President Emmerson Mnangagwa is tomorrow presenting his State Of The Nation address at 2.30pm inside the parliament building.
Follow @OpenParlyZw for live updates and debate tomorrow, State of the Nation Address #SonaZW #Twimbos @kubatana pic.twitter.com/TBQezRlxJT
— #Register2Vote (@NMkapikoh) December 19, 2017
By Farai D Hove| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has dropped the clearest hint that retired Gen Constantino Chiwenga is going to be Zimbabwe’s new first Vice President.
That position automatically sets Chiwenga as Mnangagwa’s perceived successor, according to the hierarchical order. The development which comes contrary to rumours that Mnangagwa was going to appoint Manicaland war-lady Oppah Munchinguri-Kashiri to the post, is likely to see the President also appoint a Ndebele Second Deputy as according to the 1987 Unity Accord which dictates so.
The Reuters news agency quotes Mnangagwa at a ceremony marking Constantino Chiwenga’s retirement and handover of the military reins to Phillip Sibanda saying,”I therefore urge you to maintain the same loyalty, robustness and dedication to duty as you move to your next assignment which is quite prominent.”
Mnangagwa did not elaborate.
The events of the last 4 weeks said to have been largely peaceful speak loudly against what Mnangagwa’s nemesis Phelekezela Mphoko had predicted months before that there would chaos upon Mugabe’s removal.
Mnangagwa last Friday said he would fill the two vice presidential posts in the following few days. Chiwenga is the top contender in what is seen as a reward for helping to end Mugabe’s 37-year rule.
So far the President has appointed several senior military officers to his cabinet and the ruling party’s executive politburo since he was sworn in as president on Nov. 24.
On Monday, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda announced that Chiwenga had retired pending redeployment. Chiwenga who has never been in visible politics for decades, has gained popularity with the masses following his successful handling of the Operation Restore Order mid last month.
by Dinizulu Mbikokayise Macaphulana | Concealed to many of us is that the real misfortunes of a true crocodile pursue Emmerson Mnangagwa and the politics that he represents. The crocodile tears over corruption and crime in Zimbabwe that he continues to shed are not enough to drown his present crisis. This is a beleaguered man. The big paradise of power and prestige he sought to build is dangerously troubled. Suddenly the larger world has become too big and scary, he cannot answer the international questions being asked, and Zimbabwe itself has become too small like a muddy and drying pond, the crocodile cannot hide and time is ticking.
Making it all worse, forget the poorly but strong and brave Morgan Tsvangirai and the aged but durable Robert Mugabe, this particular man is unwell bodily, fragile and truly getting closer to palliative measures. The emperor is sick and the willing spirit and consuming ambition are not making it better, Mugabe hinted this but we were too excited to hear. The power of stealth, springing of surprises, the poisonous liver and the tenacity that are the political gifts of a real crocodile are not his anymore if they were in the first place, the mafiadom is crumbling. As misguided political excitement about the coup dies down, the cold reality that he has been the first criminal around Mugabe and that he is the true godfather of corruption that became richer than the country dawns, and the once friendly commanders, disunited and feuding amongst themselves, have started reading the riot act, this crocodile is a stooge of an ambitious and unprofessional soldierate that is also beleaguered. Behind the political scenes and the rhetoric of smiling commanders making press presentations, a civil war is brewing in the land. The coup makers cannot agree on anything past, present and future. Esizakubona lonyaka! Here is a true vertigonous imbroglio. A brainless giant is dangling guns and bombs and swinging around in the land.
The Impossible Promises
While Robert Mugabe was building his own reputation and opportunistic legend as a gallant anti-imperialist who championed indigenisation and economic freedom in Africa, forcefully re-possessing farms and factories from whites, Emmerson Mnangagwa, his historical side-kick was making dirty money protecting white commercial farmers and industrialists from dispossession, those he failed to protect and their farms were taken, he promised them redress when Mugabe goes, and now Mugabe is gone. Tense meetings were held while Mnangagwa was in hiding in South Africa recently, among other places, at the Waterkloof Golf Club in Pretoria, with Rhodies and some angry Afrikaner right wingers that have been plotting and funding the progress towards the coup for years. Here is the capital dilemma, will he deliver the farms and the factories back to the Rhodies and the Boers and betray some Zimbabweans in the mass or will he give the angry white supremacists the middle finger and risk an assassination or worse; these few but powerful monsters have the world system behind them. The crocodile, politically, is caught between the mud and some fire.
That Stubborn Chapter of Insanity
Both Mugabe and Mnangagwa desperately wished the Gukurahundi genocide forgotten. They even tried, not only unsuccessfully but disastrously, to use the land reform project to dilute the communities and populations of victims in the Midlands and Matabaleland by settling amongst them people from Mashonaland, a last minute attempt at nation building and social engineering. This made things worse. Mugabe wants the genocide forgotten as the mistake of insanity while ever simplistically, Mnangagwa thinks history, even that of a genocide, is like a boring book that can be closed at will by one that opened it. The chapter is not closing and the plea of insanity not holding either. The present coup has only energised Gukurahundi victims in Zimbabwe and the world over, some of them forgave but did not forget and others forgot but did not forgive, with Mnangagwa’s ascendancy and a changed world system, they smell justice. More interestingly, the betrayed Rhodies and angry Boers that I discussed above are the ones that are threatening to raise the stick of the Hague for Mnangagwa, a real stick for him as Mugabe can escape into old age and senility. A real but unverifiable document, the way all spooky texts are, quotes a statement Mnangagwa made: “It looks like it, for all the sins and crimes I did for him, HE is prepared to leave me behind out of power and without immunity, at the mercy of our joint emenies, how cruel can one treat a loyal servant like myself, a servant of jail and freedom time, I dealt death to my war time comrades for HE when he was in real danger.” Never mind the choreographed calmness, Mnangagwa is a terrified man. The document is stated as a letter he wrote and which he wanted leaked to Mugabe in the days before he was sacked.
Trouble in Paradise
Besides the fragile health, a grave condition of the body where organ failures and collapses are known to attack persons in a similar state, Mnangagwa’s most immediate terror is the anger and divisions that are in the troubled security sector. Most of us remember well the clean and uniformed generals that posed for the cameras with Robert Mugabe in the peak of the coup. Nothing is more novel than a smiling soldier, it had to appear like a true benevolent coup where the safety of the dethroned one and his family was guaranteed! These generals and the army details, police persons and the spooks, jointly and separately are not friends. They have been divided by politicians and business moguls along factional, tribal and money lines. After Mugabe who systematically found ways of being the glue and umbrella that brought every one of them together is gone, there is now trouble in the paradise. In the security sector, Solomon Mujuru’s wounded boys and some girls smell revenge, Mugabe’s own loyalists are not sleeping, Chiwenga’s own paid up troops are boisterous and excited, and some of Chiwenga’s loyalists are not necessarily Mnangagwa’s loyalists, it is a jungle of anger, hatreds and suspicions. The temperatures are presently cold between the chief coup maker and the chief coup beneficiary. There is talk of bringing in Dumiso Dabengwa to calm the sleeping but alive ZIPRA element and glue together the ZANLA element that is divided and chaotic. At long last, some despised and marginalised ZIPRA old boys are enjoying the trust of feuding ZANLA operatives that now can only admire the discipline of ZAPU cadres. And there are young educated technocrats in the security sector, philosophising mavericks that have scared wartime commanders into literally buying doctorates to keep up. Some scholarly pretenders in Zimbabwe and outside made good money drafting dissertations for moneyed security bosses in the near past. Some drafted and also marked them, the supervisor became the examiner and the principal in some interesting cases. The young and educated elite in the services have other ideas besides: Pasi Nemhanduuuu! And this is a problem, no one can blink, big people are not sleeping in the land. Some who were united on the coup are no longer friends after the coup as I write, bitter enemies, now spooking and monitoring each other by the clock.
The Hell of Pan-Africanism
In his long years in power, Robert Mugabe became a great African but a terrible and evil Zimbabwean. He enjoyed Pan-African support but did not achieve true national support except what he bought and what he forced with guns and sticks. The SADC and AU region might, at leadership level, be happy that Mugabe finally left but they are not excited that Mnangagwa took over the coup way in which he did. Mnangangwa’s coup is celebrated in Europe, America and in China, not in Africa. Outside the water and inside the house of power in Africa the crocodile has zero legitimacy, or does he have the intellectual resources to muster the diplomacy to build the legitimacy which is important political and historical capital. Around Mnangagwa are advisors like Chris Mutsvangwa, famous for sound and not sense, and too excited for a sober leader in a world that demands calm engagement and cutting edge diplomacy. Mnangagwa, with such advisors will build more enemies and some dangerous ones. The South Africans in particular, when one reads their recently declassified foreign affairs documents, are aware of the long relationship Mnangagwa in person as then security minister and ZANU-PF at large had with the apartheid regime. It is on record that Mnangagwa pledged to work with the apartheid regime to crash Umkhonto weSizwe and ZIPRA in Zimbabwe. Like Botha, who was also infamously called “The Great Crocodile” many African regimes are at best suspicious and at worst contemptuous of Mnangagwa who is a real anti-climax from Robert Mugabe the polished orator who used to raise hair in AU, SADC and UN platforms. In a rhetorical encounter, in speech and political performance, Mugabe the genocidist, was a champion of world note. Emmerson Mnangagwa is in all that, a true and powerful sleeping tablet to audiences that have gotten used to Mugabe’s angry, hateful but still artistic deliveries. Africa, in particular, will be a diplomatic hell for Emmerson Mnangagwa, a real stumbling block of a fatal measure.
The Banality of Evil
Robert Mugabe will go down in history as an evil genocidist who used revolutionary talk to mask his personal thirst for power. He oppressed, exploited and killed for power. He has been received by the world as a true tragic figure who carried all the promise for Zimbabwe and humanity but delivered dead bodies and mass graves. On evil and its banality, stupidity and sinfulness Mnangagwa will go down the same but also worse off, no amount of soap or reformist coup propaganda can wash him clean of the massacres and assassinations of masses and at times innocent children. Politically Mnangagwa sees nothing, not opponents, no adversaries but blood enemies. Mnangagwa cannot be a tragic figure because his evil is not covered by any promise, such as the art and choreography of good that Mugabe held, this man belongs to the realm of politics as the science of annihilation and expenditure of lives, witchcraft itself. This will not stop and pressure will soon force him to his tried and tested art of killings. With the primitive talk of his excited supporters that the military will be involved in election campaigns, something that would embarrass even a fascist regime, Africa and the world should prepare to overcome another genocide. Left unchecked, Mnangagwa and his excitable supporters will seek to silence old victims with more violence and also create new victims with the same art of killing the enemy. As the world presently stands the Hague might get Mnangagwa before the “flue” that is eating him expires him.
The Great Enchantment
Did the coup excite Zimbabweans? It was a spectacular explosion of biblical extents. Newsmen suspended journalism, lawyers abandoned jurisprudence and high priests turned away from theology to celebrate “getting out of the constitution to deliver change and then going back, hopefully, to the constitution again.” Veteran opposition politicians and enduring human rights activists gathered to deliver a Zimbabwean spring, the world’s first benevolent coup and selfie revolution. Even the very embodiment of political principles, the one who jumped Mugabe’s ship in ethics, Nkosana Moyo was reported ready to work with the new regime. Well, the signs are already out, and the reality is unfolding and will soon present itself in very cold and bloody terms, Zimbabwe is now under the tyranny of a military junta. Sadly, some respectable people, possibly eyeing possible appointments and promotions have indelibly lent their big names in support of this coup. Even such dangerous nonsense as that “the AU and SADC must stay away from our coup, where have they been” was temporarily elevated to political wisdom. Good Zimbabweans, we will soon wish the SADC, AU and UN were resident in Zimbabwe because a monster is afoot. The same biblical enchantment that blessed the coup, with the opposition and Zimbabwean masses tragically mobilised into it, will be the same energy that will complete the tragedy of Emmerson Mnangagwa and his politics.
Behold Command Elections
One day Africa will take Paul Kagame and his political lessons seriously. The lesson that when a genocide appears it must be attacked, solved and measures put to prevent any of it in the imaginable future is epochal. The coming elections in Zimbabwe will be command elections, the constitution and the world will be ignored and Zimbabweans on the pain of fire, sticks and guns will be told how to vote. Politically, that is in the ideological sense, the North Koreans are in power in Zimbabwe. What Perence Shiri, Dominic Chinhenge (now called Constantino Chiwenga) and Emmerson Mnangagwa are known for in Matabaleland will soon be seen by the whole country. Anyone who saw the mass shootings, rapes, forced sexual acts between children and parents, people forced to dig their own graves before they are shot, burning of entire families in tightly locked huts and the bayonetting of pregnant women will not wish the evil for even Lucifer himself and his expelled angels. The Gukurahundists are in power and they want your votes the Gukurahundi way. The coming command elections will make Zimbabwe miss the carefully and artfully crafted manifestos of Jonathan Moyo, those jingles and political aphorisms that sought to modernise and give a democratic soul and face to ZANU-PF, and even Grace Mugabe’s rantings will be remembered as gospel in the presence of the coming storm that washes away the criminals around Zimbabwe. The previous genocide was supposedly after some dissidents, the coming one is after some criminals in reference to political opponents. Real hoodlums and hooligans that have no ideas in Zimbabwe or have they any idea of Zimbabwe and its future are in power and want your endorsement. These fanatics and sycophants of the junta, in their school boy simplicity, are in many ways like suicide bombers, they are prepared to die and to be hanged at the Hague, the problem is that they want you to die first, worse; even children in Zimbabwe know that this lot cannot win a free even if unfair election in hell.
People and Principles
Recently Wole Soyinka asked African scholars to worry less about the African problem of leadership and stress over the crisis of followership. To look at the excitable fanatics and dung-brained sycophants who push leaders into evil is what we need to do. Blinding excitement and deafening simplicity and excitability of supporters buries leadership and leaders. In a shallow political grave, Emmerson Mnangagwa will be buried by those that profess support for him but do not have an idea how the world works, people that live for the minute. Does anyone remember the clip of Christopher Mutsvangwa, in the thickness of the coup when Mugabe was in resistance, saying they (war vets and the army) will allow the crowds into Mugabe’s house and the “mob will do their thing,” that is tear the dictator apart with stone, knife and hand. A warning that Joshua Nkomo gave to Mugabe “don’t teach young people blood, next they will want yours.” Not only Chris, many people that were brought up by Mugabe and in his day worshipped him, were prepared to kill for him, benefitted from his crimes, were now prepared to kill him for easy promotion in the new era. If Emmerson Mnangagwa dreams himself safe from these unprincipled killers around him then he is a true log in the water that believes that it is a crocodile. Zimbabwe is going through really interesting and dangerous times, many are in danger who think of themselves dangerous.
Dinizulu Mbikokayise Macaphulana writes from Pretoria, South Africa. [email protected].
Dinizulu Mbikokayise Macaphulana
Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | Two women collapsed in the wake of the simmering heat of the sun as they waited for cash in a long and winding bank queue.
Ironically the two women collapsed simultaneously as they waited for patiently to withdraw cash from the Automated Teller Machine(ATM) at FBC Bank.
Bank officials confirmed that the two women collapsed as a result of the sweltering heat of the sun.
The two women were rushed to Masvingo Provincial Hospital for medical attention.
“Two women collapsed while in a bank queue today.However we do not have information on what actually happened,” said an official at the bank.
The Emmerson Mnangagwa led government is under immense pressure to solve the cash crisis in the country.
Last week Finance and Economic Development Minister, Patrick Chinamasa said the government was making frantic efforts to combat the cash woes in the country.
Nurses Demand Bribes As Villagers Battle For Survival In Hospital Queues
Former president Robert Mugabe dismissed Chiri in July but reinstated her in September after Members of Parliament across the political divide opposed his plan to replace her with Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) boss, Mike Ndudzo.
The MPs felt that Chiri was being sidelined for speaking truth to power, and that she rattled her bosses with regular revelations of graft, profligacy and mismanagement of resources in government, parastatals and public institutions.
The President is required by the constitution to consult Parliament to approve the appointment of the Auditor General.
The constitution also demands that the person to fill in the AG post must be an auditor with 10 years experience.
“The constitution provides that the President has power to reappoint any holder into such office. I will therefore bring a motion that in terms of section 310 (1) of the constitution, this House resolves that Mildred Chiri be appointed AG for a further term of office,” Chinamasa told the National Assembly today.
Chinamasa did not say when he will bring the motion before Parliament.
Chiri was appointed Comptroller and Auditor-General in 2004 before the Comptroller function was discontinued when the country adopted a new constitution in 2013.
However, according to the new constitution, the term of office of the Auditor General is a period of not more than six years. Chiri assumed the position under the new constitution in 2013.
Chiri has become something of heroin Zimbabwe, by pointing out corruption and the wanton theft of public funds in the Mugabe administration.
It is a long list of excesses and theft:
Her reports were so detailed we even got to know the classy tastes of the senior officials.
At road agency ZINARA, officials paid themselves $3 000 for clothing and spent $2 250 month – enough to pay at least five government workers – on entertainment.
Despite operating on a measly budget, it was during her tenure that the annual Auditor General’s reports, which had lagged behind since 2000, became current.
Every report since 2014 has been tabled to Parliament by the half year deadline. – The Source
Ray Nkosi | Recently appointed CIO boss Isaac Moyo, is also still Zimbabwe’s Ambassador To South-Africa with questions being raised as to whether President Emmerson Mnangagwa is short of manpower.
Mnangagwa is set to meet the business community and investors in South Africa on Thursday, with an invitation letter signed by Moyo being circulated to Zimbabweans in the Diaspora and the media.
However, the above letter has courted controversy with political analysts questioning how the CIO boss can also still be carrying out his Ambassadorial duties. Writes Jelous Mawarire on Twitter : “Isaac Moyo is both Zim Ambassador to South Africa & Director General of CIO? What kind of thing is that? Surely when pple complain about security sector capturing government, this is what they will be talking about. DG Moyo shld either be Ambassador to SA, or CIO DG, not both.”
To which a Walter Muzambezi responds, “No jobs at all for others, while some have 2, whats happening?”
Isaac Moyo is both Zim Ambassador to South Africa & Director General of CIO? What kind of thing is that? Surely when pple complain about security sector capturing government, this is what they will be talking about. DG Moyo shld either be Ambassador to SA, or CIO DG, not both. pic.twitter.com/RT9xpHLIvR
— mawarire jealousy (@mawarirej) December 19, 2017
Newly elected ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa’s camp is deeply divided by the dispute over Senzo Mchunu’s defeat.
A leader from a province that supported Mchunu has dismissed the dispute lodged over 63 “non-existent” votes, and has urged the rest of the Ramapahosa team to accept that Ace Magashule is the new secretary general.
“We must move on, we were not successful. We shouldn’t fight over the outcome and risk creating chaos, and have uncertainty in the party and the ANC,” he said.
This could collapse the conference, the worried leader, who did not want to be identified, said.
The ANC elective conference’s steering committee met on Tuesday morning over the dispute and it is now expected that the matter will be discussed at the next plenary session.
News24 has seen a video of the Ramaphosa caucus meeting on Tuesday morning, showing a leader that appears to be Gauteng ANC deputy chairperson David Makhura telling gathered delegates to fight over the matter when it is discussed in plenary.
If not resolved, the issue could delay the voting for 80 members of the party’s all-powerful national executive committee (NEC), expected to be done on Tuesday.
“We know that if that matter is not resolved, even when they go to vote for additional (members of the NEC), they will be disenfranchised, and that is not good,” the leader, holding a loud hailer, is heard saying.
‘Quarantined’ votes
Some senior Gauteng ANC members have said the leader is Makhura, who is now standing in for provincial chairperson Paul Mashatile, after he won the treasurer general position.
The leader tells the crowd that Monday’s results were announced before the steering committee had resolved on whether the delegates were valid or not, and that the final tally did not include the votes that were quarantined in an envelope.
The speaker claims that five provinces behind Ramaphosa had raised the matter in the steering committee.
Mchunu’s supporters lodged a dispute, demanding that the 63 “quarantined” votes be added to the final tally.
However, speaking against the move, another source said that the votes were from disqualified delegates who had been thrown out of the conference after they had already been given accreditation cards.
“They were not on the voters’ roll because they were disqualified. When the verification process threw them out, they had already received their tags, but they refused to return them,” the source said.
He added that the independent election agency managing the process had allowed them to vote because they had insisted, despite not appearing on the voters’ roll. However, they had then been excluded from the final count because they were “illegally” at the conference.
‘Certain things, you have to accept’
He said the initial figure of 68 mentioned referred to delegates who did not turn up for the overall vote. The ANC had accredited 4 776, but only 4708 voted.
Magashule won 2 360 votes, while Mchunu received 2 336.
The Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma camp that lost the presidency has threatened that, if a recount of the secretary general position is allowed, they will insist on a rerun of the election for the entire top 6.
North West ANC chairperson Supra Mahumapelo told News24’s Polotiki that the dispute risked damaging the image of the party.
READ: If they insist on SG vote recount, we’ll push for election rerun – Mahumapelo
“Certain things, you have to accept, to live within the ANC, even if you are not happy or uncomfortable with certain positions,” said Mahumapelo.
There is worry in the Ramaphosa camp that his presidency will be weak, after the Dlamini-Zuma camp scored three critical positions of deputy president, secretary general and deputy secretary general.
The camp is hoping to win a majority in the vote for the NEC, to ensure control of the body.- News24
The ANC Women’s League is not happy with the ruling party’s new top six. That was made clear at a press briefing at Nasrec on Tuesday, where the Women’s League executive told media that the ANC has failed women by electing only one female member into its top leadership. President Bathabile Dlamini blamed the loss of Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma on prevailing patriarchal attitudes within the party, and hinted that new ANC deputy president DD Mabuza had won his position by riding on Dlamini Zuma’s coat tails. By REBECCA DAVIS.
Dlamini made it clear that the Women’s League feels betrayed by the men of the ANC. She suggested that the only way that Duarte was able to win her position was because she was competing against another woman – little-known Cosatu official Zingiswa Losi – for the role of deputy secretary general.
“If (Duarte) was standing (against) a man she would have gone under the bus, and we would be sitting with an all-male top six,” Dlamini charged.
“Comrade OR Tambo must be turning in his grave, and there is no doubt about that.”
Dlamini said that some of the men who succeeded in their campaigns did so by using “the face of a woman” – an apparent reference to new deputy president DD Mabuza, who was part of Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma’s slate. It appears that the league blames Mabuza’s behind-the-scenes horsetrading for costing Dlamini Zuma the election to some extent.
Women’s League spokesperson Toko Xasa subsequently elaborated that such men, whom she did not name, “did not pull the candidate up”, but “used (her) as a ladder”.
Said Xasa: “This is how patriarchy is really rearing its ugly head.”
The Women’s League executive came in for a grilling from journalists who wanted to know why – if their commitment was truly to women in leadership – the league had not also thrown its support behind Lindiwe Sisulu’s attempt to become deputy president, rather than solely focusing on Dlamini Zuma.
Dlamini was incoherent on this point, calling it an “unfair question”. She suggested that the media should instead be acknowledging the fact that for the first time in the ANC’s history, multiple women “freely” stood for election into top leadership.
The Women’s League leaders brushed off suggestions that they should partly blame themselves for Dlamini Zuma’s failed campaign, saying that they had no intention of resigning.
Asked if Bathabile Dlamini would pledge her allegiance to the new ANC president notwithstanding her anger about the election result, Dlamini obliged without great enthusiasm.
“Yes, I’m going to support Comrade Cyril as president of the ANC,” she said. DM
Photo: “Patriarchy has once again reared its ugly head,” ANC Women’s League president Bathabile Dlamini told journalists at a briefing on Tuesday December 19, 2017, after the election of the Top 6. Photo: Leila Dougan
President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa became a teetotaller during the liberation struggle in Mozambique after he witnessed fellow comrades die of excessive alcohol consumption. The President revealed this in July, 2015 when he was Vice President during his official visit to China while touring beer manufacturing giant Tsingtao Brewery Co. Ltd, in Qingdao Shandong province.
After he was taken through the production lines of the brewing company, Mnangagwa was invited to sample some of the company’s beer brands. But after making a toast, he smiled and kept holding his beer mug, much to the amusement of the hosts and his delegation, who expected him to take a sip. Other members of his delegation, including the Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr Mike Bimha, quickly emptied their mugs.
Mnangagwa then explained: “Let me tell you something. I used to drink alcohol a lot during the liberation struggle but abstained after we lost some of our finest men not because of bullets or bombs from the enemy, but due to excessive consumption of alcohol.
“We then sat down as commanders and said can we allow this to continue? Can we continue to lose our men to alcohol? Since that time I have never taken alcohol,’’ he said.
Tsingtao Brewery Company Limited is China’s second largest brewery and it’s subsidiaries across that country are involved in the production, distribution, wholesale, and retail sale of beer products. The company also exports to over 80 countries.- Manica Post
Former Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe has had his travel and security expenses drastically cut but has been allowed to keep the presidential limo and a wing in State House, a newspaper reports.
Mugabe, who was persuaded to resign last month after a military takeover, has been able to keep his bullet-proof black Mercedes limousine, says the Zimbabwe Independent.
But now the limo is registered with an ordinary yellow number plate – and not the infamous white “Zim 1” plate it used to carry.
Meantime the Zimbabwe Independent says Mugabe travelled to Singapore last week with a drastically-reduced entourage. His wife Grace still insisted on keeping half a dozen bodyguards.
“Mugabe had to compromise by allowing a smaller contingent as well as a smaller security team so that Grace could be allowed to travel with a six-member security team for herself,” a government source told the paper.
“In the past he would have taken over 80 people,” the source added.
Mugabe is understood to have some international travel expenses included in his retirement package. But his foreign trips are likely to be severely curtailed. The Zimbabwe Independent said the former president spent more than $32 million on foreign travel between January and September this year.
Zimbabwe’s new president Emmerson Mnangagwa has shown signs of wanting to cut costs like these. Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa allocated just $17 million to Mnangagwa and his cabinet for foreign travel in the 2018 budget.
Security at the Mugabe’s Blue Roof mansion in northern Harare – where the Mugabes were held under house arrest during last month’s military takeover – has now been cut from 85 guards to 20, the Independent said.
Mnangagwa, who was on Friday confirmed as Zanu-PF’s only presidential candidate in 2018 elections, has allocated Mugabe a wing of State House as his personal space in case he wants to entertain official visitors during his retirement.
“He also has a library space that he may choose to use.*Mnangagwa wants Mugabe to be as comfortable as possible during his retirement*, the source told the paper. The new government has been at pains to emphasise that what happened in Zimbabwe was not a coup.- News24
Farai Maguwu | ‘Operation Restore Legacy’ nearly became Operation Restore Legitimacy when the masses were ‘allowed’ to march through Harare and demand that Mugabe steps down. Whilst some of us were very clear that Zim was cascading down to hell, to many Zimbabweans the 18th November march was the greatest moment there ever was in the fight for democracy in the country. But those who thought this was the dawn of a new era ignored many questions they should have answered.
‘Operation Restore Legacy’: Whose Legacy and whats in that legacy?
Whilst the military was very clear in their objective, more than 99% of the people who took to the street or supported the coup from their homes, including the excitable opposition establishment, never asked whose legacy the military sought to restore. Even more worryingly, none dared to question whats in that legacy.
The military said it wanted to restore the legacy of revolutionary elements within ZANU PF. These revolutionaries, claimed the army, were being unfairly kicked out of ZANU PF by G40. The military was also concerned by what it termed instability in ZANU PF. Thus it sought to restore the legacy of war veterans and senior ZANU PF and military officials that was under threat from the Grace Mugabe led G40.
At the heart of the Zimbabwe crisis is the question of legitimacy. ZANU PF has claimed its legitimacy to rule from the 1970s liberation struggle. When Mugabe was soundly defeated by Morgan Tsvangirai in 2008 he declared the pen can’t defeat the gun – a double reference to the liberation war and the current partisan military establishment that silently staged a war against the MDCT supporters till Tsvangirai capitulated and accepted to serve Mugabe under the Inclusive Government. By reversing the MDCT victory in 2008 the Zimbabwe National Army restored ZANU PF legacy.
The fight to ‘restore legacy’ was also witnessed in 2002, on the eve of the 2002 presidential election when the Generals, led by Vitalis Gava Zvinavashe declared that they would not salute a leader with no liberation war credentials.
This legacy is littered with so many graves of innocent Zimbabweans whose only crime was to belong to the opposition. Its the same legacy that led to the Gukurahundi atrocities of the early 80s. No one must feel sorry for Mugabe. He also committed so many atrocities in the name of preserving ZANU PF legacy – their claim to be anointed by a certain macabre god of violence and corruption to destroy our beautiful country till they drop dead. It is this legacy which majority of people ignorantly marched to preserve.
Dawn of New Error!
Now the full fledged militarization of the State, never mind the cosmetic war on corruption which will yield nothing, will perpetuate the ZANU PF ruinous rule for a few more years. The expected elevation of the unelected General Chiwenga to the position of Vice president will complete the subversion of the will of the people or the raping of the nation. There will be more corruption under the military rule than ever before – ask the Nigerians! By allowing the military to subvert the constitution, Zimbabweans committed themselves to a very uncertain future.
The accelerated demise of ZANU PF
The militarization of ZANU PF and the state is the last stand of ZANU PF against the Zimbabwean people. The not so new government will continue to cut out corrupt deals that only benefit themselves and their foreign benefactors. Already reports from Marange say the Chinese are being seen loitering in the community. If the Chinese are back to extract diamonds in Marange, who did President Mnangagwa consult before making that decision? Were the people of Marange, let alone Manicaland, consulted?
Until the military coup, ZANU PF had died due to its failure to transform itself from a liberation movement to a democratic political party. It lacks both internal democracy and the commitment to compete for power with other political parties. This sense of entitlement emboldened the party to plunder the nation’s resources as their fat check for liberating the country from British colonial rule. Hence Zimbabweans were united against the party by the squalid economic conditions created by the ruinous policies and corruption by party officials.
Now with Generals masquerading as cabinet officials, the biggest weakness of Mnangagwa’s government is capacity. The Generals will continue to see everything through the military lenses. Failure is certain. Violence shall be used to suppress dissent but violence has a threshold and this limit will be reached soon.
Thus the military coup is only but a painkiller that will momentarily suppress the ZANU PF illness without taking it out. The demise of ZANU PF is imminent as the party has no capacity or desire to reform. ZANU PF has failed even to learn from fellow liberation movements such as ANC which has cultivated a rich culture of internal democracy. Only yesterday Cyril Ramaphosa won a hotly contested ANC election whilst ZANU PF spent millions of dollars to ENDORSE Emmerson Mnangagwa as party first secretary and President whom they mandated to APPOINT his Politburo. In ANC the top 6 was elected by the Congress but in ZANU PF they are appointed by an individual. This is the hallmark of an outdated and dying political institution.
ZANU PF will fall from power within the next 5 – 10 years and thereafter the party will be in the same category with the Nazi party of Germany.
Government has condemned fare hikes by bus operators ordering the companies to stick to stipulated charges or risk losing their licences.
Bus operators plying local routes yesterday increased their fares by 15 percent or more in defiance of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent call on businesses to stop profiteering.
Dr Gumbo said he was going to take up the issue to Cabinet so that Government can swiftly address the matter.
He said his ministry as the regulator for the transport sector will be forced to withdraw licences for operators found wanting.
“I only give permits. I don’t have anything to do with pricing but if people are using prices which are not correct that becomes a police case. We don’t encourage fare hikes because that is making life very hard for people, we are seeing that happening in shops, prices of groceries have gone up,” said Dr Gumbo.
“It’s not fair. If I am to know which bus company is doing it I will actually ask officials from my ministry to withdraw their permits because it’s not fair.
People must learn to comply with the law. They have made their fares to be known, they should follow those fares.”
Last week, President Mnangagwa urged businesses to stop profiteering.
“I exhort all retailers and service providers to desist from wantonly increasing prices. I urge us to stop profiteering tendencies; let us have the people at heart; let us give our new economic era a chance. We can achieve this by working together and putting our nation first,” he said last Friday.
A Chronicle news crew yesterday visited several bus termini in Bulawayo and established that bus operators had indeed increased fares.
For example, buses plying the Bulawayo- Harare route had increased their fares from $13 to $17 while those for the Bulawayo-Tsholotsho jumped from $6 to $9.
Those plying the Victoria Falls to Bulawayo route increased their fares to $20 from between $13 and $15.
“We are entering the holiday season, it’s normal for us to hike bus fares. We have to profit in this travelling season.
“Some of the buses might have not increased the fares today but if you come tomorrow it will be a different story. They won’t be charging the same,” said a bus conductor, who declined to be named.
Some travellers argued that the price hike was not justified.
“Why is it that cross border buses have not increased fares yet our local buses want to rip us off? We are already struggling, prices for groceries have shot up, what kind of a Christmas are we going to have with our children? Someone has to put a stop to this,” fumed Mrs Patience Manyeruke.- state media
Former Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) secretary-general Joe Mujuru was elected president of the association after beating Roderick Takawira in elections held in Harare on Saturday.
Mujuru beat Takawira by 11 votes to one cast by the electorate comprising 12 provinces.
Mujuru promised to spend his four-year term working for the development of basketball in the country and the establishment of a national league.
“I am very happy that the electorate decided to vote for me.
“They believe in my plan for the development of the sport in the country and now I have an opportunity to see that this is achieved,” said Mujuru.
He promised to stick to his manifesto and work towards attaining the results needed to ensure that the game begins to grow and develop a national outlook.
Presently the national association and its officials have concentrated the sport in Harare and Bulawayo.
“I intend to work with my fellow executive members to do away with the prevailing situation whereby basketball is the preserve of Harare and Bulawayo.
This is the case both on and off the court.
“What we need to do now is to start working towards taking the game both technically and administratively to the rest of the country.
“Technically this will create a larger pool of players for our national teams to choose from and this can only make us better on the court.”
He said he will also look at the establishment of national leagues to unlock the market value of the game.- state media
Fararia Madhumbe | President Emmerson Mnangagwa has now gone for the kill by ridding the ruling Zanu PF party of all former President Robert Mugabe’s supporters and allies, within the party and in the Parliament.
Mnangagwa who himself was a victim of a vicious purge under Mugabe forcing him into exile in neighbouring South-Africa, had his political fortunes turn around after the military intervened in a coup code named “Operation Restore Legacy.”
The state media reports tha at least eight more Zanu-PF Members of Parliament are set to be ejected from Parliament after the ruling party’s Extraordinary Congress held last Friday adopted a Central Committee report recommending their expulsion, together with 12 other party members. The 20 Zanu-PF members were part of the G40 cabal that was causing chaos and instability in Zanu-PF before the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) moved in to pacify the situation under Operation Restore Legacy.
The adoption of the Central Committee report recommending for their expulsion signalled the end of their stint as legislators, as it meant they were no longer representing the interests of the revolutionary party under whose ticket they went into Parliament. “The following members of the G40 cabal who had, through their nefarious activities destroyed the legacy of His Excellency the President Robert Gabriel Mugabe be and are hereby expelled from the Party,” read the minutes of the Central Committee report.
Walter Mzembi
The eight are Messrs Paul Chimedza (Gutu South), Shadreck Mashayamombe (Harare South), Samuel Undenge (Chimanimani East), Makhosini Hlongwane (Mberengwa East), Sarah Mahoka (Hurungwe East), Walter Mzembi (Masvingo South) Anastacia Ndlovu (Proportionate Representative) and Eunice Sandi Moyo (Senator).
Their pending expulsion from Parliament is in terms of Section 129 (1) of the Constitution. Section 129 (1) provides as follows: “The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant if the member has ceased to belong to the political party of which he or she was a member when elected to Parliament and the political party concerned, by written notice to the Speaker or the President of the Senate, as the case may be, has declared that the member has ceased to belong to it.”
Sandi-Moyo
Five other MPs from Zanu-PF were expelled from Parliament last month after Zanu-PF wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly that they were no longer representing the party’s interests in Parliament. They are Messrs Saviour Kasukuwere (Mount Darwin South), Kudzanai Chipanga (Makoni West), Ignatius Chombo (Zvimba North) Professor Jonathan Moyo (Tsholotsho North) and Mandiitawepi Chimene (Mutasa South). Zanu-PF’s Extraordinary Congress also adopted the expulsion of other party members who were part of the G40 cabal.
Shadreck Mashayamombe
They are Mrs Grace Mugabe, who was the ruling party’s Secretary for Women’s League, Mr Phelekezela Mphoko (Zanu-PF Second Secretary) Mrs Letina Undenge (Secretary for Administration for Women’s League), Mr Innocent Hamandishe (Zanu-PF Youth League national commissar), Mr Mtlehlabayo Malinga (Zanu-PF Youth League deputy national secretary) and Mr Xavier Kazizi (Zanu-PF Youth League acting secretary for administration.
Kudzanayi Chipanga
“That Phelekezela Mphoko be and is hereby recalled from the position of Vice President and Second Secretary of Zanu-PF for being divisive, a member of the G40 cabal, tribalism, protecting criminals, preaching hate speech and behaving in a manner inconsistent with the office and decorum of the office as VP,” read the Central Committee report.
Chimene
“That Grace Mugabe be and is hereby recalled from the position of Secretary for the Women’s League of Zanu-PF for promoting hate speech, divisiveness and assuming roles and powers not delegated to her office.”
At least nine inmates escaped from prisons in Mashonaland West Province in 2017, amid calls for vigilance by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS).
Of the escapees, five were re-arrested while four are still at large. Hurungwe Prison had five inmates who escaped during the course of the year, while three escaped from Kadoma Prison and one from Chinhoyi Prison.
Speaking at an end of year party at Chinhoyi Caves Hotel on Friday evening, Officer Commanding Prisons in Mashonaland West, Senior Assistant Commissioner George Denya said: “Inmates usually want to join their fellow friends outside and they try all tricks to go out unlawfully, therefore, go and alert your subordinates to be more careful whenever they are on duty.
“We want zero tolerance to the escape of inmates.” Herald
The Justice ministry yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC) to translate the national Constitution into all 16 official languages.
The country’s new Constitution – which came into force in 2013 – is currently in English, and only provides abridged versions in only eight vernacular languages.
Speaking at the signing ceremony at the New Government Complex, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi described the MoU as historic and a necessity.
“Government is obligated in terms of Section 7 of the Constitution to promote public awareness of the Constitution by, inter alia, translating it into all officially recognised languages and disseminating as widely as possible.
“It is in accordance with this constitutional directive that government has embarked on a number of programmes and projects to ensure that the majority of our citizens are aware of the provisions of our Constitution,” Ziyambi said.
The initial phase of translation is going to be carried out on four vernacular languages — Shona, Ndebele, Kalanga and Tonga — in an exercise that is expected to be completed in the next three to four months.
The process will involve top jurists and linguists and other independent parties.
ZCBC representative father Fraderick Chiromba said: “This work of translating the Constitution has also made us to have a better understanding of the Constitution itself.
“We thank the government for the opportunity to translate the Constitution. It also helps the people not to just have the understanding of the Constitution but to own it as well.- Daily News
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has cleared the path for General Constantino Chiwenga’s ascendancy to become one of his two deputies and probably successor.
In a statement released yesterday, the chief secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda said the decorated soldier who led the military intervention that brought to a crashing end former president Robert Mugabe’s 37-year-old rule, has been retired from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) “pending redeployment”.
While the statement did not specify where he would be redeployed to, the Daily News can report that the 60-year-old veteran of the country’s liberation struggle would be Mnangagwa’s second-in-command in government.
Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) commander Philip Valerio Sibanda has since replaced Chiwenga as ZDF commander – a promotion that also earned him the status of a full general.
Sibanda’s elevation was part of a raft of changes in the security sector, consider a pillar of support for the ruling party.
Last Friday, Mnangagwa left the country in agonising suspense after he deferred the appointment of his two deputies as per the Zanu PF constitution, but hinted that he would make the announcements this week.
To all intense and purposes, Chiwenga’s appointment will complete a military takeover of Zanu PF—a party that has close links with the current crop of war generals predating the country’s independence from the British in 1980.
The appointment of air marshal Perrance Shiri and Major General Sibusiso Moyo into Mnangagwa’s first Cabinet have largely been interpreted as his show of gratitude to the military for clearing his way to State House.
Yesterday, Mnangagwa promoted Shiri to the position of chief air marshal while Moyo is now a full lieutenant general.
Both sit in the Zanu PF politburo.
Chiwenga underline his role as the kingmaker in Zanu PF at the party’s congress held last week with virtually everyone, including Mnangagwa, paying homage to his role in the ejection of Mugabe.
The country has been without its two vice presidents since last month when Mnangagwa was fired from both government and Zanu PF.
After Mnangagwa and his Team Lacoste faction made a dramatic comeback — riding on the coattails and tanks of the military—the other vice president Phelekezela Mphoko became part of the collateral damage targeting key members of the rival Generation 40 faction.
Chiwenga, was born Constantine Guveya Chiwenga on August 25, 1956 in Mashonaland East’s Wedza District.
He went to school up to Form 4 at St Mary’s Mission along with Shiri.
On July 29, 2016, he changed his name to Constantino Guveya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga.
Chiwenga went to war in 1973 and received military training in Mozambique as a Zanla militant.
He adopted the war name of “Dominic Chinenge”, rising through the ranks to become a provincial commander for Masvingo/Gaza Province, deputised by George Chiweshe who was the provincial commissar.
He was later promoted to the High Command in 1978 to the post of Zanla deputy political commissar, as Josiah Tungamirai’s deputy.
In 1981, he was attested to the newly-formed ZNA as a brigadier commanding First Brigade in Bulawayo.
He was later promoted to the rank of major-general and reverted to his original name of Constantine Chiwenga.
On the formation of the ZDF in 1994, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general and was appointed commander of the ZNA.
Upon the retirement of General Vitalis Zvinavashe in 2004, he was promoted to the rank of commander of the ZDF.- Daily News
MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai is expected home this week from South Africa, where he is receiving medical treatment, his spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka has revealed.
“He is fine,” Tamborinyoka said, adding: “He will definitely come back home this week.”
Tsvangirai last year disclosed that he has cancer of the colon and had been frequenting neighbouring South Africa for treatment, amid calls back home that he should relinquish power to one of his deputies due to ill health.
Some members in his party were reportedly burning the midnight oil mobilising party structures to call for a special congress to recall him as leader.
Tsvangirai was in South Africa when the military launched Operation Restore Legacy that saw former President Robert Mugabe resign under pressure to give way to his ex-deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Tsvangirai returned to Zimbabwe briefly reportedly “to negotiate a transitional government with Mnangagwa”, but returned to his hospital bed in South Africa after Mugabe’s former deputy named his Cabinet that excluded opposition parties.
Mnangagwa’s special adviser Christopher Mutsvangwa accused Tsvangirai of making outrageous demands for him to be part of a transitional arrangement, but Tamborinyoka rubbished the claims, saying his boss never went into negotiations with the President.- Newsday
For the first time in eight years, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) interviewed veteran sungura musician Hosiah Chipanga signalling an end to the ban they imposed on the controversial artiste in 2009.
In a report headlined “Chipanga’s new album set to be a record breaker,” ZBC all but confirmed that the Mutare-based artiste was now back in their good books.
The report, whose unusual complimentary tone took the Ndafunga Zano singer and his fans by surprise, stated:
“Chipanga also said his forthcoming album titled Gumi Remitemo YaMwari Yakazara (The 10 commandments of God) and will be a hard-hitting social commentary, is expected to hit the airwaves soon.
“For now Chipanga said despite having fallen on hard times, his latest offering will show that he is not a spent force as he is still crafting lyrics that are being described by many as par excellence.”
In an interview with the Daily News yesterday, Chipanga conceded that the ZBC interview came as a “pleasant surprise.”
“I was equally surprised to see ZBC reporters coming for an interview. It is a positive development in my music career to be back on national television after such a long blackout. I hope they will go on to play my music again,” the Kwachu Kwachu singer said.
He added that he has been encouraged by recent political developments which propelled Emmerson Mnangagwa to the presidency.
“Mnangagwa is trying his best to correct his predecessor’s mistakes just like what the biblical Joshua did after Moses,” he said.
Efforts to obtain an official comment from the State broadcaster were fruitless.
Firstme Vhitori, who is in the public relations department, referred the Daily News to her boss who repeatedly did not answer his phone.
The new ZBC stance runs contrary to their 2009 position when they banned Chipanga’s album Hero Shoko because of its “provocative political statements.”
In a letter written by then ZBC secretary Norman Mahori to Chipanga’s lawyers, Gutu and Chikowero Attorneys, the national broadcaster confirmed the ban of the controversial artiste:
“After listening to the six tracks on Hero Shoko we are of the view that some of the tracks contain provocative political statements which we feel is out of place especially during this time of the infancy of the inclusive government.
“As a public broadcaster, it is our duty to promote harmony in society. We will accord airplay to those tracks which we found to be in order,” said the ZBC official.-Daily News
Former Zanu PF and government officials linked to former president Robert Mugabe have claimed that they are being persecuted for their past political association with the ousted despot by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime.
The November 19 central committee meeting resolved to expel G40 members Phelekezela Mphoko, Innocent Hamandishe, Kudzanai Chipanga, Letina Undenge, Samuel Undenge, Walter Mzembi, Makhosini Hlongwane, Mandi Chimene, Dickson Mafios, Wonder Mashange, Xavier Kazizi, Tongai Kasukuwere, Mpehlabayo Malinga, Tapiwa Matangaidze, Anastancia Ndlovu, Jappy Jaboon and Paul Chimedza.
The cabal was allegedly led by former First Lady Grace Mugabe backed by Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere, Ignatius Chombo and Patrick Zhuwao — who have also been expelled.
Zanu PF central committee member Daniel Shumba, who was expelled during Friday’s extraordinary congress, said he was not fired in terms of the November central committee resolution.
“So when and which central committee resolved my expulsion?” he said from Haiti where he is attending parliamentary business.
“No one has or is able to prefer a charge against me, because they just isn’t any. Having an independent mindset or alternative views is not a violation of any Zanu PF statutes.
“Everyone knows how I was abused for taking part in the Tsholotsho meeting, and now am subjected to purging for not conforming to factional dictates,” he said referring to the 2004 Tsholotsho meeting called to plot former president Mugabe’s ouster and the then Midlands godfather’s ascendancy to the presidium.
“The people are not fools they can tell that am being victimised for no cause. God is my salvation and redeemer. The truth shall set me free, because my hands are clean.
“I shall accordingly congratulate Cdes July Moyo, Lovemore Matuke, Paul Mangwana, Jorum Gumbo, Josiah Hungwe on their victory. It was indeed a good fight against me, know God shall recompense you in good measure,” he said.
Shumba was one of six Zanu PF provincial chairpersons suspended in the Tsholotsho debacle that sought to block the elevation of Joice Mujuru to the vice presidency in 2004.
After his suspension, a livid Shumba formed an opposition party United People’s Party (UPP) two years later, and in retaliation, the Zanu PF government suspended the licence for his TeleAccess, which was poised to be the second fixed line company in Zimbabwe after TelOne.
In the 2008 parliamentary election, the party put forward 79 candidates for the House of Assembly and 27 for the Senate in eight of Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces, but failed to pick up a single constituency.
Shumba, a retired Zimbabwe National Army colonel, was denied a chance to run in the 2008 Zimbabwean presidential election after allegedly arriving late at the Nomination Court.
He later won a court application, but the judgment was issued well after the re-run election.
Shumba, initially resigned from politics in October 2009, to continue his role as a business leader in Zimbabwe before retracing his footsteps to Zanu PF after dissolving the UPP.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission is reportedly investigating G40 kingpins including former Foreign minister Walter Mzembi and his Mines counterpart Walter Chidakwa for corruption and abuse of office.
Mzembi, through his attorney Job Sikhala of Koto and Company Legal Practitioners, expressed “dismay at the incessant allegations” he said were being conveyed through the media.
Sikhala said Mzembi was prepared to defend himself against the allegations “in the right forums as provided for by our Constitution, and not to a public trial orchestrated by those whose mandate is to report fairly, factually and with integrity on such matters.”
“Furthermore, he is not oblivious of political persecution and a sense of retribution and vengeance, a facade and clone of the Nuremberg trials by those failing to heed…Mnangagwa’s clarion call to desist from political witch-hunting of comrades who may have fallen out of favour with the current political dispensation,” Sikhala said.
Mzembi claimed he was being persecuted by Mnangagwa’s allies keen to settle “scores.”
“These (attempts) will be responded to and every essential detail concocted over the years to soil, and destroy or break … Mzembi will be shared with the public only from a court of law in defence and mitigation,” his attorney said.
It is alleged Mzembi abused office in relation to vehicles he got during the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly which Zimbabwe and Zambia co-hosted in 2013. He also stands accused of awarding contracts to his wife, Barbara, without going to tender.
Chidakwa, who was unreachable for comment, allegedly used his influence to unlawfully grant tax exemption to a mining firm, which then made a hefty payment to an organisation linked to the former minister.
Other members of the faction including former Finance minister Chombo have since been charged with corruption while others including former Local Government minister Kasukuwere and his Higher Education counterpart Moyo are still at large after they allegedly skipped the country.
Another G40 kingpin, former Harare provincial political commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe told the Daily News in a Facebook interview that he had nothing to fear as he has not committed a crime.
“Iwe handina wandinokumbira ruregerero wangu, (I have nothing to apologise for) I can have a very prosperous life outside the party. What I hate is propaganda,” Mashayamombe said.
“Kunyepa kwakashata taura kwawaswera (Lying is bad, people should not make claims without evidence). There is freedom of association in this country unotamba newaunoda (you befriend whosoever you want)
“The desperation is too much kutora picture yangu ya 2015 hanzi ndiri kuKenya (taking a picture as old as 2015 and say I am in Kenya ) this is too much,” he added. Daily News
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday effectively ended police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri’s 24-year tenure as boss of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) by sending the top cop on leave pending retirement as he rang several changes to the security sector in a major shake-up.
Chihuri’s deputy, Godwin Matanga, has been named acting Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) boss.
The changes were announced by chief secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda who revealed in a statement that Chihuri went on leave Friday.
Chihuri attended the Zanu PF extraordinary congress last Friday.
“Commissioner-General of Police,…Chihuri, started his leave on 15th December, 2017 pending retirement from the service. Deputy commissioner general Cde Godwin Matanga has been appointed acting commissioner-general of the Zimbabwe Republic Police,” Sibanda said in a statement.
As first reported by the Daily News two weeks ago, Mnangagwa has made several changes to the security sector, including retiring Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) General Constantino Chiwenga whom he replaced with Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) commander, Phillip Valerio Sibanda.
Chiwenga’s retirement, pending redeployment, paves way for him to become vice president.
Sibanda will be replaced by Edzai Chimonyo — Zimbabwe’s former ambassador to Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda, who has been recalled from diplomatic service.
Sibanda will now superintend over the powerful ZDF — composed of the ZNA and the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ).
Also as first reported by the Daily News, Air Vice Marshal Elson Moyo, has been promoted to the position of AFZ commander, replacing Perrance Shiri who is now minister of Lands and Agriculture.
Air Vice Marshal Shebba Shumbayaonda had briefly replaced Shiri as Air Force boss in an acting basis.
Shumbayaonda’s fate is unknown. Moyo will be deputised by former air commodore, Jasper Marangwanda, who has been promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal. Shiri was promoted to the position of Air Chief Marshal on retirement.
Also promoted on retirement was former ZNA chief-of-staff, Sibusiso Moyo, who goes a rank up from Major-General to Lieutenant-General. He is new Foreign Affairs and International Trade minister.
Major-General Engelbert Rugeje has also been promoted to lieutenant-general following his resignation and subsequent appointment as Zanu PF national political commissar.
Brigadier generals David Sigauke; John Mupande; Paul Chima and Hlanganani Dube have all been promoted to major generals.
In his statement, Sibanda said the changes were with immediate effect.
But the major highlight of Mnangagwa’s changes was the announcement of Chihuri’s looming departure from the police force.
The 64-year-old ex-combatant’s tenure was marred by widespread allegations of corruption and gross human rights violations, which were levelled against him and the police force.
Chihuri has been under intense pressure to quit the police force ever since the ZNA carried out the
“Operation Restore Legacy” which led to the fall of former president Robert Mugabe who resigned on November 21 after Parliament had put in motion impeachment proceedings against
him.
This was further highlighted by thousands of ordinary Zimbabweans who booed him at the inauguration of Mnangagwa on November 24 when he was about to take his oath of allegiance to the new president.
Chihuri was firstly booed as he arrived at the packed 60 000 capacity stadium.
His humiliation reached the peak when he read his loyalty pledge as people vented their anger and chanted “he should go, he should go, he should go”, while others rolled hands to signal a substitution, a sign that is normally used in football.
Contrary to the gratitude expressed to other members of the security sector, Chihuri, reportedly seen as part of a component of the security forces who wanted to defend Mugabe’s hegemony, had a torrid time maintaining composure as he struggled to read through his loyalty pledge.
Chihuri was mainly unpopular for the numerous roadblocks which were being mounted by the police which the public alleged were meant to extort motorists.
Apart from triggering a public outcry, the ubiquitous roadblocks drove away international tourists who complained of harassment and demands of bribes by cops manning them. Chihuri received his military training at Mgagao in Tanzania and had been the longest-serving police chief after he assumed the helm of the force in 1993. He took over the reins as acting commissioner in 1991 replacing Henry Mukurazhizha.
Two years later he eventually became substantive police commissioner in 1993.
In 2008 he was appointed to commissioner-general when the post was created to replace that of commissioner. Daily News
Police in the Midlands are appealing to members of the public to help identify the body of a female adult who died on admission at Kwekwe District Hospital after she experienced some labour pains while at a bus terminus in Kwekwe.
Acting Midlands police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende said the now deceased had no identity particulars with her, and the body had been stuck in mortuary at Kwekwe District Hospital since July this year.
“On July 27, 2017 the unidentified woman, who was about 22 weeks pregnant and was at Kwekwe long distance bus terminus, suddenly started gasping. She was later taken to Kwekwe District Hospital where she died on admission.”
Asst Insp Mkwende said the woman, who appeared to be in her 30s had no identification papers and her destination was not known,” she said. – state media
A Zimbabwean man has appeared in court after he was charged for undermining the authority of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, said a report.
Gustiv Kativhu was charged for calling Mnangagwa a “murderer” at the recently concluded Zanu-PF congress that sealed former president Robert Mugabe’s fall from grace, according to local media.
Kitivhu was arrested at the Robert Mugabesquare where the ruling party had met to endorse Mnangagwa as party leader on Friday.
The 45-year-old was protesting outside the venue carrying anti-Mnangagwa placards. Some read: “Mnangagwa killed my friend. Zanu-PF is giving jobs to China. Mnangagwa–Chiwenga diamond mafia. Chiwenga don’t beat vendors, give them jobs.”
Another of the placards called for the upcoming 2018 elections to be monitored by the United Nation, fearing that it could result in another 37 years of no employment.
Kativhu maintained in court that Mnangagwa was abusive, accusing him of trying to act as if the country was still under Ian Smith’s regime.
“[I] wanted to tell him that he killed my friend,” he was quoted as saying.
The state said that it had three witnesses against the accused.
The man was being held in custody until December 21.
Under Mugabe’s rule, the government had clamped down on freedom of expression, with dozens of Zimbabweans falling foul of the law. – News24
A Correspondent| Another kombi accident has been reported near Louis Trichardt in South Africa.
Scores of Zimbabweans are feared dead in the collision which happened on the road to Beitbridge border post on the South African side; whose exact details could not be obtained at the time of writing. Disturbing scenes of the injured’s bodies were seen lying around the scene with no help in sight. Most of the pictures are too gruesome to publish on newsprint. The findings from the accident details were sketchy at the time of writing. – More to follow…
HAVE YOU BEEN AFFECTED? – CONTACT ZimEye RIGHT NOW ON +447426863301
By Mr. Seven Tauzen| We have been living in the information age for quite a while now. In addition to the computer, we still have the hard copies(books), we now have the E-book as well. We also have fact based documentaries that are difficult if not impossible to refute. Yes maZimbas are educated, yes one person can pile up all his academic certificates and
they reach up to the ceiling, but is that any good if it doesn’t help you, your people or
your country? I am not talking about the small picture where you skip the country for
Europe or the Americas where most ‘immigrants’(if white then you are expatriates –
better treatment) are barely keeping their heads above water regardless of the ‘dutu’
of certificates.
We have been ‘TAUGHT’ or ‘TRAINED’ to believe that we (black people ) are
nothing without the master race, the Caucasians from the Caucus mountains. All the
education that we receive was designed by the white person, the Law we use (Roman-
Dutch)- white people, the banking system – white people. All the Major International
money lenders (IMF, World Bank)- white people. Now I ask you, would white people
do anything that will benefit black people or white people?. When these institutions
were set up, there was no Black input or contribution (apart maybe from making tea).
Before you eh spout your ‘understanding’ in defending the whites, what has history
shown us or taught us? Why is it every other race except yeah you guessed it, the
whites is living in dire straits. We appear to have lost this Dictator, one Robert
Matibiri Mugabe, but carry on in his footsteps, moving from the Whites to the
Chinese who are also whitish. What is the 1st thing they do – give us a 20year loan of a
whopping $153 million to do what? Build an airport and a new Parliament building.
They want to the actual construction of the same buildings as well, all with Chinese workers. Now many out there know a book called ‘Confessions of an economic Hitman’ that details how the whites have been playing havoc with Africa since the fall of Jerusalem to this day.
The Chinese obviously have taken a leaf from this book. In short, they target a ‘Third
World’ country whose resources they covet, give it a massive loan, not to better the
live of the man in the street, but to benefit the few who are at the top, the local elite.
How is that done? $153 million to build an airport, a new Parliament building, how is
that going to benefit you and me? And yes, you and me are going to have to pay back
that loan through higher sales tax, higher income tax and the like. To make things
worse, if we miss a couple of repayments, that’s it, we will never be able to pay back
that loan forever.
The same people will now come back again and say look, you will never be able to repay this loan to us, but if you let us go back to Chiadzwa, we will take of $2 million off what you owe us, and don’t worry about the damage to the environment. Even if they take off $2 million, the loan cannot be repaid, the interest is growing exponentially. (chimbadzo chaicho). Next they will come again, if you vote with us at the UN to attack Gadaffi, we will take another $2 million off again. So the cycle goes on and on, the country gets poorer and poorer every day –
I will list some of the major points
1: Identify target country- Zim
2: Corrupt/bribe important people- not difficult in Zim
3: Give massive loan earmarked for the few- RGM airport/Parliament or similar
4: Employ their own nationals to do the work
5: Engineer situations that cause defaulting on repayment
6: Move in for the kill
7: Zim is DEAD
Should 2 to 7 fail, then they bring in the ‘Jackals’ to assassinate those perceived to be
in the way and make it look like an accident. If this fails, they rope in the United
Nations under some cooked up pretext and use force, like they did with Saddam over
non existent weapons of mass destruction and in Libya, when they took out Gaddafi
These people have their tentacles over everything, lets not fool ourselves. They will
force us to accept vaccines that will damage your children’s brains and those who
escape the damage will be made sterile by the same. They will force us to accept
GMO’s on the pretext that GMOs are better, big harvests and no pesticides needed-
really? What about the various cancers that are going to appear down the line 10-15
years after? What about the low male sperm count and defective sperm it is causing.
They will even tell us to accept ‘chingochani’ or else. All this is not supposition
There is a lot that can be written about this, in a way, we are to blame, but since we
now know why we are where we are, lets lift ourselves up like men (indoda sibili) and
do what needs to be done. From design to the finished product- all black and all
Zimbabwean. This kind of thinking is what they do not want to hear, after all we are
monkeys. Incidentally this Ntwakazi Nation noise has all the hallmarks of these
Hitman. Divide and rule. It is written that there is a time for everything, a time to cry,
a time to laugh, a time to fight, a time for peace, a time to destroy and a time to build.
We have destroyed and fought, it is now time to build, different people for each
dispensation, perhaps it is time.
Below are some books which you will not find on any white university syllabus that
you may want to read to assist you to see the whites as they really are. Almost all of
these books are written by white people. I am well aware that there are some good
white people, so please don’t be offended. Your numbers are not sufficient to make a
mark, if they were, the world a whole would not be where it is today, tottering on the
edge of nuclear destruction.
‘Confessions of an Economic Hitman’ by John Perkins
‘Ecoscience’ by John P Holdren
‘Emerging Viruses Aids & Ebola. Accident or Intentional?’ by Leonard G. Horowitz
‘How Europe Underdeveloped Africa’ by Walter Rodney
‘A history of Central Banking & enslavement of mankind’ by Stephen Mitford Goodson
‘Tavistock Institute: Social Engineering the masses’ by Daniel Estulin
‘Genetically Modified organism and population control Drugs in Developing
Countries’ by Tobaiwa Mudede and Richard Hondo
– Seven Tauzen
Which Word Best Describes People Who Worship Either: POLITICIANS, PROPHETS, OR PASTORS?
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) December 19, 2017
– Paced their way out of Zimbabwe through forests and mountains in pure “Tekere-Mugabe 1974 style?
– Saved by Mugabe at last minute.
– “Intelligence department of host country informed”
– Foreign lands.
Staff Reporter| While there have been several assassination threats and also reported attempts against former Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo and his colleague, ZANU 
PF National Commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere running into and beyond the Operation Restore Order period, a sensational report written by analyst Allan Wenyika (making reference to a Monday 18th December Prof Moyo tweet) has claimed that the two G40 leaders are still trapped inside the Tongogara Barracks formerly known as KG6 Barracks in Harare.
The whole trail of highly animated and gripping military events has lasted over 10 months running into the coup period.
SO WHAT IS THE TRUTH AND WHERE EXACTLY ARE JONSO AND TYSON PHYSICALLY RIGHT NOW JUST AS THIS ARTICLE IS READ?
As Wenyika on Monday laid claim that Jonathan Moyo is still holed inside KG6 barracks since the 15th November 2017, the former minister himself posted an announcement that he is suddenly making himself to disappear from the social-media-world, despite being Zimbabwe’s most powerful and viral Twitter activist. So where was he really when he posted that announcement? Wenyika on Monday wrote declaring that Prof Moyo is still literally trapped inside KG6.
In addition to the swirling rumours is another report purportedly narrated by Kasukuwere that the two were physically together at his residence when snipers pounced on Kasukuwere’s house on the 14th November 2017 and that being inside the building, they managed to scare the soldiers away using a loud alarm sirene, and then after some minutes, to swiftly escape into the nearby bushes while running on foot. The report says they practically paced their way out of Zimbabwe “Tekere-Mugabe 1974 style” totally unnoticed. This account was narrated in albeit disconnected parts during a recorded phone conversation with businessman Mutumwa Mawere two weeks ago. When asked what mode of transport they used, the “Kasukuwere” voice is heard saying there was no way they could have taken a car as they would be certainly caught. That discourse has a voice recognised to be Kasukuwere’s stating that they then escaped the country in pure Tekere-Mugabe fashion.
The journey between Harare and the nearest border escape into Mozambie takes 53 hours of non-stop walking. This means the journey would realistically take 9 days of walking with rest periods. (SEE THE ZimEye SATELLITE MAP BELOW) –
These facts make seem to invalidate the veracity of the claim that the two walked on foot into Mozambique last month as claimed in the Mawere recorded conversation.
ZimEye was at the time of writing still working patching up the pieces of evidence and all the other insider details so to establish the drama that transpired on the night of their escape and the eventual days running up to Mugabe’s eventual resignation.
So far the only convincing report is the one presented by Professor Jonathan Moyo in writing in the above tweet that the two were clearly saved by Robert Mugabe on the 15th November, who then later organised their safe escape from the country. That there was an assassination attempt on their lives is undisputed in evidence as shown by the presence of videos and pictures of their houses and Mugabe credibly negotiated their release as part of the conditions of his resignation contract later signed on the 21st November 2017.
So far ZimEye has obtained information corroborated by a host of named sources close to Professor Moyo who reveal that the two are not at all trapped inside KG6 as claimed. What ZimEye has received with convincing evidence, is that the two are clearly outside the country and this includes testimonials from close sources family and friends who have held recorded conversations with the two. Zimbabwe’s new Defence Forces Commander, Valerio Sibanda even sounded it out during his presser yesterday (Monday). He said, “Your Defence and Security Services would like to remind all Zimbabweans to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious objects and individuals to law enforcement agents.
Meanwhile sources at the weekend claimed to ZimEye there are fears that Prof Jonathan Moyo could be assassinated. “The host country’s intelligence department are on high alert for the mercenaries,” the source further claimed. Could the ZDF truly carry out an extra-territorial operation against the two?
By Wilbert Mukori| Let me say, I am impressed by MDC-T VP Nelson Chamisa’s list of objectives of his recent visit to America. (There are similar visits to SADC and AU countries).
“The objectives of the trip are as follows;” he stated.
1. A push for a successful transition to a democratic order through Campaign restore legitimacy and democracy -stating a case for free and fair elections in Zimbabwe
2. Advocacy for political and electoral reforms conducive for free and fair elections.
-A credible voters roll -an independent audit of the BVR -a forensic audit of the ballot and all voting materials -having all parties to collectively agree on the ballot printing company and such procurement -mandatory diaspora vote in line with the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the SADC guidelines -mandatory international observation -A fully independent ZEC including professional and non partisan ZEC secretariat. -equal access to the public media – a stop and cessation of all forms of political violence and harassment”
He listed three more objectives but I will just focus on the two above.
Having called for “mandatory international observation” of the Zimbabwe elections what those observers would want to know from Chamisa and his friends in the Zimbabwe opposition camp is how serious are they about these demands. Whilst there is a convergence of opposition demands to SADC leaders’ own demands what is not clear is whether the opposition are now prepared to postpone the elections to push for these demands, which is exactly what SADC leaders advised MDC leaders to do in 2013!
The regional leaders wanted the July 2013 elections postponed to allow the reforms to be implemented as Dr Ibbo Mandaza, explained.
“Of course, they (2018 elections) can be postponed,” Dr Mandaza explain to Violet Gonda in April 2017. “In 2013 the Maputo Summit, in June 2013, before the elections, the Maputo Summit was all about having the elections postponed – the SADC summit. I went there.
“I was there at the Summit and Mugabe pretended to agree to a postponement of the elections. If you recall, the postponement was based on the need to reform at least electoral laws.
“And after that Summit, Morgan Tsvangirai, Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube, all of them were called to a separate meeting by the Heads of State of SADC in the absence of Mugabe, that same
evening. And they were told; I was sitting there outside the room with Mac Maharaj; they were told ‘if you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done’.
It should be noted that MDC leaders contested the July 2013 elections although ZEC had failed to produce a verified voters’ roll, Zanu PF had retained total control of the public media, etc. The international election observers are not particularly interested in being call in to observe elections in which something as basic as the verified voters’ roll is missing.
It is one thing for Zimbabwe’s opposition to contest flawed and illegal elections and claim they have devised Winning In Rigged Elections (WIRE) strategies. What the opposition must accept is that international election observers are not interested in monitoring rigged elections, they do not even want to know about these so WIRE strategies much less report on whether they worked or not.
IF ZEC FAIL TO PRODUCE A VERIFIED VOTERS’ ROLL AND ALL THE OTHER BASIC NECESSITIES TO ENSURE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS, WILL THE OPPOSITION CONTEST THE ELECTIONS REGARDLESS?
This is the central question Zimbabwe’s opposition parties are refusing to answer but will only make they look even more foolish because their stone silence speaks volumes – of lost political credibility, innocence, career, incompetence, greed, selling-out, everything!
Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends lost a lot of political credibility in 2013 by contesting in the flawed and illegal elections against the sound advice of SADC and many others. Whatever WIRE strategies he and his friends had devised, none of them worked. If anyone had given Tsvangirai & co. any benefit of the doubt in 2013 there will not be so generous this time around.
It is insane contesting an election which everyone knows in advance will be rigged. The only reason anyone outside Zimbabwe is allowing this circus to go ahead is they is very little they can do to stop the opposition from contesting. What the ordinary Zimbabweans will want from the international election observers is for them to declare the result null and void because an election in which something as basic as verified voters’ roll is missing is a sham election, period! – zsdemocrats.blogspot.co.uk
By Terrence Mawawa| Emerging Zimbabwean Boxer, Tinashe Madziwana overwhelmed Malawian Pugilist, Robert Kachiza in an exciting bout in Harare at the weekend.
The vastly talented Madziwana is a member of the Delta Boxing Stable.
The youthful Zimbabwean Boxer took his opponent to the floor in the sixth round.
Madziwana is now eyeing on the WBF Bantamweight Title.
“I am very excited about the win.It was not an easy match but I was determined to win.
I never gave him a chance to find his stride.I was all over him in the sixth round and he could not withstand the pressure.
I am now focusing on the WBF Bantamweight Title,” said Madziwana.
Kachiza conceded defeat and said his Zimbabwean Opponent was simply unstoppable.
“I want to acknowledge that he was unstoppable and I was totally puzzled,” said Kachiza.
By Sydney Barson| The MDC T is a party driven by commitment and sacrifice and this is why it has remained intact despite efforts by ZANU PF to destroy it through maiming and murdering of its members, the party’s Vice President Nelson Chamisa has said.
Speaking at a Christmas Goodies event organised by the youth assembly in Harare Monday, Chamisa appreciated efforts done by the youth and encouraged everyone in the party to rally behind Morgan Tsvangirai in the harmonised elections pegged for 2018.
“We have on record 66 000 members who are survivors and about 500 to a thousand heroes who have been murdered in the struggle and we are only left with seven months to complete the change.” Said Chamisa.
At least 50 families from the ten provinces of Zimbabwe received a consortium of goods which included things like flour, cooking oil, soaps and many others.
“The beneficiaries are the families of victims of ZANU PF repression, those currently incarcerated and orphans whose parents have been killed for simply calling for change in Zimbabwe.
“We started small but we are glad the initiative is growing stronger each year.” said Secretary for Health and one of the coordinators Vimbai Mavherudze.
She said the youth worked hard in scouting for donations and pledges mainly from Zimbabwe and South Africa and thanked Zimbabweans for their generosity despite a harsh economic environment.
One Baba Musarurwa a beneficiary said he was trully grateful for the youth assembly for remembering him and others and was certain the 2017 Christmas will indeed be different.
By Dorrothy Moyo| The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has refused to open its servers to the public for inspection.
Secrets of the BVR (Biometric Voter Registration) system in its entirety were in Spetember exposed by top US university, Harvard. Academics at the institution conducted a detailed research into how the BVR is a “naughty” hub for not only politicians but also criminals. The system while being secretive, can be easily hacked and people’s data altered to ensure for instance that they do not vote; and when a user approaches the commission complaining their details have been tampered with, they will be told the commission cannot do anything about it because of Data Privacy laws. This way many will fail to vote come election day and only “special people” allowed to vote.
The development comes as a report claimed that at present the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission database already has a list over 3 million voters secretly registered.
Civil society organisations have said the ZEC should make its servers accessible to members of the public for accountability purposes. The ZEC Commissioner Qhubani Moyo told the state owned Herald paper, the public will only be invited to inspect the voters’ roll, but access to the database will be restricted.
Moyo said, “Zimbabwe has millions of people and if we open up our servers you can imagine what will happen.
“But the key thing is that storage of data is purely a security matter between ZEC and the person who is registered. The moment you begin to open that data to anyone else other than the party that has registered, you will be, therefore, compromising the whole issue of secrecy of data.
“There is going to be voter inspection, so during voter inspection, the people can then evaluate the information that we would have put into the servers as this is what is going to be placed in the provisional voter’s roll.”
By Farai D Hove| Gen Constantino Chiwenga who resigned from his post as head of the Defence Forces yesterday, is set for appointment as the country’s new Vice President.
Gen Chiwenga as President Mnangagwa’s successor (VP) will be ….
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) December 19, 2017
By Dorrothy Moyo|President Emmerson Mnangagwa is Africa’s best expert of economics, a local pastor has said.
The controversial Obadiah Msindo said Mnangagwa has all ability to turn Zimbabwe’s economy around.
Msindo has a pile of controversies including a rape case and another involving a debt all for which he has endured time in prison. He is also known for declaring that an election win by the opposition would be a curse to the nation.
Last month, Msindo was slapped with a 90 day civil imprisonment sentence for defying a court order to pay a debt of more than $10 000 to prominent Bulawayo modelling agency owner, Ms Sipho Mazibuko.
The preacher runs the Destiny for Afrika Network leader Reverend Obadiah Musindo.
Yesterday Msindo was quoted by the Newsday paper saying Mnangagwa is anointed and those opposing him are wasting their time.
He also added saying the President is a shrewd businessman and a strategist who should be supported as he can be trusted to turn around the economy.
“President Mnangagwa is a shrewd businessman and a God-fearing man,” he said.
He continued saying, “he speaks business and he knows business and he is a strategic man and l am confident that he is going to change the economy of this country. I don’t think there is a President in the entire Africa who knows about the economy than our President.
“Many Africa countries have been earning billions of dollars because of their connections to China, look what they are doing in Angola and Mozambique and the same can be done here.
“Those who are opposing him are wasting their time, the man is anointed, he should not have survived the poisoning, only God saved him, the bloodless takeover shows that God was behind the takeover.
The country needs a man like him. The business community has endorsed him, his companies are viable, some of the politicians’ businesses are broke and he is leading by example.”
By Farai D Hove| Hell has broken loose on Intratrek owner Wicknell Chivayo over his spending of money on hundreds of shoes among other indulgencies (including pink shoes) after receiving $5million of public money for the construction of the Gwanda Solar project.
This comes after he told ZimEye.com and another publication that after receiving the $5 million 2 years ago he has run out of money and now needs a bank loan to start the project.
https://youtu.be/OqbcQCBRsVk
The government’s National Economic Conduct Inspectorate (NECI) has demanded documents relating to the Gwanda Solar Project and the Munyati Power Station.
Chivayo has won nearly $1 billion worth of tenders despite being a Chikurubi prisoner imprisoned for high level fraud and money laundering between 2005 and 2008.
Chivayo last week publicly shrugged off reports that he was arrested over his irregular dealing with the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA).
As ZimEye.com has covered him for over 2 years to date, Chivayo has done nothing convincing on the project resulting in the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) taking over the management of the project.
His lawyer, Advocate Thabani Mpofu last week denied the reports that his client was arrested despite being earlier quoted word for word.
The latest development has seen the letter from the NECI demanding that Chivayo supplies Intratrek bank statements from January 2015 to date. The full text reads:
This letter serves as a follow up to the request for documents done through a letter dated 7 December 2017 and a subsequent meeting between NECI officers and the Managing Director, Mr. Wicknell Chivayo, on the same date.
NECI is still waiting for the urgent delivery of the documents below:
• Intratrek Zimbabwe, bank statements from January 2015 to date;
• Cash book; and
• All other documents pertaining to the Gwanda Solar Project and Munyati Power Station held by the company.
An expeditious submission of the above information will be appreciated.
A man from Hwange will forever curse the day he decided to be ungrateful to his friend after he was sentenced to 12 months in jail for stealing his bank ATM card.
Tembo pleaded guilty to four counts of theft when he appeared before Hwange magistrate Mrs Portia Mhlanga-Moyo.
He was lucky to be spared jail life after the magistrate suspended six months on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining six months were suspended on condition that Tembo completes 210 hours of community service at the Hwange magistrate’s court.
Prosecuting, Mr Onias Nyathi said Tembo was invited for a beer drink by Mr Nyoni of G11C Lwendulu a fortnight ago.
Tembo then stole the card at Glow Service Station in Hwange where they had stopped to refuel.
“On 5 December at 11pm, the complainant hired a taxi and proceeded to Glow Petroleum for refuelling. He gave the fuel attendant an ATM card and furnished him with a PIN code so the vehicle could be refuelled,” said the prosecutor.
Mr Nyathi said after fuelling, the attendant Mr Botha Maruvisi handed over the card and it was received by the accused, who hid it.
The court heard that the two drove to Truck Inn and Mr Nyoni demanded his ATM from Tembo who, however, denied ever taking it from the attendant.
Mr Nyoni went back to the fuel attendant who confirmed that he had given the ATM card to Tembo.
The court was told that the following day, Tembo, who had memorised the PIN code, went on a shopping spree at OK Supermarket where he bought groceries worth $93 using the card.
During the same day, he swiped for fuel and packets of cigarettes with a combined value of $49.
Tembo was arrested after investigations by the police.- state media
First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa will this festive season donate food hampers to over 4 000 vulnerable children across the country’s 10 provinces as a way of bringing relief to the children. The food hampers will be distributed to the 98 registered private and Government children’s homes throughout the country.
In a statement, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Secretary Mr George Charamba said the hampers will consist of rice, maize-meal, cooking oil, soaps, teas, sanitary pads and other necessities.
“Her Excellency the First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa, has announced that, in the spirit of bringing relief to vulnerable children, she will be donating food hampers to the 98 registered private and Government children’s homes throughout the country,” he said.
“The food hampers will benefit more than 4 000 children in the registered institutions which are located in the 10 provinces of the country. The hampers will contain, among other necessities, rice, mealie-meal, cooking oil, soaps, teas and sanitary pads.” Because of the limited days before Christmas, Mr Charamba said the Fist Lady regretted that not all the children’s homes will be able to receive their packs in time for Christmas. He, however, said Amai Mnangagwa assured the beneficiaries that the distribution exercise will continue beyond Christmas.
“The First Lady sourced the packs mainly from a benevolent charitable foundation, which has a history of caring for the vulnerable in Zimbabwe and various other countries. This foundation has worked with other First Ladies in Africa who are involved in philanthropic work,” he said.
“The First Lady wishes to emphasise that the donation and all her philanthropic efforts will benefit all and any vulnerable children in Zimbabwe without any consideration of any political affiliations. To that end, the First Lady is appealing for more donations in cash and in kind from organisations, individuals and corporates to help her fulfil her dream of helping vulnerable children, girls and women in society.” Mr Charamba said those interested in supporting Amai Mnangagwa’s work should contact her office through Mrs K Sibanda on (04) 706191 or mobile 077 271 900.- state media
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda has today announced that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander General Constantino Guvheya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga has retired, pending redeployment. Lieutenant General Phillip Valerio Sibanda has been promoted to the rank of a full General and assumes the post of Commander Defence Forces (CDF). Before this latest promotion and appointment, he was Commander, Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA).
General Philip Valerio Sibanda
In a statement, Dr Sibanda also announced the retirement of Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner General Dr Augustine Chihuri.
“Commissioner General of Police, Dr Augustine Chihuri started his leave on December 15, 2017, pending his retirement from the Service,” he said. “Deputy Commissioner General Cde Godwin Matanga has been appointed Acting Commissioner General of Zimbabwe Republic Police.”
Commissioner-General Dr Augustine Chihuri
President Mnangagwa also promoted Air Marshal Perrance Shiri to the rank of Air Chief Marshal on retirement. Major General Sibusiso B Moyo was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General on retirement, while Major General Engelbert Rugeje has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General on retirement. Dr Sibanda said the three remained part of the National Reserve Force.
Lieutenant General Sibusiso B. Moyo
Ambassador Major General Edzai Absolom Chanyuka Chimonyo has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, and assumes the post of Commander Zimbabwe National Army, taking over from Gen Sibanda. Before this latest promotion and appointment, Major General Chimonyo was on secondment to the then Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania, with multiple accreditations to the Republics of Burundi and Rwanda.
Air Vice Marshal Elson Moyo has been promoted to the rank of Air Marshal and assumes the post of Commander, Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ). Before this latest promotion and appointment, Air Vice Marshal Moyo was Chief of Staff, Joint Operations and Plans at the Zimbabwe Defence Forces headquarters. Brigadier General David Sigauke, Brigadier General John Chris Mupande, Brigadier General Paul Chima and Brigadier General Hlanganani Dube were promoted to the rank of Major General, while Air Commodore Jasper Garikayi Marangwanda was promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal.- state media
Wilbert Mukori | Zanu PF is a party of thugs and ever since the coup the party has been bending over backwards to portray itself has a transformed party keen to embrace the democratic values and even hold free, fair and credible elections next year. What the party members have been saying and doing, however, has revealed that bad habits die hard. And inbreed habits are impossible to forget, a thug will always be a thug.
“Your Defence and Security Services would like to remind all Zimbabweans to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious objects and individuals to law enforcement agents,” said Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, Lieutenant General Phillip Valerio Sibanda.
“This is because some of the members of the G40 cabal that had surrounded the former Head of State are now bad mouthing the country from foreign lands where their intentions to harm the country have been pronounced.
“It is therefore the duty of every Zimbabwean to ensure that these malcontents and saboteurs and others of like mind are not allowed to succeed.”
A few days ago, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, the new Zanu PF chairperson shamelessly stood up to say “Pasi, pasi naJoice Mujuru!” (Death, death to Joice Mujuru!)
For the last 37 years the nation has been force fed the Zanu PF ethos that these with liberation war credentials are the only Zimbabweans worthy of the human freedoms, liberties, rights including the right to govern the nation and a lion’s share of the nation’s riches. The rest of us had no such freedoms and rights, not even the right to life. We must be content with whatever scraps the ruling elite throw at us. Now the ethos has been revised, all those expelled from Zanu PF have not just lost their membership of the party but worst of all they have been stripped of their humanity too.
The irony is that President Mnangagwa and many of those around him today were booted or were going to be booted out of Zanu PF themselves. They have had to resort to the desperate measure of staging a military coup otherwise it would be them and Jonathan Moyo, Kasukuwere and the rest in the G40 faction who will be on the run for dear life!
Whether Commander Sibanda, Oppah Muchinguri President Mnangagwa or anyone else in Zanu PF care to admit it or not; the fact of the matter is Mujuru and all the other former Zanu PF cadres and the rest of us povo are all Zimbabweans and, per se, have very right to all the freedoms and all the basic human rights the rest of the world take for granted. We claim the right to free, fair and credible elections as a right and not a privilege to be granted to some and denied others.
Commander Sibanda, it is not for you or the army to label Zanu PF’s political opponents “malcontents and saboteurs”. If you know of any crimes Moyo or Kasukuwere have committed then report the details to the appropriate authority for investigation. It is totally unacceptable for the army to be arresting and detaining anyone, as happened with Ignatius Chombo, much less making politically loaded threatening remarks.
If President Mnangagwa is serious about holding free and fair elections next year then why has he kept the obnoxious Ministry of Information whose sole purpose is to stifle freedom of expression and free media. He has not implemented even one democratic reform, he knows that with no meaningful reforms, it is impossible to have free and fair elections.
Zanu PF is a party of thugs and all efforts to present themselves as democrats is a waste of time because their thug persona comes out each time they open their mouth or do anything. You can soak the skunk in channel 5 but the minute it flicks its tail, there is no mistaking it for anything else!
By Nomazulu Thata
Dear Mrs. Mugabe,
The agony you are now going through is just unimaginable, you are pained right in your heart, your soil, your bones and your very self. You wish dozen times that what you did should not have happen: how you wish those stage-managed interfaces did not take place in the first instance. I do not want to imagine your loss and pain on my own skin by any stretch of imagination because it is most unbearably painful. If I sit down and conjure your state of mind today at this moment, it compels me to write you this letter to give you some comfort; emotional comfort. It does not matter how big you have sinned to men/women and God, at the end of the day you are a Zimbabwean, a Zimbabwean mother, a daughter of this land called Zimbabwe.
The people out there are aggrieved about your behaviour towards other people in general: the very poor people who needed your assistance and guidance as the First Lady. You failed as a mother to understand and comprehend how a poor Zimbabwean mother feels despite the fact that you are a mother yourself. This is not the time to split you, judge you, insult you; we all know what you did, what you said all those are not new to Zimbabwe; home and abroad. What you did to Zimbabwean people, remember that anyone else in your position could have done it. It is very easy to do what you did to the Zimbabwean population if one had the leverage of power that you had by virtue of your marriage to President Robert Mugabe.
Mrs. Mugabe: When your mind sinks into regrets, burst into crying uncontrollably, regrets of what you have done and said, please remember that you are a victim yourself. You are equally a victim just like those families you ruthlessly removed from Manzoe farm because you wanted animals to dwell in that farm to attract tourists. Please remember this Mrs. Grace Mugabe that you are a classical example of an abused woman. We visibly see your abuse because you are in the limelight and we are not. Your abuse is all visible to all who can see and are able to determine what abuse on women means what it is all about. Abuse on women is sometimes not noticeable at all, but what they know and notice is how you kicked and screamed at people whom you thought were an obstacle to your assuming power from your husband: Robert Mugabe. One among many is how you treated Mrs. Joyce Mujuru: your fellow woman.
In your national rallies that were stage-managed by men in your social circle, most of the time these rallies were very insulting, sometimes very boastful, most of the times children were force-matched to those gatherings and interfaces were you uttered words that are unprintable: you exposed the school-children and robed their innocence. Children, school children should never be exposed to a language such as “bonde.” As a mother yourself, you should have known this that children must be
respected all the time. No political scoring, purging and insults should be done in their presence.
You were sometimes insensitive to tribal make-up of our great nation. Going to Mathebeleland and assume that all understood Shona was not only disrespectful but rude too. Somehow you failed to appreciate the reasons why the people of Mathebeleland relocated to South Africa looking for those jobs that were not available in Zimbabwe. Now to call men in Mathebeleland “lazy” and they just come to make babies and return to South Africa: they just buy bicycles and blankets: those were scatter-shots that were wholly insulting to the “other” tribe, knowing that there are serious ethnic tensions in Zimbabwe. Such accusations should have been avoided as they exacerbate un-necessary ethnic conflicts.
What is most disturbing is that we have always heard of UBUNTU and thought that our African-ness: Ubuntu has support structures that will look after their own in such situations like yours. Where was your sister, your brother, your aunties; all those people that support families so that you do not go astray as you did? Those support structures that did not come to your assistance and advice as such, failed you in every respect. Somebody in the family should have taken you by the side and told you that: your position as First Lady does not allow you to use those unprintable words to denigrate other people: be it Dr. Joyce Mujuru or Emmerson Mnangagwa or George Charamba, just to mention those few who are also in the limelight, was not the best way forward to assume power.
Firstly we see victimhood in you when you got married to then President of Zimbabwe: Robert Gabriel Mugabe when you were still nursing your divorce with your first husband. The President took advantage of your youthfulness and beauty. He wanted to have children because his mother yearned for grandchildren from Robert before she died. You are the woman who was supposed to fulfil that wish. Innocently you did fulfil the old woman’s wish. Senior Mrs Bona Mugabe happily died because you had given her three grandchildren with your second husband: Robert Mugabe.
We see victimhood in you when you were used by men, MEN in the party- G40 who were power-hungry themselves but were not able to get the presidency; they used you to do that job for them. Firstly you purged Mrs. Mujuru out of her Vice Presidency t pave way for Mnangagwa. That you successfully did with absolute cruelty. That capacity and crude language-use did not come from you at all, you were fed to say what you said by the men around you and your husband. It was painful to see such open abuse on a woman by another woman: we “from the aside” were able to see through where that courage you had came from.
Your dangling of diamond ring and rings in your hands gave pain to all those abject poor people who are suffering because of your husband’s mismanagement of government spending and excessive looting of the state treasury. Your unending
shopping sprees show an excessive desire to be unique from the rest of us. That one million dollar diamond ring was not necessary to spend on in a country where young pregnant women a denied to give birth in hospitals because they did not pay hospital fees. You had become removed from the very people you purported to be the mother of. You do not have any idea how dilapidated our country clinics and schools are out there. Our roads cause accidents daily; we are losing lives daily because of the run-down road infrastructure. We had perfect roads before your husband took over power in 1980. Because of the looting culture dating back in the early independence, there was ground-breaking infrastructure development that took place since 1980.
The looting of farms is another flake on your body and soul. There are millions of people who are landless in their own country, but you and your husband have 12 farms looted from the White Zimbabweans, citizens of Zimbabwe. You cannot possibly own Mazoe Dam. You tried to loot it too, claimed it was yours and nobody is supposed to use it. Mazoe Dam belongs to the nation and is supposed to benefit all catchment settlements within that radius and not you alone. When the settlers in Manzoe Farm were removed, they were just dropped like animals by the way side. There was no resettlement program to replace their livelihoods. It is without doubt that lives were lost in this exercise. Those victims: women, men and children prayed and cried to God for their loss of livelihoods, dear Mrs. Mugabe and it was a question of time, their prayers got answered. This pain and humiliation you are going through comes from those humble cries: “For he is a just God” But still I consider you a complete victim of circumstances.
What we see today is injustices against a woman by Lacoste and G40 equally: you the victim Mrs. Mugabe. The blame is put paid on you most, than your husband, the former President. I say this because all the blame is rubbed on you and not your husband, not Jonathan Moyo who used to feed you with all those larger than life utterances; not Kasukuwere, and not your Mzukuru: Patrick Zhuwao. The nation’s anger is put-paid on your body and soul to suffer it. Ever since your husband lost power, it appears as if he has been exonerated from all the crimes and genocidal intentions since early independence till he was pushed away from power by a coup. d’état. Of late MDC-T even suggested your husband should be honoured for good service as President for 37 years. All those crimes against humanity your husband committed have been forgotten, but nobody has forgotten your sins, serious mistakes, sometimes of criminal intentions. This to me is travesty of justice if the woman is made to suffer the crimes she committed more than men.
The very people who used to hero-worship, kneel before you, called you Dr. Amai, or Munhu wese kuna Amai not even four weeks ago, have gone live on social media denouncing you calling you a Whore, “Hure”. When you hear those insults and altercations about you and your previous behaviour: when people who paid reverence and absolute to you not even four weeks ago, they now call you all sorts of names: among those insults are that you are a prostitute, a whore and so forth it
goes on. It is certainly not that you are a prostitute, a whore; it is only that the word “whore” is the strongest term they can use to illustrate their detest for you as a person.
For goodness sake: who calls Jonathan Moyo a “Hure”, who calls Saviour Kasukuwere a “Hure.” Who calls Patrick Zhuwao a “Hure”. That insult curiously applies to you because you are a woman. This is how women are insulted: “Whores” if women crossed their demarcation lines of men’s bar measurement of morality. These are the very men who put you in serious trouble. Emotionally these men who were near you carry fewer burdens than you: you are the one who insulted Mnangagwa, it is not said or asked who fed Mrs. Mugabe those purging utterances to destroy Lacoste and Mnangagwa in those stage-managed rallies and youth interfaces. Evidently some of your utterances were fed in you to say what you said. The paint brush remains in you more than the G40 group, you were just fronted to do the dirty work for them and they remained at the background. You are now facing the music alone in Zimbabwe.
I am desperately trying to reach out to you out there and humbly advise what could assist you to come to terms with your very painful loss of Presidency and humiliating situation you find yourself in. Give back what does not belong to you? “Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Give back those farms and remain with one. Give back looted diamond revenues to the owners of the land, surrender that looted money to the country’s treasury. Write a letter to the nation and apologize to the nation that you did and said was out of realms of good practice. Give that “PHD” doctorate degree back, you know it was not your sweat, somebody wrote the theses for you. When you have done that you will have done your part so don’t wait for the nation to forgive you: Few women/men are capable of forgiveness is such like your situation at the present moment.
Knowing that man/woman is not capable of forgiveness: in a clear blue night: when the moon and stars are beautifully shining on you face: ask for forgiveness to the entire universe: to the moon, to the stars, to the empty space in the universe. The magic behind this is that you will get your peace you now need most. This will assist you to come to terms with your pain, loss and humiliation. The universe will forgive you irrevocably. You will find peace in your mind and body. Your husband is old and can go to his creator anytime now. You will remain alone and your children and grandchildren to face the inevitable. Do not ask for forgiveness to the universe: moon and the stars a thousand times, in so doing you will be saying even the universe cannot forgive me hence your continuous asking for forgiveness.
You are young; you are a mother of still very juvenile boys who are used to life of drugs, alcohol and sex: boys who still need guidance from you as their mother. You need that peace of mind to be able to face life without the husband: and life can be very long. There is some woman in USA who was about to face capital punishment: she said the something that still lingers in my mind to this day: she said human
beings do not forgive but she knew that by talking to God; only God forgave her the sin she had committed to get capital punishment and she was sure she was forgiven by God before she was executed.
Mrs Mugabe it will be asking too much to get in touch with Ntombi-Langa Charity organisation that hopes to assist women in emotional distress, I am lesser mortal and have no privilege to speak to you personally. This letter I hope will get you and hope it may help:
Cyril Ramaphosa has won the race to become the new ANC president.
The announcement was made just before 7pm after delays, a dramatic campaign season, and fears that the ANC’s elective conference would end in shambles.
Supporters cheered when the ANC electoral commission’s announcement was made, after waiting more than an hour for commission officials to arrive to declare the winners.
Ramaphosa won 2 440 votes to Nkosazana Dlamini- Zuma’s 2 261.
The commission’s Bontle Mpakanyane said 4 708 votes were cast, of the 4 776 total number of credentials.
Speculation mounted during the day that Ramaphosa had taken the leadership, with Jackson Mthembu anticipating the result.
“We have looked at the numbers. CR17 campaign has not talked about numbers, but we know that we have more than 2 389 to win this conference if you include our PECs that are in Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Northern Cape,” Mthembu said.
Prior to the announcement, delegates sang songs in support of both Dlamini-Zuma and Ramaphosa. Up on stage, members of the party’s national executive committee shared hugs as they waited. In one moment, ANC chairperson Baleka Mbete became tearful.
The mood inside the Nasrec centre was rapturous for much of the proceedings, but those in Dlamini-Zuma’s camp, particularly supporters from KwaZulu-Natal, appeared disappointed.
The other top six positions are as follows:
Deputy President:
David Mabuza. Mabuza got 2 538 votes to Lindiwe Sisulu’s 2 159.
National Chairperson:
Gwede Mantashe.
With seven spilt ballots and 14 abstentions, Mantashe got 2 416 votes to Nathi Mthethwa’s 2 269.
Secretary General:
Ace Magashule.
With 4 spoilt ballots and 8 abstentions, Magashule got 2 360 votes to Senzo Mchunu’s 2 336.
Deputy secretary general:
Jessie Duarte
With 4 spoilt ballots and 17 abstentions, Jessie Duarte got 2 474 votes to Zingiswa Losi’s 2 213.
Treasurer-general:
Paul Mashatile
With 6 spoilt ballots and 7 abstentions, Mashatile got 2517 votes to Maite Nkoana-Mashabane 2178
Police boss Augustine Chihuri has been accused of discriminately firing three Indian police officers without conducting any disciplinary action — a move which has been slammed by the High Court.
In an application seeking reversal of their job terminations Yakub, Imraan and Zunad Musa claimed their employer had embroiled himself in a family fight between them and another Indian family “Savannias” and arrived at the decision to fire them.
However, High Court judge justice Alphas Chitakunye has ordered that the respondents who are cited as Chihuri, Police Service Commission and Home Affairs ministry reverse the dismissal decision and return any confiscated items belonging to the Indian brothers.
“The summary dismissal of the applicants by the respondents communicated on September 23, 2016 received by applicants on October 3, be and is hereby set aside,” Chitakunye ordered.
“Applicants’ personal items confiscated pursuant to the dismissal are hereby restored.”
The brothers who have been in the police force since 1987 were served with a letter notifying them of termination of their employment on October 3.
The letter alleged they had put the Indian community under terror by engaging in criminal activities.
CID Homicide had repossessed police apparel that was being used by the trio in discharge of their duties including identification cards, radios, traffic beacons lights and firearms.
According to court papers no investigations were carried out by any police section to ascertain the allegation but they were subsequently dismissed from work. Daily News
The First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa says wetlands are a national economic asset that has the potential to transform livelihoods.
This came out at the national preservation of wetlands project where the First Lady planted a Mukute tree near the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
The continued land degradation is threatening the country’s wetlands, hence the need to preserve them.
The First Lady, who is also the Zanu PF Deputy Secretary for Environment and Tourism, said there is need to rescue wetlands which are under siege from cultivation and construction of houses.
The project was pioneered by an environmentalist 63 year old Mr Never Kasasa who applauded the First Lady for responding positively to addressing environment issues.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Oppah Muchinguri revealed that her ministry will distribute over 70 000 seedlings for planting across the country to compliment the command agriculture.
The country has approximately 1 117 wetlands covering about 793 348 hectares.
Sixty percent of these wetlands are in communal and resettlement areas and are mostly under threat from land degradation.- state media
Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, Lieutenant General Phillip Valerio Sibanda has warned expelled G40 members of the ruling Zanu PF to desist from bad mouthing the country from foreign lands with intentions to harm peace and tranquility within the country, appealing to citizens to report any suspicious objects or individuals bent on destabilizing the country.
Addressing the media today (Monday) at the Josiah Tongogara barracks, Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army Leutenant General Phillip Valerio Sibanda said it is a duty of every Zimbabwean to ensure that malcontents and saboteurs and others of like mind are not allowed to succeed.
“Your Defence and Security Services would like to remind all Zimbabweans to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious objects and individuals to law enforcement agents.
“This is because some of the members of the G40 cabal that had surrounded the former Head of State are now bad mouthing the country from foreign lands where their intentions to harm the country have been pronounced.
“It is therefore the duty of every Zimbabwean to ensure that these malcontents and saboteurs and others of like mind are not allowed to succeed,” said Sibanda.
He called on Zimbabweans to maintain the spirit of peace and tranquility as the country prepares for the 2018 harmonized elections.
“As we prepare for elections in 2018,it is our wish that the campaigning and the voting it self on the day,takes place in an environment of peace and tranquility.
“And here again l want to quote the President where he said in his closing remarks to the ZANU PF Extra Ordinary Congress on 15 December 2017 as he also urged Zimbabweans to remain peaceful before and after elections whereby he said he do not condone any acts of violence,” added Sibanda.-263chat
Obert Gutu | For a very long time now, the MDC has been calling for the return to their barracks of members of the military who had been deployed on the streets of various cities, towns and growth points. The MDC believes in the institution of a civilian as opposed to a military government to run all the operations of the State. Indeed, Section 212 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe states that the function of the Defence Forces is to protect Zimbabwe, its people, its national security and interests and its territorial integrity and to uphold the Constitution.
We appreciate the fact that our Defence Forces are disciplined and we trust that the other law enforcement agencies such as the Zimbabwe Republic Police will continue to effectively and competently discharge their constitutional mandate of maintaining law and order in our beloved motherland. More particularly, we call upon the Police force to be professional at all times and not to resort to intimidation, bribe – taking and all other forms of malfeasance.
Zimbabweans are a peace–loving people who shouldn’t be unnecessarily subjected to unjustified harassment by members of the law enforcement agencies. In similar measure, the MDC is convinced that the Defence Forces shall continue to defend Zimbabwe’s national security and national interests.
The perception that Zimbabwe is now being run by the military doesn’t augur well for our country’s political stability and socio – economic development. As such, recent utterances by Chris Mutsvangwa to the effect that the Defence Forces and traditional leaders will assist Zanu PF to campaign in the forth–coming elections are most unfortunate and thoroughly misplaced. Members of the security services are bound by the Constitution not to operate as political activists of any political party, including the ruling party. The MDC would be very pleased if the responsible authorities within our Defence Forces can categorically dissociate the security services from Mutsvangwa’s rather reckless and ill–thought out remarks.
In similar measure, the MDC reiterates our support and recognition of the institution of traditional leadership and we trust that all out traditional leaders shall maintain their constitutional mandate of being custodians of our cultural values and ethos without reducing themselves to becoming political activists. Put differently, our traditional leaders should be apolitical; as is provided for by the supreme law of the land.
The MDC would like to remind all eligible citizens of Zimbabwe to ensure that they register to vote under the on–going biometric voter registration exercise. It is indeed the patriotic duty of every eligible Zimbabweans to register to vote and also to cast their vote on polling day. The destiny of our beloved country is in our own hands and it is our sacrosanct patriotic obligation to establish a peaceful, stable and progressive nation state in Zimbabwe.
MDC: Equal Opportunities for All
Obert Chaurura Gutu
MDC National Spokesperson
The net is fast closing in on former Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo who is accused of siphoning more than $400 000 from a State-owned enterprise — the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef), the pro President Emmerson Mnangagwa Daily News reports.
A week ago, government sent on forced leave Zimdef’s top executives to pave way for a forensic audit to be facilitated by the Auditor-General.
Zimdef’s chief executive officer Fredrick Mandizvidza; principal finance director and administrator Nicholas Mapute; human resources manager Ignatius Noah Kajengo; corporate legal secretary Servious Kufandada; chief accountant Ropafadzo Mukamba and senior revenue manager, James Gombarago have all been sent on forced leave.
For more details get today’s copy of the Daily News. Telling it like it is. Without fear. Without favour. _ Daily News
Farirai Madhumbe |Lieutenant General Philip Valerio Sibanda is the new Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces taking over from General Chiwenga, who is now set to deputise President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri has been retired as the police boss.
Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (CDF) General Constantino Chiwenga has retired from the military and he has been replaced as CDF by former Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, Phillip Valerio Sibanda.
Edzai Absolom Chimonyo becomes the new Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army. Former Air Vice Marshal Elson Moyo has been named as the new Air Force Commander.
Major-Generals Sibusiso Moyo and Engelbert Rugeje have received promotion upon retirement and retire as Lieutenant-Generals.
Dear Editor | Response to Oppah Muchinguri’s pasi naJoyce Mujuru Slogan
Ko kumbotiwo pasi ne cash crisis ? Pasi ne unemployment ? Pasi nenhamo ? Pasi nembavha dzekuba $15 billion yenyika.
Ko kumbotiwo pamberi ne gutsa nyika? Pamberi ne development ? Pamberi nema basa?
Joice Mujuru ndiye cash crisis here?
Oppah Muchinguri is now as good as president. After all these years in politics and government , she still behaves like a silly over excited youth league member. Hamusi mava neva zukuru here nhai vice president Muchinguri?
Does Joice Mujuru need to be fixed so that people can live better lives or it’s the economy that needs to be fixed ? If it’s the economy that needs to be fixed then take your eyes off Joice Mujuru and look at the economy.
People want Jobs and you are busy looking at Joice Mujuru.
Kana muchiti pasi nemhandu, mhandu yacho ngaive cash crisis , ngaive unemployment , ngaive mbavha, kwete munhu akazvigarira kumba achidya hake sadza rake muchinyararire…. What a shame…
MDC Vice President Nelson Chamisa has held a Christmas party remembering the children of departed party cadres who were killed by the regime for fighting for a democratic Zimbabwe. Hon. Chamisa presided over a hand over ceremony of groceries donated by party members to cheer the orphans during the festive season.
“Zimbabwe’s Future – the State of Governance after Military Intervention.”
Statement by Peter Godwin.
Just before dawn on November 14th, General Sibusiso Moyo of the Zimbabwe National Army went onto state television to announce that Robert Mugabe, was under house arrest. His 37-year reign, Zimbabwe’s only leader since independence in 1980, was over. Zimbabweans soon poured out into the streets to celebrate.
Mugabe had been unseated by internal faction fighting within his ruling Zanu-PF party. It wasn’t primarily ideological or ethnic, it was a family feud on steroids, it pitted old against young. His wife Grace made a bid to succeed him. Forty-one years his junior – she was too young to have fought in the liberation war, hitherto a sine qua non for the leadership of southern African liberation parties. Her attempt to create a dynastic succession, a la Evita Peron, Imelda Marcos (with whom she shared a penchant for shoes, favouring Ferragamo because her feet were “too narrow for anything else”), or Madam Mao, proved premature, and it triggered her husband’s political demise.
Over those years Mugabe had hollowed out Zanu-PF, reducing it to a personality cult by getting rid of anyone who challenged his authority, until he was attended only by fawning party punkah wallahs, fanning his ego, prancing around in ludicrous regalia bearing his image, as though he were a religion.
Ultimately Grace over-reached when she persuaded her increasingly enfeebled husband to fire vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa, her main rival. This was too much for the military leadership who had close ties to Mnangagwa, as he held defence and intelligence portfolios for much of his ministerial career.
I think you can expect Mnangagwa to be strongly in hock to the military who, after all, elevated him to the presidency. In the end, this was a ‘continuity coup’, to protect the power of the party’s old guard.
General Sibusiso Moyo, who announced the coup, is the new foreign minister, the country’s official interlocutor with the world. Air Marshal Perrance Shiri is elevated to the cabinet too. He was the officer commanding 5th Brigade at the time of the Matabeleland massacres, in the early 1980s. And it’s speculated that General Constantino Chiwenga, head of the Zimbabwe National Army, and architect of the coup, may be named vice president. Even if not, he will continue to be the power behind the throne, the king-maker.
The veterans of the Liberation war for independence are once again ascendant too. Their leader, Chris Mutsvangwa, has been named as special advisor to the new president. Last time the war vets made their weight felt, Mugabe had to buy them off with ex gratia payments. Unbudgeted for, these payments cascaded through the economy resulting in the highest hyperinflation the world has ever seen. By the end, the Zimbabwe dollar was almost halving in value every 24 hours.
What are we to make of the new President? You should expect Mnangagwa to entice his own people and the world with a ‘reformist stance’. He will try to rebrand the party, presenting it as Zanu-PF 2.0, Zanu-PF-lite, non-ideological, technocratic, managerial, open for business, safe once more for foreign investors. He has already mentioned a partial return of land to some white commercial farmers, he has embraced the rhetoric of anti-corruption, offering a three-month amnesty window to return ill-gotten gains.
But these promises don’t stand up to scrutiny.
What, for example, of his own corruption, and that of many of his new cabinet – 8 of the 22 are on US sanctions list – joined by bonds of massively corrupt self-enrichment, and repressive political violence? For them to put distance between who they now purport to be, and their nearly four-decade record in office, is preposterous. And for Zimbabweans both within the country and in the diaspora, as well as the international community, to believe this, is to fall for a Zanu-PF confidence trick, a survival bait-and-switch.
Zanu-PF has long been a vampiric entity, sucking the blood from the nation. Mnangagwa is 75 years-old. He is most unlikely undergo a benign metamorphosis. He has been at the very centre of Zanu-PF’s repressive security web, until recently Mugabe’s trusted consiglieri. He headed the feared Central Intelligence Organization, the CIO, at the time of the Matabeleland massacre, during which upwards of 20,000 civilians were killed. And he rolled out the terrible reprisal campaign during the post-election violence of 2008 when thousands of opposition supporters were badly tortured and more than 200 killed. All of these and more besides were carried out by this same political party, kleptocratic, violent, repressive.
What are the alternatives for Zimbabweans in the 2018 elections? You have before you today a senior member of the main opposition party, the MDC, so I will defer to him to summarize his own party’s current status. However, in general, Zimbabwe’s opposition is more divided than ever before. There are currently more than twenty separate parties, ten of them significant. And within the MDC, there are some tensions as its founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has been seriously ill, and there is some pressure on him to stand down.
This opposition fragmentation is enormously beneficial to Zanu-PF, allowing them a real possibility of winning at the polls even if opposition parties attract more votes among themselves. For the opposition, it is, therefore, imperative to unify or at least broker alliances or electoral pacts. It’s also crucial that the elections are free and fair, and perceived as such by the electorate. Zanu-PF has a long precedent of electoral foul play.
If this is to be avoided in 2018, external monitoring will be essential. It is quite inadequate for observers to parachute into Zimbabwe shortly before the poll (recent approval of the Kenya elections tell a cautionary tale in this regard.) There needs to be a persistent presence on the ground long, long before that, as registration procedures need to be scrutinized.
In conclusion, if we reward Mnangagwa’s ‘same as it ever was’ Zanu-PF for its internal coup, for example, by prematurely dropping individual sanctions, we would help cement the culture of impunity that already infects Zimbabwe, where the perpetrators never face the consequences of their actions, and where real freedom and reform remain elusive.
The Zimbabwe Defence and Security Services have officially ended Operation Restore Legacy, which was launched on the 13th of last month.
Commander Zimbabwe National Army Lieutenant General Philip Valerio Sibanda said the controversial operation has achieved its purpose to apprehend criminals around the former President Mugabe and there is now change of guard in the country’s leadership.
Lieutenant General Sibanda, who was flanked by other members of the security services, also revealed that police is back to its normal law enforcement duties since normalcy has returned to the country. A new pledge signed by the police will see radical changes in the execution of their duties a far cry from the previous road menace they had become.
Bakeries will with effect from tomorrow revert to the old price of bread, as the government takes further steps to halt the unjustified price increases in the economy.
Zimbabweans had this Sunday woken up to a new price of bread with a loaf now costing $1 from 90 cents, and from $1 to $1.10 respectively, hence the convening of an urgent meeting today organised by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Development in response to the price increases.
Stakeholders who attended the meeting are: Confederations of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe, National Bakers Association, Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ), Small Bakers Association of Zimbabwe, Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers and the Retailers Association of Zimbabwe.
The Minister of Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Development Dr Mike Bimha said bakeries and various players are engaged with the National Competitiveness Commission on challenges affecting firms.
He said constraints threatening viability of firms are also being taken into account to solve price increases.
More details to follow:
Plans by local investors and Robert Mugabe’s son-in-law to set up a new airline in Zimbabwe appear to have suffered a set-back in the wake of last month’s military takeover, a newspaper reports.
‘Zimbabwe Airways’, linked to a group of local and foreign-based investors, was to take over from the struggling national airline Air Zimbabwe, reports said. Simba Chikore, the husband of Mugabe’s only daughter Bona and a former chief operating officer of Air Zimbabwe, was also allegedly in on the plan.
The new company had already acquired four Boeing 777s from Malaysia, the Zimbabwe Independent reports.
But the administration of new president Emmerson Mnangagwa is likely to block the new company from taking off.
“The deal is now being scrutinised and once that is completed, the president will be advised to block it,” an unnamed aviation source told the paper. The source told the paper that plans are actually underway to resuscitate Air Zimbabwe, which is struggling with a hugely-reduced fleet of planes and a debt of more than 300 million US dollars.
“The airline wants to lease new equipment and increase its frequency on lucrative domestic and international routes,” the source said.
Air Zimbabwe was once highly-regarded, flying its planes to several international destinations. But after years of mismanagement, which saw its planes frequently commandeered for Mugabe’s personal use, the airline is no longer viable. It has been hit hard by the emergence of low cost airlines serving local and regional routes.- News24
Another Presidential Guard soldier has been nabbed for allegedly conniving with a gang of armed robbers that stormed into a Harare businessman’s premises and subdued him to surrender US$91 000 under the guise of Operation Restore Legacy, a court heard.
Nelson Mateyo was advised to apply for bail at the High Court when he appeared before Harare magistrate Victoria Mashamba on Saturday.
He was remanded to December 28 when his workmate Elvis Machinga, 26, who is also attached to the Presidential Guard and co-accused Fortune Sibanda — a convicted cop who participated in the robbery will also be back in court.
Sibanda, 31, was jailed five years for robbery on September 18 this year but was released on bail pending appeal by the High Court.
At that time Sibanda who had served eight years in the police force had connived with another cop Kundai Mukwarimba, 35, Bekezela Masuku, 44, a police special constabulary, Dickson Morosi, 32, Chris Kadungure alias Butter Makiyi, 46, and Kelvin Makiyi, 26 and mounted a fake roadblock at Hudson Road in Belvedere and robbed an Indian investor of $56 800.
Soon after committing the latest robbery Sibanda reportedly bought an Isuzu Bighorn.
In the current matter, prosecutor Linda Gadzikwa alleged that on November 28 this year Sibanda in the company of Machinga, Mateyo, Vengai Shoko, Gift Chimuka, Banga, Matuke and others whose names are not yet known to the police hatched a plan to rob the complainant.
The court heard that Sibanda and his accomplices drove to 108 West Road, Avondale West, Harare in a white van and confronted the security guard who manned the offices pretending to be members of the Zimbabwe National Army military police looking for accommodation.
It was alleged that the gang suddenly produced pistols and ordered the security guard to surrender gate keys.
After gaining entry into the premises Sibanda lied that they were on a State-sanctioned operation and wanted to interview the complainant but later left after failing to locate him.
The court heard that when Sibanda returned to the premises on November 29, he reportedly stormed into complainant’s office and accused him of dealing with former ministers Ignatius Chombo and Saviour Kasukuwere.
They claimed that the complainant had been sponsoring a Zanu PF G40 faction in a conspiracy to assassinate President Emmerson Mnangagwa, money laundering and hoarding of cash among other allegations.
The complainant and his secretary Louise Smith were put under arrest and subdued.
Sibanda and his accomplices ransacked the premises and took $15 200, 410 Singapore dollars, 3 050 Dirhams, 16 000 Thai Bhat and 4 000 Hong Kong dollars.
Smith and her boss were dragged into a blue Hyundai Sonata before being driven to Rainbow Towers’ car park and further to the conference centre.
Five more accused persons emerged and threatened to detain the complainant and his secretary before forcibly taking $6 000 from his wallet.
They continued threatening to subject the complainant to thorough beating if he refused to disclose where he kept more money.
The complainant succumbed to the pressure and revealed that he was keeping money at his Gift Investments Company at number 9 Hood Road, Southerton in Harare.
Sibanda then ordered the complainant to summon his wife who had keys to those premises and one of the accused persons took control of her car and drove to Gift Investments.
The gang ransacked the premises and stole $70 000 from a safe before proceeding to his house at 15 Grasmere lane, Borrowdale, Harare and searched the place for more loot.
The court heard that Sibanda and his accomplices held the complainant, receptionist and his wife hostage while they went around town before giving him $4 500 and ordering him to leave the country immediately.
The victims were dropped off at an open space near Harare Show Grounds before Sibanda and his accomplices went away with the loot.
A total of US$90 832, 3 050 Dirhams, 16 000 Thai Bhat and 4 000 Hong Kong dollars was recovered. – Daily News
Every year, thousands of migrants risk their lives on a treacherous journey from their countries to Zimbabwe in search of educational opportunities at various tertiary institutions around the country.
Despite Zimbabweans being known for their warm reception to foreigners, the story is different for female students who are reportedly subjected to all forms of harassment including sexual.
Female Student Trust, Executive Director, Evernice Munando noted that sexual harassment is a common phenomenon globally especially among female students.
Mary (not her real name), an Equatorial Guinea female student who came to Zimbabwe in 2015 to pursue her tertiary education has had a difficult time with lecturers at her institution. She reckons that language barrier was at first her biggest obstacle as she failed to assert herself resulting in being subjected to abuse by her lecturers, other male students and the general public especially in the Central Business District.
“I came to Zimbabwe in 2015 and never thought I would go through such horrendous experiences, I had previously heard glorious stories of how Zimbabweans are warm and good people, but my own experience tells a different story.
“From the beginning, Zimbabwean men didn’t treat me fairly as a foreigner.
“It started when l arrived at Harare Polytechnic as a student, I wasn’t even able to speak a single English word, so most men would tease me in shona or english but i never got to understand it, It pissed me off because after they say something, they would burst into laughter while I stood there frozen.
” One of the most disturbing cases was when one of my lecturers offered me extra lessons for English language, It appeared like a noble gesture but it turned out the other way.
“When l got into his office, l found condoms on his table but l wasn’t able to ask, he then gave me a French movie translated to English and he told me to go and watch, so that l will be able to understand.
“When l was about to go, he grabbed my hand and kis_sed me, l ran out of his office, l did not tell this to anyone because i felt ashamed.
“Another problem came when l was looking for industrial attachment, men offered me all sorts of promises If I fall for them. To be frank, l fell in love with three men in the hope of getting a place for industrial attachment,” said Mary.
Other foreign students cited corruption as another problem they are facing in Zimbabwe especially from lecturers who demand them to pay in cash or kind for their course work to be considered.
“Being poor is a crime in Zimbabwe you can’t succeed in anything without paying for it, sometimes lecturers ask for payment from us for them to give us higher marks and considering that we always want to return to our home countries,sometimes we end up giving in to their demands as they willfully fail you,” said Leoma, another foreign student from Mozambique.
Meanwhile Secretary of labor and Social welfare, Ngoni Masoka called for a change of attitude towards migrants and refugees saying people need to move away from attitudes of defensiveness, fear and intolerance.
“It is time that we deploy our efforts in changing the migration narrative. We need to see migrants as our brothers and sisters in search of a better life, far away from poverty, hunger and the unjust distribution of the planet’s resources.
“A change of attitude towards migrants and refugees is needed on the part of everyone, moving away from attitudes of defensiveness, fear and intolerance,” said Masoka.
International Organization for Migration Chief of Mission Ms. Lily Sanya said challenges and difficulties of international migration require enhanced cooperation and collective action among countries.
“Migration draws increasing attention in the world nowadays.
“Mixed with elements of unforeseeability, emergency, and complexity, the challenges and difficulties of international migration require enhanced cooperation and collective action among countries and regions to maximize the positive impacts of migration while lessening the adverse impact.
“The United Nations is actively playing a catalyst role in this area, with the aim of creating more dialogues and interactions within countries and regions, as well as propelling experience exchange and collaboration opportunities,” said Sanya.
According to Human Rights Watch, migrants are facing violations including denied access to fundamental rights such as the right to education, work and health which is discriminatory especially to international female students.
UNESCO Good Policy and Practice in HIV & AIDS and education booklet, states that schools are not always aware of national policies established by education ministries.
There is often a gap between policy and practice, with good intentions hindered by lack of policies, failure to communicate departmental policy to schools, lack of guidelines for educators and learners, and lack of training for school governing bodies.
With Zimbabwe hosting students from Southern African countries such as Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi among others, a lot needs to be done to tighten screws and address legal gaps to end sexual harassment of foreign students in the country.
Source: 263Chat
Kennedy Kaitano | Man of God, Father Fidelis Mukonori’s revelation that MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai made efforts to approach President Emmerson Mnangagwa to discuss a “way forward” for Zimbabwe after President Mugabe’s resignation, but was snubbed by Mnangagwa, proves beyond doubt that Morgan Tsvangirai is an honest man who does not want to negatively expose his rivals. Tsvangirai therefore was being honest to say Mnangagwa did reach out to the MDC-T, but he was polite enough not to embarrass the President by saying the President shunned him.
According to Father Mukonori’s expose, there was never a meeting, neither was there discussion between the two political opponents, giving credence to Tsvangirai’s denial that there had been no discussion whatsoever. Tsvangirai should be credited for doing what Zimbabweans expected, as the majority of Zimbabweans who celebrated expected some kind of working relationship between or among political parties in order to soft land the Zimbabwe crisis. Many people I spoke to said they were looking forward to a government of national unity to manage the country for a period of at least two years to stabilise the economy as happened during the Government of National Unity.
A Government of National Unity does not seem to have been in the interest of either Zanu PF or the MDC-T as Zanu PF sort to complete its term in power, which hopefully will be the last term because Zimbabwe needs a break from corruption. On the other hand, Morgan Tsvangirai wanted, as put by Father Mukonori, to discuss a “way forward”, and in his own explanation to Zimeye, the way forward he needed was a transitional mechanism – not a Government of National Unity – that would prepare the ground for a free and fair election. The transitional mechanism, as later explained by the MDC-T, was something outside Cabinet. I am glad the MDC Alliance still seems to be open to such a mechanism. It was then this transitional authority outside Cabinet that functionally illiterate Special Advisor to the President, Christopher Mutsvangwa, mistook for an intention by the MDC-T as a demand for a position by Morgan Tsvangirai. Mutsvangwa needs to re-school if he is to offer sound advice apart from advising on unconstitutional means of campaigning that involve the army.
Zanu PF mistook the happiness displayed by the people of Zimbabwe who, as correctly pointed out by Mutsvangwa, celebrated globally, as support for Zanu PF. People simply celebrated the removal of a dictator, and hoped for a Government of National Unity that would stabilise the economy and give them breathing space. With the false hope of support, Zanu PF then decided to go it alone, a position that was unwittingly revealed by Patrick Chinamasa and Joseph Chinotimba who were recorded in interviews saying this was a Zanu PF alone project, despite the massive support by Zimbabweans across the political divide.
Zanu PF is obviously hoping on delivering some quick gains and call for early elections while people still have the false hope that Mnangagwa’s government will improve the lives of Zimbabweans. However, revelations by Christopher Mutsvangwa and Josiah Hungwe that Zanu PF will use the army in its elections campaign, reiterated in front of media and foreign dignitaries at the just ended Zanu PF Congress, and a similarly ugly assertion by Fortune Charumbira that Zanu PF will once again abuse chiefs to campaign for Zanu PF, should send a clear message to Zimbabweans that Zanu PF has not changed from its violent and abusive past and has no concern for the people of Zimbabwe and want power at all cost. These revelations should also send a strong message to SADC countries, especially South Africa whose ANC sent representatives who read a solidarity statement at the Zanu PF Congress, that Zanu PF is not prepared to implement reforms that will result in credible elections which are not contested.
Five people died and eight others were injured in three separate accidents that occurred along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway at the weekend.Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Siphiwe Makonese confirmed the accidents, which she blamed on speeding.
“The first accident happened at 82-kilometre peg at Insuza. The driver, Allen Mazhinji was driving a Honda Fit, carrying five passengers to Bulawayo. He was over-speeding and lost control,” she said.
“He veered off the road and hit two trees before overturning once. A female adult and a girl died on the spot, while the other four survived. According to our report, they sustained head and eye injuries, while one of them complained of chest pains. They are admitted at Mpilo Central Hospital.
“The second one happened on the same afternoon at Lupote in Dete. The driver was also speeding in his Mazda Attenza to Bulawayo. He lost control and overturned before landing on the driver’s side. He sustained serious head injuries and is still admitted at Hwange Colliery. The other passengers were also injured and are in hospital.”
Makonese said the third accident was reported along the Victoria Falls-Hwange road stretch near Matetsi area yesterday morning, killing three people on the spot, while the driver was said to be in a critical condition.
Police expressed concern over the increase in road accidents not withstanding that the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe has rolled out massive road awareness campaigns throughout the country.- Newsday
By Shiellah Sibanda| There has been chaos at the country’s two busiest borders Beitbridge and Forbes for nearly a week to date as hundreds of trucks remain stuck there. ZimEye was on Monday morning told this is due to an IT problem – the software used to process clearance data is said to be down. ZimEye has received several complaints for days to date and the below pictures were taken at Forbes Border post Monday morning. It was not clear at the time of writing when the situation will return to normal- SEE PICTURES.
Below is the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Lieutenant-General Phillip Valerio Sibanda’s full announcement on his ending of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces’ Operation Restore Legacy –
END OF OPERATION RESTORE LEGACY
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE COMMANDER ZIMBABWE NATIONAL ARMY: LIEUTENANT GENERAL PHILLIP VALERIO SIBANDA:
18 DECEMBER 2017
Good Morning Zimbabwe!!
The Defence and Security Services, come before you, once again, to pronounce the end of ‘Operation Restore Legacy’.
‘Operation Restore Legacy’ was launched on 13 November 2017 and its main objective was to remove criminals that had surrounded the former President resulting in anxiety and despondency amongst our people. While some of the individuals have been accounted for, others skipped the country. This notwithstanding, the objectives of the operation have to a large extent been achieved. Besides the above-mentioned objective, Operation Restore Legacy has had wider implications on the political, economic and social activities of our people. In this regard, a new political dispensation has been ushered-in to take Zimbabwe into its rightful place within the SADC and the world at large.
The nation will recall that before the statement that was issued by the Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces, General Constantino Guveya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga on 13 November 2017, many political economic and security events had taken place all of which had the effect of causing anxiety and despondency among the generality of our people, as well as destabilizing the Defence and Security Services of our country. The General’s statement was followed by a series of political events, the highlights of which were the resignation of the former President, Cde RG Mugabe, from the seat of power; followed by the inauguration of His Excellency, President Emerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, as the second executive President and Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces since the country’s Independence in 1980. Since then the appointment of a new cabinet on 30 November 2017, and the holding of the Extra-Ordinary Congress of the ruling ZANU-PF Party and many other events are now history which we have all been witnesses to. As a result of these political developments, normalcy has returned to our country. It is for this reason that as your Defence and Security Services we announce the end of ‘Operation Restore Legacy’ today, the 18th December 2017.
We want to take this opportunity to thank all Zimbabweans for their support, patience and understanding during the five weeks of ‘Operation Restore Legacy’. We understand and regret the inconvenience and anxiety that this operation might have caused in certain circles of our nation, but as most of our people would agree, this was all for the good of our nation.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the various Security Services who participated in the Operation for their diligence: courteousness when dealing with the public and commitment to duty. We also want to make special mention of the Veterans of our liberation struggle and former detainees and war collaborators for their mobilization efforts which resulted in the massive turnout by Zimbabweans for the solidarity march on 19 November 2017. This day was historic and will be remembered for generations to come.
As Operation Restore Legacy comes to an end, it is our hope as your Defence and Security Services that our people will remain united, shun corruption, be law abiding and focus on working hard for the development of our country. In this regard, we are all reminded by what the President said in his inaugural speech at the National Sports Stadium on 24 November 2017 and I quote “As we focus on recovering our economy, we must shed misbehaviours and acts of indiscipline which have characterised the past. Acts of corruption must stop forthwith. Where these occur swift justice must be served to show each and all that crime and other acts of economic sabotage can only guarantee ruin to perpetrators”
Furthermore, your Defence and Security Services would like to remind all Zimbabweans to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious objects and individuals to law enforcement agents. This is because some of the members of the G40 cabal that had surrounded the former Head of State are now bad-mouthing the country from foreign lands where their intentions to harm the peace and tranquility that exist in our country have been pronounced. It is, therefore, the duty of every Zimbabwean to ensure that these malcontents and saboteurs and others of like mind are not allowed to succeed.
Today as the Defence Forces handover all normal day to day policing duties to the Zimbabwe Republic Police we to urge all our citizens to allow for a smooth transition
Staff Reporter| Voting for the ruling ANC party’s National Officials has been completed.
Counting began at 1205 noon Monday and results are expected in a few hours’ time.
MORE TO FOLLOW…
By Staff Reporter| The Zimbabwe National Army has called off its Operation Restore Legacy which ushered in the country’s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa into office. The Operation was originally meant to run for several months into elections according fully named police sources. Assistant Commissioner, Rangarirai Mushaurwa had yesterday said the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) would continue working side by side with the police into election time next year.
But that statement together with that of Presidential Advisor Chris Mutsvangwa’s on Friday saw bread and fuel prices shoot up in hours’ time.
Mutsvangwa on Friday announced that the army will assist President Emmerson Mnagagwa to win the elections.
Army General Sibanda who is believed to have acted in an attempt to mitigate the bad effects on the economy, Monday morning declared an end to Operation Restore Legacy claiming that: “Normalcy has now returned to the country.”
The development comes after UK based academic Dr Nkululeko Sibanda had on Sunday night warned that the government is coming down due to Mutsvangwa’s “reckless statements.” – CONTINUE READING –
“This day (start of operation) was historic and will be remembered by generations to come,” said Gen Sibanda.
He added saying, “it is our wish that voting and campaigning takes place in peace…Let us now all work for a peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe.”
He however urged the police to be “professional.”
– THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY
UPDATE – Senior military and police officials have arrived, among them Major General D.Nyikayaramba, Charity Charamba (ZRP Spokesperson), and Gen. Paradzai Zimondi (Prisons Boss). CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING…
Staff Reporter| Defence Forces Commander Constantino Chiwenga called journalists to a special press conference at Josiah Magama Tongogara barracks slated for 9.30 am today, Monday.
In your own view, what does Gen. Chiwenga want to announce today?
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) December 18, 2017
It was still not clear at the time of writing what he is to publicly announce.
The meeting was scheduled to begin 50 minutes ago.
But by 9.50am the meeting was still to convene. The latest indication by 9.55am was that Chiwenga might not appear in person and his statement will likely be read by another officers –
Dear Editor.
We still can’t locate the driver of this car but we hear they were coming from drinking on Saturday night and were all drunk. Tsaona yaitika usiku vanhu vachibva kubawa pagomo – GH, Kariba.
Terrence Mawawa| Zimbabwe international star Ronald Pfumbidzai shone like a beacon despite his side Bloemfontein Celtic’ s loss to Tswane Giants Mamelodi Sundowns.
Celtic lost 1-4 to the Brazilians in a pulsating ABSA Premiership encounter yesterday.
The overlapping left back coolly slotted the ball to reduce the arrears for Bloemfontein Celtic who played second fiddle to their more illustrious opponents.
The talented former Caps United star played his heart out for Bloemfontein Celtic despite the heavy defeat.
“Ronald Pfumbidzai is a brilliant player.The Zimbabwean left back is immensely talented,” said a Supersport Commentator.
Pfumbidzai was the only Celtic player who refused to be overawed by the expensively assembled Sundowns team.
By Paul Nyathi| The writing is definitely on the wall that local Strive Masiyiwa’s new digital television Kwese TV will be taking over local football television rights.
This comes after the Zimbabwean Premier Soccer League part ways with South African digital television giants Multi – Choice Africa’s Supersport brand.
The Premier Soccer League resolved not to renew the broadcasting deal with SuperSport International after a five year deal which ends this December.
The decision was made during a board meeting held on Friday.
PSL announced the development in a statement:
“Following the completion of the 2017 season, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and SuperSport International (Pty) Ltd have mutually agreed to end the partnership entered into by both parties in 2012.
“The five year relationship has been mutually beneficial to the two organisations,” said the PSL statement.
The top flight football administrating body said that it will be opening up for other players to submit tenders to take over the television rights.
“We trust there will be opportunities to re-engage in future.
Meanwhile, we would like to advise our stakeholders that we will be inviting tenders for the PSL media rights,” said the PSL.
Kwese TV which is slowly becoming Multi – Choice’s biggest rival in Africa is definitely set to tender for the rights and scoop them.
By Simba Chikanza| Last week I took opportunity during a side interview on sanctions to grill the Deputy Minister Of Finance, Terrence Mukupe, on the way the government is treating vendors as part of the army’s Operation Restore Order.
Follow @schikanza
The outcry from vendors is that they are neither criminals nor members of the G40 faction. In fact they comprise a swelling 7 million local citizens whose number is just about the entire electorate. With elections approaching in nearly 5 months’ time, any politician or national leader who abuses or is interpreted to be ill treating vendors, is “silly and stupid,” 
observers have said. The vendors are being abruptly and in many places, brutally removed from the vending areas where they are managing to make the few dollars a day in the current struggling economy.Follow @schikanza
To this however, Hon. Terrence Mukupe distanced the government from the ongoing attacks on vendors, saying the operation can only be blamed on the decision of local councils- (SEE VIDEO BELOW)-
https://youtu.be/e94H8w3oiZo?t=16m24s
Voting is almost done in the ANC’s elective conference and results are expected to be announced in the next few hours. Follow our LIVE UPDATES below –
Latest from plenary: @ANCKZN delegates will now cast their votes. Yet to vote are delegates from Gauteng, Limpopo & Eastern Cape #ANC54
ANC National Communications Manager Cde @KhuselaS prepares to talk to Sakina Kamwendo on SAFM on the latest updates from the National Confernce #ANC54 pic.twitter.com/IHf92ey99G
— #ANC54 (@MYANC) December 18, 2017
#ANC54 is here! Follow @ZimEye for the updates as things unfold.
— #ANC54 (@MYANC) December 18, 2017
By Farai D Hove| As the price of bread and now of fuel (Monday morning) shot up, the man who was Grace Mugabe’s first victim in government, former Deputy Justice Minister Fortune Chasi wrote out that trust of leadership is needed.
Without specifying the type leaders he was talking about, Advocate Chasi wrote, “trust is a key element of leadership.
“When the led trust their leaders this has serious transformational effects. Let’s not fool our selves -Leadership without trust is not leadership,” Advocate Chasi penned on his Twitter portal.
He continued stating that, “trust releases the inherent potential within the people, the organization & the country.”
On Friday the ZANU PF leadership fell low of trust when Presidential advisor Chris Mutsvangwa announced that the army is going to assist Emmerson Mnangagwa to win the upcoming elections. Mutsvangwa was criticised by many inside ZANU PF who include the party’s Legal Secretary, Paul Mangwana.
Trust is a key element of leadership. When the led trust their leaders this has serious transformational effects. Let’s not fool our selves -Leadership without trust is not leadership. trust releases the inherent potential within the people, the organization & the country.
— Adv Fortune Chasi (@fortunechasi) December 18, 2017
Drama upon drama has been the trend of events as the police yesterday appeared to ignore the backlash arising from Presidential Advisor Chris Mutsvangwa’s Friday Army statements. The ZRP said they will allow the army to work with the force for several months running into the upcoming 2018 elections.
The announcement was made as analysts at the weekend warned that the development will disturb market confidence.
This was announced by the officer commanding police in Mashonaland West Province Senior Assistant Commissioner Rangarirai Mushaurwa who said the ZRP will work with the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) throughout the holidays all the way into election time next year.
He said this will be to maintain law and order during the festive season and in the run up to the 2018 harmonised elections. She announced saying this is in line with the ZRP theme for 2018: “ZRP promoting Gracious Peace and Economic Stability”.
Senior Asssistant Mushaurwa said, “it is in this spirit of promoting peace that you see us today, and in the future joining hands with other security organs in campaigns, patrols and other law enforcement activities.
“With the forthcoming harmonised elections due next year in 2018, this theme resonates very well with our constitutional mandate as espoused in section 219 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No.20) that is preserving the internal security of Zimbabwe, among other functions.”
While Zimbabweans have predicted in a poll that Cyril Ramaphosa has been noted for leading in the race for South Africa’s ruling African National Congress’ leadership. 73% of placed their bets of Ramaphosa to win against Jacob Zuma’s ex wife, Nkosazana Zuma, while the Bloomberg website carried the below analysis –
Zuma OR Ramaphosa – who is winning today?
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) December 17, 2017
The ANC completed the process of nominating new leaders on Sunday, with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, President Jacob Zuma’s ex-wife and favored successor, confirmed as the sole contenders for the top job.
Ramaphosa was nominated by five provinces while the remaining four backed Dlamini-Zuma, the electoral agency overseeing the vote announced at the party’s national elective conference in Johannesburg. While five other officials declared their candidature, none of them received nomination from the conference floor.
David Mabuza, the premier of the eastern Mpumalanga province, and Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu will square off in the contest for the ANC deputy presidency, while Gwede Mantashe, the party’s outgoing secretary-general, will vie for the post of chairman. Senzo Mchunu, the former premier of KwaZulu-Natal province, and Ace Magashule, the premier of the central Free State region, were nominated for secretary-general.
The election results are expected to be announced on Monday. The contest has divided the 105-year-old ANC, weighed on the rand and South Africa’s bonds and deterred foreign investment.
The rand gained 1.3 percent to 12.9281 per dollar by 10:55 p.m. in Johannesburg, the strongest level on a closing basis since Sept. 7. Against the euro, it strengthened 1.4 percent to 15.1757.
In a report delivered to the conference, Mantashe said the ANC was riven by factionalism, showing serious signs of decline and in danger of the losing the electoral majority it’s held since white majority rule ended in 1994. He said the party failed to respond adequately to criticism of Zuma and allegations that private companies wielded undue influence over the state, a phenomenon known in South Africa as state capture.
“Rebuilding the reputation and image of the movement should be a priority,” Mantashe said. “The risk of losing power is real.”
— With assistance by Paul Vecchiatto, and Michael Cohen/Bloomberg
Harare City Council is set to hold a special council meeting this week in which the local authority intends to dismiss four directors using findings of a tribunal that was necessitated by a Government audit.
The report implicates the senior employees in financial irregularities. This comes after similar attempts flopped last week due to “political pressure”.
The city management views the whole exercise as a witch-hunt because the alleged defiance was done under the leadership of Dr Tendai Mahachi, who has since left council, and the salaries were allegedly approved by the Kurasha Commission.
Sources close to Town House said the directors were last week spared as the new Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo did not want to commence with a storm to deal with.
“Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni is in possession of a damning report against the directors,” said a source. “Last week, the special meeting was cancelled after engagements with the parent ministry. However, this week we have to do a special council and pay the tribunal guys before council shut-down for the Christmas break.
“The MDC-T party will not entertain any lobbying and will not sweep the matter under the carpet. Some councillors are camped in support of certain affected officials.”
The special council meeting, which was cancelled at the last minute last Tuesday, was supposed to present findings of the investigations it carried out.
Cllr Manyenyeni yesterday said, “I told you last week that we are doing further consultation.”
Efforts to contact Minister Moyo were fruitless.
According to sources at Town House, acting town clerk Mrs Josephine Ncube, short-listed town clerk candidate and human capital director Dr Cainos Chingombe, finance director Mr Tendai Kwenda and health services director Dr Prosper Chonzi are facing the chop.
Councillors are divided on who should be fired because suspending all those who received salaries that were over and above what was stipulated by the Government would cripple operations.
According to an audit report sanctioned by the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing ministry, seven executives continued to earn between $12 000 and $21 000 from October 2014 to June 2015, as opposed to $10 450 for the highest earner stipulated by Government.
This, the report indicated, prejudiced the city of over $550 000.
Council has since rescinded the decision by the Kurasha Commission of 2005 and 2008 that empowered the town clerk to review allowances for executive managers following the special audit report.- state media
Gweru City Council has stopped issuing summons to its debtors and will soon roll out the prepaid metre programme to recover debts, an official has said. The local authority, which is owed over $50 million by residents and industry, had started sending letters of demand in a bid to recover the money.
Council had given debtors up to the end of last month to come up with payment plans.
He said only 899 households out of the over 40 000 households visited Town House with payment plans.
“We have resolved that rolling out of prepaid metres was the way to go if council is to recover what it is owed by ratepayers,” said Clr Chikozho.
“We advertised that people should come up with payment plans and gave 31 November as the deadline and only 899 households responded.”
Clr Chikozho said even companies could not come up with payment plans within the stipulated period.
He said the council would deduct a certain percentage from what it was owed after the completion of the prepaid metre project.
“The council will deduct a certain percentage from the payment so as to recover debt, the way Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) is doing,” said Clr Chikozho. “Prepaid metres are the only solution to the problem after all other avenues have failed.”- state media
The Zanu-PF Youth League had become dysfunctional as it was being controlled by the G40 cabal, with former executive members using it as a conduit to loot funds without carrying out any meaningful programmes to promote youth development.
This is contained in the Central Committee report presented to the Extraordinary Zanu-PF Congress last Friday. The exact amount of looted funds could not immediately be established amid reports that members of the G40 cabal operated in secrecy.
“It is disheartening to report that the department performed dismally during the period under review,” reads the report. Most of the department’s time and resources were used to propel the objectives of the cabal (G40).
Annastancia Ndhlovu
“The expelled Kudzanai Chipanga, Innocent Hamandishe, Mpehlabayo Malinga, Tongai Kasukuwere, Xavier Kazizi and Annastancia Ndhlovu hijacked the management of affairs of the Youth League. They completely took over the administration of the organ, thereby becoming the voice and face of the Youth League, overshadowing critical sub-departments of the organ. All this was meant to loot and plunder the organ’s resources.”
The report also accused members of the G40 cabal in the Youth League of spreading hate speech and being divisive.
“Most, if not all, of the Youth League programmes were not being administered from the party headquarters,” reads the report.
“Most of the meetings were being held outside the party premises by the top six of the national executive. The cabal used the Youth League to spread divisive speeches which sowed disunity among the party membership, denigrated the uniformed forces with a view to cause despondency and pandemonium among the Zimbabwean citizenry.”
Current members of the Youth League also extended their apologies to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, war veterans, party leadership and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces for the insults and vilification they were subjected to by the expelled G40 cabal members of the Youth League.
The report also revealed that the Youth League owes various services providers over $350 000.
“The debts are only some of the few that have approached the department since the expulsion of the cabal,” reads the report. “There was no proper administration of the department as business was being done clandestinely in order to bar the secretariat from noticing the cabal’s shenanigans.”
Meanwhile, our Bulawayo Bureau reports that the Zanu-PF Youth League has said it mistakenly announced that Cde Leslie Ncube had been elected as its new secretary for legal affairs.
The Youth League executive elected new office bearers at the weekend, to fill 10 posts that fell vacant following the expulsion of G40 cabal members.
The elections were held on Saturday, a day after the ruling party’s Extraordinary Congress.
The new secretary for administration Tendai Chirau told our Bulawayo Bureau that the announcement had a mistake.
He said Fuluphelile Mlea had since been elected to occupy the position of secretary for legal affairs, instead of Ncube as previously announced.
“I want to correct Ncube’s election as the secretary for legal affairs in the party’s National Youth League,” he said. “It was an anomaly. He’s not occupying the position, but Mlea from Matabeleland South province was elected to that position. I would like to apologise to Ncube for the inconveniences caused.”
Chirau was elected to his new position on Saturday, together with Getrude Mutandi (finance), Godfrey Tsenengamu (commissariat), Silas Chimbiro (security), Sibongile Sibanda (external relations), Elizabeth Masuku (transport), Yeukai Simbanegavi (information and publicity) and Tonderai Bosha (indigenisation).
The election results await Politburo ratification.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa re-instated former youth leader Pupurai Togarepi at the Zanu-PF’s Extraordinary Congress and tasked him to fill the vacant posts.
The elections were conducted via secret ballot at Zanu-PF headquarters, with Lewis Matutu becoming Togarepi’s deputy, taking over from Mr Mpehlabayo Malinga.- state media
Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | Masvingo State Minister Josaya Dunira Hungwe has said the government cannot run the Tokwe Mukorsi because of too much corruption and bureaucracy.
Hungwe said private organisations would run the project efficiently compared to government departments.
Speaking in Masvingo last week Hungwe said government officials were lazy, corrupt and ineffective.
“There is no doubt that Government will stifle progress at Tokwe Murkosi Dam because of corruption, greed and bureaucratic tendencies. As such we recommend that the project must be managed by a private agent,” said Hungwe.
“We have failed to run the project effectively in the past and we feel there is no change so we want a private agent to take over the management of Tokwe Mukorsi Dam,” said Hungwe.
He said a crucial meeting would be held next week to determine the way forward on the project.
There has been no progress at Tokwe Mukorsi Dam for the past few months because the inter- ministerial task force responsible for the management of the project is failing to implement proper decisions.
By Paul Nyathi | After months of a series of resignations, dismissals and counter accusations, Joice Mujuru’s National People’s Party has officially split yet again.
Former Mujuru funder South African based millionaire businessman and UN World Tourism Board Member Cuthbert Ncube has announced the formation of a splinter party the Zimbabwe Rainbow Party.
Speaking in an interview with ZimEye.com Ncube who earlier this year contested Vice President elections in the NPP said that his party is awaiting to be officially launched at a ceremony in the next few weeks.
“The party has been fully set up and busy recruiting membership throughout the country,” said Ncube who claims to be the interim leader of the party until congress is held.
Ncube said that his party is gearing to contest strongly in next year’s General Elections throughout the country.
“We will be contesting in all parliamentary seats, senate and council throughout the country and we have already started building structures in all the constituencies,” he said.
Ncube was Mujuru’s biggest behind the scenes funder since the NPP was formed under Zimbabwe People First party before it split.
He part ways with Mujuru after the NPP internal elections in March which he described as unconstitutional and unfortunate.
Other former members of the NPP believed to be part of the new party include dismissed Treasurer General Wilbert Mubaiwa and several members from the NPP provincial committees in Bulawayo and Harare.
Presidential advisor Chris Mutsvangwa speaking on Friday said, “We will win resoundingly, better than the 1980 elections and we will mobilise heavily working with the ZDF.” WATCH MUTSVANGWA IN THE VIDEO BELOW –
Terrence Mawawa, Mvuma | A local woman stunned mourners at her son’ s burial when she urinated into her father-in- law’ s mouth, claiming she wanted to appease the deceased’ s spirit.
The woman, Martha Mudzorwi, of Village 74, Huchu, Mvuma, whose late son was married to Kenneth Zwihoko’s daughter claimed that her son’ s spirit was restless because of the way he died.
Mudzorwi’ s son was hit by a car and died under mysterious circumstances.
Mudzorwi appeared before Magistrate Tayengwa Chibanda in Mvuma last Wednesday. She was charged with public indecency.
The court heard that Zwihoko collapsed soon after his son-in- law’ s burial.
Mudzorwi then went to the place where Zwihoko was lying and urinated into latter’ s mouth.
“Zwihoko died soon after the incident.
Mudzorwi collected a handful of soil from her son’ s grave and shoved it into a sprawling Zwihoko’ s mouth,” Prosecutor Michael Kazomba told the court.
Mudzorwi claimed that she urinated into her in-law’ s mouth to appease her son’ s spirit.
“I wanted to appease my son’ s spirit because he died under hazy circumstances,” said Mudzorwi.
“There were some disputes between my son and our in-laws and surprisingly he died when he had gone to South Africa with his wife,” Mudzorwi said.
Mudzorwi was however acquitted by Magistrate Chibanda.
By Paul Nyathi | Just when President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been making assurances to the nation that prices of basic commodities and most locally produced products will not be going up, Zimbabweans woke up to a shock weekend on Saturday when most of the basic commodities in the country shot up by between 10% and 15%.
The biggest shock to Zimbabweans was the increase of the price of bread from between 90 cents and $1 to up to $1.20 in some retail outlets.
Giant bread producers Baker’s Inn were the first to announce their price increases of up to 15% on Friday. All the big bakeries increased with the same margin on Saturday without engaging key stakeholders like the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe and the retailers bodies.
The ordinary loaf rose from $0.90c to a $1.00 and the premium loaf went up from $1.00 to anything between $1.10 to $1.20.
In A statement the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers blamed the price increase on raw material suppliers who increased their prices effectively affecting the end users.
“It is unfortunate that retailers bear the brunt of price increases yet most times we simply maintain the ordinary mark-ups after suppliers have raised prices,” the body said.
A snap survey carried out by ZimEye.com in Bulawayo on Sunday morning indicated that there was a somewhat deliberately created shortage of bread to instil the price increase.
Consumers interviewed by ZimEye.com claimed that the increases were a ploy to sabotage newly installed President Emerson Mnangagwa.
“Why are they increasing pieces just two weeks into Mnangagwa’s reign and a day after he warned business against unjustified price increases,” said a Bulawayo consumer.
Terrence Mawawa | A man who was caught redhanded having sex with his neighbour’ s donkey pleaded guilty to bestiality charges on Friday.
The 23-year-old man, Malvern Ngwenya from Jambezi Area was arrested after he was caught stark naked – having sex with his neighbour’s donkey.
Ngwenya pleaded guilty to bestiality when he appeared before Magistrate Rangarirai Gakanje on Friday.
Ngwenya told the court he was influenced by demons to perform the shameful act.
The court heard that last Tuesday around 2000 hrs Ngwenya tiptoed into his neighbour Bernard Mlauzi’s livestock kraal.
He then undressed and started having sex with his neighbour’ s donkey.
“Mlauzi’s son, Sipho heard some movements in the kraal and went to investigate whereupon he found the naked Ngwenya on the back of the animal.
” The accused was caught red-handed having sexual intercourse with a donkey.
Upon realising that he had been caught, Ngwenya jumped off the back of the donkey and ran away leaving all his clothes behind,” the court heard.
Sipho then picked up the clothes and alerted some neighbours.
A report was made to the police leading to Ngwenya’ s arrest.
Ngwenya will be sentenced on Monday.
By Paul Nyathi | December 22 is meant to be National Unity Day but Matabeleland pressure groups and political parties are defying the day claiming that the day has never brought unity to the country.
Led by a Bulawayo cultural pressure group Ibhetshu Likazulu, hundreds of people from in and around Bulawayo are expected to take part in the march set for Unity Day to denounce the day which they claim is a celebration of the end of the Gukurahundi killings more than a national unity day.
On 22 December 1987, the then opposition party PF ZAPU led by the late Dr Joshua Nkomo signed a Unity Accord agreement with Robert Mugabe of ZANU to establish the current ruling ZANU PF party.
One of the conditions of the agreement was that Mugabe was to withdraw what has since turned out to have been his private army wing which was executing the Gukurahundi atrocities.
The soldiers had already encountered for officially recorded 20 000 deaths in the Matabeleland and Midlands region.
A group of about 60 former ZIPRA soldiers, an armed wing of PF ZAPU during the liberation war, who had deserted the National Army which was being formulated were given an amnesty to stop their bandit operations in exchange of the withdrawal of the 2000 soldiers from the 5th brigade army wing which executed the Gukurahundi killings.
Ibhetshu Likazulu in conjunction with several other Matabeleland pressure groups and civil society organisations have thus refused to recognise the holiday as National Unity Day but opting to call it a celebration for the end of the killing of the 20 000 people by the ZANU PF led government.
Since the signing of the unity accord, government and ZANU PF declared the agreement as a closure to the atrocities with former President Mugabe declaring the period of killings which lasted five years as a moment of madness.
Ibhetshu Likazulu is coordinating a march for the people of Matabeleland to demand that the government calls for a truth and reconciliation commission which will bring the perpetrators of the killings to public trial.
The march is scheduled to start from the Joshua Nkomo memorial statue in the CBD of Bulawayo to Makokoba township’s Stanley Hall where a memorial service for the victims of the atrocities will be held.
Police in Bulawayo could not commit to ZimEye.com if the march had been sanctioned by any of the police or the army.
Musician Tererai Mugwadi was on Thursday found guilty of culpable homicide charges after she was involved in an accident which claimed the life of Seremani Marvellous.
She was remanded to next Tuesday for sentencing. Mugwadi (32) of Mt Hampden, near Harare had maintained her innocence after her application for discharge was thrown out before Chitungwiza magistrate Mr Oliver Mudzongachiso.
This follows her denial of the charges when her trial commenced, however, Mr Mudzongachiso said she had a case to answer. In his judgment, Mr Mudzongachiso said Mugwadi’s defence was a sign of desperation.
“The accused was charged with the offence of culpable homicide,” said Mr Mudzongachiso.
“She pleaded not guilty and I say out of sheer arrogance she admitted being the driver, got dazzled after lights flashed her. Although witnesses testified, this is a matter which speaks on its own. She got dazzled and what was reasonable under the circumstances was to pull off the road and stop instead of continuing to drive as she did. In her defence outline she admitted being dazzled, why continue?”
Mr Mudzongachiso said it was this disregard of road rules that led to the accident.
“It is in the process of continuing to move that she hit the vehicle. Furthermore, she admits she could not see, so why continue driving, she is guilty as charged,” ruled Mr Mudzongachiso.
Prosecutor Mrs Itai Chikono proved that on June 23 this year at around 8.40pm, Mugwadi was driving a Toyota Rav4 along Seke Road under the influence of alcohol.
The court heard that Mugwadi failed to control her vehicle, swerved and encroached into a lane with oncoming traffic.
Mugwadi hit a Toyota Hiace truck, which was being driven by Tichaona Takaeneya and it overturned. The accident killed Seremani Marvellous, a passenger, who was sitting at the back of the vehicle.
The matter was reported to the police leading to Mugwadi’s arrest.- state media
Controversial dancer Beverly “Bev” Sibanda on Thursday walked away with R50 000 and a trophy after beating 20 other dancers from several African countries at the Africa Storm Dancehall Queen hosted by Baseline Club in Johannesburg.
This is the second time Bev has won the Africa Storm Dancehall clash, a unique contest because the winner is determined by the crowd and not by a judging panel.
The S_exy Angels leader first won the competition two years ago. Bev’s manager, Harpers Mapimhidze, has described the dancer’s latest victory as yet another confirmation of the S_exy Angels leader’s exceptional talent.
“Bev has cemented his position as an outstanding dancer not only in Zimbabwe but in Africa at large. We are so happy to receive the award again this year.
We have already lined up a dance fiesta on Wednesday at City Sports Bar in Harare where we will also take the opportunity to celebrate this achievement,” Mapimhidze told Daily News.
According to Mapimhidze, celebratory dance fiesta, dubbed “Bye Bye 2017, Welcome 2018”, will feature Bev and the S_exy Angels, Zoey and the Red Angels, Wasu, Sarah Dee, Peter Kagomere, Pramastove, Fearless, Digital Queens, Unique Queens, Crazy Boys, Four Angels, Mageshi from Bulawayo, Pala Fala, Mandisa Queens, Zero Degrees, All Stars, Kalawa, Red Piston, Naked Weapon and Chocolate among others.
The victory in South Africa is yet another feather in the cap for Bev who recently featured on Congolese music star Koffi Olomide’s video.
Interestingly, Bev was invited to feature on the video after she impressed Koffi during the 2015 Carnival Rhumba night held at the Longcheng Plaza.
Koffi, who has built a faithful fan base internationally over the years, particularly on the continent and is credited for popularising the slower style of Soukous, is the third foreign artiste Bev has collaborated with after South African music star Freddy Gwala and Zimbabwe-based Congolese chanter Gift “Shiga Shiga” Katulika.
Bev, who is also into music, featured Gwala on her song Tshaingoma.
The controversial dancer announced her entry into Zimbabwean music five years ago when she released the album Tapinda which includes the hit Tshaingoma which claimed position number 27 in the 2013 edition of the National FM Top 50. Bev, a serial winner at the annual Dancers Association of Zimbabwe awards, has toured South Africa and United Kingdom.
Pregnant HIV-positive mothers who do not take precaution to prevent transmission of the virus to their unborn babies are liable for prosecution and face up to 20 years in prison under the country’s laws, a lawyer has noted.
Anyone living with the virus who has sexual intercourse with an HIV-negative partner using protection without disclosing their status may also be legally liable, even when transmission has not occurred, Mr Lizwe Jamela of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said.
In an interview on the sidelines of the just-ended International Conference of Aids and STIs in Africa (Icasa) in Abidjan, Ivory Coast Mr Jamela, who heads ZLHR in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces said the country’s laws on deliberate transmission of HIV were too broad and should be reviewed.
He said the broadness of the laws made almost everyone who is sexually active liable for prosecution, and thus called for the repealing of the legislation.
Under section 79 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act chapter 9:23 deliberate transmission of HIV is a criminal offence which attracts a sentence of not more than 20 years.
“On the face of it the law talks about deliberate transmission of HIV but when you analyse it further you observe that almost everyone can face prosecution,” he said.
Section 79 (b) states that “Any person, realising that there is a real risk or possibility that he or she is infected with HIV; intentionally does anything or permits the doing of anything which he or she knows will infect, which he or she realises involves a real risk or possibility of infecting another person with HIV, shall be guilty of deliberate transmission of HIV, whether or not he or she is married to that other person, and shall be liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding twenty years”.
Mr Jamela said, “Anyone can fall into that category. There is just too much conjecture in that law.
“If a pregnant woman who is HIV-positive fails to undergo the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme she is liable for prosecution.
“Anyone who is HIV positive who has intercourse with someone who is negative and uses protection can still be prosecuted under this law because that person would have done something which involves a real risk of possibility of infecting another person with HIV.
“The fact that one used protection can only be used as mitigation but not to absolve anyone.”
He added, “So under this law, the criminal offence is not only about deliberate transmission but even exposure to risk of transmission, which in my view is very wide and broad.”
Mr Jamela said the law should either be amended to deal specifically with cases of deliberate transmission or be totally repealed.
“We don’t need a law that criminalises HIV. Instead we should be reinforcing the human rights response to HIV intervention by increasing issues of education and advocacy.
“We could limit the law to genuine cases of deliberate transmission,” he said.
Mr Jamela further argued that it was also humanly impossible to prove in a court of law who would have infected who between complainant and defendant in cases of deliberate transmission of HIV.
“Judiciary can’t deal with who infected who. There is no technology to generate evidence to prove that. So in most cases the person who would report first becomes the complainant. But what if the complainant is the one who infected defendant, how do you prove that?
“For a criminal conviction to happen someone should be guilty beyond reasonable doubt, but we have people being convicted of deliberate infection when that threshold has not been passed,” he said.
Head of the HIV and TB unit in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Owen Mugurungi described the enactment of the law as “a moment of madness”.
He said the law was counterproductive in the fight against stigma around HIV.
“It was a moment of madness. This is what happens when decisions are made based on emotions.
“The law attacks the basic rights of people living with HIV. It’s counter-productive to our interventions and defeats everything we are trying to do to fight the virus.
“That law causes people to go underground, it scares away people from getting tested because it stigmatises HIV,” he said.
Dr Mugurungi added that there was engagement between the National Aids Council and legislators to look into possible ways of repealing or amending the law so that it does not criminalise HIV.
Zimbabwe Network of People Living with HIV (ZNPP+) national chairperson Sebastian Chinhaire said the law countered the country’s efforts to end Aids by 2030 and should be done away with immediately.
“We should do away with that law. We will not end Aids by 2030 if we still have that law. All the gains recorded in the fight against HIV are being reversed by this law. It should go,” he said. state media
While ladies of the night put on the right makeup, lashes, musk and dresses to entice clients, their counterparts in the political arena use words, and exaggerated loyalty to charm the mighty and powerful.
It sounds like fiction that at her peak, former first lady Grace Mugabe’s face was emblazoned on cars of adoring Zanu PF faithful and her word was almost the law.
Grace and her husband, former president Robert Mugabe attracted thousands to their rallies but now many, including those who once sang their praises, have like political turncoats abandoned them.
But crossing floors and denying allegiances did not start with the fall of Grace and her husband, it is as old as prostitution and in Zimbabwe the once runaway winner was former Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo.
“It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first,” former United States president Ronald Reagan once said in the 1980s.
And in Zimbabwe there is little difference between the two “professions”.
The fights in Zanu PF are as old as the political party itself formed in 1963 after splitting from Zapu.
Fast forward to 2014 when former vice president Joice Mujuru was pushed out from Zanu PF while some cheered, hundreds, tails between their legs left the ruling party crestfallen but determined never to rejoin the former revolutionary party.
Thousands of former Zanu PF officials peeved by Mujuru’s ouster, including some who even once vowed never to rejoin the party like Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, are knocking on the ruling party’s door, pleading for readmission.
The likes of Bhasikiti called Zanu PF by all sorts of names but today they are ready to go back to the ruling party and perhaps salvage a parliamentary seat, because the outside was never rosy.
Harare lawyer and aspiring Member of Parliament Fadzayi Mahere said principle is key in politics.
“If young politicians flip flop, take people’s trust and money for granted, then Zimbabwe’s future isn’t safe. Let’s do better. Principle is king,” she wrote on her Facebook page.
The culture of political flip-flopping has become engrained within the ruling party and extends beyond the party as those that had joined the opposition are also making a beeline back to the ruling party.
Some like Bhasikiti, were part of Mujuru’s initial political outfit Zimbabwe People First (ZPF).
The party later split, which resulted in Mujuru forming another party called the National People’s Party (NPP), while Bhasikiti remained with ZPF.
Bhasikiti recently wrote a letter to Zanu PF seeking to be re-admitted to the party.
He is not the only one of those people that purportedly left Zanu PF, who are now jostling to return to the party that has been in power for the past 37 years.
There is also Acie Lumumba, who left the party and formed his own Viva Zimbabwe in June 2016.
Two years down the line, the political leadership in Zanu PF has changed and he announced that he is back to the ruling party.
“The reasons for my resignation on May 29, 2016, no longer apply: the party has forcefully and credibly begun the process of reforming itself and the ruling party is now in the unique position to drive positive change in Zimbabwe, as enunciated by its new leader,” Lumumba said in his statement announcing his return to Zanu PF.
Zanu PF representative in the United Kingdom, Nick Mangwana, however, on Twitter said the flip flopping of the party members is proof that power rested in the leadership as opposed to the people.
“Zimbabwe needs to reform but it cannot reform unless Zanu PF reforms first. The flip flopping of its members & supporters was evidence that power did not rest in the people but leadership which used largesse and patronage to paralyse & control membership. That has to change,” Mangwana said.
Like Lumumba, another Zanu PF youth leader, who had officially broken ties with the ruling party and joined the Zimbabwe Partnership for Prosperity (Zipp) is Godfrey Tsenengamu.
Tsenengamu recently quit Zipp and went back to the ruling party.
Announcing his resignation from Zipp, Tsenengamu said: “I write to officially inform your honourable office of my resignation from Zipp with immediate effect.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the Zipp leadership as led by (Dr) Blessing Kasiyamhuru for the honour that it had bestowed on me to serve the partnership in various capacities. I am grateful.”
Another member to follow in his footsteps is former Zanu PF youth leader Jim Kunaka, who had joined Mujuru’s political outfit.
He later returned to Zanu PF.- Daily News
The Unity Accord of 1987 is posing serious headaches for President Emmerson Mnangagwa who gave himself two days to handpick his two deputies.
This comes amid indications that Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander General Constantino Chiwenga could make history by becoming the first decorated soldier in post independent Zimbabwe to land one of the posts straight from the barracks.
Mnangagwa is required by the party’s constitution to pick the other deputies from a powerful cast of contenders in the former Zapu, which is proving to be a herculean task for him.
The list includes veterans of the liberation struggle who were in the Zipra High Command, among them retired colonel Tshinga Dube; lieutenant general Phillip Vallerio Sibanda; retired brigadier general Ambrose Mutinhiri (Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister) and Stanley Nleya, whose Chimurenga name was Elish Gagisa.
There are also dark horses in the form of Kembo Mohadi (Defence minister) and Jacob Mudenda, the current Speaker of Parliament.
Selecting the most deserving Zapu cadre from the cast is proving to be a difficult task for Mnangagwa because his choice must not just appeal to Zapu cadres but the military as well, which sees itself as the party’s stockholders.
His appointee must also not be out of step with Zanu PF’s core values of loyalty and tribal balancing — an art perfected by Mnangagwa’s predecessor, Robert Mugabe.
And more importantly, the appointee must bring about unity of purposes at the top, which cascades across party structures countrywide, especially as the country heads towards polls in 2018.
Signed on December 22, 1987 to end ethnic violence that had broke out in the Midlands and Matabeleland regions, the Unity Accord vests the power to appoint two vice presidents in Zanu PF’s first secretary and president.
The agreement makes the point that national unity, political stability and order, social and economic development can only be achieved to their fullest under conditions of peace and unity primarily of Zanu PF and PF Zapu — the signatories to the Unity Accord.
It has been the tradition in Zanu PF that whenever a vacancy arose on the Zapu side of the equation, former Zapu cadres would meet to make recommendations based on seniority.
When Joshua Nkomo died in July 1999, he was replaced by Joseph Msika, who was also replaced by John Landa Nkomo following his demise in August 2009.
The practice was abandoned in 2014 when then party president Robert Mugabe ignored submissions by Zapu cadres who met at the late Cephas Msipa’s residence in Gweru to deliberate on whom among them was to succeed John Nkomo, who had died in January 2013.
Breaking with protocol, Mugabe settled for Phelekezela Mphoko whom many thought was a rank-outsider.
Mphoko became the only VP on the Zapu side to leave office while still alive after he fell out with the military due to his closeness to Generation 40 functionaries, especially Mugabe’s wife, Grace.
The country has been without its two vice presidents since last month when Mnangagwa was fired from both government and Zanu PF.
After Mnangagwa and his Team Lacoste faction made a dramatic comeback last month — riding on the military’s intervention in Zanu PF’s internal politics — Mphoko, who was the other vice president, became part of the collateral damage targeting key members of the rival Generation 40 faction.
Whoever would have been appointed to the position of vice president and second secretary of Zanu PF would automatically become Mnangagwa’s deputy in government.
Zimbabweans were left in suspense on Friday after Mnangagwa delayed revealing the identity of his two deputies.
The conjecture has it that he is in a dilemma as he has too many constituencies to reward.
University of Zimbabwe political Science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure, told the Daily News on Sunday yesterday that despite his unenviable position, Mnangagwa would ensure that the military establishment is placated by elevating Chiwenga straight from the barracks.
He said while Mnangagwa has already appointed major general Sibusiso Moyo as Foreign Affairs minister, the real silver medal for the military was having their person in the presidium.
“If you checked carefully at the Zanu PF congress, Chiwenga appeared to be dressed in vice presidential attire. He did not pose as a military figure and it looks like he realises that time is ripe for him to land the top post and that he is within striking distance,” Masunungure said.
He said Mnangagwa might actually be worried about the choice of Chiwenga’s replacement as head of the ZDF, claiming the uniformed forces were not as united as they acted in pushing Mugabe out.
“Candidates such as Mohadi and (Simon Khaya) Moyo are real contenders with the former having been loyal to Mnangagwa for a long time and was even targeted for suspension by the G40. The same does not, however, apply to Moyo who has had links with (former vice president Joice) Mujuru, which saw him miss out narrowly in 2014.
“Tshinga Dube to me is a more serious contender because he is known to have stood by Mnangagwa’s faction even risking losing his job as he backed the Christopher Mutsvangwa-led war veterans against G40. He may actually have a better chance than the other two I have mentioned because he is a very solid war veteran with impeccable history.”
Contacted for comment, Dube told the Daily News on Sunday yesterday that while in the past the Zapu side of Zanu PF would be given an opportunity to meet and decide on who to second, according to their seniority, it was up to Mnangagwa to decide what criteria he will use.
“As it stands, I would say the most senior from our side is Mashonaland East Provincial minister Ambrose Mutinhiri although he is senior to me by a few months having trained together in 1963,” Dube said.
“The likes of Mohadi came in much later in the 1970s but what we used to do is to meet and decide. For example, when Joshua Nkomo died we decided that the national chairperson of the party Joseph Msika should be elevated and we did that gain with John Nkomo.
“However, this was dropped in 2004 when we sought to have Khaya-Moyo to replace Nkomo only to find … Mphoko’s name featuring. We did not know where that had come from because we had had a meeting that waschaired by … Msipa in Gweru that came up with a position. Now we know that the criteria used was that Mphoko was close to the (former) first lady, Grace Mugabe.
“We will follow the same process if we are given the chance but it is up to the appointing authority at the end of it all. – Daily News
Prices of some basic commodities, including bread, sugar and mealie-meal, have gone up over the last month, marginally raising the cost of living for urban households.
Figures from the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe show minor increases in the cost of the family food basket, driven largely by hikes in prices of bread, mealie-meal, sugar, tea leaves, milk, rice and laundry bars.
These price movements, according to the consumer watchdog, are a result of fuel price fluctuations, multi-tier pricing and profiteering retailers.
The price of a standard loaf of bread went up yesterday from US$0,90 to US$1.
According to the CCZ’s December 2017 Report, the monthly food basket for a family of six increased by roughly US$4,50.
Reads the report in part: “The cost of living as measured by the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe’s has gone up. The low-income urban earner monthly basket for a family of six increased from the end-October figure of US$593,55 to US$598,16 by end of November 2017, showing an increase of US$4,61 or 0,72 percent.
“As CCZ, we assume the increase in prices could be attributed to various factors, these include fluctuation of fuel price, multi-tier pricing by retailers: some supermarkets have taken advantage of these situations by increasing the prices of basic commodities by small amounts such as 1c, 2c, 3c to 40c and consumers are not able to notice the change.”
The report continues: “The increase in prices could also be attributed to the festive season where retailers take advantage of consumers having much to spend. The use of mobile money has also been noted as attributing to an increase in basic commodities, especially at retail shops that do not have merchant codes and charge an extra percentage on goods.
“(Because of) avian flu that has struck Zimbabwe’s poultry market and also the banning of poultry from South Africa because of the same, there has been a shortage of eggs on the market and some increase in poultry meat. We also assume that this has been the cause of the increase in prices of beef products.”
Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers president Mr Denford Mutashu said yesterday’s bread price hike was arbitrary.
Mr Mutashu said, “It is true, the price of bread went up (yesterday morning). I have spoken to retail managers and they confirmed that but most of the stock that came in (yesterday) was at the old price.
“Bakers have increased the price of bread by about 10 percent, meaning a loaf that was selling at 90c is now US$1 and so on, because retailers put a mark-up of 10 percent.
“We have not been consulted on this and clearly, this is just an arbitrary move. From where we stand, we are also trying to know why they hiked the price.”- state media
Botswana’s government is reportedly set to “fix strained relations” with Zimbabwe once the current engagements between the two nations foreign affairs ministers are completed.
According to the state-owned Herald newspaper, the two countries were set to “sign various memoranda of understanding in the coming few months”.
This came as Botswana’s minister of international affairs and co-operation, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi”conveyed a congratulatory message” to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his official offices in Harare this week.
Venson-Moitoithat said that the two neighbouring countries were going to work together in areas of co-operation after years of strained relations under former president Robert Mugabe.
“…I will be discussing with my colleague the foreign affairs minister and we will be discussing a lot of memoranda of understanding between our two countries that we have to speed up and exchange in the next few months,” Venson-Moitoi was quoted as saying.
The two countries had had strained relations for years, with Botswana President Ian Khama said to be one of the loud critics of Mugabe.
Last year Khama made headlines after he called ageing Mugabe, who was still in power then, to step down.
“They [Zimbabweans] have got plenty of good people there who have got good leadership qualities who could take over,” Khama was quoted as saying at the time. – News24
Farirai Madhumbe | Former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s favourite Zanu PF youth leader Kudzanayi Chipanga has been replaced by Pupurai Togarepi.
Chipanga became the face of the highly charged Presidential Interface rallies at which Grace would spit venom against her perceived enemies in Zanu PF. Chipanga was subsequently arrested and humiliated after the coup and is facing charges of publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state as defined in Section 31 (a) (iii) of the Criminal (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9.23 or alternatively causing disaffection among the police force or defence forces as defined in section 30 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
The state media reports that Zanu-PF National Youth League Executive yesterday elected new office-bearers to fill 10 posts that fell vacant following expulsion of G40 cabal members.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa re-instated former leader Pupurai Togarepi at the Zanu-PF’s Extraordinary Congress in Harare last Friday and tasked him to fill vacant posts.
Elections were conducted via secret ballot at Zanu-PF headquarters, with Lewis Matutu becoming Togarepi’s deputy, taking over from Mr Mpehlabayo Malinga.
Other new secretaries are s Tendai Chirau (administration), Getrude Mutandi (finance), Godfrey Tsenengamu (commissariat), Silas Chimbiro (security), Sibongile Sibanda (external relations), Elizabeth Masuku (transport), Yeukai Simbanegavi (information and publicity), Leslie Ncube (legal affairs) and Tonderai Bosha (indigenisation).
The election results await Politburo ratification.
In an interview with our Harare Bureau, Togarepi said: “The main message is unity and forgiveness. We expect the youth to work together in harmony and no more purging of members. No more insults. We must respect our elders; war veterans, the army and the entire party leadership must be respected.
“Youths must mobilise for the ruling party. They are the future of Zimbabwe and their mobilisation should be exemplary. They should help in voter registration and everyone in the Youth League has a duty to explain where we are and where we are going.
“In addition, the youth should be peaceful; there’s no need for violence during election time. Zanu-PF has the support of the people, and I want to encourage young people to stand for election as councillors, Members of Parliament.”
Wilbert Mukori | Nelson Chamisa, MDC-T VP, is one individual who believes in rhetoric and has become so addicted to it he cannot change. “MDC is the party of excellency!” he used to boast. It took the disastrous performance of the party in the 2013 elections, which he and others were convinced was going to propel them into office, to shut Chamisa up. The party was deserted by its donors and SADC leaders alike for failing to implement even one democratic reforms during the GNU. The real Nelson Chamisa is back boastful as ever.
“I am so delighted to be on this hugely beneficial trip (to the USA to meet the Senate committee on foreign relations – the committee that will decide on whether to lift the targeted sanctions imposed on Zanu PF leaders for human rights violation including failing to hold free and fair elections). We are on this vital global advocacy and diplomatic engagement program to give Zimbabweans a fighting chance in the crucial and landmark 2018 general elections. This trip is about you and me and the future of our children and generations to come,” he wrote in a recent article in Nehanda Radio.
“As a people, we cannot afford to squander this merited goodwill through partisan and petty party political sandpit arguments, which have no material benefit to our people.”
The article continued on the same vein, full of the usual verbosity and drumming of the chest of the silver back. Let me just focus on one or two snippets.
“This trip comes as a continuation of diplomatic outreaches already under way focusing on SADC and the AU. Our overall persuasion and perspective is to state and restate our case for credible, free and fair elections in Zimbabwe, elections whose results are not contested,” he stated.
“I saw and read a false message that this trip was about sanctions. Far from it, the trip has all to do with our take on free and fair elections in Zimbabwe and our post-election reconstruction plan.”
This is really hopeless! No wonder the country is in a real mess, with the opposition politicians who are this incompetent, we have nowhere else to go.
This is just like the foolishness of General Chiwenga and his coup plotters who seized key state institutions, put then President Mugabe under house arrest, etc. and insisted it was NOT a coup! The West imposed sanctions on Zanu PF leaders because the regime had failed to hold free and fair elections. The Senate committee Chamisa and his friends met will decide on whether to lift the sanction or not on the basis of there being sufficient evidence next year’s elections will be free and fair. So, what is Chamisa wittering about the trip was not about sanctions!
Zimbabwe is in this economic and political mess because for the last 37 years the nation has been stuck with a corrupt and incompetent Zanu PF dictatorship. They have failed to rid themselves of this regime because Mugabe and his cronies rigged the vote to stay in power. The nation had its best opportunity ever to finally get rid of the dictatorship during the GNU years but the chance was wasted because Chamisa and his MDC friends failed to implement the democratic reforms. If anyone thought the MDC leaders had learnt from the past, he or she was wrong because instead of finally focus on piling the pressure, maintaining the sanctions is one way, to force the implementation of the reforms MDC leaders are once again going off at a tangent.
SADC leaders pushed hard to have the reforms implemented during the GNU and it was none other than MDC leaders who did nothing. The American and the rest of the West imposed sanctions on Zanu PF to highlight the need for Mugabe to honour his legal obligation to hold free and fair elections. It is really frustrating that it is none other than the MDC again who failing to give the matter the seriousness it demands.
“MDC is a party of excellency!” Yeah right!
Ray Nkosi | Fresh details have emerged on the ongoing tussle for the vacant VP posts between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and General Constantino Chiwenga, with the latter likely to get the post.
Mnangagwa has a hard choice to make against a background that the army must now go back to the barracks and public outrage at the appoint of senior military men in the top ranks of Zanu PF’s leadership. A particularly controversial appointment has been of General Engelbert Rugeje as Zanu PF’s Secretary For Commissariat.
If appointed VP Chiwenga also taking over confirms Christopher Mutsvangwa’s utterances that the military will play a major role in the 2018 election to give Mnangagwa victory.
The weekily Standard reports that, Mnangagwa deferred appointing the vice-presidents at the just-ended Zanu PF congress, saying he needed to wait for certain institutional processes.
Analysts said the statement showed Mugabe’s successor wanted to appoint Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) commander General Constantino Chiwenga as one of his deputies.
Mnangagwa, the analysts said, was under pressure to appease the military.
“I don’t envy President Mnangagwa’s current position,” said UK based political analyst and former media lecturer, Reward Mushayabasa. “He seems to be in a very invidious position where he has to balance the competing interests of all the stakeholders who cleared the way for his ascendancy to power,” Mushayabasa said.
He said because Mnangagwa owed his current position to the military, it made him feel extremely beholden to them.
“We all know that Mnangagwa did not get into power through a credible democratic process. He came to power through a soft putsch staged by the army generals with the backing of the war veterans.”
“Against this murky political background, I am not surprised by the ever-increasing militarisation of his government.
Mnangagwa is just confirming what some of us suspected long ago. That he is a lame duck president.
“He is beholden to the military and the war veterans and cannot make his own independent decisions. Until he submits himself to a credible free and democratic general election, ‘the military influence’ in his government will continue to be his Achilles’ heel.”
A source within the ruling party who claimed to know “the plan with the VP appointments”, however, said Chiwenga and Defence minister Kembo Mohadi are tipped for appointment this week.
Mnangagwa was expected to announce his two VPs at the just-ended Zanu PF special congress but deferred it to this week to clear what he described as “institutional” requirements likely associated with the possible retirement of Chiwenga as commander of the defence forces.
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Zuma OR Ramaphosa – who is winning today?
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) December 17, 2017
By Dorrothy Moyo| Below are direct official quotes of top government officials, Presidential advisor, Chris Mutsvangwa and Masvingo Provincial Minister Josiah Hungwe as they stated that President Emmerson Mnangagwa is going to use to army to win the upcoming 2018 elections.
Masvingo Provincial Affairs Josiah Hungwe last week told a Masvingo Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting that Zanu-PF will use the Zimbabwe Defence Forces when campaigning in next year’s harmonised elections.
He said: “In the Bible, the Kings ruled with the army on their side. Saka patinoenda ku2018 elections musasiya soja. (Zanu PF) Chairman, soja apa imi mberi. (When we campaign in 2018, do not leave the army. We will move side by side with the military),” he said.
Meanwhile Presidential advisor Chris Mutsvangwa speaking on Friday said, “We will win resoundingly, better than the 1980 elections and we will mobilise heavily working with the ZDF.” WATCH MUTSVANGWA IN THE VIDEO BELOW –
https://youtu.be/bgQ_Bfnh9k4
PLEASE NOTE: This afternoon at 5pm ZimEye explores the impact of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisor, Chris Mutsvangwa’s statement on the Zimbabwean economy. The development comes as the price of bread shot up yesterday. The program will be streamed LIVE. READ MORE ON CHRIS MUTSVANGWA’S STATEMENT – CLICK HERE
By Shiellah Sibanda| MDC Deputy President Nelson Chamisa has expressed dismay at the announcements by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisor Chris Mutsvangwa that ZANU PF is going to use the army on civilians so to ensure it wins the upcoming 2018 elections.
The development has put to rest questions on why soldiers are still working on the streets like police officers four (4) weeks after last month’s coup was completed last month.
Writing on his portal Sunday morning, Chamisa said, “Mutsvangwa, Hungwe let the cat out of the bag saying army will be heavily involved in 2018 elections. (SEE VIDEO)
https://youtu.be/bgQ_Bfnh9k4
“Remember June 2008.To date, we’ve lost over 500 Zimbabweans to political violence & hundreds of thousands in hospitals & road accidents due to bad governance!”
Meanwhile, ZANU PF yesterday attempted at a softening of Chris Mutsvangwa’s statement with its Legal Secretary Paul Mangwana saying ZANU PF does not been the army since there is no opposition to talk about.
By Staff Reporter| This afternoon at 5pm ZimEye explores the impact of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisor, Chris Mutsvangwa’s statement on the Zimbabwean economy. The development comes as the price of bread shot up yesterday. The program will be streamed LIVE. READ MORE ON CHRIS MUTSVANGWA’S STATEMENT – CLICK HERE
