Police in Harare on Thursday arrested two News Day journalists for publishing a story in their Wednesday  publication revealing that government in December “secretly” gave members of the Central Intelligence Organisation CIO their bonuses.
The two journalists Nqaba Matshazi (Deputy Editor) and Xolisani Ncube (reporter) were picked up from their Granite-side offices and taken to Harare Central Police Station where they are being detained.
Last year the minister of Media Information and Broadcasting Services Christopher Mushowe gagged the media from reporting  on issues involving state security saying that anyone who chooses to do so should be prepared to finish “what you would have started”.
MORE TO FOLLOW…………………

An Inyathi man who was caught having sex with a donkey and justfied his action by saying he did not have a girlfriend to bed has been sentenced to 12 months in prison.
Bhekimpilo Ngwenya, 20, of Sikhuni Village was convicted on his own plea of guilty to bestiality. Bulawayo magistrate Stephen Ndlovu on circuit at Inyathi court sentenced Ngwenya to 12 months in prison.
Four months of the sentence were suspended for five years on condition he does not commit a similar offence within that period. The magistrate said Ngwenya degraded himself and his family by having sex with a donkey.
“What you did is unimaginable. You’re a disgrace to your family and the whole community and such behaviour makes you deserve to be in solitary confinement,” said Ndlovu. When asked why he committed the offence, Ngwenya told the court that he had no girlfriend and that pushed him to have sex with the animal.
“I resorted to having sexual intercourse with the donkey to quench my sexual appetite because I don’t have a girlfriend. I’ve proposed love to several women but I always get rejected,” said Ngwenya.
Prosecuting, Lungisani Dube, told the court that on September 26, Ngwenya found a female donkey grazing in a field.
“The accused who was alone found a female donkey in the fields. He tied a rope around its neck before tying it to a nearby Mopani tree and mounted it,” the prosecutor said.
“A 14-year-old boy who was passing-by noticed that somebody was making some movements on a stationary donkey and went closer to investigate only to discover it was Ngwenya having sex with the animal.
“The accused ran away after realising that the boy had seen him. He went into hiding and villagers reported the case at Inyathi Police Station leading to his arrest,” Dube said. State Media

Four people were killed while 29 others were injured when the driver of an Eagleliner cross border coach they were travelling in lost control resulting in the bus overturning near Louis Trichardt town in South Africa’s Limpopo Province today. Limpopo police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ronel Otto said the incident occurred at around 10 am this morning near Witvlag turnoff along the N1 highway.
Lieutenant Colonel Otto said the bus was travelling from Zimbabwe to Johannesburg in Gauteng Province with 65 passengers on board including the bus crew. Lieutenant Colonel Otto said the bus’ wreckage was still in the road adding that they had temporarily closed the highway and urged motorists to use the Witvlag road as an alternative.
“The bus was travelling to Johannesburg and when it reached near Witvlag turn off the driver lost control resulting in it overturning killing four people (two male and two females )instantly. Twenty nine other people escaped with minor injuries while another 32 were unhurt,” said Lieutenant Colonel Otto.
She said the deceased were taken to Makhado government mortuary while the injured were undergoing treatment at Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital.
Lieutenant Colonel Otto said they were yet to notify the deceased’s next of kin. She also confirmed further investigations into the accident were underway.
This latest accident brings to 24 the total number of Zimbabweans who have died in road accidents along the N1 highway in the last 12 months. The N1 highway is one of the busiest roads in South Africa as it links that country to the rest of Africa and it is the route, which handles a lot of commercial cargo movement.
The road has also become a death trap for Zimbabweans and citizens of countries north of the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. – State Media

Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Mahofa, hospitalised on suspicion of food poisoning at the recently-ended Zanu PF national conference held in Victoria Falls, who government this week assigned sick leave.
Govt officials say Mahofa is still recuperating at home and has been granted sick leave.
Although Mahofa could not be reached for comment as her mobile phone has been constantly switched off, Southern Eye established that she did not report for duty yesterday, as her subordinates said she was on leave. Newsreaders however have queried the circumstances surrounding the granting of the sick leave seeing she has been out of work for over a month to date meaning “she should really be on unpaid leave”.
Masvingo provincial administrator Felix Chikovo could also not be reached for comment, as he was said to be out of the office.
A fortnight ago, government officials denied a ZimEye.com investigation revealing that Mahofa had been poisoned, saying she had had a malaria attack.
Mahofa’s daughter Nyengeterai also denied food poisoning claims, saying: “She is out of hospital. She is actually watching television. I don’t know about those allegations and I am truly surprised at that. We, the children, don’t know of the alleged food poisoning.”
Last year, Mahofa had her office shifted to the ground floor at Benjamin Burombo Building when she was appointed Provincial Affairs minister, as she could not climb up the stairs.
She said President Robert Mugabe appointed her to the powerful post in the province because of the trust he has in her, even though she struggles to stand up. – SouthernEye/ZimEye

MDC-T Mabvuku legislator James Maridadi was arrested around 4am today by police detectives at Beitbridge border post after he was found shooting videos of customs officials and other travelers visiting the country through the border.
Maridadi was also accused of entering through the border post without a passport or a valid travel document. Sources at the border said Maridadi went to the border post in the company of a relative, Natasha Jonga (24) who wanted to import a Toyota Fortuner, 2005 model which was bought from Singapore.
“They arrived at the border around 1am and went through all the processes to facilitate the clearance of the vehicle under the returning residents’ facility. The woman, Natasha Jonga was a student at the Free State University in South Africa” said the official.
He said during the processing of the documents, Natasha was requested to provide an affidavit from her parents to confirm here residence in the country as per the requirements of the Customs and Excise Act since she doesn’t own any property in the country.
The official said Maridadi then became emotional threatening the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) officials who were attending to them with unspecified action saying he had got assurance from his associates at the parastatal’s head office in Harare.
“He then started shooting videos of customs officers and other travellers within the border post and was arrested by alert security personnel who took him to the main police station” said the official. Maridadi is likely to be charged with contravening sections of the Immigration and the Protected Places and Areas Acts respectively. The provincial police spokesperson for Matabeleland South Assistant Inspector Nkosilathi Sibanda could not be reached for comment but the legislator is still detained at Beitbridge main police station. – Agencies/State Media

The Parliament of Zimbabwe is demanding Police clearance letters from journalists who want to be accredited to cover the 2016 parliament business.
In a statement Wednesday Parliament of Zimbabwe’s Principal Public Relations Officer Tanyaradzwa Linda Manyemba said journalists should undergo police vetting before being accredited.
Journalists have condemned this new accreditation requirement saying it is meant to restrict independent and freelance journalists from accessing parliament.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda could not be reached for comment.
Below was the full statement by Parliament Wednesday.
Parliament is inviting all interested journalists who will want to cover parliament business during the year 2016 to come for accreditation at Pax House Public Relations Department 3rd Floor, Office No. 4
The requirements for accreditation are as follows;
1. Copy of your ID / Valid passport
2. 2 driver’s licence size photos
3. Copy of Media commission card
4. Finger prints, forms cleared by Zimbabwe Republic Police
5. Supporting letter from your organisation
Please also bring the original I.D card and media commission card.
Parliament of Zimbabwe
P.O. Box CY 298
Causeway
Harare
04-252936-54 / 700181-9

In an effort to tell the true Zimbabwean story to the world Love Zimbabwe charity a organisation based in Wales, UK has brought in students from the University of Wales: Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology (AHA) to tour the country’s historical and community groups to learn and share different cultural understanding between the two countries.

The visiting six students who arrived on Tuesday and leave Harare in three weeks’ time will be staying in Domboshawa at a community centre which was established by Love Zimbabwe where they will be assisting the Chinamhora community in a brick moulding project.
Martha Musonza Holman, the organisation’s founder and director said this trip is the beginning of more cultural exchange programmes they have lined up.
“Zimbabwe has an admirable culture that we can share with the entire world but most of all we want to promote sustainable development projects which alleviate local people’s lives through social enterprises,”Mrs Musonza Holman said.
“These students are coming to appreciate our arts and crafts and we want them to go back and help us establishing markets in the Wales and during their stay here in Zimbabwe they are going to meet our arts producers, putting value on the finished products and go back and sell for us and the money goes directly to the producers, that’s what is why I invited them specifically”.
Love Zimbabwe was established in 2010 and aims to engage different communities in sustainable living projects which are culturally and environmentally friendly.
Love Zimbabwe has constructed a community centre where different artefacts are being produced by locals. These are then shipped to the UK where they are sold under Fairtrade principles.
Love Zimbabwe has twinned schools in Abergavenny in Wales, with Chinamhora Village, and other schools around Harare.
 

The case against Kariba pastor Patrick Mugadza who in December protested against President Robert Mugabe, saw the State Witness yesterday failing to appear as the trial opened.

A KWEKWE-based prosecutor and a prison officer who were facing charges of accepting $150 bribe from an accused, have been acquitted.
The prosecutor Fortunate Mbizvo, 31, and Norest Makoto, 34, were found not guilty by provincial magistrate Phathekile Msipa.
Msipa said the evidence from state witneses was inconsistent. “The trap wasn’t properly established and there was no trap certificate issued,” said Msipa while acquitting Mbizvo and Makoto.
Allegations against the pair were that on September 15, last year Mbizvo prosecuted a case of contravening the Firearm Act, in which Epimarcko Mauto was the accused person.
Mauto was convicted and remanded in custody to September 16, for sentence. On the same day at around 4.30PM Mbizvo allegedly approached Peter Mutori who is a cousin to Mauto and advised him that he would facilitate for a lighter sentence for his cousin if he gives him a sum of $150.
On September 16, Mutori and his cousin Maxwell Chibogo were allegedly approached by Makoto who informed them that Mbizvo wanted to see them during lunch hour after the court session and they waited.
During lunch hour Mutori and Chibogo allegedly tried to negotiate for the bribe money to be reduced to $100 but Mbizvo allegedly refused.
The two later reported the case to the Criminal Investigation Department who set a trap. Mutori and Chibogo went to Mbizvo with the intention to give him the $150 as per their agreement and Mbizvo instructed them to hand it over to Makoto, it was alleged.
Mutori and Chibogo allegedly gave Makoto the money leading to the arrest of both Makoto and Mbizvo.State Media

A festive season holiday for a Harare family was cut short after their 11-year-old daughter drowned in a swimming pool at Hwange Safari Lodge.
The incident occurred on Thursday last week and the girl has since been buried.
The girl has been identified as Ruvarashe Bianca Gotora from Athlone Avenue in Grendale, Harare.
She was playing with other children near the swimming pool when she suddenly disappeared only for her body to be retrieved from the swimming pool an hour later.
The girl’s uncle who only identified himself as White said he was too weak to speak about the issue and referred questions to the police saying he had made a report about the incident.
“As things stand we reported the matter to the police who handled everything and interviewed everyone who was there. I don’t think I’m in a position to give a statement without the police clearance,” said White.
Police spokesperson for Matabeleland North Inspector Siphiwe Makonese could not be drawn to confirm the incident.
The girl’s other uncle Shepherd Manyenga confirmed the death of his niece in a telephone interview from Marondera.
“She had gone with my brother-in-law (White) for a holiday with other children and on the third day the adults decided to swim.
“From what we were told the girl jumped into an adult swimming pool and my brother-in-law quickly pulled her away to where other children were.
“ He later went to buy drinks and when he came back the girl was nowhere to be seen. They looked for her and no one suspected she could have gone back to the swimming pool after being rebuked,” said Manyenga.
“Later on a grounds man entered the pool and found the body. That’s all we know because we were phoned and all we did was collect the body from Bulawayo.” State Media

A father who allegedly molested his two-year-old daughter has appeared in court facing rape charges. The man was entrusted with the custody of his daughter while the mother stayed behind in South Africa where she was working. Appearing before Mr Elijah Makomo yesterday, the man was not asked to plead. Mr Makomo remanded him in custody to January 21.
He advised him to apply for bail at the High Court as Mr Makomo’s jurisdiction does not grant him powers to give bail in such cases.
Prosecutor Ms Idah Maromo alleged that on November 20 last year, the man travelled from South Africa with his daughter on holiday.
The court heard that the two slept in the same room and bathed together. It is alleged that when the girl’s mother joined them for the holiday, she noticed that the girl’s genitals were swollen but did not take any action.
It is the State’s case that on New Year’s Day the mother noticed that the baby was not wearing her diaper and asked her to retrieve it.
The baby allegedly took the diaper from the bedroom where her father was sleeping. On the same day during the night the mother heard her daughter crying while she was in the bedroom with her father and when she was called out she went to her mother without her diaper on, it is alleged.
The court heard that the mother then noticed that her daughter’s genitals were swollen and had some white fluid on it.
The baby’s mother then suspected that her husband had raped their daughter and reported the matter to the police leading to the man’s arrest on January 3.State Media

The Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) says the Apex Council meeting was today crushed by CIO infiltrators.
Below was RTUZ’s statement on what it called “APEX Madness”
The Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) is saddened by the outcome of the Apex Council meeting which collapsed amid petty jostling for posts and shameless political jockeying by the various yellow unions in the Public Service, the majority of whose leadership has sold their political souls for the proverbial 30 pieces of silver to the employer via the dreaded CIO.
RTUZ did not attend today’s meeting as its leadership was accessing treatment after being bashed on the front line of fighting for teachers and the generality of civil servants, however the union is well informed of what transpired in the botched meeting.
The much hyped meeting which has turned out to be just a dump squib was expected to discuss the collective position of government workers on the crisis facing the civil service which is punctuated by lack of bonuses, massive opaque deductions from pay checks, late payment of salaries and general lethargy of the government towards delivering its mandate.
While the RTUZ never expected anything from this meeting where a few over fed union fat cats gathered to defend their supper what angers the union is the shameless behaviour by one Richard Gundane, from ZIMTA, who is attempting to impose himself as life chairperson of the Apex council. What ridiculous thinking!
While Gundane’s actions are pathetic, those of other unionists present were also far from encouraging as they failed to put Gundane and his madness in their proper place and carry on with the business of the day. To cry like little babies will not help the workers cause, radical action is needed to emancipate the workers and rescue them from the total collapse which the government is precipitating and this calls for serious and revolutionary leadership.
However, the happenings at today’s Apex Council meeting have vindicated RTUZ which yesterday, January 4, took to the streets and sent a clear message that as teachers and government workers we are unhappy with their continued irresponsibility and heartlessness of the current regime. The majority of Unions especially those in the teaching fraternity distanced themselves from the action and even went so much as to condemn the union for taking to the streets.
The basis of the flimsy attack on RTUZ was the vexatious and misplaced argument that today’s Apex Council meeting would be the panacea to the challenges raised by workers. Truth have since come to pass and the confusion, chaos, pettiness and hubris in the Apex Council has been laid bare for all to see.
Now that all can see how cowardly elements who have hijacked unionism can in broad day light betray workers, it remains without question that RTUZ’s proposals of restoration of workers rights via payment of full salaries on time, immediate disbursement of bonuses to all civil servants and strike action in the event of failure is indeed the only practical solution to the current crisis.
The Union will however attend tomorrow’s NJNC meeting and state its unequivocal position. Those yellow unions and unruly elements masquerading as unionists must be warned that if they repeat their dastardly actions which characterized today’s meeting the Union will not tire to name and shame them.
Released by;
Robson Chere
RTUZ Secretary General

The trial of Gokwe-Nembudziya member of the National Assembly, Justice Mayor Wadyajena, who is being accused of criminally insulting the First Lady, Grace Mugabe, failed to kick off this Tuesday afternoon after the defence counsel applied for refusal of further remand.
Wadyajena (35) was arrested in Victoria Falls soon after the 15th Zanu PF Annual National People’s Conference for allegedly denigrating the First Lady and appeared in court on charges of criminal insult.
He was later released on US$800 bail.
His lawyer, Mr Givemore Muvhiringi told the State Media the section that his client was charged on, Section 95(1a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court, implying that the accused has no criminal case to answer.
The defence counsel also made an application to allow the accused to be absent from the court when the ruling on the application for refusal of further remand is made on Tuesday next week.
The application was however dismissed and the accused will be expected to appear in court for the ruling.

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The charismatic preacher, who commands a large following across the globe, is famed for prophesying the death of the late Malawian leader, Bingu wa Mutharika, in 2012, a predication which came to pass that same year.
“End of February to April this year, peculiar months for Southern Africa. Organise prayer sessions for the leaders,” TB Joshua said, without elaborating.
He said he would not reveal anything regarding the calamity likely to befall a Southern African leader because the message was highly sensitive.
But the prophecy has ignited panic in Zimbabwe — a country that has its economy on the brink and is under the stewardship of the soon-to-be 92-year-old President Robert Mugabe.
While the prophecy could raise consternation in Zimbabwe, local authorities may take heart that two other Malawian prophets have made similar prophecies that proved to be fake.
First to strike was controversial Malawian prophet, Austin Liabunya, who told his church during a New Year cross-over service in Lilongwe on January 1, 2015 that “Mugabe’s biological clock will not tick beyond this year”.
In February 2015, another Malawian prophet, Kenneth Eagle, of the Holy Tabernacle Ministries in Lilongwe, claimed the Zimbabwean leader would not end last year alive.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday refused to comment on the matter, saying he was now seized with party policy issues and would not respond to “mere matters”.
“This year, I am commenting on policy issues only, not everything that you guys want a comment on,” he said.
TB Joshua also had a good message for South Africans, whose currency has been on a free-fall, saying the instability currently being experienced was temporary.
He, however, warned that the region would experience its worst food shortages in living memory.
“There will be scarcity and shortage of food because of little rain and at wrong times, which is not good for farming. Many farmers will be discouraged,” TB Joshua said.
As advice to the region, TB Joshua said construction of dams and irrigation projects could solve the food crisis.
The well-travelled preacher also warned governments not to surrender their companies to foreigners due to desperation.
He said the crisis bedevilling the region would come to an end by mid-year and that the countries would come out of the problems stronger than before.
TB Joshua’s prophecy is also likely to rouse interest in Zambia, where two presidents have died while in office in recent years.

The new HIV treatment guidelines which have just been introduced by the World Health Organisation are giving  headaches to the country’s struggling health sector, a senior government official has said.
The latest WHO HIV guidelines mandate governments to put on treatment all people who would have tested positive for HIV on treatment within one month.
What this means is that Zimbabwe has to put more people on HIV treatment at a time the country is failing to place all people living with HIV on treatment.
There are at least 1.5 million people who are living with HIV in Zimbabwe and only 850 000 are on treatment.
Dr Owen Mugurungi the director of HIV and TB in the Ministry of Health and Child Care told reporters  attending a Health Journalists Association of Zimbabwe HEJAZ organised health talk show in Harare recently that the new WHO HIV guidelines has bought in an additional 300 000 people who should immediately be administered on  HIV treatment on top of the 905,368 who are in dire need of the life saving drug.
“As a nation we should be prepared to make hard choices to make sure that there is enough resources for the health sector because investment in health is also investment  in the future of your country because if you cannot invest in the health of your country then you have challenges and you run the risk of always be on the lookout and watch out saying what if, what if..,” said Dr Mugurungi .
Dr Mugurungi said they are hopes that the civil society and development partners might extend funding  the health sector.
“On commodity security in terms of medicines we are better and I am happy that the confirmation from the civil society that there are less drug stock outs it is a confirmation that it’s something that is reassuring, but we would want to come to a situation that there are drugs for everyone”.

YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR REFORM & DEMOCRACY (YARD) Press statement on Monday’s Continued Police Brutality Against the Peaceful Protestors who Engaged in a March Against the Government’s Delayed Disbursement of Civil Servants’ Salaries and Bonuses
4th January 2016
The Youth Advocacy for Reform & Democracy (YARD) wishes to express its abhorrence that the epidemic of police violence and brutality continues uninterrupted in our country. Moreso our repugnance overflows to the Government of the day for giving free reign to the perpetrators of such violence. We condemn and protest against the high-handed crackdown of police on peaceful teachers, civil servants and the youth in Harare today, Monday the 4th of January 2016.
The impunity enjoyed by members of the law enforcement agencies is roundly denounced and we rise in solidarity with the thousands of civil servants who have been robbed of their hard-earned salaries and bonuses and further had insult added to injury by being beaten down for daring to illustrate and display their frustrations and sheer hopelessness at the situation.
This is despite the application for the peaceful march having been dutifully and procedurally submitted to the police. The peoples’ right to dissent has been gagged by the authorities and their democratic right to protest against the government, violated. It is shameful that police could not tolerate even a peaceful protest and shockingly tried to disperse the protesters using reprehensible means.
In our observation, YARD recommends that the Judiciary, Government and Parliament immediately:-
* Ensures that there should be an immediate stop on any mode of repression on peaceful Democratic movements.
* Ensures that all instances of police brutality and excessive use of force by law enforcement officers are investigated promptly, effectively and impartially by an independent mechanism with no institutional or hierarchical connection between the investigators and the alleged perpetrators
* Ensures that reforms and the right of freedom of speech and association must be respected as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
* Prosecutes persons suspected of torture or ill treatment and, if found guilty, ensure that they are punished in accordance with the gravity of their acts.
* Provide effective remedies and rehabilitation to the victims
Today’s display of violence against peace loving Zimbabweans only serves as a prelude to what may be expected come the elections scheduled for 2018 and a reminder of the harshness of the system we advocate against. What is more disappointing is the fact that Zimbabwe chairs the AU and recently chaired the SADC and therefore is held in high esteem and regarded as a country with one of the highest literacy rates and yet it defies logic and is contradictory that we resort to violence and are viewed by the international community as disrespecting human rights.
The unjustified incarceration of Obert Masaraure and Pride Mukono of the Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, yet again, as well as that of Robson Chere, the YARD Provincial Committee Member for Recruitment & Mobilisation for Mashonaland East is unwarranted and we demand their immediate acquittal and release.
YARD will continue with its support of like-minded unions and organisations and looks forward to the day that will see the youth occupy their space and have 40% representation in local and national elective office.
For and on behalf of the Youth Advocacy for Reform & Democracy (YARD)….
Temba P. Mliswa
Founder & National Coordinator: YARD

Several people were injured, while three were arrested in Harare yesterday, as riot police crushed a protest march organised by the Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) to press the government to urgently release civil servants’ December salaries.

Riot-Police-beat-up-members-of-Rural-Teachers-Union-in-Zimbabwe-after-they-staged-a-protest-againist-the-Government-for-the-delay-of-December salaries and bonus-Pic-Shepherd-Tozvireva.
Riot-Police-beat-up-members-of-Rural-Teachers-Union-in-Zimbabwe-after-they-staged-a-protest-againist-the-Government-for-the-delay-of-December salaries and bonus-Pic-Shepherd-Tozvireva.
Police blocked the placard-waving demonstrators along Nelson Mandela Avenue close to Parliament Building and randomly beat them with truncheons and later arrested RTUZ president, Obert Masaraure, secretary-general Robson Chere and programmes officer, Pride Mkono.
Zimbabwe Activists Alliance (ZAA) national co-ordinator, Lynette Mudehwe was also assaulted in the melee, together with an unidentified woman.
The estimated 30 demonstrators comprised of RTUZ members, ZAA, vendors’ associations and students’ unions.
The demonstrators, who held placards denouncing the Zanu PF government for misgovernance, said they wanted to petition Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa to speed up the payment of civil servants’ salaries and bonuses for 2015.
Passersby were also not spared the police wrath, as they were beaten up while shops close by were temporarily closed, as the police got busy, beating up almost everyone on sight.
Shortly before the march, Masaraure had addressed the group, calling on President Robert Mugabe to cut short his annual holiday in the Far East to return home and address pressing domestic issues.
“President Mugabe is flying in and out of the country while civil servants are suffering. (Vice-President Phelekezela) Mphoko is staying in a hotel at the civil servants’ expense. We are here in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the army, police and civil servants who cannot stand for themselves,” he said.
After his address, the protesters started marching and sang songs demanding Chinamasa, Mphoko and Mugabe immediately provide funds for civil servants’ salaries.
Mkono also addressed the activists saying: “They (government ministers) drive around in cars that breathe as if they are human beings.”
Mkono continued his address even in the presence of police officers, prompting the law enforcement agents to spring into action.
“Rovai vanhu ka vakomana (Beat them up guys),” a police officer, who appeared to be the commander of the troop, was heard shouting.
Moments later, truckloads of armed officers arrived on the scene.
The activists’ lawyer Gift Mtisi said his clients were severely assaulted and he was, by late yesterday, still trying to negotiate that they be taken to hospital for treatment.
“They are being charged with participation in an illegal demonstration. I am not sure whether they will be detained or not, but I am still trying to have them released so that they get medical attention,” he said.
Meanwhile, Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe chief executive, Emmanuel Nyawo described the RTUZ demonstration as ill-timed and meant to gain political mileage by known opposition players masquerading as teachers’ representative organisations.
Nyawo said the Apex Council was meeting today and if those involved in yesterday’s demonstration were genuine, they would have forwarded their grievances for deliberations.
“If they are genuine trade unionists, let us tell them that all unions table their challenges through the Apex Council and any issues synonymous with their perceived concerns are best and formally discussed via that platform. This is why we are having the Apex Council meeting tomorrow (today) in preparation for a National Joint Negotiating Council meeting on the following day,” Nyawo said.
Chinamasa yesterday refused to answer questions on civil servants’ outstanding salaries. -newsday

A SECURITY guard heroically rescued a Bulawayo woman from a man whom he caught allegedly raping her and trying to strangle her on Sunday at around 1AM.
The woman (name withheld) nearly choked in the savage early morning assault that occurred in an apartment at Crescent Court near the Bulawayo Power Station before Dickson Nungu used a sjambok to subdue the suspected rapist.
Nungu of Mpopoma, a guard at Esats Store close to the crime scene said he intervened after hearing the woman screaming for help for more than 30 minutes.
“I heard prolonged screams of a woman at the flat opposite my work place. For a while I thought probably it was some patient from the nearby 24 hour surgery,” he said.
“After hearing the pleading cries begging someone for help for more than 30 minutes, I got worried and stood up trying to figure out where exactly the screams where coming from.”
Nungu said he discovered the screams were coming from a neighbouring apartment when he saw scores of tenants peeping through their windows.
“I went straight to a door on the ground floor where I asked what was happening. Some tenants said they had been involved in skirmishes with robbers countless times and so wouldn’t take the risk of stepping outside to save whoever was in trouble,” he went on.
“I asked where exactly the screams were coming from and they said usually it would be in the corridors heading upstairs.”
The Good Samaritan said he rushed back to his workplace where he armed himself with a sjambok and went straight to the scene. He said he was prepared to save the victim who sounded so much in pain, no matter the risk.
“When I went up the corridor, I found a man who looked in his 30s with his pants below his knees — raping and throttling the woman who was almost unconscious. The woman who said she was 26-years-old was bleeding from the nose, mouth and had a big cut on her shoulder,” said Nungu.
He said the moment the assailant saw him, he tried to take out something from his pockets but he did not give him the chance as he feared he could take out a dangerous weapon.
“I immediately struck him once with the sjambok and he tried to retaliate, coming towards me before I gave him a second stroke.
“By then people were all over the place. Still pants down, he went onto his knees and begged for forgiveness but I quickly handcuffed him,” said Nungu.
“In no time the police were there and arrested him. Upon asking him a few questions, he responded using signs like he was deaf and dumb.”
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said:“I can confirm receiving a report on rape and investigations are underway.” The victim was said to be admitted to a local hospital.
A neighbour who only identified herself as MaTsha said they felt helpless because they could not open their doors, which were close to the scene to save the woman.
“It’s unfortunate we’re not safe and are endangered at that apartment because of its proximity to bars and night clubs where criminals hide.
“So many times tenants have been left nursing wounds after trying to save people at night,” she said. MaTsha said the woman only revealed her age and that she had been drinking at Waverley Hotel.
“Amongst the crowd were some girls who said they had seen the assailant an hour earlier picking up the woman from the floor in the bar and carrying her on his back.
“They said they thought the two knew each other.
“The woman had begged this man to stop but it’s clear he raped her and she didn’t know him,” she said.
“It’s never wise for women to drink until they pass out because probably had she been sober she could have managed to fight this vicious man. “Imagine had it not been for this brave man, she could have been killed.” chronicle

No improvement at government hospitals.

Gaborone, Botswanwa – Broadhurst police are on the hunt for a Zimbabwean man, Nkosinathi Ndlovu, who allegedly killed his girlfriend on Christmas eve at Ruretse and left a note for the girl’s mother.
Superintendent Bonosi Molapise confirmed the incident but said the suspect was still on the run. “We’re still pursuing the matter and the suspect is still at large. We wish to appeal to members of the public to provide any information that may lead to his arrest,” he said.
The deceased’s mother who was in Francistown at the time is said to have received a call from Ndlovu informing her that he killed her daughter, Neo Mondiya, following a misunderstanding.
She then reported the matter to Francistown police who then alerted Broadhurst police.
Mondiya’s half naked body was found on Christmas day in Ndlovu’s employer’s house who at the time was on holiday in South Africa.
Next to the body the police found a note which read in part: “I am sorry for what happened because I killed my girlfriend, she was lying to me all the time but anyway I killed myself on the river next to the the bridge…”
Mondiya’s body was taken to Princess Marina Hospital but Ndlovu was nowhere to be found. – TheVoice

” 2016 is a year of great harvest as there will be no depression and sorrows,” – Emmanuel Makandiwa
“God said to me, 2016 is the year of overflow and abundance,” – Emmanuel Makandiwa
 

Report By The Standard

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance ministries leader, Walter Magaya and his United Families International Church counterpart, Emmanuel Makandiwa say 2016 will bring better economic fortunes despite indications of a tough year ahead.
Magaya and Makandiwa made the predictions in their New Year crossover events, saying the change in Zimbabwe’s fortune could see an “overflow and abundance” and “a great harvest”.
The two preachers, who command large followings at their separate church gatherings, told their followers that although 2015 was a challenging year, “God has something special for his people in 2016.”
“God said to me, 2016 is the year of overflow and abundance,” Magaya told multitudes of his followers gathered at his Waterfalls Church in Harare, prompting them to break into song and dance.
In Chitungwiza, it was almost a similar message from Makandiwa as he declared 2016 a year of “great harvest.”
“This is a year of great harvest as there will be no depression and sorrows,” Makandiwa said.
“I know you have suffered enough individually and as a country.
“You have sacrificed a lot and the Lord has told me that 2016 is a year of great harvest.
“Whatever you do, great harvest, in your marriages, great harvest in your finances, great harvest and all you wish for it shall come your way.
“The devil has no chance this year in your life. You shall reap in multitudes. Those who don’t know shall ask why; tell them it is a year of great harvest.”
Magaya said before he made the declaration about 2016, he had spent the greater part of December interceding and seeking God’s plans. He travelled to Nigeria for confirmation of his prophecy from his spiritual father, TB Joshua.
“I am not looking at your situation, you are listening to the declaration, God said to me, overflow into your country, overflow in your life, overflow in your marriage, overflow in your finances,” he said as the church burst into song and dance.
“This year, ask your neighbour; how big is your garage? How big is your house? How big is your wardrobe? Because it is a year of overflow,” he shouted.
“I went to ask my spiritual father and he confirmed this. Yes, I know we are going through tough times as a country, but this year, it is a year of overflow.
“I asked him [TB Joshua], my father, this is what the Lord is telling me, but look at our situation as a country, as Africa, is this true? He said it is true.”
The crossover services at both churches were attended by thousands of people drawn from across the country and beyond, including government ministers, legislators and diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe, among others.
At PHD ministries, congregates were treated to song and dance by Matthias Mhere, Blessing Shumba and others.
As the new year approached, Magaya took to the stage, ordering that all lights be switched off and everyone use an “anointed” candle to “light their lives into 2016”.
The candle light ceremony saw the entire arena being covered with little lights from thousands of candles as the electricity-powered lights were switched off for 15 minutes.

The state broadcaster the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation has in its news bulletins, completely ignored informing the nation about the dire situation the nation faces at the country’s major hospitals.
Doctors and nurses at hospitals countrywide have been on a massive go slow labour protest which began on the 1st of January culminating to a near full fledged strike by last night.
According to sources from the Zimbabwe Health Doctors Association and the Zimbabwe Nurses Association, about 90% of their members scheduled to had been at work last night did not report for duty. The few who turned up either just cannot cope with the workload or are on a deliberate go slow.
By late last night the situation at the hospitals was already at critical as reports of increased deaths of patients due to lack of attention began rising.
The state media down played the situation in its reportage yesterday dishing out false and misleading details of the situation on the ground.
Meanwhile, a nurse employed at the United Bulawayo Hospitals who was on duty last night reported the presence of what she described as” strange men” who arrived at the hospital late last night checking on staff who did not report for duty as scheduled. According to the nurse the people were somewhat unkind and intolerant as they demanded names and contacts of all those who did not report for duty.
As of this morning (Monday), several hospitals were reporting a record low number of nurses and doctors.
In a combined statement issued yesterday, the ZHDA and ZINA urged their members not to report for duty this morning.
The doctors and nurses have not been paid their December 2015 salaries and bonuses which government has promised to pay on the 9th of January. In the meantime, government has paid the doctors and nurses on average $20 each which is transport money at public transport rates to get them to work while they wait for their salaries.

By Terrence Mawawa Masvingo|Zanu PF Political Commissar and Local Government Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere has threatened to fire Masvingo City Council bosses over their defiance of a party directive to donate towards his party’s annual conference held in Victoria Falls in December.
Authoritative sources at the City Council told ZimEye.com last week Kasukuwere demanded an explanation from the Town Clerk, Adolf Gusha on the city council’s failure to make donations towards the Zanu PF conference. Gusha is a known Zanu PF sympathiser who has been shielded by the ruling party over the past years.
The Council sources said the city fathers were quaking in their boots since Kasukuwere threatened to visit the troubled local authority to effect disciplinary action on named officials .
“Kasukuwere ordered Gusha the Town Clerk to explain why council failed to donate towards the Zanu PF conference. Now the minister is expected to come to Masvingo on a fact finding exercise.
“He also threatened to dismiss those who defied the ruling party’s directive and the bosses are in a quandary.
“The council is also grappling with a ballooning debt in excess of $4 million dollars,” said a council employee . Zanu PF ordered parastatals, private companies and the informal sector to donate towards the party’s conference where some 300 delegates including President Robert Mugabe were flown to the resort town.
Kasukuwere who is said to be the architect of the G40 faction, is reportedly unhappy with the council management’s defiance of the Zanu PF directive and is expected to weed out those perceived to be against the First Lady Grace Mugabe.
Many local government institutions and also companies are struggling to breathe financially as a result of unfavourable economic conditions in the country.

Harare Water director Engineer Christopher Zvobgo, has been sent on forced leave with immediate effect to pave way for investigations following rampant illegal water connections to the city’s main line.
Eng Zvobgo’s forced leave follows a directive from Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere that he be suspended.
Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni yesterday confirmed receiving the letter and said Eng Zvobgo would be away until mid-January while a report of the investigation was being finalised.
“I can confirm that we received the minister’s communication over that matter, which is already in the public domain. As council, we are considering the contents of the letter,” he said.
“Eng Zvobgo is now on leave pending examination of the matter which exercise is nearly finalised so we expect some position on the matter when council resumes business in 2016.”
This is not the first time Eng Zvobgo has been in trouble. The city dismissed him in 2001 after the Local Government Board approved his firing on allegations of mismanagement.
This resulted in long-running labour dispute in the Labour Court and High Court in which Eng Zvobgo won and was reinstated.
Minister Kasukuwere during a fact- finding tour of some areas where houses were demolished and several co-operatives dotted around Harare recently, said there was need for a shake-up at Harare City Council to restore order in the city, adding that Eng Zvobgo should be in the know of what was going on with regard to water supplies to these areas.
Council then received an official communication from the minister that Eng Zvobgo be suspended as he was the authority behind the connection of illegal housing co-operatives to Harare water.
The minister’s order comes a few weeks after councillors and council officials were fingered in shoddy dealings that involve the siphoning of $200 000 from Harare Municipality Medical Aid Society and the illegal setting up of housing co-operatives and illegal structures.

A 53-year-old Bulawayo barber allegedly raped a mentally challenged woman and gave her a loaf of bread to buy her silence.
Bernard Muronza, of Thorngrove suburb, allegedly bought his 20-year-old victim a bottle of coke and a loaf of bread before raping her.
Muronza appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashaya facing a rape charge.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded to January 20 on $50 bail.
Prosecuting, Nkathazo Dlodlo said on December 29 last year between 8amand 10am, the complainant left home intending to go for a haircut in Nguboyenja suburb.
“Unfortunately, the barber who does her hair was not available.
“She then proceeded to Burombo where there were other barber men operating under a tree. “Upon arrival at Burombo grounds, she approached Muronza and paid for the hair cut,” said Dlodlo.
The court heard that after the haircut, Muronza offered to buy her food at the shops.
Dlodlo said the woman refused but Muronza grabbed her arm and force marched her to Burombo tuckshop.
“Muronza, still holding her left arm, bought a loaf of bread and 300ml bottle of coke and took her to his place of residence in Thorngrove. He then locked the door before raping her once.
After the rape, the accused gave the complainant the loaf of bread and ordered her to go to her house, the court heard.
Dlodlo told the court that when she arrived home, the complainant reported the rape to her guardian who informed her mother. A report was made to police leading to Muronza’s arrest

Masvingo Minister Shuvai Mahofa is still in a mysterious coma after her hospitalisation just after the ZANU PF conference in December.
Mahofa (74) is currently in secret confinement at a private hospital in Harare, over an mysterious ailment which some ZANU PF sources say is of food poisoning at the party’s Victoria Falls conference.
Beyond those claims however, she has lately been visibly struggling to officiate at State functions due to old age and ill health.
A picture of her revealed by ZimEye.com taken last year (with her grandchildren) shows her body ballooning in weight.

Harare City Council has embarked on an exercise to confiscate eighth-ball pool tables that are placed at most bus termini and shopping centres.
Yesterday morning, the City Council conducted a raid at Simon Muzenda Bus Terminus (Formerly Fourth Street bus terminus) and confiscated some snooker tables.
The City’s corporate communications manager, Mr Michael Chideme said the exercise is part of measures to restore sanity in the city.
“It is an ongoing exercise to rid the city of illegal activities in such places. The pool tables that were at the Fourth Street bus terminus were illegal because there were not at approved areas and the owners are not paying anything to the City Council,” he said.
“It is a sustained programme that we are carrying out across the city as we respond to our vision of attaining a world class city by 2025.”
Of late, snooker tables have been sprouting across the city, especially at bus termini, illegal tuck shops, bars and shebeens in most residential areas.
According to the Urban Council Act Section 18(2) of the Urban Councils (Model) (Use and Occupation of land and buildings by laws statutory instrument 109/1979), snooker tables at undesignated sites are illegal structures and local authorities can confiscate them.
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) Chief executive officer, Mr Mfundo Mlilo said there is need for the council to find strategies that will be bring lasting solutions to the challenge of illegal structures.
“We support the idea of restoring order and sanity in the city by the council but there are chances that these pool tables will be back on the streets sooner than we think,” he said.
“Look at what happened with the vendors, the council fought with them without thinking of a sustainable strategy.
“Council should ask if this is an economic problem or people are simply trying to entertain them themselves.
“This will help them in planning and solving the problem in the long run.”
Last year, Harare City Council embarked on an exercise to remove illegal vendors who had invaded pavements, street islands, intersections and car parks in the CBD in search of lucrative business.
Designated areas outside the CBD were set for them.
However, the vendors are back on the streets.-State Media

PRESS STATEMENT FROM YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR REFORM & DEMOCRACY (YARD)
29 December 2015

Youth Advocacy for Reform & Democracy roundly condemns the recent unlawful and wanton incarceration and barbaric assault by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police of Obert Masaraure, Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) President and YARD National Committee Member for Information and Publicity and the inhumane treatment and torture suffered by Pride Mukono, RTUZ Programmes Officer.
We stand in solidarity with the thousands of teachers and civil servants who have been indiscriminately robbed of their pittance deemed salaries and bonuses and the opportunity to enjoy their festive season and indeed to indulge in the bare necessities of life.
We keenly await the judgement in this matter and our prayer is that the Judiciary will finally show its teeth in dealing with issues of this nature and in line with the constitution pertaining to freedom of expression.
It is indeed another sad, dark day in Zimbabwe where the masses suffer and bear the brunt of another’s heartlessness and inconsideration. We abhor such violent practices perpetrated by the police and the withholding of people’s hard earned salaries and lawfully due bonuses. The ruling party and Government must be accountable and speedily intervene to avert this crisis rather than waste their time senselessly fighting each other, they must instead channel their energies to the people who put them into these positions of power. We urge Vice President Mphoko to comment on the delayed salaries and bonuses debacle instead of basking in his four (4) million United States dollar home after a year of squandering hundreds of thousands of dollars residing in a hotel for the past year. Imagine the number of households that that money could have made a difference to…..?
For and on behalf of Youth Advocacy for Reform & Democracy (YARD).

• Serious “Security Matter”.
• Harare starved Matabeleland by refusing maize imports from South America.

Zimbabwe’s has run out of maize with Matabeleland grinding to a halt this weekend.
Information leaked to ZimEye.com reveal the last 7 days were the end of the entire Matabeleland’s remaining stock.
Despite attempts by ZANU PF to conceal the embarrassing information, ZimEye.com can reveal the nation has been thrown into a crisis. A letter written to the Minister of Agriculture by Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe Chair Mr T Ndhlovu, copied to the presidium and the rest of ZANU PF’s heirarchy, states that this is now a “Security Matter”.
“Pursuant to several submissions submitted by our Chairman, Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara, concerning the urgent need to open all fronts to import maize from anywhere in the world, we write to advise that the maize situation in Matabeleland provinces is now dire and degenerating into a security matter,” part of the letter reads.
It continues, “I regret to advise you that maize supplies for commercial milling in Bulawayo currently stand at one-week supply and the situation will deteriorate to no supply level very soon. Our chapter is deeply disappointed by your ministry decision to decline application of maize imports from South Africa and South America for the milling of maize meal and livestock feeds.
“We are at loss as to why you are declining to issue permits for maize from these above-mentioned countries. Zambia has put an export ban of Food Reserve Agency maize. This has affected this region badly and this is very unfair to the businesses and people of Matabeleland. Food is a constitutional right and we are entitled to demand, as we hereby do, for your office to start, forthwith, to issue permits to all grain traders which are mentioned in the maize importation action plan submitted to you by our national office. However, if we fail to get your cooperation in this regard we will have no option but to seek the intervention of courts to compel your office to do the same.”

By Terrence Mawawa Masvingo
Former MDC Member of The House of Assembly for Chiredzi West Moses Mare has been arrested over failure to settle a furniture debt.
Mare who left the MDC’s early last year to join Tendai Biti’s PDP purchased a four piece Bali Lounge suit and a Univa stove on credit at a local shop in 2013 and has been defaulting on the monthly instalments such that the interest ballooned to $ 2815 .The court summons also indicate Mare has to pay an additional interest of 60% for defaulting on the instalments.
The former Tsvangirai frontman was also ordered to settle the amount in a period of seven days from December 18, according to summons seen by ZimEye.com.
Mare is now expected to appear in court since there are no indications he will settle the debt ,according to court records.
It has emerged former legislators who dumped Tsvangirai for Biti have fallen on hard times and some have been begging the former premier for a comeback while some are jostling for posts in Mujuru’s People First.
The embattled Mare who won resoundingly in the 2008 parliamentary contest for Chiredzi West reportedly approached the MDC leadership in Chiredzi seeking a comeback .
Mare also stands accused of blowing the Constituency Development Fund during his term as MP with the Chiredzi electorate blaming him for spending the money on luxury.
Millions of Zimbabweans have been taken for granted by politicians who canvass for support only to satisfy personal desires at the expense of the suffering people.

A woman from Bulawayo dragged her married lover to the Maintenance Court demanding $500.
She argued and pointed out that he used to give her $1,500 per month when times were good and before she became pregnant.
Brian Moyo pleaded with his girlfriend Yvonne Mabhena to accept his offer of $100 in child support.
Moyo told magistrate Sheunesu Matova that he could no longer afford to give his girlfriend a luxurious life.
“My business is low now and my wife lost her job. I can no longer afford to provide for my own family because my income has changed,” he said.
Mabhena refused to accept Moyo’s offer alleging that he was no longer interested in her because she now had a child with him.

“He no longer cares for me because I’ve a child with him. He now has other girlfriends. I know he can afford to give me $500 a month because he used to give me about $300 weekly when we used to date,” she said.
Mabhena told the court that she could not prove Moyo’s income as he sells cars and spare parts.
She said he had no office and worked through communicating on the phone.
She told the court that he was able to pay the maintenance saying his children were attending fancy schools and the wife was employed.
Magistrate Matova ordered Moyo to pay $200 towards the upkeep of his two month old daughter. – state media

NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM MAI MUJURU
MY FELLOW CITIZENS, COUNTRYMEN AND FRIENDS,
As we come to the end of 2015, an eventful year politically, we wish to thank the Almighty for seeing us through. We wish to commend our law abiding and peace loving citizens. As a nation, we are confronted by a sluggish and dying economy, lack of democratic space and plenty of poverty on the majority of our people, which is a result of a corrupt political leadership without focus on the well being of the people. We should realise that without an understanding and a commitment by the country’s leadership to BUILD a vibrant economy for the benefit of our people, we are doomed. The liberation struggle was about the restoration of self-determination, self-dignity and self-pride which we had been denied by the minority settler regime.
We have a situation where in order to survive, everyone is a vendor, but there are no buyers, because the workers (buyers) have either been laid off or not paid for months, resulting in a lack of currency in circulation. We see people rendered homeless in this rainy season due to demolitions by the corrupt authorities or well-connected and corrupt individuals. The erection of structures now deemed illegal was sanctioned by either the responsible authorities or well connected individuals. The issue is that at some stage it was politically expedient to allow the structures to go up or outright corruption at play. The end loser and sufferer is the ordinary man, woman and child.
Is there hope in the future?
Constitutionalism
In a constitutional democracy, the ordinary man and woman have the ultimate weapon of freedom of association and expression. This manifests itself in a political call for action and change to address the adverse economic and social conditions. In a constitutional democracy, no person would feel threatened or risk personal harm, as these are constitutionally enshrined rights. In a constitutional democracy, there is a clear separation of the Party and the State for the benefit of all citizens, as non-Party members are not prejudiced, targeted or victimised on political grounds. Where there is rule of law, all the people who authorised the erection of illegal structures, which are now being demolished, would be brought to book. Women, Youths, Children and the Disabled are the hardest hit by these adverse conditions. We should embrace, reflect and uphold the letter and spirit of our State Constitution in our various statutes.
Economy
Faced with an imminent drought season, and a political management team without focus, there is no credit finance, irrigation infrastructure, or marketing mechanisms to mitigate the agricultural challenges that lie ahead. The investment environment is crowded by multiple incoherent policies, inadequate and unaffordable credit finance and an urgent need to reform a parasitic, non-performing parastatal sector. This has given rise to economic decay and ghost city status to once thriving commercial and industrial hubs like Bulawayo, Gweru, Harare, Masvingo, Mutare and other towns across the country. We should adopt investor friendly and market driven policies to curb corruption and stimulate economic activity.
Inadequate and dilapidated infrastructure.
We have to urgently create a conducive environment for investment whilst highlighting opportunities presented by our challenges. There is a huge investment potential from our severe energy shortfall. There are opportunities in both new and renewable energy sectors. Our dilapidated rail and road networks, inadequate water supplies and poor sanitation in our cities, towns and rural centers also present other investment opportunities. We should encourage and build on the healthy competition emerging in the telecoms sector, without stifling this with crude State participation, other than as a regulator for the common good.
International Relations and National Security
No man is an island, therefore Zimbabwe cannot run away from the fact that it is a sovereign State, that is part of a global village, with responsibilities to its people and the world at large. We should therefore engage all, East and West, North and South who can help us achieve and enhance the well being of our people. We should build bridges with our perceived foes and consolidate our relations with all those who wish to be our true friends. We pay tribute to our security forces for the peace and tranquility that we presently enjoy and we do not for one moment take it for granted. If anything, this calls for the maintenance of a professional and well-resourced security sector.
Social Space
As we see in the New Year, we should acknowledge the urgent need to address the education, health and housing sectors that are under severe stress due to inadequate and limited resources. During 2015, the economic and social hardships faced by our people were on the increase as depressing poverty took root everywhere. We should realise that the bulk of our people are not fully or properly served by our education, health and housing sectors due to lack of economic capacity to fend for themselves. We should have a government that empowers its people to address basic day-to-day challenges. We should have a government that promotes institutions that are well resourced to ensure service delivery to the ordinary people without political or partisan discrimination and interference. The dire housing situation resulting in the exploitation of the poor by the corrupt and well connected in society should be stopped. We should have consistent and predictable policies that are enforced vigorously, where all economic or social culprits are brought to book without fear or favour.
Let us not lose hope; we are masters of our own destiny.
Iwe neni tine basa rekuvaka Zimbabwe murunyararo.
Wena lami silom’sebenzi wokwakha iZimbabwe elokuthula.
Together we can BUILD Zimbabwe in peace.
GOD BLESS ZIMBABWE.
………………………
DR. J.T.R MUJURU
31 DECEMBER 2015

Zimbabwe is bracing for an industrial action Friday by state doctors and nurses after the cash-strapped government only offered them $2 per day as transport fee after failing to pay their salaries and bonuses this month.
In a letter dated December 29, secretary for Health Dr. Gerald Gwinji urged chief executives of government hospitals and provincial medical directors to brace for the worst-case scenarios, saying: “Following the threat of work stoppage by some health workers, you are hereby requested to make contingency plans to ensure that all hospital critical areas are adequately staffed and remain functional during the said period January 1-5 2016.
“All institutions are required to provide support to health workers in critical areas by providing transport or bus fare.”
President of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, Dr. Fortune Nyamande, says there is no going back on their industrial action as the money being offered by government to meet their transport demands is an insult.
“The figures which are being circulated are insulting and they are not even worth mentioning on air, because we understand that they are giving doctors $2 to fuel their cars so that they can go to work. How can a respectable person like a doctor or nurse go to a service station with that amount to fuel the car? It’s an insult and not well thought out.”
Dr. Nyamande says the promise by the government to pay health workers on the 5th of January is incensing them. “How are we supposed to survive? We were last paid on November 27, 2015”
SENIOR HEALTH OFFICIAL ON HOLIDAY
Reached for comment the executive director of the Health Services Board, Dr. Lovemore Mbengeranwa, said he was on holiday.
Dr. Mbengeranwa referred all further questions on salaries to Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa, who together with Health Minister, Dr. David Parirenyatwa, were not picking their mobile phones.
But permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Dr. William Manungo, said he was not in a position to comment as he was driving. Voice of America’s Studio 7 for Zimbabwe, however, failed to reach him again by the time of going on air.
Meanwhile, as the situation gets desperate, central bank chief Dr. John Mangudya met Tuesday with representatives of the public service.
Secretary general Raymond Majongwe of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe says Mangudya requested the meeting.
“It was at the behest of Dr. Mangudya. I would want to thank him whether he did it on his own or he was sent by the politicians but the most important thing is that there was dialogue.”
On the issue of bonuses Majongwe says it is clear from their interaction with the central bank chief that there are bound to be very long delays.
CENTRAL BANK CONFIRMATION
Dr. Mangudya confirmed holding the meeting saying they are routine as he prepares for his Monetary Policy Statement next month.
Workers though said they would have wanted officials from the Ministry of Finance to be present. Dr. Mangudya acknowledged that it would have made a lot of sense if the officials attended the meeting.
At the same time, in a statement, Public Service Association chairperson, Jeremiah Bvirindi, said government’s inability to communicate effectively had made things worse and created an atmosphere of mistrust between the employer and workers.
He said government should be warned that an industrial action is almost inevitable, saying “while we understand the hard times facing government, we expect continuous engagement with our employer on issues of mutual benefit to both parties. At this juncture we are finding it difficult to convince our members to be calm at this sad development.”
Education Minister and Acting Labor Minister Lazarus Dokora said government is ready to engage civil servants and denied allegations that cabinet ministers are not willing to engage with workers.
BALOONING CIVIL SERVICE
The number of government workers increased from about 315,000 in 2009 to about 550,000 in 2014 and with government coffers dwindling due to the economic crisis, the situation is set to worsen.
Speaking ahead of his 2015 national budget presentation, Chinamasa admitted to International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials that he was embarrassed that staff costs were gobbling up about 75 percent of government revenues.
“I am embarrassed that our wage bill is some 76 percent of whatever revenue we receive. It’s not good, it’s not sustainable,” said Chinamasa during a meeting with IMF official, Domenico Fanizza.VOA

A Kariba based Pastor who told President Robert Mugabe “The Truth,” Phillip Mugadza, has won his court case for a reduction of the bail amount.
The court on Thursday slashed Mugadza’s bail from $500 to $50.
He is being charged for allegedly obstructing traffic en-route to the ZANU PF conference in December and his court case will be heard on the 6th January.
On the day the ZANU PF Conference opened he held out a poster reading, “Mr President The People Are Suffering.”
Mugadza is now expected to leave police cells and spend the new year crossover with his family.

Harare city council has announced that there will be no tariff increases on services delivery because of the stressed economy which residents are going through.
“There is no tariff increase proposal for main line services (water, property tax, health services and refuse fees) in 2016,” said the city  council  this week.
The city fathers say they have  noted that the prevailing economic environment where thousands are in the informal sector will make life more difficult for them “should we increase” tariffs on service delivery.
“Your council is once more proposing a largely standstill budget on the back of the economic environment  which essentially is characterised by deflationary pressures , receding disposable income , liquidity constraints , company closures, burgeoning debts  and general mutation of the economic landscape( in formalisation )”.
“The interplay of the above dynamics dictates to us that tariff increases lack merit   and justification and will easily constitute a heavy financial strain on the populace,” Harare city council noted.
Harare city council is owed $380 million by government departments, private entities and residents.
The city fathers who are also failing to remit $180 million it owes ZIMRA and NSSA in tax retention and workers pensions contributions during the Christmas holidays announced that it was offering a 30% discount on ratepayers for 2016 who would have settled their bills by 31 December 2015 as a way of persuading residents to clear their arrears on unpaid rate bills.
 
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State Media| Harare runs 30 bank accounts• Signatories unknown •
Harare City Council is reportedly running over 30 bank accounts, prompting councillors to order an urgent audit of the accounts and their signatories. Ten of the accounts are reportedly active, while 20 are said to be dormant.

Police in Harare have brutalised the leaders of the Rural Progressive Teachers Union Zimbabwe (PTUZ) and former Zimbabwe National Students Union-Zinasu Pride Mukono for organising a demo’ against government’s failure to give civil servants their salaries.
Mkono and company were on Tuesday raided at Kuwadzana 2 shopping centre by armed police officers who mercilessly beat them up before arresting them.
The activists were working on a strategic planning meeting on January 4, 2016 in Harare where they wanted to stage a demo.
The crew on Wednesday appeared before a Mbare Magistrate court who remanded them out of custody.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care says HIV and AIDS treatment on children has improved to over 75% from less than 40% in the past two years.
There are 156 000 children who are living with HIV with only 46,319 (40%) of them being on treatment.
The low uptake of Anti retroviral treatment on children has been caused mainly by the “delicacy” nature of infants which has not only left paediatric ARV expire hospitals but also claimed thousands of children’s lives.
Head of HIV and TB unit in the Health and Child Care Ministry Dr Owen Mugurungi told journalists attending a health talk show on new HIV guidelines set by World Health Organisation which was organised by the Health Journalists Association of Zimbabwe in Harare that paediatric ART has improved to over 70% in a space of two years.
“I am happy to announce that as at the end of 2013 we were at 39% in terms of ART coverage on children, and end of 2014 we got slightly at above 56% and as at the end of this year we are actually even better in paediatric than in adults which I think with satisfaction that we have done a lot in improving and making sure that more children are put on treatment,” said Dr Mugurungi.
“In adults we are slightly around 70% and in children we have moved beyond 75% in terms of coverage which is a good thing which we feel we can also maintain and sustain”.
Dr Mugurungi said they have superseded   the problems which were leading to the low uptake of paediatric ART.
“Initially there were no paediatric formulations, we used to break the tablet and crush it and that itself was a challenge but we now have paediatric formulations,”Dr Mugurungi said.
“The second issue was that in adults we used the CD4 count machines (to measure the amount of the virus) and in paediatric we used to have percentages and so we calculated and not everybody was good at that”.
 

A South Africa based man from Gutu allegedly stabbed five men with a knife on their buttocks while drinking beer after they reminded him that the South African rand had become worthless.
46 year old Timothy Mabika, of Chief Gutu allegedly stabbed Tendai Shoko, Menaart Hungwe and brothers Reuben, Miros, Trymore Jazira leaving them with serious wounds at Mpandawana Growth Point.
The men were rushed to Masvingo General Hospital with their trousers soaked in blood following the attack on Boxing Day.
Gabriel Majomba, a relative to one of the victims, said what started as a simple argument went wrong when Mabika put a hand in his pocket and drew a knife before stabbing the five men on their buttocks.
“Mabika was drinking beer with the five victims at Mpandawana Growth Point at around 4 PM. He was the one buying them beer,” he said
“One of them, probably after having one too many told Mabika that his money was valueless. Trymore Jazira told him that the South African rand was useless and people no longer wanted it in Zimbabwe.”

 
“The group tried to restrain Mabika but he overpowered them. They started fleeing with Mabika in hot pursuit. He caught up with them and stabbed them on buttocks one by one leaving them seriously injured,” he said.
But at the time of writing no police report was filed.
Masvingo spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula said:
“That isn’t to our knowledge, the case could have happened and the victims decided not to report.”
However, hospital officials said the five were admitted on Sunday after they were rushed to hospital on Saturday with deep stab wounds on their buttocks.
“Five men were admitted at our hospital’s male surgical ward and had stab wounds on their buttocks. They all gave a similar account of how their drinking mate, based in South Africa stabbed them following an argument over the value of rand,” said an official.
Masvingo provincial medical director Dr Amadeaus Shamu declined to comment saying doing so is unethical according to the patients’ charter. – State Media

Government has brought back the controversial National Youth Service with the graduation of over 80,000 entrants now to be called Green Bombers.
The State calls it the National Youth Service (NYS) but opposition parties say it is a mere ZANU PF program part of the wider terror network to be used to intimidate voters at election time.
President Robert Mugabe’s nephew and Youth Minister Patrick Zhuwao said the 80 000 graduates scattered around the country should have a hand in economic development.
He made the remarks after meeting the NYS Association members in Harare yesterday. “We have 80 000 graduates that are willing to make this economy move,” he said.
“This is a huge amount of human capital that we should be taking advantage of. I am going to co-ordinate your interactions with Government because the solution to the Zimbabwean economy lies with us Zimbabweans. Foreigners will only come to assist us and they do that on our terms. We are taking a strategic focus which focuses on Zim-Asset and the 10-point plan and we looking at localising the 10-point Plan so that it is implemented at ward level and co-ordinated to the constituency level.”
Zhuwao added: “In line with the economic empowerment strategy that the ministry is finalising, the NYS will play a crucial role through programmes such as Youth Build Zimbabwe, Youth Feed Zimbabwe and Youth Secure Zimbabwe which will be implemented at community level. Special emphasis will be on in-situ training.”
Zhuwao quoted by the state broadcaster said his ministry was working on the legislative framework to regulate the NYS programme and was re-institutionalising training in line with the directive by President Mugabe in February.
“Cabinet of June 16, 2012 directed the ministry to make legislative amendments to the National Service Act (Number 19, Chapter 11:08 of 1979) and we are currently working on that,” he said.
“It was during this period that camp-based NYS training stopped due to inadequacy of financial resources. The principles of the NYS Bill are now under consideration and will be submitted to the Attorney-General’s Office to pursue the enactment of a NYS legislation.”
He said since President Mugabe’s directive, camp-based training had been re-introduced at Dadaya Training Centre in Midlands with 112 people graduating two weeks ago.
Zhuwao defended his move saying it was unfortunate that “certain narratives” were being created to downplay the importance of NYS yet many countries, including Western ones, had a similar programme.
He said NYS graduates had also immensely contributed to the peace and security being enjoyed in the country as they also went through conflict prevention, management, resolution and transformation skills.

A PASTOR arrested for telling President Robert Mugabe the truth while waving a simple message that ‘Zimbabweans are suffering’, is languishing in prison cells since the Christmas period and now set to cross over into the new year behind bars.
Pastor Phillip Mugadza, a family man, is being persecuted by the State for exercising his constitutional rights of free protest against Mugabe, and needs $360 to secure his bail release.
While in Victoria Falls early this month, Mugadza held out a humble placard that simply read, “Mr President The People are Suffering.” It also quoted Proverbs 21:13 from the Bible, which reads, “Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered”.

The message came at a time when civil servants and other workers under Mugabe’s desk are failing to access their salaries.
The State in prosecuting however says he committed a crime stating it is that of obstructing party traffic en route to the ZANU PF conference.
Of the $500 needed for his bail only $140 has been donated to date meaning Mugadza has had to spend the entire Christmas period in cells and may crossover into the new year in chains.
Colleague and coordinator for Mugadza’s release, Tapfumaneyi Zenda backed by the Zimbabwe Lawyers Of Human Rights advocate Thulani Nkala told ZimEye.com, “we are therefore appealing to you friends to assist in raising the amount required for pastor Philip Mugadza to come out of prison.
“The Ecocash number is 0772458842 and our lawyer is Mr Thulani Nkala 0772681277 ZLHR Victoria Falls. Every deposit made will be announced publicly.
Mugadza’s lawyers on Tuesday approached the courts seeking the reduction of his bail to $50.
His lawyer Thulani Nkala of Dube and Company Legal Practitioners told ZimEye.com he approached the Victoria Falls court seeking a bail reduction.
His trial is set for 5 January 2016.
The Ecocash number is 0772458842 and the lawyer is Mr Thulani Nkala 0772681277 ZLHR Victoria Falls.

Top Zanu PF officials and War veterans who benefited from the controversial land reform programme are  selling irrigation equipment which government sourced for farming production , a senior government official has complained.
Part of the equipment which is being sold includes equipment which government under former Vice President Joice Mujuru secured from Brazil  last year.
Deputy Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development minister Davis Marapira made this revelation to state journalists on Monday when he said the development was going to worsen the country’s food security which is already at stake.
Marapira said the unproductive farmers are removing pumps, as well as computer and gear boxes from the centre pivot irrigation equipment and selling them on the black market.
The deputy minister said vandalism of irrigation equipment was rife in Mashonaland West and Masvingo provinces.
“We are in the process of investigating these culprits and we will prosecute them through the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement,” said Marapira.

• Police Officers seen openly campaigning for Grace as she invades Masvingo.
• Villagers ordered to “vote for Dr.Amai.”

 
By Terrence Mawawa, Gutu| Police officers at Chinyika Police post in Gutu surprised all and sundry when they were seen distributing Grace Mugabe posters and flyers to villagers who gathered at the business centre to receive farming inputs.
The incident witnessed by ZimEye.com happened on 24 December at Madondo supermarket.
Hundreds of villagers were surprised when three police officers began to distribute Grace Mugabe posters and flyers during the farm inputs distribution exercise.
The latest incident also confirms the fact that Grace Mugabe is now in charge of both government and Zanu PF programmes.
Villagers collecting the inputs were made to chant maxims praising Mrs Mugabe (Dr. Amai) for making the donations.
“We were ordered by our bosses to distribute Grace Mugabe’s posters and flyers and mind you there is no option but to comply with the directives from above. By the look of things Mrs Mugabe is now in charge of government affairs. Those receiving the inputs were also made to take home Mrs Mugabe’s posters and flyers,” said a police source.
The police details presiding over the process also told the villagers to vote for those who make donations, literally confirming Grace’s presidential ambitions.
The police officers at Chinyika are at present travelling to distribute Grace ‘s posters at neighbouring schools.
Sources also said another police officer in uniform has been distributing Mrs Mugabe’s flyers at Chinyika Rural Hospital particularly during an immunisation programme which began last week.
Despite denying the fact that she harbours presidential hopes Mrs Mugabe’s supporters are secretly campaigning for the versatile and controversial First Lady.
Contacted for comment earlier, Presidential Spokesman George Charamba told ZimEye.com he will not speak on Mrs Mugabe’s campaign programs as they are neither State House nor government affairs.