Sally Mugabe… GhanaMedia |President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe is expected in Ghana for a four-day state visit next week.
The Zimbabwean Ambassador to Ghana, Pavelyn Tendai Musaka who confirmed this to Joy FM said Mr Mugabe will be in Ghana from August 18 – 22 for a visit that is expected to open corporate Ghana to opportunities in Zimbabwe.
President John Mahama is expected to confer on Africa’s longest serving President, the Millennium Life Time Achievement award for his role in Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle from British colonial rule. Mugabe and Sally wed in 1961
Ambassador Musaka said President Mugabe has “a special soft spot” for Ghana. His first wife Sarah Francesca (Hayfron) Mugabe was a Ghanaian who was much loved in Zimbabwe. She was the First Lady of Zimbabwe from 1987 until her death in 1992. She was popularly known as Amai (Mother).
The ambassador touched on the influential role that Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah played in shaping the minds of African political elite in the 60’s.
She said at the height of the Zimbabwean struggle “…what we held on to was the teaching of Kwame Nkrumah”.
The 92-year-old president will also meet with the Zimbabwean community in Ghana. President Robert Mugabe’s last visit to Ghana was in 2007.
Mugabe rose to prominence in the 1960s as the leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) during the conflict against the conservative white minority government of Rhodesia now Zimbabwe.
To be impeached…Robert Mugabe
The speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda confirmed yesterday that he was considering the impeachment of President Robert Mugabe.
This thickens the plot to push the 92 year old out of power, under fire in all areas of life, as ordinary Zimbabweans intensify protests for him to step down.
The opposition MDC-T has rekindled its impeachment motion in Parliament and wants the matter treated as urgent.
“My office is considering the motion of no confidence,” he said.
The impeachment route was ignited by MDC-T Mabvuku-Tafara lawmaker, James Maridadi in June this year, before his motion papers “mysteriously disappeared in Parliament”. Maridadi centre pushed motion for impeachment
In a letter dated July 27, Maridadi accused Mudenda of being reluctant to have the motion presented before a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate.
In the letter copied to Clerk of Parliament, Kennedy Chokuda and MDC-T chief whip, Innocent Gonese, Maridadi gave Mudenda a July 27 ultimatum, which has since expired.
“I note with concern that my no-confidence motion submitted to the papers office for processing has mysteriously gone missing somewhere in the system,” he wrote.
“I, therefore, resubmit sit for your kind consideration. Seeing as the motion is time-bound and also realising that I initially submitted it at the beginning of June 2016, I wish to request a response on this resubmitted motion by close of business today, July 27, 2016, failure to which, I will assume that Parliament is not keen to have the motion tabled. This will leave me with no option, but to seek legal recourse.”
In the proposed motion, Maridadi argues that Mugabe has illegally allowed his wife, First Lady Grace Mugabe, to usurp his constitutional powers.
“Disturbed by State capture by the President’s wife, who made public utterances that she is ruling the country; that the two Vice-Presidents consult her on State and government business. These utterances are an abrogation of the President’s constitutional mandate to a third party, which is a violation of the Constitution,” he continued.
Grace told supporters at a rally in Kadoma last year that Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko took instructions from her.
She also told another rally in Chiweshe that she was already in power and “ruling”.
Maridadi added: “Dismayed that, by his own admission, the President failed to account for $15 billion realised from the country’s diamond sector amid a shrinking economy, with more than three million Zimbabweans in need of emergency food aid.
“Startled that after announcing the disappearance of such a staggering amount, the President did not say how his government intends to either recover the money or bring to justice those who caused its disappearance.”
Early this year, Mugabe told a shocked nation that at least $15 billion in gem revenue could have been siphoned out of the country in underhand dealings.
Maridadi said Mugabe should also be removed from office because he had failed to act on rampant corruption and incompetent officials, including his nephew Patrick Zhuwao, the Indigenisation minister.
The MDC-T MP argued Zhuwao confessed to “misleading the nation for two years due to his failure to interpret a key economic enabling Act administered by his ministry”.
Also cited is Energy minister Samuel Undenge’s scandal at power utility Zesa, involving businessman, Wicknell Chivayo, who was reportedly paid $5 million without following procedure.
Maridadi said he was worried that Mugabe had shown lapses of concentration that were not consistent with his position as head of government.
“His ploughing through, for 30 minutes, of a wrong speech he had presented a few months earlier during the same joint sitting of Parliament. His tumbling at Harare International Airport in front of a capacity crowd (and) the President’s frequent absence from the country on account of his health check-ups abroad,” the lawmaker said were reasons enough to impeach the veteran leader.
The Mabvuku-Tafara legislator called on Parliament to set up a “joint committee comprising members of the Senate and the National Assembly” to investigate Mugabe and table findings for debate.
Maridadi told NewsDay he was confident that if a secret ballot were held, “Mugabe will lose”.
“If they think I am bluffing, I dare Mugabe to allow Parliament to go through this process. It is another way of reaffirming his popularity rather than a rally. I am now aware that we will not remove him through elections because he will always rig,” he said.
The move comes as civic society groups, churches and opposition parties continue piling pressure on Mugabe to step down, accusing him of gross economic mismanagement, incapacitation and failure to deal with rampant corruption within his Zanu PF government. Newsday
accidents continue to claim lives on Zim roads
Police report that three people died while more than 10 were injured when the vehicles they were travelling in crashed in two separate accidents along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road.
The accidents occured between Saturday and Monday.
A two-year-old girl and two drivers are among the dead. The bodies were taken to Masvingo Provincial Hospital while the injured were rushed to the same hospital where their condition remains stable but critical.
Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula said in one of the accidents a Honda Fit had two passengers on board while the other vehicle, a Toyota Fun Cargo had 12 passengers when the tragedy struck.
She identified the deceased as Prichard Masango of AFM Church in Ngundu, Wilfred Jena (30) of Sewe -ZPS Masvingo and Shalon Muzandura (2) of Chikuhwa Village under Chief Charumbira
“We received two accident reports which claimed three people, one on the spot while two, including a two year-old girl died on their way to Masvingo Provincial Hospital. The injured were rushed to the same hospital where their condition is stable but critical,” said Insp Mazula.
She said in the first accident which occurred on Saturday the driver, Masango attempted to avoid a haulage truck carrying an abnormal load and his vehicle overturned killing him on the spot while injuring one passenger at the 90 km peg along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road.
Police said on Monday Jena was driving a Toyota Fun Cargo along Masvingo-Great Zimbabwe Road en-route Nemamwa growth point. At the 15 km peg his vehicle burst its left rear tyre and he lost control, veered off the road and it rolled twice before landing on its wheels.
“Nine passengers including Jena, the driver were injured. They were rushed to Masvingo General Hospital but Jena and Shalon died before arrival. The injured are still admitted to the same hospital where two passengers’ condition remains critical while others are stable,” she said. chronicle.
It never rains but pours for the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association’s secretary-general Victor Matemadanda, currently in hiding, whose farm has been invaded by Zanu PF.
Some youth believed to be suspected Zanu PF supporters have invaded Garowa Farm Number 8 in Tengwe, Mashonaland West province, owned by the war vets leader.
Matemadanda recently told ZimEye that he feared for his life as he was under close surveillance by suspected Central Intelligence Agents. (See interview here)
He was recently arrested for being part of a group of former freedom fighters that wrote a scathing communique after a meeting in Harare claiming that President Robert Mugabe is to blame for Zimbabwe’s current social, economic and political problems.
He said told Studio 7 that the 60 youth invaded the farm on Saturday allegedly under the instructions of Hurungwe North Zanu PF Member of Parliament, Sarah Mahoka, who has declared to clampdown on anyone that criticizes the president.
Mahoka and Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo were not available for comment as their mobile phones were unreachable.
Matemadanda confirmed that his farm has been raided by the youth though Mashonaland West police spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara could not shed light on the issue.
Matemadanda claimed that police have failed to deal with the invaders, adding that it is unfortunate that the farm is being used to settle personal and political scores.
He said what the youth are doing is an indication that the land reform programme is not for ordinary Zimbabweans but for Zanu PF members only.
Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere recently told a party meeting in Karoi that his party would take back farms of people who abandon the former liberation movement like recalled Zanu PF Hurungwe West Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa.
Matemadanda and most of his colleagues that include war veterans spokesperson Douglas Mahiya are on $300 bail pending trial for undermining President Mugabe after they issued a communique calling the president to step down.
Most of the war veterans boycotted the main event to mark Heroes Day in Harare yesterday, which was addressed by President Mugabe.
TerrenceMawawaMwenezi Workers employed by Sabot, a prominent Mwenezi based crocodile breeding company have gone for eight months without receiving their salaries, causing untold suffering for the desperate employees.
It is understood the company has failed to pay its workers in the past eight months as a result of the deepening economic crisis in the country. Companies in Zimbabwe are struggling to pay their employees due to the worsening economic challenges. Economists blame President Robert Mugabe’s administration for implementing hostileand unfavourable policies.
Analysts say Mugabe’s policies have led to the rapid economomic demise in the country. The Sabot workers who spoke to ZimEye.com last week said the situation was unbearable and they were struggling to make ends meet.
“We have gone for eight months without receiving our salaries. We can no longer pay school fees for our children and we cannot pay our utility bills. Some of us no longer have access to medical services. Our children are not going to school because we cannot pay their their fees,” said one employee who declined to be named.
The company’s Human Resources Manager Tavonga Tavairai was not readily available for a comment. He could not be reached on his mobile phone as it went unanswere. A supervisor at the company said the matter was beyond his reach. “You can get in touch with my superiors for our position on the issue .The matter is beyond my reach,”he said.
StaffReporter| Soldiers yesterday pounced on AMH publisher Trevor Ncube’s house.
According to the man, army officers invaded his property in Harare and harassed workers there.
“Three men in National Army uniforms driving black Merc ,Reg No: BCB 7664 visited my home in Harare this morning and harassed my staff,” said Ncube.
Ncube went further to alert the public, “This visit follows a Saturday visit by two men in civilian clothes who asked my staff all sorts of nonsensical questions.”
State harassment and persecution against government critics has been intensified over the past weeks, many have been arrested and charged on spurious grounds.
Kadoma is desperate to raise $25m for water, sewer reticulation system overhaul, which is now obsolete and failing to meet growing demand.
City engineer, Bernatah Nhika this week said Kadoma needed a new water works plant and total upgrade of the obsolete water and sewer pipe works, which were making it twice more expensive to provide services in the city.
“We are conducting a hydrological survey at Claw Dam, so we can establish a new site for a new water treatment plant with the capacity to supply the needs of a growing Kadoma,” he said.
His comments come after Kadoma mayor, Muchineripi Chinyanganya said the council will have to drill boreholes to supply new suburbs like Victory Park Phase 1 and 2 with water. Nhika said the present waterworks would not be able to meet the needs of an expanding Kadoma, mainly because of the old equipment and aged pipes.
“Currently, we treat 28 to 30 megalitres of water a day, which is sufficient to cover our present needs. But with losses of nearly 40% of treated water, there is need to look at upgrading pipes and improve efficiency at the water treatment plant,” he said.
Most houses in Rimuka high-density suburb have defective billing systems, owing to faulty water meters and continually bursting water pipes.
Nhika said owing to these defects, council was losing nearly $100 000 a month worth of treated water. “We need about $25 million to ensure all these issues are addressed in the next five years, we have already started a metering project, which will cut our water losses, while we work on the infrastructure,” he said.
Chinyanganya said council was working to ensure that the water crisis, which hit Kadoma in 2007, would not be repeated.
“We were hit by cholera in 2008 owing to our poor water and sewer reticulation systems, therefore, our goal is to put in place systems, which prevent that from happening again,” he said.
ZHLR Lawyers Trust Maanda and Kudzai Kadzere waiting at the court this morning Staff Reporter |Human rights activist Linda Masarira appeared at Mbare Magistrate court earlier today, facing charges of obstructing the free flow of traffic, has been denied her freedom by the state.
Reports reaching ZimEye indicate that a further court trial date has been set for 25 August. At the time of writing Linda’s lawyers were still trying to get the mother of five out on bail.
Linda has spent weeks behind bars after the court refused to grant her bail at the last hearing late July.
Linda’s Constitutional Court Application was dismissed, on the grounds that there were no merits for success. Linda also had another outstanding matter in the courts in Mutare and her case is now being referred there. The magistrate will rule today on the application to refer the matter to Mutare.
A Zanu PF chef’s son has been found hanging.
The form three pupil at Mpopoma High School, son to Bulawayo’s Zanu-PF provincial secretary for information and publicity, allegedly committed suicide by hanging on Tuesday morning.
Christopher Sibanda’s son Eddie, was found hanging from a tree at his family’s residence in Njube suburb. It could not be immediately established what led him to take his life.
A Chronicle news crew visited the family’s home and spoke to Sibanda who described the incident as a disgrace.
“What will I benefit if you publicise this? Nothing except embarrassment! Lihlazo leli (It’s a disgrace). Everyone knows about it. If you wait for the funeral service you’ll see scores of people gathering here,” said Sibanda.
“So many people have come to pay their condolences. Many war veterans have come to console me. Already people know about ihlazo leli. Why do you want to publish this? How come so many people commit suicide here but we don’t read about them?” quizzed Sibanda.
He said the incident will crush his spirit if it gets published.
“There are a lot of things troubling me. They’re people bothering me and this has crushed me. If you publish it, it will cause me further pain. You can get the report from the police who were here and did their investigation leading to a logical conclusion of the incident. They’re the ones who took the body,” he said.
Sibanda said if the news crew wanted finer details about the event, they were free to cover the burial.
He did not disclose when his son would be laid to rest.
A Njube resident said people in the suburb were shocked to learn of the teenager’s death.
“We were shocked to hear that Eddie hanged himself. At his age what could have troubled him to the point of taking his own life?” asked a resident.
A comment could not be obtained from Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Abednico Ncube. Herald
In a new twist three Harare man have appeared before the magistrates’ courts facing charges of assaulting a police officer during last week’s protests over the planned introduction of bond notes and government’s failure to create jobs.
Tinashe Wellington Macharika (33), Alick Nakomo (21) and Chaponda Ndlovu (36) appeared before magistrate, Jessie Kufa charged with resisting or assaulting law officers.
The trial, however, failed to start, as their lawyer, Jeremiah Bamu was only furnished with State papers yesterday.
Macharika and his alleged accomplices initially appeared before magistrate Tendai Mahwe last week and were released on $50 bail each.
Their matter was remanded to August 16 for trial commencement.
According to the State, the three committed the offence on August 3 along Nelson Mandela Avenue in Harare. The court heard the trio were part of the crowd that was dispersed by the police.
Allegations are that they saw the complainant, Charles Nemazvuru, who is attached to the police protectin unit, walking along Nelson Mandela Avenue, clad in uniform.
They then allegedly chased him before Macharika tried to trip him.
Prosecutors allege that Nakomo then picked a brick, which he threw at the officer, but missed him.
He allegedly picked another brick and hit the officer in the back.
The court heard Nemazvuru fell down. Macharika then took off Nemazvuru’s shoes and put it in his bag.
The cop crawled to safety at a nearby pharmacy and was later rescued by another police officer, Austin Chipere, who was leading the ZRP support unit, before arresting the three. Newsday
A 28-YEAR-OLD Chipinge man allegedly killed his girlfriend in a botched up abortion, incinerated her body in a bid to destroy the evidence.
Fashion Mupakati, who is self-employed as a carpenter, has now approached the High Court, seeking to be granted bail, pending trial on charges of murder and tampering with a dead body.
Allegations against Mupakati are that on July 31, 2014, he administered an unknown concoction to the now-deceased, Headgirl Mabvira, of Gwaradzimba village, Chief Nyashanu in Buhera.
The State alleges the incident occurred along Chedutu-Checheni Road in Bikita.
It is alleged, after taking the concoction, Mabvira died as a result of complications caused by the brew.
The State further alleges after realising Mabvira had died, Mupakati used his car to ferry and and dump the body near Village 29, along Chedutu-Checheni Road.
Mupakati then allegedly doused the body with an unknown substance and set it ablaze in a bid to conceal Mabvira’s identity.
However, prior to the incident, Mupakati was seen with his girlfriend in his car before she went missing.
In his affidavit, the investigating officer opposed bail, saying Mupakati had been on the run since the day Mabvira was last seen until his arrest last year.
The officer also said prior to Mabvira’s death, Mupakati had, at one point, attempted to terminate the pregnancy by giving her another concoction.
His lawyers, in his bail applicationt, said: “The truth of the matter is that there was never a point in time in his life that he administered a concoction to the deceased.
“Applicant (Mupakati) will vehemently deny that he murdered the now-deceased at all and avers that he is now suffering for an offence he did not commit. The allegations against him were made erroneously. The applicant is a man of good morals.”
Feeling vindicated and triumphant former freedom fighter and Home Affairs minister — Dumiso Dabengwa — has warned war veterans against taking sides with politicians at the expense of their values which he said have been demeaned.
Dabengwa was speaking at Lady Stanley Cemetery where he was a guest of honour at the tombstone unveiling of former freedom fighter Philemon Ncube Mabuza.
Mabuza was a Zapu activist who took part in the war operations of the 1960s.
“The year 2016 will be remembered as the year in which those who have ears to hear finally understand that a repressive political system is like a double-edged razor-blade that cuts in all directions,” Dabengwa told the gathering.
“It will cut even the most vicious eventually when they oppose aspects or specific practices of the ruling clique. Those who have been used to vilify their own comrades have been treated like used tissue paper that can be thrown away at will.
“I hope that these lessons are taken very seriously so that we can have a political order that does not seek to make and unmake people’s heroism at will. Liberation heroes should not accept to be moved back and forth from heroes to villains and vice versa,” he added.
Dabengwa spoke as President Robert Mugabe’s fall-out with the war veterans resulted in them boycotting this year’s Heroes Day celebrations across the country.
The former freedom fighters ended their long-time relationship with their patron after growing disillusioned.
Mugabe has not taken kindly their divorce and launched a brutal crackdown against the war veterans’ leadership.
Dabengwa paid tribute to Mabuza whom he said contributed immensely to the liberation struggle but was overlooked from being buried at the National Heroes Acre.
“The timing of today’s commemoration of … Mabuza is very symbolic because on this day (August 8) Zimbabwe is observing the national Heroes Day,” said Dabengwa.
“However, it is easy to devalue the true meaning of ‘heroes’ when the criteria for official designation as a hero are not uniformly applied.
“It is not a nice thing to disrespect the memory of those who may be wrongly designated for heroism they never showed or have not been convincingly documented to have.
“Worse still, when highly-deserving cases like Mabuza are omitted in the designation of ‘heroes’, it is difficult to avoid mentioning that there are many less-deserving cases that are today either at the National Heroes Acre or in the provincial resting places for heroes,” Dabengwa added.
The Zapu leader paid tribute to former freedom fighters whose remains are interred at Lady Stanley describing them as loyal cadres who gave everything for their country.
“In Lady Stanley today we are in the company of other heroes like Lookout Masuku, Richard ‘Gedi’ Dube, Amos ‘Jack’ Ngwenya, and others who could not pass the test of political correctness of the Zanu PF establishment who define heroism by loyalty to a current political leadership,” said Dabengwa.
“Others like Thenjiwe Lesabe are buried elsewhere but their memory is better kept clean than being tainted by vetting in the hands of undeserving judges of political worthiness.
“A ceremony like this gives us a chance to put a brick in the wall of remembrance to help keep sacred sacrifices that no political hanky-panky can permanently obscure.
“Dr Joshua Nkomo put it eloquently at the funeral of Lookout Masuku in this same ground in Lady Stanley when he pointed out that heroes are not made by declarations but their own deeds.” daily news
The Zimbabwe People First (ZimFirst) spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire, is today set to hand himself in at Harare Central Police Station’s law and order section after he was summoned for questioning, a local daily says. The paper reports that it is over an undisclosed matter involving Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo.
“I have been called in by Police Law and Order for questioning in connection with minister Jonathan Moyo. Not sure what the charges are,” Mawarire said yesterday.
“Am now going to hand in myself tomorrow (today) in the company of my lawyer at 10am,” he said, jokingly saying he could be “the first to be charged of cyber terrorism”. Newsday
Zimbabwe’s roads continued to needlessly claim lives over the just ended public holidays.
Thirteen people were killed, while 67 others were injured in 101 road traffic accidents that were recorded countrywide during the just-ended Heroes Day and Defence Forces Day holidays.
Eight of the accidents were fatal. During the period under review, police impounded 134 defective vehicles and issued 8 377 tickets to motorists for committing various offences.During the corresponding period last year, 13 people were killed, while 51 others were injured in 123 road accidents.
A total of 209 unroadworthy vehicles were impounded, while police issued 10 805 tickets to motorists last year.
Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba attributed this year’s accidents to speeding, lack of judgment, reversing errors and failure to give way.
“Motorists should be cautious when driving in built-up areas, especially residential, farming and major highways.
“Driving is an art and requires skills which should contribute towards safeguarding of lives on the roads. Of late, police have recorded cases of motorists speeding, where they end up losing control and killing pedestrians trying to cross the road or standing at bus stops.”
Snr Asst Comm Charamba said motorists were also failing to give way on approaching junctions or intersections.
“Police are urging drivers to be responsible and contribute towards the safety of all travellers on the road.
“The ZRP will ensure that the law takes its course on errant drivers who are recklessly causing road accidents,” Snr Asst Comm Charamba said.
Raped by mothers lover TerrenceMawawaChivhu A local man who sexually assaulted his lover’s three daughters for 12 years has been apprehended and charged after her death.
In a story full of intrigue and drama the daughters mustered the courage to report the matter to the police after their mother’s death.
It is for instance understood the woman witnessed some of the sexual acts but she ordered the girls not to disclose the matter.
Emmanuel Masikati(44) of Hugos Fontein, Chivhu appeared before Magistrate Dennis Mungoshi last week, facing rape charges. Mungoshi began to have sex with one of the daughters when she was doing grade seven. He raped her while she was herding cattle and continued to pleasure himself on the girl until her mother died this year.
The first complainant is now 26. Masikati used a knife to threaten the girl whenever she refused to have sex with him. The complainant did not tell anyone until her mother died. She told her aunt how her stepfather abused her for 12 years. Masikati also had sex with the complainant’s two twin sisters after threatening them with the same knife.
It is reported Masikati’s lover-the complainants’ mother ordered her children to remain mum about the rape incidents.The three only managed to report the cases after their mother’s death. Masikati was arrested after her three stepdaughters reported the incidents at Chivhu Police Station.
Leading animal rights activist Camille Labchuck demanded action by the Canadian Government claiming the current legislation gave a green light to individuals to use animals for their own sexual gratification
Dailymail.co.uk | The Canadian Supreme Court has ruled that sex acts with a pet are legal as long as the animal is not penetrated or suffers any form of injury.
The case involved a man who had been convicted of sexually abusing two of his step daughters, who had also been convicted of bestiality after he attempted to make the dog engage in sexual activities with one of the young girls.
A lower court convicted the man of bestiality after it heard he smeared peanut butter on the girl, who was 15 at the time of the abuse, to entice the dog to lick it off.
The lower court ruled the man was guilty of bestiality because he had received sexual gratification from the act.
However, the man, known only as D.L.W. successfully challenged the bestiality decision in the appeals court.
According to The Canadian Lawyer and Law Times, The higher court decided that a strict interpretation of the law, which dates from the English 1861 Offences Against the Person act, required penetration for a bestiality conviction.
Animal rights charity Animal Justice then challenged this decision to the Supreme Court, who ruled that when the Canadian parliament updated the criminal law relating to sexual offences it did not change the historically understood meaning of bestiality.
The Supreme Court said Parliament could have updated the interpretation of what constituted bestiality if it wished and claimed it was not the role of the courts to introduce new criminal offences.
According to the ruling: ‘Courts will only conclude that a new crime has been created if the words used to do so are certain and definitive. This approach not only reflects the appropriate respective roles of Parliament and the courts, but the fundamental requirement of the criminal law that people must know what constitutes punishable conduct and what does not, especially when their liberty is at stake.’
Joice Mujuru supporters being persecuted Staff Reporter |The Joice Mujuru led Zimbabwe People First party continues to face harassment and persecution, as it tries to establish itself as a formidable opposition party, that will remove President Robert Mugabe from power come 2018 presidential elections.
Mujuru who has benefited from Zanu PF’s largess as a senior politician in the ruling party, has now come face to face with the ruthlessness of the party she served for decades.
Zanu PF has unleashed its violence machinery on Mujuru’s campaigners in the Mashonaland East and Central provinces, places in which the most horrific terror against the opposition has been documented over the years. Heart wrenching stories of rape, murder, abductions, which to this day have not been fully investigated and perpetrators brought to book.
The former vice President’s campaign teams it is reported cannot even carry out door to door campaigns in peace without being harassed, by their former Zanu PF allies.
“At Mutawatawa Growth point, members of the police chased away Zimbabwe People First supporters who were distributing flyers,” reports Heal Zimbabwe Trust in its peace promotion monitoring report.
“Later in the day, Zanu PF ward 6 Councillor, Tichafunga Marekera moved in the ward with Zanu PF youths intimidating and harassing villagers warning them that all those who support opposition political parties in the area would be dealt with before end of the year”.
At the weekend there were reports that some members of the Mujuru’s party had their homes burnt down by suspected Zanu PF youths in the Mashonaland Central province.
Linda enters court room during her last court appearance
Linda Masarira who is on remand in custody will appear in court tomorrow. The single parent has spent weeks away from her children. Members of the Zimbabwe Activist Alliance, took time to visit Linda’s five children. Below are letters the little ones wrote to their mother, including a press release which gives an account of Linda’s history as an activist.
PressStatement |ZAA is concerned with the continued unfair and unlawful incarceration of Lynda Tsungirirai Masarira`s over clearly trumped up charges which consequently exhibited the state`s deliberate blind eye and utter negligence to the respect of human rights which the system has unashamedly pledged to uphold
The most intriguing reality which the state is consciously ignoring to accept is that the picture is clearly on the wall that what Linda is fighting for is not a personal agenda, but an inclusive fact that relates to everyone in the country who have been left in the scorching cold that no one can deny even the very kith and kin of the Zanu PF regime including the state security agencies currently topping human rights violations they are supposed to uphold. Lynnete Tendai Mudehwe with one of Linda’s little ones
What the public has been prejudiced of is the reality and the background of Linda`s current predicament, The untold story of Linda is the manifestation of a prolonged attempt by the state to silence the dissenting voice, no matter how justified.
Lynda`s has been forced to fight by circumstances neither beyond her or any other Zimbabwean `s control. Linda is the former government entity employee who has been unlawfully and wantonly fired from her job not because she has failed to perform beyond what she has been qualified to deliver, but simply because she chose not be selfish and set herself out to fight for the voiceless. Letter to Linda written by one of her children
After undergoing a gruel some fights with the National railways of Zimbabwe and being instrumental in conscientising fellow employees to stand up and demand their rights to get paid their due wages and salaries after struggling for a long time without getting paid, she was unfortunately unfairly fired. In an effort to fight not only for her five children, but for the whole population of Zimbabwe, she ironically faced state instituted brutality.
On 1 June, she and her friend Lynnette Tendayi Mudehwe embarked on a trip into the wilderness to continue fighting for the present and future of 7 children between them (Lynda and Lynnette) and all Zimbabwean children. For 16 Days and 16Nights, they were going to occupy Africa Unity Square and highlight the plight of Zimbabweans. In a calculated move, the GoZ saw another opportunity to deny Lynda’s children the care of their mother. She was arrested on trumped up charges which adds up to her current incarceration. Letter to Linda written by one of her children
Following the GOZ induced job losses, she was fired from NRZ, while she was the sole breadwinner had 5 mouths to feed, clothe and shelter. Lynda voiced her complains and championed the rights of the terminated employees and formed an associated retrenched and terminated employees of the NRZ to help fight for the rightful compensation, the state consorted to frivolous charges against Lynda that she had insulted the Head of State as she carried out her ARTE duties. For the past year she has in and out of Mutare Magistrates’ Courts. This has curtailed Lynda’s freedom and family time as she spends more time at court like a magistrate.
Lynda who is still to receive her benefits from NRZ and is embroiled in a legal wrangle for her dues from the state run company .She is still soldiering on to fight for her children’s welfare.
Zimbabwe Activist Alliance during one of their usual visit to Lynda`s place was humbled by how the children have been affected by their mothers unlawful incarceration. The children: Kuzivakwashe 16, Kupakwashe (girl )14 , Charlse 9, Mandipaishe 7 (girl) pleaded if they could write letters to their mpother and bellow are the pictures of the letters written to their mother.
DrBrightonChireka |WELCOME back to our health blog as we talk about cervical cancer this week. Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that develops in a womans cervix. The cervix is the entrance to the womb from the vagina. Worldwide cervical cancer is, after breast cancer, the second leading cause of cancer in women causing over 270,000 deaths per year. Most of us know or have heard of someone who has or has had cancer. Cancer affects large numbers of people from all walks of life. This article should apply to all the people regardless of where they live. In most communities, diagnosis of cancer induces fear both in the individual and the immediate family and is viewed as a death sentence, which is wrong.
Its difficult to get correct figures in developing countries such as Zimbabwe and South Africa to name a few, because cancers are not captured by the routine National Health Information System due to patients not presenting for treatment or registering deaths. Research has shown that the five commonest cancers in Black Zimbabwean women are cervical cancer (33.9%), breast cancer (9.7%), Kaposi sarcoma (9.6%), eye (8.7%) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (4.1%). It is also estimated that 3,700 women die per year of cervical cancer in South Africa. In Zimbabwe, HIV and AIDS contributed 60% of cancers in 2005 (Chokunonga et al, 2010).
Cancer begins in cells and cells are the bodys basic unit of life. Let me expand on what normally happens in our bodies and what can go wrong. The body is made up of many types of cells. These grow and divide in a controlled way to produce more cells that are needed to keep the body healthy. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new ones. However, sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. The genetic material (DNA) of a cell can become damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumour. These cancerous cells can invade organs such as the cervix and destroy surrounding healthy tissue as well spreading to other organs. The process of spreading is called metastasis.
Over the course of many years, the cells lining the surface of the cervix undergo a series of changes. In rare cases, these precancerous cells can become cancerous. However, cell changes in the cervix can be detected at a very early stage and treatment can reduce the risk of cervical cancer developing. That is the reason why women are encouraged to see their doctors early and also to go for routine screening.
Symptoms of cervical cancer
Cervical cancer often has no symptoms in its early stages and the effective way of preventing it is to go for screening regularly. If one has symptoms, the most common is unusual vaginal bleeding, which can occur after sex, in-between periods or after the menopause. Abnormal bleeding doesnt mean that one definitely has cervical cancer, but it should be investigated by own General Practitioner (GP) as soon as possible. In the UK, if ones GP suspects cervical cancer, he/she should refer the individual to see a specialist within two weeks.
Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a very common virus thats often spread during sex. There are more than 100 different types of HPV, many of which are harmless. However, some types of HPV can disrupt the normal functioning of the cells of the cervix and can eventually trigger the onset of cancer. Two strains of the HPV virus called HPV 16 and HPV 18 are known to be responsible for 70% of all cases of cervical cancer. These types of HPV infection have no symptoms, so many women will not realise they have the infection. However, it is important to be aware that these infections are relatively common and most women who have them dont develop cervical cancer. Using condoms during sex offers some protection against HPV, but it cannot always prevent infection.
A lot of work is being done to stop the spread of HPV and I urge all the parents to make sure that their daughters are vaccinated before they become sexually active. Find out from your doctor about the local arrangements with regard to HPV vaccine. In the UK since 2008, an HPV vaccine has been routinely offered for free to girls between the ages of 12 and 13. I know that HPV vaccination is not fully functioning in some parts of Zimbabwe and in the absence of an HPV vaccine, cervical screening to detect and remove early, precancerous lesions is the most effective way to prevent the disease and the suffering it causes.
What should we do? The blame culture does not help. We have to take ownership of our health and play an active role in preventing unnecessary death from cervical cancer. Early detection of cancer remains the best strategy in reducing cancer deaths, hence my call to everyone reading this article, to make sure that they present early to their doctor. Do not leave it until its too late as the chance of surviving depend on the stage of cervical cancer.
The stage at which cervical cancer is diagnosed is an important factor in determining a womans outlook. The staging, given as a number from 1 to 4 indicates how far the cancer has spread. The chances of living for at least five years after being diagnosed with cervical cancer are: stage 1 80% to 99%, stage 2 60% to 90%, stage 3 30% to 50% and stage 4 20%. We can see from these figures that early presentation does help and should be encouraged.
Cancer mortality in Zimbabwe is still high mainly due to late presentation of disease, inter-current diseases including HIV and limited access to early detection and treatment services. Also most of the developing governments focus mainly on diseases like Cholera, HIV and AIDS and Malaria while non-communicable diseases like cancer are left with limited funding. However Cervical Cancer screening is supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Lets then play our part by making sure that we present early to our doctors and go for screening regularly.
In Zimbabwe there are only nine health centres offering cervical cancer screening using VIAC countrywide. VIAC is Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid and Cerviography. It is sometimes called screen and treat . This screen and treat program uses a simple, inexpensive and proven method to detect precancerous lesions on the cervix, and a relatively simple and proven technology to remove those lesions and thereby prevent the development of invasive cervical cancer, for which few treatment options exist in rural Zimbabwe.
These health centres are United Bulawayo Hospitals, Newlands Clinic, Edith Opperman Clinic in Mbare, Warren Park Polyclinic, Highfield Polyclinic, Masvingo Provincial Hospital, Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council, Spilhaus and Cancer Association of Zimbabwe (CAZ). I am also reliably informed that more clinics are opening in Harare. However, all of these services are centralised in urban areas leaving women in rural areas uncovered.
The NHS, in the UK, offers a national screening programme open to all women from the age of 25. During screening, a small sample of cells is taken from the cervix and checked under a microscope for abnormalities. This test is commonly referred to as a cervical smear test. An abnormal smear test does not mean you definitely have cancer, as most abnormal results are caused by an infection or the presence of treatable precancerous cells rather than cancer itself.
It is recommended that women who are between the ages of 25 and 49 are screened every three years, and women between the ages of 50 and 64 are screened every five years. You should be sent a letter telling you when your screening appointment is due. Contact your GP if you think that you may be overdue for a screening appointment. Sadly some of the Zimbabwean women in the UK are not taking advantage of this free service but I hope this will change after reading this article.
If cervical cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, its usually possible to treat it using surgery. In some cases its possible to leave the womb in place, but it may need to be removed. The surgical procedure used to remove the womb is called a hysterectomy. Radiotherapy (using X-rays to treat) is an alternative to surgery for some women with early stage cervical cancer. In some cases it is used alongside surgery. More advanced cases of cervical cancer are usually treated using a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
We know that cervical cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment pose great challenges particularly in resource constrained environments such as ours in Zimbabwe but there is evidence that raising awareness and encouraging people to change their lifestyles can prevent about a third of cancer. It is one of the reasons why this article has been compiled. Remember cervical cancer can be prevented and can also be cured if diagnosed and treated early.
This article was compiled by Dr Brighton Chireka, who is a GP and a Health Commissioner in South Kent Coast in the United Kingdom. You can contact him at: [email protected] and can read more of his work on his blog at DR CHIREKA’S BLOG
On Trial for his country.. Rudo Mudiwa | On the morning of 13 July 2016, I took a cab ride to Rotten Row Magistrate’s Court, the courthouse where Evan Mawarire, the young pastor who has become the figurehead of an emergent protest movement in Zimbabwe, was being arraigned on charges of ‘inciting public violence’. This was a transparently spurious charge meant to contain the influence of a charismatic figure who had captured public attention.
In videos that circulated on WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter, Mawarire catalogued the grievances of many Zimbabweans against their government, among them corruption, reckless fiscal policies and the suppression of dissent. In a few months, his campaign’s hashtag, #ThisFlag, had come to serve as a rallying cry for the mostly urban citizens and diasporans frustrated with the problems wrought by Robert Mugabe’s 36-year rule.
The scene at Mawarire’s hearing had all the trappings of a media event. People had come draped in Zimbabwean flags. Photographers mingled with the crowd, small circles forming around those selected for on-camera interviews. The continuous production of selfies, tweets and Snapchat videos, an act marked by the smartphone being held at an angle above the documenter’s head, contributed to the feeling of being there for a historical event. In a country whose public sphere has been under consistent attack for the past few decades, protest was momentarily cool.
Vendors flitted through the crowd, selling drinks, naartjies, meat pies and the crucial accessory of the day: Zimbabwean flags. These cost $5 and came folded in a neat square, wrapped in clear plastic. Later that night, as the crowd dispersed, these wrappers could be seen strewn all over the courthouse grounds, sparkling in the light. Remarking on the overwhelmingly social vibe of the event, a male friend turned to me and said, “There are so many beautiful girls here, unotokanganwa kuti wawuyirei (you forget why you came).” An arrest foretold
News of Mawarire’s arrest, which had taken place the day before, had reached his followers through the release of an eerie pre-recorded video urging Zimbabweans to continue with the struggle should anything unfortunate, like an abduction or arrest, happen to him.
This was not an instance of dramatic flair. In March 2015, Itai Dzamara, an activist under the banner of the Occupy Africa Unity Square movement, was abducted after a visit to the barber near his home. (Africa Unity Square, a public park right in the middle of Harare’s CBD, is opposite the buildings of parliament.) He hadn’t been heard from since. In contrast to the relatively subdued protests that followed Dzamara’s abduction, Mawarire’s arrest (and his considerably greater social capital) had moved people to gather at the court that morning. Protestors would occupy the courthouse grounds for nearly 12 hours, singing, dancing and praying.
After a series of blunders by the prosecution, the magistrate dismissed the charges against Mawarire. At around 8pm, he emerged to a sea of people, marked in the dark by candles and smartphone lights. As the crowd chanted, “Pastor! Pastor!” someone reached up and draped a flag around his neck.
In April 2016, Trevor Ncube, a newspaper publisher with business interests in Zimbabwe and South Africa, argued that a ‘third way’ was the only solution to Zimbabwe’s problems. It was a repeat of an argument he had made a decade or so before. As he put it in the most recent iteration:
This is what Zimbabwe needs: a political collective with clean hands; people who subscribe to the principles of an inclusive society that serves the majority. On the sidelines of the universities, state institutions, the diaspora, and even within Zanu-PF, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) factions, the military, police and intelligence services, there are such people – decent people who want to work hard, educate their children, take care of their families and contribute to a vibrant society.
Although the political genealogy of the term goes unacknowledged in his piece, Ncube’s ‘third way’ is a reference to the centrist politics of Bill Clinton and Tony Blair in the 1990s, which attempted to straddle the divide between the right and the left. In Zimbabwe — where the categories ‘right’ and ‘left’ aren’t useful for analysing mainstream politics, at least for now — the ‘third way’ would function as an alternative to the two main political parties, ZANU-PF and MDC-T. (Former vice president Joyce Mujuru, who has left to form her own party, was once seen as the face of this coalition. Before her, Simba Makoni, a business-friendly bureaucrat, also played this role.) A decent person steps up
In the first #ThisFlag video, released the same month as Ncube’s article, Mawarire appeared to be exactly the kind of ‘decent’ person who could take up Ncube’s call. Hunched over a desk, the Zimbabwean flag wrapped around his shoulders, Mawarire engaged in a critical re-reading of the symbolism of the flag.
The basic structure of his argument was as follows: They tell us that the flag means one thing, but their actions betray us and the people who died to liberate this country from colonial rule. As he later stated, he was inspired to record the video after he sat at his desk late at night, wondering how he would pay his children’s school fees.
This anecdote became one of the key components of the subsequent media coverage of Mawarire, in keeping with Ncube’s prediction that the ‘third way’ would comprise ‘decent people who want to work hard, educate their children, take care of their families and contribute to a vibrant society’. Mawarire’s was a political message that disavowed the toxic partisanship that has dominated Zimbabwean politics for the past two decades. Coming from a man of the cloth, a young father, it seemed to shrewdly inoculate itself from many of the attacks that could come from either side. The ‘third way’ indeed.
In later videos, Mawarire’s delivery became sharper and more polished. The first video had been shot in a poorly lit room and weighed down by the insertion of melodramatic background music, while later instalments where shot in good natural light. Mawarire would record them while walking or in his car, which conveyed his energy and youthfulness. While the first video showed a man overwrought with emotion, subsequent videos depicted an angry but focused orator who pulled no punches. He dextrously switched between English and Shona, repeating each statement in both languages.
Mawarire also tested the political reach of his message. He initially called for Zimbabweans at home and abroad to carry the flag with them for seven days as a visible sign of protest. This call was later extended. Finally, Mawarire called for a stay-away — a labour strategy long used by the MDC and its progenitor, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)—on 6 July. This coincided with a planned stay-away by civil servants (over unpaid salaries) and demonstrations by commuter omnibus operators (protesting harassment by bribe-demanding traffic cops) in the country. Most of the major cities ground to a halt. In all, it was a victory for Mawarire and an embarrassment to the government. That night, someone said to me, “Well, he has tasted power. Now we’ll see what he’ll do with it.”
Mawarire’s basic profile — a charismatic young pastor battling state repression through non-violent means — has inevitably drawn comparisons to Martin Luther King Jr. This comparison, simplistic as it might be, points to the nature of movement building in a globalised media landscape. The ability to point to a singular visible leader, and to reproduce his/her image, distils into a simple narrative the complexities of social or political movements that are made up of contesting parties. Consequently, emergent movements are now often asked to produce their own Martin Luther King Jr, a figure whose voice and image can represent the cause.
In this case, this push to identify a discernable leader has been intensified by the Christian ideology driving Mawarire and his followers. Hours after his arrest, many of his followers circulated the Bible verse “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!” (Psalm 105:15) on social media platforms. The verse functioned to reassure people that as The Chosen One, divine protection encircled Mawarire. Of course, that the designated prophetic voice was a man’s is a continuity of a number of now intertwined histories: Christianity’s, patriarchy’s, and Zimbabwe’s. Under pressure to lead
Despite this anointing, Mawarire consistently rejected the notion that he was the primary actor in this saga. On the night he was released, he appeared before the excited crowd, visibly tired and overwhelmed by the day’s events, with a short message emphasising that the victory was not his alone. Instead, he insisted that “Zimbabwe yamurikuvaka ndeye vana venyu!” (The Zimbabwe you are building is for your children!) Still, this did not quell calls for him to assume a more visible, and even institutional, leadership. In the following weeks, some of his more fervent followers called on him to establish a political party that would contest the 2018 elections.
The pressure to anoint Mawarire as the leader of the protest movement in Zimbabwe plays into the regime’s successful strategy of containing and scapegoating a sole figure as the enemy of the people. This much was evident when Mugabe recently issued his verdict on Mawarire: “Those who believe in that way of living in our country are not part of us in thinking as we try to live together”. For questioning the government, Mawarire was declared ‘unZimbabwean’, an enemy of the people. Mugabe added: “If they don’t like to live with us, fine, let them go to those who are sponsoring them.” Mawarire had travelled to South Africa on 15 July, where he had been giving television interviews and public appearances. After Mugabe’s speech, he extended his stay indefinitely. The role of the lower middle class and the urban poor
What will happen in Mawarire’s absence, which comes just as certain segments of the population were beginning to coalesce around his leadership? One hopes that it will demystify the notion of Mawarire, a middle-class figure, as the trigger and driver of protests. This notion, especially popular in the international press, erases the labour performed by various working-class groups in sustaining pressure against the government.
What will happen in Mawarire’s absence, which comes just as certain segments of the population were beginning to coalesce around his leadership? One hopes that it will demystify the notion of Mawarire, a middle-class figure, as the trigger and driver of protests. This notion, especially popular in the international press, erases the labour performed by various working-class groups in sustaining pressure against the government.
Indeed, the mass showing on the day of Mawarire’s court appearance would have been impossible without the energy, organising capacity and resources of such groups. They include Tajamuka (Shona slang for “We have rebelled”), Occupy Africa Unity Square and the National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe – all groups that engage in radical action that actively seeks confrontation with the state. (For example, Tajamuka activists have made a name for themselves by delivering impromptu speeches, blaming the government for the country’s economic ills in addresses to customers waiting in the now ubiquitous bank queues across Harare.)
Given that Mawarire had been reluctant to embrace demonstrations as a tactic, crediting major protest actions to him was a mistake. Moreover, the focus on Mawarire also obscured the fact that the first stay-away was successful because informally organised segments of the lower middle class and urban poor drove it. In particular, it drew on the energy of an unprecedented and violent protest at the Beitbridge Border Post a week earlier. Traders responding to new import restrictions that threatened their businesses (importing groceries and other wares from South Africa) initiated this protest. In many ways, this protest reflected a key grievance that is constantly being expressed in Zimbabwe: We have an unthinking government that is bent on punishing its citizens’ resourcefulness in the midst of economic decline. Bearing the brunt of state violence
It is these same uncredited groups that faced the brunt of the violence meted out by police in retaliation for the stay-away. While Mawarire’s middle-class supporters were safely indoors in the northern and western suburbs, taking to social media to express their support, police moved in to attack protesters in poor neighbourhoods in the south and east of the city. Cell-phone images and video showed people being teargassed, beaten and dragged out of their homes on suspicion of supporting the protests. A month later, Linda Musarira, an activist with Occupy Africa Unity Square, remains imprisoned on the very same charge as the one that got Mawarire arrested. After she was denied bail at a hearing held on 26 July, one of her comrades urged the crowd outside to continue the struggle against tyranny “along class lines”. It remains to be seen whether this vital call for class struggle in an economically and spatially segregated Zimbabwe will permeate the public consciousness. What do we do with this moment?
The biggest question for Zimbabwean progressives and leftists, many of whom have withdrawn from ‘official’ politics is: What do we do with this moment? When the ‘third way’ has been a disaster for the left in the West, could it lead to the emergence of a different kind of politics in this country? Many people I have spoken to are hesitant to align themselves with an explicitly Christian movement, fearful that it will produce superficial neoliberal changes while further entrenching structures that will oppress the same ‘undesirables’ who have been targeted by ZANU-PF: women, gays and lesbians, and the rural and urban poor.
Others who might share these reservations nevertheless want to seize this opening — a timely flowering of protest and dissent — to create the kind of political culture they would like to see. These kinds of negotiations were visible at the courthouse, where socialists, NGO liberals, nominally apolitical citizens, atheists and evangelical Christians protested alongside each other in support of the principle of free expression. At times this produced the kind of awkward moment that is characteristic of such uneasy alliances. In the middle of the day, a group of pastors commanded the crowd to kneel down and pray, “to show that Zimbabweans are a humble people”. An insufficiently cowed group remained standing at the back. Similarly, when the more radical protesters began to sing explicitly political songs castigating the ruling party, those who wished to appear apolitical balked at their defiance.
Even as the notion of the ‘third way’ attempts to skirt political binary thinking, it is inescapably caught in it, imagining that politics operates in terms of clearly defined oppositional camps that must be reconciled. What is happening in Zimbabwe is much more complicated. It is an explosion of disparate protest movements that do not share a common ideology beyond their frustration with the government’s ineptitude. Every week seems to bring new protests and aggrieved constituencies: vendors and cross-border traders, mothers, evangelical Christians, war veterans and students. Unifying the resistance
At this moment, #ThisFlag has become the convenient and media-friendly term to capture this restless energy, but it is by no means the only game in town. The cab driver who took me to the courthouse that day insisted that something more explosive was emerging in Zimbabwe. But it wasn’t “zve social media izvi” (this social media stuff), he sniffed dismissively. “Muchangoona zvauya,” (You’ll see it when it comes), he told me more than once. As I got out of the cab, he promised me that by December, something big would have happened. I laughed and asked him if he could tell me what this event was or if he would be participating. He didn’t take the bait, but with the discretion of someone who knew more than I ever could, he simply told me to wait.
Sten Zvorwadza with Dzamara’s kids handing over flowers to the cops Staff Reporter |There was drama at the Africa Unity Square in Harare Wednesday when the police ran away from the Itai Dzamara family who were commemorating 17 months of the disappearance of the journalist –cum- human rights activist.
Itai Dzamara was abducted by suspected members of the Central Intelligence Organisation, CIO, in March 2015, for staging solo protests in the same square which has become symbolic of his steadfastness and resilience.
Since then, Africa Unit Square has become a symbolic place for activists who continue to protest as they revive Itai’s spirit for freedom.
The Dzamara family on Wednesday turned their anger into love as the activist’s children handed over to the armed police manning the park, some flowers and cakes.
Drama followed when the police somehow did not receive the love in fear of the Dzamara curse took to their heels heading for the Parliament building where their armoured car was parked.
This was unusual of the police, who have become notorious for harassing protesters at times brutally assaulting them.
No speeches were however delivered at today’s Itai Dzamara commemorations.
Prominent human rights activist Jestina Mukoko, National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe chairman Sten Zvorwadza, and former Zanu PF activist and leader of Viva Zimbabwe Acie Lumbumba attended the commemorations which lasted for an hour.
Good news for Zimbabweans after the South African government has given Zimbabwe the nod to deploy its officers to issue passports, birth certificates and national identity cards to locals residing in the neighbouring country. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Obedingwa Mguni said the documents would be issued from selected points in the neighbouring country as soon as South African authorities identify sites to conduct the exercise.He said his ministry would approach Botswana with the same request. Confirms passports and IDs will now be issued in SA…MGUNI
“We have approached the South African government seeking permission to issue passports, birth certificates and National IDs from their country and they have given us the go ahead.
“Our South African counterparts are now in the process of identifying places where we can conduct this exercise. When the locations have been submitted, we will immediately deploy our teams to the neighbouring country,” the deputy minister said.
Mguni said the exercise sought to ensure that Zimbabweans in the Diaspora were in possession of all valuable documents.
He said a number of Zimbabweans were accessing neighbouring countries through illegal points while some neither had birth certificates nor National IDs.
Mguni said his ministry was making efforts to reduce the time involved in processing passports.
He said passports were supposed to be processed and issued within a period of two weeks, but security checks involved were dragging the process.
“Passports should be issued within 14 days and ours are issued after two months. These are some of the anomalies that we want to address. We need to introduce quick coordinated security checks that will expedite the process.
“We recently acquired a highly efficient machine from Japan which processes passports but our pace does not complement the capacity of the machine because of these delays,” Mguni said.
He said Plumtree, Victoria Falls, Beitbridge, Chipinge and Chiredzi Towns would be the first to introduce passport issuing services at district registry offices.
Mguni said his Ministry had noted that these were the main entry points for people who were crossing into neighbouring countries illegally.
“My Ministry will be issuing out a tender very soon for companies that can provide us with the relevant machinery needed when capturing pictures among other equipment that will be used by the district offices.
“This machinery, however, has to be in line with United Nations standards. The details of the tender will be released as time goes on,” he said.
Mguni said they were also making efforts to improve features of the Emergency Travel Document so that they’re once again recognised as legal travelling documents in neighbouring countries. State media
What’s more terrifying for men than an alien wanting to prod and probe them? Anybody? You know the answer: A smart woman. Yes, science has finally confirmed what we’ve all long suspected: Men find intelligent women scary. Oh, wait there’s more! Science has also discovered that when a woman does something better than a man, his feelings of masculinity diminish.
A recent study called “(Psychological) Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder” — carried out by Lora E. Park, Ariana F. Young, and Paul W. Eastwick — found that while men like the idea of dating a smart woman, when it comes to the reality of it, they’re not interested. And when a woman is better at a task then they are, they feel like less of a man.
In the preliminary survey of the study, 86 percent of men said that they would feel comfortable dating someone smarter than them. In the series of experiments that followed, the researchers tested the validity of those claims.
In the first version of the study, 105 undergraduate male participants read a hypothetical scenario about a woman who did better than they did on a test, and then the participants were asked to rate how romantically desirable the woman seemed. In the second version, the researchers had 151 male undergraduates take an intelligence test and then asked they if they were interested in meeting the woman down the hall, who had either scored higher or lower than them on the test. Both of these studies found that when men imagined a hypothetical woman who was smarter than them, or only knew of the woman in an abstract sense, they were interested in meeting or possibly dating her. Apparently, a smart woman is great in theory but not in practice.
In the next two versions of the study, the male participants came in contact with a woman (who was associated with the study) who either had done better or worse on an I.Q. test than they had. After the participants met the woman, took the test while seated next to her, and heard both their scores read aloud, the male participants were instructed to move their chairs across from the woman.
The participants were then instructed to take a survey about their first impressions of the other — specifically how attractive and desirable they found each other. The researchers were interested in the actual physical distance between the two chairs as the true measure of how attracted the man was to the woman. Not surprisingly, the men who were partnered with a woman who scored higher on the intelligence test felt the need to physically distance themselves from her when moving their chairs. They also tended to rate the woman as less attractive and dateable than the men who interacted with a woman and scored worse than they did.
The last two versions of the study (six all together) found that men were less interested in dating and interacting with a more intelligent woman when she was face-to-face with them.
However, in the fifth study, when she was psychologically distant (allegedly in the next room), there wasn’t any difference in the men’s inclination to date or interact with her, no matter how well she scored on the test compared to them. In fact, the men who never saw the woman showed a slight tendency to want to interact with a woman who was supposedly smarter.
The findings were summed up this way: “[The] six studies revealed that when evaluating psychologically distant targets, men showed greater attraction toward women who displayed more (vs. less) intelligence than themselves. In contrast, when targets were psychologically near, men showed less attraction toward women who outsmarted them.”
vehicle theft…CIO boss with Indian colleague walking to court room
A district intelligence officer, Mbereki Mbizo Nyathi, has been charged with theft together with an Indian national Abdul Ismael.
The two appeared in court yesterday.
The two suspects were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe, who remanded them in custody to today for their bail application.
Allegations against the two are that sometime in January 2015, they acted in common purpose and connived to steal a BMW 320D vehicle in South Africa. They allegedly acted in cahoots with Hillary Nduna, who is still at large, and a syndicate based in South Africa.
The State alleges when the vehicle was stolen, Nyathi (44) and Ishmael (30) brought it to Zimbabwe, where the latter fraudulently obtained registration book with number ADU 6982, from the Central Vehicle Registry (CVR).
The State further alleges after fraudulently registering the motor vehicle, Ishmael took the car to Nyathi’s residence for safekeeping, taking advantage of his position as a senior State security agent.
After receiving the car, Nyathi allegedly started using it.
In the court papers submitted to the magistrate, the Prosecutor-General’s (PG) Office said: “The Central Vehicle Registry has confirmed that the registration of the motor vehicle was fraudulently done and obtained a registration book of a BMW 320D, which was stolen from South Africa in order to evade payment of duty to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).”
And in its reasons for opposing bail, the PG’s Office said Ishmael was not gainfully employed and that he was likely to flee the jurisdiction of the courts if granted bail.
The State further said Nyathi was not a proper candidate for bail, since he was likely to interfere with evidence or witnesses because one witness was his best friend.
The State also said the two suspects are well-connected to the CVR, where they obtained the fraudulent vehicle registration book, and, if granted bail there was likelihood they would interfere with witnesses.
Senior prosecutor, Michael Reza appeared for the State, while Oliver Marwa represented the two suspects.
The harsh economic situation currently prevailing in Zimbabwe has resulted in most parents failing to pay school fees for their children, leaving many schools in dire straits.
In a bid to find a solution 14 headmasters from schools in Luveve, Gwabalanda and Cowdray Park suburbs in Bulawayo recently met to discuss the non-payment of fees at their schools.
The headmasters invited Luveve-Gwabalanda Member of Parliament, Ntando Mlilo, whose constituency also covers Cowdray Park suburb, to the meeting. The MP yesterday revealed that most school coffers have run dry due to failure by parents to pay fees, throwing schools into a crisis.
Mlilo said he was invited to the meeting that was held at Mafakela primary school in Luveve suburb last week on Tuesday by headmasters to discuss the non-payment of fees.
Headmasters resolved to hold meetings at affected schools with parents and School Development Committees over the problem.
“I was invited to a meeting by heads from all schools and they said they have no money in their coffers due to non-payment of fees by my most parents. It’s a pity that they (parents) want to abuse the Government policy at the same time crippling development in their own schools,” said Mlilo.
“Some of these parents spend a lot of money on other things like clothes and gadgets yet they fail to raise $40 for fees. We understand that we’re living in tough times as some have no jobs but we’re asking them to support the Government at least by making payment plans instead of totally abandoning payment of fees.”
Mlilo said money was needed to cover administrative costs, pay workers and for school development.
“We encourage our parents to partner with the Government because their attitude towards payment of fees determines the quality of pupils we produce. We too can improve our standards like our peers from the eastern suburbs by paying fees and engaging schools when we have genuine challenges,” he said.
Cde Mlilo also rubbished reports that he was organising a pupils’ demonstration against their parents as reported by some online media outlets.
“I’m aware that there is a malicious message circulating via social networks that I’m planning a massive demonstration. I’m a public official who was only invited to the meeting, I don’t have such powers to organise a demonstration,” he said. State media
Receiving end of political violence…Joice Mujuru
Zanu PF militia are alleged to have burnt down to ashes homes belonging to Joice Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) in the volatile Mashonaland Central province.
One of the victims, Passmore Simba (31), told journalists yesterday that the assailants were known Zanu PF youths, who had earlier issued threats of violence.
“It was around 2am last Saturday, when I suddenly woke up to a raging fire, which had engulfed our bedroom hut. I went outside the house and spotted two men (names withheld), whom I positively identified, as we live in the same village. I then went back into the hut and rescued my wife and two minor children,” he narrated.
No one was injured, but Simba lost maize, fertiliser, tobacco seed, clothes, household utensils and groceries in the blaze.
The family was now sleeping in a make-shift shelter and surviving on food handouts from well-wishers since the incident.
ZimPF spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire said Simba, who is the ward political commissar in Shamva North, had been a target to instil fear among opposition supporters ahead of party leader Joice Mujuru’s maiden rally in Bindura next month.
“He is not the only one who was attacked, we have seen an increase in the number of our supporters who are being attacked by Zanu PF people. But as ZimPF, we want to make it clear and known to Zanu PF and its thugs that the people of Zimbabwe are more resolute and determined to see this regime out of power. No amount of intimidation will work,” he said.
Mawarire said Simba, before the arson, had been warned of the impending attack by his political adversaries, who were said to have been miffed by his attendance of a leadership meeting recently in Bindura, which was addressed by Mujuru.
“We condemn those callous acts being perpetrated Zanu PF,” Mawarire said.
A report was made at Madziwa Police Station and investigations are reportedly in progress.
“The whole issue is to instil fear in our supporters so that they do not attend our star rally slated for September 3 in Bindura. As ZimPF, our message to our people is that let us intensify recruitment to ensure that by 2018, there will be no Zanu PF to talk about so that we end this barbaric act,” Mawarire said.
But Zanu PF provincial chairperson, Dickson Mafios said he was unaware of the incident, saying “some of these small parties cook up stories just to tarnish the image of Zanu PF”. Newsday
Mugabe out to appease the army
President Robert Mugabe has failed over the past months to pay increasingly restive uniformed forces their salaries on time, is now on a charm offensive to win them over.
Mugabe has moved swiftly to pacify the country’s soldiers by dangling several carrots in their faces, as public anger over his alleged misrule continues to swell.
Military officials have reportedly also been sent to camps “to check on morale” and Mugabe sought to show the soldiers he was aware of their poor conditions of service.
In his address at the Zimbabwe Defences Forces’ Day commemorations, Mugabe yesterday presented an uncharacteristically short speech — 14 minutes — where he pledged to improve soldiers’ working and living conditions to ensure they do not join the spontaneous anti-government protests that have rocked his regime over the past two months.
“In this regard, the defence forces recently acquired a fleet of troop-carrying vehicles, staff cars and buses to facilitate the movement of personnel to and from their respective work stations,” he said.
“In addition, efforts are still underway to provide decent accommodation to members of the defence forces, under the Public Sector Investment Programme and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Benefit Fund.”
Mugabe, in the past two days, steered clear of controversial issues rocking his administration, among them the decision by disgruntled war veterans to turn their backs on him last month at a time opposition and civil society groups were piling pressure on him to step down.
The political fissures come as Mugabe is battling to contain fierce factional fights within his ruling Zanu PF party, where two distinct factions — G40, said to be loyal to First Lady Grace Mugabe and Team Lacoste, which reportedly pays allegiance to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa — are publicly jostling to sponsor his successor.
Mugabe’s extension of an olive branch to the soldiers appears aimed at keeping their loyalty, amid allegations they were dabbling in party politics.
The President last year lashed out at the military for meddling in the internal fights for control in Zanu PF.
The veteran leader told the Zanu PF annual conference in Victoria Falls that there were elements within the country’s army, police and intelligence, who had been sucked into the brutal succession war currently engulfing the ruling party.
“The situation we have now is untenable because we now get information that some in the army, police and intelligence are involved in factionalism. They are moving around telling people their chosen candidates. Let us stop that — it’s ruining the party,” he said then. Newsday
“Wicknell the blesser” | FEATURE
Wicknell Chivayo the tenderprenuer who has won energy contracts worth half a billion US dollars in the last two years is also full time blesser of the 1% in Zimbabwe. A blesser is a slang term for a rich man who offers support (typically financial and material) to a younger female companion in exchange for sex or friendship. It is unknown if Wicknell has a physical relationship with these ladies but it’s now an open secret he spends big on some of Zimbabwe’s well known media personalities.
Lorraine Bgoya (Lochnation) is a former ZiFM Stereo DJ and now is the Community Manager at Motorepublik which is a co-working space for artists. Lochnation is engaged to hip-hop artist Tehn Diamond, son of former cabinet minister and Cottco boss Sylvester Nguni. Tehn, 31, has yet to release an album and is struggling to maintain the upkeep of the beautiful Tanzanian born Bgoya. Wicknell has been secretly buying gifts for the former Off The Wall host and this last weekend they took their relationship public.
The two were permanent features on his each other’s snapchats all weekend as Lochnation celebrated her 30th birthday. Wicknell also dedicated a birthday message on his Instagram where he emphatically said he “loves her forever”. They partied together at Maestro whilst rapper Nguni travelled by bus back from Bulawayo. Tehn whose father is a very successful businessman has shunned his daddy’s money, opting instead to go alone. A friend of Lorraine has said “Tehn doesn’t make enough money to support Lo. Lo likes nice things and even though she loves Tehn, Wicknell take cares of her financially”. Tehn Diamond is believed to be benefiting from his fiancés relationship with Wicknell because she uses that money to fund his music and Tisu Ngoda Dzacho apparel; this is why he has no problems with their special arrangement. Things are so bad for Tehn he failed to propose with an engagement ring. “It’s been well over a year, and Lorraine still has no ring, she tells friends it’s because they aren’t married yet, but everyone knows it’s because Tehn can’t afford one”, the same friend said. In 2012 she tweeted “How long is too long to be engaged?” and now her friends think she is running out of patience and Wicknell has sensed it.
Wicknell bankrolls Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa’s daughter, Gamu. Last year he paid for her and 6 of her friends to fly to Thailand where Gamu rang in her in 23rd birthday. Noxy Moyo, daughter to Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo was part of the gang that enjoyed a well-funded trip out East thanks to “Sir”. “Gamu told everyone that her Dad funded the lavish getaway, but Wicknell who was rumoured to be dating Gamu’s older sister at the time, splurged on Gamu”, an insider said. Gaga, as she is known works for the Herald and is a DJ on Power FM is the recipient of handbags, shoes and when she goes out to upscale bars in Harare, her table always has bottles of Jameson and Moet. “People think because her father is a Minister, he bank rolls her lifestyle, but it’s Wicknell”.
In March this year, Lorraine along with radio presenter Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa and Induna Magazine founder Zanele Mhlaba flew to South Africa for a weekend of booze, shopping and pampering courtesy of the ZIFA benefactor. “They flew business class to Joburg, stayed at the Da Vinci Hotel and dined at the exclusive restaurant Signature”, a friend said, but declined to be named. Wicknell who always stays at the Da Vinci in Sandton made sure to pull some last minute strings for the girls. TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2
ZANU PF is often seen as an actor who abuses his powerful position to extort allegiance to supply members and followers with lucrative positions in the public sector, or to channel public resources into the hands of party leaders or supporters. Party corruption is especially problematic in Zimbabwe where political and economic institutions are not yet fixed. Now party corruption has undermined public trust and threaten the viability of democracy. Democratic parties in a competitive political framework, however, can perform valuable political and social functions as links between citizens and government, in voter representation and information, policy-making, and human development. The factionalism or the creation of it in ZANU PF exposes corruption in the context of political party activities. It unearth party corruption in the contexts of election campaigns, party activities in parliament And government , and party control over public assets and institutions. Opportunities for corruption are viable in ZANU PF WERE the corrupt ones have to make donations to the party and blame other party stalwarts in order to divert attention from their corrupt ways. Anti-corruption measures and strategies that affect the work and role of political parties are introduced but never applied. Laws are applied on Partisan premises. While campaign finance regulations and anti-corruption laws are important in the fight against corruption, they need to be embedded in a broader strategy that promotes intra-party democracy, party competition, transparency, and monitoring by a free press, an informed public and an active civil society. Alas in ZANU PF if one tries to invoke the laws is labelled a factionalism pig and corrupt one hides behind love for the president to avoid prosecution. Democratic ways in a competitive political framework, however, can perform valuable political and social functions as links between citizens and government, in voter representation and information, policy-making, and human development.
While corrupt cadres can thus stall or even destroy processes of democratization, members that are not distorted by corruption, but which are part of a well-institutionalized and competitive political framework can play a vital role in democracies and perform valuable political and social functions. UnFortunately such people are very few. Parties are supposed to provide a link between citizens and government. Parties should mobilize voters on behalf of certain goals and interests, select and train candidates for public office, organize election campaigns, send representatives to parliament, organize legislatures, formulate political agendas and policies, manage policy processes and steer or, monitor government activities. However in The current situation cadres have a core duty to please the leaders and to fleece the poor. They forget that they are supposed to provide voters with substantial information about current political issues, the general workings of government, and citizens’ democratic rights. They must actively contribute to voter education and human development, and should function as builders of national capital. This role of political parties can become even more important in in Zimbabwe which is in the process of defining and stabilizing the rules and institutions of democratic government and market economies. ZANU PF now wages wars against themselves and against the voters. People are threatened or even intimidated all this is not done for the parties interest but for the interest of the few corrupt ones who burry their corrupt activities in the name of the leaders.
To win a majority of seats and to thus control government, parties compete with each other for votes. In the struggle to win favours individual candidates often try to outspend each other, and under financial pressure, both candidates and party leaders might be willing to accept payoffs or illegal donations offered by wealthy donors in exchange for promises of future favors. In this way the wealth of the nation is plundered by those who donate to the party. Instead of competing against other parties they compete against each other and they actively divide the party to avoid attention on their corrupt dealings.
Politicians are therefore tempted to spend as much money as possible on their campaigns to be recognised. The idea behind is to make sure that they are favoured by the powers that be regardless of the effects of these actions to the party. In political systems with weak party competition, or in states with long-term one-party rule and party control over the public sector and society, parties also might be tempted to extort contributions from businesses.
Those who refused encountered problems when applying for government credit, licenses or business loans, and they also could expect regular tax audits by financial authorities whose personnel was often appointed on the basis of their party connections. Similarly, regular campaign contributors could expect lenient treatment and get awarded in a way which destroys the nation. To fill their pockets corrupt cadres not only accept donations from wealthy donors or extort them from the business community, but often also demand contributions from individual candidates and parliamentarians. Those who fail to oil the bearing of those powerful members they are categorised as factionalists. So factionalism is a way of stopping any one to talk against corruption of those in the strong positions. This does not only destroy the party but it destroys the nation. [email protected]
Introduction of new law has fueled smuggling of goods
The state media reports that the smuggling of commodities into the country has escalated following the implementation of Statutory Instrument (SI) 64 of 2016 with the Government losing millions of dollars every week in unpaid customs duty.
The instrument restricts the importation of some goods produced locally. But rampant smuggling activities are taking place at illegal crossing points dotted along the Limpopo River, The Chronicle can reveal.
The import restrictions which were introduced in June this year removed 42 products from the open general import licence, restricting their importation, as it was felt that local industry has capacity to produce them.
SI 64 of 2016 controls a wide array of products among them coffee creamers, camphor creams, white petroleum jellies, body lotions, builders’ ware such as wheelbarrows, structures and parts of structures of iron or steel, bridges and bridge sections, lock gates, lattice masts, roof, roof frameworks and doors.
A Chronicle news crew last week visited some of the undesignated entry points outside Beitbridge and established that a network of well-organised syndicates has invaded the spots. Investigations revealed that the smuggling syndicates work in cahoots with villagers living along the border to smuggle a wide range of goods from South Africa. The racketeering takes place at night under the nose of security details patrolling the borderline.
Beitbridge Border Post contributes 70 percent of all the customs duty collected in Zimbabwe and 30 percent of the country’s source of revenue comes from customs duty. At Nottingham Estate, about 40km west of the border town, the news crew observed a one tonne truck being loaded with smuggled goods shortly after 8PM.
The goods, which were concealed under a consignment of oranges, included alcoholic beverages and boxes of cooking oil. The smugglers are taking advantage of the dry Limpopo riverbed to cross the border using 4×4 vehicles.
“I get a number of people who approach me every week so that I help them to identify illegal crossing points to smuggle their goods from South Africa and that is how I make a living. They usually bring 4×4 vehicles to cross the dry riverbed and the goods that are being smuggled range from small grocery items to television sets, refrigerators, couches,” said a villager who declined to reveal his identity.
Another villager from Malale, who only identified himself as Maanda, said some of the smugglers bribed both South African and local police and soldiers patrolling the border on either side to facilitate their illegal activities.
The smugglers risk being attacked and robbed by criminals operating along the corridor with an estimated 200 illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River. Police patrolling the border told The Chronicle that hardly a week passes by without a smuggler or border jumper being reported to have been mugged or robbed by criminals.
The smuggling is fuelled by villagers who live within the border area.
“It doesn’t make sense for me to travel between 80km and 100km to Beitbridge Border Post to buy groceries when I can simply walk across the river for less than 10km and bring the items without the hassles of going through the rigorous customs and immigration processes,” said one villager.
Some of the homesteads at Dumba and Mawale villagers are being used as “warehouses” for smuggled goods. The goods are reportedly smuggled at night and temporarily kept at some homesteads as the owners monitored the situation.
A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) official who requested anonymity admitted that smuggling syndicates were dodging the border. “It’s difficult to monitor smuggling because there are so many crossing points along the Limpopo River,” he said. Beitbridge Border Post is the biggest port of entry in Sub-Saharan Africa linking Zimbabwe to South Africa.
Zimbabwe is sitting on a time bomb after the country’s largest center for mental health referral destination, Ingutsheni Hospital, ran out of vital medication as government ignored the looming disaster.
Ingutsheni Hospital which has a large number of dangerous convicts, is operating without essential medicines thus putting the public, and the nurses at risk of being harmed by patients as tranquilising meds run out.
Below were ZimEye source findings from an inspection carried out last week:
Khumalo Ward which is a male admission ward has a capacity of 95 patients but currently is overflowing to 126 male patients and without tranquilising medication. It puts nurses and paramedical staff at serious risk of assault and harm by these patients who are in the acute phase of illness.
Last week the acting principal nursing officer shocked all and sundry when she told the nurses that they knew and accepted the risks when they applied for the job. This was when she had received reports that nursing staff were afraid of being assaulted by a newly admitted patient who had gone berserk. She even reportedly threatened nurses in Khumalo ward with dismissal if they refused to put themselves in danger.
The essential drugs used in the management of mental illness are major tranquilisers such as chlorpromazine haloperidol; diazepam antiepileptic, phenobarbitone and carbamazepine, antidepressants the likes of immipramine. Most of these drugs are now out of stock.
The situation has worsened such that patients relapse while in hospitalisation. Ironically people are supposed to get better after being admitted and treated. But this has not been the case due to the shortages.
ZimEye has found that these patients are merely incarcerated, a clear infringement of the rights of patients, nurses and the general public. Staff at the institution revealed that the patients are allowed to travel back to their families when they can spend days away with no medication.
When contacted for a comment, the hospital’s nursing management were non -committal. The hospital’s chief executive officer, Noboth Chaibva is on record denying any drug shortage. More to follow…
Vapositori churches are known for encouraging and practically teaching Zimbabweans curious techniques of attacking ZRP cops.
Zimbabweans have in the last 24 months reveled under the theme Tsvimbo Yemupositori Kumapurisa- “the Vapositori’s long stick must be used tto bash ZRP cops.”
This development saw the church leader, Madzibaba Ishmea whose group brutally assaulted police officers two years ago, rise to the position of a community Robin Hood hero. The theme “beat up all ZRP cops” continued as Ishmea went underground and was missing for several days with both CIO and CID officers failing to trace his whereabouts. He was thus hailed as a near immortal when he resurfaced over a week later earning himself the title Madzibaba Ishmael (although his real name was Ishmea). That appearance fueled the fame while also fanning his flame as the only church leader whose church goes on record for physically withstanding against the police.
Zimbabweans this week however complained when they noticed a group of Bishops from the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) urging Zimbabweans to pray for the country’s leadership and stop resorting to violence to solve contradictions. ACCZ is an umbrella body representing apostolic and Zion churches in the country.
Speaking soon after arriving from a two-week tour of Israel, Bishop Noel Charuma said as churches, they would continue to rally behind President Mugabe as he was constitutionally elected by the people.“We are happy for our President and proud of him because when we were in Israel, people there considered him the African President”, he said.
“It is surprising that some churches are inciting violence at a time they should be praying for the leadership as required by the word of God. We encourage people to pray to God even when things are hard. We have to turn to God as a nation. That is the only way of finding solutions to our problems. Violence will never take us anywhere but will leave us worse off.”
Bishop Choruma added: “Our responsibility and aims as churches is to pray for our leaders and our Government so that God intervenes. We also pray for President Mugabe to continue leading us with knowledge and wisdom. We are against those churches that condemn the leadership.”
Head of delegation and ACCZ secretary general Reverend Matthias Tsine said people should respect any leader appointed by God.
“We as the ACCZ encourage Zimbabweans to respect our President and seek divine intervention rather than going against the President,” he said.
After a snap survey it emerged howevet the ACCZ leaders are the small number who have been used by Robert Mugabe to sing for him at airport jet’ins and other state functions.
The National Prosecuting Authority has insisted that suspended Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana be called to court to personally respond to the application for legal costs incurred in the private prosecution of former Bikita West legislator Munyaradzi Kereke.
In a letter addressed to the court, Acting Prosecutor-General Advocate Ray Goba said Tomana, whose decision not to publicly prosecute Kereke is in question, should be given an opportunity to explain himself.“In order that the court may properly determine the question of costs, I respectfully submit that it is fair and reasonable that the then Attorney-General whose decision is impugned be afforded an opportunity to be heard in person,” he said.
“I further submit that an informed appraisal of the circumstances of that decision is only possible after giving him audience.”
Adv Goba said since the State was not part of the prosecution, the “audi alteram partem principle” (principle to natural justice) should be visited and State should be given an opportunity to be heard before a decision is made.
He, however, likened private prosecution to private litigation saying that in civil matters, the losing party bears costs.
“In any event, in the penultimate analysis and considering that a private prosecution is in the nature of ‘private litigation’, it stands to reason that like in civil matters, the burden of costs ought to fall on the unsuccessful party,” reads part of Adv Goba’s letter dated August 5.
Adv Goba further said that there has to be exceptional and compelling reasons for the State to be burdened by the costs other than the mere allegation that Tomana’s decision turned out to be wrong.
“If such were to be visited on the State then as the matter is one of statutory discretion, then such must be exercised judiciously and on exceptional grounds other than merely that the decision of the public prosecutor/AG turned out to have been wrong,” he said.
Principal Law Officer Mr Morgan Dube, who was in charge of set down office then, deposited an affidavit that was attached to the letter in which he narrated how Tomana declined to prosecute Kereke.
He said whatever he did on the case, he was working under Tomana’s instructions.
“On September 22 2011, the then AG instructed that prosecution be declined in the matter of State versus Munyaradzi Kereke who was facing rape and indecent assault charges indicating that there were inconsistencies in the evidence of witnesses,” he said.
“After a lapse of about a year, the complainant’s guardian continued to write letters seeking to know the position of the case, and I would each time brief the then AG. He later ordered me to recall the docket from the police and send it for prosecution.”
He said the matter was finally set down for trial on October 10, 2012 and the trial date was November 14 of the same year.
“The then AG Johannes Tomana then instructed me to halt the process of service of summons to the accused person pending a fresh recording of a witness statement from the rape victim. The complainant’s guardian refused to give another statement stating that he was satisfied with what was in the docket.
“Mr Tomana indicated that the decision to decline prosecution was to stand,” he said.
In a letter to private prosecutor Mr Charles Warara, regional magistrate Mr Noel Mupeiwa said: “As we agreed, the matter is set down for August 15. If Hon Johannes Tomana manages to avail himself on that day, then we will hear his submissions, but if he fails to avail himself, be prepared to answer to these submissions and the ruling will then follow.”
Mr Warara made the application for legal costs three weeks ago, in terms of Section 22 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act.
In his application, he wants the court to consider the legal costs either against the PG’s Office or Kereke. -state media
Mandiwanzira strikes again, pictured here with Alfred Marisa
SUBSCRIBERS are set to lose following a directive by the Supa Mandiwanzira controlled Postal Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) to suspend data bundles promotions by mobile operators.
The directive by Potraz would alienate the regulator as the promotions have been embraced by subscribers as relief in the tough operating environment.
In a statement yesterday, NetOne Cellular said that the bundles reappear and data bundles reloaded have been suspended from 6pm on August 4 until further notice.
“You can still enjoy the most, with the One that gives you the lowest tariffs and fastest 4G browsing all around the country. Any inconveniences are sincerely regretted,” the company said in a statement.
NetOne acting CEO Brian Mutandiro said the company was complying with the directive and any further questions should be directed to Potraz.
“It’s a directive given by Potraz, its Potraz who can respond as to why they have issued that directive as NetOne we don’t have a problem but to comply with the directive,” Mutandiro said.
Econet on Sunday released a statement on the suspension of promotions which they said have not been approved to go beyond July 31 2016. The promotions that were suspended for Econet include 7x promotion and double data.
Econet executive assistant to the group chief executive officer Lovemore Nyatsine said: “The company is engaging with the regulator on the way forward and will update customers if and where there are material developments to report.”
Telecel Zimbabwe sent sms to customers informing them about the suspension of data bundles promotions.
“Dear customer due to a regulatory directive, we have stopped mega bonus and other promotions, until further notice. Apologies for the inconvenience caused,” Telecel said.
Telecommunications companies have been leveraging on data as subscribers have moved from voice calls.-newsday
Dear ZimEye,
Soon after his death, Vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa will be remembered for no more than the following 5 things:
1 – Insulting adults calling them his little kids. He labelled his predecessor, Joice Mujuru “Chanana Ichi” while also attacking President Robert Mugabe’s nephew, Patrick Zhuwao calling him this silly young boy, “Pwere Iyi.”
2. For allegedly calling the President’s Wife “A Prostitute”; Mnangagwa being labelled a Serial Womaniser by the First Lady Grace Mugabe, who also calls the President’s wife A Prostitute.
3. For allowing a Politburo member to call him(Mnangagwa) The Son Of God.
4. For being the only government official to be attacked by an asteroid from outer space, according to his secretary Mrs Magaya who gave an official report that a large rock fell from heaven and went straight for the desk Mnangagwa sits.
5. For telling people to brew beer to appease ancestral spirits if while asleep they see a vision of ZANU PF losing power.
TerrenceMawawaChivi A sex-obsessed local man severely assaulted his wife until she lost her left eye because she had refused to have sex with him.
In an incident that raised the ire of the local community and women’s rights groups, Tawedzerwa Gwarera(26) of Tavagadza Village, under Headman Mupindu in Chivi, nearly killed his wife after she refused to have sex with him. Gwarera ran amok, charged at his wife and thoroughly bashed her totally incensed by her refusal to have sex with him.
He appeared before Magistrate Bishard Chineka last week facing assault charges. Gwarera returned home at around 4am on the day and demanded to have sex with his wife, Portia Tavenyika but she refused. Angered by his wife’s refusal to have sex with him, Gwarera assaulted her with open hands and fists on her head. Tavenyika lost her left eye after being severely assaulted by Gwarera. Gwarera was remanded in custody to August 10 2016. Tavenyika’s relatives expressed shock at Gwarera’s reckless behaviour.
“We believe that whenever there are differences between married people, it is advisable to resort to dialogue.We do not know why Gwarera arrived home at such an odd hour. This could be the reason why Portia refused to have sex with her husband. She wanted to know where Gwarera was coming from at 4am,” said one of Tavenyika’s relatives.
Press Statement :Leonard Zhakata’s Harare and Kwekwe based fans have all the reason to smile as the Mugove hit maker takes his act to the respective cities this weekend. These are Zhataka’s first performances in the two cities since the official launch of his latest album Mutungadzese. Zhakata is billed to play at Destiny Night Club in Westlea on Friday 12 August before proceeding to Tropical Hotel in Kwekwe the following day. Zhakata has been touring since the release of his latest album. He has so far been to Banket, Beitbridge, Chegutu, Glendale, Guruve, Kadoma, Masvingo and Mt. Dawrin where mostly of the shows have attracted large crowds and fans, new and old, have fallen in love with the new offering. Some Harare-based die hard Zora fans have had to travel outside the city to see Zhakata and the Zimbabwe All Stars belt out live songs from the album. “It is our turn, and all Harare based fans should attend and enjoy the latest product, especially Madam boss which has sent many fans, new and old, crazy”, said a Zora addict Emmanuel Saruchera.
Meanwhile, the pre-Zora show atmosphere is electric in Kwekwe as the show at the Tropical Hotel has been heavily publicised as reported by Blessing Mtimati, a Kwekwe based Zora fan who posted on Zora Fans what’s up discussion group. ‘This is the first time I have seen so many Zora posters in Kwekwe since 2006 when I moved to Kwekwe, and I look forward to a great show”. Wrote Matimati
Zhakata’s latest album has evoked mixed feeling with some fans calling on him to revert to the old bit in songs such as Mugove which catapulted him to stardom. Regardless, fans attending shows are enjoying the new songs, and the song “Madam Boss” is causing havoc on radio stations and quickly rising on the radio top hits. Zhakata rose to prominence in the early 1990s when he was part of the Maungwe Brothers, working together with his late cousin, Thomas Makion. He is well known for hits such as Mugove which became a national anthem during its days and continues to be a favourite for his fans at shows to date.
The Local Government Board has approved the appointment of Mr Maxwell Kaitano as town clerk for Chinhoyi Municipality. He is set to start his duties on August 15, following the nod from the Local Government Board to end the marathon search for a town clerk. Mr Kaitano faces a mammoth task of turning around the town’s fortunes.Chinhoyi Mayor Mr Test Michaels confirmed the development adding that Mr Kaitano comes at a time when a lot needed to be addressed.
“I can confirm that Mr Maxwell Kaitano will be our town clerk starting from August 15. We received communication this week (last week) from the Local Government Board,” he said.
Mr Michaels said the new town clerk is coming to a town weighed by high expectations for turnaround of water supplies, increased revenue and clearance of salary arrears top on the priority list.
Chinhoyi Municipality is eight months behind in paying workers’ salaries, while it is only able to provide 55 percent of the town’s water requirements.
“We want to ease water challenges and improve supplies to around 100 percent from the current 55 percent so that we can provide water throughout the day,” he said.
Mr Kaitano takes over from Mr Mungororo Mazai, who resigned in a huff. – state media
Acting CEO Edmund Makona talks to Minister Joram Gumbo
The troubled airline, Air Zimbabwe which has been operating for years without a substantive boss will apparently get one soon.
The airline is almost through with the process of selecting a new chief executive officer who is expected to give the airline new wings, board chairperson Chipo Dyanda has said.
The airline has been operating without a substantive head since 2011 when Peter Chikumba failed to renew his contract.
Edmund Makona has been the acting CEO since 2013. Before him, Innocent Mavhunga had been heading the organisation in an acting capacity since 2011 before he was shipped out in 2013.
“We are almost done with the process,” Dyanda told NewsDay.
She could not say when the post would be filled as the matter was going through various processes.
In June, the Dyanda-led board intensified its search for a substantive head conducting interviews for the four shortlisted candidates. The candidates included among others Makona and former acting CEO Oscar Madombwe.
The interviews were conducted by the board and a human resources consultancy firm, Industrial Psychology Consultants. They were a follow up to the psychometric tests the quartet had earlier participated in.
In April, AirZim gave interested candidates up to May 6 to submit applications. The airline said it was looking for a visionary strategist and leader “who demonstrates a professional and flexible leadership style”.
The candidate, it said, should be able to develop, implement and evaluate turnaround strategies including managing workloads and resources and align organisational strategies, with stakeholder groups which include government and government institutions.
The ideal candidate should exhibit a good understanding of the airline industry, business operations, processes and systems, it said.
Once one of the best airlines in the region, the national carrier has fallen down the pecking order, weighed down by gross mismanagement, with a former minister describing it as a “museum of mismanagement”.
The new CEO was expected to stop financial bleeding of the airline amid revelations it was making monthly losses as it was generating an estimated revenue of $2,65 million against operational expenditure of $5,94 million, according to a report by the portfolio committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development. The report was presented in Parliament last week.-newsday
Brown “urine” belongs to Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction….Moyo
The Minister for Higher Education Prof Jonathan Moyo has suggested that Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction is behind a suspicious ‘brown substance’ found in his office.
Some say the brown liquid was merely human urine, but Moyo says it was rather a dangerous chemical sprinkled onto his chair during the break in which occurred at the weekend.
In the interview with a local daily, Moyo insinuated that he is being persecuted for supporting President Robert Mugabe, “We will continue unfazed and with renewed determination to assist … Mugabe to discharge his electoral mandate,” he said cryptically. Mnangagwa’s supporters have made public statements calling on Mugabe to step down immediately for him to take over.
So bad have the renewed factional and succession wars been ravaging Zanu PF that Moyo said he and others in the party were being persecuted for rallying behind Mugabe in the former liberation movement’s ugly and seemingly unstoppable ructions.
A miffed Moyo told the Daily News yesterday the suspicious break-in, now being investigated by the police, was both “shocking and unprecedented”. He said, “this is shocking and unprecedented, although it’s no reason to fear anyone or anything.”
The weekend break in into Moyo’s office comes amidst reports that the Zanu PF faction rallying behind embattled Mnangagwa, which has been at the receiving end of savage mauling over the past few months by its avowed party foes, the Generation 40 (G40) group, is said to be fighting back with “malicious intent”.
Well-placed Zanu PF sources yesterday said that the feeling among many in the camp was that they now had “very little to lose anymore” after suffering serious setbacks since late last year, including having many of their kingpins unceremoniously chucked out of the warring ruling ground.
“After a lull in this mindless war, there are renewed fears within the party that we could soon witness blood on the shop floor, as the stakes are very high. Indeed, Team Lacoste is fighting back with malicious intent like cornered wild animals.
“They feel they have little to lose anymore, which is why you have since the beginning of this week even been seeing some of their big guns breathing fire in State media and threatening the G40 with all kinds of serious action.
“(Defence Forces Commander General Constantino) Chiwenga’s weekend interview did not help matters as well as it was interpreted in some party sections as a factional rant and threat,” a Zanu PF bigwig said.
Moyo’s comments came as “burglars” broke into his New Government Complex offices at the weekend, and sprinkled an unknown brown substance on his chair.
The G40 faction stands accused of being rabidly opposed to Mnangagwa ever taking over from Mugabe, with Moyo said to be the brains behind the group along with Zanu PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko among other senior party officials.
What makes the fears that the succession battle consuming Zanu PF could now turn bloody is the fact that the language being used by the combatants has taken a turn for the worse, amid an increased incidence of mysterious break-ins at the offices of senior government officials.
Since his appointment as one of Mugabe’s deputies in late 2014, Mnangagwa’s offices at the New Government Complex and at Zanu PF Headquarters have been broken into a record six times —with authorities vainly pledging to bring the culprits to book each time that this has happened.
Up to today, no one has been apprehended in connection with the vexing break-ins, leaving both observers and petrified Zanu PF members to speculate that all these “burglaries” are inside jobs related to the ruling party’s deadly succession wars.
This is said to be the case, more so after Mnangagwa’s secretary had to be hospitalised after being poisoned with suspected cyanide in one of these break-ins.
In January last year, “burglars” also broke into the offices of the then Transport minister, Obert Mpofu, with police saying nothing was stolen from the offices.
This was followed by another burglary at Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku’s Mashonganyika Building offices where the assailants stole a desktop computer and a television set.
A few days later, four judges also reported that they had lost keys to their offices, prompting
the Judicial Service Commission to urgently request police security at the Supreme and Constitutional courts.
Boost for sex workers on trade route Lilongwe — “God bless you mum” read the words on a piece of material with the picture of a woman with a baby on her back and a clay pot on her head. The fabric is stretched over an open window where a group of women dotes over a baby girl.
The women’s laughter is barely audible over the loud music coming from the bar on the other side of a crude log fence.
Inside the room, a middle-aged woman sits on a reed mat with her legs stretched out in front of her, leaning back against a stained white wall.
The three rooms at the back of this busy bar on the Malawian side of the border with Mozambique are a brothel owned by Fanny Malumbo and her sisters.
“In January, when we opened this business, people from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) came over and spoke to us about how to conduct our business more safely,” Malumbo said.
Initially the 40-year-old, who has been a sex worker for 20 years, was not paying attention to the workers from MSF. “I was thinking: ‘I have been doing sex work for many years and now they were coming here and telling us how to conduct our business.’”
But when they started listing some of the symptoms of sexually transmitted infections, she got worried.
“I realised that I was experiencing some of those symptoms. I was menstruating for several weeks by then,” she recalls. “The following day I went to the MSF office at Mwanza Hospital and told them what was happening.”
Malumbo was referred to a doctor at the hospital and was later diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Caused by the human papillomavirus, which is mainly transmitted through sex, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women living in less developed regions, according to the World Health Organisation.
“Luckily they caught it early so she was able to get treatment and now she’s fine,” said Bertha Nyerenda, the MSF worker who helped her.
Adds Malumbo: “Most of us (sex workers) actually don’t feel encouraged to go to clinics and hospitals. But because they come to us, we are able to get services we didn’t have access to before like HIV testing.”
The MSF office in Mwanza, where Nyerenda is based, is part of a project in which clinics provide healthcare along a busy trade route that is used to transport goods throughout Southern Africa.
The route is frequented by truck drivers who often have to stay overnight at the truck stops; this provides plenty of work for sex workers.
The project operates in border towns between Malawi and Mozambique and recently expanded to Zimbabwe.
According to a government report, there are an estimated 15 000 female sex workers in Malawi.
This is a fraction of the country’s population of more than 16‑million people. Sex work is illegal in Malawi.
The services are tailored for the specific healthcare needs of marginalised people, such as sex workers and migrant workers, who are at a higher risk of HIV infection than the general population.
She provides sex workers with sexual and reproductive health education, including HIV counselling and testing.
She also makes sure her clients can get hold of long-term contraception, as well as treatment for tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections, at a state clinic or hospital.
She explains: “We don’t treat the sex workers for illnesses, but we give them an entry point into the healthcare system.”
A few kilometres down the main road from Malumbo’s business, Melina Alan (not her real name) sits on a wooden bench in the courtyard of the compound she shares with her friends and colleagues.
The daughter of a church leader, she is a long way from home – 100km, to be precise.
“My mother doesn’t know what I’m doing here. When I left home I simply told her that I got a job in Mwanza,” the 23-year-old explains, fiddling with the cellphone in her hands.
Alan says she was forced into sex work last year when her relationship with the father of the youngest of her three children broke down.
“I don’t do this because I enjoy it; I do sex work out of desperation,” she said.
“My father passed away a long time ago so I have to take care of my mother and my children.
Without my boyfriend’s help, this is the only way I can take care of my family.”
It is lunchtime and several women sit in their doorways, squatting over makeshift braziers, stirring pots and speaking loudly over the banging music coming from beyond the compound walls.
“These women are from different places. They came here to work at a bottle store in the area but they end up doing sex work to supplement their income,” Nyerenda explains.
During their regular visits to the compound, MSF staff counsel and test the women, and provide them with free condoms and lubricant.
They recently referred Alan to the hospital to get emergency contraceptives after a condom broke while she was with a client.
A 2013 government survey estimates that more than 60% of female sex workers in Malawi are HIV positive. Alan is now one of them.
“I was very scared when the doctor diagnosed me with HIV. But he told me there is still hope for me to live a normal life and see my children grow up, as long as I take the medication he gave me,” she said.
Back at the Mozambique borderpost, more trucks pull up as the sun sets. Drivers file into the bar in front of Malumbo’s brothel while the sex workers she employs prepare for the evening’s work.
“After my experience, I keep a close eye on the new girls. If I see that they are doing things carelessly, I sit down with them and give them advice according to what I learned.”
Malumbo now makes sure that all her employees have enough condoms and lubricant and discourages them from having unprotected sex. She has even changed the way she conducts her own business as a sex worker.
“Before, I would do whatever the client requested. But now I do not have unprotected sex and I have reduced my sexual partners. I only provide services to certain clients.” Newsday
Silas Memory Madondo|The Zimbabweans should not take the attack on Vice President Mnangagwa by Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Mandi Chimene lightly. Under normal circumstances, Mr. Mugabe should have used his powers to terminate Chimene on the same day of the attack. Media reports are that, Chimene could have been under the control of dhunhanga (marijuana) when she lambasted the Vice President.
The purpose of this article is to mobilize Zimbabweans across the political divide to call for the resignation of Chimene and to support the view that, Mr. Mugabe is the source of ALL confusion in ZANU PF. If the Vice President of the nation is embarrassed, it means that the citizens of that nation are also undressed.
In as much as I hate ZANU PF government to the bone, what Chimene did was unacceptable and it supports the view that, Mr. Mugabe is behind ALL the chaos in ZANU PF. How can a minister humiliate the Vice President of the nation under the watch of the President and the media? This is a clear indication that, ZANU PF government is relying on the rule of the jungle.
The attack on the Vice President did not start with Chimene, Sarah Mahoka Hurungwe East Member of Parliament also undressed the Vice President and the nation before Mr. Mugabe. Mr. Mugabe remained quiet as usual.
Chimene should know that, Vice President of the Republic is not the Vice President of ZANU PF. We feel embarrassed as Zimbabweans and let us all bury our political differences and condemn Chimene. We should take this as a serious national issue rather than political.
Who Gave Chimene Authority?
I am 152.99% that Mr. Mugabe gave Chimene authority to speak, how can a minister like Chimene attack the Vice President of a country before a ‘normal’ President? If Mr. Mugabe was not aware, Chimene could have been terminated by now.
The former ZANU PF youth leader Godfrey Tsenangamu is another living testimony. He told the world that, Joyce Mujuru’s downfall was stage managed by Mr. Mugabe and I am waiting for Mr. Mugabe to tell the Zimbabweans his position. We were also told that Joyce Mujuru wanted to kill the 92 year old President.
Massive arms cache were found in a farm owned by ZAPU company called Nitram (Pvt) Ltd and Mr. Mugabe was quoted on 7 February 1981 by Sunday Mail as blaming Joshua Nkomo for planning to overthrow the government, an accusation which Nkomo rejected. If we are to go by Godfrey Tsenangamu’s allegations, chances are that, ZANU PF and Mr. Mugabe were the ones who stage managed the event.
The rule of the jungle did not start today in ZANU PF government, soon after the exposition of arms cache at Ascot farm, the then State Security Minister Mnangagwa also behave like Chimene before Dr. Joshua Nkomo who was a coalition partner of Mr. Mugabe. Mr. Mnangagwa is said to have boarded the same plain with Mr. Nkomo to Bulawayo but never even bothered to tell Mr. Nkomo about his mission. Mr. Mnangawa later addressed the media at Ascot farm telling the world that, Mr. Nkomo was planning to overthrow the government.
The Days of Chimene & Mahoka Are Numbered
Chimene and Mahoka are still relying on outdated tricks of ZANU PF and they should know that, their days are numbered and Zimbabweans are not ignorant. ZANU PF is already out of active politics and it is therefore good for them to apologies before the Vice President and our Nation.
They should learn from Godfrey Tsenangamu, he spoke his mind and I personally accepted his forgiveness on behalf of Joyce Mujuru.
Chimene and Mahoka should be charged for treason, attacking the Vice President means attacking the nation of Zimbabwe. I felt embarrassed and Chimene should be accountable to her actions.
Conclusion
Zimbabweans should call for the resignation of Chimene as a minister and I am appealing to opposition forces and TAJAMUKA to pile pressure on MR. Mugabe and Chimene. I am also calling upon Mr. Mugabe to clear the air on Godfrey Tsenangamu saga. ZANU PF supporters including the War Vet should think outside the box and resist Mr. Mugabe’s outdated tricks.
Silas Memory Madondo is a lecturer and a Mixed Methods Researcher and can be conducted via [email protected]
War has broken out in the country as First Lady Grace Mugabe’s aides stitched up a draconian cyber-law bill to politically assassinate Vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa and anyone else standing in Grace’s way to her presidential ascendancy. In a backfiring horror that will see the architect, Communications Minister Supa Mandiwanzira himself jailed for 5 years with no optional sentence, the man has crafted a notorious piece of legislation for the purpose. Mandiwanzira, a Mugabe relative, is now to obtain super powers to seize all cellphones and computer gadgets from any Zimbabwean citizen the Mugabe controlled government believes is engaged in what it terms “cyber crime,” a smart description for all perceived anti Mugabe activities beginning with the calls for Mnangagwa to succeed the President.
This conflict has deep historical origins having begun in March 2013, with the launching of the notorious Mai Jukwa and Baba Jukwa Facebook pages to which the Mnangagwa faction supplied the two faceless characters with ZANU PF top secrets in a bid to destroy political rivals within; from Gideon Gono to Obert Mpofu and others. In a fiery scam which also roped in ZRP CID Inspector Chrispen Makedenge, the latter exposed himself by deleting his own Baba Jukwa emails after seizing control of the Baba Jukwa email account from the army early 2014.
Following that humiliating sequel after the two Facebook pages were eventually deactivated, Mrs Mugabe would soon come out threatening to “kick out” Mnangagwa from his job declaring, “I am the one who put you up there, I can take you out.”
The Mnangagwa camp is closely monitoring the development as it prepares classic ambush reprisals on Mandiwanzira, his accomplice Prof Jonathan Moyo, and others who have enjoyed years of digital attacks on the Vice President using social media to unconstitutionally ensure he (Mnangagwa) does not make it to succeed Mugabe.
CIO can never spy into WhatsApp.
The good news for phone internet users is that no spy agency in the world can spy into phone apps the likes of WhatsApp. WhatsApp has added end-to-end encryption to all of its messages – meaning that the company cannot give information to governments, even if it wanted to.
The latest version of the app uses special security technology that means that messages can’t be intercepted as they travel between devices. Encryption ensures that only a message’s sender and recipient can read messages, stopping them from being intercepted on their journey.
State Media Cyber Terrorists.
Meanwhile, Zimbabweans woke up to shocking state media reports Tuesday morning claiming that three men based in the Diaspora, Victor Dube (resident in South Africa), Jeff Judah Hosanna (South Africa) and Tapiwa Marimbe (Australia) are ‘cyber terrorists’.
Every dictator dislikes free media. Zimbabwe under the despotic rule of 92 year old Mugabe is no exception.
The weaponry used by dictators under siege and in panic include fear and more and more efforts to control the flow of information. Through propaganda and censorship, dictators want to control the lives of people, tell them what to think, how to think, what to do, when to do it. It is about absolute control. Nazi Germany had the infamous Minister of Information Joseph Goebbels who controlled all forms of communication in the country, newspapers, magazines, books, public meetings, and rallies, art, music, movies, and radio. It is reported that viewpoints in any way threatening to Nazi beliefs or to the regime, were censored and eliminated from all media.
In what analysts have termed to be suicidal, Minister Mandiwanzira, Zimbabwe’s own Goebbels is at the final stages of crafting the bill which will see those “who the state believes” are abusing social media to force for regime change, go for up to five years in jail without any optional sentence.
Incredibly draconian is the new law that once passed, it will allow Zimbabwe’s police to seize smartphones, laptops and other “gadgets” to prevent people from communicating via social media.
Over the years government through similar draconian legislation has sought to control the free flow of information within Zimbabwe. This time round however it has an uphill task as it battles against constitutional walls. During the first #ShutDown campaign, there were attempts by government agents to block communication through the Whatsapp network, but they were out smarted by technologically savvy Zimbabweans who were able to breakdown the CIO firewall. See the full story here.
Government analysts warn that the state will soon embarrass itself once again as it will firstly not have the adequate resources to chase millions of Zimbabweans most who are in the ruling party, who are disgusted with the status quo. Analysts go further to explain that in other African situations such as the Jasmine revolution in Tunisia, citizens still overcame harsher laws to effect change.
The state media reports that the probe into what the disillusioned government calls “cyber terrorism” has begun with preliminary investigations pointing to three Zimbabweans based outside the country as originators of so called subversive and inflammatory messages on social media. However the state faces bitter legal challenges with international legal experts scoffing at the bill as being legally defective from its inception.
No UK Bail out..Chinamasa and Laing
Zimbabwe’s worsening human rights record could be setting it on another warpath with the international community, frustrating earlier attempts to mend relations.
In this vein the United Kingdom has ruled out a $1,1 billion bailout for President Robert Mugabe’s government and instead warned recent incidents of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe could torpedo Harare’s re-engagement efforts with the international community.
Harare is presently grappling to secure outside funding to prop up an economy weighed down by decades of mismanagement.
The situation has been compounded by massive de-industrialisation which has seen the national cake shrink as desperate citizens resort to informal ways of survival.
As the situation gets dicey by the day, President Mugabe has turned to old allies in the UK for a financial bailout which saw finance minister Patrick Chinamasa fly to London last month while trying to negotiate lines of credit.
Zimbabwe’s colonial master has come under fire for allegedly ignoring gross rights violations and corruption under the Mugabe regime while granting audience to Harare which is seeking to unlock a 1, 1 billion pounds bailout.
Reports have been awash that former British business minister Peter Mendelsohn met Chinamasa in Harare five months ago before the investment bank where the Labour works sought to help the regime borrow $1,1 billion.
But Catriona Laing, the British ambassador to Zimbabwe who allegedly organised the controversial meeting has dismissed the reports of a clandestine bailout plan for beleaguered Mugabe regime saying more misunderstandings were circulating regarding the UK’S approach to Zimbabwe.
“There is no bail out,” Laing tweeted on Sunday, “Like all EU (European Union) (member states) we support international re-engagement if (there is) progress on human rights, rule of law.”
Instead, Laing said, recent human rights violations threatened the re-engagement efforts.
In recent weeks, Zimbabweans have taken to the streets in protest against general misrule and a harsh economic climate.
Police have been accused of brutalising peaceful demonstrators.
Last week, five journalists were battered by police in images which were captured on video.
Human rights defenders say more than 300 people have been arrested since Zimbabweans began their street protests some two months ago.
The British envoy also denied her country was funding a certain faction within Mugabe’s faction-riddled Zanu PF as was being alleged by the country’s opposition.
“We don’t keep any party in business and aren’t responsible how they behave. There is no bail out or UK money for government,” she said.
She was however quick to say the UK was disturbed by deterioration in human rights abuses, hinting it could scupper Harare’s re-engagement efforts with the international community, particularly the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“Recently we see deterioration (in human rights). (It) will make it harder to get re-engagement international financial institutions.”
Political analyst, Ricky Mukonza, said it is politically damaging for the UK to be seen to be bailing out the Zimbabwe government.
“The Zimbabwe government is the same government which has been accused of gross human rights violations against its people and suffocating democracy. Bailing out this government will be tantamount to endorsing these internationally unacceptable practices.”
Mayor Fidze…attempts to spy on his meetings TerrenceMawawaMasvingo A female member of the Central Intelligence Organisation, recently boobed on the job while spying on the Masvingo City Council private meeting proceedings, leading to her public exposure and humiliation.
The female spy it is reported was last week ejected from the Masvingo City Council Chambers after she had schemed her way into the local authority’s private committee meeting.
Alert councillors and council officials threatened to boycott the meeting over the state security agent’s presence in the closed door meeting. Typical of members of the feared spy organisation, the female CIO (name withheld) operative from the Masvingo District section, initially refused to leave the chambers claiming she had the right to to attend any meeting-even in people’s bedrooms.
There was confusion as proceedings had to be briefly halted since local authority officials and some councillors indicated it was not safe to discuss council issues in the presence of the state security agent. The cheeky spy was later asked to leave the chambers by the council’s security personnel.
Mayor Hubert Fidze confirmed the pandemonium involving the operative but was quick to point out the matter was too sensitive to divulge more details. “It is true that there was mayhem as a result of the presence of an official from the President’s office. Very soon we will have a full account of who is allowed into meetings of such magnitude,”said Fidze.
Ward four councillor Godfrey Kurauone, said the council should not twist its regulations to accommodate members of the spy organisation. “Since I got into council, it has been a stipulated guideline that non-council officials are not allowed to attend committee meetings.”
Roads closed off – FILE
Activists successfully closed the Beitbridge border yesterday, with most companies and businesses heeding the call to shutdown.
It is reported that shipping and other cross-border activities at Beitbridge slumped as most people heeded the call to avoid Zimbabwe’s border posts. While in Musina 6 000 protesters were dispersed by police and army after gathering to hold demonstrations, other posts were deserted in the morning with Customs officials handling people that arrived late in the border post on Saturday with little activity on the commercial side of Customs.
A representative of the International Cross Border Associations who organised the demonstration, Dennis Juru said they were happy with the response from Zimbabweans.
“We are happy, South African shipping companies heeded our call, there were no buses from South Africa or Harare and limited activity in the commercial Customs offices of both countries,” said Juru.
He said police in South Africa dispersed more than 6 000 protesters in Musina but they later regrouped and held meetings to re-strategise their demonstrations.
Juru said the protests are to press the Zimbabwean government to revoke its recently introduced Statutory Instrument 64/2016 restricting importation of 121 types of goods deemed available in Zimbabwe.
He said SI 64 had pushed Zimbabweans deeper into poverty since most survived on buying and selling following the closure of industries in Zimbabwe.
“These disruptions will be intermittent, we will continue today and South Africans are ready to help us,” said Juru.
“We are having Tajamuka, Zimbabwe Exiles Forum, Africa Diaspora Workers Network and Zimbabwe Communist Group working in solidarity with us,” he said.
All shipping houses on the South African side of the border were closed with no haulage truck business being processed for Zimbabwe.
Shipping agents on the Zimbabwean side had skeletal staff as most people stayed at home.
There was a hive of activity for about two hours in the morning when thousands of pilgrimages from the Zionist Church of Christ (ZCC) returning from church meetings in Zimbabwe swarmed the border post.
Soon after their departure there was very little activity inside the border.
“There are very few people travelling, there is low movement,” a Zimbabwean immigration officer said.
“We briefly got busy when pilgrims from ZCC arrived but the border went quiet again,” added the officer.
Armed police and other security agents from both South Africa patrolled the old bridge linking the two countries where a handful of pedestrians moved between the two borders.
A transport broker at Beitbridge said most haulage truck operators were keen to have their vehicles leave the South African side of Beitbridge to Zimbabwe.
“They were afraid that the demonstration might be ugly and property destroyed,” said the transport broker.-Newsday
ZANU PF Commissar and Local Govt Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere says Robert Mugabe is “Our God,” a statement that has sparked a long standing community outrage.
“There is only one Zanu PF and it is the one which is led by our god, President Robert Mugabe,” he said while attacking opposition leader, Joice Mujuru.
“If they want their party, they should just go ahead and form it and give it a name which is not Zanu PF”, he continued.
Yesterday his counterpart, the Gukurahundi massacre CIO agent, Phelekezela Mphoko also voiced saying President Robert Mugabe is “God-Immortal”. caric
Mphoko said those praying for Mugabe’s death were wasting their time as Mugabe is a God-given leader who will step down or die only at God’s will.
Mphoko said he was shocked that there are people calling themselves Christians who have the audacity to pray for Mugabe to die.
“I hear that there are people who are fasting for 40 days, praying to God for the President to die. What these people don’t know is that President Mugabe was chosen by God before he was appointed by the people,” said Mphoko as he addressed residents of Njube suburb before handing over 2,500 day-old chicks as part of the poultry project he launched in June to help uplift the lives of ordinary citizens.
“I’m wondering what kind of churches and what kind of people would kneel down and pray for someone’s death. The President was created by God in your absence but you have the nerve to ask God to destroy that person yet God has a purpose for him. What has gotten into us?”
He said if such individuals knew their roles as Christians, they would be praying for peace, their leaders and even their enemies. “That’s what the Bible says – pray for peace, your leaders and even your enemies. When God brings us on earth, we all have prophecies attached to our lives.
“President Mugabe was born on the 21st and if you read Psalms 21 it says I’ll give you a crown of leadership and long life. That’s President Mugabe’s prophecy from God. Those who’re against the prophecy are wasting their time by fasting and praying for his death,” said Mphoko.
Mphoko said people must shun tribalism.
“I’ve told people before that the Constitution says this country was fought for by Zapu and Zanu. This therefore means that the President is not a MuZezuru but a leader of this country, Emmerson Mnangagwa is not a MuKaranga but a leader of this country and I’m not a Ndebele but a leader of this country. Let’s work in unity to bring development to this country,” said Mphoko.
He warned Zanu-PF members against fighting for leadership positions. He said party members should not lose focus by concentrating on the wrong things, but they must be content with their roles and work for the people that they serve.
“People get carried away and start thinking that they are better than others or they are above their leaders. Such thinking creates problems for us,” said Mphoko.
A POLICE base caught fire under unclear circumstances in Bulawayo’s Emakhandeni suburb yesterday. National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident but cautioned against hasty conclusions that the fire could have been caused by a petrol bomb. He said police were yet to conclude their investigations. No one was injured in the incident which is suspected to have occurred in the early hours of yesterday morning.
This follows two attacks on police bases in Bulawayo recently. Last month, a police base was petrol-bombed in Magwegwe suburb but the fire was extinguished before it could spread. In February, a group of five daring robbers struck at a police base near Amakhosi Cultural Centre where they attempted to sexually assault a female cop.
Yesterday, a state media news crew visited the Emakhandeni police base and observed some officers conducting investigations. They told the news crew that they could not comment on the matter, referring questions to the police’s public relations office. The news crew noted that the fire could have started from outside the caravan that is used as the base.
Chief Supt Nyathi said: “First, it’s premature to say the police base was petrol-bombed. We’re still conducting investigations but there’s a likelihood that our guys who were at the base could have used an electric heater which caused the fire. We implore you, the media, not to draw conclusions that it was petrol- bombed,” said Chief Supt Nyathi.
He issued a stern warning that police will stop at nothing to protect their members from attack. Chief Supt Nyathi said members of the public should know that police bases are there to provide law enforcement services closer to communities.
“Police bases are meant to bring police services in places where the actual police stations might be far away from the people. Members of the public only want police services when they have been robbed or attacked. But when they’re not in need they forget that they need us,” he said.
“I want to warn members of the public who might harbour any intentions of attacking police officers. We will not stand by and watch when misguided people want to injure or tamper with officers. I want to warn them against doing things that may cause alarm and despondency in the ZRP and other State entities.” -state media
Controversial Harare preacher Walter Magaya is under fire following the leaking of his multiple sex affairs to the public.
This came as another sex scandal hit the preacher as another of his trusted pastors deserted him last month (CLICK HERE TO READ M0RE)
After ZimEye.com released the first installments on the preacher’s shocking moral conduct, the public have begun to offload their outrage with one woman scoffing, “man of God my *utt hole… Magaya followers are so blind, these are the false prophets the bible talks about…people are so gullible… he’s so false, makes false prophecies all the time but people still follow him.”
Below was the first array of comments on the man of the cloth’s string of abuses of church women:
PART 1 –Following a recent ZimEye investigation, the majority of newsreaders have concluded that top businessman Peter Pamire was murdered by the CIO (CLICK HERE TO READ MORE). This came as the Zimbabwean government was challenged to conduct a public hearing or secondary postmortem over Pamire’s mysterious death which occurred in March 1997.
Below was the first batch of reader comments following the public probe as ZimEye now reaches out to Pamire’s UK based widow for her long awaited comments:
Rine manyanga • 6 days ago
“Rine manyanga hariputirwi. It is public knowledge that Grace airara naPamire and Pamire used to boast about it. Robert Junior is certainly Peter Pamire’s son. Poor Robert junior is saddled with Mugabe’s name and yet he is Pamire’s son. Dr Fugu hezvoka!! Tichazvinzwa zvese kuurayisa vana vevanhu. Chuhure chimurderer chidofo…”
Not responsible for your problems…Robert Mugabe
President Robert Mugabe on Monday rebuked hungry Zimbabweans, telling them not to blame the government for the current economic crisis and hunger that has rocked the country.
Addressing thousands gathered to commemorate the country’s National Heroes Day in Harare, Mugabe said sanctions and the El Niño-induced drought had caused havoc for the Southern African country.
“When we are in a crisis we should know this is our problem together, not for people to point fingers at the government. The government does not make rain. We have tried to improve the lives of our people but the El Niño-induced drought and continued sanctions have caused food shortages in the country,” Mugabe said.
Mugabe said no one in the country, regardless of political affiliation, would starve as the government would continue to import maize to feed the millions who face starvation. “If you have enough food, eat and grow pot bellies, but if you don’t get enough, don’t blame the government. We try to feed everyone, including those that are not Zanu PF, it is not our culture to discriminate along political lines,” Mugabe said in vernacular.
Mugabe defended the controversial Statutory Instrument 64 which restricts imports, saying it was meant to protect local industries.
“There is no country in the world that does not protect its local industries. We know that the rand is weak and people get things cheaper in South Africa, but that is dumping. We cannot allow dumping of cheap products because they will destroy our industry,” he said.
Mugabe also attacked the Chinese for bringing cheap clothes into the country, saying it did not help local clothing manufacturers grow.
The ageing president also attacked #This Flag Pastor, Evan Mawarire, saying he was after money and not the word of God.
“Some church leaders are now after money and are not seeking God. I did not know this Mawarire until he said people should not be treated like this. But this is our problem together and not a government problem,” he said. African News Agency
The Zimbabwe Defence Forces boss, General Constantino Nyikadzino Chiwenga has rubbished an Emmerson Mnangagwa Presidency.
He said he will never accept the rise of a Mugabe successor.
He said the forces will stand firm and unequivocal by President Mugabe who was duly and democratically elected by the people of Zimbabwe, Gen. Chiwenga has said.
Speaking at a Press conference to mark the 36th anniversary of the ZDF Day Commemorations, General Chiwenga said the ZDF has been watching events in the country which have a serious potential to disturb the peace.
“These have to stop and people must focus on developmental programmes. The history of this country cannot, and will never be rewritten. It was only done once by colonialists in the Berlin Treaty, who by act of conquest, declared that they had brought civilisation and religion into Africa including Zimbabwe, as though we did not have our own religions and civilisation.”
“The African proverb which says, ‘hakuna zuva rinobuda rimwe risati ranyura’ holds true, because no nation can ever have two leaders at any one time. Therefore, the ZDF will never accept any unconstitutional change of Government and we stand firm and unequivocal by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander-in-Chief of the ZDF, his Excellency Cde Mugabe,” he said.
“It follows that the ZDF, while remaining apolitical, would not tolerate or support any unconstitutional change of Government in the country, whether internally or externally induced”
Gen Chiwenga who was flanked by Air Force Commander Air Marshal Perrance Shiri, Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant-General Philip Valerio Sibanda and six other generals said while potential threats to Zimbabwe’s security were many, the Zimbabweans should know that the country is under the threat of asymmetric warfare.
He said to date the threat has manifested itself by way of psychological warfare, intrusive political interference, diplomatic isolation and socio-cultural intrusion.
“Where contradictions exist, we must be able to dialogue, bearing in mind that we are one people. We should learn to synchronise our approaches and have a common vision where the nation thinks with one mind, hears with one ear, speaks with one voice and collectively pulls in one direction.”
“It is the ZDF’s hope, therefore, that the internal component of this asymmetric threat to the country will take heed and desist from these divisive activities for the betterment of the whole nation,” he said.
He said recent events in Zimbabwe clearly demonstrate that State institutions, socio-political systems and even territories can now equally be threatened by manipulation of ideas through the use of social media giving an example of a communiqué attributed to a clique of war veterans which he said was a clear illustration of social media by the fifth column and its quislings.
Gen Chiwenga said investigations were underway on the matter and culprits will face the full wrath of the law saying the ZDF will work with other security services to ensure that effects of certain information, ideas and concepts that infiltrate into the population depict what is in line with the preservation of Zimbabwe’s values, vision and culture.
The ZDF, he said, will take deliberate steps to ensure that the country’s Constitution in its entirety, is not only protected and defended but is also upheld, sustained and supported at all times.
Asked on media claims that he was supporting a faction allegedly led by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Gen Chiwenga said, “That is nonsense. Do you believe in that? People who peddle such kind of nonsense are not worth their soul.”
Gen Chiwenga congratulated President Mugabe, the nation and all members of the defence forces and their families on the 36th Anniversary of the ZDF. He said the celebrations will be held under the theme, “ZDF: Resolute in Defence of Constitution, National Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity and National Interests for Social and Economic Growth”. – state media
VICE President Phelekezela Mphoko yesterday said those praying for President Mugabe’s death were wasting their time as the President is a God-given leader who will step down or die only at God’s will, the state media reports.
Mphoko said he was shocked that there are people calling themselves Christians who have the audacity to pray for other people to die.
“I hear that there are people who are fasting for 40 days, praying to God for the President to die. What these people don’t know is that President Mugabe was chosen by God before he was appointed by the people,” said Mphoko as he addressed residents of Njube suburb before handing over 2,500 day-old chicks as part of the poultry project he launched in June to help uplift the lives of ordinary citizens.
“I’m wondering what kind of churches and what kind of people would kneel down and pray for someone’s death. The President was created by God in your absence but you have the nerve to ask God to destroy that person yet God has a purpose for him. What has gotten into us?”
He said if such individuals knew their roles as Christians, they would be praying for peace, their leaders and even their enemies. “That’s what the Bible says – pray for peace, your leaders and even your enemies. When God brings us on earth, we all have prophecies attached to our lives.
“President Mugabe was born on the 21st and if you read Psalms 21 it says I’ll give you a crown of leadership and long life. That’s President Mugabe’s prophecy from God. Those who’re against the prophecy are wasting their time by fasting and praying for his death,” said Mphoko.
Mphoko said people must shun tribalism.
“I’ve told people before that the Constitution says this country was fought for by Zapu and Zanu. This therefore means that the President is not a MuZezuru but a leader of this country, Emmerson Mnangagwa is not a MuKaranga but a leader of this country and I’m not a Ndebele but a leader of this country. Let’s work in unity to bring development to this country,” said Mphoko.
He warned Zanu-PF members against fighting for leadership positions. He said party members should not lose focus by concentrating on the wrong things, but they must be content with their roles and work for the people that they serve.
“People get carried away and start thinking that they are better than others or they are above their leaders. Such thinking creates problems for us,” said Mphoko.
TRAGEDY struck a wedding party in Bulawayo yesterday when three bridesmaids sustained injuries after a vehicle they were travelling in veered off the road and plunged into a ditch.
The bride, who was meant to be travelling in the same vehicle, was somehow persuaded not to board the ill-fated car at the last minute. A woman, who declined to talk to The Chronicle, cried uncontrollably at the accident scene.
The wedding was slated for today.
The three bridesmaids and a decorator were rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital with some injuries when the driver of a vehicle they were travelling in failed to negotiate a curve along Old Khami Road near Delta Beverages.
The name of the bride could not be immediately established. When The Chronicle arrived at the scene, ambulances had rushed the four accident victims to hospital for treatment. Scores of people disembarked from their vehicles to get a glimpse of the wreckage. On seeing the car, which was a write-off, some people said it was God’s mercy that the four had survived.
“Is there anyone in the car?” asked one woman before breaking down in tears. She was comforted by those who had accompanied her. A relative who spoke to The Chronicle but declined to be named said the bride was also supposed to have been in the car.
“She could have been in the car as well and we don’t know what we would be doing now. But we stopped her from boarding the vehicle saying umakoti wethu (our bride) stays with us today. They’re supposed to be getting married tomorrow,” said the relative.
He did not disclose whether the wedding would continue or not. “They are now in hospital but we’re hopeful that they will recover,” he said before dashing into a car. – @nqotshili
The four were said to have been on their way to Barham Green suburb for last minute preparations ahead of today’s wedding. It was not clear late yesterday if the wedding would go ahead as scheduled. State media
By Redley Mugabe | Speculation has hit the nation over President Robert Mugabe’s fast approaching expiration date.
A dark cloud of whispers hovered over the nation on Monday as people questioned Mugabe’s real age and health status. President Robert Mugabe’s body on Monday
Mugabe who of late has several times been captured on camera fast asleep during important meetings, has also tumbled down in public. The man who turns 100 years in 2k days from today, has dodged his own speech for the second time without noticing.
A helix of ideas torched the nation after a picture showing his said “dying hands” taken earlier today at the heroes acre, fueled wild speculation that he is now on his way out.
There have been rumours that Mugabe as part of his health treatment in countries the likes of Singapore and Malaysia, undergoes regular face-lifts to make him look younger. However young his face may appear, his hands today betrayed him, delivering the 92 year old man into the hands of critical inquisitive Zimbabweans. Not even oil can help Mr Mugabe’s dying frame, a health analyst said Monday. Why are they punishing this man instead of allowing him to rest?, wrote another.
By Dr. Masimba Mavaza | The future of the revolution looks bleak as weaknesses and divisions in the opposition reinforce the regime’s position.
Zimbabwe’s opposition is as miserable as the regime in Harare. Perhaps they are two sides of the same coin – both mirroring the country’s political failures.
One of the main reasons for the ruling regime’s inefficiency is the absence of a genuine opposition.
The 2013 elections, when ZANU PF was RE ELECTED succeeded because of divisions in the main political forces opposing it. The opposition is so terrified with itself and also to unite to an extend that forming a formidable force is a fallacy.
Before the elections there was space for political pluralism to flourish. Zimbabwe is now ruled by an authority, unopposed by an opposition that is outdated and divided. It has failed to unite despite countless opportunities, the latest being the formation of Zanu PF there has always been space for political pluralism to flourish in Zimbabwe but selfishness and intolerance has manifested itself in the opposition without shame. If we exclude civic groups that supported the status quo or stayed silent as the incumbent took control, only few groups are left to oppose the current regime and the tragedy is they can not unite.
First, the MDC and its fragmented supporters. This group is weak and lacks political vision. Despite carrying out daily demonstrations, the group has failed to make any tangible political achievements.
They have been an opposition for the past 18 years and now they are very comfortable as an official opposition. Any opposition which tries to raise its head is ruthlessly crushed by the MDC . This is all done in order to maintain the opposing position. Like a small child the opposition is silenced by sweets.
The second group is the remnants of revolutionary forces that sparked the 70’s revolution, which overthrew the people and socialist revolutionaries. They still raise their slogan of “dignity, freedom and social justice”. However, having failed to unite with a popular bloc or social movement, this group has had minimal impact on the balance of power. They become victims and are thrown out like used tissue paper. Now that they are in the cold the other opposing bullies want to have nothing to do with them.
The third group is composed of exiles attempting to undermine the regime remotely. In doing so, they are justifying the regime’s propaganda of a foreign conspiracy. They are not trusted by other revolutionary forces because they have tried to speak for them without coordination.
The fourth category is the groups that have taken up flags against the regime. They lack a popular support base, and the more violent they are, the closer people move to the regime. People yearn for a brave united force to stand in front of intimidation
All four groups are serving the regime’s interests. Their behaviour is consolidating its power, by validating the argument the opposition is chaotic and causing instability.
The Zimbabwean opposition mirrors the Syrian opposition, whose divisions have obstructed the Syrian revolution from its outset. This is not meant to be an attack, but an analysis of the miserable position of opposition forces in Zimbabwe as the 2018 elections gets closer.
Instead of speaking with one voice the opposition has let the populace down. Demonstrating in Masvingo will not shack the system. Opposition must grow and unite without that. There will be nothing.
Zimbabweans will dream on and the economy will dive. Masses will suffer. The opposition will always demonstrate and the chance to save Zimbabwe will elude us once more. [email protected]
By Staff Reporter| After a promising weekend and Heroes’ holiday, the Chiredzi community was yesterday plunged into mourning after two fatal accidents happened soon after an exciting soccer match between Triangle fc and Highlanders at Gibbo stadium.
Triangle beat Highlanders 2-1 and the win immediately threw wild celebrations among its supporters albeit being shot lived 30 minutes later. STORY CONTINUES BELOW…
A school headmaster at the only multi racial school in Chiredzi,South Eastern College, was involved in a fatal crash at ZSA,15 km from Gibbo stadium where he and his family were coming from. According to the police officers who attended the scene, Chimhamiwa tried to overtake a group of cars in front of him and was impeded by another vehicle which was part of the convoy which moved into his lane unexpectedly.
He tried to avoid the vehicle and swayed off road rolling several times. One of his children on board died on his way to hospital.
Thirty minutes later, another vehicle belonging to another businessman in Chiredzi was involved in a similar crash that claimed two lives. One of the passengers died on the spot. Names of the deceased were not released at the time of going to print since police insisted that they wanted to notify their next of kins.
However ZimEye.com managed to verify that the Toyota D4D which rolled several trips at Zaka turnoff belongs to Chiredzi business man, Obriel Ngwenya. The vehicle was being driven by Ngwenya’s brother in law and was coming from a funeral in Gweru.
The driver of the vehicle escaped unhurt.
These two horrific incidents have cast a dark cloud over Chiredzi residents – ZimEye
President Mugabe and First Lady Grace Mugabe are welcomed by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the Heroes Day Commemorations at National Heroes Acre in Harare.
StaffReporter |President Robert Mugabe launched another scathing attack on #ThisFlag Pastor Evan Mawarire who he once again blamed for the wave of protests that have hit the country.
Speaking during the Heroes day commemorations, Mugabe said; “But some like Mawarire, we do not know where he came from, latching on to it and inspiring protest. He urged people to go into the streets. They damaged property and threw stones at police. That is no good and will not be allowed.” Mugabe made this remark in apparent reference to the negative reaction that the introduction of Statutory Instrument 164 had invited. Under siege now exiled Pastor Mawarire
In his remarks Mugabe also made a veiled attack on the South African government for its protectionist tendencies,“If the South Africans feel aggrieved we should talk. The South Africans also cried foul over the medicines we were exporting to that country. They did not want us to transport those medicines by road, rather they wanted us to use air which would make them uneconomic on landing. So we must talk with our colleagues in South Africa.”
Angry Zimbabweans who are affected by SI 164 are mobilising to close all borders in a quest to force the government to reverse this policy.
This is not the first time Mugabe has attacked Mawarire pubicly, he also attacked him during the burial of his former aide Charles Utete, calling him a fluke. “So beware these men of cloth, not all of them are true preachers of the Bible,” said Mugabe.
He continued, “I don’t know whether they are serving God. They spell God in reverse.”
Turning to the Movement for Democratic Change’s President Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe said he had heard that the opposition leader was calling for a coalition, which he derided as another useless attempt to remove his government. Speaking in shona vernacular, Mugabe said, ” I heard Tsvangirai calling for a coalition as the only way to remove this government. This is it, you have failed to remove Zanu PF? It is a party with deep roots. These are the roots. These graves are not to be played around with.”
Mugabe repeated that Zimbabwe would never be a colony again.
pictures below
Dear ZimEye.
Two girls, Lorcadia and Lainess Macheka, were knocked down by a kombi at Chinhamo bus stop in Chief Marozva.
The kombi driver who was heading towards Mutare, lost control of the vehicle after he had dozed off while on the steering wheel.
This happened on Friday and the girls were buried yesterday. The Kombi belongs to Mr Mushumbi of Dangamvura in Mutare.
The accident happened in Chief Marozva’s principality in Bikita.
Who is after Prof. Jonathan Moyo, brown substance found on chair
The drama in Zanu PF continues as reports emerge of the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Professor Jonathan Moyo’s office being burgled and a suspicious ‘brown substance’ found on his chair.
The state media report that the burglary took place at the New Government Complex on Saturday night and police have launched investigations to ascertain the motive behind the incident. An unknown brown substance was sprinkled on Prof Moyo’s chair. The assailants also broke into seven offices belonging to the ministry’s principal directors and directors. They gained entry into all the offices after tampering with the ceiling panels.
Various electrical gadgets and two laptops were stolen from the offices. The ministry’s acting principal director for administration and finance, Mr John Dewah, last night confirmed the incident. He said they suspected that the break-ins could have occurred on Saturday night.
“I discovered in the afternoon that most of our offices including that of the minister had been broken into. I then made a report to police at the police post here (New Government Complex),” he said.
He said police and other security agents attended the scene and they were still compiling and checking the items and gadgets that were stolen. Mr Dewah lost a laptop that he had left in his office.
He said they had since beefed up security at their offices as police investigations continue. In January, there was a break-in at VP Mnangagwa’s office at New Government Complex and Government expressed concern at the continuous break-ins and pledged to bring the culprits to book.
This was the sixth time unidentified culprits had tampered with VP Mnangagwa’s Government offices and at the Zanu-PF headquarters. VP Mnangagwa’s offices have been broken into four times at the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and once at Defence House when he was Defence Minister.
His offices at Zanu-PF Headquarters in Harare were broken into by unknown elements in 2014 who laced his desk with cyanide, poisoning his secretary who had to be hospitalised. In the latest break-in at the Government Complex, the culprits drilled a ceiling panel to gain entry. There were no indications of anything stolen.
In January last year, burglars broke into the office of the then Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Dr Obert Mpofu, but police said nothing was stolen. Police said the motive of the break in could not be ascertained.
The burglar forced open three doors and tried to enter into Minister Mpofu’s office but failed. In August Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku’s Mashonganyika Building offices was broken into with the assailants stealing a desktop computer and a television set.
A few days after the break-in at the Supreme Court, four judges reportedly lost keys to their offices, a development that prompted the Judicial Service Commission to urgently request police security at Mashonganyika Building, which houses the Supreme and Constitutional courts. state media
Elias Musakwa , a musician-cum-businessman and politician TerrenceMawawaBikita | The war in the faction ridden Zanu PF continues to claim scalps, the latest victim being, musician -cum -politician Elias Musakwa. He has been kicked out of the fiercely contested race to represent the party in the Bikita West by-election.
Musakwa was kicked out of the race after the party’s provincial executive vetted him out because of his perceived association with the beleaguered Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The seat fell vacant after Munyaradzi Kereke was last month sentenced to 14 years in prison for raping a minor.
Party sources told ZimEye that Musakwa was disqualified on flimsy allegations. However, Zanu PF provincial chairman Amasa Nhenjana, a declared G-40 member claimed Musakwa was disqualified because of gross indiscipline. “Elias Musakwa, Everson Machaya, Wellington Mutisi and Tichaona Mandebvu were disqualified because they failed to meet the criteria.”
“Musakwa was disqualified on the grounds of indiscipline. He vanished with a party vehicle and to date we do not know where the car is. Musakwa had since distanced himself from party activities only to resurface because there is a by-election,” explained Nhenjana.
Although Nhenjana justified Musakwa’s disqualification party insiders maintained the Ngaavongwe Records founder was sacrificed because of his association with the Team Lacoste. Six candidates will battle it out in the Zanu PF primary elections in the Bikita constituency.The six are Gibson Mashingaidze, Beauty Chabaya, Joshua Dhewa, Jeffry Murire, Douglas Makuku and Simon Masosomere-ironically all are known G-40 members. The winner of the primary elections is likely to be elected uncontested since opposition parties have indicated that they will not participate in the polls because of lack of electoral reforms.
taste of freedom…Jenni Williams
Members of the Women of Zimbabwe Arise who were arrested, Saturday, at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo where the Zimbabwe and New Zealand match cricket was taking place, have been freed.
WOZA leader Jenni Williams and nine other WOZA members have been released on free bail after spending two nights in police detention following their arrest on Saturday for what the police have termed “criminal nuisance”.
The nine were taken to Nkulumane Police Station, while Williams was detained at Donnington police station.
Mapostori demand that war vets apologise to President Mugabe
The war veterans association and the members of the Vapostori are headed for a showdown after Zanu PF bootlicker, Johannes Ndanga, has called on underfire war veterans leader Christopher Mutsvangwa and his executive to seek audience with President Robert Mugabe and apologise for their “transgressions”.
Addressing thousands of congregants at The True Apostolic Faith Mission of the Whole World (TRUE) apostolic sect in Magunje on Saturday Ndanga, the president of the Zimbabwe Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe, blasted war veterans for severing ties with Mugabe, describing the move as an act of indiscipline.
Higher and Tertiary Education deputy minister, Godfrey Gandawa, and three local chiefs attended the event.
“There is confusion in all this. The war veterans are acting as if they liberated themselves only. What about the general populace? Those who they fought for are silent. What is this noise all about? I have an army background, and was taught of discipline. If these guys are true war veterans why are they not disciplined?” Ndanga asked.
“They should go back to their leaders, lest they will become paupers soon. They should apologise, sit down and end this confusion. The war veterans’ behaviour will result in the youths becoming rowdy, and some of them will have their farms taken over by the youths. We are praying for the nation and people should be calm, better days are coming.”
War veterans, long regarded as Mugabe’s last pillar of defence, recently severed ties with the Zanu PF strongman through a damning communiqué where they described him as a dictator.
But Ndanga said the move by Mutsvangwa’s executive was uncalled for and should be reversed. He also ruled out fears of civil unrest.
“People should be relaxed. There is no civil war. We prayed over it.
We saw it coming, but as apostolic sects we came together and prayed over it. People should remain calm and the economy will stabilise. We are just against the churches that emerge during times of crisis, and these churches should not be taken seriously. They have their headquarters in the Western countries. The government should work with the traditional churches like apostolic sects and all will be fine,” he said. Newsday
Mugabe tells those commemorating Heroes Day celebrations he cannot be removed 1244: “I will no-longer say it’s a day of mourning but a day of celebrating…we’re happy that you left us a legacy and with that we can proudly say as I say long live Zimbabwe, long live our freedom, long live our sovereignty, makorokoto, I thank you,” 1242: “Ndakanzwa VaTsvangirai vachiti ngatibatanei tiite coalition, ndiyo yega nzira yatingaita kuti hurumende iyi iende..ehe makatadza kuikurira ka Zanu-PF? Iparty ine midzi..ndiyo midzi yacho iripano iyi..makuva aya haasi ekutamba nawo….Zimbabwe will never be a colony again, ndoshoko ravari kutaura varume nemadzimai varipano avo,” 1238: “I call for peace and unity among Zimbavweans, let us remain united in defence of our sovereignty, in defence of what our national heroes fought for, we should remain united, remain cognisant fo the fact that without unity we cannot make much progress…that is why things like protests don’t pay because they usually end being violent protests, zvinobatsirei kuti muende mumigwagwa kuti muratidze kuti munogona kuposhera matommbo, kurova mapurisa nematombo..kashinji ndozvinoitika izvozvo se vanhu vasati vashanduka,” 1234: “We praise our security forces for the calm that has been, the peace that has been but we praise them also for international peace obligations..tine vanhu vanobva kumauto, vanobva kuchipurisa vanenge vachidiwa kunyika dziri kutsirwa ne United Nations…they continue to raise the flag of Zimbabwe very high, makororkoto,” 1229: “The rural electrification has seen 8 579 Government institutions being electrified but 3 580 institutions mainly primary schools are yet to be electrified countrywide. In terms of road infrastructure…meaningful strides have been made,” 1223: He says Government is working on a number of programmes aimed at improving arrivals in the tourism sector as well as promoting local tourism. 1221: “Government will also implement mining reforms which are targeted at plugging the leakages that have been hampering the mining sector….tundege tunenge tichiuya muma farms umu tuchitutu goridhe redu..izvozvo kubirana hatizvide,” 1219: “Kana ve South Africa vakachema..asi isuwo tine mishonga yatai producer wo asi vaiti hatidi kuti iuye by road ngaiuye nendege kuti isvike ikoko yakudhura..saka ndezvekutaurirana izvi nehama dzedu dzeku South Africa,” 1216: “Kuvabatsira ikoko, zvino yakava nyaya hoo hapana zvikabva zvapindirwawo…nevanonzi VaMawarire..ndivo vakabva vasvetukira nyaya yacho..zvikadaro hapana nyika pasi pano isingazvi dzivirire..ndoyatinoti dumping iyoyo…hamungade kuti mazitye apinde munyika,” 1213: “Murawo wakaitwa unokwaniswa kuitwa ne hurumende asi uchibvumirwa uri pasi pemwuwe murawo unenge wapasiswa ne Parliament, uyu wakaitwa kuti ubatsire nyika yedu, tibatsire vanhu vedu vanorima angave madomasi nezvimwe zvakadaro zvinotengeswa muno munyika zvanga zvakuora nekuti kune vamwe vanga vakuti aah zveku South Africa zvakachipa kudarika zvemuno,” 1210: President Mugabe says the recent gazetting of the SI64 is meant to protect local industry. 1208: “Usashore, usati aiwa chikafu chakupiwha veZanu chete hachizi chokwadi..handizvo zviri mutsika dzedu, mukubatira kwedu kwenyika…economic activity in the agriculture sector has remained subdued due to effect of the El Nino weather phenomenon..in view of this Government is committed in pursuing strategies that guarantee food security in rural and urban communities,” 1206: “Saka tichiti ngati rambei tiri mugwara irworo rakatarwa nevarume nemadzimai varipano vakazvipira vachibva kunzvimbo dzakasiyana siyana, tinge tichionana zvisinei nekuti unobva ku region iyi….kana tava nenjodzi ingati pinde, takaita njodzi yema sanctions yataramba tinayo, kuzoita njodzi yemvura inoita kuti zvokudya zvoshomeka…huremende haisiyo inonaisa mvura kwete, asika chionai zvadaro inozama painogona napo kuti mhuri irarame kwese kwese hazvinei kuti uyu ndewe party ipi kana ipi,”
1201: “Hongu pazuva ranhasi tininge tichiyeuka magamba edu tininege tichiyeuka zvikuru kuzvipira kwavakaita kuti zuva ranhasi rigovapo, kuti rusununguko rugovapo, tinenge tichiyeuka zvakare kuti mukurwira nyika iyi kwaisava nezvekuti ava vaiva kwavo ava vari kwavo, vaiva vakabatana,”
1159: President Mugabe says “today as per tradition we are gathered at the national shrine and various shrines across the country and neighbouring countries. We continue to honour our gallant sons and daughters,”
1154: President Mugabe is now on the podium.
1153: Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo is now addressing the gathering as the Master of Ceremony. He says though they lie silent their heroic deeds beckon the people to follow them. He invites President Mugabe to address the people.
1136: A pastor is currently preaching on the podium. He castigates pastors who talk of “potholes and the police” in church instead of praying for the leadership.
1128: Meanwhile, hundreds of people are gathered at the Mashonaland Central Heroes Acre in Bindura to commemorate the fallen heroes.
THE $600 000 security upgrade at Beitbridge Border Post is fast paying dividends with six corrupt Zimra, immigration and police officers having already been arrested after being caught on Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) collecting bribes. The Government secured the equipment, which also includes lie detector machines, to curb corruption at the border post and ensure maximum revenue collection.
The CCTV equipment was installed in July at points unknown to border personnel. Two immigration officers based at the country’s busiest border were arrested last week after they were allegedly caught on camera taking bribes of R300 each from travellers.
It is believed that the two were paid to tamper with stamps for two people who had overstayed in Zimbabwe. The two, Precious Ndomupei Dumbu and Tinashe Gotosa, will soon appear in court.
The arrest brings to six the number of border officials who have been arrested after the Government introduced secret cameras at Beitbridge Border Post with a view to reducing corruption. A border official close to the case said Dumbu and Gotosa were picked up by the Ferret squad soon after allegedly collecting the money from two travellers.
The Ferret squad is made up of various security agents at the border including Zimra and Immigration officials.
“We picked them up soon after receiving the money which was concealed in two passports. Investigations are still in progress and they will soon appear in court,” said the official.
A fortnight ago, two members of the police Support Unit were picked up by detectives from the Border Control Unit collecting money from illegal immigrants who were leaving and entering the country.
The official added that two Zimra officials had also fallen victim to the CCTVs when they were seen collecting money from smugglers. Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele said he was yet to get information on the arrest of the immigration officers.
Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo said during a recent visit to Beitbridge Border Post that the Government had secured $600,000 that would be used in mobilising resources to curb corruption at the port of entry.
He said corruption was affecting the Government’s revenue collection capacity. The Minister, who heads a Cabinet crack team set up to look into operations and reduce smuggling activities, said the country is losing a lot of potential revenue through underhand deals at the ports of entry.
Other members of the inter-ministerial team include the Ministers of Finance and Economic Development, Mines and Mining Development, Environment Water and Climate, Industry and Commerce, and Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.
He said so far they had bought motorbikes and vehicles for patrols along the boundary line. “Lie detectors have also been acquired so that we curb corruption among border workers,” the Minister said.
Dr Chombo said they were working on setting up a new border perimeter fence to replace the one that was vandalised by criminals. “Mobile scanners and luggage scanners are now in use and we will do everything in our power in order to increase the revenue collection capacity.
“It’s sad that Zimra is collecting $800,000 against a daily average of $1,2 million,” he said. He said soon they will introduce polygraph machines that will see workers at the border being subjected to lie detector tests which is the norm internationally. State Media
Chitungwiza’s last remaining major bakery has shut down plunging thousands of people into the cold.
ZimEye.com can reveal the famous National Bakers & Confectioners (PVT) Ltd has closed business pushing close to a hundred workers onto the streets.
While an official statement could not be obtained at the time of going to press, workers told ZimEye of their plight after they were on Friday told to go home without any termination benefits.
“Hapana kana chatakambopihwa we were just told that there is no more work,” one sobbing worker told ZimEye at the weekend.
The bakery which was Chitungwiza’s main bread supplier was situated at Tilco Industrial Area. SEE SATELLITE MAP:
The bakery used to supply thousands of loaves a day to households something that may not happen again in the near future.
President Robert Mugabe has to fall by end of day tomorrow, a prayer a fasting campaign demands.
The program was set up by the Kariba based Remnant Church Pastor Philip Mugadza, who is famous for staging a one-man demonstration against Mugabe in Victoria Falls last December.
It is a historic 40 Day Spiritual Warfare Prayer Push for Mugabe’s fall.
It is time to pray Robert Mugabe out, says pastor Mugadza. Mugabe ouster prophecy..Pastor Mugadza
Mugadza says the massive over one month long anti-Mugabe prayer launched in Africa Unity Square in Harare, started on Friday, 1 July, and is stretching all the way to the 9th August 2016.
“It will be held under the code #Mugabemustfall, because Mugabe has failed the country and therefore he and his government must step down before the Heroes Day holidays”, Mugadza told ZimEye.com in Harare.
“We will be holding prayers from 1700hrs to 1800 hrs every day and we shall be having different pastors taking turns in preaching until the final day”.
“We have deliberately chosen to hold this national prayer up to the Heroes holidays, hoping and praying that the President is going to do the honourable, that is, announcing his stepping down on the Heroes day, if he is a true hero,” said the clergyman.
“We are calling on like-minded pastors and churches to join us from their areas to serve the people and this process should not be treated as a church but as a national thing.
“We have been misinterpreting the scriptures when we were praying for the leaders. We have been saying God help our leaders and now they have proved beyond reasonable doubt that they have failed and it is high time to pray them out,” he said.
Mugadza, who was in December last year in Victoria Falls, arrested for demonstrating against President Mugabe said he was not afraid of the police.
Doug MhiyaThe stunning fallout between war veterans and President Robert Mugabe is escalating, with many liberation struggle stalwarts doubtful about attending the official Heroes and Defence Forces celebrations in Harare tomorrow and on Tuesday respectively.
Many prominent war veterans who spoke to the Daily News on Sunday yesterday said while they would always hold the two days dearly in their hearts, they were not planning on attending this year’s official commemorations in Harare — and would rather remember their comrades who lost their lives during Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle quietly at home.
“It is no longer a day for us to celebrate because there is nothing to celebrate anymore. Hapana arikuenda kuHeroes Acre. Vachatoita vekugadzira mawar veterans acho (War veterans are not going to Heroes Acre this year),” a bitter spokesperson of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), Douglas Mahiya, said.
“Now they have their puppet organisation of war veterans led by (Manicaland Provincial minister) Mandi Chimene. It is funny that if a government disagrees with an organisation it chooses to go to the membership even if the membership prefers to make its own choices,” he added.
These two days will always have lots of meaning for us. However, no one can pretend anymore that all is well in Zimbabwe and Zanu PF. Most comrades now understand that the party (Zanu PF) has been hijacked by people who don’t understand the meaning of sacrifice for the greater good.
“It therefore does not make sense to go there and mingle with people who are effectively doing everything in their power to rubbish the immense contribution of war veterans to Zimbabwe’s freedom and who are also destroying the legacy of the liberation struggle itself for their narrow interests,” another war veteran leader said.
The disaffected former freedom fighters also noted that thousands of ex-combatants were living in abject poverty around the country, accusing Mugabe and the Zanu PF government of “choosing to neglect these gallant men and women” and reneging on the promises that were made to war veterans during the liberation struggle.
Former Zanu PF spokesperson and now Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) elder, Rugare Gumbo — also one of only two surviving members of Zanu’s Dare ReChimurenga (war council) that directed the liberation struggle — also told the Daily News on Sunday yesterday that even though Mugabe had “hijacked” the days, he and others who participated in the independence war would still remember the days, albeit far from “his sloganeering”.
“As war veterans, as people who fought in the liberation struggle and as people who know people who died for this country, we have no alternative but to respect the two days even though they are being abused by the powers that be.
“We believe that these people did not die in vain and that is why we say ‘aluta continua’ until there is justice, freedom, peace, unity and so on. We are saddened with the way this old man (Mugabe) has behaved in the past months, particularly the decimation of war veterans and their arbitrary arrests.
“We don’t think that all this is different from what Ian Smith did. It is very sad that people who fought for this country are being humiliated day in day out. I would have loved to attend both Heroes Day and Defence Forces Day, but what is the point of me attending these shams,” Gumbo said.
Mugabe’s stunning fallout with war veterans a fortnight ago occurred despite the fact that the former freedom fighters have been Mugabe and Zanu PF’s strongest pillars of support over the past five decades, playing particularly significant roles to keep the nonagenarian in power in the hotly-disputed 2000 and 2008 elections which were both marred by serious violence and the murder of hundreds of opposition supporters.
Speaking in Harare late last month during his hastily-convened meeting with a section of war veterans, Mugabe said the former freedom fighters who had denounced him were no longer part of Zanu PF and would be punished severely.
The nonagenarian told the same gathering that the primitive and extra-judicial suppression methods that Zanu PF incorporated during the liberation struggle in the 1970s — such as incarcerating dissenters in inhuman underground dungeons where they were forced to live like caged rats — would be used against the vets.
This was after the war veterans’ executive issued a damning communiqué in which they served divorce papers on the Zanu PF leader whom they said was now “a hard sell” for the eagerly-anticipated 2018 national elections.
Subsequently, authorities launched a brutal crackdown against the war veterans, resulting in the arrest of a number of their leaders, in an operation that has been widely condemned by human rights and pro-democracy groups both in Zimbabwe and outside the country.
Bernard Manyadza, whose war-time nom de guerre was Parker Chipoyera, said Mugabe had “bastardised” Heroes Day.
“I respect the day so much even though the revolution was hijacked from as early as 1977 when the secretary-general was given two posts, that of secretary and that of being president.
“That is when it metamorphosed into a one-centre of power creature.”
The highly popular religious Christian zealot, Jelousy Mawarire who is Joice Mujuru’s personal spokesperson, has been recorded boasting of killing people and rigging national elections.
Speaking at a function in Harare last Thursday attended by MDC-T spokesman Obert Gutu and a host of other delegates and covered by ZimEye.com, Mawarire who worked for 92 year old Robert Mugabe and was singularly instrumental in sustaining Mugabe’s strangehold over Zimbabwe through the 2013 sham elections, said people must join his party because it is full of people who know how to rig national elections and they will utilise that technique to win.
Below were Mawarire’s words (ALSO CLICK THE BELOW FULL RECORDING)We have great experienced people in our camp, those who are good at overhauling things, and also those good at killing people, and those who used to steal elections. So now we say why don’t you come join us now so we work together as a mass force? So we work together, because we know how an election is won. The Obert Gutus ( Tsvangirai) had successfully won the elections. We will win.
Meanwhile someone here at one time asked a question saying : “how are you serious about effecting change? ” I say Baba, so you say former supremo Didymus Mutasa who was Minister of CIOs, he would fail to tell us how to play the game well? What will he be there for then? That is the reason why we are keeping him there. You could criticize him and say he did this and that but did he not ask for forgiveness? Even Joice Mujuru, both of them released two statements and said we messed up but please give us an opportunity. This to be more specific is the opportunity we are talking about here. Do not worry if you vote for us we know how power is taken. We have brigadier-generals on our side. You could attack them for what they did during the war and at other times. But when it comes to negotiating power because here people say the Soldiers are the ones who will give trouble. But we have our own soldiers. They will simply order their mates to retire to their homesteads. This is what People First is all about, that is why we are now the only game in town.
FORMER ally turned fierce Robert Mugabe critic, Margaret Dongo has questioned the Zimbabwean leader’s liberation war credentials, insisting he was merely a war prisoner with no proven experience on the battlefront.
She was supported by Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) Masvingo women’s wing executive, Shylet Uyoyo who said this was evidenced by that Mugabe had no known guerrilla name to prove he played any significant part in the struggle.
Dongo was addressing a recent ZimPF rally in Mutare where she sarcastically urged voters to obey Mugabe’s vows Zimbabwe will never be ruled by those who never fought the war.
“The President (Mugabe) said we don’t want the country to be led by people who didn’t fight the war and we don’t have a problem with that. Now we have our very own cadre (Joice Mujuru) who fought in the liberation war,” said Dongo, now a Joice Mujuru admirer.
“So it’s time up for war prisoners to lead the country, we want those who actually fought in the war to be voted into power during the next election.”
Mugabe was a political prisoner under the colonial Rhodesian government from 1964 to 1974.
Although later turning out to become the face of the bitter guerrilla warfare that delivered independence in 1980, there has been no oral or documented history linking the now 92 year-old leader to the holding of a gun.
When his rule came under fierce threat from the opposition MDC, President Mugabe vowed he will never allow the country to be led by non-war veterans.
He was supported by the country’s security commanders who declared in a joint statement 2008 they will never salute any leader who emerged from the country’s elections without any liberation war history.
This was in apparent reference to MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who has posed a real threat to Mugabe’s ambitions to remain the country’s leader. However, Mugabe’s remarks are coming back to haunt him.
Dongo said it was time Zimbabweans dumped former war detainees for a cadre who “held a gun” during the war of independence.
The former Zanu PF legislator and a war veteran who used the nom de guerre, Tichaona Muhondo, broke ranks with the ruling party to form her own party, the Zimbabwe Union for Democrats, now defunct.
She formed a new political entity, Movement for People First mid last year and has thrown her weight behind Mujuru, widow to Zimbabwe’s first military commander and national hero, Solomon Mujuru.
Joice Mujuru was both vice president to the country and Zanu PF before she was dislodged from her lofty positions over dodgy treason and corruption allegations, which she vehemently refuted.
The former VP, whose liberation nom de guerre was “Teurai Ropa (Spill Blood)”, has a proven track record of her deeds during the struggle and is famed for gunning down a Rhodesian army helicopter in Mozambique.
Uyoyo, on her part, argued that while all war veterans had guerrilla names, Mugabe who boasts of “leading” the struggle, had no known nom de guerre.
She said that this proved Mugabe never held a gun during the struggle.
“Mugabe has no war name. Have you ever heard of it?” she questioned, adding that it was time Zimbabweans voted for bona fide war heroes.
“Here we have Teurai Ropa (Joice Mujuru). What’s Mugabe’s war name? He doesn’t have one because he never fought in the war and like he said Zimbabwe should be led by those who fought the war,” said Uyoyo. radio vop
LIVE-REPORT:ZRP cops sexually abused a woman for 5 days after illegally incarcerating her over a bribe demand. SEE VIDEO BELOW.
In yet another harrowing heart-wrenching account of police brutality, ZimEye LIVE talks to a London based woman who was locked by ZRP cops for five days and got sexually abused. The woman who contacted us narrates her ordeal at the hands of the police.. . ALSO CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Police boss Augustine Chihuri’s recent order document issued to all police stations countrywide.
A diaspora group, Zimbabwe Exiles Forum, has issued an announcement to shut down all Zimbabwe’s borders from today in protest against the government’s abuses on citizens beginning with the state’s draconian import ban on domestic vitals.
Below was the full text:
From 8 August 2016 we will close down all commercial activities at all of Zimbabwe’s borders. Please stay home until further notice. We demand that the government of Zimbabwe abolishes Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 which bans imports into Zimbabwe.
We demand that beds, wardrobes, kitchen units, cooking oil, building materials, clothes, and other basic commodities must enter Zimbabwe without hindrance. Top government officials get their goods into the country but ordinary citizens are not allowed.
Kubva musi wa 8 August 2016 kusvika tazokuudzai kuti chifambai musafambe kuyambuka border. Chengetedzai kamari kenyu musakapinze panjodzi.
Kusukela mhlaka 8 August 2016 lingaphumi kwakuphuma ngaphandle kwelizwe. Siyavala amaBorder wonke. Sizolitshela ukuthi liqalise ukuhamba nini.
Churches, Cross Border Traders Associations, civic groups, all organisations advise your members to stay home we’re closing borders. Ana Baba, rambidzai vakadzi venyu kufamba kutanga musi wa8 August 2016.
Abamasonto lenhlangano zama cross border traders nazo zonke izinhlangano jikelele, xwayisani amalunga enu ahlale ezindlini. Siyavala ama border. Bobaba lingawavumeli amakhosikazi enu ukuphuma ezindlini kusukela mhlaka 08 August 2016
Truck Drivers, Bus Drivers, Motorists heed this call. Don’t be a hero for nothing. Stay home or wherever you are starting from the 8th of August 2016.
Batshayeli bamaroli, batshayeli bama bhasi lani lonke batshayeli bezimota sicela ukubambisana kini. Umuntu engabi liqhawe for into engekho. Hlalani ezindlini kumbe noma kukuphi la elizobe likhona kusukela mhlaka 8 August 2016.
All neighbouring countries to Zimbabwe are aware of this stay away. Shops and Customs clearance will be closed in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania e.t.c starting from Monday the 8th of August 2016 till further notice.
Roadport, George Silundika, Newtown, Chigubu, Power House, Parkstation Zimbabwe bay, Lusaka, Francistown, Gaborone and many more around the country and out of the country will be closed starting from the 8th of August 2016 till further notice.
The International Cross-Border Traders Association is also calling all Cross-Border Traders and Shoppers to avoid Zimbabwe borders starting from the 8th of August 2016 till further notice.
No to SI 64, No to import ban. Ahoyi maMbuya Ahoyi… Tikabatana tokunda, singabambana siyanqoba.
Contact Joseph@ +27 63 467 4750
The small Gwanda town has recorded 21 murder cases during the first half of the year, compared to only seven during the same period last year.
BOTTLE stores in Gwanda which operate outside the stipulated times are a death trap as most of the murder cases recorded in the district occur at the drinking spots, a senior police officer has said.
Gwanda district police commander, Chief Superintendent Enock Sibanda revealed this at the re-launch of the ZRP Client Service Charter in Mbembeswana in Kezi on Wednesday.
Although he did not give figures of how many deaths were recorded at the drinking spots, he said the majority of the cases were recorded at bottle stores when they were open beyond the stipulated closing times.
“Murder cases in the district are happening at drinking places. We urge the business community to abide by the Liquor Act. If you have a bottle store it has time to open and close. Let’s follow these regulations. We have discovered that most of the cases happen well out of time. Let’s close our bottle stores at stipulated times,” said Chief Supt Sibanda.
“We know that some businesses are cocktails, restaurants, beer gardens but they are governed by the Liquor Act. “However, other causes of murder are family disputes emanating from love and others blaming each other for practising witchcraft.
“These are small issues which shouldn’t lead to unnecessary loss of lives. Members of the public should seek counselling and desist from taking the law into their own hands.” He said stock theft was another problem in the district, increasing by 12 percent from 297 last year to 334 this year.
Chief Supt Sibanda said there has been a decrease in cases such as assault, theft and unlawful entry and theft. “Generally our district has been performing well in terms of crime and we have continuously received a decrease in some prevalent crimes,” he said. State Media
Morgan Tsvangirai’s US aide, Den Moyo has poured anger over the MDC leader’s Presidential appointment of Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri .
Chamias with Tsvangirai – FILE
Opposition to MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s decision to appoint Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as vice-presidents continues to grow, with branches in the diaspora saying the move showed a lack of judgement.
Tsvangirai appointed Chamisa and Mudzuri as his deputies alongside Thokozani Khupe, who was elected at the 2014 congress.
His appointments were resisted by some senior party officials and a standing committee meeting held a fortnight ago almost degenerated into a fist fight over the decision.
However, Tsvangirai has since whipped his officials into line and they sanitised his appointments in last week’s national executive meeting.
But in a fresh development, the party’s United States of America, United Kingdom and South African branches that have reportedly played a pivotal role in mobilising resources for the cash-strapped labour backed party since its formation in 1999, are livid about the appointments.
They claimed Tsvangirai made a rushed decision without consultations.
In an open letter to Tsvangirai dated August 2, USA province chairperson Den Moyo supported by UK’s Tonderai Samanyanga and South Africa’s Chief Ndlovu, urged the MDC-T leader to reverse the “hurried surreptitious appointments concocted in some smoky backrooms.”
In the emotionally-charged letter, the three demanded an explanation from Tsvangirai over the appointments, failure which the MDC-T leader ran the risk of being labelled tribal, chauvinistic and undemocratic.
Moyo yesterday said although the MDC-T back home had accepted the appointments, he still stood by his position and would now take the issue to the court of public opinion after Tsvangirai failed to respond to his letter.
“I still stand by my letter. President Tsvangirai did not respond to the letter and we still don’t agree to his appointments, hence we are taking the matter to the court of public opinion,” Moyo said.
But Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said the issue of the appointments of VPs was a closed chapter after Wednesday’s national executive meeting.
“MDC is not a WhatsApp party, it has proper organs to deal with issues affecting the party,” Tamborinyoka said.-Standard
Puts Chimene to order…Dube
Mandi Chimene’s troubles are mounting after she was publicly put to order by, Collaborators and Ex-Detainees Minister Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube. Dube has effectively taken a stance of open defiance against First Lady Grace Mugabe, who is widely speculated as the force behind the seeming courage exhibited by the likes of Chimene to attack senior leaders in Zanu PF.
Dube launched a blistering attack on Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Chimene and war veteran George Mlala for trying a hostile takeover of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) leadership.
Rtd Col Dube had no kind words for Chimene and Mlala whom he accused of leading a faction within the ZNLWVA to destablise the association.
He told our Harare Bureau that, “We want factionalism among war veterans to end. I want to put it on record that I do not support what was done by the group led by Mandi Chimene and George Mlala to attempt to take leadership of war veterans without following proper procedures.
“We do not want factionalism among the war veterans that is why we have called for the congress where we expect the input of all the war veterans not just of one faction.”
Efforts to get a comment from Chimene and Mlala were fruitless as their mobile phones went unanswered.
However, Minister Dube’s intervention comes hard on the heels of a High Court order which barred Cdes Chimene, Mlala, Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba, Charles Mpofu, Ester Munyaradzi, Stephen Moyo and Robert Mukwena from masquerading as ZNLWA leaders.
This was after the ZNLWVA had filed an interdict seeking to bar some of its members from claiming leadership of the former freedom fighters’ organisation, saying their move would destabilise the country.
Rtd Col Dube said, “There used to be factions among ex-detainees and ex-restrictees but these were resolved and now they are united. The mandate I was given by President Mugabe was to unite the war veterans. If the war veterans are united it will be easy to take care of their welfare.
“There are a number of commercial projects which we have earmarked for the war veterans but it would be difficult to implement these projects if we do not have one united war veterans body, because we don’t want to be accused of favouring a certain faction.”
Rtd Col Dube said ZNLWVA would soon convene a special congress to elect new leadership to replace the Christopher Mutsvangwa-led executive because the latter’s relations with Zanu-PF has irretrievably broken down.
It has since become complicated for war veterans to work under the current leadership when their chair Mutsvangwa had been expelled from the party.
He went on, “We have asked the war veterans to consult on the congress that they are supposed to have before the end of the year; so that is what they are still doing. At the moment, there are no possible candidates to speak of because consultations are still taking place.
“We want war veterans to be properly constituted, according to the Constitution of Zimbabwe. After that the Ministry will form a board of trustees which will superintendent issues to do with their welfare. This board of trustees shall be in place by next year, we have already sent the blueprint to Cabinet, and so any time from now Cabinet will approve it then we take the document to Parliament for ratification.”
Tsvangirai’s spokesman Tamborinyoka LukeTamborinyoka| President Morgan Tsvangirai dismisses with the contempt it deserves a malicious story in today’s issue of The Sunday News alleging a plot by Vice President Thokozani Khupe and Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora to oust him from the leadership of the party. The story falsely alleges that these two lieutenants of the MDC leader are plotters who schemed to oust the President alleging that he was sick and could not continue with his job.
President Tsvangirai is certain that no such plot exists and would wish to urge Zimbabweans never to believe Zanu PF media on issues to do with the MDC. There is unity in the leadership as witnessed yesterday when President Tsvangirai, his three deputies including Hon. Khupe and SG Mwonzora attended a protest march in Masvingo as the party continues to execute its programmes. The story in The Sunday News is part of the usual drivel driven by the Zanu PF media in the vain hope of causing disaffection in the MDC.
Tough luck to this desperate regime.
For the record, President Tsvangirai retains full confidence in Hon. Khupe and SG Mwonzora. The State media that carried the story today has never and will never be a credible source of the goings-on in the MDC. Vice President Khupe and SG Mwonzora are part of a united MDC leadership that has stood—and continues to stand— by the President as he recovers from indisposition.
No amount of State media malice will divide the party or stop the united MDC leadership from its historical mandate to deliver positive change in the country.
Luke Tamborinyoka
Presidential Spokesperson and Director of Communications
Movement for Democratic Change
MDC vice president Thokozani Khupe is jetting into Harare to en-flame the capital with the beat the pot lava.
Khupe said the women-only #Beatthepot protest against President Robert Mugabe’s misrule will take place in Harare in a fortnight.
Khupe told the Daily News that as women, they were worried about the collapse of Zimbabwe’s economy.
“Women constitute 52 percent of the Zimbabwean population yet hunger and poverty continues to wear the face of a woman 36 years after independence,” she said.
“The current political and economic situation has left women vulnerable and weakened to undertake their duties as care givers to children and as the back-bone of the family institution,” she said.
Khupe added “women have got kitchen utensils but don’t have food to cook so they will use the utensils to make noise in the street for the government to hear”.
“It is in this light that women across the length and breadth of Zimbabwe have decided to say enough is enough, and are now organising themselves to fight the root cause of their hunger and poverty.
The planned Harare #Beatthepot demo will be the second after one held in Bulawayo — Zimbabwe’s second largest city — about two weeks ago.
Nyagomo interacts with Zim Refugees now surviving on the streets Staff Reporter |The President and founder of the Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe, Barbara Nyagomo, currently on a tour to meet party structures in South-Africa has come face to face with the ugly face of poverty endured by Zimbabweans in that country.
Writing at the weekend Nyagomo said she, “spent the day yesterday going round Jo’burg and Pretoria feeding Homeless Zimbabweans. We had sandwiches, Chicken soup and rice. There were blind people, children, Women and men. My heart breaks.”
Millions of Zimbabweans have fled the country into neighbouring South-Africa, in the hope that the grass is greener there, but as the pictures below of Nyagomo’s visit expose, all is not well. Many Zimbabweans are surviving on the streets living off both handouts and rubbish droppings.
Nyagomo is on her way to Zimbabwe where she says she will meet her party structures among a host of other do’s. – ZimEye
Us trip…. Evan Mawarire
Pastor Evan Mawarire of the #ThisFlag movement, will address Zimbabwe’s deepening socio-economic and political crises at a symposium in Washington, DC on August 17.
Mawarire was invited by the Atlantic Council think-tank to “discuss the significance of the campaign and next steps toward securing a peaceful and prosperous future” for Zimbabwe.
The charismatic and influential cleric has lately become a target of President Robert Mugabe, who accuses him of being an agent of Western countries to stir dissonance in Zimbabwe.
Mugabe has blamed particularly France, the U.S. for sponsoring Mawarire to push a regime-change agenda, charges the two have categorically dismissed.
Mawarire has been based in South Africa for the past two weeks or so following his release from jail after a magistrate dismissed treason charges against him.
He says his safety in currently compromised in Zimbabwe; but he has vowed to return.
Still, Mr. Mawarire continues to rally Zimbabweans on social media to dial up protests against Mr. Mugabe’s government for failing to fix the economy and fight endemic graft.
His audacity has put him directly on collision course with the 92-year-old president – the only leader Zimbabwe has known since independence 36 years ago.
“The Mawarires; I don’t even know him and those who believe in that way of living in our country are not part of us in thinking as we try to live together,” Mugabe said recently.
“If they don’t like to live with us let them go to those who are sponsoring them, fine. You can’t urge people to adopt violence violent demonstrations as the way of life or solving grievances, we will say no, forever no.”
Political analyst Nhlanhla Dube commented that while Mawarire’s Washington visit will sure rile Mr. Mugabe and his government, the issues that the cleric is raising are legitimate.- VOA
Opposition activists unite in what is being termed ‘national convergence’ to push Mugabe out DRMASIMBAMAVAZA |The tyranny would evolve from the very character of even a liberal democracy because there is, from the beginning on, a worm in the apple: freedom and equality do not mix, they practically exclude each other. Equality doesn’t exist in nature and therefore can be established only by force. He who wants geographic equality has to dynamite mountains and fill up the valleys. To get a hedge of even height one has to apply pruning shears. To achieve equal scholastic levels in a school one would have to pressure certain students into extra hard work while holding back others.
The first road to totalitarian is the overthrow by force of a liberal democracy through a revolutionary movement, as a rule a party advocating tyranny but unable to win the necessary support in free elections. The stage for such violence is set if the parties represent philosophies so different as to make dialogue and compromise impossible. It is true then to say that wars are the continuation of diplomacy by other means, and in ideologically divided nations revolutions are truly the continuation of parliamentarism with other means. The result is the absolute rule of one “party” which, having finally achieved complete control, might still call itself a party, referring to its parliamentary past, when it still was merely a part of the diet.A totalitarian system never knows that it is totalitarian and will never accept it. However it is equally true that
Those who could not win the elections in current Democratic Zimbabwe will therefore stage a coup with the help of a defeated, marauding and expelled disgruntled misfits in this way established a firm tyranny. Many liberal democracies are enfeebled by party strife to such an extent that revolutionary organizations can easily seize power, and sometimes the citizenry, for a time, seems happy that chaos has come to an end.
The other avenue toward totalitarian tyranny is “free elections.” It can happen that a totalitarian party with great popularity gains such momentum and so many votes that it becomes legally and democratically a country’s master.
How did the same manage to win in this way? The answer is simple: being a mass movement striving for a parliamentary majority, they singled out unpopular minorities (the smaller, the better) and then rallied popular support against them.
Remember that Lenin, Mussolini, and Hitler called their rule “democratic but they never dared to call it “liberal” in the worldwide sense.
This simply comes about through the ballot and can happen in any country where a party pledged to totalitarian rule gains a relative or absolute majority and thus takes over the government “democratically.”
There is the “popular leader” who takes to heart the interest of the “simple people,” of the “ordinary, decent fellow” against the crafty rich. He is widely acclaimed by the many and builds up a body guard only to protect himself and, of course, the interests of the “people.”
In the Name of the People every abuse will be done in the name of the people. Which people??? People can be beaten killed all in the name of people.
All this implies that in earlier times only the elites had a chance to govern and that now, at long last, the common man is the master of his destiny able to enjoy the good things in life! It matters little that the realities are quite different.
A very high-ranking Soviet official recently said to a European prince: “Your ancestors exploited the people, claiming that they ruled by the Grace of God, but we are doing much better, we exploit the people in the name of the people.”
He envisaged a democratic government in which nearly all human affairs would be regulated by a mild, “compassionate” but determined government under which the citizens would practice their pursuit of happiness as “timid animals,” losing all initiative and freedom.
We are in a“democratic despotism.” The road to anarchy usually terminates in military dictatorships in order to prevent total dissolution), whereas the nation while keeping all democratic appearances, tend to founder in totalitarian welfare bureaucracy.
This process can be much more paralyzing than a mere personal dictatorship, military or otherwise, without an ideological and totalitarian character.
How the gradual change toward totalitarian servitude can come about?
It is when parties are rarely utterly defeated, but they sometimes defeat themselves by featuring hopeless candidates or causing political turmoil or economic disaster in this disaster they tell the people that they will be fine and they put the blame on the tree off the road for causing an accident.
Gifts cannot be distributed without bureaucratic regulation, registration, and regimentation of the entire country. Countless strings are attached to the gifts received from “above.” The State interferes in all domains of human existence—education, health, transportation, communication, entertainment, food, commerce, industry, farming, building, employment, inheritance, social life, birth, and death including going to the toilet.
There are two aspects to this large-scale interference: statism and egalitarianism, yet they are intrinsically connected since to regiment society perfectly, you must reduce people to an identical level. Thus, a “classless society” becomes the real aim, and every kind of discrimination must come to an end.
Yet, egalitarian democracy remains adamant in its totalitarian policy. The popular pastime of modern democracies of punishing the diligent and thrifty, while re warding the lazy, improvident, and unthrifty, is cultivated via the State, fulfilling a demo-egali-tarian program based on a demo-totalitarian ideology.
Democratic tyranny, evolving on the sly as a slow and subtle corruption leading to total State control, is thus the third and by no means rarest road to the most modern form of slavery. When all this starts happening it shows that the centre is falling off.
Yes our country is in the same doll drums. [email protected]
Peter Mandelson met Chinamasa in Feb By Telegraph, UK | Lord Mandelson met Robert Mugabe’s finance minister in Zimbabwe five months before the investment bank where the Labour peer works sought to help the regime borrow $1.1 billion, The Telegraph can disclose.
Lord Mandelson, who chairs Lazard International, a division of the investment bank Lazard, visited Zimbabwe in February when he met Mr Mugabe’s finance minister, Patrick Chinamasa.
On July 6, Mr Chinamasa held what he called “marathon meetings” with Lazard and another bank in London on a $1.1 billion loan.
Lord Mandelson has denied his visit was in any way linked to Lazard’s proposed bail out. However, the timing of his meeting is likely to raise questions as within Zimbabwe the deal is highly controversial.
A spokesman for Lord Mandelson said he was “not playing nor has he played any role in advising the Zimbabwean government either through Lazard or any other interest”.
The spokesman described the purpose of Lord Mandelson’s trip to Zimbabwe as being instead to meet “representatives of the business community and civil society to encourage them to continue the process of reform”.
The Foreign Office “encouraged and supported” Lord Mandelson’s visit.
Catriona Laing, the British Ambassador in Zimbabwe, arranged his appointment with Mr Chinamasa and accompanied Lord Mandelson to see the minister. Sources said this meeting did not take place on behalf of Lazard, nor did it lead to any introductions.
Unable to pay civil servants or run its own ministries, Mr Mugabe’s regime is desperately trying to raise $1.1 billion to settle its arrears with the World Bank. This would, in turn, open the door to a bailout from the International Monetary Fund.
Lazard is understood to be working with Afreximbank, a Cairo-based bank, to raise the loan.
Mr Chinamasa told the state media that his talks in London “centred on the strategy which they have committed to putting together for us on the arrears due to the World Bank”.
He added: “They have put together a syndication of banks to address the World Bank arrears. With this understanding and commitment from Afreximbank and Lazard, we are now definitely on course to fulfilling what we set out in our arrears clearance strategy. I can safely say that everything is now on course.”
Lazard declined to comment on its dealings with Zimbabwe.
Lord Mandelson became chairman of Lazard International in October 2012, two years after Labour lost office and he relinquished his final cabinet job as First Secretary of State.
Bailing out Mr Mugabe’s regime is intensely controversial in Zimbabwe. The 92-year-old dictator has led his country into economic calamity and political repression, allowing his allies to torture and murder opponents and rig elections.
State media claims these three women want Tsvangirai out, have forged a political alliance, that of Mushonga, Mujuru, and Khupe
The under siege Vice President of the Movement for Democratic Change, Thokozani Khupe, has scoffed at state media allegations which say her “plan to topple party leader Morgan Tsvangirai has failed”.
In an exclusive interview with ZimEye.com, Khupe responds to the state media reports, gives her position on the appointment of two more VP’s and her views on the role of women in politics.
Damning allegations against Khupe which have also been doing rounds on social media are that she had forged an alliance with the People First leader, Joice Mujuru who would be President in an alliance set up in which Khupe herself would deputise the former Zanu PF leader.
Khupe is alleged in the weekend state media reports, to have secretly forged an alliance with Mujru and was behind the scenes in the donor community discrediting Tsvangirai on the basis of recent health challenges he is struggling with.
Speaking exclusively to ZimEye, Khupe said: “I don’t have any comment. All l can say is that God is the only one who knows who is doing what and who is not doing anything. Let them dream on.”
The state run paper claimed that Khupe planned to use stolen records of Tsvangirai’s health to discredit him to the donor community.
It alleged saying “sources said Ms Khupe allegedly met Mr Jesse Louis Jackson, a once Democratic presidential nomination candidate and an American civil rights activist in Morocco where she told him that Tsvangirai was sick and could not lead the party.”
It went further to make damning allegations against the former trade union leader, Khupe, “They held a secret meeting in South Africa without the president’s knowledge with Mujuru together with the Swedish government officials and they agreed on a plan to make Mujuru the presidential candidate and the Swedish government was persuaded to give money for Tsvangirai’s retirement.”
It further alleged quoting an unnamed MDC source; “Khupe held a meeting in Morocco with Rev Jessie Jackson where she told him about Tsvangirai’s weaknesses which include being fond of women and that he was ill. The Rev went on to report the issue to the state department and the president (Tsvangirai) was told by someone working in the state department.”
Khupe however, did not respond to ZimEye’s questions as to whether she had traveled to Morocco recently, but on her relationship with Tsvangirai she said, ” I don’t have any problem with the President.
“I will always support him at the same time l want things done in the letter and spirit of our founding values that is what ever we do as a party must be done democratically and constitutionally.”
Tsvangirai much to the chagrin of many who have respected him as a grounded democrat, recently unilaterally appointed two more Vice Presidents to the party leadership, bulldozing their endorsement through party leadership weeks later. A nonchalant Tsvangirai addressed hundreds of party supporters in Masvingo yesterday flanked by the three Vice Presidents, who now include Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri. On the appointments Khupe cautiously responded; ” I don’t have any comment like l said what ever we do as a party must be done democratically and constitutionally.”
When asked about the challenges faced by women in politics like herself Khupe told ZimEye, ” Women must unite and fight for their spaces in the political arena and that women must be treated with dignity and respect just like any other person.”
Churches demonstrating against government recently..
Churches have come out strongly to warn President Robert Mugabe to keep his hands off the “body of God”.
The churches have boldly told Mugabe he cannot cow them through his public attacks, instead they will follow their consciences and do what is right for the children of Zimbabwe.
Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe president, Shingi Munyeza said since time immemorial, the church had been instrumental in national politics and attempts by Mugabe to cow them now after they demanded good governance would not work.
“The views of the president of the Republic are his and this does not deter the church from playing its role. Our role is to continue speaking truth to power in love,” he said.
“The church will not sit back and watch while the lives of people become more threatened and survival of the common man and woman is no longer guaranteed.
“Isaiah faced the same challenge and this is what he had to say; Isaiah 62:1, ‘For Zion’s sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns.’”
Two weeks ago, Mugabe threatened to deal ruthlessly with church leaders who were critical of his rule after youthful cleric, Evan Mawarire had led a massive stayaway demanding that government put an end to endemic corruption and deal with problems facing the economy.
But the calls by the church have been met with threats that brutal force would be used to silence them by an increasingly restive Mugabe.
Pulling no punches, Mugabe threatened Mawarire, who is the face of #ThisFlag movement — an online-based movement fighting for social justice and good governance — with unspecified action and even told him to leave Zimbabwe.
Munyeza, who has also challenged Mugabe and his Zanu PF regime through the same platform, said the involvement of the church in national politics “ is always and should always be led by four core values which are non-partisan, non-violence, constitutionality and God fearing”.
“The church is where opposing parties in politics converge for the sole purpose of worshipping God,” he said.
“A partial approach by the church will inevitably injure its credibility.
“Often the church’s non-violent approach can be confused to mean it is condoning abuses by those in political power and hence the perception of partiality.
“1 Kings 1:11-12, So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, ‘Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.’
“We are currently at the same juncture in our nation and it’s imperative [that] the church brings the prophetic voice which cannot be ignored,” Munyeza stated.
During a meeting of a splinter group of war veterans, Mugabe threatened Mawarire and other like-minded church leaders, telling them to stay away from national politics.
But Mawarire fired back at the veteran ruler, saying he would not be silenced.
The heads of Christian denominations comprising EFZ, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference and Zimbabwe Council of Churches, have also spoken out against government’s shortcomings.
Prophetic Healing and Deliverance ministries founder, Walter Magaya, United Family International church leader Emmanuel Makandiwa and Tavonga Vutabwashe, leader of Heartfelt International Ministries among others, have all expressed their unhappiness over the direction the country is taking. Standard
Once the war vets depended on Mugabe’s patronage, they have now fallen out
As Zimbabwe marks heroes day celebrations the war between President Robert Mugabe and former liberation fighters has reached dangerous levels, with analysts positing he is the biggest loser, as his long hold onto power comes to en end.
It is symbolic that this time round as in previous years Zimbabweans have nothing to celebrate with Mugabe on a relentless onslaught against the men and women who sacrificed to bring Zimbabwe independence, only expediting the momentum for his removal. War vets have been pivotal in Mugabe’s political survival, they have campaigned for him even committed atrocities to keep him there.
Weekend papers report Mugabe will be the biggest loser in the raging war of attrition against war veterans after his storm-troopers pulled a shocker last month and told him to step down.
Mugabe reacted to the rejection with fury and ordered a crackdown on leaders of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veteran Associations (ZNLWVA) over their communiqué that described him as a dictator and a failed leader.
ZNLWVA chairman Christopher Mutsvangwa, his deputy Headmen Moyo, secretary-general Victor Matemadanda, spokesperson Douglas Mahiya and political commissar Francis Nhando were fired from Zanu PF last week.
Research and Advocacy Unit chairperson Lloyd Sachikonye said war veterans had been key in keeping Mugabe in power and the fallout would leave the 92-year-old ruler exposed.
“What is happening at the moment is a product of what has been happening over the past 10 years. The succession issue is central to the fighting,” he said.
“Until it is sorted out, the tension between the political leadership and war veterans will continue. If you read their communiqué, you will see that the issue of succession is central.
“War veterans have been very active in supporting and campaigning for Zanu PF in the past five elections and the party has been winning elections,” Sachikonye added.
“If they were to maintain their position that they will not campaign for Zanu PF in 2018, it will be a disadvantage to Zanu PF.”
Southern African Political and Economic Series (Sapes) Trust director Ibbo Mandaza said war veterans had for a long time been Mugabe’s weapon against opposition parties.
He said without that weapon, Mugabe would increasingly have to fight to maintain his grip on power.
“He lost a major ally. Since the [former war veterans leader Chenjerai] Hunzvi days to the land reforms and the violent elections, the war veterans have been his ally, if not a weapon, through which the opposition was under siege. Mugabe will lose the most,” Mandaza said.
Human Rights Watch senior researcher Dewa Mavhinga weighed in, saying Mugabe would unlikely survive without the support of war veterans.
“The war veterans’ fallout is definitely the end of a relationship in which Mugabe mainly used the war veterans to prop his political career,” he said.
“Now that the war veterans have opened their eyes to see the oppression of Mugabe’s rule, they have become an inconvenience that Mugabe wants to get rid of,” he said.
“It is unlikely that Mugabe will himself survive without the support from the war veterans who have been his pillar since the liberation struggle days. This is the end.”
Harare-based political analyst Gladys Hlatywayo said the fallout between Mugabe and war veterans was good for democracy.
“It is an end of an era. War veterans have been a pillar of support for the Zanu PF regime for many years,” he said.
“They helped in creating the autocrat in our midst. It is unfortunate that it took them so many years to realise that Mugabe was on an ego trip.
“Nevertheless, their agitation helps to push the democratisation agenda forward.
“One hope is that they will not just push for changes in faces of people but for a total overhaul of this authoritarian system into a more democratic governance system that respects the rule of law and derives its legitimacy from the governed.
“Mugabe, therefore, stands to lose in a big way because these are some of the people he has been using to retain power, especially in rural areas.”
War veterans were instrumental in keeping Mugabe in power in 2008 after he lost the first round of the presidential elections to MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai was forced to pull out of the run-off poll after Zanu PF launched a violent campaign against the opposition.
The campaign was led by the former fighters and left tens of MDC-T supporters dead, while thousands were displaced by the violence.
War veterans were also instrumental in the often violent land reform programme that displaced the majority of the country’s white commercial farmers.
Paul Westwood PART 1 | In a shocking case of spiritual abuse, British businessman, Paul Westwood was ripped off by a Zimbabwean pastor from Celebration Ministries, Hammarskjold Banda.
Westwood had in trust appointed Banda and the pastor’s wife, Brendally co signatories in his company, a loophole that effectively granted the two super-powers to do whatever they wanted because there were presently only three bank signatories set up: Westwood, Pastor Banda and the preacher’s wife. Pastor Banda who anointed Paul Westwood before “stealing” his company
That default led to the married couple operationally seizing the company from Mr Westwood in a tragic corporate take over leading to Pastor Banda surreptitiously trading off half of the company to Karoi businessman Temba Mliswa for which Pastor Banda soon began charging Westwood for alleged fraud. Below is the full unedited story in Mr Westwood’s own words:
By Paul Westwood | FULL TEXT
Dear ZimEye.
Thank you for coming back to me, much appreciated.
I apologise for sending you tonnes of documentation and proof but the more you know the greater the truth can be exposed for the world to read! Knowledge is power.
Here are the FACTS in summary:
I met Hammarskjold Banda in 1995 as he applied for a job as a sales rep at Harare Toyota. The human resources manager said Banda did not have the qualifications for the position but I stated” everyone deserves a chance in life” so we gave him a chance.
Banda was a hard working young man at the time. Very diplomatic, always punctual, well dressed and a great sales rep. He spoke very highly of his church and encouraged me to come along but I was not ready for the transformation at the time.
I left Harare Toyota in 1999 after a very successful career as Sales Manager to go and set up Motor City Toyota a new franchise which was owned by Duly’s at the time. I set up all the systems and structures and built offices upstair as the dealership was too small for the forecasted volumes. Seke road was an ideal location and soon Motor City Toyota was the market leader in terms of sales volumes of vehicles, parts, and service hours.
An opportunity came up for me to buy my own franchise in January 2000. I borrowed money and bought Nuffield Toyota. It was situated on Douglas road with 7000 metres of prime space. I installed state of the art equipment in the workshops, hoists, wheel alignment machines, balancing machines, brake machines, lathe machines, machine room, I built a fuel station on the property with two underground tanks, (One for diesel, one for petrol) as I made sure my customers had a full tank of fuel when they bought vehicles from me (Fuel was short at the time). I had a bonded warehouse on site as well as our own in house panel beating.
Sales started to fall as “grey imports” well becoming more popular with the customer but I could not sell them due to the fact that I had a Toyota franchise. In 2005 I decided to sell Nuffield Toyota, lock, stock and barrel to Croco Motors (I negotiated the deal through lawyers with Farai Matsika and Moses Ngwenya who decided to buy the entire business.
This allowed me to focus on my vision of becoming “The leading one stop shop in S.A.D.C.” and Noshio Motors was born. It was common knowledge I was very, very rich in the market place! I bought property, placed money on the stock exchange, bought stock vehicles and found premises at the old Hyundai building along Coventry road. It was at this point that Hammarskjold Banda approached me to be partners in the business!! I knew I could not build an empire alone so I agreed to work with Banda as I knew he had potential and believed he would be a great asset for the company and future. On the 20 May 2005 I bought and paid for a shelf company Noshio Investments which was trading as Noshio Motors. Banda NEVER gave me any money as he had none as he was out of work at the time!
On Fathers Day 2005 Hammarskjold Banda asked me to come to his Church for a Fathers Day special. It was on this day I dedicated my life to God and got “Born Again”. My spiritual journey from Saul to Paul had begun! I TRUSTED Hammarskjold Banda and his wife Brendaly Banda and believed we were part of a family now, The Kingdom family… I got baptised, did entering the Kingdom (Banda was my teacher) walking free, equipping track, purple book, mountain top marriages and majoring in men (All Christian foundational teachings as I wanted to become a Pastor myself due to my thirst for Jesus)(I was a young naïve baby Christian)
I allowed Brendaly Banda to become the Finance and Administration Manager as well as making her a signatory at the bank. (Hammarskjold Banda and his wife could sign together or myself and Brendaly Banda or Hammarskjold Banda and myself!! Very big mistake on my part!!) Brendaly Banda went about issuing the share certificates 51% to Banda and 51% to my self. I financed the whole start up of the company by buying special tools and equipment, motor vehicles for the company, computers, furniture, and much more, with the agreement that Banda would pay me back over a 5 year period!! I didn’t really need the money and I thought I was helping a brother in Christ out. (I honestly believed that Banda would do the same for me)
Hammarskjold Banda and his wife became Pastors at Celebration Churchin May 2006. Banda was a senior Pastor and armour bearer for Pastor Tom. I was very happy for both of them. I was asked to get involved in the church and be involved in Action committee which I humbly accepted. This was very time consuming which meant I would be away from work a lot. I believed in my heart and mind the Banda’s would be good stewards of what God had entrusted them with and look after my company, after all Hammarskjold Banda had still not paid for his shares.
In June 2007 I was asked to vacate the premises along Coventry road which belonged to old mutual. My lease was coming to an end and they wanted to use their property. At this point I approached a friend of my father and asked if we could merge Benbar with Noshio Motors. He told me they were actually looking to sell the business. I negotiated a price. Noshio Motors (Not Banda) paid half the amount with commissions received from Thailand (I sent you all the sales the company did, as well as all the commissions the company received) I used my personal property as collateral. I had put a deposit down on a house which I had agreed with the owner I would pay off on a “rent to buy scheme”.
Banda was living in a one roomed flat on 4th street. He then moved to Mabelreign but went too the Jesuits and lied to them claiming he was “homeless” and they offered him a home in Groombridge to rent (Which the company paid rent for). He stayed in that home for about six months but the Jesuits found out he lied and evicted him. I went to see them as they were a very big customer of mine. They warned me Banda was a conman. I was offered a house in Borrowdale which I let Banda go view. He moved in (Company paid for rent, zesa, water, fuel, servants, school fees, clothing allowance, groceries, and much more) Banda had a house warming as he was a Pastor and Cell Leader at the church now. He told the cell members the house was his and they ALL brought gifts as offerings thinking the Lord has blessed Banda abundantly as he told them he and his wife owned Benbar and Noshio Motors too!!
I had a major back operation in 2007
As a shareholder/Owner/Director of my company I had employed “competent. hardworking and TRUSTWORTHY” people to run my business successfully, especially Pastors Hammarskjold Banda and His wife Brendaly. Banda’s sister in-law also worked at the company (She had an affair with Dennis Ngorima and have a child together) Banda employed his cousins and cell members at my company but I did not mind at the time as we had a covenant with Jesus and everyone had the same principles as me like Honesty, Character, Integrity Compassion and Credibility. When I came back to work I realised something was not right!1
My fathers friend wanted his payment and the company could not pay nor could Banda!! I ended up using my personal property as payment for BENBAR which meant I actually owned the shares 100% now in terms of capital injection.
On 22 October 2009 I went to see the company Lawyer Shepard Makonyere and told him exactly what was going on. He advised me due to the fact that I am major shareholder I have the authority to suspend Mrs Benda which he highly recommended. I did so,and told her to leave the premises immediately. She tried to take the laptop which I told her to leave. As soon as she left I managed to get a copy of the computers hard drive for auditing purposes. 30 minutes later Mrs Banda came back with the Police claiming I had stolen her laptop. I gave the laptop to the company Lawyer who kept it in trust as evidence.
Banda was in SA at the time “buying stock” and raced home to defend his wife. He refused to come to work and held the company to ransom to “pay me back” for suspending his wife. I had a meeting with Banda which I recorded on is on my Affadavit (All he said was he would walk away and sign over the shares to me) I had a potential investor ready and waiting to inject capital into my company. Next thing I know on the 18 December 2009 at 4pm Hammarskjold Banda and Brendaly Banda drive into my company with Temba Mliswa, Martin Mutasa, Alfred Mwatiwamba, Nigel Godknows Murambirwa (Illigitimate son of Didymus Mutasa) and George Marere.
Temba said “I have a “Banda Trust” in my hand and in line with indigenisation, I now OWN this company! The President is well aware that I am here. If you challenge me Paul, I will make you disappear and you will never see you wife and kids again”. This was a very well thought out, planned, orchestrated and timed plan, as the workers were waiting for Banda to come and sign the cheque so I could pay the a bonus, say thank you and let them go on their well deserved Christmas break. (Mrs Banda was running the payroll and giving herself, her sister (Who was still suspended, pending the audit report) her husband and others a bonus plus 3 months salary from the time she was suspended)
I handed the keys over to Mliswa and left with my wife who witnessed the whole thing. I was ordered to a meeting at Meikles hotel on Saturday 19 December by Mliswa (Who did not pitch up) to meet with his Lawyer Gerald Mlotchwa so I could sign some documents to acknowledge Temba Mliswa as a Shareholder/Director/Chairman/Owner of my company. To this day I have NEVER acknowledged Mliswa as anything but a criminal. The ONLY other “Shareholder” I acknowledge is Banda although he has never actually paid for his shares by way of injecting capital.
I made a police report on 22 December 2009. I was not allowed to go back to my company in 2009 as Mliswa hired bouncers to make me disappear.
A search was done at the deeds office in February 2010 by Victor Zvogbo who was my Lawyer at the time. NO such “BANDA TRUST” exists!! This so called trust must be in existence 14 days prior to Mliswa coming to my company BUT I have to be notified in writing to agree to this and more importantly the shares have to be offered to me 1st…Banda cannot mortgage, sell, donate, transfer or any other his shares without calling for a board meeting whereby a resolution must be passed in favour of said transaction!!
I have always stated Mliswa was brought in to cover up Banda’s theft, the audit, the fraud and everything else Banda and his wife did during their tenure at my company. Mliswa was Mafia, powerful, rich, very aggressive and politically well connected and the Banda’s knew this!! This was a racially motivated HATE crime due to the fact that I was a foreign investor and Temba Mliswa was Provincial Governor of Mashonaland West at the time.
I was NEVER going to win as I am white, I was right and I am British . Mliswa used the system and uncle Didymus Mutasa (Who was the 3rd most powerful man in Zimbabwe at the time) to make sure he was “acquitted” and I would lose my entire investment which I worked so hard to build since I was 16 years old whilst doing my apprenticeship at W.S.Craster. Mliswa is above the law and untouchable today, but there is a tomorrow!1
What Mliswa did was illegal, immoral, unconstitutional, unethical, against my Human and property rights. I was forced to flee the country due to death threats on my life and left EVERYTHING behind. ZANU-PF and the Zimbabwe Government should have protected the workers (Some of whom had been at the company from the time of it’s inception) and myself as a foreign investor.
I am not asking for diamonds or Ferraris but for justice through compensation from ZANU-PF the ZIMBABWE Government, Temba Mliswa, Didymus Mutasa and ALL parties concerned who benefitted from the illegal seizure of my company.
I trust you have a much better understanding now along with the facts and proof I sent you so the TRUTH can come out for the world to see.
May I take this opportunity to thank you for everything you have done and continue to do for my family and I in our quest for justice and closure so we can move on with our lives, we really appreciate ALL your efforts.
Yours Sincerely
Paul
cop swipe…Joice Mujuru
Attempts by police to block a rally by former vice-president Joice Mujuru in President Robert Mugabe’s backyard fell flat after the High Court reversed a last minute ban of the Zimbabwe People First gathering in Chinhoyi.
The town was yesterday morning teeming with hordes of riot police deployed to crush Mujuru’s rally at Gadzema grounds after the law enforcement agents banned the meeting on Friday night, citing lack of manpower.
Interestingly, the police who had cited lack of manpower for the ban, beefed up security which descended on the venue to order ZimPF supporters to disperse.
Water cannons deployed from Harare were spotted moving around Chinhoyi, apparently to intimidate residents intending to attend the rally.
But attempts to bar the rally, which had initially been cleared for July 26 by officer commanding Makonde district, Chief Superintendent Grace Ndou, were dismissed by the courts.
Over 5 000 ZimPF supporters trooped back to the venue where they were addressed by Mujuru after the court ruling.
ZimPF lawyer and Mujuru’s spokesperson Gift Nyandoro said High Court judge Justice Joseph Musakwa granted them permission “after the State consented following some interrogation”.
Speaking at the rally, Mujuru said working as Mugabe’s deputy had been a “living hell”.
“If you work with Mugabe, it’s a living hell. Those still working with him know what I’m talking about. He is the biggest male chauvinist,” she said.
The former VP also took a dig at First Lady Grace Mugabe, labelling her “garrulous.” She said the first family was not qualified to comment on issues affecting war veterans as none of them was ever at the war front.
Mujuru challenged Mugabe to tell the world his nom-de guerre.
She warned the 92-year-old Zanu PF strongman against causing the arbitrary arrest, detention and harassment of war veterans.
“War vets are not stupid, don’t mistake their silence for foolishness,” she said.
“Mugabe is deliberately turning holding cells and prisons into war vets houses while their places of leisure are now the courts.”
Mujuru took a swipe at the police for being used by politicians and urged them to be professional in discharging their duties.
She said the 2018 elections were around the corner and the same police would serve her government.
“What the police should realise is that they don’t belong to individuals or a party because after 2018 they will serve the new government of People First,” said Mujuru
“I hear that the district [police] commander is a woman and she wants to impress her boss Ignatious Chombo [Home Affairs Minister] by denying us the venue. This time we will not allow that. We have been quite for too long.”
Mujuru said opposition parties had to come together if Mugabe was to be removed from power.
“Each man for himself does not work. We must come together, all political parties, business people and those from the church and fight our common enemy, old Mugabe. Together we will make it to the promised land,” she said.
Mujuru, who was clad in khaki fatique and a green cap, said her government would institute a proper land audit to do away with multiple farm owners and investigate the source of wealth of some government officials who were building mansions amid a sea of poverty affecting the general populace.
A counter attraction rally organised by Zanu PF failed as it attracted less than 500 people. Standard
suicide…Supa Mandiwanzira
President Robert Mugabe’s in-law relative and current Information Communications Minister Supa Mandiwanzira has committed legal suicide. He has sold himself to a self-crucifying bill that will see him being the first to be slapped behind bars for a 5 year incarceration period with no optional sentence.
Mandiwanzira is crafting a bill which will see those “who the state believes” are abusing social media to force for regime change go for up to give years in jail without any optional sentence.
This is contained in Mandiwanzira’s draft legislation being prepared by the Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister.
Analysts predict that the bill will create chaos as ZANU PF members will use it to viciously tear into each other as the fractious party struggles to hold together.
According to the draft Computer Crime and Cyber Crime Bill, police will be allowed to intercept private communications and to search and seize electronic gadgets used by people who they suspect to be using social media to mobilise against government.
But before he finalises the papers as ZimEye.com reveals, Mandiwanzira is already the first top of the pile of criminals on his proposed bill having himself abused social media to effect regime change for 5 years to date. In 2013, the Minister utilised social media to remove the Zimbabwean regime and replace it with the current one. He even vocalised it before a media panel. He at present runs another regime change radio station Zifm that furthermore seeks to change the regime in 2018 in his family’s favour.
Dear ZimEye.
Every day if one goes through Zimbabwean independent newspapers, they will find out that almost on daily basis police are blamed for violating some human rights. In most cases human rights are violated by police in trying to stop peaceful demonstrations. In most cases the force used to quell the demonstrations is regarded to be excessive and uncalled for.
Most people attribute the police behaviour to lack of enough training. I would like to put the record straight in relation to this matter:
The way the police responds to to these peaceful demonstrations clearly shows the behavior of ZANU PF. There are days our police force takes instructions directly from ZANU pf. If one fails to take instructions from ZANU pf, at the end of the day they are fired from the police without benefits. An example of situations where police take instructions from ZANU pf is where opposition political parties apply for permission to hold a rally or gathering. The police are given clear instructions to deny permission to the hosting of all the opposition political gatherings even if it is clear that the courts would eventually sanction the holding of the gathering.
You find out that reasons for not granting permission include “police have no manpower to monitor the rally” but when authority is granted by the court, more than enough manpower is deployed.
I would like therefore to urge opposition political parties, civic group, human Rights defenders and the international community to put in place a fund. The fund can be used to compensate police officers, army officers etc who are fired for disobeying unlawful orders. Most civil servants take home a paltry $20 000.00 as pension after working for more that 20 years. They take unlawful instructions in order to guarantee the receipt of that money at the end of the day.
Mliswa with Jacobs Zuma’s aide Zizi Kodwa
A ZANU PF Member who is also Kariba Resident Chairman, Sam Mawawo has defected to Temba Mliswa’s YARD.
Mawawo made the revelation in an announcement as he declared that he will be campaigning for Temba Mliswa in Norton by elections.
“Masendu its obvious, that, I’m the campaign strategist Ku YARD. And it is obvious that for the next 3 months also I will be in full swing mu Norton, imomo” said Mawawo.
Contacted for a comment, Mawawo told ZimEye.com, he is delighted to be Mliswa’s election agent and will use his experience to monitor the polls. “I’m going to use my technical election tricks we were taught during my stint with ZANU PF, and monitor all areas for fraud that may arise,” he said.
He added, “Ours is to show President Mugabe the reality on the ground, that people are hungry for change.
“It is too difficult for His Excellency to get correct information within the Zimbabwean Majority.
People have suffered enough…,” he said.
warning…Gen Constantine Chiwenga
Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Constantino Chiwenga has heeded calls by Masvingo Provincial Minister Shuvai Mahofa for him to take charge of political affairs.
Chiwenga warned opposition elements bent on fomenting turmoil, and Zanu-PF infiltrators seeking to destroy the party from within, that the country’s security services will not sit and watch as they plot chaos.
In an interview with the state media ahead of the 2016 Heroes and Defence Forces holidays, Chiwenga said the military had a constitutional role to preserve the integrity of the Republic and revolution.
He said: “We were reading mapepa paakatanga kuti ‘when you want to destroy Zanu-PF you need to do it from within’.
“Vaitiudza kuti kuchazoita vamwe vechidiki vanofanirwa kutonga. Hazvina kunyorwa here? Munoti tanga tisingazvioni? Hazvisizvo here zvirikuitika? Ngatidye sadza zvakanaka.”
The general also said: “Kana wada kutonga enda kuvanhu. We are a democratic country.
“We are commemorating Heroes Day; that is blood that was shed and it’s time to reflect. Ropa iroro harina kurasikira mahara. Those people died for you and me.
“Some of us survived the war not because we were the best kana kuti tanga takangwara. No. We survived so that we can bear witness to how this country was liberated …
“Many of those who did not make it to Zimbabwe were the real fighters and some of the celebrated cowards who only saw the border when going into Mozambique and coming back at Independence and never during combat, ndivo vakuzviisa pamberi manje.
“This nonsense of someone who was at a refugee camp or was a cleaner moving around telling people that he or she fought in the struggle is just that – nonsense. Wakarwa hondo kupi?
“Vanhu ngavapute mbanje dzavo zvakanaka, hazvirambidzwi. Kana ririshave rekumusha kwenyu it’s ok, putayi ikoko – don’t disturb us because we have lost thousands of innocent sons and daughters.”
On a “communique” attributed to war veterans which claimed liberation fighters had withdrawn their support for President Mugabe, Gen Chiwenga said a few rogue elements could not tarnish the broader collective.
“When a clique or infiltrators comes in, do you move around saying everyone has rebelled? War veterans start from the President himself down to the last cadre…”
He said a simple look at the leadership of the war veterans association showed none of them were members of the General Staff or High Command during the liberation struggle.
The General Staff were like the middle management, overseeing matters on the ground, and reported to the High Command.
“If we have one rogue war veteran it doesn’t mean everyone is a rogue,” he said.
On those sowing seeds of instability via social media, the ZDF Commander said it was strange that activists and church leaders now thought they were now “more revolutionary than Zanla and Zipra at the height of the liberation war”.
He said the nation should concentrate on development issues instead of brewing unnecessary chaos.
“The issue of shutting the country’s borders is nonsense, it is absolute nonsense. Vanhu ngavaende kudzimba vanodya sadza ravo vakazvigarira. Shutting the borders to please who?” he asked.
He brushed off claims that the ZDF was politically biased, saying: “We went to the struggle and brought Independence and today you cannot say I must shut my mind and completely forget where I came from.
“That’s what our Constitution says. Everyone contributed to writing the Constitution and it says we (the ZDF) shall uphold the Constitution.
“We are apolitical to the extent that we leave you to do what you like but the moment you threaten the sovereignty of the country, then you threaten that very Constitution.
“Please don’t expect us to sit and watch. We are there to protect the people and that’s what we are saying and will do.
Gen Chiwenga said an appreciation of the country’s history would aid the development agenda.
“We have our friends, the Chinese. They are where they are because of their Founding Father, Chairman Mao. Look at the Russians, even if the current leadership is not communist, they respect their Founding Father, Lenin.
“Isu muno tina VaMugabe vedu, ndoovatakabva nawo. He is the Founding Father of this country and it shall remain so.”
nasty end-game…Robert Mugabe
“Robert Mugabe has put the last nail on his coffin”… and he has to fall by Tuesday next week, says the famous Kariba based pastor Phillip Mugadza. FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW:
In police custody for wearing gowns at cricket match
Politics and sport intermingled at the cricket match between New Zealand and Zimbabwe today, with a fine line being drawn between waving the Zimbabwe flag as an act of patriotism or one of outright defiance. Police have charged Jenni Williams on an unclear charge they defined as criminal nuisance.
While the cricket match between New Zealand and Zimbabwe went on, there were reports of Zimbabweans being arrested on various spurious grounds, such as wearing a graduation gown or simply waving a Zimbabwe flag.
Among those arrested at Queens Sports Club were; Samuel Meso, Kudzai Hove, Gift Ostallos Siziba and Rodwell Nyika who were allegedly wearing graduation gowns during the Zimbabwe New Zealand cricket match at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Also arrested were WOZA leaders who police at the first arrested on what they termed ‘a preventive measure’ lest they should commit a crime. Williams and other WOZA leaders remain in jail until Monday hopefully when they appear in court.
While the #thisgown protesters were later released without charge, Williams is on an unclear charge termed ‘criminal nuisance.’
However, as far as the game went New Zealand it is reported took control of the second test after reaching 206-1 against Zimbabwe at tea on the first day at Queens Sports Club.
New Zealand’s charge was led by openers Martin Guptil (87) and Tom Latham (78 not out). They put together 169 runs for the first wicket before Guptil fell leg before wicket to seamer Donald Tiripano, after blasting 11 boundaries and one six.
Captain Kane Williamson (30 not out) joined Latham and the two kept up the momentum as Zimbabwe struggled on a pitch that offered little assistance to the six bowlers used so far by the hosts.
New Zealand leads the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first test at the same venue by an innings and 117 runs.
There were anti-government protests inside the ground, which led to human rights activist Jenni Williams being arrested during the first session of the day.
angry kids attack a police vehicle during the July riots “You Old Man [listen carefully]…we do not want to chase each other on the streets with stones. This is the time to think about your Legacy. We want to respect you.” – Morgan Tsvangirai.
Staff Reporter| Morgan Tsvangirai bounced back to his political career this morning as he made his strongest message yet, filled with hope for Zimbabweans but also drawing a line with Robert Mugabe’s dictatorship, ZimEye.com reveals. It was first his compatriot Joice Mujuru who first sounded the horn at Robert Mugabe and this time Tsvangirai took his turn to fire the loudest ever warning shot at Mugabe.
Tsvangirai whose political career had slowed down due to poor health, was full of life as he narrated Zimbabwe’s daily struggles, reaching out to those being persecuted such as war veterans leader Douglas Mahiya, bringing back to memory the missing Itai Dzamara. The MDC leader like many over the past weeks who include former minister Nkosana Moyo and SADC’s founding Secretary General, Dr. Simba Makoni, reminded Mugabe that it was not too late to redeem his legacy.
“I have got a word for the Old Mugabe. You Old Man [listen carefully],” began Tsvangirai.
He continued, “we do not want to chase each other on the streets with stones. This is the time to think about your Legacy. We want to respect you,” he said.
Mugabe is now cornered from within and outside his ruling Zanu PF party as pressure mounts for reforms that will see Zimbabwe once a great nation, breathe again.
Baba Tencen and Kansiimwe to perform at HICC Staff Reporter|The Ugandan Queen of comedy, Ann Kansiimwe is in Harare and is expected to wow an anticipating audience, with her hilarious short skits, at the Harare International Conference Centre this evening.
Kansiimwe popular for her short television skits, will perform alongside South African based, Zimbabwean comedian Baba Tencen. Baba Tencen is popular for his short video skits Kuripwa Kugara. The queen of comedy at HICC tonight
Kansiimwe arrived in Harare yesterday and has been on local television as well seen in photo opportunities with celebrities who include ZiFM’s Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa. Kansiime performs and tours as a stand up comedian, making her a household name in many African countries. Kansiime’s comedy style tends to focus on aspects of her personal life. “I like talking about things that are going on in life, because that’s always going to be different and original,” she says. She is married to Gerald Ojok, a native Acholi.
Morgan Tsvangirai with his wife Elizabeth in Masvingo today LIVE-REPORT:MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai this afternoon briefly shut Masvingo’s CBD down. It was total shut down as business came to a halt with many companies closing down to allow their workers to attend his much publicised demonstration. Tsvangirai who has been struggling with his health missed the party’s two previous demos in Bulawayo and Mutare. This is his first public address in a long while. Tsvangirai is holding his victory march in Zimbabwe’s political hotbed, Masvingo. FOLLOW THE LIVE UPDATES HERE…. MDC Supporters in Masvingo
Woza protesters in Bulawayo (file pic)
Members of the Women of Zimbabwe Arise have been arrested at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo where the Zimbabwe and New Zealand match cricket is taking place.
The nine who have been arrested are reportedly being taken to Nkulumane Police Station, while WOZA leader Jenni Williams is being detained at Donnington police station.
There are reports however, that the police are denying their lawyers Mehluli Dube and Solomon Mguni access to them.
co-working space for artists. Lochnation is engaged to hip-hop artist Tehn Diamond, son of former cabinet minister and Cottco boss Sylvester Nguni. Tehn, 31, has yet to release an album and is struggling to maintain the upkeep of the beautiful Tanzanian born Bgoya. Wicknell has been secretly buying gifts for the former Off The Wall host and this last weekend they took their relationship public.
Mandiwanzira, a Mugabe relative, is now to obtain super powers to seize all cellphones and computer gadgets from any Zimbabwean citizen the Mugabe controlled government believes is engaged in what it terms “cyber crime,” a smart description for all perceived anti Mugabe activities beginning with the calls for Mnangagwa to succeed the President.
A POLICE base caught fire under unclear circumstances in Bulawayo’s Emakhandeni suburb yesterday. National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident but cautioned against hasty conclusions that the fire could have been caused by a petrol bomb. He said police were yet to conclude their investigations. No one was injured in the incident which is suspected to have occurred in the early hours of yesterday morning.
By Dr. Masimba Mavaza | The future of the revolution looks bleak as weaknesses and divisions in the opposition reinforce the regime’s position.
police are blamed for violating some human rights. In most cases human rights are violated by police in trying to stop peaceful demonstrations. In most cases the force used to quell the demonstrations is regarded to be excessive and uncalled for.
