Tinashe Sambiri

CCC leader President Nelson Chamisa has said CCC does not have the post of Secretary General.

Addressing the media in Harare on Wednesday, President Chamisa accused Zanu PF of clandestinely plotting to destroy the citizens’ movement.

According to President Chamisa, CCC is a structureless structure.

“We are a structureless structure, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, you can’t just receive a letter from planet Mars and effect recalls, we have not recalled anybody.

We don’t even know the impostor, in essence he is a fraudster, we know Zanu PF is behind the shenanigans.

Stay away from CCC, hands off CCC, this is a citizens movement; you don’t just wake up one day from the streets in a drunken stupor to say I’m so and so,” said President Chamisa.

” In this movement, we do not have the position of secretary general. We have different roles and tasks.

In this movement, we don’t give each other positions but we give each other tasks.

Nobody can just wake up and recall our candidates.

In fact, it is a Zanu-PF scheme … Zanu-PF is using certain people purporting to be CCC, who are not even in our books in terms of membership registry, “added the CCC leader.

” We are taking decisive action to end the circus. The political situation in the country is deteriorating with each passing day, which is a sad scenario, ” President Chamisa said.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecast that Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate is expected to rise to nearly 400% by the end of the year due to the depreciation of the local currency. This projection comes despite the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency revising its inflation calculation method for the second time in the year.

According to the IMF’s World Economic Outlook report, Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate is predicted to reach 396.2% by the end of this year and 190.2% in 2024. Notably, the October inflation projections are an upward revision of 224 and 55.6 percentage points, respectively, from the fund’s April projections for 2023 and 2024.

Zimbabwe currently has the highest annual inflation rates in Africa, with an annual inflation rate of 18.4% in September following the adoption of a geometric aggregation method for analyzing the consumer price index.

Despite this challenging economic climate, the IMF has revised the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth upward by 1.6 percentage points to 4.1% for this year, and it projects a one percentage point increase in GDP growth to 3.6% for 2024. However, the lower growth rate for 2024 is attributed to the potential negative impact of an El Niño drought on the agricultural sector’s cash crops and international mineral prices.

IMF’s inflation projections suggest that Zimbabwe faces significant economic challenges, including price and exchange rate instability, structural bottlenecks, global headwinds, and a high wage bill, as well as high interest payments.

Despite Zimbabwe’s high GDP growth in 2022 driven by continued agricultural production and favorable international mineral prices, the country still grapples with triple-digit inflation and persistent poverty. The World Bank emphasizes the need to address issues related to structural transformation and vulnerability, including shocks such as drought, natural disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, Zimbabwe’s unsustainable debt and arrears to international financial institutions continue to limit fiscal space and growth potential, as stated by the World Bank.

By A Correspondent- The Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe, Zhou Ding, has expressed that Zimbabwe currently faces challenges in developing battery-grade lithium, despite possessing significant lithium reserves, a vital mineral in clean energy technology production. He highlighted several issues inhibiting the country from fully reaping the benefits of its lithium sector.

“China fully supports the Zimbabwean government’s vision for value addition and low-carbon development through the expansion of the mining industry, particularly in the lithium sector. However, Rome was not built in a day,” he noted.

One major challenge is the dependence on imported raw materials like sulfuric acid, which has high costs, for battery-grade lithium production. Moreover, lithium processing is energy-intensive, and Zimbabwe faces issues of insufficient power supply and high electricity costs, which hinder battery-grade lithium production. Ding also mentioned long-term competition from neighboring countries like South Africa and Zambia.

While Zimbabwe has some of the world’s largest lithium deposits, it has primarily focused on petalite production (a form of lithium used in ceramics, aluminum smelting, and glass) at Bikita Minerals since the 1950s.

Ding stated that further investment in new energy mining in Zimbabwe would require more in-depth market research and support measures. Chinese mining giants, including Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine Resource Group, and Chengxin Lithium Group, have invested a total of $678 million in lithium mines and projects in Zimbabwe over the past year.

The chief director of Zimbabwe’s Transport ministry, Suston Muzenda, also spoke at the event, highlighting the challenges in the country’s transport sector. He emphasized the need to address high operating costs and accessibility issues, which affect the competitiveness of Zimbabwean products and pose challenges to urban and rural communities. Muzenda suggested embracing e-mobility, including the adoption of electric vehicles and the development of a sustainable transportation ecosystem, as a transformative solution for the transport crisis in the country.

By A Correspondent- Reigning Mr Teen Zimbabwe 2023 Abel Mugari has been dethroned amid allegations of defaulting on a bootcamp fee of US$30 and failure to attend the bootcamp among other reasons.

Mugari was crowned Mr Teen Zimbabwe a fortnight ago at a pageant held in Bulawayo simultaneously with Mr Zimbabwe International.

Mr Teen Zimbabwe 2022, David Takavarasha has since replaced Mugari as the new Mr Teen Zimbabwe 2023.

In a statement, Mr Teen Zimbabwe organiser Ishmael Murangandi said the decision to dethrone Mugari was made following a thorough investigation into his conduct, which was found to be unacceptable.

“It is with regret to announce that Mugari is no longer working with the Mr Teen Zimbabwe brand and neither is he still the brand ambassador nor the grand winner of the 2023 edition,” part of the statement read.

“The reason for this action is known by both parties and cannot be disclosed to the public in order to protect his reputation. Mugari has to surrender all awards that came with the title with immediate effect.”

Contacted for comment, Mugari, however, said some of the reasons he was reprimanded for included use of his own accommodation and transport from Harare to Bulawayo prior to the event.

He also revealed that the pageant had no prize money.

“The friction between me and the organisers started when they allegedly demanded US$40 for a bootcamp I did not attend,” he said.

“Prior to the event at which I was crowned Mr Teen Zimbabwe, the organisers had arranged a bootcamp, which came at a cost of US$40. The organisers insisted they still required the full US$40 payment for the bootcamp which I had not attended,” he said.

“I was only able to pay them US$10 which is all I had on me and advised that I would discuss the balance payment with my parents. At this stage being a teenager, I am still under the guardianship and stewardship of my parents who meet all my day-to-day expenses.”

Mugari said his parents felt that since he had not attended the bootcamp, it was, therefore, irregular for the event organisers to demand full payment for something he did not participate in.

“My parents, however, in seeking to meet the organisers halfway, were happy to pay 50% of the bootcamp despite the fact that I had not actually attended it. This, unfortunately, was not acceptable to the organisers.

“They then instructed me to immediately hand over my sash, as well as the shield that I had received. I obliged with no quarrels,” he told NewsDay Life & Style.

Mugari added: “It is quite upsetting to discover that all this has led to me being labelled as having behaviour that is not fitting or unacceptable, and that I am not worthy to be the crown holder.

“I believe I diligently worked to achieve the recognition that the organisers themselves gave me at the pageant. It is regrettable that now because of a mere US$30, I find myself stripped of that title and my reputation blemished.”-newsday

A man from Mabutweni suburb in Bulawayo ran away with a condom still ‘stuck’ on his manhood after he was busted trying to rape a nine-year-old girl who was also his church mate in a bushy area.

Lizwelihle Moyo Mpofu (22) appeared before Western Commonage Court magistrate Learnear Khumalo facing an attempted rape charge.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

He was, however, convicted after a full trial and sentenced to serve 30 months behind bars.

Six months were suspended on condition that he does not commit any offence of a sexual nature.

In arriving at the sentence the magistrate noted that the victim was a nine-year old girl and the offender kidnapped her from church and took her to a bushy area.

She noted that a degree of violence was used as he tore her underwear and a medical report indicated that she suffered minor wounds on her private parts.

A court heard that while Mpofu was attending a night church service he sweet-talked the minor girl to accompany him to a nearby bush area under the pretext that he wanted to pray for her.

While they were on their way the minor girl sensed danger and requested to return but Mpofu forcibly grabbed her and headed to the bushy area.

It is reported that when Mpofu was about to abuse the girl she screamed for help thereby attracting the attention of her parents and some congregants who rushed to the scene and busted Mpofu trying to rape her.

Upon seeing that he had been busted Mpofu sped off with a condom still on his manhood.

He also left his sandals at the crime scene. The crowd reported the incident to the police leading to his arrest.

A final report from the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) regarding Zimbabwe’s elections on August 23 has once again underlined the group’s initial assertion that the electoral process in the country was marred by significant flaws that may have biased the outcome against the opposition.

In their preliminary report, which had previously elicited a strong reaction from Zimbabwean authorities, SEOM had stated that the election was riddled with irregularities and did not conform to regional and international standards for conducting credible elections.

In their concluding report, SEOM reaffirmed their concerns about the electoral process that secured President Emmerson Mnangagwa a controversial second term, emphasizing that “some aspects of the Harmonized Elections did not meet the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021).”

Furthermore, SEOM raised questions about the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), particularly due to the close connections some of its commissioners had with senior officials of the ruling Zanu-PF party. The report recommended that if it is confirmed that certain ZEC Commissioners are closely linked to senior ruling party members, such connections should be considered as grounds for disqualification in the recruitment of ZEC officials, in accordance with Section 11(2) of the Electoral Act and Section 4.1.9 of the SADC Principles and Guidelines.

SEOM’s recommendations included urging ZEC to make the voters’ roll available to stakeholders, allowing ample time for inspection and verification in accordance with the Electoral Act. They also called for the government to involve other stakeholders in the design of ballot papers to enhance transparency and establish clear timelines for providing the voters’ roll and ballot information.

Given concerns about the perceived partiality of ZEC, the mission encouraged ZEC to adopt a proactive communication strategy that engages stakeholders at all stages of the electoral process, aiming to build confidence and a sense of ownership among key stakeholders and the general public.

Lastly, SEOM stressed the importance of all concerned parties using appropriate legal channels to address any grievances related to the election results to ensure the exhaustion of domestic legal remedies.

The European Union (EU) has allocated €113 million (approximately US$120 million) to support the restoration of Kariba Dam, as part of the Global Gateway initiative aimed at enhancing the country’s electricity generation capacity.

This announcement was made during a site visit to the project attended by EU ambassadors to Zimbabwe and Zambia, Jobst von Kirtman and Karolina Stasiak, respectively, along with Energy Minister Edgar Moyo, his Zambian counterpart Peter Chibwe Kapala, and other delegates.

Kariba Dam is jointly owned by Zimbabwe and Zambia, and both countries generate electricity under the management of the Zambezi River Authority.

Von Kirtman stated that the rehabilitation of Kariba Dam is a crucial aspect of the EU’s initiative, aimed at addressing global challenges in a sustainable manner. He highlighted that the dam’s rehabilitation could potentially contribute to over 50% of Zimbabwe’s total electricity production.

The partnership for the rehabilitation project involves the EU, the Zambezi River Authority, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Swedish International Development and Co-operation, and both Zambia and Zimbabwe. This initiative represents an investment in the future of both nations.

Zimbabwe currently operates a 1,050-megawatt hydroelectric power plant on Lake Kariba. In the past, the two countries faced a crisis due to a significant drop in water levels in Lake Kariba, leading to severe power shortages on both sides of the Zambezi River.

The EU emphasized that rehabilitating Kariba Dam is essential, as a potential dam collapse could have catastrophic consequences, affecting millions of people and causing a significant economic impact.

By A Correspondent- Ibhetshu LikaZulu, a pressure group based in Matebeleland, has called on the government to deploy security personnel to protect memorial plaques that the organization erected on several Gukurahundi mass graves in Matebeleland and Midlands provinces, as some of them have been vandalized.

The pressure group claims that suspected State security agents have vandalized the plaques on multiple occasions. Their secretary-general, Mbuso Fuzwayo, mentioned that they plan to replace the plaques damaged at the Bhalagwe mass graves in Matobo and Silobela, Midlands province this month. Fuzwayo emphasized that the government has a moral obligation to honor the estimated 20,000 civilians who were killed by the army during the Gukurahundi massacres of the early 1980s.

Fuzwayo questioned why the vandals only targeted the Gukurahundi plaques while leaving Rhodesian plaques untouched. He believes that the government should publicly acknowledge the mistakes of the past and take responsibility for protecting these memorial plaques.

The pressure group is working on a program to replace the destroyed plaques and expand their installations to various areas, as they continue to receive requests to replace the damaged plaques. In July, Ibhetshu LikaZulu collaborated with other interest groups to erect a memorial plaque on a mass grave in Tsholotsho, marking the site where six people were allegedly killed by the army in 1983.

By A Correspondent- Health experts have expressed concern over a significant increase in mental health breakdowns among adolescents and teenagers due to drug and substance abuse. This issue was raised as the country observed World Mental Health Day.

Itai Rusike, the executive director of the Community Working Group on Health, highlighted the current inadequacy of public health facilities in treating mental health conditions.

He noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people experienced mental health challenges related to stress, sadness, anxiety, loneliness, and depression. Public health facilities currently have limited capacity to screen, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions, as they are overwhelmed by issues related to drug abuse and a shortage of healthcare workers.

Rusike further pointed out that young people are the most affected by mental health issues, with 40% of patients at Ingutsheni Psychiatric Hospital and other healthcare institutions being victims of drug abuse. He attributed this to the lack of economic opportunities for youth and their idle time, which often leads to experimentation with harmful habits.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, 50% of all mental health conditions begin to manifest at the age of 14, but many cases remain undetected and untreated due to the absence of proper support mechanisms in most developing countries.

Johannes Marisa, president of the Medical and Dental Private Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe, linked the high unemployment rate to substance abuse among youth, resulting in a surge in mental health cases. He mentioned that substance-induced psychosis is currently prevalent, with drugs such as crystal meth and marijuana implicated. Marisa suggested that while private rehabilitation services are expensive and limited, people should take advantage of free mental health drugs provided by the government, which are available at various centers.-newsday

By A Correspondent- In a shocking case of bestiality, a 43-year-old herdboy from Togotsvebo Village in Mphoengs, Matabeleland South province chillingly confessed to his “sadistic sexual interest” in animals when he was charged with raping two goats leading to one of them dying during the horrifying act.

Appearing before Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware, Njabulo Moyo pleaded guilty to bestiality as defined in Section 74 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

He was, however, saved from the agony of jail life when he was sentenced to pay a fine of $200 or one month in prison in default of payment.

In addition two months imprisonment were wholly suspended for a period of five years on condition Moyo does not within that period commit any offence of which bestiality is an element for which upon conviction he will be sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine.

Moyo however, made an appalling revelation when he said he had engaged in sex with goats because they satisfied his sex urge.

“I don’t know what was happening, I just found myself doing it with the goats because they satisfied my sex demand. I am sorry for what I did,” Moyo apologised.

The magistrate however, expressed profound dismay, describing Moyo’s act as “grotesque cruelty,” adding that the horrifying consequences led to the death of one of the goats.

He said it was the “highest form of animal cruelty’ he had ever seen.

The State’s case as presented by prosecutor Arnold Mudekunye was that on 1 October and at around 3am Michael Ncube woke up when he heard his goats bleating and his dogs were also barking continuously.

When he woke up he proceeded to the goat pen to investigate what was happening.

Upon arrival he busted Moyo busy having sex with one of his female goats.

Ncube then asked him what he was doing and the unperturbed Moyo threatened to beat him up before he ordered him to leave.

Ncube complied and went away to his bedroom to sleep leaving behind Moyo to continue having sex with the goat.

The court heard that at around 6am Ncube proceeded to the goat pen where he discovered that two of his female goats had been sexually abused and one of them was dead with some semen on its rear, an indication that it had died as a result of the sexual abuse.

He then advised his neighbours who tracked a trail of footprints from the goat pen which led them to Moyo’s place.

They managed to locate him and apprehended him before they took him to the police.

President Mnangagwa delivered a reassuring message to the nation, affirming that Zimbabwe will continue to bask in the current peaceful and harmonious environment, a result of the recent credible and tranquil harmonized elections.

The harmonized elections that took place on August 23/24 marked a significant achievement in Zimbabwe’s democratic progress. These elections afforded citizens the opportunity to exercise their democratic right, contributing to the strengthening of democratic institutions within the nation.

President Mnangagwa secured victory in the Presidential election with 2,350,711 votes, representing 52.6 percent of the total vote, surpassing his closest rival, CCC’s Mr. Nelson Chamisa, who obtained 1,967,343 votes, equivalent to 44 percent.

Speaking to delegates at the 9th CEO Africa Roundtable conference in Victoria Falls, President Mnangagwa emphasized that the gathering coincided with the successful and credible conduct of the general elections on August 23 and 24.

He celebrated the peaceful atmosphere that prevailed during the electoral cycle, underscoring that this state of affairs disappointed detractors who had anticipated unrest.

“The country is enjoying peace across the board. We have been experiencing peace for a long time in our recent history. We are going through peaceful processes, and I can assure you that we will continue to preach peace, love, harmony, and unity among our people,” President Mnangagwa affirmed.

He noted that the 9th CEO Africa Roundtable conference convened in the aftermath of the successful, free, and fair harmonized general elections, which had defied the expectations of those who had not foreseen a peaceful outcome.

President Mnangagwa has consistently encouraged Zimbabweans to uphold peace and unity, emphasizing that despite the changing political landscape through elections, citizens remain an integral part of the nation.

Throughout the election period, President Mnangagwa advocated for non-violence and unity among the Zimbabwean people.

Since taking office in 2017, he has called for a peaceful coexistence and established the Political Actors Dialogue platform, extending an open invitation to opposition parties to engage in a dialogue for the sake of national unity.

This door to dialogue remains open, underlining his commitment to unity among Zimbabweans, regardless of their political affiliations.

In President Mnangagwa’s vision of a developed Zimbabwe by 2030, peace and unity are fundamental prerequisites, essential for achieving the nation’s objectives.

The nation is currently experiencing economic growth, with prospects indicating that the country is on course to realize its 2030 vision, driven by the prevailing peace and unity.

The rapid industrialization and modernization of Zimbabwe are driven by its people who harness their talents to construct infrastructure such as roads and dams, contributing to the country’s advancement.

By A Correspondent- President Mnangagwa has extended an invitation for dialogue to CCC leader Mr. Nelson Chamisa and is open to engaging in discussions. However, Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Christopher Mutsvangwa, stressed that this dialogue should not be used as a means to outmaneuver political rivals.

The offer for dialogue comes in the wake of CCC’s interim secretary-general, Mr. Sengezo Tshabangu, recalling 15 CCC Members of Parliament (MPs) and 17 councillors, alleging that they were no longer members of the opposition party.

During a press briefing held at the party headquarters in Harare, Mutsvangwa asserted that President Mnangagwa is committed to transparent dialogue. He emphasized that CCC leader Mr. Chamisa should avoid using this platform to settle scores and gain an advantage over his rivals within the CCC.

Mutsvangwa pointed out that Mr. Chamisa faces strong competition for power within his party, with contenders emerging from all provinces and ranks. Attempting to outmaneuver rivals within the CCC through dialogue with President Mnangagwa is not conducive to productive bilateral party engagement and could introduce chaos into both Zanu-PF and national politics.

Zanu-PF advocates for an open and transparent democracy, where everyone can witness proceedings and hold leaders accountable. Mutsvangwa stressed that engaging in conspiratorial tactics that sideline fellow Zimbabweans with equal standing in the political landscape would lead to national disunity and disaster. Such practices are not present within Zanu-PF.

Mutsvangwa highlighted the importance of transparently addressing all issues on the table so that it is clear to all, including MDC-T’s Douglas Mwonzora, CCC’s vice presidents Tendai Biti and Professor Welshman Ncube, and Chalton Hwende, among others. This approach ensures public buy-in and accountability in the democratic process, which aligns with President Mnangagwa’s goals. In contrast, Chamisa appears to favor a more conspiratorial approach, which is not acceptable to President Mnangagwa.

Mutsvangwa confirmed that Mr. Chamisa has dispatched representatives to Zanu-PF to seek dialogue. President Mnangagwa received these envoys and designated his own representatives for interactions. However, Mr. Chamisa seems hesitant to allow figures like Ncube, Biti, and Hwende to be informed about these engagements, opting for a less transparent approach.

On Wednesday, Mr. Chamisa acknowledged sending emissaries to President Mnangagwa.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwean musician Garry Mapanzure (25) has died.

Mapanzure succumbed to injuries sustained from last night’s accident in Masvingo, which claimed two lives on the spot.

We publish below condolence messages as Zimbabweans mourn the talented young musician:

Fadzayi Mahere: SINCERE CONDOLENCES to the family and loved ones of Garry Mapanzure on his tragic passing. We mourn the loss of a talented artist who brought so much light to the world through his music. May he rest in peace. #Pindirai

By- Fake Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) secretary general, Mr Sengezo Tshabangu has threatened to fire more MPS he says are abusing their proximity to the party leader Nelson Chamisa.”

Mr Tshabangu, who says he is the party’s acting secretary general, speaking through his spokesperson Mr Khaliphani Phugeni said the whole recall process was meant to cleanse the opposition party of individuals who are going against the ethos and values of the party. He said the process is never targeted at eventually removing Mr Chamisa from the leadership position, a gospel being pushed by those opposed to the recalls.
On Monday, Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda wrote to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s chief elections officer, advising that in terms of Section 39 (1) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) vacancies had arisen in parliament after 15 opposition members ceased to be CCC party members on October 4.
This followed a letter to Adv Mudenda by Mr Tshabangu advising that the 15 national assembly members and 17 councillors had ceased to be party members. The 15 recalled national assembly representatives are, Mr Ereck Gono (Lobengula-Magwegwe), Mr Nicola Watson (Bulawayo South), Mr Prince Dubeko Sibanda (Binga North), Mr Bright Vanya (Lupane), Mr Desmond Makaza (Mpopoma-Mzilikazi), Mr Obert Manduna (Nketa), Mr Morgan Ncube (Beitbridge West), Mr Pastor Raphael Sibanda (Cowdray Park), Mr Febian Kufahakutizwi (Mabvuku-Tafara)
Mr Evidence Zana (Youth Representation), Ms Janeth Dube, Ms Sitabile Mlilo, Ms Nomathemba Sibanda, Ms Jasmine Toffa and Ms Velisizwe Nkomo (all Proportional Representation).
Mr Phugeni said they were seized with presentations from different parts of the country where people are expressing their unhappiness over self-imposed candidates.
“We are getting a lot of presentations from different parts of the entire country, people are not happy about persons who either imposed themselves by name dropping or abuse. Others went as far as faking conversations where they created false impressions that they are in charge just by some social media conversations with president Chamisa and that he has ordered that so and so must go and contest here and there, so those are all the issues that we are attending to. If there is a veracity to any of those claims, then yes indeed you can expect more action,” said Mr Phugeni.
Asked in what capacity was Mr Tshabangu making the recalls since the party had no structures, Mr Phugeni said the actions were being taken by an interim secretary general, in the same manner that Mr Chamisa in his capacity as the party interim president, has been.
He said there is no dispute that there are no structures as yet in the CCC.
MR Khaliphani Phugeni
“As has been made clear that the office is that of the interim secretary general, there is no dispute that there are no structures as yet but just as much as we do have the office of the interim leader right now in the form of our president, the change champion in chief, there is the office of the interim secretary general to do the day to day communications and administration of the party and it is in that capacity that we have acted, having travelled throughout the country where we met party cadres and this is their decision by the way that the party can not afford to veer off the correct path. If we are going to democratise Zimbabwe, we must start within ourselves and we frown upon imposition issues. Undermining local people who must have a right to choose their representatives must not be allowed, no amount of manipulation will be tolerated,” said Mr Phugeni.
Mr Phugeni rubbished insinuations that the real target in all this was Mr Chamisa, with the plan being to recall him and then call for an elective congress before the end of the year.
“This(recall of Mr Chamisa) is all meant to create a wedge between the president and the acting secretary general. There is no intention whatsoever, the president is not the target of this action. We even believe that he is the right person to lead us, in line with our founding values, principles, character and nature. Of course, those who want to survive by name-dropping, abusing access and proximity to him would want to characterize this citizens’ backed action as a target on his back., not at all, the president is very safe. This move, if anything, strengthens the party, its office bearers and in the long run as people will see it will put the president in good light and standing before the community and in line with the objectives of the citizens’ movement,” said Mr Phugeni.

By- A senior Zanu PF official and Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the Government would regulate political parties in light of the opposition-triggered recalls in Parliament, which have proved to be costly on the economy as they are draining the fiscus.

This comes in the wake of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) recall of Members of Parliament barely two weeks after the opening of Parliament by President Mnangagwa.

CCC interim secretary general Mr recalled 15 National Assembly members and nine Senators as chaos continues to unfold in the beleaguered opposition party. 

While there are contestations within the opposition following the latest wave of recalls, it appears for the past 10 years, the recalling of MPs and councillors has become the norm post-elections. 

Following the 2013 elections, MDC-T recalled 21 MPs including Mr Tendai Biti after a group of legislators had called for leadership renewal within the party. 

At the time the late Mr Morgan Tsvangirai was at the helm of the MDC-T.

In the post-2018 elections, the MDC Alliance was also rocked by another wave of recalls after Dr Thokozani Khupe assumed leadership of the opposition party before Mr Douglas Mwonzora took over its reins.

The main opposition now rebranded CCC led by Mr Nelson Chamisa is back to its default settings of recalling members claiming they no longer belong to the organisation.

Issues to do with the imposition of candidates and failure to have internal structures to address concerns are being attributed to divisions within the party.

Addressing the media in Harare yesterday, Mr Chamisa seemed to shift blame from his party, ordering elected CCC MPs and councillors not to perform their constitutional mandate.

In an interview yesterday, Minister Ziyambi said the recalls are a strain on the Treasury as the Government is forced to divert funds towards financing by-elections instead of forging ahead with development.

“The Constitution and the Electoral Act state that when a vacancy occurs within 90 days we must go for an election. And when we go for an election, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission must deploy people to do all the necessary preparations and this is an unnecessary expenditure that has to be borne by the taxpayers” he said.

“That money could have been used for development projects.”

Minister Ziyambi said out of the 15 legislators who have been recalled, 12 of them have constituencies, which effectively calls for by-elections in the affected areas.

“We could put this money to good use such as improving the road to Victoria Falls and paying our contractor. We now have to satisfy the constitutional requirements which require that we conduct by-elections within 90 days and mind you we are just coming from another election,” he said.

Minister Ziyambi said to address some of the pitfalls that the opposition has brought, the country should start a conversation on regulating political parties.

Political parties are not regulated in the country and they just need to notify the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of their intention to contest. 

“I think going forward we need to have a discussion, conversations in ensuring that political parties are registered. They deposit their constitution and show that they are organised. The situation that obtains now is that we have had political parties that would just sprout towards elections,” said Minister Ziyambi.

“You have a coalition of individuals with no structure that is recognised and soon after elections they start fighting. You can’t tell who is who, and perhaps what needs to be discussed is that let us have proper political party registration so that all those parties without structures will not be able to contest.”

Political analyst Mr Methuseli Moyo said while the recalls are costly to the economy, they are a testimony that the opposition has not taken notes from its past mistakes. 

“The opposition does not seem to learn from history. Once more, they are at each other’s throats. Consequently, there might soon be by-elections, and this is an expense,” he said.

“From the opposition side, the by-elections may prove costly as some of the recalled MPs may lose the by-elections.”

Mr Moyo said Mr Chamisa’s decision directing elected CCC officials to stop executing their roles shows his selfish endeavours.

He said the opposition should engage its members as opposed to posturing and bickering.

“He must engage Tshabangu and others and rectify the issues that are the source of the conflict. The infighting in the CCC is of no governance matter, but structures in the party. Mr Chamisa must stop bullying fellow leaders and penalising the party,” said Mr Moyo.

Constitutional lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku said in his view, the Constitutional provision allowing political parties to recall members is what is flawed.

“The clause that parties can recall members must be removed from the Constitution. MPs are elected by the people and then recalled by the parties. So the problem is not within opposition parties, but the Constitution and that clause should be removed.” Herald

By- The number of Zimbabweans now living in South Africa has surpassed 1 million, as revealed in the 2022 South Africa Census.

The authority also said this figure constitutes 45% of foreign nationals in Mzansi.

Stats SA said everyone in South Africa, including foreign nationals, was accounted for in the February 2022 Census.

The recent report indicates a modest rise in the population of individuals born outside of South Africa.

The data reveals that the majority of these foreign nationals are male young adults, aged between 20-44.

A significant portion of them come from five countries: Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Malawi, and the United Kingdom (UK). Notably, these countries have retained their rankings since the 2011 Census.

Breakdown of foreign nationals in the 2022 Census:

– Zimbabwe: 1.012 million (45%)

– Mozambique: 416,564 (18.7%)

– Lesotho: 227,770 (10.2%)

– Malawi: 198,807 (8.9%)

– UK: 61,282 (2.8%)

Addressing the complexities of documented versus undocumented immigrants, Calvin Molongoana, the Census project director at Stats SA, emphasised that every individual present in South Africa in February of the previous year was included in the count.

This encompasses tourists and those in transit. “Anyone within the country’s borders, regardless of their legal status, documented or undocumented, was counted,” Molongoana stated. 

However, he clarified that members of the diplomatic corps and other diplomatic officials were excluded, as they are recorded by their respective nations.

On the topic of migration patterns, Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke highlighted that the Western Cape, Northern Cape, North West, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga provinces experienced “positive net-migration.”

This indicates that these provinces saw more incoming migration than outgoing. Conversely, Limpopo recorded the highest negative net-migration, closely followed by the Eastern Cape.

In terms of “lifetime in-migration” – where individuals have remained in a province since birth – Gauteng emerged at the forefront with 5.18 million people. The Western Cape followed with 2.04 million residents.

IOL NEWS

By- Self-imposed Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) secretary general, Mr Sengezo Tshabangu says he can’t rule out more recalls as he targets getting rid of what he says are *people abusing their proximity to the party leader Mr Nelson Chamisa.”

Mr Tshabangu, who says he is the party’s acting secretary general, speaking through his spokesperson Mr Khaliphani Phugeni said the whole recall process was meant to cleanse the opposition party of individuals who are going against the ethos and values of the party. He said the process is never targeted at eventually removing Mr Chamisa from the leadership position, a gospel being pushed by those opposed to the recalls.
On Monday, Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda wrote to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s chief elections officer, advising that in terms of Section 39 (1) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) vacancies had arisen in parliament after 15 opposition members ceased to be CCC party members on October 4.
This followed a letter to Adv Mudenda by Mr Tshabangu advising that the 15 national assembly members and 17 councillors had ceased to be party members. The 15 recalled national assembly representatives are, Mr Ereck Gono (Lobengula-Magwegwe), Mr Nicola Watson (Bulawayo South), Mr Prince Dubeko Sibanda (Binga North), Mr Bright Vanya (Lupane), Mr Desmond Makaza (Mpopoma-Mzilikazi), Mr Obert Manduna (Nketa), Mr Morgan Ncube (Beitbridge West), Mr Pastor Raphael Sibanda (Cowdray Park), Mr Febian Kufahakutizwi (Mabvuku-Tafara)
Mr Evidence Zana (Youth Representation), Ms Janeth Dube, Ms Sitabile Mlilo, Ms Nomathemba Sibanda, Ms Jasmine Toffa and Ms Velisizwe Nkomo (all Proportional Representation).
Mr Phugeni said they were seized with presentations from different parts of the country where people are expressing their unhappiness over self-imposed candidates.
“We are getting a lot of presentations from different parts of the entire country, people are not happy about persons who either imposed themselves by name dropping or abuse. Others went as far as faking conversations where they created false impressions that they are in charge just by some social media conversations with president Chamisa and that he has ordered that so and so must go and contest here and there, so those are all the issues that we are attending to. If there is a veracity to any of those claims, then yes indeed you can expect more action,” said Mr Phugeni.
Asked in what capacity was Mr Tshabangu making the recalls since the party had no structures, Mr Phugeni said the actions were being taken by an interim secretary general, in the same manner that Mr Chamisa in his capacity as the party interim president, has been.
He said there is no dispute that there are no structures as yet in the CCC.
MR Khaliphani Phugeni
“As has been made clear that the office is that of the interim secretary general, there is no dispute that there are no structures as yet but just as much as we do have the office of the interim leader right now in the form of our president, the change champion in chief, there is the office of the interim secretary general to do the day to day communications and administration of the party and it is in that capacity that we have acted, having travelled throughout the country where we met party cadres and this is their decision by the way that the party can not afford to veer off the correct path. If we are going to democratise Zimbabwe, we must start within ourselves and we frown upon imposition issues. Undermining local people who must have a right to choose their representatives must not be allowed, no amount of manipulation will be tolerated,” said Mr Phugeni.
Mr Phugeni rubbished insinuations that the real target in all this was Mr Chamisa, with the plan being to recall him and then call for an elective congress before the end of the year.
“This(recall of Mr Chamisa) is all meant to create a wedge between the president and the acting secretary general. There is no intention whatsoever, the president is not the target of this action. We even believe that he is the right person to lead us, in line with our founding values, principles, character and nature. Of course, those who want to survive by name-dropping, abusing access and proximity to him would want to characterize this citizens’ backed action as a target on his back., not at all, the president is very safe. This move, if anything, strengthens the party, its office bearers and in the long run as people will see it will put the president in good light and standing before the community and in line with the objectives of the citizens’ movement,” said Mr Phugeni.

-State media

Sengezo Tshabangu, the alleged mastermind behind the recalls of 15 CCC National Assembly representatives, has expressed the possibility of more recalls targeting individuals he believes are misusing their proximity to party leader Nelson Chamisa.

Tshabangu, claiming to be the party’s acting secretary general, stated through his spokesperson Mr Khaliphani Phugeni that the recall process aims to remove individuals who go against the party’s values, denying any intention to remove Chamisa from his leadership position.

The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, informed the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of the vacancies created by the cessation of CCC party membership by the 15 opposition members. Tshabangu had previously written to Mudenda, notifying him of the party members’ disassociation.

The 15 recalled national assembly representatives are, Mr Ereck Gono (Lobengula-Magwegwe), Mr Nicola Watson (Bulawayo South), Mr Prince Dubeko Sibanda (Binga North), Mr Bright Vanya (Lupane), Mr Desmond Makaza (Mpopoma-Mzilikazi), Mr Obert Manduna (Nketa), Mr Morgan Ncube (Beitbridge West), Mr Pastor Raphael Sibanda (Cowdray Park), Mr Febian Kufahakutizwi (Mabvuku-Tafara), Mr Evidence Zana (Youth Representation), Ms Janeth Dube, Ms Sitabile Mlilo, Ms Nomathemba Sibanda, Ms Jasmine Toffa and Ms Velisizwe Nkomo (all Proportional Representation).

According to Mr. Phugeni, they have received numerous complaints from people across the country expressing dissatisfaction with self-imposed candidates. He told the Chronicle:

We are getting a lot of presentations from different parts of the entire country, people are not happy about persons who either imposed themselves by name dropping or abuse.

Others went as far as faking conversations where they created false impressions that they are in charge just by some social media conversations with President Chamisa and that he has ordered that so and so must go and contest here and there, so those are all the issues that we are attending to. If there is a veracity to any of those claims, then yes indeed you can expect more action.

When questioned about Tshabangu’s authority to make the recalls in the absence of party structures, Phugeni said the actions were being carried out by an interim secretary general, similar to how Chamisa, as the interim president, has been functioning. He said:

As has been made clear that the office is that of the interim secretary general, there is no dispute that there are no structures as yet but just as much as we do have the office of the interim leader right now in the form of our president, the change champion in chief, there is the office of the interim secretary general to do the day to day communications and administration of the party and it is in that capacity that we have acted, having travelled throughout the country where we met party cadres and this is their decision by the way that the party can not afford to veer off the correct path.

If we are going to democratise Zimbabwe, we must start within ourselves and we frown upon imposition issues. Undermining local people who must have a right to choose their representatives must not be allowed, no amount of manipulation will be tolerated.

Phugeni dismissed suggestions that the real objective behind the recalls was to target Chamisa and remove him from his position as party leader. He emphasised that there was no intention to recall Chamisa and that he was considered the right person to lead the party based on its values, principles, character, and nature.

Phugeni stated that those who rely on name-dropping and misuse their access to Chamisa might misrepresent the recalls as an attack on him. He said in reality, the recalls strengthen the party and enhance Chamisa’s standing within the community.

The CCC party has given a 14-day deadline for the prompt reversal of recalls of its members. Failure to do so will result in political and diplomatic actions, including reaching out to organisations like the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

The party announced on Wednesday 11 October 2023 that it was disengaging from official activities in the National Assembly, Senate and councils.

By A Correspondent- The deputy head boy of St George’s College who was also an upper sixth student died last night when his vehicle collided head-on with a Koala Park Abattoir truck along Harare Drive in Marlborough.

Witnesses claimed they were racing.

Pictures and videos of the tragic accident are doing the rounds on social media with netizens expressing their condolences on the loss of the students.

The accident has also ignited debate on whether parents should buy their children cars amid yet to be confirmed revelations that the deceased was over speeding hence the tragic collision.

We publish below the comments from citizens on social media.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has acknowledged the long queues that have formed at Forbes Border Post in Mutare due to a road traffic accident.

The accident occurred on October 3, 2023, involving four trucks, which led to the temporary closure of the exit channel and the sharing of the entry channel for all traffic.

ZIMRA said it was working with other agencies, partners, stakeholders, and authorities to clear the vehicles and trucks at the border. Despite efforts to clear the queues, commercial traffic accumulates overnight and during the day, resulting in queue build-up each morning when the entry point opens.

In a statement, ZIMRA said it has extended the operating hours of Forbes Border Post to accommodate the increased traffic. Read the statement:

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) confirms that there have been long queues forming at Forbes Border Post in the past week.
ZIMRA is working in conjunction with other state agencies, partners, stakeholders and authorities to clear the vehicles and trucks at the border.

The long queues stemmed from an accident at the Forbes border Post on 3 October 2023 involving four trucks leading to the temporary closure of exit channel and sharing of the entry channel for all traffic resulting to traffic build-up.

The lane has since been cleared and from 5 to 7 October 2023, an average of 360 outbound trucks were cleared per day and on 8 and 9 October 2023, 592 and 656 outgoing trucks were cleared respectively.

The operating hours for Forbes Border Post were extended to stretch from 0600 hours to 2200 hours.

However, commercial traffic accumulates overnight and during the day leading to queue buildup each morning. This means that the entry point has to deal with long queues as soon as it opens.

Other reasons that might contribute to the increase in traffic at the Forbes Border Post could be the following:

1. The refurbished road network from Harare to Mutare then to Beira is enticing transporters to use the Forbes route creating congestion.

2. The Port of Beira is nearer as compared to Durban Port, which means there are less transport costs and turnaround times for both transporters and businesses. This has resulted in a surge in traffic to Beira via Forbes.

3. Beira Port has also increased its capacity and has become a preferred port for Africa’s imports and exports to the Far East.

4. An increase in fuel tankers (both Zimbabwean and foreign) exiting to Beira to get fuel for onward transportation to countries in the north. Some transporters have significantly increased their fleet size due to increased demands and business contracts.

5. The region’s sudden boom in the mining industry could be leading to increased exports of various minerals through Forbes Border Post.

6. The Beira Corridor is a critical feeder into and out of the North South Corridor and the shift preferences have led to an increase in its use.

However, the current border post infrastructure was not designed to handle high volumes of commercial traffic as there is hardly any parking space for commercial trucks. This has overstretched the spatial capacity for the handling of the commercial traffic influx. Its location is within constricted terrain which requires significant civil engineering for expansion.

The Munene River bridge between the Mozambican and Zimbabwean borders at Forbes has become a major bottleneck, allowing only one truck to cross at a time. ZIMRA has been in talks with their Mozambican counterparts to prioritize trucks entering Mozambique. However, this arrangement is inadequate as similar requests are made from the Mozambican side for traffic bound for Zimbabwe.

The Authority encourages clearing agents and traders to utilize pre-clearance facilities to reduce waiting times at the border. ZIMRA appreciates the cooperation of all stakeholders and is confident that traffic will return to normal levels by October 15, 2023. Long-term measures are also being considered to increase the border post’s capacity.

By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF has dismissed claims by CCC leader Nelson Chamisa that the ruling party was sponsoring recalls on opposition legislators and councillors in attempts to both fan division and destroy his party.

This follows the shock ouster of 24 party legislators and 17 councillors under a dubious directive issued by Sengezo Tshabangu, who claims to be acting as CCC secretary general.

Tshabangu, a virtually unknown figure until his bombshell recall order recently, wrote to national assembly speaker Jacob Mudenda claiming the affected legislators had ceased to be CCC members.

A fuming Chamisa said Wednesday the enemy was sponsoring what he found as a bid to destroy CCC.

“Stay away from CCC, hands off CCC, this is a citizens movement; you don’t just wake up one day from the streets in a drunken stupor to say I’m so and so,” Chamisa said of Tshabangu.

“In this movement, we do not have the position of secretary general. We have different roles and tasks.

“In this movement, we don’t give each other positions but we give each other tasks.

“Nobody can just wake up and recall our candidates.

“In fact, it is a Zanu-PF scheme … Zanu-PF is using certain people purporting to be CCC, who are not even in our books in terms of membership registry.”

Responding to the opposition leader, Zanu-PF acting Director for Information and Publicity Farai Marapira dismissed the claims saying Chamisa should stop dragging the ruling party’s name into the mire.

“Mr Chamisa has simply shown the depth of his ignorance on matters of statecraft,” Marapira said.

“Zanu-PF is a political party within this country. We do not instate or remove legislators from the opposition from any position.

“Mr Chamisa should stop pontificating and stop doing so much rhetoric at the expense of the progression of his party and his supporters.

“Mr Chamisa should take full responsibility that he is below par leader and that this problem is emanating from his party are solely his own fault and he should stop involving Zanu-PF in each and every malady that comes across his way.”

Marapira added, “We are not concerned with what he is going to do if he is going to remove his members that is his decision; we as Zanu-PF it have nothing to do with us.

“So, for him to say that Zanu-PF should reinstate people that have been removed by a letter from CCC is the absurdity of absurdities for this year.

“If any prizes are going to be given this year for the most disingenuous statement. I’m sure Mr Chamisa will be prize contender of these utterances he made.”

Kuwadzana, Harare, October 12, 2023 – A group of quick-thinking soldiers, who had just disembarked from a service bus in Kuwadzana, sprang into action on Sunday night, thwarting an armed robbery and facilitating the arrest of two wanted criminals.

The heroic intervention unfolded along the Harare-Bulawayo Road between Kuwadzana 6 and Dzivaresekwa.

The soldiers observed a motorist, identified as Freddy Chigumira, being accosted by a four-man gang. Without hesitation, they intervened, effectively apprehending one of the suspects, who later led police to the capture of another.

The two arrested suspects, Tafadzwa Chayambuka (29) and Simon Chihungwe (34), now face charges of murder, armed robbery, and attempted murder.

The story takes a darker turn as it is revealed that these criminals had been involved in a previous attack that tragically claimed the life of driver Talkmore Vinga on October 6. The incident dates back to September 22, when Mr. Vinga was sent to assist his colleague, Timothy Shambare, whose haulage truck had run out of fuel. The robbers attacked Mr. Vinga, inflicting serious injuries that ultimately led to his untimely death.

In a second count of attempted murder, the same gang targeted Freddy Chigumira on Sunday. He was attacked while briefly parked along Bulawayo Road. The assailants demanded cash and valuables, with Chigumira surrendering $1,200 and his cellphone. However, the soldiers’ timely arrival disrupted the robbery attempt.

The soldiers engaged in a pursuit, leading to the arrest of Tafadzwa Chayambuka, who subsequently assisted the police in capturing Simon Chihungwe.

The citizens of Kuwadzana are praising the bravery of the soldiers, who, through their rapid response, managed to save Chigumira and contributed to the apprehension of the criminal culprits. The two suspects, Chayambuka and Chihungwe, have appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs. Marehwanazvo Gofa, where they face charges of robbery, murder, and attempted murder.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the persistent security concerns on the Harare-Bulawayo Road, urging authorities to continue their efforts to ensure the safety of travelers on this route.-state media

Deputy Minister of Finance and Investment Promotion, Kudakwashe David Mnangagwa, warned businesses against rejecting the ZWL$50 note, stating that they could face significant penalties.

He urged Members of Parliament to report such incidents for investigation and potential sanctions. Mnangagwa emphasised that Zimbabwe currently operates with a local currency alongside a multi-currency system, which will end in 2025.

Therefore, businesses should not reject the local currency. He also informed the public that the government is actively addressing the issue and introduced ZiG (digital currency) as an alternative and store of value for those facing difficulties with bond notes. 

NewsDay cites him as saying:

On the issue of those rejecting our money, as lawmakers and representatives of the people, we should report to the Financial Intelligence Unit or the ministry so that we Investigate  and ask why they are not accepting our currency, and sanction them.

At the moment we use the local currency and the multi-currency regime and it will end in 2025 … business people should not reject local currency.

I want to assure the august House and Zimbabweans that we are looking at this matter. We now have ZiG (digital currency) which is a store of value and an alternative for those who are unable to use bond notes, they can buy ZiG.

Informal traders and commuter transport operators refuse to accept the ZWL$50 note amid the depreciation of the Zimbabwe dollar. When the Zimbabwe dollar was reintroduced in 2019 after a decade-long suspension, there were smaller denominations like ZWL$2, ZWL$5, ZWL$10, and ZWL$20 but they have all been phased out as the local currency continued to lose value against the United States dollar. 

Since the August 23 and 24, 2023 elections, the local currency has lost over 18% of its value, with the current exchange rate standing at US$1:$5 633,8332 on the interbank market. 

By- Self-proclaimed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Interim Secretary General Sengezo Tshabangu has distanced himself from a statement circulating on social media platforms purportedly announcing the expulsion of the party’s president, Nelson Chamisa.

Tshabangu recently recalled 15 CCC MPs, claiming they had ceased to be party members.

On Tuesday, 10 October, a statement purportedly signed by Tshabangu surfaced on social media announcing Chamisa’s expulsion from the party he formed just over a year ago.

The statement stated that Chamisa had been dismissed from CCC “with immediate effect for “personalising the party as well as his continued gross disregard of the party constitution amongst other issues including embezzlement of party funds.”

However, when CITE reached out to him for comment, Tshabangu dismissed the expulsion statement as fake.

By- Self-proclaimed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Interim Secretary General Sengezo Tshabangu has distanced himself from a statement circulating on social media platforms purportedly announcing the expulsion of the party’s president Nelson Chamisa.

Tshabangu recently recalled 15 CCC MPs claiming that they had ceased to be members of the party.

On Tuesday, 10 October, a statement purportedly signed by Tshabangu surfaced on social media announcing Chamisa’s expulsion from the party he formed just over a year ago.

The statement stated that Chamisa had been dismissed from CCC “with immediate effect for “personalising the party as well as his continued gross disregard of the party constitution amongst other issues including embezzlement of party funds.”

However, when CITE reached out to him for comment, Tshabangu dismissed the expulsion statement as fake.

By- Several CCC MPs were injured Tuesday after the Anti-riot police Tuesday pounced on them in Parliament while they were protesting the recall of their 15 colleagues. 

A CCC supporter from Bulawayo, Sengezo Tshabangu claimed to be the party’s interim secretary-general and initiated the recall of 15 CCC Members of Parliament (MPs) and 17 councillors, alleging that they were no longer members of the party.

When Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda officially announced the recall of the MPs, opposition MPs responded by singing and chanting slogans against Mudenda, bringing the proceedings to a halt. CCC interim organising secretary Amos Chibaya argued that Mudenda was wrong to accept Tshabangu’s letter, stating that all communication should come from their president, Nelson Chamisa , NewsDay quotes him as saying:

Mr Speaker, we wrote a letter to you dated September 11, notifying you that all communication comes from our president (Nelson) Chamisa.

I don’t think it is proper for you to rule in favour of Tshabangu.

Mudenda ordered the recalled MPs to leave the House, but they refused and continued singing party songs. As a result, anti-riot police were called in to remove them. Mudenda also imposed a ban on all CCC MPs from attending Parliament for six sessions and docked their salaries for boycotting President Mnangagwa.

By- Anti-riot police Tuesday pounced on CCC MPs in Parliament protesting the recall of their 15 colleagues. 

A CCC supporter from Bulawayo, Sengezo Tshabangu claimed to be the party’s interim secretary-general and initiated the recall of 15 CCC Members of Parliament (MPs) and 17 councillors, alleging that they were no longer members of the party.

When Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda officially announced the recall of the MPs opposition MPs responded by singing and chanting slogans against Mudenda, bringing the proceedings to a halt. CCC interim organising secretary Amos Chibaya argued that Mudenda was wrong to accept Tshabangu’s letter, stating that all communication should come from their president, Nelson Chamisa , NewsDay quotes him as saying:

Mr Speaker, we wrote a letter to you dated September 11, notifying you that all communication comes from our president (Nelson) Chamisa.

I don’t think it is proper for you to rule in favour of Tshabangu.

Mudenda ordered the recalled MPs to leave the House, but they refused and continued singing party songs. As a result, anti-riot police were called in to remove them. Mudenda also imposed a ban on all CCC MPs from attending Parliament for six sessions and docked their salaries for boycotting President Mnangagwa.

By A Correspondent- There is concern that a provision under the amended Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, also known as the Patriot Act, seeks to re-introduce the death penalty through the backdoor at a time when human rights defenders are pushing for its removal from the country’s statutes.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law the Patriot Act in July this year, despite widespread condemnation of the draconian law.

Legislative watchdog, Veritas and Amnesty International  (AI) voiced their concerns over the law during yesterday’s International Death Penalty Day commemorations in the capital.

The day is commemorated annually on October 10.

Zimbabwe is part of the 87 countries that have not abolished the death penalty.

Veritas director, Val Ingham-Thorpe said the death penalty must be removed from the country’s statutes.

“Death penalty and the Patriot Bill are completely unconstitutional. This is against the Constitution, it’s inhuman and we are going to challenge that in court,” Ingham-Thorpe said.

“In this country, we really have strange provisions.”-Newsday

Division has struck the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) structures in Matebeleland following the recall of the party’s Members of Parliament (MPs) and 17 councillors in the region.

Sengezo Tshabangu, who identifies as the interim CCC secretary-general, initiated the recall of the MPs and councillors, contending that they were no longer members of the opposition party.

Although the CCC has accused Tshabangu of being a Zanu-PF proxy and an impostor, reports indicate that regionalism is causing turmoil within the CCC. Those targeted for recall are being accused of not being “natives” of Matebeleland.

Tshabangu is said to have collaborated with senior party members, including recently elected councillors and MPs primarily from Bulawayo, who were dissatisfied with the alleged imposition of some candidates during the party’s candidate selection process leading up to the August 23 and 24 elections.

Sources suggest that the disgruntled group held five meetings prior to the recalls, with the most recent meeting taking place a day before CCC leader Nelson Chamisa addressed members in Bulawayo last Friday.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda, has officially notified the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of the vacant seats. However, the recalled MPs have filed a High Court application to challenge their removal from the House.

On Monday, CCC Matebeleland North chairperson Prince Dubeko Sibanda, one of the affected legislators, revealed that he was aware of the plot by certain party members he claimed were collaborating with Zanu-PF to destabilize the opposition.

“Tshabangu is not acting alone in this,” said Dubeko-Sibanda. “We know that at some point, they went and met with Zanu-PF members to seek assistance in wresting the party from Chamisa.”

Tshabangu’s spokesperson, Khaliphani Phugeni, defended the recalls during an interview with American radio station Studio 7. Phugeni asserted that Tshabangu was nominated for the Lobengula-Magwegwe constituency and that he was unfairly treated. He added, “What will happen is that the court will ask for the (CCC) constitution. Tshabangu has it, and others do not.”

By A Correspondent- Villagers in various parts of the country have accused Zanu PF bigwigs of hijacking the presidential inputs programme through looting and nepotism.

Government says it has mobilised over 360 000 tonnes of agricultural inputs, which include seed and fertiliser, to support smallholder farmers under the Climate-Proofed Presidential Input Scheme (Pfumvudza/Intwasa).

However, distribution of the inputs to the targeted 3,5 million beneficiaries, which commenced on April 18 in Mt Darwin, Mashonaland Central, has been marred by accusations of looting and nepotism.

Villagers under Chief Mudzimu in Magunje constituency, Mashonaland West province, accused traditional leaders and Zanu PF councillors of denying known opposition members access to the inputs.

“The Chief (Mudzimu) has made it clear that no opposition member should get the inputs. The village heads in Mahwada, Kapfunde and Dzimaihwe have been ordered to provide their lists without opposition members,” one of the villagers said.

Chief Mudzimu was not picking calls to his mobile phone number despite repeated efforts to contact him for comment.

Elsewhere in Masvingo province’s Gutu district, Zanu PF district co-ordinating committee vice-chairperson Fabios Musara said the party had taken over the distribution of the inputs.

“It’s from our President (Emmerson Mnangagwa), so naturally as a local party leader, I am involved. I know our people who deserve the inputs,” he said.

Last week, acting Chief Nyamandi, born Siyano Machaya, touched off a storm after directing village heads to deny opposition supporters presidential agricultural inputs and food aid from government.

According to weather experts, this year’s cropping season will likely be affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon, which typically leads to delayed and below-normal rainfall.

Government is targeting cereal production of 3 512 658 tonnes — 2,8 million tonnes of maize and 712 658 tonnes of traditional grains and oil seeds — enough to meet the country’s human consumption needs.

Zimbabwe requires about 2,2 million tonnes of grains annually.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has approached the High Court in Bulawayo in an attempt to reverse 15 controversial Parliamentary recalls by Sengezo Tshabangu.

Tshabangu recalled the CCC legislators alongside 17 councillors citing the members had ceased to be their members.

The Matebeleland North politician claims to be CCC’s Secretary General, a position contested by party President Nelson Chamisa.

Mudenda, after receiving Tshabangu’s communication proceeded to notify the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of vacancies in the 15 mainly Matebeleland constituencies.

Tshabangu has been labelled an impostor, funded by Zanu-PF to destabilise CCC and ensure a two-thirds Parliamentary majority for the ruling party.

A Declaratory and Consequential Relief filed on Monday by the opposition identifies Tshabangu as First Respondent, and Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda as the Second.

“Plaintiffs’ (CCC) claim against the Defendants is for a declaratory and consequential relief as follows; an order declaring that the Plaintiffs’ have a right to remain in, and be recognised as Members of Parliament by virtue of having been so elected in the general elections held on the 23rd and 24th of August 2023 and having been so sworn on the 7th of September 2023.

“An order declaring that 1 Defendant has no authority to communicate, engage, or correspond with the 2nd Defendant purporting to represent the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in respect of the Plaintiffs’ positions as Members of Parliament,” reads High Court papers filed by CCC.

“An order declaring that the 2nd Defendant has no obligation to act on the basis of any communication or correspondence addressed to him by the 1st Defendant purporting to communicate any information pertaining to Plaintiffs’ membership of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) or in respect of the Plaintiffs’ position or status as Members of Parliament

“Consequently, the letter written by the 1st Defendant dated 3rd October 2023 and any other communication or documents incidental thereto addressed to the 2nd Defendant communicating that the Plaintiffs have ceased to be members of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) be declared null and void and of no force and effect.”

If the recalls are upheld Zimbabweans will, barely two months after a general election, be expected to re-choose Parliamentarians in the 15 constituencies.

Having denied Zanu-PF a two-thirds majority, the elections could give President Emmerson Mnangagwa an opportunity to finally claim it and give him enough power to amend the constitution in his favour as feared by CCC and analysts.-newzimbabwe

By A Correspondent- Parents and guardians of Grade 7 pupils who finished writing their end of year Zimbabwe School Examinations Council tests Monday are disgruntled after government announced that the pupils will continue attending school.

Government has also banned school field trips for the junior school graduands, giving rise to angry reactions from parents and teacher unions who said they saw no sense in the decree.

Many parents who had travelled to boarding schools hoping to collect their children returned home empty-handed following the government order, triggering anger among the parents who had over the years been used to collecting their children soon after they completed writing their examinations.

In a circular dated October 5, 2023, the Primary and Secondary Education ministry ordered all schools to ensure that pupils attended schools until the end of the third term.

“The time after the last Grade 7 examination paper is not a school holiday because all Grade 7 pupils should attend classes until the end of the term. Heads of schools are duty-bound to make solid arrangements for all Grade 7 pupils to receive meaningful lessons and practical exercise in preparations for their transition to secondary school

“For the safety of pupils and curriculum alignment, no education tours should be undertaken by school after the Grade 7 examinations,” Nyanungo said.

Government also banned schools from holding fund-raising programmes.

This comes as several schools had planned field trips after the Grade 7 Zimsec examinations, with parents having already paid for the trips to mainly tourist resorts such as Victoria Falls, Kariba and Nyanga.

Yesterday, several schools were holding farewell parties for the Grade 7 pupils, while others were scheduled for this week as schools anticipated lessened pressure from the outgoing pupils.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said: “Government is consistently issuing this order year in, year out. No one will take heed of the order because it is not backed by a solid programme to occupy the learners.

“Government should create a post-Grade 7 learning programme if they want to detain learners in schools. In the absence of a programme teachers and learners will disregard the order.

“Such a post-Grade 7 programme should serve as orientation for entry to secondary school and impart important life skills. This can go a long way to protect learners from the social ills that can harm learners if they spend more time at home.”

Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Goodwill Taderera said it was difficult to stop the learners from going for the trips.

“During the third term, schools usually organise tours for upper grades, so it’s not unusual for Grade 7 pupils to have trips during this time while it is a noble idea to keep the pupils busy to protect them from social ills. It is difficult to manage a child who has already registered in their minds that they are done with primary school,” he said.

“The challenge is that the Grade Seven learners are sitting for their exams too early. There is a need for a general consensus by all stakeholders on how to enforce the measure,” he said.

By A Correspondent- MedOrange Pharmacies, a leading healthcare provider in Zimbabwe, recently launched its innovative online prescription service, designed to address the pressing needs of individuals living with chronic medical conditions in the country.

This groundbreaking service, accessible through the MedOrange mobile app, marks a significant milestone in improving healthcare accessibility and affordability.

Addressing Zimbabwe’s Chronic Health Challenges.

With nearly one individual in every Zimbabwean household living with a chronic condition, MedOrange recognizes the urgency of providing reliable access to essential medications. Common chronic diseases in Zimbabwe, such as HIV/AIDS, hypertension, cancer, and diabetes, have prompted the need for convenient and cost-effective
healthcare solutions.

Eliminating Remittance Hurdles for the Diaspora
For Zimbabwean families residing abroad who support their loved ones’ monthly medication needs, MedOrange offers a transformative solution. The online prescription service enables users to order medications directly for their relatives in Zimbabwe, eliminating remittance fees and potentially saving up to 20% on app purchases.

Effortless Ordering Process.

MedOrange’s user-friendly mobile app streamlines the ordering process. Patients can easily upload their prescriptions and receive quotations promptly. The app offers diverse payment options, and users can choose between collecting medications at a MedOrange branch or benefiting from free home delivery.

Enhanced Medication Adherence
To further support patients, the MedOrange app includes a medication reminder feature, particularly beneficial for elderly individuals who require regular prompts to adhere to their treatment plans, such as those managing hypertension.

Integrated Health Examination Kiosks
MedOrange Pharmacies goes beyond medication provision by offering integrated health examination kiosks.

These cutting-edge kiosks measure vital health parameters, including blood pressure, height, weight, blood oxygen levels, body fat percentage, body composition, body temperature, and body mass index (BMI). This data allows for expert health advice, enabling individuals to monitor and improve their well-being while mitigating risks associated with various non-communicable diseases.

First Aid Kits and Collaborative Partnerships
Recognizing the importance of preparedness for emergencies, MedOrange offers customizable first aid kits tailored to diverse needs.

Additionally, the company is open to partnerships with organizations interested in hosting awareness events like marathons and walkathons, offering support in advertising and related services.

MedOrange Pharmacies, established in 2020, is not just a pharmacy but a
comprehensive orchestrated platform committed to providing convenience in health, beauty, and wellness solutions. Through its robust online and physical presence, last-mile delivery, and services designed to cater to the diaspora, MedOrange is dedicated to enhancing healthcare access and overall well-being for all Zimbabweans.