Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has told TelOne management to diversify the state owned fixed network operator’s product offerings after it announced a dropped in revenue to $49,4 million for the first half of 2016, sliding from $60 million last year.
TelOne managing director, Chipo Mtasa, told the company’s second annual general meeting on Friday that the dip in revenue was primarily due to a 20 percent slide in voice service earnings, hit by a rise in use of over the top services (OTTs).
“We recorded a 10 percent increase in broadband revenue but this has not matched the 18 to 19 percent drop decline in voice revenues,” she said, adding OTTs were driving the demand for broadband services.
In the six months, TelOne’s broadband subscriber base jumped by over 25 percent to 76,303.
Operating costs eased to $48 million from $58 million in the comparable period last year but earnings before interest and depreciation remained flat at $1,3 million.
The telco spent $2,7 million in capital expenditure, down from $6,5 million last year, as it sought to contain costs.
Mutasa said the firm cut salaries by 15 percent across the board and froze bonuses in August last year to cut costs, saying these would only be re-instated “if the business responds.”
Mutasa told the meeting, which Chinamasa attended representing government as the shareholder, that the telco was struggling, but making efforts to recover $264 million owed to it by players in the economy.
Corporates and small to medium enterprises owe TelOne $92,2 million, households $82, million, government $41,1 million, parastatals $36,9 million and local authorities $10,6 million.
On the other hand, the firm’s creditors stood at $129 million with the top two, the Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe and Econet, owed a combined $54,4 million.
Mutasa appealed for the reinstatement of a debt “offset arrangement” between parastatals which would help cancel out debts among state owned enterprises.
“(Tax agent) Zimra garnished our accounts and collected $6,7 million and we now owe them about $2,6 million, but the money they took was meant to service other creditors,” Mutasa said.
She bemoaned legacy debts amounting to $348 million as at the end of last year, which she said continued to impact negatively on the business.
The telco has in the last few years emerged as one of the most profitable parastatals, not relying on government bailouts.
TelOne recorded a net profit of $12,8 million for the full year ended December 2014, which however slumped to $5,8 million last year.
In response, Chinamasa said TelOne must widen its revenue streams to boost income.
“My interest in state enterprises in the telecommunications business is that they should be cash cows and should contribute significantly to government revenue,” he said.
“Your business is too heavily dependent on voice and you should make significant progress into the internet business.”
Chinamasa lauded TelOne for the salary cut and bonus freeze, urging government and other private sector companies to take a cue from the state owned firm.
“Cutting salaries by 15 percent needs to be emulated not only in the private sector but in government. It was a very courageous and brave decision to align employment costs to the operating environment.”
He said government was still looking at ways to address legacy debts, a problem that most parastatals were battling.-TheSource
Magaya rel’ Steals Wicknell Chivayo’s Shoes
A Magaya family man has been hauled before the courts for stealing ex-convict and businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s shoes.
The 40 year old, Ignatius Magaya, was caught wearing a pair, one of Chivayo’s many shoes.
After the arrest, Magaya was discovered with 29 more pairs and other clothing items belonging to Chivhayo. He had hid the items at his farm house in Kutama, police records say.
Prosecutor, Sebastian Mutizirwa said that Magaya also stole 9 large screen televisions, 3 generators, 2 radios, 30 pairs of shoes, 7 mobile phones, a solar panel, 4 Ipads, computers and clothing from other complainants.
Magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe remanded Magaya in custody pending a soon to be announced bail ruling.
The prosecution says the total value of the stolen clothes reach $60,660.
The other complainants include Michael Cain, Lovemore Madembo, Lee Mugoni, Musa Gumede, Regina Mawere, Agnes Kunaka, Tamlyan Birket, Koumides Kynaros and one Richard Wild.
Mphoko Lied About Rainbow Hotel Ownership | INVESTIGATION
The Source – Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, under attack for staying at the Rainbow Towers hotel for close to two years, has justified his stay by suggesting no tax dollars are being lost because he is staying in hotel owned by the government.
“I live in a government hotel. It’s as good as staying in a government house,” Mphoko was quoted as saying on Monday.
Government does indeed own the Rainbow Towers building, but it does not own Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG), which runs the hotel. RTG is not a parastatal, even though 
government appears to treat it as such, most likely on the basis of its ownership of the building.
RTG history
RTG does have its roots in government. Its history can be traced to 1981, when the Zimbabwe Tourism Board was formed. In 1985, the government completed construction of a five-star hotel and conference centre in Harare, operating under a Harare Sheraton Hotel management contract. In 1991, the Zimbabwe Tourism Investment Company (ZTIC) was established to house government’s tourism interests, and the venture was soon renamed Rainbow Tourism Group.
The year 1999 was eventful for RTG. The Sheraton management contract was renegotiated and the hotel was renamed Sheraton Harare Hotel and Towers. RTG was privatised and listed. The government sold 70 percent of RTG to private and institutional investors.
In 2005, the Sheraton contract ended and management was localised. The businesses of Sheraton Harare Hotel and Towers and Harare International Conference Centre were merged.
The company was short of cash and had to go to shareholders for more money, via a rights issue. If a shareholder fails to follow their rights and raise money for the extra shares, they get “diluted” or their shareholding is reduced when the shares on offer are bought by someone else. This is what happened to what had remained of government shareholding then.
In 2011, one of the shareholders, Econet Wireless, sold its 11 percent shareholding to NSSA. RTG in 2012 held another rights issue and government shareholding was diluted even further. The shareholding of NSSA, which was the underwriter of that rights offer, went up.
Current shareholding
As of today, NSSA holds 36.21 percent of RTG. Hamilton & Hamilton Trustees, owned by investor Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, owns 32.08 percent. Stanbic Nominees owns 19.96 percent. The government, through the Ministry of Tourism, owns no more than four percent.
RTG owes NSSA some $13,6 million.
Often, NSSA is seen as a parastatal. In strict terms however, NSSA is a statutory body, and only holds investments on behalf of paying workers, both private and public. NSSA money cannot therefore be treated as government money.
It is therefore not true that government owns RTG, either through direct shareholding, or through NSSA.
While RTG was once a parastatal, government’s control of the firm ended once it sold 70 percent to private shareholders in 1999, and subsequently saw its shareholding reduced because it could not fulfil its obligations as a shareholder.
But in practise the government has never let go of RTG, almost 20 years after privatising it. As demonstrated by Mphoko, the government still treats RTG as a parastatal, and one that officials can use for their own ends as they do with most state-owned enterprises.
At the core of the poisonous relationship between government and RTG is the ownership of the Rainbow Towers and Conference Centre. Government has retained ownership of the building, and RTG leases it from the Ministry of Local Government. The government pays nothing for using the Rainbow Towers and the conference centre. The costs are offset against RTG’s leasing costs.
According to various sources, government also refuses to pay for services at the other hotels that RTG actually owns, including the Bulawayo Rainbow. Government insists on using these for free, using RTG’s lease costs. There is no detail about the agreement, although RTG’s 2014 annual report disclosed annual operating lease expenses at $1.7 million.
This arrangement has been to the detriment of all the company, and to the shareholders of RTG, who have had to take a string of losses, partly caused by the company’s failure to detach itself from government.
Mphoko’s “it’s a government hotel” justification also betrays the attitude of government officials towards state owned enterprises, and why many of them are in a deep financial hole. Government officials do not treat parastatals as the commercial enterprises that they should be, accountable to competent boards and taxpayers. Instead, they are only seen as tools for the personal convenience of those in senior positions.
Even if RTG was a parastatal, which it is not, there cannot be justification for its abuse by the government or its officials, however senior. – The Source
Mugabe Flies Off to Botswana, Leaves Zim Burning
President Robert Mugabe yesterday flew off to Botswana.
Mugabe whose own country is burning, arrived in Gaborone last night to attend today’s Sadc Double Troika Summit on Lesotho which will review the political and security situation in the Mountain Kingdom.
He flew away with Ministers Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Foreign Affairs), Kembo Mohadi (State Security), Sydney Sekeramayi (Defence) and Ignatius Chombo (Home Affairs), the state media reported saying.
Mugabe left the country burning under a myriad of problems as his office fails to pay civil servants this week offering to pay them $100 each.
The Double Troika comprises the Troika of Summit (Botswana, Zimbabwe and Swaziland) which steers Sadc affairs in between General Assemblies of Heads of State and Government, and the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania).
It convenes to thwart lingering regional security threats, and Lesotho figures on its agenda following political uncertainties emerging from the killing of the country’s former defence forces commander Brigadier Maaparankoe Mahao.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha told The Herald: “Lesotho committed to doing a number of things in line with the report of the Sadc Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Brigadier Maaparankoe Mahao.
“The Sadc Double Troika will, therefore, focus on developments in that country and review progress on those commitments.”
Brig Mahao was shot dead by his former subordinates on June 25, 2015 while allegedly resisting arrest on a charge of mutiny.
There had been reports of an attempted military coup after then Prime Minister Dr Thomas Thabane fired LDF commander Lieutenant-General Kennedy Tlali Kamoli and elevated Brig Mahao to the post in 2014.
However, the army denied the reports, and Dr Thabane’s successor, Dr Pakalitha Mosisili, was to reinstate Kamoli after taking office in 2015.
Dr Thabane, Basotho National Party leader Thesele Maseribane and the Reformed Congress of Lesotho’s Keketso Ranso fled the country as political violence surged.
In July 2015, President Mugabe, then Sadc Chair, presided over a Double Troika Summit that assembled a 13-member Commission of Inquiry to investigate Brig Mahao’s killing.
The Commission has recommended the following, among other points:
The Government of Lesotho should ensure criminal investigations on the death of Brig Mahao are pursued vigorously. The finality of the investigations should lead to a transparent course of justice;
In the interest of restoring trust and acceptance of the LDF to the Basotho nation, Lieutenant-General Kamoli should be relieved of his duties as LDF Commander, and all LDF officers implicated in cases of murder, attempted murder and treason should be suspended while investigations on their cases proceed in line with international best practice;
Deficiencies and overlaps in the Constitution of Lesotho with regards to mandates of security institutions need to be looked into urgently with a comprehensive strategy to reform them; and
An amnesty covering detained mutiny suspects and ensuring the safe return of LDF members who fled Lesotho in fear for their lives should be facilitated.
Last week, Sadc Facilitator and South Africa Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa met PM Mosisili and other stakeholders in Lesotho to review progress.
Mr Ramaphosa told journalists afterwards: “We will table that (progress) report (before the Double Troika) and I can say we have been very pleased with the fact that the government has come up with a response.
“We are going to deal with it at the Sadc level and we will look at how government has taken steps to implement the recommendations.” -state media
Drunk Friends Kill Colleague Over Footpath Argument
Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|A drinking binge ended in tragedy in Chivi when two men murdered their friend over an argument on which footpath to take to reach home.
The two men, Tobias Manzwengarufu and Radios Shereni of Foroma Village killed Trymore Wathi over a heated argument on the footpath to take to reach home following a drinking spree at a local bar.
The two appeared before Chivi resident magistrate Bishard Chineka facing murder charges after they assaulted and killed their friend.
The Incident happened on June 13 2016 as the three were coming from the local bar where they were drinking beer.They picked an argument over the path they were to use to go home. Wathi argued with his friends until the situation got tense resulting in a fight.
Manzwengarufu and Shereni then assaulted Wath with a log,taking turns to hit their hapless friend and left him unconscious.
On the following morning Wathi was rushed to Masvingo Provincial Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.The two were remanded in custody to July 1.
Shocked relatives said the incident was unfortunate since the three always drank beer together without any arguments.
“We cannot believe what happened because these guys always drank beer together.We were shocked when we heard what happened. The two murdered Wathi over an agument on the footpath to take to reach home.It is really shocking and unfortunate,” said a local villager.
Govt Chucks Out $20 million to Private School Teachers
GOVERNMENT is paying teachers in Trust and private schools about $20 million annually when those institutions are supposed to meet their staff costs. This was revealed by Auditor-General Ms Mildred Chiri in her 2015 Civil Service Audit presented to Parliament last week.
She stressed that Government must stop using taxpayers’ money to subsidise private institutions. Government, Ms Chiri said, was paying 3 000 teachers in private and Trust schools. Ms Chiri also indicated that there was over-staffing of teachers in schools by 5 500.
These are mainly relief and student teachers.
“The audit established that a total of 2 888 teachers were being paid by Government while working at Trust and private schools, drawing a salary of $1 650 048 per month, which translates to $19 800 576 per annum,” said Ms Chiri.
“Trust schools levy relatively higher tuition fees than Government and mission schools and are therefore capable of paying salaries of teachers currently employed by Government.”
Masvingo Province has the highest number of Government-funded teachers (680) at private primary schools.
Manicaland comes second with 419 teachers. Matabeleland North Province has the least number of Government-funded teachers at private primary schools with 32.
Manicaland has the highest number of Government-funded teachers at private secondary schools with 279 followed by Masvingo which has 229.
Mashonaland West Province has the least number of Government-funded teachers at private secondary schools, with six followed by Matabeleland North with 14.
Mrs Chiri recommended that Government should stop paying the salaries.
“Since Government is spending $19 800 576 per annum in payment of salaries to Trust Schools, Government should forthwith cease payment of salaries to these teachers because it is an unfair charge to public funds to subsidise a private entity.
“Notwithstanding the withdrawal of Government assistance in the payment of salaries of teachers in private schools, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should intensify and strengthen the supervision of Trust and Private Schools in line with the provisions of the Education Act (Chapter 25:04),” she said.
The audit also revealed that there was overstaffing of teachers in Government primary and secondary schools.
Of the 127 091 teachers found at schools during a head count, 12 554 were students teachers while 12 371 were relief tutors.
“Total pupil enrolment for the same period stood at 3 696 779 for both primary and secondary schools. Using a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:40 for primary schools, the 2 838 235 pupils at primary schools required 70 956 teachers.
“Using a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:33 for secondary schools, the 858 544 pupils at secondary schools required 26 017 teachers.
“With the above ratios, the total number of teachers required should stand at 96 973 excluding student teachers and relief teachers totaling 24 925. The overall over-staffing situation at the time of the audit for the teachers was 5 588,” said Mrs Chiri.
She said Government was paying about $33, 5 million annually due to overstaffing. She said the situation was as a result of the failure by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to put mechanisms in place to reduce the wage bill.
The report recommended that the Ministry must address the overstaffing issue. It also suggested that recruitment of temporary and relief teachers be stopped as well until the excess staff was obsorbed.
The AG said the Ministry’s establishment must not exceed 102 600 teachers at any given time to avoid excess expenditure to the fiscus.
She said the Ministry was expected to adhere to the stipulated teacher-pupil ratios of 1:40 and 1:33 in both primary and secondary schools, respectively. The audit also established that there were 170 primary schools with deputy headmasters despite having less than 281 pupils. This contravenes the Ministry’s Circular 15 of 2006.
The deputy headmasters were drawing about $1, 2 million annually. There were also 170 secondary schools with less than 600 pupils but with deputy headmasters. The deputy headmasters were also drawing about $1, 2 million a year.
“The commission established that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education deployed two heads per school at 32 schools and two deputy heads per school at 63 schools drawing about $1, 3 million per annum,” said Mrs Chiri.
The report also revealed that there was over-staffing of more than 700 teachers in both primary and secondary schools where there were enrolments of less than 100 pupils per school.
The over-staffing cost Government about $4, 2 million annually.-state media
Zim Parks Boss Kicked Out
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority director-general Mr Edson Chidziya was yesterday suspended to pave way for investigations following anomalies identified in rhino horns stockpiles.
In a statement yesterday, the ZPWMA said Mr Chidziya would be on forced leave for the next 60 days in order for him not to interfere with the probe.
“Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority announces the sending on leave of the authority’s director-general Mr Edson Chidziya. The move has been taken to allow for an audit.
“Mr Chidziya will be on full benefits for the 60 days. Meanwhile, Mr Wilson Mutinhima who is a non-executive board member and chair of the Conservation and Human Resources committee will be in charge,” reads the statement.
Reports say the country has over five tonnes of rhino horns that it cannot sell because of the Convention on International Trade in Endangers Species (CITES) restrictions.
Recently, Mr Chidziya was quoted by our sister paper the Sunday News as saying the country’s ivory stockpile was continuously increasing from many sources such as culling of problem animals and natural deaths.-state media
Pay Crisis – Government to pay civil servants $100 each
Staff Reporter |Government has resolved to pay all civil servants $100 each to cushion them until rescheduled pay dates.
In a press statement issued late Monday night, an official with the Public Commission said that government will advance all the government employees the $100 following discussions held with the employees in Harare earlier in the day.
The finalisation of the arrangement awaits feed back from the employees who asked to report back to their unions before passing a final agreement.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association is reported to have already rejected the offer setting the stage for a huge stand off between the teachers and government.
The teachers body has already given government notice that it will stop attending work until they are paid their June salaries in full.
The salaries were due on the 22nd of June but were deferred until July 17 as government claims to be having a financial crisis to meet its wage bill.
‘BREXIT’ Iceland knocks England out of Euro 2016, Hodgson resigns
The Guardian | It’s all over! Iceland 2- England 1
England have been eliminated from Euro 2016 by Iceland. For the second time in a week, England suffer an ignominious exit from Europe. They’ve been awful tonight and thoroughly deserved to lose. Hats off to Iceland, though. They’re a limited team, but played to their own strengths and thoroughly deserved their win.
For Roy Hodgson, it was a desperate and ignominious way to end his four years as England manager. Whatever else happened in that time, his period in charge will probably always be remembered for the full-on humiliation that accompanied this defeat and the knowledge it will rank among the more infamous results in the history of the national team.
How can it not when the suffering comes against a country with a population roughly the size of Croydon and absolutely no history of tournament football? What heroes Iceland were: brave, organised, superb. They have established themselves as the greatest story of Euro 2016 and it feels almost like a trick of the imagination that it is only four years since they were ranked 133rd in the world. Yet that will not reduce the embarrassment for England, their departing manager and a set of players who chronically under-performed after Wayne Rooney’s early penalty.
Iceland played with courage, skill and togetherness. England, in stark contrast, dramatically lost their way once their lead had been wiped out and Hodgson must know now there is no way his contract will be renewed. England will have another manager for the next World Cup, Hodgson’s reign will be defined by a result comparable to losing to the United States in the 1950 World Cup and the now-familiar inquest will begin about what it wrong with football in the country that likes to think it invented the sport.
The bottom line for England is that no team can defend this generously and expect to get away with it. England’s back four has been a legitimate source of concern for some time and it was startling to see the way they capitulated at the back when the team had made such an encouraging start.
Iceland’s first goal came from precisely the kind of long-throw routine that had apparently been uppermost in England’s thoughts during their training sessions. The second was another reminder that the modern-day England side simply do not have the outstanding centre-backs of previous tournaments and, once again, it was a personal ordeal for the increasingly accident-prone Joe Hart.
Hart may bellow the words to the national anthem with more vigour, possibly, than anyone else in the tournament, but in the rather more important issues for a national team goalkeeper he has become a danger to his own side. Hart’s mistake for Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s goal was not quite as wretched as the one that saw Gareth Bale’s free-kick squirm past him in the Wales match but, to put it kindly, it was another shot he should have kept out. His carelessness is becoming a recurring theme and, just like the Bale goal, this was another one where he dived to his left and let the ball beat him despite getting his gloves to it.
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All of which felt nothing short of remarkable bearing in mind only three minutes had elapsed when Daniel Sturridge’s curling pass sent Raheem Sterling running into the penalty area and Iceland’s goalkeeper, Hannes Halldorsson, brought him down for a clear penalty. Rooney aimed the penalty, low and hard, to the goalkeeper’s right and at that stage England’s followers might have been lulled into thinking their team would win with something to spare.
Instead, the equaliser arrived within two minutes and was bordering on tragicomedy given that it was the first time Aron Gunnarsson had hurled in the ball from the touchline. England, Hodgson had told us, knew all about this trick and would be drilled to guard against it. Yet it was difficult to see any hard evidence. One Icelandic centre-half flicked the ball on, the second ran in and applied the final touch. Rooney had been beaten by Kari Arnason for the first header but Kyle Walker was even more culpable in the way he failed to cover Ragnar Sigurdsson’s run into the six-yard area.
Iceland’s second goal followed in the 18th minute and, in fairness to Hart, he was not the only one to blame. Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling both stood off as Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Sigthorsson exchanged passes in the front of the area. Sigthorsson moved in between them both, took aim with his right foot and watched the ball sneak into the bottom corner.
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England were rattled and, by half-time, they were starting to look a little desperate. Rooney could be seen slashing wildly at a volley that needed control. Dele Alli had resorted to diving to try to win a penalty and the first boos arrived when the whistle sounded for the interval. England were still threatening to get behind their opponents but Iceland did not simply retreat when they had the lead. They gave everything to hold on but, when they had the chance to break forward, this tough, obdurate side advanced with confidence.
Ten minutes into the second half, there was almost a second goal for Ragnar Sigurdsson, this time with an overhead kick. Hart kept that out but it must have been alarming for Hodgson that for long passages his players had two-thirds of the ball without managing to look the better side.
One moment summed it up midway through the second half. England had a free-kick 40 yards out and Harry Kane insisted on shooting from an almost implausible distance, aiming his effort harmlessly wide. Again, there was voluble dissent from the England fans packed behind their goal. Kane had looked well short of his best, in keeping with how he has played throughout the tournament.
By that stage Hodgson had brought on Jamie Vardy in place of the largely ineffectual Sterling. Jack Wilshere had come on at half-time for Eric Dier, who might have been suffering an ankle injury.
England certainly had the attacking personnel to save themselves but Rooney, Sturridge and particularly Kane had a wretched night. Marcus Rashford was brought on and Cahill finished the game playing in attack. None of it worked and England will never live it down.
Chaos Hits Beitbridge Again
Staff Reporter| Beitbridge border post is today yet another war zone between government and members of the public over imported goods from South Africa.
ZimEye.com sources at the border indicate that goods worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were today confiscated by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials under the new customs regulations promulgated last week.
According to the sources, none of the cross border transporters known as Malaisha crossed the border into Zimbabwe as they preferred to go back to South Africa with their goods than have them taken away by the state.
The chaotic situation has forced a huge congestion of confused Zimbabwean shoppers and transporters stranded in Messina South Africa not knowing what to do next.
Heavy police and state security agents patrolled the border post to quell any disturbances similar to the unrest that took place last week.
“Goods are being taken away without any negotiations even from people offering to pay customs duty for their goods, ” said a source.
“The officials are refusing to even allow us to go back with the goods to South Africa after refusing them entry into the country,” added the source.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed rumours allege that the South African border authorities have also immediately banned entry of Zimbabwean products into South Africa leaving several trucks stranded at the border.
On the other side, smugglers known as magumaguma are reportedly making a killing smuggling goods across the Limpopo River. Police and soldiers manning the borders on both sides of the river are reported to be working with the smugglers for a killing too.
Zanu PF Youth Militia ‘Ghost Workers’ Gvt Must Deal With
Terrence Mawawa |Masvingo In a statement that could spark controversy,Labour and Social Welfare Minister,Priscilla Mupfumira has sensationally announced that ghost workers must be immediately removed to reduce government expenditure.
Mupfumira’s sentiments could irk her bosses who have been protecting ghost workers since 2008.It is understood most of the ghost workers are in the Women Affairs and Youth ministries respectively. Youth ,Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister, Patrick Zhuwao has vowed to protect ghost workers in his ministry,despite the escalating wage bill .
It is understood there are over 80 000 ghost workers,mainly Zanu PF youths who are being rewarded for orchestrating violence against the ruling party’s political foes. The government has all but failed to put together civil servants’ salaries for June,with the pay dates being shifted to July,excluding the pay days for the police and the army.
Members of the Zimbabwe National Army have since received their salaries while members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police will get their salaries on June 30. Mupfumira said in a statement last week,the rationalisation programme at lower government departments was vital to ensure there were no ghost workers in government.
The minister also conceded ghost workers were milking the state coffers dry. “The ministry has embarked on a rationalisation process to try and reduce the number of staff in government departments to make sure that there are no ghost workers in the system.The government does not have the money to cater for the huge wage bill ,”said Mupfumira.
MP Chasi Releases Album, Lauds Salvation Army
By Sydney Barson | The Salvation Army Church has been consistent in promoting good quality education and healthcare services in Zimbabwe for the past 125 years, Mazowe South Legislator Hon. Fortune Chasi has said.
Speaking at the farewell service of the Church’s Chief Secretary and Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries Colonels Innocent and Norma Kwenda held at Nyachuru Primary School in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central last Saturday, Hon Chasi praised the Church for its sterling work in schools and hospitals.
The Salvation Army has 51 primary and secondary schools and 2 hospitals and 1 hospital home.
Colonels Kwenda will be going out of the country for new assignments.
Hon Chasi said when he knew he would be coming to address the Salvation Army Church he partnered with one Tawanda Kasaira commonly known as Dr. Tawanda and released an 8 track CD album with Salvation Army hymns.
The duo then did a live perfomance of a few songs which took the congregation to the dance floor and donated a number of CDs to the congregants.
The Parliamentarian said their music is based on various themes such as domestic violence.
“You need to find out what’s happening in society and sing about it, currently the most popular genre is Zimdance hall and that’s what we did in our first album.” said Chasi.
The Church was also urged to talk to network providers and engage in sms competitions as this could raise some money for the Church.
The MP cum musician described himself as a true son of the regiment because his mother is now a retired Corps Sergeant Major in the Salvation Army.
Mazowe Boys High School choir, Bradley High School Timbrels, Hosho, Songsters and brass bands contributed in worship for the day.
This year the Salvation Army is celebrating 125 years of mission and service in Zimbabwe and from September 29th to October 02nd the Church will gather at Glamis Arena at Harare Showgrounds congress.
Mliswa Meets ANC’s Zizi Khodwa
The founder and Commander in Chief of the Youth Advocacy for Reform and Democracy, Mr Temba Mliswa, continues to forge regional and global ties with international leaders.
En-route to Europe the YARD leader, Mliswa made a brief stop-over in South Africa where he held a diplomatic briefing with Mr Zizi Khodwa the African National Congress (ANC) Spokesperson who is also presidential spokesperson. At the time of going to press ZimEye.com was not privy to the issues discussed by the two politicians.
Mliswa who is on his way to Europe for some diplomatic briefings with senior politicians there said: “it is time Zimbabwe re-engaged with the rest of the world again. We must forge cooperation beginning with our neighbours in the region and spreading to the international community.”
More to follow…
Recovering Tsvangirai “Hot Pictures” With Wife Liz
Movement for Democratic Change President, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, today publicly thanked his wife Elizabeth for standing by him at a time he is facing serious health challenges.
Tsvangirai who announced that he has colon cancer, sought to put to a stop to speculation over his health that has raged on for months. “I want to thank my wife Elizabeth for her love and caring, my family, MDC members and the broader Zimbabwean society for their prayers and support on this journey,” wrote Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai and his wife Elizabeth have seen some good days and some bad too. He lost his first wife Susan in a car accident in March 2009.
Many however, have blamed Tsvangirai’s media team for failing to handle his personal manners in a vigilant professional way resulting in the recent publicity crisis.
Boycotting Mphoko is Stupid | OPINION
By Ndaba Nhuku|Boycotting Zanu business interests is being stupid and naive.
Why not boycott all of them than target one person who has never been listed anywhere as corrupt. Targeting Mphoko’s businesses only smells of tribalism. Too many former and current Zanu leaders are known for amassing vast wealth through corrupt means and driving the nation into poverty well before Mphoko was known yet no-one ever targeted their well known business entities. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW – ALSO READ:
No one even ever dared target Mugabe’s own businesses. Was Choppies started by funds from govt or it was started well before Mphoko was appointed VP? When Chamisa engages in business dealing with the Mugabes it is lauded as business acumen!! Leave Choppies alone and target the likes of Mnangagwa, Mujuru, Mpofu, Kasukwerere, Mugabe, Bhasikiti, Mutasa, Chiyangwa, Chivayo and many others. Scared of targettong them? Don’t fight the vice- presidential Mnangagwa – Mphoko social media- created rivalry by hiding behind the hotel nonsense.
Ok, suppose Mphoko resigns and Mugabe appoints eminently arrogant Kasukwerere, Sandi Moyo or Mpofu as his replacement? What will you do next? If you are to boycott any Zanu leaders businesses, boycott the entire Zimbabwe business because it is all owned or linked to Zanu leadership.
Should Zanu target opposition leaders’ companies and drive them out of business? Zimbabweans in opposition parties lack foresight hence the perennial failure to remove Zanu from power. There is too much of using emotions, petty tribal nonsense, fighting other people’s imagined wars, and downright nativity and stupid thinking to have any foresight about the consequences of their conduct. Zanu runs the country and issues all business licences, and thus can choose to destroy opposition leaders’ or their sympathisers’ businesses. And for a dead economy like Zimbabwe who loses out through the closure of Choppies or all other Zanu leaders companies? It’s the working employees!! And will they then join opposition parties?
There is a lot of introspection needed within the so-called democratic movements in Zimbabwe. As long as it is led by emotional midgets and over- zealous youths, it won’t achieve anything and instead enhances corruption. Zanu needs mature and level headed people to remove it from power. All the meaningless noises and amateurish political fashion statements come and go leaving Zanu well entrenched in power. Nothing will defeat Zanu short of having level headed leaders it deplores coming together in unity to work towards its removal.
With the prevailing mentality in the so-called democratic movements, soon it will be Christmas and you will all be having miserable “presents” without salaries whilst Zanu fellas can only sympathise with you. Will that stop the likes of Chiyangwa, Kasukwerere from enjoying their loot? Will that make some well known corrupt opposition leaders share their own loot with you? You are on your own as long as you think mafikizolos in Zanu are the authors of your miseries!!
Morgan Tsvangirai Speaks On His Health | FULL TEXT
Morgan Tsvangirai speaks on his health
By Morgan Tsvangirai|On the 8th of May 2016, my Zimbabwean doctors referred me to South Africa where a further diagnosis revealed that I am suffering from cancer of the colon. Following the diagnosis last month, I underwent an operation last month that was very successful.
However, a diagnosis of cancer is the first of several medical procedures that include treatment through chemotherapy, which treatment I began this week. As a leader and a public figure, I have taken a decision to make public my condition. It is my firm belief that the health of national leaders, including politicians, should not be a subject of national speculation and uncertainty.
I want to thank my wife Elizabeth for her love and care, my family, MDC members and the broader Zimbabwean society for their prayers and support on this journey.
This health condition is unfortunate but can be faced by anyone. I intend to confront this development with the determination to overcome it. In the meantime, let us remain focused in confronting the national crisis we face.
God bless you all.
Mujuru Says “Mugabe Fired Us For Devolution Of Power”
Staff Reporter| The leader of opposition party, Zimbabwe People First Party who is former ZANU PF second secretary and Vice President to President Robert Mugabe, Joice Mujuru, has claimed that she with several former ZANU PF leaders were dismissed from the ruling party for demanding that powers in the administration of the country be given into the hands of the people.
Mujuru said this when addressing about 8000 ZimPF supporters in Harare yesterday.
Mujuru said they crossed paths with the Mugabe administration after they insisted that Zimbabweans were demanding for the devolution of power because the ZANU PF government was not giving people the right to choose how they wanted to be governed in their territories.
Delivering her party ideology ahead of the launch of the party scheduled for later this year, Mujuru said that her party’s underlining principle is giving people on the ground the leading role in their governance.
“ZANU PF lacked the political will to let people come first in deciding how they want to be governed which is why the whole country is crying for devolution of power,” she said.
“When Zimbabwe People First comes to power it is going to be the people who will decide what is to be done and their wishes will be put first.”
Mujuru went further to blame the ZANU PF government for centralising everything in Harare.
“We can not have a government that does not look at the country as a whole but retains development only in Harare,” she said.
“When Harare lives large all areas must live large. Bulawayo, lina alifuni kujabula yini (Bulawayo don’t you also want to enjoy),” asked Mujuru in Ndebele amidst a huge applause from the crowd.
“It’s not only Harare that must benefit from the resources of this country but everyone wherever they are in the country. This is what ZANU PF never wants to understand, they don’t want to treat people equally and that’s what we were basically hated for.” she added.
Zimbabweans have been lobbying for government to implement the devolution of power concept as they believe that under the current centralised governance, the country’s resources were being channelled to Harare and surrounding areas marginalising other areas in the country.
The concept was captured into the country’s constitution very much against the wishes of the ruling ZANU PF. The government has taken time to align statues that would allow for the devolution of power to be implemented as in the constitution.
UPDATE – Churches Protest Against Dokora, National Pledge
CHURCH LEADERS are today holding a protest coupled with a schools boycott against Education Minister Lazarus Dokora’s imposition of a schools national pledge.
“The PNZ march is on today after we successfully applied for urgent a provisional court order which was granted yesterday by Judge Honourable Justice Mangota at the High Court,” ZimEye.com was told on Monday morning.
WICKNELL JAIL TERM: Man Caught Raping Grade Seven Pupil
Terrence Mawawa, Mvuma | A father was subjected to the shock of his life when he caught a man raping his 13 year old grade seven daughter.
Simbarashe Mujibha, who is a domestic worker in Uttah Village, Mvuma was caught raping the minor around midnight and has been sentenced to a prison term equivalent to that served by fraud convict, Wicknell Chivayo.
According to facts of the state case presented by prosecutor Bernard Nyoni in court last week, at an unkown date in May 2016, Mujibha, met the minor and proposed love to her. She initially refused but Mujibha piled pressure on her until she gave in.
During the said affair, Mujibha met the complainant on her way to a nearby market place to sell tomatoes. He lured her to a bush and had raped her. On June 5 2016, Mujibha sneaked into the minor’s bedroom and raped her before leaving around 4 am on the following day.
On June 6 2016, Mujibha sneaked again into the minor’s bedroom and raped her. At around 12 midnight, the minor’s father went to relieve himself and noticed that the child’s bedroom door was open. He checked and found Mujibha in the minor’s blankets. He tied the door from outside and called Constable Charles Zviputu who arrested Mujibha.
Mujibha was sentenced to three years in prison and one year suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Muzenda’s Son Inflames Mugabe over Mnangagwa
The son of the late former Vice-President Simon Muzenda’s son, Tongai, broke down in tears on Saturday when he met President Robert Mugabe over attacks from the Emmerson Mnangagwa faction.
Muzenda bared his soul over his alleged political persecution by Zanu PF hawks linked to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction.
Newsday reports that the drama occurred when Mugabe flew to Masvingo province at the weekend and met the warring factions in a closed-door meeting at Triangle Country Club.
The report follows an expose by ZimEye.com revealing how the Masvingo meeting saw Mugabe crushing Mnangagwa’s last remaining shreds of power and influence in the province which has told Mrs Grace Mugabe to her face that she is not wanted (CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE).
Sources at the meeting confirmed that the Gutu West legislator, who for long has been linked to the G40 faction, wept before Mugabe and lamented the death of his father.
“He was emotional while explaining that he and Paul Chimedza were denied maize by (Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai) Mahofa to distribute to his constituency,” a Zanu PF insider told NewsDay.
“He said: ‘it is hard to lose a father. Some people who want me expelled from Zanu PF were actually officiating at my wedding day, but now they have turned swords against me simply because my father is no more’,” Muzenda reportedly told Mugabe.
Contacted for comment, Muzenda was evasive over the issue, saying: “That was a private meeting and everything discussed there is not meant for media consumption. That is why you were not allowed to attend. I cannot comment on anything about the meeting.”
The ruling party is torn between two factions — G40 which is linked to First Lady Grace Mugabe and another group said to be loyal to Mnangagwa.
Mahofa declined to comment on allegations of politicising food aid and denying Muzenda and Chimedza’s constituencies’ access to government-sourced food aid.
After the five-hour-long meeting with legislators and the provincial executive, Mugabe failed to douse the factional fires as both factions dug in to their positions.
Zanu PF secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo later said that dates for a follow-up meeting would be announced in due course.
Most of Mnangagwa’s loyalists were reportedly barred from the weekend meeting.
Earlier, Mugabe had a one-and-a-half hour briefing with Psychomotor minister Josaya Hungwe, Mahofa, Chombo, Tourism minister Walter Mzembi, Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, Lands minister Douglas Mombeshora and Chiefs Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira. After the meeting which ended after 6pm, Mugabe uncharacteristically left in a huff without addressing the hordes of Zanu PF supporters gathered outside the venue.
Is the UK Referendum Result to Leave EU Legally Binding?
By Lloyd Msipa | The question in most people’s minds is whether the recently held referendum result “to leave” is legally binding on the United Kingdom.
One fundamental truth is that the UK parliament is sovereign and the leader of the country; in this instance the Prime minister will not be legally obliged to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty which is the precursor to the “leave” process or EU exit. In theory the EU referendum result is not legally binding and the Prime Minister had he chosen not to resign, could have ignored the will of the people and presented the matter to parliament and hope the majority of Members of Parliament will vote to over-turn the people’s public-verdict to leave. This is because constitutionally parliament is sovereign and referendums are generally not binding in the United Kingdom.
This is the position theoretically. In reality things look different. For instance, David Cameron has signalled his intention to resign; he has formally advised the Queen; this makes him now a lame-duck Prime Minister. He has unilaterally stripped himself of the mandate to present this Constitutional position to parliament lending strength to the Brexit campaigners and credibility to the referendum result. The referendum result is we all know was 52 – 48 in favour of the brexit campaigners.
This being the scenario, in practice the United Kingdom is now bound by the referendum result because the Prime Minister has effectively passed any mandate to actualise the Brexit outcome to the next Conservative leader who in turn will be the next Prime Minister. Another moral/ constitutional dilemma is that it will be politically incorrect for a new Conservative leader to come from the “Remain” block. This will seem to compromise their ability to negotiate an exit when they themselves voted to remain in the EU.
Another possible scenario being flouted around is the possibility of the Scotland block that voted to remain to table a motion before Westminster parliament for a vote to disregard the referendum outcome. Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish first Minister may or can step into the Prime Minister’s shoes (theoretically) and offer leadership in the campaign in Westminster parliament for a majority vote across the political divide to disregard the referendum result and uphold the supremacy or sovereignty of parliament.
This road is however untested and fraught with unintended consequences: One can only imagine the fury of the English people who voted to exit when a Scottish leader pokes their nose in their affairs: it may come across as a coup on brexit campaigners and there is the attendant constitutional crisis that may result from this course of action. Power seems to devolve to Scotland and Wales and not the other way round.
Another consideration worth noting is that the brexit narrative is slowly gaining traction and acceptance: the British people seem to have begun to accept their fate outside the EU despite scaremongering from Brussels for them to pack and go immediately. Parallels have been drawn between the EU exit and an acrimonious divorce with France asking its parliament to forego immigration checks at Calais and leave the British to their own devices.
This is having the effect of raising the ego and pride of the British people and most are beginning to talk back at utterances coming from across the channel. Whatever the outcome, it appears as if the locus standi for action or inaction lies squarely in the brexit camp and the imminent rise of one of their own- Boris Johnson.
Naked Witch Caught In Harare
Dear Editor
A female witch was this morning found on the door steps of a house this morning in Sakubva OTS high density.
When questioned, she further revealed that she is a local vendor ( at Musika Wehuku). She was seen seen surrounded by hundreds of people. They soon took her to the local police station whilst naked. I am sending you the pictures right now.
HJ
Churches March Against Dokora Today, High Court Okays “Abolish National Pledge” Protest
CHURCH LEADERS are today holding a protest coupled with a schools boycott against Education Minister Lazarus Dokora’s imposition of a schools national pledge.
“The PNZ march is on today after we successfully applied for urgent a provisional court order which was granted yesterday by Judge Honourable Justice Mangota at the High Court,” ZimEye.com was told on Monday morning.
The church groups under the banner of Prayer Network of Zimbabwe who have obtained a court ruling granting them permission, accuse President Robert Mugabe’s administration of being intent on destroying what used to be the strongest pillars of independence.
The controversial national pledge glorifies war veterans and the Zanu PF leadership and has torched strong resentment among teachers, parents and ordinary citizens.
Some concerned parents lodged an application with the Constitutional Court (Concourt) on the grounds the pledge is in fragrant violation of the constitution which promotes religious diversity and pluralism.
While parents await divine intervention and the outcome of the Con-Court application, church leaders said Thursday they were waiting for police clearance to stage a demonstration in Harare against the under fire Zanu PF minister.
The street protests tentatively set for May 16 is being organised by the Prayer Network Zimbabwe and is dubbed “Lets March Against Dokora”.
“What Zimbabweans are demanding is that the national pledge be taken out of our schools curriculum forthwith,” reads part of a petition by Prayer Network Zimbabwe shown to VOP.
“Bring back the Bible and Scripture Union to our schools.”
Two weeks ago, Dokora raised a stink when he suggested the government intended banning scripture unions from school but later appeared to climbing down, intimating he was quoted out of contest.
But be that as it may, the Prayer Network of Zimbabwe (PNZ) charges that Dokora and his top staff at the ministry should go for threatening the standards of education amid unconfirmed rumours in Harare the government intended introducing school uniforms for all primary and secondary education teachers.
PNZ said preparations for the protest and school boycott had reached an advanced stage, calling on all Christians regardless of their dominations to join the march on Monday the 27th June.
“We are petitioning the government to put in place policies that are in the interest of our children and to never disregard the parents’ right to determine moral and religious upbringing of our children,” PNZ said in a statement, adding that parents and other disgruntled citizens should not to allow their children to recite the ‘evil’ pledge.
Government critics are adamant the administration was off-side over the national pledge, pointing out the need to accommodate other religions as per the new constitution.
Reward Mushayabasa, political analyst and former journalism lecturer now based in the United Kingdom, says churches are within their right in opposing the national pledge, saying it is a strong stand against all forms of dictatorship.
He said churches were among the few voices of sanity left in the country.
“It is so sad to see Zanu PF destroying what used to be one of the strongest pillars of our independence. It produced one of the highest literacy rates in Africa and one of the best talent pools to come out of Africa,” said Mushayabasa.
“It is sad most of these products are now working outside the country for reputable international organisations due to our government’s ineptitude and mismanagement of the economy.
“It’s now clear to all and sundry that Zanu PF is now in a dangerous suicidal mode.
“…But this is not surprising. Everything is now dysfunctional in the country from hospitals to local authorities But Zanu PF functionaries do not are.
“They do not send their families to local schools and hospitals; instead they send overseas where they get first class service while the majority of Zimbabweans wallow in poverty.
Mutasa, Gumbo bodies at Mujuru rally
Founding members of the Joice Mujuru led Zimbabwe People First party Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa attended the Mujuru rally on Saturday in Harare just to show face at the gathering which they never agreed to endorse ZimEye.com can confirm.
Reliable sources in the party indicated that the two veteran politicians were literally begged by other party heavy-weights to attend the rally to give a false picture that all was well in the beleaguered party.
“We can confirm to you that Mutasa and Gumbo only attended the rally in bodies but not in spirit. Their spirits are now completely out of the party which they feel Mujuru is not leading as designed by them at the formation,” said the sources.
The sources indicated that the party resolved to beg the two elders to attend the rally after they did not attend the first public rally of the party in Bulawayo last week without giving reason but as a strong sign of discontent on Mujuru.
Following their last minute no-show at the Bulawayo rally, the media quickly revealed the differences that existed between Mujuru and the two founding members who have been relegated to the unfashionable “party elders” portfolio.
It is believed Gumbo and Mutasa’s original plan in the formation of the party was to front Mujuru as the party interim leader before having Mutasa take over at the official launch of the party at a later stage. Mujuru has however gained massive support in the party that has led to members pushing Mutasa out of the picture.
In Saturday’s rally, Mutasa and Gumbo arrived separately from Mujuru while they were expected to arrive together with Mujuru to show unity and solidarity after last week’s media headlines.
When Mujuru finally arrived, a section of the party supporters loyal to Mutasa emerged from within the crowd carrying placards denouncing Mujuru of her attempts to sideline the two. One of the placards read “NO ELDERS NO PARTY,” while another read “Don’t hijack the party from the elders.”
The placards were quickly brought down by members of the Mujuru security.
When the two were invited to address the gathering, they took to the stage for less than two minutes each with Gumbo making little greetings to the crowd. Mutasa who was asked to introduce Mujuru and ask her to address the crowd, only stood up to say one sentence, “president please address the people,” before turning away and sitting down.
Relations between Mujuru and Mutasa are said to be so strained that Mutasa is considering forming a splitter party according to party insiders.
Kasukuwere Son Horror: MDC Intensifies Deportation from UK
London-The Saviour Kasukuwere son saga has seen MDC-T senior envoy to UK Elliot Pfebve intensifying his campaign to deport the Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere’s son, Takudzwa.
Pfebve at the weekend began moves to obtain the minister’s son’s deportation (CLICK HERE TO READ MORE). Pfebve Sunday afternoon told ZimEye.com he has no regrets whatsoever for his campaign. He alleged Takudzwa must be deported because he has been bragging at the university saying Zimbabwean people in the Southern African country, are in poverty because they are lazy. CLICK BELOW FOR THE INTERVIEW
Blind Man Caught Raping 3yr Old Girl, Court Hears
A 76-year-old blind man was caught in the act allegedly raping a 3 year old girl.
Court officials on Friday struggled to drag the man into a courtroom as he refused to stand trial for allegedly raping a 3-year-old girl.
Ndawana Phinias Ndlovu of Lupanda Village under Chief Mabhikwa later attempted to undress in the courtroom in protest as he refused to respond to questions from the magistrate.
Hwange regional magistrate Mrs Dambudzo Malunga did not ask Ndlovu to plead and remanded him in custody to July 8.
The magistrate ordered that he be examined by two psychiatric doctors. Prison officers and court orderlies had to intervene to subdue Ndlovu. Ndlovu allegedly raped the toddler on May 20 this year.
“On May 20, at 9am the little girl was playing behind the accused’s bedroom hut when he lifted her and entered the room with her,” said prosecutor Mr Tawanda Sigauke.
While in the hut, Ndlovu allegedly placed the girl on a bed and undressed her before raping her once, the court was told.
It is alleged that Ndlovu was disturbed by a female relative who came looking for the girl and entered his bedroom hut where she caught him raping the minor.
A report was made to the police leading to Ndlovu’s arrest.-state media
Zesa Offloads Millions into Bungling Firm
Zesa Holdings has come under fire for awarding tenders worth millions of dollars to a local electrical firm that is failing to deliver despite being paid handsomely.Repeated offers of contracts to Pito Investments when it is failing to perform have raised suspicion that senior managers at the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) could be conniving with the firm’s officials to milk the power utility.
This comes amid revelations that Pito Investments once won a tender to supply 30 tonnes of silica gel, but delivered “stones” and was still paid $138 000 in public funds.
Silica gel is used to prevent forming of moisture in electricity distribution transformers, and the “stones” supplied by Pito Investments did not have the properties to absorb moisture.
The Herald last week exposed the company for recently supplying wrong underground cables in a $6,8 million tender it was awarded six years ago. ZETDC had paid a $1,1 million deposit to Pito, but the firm brought 1 kilovolt cables instead of 11kv cables.
Despite that history, ZETDC went on to award the firm another $7,2 million tender for the supply of 3 000 distribution transformers and paid a deposit of $1,9 million. Pito is failing to deliver on the tender, forcing ZETDC to turn to its sister company, Zesa Enterprise, for the transformers.
ZENT is also failing to meet ZETDC requirements. On the latest tender, ZETDC managing director Engineer Julian Chinembiri confirmed receiving wrong material instead of silica gel from Pito Investments. “Pito won a tender in 2013 for the supply of 30 tonnes of silica gel,” he said.
“Payment was made for the full consignment. The 30 tonnes they delivered failed the test and they had been paid $138 000. The company was asked to collect its ‘silica gel’ and replace it with the correct product. They collected their product from us and are yet to replace the silica gel. Pito has produced shipping documents for 15 tonnes of silica gel which is still in transit.”
Pito managing director Mr Allex Chideme confirmed “erring on the contract”. “We have the shipping documents to replace the whole consignment we got from India,” he said.
“I can show you and the things are in Durban. We have the stocks which were rejected and the Indians have rejected them. The rejected product is at our offices in the store house. They did not manufacture the silica gel properly. It’s silica gel but it was not properly manufactured. We had to buy another product. Tanzwa nekurohwa nenewspaper shamwari yangu, come and let’s sit down.”
A source said the firm had delivered “stones” which did not have absorbent characteristics of silica gel. “Silica jell is granular, the size of coarse salt and blue in colour,” said the source.
“What they delivered is more like stones, which explains why it failed tests. Silica gel absorbs moisture and changes its colour from blue to white. The one supplied when it was tested it was discovered that it does not have the properties to absorb moisture. It (silica gel) is used in transformer breathers to prevent moisture entrance into the transformer. In brief, Pito’s stones did not have any absorbent characteristics.”
Added the source: “There are supposed to be tests before making any payment and what is happening leaves one to suspect that senior managers are conniving (with Pinto) and making a killing out of these contracts.
“How can you pay without being satisfied by the product? It’s also either the engineers are incompetent or procedures are not being followed somewhere somehow.” The source said there was no need to continue awarding the contracts to Pito Investments when it was failing to deliver.
Mandiwanzira Lashes Critics
Information Communication Technology minister, Supa Mandiwanzira, has questioned the ‘sanity’ of those calling for him to resign in response to his $200,000 loan-swindle amid other corruption cases piling against him, calling them ‘day dreamers.’
Mandiwanzira in an interview with a local online paper, said those who think he should resign are “day-dreaming” as he is going nowhere, questioning, “What is a mere US$200 000 to a Cabinet minister?”
Mandiwanzira was last week exposed after taking nearly US$200 000 from a parastatal under his ministry to treat himself to a top-of- the-range vehicle without government approval.
He is also accused of interfering in the operations of mobile communication provider, NetOne, in which suspended Chief Executive Office Reward Kangai claims Mandiwanzira tried to exert his authority to get the parastatal to pay $4 million to Megawatt Energy.
“Am I a garden boy that is expected to go around on foot or on bicycle? I am a Cabinet minister for goodness sake!” the youthful minister fumed. “Anyone who thinks I should resign over this change-money is daydreaming because that is not going to happen.”
Mandiwanzira’s insensitivity to the plight and suffering of people, has put him on the spotlight with many calling for the minister to resign. Zimbabwe is currently under financial woes as it grapples cash shortages among a plethora of other problems and analysts say it cannot afford to satiate the opulent lifestyles of corrupt ministers. In Tanzania, President John Magufuli has put in place stern measures on the spending of those in public office in order to save much needed revenue and build the economy.
In Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe who is rumoured to be contemplating a cabinet reshuffle, is yet to move, to put his foot down against corrupt ministers who are tarnishing his name and legacy.
Mphoko Foxes MPs
In a desperate bid to save the faction ridden Zanu PF party from further splitting, Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, has promised those he describes as ‘hardworking’ MPs an exemption from grueling party primary elections.
Primary elections have tended to be a source of much strife for political parties in Zimbabwe, and preparations for the next 2018 harmonised elections could be further compounded by the current divisions rocking the ruling party.
State media report that the announcement was made by Mphoko last Wednesday in Mukumbura District, Mashonaland Central Province while addressing senior party and Government officials during a briefing where he had toured Government departments at the border post.
He later addressed thousands of people, the majority of whom were Zanu-PF supporters. In his address to senior party members, Mphoko urged sitting Zanu-PF legislators to work hard in their constituencies to ensure that the revolutionary party registered a landslide election victory in 2018.
VP Mphoko told party and Government officials that he was touring several areas to establish the state of preparedness of Zanu-PF ahead of the harmonised polls.
“The ball is in your court. We are saying all hardworking MPs should be exempted from primary elections. If you are not working in your constituency then do not blame us. We want people to work,” said Mphoko.
The statement was received with jubilation by Zanu-PF Mazowe North candidate, Advocate Martin Dinha who assured Mphoko that he would ensure that he worked hard so that he was guaranteed of the right to represent the party in 2018.
Adv Dinha, who is also Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Minister, will be representing Zanu-PF in Mazowe North constituency by elections set for July 23, to fill the vacancy that occurred following the death of Engineer Edgar Chidavaenzi two months ago.
Mphoko said he was moving around all provinces assessing the implementation of Government’s economic blueprint Zim-Asset ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections.
Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central Provincial chairperson Dickson Mafios warned legislators not to blame party leadership if they were found to be lazy and subjected to primary elections.
“We are watching you. We need people who work hard. Only those MPs who are hardworking in their constituencies will benefit from this. If you are not working hard and you are a Missing Person, do not blame party leadership,” said Mafios.
In his brief to Mphoko, Adv Dinha rapped the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Ministry for misdirecting the $20 million facility it got by constructing most schools in urban areas ignoring rural areas.
“Honourable VP, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education got a $20 million loan facility, but strangely it is constructing schools in urban areas like Kuwadzana, yet here parents are being asked to mould bricks, scrounge for money for roof sheets for the schools; yet we all know that most of them are not gainfully employed.
“Is it prudent for the ministry to construct schools in areas where parents already have the means and ignore rural schools where some children walk more than 20 kilometres to the nearest school. It is also in the rural areas where Zanu-PF had been registering landslide election victories,” said Adv Dinha.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education secured a $20 million facility from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting countries for the construction of schools.
VP Mphoko said the Ministry was one of the ministries that he superintended and he will be convening a meeting with all the ministries he oversees next week. Herald
Joice Mujuru FULL SPEECH
President Joice Mujuru: HARARE RALLY Full Speech.
SALUTATIONS
BACKGROUND SINCE 2014.
Most of you will recall that in 2014, together with other senior leaders in ZANU PF we came under serious attack facing several accusations ranging from extortion to treason. The unfounded allegations then resulted in our expulsion from ZANU PF. It was a traumatizing experience but we were sustained by your support as the people of Zimbabwe. Your support was truly amazing.
Today I stand here to tell you the truth. Everything said about us was a lie. Those who were used to create the lies have now come out in the open and revealed how they were abused. No lie can live forever!
It is a pity that instead of focusing on restoring the self-dignity of our people they turned this country into a highly intolerant and violent society. Instead of grooming the Youths into becoming responsible citizens, they teach them violence to the point of disrespecting the War Veterans. Cowards! They choose to unleash their wives and cowardly man to fabricate lies instead of formulating policies to transform this country. This country is in need of hope and transformation. We must pursue transformational politics instead of cheap power politics.
WHY ZIMBABWE PEOPLE FIRST?
Some of you might be under the impression that our Party, Zimbabwe People First is a grouping of disgruntled expelled former ZANU PF members. NO! As you might be aware, one of the accusations why we were expelled from ZANU PF was that we were perceived to be moderates who were pursuing pro-Western policies against the party position as defined by a few individuals. Our position has always been to put People First. Initially we thought we could achieve this from within, but our colleagues were not willing hence our expulsion.
Zimbabwe People First is therefore a new democratic and inclusive political party that accommodates every Zimbabwean regardless of age, gender, previous party affiliation, and race. It is not an extension of ZANU PF. I will not go back to ZANU PF. NO! Though founded by expelled senior ZANU PF members, Zimbabwe People First has since attracted people from the broad political spectrum including those who were previously apolitical. This diversity and our liberation struggle credentials make us a unique and democratic Zimbabwean political Party.
OUR PARTY IDEOLOGY – PEOPLE FIRST
As our name indicates, we are National Democrats and we believe in putting people’s interests first ahead of everything.
We are ZIMBABWEANS who seek to restore the Dignity, Economic, Political and Social emancipation for ALL PEOPLE who sacrificed their lives and all to achieve our political independence without discrimination or dehumanisation. We are ready to work with those who respect the values of the ZIMBABWEAN people to exercise their right to freely choose without fear or coercion.
Peace, Democracy and Prosperity for All.
HOPE AND TRANSFORMATION
As Zimbabwe People First we know what is wrong and we know what needs to be done to correct the prevailing situation. First and foremost we need to restore the self-dignity of our people in line with the values of the liberation struggle. As Zimbabwe People First, our plan covers five (5) clusters as explained in our policy document – BUILD.
Cluster 1 – Constitutionalism
We believe there must be one law for everyone. Currently we have a situation where a cattle rustler gets a 9-year jail term, but some senior government people misappropriate millions of public funds and are appointed to senior positions. We say no to the selective application of the law.
Zero tolerance towards corruption. Unchecked corruption brings an economy to its knees.
forcing ZESA to pay $5 million to an incompetent bidder for work not done bleeds the economy;
awarding a contract to your relatives without going to tender to produce electricity from diesel generators at very high prices, is a cost to everyone in the economy;
tolerating corruption breeds grand corruption;
In this regard, as responsible citizens we should not tolerate electricity tariff charges meant to support unsustainable and corrupt energy projects.
Freedom of Association and Expression
Our freedom as a people is not complete if we cannot freely associate and express ourselves in a lawful manner as enshrined in our State Constitution.
This is what we fought for.
Away with POSA and AIPPA. Our War Veterans must associate freely without fear of being teargased or water cannoned. Our people must not be force-marched to make up a million man marches. NO!
Respect and enforce property rights
Guarantee investment rights.
We shall give the vote to Zimbabweans in diaspora.
Cluster 2 – Economic Transformation
We shall restore investor confidence through ensuring a level playing field, consistent and predictable policies.
Promote investment across all sectors whilst pushing for social and economic empowerment of our people.
Repeal Indigenisation Act and enact an Empowerment Act.
The Agricultural and Land Policy
Make sustainable land use accessible to all.
Give immediate value to agricultural land by promoting a transparent land policy framework that attracts investment, creates, promotes and supports security of tenure and bankable leases.
We shall rationalize existing farm sizes in line with agro-economic regions and or production capacity.
We shall carry out a land audit to check multiple farm ownership and productivity on each farm.
We shall promote and support transparent contract and corporate farming models to ensure self-sufficiency and a surplus for export.
We shall promote value addition of agricultural produce locally to maximize on exports.
We shall promote the establishment and resuscitation of irrigation schemes to boost production through public and private sector partnerships.
We shall promote and support the establishment of an Agriculture Commodity Exchange.
Banking and Financial Sector
For nearly ten(10) years now, Zimbabwe has no currency of its own.
Restore investor confidence and attract lines of credit to lead to employment creation, expansion of exports and achieve higher standards of living of the general populace.
Current cash crisis is a result of outflows, which are more than inflows since dollarisation, so bond notes will not address this problem.
People First will restore the jewel of Africa and the breadbasket status.
Debt Resolution Strategy
In the long term we intent to settle all our debts and focus on capital as opposed to consumption investment.
Manufacturing Sector Advancement
We shall put in place adequate and affordable lines of credit, through guarantee of property rights, sanctity of contracts and other investor protection mechanisms.
We shall encourage and support quality local manufacturing through a concerted “buy local” campaign and appropriate tax incentives and in the process reduce import bill.
Zimbabwe has become a net importing supermarket for other countries.
Mining Sector Advancement
We shall make our mining legislation investor friendly in line with international best practice under BUILD.
We shall ensure that the proceeds from the extractive sector flow to the people through transparent and accountable systems in the whole sector.
We shall review legislation and enforce implementation of laws on land reclamation and the environment.
In mining we shall insist on agreed local participation whilst emphasizing empowerment of surrounding communities and the nation at large.
Parastatals Reforms
Parastatals and State Enterprises will not enjoy State subsidies indefinitely if at all. We shall depoliticize, commercialize and privatize Parastatals / State owned enterprises as necessary to ensure accountability, commercial viability, effective delivery and transparency.
The above will generate growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), increase the tax base, create employment and release immediate resources to government for other programmes, whilst creating investment opportunities in the national economy.
Government’s primary role shall be to facilitate, promote and regulate to ensure a level playing field in the economy with minimum direct State participation.
Conservancies and Tourism Sector Advancement
We shall ensure that there is legislation to promote and support Conservancies and Tourism, to guarantee the preservation of our natural resources through sustainable use, security of tenure and global viability.
Cluster 3 – Infrastructure
Energy Sector Advancement (Read from Notes)
We shall promote and support investor friendly tariffs in the sector.
We shall promote and support the development and expansion of existing Hydro Electric Power and Thermal Power stations through a consistent and transparent Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP) framework.
We shall encourage, promote and support the exploration and development of new and renewable energy sources.
We shall promote and support investment in the exploitation of Coal Bed Methane resources.
We shall promote and support the development of solar and wind energy.
We shall streamline the whole value chain of liquid fuels for efficiency and value for money.
Telecoms and Transport Sector Advancement (Read from Notes)
We shall encourage, promote and support regional and international best practice in the telecoms sector for the benefit of all stakeholders under BUILD.
We shall promote and support air, rail and road infrastructure development through transparent and viable Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP) models to surpass regional standards and make Zimbabwe the regional hub.
Water and Sanitation Sector Advancement (Talk to this)
We shall promote and support investor friendly tariffs in the sector.
We shall promote and support the development of new water sources for all urban areas through appropriate Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP) models.
We shall promote and support investment in the rehabilitation of existing sewer and water reticulation systems through appropriate Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP) models.
We shall promote and support the development of dams, de-siltation programs and the reclamation of river systems to protect the environment.
We shall enact regulations to ensure sewer and water reticulation before any new housing and industrial developments can be sold.
We shall encourage, promote and support secure water sources in the rural areas.
Cluster 4 – International Relations and National Security
Foreign Policy
We will neither look East nor West but everywhere as a Sovereign independent state for the benefit of our people first.
National Security Establishment (Talk to this)
We recognise and respect the role of the SECURITY SECTOR in fostering law and order and maintaining peace and security in Zimbabwe.
The security establishment shall be apolitical, well resourced and we shall promote meritocracy and professionalism.
Cluster 5 – Social Transformation.
Education Sector Advancement
We shall ensure that there is primary education for all.
We shall promote e-learning in schools.
We shall encourage, promote and support investment in science and technology.
We shall encourage and promote life-sustaining skills through emphasizing practical subjects, promoting and supporting the relevant technical and vocational training centers.
We shall ensure that the Education sector is fully resourced to address low morale, equipment and textbook shortages, in line with regional and international best practice to meet skills needs of the economy now and in future under BUILD.
We shall link the civil service skills audit and manpower planning strategy so as to inform the curriculum development in the education sector.
We shall encourage, promote and support extra-curricular activities through a robust arts, culture and sports initiative at national level.
Health Sector Advancement
We shall ensure that there is basic health hygiene, education and basic health care for all.
We shall ensure that the health sector is fully resourced to address low morale, drug shortages, and re-tool in line with regional and international best practice under BUILD.
Housing Sector Advancement
We shall promote and support decent housing development through public and private sector by reviewing regulations and taxes, to ensure sector consistency and transparency across the country.
We shall encourage, promote and support basic minimum housing standards in the rural areas through incentives.
11. WAY FORWARD
Everyone has a right to vote.
Your vote determines your future as a Zimbabwean.
We shall continue to fight for a level electoral playing field to restore the confidence of our electorate.
Zimbabwe must move forward, economically, socially and politically. Let us BUILD Zimbabwe together.
God Bless You, God Bless Zimbabwe. I Thank You.
Gvt Loses $2,5 Million Annually To Absent School Heads, Teachers
Government could have been prejudiced $2,5 million per year through unsanctioned and undocumented absenteeism from workstations by school heads and teachers, an Auditor-General’s Office report has claimed.
The AG’s office claims to have unearthed massive absenteeism at schools after auditors found over 160 headmasters, deputy headmasters and teachers absent from their workplaces without leave. To that end, the AG’s office said there were high chances that this was prevalent in most schools which would see the State paying them for days they did not work for.
“The audit exercise established that in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, school heads, deputy heads and teachers were away from their stations without official leave,” said Mrs Chiri.
“For example, there were no leave documents to justify the absence of 48 school heads, 10 deputy heads and 106 teachers on the day of the head count. “From Table 44 below, this trend could be prevalent throughout the year and may be practised by an estimated 11 600 teachers with an establishment of around 166 000 teachers.
“Assuming that 10 percent of teachers absent themselves at least one day per month on average, it is possible to conclude that Government could be prejudiced of about $2 449 920 per annum through unsanctioned and undocumented absenteeism from workstations.”
Mrs Chiri said the 48 headmasters who were absent for a day cost the State about $11 000 per year while the 10 deputy headmasters who were absent per day cost about $2 200 per year.
The 106 teachers who were absent cost about $22 500 per year for every day they were absent without leave. The AG’s Office recommended that there must be 100 percent compliance with the Public Service Regulations (2000) on leave management.
“Members should proceed on any type of leave only after the approved leave application form is received at the member’s station. An approved copy of application for leave form should always be retained at the work station.
“The commission (Public Service Commission) shall raise a disallowance against all members who were absent without official leave on the day of the head count according to levels of responsibility with effect from May 1, 2015,” said Mrs Chiri. Herald
“For example, there were no leave documents to justify the absence of 48 school heads, 10 deputy heads and 106 teachers on the day of the head count. “From Table 44 below, this trend could be prevalent throughout the year and may be practised by an estimated 11 600 teachers with an establishment of around 166 000 teachers.
“Assuming that 10 percent of teachers absent themselves at least one day per month on average, it is possible to conclude that Government could be prejudiced of about $2 449 920 per annum through unsanctioned and undocumented absenteeism from workstations.”
Mrs Chiri said the 48 headmasters who were absent for a day cost the State about $11 000 per year while the 10 deputy headmasters who were absent per day cost about $2 200 per year.
The 106 teachers who were absent cost about $22 500 per year for every day they were absent without leave. The AG’s Office recommended that there must be 100 percent compliance with the Public Service Regulations (2000) on leave management.
“Members should proceed on any type of leave only after the approved leave application form is received at the member’s station. An approved copy of application for leave form should always be retained at the work station.
“The commission (Public Service Commission) shall raise a disallowance against all members who were absent without official leave on the day of the head count according to levels of responsibility with effect from May 1, 2015,” said Mrs Chiri. Herald
Police Block Anti-Mugabe Demo In Masvingo
Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| Police blocked a peaceful march to Masvingo State Minister Shuvai Ben Mahofa’s offices to hand over a petition in protest against poor living conditions and rampant corruption.
The police claimed the march was unlawful despite the fact that Judge Oliver Mudzongachiso, on the contrary said the ban was unconstitutional. The march was organised by members of the civic society and residents of the city of Masvingo at the weekend. The protestors expressed concern over the failure by President Robert Mugabe’s government to address the current economic decay.
In the petition the concerned groups argued that the government should immediately address the socio-economic chaos,rampant unemployment, the current cash crisis and poor governance. “It is disturbing to note that the the level of unemployment is skyrocketing due to the closure of companies. A lot of time is being wasted in bank queues due to unreasonable maximum withdrawal limits as a result of the current cash crisis.Roadblocks have become a menace to the ordinary driver.”
More often than not you find more than five roadblocks within 3 kilometres,”read part of the petition. Prominent Masvingo based human rights activist Prosper Tiringindi said Mugabe’s government should immediately address the current economic woes. “The governmant has failed to address the issues that are affecting the ordinary people of Zimbabwe.We cannot sit and watch as the living conditions continue to deteriorate with each passing day,”said Tiringindi.
Mphoko: “I Am Clean!”
By Mandulo Pasichigare| ANOTHER “MPHOKO” VISIT TO RAINBOW TOWERS LEADS TO DEMONSTRATOR’S ARREST
Stendrick Zvorwadza, who on Friday 24th June, 2016 led a peaceful demonstration by human rights activists under the banners of ROHR Zimbabwe, NAVUZ and TAJAMUKA at the Rainbow Towers, where Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has stayed since December 2014, once again visited the same venue today, demanding that Mphoko should leave the expensive accommodation.
An adamant Mphoko has said those peddling “falsehoods” are bent on tarnishing his “clean image”, adding that they will not succeed in their bid to discredit him.
Zvorwadza persisted on his demands until he was arrested by officers of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. Four journalists filming the protest were also nabbed.
Zvorwadza was then taken away to Harare Central Police Station where at the time of writing, he was still under detention since Sunday morning.
He was charged with threatening to burn down Rainbow Towers if Vice President Mphoko remains in that hotel, utterances he never made, going by eyewitness accounts and a video recorded at the scene, today.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police is notorious for using violence and torture on demonstrators. It is also notorious for laying trumped up charges against dissenting citizens as a deterrent and to justify the detention of such individuals, usually for protracted periods of time, only to drop the charges before they evolve into a trial in the law courts.
Mphoko’s continued stay at the Rainbow Towers has cost the Zimbabwean taxpayers an excess of $250 000.00 as at today. This has riled the Zimbabwean people and has been condemned by civic society and opposition politicians.
Mphoko has so far spurned three offers to be accommodated in high value properties paid for by the Zimbabwean Government.
One of the houses Mphoko refused to move into is the one left by the late vice president Joseph Msika in Harare’s leafy Mandara suburb. The second one is a mansion worth $3m in Ballantyne Park, another affluent suburb. The third is a $3.5m one acquired in December last year in The Grange.
In all the three known instances where the Mphokos have rejected the offers of accommodation, Mphoko’s wife, Laurinda, is said to have condemned the properties as substandard relative to the Vice President’s stature. More to follow…
Girl (13): I Feasted On Human Flesh
IN a terrifying case of suspected witchcraft which has once again put African science on the spotlight on whether it is real or not, a 13-year-old girl from Inyathi in Matabeleland North’s Bubi District has confessed to have stayed in a granary for four days in the company of four goblins and six neighbours during which they feasted on dead people’s flesh.
So scary is her story that when the community came to be aware of it, they labelled her an outcast and forced her out of the village and she is now housed at Musasa Projects offices at Inyathi Business Centre. Musasa champions women’s rights.
In an interview at Inyathi on Thursday, the girl, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, but is from Wensley Village and is a pupil at a local primary school, claimed she started eating human flesh in 2013 with her family and even stayed in the granary for nine days.
In the latest incident, she alleged another villager, Mr Smart Mkhwebu, kidnapped her and locked her in the granary where she stayed for three days and came out on the fourth day. However, Mr Mkhwebu denied any wrong doing.
“It was in the evening when Mkhwebu came to collect me and locked me up in the granary. It was for the second time since I once stayed there for nine days in 2013 eating dead people’s flesh. We were 11 in the granary. I was with six of my neighbours and four goblins which are short people with long beards but they died sometime ago. I slept there and did not eat anything or went to the toilet. I only went with the crew to the graves where I would wait for them to eat the flesh inside the graves. I did not eat because I had no appetite,” she said.
The girl said the group used a stick to open graves before they got inside. The girl said at funerals, one of the group members would put a mark, which would make it easier for them to open the grave when they return at night.
“We would open the grave using a stick then get inside. We would hit the grave with a stick then it would open. This time around I just stood outside the grave and did not eat anything. The crew would come out before sunrise then we go back home using a basket which stretched,” said the girl.
The girl also claimed that her mum was a witch.
“She is the one who has umuthi, traditional herbs to bewitch anyone. Almost everyone in this village eats dead people’s flesh because I used to see them. My mum taught us to eat that flesh while my father was away. He is the only one in my family who has never tasted the juicy meat.”
When Sunday News visited Mr Mkhwebu he chased the crew away, pleading his innocence. However, he confirmed that the girl was found in his granary.
“I saw the girl in my granary. I never put her inside. She came by herself. When I saw her I called the police and they came to collect her. Why does everyone think I am a wizard? Why did you come to get a statement from me while the police haven’t done so, who do you think you are? Get away from my home. I don’t want to see you again. I will buy the newspaper and see what you are going to write about me,” thundered Mr Mkhwebu.
The girl’s father told Sunday News that he was worried when his daughter disappeared but later knew she was locked in the granary after he used traditional herbs and a piece of paper which he pricked with a needle.
“On Sunday when I got home all the doors were open and my child was nowhere to be found until someone found out that she was living in a strange dilapidated old house. We went there with my son and saw her but she came out using a window which she broke and ran away. When she came back later in the evening she said she had been called by Mkhwebu, our neighbour.
Then the following day she disappeared. I traced her spoor leading to Mkhwebu’s homestead so I went there and asked him to give me back my child but to no avail.
“Out of anger I took a piece of paper then I wrote my child’s name using a red pen. After that I used a needle to prick the paper and said ‘. . . mntanami buya ekhaya, lapho okhona bahluphe bakuvulele ubuye endlini’ (my child come back home, wherever you are bother them until they set you free). After that I used herbs and did the whole procedure to get my girl,” he said.
The father said after pricking the paper he went out and that is when Mr Mkhwebu’s granddaughter allegedly came out and took sand of where he had stepped before she dug a hole and put some traditional herbs while he was watching.
“After she dug the hole I went and dug it again and I added my herbs too. I also took sand of where my girl had stepped on and I said ‘mntanami asambe endlini’ (my child let us go home). The problem is that whenever my girl disappears she is found inside that granary.
She once disappeared and went there naked and I found her clothes by the granary door.
“On Thursday the police found my child inside the granary. Our village head Polite Moyo said we should look for a traditional healer so that we find out who is bewitching us but why would I do that when everything is so obvious?”
Efforts to get a comment from the village head were fruitless as he was not at his home and his cellphone was not reachable.-SundayNews
Kasukuwere’s Son Attacked in UK | BREAKING NEWS
Morgan Tsvangirai’s envoy to the UK, Elliot Pfebve has opened an attack on Local Government Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere from his UK base.
Pfebve who on Sunday morning opened a motion for diasporans to engage, says Kasukuwere’s son, Takudzwa, currently studying in the UK must be deported back to Zimbabwe.
Foreign students are desperately needed being key funders of UK universities as they pay over £36,000.00 (USD58,201.00) in tuition fees alone. Most local universities’ coffers are beefed up by foreigners, effectively reducing taxpayer’s burden. But Pfebve says Kasukuwere’s son (pictured) must be kicked out.
He wrote on his social networking portal saying, “I have no issues with anybody sending his or her child to any University, in any part of the world but for ZANU PF establishment who have looted the country dry, destroyed once an education system which was a marvel of global academia, is equally disingenuous and brutal. STORY CONTINUES BELOW…
“They have always been anti-British yet secretly sending their children to school there. Hon Kasukuwere what’s wrong with University of Zimbabwe Finance Degree? Why can’t you stay patriotic and promote our education and save the country much needed cash?
Takudzwa is at the Swansea School of Management studying Financial Management at Bay.”
Fed Up Citizens To Boycott Mphoko’s Businesses, Choppies Targeted
STAFF WRITER | In an effort to ratchet up pressure on Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, to leave the Rainbow Towers hotel in Harare where he and his family have been staying since December 2014, a call has been made to boycott his businesses.
In particular to be targeted in a call to action circulating on social media is his supermarket chain Choppies, “Therefore we urge all citizens to BOYCOTT buying anything from CHOPPIES supermarkets which VP Mphoko owns, until he moves out of the hotel,” the statement says.
It continues stating, “Us civil servants have no June pay because he has REFUSED to move into a 3 million US$ mansion because he says its “substandard”.. That 3 million did not come from his pocket but from OUR salaries. It’s not a crime to be a regular citizen without political affiliation.”
Mphoko insists he will not leave the hotel which is unnecessarily daily gobbling up millions in US dollars of tax payers money, at times even claiming absurdly that he is royalty and more important than any chief in the country. President Robert Mugabe is yet to officially respond to his deputy’s actions which have angered struggling citizens as the economic situation in the country worsens.
The arrogant Vice-President, called people who are insisting he leaves the hotel ‘stupid’.
“You see, what I have realised with Zimbabweans is that they are not grateful… I used to sleep in the bush when it was raining and cold during the war of liberation, no one was counting those days, but now that I am just waiting for a home befitting a person of my status to be ready before I can move in there, you see some people making it their business to count the days that I have stayed in that hotel… they are very stupid,” he said.
Cash Upfront Doctors Insist, As war With Medical Aid Societies Escalates
As the deadlock between doctors and medical aid societies continues unabated, medical doctors are insisting on cash upfront from patients come Friday, July 1.
It is also understood that the Government will not renew licenses for defaulting medical aid societies after the June 30 deadline. Medical aid societies are regulated by the Minister of Health and Child Care under the Medical Services Act. The minister monitors medical aid societies’ activities, including the execution of their fiduciary responsibility and their financial performance.
The majority of medical aid societies were issued with temporary operating licenses after they failed to remit claims to service providers within the expected 60-day period. The temporary licenses issued by Government are valid for six months as a measure to improve compliance and observance of the stipulated regulations.
An official from Zimbabwe Medical Association (Zima) who declined to be named for professional reasons said, “Medical doctors are not backing down on the decision to demand cash upfront from patients with effect from July 1.
“The regulator promised us that they won’t be renewing licenses for defaulting medical aid societies. And we can only withdraw our ultimatum when the regulator keeps its word.”
Association of Health Funders of Zimbabwe (Ahfoz) chief executive, Mrs Shylet Sanyanga refused to comment saying there was an engagement process underway to resolve the issue.
In January this year, Zimra garnished doctors’ bank accounts for income tax payments at a time when they were being owed about US$200 million by most medical aid societies.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa is said to have stepped in to resolve a potential crisis by writing a letter to Zimra asking for relaxation of tax requirements on doctors.
ZiMA president Dr Agnes Mahomva said, “In the meantime Zimra, acting in accordance with the laws of the land, is demanding payment from medical doctors on amounts that the doctors invoiced the health insurers but have never received, and may never receive.”
In response, Zimra’s legal and corporate services director, Ms Florence Jambwa defended the garnishing of doctors’ accounts.
“Doctors are business people who earn income either on accrual (credit) or on receipt (cash) basis. When they submit their returns for assessment, they declare their total income both accrued and received. The total income is taxed notwithstanding that they may not have received the amount due from medical aid societies,” she explained.
Ms Jambwa said garnishee orders were a last resort to collect the tax. About 1, 2 million people are on medical aid provided by 31 health insurers.sunday mail
Nkomo Statue Fleeced Of Huge Amounts In Exposed Corruption Scam
Rampant corruption bedevilling the quasi-State institution, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ), has been exposed, after controversy surrounding the creation of a statue to celebrate the late nationalist and former Vice-President Joshua Nkomo, has been brought to light.
According to the report prepared for the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) and copied to President Robert Mugabe’s office, NMMZ executive director Godfrey Mahachi allegedly failed to find a solution to stop the rot as the museums administrator.
It is alleged that Mahachi authorised the development of Nkomo’s statue by foreigners for personal gain.
“The statue of Joshua Nkomo was done outside the country by Koreans when in Zimbabwe we have professionals who can do it at a cheaper price. This exporting of our jobs was done to facilitate their corrupt ways. A statue which was done for a whopping $600 000,” the report claims.
Mahachi’s executive, according to the report, has been awarding itself “salary top-ups” over and above of what government pays them.
“They (management) top up their salaries from the coffers of the organisation, so when their account does not have enough funds to cater for these top-ups, the general workers have to suffer until enough funds are sourced,” the document claims.
“We have learnt with great pain the salaries and allowances that they afford each other at the expense of running the organisation, yet they claim that the organisation does not perform”.
It is alleged that management awarded themselves fuel, telephone, car and cell-phone allowances amounting to $1 500 each month.
“All these benefits are not reflected on their payslips as a way of evading paying taxes to the government. Holiday allowance is not fixed. They call a meeting before each holiday to decide on the fee,” the report showed.
Contacted for comment, Mahachi claimed ignorance of the issues.
“I am hearing it from you for the first time. If the issue is with the Anti-Corruption Commission, then let us wait for the conclusion of their investigations. I do not want to say much on the issue,” a seemingly edgy Mahachi said.
In one incident in 2012, the organisation’s finance manager, identified as a Mrs Mwariwangepo, reportedly collected revenue from Victoria Falls and “is believed to have deposited it into her personal account”.
“An audit was conducted (and) $5 000 was found missing. An (sic) issue was raised and the executive director (Mahachi) took no action on this matter,” it is alleged, adding one Simbarashe Berejena lost his job after being accused of leaking the issue.
A senior official who declined to be identified, however, confirmed corruption was rampant.
“Most of the things that happen here are underhand. At one time before I joined full-time, I was offered payment that was at variance with my contract and I rejected it. Most of the things you are saying are common currency here,” the official said.
The report said when the National Heroes’ Acre Gallery was refurbished in 2014, “prices were inflated on purchases made”.
“They (management) connived with the suppliers of goods to alter invoices and receipts. They claim $15 000 as the total costs when in actual fact, $5 000 was used. An issue on this fraudulent activity was raised by Calvin Chimutuwa to the executive director, and again, no action was taken since the parties involved are his cohorts,” the report said.
Chimutuwa refused to comment.
“I am not allowed to talk to the Press. Please follow the relevant channels and talk to the responsible people,” he said before hanging up.
Chimutuwa was reportedly denied payment for mounting the exhibition on the grounds that it had been done clandestinely, with the issue involving a curator, identified as Nyaruwanga, and chief curator Kundishora Chipunza.
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” said Chipunza, profusely professing his innocence and ignorance of the allegations.
There were also allegations of nepotism against Mahachi.
“The accounts department is a family affair. They are all related to one another. The wife to the director of northern region occupies a very influential position in the museum of humane sciences,” the report claimed.
Another official stands accused of altering the Domboshava monument boundaries in Chinamhora communal lands north-east of Harare’s boundaries for personal benefit.
“The boundaries were deliberately altered by Mr Bvocho, who was then the monuments inspector, to accommodate people who illegally built in the land that belongs to the NMMZ so that he would collect cash from them as a way of protecting them from being evicted,” it is alleged.
“Ordinarily, all monuments and sites under the jurisdiction of National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe have a buffer zone that separates them from surrounding communities as a way to preserve and conserve the sanctity of the monuments and sites, but in this case, all this has been disregarded for the personal gains of an officer”.
Money paid by land developers following an impact assessment carried out in Carrick Creak (Borrowdale) reportedly disappeared.
“The executive director Dr Mahachi and his team pocketed all the funds for personal use. The total realised in this venture is estimated to be in the region of $75 000,” the report said.
Efforts to get a comment from the Zacc were fruitless. Newsday
Mugabe Strangles Mnangangwa | MASVINGO UPDATE
A livid President Robert Mugabe yesterday strangled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s remaining breadth in his hotbed, Masvingo Province.
The entire region is on record telling Mugabe’s wife, Grace to her face that she is not wanted in the province. Local Minister Shuvai Ben Mahofa has also been at the helm of the controversies, ZimEye.com revealed early this week.
Mugabe held a no-holds barred meeting with senior Zanu-PF leaders.
The state media reports that a second interface is now to take place in Harare on a date to be announced. Emerging from the indaba at Triangle Country Club at around 5.30pm, and after listening to presentations from a number of leaders for six hours, President Mugabe said further briefings were in order.
Mugabe personally called on the province to restore order in the wake of successionist politics that are detracting attention from the ruling party’s mandate of delivering on socio-economic transformation.
Mugabe has attacked pro-Mnangagwa supporters threatening a bloody Gukurahundi return while at other times saying that his successor will emerge from what he called the people via laid down procedures.
Mugabe told journalists: “We had frank deliberations; people were afforded the chance to say their views, but, unfortunately, we could not exhaust everything. We have planned another meeting for Harare.”
In an interview with the state media, Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere said the meeting was part of efforts to rid the party of factional politics.
“We have had a fruitful meeting with the leadership and legislators from Masvingo who had various issues which they felt were dividing the party. Because we are a democratic party that wants to afford everyone a right to respond, we could not come up with a conclusive position.
“As such, the President saw it fit to convene another meeting in Harare with the people we met today so that each party member has a chance to present his/her views. In general, we had a frank meeting where people were free to say or express themselves.”
Gutu Central National Assembly representative and Zanu-PF Chief Whip said: “The meeting went on very well. The President heard the complaints from some Members of Parliament who had raised issues against (some of their seniors in the province). They were complaining against the treatment they are getting from them.
“The President said we will meet in Harare because everything that was raised needs a response and those who presented needed to be responded to.
“As a party we are democratic. Everyone spoke freely and responded freely. I would not want to dwell too much on issues because most of the things we agreed on were confidential.”
Weeks ago, parliamentarians from Masvingo sought audience with President Mugabe to air their concerns on issues affecting the province.
At the last Zanu-PF Politburo meeting on June 8, National Spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo told journalists Kasukuwere had reversed changes made to the Masvingo provincial executive when commissar Jappy Jaboon, Youth League chair Nobert Ndaarombe and Women’s League chair Veronica Makonese were demoted by the provincial co-ordinating committee.
Zanu-PF Masvingo province is headed by acting chair Amasa Nhenjana whose predecessor, Ezra Chadzamira, is contesting his suspension. Paradzai Chakona, who was removed from the chair’s post and replaced by Chadzamira, also claimed his ouster was based on malice.
Zanu-PF romped to victory in all the province’s 26 National Assembly constituencies in 2013 as the party claimed a landslide victory in that year’s national harmonised elections.
Mozambique Explodes, Civilians Under Attack
Mozambique has been hit by a fresh wave of internal violence and abuse of citizens.
While the state media claims that Renamo bandits are solely guilty of abusing villagers, to the contrary revelations on the ground claimed yesterday that the Mozambican army also responded in a heavy handed manner.
Scores of villagers were yesterday caught in between with some fleeing across the border to Zimbabwe after an onslaught. At the time of going to press ZimEye.com could not get a comment from either the Zimbabwean or the Mozambique government. ( read more here Mozambican ).
While it was not clear which other areas have been affected, the state media sounded the alarm saying the Zim Government is closely monitoring attacks by Renamo bandits in Mozambique and is sharing information with authorities there to thwart any threats to the country. The bandits, led by Mozambique opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama, have been fighting President Filipe Nyusi’s forces after scuttling a power-sharing agreement citing “an unfair governance system”.
Renamo (the Mozambican National Resistance) has been targeting vehicles and villages in Tete and Manica, both provinces close to the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border.
Defence Minister Dr Sydney Sekeramayi told the media that the security sector would continue to protect citizens and Harare’s economic interests, including access to the Indian Ocean.
“We have been having talks with our counterparts in Mozambique from time to time, and remain alert to what is happening there. If there is any need to protect our interests and our citizens, we will take the necessary action.
“Our position is that if there is any threat to our access to the sea through the Mozambique border, we will take the necessary measures to protect our interests. We are monitoring the situation and will remain in contact with authorities in Mozambique. However, there is no need for that at the moment,” said Dr Sekeramayi.
State Security Minister Kembo Mohadi weighed in, “Security-wise, there is no big threat at the moment. We will, however, keep monitoring the situation.”
Renamo was created by the Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation shortly after Mozambique’s independence in 1975 to destabilise President Samora Machel’s Frelimo government which strongly supported Zimbabwe and South Africa’s independence struggles.
Renamo blew up key infrastructure and killed villagers, leading to a fully-fledged civil war (1977-1992) that ended with a power-sharing agreement. At the peak of the war, many Zimbabweans were killed, and when the country gained independence in 1980, Renamo aligned with South Africa’s apartheid regime.
In 2014, Dhlakama refused to accept Frelimo’s electoral victory, once again resorting to arms. This was after Mozambique’s then President, Cde Armando Guebuza, signed a deal with Dhlakama which included integrating Renamo forces into the army and tweaking the electoral commission.
United Nations agencies report that thousands of Mozambicans have fled to Malawi, with more likely to migrate to other countries, including Zimbabwe, because of the Renamo threat.
ZBC Boss Arrested for Latest Car Purchase Scam
The national broadcaster, ZBC has been hit with yet another vehicle procurement scam to the tune of up to a million dollars. This brings the total figure of the alleged prejudice to over £2million in the last 3 years alone.
ZBC acting chief executive Patrick Mavhura and the parastatal’s acting head of finance and administration, Benania Shumba, were arrested in Harare last Thursday for criminal abuse of office related to a said “dodgy” deal with Croco Motors involving 35 vehicles.
The latest development adds flames to the fire following that of former boss, Happison Muchechetere which is to the tune of $1 050 000.
Mavhura and Shumba appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Vongai Muchuchuti yesterday and were released on US$1 000 bail each. They were ordered to stay away from their workplace and to surrender their passports to the clerk of court.
They were also told to report to the police once a week and not to interfere with witnesses.
Mavhura and Shumba are accused of buying 35 vehicles Croco Motors without following due process, prejudicing Government of US$20 000. They face another charge of potentially prejudicing ZBC of US$738 900.
The State, represented by Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa, has it that on November 3, 2015 Mavhura wrote to the Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mr George Charamba seeking authority to buy 20 Toyota Hilux single-cab vehicles, 15 Nissan Datsun sedans and 10×30-seat Toyota Coaster vans valued at US$1 719 900.
On November 25, it is alleged, Mavhura and Shumba met Central Mechanical Equipment Department officials to negotiate purchase of the vehicles. The meeting was informal, the court heard, and the two got specifications and requirements that included seeking Cabinet authority for the purchase.
CMED officials are said to have indicated that ZBC was to pay the department 2,5 percent of the total value as commission if the broadcaster wanted to ride on its tender.
Mr Mutizirwa said, “This led Mr Charamba to write a letter to the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Mr Munesuishe Munodawafa, on 14 December, seeking authority on behalf of ZBC to give authority for direct purchase of the vehicles.
“The letter specified that ZBC had already secured quotations of vehicles from Croco Motors as outlined in the ZBC letter with a cumulative value of US$1 719 900. On the 19th of January, the accused convened and held a meeting with Croco Motors where they decided and agreed to procure a completely different set of motor vehicles from those they were pursuing on the Cabinet authority, with a completely different value and without the involvement of CMED.”
Mr Mutizirwa added: “On 23 January 2016, (Mavhura) sent an e-mail to Father Gibson Munyoro, the ZBC board chairman, informing him that they were expecting the first batch of 20 Ford Ranger pick-up vehicles from Croco Motors.
“On February 5, the accused received the Cabinet Authority which specified that they were supposed to buy the 45 vehicles as outlined in their application for values as they indicated. On the same day, the two accused originated an RTGS transfer of US$649 000 to Croco Motors against a procurement agreement with a barter deal of 75 percent payment and 25 percent retention being broadcasting/advertisement airtime to be enjoyed by Croco on ZBC.”
The State alleges there was no contract/agreement document to back the barter and that Mavhura and Shumba tried to regularise the unlawful and unprocedural purchase by ordering CMED officials to backdate key documents. On May 18, 2016, it is alleged, they authorised payment of US$20 000 as the CMED’s commission.
Mugabe’s Last Days
President Robert Mugabe is now in his last days, analysts have said in chorus with calls by war veterans to urgently replace the head of state with his vice, Emmerson Mnangagwa.
This is the beginning of the end of Robert Mugabe’s reign since taking over from the British government at handover in 1980, sources said.
The development comes as a war veteran dossier humiliated Mugabe with his first affront from liberation heroes since independence.
A fortnight ago Mugabe reacted angrily to the details in a document titled, Blue Ocean —Taking Back Zanu PF, labelling the former fighters coalescing behind Mnangagwa dissidents.
Former liberation war fighters have a well-calculated strategy to set up First Lady Grace Mugabe and her backers for failure as they push for Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over from her husband President Robert Mugabe, an alleged secret document that has revived factionalism in Zanu PF claims.
The 92-year-old leader threatened to deal with the former fighters the same way he crushed bandits in the early 80s in a campaign that left over 20 000 civilians dead in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.
Crestfallen leaders of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) have disassociated themselves from the document that has been leaked to The Standard, but War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube said State security agents were investigating the matter.
According to the document, there is increasing discontent in Zanu PF over Mugabe’s reluctance to put Mnangagwa on a pedestal to succeed him and Grace’s manoeuvres to seize control of the fractured ruling party.
The document alleges Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo and his Local Government counterpart Saviour Kasukuwere were using Grace to achieve their ambitions of ruling Zimbabwe.
Moyo and Kasukuwere are identified as the G40 kingpins. Zanu PF is on the verge of an internal war that could dwarf the 2014 infighting that culminated in the ouster of then vice-president Joice Mujuru, the document says.
The document says Zanu PF had three options with Mnangagwa representing path 1 (where the party and government must go), Mugabe (path 2 — where the president wants the party to go) and Grace (path 3 — the path to self-destruction).
“While 2014 represented a considerable Rubicon in its own right, it is not watershed as the times that are upon,” the document reads.
“It is the outcome of this phase of political gamesmanship that will shape the future of Zanu PF and determine whether or not it will continue to dominate the political landscape of Zimbabwe.”
It adds: “Current machinations by G40 are aimed at converging path 2 and 3 through the manipulation of the First Lady.
“The means to an end being their capacity to leverage on her influence on the president.
“The G40 cabal has coerced the First Lady into a spirited campaign against VP Mnangagwa and the real Zanu PF cadres who have a clear understanding of path 1.
“This has resulted in several high profile casualties in all organs of the party.
“Currently, the First Lady has been around the country on nationwide rallies that are eerily similar to those that culminated in the demise of the Mujuru cabal.”
Moyo is accused of holding a grudge against Mnangagwa for the failed Tsholotsho Declaration in 2004.
The document says the Zanu PF strategist was not happy that Mnangagwa did not protect his backers after the plot was exposed, hence his alleged crusade to force the party’s old guard out of politics.
“The thrust is to promote their ambition whilst forcing out the old guard through political euthanasia [committing suicide to ease pain],” the authors of the document say.
“That is the basis of G40’s current war. Cde Kasukuwere and Cde Patrick Zhuwao are tail hangers to Mnangagwa’s grand strategies and their only relevance is on providing resources so they won’t be able to handle.”
The document goes on to lay out several strategies to contain Grace and G40 while keeping Mnangagwa in the race.
Some of the plans include the creation of “dummy corporates” and non-governmental organisations as well as identifying people who will work to expand the VP’s network.
The media would be used to manage the Zanu PF Midlands godfather’s image.
A deliberate effort would also be made to plant Mnangagwa’s sympathisers in institutions such as the ZNLWVA, Judicial Services Commission and Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
Dossiers against known members of the G40 faction would also be compiled with a view to use them on the eve of the 2018 elections, the authors say.
“Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission must accumulate dossiers on Dr (Ignatius Chombo), Prof Moyo and Cde Kasukuwere), The dossiers must be leaked strategically in 2017 while the cantankerous Cde [Patrick] Zhuwao will have to be kept busy with the Telecel scandals and his glaring incompetence as a government minister must be exaggerated,” added the report.
The document also alleged there was a dossier incriminating Grace in a scandal involving $2 million, which was referred to as the Zinaragate.
“The aim is to make it toxic for anyone to be associated with the G40 group,” the authors say.
Other strategies include subjecting G40 leaders to brutal character assassination, infiltrating and fomenting fights and chaos amongst the faction’s kingpins.
“Seeds of distrust must be sown in that alliance with the First Lady with immediate effect,” the document reads.
“A potent way is to attack the glue that binds them, play on the First Lady’s interests and begin a spirited campaign for the removal of sanctions and foreign restrictions on Zimbabwe’s president and First Lady.
“A Godsend is setting China or Russia to make noise over this through Brics [Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa].
“High level Chinese or Russian ‘business people’ or envoys will then approach the First Lady and offer her a new value proposition that not only protects her interests but goes on to guarantee her influential government position.
“She must be given strong impression that to ‘their countries’ this carries more plausibility if she partners with VP Mnangagwa than the G40 mavericks,” reads the report.
Minutes of recent war veterans meetings, which have also been disowned by the ZNLWVA leadership, showed that the former fighters believe Mnangagwa is favoured by China and Russia to take over from Mugabe.
The Blue Ocean strategy also alleged that Mugabe was the real force behind G40, adding that there was bad blood between the veteran ruler and Mnangagwa.
The authors alleged Mugabe felt “threatened by VP Mnangagwa and the prospect of his presidency being outshined by that of his protégé.”
“The feigned love for VP Mnangagwa has at times come out of the mask in certain statements and manoeuvres and the unflinching composure by VP Mnangagwa has not made matters easier.
“President Mugabe keeps bringing in upstarts e.g Joice Mujuru and now the G40 cabal in a bid to derail Mnangagwa,” read the report.
The report queries why Mugabe has not endorsed his deputy for the presidency if he did not have anything against him. “Why Mugabe has let children mess up with impunity among others,” it said.
The report also alleged that G40 was planning to make Mnangagwa a lame duck and erode his support base.
A strategy is then laid out on how Grace would be misled to believe that she has the VP’s backing only to be disappointed when it matters the most.
To achieve that, a recording of youth league members discussing how Mnangagwa believes in the First Lady and secretly attacking Mutsvangwa and Oppah Muchinguri would be leaked to media outlets.
“In it, it must be alleged that Cde Chris Mutsvangwa and Cde Oppah Muchinguri were failing to read the new brand of politics being pedalled by the First Lady with reference being the fight for the Zapu ticket while also throwing Cde Kasukuwere into a dogfight with Dr Chombo, Cde (Innocent) Tizora (Principal in the Office of the President and Cabinet)and possibly Cde (Sidney) Sekeremayi for the Zanu PF ticket,” the document added.
“Preconditions for this to happen include little or no open resistance from VP Mnangagwa to all the G40 shenanigans being fronted by the First Lady.
“All sympathisers will have to be ordered to stand down and not interfere. The fighting must continue unabated.
The nine-page document’s conclusion says “While this is work in progress, it provides a baseline from where to work from.
“However, it is imperative that action be taken now to prevent any further damage to the presidential ambitions of VP Mnangagwa.
“A meeting of minds must meet to interrogate this stratagem at soonest possible convenience.”
The document claims Chombo and Tizora were Mugabe’s preferred candidates for the vice-presidency ahead of Mnangagwa when the Justice minister was elevated in 2014.
It says this shows Mnangagwa could also be sidelined in the race to succeed Mugabe.
Cop Rapes 74 Year Old Granny
In a bizarre case in Epworth, a phony police officer, Tobias Munyaradzi (32), landed himself in the dock after he allegedly raped an HIV positive 74 year-old woman after pretending that he wanted to arrest her.
According to the State, the incident occurred on April 1 this year around midnight.
Munyaradzi is also answering to theft charges after he stole his victim’s phone.The court heard the elderly woman stays alone in Epworth.
Munyaradzi is suspected to have gone to the woman’s home where he knocked and introduced himself as a police officer.
He told the complainant that he wanted to search the woman’s house for kachasu (a homemade alcoholic drink).
The woman, who was in the business of selling the brew became afraid and told Munyaradzi that she could not open the door because she was naked.
The court heard Munyaradzi went on to shake the door while banging it loudly. Fearing that her obsolete door could fall apart, the woman then opened the door for Munyaradzi who was wielding a knife.
Munyaradzi allegedly forced the woman to lie on her bed while he knelt on the same bed.
He then forced the old woman to lick his manhood. The court heard he then went on top of her, but failed to penetrate.
Munyaradzi then rolled the woman over and raped her from behind once without using protection.
According to the prosecutor, Munyaradzi slept in the room and left the following morning.
He allegedly took the old lady’s phone and a neighbour’s satchel which was in the house.
The woman then informed her neighbour and a nurse at a clinic where she collects her monthly supply of antiretroviral drugs.
Investigations followed and Munyaradzi was traced using the stolen phone.
Sebastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State.Newsday
Mozambique Reign Of Terror, Scores Flee Into Zimbabwe
Dear Editor,
Scores of people have fled their homes to the neighbouring country Zimbabwe from Mozambique . What worries me much is that in the news all over it is said that they are running away from RENAMO, the rebel group or party when in actual fact it is the government they are fleeing. Houses have been burnt and razed to the ground by the military accusing the people of voting for RENAMO. Known activists have been beheaded or made to disappear and those without identity cards are being made to pay a lot of money . This is happening in Manica province, Barue district in areas bordering Zimbabwe and many who have managed to escape are in Nyanga and areas nearby. Hide identity please.
Under Pressure Zanu PF Prepares For 2018 Polls
Under siege from relentless opposition camps capitalising on the current political and economic crisis, the ruling Zanu-PF party has been forced into action and has started strategising for the 2018 harmonised elections. The ruling party has launched the first meeting of the Political Mobilisation Sub-Committee tasked with knitting strategies for the polls.
This is against a background of main opposition challengers the Zimbabwe People First and the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai attracting thousands of supporters at their rallies.
State media reports that the ruling party has also begun to revamp its administrative systems to enhance viability, vibrancy and best practices.
Secretary for Administration Ignatius Chombo is spearheading the exercise and is moving around provinces holding workshops with provincial secretaries for administration and chairpersons.
He was in Mashonaland East on Thursday and next week will be in Manicaland before heading to Mashonaland Central.
“Sound administration will help us to institute efficiency early, warning systems, correctly project election patterns and results and in addition to mount an effective campaign and mobilisation strategy,” said Chombo to party members in Marondera.
“Sound and efficient party administration should be our everyday motto. It is my wish through these visits to share ideas and examine current systems, experiences and guide each other on how we can work in a methodical, synchronised manner with provincial and district offices. There are always advantages derived from a culture of doing things right all the time and it will be most appreciated if we were all, with one accord, to adapt such a work ethic.”
Chombo said the ultimate purpose of the strategies was for Zanu-PF to win elections and govern forever. “These elections are now just 24 months away,” he said.
“So whatever we do, let us be vigilant about the MDCs, People First, other political parties and NGOs. We must win the 2018 elections so that we continue to govern the country and create employment for our members.”
Chombo said the welfare of party employees such as accommodation, medical aid and funeral assistance would be tackled during the visits.
“We are also interrogating the possibility of moving the medical aid contributions to another insurer,” he said.
“The Employee Committee at party headquarters has been mandated with engaging the Minister of Local Government and all local authorities with the view of securing housing stands for party employees in the areas they reside or work.”
Chombo said the departments of administration, commissariat and finance were seized with the issue of new electronic party cards members paid for. Herald
Makandiwa Mugabe Death Prophecy Was Muchemwa – Church
Spiritist preacher Emmanuel Makandiwa’s United Family International Church (UFIC)’s agents have come out claiming a National Hero death prediction previously tagged on President Robert Mugabe, refers to Brigadier-General Felix Muchemwa who was buried at the National Heroes Acre in Harare last week.
The preacher’s agents in the local Daily News paper have laid claim that the charismatic preacher prophesied twice in two days that Muchemwa would die despite efforts to airlift him to a Middle Eastern country to try and resuscitate him. Muchemwa died in Egypt two weeks ago.
But the video in question does not at all mention Muchemwa’s name and was even ascribed to Mugabe. The prediction even went further to shed light with the preacher pointing that the person is so high profile that the government will deliberately keep his death a secret. STORY CONTINUES BELOW..
But the Daily News journos avoided those specifics as they merely reported that: Makandiwa delivered the prophecy on August 18, last year in Chitungwiza during one of his church services and followed it up with another prophecy on the same issue four days later at the church’s discipleship class, the paper’s report continued saying.
The video shows him saying this on August 18, 2015: “I am seeing a prominent person being moved from one place to another and it’s in the sky . . . and there’s need for oxygen so that they can try to resuscitate the person . . .”
Makandiwa then unpacked the prophecy four days later, giving more details, describing the manner in which the late hero was to die.
“I know the person I am talking about and I know the exact time it will happen. I have tried to pray about it but I cannot see light.
“What can only happen is for it to be delayed and it would end up happening in a different place, no longer up there but down here, M. East” said Makandiwa in reference to the Middle East where the late brigadier-General passed away.
Makandiwa is seen in the video counting from one to twelve, an indication that he was referring to the 12th, the date on which the Brigadier-General died.
“The man I saw was like divided into two; one side was putting on white with the hand holding an injection. The other side was wearing a camouflage with the hand holding an AK47,” Makandiwa said in reference to the late hero’s life as a medical doctor and a military man.
The wife of the late Brigadier-General told State media that her husband had suffered heart attacks (Cardio-respiratory attacks) and had been resuscitated twice but could not make it.
This seems to confirm the need for oxygen that Makandiwa had made reference to during the prophecy.
‘Beitbridge Border Chaos Again! Riot Police Storm In’ | BREAKING NEWS
UPDATE:ZimEye is once again receiving reports that there is currently chaos at the Beitbridge border post which began on Saturday afternoon after police and customs officers began arbitrarily taking away people’s goods for no reason at all. They are neither charging nor accepting customs duty as they declare that the goods are illegal.
Over a thousand people are at present stranded at the border after their goods were taken, ZimEye is told. The following grainy pictures of a section of the field area where people are assembled were taken at 6.10pm
The below was submitted by a ZimEye source at 5.20pm:
“I am at Beitbridge border post now. Zimra is confiscating furniture and many other things. Goods being confisticated are Beds, Sofas, Baked beans…
Milk, Chips, Blankets, Cooking oil, toiletries, building materials, rice among a host of basic goods.
The border fully packed with stranded people and Zimra warehouse already full.
ARE YOU AT BEITBRIDGE? Send us pictures, videos and notes on your experience +447426863301
Pastor Seeks to Evict 1,000 Farmers
Over 1000 resettled farmers at Central Estates Farm, 10km northwest of Mvuma, are resisting Zion Christian Church leader Nehemiah Mutendi’s attempts to take over the farm’s headquarters.
They alleged that Mutendi was fraudulently given an offer letter at a time Cabinet had been dissolved five days before the 2013 elections.
“He got an offer letter with the help of Shingirayi Chibhanguza. Indications are that Chibhanguza is related to Herbert Murerwa, who was Lands minister before Cabinet was dissolved in 2013 for the elections,” a resettled farmer who preferred anonymity said.
“His offer letter is dated July 26, 2013. Most of us here got their offer letters from as way back as 2009. Now Mutendi wants to take over 500 hectares of Central Estates, particularly the headquarters area.
“As you can see, there are nice houses here and that three-storey mansion, which the former farm owner built before his farm was repossessed during the peak of land reform era. This is what Mutendi is coming after.”
But Chibhanguza denied any knowledge of “any offer letter” and also being related to Murerwa.
“I’m in no way related directly or indirectly to the (former) minister,” he said on Tuesday.
Murerwa, on the other hand, did not respond to messages sent to him yesterday.
Central Estates Farm used to belong to mining and properties magnate Nicholas van Hoogstraten before government took over the land.
Now more than 1 112 families have settled into the area following the land redistribution exercise.
There are more than 20 up-market houses and a three-storey house, which he had almost finished building, but had to desert it and pave way for the new farmers when the land reform took precedence.
Encompassing 131 927,519 hectares, Central Estates stretches from WhaWha near Gweru, to Gutu, then Chivhu and borders with Mhondoro.
At its peak, Van Hoogstraten’s farm used to keep over 60 000 cattle for beef.
A visit to the farm last weekend showed some of the houses were locked with Van Hoogstraten’s property reportedly still inside, while other yards had been turned into cattle pens.
There is a state-of-the-art abattoir as well which is lying idle.
The new farmers said apparently, the Mvuma lands office was now writing to old offer letter holders that they had encroached into Mutendi’s land, which the new farmers argue “it’s actually him who came here after us”.
A letter to one of the farmers, Leornard Hlathini, gleaned by NewsDay Weekender and was signed by the district lands officer, a T N Chikura, reads: “Encroachment into Central Estates Remaining Extension Boundaries. The above subject matter refers. A survey done by this office has revealed that your plot is within Central Estates Remaining Extension Boundaries which was allocated to ZCC. Pleased visit this office for clarification. Your co-operation will be greatly appreciated.”
The letter is dated January 21 2016 and stamped February 9 2016, but Hlathini said it was only delivered to him last week on Wednesday.
The new farmers said Mutendi got another 1 000 hectares of land at B Hallum Farm, which they accused him of plundering irrigation equipment that was there.
“He says he wants to build an agricultural college here (Central Estates). We want to see his seriousness by first doing that at B Hallum, where there was everything and he plundered it,” one of the farmers said.
Also, after a meeting held on May 13, 2014, the Central Estates headquarters Huchu ward development committee wrote a letter to the Chirumanzu district administrator saying: “May we brief you on ZCC illusions of expansion. During Easter (holidays) 2011, ZCC was allocated Sibio Drift GG in Alaska during the visit of the commander in chief to Mbungo Estates. They had requested to build a university, but nothing has materialised.”
In the same letter, they added: “We wish to draw your attention to government policy with regards the use of infrastructure in land that has been apportioned to farmers under the land reform programme. Needless to say you are well-informed that such infrastructure remains State property and the community is the beneficiary of the same.
“Mbungo Estates is close to 2 000ha and can we say this is not adequate for a college. Lovedale Farm near Mvuma is another farm of ZCC and they have moved further into (the) national park area in Gokwe. Does the one-man-(one)-farm concept apply to the poor only?”
ZCC lawyer Shepherd Mutendi of Mutendi and Shumba Legal Practitioners told NewsDay Weekender on Tuesday that Mutendi had an offer letter for 500ha to set up an agricultural college.
“I am not aware of any settlers that have been evicted for encroaching on its portion. Unless they produced eviction letters to that effect, their claims are misleading. We are a law-abiding church that will use legal channels to settle boundary disputes, if any. Why don’t you contact the Ministry of Lands officers at Mvuma for clarity? Maybe they know something that I don’t,” he said.
The matter has since spilled into the courts, with Mutendi initially seeking the ejection of Hlathini from one of the farm houses.
In Ref Case No GL4/14, magistrate Mildred Matuvi on November 20 2014 at the Mvuma Magistrates’ Court ruled that Hlathini be evicted from the house, but the latter has since appealed at the High Court.
In the appeal, he says the lower court erred in concluding that ZCC had an offer letter to evict him, yet the church’s letter did not show its plot number.
“Respondent (ZCC) was not even aware of its plot number, but the court went on to grant an order for ejectment of appellant (Hlathini). The court a quo misdirected itself by disregarding the offer letter which was produced by the appellant which was not revoked, while accepting that of the respondent,” Hlathini said in his heads of argument.
He is being represented by Everson Chatambudza of Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practitioners, while Shepherd is representing the church.- Newsday
AUDIO:Chiyangwa Hedges Wicknel Chivayo
LIVE UPDATES-Mujuru Pulls Thousands in Harare
….There has been a tech glitch at 3.30pm
15:22 Mujuru says they were dismissed from ZANU PF with a lot of allegations against them and up to today they are still waiting for the police to arrest them on the allegations.
15:24 “today I stand to tell the truth”
15:20 Mujuru back on stage…
15:18 PDP assures that it is considering working with all opposition parties in the country including Mujuru.
15:14 Biti represented by Jacob Mafume takes to the stage.
15:13 Mujuru acknowledges presence of Tendai Biti PDP leaders.
15:12 Mujuru now on stage
15:09 Mutasa asks Mujuru to address…
15:06 Rugare Gumbo urges party members to remain united and lead the party professionally. Invites Didymus Mutasa to the podium.
15:06 Mavhaire says Rugare Gumbo was first to be dismissed. Mavhaire asks Gumbo to greet the gathering.
15:07 Mavhaire adds saying all members of the ZANU PF Dare Rechimurenga since left Mugabe.
15:03 Mavhaire says he was first to say people must leave Mugabe but no one listened to him.
15:00 Dzikamai Mavhaire on stage to introduce Mujuru.
Estimated 8000 people in attendance.
About 6,000 people were already gathered at the People First Harare rally venue at midday on Saturday. PICTURES-
“Fugitive” Tapa sneaks into Zimbabwe to save ROHR
Fugitive Restoration Of Human Rights Zimbabwe (ROHR) leader Ephraim Tapa reportedly sneaked into the country this weekend to try and save his disintegrating human rights organisation from collapse.
Highly placed sources within the organisation say Tapa crept into the country via South Africa from his UK base last week to hold a damage control “unconstitutional meeting” with members of the organisation from the provinces following allegations of him using donated funds for his personal use.
Tapa was recently captured on video having been exposed for a pile of financial abuses.
The sources who described the convergence as a “kangaroo meeting,” revealed that Tapa has been slammed for using pictures and videos of human rights activities performed by members to source funds none of which he ever remits to the activists.
Following the exposé, which was also covered by ZimEye.com, Tapa convened a meeting of people loyal to him at an upmarket Gweru Lodge over the weekend and spoilt the members with cash and lavish lunch meals in order to appease them.
“He invited specific individuals from the provinces who he knew are loyal to him and treated them to a luxurious weekend in Gweru so that they would not be part of the pending revolt,” said the sources who want to remain anonymous.
A couple of weeks ago the media ran stories that members of ROHR in Zimbabwe were up in arms against Tapa who was sourcing funds overseas in the name of funding ROHR activities in the country when the activists were running activities from their pockets. The members alleged that Tapa would take pictures and stories of their activism and use them to source funds from donors under the banner of ROHR which he uses for his personal use.
Further damning allegations were raised that the little funds sent through into the country would come through an alleged girlfriend of Tapa (name supplied) who works at the ROHR offices in Harare who Tapa claims to be his niece.
The girl friend is said to be living large while ROHR activities suffer from non funding.
Details of what transpired in the said “kangaroo meeting” were not immediately made available to ZimEye.com but the sources say the Zimbabwean chapter National Chairman Moses Mutyasira was dismissed from the organisation together with several other members of the Zimbabwean executive committee.
Tapa could not be reached for comment at the time of going to press as he was said to be still somewhere between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
A ROHR member believed to based at the ROHR offices in Harare declined to comment on the issue referring ZimEye.com back to Tapa for a comment. The member also refused to acknowledge that he works at the ROHR offices.
Kereke for Jail – Prosecution
The private prosecutor wants Bikita West legislator Munyaradzi Kereke jailed insisting there was overwhelming evidence he raped his wife’s 11 year old niece in 2010.
In his closing submissions, Mr Charles Warara said by refusing to be tried for the past five years, Kereke knew he was guilty of raping the minor and indecently assaulting her sister. The magistrate Mr Noel Mupeiwa set July 11 as the judgment day.
“In the circumstances, we pray for a conviction as charged in respect of both counts as we proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt. If this case is therefore found not to be fabricated as claimed by the accused, it can only be the accused that is lying. He has to be found guilty as charged on both counts,” he said.
Mr Warara said if Kereke was innocent, he should have proved it in court.
“Accused took years to be brought to court with even the Prosecutor General shielding him. Can this be the character of a person who an ordinary citizen like complainant’s grandfather, Mr Maramwidze can frame? Do innocent people fight such serious cases in the corridors of power or he would dare any person with such allegations bring them to court.
“Accused has been refusing to come to court, but his protection crumbled when the Prosecutor-General was convicted by the Constitutional court. Is this the conduct of an innocent person? Will this court ignore this conduct and do justice to this case,” Mr Warara said.
Mr Warara said the doctor’s report confirmed that the victim was raped. In his defence, Kereke discredited the medical report which he said was false.
“It is clearly strange that accused thinks that the doctor’s report was aimed at him. He has a reason for this. He raped the complainant hence his conduct. It is also clear that the complainant’s story makes sense. This court cannot be persuaded that complainant lied to the court by either fabricating a story or exaggerating what happened,” he said.
Kereke claimed the allegations were fabricated to fix him after he had refused to give the complainants money for school fees. The prosecution insisted that Kereke committed the offences.
“If these rape charges were created to fix the accused, why would the complaint’s grandparents not have alleged that both were raped? Why would medical evidence confirm that indeed one of them was raped?
“In any case, why would a normal family want to go through five years seeking justice? Is the political story mentioned by accused of any truth? “How could accused’s story be anything else other than a desperate attempt to pull wool onto the face of the court? Where do politics and political enemies come in? This is a clear case of rape.”
Kereke’s lawyer Mr Erum Mutandiro is expected to respond to Mr Warara’s submissions on July 1.-state media
LIVE BULLETS ENTER ZIM: LATEST UPDATE
State Media – Four omalayitsha from Bulawayo were arrested at the Beitbridge Border Post for allegedly trying to smuggle bullets worth R42,855 from South Africa. (ALSO READ the earlier ZimEye story here)
The Ferret squad arrested the quartet, who were travelling in a South African registered (CF52LRGP)Toyota Quantum vehicle, as they were about to leave the border post on Thursday morning.
The squad is made up of officials from the Department of Immigration, the police, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, Ministry of Transport and other security agents manning the border.
The four men were carrying bullets of varying calibre that weighed about 130kg.
They had successfully duped Zimra into believing they were carrying bicycle spares.
The four omalayitsha allegedly ran out of luck when an alert security officer searched their vehicle.
National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi last night said he was not aware of the incident.
“I’m yet to get information on that matter,” he said.
Sources at the border said the ammunition belonged to a Mr Clive Connelly of Tongogara Street in Bulawayo.
The suspects, who are now assisting police with investigations, have been identified as Francis Ncube (the driver), Mthabisi Ncube, Njabulo Nxumalo and Nkosana Makuyona.
“The four arrived in the country at around 9AM on Thursday and went through all immigration formalities. They declared that they were carrying bicycle spares and managed to hoodwink Zimra officials who let them pass.
“We intercepted them when they were about to leave the border. A 100 percent search of the vehicle was conducted leading to the discovery of an assortment of bullet cartridges weighing 130kg with a cumulative value of R42,855,” said an official close to investigations.
The smuggling of firearms from South Africa into the country has off late become rampant.
Recently, a 48-year-old businessman from Ruwa was fined $2,000 for smuggling 2,417 bullets from South Africa into the country through Beitbridge border post.
Alert detectives intercepted Bensen Zindere of Zimre Park in Ruwa, who is the owner of Nechit Enterprises, as he was leaving the border area carrying the ammunition in a small satchel.
A few months ago, a retired army captain, Godfrey Mutasa of Harare, was also fined $800 by a Beitbridge magistrate for smuggling an ammunition progressive loading machine worth R300,000 which reloads bullets with gun powder.
Mutasa, who was intercepted while driving a Mazda BT50 single cab, had declared to Zimra that he was importing vehicle spare parts worth R1,200.
2nd EU REFERENDUM: Parliament Petition Balloons 500% in 24Hrs
The petition to hold another UK’s EU referendum has ballooned by over 500% within less than 24 hours.
Parliament requires just 100,000 petitioners for any motion to be tabled before the House of Commons for debate within 24 hours.
But by early Saturday morning, the UK parly’s website was staggering with over 570,000 digital signatures calling for the holding of a second referendum on whether the country should exit the European Union.
The latest development is historic as no petition has been this viral in the last 2 years. At the time of writing the number was still rising fast encroaching 600,000 marker. The petition can be accessed here …..
Kasukuwere Fires Warning at New Land Grabbers
- firm orders …Saviour Kasukuwere
The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Saviour Kasukuwere has warned individuals and groups involved in a new wave of urban land grab to stop the illegal activities forthwith or risk arrest.
Speaking to the local media in Harare on Thursday, Minister Kasukuwere said there is a wave of new land grabs in urban areas in places that include Donnybrook Park, Caledonia and in northern parts of Harare.
Kasukuwere appealed to citizens to abstain from entering into agreements with such land dealers saying its criminal as the right and authority to allocate residential stands lies with the municipality, his ministry or other authorised land developers like UDCORP and approved private developers.
He said although his ministry has regularised illegal settlements in Caledonia and Waterfalls, further such invasions are a violation of the law of the land by some people who are seeking to enrich themselves.
He said some people or groups are interfering with regularisation work in Caledonia and such unruly behaviour will not be allowed to continue.
The past few years have seen the mushrooming of illegal settlements in the city, creating eyesore and disorder in Harare.
Some of the illegal settlements have become havens of crime.
They also disturb urban planning and extension as they are built without the involvement of city planners. – state media
Mugabe Descends of Mnangagwa Hotbed
As revealed by ZimEye early this week, President Robert Mugabe descends on Chiredzi today.
The province is on record telling Mugabe’s wife, Grace to her face that she is not wanted in the province. Mugabe is set to clash with Minister of State Shuvai Mahofa, ZimEye.com revealed early this week (CLICK HERE TO READ).
Mugabe is meeting the entire Zanu-PF leadership in Masvingo province, including the 26 National Assembly representatives and senators as part of efforts to unite the province, the state media reports saying.
The visit by the Zanu-PF First Secretary follows complaints by some legislators who recently engaged President Mugabe and briefed him on problems affecting the party in Masvingo.
The President is expected to meet the Zanu-PF Masvingo leadership led by Politburo member Josaya Hungwe and ruling party legislators from across the province in a bid to unite the party and make sure Masvingo remains a “one party state’’.
Hungwe yesterday confirmed President Mugabe’s visit saying the entire Zanu-PF leadership in Masvingo will be in the Lowveld to meet the Zanu-PF First Secretary. “We will be meeting President Mugabe in Chiredzi tomorrow after he called the entire Zanu-PF leadership to go there in the wake of complaints by some Members of Parliament who were not happy with certain things. So the President said both parties should be there so that one side can put forward their allegations with the other side defending itself,’’ he said.
“I can’t disclose issues that will be discussed but we will only know the agenda upon attending the meeting. We were just summoned by the President and we are all going there together with the Minister of State for Masvingo provincial affairs (Senator Shuvai Mahofa),’’ he added.
Hungwe said the ruling party in Masvingo was expected to come out of the meeting with President Mugabe strong and united.
Acting Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairman Amasa Nhenjana corroborated Hungwe’s statement saying Zanu-PF would emerge stronger from the meeting with President Mugabe.
“You will recall that some Members of Parliament from Masvingo met President Mugabe and raised a number of concerns over the state of affairs in the ruling party in Masvingo so the President is coming to solve the problems so that we work as a united team,’’ he said.
“It’s our hope that after the meeting the ruling party in Masvingo will be pulling in the same direction. There are also other requests that we would want to make to our President as a province and we are looking forward to the meeting,’’ added Nhenjana.
Masvingo has been beset with problems which culminated in the ‘‘demotion’’ of some senior members of the ruling party provincial executive.
Provincial Commissar Jappy Jaboon, Youth League chair Nobert Ndaarombe and Women’s League boss Veronica Makonese were demoted by the ruling party provincial co-ordinating committee but the move was reversed by the Zanu-PF Politburo.
Zanu-PF is a dominant force in Masvingo after it swept all the 26 National of Assembly seats in the 2013 harmonised elections.
Lawyer On The Run
The ruling by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese yesterday follows an urgent chamber application by the LSZ which sought an order to have the law firm placed under curatorship for defrauding clients.
Justice Makonese also granted an order suspending Mr Mutsauki from practising as a lawyer for six weeks and ordered the LSZ to appoint its deputy executive secretary, Mr Wilbert Pfungwadzashe Mandinde, as curator pending investigations into the alleged fraud.
Curatorship means that the law firm will cease operations and have someone from outside the organisation put in charge to manage its activities.
The judge also ordered the LSZ to immediately take control of James Mutsauki Attorneys’ trust accounts and administer them.
The law firm was in May this year ordered to close its offices after Mr Mutsauki failed to renew his practising certificate for 2016.
Mr Mandinde, in his founding affidavit, said the LSZ feared that Mr Mutsauki, who is at large, could have committed acts of unprofessional conduct by abusing funds from his law firm’s trust account.
The law firm is also in rental arrears of $7,765,28 and owes a taxi operator $82 for services rendered.
In April, James Mutsauki Attorneys allegedly swindled a local estate agent, Gwande Properties, of $16,000 in a botched house deal.
Gwande Properties deposited the money into the trust account of James Mutsauki Attorneys and the company alleged that the transfer process was deliberately delayed as the conveyancer, who is Mr Mutsauki, did not have the purchase price in the trust account of his law firm.
Mr Mutsauki also specialises in the legal aspects of buying and selling of real estate.
The LSZ also accused James Mutsauki Attorneys of defrauding one Ms Nokuthula Ncube of $1,500 in May. The money was meant to facilitate the transfer of a property. The transfer has not yet been done.
Mr Mandinde said it was necessary for the LSZ to be given a mandate to take control of James Mutsauki Attorneys and investigate the motive behind Mr Mutsauki’s disappearance, which is allegedly linked to the manner he managed the trust funds.
The LSZ is threatened with claims amounting to $3 million emanating from theft, fraud, forgery and dishonest practices from some of its members, with deregistered Bulawayo law firm Cheda and Partners having the highest claim at $1 million.
The LSZ administers a fund aimed at compensating members of the public who would have incurred losses due to theft, fraud and other dishonest practices committed either by a registered legal practitioner or their employees.
In two years, 13 firms have been placed under curatorship.
Cheda and Partners was shut down in April last year after the LSZ detected alleged fraudulent transactions running into hundreds of thousands of dollars. The law firm’s demise first saw its three senior partners, Sindiso Mazibisa, Mlamuli Ncube and Nqobizitha Ndlovu surrendering their practising certificates. They were later suspended by the LSZ pending fraud investigations, one of which was the alleged theft of $335,000, held in trust by Mazibisa.
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said the Government is worried about the increase in bogus and unscrupulous lawyers who are defrauding the public.
The VP, who oversees the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, said the Government had noted the worrying reports of people who have lost money and property to unruly lawyers.-state media
Boy Sodomises 3 Kids After Watching Porn
A 14-YEAR-OLD boy from Luveve in Bulawayo allegedly sodomised his three playmates aged eight, nine and 13 after a maid exposed him to pornography.
A court yesterday heard how the minor at one point forced two of the boys to stand guard while he sodomised the other boy at his home.
The boy, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, appeared before senior regional
magistrate Mr Tranos Utahwashe facing five counts of aggravated indecent assault. Mr Utahwashe convicted the boy and remanded him to July 7 for sentence.
The boy told the court he was sorry for sodomising his friends. He told social workers that he was exposed to pornographic material which gave him ideas to abuse his friends over a period of one month.
Prosecuting Robin Mukura told the court that the boy who is in Grade Six approached his first victim aged 13 and demanded shoes that his friend had allegedly borrowed in 2014.
“When his friend failed to produce them, the boy told him he had to pay by having anal sex with him. He ordered the boy to undress and when he refused the boy threatened to assault him and went on to force him into intercourse,” said Mr Mukura.
“On another unknown date but during September last year, the same victim knocked off from school and started walking home with the older boy.
The accused demanded his shoes again and when the boy failed to produce them, the boy
dragged him to his home where he sodomised him once.”
The court heard that the Grade Six pupil pounced on his second friend aged nine and doing Grade 3.
“On September 8 at around 6PM, the boy was playing with his other friends when the sodomite approached him. He instructed the boy, 9, to pull down his trousers and sodomised him,” he said. Mr Mukura added that, “On an unknown date in September, the boy pounced on the same boy who was with two other complainants”.
The court heard that the sodomite asked his victims to be on guard while he sodomised the nine-year-old.
“The boy met his last victim aged eight in the company of the two victims. He went to him, forced him to undress and sodomised him once. The matter finally came out and on October 9, the three boys were taken for medical examination.” state media
Zimbabwe’s Deadly Cash Haemorrhage!
How We Lose Our Country’s Cash Reserves’
Welshman Ncube|I regularly drive myself between four Zimbabwean cities – Harare, Gweru, Mutare and Bulawayo. Such errands are not just about my legal practice. If you are a serious leader of a national political party, you need to maintain a vigil of physical contact as often as possible in the area bound by the country’s foremost industrial, commercial, mining, agricultural and rural settlements. Flying around at high altitude in a white helicopter will of course give you a surrealistic panoramic view, but keeps you detached from realities on the ground. Moreover, zooming past bemused citizens in a twenty-car Mercedes Benz convoy flanked by five BMW motorcycle outriders does create some sort of dramatic impression but would hardly afford one the intimacy needed to appreciate challenges that bedevil citizens in their day-to-day lives.
It is during my road trips that I encounter serious traffic accidents and thanks to our dysfunctional emergency public health delivery service, victims spend several hours in distress before receiving crucial first aid. I always notice when, eventually a medical team arrives, they try and talk to as many victims as possible. Those who respond and point to broken limbs receive less attention than those afflicted with life-threatening injuries. In fact, when there is a case of muscular injury that exhibits serious arterial rapture and incessant blood loss, even the medical team gets into a state of panic to try and arrest the haemorrhage. In other words, it is crucial to get such a patient to hospital as soon as possible for blood transfusion, but whilst they are lying in painful helplessness on the tarmac or grass, what becomes urgent is to stop blood loss. Unchecked, this loss can result not only in brain damage, but fatal cardiac arrest. Such is my country Zimbabwe’s state of economy.
When ZANU PF ‘allegedly won’ the 2013 presidential and parliamentary elections, they rode on a myriad of dazzling false promises of economic growth, employment creation and empowerment. As it stands now, the country is experiencing its worst economic and social crisis since 2000. Our national monetary and fiscal system has been bled dry. We have passed the stage of cardiac arrest-induced shock and fast approaching brain-dead comatose. One of the most vital ‘fluids’ that drives economic well -being and survival – money – has dissipated. A country with no savings, no national reserves, no import cover; a country that cannot pay its civil servants, service domestic and foreign debt or even pay rentals for its ambassadors is a failed state. President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF ministers, Legislators, Governors, Chiefs and Headmen must hang their heads in shame. If Zimbabwe was a truly democratic country with men and women of honour and integrity in government, President Mugabe and his team would have resigned yesterday.
There is no country, economy, community, institution or even family unit that operates effectively without money. Zimbabwe boasts some of the best national endowments – natural and human – so how have we found ourselves with empty national coffers, empty bank accounts and empty pockets? How is it that a country that exports the best of everything in the region; human capital, tobacco, gold, coal, diamonds and tourism – has no money? This is the billion dollar question I want to attempt to answer this week – at least without indulging in juvenile soon-to-graduate-PhD-economics-student-type rhetoric.
The first problem we have is that as a country we are not generating enough money internally. This has nothing to do with importing more US dollars or printing Zimbabwean ‘bond’ notes. It has everything to do with a strong vibrant industrial, commercial, agricultural industry. When a country is operating at full capacity – like Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa – locally made goods and services are exchanged for money locally, and cash circulates abundantly. Zimbabwe has literally stopped producing anything and all the little money that is around is used to import onions, oranges, potatoes, cooking oil and cabbages. Between 2000 and now, ZANU PF’s political and economic policies have been so destructive to local industry that all citizens do is import cars from Japan, clothes from China and groceries from South Africa. Billions of dollars cross our borders every quarter to quench our thirst for consumer, not capital goods. Thousands of Zimbabweans – including President Mugabe, his family, ministers and of late, Morgan Tsvangirai – pay millions of dollars to hospitals in Singapore, Mumbai. Dubai, Cairo and Johannesburg to access ‘proper’ medical care. Thousands of young people – our children – pay millions of dollars to universities in Australia, Cape Town, Germany, United States and United Kingdom to access ‘proper’higher education.
Then comes President Mugabe’s foreign trips. This year alone President Mugabe has had no less than twenty foreign trips overseas, taking with him a large entourage each time. I have no doubt that he can easily be a contender in the Guinness world records as the most travelled Head of State. As a nation, we find ourselves asking, what have we benefitted from all these trips which gobble up millions of dollars? We are yet to see the fruits of these costly travels.
At the business front, we all know that large multinational corporations in Zimbabwe source raw materials and machinery from abroad. However, some of them – because of years of a weak and corrupt central banking system – either do not remit resultant export proceeds back to Zimbabwe, or simply inflate the cost of imports in order to ‘transfer’ the excess price to the external supplier. In the past fifteen or so years, the ZANU PF government has violated civil and political rights to the extent that international financiers have minimised if not cut off business relations with Zimbabwe. In desperation, President Mugabe invited Chinese and Russians to ‘invest’ in Zimbabwe. This is fictitious foreign investment because all they do is bring in finished goods and labour then take out millions of US dollars out. There is no transfer of technology, sustainable use of local labour or value addition. Imagine the millions in tons of raw tobacco exported to China at cost and how many trillions of cigarettes Chinese tobacco companies then manufacture in Beijing on our account. What a loss for us in hard currency!
Finally, since we are under a corrupt government, ZANU PF political and capitalist cronies who make millions of dollars in tenders do not keep their contraband in the country. Like most wealthy citizens in government and private sector, they have no confidence in the future of the country, thus would rather keep their money in offshore accounts. Therefore, it is shocking that almost ten years after diamonds were discovered in Marange, it is only now that President Mugabe ‘notices’ that fifteen billion dollars is missing. Here are the facts: all diamond companies in Chiadzwa were run by individuals with direct military, civilian and business relations with ZANU PF. So when these gems were being ‘exported’ without equivalent remittances, where were the officials in the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation and the Minerals Marketing Corporation looking? Where was ZIMRA and the air force as small planes flew into, out and across the eastern borders? Hundreds of high-level government officers who travel outside the country, including presidential delegates to numerous international conferences: who monitored how much money they took out? It will therefore take a government elected on the basis of popular credibility to eliminate this monetary and fiscal haemorrhage – the type of government I have in mind had I to be afforded that opportunity in 2018.
Mujuru, Khupe, Misihairabwi In Secret Coalition Talks
Power women in Zimbabwe’s opposition politics are reported to have recently met in South-Africa, in an effort to plot a coalition strategy that will kick President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party out of power in the 2018 elections.
The three MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe, People First President Joice Mujuru, as well as MDC proportional representative MP for Matabeleland South Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga are likely to form a formidable challenge to other parties in the make or break elections.
ZimEye.com exclusively reported, last May, when the politicians first met in Dubai ( also read- Click Here) where Mujuru received a special international award for courage and bravery.
It is reported the three politicians met in South Africa last week to discuss plans to form a coalition ahead of the 2018 general elections.
This comes as it emerged MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai is still struggling with continued illness despite being discharged from a South African hospital last month.
According to sources, Mujuru, Khupe, Mwonzora and Misihairabwi-Mushonga had a meeting in Polokwane to discuss various issues affecting opposition parties in Zimbabwe, although the major subject was the need to form an alliance to dislodge President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF from power.
The meeting was held on Tuesday and the quartet returned to Zimbabwe the following day.
The sources said the parties agreed there was need for the opposition parties to contest the 2018 elections as a united front, although the modalities of the grand coalition were yet to be thrashed out.
The meeting was before Mujuru addressed during her maiden rally as a member of the opposition at Stanley Square in Makokoba, Bulawayo, on Saturday.
Mujuru lost the Zanu PF and State vice-presidency at the ruling party’s 2014 congress before being expelled from the party in 2015.
ZimPF spokesperson Jealous Mawarire confirmed the former vice-president was in South Africa last week, but said he was not aware of the meeting.
“She was on a private business which was ambushed by our coordinators in South Africa. Those are the people she met. I am not aware of the meeting you are talking about,” he said.
Mwonzora also confirmed he was in South Africa with Khupe, but denied attending the meeting.
“It is not true that we had a meeting with People First. We (him and Khupe) were in South Africa for a completely different business, that is our internal party business,” he said.
Mushonga also denied having a meeting with the trio, but said she met her opposition counterparts on the plane.
“I absolutely have no idea of such a meeting. I met Khupe, Mujuru and Mwonzora in the plane where I greeted them. Besides in what capacity would I be meeting them?”
Sources in the opposition, however, insisted the officials had met to lay the groundwork for a coalition.
In May, five opposition parties signed a Coalition of Democrats (Code) agreement to guide them towards forming a coalition ahead of the 2018 polls.
The agreement, seen by the Zimbabwe Independent, was signed by Simba Makoni’s Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn (MKD), Professor Welshman Ncube’s Movement for Democratic Change, Elton Mangoma’s Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe as well as the little known Democratic Assembly for Restoration and Empowerment led by Gilbert Dzikiti and Zimbabweans United for Democracy.
MDC-T, ZimPF and the Tendai Biti-led People’s Democratic Party and Zapu led by Dumiso Dabengwa did not sign the document.
Following the signing, analysts, however, said an opposition alliance without Mujuru and MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai was likely to be ineffective.
According to the Code agreement, the mission of the coalition is to be a “democratic platform, where likeminded political parties, bound by common values and objectives, collectively take responsibility for providing leadership and opportunities which address the multiple and complex challenges facing our nation”.
While it is still not clear who will lead the coalition or how they will work together, the political parties said they shall be guided by principles of working and cooperating with others in an equal, open and respectful manner, respect and observance of collective decision-making, equality, diversity, tolerance, and respect for all and each other, non-violence, tolerance and the peaceful resolution of issues and conflicts among many other principles.
The coalition said its objective was to engage in joint programmes, activities, actions and programmes that facilitate the objectives of achieving a peaceful prosperous and democratic and socially just Zimbabwean state and to work for the economic development and upliftment of every Zimbabwean through various programmes and activities, including the production and presentation of documents and blueprints that will assist the objectives.
The agreement states that a Governing Council, comprising all the presidents or principals of the party, will design a framework for candidate selection and nomination in fielding one presidential candidate.
The parties agreed that the coalition will have its own distinct symbols and logos separate from those of the parties that are its members, for the purposes of participating in elections and sponsoring candidates or doing any other programmes.- Independent
Police Burn ‘Rapist’s’ Genitals
Terrence Mawawa, Gutu | Three members of the ZRP constabulary section torched a rape suspect’s genitals with a burning log to punish him for raping a four year old girl.
The Neighbourhood Watch Committee members pounced on the rape suspect in Village 5, Mushaviri area and burnt him with a log as punishment for the way he ‘raped’ the four year old girl.
The trio nabbed the suspect on June 7 and decided to burn his private parts so that he would not commit another crime. They later took him to Gutu Police Station.
William Maromo, Charles Muzenda and Blantyre Bonzo Phillip,who are members of the police constabulary section, pleaded not guilty when they appeared before Gutu Resident Magistrate Edwin Marecha.
The three are facing assault charges as defined in Section 89(1)(a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23.
The three were arrested when the suspect Washington Togo(19) disclosed during his initial trial that he was severely tortured by the trio.
A medical examination also revealed Togo suffered extensive burns on his genitals and had bruises all over his body following the incident.
The trio assaulted Togo all over his body and under his feet using a wooden stick. They also proceeded to burn his genitals using a log after being horrified by the alleged sight of the abused child. The case was postponed to June 30.
Togo is being accused of raping the minor and leaving semen and blood on the child’s body.
TB Joshua Claims Prophetic Glory for Brexit Referendum
By Sukoluhle Sibanda|Controversial Nigerian preacher TB Joshua has come out to credit himself for the UK’s Brexit referendum which ended Thursday night.
Joshua who early this year claimed that all of the Southern African region’s problems will vanish in August this year 2016, says he predicted the UK referendum’s outcome.
Joshua’s staffers announced at 5pm Friday publicly writing claiming, “in a video dated 25th December, 2011, Joshua is seen stating: “We pray for this European community because I see the Euro which holds them together will be affected and many countries will.”
Religious emotion around Joshua has continued despite a long history of several failed predictions by the same preacher who falsely claimed the missing Malaysian aircraft would be found within days (more than a year ago), and also in September 2014 failed to forsee his own church building collapsing which had clear health and safety warnings, and killed 116 people at his own premises. He is being tried next week over the deaths. The man has also been factually proven to be a miracle faker after several of his “prophetic” proclamations were shown to have been simply stitched up through video editing techniques. SEE VIDEO:
Joshua’s “African President” death prediction in 2012 of former Malawian President Bingu Mutharika which brought him much fame has also opened a can of worms after it emerged the man back then simply utilised empirical knowledge from the leader’s medical records.
CIO Bosses Order Mnangagwa Aide Out Of Invaded Farm
Terrence Mawawa
Central Intelligence Organisation bosses here have ordered former Zanu PF chairman,Ezra Chadzamira to vacate Crest Ibeka farm with immediate effect, it has emerged.
Chadzamira,who is a declared Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s disciple is also the MP for Masvingo West Constituency. He invaded the farm previously owned by Yvonne Goddard, as one of the sponsors of the controversial Third Chimurenga land grab exercise.
Chadzamira grabbed the farm in February this year ahead of senior army and intelligence bosses who were also eyeing the same property.
ZimEye.com is reliaby informed senior intelligence officers have given the embattled legislator an ultimatum to vacate the farm with immediate effect.
Chadzamira is also under pressure from former farm workers and local villagers who are not happy with his occupation of the property. “I can tell you that Chadzamira has been ordered to vacate the farm by senior intelligence guys.
The CIO bosses have also instructed us not to process any paper work for Chadzamira .Members of the local community are also not happy with his occupation of the farm,”said an official with the Lands Ministry.
Chadzamira was unceremoniously kicked out of the Zanu PF Provincial Coordinating Committee he headed as the provincial chairman by the party’s National Political Commissar,Saviour Kasukuwere.Kasukuwere ,who is said to be one of the First Lady ,Grace Mugabe’s close associates.
Mugabe Dumps Mphoko Blocks US$300 Million Deal
VICE-PRESIDENT Phelekezela Mphoko’s son, Siqokoqela, was directly involved in structuring and negotiating a usurious US$300 million Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) loan which the VP was facilitating on behalf of Botswana’s Capital Management Africa (CMA), the Zimbabwe Independent can reveal.
Mphoko’s son has an interest in CMA as a shareholder.
President Robert Mugabe blocked the deal, which would have seen Zimbabwe paying an extortionate US$70 million in interest on the loan. This comes as it emerged that last week Mphoko attempted to get cabinet to approve the loan.
Minutes of a Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and CMA meeting held at the ZPC boardroom in Harare on October 13 2015 show that Siqokoqela, who holds a 5% stake in CMA, represented CMA alongside a T Marsland and V Utedzi.
The minutes show that in return for the US$300 million loan extended to Zesa for the refurbishment of the Hwange Thermal Power Station, ZPC was going to pay back the sum at an interest rate of between 18% and 20% per annum. ZPC was also going to export 100 megawatts of electricity from the national grid to Botswana in return for payment. The minutes further reveal that ZPC was not happy with the applicable high interest rate, but Siqokoqela and his team refused to budge.
“Following calculations by KPMG, the interest rate had come to 18-20% of the capital cost. ZPC asked CMA whether it would be possible to scale down the interest, as it was of the opinion that the interest was too high,” read the minutes.
“CMA pointed out to ZPC that they were investing their own funds in the transaction and given the funding cost, risk and the complexities of the deal the interest could not be scaled down.”
The deal was, however, blocked by Mugabe who also protested that the interest rate was too high and smacked of corruption. Zesa is seeking US$350 million in order to secure a US$1,2 billion loan facility offered by China Exim Bank to refurbish the Hwange Thermal Power Station.
The power utility is in a serious financial crisis as it is owed close to US$1 billion. It is also struggling due to mismanagement and corruption.
In January, China offered Zesa a loan of US$1,2 billion to refurbish the Hwange Thermal Power Station. The Chinese loan requires that government raises a substantial guarantee, of at least 15%, before accessing the facility, hence efforts to raise the US$350 million.
The minutes show that ZPC was required to supply power to Botswana Power Company which would pay on a monthly basis.
“CMA stated that they would prefer a situation wherein the power being sold in terms of the Power Purchase Agreement is coming from the grid and not from a particular power station,” the minutes say.
Siqokoqela worked as the head of business development at CMA from January 2008 to August 2013, starting when his father was still Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Botswana.
Questions remain over whether Mphoko abused his position as ambassador in Botswana when he cut deals for himself and his family to emerge as a partner in that country’s biggest supermarket chain, Choppies.
According to his LinkedIn account, Siqokoqela’s duties included, among many others, “establishing investment opportunities for our group in the form of development projects, infrastructural projects, and finance financial institutions such as banks”.
“CMA had Pula 2,6 billion (US$240 million) assets under its management and it was my job to find good investments for our group. I became a 5% shareholder of the company. CMA was the number one leading asset management company in Botswana and the only company that had the skills and expertise to manage annuity portfolios in the whole of Botswana,” Siqokoqela states on his account.
Mphoko’s deal comes at a time when the power company is rocked by tender scams.
As reported by the Zimbabwe Independent recently, Zesa is reeling from a series of scandals, including the US$194 million-a-year Dema diesel power plant deal (now US$83 million) which would leave the struggling ZPC and Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company, another Zesa subsidiary, in deeper dire straits.
The corrupt deal, given to Mugabe’s in-law Derrick Chikore, elder brother to Simba who is married to the president’s daughter Bona, and Sakunda Energy boss Kuda Tagwirei, was later revised down by about 50% to US$83 million due to pressure.
Energy experts say ZPC could have saved approximately US$200 million over three years had it explored cheaper alternatives.
Zesa tender costs have been escalated by over US$500 million, raising corruption concerns.- Independent
UK Exists EU Officially – THE FUTURE FACTS | DISCUSSION |
BREAKING NEWS UPDATE – UK residents can reverse the just ended EU referendum results -An official petition already swelling with over 135,000 voters by 3pm has been opened. Within seconds, people can force the government to hold another referendum. It can be accessed here…
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By Simba Chikanza|It is Friday morning and the UK’s EU has voted to leave the EU.
Waking up to a Thursday morning quick peruse of British newspapers yesterday, one could just but wonder the level of political intoxication in British papers, the type that would be intolerable in African societies….Two contesting views in a very close election scream for attention! Stay or Exit! “Independence Day”, read the Sun paper with a catchy graphic at the top, somewhat reminding everyone of the mood in Rhodesia a day before Zimbabwe was spit out of the British Empire. “Vote. Leave Today”, read the Daily Express. But you would also get to see a few papers that chose the middle of the road position. “Your Country Needs Your Vote,” read the Daily Star.
Many people are now apprehensive on the future especially after the British pound fell down to an all time (pre-1985) low.
ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza caught up with Labour party councilor for Ashford Council, Nicolle Ndiweni, and she tore into far right leader, Nigel Farage who within minutes of the poll results has backtracked on his lies to British voters on a per week £300million cash-leak to the EU. The following was the discussion:
Mphoko Hides as ZRP Clashes with Protesters
By Mandulo Pasichigare| PEACEFULL DEMONSTRATION AT RAINBOW TOWERS QUASHED BY THE POLICE.
Scores of human rights activists under the banners of ROHR Zimbabwe, NAVUZ and TAJAMUKA held a peaceful demonstration today at the Rainbow Towers, the Harare 5 star hotel, where one of Zimbabwe’s two Vice Presidents, Phelekezela Mphoko has stayed since December 2014.
The demonstrators were waving placards some of which read “Mphoko stop wasting taxpayers’ money…”, “Mari yehotera ngaipiwe kanzuro igadzire musika nemaroads” and chanting messages demanding that Mphoko and his family move out of hotel accommodation as soon as possible.
In no time, Riot Police arrived at the scene and attacked the demonstrators with baton sticks before violently bundling some of them, including their leader, Mr Stendrick Zvorwadza into Police trucks. The arrested demonstrators have been taken to a yet to be confirmed destination.
Phelekezela Mphoko’s continued stay at the Rainbow Towers has cost the Zimbabwean Taxpayers in excess of $250 000.00 as at today. This has riled the Zimbabwean people and has been condemned by civic society and opposition politicians. This is especially considering that he has turned down offers to be accommodated in 3 high value properties sponsored by the Zimbabwean Government so far.
One of the houses Phelekezela Mphoko refused to move into is the one left by the late vice president Joseph Msika in Harare’s leafy suburb of Mandara. The second one is a mansion worth $3m in Ballantyne Park, an affluent suburb of Harare. The third one is a $3.5m acquired in December last year by the Government of Zimbabwe in The Grange, another leafy suburb of Harare.
In all the three known instances where the Mphokos have rejected the offers of accommodation, Mphoko’s wife, Laurinda, is said to have condemned the properties as substandard relative to the Vice President’s stature.
Live Bullets and Guns Intercepted At Beitbridge Border Post
Shamiso Mtandwa|A consignment of ammunition and guns has been intercepted by police and state security agents at the Beitbridge border post while making it’s way into the country.
ZimEye.com sources at the border claim that a cross border transporter popularly known as Malaisha and his assistant have been arrested by the police and are helping them with investigations on the matter.
Both police and customs officials at the border have refused to talk to media on the matter. ZimEye.com awaits for the story to develop and details will be made available as it unravels.
Security has been tightened at the border post since last week’s disturbances with central intelligence officers now allegedly in charge of the border control.
Thousands of people rioted at the border post last week forcing police and officials to run for cover after being overwhelmed by the striking mob.
Several people made their way through the border unchecked amidst the chaos and goods and property expected to run into hundreds of thousands of dollars were smuggled through in the commotion.
Civil Servants Mull Massive Strike
A crippling strike by government workers is in the offing after President Robert Mugabe’s broke administration reiterated to stressed civil servants earlier this week that it would not be able to pay most of its employees their June salaries, the Daily News has learnt.
A lengthy meeting on Wednesday involving government ministers, civil servants’ representatives and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya failed to resolve the salaries crisis, prompting union leaders to plan the mooted mass action.
Labour minister Prisca Mupfumira confirmed to journalists after the meeting that the government could only pay some of the salaries for civil servants in July, a development that public sector workers’ representatives said was insensitive to their welfare, and considering their recurring obligations such as rentals.
Speaking in an interview with the Daily News yesterday, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said teachers would not allow the government to take advantage of them anymore.
“Teachers are demanding that the traditional pay dates should not shift and spill over into another month. If they do not pay us by June 28, we will not go to work,” Majongwe warned.
Zimbabwe Democratic Teachers’ Union president George Mushipe said his union would map a concrete way forward soon, after consulting with its members.
“There is no apology to make if that money is not there on the dates that they promised. All we want to know is how they will ensure that teachers report for duty without being paid. Our actions stand guided by the Apex council,” he said
Apex council president Cecelia Alexander said they were insisting that workers salaries should be paid as previously advised.
“The workers we represent have continued to demand that salaries be paid on the traditional dates. As workers, we still hold on to that position,” Alexander said.
Despite its recent propaganda to the contrary, the Zanu PF government admitted last week that it was so broke that it could not manage to pay all civil servants their June salaries.
The embarrassing admission was contained in a Treasury circular that announced that the government would once again stagger the pay of civil servants this month, with most of them to receive their salaries only in mid-July.
According to the communiqué, the Zimbabwe National Army and Air Force of Zimbabwe will get their salaries on June 27, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services on June 30 and teachers only on July 7.
The health sector and the rest of the civil service will only get their June salaries deep into next month, on July 14 — while pensioners will have to wait as far as July 19 for their June pensions.
Earlier last week, the hard-working but much-harassed Mangudya, said the government was taking a number of measures to mitigate the country’s escalating cash and liquidity crisis.
In the meantime, and with the country teetering on the brink of another ginormous economic meltdown, akin to the horror experienced in 2008, there are growing fears that ordinary Zimbabweans are becoming increasingly restless and that this could soon blow up into deadly riots.
Concerned analysts who have spoken to the Daily News said the ongoing cash shortages and long bank queues, looming food shortages, the threatened ban on the importation of basic commodities, an inevitable rise in basic food prices and the broke government’s failure to pay angry civil servants their June salaries did not bode well for continuing peace and stability in the country.
They said it was telling that normally pliant and peace-loving Zimbabweans had rioted against the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in Beitbridge at the weekend, after President Robert Mugabe’s cash-strapped government suddenly banned the importation of basic commodities — threatening the livelihood of tens of thousands of people and their families who live off street vending.
Economist Witness Chinyama said unless the government introduced measures to boost local industry — currently operating at a lowly 30 percent capacity — Zimbabweans should brace themselves for food shortages and massive hikes in the prices of basic commodities.
“A total embargo on the importation of basic goods will be painful to consumers who would be forced to buy local products at higher prices,” he said emphatically.
This was after Industry minister Mike Bimha invoked Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 last Friday, banning the importation of coffee creamers, Camphor creams, white petroleum jellies, body creams, baked beans, potato crisps, cereals, bottled water, mayonnaise, salad cream, peanut butter, jam, maheu, canned fruits and vegetables, pizza bases, yoghurts, flavoured milk, dairy juice blends, ice-creams, cultured milk and cheese, among other products.
Chinyama said while the measures could breathe a new lease of life into local producers who were struggling to stay afloat due to stiff competition from imports, “in the absence of competition, chances are very high for local companies to effect price increases to match their high production costs”.
This was more so given that the recent import duty increase on cooking oil products had seen local retailers hiking their product prices from $2,99 per two litres, to an average of $3,60 as producers failed to meet demand.
Other economists have also previously warned that food prices were set to rise substantially due to looming shortages and the severe drought that has left more than 5,5 million people in need of food aid.
Veteran economist John Robertson was among those who said yesterday that the latest government intervention to ban the importation of some commodities would result in the acute shortage of basic goods, reminiscent of the 2008 era, as local companies had no capacity to fill the gap that was being filled by imports.
“Scarcity generates high prices and this often leads to a rise in black market, which will make life very difficult for ordinary citizens,” he said.
Robertson said the government should have put basic market fundamentals in place, to ensure that local industries were operating at full capacity before banning some imports.
“If we had enough time, perhaps industry could be revived, but that would all be dependent on fresh capital for retooling.
“Considering the fact that our government is broke and failing to meet its own wage bill, this capital can only come from foreign investors who, at this stage, would not want to hear about the indigenisation policy, government interference and lack of respect for property rights,” he said.
Other observers say Zanu PF’s seemingly unstoppable factional and succession wars have not helped matters, throwing spanners into the government’s half-baked programmes and thereby dealing a hammer blow to efforts to rescue the country’s dying economy.
Previously seen as a regional breadbasket, Zimbabwe’s fortunes have plummeted precipitously over the past two decades, to the extent that today the country is viewed as a much-derided basket case.
In 2008, some soldiers looted shops in Harare when their pay was delayed, at the height of Zimbabwe’s hyper-inflation crisis that was triggered by the government’s much-criticised fast track land reforms.
During that horror-laced period, inflation accelerated to more than 500 billion percent according to the International Monetary Fund. -Daily News
David Cameron resigns
David Cameron has resigned as Prime Minister after Britain voted to leave the European Union.
With the Leave campaign securing 52 per cent of the vote, Mr Cameron addressed the nation in an emotional speech outside 10 Downing Street to announce that he would be stepping down.
Cameron’s voice breaks during emotional resignation speechPlay! 04:42
While England voted overwhelmingly for Brexit, Scotland and Northern Ireland backed Remain. Statements are expected to be made by Sinn Fein and the SNP later today calling for a breakaway from the Union. London backed Remain but the turnout was lower than expected because of bad weather.
Meanwhile on the market, the FTSE 250 index has plunged a whopping 11.7pc. The index of so-called mid-cap companies had dropped an astonishing 2,017 points to 15,309 in the first few minutes of trading. Telegraph
Shocking Corruption Exposed In Harare City Council, Millions Fleeced
Shocking revelations have emerged that Harare City Council could have been fleeced of millions of dollars following an expose that two anonymous computers were being used to bill customers each month amid the likelihood that more funds were looted through the fraudulent issuance of receipts.
According to Auditor-General Ms Mildred Chiri’s report on local authorities for 2015 which exposed corruption in most councils, the city’s IT department failed to detect the computers that were being used to generate the bills.
“Therefore, there is room for the employees to create fake receipts that can be used to receipt customers when they settle their monthly bills,” reads the report.
The same report shows that Gweru City Council failed to account for a more than $1 million loan balance and the city’s mayor and town clerk had no fuel limit while council’s senior employees were being paid holiday and education allowances outside the payroll.
The audit showed that Mutare City Council had a bank overdraft facility with FBC Bank of $4 162 154 as at December 31, 2013 for which the city paid $1 215 349 as interest and service charges.
The audit also revealed that most councils were not up-to-date with their audited financial statements and a majority of councils maintains multiple bank accounts whose reconciliations were not up to date.
In some cases, the bank balances did not reconcile to the cash book balances resulting in unexplained variances.
“Harare City Council did not reconcile its cashbook overdrawn balance of $208 430 777 as per financial statements to the bank overdraft balances of $7 590 828 giving a significant variance of $200 839 949.
“Harare City Council had weaknesses in internal controls which resulted in significant variances between the system and financial statements. Cash and bank balances, receivables and property, plant and equipment had variances of $317 254 823, $114 237 875, and $486 701 941 respectively,” reads the report.
The Auditor-General also found out several council-owned properties which were being leased but were not recorded and accounted for.
In Kwekwe among other irregularities, the audit found out that the councils’ bank reconciliation statement had an unexplained reconciling figure of $2 569 043 which could not be traced to any underlying transactions and there was a risk that the unreconciled balances may have been used to conceal irregular activities.
In Kariba, the AG was unable to confirm the accuracy, completeness and validity of receivables written off totalling $1 103 543 as council could not provide documentation that supports the write-off of debts.
In Redcliff an analysis of residential stand files showed that most of the agreements of sale were not signed and they seemed to have been prepared post allocation and terms of agreement varied depending on the initial deposits made, some of which were as low as $5.
The audit also revealed that the councils’ CBZ Bank account was in overdraft with an amount of $400 000 and municipality was unable to service it as the loan interest continued to rise.
In Norton the audit showed that the council had total employment costs of $3 108 321 out of expenditure of $5 022 069 indicating that employment costs constituted 62 percent in violation of the ministerial directive prescribing a ratio of 30:70 in favour of service delivery.
The AG said the audit findings warrant the attention of management and those charged with governance.
“The audit revealed that most of the weaknesses emanated from governance issues, revenue collection and debt recovery, employment cost and procurement of goods and services,” Ms Chiri said. State Media
Mugabe Must Resign – Khupe
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe must step down from power because he has failed the country, opposition MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe has told thousands of party supporters.
Khupe was addressing MDC-T party supporters, who yesterday brought business in Mutare to a standstill as the opposition party’s demonstrations against alleged misrule by Mugabe’s government.
She read the speech on behalf of MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who failed to attend yesterday’s event reportedly because he was scheduled to undergo “a routine medical review”.
“We all witnessed Zanu PF’s grand political corruption in their lootings of $15 billion from Chiadzwa here in Manicaland. Mutare city is supposed to be like Sandton in Gauteng, South Africa, and you, the team of Manicaland, should be richest because of diamonds,’’ Khupe said in the short speech.
Early this year, Mugabe claimed at least $15 billion of the country’s diamond revenue had been looted, but could not provide details.
Khupe added Mugabe should hand over power because “he is leading an illegitimate government”.
“The Zanu PF regime is essentially an illegitimate regime after notorious rigging of the 2013 elections. It is a regime that has neither the political nor the moral authority to remain in power a day longer,” she said.
“The hour has come for Zimbabweans to stand up and fight to the last drop of their blood.”
Other top party leaders who took part in the demonstration included secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, national spokesperson Obert Gutu and shadow home affairs minister Giles Mutsekwa.
The demonstration started mid-morning, with some vendors at Sakubva flea market — normally perceived to be Zanu PF supporters — joining the snaking crowd that stretched for at least five kilometres from Sakubva Beit Hall to Meikles Park in the city centre.
Khupe chronicled the collapse of industries in Manicaland and said Zimbabweans must demand of Mugabe’s administration “re-industrialisation and job creation”.
The demonstration was a follow up to those that were successfully held in Harare, Bulawayo and Bindura respectively.
The MDC-T is planning to move a motion to impeach Mugabe in the national assembly despite the fact that it is a minority in the legislature.
ZIFA Dissolution Saga Far From Over
Staff Reporter
The ZIFA dissolution saga appears far from over following yet another challenge this time from the former employees of the association.
The former employees have lodged an urgent application with the High Court blocking the dissolution of the association claiming that the association was unconstitutionally dissolved and demanding huge amounts owed to them.
The employees are the second set of people to appeal to the courts against the dissolution of the association in as many days.
Two days ago a group of ZIFA stakeholders and creditors also filed a High Court application challenging the dissolution of the association which still owes them huge amounts of money.
Included in the group were hotels, car hire companies and security firms that were not paid for providing services to the national football governing body.
Philip Chiyangwa the former ZIFA boss moved his executive to dissolve ZIFA and establish a new football governing body called National Football Association of Zimbabwe (NFAZ). The coming of NFAZ was specifically to clear the national football body from debts of the former association which owes huge amounts of money to several creditors.
The Sports and Recreation Commission and FIFA have not sanctioned the formation of the new association and dissolution of ZIFA citing several constitutional challenges in the process.
Chiyangwa has meanwhile remained adamant that ZIFA is no more and NFAZ owes nothing to any of ZIFA’s previous creditors.
Addressing the Parliamentary Committee on Sports yesterday, Chiyangwa remained adamant that there is no going back to ZIFA and it’s creditors.
Ndebeles Offer 4 Cattle as Apology to Tshaka for Mzilikazi’s Notoriety
The Ndebele people of Zimbabwe have offered four cows to the Zulus of South Africa as an apology for founding Ndebele king Mzilikazi’s insurgency against then Zulu king Tshaka some 160 years ago.
Prominent activist Nqabutho Mabhena broke the news in a social media platform this week claiming that he was witness at a church service when people claiming to be representatives of the Ndebele people offered the cattle to Prophet Mkhuseli Hadebe of the Revelation Church in Johannesburg on Sunday.
The offer was said to be a plea for peace and forgiveness from the Zulu by the Ndebele for Mzilikazi’s “misdeed” through the prophet in his capacity as a “man of God.”
The offer has however raised a major mayhem amongst the Ndebele people who have distanced themselves from it all.
In reaction, the Ndebele people in the country discredited the group claiming that it was never sanctioned by the people as they believe that Mzilikazi was justified in his move against Tshaka.
Three centuries ago, Mzilikazi, then a subject under Tshaka the Zulu king, was sent to raid a neighbouring tribe and bring it under the kingdom of the Zulus. After the victory, Mzilikazi took all the cattle and women from the defeated tribe and fled from Tshaka with the loot resulting in him settling and setting up the Ndebele kingdom in present day Zimbabwe.
As the country’s economic and political conditions take a turn, Zimbabweans, particularly the Ndebele have been finding their way down to South Africa as economic and political refugees.
As they return to South Africa, the Ndebeles have been struggling to get the South African government to give them citizenship on the grounds that they were originally from South Africa through Mzilikazi’s migration.
In follow up on the matter, ZimEye.com tried to get a comment from Prophet Hadebe but failed as his PA would not let the media to access the prophet.
The PA also refused to comment on the offering of the four cows claiming that offerings were a secret between the church and the persons making the offering.
It was not clear how and to who the prophet will remit the Ndebeles’ offering for peace with the Zulus.
Lover’s Semen on Towel Earns Naked Wife a Beating
A BULAWAYO man who found his towel wet from what he suspected to be another man’s semen bashed his wife over infidelity allegations.
A court heard that the couple last had sex three months ago.
Richard Sithole (46) yesterday pleaded guilty to a physical abuse charge before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Steven Ndlovu.
The magistrate fined Sithole $100 or six months in jail.
Sithole said his wife, Martha Mutandaguta (38), told him that she no longer had feelings for him and wanted to find a boyfriend.
He said when he arrived home from work on Tuesday, his wife was on the phone calling the person at the other end “sweetie.”
“She was startled when she saw me. She threw my body towel that she was holding on the floor. I picked it up but realised that it was wet. I looked closely at it and saw that it contained some slimy white substance that was evidently semen” said Sithole.
He said he fought hard to remain calm.
“She went to take a bath. I instructed our maid to go and lock the gate. Immediately she rushed out of the bathroom and sent the maid to buy airtime. This was when I confronted her about my suspicions. She gave me vague answers. I lost my temper and hit her hard.”
Prosecuting, Mrs Sibekithemba Dube said on Tuesday, Sithole hit his naked wife who was coming from taking a bath causing her to sustain a swollen forehead and bruises on her back.
In passing judgment, Mr Ndlovu said violence is never a solution to problems.
“You should have tried engaging a third party to solve your problem. Anger should not be used as an excuse to commit an offence. You are lucky she wasn’t hurt badly otherwise you could have landed yourself in prison,” said Mr Ndlovu.-state media
CHIHURI NOW A PASTOR: Shock Details Emerge
Fresh details have emerged that Police boss Augustine Chihuri is now a pastor. This follows a cluster of exclusive ZimEye expose’s which revealed the man has been forcing junior police officers into his church meetings.
While the police spokesperson, Charity Charamba, attempted damage control saying the church meetings are state chaplaincy programs, fresh official documentation has leaked revealing they are indeed church meetings and fully labelled so.
At a time officers are meant to be on the streets fighting crime, they are being “ordered” to attend the church services for stretches of time up to (5) five hours each day. PICTURES BELOW- STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Cops have since reacted in anger over the new “church” saying they are forced to attend the services adding that Chihuri is the very pastor thereof.
“We are being forced to join the church where the commissioner General Chihuri is the pastor. From Friday to Sunday all police officers are forced to be part of a church service at Ross camp. Where are we going with this human rights abuse?,” a source told ZimEye.
Does not practice what he teaches
But Gen. Chihuri who professes Christianity is attacked for claiming to be a spiritual man when he on the other side allegedly abuses officers. “He is the sole preacher in the service but surprisingly during day to day policing, he does not practice what he teaches in the service,” they said.
They continued, “every now and again members are forced to part with their hard earned cash to contribute towards Kuyedza club, a club headed by his wife. Kuyedza club proceeds are believed to be benefiting a clique of few senior officers. Members are again forced to buy stationary used on day to day duties. This is the reason why most of the officers are bitter about being forced to attend the service.”
It has also emerged with documentary evidence that police officers are being forced into “police spot fine” cash collection target figures for fund raising purposes.
The above documents serve to confirm that police officers are being given arrest targets to raise retention money, hence the rise of the Tajamuka Group which is lobbying for a stop on the abuse by force.
MORE FOLLOWS as this is a developing story…
Chiyangwa Hauled Before Parliament
NATIONAL Football Association of Zimbabwe (Nafaz) president Philip Chiyangwa was yesterday grilled by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport over his decision to dissolve the debt-ridden Zifa, but maintained that what they had done was necessary and above board.
The old local football governing body Zifa was dissolved on June 4, which led to the formation of a new outfit Nafaz, which is, however, yet to be registered by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).
Chiyangwa, who now leads Nafaz, approached the High Court seeking to have Zifa placed under trustee management.
Yesterday, the Harare businessman was accompanied by his deputy Omega Sibanda, legal advisor Itai Ndudzo and Nafaz chief excecutive officer Kenny Ndebele.
Chiyangwa apprised Parliament on his successes since taking over, which include the Warriors qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations finals to be held in Gabon next year, while also highlighting the association’s financial problems, which led to the decision to dissolve Zifa.
During the question-and-answer session, Chiyangwa responded to some of the questions before asking to be excused since he had to travel to South Africa for medical treatment.
Education, Arts, Sports and Culture Parliamentary Portfolio Committee chairman Never Khanye quizzed Chiyangwa if they had consulted with all stakeholders before dissolving Zifa.
Chiyangwa, however, argued they had followed due process before making the decision.
“The association of Zifa is a conglomerate of various players who are throughout the country, from the area, regional and provincial zones. These are the persons who are elected from the controlling body of Zifa, thus those persons in their own right are the only and absolute authority in Zimbabwe answerable to Fifa and we are sanctioned by our own statutes which are the constitution and electoral court,” he said.
“Full consultations were made from the moment we started talking about it as early as January when we discovered that we were insolvent. That’s when we decided to dissolve Zifa. And those persons who were in that congress are the same persons who made the decision,” he said.
Emakhandeni-Entumbane MP Dingilizwe Tshuma questioned if it was ethical for the Chiyangwa-led association to accept financial support from controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo, who was convicted of money-laundering 2005.
Chiyangwa defended the decision, saying the Warriors’ qualification to the Afcon finals owed so much to Chivayo’s financial support.
“I didn’t look at the personality or character of the person, but I needed money to help football in Zimbabwe. The beneficiaries are there, the results are there. (Qualification for) Afcon is Wicknell Chivayo’s achievement from his money. We don’t rate ethics when we are receiving donations. It’s a nullity. If it’s something within our legalities, then direct me. I won’t check, I need money,” Chiyangwa said before asking to be excused.
His bid to leave his deputy Omega Sibanda in charge after asking to be excused was turned down, with the committee saying the hearing would be adjourned to a later date when he would be available.
Earlier, former Premier Soccer League chief excecutive Chris Sambo also appeared before the same committee where he accused the acting SRC director-general Joseph Muchechetere of lying to the world football governing body, Fifa, that Zifa’s sequestration process had been completed.
“On June 11, Mr Joseph Muchechetere, who is the acting SRC director-general, co-authored the document, where they wrote to Fifa advising that the sequestration process of Nafaz had been completed,” said Sambo, who is also the secretary-general of the Life Long Footballers’ Trust of Zimbabwe.
“Mr Chairman, this was a complete fabrication of the truth. That document was falsified. The SRC is supposed to be the mother. They are supposed to superintend and help bring sanity to football in this country, but we are now faced with a situation whereby they have not been helpful as far as the current crisis is concerned. We believe that football has got to be saved. We have a crisis. Creditors have been shortchanged, employees have been thrown onto the streets and normalcy has to be restored back to our football,” he said.
Meanwhile, some creditors, who include Daisy Lodge, also told the committee how Zifa initially promised to honour their obligations before suddenly deciding to dissolve the association in a bid to avoid its responsibilities.-Newsday
Minister:Hospital Fees are Illegal
HEALTH and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa has condemned public health institutions for charging the elderly, children under five and pregnant women hospital fees, saying it is illegal.
Dr Parirenyatwa was responding to Parliamentarians who expressed concerned over exorbitant fees that are being paid by patients at hospitals.
“As the Ministry of Health and Child Care, it is our hope that all people access affordable health care. We have policies that entitle children who are below five years to free medical aid. Women that are pregnant during ante and post natal care, up until they get to six weeks, should not pay for such services and senior citizens who are older than 65 years old should also not pay.
“However, I have observed that in some of the hospitals and clinics, they have what we call a card fee, which is illegal. Our policy is that these groups of people that I have mentioned are entitled to free medical aid. At times, this can’t be done because they require money for drugs,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
He said his ministry also assists patients through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.
“The public service ministry has an assistance scheme where the vulnerable persons can be given a voucher which they can use to access medical care.
“Payment is difficult. We would want to ensure that the Ministry of Health receives a large chunk of the budget so as to enable us to meet our running costs,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
Member of House of Assembly for St Mary’s constituency Mr Martin Tarusenga asked Dr Parirenyatwa what the ministry was doing to cater for thousands of unemployed people in the country.
“You have talked about children that are below five years and those who are above 65 years that they are entitled to free medical care. The issue is in line with the age groups that you have left out.
“This is the working class and our unemployment rate is above 80 percent. So, my question is that the unemployed people have no money to access medical care. As the Government, what are we doing to ensure that they have reasonable medical care?” said Mr Tarusenga.
Dr Parirenyatwa said those that are unemployed are the ones who should be helped by the Department of Social Welfare if they are in dire-straits.
“The department is housed in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. You can be referred at each and every hospital to the department of social welfare,” said the minister.
He added that it was important for the ministry to receive adequate funding to enable hospitals to have drugs in stock so that patients are not stranded.
“Some basic medication should be readily available once a prescription has been made by a doctor. We are having challenges in that regard. It is our plea that this August House should be constantly clamouring for the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s budget to be bigger,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.-state media
ZRP Cop Abducted, Bashed By Kombi Gang
A POLICE officer is battling for life at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after he was abducted and heavily assaulted by a kombi crew on Saturday. The driver and the conductor, who are still at large, allegedly bashed the cop with a wheel spanner leaving him for dead.
The officer had stopped a commuter omnibus that had no registration plates and was picking up passengers at an illegal point along Fort Street in the city centre.
Sources said he got into the vehicle, ordered passengers to disembark and told the crew to drive to Bulawayo Central Police Station.
The police officer whose identity was not revealed incurred serious head injuries, which national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said could result in brain damage.
“I can confirm receiving a report on the kidnap and assault of a police officer and investigations are underway,” he said.
Police are appealing to members of the public who had information that could lead to the arrest of the driver and the conductor to notify their nearest police station.
“Two police officers who were conducting their duties in the city centre along Leopold Takawira and Fort Street identified an unregistered white Toyota Hiace which was picking up passengers at the undesignated point.
“The two officers approached the kombi driver and conductor who have committed several offences including the fact that the vehicle was not registered,” he said.
The police officers arrested the driver and the conductor, instructing them to go to Bulawayo Central Police Station.
“The police officer got into their vehicle and instead of them going to Bulawayo Central Police, they kidnapped the officer and headed to Stanbic Bank in Belmont where they then heavily assaulted him with a wheel spanner,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.
He said the suspects then threw the unconscious cop out of the vehicle and sped off.
“The names of the two men who assaulted the police officer were not established. We’re appealing to anyone with information that may lead to their arrest to contact the nearest police station.
“We’re warning the public not to board unregistered vehicles at any time and any point. We also warn them not to board vehicles at undesignated points as most of these drivers cause trouble on the roads,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.
“Police will not stand by and allow anyone to disturb police officers in carrying out their duties.
“That is a serious offence. People should follow the law and avoid being caught on the wrong side.-state media
HORROR DEATH:Sons Behead Own Father
Terrence Mawawa
Chiredzi/ In a tragic incident that has left the Chilonga villagers terrified,two brothers beheaded their father following a misunderstanding over donkeys.
According to details released by Chiredzi police,the two brothers from Chirove village murdered their father, Zavhu Mungwambami last week after a dispute over donkeys.
Shepherd Chirove a nephew to the deceased said the dispute erupted after Mugwambami asked his son Ketai to sell one of his cattles in order to buy donkeys that they would use to pull their scotch-cart.
Ketai rejected his father’s advice after which there was a heated argument over the issue. It is understood Mugwambami and his two sons then went to the fields to harvest sorghum and the argument erupted again.
Mugwambami’s two sons later returned home and instructed their mother to spend the night at their uncle’s place.
When their mother left,the two returned to fields where they beat up their father and chopped off his head.
When the deceased’s uncle realised that Mugwambami had not returned home,he went out to investigate-only to discover the lifeless body with the chopped off head covered by a cap.
The two brothers have since been arrested and they are assisting the police with investigations. Masvingo Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula said she was yet to receive the story on her desk.
EU Referendum – 1st RESULTS: UK Votes
THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY. Refresh this page for live updates…
London – As counting was underway in the EU referendum that will decide whether the UK remains a member of the European Union, the Remain side was at midnight leading by a fair margin.
Isles Of Scilly
LEAVE – 171,270
REMAIN – 191,404
Sunderland
LEAVE -161,744
REMAIN -158,537
Gibralta
LEAVE -823
REMAIN -19322
Newscastle
LEAVE -64,421
REMAIN -84,726
The counting is taking place at centres around the UK in a vote widely seen as too close to call. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY. Refresh this page for live updates…
CHIYANGWA: We’ll Never Pay ZIFA Debts
The National Football Association of Zimbabwe, NFAZ President, Philip Chiyangwa, told lawmakers Thursday his board took a decision to dissolve the Zimbabwe Football Association or ZIFA because it was insolvent and could not pay its workers and creditors as well as carry its mandate.
Chiyangwa said they filed for bankruptcy and will not pay creditors or anyone owed by ZIFA adding they were taking the necessary legal steps to move away from ZIFA affairs.
Giving evidence during an enquiry by parliamentary sports and arts committee, into the dissolution of ZIFA and formation of NFAZ, Chiyangwa said his board had to take a brutal decision to dissolve ZIFA because it was insolvent and could not operate owing to creditors knocking at the association’s door, property being attached and funds being garnished at the bank.
He said ZIFA was unable to pay and won’t pay and NFAZ won’t pay either. NFAZ legal advisor, Itayi Ndudzo, weighed in saying ZIFA’s insolvency was qualified by ZIFA’s accountants at that time, Barker Tilly and Gwatidzo.
He said it did not make sense to proceed with ZIFA with the full knowledge that it could not pay its creditors and services providers.
Ndudzo said it was in that context that a decision to dissolve ZIFA was taken at its extraordinary congress on 4 June and form NFAZ.
He said meeting NFAZ resolved not to simply wake away from the ZIFA debts but to properly manage the debtor and creditors in a legal manner.
According to Ndudzo, this why an application for the sequestration of ZIFA was made. The High Court is yet to make a decision on the matter.
ZIFA’s debt to former coaches, players, workers, and other service provider such as the national airline and Air Zimbabwe amounts to more than $6 million dollars.
Zimbabwe was kicked out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup for failing to pay former national team coach, Jose Claudinei Georgini of Brazil.
Chiyangwa told lawmakers the transition from ZIFA to NFAZ was good and it was yielding results as the national football team and the women’s team have qualified for the African Nations Cup and Rio Olympics respectively.
He also claimed NFAZ had secured a multimillion dollar sponsorship from state owned telecommunications company, Netone, individual businesspeople and FIFA.
But lawmakers asked him why the NFAZ was getting funding from businessmen like
Wicknell Chivhayo an ex-convict who has also been implicated in fraudulent deals at another state enterprise, ZESA.
But Chiyangwa said he did not care who gave the association money as long as it was meant for promoting football.
Earlier on stakeholders including creditors, former football administrators and had expressed concern to the lawmakers at the manner the ZIFA dissolution was handled and failure to pay workers and service providers.
Former ZIFA administrator, Lazarus Mhurushomana said the problems bedeviling football and other sports was due to government’s lack of seriousness in financing sports in the country.
The enquiry adjourned after a visibly sick Chiyangwa asked to be excused as he had to fly to South Africa for an appointment with a doctor.
The lawmakers obliged and the enquiry will continue at a date to be advised.
Mandiwanzira Gets $200K Car Loan from Own Parastatal
ICT Minister Supa Mandiwanzira broke the rules and got a $194,000 loan from a parastatal under his Ministry for the purchase of a vehicle, a report by the Auditor general reveals.
The Auditor General’s department, in its new report on government ministries, also revealed how the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) loaned $10 million to the ministry for its acquisition of a controlling interest in Telecel Zimbabwe. The loan was extended with no Treasury approval.
“The Ministry (of ICT, Postal and Courier Services) got loans amounting to $10 million, $194 564 and $95 000 from POTRAZ for the acquisition of government’s shareholding in Telecel Zimbabwe and purchasing of the Minister and Deputy Minister’s (Win Mlambo) vehicle respectively, without Treasury concurrence. These amounts were still outstanding as at the time the audit was concluded,” the report says.
The Ministry also borrowed an additional $58 888 from POTRAZ and state owned mobile operator NetOne.
Says the Auditor General: “The ministry did not provide documentary evidence to show that they were given treasury authority to borrow from state owned enterprises. Since the amount of $58 888 relates to appropriation expenses by the ministry, the expenditure should be accounted for in the 2015 financial year.”
“In addition, the ministry did not provide documentary evidence on how it intends to account for the $10 289 564 for the purchase of shareholding in Telecel Zimbabwe and the purchase of the Minister and Deputy Minister’s vehicles.”
Telecel is the country’s smallest mobile telecoms firm with 2,4 million subscribers. Earlier this year, Mandiwanzira said the $40 million purchase of Telecel had been done through ZARNet, a struggling Internet Service Provider wholly owned by the government through the ICT Ministry.
In April, pension fund NSSA announced it had put up $30 million to buy the Telecel stake, a deal it described as “too compelling” to pass over. Until the Auditor General’s report, it had been unclear how government had raised the other $10 million.
NSSA chairman Robin Vera said then that the $30 million advanced to ZARnet was not a loan but quasi-equity participation funding, which would give NSSA equity control of Telecel Zimbabwe until certain conditions are met by ZARNet.
“In all circumstances, NSSA will emerge as a significant equity holder in Telecel Zimbabwe Limited”.
On February 25, the Amsterdam-headquartered telecoms giant VimpelCom said the deal was yet to be completed. Mandiwanzira told Parliament that the money for the stake was yet to be transferred to Vimpelcom due to cash shortages in Zimbabwe.
Telecel’s remaining 40 percent is owned by Empowerment Corporation, a consortium of local shareholders. The group has opposed the sale of Vimpelcom’s 60 percent shares, although Mandiwanzira has claimed that they too had approached NSSA to buy their shareholding.
POTRAZ’s part in the purchase of a stake in a company it is supposed to supervise, and its loan to Mandiwanzira, may raise fresh questions about its role as a regulator. The authority already faces criticism of being unfair in how it treats the licensing of operators.-TheSource
EU Referendum Results
The UK’s EU Referendum results will be posted here early morning Friday morning.
Waking up to a Thursday morning quick peruse of British newspapers, one could just but wonder the level of political intoxication in British papers, the type that would be intolerable in African societies….Two contesting views in a very close election scream for attention! Stay or Exit!
“Independence Day”, reads the Sun paper with a catchy graphic at the top, somewhat reminding everyone of the mood in Rhodesia a day before Zimbabwe was spit out of the British Empire.
“Vote. Leave Today”, reads the Daily Express.
But you also get to see a few papers that chose the middle of the road position. “Your Country Needs Your Vote,” reads the Daily Star.
Many Africans and Zimbabweans in particular are apprehensive on the poll outcome.
We ask you our valued readers to express your views as the voting continues. Where are we heading?
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Guardian/Telegraph|With no exit polls, if you are desperate to know whether Britain will leave the EU you’ll need to be up and alert from 2am.
Are you stockpiling gummy sweets and black coffee for the night of the referendum, but concerned you don’t know when to take the breaks for power naps?
Here’s how we expect the night to play out, from the leave heartlands of the northern counties and the east coast, to the remain cities of London, Edinburgh and Bristol.
Although voting will close at 10pm tonight will close at 10pm tonight, the future of Britain’s relationship with the European Union will not be known until at least nine hours later, at 7am on Friday.
The tension will be greater than normal general election nights because the major broadcasters have not commissioned any exit polls over concerns about accuracy.
There were also no exit polls at the Scottish referendum in September 2014 which meant that the result was only known when the No campaign had won more than 50 per cent of the votes cast.
The results themselves will come in during a frantic three-hour period on Friday, between 4am and 7am; by breakfast time, the result of the EU referendum should be known.
Will there be an exit poll?
Technically, no. An exit poll is conducted on a large scale outside polling stations but broadcasters have no way of knowing how accurate an exit poll would be as the last result they have to compare it to is the 1974 referendum. However, pollsters YouGov will be running an on-the-day poll on June 23, the results of which will be announced at 10pm, once voting has closed.
This will be our last indication of which way the vote has swung until results are announced – although, due to inconsistencies in individual polls, no one poll can by wholly trusted.
How will the count take place?
Polling stations are open today from 7am to 10pm. The best advice is to vote early as the Electoral Commission is forecasting that turnout could be as high as 80 per cent (significantly more than the 66 per cent who voted at last year’s general election).
There are already fears that there might be queues if because the Government curtailed the amount of time that staff have to get ready after it extended the online registration deadline.
A change in the law after chaos at polling stations in 2010 – when some people were denied a vote because of long queues – means that people queuing at 10pm will be allowed to vote.
At the close of the poll, thousands of sealed ballot boxes are collected from schools and church halls which have been doubling up as polling stations and transported to one of 382 counting venues across the UK.
Why are the results so late?
For the count, the UK has been divided into 382 counting areas which will first verify each ballot, allowing each area to announce the turn-out. The counting will then begin.
These results will then be collated and fed by local counting officers to regional counting officers in 12 electoral regions, who will only announce their results when all the areas have concluded their counts.
Unlike at a general election, when MPs only needs to win a majority in their constituency to win the seat, every vote counts – which means that the final results for Leave and Remain will creep up slowly as regions make their declarations.
The result will be declared by Jenny Watson, the chairman of the Electoral Commission and the referendum’s chief counting officer at Manchester Town Hall, although no physical counting of ballot papers is taking place there.
How can I watch the results on television?
The BBC, ITV and Sky are all covering the election, bringing you the results as and when they come in.
David Dimbleby fronts BBC1’s EU Referendum – The Result programme, which begins at 9.55pm. He will be joined by Jeremy Vine, Emily Maitlis, Laura Kuennsberg, Kamal Ahmed and a host of BBC reporters from around the country.
Tom Bradbury hosts Referendum Result Live: ITV News Special, which begins at 10pm. He will be joined by Robert Peston, Allegra Stratton, James Mates and the ITV News team reporting from around the country.
Sky News will be bringing live coverage all night with Adam Boulton, Jeremy Thompson, Kay Burley and the Sky team.
Which are the most important declarations?
Not much will happen before 5am. But the turnout – which could come at 3am – will be important: a high turnout – with more young people voting – is likely to mean a good night for Remain.
Remain is likely to take a healthy lead once the early declarations are made with the results for pro-EU regions – Wales, Scotland and London – making their results known by 5am.
But the first indication of whether Leave has done enough will come at 5am when the result for the Labour dominated north east of England is known.
This result will demonstrate whether Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has succeeded in persuading Labour supporters to vote in their droves for Remain.
A strong vote for In for Labour is seen as vital in ensuring that a Brexit is averted.
The results night will now get interesting with the declarations showing whether the forecast swing to Leave across swathes of Middle England has come to pass.
Between 6am and 7am the main English results will be known – which in turn will finally decide the result of the EU in/out referendum.
Counting officers for the west Midlands declare at 6am, followed by the East Midlands, and South West at 6.30am, and finally at 7am Eastern, North West and South East.
Not much will happen before 5am. But the turnout – which could come at 3am – will be important: a high turnout – with more young people voting – is likely to mean a good night for Remain.
Remain is likely to take a healthy lead once the early declarations are made with the results for pro-EU regions – Wales, Scotland and London – making their results known by 5am.
But the first indication of whether Leave has done enough will come at 5am when the result for the Labour dominated north east of England is known.
This result will demonstrate whether Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has succeeded in persuading Labour supporters to vote in their droves for Remain.
A strong vote for In for Labour is seen as vital in ensuring that a Brexit is averted.
The results night will now get interesting with the declarations showing whether the forecast swing to Leave across swathes of Middle England has come to pass.
Between 6am and 7am the main English results will be known – which in turn will finally decide the result of the EU in/out referendum.
Counting officers for the west Midlands declare at 6am, followed by the East Midlands, and South West at 6.30am, and finally at 7am Eastern, North West and South East.
Mugabe Confronts Mahofa Over Tongaat Land Invasion
Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | President Robert Mugabe has summoned Masvingo State Minister Shuvai Ben Mahofa and Psychomotor Minister Josaya Hungwe over the chaotic invasion of Tongaat Hulett land, government sources have revealed.
According to intelligence sources at Benjamin Burombo building, Mugabe has been angered by Mahofa and Hungwe’s role in the invasion of Tangaat Hulett sugarcane fields .
In what could be a dramatic turn of events after Mahofa openly defied Mugabe on the AU cattle donations,the 92 year old President is expected to visit Chiredzi on Saturday to reverse the taking over of the land.
It is understood Mugabe had a six hour meeting with 15 Zanu PF legislators from Masvingo Province and he told the MPs the process was unconstitutional.
Mugabe is said to be furious with Mahofa and Hungwe following their active role in the invasion of the sugarcane fields. Ironically Mahofa and Hungwe are key members of the Team Lacoste camp said to be backing Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is widely believed to be angling himself to eventually succeed Mugabe.
“The President will be in Chiredzi on Saturday following the marathon meeting he held with 15 MPs in Harare last week. The President has vowed to confront Mahofa and Hungwe over their role in the chaotic invasion of Tongaat Hulett land. The issue will be addressed during a closed door meeting. We told the President that Hungwe and Mahofa are igniting factionalism in the province so heads will roll on Saturday,” said a government official in the Lands Ministry -who is also a prolific Zanu PF activist.
It is understood Mahofa and Hungwe played a leading role in the land grab programme that has resulted in a massive loss of jobs.
Khupe Pulls Thousands in Mutare
The MDC held a march in Mutare this morning attended by thousands of party supporters and led by party Vice-President, Thokozani Khupe, who was flanked by other National Executive members who include, Douglas Mwonzora and Obert Gutu. The MDC is demanding the return of the missing $15 billion among other urgent issues the government has to pay attention to.
NetOne Corruption,Mandiwanzira Faces Jail For Contempt Of Parly
Information Communication Technology and Courier Services Minister, Supa Mandiwanzira, is facing contempt of Parliament charges, for trying to block the House of Assembly from hearing more oral evidence pertaining to the NetOne corruption scandal.
Mandiwanzira has been implicated in NetOne corruption where he is said to have forced the parastatal to award a $44 million tender to a South African company in which he has interests.
The Zanu PF MP for Nyanga South, on Monday threatened to sue NetOne boss Reward Kangai, whom he suspended recently after the he had told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information Communication Technology, that Mandiwanzira was corrupt.
The former ZBC journalist-cum politician went on to issue a statement denouncing Parliament for discussing the NetOne corruption saga saying that the August house was interfering with a forensic audit the parastatal is instituting.
“I am aware that the Parliament hearing and other activities that I have ignored are meant to pre-empt the audit report and intimidate the auditor. These cheap efforts shall not succeed,” said Mandiwanzira.
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information Communication Technology, Nelson Chamisa said Mandiwanzira’s utterances might constitute contempt of Parliament.
“The minister (Mandiwanzira) is the one who came to Parliament and raised these issues about Megawatt and Bopela (Group of Companies) and that is why we invited Kangai. In fact, the minister’s conduct is now bordering on contempt of Parliament because he cannot veto committee hearings and cannot supervise Parliament. It is Parliament that supervises the minister because he has to account to the public. The minister will have his day and, for now, he must not try to intimidate the committee.”
Mabvuku-Tafara MP, James Maridadi (MDC-T) yesterday raised Mandiwanzira’s statement in the National Assembly, saying it constituted contempt of Parliament, but Deputy Speaker Mabel Chinomona ignored the point of order.
FULL AUDIO – Dokora Hides Behind ZANU PF Pastors
VP Mphoko Refuses New Mansion Says Not “His Stature”
VICE-PRESIDENT Phelekezela Mphoko is not happy with renovations made to his new home and will not move into the new mansion the State-acquired for him in Harare’s leafy Grange suburb vowing to continue staying in an upmarket city hotel at taxpayers’ expense.
According to government insiders, Mphoko was reportedly demanding more changes to the house to ensure it meets “his stature”, but the State was struggling to fund the required improvements due to a depleted revenue base, Newsday reports.
The Vice-President’s house was bought by government at a cost of $3,5 million, but the renovation costs were not readily available yesterday.
“The house is ready for occupation, but the VP wants more improvements done. We really don’t understand what he wants the Ministry of Public Works and National Housing to do, but we have done our best to it. We don’t know what more needs to be done,” a senior government official, who requested not to be named, said.
Mphoko has clocked over 550 days in a five-star Harare hotel, where he checked in soon after his appointment as Vice-President in December 2014 — gobbling huge sums of taxpayers’ money in accommodation and meal costs.
Local Government permanent secretary, George Mlilo, yesterday said his ministry was no longer involved in the issue, as the matter had been handed over to the Presidency.
“That issue is being handled by the VP’s Office and the Office of the President. We no longer have any business with it,” he said.
Director of State residences in President Robert Mugabe’s Office, Innocent Tizora, refused to comment on the matter.
“Who is this? Yes, how can I help you,” a cordial Tizora said.
But when the NewsDay reporter identified himself, Tizora angrily said: “What do you want, nxa,” before terminating the call.
Several attempts to get a comment from Mphoko himself were fruitless as his phone was busy, while Minister of State in his Office, Thabetha Kanengoni-Malinga was not picking her calls.
Mphoko, a career diplomat who served in various countries, landed the Vice-Presidency in December 2014 following the ouster of then Vice-President Joice Mujuru from both government and Zanu PF.
He was appointed co-Vice-President together with Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is staying in his government-issued house.
Since Mphoko had no government accommodation in the capital, he was booked into the presidential suite at Rainbow Towers Hotel where he has now clocked 18 months.
The presidential suite, located on the 17th Floor, costs $403 inclusive of bed and breakfast for two per day, while lunch and dinner cost $15 each.
Mphoko is reportedly staying with his grandchild in the suite, which significantly increases the cost.
The hotel charges an additional $130 for an extra bedroom in the same suite for two children and Mphoko’s aides.
Early last year, Mphoko’s wife, Laurinda, reportedly rejected three houses, among them a mansion in Ballantyne Park worth $3 million, claiming it was too small for a person of the VP’s stature.
The Mphokos also refused to move into the house once occupied by the late Vice-President Joseph Msika in Mandara, saying they wanted a house of their own.
Mphoko’s demand for an upmarket house is in direct contrast with his predecessor, the late Vice-President John Nkomo, who lived in a modest double-storey government house in Milton Park. Government is, according to the Constitution, obliged to provide State accommodation to Vice-Presidents, who are also entitled to buy the properties at market value when they leave office.
Dokora Tells Schools to Sue Parents
SCHOOLS can take parents to the small claims court over unpaid fees of up to $5,000 per child, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Dr Lazarus Dokora told about 1,500 secondary school heads that the small claims court would soon be empowered to handle claims from schools amounting up $5,000. He told the school heads that rural schools can also utilise traditional and community courts presided over by chiefs.
The Constitution, the minister said, prohibits the exclusion of pupils from school for non-payment of fees. He said this while responding to questions by school heads attending the National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) annual conference, who sought clarity on how schools can recoup money owed by parents in unpaid fees.
Dr Dokora said Cabinet was deliberating on the issue and the small claims court would soon be able to handle cases with debts of up to $5,000. “The issue of exclusion of children from school is a Constitutional issue and it makes it illegal to exclude a pupil from school because of fees. Talk to parents instead,” said Dr Dokora.
“Small caims court can be the answer. You can go there and claim your money. We have made provision in Cabinet so that it can handle amounts of up to $5,000.”
Dr Dokora said previously the small claims court dealt with small amounts that made it not feasible for schools to approach them to recover their money. He urged schools to make comprehensive lists of their debtors and approach the courts.
The Minister said parents would then be invited to “swear on how they will pay up the money in court.’’
Some school heads were reluctant to drag parents to court for fear of meeting the wrath of the community, he said, but assured them they would be merely executing their duties as heads of institutions.
Parents have in the past been encouraged to pay fees for their children as schools were hamstrung by lack of finances.
In May, Dr Dokora said only boarding schools are allowed to send children home for not paying fees while others are not allowed to do so.
The Nash conference started on Tuesday and ends today. It is being held under the theme: “The new curriculum: Opportunities and challenges.”
Sick Tsvangirai Skips Mutare March
MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai will today miss the opposition party’s Mutare protest march against President Robert Mugabe’s alleged misrule, as he is scheduled to undergo a routine medical review,
NewsDay reports saying.
This comes as the party was optimistic of pulling a bumper crowd to demand Mugabe’s immediate resignation over the poor economic performance and maladministration.
In April, Tsvangirai led thousands to a peaceful demonstration in Harare, but missed a similar march in Bulawayo, as he was recuperating in South Africa from an undisclosed medical procedure.
Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka said his boss’ absence would not affect the much-hyped Manicaland protest march.
“President Tsvangirai will not be part of the marching thousands in Manicaland, as initially planned, as the new date for the demonstration, now brought to Thursday, coincides with his scheduled medical review following a medical procedure done on him,” he said.
“President Tsvangirai is in high spirits and was looking forward to attending the Manicaland protest march on Saturday were it not for the incestuous relationship between Zanu PF and the police, who conspired to create a competing event by Zanu PF on the same day.
“But the event is going ahead because it is a provincial event and, in any case, the absence of the president does not affect party programmes.”
MDC-T was forced to bring forward its march after police said Zanu PF had a function on the same day.
Tamborinyoka described Manicaland as the “scene of the crime”, where $15 billion worth of diamonds were stolen to “fatten the pockets of the chefs and to pay Nikuv [an Israeli company] to steal July 2013 harmonised elections”.
MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said the party was hopeful of pulling 10 000 people to demonstrate against Mugabe and Zanu PF.
“On Thursday, the MDC mother of all demonstrations takes place in the beautiful and serene Eastern Highlands city of Mutare. We expect a bumper crowd of no less than 10 000 people to take part in this demo,” he said.
“The people of Manicaland are particularly irked by the looting of diamonds that has taken place in their own hinterland of Marange and Chiadzwa. They would like to know, among other things, what happened to the $15 billion worth of diamonds that President Mugabe recently publicly admitted was looted.”
The opposition party will also be demanding to know what happened to the so-called community share ownership trusts in Zimunya and Marange area, as well as those who benefited from the programme.
MDC-T Manicaland chairman, David Chimhini said they were geared up for the demonstration, which starts at Sakubva Beit Hall at 9am and ends at Meikles Park in the afternoon.
“The only difficulty we are facing is the police. They keep calling us and they are demanding to know how people are going to demonstrate and the number of marshals. We are not concerned about the numbers, but the message, to be conveyed,” he said.
“The demonstration comes at the right time for the civil servants. They are employed, but are not getting their salaries on time. We also have people who were affected when industries closed.”
The Mutare demonstration is a follow to those held in the Harare, Bulawayo and Bindura. The demonstration becomes the first one to be cleared by police, as the other three were okayed by the High Court, after the cops attempted to block them.-Newsday
Cabinet Pushes In Diaspora Policy
Zimbabwe’s efforts to effectively engage its Diaspora community are taking shape after Cabinet yesterday approved the National Diaspora Policy. Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa said the document will give direction to the strategies the country will adopt in engaging Zimbabweans living in foreign countries.“We met as Cabinet yesterday and approved the Diaspora Policy, which is being pushed by the Ministry of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion,” he said.
Last year, the Ministry of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion submitted a draft of the policy document to Cabinet for modifying.
Government is of the opinion that the Disapora community can be leveraged to boost financial investment into the country, as well as increase trade and technology and skills transfer.
Diaspora remittances to the country dropped last year from the 2014 figure of around $1,8 billion.
“Last year, as a country we got around $900 million in Diaspora remittances, but more can be achieved through a greater level of engagement.
“The document will show what strategies we are going to implement, and some of these strategies relate to harnessing the skills that the Diasporans have acquired in the respective countries where they are based,” said Minister Chinamasa.
He said the idea was at least to emulate Ethiopia, which has made significant economic progress with the co-operation of its Diaspora community.
The minister was speaking during a validation workshop for the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I-PRSP).
The I-PRSP is aimed at enhancing Government efforts in fighting poverty in Zimbabwe and ensure inclusive growth, guided by the country’s national development plan Zim-Asset
He said the I-PRSP would be used as a significant component of the ongoing efforts to re-engage international financiers.
“The strategy (I-PRSP) is also a means to facilitate the ongoing re-engagement process with the international financial institutions, which is critical in mobilising financial resources for the country’s development process.
“The strategy will thus focus on practical and well-targeted measures that can be implemented in the short-to-medium term with long-lasting impacts that guarantee improvement in the welfare of our people.”
Typically, Poverty Reduction Strategies Papers (PRSPs) provide lending organisations, like the World Bank and the IMF, assurance that countries receiving aid would utilise the assistance to pursue development outcomes that have been elaborated in the PRSPs and approved by lenders.
According to the minister, the I-PRSP will be brought before Cabinet by the end of next month.
“It is our hope that the strategy will provide focus to increased funding. I stand ready to steer the final document to Cabinet by end of July this year,” said Minister Chinamasa.-state media
Girl Kills Self, Used Condoms Found
Terrence Mawawa
In a bizarre incident, in Chivi, that has triggered widespread speculation,a 22 year old lady was found with used condoms under her pillow after killing herself.
Rosina Jere of Mabwe village who was a shop attendant,hanged herself inside her bedroom last Tuesday under mysterious circumstances.
Villagers who spoke to ZimEye.com said Jere was last seen with her boyfriend who works in Harare before she took her life. It is widely believed Jere committed suicide after her boyfriend disappeared with cash collected from the shop on the fateful day.
“Many people believe her boyfriend disappeared with the money she collected from the shop on the same day.It seems she could not account for the money and she decided to kill herself.Jere was also found with used condoms under her pillow,”said a local villager. Masvingo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident. Jere’s sister who declined to be named said the incident was shocking and mind boggling. “We are still in shock over the death of Rosina and we all wonder what could have been the reason for committing suicide.She did not communicate with anyone so we are totally confused,”said her sister. It is also understood Jere was involved in an argument with her boyfriend a few days before her death.
85 Year Old White Farmer Loses Farm To Zanu PF MP
Zanu-PF Mberengwa North legislator, Tafanana Zhou, has just gained a farm under the Government’s land resettlement programme, resulting in the eviction of the 85-year-old farmer who has lived there.
Stamatoula Raft, who owned Clifton Farm in Mberengwa district, appeared before Gweru provincial magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa on Friday facing one count of refusing to vacate a gazetted piece of land. Raft according to a court ruling has seven days to vacate the farm.
Raft, who used to own three farms in Kwekwe, Gweru and Mberengwa before losing them all under the land reform programme, was also handed a three month suspended sentence and fined $150 for refusing to vacate the farm to pave way for MP Zhou.
Mrs Msipa said the State had managed to prove to the court that the farm in question was gazetted and or acquired by the Government.
“The farm was compulsorily acquired in terms of the Constitution and the accused had no lawful right to continue occupying the land since she had no offer letter, permit or lease of agreement from government.
“The accused is fined $150. If she fails to pay she will serve 30 days in jail. In addition she is sentenced to three months which are wholly suspended and should vacate the farm by June 24 at 4PM,” said Mrs Msipa.
She called on the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement to have mechanisms that curb abuse of the systems which resulted in some officers in the Mberengwa office unlawfully giving Raft an offer letter.
State witness and former Midlands provincial lands officer Joseph Shoko told the court that last year Raft was served with an eviction notice from 208 hectares at Clifton Farm and ordered to wind up her operations by February 17 this year.
Raft, Shoko said, however stayed put on the farm alleging that she had got assurance from the district lands office in Mberengwa and former Midlands Governor Cephas Msipa that she could stay on the piece of the land since it was unproductive.
Raft told the court that she had voluntarily given the rest of the farm measuring more than 2,000 hectares to Government where new A1 farmers were resettled.
She said the State had also acquired two of her farms, one in Kwekwe and the other in Gweru adding that she was only left with the 208 hectares she occupied at Clifton Farm.
Prosecutor, Mr Fred Kadodo told the court that MP Zhou was issued with an offer letter entitling him to use Clifton Farm measuring 208,4 hectares, which was occupied by Raft.
“Raft continued to occupy the farm without lawful authority as she did not possess the necessary documents to occupy the piece of land,” he said.
Zim ‘Robbed’ Of $1billion Annually – ZIMRA
Goods smugglers in retail and the business community are suspected of robbing the country of $1 billion annually, thus draining the fiscus, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has said.
The revenue loss, more than a quarter of the 2016 National Budget, came as government has been battling to meet its monthly commitments such as paying salaries to civil servants and service providers on time.
Responding to media inquiries, Zimra board chairperson Willia Bonyongwe said the increased levels of smuggling explained why some products were being sold at low prices.
“What this tells us about smuggling is that people are able to sell goods at very low prices, almost close to the prices obtained in source markets such as China. Legitimate players, who are law abiding, end up being crowded out.
These people also are truant with their VAT [value added tax], Paye [pay as you earn] and other statutory obligations. The extent can be gauged by the impact on legitimate business in tyre trading, electrical goods, fuel and foodstuffs. I would agree that on the whole, loss to the fiscus could be up to a billion annually,” she said.
“Those who smuggle say it is because duties are high. I say tax is high because of the evaders. If everyone paid their taxes, government could actually find leeway to reduce duty.”
In the past months, revenue heads have been under performing after government failed to plug loopholes leading to smuggling.
Recently, government identified transit truck vehicles as fuelling smuggling by claiming the goods were headed for other destinations other than Zimbabwe.
Apart from transit truckers, individuals are said to be moving goods by faking documentation at borders and reducing the amount on purchased goods to pay lower duties.
In his monetary policy statement, central bank governor, John Mangudya, early this year, said individuals and corporates externalised $1,8 billion in 2015 fuelling the cash shortages.
“Those who smuggle have low margins and can sell for half the price, hence, there will be demand. While the smuggler is breaking the law and ought to be punished, the responsibility to curb smuggling goes beyond Zimra and beyond the smuggler, it is something that needs to be tackled holistically,” Bonyongwe said.
Industry and Commerce minister Mike Bimha recently told NewsDay’s sister paper, The Standard that government was working on a new tracking system to deal with smuggling.
Pay Crisis – No Deal Reached in Government, Workers Talks
The indaba held yesterday between Government and workers representatives, yielded no results as both parties stuck to their positions, with another attempt aimed at finding a middle ground slated for Monday.
The employer is maintaining that June salary payments will spill into next month owing to poor revenue inflows, the workers have remained adamant saying their June salaries should be paid within this month as they had obligations like bank loans and rentals to meet.
The parties agreed to convene again on Monday to map the way forward after “consulting their relevant constituencies.”
This emerged from a meeting the civil servants’ representatives had with three Cabinet ministers, Civil Service Commission officials and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya.
The three ministers who attended the meeting were Patrick Chinamasa (Finance and Economic Development), Prisca Mupfumira (Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare) and Dr David Parirenyatwa (Health and Child Care).
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Minister Mupfumira said the parties had been “frank and sincere” with their positions.
“We had a good meeting and consultations,” she said.
“We have come up with certain decisions, which we are going to consult our various constituencies. The unions are going to consult their constituencies and we will also be consulting. As such, we have resolved to meet on Monday at 4:30pm to map the way forward together.”
Minister Mupfumira added: “People have been sincere and frank with their positions, but what we have resolved is that we are going to have regular consultations in future, on a quarterly basis, just to discuss pertinent issues. We have discussed and agreed that there is need for a workshop with the RBZ governor so that we know what is happening as far as monetary issues are concerned.
“We agreed that we need transparency, honesty and trust in all our deliberations. We also resolved that we need to involve and engage the Apex Council in the budgetary process and this will be done,” said Minister Mupfumira.
According to the new pay dates proposed by Government last week, teachers and nurses will be paid on July 7 and 14, respectively.
Members of the uniformed forces will get their salaries between June 27 and June 30.
Apex Council team leader Mrs Cecelia Alexander, said they were not turning back on their position.
She said Government had taken them through the challenges they were facing in mobilising resources, but shifting pay dates was “unacceptable”.
“They have promised to rectify this postponement of salaries in July, which means that they are committing to pay July salaries within that month but for this month they said they are not able to change the dates,” Mrs Alexander said.
“As workers, we have remained with the position that we have been sent with our members and we say that salaries should be paid on the due traditional dates. We still hold on to that position, and we are going back to consult, and after consulting we are going to sit again with Government on Monday.”
She added: “Our reasons for making this demand are there are penalties that we will incur as a result of late payment of salaries, which penalties will be our liability as workers. By the end of the month, our transport allowance will be spent and we will not be able to travel to and from work. We also face the prospect of being evicted from our rented accommodation.”
On releasing the new pay dates, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development cited cash flow challenges as the reasons for not paying salaries on time.
Government is paying nearly $200 million every month towards salaries which is more than 80 percent of revenue collected.
To rectify the anomaly, Government has embarked on a rationalisation exercise in the civil service to cut the costs, in a move that will see $400 million being saved annually. state media
Why African Migrants Must Vote to Leave the EU:
My name is Dotun Oyeniyi, I am an expert in Immigration Law and I intend to look at the upcoming IN/OUT referendum of the U.K, mainly from its potential effects on immigrants from outside the EU, beyond the current ‘scaremongering’ going on among the party leaders.
Many years ago, the U.K. was a place to easily get jobs by non-EU immigrants. The expansion of the EU has changed all that. Most employers are likely to prefer EU applicants to non-EU ones, the latter possibly with the shackles of visa renewals and extensions.
Did you ever hear about the HSMP (The highly skilled migrant programme) and the Tier 1 (General) visa routes? These enabled so many skilled African immigrants to emigrate to the UK, legally and thereafter ‘settle’ with relative ease. Both routes are now closed. Why would the UK need them when so many immigrants workers from the EU have entered the UK, freely.
Talking of ‘unskilled jobs’ like cleaning, security and such – have you noticed that non-EU immigrants are gradually being replaced by EU immigrants, especially the Eastern Europe Immigrants?
Remaining in the EU implies that the UK employers have to ‘technically’ give priority to 500 million members of the EU before considering say African immigrants. What chance do you stand in such?
Have you heard of the IHS? The health surcharge that is paid for immigration applications by non-EEA related applications. It is charged because the NHS is under pressure. The pressure on the NHS is caused mostly by the EU immigrants but it is the non-EU immigrants that bear the brunt.
Leaving the EU will create a level playing field for all to compete for jobs and accommodation. If the UK remains in the EU, with Albania, Turkey, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro waiting in the wings to join, the non- EU immigrants may end up being completely ’emasculated’.
PLEASE VOTE TO LEAVE ON 23rd JUNE.
Dokora Hides Behind Pastors
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Lazarus Dokora, currently under fire for launching attacks on the Christian religion, on Wednesday crept behind a select group of sympathising church pastors in Harare.
The move comes as Dokora is faced with a national protest over his controversial and militant vow he has forced on school children.
The consortium of churches under the banner of the so called “National Elders Church Forum” conjoined Dokora for almost three hours in an intimate presser in which Dokora ducked behind the men of the cloth.
“We said to avert and prevent a culture of conflict and a culture of social turbulences there should be engagement with citizens,” National Elders of the Church spokesperson Alexander Chisango told journalists after the meeting.
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“We also resolved that we want to promote a culture of consultation prior to the announcement of major national policies and we have offered ourselves to be a free resource of wisdom, knowledge and a resource of experience across the board.
“We also agreed that the church will take precautions to help the whole country to shield our schools from unorthodox and immoral social practices that hide under the banner of religion.
“This was more like a damage control and damage healing meeting which was happening and which came already in the midst of lots of suspicion, disagreements and desertions that people were exchanging predominantly through the media,” he said.
Dokora this year became unpopular for introducing controversial ministerial directives in the education sector.
The Education Minister tactfully refused to respond questions to the media claiming that he was not the event organiser.
Rape Accused Indians released On Bail
Justice Garainesu Mawadze has granted Krishna Satyanarayana Grandlur and Ravi Kumar Krishnan $1000 bail each after the prosecution admitted that the State’s case against the two was weak.
The High Court has gone further to order the release of the two Indian businessmen accused of raping a Harare woman at a city hotel. They were represented by Dumisani Mthombeni.
Prosecutor Peter Kachirika alleged that on June 16 Gandlur and Krishnan were booked in rooms 968 and 951, respectively, while the victim was in 969. The court heard that around midnight Gandlur invited the woman into his room for a drink and introduced her to Krishnan.
The two accused persons then ordered red wine and forced the complainant to drink some.
It was alleged that Gandlur attempted to kiss the woman but she resisted. The court heard that when she was drunk, Gandlur took advantage and forcibly had anal sexual intercourse with her.
When the woman woke up the following morning in her room she found herself wearing only a bra and her pants were on the floor. According to court papers, the woman’s sheets were blood-stained and she also found cigarettes on the side table.
The woman then narrated the ordeal to the hotel’s management before reporting the case to police officers who were at the scene. Gandlur was positively identified by the woman and immediately arrested. Krishnan was arrested later.
Wife Hacking Ex-MP Mubhawu To Face Justice
Attempts by the wife of former MDC-T legislator Timothy Mubhawu to have domestic violence charges against him dropped were unsuccessful, with the court suggesting instead she seeks professional counselling.
This came as video footage emerged showing Mubhawu apparently absolving his wife of having an adulterous affair with Pastor Manson Mpofu.
Mubhawu (52) is alleged to have struck his wife with a machete on the knee and hands following a domestic dispute at their Donnybrook home on May 15.
It is alleged that Mubhawu accused his wife of cheating with Pastor Mpofu.
The prosecutor Ms Patience Chimusaru opposed the withdrawal of the matter saying she suspected that Molleen Mubhawu had been coerced to drop the charges by the former Mabvuku-Tafara Member of Parliament.
The court ordered that Molleen be sent for professional counselling at Musasa Project within two weeks.
Ms Chimusaru said the matter could not be withdrawn as the charge indicated that a dangerous weapon had been used to commit the offence, adding that a medical affidavit obtained at Parirenyatwa Hospital where the victim was treated would be produced in court as exhibit.
Mubhawu’s lawyer Mr Stephen Chikotora told the court that he was not ready to proceed because he was standing in for lawyer Mr Everson Chatambudza who was off sick.
The magistrate Ms Nomsa Sabarauta, adjourned the matter to July 4 for trial.
Molleen sustained a cut on her right palm while trying to block the machete and later reported the matter to police leading to Mubhawu’s arrest.
Meanwhile, video footage has been released showing Mubhawu absolving his wife of infidelity.
In the video clip, Mubhawu is heard apologising to Pastor Mpofu for falsely accusing him of cheating with his wife.
Mubhawu asks the pastor for forgiveness saying he was influenced by Satan.
“Join Us!,” ZANU PF Tells MDC Harare Mayor
Zanu PF says acting Harare Mayor Chris Mbanga should join the party if the MDC-T continues to harass him.
The party’s Harare provincial political commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe said the ruling party was following closely developments at Town House and worried by the suspension of Mbanga by the MDC-T for allegedly defying party orders and working closely with Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.
“l want to differ with the MDC-T on suspending Mbanga. He is doing his duties as enshrined in the constitution. For them to say he has done A, B, C and must be suspended from the MDC-T l think they are not respecting the office of the acting Mayor,” Mashayamombe said.
“As Zanu PF if they reject those guys, we are calling them to come and join Zanu PF because we want people. We are a people’s party. Tough luck MDC, they were expecting to do what they want but the minister is empowered not to allow the chaos to continue. Our minister is spot on and should keep an eye on city of Harare. We want it to perform,” he said.
He said the Town Clerk, James Mushore was not wanted at Town House and must leave.
Cross told journalists in Harare that Mbanga must face the music.
“What is happening is one individual here who has gone rogue. Let me tell you how sad it is, he is an old friend of mine, he was chief of staff for the PM during the inclusive government…”
He said Mbanga had committed “gross violations of party instructions.”
Mbanga told ZiFM Stereo News that he was doing his job and there was no way councillors can operate without the
Local Government Minister.
“If my party can’t associate with minister, we can as well go operate from Harvest House,” Mbanga said while insisting that those baying for his blood did not understand issues.
Chaos has been the order of the day at Town House over the appointment of Mushore to the position of Town Clerk, replacing Tendai Mahachi who was retired last November.
Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni was suspended for the second time and has since taken Minister Kasukuwere to court.