no run-off, in fact, there is a run over in this election,” he said.
“We are winning this election. In fact, we have already won this election.”
High Court judge Justice Charles Hungwe, has dismissed an application filed by a visually-impaired potential voter, Abraham Mateta, who had petitioned the court seeking an order to compel the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to print braille ballot papers to visually-impaired potential voters to exercise their voting rights in next week’s polls.
Through his lawyers Innocent Maja and Justice Mavedzenge, Mateta filed an urgent court application in the High Court on May 11, 2018 seeking an order to compel Zec to print some ballot papers in braille, to print the template ballot and/or to provide tactile voting devices for the visually impaired potential voters.
But Justice Hungwe dismissed the matter, saying Zec had indicated that it was going to put in place measures that would ensure the visually-impaired would be catered for.
“The law permits the visually-impaired voters to bring their trusted persons to assist them in casting their votes….there is consensus that the visually-impaired persons bring with them a person of their choice to the voting places and if nobody is present to assist, election officials will be present to render assistance to them in terms of the Electoral Act,” he ruled.
In his application, Mateta had argued that visually impaired eligible voters had the right to cast their vote in secret or by secret ballot as provided for under Section 67(3) of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, Justice Hungwe also dismissed another application that had been filed by a civil society organisation, Veritas alongside Valerie Ingram-Thorpe and Brian Desmond Crozier, seeking to compel Zec to conduct elections in a transparent manner.
Veritas had argued that Zec was required by the Constitution to promote transparency in all its operations in terms of section 3 (2) (g) and section 233 (d) of the Constitution, hence its petition seeking a declaratory order that Zec should avail, for public scrutiny, all its standard operating procedures, processes, policies and internal manuals relating to the conducting of elections, including the 2018 harmonised polls.
But Justice Hungwe dismissed the application, saying a court has no jurisdiction to intervene in Zec’s administrative decisions, adding the granting of a declaratory order by the courts was discretionary.
The ruling ZANU PF party has described its main rival the MDC Alliance coalition as being superstitious on its demands that are raising doubts on the elections set for Monday next week taking place.
In a wide ranging interview with private media at the weekend, ZANU PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana described the MDC’s claims that ZANU PF is intending to rig the elections using a scientific ballot paper that will see ballots move between candidates after being cast as believing in witchcraft.
“Scientifically, it has never happened anywhere. There is a level of superstition that is acceptable in the living world, but this level of superstition is completely unreasonable,” Said Mangwana.
“Votes cannot move, otherwise people can stop writing examinations if, when writing exams, answers move to another candidate. That is what they are saying and it has never happened anywhere,” quizzed Mangwana.
“…in this modern- day world you cannot base your demands on witchcraft. Basically, MDC Alliance believes in witchcraft but we are not sorcerers,” he said.
Mangwana said that the opposition party demands come as a surprise to other political parties as the parties have been meeting for the last four years to discuss the elections.
“These demands came to us as a surprise. We have been involved in interparty dialogue and I have been leading the Zanu PF team and these dialogues started almost four years ago. The three political parties represented in Parliament meet once every week and these particular demands never came to the agenda. We were actually taken by surprise.
Mangwana said that his party will win the upcoming election without any rigging as it remains popular with the electorate.
“We don’t have any fear. We have our very popular leader and we have popular policies, and we are taking Zimbabwe to the right direction and the people love our leader. We don’t fear and we don’t need to have witchcraft in order to win the elections.
We are going to win the elections on the basis of the popularity of our party, policies and leader,” he said.
On Tuesday the political parties will be going for a multi-party liaison meeting where MDC Alliance has warned that it will push through its demands for the last time failure to which the party has threatened to stop the elections from going ahead.
Mangwana, however said that there is no way the MDC Alliance will block the elections from taking place as all other parties are ready for the election.
“MDC Alliance cannot hold Zimbabwe at ransom. They don’t own Zimbabwe. They are a voluntary organisation which exists on the basis of volition. If they decide that they will not participate in the elections, it’s their choice, but we will continue with the elections,” he said.
Top Bulawayo Industrialist and United Refineries chief executive officer Mr Busisa Moyo has defended the continued use of the bond note, saying the surrogate currency has never been a problem for business.
Commenting on suggestions on the removal of the currency, Moyo said the bond note has in fact helped businesses “in terms of change, divisibility and other medium of exchange functions.”
Moyo said: “The total is $300m. Our real problem is the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) totalling $8 billion. This one you can’t say “let’s remove RTGS” its savings.”
“Our companies need the bond chief. Before the bond coin, business was a nightmare. Our soaps and cooking oil were affected by this. What has helped is plastic money but it doesn’t cover the whole population. On small commodities name one shop that doesn’t accept bond notes,” he added.
The former Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president said removing the bond note will create further medium of exchange problems.
“It (bond note removal) only removes a perception created by ourselves and the confidence created by this removal will be short lived because our ability to buy & sell daily will become more difficult,” he added.
Moyo also said that it is the RTGS money, and not the bond notes, that have driven out the United States Dollar.
“The bond note was brought in to plug the money that had already been driven out. My point is the $8 billion is the problem not the $300 million hard notes and coins,” he explained.
Moyo suggested that reduced Government expenditure was the answer so that it does not fuel RTGS balances. He also believes localising and increasing productivity in the productive sectors through friendly policies for exporters, lowering upfront taxation on business, resolving the national debt and Foreign Direct Investment will go a long way in arresting cash shortages.
Moyo also suggested that adopting the South African rand was the right step in addressing the imbalances.
“I am a proponent of an African Currency in the future and the rand is a logical step. We can adopt without being in the Rand Monetary Union (RMU) for now, plan to join the RMU say in 6-8 years & then push for a broader regional currency to complement African Continental Free Trade Agreement (afCTFTA),” he said.
However, Reserve Bank Governor Dr John Mangudya has ruled out the adoption of the South African rand as foremost medium of exchange to ease obtaining cash shortages, saying Zimbabwe is not a member of the South African Rand Union, which also has Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia.
Dr Mangudya also said the rand cannot be a major currency because it is already in the multi-currency basket introduced in 2009.
Moyo’s calls for the Bond Notes to remain in circulation follow opposition MDC Alliance’s promises that they will get rid of the currency immediately on coming into power if they win the elections coming in seven days.
Below is an account by sources on the ground in Beitbridge where soldiers opened fire to disperse cross border traders.
The development was covered LIVE by ZimEye.com.
ZimEye was told that the problem started from yesterday as Zimra began frustrating cross border traders by asking them to pay duty twice.
Our source narrating this saying: “The procedure was that they are made to go into a shed area and offload their goods. Zimra at that time then calculates the duties payable. After paying, the border traders load their goods.
“After being, released they come to a second stop which is called anti-smuggling where they once again present themselves, this time to other Zimra officers waiting for them. They are asked to offload again and duties are recalculated and they are asked for top ups;
“Their complaint however is what was the purpose of the first search; why can’t they just do it at once at one place, not to delay people for 2 days stuck in the border, which is not fair.
“So since yesterday (Saturday) it has been happening and at this morning they couldn’t have any of it and started demonstrating at the shed, until solders were called in to restore order. Right now they have gone back into their Crs, and solders are monitoring them. The queues however are very long.”
By Simba Chikanza| There was drama last week when while President Emmerson remained stuck to his old “Kutonga Kwaro I’m Now Changing The Laws” November 2017 rhythm, MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa banged out 5 new songs in the space of just one week.
They say sadza has to be eaten fresh, not when it is one day old, let alone, one week old, but President Mnangagwa has remained stuck to his old Jah Prayzah penned song, “Kutonga Kwaro, I’m Now Changing The Laws.” It was produced way back in 2017. The very clear direct message in ED’s song totally scares away investors since it is an open declaration of instability and economic risk. But the 76 year old has continued, even making it his party theme.
What does this mean?
Last week saw at Nelson Chamisa’s rallies, 5 new, completely fresh tracks, never been heard before in the universe, being belted. They included some of the below: “Kufamba na Chamisa!,” and another which was thumbed up by a highly skilful Gwenyambira. The latter singer, can be seen in LIVE footage being released today literally making people cry.
The song “Kufamba na Chamisa” is no old cold sadza. It was written specifically for the rally itself, for the people of Bhasera, what arguably adds a breath of fresh air.
Another track was also released by two Harare youths who have before belted, “Garwe Mumvura!” Fanuel T Mapfumo, Nigel Nyagato and Nigel S Jani of the Network For Youth Movement- Rovambira sect revealed their song “Mumvura,” while adding another one called, “Priscilla Buda!” – CONTINUE READING …
After his two Gutu rallies and Chamisa had bolted to Kariba, and then Karoi, he returned to Bulawayo where once again other artists revealed more tracks.
Why does singing a new song matter?
Psychologists say where human spirits are free, creativity is a lifestyle. On another hand, they also say communities that have been oppressed often produce new songs as the human spirit cries for freedom. Examples of this phenomenon are seen in apartheid South Africa and also the former racist United States of America, the two nations whose oppressed peoples have produced some of the world’s the best musicians to date. WATCH THE BELOW PROGRAM FOR THIS AND MORE – The program starts Monday 5 am.
– REFRESH THIS PAGE TO WATCH THE LIVE PROGRAM MONDAY MORNING –
A teacher ran amok, attempted to kill his wife and two children, before attacking other teachers during a misunderstanding over transfer issues at a school in Binga.
The teacher allegedly crashed his Toyota Wish vehicle several times into cottage walls at Siansali Primary School in Binga District where his wife works and destroyed verandas before setting the car alight in a fit of rage.
Ishewunesu Makota (31), a teacher at Siyawagadza Primary School, Mwambani area in Gokwe District, went into a frenzy over why his wife, Raviro Nduru (26), was not transferring to a school closer to him.
The couple originally comes from Gutu in Masvingo Province. The incident occurred on Thursday at around 10PM and the suspect was arrested and is in custody at Binga Police Station.
Makota allegedly claimed to regret his wild actions saying he was drunk Chief Siansali yesterday said Makota surrendered himself to the police.
He said Makota arrived at the school in the evening and engaged in a heated argument with his wife, demanding to know why she was not transferring to a school closer to him where she had been offered a place.
“Nduru has failed get a provincial transfer for a while now, but got a place at a school in Binga closer to where her husband teaches. Binga Education District Office has however, not yet cleared her to transfer. This did not go down well with Makota resulting in him attacking his wife.
“He chased after his wife and children with a kitchen knife, vowing to stab them to death. After the woman managed to disappear into darkness, heading to a villager’s home to seek refuge, Makota turned onto the other staff members.
“He attacked two female teachers and chased after them. He kicked and punched them, injuring one of them who was rushed to Binga District Hospital where she is receiving treatment,” said the chief.
He said Makota went on to vandalise school property and cottage verandas as he drove his car repeatedly into cottage walls.
“Speeding like a man possessed, he terrified teachers by crashing into cottage walls but because they are stronger, his vehicle got extensively damaged.
“He got out of the car and set it on fire. The vehicle was completely destroyed,” said the chief.
Chief Siansali said it is alleged that the couple was constantly in disputes and the man accused his wife of not wanting to transfer for undisclosed reasons.
He urged members of the public to desist from violence and rather engage third parties for resolution of disputes.
“People should learn to manage anger and not act on emotions. Couples should understand it is not easy to transfer from one place to the other due to varying reasons. I also appeal to the Government to ensure swift transfer of civil servants to allow couples to stay together to avoid such unnecessary squabbles.”
Binga District Schools Inspector Mr Edson Masungo said he had not yet received the report.
“I haven’t received a report of such shocking news. Let me find out right away and I will get back to you,” he said. – state media
A COMMANDO in the Zimbabwe National Army heroically dodged a bullet before disarming and manhandling an armed robbery suspect who, alongside two accomplices, had broken into his home in Magwegwe North suburb of Bulawayo.
Nqobile Dube (35)’s partners in crime fled and left him at the mercy of the lone soldier, Mr Douglas Musengi (26), on Saturday at around 3 AM.
Dube fired a bullet point blank at the soldier from a pistol but missed after Mr Musengi (rank not supplied) used his Special Forces training to dodge it.
A mob, roused by the commotion, meted out instant justice on the hapless robbery suspect.
Dube was admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital after residents vented their anger for numerous break-ins in the suburb, on him.
He was discharged yesterday with a plaster on one hand and bandages to cover numerous bruises on his face. His accomplices got away with Mr Musengi’s 42 inch Samsung television set.
Police yesterday reportedly arrested another suspect identified as Zvinai Nyamandishe while another, Witness Hlongwane, is still at large.
Mr Musengi, who is stationed at Cranborne Barracks in Harare and was in Bulawayo to visit his family, told The Chronicle yesterday that he escaped death by employing skills that he acquired from the special forces training.
“I was awakened by the sound of my bedroom door being opened. I saw a man with a balaclava on his face and a yellow dust cloth covering his mouth,” said the diminutive soldier.
He said Dube realised he was awake and fled.
“I rushed after him in my shorts and woke my younger brother who was sleeping on a sofa in the lounge. Dube scaled a perimeter wall into the house next door. I went after him in a flash because the Heliborne Unit specialises in obstacle training. It is then that I saw Dube had company,” Mr Musengi said.
“The other two shouted at Dube to kill me but they fled in a different direction as I closed in.”
He said Dube pulled out a Star Pistol and took aim at him.
“I saw the glint of the gun and realised it was pointed in my direction. A few metres separated us. I feigned to the left and moved right at the last moment.
He fired and missed. Before he could pull the trigger again, I was on him and I wrestled the gun from his hand,” said Mr Musengi.
He said his younger brother, Takaindisa, arrived at the scene and they tied Dube up.
“Residents came out of their houses and I went to call the police. I’m hearing from you that Dube was assaulted. I don’t know who did it,” Mr Musengi said.
“I think those who assaulted Dube were doing it as revenge for their stolen property. These robbers have been a nuisance in the community and I think people were now venting out their frustration on him.
“I thought the gun was loaded with blanks so I was surprised to see it had live rounds when the police arrived.”
A neighbour who asked not to be named said the robbers stole the TV first and Mr Musengi interrupted them when they were returning to the house to steal more property.
“He is a brave man who could have helped to solve numerous break-ins in the area in recent months. Imagine rushing at a gunman like that. It shows the training they undergo at the army barracks is special,” said the neighbour.
Dube and Nyamandishe are expected to appear in court soon.- state media
Gunmen in South Africa have killed 11 taxi drivers in an ambush, police say.
The men from Gauteng province were travelling to Johannesburg on Saturday night when their minibus was fired at.
The dead men, and four more who were critically injured, were returning from a colleague’s funeral in the coastal region of Kwa-Zulu Natal, police said.
The motive is unclear although rivalry between groups running minibus taxi routes in South Africa has led to violence in the past.
Minibus taxis are the most popular form of transportation among South Africa’s population of 55 million.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said the vehicle was attacked between the towns of Colenso and Weenen, in the coastal province.
“The vehicle was ambushed. There were 11 fatalities and four were seriously injured and are in hospital,” he told reporters.
“There has been a lot of taxi violence in the area but we are still investigating who the perpetrators were.”
The targeted attack comes days after deadly shootings in Johannesburg, South African media reported.
In one week, a taxi owner reportedly with “no enemies” was shot dead in his vehicle, and two others were killed while travelling under a police escort.
Ten people were also killed in violence related to rivalries among minibus drivers in Cape Town over one weekend in May. bbc
By Staff Correspondent| It never rains but pours for “big-voco” Chris Mutsvangwa and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga was dragged into his humiliation in Norton today.
Chiwenga flew a whole helicopter for 31 km from Harare to Norton (SEE LIVE SATELLITE MAP) where thousands bunked his meeting and the nation’s Vice President addressed a paltry class-room near crowd at Kingsdale surbub.
There were arguably more government officials at the stage than in the crowd.
The development comes after Mutsvangwa had begged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to assist him so he can pull a small crowd in Norton. Highly placed sources reveal the President knowing Mutsvangwa’s bad reputation in the area refused to accompany him.
Mutsvangwa could have perhaps utilised his boisterous vocabulary to manipulate Chiwenga, the VP, who flew the chopper to Norton, a journey that even former President Robert Mugabe used to use normal vehicles from Harare.
Norton residents were met with surprise to see the Vice President address a few people who could not even fill up a school classroom.
The crowd stands at contrast to Mliswa’s thousands at his function yesterday, Saturday. (SEE VIDEO AT THE BOTTOM OF ARTICLE).
The ZANU PF Chairperson Oppah Muchinguri, also present there, went totally pale seeing the small crowd, the first ever in ZANU PF’s new dispensation history period.
In the picture below is Chiwenga’s helicopter after touching down.
Efforts to get a direct comment from VP Chiwenga were fruitless at the time of publishing.
Meanwhile, a ZANU PF elder in the area said Mutsvangwa will not be voted due to his alleged “well known character”.
German and Arsenal football club star Mesut Ozil has announced his retirement from international football, hitting out at the “racist” and “disrespectful” treatment he received in the wake of his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Germany’s early World Cup exit.
The Arsenal star, who has Turkish ancestry, made the announcement on Sunday in a lengthy statement he posted on his Twitter account.
The 29-year-old attacking midfielder, who was part of the German squad that exited the World Cup in Russia at the group stage, felt he was singled out as a scapegoat for the failure due to his Turkish heritage and the Erdogan meeting in May.
“It is with a heavy heart and after much consideration that because of recent events, I will no longer be playing for Germany at international level whilst I have this feeling of racism and disrespect,” Ozil said.
“The treatment I have received from the DFB [German Football Association] and many others makes me no longer want to wear the German national team shirt,” he added.
“People with racially discriminative backgrounds should not be allowed to work in the largest football federation in the world that has players from dual-heritage families. Attitudes like theirs simply do not reflect the players they supposedly represent.”
Ozil said he could not accept “German media outlets repeatedly blaming my dual-heritage and a simple picture for a bad World Cup on behalf of an entire squad”.
He added: “I am German when we win, but an immigrant when we lose.”
Ozil earned 92 caps for Germany since his debut in 2009. He was a key member of the country’s 2014 World Cup-winning side.
“This decision has been extremely difficult to make because I’ve always given everything for my teammates … but when high-ranking DFB officials treat me as they did, disrespect my Turkish roots and selfishly turn me into political propaganda, then enough is enough,” he wrote.
“That is not why I play football, and I will not sit back and do nothing about it. Racism should never, ever, be accepted.”
Ozil drew criticism at home after his meeting in Erdogan. He and Ilkay Gundogan – a team mate also of Turkish descent who likewise posed with Erdogan – were jeered in warm-up games before the World Cup in Russia.
In his statement on Sunday, Ozil said if he had not met the Turkish president, he would have been “disrespecting the roots of my ancestors”.
“For me having a picture with President Erdogan wasn’t about politics or elections, it was about me respecting the highest office of my family’s country,” he said.
The Arsenal midfielder also said that he was loyal to both his Turkish and German origins and insisted he did not intend to make a political statement.
“Like many people, my ancestry traces back to more than one country. Whilst I grew up in Germany, my family background has its roots firmly based in Turkey,” he said. “I have two hearts, one German and one Turkish.”
Relations between Germany and Turkey soured amid a crackdown by Erdogan’s government on suspected supporters of a failed military coup in July 2016.
“My job is a football player and not a politician, and our meeting was not an endorsement of any policies,” Ozil said.
“I get that this may be hard to understand, as in most cultures the political leader cannot be thought of as being separate from the person. But in this case it is different. Whatever the outcome would’ve been in this previous election, or the election before that, I would have still taken the picture.”
Barely 2 days later, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appeared to change his mind on giving white farmers title deeds to farms, contrary to an official state media citation of him to the effect.
The state broadcaster mouthpiece, ZBC had earlier reported of Mnangagwa that he has promised to provide tenure security to the farms. But Mnangagwa in a new statement released Sunday, appeared to have taken a totally opposite new twist on the development, and below was the full text of his address:
– “White farmers on the farms although they might not necessarily own farms any more.”
– ZBC report (Friday): In response President Mnangagwa assured the (white) farmers they will soon after elections get tenure (ownership) documents that guarantee them security on farms and warned that land invasions will now be a thing of the past.
By Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa| The other day I met members of the white community at Borrowdale race course and discussed various issues. I assured the audience that we are going back into the Commonwealth as this is part of our re-engagement exercise. The negative impact of land reform was that we moved from being exporters to importers of agricultural produce. I stressed that Issues of land invasions are a thing of the past, we want the rule of law to apply. During the time of land reforms, many of us got more than 1 farm, as we go forward we want to ensure that everyone has 1 farm.
I informed the white community that the government is in the process of coming up with modalities that will ensure that Zimbabwe in the near future has its own currency. I’m happy with our policy of Re-engagement since we have been getting positive signals. Exports have increased by 23% and this will go a long way in solving the cash crisis. The, economic activities in the country should determine the rates of foreign currency. We as government have liberalised the economy, the forces of demand and supply must apply.
On the black market, the public and private sectors are both participating in black market dealings. lf we want to kill the black market we must address the economic balances (Imports and Exports).
It is necessary for us to make sure that everyone has access to better health care facilities. Together we can achieve this dream but we must do it together; it’s not the duty of government alone.
Government doesn’t have resources to fund every aspect of the human endeavour, but with aide of the private sector, things will get better. For example Zimplats contributed to the refurbishment of Kadoma Hospital.
We have noticed that top Government and Party officials have been jumping from one farm to the other. This has come to end and you have my word. A white or black farmer is a Zimbabwean farmer. We must move forward, the past is past.
We need the skills of our white farmers on the farms although they might not necessarily own farms any more. I have been mistaken for a communist because of Command Agriculture, but command agriculture is voluntary and private sector sponsored. We are also supporting the ordinary farmers, so that we ensure that all families can feed themselves and have self sustainability. This will be achieved through Presidential Import Schemes.
In between elections we must focus on wealth creation.
The economy must be our first priority. Zimbabweans in the diaspora should feel free to come back and contribute to improving the environment in Zimbabwe. I concluded by noting that as the new dispensation, we going to work together and achieve the Zimbabwe we want. The issue of other races must be treated as equal citizens and not aliens.
Ngezi Platinum Stars registered their first ever win in Harare against Dynamos following a 1-0 victory at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Madamburo also completed a double over their rivals
after beating them in the reverse fixture played at Baobab Stadium in May.
Despite dominating play, the Glamour Boys never brought any serious threat to Ngezi as they wasted several glorious chances throughout the half.
The visitors, on the other hand, had a slow start, and they got their first opportunity in the 10th minute
when Godknows Murwira’s deflected shot was saved by the keeper.
The tempo of the play slowed down towards thehalf-hour mark with neither side making meaningful
attacks.
However, Kelvin Bulaji, a former
Dembare player, broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time, heading in a corner kick.
The second period saw the away team drawing back to play more defensive. Emmanuel Mandiranga, who was a lone man upfront, could not do anything as all the balls targeted at him were easily dealt with by the Ngezi backline.
The Glamour Boys also failed to utilise the set pieces they got, with most of them posing no danger
to the keeper.
The scoreline remained unchanged as Bulaji’s solitary goal put Ngezi on 44 points, two behind log leaders,
FC Platinum.
Results:
Dynamos 0-1 Ngezi Platinum
Triangle United 0-1 Highlanders
Mutare City Rovers 0-1 Chicken Inn
Herentals 1-0 ZPC Kariba
A KWEKWE man has been dragged to court after he was arrested for having an affair with his 14-year-old stepdaughter whom he impregnated in an alleged incestuous relationship.
The man (35) of Haven Estate Farm in Kwekwe, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the young girl is said to have been having sex with the juvenile for a long time behind his wife’s back. The two allegedly had sexual intercourse on several occasions leading to the Form Two pupil falling pregnant.
Whenever his wife, who is mother to the juvenile, would go out for errands, the man would allegedly pounce on the hapless girl and have unprotected sexual intercourse.
He was not asked to plead when he appeared before Kwekwe magistrate Mr Storey Rushambwa facing charges of having sexual intercourse with a minor last week.
He was remanded in custody to Thursday for trial.
Prosecuting, Ms Michelle Daraja told the court that sometime in February, the man proposed love to the girl and she accepted.
The two, the court heard, would take advantage of the mother’s absence and have sexual intercourse on several occasions without using protection.
The relationship, however, came to light after neighbours who had been monitoring the two’s movements, suspected that the two were involved in an illicit affair and reported the matter to Tiger Reef police base.
Police launched investigations which then led to the arrest of the man.
The girl was taken to Kwekwe District Hospital where she was examined and it was discovered that she was pregnant- Sunday News.
MDC Alliance aspiring candidate for Mberengwa North, Takavafira Zhou has slammed Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for failing to resolve glaring anomalies before the July 30 elections.
Below is Zhou’ s statement:
That ZEC is incompetent and facilitating the rigging of elections is a fact that no level headed Zimbabwean can deny.
This can be proved beyond reasonable doubt at the briefest examination of facts in Mberengwa North.
1. Nine days to the watershed harmonised elections some wards still have no voters’ rolls.
Ward 15 and ward 35 have not yet received their respective voters rolls. The respective councillors have been to the Mberengwa offices more than three times and I have also visited the offices more than three times, the latest being today.
In spite of promises to provide the voters’ rolls the discs and replacement of discs sent have not been opening.
ZEC officials seem not to care about the urgency of providing voters’ rolls. It seems ZEC is trying to hide something and would provide such voters’ rolls on the eve of elections so that there would be no time to study the voters’ rolls.
2. The voters’ rolls provided are also haphazard. Although we are still studying them due to late provision of some wards’ voters’ rolls there have been shocking revelations.
3. People who died before compilation of voters’ rolls have found themselves in the voters’ rolls. A case in point is ward 11, number 81 (Dube Handa) and number 495 (Ngagla Konias).
It is prudent to note that ZEC claimed that the memory stick that contained all people who had registered at Cheshaga Polling Station had been lost. Sadly, dead people resurrected and reregistered.
There is certainly something fishy in such a timid approach.
4. Maphosa Taurungano is registered as number 271 under a fictitious headman Chigigo and registered as number 272 under heaman Chigigwa. The fictitious headman has several people registered under his jurisdiction such as number 171, 198, 201, 238, 342, 637 and 640.
5. There are also other fictitious village heads like number 209 ward 11 and this brings doubt as to the existence of such people.
6. There are people from Zvishavane Ngezi (ward 19) who registered to vote in Mberengwa North. It is clear that such people have been conveniently registered to justify the existence of such a polling station.
There is certainly need for clarity on the Mberengwa North and Zvishavane Ngezi boundary.
In light of the above, it is our submission that ZEC is deliberately withholding voters’ rolls for wards 15 and 35 so that we would not see other irregularities in them.
Coincidentally, ward 15 is the same ward where I come from and ZEC is aware it would be easy for me to identify fictitious names and irregularities.
IN a suspected case of ritual killing, a 22-year-old man from Esihlengeni in Umzingwane District allegedly confessed to killing his six-year-old brother in 2015, before leading his family to the missing child’s headless remains.
After watching his family toil for over two years in search of his brother, Mr Shepherd Gumbo (22) of Chief Sigola, Umzingwane District in Matabeleland South province allegedly cracked and took responsibility for the death of Ntuthuko Ngulube who disappeared on 7 December 2015.
When Sunday News visited the area yesterday, police and villagers were in search of the missing child’s skull, as that was believed to be the only part that was missing after Gumbo led members of his family and other village elders to where he claimed to have buried the body.
According to villagers on the scene, when Gumbo made his confession, he claimed to have been working with six other people.
As the boy’s disappearance and subsequent discovery seemed to take a supernatural twist, tensions were running high in the village, with one villager prevented from taking part in the search as villagers alleged that he was part of the group of six that Gumbo claimed to have been working with.
The missing child’s mother, Ms Anna Sibanda, narrated how the family’s desperate search had begun at the end of December in 2015 before coming to a heartbreaking end in a hilly, bushy area deep in Esihlengeni.
“I had left the children with Shepherd and his siblings while I went to my husband in Filabusi because it was month end and we needed money. I then decided to spend the night there but I got a phone call at 9pm telling me that my son was missing.
We immediately came back and started a search with other villagers and members of the police,” she said.
According to Ms Sibanda, although her son was last seen with Gumbo, they never suspected that he was the one responsible for the child’s disappearance, as he had seemed as heartbroken as all other family members.
“He said they had gone to the bush to look for idelele (okra) because the family didn’t have relish for that night. When he came back later, he asked them where Ntuthuko was because he claimed he had let him run ahead of him after they had harvested some okra. We really never suspected anything because he seemed to be genuinely hurt, like the rest of us, about what had transpired,” she said.
Ms Sibanda said despite keeping a cool exterior since the child’s disappearance over two years and a half ago, Gumbo’s behaviour had increasingly become erratic in the last few weeks.
“Last week he walked from our village all the way to Cowdray Park in Bulawayo on foot. He went to his cousin’s place who then called us and said that he was behaving like a mentally ill person. We were surprised because he had no history of mental illness and had been acting fine before last week. We told him to take him to the police because if a person is mentally ill it is better to alert the police and then send him to hospital. He was in a bad state so the police released him to us,” she said.
According to Mr Kenias Ngulube, the missing boy’s father, Gumbo had been claiming that he craved the taste of blood to his younger brother, Ronaldo Gumbo (20).
“He was saying that he misses the taste of blood so his brother came to me and said that he was worried because the family had never found out how Ntuthuko met his end,” he said.
As his strange behaviour continued, the family decided to seek divine intervention and sent him to a local faith healer only identified as Prophet Tshuma.
“After the prophet prayed for him he seemed to get better but after everyone had left his condition got worse. We prayed the whole night for him as a family and that is when he broke down and confessed. We could not sleep that night because we knew we had a murderer among us,” said Ms Sibanda.
After the family consulted with village elders, Gumbo then led them deep into the bush where he showed them what he claimed to be the remains of the missing child.
“We never thought anyone could have hidden the body that deep within the bush,” said Mr Ngulube.
The missing boy’s father said they suspected that it was a ritual killing, with Gumbo working in cahoots with others. He claimed that one of the villagers had told them they would find their son’s body as mere bones.
“When the child disappeared we called some tsikamutandas who we were convinced had taken us close to the vicinity of where the body was hidden.
However, we were then arrested and those tsikamutandas went away but we never stopped our search,” he said.
Police could not be reached for comment at the time of going to print- The Sunday News.
By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has extended an olive branch to the white community in Zimbabwe promising that going forward, the new administration would ensure that the rule of law applies in the country.
Mnangagwa who also promised that the era of invading white-owned farms was over said white former commercial farmers who lost farms through land redistribution are free to take part in agricultural development through various contributions that can help the sector enhance productivity.
Addressing an interface meeting with members of the white community, Asians and those of mixed race in Harare (Saturday), Mnangagwa said no grouping is considered a minority community as Zimbabweans are one people.
“Under the new dispensation, there is no discrimination. We should cease to talk about who owns the farm in terms of colour.
We should cease talking about that. A farmer — a black farmer, a white farmer — is a Zimbabwean farmer. We should look at it that way. We should begin to develop a culture among our people to accept that we are one.
President Mnangagwa said in line with his plans to restore Zimbabwe’s status as the breadbasket of the region, Government welcomes white former commercial players who are willing to contribute their expertise to the development of the agriculture sector.
“Let the past remain behind, there are so many white farmers who don’t have farms anymore as a result of land reform. But I think they have a role to play in terms of skills in the farming sector.
All that is required is more of such interaction with the farmers’ organisations. Invite me and I articulate my policy to the people, to the farmers so you find comfort and you know what is possible and what is not possible,” he said.
“I told the farmers in Mashonaland West and in Chipinge and Chimanimani that this issue of new invasions is a thing of the past. I have told my provincial ministers, I have told my party leadership across the country that (this) is a thing of the past.
The rule of law must now apply.”
Government, he said, will also issue white farmers with 99-year leases.
“We want to restore the status of Zimbabwe as a food basket of the region. I met farmers in Mash West recently and I assured them that there will be increased pace in the issuance of the 99-year leases so that whoever owns a piece of land should feel secure and invest knowing that they have a 99-year lease in possession.
But also, the 99-year lease is renewable and we want everything to be done to make it tradable. We have the rationalisation of land under the land commission (Zimbabwe Land Commission) that we instituted because during the process of land reform, many of us sitting here acquired more than one farm, pasi nazvo!
He also said the farm rationalisation exercise will apply to anyone, irrespective of rank.-Sunday News
An intoxicated Bikita man was last week arrested for shouting obscenities at a Zanu PF supporterter clad in a t-shirt bearing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s face.
Daniel Chaambuka of Nechipotwe Village also allegedly tore the t-shirt after insulting Philimon Mutamba.
Chaambuka was arrested for the alleged offence and he appeared before Magistrate Caroline Tafira.
Chaambuka met Matumba on July 1 and the former asked the latter why he was wearing the Zanu PF t-shirt.
Chaambuka also uttered derogatory comments against Mnangagwa.
By Terrence Mawawa| Two married Zanu PF activists were last week caught having sex, according to a traditional leader in Zaka.
Willard Ringeringe and Myleg Machokoto, Zanu PF members, were allegedly caught having sex in a house at Jerera Growth Point in Zaka.
The matter was heard before Headman Mapanje last week.
“Ringeringe was fined a beast and some goats for bedding Machokoto.
Both are Zanu PF members.After being caught in the act, Ringeringe tried to bribe one Ernest Mufembi with the sum of $ 100,” Headman Mapanje’s aide said.
Afrobarometer Report|For the first time in a generation, Zimbabweans will vote in presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections on July 30, 2018 without the name of Robert Mugabe at the top of the ballot. Instead, the race for the presidency – the top prize in Zimbabwean politics – will pit Mugabe’s long-time collaborator, Emmerson Mnangagwa of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), against newcomer Nelson Chamisa, who, with the death of Morgan Tsvangirai in February 2018, inherited the leadership of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T Chamisa and MDC Alliance).
At least on the surface, the 2018 election is unfolding in a somewhat more open political atmosphere than the country’s previous contests, which were often marred by violent intimidation and disputed results. The opposition has been permitted to campaign throughout the country, and access to the election proceedings has been granted to a wide spectrum of international observers. But undercurrents of concern remain about the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the illicit distribution of public largesse by the ruling party, and the unknown intentions of the security forces, which in the past have repeatedly shored up ZANU-PF against any loss of political power.
Against this backdrop, Zimbabwean voters wonder whether 2018 will break the mold of past elections by ushering in the country’s first-ever alternation of presidential leadership. Certainly the electorate longs for a leader who can bring an end to four decades of economic mismanagement and rising poverty. In response, both Mnangagwa and Chamisa are campaigning on messages of economic reform and job creation. But a skeptical citizenry has every reason to question the sincerity and feasibility of politicians’ easy promises and, in the absence of unbiased information from a polarized and partisan press, to wonder which political party is actually ahead in the quest to occupy the top offices of state.
This dispatch reports results from a survey of public opinion on the status of the electoral race conducted one month before the day of voting with a representative sample of 2,400 voting-age adults drawn from all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe. The survey was commissioned by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, Afrobarometer’s core partner in Southern Africa, and implemented by the Mass Public Opinion Institute, Afrobarometer’s national partner in Zimbabwe.
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) presidential candidate, Professor Lovemore Madhuku has dismissed as baseless suggestions that ballots cast in favour of a particular candidate can shift positions to another as part of a ploy to rig elections.
Addressing mainly pensioners whom he is providing free legal representation, Professor Madhuku said there is no magic or scientific chemical used to move ballots once they are cast.
His sentiments come in the wake of social media talk suggesting that there is a formula of rigging where a chemical solution on the ballot moves a mark from a voter’s preferred candidate to another.
To this end, he urged the electorate to go and vote on 30 July and appealed for them to also consider him as one of the presidential candidates even if his chances of winning are highly slim.
Professor Madhuku said the election is not only a race between Zanu PF and the MDC Alliance but a democratic process where even the minority parties have a claim of the stake and a voice to be heard.
He urged the electorate to resist the temptation of getting divided over political figures and commended President Emmerson Mnangagwa for preaching the gospel of peace.
Meanwhile, the NCA has pledged to work towards improving the social conditions of the worker and offer better payouts for pensioners.
By Own Correspondent| Concern has been raised over the firing of gunshots at Beitbridge border post this morning to cross border traders allegedly protesting over ZIMRA delays.
While the exact cause of the delay was not officially confirmed, sources at the border allegedly accused the ZIMRA of deliberately delaying duty processes, a development which had seen some traders spend 2 days at the border.
By Own Correspondent| Two Zimbabwean women were last week allegedly murdered in Randfontein, Johannesburg in unclear circumstances, ZimEye has learnt
The two women, were allegedly picked up by an unnamed man driving a red car at different times from a venue where they looked for employment.
Zimbabweans in South Africa often stand at road intersections where they advertise their services some of which include plumbing, building and general maintenance work and prospective employers pick them up from these points.
According to sources privy to the development, the two women had been missing since last week after they were picked up from a place where they usually looked for employment.
The murder only came to light after the wife of the suspected murderer made a report to the police regarding her husband’s suspicious actions and whereabouts.
The wife reportedly told the police that her husband had prohibited her from entering two of the rooms at their house but the husband was nowhere to be found.
The police then accompanied the woman to her house and they forced open the two rooms where the bodies of the two women were discovered.
The two women were only identified as Privy and Alice.
This is a developing story. Refresh the page for updates.
Political commentator Brett Holley has suggested that Zimbabwe under Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF is better than under Nelson Chamisa’s MDC.
Writing on Sunday morning, Brett Muvhet, as he is affectionately called, criticised what he termed racism by the MDC-T. He alleged that the MDC has run out of humour.
Said Muvhet, “As everyone knows I have been against ZanuPF since day one.
The Mugabe led ZanuPF in particular.
“When a president calls for a meeting with whites and the main opposition use that as an advert against ZanuPF, you now know what I personally have seen long ago.
“That indeed the MDCT is a closet racist party, much like the Mugabe led ZanuPF.
“To attack the fact that attendees bought tea and cake to share and had plastic chairs to sit on, asi MDCT mapererwa here kusvika pakadai?
“The actions of MDCT continue to push all fence sitters into the hands of ZanuPF daily. Your vanguard and social media campaign of hate speech, sexism and racism is very concerning.
“Mukaona vanhu vakafanana neni who are thinking that actually Zim under ED could be better than Zim under MDCT, you know something is very very wrong with MDCT.
THE Dr Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T says it is financially incapacitated to take care of the needs of polling agents ahead of the watershed elections and they are taking legal action against Mr Nelson Chamisa’s MDC demanding $1 million from the money they received under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.
The party was awarded about $1,9 million before the split and the MDC-T said they did not get part of the amount after they split and eventually won the right to use the name MDC-T in the battle for legitimacy that ensued.
Treasury availed a total of US$9 million to Zanu-PF and MDC-T but the latter did not get the funding after the split that followed the death of MDC founder president Morgan Tsvangirai. Dr Khupe said they have written to the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to register their complaint.
“We have not received any money from the $1,9 million that was disbursed, not even a single cent. We wrote to the Ministry of Justice informing them of our position. We need our money for campaigning and they are mum on the issue,” she said.
Dr Khupe said they have started legal proceedings to pursue the matter with the Government.
“We have decided to take the legal route, we are engaging our lawyers with our VP (Obert) Gutu over the matter but the truth is we are in sixes and sevens over the issue, we are hoping that a miracle happens and we get this funding as soon as possible,” she said.
Dr Khupe said the $1 million that they were demanding was meant for voter education and deployment of polling agents.
ZimEye is getting reports of LIVE gunshots at the Beitbridge border post Sunday morning.
A video from the scene is being streamed on ZimEye at 10 am (Zim time).
A source wrote to ZimEye explaining saying, “gunshots at Beitbridge border post as cross border traders are having a tussle with soldiers and Zimra officers. They have been stuck all night as Zimra anti Anti Smuggling unit is thoroughly searching all cross border vehicles and confistcating goods.
A source inside the Customs section confirmed the development. “It is a bit tough with traders this morning,” they said without going into further details.
In the video evidence, gunshots-like sounds can be heard as people flee a storage building.
THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY — REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR MORE –
By Own Correspondent| Aspiring legislator for Buhera North who is running under the MDC Alliance ticket, Julius Magarangoma has revealed that he will hang himself if he loses the forthcoming elections arguing that with or without rigging, he is assured of victory.
Magarangoma is set to battle it out with businessman William Mutomba who is running under the Zanu Pf ticket.
Former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo, who is facing a plethora of criminal cases involving corruption, fraud and criminal nuisance, has been granted temporary reprieve after the High Court granted an order for an indefinite stay of his prosecution.
Justice Charles Hungwe’s order came after Chombo had filed an urgent application seeking permanent stay of his trial, citing infringement of his constitutional rights.
“The criminal prosecution of the applicant (Chombo) be and is hereby postponed sine die until the determination of HC6515/18,” reads part of the ruling.
Chombo, who was represented by Lovemore Madhuku when he appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Lazini Ncube, had successfully applied for the postponement of the case to August 2 pending the High Court determination on his urgent application.
In the High Court matter, Chombo said he wanted the court to determine whether or not the state, during his arrest, did not violate his constitutional rights when he was allegedly abducted by its agents, blind-folded for nine days and subjected to torture and other forms of inhumane and degrading treatment.
Chombo said his lawyer had written to the prosecutor-general, Ray Goba, advising him of the need to postpone the trial.
However, Goba had insisted that the trial should proceed despite the pending High Court application.
“The attitude of the State and National Prosecution Authority is grossly unreasonable and it undermines the rule of law,” Madhuku argued.
“Proceeding with the criminal prosecution before a determination renders the latter academic.
“Why should an applicant be taken through a criminal prosecution that may be declared void?
“Chombo has more than a prima facie right. Serious violations of his constitutional rights can be remedied by a permanent stay of prosecution.”
In his application, the former minister had said: “I should not go through a criminal prosecution I believe is unconstitutional before my application challenging the constitutionality of the criminal prosecution has been determined.
“HC6515/18 must be determined first. I believe this is the only way in which my constitutional rights can be protected.”
Chombo claimed that he was tortured by the army when he was arrested on the night former president Robert Mugabe was put under house arrest by the military in November last year.
By Own Correspondent| Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called on Zimbabweans to act responsibly before, during and after the polls adding that the country’s woes are far from over regardless of who wins the forthcoming plebiscite.
Annan, who was heading a delegation of Elders comprising of Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Lakhdar Brahimi, former Foreign Minister of Algeria and UN diplomat concluded their visit to Zimbabwe on Saturday.
At the conclusion of the visit, Annan, Chair of The Elders, the Kofi Annan Foundation and Nobel Peace laureate, said:
“The upcoming elections are the most significant for Zimbabwe since Independence.
The country faces serious challenges which will persist whoever wins; it is critical that everyone acts responsibly before, during and after the elections to ensure a Zimbabwe free from violence, where human rights are respected and prosperity restored.”
Zimbabwe has been a key focus of concern for The Elders since the group was formed in 2007.
“Once one of Africa’s strongest economies, Zimbabwe has suffered sustained political and economic crises over the last two decades and its leaders are failing in their responsibilities to the country’s people,” the Elders are on record saying.
The grouping said the resignation of former president Robert Mugabe in November 2017 however offers a historic opportunity for national democratic, economic and social renewal.
“All political, military and civil society leaders in Zimbabwe have an opportunity to work together towards free and fair elections in 2018 and a peaceful, inclusive transition.
All state institutions, especially the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, must put transparency and integrity at the heart of their work.
This is particularly important regarding the ongoing Biometric Voter Registration process, which must deliver a credible electoral roll to restore confidence to the voting system,” said The Elders independent group of global leaders working together for peace and human rights.
The Elders represent an independent voice, not bound by the interests of any nation, government or institution.
The famous old lady who was captured on a video that went viral on social media failing to pronounce MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa’s surname, on Saturday emotionally wept on stage at the MDC Alliance rally on meeting with Chamisa.
The very old gogo who took quite sometime to go up the few steps to get on the stage was invited to the stage by Chamisa to publicly thank her for the support she have him on the social media video.
The old lady was asked to speak in front of the huge crowd but could only be overheard indicated to a family member who accompanied her on stage that she can not speak as she is afraid of being killed.
“He has seen me and that’s enough,” gogo was heard speaking into the microphone.
“I am afraid to say anything because you people capture me on your cameras and they will kill me. You know they threatened to kill me, I can’t say anything,” said the teary old lady before turning away to walk back.
Turning to the crowd, Chamisa responded angrily to the threats that were made on the old lady.
“How do you threaten such an old person, for what reason? Its that what we fought for” said Chamisa.
The old lady was captured in a video indicating that Zimbabweans should vote for Khamisa, failing to Chamisa. Therr video went viral on social media.
Chamisa expressed joy at meeting the old lady.
“I only saw gogo on video but today am very happy to see her live,” said Chamisa.
“When we have won the elections, gogo must be brought for the inauguration ceremony and I will accommodate her at State House,” said Chamisa.
Report by the Elders: Concluding their visit to Zimbabwe ahead of its pivotal general election, The Elders urge Zimbabweans to work together to ensure a free, fair and transparent poll on 30 July.
“It is critical that everyone acts responsibly before, during and after the elections.” –Kofi Annan.
Lakhdar Brahimi, Mary Robinson and Kofi Annan meet President Emmerson Mnangagwa during their visit to Zimbabwe in July 2018. (Credit: The Elders)
The Elders today urged Zimbabweans to put the national interest first, reject violence at all stages in the electoral process, and work together to ensure a free, fair and transparent poll on 30 July.
Kofi Annan, Lakhdar Brahimi and Mary Robinsonmet President Emmerson Mnangagwa, MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa and other presidential candidates on a two-day visit to Harare organised with the support of the Kofi Annan Foundation.
Mary Robinson, Kofi Annan and Lakhdar Brahimi meet MDC Alliance leader and Presidential Candidate, Nelson Chamisa in Zimbabwe in July 2018. (Credit: The Elders)
They hailed the improvement in fundamental freedoms that has obtained in Zimbabwe since the end of 2017, and President Mnangagwa’s repeated emphasis on free and fair elections.
The Elders also commended the main political parties’ commitment to respect the outcome of the election and abjure violence through their signing of the Peace Pledge of 26 June.
The delegation also met the Chair of the Zimbabwe Election Commission, Justice Priscilla Chigumba, and other ZEC Commissioners; members of the diplomatic community; and civil society groups, participating in the Citizens’ Manifesto National Convention.
Mary Robinson and Kofi Annan attend Citizens Manifesto event in Zimbabwe in July 2018. (Credit: The Elders)
Kofi Annan, Chair of The Elders, the Kofi Annan Foundation and Nobel Peace laureate, said:
“The upcoming elections are the most significant for Zimbabwe since Independence. The country faces serious challenges which will persist whoever wins; it is critical that everyone acts responsibly before, during and after the elections to ensure a Zimbabwe free from violence, where human rights are respected and prosperity restored.”
The Elders expressed concern about polarisation in society ahead of the elections and the rise of hate speech towards women candidates and officials, especially on social media. They urged presidential candidates to lead by example, refraining from personal insults and promoting civil discourse in political and public life.
They stressed that all stakeholders have a responsibility to ensure the election process is free, fair, transparent and credible, and to respect the integrity of the ZEC.
They were pleased to see signs of progress from the most recent meeting of the Multi-Party Liaison Committee (MPLC) regarding ballot papers, the voters’ roll and the organisation of polling booths, and hope ZEC will be able to confirm these developments at the next MPLC meeting, and take any other measures necessary to build confidence before polling day.
Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said:
“Zimbabwe is blessed with talented, eloquent and passionate people. We have been deeply impressed by the commitment of civil society groups here to build a better future for their country. The authorities and security services must continue to allow free expression whatever the election outcome, and not revert to past tactics of violence and intimidation.”
Lakhdar Brahimi, former Algerian Foreign Minister and liberation struggle veteran, added:
“Elections are just one step on the path to national renewal. Candidates must see themselves as rivals, not enemies. The people of Zimbabwe cannot afford more years of infighting, division and corruption; we stand with them in their call for a brighter future.”
By Geff T Chigumba| There is an earthquake that is going to hit the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Priscilla Chigumba, some Zimbabweans have announced.
The alleged tremor, is said to be in the prepare to strike at her in less than 5 days from now. It is claimed that the event will happen a few days before the elections on the 30th of July 2018. The development comes after the learned judge threatened protesting Zimbabweans declaring that “Only an earthquake can stop the elections.” One man wrote of his own version saying that the coming earthquake will be a video setup be revealed before the whole world. Below was the announcement:
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said that he has collected over 16 billion dollars in the last six months alone. Mnangagwa and Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said the Zimbabwe economy has boomed ever since the operation restore order in November last year.
Patrick-Chinamasa
The president made this statement on Friday and was followed by the finance minister the following day, in a message that speaks highly of the administration, but also comes at a time when the country is experiencing terrible cash shortages, and of late fuel queues have suddenly emerged.
Update from Mnanagwa’s digital portal
Below is a state media piece on the development:
Zimbabwe’s economy is growing at a faster rate than expected, with growth for this year likely to beat initial forecasts, senior Government officials and economic analysts have said.
Most companies recorded improved capacity utilisation and revenue performance during the first six months of the year; and these both point to a growing economy.
Government had projected that the economy would expand by 4,5 percent this year, but Finance and Economic Planning Minister Patrick Chinamasa is optimistic that growth could be as much as 6 percent.
Minister Chimanasa said the growth would be underpinned by mining, manufacturing, construction and agriculture. The country has already recorded significant export growth from these sectors, with mining leading at $1,6 billion, tobacco at $218 million and manufacturing at $110 million.
This has resulted in a 24 percent rise in foreign receipts to $3,5 billion during the first half of the year. However, the more conservative World Bank has also revised its initial 1,8 percent growth projections made for the country in January this year to 2,7 percent.
According to the latest trade figures from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, the country’s trade deficit widened by 44 percent during the first half of the year to $1,4 billion, up from $1 billion recorded in the same period last year.
This deficit, however, indicates that more imports were largely towards production.
Consumer goods imports fell 34 percent to $401 million from $610 million.
The improved revenue performance during the first half, as reported by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority this week, has been partly attributed to increased business activity.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, Dr John Mangudya said the economy is on a growth trajectory.
Dr Mangudya said the growth in foreign currency requirements in the past six months show that there is more activity in the economy.
He said with average capacity utilisation increasing to 60 percent, demand of foreign currency had also grown. “The economy is growing at a faster rate than the rate at which we are generating foreign currency,” said Dr Mangudya.
“This is expected in the short term. It’s a natural progression but in the long term when capacities are fully utilised, we expect to export more and reverse the trend. We do not expect to reduce the trade deficit in the short term because we need to expand capacity.”
Statistics from the Reserve Bank show that between May and June this year, electricity imports rose by 94 percent, diesel imports increased by 27 percent while petrol imports also jumped.
Minister Chinamasa said the recent import substitution measures, which were put in place by the Government, resulted in revival and expansion of some companies.
“Some of the challenges are a result of our successes,” said Minister Chinamasa.
“For instance, we have a challenge to do with foreign currency shortages.
“After we introduced Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, what it did was basically to trigger revival of our industry in the sense that we were able to operate within the protected market because of the restriction of goods, which were now locally produced.
“Most of the companies, which had collapsed, revived their operations and those that were already operating were able to increase their capacity utilisation and the result of course is that they put more demand on foreign currency.”
Economists said the decline in consumer goods imports reflects that the country is now paying more for capital goods. “Such a trade gap is not worrisome because it is going into investment,” said Mr Tendai Rowaro, an economist with a local research company.
Another economist, Dr Gift Mugano, said the economy is on the rebound. “The economy is growing. If you look at companies’ financial statements, you see that sales have been growing, on average by as much as 20 percent, which confirms that there has been growth in aggregate demand
Several Farm invasions have continued after the November coup, and numerous statements have been proclaimed by the government that the land reform has ended.
But white farmers have continued to be raided by ZANU PF strongmen, one of the victims who was Gary Warth in the lowveld. Many other victims have been removed from their farms overnight under the banner of the Land reform. The head of state has announced once again that the land reform has ended.
Is his declaration new and potent or it is just pale plastic?
Zimbabwe does not regret embarking on the land reform programme, which attracted debilitating economic sanctions from the West, because it is a principled nation that knows its destiny, President Mnangagwa has said.
He, however, said the land reform exercise was a closed chapter as Zimbabwe was now focusing on consolidating the programme through mechanisation.
President Mnangagwa made these remarks when he addressed thousands of Zanu-PF supporters at a rally outside Rudhaka Stadium here yesterday.
He said the flagship programme driving agricultural mechanisation was Command Agriculture, which has since been broadened to cover livestock, cotton and soya beans, among others.
“Sanctions were imposed on us in 2000 because we had resolved as Zanu-PF in 2000 to repossess our land,” said President Mnangagwa.
“They (Commonwealth ) said you should not do that and we said no to Commonwealth. We repossessed our land and redistributed it to our people. Now we are in the process of auditing the land to see if those who got the land deserved it and that there are no multiple farm owners.
“In cases where one family has more than one farm, we will repossess the other farms and give to others. We need transparency and fairness in the distribution of our land. We have a land commission (Zimbabwe Land Commission) which is moving around auditing land ownership. Once they produce their report, we will be able to see how our youths and women who have not benefitted can also own land,” he said.
“Secondly, for almost 20 years, we have been in isolation because of the sanctions, but we don’t regret that sanctions were imposed on us because we are a proud people, we are a proud nation, a principled people. We know what we want, we know our destiny, and we know where we want to go. If you go against us, we are against you.
“We are saying the land reform is behind us and we are only consolidating it. What we are now saying is that our agriculture must be modernised, must now be mechanised, must now make sure that much of our agriculture is under irrigation. Once we do that, we will be sure that we can always be guaranteed of good harvests even during drought periods.”
President Mnangagwa continued: “Under that model, which we have introduced – the Command Agriculture model and the Presidential Input Support Scheme – we are achieving this objective. We now have two years implementing these programmes and we are saying bye bye to poverty.
“We are now our own masters and making our land productive. How do we make our land productive? Government should support farmers. We empower the farmer at every level and there are two categories: those on Command Agriculture Scheme we empower them, and those who are not on that scheme, about 1,8 million households, we support them freely under the Presidential Input Support Scheme. We have so far extended this programme to cover livestock, fishery, wheat and soya beans, cotton and wildlife. Under livestock, we have already started with the Matabeleland region because there is less rains.”
President Mnangagwa said his administration had other programmes for those who wanted to venture into poultry and piggery projects.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has in the last 24 hours promised white farmers with title deeds if they vote for him.
Below was a state media article on the development as it stated that: the new political administration believes in an inclusive society that does not countenance racial discrimination, and is working with white former commercial farmers to see how they can contribute to the development of the country, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said. He also declared that the era of invading white-owned farms was over.
President Mnangagwa said white former commercial farmers who lost farms through land redistribution are free to take part in agricultural development through various contributions that can help the sector enhance productivity.
Addressing an interface meeting with members of the white community, Asians and those of mixed race in Harare yesterday, the Head of State and Government said no grouping is considered a minority community as Zimbabweans are one people.
“Under the new dispensation, there is no discrimination. “We should cease to talk about who owns the farm in terms of colour. We should cease talking about that. A farmer – a black farmer, a white farmer – is a Zimbabwean farmer. We should look at it that way. We should begin to develop a culture among our people to accept that we are one.”
President Mnangagwa said in line with his plans to restore Zimbabwe’s status as the breadbasket of the region, Government welcomes white former commercial players who are willing to contribute their expertise to the development of the agriculture sector.
“Let the past remain behind, there are so many white farmers who don’t have farms anymore as a result of land reform. But I think they have a role to play in terms of skills in the farming sector. All that is required is more of such interaction with the farmers’ organisations. Invite me and I articulate my policy to the people, to the farmers so you find comfort and you know what is possible and what is not possible,” he said.
“I told the farmers in Mashonaland West and in Chipinge and Chimanimani that this issue of new invasions is a thing of the past. I have told my provincial ministers, I have told my party leadership across the country that (this) is a thing of the past. The rule of law must now apply.”
Government, he said, will also issue white farmers with 99-year leases.
“We want to restore the status of Zimbabwe as a food basket of the region.
“I met farmers in Mash West recently and I assured them that there will be increased pace in the issuance of the 99-year leases so that whoever owns a piece of land should feel secure and invest knowing that they have a 99-year lease in possession.
“But also, the 99-year lease is renewable and we want everything to be done to make it tradable.
“We have the rationalisation of land under the land commission (Zimbabwe Land Commission) that we instituted because during the process of land reform, many of us sitting here acquired more than one farm, pasi nazvo!
“We must correct that. Whoever has multiple farms, one for himself, one for the son and one for the grandchild, that land must be acquired.
“And we are saying many of the white commercial farmers who remained behind, who did not go away, we are very grateful for accepting this change and they must come on board and they must be issued with the 99-year leases wherever there are pieces of land which they hold,” he said.
He also said the farm rationalisation exercise will apply to anyone, irrespective of rank.
“We are also downsizing farms and again, we are racially blind. It doesn’t matter, if Chiwenga has a farm that is bigger than his area, we will downsize it, we forget that he is Vice President – he is a citizen like everybody else.
“The same with me and the same with everybody. We are going to make sure we do not have the animal farm mentality.”
President Mnangagwa said Command Agriculture is voluntary and funded by the private sector. Productivity, he added, is the ultimate cure for the black market.
“All that is needed is productivity and productivity, so that you reach a stage where there will be no need to deal with black market because it is not beneficial. There must be that commitment that the economy is ours together and it is only us who can move it forward. The issue now is business, business, business, wealth creation, and the politics will come only after five years but in between, we must make wealth.”
After his speech, the President mixed and mingled with the crowd, which also had the opportunity to engage him and take “selfies”.
The meeting was attended by Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, Zanu-PF National Chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs Miriam Chikukwa, among others.
Zanu Pf supporters today walked out on President Emmerson Mnangagwa during a rally at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera.
Some could be heard complaining that they were being ordered to remain at the venue against their will.
The incident speaks volumes of the previous one in Bindura where people complained of being beaten up by green bomber security as uniformed soldiers watched. VIDEO:
By Own Correspondent| Environment, Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri who yesterday made her first public appearance at Mutare Aerodrome in Manicaland during a Zanu Pf rally after her absence following the Bulawayo bomb blast has revealed that she is fit and back in one piece.
Muchinguri Kashiri was airlifted to South Africa together with Vice President Kembo Mohadi following the White City Stadium bomb blast which injured 47 people, 2 of whom later succumbed to injuries sustained during the explosion.
Zanu Pf said the bomb explosion was targeting its leader President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Muchinguri Kashiri denied reports that she lost a body part during the blast revealing that she is fit and had been successfully treated in South Africa.
In her vote of thanks at the Mutare rally held Friday, Muchinguri-Kashiri paid tribute to the ruling party and Government for sending her to South Africa for treatment.
Said Muchinguri-Kashiri:
“My fellow party members, let me tell you that I am fit. I am fit and running around.
Please ignore all statements that you have been getting from the independent media that I lost this or that part of my body, I am back.”
By Own Correspondent| Alec Muchadehama, lawyer to former Energy Minister Samuel Undenge who was last week Friday jailed for abuse of office charges has vowed to appeal at the High Court against his client’s conviction.
Muchadehama gave the notice of appeal after Undenge was sentenced to four years in jail by Harare magistrate Hosea Mujaya after he was found guilty for criminal abuse of office.
Undenge, who was accused of prejudicing the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) of $12 650, will serve an effective two-and-a-half years in prison and was convicted after a full trial.
He was sentenced to four years in prison, with one-and-a-half years suspended on condition he does not commit a similar crime.
It is the state’s case that Undenge in 2016 handpicked a public relations company owned by Zanu-pf legislator Psychology Maziwisa and former ZBC news anchor Oscar Pambuka to do work for Zimbabwe Power Company without going to tender.
However, during his trial Undenge told the court that he was misled by Fruitful Company owners; Pambuka and Maziwisa, who made him sign the letter on the pretext that it was a directive from the Office of the president.
Prosecutor, Mr Jonathan Murombedzi however argued that the court had to jail Undenge to discourage corruption.
He said Undenge was trying to hide behind Pambuka and Maziwisa when he was infact guilty.
“The accused’s blameworthiness in circumstances is very high. He was a good steward and he was a minister in a portfolio that involved anti-corruption.
“He knew well that stooping so low in doing business with Oscar Pambuka and Psychology Maziwisa was unlawful. The fact that they went to him after payments from ZPC stopped meant that he knew what was going on,” said Mr Murombedzi.
He proposed that the former minister be jailed 5 years as a way of sending a message of zero tolerance to corruption especially by public office bearers.
MDC Alliance Nelson Chamisa who completed his Bulawayo rally at 4pm Saturday afternoon, has traveled to the Midlands capital Gweru. ZimEye will bring you LIVE coverage of the function.
LIVEBLAST: There was drama in Marondera when ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa, his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, and environment minister Oppah Muchinguri danced and sang to a track that declares that they are now changing the laws.
Said Mnangagwa, soon after dancing to the song Kutonga Kwaro…Takuchinja mutemo – we are now changing the laws: “We now have a new Zimbabwe a New Era a new dawn, as many as we are so that we know that we do not all see things the same and understand things the same but the word the great work I am giving you is that we have entered a new Zimbabwe the second Republic of Zimbabwe. After entering into the second Republic of Zimbabwe right here in Mash East, Marondera, it is so important for us to remind each other about the heroes who came from this area who liberated our country bringing us to where we are right now without forgetting that we have leaders who lead us to get to where we are right now. So as we are writing about the history of the country there are certain people we can not forget or omit who come from this area. There are many who came from this area we have George Nyandoro. We have Dr Parirenyatwa not this one who is just a son. We still have the seed today. We have comrade Kadungure. We have Rex Nhongo… so many people who came from this area who we can not exclude. I won’t be able to name all of them but all I can say is just be a happy province, this area cannot be forgotten in the list of those who have to be remembered always.
“The journey we are travelling in this new dispensation we must know who we are because we have gathered here as zanu-pf the party that has got a long history from way back in the 1960s up to where we are right now. Right now there are so many other parties that have come later no we do not have anything to do with them but they’re not here is just continuing and continuing and ruling and continuing to rule while we continue to rule us as ZANU PF.
“We will remain ruling, until we continue ruling, and we will continue because we are rulers we are ZANU PF. All those others let them do what they are doing but we will continue ruling them. “
