A Harare bound PCJ Motorways bus travelling from Botswana to Harare overturned today at the 110 kilometre peg on the Bulawayo to Harare highway at 4am. Scores of people were injured with some said to have lost their limbs. There were no fatalities recorded on site. MORE PICTURES: Click here to view.
“We do not know what the driver encountered but there was no other vehicle nearby when the bus overturned,” said an unidentified female passenger who was bleeding from the ear. bus colapsed… rescuers inspect the wreckage
A police officer said ambulances rushed seriously injured passengers to hospitals in Bulawayo. Some of the ambulances transported the injured to Gweru.
“We do not know how many were injured as the ambulances arrived before we got here,” said a police officer at the scene.
The accident scene was like a dirty dump site as the passengers’ luggage was strewn all over. There were big and ugly red patches of blood on the road that hinted at the ordeal the passengers went through.
The Shangani area is now a black spot for motorists and passengers. Last year a Pathfinder Bus overturned killing seven and injuring scores of passengers. Several fatal accidents have been witnessed in the same area before.
Harare- Prophet Emmanual Makandiwa’s church has a significant number of members who are gay, the
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe organisation, has said.
Makandiwa who on Sunday insulted homosexuals should be ready for the fight as the vulnerable community knows part of his (Makandiwa) congregants who are their (GALZ) members, the organisation said.
GALZ said should Makandiwa continue insulting them they are going to name and shame such individuals to the public.
The fight back emerges after Makandiwa said homosexuals were mentally sick last Sunday.
This did not go well with GALZ which Monday told Makandiwa to shut up or face the music.
“It is one thing for you to remain silent or neutral about homosexuality; it is quite another for you to castigate us when some of your followers are LGBT people themselves hence statements such as the ones quoted in the Sunday Mail hinder his ability to reach out to the people that yearn for God’s love”, said GALZ Monday.
GALZ said they were expecting Makandiwa to play a peace maker role between the group and government which always lambast them.
“One of the fundamental roles of the church is to foster love, unity, and empathy and cohesion in society. This does not seem to be reflected in his offensive comments that serve only to reinforce the prejudice against LGBT people in this country and encourage persecution. Being a pastor is more about being willing to be led by God and changed by the people you meet than issuing infallible decrees from the pulpit”, GALZ added.
The organization said by uttering such statements Makandiwa was trying to impress politicians who use the group to gain political mileage.
“As a pastor and Christian in order to serve his flock well, he might do so by admitting he is wrong and sharing his frailty than pretending he know God’s will on a given subject. We hope he will understand that manipulating the authority of the church to fight political battles is the most blatant sin and that he prays for a day when the question of one’s sexuality will become irrelevant and discrimination against lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender people will be relegated to the same heap containing slavery, racism (including anti-Semitism), sexism and discrimination against socially marginalized groups and people”, said GALZ
Zimbabwe’s Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, was last week approached by two key national figures, MDC parliamentarian Jessie Majome, and Tariro Tandi of the Plan International NGO, who are both seeking urgent government action on girl child abuse.
Zimbabwe’s heir apparent, is now under pressure to formulate laws, checks and procedures in line with the new constitution tackling girl child abuse.
Following the meeting with Mnangagwa, Jessie Majome detailed progress on her work saying, “Yesterday I teamed up with Tariro Tandi of Plan International, after I had sought and obtained audience with the Minister of Justice Hon. Emerson Mnangagwa to lobby him on concrete steps to end early, child and forced marriage. I’m fulfilling the commitment I made in Accra on 4 March -that Tari is holding, with the Ghana Parliament and Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) to work harder on this issue. from left…Majome, Mnangagwa, and Tariro Tandi
“The Minister welcomed the initiative and invited us to submit the necessary law reform details. We’ll get right to it- amendments to align the law to the new Constitution to the Marriage Act i.e to raise the minimum age for marriage to 18, criminalize breaches, and the Education Act to define and strengthen the right to compulsory basic education.
“Thanks Bea Ton of Star FM and F B for linking me to the fantastic work of Plan International an Girls Not Brides on the same issue. We can only succeed when we partner. My motion in Parliament on action to end GBV includes ending early, child and forced marriages.
“I was encouraged to see Research & Advocacy Unit & Rumbidzai Dube’s field research on this.
“Let’s not tire until early, child and forced marriages and GBV disappear from our society.”
The disgraced former ZIFA and PSMAS boss, Cuthbert Dube, has bounced back after a months’ long controversy to do with his hundreds of thousands a month salary as PSMAS CEO. This time, he is now the new President of the national soccer body.There was suspense at Mount Hampden yesterday when Dube had failed to win having failed to garner the required three quarter majority. He however later resoundingly beat his opponent Harare businessman Trevor Carelse, 44 – 14.
The election was monitored and observed by FIFA representative for Southern Africa, Ashford Mamelodi, among other observers.
Harare City chairman Leslie Gwindi had taken 10 votes while former Zifa board member (marketing) Nigel Munyati, director of Aces Youth Academy had received zero votes from the 58 delegates who voted. Zimbabwe Soccer Player Agents Association chairman Omega Sibanda was voted Zifa vice-president, taking over from Ndumiso Gumede, who did not seek re-election.
Sibanda, who steps down from the player agents’ body, narrowly edged Highlanders board member Elkanah Dube 30-28 to the vice-president’s post.
Chicken Inn secretary and Bulawayo prominent lawyer Tavengwa Hara was elected to the board after receiving 51 votes. He goes into the board together with Harare businessman Bernard Gwarada who picked up 48 votes. Former board member (development) John Phiri got 42 votes while Fungai Chihuri obtained 41 votes. Chihuri is former Zifa Eastern Region chairman. Gladmore Muzambi, former referees’ boss, could not make it to the board after getting 32 votes. (SouthernEye/ZimEye)
MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai has announced that the so called ‘fighting’ between him and a group of activists of which Secretary General Tendai Biti was alleged to be part of, calling for his ouster, has ended.
Biti believed alleged to be one of those orchestrating the ouster of Tsvangirai from the party’s helm was himself present at Tsvangirai’s press briefing.
He however did not state anything in support or disagreeing with Tsvangirai.
“After that frank heart-to heart session, we all unanimously agreed that our disagreements in the cockpit, while confirming our credentials as a democratic party, had needlessly diverted attention from the key issues affecting the people of Zimbabwe,” Tsvangirai announced. Morgan Tsvangirai at the press briefing – IMAGE SUPPLIED BY – Morgan Tsvangirai
The infighting became nasty when deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma was assaulted after writing a letter to Tsvangirai, urging him to step down following the party’s loss in last year’s harmonised elections.
Mangoma was subsequently suspended by party officials loyal to Tsvangirai who laid allegations that he had breached party protocols by allegedly communicating his concerns to the media.
Explaining Mangoma’s absence from the presser, Tsvangirai said:
“Mangoma is not here because the national council, the party’s supreme decision-making body outside Congress, has suspended him pending his appearance before an independent disciplinary tribunal. He is still very much one of us and he is innocent until proven guilty.”
Tsvangirai’s full statement was:
Today, I welcome all of you here at the party headquarters to announce a very significant political development.
On Friday last week, we met as the elected senior leaders of the party, the National Standing Committee. The meeting was a grueling five hours of honest and frank discussion on the developments in the party and in the country.
After that frank heart-to heart session, we all unanimously agreed that our disagreements in the cockpit, while confirming our credentials as a democratic party, had needlessly diverted attention from the key issues affecting the people of Zimbabwe. But we had realized it was important for us to sit down as the party leadership to openly discuss and sort out our issues.
I am proud to announce today that we have discussed our issues and there is now unprecedented harmony and unity of purpose in the MDC cockpit. We all agreed that we owed it to the members of the party and to the nation at large to discuss and resolve our matters so that we would be more effective in providing hope and a credible alternative to Zanu PF.
I can assure you that in those five-hours of no-holds barred discussions, we told each other the brutal but honest truth that will save this party and ensure the security of the faith and trust the people have bestowed on us.
After all, the last national executive meeting early this month recommended that the standing committee members should meet alone to discuss and iron out their issues in the cockpit. So we complied by having frank discussions with each other last week. I am happy to say that we have all found each other.
As you can see, we are the great team that we have always been since the people gave us the mandate to be at the helm of this party; a mandate given to us at the Congress in Bulawayo in 2011. We all agreed on the supremacy of Congress as the forum that makes and unmakes leaders in the MDC. We all agreed that the fixation with the MDC and specific individuals in the cockpit as if they were at the centre of the national crisis was both needless and unnecessary.While disagreements are necessary in a democracy, they have to be resolved. And we have just resolved ours.
The concept of dynamic contradictions drives our democracy as a party. As all of you saw, it is only in the MDC where one can finger-point at their leader or publicly declare their ambition. Ambition is not criminal in the MDC and the robust debate confirms the democratic credentials of this great people’s movement.
Mr Mangoma is not here because the national council, the party’s supreme decision-making body outside Congress, has suspended him pending his appearance before an independent disciplinary tribunal. He is still very much one of us and he is innocent until proven guilty. At the end of the day, we are a team and we will swim or sink together.
As a united leadership, we are bigger and better and we will able to confront the challenges facing the people of Zimbabwe.
We have created a big tent for everyone and I can restate here that no one already inside is moving out of the tent. This party is not splitting and as a leadership in our collective sense, we all know our responsibility to our membership and to the people of Zimbabwe. I have said it before that there are many who had mistaken the robust debate in this party as a sign of disintegration.
I can assure you that this party is alive and well. The rallies in the countryside that I have addressed, the latest being at Watsomba business centre in Mutasa district on Sunday, have shown that the ground remains solid and unshaken. The people still have unstinting faith and hope in the MDC and its leadership as the only alternative that will resolve the debilitating crisis facing the country.
Once again, we tear to shreds today the premature obituaries of this great movement that some of you had begun to write.
And once again today, we confound sceptics and put to shame the perception of the MDC as a party in turmoil and a movement in disintegration.
We have found each other in the cockpit. Our erstwhile friends in the struggle continue to come into the tent as we mount a united front against the real authors of the national crisis who are clueless on how to solve the problems facing the people. So we are coming together once again. We are bringing the spirit of 1999 in this big tent that continues to grow every day.
The crisis facing the people of Zimbabwe is greater than individual egos, unbridled ambitions and our disagreements in the cockpit.
The people have invested so much in this great movement. Only on Saturday at a rally at Tafara in Chipinge East, I saw a cheerful MDC cadre who lost a leg in the Zanu PF-led violence of 2008. But despite losing his leg, there was still a beaming smile and abundant hope planted on his face when I saw him on that sunny afternoon.
We will not let him down, together with many others across Zimbabwe who have suffered in this our tenacious struggle for positive change in the country. It is those people who continue to guide some of us in the national leadership of this struggle.
I want to conclude by reassuring the nation that the MDC leadership is determined more than ever to complete this journey of democratic change that we started in 1999. Now that all this over, we are concentrating on the important programmes of renergizing the base through the holding of rallies and public meetings throughout the country.
Ours is the people’s project and we are not losing focus on the important things such as preparing for the net election and being a credible alternative to this Zanu PF government that has dismally failed to deliver even on its election promises. The country is on its knees and we have a serious national crisis on our hands as a country. Now they cannot even ay government workers their salaries.
All of us in the cockpit are confident that the positive change, for which many Zimbabweans paid the ultimate price, will definitely be achieved well within our lifetime.
I thank You
A senior Zimbabwean historian who alone foretold the end of Rhodesia under Ian Smith, Diana Mitchell, has played the role of discouraging efforts by Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party and the faceless democracy activist Baba Jukwa, causing them to go back to the drawing board.
The red clad MDC supporters can even become as numerous as the sand of the sea, but they will be wasting their time to think that they can remove Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF party through the ballot, according to Mitchell. They will never make it even using an Arab spring model attempted by the faceless Baba Jukwa campaign which up to the elections last year coordinated an effort labelled the Vapunduki movement.
Mitchell has a credible track-record as a historian and also being the first to canonise Zimbabwe’s liberation war heroes at a time when they were internationally regarded as terrorists at the peak of the war in the late 70s.
According to Mitchell, the red-clad MDC supporters enslaved themselves to wishful thinking when they thought they would be able to remove Robert Mugabe from power at the just ended national elections in July.
“Any Zimbabwean, at home and abroad could or should have predicted with absolute certainty that Robert Mugabe and his acolytes would never allow power to slip from their hands. One wonders if the masses of red-clad MDC supporters seen at rallies in the major cities truly believed that their visible numbers and their wishful thinking could somehow vanquish the old dictator. They have learned, once more, as we former `white liberals’ learned in our past, anti-Rhodesian Front struggles, that a `level playing field’ is the first requisite for electoral success in a developing country,” she said.
She added saying that Mugabe learnt from former Prime Minister Ian Smith how to effectively stay in power.
“Ian Smith taught Robert Mugabe that control of all the institutions of government – which included the incorporation of the national media – was all that was needed to ensure perpetual rule for the incumbent government. It was the horrific deaths among a relatively few civilians and a miniscule, white-led military, along with a lot of external support for African nationalist freedom fighters, which succeeded in overturning 88 years of white minority rule.
“Without weapons or powerful external support, how could free Zimbabweans in the MDC or its leadership have forgotten those lessons of the recent past? So recent are those lessons for now, Zimbabweans will cling to peace as a preferred option. The flames of the Arab Spring’s violent revolutions are not an attractive model for change right now.”
Last year the Baba Jukwa campaign coordinated an effort to organise the so called Vapanduki former civil servants with the hope of removing Robert Mugabe using an Arab spring model of protest move. True to Mitchell’s pediction, the initiative did not take off.
Signs that the party is getting stronger in the United Kingdom – President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party on Saturday hosted a historic conference in the second capital Birmingham city.
It is Birmingham that is remembered during the liberation war of independence for providing refuge to then senior ZANU PF emissary, Didymus Mutasa (now Presidential Affairs Minister) who lived there while mobilising resources and support for the ZANLA forces back home.
On Saturday, the party deliberately chose Birmingham to meet for a key consultative forum seeking to among other things see that its ZIMASSET economic program works.
Below was their press release following the meeting which attracted numerous members across the United Kingdom:
ZANU PF UK held a landmark Consultative Meeting and Business Forum in Birmingham on Saturday, the 15th of March at a packed venue. The meeting was hosted by the vibrant ZANU PF UK Birmingham Branch which is led by the Branch Chairman; Cde George Nhera.
The inclusive meeting, held under the theme “Making Zim Asset Work for You” drew Zimbabweans from various professional backgrounds across the UK, and the mixture combined to make the meeting vibrant and one hailed by those who attended as a great success. ZANU PF UK has put it at the centre of its approach to combine business and politics. This comes from an appreciation that people don’t eat, dress or drive politics. Politics should be about the betterment of people’s lives and not the betterment of the life of the politician. It should be about self-sacrifice by the politician and not unjust enrichment. Therefore flowing from that philosophy Zanu PF-UK embarked on a programme to explain Zim Asset and make it simple enough for the enterprising mind to envision the opportunities that lie therein. Leading this initiative is the ZANU PF UK Science and Technology Secretary; Dr Samuel Chindaro, who gave another of his series of presentations on Zim Asset. Cde Moses Samasuwo, a local entrepreneur and Party Cadre also gave a presentation about the investment climate in Zimbabwe and outlined practical and technical steps about establishing a business in Zimbabwe. Dr Chindaro gave a presentation covering the background of Zim Asset, and explained why this policy is different from previous policies in that it is based on exploiting the country’s abundant natural resources and its well-established human capital. He said that technology and the people are the key drivers of Zim Asset and gave examples of how technology can be a key to all the four main clusters and the sub-clusters. He blasted the imposition of sanctions on the President and his family calling it an absurd, unjustified, divide-and-rule tactic meant to split the Zimbabwe family and to hurt the country as a whole. He added that sanctions on the President are sanctions against the country and an attack on all Zimbabweans. Dr Chindaro’s presentation combined very well with Cde Moses Samasuwo who gave a powerful presentation which included the 7 steps which one should take in order to establish a business in Zimbabwe. The 7 steps and associated advice will be made available on the ZANU PF UK website in the near future. Cde Samasuwo said a comprehensive investment guide on Zimbabwe which will outline the wide-range of opportunities available in Zimbabwe, would also be made available in the next three to six months. The Secretary for Administration Cde Marshall Gore spoke about establishing a Chamber of Commerce to bridge the business information asymmetry between the UK and Zimbabwe.
ZANU PF UK Chairman Cde Nick Mangwana, who was chairing the meeting, gave a narrative of his personal experience about adapting and meeting challenges in order to succeed, grow and make a difference. He made an impassioned appeal to the diaspora community to come out of their comfort zones. He said that anyone who stays in their comfort zone will never grow. He said that breaking out of your comfort zone is doing something you have not done before, something which is anxiety invoking and is not risk neutral. He spoke against the spirit of entitlement and the loss of the Zimbabwean work ethic. The Chairman’s message was supported by Cde Itai Choto, the ZANU PF UK Information and Publicity Secretary whose thrust was the branding of the Party. Cde Choto spoke about awareness of how the Party members engage with other people. He spoke against being aggressive and abusive and urged members to stay calm and polite when they engage in public fora such as social media and articulate the party’s position in a dignified manner. He implored cadres to go on a charm offensive rather than the bludgeoning of people with words. Cde Choto was credited with giving the meeting the level of publicity it had which had resulted in the overwhelming unprecedented attendance. There was consensus that Cde Choto continues to excel in his role as evidenced by the rapidly growing membership and visibility of the party in the UK. The Secretary for Security Cde Matunge called for maintenance of vigilance. He said that there is a need to remain aware that there will be an on -going attempt to infiltrate and disrupt the party in the UK. The Women’s League Chairperson Cde Ruth Jabangwe spoke about the need for married women to maintain their cultural values despite the change in social setting. She said she hates seeing so many marriages breaking up due to the loss of cultural values, especially in the diaspora; a message which got a standing ovation from the male attendants! The presentation was followed by a lively question and answer session which was open to the floor, for both question and answers. Issues ranging from the challenges the diaspora community face when opening businesses in Zimbabwe, the operation of ZANU PF UK, to the Issues of corruption were discussed. The forum noted with concern the level of dishonesty pervading our value system as a nation. There was consensus that corruption eradication should begin with individuals saying no to corruption. Cde Tinomudaishe Chinyoka spoke passionately about corruption and noted the difficulties faced in all societies in eradicating “individual” corruption. He said that it was “institutional corruption” which is more damaging and should be tackled vigorously. Dr Chindaro noted that the current drive against corruption was initiated by the ZANU PF government and was included in the Party Manifesto, Zim Asset and the Party Resolutions from the 2013 Chinhoyi Conference. He implored individuals not to jump on the bandwagon by throwing around unfounded allegations. A Party member who attended the Chinhoyi Conference, Cde Matongo, surprised Cde Nick Mangwana by informing him that he had listened to his landmark, ground-breaking address at the Conferenc. He commended the Chairman for the consistency in his message which resonated with his landmark, address to the Conference, and urged members to continue with their support. Secretary for Commissariat, Cde Davison Chimenya saluted all the branches that were there. Among the branch members who attended were Cde Alfred Runyararo Benyera and Cde Table (South West England), Cde Mazala Bako (Coventry), Dr Agatha Benyera-Mararike (Kent). Cde George Nhera was the hosting Branch Chairman, supported by his team which included the Vice-Chairman Cde Chatindiara. Zanu PF UK acknowledged the tasty complimentary culinary supply from the West Midlands women’s League led by Cde Gloria Chimbara. The Youth Chairman Cde Takunda Mangere, the Finance Secretary, Cde Eddie Mukutirwa were acknowledged for their unwavering support to the cause and the wisdom they bring to their portfolios. The meeting was followed by a social event which allowed members to interact and network. This report would not be complete without mentioning the beautiful dancing and singing by Cde Bevan Pemhenayi which brought “morari” to the occasion. The meeting was closed by Cde Chatindiara the Vice Chairman for Birmingham. Similar events are lined up during the course of the year and will be announced on the website and other media platforms.
Bulawayo – Thousands of people came out in embattled MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai’s support on Saturday.
What leadership-renewal advocates had hoped would be a watershed turnaround for the party’s history actually turned out to be a victory celebration for the MDC-T leader.
“Renewal or Rebels group they are wasting time the people are with President Morgan Tsvangirai,” said top Tsvangirai official and ally Charlton Hwende.
The development comes soon after some youths ran amok in the city spray painting party cars with graffiti calling for Tsvangirai’s removal, a mood before speculated would soon bring the MDC leader to his knees.
The exact comparative statistics of those in support of leadership renewal against those who support Tsvangirai could not be obtained at the time of writing.
PICTURES:
The Zimbabwean government which is failing to pay workers is on Friday to blow tens of thousand dollars on a second Mugabe birthday bash.
More than 4000 CIO agents and other civil servants are to attend the celebrations after the Public Service Commission requested to hold another party.
The Public Service Commission chairman, Dr Mariwanda Nzuwah, who leads all the commissions said the commissions requested to be afforded to celebrate Mugabe’s 90th birthday in honour of the long road he has travelled in the leadership of his people and the vital role he played in delivering Zimbabwe’s political and economic freedom. All for just him…Second celebration…His Excellency Pres Robert Mugabe
Nzuwah was quoted by the state media saying Mugabe should be honoured and thanked for his strong advocacy for black economic empowerment through ownership and exploitation of their national resources and called on youths to hold dear and protect their independence and sovereignty.
He revealed that similar celebrations will be held at the 10 provincial centres through the country with approximately 4 000 representatives from the commissions.
Staff associations and unions’ representatives of civil servants have also been invited for the celebrations.
Meanwhile, the state media reported that the starting time of the festivities has been moved back to 09:30am instead of the initially planned 12 noon.
Numerous riot police officers swarmed the MDC-T party’s Harvest House offices on Friday morning as the party convened a crucial National Council meeting meant to discuss a letter written by Deputy Treasurer Elton Mangoma.
Speculation was rife that Mangoma would be expelled from the party after preparatory minutes leaked stating that anyone who talks to the media is subject to disciplinary action. The statements were read to refer to Mangoma who early this year opened a discussion proposing that party leader Morgan Tsvangirai should consider resigning. Riot Police swarming Harvest House…. | Nehandaradio Image
At the time of writing youths believed to be protesters were seen descending on the building.
Sources close to the meeting told ZimEye that Mr. Tsvangirai was plotting to suspend both Mangoma and Secretary General Tendai Biti.
Meanwhile a meeting was convened on Thursday and a source narrated the current heated tension saying,
“The intra-party war is getting tough. Whilst the going is getting tough the Tsvangirai faction is now ready to fire Elton Mangoma and more violence may be expected. Denford Ngadziore, Washington Gaga, Yvonne Musarurwa, James Chidhakwa, Stan Manyenga and Shackspear Mukoyi declared in a meeting of 30 people addressed at Harvest House on Thursday by Washington Gaga and Mupindu that Paul and Solomon Madzore, Elton Mangoma, Madzimure, Tapiwa Mashakada, Julius Magarangoma, Hlabangu, Munyanyi and many other provincial leaders are not going to attend the meeting because some of them are already suspended. Among the Tsvangirayi guys is a group of violent thugs meant to deal to with people like Ismael Kauzani and others,” the source said.
Canada has become the third Western nation to condemn MDC-T party violence following the United States, and Australian governments.
Canada’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Lisa Stadelbauer issued a statement on Tuesday against the ongoing violence and intimidation in Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party.
Despite denials by Morgan Tsvangirai that there is no violence in his party, Ambassador Stadelbauer spoke unequivocally stating it was clearly being engineered by political intolerance.
Stadelbauer made reference to the recent attacks on ‘political figures’ largely interpreted to be attacks on among others treasurer general Elton Mangoma, secretary general, Tendai Biti, and party cadre Promise Mukwananzi the only political figures in any Zimbabwean party attacked since the beginning of the year. Stadelbauer’s statement comes after Morgan Tsvangirai at the weekend claimed that there is no violence in his party, while at the same time though, intolerant youths under him were traveling around the country intimidating and attacking those deemed to be supporting a proposed motion to relieve Tsvangirai of the party presidency. A recording of some of the youths confirmed by the party shows a key Tsvangirai security aide, plotting violence on Mangoma. More MDC youths have also in recent weeks been threatening violence on anyone seen expressing doubts about Tsvangirai. Tsvangirai’s own spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka has stated that when Elton Mangoma was attacked also losing his spectacles, it was only his shirt taht was yanked by a youth, a statement that has encouraged the rowdy youths to continue intimidating colleagues.
“Canada is increasingly concerned by recent acts of violence against political figures in Zimbabwe,” said Stadelbauer.
She added:
“We call on all political parties to demonstrate leadership by taking resolute actions to speak out against violence and intimidation. This includes engaging in open dialogue and demonstrating respect for diversity of views.
“All Zimbabweans, including politicians and members of civil society have the fundamental right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Constitution.
“Canada calls for these rights to be respected and adhered to. We will continue to closely monitor the situation.”
Tsvangirai has however in return blasted the Western envoys alleging that they are not saying the truth and they should not interfere in his party’s internal affairs.
The United States embassy has condemned the violence which erupted two weeks ago and resulted in among others MDC-T deputy treasurer general Elton Mangoma being attacked being attacked by a party mob. The attack resulted in Mangoma losing his spectacles as well, but MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s spokesman to date has said it was ‘only’ Mangoma’s shirt which was yanked.
The US embassy’s strongly worded statement which clearly states the violence occurred in Harare recently, was an apparent call on Tsvangirai to respect human rights, protect victims of violence, and to prevent future acts of internal party aggression in his party.
The statement read: “The U.S. Embassy has taken note of recent media reports on incidents of politically-motivated violence that have occurred in Harare.
“We condemn such acts of violence, which have no place in modern political discourse. We enjoin all parties to respect the rule of law, freedom of assembly and the right to free speech, which should be the hallmarks of a modern, democratic Zimbabwe. We call on all parties to protect victims of violence and to prevent future acts of violence.”
The US embassy statement comes as Morgan Tsvangirai was widely accused of failing to protect Mangoma during the attack on the 15th February. After the assault, Morgan Tsvangirai’s spokesman claimed Mangoma’s shirt was ‘only’ yanked by a youth while he was in a car. But numerous witnesses have revealed that Mangoma was attacked using brute force and he lost his spectacles which were smashed by the youths. Two weeks later, Tsvangirai has remained mum on the attacks and has not mentioned a word on the destroyed spectacles.
The individuals who petrol bombed Tendai Biti’s house security wall, have been caught on camera.
The attackers were caught on cameras installed around the area which filmed the whole attack, ZimEye is reliably informed.
“We are studying the recordings right now as well as the vehicle used in the commission of the crime,” an officer close to the investigations told ZimEye on Tuesday morning.
The nature of the attack lacked sophistication and appeared ‘amateuriesh’, the attackers were clearly ‘inept’, a source close to the investigations commented.
The attack on Biti’s house came at a time when the MDC party’s unity was at its lowest ebb.
While there was specuation that Biti’s house was attacked by party insiders, party spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora was quoted alleging the attackers are from Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party.
“The attack bears the fingerprints of ZANU-PF,” he reportedly told the AFP news service.
“It is clear that this is the work of the enemies of the MDC who want to portray it as a violent party,” Mwonzora said.
Another statement was released by the party’s wing in Chegutu,
“This must be ZANU PF work, taking advantage of power wrangles in the party MDC-T. The possibility of staged managed incident is there,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, investigations into the attack were ongoing at the time of writing with police and forensic experts taking samples and statements among other things.
The MDC-T party’s Secretary General Tendai Biti’s house was petrol bombed Monday night, ZimEye is informed.
The incident comes as calls for Tsvangirai to resign intensified amid numerous threats by a small group of youths voicing their desire to assault deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma and Biti.
Details of what actually took place were still vague at the time of writing but the bomb disposal unit and army were present at the house.
The petrol bomb is said to have exploded near the security wall close to where the guard patrols from. It is believed the attack was meant for the guard house which is close to the gatepost.
The security guard however managed to escape the flames, ZimEye was told.
On top of the gatepost are clear marks of the flammable liquid where it was splashed before the flames started. Charred… Biti’s durawall hours after the petrol bomb attack
A family member confirmed of the development to ZimEye, “The house was petrol bombed last night. The attack comes just after some men came in an unregistered car asking the security guard numerous questions about Tendai Biti where he is, and when he returns home” he said.
Attempts to reach Mr Biti himself were fruitless at the time of writing as his phone kept ringing without being answered. A comment from the investigating officers could not be obtained as well,as they were still in the process of gathering evidence.
Both Biti and Mangoma escaped an attack by marauding youths who were baying for their blood at Harvest House on Saturday 15th February. Both Biti and Mangoma had attended a meeting sanctioned by Tsvangirai for national leaders, but which the MDC leader also invited ordinary party members to attend. More to follow….
The Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC-T party has suspended its councillor for Buridiro after allegations surfaced that he attempted to sodomise a bus driver last Saturday.
The party made the below announcement that Mr Sydney Chirombe was now under investigation and would be ‘charged by the party.’ It was not clear at the time of writing if the matter had been escalated to the police.
Below was the announcement: “The MDC wishes to advise that it has suspended Harare Councilor, Sydney Chirombe of Ward 33, Budiriro following allegations of attempted sodomy on bus driver in Kariba early Saturday morning.
In an issue still under investigation, the MDC was informed that Clr Chirombe allegedly tried to sodomize the bus driver aboard a house boat on Lake Kariba following a training session and retreat of the councilors. The alleged offence took place in the middle of the night on 22nd February 2014.
The MDC wishes to make it clear that it does not tolerate any immoral behaviour on the part of its officials. The councilor will be formally charged by the party and will be brought before the party’s disciplinary committee for a hearing soon.”
Controversial Zimbabwean preacher also known as Prophet Eubert (Angel) Madzanire truly knelt before Grace Mugabe’s feet, a report states.
According to journalists present at Robert Mugabe’s birthday on Sunday, Angel dropped his six foot body before Mugabe’s wife, Grace. The preacher knelt was kneeling down before Mrs Mugabe in the eastern Marondera town. Angel at Mugabe’s birthday in Marondera
A NewsDay report says Angel who had been also sitting in the front row with the Mugabes soon defended his behaviour and support of Mugabe.
“This country has land and there is no more land to be created. There is an opportunity the President has created for us and as youths, let’s take advantage and let’s be vigilant in getting what belong to us,” Angel said.
He added: “Critics will be there and stories will be written (that) Angel has been swallowed by Zanu PF as if they know where I was before. I was born to a Zanu PF father and we had a sister who campaigned for MDC, but we never fired her from home,” he said in apparent reference to Mercy Mudzamiri Nongera, who last year contested and lost MDC-T primary elections for Masvingo Central constituency.
In 2011, Angel’s colleague and founder of the United Family International Church Emmanuel Makandiwa was criticised by the public after he signed the Zanu PF anti-sanctions petition.
The two have attracted several high-profile Zanu PF officials to their church gatherings.
After his presentation, Angel knelt before First Lady Grace Mugabe before he whispered an inaudible message to her and left the podium.
Below was a televised debate on internal newscaster Al Jazeera regarding Mugabe’s hold on power.
The discussion involved –
Obert Gutu: MDC Harare Province Spokesman.
Nick Mangwana: U.K. Chairman for Zanu PF.
Chofamba Sithole, Journalist and Former Editor of the Sunday Mirror in Zimbabwe.
Barely a few days after a group of white Zimbabwean lobbyists began a campaign to get western sanctions on Robert Mugabe and his ruling ZANU PF party dropped, another white Zimbabwean has added voice on the same contentious subject.
The Bulawayo based Steve Blomefield told ZimEye sanctions on Mugabe should be removed.
“I believe the sanctions should be dropped,” said Blomefield who is also locally referred to by the title ‘prophet’.
He added saying that he believes the recent July 2013 elections were not entirely a fraud.
“I am not pro-ZANU PF and stuff like that. But the elections, of course there was some crooking here and there, but not with the majority; I don’t believe the elections were totally fraudulent. There was some crookery(sic) here and there, but I believe that the people of Zimbabwe voted for ZANU PF, whether I like it or not they did. So we have to according to the Bible, submit to the government. It doesn’t mean that we agree with the government,” said Blomefield. “Sanctions on Mugabe should be dropped”… Blomefield
Blomefield’s comments come as chairman of a group of white Zimbabwean businessmen, Mathew Smith, said they want western countries to remove all the measures which he said were imposed on all Zimbabweans.
Smith is a hotelier and contract miner. His father Gary who is also a member of the group is the finance director of a transport and trucking business.
Mathew said his group believes that the targeted measures are hurting the country and Zimbabweans, and should be lifted unconditionally.
“We are forming this lobby group because the truth about Zimbabwe needs to be heard and for that truth to be heard it needs to be told from our perspective, especially as white Zimbabweans on whose behalf these damaging sanctions were supposedly imposed,” he said.
In a passionate speech delivered at a press briefing in Harare the leaders of the group denied that the motive behind the formation of the group is to protect their businesses from ZANU PF’s property grabs.
Matthew told the UK based SW Radio Africa on Tuesday, he has never felt the need to protect himself in his 33 years living in Zimbabwe, “and we are starting now because the time just feels right”.
He said the country has just had a “fantastic, peaceful, free and fair election and it is time that the citizens are freed from the sanctions yoke. Our interest is Zimbabwe and ordinary Zimbabweans”.
Analysis| There is a fundamental error in MDC-T Deputy Treasurer, Elton Mangoma’s proposal to replace Morgan Tsvangirai, UK based Chofamba Sithole, argues.
He continues:
This error lies in the perpetuation of a culture of personality politics which Mangoma ignores and yet is the singular pivot of any future change in Zimbabwean politics whichever party it is.
Mangoma recently wrote to Tsvangirai proposing three possible alternatives to a future MDC-T, which he said should not have Tsvangirai at the helm if the party is to make it in the next national election.
Writes Sithole:
“We have looked at how the MDC-T’s reaction to Mangoma’s proposal for leadership renewal fell short of what is expected of a democratic movement in terms of upholding the principle of free speech. Now, going into the substantive intervention itself, I’d like to point out what I see as a crucial error in Mangoma’s proposal, which connects with what we discussed in an earlier post.
“My main problem with it is that it endorses the culture of personality in our politics and as such proposes an inadequate solution – the replacement of one personality by another.
“Mangoma lays into Tsvangirai’s personal failures and weaknesses as a leader and in his private life. He does not have a go at Morgan on the basis of the policies that Morgan Tsvangirai has promoted and advocated for during the course of his leadership; nothing ideological or technical in respect of what Jonathan Moyo the academic calls “craft literacy” and “craft competence” stands out in Mangoma’s letter, perhaps because to have done so would have brought the same swift indictment on himself and his colleagues as part of their collective responsibility in steering the MDC ship.
“What would have worked more effectively, in my view, is a proposed policy agenda that shakes up the MDC’s direction and makes a break with the MDC under Tsvangirai. I would have loved to see what it is that these guys are proposing to do differently. The resonance of such a policy-driven agenda would have automatically taken care of the leadership question.
“What would have been lost and won is a battle of ideas, not personalities. As it is, these guys dived right into Morgan’s habitat – the ambit of personality politics. And like a fisherman who dives in after the biting fish at the end of his line, they are bound to become shark dinner.
“And Morgan is still pretty much the shark in the MDC pool of personal power, however badly battle-scarred he might be. It’s a sad scenario, but there you have it.
“If you look at Zanu as well, apart from knowing that its Mai Mujuru v Mnangagwa, what else do we know abt what those pple stand for? Thats the crucial question.
“So with respect to the leadership renewal agenda in the MDC, the removal of Tsvangirai is being promoted as the priority. But what about the ideas and thinking that has characterised the MDC thus far, will it stay? And what new udeas and approaches will come in? What are those ideas? For me it is troubling that we don’t know the answer to that from those that are saying Morgan must go.
“It is not enough to say its Biti or Mudzuri coming in after; it should be: henceforth the MDC will now drop this and that approach and promote this and that policy and agenda.”
“When Gordon wanted to take over from Tony in the UK, he was being supported by some that wanted a return to more traditional Labour policies. Blair wanted David Miliband to continue with the so called Blairite agenda of more markets and choices, more economic neoliberalism and less Keynesian approaches as favoured by the Labour traditionalists. So we had a debate here about the future direction of the Labour party.
“In the same vein, it would help if the Mangomas were to come out with a new policy agenda for the MDC informed by what they experienced as possible during their time in govt.
“And let them challenge Morgan to say that if he remained leader, what ideas would he bring? Then if nothing, it would expose Mirga Morgan as empty, and that wld undermine his credibility as leader without ever having to declare he must go. Or if they wish to declare that, it wld be much easier to do after exposing Morgan as empty of ideas.”
Police had to be called in at Harvest House on Saturday afternoon when a handful of youths known to be aligned to party leader Morgan Tsvangirai attacked national council member, Elton Mangoma and other cadres threatening to kill them. Police had to be called in to break the violence the second in three weeks at the MDC headquarters.
Until today the youths had been plotting violence Mangoma due to his calling for leadership renewal in the party.
In the picture- Mangoma saved from the bloody violence. Fleeing the violence…Elton Mangoma
“It is shocking that this thing actually took place right in Tsvangirai’s face and with him smiling. He never made an effort to tell his youths to back off but he remained staring at Mangoma being beaten up. It was so clear and obvious that these people were sponsored by Tsvangirai” a senior party source said.
The meeting had been called by Tsvangirai who summoned provincial heads hoping to get himself re-endorsed as party leader following the criticism. Beaten up…Elton Mangoma
However it was not a meeting at all since violent youths who were lodged at Adelite Acres the previous night controlled all proceedings in Tsvangirai’s presence without him addressing their unruly behaviour. The youths continued chanting songs denouncing both Mangoma and secretary general Tendai Biti.
At the time of writing police officers were arriving at Harvest House as the Tsvangirai youths were blocking other party members from exiting the building. More to follow…
Harare’s most prestigious school, Eaglesvale has become indigenisedby President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party after the institution’s suspended headmaster (Mr. Naison Tirivavi) mysteriously returned to work and fired the same board which was investigating him for allegedly misappropriating school assets.
The school owned by The Dutch Reformed Church, which was then scrambled with assistance of ZANU PF officials, was finally seized yesterday, ZimEye can reveal, in a development one of many in which institutions and businesses have in recent months come under the control of black Zimbabweans loyal to the ruling party. A board loyal to Mr Tirivavi has since taken over.
When questioned for further details on the development and also on why the indigenisation ceremony was not officially published in the ordinary way, Mr Tirivavi refused to answer requesting rather to meet our reporter face to face at an undisclosed location: “Ko zvingaita here kuti tisangane muHarare titaure takatarisana zviso zvedu”, Tirivavi asked our reporter.
He says he has been reinstated after the seizure. A ceremony was conducted yesterday attended by the controversial Local Government and National Housing Minister Ignatius Chombo, together with Education Minister Mr. Lazarus Dokora. The program also had Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa as an invited guest. Mysterious return…the suspended headmaster Naison Tirivavi
The bitter wrangle for control of the school by Naison Tirivavi who used his ZANU PF connections, ended with that ceremony yesterday. Despite an on going Supreme Court challenge by the Dutch Reformed Church board, Mr Tirivavi declared that the school is now under ‘The Reformed Church of Zimbabwe’.
Investigations
The reasons surrounding Tirivavi’s suspension are to do with misconduct relating to handling school assets. Reports state that at one point Tirivavi as the head of the school purchased four(4) buses for from ZIMCO, and upon delivery of the vehicles, he was given two(2) more cars as a reward for being the best-buyer. It is alleged that Tirivavi then converted the two vehicles to his personal property leading to clashes with the school board. In the ensuing bad relations with the board, Tirivavi then sought to circumvent the problem by dismissing the board and replacing it with one made up of members from the Masvingo sect known as the Reformed Church of Zimbabwe.
The old board refused to go and filed for an application seeking to stop Tirivavi from accessing or withdrawing money from school accounts as it emerged that he began a spree of several cash withdrawals. A letter in ZimEye’s possession states that Tirivavi did not tell the truth when he claimed that the Dutch Reformed Church board was dissolved. It reads in part:
“Contrary to the suspended headmaster Mr Naison Tirivavi’s email dated 5th September 2013 wherein he is alleging that the High Court ruled in favour of the RCZ(Reformed Church of Zimbabwe), and that the board was dissolved, the truth is that the High Court did not declare the board dissolved but only dismissed the “TECHNICALITY” of the urgency of the matter. The board had applied for an urgent interdiction on the basis that money continues to be unlawfully withdrawn from the school. Unfortunately the court ruled that our application was not filed timeously. The board is appealing to the Supreme Court for this matter to be resolved urgently,” it reads.
Tirivavi was this week labelled after the notorious expelled Anglican church archbishop Nolbert Kunonga who forcefully occupied Anglican Church properties three years ago.
Harare – More donors have ditched the MDC-T party in the last 24 months due to former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s soiled reputation, it has emerged.
These revelations come as Tsvangirai faced with increasing calls for his resignation, was planning a private party mini-congress to be held at his house. The mini-congress where Tsvangirai is planning to assemble provincial leaders to get them to endorse his presidency, will take place on the 15th February at his government bought Highlands residence. The congress likely on Saturday, will however take place at a time when the majority of standing committee members are complaining that with Tsvangirai at the helm, there will never be donor support ever. One key western donor and MDC-T backer in 2012 said he would never support the party ever again. He said of the MDC-T party, “You have proved yourselves to be no better than Zanu. My support was total and an ambassador for you in the white British community but after what I witnessed Saturday I cannot support a party who even cheats at it’s own elections,” the businessman, Alan Fish said of Tsvangirai’s trusted emissaries Theresa Makone and Lovemore Moyo.
As Fish since that date been mobilising other funders to disregard Tsvangirai, it emerged more western donors have folded their hands to date.
According to a letter written by standing committee member Elton Mangoma, there is likely no way Tsvangirai will ever be trusted again. Mangoma expressed concern over the alleged misuse of party funds and questioned how he planned to clear his name if donors asked him to explain himself out. “How will we put closure to the question of misuse of funds, and ensure that our friends regain confidence that donations will be channelled to the people’s project going forward?” Mangoma queried.
“How will you answer the questions that we failed to care enough for our people and that we used our time in government for personal aggrandisement, personal wealth accumulation as symbolised by the current impasse on (Tsvangirai’s) Highlands residence?”
In separate interviews with senior MDC-T members conducted by the daily paper Newsday — a provincial chairman and executive member — it emerged that those opposed to Tsvangirai were gaining ground in convincing the grassroots that the party required leadership renewal.
“The fallout between Tsvangirai, Mangoma and Bennett is all about abuse of funds by the president. Why is he not speaking out on where he got the $300 000 he used to silence Lorcadia (ex-wife Karimatsenga-Tembo) and why is he gagging people from discussing pertinent party issues?” the sources asked.
“Donors are no longer giving money to the party because there is no accountability. Bennett had to deploy one of his workers to Harvest House to do the finances and was working under the organising secretary’s department to curb the leakages of party finances. Worse still, the donors are not giving money to the party before there is a way to account for it.”
A national executive member reportedly added: “My province is clear on what we now need. We need a leader with a clear vision, a new face with fresh ideas because honestly. Tsvangirai has nothing new to offer. People no longer have confidence in him.”
IN THE VIDEO: Two Harare men who were allegedly caught in the very act of stealing (6) six cellphones from pedestrians in Robert Mugabe road were mobbed and eventually arrested on Thursday afternoon. The incident occurred at about 1345hrs.
A story published by a UK radio station stating that the MDC-T’s Manicaland province is going to be dissolved has been dismissed as false and misleading.
In an official statement, the Manicaland province spokesman Pishai Muchauraya described the article as ‘shocking.’ The statement read in part:
“We have learnt with shock and dismay an article generated by SWRadio Africa that the Mdc Manicaland Provincial Executive is going to be dissolved. The report is not only false but misleading and mischievous with the intention of causing confusion to our faithful supporters who have braved 14 years of state brutality.
“We are investigating the origin and motive of the gossip. While as a party we strongly believe in freedom of expression and opinion, we also loudly condemn the peddling of falsehoods of that nature. We wish to correctly state that our provincial executive led by Julius Magarangoma is intact and not under any investigation by any superior organ of the party.
“It is sad to note such blatant and shameless falsehoods are being conveyed when the provincial executive is hosting the Party President Dr Tsvangirai from tuesday to Thursday next week.
“Whilst we are not demanding a retraction from the authors of the gossip, we strongly urge them to examine issues of journalistic hygiene in their newsroom.”
As if the severity of his case was not enough, the jailed pastor of the RMG End Time Message church, Robert Martin Gumbura, used porn in the courtroom where he was being tried for possession of pornography.
Gumbura who was being charged for both rape and possession of pornographic materials, brought in footage of himself stripped naked with one of the victims he was being charged with raping.
This outrageous act, caused Gumbura to crucify himself right before the magistrate.
The porn was taken into court as Gumbura was attempting to argue that it was consensual sex he had engaged in. However, this in effect became the straw that broke the camel’s back and sent Gumbura into prison for that very charge combined with the others.
A witness who cannot be named at present since Gumbura has launched an appeal said Gumbura nailed himself by bringing pornographic materials to court.
“This is clearly how Gumbura nailed himself,” the man said.
It was not clear at the time of writing if Gumbura had been advised by his lawyers Rekayi Maphosa and Emmanuel Samundombe to take this course of action.
The senior of Gumbura’s 11 wives, Queen Bunga, admitted the pornographic material (pictures of some of the wives taken in the nude) saying there was nothing wrong about the nude pictures of her colleagues since they were secured in a place where no other person had access to except themselves and their husband.
The nude pictures, she said, were taken for the purpose of testing a new printer that Gumbura had just bought.
“These are our personal pictures captured at the time when we were testing our new printing machine. We were photographing one another in the nude and having fun among ourselves, but they were not meant for publication,” the wives’ spokesperson, Bunga, said.
Gumbura was on Monday jailed for an effective 40 years after being found guilty of multiple rape charges also including possession of pornography. One of the rape charges is pending trial.
Harare – Zimbabwe’s Minister of Local Government Ignatious Chombo contradicted himself while speaking in riddles when he announced he had reversed the suspension of Harare Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi, ZimEye can reveal. ZimEye which broke the story on Saturday morning before other media houses, can exclusively reveal what Chombo truly said of Harare mayor Manyenyeni which ‘has now led’ to him lifting the suspension.
Reporters have written saying that Chombo said Mayor Manyenyeni had accepted Mahachi’s apology. But this is not what Chombo actually said.
In the recording Chombo is heard clarifying his statement to mean “the mayor has accessed the apology,” and not necessarily accepted it.
Earlier however, Chombo had said:
“He(Mahachi) has explained to the Mayor and he has also apologized. The Mayor has accepted the apology and I was referee. ”
Manyenyeni then disputed with Chombo and insisting that the suspension had not been reversed.
In clarifying what he actually said Chombo then snooped in, “the mayor has accessed the apology,” said Chombo.
“Minister I beg to differ on that one. I think we need to engage further. I think lets capitalize on the good will that is existing so far and find a way forward but for now it would be remiss of me to accept that we have reversed that decision,” said Manyenyeni to Chombo.
Chombo then went ahead to further hint that what he is talking about is about Manyenyeni accessing the apology rather than accepting, as he said he had passed the decision already accessed by Manyenyeni and was only awaiting delivery of the written communication from the permanent secretary.
Chombo’s actions have attracted countrywide condemnation from people from all walks of life. He was also criticised by internet marketing protege Barbara Nyagomo who lashed out writing from her portal:
“Comrade Chombo reinstated the suspended Town Clerk of Harare who is on $37 000 per month DENG!,” wrote Nyagomo. She added:
“I am thinking both Chombo and the Town Clerk must thoroughly be investigated for corruption and unexplained wealth accumulation.
Each day that passes the Govt is losing public support.Its a rot system who is going to police the police,politicians and lawmakers when they all support Kleptocracy and Lootcracy?” RECORDING:
The pastor and founder of the RMG End Time Message church, Robert Martin Gumbura has been sentenced to 50 years in prison.
Of these Gumbura will spend an effective 40 years with 10 years suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Passing sentence magistrate Hoseah Mujaya said “The court must always strive to find a punishment which will fit both the crime and the offender. In this case, the accused was like a wolf in sheep’s cloth. The core-business of the church is to worship God not to sleep with girls and women and threatening them that misfortune would befall them.
“Pastors and deacons in this church must have been aware of the blasphemous teachings in their church and also the abuse of women but they chose to ignore what was happening. Teachings in church must be monitored internally and externally,” Mujaya went on to say.
Gumbura was last Friday convicted on 4 counts of rape and one count of possession of pornographic materials.
Gumbura who is currently 57years old will be 97years old upon his release in 2054.
Sex crazed, Gumbura has been referred to on social networks as “Rape Master Gumbura” in an obvious pun with the initials of the RMG church title.
Gumbura is on record as having 11 wives namely: Tafadzwa Makoni (52); Queen Bunga (45); Tecla Muzungwani (37); Chipo Mhlanga (34); Choice Neganje (32); Concilia Mukandawire (33); Amanda Mbanga (27); Amadias Mutakwa (32); Pretty Rushwaya (27); Pamela Mukandawire (27) and Bester Runyowa (24). The youngest wife, Besta Runyowa, will be 64years old in the release of her husband.
Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo may save Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi but he cannot fire Harare’s mayor.
Under the new constitution, Chombo who by-passed the MDC mayor Gabriel Manyenyeni by reversing the suspension of Mahachi, does not have power to unilaterally expel any sitting mayor in ways he used to before July last year.
These revelations were made by top Harare lawyer and legislator for Harare West, Jessie Majome as she cited Section 278 of the new Constitution.
Said Majome:
“The sound of ZANU PF’s Chombo smashing the hopes of Harare residents and ratepayers for probity, transparency and good governance. ZANU PF’s Chombo is the Godfather of corruption – he’s just doing what he has always done best – before, during and after the inclusive government Chombo is highly specialized in defending and rewarding corrupt and incompetent ZANU PF appointed municipality executives. I know because in 2003 he unlawfully suspended and fired me from being the Chairperson of Hwange Local Board for suspending the corrupt CEO and refusing to obey his order to reinstate him, which he then did. I’m still waiting for Justice George Chiweshe to decide on my 2002 Bulawayo High Court urgent chamber application challenging that.
“I’m relieved that we enshrined Section 278 of the new Constitution which saves Mayor Bernard Gabriel Manyenyeni and elected councillors Charity Bango from being undemocratically fired by Chombo, or else there would already be a vacancy in the Mayor’s parlour and another in Ward 17 Mt. Pleasant.
“However what ZANU PF’s Chombo has done directly undermines Zimbabwe’s founding values and principles in Section 3 the Constitution i.e. good governance meaning transparency, justice, accountability, & responsiveness, and devolution of power, as well as Section 5 & the whole of Part 1 of Chapter 14 on Provincial & Local Government which devolve power to local authorities, which aims particularly to ‘give powers of local governance to the people and enhance their participation in the exercise of powers of the State and in making decisions affecting them.’ www.copac.org.zw
“What is particularly striking is that ZANU PF’s Chombo is trampling all over the national objectives in the Constitution which must guide him and all government levels in all decisions, particularly his duty in Section 9 (1) on Good governance ‘to develop efficiency, competence, accountability, transparency, personal integrity and financial probity in all institutions and agencies of government and every level and in particular…………..
(b) measures must be taken to expose, combat and eradicate all forms of corruption and abuse
of power by those holding political & public offices.’
“The Prosecutor General’s clay feet over these issues is also unconstitutional. The thing is, will Harare residents just stand by and allow Chombo to breach the Constitution at their expense? The Constitutional Court was created for these issues.
“I can see a very good court challenge even in administrative law because ZANU PF’s Chombo’s excuse is dishonest -it’s out of sync with the reason for Mahachi’s suspension that is, concealing salaries’ data from his employer, not for the diabolical salary levels as ZANU PF’s Chombo seems to be confessing and implicating himself in. Even the $13000 he claims is corrupt and outrageous!”
Johannesburg – Barely two weeks after it was formed, the deal between South Africa’s white dominated Democratic Alliance party and AGANG led by Dr Mamphela Ramphele has collapsed.
The deal which would had the potential of dislodging Jacob Zuma’s ANC failed after Ramphele allegedly “reneged on a deal to be its presidential candidate and to merge her smaller party with the Democratic Alliance.” When they kissed after signing the deal in January 2014…Helen Zille and Dr Ramphele
While a comment from her could not be obtained at the time of writing, the below was an announcement made by the DA’s leader Helen Zille:
“The Democratic Alliance leadership team today met with Dr Ramphele to finalise the terms of our agreement that she stand as the DA’s Presidential Candidate. This was to be the formalisation of the public announcement made on Tuesday last week.
“At the meeting, Dr Ramphele reneged on the agreement that she stand as the DA’s Presidential Candidate, and that Agang SA’s branches, members and volunteers be incorporated into the DA. This about-turn will come as a disappointment to the many South Africans who were inspired by what could have been a historic partnership.
“It is rare indeed for a political party to offer the position of presidential candidate to a leader from another party, but we believed this move would be in the best interests of South Africa. People are looking for a strong and united alternative to Jacob Zuma’s ANC, and we felt that Dr Ramphele would help us speed up the realignment of politics. Constitutionally, she could only go to Parliament as the DA’s Presidential Candidate if she is a member of the DA.
“The DA negotiated with Dr Ramphele in good faith. Indeed she is a long-time personal friend of mine and I sought to bring her into politics over many years. We have been through many false starts, but when Dr Ramphele insisted on Monday that we go public on Tuesday to announce her acceptance of our offer of the DA’s presidential candidacy, we accepted that she had finally made up her mind.
“By going back on the deal, again, just five days after it was announced, Dr Ramphele has demonstrated – once and for all – that she cannot be trusted to see any project through to its conclusion. This is a great pity.
“Since Tuesday’s announcement, Dr Ramphele has been playing a game of cat and mouse – telling the media one thing, Agang supporters another thing, and the DA another. It is not clear what her objective is, but whatever it is, it is not in the interests of the South African people.
“The DA will nevertheless continue with its historic mission to build a non-racial political alternative in South Africa. We have the values, we have the structures, we have the machinery and we have the depth of leadership to succeed.”
There was drama when the Minister of Local Government, Ignatius Chombo reversed the suspension of Harare City Council Clerk, Tendai Mahachi.
The development announced Saturday, within 48 hours of Mahachi having been suspended by the sitting mayor for his role in failing to provide the mayor with a full schedule of the local authority’s top management salaries.
Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo on Saturday used his political muscle and lifted the suspension of city of Harare town Clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi by the Harare Mayor Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni on Thursday over salary issues. The drama followed when Chombo claimed that mayor Manyenyeni who belongs to the MDC-T party had accepted Mahachi’s apology. This Manyenyeni disputed. (See audio)
Chombo and Manyenyeni however clashed in front of reporters at his government offices when the minister said they had agreed to reverse the suspension of Dr Mahachi.
Dr Mahachi was suspended when Dr Chombo was in Zambia for government business. To receive the recording send your Whatsapp request to 447426863301
The Harare Mayor on Thursday suspended for three months the city council’s city mayor Dr Tendai Mahachi for refusing to give the mayor a full schedule of top management local authority’s salaries.
The schedule was however revealed by the press and indicated that Dr Mahachi was earning $37 000 per month.
Clr Bernard Manyenyeni delivered a brief speech of his address to the media at town house Thursday.
MDC-T Organising Secretary, Nelson Chamisa, has dismissed floating rumours on social networks to the effect that he has a special and privileged business relationship with Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace who it is said he supplies Gushungo Dairy with all its transport logistics.
Reports claimed Chamisa (pictured-right) has a fleet of 45 haulage trucks that he allegedly imported while still ICT minister. The reports also claimed he did not pay import duty for the trucks.
Gushungo is controlled by President Robert Mugabe’s wife Grace.
But Chamisa has fired back at the reports challenging those peddling the rumours to step forward with the evidence.
He told ZimEye in an interview on Tuesday, “This is coming from desperate people. I hear there are reports, that Chamisa has gone to such and such a country in the Diaspora to renovate his house and a lot of unsubstantiated claims. Some of them saying Chamisa is importing some haulage trucks and is appealing for a tax relief.
“You think Mugabe will be foolish to award a tender to an MDC official when in his party there are millions of business people who could get such a tender?
“Moreover the trucks which do business at Gushungo farms are very visible and can be verified by simply taking the number plates and go (sic) to the CVR for confirmation. This needs you journalists not to ask me but do (sic) your investigations and expose the truth. You can even go to your sources in ZANU (PF) and if this is happening, I honestly believe they will be happy to give such information.
“I live a clean and honest life.
“I know where it is coming from and the reason is that I have stood firm in defense of our Party President Morgan Tsvangirai. I have done so not because I love him but for the defense of the struggle which we started and is yet to be completed.”
Mr Chamisa was forthcoming and kindly took the time to explain his position. Furthermore, he even invited ZimEye journalists to look over ownership of the trucks from an unbiased third party perspective so as to ascertain the truthfulness of his statements.
Dallas – When a smiling Lloyd Hwehwe attended school at Harare’s Belvedere primary school in 1997, no one knew that he would soon become a slave to alcohol and at just 25 would be held responsible for a man’s sudden death all because of a perilous addiction to the bottle – The 25 year old Zimbabwean man in Texas is now in jail pending bail release after being found with blood alcohol in the amount of 3 times above the acceptable limit.
He now faces manslaughter charges after his car collided with that of a US citizen causing the latter’s death
Mr Lloyd Hwehwe, a known alcoholic, was on probation for driving whilst intoxicated and had on Sunday driven his sister’s car as he left his own which has an installed police breathalyzer. That Sunday morning he was driving near Illinois Avenue when he crashed into a stalled truck on the side of the highway. The truck then flipped, crushing a certain Mr Richard Vielma, 44.
He admitted to have had eight beers the night before and was very tired causing him to sleep on the wheel and getting involved in an accident. Even by the time he was whisked to jail, he fell asleep with fatigue.
The accident occurred in Oak Cliff close to downtown Dallas.
Lloyd Hwehwe, who was then arrested at the scene, was found with a blood alcohol content of 0.219, three times the legal driving limit of 0.08.
As at yesterday he was still lodged in prison in the Dallas County jail, with his family appealing for financial assistance to facilitate the realization of the $100,000 for bail bond. Of that bond only 10% ($10 000) is required for the release.
Anyone willing to assist with cash can contact the Hwehwe family in Dallas Texas.
The below is an appeal for assistance by Hwehwe’s family: Dear Family & Friends, it is a sad tragedy that one of our own youth Loyd Hwehwe was in an accident that landed him behind bars. Please as a community let us come together and help financially towards his bail. Any contribution will go a long away. Please let us also keep the family of the deceased man and the Hwehwe family in our prayers. You can deposit all contributions into the following account (BANK OF AMERICA- acc #: 488025439773-Irene Hwehwe ) please contact Laiza Hwehwe at 214-677-2113 and let her know of your donation contribution. Your support and prayers are greatly appreciated, God bless!
Violence broke out at the MDC-T’s Harvest House building in Harare Tuesday evening when youths loyal to President Morgan Tsvangirai assaulted many others suspected of calling for the party leader to resign.
A number of ‘Tsvangirai youths’ (whose total number could not be ascertained at the time of writing) had bottles of whisky “Two Keys” brand bought for them by a senior MDC leader from Zaka (name withheld) before they began the violence.
The security team at the entrance had a long list of names of those to be attacked.
The youths began attacks later in the afternoon on two cadres said to be in support of senior standing committee member Elton Mangoma’s Thursday-official letter which seeks to retire Morgan Tsvangirai from executive control of the party.
The victims included Pardon Maengahama and Donald Chirunga, and a host of many others.
Maengahama was assaulted by one only known as Masimba and soon afterwards then by another man known as Lucky who is in the security department. Maengahama who has suffered bruises on his ribs and jaws has identified his attackers as Muzoda, jahwi, Masimba and Nerwande, all known ‘Tsvangirai militia’. It is alleged that that Sydney Masamvu, Dennis Murira and Piniel Denga have being buying beer for most the youths.
A conversation between two party heavyweights in possession of ZimEye has confirmed the practice of hiring youths and intoxicating them with alcohol for purposes of attacking opponents.
Reports were immediately filed at the Harare Central police station and the victims taken for medical assistance. Pardon Maengahama reported the matter which was recorded by Sgt Josphine Khumalo under police record IR 072914.
The violence has caused consternation in the party as the assaulted youths vowed they will not allow the bullying to continue.
THE ZIMBABWEAN government has acted to effect the immediate dismissal of Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) Chief executive Cuthbert Dube, as well as the firing of his board Chairperson Mrs M.M Namasasu.
The development comes after ZimEye revealed Dube awarded himself a salary which is 7 times more than what US President Barack Obama gets at a time his medical society was also struggling to meet its due monthly obligations.
Sources in the Ministry of Health told ZimEye the directive was given by the Minister in charge.
Dube has been taking $230 000 home every month on top of other handsome allowances. He was the head of the ZBC board which was also fired by government last year for awarding the corporation’s four top management amazing salaries and allowances. Fired…Cuthbert Dube
U turn…Morgan Tsvangirai
MDC-T founding president Morgan Tsvangirai was on Thursday offered 3 million dollars to step down and allow the party to rebuild itself.
Tsvangirai was also offered the position of founding president which would be created in his honour and so that he can continue his legacy of successful activism as a patron, all which he has since turned down.
In a deeply worded report seen by ZimEye, party heavyweight Elton Mangoma backed by Tsvangirai’s deputy Thokozani Khupe, and Tendai Biti, Mr. Tsvangirai was told although he remains a shining historical party-brand, his private life together with mismanagement of funds, the party will be better off with him sitting as a senior advisor no longer an executive.
Mr. Tsvangirai has since refused these proposals.
Claims that there will be a March congress but there are no other takers apart from Tsvangirai, were proven not true since the leaders already have as a start the deputy Thokozani Khupe as an alternative leader.
The report titled: “RESTORATION OF HOPE AND CONFIDENCE: A Cause for Leadership Renewal,” reads:
Context
On the onset I wish to put it on the record that I am loyal to you and the movement. I remain cognizant and cherish the role you have played and shall continue play going forward. I therefore respectively submit these views and proposals in the name of transparency, honesty, for preservation of our collective integrity and my love for this party and this country as well as my utmost respect for the leadership of the party. I also respectively submit that my views are meant to build this party and its leadership for us to remain relevant on the Zimbabwean menu of politics and for the party to be able to challenge for highest political office in the next election. They are not meant to be personal attacks or to be misconstrued as a form of character assassination on anyone but a genuine well thought out expression of my desire to see a strong MDC emerging out of the incumbent crisis.
Introduction
It is common cause that the MDC suffered an electoral loss of catastrophic proportions, what we in the party are convinced is an electoral theft by Zanu PF, on July 31. It is common cause that this election did not meet the standards expected of a democratic free and fair election. It is also common cause that regardless of the electoral fraud, on our part, as leadership, should be responsible and shoulder some blame for allowing that electoral fraud to take place.
The Aftermath of the July 31 Election
The aftermath of the election has been a state of confusion, consternation and apprehension on the part of the movement. The party is grieving from a crisis of leadership legitimacy, crisis of expectation and above all a crisis of confidence, externally and internally.
My reading is that the manner in which Councillors voted on the 16th of September 2013 during the election of Mayors is manifest of the crisis of leadership and the crisis of legitimacy that is engrossing the party.
The repercussion of the election has also been met with personal and private issues of the party’s highest office being drawn into the public further calling into question the leadership credentials of the party leaving the brand of the party in disrepute.
This has culminated in appeals, internally and externally, for leadership renewal in the party.
The Call for Leadership Renewal
Leadership renewal is an inexorable truth that the party will have to confront lest it is plagued by the same succession conundrum affecting Zanu PF. Since the outcome of the election, calls for leadership renewal have been made in different quotas and at different platforms.
It is my unbending resolve that leadership renewal, at this juncture, could be the only avenue to restoring the credibility of the party lest it risks being confined to history. At a time when confidence is plummeting, there is need for the MDC to freshen up, create fresh impetus and rally its troops to remain united and focused. However, this impetus cannot and will not be created if the leadership status quo is preserved.
As Zimbabwe seems to plunge deeper into crisis following the July 31 election, the relevance of the MDC cannot be overstressed. The MDC still has a significant role to play in the democratization process of Zimbabwe but cannot do so in its current state. With 2018 approaching, it is apparent that campaigning for the same commences promptly under a renewed leadership.
The Position of the President
There is no denial that Morgan Tsvangirai has embossed his name into the history books of this country. There is also no denial that he has played a pivotal role in Zimbabwe’s quest for democracy and socio-economic transformation.
However, it is my humble submission that, at this juncture, it is time you consider leaving the office of the president of the movement. 2014 marks 15 years of Morgan Tsvangirai as president of the party. You have done the best that you could and continuing will result in diminishing returns and eating into your legacy. The party is in dire need for new ideas, new thinking, a new trajectory and new stimulus.
Way Forward
The creation of a new trajectory for the party cannot and will not be achieved by acrimony and contestation but by amicably resolving and putting finality and closure to this issue of leadership renewal. However, the MDC needs resurgence underwritten by a strong cohesive party leadership, reviewed adaptive party policies and reinvigorated connection with the base and the broad alliance. The best way that you, as President of the party can support this process is to step aside and allow progress by the democratic forces.
There are three possible pathways, with the first being highly undesirable for the party;
Firstly, you remain in questioned leadership, which brings back the ghost of 2005-2006, leading to a nasty war of attrition in the party, which will reach a peak either before, or in 2016. Some of the questions, that are part of general talk, that you will then need to answer are as follows; –
How will you be able to undertake the reform agenda that we failed to do when we were in government and you had Executive power?
How will you answer the questions that we failed to care enough for our people and that we used our time in government for personal aggrandizement, personal wealth accumulation as symbolized by the current impasse on Highlands residents?
How will you put closure to the issue of women in your life and ensure that these will not continue to erode your and the party’s brand?
How will we put closure to the question of misuse of funds, and ensure that our friends regain confidence that donations will be channeled to the people’s project going forward?
How will we make sure that trust, team spirit and mutual confidence, currently eroded through the misconduct of the primary elections, violence visited on staff and myself, lack of constitutionalism and failure to follow procedure on appointment of officers to the National Executive and key public offices including diplomatic posts is restored.
Secondly, the president could declare his intention to step aside necessitating for the conducting of an extra-ordinary congress, while he is in charge.
Thirdly, the president could declare his intention to leave office forthwith and an interim leadership, under vice president Thokozai Khupe takes over. This to me is the most ideal approach that will strengthen the party towards the next election.
Under option 2 and 3 above, I envisage amending the constitution to create the position of founding president. It will give the effect that you will continue to be closely associated with the party and the people’s project, preserve your legacy as a democrat and a brave fighter against dictatorship and one-man-rule.
This also enables establishing an institute for governance and social development, which the party will assist in fundraising for the establishment of the same. This is my honest assessment of the party and my submissions on how the party can be transformed to achieve its objective of; –
Acquiring state power following an electoral win in the next election.
Governing democratically and bringing about real transformation in Zimbabwe.
Conclusion
I sincerely believe any of the last two approaches, if adopted, could enable the president: Morgan Tsvangirai, to maintain his legacy as a person who has fought a just cause for democracy and the upliftment of the conditions of life for ordinary Zimbabweans. It will also enable the movement to make progress towards securing state power
Morgan Tsvangirai
Harare, Friday, 24 January 2014
Introduction
Six months after the July 31 event, the national economy is bleeding as Zimbabweans come to terms with the reality of yet another stolen election.
Our erstwhile colleagues in government have violated the national faith and trust in the human spirit. Even after we took a bold decision to rescue the people from the brink in 2008, they repaid us by subverting the will of the people and heading for the precipice with the whole nation’s fate on their back.
The true results of that election are the difficulties we face today, not the fudged figures announced in August 2013.
The current parlous state of the economy is the true result of that stolen election and nobody in government appears to care a hoot about the direction the country is taking and the hardships ordinary Zimbabweans are experiencing every day. In fact, the strategy is to impoverish the people so that there is no accountability for the corruption that has taken place.
The year 2014 is likely to be a tough year as evidenced by the economic paralysis. What is saddening is that even in this crisis of monumental proportions, some have sought to prioritize personal circumstances and family issues. Given the problems we are facing as a nation, the personal circumstances of individuals, whatever their status in society, pale into insignificance compared with the hardships facing Zimbabweans in the villages, on the farms, on the mines and in the urban areas.
Personal circumstances cannot overshadow the national crisis and the daily tribulations of ordinary Zimbabweans in Tsholotsho, Muzarabani, Binga and Chipinge.
The national picture is saddening.
Our industry is quiet and there is no production taking place there, the recently announced budget proved to be a major non-event as there is not even a pledge to fund the productive sector while the Zanu PF government is struggling even to raise civil servants’ salaries with no single cent left to do anything else.
Despite the pledge to award our hard-working civil servants PDL-aligned salaries, we saw paltry increments far much less than the PDL being announced early this week.
In a normal society, given the current state of the economy and the hardships facing the people, one would have expected government to be in a panic mode and starting to take measures to reassure a restive nation that they are in control.
But Cabinet is yet to meet this year, even in the middle of this huge crisis. The President even has the luxury to go on leave. At some other occasion, this would have been laughable, were it not so tragic.
The state of the economy
The country’s productive sector is virtually dead and there has been zero financial commitment to revive economic production.
It is difficult to conceive how government could project a growth rate of 6.1 percent given the comatose state of local industry and the productive sector.
Statistics show that some 300 companies have closed since the gigantic flawed election of July 31, 149 companies have applied for liquidation while reports indicate that some 300 people are being retrenched every week. And all this is happening against Zanu PF’s election promises of creating over two million jobs in the next five years.
The liquidity crunch has meant that there is no difference between a millionaire and one with a mere $100 in their bank account because both cannot access their money.
(a)The Budget
The budget belatedly presented in December was a huge fallacy, with no meaningful resources committed to fund it.
Last week, I made observations to MDC MPs that we have three different sets of documents prepared by the same party in government but with different priorities. The documents are simply not speaking to each other.
ZimAsset, the Zanu PF election manifesto and the budget all have different priorities but are supposed to be implemented by the same party in government.
The budget has wrong assumptions and celebrates the informal sector to which this clueless government has committed $100 million at the expense of the formal sector.
The economy has been informalized and we do not dispute that the majority of the people are in the informal sector, but no economy in the world has been driven or spearheaded by the informal sector.
Where Zimbabweans expected leadership and boldness from government, the budget was testimony to the mediocrity and bankruptcy of ideas in Zanu PF.
Humanitarian crisis
There is a serious humanitarian crisis in the country, with hunger affecting all the provinces.
The disturbing aspect is the partisan distribution of food where other Zimbabweans are being denied food aid and farming inputs because of their political affiliation.
I have travelled in the provinces, meeting ordinary Zimbabweans who have expressed concern over the biased distribution of food aid by government.
Proposals on the way forward
In light of the problems facing the nation, we hereby propose the following eight steps to legitimacy, beginning with political dialogue that must discuss and agree on political, economic and social reforms that will ensure a a free and fair election that should usher in a legitimate government that will then deal with the crisis we face.
1. The political solution
(a). National Dialogue/ Political settlement
It is important to appreciate that the underlying cause of our current predicament is the disputed election. The solution is unconditional dialogue. But that dialogue must be cognizant of the inherent mistrust created by Zanu PF in the days of the inclusive government.
Of concern is, even if an agreement is arrived at, who is going to guarantee its implementation?
But there is no doubt that our situation demands sincere dialogue by a broad section of stakeholders, from political parties to the church, labour, industry, students and civic society, among others.
Some of us have been involved in dialogue before in order to save this country and we appreciate the importance of dialogue.
While the MDC and I have done our national duty of forming a coalition government to save the people and got betrayed in the process, it is my sincere belief that the political dialogue will assist in developing national consensus on how to move the country forward.
Faced with a similar crisis in 2008, we engaged in dialogue and we carved out a home-grown solution to the problems bedeviling our country. There is no substitute for dialogue. As MDC, we believe that meeting of stakeholders from different backgrounds would be a positive start.
Political Reforms
There is need to institute comprehensive institutional reforms that will enable free, fair and credible polls to take place in the country.
In the MDC’s widely-circulated report of how the 2013 election was rigged, we note that the election was heavily militarized. We also noted the abuse of traditional leaders and the role played by the security forces to further the interests of Zanu PF in violation of the new Constitution which explicitly urges the security services sector not to further or prejudice the interests of any political party.
Most importantly, we need to ensure that ZEC is truly independent to enable it to execute its Constitutional mandate. Zimbabweans expect and will demand the institutional transformation of all state organs in line with the dictates of the new people’s charter as a prerequisite for the return to legitimacy and confidence.
All laws must be aligned to the new Constitution. It is our wish as Zimbabweans for the State and all its institutions to respect and abide by the Constitution as a major starting point for our journey to legitimacy.
2. Short-term economic recovery measures
On the economy, the country needs to mobilize resources to fund the productive sector in order to put back the economy on the rails.
It is our hope that we must have a government that inspires confidence nationally and internationally to encourage Foreign Direct Investment and Overseas Development Assistance.
We need as a country to review our economic policies so as to attract investment, empower the people through job creation and kick-starting production to ensure economic growth.
To improve and engender growth in this economy, we have to review some of our policies such as indigenization in its current form which drive away investors and Overseas Development Assistance, which this economy desperately need.
We all want Zimbabweans empowered, not through cutting our nose to spite our face, but by ensuring that we encourage investment so that we improve the economy, create jobs, widen our tax base and empower the people of Zimbabwe in the process.
We need to call for more transparency on our precious minerals, particularly diamonds, so that revenues arising there-from play a part in growing our economy and improving the lives of the people of Zimbabwe.
Corruption
We note that the biggest threat to this economy is corruption as recently exposed in the nauseating benefits and perks of senior staff at quasi-State institutions such as the ZBC and the PSMAS.
Unchecked corruption has been the result of the incapacitation of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
In the case of the PSMAS, over a million people will go without health care as a result of graft and unmitigated corruption.
As long as we don’t give the Anti-Corruption Commission teeth to enable it to execute its constitutional mandate, corruption, especially by the powerful and politically-connected, will remain a cancer to this economy.
1. Health
The health sector, which had virtually collapsed in 2008, had been greatly revived under the stewardship of the MDC in the inclusive government.
The Health Transition Fund had gone a long way in giving some modicum of decency to our hospitals, which had virtually shut down in 2008.
In the recent budget, public hospitals were awarded $23, 8 million against debts of $36,4 million accrued in 2013, which means they have been given nothing as they still have an outstanding debt of $12,6 million if they are to use the whole of this year’s allocation to pay service providers they owe for services rendered.
This is simply tragic.
There is need to prioritize health care and it is important in this regard to ensure that our partners with whom we had established the Health Transition Fund be brought back to assist in this crucial sector.
2. Education
The Education Transition Fund, through which we distributed over 13 million textbooks for our schools during our era in the inclusive government, is now a thing of the past.
We heard two weeks ago that one million students will not go to school this term because the Government has failed to provide enough financial support under the Basic Education Assistance Model (BEAM).
The MDC’s alternative Cabinet last week spent five grueling hours discussing this and other challenges facing the nation.
The MDC has simply taken a position that education is a basic right as now enshrined in our Constitution.
Every one of all those million souls has a right to be in school.
Their basic right to education is now enshrined in the new Constitution, our supreme law of the land for which, as a nation we have expended blood, sweat and tears in order to achieve.
This government has no option but to abide by the Constitution and ensure all those children are in school as a matter of urgency.
We ought to ensure that the Education Transition Fund is restored to enable our students to go to equipped schools and colleges.
We have to restore BEAM because we cannot afford as a nation to have one million students out of school.
To allow such a large number of students to be out of school would be both criminal and a dastardly act of academic genocide.
Energy
A severe energy crisis has gripped this country; it’s debilitating effect affecting various sectors of the economy from households to companies.
At the core of our economic problems is the acute shortage of power but this government appears to be out of its depth to complete the projects we had started during the inclusive government to increase local power generation.
We need a robust roadmap to a solution on the power crisis which has affected all sectors of the economy.
Water and Sanitation
There is a dire water situation in all the major cities and we face a high risk to the dangers of cholera, typhoid and other communicable diseases.
The populist Zanu PF decision to cancel all debts to the tune of millions of dollars in all local authorities means that all the councils, the majority of them controlled by the MDC, are broke.
This has encouraged defaulters and acted as a dis-incentive to those who were paying their rates.
I had a meeting last Friday with all mayors and council chairpersons elected on the MDC ticket and I heard horrendous stories of how they are struggling to offer basic services.
The populist decision to cancel debts has returned to haunt local authorities as almost all of them cannot afford even to pay salaries, let alone to fund service delivery.
One council is now collecting about $900 000 in revenue every month against a salary bill of $1,7 million, meaning there is nothing with which to fund service delivery.
We are cruising on the inner lane to the disaster of 2008 because of these populist policies which are now starving our local authorities of the much-needed money so that they are able to offer basic services.
4. Infrastructure rehabilitation
We must begin to put in place measures for the commencement of massive infrastructure rehabilitation of key but dilapidated infrastructure as roads, and railways, among others.
5. Global Engagement
The regional bloc, SADC, the AU and some members of the broader international community may have prematurely endorsed the July 31st election and its outcome, but it has since dawned on some of them that this election was stolen and we encourage them to support the national call for fresh, free and fair elections underpinned by comprehensive reforms.
The AU and SADC observer mission reports noted serious irregularities that did not inform their conclusions. The reports noted serious breaches that would be unacceptable in other SADC and AU countries.
This country cannot afford to be isolated. We have to engage everyone, the West, the East and everyone else as this isolation is not in the best interests of Zimbabwe.
There is need for a sustained programme of global engagement but what must start is the cleaning of our own house first.
We have to respect human rights and shun those human rights abuses that brought restrictive measures on some individuals in the country.
As we speak, Last Maengahama and two others have been detained at Chikurubi for almost two years without trial while one of our activists died in detention before her trial.
An immediate cessation of abuse of human rights and the putting of our own house in order will be the basis for global engagement if Zimbabwe is to rejoin the family of nations once again.
6. National Social Cohesion
As a leader denied victory in the last election, it is my duty to restate that that there are serious crises of legitimacy and leadership in the country.
We are all patriotic Zimbabweans despite our diversity. No single individual or political party has a monopoly on patriotism.
This country urgently needs national healing so that we can harness our diverse energies for the national good.
As a country, we have faced several traumatic experiences and we need national cohesion, healing and unity if we are to move this country forward.
The MDC and Morgan Tsvangirai are working for the well-being of this nation and its people. We may have different political beliefs but this is our country and that is why today we are coming with proposals that will improve the lives of the people of Zimbabwe.
7. Conducting a fresh, credible election
The seventh and last step on the way forward is the implementation of key reforms ahead of the holding of a fresh election.
I want to restate that the only way forward, given the current economic status is a return to legitimacy and confidence which can only be achieved through a fresh election underpinned by comprehensive reforms in all sectors.
After comprehensive economic and political reform and global engagement, the mechanics of which will be agreed through national dialogue, Zimbabwe could be ready for a truly free and fair election which can usher in a legitimate government that can begin to address the huge crisis we are faced with as a country.
The forthcoming by-elections
Before any comprehensive reforms are undertaken, it is futile to engage in any kind of election such as the three by-elections slated for this coming weekend.
These by-elections are likely to breed the same contested outcome as long as the contentious issues around election management are not resolved. Without far-reaching reforms, any election in this country, however small, will always breed a contested outcome.
Conclusion
What we wish for in the country can only happen if we all dispense with arrogance and a mistaken belief that the whole world can go hang.
When an economy loses $1 billion in a matter of weeks, as Zimbabwe did soon after the grand theft of July 31, drastic measures have to be taken to bring back trust, confidence, legitimacy and most importantly, hope.
I wish to restate that the long-term solution to our problems is to ensure that the current environment is overhauled, that ZEC becomes truly independent, that we undertake comprehensive political reforms and ensure that the environment is truly conducive to ensuring that the people are allowed to give a fresh mandate to a new government through a free and fair election.
We will as a country engender hope if, regardless of our diversity, we work towards a lasting solution by providing interim relief while we organize for a fresh ballot underpinned by comprehensive reforms.
We must continue knocking on the door of possibility until we achieve our national dream.
Power without character is meaningless. We shall continue to fight all manifestations of the unbridled pursuit of power retention for power’s sake that has nothing to do with the people.
We have always known as a party that the struggle was not going to be a stroll in the park. We have remained resolute in our quest to achieve and deliver change through democratic means. Some may be fatigued and may have begun to lose faith in the ballot.
We know we have a covenant with the people which we shall not betray. We will remain steadfast in our quest to bring prosperity, hope and dignity to the people of Zimbabwe.
I want to assure the people that their investment in the MDC is not misplaced. The MDC remains alive to its obligation and generational mandate to deliver real change and transformation to the people of Zimbabwe.
I want to assure you that the party is united, alive and well.
We are focused as leadership on delivering on our agenda and we are impervious to the shrill cries of those who want to kill this people’s project.
The MDC and its leadership remain a happy family of democrats committed to delivering the people’s expectations of positive change in their lives.
I remain greatly inspired, at a personal level, by Nelson Mandela and his tenacity and resilience to continue with his fight and struggle despite setbacks and frustrations.
Because of his inspiration, I have since taken a decision that whatever is done by enemies of this great people’s project will not break my spirit.
Yes, they may needlessly continue to humiliate me, engage in protracted press wars against my person, batter me in a police station, kill innocent Zimbabweans and torture me and the millions who believe in democratic change.
All they may achieve is to slacken my pace but I can assure you they will not in any way weaken my resolve and determination for national service and sacrifice.
I will continue to boldly stride with confidence and greater willpower in my quest to bring real change, democracy and positive transformation in Zimbabwe.
They may continue with their unbridled malice and open provocation, including stealing our vote in broad daylight as they did last year, but I tell you, they will not succeed in breaking our collective spirit.
In my case, I know for certain that they will not break my spirit.
I want to conclude by assuring you that the change we seek will definitely be achieved in our lifetime.
I thank you
Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Makes Sudden U-Turn on Quitting, Cancels March Congress
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai today performed a sudden U-turn against his earlier promise to abdicate and conduct an early elective congress in March.
A report by the UK based SW Radio Africa that claims the MDC party is to hold an elective congress in March following developments on Friday (yesterday)which congress it is claimed has no one else apart from Tsvangirai who is the only candidate, was dismissed by Organising Secretary Nelson Chamisa who said it was not true. U turn…Morgan Tsvangirai
“There is nothing like that. I don’t know where they got that report,” said Chamisa hinting that there will not be any early elective congress whatsoever.
On Thursday Tsvangirai after being confronted by leaders over the party’s diminishing political-strength, had conceded and accepted quitting as President through a March elective congress. The leaders had managed to convince him through a detailed far reaching report argument that his conduct as party president had destroyed the party and would further diminish even his own credibility.
But there was U-turn on Friday when three other senior members who include Morgan Komichi, Lovemore Moyo, and Nelson Chamisa who forwarded their opposition to the motion saying that Tsvangirai should stay on as party head.
Asked to comment on the development, Mr Chamisa, however, refused referring our reporter to party spokesman Douglas Mwonzora whose phone appeared switched off.
MDC founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai has conceded defeat as boss, accepting that the opposition party should hold an extra-ordinary congress, a verified report states.
The report which circulated on networks Thursday, has since been verified as accurately reflecting what took place on Thursday. Senior party officials traveled to his house on Thursday and pressured Tsvangirai to step down. The leaders in the meeting had expressed through a detailed dossier how the party has suffered under the current leadership and the need for leadership renewal. They presented compelling arguments that an early congress to seek a fresh mandate should be held. The congress is now reportedly slated for March 2014.
When contacted party organising secretary and Tsvangirai’s own Medvedev-junior Nelson Chamisa told ZimEye that he will not comment on party issues before they have been made official.
“I am not going to be able to discuss party issues before they have gone through the relevant organs,” he said. He added saying that a public report on what happened Thursday should be ready on Friday afternoon.
Tsvangirai refuses to hand over power to Khupe
Despite accepting an early congress, Tsvangirai reportedly refused at the meeting to hand over power to his deputy Khupe as required under the party’s constitution saying I would rather be defeated at congress than hand over, Mr Tsvangirai reportedly said.#
Meanwhile attempts to reach Tsvangirai’s spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka were frustrated as his phone kept being abruptly disconnected.
ANALYSIS – On global standards, Zimbabwe’s economy could be struggling and considered an insignificant fraction when matched with large economies like those of Europe and America but some of the salaries and perquisites for CEOs and public institution leaders from this small nation have lately raised eye brows world wide.
Of late the hot talk that the Public Services Medical Aid (PSMAS) head earns a whopping $230 000 a month, a salary almost close to the annual take home of the U.S President leaves many wondering the seriousness of the Zimbabwean cause. At a time when Zimbabwe is struggling to stay afloat, some leaders are taking inappropriate chunks home as salaries as the entire economy is bleeding. It is a source of anxiety to note that President Obama’s take home salary is by far outweighed by that of Cuthbert Dube, the CEO of the most ordinary medical aid society in the world, it has emerged. Many would wish such hefty salary awards matched the expected public service. Unfortunately, there is more talk in town as regards the services offered by the PSMAS. By coincidence, the salary saga has also happened in the dissolved ZBC board where Mr. Cuthbert Dube was part of the leadership.
These revelations come as a shock to the anxious Zimbabwean public as Mr. Dube allegedly takes home way more than he can chew. Together with his top management, their salary bill ranges around $1 million per month, an amount good enough to move the economy or meet the national teacher salary bill. The PSMAS board comprises key ZANU PF officials who also include one member from the national security sector.
Current documents being perused by government and leaked to the state media show that, by 2012, Dube was earning a basic monthly salary of US$230 000 from his previously earned US$144 097,52 in the same year. The big jump in the same year meant that his basic salary went up by nearly US$100 000 in three months.
The PSMAS annual wage bill rose from US$15 547 171 in 2011 to US$33 413 373 in 2012, almost half of which was paid to the top 14 managers.
After Mr Dube, the next two top earners, according to the documents, were the group finance manager, a Mr E. Gwinyai (no longer with the PSMAS), who earned a basic salary of US$200 000 a month, and group operations executive Mr Enock Chitekedza (US$122 000).
Eight other senior directors were earning a basic salary of US$60 000 every month.
Three other middle managers were paid US$30 000, US$22 000 and US$15 000 00 each.
The crunched numbers brought the PSMAS monthly wage bill of the top 14 officers to just nearly US$1,1 million. Everyone else at PSMAS earns a combined US$900 000 as reflected by the documents.
Further, all group executives recently received a US$300 000 payment, approved by Mr Dube, for as yet unclear reasons.
In June of 2012, the monthly wage bill of the top 14 stood at US$570 969 and it increased to US$744 000 in July and August.
Minutes of a meeting held on Wednesday July 4, 2012 show that Mr Dube approved lump sum payments of US$300 000 for each of the group executives, and these payments were to be made with arrears subscriptions recovered from the private sector.
“It was agreed that a special bank account to be administered by the three collective bargaining committee representatives in liaison with the group finance executive, be opened for that purpose with immediate effect,” read part of the minutes.
The minutes further state that the representatives should, on a regular basis, update the group chief executive on the inflows and disbursements from the said special bank account.
The documents also show that PSMAS bought a house in Glen Lorne, Harare, for about US$534 000.
It could not be established by the time of going to press whether the purchase was a loan advanced to Mr Dube or was part of his package as group CEO.
Mr Dube, who collects almost $3 million per year in salaries alone, had in the afternoon said he could not comment as he was busy. He said he would be free to talk after 6pm but his mobile phone went unanswered up to the time of going to print.
Efforts to get comment from board chair Mrs Meisie Makeletso Namasasu and her deputy Mr. Newton Mhlanga were also futile as of last night.
PSMAS group legal and corporate secretary Mr Cosmas Mukwesha yesterday dismissed the alleged salary schedule in our possession saying employees last got an increment in 2011.
Mr Mukwesha could not be drawn into revealing the “correct” salary schedule, saying: “Issues of salaries are private and confidential but I assure you they are far away from the figures you are talking about.”
He said PSMAS was reviewing salaries with assistance from officials from the Ministry of Finance.
On the US$300 000 once-off lump sum that our documents show was approved for all group executives, Mr Mukwesha said the money was yet to be paid out because of financial limitations.
He said the lump sum was a housing loan that would be deducted from salaries monthly.
But Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said Government was investigating the matter.
“We are investigating the allegations in an intense manner together with other issues that are happening in the medical aid industry.
“We want to put things under control in a sustainable manner for the benefit of the country,” Dr Parirenyatwa said.
Dr Parirenyatwa said apart from the salaries, his ministry – in conjunction with the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Ministry – was also looking at medical aid subscriptions and service providers’ tariffs among other things.
The Government monitors and regulates medical aid societies’ operations. It licences them to operate as societies and has the mandate to de-register them when they fall short of public expectations and government requirements.
The below picture was submitted to ZimEye by MDC-T staff on Saturday. In the picture is MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s estranged wife Elizabeth, according to the activists ‘wearing’ a bright and smashing ZANU PF regalia.
Liz Tsvangirai who controversially married the MDC leader at the height of Tsvangirai’s damning sex scandal in 2012, soon deserted the man after elections. ZimEye was first to reveal to Tsvangirai Elizabeth’s ZANU PF connections and her controversial history on the 30th November 2011 when he was dating her, a few weeks before the MDC leader ignored the news and went ahead to marry her in a pomp wedding which splashed tens of thousands of dollars.
Soon after the just ended elections, ZimEye was also first to break the story and make the public aware that Elizabeth was deserting Tsvangirai several months before the State Media learnt of the development. (See Tsvangirai Single Again, Deserted By Wife.)
(Revealed-Elizabeth’s New House After Deserting Tsvangirai )
At present Elizabeth has been reportedly visiting around high offices in ZANU PF seeking as she says ‘protection from Tsvangirai supporters who are after her life.’ It is believed however that the above photo is a graphic reconstruction.
Other photos of Elizabeth Tsvangirai:
A cellphone thug who ‘has been stealing numerous handsets’ from unsuspecting shoppers in Harare’s CBD area had to be saved by the police after he was caught and beaten up by Hararians having been caught red handed.
He had been spotted stealing a handset from a female shopper.
The incident occurred at the Gaza section.
The victim (lady in white t-shirt), was with her husband at the time and both were busy buying school items for their children, shortly before the thug took advantage of them.
In the video the police were nearly overpowered by the angry mob who kept charging at the thug to “teach him a lesson.” (To receive this video via Whatsapp, send your phone number through the ZimEye Facebook page.
As corruption continues to rise in the country’s police force, a Mazoe based cop committed suicide shortly after being discovered with a bag full of an undisclosed lump some amount of US dollars.
Sergeant Clarence Taurai Muza was arrested after being caught red handed with the bag of money at a road block.
Police Spokeswoman Asst Comm Charity Charamba confirming the development indicated the officer was alone to blame as he was fully aware of the offence.
She said this was most likely to have caused the suspected suicide.
“We regret the loss of life, but, however, we do take all corruption cases seriously,” Snr Asst Comm Charamba said.
For the past 14 years, bribery has risen to become a common feature at roadblocks with many officers taking advantage of motorists both offending and those innocent.
Pretoria – The South African pastor who last week caused an uproar after telling his church congregation to go and eat grass because ‘this is what God wants’ them to do before stamping on them, has spoken out for the first time. ZimEye exclusively caught up with Pastor Lesego Daniel of Rabboni Centre Ministries (today)Sunday morning shortly before entering his church service. His church members last week dropped to the ground to eat the grass at his ministry in Garankuwa, north of Pretoria after being told it will ‘bring them closer to God.’ His controversial methods however drew criticism from thousands of people worldwide although members of his congregation swear by his instructions – he is said to have claimed that humans can eat anything to feed their bodies and survive on whatever they choose to eat.
Our reporter asked Pastor Lesego to explain and justify his motivation for telling his church folk to go and eat grass so to get close to God since in the Bible the only person who ate grass was a demon possessed mad King Nebuchadnezzar. He replied- Church folk as they lie down to eat grass as ordered by their pastor Lesego
“Okay the Bible teaches us one thing. The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk its a matter of power. Paul says the Holy Spirit will confirm everything that I say, you get it? So it’s total demonstration of power nothing else but demonstration”.
When asked if he has point to any demonstration of power after the grass eating act, he replied.
“There are more demonstration than that, there are more demonstration than that,” he said, though without elaborating. He stated that he did not have time to explain everything but would do so soon when not in a hurry as he was going into a church service on Sunday morning. Watch this space for upcoming full interview of pastor Lesego Daniel.
Church folk as they lie down to eat grass as ordered by their pastor Lesego
Robbers who were shot and killed by police in Gweru last Wednesday afternoon, were actually innocent MDC-T activists, ZimEye has been told.
One of them Pardon Rumhungwe is actually in the accounting profession, once worked at Harvest House and was now practicing his bookkeeping in Namibia, prominent MDC-T activist Shepherd Yuda told ZimEye.
Records seen by ZimEye show that Rumhungwe was truly in the accounting profession and underwent CIS(Chartered Institute of Secretaries) training courses.
To date the conclusions reached by the police which led them to kill the two men, have not been independently evaluated.
“The police are lying saying there was a shootout, and that the two died in hospital,” alleged Yuda.
He added: Accountant shot and killed by police in Gweru… Pardon Rumhungwe
“They are now claiming that they did this and that, how did they know them? Pardon had actually come from Namibia and was on a short accounting assignment in the country,” said Yuda.
He added saying that to date the police have not even informed relatives.
“They haven’t even informed the man’s relatives, ” Yuda said.
He however did not speak about the other man killed alongside Rumhungwe.
Efforts to reach Gweru police station were fruitless at the time of writing.
When contacted Saturday, the MDC-T’s spokesman Douglas Mwonzora said the party was not aware at present but would investigate what took place and then issue a statement afterwards.
The pair — Knowledge Dawa, also known as Knox, and Pardon Zvirimumoyo Rumhungwe — were shot and killed while trying to flee from detectives who had cornered them in the Gweru central business district. According to sources who spoke to SouthernEye, a high speed car chase ensued when the so called ‘robbers’ realised that they had been spotted and it ended with their violent death in the industrial area of Gweru after they were shot by the pursuing detectives. Dawa was shot in the pelvis, while Rumungwe was shot in the abdomen and died on their way to Gweru General Hospital after implicating two others. Dawa and Rumungwe were tracked to Gweru after detectives in Bulawayo had arrested their alleged accomplice, Author Jappa (43), an employee of Kingdom Bank in the city, who is the police’s only witness and who guided the detectives to where they were.
Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba has thrown daggers at MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai using the latter’s marital fate which has seen his wife Elizabeth deserting him after last year’s elections .
Speaking on the sidelines of an interview on the reported of so called ‘banning’ of buses from driving into his constituency at night because of the presence of hyenas, Chinotimba said those criticising him and falsifying information are serving Tsvangirai’s interests who is ‘known for being deserted by women everywhere every-time.’
He said the people criticising him of banning buses merely “because of hyenas”, are playing cheap politics in Morgan Tsvangirai’s support while adding that the drivers he banned are those who violate stipulated timetables.
“Maybe they are trying, hoping that perhaps this friend of ours now known for being deserted by women everytime everywhere, perchance he shall win elections,” said Chinotimba.
“MDC people should concentrate on their desertions, and their HIV/AIDS which we have heard they now have,” Chinoz said. INTERVIEW:
The MP for Buhera South, Joseph Chinotimba has furiously told ZimEye he has been defamed by a recent story which says that he has imposed a night-travel ban on buses so to ‘accommodate hyenas’ in his constituency.
Cde Chinoz as he is popularly called, told ZimEye he does not have the authority to ban buses.
“I cannot ban buses, and to cause people to suffer…I do not have power to override the Ministry of Transport. There are numerous buses travelling right now including ZUPCO,” he said, adding that the current problem with the bus he spoke about was that it was not following stipulated timetables.
If that is Chigumira (owner of bus company) saying that, I will be taking legal action,” said Chinotimba.
He said the people who are reporting that they are now traveling 30 kilometres to Buhera South, should contact him directly and not go to the media without evidence.
HON Chinotimba said he spoke against the Chigumira bus service only to discourage travelling at night due to accidents and avoiding confrontation with hyenas as it was also against long stipulated timetables …. INTERVIEW:
Controversial Harare businessman Phillip Chiyangwa’s daughter Stephanie has gone on a string of abusive behaviour threatening people in the UK.
Stephanie Chiyangwa, an asylum seeker who is based in South East England, has been threatening several people with unspecified action. She has told several people to date to care “about your future.”
Her threats come at a time when she organised a fake book launch function she claimed her father together with Econet boss Strive Masiyiwa would both grace, which was also false.
A female fashion designer who cannot be named, has complained of being threatened by Miss Chiyangwa. She reached out to Facebook friends telling how Miss Chiyangwa was abusive towards her.
“I’m not happy at all. Some people think they can use their Fathers names to intimidate me, harass me, threaten me, texting and abusing me, plotting me.I will not take this lightly and i will fight my rights till the end,” she wrote.
Miss Chiyangwa has also fired threats at ZimEye journos over a story which revealed how her father recently obtained a dodgy doctorate degree certificate in the Philippines.
“You wrote an article saying my father … is a bogus person, why did you write that story? … You must care about your future,” she randomly shouted a few days before her function held on the 2nd November last year.
“You don’t think about tomorrow that’s what I am saying,” she added. ZimEye has since reiterated the facts that the story was accurate to the letter and the same story had even been published earlier in Zimbabwe by the Alpha Media group. Death threats…Stephanie Chiyangwa
Stephane Chiyangwa, an heir to Phillip Chiyangwa’s estate, is an asylum seeker in the United Kingdom and she says she has written a book which however was never seen at her function which she also charged amounts to the tune of £150 per head for VIP tickets.
Zimbabwe’s national and ZANU PF controlled broadcaster (ZBC) has officially admitted the existence of more than four hundred (400) ghost workers who have been on the company’s payroll for more than five years and has directed all the managers to compile a list of subordinates under their departments.
The company’s acting Chief Executive Allan Chiweshe confirmed the development Wednesday.
“With immediate effect we have directed all the managers to compile the names of workers under their department. After compiling the list which will be used to pay workers the manager shall append his signature on the list of the postings to enable accountability”, Chiweshe told ZBC TV news Wednesday.
This week it was reported that some preliminary audit results had revealed that there were at least 400 ghost workers who were being used by the ZBC management to fleece the loss-making parastatal of millions of dollars in salaries. filthy salary & employing 400 fake, ghost workers… Happison Muchechetere
Among the ghost workers it was reported that were two wives of senior bosses at ZBC who reportedly appear on the salary schedules as station managers for the Mbare and Pockets Hill studios.
The preliminary audit report also said a number of dead ZBC employees were among the ghost workers.
One of the deceased employees is Douglas Rinemhota who was the company’s political correspondent who died in 2007.
Other ghost workers on the company’s pay roll were those who either resigned or were fired years ago.
Chiweshe revealed that the company was working on the workers’ seven months salaries.
“We are calculating their dues and they are going to start getting them in this Thursday,” he said.
Last year the company’s Chief executive Hapison Muchechetere was sent on forced leave by Media, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Jonathan Moyo after he and his board had failed to present a turnaround strategy for the troubled company. Muchechetere had been given 14 days for that assignment.
The former ZBC boss and his senior management were earning ‘astronomical’ salaries at a time workers were not being paid. “It is quite shocking that for instance the CEO earns $27 000 plus, over and above that earns $3 000 in allowances for housing, $2 500 allowance, $3 000 for home entertainment, unlimited business entertainment allowance. The corporation must pay off his mortgage facility, must built a durawall (security wall), must built an entertainment section at his premises,” Deputy Information Minister, Supa Mandiwanzira said.
MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s cousin Hebson Makuvise who has been serving as Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Germany since 2009, is still in that country despite his tenure ending today.
This development comes as Zimbabwe government media analysts rubbished the merits of both him and Jacqueline Zwambila being threatened with political persecution back home. still roaming the streets of Berlin…Makuvise
Makuvise is supposed to have returned to Harare by Tuesday 31st December.
But despite his term expiring, the ambassador was spotted still walking the streets of Berlin on Monday morning.
When asked by our reporter on the reported asylum matter, he was evasive while avoiding further questions.
“I am actually at work today – Nditori kubasa izvozvi,” he said.
When asked to comment about the reports of him claiming asylum in Germany, he referred our reporter back to the source: “Go back to your sources,” he said, without saying anything further while not denying the veracity of the allegations. The source who broke the story is a highly placed individual within Makuvise’s camp.
It was when Makuvise was asked if he is returning to Zimbabwe that he immediately put the phone down saying he could not talk while in the embassy building. “Ndiri pakabatikana parizvino – I am in a very difficult situation where I cannot talk,” he replied soon after entering the embassy building on Monday morning.
Unconfirmed reports within the MDC-T party state that Makuvise, applied for asylum in Germany long before outgoing ambassador to Australia, Jacqueline Zwambila.
MDC-T spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora has since said he is not aware of the development while yet adding that Makuvise’s decision would be personal.
“I have no knowledge about Ambassador Makuvise, but any communication between the party and the ambassadors is confidential,” he said.
“The decision to seek asylum is a personal one by a person after assessing their situation. It is up to the Government of the day to give assurance to the ambassadors in question that their safety will be guaranteed,” said Mwonzora.
Former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s cousin, Hebson Makusive has applied for asylum in Germany, reports from within the MDC-T party state.
This comes at a time when Tsvangirai’s private assignee to Australia, Jacqueline Zwambila also applied for asylum in that country. They were both meant to have returned to Zimbabwe by Tuesday next week after being recalled.
Makuvise who was assigned the ambassadorial post to Germany, is currently an asylum seeker in that country, sources in the party have told ZimEye. A close relative of Makuvise who cannot be named told ZimEye he applied for asylum earlier in December way before Aussie envoy Jacqueline Zwambila submitted her own application to the Australian government.
Both Makuvise and Zwambila are disliked by 90% of their party cadres who say their appointments were without merit being regarded as cheap family appointments by Morgan Tsvangirai.
It was not clear at the time of writing if the German government has granted him refugee status.
Makuvise is currently facing accusations of fraud in Zimbabwe, and also growing unpopularity among senior party cadres who have continued to protest his governmental appointment seen as a family favour from his relative Tsvangirai.
In the United Kingdom, party cadres accuse him of presiding over the disappearance of thousands of British pounds from the party’s bank account when he was Tsvangirai’s representative.
Makuvise completed his studies at the Institute of Business Executives in Harare and the Institute of Administration and Commerce (SA). He is currently enrolled in a Master’s Degree program in International Relations. He has worked in Zimbabwe at the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Finance Ministry, and in the private sector. Since 2001, he represented the MDC-T party as its chief representative in Europe before returning to Zimbabwe and then subsequently being catapulted to the ambassadorial post.
Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Australia Jacqueline Zwambila has applied for asylum in Australia.
Zwambila whose term expires in 3 days, announced Friday that she is not returning to Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s outgoing ambassador declared Zimbabwe unsafe for her to return to after the 31st December when her tour of duty ends.
Ambassador Zwambila has reportedly moved out of embassy residence and does not intend to use the first class ticket provided to her by the government on her return journey to Harare as she appeals for protection from the Australian government against her former employers.
She announced:
“I am not returning to Zimbabwe. Once elections of 31 July were stolen by the current government which is illegitimate, I knew that this the end of the line for a lot things. End of the line for the people of Zimbabwe because their will will not be done once more again. The end of the line for people like me who was nominated by ex Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai…”
Zwambila said there have been threats on her from the time she has been in Australia and traveling back there would not be favourable.
“Basically for me to return after so many things have been done to me,since I have been here to Australia, smear campaigns, threats about my being, there is no way I would feel safe to be in Zimbabwe or go back to Zimbabwe,” she said.
WATCH THE FULL VIDEO: “
VIDEO:
Ambassador Zwambila is currently involved in a legal case against a Zimbabwean freelance journalist, Reason Wafarova, who is based in Australia, over a story published by Zimbabwe’s Herald newspaper claiming the ambassador had stripped off in front of embassy staff during an ‘altercation’ in the embassy building.
There was shock last night when senior MDC-T officials in the province attended the celebration party of the expelled Mutare mayor Tatenda Nhambarare.
The party was held in Dangamvura.
The elected Mutare Mayor Nhambarare was expelled from the party by the National Council on 6 December 2013, and the party has since instructed officials that he be immediately removed from his position of mayor.
However this party stance has been rubbished by ZANU PF’s Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo.
Yesterday Nhambarare hosted a lavish victory celebration party at his home in Dangamvura. The celebration was attended by senior MDC officials the Provincial Executive Secretary Misheck Kagurabadza, Giles Mutsekwa, Patrick Chitaka, Lynette Karenyi and David Chimhini , in what analysts say is a sign that all is not well in MDC-T.
Sources say these officials have all slammed the expulsion of the Mayor and said they are prepared to take Tsvangirai head on.
The Town Clerk Obert Muzawazi also attended the party and said Nhambarare would not leave office despite being expelled.
But when contacted Lynette Karenyi confirming that she did attend the function together with the rest said she only did so in her own capacity.
“I am related to Nhambarare everyone in Mutare knows that, you yourself should know,” she told our reporter without clarifying the nature of the relationship.
Another official who is the party’s provincial secretary, Misheck Kagurabadza also told ZimEye he attended the party.
“It was a civic gathering. I attended the party in my own personal capacity,” he said.
He added: “If Tatenda Nhambarare dies today, I am going to attend his funeral,” he said.
When asked about his position regarding the party’s directive to expel Nhambarare, Kagurabadza defensively said:
“I am not talking about that, this is not what I am about, we are talking about what happened yesterday,” (Watch this space for Mr Kagurabadza’s full statement.)
Harare – A woman who was shot and killed by her ex-husband in the presence of police officers will be honoured at 12PM today.
Hararians are converging to Warren Hill Cemetery to conduct a ceremony celebrating 16 days of Women Activism and also in honour of the Charity Sabawu nee Mukarati who was brutally murdered by her husband in September 2008.
Charity was a loving mother, a hard working and enterprising woman, who was at the prime of her life, writes Harare West MP Jessie Majome.
Below was HON MP Majome’s full letter announcing the function:
Dear Harare Westerners and Friends
I am inviting you to the Harare West 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence Commemoration, remembering Shamiso Charity Sabawu nee Mukarati.
Date: Monday 9 December 2013
Venue: Warren Hill Cemetery, Grave 501, Section D
Time: 12pm
On 1 September 2008 Shamiso Charity Sabawu, a Harare Westerner was shot and killed in cold blood by her ex-husband at the former Globe Trotter Hotel, in Good Hope, Ward 41. Her killer was convicted of murder with actual intent and sentenced to 16 years imprisonment but will serve 12 yrs due to automatic and usual remission of a fraction of the sentence. She was survived by 8 children with youngest at the time of her death only 6 years old.
Charity Sabawu nee Mukarati was a loving mother, a hard working and enterprising woman, who was at the prime of her life.
She died because the system failed her. The ex husband defied many peace orders which were reported to the Marlborough Police but nothing was done. On that fateful day in September she was shot in the presence of police officers who accompanied her killer and helped him get access to her, and who, including one armed with a rifle, fled like lightning, for dear life, from the scene leaving her to die.
As MP I am disturbed by the heinous acts of Gender Based Violence that happen in Harare West constituency. There is the September Meyrick Park tragedy where a man was burnt to death by this wife who then committed suicide. Then 2 years ago in Mabelreign, an officer of the Attorney General’s office, shoved a mugoti (cooking stick), then curry powder into his wife’s vagina, then burned her thighs with a hot iron. Then there is the toddler girl who went missing while her parents were asleep at night, only to be found wandering a few houses away in Emerald Hill, with signs of sexual abuse. All these happened in Harare West!
There will be the laying of flowers at Charity Sabawu nee Mukarati’s grave grave.
Her son Vhusa Dzimwasha , a talented actor will launch his trust Zimbabwe Artists for Hope Trust, which aims to fight gender based violence through the arts.
If you are a perpetrator of Gender Based Violence, STOP IT! If you, or someone you know is experiencing it, REPORT IT!
Let’s have Zero Tolerance to GBV. Never again should a life be lost.
Your MP
Fungayi Jessie Majome
Patients were left stranded at Harare hospital and theatre operations cancelled on Friday afternoon (today) after the institution ran out of water, a problem which has been ongoing since the beginning of the year.
Patients were left shell shocked when they were told to find their own drinking water from home or just die of thirst. ZimEye can reveal that the hospital’s conditions have been deteriorating for the greater part of 2013 and women giving birth have been told to bring their own water from home for several months to date.
One mother, Miss Zandile Dzingira told ZimEye in an interview:
“I gave birth at Harare hospital in May and there was no water; we had to call our relatives to bring us water to bath and the bills are just too high. I spent a night there but I was charged $120 and they say you cant leave the hospital until the bill is cleared. …Cover up chuckle…Patients waiting in Harare Hospital
“I was really hurt cause ndaive nema stitch apa (I even had stitches at the time) I was bleeding unoziva kuspenter the whole day usina kugeza apa uri muzvere seriously; they have to do something about that hospital.”
When contacted on Friday, the hospital’s Operations Director, Mr Gwata who was meant to speak to ZimEye on Friday afternoon, diverted telephone calls to the stores department instead when reached for a comment.
At that juncture, a certain Mr Dliwayo in the department however refused to comment re-diverting our reporter back to Gwata saying he was too junior to speak to the media.
An employee working in the stores department who did not identify himself however blamed the problem on the city council.
“It is a challenge from the council,” he said.
“Borehole”
A receptionist who talked to ZimEye revealed that the hospital has been experiencing serious problems in recent months. When asked however why they were not making use of borehole technology, she said that there is indeed a borehole but the staff have failed to make it provide for the whole hospital. She did not elaborate what she meant by a failure.
COVENTRY – Barely 48 hours after a woman died in puzzling circumstances currently under investigations by the police, a Zimbabwean man was found dead following a fall from an 8th floor balcony, Wednesday evening.
The man, Mr Edmore Mazorodze (popularly known as Eddie), in his early thirties, was allegedly pushed off the balcony of the apartment he was living in (pictured) on Wednesday evening.
An unnamed 39 year old man has since been arrested after handing himself to the police soon after the incident. The 39 year old man has further been named as the main suspect in the murder investigation.
Det Insp Derek Packham, from West Midlands Police said: “I want to reassure people that this is being treated as an isolated incident and we now have a named suspect in custody.
“We are still speaking to witnesses at the scene this morning and I am keen to hear from anyone in the area who saw anything which may help us with our investigation.
“Perhaps you saw the man drop from the balcony or heard a disturbance in the moments before or after he fell – please speak to officers at the scene or give us a call.” The incident scene…Paradise House in Eden Street
The incident occurred just before midnight at about 2330Hours GMT. ZimEye can reveal that Mazorodze is originally from Harare’s Mufakose surbub and his sister currently lives in Northampton.
He was living in a NASS accommodation awaiting the finalisation of his immigration status.
A close source told ZimEye Eddie was a happy young man. “He was one of those lads living a life of going out and being merry…., ” the man said.
At the time of writing, police were still conducting their investigations and a report awaiting finalisation.
A cloud of mystery surrounds death of an MDC-T leader’s daughter in the United Kingdom’s South End On Sea area, who died together with her son in a fire incident in a car yesterday.
As police investigations continue, the family has stated they are going to issue a statement after 6 PM today. This is the reason why this publication did not publish further details pertaining incident at 5.20 PM last night.
There was on Wednesday afternoon a heavy police presence and a very large police cordon spanning for almost a mile at the scene of the fire incident in which the deceased’s vehicle was burnt beyond recognition which inferno resulted in the tragic deaths. The woman was 43 years old while her son who attended a local college in the area was 16. ‘We are not allowed to say anything to the media or to anyone else pertaining this matter’, a community leader who requested anonymity told ZimEye on Wednesday.
Meanwhile a police officer said they are not ruling out foul play at present. More to follow…
PICTURES: Read more on this story:
The Denmark based writer Tendai Tagarira who decided to grow dreadlocks and keep them mushrooming in his head until Robert Mugabe has died, has gone underground.
Three years ago Tagarira vowed never to cut his hair until Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has died.
Challenging the ageing dictator Tagarira said: “Tagarira has made himself a pledge. He will not allow his hair to be cut – not to become a Rastafarian – but to protest against Mugabe. When the aging sole ruler of Zimbabwe is dead, Tagarira will get his hair cut to mark a new beginning.”
But Mr Tagarira has since gone underground after as he stated, ‘receiving threats’ against his family members.
Tagarira said he has shut down his Facebook account and gone out of the Zimbabwean public scene because his mother received death threats.
He however did not comment on his Mugabe death dreadlocks if he still has them.
The young writer lives in Denmark and has not been in the digital public for the past 6 months.
The case in which three Matebeleland based citizens Charles Thomas, John Gazi, and Paul Siwela are applying for their treason case to be dismissed, was once again re-scheduled to Thursday.
The reason for the postponement was because the judge was not ready.
The three activists of the Matebeleland Liberation organisation are applying to have the state’s case dismissed on the grounds that evidence presented by the prosecution is neither credible nor convincing.
The judge merely said the verdict is not ready when the case was convened Tuesday.
“If you remember we made an application for discharge, last time we adjourned…at the close of the state’s case…We made an application that the state has not shown a good case to place them on their defence.” their lawyer Robert Ndlovu told ZimEye soon after the hearing.
The case has seen numerous failures by the state including shifting of statements by police witnesses, and also a judge resigning on the case.
It is very rare in Zimbabwe for court cases to be delayed on the basis the judge is not ready.
The three activists were being tried by the state on charges of possessing literature materials the state deemed to be treasonous.
Numerous opposition politicians have been taken to court since 1982, beginning with the late Joshua Nkomo, Ndabaningi Sithole, Morgan Tsvangirai, and Roy Bennett.
The court procedings where outgoing Zimbabwe envoy to Australia Jacqueline Nomhle Zwambila is suing The Herald columnist Reason Wafawarova for defamation over a story published by the same paper in which she allegedly stripped naked before embassy staff, have seen the dates being shifted because Zwambila who has lost her job as Zimbabwe’s envoy to Australia is broke and has been asked to provide a security deposit of $60,000 if the case is to proceed fairly in the Australian courts.
Court proceedings which began in November 2010 continued on Monday November 4 in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Supreme Court in Canberra and were soon postponed.
The story Zwambila is suiing for carried allegations contained in a leaked letter written by three embassy officials to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Joey Bimha, where the officials reported the envoy had stripped to her undergarments in front of them during a heated argument over an article that had earlier on been published by The Herald. The story for which the envoy is suing was titled “Envoy Allegedly Strips in Front of Staff,” and ran under the byline “Tendai Mugabe and Reason Wafawarova.”
Despite her denial, this story was later confirmed by a top MDC-T activist, Felix Machiridza who lived with Zwambila at her house when he stated that on the day of the stripping, she revealed it at home that she had actually “fixed them.” When she was contacted by ZimEye concerning the same story, Zwambila did not care to reply or comment on the yet very serious allegation.
Ambassador Zwambila’s lawyers have however applied to have Wafawarova’s defence thrown out on the basis that answers to interrogatories had not been given to the plaintiff’s expectation, and also that they did not meet the technical legal requirements in their formatting.
Wafawarova is unrepresented.
Judge Justice Penfold gave the plaintiff up to the 6 th of November to serve the defendant with and the court with the application.
Reason Wafawarova, who is representing himself indicated to the court he too was filing an application to have the whole case thrown out.
Asked by the court why he would do so he argued that in the absence of a security deposit of $60 000, denied by the same court in 2011, there is no prospect of a fair trial given that the plaintiff is a diplomat who was on her way out of Australia. There is a strong possibility that should the court rule against her suit, defendant would not be able to seek recourse or claim costs, argued Wafawarova.
He further argued that under Article 37 (1) of the Vienna Convention on Immunity and Diplomatic Relations, otherwise known as Diplomatic Immunity Act, plaintiff could refuse to abide by any court ruling unless she is stripped of her diplomatic immunity by Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, something that is highly unlikely, given the response so far given to Wafawarova by the Zimbabwean authorities. struggling…Ambassador Zwambila
Wafawarova also argued that it is impractical for the defendant, for the court, or for any law enforcement agent in Australia to summon any of the three witnesses to an Australian court, again due to constraints related to the principle of diplomatic immunity. It is important in this case that these witnesses be cross- examined after giving their testimonies.
He argued that in the absence of these key witnesses he cannot see any prospect of a fair trial. He further argued that the court in fact does not have jurisdiction over a matter in which it has no legal power to summon key witnesses, or in fact to enforce its own decisions if plaintiff chooses to defy any of its orders or judgments.
Wafawarova also argued that for three years Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied him clearance for the three key witnesses, and the ministry continues to do so for the remaining witness, after two were recalled to Harare at the end of the tours of duty. Without this clearance it is not possible for defendant to receive a fair trial, Wafawarova argued.
He further argued that Ambassador Zwambila has already been recalled to Zimbabwe at the end of her tour of duty, and her departure is an “obstruction to the rights of the defendant” in the event of any cross claims or counter claim for damages so far suffered as a result of the suit.
He also argued that the allegations in the published story all relate to things that happened “in the exercise of the plaintiff’s functions” and “within the confines of the Zimbabwe embassy,” itself considered at law to be foreign territory. Wafawarova argued that Australian courts “cannot possibly have jurisdiction over such a matter”.
Plaintiff has also indicated in her sworn affidavits that she would be bringing volumes of letters, minutes, disciplinary hearings and other documents from both the embassy and from Harare Foreign Affairs Head Office. The plaintiff argues that these documents are meant to prove a political conspiracy “ to undermine” her and “to prop up the Mugabe regime”.
Wafawarova denies there is any such conspiracy, and has put as his defence that the appearance of his name on the byline could have been erroneous since his only role was to tip The Herald of what had happened, with all investigations and interviews being carried out by The Herald staff in Harare, including the call that was made to Ambassador Zwambila herself.
He also argues that in any event the published story was based on truth, given that the allegations reported by The Herald are in fact contained in the letter written by the three officials to Mr Bimha, and also in other documents supplied to court by the plaintiff.
Justice Penfold gave Wafawarova up to 28 December to file his application for the dismissal of the case, with evidence that the Foreign Affairs Ministry refuses to clear the witnesses.
Wafawarova was also given until 28 November to respond to the plaintiff’s application for the striking off of his defence submission. He was advised to seek independent legal advice on how to go about with the submissions.
The hearing which was scheduled for the 28th and 29th of November was vacated to a date to be established after the two applications from both sides are looked at by the court.
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Local Government Ignatius Chombo is preparing to hand over Mutare’s prestigious Meikles Park to Chinese merchants, it has emerged.
This revelation comes following the below letter penned by former mayor Brian James who writes expressing concern for this development. Contacted for comment Mutare council’s City Housing Director, Mr. Mapurisa, confirmed that the city is critically short of land for development, both commercial and residential but this project appears to be going ahead regardless.
Open letter to Hon Member of Parliament (Mutare Central) Mr. Innocent Gonese
By Brian James
Further to our brief telephone conversation yesterday I submit details of the Govt. proposed intention with the City’s (Mutare) Meikles Park. We ask if you could, with your influence in Parliament, lobby for its retention as a public space for the benefit of all Mutareans and their visitors.
Some years ago the government, through the local Govt Min. Chombo, indicated to the City Management that they had identified Meikles Park in Mutare for development in “the national interest’, and Council was directed by Min. Chombo to hand Meikles Park over to the Govt. They proposed a land swap of Meikles Park for state land surrounding the Dangamvura link road turn off. It was their intention to give/ sell Meikles Park to Angin and their Zimbabwean military partners for the development of a 14 story hotel and supermarket complex.
To date no indication has been given as to the exact nature of the ‘national interest’ mentioned, and many of us fail to understand how a purely private commercial enterprise can constitute such ‘national interest’.
Several petitions objecting to this deal, the misuse of our City’s donated public space (Meikles Park), and the abuse of state land for private gain, were handed in to Council earlier this year. Despite these we have recently been informed by the City Housing Director, Mr. Mapurisa, that because the city is critically short of land for development, both commercial and residential that this project appears to be going ahead regardless.
Some would argue that the City needs the development for job creation etc etc and on that we fully concur. However, it was pointed out to the Minister and those supporting this sale that other sights are in fact available for this sort of development, one of which is the ground opposite the main swimming baths on which a Sakunda Service station has been built (there is still room to accommodate a hotel alongside the garage). Another site would be on the very state land that government has offered to swap with council, as it is envisaged that this state land would be the start of a second central business district.
Meikles Park is to Mutarean residents what Unity Square is to Harareans and Centenary Square to the Bulawayo residents. Without this public space, Mutareans would be prejudiced of central city space for large social events, and workers within the CBD would be denied relaxation space during the day.
The Housing Director, in his feeble attempt to justify this project, stated that the City had no where to expand! He stated that the western expansion to the Odzi river through Transsau Estate had been blocked by the resettlement of Chiadzwa inhabitants. This is not entirely correct, as the resettlement only takes up a small portion of the Transsau Estate and in due course this resettlement would be incorporated into the city’s authoritative area. The Housing Director also stated that Northerly expansion had been blocked by the resettlement of communal farmers on former commercial land, and that this now prohibits urban expansion! This cannot be true as this principal would stifle all urban expansion within the country.
We urge you take up this matter with the utmost urgency as we believe that the land swap is imminent, if not already enacted. We are already initiating further petitions and public awareness and would urge you to do the same.
Best regards,
Brian James.
Murombedzi: There was drama at Murombedzi growth point Wednesday when the father of Mines Minister, Walter Chidhakwa, got relief from a case in which he stands accused of raping a 15 year old relative of his wife’s.
Mr Augustine Chidhakwa who is a 75 years old Zanu-PF and National Constitutional Assembly member, is President Robert Mugabe’s nephew and when he was arrested last week, he was released on the same day under unclear circumstances.
The case was then scheduled to be investigated in a pre-trial session on Wednesday morning. Mines Minister Walter Chidhakwa
But before the case could be convened, the family had already received communication that it could not be taken because of what was claimed to be a “lack of evidence,” relatives said.
Our reporter arrived at Murombedzi on Wednesday and found relatives deserting the place with downcast faces. They refused to comment any further although one man told this reporter:
“We haven’t even been given a possible future date for a hearing and this is just not right,” he said adding that he greatly fears that the case will never see justice because of powerful hands meddling with the courts. It is believed that if the issue of evidence was a credible reason, then they would have at least given a future date to after the ninth month when further substantive DNA tests could be performed after birth since the girl, who cannot be named, is currently 5 months pregnant.
Furthermore other immediate tests could have been performed where fluids are extracted and tested for DNA several months before the child is born.
When contacted last week, Mashonaland West Police Spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara however confirmed the case but after further questions refused to give details, escalating the matter to police national spokesperson Charity Charamba. However, when telephoned Mrs Charamba deflected questions back to Mabgweazara who then refused to comment.
In the case allegations are that Augustine Chidhakwa had been raping the victim, his wife’s sister, at their village home in Zvimba, since June this year and was discovered by his wife after it was revealed that her young sister was pregnant.
Mrs Chidhakwa then reported the matter to Murombedzi Police Station who arrested Chidhakwa. He was released on the very same day without an explanation being given.
The girl who was doing her Grade Six at a primary school in Zvimba last year, is now 5 months pregnant.
She became the first woman to single handedly decorate an MDC-T meeting in Oxford, UK graced by prolific legislator Thabitha Khumalo on the 2nd November.
She is now known for shiny balloons, romantic overlays and strips of redness all neatly splattered across the 900 seater hall, the MDC-T party has never had this kind of creativity – ZimEye presents Cerina Lee Mashiringwane. INTERVIEW – (OTHER PHOTOS below) :
The family of Prosper Takudzwa Musegedi, whose body was reportedly found on Thursday in a dam along the Wenimbi Dam in Marondera, were told by the police to stop investigating on his whereabouts three days before his body was found, it has been revealed.
A Police source who requested anonymity has revealed that investigating officers on the case informed the family to stop digging for answers.
Mr Musegedi who had been missing for almost a month, was found within the three days of the instruction from the police. His tortured body was found badly mutilated and his eyes gouged out. .
“Yes it is true that we told the family this last Monday but please do not ask me any more questions and do not use my name because I am not authorised”, said one cop.
It has been alleged that Mr Musegedi may have been murdered for political reasons but to date no evidence of his involvement in such activities has been found.
“He wasn’t involved in any politics that we know of,” one cousin, Vimbai told ZimEye on Monday.
The father of two had left his house late afternoon on the 10th October 2013, telling his wife he was just popping out to the local shop. However, hours went by and he had not returned nor had he contacted his wife to inform her of his whereabouts.
Mr Musegedi contacted his wife the following morning to inform her he was on his way home, but he still did not return to their home in Chitungwiza. This was the last time Mrs Musegedi spoke to her husband. Read more – previous story
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Saviour Kasukuwere was yesterday humiliated after he was detained and treated like a prisoner by German Immigration Department police when he landed in Munich while in transit to Poland where he is attending the United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention
Minister Kasukuwere spoke Saturday of his ordeal which ended up involving Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Germany Hebson Makuvise’s intervention.
Kasukuwere revealed he was detained for “two and half hours,” in a tiny room during a time when he was informed security systems had detected him as an unwanted individual on German territory.
Kasukuwere’s detention comes barely two weeks after Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi received the same treatment in London, and flamboyant businessman Phillip Chiyangwa was totally denied entry into the UK at the same time.
Kasukuwere described his ordeal as very troublesome.
“At Munich, Germany in the morning, briefly detained for 2hrs 30min. Now safely arrived in Poland. Zvakaoma,” said Kasukuwere on arrival in Poland after escaping German detention.
“Problems started when I landed at Munich International Airport around 6am today. As we were walking from the arrival terminal, police details and security agents appeared as if they were carrying their usual airport checks but as soon as they got hold of my passport, they all swooped on me.
“They stopped searching all the other people and I suddenly became the centre of attraction as they escorted me to a police post within the airport and they detained me in a small room for two and half hours. As soon as we got into this room, they took away my passport and gave me some document saying I was supposed to be subjected to some security checks. The police details consulted with higher authorities and shuttled from one office to the other.
“I asked them what was the problem and they told me that their security system had alerted them that an undesirable element was about to enter into their country. They searched me and checked all my details and after a while, they left me to sit alone in this tiny room not knowing what was going on,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
He continued: “It was quite some experience but I wasn’t surprised. I then spoke to the Germany Ambassador in Zimbabwe who made frantic efforts to call these police details to no avail. I sat in this tiny room on some bench and all I could do was just to read my prayer book.”
Kasukuwere said that he battled to explain albeit without success to the police details that he was on his way to a UN meeting in Poland but they would not listen.
“I went further querying why as a diplomat I was being kept in this tiny room but they maintained that they were doing their job,” he said.
He added
“After about two and half hours of uncertainty, one of the police officials just came in and handed me my passport. He then hurriedly left and I was really taken aback by this treatment. I think this had something to do with the illegal sanctions but no one mentioned this to me. This was quite some experience.
I was only freed around 8:45am. This treatment was totally uncalled for.
“After I had been released, the Germany Ambassador to Zimbabwe contacted me and he was very apologetic about the whole ordeal. He gave me assurance that this would never happen again.”
Meanwhile Walter Mzembi the Tourism Minister revealed he is only allowed into the UK only once a year and this in November, as a part of British or EU smart sanctions against him and several members of Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party.
There was drama yesterday when a prominent prosecutor at the Mutare Magistrates Court, was hurled before a tribunal on allegations of supporting the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai in a case in which some MDC-T officials are ironically the very same people seeking to have the prosecutor expelled.
Mr Samuel Chabuka’s furnace of affliction was set alight after supporters of the loosing candidate for Chikanga-Dangamvura Giles Mutsekwa accused him of supporting the winner for the constituency in the just ended elections, Arnold Tsunga.
It was alleged that Chabuka had been prosecuting cases affecting Mutsekwa’s faction while tolerating those of Tsunga’s.
The supporters who include key employees working for Mutsekwa alleged that Chabuka has been campaigning for Arnold Tsunga and actually to this date holds the position of Secretary for Publicity for Chikanga-Dangamvura. Key witnesses include Malfus Tsenga, (Mutsekwa’s chief election agent and the party’s District Secretary), Kingston Mutandi (Organising Secretary for Chikanga-Dangamvura) who have all testified that Sam Chabuka is an active member of MDC-T and that he should not be employed as a State prosecutor. There was drama when Malfus Tsenga presented a letter document written by him with the address of 22 Dawson Road, Mutare. It was immediately noted that this is Giles Mutsekwa’s office address and so Tsenga had already damaged the case through this.
The Disciplinary hearing was chaired by the Human Resources Director in the Public Service, Maxwel Ranga.
But the MDC-T has denied those allegations. The party position was explained by Provincial Spokesperson Mr. Pishai Muchauraya who said it is not true that Chabika holds a party position.
“Samuel Chabuka does not hold a position in our party,” he said.
Muchauraya confirmed that Mutsekwa’s faction members are indeed testifying against Chabuka in court on the allegations.
Efforts to obtain a comment from Giles Mutsekwa were fruitless as his phone rang without being answered.
Mutandi is also ironically the chauffeur for the controversial MDC-T rebel and Mutare Mayor Tatenda Nhamarare. But when contacted on Saturday morning, Mutandi said he has always been a council chauffeur since 2003.” I have always been working for the council since 2003,” he told ZimEye.org
When contacted, Mr Chabuka himself refused to talk saying he would telephone back later.
Mutsekwa is the MDC-T’s Defence and intelligence Secretary. The hearing continues…
The body of a mechanic employed at Mhondoro Ngezi mine by Atlas Copco has been found in a dam along the Ruzawe river.
Prosper Takudzwa Musegedi’s tortured body was found yesterday and police have said they have never witnessed the level of cruelty inflicted on his body. A spokesperson reporting for the family told ZimEye on Thursday morning, the badly mutilated body’s condition was to the extent that his eyes were gouged out while the rest of his body had other deadly bruises.
The 34 year old father of two girls, had been missing since the 10th October 2013. Found dead after missing for four weeks … Prosper Takudzwa Musegedi
The family are in serious shock and they are appealing to the members of the public to assist in capturing the people who tortured and killed Prosper.
“We are appealing for information that can lead to the arrest of the people who killed Prosper.”
“Prosper’s body was found on the 13th of November 2013 dumped in a dam in Ruzawe, Marondera.”
“The body was heavily tortured and his eyes had been gouged out. His hands were tied together with a wire. The CID investigating the case said they have never seen such cruelty.
How it all happened
Another family spokesman added that days after he went missing, his salary for the month of October was still not withdrawn from his bank account and there was no activity on his Facebook page.
“Prosper left his family home in Chitungwiza on the 10th of October around 1530hrs. On his way out he said he was going to the local shops and never returned home,” the spokesman said.
“The following morning he phoned his wife saying he was on his way home but did not say where he was although the wife says the background noise sounded like a busy kombi/bus rank.
“That was the last phone call Prosper made to his wife. Since then his phone has been off and we also noticed that his Facebook profile had been taken down.
“We have reported the case to the police but nothing has come up yet and we are appealing to members of the public for help.
The family were forced to engage private investigators to try and track him down. His wife is extremely anguished and his daughters cry all the time asking for their dad.
Anyone with information is asked to please get in touch with Peter Magugu on 00263772107081 or on 00263772182602, email [email protected], or contact the nearest police station.”
They laboured to carry Presidential ballot boxes across the country and 3 months later, only 50% of their salaries was paid – the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s Chairperson Rita Makarau is under fire from 2013 Election workers who are preparing to take her to court for their dues.
“We write to advise that three (3) months after the presidential elections the hired private transporters contracted by CMED for ZEC
elections have only received 50% of thier hard earned monies,” a spokesperson for the group wrote.
He continued: “Surprising enough , the government is in place and ministers and other authorities are on payrolls and have been given new cars but those who facilitated the elections remain unnoticed , remain unknown. Under fire…ZEC’s Chair Rita Makarau
“Can Rita Makarau justify her position as the chairperson for ZEC because this was budgeted for and where did the money go?
“The transporters also have lives to live and business commitments, can the government intervene
Disgruntled transporter -CMED Contracted – MASH EAST PROVINCE”
Efforts to obtain a comment from Justice Makarau were fruitless at the time of writing.
The Deputy Chairperson of the Special Advisory Board in the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment, Fidelis Fengu has spoken to ZimEye following rumours that he is prepared to testify in court for the MDC-T’s special dossier on alleged vote rigging.
Mr Fengu(FF) also spoke concerning an organisation he started and is coordinating in Harare which is condemned by the notorious faceless Facebook character Baba Jukwa, SPIN which as he defends it, is called the “Social Political Innovators Network.”
INTERVIEW:
QN:During the run up to the last elections, were you not linked to and involved in vote rigging activities? FF:It has been said that I participated in alleged vote rigging, and these are baseless allegations that seek to tarnish my reputation as a political innovator. Most of the constituencies in Bulawayo Province where I had vested interests were lost to the opposition and the few constituencies where we went and helped out we did very well. Team ZANU PF was well prepared for this election and Zimbabweans demonstrated the faith they have in President R. G. Mugabe and wise leadership, policies and personal philosophies that set him apart from other contenders. This election belonged to the Children of Zimbabwe and it was about choosing Empowerment over JUICE. QN: There is this report circulating about you are prepared and ready to testify in an election trial on vote rigging unearthed by the MDC-T. What is your position regarding this and can you hint us? FF:There are rumours that I will be cited in some dossier or court action on these poll fraud allegations I have not been approached by anyone and if anyone intends to approach me then they best be informed that they are barking up the wrong tree. It seems like the name Fidelis Fengu is fast becoming a news item on electronic media and anyone who seeks attention now uses my name, maybe I should start charging people for the mentions; lol, get a life because zvangu zvirikubhadhara. Some have accused me of being part of the Job Sikhala – Madhuku alliance, truth of the matter is that I would rather be part of the Unity, Peace, Development machinery than any other formation in Zimbabwe, and if I were in South Africa I am sure I would be part of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) QN: Were you involved in acts of aggression, and voter intimidation? FF:There never was any intimidation or aggression, it was like asking out a girl, (kupfimba), we went out to convince people to love ZANU PF and to love Cde. R. G. Mugabe and the team of candidates that had been set. You do not intimidate the person you love. Comrades like Psychology Maziwisa and others lead a spirited peaceful campaign that aggressively pushed the ZANU PF empowerment ideology and their work paid off. They must be commended and educuate those that lost from Team ZANU PF so they can learn how to mount a successful campaign. QN: Are you linked to an alleged terror youth group in Harare and the rest of Mashonaland East? FF:I am not linked and neither do I wish to be linked to any terror group anywhere in Zimbabwe. I prefer a peaceful approach, let our ideas battle each other while our hands work to put food on our tables. QN: What about allegations of your involvement in a youth investment endeavour called “SPIN,” as alleged on social networking website Facebook? FF: SPIN is an idea. It is the Social Political Innovators Network. We get together and discuss social and political innovations that are good for constituencies, communities and the country as a whole. Some misconstrue the role or work of SPIN and others just wish to burn every good work meant for the good of the country. We do not handle or run any investments. I own a private investment company called FACT Africa Investments, and this entity does not have any business interests in Zimbabwe.
Thank you very much.
Over one thousand (1,000) elephants have been killed in Zimbabwe in less than 4 years 2008 to 2012, it has been reported. But this number is way below that of South Africa where in just twelve months elephants of the same number were slain by poachers.
This was revealed during Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi’s address to the international affairs think tank, Chatham House on Friday.
Below was part of his address on this issue:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
“Let me turn to the issues of ecological disaster that you might have read with respect to lacing of water holes and salt licks by cyanide in Hwange National Park, which is part of the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area. The KAZA is the biggest wildlife sanctuary in the world with the largest population of elephants. Ordinarily, that makes wildlife a magnet for tourism development. However, the current trend of wildlife poaching using biological chemicals, present a huge challenge for us as a country and the Southern African region. It will undermine tourism economic growth. To this end, the death of more than 100 elephants in Hwange National Park, following collapse of conservation programmes due to underfunding and withdrawal of support by the international financial markets has created a huge gap on environmental security and sustainable biodiversity conservation in Zimbabwe. Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi with UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai
“I wish to state that even when countries are in frosty relations, this should not affect the wildlife we hold so dear to our hearts as our global commons. The wild elephants, the rhinos, the buffaloes, the leopards, the lions, just to mention the Big Five, know no political differences and political boundaries. However, the question is, should we allow political differences to play game while biodiversity and conservation of our pristine flora and fauna are being decimated? I wish to share with you that the death of elephants in Hwange National Park of Zimbabwe, is a tip of the iceberg. We need to address the issues together to protect our ecosystems and all that is in it. Africa is suffering huge haemorrhaging and pillaging of wildlife resources due to increase demand of wildlife products in foreign markets in Asia, here in Europe and the Americas. In fact, there is indisputable empirical evidence, which show that biodiversity and wildlife in Africa face enormous threats. Consequently, these undermine tourism as a quick-win to stimulate accelerated development in Africa whose tourism is known to be dependent on pristine flora and fauna. The situation looks ruinous, take for example, the case of elephant population in Africa. According to Elephant Action League (www.http://elephantleague.org/the-ivory-curse/), by the beginning of the 19th Century, Elephants in North Africa were at 27 million, this number went down to 5 million at the beginning of the 20th century, dropped further to 1.3 million elephants in 1981, 700,000 in 1988, 600,000 in 1990 (when the international ban on ivory trade was then implemented), 500,000 by 1998, 400-500,000 now (with 35-40,000 elephants estimated to being killed each year). This trend of elephant carnage, as well as that of rhinos depletion, is solely due to poaching that reverses overall positive population growth in the long-term, which had been realised since ivory ban in 1990.
Brief country specific experiences
COUNTRY
NUMBER OF ELEPHANTS KILLED
YEAR
1. Cameroon
500 elephants in Bouda N’Djida National Park were wiped off within a month.
From January-February 2012
2. Sierra Leone
The entire elephant population was confirmed wiped out in 2011.
2011
3. The Democratic Republic of Congo
In 48 hours in March 2012, 22 elephants were rounded up in Garamba National Park during helicopter-borne attack by professional poachers. (The use of helicopters is not new since this is suspected to have occurred in Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe in 2011).
2012
4. Tanzania
Reports from research say poachers kill 30 elephants a day.
Day average
5. Kenya
187 elephants were poached in 2010, 289 in 2011 and 384 in 2012. Encounters with poachers resulted in the killing of rangers including a pregnant ranger, F. Hadia Abae in 2012 who was in her line of duty.
2010, 2011 and 2012,
6. South Africa
Prominent poaching targets mainly rhinos and elephants. In 2013, close to 1000 elephants were killed and for rhinos 333 were killed in 2010, 445 in 2011, 668 in 2012 and 637 as at 13 September 2013).
2010, 2011, 2012 and 13 Sept 2013
7. Zimbabwe
Over 100 elephants were laced to death from June-August 2013, over 1000 elephants were killed from 2008-2012, and between 2009-2012, and 300 buffalos, 42 rhinos and 21 lions were also killed.
2013,2008-2012 and 2009-2012
Clearly, this form of environmental and ecological terrorism demands that we take action together for the cause of nature and sustainable development in Africa. Dealing with the signs and symptoms of decimation of wildlife, is intimately a tactical approach, while dealing with causes at varying levels is a strategic issue. Arising from this problem of wildlife poaching is my clarion call for renewed spirit to the extent that I have escalated to UNWTO as the current UNWTO Commission for Africa Chairman I preside over for the next three years, the need to assist African countries. This has been accepted. I therefore, appeal to concerned individuals, NGOs, Governments and the entire global conservation community and environmental philanthropies to take action in protecting the ‘global commons’ in Africa. It is my humble submission that during my tenure, as CAF Chairman, I focus on Tourism and Biodiversity as a legacy vision that I seek to plant in our midst, inspired by our UNWTO 2010 World Tourism Day theme on Tourism and Biodiversity. The running theme that I am appealing for collaboration and support for sustainable tourism driven development of our economies is on Tourism and Biodiversity: Zero Tolerance on Poaching in Africa by 2020.
MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his Medvedev-junior Nelson Chamisa are grounded after the party for the first time refused to fund their trips both international and local.
The reasons for the funding crisis are centred around Tsvangirai’s failure to coordinate diaspora structures who have been a vital source of revenue, it has emerged.
When Tsvangirai flew to the United Kingdom last month a trip funded rather by Oxford University, he was meant to have traveled together with Nelson Chamisa which trip failed after Harvest House failed to raise the money. An appeal was then made to the UK province which is headed by chairman Tonderai Samanyanga who responded with an embarrassing negative. The UK province used to stock tranches of tens of thousands of British pounds sterling in its accounts and that money dwindled after a money laundering scandal emerged which appointee Sam Sipepa Nkomo investigated whose contents were never made public.
When reached for a comment, Mr Samanyanga refused to comment saying it was an internal issue as he confirmed, but refused to shed light any further.
“All I can tell you is the President had an invitation to go to Oxford University,
“The coming of Chamisa you will need to talk to him about it. I only follow directives from my leadership.”
“Its an internal issue., ” he said.
Tsvangirai grounded.
According to the weekly paper The Standard Morgan Tsvangirai is grounded as it emerged Saturday the party is refusing to finance his countrywide tours.
This comes as calls intensify for Tsvangirai to step down from the helm of the party after a crushing defeat to President Robert Mugabe.
Of late some senior officials have come out calling for leadership renewal to revive the party ahead of the 2018 elections.
Sources within the party claim the officials seeking leadership renewal have been responsible for sourcing money to fund party activities, but have since stopped because Tsvangirai has refused to step down.
Exiled MDC-T treasurer general, Roy Bennett has been the link between MDC-T and the donor community.
Through him, the party was pampered with money to bankroll its activities in Zimbabwe, hoping that it was going to form the next government.
In Zimbabwe former Energy minister, Elton Mangoma, who is said to be spearheading the quest to “renew and re-invigorate the party”, has been the party treasurer and controls the finances.
“Mangoma has refused to fund the tours claiming they were not budgeted for. The tours are essential to thwart any leadership renewal calls. This is in contrast to what he should be doing. Once the national executive makes a decision he is obliged to do so, however this time around he didn’t,” said a senior party official.
“It is shocking that Tsvangirai is funding the visits from his own pocket, and that is the reason they had to reschedule the trips.”
The Standard was told Saturday there have been concerted efforts to destroy MDC-T from within, in the run up to the elections through under funding.
“Money used for campaigns was less than US$100 000. T-shirts printed were less than 200 000, which means each district got a paltry 800,” a senior party official said.
The official said the recent retrenchment in the party was done to flush out people sympathetic to Tsvangirai.
The official said Tsvangirai was sabotaged even during the negotiations, when the party negotiators allowed Zanu PF to prevail.
MDC-T spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora said he had not heard of the allegations, adding that anything to do with Tsvangirai’s itinerary was best handled by secretary-
general, Tendai Biti and organising secretary, Nelson Chamisa.
Chamisa and Mangoma referred all questions back to Mwonzora as the party spokesperson.
Mwonzora’s number was unavailable on our second attempt to contact him.
Sources claim the senior party officials are holding secret meetings to force an early extraordinary party congress to be held in March next year to effect leadership change.
In their plans as reported by our sister paper, The Zimbabwe Independent, former Harare mayor Elias Mudzuri is tipped to take over as party president in a line-up that
also comprises former ministers in the coalition government with Zanu PF which ended in July after four years.
Writing in The Standard recently, Mudzuri proffered five scenarios to rescue the party.
He suggested that the status-quo remains and MDC go for the 2016 Congress with the current leadership.
Mudzuri said there could be an extraordinary congress before 2016 to choose new leaders.
As scenario three, Mudzuri said Tsvangirai and the whole team are contested at the 2016 Congress and a new leadership emerges in the MDC.
In scenario four Tsvangirai becomes the godfather of the party. He steps down ceremoniously and a new leader is elected. He becomes a “Mandela” of the party. Structures are re-engineered including the party constitution, which will limit the future party president to two terms only.
Lastly, Mudzuri proffered that Tsvangirai does not step down. He keeps the support base and those unhappy can form their own party or join the various sprouting political outfits in the country.
Tsvangirai is digging in, riding on the massive support he enjoys among MDC-T supporters and his camp insists the former trade unionist will secure another nomination to contest the 2018 polls.
MDC-T Secretary General, Biti said MDC-T had no money and was retrenching.
“The party does not have money and that is why we are retrenching. It is a fact that we get money from government through Political Parties Finance Act and the government is broke,” Biti said. “We don’t have diamonds like other political parties.” (The Standard/ additional reporting ZimEye)
Zimbabwe’s Tourism Minister has taken a swipe at Ephraim Tapa’s Zim Vigil protesters who raised placards against him advocating for the perpetuation of sanctions on Friday outside the think-tank London’s Chatham House where the Minister was delivering a speech.
Speaking during an address to the diaspora community a few hours later, Minister Mzembi said he was shocked to see the group who held out placards written: ‘Who poisoned the elephants?’, ‘Who is destroying the forests?’ and ‘Who is stealing the diamonds?’
They cannot be true Zimbabweans, and if they are, their brains are certainly remote controlled by aliens, Minister Mzembi hinted.
” When I looked out to see who was out there, there were (just) five people (standing) who were clearly choreographed to hold posters and placards, placards of all sorts,” said Mzembi.
Mzembi with CNN’s Richard Quest in London
Mzembi called upon people in the diaspora to launch counter-campaigns against western sanctions.
“You can use your (own) placard network, social platforms your Facebook work to highlight your country’s plight …” said Mzembi.
Efforts such as the Vigil’s represented by a few individuals are not Zimbabwean at heart and are futile, hinted Mzembi.
But in a statement the leading campaigner of the Vigil protest, Fungai Mabhunu appeared to dismiss the Mzembi’s statements although not denying that they were just 5 people outside Chatham House.
“The particular kind of protest we were making was not a violent one, we were only dishing out leaflets to people as they enter,” said Mabhunu.
When asked what the Vigil’s position is on sanctions, Mabhunu said that sanctions against Zimbabwe should remain in place.
For the past 11 years, western countries have imposed what they termed smart sanctions on Zimbabwe intended to affect only Robert Mugabe and a few other members of the ruling elite. But many of the sanctions actually do affect ordinary people and more than a decade later, local Zimbabweans cannot perform basic international business activities such as operating a Paypal account, and sending money via US companies such as Western Union from within Zimbabwe. In the same vein, small businesses wishing to advertise on big companies such as the US based social platform Facebook, are struggling since they have blocked Zimbabwe demographic data which are vital for e-commerce operations.
The MDC-T deputy national chairperson Senator Morgen Komichi who was yesterday sentenced to 350 hours of community service, is to rely on a dossier on election rigging to assist in his appeal, it has emerged.
The MDC-T party has announced that Komichi “is innocent and that he is being victimised for exposing electoral fraud”, spokesman Douglas Mwonzora said yesterday.
Komichi was charged in July for fraud and contravening the Electoral Act after he was reportedly given a stray ballot paper found in a bin at the Harare International Conference Centre, and handed it over to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission senior officials evidence which he said proved that the election was rigged.
But the prosecution fought him saying he had actually illegally dabbled into election materials with the intention of discrediting the elections.
The MDC-T party has however announced a dossier on election rigging it argues proves that Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party utilised the armed forces to illegally influence the election outcome. Morgan Komichi
But ZANU PF has dismissed the vote rigging claims saying they have no basis of fact. Below was a long argument by ZANU PF’s UK chairman Nick Mangwana in his rebuttal titled :“Response to MDC‐Elections Defeat” :
“Initially they spoke of a mutating paper. Now we don’t hear it anymore. A sci‐fi idea which they abandoned possibly because of its embarrassing nature.
•They mention $100m allegedly used to rig without even saying at what point this money was used to affect the electoral process. The fact is not whether there was a $100 m or not ( which they still have to prove) but how it subverted the electoral process.
•Then they mention multiple voting by individuals. Really? How about the indelible ink? If the ink was not indelible for real we would have seen and had a melodramatic song and dance from some of these guys showing how much they can wash off the ink. But no it was taking 2 weeks. If you remove the issue of the ink out of the equation, you remove multiple voting and automatically undermine a big part of their frivolous so‐called dossier.
•Regarding Nikuv, which country has never contracted or outsourced a service? Why should that be an issue. As you know Nikuv specialises in Data bases.
•This whole thing is a ploy do unlock donor funds as well as giving a life line to their failed leadership. If you go on the ground in Zimbabwe and speak to people, ask them whether they would vote Tsvangirayi, the vast majority would still laugh at you. Every objective poll demonstrated ZPF romping home with a landslide. Now the chickens have come to roost. You sow to the wind, you reap a whirlwind.
•We cannot continue to have this outfit holding the country at ransom affecting the country’s credit rating and investor confidence with redundant questions of legitimacy in a bid to appease their handlers.”
In addition to his sentence, Komichi spent a total 97 days in remand at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison while awaiting trial.
An MDC-T vehicle was on Thursday afternoon seized after it was found that the youth leader driving it, Costa Machingauta is not authorised to drive it.
Further reports were made that Machingauta who is the party’s deputy Youth Assembly chairman actually does not have a drivers’ license. MDC-T’s Isuzu KB as it was impounded
This led to Council police swooping in and having been directed by Parliament authorities to impound it.
“It was being abused by the Assembly’s deputy chair Costa Machingauta and wrongly parked it outside parliament,” a senior source told ZimEye Thursday afternoon.
“Under normal circumstances it is a breach of party rules for party officials to drive party vehicles.
Only party drivers are allowed by the party to drive party vehicles.”
The incident occurred after an MDC parliamentarian had reported the alleged breach.
A yet to be named school girl was run over in Harare Drive on Thursday morning while heading to school.
Reports say the accident occurred along Harare Drive close to the traffic light which demarcates Ashdown Park and Cotswold Hills.
“It is with great shock and sadness that I have learnt of the tragic death of a school girl who was run over this morning along Harare Drive,” announced Harare West MP Jessie Majome.
“Barely a month after another fatal accident on Harare Drive which claimed the life of Dr. Chironga and earlier in the year we lost a Hallingbury Grade 7 pupil Delan Dzimunya, Majome said.
“One life lost, is one life to many and here before the year ends 3 lives taken. The issue of Traffic safety needs to be addressed along Harare Drive. The traffic light just before Ashdown Drive needs to be repaired and the 2 zebra crossings on Harare Drive repainted.
“My prayers are with her family at this sad and difficult time,” she added.
Zimbabwe’s Tourism Minister HON Walter Mzembi was ‘humiliated’ and reportedly treated in a manner similar to ANC’s Tokyo Sexwale after he was detained by a junior civil servant of the UK Border Agency and interrogated after landing in London at the weekend, ZimEye can reveal.
Minister Mzembi confirmed this during a Chiyangwa function on Saturday night which he attended while nursing tiredness from the airport ordeal. Phillip Chiyangwa could not attend that same meeting after he was denied permission to fly his private jet into the UK.
Mzembi said he was detained for more “than an hour,” while being questioned on various issues connected to sanctions without elaborating on exactly what those questions where.
During the meeting on Saturday, Mzembi also said that he is allowed into the UK only once a year and this in (the sacred month of the goat) November, as a part of British smart sanctions against him and several members of Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party. Humiliated…Tourism Minister – Walter Mzembi
While Mzembi was lamenting about his ordeal, just 50 miles away, MDC-T’s MP for Bulawayo East Thabitha Khumalo was simultaneously celebrating in an Oxford meeting that she had been granted a long five year-stretch multiple entry visa to visit the UK at any time of her choice.
Phillip Chiyangwa’s daughter Stephanie has hinted to ZimEye that the reason her father was denied entry into the UK (and possibly why Mzembi was detained) was because certain people resident in the UK complained to the British government expressing their hatred and disapproval of Chiyangwa’s function.
Mzembi however implored diasporans to unite.
“The only thing that we know about is that you hate yourselves in the diaspora, and we then say to ourselves how do we help you if you are unable to find each other here,?” said Mzembi.
(Canberra, Australia)The case in which Zimbabwe’s controversial ambassador to Australia Jacqueline Zwambila is suing a journalist for defaming her following an allegation that she stripped naked before embassy staff members began yesterday Monday morning.
BACKGROUND:
Zwambila reportedly stripped her clothes in front of embassy staff in protest that they were leaking information to the state media. She however managed to bring an Australian newspaper that re-published the news to its knees as she snatched an out of court settlement of at least 60,000 dollars.
The major reason used for pulling down the Australian paper was that their journalists failed to obtain her personal comment before publishing the story. But not long after that, she triggered greater suspicion as she ironically ignored and continued to snub journalists seeking consultation on the same matter.
As for another journalist targeted by Zwambila, the Australia based journo Reason Wafawarova, he had assisted a Harare correspondent in writing the first story on the alleged stripping news breaker. Going to night school – ambassador Jacqueline Zwambila
A new Zwambila controversy soon sprung shortly after the alleged stripping incident which is believed now validates that she had truly stripped naked before junior embassy staff. News broke that she had allegedly lured and then abused her own butler who is a loyal long serving member of her MDC-T party. Various evidence pieces were presented before her in an inquiry on the matter but she instead attempted to threaten to sue instead of responding to the media questions, sideswiping the national value of her reputation in which she represents the Zimbabwean nation instead of just her party.
ARGUMENTS:
Meanwhile several arguments with a burden of evidence were presented to judges during yesterday’s preliminary hearing. Ms Zwambila however has several impediments in her way with which she will have to prove first of all, that in the event that she looses she will not refuse to pay applicable court cost awards. Another key matter is on the issue of jurisdiction since the alleged act was done on Zimbabwean soil (Embassy in Canberra.
There are also two official letters revealing the incident was recognised at government level and was clearly adopted into foreign affairs discussions. The first is a letter written by a diplomat complaining to Harare about the incident, and the second is a letter written by the ministry from its Harare office in response to the report.
A bright young Zimbabwean lass based in Leeds, has won the prestigious Channel 4 Writer in residence award for classical theatre writing.
Announcing her success, a reading on West Yorkshire Playhouse website stated:”We are delighted to say that Zodwa Nyoni has been awarded a Channel 4 Writer in residence award. Hundreds of theatres nominate writers for the scheme and only 5 are chosen after application and interview. The (very impressive) interview panel of
Sir Richard Eyre (Chairman)
Catherine Johnson Theatre Star…Zodwa Nyoni
Indhu Rubasingham
Sue Summers
John Tydeman OBE
Piers Wenger (Head of Drama, Channel 4)
were all extremely complimentary about Zodwa’s writing and I’m happy to say awarded her one of the residencies.
The residency begins on 1 January 2014 and we’re sure Zodwa will be very involved in many aspects of the Playhouse’s activities. Look out for news in the future.
Zodwa came to the Playhouse via a group of young writers in residence at the I Love West Leeds Festival in 2010. She was then Young writer on attachment at West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2011. She studied for a BA (Hons) in Art, Event and Performance at Leeds Metropolitan University before doing the MA in writing for Performance and Publication at Leeds University in 2013; along the way performing at West Yorkshire Playhouse as part of Speak Women Speak and as a Writer in Paines Plough’s Come To Where I’m From. Now coming back to the Playhouse with the Channel 4 award. Thus a please illustration of the importance of grass roots community arts activity (I Love West Leeds) and good connections with our regional universities.”
Flamboyant businessman Phillip Chiyangwa was last week barred from entering the UK, his daughter has revealed.
Chiyangwa who was meant to fly his private jet together with performing artists Lloyd Tevedzai, Kapfupi and Marabha for his daughter’s book launch function, was told at the last minute he would not be allowed to fly his jet following complaints that he was to hold a political meeting there, his daughter Stephanie said. Barred from entering UK … Phillip Chiyangwa
Stephanie who lives in London had advertised the function with her father’s face on the front cover of brochures as the main guest of honour.
But the brochures also included Strive Masiyiwa’s name as well. Masiyiwa who is perceived to be a supporter of the opposition MDC party never turned up reasons for which were neither declared nor known publicly at the time of writing.
It was only three artists performing at the function who were allowed after anonymous callers reportedly telephoned the UK Border Agency complaining that Chiyangwa was to hold a political meeting there. Stephanie said the same callers also telephoned the hotel threatening attacks on the building because of Phillip Chiyangwa’s presence.
According to Stephanie, the reason why her father’s journey was blocked is because of the threats.
‘Someone called the Home Office and the hotel threatening and saying that we were going to conduct a political meeting,’ she said. During the July elections she remotely campaigned from her UK home for her father to win the Chinhoyi constituency.
When the event was finally held on Saturday night, the only high profile person present was Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi.
Meanwhile it was claimed that Chiyangwa has finally been granted a UK visa after an appeal and will be arriving in London on Friday, reports which have remained unverified for validity.
MDC party leader Prof. Welshman Ncube has moved to tighten screws of discipline in his party which has experienced numerous desertions in recent days.
Ncube yesterday met with members of the party’s Matabeleland South provincial leadership in a robust but cordial and progressive atmosphere.
The meeting was the first of a series of engagements which the president and leadership of the party will undertake in the province for purposes of sharing views, interrogating various opinions and finally arriving at a global understanding and constructive conclusion on all issues pertaining to the province.
According the party’s spokesman Nhlanhla Dube, yesterday’s meeting was attended by a broad representation which included the province’s main wing, women and youth assembly.
The provincial leadership reiterated its commitment to strict adherence to party protocol in all matters of the party and as such the province will only communicate its decisions through the provincial spokesperson, any other voice would be regarded as an individual’s opinion not representative of the provincial position, said Dube.
The provincial leadership further noted and accepted that the national disciplinary committee had, acting within its constitutional mandate, taken a decision in the matter regarding the former provincial chairman Mr. Petros Mukwena.
The members of the provincial leadership then made an undertaking that after further consultations within the province, a follow up meeting will be held with the party president and national leadership within the month of November 2013 to continue with the internal engagement process, Dube said.
Former ZBC DJ and aspiring MP, Eric Knight is in a secret affair with a 19 year old girl which has disturbed family members, ZimEye can reveal.
Mr Knight, a political chancer who fell from grace in an embarrassing-thud for Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC when the party mysteriously catapulted him to become a special parliamentary candidate outside rules, and soon lost the recent elections for the Mbare constituency before spinning again and joining ZANU PF overnight, is in love with 19 year old Ayanda Shekede.
Ayanda, who lives with her parents in the prestigious Mandara suburb of Harare, confirmed the affair before linking our reporter with Eric on Sunday evening. Eric Knight’s secret girl friend…19 year old Ayanda
Having ‘been intimate’ with Eric recently, she told our reporter she is not looking to get married to him as she is in a private affair, ” This is a private affair I am not looking to become a celebrity’s wife,” she said adding that she also knows Knight is married.
When she was asked why she both appeared and sounded dejected while talking about Eric she responded staggeringly: “Really? I am okay. Not really. Not exactly hey, I am okay, I am okay.”
Mr Knight is reportedly 46 years old (having been born in 1967), while Ayanda(born in 1994) is 19.
Mr Knight claimed to Ayanda that he has various business investments in the UK, a source who requested anonymity claims.
Ayanda’s Facebook account is facebook.com/ayanda.shekede.
At the time of writing, Mr Knight was still to phone back editors as the phone was abruptly cut.
MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s dossier on alleged vote rigging during the just ended harmonised elections, lists a pile of (9) nine army generals, it has emerged.
The exclusive dossier Mr Tsvangirai at the weekend said, reveals how Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party used army structures to create a favourable election outcome for Mugabe and his party.
The document includes by name: Retired Major V Rungani, listed as Coordinator, Brig General Sibangumuzi Khumalo, Retired Air Commodore M Karakadzi, Brig General S Moyo, Brig General D Sigauke, Brig General E Shungu, Major Gen. E Rugeje, Vice Marshall A Basutu, Col C Sibanda. Mr Tsvangirai says the generals among other things co-ordinated the stashing of fake ballot papers in Manicaland and other provinces.
Mr Tsvangirai’s full dossier is yet to be made public.
Meanwhile, ZANU PF has viciously dismissed the vote rigging allegations saying that they are unfounded.
ZANU PF’s response:
Below was a short response from ZANU PF-UK interim chairman, Nick Mangwana as he denied the report. The rebuttal was titled: “Response to MDC‐Elections Defeat” :
“Initially they spoke of a mutating paper. Now we don’t hear it anymore. A sci‐fi idea which they abandoned possibly because of its embarrassing nature.
•They mention $100m allegedly used to rig without even saying at what point this money was used to affect the electoral process. The fact is not whether there was a $100 m or not ( which they still have to prove) but how it subverted the electoral process.
•Then they mention multiple voting by individuals. Really? How about the indelible ink? If the ink was not indelible for real we would have seen and had a melodramatic song and dance from some of these guys showing how much they can wash off the ink. But no it was taking 2 weeks. If you remove the issue of the ink out of the equation, you remove multiple voting and automatically undermine a big part of their frivolous so‐called dossier.
•Regarding Nikuv, which country has never contracted or outsourced a service? Why should that be an issue. As you know Nikuv specialises in Data bases.
•This whole thing is a ploy do unlock donor funds as well as giving a life line to their failed leadership. If you go on the ground in Zimbabwe and speak to people, ask them whether they would vote Tsvangirayi, the vast majority would still laugh at you. Every objective poll demonstrated ZPF romping home with a landslide. Now the chickens have come to roost. You sow to the wind, you reap a whirlwind.
•We cannot continue to have this outfit holding the country at ransom affecting the country’s credit rating and investor confidence with redundant questions of legitimacy in a bid to appease their handlers.
Econet Wireless founder Strive Masiyiwa has announced the launching of a revolutionary digital to platform to administer medical diagnoses hundreds of kilometres away from a clinic. Very soon it might just take a cellphone in one’s hand to obtain crucial medical checks.
The network once completed successfully will see poor people in rural areas access medical examinations via a simple phone connection.
Masiyiwa announced this platform calling it the Econet Disease Surveillance Network (EDSN).
Below was his press release: The revolutionary EDSN demonstrated
One of the most exciting developments, we are currently working on, is a project we call the Econet Disease Surveillance Network. It is very similar to our award winning, Energize the Chain project. Both these projects were not designed to generate income, but to show that we can use our business, to help our communities.
Our research and development team, working with partners in America, have developed a test kit, which we can install at any rural clinic, or hospital. A blood sample, through a simple finger prick, is taken, and placed on a cartridge containing a strip of absorbent paper impregnated with antibodies. If the person has an infection, the paper changes colour. The paper is then photographed using a simple cell phone camera, supplied as part of the kit. The picture of the sample is beamed over our network, to a special computer, which processes it, and provides a diagnosis, which is sent back to the remote clinic, in a matter of seconds, by SMS. The computer also collates the data, to enable public health officials, to know the spread of diseases, in the country.
So, far we have the capacity to test for 5 diseases: malaria, HIV, dengue, influenza and hepatitis B. The test kit, not only enables thousands of people to be tested, and treated, but it also allows governments, to be able to monitor the movement real time of any of these diseases, enabling them to react quickly to major outbreaks.
We are currently testing this system, and it is our hope to eventually get such systems installed in every African country. Our team is led by Dr. Precious Lunga, a medical specialist, who joined our team to lead our health initiatives.
My vision however is that within 10 years, people will be testing themselves for diseases, using their cell phones…
Just add a little innovation, to what you do best.
(London)The Kenyan preacher (who is an ally to former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga) who claims to have super powers to create babies from mothers without necessary intercourse, Gilbert Deya, has been arrested for sexual offenses.
Mr Deya whose church claims to have more than 35,000 members and once set up a fast growing assembly at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare, was arrested after investigations were opened that he allegedly inappropriately touched a 14 year old girl. Other charges before this one were three counts of rape and one count of attempted rape against another female church member. Arrested…Gilbert Deya
He appeared at Camberwell magistrates court on Friday and will duly appear at the inner London crown court for a preliminary hearing on 8 November.
Deya’s wife is barred from the UK for more than 5 years running to date being confined to Kenya where she was convicted of smuggling children out of the African nation to take and hand to female church members in the UK with the intention of claiming the miracles. Several children were taken by social services after DNA tests proved they were not the kids of the church members and Mrs Deya was convicted in Kenya. Mr Deya himself was due to be deported back to Kenya back in 2007, when he managed to claim asylum and managed to stay in England.
The Deya church’s theology upholds the obsessive laying or sometimes pressing of the hands by the preacher to “transfer” healing powers to the person needing prayer. They are however often performed without the person’s consent and people are also forced into laborious processions which Deya claims will rid them of evil spirits. Another controversy is on the use of so called anointing oil which Deya instructs people to apply onto their bodies for protection from evil spirits.
An uneducated man with no papers of writ, he rarely preaches from the Bible and relies on what he says is the Holy Spirit leading him. At the height of investigations into his miracle baby claims in 2005, Deya began claiming that he had discovered new books which must be regarded as scripture and added to the Bible.
Former Prime Minister and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has spoken further concerning his ‘exclusive’ vote rigging dossier of the just ended elections saying that ZANU PF utilised the army to both stash and control the voting process beginning chiefly with Manicaland.
Mr Tsvangirai said that ZEC chairperson Judge Rita Makarau cannot be blamed for many things such as printing of ballot papers and the distortions in the voters’ roll.
In a highly gripping oration, Tsvangirai spoke to his UK leaders on Saturday explaining why the MDC failed to win the just ended election which loss he also blames on the Chinese Communist party.
He said the blame for the printing of fake ballot papers could not be laid on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission but rather on the army and (CIO) Central Intelligence Organisation.
“Not even ZEC could control those ballot papers,” he said.
He added:
“There were three million extra ballot papers put in the system especially in Manicalanad, in Matebeleland and in Masvingo where the MDC has very substantial representation,” he said.
Even Makarau Did Not Have Voters’ Roll
On voter registration records, Tsvangirai added that the army was in control and “even Makarau did did not have access to the electronic voters’ roll. Even the voters roll itself right up to the end even the chairperson of ZEC did not have access to the electronic voters’ roll one day before the election; Even right up to the end.”
“The other area was the question of the youth militia. The Chinese Communist party trained 35,000 youth militia who were deployed in various military bases, I can give you the figures but in Inkomo there so many youths. In Bharabhara there were so many youths and this there were so many youths. What was the purpose of the youth militia was actually to mark extra ballots, to stuff them and to move those youths around the country.
“The other area was the question of traditional leaders. Traditional leaders were used to frog march people in their various villages. By saying this village is going to vote from time to that time, the next village is going to vote from this time to that time. And the role of traditional leaders was very effective on the ground to undermine the people.
“The other issue was the question of assisted voters. I know in Muzarabani there were 10,500 assisted voters in a voting population of 17,000. Even teachers and headmasters claimed ignorance about voting. When it comes to the question of the deployment of military leaders we now are aware that each province had a commanding officer and that at every voting station, every registration centre there was either a CIO, a ZANU PF activist and all. Now lets look to ZEC itself. ZEC was not an independent body.
“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission did not control anything because everything was controlled by the military and by the CIO.
“Right (now) as I speak the ZEC does not know the total number of the people who voted. That was the basis of our electoral challenge. We withdrew it because they would not give us the full details of those people who voted and the outcome of the voted.”
The MDC leader added that this was clearly not an election but a mere act.
“This was not an election and anyone who will tell that this was an election is actually misrepresenting the truth. This was Mugabe and his military commanders that they were not going to give up power. Because they knew. They knew that on the ground if people were allowed to vote, the outcome was going to be an overwhelming victory for MDC,” said Mr. Tsvangirai.
(ANALYSIS)Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Jonathan Moyo’s announcement that Zimbabwe’s Criminal Defamation statutes are now to be repealed so that the country falls well in line with the new constitution, is in actual fact an opportunity for the opposition as they prepare for the next elections in 2018.
Below was an analysis by political commentator Julius Mutyambizi:
“This paradigm shift is among some pragmatic steps that some are taking to re-brand themselves. ZANU PF is clearly changing and setting a different paradigm from which future political debate can be fought.
“It is wiser for the opposition to notice this ahead of the 2018 election. In future elections will not be fought on the platform of human rights abuses but it will be fought on a completely new turf. Formidable opposition positions itself as an alternative government, ready to govern, with an alternative into the posterity and not the past, the past is relevant only when it represents unfinished business but you cannot base your alternatives and narratives entirely on the past.
“Good planners will start now, notice what your competitors are doing, build on new competencies, discard old, obsolete narratives and reinvent new ones to reignite legitimate debate and stay relevant to the electorate in your own way through offering alternatives on the future that can entrench themselves in people’s minds and resonate with them until election time.”
Shocking Obasanjo Claim By Tsvangirai in London
Former Prime Minister and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai made a shock statement in London on Saturday when he contradicted himself announcing that on election eve this year(30 July), he was fully convinced the election would be an obvious scandal.
He said he confronted both Robert Mugabe and the African Union’s representative, Olusegun Obasanjo, and clearly told the 89 year old ruler beforehand that the elections would not be free and fair because of a flawed voters roll a few hours before going into election Tsvangirai in Croydon, London on Saturday
Tsvangirai told a delegation of his UK leaders that a day before elections he knew very well that the voters roll was flawed with serious irregularities such that from day one he knew that the election was a sham.
Mr Tsvangirai said, “On the night before the election I went and saw Mugabe with Obassanjo. And I went with the voters’ roll of Mount Pleasant.
“I said ‘President, how do you go to an election with this voters’ roll? With over 254 names all born on the same day, how do you justify that? This is a voters’ roll that is being denied people how do you justify…
“So I am telling you whatever the outcome of this election is not going to be legitimate.’ Obasanjo was there, Mugabe was there and I told them. So I just want to say, ladies and gentlemen this was not an election. We went through some exercise of voting and before the election we stated that Mugabe was looking peaceful but rigged outcome. It was obvious.”
Tsvangirai’s statements however contradicted his own confident predictions on election day when he clearly said that he is confident of a resounding poll victory which would set him as Zimbabwe’s incoming President despite the flawed voters roll. Casting his own ballot paper at Mt Pleasant flanked by his wife, Tsvangirai indicated this was a historic moment for whole of Zimbabwe. When asked on his projections, he said his victory would be “quite resoundingly, I must say.”
“This is a very historic moment for all of us,” he added.
Several cadres coming out of the Croydon meeting said they were shocked to hear what Tsvangirai said. “If what the President said is true as it seems, then he possessed full knowledge or a perception of what was taking place, ” said one member from London Grays branch who refused to be named.
His name is Nox, and he’ll be landing on the British coast, to give you all a smashing toast – It is true, the hammer with all its nails should be handed to none other than Nox! Zimbabwe’s Nox Guni will be landing in the United Kingdom and will perform in Nothampton and Leeds from Friday to Saturday (1st to 2nd November). 1st November – Academy Music Venue, Northampton. 2nd November – La Boheme, Leeds
In Leeds, he will be performing with a special guest female musician called ‘Shanky.’
Also present will be the fluid Roby Gee.
Nox is expected to perform a non-stop 5 hours session loaded with his ever exciting thrill and tingle. Itinerary: 1st November – Academy Music Venue, Northampton. 2nd November – La Boheme, Leeds. VIDEO:
Morgan Tsvangirai’s right hand woman Thokozani Khupe on Saturday attended Arnold Tsunga’s Dangamvura parliamentary victory celebrations. Tsvangirai has been against Tsunga’s candidacy and had his own preferred person for the constituency, Giles Mutsekwa.
It was for this reason that Tsunga was facing disciplinary action for going into the election against Tsvangirai’s instructions. But today (Saturday) senior leaders from provinces were present at the function. These also included National executive members in Elton Mangoma, Clifford Hlatyayo, Abdenico Bhebhe and Amos Chibaya.
Tsunga a lawyer by profession said he decided to leave his legal profession for politics because he found it very difficult to bring justice to the people of Zimbabwe without changing the political system in Zimbabwe which was dominated by ZANU PF for over 3 decades. Fighting for the people from within the political system was the only option though still committed to be a human rights defender in the legal system, hinted Tsunga.
Other guests include Bishop Bakare of the Anglican church who gave the opening prayer. Pictures: Tsunga dancing with his wife on Saturday
Arnold Tsunga with his wife (left) Thokozani Khupe arriving with spokesman Pishai Muchauraya
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The German and French governments yesterday carried out emergency meetings and have begun preparing to send their intelligence officers to the US after several documents were said to have leaked to Europe revealing US surveillance operations and directed spying on German chancellor Angela Merkel.
Several German intelligence officials are now heading to the US to assess how far and how much spying the US have been carrying out.
The development came also as the French government announced it would take actions of protest against the US government over the leaks.
The leaks came about after former NSA officer Edward Snowden leaked a chunk of documents reportedly ‘revealing’ US government activities Snowden says are unethical and unacceptable.
ZimEye has been requested by the family of the Chadzimura’s to publish the photo of Mr Jairos Chadzimura who was killed in an inferno in Pomona, Harare on Sunday after police officers attending the scene left his body unattended overnight despite discovering it in good time for all procedures needed on Sunday afternoon.
Police officers attending the scene on Sunday were blasted after they allowed Mr Chadzimura’s body to stay unattended to overnight saying that investigations needed to be carried out.
“We told them and even complained to them, but they said they wanted to take photos and carry out investigations first,” said son, Mr Emmanuel Chadzimura.
Even when they stayed on through the night, the cops guarding the place stayed at a distanced several hundred metres away,” he added. The full names of the police officers in charge could not be obtained at time of writing.
Mr Jairos Chadzimura, a family man aged 71, died on Sunday afternoon in Pomona during the fire blaze which has engulfed the dumping site where he was both working and residing. He was killed while trying to recover his goods as his house went under the flames.
Donations for the burial via Ecocash can be forwarded to 0773579414 (00263773579414).
The Harare fire brigade struggled to put out the fire which needed several helicopters to handle but they had none. Eye witnesses say that the fire was started by people who were attempting to get rid of some rubbish at the site area which sits on a square kilometre designated for dumping by the city council. To date there have been no arrests by the Police despite investigations which commenced on Sunday.
Mutare’s four councillors led by the controversial new mayor Tatenda Nhambarare, on Monday once again came under the spotlight after they defied their party leader Morgan Tsvangirai uniting with ZANU PF in the setting up of local committees as they openly elected ZANU PF committee chairpersons for departments ahead of their own party cadres.
The MDC-T is now in the minority in the committees.
Council is run by committee chairpersons, the mayor, town clerk and heads of departments, and the councilors today met to elect the committee.
The committees are for the following departments: Finance, Housing, General Purposes, Audit committee, Procurement, Health, Environment.
The committee chairpersons together with the mayor and town clerk are collectively responsible for the day to day running of the city. MDC with its majority of 13 councillors against 9 of ZANU PF are supposed to land all the positions but 4 mdc councilors joined with ZANU PF to give the latter an advantage of 10 to 9.
The below is the preliminary table of positions as made available : Finance – Kenneth Kagoro ZANU PF Audit – George Jojo Zanu pf General Purpose – Mwanyara Jusa ZANU PF Public works – Richard Mupfura MDC rebel Procurement – Farai Bhiza MDC rebel Environment Pamella Mutare MDC rebel Housing Tandi Blessing MDC after spoiled votes
Last month the councilors shocked their party when they elected a deputy mayor from Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party.
A family man died on Sunday afternoon in Pomona during the fire blaze which has engulfed Vainona.
The Pomona fire claimed the life of Mr Jairos Chadzimura (whose age was not known at the time of writing.) The man was killed while trying to recover his goods as his house went under the flames.
The Harare fire brigade struggled to put out the fire which needed several helicopters to handle. Eye witnesses say that the fire was started by people who were attempting to get rid of some rubbish at the site area which sits on a square kilometre designated for dumping by the city council. The fumes as they continued to rise from eastern Vainona
The deceased comes from Mukombe village in Buhera and is survived by ten (10) children and several grandkids.
At the time of writing, another disturbing incident occurred after police attending the scene said that they would guard the deceased’s body over night and would collect it on Monday morning.
Exactly what caused the fire? Watch this space for an exclusive investigation on what sparked the fire. More to follow..
A huge fire engulfed Harare from the city’s Vainona surbub on Sunday morning.
A huge ball of smoke continued to rise out of Vainona Pomona two hundred metres above ground and could be seen from as far as Mt Pleasant. The cause of fire was not known just as the fire brigade was failing to combat the fire.
Meanwhile there was speculation that the fire may have been caused by someone trying to destroy rubbish heaps at a nearby dumping site. The fumes as they continued to rise from eastern Vainona
A comment could not be obtained from the fire service at the time of writing as servicemen were struggling to stop the furious fumes.
Zimbabwe is threatened with imminent total darkness across the country as a result of the Hwange Colliery company’s workers downing tools in protest over unpaid salaries.
Information reaching ZimEye reveals that Hwange Colliery company has just closed down its main underground number 3 and open cast.
The situation has worsened after workers protesting over their unpaid salaries have been expelled from work through a memo issued on Friday the 18th October, leaving operations understaffed.
“The resultant effects of the shut are that once a stock pile at a power station is exhausted, the country will plunge into total darkness as these 3 units will stop functioning no need to mention the coke battery which require a temperature above 1 500 degrees,” a source told ZimEye on Saturday.
He continued,
“Yesterday temperatures were already 1 500. Workers are demanding their salaries from March to September, no single cent was paid in between. Zesa may take down a unit or two to remain with one,” the source added.
ZESA’s failure to pay workers comes at a time when the company was struggling to meet the electricity demands of the country and the parastatal was last month ordered to scrap debts of all residents.
Chief Chiendambuya in Manicaland Friday afternoon gladly attended an MDC-T rally held at the local business centre in Makoni North.
The respected chief took front roll seat while dressed in his red coloration uniform which threaded well with the official MDC colours.
The Manicaland chairman Julius Magarangoma addressed the rally today.
MDC-T senior official Elton Mangoma was also there to deliver a speech.
During the rally Magarangoma urged the MDC-T supporters to remain united and focus on 2018 elections. Chief Chiendambuya at MDC-T rally on Friday
He said “election period is over, it is no longer time to mourn about the stolen vote but get organised to win the next election.”
He has also castigated ZANU PF for always singing evils songs about the western countries when nearly all their leadership go for western goods, food , clothes and cars.
“Willowvale motor industries is almost broke due to viability challenges when the entire government is driving foreign manufactured cars,” said Magarangoma.
The chief paid tribute to Elton Mangoma for always being with the people of Makoni during trying times. He also thanked Mangoma for the Hospital mortuary he constructed in ward 5 at Weya Hospital which had been neglected since 1980.
Mangoma constructed a mortuary at Weya Hospital last year from his personal resources. The mortuary accommodates 15 bodies and serves Makoni North and Headlands districts.
In the past people used to travel long distances of up to 80 km with dead bodies to the nearest funeral poular in Rusape Elton Mangoma addressing
Speaking during his turn, Mangoma said ZANU PF rigged the elections using a number of methods such as assisting literate people to vote. He said “in one ward the MDC secretary who used to write our minutes was assisted to put an x. Some people were deleted from the voters roll,” he added.
He said his own son was told he was not in the voters roll, yet he was there, it took an alert sister behind to identify his name in the voters roll.
Mangoma challenged ZEC to produce the protocol register of polling proceedings if they did not rig the election.
He said “there were already glaring shortcomings of this government, massive power outages, closure of companies. The government is doomed with these people who have a decorated record of abusing public resources,” charged Mangoma.
He said the fact that there are no ZANU PF victory celebrations shows that they stole the vote.
He also indicated doubts if civil servants will manage to get their bonuses in November Zanu PF is illegitmate.
The MDC-T’s Spokesman Douglas Mwonzora has acknowledged a High Court case filed by a Mr. David Muzhuzha, against the party demanding $300,000 as payment for the use of the name “Movement for Democratic Change” he claims he personally crafted in 1999 when the party was formed.
Mr Mwonzora said the claimant is unlikely to win the case.
Muzhuzha claims that he was not duly rewarded for coining the name and the papers filed by his legal representatives Joseph Mandizha of Mandizha and Company, claims that he crafted the name while he was in the information department of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions then led by trade unionists, Gibson Sibanda and Morgan Tsvangirai. He cited MDC Party, Mr. Toendepi Shonhe and Mr. Douglas Mwonzora as respondents.
In an telephone interview from Harare on Thursday, Mr. Mwonzora dismissed the lawsuit as baseless. He singled out the late Learnmore Jongwe and Belgium based journalist and human Rights activist Grace Kwinjeh as the brains behind the MDC brand.
Asked whether Grace Kwinjeh was honoured in any form by his party for the role she played in naming the movement, Mr. Mwonzora said Kwinjeh never received any financial award, but a trophy was received on her behalf.
Kwinjeh acknowledges the recognition by the MDC-T party on its 12th anniversary celebrations held at Gwanzura Stadium in 2011.
Mr Mwonzora went on to reveal that the naming of the MDC was part of a three movement convention namely, National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), ZINASU and the ZCTU.
Mr Muzhuzha , the author of a book “A Travesty of Democracy”, published in 2010, has been a fiery critic of MDC leader and Founding President Morgan Tsvangirai. There are unconfirmed reports that he is also a beneficiary of controversial Zanu-PF land reforms, in which he acquired two farms.
“Our view is that this is part of the legal harassment of the MDC-T”, said Mr Mwonzora.
“The MDC wishes to advise that it has suspended Harare Councilor, Sydney Chirombe of Ward 33, Budiriro following allegations of attempted sodomy on bus driver in Kariba early Saturday morning.
emony was not officially published in the ordinary way, Mr Tirivavi refused to answer requesting rather to meet our reporter face to face at an undisclosed location: “Ko zvingaita here kuti tisangane muHarare titaure takatarisana zviso zvedu”, Tirivavi asked our reporter.
The Harare Mayor on Thursday suspended for three months the city council’s city mayor Dr Tendai Mahachi for refusing to give the mayor a full schedule of top management local authority’s salaries.
suicide.
at his ministry in Garankuwa, north of Pretoria after being told it will ‘bring them closer to God.’ His controversial methods however drew criticism from thousands of people worldwide although members of his congregation swear by his instructions – he is said to have claimed that humans can eat anything to feed their bodies and survive on whatever they choose to eat.
The German and French governments yesterday carried out emergency meetings and have begun preparing to send their intelligence officers to the US after several documents were said to have leaked to Europe revealing US surveillance operations and directed spying on German chancellor Angela Merkel.
