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MNANGAGWA REGALIA: ZANU PF Fires Warning Shots At Chombo And Chipanga

ZANU PF has fired warning shots at expelled members Ignatius Chombo and Kundzanai Chipanga for wearing regalia with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s initials.

Below was the statement:

12TH DECEMBER 2017

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE ZANU-pf SECRETARY FOR INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY, CDE AMBASSADOR S.K. MOYO, ON THE CONDUCT OF SOME EXPELLED PARTY MEMBERS.

It has come to the attention of the ruling Zanu-PF, that images of a clique of expelled Zanu PF members of the G40 Cabal namely: Ignatius Chombo, Kudzai Chipanga, Innocent Hamandishe and another person wearing regalia emblazoned with features depicting the President and First Secretary of the party, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is widely circulating on a number of social media platforms.

The Party wishes to make it clear that these expelled members have no entitlement to representing it and neither do they have the right to represent the President and First Secretary in any form. Their actions constitute serious criminal conducts and are therefore abhorred in the strongest terms. These truant individuals are obviously burnt (sic) on soiling the good name of the party and that of its President and First Secretary.

Let them be warned that should such mischief continue, the Party shall institutte such remedial measures it deems appropriate.

CDE AMBASSADOR S. K. MOYO
(ZANU PF SECRETARY FOR INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY)

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SANCTIONS FIGHT: Gen. Moyo Blows Out On Biti, Chamisa USA Jaunt

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Retired Major General Dr Sibusiso Moyo says it is shocking to watch fellow Zimbabweans led by Tendai Biti, Dewa Mavhinga and Peter Godwin take turns before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee to tarnish and further soil the image of their country, Zimbabwe.

In a statement to the ZBC News, Dr Moyo said it is ironic that fellow Zimbabweans were performing their macabre charade only hours after he had met the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Harry Thomas Junior in his office in Harare, amicably to outline how the two nations could re-engage and pursue measures which will benefit people from both countries.

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Zimbabwe in Washington DC

“Zimbabwe’s new government has been in office for shorter than two weeks [and] it is staggering that these gentlemen should have expected the deeds of 37 years to be corrected and livelihoods improved in such a short time,” he said.

“As if that myopia was not enough, the trio and others requested their American hosts for more of the same policies which have inflicted suffering on our people. How could any serious putative future leader of our country ask that ZIDERA remains in place?” the Minister added.

He also said Zimbabweans from all walks of life know that the damaging US sanctions against Zimbabwe cause little discomfort to the political elite and the well-off, as represented by the trio on their junkate in Washington DC.

Instead, he said, “All of us should be working to revive our economy, till our fertile soil and trade more competitively so that we all realise better health delivery, education and improved welfare in general.”

Retired Major General Moyo also said any internal disagreements should be resolved by Zimbabweans engaging with one another.

“There is no need to invite outside referees whose own fate has no relationship to ours. Let us advance our political goals without inviting punitive measures by strangers on our fellow citizens,” he said.

On next year’s elections, Retired Major General Moyo as President Emmerson Mnangagwa said upon taking office, Zimbabwe shall hold peaceful elections in 2018 guided by SADC principles and African Union recommendations.

“Any leadership changes can therefore be gotten at the ballot box. There is no need to go abroad and seek assistance to further harm one’s own country. All Zimbabweans are free to canvas for political fortunes of their choice. Let us do this without reversing the promise of our new dawn. All nations of goodwill are invited to assist us to regain our position in the family of nations, not as beggars but, as a prospering and vibrant democracy,” he said.

He also said it is therefore incumbent upon every Zimbabwean to contribute towards the elimination of any threats to the peace and stability of the country.- state media

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Mugabe’s Exit Leaves Ethiopia’s Mengistu Open For Trial And A Long Time In Prison

In a move that stunned the world, Zimbabwe’s defense forces ousted President Robert Mugabe from power on November 21 2017, bringing his 37 years of strongman rule to an end. When his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, took office three days later, a new chapter opened for the country.

Major General SB Moyo, the country’s chief of staff logistics, said the transition was aimed at ending social and economic suffering and bringing criminals to justice. The unfolding transition of power with its promise of change has brought hope not only to Zimbabweans but also to other Africans.

One such hope is that Ethiopia’s former Marxist-leaning leader Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam could finally be brought to justice. Mugabe gave Haile Mariam a residency permit after the latter fled Ethiopia in 1991. His motive for giving Haile Mariam refuge was thought to be to allow the Ethiopian ex-leader to train and arm Zimbabweans during their liberation struggle in the 1970s.

In a campaign aimed at repressing political dissent that would become called the “Red Terror,” Mengistu’s administration was alleged to have killed an estimated half a million people, including the last emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie.

After the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) came to power, a court sentenced Mengistu to life in prison in absentia. Although the Ethiopian government requested his extradition in 2006, Mugabe reportedly refused to hand over the ex-leader, who was at the time his adviser on Ethiopia’s security affairs.

Social media hopes of repatriation

Social media users in Ethiopia have recently been asking about the fate of the 80-year-old Mengistu now that Mugabe is gone.

Others were quick to demand the forced repatriation of Mengistu to Ethiopia, where they hope he can face justice. But such demands, even though genuine, seem sometimes to be mixed with sarcasm.

A tweet bearing the name Zirak Asfaw congratulates Mnangagwa on the peaceful power transition and pleads: “Please remember the mothers of #Ethiopia who are still waiting for justice: extradite #Mengistu Hailemariam.”

Among those who weighed in was Awol Kassim Allo, an assistant professor of law at the London School of Economics, who also asked what would happen to Haile Mariam.

‘Dwindling appetite’ for obtaining justice

Speaking to DW, Allo said states could give asylum to any individuals they chose, but this did not mean their actions were not in breach of international obligations. He noted that hosting countries often displayed a lack of political will and turned a blind eye to international law, which made extradition difficult.

Allo was not also sure whether the two countries had signed an extradition treaty and expressed doubts that the current Zimbabwe administration would do such a thing.

“I think what people forget,” Allo said, is that “it is still the same party that is ruling Zimbabwe, still the same individuals who were very much part of Mugabe’s inner circle that are in control of the government.”

Yacob Hailemariam, a lawyer based in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and former senior prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, argues, for his part, that there has not been any serious demand made by the Ethiopian government for Mengistu’s extradition. Hailemariam also maintains that authorities in Harare “remain indebted to him [Mengistu] for the liberation of Zimbabwe”.

Although Mengistu Haile Mariam was tried in absentia in 2006 along with 73 high ranking Derg, alsoknown as “committee” officials, victims and other people concerned with the case have been alleging that the EPRDF has not put much pressure on Zimbabwe to help bring Mengistu to justice.

Allo contends that the EPRDF’s initial move of bringing those officials to the courtroom was merely for political reasons, such as trying to obtain international legitimacy as a country and to publicly show a determination to do away with wrongful impunity and ensure criminals were held to account.

“I think there is not the same appetite today as there was back in the 1990s,” Allo added.

Mengistu’s denial

Mengistu has been quoted as saying he had “never killed even a fly” let alone a human, and that the crimes he was accused of “are all lies perpetrated by my enemies.”

“He doesn’t have to have killed a fly,” says the lawyer Yacob Hailemaraim, but “he was an instrumental in ordering many of these killings. He was responsible. He knew these killings were going on.”

The Derg regime committed numerous human rights abuses

Yacob Hailemaraim, 73, who fled to Kenya from prosecution at the time, remembers the Derg’s era as “the most horrible thing that the country had to go through.” Hailemaraim said that he had lost many friends and accused Haile Mariam of “killing several people himself.”

“If [the Red Terror] is not an atrocity, what is an atrocity?” asks Allo.

Political and legal analysts draw a very thin line between the EPRDF and Derg regime on their respective human rights records: The EPRDF, which has now been in power for more than quarter a century, is also being accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“As it has turned out, the Ethiopian government has itself become extremely authoritarian and repressive, almost in the same way as the previous government,” Allo notes.- Mail And Guardian

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Hungwe Threatens To Unleash ZDF Forces On Opposition Supporters

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | Josaya Dunira Hungwe is an enigmatic character.

Only a few months ago, he passionately described former President Robert Mugabe as a saint and he also said the ruling party was ready to shed blood on behalf of the nonagenarian.

Last week the Minister of State for Masvingo Province dropped a bombshell when he said the ruling party was prepared to unleash the army on opposition supporters.

Hungwe’ s utterances have all but stifled hopes of a democratic electoral process in the country, according to political analysts.

“We were intellectually defeated by the G-40 cabal and we had to resort to the army to help us.

In 2018 we will use the army to silence dissenting voices.This means we will romp to victory by all means necessary,” said Hungwe.

Masvingo based political writer and analyst, Batsiranai Ngungama said Hungwe’ s threats would not halt the inevitable process of democratic change.

“Hungwe is existing in cartoon land and he will soon have a rude awakening .

The people of Zimbabwe have suffered for too long under the Zanu PF regime so Hungwe is wasting his time by attempting to cow the people into submission,” said Ngugama.

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FULL TEXT : Mugabe’s Last Words Before Resigning After 37 Years In Power

Robert Gabriel Mugabe  | Fellow Zimbabweans, I address you tonight on the back of a meeting I held today with the nation’s security forces command element.

This meeting which was facilitated by a mediating team… followed an operation mounted by the Zimbabwean Defence Forces in the week that has gone by, and which was triggered by concerns from their reading of the state of affairs in our country and in the ruling Zanu-PF party.

Whatever the pros and cons of the way they went about registering those concerns, I as the President of Zimbabwe and as their Commander in Chief do acknowledge the issues they have drawn my attention to, and do believe these were raised in the spirit of honesty and out of deep and patriotic concern for the stability of our nation and for the welfare of our people.

As I address you I am also aware of a whole range of concerns which have come from you all as citizens of our great country and which deserve our untrammelled attention.

Today’s meeting with the command element has underscored the need for us to collectively start processes that return our nation to normalcy so that all our people can go about their business unhindered in an environment of perfect peace and security assured that the law and order prevail as before and endure well into the future.

If there is any one observation we have made and drawn from events of the last week it is the unshakable pedestal upon which rests our state of peace and law and order, amply indicating that as Zimbabweans we are generally a peaceably disposed people and with a given-ness to express our grievances and to resolve our differences ourselves and with a level of dignity and restraint so rare to many other nations. This is to be admired. Indeed such traits must form the path of our national character and personality. Yes, a veritable resource we summon and draw upon in times of vicissitudes.

The operation I have alluded to did not amount to a threat to our well-cherished constitutional order, nor was it a challenge to my authority as head of state and government, not even as commander in chief of the Zimbabwean Defence Forces. To the man, the commend element remained respectful and comported themselves with diktats and mores of constitutionalism. True, a few incidents may have occurred here and there but they are being corrected. I am happy that throughout the short period the pillars of state remained functional. Even happier for me and arising from today’s meeting is a strong sense of collegiality and comradeship now binding the various arms of our security establishment. This should redound to greater peace and offer an abiding sense of security in communities and in our entire nation.

Christopher Mutsvangwa (centre), chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association, celebrates as the announcement is made removing Mugabe as the president of the ZANU-PF party.

Among the issues discussed is that relating to our economy, which as we all know is going through a difficult patch. Of greater concern to our commanders are the well-founded fears that the lack of unity and commonness of purpose in both party and government was translating into perceptions of inattentiveness to the economy. Open public spats between officials in the party and government exacerbated by multiple conflicting messages from both the party and government made the criticisms levelled at us inescapable.

Amidst all this, flagship projects already adopted by government stood stalled or mired in needless controversies. All this needs to stop as we inaugurate a new work culture and pace which will show a strong sense of purpose and commitment to turning around our economy in terms of our policies. The government remains committed to improving the social and material conditions of the people. Government will soon unveil an entrepreneurial skills and business development program which will empower and unleash gainful projects at our growth points and in rural areas.

Fellow Zimbabweans we are a nation born out of a protracted struggle for national independence. Our roots lie in that epochal struggle whose goals and ideals must guide our present and structure our future.

The tradition of resistance is our collective legacy, whose core tenets must [be] subscribed [to] by all across generations and across times. Indeed these too were a concern of our commanders who themselves were makers of that revolution and often at very tender ages and at great personal peril. We still have in our various communities veterans of that founding struggle who might have found the prevailing management of national and party issues quite alienating. This must be corrected without delay, include ensuring that these veterans continue to play central roles in the lives of our nation. We must all recognise that their participation in the war of liberation exacted lifelong costs that, while hardly repayable, may still be assuaged and ameliorated.

In respect of the party and the party issued raised both by the commanders and by the general membership of Zanu-PF, these too stand acknowledged. They have to be attended to with a great sense of urgency, however I am aware that as a party of liberation, Zanu-PF has over the years written elaborate rules and procedures that guide the operations of all its organs and personnel. Indeed the current criticisms raised against it by the command element and some of its members have arisen from a well-founded perception that the party was stretching or even failing in its own rules and procedures. The way forward thus cannot be based on swapping vying cliques that ride roughshod over party rules and procedures. There has to be a net return to the guiding principles of our party as enshrined in its constitution, which must apply fairly and equitably in all situations and before all members. The era of victimisation and arbitrary decisions must be put behind [us], so as we all embrace a new ethos predicated on the supreme law of our party and nourished by an abiding sense of camaraderie.

To all, there must be a general recognition that Zanu-PF is a party of traditions and has been served by successive generations who are bound together by shared ideals and values, which must continue to reign supreme in our nation.

Hints of inter-generational conflict must be resolved through harmonised melding of old established players as they embrace and welcome new rules through a well-defined sense of hierarchy and succession.

In Harare people chatted with soldiers, brought them snacks and took photos alongside the armoured vehicles

Indeed all these matters will be discussed and settled at the forthcoming Congress within the framework of a clear roadmap that seeks to resolve once and for all any omissions or contradictions that have affected our party negatively. The Congress is due in a few weeks from now. I will preside over its processes, that must not be prepossessed by any acts calculated to undermine it or compromise the outcomes in the eyes of the public.

As I conclude this address I am aware that many developments have occurred in the party or have been championed and done by individuals in the name of the party. Given the failings of the past and the anger these might have triggered in some quarters, such developments are quite understandable, however we cannot be guided by bitterness or vengefulness, both of which would not make us any better party members or any better Zimbabweans. Our hallowed policy of reconciliation which we pronounced in 1980 and through which we reached out to those which occupied and oppressed us for nearly a century and those we had traded fire with in a bitter war surely cannot be unavailable to our own, both in the party and in our nation.

We must learn to forgive and to resolve contradictions, real or perceived, in a comradely Zimbabwean spirit. I am confident that from tonight our whole nation at all levels gets refocused as we put our shoulder to the wheel amidst the promising agricultural season already upon us.

Let us all move forward reminding ourselves of our wartime mantra: Iwe neni tine basa [You and I have work to do].

I thank you and goodnight.

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SANCTIONS FIGHTS: What Tendai Biti Told The Americans

Hon. Tendai Biti | Thank you, Chairman Flake, Ranking Member Booker, and other members of the Subcommittee. We thank you for inviting us to this great center of American democracy.

The 14th of November 2017 began a series major life changing events in Zimbabwe
that will forever redefine the political and constitutional landscape of the country.
On that day, military tanks invaded the streets of the capital, Harare, and other
major cities in the country. In the early hours of the 15th, the military appeared on
Zimbabwe’s sole national television and implicitly made it clear that the executive
was no longer in control.
On 18th November, hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans marched alongside
military personnel in the streets of Harare and Bulawayo and demanded the
resignation of President Mugabe. On 21 November in the middle of impeachment
proceedings in parliament, President Mugabe quietly, if not in-elegantly, announced
his resignation.
With President Mugabe’s departure, Zimbabwe now faces an uncertain future, but
one which presents real opportunities for reconstructing, rebuilding and refabricating
a new Zimbabwean story, and a new Zimbabwean society.
Without a doubt, the 37 years of President Mugabe’s rule were a sad story of
capture, coercion, corruption, poverty and de-legitimization. Zimbabweans lived in
fear under a system that paid no respect to their rights and a system that saw
continuous impoverishment and suffering, loss of livelihoods amongst ordinary
citizens.
President Mugabe presided over one of the most autocratic African regimes that
stood head and shoulders with the likes of current dictators like Obiang in
Equatorial Guinea, Biya in Cameroon, Afewerki in Eritrea, al-Bashir in Sudan, and
Museveni in Uganda.
Let’s be clear: the events in Zimbabwe described above were an illegal and
illegitimate transfer of power from one faction of the ruling party to another.
However, this was not the first time that the military in Zimbabwe and the so-called
“securocrats” have subverted constitutional order in a way that merely entrenched
un-democratic rule.
For instance, on the eve of the presidential election in March 2002 the top army
generals of Zimbabwe led by then commander of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces
Major-General Zvinavashe issued a public statement in which it was announced that
they would never salute a leader who did not have liberation war credentials. An
obvious position meant to target Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the democratic
opposition.
In June 2008, pursuant to a victory of the MDC in the March 2008 election the
military staged a pre-emptive military coup that literally prevented political
opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC from taking over, installing
President Mugabe as president of the republic.
November 2017 now represents a third occasion of a revolt against the constitution,
but this time, marked with the popular removal of an unpopular president.
Despite the illegalities of the November 2017 processes, Zimbabwe now has the
obligation of ensuring that there’s a major shift and fundamental departure from a
past of division, attrition and fear.
Zimbabwe needs a genuine break from its tortured past, not a continuation of the
old order. The new Zimbabwe, to be established now, need to be founded on the
values and principles of constitutionalism, the rule of law, a just and prosperous
society. In the new Zimbabwe, every citizen must be free to pursue life, liberty, and
happiness.
The starting point must be a return to true legitimacy, constitutionalism, and the
rule of law. The roadmap to legitimacy is the fundamental precondition to the
establishment of a sustainable, just, and free Zimbabwe. This roadmap must be
anchored on clear benchmarks. These include:
1) The immediate restoration of constitutionalism, the rule of law, and
legitimate civilian rule. The military must be demobilized from the streets.
2) Implementation of genuine electoral reforms to ensure that the election in
July-August 2018 is free, fair, credible, and legitimate. Those electoral
reforms, including: the preparation of a brand new biometric voters’ roll to
which all political parties sign onto; agreement on an independent electoral
management body; the introduction of a diaspora vote; international
observation and poll monitors; defined role of the UN and its agencies; full
access to media; and a safe environment for campaigning and voting free
from intimidation.
3) Political and institutional reforms, which include aligning the country’s laws
with the 2013 constitution, and in particular actualizing the provisions
dealing with devolution and the land question.
4) Major economic reforms that focus on restoring livelihoods, growing a
shared economy and addressing the huge challenge of unemployment and
under-development.
5) Restoring the social contract, including the renewal and rebirth of a new
Zimbabwe that shuns corruption and promotes national healing and
reconciliation.
The above road map must be guaranteed and underwritten by the international
community. In this regard, the role of the African Union and the United Nations will
be critical.
The new authorities must show some signs of a commitment to real transformation
other than cosmetic statements on the economy.
The real danger is that they will pursue a Beijing model, in the respect of which
there are nominal improvements on the economy while political space is closed and
democracy is muzzled.
It is therefore important that the new authorities show signs of commitment to real
change.
They could, for instance, begin by openly acknowledging and apologizing for the
major human rights abuses of the past four decades, in particular the massacres in
Matabeleland known as Gukurahundi, the illegal and inhumane urban land
clearances of Operation Murambatsvina, and the vicious 2008 post election violence
against the opposition and ordinary citizens.
They could for instance order an inquiry into the disappearance of human rights
activists, including Patrick Nabanyama and Itai Dzamara, who has been missing
since March 2015.
Authorities could for instance mollify many Zimbabweans by ordering a judicial
inquiry into Zimbabwe’s missing diamond revenues, estimated to be around $15
billion.
We have lost a lot of time in Zimbabwe, fighting amongst ourselves. One hopes that
the fresh beam of light that we saw on 18 November 2017 becomes a permanent
bright shining star that shows us the path forward. Zimbabweans must fix our own
country and repair the wounds of the past. But we can’t do this alone.
As Zimbabwe begins this quest for transformation, it will need the support of the
international community, including the United States and Congress in particular, at
this crucial stage.
We ask the international community and the U.S. to keep us in your hearts. Do not
allow our country to be forgotten in our battle against tyranny and poverty and for
democracy and human rights. Our election requires active support and oversight
from the international community, including our American friends.
Further, once we show signs of an irrevocable and irreversible trajectory towards
legitimacy, democracy, and the rule of law, we shall require your full support as we
re-engage key international institutions.
We know that this struggle has been long and difficult. But we are confident that we
will complete what we started in 1999 when we formed the Movement for
Democratic Change with the aspiration of establishing a truly democratic, just, and
free Zimbabwe.
Thank you. Zikomo.

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US Warns Mnangagwa On Militarisation Of State Institutions

Terrence Mawawa | The United States of America has expressed concern at the militarisation of State institutions by the Emmerson Mnangagwa led government.

In a hard hitting statement yesterday, the Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State For Africa, Stephanie Sullivan, said the USA Government was waiting for Mnangagwa to walk the talk as he promised in his inauguration speech.

Sullivan made the remarks during her presentation on the future of Zimbabwe to the USA Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Sullivan implored the Zimbabwean Government to instruct soldiers to return to the barracks as a matter of urgency.

She said the USA Government would continue to monitor and assess the situation in Zimbabwe with the hope that democratic reforms would be implemented.

“If President Mnangagwa is sincere about improving diplomatic relations then he must implement genuine reforms first.

He(Mnangagwa) has to act on corruption and he has to make sure that perpetrators of acts of violence are prosecuted regardless of their political affiliation,” said Sullivan.

“We also expect Mnangagwa’ s government to embark on a sincere electoral reform process as this will enable the people of Zimbabwe to elect a leader of their choice,” said Sullivan.

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Church Of Alcoholics Takes Nation By Storm

By Paul Nyathi | After being alienated by mainstream churches because of their huge appetite for alcohol, a South African man has established a church for beer drinkers who want to go to heaven.

The church called “Gabola Church” Setswana for take a sip, is attracting huge followers for its weekly services.

The church which has been operational just for four months already has hundreds of congregants who attend the sunday morning services with huge amounts of varied alcoholic beverages that are taken as the service proceeds.

The rules of the church prohibit people under the age of twenty from being members and every person attending brings with him his favourite brew for consumption at the service that normally lasts up to four hours.

The highly subscribed church also buys a lot more alcohol from the weekly offerings made by members to provide beer for the less privileged of their members who can’t afford the beer.

According to Bishop Tsietsi Makiti, his congregation consists of hundreds members who are heavy drinkers and have been shunned by traditional churches because of their drinking habits.

The bishop claims to have been inpired by a scripture from the bible to establish Gabola Church in Orange Farm Suburb of the Vaal District of Johannesburg.

In a video clip that trended on social media, Makiti is heard saying that drinkers are usually judged and called names by religious leaders in their churches. However, Gabola accepts them as they are blessing their alcoholic beverages.

Reports reveal that the church has since established a second branch in neighbouring Freestate Province with a lot more branches due to be opened around the country.

The church service’s singing and preaching are typical with most township churches in South Africa where the Bishop preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ from the bible the only difference being that he and his congregants will be occasionally sipping from the alcoholic beverages provided.

All the beer brought to the church is first prayed for and “blessed to ensure that the drinkers don’t get too drunk and fail to control themselves before the Lord.”

The South African Council of Churches has denounced the church as a Christian Church and refused to grant it council membership.

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“I’m Shocked Mnangagwa Held A Zanu PF Meeting In Govt Offices”, Kaitano

Dear Editor | Shiri ine muririro wayo hairegi. Some habits will never die.

Zimbabweans were made to believe that the new President of Zimbabwe, Comrade Emmerson is a man who wanted to separate party business from government business, but The Herald of  12 December tells the world that the new President is now using his Government offices to hold Zanu PF meetings, having invited Zanu PF chairpersons from all the provinces to a meeting “to obtain first-hand information on the goings-on in their respective provinces”.

The truth is, this is the way things have been happening in Zimbabwe, and this partisan approach to government business has contributed immensely to the collapse of the economy. Instead of working on Government programmes, the President, his deputies, ministers and  the top civil servants who are mostly appointed on partisan basis, work on party programmes. Zimbabweans had taken Mnangagwa seriously when he said he was ushering a new era for Zimbabwe, but thanks to The Herald revelation – the world now knows Comrade Mnangagwa for what he truly is. Even former President Mugabe would not hold meetings with Zanu PF provincial chairpersons in his Munhumutapa Building offices.

According to The Herald, “The President directed the implementation of previous announcements regarding the expulsions and suspensions of party members. The chairpersons fully understood and appreciated the position.” What does that have to do with government business? Everything the new President of Zimbabwe is doing is being done to advance his chances for victory in the forthcoming elections. He is aiming at some “quick gains” that would hoodwink people to see that the new government is hardworking by producing some positive results in a short space of time, and all resources are going to be diverted to achieve these quick gains which Mnangagwa has emphasized on..


His other strategy revolves around using the much celebrated soldiers whose role in removing Mugabe has been appreciated by most Zimbabweans to win hearts, that is why soldiers have been deployed so that they remain in active contact with the people. The deployment of soldiers is a double sword meant both to win hearts and to also instill fear in the people because the guns will remind people of the previous claims by the army that.

 Once beaten, twice shy – Zimbabweans must open their eyes to this fraud and vote wisely in the next election. A party which has failed for 37 years is not the best to implement a recovery programme.

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ARMY LATEST: Obert Mpofu Under Scrutiny | OPINION

indepth…Wilbert Mukori

Wilbert Mukori | Ever since the coup, everyone in Zanu PF is going the extra mile to try to convince us that the party has turned a new page it is not the same corrupt, incompetence, vote rigging and tyrannical regime of the bygone years of Mugabe.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs and Culture has assured voters that it will tirelessly work to ensure that no one is turned away from the on-going Bio-metric Voter Registration (BVR) program due to lack of proper identifying documentation,” reported Bulawayo 24.

“This was said by Minister Obert Mpofu as he addressed top ministry officials at a team building meeting held in Harare last week.”

“Citizens should not fail to vote because they do not have the necessary identity documents. But rather, they should only do so on their own volition. So, let us diligently play our part,” said the Minister.

Experience of years of abuse by the school bully tells me Minister Mpofu and his Zanu PF colleagues are not to be trusted because, like the school bully, they are gloss over issues. If he was since about making sure no Zimbabwean was denied the right to vote because he/she did not have identification documents to enable them to register then he should have enquired how many people were already been affected. The exercise is in its last of four months, there is no way that the Ministry would recover the lost ground.

If Minister Mpofu was really interested in turning over a new leaf then he, of all people must know that the Police have failed to keep law and order during the elections, turned a blind eye to Zanu PF inspired lawlessness and even taking part themselves by denying the opposition permission to hold rallies or worse. As Minister of Home Affairs the conduct of the Police fall under his brief. What changes is he going to implement to ensure the Police play their part in ensuring next year’s elections are free, fair and credible. 

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Mutsvangwa Feeds Mnangagwa More Poison

Nobuhle Phiri | President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Special Advisor Christopher Mutsvangwa is feeding him poison on the Gukurahundi atrocities a top analyst has said.

Mustvangwa came out recently to downplay the Gukurahundi killings telling journalists, “talking about the Gukurahundi issue was “simply unhelpful” and “irresponsible”.

Responding to this political analyst Pedzisai Ruhanya said, ” Christopher Mutsvangwa is dead wrong on Gukurahundi. If that is the advice he is giving President Mnangagwa then its poisonous. The killing of over 20 000 people in the Matebeleland and Midlands provinces should be a key deliverable for this government on the transitional justice front,” Ruhanya said.

 

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FULL TEXT: Chamisa USA Sanctions Speech

Chamisa in Parliament

Hon. Nelson Chamisa | I am so delighted to be on this hugely beneficial trip. 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.

Our successful meetings are high level with the State Department, Congress, Global Business figures and US Civil Society.

I’m with Mr Tendai Biti after Prof Welshman Ncube failed to make the trip since he had to deal with a sudden family tragedy. This trip is the best platform for Zimbabwe‘ s restoration and reintegration efforts.

Judging from our engagements thus far, Zimbabwe has phenomenal goodwill and an exceptional opportunity to rebound as an economic giant.

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.

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

I saw and read a false message that this trip was about sanctions. Far from it, the trip has all to do with out take on free and fair elections in Zimbabwe and our post-election reconstruction plan.

As a matter of record, we are not here purporting to be representing government or the ruling party, we are representing all genuine peace-loving, freedom-craving and progressive Zimbabweans.

The objectives of the trip are as follows;

  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

  1. Advocacy for the need for international underwriting of free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.
  2. Advocacy for Constitutionalism and adherence to, and respect for, the rule of law.
  3. Advocacy for Economic and Social reforms, stabilisation and international re-engagement to give Zimbabwean people hope and a better life.

Yestrday my colleague and PDP President, Mr Biti, and Civil society leaders testified before the US congress, giving their perspectives.

Being a serving and sitting legislator in Zimbabwe, I did not testify before the legislative committee.

We used our meetings to underscore the need and importance of the removal of all obstacles to Zimbabwe‘s full Integration back into the family of nations.

I must hasten to emphasize that our primary and principal goal is to have happiness and peace in Zimbabwe anchored through free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.

It is our stated wish to have a country where everyone has a fair shot in life to thrive.

We are patriotic and never shy of understanding that national interest comes first before party political gains.

Zimbabwe is our only country and home and we love it and believe in it.

This global campaign has taken us to SADC and the wider African continent.

We have already had teams emphasizing on the roadmap to free and fair elections in next seven months.

Apart from directly engaging our colleagues in the ruing party Zanu PF, we will spread our footprints to Europe and the whole world until legitimacy and democracy are restored in our motherland.

Campaign restore legitimacy and Democracy is a peaceful, all inclusive citizen campaign for freedom and prosperity for a New Zimbabwe.

On the home front, our party organs, cadres and all party leaders are taking the real change message across all provinces, districts and wards in the whole country where the election will be decided.

We are encouraging every Zimbabwean to register to vote and make a difference wherever you are in order for national prosperity and total happiness to prevail.

We have an alternative narrative and alternative policies based on alternative politics.

We have a fresh narrative. We need a new revolution to defend our liberation struggle, it is a legacy we should all cherish and its restoration is an immediate issue that should be done through a free and fair election.

The nation needs new policies and new politics. We have credible policies.

We are rolling out those powerful policies in a few weeks to come. We are cranking up our campaign machinery.

The people shall govern. Citizens must govern.

Advocate Nelson Chamisa, Mp

MDCT Vice President

Washington DC, USA

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PICTURES: Female Politicians Gang Up For 2018 Elections

Ray Nkosi | Female politicians leading political parties in Zimbabwe have just had an indaba to share notes and map a way forward to win the 2018 Presidential elections.

The women leaders present at the strategy luncheon include; Mrs Lucia Matibenga PDP Team Leader, Mrs Joice Mujuru leader National People’s Party, Barbara Nyagomo leader of the Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe-PDZ and Audrah Mpofu President National Democrstic Party-NDP.

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UBH Nurses Go On Strike

United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) nurses downed tools yesterday citing lack of stationery, needles and drugs, among other medical basics at the health institution.

The Zimbabwe Nurses’ Association (Zina) members vowed to continue with their work stoppage until UBH authorities addressed the sad state of affairs, which was putting patients’ lives at risk and making their work difficult.

The strike action follows a similar job boycott by Chitungizwa Central Hospital staff last week over the shortage of resources.

The UBH nurses accused management of not prioritising the provision of medical necessities at the institution, claiming there was rampant corruption and maladministration.

“We need resources to make sure our patients receive the quality service they deserve, otherwise we are not going back to work. There is virtually nothing in the wards and we are tired of improvising everything as we try to provide health care services,” UBH Zina chairperson Anthony Majongosi said.

“We cannot continue improvising everything while the hospital is supposed to buy resources with revenue collected from patients. We feel that the money paid by patients could be used to make sure the patients get quality service.”

The protesting nurses, carrying banners calling for the improvement of health care services, also forced the closure of a private pharmacy at the institution.

The nurses alleged UBH management was deliberately not buying drugs for the institution to force patients to buy from the private pharmacy said to be owned by some board members.

Zina on Monday wrote to UBH chief executive officer Nonhlanhla Ndlovu notifying her of their indefinite strike action.

“There is no stationery, no gloves, no needles, no syringes and the drugs in our hospital pharmacy, but people can buy them at a private pharmacy at our hospital. Our patients are buying everything despite paying hospital bills; they buy sundries for theatre despite paying theatre fees. We have emergencies like ruptured uterus, but we have to ask relatives to go and buy sundries, risking the patient’s life,” the letter, signed by Majongosi, read.

“As nurses, we are concerned about our patients, therefore, we have passed resolutions that we will be withdrawing our services as from December 12 until the hospital provides us with resources to use. The private pharmacy at the hospital must be closed as it seems our hospital pharmacy is no longer ordering enough drugs to give the private pharmacy more customers.”

Contacted for comment, Ndlovu said: “We had a meeting with the nurses on the issues they have raised. We made them aware of the challenges we face as UBH, challenges we all know are related to the economy, but we have resolved the issue, agreed on the way forward and they are now back at work.”

The country’s health delivery sector is experiencing a myriad of challenges such as shortages of drugs after years of underfunding from Treasury.

Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa last week allocated $408 million to the health sector in his 2018 National Budget despite Health minister David Parirenyatwa’s demands for over $1 billion. Newsday

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ZIMBABWE SANCTIONS: Tsvangirai Tells Chiwenga Go Back To Barracks First

Obert Gutu Tsvangirai spokesman

Obert Chaurura Gutu | The MDC is a social democratic political party that firmly believes in the full and total re- integration of Zimbabwe into the international comity of nations. Zimbabwe cannot afford to remain as a reclusive pariah state whilst the rest of the world is moving closer together by forming progressive regional and international alliances that foster political stability and socio-economic growth and integration. Thus, we shall continue to vigorously pursue a diplomatic thrust that is deliberately targeted at stabilising our beloved country politically, economically, morally and socially. In fact, it is a truism that Zimbabwe needs the world more than the world needs Zimbabwe.

To enable Zimbabwe to be fully re-integrated into the global community, there are certain essential deliverables that have to be discharged. First and foremost, we should be able to conduct free and fair elections that do not give rise to disputed and contested results. We sincerely hope and trust that the Zimbabwe government under President Emmerson Mnangagwa shall honestly work towards the cultivation of a conducive political environment that will guarantee the holding of free and fair elections in 2018. In this respect, therefore, we demand that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) should be adequately capacitated to enable them to run credible, free and fair elections next year.

We also look forward to a situation whereby the military shall promptly return to the barracks in order to avoid the perception that Zimbabwe is now a military state that is being run by a military junta. Of course, we are acutely aware of the fact that more often than not, perception can easily be deduced as reality. In addition, the MDC also calls upon the freeing of the State-owned print and electronic media to enable all political players to have free and unfettered access, in tandem with the dictates of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

Traditional leaders should abide by their constitutional mandate of being apolitical. Zanu PF should not abuse the institution of traditional leadership by directly and indirectly converting traditional leaders into de facto political commissars of the ruling party. The MDC shall continue to respect the institution of traditional leadership and in fact, we call upon the implementation of programs that adequately remunerate all traditional leaders in order to maintain their dignity and respectability.

As a patriotic and homegrown political party, the MDC doesn’t call for the imposition of sanctions against the Republic of Zimbabwe. We would like to participate in the socio – economic regeneration of our beloved motherland and as such, sanctions remain an anathema in our political discourse. The government of Zimbabwe should allow all its citizens to enjoy their fundamental rights and liberties as fully provided for by the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Political parties should be given the leeway and latitude to lawfully go about their day to day activities without any undue interference and/or hindrance by any organ of the State.

MDC: Equal Opportunities for All
Obert Chaurura Gutu
MDC National Spokesperson

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Mnangagwa Gets Fresh Boost From Khama

Botswana Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation Dr Pelenomi Vincent Moitoi has delivered a special message to President Emmerson Mnangagwa from his counterpart President Ian Khama congratulating him on his recent appointment and also indicating areas of further cooperation between the two countries.

Dr Moitoi said the relationship between the two countries is bound to grow from strength to strength following the smooth transition of power in Zimbabwe.

Botswana ambassador to Zimbabwe Lieutenant General Louis Fisher accompanied the minister to the meeting which was also attended by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Major General Sibusiso Moyo.

Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa is currently chairing a Zanu PF politburo meeting whose agenda is to discuss final preparations of the extraordinary congress set to be held this Friday.

Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa will also brief the politburo on the progress of ZIM ASSET while the Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Air Marshal Perrance Shiri will brief the meeting on the progress of command  agriculture and preparations for the summer cropping season.- state media

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ASANTE SANA: Sulu Sings A New Mugabe Song

Ray Nkosi | The memory of former President Robert Mugabe is now being kept alive through music with Suluman Chimbetu releasing a latest album titled Asante Sana.

Asante Sana is kiswahili meaning “thanks a lot”, that was Mugabe’s last goodbye before being ousted from power by the military resigning on the 21st of November.

On the night before his resignation many were glued to television sets hoping to hear Mugabe resign publicly, the veteran politician instead said the ongoing military operation led by General Constantino Chiwenga had not threatened the “constitutional order” and called for unity.

Mugabe ends his long speech saying, ” Let us all move forward reminding ourselves of our wartime mantra: Iwe neni tine basa [You and I have work to do].”

The local Daily News reports that former President Mugabe appears to be an enduring source of inspiration for dendera music star Suluman Chimbetu.

A year after composing a song titled Chirombo which borrowed the statement “Ndiri kunzwa masimba ekupinda muzana, kuita kunge munhu uya ari kumhanya race…” from Mugabe’s birthday interview, Suluman has done it again.

This time around the dendera star has composed a song titled Asante Sana once again quoting the veteran nationalist. After a meeting with Zimbabwe Defence Forces commanders headed by Constantino Chiwenga, who were pushing him to resign, Mugabe shocked many when he simply said “Asante Sana.” Loosely translated “Asante Sana” is a Swahili phrase that means “thank you a lot” in English.

Asante Sana, which has become a common phrase among Zimbabweans largely thanks to Mugabe,  has now formed a basis of a song that Suluman hopes will be a hit.

The dendera artiste sampled the song during his concerts over the weekend much to the delight of his fans.

“I was inspired by mdara Bob (Mugabe) to pen the song Asante Sana. The song is found on my forthcoming project. I haven’t yet decided on the title of the album.

“The song will remind people of what the former president said: ini newe tine basa rekushandira Zimbabwe (We have a role to play in building Zimbabwe)…,” Suluman told the Daily News.

The dendera artiste is hopeful that Asante Sana will follow in the footsteps of Chirombo which was one of the standout tracks of his latest album Jamboree.

Sulu’s latest album, on which he sang about the deteriorating political and economic situation in the country, has been hailed by music critics as the dendera artiste’s best to date.

The politically potent album includes the track “Moses” which he pleads for a Moses to take people away from Pharoah’s cruelty and bondage.

Another favourite of many is “Tiringwe” in which Sulu calls for God’s intervention and guidance to rescue people from the harsh economic conditions prevailing in the country, adding that people are working tirelessly in a bid to make ends meet.

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Questions As Makamba Goes Back To Zimbabwe | OPINION

Kerina Mujati

Kerina Mujati | Its good to see Mukanya James Makamba dashing home. It is never easy to lose a daughter and not be able to bury her. May Chiedza’s soul rest in peace.

However, the question still remains, what was the reason for him being in exile for so long? Was to do with the much whispered about “matter of the heart” or the more serious charge of extertalisation money. Is he now taking advantage of the 3 months grace period to return the funds?

The state of abject poverty of most Zimbabweans is due to the exeternalisation of the country’s resources. We want restoration and accountabilty by those who came in through the coup as well as from white collar criminals. Zimbabwe we are who we are today not only as a result of our corrupt politics but corrupt individuals too.

We have contributed massively to our downfall as a people and therefore should take responsibility of our kaput actions and rationale. I hear the noise that James Makamba is finally home. Really!!! In the minds of those with a sane political and business rational there is nothing to write home about him.FACT. You never fail to amaze.

Is he an honest and ethical person? Is he not a corrupt businessman who has externalised millions yet tax evading in our nation a place of his original gains? All THIEVES are home coming and are welcomed as heroes. Cry my Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe you deserve what the Politics throw at you. Why celebrate thieves and corrupt people of our nation as heroes? Until you know your real heroes our nation will remain a playfield of the corrupt whilst you wallow in abject poverty. I have said this before Lacoste is a haven of Thieves, paedophiles and the most corrupt scumbags of our nation. Saka weropa Mukanya do the right thing. At least you have lived to see another day.I come in peace. Ichooo#cd3sistermwenewazvo#

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Zimbabweans With Expired South African Permits Can Travel Home

South Africa has granted Zimbabweans holding expired permits permission to travel home during the festive season as long as they have proof that they have applied for new permits that will come into effect on January 1.

 Holders of Zimbabwe Special Permits (ZSP) got a reprieve after the South African government gave them the greenlight to continue using the expired ZSP permits until they have been issued with the new Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP).

The newly introduced ZEP permits allow Zimbabweans to continue studying or working in the neighbouring country for the next four years.

The ZEP is valid between January 1 next year and December 31 in 2021. It replaces the ZSP which accommodated close to 200 000 people and expires on December 31 this year.

In a statement, the South African deputy director-general (immigration services), Mr Jackie Mckay, said the Home Affairs department has since communicated with that country’s border authorities to exempt ZSP permit holders from being declared undesirable persons in terms of the Immigration Act when leaving or entering the neighbouring country.

Mr Mckay said the special waiver is only applicable to those who have receipts showing that they have applied for ZEP which will become effective in January, replacing the ZSP.

“The department has notified its officials at ports of entry to allow those who wish to travel to Zimbabwe to do so without hindrance as long as they produce the necessary proof of application, a VFS receipt or proof of payment,” he said.

“In terms of this directive, ZEP applicants will not be marked as undesirable. We will allow all ZEP applicants with a ZSP permit or a visitor’s visa to accompany a parent on the ZSP to travel in and out of South Africa provided they submit the required proof.”

The transitional arrangement follows an approval by the then South African Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize of the new four year permits which expire in 2021.

The submissions of fully completed applications at VFS offices started on October 1 in 2017 and were extended until January 31 in 2018.

The applications are made on www.vfsglobal.com/ZEP/SouthAfrica/com.

Meanwhile, the neighbouring country’s government has also ordered South African companies, learning institutions and banks to continue offering services to ZSP holders until they receive the new permits.

There has been uncertainty among Zimbabweans in the neighbouring country as they were fretting over bank threats to freeze their accounts this month-end when their permits expire.- state media

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Mnangagwa Caught In A Gukurahundi Rut, Charms White Farmers | OPINION

Kerina Mujati

Kerina Mujati | President Emmerson Mnangagwa rather than prioritising handing over our land to White Farmers, should pause, take a deep breath and reflect on his role during Gukurahundi.

This is a sensitive issue which took place, he was part of which and he cannot simply wish it away. The Chinese are not a priority as we see how fond he is willing to readily please them. These Chinese don’t give anyone free dinners but are there only to loot our resources, sacrificing our people to modern day slavery in our nation.

The people of Matebeleland needs closure. The nation needs to be healed yet he promotes tribalism as we have noted that most influential posts in our institutions have been dished out to those from Masvingo and Midlands. This is worrying and many fear a Gukurahundi in our institutions will be the order of the day as one’s tribe determines what one gets and not one’s capabilities.

The Youths League appointments reflect this culture and the fact that he is not willing to reform in terms of how he sees us. We are all equal but separate hence I demand an equal opportunities system. You cannot talk of compensating White Farmers as if they brought any land when rather they are Mercenaries whose great great parents were chased out of England and the Western world. Gukurahundi cannot be wished away as an imaginary event. It happened and it is hightime you do the right thing and address this for the sake of the victims.

Gukurahundi victims and their families DESERVE compensation and closure not the White Farmers. Why should we compensate White Farmers yet it is a fact that our Ancestors suffered at the hands of these colonialists, white supremacists who robbed our land and livestock? Stop insulting our intelligence by trying to please your masters at the expense of our people.

The best thing the White Farmers and Zimbabwe White community can do for themselves is to work and join hands with the rest of us in building our nation not their warped mentality that they are more qualifying and deserving than the rest of us. Their skin colour SHOULD NEVER be used as a barometer of how best they are as indeed we know otherwise. Justice for Gukurahundi victims. Compensation for Gukurahundi victims and a public apology is most welcome not to try and play vindictive politics. I come in peace. Ichoo#cd3sistermwenewazvo#

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Tsvangirai Would Have Routed Mugabe

Chances are very high that Zanu-PF would have lost next year’s elections if it had fielded Robert Mugabe as its presidential candidate, a senior official said yesterday.

Speaking during a Zanu-PF Bulawayo inter-district meeting at the party’s Davies Hall provincial headquarters, the National Commissar, Victor Matemadanda, said the populace and the party had become disillusioned with the actions of former First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe.

“Zanu-PF was going to lose the 2018 elections had we continued with the former president as our candidate. This is largely because he ( Mugabe) had allowed his wife (Mrs Grace Mugabe) working in cahoots with the professor of succession (Prof Jonathan Moyo) and that dangerous boy called Tyson (Mr Saviour Kasukuwere) to destroy the party from within,” he said.

Matemadanda said Zanu-PF would not move forward if there is no discipline within the party.

“The aspirations of the liberation struggle which we fought for can now be achieved following Operation Restore Legacy. When we fight in a revolution we don’t fight for personal glory, but for everyone and this fight should benefit the party. We want discipline in the party,” he said.

Matemadanda said there was a need to re-orient youths who were swayed into supporting G40 by giving them a chance to reform instead of purging them.

He also challenged district chairpersons to play a leading role in mobilising support at grassroots level.

“We must strive to put Zanu-PF forward through building structures for the party starting at cell level. We are going to restructure the party by putting the right people in key positions. I also urge the party to work with war veterans,” said Matemadanda.

He said the party would revisit the issue of ex-Zipra cadres who were deregistered from being war veterans under unclear circumstances.

“There are Zipra cadres who were deregistered. As a party, we want to re-look into that after the Extra-ordinary Congress so that it is corrected. Sadly such disgruntled people who were affected are now working with the opposition,” Matemadanda said.

The province unanimously endorsed President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the party’s presidential candidate in next year’s elections.

It also resolved that newly appointed Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Angeline Masuku be elevated into the Central Committee.
Masuku is a member of the National Consultative Assembly.

The ruling party’s Bulawayo provincial secretary for administration Elphas Mashava read out the resolution.

The meeting also endorsed the resolution by the Central Committee declaring President Mnangagwa as the party’s First Secretary and candidate in next year’s harmonised elections following the recall of former President, Mugabe, last month during a special Central Committee meeting held at the party’s headquarters.

The Central Committee is Zanu-PF’s highest decision-making organ outside Congress.

President Mnangagwa’s election as the Zanu-PF President and First Secretary will be ratified at the Extra-Ordinary Congress which starts in Harare this week.

The province also endorsed the expulsion of several party members on various charges including former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko and Mrs Grace Mugabe, who was the Secretary for Women Affairs.

Matemadanda warned party members in Bulawayo against retribution in the aftermath of Operation Restore Legacy, saying members should direct their energy towards mobilising massive support for the party ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections.

“We are all aware that Zanu-PF had been hijacked by individuals in the mould of a faction called G40, a brainchild of Prof Moyo. The faction had become a serious problem everywhere until the commanders of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) came to our rescue through Operation Restore Legacy. We therefore don’t want party members who want to revenge. We are saying no to retribution and this is the message that I have brought to you from President ED Mnangagwa and the Central Committee,” he said.

Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial chairman Callistus Ndlovu also commended Operation Restore Legacy, saying it corrected what was wrong.

“The party is more important than individuals and anyone who thinks otherwise is not a worthy leader. We therefore applaud Operation Restore Legacy for correcting what was wrong,” he said. – state media

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PICTURES MUGABE GONE: Exiled Businessman James Makamba Jets Into Harare

Self-exiled Zimbabwean businessman James Makamba is reportedly back in the country. Makamba is a entrepreneur, politician and former commercial broadcaster.

In February 2004, Makamba was arrested and charged with violation of Zimbabwe’s Exchange Control Act. Makamba was subsequently arrested on two separate occasions. He was tried and acquitted on all three occasions in both the Magistrate’s and High Court of Zimbabwe, after which he fled the country.

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BREAKING NEWS – Kombi Smashes Into Huge Truck In Harare

Staff Reporter| A kombi Tuesday morning smashed into a huge stationery truck causing its entire frontal to crush in.

The accident happened in Harare along Seke road near Arlington estates.

An ambulance was seen at the scene around 8am taking the injured away (see picture).
“It was not clear how many were injured as I was passing through; but an ambulance was already there taking the injured away,” journalist Sophia Mapuranga told ZimEye.com. SEE THE LIVE SATELLITE MAP BELOW FOR THE EXACT ACCIDENT LOCATION:

– More to follow… – ZimEye

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I’ll Never Forgive Tendai Biti For Calling Sanctions On Mnangagwa, Us – Mukupe

Harare East MP Terrence Mukupe

By HON. Terrence Mukupe| I can understand and forgive Peter Godwin for calling my President Mnangagwa names, I can forgive Senator Booker for being trigger happy and wanting to keep punishing the people of Zimbabwe with more punitive measures, but it’s unforgivable for Tendai Biti, who claims to have the suffering masses of Zimbabwe in his heart, to call for sanctions to remain till elections are held.

https://youtu.be/Sso39Iucigw

What surprised me was that it was actually Peter “Mukiwa” Godwin who actually asked the U.S. Senate Committee to give us the benefit of the doubt by removing sanctions now and only restore them in 7 months time if we did not satisfy certain pre agreed conditions!

It’s clear that Biti is just a self centered power hungry person who only cares about himself. Zimbabweans deserve a break, they have suffered for too long. Tomorrow I’m meeting white Zimbabwean farmers here in Zambia with a very simple message… Your country needs you, let’s press the refresh button and move forward to rebuild our nation and let’s leave cheap politicking to spent politicians like Biti, Ncube and Ngarivhume who clearlyvare not for nation building!!

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Pastor Returns Home To Fight Mnangagwa

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|A Zimbabwean pastor who has been in political exile in South Africa has returned to Zimbabwe to as he claimed, rescue the troubled nation from years of poverty, unemployment and tyranny.

Pastor Timothy Chiguvare who is the president of the People’s Progressive Party of Zimbabwe (PPPZ), has said he has a God given vision to deliver Zimbabwe from political bondage.

He said God gave him the vision to lead Zimbabwe out of the current economic abyss.

“We are not just coming to Zimbabwe to try our luck, rather we are carrying a God given vision,” said Pastor Chiguvare.

“Our party will restore the nation’s legacy and revive fundamental social and moral values torn asunder by the previous government.

Our approach is unique, vivacious and inspired by the will of God.

Our Great God is in control of everything and yes we are back in Zimbabwe to win elections.

We are ready to take off and there is no going back.The time the people of Zimbabwe have been waiting for has finally arrived,” said Pastor Chiguvare.

He added: “SADC and the African Union must reform to avoid embarrassment. They are running late and time has never been their friend.

SADC and AU have failed the African people by failing to understand what democracy means.

SADC and AU must know that voting is the foundation stone for political action and that Africa deserves ‘BLOOD-BATH FREE, CREDIBLE AND LEGITIMATE ELECTIONS.’

A true government is mirrored by conducting a free and fair election in which citizens choose their leaders without intimidation from the government or any other political party.”

“Africa is the richest continent on this planet and it is very unfortunate that our continent has been brought to its knees because of corrupt, unjust and selfish leaders.

What we lack in Africa is not prayer but men and women of integrity.

It takes the voices of integrity in leadership to build nations.

We are desperately in need of reliable wisdom and strategies from God on raising responsible leaders with integrity,” said the Pastor.

He added: “I am taking along millions of our youths and women of all ages thereby ensuring that they are represented in every area of PPPZ’s new government.”

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Did Sanctions Steal the Chiadzwa Diamonds? Did They Cause Murambatsvina?

https://youtu.be/Sso39Iucigw

By Josiah Muguwe| Did sanctions steal the Chiadzwa diamonds?

Did they built all those mansions?

Did they bring corruption on the roads?

Did they cause the disappearance of Dzamara?

Did they kill 20000 people during Gukurahundi?

Did they pay for the 100 vehicles for presidential motorcade?

Did they cause Murambatsvina? …Wake up Zimbabwe!

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US Govt: President Mnangagwa Remains Under Heavy Sanctions Until He Proves He Is Better Than Mugabe

Staff Reporter| President Emmerson Mnangagwa was yesterday told he is to remain under the heavy slab of sanctions until he has proven that he is a change man.

This was announced by a US government representative at a senatorial session last night.

When asked on accountability for atrocities, Mnangagwa could be an even more repressive leader than Mugabe, …. how the US government levels that?, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau Of African Affairs, Hon. Stephanie Sullivan, replied saying,

“One of the things we will be looking for is for the people of Zimbabwe to organise some sort of truth and reconciliation process so that they can work through these traumas of the past. As far as President Mnangagwa , he remains under US sanctions, and again the government is in front of us right now and we are going to try to work to engage positively; he in his inauguration speech really wanted people to look forward, forget about the past, we are going to deal with him and other members of the government but again not just appeal to … but try to help the government and the people of Zimbabwe who have gone through this very dismal track of human rights.”

 

When asked, to expect the government led by someone who has participated, responsible for horrific violations, horrific human rights atrocities; to expect there to be a real Truth And Reconciliation Commission from a government led by someone who has a record that the whole state department sees to be this horrific this, should we really be as expecting a real Truth And Reconciliation process?, Stephanie Sullivan said, “We certainly don’t believe this will be a spontaneous course of action without a great deal of pressure and discussion and its not just the United States, its also as I mentioned the like minded partners and a very active civil society;

“there were so many people out in the streets, celebrating the prospects of a new Zimbabwe, and we think in some ways, maybe not dramatically, yes but the line shave moved and the kinds of oppression that people felt obliged to withstand in the predecessor regime, I think that its been a bit of a game changer despite the fact that its the same people who are running the show at this point.” WATCH THE FULL DISCUSSION AND PROGRAM REVIEW BELOW:

https://youtu.be/Sso39Iucigw

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US SENATE DEBATE: Lacoste Furious As MDC Tells US Keep Zimbabwe Sanctions In Place Until After 2018 Elections

Staff Reporter| The US Senate was yesterday told to keep sanctions and punitive measures on ZANU PF in place until after 2018 elections.

Presenting before the panel, former Finance Minister Tendai Biti said the opposition movements will only advise the IMF and other institutions after assessing the conduct of the 2018 elections.

Biti spoke to a panel of senators saying the western world must only assist when reforms have been effected and acted upon by the Emmerson Mnangagwa regime.

He said, “if we are able to deliver as a country a free fair and legitimate election, in respect of which everyone accepts the results thereof and the provisions of the constitution spelt out in Section 2 of our constitution, the founding values of the constitution that deal with power transfer are respected and there is genuine power transfer in Zimbabwe, then quite clearly, there is an obligation in the international community to assist us particularly the third question where we have to engage the World Bank, the IMF and the Paris Club of lenders.”

Biti’s co panelist Dewa Mavhinga also added saying the US should push SADC, AU to insist on a roadmap for free elections, demanding domestic and international observers, and making sure outgoing ZEC boss Rita Makarau’s replacement is independent.

The development sparked a flame of fury inside ZANU PF’s Lacoste faction.

Tanzania-based political analysts Mr Tafadzwa Mugwadi said the MDC was exposing itself as a Trojan horse of imperialists. “Zimbabweans must be vigilant to repel this sanctions-mongering lot in the MDC. It is shocking that instead of contributing to the success of our new dispensation, the MDC is busy taking its begging bowl to its paymasters in their false hope of salvaging a clinically dead carcass. It is even more shameful that they are double dipping since they also get funded under the Political Parties Finance Act from Government. Unfortunately, they have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing since 2002 and come 2018, the writing is on the wall. President Mnangagwa is the only game in town.’’

 

Another political analyst, Mr Goodwine Mureriwa, said the MDC was misdirecting its efforts. “They are misdirecting their efforts. When Zanu-PF is gearing itself for elections by going for Congress this week to confirm their Presidential candidate, when it is encouraging its supporters to register to vote and when it is in the electoral mode, they (MDCs) are not doing the same. They are going outside to look for money but money does not vote,” he said. Mr Mureriwa said it was also surprising that the MDCs were in America looking for funding which they have received and abused since 1999.

‘The CIA knows that the opposition abused their funding from 1999 running into billions of dollars. Everyone knows what Tsvangirai did with the money . . . They are splinter movements in the MDC that came out of fights over foreign funding. They went to America and advocated for sanctions and sanctions came – they expect electoral reforms in Zimbabwe from America? In international law no country can make a policy on behalf of another as this is tantamount to interference.” Mr Mureriwa said the MDC was going to meet a very unreliable man in Donald Trump.

“They are desperate for funding but they are going to meet a very unreliable guy. This is the guy who said America first, America second, America third. They should have realised the Trump whom they are putting so much trust in is an unprincipled leader who is now doubted by everyone in international relations. He has made statements on Iran, Iraq and declared Jerusalem the capital of Israel in violation of standing UN resolutions on how to handle the Palestinian issue,” added Mr Mureriwa.

– WATCH MORE HERE:

 

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Boy 13 Kills Self After Failing Grade 7 Exams

A Chegutu boy committed suicide by drinking poison soon after collecting his Grade 7 results. His mother had allegedly threatened to assault him if he failed his final primary school examination.

Tashinga Maraga (13) of Bradley Perk Shed Industrial Area in Chegutu went to collect his Grade 7 results from St Francis Primary School on Friday last week. Upon realising that he had obtained 25 units, Takunda allegedly took an unknown poisonous substance. The effects of the poison set in as he walked back home and he fell unconscious by the roadside

Mashonaland West police spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara confirmed the incident, adding that investigations were still in progress. A suicide note revealed that Takunda’s mother had threatened to assault him if he did not get good grades.

“Fearing the threats of assault from his mother after getting 25 units in the Grade 7 examination, Takunda Maraga allegedly committed suicide by taking an unknown substance. Investigations are still in progress,” said Insp Mabgweazara

Takunda was found frothing at the mouth by a passer-by who took him to Chegutu District Hospital where he later died. Police were waiting for postmortem results. Insp Mabgweazara said precious life should not be lost unnecessarily and urged parents to communicate well with their children.

“This is quite an unfortunate incident, which shows that parents should find better ways of getting the best out of their children instead of threats of violence,” he said.

“Parents should seek to encourage their children to do better after failing exams so that they perform better next time.”- state media

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Mnangagwa’s Afreximbank Mega Deal | MORE DETAILS

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is set to inject $1,5 billion to stabilise the country’s economy, as well to provide investment guarantee to investors that the bank will pick up country risk which may befall their investments.

 Speaking after paying a courtesy call on President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Munhumutapa offices today, the bank’s president and chairman of the board of directors who led the Afreximbank delegation, Dr Okey Oramah said the $600 million nostro stabilisation facility extended to the country to meet the forex requirement for productive foreign payments had also been finalised. The funds will support the productive sector through banks and the mining sector, especially the gold sector, as well as the retooling of the manufacturing sector, among other industries.

“We are here to extend congratulations to President Mnangagwa and also reaffirm our continued support for the Government and people of Zimbabwe under his leadership. We discussed various areas where we have been intervening and will continue to intervene,” said Dr Oramah.- state media

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More Trouble As Kangai Is Sued For $2m

NetOne Cellular (Private) Limited is suing its ex-managing director Mr Reward Kangai over $2 million financial prejudice it suffered due to his alleged mismanagement.

Mr Kangai served as the company’s managing director for four years before his expulsion on a cocktail of charges involving mismanagement.

 After his dismissal, the company has now approached the High Court seeking to recover its losses occasioned by Mr Kangai’s alleged poor management.

NetOne contends that failure by Mr Kangai to comply with the provisions of the Procurement Act, Public Finance Management Act, Sections 298(1) (d) and 308(2) of the Constitution caused financial prejudice to the firm.- state media

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ARMY LATEST: Coup Not Silver Bullet To Solve Political And Economic Problems

indepth…Wilbert Mukori

Wilbert Mukori | Zanu PF, especial the state control public media, is fighting a desperate rear-guard action to promote last month’s coup as the silver-bullet to solve all our political paralysis and economic meltdown problems allowing the nation to finally climb out the hell-hole we have been stuck in all these last 37 years. The truth is Zimbabwe is still stuck in the hell-hole because Mugabe’s departure has changed nothing other than allow one lot of thugs to replace the last lot. Zimbabwe is a still as lawless today as it was before Mugabe resigned, for example.

“Members of the public are warned against seeking the services of the ZDF to settle old personal scores taking advantage of the ongoing Operation Restore Legacy. Such cases are clearly a violation of the law,” reported The Herald quoting a joint Police and Army statement.

“They said there are also some malicious individuals abusing the social media to generate and circulate inflammatory content that potentially causes unnecessary alarm and despondency within the defence and security services “with the ultimate objective of disturbing the prevailing peace and stability in the country.”

Nonsense! What “prevailing peace and stability” can there be in a country in the middle a military coup whose dust is yet to settle? No amount of political spin can change the fundamental fact that the coup was an internal Zanu PF matter that did not solve the Zimbabwe’s problem of bad governance at the heart of the country’s political paralysis and economic meltdown.

Operation Restore Legacy was about making sure absolute power within the Zanu PF dictatorship was wrestled from Grace Mugabe and her G40 members, which is what Robert Mugabe was planning to do, and handed back to the Joint Operation (JOC), the Junta that has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist all these last 37 years. The firing of the VP Mnangagwa early last month was to clear the way for Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband. JOC, the majority of whom supported, Mnangagwa to succeed Mugabe was left with no option but to stage the coup to restore the Junta’s political supremacy.

Of course, Mnangagwa, Chiwenga and all the other JOC members were aware that Zanu PF lost its popular support decades ago. The challenge for them was to stage the coup to not only achieve the more immediate objective of removing Mugabe and stop the G40 succession but to do in such a way that the populous showered the Junta with rose petals as the nation’s liberators. That is exactly what has happened!

To the naïve and gullible public, Mugabe was the head of Zanu PF dictatorship; and, to them, cut-off the head spelt the death of the monster. In reality, Mugabe was nothing more than the tail of the autotomy gecko which, when cornered, it sheds off. The shed-off tail assumes a life of its own as it wriggles with vigour as if determined to get away. It will take the predator minute or two to subdue the tail; enough time for the gecko to get away.

It going to take some Zimbabweans few months if not years to realise that the Zanu PF dictatorship survive the coup and all they ever got was the gecko’s tail. The dictatorship replace Mugabe with Mnangagwa within two weeks and has since resumed corruption, vote rigging, etc.

If we really want to address the country’s teething economic and political problems of gross mismanagement, rampant corruption, blatant vote rigging and tyrannical oppression then we must go back to implementing the democratic reforms. It is the Zanu PF dictatorship we are after; the gecko and not its tail.

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Obert Mpofu Sues Safari And Tour Company

Home Affairs and Culture Minister Dr Obert Mpofu’s company, Khanondo Safaris and Tours has taken a Victoria Falls construction firm to court over a debt of more than $15 000.

Khanondo Safaris and Tours is a leading tour operator in Victoria Falls, which specialises in African safaris and tours, accommodation and activities.

Through its lawyers, Mashindi and Associates, the company has filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Falls Contractors (Pvt) Ltd as the defendant.

Khanondo Safaris and Tours is seeking an order directing Falls Contractors to pay $15 417,64 being an outstanding balance for building material bought from its subsidiary, Khanondo Hardware, on credit.

“The defendant on different occasions bought various building materials from Khanondo Hardware on credit. Falls Contractors paid for some of the material and left a balance of $15 417,64,” said Khanondo Safaris and Tours in court papers.

Minister Mpofu’s company said despite demand, Falls Contractors has failed, refused or neglected to settle the debt.

Khanondo Safaris and Tours wants Falls Contractors to pay the legal costs it incurred in the lawsuit.

Falls Contractors has not yet responded to the summons and has 10 working days to do so. – state media

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Mugabe’s Sidekick Invades Crocodile Farm

Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi | Former President Robert Mugabe’ s security aide, Gilbert Nyasha has invaded Chiredzi Crocodile Farm, stalling expansion projects in the process.

Despite the fact that the government withdrew his offer letter, Mugabe’s security aide told managers at the farm he would not vacate the place.

According to officials at the farm, crocodile breeding contributes $ 3 million to the country’ s treasury per annum.

Crocodile Farm Manager, Wilson Gondo said plans to embark on an expansion programme were stalled by Nyasha’ s illegal occupation of the hfarm.

Although some sources claim Nyasha is a mere Zanu PF youth, officials at the farm have insisted he is a member of Mugabe’s security team.

“Our efforts to file a complaint at the High Court have not materialised.However we hope the new President will assist us,” said Gondo.

Masvingo State Minister Josaya Dunira Hungwe has also been briefed on the matter.

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Troubled Nkosana Moyo Top Partner Trevor Ncube Dumps Business Venture

By Paul Nyathi | Self confirmed all weather partner to presidential aspirant Alliance for People’s Agenda leader Dr Nkosana Moyo, businessman Trevor Ncube is reported to have sold his media venture Mail and Guardian.

Reports from South Africa indicate that Ncube has sold the highly popular media house to the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) has purchased a majority stake in M&G Limited.

Under the new deal, Ncube, the now-former publisher, will leave. The new ownership by MDIF, an American non-profit organisation, has drawn messages of encouragement from current editor-in-chief Khadija Patel.

The ZimEye.com sources from South Africa claim that Ncube has been failing to keep the paper viable leading to his sale of the venture.

 

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PICTURE: Gen. Moyo Holds Diplomatic Brief With US Ambassador

Ray Nkosi | Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Major-General Sibusiso Moyo had a diplomatic briefing with US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas earlier today.

While the contents of their brief were not immediately available, Ambassador Thomas wrote on twitter, “Pleased to meet new Foreign Minister Moyo and exchange views on a constructive way forward @usembassyharare.”

General Moyo was recently appointed Foreign Affairs minister by President Emmerson Mnangagwa after a Cabinet reshuffle, popular as General BAE he rose to fame after November coup which ousted President Robert Mugabe.

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Mnangagwa Fails To Chair First Politburo Meeting As Fresh Fights Erupt

By Paul Nyathi | President Emerson Mnangagwa failed to preside over his first politburo meeting on Tuesday amidst reports of disharmony within the party’s top leadership.

Sources within the party told ZimEye.com that serious undisclosed divisions erupted within the party leadership shortly before the start of the meeting which was set for 10am on Tuesday.

The sources indicated that the wrangling within the party leadership continued behind closed doors until a notice was issued late afternoon effectively calling off the scheduled indaba.

“We can’t really say at this stage what the leaders were wrangling about but the debate was very hot and not conducive for the politburo to sit,” said the party sources.

The sources indicated that the politburo will be reconvened on Wednesday morning with calls for the postponement of the central committee to meet later on Thursday a day before the special congress on Friday.

Efforts to get a comment from party spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo failed as he was also closed in the closed door deliberations.

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Chinamasa Has No Mandate To Present The Zimbabwean Budget

By Paul Nyathi | The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) says that Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa does not have the mandate to present the country’s budget.

The labour movement’s National President Peter Mutasa said this on Tuesday afternoon when he made the labour sector’s contribution at the National People’s Convention Budget review seminar in Harare.

Mutasa said that Chinamasa is no longer legit person to speak on the country’s finances as he is also one of the so called wanted criminals who looted state resources during the reign of former President Robert Mugabe.

“As labour we can not recognise this budget as Chinamasa does not have the mandate to present the budget,” he said.

“Chinamasa has continuously presided over the looting of state resources and as labour we have taken a stance that he can not continue directing on the administration of the country’s resources,” he said.

Mutasa further insisted that President Emerson Mnangagwa also equally lacked the mandate to lead the country and the labour union does not recognise him.

“Emerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa does not have the mandate to run the country too,” said Mutasa.

He said that the labour union does not recognise the way Mnangagwa ascended to the presidency of the country.

Mutasa went further to call on Zimbabweans to reject the budget as it did not speak to the issues of the ordinary Zimbabwean but sort to please foreign powers.

“Chinamasa’s budget does not resonate to issues of the average Zimbabwe but speaks to the Americans and the British to come and reap into the country,” he said.

“We must come together as Zimbabweans and reject this budget collectively and tell Chinamasa to take his budget with him to the Americans,” he said.

“This budget does not speak to the issues of the poor people of Zimbabwe, it does not address the need of moving the informal sector to formal and create employment of ordinary Zimbabweans in the streets,” said Mutasa.

About four hundred delegates from the country’s civil society and churches attended the one day indaba which analysed the 2018 budget in order to present a civil society position paper to Chinamasa and Mnangagwa on the budget.

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Mugabe’s Fall, Ordinary Citizens Can Now Reclaim The Country | OPINION

By Briggs Bomba | Some have questioned whether Zimbabweans have any reason to celebrate the fall of President Robert Mugabe, and sentiments are divided over the meaning of this change to the struggle for democracy and their aspirations for a better future.

I argue that Zimbabweans have every reason to celebrate Mugabe’s fall but that the bigger task is to use this opportunity to organize with more vigor for a more democratic and just Zimbabwe.

Further, I assert that Mugabe’s fall creates a new cultural climate of which Zimbabweans must take advantage to launch a new era of invigorated civic organizing and citizen agency in the country.

While this new cultural climate may be imperceptible to an observer removed from the scene, the change in the atmosphere for civic organizing in the country is palpable. It is marked, among other things, by the facts:

  •     That Zimbabweans have for the first time in 37 years experienced that change is possible;
  •     That the people’s will, as expressed in the slogan “Mugabe must go!”, was finally affirmed; and
  •     Furthermore, the fact that Zimbabweans of all races, all generations, all social classes and all political affiliations had the unique unifying experience of speaking in one voice in the country’s biggest-ever mass action.

Coming from this experience, the people’s mood is upbeat and there is a more earnest conversation than before about people’s dreams and aspirations and the substance of the change that people want.

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Zanu PF Politburo Meeting Postponed

The Zanu PF politburo meeting which was suppossed to have been held today at the party headquarters in Harare, has been postponed to tomorrow, 13 December 2017.

Speaking to ZBC News today, Zanu PF spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo said all politburo members should be seated by 10 am at the same venue tomorrow.

He did not give reasons for the postponement.- state media

 

Cde Khaya Moyo also said the central Committee meeting scheduled for tomorrow will now be held on Thursday 14 December 2017 at the same venue.

Central Committee members are expected to be seated by 10 am.

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CHIWENGA LATEST: Security Forces Warn “Misguided” Elements

The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) and other security services say they have noted with concern a disturbing trend from a few misguided members of the public, who are engaging in counter-productive acts of vengeful retribution against perceived political elements.

In a joint statement, ZDF director Public Relations Colonel Overson Mugwisi and ZRP spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said, there are individuals and groups who are continuing to organise unsanctioned retribution-related demonstration contrary to the spirit of the new political dispensation.

“Members of the public are warned against seeking the services of the ZDF to settle old personal scores taking advantage of the ongoing Operation Restore Legacy. Such cases are clearly a violation of the law,” read the statement.

They said there are also some malicious individuals abusing the social media to generate and circulate inflammatory content that potentially causes unnecessary alarm and despondency within the defence and security services “with the ultimate objective of disturbing the prevailing peace and stability in the country.”

“In this regard, members of the public are warned against such acts of political retribution targeting fellow Zimbabweans,” they said.

Colonel Mugwisi and Senior Assistant Commissioner Charamba said such conduct is prohibited as per His Excellency, the President’s inaugural speech of 24 November 2017.

They said investigations are underway as information has it that some impostors masquerading as ZDF members are creating some of the video footage that has been circulated on the social media.

Colonel Mugwisi and Senior Assistant Commissioner Charamba refuted false social media messages suggesting that the defence forces are planning to raid brothels, food vendors and related illegal ventures, saying the responsibility of law enforcement remains in the hands of the ZRP and local authorities enforcements systems.

“The general public is advised to be wary and expect more of these falsehoods peddled by individuals with malicious intentions,” they said.

The statement further said members of the defence forces deployed across the country are under strict instructions to remain vigilant and professional in the discharge of their duties during the ongoing operation and beyond.

The public has also been advised to report any untoward or suspicious behaviour by any member of the defence forces and other security services.- state media

 

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HORROR DEATH: Woman Killed Set On Fire In City Lodge

A pregnant woman believed to be in her thirties was allegedly killed at a lodge in Bulawayo, before her body was shoved under a bed and set alight. The incident, confirmed by Bulawayo chief fire officer Richard Peterson, occurred at Esikhosini Khumalo guest lodge early yesterday morning.

“I can confirm that our team was called in the early hours of yesterday to attend a house fire at number 5 Newhall Avenue Khumalo where one room of the guest house caught fire. On arrival, the fire had already been extinguished by residents and a female adult was severely burnt to death. We suspect that the fire was deliberately set, so as to destroy evidence after the killing,” Peterson said.

He said property worth about $2 000 was destroyed in the fire. However, a worker who spoke to Southern Eye on condition of anonymity said a female adult booked the room, saying her boyfriend was to follow later and promised to pay for the room the following morning.

“I heard some screams coming from their room and there was silence thereafter, in the early hours of the day. I thought they were enjoying themselves. I heard somebody locking the room and I woke my colleague, as we suspected that they were the ones who wanted to evade paying for the room. We went to the front door intending to wait and block them from leaving without paying. No one came out until we went back to our room. That was when I realised that there was smoke coming from the room, but it was locked,” the worker said.

She said they called the fire brigade and found the body of the female adult under the mattress which was severely damaged.- Newsday

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Mnangagwa Strikes Mega Deal With AFREXIMBANK | LATEST

Ray Nkosi |President Emmerson Mnangagwa has just struck a mega deal with the AFREXIMBANK board chair and President, Dr Okey Oramah, with reports that the institution has lined up $1.5 bln in support of Zimbabwe.

 According to state media reports Mnangagwa met the high powered delegation from AFREXIMBANK,  also in attendance was the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Patrick Chinamasa and RBZ Governor, Dr John Mangudya.
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DISTURBING PICTURES: Scores Killed In Shurugwi Horror Crash

Terrence Mawawa, Shurugwi |Scores of people have been killed in a fatal road accident in Shurugwi earlier in the morning today.

A commuter omnibus travelling from Mhandamabwe, Chivi to Gweru was involved in a head on collision with a small truck resulting in the death of several people.

ZimEye.com could not establish the exact number of people who perished in the crash. See pictures.

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OPERATION RESTORE SANITY: 1600 Arrested in Beitbridge Alone

Police have arrested over 1 600 people at Beitbridge Border Post in an ongoing operation to restore sanity at Sadc’s busiest inland port of entry.

 Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the arrests yesterday.

She said 1 500 people were arrested for illegal immigration, either those entering or leaving the country, 67 were arrested for touting and 100 for loitering.

“These were arrested in an ongoing operation between 4 and 10 December. We have noticed that there are people who want to take advantage of the festive season and do as they please at the border.

“As police we won’t stand aloof and give them a free reign. The border clean-up exercise is continuous, until people start abiding by the laws of the land,” she said.

Asst Insp Mangena said some of the suspects will appear in court in due course.

She warned members of the public against engaging third parties and dealers within the border, who in most cases end up duping them.

“We will not rest until the border is clean. Let those engaged or planning to execute criminal activities know that their days are numbered,” said Asst Insp Mangena.

In a related incident South Africa’s department of immigration intercepted a vehicle that was transporting 16 undocumented children to that country.

Sources at the border said the immigrants were aged between four and 17 years.

“The driver of the South Africa registered Toyota Hilux is still detained on that country’s side of the border,” said a border official.- State Media

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Makarau Shock Resignation | FRESH DETAILS

Pauline Phiri | Hardly two months ago Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Rita Makarau was firmly grounded as the country’s election boss with the full blessing of President Robert Mugabe before who she was captured kneeling.

Makarau in response to public outrage against her kneeling and the partisan posture it betrayed in a job that demands neutrality, could only give cultural reasons, not knowing the man she had idolised would soon be out of work.

The local Daily News reports that the shock resignation by Makarau a mere eight months before the country holds its make-or-break national elections next year — has cast a huge shadow on the eagerly-awaited polls, which a fearful opposition want to be monitored by international observers.

Makarau — also a respected Supreme Court judge and the secretary of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) — stunned the country on Friday when she abruptly resigned from her post without giving any reasons, amid a plethora of political conspiracies.

Well-placed sources at the Zec who spoke to the Daily News on Sunday yesterday also said Makarau’s unexpected departure had left a of lot of questions unanswered, as days before she quit she had been in jovial mood in meetings with stakeholders at the national elections management body.

“It appears as if she may have been pushed. Her email signalling her intention to resign came as a complete shock to us. It came after we had just had an important meeting with one of our stakeholders during the week, and there was no sign whatsoever that she was on her way out.

“In fact she was as calm and as cheerful as she always is. So, you can imagine our surprise when we received that email. It definitely suggested that she may have been pushed before she jumped.

“We are all trying to put the pieces together and make sense of everything, as her email never stated her reasons for that very sudden move,” one of the sources said.

New Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi confirmed Makarau’s resignation at the weekend and also said the Supreme Court judge had not given reasons for leaving the post.

In the meantime, her sudden departure has elicited myriad conspiracy theories, with the opposition and political analysts also warning that it is now “mandatory” that the international community watches over the 2018 polls which must be held by August next year.

It has also emerged that one of the opposition’s charges is that Makarau’s alleged forced resignation from Zec is meant to allow the current dominant faction in Zanu PF to “manipulate the vote” in its favour next year.

During the heights of the ugly factional brawling in the ruling party — which pitted the Generation 40 (G40) faction against the Team Lacoste camp, which was rooting for new President Emmerson Mnangagwa — Makarau was viewed favourably by the G40 group which wanted her to become the country’s chief justice after the late Godfrey Chidyausiku.

Matters came to a head during the interviews for that position when the two major Zanu PF factions fought ugly and open battles to have their preferred candidates take over from Chidyausiku.

In the end, Makarau came second to the country’s new CJ, Luke Malaba, while George Chiweshe — who was preferred by Team Lacoste pulled out of the selection process after it was challenged in the High Court.

Former deputy prime minister in Zimbabwe’s short-lived inclusive government, Arthur Mutambara, was among those who have claimed that Makarau may have been forced to resign from Zec due to factional interests in the ruling party.

“The electoral agenda should be to enable and facilitate free, fair and credible elections, and not settle Zanu PF factional disputes. The regime must reach out to civic society and the opposition parties and establish a clear and inclusive roadmap to free, fair and credible elections in 2018,” Mutambara said.

According to the Constitution, the head of Zec must be either a judge or a former judge, or a person who qualifies for appointment as a judge.

Professor of World Politics, Stephen Chan, said yesterday that the position of chairperson of Zec was pivotal, and required an appointment of the highest calibre and integrity.

“The international community will be looking to the elections as the clinching signal that Zimbabwe is climbing its way upwards to probity and transparency.

“If Zimbabwe wants to rejoin the Commonwealth and attract wider investment, there will have to be a Commonwealth Observer Group and, ideally, a European Observer Group, and they will scrutinise the Zec and its chair with attention to minute detail.

“The shortcomings of observer groups were exposed in Kenya, so they will arrive in Zimbabwe having upped their own game,” Chan told the Daily News On Sunday.

The country’s main opposition party, the MDC, said while it welcomed Makarau’s resignation, its suddenness was both a surprise and a concern.

“Rita Makarau’s resignation opens a can of worms. Why is she resigning just a few months before Election 2018?

“Has she been forced to resign? Was she pushing a factional agenda during her term of office as ZEC chairperson? Is she really her own person?” MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu queried.

Makarau’s resignation came as Zec, as well as local election observer groups, are intensifying their efforts to have millions of prospective voters register in the ongoing biometric voter registration (BVR) exercise, which is now approaching its final phase.

Zimbabwe is using the BVR system for registration for next year’s elections for the first time.

Zec is targeting seven million voters for the current BVR registration exercise — ahead of the much-awaited 2018 polls, which could see Mnangagwa facing a grand coalition of opposition parties in that plebiscite.

The opposition and civic groups have also been agitating for sweeping electoral reforms ahead of the crunch elections which they say must be held in an environment which doesn’t promote disputes like what happened during the 2008 and 2013 polls.

In the hotly-disputed 2008 elections, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai beat former president Robert Mugabe hands down.

However, the results of those polls were withheld for six long weeks by stunned authorities, amid widespread allegations of ballot tampering and fraud which were later revealed by former bigwigs of the ruling party.

Mugabe’s defeat was widely blamed on an internal rebellion which was said to have been led by officials loyal to former vice president Joice Mujuru and her late husband Solomon — a plot that came to be known as Bhora Musango.

In the ensuing sham presidential run-off, which authorities claimed was needed to determine the winner, Zanu PF apparatchiks engaged in a murderous orgy of violence in which hundreds of Tsvangirai’s supporters were killed in cold blood, forcing the former prime minister in the inclusive government to withdraw from the discredited race altogether.

Mugabe went on to stand in a widely-condemned one-man race in which he declared himself the winner.

However, Sadc and the rest of the international community would have none of it, forcing the nonagenarian to share power with Tsvangirai for five years, to prevent the country from imploding completely. – Daily News

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ARMY LATEST : Biti, Chamisa In USA Diplomatic Offensive

Pauline Phiri | MDC Alliance leaders Tendai Biti and Nelson Chamisa are in the United States for a high level diplomatic offensive, in which they will brief politicians and bereaucrats on the political situation in Zimbabwe.

Chamisa is quoted on social media saying, “I’m with bro& Cde Biti on a vital global advocacy and diplomatic outreach.Our meetings are high level with the state department, Congress, Global business and US civil society.Our focus is repositioning opposition & global coalition for free and fair elections in 2018.”

It is also reported the Zimbabwe delegation will also meet President Donald Trump.

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Masuku Slams Zanu PF Bootlickers

Ray Nkosi | Veteran politician Angeline Masuku has come out to slam Zanu PF bootlickers.

Masuku raises her voice to attack hero worshippers soon after senior government minister Josiah Hungwe equated President Emmerson Mnangagwa to the biblical Nehemiah.

The state media reports that Masuku said ZANU-PF members should desist from creating gods out of their leaders through hero worshipping them, a liberation war stalwart and minister said yesterday.

In an interview, Zanu-PF’s National Consultative Assembly member,  Angeline Masuku, said party supporters are partly to blame for divisions that rocked the party in the recent past.

Masuku who is also the new Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Bulawayo said candid talk could have ended Zanu-PF factionalism before it got out of hand.

She said leaders in the party were being blinded by hero worshipping which should now stop.

“We are to blame (for what was happening). People should stop singing songs that glorify a leader. We should work together. I recently stopped women from singing to me saying “Nxa umama ekhona konke kulungile.” We should be collective “Nxa omama bekhona konke kulungile”.

“Those individual praises create gods out of leaders yet leaders are part of the people. We’re to blame because a leader does not praise himself or herself, it’s us who shower him or her with praises. I wish you could emphasise this, when a leader has been appointed, our people should stop destroying the leader by giving him or her praises to an extent that he or she sees himself or herself above the people,” said Masuku.

She recalled refusing to apologise to the former First Family after she had challenged Mrs Grace Mugabe to stop insulting party leaders back in 2014.

Masuku said other party leaders persecuted her and cheered when Mrs Mugabe was doing a despicable act.

“If someone utters disrespectful words on elderly people, I don’t celebrate. It doesn’t amuse me. Our culture doesn’t allow us to do that but Zimbabweans were now cheering that.

“We were being insulted yet Zimbabweans were making loud cheers. When I challenged it saying these things were getting out of hand, our people accused me of insulting an important family hence I was advised to apologise.

“If telling the truth is insulting, then I can’t apologise, that’s reality. I will never tolerate being insulted by a child no matter their social standing,” said Masuku.

“I’m certain that if this thing was corrected from day one, Robert Mugabe who sacrificed a lot for this country could not have been humiliated to the extent of almost being impeached.”

She said the party’s extraordinary congress to be held in Harare this week should instil discipline in the party.

“There should be discipline in the party which will result in party members joining their hands together to discuss issues to do with economic development instead of gathering in a meeting to discuss who to fire from the party.

“We fought for the liberation of this country, now we should fight to put for economy back on track,” she said.

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Harare Town Clerk Fight Gets Nasty

The Local Government Board (LGB) has refused to release the names of its members as the fight to appoint a Harare town clerk explodes.

Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni has demanded to know who constitutes the LGB, but the board has refused to provide the information, instead directing his enquiries to the new Local Government minister July Moyo.

Harare has not had a town clerk since 2015 after the former incumbent Tendai Mahachi resigned amid withering pressure from residents and councillors.

“The LGB acknowledges receipt of your letter requesting the composition and credentials of the LGB members. The LGB is appointed by the honourable minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and as such the letter should be addressed to the minister who is the appointing authority,” read the letter from the LGB chairperson one S M Ngwenya.

Manyenyeni told the Daily News that the new Constitution has no provision for a LGB.

He said that the LGB is just another ministerial tool used to secure the appointment of politically acceptable executives in council.

“It seeks to perpetuate its illegal existence by being opaque and shadowy. Which organisation in this day and age prides itself in its own non-disclosure,” Manyenyeni said.

Efforts to seek comment from minister Moyo on the composition of the LGB were futile as he was not answering his mobile.

Last year, council appointed former banker James Mushore to the town clerk position but he was suspended by former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere who argued his appointment flouted laid down procedures.

Following his suspension, Mushore approached the Labour Court seeking recourse, but the matter is yet to be determined.

If Mushore wins the Labour Court case, Harare City Council will be compelled to pay him over $200 000 in backdated salaries.

In the most recent search for the city’s town clerk,  three candidates namely Tapiwa Mashakada, Cainos Chingombe and Elizabeth Gwatipedza were shortlisted in the city interviews.

Mashakada is the sitting MDC Member of Parliament for Hatfield, Chingombe is Harare City Council’s human capital director while Gwatipenga is town clerk of Gweru.- Daily News

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Mugabe Was Smarter Than Mnangagwa, Hungwe Blows Out

Ray Nkosi | In his last days in power ousted President Robert Mugabe managed to outsmart his rivals in the ruling Zanu PF party, causing them to opt for military action.

The Zimbabwe Defence Forces early November surreptiously seized power ending Mugabe’s almost four decades rule, with a senior minister coming out to reveal this was the only way smart Mugabe and his G-40 could be removed.

Local media reports that the newly-appointed Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs Josaya Hungwe stunned party members during a Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting when he revealed that Team Lacoste faction had to use the army after they had been outsmarted by Generation 40 (G40) faction.

Hungwe added that the defeat by G40 was a clear indication that former president Robert Mugabe was smarter than his successor President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The Masvingo Godfather revealed that the reason why the military ‘stepped in’ to elbow out Mugabe and the G40 faction was because Mnangagwa and Lacoste faction had completely failed.
Mugabe who has been under house arrest has for the first time been allowed to leave the country to seek medical treatment in the Far East. While Mugabe’s former spokesperson refused to comment on his trip, the local Newsday reports that,

Mugabe will make a stopover in Malaysia, where his daughter Bona is expecting a second child, before leaving for Singapore for his routine medical check-up. Sources revealed that the UM1 yesterday had a scheduled 20- hour flight.

The 93-year-old ex-leader’s former aide and now Mnangagwa’s spokesperson and Information ministry permanent secretary, George Charamba, could not give details, saying he was not in touch with Mugabe anymore.

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The Toxic Military Masculinity That Kept Mugabe In Power And Brought Him Down

Tinashe Mawere | For decades, a key facet of Robert Mugabe’s rule in Zimbabwe has been how he has used the symbols and rhetoric of the liberation war to support his claim to power, and undermine his rivals.

Eventually, he was brought down by that same rhetoric.

Zimbabwe’s nation building project solidified strict gender divisions, where ‘mothers of the nation’ support their men and instill a reputable culture to coming generations. The roles of men have been built around militarised masculinities as reflected in amadoda sibili (real men), a concept which revolves around the jealous protection and defense of the nation, to safeguard chimurenga (liberation struggle) gains such as land and sovereignty.

Men and women are positioned differently as subjects in the body politics of the Zimbabwean nation. Men are hailed as ‘sons of the soil.’ This locates men in the politics of belonging, since they are ‘sons of…,’ and in stories of resistance, since as sons they are called upon to defend or protect their natal place. This is how men like Robert Mugabe and currently, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and General Constantino Chiwenga have attained some element of messianic and godly identities. At various times, national narratives positioned them as guarding and defending nationhood.

On the other hand, the soil or land that gives birth to the sons is naturalised in the discourses of motherhood. This is why motherhood is revered, meaning those who represent it have to be women of ‘character.’ Anyone who deviates from or inverses the above parameters of nation formation is seen as a national dis[Grace], needing the intervention of amadoda sibili.

It is this liberationist and masculinist narrative that has shaped the Zimbabwean situation and made Zimbabwe’s future a complicated case, full of uncertainties, especially in the context of conflicting gender and generational interests.

From teacher to typist

In many cases, the national image is symbolically expressed through the character of the national women, specifically those who are public figures. Robert Mugabe’s first and second wife, Sally and Grace respectively, have entered the radar as images of the Zimbabwean nation at different times. Sally entered the scene during the years following national independence from colonial rule and during a period of Mugabe’s political ascendance and national growth.

Sally had been in the trenches during national formation. She supported Mugabe and the nationalist cause and rose within political ranks because of her hard work, thus earning herself the title ‘mother of the nation.’ Her public image was modest, mature, respectful and her participation in the struggle identified her with the chimurenga legacy and helped to nurture Mugabe as an acceptable ‘son of the soil’ who could be trusted with the nation.

Grace’s entrance came as Sally was dying – perhaps predicting the start of national bleeding. Her arrival in the 1990s saw the beginning of a national crisis, collapse and demoralization that has heightened with her political rise.

Grace attempted to construct herself along lines of motherhood, as expected in gendered constructions of nationhood. But she struggled to make that image stick. Having been a typist and Mugabe’s secret lover, in a patriarchal nation like Zimbabwe, she was all too often associated with the young, immature, loose urban woman image, the ‘small house’ or husband snatcher, known for corrupting men and destroying families. Recently, public discourses have been naming her ‘marujata,’ which refers to a loose, pompous wife lacking direction.

She pushed hard to be known as ‘Amai’ (mother), using this term at rallies and gatherings, claiming to be the ‘mother’ of and to all Zimbabweans. She used her involvement in orphanages and care homes to reinforce the mother identity. At rallies, she has distributed food and clothing to ‘her children’ as a mother who ‘cares’ and sustains livelihood. Her recent physical attack on the South African woman, Gabriella Engels, can be seen in the sense of a mother nurturing and protecting her sons from the ‘contamination’ of an ‘evil woman’.

However, falling outside the liberation war history, and unable to fit in with the old guard that grew suspicious of the new generations, Grace associated with a ZANU-PF faction known as the Generation 40 (G40). As G40, it lacks liberation war credentials or history, just like Grace. There have been narratives, especially from a former ZANU-PF member and Norton constituency parliamentary representative, Temba Mliswa, that the G40 are ‘gay gangsters.’ Such identities are seen as polluting the Zimbabwean national identity and threatening its survival and progression.

Grace was accused, among other crimes, of failing to satisfy her gendered roles of support, reproduction and nurturing. She is seen in terms of contamination, disturbing the natural body politic of ZANU-PF. In this view, since she has polluted Mugabe, both have to be eliminated from the political body to avoid further contamination. The point is that Grace has failed in being ‘mother of the nation.’ This is symbolically reflected by her wayward sons, her lack of respect and dignity as reflected by her public cursing of people, her failure to unite the Zimbabwean ‘family’ but instead trigger divisions. Her failure to stick to her gendered role of ‘nurturing’ the nation, and instead, usurping the role of ‘father of the nation’ and her disrespect of the liberation war history also make her conflict with the expectations of Zimbabwe’s national project.

Similar discourses of defilement have been associated with the Morgan Tsvangirai-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). At one time, Robert Mugabe claimed that a victory for Tsvangirai and the MDC would make the dead turn in their graves. Tsvangirai himself has been anglicised and caricatured as Tsvangson or ‘teaboy’ in a show of his foreignness, femininity, and homosexuality – all of which make him ‘incapable’ of leading Zimbabwe.

Mugabe’s recall from being leader of the party is, at least in part, due to his association with these national ‘pollutants’ which have defiled the masculinities expected from him as the ‘son of the soil.’ Mugabe is no longer part of the amadoda sibili, responsible for national protection, as the G40 has taken advantage of his age to corrupt him while his wife has taken over his responsibilities.

In contrast, Mnangagwa’s takeover, with military support as well as the support of the war veterans, is a continuation of ZANU-PF rule and the protection of the chimurenga legacy.

Zimbabwe may have a new president, but some things haven’t changed: ideas of manliness that date back to the liberation war remain the psychological space on which the Zimbabwean nation is constructed.

Tinashe Mawere is a Postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies and the Centre for Sexualities, Aids and Gender at the University of Pretoria. The above views appear in some of his work around nationalism, gender and sexuality carried out at the University of Western Cape’s Women’s and Gender Studies department and the Centre for Humanities Research and the department of Historical and Heritage Studies and the Centre for Sexualities, Aids and Gender at the University of Pretoria.

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Mnangagwa Puts Manhanga To Order

Self styled Zanu PF cleric, Trevor Manhanga, has insisted that his recent takeover of a white-owned commercial farm in Rusape was above board and vowed to stay put despite reports that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government had revoked his offer letter and given it to former property owner, Robert Smart.

Smart last week told international media that government had given him the greenlight to repossess Lesbury Farm following his forced eviction in July this year. No government official could confirm the claims.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Smart gave a harrowing narration of how he lost a portion of his land to Manhanga.

“Youths came with guns and harassed me, my family and farm workers ordering us to vacate the premises. I was served with letters that I did not understand and I was not given a chance to explain,” he said amid reports that the farm takeover had been facilitated by former Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandiitawepi Chimene.

But Manhanga told NewsDay yesterday that his occupation of part of the farm was above board.

“I did not invade, occupy or grab any farm or portion thereof. I am in legal and lawful possession of an offer issued on March 15 to a piece of land measuring 100 hectares of Lesbury Estate in Makoni.

“There are at least two people known to me who have offer letters of portions of Lesbury Estates, namely the current Chief Tandi (Mr William Samhungu) and David Nyakonda,” he said.

Manhanga said another 30, A1 farmers had also been allocated land at the same farm.

“There are no frictions between all those allocated land at Lesbury Estate. Since I am in possession of a valid offer letter, I continue to be the legal owner of the 100 hectares offered to me.

“I have been informed that this offer letter has been revoked by the issuing authority. If and when that happens, I will be able to respond to that query,” Manhanga said.

“For now, I continue with my operations in ploughing a maize crop under the command agriculture programme.”
Manhanga claimed that he suspected Smart could have misinformed government regarding his eviction from the farm.- Newsday

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MUDEDE HAS TO RETIRE NOW: President Mnangagwa Told “Tobaiwa AriKutibaya!,” As ZANU PF Leader Screams Out In Article

“Tobaiwa AriKutibaya!

Zimbabwe’s “Grandpa” Registrar General, Tobaiwa Mudede is wearing out ZANU PF’s powerful legacy, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been ‘told’ by ZANU PF UK Leader, Nick Mangwana.

In a full length bravely laid out article, Mangwana advises President Mnangagwa, “the public has a right to know for example about why Mr (Tobaiwa)Mudede is still in office when Austin Zvoma was dragged out screaming and kicking after reaching his retirement age?”

 

Part of the article published in the Herald Tuesday morning reads  – President Mnangagwa’s Government has started on a decent keel. They have been in power just for a few days, but let’s face it, this is a transitional Government and it has no honeymoon period. So the expectation of green shoots is immediate. The expectations which this Government dubbed as the New Era should not slide into another destructive frustration like happened after Independence. Everything now depends how governance will be managed.

Some of the governance pillars that should be there for all to see in order to keep the faith are that we should see more transparency. Decisions of this Government should be open to public scrutiny. The public has a right to know for example about why Mr (Tobaiwa)Mudede is still in office when Austin Zvoma was dragged out screaming and kicking after reaching his retirement age? The President said that he was ushering in a new democracy. We believed him, and we still believe him. One thing the people are expecting from their leader is that decisions made by his officials will not be self-serving. That regardless of their personal dogma or ideological leanings the will of the people should guide decisions. And there is no better cogent expression of that will except through the constitution.

When things are not happening the way they should happen, the media should be at liberty to beam the light on it. A self-serving government will always have a problem with that. But one for the people and by the people would simply expect people to report responsibly. That’s it. This is what transparency entails. One cannot talk of transparency without talking of corruption. Whenever there is corruption, people try to hide things and transparency becomes a threat. It is the first casualty. Once we are in that zone then citizens will start losing their rights.

This is why it is very important for this Government to be transparent and if there is any sign of abuse of power, it should be dealt with. In this regard, we have to confront any abuses of resources that happened in the past and in order to make sure it will not happen again.

One hopes that President Mnangagwa will never let his Government be held hostage to private interests. That is why there is an expectation of a new Disclosure Regime. One of the ills that made organised crime rife in Zimbabwe is the lack of full disclosure of the assets of public officials. This column has covered that way too many times, but as long as public officials’ assets are not fully disclosed this is not going away.

When the President said that he was ushering in a new democracy it was a clear confession that our democracy had shortcomings. There are gaps he wants to close. They don’t happen over night. They are not going to be easy because any rapid changes appear destabilising, but it will all settle down. If the President gets this right, he can only benefit from positive political consequences. This is why any positive change should be painted in a positive light in order to reinforce the benefits.

This changing of a political system and habits of old is the most challenging an incumbent leader can ever undertake, especially when elections are not far off. People have to bear with the leader if they don’t see a few things being changed yet or a few people from the old system still hanging around. In 1980, we had to keep the Rhodesians. This was meant for continuity and it will be meant for continuity. Transformation is a long drawn process because it’s an interaction of many facets of a system. In this we are saying people have to be patient. But it also takes courage from those in power. The Zimbabwean state is demanding a concerted effort from us all.

Only weak and vulnerable states are scared of reform. Ours is not and our democracy might have its shortcomings as said above, but it has an acceptable level of maturity. This was clearly on display in the smooth way our contentious succession was managed. It is that type of maturity, which must again be on display when we manage the essence of political power being subordinate to the law.

It was not that bad in the last dispensation. But when people started being hunted like animals for expressing political disapproval through booing, then it was clear that political power was now using the law to abuse citizens. That is a place a reformed system should never lead us to. This is why in his statement of the 21st of November, President Mnangagwa said that, “the destiny of our country is in the hands of our people.” He also said in an earlier statement of the 8th of November 2017 that the habit of expelling or suspending people for holding a different opinion was “idiotic”. This means that in the new dispensation it should not be perceived as rebellious or indiscipline” to have a different opinion.

This is not a small matter. It doesn’t afflict one party. It is in all parties in Zimbabwe. Every party of substance in our polity has expelled or suspended people for daring to differ in their views of things, how they are. This does not augur well for our burgeoning democracy. So those who think that the “new democracy” is about the behaviour of the Ruling Party should think again and not have such a restricted definition.

What needs reforming in Zimbabwe is the system and framework upon which our processes rest. It is also the culture that interacts with those systems. The latter is much more important because on paper our systems are not that bad. In most cases they clearly define conventions, policies and procedures. They define who has what power and where it ends. The problem is, we just end up accepting people taking liberties with power that they don’t have and the people readily accepting it. This happens in government, political parties as well as in the third sector. We should adopt a culture of Zero Tolerance to Usurpation of Power. When we stop seeing governance as only a requirement in the national space, but in every space where humans interact for a purpose then we can say that the New Era has taken us to the place where we need to be. If we don’t do that then we are leaving all the positives the President is leading on to be vulnerable to reversals.

We have an opportunity as a country to move from adversarial politics to a consensus orientation in which having power does not mean you can afford to ignore participatory decision making processes where they benefit the country. The opposition should not be ignored. The same applies to the civic society. The only advantage of being in power is that you can take the best ideas from everyone including your opposition and ignore what’s not symmetrical to your vision.

An economic system that does not work for all, but creates a wealthy oligarchy that despises the poor should also be reformed. These are attributes pervasive in our political system and it is a responsibility for all of us to support the President’s reform agenda.

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Wicknell Chivayo Was Truly Arrested On Sunday

Wicknell Chivayo

COMMENT & ANALYSIS – Following events of the last 12 hours which have seen convicted fraudster, Wicknell Chivayo claiming in a LIVE video that he was never arrested, it has emerged that Chivayo was truly picked up on Sunday.

One school of thought would suggest that Chivayo had on Sunday truly traveled for fishing hunting as suddenly suggested by him Monday night. This would make perfect conjecture. However such a conclusion would appear heavily escapist since there is a firm confirmation by his lawyer Thabani Mpofu that something clearly happened on Sunday. That incident was clearly described under the conclusion that Chivayo was picked up by law enforcement agents. At that time, Mpofu said he was still struggling to extrapolate if they were either ZRP or military police. Mpofu told the local Daily News Chivayo was arrested on Sunday although he was not sure which police took him, ZRP or military. “At the moment I am still frantically trying to establish what happened. I thought by now I would have made headway, but nothing has come up yet,” he said.

One question that boggles the mind to strengthen this path of thought is – why would your lawyer be frantically looking for you if nothing had happened?

There was early Tuesday morning what strongly pointed to an apparent cover up with Chivayo’s lawyer, Thabani Mpofu appearing to distance himself from the damning revelations. Calls to his cellphone kept being dropped upon ringing and this followed vehement denials by Chivayo the previous night when he frothed out saying he had only gone fishing.

A man who knows Chivayo from his time at Chikuurbi between 2005 and 2008, Cpt Albert Matapo told ZimEye last night Chivayo is a dubious character bent on lying.

https://youtu.be/01t1jQ7YMQY?t=9m59s

– CONTINUE READING BELOW –

https://youtu.be/OqbcQCBRsVk

This will not be the first time Chivayo has twisted the truth. Last week, he made flse claims that he has never sought a bank loan for his Gwanda Solar project. (SEE VIDEO). Recordings were however pulled from as far back as April 2016 which recordings show him making the declaration. – Farai Hove

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“SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED PRESIDENCY”: Nkosazana Zuma Tipped To Win South Africa Elections But…

In what many have scoffed at as, “sexually transmitted presidency,” President Jacob Zuma’s ex wife, Nkosazana Zuma has been tipped to win the upcoming elections.

AnalysisTo signal the apparent certainty of the win, analysts have already begun to predict that the Africa National Congress is headed for a split if she wins. This comes at a time when other statisticians and analysts maintained that she is losing.

The ANC is likely to lose its parliamentary majority if it chooses Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as its leader at this month’s elective conference‚ according to a poll, reports Timeslive.

A survey conducted by Ratepop‚ a technology-based research and polling company‚ focused on the consequences of the ANC’s leadership battle ahead of the national elections in 2019.

According to the survey‚ Ramaphosa remains the “overwhelming” popular choice among the ANC electorate‚ with the support of 58.9% of ANC voters compared to 16% for Dlamini-Zuma.

Ramaphosa’s support has increased nearly 10% among ANC voters since Ratepop polling began in June 2017.

If Ramaphosa becomes president of the ANC‚ 81% of the party’s supporters said they would vote for the party in the 2019 national elections.

“With the ANC only having polled only approximately 54% in the 2016 Local Government Elections‚ the chances of the ANC maintaining its parliamentary majority with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma at the helm of the party‚ is substantially reduced and realistically unlikely at this point‚” the survey says.

Supporters of opposition parties were also polled on how they would vote in the 2019 elections if either Ramaphosa or Dlamini-Zuma were to be elected as president of the ruling party.

If Dlamini-Zuma becomes leader of the ANC‚ only 6.9% of the Democratic Alliance’s black voters will desert the party and vote for the ANC in 2019‚ the survey says.

“If Dlamini-Zuma becomes leader of the ANC‚ only 3.4% of the Economic Freedom Fighter’s’ Black voters will abandon the party and vote for the ANC in 2019.”

Should Ramaphosa become leader of the ANC‚ 50.9% of the Democratic Alliance’s black voters say they will vote for the ANC in 2019. – Timeslive/Agencies

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Chinamasa Pressured To Revise Indigenisation Act 2nd Time

By George Tshuma| Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has been pressured to once again revise the Indigenisation Act to give mandatory shareholding to locals.

The Affirmative Action Group says instead of scrapping the local ownership section altogether, Chinamasa must consider impising a 10% and 30% for locals.

The AAG’s Matabeleland Chapter president Reginald Shoko said, “while we welcome the proposals to lure foreign direct investment through the scrapping of the threshold of indigenisation, we believe the Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa is taking it too much.

“Indigenisation cannot be allowed to die a natural death. We require the locals to partake in the expansion of our economy and we propose that the threshold be reduced to between 10% and 30% and in some cases, management contracts must be given to locals in order to utilise the human capital we have as a country.”

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“Mnangagwa Knows $1 Billion Was Dished Out To Fraudster Wicknell Chivayo In Tenders,” Statement Awaited

By Farai D Hove| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been pressured to explain to address public on revelations that convicted fraudster Wicknell Chivayo was dished a total near $1 billion in tender contracts. Mnangagwa was the head of a commission over-seeing the Tender Board in the years running up to and before his ascendancy to State House, the same period Chivayo won his tenders. Many have alleged that Chivayo due to political influence, could easily escape investigations for his Gwanda Solar Project contract payment for a whopping $5 million.

Inquiries have since been submitted to the President to inspire public confidence as the revelations become more glaring.

https://youtu.be/OqbcQCBRsVk?

Already President Mnangagwa has been criticised for another tender which was for the construction of the Beitbridge road whose total cost ended up being inflated by a suspicious $2 billion. More revelations emerged that the figure was furthermore changed several times.

For the Beitbridge highway road, Mnangagwa was criticised by the MDC party. Harare West legislator, Jessie Majome, said the way the project was handled raised suspicion. “The move startlingly breaks all the rules in the good governance and rule of law book. What on earth happened to checks and balances? Is it a trap for him (Mnangagwa) to trip on? Moreso it rides roughshod over the rigorous procedures in the Procurement Act and the principles of financial management in the Constitution. No wonder why we keep ranking low on the business competitiveness index,” she said.

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Biti’s Wife Files For Divorce

State Media – Former Finance Minister and Harare lawyer Mr Tendai Biti’s wife of 10 years has filed for divorce at the High Court, citing loss of affection and love for each other. Mrs Charity Biti (nee Maguwah), through her lawyers Mawere & Sibanda Commercial Lawyers, issued summons for divorce claiming maintenance for the couple’s only minor child.

The couple had their marriage solemnised in 2007 under Marriage Act (Chapter 5:11). Part of the plaintiff’s declaration reads: “Plaintiff avers that the marriage between the parties has irretrievably broken down to such an extent that there is no reasonable prospect of restoration of a normal marriage relationship between them in that:

“a) The parties have lost love and affection for each other,
(b) The plaintiff and defendant are no longer compatible,
(c) The plaintiff and defendant have not lived as wife and husband since August 2014.” Mrs Biti is claiming custody of the 12-year-old son proposing that the politician should be granted limited access to the child.

She intends to relocate to the United States next month, together with the child. “It is in the best interest of the minor child that the defendant exercises reasonable access in the following manner:

“a) For two thirds of each of the US’ summer holidays,
(b) On alternate Christmas and Easter holidays,
(c) At all other times which may be agreed to mutually between the plaintiff and defendant until the child becomes 18-years-old or becomes self-supporting whichever occurs first.”

Mrs Biti wants the politician to pay the child’s school fees, to buy uniforms and to cater for all the boy’s other living expenses, including accommodation, food and clothing.She wants him to pay the child’s medical insurance and travel expenses whenever he wants to see the child.

Mrs Biti is seeking to be awarded an immovable property at Stand Number 14 Coltman Road, Mount Pleasant in Harare measuring 4 048 square metres. She also wants the court to award her a black Mercedes Benz S350 (ADY 5606) and household property at the family’s Umwinsdale home.
Mrs Biti seeks an order to have the couple’s 6 831 square metre plot in Umwinsdale sold for the parties to share the proceeds equally.

In a her declaration, Mrs Biti considered that when she married her husband, he had already acquired other immovable properties, hence she proposed that he be awarded more immovable properties including:

a) Number 2 Poland Way, Glen Lorne, Harare (4 000 square metres),
(b) Number 7 Bernard Avenue, Chisipite (4 114 square metres),
(c) Number 26 Rowland Square, Milton Park (2 762 square metres), (d) Tsoko Lodge, Number 1 Shato Close, Juliasdale and (e) Murehwa homestead and pig farm.

Mrs Biti also proposed that her husband be given a Toyota Land Cruiser (ADI 2870), a white Ford Ranger (ADL 1761), Mercedes Benz E300 (ADA 7481) and a Mercedes Benz E280 (ACY 5148).

She also offered Mr Biti household goods at Tsoko Lodge and some items at the couple’s Umwinsdale home.
Mr Biti is yet to respond to the summons.

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WorldRemit Opens 4 New PickUp Points Harare, Byo – Quest And Kaah

The UK based money transfer company, WorldRemit has opened two more pickup points.

The company announced that they now have “two more partners in Zimbabwe to offer you a guaranteed USD pickup service.

“You can now send money to these branches of Quest Financial Services and Kaah Express for guaranteed cash pickup:

• Quest Financial Services – Harare head office
• Quest Financial Services – Harare sub office
• Kaah Express Zimbabwe – Bulawayo
• Kaah Express Zimbabwe – Harare
• Kaah Express Zimbabwe – Mutare

Your family and friends will have no cash-out fees to pay, so the amount we show you is the exact amount they’ll get.

Plus, you can still send to Steward Bank for a guaranteed USD payout service as well.”

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US Discussion On Zimbabwe Criticised: ‘Why Did They Exclude Mnangagwa So He Can Speak On Current Policies And Priorities?’

By Dorrothy Moyo| The US discussion on Zimbabwe slated for this afternoon has been criticised by some Zimbabweans on why it excluded a government representative.

The list of panelists exclude the new Emmerson Mnangagwa led government and is comprised of only representatives from the opposition MDC Alliance and a well known government critic from the civic movements, Dewa Mavhinga.

Questioned one Chipiwa Zimbwa, “What’s the objective of this indaba really? None of these speakers are in government currently. Whatever they have to say will be based on personal opinions and speculation. Why not have a government representative who can speak to current government policy and priorities etc…,” she wrote on microblogging site Twitter.

Meanwhile the program layout is as below:

The Future of Zimbabwe

Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy

Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Presiding: Senator Flake

Panel One

  1. The Honorable Stephanie Sullivan
    Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau Of African Affairs
    U.S. Department of State
    Washington, DC

Panel Two

  1. Mr. Peter Godwin
    Author And Journalist
    New York, NY
  2. Mr. Tendai Biti
    Former Finance Minister And Opposition Leader
    Harare, Zimbabwe
  3. Mr. Dewa Mavhinga
    Southern Africa Director
    Human Rights Watch
    Johannesburg, South Africa

 

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Mnangagwa’s Congress: Female Vice President Appointment Still On Agenda

By Farai D Hove| The resolution for a female Vice President is still on ZANU PF’s agenda in the party’s upcoming congress and President Emmerson Mnangagwa has powers to appoint his deputies at his own discretion. This revelation emerged in details released through Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday. The issue of a female VP was promulgated by former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s agents early this year when the agenda was brought forward 2 years before its date, 2019.

Khaya Moyo told the state media the party will hold a Politburo meeting today which will signal the start of processes leading to the party’s Extraordinary Conference on Friday. About 6 000 delegates from the Zanu-PF’s 10 provinces are expected to attend.

Moyo told the state owned Herald today’s politburo meeting will be followed by a Central Committee meeting tomorrow. He said the one day event which will cost $3 million, is not an elective congress and it will seek to do the following:

– Confirming Mnangagwa as the First Secretary and President of the party.
– Endorsing him as the Zanu-PF Presidential candidate for the 2018 harmonised elections;
– Endorse Central Committee resolutions made on November 19 which include recalling of former First Secretary and President Robert Mugabe and confirmation of the expulsion of G40 cabal members who include ex-First Lady Grace Mugabe, Phelekezela Mphoko, Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere, Kudzanayi Chipanga, Mandi Chimene and Ignatius Chombo.
– The Central Committee meeting also resolved to improve the livelihood of war veterans and to reinstate District Coordinating Committees which had been abolished.

It was then revealed that Zanu-PF may choose to discuss the issue of a female Vice President which was raised during the Grace Mugabe era.

Khaya Moyo said Mnangagwa will appoint his deputies at his own discretion.

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Barclays Zim Boss Quits Following Takeover

By Farai D Hove| Barclays Bank boss, George Guvamatanga, has quit following the announced takeover of his company.

Guvamatanga was managing director for over 28 years at the financial institution.

His decision comes following the company’s takeover by FMB Capital Holdings.

The development was announced by chairman, Mr Antony Mandiwanza who in a statement said Guvamatanga has retired from the bank with effect from November 2017.

The new chief finance officer, is now Samuel Matsekete.

Said Mandiwanza quoted by the state media, “following the successful completion of the transaction between Barclays Bank PLC and FMB Capital Holdings, the board of directors for Barclays Bank of Zimbabwe would like to inform all stakeholders that the managing director of Barclays Bank of Zimbabwe, Mr George Guvamatanga has retired from the bank with immediate effect from November 2017 in order to pursue other interests.

“The bank is deeply indebted to George for his 28 years of dedicated service, 10 of which he was the managing director of Barclays Bank of Zimbabwe. George steered the business through difficult times whilst managing to lead the bank’s growth scale and profitability over the period…”

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US Senators Debate Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe Today

US senators are today discussing Zimbabwe’s future following the rise of Emmerson Mangagwa and former Finance Minister Tendai Biti is one of the panelists. The sessions are being held in New York, NY and Washington, DC.

The programs start at 2pm and the outline is as below:

The Future of Zimbabwe

Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy

Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Presiding: Senator Flake

Panel One

  1. The Honorable Stephanie Sullivan
    Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau Of African Affairs
    U.S. Department of State
    Washington, DC

Panel Two

  1. Mr. Peter Godwin
    Author And Journalist
    New York, NY
  2. Mr. Tendai Biti
    Former Finance Minister And Opposition Leader
    Harare, Zimbabwe
  3. Mr. Dewa Mavhinga
    Southern Africa Director
    Human Rights Watch
    Johannesburg, South Africa
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Wicknell Chivayo Boasts: “Even If I Go To … Prison, It’s A Day Or Two”

https://youtu.be/OqbcQCBRsVk?t=12m26s

Convicted fraudster and Chikurubi inmate (2005-2007), Wicknell boasts saying, “even if I go to remand prison, it’s a day or two.” The man who obtained an illegal cash payment of $5million for ZESA’s Gwanda Solar’s lawyer, Thabani Mpofu told the Daily News Chivayo was picked up on Sunday and reports point to the CIO Fraud Squad to be behind the arrest. He last night however re-surfaced on social media and began boasting about how untouchable he is. A witness who was together with Chivayo during his years at Chikurubi Maximum Prison, (jailed on allegations of staging a coup on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s behalf), Cpt Albert Matapo tells ZimEye he believes Chivayo has been paying bribes to ward off criminal investigations.  VIDEO:

https://youtu.be/01t1jQ7YMQY?t=28s

 

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SADC Seeks Funds To Control Army Worm

SADC agriculture experts have called for urgent financial support to governments to ensure effective management of the fall armyworm in Southern Africa. This came out at the recent stakeholder meeting held in South Africa.

Fall armyworm is a new pest in Southern Africa, which causes extensive damage to crops if not controlled in time. The pest has 10 to 12 cycles and can continue recurring after the first spray. The meeting, which called for increased investment and stronger coordination and partnerships in responding to the pest, was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Representatives of SADC member states, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), donors, development partners, farmers’ organisations, academia and research organisations observed that since the fall armyworm had established itself on the continent and in the region, there was no other option than to manage it effectively and sustainably.

SADC member states and stakeholders were challenged to make strong commitments by allocating more funding, developing programmes and putting in place infrastructure for the management of the fall armyworm and other emerging and re-emerging crop pests and diseases with potential to cause food insecurity in the region.

FAO sub-regional coordinator for Southern Africa Mr David Phiri said given its adaptability and tenacious nature, many experts believed the pest would continue spreading and impacting on food security.

“We have, however, an opportunity to prevent this threat from reaching disastrous proportions, by building the resilience of farmers and institutions to this pest,” he said. The meeting identified funding gaps with respect to farmer education and awareness, monitoring and surveillance, impact assessment, research, as well as rolling out of pest management options.

“There is, therefore, an urgent need to support governments in the region with financial resources to ensure effective management of the fall armyworm in Southern Africa,” he said. All Southern African mainland countries, except Lesotho, are infested with the fall armyworm.

The pest has also been confirmed in the island states of Madagascar and Seychelles, leaving only Mauritius untouched. According to FAO, 1,5 million hectares in Zimbabwe were affected by the pest, 27 000 hectares of crops in Botswana, 138 000 hectares in Malawi, 23 000 hectares in Namibia and over 280 000 hectares in Zambia.

Last year, stakeholders undertook a number of responses, including distribution of pesticides, research, surveillance and monitoring and training of extension officers and farmers, and raising awareness of relevant stakeholders. The meeting observed that pesticide management was still a challenge in the region, especially among smallholder farmers.

It also agreed that the use of synthetic pesticides should only be used as a last resort, and only if they are safe to humans and the environment and are effective in controlling the fall armyworm.- state media

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Mnangagwa Meets Zanu PF Stalwarts

Zanu-pf President and First Secretary Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday met the revolutionary party’s provincial chairpersons to get an update of the situation in their respective provinces. The revolutionary party’s spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo confirmed the development.

“The President and First Secretary of zanu-pf Emmerson Mnangagwa met with all the party’s provincial chairpersons at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare today (yesterday) to obtain first-hand information on the goings-on in their respective provinces,” he said.

“The President directed the implementation of previous announcements regarding the expulsions and suspensions of party members. The chairpersons fully understood and appreciated the position.” President Mnangagwa recently implored party cadres not to engage in any form of retribution, urging members to let “bygones be bygones and work towards achieving the goal of unity in the party”.

President Mnangagwa’s meeting with provincial chairpersons comes as zanu-pf is preparing for an Extraordinary Congress. The Congress will be held on Friday at the Robert Mugabe Square.

The non-elective Congress will deal with specific issues that came out during a special Central Committee meeting held on November 19. The Extraordinary Congress is expected to endorse the recalling of former President Robert Mugabe and the installation of President Mnangagwa as the First Secretary and President by the Central Committee on November 19.

The Central Committee also indicated that President Mnangagwa would be the party’s presidential candidate in the 2018 harmonised elections. The Extraordinary Congress is also expected to uphold the decision by the Central Committee to expel G40 cabal members such as former First Lady Grace Mugabe, former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, Professor Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere, Patrick Zhuwawo, Makhosini Hlongwane, Ignatius Chombo, Anastancia Ndlovu, Walter Mzembi, Kudzanai Chipanga, Mandi Chimene and Letina Undenge.

Others are Samuel Undenge, Sarah Mahoka, Mpehlabayo Malinga, Xavier Kazizi, Tongai Kasukuwere and Innocent Hamandishe, Eunice Sandi Moyo and Shadreck Mashayamombe The Central Committee meeting also resolved to improve the standing of war veterans and reinstate District Coordinating Committees that had been abolished.

The Central Committee further resolved that all Central Committee members elected at the 2014 Congress but suspended or expelled from the party subsequent to the Congress on the basis of fictitious or fabricated allegations by the G40 cabal be reinstated. Members from the lower organs of the party, that is: provincial, district, branch councils, who were suspended or expelled from the party subsequent to the 2014 Congress were also reinstated to the positions they held. For the first time, the Extraordinary Congress business will take only a day and the budget for the event has been slashed from $8 million to around $3 million.

About 6 000 delegates drawn from the Central Com­mittee, National Consultative Assem­bly, National Council of the Women’s League, National Council of the Youth League, Provincial Executive Coun­cils and the main, women’s and youth wings are expected to attend the Extraordinary Congress. Foreign delegates have also been invited as per tradition.- state media

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MUGABE GONE: Monica Mustvangwa Hits The Ground Running

Newly appointed Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Monica Mutsvangwa has vowed to give her all in turning around the developmental fortunes of the province.

In a wide-ranging interview in Mutare on Wednesday, Mutsvangwa who replaced self-exiled Ms Mandi Chimene, said: “President Emmerson Mnangagwa has already outlined his vision for the whole country and we are taking our visions from there to make sure that we actually speed up the developmental projects of the province. There is need to show seriousness on this issue.

“The events of the past month tell us that Zimbabweans from across the political divide expect at least something, at least low hanging fruits. They have been going through a difficult time. You know what has been happening, the liquidity crunch, people are failing to access their own money. These are the issues that the President is very much seized with. I am here in Manicaland to make sure that his vision becomes a reality.”

Mutsvangwa bemoaned the sorry state of Mutare and its environs and called for immediate action to address some of the challenges the city is grappling with.

“The City of Mutare is in a sorry state and has nothing to show that it is the fourth largest city in the country. As we are speaking, it is almost like a ghost city. Industries are closed. We need to look at ways of using our resources to resuscitate industries in Manicaland.

“We want to look at what investments we can bring here to create employment. We have so many university graduates roaming the streets as airtime vendors. We were so proud when Quest Motors opened its factory, but now it is a shell. It is now a white elephant, so these are the issues that need urgent address. The potholes on the roads are just an eyesore.

“Honestly for a fourth largest city in the country, we deserve something better than this. There are no shades at bus stops. Issues of water in Dangamvura are some of the areas we can quickly look into and address them. This starts with us dealing with corruption,” she said.

She implored on all civil servants to put their shoulders on the wheel and change their mindsets.

“I must say I have been appointed by a President who has outlined his vision very clearly and has talked to civil servants. He told them that this culture of business as usual should just stop. Slothfulness and coming to office late should be things of the past. We are calling on all civil servants to do their work professionally.

“I am known for hard work. I am prepared to work day and night. I will certainly make sure that whenever and wherever I am supposed to be I will be there on time to ensure that the President’s vision for Manicaland is achieved. We have eight months before we have our elections and my task is to make sure that the 100-days vision of our President, His Excellency Honourable ED Mnangagwa is realised,” she said.- state media

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ZSP Renewal Panic As South African Banks Threaten To Freeze Zimbabweans Bank Accounts

After some torturous months of uncertainty surrounding their stay in South Africa as their permits neared expiry, thousands of Zimbabwean nationals in the country are now contending with threats by local banks to freeze their accounts by end of the month when the permits elapse.

Some 250 000 holders of the Zimbabwean Special Dispensation Permit (ZSP), who are among millions that have fled economic and political crises to the neighbouring South Africa, are in panic mode as none of the new permits would be issued by December 31.

The Department of Home Affairs recently extended the deadline for applications to the end of January.

This will pave way for the issuing of the new Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP).

As the expiry of the current permits draw to an end, some South African banks have alerted Zimbabwean account holders to the possibility of freezing their accounts pending the issuance of new permits.

Hordes of Zimbabwean clients banking with ABSA, Capitec, First National Bank (FNB), Nedbank and Standard Bank confirmed receiving notifications to renew their permits lest their accounts were frozen.

“I have been warned to bring with new documents before the December 31 expiry date. After receiving this message, I promptly rushed to the bank hall to verify. Officials plainly told me they will freeze it if no permit is received,” said Mlungisi Ndebele of Alexandra township north of Johannesburg.

A Zimbabwean client with the same bank raised similar concerns.

“Now, if banks freeze our accounts, they would have skinned us alive! I have kept all the money for my three-year savings with the intention to purchase a car and a house,” Ruzvidzo Takawira of Bramley, Johannesburg said.- CAJ

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Chivayo Out Of Jail | BREAKING NEWS

Ray Nkosi | Flamboyant businessman Wicknell Chivayo, who was picked up by officers from Serious Fraud Squad at his residence yesterday morning has been freed.

Chivayo took to social media on instagram beaming in a LIVE video where he seems to be boasting about his latest jail escapade, his popularity and saying, ” I think I should run for President.”

“You make a $100 million usina kuvengwa nevanhu like this,” brags Chivayo.

Reports indicate that Chivayo’s company, Intratek Zimbabwe, was awarded a $200 million USD tender by Zimbabwe’s power utility company ZESA.

Chivayo was also awarded a further $73 million for the refurbishment of the Harare Power Station, $163 million for the restoration of the Munyati Power Station, and $248 million for the Gairezi Power project by the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) — a subsidiary of Zesa Holdings.

An advance payment of $5 million was made to Chivayo for the Gwanda Solar project’s pre-commencement works, despite him not providing a performance guarantee as required by law.

Watch for more…

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TONGOGARA ASSASSINATION: Mnangagwa Exorcises Ghost Of Colonialism

“The government has never given us an opportunity as a family to go and see where the accident that killed my husband took place…”

President Emmerson Mnangagwa says the renaming of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) barracks marks exorcising of the ghost of colonialism.

President Mnangagwa said this when he officially renamed the King George VI Barracks to Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks in Harare this morning.

General Josiah Tongogara’s widow and children attend the KGVI to JMT Barracks renaming event.

Tongogara’s widow Amai Angeline Tongogara and children who include Hondo, Conrad, Tichafa, Bvumai, Granger and Nyaradzo also attended the event.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, four days after the renaming of the barracks, state broadcaster, ZBC, visited Tongogara’s widow, Gogo Angeline Tongogara nee Gamanya at her place of residence where she was interviewed.

The widow, who was sobbing throughout the interview, revealed that since 26 December 1979 when she received the sad news from President Mugabe, Solomon Mujuru and others, informing her that her husband had died in a car accident in Mozambique, till today – nearly 40 years later – she has not been allowed to visit the accident scene.

“The government has never given us an opportunity as a family to go and see where the accident that killed my husband took place. They have never given us an explanation why we have been taken to the accident scene. All I hear is that the place is protected,” she said.

In 2012, Gogo Angeline Tongogara, who sired four children with Zanla commander General Josiah Magama Tongogara, demanded that she be driven to the scene of the accident where her husband died mysteriously over three decades ago, saying the circumstances surrounding his death were still haunting her.

 

Angeline told the State-owned Sunday Mail newspaper that she was still in the dark over the cause of the accident and was bitter over the way President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF government had handled her husband’s death.

 

“I was just told he was involved in an accident. His usual driver, the one I knew, didn’t go with him on this day. He went with another driver. His secretary was Oppah Muchinguri and she was in the same car with him when the accident happened. I was told that he was the only one who had died. As the wife of Cde Tongo and as the mother of his four children, my request is that: ‘Please, please can you arrange for me to go and see where my husband died?’ As long as I am alive, it still troubles me,” she said.

Former President Robert Mugabe has completely ignored Gogo Angeline Tongogara’s request to be taken to the accident scene, supposedly for reasons best known to himself.
She also claimed she was not afforded an opportunity to carry out a full body viewing of her husband’s corpse nor was she invited to witness the exhumation and reburial of his remains at the National Heroes’ Acre in 1981.

“I removed the cloth starting from the head and I saw the wounds, but as I was about to pull away the cloth so I could see the whole body, Josiah Tungamirai came and said: ‘Why are you letting her touch this body?’ I was injected and I passed out. I don’t know what happened from there. When I woke up, I was now at the President (Robert Mugabe)’s house.”

General Tongo, as the late Zanla commander was affectionately known, died on the spot after his vehicle crashed in Mozambique on December 26, 1979 as most war cadres were heading home after a ceasefire had been declared.

Former Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith also insisted in his memoirs that Tongogara’s “own people” killed him, and that he had disclosed at the Lancaster House talks in London earlier that year that Tongogara was under threat.

“I made a point of discussing his death with our police commissioner and head of Special Branch, and both assured me that Tongogara had been assassinated,” Smith wrote.
A former detective in the Law and Order section of the now defunct BSA Police (replaced by the Zimbabwe Republic Police) saw photographs of Tongogara’s body.

The photographs showed three wounds, consistent with gunshot wounds, in his upper torso. The undertaker’s statement was not a formal autopsy report and as such was dismissed by all, but senior Zanu politburo member. -agencies

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Kasukuwere Sidekicks To Be Fired

Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi | Newly appointed Local Government Minister, July Moyo has vowed to weed out corrupt council officials here, it has emerged.

Several officials including councillors were fingered in cases of corruption and they were never prosecuted because they enjoyed protection from former Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere.

An official from Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association told ZimEye.com last week Moyo had invited them to bring the damning report they compiled against corrupt council officials.

The Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association Official also said Moyo promised them that all corrupt officials would be fired.

“We will soon send a high powered delegation to hold a meeting with Minister Moyo.

The Minister also vowed to weed out corrupt elements.

We compiled several letters that were swept under the carpet by Kasukuwere,” said the official.

The chairperson of Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association, Jonathan Muusha Mupamombe said he hoped the new Minister would deal with numerous cases of corruption affecting Chiredzi Town Council.

“There are several cases of corruption which were swept under the carpet by Kasukuwere. I am happy the new Minister has promised to deal with corruption decisively,” said Mupamombe.

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Impious Bootlicking Hungwe Angers Churches

Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | Masvingo State Minister Josaya Dunira Hungwe is a man who is well known for his boot-licking traits.

At one point he said soldiers would be deployed to defend former President Robert Mugabe at all costs.

Last week Hungwe was at it again.He equated President Emmerson Mnangagwa to biblical character Nehemiah.

Hungwe also equated Zanu PF to Jerusalem and likened the G-40 Faction to King Nebuchadnezzar.

Responding to Hungwe’ s utterances, concerned church leaders said Hungwe’ s sentiments should not go unchallenged.

Several church leaders said Hungwe’ s blasphemous comments were very unfortunate.

“It is sad to note that politicians are abusing the bible to propagate their views.

Hungwe’ s line of argument is totally divorced from the biblical concept he used,” said a Masvingo based church leader.

“Hungwe must leave the pulpit to those who were ordained to preach.His comments are unfortunate.

He went out of the way in a bid to please his political masters, ” fumed another church leader.

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MDC SUCCESSION: Tsvangirai Wins MDC Youths Support

https://youtu.be/uM79aNzdChI?t=2

Statement| The Youth Assembly hereby wishes to announce that we stand guided by our previous position that President Tsvangirai is our candidate for the watershed 2018 elections. We remain convinced that President Tsvangirai is our best foot forward and we fully support his candidature as the MDC alliance President in 2018 elections.

The MDC Youth Assembly will escalate its campaign to have reforms realised before we go for the watershed elections in 2018. We are aware of the shenanigans that ZEC is undertaking to scuttle progress with regards to the preparation of the next elections. We reiterate our commitment to waging a peaceful campaign for electoral reforms. In this regard we will continue with our mass peaceful demonstrations to ensure ZEC will deliver a credible and fair election that will see a leadership chosen by the people in the coming elections. We are convinced a credible election will result in President Tsvangirai ascending to the highest office of the land.

It is our considered view that Makarau should be replaced by a competent fair and neutral candidate. We will not accept any compromised candidate to assume the chairmanship of ZEC in the likes of the tainted Justice George Chiweshe.

We are also aware that the first phase of our struggle to democratise this country has been achieved through the resignation of one Robert Mugabe. We have always maintained that the road to freedom begins with removing the impediment to the struggle for emancipation and economic empowerment. We have achieved that and we move on to the second level of our struggle which is to dismantle the system that Mugabe and ZANU PF created over the years.

The meeting noted that there is a serious misinterpretation of what happened on the 18th of November 2017 when millions of Zimbabweans marched in several cities doted across the globe. We want to restate that the people of Zimbabwe who marched with soldiers and their military tanks did that in pursuit of a departure from the old order of patronage, in which Zimbabwe was trapped up in. The people of Zimbabwe do not anticipate a replacement of the old system with an equally clueless and corrupt Zanu PF leadership.

Our people marched in an attempt to express a desire to negotiate a new contract of governance with those in power. The march was more to do with forging a contract of self respect and care for one another.

We therefore resolve to demand a state anchored on constitutionalism, rule of law and respect for human, socio and economic rights; three things that were absent in both Mnangagwa’s inauguration speech and Chinamasa‘s 2018 budget.

The Youth Assembly note with concern the continued presence of the military on our streets. Whilst we appreciate the heroic and brave efforts of the military in stepping in to assist, we are also concerned that the deployment of soldiers in several places especially against the vendors is an abuse of a process that had previously been given goodwill by the people of Zimbabwe who were tired of the 37 years of misrule under Robert Mugabe.

This deployment of the military is also an impediment in the holding of a free fair and credible election. We therefore demand that the leaders of the defence forces own up to their promise and ensure a smooth return of the gunmen to their barracks. We now await to hear from Major General S.B Moyo since he is the one who assured the nation that the military intervention was only going to last for a few days. Without a closing statement to that effect we will hold him accountable and responsible.

Our meeting also took stock of the so-called weeding out of criminal elements. The balance sheet reflected in post military intervention audit of events points to a betrayal of the hope that had been raised in the hearts of Zimbabweans. We are suspicious of the arrests of just individuals aligned to the former first lady from hell, Grace Mugabe while factually corrupt individuals like Obert Mpofu have been retained in the government.

We demand an independent inquiry into the Marange diamonds scandal particularly the disappearance of 15 billion.

The meeting called for the extension of the voter registration period after recent disturbances by events in the recent past.

The factional removal of only 3700 youth officers is not enough to deal with the unnecessary burden of ghost workers. A complete audit of the civil servants establishment is required.

The Assembly reiterates its full support of the MDC Alliance framework which we believe is the way forward to bringing about a new dispensation. We stand fully behind President Tsvangirai in his partnership with fellow opposition parties to usher in a new democratic state.

Mnangagwa has a lot to do for many of us to believe that he is capable of running the affairs of the country. We have a few questions that are critical for him to address. He represents the past and has no role in the future of this country. Mnangagwa will never find it easy to rule this country as long as he has not come clean about his role in the 1980s Matabeleland massacre.

Mnangagwa must come out clean on the 15 billion that was siphoned out of the diamonds industry. He has to come out clean on the shady deals that have been happening in the diamond mining industry.

As a show of goodwill, we challenge Mnangagwa to institute a serious inquiry into the whereabouts of Itai Dzamara, the inquiry must provide weekly update to the nation and the family of Itai Dzamara as directed by the courts.

Zanu PF has engaged in corruption over the years and we demand Mnangagwa to provide answers to what really transpired.

Mnangagwa’s so called new government has deliberately sidelined youth participation in governance structures. The MDC led by President Tsvangirai will be a panacea to this unacceptable dereliction of duty.

Mnangagwa is clearly on a warpath with the generation of young people by deliberately excluding them from power structures. Having replaced a 93 year old with a 75 year old it has became obvious that the trajectory Zanu PF is taking is that of taking this country backwards and never forward.

Cde Bvondo

 

MDC YOUTH ASSEMBLY NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON

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German’s CDU of Angela Merkel: No Coalition With Neo-Nazi Party! And Opposition Parties in Zimbabwe?

By Nomazulu Thata | Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Party is having a horrendous task in forming a coalition government: in Zimbabwe, Zanu PF was spoilt for choices: who in the opposition can they pick-and cherry: to be part of the so-called inclusive government. The moral fabric of the nation, the bar measurement of human values and principles in Zimbabwe has sunk so low, its desperation of the first order!!!!!! Where are those revolutionary aspirations that led the African country to take up arms and fight Smith regime and replace it with the majority rule. The differences between current political German imbroglio and the sudden stolen hope for Zimbabwe are interesting to observe.

The general elections in Germany were held on the 25th of September this year; Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Party had the mandate to form a government. Despite the fact that Angela Merkel’s CDU party won the elections, they fell short of the percentage vote to form a government with their sister party Bavarian CSU. A Jamaican government was envisaged: Christian Democratic Union, The Green Party, and The Free Democratic Party. (Jamaica means in this case the German parties’ colours of the flag of the country Jamaica) After weeks of negotiations to find a consensus, the parties failed to find a common ground that was going to pave way for a coalition government. It was almost impossible to secure trend shifts that voters desperately wanted in areas of migration, tax and economy.

In the 2017 German’s general elections: the Christian Democratic Party together with their sister party: Christian Social Party CSU got 32,9% votes; the Social Democratic Party SPD got 20,8%: the Leftists or Radical Left got 9,2%: the Greens got 8,9% The Free Democratic Party got 10,7% and the Alternative for Germany (AfG) got 12,6% votes. The party: AfG (Alternative for Deutschland) came out with a resounding electoral victory that shocked the nation and the region as a whole.

For a party that has far right tendencies to near Neo-Nazi ideology ever to win a whopping 13% was indeed a shock. AfG: or Alternative for Germany was formed in 2013 whose members originated from Christian Democratic Party and their sister party CSU. These are children of some German conservatives, children of the establishment. Their 13% win, the third largest parliament vote: 94 seats out of 907 available seats: one can say with equal truth that AfD was the winner of the 2017 general elections. Their win rocked the main political establishments in Germany and indeed the German population.

The AfD rod into the fears of some German populace: fear of foreigners, fear of mass migration by literally stealing the votes from the CDU and SPD voters. Their mantra was simple: Germany for Germans! They were disgruntled with the way Angela Merkel bailed out Greece’s economy at the expense of the German tax

payer: purely emotional issues immigration and the Euro currency were their potent issues. The coming of Syrian migrants at the borders of Germany: Angela Merkel admitted them under the auspices that is was a humanitarian catastrophe at their door steps, about one million refugees from Syria were allowed in Germany within a month alone. That was fertile ground for the Neo-Nazis to show their anger through the ballot box! Its tone was nationalist, xenophobic and racist. The question is how are they going to hold their caucus together? This question is for another day.

The Jewish Central Council confirmed its fears about the resurgence of Neo-Nazism in Germany regarding the 2017 elections.

To this date: 10th December 2017 the German government has no working government in place. The envisaged “Jamaica coalition has failed dismally on issues relating to migration and energy policies: their bone of contention. The coalition is called Jamaica its nicknamed because of the colours of the Jamaican flag. This coalition that collapsed last Sunday was the only plausible, only option of a coalition Angel Merkel had at her disposal. The views of the three parties were so polarised manly on migration: Angela Merkel described the pulling away from talks by the Free Democrats as regrettable. Another election is looming in Germany.

The difference between Alternative for Germany and Zanu PF Zimbabwe is wide apart. The alternative for Germany is a protest party tinged with Neo-Nazi overtones: is openly a racist party. The AfG Party is concerned about the Islamisation in Germany, they are concerned about the flow of migration into Germany especially, they are disgruntled about the way the government under Merkel bailed out the Greek government when the Greece government went bankrupt.

AfG propagates the complete shutting down of external borders of Germany which in itself is a contradiction of Shengen – the EU free movement zone. Some influential leader of the party AfG even suggested that any migrants trying to enter Germany illegally should be shot at. It is this rhetoric adopted from the Nazi past that shocks the Germany societies. The AfG indeed taped into the peoples’ anxieties over the Islamic influence in Western Europe that makes it almost impossible to partner with any main stream parties in Germany to form a government.

Zanu PF government, on the other hand, is a party whose new president: Emerson Mnangagwa is tainted with blood on his hands. The genocide of the early 1980s, the murdered farmers and their workers of the Millennium, the loss of life and livelihoods in Murambatsvina of 2005, and the violent general elections of 2008 were all perpetrated by the current government of Zanu PF. Serious crimes against humanity were committed by this party called Zanu PF. In civilized countries Zanu would never be allowed to be in government hence AfD can never be part of the government despite the fact that they legally won 94 parliamentary seats in September this year. It should however be noted that AfG’s rhetoric is tinged with Nazi overtones, is racist

and that alone disqualifies them to be part of the government with Angela Merkel’s CDU although AfG brand of nationalism is less than that of the Third Reich.

In civilized countries there is no government that can be allowed to get into power through the back door; a military coup is just unheard of in civilized countries. Germans learnt their hard lessons in the Third Reich: The atrocities of the Third Reich are well documented. Perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity were punished. By punishing them, Germany set precedence to all other countries that genocidal dictates of the Third Reich, vagabonds, thugs, criminals have no place in a civilized world. After the WW2 the German governments of East and West had the task of politicizing the masses about the dangers of Nazism and its ideology. However traces of Neo-Nazi’s still exist, evidenced by the AfG 13% vote win in the 2017 general elections. The German government is working on the eradication of Neo-Nazi vestiges in all aspects of their societies: nurseries, schools, universities, work places. In Zimbabwe we are told to forget the atrocities of the past and move on because the economy is important!

Why is Zimbabwe delivering itself over to the raving genocidal dictates of re-invented Zanu PF? What has happened to civilization and humanity UBUNTU in Zimbabwe? Have the people of Zimbabwe forgotten about those unforgettable atrocities of our resent history? We watched with dismay the fusion of the ordinary people and the army in such a short space of time demonstrating together in the towns and cities of Zimbabwe, a demonic act that factional Zanu PF- Lacoste- forged to get legitimacy. We watched with dismay the very people who were victims of Murambatsvina massed together like sardines at the Gwanzura Stadium to witness the inauguration of President Mnangagwa: the povo shedding their minds and souls.

Was Mnangagwa, not long ago an eager bloodthirsty killer, a mass murderer of Gugurahundi atrocities, white farmers and their workers, crimes against humanity perpetrated in 2005 code-named Murambatsvina, together with the assistance of the army: they killed, maimed, raped the very population now in mass hysteria of hero-worshipping frenzy? Are the masses incapable on mining back those atrocities that happened not even ten years and inform themselves: never again with this murderous of Zanu PF? In November this year 2017 Mnangagwa fled Zimbabwe because his life was in danger and was given protection by the Zulus in South Africa: Those ancestors whose grandchildren Mnangagwa murdered cold-blood, the Ndebele tribe he wanted to exterminate/annihilate in 1983 -1987 genocide.

What is even nauseating and galling is how opposition parties’ possessing of some ever-present receptivity to embrace “born-again” Zanu PF, and their readiness to work together in an inclusive government of national unity. This will never happen in Germany today hence Germany still does not have a substantive government of coalition parties. Angela Merkel’s CDU/CSU will never invite AfG Party to form a government. Dignified decent personalities across the civic and political divide in Zimbabwe expressed their readiness to work with Zanu Pf despite its visceral

culture, a party reputed of obscene criminality of certain individuals driven by tribal hatred and intolerance to dissent.

The government of Zimbabwe is an illegitimate one that came to power through the back door. There was a military coup in Zimbabwe and therefore the present government is unconstitutional and illegitimate. The army violated the constitution. The judiciary violated the constitution. The presence of the army in the streets of Zimbabwe and how they are now harassing the public is a quintessence brewed from the darkest elements of Zanu PF dating back from the struggle for liberation of Zimbabwe. There are soldiers dying in those barracks today and we shall never know how many of them: it is a military junta in power in the sense of the word. Black lives matter. We shall continue to fight for the rights of those who died prematurely, those in military prisons because of the November military take-over because black lives matter!

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MNANGAGWA IN : A Clear and Present Danger – ZANU PF Strategy to Rule Forever

by Tapson Muchena | A new era has dawned in Zimbabwe… or has it? In recent weeks, to popular acclamation and adulation, ZANU PF and the war veterans have used the military to depose the erstwhile President, install Emmerson Mnangagwa in office, and to tighten their grip on power. Let there be no doubt that power is what it is all about. The triumvirate of ZANU PF, the military and the war veterans that got rid of Mugabe has a vision of a Zimbabwe ruled by ZANU PF forever.

In a previous article, I discussed a strategy that ZANU PF might adopt to maintain its grip on power. I have repeated the substance of my argument here and gone on to explain how events of recent days have shown just how relevant it is.

Mugabeism is dead but ZANU PF has not passed away. Mugabe had lost the people and was leading ZANU PF to destruction. President Mnangagwa’s brief is to set the ship of state on a steady course to economic recovery and to win back popular support while ensuring the continuance of ZANU PF rule.
Zimbabwe is not a one party state and ZANU PF requires a strategy to maintain the dominance and a grip on power that it has achieved. So how might ZANU PF’s strategy to maintain power work in a democratic Zimbabwe?
A recent book by Australian political scientist John Keane, ‘When Trees Fall, Monkeys Scatter’, examines how the Chinese Communist Party continues its unbroken rule of 68 years despite numerous predictions that the system would fail. His analysis reveals eerie parallels to the Zimbabwe situation and explains how adaptability and responsiveness have replaced rigid authoritarianism to maintain the party in power. What would happen if Keane’s model were applied to government in Zimbabwe?

The key for ZANU PF would be to draw heavily on the tools of democracy. The party would use voting, elections, and opinion polls widely and constantly, employing numerous polling agencies and cutting-edge methodologies to read public opinion and mood.
Local communities would elect their own leaders. Local and regional governments would conduct votes on matters like proposed developments, parking regulations, and environmental protection laws.

Rather than keeping the lid on everything, the party would use the internet as an early warning device keeping ZANU PF leaders abreast of trends in internet chatter in real time and enabling them to prepare considered responses to fomenting issues.

The Ministry of Information, Communication, Technology and Cyber Security would become much more than the ‘Ministry for WhatsApp’ as the party monitors public opinion and the public mood by intensively surveying the internet. This will not just be censorship to crack down on organised dissent, it will be proactive by conducting wide-ranging online forums and debates, even live-streaming them.

In short, ZANU PF would use democratic methods not to grant democratic freedoms but to create a pseudo-democracy in which it would manage public grievances, respond to public concerns and pre-empt mass dissent in order to maintain its grip on power.
Responsiveness would be the key to ZANU PF’s strategy and Zimbabwe would become a “respondocracy”.

Could this really happen? Would it work in Africa? Just look next door… Botswana has been a respondocracy for 51 years and they change their leadership every ten years without fail. The opposition in Botswana is strong but not strong enough to rule because the respondocracy takes on board sound opposition policies and ideas and implements them before the next election. The end result is that opposition thinks while government implements. The BDP retains power and the ordinary Batswana are happy. Is that what we can look forward to in Zimbabwe?

That ZANU PF is bent on a similar course towards a respondocracy became clear when Patrick Chinamasa delivered his 2018 Budget on Thursday. Tendai Biti must have felt that the rug had been pulled right out from under him as Chinamasa listed the economic failings of the Mugabe regime that the opposition has relentlessly enumerated for years and, one by one, presented strategies to deal with them. At a press conference called on Friday to respond to the Budget, Biti and Nelson Chamisa were clearly floundering as they attempted to present alternatives to their own policies that Chinamasa has appropriated, and Welshman Ncube allowed himself to be side-tracked into demanding that the military return to barracks.
Tendai Biti is no fool. That he understands what is happening is clear from the final paragraphs of his statement in response to the Budget. He zeroes in on ZANU PF’s continuing determination to arrogate power to itself when he says,
“It appears from the budget presented yesterday that the new authorities are intent on implementing some modicum of economic reform whilst maintaining a tight grip on power and political space.”
He also recognises the clear and present danger that ZANU PF is embarking on a Chinese model of control,
“Zimbabwe is now entering a dangerous space of the reproduction of a Beijing model in respect of which political space is closed but legitimacy is bought through the bribery of some economic reforms and the capacity to make the right noises and the correct sound bites without any substantive reforms.”
That is exactly what the Chinese Communist Party is doing!
ZANU PF has long maintained a policy of “looking east” ostensibly as a measure to counter Western imposed sanctions. This policy has most noticeably increased Zimbabwe’s economic ties with China and attracted Chinese investment in construction, business, mining, and infrastructure development. However it would seem that ZANU PF has also been closely studying Chinese President Xi Jinpin’s political laboratory that is continually researching methods of government to keep the CCP in power.
ZANU PF may have ruled Zimbabwe for the past 37 years but they have forfeited any moral right to govern. Do we want our country to continue to be run by a corrupt cabal of thieves and murderers that operates with impunity and an arrogant sense of entitlement? We must continue to fight to remove this blight from our land if we truly want a free, democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe.
We must act quickly to head off a ZANU PF respondocracy by defeating them at the 2018. My fear is that, if they win the coming election, they will use the following five years to entrench an apparently democratic system of government that will use carefully managed democratic methods to effectively control the people and to maintain the party’s grip on power.
The opposition must make the most of this opportunity to act decisively by forming a united coalition to contest the election in eight months time.
The coalition must of necessity be built around the largest established opposition party. The MDC must show that it is genuinely willing to accept the collaboration of other opposition groups and broaden the appeal of the Grand Coalition by transforming the MDC Alliance into the Zimbabwean Alliance. As a matter of urgency, the disparate opposition parties must coalesce into one formidable cohesive force that will inspire Zimbabweans to register and vote in unprecedented numbers to take back control of their country.
There is not a moment to be lost!
Tapson Muchena is an academic and a keen observer of the Zimbabwe situation. He can no longer remain silent.
Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @TapsonMuchena

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EU Lauds Mugabe’s Resignation, Demands Reforms

Ray Nkosi | The European Union has lauded President Robert Mugabe’s standing down, as showing that “that he has listened to the people’s voices.”

In a diplomatically worded statement issued by the EU High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini on the situation in Zimbabwe, the union said, ” It is important now that an inclusive dialogue is established that respects the aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe for a more prosperous and democratic future, and which encourages the acceleration of key reforms.”

In an earlier statement the EU demands that there be reforms first leading to credible elections before funds are released to the new Zimbabwe regime. A point immediatley countered by now exiled Professor Jonathan Moyo who took to twitter to write, “The #EU says no significant new funding for Zimbabwe before credible elections. Ok. But the upfront hurdle to cure is that there can be no credible elections organised & conducted by an illegitimate government run by a Junta following a coup d’etat!”

“The EU stands ready to accompany this process in cooperation with the African Union and SADC, and to assist the Zimbabwean people with all instruments at its disposal in order to meet that objective,” demands the EU.

 

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How Chiwenga, Mnangagwa Held Mugabe Hostage For 9 Years, Uganda’s Mwenda Wades In

Mwenda

Andrew M. Mwenda | There is a widespread assumption that presidents in Africa who rule for long do so out of personal greed for power. This accusation has been made against Robert Mugabe who ruled Zimbabwe for 37 before he was forced to resign recently. It is also the accusation against President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda as the ruling party seeks to amend the constitution and remove age limits so that he can run for the presidency in 2021. Yet when individual cases are examined closely, one finds the reality much more complex and nuanced. Let me illustrate.

In August 2008, while attending the Australian Davos Connection conference on the Hamilton Islands in the Pacific Ocean, I met a man called David Coltart. He was a legislator representing the Movement for Multiparty Democracy in Zimbabwe led by Morgan Tsvangirai. We were invited to a private dinner with the Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd and two other people.

Coltart told us that in the March 2008 presidential elections in Zimbabwe, Tsvangirai got 50.7% while President Robert Mugabe got 43.2%. Even before the results were officially announced, Mugabe sent a team to discuss a transition with the MDC. The two sides met for two days. On the third day the MDC team went to the venue but the government side did not show up.

They tried to reach their counterparts by phone in vain. Later they learnt that the top brass of the ZANU-PF and the security services led by Emmerson Mnangagwa (who had led Mugabe’s campaign), which also included army chief, Gen. Constantino Chiwenga, went to Mugabe and asked him why he was “abandoning them.” Mugabe told them he was not abandoning them. He said they had simply lost an election. No problem, they told Mugabe; we can change the results. And they did.

When the results finally were announced after a month, Tsvangirai had 47.9 against Mugabe’s 43.2%. This called for a second round. The state unleashed such violence and terror against the MDC that Tsvangirai pulled out leaving Mugabe to run alone and win by 85.5%. Mnangagwa was accused of orchestrating the violence.

This story is instructive. It shows that Mugabe’s confederates in ZANU-PF and the security services saw his conceding electoral defeat and handing power to a victorious opposition as betrayal. In agreeing to hold on to power, Mugabe was actually acting more out of group than personal interest.

This screengrab from Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) taken on November 16, 2017, shows Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe (2R) as he poses alongside Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Chiwenga (R) and South African envoys after the army took power.
Secondly Mnangagwa, together with Chiwenga are today hailed as the new messiahs who ended Mugabe’s long rule. Yet they were the ones responsible for stifling a democratic transition in 2008. Indeed, Mugabe was more as a hostage of their power than its architect. And when he sought to initiate a transition to a young generation using his wife, they kicked him out.

Therefore, the celebration of Mugabe’s fall by many Zimbabweans, African elites and the Western media is misinformed. Mnangagwa and his conspirators do not represent a transition of power but maintenance of the status quo. Paradoxically, Mrs Grace Mugabe and her confederates in the G40 represented some form of a transition from the old guard in ZANU-PF.

The coup makers made it clear that their aim was to protect the power and privileges of the ZAPU-PF old guard. The Western media welcomed this non-transition because now they can bribe Mnangagwa with “aid” and removal of economic sanctions so that he can return property confiscated from whites or compensate them. The price will be to hand that country back to multinational capital, not to the people of Zimbabwe.

The lesson is that there are often more complex social dynamics behind political decisions in Africa. Yet most of our commentary tends to reduce such decisions to “personal greed” by presidents. We accuse our leaders of personalising power yet it is us personalising political decisions. We are too lazy and biased to dig beneath the surface and see the actual dynamics shaping our politics. Most of what we have is not knowledge but prejudice; and what goes for analysis is mere speculation.

African academics, politicians and journalists write very few, if any, books. And when we do, we use concepts, adjectives and tropes borrowed from Western academics and journalists who write about Africa. Yet these Westerners rely largely on their prejudices to write about Africa. Thus, even when we have facts, we don’t use them properly to explain why a particular decision in an African country was made.

All too often when analysing politics in Africa, we speculate about “what must have happened” instead of relying on “what actually happened”. Preconceived biases about leaders in Africa become a substitute for knowledge. Hence, existing “knowledge” about African leaders clouds rather than illuminates our understanding of the continent’s politics.

This is not to say leaders in Africa are not power hungry. Rather it is to argue that their individual preferences play a much more limited role compared to the collective interests of the groups they represent. And while our leaders make mistakes, these mistakes when carefully examined, are rarely stupid. It is easy to imagine that we or our preferred politicians would not have acted differently. This is rarely true. When examined closely, political leaders are rarely free actors. Their decisions are imposed upon them more by circumstances than by their personalities.

Look, postcolonial Africa has had 278 changes of leaders. Almost all of them – whether democratically elected politician, nationalist leader for independence, revolutionary hero of an armed struggle, an upstart hoisted to power by a popular insurrection, a military coup maker or peaceful successor to the death of an incumbent president – has come to power promising democracy, honest government and development. Nearly all our countries are still poor and corrupt today. Africa has not produced a South Korea.

If only 20% of our countries for 20% of the time were characterised by poor performance, we would say Africa has a political problem. If 40-50% of our countries for 40-50% of the time performed poorly, we could say Africa has a serious political crisis. But when 80-90% of our nations for 80-90% of the time perform badly, and when these problems remain in spite of 278 changes of leaders over a period of 60 years, and seem impervious to changing political systems, means of acquiring power etc., then the causes must have deep structural roots. We need to begin an entirely new conversation about politics in Africa. It is time to break the chains of the intellectual diet we have been fed about it.

****

[email protected]

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DISTURBING PICTURES: GUNSHOTS- “ZNA Soldiers Shot My Bus,” Beitbridge Tycoon Claims | BUT WERE THEY REALLY ZNA?

By Staff Reporter| A Beitbridge male businessman has claimed that his bus was shot at by soldiers yesterday.

While the exact circumstances of the incident were sketchy, he presented the below pictures which show several bullet holes on the vehicle’s body.

“The passengers inside this bus could have easily been killed, ” commented an observer, Fanwell Dube Sunday night.

The incident is said to have happened near a roadblock and it is said the driver had tried to flee and while escaping soldiers decided to open fire on him. At the time of writing, there was no further evidence to prove that the attackers were truly soldiers.

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Matemadanda “Passionate” About Diaspora

Will he allow the diaspora vote?

By Farai D Hove| The new ZANU PF National Commissar Victor Matemadanda is passionate about the diaspora, it has been said.

The ZANU PF UK Chairman Nick Mangwana says Matemadanda is looking beyond Zimbabwe’s borders and there is a new approach in the party.

Writing on his Twitter portal Monday afternoon, Mangwana said, “Went for a briefing with the NPC Cde Victor “It Can’t” Matemadanda.

“His views are that the grassroots is the party. He is also passionate about the Diaspora & fully behind our resolutions.

“There is a new approach in the party. Back to grassroots.”

It was not clear at the time of writing if Matemadanda will allow diasporans to vote.

 

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EXPOSED: Drug Abuse At School Durawall In Chitungwiza

Staff Reporter| The Professional Association of Medical Doctors in Zimbabwe has exposed evidence of drug abuse at a school in Chitungwiza.

The below picture was taken in Unit M behind St Adains School behind their durawall, and has a cough mixture, BronCleer commonly known on the streets as Bronco – it is not registered and is neither approved to be sold in Zimbabwe. This evidence of drug abuse behind a school should be a great cause for concern, the organisation said Monday morning.

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Is Mnangagwa Shielding Dangerous Criminals ?

Kennedy Kaitano | Dear United Nations,
Zimbabweans welcome all efforts by the new President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government to get rid of criminal behaviour. However, the blitz on such behaviour should be extended to all elements of society, including members of Comrade Mnangagwa’s Lacoste faction, and should be done above body. As raised by MDC-T member of Parliament Innocent Gonese in parliament recently, President Mnangagwa should explain why the army is being involved and has been deployed into the streets to do a job which should normally have been done by the police.
One Magura Charumbira, a self-confessed Lacoste criminal, who has extorted money from vendors in Bulawayo for many years continues to wreak havoc, boasting publicly recently that he is untouchable because he is the one who triggered President Mnangagwa’s rise to Presidency.
ZANU PF’s controversial Bulawayo district youth league leader Magura Charumbira has over the years ordered informal traders to pay $2 protection fees to the ruling party to avoid being harassed by municipal police during the ongoing blitz against illegal vendors. On 27 November 2017, he upped his tempo and ordered Makokoba residents to attend a meeting at Davis Hall, which is Zanu PF’s Provincial headquarters.

The evidence that Magura has the President’s blessing in doing all this is because he has not been arrested, neither have his bank accounts been frozen as has been done to the bank accounts of Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukukuwere. President Mnangagwa, therefore, seems to resemble his mentor former President Mugabe, who would preach non tolerance to violence in one breath, but whisper to his security team to deal ruthlessly with his opponents, and when they get convicted by the courts, interfered to get them freed, like he did when he freed the security agents who nearly killed the now late Patrick Kombayi.

Zimbabwe needs a real new beginning in which it gets a new President outside Zanu PF. And imagine if Magura has the audacity to frog march people to Zanu PF rallies now, what will become of him when official elections campaigns begin? For that reason, I appeal to the United Nations to critically  monitor Zimbabwe’s electoral process leading to the 2018 harmonised elections and help Zimbabweans be able to exercise their democratic right to choose a leader of their choice.

More worrying is the fact that the President has decided to include in his cabinet military and other people who are on record as having been involved in corrupt practices. The report which quotes David Coltart titled How ED got it wrong with first cabinet gives some insights into some of the showdy deals.
I am worried by such dubious leadership and demand that such duplicity be addressed. If the President made made some rushed not-so-well-thought decisions, that is if he is well meaning, it is not too late for him to re-think and act right.
I have copied the Speaker and Clerk of Parliament so that they can forward my complaint to the Dear President for him to reflect on what is happening.
Kennedy Kaitano
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Civil Society Puts Chinamasa Under The Spotlight

By Paul Nyathi | The country’s Civil Society Organisations under the banner of the National People’s Convention will on Tuesday hold a breakfast dialogue with Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa to examine the National Budget presented last week.

The Civil Society Organisations have invited the minister to discuss the budget which has been met with mixed feelings by both ordinary Zimbabweans and economists.

The meeting to be held at the Harare International Conference Centre follows a similar meeting held between Chinamasa and the captains of indust ry last week.

Most Civil Society Organisations have widely condemned the budget which they claim is not accomodating the huge informal sector in the country.

On the contrary the industrialists highly appreciated Chinamasa’s budget describing it as progressive in view of its changed stance towards foreign investment.

The civil society is highly likely to take Chinamasa to the dry cleaners over his attitude on the Devolution close.

ZimEye.com will endeavour to cover the entire discussion live.

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Mliswa Fights Inept Tsvangirai Council

Norton Residence Development Trust (NRDT) will today stage a protest against the Precious Mufahore-led Norton Town Council (NTC) dubbed “Operation Restore Legacy.”

It is just the latest in a series of protests to rock the town amid accusations and counter-accusations.

Today’s protest – under the banner of NRDT— was organised by the local Independent MP Temba Mliswa against the MDC-led council.

“Please kindly read the below electronic flier on a peaceful march against the NTC which was organised by NRDT in line with Operation Restore Legacy,” Mliswa said in an sms sent to residents.

“It is paramount that every Nortonian take part in this demonstration as it targets malpractices by the NTC which are homogeneous across the town.

“The poor service delivery in Norton is being caused by gross levels of corruption and incompetence and as such we should demand the rule of law takes its course. As the Norton MP I am supporting this march as it has nothing to do with politics but service delivery.”

It comes after a July demonstration against Mliswa by the Residents Forum Norton (RFN) that was postponed to give the legislator time to mourn his deceased father.

Norton residents had scheduled a street protest against Mliswa arguing that his constant interference was affecting service delivery.

RFN chapter moved the demo to a later date on compassionate grounds.

Norton mayoress Mufahore has also asked a judge for a restraining order to block the voluble MP from interfering with council business.

In a December 5 letter to Mashonaland West Provincial State minister Webster Shamu, NRDT said it was inviting the minister to receive its petition today against “poor management” and alleged “land barons.”

The letter was copied to Mliswa and the Local Government permanent secretary.

Secretary to Council, Kizito Muhomba, in his response sent to Shamu and seen by the Daily News,  dismissed the issues raised saying the local MP was an ideological adversary.

Mufahore has also said they were flabbergasted by the crusade against their council, and alleged the MP was pursuing a tribal agenda because the Norton municipal council was overwhelmingly dominated by office bearers from Masvingo, an allegation strenuously denied by Mliswa.

RFN chapter chairperson Samson Nduna has also alleged that Mliswa — a fitness trainer — was harassing council employees and regularly threatened to assault them if he does not get his way.

While NRDT alleged there was victimisation of council bureaucrats, Council clarified that the former councillor and Audit Committee chairperson, one Mr Takawira, was not fired by council but actually recalled by the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC in terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

“It was not him alone but also former councillor Nerutanga was recalled. Council had nothing to do with their recalling. Their party, MDC-T can best give the reasons for the decision,” the letter to Shamu said.

Council also said the former senior internal auditor was dismissed from Council following due process.

“He breached the NTC Code of Conduct which applies to all employees of Council.

“We doubt very much that in his mind he would think a demonstration would assist his case,” Muhomba said in his letter to Shamu.

Responding to claims that a land developer, Konshen, of Johannesburg area’s development did not qualify for a compliance certificate but was issued one under unclear circumstances, council said he was actually issued with a compliance certificate in July 2002 upon satisfying development conditions.

“In December 2016 the same developer successfully applied for a subdivision permit on a remainder of the land and further a development was issued to him,” the letter said.

Responding to concerns that the developer has embarked on a new development behind the Catholic Clinic in Maridale where there is no road, water and sewer, Council said in September 2017, it noted development of structures within the area and it duly served him with an enforcement order to immediately stop the illegal occupation of the land.

“The developer responded on 31 October highlighting that he would ensure adherence to regulations,” Shamu was told.

Council gave a clean bill of health to Zimbabwe Amalgamated Housing Association Trust (Zaha) which bought land from Galloway Agricultural Enterprises.

“Zaha is currently servicing the remainder of Galloway, which is referred to as Galloway Phase 2,” Muhomba said in the letter, rubbishing corruption allegations.

“Council has also issued Zaha with a parallel development permit dated 18 August 2015 to allow the developers to concurrently service the scheme whilst their beneficiaries are putting up their structure to facilitate the provision of housing accommodation within the town.”

On concerns over water supply, Council said it had engaged a consultant for the design of a water treatment plant and a water master plan for the town.

“The scope of the project includes the consultant coming up with the bid documents for the construction works. Because council does not have funds for the project, there will be a PPP (public-private partnership) arrangement.

“Council has been working with the (Local Government) ministry on the project. An expression of interest was done and two companies were shortlisted for the construction bidding. Bidding is expected to close on 8 January 2017,” council said in the letter to Shamu.

On concerns about the absence of a home industry, council said this was false as there was “indeed one, commonly known as ‘durawall’ though it may not cater for the needs of all who require it.”  Responding to concerns about the absence of proper rank for kombis, council said it has entered into partnership through tender for traffic management and rank construction.

“The construction of the rank should have started some time back. The partner seems to be having challenges getting forex,” council told the minister.

It also strenuously denied claims that there were no 2018 Budget consultations.

“Council called for meetings with all stakeholders although others felt left out as they wanted meetings specifically for them alone and not joined with other of similar objectives and these could not provide requirements like constitution as per Council policy and indeed for their identification,” Muhomba said in the latter to Shamu.- Daily News 

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Zim Flag Confusion Hits Harare

By Paul Nyathi | Walking around the streets of Harare there is an obvious confusion on the positioning of the National Flag.

Some premises are hoisting the flag at half-mast while others have taken the flag to the top.

National flags are put at half-mast when the country is going through a mourning period usually following the death of a high profile national figure.

Zimbabwe mourned the passing on of former Minister of Health Doctor Timoth Stamps who was declared a national hero and was interred at a private family ceremony on thursday last week.

Zimbabwean general regulations normally give the nation a mourning period up to the day of burial of the person declared to be mourned for.

Stamps’ private family ceremony may have left Zimbabweans confused if he had been buried yet or not so as to raise the flags high.

A security personnel at the Zimbabwe Open University Building in the CBD told ZimEye.com that he was told to fly the flags half way over a week ago and no one has told him to raise them and so will not change from the directive.

“That was the instruction I was given and I can’t change until I am told to change,” he said.

The confusion on the flag is so bad that even flags at the parliament buildings were not corresponding with those at the government offices across the road.

Efforts to get a comment from the Ministry of Information in Harare were fruitless.