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ZIFA In Crisis, Board Members Quit Accuse Chiyangwa Of Capturing The Association

By Paul Nyathi

Zimbabwe football is set for a major crisis as Board Members of the football mother body the Zimbabwe Football Association begin mass resignations from the board.

Two senior members of the board this week resigned from the board accusing the ZIFA President Phillip Chiyangwa of capturing the football adminstration body and running it according to his terms against the board.

Resigning from the board last week, board member responsible for Futsal and Beach soccer, Felton Kamambo accused Chiyangwa creating a leadership crisis in local footfall.

Kamambo, announced his withdrawal from the Zifa leadership on Wednesday following the expiration of the constitutional term of office of the Zifa executive committee last Thursday.

His resignation came hours after Piraishe Mabhena, another board member (in charge of competitions), had also announced his decision to step down, plunging Zifa into a leadership crisis that leaves the local game facing an uncertain future.

Opening up for the first time on his decision to step down, Kamambo exposed how Chiyangwa’s domineering leadership style since his election into office in December 2015.

“Upon being elected into the Zifa board, I, alongside other board members, tried to embrace good corporate governance, best practices and constitutionalism during our two years in office, but we met with fierce resistance from the Zifa presidium, who unfortunately had captured the association,” Kamambo said.

“Board meetings were not properly convened as the presidium did not respect the constitution in terms of due notice. No AGM [annual general meeting] was duly convened in compliance with the Zifa constitution as the presidium would convene meetings which were unconstitutional and unlawful in terms of due notice.

“Our Zifa board/exco [executive committee] was reduced to some circus as we were reduced to an extension of the presidium’s captured hostages and no wonder why only the presidium would attend the so-called board meetings. How could one attend meetings not provided for in the Zifa statutes?”

The Central Region boss also revealed how board decisions were being unilaterally made by the Zifa presidium and anyone who dared to question was labelled a rebel and silenced by threats of suspensions and expulsion.

“Board decisions were taken by the presidium who happened to be beneficiaries of the decisions. We tried to engage the presidium to respect the Zifa constitution, but to no avail as anyone who raised pertinent issues of governance was labelled a rebel and no wonder why the late former Zifa board member, Edzai Kasinauyo, was hounded to his final resting place. MHSRIP. Edzai was cleared by courts of concocted match-fixing allegations, but was never accepted back into the Zifa board for reasons best known to the Zifa presidium.”

The revelations by Kamambo come after a Zifa financial report compiled by Baker Tilly Gwatidzo auditors unearthed a number of anomalies with regard to corporate governance.

Kamambo also hit out at the Zifa leadership’s failed attempt to co-opt the Premier Soccer League [PSL] Emergency Committee chairperson and women’s football boss into the board following their recent resignations.

Dynamos boss Kenny Mubaiwa had been hastily co-opted into the Zifa board together with women’s football chairperson Rosemary Kanonge, but the former turned down the offer saying his co-option was not done in accordance with PSL statues.

”Attempts to smuggle members from Premier Soccer League and women football show how desperate the presidium is to sanitise an illegitimate arrangement which violates the Zifa statutes for selfish reasons. Attempts to have the Zifa assembly regularise the co-options were resisted by some of our board members,” Kamambo said.

“Why the presidium would want to unlawfully and unconstitutionally extend their stay at Zifa beyond their constitutional mandate needs to be interrogated. Isn’t the fear to constitutionally relinquish power driven by an agenda to conceal skeletons from the football family in Zimbabwe and the general public?

“The association is best served by men and women who respect the Zifa statutes. Some of our members in football administration who think that Zifa is their personal property are mistaken and our game shall call such characters to order. Those who may have pillaged resources from our game must be held accountable.

“There are some rented voices in our midst who have been hired to denigrate all those who defend constitutionalism, but they must know that the game of football is bigger than individual egos and selfish interests.”

While Kamambo maintains that the current Zifa board’s term of office ended last Thursday, the trio of Chiyangwa, his deputy Omega Sibanda and board member (finance) Philemon Machana insist they will continue to wait for guidance from Fifa on the association’s election roadmap.

Kamambo, however, said the move was illegal as the Zifa constitution has no provision for extension of mandate.

“It is a fact that the Zifa administration that was elected on March 29, 2014 would only be in office up to March 29, 2018 and any attempt to extend that tenure would not only be illegitimate, but would be unlawful, immoral and illegal. As we speak now, Zifa has three members who claim that they still have the mandate to run Zifa business yet their tenure ended on 29th March 2018,” he said.

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Mnangagwa Frees Mvuma Accident Killer

By Farai D Hove| The driver of the truck which killed more than 20 people in Mvuma last year, Mr. Regis Mungwari who was convicted of culpable homicide, has benefited from Presidential Amnesty.

He is now a free man after languishing at Hwahwa prisons, ZimEye is told.

He has since joined his wife Ivy Taruberekera who is teaching in Buhera, a source told ZimEye.

On April 5 2017, Mungwari, who was driving a Harare-bound haulage truck with South African registration plates, side-swiped the bus, in an accident which ended the lives of several victims. The South Africa-bound Proliner bus caught fire along the Harare-Masvingo Road.

 Some of the victims were Alexio Gundiza, Collen Zeze, Josey Matawu, Joel Ndipa, Patricia Wadii, John Chimhanda, Cardman Maturika, Annah Chigu, a Ms Sihle, Remigio Nyamatezwa, Vivian Makwiyana, Joseph Matimba, Theophelus Madzitire, Tawanda Zimuto, Lee Foya, Silas Shoko, Munashe Kawishi, Ruvarashe Kawishi, Viola Chimbudzi, a Ms Ropafadzo, Ivy Nyamande, Winnet Masussa, Tafadzwa Kurwara, Memory Ndlovu, Ida Njale, Zondani Makonza, Nyarai Warikandwa, James Makonese, Ruponeso Muchenje, Angeline Sibiya and Benjamin Kufira.

The remains of three of the deceased were buried in a mass grave in Harare at the request of their relatives.

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Phone Recordings Of Uebert Angel’s Alleged “Abusive Activities” Fully Backed By Law

By Staff Reporter| There are several reasons why controversial preacher, Uebert Angel’s recorded phone interview responses were openly broadcast at the weekend. ZimEye has legal cover and backing for the development, some of the reasons which are also at the bottom of this article.

Below is a short background:

Uebert Angel telephoned ZimEye.com on Friday afternoon for the first time in history, saying that he has never blocked interviews to him and never ordered for ZimEye journalists to be attacked by his bodyguards. He referred to an incident where ZimEye was blocked from interviewing him on the 18th June 2015 when we visited his church meeting at El Shaddai church in Birmingham, UK. There has been a hanging matter over complaints of abuse by women receiving services by him in his church. He attempted to sideswipe the matter saying he would like a family relationship meet up with someone he called “Mukwasha”, but would at the same time call him “Baba Mudiki”.

His telephone call on Friday just after 2pm came at a time when he is faced with a rising number of complaints over his moral conduct (as a Service Provider) towards church members, particularly women.

Now as ZimEye contends, that there is Prima Facie evidence that there are serious violations of human rights, and moreover bad conduct by a service provider (Uebert Angel himself), it behoved us to invoke the Public Interest and the Public Safety rights of citizens as accorded by both British and international laws and conventions.

  • ‘Prima Facie’ evidence is the information that on the face of it, makes it evident, that the behaviour we are intending to capture secretly is either taking place already or is intended to take place. Without clear existing prima facie evidence ZimEye will not normally carry out secret recordings. Our guidelines are that the more serious the infringement of privacy in any secret recording, the stronger the prima facie evidence may need to be. In Angel’s case, the evidence backed by documents, IP traces, LIVE video recordings over several years, and more so, his own corroborations to the effect, is insurmountable.
  • It is without question that Uebert Angel was asked for an interview and given the opportunity to take down questions for a later interview, upon which time, he chose to respond immediately via phone while the questions were being read out.
  • He was also asked not to respond, but continued to reply to all questions save for one to do with identity fraud.
  • Bullying and threats of violence. It is also without question that Uebert Angel did not deny bullying people who have questioned his conduct. Uebert Angel has for several years bullied people saying he is trained in martial arts. People at one of his meetings were also told that they will receive (eternal death) apocalyptic woes if they question him.
  • Crime being committed. There is also the issue of crimes being committed, and there is evidence that Uebert Angel has and continued to cunningly coordinate criminal activities.
  • There is also the issue that Uebert Angel has revealed that he has for over 3 years been deliberately avoiding either scrutiny or answering questions on his conduct and will only speak to favourable media.
  • Lastly, there is the issue of women who complained that they have been abused. There is evidence to show that attempts have been made to suppress their citizenship rights of freedom of expression.
  • For these reasons, ZimEye at the weekend began coordinating and encouraging victims to come forward with their cases, or approach their nearest law enforcement agencies for assistance.
  • After Uebert Angel eventually disconnected his phone call at around 11pm, the preacher wrote back saying that he knew the call was an interview and he was no longer comfortable with the type of questions. SEE BELOW –
  • Our practices are consistent with the law and industrially accepted journalistic practice and we endeavour to ensure that the subject or person to be secretly recorded should normally be the target of any investigation, for which there is prima facie evidence of wrongdoing or intended wrongdoing. Any attempt to secretly record people who are not involved in committing the behaviour under investigation will require a strong public interest justification – the ends should justify the means.
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Uebert Angel In Bribery Scam Following Sex Scandal Complaints

Uebert Angel with his wife, Bebe

By Staff Reporter| As a list of complaints rose against him, spiritist preacher, Uebert Angel has been caught in a bribery scandal.

The preacher was in a rush on Friday when he telephoned ZimEye.com for the fist time in history begging for what he termed a “family relationship meet up for a conversation.”

His call came nearly 3 years after he dodged ZimEye for interviews in June 2015.

He telephoned ZimEye at around 2.50 pm Friday when he was told it was not the best time for a call.

He was later called-back in the evening at around 9pm when he held a brief conversation when he swiftly referred our reporter to a man he referred to as his new media aide, while saying that he was watching a movie with his children.

While it was not immediately clear why he had done this, the preacher’s media aide upon picking the phone began talking about financing this publication through adverts.

“Let Uebert fill up the space with money,” said the preacher’s aide.

The aide, who requested anonymity for professional reasons, then stated that Angel chose  to cut the phone down because he was now afraid, upon-which questions were then raised how and why the preacher would fear.

At about 11pm, Angel received his-callback and he appeared to have assumed that a deal had been struck upon which he went further to make offers and he spoke of paying for free air fares to various destinations. He can be heard in the below video recording (recorded in the public interest seeing the serious nature of the matter at hand) speaking.

ALSO READ (the upcoming article)- PHONE RECORDINGS OF UEBERT ANGEL.. LEGAL BRIEF.

This whole matter follows a string of expose’s by a former church employee of Angel’s associate, Shepherd Bushiri, the South Africa based, Mr Leroy Elliot.

Mr Elliot was during the week profiled by other media houses and later last night on ZimEye.com’s LIVEBLAST. (SEE VIDEO BELOW).

A woman named Melody Dzingai is at the centre of the allegations.

Miss Dzingai is said to be dating Enlightened Christian Gathering leader Prophet Shepherd Bushiri, who is Prophet Angel’s “spiritual son”.

While repeated efforts to get comment from Uebert Angel (born Hubert Mudzaniri) were fruitless last week, ZimEye.con her privately telephoned ZimEye seeking what he termed a “family relationship conversation.”

While speaking in a conversation he has termed “an interview,” Uebert Angel chose to respond on the allegations and after being told to wait for an appropriate time, he chose to speak on them one by one, apart from two.

In the conversations, Uebert Angel offered to pay for several flight tickets for ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza and a large lumpsum was promised by a journalist who he referred to as his aide.

WATCH THE RECORDING BELOW ON ZimEye.com

Meanwhile, the state media says a man who identified himself as Pastor Tim promised to “get an official statement” but nothing had materialised.

Miss Dzingai referred questions to her “brother” Mr Maynard Manyowa, who dismissed the leaked chats as fabrications by a disgruntled former employee, Mr Leeroy Elliot.

“The chats are not genuine. In fact my sister lost her two iPhone and a Samsung S8 phones. We have made a police report and Elliot must return the phones,” he said.

“Elliot demanded R50 000 but we refused to be blackmailed and he threatened that he was going to expose what he calls dirty messages, but it’s all fake. He is bitter because he was fired as Melody’s personal driver.”

Prophet Bushiri’s director of public relations Mr Kelvin Silungwe’s mobile phone was not reachable.

Miss Dzingai forgot her phones in Mr Elliot’s car. According to Mr Elliot, he only handled the phones when Miss Elliot got in touch with him and made threats against him if he did not immediately give her back the gadgets.

Mr Elliot says the level of her agitation and the use of threats piqued his interest, and he picked up one of the phones and discovered it was not password protected.

On scrolling through the WhatsApp messages, he came across the damning conversations between Prophet Angel (who is married to Prophetess Bebe) and Miss Dzingai — who expressed her “love” for Prophet Bushiri. Prophet Bushiri is married to Prophetess Mary.

In one message, Prophet Angel demands that his “spiritual granddaughter” hunts for women who will play hard to get.

“I want you to find the highest quality. People you think will say NO.” Miss Dzingai responds, “Hahahaha….NO? The difficult ones granddad.”

He writes back: “Yea. The difficult ones are the most attractive ones.”

Miss Dzingai then sends pictures of one Charmaine for Prophet Angel’s approval, and the preacher gives her the green light to link them.

Miss Dzingai sends pictures of other girls, and the prophet responds to one of them saying: “She posts about me a lot. She comments.” His fixer says: “Really? Can I talk to her then? I like Imelda…she’s nice.”

Prophet Angel orders her: “Talk to her now; no wasting time. She is married. You are slow.”

Oddly, in some messages, Miss Dzingai waxes lyrical about Prophet Angel’s wife, saying she runs out of words to describe her.

On another occasion, she apologises for taking long to send pictures of potential targets because she was in church.

The young woman declares her love for Prophet Bushiri, whom she refers to as “My Love Malawi”. Prophet Bushiri is from Malawi but based in South Africa.

“Awww you are so so sweet my love. I am flattered…I love you so much. Baby you should rest I know you are tired. I will call, you when you are awake my hubby. I will tell you again how much I truly and completely love you,” she writes.

Mr Elliot says he has been threatened by people linked to Prophet Bushiri for exposing the shenanigans.

In a recorded phone conversation between Mr Elliot and Prophet Bushiri’s publicist, Mr Silungwe, the former says: “I know you are working with Bushiri, don’t try to be clever. Kelvin, I am not afraid; don’t threaten me. I have dirty videos which I can post.”

Mr Silungwe has denied threatening Mr Elliot. Mr Elliot has posted a video on Facebook in which he says he has overwhelming evidence about what is going on.

“I was trying to handle this issue in a professional manner but these people, including Kelvin Silungwe, hacked my account and posted a statement on Facebook page that I had apologised retracting my statement that Melody Dzingai was organising girls for Ubert Angel and she is dating Shepherd Bushiri.

“Whatever I was saying is the truth. I stand as Elliot Leeroy, Leeroy Elliot, I am not reversing this. They are trying to offer me money and they are tracking me. I am on the run, help me. I have been exposing the rot in the church; I have more sensitive videos and will post it if you try anything to harm me. I will never apologise, even in 100 years.”

Mr Elliot dismissed claims that he demanded money from Miss Dzingai as payment not to leak the videos, saying he tried to engage the subjects in the interests of the church but they responded by threatening him.

He says that is when he took the decision to leak the messages.

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Chamisa MDC Stole My Scarf Design, Says Mukupe

By Dorrothy Moyo| ZANU PF MP for Harare East, Terrence Mukupe alleges that Nelson Chamisa’s MDC stole his scarf design.

Writing on Saturday afternoon, Mukupe attacked the MDC for lacking “originality.”

While presenting his proof, Mukupe (in pictures) said Nelson Chamisa’s scarf was “clearly plagiarized from the designs from my team that I posted online a month ago.

“Plagiarism is the utopia of academic genocide confined to those with very empty heads and full of hot air!

“Anyway what’s to be expected from those led by a boy who talks of constructing airports at village level to carry tomatoes from Murehwa to sell in London!,” he wrote on his portal.

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ZEC Set To Copy Russia’s CCTV Inside Polling Stations Method

..new technologies which we can possibly adopt here…

By Dorrothy Moyo  |The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has set its eyes on copying Russia’s method of having CCTV cameras inside polling stations.

This was revealed in an interview cited by the state media.

At a time when she has been accused by political activists of travelling to Russia so to copy their methods of alleged vote rigging, “the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s chairperson Priscilla Chigumba is quoted in the Sunday Mail saying, “I learnt of new technologies which we can possibly adopt here. I looked at the technology and asked myself, ‘How can we make our elections have less challenges of disputes?’ ”

“Russians have cameras in all their polling stations,” she said.

Chigumba has been under fire for refusing to allow diasporans to vote and in a recent ZimEye feature, Justice Chigumba said her decision is decided by the New Constitution which is different from the South African one. (SEE TIMELINE 1h:17min).

Meanwhile speaking on her move to copy the Russian CCTV system, Justice Chigumba said, “in terms of technology, that is very good. The cameras were not directly above the polling booth, but would capture images of everyone going in and out.

“I was also acquainted with the electronic ballot box which automatically switches on when polling begins. It has an electronic counter that counts the number of ballot papers as people vote, and you will be able to know the number of people who would have voted at any given point.

“… We got to one polling station at 10:30 am, and they had registered exactly 1 170 voters in just a couple of hours. The ballot box is tamper-proof. It cannot be opened and switches off automatically when polling stops. It transmits information electronically to the election information centre.”

She laughed off allegations peddled in opposition circles that she was in Russia “to learn election-rigging”.

“The President of Zimbabwe accepted an invitation by his Russian counterpart for Zimbabwe to observe Russia’s elections. We went to Russia as a seven-member delegation comprising Zec’s legal director, staffers from Parliament and the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa and I.

“The reason for that visit was that since I came into office, I had never observed elections. So, this was my first time to do so.” Justice Chigumba said Zec was cross-checking polling station entries and possible double registrants in the voters’ roll, with public inspection of the register slated for May 2018.

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Mujuru Will Boost Opportunities For Youths

By Robson Melasi| You have always heard that youths are the future of this nation. But when you look at the current state of our youths, what do you see?

The People’s Rainbow Coalition led by Dr JTR Mujuru notes that young people are almost three times more likely to be unemployed than adults and continuosly exposed to lower quality jobs, greater labour market inequalities; and longer and more insecure school-to-work transitions. Youth represent the majority of the population in the country and they do face a myriad of other challenges, apart from unemployment-ranging from inequality, corruption, poverty, human trafficking, emigration, drug addiction as well as the HIV and AIDS pandemic. They tend to bear the brunt of all these socio-economic ills, and that is not sustainable. This is why it is crucial that youths continue to be engaged into community development programmes that keep them morally grounded. We have a big role to play to safeguard a bright future for our youths by creating adequate empowerment and job creation opportunities for them, and work hard to reverse the adverse effects of youth unemployment that are already manifesting everywhere. But to find the right solutions, we must first understand the problems and barriers to the employability of youth. It is important to capacitate our youths with relevant skills and abilities that can unlock their full potential so that they can optimally contribute to economic growth and development.

If you look into the history of our country, you will realise that every revolution was championed by the youth who were determined to improve their status. The liberation war was fought and won by the youths.

The PRC government will therefore pay particular attention towards concrete policies that support employment and lift aggregate demand, while simultaneously increasing incomes. If you look at the demographics of land ownership in the country, you will see that virtually everyone who owns agricultural land is an elderly person and the youths can only get it through inheritance. There is need for a deliberate programme targetted at allocating land to youths with potential on the sector to empower them.

*We are the future*
*We have the solutions*

*#mujuruforpresident*

*robsonmelassi@peoplesrainbowcoalition*
*whatsapp:0777300979*
*email:[email protected]*
*fb:Robson Amisi Melassi*

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“ED thinks Wi-Fi Means Wife,” Says Chamisa – But Unlike You, ED Knows Some Hidden Secrets

By Patrick Guramatunhu| “We have the keys to unlock the economy, we are the young generation, we can work with the international community, we can call (France president Emmanuel) Macron and say can you please help us to grow our economy,” said MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa.

“Do you think Mnangagwa can do that if Macron asked him about Wi-Fi he will think that Macron is asking him about his wife. This is an old generation, we are going to give them a rest in the next election, we are going to say our elders you did a great job go and rest.”

Chamisa, your harping on and on about how young you are compared to ED is putting people off! The people of France will be insulted with your innuendoes that they elected President Emmanuel Macron because he is young. The French people are a lot more mature to know what they want in a good and competent leader and they saw those qualities in President Macron. They would have voted for him if he had been 75 years old, they have elected older leaders than that in the past and will do so in future, because they know age alone does not make a good or bad leader.

The way Chamisa is harping on and on about anyone 75 years of age being too old to do anything; does this mean President Chamisa will seek help from the French and any other nation with a leader his age? Zimbabwe will not seek any help from Germany, British and the USA, for example, until these nations replace their 60 plus leaders with the Wi-FI 40s generation!

Ironically, Zimbabwe’s elections will not be decided on which of the contestants know what a Wi-Fi is but on whether the election process itself is free, fair and credible – something President Mnangagwa is expert in and Chamisa has completely failed to understand. Zanu PF has been rigging elections to stay in power these last 38 years and the three men who have masterminded the vote rigging are former President Mugabe, Professor Jonathan Moyo and the now President Emmerson Mnanagwa.

Even if Zimbabweans had failed to figure how to stop Zanu PF rigging elections, SADC leaders spelt it all out in the 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA) following the rigged 2008 elections. SADC forced Zanu PF to sign the GPA agreeing to the implementation of a raft of democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging elections. The important task of implementing the reforms fell to Morgan Tsvangirai, then MDC leader, and his MDC colleagues of whom Nelson Chamisa was one of the MDC cabinet ministers.

MDC failed to implement even one reform in the five years of the GNU. Not even one reform!

SADC leaders fought a lost battle to get the MDC leaders to implement the reforms. Robert Mugabe, aged 84 years at the start of the GNU, bribed the MDC leaders to make sure they forgot about the reforms. Nelson Chamisa, aged 30 years and, no doubt, knew more about Wi-Fi than Vic Hayes many considers “father of Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi)”, was one of the MDC leaders outwitted by an 84 year old!

Zanu PF went on to rig the 2013 elections and stay in power because MDC had not implemented any of the reforms to stop the regime rigging elections. What good was it then to the nation that we had young MDC leaders who knew everything there is to know about Wi-Fi but nothing about the most important task on hand – implementing the reforms to ensure free, fair and credible elections?

When MDC failed to implement even one reform during the GNU, SADC leaders advised MDC not to take part in the elections without first implementing the reforms.

“‘If you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done!” SADC leaders had warned Tsvangirai and company in 2013, according to Dr Ibbo Mandaza who was at the Maputo Summit that year.

SADC leaders’ warning is still valid for this year’s elections and the advice should be ringing in MDC leaders’ ears like church bells.

The American and Canadians have also joined in the call for reforms to be implemented before the elections but MDC leaders like Chamisa still ignore the warning.

President Mnangagwa may not know much about Wi-Fi but he certainly knows plenty about vote rigging, after all he has been Zanu PF’s pointer man on such matters as vote rigging and use of violence. Ever since taking over from Mugabe, Mnangagwa has carried on with the Zanu PF vote rigging activities as if the November coup that deposed the dictator never happened.

It is no exaggeration to say “Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections are done”, to repeat SADC leaders’ 2013 prediction!

Zimbabwe is in this political and economic hell-hole because the country was stuck with a corrupt and incompetent regime that rigged elections to stay in power. MDC has had many golden opportunities to implement the democratic reforms and stop Zanu PF rigging elections. Sadly, the party has wasted them all because the leaders took their eyes off the reforms to concentrate of gravy train ministerial limousines, generous salaries and allowances, $4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc., etc. and Wi-Fi for Chamisa!

Zimbabwe is not going to dig herself out of this hell by having leaders corrupt and incompetent leaders; so, so incompetent, even with the whole world telling them to focus, they still think Wi-Fi is more important than implementing the reforms necessary for free, fair and credible elections.

Yes Chamisa, President Mnangagwa may well think that Wi-Fi refers to wife but he will win these elections because he knows that with no reforms in place, he can rig the elections! What good is it to the nation that MDC knows all about Wi-Fi when that is not going to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections again after 38 years of rigged elections!

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State Media Expose’ On Uebert Angel | LIVE REVIEW

The state owned Sunday Mail says it has established that that the mobile phone number on chat records presented by a whistleblower on controversial preacher, Uebert Angel was truly used by Prophet Angel.

This follows a string of expose’s by a former church employee of Angel’s associate, Shepherd Bushiri, the South Africa based, Mr Leroy Elliot.

Mr Elliot was during the week profiled by other media houses and later last night on ZimEye.com’s LIVEBLAST. (SEE VIDEO BELOW).

A woman named Melody Dzingai is at the centre of the allegations.

Miss Dzingai is said to be dating Enlightened Christian Gathering leader Prophet Shepherd Bushiri, who is Prophet Angel’s “spiritual son”.

While repeated efforts to get comment from Uebert Angel (born Hubert Mudzaniri) were fruitless last week, ZimEye.con her privately telephoned ZimEye seeking what he termed a “family relationship conversation.”

While speaking in a conversation he has termed “an interview,” Uebert Angel chose to respond on the allegations and after being told to wait for an appropriate time, he chose to speak on them one by one, apart from two.

In the conversations, Uebert Angel offered to pay for several flight tickets for ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza and a large lumpsum was promised by a journalist who he referred to as his aide.

WATCH THE RECORDING BELOW ON ZimEye.com

 

Meanwhile, the state media says a man who identified himself as Pastor Tim promised to “get an official statement” but nothing had materialised.

Miss Dzingai referred questions to her “brother” Mr Maynard Manyowa, who dismissed the leaked chats as fabrications by a disgruntled former employee, Mr Leeroy Elliot.

“The chats are not genuine. In fact my sister lost her two iPhone and a Samsung S8 phones. We have made a police report and Elliot must return the phones,” he said.

“Elliot demanded R50 000 but we refused to be blackmailed and he threatened that he was going to expose what he calls dirty messages, but it’s all fake. He is bitter because he was fired as Melody’s personal driver.”

Prophet Bushiri’s director of public relations Mr Kelvin Silungwe’s mobile phone was not reachable.

Miss Dzingai forgot her phones in Mr Elliot’s car. According to Mr Elliot, he only handled the phones when Miss Elliot got in touch with him and made threats against him if he did not immediately give her back the gadgets.

Mr Elliot says the level of her agitation and the use of threats piqued his interest, and he picked up one of the phones and discovered it was not password protected.

On scrolling through the WhatsApp messages, he came across the damning conversations between Prophet Angel (who is married to Prophetess Bebe) and Miss Dzingai — who expressed her “love” for Prophet Bushiri. Prophet Bushiri is married to Prophetess Mary.

In one message, Prophet Angel demands that his “spiritual granddaughter” hunts for women who will play hard to get.

“I want you to find the highest quality. People you think will say NO.” Miss Dzingai responds, “Hahahaha….NO? The difficult ones granddad.”

He writes back: “Yea. The difficult ones are the most attractive ones.”

Miss Dzingai then sends pictures of one Charmaine for Prophet Angel’s approval, and the preacher gives her the green light to link them.

Miss Dzingai sends pictures of other girls, and the prophet responds to one of them saying: “She posts about me a lot. She comments.” His fixer says: “Really? Can I talk to her then? I like Imelda…she’s nice.”

Prophet Angel orders her: “Talk to her now; no wasting time. She is married. You are slow.”

Oddly, in some messages, Miss Dzingai waxes lyrical about Prophet Angel’s wife, saying she runs out of words to describe her.

On another occasion, she apologises for taking long to send pictures of potential targets because she was in church.

The young woman declares her love for Prophet Bushiri, whom she refers to as “My Love Malawi”. Prophet Bushiri is from Malawi but based in South Africa.

“Awww you are so so sweet my love. I am flattered…I love you so much. Baby you should rest I know you are tired. I will call, you when you are awake my hubby. I will tell you again how much I truly and completely love you,” she writes.

Mr Elliot says he has been threatened by people linked to Prophet Bushiri for exposing the shenanigans.

In a recorded phone conversation between Mr Elliot and Prophet Bushiri’s publicist, Mr Silungwe, the former says: “I know you are working with Bushiri, don’t try to be clever. Kelvin, I am not afraid; don’t threaten me. I have dirty videos which I can post.”

Mr Silungwe has denied threatening Mr Elliot. Mr Elliot has posted a video on Facebook in which he says he has overwhelming evidence about what is going on.

“I was trying to handle this issue in a professional manner but these people, including Kelvin Silungwe, hacked my account and posted a statement on Facebook page that I had apologised retracting my statement that Melody Dzingai was organising girls for Ubert Angel and she is dating Shepherd Bushiri.

“Whatever I was saying is the truth. I stand as Elliot Leeroy, Leeroy Elliot, I am not reversing this. They are trying to offer me money and they are tracking me. I am on the run, help me. I have been exposing the rot in the church; I have more sensitive videos and will post it if you try anything to harm me. I will never apologise, even in 100 years.”

Mr Elliot dismissed claims that he demanded money from Miss Dzingai as payment not to leak the videos, saying he tried to engage the subjects in the interests of the church but they responded by threatening him.

He says that is when he took the decision to leak the messages.

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$158,4 Million For Accident Victims, Mujuru Proposes

Joice Mujuru and Thokozani Khupe

By Robson Melasi|  The country consumes about 2,5 million litres of diesel and 1,5 million litres of petrol daily, which translates to over one billion litres per year. Assuming that we adopt the South African model of collecting eleven cents per litre of fuel, it translates to $158,4 million annually to cover accident victims.

We have been witnessing sad accidents where ambulance services had been hesitant to attend to accident victims because of uncertainty over payment of services rendered. This should be a thing of the past once the fund is introduced. Current economic challenges have left ordinary Zimbabweans constrained in accessing medical services, with some health institutions demanding payment upfront even in cases of accidents. Therefore, we believe the new fund should be thoroughly researched and debated so that would-be accident victims are assured of proper health care while the deceased’s family will not have to endure the pain of scrounging for resources to bury their loved ones. Social security nets are critical in a country’s development process, hence why the People’s Rainbow Coalition views this idea of a proposed framework of such a fund as one such facility that should ease the livelihood of most Zimbabweans.

We have the solutions!

*#mujuruforpresident*

*robsonmelassi@peoplesrainbowcoalition*
*email:[email protected]*
*whatsapp:0777300979*
*fb:Robson Amisi Melassi*

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Calls For Grace Mugabe’s Arrest

Liberation war fighters are piling pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to arrest former first lady Grace Mugabe over her attainment of a doctorate degree under controversial circumstances but analysts have cautioned that any punitive action against the first family might backfire for Zanu-PF at the polls.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (Znlwva) said failure to arrest Grace, alleged to have been corruptly awarded the PhD by officials at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) would make a mockery of Mnangagwa’s anti-corruption crusade.

“The president has made a clarion call to permanently destroy the vice of corruption, leaving no sacred cows. This means the conduct of all those who hold office, impacting on other people’s lives, should be open to rigorous public scrutiny and they must be held accountable without fear or favour,” Znlwva said in the statement.

“It is mind-boggling that an institution, (such) as the University of Zimbabwe, mandated to nurture and educate our young members of society is led by people who protect and cover-up corruption and abuse of office. Why should corruption at UZ be considered a sacred cow?”

Grace was awarded the PhD in 2014 after about three months of study.

Doctorates typically require several years of full-time research and writing.

Levi Nyagura, the vice chancellor of the UZ was arrested last month after the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission initiated investigations into the matter.

He is currently out on bail.

Znlwva yesterday said it believed that the saga provides a litmus test for Mnangagwa’s government, which has pitched the fight against corruption on top of its agenda.

The association said unfettered investigations should commence forthwith into the conduct of the country’s oldest university to rid the institution of any practices that taint the current dispensation as this potentially poisons learners.

The war veterans said if government fails to handle the case properly, it will tarnish the integrity of Zimbabwe’s education system.

“We, veterans of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and the vanguard and custodians of the revolution and architects of this new dispensation demand explanation from all involved institutions and organs of the State mandated to uphold our educational system. These organs must perform the honourable task of explaining to the Zimbabwean public the exact circumstances, the procedures and all the processes followed in awarding Grace … a doctoral degree by the UZ.

“We cannot afford to have our education system marred by individuals who use their positions of office to circumvent rules, customs and practices that all others are subjected to. We shall leave no stone unturned in our demands,” said Znlwva.

They further said, “We know that Generation 40 (G40) elements thrive in our midst and are fighting to sustain and cover up the vice. Prominent G40 activists jump the fence and start to advance their agenda in the new dispensation. These individuals do not repent and consider themselves as irreplaceable which is totally fallacious.”

Grace is also facing charges of illegal dealings in ivory while she was still the first lady.

Police have confirmed that they are investigating her.

Analysts canvassed by the Daily News this week said Mnangagwa cannot move against the former first family now as that would hurt Zanu-PF in the forthcoming elections.

They said the threats coming from government targeted at the Mugabes were more of sabre-rattling and designed to remind the former president and his wife that things have changed with the aim of silencing them.

Political scientist Eldred Masunungure said for now Mnangagwa just wants to send warning shots to his former master, who has been throwing barbs at his administration, accusing him of ruling “illegally”.

“I am not sure the aim is to arrest. This is meant to embarrass her and show her that there is a new sheriff in town and that they should watch their steps; it’s really to tell the former first family where the power now lies. She is just being reminded that the power has left and now lies elsewhere,” he said.

Political analyst, Maxwell Saungweme, said while Mnangagwa can move against Mugabe, such a move would be “suicidal”.

“It is possible to move in against them. But it is politically heedless. It will backfire since the regime has so many skeletons in the cupboard Mugabe and G40 are aware of,” he said.

“A move on Grace and Mugabe will be good for the transparency and ridding the country of corruption, but will also rope in Mnangagwa and the military. It will be a self-defeatist manoeuvre. It will end the junta admin- good for democracy,” added Saungweme.

Professor of World Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London in the United Kingdom, Stephen Chan, said Mnangagwa was better advised to leave Mugabe in peace.

“It should wait till after the elections have accorded it full constitutional legitimacy, and then take action through the courts. Even in the case of the Mugabes, there needs to be a new page with rule of law and transparent procedure,” said Chan.

After the military arm-twisted Mugabe into resigning in November last year, Mnangagwa was elected Zanu-PF leader and subsequently sworn-in on the 24th of the same month as the country’s second executive president.

Although he promised to protect Mugabe’s legacy, Mnangagwa is now seemingly growing impatient with his former master with his loyalists pushing for his expulsion or even arrest. – Daily News

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MPR Scoffs At ‘Coup Govt’ Apologist Obert Mpofu

Ray Nkosi | The Mqondisi Moyo-led Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) have refused to be intimidated by Minister of Home Affairs and Culture, Obert Mpofu.

Mpofu threatened to arrest the vocal group for for disrupting meetings of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC).

The Daily News quotes the group saying; “We take note of the warning by the coup government apologist…Mpofu….of the imminent arrests of MRP activists and supporters.”

“Our knowledge of the history of Mpofu reminds us that he has never spoken from his own job description, but that of the…Zanu PF clique. This proves beyond doubt that Cabinet business in Zimbabwe is not done according to the Constitution, but Zanla command.”

The youths have demanded that President Emmerson Mnangagwa answer’s for his role in the Gukurahundi atrocities. NPRC meetings have had to be cancelled.

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Mnangagwa Intervenes, Doctors End Strike | BREAKING NEWS

Ray Nkosi | Doctors have announced an end to a crippling strike that has been going on for weeks now.

The doctors announce an end to strike at a critical stage that major referral hospitals were no longer accepting new patients and ZNA soldiers being deployed in some hospitals to ease the situation.

In a letter dated 31 March, the doctors say after the intevention of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, “there has been positive developments. We have entered an agreement with the health services board.”

 

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Mutasa, Gumbo Join Forces With Mnangagwa

Former Zanu PF bigwigs, Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo, who were sacked from the ruling party in 2014, have expressed their willingness to rejoin the ruling party.

This comes after the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (Znlwva) recommended on Thursday that they be re-admitted into Zanu PF, along with former war veterans’ chairperson, Jabulani Sibanda, and other ex-combatants who were stampeded out of Zanu PF about four years ago.

Mutasa and Gumbo were expelled from Zanu PF by Mugabe along with a host of other officials who were seen as loyal to former vice president Joice Mujuru who had fallen out of favour with former president Robert Mugabe at the time.

Upon receiving their marching orders, they teamed up with Dzikamai Mavhaire, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, Mujuru and many Zanu PF cadres who were disgruntled with Mugabe’s autocratic tendencies to form the Zimbabwe People First (ZPF).

A few months after its formation, ZPF split because of irreconcilable differences between its founders.

Mutasa and Gumbo were among those who clung to the party’s name and offices while Mujuru moved on to form the National People’s Party.

On Thursday, Znlwva secretary-general, Victor Matemadanda, told the Daily News that they wanted Mutasa, Gumbo, Sibanda and many others to be re-admitted into Zanu PF, which is now under the leadership of Emmerson Mnangagwa who came to power after Mugabe was toppled in November last year through a soft military coup.

He said: “What came out most was the resolution of asking the party to readmit all expelled war veterans, especially the likes of comrade Jabulani Sibanda, Didymus Mutasa, Rugare Gumbo and others back into the party because we feel the party becomes strong and stronger when people are working together”.

The recommendations would be forwarded to the ruling Zanu PF party for consideration and possible ratification.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Gumbo said they were still talking to the war veterans so that they could rejoin the ruling party.

“There are number of issues we need to discuss before rejoining Zanu PF,” he said, without elaborating.

“We are still consulting and I think if they can manage to clarify some issues, we are going to rejoin the party. We are having talks with war veterans but the talks are not yet formal and I think as war veterans, we need to work together for the good of our country. For us, the war veterans are stating an obvious thing because if you are a war veteran you will remain as a war veteran,” Gumbo said.
This seems to suggest that the expelled ex-combatants do not want to be re-admitted into the party as ordinary card-carrying members.

Before their sacking in 2014, Mutasa was the party’s secretary for administration while Gumbo was its spokesperson.

Both were members of the party’s Soviet-style political bureau, otherwise referred to as the politburo.
Zanu PF’s constitution requires any individual willing to return to the party to appeal to its central committee, which is its policy-making organ.

Thereafter, the appeal is taken to an ad-hoc appeals committee of congress whose decisions shall be final.

Gumbo’s precondition could be based on the fact that the powers-that-be in Zanu PF are known for bending the rules when it suits them and could be out to extract some concessions before his re-admission.

In re-admitting former Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo into the party in 2013, Zanu PF took the unprecedented step of inviting the serial political flip-flopper to return to the party because it was desperate at the time to utilise his propaganda skills.

Moyo had been expelled from Zanu PF in 2005 for refusing to give way to a woman candidate for the Tsholotsho constituency after the ruling party had reserved the seat for a woman.

The sharp-tongued politician, who is now in self-imposed exile following former president Robert Mugabe’s ouster, had fallen victim to purges that targeted Zanu PF members who had organised an unsanctioned meeting in Tsholotsho to oppose the election of Mujuru as vice president.

While Sibanda refused to comment on the matter, Mutasa, who is former State Security minister, said he was prepared to work with his former comrades.

“Zanu PF without Mugabe, I will go; I am ready to join, I am ready to talk to them. We went to war for democracy and not for Mugabe, so we are ready. What the war veterans are saying — that we had the same objective — that is very true,” he said.

Mutasa recently set tongues wagging after he met with opposition National Patriotic Front (NPF) leader, Ambrose Mutinhiri, sparking speculation that he could be considering joining the party, which is linked to Mugabe.

As an elder in ZPF, many also believe it would be duplicitous for him and Gumbo to dump their party for another.

Mutasa admitted talking to NPF and ZPF officials. “Yes I still talk to people in People First,” he said.
“I talk to everyone, I cannot turn down people — I will talk to anyone. Of all the parties that I have been part of, Zanu PF is the one I spent most of my time in. There are many people who sacrificed (for our independence) and had we not taken part (in the liberation struggle) we could not be where we are today. People such as Emmerson (Mnangagwa) and others — if they were not there — Zanu PF would not be there. Of course, Mugabe did something but he is the one who destroyed (the party),” he added. Daily News

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New China Package For Mnangagwa Govt

China is expected to announce a new package of assistance to Zimbabwe in a few days time and Afreximbank is expected to announce measures to help ease the liquidity crunch in Zimbabwe.

Addressing a media briefing at the Chinese embassy in Harare this Friday afternoon, Chinese Deputy Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Zhao Baogang said the Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold bilateral talks with his Zimbabwean counterpart President Emmerson Mnangagwa this coming week where China is expected to announce a new assistance package for Zimbabwe.

“A Chinese commercial bank and Afreximbank are holding discussions to find ways of easing the liquidity crisis facing Zimbabwe and measures to be implemented are expected to be announced during President Mnangagwa’s state visit to China,” said Mr Zhao.

President Mnangagwa’s itinerary in China will include signing of Bi-National Cooperation Agreements with his Chinese counterpart, attending a business promotion meeting, visits to various Chinese companies and discussions with the Communist Party of China.

Deputy Ambassador Zhao also said the Chinese government is forging ahead with a number of projects that it has undertaken to fund like the new parliament building, a pharmaceutical warehouse and the airport expansion project among others.

Ambassador Zhao also dispelled misconceptions that the company that supplied biometric voter registration kits, Laxton Group is a Chinese company but rather a South African entity.
He said the Chinese government supports Zimbabwe’s efforts to hold free and fair elections, but are disturbed by attempts advanced by some quarters to undermine the relations of the two friendly nations.

A number of Chinese nationals were mentioned on the list of externalisers and Ambassador Zhao said the embassy has since engaged the government because most of the Chinese nationals and companies were erroneously mentioned because the purported externalised funds are in actual fact remittances that are above board.- Agencies

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Armed Rebels Attack Kabila’s Home

Armed rebels killed at least one soldier during an attack on a house owned by Congo President Joseph Kabila in the restive east where a number of conflicts have flared in recent months, rebel and Congo military sources said on Thursday.

Kabila was not present when Mai-Mai militiamen attacked the house near the town of Beni and clashed with state soldiers, who were able to fend off the attack.

The second assault on a presidential residence in three months points to a deteriorating security situation in Congo stoked in part by Kabila’s refusal to step down in 2016 when his mandate expired.

A home belonging to Kabila was attacked and set on fire in North Kivu province in December. A policeman died in the incident.

The security situation in the east, already a tinderbox of ethnic tensions, has worsened this year as state authority slips, forcing tens of thousands to flee and threatening to destabilise the whole country.

A spokesman for the Mai-Mai rebel group said it killed three soldiers during the attack. An army spokesman said one of its soldiers and one assailant were killed.

A spokesman for the president was not available for comment.

The Mai-Mai comprise a number of armed bands that originally formed to resist Rwandan invasions in the 1990s. They have since morphed into a wide variety of ethnic-based militia, smuggling networks and protection rackets.- Reuters

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Masisi Takes Over From Khama

Ian Khama, a retired army general, stepped down as president of Botswana on Saturday, handing the diamond-rich country to his deputy after a decade at the helm.

Mokgweetsi Masisi becomes only the third leader to take charge of the southern African nation outside the Khama political dynasty that has dominated national politics since independence from Britain in 1966.

Masisi, 55, inherits a country that has for decades been heralded as a beacon of African democracy and sound economic management but faces a huge task of reducing the country’s dependence on diamonds.

“I am not sure about his competency in as far as the economy is concerned, but if he has the respect of his ministers then he should be able to make them deliver,” said political analyst Ndulamo Anthony Morima.

Masisi, a trained teacher who has also worked for the United Nations Children’s Fund as an education project officer for eight years until 2003, was elected lawmaker in 2009. He served in the president’s office as a minister of public affairs from 2011 until 2014 when Khama named him minister of education, a post he held until appointed vice president last year.

“The business community sees him as being more business-friendly so that should work well for the economy. He seems to be more likely to come up with regulation that enables more economic activity,” said RMB Botswana economist Moatlhodi Sebabole.

Masisi takes office more than a year before the election under Botswana’s constitution that restricts the president to serving two five-year terms. Khama, son the son of Botswana’s first president, Seretse, also took over from Festus Mogae a year before the 2009 election.

One of the world’s poorest countries in the 1970s, Botswana transformed itself into one of the fastest-growing economies by harnessing around $3 billion a year in diamond sales, to become one of the world’s biggest producers, and gained middle-income status.

But dependence on its wealth from the diamond industry might be catching up with the landlocked country of just two million after the collapse in commodity prices in 2014 tipped its economy into recession three years ago.

“He is well versed with current challenges that the country is facing and I am sure he is quite capable of delivering,” said Mothusi Sename, a 41-year-old taxi driver in Gaborone, referring to Masisi.

END OF POLITICAL DYNASTY?

 Khama’s departure leaves his younger brother and tourism minister Tshekedi as the only member of the family holding a high-profile post in the government, and depending on who Masisi picks as vice president, it would be the first time a Khama is not part of the top tier of national leadership.

Khama, a 65-year old bachelor, is known as a straight talker having publicly criticized leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump for an alleged slur against African countries and then-president Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe for overstaying his welcome.

Khama was born in Britain after his father a married a white British woman Ruth Williams, defying convention and opposition in Africa and Britain. Their story was depicted in the 2016 film ‘A United Kingdom’.

His party, Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), is expected to name Masisi as its presidential candidate for next year’s election.

Masisi will be inaugurated on Sunday.- Reuters

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What Next? Sekeramayi Speaks Out

Former Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, who was at one time tipped to take over from former President Robert Mugabe in the hot Zanu PF succession war has spoken out.

Sekeramayi who has remained a member of Zanu PF, has lost his former allies who  include exiled Professor Jonathan Moyo and others who have formed the National Patriotic Front, led by General Ambrose Mutinhiri with the blessing of the Mugabe family.

The local Daily News reports that Sekeramayi who became a career Cabinet minister under Mugabe’s iron-fisted rule, has opened up for the first time on losing his job when his mentor was stripped of power through a soft military coup last November

At one time tippled to succeed Mugabe, 94, before the pendulum swung in the penultimate stages of the despot’s rule, Sekeramayi crushed out of government in November last year, when President Emmerson Mnangagwa named his inaugural Cabinet, made up of the deadwood in Zanu PF.

He had served in Cabinet since independence in 1980, becoming the only Zanu PF cadre to consistently serve under Mugabe for 37 years.

Sekeramayi, 74, opened saying he was over the heartbreak of losing his post and was now content with just being a Zanu PF politburo member and senator for Mashonaland East.

He said he was not bitter at all over his current circumstances.

“Everything has got its time. I have been in politics and when politics comes to an end, I will find something else,” he said.

He, however, appeared to confirm the long-held belief that those thrown out of the Zanu PF gravy train have always found it difficult to survive without the luxury of the featherbeddings they used to enjoy while still in positions of influence.

The former Health minister said ever since he was cashiered out of government he has been getting by through allowances from his seat as senator for Mashonaland East.

“I am a member of Zanu PF; I am a senator for Mashonaland East province and that’s it,” he told the Daily News when asked how he was making ends meet outside Cabinet.

Although he could only laugh after being pressed if he wants his job back, Sekeramayi who served as Defence minister from 2001 to 2009 and State Security minister from 2009 to 2013 has been showing face at government meetings.

On Monday, he was among the VIPs at the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Caledonia, attended by various Cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament and civil society organisations.

At the event, he emerged as the unlikely candidate to be given the task of introducing then acting president Kembo Mohadi.

Ever the shy character, Sekeramayi played down the significance of his new found favour with Mnangagwa’s administration.

“We were celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities that’s why we were here. I am here in my capacity as the Senator for Mashonaland East,” he said.

He could not be drawn to comment on his future.

“I am a senator, let’s end there,” he insisted.

The fall of the media-shy Sekeramayi could perhaps be traced back to when his name was thrown into the Zanu PF succession ring by then Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo at a public meeting in Harare in June last year.

Moyo set the cat among the pigeons when he declared that Sekeramayi was a shoo-in to succeed Mugabe on account of his alleged seniority.

Former first lady Grace Mugabe also revealed at one of the youth interface rallies held last year that her husband confided his closely-guarded secrets to Sekeramayi, implying he was his preferred successor.

At no point did Sekeramayi refute Moyo and Grace’s dismissal of Mnangagwa and their approval of him as his silence appeared to be a confirmation.

Thereafter, he temporarily basked in glory before it emerged that it was Mugabe’s nagging wife who was the despot’s preferred successor.

While these incidents could have strained his relationship with Mnangagwa — for long touted as Mugabe’s heir apparent — it was events in Gwanda in August 2017 during one of Mugabe’s whirlwind youth interface rallies that must have spoilt it for him.

Sekeramayi’s name was bandied among those that could have poisoned Mnangagwa, although he strenuously denied it and even dragged an ally of Mnangagwa, Energy Mutodi, to court after he made the damning claims on his Facebook page.

He jointly sued the businessman, along with Health and Child Care minister David Parirenyatwa, accusing Mutodi of posting falsehoods.

After Mugabe’s fall, Sekeramayi threw his weight behind Mnangagwa’s presidential bid, declaring he never wanted to take over the presidency and was happy Zanu PF had chosen Mnangagwa.

At a hastily arranged Zanu PF special Central Committee session whose main agenda was to recall Mugabe, reinstate Mnangagwa and elevate him as the interim party president, Sekeramayi ululated, jumped and punched the air as his former paymaster was recalled to pave way for Mnangagwa.

He, however, sang from a different hymn book in an interview with the Daily News on the sidelines of the special Central Committee meeting held to remove Mugabe last year.

“I was equally shocked by what was happening. I wasn’t a part of that,” Sekeramayi told the Daily News then as he danced away to Jah Prayzah’s Kutonga Kwaro.

Pressed if he was in agreement with Mnangagwa’s presidential candidature he said: “I’m a servant of the party and I follow what the party wants,” he said jovially before being whisked away by his security details.


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Chamisa Mocks “Elder” Mnangagwa

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has mocked President Emmerson Mnangagwa over his scarf, adding that the 75-year-old politician does not even know what Wi-Fi is.

Speaking at a rally in the capital this week, Chamisa said “He (Mnangagwa) is going around putting a scarf even when it is hot”.

“I said old man yarova sei chinja yakupfekedza scarf nekunopisa (you are being frightened by MDC to an extent of putting on a scarf even in hot weather),” he said, adding “we don’t have anything to do with that old man as we are going to defeat him in this year’s election”.

Mnangagwa has made the Zimbabwe flag-designed scarf part of his fashion statement.

Since the time he went to Davos, Switzerland, Mnangagwa has consistently worn the scarf, be it at party events or government engagements.

Chamisa went on to say Mnangagwa could not pretend to be the solution to Zimbabwe’s problems.

“We have the keys to unlock the economy, we are the young generation we can work with the international community we can call (France president Emmanuel) Macron and say can you please help us to grow our economy. Do you think Mnangagwa can do that if Macron asked him about Wi-Fi he will think that Macron is asking him about his wife,” Chamisa said, adding “this is an old generation, we are going to give them a rest in the next election, we are going to say our elders you did a great job go and rest”.

“There is no question we are going to win this year but we are demanding electoral reforms,” Chamisa said. This comes as a leading political analyst, Ibbo Mandaza, recently predicted a victory for Chamisa in the forthcoming elections, as long as the polls are free and fair.

For the first time in two decades, the forthcoming elections will not feature ousted former president Robert Mugabe and the popular late MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai — who lost his valiant battle with colon cancer in February this year.

Mugabe’s 37-year, iron-fisted rule was dramatically ended by the intervention of the military last November, paving way for the installation of his long-time aide, Mnangagwa, as his successor both in government and in Zanu PF.- Daily News

 

 

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Dear Chris Mutsvangwa Please Reflect On Your Actions First With Grace Mugabe To Now As ED’s Advisor

Dear editor please publish my letter for me.
Dear Advisor in President’s office, Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, I am writing to you with a sad face because you have disappointed me. I believe that you are a learned man, a man with ideas that you used to express through press conferences when you were suspended from Zanu PF.
I picked a number of progressive ideas from your utterances against Jonathan Moyo and Savior Kasukuwere and I guess thats why president chose you to be his advisor. Let me not believe that you were pretending to be a “born again christian” because you were barred from participating in your “deceiptful & thuggery organisation” you wanted friends and sympathisers yet you were not a changed person.
We know you very well mr Mutsvanga for your verbal attacks against Joyce Mujuru and her allies in 2014, when she was being persecuted by the then 1st lady Grace Mugabe whom you proudly called doctor Amai after she was awarded with a controversial PHD.
You rallied behind Dr Amai whilst your fellow war veterans were being persecuted. You were at the forefront dennouncing them with your “infamous vocabulary”. When the same Dr Amai started persecuting you with the aid of the G40 members which you prefer to call G40 cabal, you gained conscious and realised that Grace Mugabe was up to no good in both Zanu PF and Zimbabwe as a whole thats when you sided with the majority and other expelled party members.
We (the masses) were behind you, supporting you and clapping hands for you as you were exposing Grace Mugabe and her ‘cabal’. We thought that you have realised how Zanu PF has failed Zimbabwe and you were against oppression of the masses and looting of resources. Unfortunately you were just making noise because you were a bitter man who had missed a spoon that used to feed him whilst he is sleeping. You are back in government through back door of coup de’tat of November 17 2017 and you have completely forgotten matters of the people outside government.
I thought you felt how it feels to be an ordinary person in Zimbabwe whilst government officials are living large but, you have completely forgotten in a space of few months. We are not crying to see you addressing the public since you are now working in the office of the president. Your task is to give advice to our president who seems to be cluesless on this statesman post. You should talk through president’s actions but we have not seen anything positive. We had hope in a cabinet that was going to be made by new president but it ended up as a disappointment.
We held our breath on the list of externalisers but it came out as a joke. Then Major Sibusiso Moyo announced on national TV in November 2017 that he was targeting criminals around the president (R G Mugabe) but no one has been convicted of criminal activity. Sometimes I wonder if Mugabe was the criminal because he is the one who ended up being a biggest loser but there were no charges against him.
Everything about this new government is a joke and pain to Zimbabweans. Is that what you are advising ED, mr advisor? What exactly are you doing in your your office on a daily basis? Have you gone to your old system of eating quietly?
Is that true what I am thinking, that we supported you in November 2017 to just retain a place in government so that you can start squandering tax payers money as usual?
Mr advisor, elections are around the corner. I am sorry ED has NO my vote and there are many people out there crying like me, brace yourself because there will be no coming back in government this time if you fall by the way side. Pass my greetings to your wife Monica, I heard she was appointed a minister of state in one of Zimbabwe’s provinces by ED maybe from your advice. Yours Mwanawevhu
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PICTURE BLAST: ED Removes Scarf

Ray Nkosi | President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appeared in public for the first time without wearing his trademark colourful scarf.

Mnangagwa joins thousands of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) members who are gathered at Mbungo in Masvingo Province for their annual Easter.

The gathering is reported to be the biggest gathering in the country every Easter with congregants drawn from all over the world.

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JUNTA LATEST: Soldiers Demand Free S*x For Mugabe Coup

Zimbabwean soldiers have been demanding free sex since Robert Mugabe was removed from power‚ according to the National Aids Council (NAC).

Its report on attitudes and practice towards key populations such as sex workers‚ gays‚ lesbians and drug users revealed that army personnel in some parts of the country were demanding sex at gunpoint.

“Soldiers have become a menace in various areas as they demand free sex especially in the wake of the recent Operation Restore Legacy‚” the report says.

Operation Restore Legacy refers the military takeover of the country in November last year‚ during which Mugabe was placed under house arrest. He resigned six days later as impeachment proceeding started in Parliament.

Soldiers felt entitled to free sex because they believe they brought a renewed form of freedom with the end of Mugabe’s 37-year rule‚ according to the report.

“They claimed to have brought freedom to the country and as such they should be rewarded.”

The report added that police were also in the habit of demanding free sex but soldiers instilled fear in sex workers. “For fear of guns the sex workers end up giving in.”

The research was carried out in towns and rural areas.

Opposition leader Joice Mujuru‚ of the People’s Rainbow Coalition‚ claimed in a letter to President Emmerson Mngangagwa that 3 000 soldiers are using intimidation tactics in their campaign for the ruling Zanu-PF.

Mugabe tells of ‘great betrayal’ in ‘secret’ interview”Zanu-PF political commissariat and government have deployed an estimated 3 000 military officials in civilian clothes into both urban and rural communities to campaign for Zanu-PF ahead of the election‚” she wrote.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance believes the active participation of the army in civilian life will compromise the elections to be held in July or August.

“If soldiers are removed from the villages‚ from intimidating people [Nelson] Chamisa will go to State House‚” said MDC Alliance partner Professor Welshman Ncube.

Part of the United States’ conditions for the removal of sanctions in Zimbabwe is electoral reforms‚ chief of which is the withdrawal of the army from politics.- TimesLive

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Chidhumo Protege Now A Preacher Of The Word Of God

An ex-convict from Mutoko who frequented the courts to answer to 70 counts of such serious crimes as rape and robbery has turned to preaching and is currently in Masvingo town where he is spreading the word of God and exposing his evil past.

Forty-three-year-old Christian Bvunzawabaya Kabasa said he spent most of his time behind bars having started stealing at a very tender age. Kabasa said he was initiated into criminal activities bythe late notorious robber and murderer,Stephen Chidhumo, days after meeting him in Nyamapanda.

“When I met Chidhumo, we had an eye contact and there was a demonic bond. I just liked him though I didn’t know who he was. We met for three days and never talked. I then went to look for him at a club where he had booked a room. When I entered his room, I saw guns and other tools and he taught me how to use them,” said Kabasa.

His first mission, as instructed by Chidhumo, was to steal a car belonging to another man who had also booked a room at the same place. He was however arrested by the police while trying to drive the stolen car into Mozambique and was later sentenced to three years behind bars. He however received strokes of the caneinstead of being sent to jail due to his age.

He was to be caned again seven more times due to different criminal offences he committed as a juvenile.

After his conviction on the car theft charge, Kabasa moved to Murewa and finally to Harare where he got involved in all sorts of criminal activities that saw him spending no more than three months outside of police cells.

“Hapana mhosva yandisina kupara in my life, hapana chandisina kuba kusiya kwemunhu chete. I did armed robbery, rape, cattle rustling carjacking and any other criminal activities you may want to think of. I stole cars with alarms and tracking systems,” said Kabasa.

Finally, he was arrested in the year 2000 and was charged with 70 counts and was convicted on 50 of them. He was sentenced to 36 years but was later released through a presidential pardon following a long illness while in Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.

“After serving seven years, I started experiencing fit attacks (pfari) and that it could not be treated. I later underwent a CT scan of the brain and was diagnosed with a diseases called toxoplasmosis which the doctors said could not be treated and the condition could not be reversed,” he said.

Kabasa said he owed his repentance to Mai Pazvakavambwa, Pastor Mufema, and a Sister Angie of Faith Ministries International who came to preach at the prison.

“They would come to preach to us and they will bring some goodies with them to help get our interest. I was baptised, but simply so that I could receive the goodies more often. One day, however, they gave me a small booklet but I spent six months before reading it. When I finally decided to read it, I did so for 77 times before understanding what the story said. When I finally understood, I was inspired so I took the story to be mine.

“There is communication which happens in the spiritual realm of demonic forces before two potentially-evil people meet. That is what happened between me and Chidhumo,” said Kabaya.

He said he invited God and asked to be blessed and be freed from prison as he was terminally ill. He was then advised to put a request for a presidential amnesty in writing, which he did, leading to his release in 2012.

The ex-convict then started preaching to other people and visiting jails where he preached to inmates. He also began seeking donations from the people he would have preached to and sending those donations to inmates.

He said he had committed himself to travelling around preaching the gospel of the Lord and spreading his own testimonies. In Masvingo, he is staying with in Majange with Pastor Paul Mandala of the Life Revival Ministries.

Kabaya’s story and testimonies as well as the work he is doing is available on Facebook and he can be contacted on 0771 387 262 for audio discs. – tell zimbabwe

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Mnangagwa Govt To Forfeit Assets Of Corrupt People

NATIONAL NEWS

Magistrates at the anti-graft courts have been ordered to forfeit assets purchased from proceeds of corruption according to the law, as a deterrent measure to the vice.

Addressing stakeholders in the fight against corruption during the launch of two specialised Anti-Corruption Courts for Harare and Bulawayo yesterday, Prosecutor-General Advocate Ray Goba said the laws of the country allowed for forfeiture of assets upon conviction of criminals.

Chief Justice Luke Malaba officially opened the specialised courts in the two cities, scaling up Government’s fight against corruption.

Adv Goba said investigators of corruption should go beyond investigating the suspects and move towards targeting their assets.

“Because the motivation for corruption is always profit, investigating agencies are now required to not only investigate and target the predicate criminal conduct, but also the assets and the processes that are undertaken by criminals to conceal the illicit origins or tainted nature of those assets through money laundering,” he said.

“Therefore, sentencing processes must include forfeiture of assets upon conviction. The money laundering law of Zimbabwe now provides for non-conviction-based forfeiture of assets.

“The courts will increasingly be called upon to deal with different types of quasi-civil applications in criminal proceedings, not only for warrants of seizure, but also for interdicts, restraint and forfeiture orders.”

Officially opening the specialised courts, Chief Justice Malaba said the Judicial Service Commission refurbished three courtrooms at Harare Magistrates Court and two others in Bulawayo to deal with corruption related matters.

The magistrates, together with selected prosecutors, have received thorough training on handling corruption cases.

“We have identified seven magistrates for Harare, who include the chief magistrate (Mr Mishrod Guvamombe) and his deputy (Mr Gibson Mandaza), two regional magistrates and three provincial magistrates to preside over these courts,” said Justice Malaba.

“In Bulawayo, we have identified five magistrates, together with a team of prosecutors selected by the Prosecutor General, who have undergone training to prepare them for the task ahead.”

Chief Justice Malaba said the purpose of the courts was to ensure that those guilty of corruption were prosecuted, convicted and punished accordingly.

Anti-graft courts, he said, were a product of a protocol crafted by stakeholders to the Against Corruption Together (ACT) campaign that was launched in 2016.

“The protocol provides for setting up of the anti-corruption courts, the operational parameters for the special teams, the general procedures in court and timelines to be observed,” he said.

Chief Justice Malaba urged magistrates to deal with corruption without fear and deny any form of influence from other quarters.

“I expect our magistrates to preside over cases brought before them independently, impartially and efficiently,” he said. “There should be no undue influence to bear on any of the stakeholders involved in the administration of justice from any quarter.”

Permanent Secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mrs Virginia Mabiza, said the opening of the courts was a milestone achievement for the ministry.

“To us in the ministry, this is a milestone towards the attainment of our vision,” she said. “Setting up of anti-corruption courts is one of our goals and we have partially met our target in terms of the 100-day Rapid Results Initiative (RRI).”

Mrs Mabiza said the latest development was a sign of commitment by the stakeholders to fight corruption under the national anti-graft movement initiated by President Mnangagwa.

“That is clear evidence of commitment to stamping out corruption,” she said.

“Honourable Chief Justice, colleagues, a new dispensation has dawned upon us and we stand with His Excellency  the President on his stance that corruption no longer has a place in a new Zimbabwe that is open and conducive for business.”

More courts to deal with cases of corruption will be established in all the other eight remaining provinces.- state media

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Shock As Man Keeps Skull In Field

Villagers relocated from Marange to Arda Transau were left shell-shocked after it emerged that one of them had reportedly been keeping a skull in his field for the past two years, in a suspected case of ritual killing.

The cranium was discovered on Monday by Brighton Shinga at his garden before investigations showed that it had originated from Mr Herbert Mukura’s field in Tenzi Mavhima’s area.

Some believe the skull was being used to scare away baboons and boost harvests while there also have been reports of ritual killings following the mysterious disappearance of three people from the area.

The skull has since been taken to Chief Zimunya where Mukura and his former worker, Hoseah Muzaniwetu, were called to explain how the skull ended up at his field.

Mukura and Muzaniwetu were accompanied by the village head and other villagers who had once seen the skull before being taken to Chief Zimunya. The two confirmed having seen and laid their hands on the skull at the field for the past two years.

They said they believed the skull was of a baboon.

“I first came to Odzi in 2015 and it was when I got employed by Mukura sometime in November 2015 that I saw the skull when I was working on the fields,” said Muzaniwetu.

Muzaniwetu (36) said he first saw a dog coming from the direction where the skull was, which raised his suspicion before he went to investigate.

“When I picked it, the skull was discharging a heavy stench, which forced me to drop it. I thought it was a baboon’s skull. I left the skull and continued with my work. I kept on seeing the skull over the years and I had never thought of it being that of a human being. All along, I was thinking it was a baboon skull,” he said.

Asked by Chief Zimunya why he kept the skull in the field for the past years without throwing it away and why it maintained its position over the period without being displaced during planting period, Muzaniwetu remained mum.

He later told Chief Zimunya that he left Mukura’s place to stay on a piece of land he had allocated him and it was when he also started hearing stories of the skull.

“After I left his place, it was when I heard that Mukura’s former employee wanted to take the skull to his aunt who is a faith healer in Bocha. I also heard that the skull was taken from the field and placed in a Mukwakwa tree facing the direction of a nearby mountain. I heard all was being done to scare away baboons from ravaging their fields,” he said.

Muzaniwetu said he once came across a ghost on two separate occasions , which he believes had something to do with the skull.

“I once came across a ghost on two separate occasions and I want to believe that it was as a result of this skull. I was still staying at Mukura’s place when it happened,” he said.

On the other hand, Mukura said he only came to know about the skull in January last year. He said he was also of the view that the skull was of a baboon.

“When I saw the skull I called Muzaniwetu who laughed at me saying it was a baboon skull. I never touched it. I stay in town and I only visit Arda Transau once in a while.

“During my visits to the fields I would come across the skull. This year, I also saw the skull at the boundary of my field although it had changed position. It was only on Monday that I was surprised to be told that it was a human head,” he said.

Mukura said he then engaged their village head who suggested the skull be taken to Chief Zimunya. He said they decided to take the matter to Odzi police station where statements were recorded.

Chief Zimunya reported the matter to the police.

“We have to engage the police first and after the police have dealt with it, we will also then deal with it using our traditional means. There have been reports of people using skulls to scare away baboons especially in areas such as Chitakatira. However, I have heard of three people who mysteriously disappeared at Arda Transau,” he said.

Muzaniwetu and Mukura were handed over to the police for further investigations of the matter. Manica Post

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Ethiopia Elects Chamisa Age Mate Ahmed New Leader

Ethiopia’s ruling coalition late Tuesday named a chairman set to become the country’s new prime minister amid the latest state of emergency in Africa’s second most populous nation.

The young, outspoken Abiy Ahmed is now poised to take power, as the ruling coalition and its regional affiliates hold all parliament seats. A vote by lawmakers is expected on Wednesday.

The announcement followed months of the most severe anti-government protests in a quarter-century and the surprise decision by Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn early this year to release prominent politicians, journalists and others from prison to free up political space.

But Hailemariam later announced his intention to resign and a new state of emergency, the second in less than two years, was imposed in one of Africa’s fastest growing economies. Earlier this week, a number of recently freed politicians and journalists were re-arrested and accused of gathering without authorities’ prior knowledge.

Abiy will be the first person from Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, the Oromo, to hold the post of prime minister since the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front came to power in 1991. Credited with co-founding the National Intelligence and Security Service, he was elected last month as chair of the Oromo People Democratic Organization, one of the ruling coalition’s four core parties, paving the way for his premiership.

The new leader, who is in his 40s, is widely seen as a fresh face in the ruling coalition, which long has been dominated by the smaller but more powerful Tigray Peoples Liberation Front.

The ruling coalition on Tuesday also decided to keep Demeke Mekonnen as deputy prime minister.

Ethiopians had eagerly awaited news of their new leader for days. This will be the third prime minister since the current ruling coalition came to power close to 30 years ago after overthrowing the Derg military regime by force.

Many hoped the development would bring calm to the nation of 100 million people after the months of protests demanding wider freedoms. “A fair justice system works only when human rights are respected,” Abiy said during a recent meeting in the Oromia region.

“I believe that the Oromia region president, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, is the answer to Ethiopia’s youths’ questions,” Yonas Alemayehu, an activist in the restive region, told The Associated Press. The Oromo people, despite their numbers, have long felt marginalized and have played a main role in the demonstrations.

The outgoing prime minister at times had been labeled as weak and in the shadow of former strongman Meles Zenawi, who died in 2012. Others argued that Hailemariam successfully continued the late leader’s core policies: economic transformation and repression.

In a 2016 interview with the AP, Hailemariam acknowledged that good governance was in decline in Ethiopia, a key security ally of the United States.

“That is the main reason why people are protesting,” he said at the time. “This is really a positive sign. I have recently apologized in front of the parliament for our mismanagement and lack of responsibility that have generated these dissents. We are now taking measures to address those grievances.”

However, the protests have continued to this day.

Yilikal Getnet, a prominent opposition figure, said the declaration of two separate states of emergency and now the change in leadership showed that the tight grip that ruling elites once had over the public was now deserting them.

“This change in leadership is an indication of how unstable the government is,” Yilikal told the AP. “It has got nothing to do with opening up for democratization or a peaceful transfer of power. It’s time for the ruling party to admit that solving Ethiopia’s current woes are beyond its capacity.”- AFP

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After 2 Terms Botswana’s Khama Steps Down Peacefully, Hands Over To Masisi

Khama has visited all of Botswana’s 57 constituencies since December, bidding a long goodbye to a population of just 2.2 million after serving the constitutional maximum of 10 years in office.

He will be succeeded by Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi, a full 18 months before elections.

Khama’s two terms in power have been defined by his country’s rapid development thanks to lucrative diamond and beef exports and by a reputation for good governance.

He has also become renowned for straight talking — breaking with diplomatic convention to criticise leaders including US President Donald Trump and then-president Robert Mugabe in neighbouring Zimbabwe.

On Tuesday, his tour finished in his ancestral village of Serowe in the east of the country, with a day of songs, poems, gifts, ululation and pleading for him to remain in office.

Thousands of jubilant villagers dressed in blue, white and black, gathered in a kgotla, a traditional courtyard, to hear Khama speak.

“I was a soldier, I didn’t have interest to join politics, I had future plans, away from politics,” he told the crowd, adding that his predecessor Festus Mogae had to persuade him to take over in 2008.

Son of independence leader

Khama, 65, has cultivated a down-to-earth image — despite his father Seretse Khama serving from 1966 to 1980 as Botswana’s first president after independence from Britain.

Edna Monyena, a village elder in her 80s, lavished praise on the outgoing president, telling him that he was “an honest man, a straightforward man” who showed “real love”.

Many elderly female villagers wore blue dresses printed with portraits of Khama’s father, and some used cow bones as percussion instruments as they stood up to sing and dance.

Khama was showered with gifts including a 4×4 truck, 143 cows, hundreds of chickens, over 415,000 pula ($44,000), and a fully-equipped luxury caravan that his brother Tshekedi dubbed a “mobile state house”.

The avid conservationist also received a framed picture of a rhino.

“I wanted him to be 50 years more in office, I want him to work until the Almighty calls him,” unemployed Sadie Moleta, 23, told AFP in Serowe, where Khama is a chief of the Bangwato tribe.

Khama, a former pilot and military chief, demonstrated his outspoken streak when he recently accused Trump of promoting policies that encourage poaching, and summoning the US envoy over Trump’s alleged slur against African countries in January.

Khama called on Zimbabwe‘s Robert Mugabe to step down well before the nonagenarian was ousted, and his government has also urged Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila to resign after his term expired in December 2016.

The Botswana leader’s on-schedule departure has made a public display of obeying the constitutional term limit.

But his own record in office has not been without its critics, who accuse him of an autocratic leadership style.

He led the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to landslide victories in two elections, although the party won less than 50 percent for the first time in the 2014 vote.

Uneven legacy?

Often seen as one of Africa’s success stories, Botswana has recorded rising unemployment since 2009 as diamond prices fell.

The drop in revenue forced Khama to halt many planned investments in recent years.

“Internationally, he positioned himself as a moral leader in the region, stepping down as an example of a leader who respects laws and traditions — and inviting both President Kabila and Mugabe to respect democracy and the rule of law,” Matteo Vidiri, a BMI Research analyst, told AFP.

“(But) a slowing economy and increasing public discontent has damaged the narrative of Botswana’s ‘special character’, of a country being able to escape the ‘resource curse’.”

The opposition blames Khama for creating a society of “beggars”.

“He killed the spirit of self-reliance creating dependency through handouts,” Kesitegile Gobotswang, deputy president of the Botswana Congress Party, told AFP.

“The economy shed jobs under his leadership.”

Khama, who is unmarried, was born in Britain as his father married white British woman Ruth Williams — a mixed-race partnership that caused widespread shock in Africa and Britain.

Incoming president Masisi, 55, will be inaugurated on Sunday.- AFP

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ED’s Looters List Backfires

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s decision to name and shame companies alleged to have externalised funds and assets has turned into a nightmare for local companies that are being snubbed by potential suitors and trading partners.

This came out during a breakfast meeting organised by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) yesterday, where representatives of a number of companies said they have been struggling to do business ever since the list was published by the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC).

On March 19, the OPC released a long list of companies purported to have illegally taken money and assets outside the country.

Initially, Mnangagwa had given the culprits a 90-day window period within which they were to return the loot in exchange for their freedom.

The period stretched from December 1, 2017 to February 28, 2018.

After the expiry of the three-month moratorium, he further extended the deadline by another two weeks, to February 19. During that period, government neither asked questions nor preferred charges against those that repatriated the money or assets.

This included cases that were before the courts where judgments were yet to be passed.

A few individuals and companies came forward, but many opted to play hide-and-seek with the authorities.

On Monday last week, Mnangagwa lived up to his word by naming and shaming the alleged culprits who could not take advantage of his moratorium.

Government has said it would subsequently use legal instruments to those that have failed to comply, including triggering prosecutions.

The list, however, emerged as scandalous as it turned out that most of the companies appearing on it were actually legitimate importers and exporters whose transactions were not processed on time and were thus erroneously criminalised.

This has had the effect of compromising their standing since most foreign partners are reluctant to do business with firms that have criminal records.

ZNCC president Divine Ndlhukula said several member organisations are desperately trying to engage the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) to clear their names and salvage their reputations.

“Their partners abroad are now a bit jittery and obviously that is affecting them. I think there is need for the list to be revised so that only people that externalised are the ones that would appear on it,” she said.

“Currently, there are a lot of people that are on the list who never externalised. It’s important that those companies are cleared because that affects their brands and their business and it’s important that something be done about it,” she said.

Ndlhukula advised the affected companies against suing government for wrongfully exposing them.

“I don’t think going the legal route is the best way. I think the powers-that-be, whoever and wherever that list was generated from; they should revise that list and say these were stated wrongly so that those people can go back to their partners and say we have been cleared.

“If it is the RBZ, obviously they have got to revise that list. I’m sure by now they have had over a 100 engagements by a number of people who feel that they were put on that list when they do not belong to that list. So they should really correct that,” she added.

Jeffrey Rugare, a local businessman who runs an alternative energy solutions concern, narrated how his business partners in Zambia spurned him after his company — Global Solar Company — was wrongly put on the list.

He said the RBZ mistook his $50 000 deal to import solar power equipment for externalised funds, adding that Global Solar Company was wrongly put on the list because of a malfunctioning Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) system, which missed its acquittals.

This was during the time when Zimra was processing transactions manually.

“Government is expecting my company to bring back the money when we imported goods which are already circulating on the market. We did not externalise, we are Zimbabweans. We have created employment in the country. We are the first company owned by young Zimbabweans to start manufacturing energy bulbs in the country and we are appearing on the list.

“So if they criminalise us, who is going to do business (with us)? We instead attracted money into the country from our foreign investors who made this business possible. We have a lot of questions to ask. I believe somebody lied to the president. We need a cure from that list because it is affecting our brand. For example, we also operate in Zambia and I sent a message to our partner there to say we wanted to come and start manufacturing there. But he said, ‘hope Mnangagwa will not say you externalised’. We are trying to do business for our country and a foreigner writes this.

“This list, people believe it but it’s a fake list. We want to build our country, it’s our home. But if you do this, you are killing us,” he pleaded.

ZNCC members also heaped the blame on local banks saying they were complicit in the production of the “fake list”.

Former ZNCC president Luxon Zembe opined that the list was replete with companies doing their best to stay afloat despite the difficult operating environment in Zimbabwe.

He pointed an accusing finger at the banks for misinforming the OPC.

But Bankers Association of Zimbabwe (Baz) president Charity Jinya refuted the blame saying it lay squarely with the companies that did not clear their transactions on time.

“I don’t believe it because if it’s more than 90 days, there was an opportunity for banks to write to clients asking for transactions to be cleared. This gives the opportunity for the company to say it should be off the list. No one is perfect, mistakes are common, but there is a process where banks communicate with clients and clients communicate with banks formally and on the back of formal communication, information is then passed through to the RBZ because this is the system which is also under the control of the RBZ,” Jinya said.

She also denied allegations that banks breached client confidentiality by divulging information about their clients to third parties, saying government had direct access to such information through the RBZ.

“The entire banking system is connected to the central bank, they know everything and the clients know it too,” she said.

Deputy Finance minister Terrence Mukupe admitted that government had erred and had now started the process of clearing those that were wrongly implicated.- Daily News

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Mnangagwa Continues To Peddle Falsehoods | OPINION

Dear Editor,

I read our dear President, Emmerson Mnangagwa was at it again at the just ended Africa CEOs Forum when he took the opportunity to attack Non-Governmental Organisations which he accused of meddling in Zimbabwean politics:

“Civil society, who come with an agenda, especially in the area of elections, they assemble a team of what they call experts coming from various countries and come and say we want to teach your people about voter education, they then come with gifts like beans and when you open the beans you find a paper inside which tells you whom to vote for. Such type of civil society is not necessary we don’t need it”, Mnangagwa is reported to have told the CEOs.

This is where Mnangagwa get’s it wrong.

Firstly, this was a forum of business people who needed to be inspired to come and invest in Zimbabwe, but he starts to talk about the politics of non-governmental organisations, sending signals to potential investors that there is political chaos in my country. Does Comrade Mnangagwa seriously think that investors will want to invest in a country like that.

Secondly, he was lying. The story he told is one of the many false stories created by Zanu PF as an excuse to confisticate food distributed to local villagers so that Zanu PF can distribute the food on a partisan basis. The truth is that Zanu PF structures especially in the rural areas, with the support of some partisan chiefs, approach NGOs who are distributing food especially in times of drought, and takes over the food distribution process to ensure that non-Zanu PF supporters are denied food aid. It will be important to know what Emmerson Mnangagwa has done to punish the culprits involved.

The truth of the matter is that civic society organisations involved in voter education are different from humanitarian agencies which distribute food aid. Mnangagwa’s attempt to lump these together betrays a sinister agenda he has crafted around elections, and time will tell. Mnangagwa must be man enough to come up with an accurate list of such civil society organisations to name and shame them, but following the recent experience where he has tried to name and shame companies who are doing good business to revive the country’s economy, I can foresee him coming up with a list that may force international organisations who have been doing their best to feed the people of Zimbabwe who are in need to think of turning their backs on the hungry citizens.

Mnangagwa’s scheming to win the elections is costing the country, and Zimbabweans are encouraged to vote him and Zanu PF out in the 2018.

My hope is that the next time he gets an opportunity to address potential investors, he should carry with him a list of Zanu PF officials his administration has punished for corruption, a list of chiefs and headman he has punished for denying people food because they are not Zanu PF, and a list of Zanu PF officials and chiefs and headman he has punished for intimidating the electorate as those are the things which can make the CEOs that he is fighting corruption and is implementing reforms that make the country an attractive investment destinations.

Kennedy Kaitano

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“Why I’m Supporting Chamisa, Not Mawarire’s POVO”- Dzamara Speaks

Patson  Dzamara | Deliberately I chose not to run for office as an independent candidate because I am a staunch advocate for a grand coalition (involving political parties & other organizations/movements). Not only that, it’s a public secret that I support and obviously serve my brother and mentor Nelson Chamisa.

I worked with some of these guys who are going to run for council seats under POVO. Our efforts towards pushing to be absorbed into the alliance did not yield much. No headway could be made.

My honest position is that both sides have somewhat valid reasons.

In as much I have misgivings over the manner in which the process was handled, I still resolutely believe that we need to fight ZANU – PF from one corner rather than in silos. The proliferation of political parties and independent candidates is concerning and in some cases senseless. Admittedly, there are justifiable reasons in some instances. After all, everyone has the right to make any form of political choices within the confines of our constitution.

Bar the skullduggery, kindergarten pettiness and even myopic resistance I have encountered in my quest to contribute from the standpoint of convergence or even to merely serve the people’s President, Chamisa, I will continue doing my utmost best. Besides, it is my belief that leadership does not start and end in council or Parliament. I don’t need to be in Parliament to prove my leadership mettle. I will lead and be the change where I am.

Ultimately, it will be amiss for me to watch while false conjectures and explanations are proffered regarding some of these individuals. I have read with disdain how individuals like Mawarire are being lampooned by some as ZANU – PF agencies for choosing to run as independent candidates. Based on what I know, having been involved in some of these processes one way or another, I can categorically confirm that these are merely individuals who feel they can contribute towards changing people’s lives.

Of course, I don’t agree with the path they chose. To me, a grand coalition/alliance is what we need to dismantle ZANU – PF but I find politics premised on lies and dishonor detestable.

I wish these POVO guys all the best.

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Former Minister Gandawa Arrest | UPDATE

By Snodia Mawupeni |  The car belonging to former deputy minister of Higher Education Doctor Godfrey Gandawa left at the growth point when he was picked up yesterday is no longer around. It is alleged Gandawa was picked by police details in plain clothes.

An early morning visit at Magunje growth point situated about 35 kilometers west of Karol has revealed that the car is no longer at Mapaya business complex where it was left. Our sources revealed that Gandawa was picked up by four men who had a twin cab. “The men seemed to have followed him from Harare and its likely the case is connected to Zimbabwe Development Fund, (Zimdef) They took him and drove off to Harare, ” said ZimEye sources. The car was left at Mapaya business complex for safe keeping. However on Saturday morning it was nowhere to be found.

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Gutu Slams Chamisa In The Face, Claims That Anti-Nero Extraordinary Congress Is Going Ahead

By Dorrothy Moyo| The expelled former MDC Spokesman Obert Gutu has sleighed into MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s face once again and this time announcing that the anti-Nero extra-ordinary congress is still on.

The said Congress is to choose another leader, a move which is a direct swipe at Chamisa.

Gutu declared war on Chamisa weeks before the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s death in what became a dirty smear campaign against Chamisa which included wild allegations against the 40 year old leader.

Gutu then stood to oppose every move by Chamisa as the latter grew in popularity.

This time Gutu announced on his micro-portal Saturday morning saying, “Preparations for the MDC – T extraordinary congress to elect a new substantive President are at an advanced stage. Details coming out soon,” he wrote Saturday morning.

Gutu is part of the renegade former Depiuty President Thokozani Khupe’s faction and they have in recent days struggled to raise a few hundred followers, while Chamisa’s following soured into hundreds of thousands.

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Abel Muchenje Found Dead In Belgium

In his hay days… Abel Muchenje

By A Correspondent| A Zimbabwean cyclist, Abel Muchenje, has died in Belgium.

Muchenje, 33, risks being given a paupers’ burial in Belgium.

Muchenje was one of the stars from the TV program ‘Allez Allez Zimbabwe’, who were allegedly ill-treated upon landing in Belgium (after being picked up from Zimbabwe’s street as teenagers), a development that later led him to becoming bankrupt, the HLN publication reports.

He was dead found in his flat in the West Flemish Wielsbeke.

It has been alleged in the media that the reality program ‘Allez Allez Zimbabwe’s, Roger De Vlaeminck literally picked a few teenage boys from the street in Zimbabwe to make up as field riders in Flanders. The program had a large viewing figure in 2004, but the boys’ cycling careers went for the worse.

“Perhaps his death has to do with the epileptic fits that he had from the time of the program,” says Marianne Boute, who caught him when he arrived in Belgium. “They examined him then, but they could not identify a real problem at that time. He himself was firmly convinced that he was bewitched by his neighbor in his hometown Bulawayo. “Marianne Abel did not see much anymore. “He was always the quietest of that group.”

In his latter years, Abel worked as a warehouseman at a crane company.

At the time of writing it was not easy task to reach his parents and relatives in Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwean Mr Milton Chiturike told ZimEye they’re struggling to raise 7500 euros to send the body back to Zimbabwe. To donate to this cause, click below…

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Govt Awaits Chinese Rescue Package

The Zimbabwean government awaits a special rescue package from the Rupublic Of China.

This was revealed yesterday by the local Chinese deputy ambassador.

Ambassador Zhao Baogang said the Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold bilateral talks with President Emmerson Mnangagwa next week when China is expected to announce a new rescue package for Zimbabwe.

“A Chinese commercial bank and Afreximbank are holding discussions to find ways of easing the liquidity crisis facing Zimbabwe and measures to be implemented are expected to be announced during President Mnangagwa’s state visit to China,” said Mr Zhao.

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Chamisa Aides Told To Go Back To Square One

Job Sikhala…

Go back to square one, members of MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s close circuit have been told.

Announcing on Friday, MDC senior founding member, Job Sikhala said, “I sometimes wonder whether some people are normal.

“Why do they want to be imposed and evade the mill of a democratic process of going through primary elections to represent people. Do such people have functional brains or are just ambitious useless people?

“Chamisa went through the mill of the National Council seeking endorsement. I moved the motion if there is anybody who feel that he or she needs to lead the party at the recent NE meeting. No one showed interest.

“Same should be the process to anyone who wish to hold any position in the party, whether being a Councillor or an MP you must be exposed to the people. If you are wanted people will speak. No one will be imposed on my face. Never. Seek the people’s mandate to represent them not hallucinating kuti you want to be imposed.”

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Chamisa’s Own Scarf Unveiled Torches Storm

While the world’s most travelled scarf worn by President Emmerson Mnangagwa touches ground in China this weekend; coming from Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Switzerland, Bostwana, DRC among many countries, his opponent MDC leader has launched his own scarf. Advocate Nelson Chamisa’s scarf has his face and MDC logo on it.

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Prof. Moyo Explodes Will Download Secret Files, Russia, USA Targets Involved

Dorothy Moyo | It appears like no holds barred as former minister under Robert Mugabe’s regime, Professor Jonathan Moyo is about to blow out and expose the person behind the twitter account who uses his handle to defend the junta and President Emmerson Mnangagwa, attacking Moyo and pro democracy activists. Moyo explains that the junta project run under the fake account  involves Russians, Americans with more details to be unleashed. He simply writes, ‘watch the space.’

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Mnangagwa Vs Chamisa- Lucifer, Paul And Joshua Play Out, Which Is Which?

Elijah Mangwengwende | According to the Bible before his conversion, Paul, then known as Saul, was a zealot, a Pharisee of Pharisees, who intensely persecuted the followers of Jesus. But in a radical turn of events Paul converted on the way to Damascus; spends three years in Arabia; returns to Damascus to preach Jesus as Messiah.

Are we then experiencing similar account in Zimbabwe? Our current President, just like Paul, he is now known as ED, a converted man, not former Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa. On his long journey in Mozambique on foot en-route to South Africa, did the President receive a message from God in the form of light just like Apostle Paul?

We now hear the President saying “The voice of people is the voice of God”, was it the message God passed unto him while in the wilderness in Mozambique?

If not, what then are the motivations behind this radical transformation, especially from a man who has been a loyal disciple of Mugabe for nearly 50 years. President Ed calls Mugabe his father, is it that the fatherhood of Mugabe to ED has gone through a tremendous transformation to be a failed father since the day he was sacked from VP post last November or is it that President ED simply forgets.

Without being personal, President ED has been a loyal servant to the former President, he was part and parcel of everything Mugabe did since 1980, and it is hard to separate Mugabe and Mnangagwa, in reality they are like Siamese twins.

What I want to highlight today is, do we in our reasonable senses expect those responsible for our misery become our Messiahs when they reward our individual selves with crumbs to repair the very shoes that their system damaged?

Are we promoting an innocuous disintegration of a political fabric that we seek to build because our stomachs are empty to the extent of following our yesteryear persecutors considering the pain we endured under the leadership of ZANU PF, are we going to simply forget the brutality of our security services under the stewardship of the very apostles preaching peace and development today?

I know amongst our citizens, there are those who have mastered the art of vulturism, they will always disembark the train moments before it derails, they betray anyone and follow whoever they think may fatten their pockets, am surprised even senior opposition figures have blindly followed the grave train abandoning the democratic project hoping to enrich themselves under the “new dispensation”.

But in most cases such people becomes unintended casualties and often stand in amazement in the way of a derailed train and crushed to death or beyond redemption.

Whether individual survival is more important than good-for-all is something that the future generations must intercourse with. It is up to the young generation of today to make informed decisions on whether to board a train going to nowhere, a train driven by people who stole their future over the years, degreed but no hope to gain employment, by now most graduates no longer remember what they studied at universities, to those parents who lost life savings due to economic mismanagement by President Ed and his party, think hard on whether you can trust same people again to reimburse your hard earned cash. To those who lost their loved ones, is it that you can simply forgive and forget?

To the lost comrades in opposition, ask yourselves whether Sekuru Mushore is interested in power struggles. Our people want bread, butter and milk on the table, stable electric power for irrigation projects, modern transport, jobs for the sons and daughters who recently graduated from universities and colleges, no comrades you are missing the point, those who are calling for elective congress at this crucial juncture are bent on realising the ZANU PF dream of a total wipe out of opposition through infiltration which is a betrayal of villagers from Buhera to Dotito, Manana to Matopos with whom their hopes of new Zimbabwe now lies with the incoming of visionary leadership of President Nelson Chamisa.

The current dichotomy calls for crucial reflections amongst ourselves as a people on what we see as our future, as our vision for tomorrow, and ultimately our legacy and gift to future generations. We are obligated to defend and create a future for successive generations as envisaged by President Chamisa and upholding the very core liberation ideals that spoke to popular participation in political and economic life, that is democracy.

This is the time to regroup, provide leadership and take charge of the revolution. Comrades fall, the final Revolution Beckons and motherland spills hopes for mankind.

Elijah Mangwengwende writes in his personal capacity and an advocate for democracy, better future for the youths and our senior citizens

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Advocate Chamisa And Dr Nkosana Moyo A Workable Hit | OPINION

NOMAZULU-THATA-FIRE

Nomazulu Thata |At the eleventh hour before the 2018 general elections we need to think practically and regroup if we are to win the coming elections. Something bigger and greater than thunder must happen with expediency to bring together the MDC-Chamisa and APA-Nkosana Moyo to compete together in the elections against our monster Zanu PF. In my own opinion this is the most workable and winnable alliance the two parties can do for the benefit of the entire population.

It is now not possible to rubbish the crowd that advocate Chamisa draws each time there are MDC-rallies. It is also not possible to rubbish Dr Nkosana’s well-thought-through policies that can bring change as they are indeed transparent and practicable in their implementation. Nkosana may be uncharismatic but he has something to offer for the nation. For the good of the nation can you: Chamisa and Nkosana swallow your pride and give the nation hope, please, please?

Chamisa should expediently bring Nkosana Moyo as his alliance partner for the coming elections at all cost. Chamisa is better saved with Nkosana than all other alliance partners he already has, put together. Some of the partners in MDC alliance have brought no value in the tent. You have to ask yourself, what value is Professor Ncube bringing into the alliance? What is Advocate Biti bringing into the alliance? MDC is recycling politicians who are no longer recyclable. They bring nothing to the grand alliance. If I still remember, that was the bone of contention with Dr. Thokozani Khuphe and her Bulawayo group. Whoever is invited into a group of any organisation, bring value to the group. Again: What value is he/she going to bring in for the benefit of that organisation? Chamisa’s alliance: just by the presence of Professor Ncube and Biti in his tent, risks defeat especially in Mathebeleland. Professor Ncube is not preferred candidate to sell to the electorate in Mathebeleland: he is unloved because of many personal scandals he has committed in the region. If anything, Professor Ncube is fighting to get into parliament: gets the limelight he craves and never beyond the national service.

We have political parties who are as many as 112 in the 2018 coming elections. It means 112 people aspire to be the next president of Zimbabwe. This number alone exposes greediness in our politicians and never to serve the nation. This evident splitting of votes to favour the incumbent party Zanu PF is a very disturbing development. Politics in Zimbabwe generally and to most politicians is a way of looking for a job and to personally survive and is never national service. If indeed all these 111 aspiring presidents had people and the country at heart they would swallow their pride the next day, and form a strong unshakable tent with one presidential candidate. Only then can we decimate Zanu PF from the political map of Zimbabwe altogether.

Zimbabwean political leaders should now rise above those narrow confines of greed. The formation of so many parties reflects a notion or thinking they are the right candidate for the highest job in Zimbabwe: how selfish. Democracy yes it is allowed, but we see people with little or no leadership qualities whatsoever, lining up as presidential candidates or chasing after this favoured job, have no idea about governance and how it functions, their policies are downloaded from internet and may not necessarily be a reflection of Zimbabwe’s specific policy demands. If we had 8 political parties competing against each other that would be considered as healthy democracy, but for goodness sake 112 political parties with a population of 10 million is the craziest thing that can happen in Zimbabwe. Alone in countries with the best democracies in this world, they have two parties to ten at the most. What makes Zimbabweans think we need so many of them, is it possible to have 112 policies that differ from one another and be able to sell the electorate arguing against all other 111 policies?

There seem not to be any fundamental or ideological differences in their policies and manifestos in most of them. It means they have to sell their faces, ethnic inclination, and academic qualification to the electorate to get the vote desperately needed to win. It could be prudent at this moment to say the bigger opposition parties should be the ones to be considered in the election by the electorate. The rest should find a political home in those bigger tents so that we have a clean win as opposition, come elections. We the electorate have swallowed our pride in supporting those parties with credibility. We have come to realize that if Nkosana Moyo was included in those larger opposition groups, he can play his part in lifting the lives of many millions of our citizens. We have swallowed our pride to accept him as a game-changer in the future dispensation. We cannot afford to still split him in his election campaigns. When you are in darkness for so long you begin to appreciate light. Nkosana has to be practical to send a message of alliance to other opposition parties. You cannot have the cake alone in this chaos we are in, it will be challenging to win out rightly and form a government alone without coalition.

It was a sad day yesterday when we saw POVO launching its manifesto. Those leaders in the POVO could have in the interest of the nation, joined other opposition parties ever to give the Zanu PF party a middle finger. Can we not see the desperation in our citizenship? People want revolutionary changes immediately after the elections. We now have seen that new Zanu PF dispensation is all out to sell Zimbabwe to richer countries so that they continue to loot and enjoy the resources of this great nation on their own. If Mnangagwa was serious about transforming this economy we could have been some semblance of economic changes on the ground.

Doctors continue to get wages way below their qualifications. There is no equipment in hospitals, there are no drugs too. Teachers are given peanuts as wages; hence they have now started to behave like monkeys: they will be demonstrating equally as what the doctors have done. Schools, some of which are so dilapidated and ill funded, have not been attended to ever since Mnangagwa took office. There are old science equipments and books in most schools in the rural areas. The police are not doing their work, instead we read about police who are now criminals themselves because of poor condition of work and wages below the poverty datum line. Some places in rural areas are dangerous because of broken down policing which is no longer effective. How many times do we read of children raped in rural areas, and some police are bribe able by those offenders. How many times do we read of young men raping very old women living alone in rural areas? Water treatment plants are not functional in most cities and towns. Corruption is one sided: only applies to the G40 group. The army is doing havoc in towns and cities: its payday for them. They even demand free sex from prostitutes. Carnegies in our roads: we lose lives every day in accident cases. Starvation in some rural areas is obvious: food assistance is wholly politicised. That’s our new dispensation for you!

We badly need a new dispensation and surely not the Mnangagwa failed one. Mnangagwa and this Zanu PF government will not manage change this dilapidated economy by any stretch of our imagination. Instead they will further destroy and further loot our resources for themselves. One needs to see the current cabinet of the new government, all of the same cloth. This government is a failed one long back since 1980. Mnangagwa cannot tell us he can do better if he was in Mugabe’s government for three decades. Mnangagwa has demonstrated that he is not smart at all but is challenged by the presidency.

We need new names, said NoViolet Bulawayo. Indeed we need new names in our political dispensation. Please dear aspiring leaders, think about the nation, the people, and the coming generations. Politics of today shapes the politics of the coming generations to come. We cannot afford to behave greedily as we are doing now. We cannot afford this craziness of 112 parties in a totally failed economy that has a population of 10 million. Dear leaders remove this greediness in your search for fame and fortune, to be known you have to be a politician. To be important you have to be a politician. We know politics is job seeking in Zimbabwe and it is for this reason we find eighty year old grandfathers and grandmothers clinging for political posts it did not matter how over spent forces they are.

We have not seen it yet, when all parties will start fielding parliamentary constituencies: real fighting will start. Most of them cannot envisage life outside politics. It is understood perhaps in a country that has 95% unemployment. Where will they employment if they left politics? We should just stop seeing politics as means to an end. There is a lot to be done outside politics. True revolutionaries will see their chance in community development, uplifting the lives of the marginalized societies. A lot of politics is outside towns and cities. My appeal for today is: Can Chamisa and Nkosana Moyo do the right thing just one day for the good of the nation, to bring your strengths together: one has numbers and the other has sound and practical policies: economic and otherwise: see who has what talent and you work together for the common good.

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The Late Tsvangirai’s Double Jeopardy

The late Movement for Democratic Change had an overwhelming send-off but he has left splitting headaches in the two things that were close to his heart- his family and the party.

Both, the family and the party are split.

The family has been forced to get two executors of his real estate because his wife Elizabeth does not seem to agree with his first wife Susan’s children and Tsvangirai’s brothers.

Tsvangirai’s mother threatened to hang herself if Elizabeth and Nelson Chamisa attended her son’s funeral but they both attended with Chamisa being the key speaker at all functions.

Elizabeth was humiliated and the excuse was that she had married a polygamous man and could therefore not get special treatment.

Ironically, no other woman seems to be claiming Tsvangirai’s estate though reports say Elizabeth has two of Tsvangirai’s children by another woman on her side.

Now the High Court, according to Newsday has appointed two executors for Tsvangirai’s Estate, Innocent Chagonda representing Elizabeth and Jonathan Samkange representing the Tsvangirai family.

In the party Chamisa has taken over the reins but has fired Thokozani Khupe who says she is going it alone but will retain the MDC-T name.

The Chamisa led faction has threatened to recall Khupe and expelled organising secretary Abednigo from Parliament.

Newsday, however, reports that Khupe and two others expelled from the party-Bhebhe and Obert Gutu- have not yet received their expulsion papers.

Both dramas are continuing to unfold and there is no clear winner yet.

While Elizabeth seems to have an upper hand in the family dispute, she could face a torrid time from Susan’s children and Tsvangirai’s brothers.

Chamisa also seems to have an upper hand but Khupe and her colleagues could also give him a few headaches because they are claiming that he breached the party constitution to grab party leadership.

Sadly, both tragedies could spill into election time and disrupt Chamisa’s campaign while the family dispute could open a can of worms if previous divorces of prominent politicians like Chombo and Marian, Chiyangwa and Elizabeth are anything to go by.insider

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Zoey Runs Hot S*x School

A local sex school fronted by popular pole dancer and stripper Zoey Sifelani and partners has become a hit with women.

Situated in Mabelreign, the school gives sex education to women, teaching them new styles – which she termed ‘modern sex’ – to practice during sex sessions.

Zoey believes she has done much and the challenge is now for men to match the skills the women would have acquired.

“The bedroom problems are real, some women are clueless on what to do in bed. They come and share their problems with us and we assist them. We give them sex education, how to please their men between the sheets. We even teach them how to do oral sex. A number of women are complaining that their husbands are cheating on them and I want to bring that to an end. Women need to satisfy their men, give them what they are getting at ‘small houses’,” she said.

“The problem is now with the men, some are even failing to satisfy the women. The women come here and we teach them and they master the bedroom moves. When they go back home, and practice the moves, the men then fail to keep up. Mumwe akati Zoey ndangomuitira one style akaita hwejongwe,” she said.

Zoey believes men should also enhance their skills in order to satisfy their women. Zoey suggested ‘weak’ men to try out natural remedies such as herbs.

“Some even ask us what we can do to help their men satisfy them in bed,” she said.

“People are scared of trying some natural remedies. In most cases these natural remedies such as herbs do not have side effects and what is only needed is to get them from a reputable someone. I will recommend Twelve O Two. We will be having them at our school so that the trained women will take their herbs to their partners. It’s like a partnership I have entered with them (Twelve O Two) so that both parties are satisfied.

“What I know is the women that I teach vanonopedzera varume vavo and those men need endurance during sex.

“If someone is taking an enhancement, you just don’t have to be selfish. Take the herbs together with your partner so that the enjoyment will be mutual, nakirwai mese,” she said.

Twelve O Two said they supply herbs that assist people with various bedroom issue.

“Our job is to get people’s concerns and we assist them with the natural herbs. Ours do not have side effects and we get them from reputable suppliers and deliver them to the people. We are at Vanguard House along Kenneth Kaunda opposite NRZ Harare station and anyone can visit us or they can contact us and we do a delivery for them on our numbers 0776935202. We value privacy of our clients.

“Several men come here for enlargement of their organs, remedies to increase their sex drive. Women are also catered for with remedies to increase sex drive, enlarge hips, bums and breasts,” said a representative.- H-Metro

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Lloyd Mutasa Blames Epoupa Absence For Dembare Loss

NATIONAL NEWS

Terrence Mawawa | Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa is extremely worried about his team’s second defeat in three matches.

Dynamos who drew 3-3 draw with Shabanie Mine last Sunday lost 1-0 to Ngezi Platinum Stars yesterday.

“We thought by conceding three goals against Shabanie, it was more to do with our defence being porous and we were working to rectify that as we thought our strikeforce was fine after scoring those three goals,” Mutasa told state media.

“Unfortunately, we failed to score. It is getting worrisome as you saw we once again failed to defend a high ball,” said Mutasa.

The Dynamos gaffer also bemoaned the absence of striker Christian Joel Epoupa Ntouba.

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Former Dep- Minister Gandawa Arrested | BREAKING NEWS

By Snodia Mawupeni, Hurungwe | Former deputy minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Dr Godfrey Gandawa has been arrested.

Gandawa was arrested on Friday at Magunje growth point about 35 kilometers west of Karoi.

Insiders told ZimEye.com Gandawa was arrested around mid day.” He was at Magunje growth point and four men in a twin cab at businessman’s shop- Mupaya approached him. He was ordered to leave his car before he was whisked away in a double cab vehicle with around 3 or 4 men in it. Most probably taken to Harare.”

Another source who refused to be named added that his car is still at the growth point.

“Don’t quote me l arrived there when he had been taken away. It was around 12.30 or just after 1. I only saw the car which is now in the custody of the bussinessman. As of 4pm the car was still there,” said the source.

There was no official comment at the time of writing although Gabdawa was last year arrested for abuse of Zimdef funds with his former boss exiled Prof Jonathan Moyo. More to follow…

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Wadyajena Donates 30 Tonnes Of Rice To Constituency

Hundreds of disadvantaged families from Gokwe Nembudziya have benefitted from an initiative undertaken by legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena in line with efforts to guarantee food security at household level.

Erratic rainfall patterns experienced in the country during the October to December rainfall period severely affected the maize crop across the country exposing many families to the harsh reality of food insecurity.

To safeguard against the resulting effects of this situation   which affected areas like Mudzi, Rushinga and Gokwe, Wadyajena undertook an initiative to cushion farmers in his constituency by donating 30 tonnes of rice targeted to benefit over 5000 families.

Addressing hundreds of people in Gokwe Nembudziya, Wadyajena emphasized the need for everyone in the community to benefit regardless of political affiliation since it is a donation from the President.

The emphasis by the legislator puts to shame what opposition political parties have been alleging regarding partisan distribution of food to communities.

Zimbabwe has received inadequate rains in some parts of the country hence affecting yields for this season while other ecological regions had enough rains to guarantee bumper harvest.- state media

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Woman Runs Amok, Assaults Hubby, Mother-in-law

NATIONAL NEWS

Terrence Mawawa | A Shurugwi woman ran amok and bashed her husband before assaulting her mother-in-law.

The woman, Ruzvidzo Mdala was charged with domestic violence when she appeared before Shurugwi Magistrate Sangster Tavengwa last week.

Facts of the State case were that Ruzvidzo’ s husband, Chefundi Mdala arrived home around 8 pm and the latter accused him of being promiscuous.

She then began to assault her husband and the couple’ s daughter, Ayanda confronted her mother and blocked her from further attacking her dad.

An irate Ruzvidzo then spat into her mother-in-law’ s face and she also assaulted her.

Ruzvidzo was sentenced to six months in prison.

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Grace Mugabe Shadow Haunts Zanu PF

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | Zanu PF Masvingo Provincial Chairperson, Ezra Chadzamira, has accused G-40 elements within the ruling party of creating parallel structures to destabilise campaign programmes.

Addressing party members in Masvingo yesterday, Chadzamira said party elements sympathetic to former First Lady Grace Mugabe were creating commotion by forming parallel structures.

“Our party is very strong but there are individuals who are deliberately creating parallel structures to disturb our activities.

The individuals belong to the G-40 cabal. We have to take action before it is too late,” said Chadzamira.

Ironically, Chadzamira last month ordered party members in the province to stop the victimisation of suspected G-40 elements.

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Give Us Jobs, Not Broiler Chicks, Residents Tell Zanu PF Official

Terrence Mawawa | Zvishavane residents have described the donation of 250 000 broiler chicks to members of the local community by a Zanu PF official as a cheap political gimmick.

Last week Zanu PF national youth affairs deputy secretary Lewis Matutu donated 250 000 broiler chicks to Zvishavane residents.

Matutu is eyeing the Zvishavane- Ngezi Constituency.

In response to Matutu’ s manoeuvre, local residents lampooned the ruling party for attempting to hoodwink the desperate people of Zimbabwe.

Johnson Sayi, a Zvishavane vendor said:” We want jobs, not broiler chicks.

We are tired of the ruling party’ s old and useless tricks.”

Another vendor, Minah, said local residents would not be moved by Matutu’ s so called kind gesture.

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UNMASKED: ED Apologist In Crazy Anti-USA Propaganda, Attacks Senators

By Wilbert Mukori | Dear Obi Egbuna Jr,

You are a Zanu PF apologist who has written some nonsensical articles in defence of the regime in the past but this time you have really gone over and beyond the call of duty. Even an apologist is entitled to some self-respect; in your recent article, you have sold your body and soul to the devil!

“We have to say by attempting to use the US-EU sanctions as a political measure aimed at the strangulating and intimidating President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF, liberals like former VP Biden and Senator Coons are upholding the tradition of Delaware, who as so-called African Americans are well aware rejected the 13th 14th and 15th amendments that were aimed at abolishing chattel slavery being incorporated into the US Constitution. Delaware rejected the 13th amendment on February 8, 1865, the 14th Amendment on February 8, 1867 and the 15th amendment was rejected on March 18, 1869,” you wrote.

Former VP Biden and Senator Coons did not vote to reject the 13th Amendment on February 8, 1865 for the simple reason that they were not alive at the time. But even if they had been alive then, these two gentlemen have done nothing that would lead anyone to concluded they would have voted to reject the abolition of slavery. On the contrary, what they have done would leave one in no doubt that they would have been leading the drive to abolish slavery from the front.

The two have called for the imposition of targeted sanction of Zanu PF leaders as a way of forcing the regime to uphold human rights including the right to free and fair elections. The regime and its apologists have always denied failing to hold free and fair elections and insisting the sanctions were imposed to punish the regime for seizing farms from the whites.

SADC and the AU, African regional groups of which Zimbabwe is a member have since condemned Zimbabwe’s 2008 elections because the process was not free and fair and thus put to shame the denial that Zanu PF had failed to hold free and fair elections. SADC leaders forced Zanu PF to join hands with the two MDC factions to form a Government of Nation (GNU) which was then tasked to implement a raft of democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging future elections.

Sadly, the GNU failed to get even one reform implemented in five years because Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the trappings of the gravy train lifestyle and they, in return, kicked the reforms out of the window.

The Americans have said they will lift imposed sanctions on Zanu PF leaders if the regime implement the same reforms that SADC had called for; free media, free Police, allow Zimbabweans in the diaspora to vote, etc.

Ever since coming to power following the November 2017 coup, President Mnangagwa has promised to hold free, fair and credible elections. The reforms SADC called for and the American are reminding him of are the pre-requisite for free and fair elections. If he really meant to hold free and fair elections he should have implemented the reforms without any need to be prompted by anyone.

“We have to say by attempting to use the US-EU sanctions as a political measure aimed at the strangulating and intimidating President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF,” complain Obi Egbuna Jr.

Obi Egbuna Jr and his handlers in Zanu PF should be hanging their heads in shame that outsiders should putting pressure on Zanu PF to restore the freedoms and rights of Zimbabweans. It beggars belief that Obi Egbuna Jr should be defending the regime’s outrageous continued refusal to implement the reforms as if the regime has the right to rig elections.

It is President Mnangagwa that Obi, if he had even some semblances of common sense, should be comparing to the anti-abolitionists; they insisted that they had the right to own slaves and deny others their fundamental right to freedom, just as Mnangagwa is insisting that he has the right to rig elections and deny other their right to free and fair election.

“Zimbabwe is changing-politically, economically and societally-and we ask those who have punished us in the past to reconsider their sanctions against us. Zimbabwe is a land of potential, but it will be difficult to realise it with the weight of sanctions hanging from our necks,” wrote President Mnangagwa in the New York Times.

“Those who cling to the sanctions are stuck in the old Zimbabwe – the Zimbabwe of poverty and international isolationism.”

Out of his own mouth comes the history’s judgement! Of course, Zimbabwe will remain stuck in the past of vote rigging, corruption, tyranny and grinding poverty as long as those in power continue to resist meaningful democratic change.

The primary purpose of President Mnangagwa’s letter was to appeal to foreign investors and donors to do business in Zimbabwe again. There have been no takers because no investors want to do business in a country ruled by thugs. By stubbornly refusing to implement the democratic reforms designed to end Zanu PF’s carte blanche dictatorial powers President Mnangagwa and his apologists have confirmed that Zimbabwe is ruled by thugs stuck in their dictatorial ways!

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Zim Students Arrested In Cyprus

Government is concerned with the arrest of Zimbabwean students in Northern Cyprus, who are not on government scholarships, a cabinet minister has said.

Eight Zimbabwean students were arrested last week for a series of armed robberies and break-ins.

Minister of State Responsible for Government Scholarships in the Office of the President, Christopher Mushohwe told H-Metro that they were concerned about the arrests and were finding ways to assist.

He said the students are not on government scholarships, but since they are Zimbabweans, the government was compelled to assist.

“We are concerned about the students’ plight as they are Zimbabwean citizens.

“The students arrested in Northern Cyprus are not on government scholarship, they went there on a private arrangement on the backdrop that they are getting full scholarships but later realised that they had been deceived,” said the Minister.

He also said that they had engaged Northern Cyprus representative and Turkish Ambassador on the way forward

“I spoke to the Turkish Ambassador to help us work with the Universities where those students were attending school. This can help us to locate the agents who sent them there, so that they can help in finding a solution,” said Minister Mushohwe.

Turkey controls the Northern part of Cyprus where most Zimbabweans are studying on private scholarships.

Dr Mushohwe said most students are left stranded in countries such as Australia, China, Russia and Canada after receiving fake scholarships, resulting in them engaging in criminal activities to survive and pay for their tuition.

The Minister appealed to parents and students to verify the authenticity of the scholarships before they leave for studies.

“I appeal to parents and students seeking private scholarships to verify with universities abroad if the scholarships are genuine and also to verify if they are offered on 100 percent basis.”

“The problem is that parents and students get too excited that they got scholarships and fail to verify their genuineness. Circumstances like these could have been avoided.” said Dr Mushohwe.

Many international university agents have sprouted in the country offering scholarships abroad which have turned out to be fake. The agents are taking advantage that Zimbabweans enjoys going to school.- H-Metro

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Chamisa Is President No Regrets – Richard Tsvangirai

By Farai D Hove| One of the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s sons, Richard, has said he does not at all regret endorsing Nelson Chamisa as MDC leader.

Writing on Friday afternoon, Richard said he has no ambition to enter politics using his father’s name.

“I have never particularly identified myself as a politician but I have always held what my father stood for in high regards and respected his lifelong dedication to the people of Zimbabwe so it is only natural that I try to emulate that, ” wrote Tsvangirai

 

He continued saying, “when I chose to endorse president Chamisa, I did it because it was the right thing to do even though I faced a lot of criticism I still don’t regret making that decision.

 

“That’s what leadership is all about, doing what’s right even if people are against your decision, but at the end of the day, you know in your heart you made a good decision and not only is it going to benefit a few people with power but the powerless.

“However, hypothetically speaking if I choose to represent people whether it’s in MDC or anywhere else, the process of electing me has to be done in a democratic way, to be the son of an icon doesn’t give me any prestige in life.

“The only thing it does is, it motivates me to be a better person and someone who can be respected in the society. Everything Mdara achieved was through sacrifice and service, that’s how I plan to live my life.”

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Chiwenga Father-In-Law Turns Down ZIFA

Dynamos president and PSL chairman Keni Mubaiwa has refused to be appointed to the ZIFA executive board.

Mubaiwa was roped in after two members – Piraishe Mabhena and Felton Kamambo resigned yesterday.

In a letter sent to ZIFA, the Dembare boss said he is unable to take the post without a resolution from his PSL colleagues.

However, Keni Mubaiwa said he will only consider the appointment if the PSL endorse him.

Part of the letter reads: “Please be advised that I am unable to accept the co-option into the ZIFA Executive committee as a Board Member without a resolution from my fellow Premier Soccer League Board of Governors.

However, I may consider the co-option into the ZIFA Executive Committee should the PSL Board of Governors agree to convene a Special Congress and unanimously resolve that I accept the appointment.”

According to the ZIFA constitution, if more than 50% of the positions in the executive become vacant, the Secretary-General should take over the reigns while arranging for an elective congress to be held in short time.

Mabhena and Kamambo’s resignation plus the post left vacant following the death of Edzai Kasinauyo, Chiyangwa must now step down and hand over the power to his secretary.- soccer24

 

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Mawarire And “Cute” Buddies From Facebook Politics To The Povo On The Ground

By Don Chigumba | Pastor Evan Mawarire and crew are planning to launch a Political Coalition For Independent Council Candidates (POVO) at Harare Gardens on 29 March 2018. The main agenda of POVO is to field independent candidate for Harare council election. This piece therefore seeks to critically analyze the probable performance of POVO and other independent candidates who are going to participate in parliamentary election of 2018.
It is an open secret that POVO is a Facebook/Social Media Movement, consists of cute and handsome young women and men, eloquent in Western English. The coalition of independent candidates movement started in Kenya just before the 2017 elections. However, the coalition performed badly because they failed to win more than 1% of the entire seats of the 2017 elections in Kenya. Therefore the POVO movement in Zimbabwe should be very careful because their model failed to perform on the ground.
History has proven that, the success of a political party depends on its grassroots support base. The 2018 elections are going to be important for political analysts/researchers because they will be able to test the effectiveness of social media on political success. They will be able to quantitatively confirm the significance of these social media movements on political arena. It is true that POVO and other independent candidates lack grassroots support, a situation that is likely to negatively affect their political progress.
Apart from the poor grassroots support, POVO does not have a political philosophy. I define philosophy in this peace as political identity/ideology. There is no movement which can survive without a philosophy. The ZANU PF’s ideology under R.G Mugabe had a philosophy linked to local and black empowerment and that made it survive from 1999 up to the point of the military coup. ZANU PF under ED seems to be reversing the gains of R.G Mugabe’s black/local empowerment with new philosophical paradigm that is not yet clear to us.
ED’s reversal of R.G Mugabe’s ideological political philosophy is likely to deal ZANU PF party a heavy blow. We used to know ZANU PF through their chaotic land reform program. Today, ZANU PF under ED is failing to come up with a unique campaigning tool that can convince voters. ED’s ZANU PF of today seems to be gravitating towards MDC’s political ideology that is largely Western. ED has observed the importance of international community in running African economies and has started to reverse all what Mugabe started with his local/black empowerment philosophical ideology.
Just like ZANU PF, POVO will find it difficult to complete in the 2018 election because of the political philosophical ideology confusion. Where are the POVO members coming from? There are two schools of thought, first, majority of these POVO and independent candidates are alleged to have emanated from ZANU PF. They were in one way or another connected to ZANU PF since 1999 and the poor performance and ill-treatment of youths by ZANU PF forced them to jump the gun. Finally, another school of thought is that part of these POVO and independent candidates originated from Diaspora and social media gave them confidence to think that they can get political space in Zimbabwe.
POVO’s political ideology if well informed should be biased towards the youths in order for them to be different from ZANU PF. However, MDC Alliance will be their threat because it is a party full of youths and led by the young president. This will make it difficult for POVO coalition to survive within the political arena.
All in all, in terms of political ideology, POVO and ZANU PF are like an airplane without a ‘blackbox’. They need to define and sell their ideologies to the electorate on time. ED’s ideological position is becoming more Western than the original R.G Mugabe’s political philosophical position. For ED, going for 2018 election is a huge experiment and he should be extremely careful.
Conclusion
Majority of the independent candidates of 2018 elections are rooted on the social media i.e. Facebook, twitter, etc. They have to be very careful because social media in Africa has not yet been used in favor of independent candidates. Therefore, POVO should craft its unique political philosophy in order for it to avoid embarrassment, they need to come up with an attractive manifesto too.
I wish POVO success in their endeavors. They should not lose hope but keep moving by any means because Rome was not built in a day. However, POVO should work on how they are going to ideologically differentiate themselves from ZANU PF and MDC Alliance. POVO and other independent candidates should change their mindsets, a political game is beyond social media and should therefore leave a large space for disappointment.
Don Chigumba is a mixed methods research specialist, can be found on twitter

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PHD For Macheso

“We want the University of Zimbabwe to give Macheso an honorary doctorate. Help Nash Paints achieve this by liking and sharing this post. We are looking for 20 thousand likes #DrAMacheso#macheso4docterate Then we take it with UZ,” reads the post on the organisation’s facebook page.

Mutarisi confirmed the development to the Daily News, saying Macheso’s contribution to the music industry and society at large is unquestionable.

“Macheso is a musician par excellence and no one can dispute that. All of his albums are popular in Zimbabwe and abroad.

“Apart from this, I respect Macheso’s passion in humanitarian work, no wonder why a big organisation such as the Red Cross engaged him as their humanitarian brand ambassador,” said Mutarisi.

“He is very passionate in trying to improve other people’s lifestyle. I once attended a funeral of his close relative in the rural areas and I can testify that all the mourners ended up praising Macheso for his big heart.”

The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society humanitarian brand ambassador, maybe owing to his background, usually identifies talent in less-privileged people such as street kids.

Born on June 10 in 1968, Macheso told the Daily News in a previous interview that his music is a reflection of what he went through in life.

“I do not dream songs or use tsotso (muti) to spruce up my career but I only sing reality. My music is a true reflection of what I have gone through in my life. Ndinorarama negitare (I live on music).

“I grew up on a farm in Mashonaland Central Province under the care of my mother. I was told that my father left her while she was three months pregnant,” Macheso said.

“He only resurfaced later when I was six years old and from there, he never came back until now.”

Macheso said his personal background played a pivotal role in shaping his career.

“My mother wanted me to have a white-collar job like teaching but judging from the situation on the ground then it was impossible. Handina kuzopedzisa chikoro sevamwe vangu and this led me to move to Harare for greener pastures.

“I started professional music when I was just 15 and bar owners used to deny me access into their clubs back then as I was under-age and this led Nicholas Zakaria to intervene and negotiate on my behalf as I was the Khiama Boys bassist,” he said.

“Since I launched my solo career in 1997, I compose each song like my first track and mainly these songs are inspired by personal experiences.”

Some of the songs that were directly inspired by his upbringing include Monalisa on Zvakanaka Zvakadaro and Baba off latest album Tsoka Dzerwendo.

Macheso said he never thought he would be ranked among the finest artistes in the region when he launched his solo career in 1997.

“My music is not meant to thrill people hence I never imagined myself being regarded among the best musicians in the country; I take it as a platform to educate and communicate with my fans,” he said.

If awarded the degree, Macheso will join the list of music gurus such as Oliver Mtukudzi and Thomas Mapfumo.

In 2001, Mtukudzi released a song Wasakara, off the commercially successful studio album Bvuma/Tolerance and it was quickly interpreted as an indirect assault on the aging former president Robert Mugabe.

The track was an instant hit; academic Fred Zindi once claimed the song’s lyrics did not go down well with some high-profile individuals in society who then retaliated by denying the superstar a University of Zimbabwe degree just to fix him.

However, Zindi went on to claim that vice chancellor of Great Zimbabwe University Rungano Zvobgo took the opportunity and went on to confer Mtukudzi — whose artistic journey can be traced back to early 1970s — with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Ethno-Musicology and Choreography in 2014.- Daily News

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Where Is Mphoko?

I am worried about Mphoko.

No one is looking for him.
No one is talking about him.
No one is writing about him.
No one notices that no one is talking about him.

 

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Mugabe Voting For Mnangagwa …. Landslide Victory For ED In 2018 Elections

Mugabe and Mnangagwa

By Noble Ngara|  Today I read an article “Zimbabwe six months on: Life in the fast lane” by Eddie Cross. I just had to respond to him and many other opposition hopefuls. In his article Eddie, whom I respect for calling it as he sees it, regardless of his personal stake on the issue, describes the scintillating and “seamless” pace at which ED Mnangagwa carried out two important events in our country within the last five years. First it was the 2013 elections which ED won for ZANU-PF with a landslide. Second was the 2017 calamitous and epochal removal of Robert Mugabe from office. These two events are important because:
• They show ED operating unfettered for the first time as he was given carte blanche by Mugabe to run the 2013 elections.

• They also show how effectively and dramatically ED can pull a situation “out of the fire”

Eddie Cross suggests that Mugabe triggered his own demise by firing Mnangagwa and while I concur with this, it is by far not the full story! The reality is that ED and his team anticipated, expected and indeed manoeuvred Mugabe to fire him. Having a comprehensive psychological profile of both Grace and Bob, they goaded the woman into overdrive through innocuous yet irritating little rumours attributed to ED—the type of rumours that drove Grace over the edge—to self-destruct! Before ED and his team could take the quantum leap of moving the whole army against Bob, they needed Bob to cross a certain line—firing a long-time confidante and the highest ranking deputy in the party was that line. ED had done his homework and if this transition was going to be acceptable to the SADC and AU he needed to have been seriously provoked to act as he did—-to understand this better, one can refer to Baleka Mbete Speaker of SA Parliament when she was asked to comment about the events in Zimbabwe—Mbete said it was wrong for Robert Mugabe to have fired a “whole Vice President”—most African leaders would have felt the exact same thing. My point is that the firing of ED Mnangagwa was not a fluke or mistake, but rather a carefully planned option and eventuality by ED and his team—the only oblivious players caught at their sixes and sevens were Bob, Grace and Jonathan. And the masses, of course!
Eddie Cross intimates further that the involvement of the millions of people in the protest against Mugabe “came from an unexpected source”—-here Eddie Cross refers to the war veterans—-yes the call for people to march came from the war-veterans but it was also a carefully planned and orchestrated ruse—the war veterans had been spear-heading military interests for months against Mugabe and at the time things were happening the Chairman of the war veterans was in SA in full contact with ED and the military.

My whole argument is that Robert Mugabe and his wife were driven to go exactly where ED and his team wanted them; the masses also went where they were bid and they did so happily. ED’s modus operandi is quite simple—he goes with the flow—he follows the path of least resistance but at the end of it all, he knows how to manipulate events and personalities to his full advantage—always ending up on top of the situation. It is a rare talent and it is this very talent that saw Mzee Simon Muzenda recommending ED as presidential assistant to Mugabe—all the divide and rule antics attributed to Mugabe were the brains of ED in action—it is now quite clear that he was the cornerstone of Bob’s long stay in power.

Eddie Cross, who, though in the opposition, quite admires ED’s political prowess and with good reason, also gives the analogy of how a goat was devoured by a crocodile. He says the goat had drunk his fill and had just turned his back on the river, quite confident that he was walking away from danger—at that complacent moment the crocodile struck its fatal blow. On that Super Sunday, Grace Mugabe was also super confident that she had got rid of ED and yet that was her last moment in power!
All the foregoing argument is meant to demonstrate the following qualities of one political extrovert called Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa:
• Nothing around this guy happens by mistake or luck—he is a meticulous planner who keeps all his cards close to his chest
• If you are his adversary and you feel happy, excited or confident that you have won, that is likely the moment that you have lost the game—Chamisa is exactly where ED wants him!
• He is not a man who goes into a fight that he cannot win and yet often feigns weakness when he is strongest!
• His logic is simple but he almost always thinks outside the box
• He acts better than he talks and he has an excellent unflinching team!
Juxtapose these facts to the on-going electoral tussle and I am compelled to make the following conclusions:
1) ED is quite sure that he will win the elections and all his play at the moment is to pacify the international community and undercut any post-electoral protestations by the opposition—in this regard he is playing a game of CHESS while Chamisa is playing a game of DRAFT(or is that DAFT?)—not the same game!
2) ED knows that he is not a great orator and his strength is tangible deliverables of which his trump card would be the economy—-and he has been obsessing with that to the extent that the opposition do not see his footprints in campaigns—in view of this I predict that the economy will make a sudden and momentous recovery wiping out especially the shortage of currency almost overnight—ALL THIS WILL HAPPEN BEFORE ELECTIONS. We might even have the Zimdollar in circulation by election time!

3) Chamisa is busy playing the game of crowds—this game was “invented” by ED in the 2013 elections which beggars the question why ED is apparently not playing it now—there are several important reasons why he is deliberately delaying showing his cards namely:
• Letting Chamisa lead gives ED and his team time to copy and improve his act—-we will see bigger crowds by ED than by Chamisa before this election is over
• The psychology of elections is that the last word or message is the most influential—hence ED wants the masses to have his words ringing in their ears just before they put pen to ballot paper
• Competitive electioneering toe-toe in the streets will result in confrontations with the opposition who have demonstrated a bloodthirsty propensity for violence and the knack to blame the ruling party for it—hence they are pre-empted by his apparent lack of fervor on the streets—- in this regard, I see once again, that ED is playing POKER, while Chamisa is playing CHEKKERS!

Compiling and collating all the factors above without emotional inflection, it’s quite clear that ED and team will not only win this election with a landslide but the opposition won’t have a leg to stand on by way of protesting the results. If you thought that the removal of Robert Mugabe from power was dramatic, wait till you see these election results! Also, Mugabe will definitely vote for ED—kkkkkkk!!

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Goreraza Will Support Another Coup Against Mugabe

Stanley Goreraza| Yes, I supported the coup. I still support the coup. I would support another coup against Mr Mugabe, and another one after that.

I supported the invasion of Iraq and toppling of it’s dictator Saddam Hussein. I supported military action which toppled Libyan Dictator Muammar Al Gaddafi. I felt nothing watching the videos of both men getting executed.

Saddam Husseins dead son Uday would rape a wife with her husband watching. He would rape any woman he wanted in Iraq and if the husband dared complain he would be executed. His other son Qusay personally executed political prisoners with a pistol on video.

Gaddafi would go to Universities and select girls who would later be abducted by his secret service and delivered to him. He would rape these girls, turn them into sex slaves, releasing them after months or years. He kept a big freezer in an underground bunker in which he kept the bodies of people close to him that he had “disappeared”

If you have never gone to bed on an empty stomach you, will call it coup. If you do not know the pain and trauma of poverty you will complain about the coup in Zimbabwe.

It is Zimbabwean elites, the well fed who today can afford to oppose the coup. They have never had it really bad. They would fly in and out of Zimbabwe, shopping all over the world. They don’t care whether Mugabe is in power or not. It doesn’t really affect their comfortable and luxurious lives in Borrowdale and Highlands.

Go and march in the streets under the hashtag #bringmugabeback

But don’t you ever say #bringbackItaiDzamara because that would not make sense.

#bringbackMugabe
#bringbacksaddam
#bringbackGaddafi

It’s one and the same hash tag.

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Drama As Urinating Cop Attacks Colleague

Police officer stationed in Victoria Falls has been fined $50 after he beat up a workmate who had rebuked him for urinating on the veranda at the Registrar General’s Office.
Constable Tendai Vhurande (34), who resides at Victoria Falls Camp and Const Nicholas Chatambarara (27) of 5003 Chinotimba suburb, were guarding Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) material at the Victoria Falls Registrar’s Office on January 2 this year when the offence was committed.

Const Vhurande slapped Const Chatambarara three times after the latter confronted him for urinating on the veranda at the Registrar General’s Office.

Const Vhurande was convicted on his own plea of guilty to assault when he appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje. He was fined $50 for the offence.

Prosecuting, Mr David Tivakudze told how Const Vhurande assaulted his workmate.
“On the 2nd of January 2018 and in the early hours, Const Chatambarara was taking over duty from Const Vhurande, who is the accused, at the Victoria Falls Registrar General’s Office. The accused went to the veranda and started urinating,” said Mr Tivakudze.
The court was told that Const Chatambarara advised his workmate that what he was doing was improper since the veranda is used by members of the public during the day. This did not go down well with the accused who charged at Const Chatambarara and slapped him thrice on the face before head-butting him. State Media

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WATCH: Khama Farewell Jive

 

Botswana’s President Ian Khama steps down, in the video below he is seen dancing at a Farewell party.

 

Botswana’s President Ian Khama steps down, in the video below he is seen dancing at a Farewell party.

Botswana’s President Ian Khama steps down, in the video below he is seen dancing at a Farewell party.

 

Botswana’s President Ian Khama steps down, in the video below he is seen dancing at a Farewell party.w

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Liz, Tsvangirai Children Fight Over Estate

Row over the late MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai (pictured)’s estate continued this week, resulting in the Master of the High Court reportedly appointing two executors.

One of the executors will represent Tsvangirai’s family and the other Elizabeth Macheka after the two parties failed to settle for one.

Tsvangirai died in February and his family is divided on the way forward regarding the estate with his wife, the surviving spouse, dominating the inheritance.

A letter to one of the family members seen by NewsDay confirmed that a meeting took place at the Master of the High Court.

“This letter serves to inform you that at 9:30am on March 27, 2018, there will be an edict meeting (meeting for purposes of, among other things, choosing an executor in this estate) at the offices of the Master of High Court in Harare,” the letter read.
Elizabeth is claiming entitlement to the estate.

She reportedly has the support of Tsvangirai’s other two children, Miriro and Richard, from another union.

The rest of the children and other family members were up in arms with her, with others challenging the fact that she was the surviving spouse. They are accusing her of deserting Morgan in times of need.

After the meeting, two executors, lawyers Innocent Chagonda and Jonathan Samukange were appointed representing Elizabeth and Tsvangirai family in particular.
Chagonda confirmed that he was the executor, but was yet to be formally advised, as he left the proceedings early.

Samkange confirmed the development.
“There is an agreement that there will be two executors. I will be representing Tsvangirai family and the other one will be representing Elizabeth,” he said.
Samukange said it was permissible to have two executors if the parties fail to agree.

“If the parties fail to agree, the Master can appoint two executors. The next step is that the two will sit and compile an inventory which will be submitted to the Master.”

Samukange said they will be looking at the creditors and debtors of Tsvangirai and if there are debts, they will be offset by the estate before distribution.
Since the last days of Tsvangirai, there has been bad blood between Tsvangirai family and Elizabeth. At the airport when Tsvangirai’s body arrived from South Africa, his mother vowed that Elizabeth must not attend the funeral or else she will commit suicide in protest.

Elizabeth’s backers accused Tsvangirai’s family of trying to segregate her so that she will be sidelined from the proceedings and ultimately fail to get part of the late MDC-T leader’s estate.

Sources however, claim Tsvangirai was done off with his elderly children, accusing them of prioritising his estate during his last moments.

“Elderly children were trying to ring-fence their father and block anyone from seeing him. They also didn’t want his two other children to have something from his estate as they were widely seen to be friendly to Elizabeth,” the source said.

“The fights between Tsvangirai’s family and Elizabeth have been there, but they were worsened when Tsvangirai’s health deteriorated. Now the fights will go on because of benefits that are set to be released.

“If one analyses the way she was treated in South Africa and the funeral, it’s very easy to see there is a bigger untold story.”
Others claim there were confrontations between Elizabeth and Tsvangirai’s elderly daughter, Vimbai. Vimbai refused to discuss the matter with NewsDay yesterday.

However, others blamed Elizabeth of not failing to stand with her late husband. Given the hostility the two executors are expected to come up with the way forward. – Newsday

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Ruvheneko Faces Arrest | LATEST

Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe chairman, Tafadzwa Musarara, has approached the court seeking former ZiFM Stereo’s programmes manager, Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa’s incarceration for allegedly defying a court order compelling her to apologise for defaming the businessman.

Musarara said he is seeking a 60-day incarceration for Parirenyatwa, after she deliberately refused to apologise on a social media platform she had used to defame him.
In 2016, Musarara filed a $200 000 defamation lawsuit against Parirenyatwa.

The respondent had claimed on social media that she had not invited Musarara to her programme where she interviewed #ThisFlag founder, Evan Mawarire. Parirenyatwa’s statement resulted in the public attacking Musarara instead.

However, when the parties appeared before High Court judge, Justice Helena Charewa last November, Parirenyatwa pleaded with Musarara not to pursue the litigation and offered to publicly apologise on the same social media platform, leading to a deed of settlement.

“I gave the respondent (Parirenyatwa) my ear and because of the heart rendering explanation, I agreed to the respondent’s proposal for an amicable resolution of the matter. On November 2, 2017 I entered into a deed of settlement with the respondent, which culminated in an order by consent of the parties,” Musarara said.

“In terms of the deed of settlement, the respondent was to issue an apology in the words specified therein within a period of seven days. The respondent has not issued out the apology. She has instead opened a new account on the Twitter platform with a viewership of 75 people on which she purportedly apologised. The Twitter account she had used to defame me had a 33 000 viewership or followers at the time of the delict complained of. The respondent has effectively refused to comply with an order of court which order she consented to.”

Musarara said on the day in question, Parirenyatwa sent him a message from her work designated mobile number, asking him to call her back and when he did, she invited him to be a guest on the programme called The Platform, which also featured Mawarire.

Musarara said after the interview, Parirenyatwa’s Twitter statement was “wrongful, false and malicious” and intentionally designed to make him be perceived by the general public as a bully, who budged into her studio uninvited.

The matter is yet to be set down for hearing.- Newsday

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Chamisa Beats Mnangagwa In Chitungwiza Mayoral Race

Chitungwiza councillors yesterday elected MDC-T’s Musekiwa Ruzvidzo as acting mayor ahead of Zanu PF’s Betty Jasoni Dokora.

The move all but sealed the fate of the three-member Madzudzo Pawadyira-led commission which residents had taken to court over its continued stay after the expiry of its term of office last year.

Ruzvidzo won by one vote after the seven MDC-T councillors and six from Zanu PF held a secret ballot at council chambers following nominations of the two candidates for the post.

Town clerk Charity Maunga told NewsDay in an interview that the election of Ruzvidzo was done as required by the law, particularly Section 104(3) Chapter 29 of the Urban Council’s Act.

“This was done according to Section 104(3) Chapter 29 of the Urban Council’s Act. He is acting mayor until such a time that we have a mayor and or deputy mayor the moment one of those comes back the acting mayor’s term of office automatically expires.

“This is just to ensure the smooth running of council business because for council there is need for a chair of council meetings and the mayor does that functions. Since there is no mayor or deputy mayor we have to elect an acting mayor to fill-in for the mayor or deputy mayor and also to perform any other function that may be so required,” Maunga said.

Asked about the fate of the commission Maunga referred all the questions to Local Government minister, July Moyo who was not reachable yesterday.

“I was not the appointing authority so I can’t comment, should you require a comment the best person to approach is the Minister on that one,” she said.

Ruzvidzo told NewsDay after the elections that the unity among the stakeholders was key to improved service delivery in the town.

“Unity is the way forward, service delivery is key. Within this short time frame I am going to make sure that the residents as well as the employees will see changes.”

Former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere last year suspended 24 councillors including Chitungwiza mayor Phillip Mutoti out of the 25 in Chitungwiza on allegations of corruption and appointed a commission to run the town’s affairs.

Thirteen of the suspended councillors, including Ruzvidzo, resumed work on Monday after their recent exoneration by a three-member tribunal, headed by Virginia Mudimu.

Residents also filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court through the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZHLR) against Kasukuwere’s successor, July Moyo challenging the continued illegal stay of a three-member caretaker commission since August last year.- Newsday

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Grace And Robert Mugabe Will Not Bring Anybody Freedom

Muckracker | “Clearly Zanu PF has gone soft. Where are the 30-minute news bulletins on ZBC denouncing America? Where is Tafataona Mahoso with a brief 4 500-word piece in the Sunday Mail to quickly dismiss these meddlesome imperialist Kissinger-acolytes?”

It is not every day Muckraker applauds anyone, much less scribes from the state media. However, the solidarity shown by the state media when overzealous Zanu PF Manicaland provincial chairperson Mike Madiro barred private media from covering the ruling party’s extraordinary provincial co-ordinating committee meeting held in Mutare on Saturday deserves rare applause.

“I am sorry if there are journalists, especially from the private media, they should leave the meeting except those from the state media,” he said. But state media journalists also walked out in solidarity with their colleagues from the private media. It is such buffoonery that makes Muckraker choke on his tea whenever the phrase “new dispensation” is used to describe the government of Mnangagwa who got into power riding shotgun (no pun intended) on the back of a military coup.

It shows that nothing has changed. If anything, this is a typical case of old wine in new skins as the fear of democracy and accountability remains. Madiro is one of those stuck in a time warp and has not received the message from his boss President Emmerson Mnangagwa that it is not business as usual.

In any case, to expect the same mandarins responsible for the country’s regression to lead a new economic order is nothing short of ridiculous.

Jumbo scandal

Zimbabweans were shocked this week to learn that the search for an alleged mastermind of elephant tusk smuggling may have, fittingly, led to the ivory tower.

Muckraker is glad that the alleged ivory theft in which former first lady Grace Mugabe is implicated is finally being addressed. How many times did we hear salacious rumours that the owners of the trade, which at times involves the poisoning of poor elephants, led up right to “Blue Roof”?

A scandal of jumbo proportions, the gossip-mongers would say in hushed tones. It was the elephant in the room.
All loyal Zimbabweans should be hoping that all of these claims are just not true. One suspects that this is the new old dispensation, trying for the umpteenth time, to sully the reputation of the leaders of the old dispensation.

Besides, why waste national resources? Muckraker recalls some do-gooders celebrating the sight of Kenya burning its stockpile of ivory a couple of years ago, in a move they claimed was to cut off supply to the illegal market.
Now, around that same time, some people in Zimbabwe started suggesting that we too must burn our stockpile.
Storage space was running out anyway, they said. At the time, it was reported by National Parks that we had some 70 tonnes of ivory packed to the rafters in stock. Kenya had incinerated a 105-tonne pile of ivory, valued at US$106 million.

At the mention of US$106 million, calculators were whipped out. Had we burned that 70-tonne stockpile, the nation would have lost almost US$70 million. It must have been at the moment of that realisation that screams of shock echoed from Ivory Tower and all across the leafy Borrowdale Brooke valley. Why are people this reckless with our natural resources?

Surely, instead of burning money — and we know this money burning has in the past been a national preoccupation — surely a more reasonable arrangement could be made to save these tusks by surrendering them into the safe custody of trusted national leaders?

If reports are true, then it seems people saw sense in the end, and dutifully delivered said jumbo tusks to Ivory Tower for safekeeping.

Beggars return

Speaking of the need to safeguard our national resources, Muckraker is intrigued by the long queue of reformed imperialists knocking on the President’s door, cap in hand, begging to be forgiven and allowed into the country for business.
The likes of Lord Peter Hain and Mark Simmonds once led the crusade against our country, supporting the imposition of sanctions and cosying up to the opposition. Now they are front of a long queue of overzealous and opportunistic Brits trying to do business with the old new dispensation.

Muckraker remembers watching Lord Peter, then UK Foreign Office minister, almost tearing his hair out in anger back in 2000 after the comrades in Zimbabwe opened a British “diplomatic bag” at the then Harare International Airport.
In the long tradition of cultured British lords, he told the world that this was “not the action of a civilised country”. In return, Chen Chimutengwende, then Information minsiter, said Hain was a “loose cannon”, running a “one-man mission of vilification” against Zimbabwe. Hain called Robert Mugabe “economically illiterate”.

Well, Hain is now a consultant in Zimbabwe, this once “uncivilised” country once run by an “economically illiterate” gentleman, whom his former boss Tony Blair once said belongs to the “eccentric end of the market”. How things have changed, or is it.

Then we have Mark Simmonds, yet another British Foreign Office ex-minister. Four years ago, he stood in the British parliament to declare how happy he was that sanctions on Zimbabwe were working. Well, last week, a company Simmonds chairs, FinComCo, announced a US$1,5 billion agriculture marketing deal that it says will create over 600 000 jobs directly and indirectly over five years.

The British have finally learnt their lesson and we have them grovelling at our doorsteps. We always knew they would come to us begging for forgiveness, and business. Someone tell Mugabe; we finally conquered those pesky Brits.

Provocative

Speaking of stubborn imperialists, how dare the Americans tell us to hold elections that are free and fair and respect the will of the people!

The Americans have released a long list of demands, disguised as an amendment bill to their Zidera sanctions law. The demands detail steps that Zimbabwe must take for re-engagement with the US and for the end of sanctions.
On the list of requirements are things such as an audit of the biometric voter registration voters’ roll, transparency on the printing of ballots, free access to public media for all parties, and all sorts of other unreasonable demands.

Muckraker is disturbed at how calmly this government has, at least so far, reacted to this American provocation.
Clearly Zanu PF has gone soft. Where are the 30-minute news bulletins on ZBC denouncing America? Where is Tafataona Mahoso with a brief 4 500-word piece in the Sunday Mail to quickly dismiss these meddlesome imperialist Kissinger-acolytes?

Clearly there is only one way to get these Americans off our backs. Simply, we must give them what they want. That what the Americans want, free and transparent elections, tallies with what a lot of Zimbabweans also want, is purely coincidental. People cannot stop demanding these things just because the Americans demand them too.

Except, of course, the part about paying back white farmers for resettled land. Nobody asked for that one, especially not with the white farmers demanding US$30 billion. We have better uses for our money, once we have it.

Mohadi’s volte face on miracles comical

Muckraker is disheartened to learn that Vice-President Kembo Mohadi no longer believes in miracles.

At a Zanu PF meeting in Epworth last weekend, Mohadi said voters should not expect miracles.

“For the past two decades, our economy was not performing well and don’t expect us as the new leadership to perform miracles,” she said. How comical can one get. One of the most enduring images from the “lost decades” — about four — is that of Mohadi and other Zanu PF leaders at the foot of that hill in Chinhoyi, barefoot, hands clasped together in gratitude at the miracle of purified diesel flowing from a rock. Whereas other countries invested millions into complex refineries that split hydrocarbon molecules to create diesel, here we were, hoping for miracle diesel from a rock. To now see Mohadi claiming he no longer believes in miracles is amusing. Isn’t this the same Mohadi who was last year caught in the now famous “I receive Man of God” trance at Shepherd Bushiri’s miracles church in South Africa getting a prophecy he would soon be vice-president?- The Independent

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Cross Border Traders Threaten To Shut All Zim Borders

Statement | Attention to all travellers and Cross-Border Traders!!!

This serves to notify travellers that on the 16th and 17th of April 2018 all borders to and from Zimbabwe shall be disrupted by protests. The International Cross-Border Traders Association advises cross-border traders, truck drivers, bus drivers, taxi drivers,clearing agents, travellers and cross-border traders to heed our call.
Our demands to the government of Zimbabwe are as follows:

(1)Buses and any other travellers using the border must be searched once at the border. No to research with intention of getting bribes from drivers by officials. (not to be searched by ZIMRA,Border Control and CIDs, one after the other). This process causes corruption.

(2) Zimra and Border Control at Mwenezi, 129km from Beitbridge border post should stop researching travellers who have documents showing that they have been searched already at Beitbridge border post. (This fuels corruption as well as failure by bus drivers to comply to timetable sheet issued by the government. In some cases leads to accidents as drivers will have to speed so as to compensate time lost to delays)

(3) Statutory Instrument Number 64 of 2016:
We demand the abolishment of the SI64 of 2016 which prohibits the importation of basic commodities that are even not on shelves in Zimbabwean shops. If Zimbabwe is open for business as said by the President, allow Zimbabweans to import any goods of their choice or groceries for personal consumption.

(4) Diaspora Vote: The government of Zimbabwe should allow all it’s citizens outside Zimbabwe to vote from the countries where they are residing as per 2013 constitution.

As the International Cross-Border Traders Association(ICTA) we advise all travellers to avoid Zimbabwean borders for their convenience.

Best regards
Denis Juru
ICTA President

WhatsApp: +27 623 966 158
Phone: +27 110 567 721
Email:[email protected]
www.ictacrossborder.com

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Zanu PF Sets Dates For Primary Elections

Zanu-PF will hold primary elections on May 5 to elect council and National Assembly candidates who will represent it in the forthcoming harmonised polls expected in July, and has called for prospective candidates to start submitting their cirruculum vitae.

The party’s National Political Commissar Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje (Retired) yesterday announced a set of new measures that will guide the selection of ruling party candidates for the coming poll.
The measures are expected to ensure the selection process is fair and transparent, as Zanu-PF pulls all the stops to secure victory.

Addressing the Zanu-PF Masvingo Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting at Victoria Junior Primary School, Lt Gen Rugeje (Rtd) said the ruling party under the new dispensation wanted to entrench values of fairness and transparency in the candidate selection process.
He warned aspiring candidates against campaigning until the national party leadership has given the nod.

“We are going to hold our primary elections on May 5 and I have already written letters to the provinces to that effect,” said Lt Gen Rugeje (Rtd). “Aspiring candidates should start submitting their CVs for vetting, but I want to make it clear that we have not yet said people should start campaigning.

“We will notify aspiring candidates on when they should start campaigning. The reason we are saying aspiring candidates should not start campaigning is because some may not make it during vetting after spending their resources on the ground.

“So, I am warning aspiring candidates against premature campaigning because some may waste their resources. Campaigning will only start after the vetting process.’’
Lt Gen Rugeje (Rtd) said campaigning by aspiring candidates would be done differently.
“No one will be allowed to campaign publicly alone unless maybe if the candidate embarks on private door to door campaigning,” he said. “We want all our candidates to campaign together, they will be moving and campaigning together.’’

Lt Gen Rugeje (Rtd) said in line with the party’s constitution, Zanu-PF set up an Elections Commission ahead of the party primaries.

The Elections Commission will be a nine-member body chaired by Lt Gen Rugeje (Rtd), with President Mnangagwa expected to appoint the remaining members soon.
Lt Gen Rugeje (Rtd) said members of the Elections Commission would not contest in the primary elections.

“The Commission will act as the Ombudsman that will deal with complaints from aspiring candidates before, during and after the primaries,” he said. “The members should be individuals who are not eyeing positions in the primary elections and the fact that I chair the Commission automatically means I am out of the race (for a House of Assembly seat).”

Lt Gen Rugeje (Rtd) said the Zanu-PF National Elections Directorate would still continue with its job, working alongside the Elections Commission.

Appointment into the Elections Commission to fill the eight vacant positions would be done to make sure all the ruling party provinces were represented.

In a bid to avoid conflict of interest in the vetting of primary election candidates by the Provincial Elections Directorate, only provincial members not contesting primary elections would constitute the party’s provincial elections management body.

“We have also made some changes to the effect that only party provincial executive members who will not be contesting in the primary elections will be chosen into the PED (Provincial Elections Directorate),” said Lt Gen Rugeje (Rtd).

“The most senior member of the provincial executive who will not be contesting the primary elections will chair the PED, this was done to promote fairness and avoid conflict of interest.”
Lt Gen Rugeje (Rtd) warned ruling party members against continued victimisation of alleged G40 cabal members, saying it was illegal.

“The only people who were kicked out from Zanu-PF were those whose expulsion was endorsed during last year’s Extraordinary Congress and their names were publicly announced,” he said.
“We do not tolerate continued harassment of fellow members on flimsy grounds that they were members of the cabal (G40) or aligned to Gamatox, that must stop.’’

Lt Gen Rugeje (Rtd) said the ruling party was going to embark on a restructuring exercise soon after the elections to make sure its structures were functional.

He said as part of Operation Restore Legacy, the revolutionary party leadership wanted more war veterans to be considered during the restructuring exercise.

Addressing the same meeting, Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs, Cde Paul Mangwana, said only members who had been in the party’s district structures for five years and above would be eligible to contest for a House of Assembly seat.

He said for one to contest primaries for council seats, they should have been a member of any party structure from the cell going upwards.

Candidates eyeing the Senate should have been members of the Zanu-PF Central Committee and above, said Cde Mangwana.

He said those in the civil service, unformed forces and other security services should first resign for them to be allowed to contest in the forthcoming party primary elections.

“If you are a civil servant or in the army, we are guided by the national constitution which says such people should be apolitical, therefore, for such people to be allowed to contest in the Zanu-PF primaries they must first produce a letter of resignation to the employer and a letter from the employer accepting the resignation,” he said.

Zanu-PF is expected to overwhelmingly win the elections following its internal renewal that resulted in the resignation of former President Robert Mugabe late last year. – state media

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Chamisa Throws Khupe Allies Under The Bus

There were chaotic scenes on Wednesday at MDC-T headqaurters at Harvest House during a provincial executive meeting to consider eligibility of parliamentary candidates, as Mr Nelson Chamisa’s camp sought to purge those he accuses of supporting breakaway vice president Dr Thokozani Khupe.

Mr Chamisa has since moved in to remove senior officials linked to Dr Khupe, with Mashonaland East provincial chairperson, Mr Piniel Denga, being one of the victims.

Part of the chaos at Harvest House on Wednesday emanated from the barring of Mr Denga from signing application forms for aspiring candidates as the Mashonaland East provincial chairperson.
Mr Denga, who was a legislator for Mbare during the Seventh Parliament, was suspended by the party’s provincial executive for allegedly denigrating Mr Chamisa.

Sources within the party said Mashonaland East province suspended Mr Denga last weekend and party provincial secretary Mr Herbert Zinyama has since written a letter to the national executive on the matter.

Some of the allegations against Mr Denga included denigrating Mr Chamisa through messages allegedly sent on social media, removing the party logo on party vehicles and abuse of party funds meant for polling agents.

Sources said Mr Denga allegedly communicated with fellow party members denigrating Mr Chamisa whom he referred to as “Cobra”.

The party’s provincial executive met this week at Harvest House to consider CVs submitted by party members from the province and tempers flared during the meeting, as Mr Denga refused to recognise his suspension.

Sources that attended the meeting said there were heated exchanges between Mr Denga on one hand and the provincial executive led by Mr Zinyama, as he defied the suspension and signed nomination forms for the candidates. – state media

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Chaos At Beitbridge Border Post As South Africa Immigration Officers Strike

Chaos is reigning supreme at the Beitbridge Border Post on the South African side where travellers are spending hours in winding queues for clearance.

The situation has been building up over the past three days as thousands of people began travelling between the two countries for the Easter holidays.

Some travellers are now opting to use other ports of entry into South Africa during peak periods to avoid delays and congestion, which have become perennial.

Investigations by the Chronicle reveal that people are spending between three and eight hours to enter or leave South Africa, with others reportedly aborting their journeys.

The travellers are accusing the South African immigration officials of staging a go-slow as resistance to the deployment of more anti-corruption officers at the border.

Ironically, the same people are spending less than 30 minutes on the Zimbabwean side for similar processes. This includes those leaving or entering the country.
There are 10 computer units on the Zimbabwean side of the border for processing both arrivals and departures while South Africa has over 46 for the same purpose.

Long static winding queues have become a common feature on the arrivals and departure sides of the South African border.

South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Mr Malusi Gigaba said on Wednesday that more staff including security officers had been deployed to many ports of entry, including Beitbridge to curb illegal migration and smuggling.

“The deployment of intelligence members and Department of Home Affairs Inspectorate at major ports of entry has exposed a lot of illegal activities.

“They discovered 29 fraudulently obtained (South African) passports, seven birth certificates, two identity documents, 13 passports (Lesotho) and three fake immigration stamps from a Zimbabwean at Beitbridge he was using to facilitate illegal movement of travellers across the border,” he said.
Travellers who spoke to The Chronicle yesterday called on the South African government to urgently attend to the situation at Beitbridge.

“Imagine I spent eight hours here just to get clearance out of South Africa, a process which takes less than 10 minutes on the Zimbabwe side, ”said Ms Nomagugu Mlotshwa.
“It appears the immigration officers here are demonstrating quietly against the deployment of more security officers to monitor their activities.

“When we arrived at the border there were only four officers clearing both arrivals and departures – that is two were dealing with arrivals while the others handled departures”.

Another traveller, Mr Chamunorwa Moyo blamed the South Africans for taking a business as usual approach in light of an increase in both human and vehicular traffic.

“It was disheartening to see women struggling to manage restless and anxious children. We were exposed to the sun for the better part of the time we spent at that border.

“I am happy that the Zimbabwean border authorities seem to be more organised this time around. It took us just 20 minutes to complete all the border formalities,” said Mr Moyo.

South Africa’s department of Home Affairs spokesperson, Mr Mayihlome Tshwete had not responded to written questions by the end of the day yesterday.

A border official who preferred anonymity said some wheeler dealers had besieged the South African component of the border where they are charging desperate travellers between R100 and R200 to facilitate their jumping the queues.

A total of 15 000 people (inclusive of arrivals and departures) use the border post daily and the number increases to 35 000 during peak periods. – state media

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JUNTA LATEST: The Honeymoon Is Over

Cathy Buckle | “The honeymoon is over,” is my letter from Zimbabwe this weekend. If you would like to receive my letters by email please write to [email protected] or message me on Facebook. Books by Cathy Buckle available from
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/CathyBuckle2018

Dear Family and Friends,
The honeymoon is over in Zimbabwe. Four and a half months after the army made Mr Mugabe resign and enabled Mr Mnangagwa to take over as President, the infatuation of the nation has worn off. Every day we are being bombarded with good news stories: ”investors knocking on the door,” “huge deals about to be signed;” meanwhile ordinary Zimbabweans are looking at their empty pockets and devastated lives and saying: but what about us?

In a government still packed with the same people who sat alongside Mr Mugabe for three decades, the focus seems to be on charming the world with words while ignoring the desperate situation of ordinary people at home. Here’s what’s happening 132 days after President Mugabe resigned and 126 days after President Mnangagwa was sworn in:

There’s still no money in the banks. An hour or two in a bank queue gets you twenty dollars worth of Bond coins. When people heard that US$250 million of externalized funds had been returned to the country since January, everyone thought the cash crisis would start to ease. Instead it had absolutely no impact at all on the ability of ordinary people to withdraw their own money from the bank.

Doctors have been on a strike for a month. Among their demands are increases in salaries and on-call allowances and a lifting of a recruitment freeze. Another demand of striking doctors that speaks volumes about the state of the country is for: “an improvement in the critical shortage of drugs and equipment in government hospitals.”

Teachers are threatening to strike, demanding increases in salaries, rural allowances and the restoration of vacation leave. Chillingly the teachers are also demanding a: “guarantee of safe schools before, during and after elections.”

Pledges made by Mr Mnangagwa in January when he was charming the world at Davos are fast evaporating. All Zimbabweans who are citizens by birth will be allowed to vote, he said but as many of us found out when we were turned away from registration, it doesn’t apply to Zimbabwean born residents if our parents were born outside of Southern Africa.

Mr Mnangagwa pledged that all Zimbabwean citizens in the Diaspora would be allowed to vote but that too has just been reversed. Speaking in Rwanda the President said Zimbabwe did not have the resources to enable voting outside of the country.“Voting won’t take ten minutes, if you want to vote, come home and in less than ten minutes you will have finished voting and go back to your work, ” the President said. An insensitive and unrealistic response to Zimbabweans scattered all over the world whose monthly remittances home have been keeping their families and the economy afloat for nearly two decades.

Four and half months after the new President’s inauguration, 90% of Zimbabweans are still unemployed, going to work every day, not to an office but to a pavement. They are vendors selling anything they can get in order to feed their families, pay rent, educate their children.

The inequities between officials in power and ordinary people 126 days after Mr Mnangagwa was sworn in are as big and as insulting as they ever were. There is no example better than this one from the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ): Rural teachers are being paid just US$13 rural allowance a month while “ top government officials award themselves hefty bush allowances averaging US$50 per day for visiting rural schools.” (ARTUZ) Thirteen dollars a month as opposed to fifty dollars a day. It says it all.

To all Zimbabweans, at home and in the Diaspora, happy Easter and never give up hope for our country. The real wealth of Zimbabwe isn’t in new investors and businesses it’s in us, the people, and the sun is surely setting on the old order. Thank you for the flood of new subscribers to this letter and support of my books on www.lulu.com/spotlight/CathyBuckle2018. Until next time, thanks for reading, love cathy. 30 March 2018 Copyright © Cathy Buckle.
For information on my eye witness books about life in Zimbabwe: “SLEEPING LIKE A HARE,” “MILLIONS, BILLIONS, TRILLIONS,” “CAN YOU HEAR THE DRUMS,” “INNOCENT VICTIMS” “AFRICAN TEARS”, “BEYOND TEARS” ”RUNDI,” and “IMIRE,” please go to www.lulu.com/spotlight/CathyBuckle2018 or to subscribe/unsubscribe to this letter, contact [email protected] or [email protected]. (Pictures of images described in this and other letters can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/cathybuckleafricantears)

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Mawarire Project, “I Will Never Vote For Independent Candidates”

Ndaba Nhuku | Independent candidates are free and not accountable to anyone even their voters. Independent candidates belong to no organisation, have no structures. They are on their own. If they do what you don’t want, they are not accountable to you hence not representing my interest.

He who funds them controls them. Anyone and any party can use Independents by funding them to support its stance in parliament. During elections, any party whiose candidate is not popular in any constituency can turn to the Independent, fund them to stop the rebels from taking the seat, or simply to have the Independent vote with them on major bills in parliament. Donors can fund Independents as a way of influencing elections. So Independent are not completely independent as we think.
Independent MPs in Zim can never succeed in their constituencies.

Ask Margaret  Dongo and Jonathan Moyo. They were very popular prominent Independents. Their failure is decided by the ruling party. For every project they need to do they must consult government, that is the people controlled by ruling party. And obviously the govt minister or whoever is responsible will not ok anything that will make the Independent MP more popular. Moyo never did much for Tsholotsho during his days as an independent in comparison to when he was in Zanu.

Look at how Temba Mliswa is trying hard to look Independent whilst daily behaving as if he is Mnangagwa’s political son.
On the other hand in a truly democratic country Independents can do wonders and hold govt accountable, flexible in their opinions, vote for the benefit of their constituents. Independents can offer a free vote and be influential in determining govt policy because they are not entangled in party dynamics.
However, in our scenario, where they will always be a minority, they are powerless and less influential. They are what she mercy of monolithic parties and ruthless chamber leaders. In our case, they are noise makers who add verbal value but no practical solutions. On the other hand, were we have no outright winner of an election and a GNU is in place, we can see Independents if they are a reasonable numbers act as the voice of sanity. All parties will be after their support in parliament or even in forming a govt. On their own, they are a noise lot without any known practical results in the jungle of Zimababwean politics.

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Why Chamisa And Not Mnangagwa | OPINION

Charlene Smith | I disagree that Mnangagwa’s 37 years in politics make him a better candidate for president in July’s election in Zimbabwe than 40-year-old Nelson Chamisa.
Mnangagwa was part of one of the biggest thefts of state resources on a corrupt continent under the leadership of Bob Mugabe. Being part of a corrupt regime that destroyed a nation and forced millions into poverty is not a recommendation.
Three of America’s greatest presidents were young; Theodore Roosevelt was 42, John F. Kennedy was 43, Barack Obama 47. The two worst were Ronald Reagan who had Alzheimer’s in the most important job in the world and Donald Trump who is 71, and I suspect has dementia too.
I met Chamisa in 2000 when I advised the MDC. He was incredibly impressive, a peacemaker, smart, very hard working and someone it is easy to like. If he becomes president Zimbabwe will prosper.
I really hope this beautiful nation of great people gets the opportunity it deserves.
The only thing that will end Chamisa’s presidential hopes and destroy Zimbabwe’s chances is if the MDC start quibbling among each other – again. Personal greed and egos have prevented it taking power for 17 years. Now is the time for that to change.

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Mugabe, Mnangagwa Secret Talks, Who Needs Who?

Kerina Miujati | The November debacle has come to pass. Either we call it the way we want is subject for debate to some, though I personally believe it was a coup and still stand on that viewpoint. As a Zanu-PF member I believe many who didn’t agree with the way things were conducted in November need to find peace with it, simply by focusing on building our own movement for a better tomorrow Zimbabwe. Whilst so doing we must also be realistic and pragmatic that Zimbabwe and its populace needs to move on to the next level of political progress and maturity in its doing of things. We need to firstly accept that Emerson Mnangagwa is the president of our Zimbabwe and first Secretary of Zanu-PF. Whether we like that or not, for now it stands as such. I think for these reasons the national interest and the Party interests are one and same. For these reasons Emmerson Mnangagwa deserves the support for All those who believe in ZanuPFs ideology, the other point that is important is that Zimbabwe must not be at cross roads because of our pettiness in political matters. We need not to advance populist ideals that are practical, as that is detrimental to our survival as a nation. In my honest opinion I believe the President and his cabinet is at a stage where he can’t completely unleash all of his programs, considering the space of time until elections in midyear. But as I said, such characters must be let to live until elections.Similarly to the G40. At this stage Emerson Mnangagwa needs G40 more than his own Lacoste faction to break-in the ground that his Lacoste can’t. Even if it takes that he can extend hand to those he deemed enemies or his nemesis before his ascendancy to the presidency, so be it. Because G40 ideological and politically will remain Zanu-PF just like Lacoste. So to build one Zanu-PF that accommodates ALL factions who share ZanuPF ideology and that is Lacoste, Gamatox and G40, Mnangagwa must extend a hand to G40 and Gamatox he can be a formidable force in building Zimbabwe and winning the hearts of many who believed in the legacy of Black Empowerment and thrash these MDC Billy Boys once and for all. I look forward to Emerson Mnangagwa meeting President Mugabe to help resolve these matters urgently. Yes i still call him President Mugabe as his term is still running till 2018 Election. His removal from power till this day remains illegal.Such doing will be a positive step towards mending the rift that is being speculated by many. President Mugabe even though he is 94, he still stands as a political tower that can not be undermined or be relegated to the dustbin of political history with ease. Our core objective is to take MDC to the cleaners this 2018 Election as a formidable ZanuPF that would work hard for a new , equal and prosperous Zimbabwe. MaChinja haangatore nyika. Ichoo #cd3sistermwenewazvo#

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ED is Playing Chess to Chamisa’s DAFT,” Says Gara

– ED has his Achilles’ heel too

By Wilbert Mukori| “Rine manyanga hariputirwi!” (No matter how well one tries to hide the truth, it will always come out!) so goes the Shona adage. Ever since the last November coup President Mnangagwa has tried so hard to portray himself and his Junta regime as civilised and law abiding individual a far cry of the corrupt, vote rigging and murderous thugs of the Mugabe days!

indepth…Wilbert Mukori

In an effort to prove why President Mnangagwa and his Junta are going to win this year’s election Noble Tawanda Gara, one of the regime’s apologist has reveal some juicy behind the scene details ED and the regime. The details show ED is a very cunning and calculating leader but, most important of all, one no one in their right mind would trust!

“The scintillating and “seamless” pace at which ED Mnangagwa carried out two important events in our country within the last five years. First it was the 2013 elections which ED won for ZANU-PF with a landslide. Second was the 2017 calamitous and epochal removal of Robert Mugabe from office. These two events are important because:” wrote Gara in his recent article in Bulawayo 24.

“ – They show ED operating unfettered for the first time as he was given carte blanche by Mugabe to run the 2013 elections.

“ – They also show how effectively and dramatically ED can pull a situation “out of the fire”.”

The 2013 elections were held with no democratic reforms in place and therefore they were not free and fair by any stretch of imagination. Zanu PF rigged those elections and Gara is reminding us ED played the leading role in rigging those elections.

It is not that Zanu PF leaders do not know that the party has been rigging elections, they do and has the reason they have been resisting demands to implement the reforms and keep the carte blanche powers. Candid Zanu PF leaders like Professor Jonathan Moyo have admit they are not going to implement the reforms purely out of self-preservation.

“You can’t expect us to reform ourselves out of power,” Professor Jonathan Moyo said. Those were the happier days when he enjoyed the sweetness of absolute power as one of the Zanu PF bigwigs. Today he is one of G40 faction members who were booted out of the party and with a bounty on his head dead or alive!

The reasons why President Mnangagwa was quick off the mark in promising free and fair election and precisely because he knew Zanu PF was notorious for rigging election. He wanted to reassure the people of Zimbabwe and whole world that his “new dispensation” regime was poles-apart from that of Mugabe – he will deliver the one thing Mugabe has failed to deliver “free, fair and credible elections”.

In his clumsy effort to prove that ED will delivery another Zanu PF victory this year, Gara has reminded us all ED use of “carte blanche” powers to rig to deliver a landslide victory for the party in the 2013 elections. Since not even one reform was implemented since then, there is no doubt that he will do the same again in this year’s elections.

“Eddie Cross suggests that Mugabe triggered his own demise by firing Mnangagwa and while I concur with this, it is by far not the full story! The reality is that ED and his team anticipated, expected and indeed manoeuvred Mugabe to fire him,” continued Gara.

“Having a comprehensive psychological profile of both Grace and Bob, they goaded the woman into overdrive through innocuous yet irritating little rumours attributed to ED—the type of rumours that drove Grace over the edge—to self-destruct!

“Before ED and his team could take the quantum leap of moving the whole army against Bob, they needed Bob to cross a certain line—firing a long-time confidante and the highest ranking deputy in the party was that line.

“My whole argument is that Robert Mugabe and his wife were driven to go exactly where ED and his team wanted them; the masses also went where they were bid (18 November street protest) and they did so happily.

“ED’s modus operandi is quite simple—he goes with the flow—he follows the path of least resistance but at the end of it all, he knows how to manipulate events and personalities to his full advantage—always ending up on top of the situation.”

There are a few of us who warned of the folly of ordinary Zimbabweans being sucked into Zanu PF’s factional war. The people’s objective is to dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship and the danger with siding with either faction is that it will welcome the support so far as it helps it defeat the other faction and as soon as that is done will move against the people to preserve the dictatorship. And that is exactly what has happened!

“Eddie Cross, who, though in the opposition, quite admires ED’s political prowess and with good reason, also gives the analogy of how a goat was devoured by a crocodile. He says the goat had drunk his fill and had just turned his back on the river, quite confident that he was walking away from danger—at that complacent moment the crocodile struck its fatal blow,” explained Gara.

“On that Super Sunday, Grace Mugabe was also super confident that she had got rid of ED and yet that was her last moment in power!”

ED and the Junta have devoured the people’s dreams of ending the dictatorship in a similar manner, Gara did not need to rub that in!

“Juxtapose these facts to the on-going electoral tussle and I am compelled to make the following conclusions:” he boasted in his conclusion.

“1) ED is quite sure that he will win the elections and all his play at the moment is to pacify the international community and undercut any post-electoral protestations by the opposition—in this regard he is playing a game of CHESS while Chamisa is playing a game of DRAFT(or is that DAFT?)—not the same game!

“2) ED knows that he is not a great orator and his strength is tangible deliverables of which his trump card would be the economy—-and he has been obsessing with that to the extent that the opposition do not see his footprints in campaigns—in view of this I predict that the economy will make a sudden and momentous recovery wiping out especially the shortage of currency almost overnight—ALL THIS WILL HAPPEN BEFORE ELECTIONS. We might even have the Zimdollar in circulation by election time!”

On the first point Gara is right, ED is playing a game of CHESS and Chamisa is playing DAFT. What could be more daft than insisting in taking part in the elections you have been warned, repeatedly by SADC, the Americans, etc., are flawed, so flawed the “elections are done” months before the ballots are cast!

However, on the economy Gara could not be more wrong; there will be no “sudden and momentous economic recovery”.

ED’s “Zimbabwe is open for business!” clarion call has failed to attract the flood of investors he expected. President Mnangagwa made the call as Dr Jekyll, whilst trying to hide the real ED, the mean, corrupt, vote rigging and manipulative Mr Hyde. It was not only Gara, as reveal here, would saw Mr Hyde behind the Dr Jekyll façade; many others did notably the shrewd foreign investors!

There has not been a flood of foreign investors into Zimbabwe because investors do not do business with cunning, manipulative and lawless thugs.

Ever if President Mnangagwa and his Junta should manage to hoodwink the international community, especially SADC, to turn a blind to another Zanu PF rigged elections, the regime still has the problem of the serious economic meltdown. Mugabe rigged the 2013 election but his troubles never went away because he could not rig the economic recovery; Mnangagwa will face the same nightmare only worse because the level of poverty is much worse now.

ED’s Achilles’ heel is that he is a thug and the post-coup new dispensation wanted him to be statesman. All attempts to hide his mean-spirited Mr Hyde persona with the multi-coloured designer suits complete with the “very loud” rainbow scarf to portray a more affable Dr Jekyll have failed. The real ED has burst out, he is rigging this year’s elections with the same characteristic “scintillating and “seamless” pace”, as Gara rightly said. – – zsdemocrats.blogspot.co.uk

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MP Donates To Norton Hospital

By A Correspondent| Norton MP Hon Temba Mliswa yesterday handed over more than 160 sheets of bed linen and blankets to Norton Hospital.

Speaking to hospital staff, patients and visitors who gathered to witness the donation, Hon Mliswa lauded the corporate sector for heeding his pleas to assist in bettering the deplorable conditions and lack of resources at the hospital.

“What I have brought here is a consignment donated by one of the biggest hotels in Harare. I approached them some time back asking them to help you after you told me of the requirement during a previous visit here and they gave me this. I hope it goes some way in alleviating the shortage of bedding material here,” he said.

One of the biggest corporates in the country, which is the main contractor at one of Nortons biggest construction projects, sent a representative who toured the hospital complex together with the MP. The construction company intends to help the hospital by making necessary renovations and equipment upgrades.

The tour took the delegation to the hospital’s incinerator, which has been rendered useless over the years, the laundry section which has noticeably outdated equipment which is now overwhelmed by the laundry volumes, wards and the front hall. The nurses tea room resembles a farm shed, with just two benches and no tables, lighting or power source.

Commenting during the tour, a hospital official said the hospital itself now needs to expand as it is now catering for a bigger number than what it was originally designed for. It now handles more than 100 inpatients at peak while it is designed as a 60-bed institution.
Thanking the MP for the donation, a hospital official said the timing of the linen donation was testimony of Gods work plan.

“Just this week, as we were deliberating on how to spend a recent small financial fortune we received, we agreed that it goes towards buying blankets and sheets. We intended to purchase those in the next few days and we had budgeted for a number smaller than this. Then the MP comes through with this big donation. It will certainly go a long way as it frees the hospital to rechannel the little it gets to other needs,” he said.

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Mnangagwa To Come Face To Face With Bullet Train That Hits 20minutes From Byo to Harare

By Farai D Hove| ANALYSIS| President Emmerson Mnangagwa will come face to face with the reality of a bullet train that covers 1,000 km in just one hour. This translates to a little over 20 minutes from Harare to Bulawayo.

 

President Mnangagwa will be in China for investment opportunities where he will see more than just that, that train is in fact a near supersonic train (speed of sound). READ MORE

 

China has started testing the prototype of the advanced maglev train that would achieve near supersonic speeds inside a vacuum-based track, reports IBTimes.

Researchers at Southwest Jiaotong University have developed the country’s first-ever high-temperature superconducting loop wherein a miniaturized version of the so-called ‘super maglev’ is being tested.

Deng Zigang, the lead engineer involved in the project, told state broadcaster China Central Television that the ultra-fast train would bring maglev’s magnetic levitation capabilities inside the vacuum to tackle wheel and air friction, and cruise faster than commercial planes.

The idea is pretty much similar to hyperloop transit system which was first proposed by Elon Musk in 2013 and is currently being developed and improved by Virgin Hyperloop One and other American start-ups.

Jiaotong University’s prototype loop is about 45-meters long and can levitate the train an inch above the ground. The track has the smallest cross-section and also uses lesser magnets and materials than the tracks running conventional maglev trains around 400 kmph in China.

Initially, the prototype train — which can carry 300 to 1,000 kg of load — will run at speeds around 0-50kmph, but Zigang hopes to touch the 400kmph mark by the end of this year, ultimately moving toward the goal of 1,000 kmph. This would essentially mean going from New York to Washington, D.C. in about 20 minutes.

Currently, the fastest train in the world is Japan’s SC Maglev which surpassed the 600 kmph mark in April 2015. Hyperloop pods, on the other hand, are also envisioned to travel at supersonic speeds but they are still at a nascent stage in development.

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Spiritual Abuse is Real; it’s a Big Problem in the Church | BRILLIANT PONGO EXCLUSIVE

Brilliant Pongo

By Brilliant Pongo| About 3 years ago I joined a prophetic church largely out of curiosity and I quickly began to investigate the operations of how things work my fascination was mainly with the culture and behaviour of the members of these churches and the celebrity type leaders, who are treated as ‘demigods’.

Because of my previous stance and views vis-à-vis these churches I was treated more favourably by the leadership and found my way and acceptance into the inner circle very quickly.

In no time I was tasked with doing some media and PR work to assist the ‘truth’ and aid the image of the leader.

It was from that position that I was able to carry out my investigations and I was able to observe and understand a lot that goes on behind the scenes, which I will reveal in due course but for now I want to focus on spiritual abuse in general and its excesses particularly in some modern day prophetic movement churches.

My hope is that by writing about these excesses publicly, we can begin to dialog openly about this very real problem. Hiding it or pretending it doesn’t exist simply adds more confusion and anger to those who have walked through the trauma of spiritual abuse.

So I wrote these traits of spiritually abusive ministries and churches. This is not an exhaustive list, but it typifies what happens. My heart in sharing this is to simply shed light on unhealthy, manipulative, controlling practices.
Listed below are 10 traits of Spiritually abusive church leaders …

* They often have a distorted view of respect. They forget the simple adage that respect is earned, not granted. Abusive leaders demand respect without having earned it by good, honest living.

* They demand allegiance as proof of the follower’s allegiance to Christ. It’s either his/her way or no way. And if a follower deviates, he is guilty of deviating from Jesus.

* They use exclusive language. “We’re the only ministry really following Jesus.” “We have all the right theology.” “We wrote this syllabus of the prophetic” “We pioneered this movement.” Believe their way of doing things, thinking theologically, or handling ministry and church is the only correct way. Everyone else is wrong, misguided, or stupidly naive. (Some Prophet refers to such as nincompoops)

* They create a culture of fear and shame. Often there is no grace for someone who fails to live up to the church’s or ministry’s expectation. And if someone steps outside of the often-unspoken rules, leaders shame them into compliance. Leaders can’t admit failure, but often search out failure in others and uses that knowledge to hold them in fear and captivity. They often quote scriptures about not touching God’s anointed, or bringing accusations against an elder. Yet they often confront sin in others, particularly ones who bring up legitimate biblical issues. Or they have their circle of influence take on this task, silencing critics. ( some even call themselves the prophetic mafia)

* Often have a charismatic leader at the helm who starts off well, but slips into arrogance, protectionism and pride. Where a leader might start off being personable and interested in others’ issues, he/she eventually withdraws to a small group of “yes people” and isolates from the needs of others. These ministries and churches harbor a cult of personality, meaning if the central figure of the ministry or church left, the entity would collapse, as it was entirely dependent on one person to hold the place together.

* Cultivate a dependence on one leader or leaders for spiritual information. Personal discipleship isn’t encouraged. Often the Bible gets pushed away to the fringes unless the main leader is teaching it. ( teachings have to focus on papa’s wealth and created testimonies of how papa spoke wealth or health into someone’s life)

* Demand blind servitude of their followers, but live prestigious, privileged lives. They live aloof from their followers and justify their material extravagance as God’s favor and approval on their ministry. Unlike Jesus’ instructions to take the last seat, they often take the first seat at events and court others to grant them privileges. They typically chase after wealth–at any cost, and often at the expense of the very people they shepherd. ( members are milked for rent to pay for church venues; but the millionaire leaders constantly prophetically promising to buy a church building)

* Buffer him/herself from criticism by placing people around themselves whose only allegiance is to the leader. These leaders and churches view those who bring up legitimate issues as enemies. Those who were once friends/allies swiftly become enemies once a concern is raised. Sometimes these folks are banished, told to be silent, or shamed into submission. ( This tactic sadly works on the majority who would have been spiritually abused and traumatised)

* Hold to outward performance but rejects authentic spirituality. Places burdens on followers to act a certain way, dress an acceptable way, and have an acceptable lifestyle, but they often demonstrate licentiousness, greed, and uncontrolled addictions behind closed doors. (Some are sexual perverts with sexual predator instincts preying on their members)

* Use exclusivity for allegiance. Followers close to the leader or leaders feel like lucky insiders. Everyone else is on the outside, though they often long to be in that inner circle. If someone on the inner circle speaks up about abuses, lapses in character, illegal acts, or strong-arming, that insider immediately moves to an outsider. Fear of losing their special status often impedes insiders from speaking up.

In light of these traits, I’ve asked myself: where does this come from? (Aside from the sinfulness of the human heart). As an author (and mostly as a speaker), I’ve had a little bit of experience in pulling back the curtain on ministries and churches that abuse. My hunch is that Spiritual abuse and abuse of others stems somewhat from our culture’s hunger for celebrity. But we would be foolish if we do not see the involvement of occultism and hints of occultic behaviour in some of these leaders. (Yes, even in the church we find them).

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Drama As Grace Mugabe Rushes To Police, Says “I Was Insulted By Mazowe Miners”

There was drama yesterday when former First Lady Grace Mugabe was as reported, humiliated at a mine in Mazowe.

Mrs Mugabe reportedly arrived at a mine which she claims is hers demanding that the poor miners leave the area. She was accompanied by an entourage consisting of several bodyguards, and one of her nephews.

Chaos erupted when the miners objected against her presence and particularly her claims of ownership of the mine.

The miners humiliated her as they told her to her face she has no powers and they did this as they sang Jah Prayzah’s “Kutonga Kwaro Garwe” hit-song. She then reportedly fled the mine assisted by some bodyguards and rushed to a police station where she made a police report for “insult”.

Ironically, as ZimEye reveals, this is the same “police charge” she previously laid on war veterans Secretary General Victor Matemadanda that led to the dramatic events that saw her husband’s removal from power in November last year. (THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY)

While ZimEye could not at the time of printing establish the police reference for the said charge, the main mine owner, Mr Shepherd Nyazvigo told ZimEye.com of the ordeal in the below side discussion:

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Outrage Over 2 Voters Rolls For 2018 Elections, April, May Final

Justice Priiscilla Chigumba

By Dorrothy Moyo| Political activists are fuming over the voters roll for the 2018 elections. This came as it emerged that there will be two successive electoral rolls, building after each other.

The latter was announced by the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Electoral Commission, Justice Priscilla Chigumba.

Activists from the Restoration for Human Rights NGO alleged to ZimEye.com, “Tatoitiswa, this voters roll should have been produced in February according to the promises. Why has everything been changed all of a sudden, ” said George Chitimaya.

Justice Chigumba, yesterday told the state media “the provisional voters’ roll will be out by the end of this month or the first week of April,” she said. “Once it’s published, it would be open for inspection for a period between 14 to 21 days.

“We will be inviting Zimbabweans to come and audit the voters’ roll and make any corrections if there are any. When the areas that need to be corrected have been identified, we will need a week to make the corrections and the final voters’ roll will be produced.”

She said the final voters’ roll will then be produced when the corrections have been made. “When the corrections have been made, we will then send the final voters’ roll for gazetting through the Ministry of Justice,  Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and thereafter the President will then proclaim the dates for the elections,” she said.

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Freed Prisoner Steals Less Than A Day Later

A man who was released from jail on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s special pardon program, went on to commit another crime less than a day later.

The state owned Chronicle reports how the man on Monday was arrested hours later for allegedly stealing property worth $670 in Tshabalala suburb.

He was his way home from jail at the time.

Roland Ncube (30) from Nkulumane suburb allegedly broke a toilet window and gained access into Mr Asiwet Munemo’s house in Tshabalala.

He allegedly stole $150 and property which includes a 42 inch television set, a mobile phone, blankets, clothes and some groceries.

Police officers who were on patrol saw him carrying the stolen property around 11PM and he pleaded guilty to unlawful entry charges when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube yesterday.

The Chronicle quotes him telling the court that he only stole the television set and mobile phone. “I broke into the house and stole the television and Nokia phone only but I never stole any money, clothes or blankets,” he said. Mr Ncube remanded him in custody to April 6 for trial.

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The World’s Most Traveled Scarf Goes To China

By Paul Nyathi| President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to carry his popular “scarf of many colours” to China next week.

The President who last week was in Kigali will leave the country on Monday on a four day state visit to the former President Robert Mugabe’s all weather friend.

Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo is expected to accompany the President on the visit. Moyo said that Mnangagwa is going to China on the invitation by the Chinese government.

He is also expected to meet with Zimbabweans resident in that country.