Barely a minute after shaking up Social media, Stunner is at it yet again after pictures of him and his wife Olinda ‘shopping’ leaked onto Social media.
Zimbabweans attacked the boisterous rapper for his choice of alcohol as Stunner was seen buying the dirty cheap Two Keys whisky a far cry from the cirocs and moet he often flaunts on social media.
For the benefit of our teetotaler readers Two keys whisky is a poor quality bottom of the market alcohol, a big hit with High school kids and struggling College students in dire need of a ‘take me quick’ solution.
Social media was quick to point out that for a man as braggadocious and garrulous as Stunner his choice of drink was horrifyingly abysmal!
Perhaps its the proverbial January scourge and the couple is trying to save money,who knows?
Above is the post thats wagging tongues on social media. – Agencies
BULAWAYO City councillors on Wednesday rejected moves to rename the city’s largest football stadium, Barbourfields, after Lookout Masuku in honour of the late Zipra commander.
The eventual decision to reject the motion, which was tabled by ward one councillor, Mlandu Ncube, followed a heated debate in which councilors argued that despite the late Zipra general having played a role in liberating the country, he had made no contribution to football in both the city or the country, to deserve the stadium to be named in his honour.
Councillors instead decided to consult residents on how to honour Masuku.
In tabling his motion to council’s street naming sub-committee, Clr Ncube noted that this would help the city and the nation as a whole to remember that for independence to be achieved there are people who sacrificed their lives.
“I am writing this letter as a motion moving that we as council we rename our big stadium Barbourfields to Lookout Masuku stadium. General Lookout Masuku was a great soldier who fought the liberation struggle. I see it not good to not preserve this name yet we still have colonial names.
“We need to celebrate this great commander who was peace-loving. We already have people who were junior to him being honoured with streets and suburbs’ names. I think this will be a good move as it will keep reminding us that for us to enjoy this freedom there are people who sacrificed,” reads part of the motion.
However, in outrightly rejecting the motion, officials from the local authority’s department of housing and community services noted that since Cde Masuku was a national hero, it was the Government that bestows heroes’ names on monuments and not local authorities.
“You can never obliterate history. History shall forever be made and be a part of humanity. I therefore would not support the change of name of the stadium. Just because it is an English name does not make it colonial. ‘Lookout’ is also an English name.
“Secondly, and admittedly, Lookout Masuku is a hero to all and sundry, but what is his link to soccer? We have never heard of his interest in soccer. Lastly, Masuku was a national hero, and as such, it is Government that bestows heroes’ name on monuments and not local authorities,” reads an objection to the stadium name change.
Debating during the full council meeting held at the council chambers on Wednesday, most councillors were of the view that no one should tamper with the stadium’s name as it was a landmark in the city that had a huge bearing to the city’s history.
Ward 17 councillor Ephraim Ncube said there were bigger football legends that could have the stadium named after them but still this was impossible as the stadium was itself a landmark that had to be kept as it was.
“Some of our younger councillors might not know Taffi Moyo, who did a lot for sports especially football in the country. Actually to be honest if there was anyone we could name Barbourfields after; it should be Taffi Moyo, as he did a lot for that stadium.
“Besides Taffi, we have a lot more footballers that we can honour besides Lookout Masuku. Yes he did a lot, which we appreciate but let’s look for other means of honouring him,” said Clr Ncube.
Clr Collet Ndhlovu of ward 28 concurred with Clr Ncube noting that councillors should not be waylaid into passing decisions that would affect the city’s heritage. – State Media
ZANU-PF’s Matabeleland South provincial chairman, Rabelani Choeni and four other people have been hospitalised after they suffered serious injuries when a vehicle he was driving veered off the road and overturned.
The accident occurred on Wednesday along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Road when Choeni was on his way to Matopos National Park to identify a site for hosting the 21st February Movement Celebrations next month.
National Traffic police spokesperson Inspector Tigere Chigome confirmed the accident yesterday.
“On 4 January at around 6AM the driver and four passengers were involved in an accident at the 189km peg when the driver lost control of the vehicle. It veered off the road and overturned leaving them with serious injuries,” said Insp Chigome.
He said Choeni and the passengers were taken to Gwanda District Hospital and their condition is reportedly stable.
“They’re currently admitted at Gwanda District Hospital. At the moment we’ve not heard any news of any threat to life as their condition is reported to be stable,” he said.
The Zanu-PF provincial executive through its Secretary for Information and Publicity who is also Umzingwane legislator, Cde William Dewa, wished Cde Choeni a speedy recovery so that he continues with his job.
“As the provincial executive we are very sorry that our chairman was involved in an accident. Actually he was on his way to Matopos National Park to identify the venue as we are going to host the 21st February Movement Celebrations. We wish him a speedy recovery so that he joins others in the preparations,” saidDewa.
A party official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Choeni was driving in his official party Ford Everest vehicle from Beitbridge when the accident occurred.
“The vehicle burst its rear right tyre near Johnsley Resettlement area just before West Nicholson and he lost control before he veered off the road.
He had four passengers he had given a lift. We visited him and observed that he is out of danger although he has visible injuries,” he said. – State Media
Jean Gasho | Yesterday I watched one of the most dramatic and disturbing videos of Zimbabwe’s hip hop rapper’s Stunner’s wife Olinda Chapel Chideme as she had a nervous breakdown live on Facebook. 33-year-old Olinda, who owns a nursing agency in the UK, was crying hysterically, accusing her 37-year-old hip-hop husband, real name Desmond Chideme of cheating on her with a 19-year-old teenager. In the shocking dramatic showdown live on Facebook, UK based Olinda told the world that she was the one who sponsored Stunner’ flamboyant lifestyle he flashes on social media as she cried hysterically.
She went on to give her live facebook audience a tour of the suburban house she said she owned, going into the bedroom to show the $3000 suite where the couple slept. Stunned viewers were shown Stunner’s closet full of designer gear, from Gucci to Versace. Viewers were told how Stunner had won the best-dressed man in Zimbabwe award in 2016. She showed the outfit she even picked for the rapper to wear as he collected the fashion award he boasts about. She did all this as she cried uncontrollably, appearing to vomit at one point. The dramatic live video ended with Olinda, who is a mother of 2, putting some pills in her hand, threatening to end her life live on Facebook.
Somehow, a few women rushed into the room and managed to end Olinda’s Facebook live feed. Everyone was left hanging, social media started buzzing like wildfire. A lot of people were concerned for Olinda’s wellbeing. I was just sitting there watching, shocked like everyone else. I called Nino to tell him that Stunner’s wife was about to commit suicide live on Facebook. I do not think this has ever been seen in the history of Facebook.
But as the first video was going viral, Olinda was back, live again on Facebook. Thank goodness she had not taken the pills, it seemed she had changed her mind after all. Somehow those women who had cut off the first video trying to help her were no longer there. She was alone again in the house. I thought that was odd. But anyway, it seemed she had a few more things to say about her loser, low-life, cheating scum bag husband Stunner and how much money she had spent on him.
She said she didn’t care about her reputation as her nursing business in the UK didn’t depend on social media. She said after the videos she would just deactivate her social media accounts and move on with her life.
As she was crying her heart out on Facebook, mentioning the limited edition cars and how much wealth she had, those women who had come into the room before to stop the live feed could be heard banging on the door, asking Olinda to let them in. She refused, saying she wanted to pour her heart on live Facebook as she was alone in this world since her mother died.
But somehow miraculously, the women found their way into the house again. There was no sound of breaking in, they just walked in and took the phone from Olinda as she protested. Again I thought that was odd, how did they just walk in if they were locked out. Anyway that was the end of the drama. The live one of course.
After that, Facebook went crazy. I have seen stories go viral. I have seen issues trending, but yesterday the Olinda and Stunner saga was something I had never seen.
Women were pouring their hearts feeling sorry for Olinda, some claiming to be in tears. Stunner was being called all sorts of names under the sun. Memes were being created, hundreds. Some were laughing at the situation. People were recording live videos on the issue. Everyone has an opinion. Debates started buzzing. There was even a live talk show on long distance relationships, lessons to be learned from the Olinda and Stunner Saga. Some women were against Olinda accusing her of having broken a marriage before, so it was karma, they said.
A few of my followers even sent me Olinda’s distressing videos, asking me to add my voice and say something about the situation as I always stood for abused women.
Though I was sympathizing with Olinda, I thought the whole story was just not adding up. It all seemed too dramatic and almost fake. I told Nino that something was just not adding up and I could not get involved in the story.
My gut instinct was proved right, I knew why I had not got my emotions involved. By midnight Olinda and Stunner had reportedly kissed and made up. They were together on snap chat, in the same house that Olinda had recorded her live Facebook meltdown.
This morning Olinda posted a public apology to her husband and how she got it all wrong. Apparently Stunner did nothing wrong to her.
After all the suicide drama, Olinda has issued a public apology to her husband
In my opinion, from where I am sitting, it was all a publicity stunt. One of the most awful publicity stunts I’ve ever seen. Olinda and Stunner managed to fool an entire nation. They shut down Facebook for a day. The whole Zimbabwe was talking about them. I do not agree or condone what they have done, I think its morally wrong, but what I can’t deny is Olinda is a brilliant actress. She also wanted to show the world how wealthy she was. And it’s funny that she forgot to tell her live audience that she had also paid $16000 for her own lobola/dowry.
The sad thing about their publicity stunt is that that they used “abuse” as their script and storyline. How insensitive. The emotional and psychological abuse of women is not something to play around with. Olinda even went as far as to claim Stunner had called her fat so she had gone for weight loss surgery where she almost died. It’s also sad and pathetic that she also used suicide. Suicide is a very sensitive matter, traumatic to people who have been affected by it. They are people out there who have lost their loved ones to suicide, so why play with such a sensitive issue on social media just for publicity? There are also women out there who have been abused by men and yesterday they had got very emotional sympathizing with Olinda.
What Olinda did makes a mockery of the abuse and ill-treatment of women. It goes to show what people can do for fame and money these days.
Olinda is reported to be a registered nurse in the UK, she is in the caring profession yet she plays around with suicide on live Facebook. It questions her eligibility to the nursing profession. Even though it was a publicity stunt, what about her children? It’s a good thing she did this “stunt” whilst in Zimbabwe, was she in the UK, people would have called 999 on her and she would be in a psychiatric hospital as we speak, whether she was pretending or not, and would have risked her children being taken into care.
It was better to do a sex tape if they were that desperate for publicity.
Well, Stunner himself is a master of publicity stunts, that is how he survives in the spotlight. His claim to fame was a conveniently “leaked” sex tape of him and Pokello Nare in 2013. The sex tape made Stunner famous in Zimbabwe, and for Pokello famous in Africa.
Pokello Nare herself staged a publicity stunt with her Ghanian husband Elikem Kumordzi in 2014 when she was about to launch her new shoe line. The couple got into a very public social media fight of exchange of words and got Ghana and Zimbabwe talking, but only to “make up” a few days later to launch her shoe collection.
There is nothing new with publicity stunts, from Kim Kardashian to Lady Gaga. Sometimes celebrities have to resort to faking outrageous incidents just to stay relevant. The more people talk about them, the more money they make.
So my advice to Zimbabweans and Africans is: do not get too emotional when a celebrity couple “splits up” very publicly and are being a little too dramatic about it. Spare yourself unnecessary emotions especially where lovers are concerned. Half the time these couples are laughing their heads off in private whilst the public will be in debates and uproar. Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna comes to mind. You will all end up looking like fools when the couple is “back together” and kissing in your face.
Africans do learn, there is such a thing as publicity stunts! People will do anything for fame, and can even use “abuse” and “suicide”. – Jeangasho.com
Terrence Mawawa, Bikita | Controversial Masvingo State Minister Shuvai Ben Mahofa pulled another shocker in Bikita when she likened former Vice President Joice Mujuru to human faeces.
Mahofa made the shocking public outbursts while addressing party supporters at a rally held at Gwindingwi High School ahead of the January 21 by-election, attended by at least 3000 Zanu PF supporters.
Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was present when Mahofa openly attacked Mujuru. She uttered unprintable words in the process. Surprisingly Mnangagwa remained mum on the issue.
Mahofa warned Mujuru not to tamper with the constituency. She added Mujuru was drenching herself in human faeces. She further described Mujuru as a stinking individual and likened her to human waste.
“Let me warn Mujuru and her allies that they are wasting their time by coming here. This is what we are telling Mujuru- if you play with faeces you will regret. She is just like that…”said Mahofa.
She also said Mujuru would regret the day she was born if she continued to oppose the ruling party Zanu PF. “Mujuru will regret the day she was born. She will be embarrassed-that I can assure you,”said Mahofa.
Mahofa who could hardly stand because of ill-health also described Mujuru as a selfish individual who betrayed the liberation struggle. “Mujuru is a selfish individual who betrayed the values of the liberation struggle.Her party will be humiliated in the by-election.”
Whoever said coming clean about cheating on a spouse sets one free has forgotten how it penned out for American golfer Tiger Woods. When Sylia Nigo confessed to her husband Munyaradzi Chibudu that she had cheated on him with two men she thought she was doing it to save her marriage.
But it didn’t turn out the way she hoped.
“Promise me that if I tell you the truth you will forgive me and never tell anyone because this is embarrassing. I had se_x once with Tasara Mutambanashe at his work place in Gweru. As for Brian Maturikwa, a deacon at our church, we slept together twice. First it was at our matrimonial bedroom and the second time we did it in his car,” said Nigo.
Chibidu could not believe that his wife of seven years had disrespected him to the extent of sleeping with another man in their matrimonial bed. He makes it clear in the recording that he would not forgive her for her actions and asks her to phone and invite one of her boyfriends to their house but Nigo refuses.
At the end of the leaked recording, Chibudu tells his wife that they have to part ways and they will only communicate when dealing with their two children’s issues only. Chibudu confirmed the development.
“I discovered my wife’s extra marital affairs in her phone. Before confronting her, I tried to chat with the person on Whatsapp pretending to be her but my plan failed as the man demanded a voice recording to confirm if it was her. I ordered her to send a voice recording and thereafter the man was all lovey dovey, selling her out. When she realized that she had been caught she apologized and made the confession,” he said.
Chibudu revealed he is in pain because his wife cheated on him with his former workmate Mutmabanashe and Maturikwa, their church deacon. Maturikwa refused to comment on the issue claiming that it’s a long story which is not easy to understand before dropping the phone. The woman at the centre of controversy refused to comment and Mutambanashe’s phone went unanswered. State Media
Former Vice President Joice Mujuru and her Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) outfit’s political weight will be put to test in two weeks’ time when her party participates in the Bikita West by-election.
With opposition parties under pressure to perform from Zimbabweans who have suffered for more than three decades at the hands of President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF due to their misrule, many people are waiting to see what value Mujuru — the nonagenarian’s former second-in-command — will bring to opposition politics.
Since her brutal ouster from both Zanu PF and the government in late 2014, as well as her subsequent formation of ZPF the following year, Mujuru has been shying away from participating in such polls — leading cynics to say that this was because she still harboured ambitions to return to the ruling party.
ZPF and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC have, together with other smaller parties, coalesced under the banner of the National Electoral Reform Agenda, where they are demanding electoral reforms to level the playing field which they say is heavily tilted in favour of Zanu PF.
But a confident ZPF spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire, told the Daily News yesterday that his party would win the Bikita West by-election, in which their candidate is Kudakwashe Gopo.
“We have lined up the president’s (Mujuru’s) rallies in the constituency in the coming few days and our campaign is going on well. Our message of peaceful engagement to build our country is resonating well with the people of Bikita West,” Mawarire said.
In a previous interview with the Daily News, Mawarire has also rubbished the possibility of Mujuru re-joining Zanu PF, saying that it did not make sense for her to do this as their party has, since its formation, grown in leaps and bounds to a size bigger than the ruling party’s.
“Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) has grown bigger than Zanu PF. It will be folly for someone in the case of Mai Mujuru, who started a political party that is bigger than Zanu PF to even contemplate going back to Zanu PF which is disintegrating every other day.
“If she were to go back to Zanu PF, which Zanu PF will she go to, because there are so many splinter groups. There is Lacoste, G40, Grace, Mugabe and his group and expelled war veterans on the other hand,” Mawarire said. – Daily News
By Praise Matavanda | Dzivarasekwa was today flooded across roads from DZ extention, Federation into…the road which links Kirkman and Bulawayo road through to Federation
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald J. Trump said in an interview Friday morning that the storm surrounding Russian hacking during the presidential campaign is a political witch hunt being carried out by his adversaries, who he said were embarrassed by their loss to him in the election last year.
Mr. Trump spoke to The New York Times by telephone three hours before he was set to be briefed by the nation’s top intelligence and law enforcement officials about the Russian hacking of American political institutions. In the conversation, he repeatedly criticized the intense focus on Russia.
“China, relatively recently, hacked 20 million government names,” he said, referring to the breach of computers at the Office of Personnel Management in late 2014 and early 2015. “How come nobody even talks about that? This is a political witch hunt.”
He noted that there have been prior successful hackings of the White House and Congress, suggesting it was unfair that those attacks on American institutions have not received the attention that the Russian cyberintrusions have. But none of the information from those intrusions was made public as it was in the case of the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman.
“With all that being said, I don’t want countries to be hacking our country,” Mr. Trump said. “They’ve hacked the White House. They’ve hacked Congress. We’re like the hacking capital of the world.”
Mr. Trump, who has consistently expressed doubts about the evidence of Russian hacking during the election, did so again on Friday. Asked why he thought there was so much attention being given to the Russian cyberattacks, the president-elect said the motivation was political.
“They got beaten very badly in the election. I won more counties in the election than Ronald Reagan,” Mr. Trump said during an eight-minute telephone conversation. “They are very embarrassed about it. To some extent, it’s a witch hunt. They just focus on this.”
The president-elect also noted reports this week that the D.N.C. had refused to give the F.B.I. access to its computer servers after they were hacked.
“The D.N.C. wouldn’t let them see the servers,” Mr. Trump said. “How can you be sure about hacking when you can’t even get to the servers?” The D.N.C. has previously said that the law enforcement agency had not asked to examine the computers.
A senior law enforcement official said the F.B.I. had repeatedly emphasized to the D.N.C. the necessity of obtaining direct access to servers and data. The F.B.I. was rebuffed and had to rely upon a third party — a computer security firm brought in by the D.N.C. — for information.
He also said that the hacking of emails from the D.N.C. and top campaign officials for Mrs. Clinton had revealed that Mrs. Clinton received advance notice of debate questions and “many, many other things that were horrible.”
“How come nobody complains about that?” Mr. Trump said, referring to a tip that a CNN commentator and Clinton supporter, Donna Brazile, gave to Mr. Podesta ahead of a Democratic Party presidential debate in Flint, Mich.
Mr. Trump said he was looking forward to his meeting Friday afternoon about the hacking by James R. Clapper Jr., the director of national intelligence; James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director, and other intelligence officials. He said that Mr. Clapper “wrote me a beautiful letter a few weeks ago wishing me the best.”
But he said that “a lot of mistakes were made” by the intelligence community in the past, noting in particular the attacks on the World Trade Center and saying that “weapons of mass destruction was one of the great mistakes of all time.”
The president-elect said that he was eager to work with the intelligence community as president, and he praised the people he selected to lead the intelligence agencies, in particular Representative Mike Pompeo, Republican of Kansas, who is his pick to lead the C.I.A.
He said that Mr. Pompeo was “first in his class” at West Point.
“We have great people going into those slots,” Mr. Trump said in the interview. “I expect to have a very, very good relationship with them.” New York Times
Her account was no longer available by Friday afternoon following her new post apologising to the rapper barely 24 hours after she attacked him on the social networking site accusing him of being a gold-digger and a cheating husband.
On Thursday, she made made a live Facebook post on her account Olinda Chideme, sobbing, undressing the rapper, saying she is the one behind his well-being from clothes, rentals to cars.
She made a U-turn and apologized to the rapper saying his friend had snitched on him.
Several people attacked her following the post, with some hurling insults describing her as desperate and female ‘blesser’.
It seems she could not contain the comments and deactivated the account.
Some believed it was a publicity stunt to push Stunner’s new song which came within hours of Olinda’s outburst titled Letting You Go featuring Nox.
Several people expressed their views on social networking sites Facebook, twitter and Instagram some calling her a ‘desperate female blesser’.
Below are some of the comments by people on social media:
“I got a feeling that this was a planned thing”
“stunner and olinda planned it just to support their track am pretty sure wen she was filming that video stunner was there laughing and saying keep going babie”
“hahahahahaha we ar victims yesterday we stood wt her vamwe kutotukirira vasina mhosva aaah zvonyadza”
“That was just a publicity stunt to promote single ya Stunner irikubuda. Pane imwe clip ichangobuda yavarikutoseka vari 2 zvavo. Vapfana vamazuva ano varikutsvaka mari nebheura chairo”
“stunner zvake zvakabhadare and she (Olinda ) is desperate …and Stunner knows she will cling to anything that he says to her to counter the allegations”
“Ngaaite apology LIVE sezvaakaita pekutanga”. – State Media
By Langton Ncube | A Kwekwe magistrate has sentenced the town’s deputy mayor Aaron Sithole to two years imprisonment.
Sithole was arrested last year together with former MDC-T Kwekwe MP, Blessing Chebundo, former mayor Shadreck Tobaiwa, MDC-T activists Moses Mashizha, Sekai Marashe and Tendai Kokera councillor Weston Masiya and Tendai Virimai and charged with of public violence following a demonstration.
Information reaching ZimEye.com is that the convicted MDC-T officials’ lawyers are appealing against both the conviction and sentence.
Analysts say Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s unusual move on Wednesday to disown disgruntled war veterans, as well as his veiled swipe at maverick businessman Energy Mutodi, betray his anxiety to remain on President Robert Mugabe’s good books as Zanu PF’s escalating tribal, factional and succession wars get uglier.
The Midlands godfather’s surprising move came as his Zanu PF enemies piled pressure on him and his supporters in the wake of the much debated “Cupgate” storm which followed the surfacing of pictures last weekend of the VP holding a coffee mug inscribed with the words “I am the boss”.
This saw Mnangagwa’s party opponents going to town and interpreting, rightly or wrongly, the pictures as confirmation of the VP’s mooted presidential aspirations and his Team Lacoste party faction’s alleged plot to take power irregularly.
However, Mutodi — who ignited the brawl after he posted the pictures of him and Mnangagwa posing with the mug — was still sounding bullish yesterday despite the storm, further suggesting that the VP was now allegedly unstoppable in his quest to succeed Mugabe.
“However, the time has come to tell the G40 (Zanu PF’s Generation 40 faction, which is rabidly opposed to Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe) that they will not be able to dislodge Vice President Mnangagwa from his position or stand in his way as they did to former Vice President Joice Mujuru.
“President Mugabe has managed to stay this far in power owing to the work of Mnangagwa and the security forces and not owing to (Higher Education minister) Jonathan Moyo’s tweets,” Mutodi wrote on his Facebook wall.
“We all know that the genuine Zanu PF cadres are the war veterans who were prepared to die to liberate Zimbabwe and not small-brained professors who see treason on tea cups.
“Furthermore, Zanu PF members are aware that Jonathan Moyo and his G40 associates are misleading the president and continue to isolate him from his support base and if this continues, it is a sure case that Zanu PF will emerge from the 2018 elections as an opposition party.
“A revolutionary is known by his willingness to peacefully hand over power to another party cadre and not to continue holding on for selfish reasons until the party loses elections,” Mutodi added.
The brawl over the coffee mug comes as Mnangagwa has been increasingly touted as a front runner to succeed Mugabe, who turns 93 next month.
At the same time, a large section of the war veterans and some members of the uniformed forces security have also thrown their full weight behind Mnangagwa, with the former publicly endorsing the Midlands godfather repeatedly and warning that blood could be shed in the country if their man doesn’t succeed the increasingly frail nonagenarian.
It was in this light that many were taken by surprise when Mnangagwa attacked the war veterans who are led by former Cabinet minister Christopher Mutsvangwa on Wednesday, in an uncharacteristic rant which some insiders claimed was a tactical ploy to distance himself from the former freedom fighters’ increasing attacks on Mugabe.
This, the insiders told the Daily News yesterday, was more so since Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF detractors such as women’s league secretary for finance, Sarah Mahoka, and Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandiitawepi Chimene, had previously accused the VP of remaining silent while people who claimed to be his supporters denigrated Mugabe.
In his attacks on the war veterans, Mnangagwa aped Mugabe’s line, re-iterating that it was politics which led the way, not the other way, in remarks that the analysts said were meant to put a distance between him and the vocal ex-combatants, who stunningly fell out with Mugabe in July last year, after penning a damning communiqué against Zimbabwe’s long-ruling leader.
And in a veiled dig at Mutodi, in the aftermath of what is now derisively referred to as “Cupgate”, Mnangagwa said there were many people who were abusing his name for their selfish interests.
“Against this background of many utterances and activities, all of them unsolicited but claiming or seeking association with my person, my family and or my position both in Zanu PF and in government, I want to make it clear that there are elements on the loose who talk and act as if they support me and or the party, Zanu PF, when in fact they are being handled and managed from elsewhere by hostile forces.
“These elements are against the president, are against the party and its leadership. In other instances, they have a history of disloyalty to the party and hostility to the president, which is well-documented,” Mnangagwa said in his indirect attacks on Mutsvangwa and Mutodi.
UK-based analyst and Kent University Law School lecturer, Alex Magaisa, said Mnangagwa was moving to douse the fire which had been ignited by the coffee mug storm.
“The mug incident brought too much attention and suspicion and he knows his boss gets tetchy about such things. The fact that he has been forced to make a statement suggests it caused unnecessary trouble.
“Mugabe is growing paranoid and any show of haughtiness from his lieutenants could invite trouble,” Magaisa said.
Afghanistan-based political analyst, Maxwell Saungweme, said what had happened was to be expected from Mnangagwa, because he was “a smart tactician”.
“He is a typical politician. With this politics of patronage in Zimbabwe who would masquerade as a surrogate for someone without their blessing? He is just trying to be smart, but people are not politically naïve.
“We all know dogs bark to protect their owner. If you beat the dog hard, the owner will come out. Those (war vets and Mutodi) are bonafide Ngwena’s political running dogs.
“If you believe Mugabe’s statement during Sona (State of the Nation Address) where he said the economy was picking up, then you can be forgiven for believing Ngwena’s claims that he has nothing to do with those barking political running dogs of his,” Saungweme added. – State Media
Olinda Chideme might have forgiven her husband Stunner, but their troubles are from over as more details emerge of the latter’s lovers, causing the couple much humiliation.
Speculation is rife concerning a US- based girl whose Facebook user name is Dion Chasa has revealed that she is the reason Stunner and his wife Olinda had a fallout.
She posted a Facebook status revealing that she was in a relationship with Stunner and a message directed to her from Olinda was also posted. ZimEye readers say the matter which took the nation by storm yesterday is now sure publicity for Stunner since the singer this morning blasted out a song, featuring Nox and titled “Letting you go.” CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN:
The controversial Chasa who is said to be a frequent global traveller, is reported to work for the Canadian Foreign secretary. Chasa who has now deactivated her Facebook account is said to have been shocked upon jetting down in Zimbabwe to find her face on the front page of a red tabloid.
“So Stunner was also cheating on me (US) Olinda, I feel your pain” posted Dion yesterday of FB. Her second post appeared to sympathize (or is it mockery) with Olinda stating “Olinda achema hama dzangu…. But Stunner ka”.
Several people responded to her posts one looked like Olinda’s message directed at Dion. “Dear Deon, please return the phone Desmond gave you, I bought it. P.s thank you for ruining my marriage”.
Rapper Stunner was subject to social media jokes with people mocking him on Twitter following the widely publicised video of his wife Olinda exposing his bed hopping antics and threatening suicide. She said Stunner has nothing in life and she is behind everything that he has from clothes to cars to the extent of paying for his daughter’s school fees. Several people hoped for a reaction of his longtime rival Mudiwa to the extent of creating images of him supposedly laughing at Stunner. – Agencies
A Gokwe man allegedly went mad after he slept with his cousin’s wife. Sifelani Chuma (29) of Chandala village under chief Njelele reportedly started behaving strange after tasting the forbidden fruit of Sihle Sibanda, his cousin Ben Sibanda’s wife.
Darlington Njoma, a neighbor, said Chuma had been having an illicit relationship with Sihle for more than six months.
“The two have been dating behind Ben’s back for more than six months. Ben suspected that his wife was having an affair but did not think it was his own cousin who was servicing her. He then sought help from a traditional healer to stop his wife from having shenanigans,” said Njoma.
After going bananas, Chuma confessed to Sibanda that he was sleeping with his wife and asked for forgiveness.
“Immediately after the incident Chuma went berserk running all over the place telling everyone who cared to listen that he has been having an illicit with his cousin’s wife. His relatives tried controlling him by tying his legs and hands with a rope and carried him away,” added Njoma.
Sibanda said he only set a trap to catch the man who was sleeping with his wife. “I only set a trap to catch the man who was having an extra marital affair with my wife. If he is the one sleeping with her then that’s his problem, not mine,” said the furious Sibanda .chief Njelele was not reachable for comment. – State Media
By Staff Reporter | The cash stripped Harare City Council has released $107 000 to be used for the renovation of Rufaro stadium, ahead of the 2017 football season.
Home ground for the Harare football giant, Dynamos, Rufaro stadium was condemned two years ago after the team together with CAPS United and the Zimbabwe Senior National Men’s teams, had complained about the artificial turf which they said was causing injuries to football players.
This forced the teams to relocate and share the National Sports Stadium, in the beginning of 2014.
Harare City Council for the past two years has been losing out on revenue (15%) it used to collect from every match.
Goran Blagojevich is the contractor who the Harare City Council approached for the renovation of the artificial turf.
“ The council resolved to avail $107 000 for the rejuvenation and restoration of the Rufaro Stadium artificial turf whose work should start as soon as possible to meet the Premier Soccer League Schedule of 2017 football season by March 2017,” said a Harare City Council official.
FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe’s security personnel allegedly threatened to shoot the Sheriff of the High Court, Macauff Madega, when he delivered an eviction order to the First Family’s Blue Roof palace in the Helensvale area of Borrowdale suburb, as it also emerges that President Robert Mugabe’s wife has invaded two more houses belonging to Lebanese businessman Jamal Ahmed over a US$1,3 million diamond ring dispute.
High Court judge Justice Clement Phiri on December 21 issued a provisional eviction order directing Grace (second respondent) and her accomplices — her son Russell Goreraza (first respondent) and her security aide Kennedy Fero (third respondent) — to vacate, within 24 hours, three upmarket properties belonging to Ahmed.
The occupied Harare houses are number 409 Harare Drive in Pomona, 18 Cambridge Road and 75 King George Road, both in Avondale.
Sources close to the latest developments say on December 22 Madega delivered the High Court order to the three premises as well as to Mugabe’s residence in Borrowdale.
“Upon his arrival at the gate, armed soldiers stopped him as he tried to gain access into the premises to serve the notice,” a source said.
“The armed soldiers said the premises were a security area and the sheriff was not allowed to be anywhere near. The soldiers refused to identify themselves and even refused to take the High Court order.
“When the sheriff tried to affix the High Court order on the wall so that the second respondent (Grace) could have access to it upon her arrival, the soldiers dragged him away from the gate to the tarred road with another soldier threatening that he was going to shoot the sheriff if he persisted.”
The Zimbabwe Independent can exclusively reveal that, despite having been ordered to vacate the premises within 24 hours, Grace has invaded two more houses belonging to Ahmed.
In an affidavit presented to the High Court on Tuesday January 3, Talent Kasiya, a gardener employed by Ahmed, said: “On Sunday December 18 I attended at Dungarvan House, Wilson Avenue in Borrowdale, where I saw two men whom I recognised as having been part of the group that had initially come to the Cambridge Road premises.”
“I noticed that the lock at the back entrance of Dungarvan House had in fact been broken and, as there was no one manning the gate, I was able to enter.”
“From Dungarvan I proceeded to No. 11 Borrowdale Lane where I saw two persons at those premises, but I could not enter as I did not know the persons and did not know what authority they have to be on the premises,” reads the affidavit.
Grace’s lawyers, Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners, said their client had not been served with any eviction notices.
Lawyer Wellington Pasipanodya who is handling the case said no papers have been served on Grace.
“My client has not seen anything. She is in Singapore and she was away at the time you are saying properties were invaded,” Pasipanodya said.
He said the law firm representing Ahmed should serve the papers on Grace’s law firm.
Ahmed’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, yesterday said a second eviction notice was issued this week for Grace and her accomplices to vacate the properties.
“When we opened on Tuesday, another eviction order was issued and the sheriff is expected to deliver it anytime from now. If they refuse to vacate the five premises, then it will be contempt of court, meaning the respondents have to be arrested and kept in custody,” Mtetwa said.
“It will be up to the courts because we have exhausted all other possible avenues to engage them.”
Grace was dragged to court last month after allegedly invading three upmarket houses in Harare belonging to Ahmed, a diamond dealer and business tycoon.
In his provisional order, Justice Phiri directed that the three respondents “forthwith” vacate Ahmed’s premises.
“Take note that on 21 December 2016 the High Court, sitting at Harare before the honourable Justice Phiri, issued a provisional order,” reads the order.
“… The respondents and all those claiming through them forthwith vacate the premises known as No. 409 Harare Drive, Pomona, Harare; No. 18 Cambridge Road, Avondale; and No. 75 King George Road, Avondale, Harare.
“In the event that the respondents and their agents do not vacate the said premises within 24 hours of the service of this order at each one of the premises, that the sheriff be and is hereby authorised to evict the respondents, their agents at each one of the premises and all those claiming title through the respondents and to restore and handover the properties and their keys to the applicant’s agents and nominees.
“The respondents restore onto the premises all property removed and taken to the workers’ alternative homes.”
Documents seen by this paper show that Grace placed an order for a US$1,3 million diamond ring in Dubai through Thatchfree Investments (Pvt) Ltd, a company owned by Ahmed. The expensive ring was meant to be President Robert Mugabe’s 20th wedding anniversary gift to his wife. They wed in August 1996.
“Sometime in April 2015, the 2nd respondent (Grace Mugabe) placed an order for a diamond with my daughter in Dubai which she indicated her husband wanted to buy her for their anniversary,” reads one of the affidavits lodged before the courts.
“As the diamond was not readily available, it had to be sourced from a third party who wanted to be paid upfront and when this was advised to the 2nd respondent, she indicated that she was in Singapore and could not immediately pay and that we could pay on her behalf in Harare and she would refund the amount. That was done.”
The documents also state that Grace gave “approval” for the diamond to be polished by a third party who also needed to be paid and again we made this payment on the basis that she would refund these payments as she authorised the polishing by a third party.
“Upon her return to Harare, the second respondent instructed CBZ Bank to attend to the transfer of the US$1,350 million, being the purchase price for the finished diamond, which amount took time to transfer as it had become difficult to transfer the money out of Zimbabwe. The transfer was ultimately done in May 2016 and the diamond was tendered to the 2nd respondent in Dubai.
“Surprisingly, the 2nd respondent then refused to take delivery of the diamond and instead demanded a full refund in Dubai.”
After Ahmed refused to give Grace the refund in hard cash in Dubai, citing forex externalisation laws, she instructed her son to invade the properties.
Ahmed was prepared to pay Grace in instalments through the banking system. – The Independent
Ray Nkosi | This morning, the world woke up to a bogus news report suggesting that gospel star Lundi Tyamara has died.
However, ZimEye.com can confirm that the prince of gospel is alive and recovering in hospital.
His manager, Anele Hlazo, dismissed the rumours, saying: “Lundi is not dead. He is recovering well in hospital, and I just spoke to him.”
On Tuesday, South Africa media broke the news that the Mphefumlo Wami hit maker has been fighting for his life for more than a month in a Johannesburg hospital. He’s reportedly suffering from abdominal tuberculosis, chest pains and a liver problem.
Lundi spent his birthday, Christmas and New Year in hospital, but Anele says he is out of danger and his fans should not worry.
GOVERNMENT has amended the Computer Crime and Cybercrime Bill by introducing a section, which establishes a Computer and Cybercrime Management Centre meant to allow security personnel from the Central Intelligence Organisation to monitor citizens’ use of the internet.
The proposed legislation will impose stiff penalties for computer-related crimes such as the possession of pornographic material, which attracts a jail term of up to 10 years.
The draft Bill criminalises the possession of pornographic material even if it is for personal use. The proposed legislation, which has undergone many amendments, was introduced last year ostensibly to curb cybercrime although information communication technology (ICT) experts maintain that it was introduced to allow government to tighten its grip over the control of cyber space. The Bill also allows government to effectively spy on citizens.
The updated version of the controversial Bill, a copy of which the Zimbabwe Independent is in possession of, points out that state security minister shall in consultation with the finance minister establish the Computer and Cybercrime Management Centre, which will be headed by State Security deputy director-general.
The committee includes members drawn from ministries of defence, science and technology, justice, ZRP, prison services, National Prosecuting Authority, director-general of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and two representatives from ICT organisations.
The ICT experts have slammed criminalisation of pornography, saying that section should instead be replaced with the offence of violating a person’s computer system or breaching trust and sharing information over a computer system with the intention of causing harm in order to deal with the growing incidence of revenge pornography.
The Computer and Cybercrime Management Centre, according to the Bill, will: “Promote and co-ordinate activities focussed on improving cyber security by all stakeholders in the public and private sectors, provide guidelines to public and private sector stakeholders on matters relating to awareness, training, enhancing, investigating, prosecuting, combating cybercrime and managing cyber security threats.”
Digital Society of Zimbabwe co-ordinator Christopher Musodza said if government has to go ahead with passing such a Bill, human rights defenders should also be included in the committee in order to protect citizens and look at sections such as child pornography.
According to the Bill, a person who produces pornography for the purpose of its distribution through a computer system, offers or makes available any pornography through a computer system, distributes or transmits, procures any pornography or possesses any pornography in a computer system or on a computer data storage medium commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or both
The Bill also states that for a person who unlawfully and intentionally produces child pornography for the purpose of distribution through a computer system, possesses child pornography in a computer system or on a computer-data storage medium and knowingly obtains, accesses or procures child pornography through information communication technologies shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years, or both.
Any person who unlawfully makes pornography available to one or more children shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.
A severe 20-year imprisonment will be charged for engaging in computer terrorist activities which the Bill does not clearly define and as such the CSOs have demanded that the severity of the penalty on terrorism activities begs that the offence be as strictly and clearly defined as possible in the Bill. – Independent
STUNNER, Desmond Chidema’s wife, Olinda has published a mass apology following her suicide scare yesterday. Writing on her portal, Olinda poured sorry after sorry. ZimEye readers say the matter which took the nation by storm yesterday is now sure publicity for Stunner since the singer this morning blasted out a song, featuring Nox and titled “Letting you go.” CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN:
Below is her letter in its raw unedited form.
By Olinda Chideme | It is with a heavy heart I need to apologise to my husband. After spending the whole night talking things through and going through “evidence”. I was mistaken. I had one of his very close friends approach me and feed me the wrong information that seemed to have coincidental evidence. It truly seemed like he was in the wrong but he wasn’t. Hence why he found the whole thing funny.
As a woman akaroorwa, I’d like to apologise for the things I said yesterday. The day we got married it was no longer mine but ours. I should know better. I hope he forgives me.
But true lesson learnt is that friends come in sheep clothing. Des and I are now working on our marriage and we hope God sees us through. I am sorry to everyone who had their time and emotions wasted. I overreacted, it wasn’t a publicity stunt but a woman who acted as judge , jury and prosecutor and just wanted to hurt him the way I felt hurt. And him being the man that he is he came home still laughing drinking his moet and snap chatting my angry face.
Des murume wangu I am sorry and you are right I should be banned off social media.
By Nomazulu Thata| I was deeply sad when I saw you crying, deeply broken in that video clip. I think I know how it is like to be so heartbroken like you right now, but in my case not because of men of course. How I wish you were near me, I would just hold you tight in my arms and tell you that you are a beautiful sister to me and you are worth gold itself. It’s just that we women do not really know how valuable we are to ourselves.
From the video I gathered you have children. I am grateful for that, because right now you will know where to put your priorities: first and foremost to your children. You have people who genuinely love you: your children and your parents if they are still alive, I hope they are. Remember too that any woman can do such a mistake. When I started watching your video I thought I was going to hear something different. In retrospect your experience is reminiscent of many other stories I have heard and seen almost nearer to my own experience.
Sure, I am talking from experience, am older than you but I tell you, I nearly got cheated by a Zimbabwean man staying in Zimbabwe in the same way as you my dear. I am sure you were convinced you found the love of your life. But at the same time if that man was staying in Zimbabwe, you should have known that no Zimbabwean man survives without a woman: for that quickie with those nineteen year olds. Telling you about my own experience, I took it block by block. I had a man who told me he was head over heels in love with me; I barely knew him but was hell bent, telling me that if the match-maker is known to both of us we are then a good match! That was his first “cheating” a blue lie.
Within three weeks of communication, this man started asking for money: was supposed to send him 200 to 300 Euros a month to compliment his own merger government salary. I just questioned the ethic of asking for money from a woman one barely knows, how do you establish a relationship with a man who is evidently a stalker? This man wanted money from Europe there was zero love, you cannot possibly love someone you barely know, a match-made product!
I kept my cool, it was towards Christmas, he, (let’s call him XY to protect his privacy) XY asked if I could get him a ticket to Germany. I was really not amused by this begging, does he know how much a return ticket from Zimbabwe to Germany costs? Does this man have feelings for money? However as an author of books, such are some material I needed to write about in one of them. I thought I should just hang-on and really get to know what this man was up to: what does he want from me, my money? We cannot talk about love there was no love: we barely knew each other.
If for arguments sake, I bought the ticket and he came to Germany, it was going to mean, putting down 5,000 Euros as guarantee that he will return back and not start wanting to remain in Germany by whatever means. Again it was going to be his upkeep here I was going to foot; it means coughing out 500 Euros a week plus tourist expenses; he will want to see a bit of Germany? I was sure I was not going to spend so much on a man I barely knew as well.
I discovered that the man generally was a bad communicator. But it was later explained, he did not want me to catch his cheating in those “unnecessary” discussions, he kept it short, not much talking. The man was supposed to be a devoted Christian! When I went for a business transaction in Tanzania, the first thing he did was to ask me how much money I made in the transaction. Sure that was a clumsy question. I doubt if I replied politely. It was becoming obvious to me that he is a gold digger! In German I would have said “Gift jäger”
We have been communicating for about nine months when I got an email telling me in no uncertain terms that I must come home. I kept my cool, I do not know this man well how do you just pack your things and leave a well paying teaching job in Germany to be a house-wife in Zimbabwe, and he is not managing himself “alone?” With his meagre salary.
My reply was open plain and straight to the point. I told him to give me two months to pack my things and will come to stay with him in Zimbabwe he was going to be the “provider” as a husband! I could tell that he was shocked about my reply! “Here is a woman who wants to come and he will provide,” I was as sure as a cock, he had nothing to provide! Now let me come to the most interesting point: I phoned very late in the evening, I wanted to find out something I was suspicious of about him!
Firstly he tried to say how is UK, but I live in Germany, the next thing I heard a woman screaming in the background: Ngumfazi wakho lowo, ngumfazi wakho lowo, I was exited, really exited, this is exactly something that kept me thinking and doubting that this man is not himself at all, he is hiding something from me. He was hiding something from the woman he was staying with equally, so this woman was to stay in his home until he got a more resourceful woman from Europe: Me.
Now to cut the story short, can you imagine if I sent this man money, every month, thinking aha, I have a love of my life? Can you imagine if I sent him a ticket to come to Europe for a five week holiday, coming to me leaving a woman in his home? When he was caught curiously he still thought I was going to understand this arrangement, he is a man after all, he needs those extras if there was no woman he thought he was well resourced to give him all the money to do what he wanted?
Here is a man who cheated smartly on two women. He had no shame at all because he thought since all women are desperate for marriage, I was going to go round my anger and continue with the relationship? Zimbabwean men are the same. There are those few exceptions that are good to their wives, men, a Zimbabwean who has respect for women.
I will spare you the nonsense he said after I caught him cheating on me. Somehow I never really recovered from this episode at all as I keep on telling this story all the time. I am sure I am telling you so that you know you are not alone in this. What makes me sad still are those tears you shed in the glare of the camera, those tears affected me deeply. At the same time I feel a man is not worth shedding a tear for unless if he has a trek record of a good father and hubby.
I felt sad when I saw those drugs in your hand. How do you want to terminate your life if you have children you still need to live for? A man can never be a better option to your own children. Please do not do anything that will jeopardize the welfare of your children.
I am glad, however that you took a bold move to make this public; this will assist many other women especially younger ones who are in the same situation like yours. My own experiences are always a text book case for other young girls who can get cheated easily by those sadistic and unscrupulous men out there.
There is also another aspect of our society that fails us women who are not married. I remember when I was having this relationship above: relations became interested too: there was this pressure I felt, to settle with this man, it’s your last chance! They said! Last chance: Am I already condemned a desperado by my people? The families and our relatives make us feel we are not worth anything if we are not married. This is what we should fight and possibly rebel from this notion; we cannot be respected only if we are married! To hell with that respect! How do I settle for marriage at 60 years if I failed it at 25 years?
My dear Sister please collect yourself, you have a lot to live for, do not cry those tears for a man, its not worth it at all. The experience was nasty; you will find that you are not the only one in this dirty experience. Many women are tightly lipped, cannot come out and say: I am abused in this marriage. Marriage in our society means to tolerate that very nonsense your hubby is doing. Look at your children in your face and discover their beauty and love they have for you. You will find joy in them especially when they start smiling at you with those innocent eyes. Desmond Chideme false through and through!
Women should avoid this match-making of potential hubbies by relatives and friends. This is a very dangerous thing considering that there are numerous STDs that are easily passed on just by gullibly trusting somebody you barely know. Most men are all out looking for resources and not women to marry per se. In my case this man could easily have got a woman from the congregation Adventist Church he passionately goes to every Saturday. But no, he wanted an import from Germany with resources. Those bible holders are the worst cheaters: they cheat unscrupulously, they are all up to get their cut in the relationship!
I hope my article helps somehow. Please do not do yourself any harm. My prayer today! Those tablets I saw in your hand gave me a chill on my spine, I confess.
ZANU PF’S vicious internal struggles for power and pronouncements by war veterans regarding the ruling party’s unresolved succession issue have forced Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa into a defensive mode.
For the second time inside 12 months, Mnangagwa was this week forced to distance himself from reports that he was being backed by the Christopher Mutsvangwa-led Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) in his campaign to succeed President Robert Mugabe.
On Wednesday, Mnangagwa told a Zanu PF campaign rally in Masvingo that Mutsvangwa and his colleagues were “lost elements”. The Midlands political godfather has on several occasions denied reports that he harbours ambitions to succeed Mugabe, although war veterans insist he is their choice for the throne.
ZNLWVA secretary-general, Victor Matemadanda, yesterday said the former freedom fighters were citizens with a right to hold an opinion.
“We are not partisan and we are not controlled by the rules of the game in Zanu PF. We have the right to support a person we feel has the capacity to lead this country going forward, this is why we went to fight in the bush so that our people have a better life,” he said.
Matemadanda said Mnangagwa was right to issue a statement distancing himself from the ZNLWVA leadership.
“Only opportunists, who don’t appreciate his history, would seek to score cheap points against Mnangagwa simply because our chairman (Mutsvangwa) has expressed an opinion,” he said.
A senior figure in Zanu PF said the continued wrangling, attacks by a faction of the ruling party known as G40 accusing Mnangagwa of being the architect of the Gukurahundi atrocities and gaffes by the war veterans had forced the VP to disown Mutsvangwa’s group.
“He was left with no choice. Mugabe has allowed G40 leaders like Jonathan Moyo to continuously accuse Mnangagwa of being the brains behind Gukurahundi.
“The war veterans have made the situation untenable for the Vice-President by attacking Mugabe and showing support for Mnangagwa. Now Moyo is left with nothing to clutch at given Mnangagwa’s washing of his hands of Gukurahundi,” the source claimed.
Despite distancing himself from the killings, several accounts have accused Mnangagwa, then Security minister, of having a role in Gukurahundi.
In July last year, war veterans issued a damning communiqué characterising Mugabe as a “genocidal leader” and demanding he steps down and paves way for a new leader. – Newsday
Staff Reporter | Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa of the United Family International Church (UFIC) Ministries has been exposed for masterminding murder plots, while also covering up on fake miracles.
ZimEye.com’s Simba Chikanza has been systematically targeted and issued with death threats, as is shown exclusively in the video above. Police reports have been made to the effect, and in the above video Chikanza explains the whole ordeal in the hands of a senior Pastor in Makandiwa’s church, Norbert Magwati.
The development comes as another Makandiwa pastor, Donald Savanhu is implicated in another death threat and also damage to property docket filed with Glen Norah Police Station, Harare.
Magwati had claimed that the fake miracles the church staged were genuine, only to pull away after being shown impeccable evidence unraveling the truth in this expansive news coverage spanning over 4 years to date. The shocking correspondence between the Makandiwa senior pastor and our journo classically reveals the evidence of daylight human tampering in the miracle claims.
Magwati also makes vile allegations against Chikanza while firing his threats. “Next time you won’t find a place to hide, leave our political and church leaders alone and be safe,” threatens Magwati also making reference to the name of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who he claims to be close to.
Angered by the expose ZimEye has made over the years exposing stage managed miracles, performed by Makandiwa, who claims for instance at one time he caused a woman to fall pregnant and deliver within three days, his church has now turned to death threats.
Below is a response Chikanza made when asked about his reporting on the fake miracle baby saga; “The article about Makandiwa of the fat belly I personally handled it, IT WAS NO FALSE REPORT. I can vouch for every letter of it. I personally tracked the miracle myself not counting others. I spoke to for instance Mai Beatrice Muza from Kwekwe and she confirmed lying she had any medical evidence to show proof. I have the records and can send you if you wish to see them. I also followed up on the 3-day miracle baby one. Many of these modern day prophets run away from getting their prophecies judged. They play God, and it creates a human worship spirit.”
On the issue of death threats, the church has been told “We take very seriously threats against any of our journalists.”
An disgruntled First Lady, Grace Mugabe has launched a fight against the High Court over her botched $1,3 million diamond ring secret deal.
Grace is fighting against a High Court decision which forces her off properties she seized from a Lebanese diamond dealer, Jamal Ahmed.
The ruling was made by Justice Clement Phiri who ordered Grace to vacate Ahmed’s properties within 24 hours on the 21st December 2016. The ruling was however disregarded and Grace has remained on them to this day defying looming legal enforcement through the Deputy Sherrif.
The First Lady’s lawyers Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners, yesterday explained the reason saying it is because they are challenging the verdict at the High Court order.
Grace’s lawyer Wellington Pasipanodya says Justice Phiri misdirected himself when he issued the order.
“The whole process was wrong since the First Lady was never served with papers and we are challenging that decision. It is wrong to say she has defied a court order because we have already indicated that we are appealing against the ruling to evict those people occupying those properties,” he said.
Background
The background to the story shows that Grace took over three properties belonging to Ahmed demanding a full refund for a ring she bought from Dubai. She made the payment through a local commercial bank, but declined the ring on delivery before demanding that the refund be deposited in her private Dubai bank account.
But Ahmed, who claimed he was in Belgium at the time, allegedly told her he had used a third party and the refund, would take long, which Grace rejected and proceeded to confiscate the three properties owned by the diamond dealer.
This prompted Ahmed to approach the courts to recover his properties and seek protection from the threats he was continuously receiving from Grace’s first son Russell Goreraza.
The story which was first broken by the Zimbabwe Independent, shows that Mugabe’s son-in-law Simba Chikore and Kennedy Fero who, according to court papers, is part of Grace’s security personnel, were also allegedly involved in verbally abusing and threatening Ahmed over the ring.
The seized properties include number 409 Harare Drive and 18 Cambridge Road in Avondale.
Ahmed’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa confirmed development, and Grace’s lawyer Wilson Manase also confirmed the order, but said he would challenge it.
“It is not correct. It is not how the deal went. The truth is she [Grace] is a victim in the matter. She bought the ring and never got it. The product was never shown to her. This is crooked. We will file our papers to oppose the order. It was more than a default judgment. We did not appear to oppose it,” Manase said.
“It’s a malicious campaign against the First Lady. She is out of the country and was not even served with the papers. No papers were filed at State House. She also has no account outside Zimbabwe as Ahmed claimed. If she had, let him produce it in court. We now have full information about what happened. Ahmed is being dishonest.”
Mtetwa, however, said: “The matter proceeded as scheduled before Justice Phiri who had, on the 14th made an order directing the Sheriff to do affidavits on what had happened when his office sought to serve papers at the various addresses, including at Blue Roof [Mugabe’s private residence]. The Sheriff made the two affidavits with his remarks,” Mtetwa said.
“The judge had, thereafter, directed the Sheriff to reserve the notice of set down for the 21st at 10am, which he attempted to do on the 19th. His return of service states that he could not serve at Blue Roof because no one at the premises was willing to accept service of the process.
“When he sought to affix the process at the gate in terms of the rules, he was threatened by an armed soldier who barred him from conducting any further action.”
Mtetwa said the matter then proceeded to submissions and in the middle of this, the judge was called to the Judge President George Chiweshe’s Office and on his return directed that the matter be resumed at 2:30pm.
At the appointed time, Mtetwa said Messrs Wilson Manase and Wellington Pasipanodya, who appeared for the First Lady and her underlings applied for a 10-day postponement to enable them to get full instructions from their client, who is holidaying in Singapore.
“They argued that they had only been engaged that morning and had not been able to take full instructions and that they might have to travel to Singapore to do this and, therefore, needed at least 10 days,” Mtetwa said.
“The application was opposed on the basis that the respondents had known about the matter heading for court since November 23 when they were first addressed and put on terms to vacate the premises and that instead of engaging lawyers they embarked on further threatening the applicant.
“When served with court papers on December 9, after failed attempts to have the matter resolved in terms of an agreement they had requested be drafted, which they subsequently did not sign, and they did not come to court on the set down date of December 14.
“Instead, they had consolidated their illegal actions by removing the workers’ remaining assets from one of the houses and transported them to Bulawayo.”
Although the judge had given them a second chance to be served for the hearing of the 21st, Mtetwa said Grace’s lawyers did not appear at the appointed time of 10am.
“Having commenced the hearing at 10am, it was stopped and it was only resumed at 2:30pm when the lawyers came to apply for a postponement,” Mtetwa said.
“The presiding judge asked what would happen during the 10-day period, whether the unlawful occupation would cease, and why a court would allow the continuation of an illegality for another 10-days when the relief sought was interim in nature and respondents could present their argument on the return day.
“It was also argued on behalf of the applicants that spoliation is by its very nature urgent and that the courts should not encourage self-help and anarchy,” she said.
“That the equality before the law provision should be seen to apply in practical terms by assuring the public that the mighty and powerful are subject to the same laws as the weak and ordinary.”
Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo |The ruling Zanu PF party has admitted that it has dismally failed the nation as a result of rampant factionalism, corruption and bad governance.
In a Central Committee report presented to President Robert Mugabe soon after the annual conference held in Masvingo last December, the ruling party conceded failure to revive the country’s economy.
The report indicated poor policies factionalism and corruption literally led to dissent and the rise of opposition movements and anti-government elements. “There is unrest as a result of unemployment and poor policies.As such we have to revise some of our policies ahead of the 2018 elections,”read part of the report.
The report further indicated the ruling party was afraid of pressure groups like #Tajamuka and #This Flag. “We have to note the fact that groups like #Tajamuka and #This Flag capitalised on some obvious weaknesses and they caused chaos in the country.Such matters should be treated with urgency,”the report indicated. The seemingly clueless Zanu PF is panicking ahead of the 2018 polls and party insiders say desperate measures will be taken to create employment in a bid to coax the electorate.
The report also read:”There is need to create employment ahead of the 2018 elections.We are also worried about the falsehoods being peddled by the social media. Something has to be done to arrest the trend.” Zanu PF, in power since 1980, is squarely blamed for ruining the once prosperous nation’s economy through calculated acts of violence intimidation plundering of state resources and vote rigging.
CBZ Bank has suspended the local use of Visa cards citing the prevailing foreign exchange shortage.
In a statement, CBZ Bank said Visa card services at ATM (automated teller machines), point-of-sale (POS) and Internet payments would only be available outside the country.
“In line with market conditions, CBZ has suspended the use of the Visa card on the local market with effect from January 15, 2017,” said CBZ.
“The Visa card will, however, continue to transact outside Zimbabwe and new limits have been set.”
The limits per day are as follows: ATM outside Zimbabwe, $250; POS terminals outside Zimbabwe: $1 000 and internet payments: $500.
Recently commercial banks such as FBC and MBCA also announced decisions to disable Visa and Master Cards as part of measures to conserve the little foreign currency available in the country.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe also capped the amount of money one could take out of the country to $5 000.
Last month mobile money platform EcoCash, a subsidiary of Econet Zimbabwe reduced its MasterCard monthly transaction limits from $5 000 to $1 100.
This applies to all transactions-online and offline as well as local and international.
The EcoCash MasterCard has for long bridged the gap between mobile money services and international payments.
Zimbabwe has been facing a shortage of foreign currency since April last year.
Financial service providers have been forced to implement measures that limit exposure to international payments that require money to leave the country.
Cash shortages and delays in foreign payments have also affected companies whose businesses rely on imports.
This has been linked to the depletion of nostro reserves, which are funds for local banks held in foreign accounts.-state media
By Dr Masimba Mavaza | Power is vested in a government minister for a variety of reasons, including their experience, expertise, education, business acumen, wisdom or tenure. The head of state works under the conviction that the individual concerned has wisdom and is not just clever.
Wielding power is an important yet highly delicate aspect of leadership. In the worst cases, power can be abused or avoided and in the best cases, it can be used judiciously and for worthy goals for the good of the country and the furtherance of the party.
But either way, ministers must understand the power they hold and that what they say and how they behave will have a great effect on those who look upon to them. They must understand the positive effects of using it properly and differentiate from the ill effects when used negatively. If ministers do not come to terms with their own power, the country’s citizens and the party may bear the brunt.
The failure to be bound by the rules exposes the stupidity of the ministers concerned.
Ministers who use their power appropriately can motivate staff, inspire loyalty and commitment and push the nation to aspire to greater achievement. In contrast, ministers who abuse their power bring down morale, create turnover, incur grievances and cost the country money in lost productivity.
Time spent on justifying the position or hatred of each other could be used on progress and development of the nation. Ministers who ignore simple directives from the head of state can create confusion, anxiety and a sense of helplessness in the nation.
Minister’s power is seen in the ability or potential to influence others. It is derived from having something someone else wants or needs. As such, subordinates are in some form of dependence on another if a minister deliberately ignore the party directive and the orders of the head of state he creates a rebellious followers. There will be a group which cheers him on in his lunacy and created enemies with his colleagues.
But some ministers have different ways of handling their authority, they chose Twitter to compensate for their lost wisdom and to settle vendettas some of them unhealthy for the country and for the party.
There are two key types of leaders who abuse their power:
Bully or arrogant ministers. Arrogance blinds the reasoning capacity and erodes dignity. A full minister is reduced by twitter to a cry baby and a village gossiper. He shifts his constituency from seeious people to gossip mongers on social media. The time wasting twitting slowly draws the whole party into an unnecessary factious war. Despite a direct ban on setting cases on social media the ministers swim in their ego and lose their senses in the social media Frenzy. Cheered on by fight setters the ministers get blinded by the dust of the confusion and blinds the whole nation in gossip lied and nonsense.
This minister uses power and authority to dominate the social media. The medium could be used ostensibly to get the job done but alas its used to soil some individuals and ending up dragging the party into the pigs play ground. The ministers becomes bullies cyber bullies.
The tactics the bully uses range from rude behaviour to sarcasm, yelling, and sometimes physical violence including invoking ugly memories of the past.
Under the guise of getting the job done, the bully will intimidate, humiliate and violate others to the point where people are afraid of him or her and comply with demands to stay out of bullying range. Mistakes are hidden, productivity is low and creativity is quashed in these environments corruption is seriously defended. The bully often uses abusive power tactics to bolster his or her confidence, to experience a sense of being in command or to feel superior to others. The fallout of this abuse of power is total non contribution in parliament.
The minister who manipulates to meet political objectives is familiar to many. This type uses covert tactics to meet his or her objectives, demonstrated in how he handles information, motivates others and ensures compliance. These ministers will justify any means to meet their ends.
The manipulative minister is most interested in getting his immediate needs met and has difficulty taking a long term perspective.
By making false accusations the job gets done and done well, but the party suffers. The leader neglects activity that should focus on developing the nation.
Those who use their power to manipulate others hide important information and dole it out selectively. They pit members against each other, take sides and pick favourites. They can be passive aggressive in their approach, ignoring orders and requests for information or discrediting others to superiors. They have the good boy mentality and wants to have everybody but him to look bad in the eyes of the head of state.
They are sometimes difficult to spot as they can be adept at appearing collegial, caring and concerned about the president yet they are after his position. They aren’t that concerned, they abuse power to meet their own ends and the end result is that people feel used, betrayed and angry. Even this they blame others and twit more confusions Despite a ban on twitting internal issues.
They tend to deny they have power. They attempt to insist everyone’s equal in the party and try to discredit others.
Despite your position Everyone deserves respect and fair treatment, but to overlook the fact that the president can control minister’s career advancement, salaries, hiring, firing, information and the access to resources is naive. By failing to see, understand and reckon with the existing power differential between themselves and others the.
Ministers fails to harness the full potential of the role and builds a false reality in the government.
Powerful ministers recognize they wield power rather than denying that they have it. They use their authority to meet business objectives. They don’t twit to get their way. They inspire, explain and mentor their way to success.
Ministers who use their authority appropriately take responsibility for the outcomes they seek and practice a form of “give all the credit, take all the blame” thinking. They are humble. They understand that the contributions of others make the nation a success. By “taking the blame,” they ensure that they deal with tough situations as they occur instead of offloading the responsibility onto social media.
Ministers work with the party to settle misunderstandings and to meet objectives through frank and transparent communication, they don’t bully or coerce or wash the dirty linens in public.
They deal with issues as they arise and wade, however gently, into difficult conversations when they are needed through the party channels. Nothing is ever handled through the press.
Ministers who understand they are in positions of authority — and that with the authority comes the responsibility not to harm people — will be most effective.
The party will be served embarrassment if the beloved ministers grow up and stop playing to the gallery.
Staff Writer | Fancied Zimbabwe and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Khama Billiat, controversially came out second to club team mate and Ugandan Goalkeeper to clinch second place in Confederation of African Football (CAF) African Footballer of the year based in Africa Award last night.
In a night where virtually everyone expected the pint sized midfield maestro to walk away with the award, CAF left with egg on their face after yet again sidelining Southern Africa football from its moment of glory.
Riyad Mahrez was named African Player of the Year, while Billiat and Onyango’s club Mamelodi Sundowns the African Club Champions collected three awards winning the club of the year and coach Pitso Mosimane winning coach of the year.
The Leicester City winger beat Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sadio Mane for the main award, becoming the first Algerian to lift the award.
Meanwhile, Alex Iwobi beat Eric Ayiah (Charity FC, Ghana) and Sandra Owusu-Ansah (Supreme Ladies, Ghana) to the award as African Youth Player of the Year 2016.
Manchester City starlet Kelechi Iheanacho has been named Africa’s Most Promising Talent by the Confederation of African Football.
The 20-year-old, who recently became the player with the best minutes per goal ratio of any player in Premier League history, beat Naby Keita (RB Leipzig) and Elia Meschak (TP Mazembe) to the award.
Here is a complete overview of all winners during the 2016 Glo-CAF Awards:
African Player of the Year
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Leicester City)
African Player of the Year – Based in Africa
Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Women’s Player of the Year
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Arsenal Ladies)
Most Promising Talent
Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria & Manchester City)
Youth Player of the Year
Alex Iwobi (Nigeria and Arsenal)
Coach of the Year
Pitso Mosimane (Mamelodi Sundowns)
By Terry Bhorowa| THERE WAS DRAMA AFTER DRAMA last night when Stunner (Desmond Chideme) and his wife, Olinda returned back into each other’s arms again hours after the woman had broken down in public while ranting against his character.
Olinda in an emotive video shoot had earlier Thursday told of her troubles with her husband’s alleged infidelity. “I stood by that man, I stood by that man from beginning to end; I did everything for him, every single thing, I did from my own hard work…and I get this in return, I get this nonsense!,” she said while narrating claims that Stunner has been bedding young girls in her absence inside her Zimbabwean home.
Olinda is a wealthy UK based woman who married Stunner in a rushed ceremony last year in April.
During her rant, she also proved against Stunner’s conduct items such as female shoes belonging to Stunner’s alleged lovers, all found inside the property.
But despite the enormity of evidence against Stunner’s character, Olinda was back in Stunner’s arms again after the singer had driven back home.
He posted several snap chats while next to his wife in dramatic scenes that kept Zimbabweans wondering what really is happening. He even cracked jokes about the day’s events while Olinda flashed an embarrassed smile. He then began going through his wardrobe reminding Olinda that she had told the world she bought all his clothes for him. More to follow…
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) says it has released into circulation $72,9 million worth of bond notes since the surrogate currency was introduced last November.
The bond notes were introduced to tackle a US dollar note shortage but bank queues have spilled into the new year as demand for cash remains high. The central bank also uses the notes to incentivize exports and remittances.
With limited investment flowing into the country, remittances, have become a key source of liquidity for Zimbabwe. Foreign Direct Investment into the country fell 23 percent to $421 million in 2015 while diaspora remittances amounted to $2 billion.
The central bank said in a statement that as at December 31, it had paid incentives to 80 percent of exporters and receivers of remittances.
“This is in line with the bank’s projection of bond notes that should have been issued during this period under the export incentive scheme.The major beneficiaries of the export incentive scheme so far are tobacco farmers (who received) $29,4 million, gold miners $10 million and diaspora remittances at $5,4 million,” said the central bank.
The bank expects to release $200 million worth of bond notes in total under an Afreximbank loan facility. – The Source
Opposition MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai and one of his three deputies, Nelson Chamisa, have been invited to attend the inauguration of Ghanaian President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo at the weekend.
Impeccable sources told NewsDay there had been a “near stampede” within the MDC-T by officials who wanted to be part of Tsvangirai’s entourage.
“Tsvangirai and Chamisa are going to Ghana, but this week has been hectic with some people seeking to be part of the visit. Chamisa was invited by senior officials in Akufo-Addo’s incoming administration because he was with them at Stanford University in the United States a few years ago.
“Tsvangirai’s invitation was facilitated by Chamisa, who realised if he were to travel alone, this would send a wrong political message,” NewsDay heard.
Party spokesperson, Obert Gutu confirmed Tsvangirai would be travelling to Ghana, adding the invitation was an indication of the “confidence Africans have in the MDC”.
“I can confirm that the president and one of his deputies, Nelson Chamisa, will be in Ghana at the weekend for President Akufo-Addo’s swearing-in ceremony set for Saturday (tomorrow). For us in the MDC, it is a clear indication of the confidence that African leaders have in our capabilities as the government-in-waiting in Zimbabwe.
“As a social democratic party with growing pan-Africanist credentials, we are excited that a greater number of democratic establishments on the continent take us seriously,” he said.
President Robert Mugabe’s spokesperson, George Charamba, could not be drawn into commenting on whether the Zanu PF leader had also been invited.
“As far as I am concerned, the President is on leave,” Charamba said curtly.
Mugabe, at 92, is Africa’s oldest Head of State, but has already indicated he will contest the presidential elections next year at 94.
Regionally, Tsvangirai has a long-standing good working relationship with Botswana leader Ian Khama, who on a number of occasions has had run-ins with Mugabe over the latter’s perceived autocratic tendencies and rights abuses. The MDC-T leader also enjoys warm relations with opposition parties in Kenya.
Akufo-Addo will officially be sworn-in as Ghana’s President tomorrow, after winning convincingly in the country’s just-ended presidential elections in which he defeated incumbent, John Mahama Dramani.
Ghana is one of Africa’s most stable democracies and has seen successive peaceful changes of government since former military ruler, Jerry Rawlings handed over power after losing elections to John Kufuor in 2001. – Newsday
Nomusa Garikayi| “The proposal of an NTA (National Transition Authority) is myopic and naïve, because it assumes Mugabe can ‘volunteer’ to step down. Mugabe will only give up power by being forced to resign, dying, falling ill, through assassination or being voted out. NTA is child’s play and we have no time for games, please,” said Rejoice Ngwenya.
Let me say from the word go that anyone, anyone at all, who assumes that Mugabe will volunteer to step down or to implement meaningful democratic reforms is indeed “myopic and naïve”.
Rejoice tells us, he and his select team of coalition opposition parties will vote President Mugabe out of office. This beggars the question; why has the opposition not done so all these last 37 years, given he is not myopic and naïve and not one to waste time on child’s play?
“Mugabe uses ZEC to turn a blind eye to vote buying. He uses ZBC/ZTV for propaganda, as well as The Herald, Manica Post and Chronicle. Mugabe prints as many ballot papers as he wants and ‘deploys’ them to as many polling stations as he wants,” admitted Ngwenya.
Top marks Rejoice, you clearly KNOW how Zanu PF has been rigging elections but you have only partially answered the question above. The follow up question, is what fool prove measures have been put into place to stop Zanu PF rigging the next elections as the regime has done so many, many times in the past?
In the Bulawayo 24 article, Ngwenya went into great detail on how he would select the opposition coalition partners but was as silent as a grave on the all important point of ensuring the elections are free, fair and credible.
After the rigged July 2013 elections, Morgan Tsvangirai said MDC would force the Zanu PF regime to implement the democratic reforms – it is interesting to note the Rejoice, as far as I know, never dismissed this as myopic and naïve – and that his party would boycott all future elections until the reforms are implemented. The people of Zimbabwe are used to MDC grandstanding and posturing and this time was no different. MDC are going to contest the next elections even though not even one reform was implemented!
We are caught in a catch-22 situation here; we need free and fair elections to remove Mugabe from office but as long as he is in office we will never have free and fair elections because he will never ever implement democratic reforms to stop him rigging elections.
People like Rejoice Ngwenya who dismiss the NTA as rubbish do so because they have never appreciated the difficult of transiting from an autocratic dictatorship to a functional democracy. The primary function of 2008 GPA and the GNU were to implement the democratic reforms designed to dismantle the dictatorship and ensure the 2013 elections were free, fair and credible. The very fact that the July 2013 elections were rigged means the GNU was a failure.
People who say Zimbabwe does not need another GNU do not understand what its primary task was and/or why it failed to deliver.
If we want free, fair and credible elections then we need to implement the reforms to stop vote rigging.
Yes, it would be myopic and naïve to assume the Zanu PF regime will willingly step down because it is not in the DNA of a dictatorship to do so. Mugabe and Zanu PF must be pressured to accept that the present political system is politically and economically unsustainable and must be changed. Mugabe was pressured to sign the 2008 GPA; he can be pressured to do so again.
We have to force the dictatorial regime to step aside to allow some other body, the GNU in 2008, the NTA or some such other body, to implement the democratic reforms because we cannot trust Zanu PF to reform itself out of power.
Since the 2013 elections the Zimbabwe economy is in worse state now that then. Unemployment, for example, has soared to 90% plus; the regime has failed to get anyone to bankroll its US$ 27 billion ZimAsset economic recovery plan and so the economy has failed to create even one new job out of the 2.2 million new jobs the regime had promised.
On the political front the dog-eat-dog fighting for power – fuelled by the economic meltdown, the cake is shrinking whilst the appetites are soaring – in Zanu PF resulted in the party splitting down the middle in 2014 as then VP Joice Mujuru and 150 other senior party members were booted out of the party. But before the dust had settled two new factions emerged and the in-fighting has been vicious.
And yet despite all the economic hardships and political turmoil the one bright star in President Mugabe’s sky is his vote rigging machinery, it is solid as ever. Thanks to the chaos and confusion in the opposition camp and to the billions of dollars he is looting from Marange and Chiadzwa.
Rejoice Ngwenya complained of President Mugabe buying votes, well the country’s economic meltdown will work to the tyrant’s advantage because whilst the electorate and his political opponents are destitute he is loaded with diamond cash!
Last month, at the Zanu PF conference, President Mugabe dismissed the opposition’s electoral challenge in contempt. And why not, he knows that as long as no democratic reforms are implemented, he will rig the elections!
No, my brother Rejoice Ngwenya, it is you who, by contesting the elections without implementing the reforms, is being myopic and naïve. What could be more naïve than taking part in an election knowing the opponent will cheat and long beyond you are cheated!
Who said women are the only gold diggers? What of equal rights? Feminism? We must all make life tick. By whatever means necessary, feed your crew!!! A few weeks ago you were fuming and defending this guy Jah Prayzah when Gonyeti had an issue with him. Please don’t be two faced.
Men and women can work, or break their relationships. It shouldn’t be an issue for screaming to the world. What do you gain? We sympathise or laugh. Mainly people laugh. Just learn to keep your issues within your close crew and leave social media alone. All you do with social media noise is mess up your kids.
Gold diggers are not new in all societies. They are found both in men and women. Look at most elite families, kids are directed where there is money!! If it fails it fails, accept it and move on silently.
Stop humiliating your partner when he wrongs you about having made him or living in your house, driving your car. It shows why he goes out to other women, you always show him he is nothing without your money!! A nagged man will always find solace in other women’s arms! Fact!!!
A humiliated partner will always find comfort in other people’s arms! Fact!! Please, Zimbabwean women, batayi varume zvakanaka/ akeliphathe kuhle amadoda enu.
And look after yourselves as well. Make up, nails, dressing, hair! Look at yourself in the mirror; will a man seeing you everyday still want to be romantically near you right now? You know the answer. Look around your house; will a man find comfort in it? Clean, tidy, nice scent? Is the bedroom romantic or it resembles a war zone? You know the answer.
How do you talk to your man? Like he is a kid? Your tone says a lot more the actual words you utter! Does he feel respected or you actually respect your kids more than him? How do you treat his friends and relatives? The way you treat yours?
These small things count. It’s not all about money. It’s not only money that binds us. Too many seemingly insignificant things make relationships tick, and may be what it take to make us want to be always by each others side.
Former Mashonaland West Provincial Governor and Resident Minister Peter Chanetsa, who died on Monday morning, has been declared a national hero.
He will be buried tomorrow at the National Heroes Acre.
Chanetsa (70), the first black chief of protocol in independent Zimbabwe, succumbed to heart failure at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
His body will be taken to Chinhoyi this morning before being brought back in the evening ahead of burial tomorrow.
Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa last night told mourners at the Chanetsa family’s Borrowdale home that the Zanu-PF Politburo had agreed to accord Chanetsa national hero status.
He said the announcement of the hero status had been delayed because many Politburo members were still on holiday.
“I phoned the President telling him about the death and he told me that he had learnt about it through the First Lady who had read about it on the Internet,” Mnangagwa said.
“I told him that Mashonaland West Province had indicated that it was sitting down to deliberate on his history and make recommendations. The province finally sat down and forwarded its papers but we had two days before coming back to you. As leadership here we had sat down but many Politburo members are out of the country and we had to consult everyone. Most of them responded in favour of your recommendation. We sent the details to the President and this morning while in Bulawayo, I managed to talk to him. He had left China for Singapore and he said tell the relatives that I am in agreement. So, Chanetsa has been granted national hero status. It is now official everything from now will be done by the Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs.”
Mnangagwa said Chanetsa, who was a Zanu-PF Central Committee member at the time of his death, never vacillated on principle.
“We were all saddened when we heard that Chanetsa is no more,” he said. “He was with Cde Richard Ndlovu, our former deputy commissar from Plumtree when I last saw him during the last Central Committee meeting last month. They said they wanted to see me. I agreed in principle but walked passed them but that was the last time I met Chanetsa perhaps he wanted to say something.”
He said he met Chanetsa in 1977 in Tanzania where he would welcome the country’s leadership during the liberation struggle as the chief of protocol each time they went there for political meetings.
“Each time we left Mozambique for Tanzania he was there to welcome us,” Mnangagwa said. “We worked together throughout and even at the Lancaster House Conference he was our protocol officer.”
Family spokesperson Mr Kenneth Chanetsa, said the family felt honoured by the granting of the national hero status to his brother.
“We never thought he would get this far,” he said. “We thank the party for honouring his works. It is you who worked with him as a party and we never knew he did so much for the party.”
Politburo member and Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora, who hails from Mashonaland West added: “As a province we felt that our hero has been granted so highly. It is evidence of the work that he did throughout the time he lived.”
Chanetsa was the first black chief of protocol at Independence before being appointed Mashonaland West Resident Minister and Governor in 1996.
During his tenure as Governor, Chanetsa oversaw the crunch phase of the land reform programme in his province in the early 2000s.
He retired from that post in 2003.
Apart from being a politician and farmer, Chanetsa had interests in safari and fishing businesses.
Born on 15 July 1946 in Chinhoyi, Chanetsa first had his education in that area before proceeding to Mabvuku in the then Salisbury.
He then went to Mwanza, Tanzania where he later hooked up with other locals and received military training in that country. He came back at Independence in 1980.
He is survived by wife Beatrice and three children. – State Media
ZIMBABWE is on high alert for a possible armyworm attack on crops with Government encouraging farmers and extension officers across the country to take precautionary measures.
In view of the recent invasion of armyworms in the Zambian maize fields, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made said yesterday that the ministry had put in place mechanisms to avert destruction of crops by the pest.
He urged farmers and extension officers to monitor their crops each day and detect any attacks early to enable timely and effective control measures.
“Farmers should be on alert and be on the fields at sunrise to scout for these insects. Here in Zimbabwe we started with the fall worm that attacked mainly Matabeleland North with the early planted maize under Command Agriculture.
“What happens with various worms is that when we are coming out of drought it means most of the material that they feed on will not be available in the veld. So any irrigated crop becomes the first target because it is the first green material that is there,” said Dr Made at a Press briefing in Bulawayo.
“And if your weather is such that there is sunshine and rain, it is very conducive to the breeding and habitat of the army worm.
“So, what we have in Zambia in this case is the army worm and it is residing in the Zambian river systems. That is the first outbreak.”
He said local farmers need to work closely with their extension officers and report any cases of attacks on crops by armyworms and locusts.
“We have to be on full alert in Zimbabwe and the alerts have already been given and the best way is to scout very early on.
“When you see the worm already grown, it is a little bit too late to control it. It becomes a bit difficult but we must tell our farmers to scout and there are certain traps that we have already put in order to trap the moth in its moth form,” he said.
“So, we are on full alert on that particular aspect. Obviously, once the outbreak is there everybody has got to play their part.
“But the first people who play a part are the farmers and the extension people. It is a notifiable pest and we immediately move in to control as a country. And once we have an armyworm we must also be alert on the locusts as well because these pests and insects are kind of interrelated.”
Zambian President Edgar Lungu recently had to call the military to help farmers contain an invasion on the maize crops by the insects, the country’s official media reported.
“The president is concerned that if the outbreak of the worms is not controlled speedily, the crop yield for 2016/2017 may be negatively affected,” President Lungu’s spokesperson said in a recent statement.
Military planes were used to spray pesticides to the worst-affected areas in the neighbouring country so as to protect crops. Army worms eat most vegetation in their way and can destroy entire fields.
Media reports indicate the insects posed a threat to crops in six Zambian provinces.
Zimbabwe has not been immune to armyworm attacks and over the years some farmers have been forced to replant after their crops were destroyed by these insects. – State Media
Ray Nkosi | South African afro pop musican Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye has been released from prison on parole, South African Correctional Services Department confirmed on Thursday.
“The Department of Correctional Services can confirm the parole placement of Katlego Molemo Maarohanye and Themba Shabalala as approved by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards (CSPBs) of Leeuwkop and Baviaanspoort with effect from 5 January 2017,” spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said in a statement.
Maarohanye and Shabalala were found guilty of culpable homicide for killing four school children during a drag racing accident.
“To this date, each parolee has served four years, one month and one day behind bars,” Nxumalo said.
The pair was initially handed 20 years for murder but their sentences were reduced to 10 years, two of which were suspended.
The sentences were backdated to October 2012 when the pair was first sentenced and jailed.
Maarohanye and Shabalala were also initially sentenced to four years in jail for two attempted murder convictions and another year for driving under the influence of drugs and racing on a public road.
The two crashed their Mini Coopers into a group of schoolboys in Protea North, Soweto, on March 8, 2010. Four boys — Prince Mohube, Mlungisi Cwayi, Andile Mthombeni, and Phomello Masemola — were killed. Frank Mlambo was left brain damaged for life.
Those who have family and relatives who have travelled in an Urban Connect bus, along Harare- Beitbridge road, the bus was involved in a serious accident involving a Sprinter, just now at Mvuma 40km peg. Many have lost lives. Please note that more disturbing pictures have not been published.More to follow…
A 39 year old Harare Pastor Onbert Mapfumo who is founder of Highfields based ‘By Grace Ministries’ appeared before a Harare magistrate answering to charges of raping three congregants.
Pastor Mapfumo who was ambushed on a live local radio station hosted by Tilder Moyo on Tuesday night by one of the three complainants and her husband over his shenanigans before being arrested appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Rumbidzai Mugwagwa facing charges of raping three women from his church.
The state represented by Ms Audrey Chogumaira in its papers says on various occasions, Moyo summoned the complainants to his prayer room at house number 7937 New Canaan Highfield Harare.
He allegedly would then call the complainants and administer prayers and instructing them that he wanted to deliver them from evil spirits.
Through prayers, he was supposed to sleep with them so as to break the chains of poverty.
Mapfumo who is represented by Jonathan Madotsa pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted US$100 bail.
He was also ordered to reside at his given address, report once every Friday at ZRP Machipisa station and not to interfere with witnesses. – State Media
Stunner’s wife Olinda Chapel was live on Facebook social media this afternoon threatening to commit suicide after she was cheated countless times.
Stunner, real name Desmond Chideme is officially married Olinda married on Sunday, 3 April 2016. Read Full Transcript below;
( crying) …sigh…
It’s all right, I have got an audience and I want you to call anybody and everybody that you want on this platform. And people gona say whatever they wan
Munhu anonzi Desmond Chideme is as ass kusvika kwekupedzesera. And I don’t care how this video is going to destroy my life But how can I, ndinoshanda I work 24/7 and I do not steal. For a man taking my stuff giving giving it kuvana vadiki
Right now I am fuming, I am angry. I am disappointed in this man. The whole world told me kuti siyana nemurume uyu. The whole world came to me kuti he is an ass. But I stood by him but stood.
I gave him everything from the beginning to the end. The shit I get from his is that anotora zvinhu zvangu achinopa vamwe vanhu. He takes all the staff, anotora zvinhu zvangu and give it to any other people.
Hutsinye hwakaita sei ihwowho. Everyone know how hard his And I lifted that man up and get what in return.
This is my house in Zimbabwe, this is my house in Zimbabwe. He brings his little girlfriends in to the house, imba yandinobhadhara only for me to find out.
A whole year people told me. From day one ndichiudza kuti Desmond Chideme Siyana naye but I never listened to anybody.
I stood by that man. I protected him. I did every single thing for him. I dint from my own hard work. People that know me know me. And I get this nonsense in return.
This man never had a headboard, this is me buying a US$3 000 kuti tirare on a comfortable place and ma girlfriends ake leave these dirty (phone cover) Magirfired achisiya
Todays is the day I am going to let all my dirty laundry hang. Ndikuzviburitsa zvese
Within a month, munhu anga adhumirisa a US$ 40 000 car I paid for his birthday. I couldn’t say it because the day I bought it was the day my mother died. It is me who bought the Lexus and that is a limited edition he was driving. I paid for the Mercedes he is driving right now, thinking that I was building my husband.
These girls see all this and don’t realize it’s me maGiuseppe ese aanenge akapfeka is me, maValentino ese aanopfeka is me, from the Versace and guccis, the jacket he was wearing at the Hip-hop awards he was voted as best dressed, I’m the one who picked it and what do I get in return? Kuhurirwa shuwa with 19 and 20 year olds? This is not a joke. This is the last thing far from being a joke. Munhu wese told me that he was an ass, kuti akazoita so. But I supported this man.
I am not here to hurt. This guys is out there as if life yake. Anga asina kana sofa kana chii and he does that
I threw that album launch for him, I flew in Sir Ford, I paid for drinks to everything. I paid for everything ku Pablos ku launch. But for him to hurt me like this, what for. And my life being riddled on internet because of him. Being told she is fat, she is this and what note. What for.
I know you are saying fight your battles in the prayer room. All these people who you are sharing the problem. I want to hurt this guys .Pretending like life is all good and on top of the world, when it was me
This guy couldn’t even afford to pay to pay rent. Anga asina kana sofa kana chinhu and I thought I was building this man. Blaming me
Ndinawo ma recordings I can’t date this fat girl, and my life was being riddle on the internet that she fastest girl in the club. Nhasi I am the fattest girl in the club
I went for cosmetics surgery a three to four weeks trying to do it for him, trying to make this man happy. I almost died. You guys don’t feel my pain, hamuzive kurwadziwa kwangu. You guys are clues.
You are far and beyond from what I have gone through. And he does shit on me life and blaming me to make matters worse.
I am good woman, I am good woman. I am a good woman Nyika yese yakandiudza. Munhu wese akandiudza ikati Stunner wako uyu. Vanhu vakandiudza kuti Desmond wako uyu. Vakandiudza kuti Desmond. I did nothing but support this man. I did nothing but to support this guy. I did nothing kubvira day one
From the Audi he was driving, Kupinda mu Lexus kupinda, to the Mercese Benz yaanofamba nayo right now. Hembe , bhutsu this guy has everything, I did everything for him.
I have been paying school fees for this man for over a year. I treated his girl as if I was taking care of my own kids. Then this guy treats me like I am nothing. And treats me like I am sh_it, like hameno.
My own family went against me. Some of them don’t even speak to me because of this man. Vachindiudza kuti siyana naye. Ndikati no you guys siyanai nye makatadza kumunzwisisa. Only for me to get this, this cheating and lying and this what note.
This man wants to destroy my life. Muudze kuti hanzi na Olinda that you have destroyed me to the last. And it’s going to end here today and I am tired of this man and I am really tired of him. ..I am tired (crying).
This is not about being a celebrity or anything. This is real life. This is real life. You think its attentions seeking. Have you ever have done nothing but to support.
The whole world was telling me to stay away from him, the whole world.
… stay away, ibvai chingondisiyai ndife.” – State Media
Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo |Vendors in the ancient city of Masvingo say the controversial bond notes are causing sleepless nights and untold mayhem in their trade.
Speaking to ZimEye.com during a snap survey held in the ancient city today, the vendors said although the controversial bond notes were trading at par with the United States Dollars, it was difficult to remain afloat in business because they (vendors) were unable to purchase products from South Africa using the controversial currency.
The bond notes were introduced last year as a desperate measure by RBZ Governor John Mangudya to cushion the cash crisis in the country. Despite the introduction of the bond notes, long meandering queues are seen at most banking halls across the country.
Tariro Makovere a vendor based in the city of Masvingo said:”It has become difficult to remain in business after the introduction of the useless bond notes.” Delight Chamisa another vendor also said:”I usually purchase my merchandise from South Africa and Harare but it is no longer the same because of the bond notes.”
Raviro Chagwiza an 18-year-old vendor said:”Although the bond notes are trading at par with the United States Dollars,I strongly feel it is practically impossible to maintain the same trend.Our business partners are deeply reluctant to accept the useless bond notes.” Asked about the feasibility of bond notes Mercy Mataruse said:”We are losing lucrative business deals because of the introduction of bond notes.” Lorraine Hove said :”The bond notes are useless ,you cannot go to South Africa to buy products using bond notes.I do not see any benefits of using bond notes.”
Staff Reporter | Prominent lawyer and human rights activist Brian Kagoro has predicted an imminent cabinet reshuffle by President Robert Mugabe.
Writing on Facebook Kagoro said, “Well, unlike the prophets, I see no high profile death. But looming and telling reshuffle at cabinet, military & provincial levels.”
The analyst who is based in Addis Ababa further predicted, “And unexpected rise of tourist numbers (27%) . I see Coalitions forming & disbanding. And surprising Zanu PF political realignments.”
Mugabe has been under pressure to carry out a cabinet reshuffle that will get rid of deadwood and corrupt ministers.
Militant Zanu PF women’s league finance secretary Sarah Mahoka has said she remains close to President Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace, despite claims that the two no longer see eye-to-eye.
There had been assertions that the First Lady — who leads the Zanu PF women’s league as its secretary in the politburo — had a fallout with members of the Generation 40 (G40) faction, particularly Mahoka and Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, allegedly over using her name in corrupt activities.
This prompted an unsuccessful attempt by the Zanu PF Mashonaland West women’s league provincial executive committee to censure Mahoka last year on allegations of embezzling over $100 000 donated by a popular Harare prophet.
But Mahoka — viewed as one of Grace’s “Golden Girls” together with women’s league deputy secretary Eunice Sandi Moyo and Senate president Edna Madzongwe — rubbished the claims in an interview with the Daily News this week, saying their relations remained pleasant.
“Those who say she has dumped me do not know what they are talking about,” she said.
“You all saw how I interacted with her during the conference in Masvingo where she delegated duties to me, calling my name at every turn and even asking me to introduce her when she spoke,” Mahoka said, adding “I thought that should send a message to all doubters that our relationship is very cordial”.
The abrasive Hurungwe East legislator exalted Grace saying she was too good to hate anyone and that she had no difficulty confronting anyone when she felt something was not right.
“Do you see her as someone who is able to hate? If she has a problem with you she simply takes you to talk and reprimands you but I have never had a problem with her myself. We have always been very close and it is the same with all other league members.”
“…she never pulls a woman down and that is why she encouraged us to take up elective posts in the 2018 elections.
“We are very united in the league under her able leadership,” Mahoka said.
Mahoka — who claims to be a Grade Two drop out – is among women who are pushing for the implementation of the women’s quota in Zanu PF that will see a woman becoming part of the presidency.
In February last year, Mahoka verbally attacked Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa — believed to be the godfather of the rival Team Lacoste faction — at the Zanu PF headquarters before a politburo meeting, hence the desire by the provincial women’s league led by Angeline Muchemenyi to censure her. – Daily News
A MAN from Bulawayo’s Nguboyenja suburb has been arrested for allegedly beating up his wife after she refused to allow him to bring another woman into their house, a court has heard.
Auto Giri (41) allegedly slapped his wife Ms Blessing Daka (38) twice in the face on Monday.
The court heard that Giri wanted his girlfriend to move in with them after having failed to pay for her rentals.
The name of the girlfriend was not disclosed in court.
Giri appeared before Magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya facing assault charges.
He pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody to today for sentencing.
Giri said he slapped his wife because she does not respect him. “Your worship, I tried to talk to her nicely but she insulted me. She was also carrying a tail comb so l was scared that she was going to use it to stab me,” he said. – State Media
Former Zanu PF Hurungwe West MP and staunch supporter of President Robert Mugabe, Temba Mliswa, has said the nonagenarian leader must relinquish power and pave way for new blood.
Mliswa said Mugabe — turning 93-years-old next month — can no longer cope with the demands of being president and “there are people within Zanu PF who are capable of taking over”.
Speaking to South African television station, ANN7, he suggested that Mugabe must leave the throne to his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is currently embroiled in a bitter succession wrangle with a rival faction known as Generation 40 (G40).
“…he (Mugabe) must also protect his legacy… my message to him is…I think it’s about time he steps down,” Mliswa said.
“We want him to tell us about the history…. who Robert Mugabe is, the same way the South Africans enjoyed (Nelson) Mandela telling the stories about the struggle, we gonna (going to) miss that from him and time is moving and for sure there are people within Zanu PF who are capable of taking over,” he said.
“Zanu PF is in power until 2018 and there is no reason he (Mugabe) cannot pass the baton on to…Mnangagwa, not that I like him but he is a 2IC (second in command) in the party and they can go to a congress and put him there…,” Mliswa said.
Mliswa’s remarks come amid fierce squabbling in Zanu PF over Mugabe’s successor.
During the interview, Mliswa spoke widely about the political situation in Zimbabwe and the problems likely to be faced by opposition parties in forming a coalition ahead of next year’s general elections.
He said the coalition is a sinking ship, considering that it is not preparing on the modalities around the alliance.
“…by the end of 2016, they (opposition parties) could have agreed on what to do, which constituencies the MPs are gonna stand and start working on the ground because 72 percent of the electorate is from the rural areas and as a result 2016 came, it’s gone and they are not working on it, this is where the ship sinks,” Mliswa said, adding that what is needed in Zimbabwe is a leader.
He added that “as we speak, there is no political organisation which is on the ground, this is the reason why we keep talking about social media and unfortunately, social media does not vote.
“The 72 percent who are the majority of the electorate are in the rural areas, they don’t have smart phones and they don’t have money to buy data bundles…”
He, however, said MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai must be the one to lead the coalition, in the event of the idea coming to fruition, because of his support base.
“I have always been on record that the biggest party led by Tsvangirai should lead the coalition because of the empirical evidence which is there pertaining to the election results of 2013 and 2008.
“MDC has always been the biggest party so it is a no-brainer for any other political party which has not been tested in any election to then assume leadership in the coalition,” Mliswa said. Daily News
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has taken his globetrotting escapades on taxpayers’ expense to China amid complaints by the opposition and ordinary Zimbabweans affected by a serious economic turmoil.
The nonagenarian, who is on a month-long vacation, left Harare for Singapore last month with his entire family and a large entourage of security aides. Singapore is Mugabe’s usual destination where he receives treatment for an eye cataract.
Mugabe’s deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, said he tried to consult his superior on the hero status of a late former provincial governor Peter Chanetsa who passed on in Harare on New Year’s Day, but his efforts were in vain.
The acting president told mourners at Chanetsa’s home located in Harare’s leafy Borrowdale suburb that he had tried to contact Mugabe at his Singapore base but was advised that he was now in China.
December salaries and annual bonuses.
“We will pass on the message to our leader (Mugabe) who will give us guidance,” said Mnangagwa. This, after the ruling Zanu PF party’s Mashonaland leadership requested that Chanetsa’s remains be interred at the national shrine in recognition of his contribution during the country’s liberation war and the post-independence era.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai and the recently formed Zimbabwe People First led by former vice president Joice Mujuru have criticised Mugabe for going on holiday while the country is “burning”.
Mugabe’s administration has not paid most of its employees their December salaries and annual bonuses while the economic situation continues to deteriorate with many Zimbabweans surviving on less than a dollar per day. Cash shortages in the southern Africa country’s financial system have also compounded the crisis.
Mugabe is expected to spend at least $6m during his month-long vacation. Closer to Mugabe’s Harare base, authorities require less than a million dollars to contain a typhoid outbreak that has claimed at least one life in the capital. – News24
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has arrested seven (7) Jah Prayzah fans in Kadoma.
The cops have come in full force against the singer’s fans after Mukudzei Mukombe launched his regalia at Christmas time, a development that sparked outrage among the uniformed forces.
Acting on the latest police warning, the cops swooped in to raid the fans as they celebrated their new year bash.
Police Spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, confirmed the arrests.
She said the suspects have been charged with contravening provisions of the Defence Act.
The Act forbids the manufacture, distribution and wearing of replica military attire without authority.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) would like to confirm the arrest of seven people in Kadoma for wearing army apparel. The seven male adults were arrested on December 31, 2016 at Odyssey Night Club, where they were drinking beer. The ZRP and the Zimbabwe National Army have issued warnings to members of the public that it is an offence to put on the military attire and people must take heed,” she said.
The development has sparked outrage with many Zimbabweans saying the rig albeit being camouflage, is not in any an imitation of the army uniform.
Announcing the rig in the state media in December, Jah Prayzah said he had seen fans attending his show trying to emulate him with their clothing and decided to give them his own.
“There has been demand from fans who attend our shows for us to have regalia that they can wear. So I was inspired by them to come up with this clothing line that has Mudhara Vachauya T-shirts,” said Jah Prayzah.
“So fans should come and watch us perform and at the same time wear our regalia that will be on sale at Homecoming.”
He said this was an ongoing exercise as they will launch more clothing lines next year.
“We’re working on having boots, shoes and more T-shirts to be launched next year. We want each fan to have a full kit when attending our shows and also when fans are out and about at social events,” said Jah Prayzah.
Staff Reporter | A yet to be determined number of Zimbabweans illegally crossing into South Africa through the crocodile infested and flooded Limpopo River was on Wednesday afternoon swept away.
Sources who claim to have been at the scene of the incident at the time told ZimEye.com that at least twenty people could have been swept away in the river as they attempted to cross into South Africa.
According to their account a group of Amagumaguma, name given to those who help people to cross the river, had been busy helping people to cross into South Africa only for their luck to run out on probably the six crossing when they could not stand against the swelling waters of the river.
Asked why people were still using the illegal crossing method known as “dabulap” into South Africa when Zimbabwean passports were now relatively easy to access, the sources who were scheduled for the next crossing team claimed that most of them are from Tsholotsho areas where Gukurahundi “wiped of our parents and so can not get birth certificates.”
The sources claim that despite the unfortunate deaths scores more people are continuing to cross through the Limpopo waters into South Africa in time for opening of factories in Johannesburg next week.
THE recent stability of the South African rand against the United States dollar and the increase of bond notes in the economy have led to a decline in cross-border traders seeking the rand for their business.
This comes as traders were benefitting from the dollar gaining strength against the rand when the United States Federal Reserve increased its interest rates by 0,25 basis points to a range of between 0,5% and 0,75%.
Across Southern Africa, the rate hike led to regional currencies taking a knock, particularly the rand, since the region is a commodity-based market.
In the past week, the rand has been stabilising, ranging between R13,57 and R13,84 against the dollar, though it is still trading at $1:R14 locally.
On the issuance of bond notes, some banks are only giving out the surrogate currency due to low levels of the United States dollar in the market.
Two weeks ago, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe doubled the withdrawal limit of bond notes to $100 per day, while banks kept that of the US dollar at an average maximum of $50.
This led to more bond notes, which have proven difficult to exchange with cash dealers, being issued into the market.
The benefit of a strengthening dollar mean cross-border traders are able to get more of the rand when using dollars and, thus, purchase more goods.
Traders have also been cushioned by the stabilising of prices of goods in South Africa due to the country’s central bank’s monetary policies.
Analysts say when the rand is weaker, imports become cheaper, while exports become more expensive.
Zimbabwe Cross-Border Traders’ Association secretary-general, Augustine Tawanda told NewsDay that apart from the rate hike, the festive season usually sees an influx of the rand into the market from Zimbabweans living in the neighbouring country.
On average, cross-border traders need $300 a day to buy their wares from neighbouring countries, particularly South Africa. – The Independent
By Redley Mugabe | Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been exposed for abusing state resources at the national print mill facilities for his immoral gain.
Mnangagwa who was appointed Acting President, has taken government equipment into his bossom.
Yesterday saw Mnangagwa, who uses demeaning titles against people he disagrees with, obtaining favourable sexy accolades such as “ED” in long news-sheet stretches wholly dedicated to his justification against rising angers following his “I’m The Boss” ‘anti President Mugabe’ move. [ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW]
A recent pictorial exposes Mnangagwa for posing in a private drink-sip with his spin doctor Energy Mutodi, the latter who has authored and published an anti-Mugabe Politburo List putting Mnangagwa first while ranking Mugabe at number 4. Responding to that, Mnangagwa would obtain immoral news coverage that has nothing to do with his duties as Acting President, attempting to flatten rising revelations of the human worship he is currently enjoying from war veterans, a latest peak in the long running Mnangagwa takeover of the state media companies, ZBC and Zimpapers crusade. Two long articles have since been penned in the last few hours in Mnangagwa’s support. Part of one the pieces reads:
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken a swipe at people seeking to drive a wedge between him and President Mugabe by going around purporting to support him and ZANU PF, when in actual fact they are cat’s paws of hostile forces.
Such elements, the Acting President said, were actually against the party and President and their machinations were bound to fail.
In a statement last night, the Acting President also rapped the same elements whom he said had a well-documented history of disloyalty for claiming to support or act in the name of Zanu-PF, or of individuals in the party, while attacking the President.
“Against the background of many utterances and activities, all of them unsolicited but claiming or seeking association with my person, my family and or my position both in Zanu-PF and in Government, I want to make it clear that there are elements on the loose who talk and act as if they support me and or the party, Zanu-PF, when in fact they are being handled and managed from elsewhere by hostile forces,” he said.
“These elements are against the President, are against the party and its leadership. In other instances, they have a history of disloyalty to the party and hostility to the President, which is well- documented.
“It is preposterous to claim to support or act in the name of the party, or of individuals in Zanu-PF, while at the same time attacking President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, himself the undisputed leader of our party.
“Simply put, one cannot pretend to support the party while rejecting its President, attacking its core tenets, or undermining it’s tried and tested ways of conducting its business.”
The Acting President spoke in the wake of feverish tweets by Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo’s who tried to give a sinister reading to a picture that features the Acting President holding a cup inscribed ‘‘Í am The Boss’’ while flanked by controversial businessman, Energy Mutodi.
It has since emerged that the mug in question was part of the numerous Christmas presents that the Acting President received for Christmas which he took to his rural home unopened.
When the Acting President and his family were opening the gifts around 10pm at night, Mutodi – who masqueraded as an MP – arrived, uninvited, and began posing for pictures which he posted on social media where they were latched onto by Prof Moyo who feverishly began tweeting to give them a sinister interpretation.
Prof Moyo even tried to link the picture of the mug to an article titled, ‘’the last days of Robert Mugabe’’ that was published by the British publication, The New Statesman on January 1.
‘‘Mug-saga can’t hide link of photo & this article!’’ Prof Moyo tweeted.
Writing on his Facebook page yesterday, Mutodi cast aspersions at President Mugabe, in addition to berating Prof Moyo for ‘’seeing treason in a tea cup’’.
Acting President Mnangagwa said if one did not support President Mugabe, it meant they did not support him as part of the same Presidium, which the President heads or the party.
‘’I go farther to say if you do not support the President who is my leader, it means you do not support me as part of the same Presidium which the President heads, or the Party.
“Equally, all those who are bent on drawing a wedge between me and my leader, Cde R.G Mugabe, are sure to fail. My association, belief and loyalty to the President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF, Cde R.G Mugabe, goes far back in history and got deepened and strengthened even further during the days of our armed struggle for national liberation.
“That loyalty and belief remains undiminished and is too deep to be shaken by cheap and contrived malice,’’ Cde Mnangagwa said.
Cde Mnangagwa has worked closely with President Mugabe for over 52 years from the liberation struggle and in both Zanu-PF and Government since 1980.
“Let it also be known that our party, Zanu-PF has one national spokesperson. It has one mouthpiece and established channels and platforms for communicating its views, ideas, policies and activities.
“Those who have either been expelled from the party, or who zealously designate themselves as its mouthpiece, are not, and cannot, speak for it. Kana wabva pana VaMugabe wabva paleadership yese yemusangano,” said Acting President Mnangagwa.
Prof Moyo, who has previously been expelled from Zanu-PF for indiscipline, has arrogated himself the role of de facto Party spokesman on Twitter where he continues posting about party and Government business against President Mugabe’s wise counsel to keep party and Government business off social media.
Counsel, President Mugabe repeated at the 16th Annual National People’s Conference in Masvingo in December last year but which has gone unheeded principally by Prof Moyo who is no stranger to hobnobbing with hostile forces as revealed by the whistleblower website, Wiki-Leaks.
Terrence Mawawa, Chirumanzu | Zanu PF youths aligned to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa have threatened to take over Mtao Forestry claiming the giant timber company has failed to pay them $10 000 cash as per prior agreement.
There are fierce clashes between the company management and the Zanu PF youths working under the banner of Chirumanzu Youth In Action Group, with the youths indicating the company has reneged on its promises to pay cash for the services provided by the controversial youth group. The group, controlled by pro-Mnangagwa youths has threatened to take over the company claiming it is being administered by imperialists.
Mtao is a subsidiary of Allied Timbers one of the largest forestry companies in the country. Chirumanzu Youth In Action chairperson Justice Wasara, said his organisation was tasked with making fireguards in preparation for the fire season but the company did not pay a single cent for the services. He said appropriate action would be taken to whip the company management into line. A senior employee at Mtao Forest said the youths stormed the company premises and sang revolutionary songs.
They also threatened to take over the company under the controversial indigenization programme. “We do not know what they are talking about. As far as we are concerned,we paid them for the activities they carried out so we do not know why they are making noise.They came here two weeks ago and threatened to beat up company employees. The youths also threatened to take over the company,” said the senior employee.
Allied Timbers Group Corporate Communications Officer, Veronica Gutu would neither confirm nor deny the issue. “Call me when I get to the office. The youths were given something it is only that they are yet to collect the cash,” she said.
President Robert Mugabe’s wife, First Lady Grace Mugabe, has defied a High Court order and remained in occupation of three houses she seized from a Lebanese diamond dealer, Jamal Ahmed, over a botched $1,3 million diamond ring deal.
Ahmed’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa told NewsDay yesterday that Grace had not yet removed her proxies from the properties in defiance of an eviction order issued by High Court judge, Justice Clement Phiri on December 21 last year.
Mtetwa said they had now approached the Deputy Sheriff of the High Court to evict Grace’s proxies from the properties located in Harare’s leafy Avondale suburb.
“We have decided to engage the sheriff to evict them because they have refused to comply with the High Court order.
We are not yet sure as to when will the sheriff execute our request as was stated by the court,” Mtetwa said.
Justice Phiri had given Grace’s proxies 24 hours to vacate the premises, failure to which, the sheriff would be authorised to evict them and restore the properties to Ahmed.
The First Lady, who is in China holidaying with her husband President Robert Mugabe, was also ordered to restore movable property removed from one of the workers’ houses.
Ahmed approached the High Court after three of his properties were illegally seized by the First Lady, who was demanding full refund for a ring she bought from Dubai.
According to court papers, Grace placed an order for the ring in Dubai through Thatchfree Investments (Pvt) Ltd, a company owned by Ahmed. The expensive ring was meant to be President Robert Mugabe’s wedding anniversary gift to his wife. Last year was their 20th anniversary. The two wed in August 1996.
She allegedly made the payment through a local commercial bank, but declined to accept the ring on delivery before demanding that the refund be deposited in her private Dubai bank account.
But, Ahmed, according to court papers, said it would take long to effect the refund, as he had used a third party for the transaction, to which Grace objected and proceeded to seize the properties
In approaching the court, Ahmed was also seeking protection from Grace’s nagging son, Russell Goreraza, son-in-law, Simba Chikore and Kennedy Fero, who, according to court papers, is part of the First Lady’s security personnel.
After the judgment, Grace’s lawyer Wilson Manase said they would challenge the order to vacate, but was not reachable for comment yesterday, as his phone went unanswered.
Manase claimed his client had not been served with the court papers to defend her case at the High Court.
He added that the First Lady did not have a bank account outside the country.
This is not the first time Grace has been involved in a controversial business deal.
In 2011 she was caught in a spat over a $1 million truck deal with South African businessman Ping Sung Hsieh. – Newsday
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union conveys heartfelt condolences to the Saidi family and the media community for the sad passing on of journalist and writer Bill Saidi in Zambia yesterday.
Saidi, who worked as a journalist in the then Rhodesia and in independent Zimbabwe leaves a rich legacy in both the private and public media fraternities, with a number of books under his belt.
His works helped change our greater society in a positive way and we shall forever cherish and celebrate a life well lived to benefit humanity in one different way.
The mother party wishes Saidi a well deserved peaceful rest, eternally as we celebrate the lasting legacy he leaves behind.
May his dear soul rest in eternal peace.
ZAPU Information Publicity and Marketing Department
Staff Reporter | A shocking incident has occurred inside the Herald newspaper’s office building in Harare, which saw a female staffer, in disturbing violence, stripped naked beyond her undergarments.
The victim was allegedly dating a top manager (name withheld) whose wife stormed into the building and went straight for her. It is also alleged there were two other women present to dish out a beating also claiming the victim had pleasured herself with their husbands.
The wife can be seen in pictures pushing the victim to the ground, stripping her naked and all the way to her undergarments. While the rage is continuing, an unknown man can be seen towering over the victim while taking a selfie.
ZimEye can reveal that the victim herself is a married woman, adding to the dirty controversy.
ZimEye can also reveal she is a senior managerat the state broadsheet. (STORY CONTINUES BELOW).
Contacted for comment, the staffer whose name cannot be printed at present, had not responded to inquiries at the time of writing.
NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump is using WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to cast doubt on the U.S. intelligence community’s case that Russia was behind hacking of the Democratic National Committee ahead of the 2016 election.
And he’s suggesting that the DNC is to blame for the hacking of its computers and emails, including those of top Hillary Clinton adviser John Podesta.
Trump continued his tweetstorm Wednesday by arguing the DNC did not have a “hacking defense” and questioning why the Democratic Party had not responded “to the terrible things they did and said.” He appeared to be referring to information in the DNC emails that was made public and led to the resignation of the DNC chairwoman and other officials.
“Julian Assange said ‘a 14 year old could have hacked Podesta’ — why was DNC so careless? Also said Russians did not give him the info!” Trump tweeted early Wednesday.
It was a striking spectacle for the incoming president to give credibility to Assange, whose organization has been under criminal investigation for its role in classified information leaks. Assange has said his source for the hacked emails WikiLeaks published during the campaign was not a government, but his assertion has left open the possibility they came from a third party.
The American intelligence community and Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill insist that Russia was behind the hacks, but Trump has repeatedly dismissed that allegation, challenging the intelligence experts who will help him make the weightiest possible decisions once he becomes president Jan. 20. Trump has insisted that the government doesn’t really know who’s behind the attacks. He has said he’ll release more information this week.
In a series of tweets Tuesday and early Wednesday, Trump wrote without evidence that the timing of an upcoming intelligence briefing on suspected Russian interference in the 2016 election had been delayed. “Perhaps more time needed to build a case.
“Very strange!” he wrote, using quote marks around the word “intelligence.”
Trump’s tweets, in line with repeated criticism of his nation’s intelligence leaders, caused confusion among intelligence officials, who said there was no delay in the briefing schedule. Transition officials said Wednesday that Trump would meet with CIA Director John Brennan, FBI Director James Comey and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper in New York on Friday.
This will be Trump’s first meeting with Comey since the FBI director’s later October announcement that the bureau was reviewing additional emails connected to Hillary Clinton. Many Democrats blame that eleventh-hour probe, which did not change the FBI’s conclusion that Clinton should not be prosecuted, for turning the election to Trump.
The fresh clash came as Trump took further steps to fill his Cabinet and key White House positions, with his attention shifting toward the challenges of governing.
He announced that he wants Wall Street lawyer Jay Clayton to be chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, saying in a statement that his pick is “a highly talented expert on many aspects of financial and regulatory law.”
Trump has repeatedly said he wants to undo many regulations that he says have “stifled investment” in Americans’ businesses. Clayton, in a statement, said he’ll “carefully monitor” the financial sector and set policies that encourages companies to create jobs.
Clayton is the latest Trump pick with deep ties to Wall Street — having represented Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Barclays Capital Inc.
On Capitol Hill, meanwhile, Vice President-elect Mike Pence told Republicans that Trump has signaled that “it’s time to get to work” and plans to have a shorter-than-usual 90-minute Inaugural parade on Jan. 20 and then go straight to the Oval Office to begin signing executive orders repealing some of President Obama’s actions. Pence did not specify the topics of the potential executive orders.
Trump promised late Tuesday to hold his first formal news conference since his Nov. 8 election victory next week in New York. He has already waited longer than any other president-elect in the modern era to hold his first exchange with journalists. Most have held such events within days of their elections.
Transition officials said Wednesday that Trump would address his business during a wide-ranging press conference but it was not clear if he would fully outline how he plans to avoid potential conflicts of interest involving the Trump Organization after taking office.
Trump was supposed to detail the business arrangements at a mid-December news conference, but postponed the event.
Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman, Julie Pace, Julie Bykowicz, Erica Werner and Deb Riechmann in Washington contributed to this report.
Nomusa Garikayi | If you are one of the 90% plus who are unemployed, one of the millions angry that $15 billion in diamond revenue was swindled and no one was ever arrested or one dollar recovered, one of the millions fed up with the all too frequent water and power cuts, the collapsing health and education services, etc., etc.; then this is for you.
The only peaceful way to end Zimbabwe’s current economic meltdown, to end the rampant corruption, to revive the economy, to create the much need employment opportunities, etc., etc.; is by making sure the next elections are free, fair and credible. If you want economic transformation, then you must first secure political transformation.
There is no catch or riddle here; there is a linkage between economic prosperity and good governance, you cannot have the former without the latter. If you started with economic prosperity, it will not last long if you have bad governance as we, in Zimbabwe, can now testify.
Before independence in 1980 and for a while thereafter Zimbabweans were rightly proud that the nation produced enough food to feed all its people with enough left over for export. We were the bread basket of the region. In 2000, Mugabe seized the farms and gave them to his cronies. The agricultural production collapse and the nation economy soon followed. Ever since, millions of our people have relied on imported food aid – the government was too poor to pay for the imported food, medicine, etc.
We live in the age where some nations have harnessed technology and innovation to turn deserts into the Garden of Eden. Zimbabwe has everything it needs to reclaim its cherish bread basket of the region accolade; we lost the accolade because we had bad governance. We are starving in a country which is for all intent and purpose the biblical Garden of Eden – a graphic testimonial to the sheer incompetence of Mugabe and his Zanu PF regime!
When Zimbabwe attained her independence in 1980, life expectancy was 68 years by 2004 it had dropped to 34 years. The only reason why this has happened is, again, bad governance.
Mugabe and his corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF regime have ruled Zimbabwe ever since the country attained her independence in 1980 not because the people failed to see the regime was incompetent and corrupt; they did. The people could not remove the regime from office because Mugabe rigged the vote. Unless the people demand the implementation of the democratic reforms designed to stop Mugabe rigging elections; then be rest assured, he will rig the 2018 elections as he has rigged all the other past elections.
Most Zimbabweans out there have no clue what these democratic reforms are; if they did then they would have forced MDC leaders to implemented all the reforms during the GNU when the country had it golden opportunity to do so. The reforms themselves are simple and logical, anyone with some common sense will have no trouble understanding them if the individual applied him/herself to the task.
As stated above, Zimbabwe’s serious economic meltdown – high unemployment, corruption, etc., etc. – is a consequence of decades of bad governance the only way to break this vicious cycle is by ending the vote rigging and electing good, competent and democratically accountable government.
If Zanu PF rigs the next elections then you, one of the 90% out of work, etc., etc. will only have yourself to blame for your economic misery and frustration and human suffering and unnecessary loss of human lives because we have all played our part, wittingly or otherwise, in allowing Mugabe to establish and retain this de facto one-party cum one-man dictatorship.
“Seek ye first the political kingdom and all things will be added to it,” said Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of independent Ghana. He was right!
In Zimbabwe, we are stuck in this economic mess caused by decades of gross mismanagement and rampant corruption precisely because in 1980 and ever since we fail to secure our political freedoms and rights including the right to a meaning vote and the right to life itself. Until we secure our right to free, fair and credible elections we are not going to get out of the economic mess.
Ultimately, people get the government they deserve; after 36 years, we cannot deny that we deserve this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship complete with its entourage of corrupt and incompetent opposition parties.
Zimbabwe’s richest necromancer, Emmanuel Makandiwa has been labelled “a thief.”
News observers blasted out saying Makandiwa who last week demanded a $77,000 seed money from congregants as a pre-requisite for crossing into 2017, saying he is a deceiver.
Wrote one Robert Sigauke, “Vakangwara vanodya zvemarema. The Word of God says “Freely I received and freely I will give”. No one should pay for the gift of God. Matsotsi awanda paZimbabwe. CONTINUE READING BELOW… How come there is still poor people in his church. Varume muri kuvaka inheritance yevamwe anaMai venyu vachifa nenzara. Marema akawandisa vakomana.”
Bulawayo City Council is pushing for all children who die aged 10-years and below to be cremated, as the city faces a burial space crisis.
This comes amid revelations that the Pumula South burial site, which was recently gazetted by Government, is unsuitable for adult burials as the underground soil was largely rocky, raising speculation that the local authority did not conduct any feasibility study at the site.
According to the latest council minutes, the local authority has since decided that starting from this year, all children aged 10 years and below as well as paupers, would be cremated to free up the burial space.
Council said consent would be sought from parents to conduct cremations, noting that it will be cheaper to cremate children than bury them.
“Due to pressure for burial space at cemeteries and the amount of space taken up by infants, it had now been decided, in conjunction with the central hospitals, that an arrangement be made where all the infants (including paupers) should, starting from next (this) year be cremated so that we free up the burial space,” reads the report.
“This will be done with the consent of the bereaved parents, so that those who may not be comfortable with the cremation process may seek normal burial. The idea was to free up burial space which was dwindling very fast, especially at the moment where all burials were done at Luveve Extension Cemetery.
“The cremations would be done at our crematorium in West Park.” Of late, council has been encouraging people to cremate their beloved ones, saying burial space at cemeteries was fast running out.
From a traditional perspective, locals are generally reluctant to cremate their relatives, opting for burials. Only 13 cremations were recorded in December last year in Bulawayo, with the city recording 533 burials in the month.
Meanwhile, the local authority could have blundered as it has emerged that its only alternative to ease the burial space headache — Pumula South Cemetery — is unfit to bury adults as the underground soil was largely rocky and difficult to come up with standard adult graves.
“For this reason, it was now being proposed that all children (0-12 years) should, starting from early next year be buried at this cemetery. This was because the graves for children were smaller (shallower and shorter, 1,53 metres long, 0,6 metres wide and 1,53 metres deep). It was felt that the terrain in Pumula South was suitable for the production of such graves,” reads the report.
The pieces of land where the new cemetery was meant to be measures 52 754 hectares, with the local authority initially projecting that it would accommodate between 107 350 and 114 270 graves after allowing for foot paths and driveways.
The land used to belong to Hawkflight Construction.
Bulawayo currently has eight cemetery sites, with a death rate of about 400 people per month. – State Media
A GWERU family has engaged Bulawayo lawyer, Bruce Masamvu, to file for a peace order against a senior police officer, who has reportedly ordered them to vacate their property claiming it was his.
Masamvu yesterday confirmed that his clients, Clement and his wife Ruth Damiyano of 22 Nehosho Senga in Gweru, were seeking a peace order against Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officer, Wilson Makono stationed at Senga Police Station.
“I have already received an instruction from my clients to file a peace order application with the courts and I am currently finalising the process,” he said.
“This family was sometime in 2011 granted peace orders, which according to my clients, the police officer did not heed and now my clients are telling me that he has ordered them to vacate the property or he will shoot them.”
In their affidavit, the couple claims that they agreed with one Douglass Mandipira to swap their property, number 22 Nehosho Senga in Gweru, with his property number 3021 Mkoba 16 Gweru and paid a top up of $6 000.
“We agreed that we would complete the transaction upon production of title deeds by each party. The transaction could not be completed before Mandipira left Zimbabwe. However, Wilson Makono, a CID officer, has recurrently harassed my family claiming to be the owner of the property number 22 Nehosho Senga Gweru. He came with Kamutingondo, a fellow CID officer, and other men before damaging part of the house,” reads the affidavit in part.
The couple submitted that they reported the matter to the police in Senga, but Makono allegedly continued harassing and abusing them, claiming he was above the law.
“We now fear for our lives because they threatened to shoot us,” reads the affidavit. – Newsday
By Ray Nkosi | Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has gone into overdrive disowning a mug he has been controversially pictured with.
He has also disowned war veterans who have supported him during Zanu PF’s ongoing factional wars.
Mnangagwa hit the headlines after he was pictured with his fiery spin doctor, Energy Mutodi. The two were snapped on the spot in each others arms sipping a drink together, within hours of Mutodi publishing a damning report that says President Robert Mugabe now ranks number 4 in the politburo in terms of power and influence. In that list, Mnangagwa sits at number one. The list was printed on the same day Mnangagwa appeared on paper print with Mutodi while sipping a drink from a large cup titled, “I Am The Boss.” It is for that reason that Mnangagwa’s mug has been termed an “Anti -Mugabe Mug.”
Higher Education minister, Jonathan Moyo, whose father was killed under Mnangagwa’s command in the 1983 Gukurahundi massacre put the man to order linking the mug matter to a British Magazine The New Statesman titled, “the last days of Robert Mugabe’’.
He tweeted ‘‘Mug-saga can’t hide link of photo & this article!’’
The acting President has wasted acres of space in the Chronicle and Herald pushing his own personal agendas that are outside his current mandate as acting Vice President in the absence of President Mugabe, a clear abuse of office. He must be stopped, says his counterpart Phelekezela Mphoko, SEE VIDEO:
But Mnangagwa, in a statement through the state media Wednesday evening, sought to clear his name before his boss returns from his vacation. “Against the background of many utterances and activities, all of them unsolicited but claiming or seeking association with my person, my family and or my position both in Zanu PF and in Government, I want to make it clear that there are elements on the loose who talk and act as if they support me and or the party, Zanu PF, when in fact they are being handled and managed from elsewhere by hostile forces,” said Mnangagwa.
He added, “These elements are against the President, are against the party and its leadership. In other instances, they have a history of disloyalty to the party and hostility to the President, which is well- documented.
“It is preposterous to claim to support or act in the name of the party, or of individuals in Zanu PF, while at the same time attacking President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, himself the undisputed leader of our party.
“Simply put, one cannot pretend to support the party while rejecting its President, attacking its core tenets, or undermining it’s tried and tested ways of conducting its business.”
He went on, “I go farther to say if you do not support the President who is my leader, it means you do not support me as part of the same Presidium which the President heads, or the Party.”
Columnist and news commentator Steve Blomefield spoke following the development, SEE VIDEO:
Meanwhile, Mnangagwa continued, “equally, all those who are bent on drawing a wedge between me and my leader, Cde R.G Mugabe, are sure to fail. My association, belief and loyalty to the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF, Cde R.G Mugabe, goes far back in history and got deepened and strengthened even further during the days of our armed struggle for national liberation.
“That loyalty and belief remains undiminished and is too deep to be shaken by cheap and contrived malice.”
“Let it also be known that our party, Zanu-PF has one national spokesperson. It has one mouthpiece and established channels and platforms for communicating its views, ideas, policies and activities.
“Those who have either been expelled from the party, or who zealously designate themselves as its mouthpiece, are not, and cannot, speak for it. Kana wabva pana VaMugabe wabva paleadership yese yemusangano,” said Acting President Mnangagwa.
The state media claims the mug “was part of the numerous Christmas presents that the Acting President received for Christmas which he took to his rural home unopened”.
“When the Acting President and his family were opening the gifts around 10pm at night, Mutodi – who masqueraded as an MP – arrived, uninvited, and began posing for pictures which he posted on social media where they were latched onto by Prof Moyo who feverishly began tweeting to give them a sinister interpretation,” said the broadsheet.
Zanu PF is yet to come up with a position on whether or not to confer national hero status on veteran politician and nationalist Peter Chanetsa following a request by his home province to accord him such status.The Mashonaland West Zanu-PF provincial leaders have since written to the party asking for the highest honour for heroes to be conferred on Chanetsa.
Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday revealed that they were still consulting with President Mugabe who is now in China.
He said Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made, as the acting Minister of Home Affairs, would communicate the revolutionary party’s position on the national hero status.
Mashonaland West Zanu-PF provincial chairperson Ephraim Chengeta and Chanetsa’s nephew Mr Michael Chanetsa said they were still waiting for guidance from the party.
“There has been no communication yet. We are sure the leadership is still consulting on the matter,” said Chengeta. Chanetsa was the first black Government chief of protocol and former Mashonaland West governor and Resident Minister.
The Zanu-pf Central Committee member succumbed to heart failure at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals on Monday. He was 70.
In a letter to Zanu-pf secretary for Administration Ignatius Chombo, Mashonaland West Province said in part: “Mashonaland West provincial executive do hereby request you to accord him with national liberation war hero status considering his immense contribution during and after the liberation struggle.”
The province attached Chanetsa’s curriculum vitae detailing his work in the party and Government. During his tenure as governor, Chanetsa oversaw the crunch phase of the land reform programme in his province in the early 2000s.
He retired from that post in 2003.
Apart from being a politician and farmer, Chanetsa had interests in safari and fishing businesses.
Born on July 15, 1946 in Chinhoyi, Chanetsa first had his education in that area before proceeding to Mabvuku in the then Salisbury.
He then went to Mwanza, Tanzania where he later hooked up with other locals and received military training in that country. He came back to Zimbabwe at independence in 1980. Chanetsa is survived by wife Beatrice and three children.
Mourners are gathered at Number 6 Lona Close in Borrowdale. – State Media
Veteran journalist and former Zimpapers editor, William Saidi, commonly known as Bill Saidi has died.
Saidi (79) died in Zambia yesterday. His passing on filtered through social media yesterday with several journalists expressing their shock at the news.
Zimbabwe Union of Journalists secretary-general, Foster Dongozi, said Saidi’s demise left the journalism fraternity poorer.
“As a union we are deeply saddened by the death of veteran journalist who has been in all manner of speaking seen it all in the industry and was a reservoir of knowledge and history pertaining to the media industry and that of the nationalist movement.
“Journalism is poorer following the death of Saidi. He was known for being a stickler for accuracy, professional and ethical journalism. We join his family and colleagues in mourning a pioneer of Zimbabwean journalism,” said Dongozi. Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (Zinef), acting chairperson Njabulo Ncube posted on his Facebook page ”Just received news that Bill Saidi passed on in Kitwe, Zambia today. No other details right now.”
Journalist Ranga Mberi tweeted: “Sad to hear Bill Saidi has passed away. Bill and Sam Munyavi were the two columnists I loved the most growing up. His wit was legendary! RIP” Saidi was once editor of the Sunday News and the Daily News. According to WeaverPress, Saidi was born in 1937, at David’s Mission, Marondera and educated in Zimbabwe. As both a writer and journalist, Saidi had his work published in Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia and elsewhere and in magazines such as African Parade, New Writing from Zambia, Okike and the Negro Digest.
They have also been published in various anthologies such as Voices of Zambia, and Norton’s Introduction to Literature (2010).
Saidi has also published novels: The Hanging (1978); Return of the Innocent (1979), Day of The Baboons (1988) Gwebede’s Wars (1989), and The Brothers of Chatima Road (1990).
He has written Who’s Who in Zimbabwe (1991) and a memoir A Sort of Life in Journalism (2011). He published two short stories with Weaver Press: ‘A Fine Day for a Funeral’ Writing Still (2003) and ‘The Winning Side’ Writing Now (2005). – State Media
In the damning letter ZimEye.com republishes below, prominent politician and human rights activist Job Sikhala, writes to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa. In it he makes incredible revelations of the role the VP allegedly played back then during the Gukurahundi genocide and how his own family was directly affected.
Dear Emmerson Mnangagwa,
I hope this memo finds you well with my full compliments of the season. If my father didn’t pass on two years ago he could have been the same age with you. When I look at you I see you as my father’s generational colleague. I respect you as you are of the same age with my father and that is as far as my respect for you goes.
Before going any further let me start by telling you that my father and all my relatives have a deep wound over your activities for years. You remember when you were the Minister of State (Security) in the Prime Minister’s Office from 1980? No matter how much you might try to downplay or trivialise your role in the massacre of innocent civilians in Matabeleland during Gukurahundi, we know for a fact that one of our own family members who is my aunt, died because of your active participation and direct underground command. You might try to sound clever by trying to deny your role but Zimbabweans are no fools. If you don’t know, Zimbabweans are well aware of your cruel activities during the time and that you were one of the main actors or protagonists of the massacre.
For your brief information, my father’s sister was married to Sello Maphinyani in Gwanda around the area called Manama. Despite coming from Gutu, the majority of my relatives are in Gwanda. She was brutally murdered in 1983 on the pretext that she was hiding her husband somewhere when the Central Intelligence Organisation under your command and the Fifth Brigade besieged her homestead. He was just a mere ZAPU official in Matabeleland South. The murder brought the wound to the family up to this day, because we still believe that she died for no apparent reason on the background of your active participation. All Zimbabweans know that you were the godfather and schemer of Gururahundi. Some might have forgiven you but not myself and my family.
We are also oblivious that we are not the only ones who can hardly forgive you. There are many others both in your own party and those whom you once worked with who will never ever accept you as the BOSS. I had the privilege of having a face to face discussion with Rugare Gumbo on the trials and tribulations he and others like, Wilfred Mhanda aka Cde Dzinashe Machingura went through in Mozambique during the liberation struggle. They went under horrendous incarceration through your instigation as Robert Mugabe’s Personal Assistant. They said your sins are unforgivable. You instructed them to be thrown into the pit on the pretext that it was the command from Robert Mugabe. You are said to have asked them to feed on their own faeces in the pity. What a BOSS you where.
During the formative stages of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) you personally took command and strategies of all the violence that engulfed our nation. You wanted to kill Blessing Chebundo in Kwekwe personally. Chebundo survived after he held the Bible and prayed to God to save his life as he had not sinned or done anything wrong to anyone. It is said you saw hallucinations and started to have convulsions that you left him without a word, only for Chebundo to hide in the mountains of Gokwe. He still defeated you twice while in hiding until you ran away and created a ridiculous constituency for yourself called Zibagwe something. This is not forgotten Mr. Mnangagwa. You can play your kindergarten games with your equally ridiculous G-40, not the people of Zimbabwe.
It is in the public court of masses that you are the architect of the June 27 2008 massacres. Every Zimbabwean knows that you coordinated the military deployment on the aftermath of Mugabe’s defeat by Morgan Tsvangirai in 2008. For you Emmerson, Tsvangirai will defeat you home and away and we know you will resort to your usual cruelty. You stand no chance at all against anyone including even your nemesis Jonathan Moyo in your party.
Hundreds of people who were killed during the June 27 genocide, those who were maimed, those who were raped, those who were tortured cry over you Mnangagwa. If you don’t know it, please let me tell you the truth. The people of Zimbabwe cry for what you did to their kith and kin. They don’t hate their brother soldiers because they know you were the instigator. The anguish the people suffered because of your instigation can never be forgotten by the masses of this country. Please bear it in mind. There is boiling anger outside there against you.
If Energy Mutodi and others who make you drunk by Jonnie Walker don’t tell you what the people of Zimbabwe think and say about you on the death of Gen Solomon Mujuru, it then means they don’t love you. They just want to use you to protect their shady deals. Zimbabweans are not happy about the way General Mujuru died. They think you are the best person to give them a better explanation of what happened to their General but you play the clever boy tactics.
The death of Lookout Masuku in prison under your instigation on false accusations of trying to overthrow the government haunts many Zimbabweans to this present day, if you don’t know. When they hear about your name today, they associate it with the death of General Lookout Masuku in prison. For your own information the former ZIPRA Intelligence Supremo Dumiso Dabengwa, is so loved and sympathised with by many Zimbabweans because they know the horrendous torture he went through in prison without trial under your instigation. He nearly soiled his good name in the public by once associating with you and your evil party. This is not forgotten and forgiven Mr. Mnangagwa. Zimbabweans will never accept you as their BOSS.
It is also important to alert you that Zimbabweans have been angered by your childish public utterances when you uttered “Muchangoramba muchiwawata ZANU PF ichingotonga, ichingotonga, ichingotonga” while all the masses are suffering. They have no kind words for you on such arrogance of cruelty.
Be advised that Zimbabweans are waiting for that day they will revenge against you in the ballot box. That’s when Zimbabweans will show you that they don’t want a BOSS of your kind, even if you kill everyone and remained with your kids, wife and Energy Mutodi.
AN Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) church pastor based in Bulawayo’s Emakhandeni suburb has been arrested for allegedly raping a congregant (16) after a church service held in the evening in the suburb.
A court heard that the pastor offered the minor a lift after the service held on December 30 and ended up raping her. She lives in the same suburb while the pastor stays at Ross Camp in the city.
The incident occurred as the pastor was heading home after the two had agreed that he would first drop the girl off at home. The pastor, Isheanesu Muposhi (27), ended up pouncing on the girl before they reached her home.
Muposhi was not asked to plead to rape charges when he appeared in court following his arrest on December 31.
Western Commonage magistrate Miss Tancy Dube remanded him in custody to January 13.
It is the State’s case that Muposhi offered a lift to the girl at around 9PM as soon as the service ended.
Prosecuting, Mr Claude Fombe said Muposhi was arrested the following day after committing the crime. He said congregants confirmed having seen him leave the church with the minor after the service.
“Accused person offered a lift to the complainant. Along the way he proposed love to her but she turned him down. Accused parked his car at a secluded area at a ZAOGA stand near Easy Pick shops in Emakhandeni and allegedly raped her once,” said Mr Fombe. – State Media
Former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) says it has already grown bigger than President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF, which is riven by deadly and seemingly unstoppable tribal, factional and succession wars.
Speaking to journalists yesterday, the party’s spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire said ZPF had grown “in leaps and bounds” since its inception early last year — resulting in Zanu PF “quaking in its boots” and trying to lure Mujuru back to the ruling party ahead of next year’s eagerly-anticipated national elections.
He described “misplaced hopes” that Mujuru would return to Zanu PF, as was articulated by a State media columnist at the weekend, as “completely delusional”.
“Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) has grown bigger than Zanu PF. It is impossible for someone like Mai Mujuru, who started a political party that is now bigger than Zanu PF, to contemplate going back to the same Zanu PF which is disintegrating everyday.
“Indeed, even if she were to go back to Zanu PF, which Zanu PF would she go back to, because there are so many splinter groups in that party now? There is Lacoste, G40, the Grace group, Mugabe and his group and then expelled war veterans on the other hand,” Mawarire said.
“Mai Mujuru left Zanu PF on her own accord on December 1, 2014. She went and bid Mugabe farewell and told him that she was happy to leave Zanu PF for good.
“She was happy that she was leaving Zanu PF clean and not guilty of any of the allegations of corruption that were being levelled against her,” he added.
In her state of the nation address last week, Mujuru said the country’s mooted grand coalition — which is set to be in place later this year — would bring to an end Mugabe and Zanu PF’s long rule.
“My fellow citizens and countrymen, the Zanu PF government has failed. It has shown that it lacks the commitment to implement programmes that better the generality of our people.
“We agree with the sentiments which we gathered from the interactive discussions we had with the people during our nation-wide tour. Your message was loud and clear, that it’s time for Mugabe to leave office,” Mujuru said.
“We also take heed of your strong conviction for the need that opposition parties should form a grand coalition to effect change in the regime and bring about a new way that puts people first.
“As ZPF, we believe a grand coalition should not only quantify votes, but should bring our people together. It should be a process capable of fostering convergence and national healing. A process of such magnitude should also be people-driven and guided by the need to build like-minded synergies among various stakeholders,” she added.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Mujuru have been working behind the scenes to form an electoral pact which includes some smaller political outfits.
Sources close to the ongoing coalition talks have confirmed to the Daily News that there was now “an agreement in principle” between Mujuru and Tsvangirai about the two working together — with talks with another opposition leader, Welshman Ncube apparently set to be concluded soon.
“We are of the idea that the process of building the coalition should be an all-inclusive process that is not only limited to political actors, but one which would include private citizens, the churches, civic bodies, student movements and any other interested stakeholders genuinely committed to the democratisation of our politics and the holding of free and fair elections.
“After touring the country’s 10 provinces, we are more than convinced that the people of this great nation want change and they are ready for it.
“The people in the Diaspora want change in order to come back home to their families and friends, and also to help their country.
“Fellow citizens, we need a renewal of our minds, a change, and a vast paradigm shift in the way we do things. In order for this change to be realised, we need a fresh leadership with the will to work for the betterment of our people.
“We need a leadership with the craft competency to effect a turnaround that we desire, a leadership with a clear vision of making our country a first world,” Mujuru said further in her address last week.
Analysts have consistently said that a united opposition, fighting with one purpose, would bring to an end Mugabe’s long rule — especially at this time when the country’s economy is dying and the increasingly frail nonagenarian is battling to keep his warring Zanu PF united.
Since Mujuru joined hands with Tsvangirai and marched with him in the streets of Gweru in August last year — in a rare public display of unity among the opposition — there have been growing calls by fed up citizens for the formation of a grand opposition alliance. – Daily News
SOUTH Africa’s specialised crime investigations unit, the Hawks, has arrested a 25 year old South African for allegedly holding four Zimbabwean illegal immigrants hostage at Chebeng village in the Seshego area of Polokwane City.
Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo, Captain Matimba Maluleke identified the suspect who was arrested on Monday as Raymond Sithole.
The police spokesperson said Sithole illegally smuggled his victims aged between 15 and 20 years into the neighbouring country after promising them good jobs.
He said Sithole kept the four at his house and would force them to steal and do other jobs for no pay.
“The four victims were allegedly kept under lock and key after being smuggled into South Africa with false promises of good jobs and better lives here. In some cases the suspect would severely assault them if they failed to comply with his orders.
“The Limpopo Hawks unit got wind of the alleged exploitation and arrested the suspect,” he said.
Capt Maluleke said Sithole has been charged with human trafficking and corruption.
He said the suspect has since appeared before the Seshego magistrate court and was remanded in custody to January 9.
Hawks Limpopo’s provincial head, Major General Thobeka Jozi commended her team for reacting swiftly and apprehending Sithole.
“We warn those engaged in human trafficking that Limpopo will not be used as a gateway to exploit the innocent and vulnerable. This operation should serve as a serious warning that we will do everything to protect victims of human trafficking and we call upon our communities to work with us and report those in inhumane activities,” she said.
The latest incident comes a few weeks after three Zimbabwean cross-border transporters were jailed for 632 years by a South African High Court after they were convicted on 62 charges ranging from murder, robbery, extortion, rape among other violent crimes perpetrated in that country against Zimbabweans. – State Media
Former National Social Security Authority (NSSA) general manager James Matiza yesterday appeared in court facing charges of fraud and criminal abuse of office as a public officer.
Matiza reportedly bought a Harare property for $32 million for the authority, a price inflated by over $8 million after concealing a report by Bard Real Estate which priced the building at $24 million.
Matiza appeared before magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro and was granted $500 bail coupled with stringent conditions.
He was remanded to January 18 for trial.
He is being represented by Harrisson Nkomo of Mhishi Nkomo Legal Practitioners.
Prosecuting, Ms Nancy Chandakaona alleged that in September 2014 NSSA identified a property it was keen to buy from Matay-Kingdom known as Celestial Park situated along Borrowdale Road in Harare.
It is alleged that Matiza was always physically available to represent NSSA together with his accomplices, Shadreck Vera, who was the investments director; and Samuel Chuduza, who is the former properties manager; who are still at large.
It is the State’s case that during this time, Matiza was the chairperson of the NSSA management investments committee and a member of the investment committee while his accomplices were members of the board.
The trio was mandated to first seek property valuators to determine the market value of the property for NSSA to have a benchmark price bargaining before purchasing the property, the court heard.
It is alleged that the trio obtained valuation reports from three companies.
Bard Real Estate came up with a gross replacement cost of $29 million, forced value of $18 million and a market value of $24 million.
CB Richard Ellis came up with a gross replacement cost of $24.354 million and a market price of $25.6 million while Green Plan (Pvt) Ltd came up with a market price of $36,5 million.
The three reports were supposed to be tabled to the board of adjudication before the agreement of sale was entered into by the seller.
Of the three reports, the one from Bard Real Estate was the most favourable and it would give NSSA bargaining power but Matiza allegedly worked in cahoots with his accomplices and deliberately concealed the report and referred the other two reports which were not cost effective to the board which eventually worked with a higher valuation by Green Plan.
Through this concealment the trio misrepresented to NSSA that the property was worth $36.5million yet they were aware that the property was worth $24 million as per the cheapest valuation report.
It is the State’s case that the property was eventually purchased for $32 million after bargaining, the court heard.
Matiza misrepresented to NSSA by keeping silent on the availability of the valuation report by Bard Real Estate and causing prejudice to good administration of NSSA. – State Media
Jah Prayzah’s lead guitarist Braveman Chizvino, AKA Baba Harare, has left the Third Generation Band. Baba Harare confirmed he was leaving the group to embark on a solo career.
In an interview, Chizvino said that he was going to formally bid farewell to Jah Prayzah and the 3rd Generation yesterday.
“I have not formally resigned but I am going there this afternoon (yesterday) to bid my farewell and after that I will furnish you with more details,” he said.
However, close sources revealed that the popular guitarist had played in his last show during the New year’s eve gig — Fill Up HICC.
The sources further revealed that Baba Harare will be launching his debut album on January 26 at Jazz 24 /7.
“It’s confirmed that he is leaving Jah Prayzah and all is set for the release of his first album on January 26 at Jazz 24 /7,” the sources said.
Meanwhile, Jah Prayzah, through his manager Keen Mushapaidze, could not confirm nor deny the latest developments.
Mashapaidze said they were waiting for formal confirmation from Baba Harare as they had only heard it through grapevine.
“Am not in a position to comment but if it is so, we are waiting for the proper and formal procedures and until then I cannot give you any the details,” Mushapaidze said.
The 29-year-old guitarist built up his career from church performances.
He joined the 3rd Generation band in 2009 and has been an influential member of the set up.
Baba Harare has toured with Jah Prayzah in various countries including The US, Britain, Canada and Australia among other international destinations.
Baba Harare said that he has achieved a lot under the 3rd Generation Band including buying a house and a car.
Another prominent band member, Pamela Zulu – popularly known as Gonyeti, left Jah Prayzah’s band amid allegations of sexual abuse.
She has since successfully launched her solo career. – State Media
Zimbabwe’s preparations ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon have been thrown into chaos by a row over accommodation and financial issues.
BBC Sport has learned the team refused to stay at the Zifa Village training facility, saying it is sub-standard, and have been booked at a Harare hotel by Footballers Union of Zimbabwe.
The team were also unable to use the national sports stadium for training because a $60 fee had not been paid.
They had to use a high school instead.
It is unclear why the fee was not paid, given a mobile network provider announced a $250,000 sponsorship for the Warriors two weeks ago to cover all of the team’s needs for their Nations Cup campaign.
Zimbabwe’s first match of the 14 January to 5 February tournament is against Algeria on 15 January. They will also face Tunisia and Senegal in Group B. BBC
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) national political commissar Francis Nhando said Mugabe is “guilty” of allowing his lieutenants and powerful First Lady Grace Mugabe to challenge his two deputies — Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko — to the detriment of Zanu PF and the country.
“When you see the president protecting corrupt officials in the G40 (Zanu PF’s Generation
40 faction), it makes him the enemy of the people. They abuse their offices pursuing activities that border on sabotage, which has led Zimbabweans to frown upon the party.
“In reality, Mugabe is in jail and needs deliverance through being advised to leave power now and rest. State House has been infiltrated, especially when you consider that it is at State House that a Zanu PF women’s league secretary who claims to be a senior to the vice presidents resides,” he said.
Mugabe and the seriously unhappy former freedom fighters have been exchanging brickbats since their stunning fallout in July last year, when the ex-combatants issued a damning communiqué to end their decades-long relationship with the increasingly frail nonagenarian, dating back to the days of the country’s liberation struggle in the 1970s.
This week, the war veterans also threw their weight behind the quest by opposition parties to establish a grand coalition ahead of next year’s eagerly-awaited national polls.
ZNLWVA spokesperson Douglas Mahiya said they supported the formation of the mooted coalition alliance because they were of the view that this would work in the interest of long-suffering Zimbabweans.
“Our message for 2018 is that people must be free to choose anyone they want, who they think is a good leader. That’s, after all, what we fought for.
“As long as the coalition is going to represent the suffering masses of Zimbabwe, we are
going to support it. But what we don’t need are people who create a special class so that they will enjoy life while people are suffering.
“Zanu PF has created a bourgeois class which is enjoying life while people are struggling to get food and that is not good for our country. As you know, all our people suffered to liberate this country,” Mahiya said earlier in the week.
Addressing the media in Harare late last year, forthright former Cabinet minister and ZNLWVA chairperson, Christopher Mutsvangwa, also said Mugabe owed ex-combatants big time as they were the ones who had made him president, not Zanu PF.
“It was us who sat and made sure that Mugabe became the leader when the need to change leadership arose. We are the ones who sold his name to the people. It is not from the founding fathers (that this happened).
“We sold his and (the late vice president) Joshua Nkomo’s name to every village. It is the liberation army that made the leadership of Zimbabwe, not the other way round. He (Mugabe) is a beneficiary of the decisions we made when we deposed (Zanu founder Ndabaningi) Sithole,” he said.
“We will never fear anything in this country because the most fearful thing which existed was called Ian Smith and we defeated him. After Ian Smith, we don’t fear anything,” the former War Veterans minister thundered defiantly.
Speaking before that, Mutsvangwa also chided Mugabe’s administration while addressing youths on lessons from the liberation struggle.
“Anybody who is not for progress is your enemy because he (Mugabe) is failing this economy to deliver its capacity to make it the most prosperous country in Africa,” he said.
In serving their divorce papers on Mugabe last July, the war veterans also said Mugabe’s continued stay in power was now a stumbling block to the country’s development, adding almost churlishly that the nonagenarian would be “a hard-sell” if he ever contemplated contesting the 2018 polls.
Mugabe responded by warning the war veterans that they would be dealt with severely, including through the use of extra-judicial suppression methods that his former liberation movement incorporated during the country’s independence war — such as incarcerating dissenters in inhuman dungeons where they were forced to live like caged rats.
After this, police duly launched a savage crackdown against the war vets leadership and arrested five officials, including ZNLWVA secretary-general Victor Matemadanda, Mahiya and Nhando, who were recently set free by the courts.
Over the years, war veterans have served as Mugabe and Zanu PF’s political power
dynamos, playing particularly significant roles to keep the nonagenarian on the throne in the hotly disputed 2000 and 2008 national elections which were both marred by serious violence and the murder of hundreds of opposition supporters.
Analysts have also predicted that Mugabe will not win the 2018 polls without the support of the war veterans, while on their part the ex-combatants have vowed that they will vote for an opposition candidate if the nonagenarian stands in those elections.
Mugabe — the only leader Zimbabweans have known since the country gained independence from Britain in 1980 — is facing the biggest challenge to his 36-year rule.
His government is struggling to pay civil servants, amid a deepening economic crisis which includes falling revenues and horrendous job losses — with public sector salary dates now as elastic and as unpredictable as the discarded Zimbabwe dollar.
As it is, many civil servants and hard-pressed State pensioners will only be paid their December 2016 salaries this month. – Daily News
Linda Tsungirirai Masarira | On the second of January 2017, there was a message that went viral on Whatsapp platforms about my involvement with Themba Mliswa’s third force project.
Firstly I am not a member of the third force movement and have no intentions whatsoever to be part of the movement. I am a human rights defender and pro democracy activist. Themba Mliswa called me on Monday 2 January 2017 and encouraged me to run for office in 2018 as it would enable me to correct the injustices I vigilantly fight against. I never made a commitment to join third force neither am I a member of the same.
I remain committed to the struggle for freedom, peace and justice through the citizens movement. My energy and focus is in restoring order and sanity in my beloved Zimbabwe and not in unnecessary politicking in the quest for power. I believe in people power and that people should be the drivers of their independence from dictatorship and oppression. No one has a monopoly on the struggle.
I long for a Zimbabwe which is free from all forms of oppression and discrimination. A Zimbabwe which is just politically, economically and socially. All this is achievable if we are united as a people, committed to the struggle and selfless in the quest to remove the current regime led by Robert Mugabe. Zimbabweans have missed many opportunities to legitimately put pressure for change. 2008 was the clearest opportunity where the regime could have fallen but was emboldened by our collective meekness and poor leadership.
2017 is a year of resistance against oppression, a year of meaningful change towards the broader national agenda of regime change spearheaded by the citizens movement.
The citizens cause is much more important than a political office at this juncture. The struggle is real, we should thrive to create a better Zimbabwe for future generations. Aluta Acontinua.
By Ray Nkosi | More than 100 citizens will in January stand trial on various charges related to staging protests against President Robert Mugabe’s administration over the deteriorating political and economic situation in the country.
The activists include; opposition legislators, pro-democracy campaigners and ordinary citizens. The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights’ Jeremiah Bamu, Tonderai Bhatasara, Trust Maanda, Kudzayi Kadzere, Obey Shava, Dorcas Chitiyo, Sharon Hofisi, and Gift Mtisi, will represent them.
First to stand trial on Friday 6 January 2017, will be Ronia Bunjira, the MDC-T legislator for Harare and other Harare residents, who were arrested last September, for allegedly participating in protests over the government’s refusal to adopt and implement electoral reforms demanded by a coalition of opposition political parties NERA.
Soon after on Monday 9 January 2017, more than 60 Harare residents including Petros Sokole will be on trial for allegedly committing public violence. They were arrested on 4 July 2016 in Mabvuku and Epworth high density suburbs, for participating in a demonstration against rising incidences implicating Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers in corruption and exorbitant spot fines.
On Tuesday 10 January , some informal sector traders including Larry Chasamba, Patrick Chifamba, Tendai Kagodora, Stendrick Zvorwadza and Winnety Mubaiwa among others will answer to charges of disorderly conduct in a public place as defined in Section 41 (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
The informal sector traders were arrested by ZRP officers after staging a peaceful demonstration at Town House in Harare, during which they protested against corruption and impunity meted on them by municipal police officers.
On Wednesday 11 January, Fani Munengami, the MDC-T party legislator for Glenview North together with some Harare residents will see their trial commencing for allegedly participating in a demonstration to demand the implementation of electoral reforms in the country.
Later in the week, the trial of pro-democracy campaigner Promise Mkwananzi and other human rights activists is scheduled to finally commence on Thursday 12 January after suffering a false start last year as the National Prosecuting Authority’s “house” wasn’t in order. Mkwananzi and other human rights campaigners were arrested and charged with public violence in connection with a demonstration staged against police brutality on Wednesday 24 August 2016.
Kariba based clergyman, Pastor Patrick Phillip Mugadza of the Remnant Church will also be in court on Monday 16 January for his trial after he was apprehended on Friday 18 November 2016 at Africa Unity Square in Harare and charged for allegedly wearing the country’s national flag without first seeking permission from the country’s authorities as defined in Section 6 of the Flag of Zimbabwe Act.
Prosecutors from the National Prosecuting Authority claimed that Pastor Mugadza, who is out of custody on $50 bail, contravened Section 6 of the Flag of Zimbabwe Act by unlawfully and intentionally wearing or displaying the national flag without securing prior permission from the “secretary” as required under the controversial law.
Other Harare residents including Taonga Walter Makamba and Costa Zvokuseka will complete the trial schedule on Tuesday 17 January 2017 and on Tuesday 24 January 2017 respectively.
Terrence Mawawa, Bikita | A group of rowdy Zanu PF youths in Bikita West attacked prominent freelance journalist Godfrey Mtimba and confiscated his equipment.
Mutimba, a former Daily News correspondent for Masvingo Province was attacked by the marauding Zanu PF youths at Nyika Growth Point while covering the Bikita West by-election campaigns at the weekend. Mtimba is also the first national vice president of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists(ZUJ).
He lost his recorder and notebook during the attack. Bikita West Constituency is becoming increasingly volatile following cases of violence and intimidation. Mtimba told ZimEye.com yesterday that he was confronted by the Zanu PF youths who accused him of being a sell out. “I was at Nyika Growth Point covering the Bikita West By-election when the Zanu PF youths confronted me and said I was a sell out. As I explained my position as a reporter they confiscated my notebook and recorder. They also violently pushed me.They further accused me of campaigning for opposition parties in the constituency.”
He continued, “They never bothered to pay attention to what I explained. I did not even bother to go to the police because I knew they would not bother to assist me. If one goes to the police station there is every reason that they will always find lame excuses,”said Mtimba. The ZUJ Masvingo Chapter has castigated the barbaric and reckless behaviour of the unruly Zanu PF youths saying the incident reflects blatant violation of freedom of expression and association.
By Ekuba Bentil |Here in Ghana, God himself dictates your sex life through his servants: the pastors. Thus sayeth the Lord, “Sex between a man and his wife is good, all other sex is bad.” The problem with this rule is that no one is able to keep it, not even God’s servants.
You cannot live in Ghana without noticing how ubiquitous Christianity is here. Street pastors wake you up at dawn with loud preaching. Taxis and trotros boom with gospel songs and sermons. Before classes, corporate meetings, or national functions commence, everyone is compelled to rise for a group prayer. To be expected, I suppose, in the world’s most religious country where pastors are rich demi-gods, doctors believe that witches cause diseases and politicians attribute the country’s economic woes to dwarfs.
When every type of sex is bad
As a sex blogger, I am particularly concerned about the effect all this is having on the sex lives of Ghanaians. From what I can tell, the church’s teachings make it difficult for people to explore their sexuality in healthy ways. I was once a fundamental Christian and so I know how the church can botch your sex life. It almost screwed mine (no pun intended).
The church basically teaches that every type of sex is bad, except sexual intercourse between a man and his wife. Masturbation is bad. But masturbation is a healthy way to discover one’s body and learn what works for you sexually, which is why doctors and sex therapists often advice women who cannot orgasm to masturbate. How can a woman know whether she prefers for her clitoris to be lightly flicked or pressed down hard if she is forbidden from touching her own body?
The church forbids unmarried people from engaging in sex, which often leads to a comedy of errors. Does the church really expect that people are going to delay intercourse from the time they hit puberty till they marry in their late 20s or 30s? We’ve engaged in this natural activity for hundreds of thousands of years before the church laid down these stringent rules. What does the church think it’s doing?
Making bad lovers
When your church forbids you from having sexual intercourse, you end up engaging in crappy, unprotected sex anyway. People here are so over-burdened with guilt that they have horrible, rushed, sexual intercourse. The first man I had consensual sex with was a youth leader in my church. When we got it on, he lost his erection repeatedly because he felt scared and guilty. Contraceptive use is low because people consider all forms of sex outside marriage a sin. Getting contraceptives means your sin was premeditated, which is worse! Pastors preach abstinence only and refuse to talk about condom use despite an HIV prevalence rate of 1.4%.
In the churches I attended, sexual abuse victims were stigmatised. My pastor’s wife asked me to pray for forgiveness after I told her I was molested as a child. Sexual abuse victims are attacked when they accuse a pastor of rape. I once witnessed a rape trial during which church members hurled insults at their pastor’s ten year old child who had accused him of rape.
Ghanaian churches also teach that homosexual intercourse is evil and disgusting. I know several members of the Ghanaian queer community who have attempted or committed suicide due to the homophobia emanating from the church. Before I accepted my sexual orientation, I was hospitalised twice for attempted suicide. I tried, unsuccessfully, to pray, fast and exorcise my gay away. My Christian lesbian friend got married hoping to be ‘cured’. She is still a lesbian and her marriage is sexless.
Ruining marriages with bad advice
The church’s narrow view of sex is actually ruining marriages. As a litigation attorney, I cannot count the number of divorce clients who have told me that they were pressured by their pastors to marry in order to avoid having sex before marriage. After the wedding, they realised what a big mistake they’d made. Some churches teach couples never to be alone with each other before marriage. They can only visit each other when chaperoned. How can you truly know someone when you have never spent time with them alone? I attended a church where unmarried lovers were forbidden from hugging or kissing. Under such circumstances, a woman enters marriage completely clueless about whether she is emotionally, physically or sexually compatible with her partner.
After being pressured to remain chaste virgins their entire lives, most wives find it difficult to suddenly switch to being vixens in bed once they’re married. They are uncomfortable with their own sexuality because they have been taught to suppress it. No wonder infidelity is rife in Ghana. Men marry holy church girls and then keep sultry mistresses with whom they can have the kind of sex they really want. Wives just suffer in silence. We have become a prudish, neo-Victorian society and like the original Victorian society, we live double lives.
Churches give horrid sex advice to couples. At one church I attended, couples were advised to avoid oral sex, anal sex and the use of sex toys or erotica because these things were demonic. At my friend’s church, women were advised to have sexual intercourse with their husbands even if they did not feel like it. “Just lie down, open your legs and pray silently in tongues,” they were told.
I believe that if there is a God, he is more concerned about people loving one another than about them following a bunch of severe rules and becoming miserable. Don’t allow any church to dictate your sex life. Think for yourself, embrace love and make choices that are right for you. – Online
Glen Norah Member of Parliament Webster Maondera said Zimbabweans did not want bond notes so legislators who were supporting the bill to introduce bond notes deserved to be killed by a firing squad because they were going against the will of the people.
Maondera who was given little time o talk because of numerous interjections said Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa should therefore go back to the drawing board and do some thorough homework.
“Mr. Speaker Sir, from the report that was given by the Committee that collected the views of the people, it looks like the majority of the people were against the bond notes,” he said.
“So if I could have my own way, those people who are supporting bond notes deserve to be killed by a firing squad because they are going against the will of the people of Zimbabwe.”
Full contribution:
HON. MAONDERA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I represent a constituency and I have got the views of my constituents so, I have got every right to debate – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – I cannot proceed if you continue to make noise and you will delay yourselves.
Mr. Speaker Sir, from the report that was given by the Committee that collected the views of the people, it looks like the majority of the people were against the bond notes. So if I could have my own way, those people who are supporting bond notes deserve to be killed by a firing squad because they are going against the will of the people of Zimbabwe – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Mr. Chairman, can I be protected?
HON. ZIYAMBI: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker Sir. The Hon. Member is using unparliamentary language to the effect that he wants those members who are supporting the Bill to be put on a firing squad. It is uparliamnentary language which should not be allowed in a democratic society.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Member, if you are short of facts there is no point of you standing up to debate. Let other people debate. Be factual.
HON. MAONDERA: I was saying it in a metaphorical way.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Be factual and debate.
HON. MAONDERA: So it is important that we continue to go along the will of the people, what the people said about the bond notes and it is also important Hon. Chair, that – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order Hon. Members. Order! Order please.
HON. MAONDERA: The other aspect, Hon. Speaker, is the quality of paper of the bond notes – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order, order please.
HON. HOLDER: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker Sir. I do not think that the Hon. Member understands the Bill. So, Hon. Speaker, the problem that we are having is they are making a lot of noise. We are not hearing anything and he is repeating himself. Astika, kuda musombodhiya I do not know – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order please, Hon. Member.
HON. MAONDERA: My point is that, before we brought in this Bill before this august House we should have done our thorough homework about the quality of the bond notes – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order please. Hon. Members, give him a chance.
HON. MAONDERA: We should have done our homework first on the quality of the bond notes – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Members, order please. Order please! Hon. Member, if you have no facts – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Order please. What is it? Order please.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. CHINAMASA): Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to thank…
HON. MAONDERA: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker Sir – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Hon. Speaker, I was elected by the people of Glen Norah. I have got a constitutional and democratic right to debate. I am not one to accept – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order please. Order Hon. Members. Let us hear him …
HON. MAONDERA: No, it is not fair, it is not fair – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
HON. CHAMISA: I have a point of order Mr. Speaker. I think this is a very special appeal. I do not think that the Hon. Member is going to take that much time. If he could just be allowed Hon. Speaker Sir – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Honestly, I do not think he will take time. We must respect each other.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order! Hon. Members to my right, order please. Hon. Member, you may resume your debate but I do not think you have got a lot to say. Just say what you need to say and sit down.
HON. MAONDERA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I was raising a point that before we brought in this piece of legislation, we should have done a lot of home work – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order, order please.
HON. MAONDERA: We should have done a lot of homework because as it stands right now, people from my constituency are crying about the quality of the bond note. So, I am urging the Hon. Minister to go back to the drawing board – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order, order! Resume your seat. Order please. Hon. Members, you are wasting your own good time. Let this man finish his debate. He does not have much words to say. Give him two minutes then that is it. Hon. Member, I am giving you two minutes to wind up your debate.
HON. MAONDERA: Thank you for protecting me Hon. Speaker. Maybe my last point will be to urge the Minister to take his time next time when they want to bring laws of national importance so that as Members of Parliament – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Hon. Members to my right, please you are not in a beer hall.
HON. GUZAH: On a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir, I think it is important for the Hon. Member of this House of Parliament to speak issues that are relative to what is being discussed here. He continuously raises issues that are not of paramount importance to this House. He must stick to issues that are relevant and critical to this discourse. Thank you – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Order, order. Order please. In fact, he has not said anything. So can you speak something please.
HON. MAONDERA: Thank you Hon. Speaker. I was just concluding. I urge the Minister to give this House ample time for us to get to understand. You will be shocked Hon. Speaker that some Hon. Members do not know what you are talking about; they do not know what this law entails. If we are given ample time; we do not want to be pigeonholed so that we deliberate and consult our constituencies and pass a law which is of national importance. I want to thank you very much. In future, I think people should listen to the voice of reason. Thank you. – The Insider
The Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC has slammed former National Healing minister Moses Mzila-Ndlovu over his plans to form a political party, arguing the move is retrogressive and meant to divide people on regional basis.
Recently, Mzila-Ndlovu announced that he will soon launch his party to be known as Alliance for National Salvation (Ansa).
He said the outfit was meant to challenge the dominance of Mashonaland politicians in the national political arena.
Mzila-Ndlovu further said the people of Matabeleland have gone through “enough trials and tribulations” hence it was time for them to look inward.
However, MDC deputy provincial spokesperson Felix Mafa said Mzila Ndlovu was “full of confusion as he was wandering and wallowing in political wilderness.”
“It is too disgusting to contemplate regional or tribal political parties to say the least, unless one is a Zanu PF disciple targeted at dividing formidable political formations,” Mafa said.
Mzila-Ndlovu — who is outspoken about the Gukurahundi atrocities — early last year parted ways with the Welshman Ncube-led MDC claiming it had lost direction.
While many would have expected him to join other opposition parties, Mzila-Ndlovu decided to lead his own movement instead.
Mafa warned citizens against joining Mzila-Ndlovu’s project.
“People should be wary of these funny parties that get created now. Remember we are heading towards elections. Zanu PF, as usual, will create some funny parties to cause confusion mostly in the opposition parties,” Mafa said.
He said such parties had a risk of fuelling tribal hatred among citizens.
“We deplore that mentality in the strongest terms possible. We are not guinea pigs for political experiments,” Mafa said. – Daily News
Sir Ivan Rogers says negotiating experience is in ‘short supply’ and that politicians disliked his warnings of pitfalls in his resignation email.
Britain’s ambassador to the European Union Sir Ivan Rogers dealt a blow to the UK’s Brexit negotiations by quitting and urging his fellow British civil servants in Brussels to assert their independence by challenging “ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking”.
Sir Ivan Rogers said, in an email explaining his reasons for his abrupt departure to the UK’s Brussels diplomatic staff at UKRep, that he was leaving now to give time for his successor to take charge of the lengthy negotiations process which starts in March. But he also made it clear that he had been frustrated by politicians who disliked his warnings about the potential pitfalls in the Brexit process.
He also revealed that the basic structure of the UK Brexit negotiating team had not yet been resolved, let alone a negotiating strategy.
Rogers has been attacked by Tory sceptics for warning that it may take as long as 10 years for the UK to fully break from the EU. Downing Street insisted at the time that the ambassador had been communicating the views of some European leaders, rather than giving his own assessment. He has also been repeatedly criticised for setting out how other EU leaders view the Brexit process.
He wrote to staff: “I hope that you will continue to be interested in the views of others, even where you disagree with them, and in understanding why others act and think in the way that they do.”
Rogers also defended the importance of the UK’s civil service knowledge in Brussels in his resignation email, saying: “In any negotiation which addresses the new relationship, the technical expertise, the detailed knowledge of positions on the other side of the table – and the reasons for them, and the divisions amongst them – and the negotiating experience and savvy that the people in this building bring, make it essential for all parts of UKRep to be centrally involved in the negotiations if the UK is to achieve the best possible outcomes.”
Implying that civil servants or politicians in London were trying to take over the Brexit talks, and the structure of the UK negotiating team needs “rapid resolution”, he said “multilateral negotiating experience is in short supply in Whitehall, and that is not the case in the [European] Commission or in the Council”.
He said “senior ministers, who will decide on our positions, issue by issue, also need from you detailed, unvarnished – even where this is uncomfortable – and nuanced understanding of the views, interests and incentives of the other 27”.
Rogers’ departure so close to the start of Brexit negotiations amounted to a “wilful and total destruction of EU expertise”, according to the former top civil servant at the Treasury.
In an unusually candid intervention, Lord MacPherson, who was permanent secretary from 2005 until last year, said Rogers’ decision was a huge loss and that he was the latest in a string of EU experts to be frozen out, describing the decision as “amateurish”.
MacPherson also cited Rogers’ predecessor Jon Cunliffe and Tom Scholar, previously the prime minister’s adviser on European issues who is now permanent secretary at the Treasury. His warning appears to reflect a Treasury concern that Theresa May is under pressure from Tory Eurosceptics to abandon hopes of trying to negotiate access to the profitable EU single market, even on a temporary basis.
There have been disputes across Whitehall about whether the UK can afford a so-called hard Brexit.
The Foreign Office played down the implications of the resignation, saying Rogers had been due to leave in November and that he had merely “resigned a few months early”.
“Sir Ivan has taken this decision now to enable a successor to be appointed before the UK invokes article 50 by the end of March,” a spokeswoman said.
But Rogers has known since October that he was due to leave his Brussels post before the talks are due to end in 2019, raising questions about why he was given a vital role in preparing for the negotiations in the first place.
A Whitehall source said the early departure had been discussed before Rogers told his staff on Tuesday. However, Nick Clegg, who worked with Rogers in Brussels, said it appeared to be the latest in a series of attacks on public officials who had expressed caution about Brexit.
“First it was the judges, condemned as enemies of the people for just doing their jobs,” the former deputy prime minister told the Guardian. “It’s been the CBI and any business that didn’t sign up to the Brexit zeal, and now it’s senior officials being kneecapped in the Brexit press, after Sir Ivan Rogers just gave candid advice about the length of time negotiations might take. They are in the firing line if they do not endorse a zealous world view. This is a very worrying trend, and very new in British politics.”
Insisting civil service neutrality is a precious British asset, Clegg said the government should value candid advice. “It will come back to haunt the Brexit headbangers, because you can insist as much and hysterically as you like that the world is flat, but there are only so many people you can condemn for just pointing out the truth, that the world is round and that Brexit is complicated, might take time and might not be fully to Britain’s advantage,” he said.
George Osborne, the former chancellor, tweeted praising Rogers for his work with him during meetings of EU finance ministers, saying: “He is a perceptive, pragmatic and patriotic public servant.”
Responding to Rogers’ resignation email, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said: “It is damning when our own top people are slamming this Conservative Brexit government for using ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking.
“This is the biggest decision by the UK government in modern times and Theresa May is marching ahead without a plan or even a clue.
“We need our top people around the table if we are going to avoid wrecking the country with Brexit. It is shameful that vital, talented people like Ivan Rogers are instead being driven away.”
The Lib Dems added that it was astonishing that Rogers’ email revealed that, at this late stage in the build-up to the talks, Rogers thought that the UK had no agreed negotiating structure and, in his view, still lacked the required multilateral negotiating expertise available to the European commission.
Rogers’ remarks may reflect unresolved tensions between the UK’s Brussels diplomats and the government’s Brexit department, led by David Davis.
With the choice of Rogers’ successor bound to be seen as a signal of the direction of UK Brexit policy, Eurosceptics demanded that an enthusiastic Brexiter replace him and called for an ideological purge of officials in the Foreign Office.
Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, said: “No organisation has done more to give away our democratic rights than the Foreign Office. They’ve been doing it for decades and I very much hope that Sir Ivan is the first of many to go.”
John Redwood, a longtime Eurosceptic Tory MP, said: “Sir Ivan’s heart was not in the negotiations. The talks do not need to be that complicated. If you leave, you leave. You take control of your borders, your laws and your money and that is not something that needs to be negotiated with Mrs Merkel.”
Some Conservatives blamed him for under-pitching what could be achieved and for advising against taking a harder line. One adviser said: “It was not about him being a Europhile but about being difficult. He not only said the UK did not understand the EU, but [that] the EU did not understand the UK. He was just the most out front of the civil servants – but many others thought like him.”
Sources said the two main points of tension were over whether it was feasible for the UK to threaten to drop out of the EU without a deal, falling back on World Trade Organisation terms and how to persuade the EU to negotiate simultaneously on the UK’s divorce terms and a future UK-EU relationship. May has to set out her negotiation strategy to MPs in March but has so far given next to nothing away.
Dominic Raab, a Conservative MP and a member of the select committee on exiting the European Union (EEU), said it would have been more disruptive if Rogers had left in November. “Sir Ivan is a distinguished diplomat with a long record of public service,” he said. “He didn’t exactly hide the fact that his heart wasn’t in Brexit and he was due to step down in the autumn anyway. It makes sense all round to give the ambassador who will see the negotiations through some lead time.”
However, Labour’s Hilary Benn, who chairs the EEU committee, told the BBC the resignation was “not a good thing” and the government would be under pressure to get a replacement up to speed to meet Theresa May’s timetable for triggering article 50. “I think that it means that the government will have to get its skates on to make sure there is a replacement in place so he or she can work with Sir Ivan in the transition, the handover,” said the former shadow foreign secretary.
Peter Mandelson, the former Labour cabinet minister and EU commissioner, said Rogers’ experience was “second to none in Whitehall” and a serious loss for the UK negotiating team. “I would not expect him to comment further but everyone knows that civil servants are being increasingly inhibited in offering objective opinions and advice.”
Ray Nkosi | Veteran journalist Bill Saidi has died. Reports coming in are that Saidi died in Kitwe, Zambia with the cause of death still not clear. At the time of writing there was no statement from family members.
Described a doyen of Zimbabwe journalism Saidi had decades of experience in the media as an editor, trainer and mentor. More to follow…
By Ray Nkosi| President Robert Mugabe could come face to face with his wife’s first hubby, Stanley Goreraza after jetting down in China.
Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday revealed Mugabe who is on his holiday, has skipped into China.
Reasons for Mugabe’s move were not clear at the time of writing.
Sources say chances of a meet-up are very high and not unusual(READ MORE BELOW).
Speaking on the conferring of hero status to the late war veteran, Peter Chanetsa, Mnangagwa revealed from his conversations with Mugabe. “I tried talking to the President this morning and will talk to him again later today…He is in China,” he said. He added saying, “I saw in the papers that the province is requesting something and we will pass on the message to our leader who will give us guidance…But, we know that he is someone we have worked with and I hope the province has given a detailed history of how it was working with Chanetsa. (Home Affairs Minister) Ignatius Chombo who handles these issues is away in the Middle East and he will be represented by Joseph Made. We will notify you of what we would have agreed on.”
About Goreraza and a meet up
Stanley Goreraza is a senior officer in the Air Force of Zimbabwe and the current defence attaché at the Zimbabwean embassy in China. Goreraza was formerly married to Grace Marufu, then secretary to and now the wife of Robert Mugabe. The couple had one child, a son, Russell Goreraza, who now manages his mother’s extensive farm property, Gushungo Dairy Estate.
In 1995, the fact that Goreraza’s then wife (Grace) had had two children by the Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe became public. Between 1995 and 1996, Grace and Stanley Goreraza divorced and Grace married Robert Mugabe in 1996.
By 2000, Goreraza was studying in China and he was due to return to Zimbabwe in late 2000. The following January, Goreraza was appointed as Zimbabwe’s defence attaché to China. It was also in 2001 that Goreraza was hospitalized in China and visited by Robert and Grace Mugabe, a factor that suggests a second meet up will not be unusual, sources say.
In 2006, Goreraza was honoured for his long service in the Air Force of Zimbabwe, receiving a bar to his long and exemplary service medal. (Agencies)
OPPOSITION Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader, Joice Mujuru has ruled out a possible coalition with war veterans aligned to Christopher Mutsvangwa, saying there was no logic in joining forces with the latter, as they have declared their allegiance to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
ZimPF spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire said Mujuru had no wish to work with Mutsvangwa in the envisaged coalition of opposition parties to help fight President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF in the 2018 general elections.
“Mutsvangwa and his small group of war veterans have been very clear that they are bidding for a Mnangagwa presidency. They have never been part of us and, for all we know, they are fighting for a return to Zanu PF,” he said.
“We are, however, very clear that the coalition we seek should remove Zanu PF from power, not entrench its rule through Mnangagwa.
“We have the greater chunk of former freedom fighters in our party led by leading commanders in the struggle against colonialism. Mutsvangwa and his proxies like Victor Matemadanda (war veterans’ secretary-general) and Douglas Mahiya (war veterans’ spokesperson) are very junior people in this regard.”
With talk about a possible coalition of opposition forces in Zimbabwe growing with each passing day, insiders have indicated that MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, who is touted as a possible presidential candidate in the event of a coming together, has been sounding out different groups including Mutsvangwa’s Zimbabwe National Liberations War Veterans’ Association.
“It is highly probable that the kind of coalition that is likely to come out of the ongoing talks could include war veterans and Mujuru’s party (ZimPF),” an MDC-T source said.
“These groups have notable constituencies that may have a great effect on the outcome of the coming elections.”
MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said Tsvangirai would seek out all “progressive Zimbabweans” in his bid to find a way of legally deposing Mugabe.
“We have a structured position led by our president regarding the issue of a coalition. Tsvangirai will talk to all concerned Zimbabweans and the war veterans are a critical mass that is remembered for bringing independence. We cannot afford to ignore them,” Gutu said.
But, Mutsvangwa said his group was not interested in the coalition talks.
“We are not a political party, but we are ardently keen on seeing all patriotic Zimbabweans coming together to address the economic atrophy engendered by G40 vision-blind management,” he said.
G40 is reportedly a Zanu PF faction opposed to Mnangagwa taking over from Mugabe.
Staff Reporter | Zimbabwe international and Mamelodi Sundowns playmaker, Khama Billiat will leave Harare for Nigeria to attend the annual CAF 2016 African Footballer of the year award gala to be held in Abuja on Thursday 5th January 2015.
The Warriors forward is in the top three nominees for the prestigious Confederation of African Football (CAF), Player of the year based in Africa award.
Khama Billiat will travel to Nigeria on Wednesday were he will compete for the top spot against fellow teammate and Ugandan international goalkeeper Dennis Onyango and Zambia and TP Mazembe midfielder Rainford Kalaba.
The African Player of the year award will be contested by Gabonese and Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Algeria and Leicester City playmaker Ryad Mahrez and Senegal and Liverpool star Saido Mané.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe warriors coach Kallisto Pasuwa has praised the confidence and hunger being shown by his players in the on-going camp ahead of the Africa cup of nations tournament to be held in Gabon.
“They are all ready to fight, we have the confidence, we have the talent and I think they will showcase themselves very well,” said Pasuwa.
The warriors mentor will announce his final 23-man squad tomorrow, 4th January 2017 before they travel to Cameroon enroute to Franceville, Gabon for the Afcon tournament.
Ray Nkosi | Villagers from four villages in Matobo who recently lost their agricultural land to Vice President Emerson Mnangagwa, initiated ARDA Maphisa land grab are living in fear as heavily armed soldiers are patrolling the area to block them from accessing their former fields as the farming seasons intensifies.
The villagers, most of them elderly and in the area which was heavily affected by the mid eighties Gukurundi atrocities claim that, the no nonsense soldiers who are threatening to shoot to kill anyone seen trespassing into the land bring back Gukurahundi memories.
According to villagers who spoke to ZimEye.com in confidence, the soldiers have declared a mini curfew warning that they will shoot at any moving object that will be seen around the extended ARDA Estate between sunset and sunrise.
The villagers claim that they are extremely terrified by the presence of the soldiers and some are start to leave the area altogether and move to other areas.
The terrified villagers further claim that they fear hunger this year as they have not been able to plough at a time when the area is receiving very good rains.
“If nothing is done for us we will definitely starve this year and will also not be able to raise money for school fees for our children,” said one of the villagers.
“What is irritating more is that ARDA has not done anything to the fields yet when we had asked them to give us a chance to plant this year only while government decides what will be done to us,” he added.
The ARDA project is estimated to take over up to 2000 hectares of land from villagers surrounding the estate which will see scores of villagers landless.
PART1-By State Reporter | A controversial Harare preacher who once sold so called “anointed nails,” Ephias Jengeta, has been caught on camera using deadly flames on congregants after telling them that it is anointed fire from “anointed candles” which will make them achieve their goals in 2017. He can be seen in videos and pictures ZimEye.com now reveals in this part 1 & 2 news series.
He also confessed to forcing four (4) pregnant Harare women into labour during his cross-over (new year) night service in Highfields. Jengeta’s candles were quickly sold for large sums of up to $150 each following his announcement that they are “anointed.”
One of the pregnancies was 6 months and another 7 months old. Prophet Jengeta has insisted to ZimEye that the babies are not premature babies.
ZimEye.com has exclusively investigated Jengeta who says he is just using the power of God, and below was the first interview and live newsroom discussion with the preacher himself, critiqued by special guest – Bulawayo preacher, Steve Blomefield.
Nomusa Garikayi | The root cause of Zimbabwe’s political paralysis – the ruling party is imploding and confusion reigns supreme in the opposition camp – and economic meltdown – soaring unemployment, grinding poverty and corruption reaching the dazing height of the equivalent of the country’s GDP being looted annually – is our failure to hold those in power to democratic account through free, fair and credible elections. The solution to ending the political paralysis and economic meltdown is crystal clear; implement the democratic reforms designed to remove the Zanu PF vote-rigging impediments to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
After 36 years of Zanu PF rigged elections one had hoped that Zimbabwe’s opposition parties, composed as they are of some of the most corrupt and incompetent individuals, would, nonetheless, be of one accord on the urgent need to implement the reforms and thus clear the way for free, fair and credible elections. But to listen to the hot-air coming from opposition camp; it is clear confusion runs deep in the opposition camp.
Most of the opposition camp players appreciate that the reality that past elections have not been free and fair but have no clue why this was so much less what should be done about it.
“Our message for 2018 is that people must be free to choose anyone they want, who they think is a good leader. That’s, after all, what we fought for,” said war veteran leader Douglas Mahiya.
“As long as the coalition is going to represent the suffering masses of Zimbabwe, we are going to support it. But what we don’t need are people who create a special class so that they will enjoy life while people are suffering.”
“And yet, war veterans had served as Mugabe’s and Zanu PF’s political power dynamos for decades,” wrote Blessing Mashaya “playing particularly significant roles to keep the nonagenarian on the throne in the hotly-disputed 2000 and 2008 national elections which were both marred by serious violence and the murder of hundreds of opposition supporters.”
If Mahiya and his rogue war veteran friends do not appreciate the pivotal role they have played in the imposition of this corrupt and tyrannical Mugabe dictatorship what is there to stop them doing the same again in future. In the past they swore their blind allegiance to VP Mnangagwa and in recently they have shown their willingness to support former VP Mujuru and her ZPF.
“We agree with the sentiments which we gathered from the interactive discussions we had with the people during our nation-wide tour. Your message was loud and clear, that it’s time for Mugabe to leave office,” said Mujuru in her end of the year statement.
“We also take heed of your strong conviction for the need that opposition parties should form a grand coalition to effect change in the regime and bring about a new way that puts people first,” she continued. She also assured the nation the coalition will be formed by the end of 2017.
Mai Mujuru was booted out of Zanu PF kicking and screaming because she did not want to leave. Her hen’s teeth story of playing a full role in the creation of the corrupt and tyrannical regime and taking her share of the spoils for 34 years and only criticizing the party after she was booted out because it took as many years for her to open her “puppy eyes” is an insult to all thinking people. She is, in all but name, a Zanu PF child through and through; if she gets back into power it will be to reconstitute the dictatorship in her own image.
Mai Mujuru is simpleton with a 34 year proven record as one of the most corrupt and incompetent leaders of our time, it beggars belief that anyone would consider her a serious candidate to lead Zimbabwe!
In the March 2008 elections Morgan Tsvangirai garnered 73% of the votes, by Mugabe’s own admission; but after five weeks of “recounting”, ZEC whittled this to a 47%. There are many, many other examples one can give to show that it is not the lack of opposition unity that has kept Mugabe in power but rather the carte blanche powers to the tyranny has granted himself and his thugs to stop regime change at all cost.
As long as Zanu PF continues to enjoy total control of all state institutions including the Police, Army, CIO, Judiciary, ZEC, etc.; to enjoy unfettered access to the nation’s resources and to loot billions of dollars to bankroll its vote-rigging schemes; etc. the country will never escape from the political and economic mess it is stuck in. We have landed in this mess because Mugabe rigged elections and as long as he is allowed to rig elections we will remain in the mess.
Mai Mujuru, Morgan Tsvangirai and all the other oppositions leaders has failed to come up with meaningful ways of forcing Mugabe and Zanu PF to implement the democratic reforms and they are proposing the coalition of the opposition, voter registration and other token activities instead. Ask anyone of them if the solutions they are offering will guarantee free, fair and credible elections and not even one of them will answer, yes.
Given a problem, it is in the nature of mediocrity to offer inconsequential solutions!
Zanu PF is smart enough to know that a clean sweep of all the contested parliamentary seats and the presidency is not in its political interest as this will discourage opposition parties from contesting future elections. So Zanu PF is contend winning the presidency plus two thirds majority. It is the one third the opposition parties and fighting over.
What the nation needs is free, fair and credible elections in which the electorate alone and not Zanu PF decide who rules the land. The demand to implement all democratic reforms is therefore more than a fight to end the Zanu PF hegemony but to end the unholy power sharing pack between Zanu PF and the corrupt and incompetent opposition.
If the people are serious about ending the political paralysis and economic meltdown and all the suffering and misery these two have brought to the nation they must demand that the next elections must free, fair and credible. And refuse to accept nothing less!
VICE-PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to address a rally in Bikita today to drum up support for Zanu PF candidate, Beauty Chabaya, ahead of the January 21 Parliamentary by-election in the constituency. Mnangagwa is in Bikita at the same with former CIO boss and now elder of opposition Zim People First party Dydimus Mutasa. Mutasa still commands respect with senior elements in the intelligence organisation.
Mnangagwa joins a list of Zanu PF heavyweights, who have been flocking to Bikita West constituency for campaign rallies, as the party seeks to retain the seat that was vacated by convicted rapist Munyaradzi Kereke.
Zanu PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere yesterday confirmed Mnangagwa’s visit to Bikita for the campaign rally.
“Yes, the VP will be in Bikita tomorrow (today),” he said.
Six candidates — Zimbabwe People First candidate, Kudakwashe Gopo, National Constitutional Assembly candidate, Madock Chivasa, Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe’s Tanyaradzwa Makumbo and two independents, Heya Shoko and Innocent Muzvimbiri — will battle Chabaya in the by-election.
Masvingo Zanu PF political godfather, Josaya Hungwe leads Chabaya’s campaign team.
Meanwhile, Zanu PF politburo member, Jonathan Moyo yesterday vowed to continue throwing brickbats at Mnangagwa’s sympathisers, as the ruling party’s factional fights rage on.
Moyo — linked to a rival faction in Zanu PF named G40 — attacked Mnangagwa after he was pictured with Zanu PF members holding a tea mug inscribed “I am the boss” — a statement that has been taken as having political connotations.
“There will be no silence when President [Robert] Mugabe is systematically and daily attacked by surrogates, who take a mug-pose and then attack the President,” he tweeted.
Moyo seemed to take exception that Mnangagwa was rubbing shoulders with party activist, Energy Mutodi, who went on to criticise Mugabe.
“First, Mutodi poses with VP Mnangagwa in a weird photo, and then he writes this garbage attacking President Mugabe. Enough!” Moyo, showing a link to Daily News article, tweeted.
In one of the pictures, Mnangagwa, who is believed to be Mugabe’s heir apparent, but facing internal resistence to his bid, posed with his self-proclaimed ally, Mutodi, with the VP using the labelled mug.
In another picture, Mnangagwa is seen sitting next to an unidentified man holding the same mug and on the table in front of them are two bottles of mineral water and hard liquor.
When warned to exercise restraint in his comments, as Mnangagwa might succeed Mugabe, the Tsholotsho North MP said: “Thanks to you, I’m now shaking and quaking under the spell of indescribable fear!” – Newsday
“But is the law fair when it comes to these issues? I mean if a man rapes a 14 year old girl there are no negotiations, it’s 40 yes behind bars; but if a woman forces herself it’s aggravated assault. Why is it like that? Please note I do not support rape. It is actually disgusting,” wrote one news observer.
Another quipped in saying, “There must not be parallel rules with regards to rape;the law should be exerted impartially”.
A WOMAN sustained serious head injuries after she jumped through a window of a moving commuter omnibus and fell headlong on the tarmac in Bulawayo yesterday.
Five others, including the driver, also escaped with varying degrees of injuries from the vehicle that had caught fire along Khami Road opposite Bulawayo City Council stores at around 9AM as it was heading towards New Magwegwe.
The woman panicked when she noticed the fire and jumped through the window with her baby. She sustained serious head injuries while the baby was not injured.
The cause of the fire could not be established immediately, but there are suspicions that petrol was leaking from the vehicle.
Bulawayo chief fire officer Mr Richard Peterson said they rescued six people including an 11-year-old boy.
All the injured people were rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital.
“I can confirm that we received a report of a kombi which caught fire along Khami Road. Six people including the driver sustained injuries and were taken to Mpilo Central Hospital,” he said.
“One of the passengers, a woman who was carrying a baby, jumped headlong through the window while trying to evacuate herself and sustained serious head injuries.
“We are happy no one died and hope that the woman will make it. Her baby survived the incident with no injuries and that’s a plus,” said Mr Peterson.
“I would like to urge kombi operators to take people’s lives seriously by ensuring that they service their vehicles consistently. I suspect that there was a petrol leakage somewhere in the vehicle which could have been avoided.”
A kombi driver who spoke on condition of anonymity said smoke started coming from the vehicle when it was in motion.
“I was driving and noticed smoke coming out of the kombi. Within a few minutes the smoke was distracting my vision and I had to park my vehicle by the roadside. By the time I got out of my kombi, the other kombi was in flames though the driver managed to escape with some injuries,” he said.
“The Fire and Ambulance Services crew made it on time and they managed to extinguish the fire.” – State Media
Terrence Mawawa, Buhera | A 72-year-old man was apprehend after he attempted to rape a local woman.
The daring grandpa threatened to axe the 45-year-old woman if she refused to comply.
“The old man threatened to axe me to death if I refused to have sexual intercourse with him,” said the woman. Muchineripi Kuvarega, the 72-year-old man appeared before Magistrate Henry Sande, facing attempted rape charges.
The court heard that sometime in September 2016, around 8am, the woman was fetching firewood in the bush when Kuvarega approached her holding an axe. He allegedly grabbed the woman by the neck and fondled her breasts and buttocks.He tripped the woman and she fell to the ground.
Kuvarega unzipped his trousers and produced his erect manhood. While attempting to insert his manhood into the woman’s private parts there was a scuffle and the woman screamed for help.
She managed to escape and reported the matter at Dorowa Police Camp. “I was shocked by the man’s behaviour. He approached me as I was fetching firewood. He threatened to kill me if I refused to comply. However, I managed to escape.I wish to thank my neighbours who cooperated with me,” said the woman.
Kuvarega was remanded in custody.
A 28-YEAR-OLD Mabvuku woman, who is accused of bedding a 13-year old minor, appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court yesterday facing aggravated indecent assault charges.
The suspect, Memory Mugavhu, is expected to stand the trial today after magistrate, Themba Kuwanda postponed the matter to allow her to prepare her defence.
It is the State’s case that in August last year, the complainant, who is not named to protect his identity because he is a minor, visited Mugavhu’s place to play with her son.
Allegations are that the minor found Mugavhu at home. She called him into her room and promised him a fruit spread if he agreed to have sexual intercourse with her and the minor duly complied.
The State alleges, Mugavhu had sexual intercourse with the minor on several occasions thereafter until November 15 last year.
It is alleged that after each act, Mugavhu would threaten to kill the minor with a knife if he revealed the abuse to anyone. However, on November 19, the State alleges a neighbour informed the complainant’s mother what was happening and the matter was reported to the police, leading to Magavhu’s arrest.
The complainant was referred to Edith Opperman Clinic in Mbare for medical examination and an affidavit was obtained. Valerie Ngoma appeared for the State. – Newsday
A hungry prisoner at Whawha successfully broke out of jail.
The prisoner told a magistrate that he decided to run away because inmates were being made to work hard on empty stomachs.
He was later rearrested in the community.
Washington Timba (20) of Mwanza Village under Chief Bangure, Chirumhanzu, pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody when he appeared before Gweru magistrate Ms Judith Taruvinga.
Ms Taruvinga sentenced him to a year in jail that will run concurrently with the previous nine months imprisonment for theft and unlawful entry.
In passing the sentence, the magistrate said Timba acted in an unlawful manner.
“What he did is punishable with a prison term,” said Ms Taruvinga.
In his defence, Timba said hunger and hard work drove him to escape.
“I decided to leave because they were making us do a lot of work on empty stomachs,” he said. “I left and went home because prison life is really hard for me.”
Prosecutor Mr Edward Gwainda told the court that on October 21 last year at Whawha Medium Prison, a prison officer, Kudakwashe Gwasunda, took five Class B inmates to the prison farm to collect firewood.
“At around 2pm, Gwasunda realised that one of the inmates, Timba, was missing from the group,” he said.
“He blew his whistle in order to alert other nearby prison officers to search for the missing inmate.
“Gwasunda proceeded to report the matter to his superiors and a search was conducted and the accused was not found.
“At around 11pm on the same date, five Whawha prison officers made an ambush at Timba’s last known address at Ascot Infill, Gweru.”
The court heard that during that time, Timba arrived home still wearing his prison garb.
He was apprehended and taken back to Whawha Prison. – State Media
THE case in which former Education minister Aeneas Chigwedere is being accused of practicing witchcraft by some family members has taken a new twist after the clan pleaded with the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) registrar to expeditiously come up with a date for the matter to “avoid further loss of lives”.
In a letter addressed to the ConCourt registrar’s office on December 29, 2016, Chigwedere’s son, Mangwiza, said the fact that his father’s siblings had confirmed the practice of witchcraft meant the issue was serious, hence, needed to be dealt with urgently.
“I am the applicant and self-actor in this matter, which I have charge of in prosecuting and writing in application for consideration in case CCZ72/16 to be positioned for the earliest possible set-down date due to the complexity in nature of the case, as there is no known interdict or temporary relief except of disposition of the said cause,” he wrote.
“… confirmations by respondents of possession or being possessed by these harmful things have been confirmed by third, ninth, 12th and 14th respondents, who, none of them, are below the age of 70 and are elders of the clan and fathers of the clan, who have also been left helpless and some maimed through the witchcraft matter in question.”
The witchcraft case is now at the ConCourt after Mangwiza, who is accusing his father of possessing goblins, failed to get recourse at the lower courts.
Chigwedere’s five other siblings have also joined the fight and confirmed that their brother, a Zanu PF stalwart, allegedly practices witchcraft.
According to notice of consent to judgment notice papers filed on November 23, 2016 at the ConCourt, Francis Chigwedere, Shepherd, Getrude Makasa, Godfrey and Fanuel Chigwedere wrote to the ConCourt, seeking justice in the matter.
The Chigwedere clan wants the courts to grant the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers’ Association permission “to conduct a cleansing ceremony to free the family from the witchcraft bondage”.
“At heart, I am not the only one seeking an early relief from our affliction, but also these submissive respondents. The right to life has been violated and continues to as confirmed by other five respondents and this right is considered as the supreme right that anyone holds within the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe that is being represented and guarded jealously by this very honourable court,” Mangwiza wrote. – Newsday
Ray Nkosi| ZimEye.com brings our valued readers and contributors fresh details from the ZRP horror death in which a police officer allegedly gunned himself down at Matapi Police Station, Mbare yesterday.
The horrific incident was exclusively revealed by ZimEye.com within minutes of happening late Tuesday evening. ALSO READ-ZRP Cop Fatally Shoots Self – STORY CONTINUES BELOW…
ZimEye can reveal that the police service have of late classified the incident as a suicide. Documented reasons why this has been done were not clear at the time of writing amid questions on how and why a police officer would shoot themself while at work.
However ZimEye.com sources at the centre of the investigation, submitted compelling evidence that the police officer was having a domestic problem which drove him to the edge. ZimEye is at present probing the domestic matter.
Contacted for comment, national spokesperson for the police, Charity Charamba said she was still to be briefed on the inside details despite having been told about it.
“Yes I can confirm that we have received such a report, but I am yet to be briefed on the circumstances surrounding the incident,” she said.
By Nqobani Ndlovu |Several Zimbabweans in recent years have been beaten or lost lives over lobola (bride price), and some people are calling for the ban of this traditional but still widely practiced custom.
Lobola, like other good practices in Zimbabwe, is beginning to lose its value and purpose because of greed and poverty, especially in the current economic climate.
The custom, meant to establish ties between the families of the bride and groom, and symbolise the groom’s gesture of appreciation towards the bride’s family, has become a huge source of income for many families, with every family member wanting a share of the bride price.
Recently a 60 year old Masvingo woman in Eastern Zimbabwe, Dorothy Mwanyisa, was thoroughly beaten by her son for denying him a portion of his sister’s lobola. Aspinas Masaze was charged with domestic violence for the assault after his mother told him she had little to spare after giving a portion of the cash to his late father’s elder brother as required by traditional customs.
It is therefore not surprising that even long lost relatives show up on the day of lobola negotiations knowing fully well that they stand to benefit and get money just for being present.
Former Education Minister, historian and educationist and now a traditional leader, Aeneas Chigwedere defines lobola as a form of marriage payment to build relationships and to demonstrate the ability of a man to take care of his family. Chigwedere, in his book Lobola: Pros and Cons (1982), explains the practice thus: the bride’s family receives payment in the form of goods, money, livestock to compensate for the pain the parents of the bride went through in raising their daughter and the children that she would bear into the husbands family.
In the Shona culture, the groom is supposed to also pay the bride’s father to thank him for his patience when his daughter was pulling his beard as she sat on his knees. This is called Matekenyandebvu.
Over the years, the practice has become a gateway to quick riches, and the commodification of women, but in the process it has also become a barrier to marriage for many young men.
And who doesn’t want to get married in Zimbabwe?
It’s as much a dream for young men as it is for the parents to see their daughter get married – but not for free.
“It is no wonder that many of the youth are resorting to cohabitating; they cannot afford what some parents demand as lobola,” said Pastor Anglistone Sibanda.
Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe received over $35,000 in cash and 15 head of cattle as bride price for his daughter Bona. The average price of a cow is $700. Mr Mugabe’s son-in-law Simbarashe Chikore was reported to be a pilot. How many a suitor could afford that figure what with many – still employed – earning less than the poverty datum line that lies at around $540 per month.
Even former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai has allegedly had lobola-related problems, with some rags claiming he used party funds to pay the bride price. And Big Brother Africa housemates Ghanaian fashion designer Elikem Kumordzie and Zimbabwean socialite Pokello Nare have had to bide their time while Elikem saved up for lobola, reported to be about $25,000.
A cultural and traditional practice meant to cement families, and strengthen relationship bonds has been ruined by greed.
“It has been turned into a business and this is the main driver of omasihlalisane (cohabitating) which is against cultural, moral and biblical principles. Cohabitation is also driven by migration and poverty among other things, and it threatens formal marriage,” Sibanda added.
Sex is not free
People need to value their children’s marriages for what they are, not for what they can get out of the union. This is what lobola should stand for. Lives can be lost, otherwise.
In June, 42-year-old Stane Ncube of Gokwe in the Midlands province was jailed 12 year for taking an axe to his father-in-law who had threatened to take back his daughter over non-payment of lobola.
Ncube reportedly axed Tarawedzera Mbiti (may his soul rest in peace) when he came to his homestead demanding lobola and making the threats.
According to men’s rights group Padare/Enkundleni, high cases of domestic violence can be directly or indirectly linked to the commercialisation of lobola. As a result, men are using the payment as justification to oppress and abuse women who they view as bought property.
Such men believe the high charges that some parents demand during lobola negotiations entitles them to own their wives – it’s like they have bought enough shares in a company to more or less own the company.
Marriages have been known to collapse because of parents’ lobola demands. They demand that their daughter be returned if the agreed lobola is not forthcoming, their argument: pay up or no sex.
Earlier this year, Shepherd Gumbo from Harare told the Harare Magistrates Court that he separated with his wife after his in-laws banned him from having sexual intercourse until he paid the balance on the bride price.
Gumbo said his wife Patricia Sabawo was taken away from him by the in-laws saying the comfort he had enjoyed was equivalent to the lobola he had paid so far.
His wife was now demanding maintenance.
Maybe calls for regulation should be supported to preserve the age old lobola practice, especially in this capitalized and modernised society.
Thabani Nyoni, an analyst from Bulawayo, however disagrees.
Nyoni argues that regulating lobola is difficult but introducing the subject in formal and informal educational institutions like churches, schools might foster understanding of the practice and stop its commercialisation.
Khanyile Mlotshwa, a Pan-Africanist and post graduate media studies student, believes that Africans should re-think how this culture of lobola continues in a capitalist world.
“We have to return to the initial aims of paying lobola, then we will appreciate why we need it and why we have to save it from commercialisation and abuse,” says Mlotshwa. online
The chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has slammed some governments and leaders in the continent for causing the suffering of their people.
She singled out South Sudan, where violent atrocities have been committed against civilians as the aftermath of a fallout between President Salvar Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar, in 2013 continues.
Some 500 000 people have been killed and about 2 million displaced in the world’s newest country.
Delivering her New Year message in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, Dlamini-Zuma blamed the leaders of some countries.
She pointed out other countries such as Burundi, Central African Republic and The Gambia were also besieged by crises, caused mainly by those countries’ governments.
“Our governments and leadership are there to protect the vulnerable, to serve the people, not to be the cause of the people’s suffering and retrogression,” she said.
“Enough is enough. Africans deserve better, and we must all work towards better days, and towards peace, stability and development.”
Dlamini-Zuma said the crises overshadowed several successful elections held in some AU member states.
She urged aggrieved parties to respect the will of the people, abide by their national and international obligations, as well as resort to all non-violent and legal means in resolving electoral disputes. ANA
The head of Gambia’s electoral commission has fled to Senegal due to threats to his safety after declaring that President Yahya Jammeh lost last month’s election, a defeat the ruler has refused to accept.
Alieu Momarr Njai left the country on Friday, family members said on Tuesday.
He had declared opposition leader Adama Barrow the winner of the Dec. 1 election, stunning many Gambians who were used to Jammeh who took power in a coup in 1994 and whose government gained a reputation for torturing and killing perceived opponents.
Jammeh initially accepted defeat but a week later reversed that decision and said he would not relinquish power.
Njai maintained the validity of the election process but also said he was worried for his safety.
Gambian security forces seized control of the Independent Electoral Commission headquarters, which holds the original poll records, and told staff, including Njai, to leave.
Jammeh’s decision to stay in power has been condemned internationally and started a countdown to potential crunch on Jan. 19, the day Barrow is due to be inaugurated.
West African forces from the ECOWAS regional bloc say they will attend the swearing-in. They have also put their forces on alert, raising the possibility of military intervention. Jammeh called that decision a “declaration of war”.
Over the weekend, Gambian security agents closed three private radio stations, making it harder for the incoming government to communicate with its supporters. – Ruuters
It looks like an almost-full complement of ex-presidents will be watching from the inaugural stand when Donald Trump takes the oath of office Jan. 20 — along with the candidate Trump defeated in the bitter 2016 campaign.
Aides to Hillary and Bill Clinton tell NPR’s Tamara Keith that the 2016 Democratic nominee and former president will attend the ceremony in Washington, D.C., later this month.
President George W. Bush’s office announced earlier that he and former first lady Laura will also attend. Jimmy Carter had previously announced his intention to be on hand.
That leaves only President George H.W. Bush absent. A spokesman tells NPR that “at ages 92 and 91— and all that entails — President and Mrs. Bush will be unable to attend.” Bush has had serious health issues in recent years.
While it may make for an awkward few moments for Mrs. Clinton, she is hardly the first to watch the candidate she lost to being sworn in. In 2008, Republican Sen. John McCain had a ringside seat as Barack Obama took the oath, and in 2000, outgoing Vice President Al Gore looked on as as George W. Bush was sworn in.
Gore also had to preside over the official tally of the Electoral College votes in Congress in his official capacity as vice president. Congress officially tallies the 2016 Electoral College vote to certify Trump as the winner on Friday.
Of course President Obama will be there, too, on Inauguration Day — taking his place as the fifth living ex-president once Trump is sworn in. – NPR
Four people were killed, while another one was found dead in a maize field in Harare in murder cases recorded between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day countrywide.
This comes as police continue to urge members of the public not to take the law into their hands whenever disputes arise.
Police said most of the murder cases emanated from disputes over petty issues such as fights during beer drinking, domestic violence and disputes over parking space.
In a statement yesterday, national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi urged members of the public to exercise restraint whenever they were involved in disputes with relatives, friends or strangers.
“It is disheartening to note that despite efforts by the police and community leaders to inform and educate people on the sanctity of human life, some people do not take heed,” he said.
“Of the cases recorded over the festive period, most of them emanated from disputes after drinking binges, domestic violence, parking disputes, while some are due to other causes, particularly where the victims were found dead after being stabbed or assaulted by unknown persons while walking at night.”
Chief Supt Nyathi said on Christmas Day, a 34-year-old man from Mkwasine in Chiredzi was killed following a dispute with his wife after he insisted on slaughtering a family goat.
He said the man persisted and the wife took a log and fatally assaulted him on the head.
He died on the spot.
In another incident which occurred on December 30, 2016 in Southlea Park, Harare, a 29-year-old man had a dispute with his wife after he spent money on beer.
“The man took a kitchen knife and stabbed the wife on the chest,” Chief Supt Nyathi said. “He attempted to cover up for the offence by tying a rope on roof trusses and hanging his wife so that it could appear as a case of suicide.”
Chief Supt Nyathi said on January 1, two people were involved in a scuffle over parking space at a bar in Chegutu.
The scuffle degenerated into a fist fight and one of the men stabbed the other several times with a sharp object resulting in his death.
In a related incident which occurred in Dema, Seke, a 30-year-old man stabbed another man, aged 37, after a dispute over a girlfriend at a shebeen.
The man died on his way to Chitungwiza Central Hospital.
“In Harare’s Kuwadzana suburb, a man was found dead in a maize field and police are investigating the case as there were signs of struggle at the scene though no visible injuries were noted,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.
“In another incident, a 27-year-old Mabvuku man is battling for life after being stabbed nine times by unknown assailants in the suburb.”
Police have urged members of the public to stop whenever they are involved in road traffic accidents.
This follows an incident in Westlea, Harare, on New Year’s Day at around 2am hours, along First Street where a 41-year-old man was hit by a motorist who did not stop. The man died on the spot. – State Media
AN EIGHT-HOUR downpour in Gwanda South left a trail of destruction, leaving communities desperate.
The heavy rain started shortly after 3PM last Thursday and ended after 11PM in Gungwe area under Chief Mathe.
In separate interviews, community leaders said three dams Gungwe, Matulungundu and Makokwe were destroyed by the rains that also killed livestock.
The area’s councillor Johnson Mangwangwa, who is also Gwanda Rural District Council chairperson said they were appealing to the Government and well-wishers for assistance to rehabilitate the dams.
“This is a serious setback. People rely heavily on Gungwe dam for agricultural purposes, their livelihoods and for their animals. We now have to cover 15 km to Tuli River to water our livestock, a situation that will leave our cattle at the mercy of cattle rustlers,” said Clr Mangwangwa.
“We are appealing to Government and non-governmental organisations to come forward and assist in the re-construction of these water bodies. A total of seven villages namely Gungwe, Malitou, Mselele, Makokwe, Ntshwangu, Mawaza and Simbuka desperately need water for their livelihood.”
He said he would table the issue before a full council meeting to be held soon for possible solutions to be considered.
A former Agritex officer, Mr Isaac Kwela of Ward 16 in Matulungundu said farmers were now counting their losses after the heavy rain.
“The 130mm rainfall left misery to communities as all the people who survived on market gardening downstream have been dealt a blow because all the water was from these dams that have been destroyed. Twenty four goats were killed in Zelezele while six donkeys also succumbed to the down-pour that started at around 3PM and ended at 11PM,” he said.
Mr Kwela said people relied heavily on horticulture using water from Matulungundu and Makokwe dams.
“People from this ward (16) rely heavily on these two dams that have been destroyed by the heavy rains and have no one to turn to for assistance since they have been doing mini-irrigation schemes downstream to raise school fees for their children,” he said.
He urged Government to come and assess the damage to reconstruct the dams. – State Media
By Nomazulu Thata| I was deeply sad when I saw you crying, deeply broken in that video clip. I think I know how it is like to be so heartbroken like you right now, but in my case not because of men of course. How I wish you were near me, I would just hold you tight in my arms and tell you that you are a beautiful sister to me and you are worth gold itself. It’s just that we women do not really know how valuable we are to ourselves.
A recent pictorial exposes Mnangagwa for posing in a private drink-sip with his spin doctor Energy Mutodi, the latter who has authored and published an anti-Mugabe Politburo List putting Mnangagwa first while ranking Mugabe at number 4. Responding to that, Mnangagwa would obtain immoral news coverage that has nothing to do with his duties as Acting President, attempting to flatten rising revelations of the human worship he is currently enjoying from war veterans, a latest peak in the long running Mnangagwa takeover of the state media companies, ZBC and Zimpapers crusade.
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