Staff Writer |Over 33 000 children under the age of 5 years are stunted and urgently need malnutrition treatment, UNICEF has said.
The stunting has been caused by the severe drought which Zimbabwe has experienced during the 2015-2016 rain season. “In Zimbabwe, newly released figures show that the population in need of assistance has increased from 2.8 million in January to 4 million in July. Of these, 1.9 million are children under the age of 18 while 33,000 children under the age of five will require treatment for severe acute malnutrition,” , acting UNICEF Representative, Jane Muita she said Friday.
She said out of a total appeal of $ 21.8 million, for Zimbabwe they had requested for from development partners they only got $ 1 million.
“Data is already showing a worsening of the situation for children but inadequate funding is limiting the ability to respond with critical life-saving interventions,” she said.
“We need to use the current window to scale up efforts that will prevent children from sliding even further into malnutrition and death. If we fail to do this, we will be dealing with an even worse crisis towards the end of the year.”
Civic Groups Push For Mugabe Resignation
Civic society groups will roll out more demonstrations to push out President Robert Mugabe’s regime and pave way for fresh elections.
The Wednesday protests — co-ordinated by #ThisFlag and supported by Tajamuka/Sesijikile, Occupy Africa Unity Square and all opposition parties — virtually brought the country to a halt, although Zanu PF declared that it was unmoved by the action.
Yesterday, Tajamuka/Sesijikile spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said his lobby group would continue to partner #ThisFlag frontman Evan Mawarire in rolling out a series of protests aimed at piling pressure on Mugabe to step down.
Mkwananzi’s threat came at a time some civic society groups were planning to storm Mugabe’s official residence, State House, tomorrow.
“The public should expect more action of various forms,” Mkwananzi said.
“There is no other option for the government of Zimbabwe than to heed what we are calling for. The call for Mugabe to step down is a public call; there is nothing illegal about it.
“I can assure the nation that from here onwards, we will be carrying out every action possible to put pressure on government to heed our calls. We have said by August 31, the President should have spoken to the masses about the crisis that is going on in the country.”
Mkwananzi added: “There is no doubt that the stay away was a massive success. Indeed, it shook the corridors of power in Zimbabwe. For the first time in many years, the regime is shaken to the core as evidenced by its panic announcement of payment dates for civil servants.”
The former MDC-T youth leader said Wednesday’s stay away was evidence that the people have the power to recall the “corrupt and criminal” regime.
They are demanding Mugabe’s resignation to allow a transitional government to steer the country out of the current economic quagmire, the immediate release of arrested protesters, the return of missing activist Itai Dzamara, disbandment of plans to introduce bond notes and an end of police brutality, among others.
“This is just the beginning of a historic process in ensuring the transformation and regeneration of our country. We will be advising on the next course of action, in consultation and in line with the wishes and aspirations of the people. There is no going back now. We will continue with our peaceful, but resolute means of showing President Mugabe and his government that we are fed up,” Mkwananzi said.
“We have realised that President Mugabe has become a sticking point in terms of reform because of his incumbency. The issue of President Mugabe is intrinsically linked to the reforms. He has to pave way for reforms.”
But Zanu PF secretary for administration and Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo on Wednesday threatened to unleash brute force to ruthlessly crush dissenting voices, claiming the Wednesday protests bordered on a regime change agenda sponsored by the main opposition MDC-T and its Western allies.
“The State security organisations are working round the clock to put the situation firmly under control and those found on the wrong side of the law will be severely dealt with and they will have no one to blame. They are being seriously warned to desist from this unwanted behaviour. Zanu PF is quite steadfast, is focused on what we need to do and we cannot be shaken by these activities, not at all,” Chombo said. Newsday
Bloody Showdown, Rattled War Vets To Fight Mutsvangwa Expulsion
President Robert Mugabe could be headed for a bloody showdown with the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA), who have described the ruling party politburo decision to expel Christopher Mutsvangwa as “ill-informed”.
Following a ZNLWVA national executive meeting in Harare yesterday, spokesperson Douglas Mahiya said that the former freedom fighters had been “shocked, angered and saddened by the expulsion”.
A defiant Mutsvangwa told the media that his relationship with Zanu PF had “become burdensome”.
“To be frank, the relationship had become burdensome to me, a real albatross in these times. In a way, I am just glad that the party divested me of it. It is now up to the association and its membership. I serve at their will,” Mutsvangwa said.
And in typical style he signed off: “This is the moment of stark choices between the populace at large or serving a vapid and vacuous Zanu PF party political oligarchy that is devoid of history, morals and probity. As a war-hardened battlefield veteran, I instinctively and invariably go with the people.”
“We woke up to very sad news today and have been forced back to Jabulani Sibanda’s expulsion and the relationship our leadership had with former chairman Chenjerai Hunzvi. After introspection, we have realised that at any given time any person leading the freedom fighters has not had the best of relationships with authorities. It is disheartening and saddening. But Mutsvangwa is not going anywhere,” Mahiya declared.
He said all the association’s 10 provinces represented by their chairmen had rallied behind Mutsvangwa.
“He will continue to fight for the welfare of war veterans. We take cognisance of the fact that today, July the 7th, is exactly three months since our meeting with President (Robert) Mugabe. And now we wonder whether the demands we made have been lumped on Mutsvangwa. To us, the decision smacks of divisiveness and vindictiveness that is unnecessary,” Mahiya said.
He said by expelling Mutsvangwa, the Mugabe-chaired Zanu PF had effectively expelled the 36 000-strong former fighters.
“The only thing they can expel from the party is Mutsvangwa’s physical being, but the spirit in him remains the same as the one in all 36 000 living veterans of the liberation struggle. Our loyalty and patriotism remains unshaken. Today, the party and government continue to tell us that Zimbabwe remains under sanctions because even though the European Union has removed everyone else from their list, President Mugabe and his family remain there,” an angry Mahiya said.
He added: “It is the same as with us. The fact that they have decided to expel Mutsvangwa, our chairman, means they have effectively cut the rest of us from the party. But they should know that we did not join this party and, therefore, our membership is lifetime and cannot be revoked.”
Mahiya said the war veterans would ask for a meeting with Mugabe and the ruling party’s secretary for war veterans, Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi.
“We will seek audience with them to understand where this is coming from. We think it is either the President has reached this decision based on a cocktail of lies by our traditional enemies or he is misinformed or ill-advised,” Mahiya said. newsday
Mandiwanzira Secretly Sneaks Into China
Controversial Information, Communication Technology Minister Supa Mandiwanzira digitally sneaked into China for high level government to government technological placements for the purpose of obtaining specialist hacking technologies, according to a latest report.
In another futile government cash blow up, Mandiwanzira sought to obtain methodologies of both barring and monitoring over the top freedoms.
The mission led to an endless trail in a plot to manipulate Zimbabwe’s network connections.
Targeted for this engagement were powerful social networks,WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter in that respective order of priority.
The evidence for Mandiwanzira’s dodger became evident in this week’s blocking of Whatsapp during the mass stay away on Wednesday. Phone networks were jammed and phone owners blocked from accessing the app.
The government can block the network, but they cannot eavesdrop into it due to the strong encryption set up thereon which makes it difficult for even the Whatsapp company itself to snoop-in. In April, WhatsApp rolled out end-to-end encryption for iOS and Android platforms—a security measure aimed at protecting messages from the prying eyes of cyber-criminals, hackers, “oppressive regimes,” and even the WhatsApp company itself.
When confronted this week, Mandiwanzira claimed he had nothing to do with Wednesday’s jamming of the social media platform WhatsApp.
He said such a move would mean that he had also participated in the purported shutting down of the country.
Mandiwanzira’s comments follow allegations by some sections of the society that Government Wednesday interfered with social platforms such as WhatsApp and Internet services to stop people from mobilising ahead of Wednesday’s “stayaway”.
Mandiwanzira said instead, his ministry had been under pressure since last year from all the network operators to ban social networks such as WhatsApp, Viber and Skype arguing that they were eating into their revenue collections.
“Since December last year, this ministry has been under immense pressure from mobile network operators in this country for us to ban over the top, services like WhatsApp, Skype, Viber and the like because the operators are claiming that these over-the-top services are eating into their revenue, and yet they have not spent any resource in building their networks,” said Mandiwanzira.
He said it was the ruling Government that resisted that call to ban those types of social media imploring the network providers to be innovative.
“Instead of people coming up with all these falsehoods that Government has interfered with over the top services, they should give us credit for refusing this insistence by operators to ban over the top services,” he said.
Mandiwanzira said Government has no intention to ban the use of social media in Zimbabwe, but said the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) had a responsibility of guarding against its abuse by some elements of the society.
“There are elements, which have been abusing social media by sending information to do with how to make bombs, how to kill, pornography and even child pornography and the regulator has a responsibility of warning people of such abuse of tools like social media,” said Mandiwanzira.
He said the fact that POTRAZ released its statement warning such elements against such acts of abuse on a day some sections of the society had called for a protest through the social media was a mere coincidence.
Mandiwanzira said Government has no intention to ban the use of social media in Zimbabwe, but said the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) had a responsibility of guarding against its abuse by some elements of the society.
“There are elements, which have been abusing social media by sending information to do with how to make bombs, how to kill, pornography and even child pornography and the regulator has a responsibility of warning people of such abuse of tools like social media,” said Mandiwanzira.
He said the fact that POTRAZ released its statement warning such elements against such acts of abuse on a day some sections of the society had called for a protest through the social media was a mere coincidence.
“POTRAZ has a responsibility that is 24 hours a day and seven days a week, and yesterday’s protests and the release of their statement was just a coincidence,” said Mandiwanzira.
Mugabe Backs AU Female Candidate
As Zimbabwe struggles to fulfill the Southern African Development Community stipulated quotas on women in decision-making positions, President Robert Mugabe has backed Mrs Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi of Botswana, as the candidate for the African Union Commission chairperson.Venson-Moitoi paid a courtesy call on Mugabe at State House in Harare yesterday.
She is Botswana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Mrs Moitoi who said she was here to brief Mugabe, the immediate past chairperson of both the African Union and Sadc, about her campaign ahead of the elections for the post at the 27th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU scheduled for Kigali, Rwanda next week.
Harare City Council Saga: Mahachi Bags $100 000
Controversial former Harare Town Clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi has the last laugh after bagging $100 000 in accrued leave days.
Dr Mahachi reportedly accrued over 150 days of leave which amounts to more than $100 000. He left Townhouse in December last year after an eight-year stint, having joined in 2007.
According to council sources, Dr Mahachi’s extensive leave days will prejudice council’s struggling coffers as this claim alone is enough to buy a house in low-density suburbs.
Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni confirmed the development and said because of the circumstances, he had requested an urgent programme to correct “excessive leave accruals” by management.
He said the first to be targeted to go on leave were senior management to cut the expenses.
“I can confirm that we had one executive who had enough leave days to buy a low density house but as council we have moved in to cut leave days,” said Mayor Manyenyeni.
“We are carrying millions of dollars which can be cashed on exit at the expense of service delivery. Council cannot afford to encash all these leave banks.”
Harare Municipality Workers’ Union executive chairman, Mr Cosmas Bungu said it was disturbing considering that council workers have turned into perpetual beggars, surviving on handouts from well-wishers with one individual demanding $100 000 on accrued leave days.
Mr Bungu said that they raised a red flag on Dr Mahachi’s demands but said council was also liable for letting him accrue extensive leave days at the expense of service delivery.
“Dr Mahachi was manipulating the system, it is illegal and must be condemned.
“As an employee, you cannot continuously work as this will affect your health system or even expose you to mistakes during work.
“We are fighting for workers to get money but this will end up with one individual getting money at the expense of council employees,” he said.
Dr Mahachi was forced to leave council when his contract was terminated on three months’ notice in line with the July 17, 2015 Supreme Court ruling on common law contracts of employment.
The termination of the contract followed his demands for a $3 million golden handshake from the city as a pre-condition for quitting.
Prior to that, he was placed on indefinite leave for reportedly stalling the city’s succession plan and rationalisation of executive salaries, among other issues. state media
VIDEO:Police Evil Attacks On Poor Innocent People
The ZRP cops caused the suffering of many in Harare as they arrested innocent children and parents accusing them of violently rioting. The following latest video details those horrendous accounts. The people look up to their maker. “May God be the judge,” one woman cries out:
Role of the Police and Army and the Use of Force | CONSTITUTION WATCH
CONSTITUTION WATCH 11/2016
[7th July 2016]
The Role of the Police and Army and the Use of Force
in the Suppression of Riots
Introduction
Section 59 of the Constitution guarantees everyone the right to demonstrate and to present petitions, but says “these rights must be exercised peacefully”. So long as the demonstrations are peaceful, therefore, demonstrators are entitled to express their views publicly and the Police must respect this. When demonstrations turn violent, however, they may have to be dispersed forcibly.
In this Constitution Watch we shall look at the degree of force that may be used to disperse them and who – Police or Army – may exercise that force. We start with the Constitution, which sets out the functions of the Police and Army, and imposes limits on the degree of force they may use.
The Constitutional Role of the Police and Army in Maintaining Public Order
Police: The functions of the Police are set out in section 219 of the Constitution and include:
· preserving the internal security of Zimbabwe,
· protecting and securing the lives and property of the people, and
· maintaining law and order.
Army: According to section 212 of the Constitution, the function of the Defence Forces [of which the Army forms a part] is to protect Zimbabwe and its people, security and territorial integrity. The Defence Forces may be deployed in support of the Police in the maintenance of public order [section 213(2)].
Hence primary responsibility for maintaining order is vested in the Police, though the Army may be deployed to support them.
Constitutional Limits to Their Powers
The Constitution does not give police officers and army personnel free reign in carrying out this responsibility: they must show the utmost respect for “the fundamental rights and freedoms and the democratic values and principles enshrined in [the] Constitution” [section 206(3)(a) of the Constitution].
Among the fundamental rights and freedoms that must be respected by the Police and Army are:
· the right to life – which is inviolable and cannot be taken away except through the imposition of the death sentence by a court of law [sections 48 and 86(3)(a) of the Constitution],
· the right to human dignity – which is likewise inviolable [sections 51 and 86(3)(b) of the Constitution],
· the right to personal liberty, including the right not to be detained without trial [section 49 of the Constitution], and
· the right to personal security, including freedom from all forms of violence from public or private sources [section 52 of the Constitution].
The last two rights can be limited by law only to the extent that the limitation is fair, reasonable, necessary and justifiable in a democratic society based on human dignity and freedom, taking into account such factors as the interests of public safety and public order [section 86(2) of the Constitution].
This brings us to the questions:
1. What laws are there on the country’s statute book that authorise the Police and Army to use force in upholding public safety and public order?
2. Are those laws constitutional?
1. Statutes Authorising the Use of Force
The Public Order and Security Act [POSA] has surprisingly little to say about the suppression of riots. Section 29 provides that if a participant in a gathering kills or seriously injures anyone else or destroys or seriously damages any valuable property, or shows a clear intention of doing so, police officers may use force to prevent the person doing so if other methods of prevention are found to be ineffective or inappropriate. The force may extend to the use of firearms and other weapons, but should be no greater than is necessary to prevent the killing, injury, destruction or damage, and must be “moderated and … proportionate to the circumstances of the case and the object to be attained.”
When it comes to arresting rioters, the recently-amended section 42 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act [CP&E Act] gives police officers power to use “such force as may be reasonably justifiable and proportionate in the circumstances” to overcome resistance or to prevent the rioters from escaping arrest. The use of force is only justifiable, however, if the police officers believe on reasonable grounds that:
· the force is needed to protect the police officers from death or grievous bodily harm, or
· there is a substantial risk that the rioters will cause death or grievous bodily harm if their arrest is delayed, or
· the riot is in progress and involves the use of life-threatening violence or a strong likelihood of causing grievous bodily harm.
These conditions are very stringent indeed and they apply to the use of any force, not just the use of firearms.
Under section 37 of POSA, army personnel who assist the Police in maintaining order have the same powers, functions and authority as police officers. Hence they are subject to the same limitations on the use of force in suppressing riots as apply to police officers.
2. Constitutionality of use of force
Use of force generally
The Constitution does not deal specifically with the use of force by police officers and army personnel when maintaining law and order, but as already noted it requires them to show the utmost respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms. This does not mean the Constitution forbids the use of force altogether: some degree of force may need to be used to dispel riots and restore order, and the constitution-makers must have been aware of this. Hence the statutes we have mentioned, in so far as they allow the use of moderated, proportional and reasonably justifiable force, are probably constitutional – but they must be construed strictly to take into account the need for police officers and army personnel to show the utmost respect for human rights.
Use of firearms
When it comes to the use of firearms the statutes are constitutional only so long as they are interpreted as not allowing police and security force personnel to kill rioters or wrongdoers because, as pointed out above, the constitutional right to life is inviolable and cannot be taken away by any law. The statutes are ambiguous, however. Although section 29 of POSA authorises the use of firearms it does not mention using them to kill people. Section 42 of the CP&E Act states that the use of “lethal force” [i.e. force that is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury] can be used only in certain circumstances. Neither statute expressly authorises the police or security force personnel to kill people
The ambiguity in the statutes leaves the Police and Army unclear about using firearms to shoot to kill. This is illustrated by the ZRP Human Rights Pocketbook, which advises police officers that the golden rules when using firearms are: first to fire warning shots, then if that fails to shoot to injure, disable or maim, and only if that fails to shoot to kill “if necessary or justifiable in the circumstances”. This amounts to an authorisation to shoot to kill in certain circumstances, whereas any killing in any circumstances is unconstitutional and therefore illegal.
Also almost any use of firearms to subdue a riot is likely to kill someone or cause them serious injury. Even if police officers or army personnel fire warning shots into the air they may cause injury or death.
The statutes must be amended to exclude any ambiguity so that both security forces and the public are aware of their rights and responsibilities.
Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied.
Ministers Hit By Fear
Robert Mugabe’s ministers and senior security bosses are trembling in fear of the future following the perilous turmoil that has hit the country in the last 7 days.
Senior politburo members revealed to ZimEye yesterday for the first time in 36 years the nation has reached a tipping point. “We are at our worst ever and this is a crisis we have all agreed needs urgent attention,” one highly impeccable source said.
They added, “the Beitbridge fracas appears to have opened a bleeding wound in many forms; the cabinet in particular is disquieted (unsettled),” they added.
The development this week led to careful “photo-dressing” by ministers and in particular the police who in the last 3 days began arresting innocent civilians and charging them for various allegations, triggering public anger with many threatening to launch revenge attacks on police officers.
The state media led that deliberate effort with a secret letter leaking to the public in which the ZBC was ordered to ensure that dissenting voices are never aired. PICTURE:
Meanwhile, the Minister of Media gave the below press address claiming the nationwide viral protests were isolated disturbances.
Grace Mugabe Missing | NEW DETAILS EMERGE
Terrence Mawawa, Chivhu | The powerful First Lady Grace Mugabe has gone missing in action for several days since the day angry civilians took control of the Beitbridge border post last week.
Grace left thousands of Zanu PF supporters dejected after she failed to turn up for her own rally held at Sadza Growth point, Mashonaland East, last Saturday. This was a day after the government’s customs duty department was overpowered by victims of the abusive import ban which eventually led to the Beitbridge border being shut down for the first time since the downfall of former Prime Minister Ian Smith’s government in 1979.
Thousands of ruling party supporters, mainly members of the Women’s League were disappointed after Mrs Mugabe failed to attend the rally she was scheduled to address. The First Lady neither apologised nor explained reasons for her no show, party sources told ZimEye.com.
As factional battles continue in the crisis ridden Zanu PF, it is understood that Mrs Mugabe withdrew from the event fearing a backlash from not only enemies of the G-40, but also the fiery civil unrest which has exposed the government’s demoralised security apparatus.
Ironically also the Sadza area under Chikomba District, is Mrs Mugabe’s own family territory, where she grew up.
Party sources told ZimEye.com Mrs Mugabe left ZANU PF supporters fuming when they learnt that Eunice Sandi Moyo was standing in for her. Moyo was accompanied by Goromonzi West MP Beatrice Nyamupinga- who is also the acting chairlady for Mashonaland East Province.
“The First Lady never explained why she failed to attend the rally,” said a party source.
They continued, “thousands of party supporters were not happy with her no show. The women who lined up to welcome the First Lady were left dejected after realising she was nowhere to be seen. We understand there is a lot of tension here so she elected to bunk the rally.”
Mrs Mugabe’s whereabouts were not clear at the time of writing, and attempts to obtain a comment from the State House were fruitless.
Last year Mrs Mugabe failed to attend a rally held at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo following fierce clashes with war veterans and the Zanu PF provincial leadership along factional lines.
CIOs Can’t Read Your Whatsapp Messages | EVIDENCE
Zimbabwe’s Central intelligence Organisation, CIO, has no ability whatsoever to read people’s Whatsapp messages.
In fact, not even the powerful US FBI and the British intelligence agencies can penetrate Whatsapp messages due to the sophisticated end-to-end encryption on the network.
The discovery has seen British Prime Minister David Cameron begin pressing ahead with new legislation to ban Whatsapp in that country.
“That is something we are looking into but we have failed so far, but if the Americans can’t, it does not necessarily mean we can’t ,” one CIO agent admitted in Harare last year.
Encryption is a sophisticated process of encoding messages or information in such a way that only the authorized people can read it.
Cameron is thus seeking to stop people from sending any form of encrypted messages.
A number of popular messaging services – including WhatsApp, iMessage and Snapchat – currently scramble communications between their users, the UK Telegraph reported.
“In our country, do we want to allow a means of communication between people which we cannot read?” explained Prime Minister Cameron earlier this year. My answer to that question is: ‘No, we must not’,” said Cameron.
The only way the intelligence agents could possibly read Whatsapp messages is by voluntary procurement. This is when a user has surrendered their mobile-phone or a receiving gadget has fallen into the hands of the CIO. Even hacking is not possible and the only form of intrusion is possible when the owner or user, volunteers to reinstall their account onto an infected device.
Using Spy Software
Some dodgy companies on the internet have begun claiming that using a spy software program one can easily snoop into WhatsApp messages.
Although there is large number of companies marketing so called WhatsApp Spy Programs on the market today, none of them work without a voluntary window having been specifically opened at the host device and that by the user themselves. There thus exists no method whatsoever that can make it possible to read messages remotely.
ShutDown: Robert Mugabe – The End?
The success of Wednesday’s unprecedented stay-away could be marking the beginning of the end for President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF, analysts have said.
The long-suffering citizens staged the biggest general strike ever mounted in the history of the country.
So stunningly successful was the nationwide strike, that a prominent opposition figure openly admitted to the press last night that he was “very envious” that ordinary Zimbabweans, working on their own and without the support of political leaders and their parties, had managed to pull off such an improbable feat.
From Harare to Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, Masvingo, Kwekwe, Beitbridge, Bindura, Chipinge and other smaller towns, all the major urban areas resembled haunted ghost towns as Zimbabweans heeded the social media-driven call to shut down the country for the day.
Even the normally bustling Mbare marketplace in the capital had an eerie feel to it.
Many businesses, including banks and large retail shops — particularly in high density suburbs — also closed their doors for the day, with very few commuter omnibuses on the roads to ferry travellers.
And not even the suspicious shutdown of the popular multi-platform mobile phone messaging service, WhatsApp, in the early part of the day, could shake the growing spirit of resistance sweeping the entire length and breadth of the country.
Analysts yesterday said not even the huge 1998 stay-away, which was led by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai when he was still in charge of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions had come close to yesterday’s general strike.
“Zimbabwe has crossed the Rubicon and there is no turning back. This shutdown marks the coming of age of the social media revolution which the government can only ignore at its peril.
“This is people power undiluted. It sets the stage for a showdown with the Zanu PF government that must lead to political change. And opposition political leaders need to move swiftly to press for much-needed reforms,” Dewa Mavhinga, a senior researcher with the New York-based Human Right Watch, said.
Tsvangirai’s MDC, which recently held its own successful demonstrations in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare, yesterday paid tribute to Zimbabweans for finally deciding to take their destiny into their own hands.
“The people of Zimbabwe have spoken in a very peaceful but resounding manner by staging this hugely successful stay-away. The regime has been shown the red card by the people of Zimbabwe.
“Even if the collapsing Zanu PF regime might jam social media platforms such as WhatsApp etc, the inevitable is about to happen. This regime will be history very, very soon,” MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu said.
Meanwhile, a local pastor, Evan Mawarire, who was among the leading proponents of the shutdown campaign, claimed yesterday that intelligence operatives were trailing him.
“Four men in suits visited my office yesterday (Tuesday) around 6pm. However, they did not say exactly what they wanted from me after they were asked what they wanted.
“But the action from the citizens is amazing. The citizens have united and spoken with one voice. We know it has sent a message to them (Mugabe and Zanu PF) already, as seen by their panic when they blocked WhatsApp.
“We know it’s them. But one day is not enough. This must be a process. It’s up to the citizens to carry this forward, and something is going to happen to carry it forward,” Mawarire told the press.
Police said they had arrested 35 people, including Australian tourists, during yesterday’s stay-away, with the tourists being nabbed in Victoria Falls after being accused of taking part in demonstrations.
“15 White adults and two black adults were also arrested for carrying placards written ‘enough is enough’ and I am sure you can see a third force behind this. Some of them are from Australia but they came to demonstrate in Zimbabwe,” police spokesperson Charity Charamba said.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights later revealed that they were also attending to multiple arrests in Bulawayo, Harare, Masvingo, Victoria Falls and Zvishavane, amid reports of isolated incidents of violence.
Things turned nasty in the restive Mufakose high density suburb, historically a hotbed for political violence, when heavily-armed police stormed the streets and engaged in running battles with youths.
In response, irate residents emptied bins on the streets and lined them with rocks, resulting in police using teargas canisters and water cannons to disperse protesters. Dozens of people were injured in the skirmishers.
Harare Central Business District was deserted, with only a few people seen on the usually busy streets. Even in the posh low density suburb of Borrowdale, the Sam Levy business centre resembled a ghost town as both shoppers and diners stayed at home.
Police also randomly assaulted people who were taking pictures of burning tyres and street barricades, with at least five youths arrested at the statue of the late Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo in the city centre after they started chanting the slogan “Mugabe Must Go”.
In In Mutare, even the usually busy Sakubva flea market was empty, with only a handful of traders occupying their tables. The city centre was deserted as most shops were closed.
Chipinge,Schools in Dangamvura, Sakubva and Chikanga briefly opened but by 10am students had gone back home as the strike by teachers continued.
the situation was tense after anti-riot police fired teargas to disperse demonstrators. MDC organising secretary for Chipinge Central district, Itai Murema, was arrested as police dispersed protesters. daily news
Chihuri Drops Police Officers Into “Death Trap”
Police Commissioner, Augustine Chihuri has dropped the nation’s cops into a deadly trap that now stakes their families’ lives, it has emerged, in a highly disturbing development that now overstretches the already demoralised police force. This exclusive ZimEye article has some secret internal police documents which expose the perils the force is facing at present.
Following the disturbances that saw the whole country falling into a cloud of uncertainty amid an increasingly angry and hostile public in the last week, police officers told ZimEye.com they now fear for their lives.
This came about after members of the public vowed to launch retaliation and self defense attacks on police officers privately to as said “stop the force from abusing us.”
While scores of Zimbabweans wrote in public their intention to what they termed “defend” themselves from the police, some went to the point of announcing they will launch repelling attacks on the cops in their private space.
Wrote one man on Monday, “These police officers and soldiers stay with us in communities, as they go out to attack protesters let’s go to attack their families and properties”.
Another, a woman in her early 30s elaborately wrote out what she said was the formula for assembling petrol bombs to use in confrontation attacks with the police. The post published on the 5th July at 2008Hrs, began with the phrase “How to Make a Petrol Bomb, Steps,” and ended with the declaration, “Toonana kuma fronts edu mangwana.” In the last paragraph it also had the following, ” Add ammonia nitrate, river sand, or…”
Added to those comments were public statements by a well known activist that the ZRP cops can be beaten up in self defense if they attack civilians. The public must be fully aware that anyone in a police uniform must behave accordingly and once they start unleashing violence on citizens they are surely not police officers and members of the public are urged to protect themselves from violent attacks to preserve life, an NCA party youth wing member said.
The development has made life further difficult for the police officers who are at the end of struggles with finances and so may not have the monetary base to obtain secure accommodation facilities in the event of attacks being launched on them unawares. This week for instance saw many pictures of police officers being physically attacked and overpowered in broad daylight while in the act of carrying out their bosses’ orders.
Denial
Despite the worrisome situation, the government has announced saying the country is at peace saying that there were “isolated disturbances in Beitbridge and a few suburbs of Harare and Bulawayo,” and nothing more than that.
Staff Schemes, Corruption and Confusion.
Meanwhile, the cops have gone on record to complain that Gen Chihuri is allegedly forcing them to pay into a dodgy staff scheme managed by his wife called Kuyedza in which they are obligated to pay monthly contributions. They challenged Chihuri’s religious integrity which they said is questionable as the man who forces them into his church services, treats them with alleged contempt. Chihuri who professes Christianity, is named for claiming to be a spiritual man when he on the other side allegedly abuses officers. “He is the sole preacher in the service but surprisingly during day to day policing, he does not practice what he teaches in the service,” one senior cop said.
They continued, “every now and again members are forced to part with their hard earned cash to contribute towards Kuyedza club, a club headed by his wife. Kuyedza club proceeds are believed to be benefiting a clique of few senior officers. Members are again forced to buy stationary used on day to day duties. This is the reason why most of the officers are bitter about being forced to attend the service.”
It has also emerged with documentary evidence that police officers are being forced into “police spot fine” cash collection target figures for fund raising purposes.
The above documents serve to confirm that police officers are being given arrest targets to raise retention money, hence the rise of groups such as the so called “Tajamuka” which is lobbying for an end to the abuses, which sparked the protests this week.
Mugabe Fires Tomana | BREAKING NEWS
Prosecutor General, Johannes Tomana was on Thursday, kicked out of his job by President Robert Mugabe who secretly issued him with an immediate suspension notice.
He has been replaced by Ray Goba, ZimEye.com can reveal.
Tomana is facing charges of abuse of office after he allegedly sanctioned the dropping of criminal charges against two soldiers linked to an alleged bombing attempt at Mugabe’s dairy farm.
That case which Tomana meddled with was allegedly staged by proMugabe agents in order to build a case to procedurally boot out Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, sources have claimed to ZimEye.com.
Tomana is said to be a Mnangagwa supporter in the race for the Presidency.
Tomana was granted $1 000 bail coupled with stringent reporting conditions by provincial magistrate Vakayi Chikwekwe.
Tomana is accused of corruptly releasing two soldiers — Solomon Makumbe (29), attached to 1 Field Regiment, and Silas Pfupa (37) of the Zimbabwe Intelligence Corps who were arrested together with two others at the First Family’s Gushungo Dairy project in Mazowe, as they were to about execute their alleged bombing plot.
Tomana , is alleged to have instructed his subordinate, Michael Mugabe, to drop the charges against the two, who were to be turned into State witnesses.
$15Billion Not Stolen At All, Says Chinamasa
Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has openly cleared former Vice President Joice Mujuru, previously blamed for looting Chiadzwa diamonds.
Speaking in a wide ranging interview on the BBC Hard Talk, Chinamasa three times repeated his view that the missing $15billion diamond revenue matter has nothing to do with theft or fraud.
“This was all to do with the mis-pricing of our diamonds,” said Chinamasa.
He was at the time persuading his case to obtain aid and investment. “But you have got $15billion of revenue from the diamond industry which President Robert Mugabe himself said in March had been looted and simply disappeared..,” Chinamasa was asked.
He responded saying, “There is potential in our economy, no doubt, but I don’t think you are right to ascribe it to bad management. Its not the reason.
“We went through a revolution, the land issue was a revolution in itself…let me come to the $15billion, the $15 billion essentially what we are saying is over the years there has been an economic loss arising from trade mis-priscing.
“Now put it differently you would put it as looting but I would rather put it to say its mis-pricing , the problem we know happens in all developing countries – under invoicing of commodities over a period of time hence you can also put it to the fact that in that case, we were caught sleeping, but the truth of the matter is that its arising from mis-pricing and its an issue now we are interrogating with a view to coming up with the necessary systems to prevent that from happening (again),” he said.
The treasury boss’ comments came as Mujuru was fingered by ZANU PF Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and professor Jonathan Moyo for looting Zimbabwe’s diamonds, participating in the so called $15billion theft.
Chinamasa was being grilled by the BBC’s Zeinab Badawi in London.
Protect Zimbabwean Citizens Against Police Brutality SADC Urged
Lovemore Lubinda|The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) has called on the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), to intervene and protect protestors rights from violation by police.
This comes amidst reports that include that residents in Mufakose suburb clashed with police resulting in some of them being arrested and taken to Marimba Police Station, along with some journalists who were covering the skirmishes, only to be released after police deleted pictures from their phones and cameras.
The recent upheavals were partly triggered by the government’s decision to impose certain bans on imports, which didn’t go down well with cross border traders.
The protests started in Beitbridge and spread to the capital, were commuter drivers and touts also took the opportunity to vent their anger in protest against the existence of numerous road blocks on the city’s roads, and the alleged demanding of bribes by traffic police officers.
The government responded by deploying the police to deal with the disturbances.
The CSVR says it is joining other civic organisations in condemning the Zimbabwean government’s use of force, which it claimed to be excessive, to deal with protests.
CSRV community intervention programme manager, Tsholofelo Sesanga says, when policing is introduced it needs to be within the realm of the human rights discourse; “The excessive police violence used against protestors is an indication that the state is misusing its power in times of disorder and symbolic instability,” she said in a press release.
The centre said the protests were a manifestation of the people’s anger and frustration over decisions made by government, as a way to urge the authorities to take their concerns into consideration.
CSVR says it noted that the decision by Zimbabwe, would also affect other SADC countries apart from South Africa, which use the Beitbridge to transport resources to countries like Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi.
She warned that if government doesn’t take action these protests have a potential to spread to other areas.
As the situation remained tense, people stayed out of work yesterday as they responded to the call to action. A snap survey in the capital indicated that there was no heavy police presence in the CBD.
However, despite the situation being calm in the city the whole day as businesses were closed.
ZRP Panics, Peddles Lies To Instil Fear | BREAKING NEWS
The Zimbabwe Republic Police, panicking from the shame it received as its officers ducked away in fear and humiliation during the ongoing #ShutDownZim campaign, has begun peddling falsehoods in an attempt to instill fear.
Fighting for a face-show, the ZRP spokesperson, Charity Charamba yesterday began disowning a secret ZRP internal memo in which the force’s bosses this week sought peace with the angry masses.
The ZRP triggered the ongoing fiery protests on Monday in what has now become Zimbabwe’s historic social turning point. A nervous Zanu PF rushed to convene an emergency politburo meeting in Harare yesterday, amidst growing resistance to the ruling party’s misrule of the past 36 years, as well as a crippling strike by angry government workers, including teachers, nurses and medical doctors.
The meeting came after Monday’s deadly riots in Harare, which saw stretched police deploying their members in full force around the country Tuesday — with security helicopters menacingly buzzing around most high density suburbs in the capital, while armoured vehicles combed the streets in a desperate endeavour to stem the anarchy.
ZimEye.com can reveal the internal memo published on Monday is an authentic Augustine Chihuri commissioned document obtained directly from the ZRP. Mrs Charamba went on to claim that ZimEye has in the last two months been publishing falsehoods on police operations. ZimEye.com can however reveal every single article published on the police has been proof checked and corroborated with Mrs Charamba herself. In one incident for example involving abuse of police officers in which they are being forced to join Augustine Chihuri’s church, Mrs Charamba telephoned ZimEye threatening to beat up one of the journos. She within minutes however admitted she had only read the first paragraph of the story, conceding at the end that the whole piece was factual. ZimEye is in possession of that full audio recording.
Meanwhile well-placed sources within the former liberation movement told both ZimEye and the Daily News that the party has been forced by the deteriorating climate in the country to bring forward its monthly politburo meeting from next week to yesterday, Wednesday.
“How can we not meet now comrade given what’s happening? We were all shocked by last week’s riots by cross border traders in Beitbridge, which resulted in the destruction of a lot of property and more than 70 people being arrested. It was unprecedented,” a senior politburo member told the Daily News.
At the same time, dogged National Vendors’ Union of Zimbabwe chairperson, Sten Zvorwadza, who has been fearlessly taking on the authorities over the past few months, warned that the threat by Zimbabweans to “shut down the country tomorrow (today) is no idle threat” — emphasising that this would be achieved without violence.
“Shut down Zimbabwe is going on, hatisi kumira (there is no going back). Mangwana tiri kuvhara Zimbabwe (Tomorrow we are shutting down the country) … every citizen … we are not going to work and our kids are not going to school.
“Let’s stay at home and be united. Let’s send a clear message to this government that we are the citizens and we have a voice that must be listened to. Tomorrow (today) we are all Zimbabweans, let’s move away from political stand points and support Zimbabwe.
“From Zambezi to Limpopo, Victoria Falls to Mutare, everywhere, kombis will not be moving, cars will not be moving. Get off the roads and stay home, we want them to know we are serious. Do not be intimidated, do not be afraid,” Zvorwadza said.
“We are saying no to the bond notes. They must put our money back in our accounts that they took. We are saying no to the import ban. Why are you banning the importation of food when industries are not functioning? Build the industries, and then ban.
“We are saying no to corruption by government officials. Our ministers are busy mismanaging the country and spending too much money and want to blame citizens for that. We also say no to police harassing us. Driving a car is not a crime. We are also saying no to silence on the $15 billion that is missing,” he added.
Zvorwadza also cautioned Zimbabweans to refrain from engaging in violence while protesting, saying: “Let’s not hurt each other. The problem is not any of us, it’s the government”.
Commenting on Zanu PF convening its politburo yesterday, the former advisor to opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, Alex Magaisa, told the Daily News that the emergency gathering was similar to the one that was held eight years ago, just before the country plunged into total chaos.
“Zimbabwe is entering a phase for which citizens must be prepared for anything. History tells us that Zanu PF reacts viciously to anything that threatens its survival. Back in 2008, the Zanu PF politburo met on 4 April, just 5 days after the March 29 elections. By then they knew they had lost the elections and that power was slipping away.
“Their response is well recorded … It was vicious and diabolical. Now here’s the thing: the same politburo is meeting on Wednesday 6th July. As to the outcome and response, your guess is as good as mine. But it’s important for Zimbabweans to be prepared,” Magaisa said.
Another senior Zanu PF official who also spoke to the Daily News Tuesday appeared to validate Magaisa’s fears, saying most government bigwigs crassly suspected that Tsvangirai’s MDC, aided by “hostile external forces”, was behind the worsening unrest.
But in a message circulating on social media, a pressure group going by the name Tajamuka (Shona for we are rebelling) said they had called for strikes to restore order in the country.
“The action that we have called for from the strikes, demonstrations … are intended to restore sanity in the country. We are giving … Mugabe up to December 2016 to have outlined a clear timeline for the country and indication to the people when he is retiring.
“We need new impetus to rebuild the economy, a new voters’ roll and the repeal of all draconian laws or any other laws that remain ultra vires the new Constitution. We restate that these actions are totally lawful, peaceful and non-violent and are meant to show Mugabe that it’s time to go now.
“2018 is too far and no election will be allowed to take place until the electoral irregularities are addressed. We urge Zimbabweans to heed our call to unity and action in defence of our country and in total defiance to Zanu PF’s governance,” reads part of Tajamuka’s statement.
But Zanu PF political commissar for Harare, Shadreck Mashayamombe, appealed to the people of his Harare South constituency to disregard the calls by Tajamuka to shutdown the capital today.
“As Zanu PF, we are encouraging all progressive citizens to continue doing their business on Wednesday, it’s just like any other day. We want to assure all residents who are doing business tomorrow (today) that they will be protected.
“These threats by these thugs do not hold water, we have put in place a lot of security to ensure that all vehicles, public transport and all public and private property is protected. As the vanguard of the party we can’t just sit and wait while property is being damaged by these unruly elements,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Daily News says it is also informed that the myriad crises facing the country dominated discussions in a number of high level government meetings on Monday and Tuesday, as President Robert Mugabe and his lieutenants tried to contain the situation.
Of these meetings and today’s politburo gathering, MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu said Zimbabweans should not expect “anything positive or tangible” to come out of them.
“The Zanu PF politburo is a grouping of tired, expired and clueless politicians who have got absolutely no sound ideas to effectively deal with Zimbabwe’s deepening political and socio-economic crises.
“We will have to wait until donkeys grow horns if we expect the Zanu PF regime to successfully extricate the nation from the hell-hole into which this insipidly corrupt regime plunged us,” he said.
Sticking to its calls for the immediate resignation of Mugabe, in power since 1980, the MDC also said “Zimbabwe needs a fresh start and a new beginning. We need a brand new administration that will usher in a new era of accountability and transparency”.
Gutu’s sentiments were echoed by the spokesperson of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Jacob Mafume, who said today’s politburo meeting would be nothing more than “another praise and worship session for Mugabe”.
“Some of them (Zanu PF politburo members) even cry after just looking at Mugabe’s picture and you can imagine what will happen when they see him face to face. They will weep uncontrollably and beyond crying in his presence nothing will be achieved in the meeting,” Mafume said contemptuously.
Mushore’s Future Hangs In Balance
The future of former banker James Mushore, still hangs in the balance, as Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni is still to make a decision on rescinding his appointment as town clerk in the face of continued government objection to his remaining in office.
Manyenyeni made the comments on Tuesday soon after he resumed his duties at Town House following the end of his suspension and subsequent arrest at the behest of government on charges of unprocedurally appointing Mushore and criminal abuse of office as a public official in giving out tenders.
However, the courts overturned his suspension and removed him from remand, paving way for his return to Town House after nearly three months out of office.
Manyenyeni said: “We do not have a way forward. I just came back yesterday and I do not know what will happen to him (Mushore).”
Manyenyeni said: “We do not have a way forward. I just came back yesterday and I do not know what will happen to him (Mushore).”
“As far as we all know, Mushore was appointed town clerk by council, he remains unacceptable to the government, (Local Government) minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Zanu PF, but as for the council, that is the man that we have chosen to carry out the mandate. We think we have found the right person to do the job,” Manyenyeni added.
MDC-T spokesman Obert Gutu said Manyenyeni was being victimised by political giants, hence it was affecting his decision-making.
“Manyenyeni has done absolutely nothing wrong. He is just being victimised by a political vampire. The Minister of Local Government should respect the letter and spirit of devolution as clearly enunciated in the supreme law of the land,” Gutu said.
“The town clerk was properly, legitimately and lawfully interviewed and offered the job by the City of Harare and not by the mayor.”
Gutu added: “Last time I checked, Kasukuwere was supposed to be a law student at the University of Zimbabwe. At a law school we are taught not only to abide by and respect the Constitution, we are also taught to uphold the principle of constitutionalism.” Newsday
ShutDown : Gvt Warned, Act Now! More Fire Come Next Wednesday, Thursday!!
Staff Writer|The #Flag Pastor Evans Mawarire, has issued a stern warning to the bealeaguered government of Zimbabwe, to act now on given demands or face more fire next Wednesday, the 13th of July and Thursday 14th July.
The broke government would suffer greatly from the threatened two day mass action!
Mawarire congratulated Zimbabweans on holding a peaceful stay away through out the country in protest against government’s arrogance and rotten policies.
“I want to thank you for raising the voice of the country,you were able to lift your voice and say to this government enough is enough,” said Mawarire, who also demanded that all police roadblocks be removed immediately.
” I want to speak against violence, I know there has been violence that has taken place, kurovana kwaitika,” #TheFlag Pastor condemned violence in the strongest terms, warning restive citizens to not engage in acts of violence.
Mawarire presented to government a list of demands among them is that President Robert Mugabe fires all corrupt ministers, among these who are highly unpopular are, Lazarus Dokora, Super Mandiwanzira and Samuel Undenge.
Other demands include; civil servants be paid on time, commitment to abandon bond notes, the lifting of import restrictions or else the ruling Zanu PF party faces the consequences.
IF YOU DON’T meet these demands, we will shut Zimbabwe down AGAIN on Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th July! He warned.
Harare Fires – 100 Injured, Charged With Public Violence
AT LEAST 105 people, including a Malawian national, have been charged with public violence, they are alleged to have caused the mayhem during Monday’s protests, when commuter omnibus crews demonstrated against police roadblocks.
The charged appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe.
Some of the suspects were severely injured, while others struggled to walk amid reports they had been mauled by police dogs.
Four of the suspects were minors.
Human rights lawyers, led by Trust Maanda, however, failed to have the suspects released on the basis they were brought to court after 48 hours had lapsed.
Chikwekwe dismissed the application, saying their records were documented within the prescribed timeframe.
Maanda told the court the accused were denied access to medication and food, while in police custody.
According to the State, police received information that protesters from the Greater Harare Association for Commuter Omnibus, who were demonstrating in Epworth and Mabvuku, were disrupting the smooth flow of traffic.
It is alleged when police arrived, the protesters became violent and charged towards them. The State alleges police were forced to retreat with the rioters pursuing them.
It is alleged police managed to encircle the protesters after receiving back-up.
The matter was rolled over to today for continuation of the bail hearing.
Moleen Mtangadura appeared for the State.
Mutsvangwa Expelled from ZANU PF
War Veterans’ Association chairman, Christopher Mutsvangwa and 13 former youth leaders have been expelled from Zanu PF on charges of indiscipline.
Addressing journalists in the capital yesterday after a day-long politburo meeting, Zanu PF secretary for administration, Ignatius Chombo, said the politburo had expelled a top party official, but declined to name him, saying the individual had not yet been informed.
“One member was dismissed because his behaviour had actually become worse after his suspension,” Chombo said.
But party insiders told NewsDay that the axe had fallen on the Norton MP, with the party accusing him of being loud-mouthed and defiant.
“The politburo also took time to discuss the disciplinary appeals and review committee. All the appeals against expulsion from the party by the 13 youths were unsuccessful,” Chombo said.
“This means the politburo has fully endorsed the decision of the appeals committee. This was due to the severity of their cases.”
Zanu PF has since 2014 suspended and fired several party members accusing them of working with former Vice-President Joice Mujuru in an alleged plot to oust President Robert Mugabe.
Meanwhile, Chombo said Zanu PF was not moved by yesterday’s mass stayaway and threatened a ruthless clampdown on organisers of the demonstrations.
“The party has it on good authority that violent demonstrations witnessed in Beitbridge were sponsored by some MDC-T elements and other opposition parties in protesting against Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016,” he said.
Government insists the ban is meant to shore up local industry, although it has drawn the ire of many, who say it is unnecessary and choking informal traders.
“We are also aware that persons from across the bridge joined in protesting against the statutory instrument because they were also beneficiaries,” Chombo continued. “In Harare, the demonstrations were led by leaders of vendors’ organisations and some shadowy groups that call themselves by a variety of names and we know that they are being sponsored by the Western embassies and some failed parties.”
“State security organisations are working around the clock to put the situation under control and those found on the wrong side of the law will be severely dealt with. They are being seriously warned to desist from this unwanted behaviour.
“Zanu PF is quite steadfast and is focused on what we need to do and we cannot be shaken by these activities, not at all.”
Zanu PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere said the party was sound and would soon deploy politburo members to apprise provincial executive members of Zanu PF’s strategies and direction, with Mugabe set to launch a series of rallies, starting with Mashonaland Central province tomorrow. – Newsday
France Overtakes Britain on Economy
France and Britain were vying for fifth place on the list of the world’s biggest economies on Wednesday, with France nudging ahead after a renewed slump in the pound in the wake of the Brexit vote, Reuters calculations showed.
Britain’s gross domestic product stood at 1.864 trillion pounds in 2015, according to the last available figures from the International Monetary Fund.
The average exchange rate for the year in question is commonly used for comparisons between countries. But using the current exchange rate, France has pulled slightly ahead.
With the pound falling below 1.17 euros overnight for the first time since 2013, that means the size of the British economy in 2015 is now equivalent to 2.172 trillion euros – less than France’s official GDP of 2.182 trillion euros last year.
Britain’s vote in a referendum on June 23 to quit the EU has hammered financial markets, rattled businesses and punished the pound, which was trading at 1.1650 euros as of 1440 GMT.
But volatile exchange rates meant the figures were hard to pin down. Britain briefly regained fifth spot after the pound broke above 1.17 euros for a few hours on Wednesday, only to sag again in mid-afternoon trade.
Britain and France, which have similar populations, have swapped positions before in the rankings.
In 2014 Britain overtook France, six years after the financial crisis caused the pound to fall and allowed France to regain a crown it had lost in 1997.-Reuters
ZBC Website Hacked Down as Punishment for Mugabe Abuses
President Robert Mugabe’s ZTV broadcasting website was yesterday hacked down as punishment for the way he has been treating civil servants and the rest of the community.
Hackers announced via a tweet yesterday how they managed to purge and pollute the website servers and install a dummy copy of the Telecel company website where the state loud horn’s site stood.
For the whole day on Wednesday Zimbabweans could not access news.
The problem was more than just a website. By 8pm last night ZTV was struggling even to air 8pm news bulletin It was delayed by more than 10 minutes while showing dummy adverts to cover face.
Sources at the broadcaster said all was not well for the whole day yesterday.
Zimbabweans in SA threaten To Burn Down Zim Embassy
Terrence Mawawa| Scores of Zimbabweans based in South Africa besieged the Zimbabwean embassy in that country threatening to torch the premises in protest against President Robert Mugabe’s administration.
South African television channel e-tv reported yesterday scores of angry Zimbabweans based in the neighbouring country demanded to see the embassy officials over the crisis rocking the former bread basket of Africa, many say has been reduced to a basket case. South African police details were seen on e-tv battling to control the angry mob.
The people have vowed to stage demonstrations across all provinces of that country to force Mugabe and his cronies to step down. Zimbabweans are demanding that Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980 must step down following the failure by the government to pay civil servants, ZRP ineptitude, rampant corruption and the ban imposed on imported goods. “We are not leaving this place until we meet the embassy officials. We want them to address us on the current crisis in Zimbabwe. We have suffered for too long so we will not leave the embassy premises until the emissaries address us. We are ready to die for Zimbabwe. We are prepared for anything so there is no going back.This is just the beginning of our protests. This time we will not rest until Mugabe steps down.
The people of Zimbabwe have been taken for granted for too long so we are saying we are fed up with this level of tyranny,” a Zimbabwean lady based in Johannesburg, told e-news earlier today.
“All Shonas Guilty Of Gukurahundi”, Mzila’s Hot Therapy
Gugugu Magorira, |Reference is made to recent divisive statements made by self proclaimed regionalist Moses Mzila Ndlovu (Bukalanga Party President) who was recently quoted saying” Every Shona guilty of Gukurahundi”.
Its very sad to know that Mzila who had all my respect has seen it fit and necessary to embark on an evil crusade to criminalize all shona people in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabweans should not allow themselves to be divided by such secessionists like him who are too greedy for power and not even ashamed of uttering such statements.
Mzila in my view is offside and should be advised not to behave like a kid or think that his proposed Bukalanga people’s party will advance the interests of Matebeleland south.
We knew his intentions,we saw it coming and is not the only one thinking like that.We know the many chameleons in most opposition leaders who are working on a broad plan to divide pro-democracy forces who are on the verge of launching a bigger inclusive political project to restore sanity and decisively deal with those known to have committed acts of genocide in Matebeleland and Midlands province.
We will in the near future name the characters in the PDP,MDCT,MDC,Zimbabwe People First and Zanu pf who are hiding behind devolution yet they are secessionists at heart but scared to declare their satanic agenda for fear of sinking into political oblivion.
As citizens of this country we will not fall asleep on duty or get too excited with antics of those chameleons within us.
We are also aware of plans to disrupt the building of a broad opposition coalition by some individuals who are Christians during the day and satanists at night.
We are sick and tired of criminals who claim to be smart when they are working day and night to destroy people’s projects in connivance with one female proportional representation MP for Matebeleland South who in the first place was not qualified to be in Parliament.
I mean this fool that has two totems and argues that anyone from any part of the country can be an MP in any province.Rubbish!!!.
Kusanyara,not even ashamed to say,’i visited Tsvangirai at night” why not during the day? we are watching all cdes,time shall come to spill the real “sweet”. beans.
Can someone out there tell this ‘small boy’ Moses Mzila to direct his hate speech at Mnangagwa,Sidney Sekeramayi, Mugabe,Perence Shiri,Elleck Mashingaidze not all Shona speaking people.
What makes him think that he is the most qualified individual to smear Shona people?
Chicken Inn, Platinum Match Shot Down
THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) was yesterday forced to cancel a scheduled league match between Chicken Inn and FC Platinum at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo due to security reasons related to anti-government protests that rocked the country.
The mass demonstrations, codenamed #ShutdownZim, crippled operations across the country, with protesters calling on President Robert Mugabe to resign for failing to fix the country’s worsening socio-economic situation.
While the PSL could not specify the reasons for “shutting down” the match, they reportedly advised hosts Chicken Inn that the match would not go ahead because of the civil unrest that engulfed Bulawayo yesterday, in particular areas surrounding the match venue.
It seems the PSL could have feared for the safety of players and spectators after incidents of violence that rocked Makokoba township yesterday morning.
When asked to give reasons for the cancellation of match, PSL chief executive officer, Kennedy Ndebele could only say: “The match has been called off, full stop.”
However, a Chicken Inn official told NewsDay Sport they had been advised that the match would be played at a later date after the police said they did not have enough manpower for the game.
“The match is off, apparently because the police do not have enough manpower. We have since informed our technical team and players of this development,” the Chicken Inn official said.
FC Platinum were already in Bulawayo for the match when news of the cancellation was announced.
“The match has been postponed. I have not received the official correspondence yet, but I have been told that the match is off,” FC Platinum liaison officer, Chido Chizondo said.
This is the second time this match has been postponed. It was initially scheduled for June 18, but was moved further as Chicken Inn had more than three players on national duty for the Cosafa Cup tournament in Namibia.
Yesterday, the match was called off as angry protesters in Makokoba and surrounding areas burnt tyres and closed the road leading to Barbourfields Stadium, triggering running battles with armed police officers, who later resorted to using water cannons and teargas to try and disperse the unyielding crowd.
It was not clear yesterday when the fixture, would be played, although it is now likely to be staged after the mid-season break.
There are also fears that the weekend matches could be affected if the anti-government protests continue, which could probably affect the whole league campaign.
Week 13 fixtures
Saturday: FC Platinum v Caps United (Mandava), Tsholotsho v Mutare City (White City), Chapungu v Chicken Inn (Ascot), Harare City v How Mine (Rufaro), Ngezi Platinum v ZPC Kariba (Baobab).
Sunday: Hwange v Bulawayo City (Colliery), Highlanders v Triangle (Barbourfields), Dynamos v Border Strikers (Rufaro) – Newsday
Mugabe Panics, Bows to Povo
President Robert Mugabe has bowed to pressure (click to read) of the ongoing civil unrest in the country and made panic instructions to his ministers to urgently pay civil servants their June salaries.
In a media statement broadcast on the state owned ZBC Radio, Acting Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Supa Mandiwanzira said that Mugabe has instructed his Ministry and the Finance Ministry to pay civil servants their salaries (click to read) starting tomorrow.
Consequently employees in the Ministry of Education will get their salaries tomorrow instead of the 19th of July as previously advised, while the health sector will be paid on Friday instead of the 14th of June, the government said in a rushed statement Wednesday night.
Mandiwanzira begged the civil servants to immediately go back to work, now that President Mugabe has instructed for the full payment of their salaries. The development which saw the police and army being humiliated and beaten up in broad daylight as Police Boss Augustine Chihuri begged for peace with the angry public, is a historic victory denoting what the public can do on their own to shape the nation’s future with no intervention from outsiders.
Zimbabwe Burns as Politburo Creeps Into Hiding
As Zimbabwe went under fire going under civilian control and grip, Zanu PF’s elite decision-making body the Politburo crept into hiding.
After disappearing from the public eye early morning Wednesday, Robert Mugabe and his group of untouchables were still holed up in a secret meeting at a Harare location by 4pm.
Sources close to the meeting said the group was struggling to arrive at a conclusive solution: With a humiliated police force, several officers beaten up by the public in retaliation from abuses, and a disintegrated, disjointed army refusing to attack innocent civilians, the writing was on the wall for Mugabe’s hand picked cronies.
One of the painstaking flashes of truth was an admission that the current protest and stay away has neither leader nor coordinator. An attempt was made to use the term “rebellion” in describing the civic mass action and spontaneous outbursts.
But at the end of day, conclusions were that the irrefutable facts on the ground reflect this is no rebellion at all, for in every rebellion there are rebel leaders. In this one there was none. This was a classical self inflicted revolution on the state by the same state, as ZANU PF faction spin doctor, Energy Mutodi concluded voicing in sync with political analysts. He also posted a personal video hours before attacking Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko for causing the riots from within government structures.
Back to the Politburo indaba, a cloud of confusion hung over the dust splattered building with no conclusion, for a final working solution in sight. Pointedly singled out was the notorious industry Minister, Mike Bimha’s ministry, through the man’s abusive government directives in the import ban instrument which led to the historic Beitbridge fires last Friday.
It was tacitly clear, although not vocally upheld that Bimha was simply acting to corruptly promote VP Mphoko’s retail businesses in which masses were blocked from importing domestic vitals, triggering last week’s state of civilian staging against the dwindling security forces.
“VP Mphoko is to blame for all this, ” said Energy Mutodi.
Mugabe gives in
At the end of the day however, President Robert Mugabe bowed to the ongoing civil unrest in the country and made panic instructions to his ministers to urgently pay the civil servants their June salaries.
In a media statement broadcast on the state owned ZBC Radio, Acting Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Supa Mandiwanzira said that President Mugabe has instructed his Ministry and the Finance Ministry to pay civil servants their salaries starting tomorrow.
Employees in the Ministry of Education will get their salaries tomorrow instead of the 19th of July as previously advised, while the Health sector will be paid on Friday instead of the 14th of June.
Mandiwanzira urged the civil servants to immediately go back to work now that President Mugabe has instructed for the payment of their salaries.
Lumumba Wins | BREAKING NEWS
VIVA Zimbabwe leader, Acie Lumumba (William Mutumanje) has won against the government.
Just as ZimEye.com predicted earlier on, the state were left humiliated on Wednesday afternoon when the presiding magistrate in Court 9 released Lumumba.
The government was claiming that Lumumba is the rebel leader of the current #ShutDownZim campaign.
They said this as they frantically dithered on a non-existent piece of legislation which elevates President Robert Mugabe to the status of a god-untouchable.
Lumumba who last week blasted Mugabe using an F*** word, was released on bail for a paltry $400.00 and ordered to simply report to the police after a long 7 day stretch. CLICK HERE TO ALSO READ – Lumumba Court Case
LIVE UPDATES:Lumumba Appears In Court, Police Dither
BREAKING NEWS: VIVA Zimbabwe party leader, Acie Lumumba (William Mutumanje) appeared in court Wednesday morning, handcuffed.
1600 – Magistrate releases Lumumba on bail.
– 1500: Representing the state, Oscar Madhume urged that, Lumumba was not fit for bail after the investigating officer Detective Assistant Inspector Ivan Njanike had told the court that Lumumba was responsible for the ongoing protests which have rocked the country.
Njanike said that if released, Lumumba would cause more chaos in the country adding that the prison was only a safe place for the former Zanu PF activist.
His attorney Ashiel Mugiya said that by handing over himself to the police, Lumumba showed that he is a law abiding citizen.
Magistrate Chikwekwe is expected to making his bail ruling this afternoon, Wednesday. ZimEye.com will update our valued members, readers, and contributors as the case progresses.
1130 – Lumumba entered the Harare magistrates court at around 10am.
He is being tried in Court 9, room 6.
Meanwhile, the police have struggled to raise a credible case against him as the legislation used to previously incriminate people who voice out against President Robert Mugabe in what is claimed “insulting or undermining the office of the President,” has been long stripped off the statutes. Senior judges were at the time of writing salivating to humiliate the prosecution. Justice Malaba and his large bench of jurists have already in writing reprimanded the police and the Prosecutor General for wasting taxpayers’ money on cases worse than Lumumba’s.
Mugabe D-Day, Social Media Revolution
Edinah Ruvimbo Masanga |It is 5 July 2016 d-day eve, I have just finished making my supper. It is a simple traditional dish of sadza, beans and leaf vegetables. It is my second favourite comfort food after spinach in peanut butter sauce. Anyway, I cannot eat properly, I am very nervous. I have been tweeting much more than usual, encouraging my people to stay away from work and #ShutDownZimbabwe on Wednesday 6 July.
I am nervous because the regime is known to come up with creative ways and to stifle and crush citizen action against its dictatorship. But I have tweeted a lot anyway, and written a lot anyway. I want so badly for this to happen.
You see there was a genius in this stay away that made me become so passionate: Zimbabweans did not need a police clearance to stay away from work. There was another genius in that Robert Mugabe and his terrorist regime could not use tear gas, water canons or AK47’s on people in their homes.
There was another profound genius in that for this government to exist they actually need to rule people and if the people say no who will the rogue regime preside over. Who will they use? Who will they urinate on?
On the morning of the D-day. (today)
I am up earlier than usual even though am not going anywhere. Am on a summer break. I love to drink lemon tea in the morning so I make myself a cup. Two sips and I pour it down the kitchen drain. It tastes overly bitter today, or is it that my taste buds, along with my brain, are overly sensitive today.
The nerves have not let go. All my devices are switched on but none of them are running any of my social media apps, not that I have been jammed no, but because I have turned them off. I a nervous, literally shaking. What if the people turned up for work, what if the people did not heed the call for their own liberation?
By 9 am my nerves have reached euphoric pitch. I decide to make something to eat. Not that I’m hungry, just an excuse to not check my social media – that is my morning routine – and find that we the people have been defeated again. I mix my rolled oats with water and put them on low heat to boil. I hope to wait for over thirty minutes before they are ready and have to confront my fear of checking the news all over again.
Before the oatmeal even began boiling I could not contain my anxiety and so I opened my social media only to be met with news of our victory as the people. Newsday, a newspaper that I trust, is telling me that Harare has come to a standstill. That Kwekwe could not be outdone too, koBulawayo the people have spoken loudly and that even in Mbare – normally a relentless hive of activity – no one left their homes today.
What does this say about the people at this point in time. Zimbabweans are are a very calm and peaceful people. Protest or noisy revolutions do not really succeed that much with them. Zimbabwe still has the highest literacy rate in Africa and the people tend to weigh pros and cons to everything and that is why violent revolutions have a minimum chance of succeeding. But when you come to them with a genius, peaceful way to stand up to the devil incarnate regime, they will heed your call.
The oatmeal is overflowing onto the stove. As I’m running around the kitchen trying to clean the mess and avoid smoke, the alarm sound freaks me out, my mood has changed drastically. I am hopeful. I am very hopeful of a freer, safer and secure Zimbabwe. I am hopeful that the people will not betray themselves by continuing to support the regime.
Aluta continua!
Shut-Down Update – Zimbos In SA Protest Outside Embassy
Oscar Pistorius Gets 6 Years For Murder
The long awaited sentence for Oscar Pistorius over the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp has been delivered and Pistorius has been given a six year jail term.
In her statement Judge Masipa described Pistorius as a ‘fallen hero’ as she delivered the short sentence. But she added: “I am of the view that a long term of imprisonment would not serve justice in this case.”
Murder carries a mandatory 15-year jail sentence in South Africa, unless there is “substantial or compelling evidence” to reduce the term.
I am of the view mitigating circumstances outweigh the aggravating circumstances,” Judge Masipa said in her sentencing remarks.
Pistorius, 29, shot Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013, claiming he assumed there was a burglar when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet.
He pleaded not guilty at his trial in 2014 and has always denied killing Ms Steenkamp in a rage, saying he was trying to protect her.
Pistorius was freed from prison in the South African capital Pretoria last October after serving one year of a five-year term for culpable homicide – the equivalent of manslaughter.
The Supreme Court of Appeal in December ruled that Pistorius was guilty of murder, irrespective of who was behind the door when he opened fire with a high-calibre pistol he kept under his bed.
Today’s sentencing may not be the end of the saga, as Pistorius or the state could launch a final round of appeals against the length of the prison term.
The sentence comes three weeks after a court hearing that marked another episode of high drama in the long-running case.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel had argued that the double-amputee sprinter should be given a lengthy jail term as he failed to show any remorse for the murder.
Mr Nel also criticised Pistorius for filming a recent television interview, despite claiming to be too unwell to give evidence in court.
In the interview – his first since the killing – Pistorius said that he believed Ms Steenkamp would want him to devote his life to charity rather than return to prison.
After the sentencing, most people expressed their views saying the 6 years jail term is not fair, he should have been given 25 years. Some criticised the judge that, she is more concerned about Pistorius than the late Steenkamp. They think murder is murder and it constitutes life in jail and what the judge has done is unfair.
However, Reeva’s father and mother have said justice has been delivered.
Harare Building Torched By Fire | IN PICTURES
Property worth thousands of dollars was on Tuesday destroyed after a building went up in smoke.
Eye witnesses claimed to ZimEye.com the fire which burnt down the building housing number 8A and 8B Luck Street near NetOne building in Harare was caused by an electrical electrical fault.
“Yesterday the whole area had no electricity and we believe that the tenants at this building left electricity on. It could be a stove or something else which emits gas which these people might have left switched on,” said one of the people who first saw the fire.
Another eyewitness told ZimEye the fire could have been caused by the ongoing national strike.
There is no business in Harare, as all shops are closed.
“It is not clear to establish the real cause of the fire because as you can see the whole town is closed and people were threatening to burn down cars and any office which will be opened today,” she said.
But there were no indications that there were people at the building.
The Fire brigade team reacted swiftly but as usual they could not contain the fire because of lack of modern equipment.
CIO’s Secret WhatsApp Firewall Demolished | BREAKING NEWS
Alert Zimbabweans have broken down a CIO secret firewall setup overnight under President Robert’s command, ZimEye.com can reveal.
The firewall installed using notorious Chinese technologies was Wednesday morning blocking people from accessing social media applications such as WhatsApp. (ALSO READ- Police, Soldiers Disappear.)
To those who are at the time of writing still failing access WhatsApp, ZimEye.com avails the following instructions to demolish the CIO firewall from their cellphone throttle:
Download the following VPN(Virtual Private Server) App from the GooglePlayStore or directly from the website https://www.tunnelbear.com/
Install it and use it to access the internet as it will bypass the CIO dodgy throttled servers. – ZimEye.com
Police and Soldiers Disappear | BREAKING NEWS
Soldiers and police officers were missing all over Zimbabwe on Wednesday morning as the historic mass stay away hit the nation early morning at 7am.
ZimEye.com can reveal that in all areas toured around the country, Masvingo, Bulawayo, Zengeza and selected parts of the capital, Harare, there was not a single uniformed officer on the streets.
This came about as the security forces were publicly warned in writing that they will be individually attacked if they dare encroach to disturb civilians. Two days before, the entire police force members were also cautioned by the police commissioner Augustine Chihuri not to agitate the public.
This week goes down in history as the first time in Zimbabwe that the arrmy and police have retreated from the crowds whose collective anger continued to rise against the government. READ MORE LIVE UPDATES HERE – Click Here…
Chinamasa Bashed With Eggs
Finance Minister, Patrick Chinamasa was yesterday bashed with eggs in an attack which lasted over an hour in London. Below is an opinion report by the ZimVigil NGO.
Zimbabwean demonstrators confronted Mugabe’s Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa for the second time in two days when he arrived for a money-raising conference in London on Tuesday.
Chinamasa was driven up at about 8 am to a side door of the conference venue in the financial district. If he thought he would evade Vigil protesters he was mistaken.
Vigil co-ordinator Fungayi Mabhunu spotted ZIM 1, the Ambassador’s car, and when Chinamasa got out Fungayi demanded to know what he had done with the $15 billion Mugabe says has disappeared from diamond revenues. ‘He was really shaken’, said Fungayi.
The Vigil was congratulated on its work by former coalition finance minister Tendai Biti. ‘Well done guys you are doing a good job’, he said when he arrived for the conference. He was happy to be photographed with us and took a bundle of our leaflets to hand out at the meeting.
Congratulations also came from Zimbabwean journalist Peta Thorneycroft who was covering the conference which Zanu PF hopes will help get loans and investment to make up for the $15 billion it has looted.
The Vigil hears that at Monday’s meeting at Chatham House international affairs think tank in London Chinamasa had no answers to questions put to him. ‘He was arrogant and rude’, our source said.
As the protest got underway Fungayi received the following WhatsApp message:
LIVE UPDATES: Fiery Protests Torch Storm #ShutDownZim
ZimEye.com brings out a live coverage of the #ShutDownZim mass stay-away and protest against the Robert Mugabe led government’s continued abuses of citizens. ——-
We give you updates of the Shut Down Zimbabwe protest.
1810 – Mugabe gives in, orders Finance Ministry and Labour Ministry to pay civil servants their salaries. Supa Mandiwanzira (acting Labour Minister) announces on state radio he has been instructed by Mugabe to with immediate effect pay civil servants.
1645 – Mass celebrations as Acie Lumumba is released. The state had been claiming he is the rebel leader of the on-going protest. – READ MORE: Lumumba Wins
1600 – Mzilikazi supermarket looted
1535 – Anti riot cops regain ground, force youths to retreat with teargas. Retreating youths not giving in and are still throwing stones.
1535 – Cops run for dear lives in Makokoba after hundreds of stone throwing youths confront them.
Cops had fired teargas to force youths to disperse from the main Luveve road that leads to the CBD.
Youths were burning tyres blocking all vehicles from using the road.
The cops retreated.
Youths now going to CBD, and they are chanting “Lets go to Choppies.”
Bulawayo youths force police to further retreat as march to CBD march gathers pace. Youths are stoning police water cannon, anti riot cops, china shop stoned and looted.
Police reinforcements sent in, more water cannons to block rioters from further entering CBD. Cops are stationed at Corner 2nd and 3rd Ave, Lobengula St.
1500 – Meanwhile, the state charge against Acie Lumumba blaming him for causing the ongoing riots. Representing the state, Oscar Madhume urged that, Lumumba was not fit for bail after the investigating officer Detective Assistant Inspector Ivan Njanike had told the court that Lumumba was responsible for the ongoing protests which have rocked the country.
Njanike said that if released, Lumumba would cause more chaos in the country. READ MORE on ZimEye, CLICK HERE.
1230 – Petrol bomb thrown at ZIMRA port in Bulawayo and one car for ZIMRA taken , Zimra employees vacated premises.
1158 – Unconfirmed reports reaching ZimEye that the Zanu PF Politburo is in an emergency meeting.
1130 – HARARE: Chicken Inn Construction House is virtually empty, totally lifeless
0930 – CIO’s Secret WhatsApp Firewall Demolished | BREAKING NEWS Click Here to read
08.59 – According to the information trickling in, WhatsApp is currently not working on the following networks: TelOne
Liquid Telecom Zimbabwe
ZOL Zimbabwe
Telecel
Econet
08.49 – Reports continue reaching ZimEye that WhatsApp is still blocked.
0810 – MASVINGO: Police and soldiers still absent. There no roadblocks to town in Masvingo.
0750 – Telone internet is down. This could be because govt is trying to shut down or at least limit social media. It was working last night at midnight. It may also mean Telone technicians are going with the #thisflag and are shutting down internet as part of the total shut down.
0730 – There is no transport in Glen View 1 people at standing at bus stops. Some who start work early have resorted to going back home.
0630 – Warren Park (to city) Roundabout closed off, barricaded by angry protesters. No vehicles can pass through.
0620 – Bulawayo, Police officers, soldiers absent. Cops and army sp far appear to have stayed away as well. Burnt tyres in Njube, Bellevue, Khami roads. No police presence at all. No kombis.
0550 – Quiet in some other places show Zimbabweans have heeded the #ShutDownZim.
0500 – In Harare, protests have started in Glenview, Dzivarasekwa where people are burning tyres.
In Zengeza, by this time of the day it used to be noisy with cars of the touts and their Hwindis but today it’s unsually quiet. Even vendors who by this hour used to be queueing to go for orders in Chikwanha and Mbare they are all indoors playing a wait and see attitude.
0400 – Zimbabweans start freely circulating formulae for making petrol bombs and publish all this on the social networks Facebook, and WhatsApp. Some even publicly print out using their full names the intention that the bombs will be used to attack all and any police officers and soldiers who encroach to assault innocent Zimbabweans.
0000 – Previous Day: Activists, war veterans and civil service trade unions have called for and endorsed the nationwide stay-away, which is running under hashtag #ShutDownZim.
The shut down comes in the wake of renewed state security abuses and suppression of demonstrations as the abusive police force begged for a truce with the public whose angers have comtinued to flame up.
Police, Soldiers Can Be Beaten Up
These police officers and soldiers stay with us in communities, as they go out to attack protesters let’s go to attack their families and properties,
a Zimbabwean man publicly announced in writing on Tuesday to the screaming chorus of tens of thousands others who vowed they will not anymore tolerate uniformed officers who abuse them. This came as Police boss Gen Augustine Chihuri rushed to order his force nationwide to surrender to the public demands.
ZRP cops can be beaten up and taught a lesson if they attack civilians, Professor Lovemore Madhuku’s party also said.
The public must be fully aware that anyone in a police uniform must behave accordingly and once they start unleashing violence on citizens they are surely not police officers and members of the public are urged to protect themselves from violent attacks to preserve life, the party said.
Their comments came as Zimbabweans rose up in their groupings across the country and agreed on a total shut down today, Wednesday, in protest at the worsening situation in the country.
For the first time in Zimbabwean history, a political party has told the public to attack the police in retaliation. This historic juncture also saw the police commissioner Gen Augustine Chihuri yesterday surrendering to public pressure as he ordered junior officers to give in the public demands also strictly instructing them not to agitate the people ( ALSO READ – Chihuri Surrenders to Povo).
A fore-taste was Monday when taxi drivers went on strike, parked their cars resulting in hours of running battles with the police. Several groups including Pastor Evan Mawarire’s #TheFlag campaign, including other shadowy unidentified groups have warned of escalated violence, imploring citizens to remain in doors the whole day, Wednesday.
Civil servants grouped under the Apex-Council will also down tools Wednesday in protest over their salaries, they have not been paid on time.
The police has responded by voicing out threats on civillians. ZimEye can confirm that some riot tankers have been deployed to some volatile towns such as Chitungwiza. Monday’s skirmishes however, saw police in some areas being overwhelmed by angry crowds, and ZimEye can confirm that the order to react against civilians violently has not been fully received by lower police and military ranks who like others have also not received their salaries.
Armoured police trucks were seen along Seke road heading to Chitungwiza on Tuesday morning.
Schools in Harare and other parts of the country have also told pupils not to come for lessons until Friday.
Civil society organisations and opposition political parties are supporting the planned national strike which they say will force President Robert Mugabe to resign.
National Constitutional Assembly party, NCA, has urged the public to retaliate if they are attacked by the police tomorrow.
“The public must be fully aware that anyone in a police uniform must behave accordingly and once they start unleashing violence on citizens they are surely not police officers and members of the public are urged to protect themselves from violent attacks to preserve life that is sacrosanct,” Terence Maoneke, NCA, national youth chairperson said in a statement Tuesday.
Judges to Humiliate Mugabe
Judges are preparing to bleed their ink onto President Robert Mugabe’s name in a historic humiliation of the 92year old dictator over his illegal insult laws.
As VIVA Zimbabwe leader, Acie Lumumba(William Mutumanje) was Wednesday morning in the prepare to be hauled before the courts for what Mugabe’s prosecutors say is an insult and an undermining of the President, ConCourt Judges were waiting to hear the case once escalated to their chambers.
The judges are Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malaba together with a full bench of learned judicials. Before Lumumba enters court today, the law on which he has been charged has already been scrapped and scoffed at by the ConCourt. Justice Malaba in October 2013 rebuked state prosecutors for abusing the country’s insult laws, which have seen over 70 people facing legal action since 2010 for allegedly ‘undermining’ the authority of the President.
The only way the police can have their way will be by causing annoyance prosecuting Lumumba at lower courts for the purpose of merely making him a public spectacle. At the end of it all Lumumba will come out winner in this illegal act by the state, a Harare legal expert told ZimEye.com
Lumumba was arrested by over zealous ignorant ZRP officers following his telling Mugabe F*** you last week.
“Mr Mugabe, I guess you have not been really insulted,” said Mr Lumumba.
He continued, “You are now used to being insulted by protesters. You are used to being insulted by vendors, you are used to being insulted in the hallways.
“You have never seen Zimbabweans really angry. So, here is the red line. Mr President Robert Gabriel Mugabe **** you.”
Daniel Shumba Humiliated Over Chicken Debt
Terrence Mawawa | Masvingo Zanu PF Masvingo Urban Constituency MP Daniel Shumba, faces public humiliation after a member of the party’s youth league claimed the legislator borrowed 350 chickens from him and failed to pay the required sum of $ 2450.
The embattled Shumba,who had earlier indicated in a statement recorded by one Constable Mpofu some time ago that a Zanu PF youth league member Manyanga Sengerai had refused to hand back a motorbike he gave him to assist the MP during his 2013 campaign programme.
“I know the accused person not only in connection with this case but as a youth member in my constituency. I recall that sometime in May 2013 I bought a motorbike which I gave him on condition he was going to return it after campaign or on demand.”
“On June 18 2014,I confronted him ,asking him about the whereabouts of the motorbike.I bought the motorbike worth $2800 and gave it to Manyenga Sengerai to use as a form of transport since he was campaigning for me…,”reads part of the statement seen by ZimEye.com.
However Sengerai said Shumba’s claims were calculated to gag him over the cash the MP owed him.
“I deny the charges levelled against me .I bought the motorbike with my own money.He wants to intimidate and victimise me.He is a liar.”
“He didn’t come back to the people who voted him.He borrowed 350 chickens from me and he has failed to pay the required sum of $2450.Since he has withdrawn the case,I would like to sue him for defamation of character,”said Sengerai in a counter statement.
Mujuru Backs Total Shut-Down
While the Zanu PF state media in today’s publications continued to down-play the people’s protests to shut the country down, former Vice-President Joice Mujuru, threw weight onto the nation-wide demos.
This was at a time when skeptics were doubting the sincerity of politicians wanting to somewhat ride on the wave of the people’s discontent and ultimate uprising for their own self glory.
In a video released late Tuesday evening, Mujuru lamented intolerance in the government she served for over three decades with no qualms.
“Demonstrations are the boils that prove that there is a wound, that is why we say let us examine what has caused the demonstrations, let us fix things so that there are no demonstrations,” she said.
She lamented closed industries as one of the reasons people are lacking their basic necessities. Zimbabweans across the board have spontaneously organised demonstrations against Government misrule.
Dokora Says There’s No ShutDown Today
Fresh from being exposed for participating in the theft of millions of dollars of government cash in a fake computer programme expenditure, Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Lazarus Dokora has come out saying that there is no stay away at all today.
Dokora joined a handful of rich fat-purse Mugabe cronies to claim that there is no stay away on Wednesday. His claims contradicted the situation on the ground which saw many schools closing down early morning 24 hours before on Tuesday as tens of thousands of schools kids were sent home by school heads.
At a time when teachers have not been paid their salaries, Dokora has been caught in a serious indictement after blowing millions of dollars on an IT software program whose money could have been used to pay teachers their salaries among a host of other uses.
Dokora yesterday said normal teaching and learning would continue as usual. He pleaded with parents, line managers, teachers and valued stakeholders to ignore the stay away calls, which are Zimbabwe’s first historic non partisan self driven feats, created by the government through its manybabuses of the citizenry.
“The Government has affirmed that the education sector will be paid on July 7,” he said.
“The ministry wishes to reassure all our teachers and learners that necessary measures have been taken to ensure normalcy in all our learning institutions. As a ministry, we would like to reaffirm our commitment to offer quality education for the socio-transformation and any disruption to the learning calendar is counter-productive.”
Meanwhile Dokora was backed by Agriculture Minister, Joseph Made who added saying “what’s important is that the Government is fully aware of people who want to take advantage of the civil servants in terms of the position of the payment of their salaries as announced by the Minister of Finance and Development (Patrick Chinamasa).
“The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare through its acting Minister (Supa Mandiwanzira) has categorically stated that it is negotiating with civil services representatives. The appeal by the Government is that no one should be taken advantage of. They should come to work as usual knowing that the Government is seized with the issue of their salaries.”
War Vets Push for Total ShutDown of Zimbabwe
In another rare feat the hunted and the hunter have joined hands Tuesday after War Vets this evening announced open and unequivocal support for the Wednesday shut down.
In what strongly shows like an irreversible momentum, war veterans have backed the ongoing wave of protests against President Robert Mugabe’s government saying the ruling party has failed Zimbabweans in a big way.
Addressing a press conference in Harare today, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) spokesperson, Douglas Mahiya said people have been pushed to the edge by Zanu PF’s disastrous policies since independence.
“The entire crisis that has befallen our great country is a result of poor governance and endemic corruption which is now bearing its evil fruits that are on verge of consuming the entire fabric of Zimbabwean nationhood,” said Mahiya.
On Monday disgruntled commuter omnibus operators fought running battles with the police and tomorrow, there are more planned protests around the country.
Disgruntlement has been growing against Mugabe’s government, and the war veterans, once a pillar of strength for the ruling party, are now also feeling the pinch as the economy tumbles.
“The Constitution gives Zimbabweans the right to demonstrate but …. people must not destroy properties, it’s not good, as for tomorrow, we heard the issue of stay-away but what I want to urge people is to remain peaceful. It’s better for them to remain at their homes than giving opportunity to hooligans who want to take advantage of the protests,” Mahiya said tongue in cheek.
Despite feigning unity in Zanu PF, there is apparently no love lost between Mugabe and the ex-combatants who reminded the 92 year old strongman that he has failed the generality of the public and people who lost their lives fighting for independence, mainly because he is surrounded by “liars”.
“Self-seeking people who were entrusted with the task of shepherding and driving our economy have betrayed not only the country but also their principals who end up being blamed for their misdemeanours,” said Mahiya.
The war veterans traced the cash shortages that the country is grappling with to Zanu PF bigwigs whom they said are stashing the greenbacks in offshore accounts.
The ex-combatants who were early this year pummelled by police also took the opportunity to throw a jab at their nemesis.
“Being a police officer has become brisk business in our country where individuals have become filthy rich in a short space of time,” said Mahiya. – Dailynews
“Beat the ZRP Cops Up if They Attack You”, Prof Madhuku Pty Says
ZRP cops must be beaten up and taught a good lesson if they attack civilians, Professor Lovemore Madhuku’s party has said.
The public must be fully aware that anyone in a police uniform must behave accordingly and once they start unleashing violence on citizens they are surely not police officers and members of the public are urged to protect themselves from violent attacks to preserve life, the party said.
Their comments came as Zimbabweans rose up in their groupings across the country and agreed on a total shut down tomorrow, Wednesday, in protest at the worsening situation in the country.
For the first time in Zimbabwean history, a political party has told the public to attack the police in retaliation. This historic juncture also saw the police commissioner Gen Augustine Chihuri yesterday surrendering to public pressure as he ordered junior officers to give in the public demands also strictly instructing them not to agitate the people ( ALSO READ – Chihuri Surrenders to Povo).
A fore-taste was Monday when taxi drivers went on strike, parked their cars resulting in hours of running battles with the police. Several groups including Pastor Evan Mawarire’s #TheFlag campaign, including other shadowy unidentified groups have warned of escalated violence, imploring citizens to remain in doors the whole day, Wednesday.
Civil servants grouped under the Apex-Council will also down tools Wednesday in protest over their salaries, they have not been paid on time.
The police has responded by voicing out threats on civillians. ZimEye can confirm that some riot tankers have been deployed to some volatile towns such as Chitungwiza. Monday’s skirmishes however, saw police in some areas being overwhelmed by angry crowds, and ZimEye can confirm that the order to react against civilians violently has not been fully received by lower police and military ranks who like others have also not received their salaries.
Armoured police trucks were seen along Seke road heading to Chitungwiza on Tuesday morning.
Schools in Harare and other parts of the country have also told pupils not to come for lessons until Friday.
Civil society organisations and opposition political parties are supporting the planned national strike which they say will force President Robert Mugabe to resign.
National Constitutional Assembly party, NCA, has urged the public to retaliate if they are attacked by the police tomorrow.
“The public must be fully aware that anyone in a police uniform must behave accordingly and once they start unleashing violence on citizens they are surely not police officers and members of the public are urged to protect themselves from violent attacks to preserve life that is sacrosanct,” Terence Maoneke, NCA, national youth chairperson said in a statement Tuesday.
Chinamasa Flops On BBC Hard-Talk – Musewe
Vince Musewe I have just finished watching BBC Hardtalk with Zimbabwe Finance Minister Chinamasa and am rather disappointed that the BBC missed an opportunity to get to the crux of the matter and instead gave the Minister an opportunity to blame the British and sanctions once more for Zimbabwe’s problems.
We have a government which has created a $2.5 billion budget deficit since 2013 because it spends more money on salaries, cars, travel and allowances than it invests. We have a government which cannot account for billions of dollars in mineral revenues looted by a predatory political cabal whose ostentatious lifestyles are questionable given the state of the economy. We have massive unemployment where the whole economy has been turned into an informal survivalist economy.
Our State Enterprise CEOs have been reported by the Auditor General to have fraudulently mismanaged almost $1 billion in 2015 alone. We have billions in “loans” from China and others which are fuelling the looting machine through inflated contract costs and secret pay offs to Ministers and connected individuals. We have massive looting by the ZANU (PF) predatory cabal whose greed knows no bounds.
We then have a government which is technically bankrupt and wants to borrow to repay arrears of $1.8 billion and then further borrow another $1 billion from the IMF without demonstrating whether it has the means to pay the money back. In addition the promises made for economic and political reforms remain on paper only.
To the international audience who may have watched the programme, that was all propaganda where ZANU (PF) minions must stay on script and mimic Mugabe’s victim hood mentality or they will lose their job. ZANU (PF) minions are told by their master never to take responsibility for how they have destroyed the country’s productive base because that would be admitting failure.
The current public discontent and recent riots must be a clear indication that Zimbabweans have had enough and want Mugabe and his cronies to go. They are the sole architects of a failed state.
Unfortunately none of these issues came out in the program which to me failed to sensitize the international audience on the desperation of our situation.
Unless political change happens now, Zimbabwe is on the brink and no amount of loans, denial or cover up of the facts can change that.
Vince Musewe is an economist and author based in Harare. You may contact him on [email protected]
Schools Shut-Down As Situation Gets Tense
Staff Writer| Harare schools on Tuesday turned away students as civil unrest rocked the capital.
At the time of writing ZimEye also received reports of schools in other parts of the country being shut down.
Pupils from the suburbs which include Highfield, Glen Norah and Glenview were seen going back home after the school authorities had warned them of an unpredictable situation, because of high presence of riot police.
“We have been advised to go back home and come back to school on Friday,” said some pupils who spoke to ZimEye.com in Highfield.
“They are saying that there are some riot police and they are unable to teach,” pupils ZimEye met in Glen Norah said.
Police had running battles with touts on Monday after the latter had blocked most of the roads leading into the city centre.
Zimre Park, Mabvuku,Tafara and Epworth were the most affected with cases of police brutality reported.
The touts were protesting against the frequency of police road blocks in all the roads which lead to the city centre.
Total Shut Down : Nyagomo’s PDZ Stands With The People
Barbara Nyagomo The civil unrest in Zimbabwe has resulted from the people’s brewing anger over the last 36years.
People no longer tolerate poor governance, corruption, poor economy, looting and human rights abuses inflicted by the government. Our Liberators turned to be our Oppressors.The situation has been worsened by the government’s failure to pay Civil Servants and the collapse of Zimbabwe’s industries.
The deployment of the army in Beitbridge was an insult to the people of Matebeleland South Province and all Zimbabweans.The government proved its insincerity.
The first job of any government is to protect its citizens and this should not just happen where there is no war.Why send the army to beat your citizens into submission?Is it not the role of the police to maintain law and order?
Protect the same citizens?We are appealing to Zimbabwe Security Forces to do the right thing and be on the side of the people.People just want to be freed from this enslavement.
The Zimbabwean government is intolerant to any opposition and it reacts by unleashing violence to all who dare to have a voice but dont worry change is coming soon to Zimbabwe.Yesterday in Harare we witnessed gross Police and Military brutality.
PDZ is going to continue its work on the ground to bring back dignity to Zimbabwe and her people.We will join hands with political parties,Civic Society and friends of Zimbabwe who share our people-centred political values.
We believe that our collective efforts will give Zimbabweans the salvation they want,build viable economy and a democratic society.We will continue to work with the diaspora community to bring in resources,their skills and knowledge to build Zimbabwe.
Let us look after each other during this challenging time.Check if your neighbours and the vulnerable people in your community are are safe,have water and food. I thank you
“NATIONAL SHUT DOWN” No Going Back!
YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR REFORM & DEMOCRACY (YARD) PRESS STATEMENT REGARDING THE IMPENDING “NATIONAL SHUT DOWN”
By Tariro Daphne Senderayi| A state of democracy is where the Government respects its citizens and responds timeously to the majority’s will. Zimbabwe however, has sadly become an exception to the rule as citizens appear to have exhausted all formal channels to engage the Government in addressing their concerns.
All forms of peaceful and constitutional communication seem to have fallen on deaf ears although there is an urgent need for the authorities to clearly understand that indeed we are outraged at their indifference and insensitivity and that we expect them to act upon those same concerns.
Resultantly, the Youths of Zimbabwe feel that they are left with no option but to join the call and participate in the national stay away scheduled to take place across the country as from Wednesday the 6th of July 2016 until the Government responds positively to our suffering and plight.
We identify with the need for all progressive organisations and citizens to engage in peaceful demonstrations within the confines of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, with particular reference to section 59. Such peaceful displays of frustration will be conducted in locations wherever you are. The constitution of Zimbabwe under section 60 further affords every Zimbabwean the right to freedom of thought and opinion, and the right to express the same in public. We should be given the opportunity to enjoy these same rights free of violation and be free to enjoy our Beloved country with impunity as opposed to the refugee status the majority currently labours under.
YARD will therefore join all progressive movements and citizens in expressing our opinion that we are totally disenchanted by the ineptitude and inaction of Government as the economy continues in its free-fall. This such nose dive of the economy has reached unprecedented levels and now drastically exceeds even the morbid levels of 2008 in all qualitative and quantitative barometers.
We hereby state our grievances as we adopt the stance to urge the citizenry to refrain from violence and unlawful activity and conduct peaceful demonstrations:
1. We demand youth participation and inclusion in policy formulation and implementation. We are not happy with exclusionary policies that are meant to benefit a few black elite (SI64/16 and the impending introduction of the dreaded Bond notes).
2. We further demand that ZANU PF recall their President and First Secretary of their Party as he has become a threat to National Security and the ailing economy.
3. We demand the immediate disbursement of civil servants’ salaries without discrimination. This is over and above the fact that ministers are wantonly enjoying the proceeds of their corrupt escapades and the shocking self-administration of excessive loans/advances at the expense of the suffering masses (Kasukuwere, Parirenyatwa & Mandiwanzira). Furthermore investigations into all alleged cases of corruption must be investigated and the culprits brought to book.
4. We demand the immediate removal of the current roadblocks which have become a torment and are a more prevalent feature than even that of tollgates and a source of extorting meagre resources from poor motorists and loss making public transport operators.
5. We demand that sanity is restored to the banking sector and that each person in possession of a bank account is returned the free and normal access of their hard earned money as and how required, the removal of excessive cash withdrawal charges and an inquiry to be set up to investigate the missing $15 billion dollar allegation.
6. That security of person is assured, that Itai Dzamara and other missing activists are returned and that no one should have to live under the threat of abduction or torture.
Finally we stand in solidarity with all citizens across the political divide in uniting for this cause and peacefully declaring the statement that we have had enough of this uncaring government. ZVAKWANA! SOKWANELE!
End of press statement
Issued by Tariro Daphne Senderayi
Acting Commander in Chief
YARD
05 July 2016
Liberation Stalwart Norman Mabhena Has Died
Staff Writer| Liberation war hero and stalwart Norman Mabhena has died, at Mpilo hospital.
Shaken family members who spoke to ZimEye.com said the former Zapu Central Committee member who later joined the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai has been unwell for some time with a heart ailment.
“He has been unwell for some time with a heart ailment. State health system failed Norman Mabhena as his colleagues have been trying to raise funds for him to travel to India for heart surgery,” a family member said. ZimEye will update on funeral arrangements as they come in.
Chihuri Surrenders to Povo | SHOCK ANNOUNCEMENT, PICTURES
BREAKING NEWS: Police Boss General, Augustine Chihuri has surrendered to public pressure. In a sudden retreat, Zimbabwe’s most dreaded strongman on Monday passed emergency orders via a swift radio transmission(serial no. MMM 876/2016) ordering that all police officers countrywide must with immediate effect give in to the wishes and demands of the public and be careful not to agitate the angry masses.
Chihuri made his announcement on the same day viral riots torched Harare’s suburbs yesterday amid scenes of violent fires and beating of police officers. One cop was seen with bloody head injuries of an extremely gory nature. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW –
The protests were started after kombi owners began demanding an end to random road blocks and cash swindling schemes by the cops.
In a rushed radio emergency announcement seen by ZimEye.com and ZimEye now reveals to the public, ZRP bosses under Chihuri’s instruction sought peace with the masses issuing an immediate withdrawal. The message was written via a radio transmission whose transcript is above. Please note that the word “STOP,” is read as “full stop” since this transcript is announced over the police’s official radio wave network.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW… Part of it reads:
“..ALL OFFICERS ARE ON STANDBY DUTIES THAT DO NOT NECESSARILY INVOKE ROAD BLOCKS. THE AMOUNT OF ROADBLOCKS SHOULD BE REDUCED AND IN ANY EVENT SHOULD BE SERVING THE PURPOSE NOT INCONVENIENCING ROAD USERS”.
It goes on to read: “OFFICERS SHOULD AVOID CREATING SITUATIONS THAT INCENSE THE PUBLIC…”
The message continues,
“ANY DIVERSION FROM THE ABOVE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. THE PUBLIC WE ARE POLICING AT THE MOMENT IS VOLATILE AND ANY DIVERSION FROM THE PROPER POLICING METHODS WILL RESULT IN RIOTUS (sic) SITUATIONS”.
Meanwhile it emerged in several areas on Tuesday police officers have been warned to stay away and angry mobs will deal with them harshly if they disturb the nationwide stay away. Zimbabwean workers are protesting an array of abuses by the government. Some have said between Tuesday and Thursday the entire country’s industry must cease all and any operations. One pastor Evan Mawarire has said Zimbabwe must be shut down on Wednesday. Anyone found working or travelling to work will be beaten up and their vehicles torched,” people were ordered in Chinhoyi, Zvishavane, Harare and Bulawayo” a ZimEye source said.
The development comes as the Kariba pastor, Patrick Mugadza proclaimed a fast saying Robert Mugabe must fall before the 9th August this year (READ MORE – CLICK HERE) .
Meanwhile some police officers have written requesting the public not to attack them. The below was an unedited message from one cop who says the force is one with them in their economic sufferings: “I am a police officer myself. For the past two weeks my children were surviving from hand to mouth due to cash challenges in the country. A number of Human Rights groups are staging demos across the country and the police are descending heavily on them to quell violence. Most people hate the police thinking that they support ZANU PF. I would like to urge my fellow Zimbabweans not to direct violence to the police officers and soldiers. Gentlemen and ladies, we buy from the same shops and our sufferings are caused by the ZANU PF regime. We may assault the masses because we are sent to do it by the regime but we are also supporting your effort to liberate us,” they said
Chinamasa Clears Mujuru
Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has openly cleared former Vice President Joice Mujuru, previously blamed for looting Chiadzwa diamonds.
Speaking in a wide ranging interview on the BBC Hard Talk, Chinamasa three times repeated his view that the missing $15billion diamond revenue matter has nothing to do with theft or fraud.
“This was all to do with the mis-pricing of our diamonds,” said Chinamasa.
He was at the time persuading his case to obtain aid and investment. “But you have got $15billion of revenue from the diamond industry which President Robert Mugabe himself said in March had been looted and simply disappeared..,” Chinamasa was asked.
He responded saying, “There is potential in our economy, no doubt, but I don’t think you are right to ascribe it to bad management. Its not the reason.
“We went through a revolution, the land issue was a revolution in itself…let me come to the $15billion, the $15 billion essentially what we are saying is over the years there has been an economic loss arising from trade mis-priscing.
“Now put it differently you would put it as looting but I would rather put it to say its mis-pricing , the problem we know happens in all developing countries – under invoicing of commodities over a period of time hence you can also put it to the fact that in that case, we were caught sleeping, but the truth of the matter is that its arising from mis-pricing and its an issue now we are interrogating with a view to coming up with the necessary systems to prevent that from happening (again),” he said.
The treasury boss’ comments came as Mujuru was fingered by ZANU PF Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and professor Jonathan Moyo for looting Zimbabwe’s diamonds, participating in the so called $15billion theft.
Chinamasa was being grilled by the BBC’s Zeinab Badawi in London.
Chiefs Demand Same as Judges
Chiefs have said they want to be placed on the Judicial Service Commission’s payroll arguing that they handle matters of importance, just like magistrates and judges. Contributing during a seminar on the Law and Procedure in Local Courts in Gweru yesterday, traditional leaders drawn from the country’s 10 provinces said they were being forced to dig deep into their pockets to fund customary courts.
Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs president Chief Fortune Charumbira said since traditional leaders preside over courts under customary law, they should be employed by the commission and be given some form of payment for their services.
“As chiefs, we feel we should be on the payroll of the commission since we provide a service to the commission. We must be on the JSC payroll. Magistrates earn thousands of dollars and we are getting $5 as court fees, which is not fair,” he said.
“Chiefs are saying we should charge $20 court fee as a way of raising enough money to cover costs associated with presiding over matters. However, that amount is too much since villagers will fail to raise that money. The solution therefore lies in the JSC putting us on the payroll.”
Chief Chiduku from Chipinge said traditional leaders’ courts were being affected by lack of funding.
“We ask the JSC to pay us some form of allowance as traditional leaders because we perform JSC duties at our courts. Like at my court, one pays $5 to report a matter and that money is not enough since we need to buy stationery and also provide transport money for the assessors, clerks and Messenger of Court who assist us in presiding over reported matters,” he said.
Chief Chiduku said magistrates had all the resources at their disposal to discharge their duties while chiefs were forced to subsidise what are supposed to be JSC operations.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Mr Gibson Mandaza said the chiefs should get their stationery from the courts around them.
“For your stationery to use at your courts, please approach your local courts. It’s a position that was passed that you should get your books, pens and even do photocopying of court documents from your nearest magistrate courts. That should minimise your operational costs,” he said.-state media
Mugabe Struggles to Hold Masvingo Together
President Mugabe has battled to fix divisions in his party’s Masvingo wing.
Mugabe ordered warring factions in the province to set aside their differences and work as a united team to achieve socio-economic development and ensure the ruling party is well prepared for the 2018 elections. He made the call over the weekend during his second interface meeting with senior political leaders from Masvingo led by Politburo members Josaya Hungwe and Shuvai Mahofa, who is also the Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister.
The meeting was held at State House on Saturday and pitted ruling party National Assembly representatives from across Masvingo and some traditional leaders from Chiredzi on one side against Hungwe and Mahofa.
It was a follow-up to the first one held two weeks ago at Triangle Country Club in Chiredzi which was called by President Mugabe following a petition by 20 National Assembly representatives from Masvingo who raised complaints against Hungwe and Mahofa.
Zimbabwe Chiefs’ Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira, Chiefs Chitanga of Mwenezi, Marozva of Bikita and Serima of Gutu also attended the no-holds- barred meetings in their capacities as members of the Masvingo Provincial Assembly of Chiefs. Three Chiredzi chiefs — Gudo, Tshovani and Sengwe – acting Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairman Amasa Nhenjana, Women’s League chair Veronica Makonese and Nobert Ndaarombe, the Youth League chair attended both meetings.
Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora was also in attendance.
In his address at the end of presentations by the warring Masvingo parties, President Mugabe set the stage for a new era in Zanu-PF in the province after he demanded an end to factionalism and infighting, saying that senior ruling party leaders were supposed to work in unison with Members of Parliament. President Mugabe had called for an end to infighting in Masvingo.
“The President spoke after all the parties had made presentations and told us to unite and work as a team in Zanu-PF. He was listening attentively throughout as people were making presentations. At the end, he said the leadership of the party in the province ( Hungwe and Mahofa) were supposed to work together with the Members of Parliament,’’ he said.
“The meeting was fruitful and I think it will change the state of Zanu-PF. At the end, I was approached by one of the senior leaders who was not talking to me before telling me to organise a party meeting to be attended by all party leaders from Masvingo to preach the message of unity,’’ added Nhenjana.
Zanu-PF Chief Whip and Gutu Central Member of Parliament Lovemore Matuke who also attended Saturday’s meeting said President Mugabe’s message was centred on the need for unity.
“The second round of our meeting with President Mugabe went on well. After presentations from both sides, he called for unity in Zanu-PF in Masvingo saying that the party leadership and the Members of Parliament were supposed to work together and consolidate the gains of the 2013 elections,’’ he said.
Senator Mahofa said President Mugabe emphasised the need for the ruling party to prioritise programmes that benefited people instead of expending energy on fighting each other. She said the ruling party was set for a new epoch as all the leaders who attended the no-holds barred meeting were told about the need to work as a team.
“The President was frank that he wanted to see unity within the party in Masvingo so that Government programmes are implemented to benefit our people. He said it was pointless for leaders to promote divisions when people were grappling with challenges such as hunger. In short, the President ordered us to go and work together and that is what we will do,’’ said Senator Mahofa.
Others who attended the meeting said Masvingo was never going to be the same again as all the parties had shown preparedness to work together after being admonished by the President for fomenting factionalism to the detriment of development in Masvingo. Zanu-PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, who also attended the meeting, could not be reached for comment.
In his remarks at the first meeting in the Lowveld, President Mugabe also appealed for peace and unity in Masvingo, reminding people that the province was key to the country because it is home to the Great Zimbabwe monuments from where the name of the country is derived.
President Mugabe called the two meetings after a petition from 20 Zanu-PF legislators who directed most of their fire on Senator Mahofa.
She was accused by Chiredzi chiefs and the legislators of favouritism in the allocation of 4 000 hectares of sugarcane plots recently acquired from Lowveld sugar producer Tongaat Hulett.
Senator Mahofa was accused of allocating most of the plots to her allies and relatives. She, however, shot down the allegations saying the allocations were done by her predecessors. She said she was yet to allocate land to even one person in Masvingo from the time she assumed office.
She was also accused of embezzling $20 000 donated by Tongaat Hulett for President Mugabe’s daughter, Mrs Bona Chikore’s wedding. Senator Mahofa reportedly dismissed the allegations saying Tongaat did not send the donation via her office but sent it directly.
She was also said to have illegally collected 900kg of Tongaat Hulett winter maize from each of the 26 legislators who were supposed to get 44,9 tonnes each for distribution to their constituencies.
She dismissed the allegation saying the maize that was collected was for distribution to vulnerable groups in the province such as Children and Old People’s Homes through the social welfare department.
Hungwe and Senator Mahofa were also accused of collecting and diverting donations made to Zanu-PF by the Zimbabwe Sugar Milling Industry Workers Union (Zismiwu) before the ouster of former secretary general of the union Admore Hwarare. But the pair denied the allegations saying the donations were made directly to the party through the then secretary for administration Mr Didymus Mutasa who has since been fired from the ruling party.-state media
Mugabe Resign | PROPHECY
By Steve Blomefield|I have a word for President Robert Mugabe. It goes like this…
There is a growing spirit of lawlessness spreading throughout Zimbabwe and this is not good. God is not happy about It.
It started within the ranks of the Zanu PF party many years ago, when people in power started to believe that they could act without the rule of law, without fear of punishment.
I am not referring to the land invasions but with regard to how they did business dealings and how they gained and maintained personal financial, political power and power over personal enemies.
This has trickled down to the very grass roots now and is putting the whole nation in danger of a spirit of lawlessness breaking out leading to the burning of vehicles, businesses, government buildings and even murder.
With deep respect I must inform you that God is saying that your age and sickness and weakness has left a power vacuum that G40, lumuba, Mujuru, and many others aspire to fill.
You must resign and hand over power to Emmerson Mnangagwa who is a bridge between the Old Zanu war veterans and a new future cadre of youthfull government administrators, bureaucrats and ministers who are deeply rooted in Christian faith, Christian integrity, a love for the national community and who will bring about a spirit of hard work and excellence of work.
Mnangagwa is a lawyer, a businessman, is known by the Chinese, and has impeccable war veteran credentials. He is accepted by war veterans and the military. He is the most qualified to rule the country. He has the toughness necessary to re-establish the rule of law. It is critical that this lawnesness must be weakened and it will be weakened if you resign because hope will rise up in the heart and imagination of Zimbabweans.
The west is craving chaos so they can suddenly step in and promote their AMORAL and highly destructive agenda. Mnangagwa will protect Grace and will not hand you over to the Hague ICC. If you do this now your heritage will be established. If you do not resign your political, financial and social heritage will be undermined or even destroyed.
Remember Kamuzu Banda whose property holdings were dismantled after his death. Remember Mao’s wife who was left powerless after Mao’s death and was executed. It is not too late. Appoint Mnangagwa who has the toughness, legal ability and business sense to protect your heritage, and bring back the nation from the edge of chaos. With the deepest respect I urge you to obey God soonest.
Naked ZRP Female Cop Trial: State Witnesses Threatened
Terrence Mawawa| Masvingo Key witnesses are afraid to testify against notorious ZRP officer ,Constable Mercy Dafunwa, who is being charged for pulling prominent human rights activist Prosper Tirirngindi’s genitals, it has emerged.
The case in which Tirindindi filed a complaint against the embattled cop,whose naked pictures in another incident went viral social media, last month,was heard at the Masvingo Magistrate Courts this afternoon and the matter was postponed to July 7.
Key witnesses in the case who are mainly touts based at Pick n Pay terminus, have been threatened by state security agents. It is understood the matter has taken a political twist with members of the Police Internal Security Intelligence(PISI) and CIO agents closely monitoring the case.Police officers who own pirate taxis have also teamed up to discredit Tirindingi,it has emerged.
Sources at the terminus told ZimEye.com some key witnesses in the case were threatened while some were paid $30 each to conceal evidence in the matter. Speaking after today’s court session Tiringindi said attempts by state security agents to threaten key witnesses in the matter would not deter his fight for justice.
“We are not intimidated and we will fight for justice.We are well aware of the fact that key state witnesses have been threatened and we will raise the issue with the relevant authorities.We are therefore prepared to fight to the bitter end,”said Tiringindi.
School Head Blows $22 000 School Cash
Terrence Mawawa| Masvingo A local primary school head is in trouble after allegedly squandering $22 000 cash from the school coffers.
The Runyararo Primary school head, Tsungirirai Gono was last week arrested after failing to account for the missing school cash. Runyararo, situated in Mucheke Suburb is one of the biggest council run schools in the old city.
Masvingo Police spokesperson, Inspector Charity Mazula confirmed the incident last week.
The matter came to light after an audit had initially implicated school clerk Melody Majaya, who was initially accused of stealing $22 564.
Majaya later in turn implicated the school head and two other senior staff members as having been involved in the theft of the cash.
Audit documents revealed the money was stolen through under banking by Gono , her deputy Jonathan Dumbu Mataru and senior teacher Charity Josiya.
The audit documents indicate that the three connived to steal school cash.
“The head- Gono,deputy head Mataru ,senior teacher Josiya and the clerk are answerable pertaining to the missing cash.Overally the school head initiated the whole process.”
“The school head and her team verified the amounts that were not tallying with the total receipts and took them for banking.There was a deliberate attempt to conceal facts ,”reads part of the audit report.
Last year a school head killed in Bikita himself after failing to account for school funds.
Police Defy Mugabe Orders
In a rare feat, and for the first time since Britain gave up Zimbabwe to Robert Mugabe, the Police have openly defied orders coming from the Commander In Chief of the Police and Army, their boss Mugabe. Cops have refused to be deployed to man roadblocks tomorrow “fearing for their lives”, reliable sources have revealed to ZimEye.com.
In a first of firsts, a lukewarm Mugabe response was made by a lower ranking officer, Charity Charamba, reflecting confusion and despair in Robert Mugabe’s security apparatus whose staff are without salaries several weeks after pay day.
A senior police officer at Bulawayo Central police station informed ZimEye.com this evening that police officers are reluctant to do duty at roadblocks tomorrow following threats from taxi drivers and crew that they will attack the cops and get them off the road.
The officers fear that the police does not have adequate arms and ammunition to protect themselves,in the event of retaliation by angry taxi drivers and larger public.
” The officers meant to be at the roadblocks have indicated that they will not be able to take that duty if they have not been provided adequate support from the support unit and army, ” he said.
Police officers in Beitbridge, Harare and Epworth have so far been heavily out powered by striking members of the public in the on going sporadic nationwide civic unrests and demonstrations.
In parts of Harare members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces are reported to have taken over from the police who have been defeated by members of the public.
Judge Says Mugabe F*** You Okay! | LUMUMBA BREAKING NEWS
Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court judges have said it is okay to attack President Robert Mugabe.
These revelations came as VIVA Zimbabwe leader Acie Lumumba was taken into police custody in Harare.
Lumumba’s secretary told ZimEye.com the police dithered on their plans to prosecute the man over his insult against President Robert Mugabe in which he last week attacked the 92 year old leader using the swear word, “F*** You.”
In landmark ruling cited by legal experts, Supreme Court judges resounded their verdict that it is perfectly okay and legal to insult any human being, Mugabe included. The only way Mugabe could get at Lumumba is via a civil lawsuit, an expert told ZimEye.com
In the last 16 years dozens of activists have been arrested on charges of insulting the 89-year-old ruler. Some, including the iconic democracy activist, Solomon Madzore who called him a “tired donkey” ahead of elections, have been detained for weeks.
However, the Constitutional Court ruled in October 2013 that the offence of undermining the authority of the President and “communicating falsehoods” ran counter to the freedom of expression enshrined in a constitution introduced in March 2013.
“The Constitutional Court’s ruling is that these provisions are not in line with basic rights of freedom of expression,” said an official, who asked not to be named because the ruling had not yet been made public.
Mugabe has been in power since the former Rhodesia’s independence from Britain in 1980, although he has been accused of stealing elections through intimidation, violence and vote-rigging.
Mugabe who has used proxies, has never commented directly on the “insult law”, which was enacted when he became executive president in 1987.
Meanwhile, it emerged Lumumba who handed himself in will be released tomorrow, Tuesday 5th July. There is no charge whatsoever on him, Lumumba’s secretary told ZimEye.com
Total Shut-down: ZRP Threatens Crackdown Against Protesters
Staff Reporter |The Zimbabwe Republic Police, has threatened a massive crack-down against those caught participating in the on going sporadic civic unrests taking place throughout the country’s major city centres.
So far it is reported that 30 people have been arrested for inciting violence.
As the momentum builds and citizens plan for a total shutdown of the whole country, come Wednesday, the police has warned that it will deal severely with organisers and those who heed the calls.
In a media statement, the ZRP Press and Public Relations Chief Officer, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, warned that the police are on high alert to deal with any unruly elements they pick up during the demonstrations.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to warn all those who are inciting and engaging in violence that such misconduct will be severely dealt with,” she said.
Commissioner Charamba warned that police have been massively deployed into the communities to deal with any unruly elements.
She further stated that police intelligence is busy on the ground checking on all persons suspected to be behind the demonstrations with plans to arrest them.
Violent protests are being reported from various parts of the country following probably the country’s biggest civic unrest which took place in Beitbridge on Friday.
Police in Harare today spent the better part of the day in running battles with demonstrating taxi operators. Similar unrests were reported from Ruwa, Epworth and Bindura.
Property in some areas has been destroyed, while there are also unconfirmed reports of people who were also injured in the fracas.
Top journalist found dead
Staff Reporter|Prominent journalist and former Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) President, Dumisani Sibanda has died.
According to information being circulated through social media, Sibanda was found lifeless at his Bulawayo home this morning. Details on what could have caused his death had not been ascertained at the time of going to press. No foul play was suspected at the time of writing.
Sibanda joined Bulawayo based The Chronicle newspaper in 1994 as a junior journalist graduate from Harare Polytechnic. He rose through the ranks to become subeditor at The Sunday News a sister publication to The Chronicle.
In his journalism life he also worked for the Newsday as a subeditor in the Bulawayo office. He also worked as a correspondent with several other national newspapers.
At the time of his untimely death, Sibanda was a freelance journalist and Sunday News columnist.
Information on his death is still coming through and ZimEye.com joins the Zimbabwe journalism fraternity in mourning the sad and unexpected loss of Sibanda.
Deadly Riots, Women Speak Out
As fervent protests rocked Harare on Monday, the picture of a woman wrestling a police officer went viral. Some said the officer was helping her down a dura-wall, however, it got many thinking on the role of women on the front line. ZimEye sought the views of fellow mothers on the current fiery situation across the country.
They had this to say:
Women bear the brunt of political violence as they are at the centre of transformation in society. In this 4th Chimurenga, we are calling for non-violent protest. However we are clear in stating that this status quo is no longer serving us or the children we bring to this world. We are tired of being victims and survivors of this male dominance that is doing us no good. A new governance order would be most welcome. Zimbabwe needs leaders who care about amplifying the voices of its citizens not the opposite. What we are witnessing now is violence and retrogressive to the stability of this nation just like the leaders who ought to serve us but seem to have forgotten we elected them to office to support our development. Grace Chirenje, Women’s Rights Activist
I think Zimbabweans have been held at ransom for too long and these protests are a sign that people realise that unless we stand up to this dictatorship no one will come to rescue us. I am very supportive of the action being taken by citizens to express their pain at the merciless government of Zimbabwe. Edinah Ruvimbo Masanga, writer and women’s rights activist.
Tomorrow’s female war veteran wont be the one who allegedly gunned down a helicopter but a hungry woman who definitely rode on the back of a policeman, on top of a dura wall. Samukeliso Khumalo, Women’s rights activist.
We are witnessing gross human rights violations as the Riot Police and the army descend and beat civilians into submission. Any organisation/Government that does not reinvent or purge will be removed by the people. The people who appointed that Government in 1980 have the power to disappoint it. A Government can only prosper when it’s Citizens prosper.If not the Government’s gain is short-lived by destroying it’s most valuable asset. Barbara Nyagomo, Politician
From my own perspective the government should just step down because they have failed the nation. The companies have shut down and kasukuwere was saying is going to take the companies back and my question is how is he going to revive them because the government does not have money, the banks don’t have money, the education and health system are collapsing or they have already collapsed. They can’t pay the salaries of the civil servants. This government want to be removed by force as people are doing now coming together without even looking on political parties you are. I spoke to my daughter yesterday and she was saying people can’t afford to go to the doctors anymore because they don’t have cash upfront even the hospital where she works at Engutsheni Psychiatric hospital they are running short of med to give the mental illness patients because the government is not supplying. Some serious ill patients have been kept in isolation now, the list goes on. Patricia Murambida, Social Activist.
Police Officers Beaten Up
BREAKING – ZimEye.com is receiving reports that scores of police officers have been beaten up and defeated by angry crowds in the capital city, Harare.
Shocking pictures taken on Monday variously showed police officers being manhandled and humiliated, just as the MDC party voiced saying people are pointedly “putting this regime on notice.”
Below was an audio update from a ZimEye source: ALSO READ – Chaos in Harare as Beitbridge Flames Torch Harare
“Civil servants have no pay, Zimbabweans are starving, and corruption is rampant in all sectors of the economy,” Morgan Tsvangirai’s party said in hurried statement Monday afternoon.
They continued: “It is ironic that the drivers of the scourge of corruption include the Office of the President and Cabinet and the First Family who recently unprocedurally awarded a multi-million dollar tender for a diesel power plant in Dema to a brother to the President’s son-in-law.
“Zimbabwe is burning. Every sector of the economy is bleeding and only today, commuters and commuter operators in various parts of Harare exercised their constitutional right by demonstrating against the many roadblocks that in essence are State-sanctioned outposts of corruption.
“Zimbabweans themselves are putting this regime on notice and something huge will give if national grievances are not addressed. “
Lumumba Hands Himself to Police | BREAKING NEWS
FORMER ZANU PF Central Committee member, Acie Lumumba is this afternoon handing himself to the police.
Fresh from attacking President Robert Mugabe calling using an F’ word last week, Lumumba attracted a flood of controversy last week after he launched his party, VIVA Zimbabwe.
The man’s party told ZimEye.com stating “our Chairman Acie Lumumba will be handing himself in to the ZRP today at 1:45pm at Harare Central Police.
Public opinion swelled against Lumumba after his obscene utterances with many taking exception to his use of vulgar langauge in attacking the head of state, while others did the very opposite, praise him ( ALSO READ Lumumba wins praise.)
The Police wants to questioning him on charges of undermining the President as defined in Section 33 (2) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act after he insulted President Mugabe on Thursday, has gone into hiding.
He uttered the words while launching his party, Viva Zimbabwe, in Harare on Thursday.
Mr Lumumba pronounced himself as chairman of the party saying that Viva Zimbabwe aimed at bringing change in Zimbabwe.
In rantings, Mr Lumumba used the “F” word to insult the President.
“Mr Mugabe, I guess you have not been really insulted,’ said Mr Lumumba. “You are now used to being insulted by protesters. You are used to being insulted by vendors, you are used to being insulted in the hallways.
“You have never seen Zimbabweans really angry. So, here is the red line. Mr President Robert Gabriel Mugabe f*** you.”
Sources close to the investigations yesterday said they were keen to question Mr Lumumba over the utterances.
“We have been trying to locate him, but failing. His whereabouts are still not known and we have launched a manhunt for him,” said the source.
Mr Lumumba claimed that President Mugabe was responsible for the total collapse of the economy. He said Zanu-PF was responsible for gross mismanagement of funds in Government coffers.
“Where is the $15 billion that just went missing? Right now (Patrick) Chinamasa is looking towards trying to clear a debt of $11 billion in a space of 25 years,” he said.
Mr Lumumba, while addressing a handful of supporters, said Zimbabwe needed new blood to effectively run the country.
He said although he was leader of Viva Zimbabwe he was not going to contest the 2018 Presidential elections. Mr Lumumba said he would support any candidate he considered to be the appropriate for the post.
More to follow…
Kasukuwere Ouster, War Vets Intensify Plot
Restive war veterans will not relent on their campaign to have Saviour Kasukuwere ousted from his influential position as Zanu PF national political commissar, as the factional wars within the ruling Zanu PF party continue unabated.
Kasukuwere a member of the G-40 faction is accused of meddling with war veteran structures, particularly in Mashonaland Central province.
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association spokesperson, Douglas Mahiya recently told the media Kasukuwere had no business interfering with the ex-fighters’ structures.
“Tell the political commissar (Kasukuwere) to leave the duty of our structures to us. He must not leave his main duty of restructuring the party and maintaining structures in order to destabilise war veterans’ structures,” he said.
“We have no room for the political commissar to poke his nose into our business. He is not wanted. It is no secret that Kasukuwere is the leader of G40 in Mashonaland Central, hence, his intrusion into our structures. We have an existing structure led by Sam Parirenyatwa and that should be respected by all.”
Parirenyatwa concurred: “Kasukuwere is trying to destabilise the structures by funding a parallel group with links to (Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandi) Chimene. They have either prevented war veterans from attending government and party functions or not notified us of what is happening as is the norm.
“An example is the decision to have Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs minister Martin Dinha to represent the party in the upcoming Mazowe North by-election. They are claiming the directive came from the President, but we have gathered that they are using the President’s name in vain.”
G40 is a Zanu PF faction predominantly made up of the ruling party’s Young Turks in the ongoing factional struggles for power to take over from President Robert Mugabe. The group is reportedly fighting to stop Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa from succeeding President Robert Mugabe.
However, Kasukuwere scoffed at the accusations.
“They must leave me alone. I have not done such a thing,” he said.
Chimene could not be reached for comment, as she was said to be attending marathon meetings.
Following their meeting with Mugabe in April, war veterans have repeatedly called for Kasukuwere’s redeployment from Zanu PF’s commissariat department, claiming he was “politically premature” to hold such a post.
“We will continue to insist that Kasukuwere be removed as political commissar. He has failed and that is evidenced by the President having to descend on Masvingo to deal with Kasukuwere’s mess,” Mahiya said.
Mugabe was in Masvingo last week in a bid to douse factional flames engulfing the fractious province, with little success and he revealed he would be meeting warring groups at a date to be announced this tie in Harare. Newsday
Chaos In Harare As Kombis Protest Against Police | LIVE BEITBRIDGE FIRES SPREAD INTO HARARE
LIVE UPDATES: Police in Harare on Monday fired tear gas and water cannons in an attempt to quell rioting by minibus drivers and others protesting what they describe as police harassment.
The violence came amid a surge in protests in recent weeks because of increasing economic hardship and alleged mismanagement by the government of President Robert Mugabe.
An Associated Press journalist saw protesters severely beating two police officers with sticks, then taking their uniforms and helmets and wearing them.
The protesters blocked roads leading into the centre of Harare, forcing many people to walk up to 10 km to get to work. Rioters threw stones at police and vehicles, and some children on their way to school were caught up in the chaos.
Outnumbered police later sought to negotiate with the crowds after failing to disperse thousands of protesters, who were concentrated in Harare’s eastern suburbs. Many rioters were young men who can’t find regular employment and make a living off drivers by charging a small fee to load passengers into minibuses.
The drivers’ grievances stem from anger over numerous roadblocks that police sometimes set up in city streets, which drivers allege are to demand bribes. Police recently promised to reduce the number of roadblocks after complaints from parliamentarians, tourism operators and others.
Such acts of defiance and clashes with the police are rare in Zimbabwe, although the government deployed the army against the 1998 riots over soaring food prices. Mugabe, 92, has ruled the southern African country since independence from white minority rule in 1980, scoffing at frequent allegations of human rights violations.
MORE UPDATES: Public transport operators in Epworth, Tafara and Mabvuku have as of Monday 4th July 2016 10am morning blocked roads and dropped passengers in protest against police harassment.
Protestors on the other side calling for the Riot Police not to advance #Epworth #KombiTouts pic.twitter.com/sYT15oE3RW
— Anesu Masamvu (@Anesu0610) July 4, 2016
There is no public transport getting into the city centre from the three high density suburbs and people are being forced by the situation to walk into town.
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BINDURA
In Bindura a correspondent gave ZimEye.com the below update:
– 1031Hrs: A group of 2000 youths from Chiwaridzo township marching,singing and dancing holding banners denouncing president Mugabe
– 1100Hrs: The group arrived at the provincial affairs minister for Mash Central,Martin Dinha.The youths continue to sing demanding the resignation of President Mugabe.The vendors now joined in. One of the placards reads, Mai Mujuru, The real Mother Zim not Marujata.
– 1130Hrs: Minister Dinha not yet coming out of his office to address angry protestors. Makorokoza from nearby Katsiyatota also joins in as more and more people are dancing and denouncing president Mugabe.
– 1145Hrs: Riot police is dispersing the crowd but the people are resisting saying they will burn the ministers office if the police continue to harass them
– 1200Hrs: The riot police beating people and the people dispersing
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Meanwhile, the commuter operators in Harare are saying that they are being robbed of their money by the police who have become a common feature on the roads.
People from Epworth, Mabvuku and Tafara, said that the angry Kombi drivers are even forcing private cars to drop passengers they would have given lifts.
“They are blocking roads and forcing people to walk to town and they are also targeting private cars they would have seen ferrying passengers,” said one commuter who comes from Epworth.
“Their reason is that the police are making it difficult for them to operate. They are saying they are forced to pay at every roadblock throughout the day and as a result they say they are working for the police,” he said.
Police are mounting roadblocks everywhere, and are charging spot fines on motorists for small traffic offences.
Last month the police chief, Augustine Chihuri, was summoned by parliament to come and explain why the roads are heavy infested with police roadblocks, but he failed to turn up after being pulled into a secret meeting with President Robert Mugabe.
The development has been interpreted as a continuation of the Beitbridge fires which brought down two buildings on Friday morning.
Cabinet at the weekend called on Zimbabweans to follow normal protocols of communication to air their grievances saying there is no need to protest in this fashion.
But the Zimbabwean state is “a government that doesn’t listen…People cannot wait until 2018 to shift this government out,” the Joice Mujuru led ZimFirst party UK leader, Philani Noble said. VIDEO:
Angry Home Seekers Take Over Land
Failure by government to provide housing has resulted in a fresh wave of urban land invasions in Chitungwiza, with over 2 600 desperate home seekers reportedly occupying open spaces.
The worst affected areas are Nyatsime and St Marys, with invaders interviewed saying they had lost faith in the housing waiting list.
They land occupiers said they decided to follow the route taken by Zanu PF youths and land barons, who invade stands and build structures, before exerting political pressure on local authorities and the Ministry of Local Government to regularise their developments.
Last week, Zanu PF Harare provincial chairperson, Robert Kahanana disowned the invaders.“We further state that all those who continue to involve themselves in such misdeeds will be doing so on their own volition and should not in any way involve or purport to drag the party into such illegal actions and activities,” he said.
“In the given circumstances, the law of Zimbabwe should be left to take its course and be applied accordingly and appropriately without fear or favour in order to redress the situation that has gone out of hand.”
But MDC-T provincial chairman, Voice Chinake, was non-commital, saying he needed more time to investigate if their members were involved in the alleged invasions.
Meanwhile, police held a meeting with the land invaders on Saturday, but they refused to budge demanding to be addressed by council officials instead. newsday
Naked ZRP Female Officer’s D-Day
Today, Monday 4th July is the naked female ZRP traffic cop, Constable Mercy Dzafunwa’s D Day in court, ZimEye.com can reveal.
Dzafunwa who sexually assaulted prominent human rights activist, Prosper Tiringindi’s at the genitals, and was soon caught in a strip, is being sued for the act.
When contacted for a comment Dzafunwa told Zimeye.com she is not allowed to the media and only ZRP Spokesperson, Charity should be approached.
Masvingo residents were at the time of writing waiting with bated breath to enter court early morning. More to follow as this is a developing story…
CIO Agent Brutally Assaults Council Worker
Terrence Mawawa, Gweru|A member of the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation nearly killed a Gweru City Council employee following an argument over picking up litter.
Members of the dreaded spy organisation have been accused of gross violation of human rights.Hundreds of opposition supporters and innocent civilians have been abducted ,maimed and tortured at the hands of CIO operatives.
Nkosilathi Magama of Mkoba 7 who is a CIO operative, assaulted a female council employee, Hloniphani Sithole with a broom, head-butted her several times and hit her against the wall after Magama’s wife, Tabeth Chikohora, dropped litter on the pavement and refused to throw it into the bin.
According to the prosecution’s papers, Lloyd Mavhiza at the Gweru Magistrate Court last week, the incident happened on June 21 2016, when Sithole was on duty sweeping near Magama’s cocktail bar. Magama got angry after Sithole asked his wife to pick up the litter she had dropped.
He began to shout at Sithole and took a broom and hit her on the neck. He grabbed Sithole and pulled her into his cocktail bar, head-butted her several times and hit her against the wall.
Sithole then reported the matter at ZRP Mkoba leading to Magama’s arrest.
He was however granted $30 bail.
Angry Mkoba residents accused President Robert Mugabe’s dreaded CIO operatives of blatant disregard of human rights and called for a stiff sentence on Magama.
Passenger Shoots Armed Robber Dead
One of the hijackers allegedly shot the unnamed passenger on the shoulder as they fled from the scene, at around 3AM.
A passenger said the gang got away with R22,100, $80 and cellphones as armed robberies on buses carrying Zimbabweans to South Africa intensify. One of the cellphones was allegedly found in a bush near the scene. The robbery allegedly occurred while the driver was taking a nap in a restroom at Sasol Service Station.
A manager at the station, Mr Stewart Khumalo, yesterday said he had received a report about the shooting from workers who were on duty. One of the passengers, Mrs Samukeliso Mpofu, told the state media that the bus was carrying 22 Zimbabweans.
“The bus had stopped for recess and refuelling at Sasol garage in Musina when the robbers materialised from the dark and pounced,” said Mrs Mpofu. She said a man carrying a gun stationed himself outside the bus while two others stood at the door, just inside.
“A fourth man who was also carrying a gun came into the bus and ordered everyone to hand over cash and other valuables,” she said.
The one inside, said Mrs Mpofu, systematically moved through the bus and had robbed three people when he met resistance.
“The fourth passenger, a man, refused to hand over his belongings and started fighting with the robber.
“The other robbers shouted at their friend to drag the passenger outside the bus so they could shoot him. The hijacker managed to wrestle the passenger out of the bus,” said Mrs Mpofu. She said other passengers were paralysed with fear.
“We watched helplessly and couldn’t help the man,” said Mrs Mpofu. “The brave man continued tussling with the robbers outside and the gun discharged. We thought the passenger had been killed. As we waited in terror for the robbers to return into the bus to kill us all, we heard them shouting that their friend was dead.”
She said the two robbers who did not have guns barked instructions at their armed colleague to shoot the passenger.
Another passenger on the bus said: “A second shot rang out and we saw the passenger drop to the ground. The robbers fled into the darkness. We were relieved to see our fellow passenger still moving,” said a man who declined to be named.
Officials at Mzansi Express in Bulawayo yesterday declined to comment.
They referred questions to their spokesperson in South Africa, Mr Dylan Mangena who said he was yet to get more information about the incident.
“There’s a lot that has been happening the past three weeks and I’m yet to acquire more information. Try getting in touch with the management of Sasol garage,” he said.
The Sasol garage manager, Mr Khumalo said:
“The robbery occurred at dawn on Friday. A robber was shot in the chest and died. One passenger was hospitalised and is in a stable condition.”
However, he said police indicated none of the passengers were robbed.
South African police spokesperson Colonel Ronnel Otto could not be reached for comment as her mobile phone rang unanswered.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa Mr Isaac Moyo was also not answering his phone.
Last month, a mob allegedly burnt an Eagle Liner bus transporting 21 Zimbabweans from Bulawayo to Johannesburg and robbed them of their valuables.
The unruly crowd was allegedly protesting the ruling ANC’s decision to field Ms Thoko Didiza as the party’s mayoral candidate for Tshwane in the forthcoming local government elections.
In April last year, 48 Zimbabweans endured a four-hour hijack horror aboard an Intercape bus in that country. Four pistol and rifle-wielding men got away with cash, cell phones and gadgets worth tens of thousands of dollars when they commandeered the Bulawayo/Johannesburg bus near Hammanskraal at around 3.30AM. No one was injured in the robbery.
In May the same year, two Zimbabwean buses were attacked by armed highway robbers in South Africa.
The buses, Eagle Liner and Citiliner, which were headed for Johannesburg, were attacked within a space of two days. state media
IN PICTURES: South Africa Violent Fires Aftermath
Below are amateur pictures and video footage from the Pretoria, South Africa fires which killed at least 5 people at the weekend. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON THIS –
Zhakata names album Mutungadzese, denies competing with other musicians
Wordsmith and prominent musician Leonard Karikoga Zhakata has finally named his forthcoming album to be released on 8 July 2016. The 11 track album title is Mutungadzese, and some of the songs on it are Moyo Wekutenda, Tsvimbo Dzehumambo and Zvine Mwaka.
In the song Zvine Mwaka the Zora maestro continues with his theme of encouraging people to remain focused, work hard and not lose hope when they encounter challenging circumstances – a theme carried in many of his previous hits such as Pane Ziya Pane Dovi, Tine Vimbo and many others before it. Zvine mwaka comes with a fast beat which many of Zhakata’s fans have been yearning for, and has proved popular when it was sampled in some pre-release shows.
Zhakata is convinced that the new album will bring back his old charm as he engaged fans on social platforms to fix misgivings from his last release. Speaking in radio interviews ahead of the release, Zhakata has disclosed that his has consulted widely with his fans in coming up with the forthcoming offering.
Businessman Cosmas Daka, known by many as Cossy Rules, who is part of Zhakata’s Album Marketing Team, conceded this is probably the best to come from Zhakata.
“I have had the opportunity to listen to the entire album and I strongly believe it will break records. Zhakata has, like wine, matured with age. The lyrics are evident that the born preacher Zhakata has upped his game, adding some new found knowledge gained from his biblical studies.
The new album is in my opinion a gift from God handed to the nation through Leonard Zhakata”, added Daka.
Loyal Zhakata fans have taken to social media depicting that the album title Mutungadzose meant Zhakata’s album was going to break all national records, but the humble musician said he did not revel in breaking other musicians’ records.
“I am not competing with any other musician, but simply wanting to give my fans, current and prospective, something with a message they will benefit from, packaged in a beat that appeals to many. If in the process I create a new national record, that is God’s will and no one can go against that, but records are created to be broken.
But all I am certainly hoping to achieve is to give my fans something better than I have given them before. It is an effort to continually improve on quality of product”, said the Mugove hit maker.
Although widely known for solo brilliance, Zhakata engaged some little known young artists in what he termed “rare” collaborations. However, he could not be drawn to disclose their as this will come as a surprise at the launch.
Zhakata rose to stardom in 1994 with his smash hit Mugove off the album Maruva Enyika. He broke new ground in the music industry by becoming the youngest and the first Zimbabwean solo musician to sell more than 120 000 copies of an album.
Zhakata’s 21 album follows the highly successful Zvangu Zvaita released in December 2013 which scooped the first and second prizes in the Radio Zimbabwe Coca-Cola 2014 annual top 50 hits with songs ‘Dhonza Makomborero’ and ‘Dollar Boy’ respectively. It remains to be seen if the new album, which has not yet been titled, will be similarly received.
Woman Charges Rapist $350
A TSHOLOTSHO woman allegedly charged her daughter’s rapist $350 to conceal the abuse and only made a report when the man’s family failed to pay.
This came out during Admit Mbiriviri’s rape trial before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Mark Dzira. Mbiriviri allegedly raped a domestic worker on June 16 this year and gave her Dettol antiseptic to wash her body afterwards. He pleaded not guilty to rape.
The woman told the court that she notified her mother of the matter and was surprised when she heard that Mbiriviri’s family wanted some negotiations.
Mbiriviri’s lawyer, Mr Tafadzwa Chipare from Sengweni and Partners alleges that the woman’s mother received money for transport from the accused for negotiations and made the rape reports when things turned sour. He applied for discharge at the close of the State Case.
Mr Dzira remanded the matter to Thursday this week, when he will deliver his ruling on the application. Prosecuting Mr Tinashe Dzipe said on June 16 at around 1AM at a homestead where both Mbiriviri and his victim are employed, their employer who was away asked them to get her daughter’s shoes.
“Mbiriviri asked the woman to hold a torch while he entered a hut to get the shoes. He took the shoes and then asked the maid to join him in his bedroom as he had bought a new bed,” said Mr Dzipe.
“He held her hand and when the woman refused, Mbiriviri then forced his way into her room. He pushed her down, raped her once and took Dettol and used it to wipe himself. He also took the same Dettol and gave the woman asking her to wash herself. The woman notified her neighbour the following day and a police report was made leading to Mbiriviri’s arrest,” said Mr Dzipe.-state media
Mujuru says: $15Billion Diamond Theft Rpt, “Just Jokes and Jests”
Last week ZANU PF Commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere charged that her hands are dirty as regards diamond looting. She has since replied to the accusations relegating them to mere “jokes and jests” printed using her name. Below was Mujuru’s response to the Standard newspaper in a wide ranging interview:
EM: Jonathan Moyo recently said you are corrupt and you are not yet off the hook. Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said the same and a lot of people said you were responsible for the plunder of diamonds in Chiadzwa. What is your defence to that and can you shed light on how the name “churu chamai Mujuru” [Mrs Mujuru’s antihill] came into being in Chiadzwa.
JTM: I thought he was the same Moyo who talked about all this being political banter. As for churu chamai Mujuru, there was a Cabinet taskforce that had VaMutasa, VaSekeramayi [Sydney Sekeramayi], Mai [Oppah] Muchinguri-Kashiri, VaMushohwe [Chris Mushohwe] and the late [Amos] VaMidzi who investigated that.
They found out that the people of Chiadzwa who are next to Cashel Valley where I was instrumental in setting up a horticulture project were bragging to their Cashel Valley counterparts that now they had their own source of foreign currency when diamonds were found in their area.
The Cashel Valley farmers were exporting their horticulture to London and were getting foreign currency at a time when other Zimbabweans were getting foreign currency through “burning”.
They were getting back at their neighbours, in a jocular way, because for many years the Cashel Valley horticulture farmers bragged about what Mai Mujuru had done for them and when the Chiadzwa villagers discovered diamonds, they too hit back and nicknamed a field “churu chaMai Mujuru”. I have also heard that there were Zupco buses nicknamed ‘zvimai Mujuru’, does it mean I own the buses? That’s what happens when people fall in love with you as a person; you become a subject of their jests. It is normal and I take no offence.
But if there is anyone who insists that I committed any crime, could there be any better time than now to prosecute Mai Mujuru? Let those that have evidence sustainable in a court of law come forward and prove it before all and sundry.-
WARNING – DISTURBING PICTURES: Brutal Murder, N’anga Kills Friend
A N’ANGA from Nyanga retaliated and brutally axed and knifed his colleague to death after being accused of using witchcraft.
Wonder Ndowa (59) of Sanyabako Village in Chief Saunyama’s area was arrested soon after committing the heinous act.
He allegedly axed Wilbert Mautse (59) of the same village several times on the head and right hand, before cutting off his right fore-finger.
Mautse allegedly visited Ndowa on June 23 and handed him a letter demanding several properties as compensation for bewitching him.
He threatened to deal with him if he failed to give him his dues.
The axe-wielding Mautse returned the following day demanding his dues. He stabbed Ndowa on his ribs.
His second attempt to stab him was met with resistance.
“The infuriated Ndowa retaliated and tossed him down. He grabbed Mautse’s axe.
Ndowa used Mautse’s axe to hack him three times on the head, twice on his right hand before cutting off his right fore-finger.
“He took a knife and stabbed him on his right cheek. He bled profusely and died on the spot,” said deputy Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Luxson Chananda.
Ndowa rushed to Ruziwa Business Centre and told David Gwezere about the incident who reported the matter to the police. Ndowa was arrested.
Asst Insp Chananda confirmed the grisly murder, which sent tongues wagging in Nyanga District.
“Ndowa is now in our custody and is assisting us with investigations. We are appealing to members of the public to solve disputes amicably by seeking advice from church and village elders or relatives.
“We also have a public relations department which is open to everyone where we can proffer solutions and settle differences professionally and amicably.
“Emotions and overreacting can cause warring parties to regret and often lead to unnecessary loss of lives. We will not hesitate to arrest people who put the law in their hands,” said Asst Insp Chananda.
Acting Chief Saunyama in an interview said the incident was shocking and urged people to solve disputes maturely and always seek assistance at the traditional courts.
“Our courts are also there to solve domestic and marital disputes amicably. We also offer professional counselling to people. This is a great concern to traditional leaders in Nyanga and we urge people to desist from resorting to violence to settle disputes,” he said. – state media
ZRP Cops Captured At Sango Border Post | BREAKING NEWS
Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi | Three members of the ZRP Support Unit were captured and disarmed by suspected Renamo soldiers near Sango Border Post as unrest continues in neighbouring Mozambique.
As civil conflict continues in the neighouring nation, ZRP officiers have been deployed to patrol the area near Sango Border Post, to protect the Zimbabwean territory.
The incident could create more tension after the three officers were later returned to Zimbabwe without their guns and identity particulars.
The three cops who were captured are Assistant Inspector Sibanda, Constable Nyamukaiwa and Constable Mjele. The three were part of a 14 member Support Unit team deployed to patrol the Sango Border area.
Although the police here were deeply reluctant to comment on the matter and referred questions to ZRP national Spokesperson Charity Charamba, sources at Sango Border Post told ZimEye.com at the weekend the incident happened last week when the three were on duty.
It is understood Sibanda was armed with a pistol while Nyamukaiwa and Mjele had fully loaded AK 47 rifles.
The three were ambushed about two kilometres from Mwenezi River while they were on duty near Sango Border Post. “The three police officers were captured by suspected Renamo soldiers although there are conflicting facts about the incident,” an official based at Sango Border Post told ZimEye.
They continued saying, “they were suddenly surrounded by heavily armed people who asked them to surrender their firearms, identity particulars and handcuffs. They were detained for more than four hours and later released without their particulars,” they concluded.
Man Loses 3 Children Within Days
As a result of an apparent curse the life of Mr Philip Makiwa of Mhokore Village under Chief Njelele in Gokwe has turned into a nightmare after his three children aged two, four and 10 died mysteriously early last month.
Mr Makiwa is now living in fear after the village head, Mr Jorum Kudhela allegedly told his relatives at a joint funeral of the children that he had bewitched them after the former’s two-year-old daughter accidentally killed his three chicks while playing.
Narrating his heart-rending ordeal last week, Mr Makiwa said he had a misunderstanding with Mr Kudhela who is his cousin after his two-year-old daughter killed the latter’s three chicks which had strayed into his yard.
Mr Makiwa said Mr Kudhela then evicted him from the village after he refused to compensate for the chicks but he stayed put arguing that the village head had no authority to evict him over petty matters.
“After I stayed put, my wife started having weird dreams of the three chicks visiting her while she was sleeping. We went to church elders and we were told that Mr Kudhela was responsible to which he admitted. He was then told to bring his suspected goblins so that they could be destroyed but he refused and stopped coming to church,” he said.
“After a few days, my two-year-old daughter just stopped talking and looked like someone who had suffered a stroke. She died two days later. While we were preparing for her burial, our two other children a boy and a girl had the same problem and died three days later.”
Mr Makiwa said Mr Kudhela then called for a village meeting where he barred villagers from attending the funeral. Mr Kudhela, he added, told him and his relatives that his children had died because of the three chicks that his daughter had killed.
“He told me that my children had compensated for the three chicks that one of them killed. We then decided to bring the issue to Chief Njelele,” he said.
Mr Kudhela allegedly admitted at the chief’s court that the children had died because of the three chicks. He also allegedly admitted possessing goblins which he promised to hand over to the prophets from his church.
Chief Njelele fined Mr Kudhela two beasts which he paid and Chief Njelele said he would summon witch-hunters to cleanse the village at Mr Kudhela’s expense if he failed to hand over the said goblins to church leaders so that they are destroyed. sunday news
Mugabe Alerted Deadly Riots Ahead
Zimbabwe could be at the throes of irreversible social unrest President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu PF party have been warned.
The warning comes at a time when deadly riots paralysed the Beitbridge Border Post on Friday signaling the beginning of more social unrest as more protests are planned for the week ahead.
The sirene came as police confirmed to the media that they were on high alert to deal with any disturbances ruthlessly, and at a time that angry civil servants are finalising their plans to embark on a crippling nationwide strikes on Tuesday. Government battles to pay them their salaries.
MDC secretary general, Douglas Mwonzora, said the Beitbridge riots, as well as what he called “simmering discontent” among the populace with Zanu PF’s misrule could be a harbinger of worse things to come.
“The regime of Robert Mugabe is falling apart because of the simmering discontent among citizens. What happened in Beitbridge is only the beginning because there is more to come and we have predicted this in the past.
“We are in support of these revolts and we know the regime will fall before 2018 because government has no solution to what is happening, as well as the myriad challenges facing Zimbabweans,” he said.
Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn (MKD) leader, Simba Makoni, also warned that tension was building up in the country and that ordinary people were feeling justified to hold demonstrations as Zimbabwe’s economy continued to die.
“Clearly, people are very angry not just about their well-being, but also by the clumsy way that those in leadership are treating them. This is especially so if you look at the situation of civil servants where they just wake up to hear that they will not be paid this month, all this without consultation.
“For the ordinary man on the street, the situation is exacerbated by the economic hardships he is enduring, the banning of imports and the introduction of bonds notes. There is no doubt that tension is slowly building up.
“People also feel that they have to demonstrate their unhappiness … hence the Africa Unity Square vigil, the hash tag protests and recently the Beitbridge riots,” Makoni told the Daily News on Sunday.
Analysts also said the ongoing cash shortages and long bank queues, looming food shortages, the ban on the importation of basic commodities, an inevitable rise in basic food prices and the broke government’s failure to pay angry civil servants their June salaries did not bode well for continuing peace and stability in the country.
They said it was telling that normally pliant and peace-loving Zimbabweans were rioting against the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in Beitbridge, after the cash-strapped government’s ban on the importation of basic commodities, which threatened the livelihood of tens of thousands of people and their families who live off street vending. Daily News
Beitbridge-Blast Flames Spread Into Zimbabwe’s Cities | ZimFirst EXCLUSIVE VIDEO COMMENTARY
“People cannot wait until 2018 to shift this government out”, says Joice Mujuru, ZimFirst party UK leader, Philani Noble. FULL VIDEO:
Mujuru: I Know Mugabe’s Secrets
Former vice-president Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru (JTM) has addressed two rallies, one in Bulawayo and another in Harare, effectively asserting her position in Zimbabwe’s opposition politics following her controversial expulsion from Zanu PF.
She is set to address Masvingo next weekend before proceeding to other provinces ahead of the launch of her party, Zimbabwe People First on a date to be announced. The Standard Chief Reporter Everson Mushava (EM) caught up with Mujuru last week to discuss various issues regarding her party, elections, the economy and other issues. Below are excerpts of the interview.
EM: What is your response to assertions that opposition parties can only defeat President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF in the next elections if they form a coalition?
JTM: Those that make the assertion have reasons to support their observation. It could be a way, but not a grand narrative. My understanding is that Mugabe will be defeated if anyone can come up with more votes than him. Coalition doesn’t always quantify votes.
You might have a coalition and the majority of people vote for Mugabe, that coalition will have lost the vote. What is needed is to mobilise a popular vote against Mugabe and Zanu PF. If a coalition is what it takes, why not? But there are many things that need to be done and a coalition is only one of them.
We have a lot of things that need to be put in place, like mechanisms to foil electoral chicanery, mobilising our people to register to vote and providing them with plausible policy issues that give them a drive to vote for us. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, not just talking about coalitions.
EM: What plans do you have in place to ensure a free and fair election, considering the history of disputed elections in Zimbabwe?
JTM: Sharing with you publicly our plans, our strategy would be the greatest betrayal I would have done to our people. Suffice to say, we know the shenanigans, and we have put in place plans to counter them to ensure our supporters’ votes are not put to waste.
EM: Prior to the Bulawayo rally, you were criticised for being too quiet on the situation prevailing in Zimbabwe to an extent that some ZimPF supporters staged a demonstration outside your house. What is your comment?
JTM: No People First supporters demonstrated at my house. Demonstrate for what? If they were our supporters, they would never demonstrate because they would have known that their president has an open door policy. I talk to everyone, I am available even on social networks, so why would anyone who claims to be ZimPF demonstrate against a president they can interact with on social platforms?
You see, I am not an attention-seeker. I don’t just talk because I love to hear the sound of my voice or to make a newspaper headline. I was militarily trained to plan, strategise and execute my plan at the appropriate time.
You see, keeping quiet does not mean we are not working. It is not strategic, and a hallmark of a failed politician to be loud-mouthed. I have a work-plan, a strategic work schedule that I follow and I will never be rushed because someone says I have gone quiet. ZimPF is a proactive party, we are not jolted into reacting. We have a clear plan that we follow; that is who we are.
EM: There are allegations that you intend to side-line some ZimPF founder members such as Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa. Is there any truth in that?
JTM: I am glad you used the word allegations.
They are just that, unfounded and childish allegations. ZimPF is a party that is recruiting, we need everyone and we welcome everybody. We do not ostracise, sideline or push out anyone. I said we are strong in our numbers and we want the numbers, so how could we push out our core-founding elders?
There were speculations to that effect after VaGumbo and VaMutasa failed to attend our Bulawayo rally because they were not feeling well, but did you not see them in Harare? Like I said, these are just allegations with no substance.
EM: What do you consider the most important lessons you have learnt since joining the opposition ranks?
JTM: The lessons that we have learnt so far are part of our strategy, we will keep them to ourselves for now.
EM: You were not happy with the outcome of the inquest into the death of your husband General Solomon Mujuru, what have you done as a family to find closure?
JTM: God knows the truth about what happened and he alone can give us closure. We are praying that one day we will know what really happened. God has his ways and we wait upon him to act.
EM: In a recent interview with the New York Times, you indicated that Mugabe and his wife did not seem to be mourning Mujuru’s death with you. (You said Mugabe told you at the mortuary that you would be acting-president and he left for Angola, while Grace seemed more interested in your house). Why do you think they exhibited such indifference? Do you think the government or someone in a position of authority knows what happened to your husband?
JTM: Certainly someone should know. It is not possible for such a calamity to befall us as a family, as a country and no one knows. It is not possible. If no one knows, God certainly knows.
EM: Mugabe has accused your husband and yourself of being behind Simba Makoni’s Mavambo, what is your reaction to that and do you think the president and Gen Mujuru’s relationship had broken down by the time of his death?
JTM: Mugabe has accused me, my family and my late husband of many things. But does an accusation become true simply because it has been made by Mugabe? But let’s say his accusations were true, constitutionally there wasn’t anything wrong with helping someone to form a political party.
Is that a crime? Anyway, his accusations were false and we are hearing many of Mugabe’s proxies, those that were peddling the same falsehoods publicly claiming that it was political banter.
Some have gone to the extent of giving us details, saying the president bought us suits, gave us money to soil your name. I have heard all this and I forgive them for they know not what they are doing. Some of them are just children, my children, who acted in juvenile ignorance. I don’t hold anything against them. It is heartening that they have seen the light and also that they have the courage to come out publicly to say they are sorry, to say they were used.
We have also heard what the leader of Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn, Simba Makoni, said about the same accusations.
EM: How do you want your husband to be remembered? do you think Zanu PF would have treated you the way it did if he was still alive?
JTM: Solomon was a people’s person. He was their soldier, their commander, their hero. He worked hard to bring together Zipra and Zanla during the liberation struggle. Because he had worked with Zipra before joining Zanla, he had acquaintances in both liberation war armies, hence it was easy for him to bring them together. It is also for the same reason that he had to be called back from Pakistan where he was attending a military course when Gukurahundi started. He had to be called back to try to find ways of ending the fighting that had started in his absence.
In short, Solomon was a people’s person and the people showed it when they came in their thousands to pay their last respects to him, the biggest crowd ever to come to the Heroes Acre for the burial of a national hero.
It is, therefore, not me who should prescribe how he should be remembered. It is up to the people to decide how they want to remember him. As a family, we loved him, we have our special way of remembering him and it remains a family tradition that I wish to keep within the family.
EM: Do you think he would have approved of your decision to turn to opposition politics after you left Zanu PF?
JTM: Certainly yes; there are many decisions that I took that he supported. I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t support this one.
EM: Jonathan Moyo recently said you are corrupt and you are not yet off the hook. Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said the same and a lot of people said you were responsible for the plunder of diamonds in Chiadzwa. What is your defence to that and can you shed light on how the name “churu chamai Mujuru” [Mrs Mujuru’s antihill] came into being in Chiadzwa.
JTM: I thought he was the same Moyo who talked about all this being political banter. As for churu chamai Mujuru, there was a Cabinet taskforce that had VaMutasa, VaSekeramayi [Sydney Sekeramayi], Mai [Oppah] Muchinguri-Kashiri, VaMushohwe [Chris Mushohwe] and the late [Amos] VaMidzi who investigated that.
They found out that the people of Chiadzwa who are next to Cashel Valley where I was instrumental in setting up a horticulture project were bragging to their Cashel Valley counterparts that now they had their own source of foreign currency when diamonds were found in their area.
The Cashel Valley farmers were exporting their horticulture to London and were getting foreign currency at a time when other Zimbabweans were getting foreign currency through “burning”.
They were getting back at their neighbours, in a jocular way, because for many years the Cashel Valley horticulture farmers bragged about what Mai Mujuru had done for them and when the Chiadzwa villagers discovered diamonds, they too hit back and nicknamed a field “churu chaMai Mujuru”. I have also heard that there were Zupco buses nicknamed ‘zvimai Mujuru’, does it mean I own the buses? That’s what happens when people fall in love with you as a person; you become a subject of their jests. It is normal and I take no offence.
But if there is anyone who insists that I committed any crime, could there be any better time than now to prosecute Mai Mujuru? Let those that have evidence sustainable in a court of law come forward and prove it before all and sundry.-Standard
Mahofa Faces Axe, Loses To G-40
Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Ben Mahofa and Psychomotor minister Josiah Hungwe’s face the axe as they lose their political battle to the G-40 faction.
There are reports that at least 20 Members of Parliament from Masvingo have delivered damning reports on the two to President Robert Mugabe, who is now said to be under pressure to wield the axe.
Mahofa, the Zanu PF “Iron Lady” of Masvingo, and her mentor Hungwe are linked to the Lacoste faction in Zanu PF reportedly aligned to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the fight for Mugabe’s throne.
The other faction, Generation 40 (G40) which comprises Young Turks and reportedly enjoys the support of First Lady Grace, is strongly opposed to Mnangagwa taking over the reins.
Last Saturday, 20 Zanu PF legislators out of a total of 26 MPs from Masvingo handed a damning dossier to Mugabe that cited the two as the factional kingpins in the province and alleged that the two were no longer loyal to the 92-year-old veteran leader.
Mugabe had flown to the Lowveld town of Chiredzi to try and douse the factional fires that have consumed his party. His five-hour long meeting with the MPs and senators ended inconclusively and another meeting is on the cards at a date to be advised, according to Home Affairs minister and secretary for administration in the party, Ignatius Chombo.
The 20 MPs, linked to the G40 faction, recommended that Mugabe either fires or re-assigns the two seasoned politicians over their links to the Mnangagwa faction.
The legislators that signed the petition are provincial political commissar Jappy Jaboon, Daniel Shumba, Kalisto Gwanetsa, Tongai Muzenda, Paul Chimedza, Paradzai Chakona, Denford Masiya, Darlington Chiwa, Robson Mavhenyengwa, Kennedy Matimba, Walter Mzembi, Joseph Moyo, Ephraim Gwanongodza, Davis Marapira, Mathias Tongofa, Vincent Mawere, Angeline Chipato, Mafios Utete, Robert Mukwena and Samson Mukanduri.
Only six MPs that are believed to belong to the Lacoste camp did not sign the petition.
“Mahofa and Hungwe are behind the current wave of political instability in the province. It is imperative that His Excellency takes steps to nip this problem in the bud as soon as possible,” the dossier reads.
“As MPs who were democratically elected by the people of Masvingo, we recommend the following to His Excellency, the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF: “There is need to immediately re-assign or remove the current Minister for State for Provincial Affairs in the interest of the party and government and replace her with a member who is loyal and obedient to the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF…. to ensure and assure a clean sweep of all seats in the 2018 elections,” it reads.
The legislators also called for a stop to “factional distribution of land” in the province.
“The ongoing land redistribution should be stopped and offer letters issued should be immediately withdrawn to allow wider consultations with traditional chiefs and other stakeholders,” reads the petition.
Mahofa has since described the allegations as “99,9 percent lies” coming from “over-ambitious and power-hungry” political greenhorns.
Sources said Mugabe has summoned Mahofa to Harare this week so that she explains the controversial awarding of cane plots grabbed from Tongaat Hullet to 196 Zanu PF members, traditional leaders and senior civil servants on alleged factional lines, a move that will leave 2 000 Tongaat Hullet workers jobless.
“She has been summoned to Harare by the president and if she fails to explain herself, that will be her end,” a source said. Mahofa could not be reached for a comment yesterday.
Mahofa and Hungwe have alledgedly made known their political colours in Zanu PF. Mahofa reportedly objected to Grace Mugabe’s presidential candidature ahead of the party congress last year, saying Masvingo Province only observed her (Grace) as the women’s league boss and First Lady.
Soon after the congress, she was taken ill on suspected food poisoning and spent three months in hospital.
Hungwe, upon Mnangagwa’s elevation to be vice-president, described him as “the son of man” and likened him to Jesus Christ, but was forced to make a U-turn following criticism from G40 members in the party, among them Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo. The standard
Salary Crisis : Civil Servants Down Tools
The beleagured government of Zimbabwe, faces a tough week ahead as civil servants down tools in protest at not being paid their full salaries on time.
The Apex Council which represents Government employee unions is to embark on a full-scale industrial action on 5 July over delays in payments of June salaries. Workers said they would not report for duty from Tuesday saying they were incapacitated as they had not received their dues.
The under siege government has failed to pay its employees their June salaries, yet its ministers enjoy lavish lifestyles they openly parade with no shame.
For instance, acting Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Supa Mandiwanzira, recently treated himself to a top class vehicle after stealing from the hungry civil servants $200 000.
When questioned by journalists Mandiwanzira’s arrogant response was, “What is a mere US$200 000 to a Cabinet minister?” Going further to say, ““Am I a garden boy that is expected to go around on foot or on bicycle? I am a Cabinet minister for goodness sake!”
President Robert Mugabe is under pressure to fire all corrupt ministers and replace them with honest accountable men and women who are sensitive to the plight of suffering Zimbabweans. Calls are growing for the corrupt ministers not just to be reigned in but for them to be arrested.
The government claims it is working flat out to ensure its employees are paid their June salaries in batches starting this week, and is appealing to its workforce to be stoic as the State works to ease cash flow challenges.
Mandiwanzira said the Government was aware of the various obligations workers needed to attend to.
Mandiwanzira said: “We continue to appeal to the hard-working servants as we try to meet their salary expectations. The current cash inflow challenges in the country have affected salary payments, but Government is addressing the issue as we are aware civil servants have financial obligations that must be met on time. We are also aware that most of them have running loans that are automatically deducted from their accounts. We are working on paying their salaries as promised by the Ministry of Public Service.”
The Government last week offered each employee US$100 as a cushion until full salaries could be paid. Apex Council chairperson Mrs Cecilia Alexander said: “Today (yesterday) we unanimously agreed with other unions, which include educators, health and other civil servants unions, to stay away from work until our salaries have been paid in full. The reason for our action is that we are incapacitated to go to work because we have not been paid our June salaries by our employer. The US$100 advance salary we were offered is not enough because of other commitments such as loans that need to be paid. So we have resolved to stay away as from Tuesday until our full dues are paid.”
As of yesterday, some medical personnel in Harare and Bulawayo had stopped reporting for duty. Mpilo Central Hospital clinical director Mr Solwayo Ngwenya confirmed that doctors had not reported for duty at the institution.
“The people who wrote in the letter from Harare are the same people that are also here and yes, our doctors have joined the strike as of 1 July and up to now they are still on strike. We are currently attending to emergencies only at Mpilo,” he said.
Mr Ngwenya said he was not sure what the situation will be like in the next few days as some more doctors may join the strike.
“It is not sustainable at all that we have such a scenario, we are waiting for direction from national level and at the moment this is the situation on the ground, the doctors are on strike,” he said.
United Bulawayo Hospitals clinical director Dr Narcisaus Dzanga, however, said doctors at the institution were reporting for work.
“As of Friday 9pm all our doctors were there, they had not joined the strike. In fact we are surprised it is being called a strike, they (doctors) are suggesting that they come to work three times a week until the situation is resolved,” he said.
The Government delayed salary payments of civil servants this month due to shortages of funds with only members of security sectors having been paid. Teachers are expected to get their salaries on 7 July while health workers and the rest of the civil service will be paid on 14 July. Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Mr John Mlilo said there would be no street demonstrations as alluded to by some quarters.
“We will be on stay-away from 5 July and we will not be holding any marches or protests. We are not able to report for duties because we do not have the money to report for duty,” he said.
The Government is also rationalising the civil service to cut the wage bill, which stands at US$200 million per month — more than 80 percent of monthly revenue.
United Bulawayo Hospitals clinical director Dr Narcisaus Dzanga, however, said doctors at the institution were reporting for work.
“As of Friday 9pm all our doctors were there, they had not joined the strike. In fact we are surprised it is being called a strike, they (doctors) are suggesting that they come to work three times a week until the situation is resolved,” he said.
The Government delayed salary payments of civil servants this month due to shortages of funds with only members of security sectors having been paid. Teachers are expected to get their salaries on 7 July while health workers and the rest of the civil service will be paid on 14 July. Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Mr John Mlilo said there would be no street demonstrations as alluded to by some quarters.
“We will be on stay-away from 5 July and we will not be holding any marches or protests. We are not able to report for duties because we do not have the money to report for duty,” he said.
The Government is also rationalising the civil service to cut the wage bill, which stands at US$200 million per month — more than 80 percent of monthly revenue. Herald
100 Arrested In Beitbridge Police Blitz
Staff Reporter|Police in Beitbridge have arrested at least a hundred people in connection with the demonstrations that rocked the town on Friday and more are still being picked up.
Sources within the police force in the town claim that a crack unit of the National Law and Order section of the police has been deployed to investigate the disturbances that shook the entire country with an intended crack-down on suspects.
The sources claim that police have rounded up several Beitbridge residents mostly informal traders using tip offs from other residents, pictures circulated on social media platforms and CCTV evidence from filling stations at the border post.
The police are also reportedly on the hunt for several activists and leaders of opposition parties from as far as Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo and Gwanda who were in the Beitbridge and Messina areas within the days leading to and during the demonstration and are believed to have been part of the wider network that organised the demonstration.
The sources also revealed that several senior police officers at Beitbridge Police have been summoned to Harare to explain why they allowed the situation to get out of hand failing to detect the processes leading to the demonstration.
State security is believed to be accusing the police of deliberately not controlling the demonstration allowing it to turn violent, as they had not received their June salaries.
Several officers at the police station are bound to face disciplinary action and likely to be dismissed from the force if they are found to have dealt with the situation negligently.
Meanwhile, public opinion already blames Beitbridge Police Officer Commanding who is said to have failed to address the crowd while they were still demonstrating peacefully at the border gate.
The senior police officer is said to have dismissed the demonstrating crowd telling them to “go to hell” when they demanded to be addressed by senior immigration officers at the border.
“It was after the address by the officer commanding that people got angry accusing him of not respecting them then everyone turned violent,” said a resident Monica Ndou.
Police are refusing to comment on the matter referring all questions to the national police spokesperson Charity Charamba for comments.
Tsvangirai Mocked on Illness by Mandi Chimene
While most Zimbabweans have shown sympathy to the country’s main opposition leader, Tsvangirai, who revealed his health status last week, the controversial Chimene chose to bluntly wish ill of him.
She made the shocking remarks yesterday in Mutare while addressing thousands of Zanu PF party supporters who were set to be enlisted to get residential stands for free in a move seen by analysts and opposition parties as an irrational political campaign strategy.
Chimene did not only express her happiness about Tsvangirai’s illness but went further to describe him as an ugly person whose facial appearance was not appealing to voters.
She also told the cheering crowd that former Zanu PF activist Ace Lumumba was a homosexual.
“Tsvangirai is suffering with cancer; it’s payback time for wishing President Robert Mugabe to die, but Mugabe does not have cancer. Who are we to questions God’s will? Why opposing our president who is 92 years old? l would even sacrifice for my president by giving him my 20 years and l will die,’’ she said.
“If you look at his [Tsvangirai’s] face, that is what is in his brains. He is not appealing. He is ugly. You should not vote for him because he is a loser,’’ Chimene said. Standard
SOUTH AFRICA VIOLENCE: Zimbabweans Houses Burnt Down
LIVE UPDATES: posted here as they happen- Thousands of Zimbabweans and Lesotho immigrants living in Pretoria East were last night left homeless after their plastic shack houses were burnt down, ZimEye.com reveals.
1541Hrs – “I visited the Pretoria East violence scene and this is what is left.
I have spoken to a lot of people there but.
5 bodies have been collected so far.
“Emergency services are busy erecting temporary homes for the affected.
“High level Gov delegates were also here.
The situation is sad. Most of the affected are Zimbabweans from Chipinge area”. – ZimEye source
0300Hrs – Unconfirmed reports reaching ZimEye.com say the houses were still burning at 1am Sunday morning. The causes of the fire were not known at the time of writing and a comment from the police unfruitful.
Pictures as the flames continued Sunday morning –
More to follow…. Are you in the area? Send your pictures, video and a narration of your experience, to +447426863301
exZifa Boss Demands $85,000 from Chiyangwa
FORMER Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze says the need to recover over $85 000 he is owed pushed him into fronting a bid to stop the association’s dissolution as well as the proposed formation of the National Football Association of Zimbabwe. In court papers filed at the High Court in Harare, his lawyer, Pauline Kadembo, said Mashingaidze derived his locus standi from being owed by Zifa.
“The applicants’ locus standi arise from the fact that they are owed large sums of arrear salaries by Zifa who is their employer or former employer and they were grossly affected by the sudden unlawful dissolution which left them with no employer and no legal remedy to recover their salaries, since Zifa is now a non-existent association,” wrote Mashingaidze.
“I am personally owed the sum of US$85 338,81 in arrear salaries as at end of April 2016, when I ceased to be an employee of Zifa. I also aver that on top of the non-compliance with the constitution the decision by the respondents to dissolve Zifa and form Nafaz was done in bad faith and is against the tenants of natural justice, public policy and labour laws.
“The dissolution of Zifa was designed to evade obligations to creditors and employees especially considering that the new association Nafaz excluded itself from any of Zifa’s liabilities and did not take over the Zifa employees, most of which are the applicants.”
Mashingaidze’s argument has done little to extinguish speculation that the former Zifa chief executive is trying to take advantage of the confusion at the national association to claw his way back into mainstream football administration barely two months after leaving his lofty post.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail Sport, Mashingaidze did not rule out a possible return but said he would only consider one in an environment where he was appreciated.
“I have clearly stated the reasons for my interest in this case but it’s also a fact that I am a servant of football and will always be ready to serve in any capacity. But one needs to work in an environment where they feel appreciated and I think that appreciation was no longer there when I left Zifa.
“While football can never be about personalities, there are some people like (Zifa vice-president) Omega (Sibanda) and (Southern region president Mussa) Mandaza whom I think I can never be able to work with again because of their never disguised disdain of me,” he said. – state media
Mugabe Ditches Parirenyatwa As Health Ministry Woes Mount
As the factional wars in Zanu PF continue Health and Child Care Minister, Dr David Parirenyatwa, has been ditched by his fellow comrades who have left him to deal with the tiff between doctors and medical aid societies, on his own.
Uncharacteristic of a state media report which ran a screaming headline, “Dr Parirenyatwa sleeping on duty,” against a Robert Mugabe appointee shows that all is not well within embattled ruling party.
Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZIMA), had threatened that with effect from July 1, medical aid card holders would be required to pay cash upfront when seeking health services. The association is claiming that health professionals are owed at least US$220 million by medical aid societies.
In a bid to resolve the impasse, Government, through the Health and Child Care ministry threatened not to renew operating licenses for defaulting funders. However, it is not yet clear if this was carried through.
It is understood that the majority of medical aid societies had been issued with temporary operating licenses valid until June 30 for failure to remit claims to service providers within the expected 60-day period. Zima said the minister has failed to deal with the matter decisively as is expected of him.
The Sunday Mail is in possession of minutes from a meeting held between doctors, Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Zimra officials last week.
“The Zima secretary general would like members to know that we have been here (in a similar meeting) before, where the Minister of Health and Child Care has promised to deal with delinquent health insurance companies. Instead of taking action, he was given an advance payment of US$100 000 (apparent capitation),” reads the minutes.
“Several engagements with statutory bodies and the minister have taken place with no improvement. “Health insurance companies are breaking various regulations and policies that prescribe the settlement period as well as the amount to be paid for consultations.”
Zima also accused the ministry of not consulting them on important issues.
“The Minister of Health and Child Care has promised that ZiMA will be given the list of health insurance companies that the Ministry intends to license for Zima to give input. The office responsible has informed Zima (through telephone) that he is not going to give such a list,” read the minutes.
Efforts to get a comment from Dr Parirenyatwa were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered. The stand-off between service providers and health funders began in 2008 with doctors expressing displeasure on the late payment of claims and prescribed rates.
In May 2014, the Government gazetted consultation fees for general practitioners at US$35, up from US$20 while specialist services were increased to an average of US$120, up from US$80. However, the Association of Health Funders of Zimbabwe (Ahfoz) advised its members to pay doctors US$25 for initial consultation and US$18 for reviews. Government licences medical aid societies annually on the basis of a good record in paying health service providers.
Zima has since adviced its members to accept medical aid cards from Liberty Health, MASCA, Cellmed, Cimas, Generation Health, First Mutual and Northern Medical Aid societies as they have shown commitment in paying service providers within the mandatory 60-day period.
GUN FIRE HORROR: Hundreds Flee Renamo Violence
Rebel terror on civilians continues as hundreds of Mozambican refugees and Zimbabwean emigrants flock into Manicaland, fleeing increased attacks by Renamo bandits in Mozambique.
Media reports estimate that at least 400 families have erected shacks in Mabee, Chipinge South, with United Nations agencies reporting that thousands of Mozambicans had also crossed into Malawi, in what could be a major humanitarian crisis unfolding.
Renamo bandits, led by Mozambique opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama, have been fighting President Filipe Nyusi’s forces after the former scuttled a power-sharing agreement citing “an unfair governance system”.
The rebels are burning villages and social facilities in Tete and Manica, both provinces close to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s security chiefs recently said they would protect citizens and the country’s economic interests.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Engineer Tapiwa Matangaidze said 334 Zimbabwean families living in Mozambique side were now at Tongogara Refugee Camp in Manicaland.
He said, “These families are originally from Chipinge, and had migrated to Mozambique. We are now working on identifying their places of origin so that we can reunite them with their families.
“We have not received reports of Mozambicans fleeing to Zimbabwe save for one family of 19 that is at Tongogara Refugee Camp.”
Chipinge South National Assembly representative Cde Enock Porusingazi saidl: “It is happening; over 400 families have crossed into Zimbabwe as they flee ongoing violence by Renamo bandits.
“Most of these families have lost properties, and fled after being forced to denounce the ruling Frelimo government. We have also discovered that many of those fleeing Renamo are Zimbabweans living on the Mozambican side.
“The last time Renamo encroached into Zimbabwe, they looted cattle and food, sending locals into panic. We are also concerned with the refugees’ plight.
“There is no water and there are no toilets; the refugees do not even have food to eat. We are, therefore, appealing for assistance and we hope the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will also come to the rescue.”
Renamo was created by the Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation with collusion of apartheid South Africa West Germany and the United States shortly after Mozambique’s independence in 1975 to destabilise President Samora Machel’s Frelimo government, which strongly supported liberation movements in the region.
Renamo blew up key infrastructure and killed villagers, leading to a full-fledged civil war that cost a million lives and ended with a power-sharing agreement in 1992. But in 2014, Mr Dhlakama refused to accept Frelimo’s electoral victory, once again resorting to arms. Sunday Mail
President Mugabe Forced To Fire Rotten Ministers
Grace Kwinjeh |Demands for President Robert Mugabe to fire corrupt Government ministers and officials were heightened this morning, with a petition calling for Energy Minister Samuel Udenge to go, being signed by hundreds of Zimbabweans, under an initiative led by #FlagPastor Evans Mawarire.
“We are stepping the game up, protests and demonstrations will not end until, issues to do with corruption are dealt with,” said the outspoken Mawarire.
The initiative for corrupt officials to go is gaining momentum as pressure mounts on President Mugabe to fire all corrupt ministers, who are callously draining the economy, enriching themselves while ordinary citizens starve. At the time of writing civil servants are threatening massive strikes over government’s failure to pay their salaries on time, and the country could be headed for a grinding halt in the civil service, which will have further serious repercussions on an already bleeding economy.
Just in a day ZimEye.com this morning covered two cases of serious corruption involving ministers, the first involving Udenge and his Glen Lorne mansion he is renovating with funds apparently acquired under spurious circumstances. Controversial minister of Education, Lazarus Dokora is not to be left out as he once again makes news headlines over a multi-million dollar computerisation dodgy deal.
Speaking in shona vernacular live on his facebook page, Mawarire said, Udenge had stolen too much money, “there are too many stories of corruption and that has killed our country.”
“People are signing the petition so that the President can fire him, he is the one who hired him in the first place, we are saying the first place to deal with corruption, is by handling all existing cases ruthlessly,” said Mawarire.
“We are calling on Government, we are calling on our leaders to deal with corruption without fear, until people like minister Udenge are not dealt with we know you are not serious about corruption,” Mawarire challenged those in authority.
“We want you to know that we are serious about building our country, so respond whereever you see us getting these petitions signed, get involved, do not be afraid, it is our right to petition the President, it is our right to petition Parliament,” Mawarire rallied citizens behind his call.
Dokora Implicated In Multi-Million-Dollar Govt Cash Theft
At a time when government is failing to pay teachers and the electricity crisis continues to cripple the nation, Education Minister, Lazarus Dokora has tacitly encumbered state funds on an unnecessary IT initiative which is claimed to be an e-learning project for school children, an endeavour 1st world governments with strong economies neither have nor need.
As if the aforementioned cringe is not enough, the below investigative report reveals there is more stench enmeshed inside the corruption. ZimEye.com reveals that UK, US, Russian governments have no such thing as a state E-Learning server for school kids. These ministers are getting away with public cash by introducing dodgy cash milking programs, ZimEye.com asserts. Instead of wasting money on unnecessary ethereal software, government should rather put the money to electrify schools the majority of which have no electricity, ZimEye contends.
THE CONTROVERSIAL minister, Dokora, has been sucked into a multi-million-dollar computerisation dodgy deal that further strangles the cash strapped state on unnecessary expenditure.
This comes amid recent reports that he incorporated a privately-owned company which he handpicked without going to tender to work with the state-owned entity Zarnet, in a donor-funded schools computerisation programme.
The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) has also been dragged into the scandal.
So far US$15 million has been released by donors to computerise 1,384 schools. The programme aims to computerise 8000 schools.
Zarnet is a government–owned entity which provides internet service and ICT solutions for government institutions, companies and other entities in Zimbabwe. The company also offers fibre, VSAT, WiMAX broadband internet, management and server solutions.
Its products include an Online Schools Directory, an online directory for institutions of learning that range from nursery, primary and secondary schools, to universities.
However, despite it being a government entity, Dokora has insisted it should accommodate E-Learning Solutions, a privately-owned digital education solution provider (ESP), founded and owned by Itai Masimirembwa without going to tender.
Itai is suspended Zanu PF member Godwills Masimirembwa’s brother.
According to documents availed, Dokora, in a meeting held on June 6, “made clear the role that E-Learning Solutions and Zarnet would play in the implementation of the ministry’s Wide Area Network (WAN), that is E-Learning Solutions were to concentrate on applications while Zarnet focussed on infrastructure”.
The documents also reveal that E-Learning Solutions was given the opportunity to “independently submit to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) proposals to connect as many schools they wish as long as they can conform to the requirements of the ministry.”
However, in a letter dated June 21, Zarnet chief executive officer Evans Vete questioned the role of E-Learning Solutions in a government operation.
“A noticeable problem is that MoPSE is deviating from its core business by both taking the role of providing a technical solution and of trying to appoint who can do projects, a role that the SPB (State Procurement Board) does,” reads part of the letter.
“Approaching E-Learning Solutions indicates that MoPSE does not appreciate, recognise and or understand Zarnet’s mandate as given by the government of Zimbabwe. MoPSE is seeing E-Learning Solutions, a private content provider company, as competitor to Zarnet, a government internet access provider.”
Education secretary, Sylvia Utete-Masango said her ministry was following a directive from the OPC.
“We are working directly with OPC and some of the decisions are coming from the top,” she said.
Government sources say E-Learning was dictating how the programme should run because of “backing from the top” and had taken over Zarnet’s role.
Sources also said there are many other private companies that can also play the role of E-Learning and questions are being raised on how this company was chosen to partner Zarnet.
“This company did not go to tender to clinch the deal at the same time government has no financial capacity to outsource services which are being offered by a state entity.”
Ministry sources said efforts to stop the unscrupulous deal have hit a brick wall amid revelations E-Learning had Dokora’s support.
“There was a meeting last week on Friday and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education stuck to its guns that E-Learning should be part of the deal,” another ministry official said. “Dokora was supposed to address us, but he failed to turn up and sent the permanent secretary who insisted E-Learning should be part of the deal.” The Independent
Hubby Bashes Wife for Demanding Too Much Sex
Sex deprived wife Noria Garai (20), was bashed by her husband Brighton Madzinga, for demanding to have sexual intercourse with him, the Mbare Magistrates’ Court heard.
The 25-YEAR-OLD Madzinga , yesterday appeared before the court where he pleaded guilty to battering his wife after she demanded her conjugal rights.
Madzinga appeared before magistrate Tafadzwa Miti, who convicted him on physical abuse charges and remanded him out of custody to today for sentence.
The court heard Madzinga and his wife, had had a sour relationship since March this year when Garai, then his girlfriend, claimed she was pregnant.
“She demanded to have sexual intercourse with me on Thursday regardless of the fact that I have denied her the conjugal rights for the past three months,” Madzinga said.
Allegations against him were that on the day in question at around midnight, Garai made sexual advances towards him, but he refused.
The court heard that a misunderstanding then arose between the two, prompting Madzinga to clap Garai in the face and also beat her several times with a belt on her back.
Garai sustained injuries on her lips, but did not go for medical examination.
In mitigation, Madzinga told the court he was not comfortable with having sexual intercourse with Garai because he was disputing responsibility for her pregnancy.
“She also refused to take a pregnancy test earlier that same day, so I was angry,” Madzinga said.
Prosecutor Gerald Date urged the court to impose a heavy fine, saying although Madzinga had been provoked by Garai, he ought not to have taken the law into his own hands. Newsday
Shock As Woman Gives Birth To Twins On The Street
There was drama in Harare last Friday, after a woman went into labour and gave birth to twins on the street.
The woman, according to a local private national radio station, was coming from Chinhoyi, had to be assisted by street vendors to deliver her twin boys.
“I saw the woman struggling to walk and I asked her if she was well, but she could not respond and that is when I realised that she was in pain and was about to give birth,” said one of the vendors who assisted the woman to deliver.
“I then called other vendors who brought some wrapping towels we use to cover our wares and used them as a tent to cover her, and that time she was already in labour,” she narrated.
She said it did not take them time to assist the woman deliver two boys before an ambulance arrived.
“We were shocked but we are glad that we managed to help her deliver her twins safely without any complications,” she said.
The woman was later rushed to a nearby surgery where she was medically examined by a doctor who confirmed that the newly born twins were in good health.
“I have examined them and the boys are in good health, now what is left is for the mother to call her relatives and bring her clothes for the handsome boys,” the doctor told the radio station .
Mugabe Finally Gives Up?| BEITBRIDGE INVESTIGATION
EXCLUSIVE|There was confusion Saturday morning when President Robert Mugabe’s cabinet on Friday night officially pulled away from its import ban on domestic essentials which caused fiery protests at the Beitbridge border post.
This news release was officially published in the Mugabe controlled Herald newspaper, the announcement reading in full print as follows, “Government gave in to pressure and suspended rolling out the new regime which bans domestic vitals from entering Zimbabwe”.
ZimEye.com which toured the Beitbridge border post early Saturday morning at around 8am, carried out a snap investigation following the conflicting statements as Industry Minister Mike Bimha also made the announcement on radio saying the government has lifted the ban.
Bimha did not release any further details.
But the same Minister Bimha was early Saturday morning reported by the state radio in a different news release stating to the contrary, “there is no going back to the implementation of statutory instrument 64 of 2016 which seeks to protect some of the locally produced goods from imports”.
Upon physically going through the border post, ZimEye.com found that there was both a truth and a negation of the government (SI64) import ban.
Commercial cargo which had been stuck on the Beitbridge Border post (South African side) for up to seven days as importers struggled to get permits authorising them to import the restricted goods, were seen now freely passing through.
This led to people posting celebratory messages saying, “Mugabe akaura this time Today can go down in history as ‘People Power’ victory as Mugabe’s Zanu PF regime was forced to lift the controversial ban on imports following protest by Beitbridge residents and business people in South Africa.
“Mugabe’s government realised that the situation was now volatile, considering that the Rural Teachers Union (RTUZ), Zimbabwe Teacher’s Association, Doctors, Nurses and other civil servants had already embarked on downing tools in protest to the delayed wage allocations shifting wage dates for most civil servants into next month, even though the army had been paid”.
But after a vigorous assessment of the situation, ZimEye.com found that while the government gave in, that move was likely only temporary.
The government might have clearly backed down, but ZimEye.com found that Mugabe’s armed police and army were on Saturday afternoon prowling on full patrol amid extra-ordinary order in the town.
ON THE GROUND- EXCLUSIVE : There is no clear cut on the ground proof that government has given in. There is confusion. Ordinary people are not carrying any groceries through the border. The commercial section was still not open when we left the border at midday today. Trucks are flocking in from SA and only those on transit are coming out of the border. There is still heavy police presence and patrol of anti riot heavy artillery. Plain clothes police agents all over the area and people are not even able to take photos on their cellphones. It’s business unusual. There is extraordinary order at the border. In the town people are not allowed to be in groups of more than 5. People are being blocked and searched by plain cloth officers at the border and questioned where they are coming from and where they are going.”
Due to the amount of evidence and conflicting statements, ZimEye would like to inform our valued readers that despite the lifting of the import ban, government is set to resume its forcing of Statutory Instrument 64/2016 on poor citizens.
Beating Poverty: Nyagomo Launches New Jam Brand
Politician and philathropist Barbara Nyagomo has launched a new jam brand which has recently hit shop shelves, at a cost of $1.50 per bottle.
The Jam is being marketed under the brand Freshmo Foods/Jam and is produced by women entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe and South-Africa, as part of an effort initiated by Nyagomo to empower them economically.
In an interview with ZimEye.com, Nyagomo who trains female entrepreneurs to make soap and jam online said, “My aim is to teach people to do small sustainable business projects creating jobs and boosting local economy.”
“my aim is to teach people to do small sustainable business projects creating jobs and boosting local economy.”
Times are hard for the majority of Zimbabweans with many seeking alternative ways of survival outside formal employment. So far Nyagomo who is also founder and President of The Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe, has trained 60 women in Zimbabwe and 15 Refugee women based in South Africa.
Parirenyatwa Hospital Negligence, Mother Seeks Justice
A HARARE woman, Chipo Samoyo, is seeking justice for her 16 year old son, Courage Mambingadya, who was dropped from a hospital operating table, during a botched medical operation, leading to him developing a condition called laryngeal papillomatosis.
Courage was four years old at the time.
Samoyo alleges that her son was neglected by the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals authorities of causing him to develop the condition which is a rough outgrowth formation on his voice box.
She said she suspected there was more to her now 16-year-old son’s condition than just falling off a theatre bed.
“I am finding it hard to believe that my son was paralysed from just falling from a bed. I believe the doctors did not tell us exactly what transpired on the fateful day,” Samoyo said during a function where a local firm, Providence Human Capital, donated a wheelchair for Courage.
She said her son’s life turned upside-down on April 24, 2004 when nurses at Parirenyatwa, who were reportedly carrying him from a theatre bed to a stretcher, accidentally dropped him.
She told a heartrending tale of how the incident had negatively impacted on her husband, Jeremiah Mambingadya’s life, as he was now epiletic due to depression as a result of watching his son’s suffering.
Courage, Samoyo said, was admitted at Parirenyatwa on April 19, 2004 and got into theatre the next day.
The rest is history: April 20 will remain etched in the family’s minds.
“My son got into theatre at 7:30am on April 19, 2004, for a voice box operation with a Dr Marimo and I spent almost 16 hours without seeing him. No one gave me updates about the procedure and around 12 midnight, I was told that Courage had fallen from a theatre bed and he was now in the intensive care unit (ICU),” she recalled.
Courage would spend the next five months in hospital and the day he was finally discharged, the family was told not to pay hospital bills.
The Department of Social Welfare is said to have written a letter to allow him to access free medical services.
“Yes, they might have done this to lessen our burden, but I think it was a cover up,” Samoyo said.
Parirenyatwa chief executive officer Timothy Zigora denied Courage had at any time been admitted at the institution.
“In 2004, the year you refer to, I was at this institution and such a big thing would have come to my attention. It never did. It’s 12 years later now and why is this woman saying these things now?” Zigora queried.
But a letter shows the teenager was admitted at the hospital on the April 23, 2004, and ended up in ICU.
“Thank you for your assistance in the management of the above patient whom we admitted on 23.04.04. He was being followed up in the outpatients department for Laryngeal Papillomatosis. An emergency tracheostomy was performed on 24. 04.04 and he was admitted to ICU,” read a letter signed by one Dr Nyamunda and consultant surgeon, Mr Tumushime, dated June 22, 2004.
When told about the letter, Zigora said the woman should approach the health institution’s public relations department.
“Tell her to go to public relations and tell the people there that I sent her,” he said.
Samoyo, however, said she had approached the said department on several occasions with no success.
“Parirenyatwa refused to give us a helping hand as they said they were not responsible for my son’s paralysis because I signed an indemnity form before his operation,” Samoyo said. Newsday
Hubby Throws Wife Out Of 1st Floor Window
In the ever increasing cases of domestic violence a Glen Norah man, Shepherd Mhako, is reported to have appeared at the Mbare Magistrates’ Court yesterday facing an attempted murder charge after he allegedly threw his wife through their apartment’s first floor window.
He accused her of cheating on him.
Mhako (40) was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Stanford Mambanje.
He was remanded in custody to July 14 and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
The State alleges that on Tuesday, Mhako accused his wife, whose name was not disclosed in court papers, of having an extramarital affair before assaulting her.
Mhako allegedly battered his wife with open hands and fists all over the body and then threw her out of the couple’s first floor’s apartment window.
The court heard that Mhako’s wife sustained a broken right leg and was rushed to hospital for treatment.
Daniel Muchimbiri appeared for the State. Newsday
CORRUPTION – Udenge Exposed In Massive House Splurge
The controversial ENERGY minister Samuel Undenge, has splurged thousands of dollars on massive renovations of his Glen Lorne property in Harare since February, it has been established.
Udenge who has recently been struggling to pay maintenance for his daughter Bongani Tafadzwa Undenge is reported to have received suspicious cash payments of close to US$200 000 from a shadowy depositor in January.
The High Court last December threw out an application in which Udenge wanted to stop paying maintenance for his teenage daughter.
Media reports indicate that construction workers are said to be working round the clock, including under floodlights, to overhaul the main house and build new structures comprising a state-of-the-art gym to turn it into a mansion.
This came as the minister last week ordered state power utility, Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa), which falls under his ministry, to buy him a black Toyota Land Cruiser 200 series worth US$123 000.
The developments show a remarkable change of fortunes for Undenge, who does not earn much as a cabinet minister.
The suspicious cash deposits — unearthed by the media recently — were made at a time the minister was entangled in energy scandals involving hundreds of millions of dollars.
They also came as Undenge irregularly authorised a US$5 million advance payment to convicted fraudster Wicknell Chivayo’s Intratek for the US$200 million 100-megawatt Gwanda Solar Power
Project, shortly before receiving the suspicious payments.
Chivayo, whose dodgy Zesa deals top US$400 million, said last week he would soon get a further US$7 million despite protests over the US$5 million payment.
Government sources and residents around his property situated at number 729 Glen Helen Way, Glen Lorne, told the Independent the massive renovations of Undenge’s house started in February.
Coincidentally, the minister and his wife Letina in January and February received about US$200 000 from a suspicious source which forced the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Financial Intelligence Unit to investigate the transaction.
Letina received a US$136 000 payment on January 15, and Undenge US$50 000 on February 3 through their Standard Chartered Bank accounts. The money ended up in an Old Mutual unit trust.
Initially, the house was a simple three-bedroomed property but Undenge has so far completed two blocks of what will constitute the main house and is now adding a structure block which will house carports and a gym.
A visit to Undenge’s house this week found contractors busy at work.
Amid lively banter, groups of workers were perched on the rooftop putting finishing touches to one of the structures. Residents around the suburb said the workers were toiling away round the clock to complete the house as the minister wants to quickly come back to his new mansion.
“At least two more buildings have been erected since work started in February,” one resident said. “It is a massive project and upon completion, there will be more structures inside, a bigger garage to accommodate several vehicles the minister is acquiring and recreational facilities such as the gym and other facilities. This will certainly elevate the property to a level of a mansion.”
Another neighbour said: “The minister is clearly in a hurry. He often comes to personally check on the progress.
There is a spot on the road behind (Gainsville Drive) where he loves to come and stand just to view and admire renovations being done. He even ensured floodlights were erected at the construction site to guarantee night shift.”
Undenge and his wife have reportedly moved into a house in Mandara, while the renovations take place at the Glen Lorne property.
It is said they moved together with the VIP guards from the Police Protection Unit usually seconded to provide security to ministers and other senior government officials.
From the vantage point of Gainsville Drive, one could see two blocks of buildings which sources said have recently been completed with new fittings and facilities.
“It’s clear his fortunes have changed, but we cannot say for sure how,” a resident in the neighbourhood said. “We don’t know.”
Sources said that prior to the renovations Undenge’s house, on an estimated 6 000 square metres of land, had become dilapidated over the years as he had no money to refurbish it. His financial dire straits were made public when he went to court to try reverse a US$350 a month maintenance payment ordered for his daughter.
As recently as December last year, he lost his High Court bid to have the maintenance claim overturned, saying his daughter was now over 18, thus no longer legally entitled to his support.
Justice Mwayera, however, ruled that although the daughter was 18, she was still entitled to Undenge’s support to fund her university studies until the age of 35 in terms of Section 20 of the constitution.
In addition, one of his companies, Fartingale Designs (Pvt) Ltd t/a Panashe Fashions, was involved in a legal battle with MIPF Holdings, a Harare-based estates and properties company, which accused him of failing to pay rent and other costs from April 2009 to 2011.
The total amount of the debt was US$40 000.
However, his fortunes dramatically changed for the better after his appointment to the Energy ministry where he is also accused of ordering Zesa to hire Fruitful Communications, a firm linked to Zanu PF Highfield West MP Psychology Maziwisa and former ZBC anchorman Oscar Pambuka, to carry out a media campaign despite the company having an internal public relations department.
Undenge did not respond to calls to his mobile phone for comment. The Independent
LATEST-BEITBRIDGE FIRES: Army Descends on Beitbridge Curfew Imposed
Contrary to statements issued by government, the Beitbridge border post was en-flamed under a state of emergency with heavy police details with their artillery flooding into the town through the night.
State media falsely reported last night that the situation at the border was calm and Beitbridge was going on with business as usual.
ZimEye.com correspondents who spent the night monitoring the situation on the ground, established that the border post remained closed for all travelers exiting the country with the gates chained.
At first a huge contingent of anti riot police arrived in the town in four truck loads from Harare at night accompanied by heavy anti riot artillery.
Other followed suit afterwards accompanied by a helicopter standby force.
According to reports, a semi curfew was imposed in the Dulivadzimu township with police and the army patrolling the streets throughout the night. No one was allowed to be seen walking in the streets at night amid threats of being shot by live bullets if seen pacing the streets.
Meanwhile reports claimed that the local ZANU PF leadership in the town was last night preparing to mobilise for an urgent meeting to be addressed by top ZANU PF and government officials.
Heavy violence rocked the town throughout Friday over the government imposed ban on importing goods from South Africa.
The violence was so far reported to have claimed one life amid property damage running into hundreds of thousands dollars.
A ZIMRA warehouse with impounded vehicles was set on fire during the fracas protest.
Transform Zimbabwe’s Secretary General, Asan Mtembo, on Friday told ZimEye “this is a reaction and it shows people are not happy with the implementation of the new Statutory Instrument (for impounding imported goods)”.
He continued, “People are hungry, people don’t have money. People are unemployed, people are surviving on selling goods and this SI is actually crippling every person who was doing trade”.
Meanwhile, the latest details shown to ZimEye.com states that the border attempted an opening for business at 5am Saturday under supervision of the CIO and police officials deployed from Harare.
Colon Cancer Demystified | HEALTH MATTERS
By Dr Brighton Chireka | Bowel cancer is fairly common and it occurs mostly in Caucasians aged over 50. Studies are sadly showing that it is rising in black Africans. If bowel cancer is diagnosed at an early stage , there is a good chance of a cure. If diagnosed late then the less chance that treatment will be curative. Having said that, treatment does often slow the progress of cancer regardless of its stage. I welcome the announcement by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai as it helps in raising awareness about bowel cancer. My prayers goes to Morgan Tsvangirai and his family as he fights this bowel cancer. I am optimistic that he will overcome it because studies are in his favour as far as treatment of bowel cancer is concerned.
Why soft spot for Morgan Tsvangirai ?
It is common knowledge that I was once heavily involved with the MDC. I was appointed by Morgan Tsvangirai to be his representative in the UK in March 2004. I was involved in organising his meetings in the UK when he visited in November 2004 soon after being acquitted of treason. I had the opportunity to have one on one discussion with him and was initially impressed but the drama that followed made me quit politics. The party split over whether to contest the 2005 senate election, into MDC-T, the larger party still led by Morgan Tsvangirai, and the MDC -Ncube, a smaller faction then led by Arthur Mutambara and currently led by Welshman Ncube.
Raising health awareness
I hanged my political boots in 2005 and I am now focusing on raising health awareness amongst mainly the black communities in the UK as well as Zimbabwe. The message is now spreading to the rest of Africa and the world as well. I have been able to achieve this by using the social media and at times featured prominent people in our community talking about their health. I welcome the revealing by MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai that he was diagnosed with bowel cancer and is undergoing treatment. When prominent people in our communities talk about their health, it raises awareness and end the stigma to some of the diseases that we face.
Bowel cancer
This is sometimes called colorectal cancer and colorectal means the colon and rectum. It is one of the most common cancers in the United Kingdom. It can affect any part of the colon but it’s most commonly found in the lower part of the descending colon, sigmoid colon or rectum as shown below
COMMON SITES FOR BOWEL CANCER
How does cancer begin?
Cancer begins in cells and cells are the body’s 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 and destroy surrounding healthy tissue, including organs and spread to other areas, for example cancer of the bowel (tummy) can spread to the liver or lungs. This process of spreading is known as metastasis.
CANCER IN GENERAL
Bowel cancer in Zimbabwe rising.
In Zimbabwe colorectal cancer is traditionally thought to be rare but the diagnosis of this cancer in MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai gives us a different story. This is not only that Tsvangirai is a public figure but that the studies being carried out in Zimbabwe are calling for us to change our views on bowel cancer.
A retrospective study of colorectal cancer in Zimbabwe by Dr Katsidzira, Prof Gangaidzo and Prof Matenga which looked at cases from January 2006 to Dec 2011, demonstrates that colorectal cancer is as frequent a finding in Africans presenting for colonoscopy in Zimbabwe as it is among Caucasians. These African patients are often younger. The study also found that diverticular disease was present at higher that expected frequency among black African patients. This relatively higher than expected frequency of diverticular disease is possibly as a result of changes in dietary habits.
The “take away home message” is that colorectal cancer is an emerging challenge among black Zimbabweans. The public and doctors should be aware of the common symptoms such anaemia and weight loss in everyone regardless of the age. Bowel cancer in black Africans can present at a relatively young age, and thus young patients with the right clinical picture (symptoms) should be investigated just as thoroughly as older patients.
These findings that colorectal cancer is more frequently than common assumed should lead to the change in clinical practice among doctors in Zimbabwe and also funders should allocate more resources towards the prevention and treatment of bowel cancer. This is one of the reasons that I have decided to compile this article to raise awareness about bowel cancer. We used to think that it was rare but the truth of the matter is that it is rising in our community. The good thing is that it can be prevented and if diagnosed early it can be cured.
This does not apply to Zimbabwe only but there are other studies showing that colorectal is on the rise in Africa. A study on colorectal cancer trends in Kenya by Saidi H, et al showed that there was a 3-fold increase in the number of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer at a single referral unit in Kenya between the periods 1993-1998 and 1999-2005.
What are the risk factors for bowel cancer?
Bowel cancer can develop for no apparent reason however there are certain risk factors that increase the chance that bowel cancer will develop. These risk factors include:
1- Ageing : In Caucasians bowel cancer is more common in older people . 80% of people who are diagnosed with bowel cancer are old than 60 years. In Zimbabwe it’s a different picture, black Africans are being diagnosed at a young age. One case reported in Zimbabwe is that of a 19 year old who was diagnosed with bowel cancer .
2-If a close relative has had bowel cancer
3-If you have colon disease such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease for more than 8-10 years.
4- Obesity
5- Lifestyle factors : not exercising , drinking a lot of alcohol.
REDUCING THE RISK OF GETTING BOWEL CANCER
Protective factors
People who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables have reduced risk of developing bowel cancer
HEALTHY EATING
So how do you know that you have bowel cancer ?
Let’s look at the symptoms of bowel cancer
At first it does not have any symptoms but as the tumour grows the following appears:
1- bleeding from the cancer . One may see blood mixed with faeces or blood can make faeces turn dark colour. The bleeding is not severe and may not be noticed but can lead to anaemia which will make one feel tired and look pale.
2- can pass mucus with the faeces
3- a change from one’s usual bowel habits causing bouts of diarrhoea or constipation
4- a feeling of not emptying the rectum after passing stool
5- Tummy pains
As the tumours becomes bigger and bigger the following can happen:
1- worsening of all symptoms stated above
2- one can feel generally unwell , tired or lose weight.
3- tumour can become bigger such that it can cause a blockage of the colon. This may results in severe abdominal pain, constipation and vomiting
4- the tumour can perforate the wall of colon resulting in a hole which can allow faeces to leak. This is a medical emergency and if not dealt with quickly can be fatal.
SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF BOWEL CANCER
How is bowel cancer diagnosed?
If one has any of the above symptoms they are recommended to see their doctor without delay . The doctor will ask further questions and examine the person. Depending on the findings the doctor may decide to carry out some blood tests or refer the person urgently to the specialist.
A specialist will carry out further tests and the most common one is colonoscopy . Colonoscopy is the looking of the whole of one’s colon and rectum using a long ,thin, flexible telescope called colonoscope. The colonoscope is passed through the anus into rectum and colon.
Other tests such as barium enema or CT colonography can be carried out .
A biopsy is usually taken and sent for examination to confirm whether the tumour is a cancer. A biopsy entails a small sample of tissue being cut from a part of the body in this case the colon.
Staging of the cancer
If one is confirmed to have bowel cancer then further tests will be carried out to find out if the cancer has spread out or its confined to the colon only. This is called staging of the cancer and its aim is to find out:
– Is the cancer only in the colon and how much of the colon is affected
– Whether the cancer has spread to the local lymph nodes
– Whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body such as lungs, liver , bone or brain ( metastasised)
The staging may be finalised after operation and it helps the doctors to decide the final treatment and also to determine the outlook of the condition ( chances of survival).
Treatment of bowel cancer.
Treatment options include surgery , chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Treatment will depend on the stage of the cancer and the general health of the patient.
Please note in the treatment of cancer we do not talk of cure but we use the word remission. Remission means there is no evidence of cancer following treatment. If you are in remission , you may be cured however in some people the cancer can return months or years later . This is why we are reluctant to use the word cured.
I hope you found this article useful and it has added knowledge to you. I urge you to see your doctor without delay if you have some of the symptoms mention in this article. There is no need to panic as some of the symptoms are very common and can be caused by other simple diseases.
I would also love to here from you as always your comments add value to me as well . Also please help me in raising health awareness by sharing this article with your friends.
This article was compiled by Dr Brighton Chireka , who is a GP and a blogger based in Kent in the United Kingdom. Feel free to contact him at [email protected] and you can read more of his work on his blog at DR CHIREKA’S BLOG
Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Dr Chireka has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but makes no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other healthcare professionals for a diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. Views expressed here are personal and do not in any way , shape or form represent the views of organisations that Dr Chireka work for or is associated with.
References
Saidi H, Nyaim EO, Githaiga JW, Karuri D.
World J Surg. 2008 Feb;32(2):217-23.
CORORECTAL CANCER TREND IN KENYA
Retrospective study of colorectal cancer in Zimbabwe by Dr Katsidzira, Prof Gangaidzo, M Mapingure and Prof Matenga
World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Feb 28; 21(8): 2374–2380.
Published online 2015 Feb 28. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i8.2374
RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF COLORECTAL CANCER IN ZIMBABWE
Grace To Build Robert Mugabe University
THE First Lady Grace Mugabe is working on the construction of a university to be named after President Mugabe as a way of building the nation through education.
Mugabe who was officiating at the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) awards ceremony here on Thursday night, said funds permitting, the Robert Mugabe University would be built in Mazowe where her other projects — the children’s home, dairy farm and school — are flourishing.
The First Lady did not give timelines for the construction of the university but said the country needed a paradigm shift when it comes to education.
She said the Amai Mugabe Junior School was being upgraded and a secondary school was under construction and there were plans to build a hospital and the university.
“Funds permitting I’m planning on building a hospital in future since there’s no major hospital in that area. Funds permitting also, I want to build a Robert Mugabe University because we want continuity and responsibility,” she said to a loud applause.
Mugabe said despite criticism from her detractors, she is a hard worker who has achieved all she has through dedication while carrying multiple roles as a mother, wife and businesswoman.
She said after serious brainstorming, she decided there is a need to shift attention to education.
The First Lady said she was engaging a number of partners towards funding the projects. “As a citizen of this country I just feel that I’ve a responsibility to build Zimbabwe without expecting to get a reward. All these are my ambitions and when I started people were saying I’m mad but where there’s a will there’s a way.
“I work very hard despite what you may have read in the Press and the children’s home speaks for itself as those who have seen it can testify. I’ve the energy… this woman is 60 horsepower. I’ve a good rapport with people who I can sweet talk for resources,” she said drawing laughter from the crowd.
“I had a paradigm shift and zeroed in on education because Zimbabweans are obsessed with it. I’m proud because the infrastructure is beautiful I tell you. I don’t compete with women but with humans.
“The structures are magnificent and solid that even an earthquake of 5.5 magnitude on the Richter scale will not shake it. There is one dormitory for boys which is almost complete and we’re also doing state-of-the-art hostels for girls.
“We all went to boarding school and stayed in dormitories and what I’m doing is introduce a paradigm shift where children should live in hotel style rooms. I got the designs from the First Lady of Equatorial Guinea and mobilised funds from embassies especially the Embassy of China,” said the First Lady.
She said all the projects, including the university will be on 50,000 square metres of land.
“I’m not saying this to make your ears itch but those who have been there know what I’m talking about,” she said.
The First Lady encouraged Zimbabweans to work hard to develop the nation using local resources.
“Zimbabweans I urge you not to despair when chips are down and we can do it our Zimbabwean way since we’re blessed with resources. It’s our responsibility to build Zimbabwe together,” added Mrs Mugabe.