Sixteen more Zimbabwean women who were lured to Kuwait to work as housemaids, but ended up being abused as sex slaves, have escaped from captivity and are now under the care of the country’s Ambassador to Kuwait Mark Marongwe.
Several other women have since returned home after a Parliamentary delegation that went to Kuwait a fortnight ago after a bilateral engagement secured the release of 32 other women who came back home at the weekend.
MPs now want President Mugabe to ban visas for domestic workers in Kuwait.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs, Kindness Paradza, who was part of the delegation to Kuwait headed by National Assembly Speaker Advocate Jacob Mudenda, said he was going to present a report in Parliament on human trafficking to Kuwait.
“As I speak, I have just been informed by our Ambassador to Kuwait Mark Marongwe that 16 more girls have escaped from their abusive employers and are now camped at the embassy seeking assistance to be brought home,” said Paradza.
“I was also told that the figure of those run-away girls is swelling and is expected to rise by the weekend.
“Our wish as Parliament is to have a complete ban on all visa applications to Kuwait under Section 20, which commits into slavery anyone who enters that country under that section.
“President Mugabe as the father of the nation must use his Presidential powers and direct the Minister of Foreign Affairs to effect the ban.
“Other African countries like Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana have since banned their citizens from traveling to Kuwait under that section.”
Paradza said there was a possibility that the total number of Zimbabwean women who were lured to Kuwait under the same circumstances could be around 500 amid indications that some of them left via Kenya, South Africa and Botswana.
He appealed to Government, women organisations and human rights activists to embark on awareness campaigns to conscientise Zimbabwean women about the problems in Kuwait.
“As Parliament, we also want our security agencies to hunt down all those locals who are working in cahoots with Kuwaiti syndicates on this issue and bring them to book.
“Last week, the Philippines also managed to evacuate 143 of their girls from Kuwait who had fallen victims to similar acts of modern day slavery.
“Our worry as a committee is that Government has not availed funds to have our girls flown back home, which could end up being difficult to account for all the girls as some of them have been transported to other countries like Saudi Arabia or Qatar on arrival in Kuwait,” said Paradza.
Businessman, Mr Wicknell Chivayo had to intervene last week by paying air tickets for the 32 women.
There were indications that Treasury was constrained to pay for their return.
But Paradza implored Government to set up a special fund for repatriation of all Zimbabwean women stuck in Kuwait. herald
Media Freedom Is Not A Favour – Ncube
Professor Welshman Ncube This Week,
Friday 6 May 2016
“Media Freedom Is Not A Favour But Our Right”
This week has been a time when all democratic forces in Zimbabwe, and indeed the entire world, have seen the flag for media freedom fly full mast. For us Zimbabweans, we have had for thirty-six years, to contend with ZANU PF’s sinister and pervasive, if not bizarre manipulation of and entitlement to citizen’s rights to information. Listen to their ministers and cronies comment over the years on media freedom, portraying an ugly face of diabolic entitlement to institutions meant to guarantee media freedom. As an example, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, The Herald, Chronicle, Sunday Mail, Sunday News and the Manica Post ought to be ‘owned’ by the public, yet ZANU PF and its purveyors of darkness exercise a stranglehold of entitlement with news and information all about the ruling party, and specialising in haranguing the opposition. Even when the first lady, Grace Mugabe, is on a frolic of party business, Zimbabweans are fed with long hours of her puerile rants – turning the public broadcaster into a private affair.
Over the past few years, we have witnessed ZANU PF’s crooked hand manoeuvre its way into state institutions like the Media Commission and Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe. These are entities set up by the constitution to inculcate a sense of media multiplicity, but have ended up ‘captured’ by the ruling party to act as gatekeepers to its sinister motive of determining who broadcasts and who does not – the result has been devastating. We have been duped into thinking that stations like Star FM, ZiFm and the other so-called ‘community radio’ stations are ‘independent’, yet we know that when it comes to the crunch, these crony broadcasters tailor-make their entire content according to ‘His Master’s Voice’. And yet sections 61 and 62 of the Zimbabwe Constitution unequivocally guarantee all citizens with freedom of media and information. In fact, it is impossible to comprehend how ZANU PF cannot associate this constitutional right with civilised development. Some of the most developed countries in the world – USA, Britain, Japan, Germany, France – have extremely boisterous, vibrant and free media.
The Social Progressive Imperative has access to information and communication as an imperative. In Africa, our neighbours Botswana, South Africa and Zambia are highly ranked while we, curiously, are unranked. Reporters Without Borders have an annual index that ranks press freedom, and as expected, Zimbabwe this year ranks a lowly 124 out of 190. They say this of our miserable ranking: “President Robert Mugabe drives media restriction in Zimbabwe. The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act requires all journalists register and get accreditation from the government annually. Radio is the main source of news for rural areas, which state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation controls along with the majority of broadcast media. The government also controls the two main newspapers. Foreign media outlets have historically been banned from Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s Internet usage is one of the highest levels in Africa, which gives residents access to foreign press.”
In more ways than one, Zimbabweans – or more accurately, ZANU PF politicians – have not learned from previous mistakes of media and information self-immolation. I say this because the ruling party and its perpetual beneficiaries spent most of the ‘COPAC era’ arguing vehemently against media freedom in order to, in their own words ‘protect the integrity of the president and first secretary from Western-sponsored insults’. Even after internet has unleashed a new Tsunami of information freedom, ZANU PF still insists on spreading its diabolic tentacles to social networks in order to ‘monitor’ citizen journalism. I am even surprised that on a day and age when ‘every villager’ has access to a phone application that can download audio visual messages, who actually now needs a broadcast ‘authority’ in Zimbabwe?
According to Internet World Stats, Zimbabwe’s internet users are almost seven million, with a 47% internet penetration. Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa still rank high in internet use, and if you consider it, their media is already vibrant. What about their GDP – much higher than Zimbabwe’s! Why am I saying all this? 3 May 2016 was World Press Freedom Day and as president of a democratic party, I am convinced that without press and media freedom, our dream of a truly democratic and just society will never be realised. As UNESCO intimates: “World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991. This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration on media pluralism and independence. It serves as an occasion to inform citizens of violations of press freedom – a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered.” It is therefore my responsibility, as a leader, to inspire all citizens to aspire for press freedom, not least that it is our constitutional right.
As a major pillar of governance, the media is not yet adequately structured to effectively promote, support and compel public institutions to demonstrate diversity, equality, fairness, public accountability, equity and transparency, which are the MDC’s fundamental values to drive the realisation of human rights.
And so as we inch closer to 2018, we cannot sit back and allow the perpetuation of ZANU PF’s hegemonic political tantrums and survivalist paranoia to contaminate our vision of a free society. It is not up to me, Simba Makoni, Dumiso Dabengwa, Tendai Biti, Elton Mangoma, Joyce Mujuru or Morgan Tsvangirai to lead you into press freedom space. It is also your own personal responsibility. What ZANU PF denies you of accessing ZBC, Chronicle or Herald, you can use your newly found weapon of freedom – new information and communication technologies. After all, media freedom is not some act of divine benevolence from the self-anointed ZANU PF ‘deity’. It is our right.
The Zimbabwe National Pledge, what a load of tosh
By Lloyd Msipa|The government of Zimbabwe recently unveiled what it calls “A National Pledge” which according to press reports is meant to be cited by school children as instructed by the education ministry. It apparently is meant to instill a sense of nationalism among the youth in priding themselves as Zimbabweans. The pledge reads as follow:
“Almighty God, in whose hands our future lies, I salute the national flag. United in our diversity and our common desire for freedom, justice and equality, Respecting the brave fathers and mothers who lost lives in the Chimurenga/Umvukela and National liberation struggles. We are proud inheritors of the richness of our natural resources. We are proud creators and participants in our vibrant traditions and cultures. So I commit to honesty and the dignity of hard work.”
The purpose and timing of the introduction of this pledge seems too many rather suspicious and at best a cynical advanced notion to pre-rig the elections next year. Firstly by making reference to the “Almighty God to whom our future lies” the authors of the pledge assume that all Zimbabweans are religious in one form or another. Granted we are largely a Christian God fearing nation, but how then can we be “united in our diversity” if one assumes all Zimbabweans are religious. A pledge that does not celebrates our religious diversity and at same time upholding the supremacy of God or any other supreme being as in other faiths cannot be uniting Zimbabweans in their diversity.
Secondly, the National pledge talks of Zimbabweans saluting “the national flag…in our common desire for freedom, justice and equality”. The National flag as an institution is protected by the Zimbabwe Constitution. It is a symbolic political institution that is a powerful tool if used correctly and respectfully by all other political institutions that complement it. For the authors of the national pledge to think that merely saluting the symbolic aspect of a national flag brings with it unity in “our diversity and a common desire for equality and justice” without the government of the day nurturing those virtues is at best foolish and stupid. Anyone familiar with Zimbabwe and the prevailing politics should be aware that were are a much polarised citizenry with deep historical injustices that need to be addressed at a national level before we talk of “unity in our diversity”.
The Gremlins of the Gukurahundi massacres in the Midlands and Matabeleland continue to haunt us remain a divisive issue and no national pledge however worded can ever sweep that under the carpet. The injustices and violations metered out to the people in that region on tribal and political grounds can never be addressed by the mere indoctrination of our children in schools through a national pledge recited each morning at school assemblies. The history of what transpired at this time continues to be passed on orally by the same parents that are up in arms over this “pledge” from generation to generation. The injustices of the Gukurahundi era will unless addressed remain an albatross around any real unity in our diversity across the political and tribal divide. Truth and reconciliation and some form of restorative justice are a pre-requisite for this to happen.
The pledge further goes on to talk of “respecting the brave fathers and mothers who lost their lives in the Chimurenga/Umvukelo and liberation struggles, we are proud inheritors of our national resources”. Zimbabweans across the political divide have a general respect and appreciation for all those that sacrificed leg and limb for the liberation of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s surviving war veterans are an integral part of the legacy of the liberation struggle. However recent toxic politicisation of this institution has divided and its legacy remains in doubt as to its respectability. Genuine war veteran bemoan the hijacking of this institution by unauthentic war veterans for political expidiency. Having spoken to many authentic war veterans, I am convinced that genuine war veterans remain unappreciated and unrewarded. What we have are a lot of “wannabe war vets” who are in their forties claiming to be genuine war veterans who fought in the war of liberation. No parent having the best interest of their child at hand will take this kind of indoctrination lightly.
The pledge concludes by making reference to the fact that “we are proud inheritors of our natural resources” and that we commit to the “dignity of hard work and honesty”. Surely if we were the proud owners of our natural resources, Zimbabweans will not be wallowing in the poverty they do today. The truth is our natural resources, our diamond mines have been mortgaged to State entities and the Chinese. It is these entities that have remained the primary beneficiaries of the resources and today the government of the day cannot account for over fifteen billion of the proceeds of these “inherited resources”. No individual citizen under Zimbabwean law is allowed to mine diamonds unless authorised from the very top. How then can we talk of us being “proud inheritors of our resources?”
The pledge speaks of “dignity of hard work and honesty” .In Zimbabwe we have a system in place that glorifies riches without work, millionaires that do not build anything or make anything. We have a system that allows “millionaires” to pour millions into concrete thirty to forty bed roomed houses whilst people are dying in poorly resourced hospitals. A system that glorifies criminals whilst well educated citizens wallow in poverty. How then can we pledge to teach our children the values and dignity of hard work when those that hold authority do not uphold the same values? We need to lead by example. That is the greatest pledge we can ever teach our children. We cannot pledge to teach our children the value and dignity and hard work when all the leaders walk around with dirty hands.
The national pledge should start in Parliament. The national pledge should start with the leadership that claims to have the people at heart. The national pledge should start with the leaders declaring what they own today and what they owned five years ago. The national pledge should be symbolic face of all who purport to be true Zimbabweans. The national pledge can never be premised on empty rhetoric. Zimbabwe needs to heal first and foremost. We need to first nurture accountability, respect of political institutions and not worshipping individuals. We need to nurture servant leadership and in terms of that we have a long way to go. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Lloyd Msipa is a Lawyer based in the United Kingdom and writes in his personal capacity
Woman Steals One-day-old Baby From Hospital
Terrence Mawawa, Chivi | A local woman who was desperate to woo back her husband after he left her for another woman sneaked into Berejena Mission Hospital and stole a one-day-old baby.
Rester Mapombwa(31), whose husband dumped her for another woman, sneaked into the hospital’s maternity ward and stole Tatenda Nhinga(18)’s baby. Mapombwa appeared before Chivi Resident Magistrate Bishard Chineka last week facing kidnapping charges.
She lied to her husband that she was pregnant. In her defence she said she was the first wife and her husband had deserted her for another woman.
She said she was the first wife in a polygamous marriage and her husband had dumped her for another woman. She further claimed her husband was not taking care of her and by stealing the baby she wanted to please him.
The incident happened on April 26 when Mapombwa went to the maternity ward masquerading as a relative of one the women in the ward. She lied to the women that their clothes had fallen from the washing line. All the women in the ward went outside to check their clothes and Mapombwa proceeded to take the baby belonging to Nhinga and placed it in a bag she was holding. She then left the maternity ward soon after taking the baby.
Upon realising that one of the babies was missing, the women alerted security officers at the hospital and Mapombwa was found with the baby in her bag. She tried to run away but she was quickly apprehended by the alert security personnel.
She was sentenced to three years in prison.
Zimra Boss Gershom Pasi Suspended | BREAKING NEWS
Pasi was booted together with five other executive managers.
The six were today sent on paid leave with immediate effect.
The move comes after Pasi garnished ZANU PF youth Acie Lumumba’s company bank account.
It also turned out that 100 other companies have suffered the same fate in the last 4 weeks.
In the build up to today’s development, there had been mounting criticism over the garnishee orders, with many arguing that this has bankrupted many businesses.
But Pasi in response challenged business executives to bring evidence of any firm that has closed because of the taxman.
More to follow…
Dokora’s “Bloody Jihad”: WOZA Steps In
The Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) NGO, writes demanding justice for children “abused” by Minister of Primary and Secondary Education ‘Lazarus Dokora’ through his National Pledge directive. FULL TEXT:
Honourable Minister of Primary and Secondary Education ‘Lazarus Dokora’ Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) on behalf of members, adults and children, and with due respect for the constitutional rights of children.
We write with regard to the introduction and launch of the ‘National Pledge’ at Primary and Secondary schools. As a Civil Society organisation, our members the majority of whom are mainly women have studied the ‘national pledge’ and found that the pledge is a violation of children’s rights in the constitution.
It violates our Zimbabwe constitution on the following areas: “Chapter 2 section 19 subsection 3 (b) which states that the state must take appropriate legislative and other measures to ensure that children are not required or permitted to perform work or provide services that are inappropriate for children’s age; or place at risk the children’s wellbeing, education, physical or mental health or spiritual, moral or social development” WOZA is grounded on Christian values but members fully respect all Zimbabweans’ constitutional right to practice any religion of their choice.
WOZA submit to you that the pledge and the manner in which it was introduced and is being implemented in schools violates our “Freedom of Conscience”. Chapter 4 section 60 (2) states that “No person may be compelled to make an oath that is contrary to their religion or belief….” WOZA as an organisation and our members as parents aim “To promote the protection and participation of children and ensure the enjoyment of their rights in Zimbabwe” WOZA members therefore object in the strongest terms the Ministries pledge programme which will turn our children into future ‘puppet citizens’ brainwashed to believe that they do not have the freedom of choice, the freedom to make decisions and work in freely chosen environment.
These concerns amongst others have been raised by our members who are ‘citizens’ who were duly consulted in the last weeks in communities around Bulawayo. In just these few weeks WOZA has consulted more ordinary citizens than the ministry did prior to formulating the pledge. We object to the wording of the ‘national pledge’ or the following reasons:
1. The pledge is an oath by children that they will work for their country and not leave Zimbabwe despite the economic hardships. Yet we still await the 2 million jobs promised to the citizens of this nation.
2. Children being transformed to future militias by being forced to salute the national flag, why could you not have rather asked them to “raise high our national flag” that this militaristic language?
3. The pledge falsely says that children are beneficiaries of Zimbabwe natural resources – yet these continue to be looted and remain unaccounted for, not forgetting the missing USD $15 billion from our diamond fields.
4. The pledge is a deliberate measure to divert ‘our’ attention from more important issues such as “the right to free basic primary Education” recognised in the Constitution of Zimbabwe. The pledge also is a distraction measure from the economic chaos that prevails and the sticky plaster programme of bond notes when the ’economy’ is dying in intensive care.
5. The pledge is insensitive to the victims of Gukurahundi in Midlands and Matabeleland as it is asking our children to “Respecting the brave fathers and mother who lost lives in the Chimurenga/Umvukela” but says nothing about the atrocities of the Gukurahundi perpetrated by liberators in an independent Zimbabwe.
6. By the sequencing of the pledge after the Lord’s prayer bring it to the level of worship forcing children to make an oath against ‘Christians’ religious beliefs’.
It is also UNCONSTITUTIONAL to force an opinion, religion and bigotry belief on children and force the arm of parents to buy gifts to support their children being abused in this way. The assembly where the pledge is to be recited cannot be compulsory to all children. For these reasons mentioned above; WOZA is urging you “the government” to reconsider the content of the pledge and consult the citizens of this land before decision impacting on the wellbeing and development of our children are made. We therefore demand the respect of the Constitution by government officials, parents and children!! We will continue to denounce this pledge and demand for more democratic processes to be upheld. We appeal to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and Government to withdraw the continued implementation of the pledge! We appeal to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to use what energy they have to rather roll out free primary education promised during the liberation war and in the Constitution. Standing up for the rights of Children –
WOZA and members represented by the following leaders
JL. Williams Magodonga Mahlangu
Ray Tsvangirai Caught In Diamond Scam
Terrence Mawawa, Beitbridge| Barely a few weeks after being dragged to Beitbridge Police Station for sexually abusing 15 minors, Rayson Rushwaya Tsvangirai has been implicated in the smuggling of diamonds to South Africa.
Rayson, who has become infamous for bedding 15 minors in the border town, is languishing in custody after being denied bail by Resident Magistrate Gloria Takundwa.
The man was found in possession of the precious stones while he was on the run from the paedhophilic charges he is facing. The police descended on him and searched his vehicle and discovered the precious stones hidden in his car.
As he was being taken to the charge office ,parents and guardians of children he sexually abused positively identified him.
As if that was not enough, Rayson is also facing charges of forging the signatures of customs officers and is likely to be charged with fraud. He is now facing charges of sexually abusing minors and unlawful possession of precious stones.
“Harare police want him for fraud. He was found with scanned signatures of all Beitbridge customs officers and he could be charged with fraud,” said Prosecutor Nomathemba Sayi.
Rayson caused commotion in Beitbridge when he used his niece as a bait to attract schoolgirls to a local hotel where he allegedly sexually abused them before giving them gifts and cash.
He was mobbed by parents and guardians of the schoolgirls he abused as well as children’s rights activists who called for a stiff penalty on him.
Rita Chinyoka False Story, Herald Apologises, Retracts
On July 17, 2015, ZimPapers published a story in which it claimed Rita Chinyoka was fired from her position as Publisher of Alpha Media Holdings boss. The story was published based on information provided by a source, which is untrue and all the claims made therein unsubstantiated.
Zimpapers and The Herald have since retracted the story and unequivocally apologised to Ms Chinyoka for the distress, embarrassment and damage caused to her reputation, person and career.
A statement by the editor further said, “we further acknowledge that due care should have been taken to verify the story before publication and would like to assure Ms Chinyoka that there was no malice intended and sincerely wish her the best for the future.”
WARNING-DISTURBING PICTURE: Man Skinned Alive
THE Mutore family from Vumba is failing to come to terms with the brutal murder of their relative who was allegedly lured into neighbouring Mozambique by a friend before meeting his fate. The late Trymore Mutore (25) was allegedly slain last month for ritual purposes in that country’s Magaka area.
An aunt of the deceased, Ms Pfungwa Mutore, said they were suspecting that the case was being swept under the carpet and want investigators from Zimbabwe to also look into the matter.
She said on April 9, Denford Mhangere (28), a friend to the late Trymore came to collect him at their Vumba residence around 3am.
“They went to Mozambique after illegally crossing into the country’s Magaka area through Zonwe River in Burma Valley.
“On the same day, the accused, Denford, came back around 12-midnight with the news that Trymore had drowned in Zonwe River on their way.
“My brother, Solomon (the father of the late) refused to accept the news as it was unbelievable. Denford then came to my residence, which is nearby in Vumba to break the news of Trymore’s death and seek my backing. We gathered as a family and decided that the next day (April 10) we would go with the accused to the drowning scene,” she said.
The family and other neighbours who escorted the search party failed to find the body after combing the area the whole day.
Ms Mutore said in the evening of that day they camped near Zonwe River, but were later told by some Mozambicans to move to another area. This was after they were told that a big snake frequents the area and they risked their lives by sleeping near the river.
“We moved for a distance and we did not suspect anything. At around 11pm, we heard the sound of a vehicle driving towards the river. Nobody bothered to check what was happening. We remained where we were until dawn.
“The following day we went to the river to continue with our search. We found the heavily mutilated body at the same area we had combed the previous day. The skin around the eyes was removed as well as some private parts,” said Ms Mutore.
A brother to late Trymore, Wilson, said he immediately reported the matter to the Mozambican police.
“Police investigations revealed that the cause of the death was not drowning, but murder. The Mozambican police authorised us to transport the body of our brother back home. They arrested the accused Denford and is still in custody. When we try to do a follow-up on the case, we are being moved from one station to the other. As a family we want justice to be done because we believe that our brother was murdered in cold blood,” he said. Manica Post
Quail Dollar Money Invades Zimbabwe | OPINION
READER COMMENT on RBZ Notes THE TRUTH| The Quail Coins will not solve internal cash flows. That departure is the beginning of collapsing the economy. What is the wisdom of converting cash inflows to the Rand which is dropping in value? This means if the company wants to import again it will pay more as you trade in US$ and not Rand. This is inflationary on its own and will lead to shortages, and soon stall FDI. [CONTINUE READING BELOW]
It will limit investments as no one is assured that they can get their money back. Also how do Afrixem know how much of the Quail Notes are in circulation? How is the alleged US$ leaving the Country? Why not just adopt the Rand or Mozambique currency and convert the Afrixem into that currency. How far is the Diamond US$15 billion? What is this figure based on when there is no forensic investigation?
Dzamara Blocked from Entering UK
Dear Editor.
Abducted activist Itai Dzamara’s brother has been blocked from flying to the UK. The vocal Patson wanted to travel to Manchester, UK on an undisclosed mission. He was meant to receive his visa last Friday but has since been denied after being found to be a crook. Patson Dzamara signs himself off under the title “Dr,” one which he stole after purchasing a fake doctorate from a dodgy Indian company fronting as a university.
His visa denial comes after he also insulted diasporans saying they are “bum cleaners” and he is more educated than them and can work in any company. More questions lie on this man’s claims that he sympathises with his brother’s disappearance because until he was challenged this year on his cosy relationship with Happyton Bonyongwe, Patson was lazying around, and even after that national sports stadium stager, he was not charged by police, and not even fined. He has had private access to Bonyongwe for over a year and has not bothered to ask him at least for help. He says he was beaten up, but were those so called wounds of the cops and not self inflicted? Are they real wounds? Give us the evidence Mr Dzamara.
This development should be a lesson for many who buy fake degrees.
– By Ndaba Nhuku
Man Caught In Sexual Act With Cow
Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|A man from the Boroma area of Masvingo was last week caught having sex with his cow in broad daylight -in a ritual exercise after being instructed to do so by a traditional healer.
The police revealed to ZimEye.com, Simon Dhewa was herding cattle in the grazing area in village 3, Boroma area, Masvingo District when he tied the cow’s legs with a rope.
Villagers also told ZimEye.com, Dhewa was being haunted by family problems and he visited a local traditional healer who instructed him to have sex with his cow to exorcise the bad omen tormenting his family.
Dhewa was spotted by local villagers having sex with his cow while uttering strange words in the bush near the grazing area where he was herding cattle.
“The man went to a n’anga who instructed him to have sex with his cow. He is being tormented by a spate of family challenges so he wanted to exorcise the supposed evil spirits troubling his family,” said a local villager.
Dhewa has since been arrested and will soon appear in court facing bestiality charges.
Acting Masvingo Provincial Spokesperson Kudakwashe Dhewa said he was waiting to receive a report on the incident.
As a result of socio-economic challenges, desperate Zimbabweans have been forced to perform rituals in order to attain affluence.
RBZ Bond Notes – THE TRUTH
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has announced plans to introduce local “bond notes” to circulate alongside a basket of foreign currencies adopted in 2009, in a bid to ease widespread cash shortages stalking its sluggish economy. This has raised fears of the recurrance of the ill-fated ‘bearer cheques’ that accelarated inflation, which rendered the local currency worthless. The Source interrogates the key questions.
What caused the cash shortages in the first place?
The cash shortages are a combination of various factors. Zimbabwe’s trade deficit, the gap between its exports and imports, has widened from an average $400 million 10 years ago to $2,5 billion at the end of 2015. Zimbabwe imports more than it exports, which means there is more money leaving the country than money coming in. With industry collapsing, more dollars are being used to import goods at a time when the country’s primary exports — commodities — have seen a decline in prices since 2013.
Another factor in the cash shortages is the strength of the US dollar against emerging market currencies such as the Rand. Some reports say, over the past year, the US dollar has gained at the fastest rate in 40 years. This means there is huge demand for the US dollar, which is seen worldwide as a reserve currency.
Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said on Wednesday: “For as long as we are using a currency which is appreciating when we have neighbours that have currencies which are depreciating, we become a mopping house. People come to mop up our US dollars. Any US dollars we bring, it will still vanish (as) people want USD as a store of value.”
Added to this mix is weak confidence in the banks, which has seen many businesses, particularly small to medium enterprises and the informal sector, avoiding depositing their money into banks. The central bank estimates that between $3 billion and $7 billion is circulating in the informal sector.
Illicit outflows also contribute significantly to the cash crunch, according to the central bank. As much as $1.8 billion in the form of export sale proceeds and inflated management fees as well as payments for technical and professional services was funneled out of the country in 2015, according to the RBZ.
How exactly do these bond coins and notes get their value?
Every currency gets its value from a particular source. This may be gold or currency reserves. In the case of bond coins and notes, their value comes from a bond facility from the Afreximbank. In 2014, Afreximbank put up a $50 million bond, a form of a loan, for bond coins introduced to ease the shortage of change in the economy. The planned bond notes are backed by a new $200 million bond, also from Afreximbank. The bond coins and bond notes derive their name from the fact that they are guaranteed by a bond facility.
What is to stop the RBZ from printing more than that $200 million?
Under the facility, which is monitored by Afreximbank, the RBZ cannot produce more notes or coins than what is guaranteed by the bond from Afreximbank. As at the end of December, RBZ had minted bond coins worth $14 million, and expected to produce a further $6 million at the start of 2016, according to the 2016 budget statement.
Why not just release that $200 million into the market instead of bond notes?
If RBZ does that, that money would still leave the country. The whole idea of the bond notes is to make sure that cash stays in Zimbabwe. However, the RBZ is unlikely to release notes worth the equivalent of the whole $200 million at the same time, but will more likely phase-in the notes depending on demand.
When will the notes start circulating?
RBZ governor John Mangudya told reporters the notes would be produced “after two months.” They were still at design stage, he said.
Can I use it outside the country?
No. Bond notes only work in Zimbabwe. The plan is to make sure the cash stays in Zimbabwe.
So how does RBZ plan to solve the currency crunch?
RBZ’s plan evolves around the following: limiting daily withdrawals, increasing the use of the Rand, giving priority of US dollar spending to key areas like fuel and machinery, converting export receipts into rand and other currencies, and increasing usage of electronic and plastic money.
RBZ says Rand use was down to five percent on the market, from 49 percent when the multicurrency system started in 2009. Now, for every dollar that comes into Zimbabwe from exports, 40 cents will be converted into rand and 10 cents into Euro.
So if I send my mother money from here in the UK, will she get part of it in Rand?
According to the RBZ, remittances and NGO funds will not be converted to Rand.
What are the withdrawal limits?
You can now withdraw $1,000, 1,000 Euros and R20,000 per day. In addition to this, you are now only allowed to take similar maximum amounts out of the country at a time.
Is this the return of the Zimbabwe dollar?
That is a fear shared by many, given that Zimbabwe is now effectively printing its own money. According to RBZ, however, bond coins and notes can only operate under the multi-currency regime.
RBZ governor Mangudya also told media on Wednesday he has no plans to introduce a local currency, at least not until “the fundamentals are right.” With production low and no forex reserves, the local unit would only face the fate of the Zimdollar, which collapsed and lost all value.
In 2015, the Zimdollar was “demonetised”, or taken completely out of circulation. This does not mean a local currency will not be reintroduced one day, but RBZ says it may “take years to return”. In history, no country that has adopted the US dollar as its main currency has ever reverted to its own currency.-The Source
Western Policies on Zimbabwe Based On Facts- EU Envoy
The European Union has urged President Robert to respect the constitution and stop blaming the media for the country’s failure to lure foreign investors.
Mugabe (92) accuses the private media of chasing away investors through critiquing his policies.
The aging Zimbabwean leader has over the past two decades been enacting repressive media laws which stifle media freedom and freedom of expression.
Addressing journalists Wednesday evening, at a MISA-Zimbabwe organised World Press Freedom Day commemoration event in Harare where he was giving the western blocs perception on media freedom and freedom of expression, European Union ambassador to Zimbabwe Philippe Van Damme, said bad governance and inconsistent economic policies were the sources of the low uptake of investment by western investors.
“I have to be very frank; I do not think an international investor can make decisions based on newspaper reports. The decisions are made based on facts. The legal framework, the credibility of the legal framework, rule of law in terms of the judiciary, these are things which influence investment,” he said.
The controversial indigenisation policy is one of the economic laws scaring away potential investors.
The controversial economic policy has not only driven away investment but also caused divisions within the President Mugabe’s faction ridden Zanu PF party.
Amazing Pictures: MP Mudambo Levels Potholes
Harare North MP, Tongesai Mudambo has caused shockwaves with touching pictures of his road repairs.
Mudambo has led a crusade of road fixing work over the last year with several successful patches being made in some of Harare’s most dangerous road spots. Mudambo does the job himself with his bare hands with the help a group of volunteers. Yesterday was an area close to Pomona bridge. PICTURES:
Continue reading “Amazing Pictures: MP Mudambo Levels Potholes”
Mangudya Wins Farm War
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe boss, John Mangudya has won his farm battle with the government.
Mangudya will now get back to his farm in Rusape after the High Court this week ordered the reversal of its compulsory acquisition.
Government erroneously acquired Inyamasitza Farm in Makoni District and allocated it to four new farmers under the land reform programme, in violation of the Constitution and the land reform policy that protects indigenously-owned farms from compulsory acquisition.
High Court judge Justice Samuel Kudya nullified the compulsory acquisition of the farm after it came to light that the farm belonged to Dr Mangudya. Dr Mangudya bought the farm in December 2000 from a white farmer, but Government compulsorily acquired it.
The court reversed Government’s decision after the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement Dr Douglas Mombeshora admitted that his ministry erred in acquiring the farm.
The Attorney-General’s civil division filed a notice of opposition to Dr Mangudya’s application, but in a U-turn, Minister Mombeshora deposed an affidavit confirming Dr Mangudya as the legitimate owner of the farm.
“Consequently, such land was then acquired in error in violation of the policy aforesaid. In the circumstances of this case, the first respondent considers that the land in question is indigenously owned by the applicant,” he said.
He said he had no objection to the acquisition of the land being lifted.
“First respondent has no objection to the acquisition of the land in terms of section 16B (2) (a) of the former Constitution being lifted on the basis that at the time the farm was gazetted for acquisition, the acquisition was inconsistent with the purpose and intent of Se4ction 16A of the former Constitution, which sought to benefit indigenous people who had been previously disadvantaged under colonialism,” he said.
The minister said the other four farmers who had been issued with offer letters for the farm, will be allocated alternative land elsewhere.
In the application filed at the High Court on April 7 this year, Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement Dr Douglas Mombeshora was listed as a respondent. In his founding affidavit, Dr Mangudya said the acquisition of his farm was erroneous and that the court must order its immediate reversal.
Dr Mangudya said he was a serious farmer with a track record of productive farming for the development of the nation and that the court should rule in his favour.-state media
Mugabe’s Top Secrets Exposed In Mujuru’s book
Terrence Mawawa,Masvingo| The Joyce Mujuru led Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) will soon launch a book that will expose atrocities committed by President Robert Mugabe and his government since 1980.
Sources in the ZimPF told ZimEye.com yesterday the book titled The National Grievances, written by the party’s spokesperson for Masvingo Province, Kudzai Mbudzi, would be published in the next few weeks. It is understood Mujuru furnished Mbudzi with the information to include in the book. Although some political analysts claim Mujuru is being used by Zanu PF to destroy opposition parties in the country, Mbudzi said the powerful publication is set to expose Mugabe and Zanu PF’s top secrets.
“We cannot continue to pretend as if we are not aware of the truth. The peole of Zimbabwe have been taken for granted for too long. It is now time for them to know the truth. People need to be informed about the regime’s machinations. The people of Zimbabwe have the right to be told the whole truth. The book is comprehensive because it reveals how Mugabe ruined the economy among other top secrets. The book exposes Mugabe as the nation’s major problem,” said Mbudzi.
The book also exposes Mugabe’s secret manoeuvres in destroying opposition parties and the muzzling of the media. The book which has 25 chapters also reveals how Mugabe created a supermarket economy characterised by buying and selling.
Mugabe who has been in power since 1980 has presided over the nation’s economic demise-despite claims by his supporters he has successfully championed black empowerment .
Mugabe Has Always Been An Illegitimate President Even In Zanu-PF
OPINION
By Hon R M Simango
Mugabe has never been a legitimate leader ever since from the beginning when it was Zanu before it was Zanu-Pf. If you rewind to the early days of his tussle for his leadership of Zanu, you will see ample evidence already of the bloody internal feuding by which he seized the helm of the Zanu Party, and fought off challengers.
The guerrilla war itself, may have been a justified struggle for democracy, but as a teenaged conscript in Rhodesian Camp, I witnessed first-hand gruesome punishment of black civilians by Mugabe’s guerrillas, in order for him to win the “balance of fear”. Mugabe learned then that, the barrel of Kalashnikov underwrote success at the ballot box.
Mugabe made it clear again during the 1980 General Elections when he was in-breach of the Lancaster House Peace Agreement. He kept many of his guerrillas out in the battle field to warn the voters that, the war would continue if his Zanu Party didn’t win the 1980 General Elections although the scale of his victory was such that, he didn’t need to intimidate voters, he was not taking any chances.
Barely three years after Independence, Mugabe ordered his troops into the Southern Province of Matebeleland to launch Operation Gukurahundi, “The Rains that Clear Out the Chaff”. They killed around twenty thousand Ndebele civilians, most of them supporters of Joshua Nkomo’s Zapu Party. No one had ever been held accountable for this Political Genocide till today. It remains the single worst moral stain on Robert Matibili Mugabe’s record although at that time, international reaction was shamefully muted.
After all these massacres, Mugabe coerced a shattered Joshua Nkomo our Father Zimbabwe into a Unity Accord, which effectively created a one-party state. Without real Opposition Political Party in Zimbabwe, Mugabe’s administration grew increasingly authoritarian, inefficient and corrupt.
Mugabe appeared irked when, in 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from prison and soon swept to power in South Africa’s first democratic elections, eclipsing Mugabe’s role as the colossus on the African stage. Mandela joked that Mugabe had grown accustomed to being the star “and then, the sun came out”
By 2000, after thirteen years of political monopoly, Mugabe was shocked and enraged to find that, a New vibrant Opposition Political Party to his rule had emerged among the Younger Generation as Movement for Democratic Change under the Leadership of President Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, and he set out to crush them, as was his default.
He also ordered his Zanu-Pf Party militia onto white-owned farms to forcibly evict the owners and their workers. It was given a name “Jambanja Reminda”, a violent overthrow. Most of the farms were doled out as bribes to Mugabe’s elite and he kept six farms for himself – corruption. None of the new owners of these corrupted farms had any agricultural know-how, and commercial agriculture, that caused the economy’s foundation, quickly collapsed, bringing the rest down with it.
As we all know the African Leadership; a Father is a figurehead as it’s about masculinity. All radical fathers want to dominate their wives and kids, so in a Political Party, that domination is carried out too. Mugabe don’t want his Zanu-Pf hooligans to answer back but to be “yes” men.
This has been a problem in our Country, ordinary suffering Zimbabweans have to listen and obey, or else, anyone who criticises Mugabe is eliminated one by one.
We all witnessed Moscow’s dramatic collapse of Soviet power, it feels like that now here in Zimbabwe, this the ancient regime is over, just its phantom limb twitching. 2018 is the defining year for Mugabe’s illegitimate leadership never mind of what type of violence he will try to impose on the ordinary suffering Zimbabweans
Fellow Democrats, let’s keep on putting more immense political and socio-economic pressure to these misguided prematurely doomed Zanu-PF hooligans until victory is certain
United we Win
Divided we Fall
ZRP Cop Caught with Weed
A cop who was suspended for demanding bribes at a roadblock has appeared in court after being allegedly caught with mbanje.
Roe Junior MacDonald’s latest troubles came after he tried to take a sweet worth three cents from a vendor. The dispute ended at a police station where, upon being searched, officers recovered a stash of illegal drugs in his pockets.
Yesterday, MacDonald, 28, pleaded guilty to possession of mbanje and possession of unregistered drugs before Bulawayo magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure.The magistrate remanded him in custody to May 9 for sentencing.
The court heard that on May 1, MacDonald, a suspended police officer, approached Knowledge Manyumbe, a vendor in front of Choppies Supermarket at the intersection of Fife Street and 4th Avenue.
Magret Takawira, prosecuting, said MacDonald took out a 10c coin to buy sweets that cost 10c for three. He allegedly took four sweets instead.
“Manyumbe told Macdonald that his money could only purchase three sweets and he insisted that he was a police officer and was thus entitled to four sweets,” she said.
The prosecutor said MacDonald failed to produce his police identity card when Manyumbe demanded to see it.
The pair got into an argument and ended up at Bulawayo Central Police Station.
The court heard that upon arrival at the police station, Manyumbe told the police officers that MacDonald had said he was a police officer.
The police officer gave his name as Bushe Samson. Takawira said MacDonald could not produce his police identity card and when the police searched him they found him in possession of 4 grammes of mbanje, 100ml of broncleer cough syrup and 4 diazepam tablets.
Broncleer is a cough mixture with a high alcohol content used mostly by juveniles to get a cheap high. Diazepam is used to treat anxiety disorders, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, or muscle spasms, but it is abused on the streets as a muscle relaxant.
MacDonald was suspended from the force after allegedly trying to destroy evidence at a roadblock in Mbembesi by trying to swallow bribe money. – State Media
By Wilbert Mukori| Morgan Tsvangirai is totally inactive in the bedroom, the man’s wife Elizabeth says. Listening to Morgan Tsvangirai is like listening to a five year old telling a joke way out of his depth of comprehension and thus lose track of the punch-line, and yet goes on to laugh totally unaware what he said does not make an sense!
