THE Zimbabwe Electricity and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has threatened to switch off electricity for defaulting customers on the post-paid meter system starting this week accusing them of neglecting to pay their electricity bills.
The outsanding bills have reached  $1 billion, the Zesa subsidiary has said. ZETDC managing director Julian Chinembiri told NewsDay yesterday that the debt has an impact on most of the power utility’s expansion projects.
“People are defaulting on the payment plans that they made. We have automated the payment plan platform. The moment one defaults on the payment plan they will be switched off. The disconnections will begin this week,” Chinembiri said.

He said when the company introduced payment plans for its customers there was a slight improvement in payments but after a while customers started to default again. 

The power utility has close to 500 000 of its customers on prepaid meters and about 100 000 still on post-paid meter system.

“We have sent specifications for some more prepaid meters and we are waiting for the State Procurement Board so that we go to tender,” he said.

Chinembiri said the $1 billion debt owed by various customers that include commercial and domestic consumers had made it difficult for the utility to service its financial obligations and also to access fresh capital from financial institutions.

The debt has also reportedly stalled expansion projects at Kariba and Hwange Power Station, which are meant to boost power generation and reduce load shedding.

Zimbabwe produces 1 256 megawatts (MW) of electricity against a local demand of 1 950MW. -State Media

First Lady Grace Mugabe is preparing to rule on expelled Mash West chair Ziyambi Ziyambi’s future.
In what will be the first time in ZANU PF a Women’s League boss hears affairs of provincial bosses, Grace is to rule on allegations that Ziyambi is insubordinate to her.
“Ziyambi can now pray that the disciplinary committee will not descend heavily on him because the body that passed a vote of no vote is the appropriate committee. That is why you see Kasukuwere retaining Guzah and the whole committee,”a source said.
Ziyambi was booted out of the party’s provincial structures by his executive committee over allegations of dishonesty, disloyalty and failing to prepare the ground work for elections of a substantive committee.
Ziyambi’s case will be heard by Women’s League boss First Lady Grace Mugabe who publicly dressed him down in Kadoma, accusing him of treachery, insubordination, dishonesty and sabotaging programes particularly organised by the Women’s League which she leads.
Meanwhile ZANU PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere yesterday doused a raging fire in President Robert Mugabe’s backyard when he appointed Ephraim Pepukai as the party’s interim provincial chairman for Mashonaland West following the ouster of Ziyambi Ziyambi.
 
Mugabe’s home province has been the centre of fierce factional fights since the ouster of Ziyambi and his predecessor Temba Mliswa.
Announcing the changes during a tense provincial co-ordinating committee meeting in Chinhoyi yesterday, Kasukuwere ordered Chengeta and his deputy Keith Guzah to ensure elections of a substantive chairperson were held by October this year.
Chengeta is Zanu PF central committee member and chairman of Ngezi Rural District Council.
Kasukuwere told the PCC that his deputy Omega Hungwe and Josaya Hungwe would spearhead the restructuring process in Mashonaland West starting next week.
The Zanu PF political commissar pleaded with members to bury the hatchet and work for the good of the party rather than expending their energy in petitions.
Efforts to get comment from Ziyambi were fruitless.(Newsday/Additional Reporting)

Bulawayo’s Ward 4 Councillor Silas Chigora who last year on his own used domestic shovels and brooms to rehabilitate potholes in his ward, has won an international community volunteer award, from the ZDDT and KAF NGOs.
The community leader was presented with the prestigious honour during the Councillors’ leadership strengthening workshop that was jointly held by Sebenzela-Shandira Zimbabwe Trust over the weekend, whose ideology has inspired a number of community leaders into engaging themselves in voluntary developmental activities.
Speaking to ZimEye.com soon after receiving the prize, councillor Chigora expressed appreciation for the honour and vowed to do more for his ward and beyond.
“I am very grateful for this award, which I am taking as a lifetime achievement, as this has added value to my curriculum vitae and profile. I will forever cherish the day I started doing voluntary work, as the world around me has been watching and saluted my philosophy.
Chigora also credited his honour to ZimEye.com, for their coverage on a number of his community voluntary activities, which he said earned him hundreds of positive comments from all Zimbabweans abroad.
“I received hundreds of comments from Zimbabweans abroad and I was so impressed when I realised that it was due to ZimEye.com’s coverage on my activities. Thank you ZimEye.com, you have assisted me jumping a step up in my life and I will not miss any of your daily bulletins,” he said.

A GUTU man will spend the next 64 years in jail for raping his 13-year-old daughter on numerous occasions, sometimes in his wife’s presence.
A court heard how the man, 35, of Gwama Village under Chief Mataruse, would force his biological daughter into sex.
During one incident, he waylaid his victim in her bedroom while she was taking off her school uniform and on another, he pounced on her when her mother was outside in the garden.
The man, the court heard, would on other occasions sneak back home from funeral wakes leaving his wife behind, only to be caught sweating it out on top on his daughter.
He pleaded not guilty to raping his daughter when he appeared before Masvingo senior regional magistrate Judith Zuyu last Thursday. The magistrate, however, convicted him due to overwhelming evidence.
Magistrate Zuyu said he deserved the harshest sentence the court could mete out. “Your cruelty and perversion leaves the court with no option but to give you one of the harshest sentences.You betrayed the trust that your daughter had in you by taking your own offspring for a wife. You don’t deserve to be part of this normal and God-fearing society. You must go to jail so that you can come back a reformed man with a conscience and respect,” said Zuyu.
She said by raping his daughter in full view of her mother, he exhibited socially awkward behaviour which could only be corrected by prison life.
“The court wonders what kind of sexual starvation makes you get attracted to your own daughter in the presence of your wife. Cases of this nature are on the increase and culprits shouldn’t be treated with kids’ gloves. Prison life remains the only option to whip your character into line,” Zuyu said.
Prosecuting, Mukai Mutambe said sometime in December, 2014 on an unknown date, the girl’s mother left her homestead to visit her parents in Mukaro area.
“During the night while the girl was sleeping in her bedroom hut, her father took advantage of his wife’s absence and sneaked into the girl’s blankets. He forcibly removed her panties, wore a condom before raping her once while threatening her with unspecified action if she screamed,” said Mutambe.
The court heard that he would on several occasions rape his victim and the girl would not report the matter out of fear.
“At one time, he left a funeral wake in the village to go home where upon arrival he raped the girl. His mischief came to light when he attempted to rape the girl in the presence of her mother. On another occasion and on a different day, he waylaid his victim in her room and raped her once,” she said.

In a development that is set to humiliate president Robert Mugabe’s land reform programme, his cousin and businessman Mr Philip Chiyangwa, is demanding over $100 million in compensation from residents settled at the ancestral lands of Odar Farm.
The farm is popularly known as Southlea Park cannot be sold as a farm under the conditions the businessman says he has repossessed it because they are all to do with Mugabe’s land reform programme which does not dish out title deeds.
Mr Chiyangwa’s Sensene Investments flighted an advertisement in the media last weekend in which it pegged $50 per square-metre for high-density stands and $16 per square-metre for low-density stands.
Commercial and industrial stands would be charged between $100 and $250 per square-metre respectively. With more than 6 000 residents settled on 200 square-metres in high-density stands, the figure translates to $10 000 per individual and $60 million rich pickings for Mr Chiyangwa.
For a 2 000 square metre stand, an individual has to pay $32 000 at $16 per square metre.
Residents were also asked to pay $150 as registration fee. He will rake in about $40 million from those in low-density suburbs and commercial and industrial stands.
“Payment terms available up to the 36 months. Every occupied stand must be paid for. All residents should regularise their occupation by August 31, 2015 to expedite the process of issuing tittle deeds,” read the press notice.
However, it will not be an easy go for Mr Chiyangwa as the Odar housing development consortium chairperson, Mr Benny Matenga, vowed to resist takeover. Odar housing development consortium convened a meeting with residents at the weekend in which they vowed to resist efforts by Mr Chiyangwa.
Government, through the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing returned Odar Farm to Sensene Investment, part of Stoneridge Park and Nyarungu Estate whose beneficiary was Mr Chiyangwa.
But the consortium that settled more than 7 000 residents on the land has argued that giving the land back was unlawful in that it was not consistent with a Supreme Court judgment confirming the acquisition of the land from the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association.
Consortium executive members representing employees from 56 companies argued that they settled at the farm under the employer-assisted Garikayi/Hlalani Kuhle Phase two.
They convened a meeting with residents on Saturday where they took turns to denounce Mr Chiyangwa.
“You should never lose sleep with what Chiyangwa is doing. Do not panic. We have gone to court challenging the transfer of title to his company. We are confident that we will win. ‘We faced a temporary setback last week and the court ruled that the matter was not urgent. No one is going to pay him a single cent,” said Mr Matenga.
He said they would not rest while waiting their case awaits to be heard in the High Court, as they would take their case to senior Government officials including the Presidium.
“We did not invade this land. We were given by the Government and this property was owned by white men. Chiyangwa is now coming as an agent of the whites to say it is his property.
“If Government wants us to pay compensation, it should come here and convey that message to you as residents. It cannot be my responsibility to do that,” said Mr Matenga.
When contacted for comment, Mr Chiyangwa described the Matenga-led executive as “criminals” fleecing the people. (State Media/Additional Reporting)

There was drama in Masvingo when a Police Officer was caught pants down by parents with a 14-year-old girl in the back of a disused Kombi.
Reports are that the married, 27-year-old cop bedded the minor- a student at St Anthony High School- over nine times.
Walter Bere’s shenanigans came to light when he was busted making love to the girl from a disused commuter omnibus parked near the school grounds during a sporting event. Irate parents reported the case to Masvingo Police Station leading to the arrest of Bere.
The State represented by Moreblessing Rusere said on September 27, 2014, Bere whose sexual encounter with the complainant dates back to December 19, 2013 was caught caressing the girl who was lying on his legs.
The girl was 14 by then.
Clara Mukwapuna, the boarding mistress then took the student to the staff room where she was ordered to write a report in connection with the matter. The school authorities then phoned the girl’s parents in October 2014.
The girl’s mother and elder sister reported the matter to Masvingo Central Police Station to avoid the possibility of the case being swept under the carpet at Zaka where the accused is stationed.
It is the girl’s submission to the court that at one time she was at logger-heads with the accused’s wife over her intimate relationship with him
Bere was hauled before Regional Magistrate Judith Zuyu last week charged with statutory rape.
Some of the places where he had romps with the girl since 2013 allegedly included the matrimonial home, his friend’s home, in a disused vehicle parked in a garage at Jerera Growth Point in Zaka and several other hideouts.
The girl told the court that she was only miffed with the sexual encounters the first day they slept together but fully consented on the rest of the days. Bere said in court that he didn’t realize that the girl was underage.
The two also had sex in Chiredzi some 100km away from Zaka where the girl attends school.

Barely days after an inferno razed down a shopping complex in Glen View and another in Gweru, another fire attack has hit Machipisa Shopping Complex in Ruwa.
The fire which broke out early yesterday, was triggered by a suspected electrical fault, the State Media reported saying.
Eye witnesses told journalists the fire at Machipisa also known as “Pinkaldo shops,” was fuelled by food stuffs that were stored in the shops storeroom.
The owner of the complex Fanny Machipisa said the fire which was detected around 7am was put out by members of the community.
Among the destroyed property were five refrigerators and groceries.

Barely a few days after news of the killing of Cecil the lion, another beast has been reported to have been killed by a second US tourist.
The National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (NPWMA) has said the second American was involved in an illegal bow and arrow hunt of a lion around the Hwange National Park in April.
The man was named as Jan Casimir Seski of Murrysville, Pennsylvania.
Messages left by the Associated Press at Seski’s home, and with an answering service for his medical practice, were not immediately returned. A Zimbabwean Headman Sibanda has been arrested in the case and is assisting police with their investigation, the NPWMA said.
Meanwhile after all the hype about the reported shooting of another monitored Hwange National Park lion known as Jericho, it has emerged that the reports were after all incorrect as Jericho the lion is alive and well.
The Zimbabwe Conversation Task Force who were the first to disclose the death of Cecil had erroneously reported that Jericho who is also another monitored lion had been killed in a manner similar to Cecil causing a further outcry on the shooting of lions at the park. In a statement in their Facebook page the task force retracts their statement on the death of Jericho claiming a case of mistaken identity.
The task force claims to have received three reports from the park by reliable sources that Jericho had been killed. The misinformation was only retracted after the park began receiving a signal from Jericho’s collar. According to the statement Jericho is alive and has in fact adopted Cecil’s cubs.
The correct information now appears to be that indeed another lion has been killed the Cecil way at the park. The trust while relieved that it’s not Jericho who has been killed though condemns the killing of yet another lion.
“….although we are relieved that it was not Jericho, we are not happy that yet another lion has been killed….” reads the statement.

BULAWAYO City Councillors have demanded an allowance increase of more than 450 percent, a move that will see an ordinary councillor getting $1 000 every month.
The move has, however, attracted a backlash from residents who accused the local authority of having misplaced priorities.
The city’s mayor, Councillor Martin Moyo, made the request of the allowance increment last Thursday during a meeting between councillors, council officials and the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere.
“It is a matter between us and the minister, of which I believe it won’t be professional for me to discuss it in the media,” said Clr Moyo.
Minister Kasukuwere also confirmed the request by the councillors but said he would not be approving anything that would see the bulk of council resources being directed towards paying the councillors.
“While I understand that the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is one of the best performing councils in the country and the councillors really deserve to be incentivised, I cannot approve anything that will see these councillors get ludicrous amounts.
“I will sit down with my Permanent Secretary Engineer George Mlilo; we look at the figures which they are suggesting and duly advise what we think. The response might be positive but I must emphasise that service delivery has to determine the amount of allowances they get,” said Minister Kasukuwere.
Council sources, who spoke to this publication, revealed that the councillors had written to the new minister requesting the increase, a move that had been blocked by the previous minister Dr Ignatius Chombo, who now leads the Home Affairs portfolio.
It was revealed that according to the new figures that were being proposed by the councillors, an ordinary councillor would be receiving $1 000; council committee chairpersons, $1 200; the deputy mayor, $1 500 while the mayor would take home $1 600 every month.
Currently, the mayor, Clr Moyo, is getting $350; the deputy mayor, Clr Gift Banda, $300; committee chairpersons, $240 while ordinary councillors get $220.
The demand by the councillors, translates to a 455 percent increase for ordinary councillors.
In Harare, the approved allowances are that the mayor gets $450; deputy mayor, $395; committee chairpersons, $340 while ordinary councillors get $290.
“Councillors wrote to the minister some time ago and on Thursday they took advantage of the minister’s presence to make the request verbally. It is our hope that this request is granted because most of us are now full-time engaged as councillors because it is virtually impossible to be a councillor and hold a normal 8am to 5pm job,” said one councillor.
The councillors are demanding that the increase be effective this monthend.
However, Bulawayo United Residents’ Association (Bura) chairperson Mr Winos Dube had no kind words for the councillors saying this was a clear sign of misplaced priorities, noting that it was high time people realised that being a councillor was not a career path.
“Those people are there simply to ensure that they safeguard people’s monies ensuring that they are used for service delivery but they are now busy demanding these high allowances for themselves.
“It is now becoming clear to everyone that they are not there to represent us but themselves, we now hope that the minister does not give in to such ridiculous demands,” said Mr Dube.
The latest revelations might put the councillors at loggerheads with employees as the increase would mean councillors would be getting way more than the lowest paid council worker. It is the same councillors who blocked a request by the workers to get an increment.
According to the council’s salary schedule contained in a confidential council report, the lowest paid worker, who is in Grade One gets a basic salary of $180 that can be incentivised to Notch Six where they can get up to $241.
Grade two workers get $255 and their maximum notch is $340. Grade three workers get a basic salary of $360.
The workers’ request was rejected by the councillors who argued council was in no financial position to award them the increment but instead a Cost of Living Adjustment, which would see workers get a determined allowance across the board.

A NATIONAL University Science and Technology (Nust) lecturer, David Foya, has been caught in a sex storm and is being sued for $40 000 in damages for having an adulterous relationship with a married student.
The affair was uncovered after intimate messages were discovered by the woman’s husband on her WhatsApp phone-application.
Foya, a lecturer in the Faculty of Business, according to court papers seen by the State Media, is being accused by Bongani Ngulube, the husband to Judith Moyo, of bedding his wife to the extent that he has lost “love, warmth and affection for my spouse”.
He said he had also lost the support and “services” of his wife as a result of her romantic affair with Foya.
Moyo is a teacher at Montrose Girls High School and was Foya’s student when she was advancing her education at Nust.
Summons filed at the Bulawayo High Court revealed that Ngulube, who wedded his wife on 22 December last year, wants $15 000 for contumelia (a deliberately offensive act or something producing the effect of deliberate disrespect) inflicted upon him by Foya as a consequence of his adulterous relationship with his wife.
He is also demanding $25 000 for “loss of comfort, society and services of his wife” because of the sexual affair.
Ngulube has applied for a default judgment against Foya after the lecturer reportedly failed to file his plea in the stipulated time in terms of the High Court rules.
In his declaration, Ngulube said he was still married to Moyo and added that Foya fell in love with his wife when she was his student at Nust.
“The defendant (Foya) has ridiculed and laughed at the plaintiff (Ngulube) in public on diverse occasions and the affair has caused plaintiff much discomfort and pain. The plaintiff has been greatly humiliated and demeaned by the defendant’s conduct, which conduct has embarrassed plaintiff among his friends, family and members of his church,” declared Ngulube’s lawyers.
Some of the WhatsApp messages which Ngulube filed in court as evidence are that of Foya and Moyo inviting each other for sex and deciding where to be intimate.
Nust recently crafted a gender policy that addresses the issue of sexual harassment of students by lecturers at the institution.

Controversial Harare businessman Phillip Chiyangwa is in trouble with 20,000 home buyers of the Harare South stands he illegally muscled away from the Odar Housing Development Consortium (OHDC) using former Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo.
Chiyangwa for whom Chombo twisted papers on land ownership of Odar Farm to the detriment of thousands of property owners there, and was in May told off as he is on the wrong side of the law this month albeit managed to obtain a favourable judgement from the High Court but one based on a mere legal technicality.
A storm is brewing in Harare South’s Odar Housing Development Consortium where the residents have since threatened to disregard the new landowner Phillip Chiyangwa, revealing that he acquired it corruptly.
The consortium involving 56 companies claim they were given the 605 hectares of land which they developed under the Garikai Phase 2 in 2006 and were required to compensate the farm owners through the government.
The residents further claim the value of the compensation was supposed to come from government but they were shocked after Sensene Investments, a company linked to property magnet Chiyangwa claimed ownership of the land.
Addressing thousands of residents in Southlea Park yesterday, OHDC chairman Benny Matenga urged beneficiaries to resist the takeover, claiming they were working towards paying compensation once the government announced the quantum.
The tense meeting was characterised by repeated name calling of Chiyangwa and demands for officials in the ministry of Local Government to be transparent in the manner they conducted their business.
Matenga said anyone who wanted to involve themselves in the OHDC land would be met with resistance as they threatened to take the matter to President Mugabe, urging him to investigate Local Government officials who might have “corruptly” involved themselves in the matter.
Speaking to journalists during the meeting, Harry Muzondo, who is in the management committee of OHDC, said they were mobilising to block Chiyangwa.
“We are not going to comply with any order or instruction that seeks to interfere with our operations. The government cannot direct us to pay compensation to Chiyangwa or any other person,” said Muzondo.
“The ownership of the land vests in the State and only the acquirer, who is the President, can reverse the land acquisition process. There is a bogus agreement which alleges that the land is being given to Chiyangwa but as residents, we are saying if Chiyangwa failed to develop his other nearby properties why should he come to us where 70% of servicing is almost complete.”
The consortium leaders warned members against working with Chiyangwa. “If there is any other member of the consortium engaging Chiyangwa outside our agreement, they are warned that they are doing so at their own risk and they will face the music,” he said.
But Chiyangwa yesterday labelled the members “criminals.” “I have reported to the police. They are criminals who want to play with my name. I am not going to answer to anything,” Chiyangwa said.
“I have title deeds to the land. You can go to the authorities that gave me. Why do you ask me about things that you don’t have proof [about]? It is like people seeing me walking about and saying I have HIV, who are they to say that? Are they doctors? Have they tested me?”
He said he would have been arrested a long time ago if he had acquired the land fraudulently.
Chiyangwa is now demanding $150 from each of the 8 000 beneficiaries as registration fee with his company, after which the stands would be revalued and current occupiers of the stands would be asked to pay the balance between the revalued amount and what they have already paid to Odar Consortium.
Matenga said yesterday that Chiyangwa was putting the value of the stands at $50 per square metre, which translated to about $10 000 for a 200 square metre stand, which is the average size of stands in the high density area of the farm.
Low density stands were being pegged at $16 per square metre while commercial and industrial stands were valued at between $100 and $250 per square metre.
Add to this, Chiyangwa is said to be demanding compensation for developments on the farm which value was yet to be determined by government according to the agreement between Odar and government.
“This is part of the reasons why we are taking Chiyangwa to court, besides the very fact that we do not agree that this farm belongs to him,” said Matenga.-Standard/Additional Reporting

A 38 year old Zimbabwean man from Bulawayo has hanged himself to death with an electric cord in a Johannesburg flat after being dumped by his live in girlfriend.
The man whose identity has been made available to media is said to have been seen hanging from the balcony of the flat by a passer in the early hours of this morning.

By Shiellah Sibanda|MDC Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora raised a whopping $10,000 yesterday in the United Kingdom’s Oxford town at a function organised by party members in Oxford.
The meeting lasting a little over three hours, was attended by a 200 strong crowd who despite their small number managed to pull the massive figure of donations for the party.

The meeting was described as one of the best ever as it also confirmed that a State Media claim that Mwonzora was on invitation from the British government, was false and misleading. Documents seen by ZimEye.com show that Mwonzora, Thabitha Khumalo, and Theresa Makone traveled to that country entirely on invitation of residents here who are passionate about their party in preparation of the 2018 elections. National Chairman Tonderai Samanyanga told ZimEye.com, “how can they write saying they (Mwonzora and others) are going to Sweden, Norway and Australia and all that sort? And it only shows that they wrote just to get to a story, that’s all, ” said Samanyanga.
About US3000 was cash being £1850, and the rest was raised in donated goods.
The function was organised by the Oxford branch which is hailed the most organised and vibrant in the entire party. It is led by Chrispen Chamburuka and the function was decorated to the fibre by Cerina Masihiringwane.

MDC Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora

Zimbabwe’s national airliner, Air Zimbabwe, has fired 10 of its senior managers.
Taking advantage of the prevailing chaos created by the Supreme Court ruling allowing companies to fire workers without any retrenchment pay, the parastatal has hit hard on its long standing managers.
But the State Media claimed that it is all to do with a restructuring exercise recommended by a foreign investor that the airline engaged by the airliner. But checks with the company and the Ministry of Transport revealed there was no such arrangement and no investor at all being engaged.
Fifteen managers were summoned at the end of the day Friday and 10 of them were served with letters of termination of contract on three months’ notice.

VICE-PRESIDENT Phelekezela Mphoko has joined the bandwagon of businesspeople taking advantage of a recent Supreme Court order that gives employers the greenlight to terminate contracts and has dismissed about 100 workers at his Choppies supermarkets.
This comes amid reports that President Robert Mugabe’s company, Gushungo Holdings, is also struggling to pay its workers with some employees from the dairy producer still to be paid their July salaries.
Mphoko, who was appointed by President Mugabe following the Zanu PF congress late last year, is reportedly a major shareholder in the supermarket chain that has its roots in neighbouring Botswana.
A man answering the phone of Choppies’ national human resources manager Maron Munyavi sounded jittery when contacted for comment. He at first confirmed he was indeed Munyavi but upon realising the subject of the discussion he changed goalposts and denied he was Munyavi although he could not explain his earlier confirmation or how he came to be in possession of Munyavi’s mobile phone.
“Who told you that? I am not Maron Munyavi, this is a wrong number, get comment from Choppies head office in Bulawayo at DC,” the man said apparently showing intimate knowledge of the company structures and operations.
In a letter dated June 30 to a reported 90 workers from Choppies security department the vice-president’s company said it was terminating their contracts in terms of Section 24 (5) (a) “of the commercial sectors Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) incorporating Statutory Instrument 45 of 1993 and all its amendments”.
“Please note that you are given three months’ salary in lieu of notice not given to terminate your services with Choppies Zimbabwe, and the effective date of termination is 30 June 2015. The contract which was entered by you and Choppies Zimbabwe in accordance with provision of Section 24 of CBA of the Commercial sector of Zimbabwe,” said the letter.
Mphoko’s company cites case laws including Rhodesian cases.
“The termination is made in accordance with section 24 of NECCSZ (National Employment Council for the Commercial Sector Zimbabwe) and this held to be test in the case of Art Corporation Limited vs Moyana 1989 (1) Zlr 304 (s), Blackley vs City of Harare 1978 Rlr (Rhodesian Law Reports) 403,” the letter added.
Workers interviewed by The Standard said they had refused to sign the “memorandum of agreement” but Choppies had gone ahead and paid into their accounts amounts ranging from $1 000 to $1 500.
“We did not sign anything because we think it is unfair. It has been common practice by Choppies to dump people as and when they wish. They use political power and now that Mphoko is vice-president they have told us they are untouchable,” said a worker.
Ironically the workers claim Choppies has engaged a professional security firm to provide the same services that the workers where providing.
“We were accused of theft but these accusations were never proven. Last year we had assistance from another security company whose contract was also terminated on accusations of theft buy its security personnel,” The Standard heard.
Choppies said it would pay all statutory terminal benefits that included three months cash in lieu of notice and all outstanding accrued annual leave days and overtime as agreed or specified in terms of Section 12 of the Act.
Meanwhile unconfirmed reports claimed last week that Mugabe’s Gushungo Holdings was having difficulty paying its workers.
“We have always been paid on the 22nd of each month but this time we have not been paid our July salaries yet. We have not been paid and are not sure when we will,” said a worker who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Repeated efforts to seek comment from the firm’s management headed by Stanley Nhari were fruitless. Nhari’s mobile phone was not being picked up on Friday and remained unreachable yesterday.
Mugabe’s government is also finding it difficult to pay its civil servants as economic stagnation continues to take its toll.
According to the Supreme Court judgment an employer or an employee may terminate a contract of employment service by giving notice in terms of the contract but such notice shall be three months in the case of a contract without a limit of time or a contract for a period exceeding two years. Standard

Government has attempted a plastic assurance on civil servants saying it will not wantonly retrench civil servants but will reduce the wage bill through other means.
In what analysts say is mere gesture and no substance, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira told the State Media that a committee headed by Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa, has been established to examine options and present to Cabinet recommendations to this in coming weeks.
Sections of the private media have misinterpreted Government’s plan to reduce the wage bill from 80 percent of revenue to less than 40 percent to mean thousands of civil servants face retrenchment.
However, Minister Mupfumira said that authorities had no plan to retrench.
“It is laughable that there has been this misrepresentation. When we are talking about reducing the wage bill, we are not talking about retrenching or firing people.
“We are looking at cost-cutting. There is a distinction. The process that is underway, therefore, is not to fire people, but cutting on expenditure. As Government, we also want to make it clear that we will not act in the manner some companies have by firing workers haphazardly.
“We will not do that. No one will be fired. In fact, we are actually in the process of expediting the Labour Act (amendments) so that we protect our workers and make sure retrenchments are done orderly without firing people randomly.”
She added: “We have been on this exercise for the past two months and what we are doing is very clear. We are looking at ways of being efficient; increasing productivity.
This is work in progress and I cannot state the recommendations because these will be presented before Cabinet, which will then discuss these findings. The report will be out soon, and we will make all the recommendations public.”
In his Mid-Term Fiscal Policy Statement last Thursday, Minister Chinamasa said Government was working on reducing its wage bill to create “fiscal space” for long-term growth.
This plan is in line with the IMF’s Staff-Monitored Programme. “Significant progress over the exercise to develop measures to rationalise the wage bill has been made, with the Civil Service Commission having also completed the physical head count for all civil servants as part of the staff audit.
“Cabinet has given a directive to the minister responsible for the Public Service and the minister responsible for Finance to urgently propose remedial measures to gradually bring down the share of the wage bill in the budget from over 80 percent to under 40 percent.
“Cabinet will be considering the full package of necessary proposals in the next couple of weeks.
“The above interventions to manage the wage bill are meant to create the fiscal space necessary to enter medium to long-term growth for sustainable platform for improved remuneration.”
The IMF’s programme is part of a process to normalise relations with Zimbabwe’s creditors and to mobilise development support. Its present phase covers October 2014 to December 2015, when a review is due.
The IMF says the programme’s main objective is to strengthen Zimbabwe’s external position as a prerequisite to arrears clearance, normalising debt servicing and restoring access to external financing. It recommended that the wage bill be about 30 percent of expenditure.
A staff monitored programme is an informal agreement between governments and the IMF to monitor implementation of a country’s economic programme.
This agreement does not entail financial assistance or endorsement by the IMF executive board.
In a letter to the IMF in April 2015, Minister Chinamasa and Reserve Bank Governor Dr John Mangudya said Government was committed to cutting its wage bill. They said some of the measures included identifying duplication and redundancies and revamping the Salary Service Bureau.
“We remain committed to improving our fiscal position as a means for further raising our capacity to repay. To this end, we have already started taking actions to lower the wage bill. To this end, measures to reduce the wage bill will be presented to Cabinet.
“The Civil Service Commission has been working on streamlining public sector employment by conducting a restructuring exercise to align ministries’ staffing with their mandates, to identify duplication and redundancies.
“By end-2015 we expect to complete decentralisation and modernisation of the Salary Service Bureau, which would place a payroll assistant in every district, strengthening control over the wage bill and minimising irregularities.
“At the same time, we will develop a medium-term strategy to bring the wage bill to a level that would create sufficient room for development spending.
“We remain committed to reducing domestic arrears and improving service delivery.”
After presenting 2015 National Budget, Minister Chinamasa told Parliament that cutting the wage bill would be gradual, adding that it would be imprudent to lay off workers.
He reasoned that most civil servants are in health and education, both sectors Government has heavily invested in.
“As far as Government is concerned, we regard education and health as the biggest investment because our biggest asset is our population. Consultations are under way on options to reduce the wage bill.
“But let me say the solution won’t be an overnight thing, but gradual. It will take place over a period. We are going to tackle this problem squarely and bravely.”
Plastic Assurance.
According to economist Perry Ncube, the government announcement “is not only void of substance but contradict what the finance ministry has already embarked on seeking to reduce the wage bill. ”
It is near plastic paper and no substance said Perry.

In what is believed to be government cruelty, another market was yesterday burnt down.
Kudzanayi Market in Gweru saw traders there left counting massive losses after fire gutted their goods worth thousands of dollars early Friday morning.
Several vendors were left in tears after their stalls were gutted by fire. When the State Media visited the market in the morning many traders could be seen salvaging the remains of their wares while others could be seen trying to rebuild their stalls.
Some vendors said they have made a huge loss and they are not sure what could have caused the fire. They however said they blame their security guards for failing to protect their goods.
The incident comes a few days after a home industry complex in Glen View’s Area 8 in Harare was gutted by fire destroying the entrepreneurs’ property.
Kudzanayi Market houses more than one thousand traders.
Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has been blamed for the destructive incidents which came soon after his ministry ordered vendors off the cities.

ZIMBABWE’s TRANSPORT Minister Obert Mpofu’s business empire in Hwange has crumbled after several of his operations in the mining town either closed down or relocated to Victoria Falls.
Mpofu’s Minus restaurant, Matetsi meats butchery, KST Bypass fuel service station all leased from Hwange Colliery Company (HCC), KoMpofu sports bar and KoMpofu butchery at Mpumalanga high density suburb in Hwange closed last month.
The Minus restaurant and Matetsi meats butchery reportedly owe the HCC a substantial amount of money in outstanding rentals, although the figure could not be independently verified by Southern Eye.
The HCC estates board, which leases the coal mining company’s properties could not be reached for comment to confirm the outstanding monies as the estates manager, a Mr Mapanga was repeatedly said to be out of office since Tuesday.
When contacted for comment on Wednesday this week, a Mr Sibanda, who was said to be Mapanga’s deputy,also refused to shed light on the issue.
But Mpofu yesterday confirmed the collapse of his businesses operatons in Hwange saying the HCC rentals were unsustainable.
The minister said he had relocated his butchery and restaurant together with his employees to Victoria Falls.
“We relocated the restaurant and butchery to Victoria Falls because rentals charged by the HCC were unsustainable. The employees have also been transferred to Victoria Falls,” he said.
“As for the fuel service station, we did not close it but rather it is undergoing renovations to accommodate huge fuel tanks.”
However, Mpofu refused to be drawn to comment on allegations that his companies owed the HCC thousands of dollars in unpaid rentals.
The closure of Mpofu’s Hwange companies came less than a month after the former Mines minister was dragged to the Labour Court by security guards at his Moya Security firm over salary arrears.
Moya Security had reportedly ignored a court order to pay the security guards outstanding salaries in four-monthly instalments from May 30.
In recent past, Mpofu has been accused by workers at his several businesses of failing to pay salaries on time.
His financial institution, Allied Bank, surrendered its operating licence in January this year due to lack of capital.

Two robbers from Chipinge stripped a woman naked and tied her together with her husband to a tree before looting the couple’s vehicle of money and other valuables.
The robbers Tapiwa Mbirimi (27) and Tonderai Mbirimi (33) who are brothers from Gaza Township, Chipinge even had the guts to order the couple to telephone to get someone to bring more money on the guise that the two had a problem with their car.
Grace Manzunzu brought $1 300 to the 80km peg along Mutare – Masvingo Road where Shupikai Gwandiziba and her husband Kasma Nhemachena had been abducted but the robbers took the money and disappeared.
The robbers were slapped with six years jail each after appearing before Masvingo Magistrate Victor Mohammed.
Gwandiziba and Nhemachena stay in Aphiri in Masvingo. Nhemachena is employed by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare at Benjamin Vurombo Building, Masvingo.
James Murambiza representing the State said that on February 8, 2015 at 12pm, the complainants were travelling along Masvingo-Mutare road driving a Red Toyota vehicle when the vehicle developed a fault.
The husband was driving and he pulled off the road to sort out the problem. The two accused approached them from the bush armed with logs and ordered Gwandiziba and Nhemachena to open their motor vehicle so that they could search the vehicle.
The complainants resisted resulting in Mbirimi brothers assaulting the complainants with the logs all over the body and a fight ensued.
Gwandiziba who was sat at the passenger seat disembarked in a bid to assist her husband who was being attacked by the accused, but Tapiwa Mbirimi attacked her. Tapiwa realised that he was overpowered and produced an Okapi knife and stabbed Gwandiziba on the chest, finger and thigh.
The accused then force marched the complainants into the bush where they tied the hands of their victims and instructed Gwandiziba to remove her clothes since they were blood stained.
They then stole $100, one Samsung GT- 1205 and a Nokia Asher cell phone belonging to Gwandiziba and $20 and Nokia E75 cell phone from Nhemachena.
Mbirimi returned from the vehicle and demanded for some more money and continued assaulting Nhemachena.
Gwandiziba told the two accused that she had money at home and she phoned Grace Manzunzu to collect cash from her house and bring it to the scene purporting that they had a breakdown.
Manzunzu brought $1 300 which was taken by Gwandiziba who then handed over the money to the Mbirimi brothers.
The two accused then released the complainants and disappeared into the bushes.
The robbers were arrested at Nyika Growth Point.
Magistrate Victor Mohammed slapped the two brothers with six years imprisonment and suspended two years for five years on condition of good behaviour.

The ZANU PF controlled National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has fired a record 355 workers.
The move comes immediately the after Supreme Court ruling which now allows companies to terminate contracts on three months’ notice and without pay.
According to sources, the massive layoffs at NRZ, which were expected to affect up to 1 200 workers, have seen two departments being shut down being the Inspectorate Services Section and Research Design and Development.
Targeted employees who were given letters of employment termination were mostly those who book off sick continuously and those with pending disciplinary cases, as well as the vocal and militant ones, an NRZ official claimed yesterday. They said about 60 first-year apprentices were laid off. NRZ spokesperson Fanuel Masikati could not be reached for comment last night. The parastatal has not been paying workers for some time now.

A pastor for Living Word Ministries in Beatrice has been arrested for killing a woman, his wife, with a kitchen knife on the very day of worship Sunday last week.
Pastor Madaritso Ranch (of Malawian origin) allegedly committed the heinous act before fleeing towards the Mozambican border. He was arrested before skipping into that country yesterday.
His wife, Pamella Muzondi’s body was discovered early Friday morning but relatives believe she may have been killed five days before and the body left hidden in the couple’s bedroom. “She was killed on Sunday and we only discovered her on Thursday,” a relative told ZimEye.com
[lightbox link=”http://www.zimeye.com/http://www.zimeye.com/wp-content/live_images/2015/08/POLICE-BEATRICE.jpg” thumb=”http://www.zimeye.com/http://www.zimeye.com/wp-content/live_images/2015/06/warning.png” width=”412″ align=”center” title=”warning” frame=”true” icon=”image” caption=””]

The body was found in a pool of blood as she lay in the bedroom.
Pamella is survived by a three-year old child.
The case is being investigated by Beatrice Police Station. More to follow…

Opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Professor Welshman Ncube says that First Lady Grace Mugabe runs to Singapore at every little ailment while an average Zimbabwean woman runs to prophets who end up raping them claiming to be treating them.
Writing in his Fridays weekly publications entitled “Zimbabwe’s walking sick ” Professor Ncube describes how the ZANU PF government has failed to provide the country with affordable public health service while the elite seek medical treatment outside the country. The MDC leader describes the failures by government to provide basic public health as failing a Zimbabweans of their constitutional right as provided for in the constitution.
“…one of the primary functions of any government must be to secure the health of its citizens. This is why among our national objectives the constitution obligates the state to take all practical measures to ensure the provision of “basic accessible and adequate health services throughout Zimbabwe” and the Bill of Rights declares that every citizen has the “right to have access to basic health -care services, including reproductive health care services” and that none shall be “refused emergency medical treatment in any health -care institution, writes Professor Ncube.
According to the MDC leader, President Mugabe and his “cronies ” seek medical treatment outside the country and all but confirm the lack of confidence in the country’s health delivery system. Ncube accuses President Mugabe and his wife of rushing to Singapore for every little ailment without considering local treatment.
“To add another line to Zimbabwe’s health horror script, President Mugabe and his cronies despise local medical treatment to the extent that he commutes to the Far East every quarter for ‘eye treatment’.”
First Lady Grace Mugabe was not skated the wreath of the Professor as she also runs to the Far East for medical attention contrary to the highly acclaimed former First Lady the late Sally Mugabe who opted for local hospitals till her death at a Parirenyatwa Hospital a public hospital in Harare.
“The tragedy is that President Mugabe’s late wife, Sally Heyfron, was ‘allowed to die’ at Parirenyatwa while Grace Mugabe flies to Singapore, China or Dubai at the shortest possible opportunity and at the slightest ailment. Former ZANU PF top dog Cephas Msipa once commented that his colleagues do not even bother to experience the professionalism of local medical treatment.”
In one of his most hard hitting publications of his weekly writings, Ncube condemns the government’s poor prioritisation for the fall in the health system which sees many Zimbabweans particularly women come to realities of unheard of experience in pursuit of health services.
“Millions of dollars are spent on large government delegations overseas to sign invisible ‘mega deals’ as women deliver still born children on floors in dark, cold rural clinics. It is a tragedy of mammoth proportions.”
“Many Zimbabweans have turned to traditional healers and ‘Pentecostal prophets’ for health relief, some women and teenage girls exposed to rape by bearded false prophets dressed in white and carrying some fake sticks.
Professor Ncube promises Zimbabweans that his MDC party holds the solution to the country’s health delivery system.
“My party, the MDC believes that a devolved service delivery framework will guarantee health care sustainability and respond effectively to the conditions of virtual collapse and widespread dysfunction in health care infrastructure. Our National Health Care Strategy will be founded on new, innovative ways and approaches to sustainable long-term funding and resource mobilisation for the health sector. The MDC will fulfill, protect and promote the constitutional right of all Zimbabwean citizens to have access to affordable basic health care services as we are of the firm belief that the right to access health care must be realized across society so that those who need care are able to access it regardless of who or where they are or their ability to pay.”
“We will promote the increased role and contributions of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS), traditional medical interventions and the value of herbal medicines to increase choice and health care diversity.”

A Victoria Falls man was on Wednesday trampled to death by an elephant at a bushy area near the Fuller Forest, in yet another incident of human – animal conflict in the resort town.
The deceased was identified as Alphas Masuku (65) of Lupinyu BH28 Matabeleland North Province police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Mandlenkosi Ndlovu confirmed the incident.
“I can confirm we received a message about an ex-Fuller Forest employee who died after being trampled by an elephant on Wednesday night,” he said.
Ndlovu said Masuku (65) was walking from Lupinyu to Fuller Forest compound to collect his property following his recent retirement. He was accompanied by Maxwell Makwinya (27).
Ndlovu said at around 6:30pm the two met three elephants going the opposite direction and one of them immediately charged at Masuku and killed him.
Makwinya escaped unharmed.
“The man’s intestines, the liver and other body parts were strewn all over and his body was covered with tree branches.” he said.
Masuku’s body was taken to the Victoria Falls Hospital mortuary after a police report.
Cases of dangerous animals killing or seriously injuring residents have become common in the resort town.
In April, last year, a 32-year-old man was trampled by elephants while walking home from a beer drink at about 8PM in Chinotimba.
In 2012, Tendekai Madzivanzira, a Victoria Falls Safari lodge head guide was killed by an elephant at a waterhole within the lodge.
During the same year, Margret Mudenda a mother of three was also trampled to death by an elephant in a bushy area between Mkhosana and Chinotimba townships.
Last month, the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority shot down an elephant that had been terrorising residents in the resort town.
The town is within the Zambezi National Park and the Victoria Falls National Park.-SouthernEye

Zimbabwe’s Prosecutor General, Johannes Tomana was today attacked by primary school girls for his statements of decriminalising sexual abuse of 12 year olds and qualifying them for marriage.
The girls from Matabeleland’s Lwendulo primary school openly recited to him a poem during the regional merit awards held at Landa J Nkomo High school in Tsholotsho, denouncing the newly passed law which adjusted the girls’ early sexual age of consent. – See more at: …../


 

PREMIER SERVICE Medical Aid Society (Psmas)’s new Managing Director Henry Mandishona who took over from expelled Cuthbert Dube in May, is taking home a staggering US$40 000 per month, being 480,000 per year, more than two times what British Prime Minister David Cameron earns.
Report By The Independent.

The figure almost four times the US$11 000 he should be getting under the new remuneration structure, while the company is struggling, the Zimbabwe Independent has learnt.
Mandishona effectively took over from former Psmas CEO Cuthbert Dube who was reportedly earning about US$500 000 dollars in salary and perks from the group.
Information obtained this week shows Psmas has now reduced its wage bill by 96% or US$6 million after a restructuring exercise. The company had hired a consultant to restructure the business and cut costs.
Details seen by the Zimbabwe Independent also indicate Mandishona is getting far more than what he is entitled to. Efforts to get comment from him last night failed. Besides, that Mandishona reportedly also splurged US$53 000 on office furniture since his appointment.
After hiring a consultant, Psmas has streamlined operations, including remuneration, benefits, and vehicle policies. The average monthly salary for top executives before the current rationalisation was US$65 000, with a few top executives earning between US$100 000 and US$400 000 then.
However, Psmas executives are now supposed to earn between US$9 000 and US$11 000 as monthly salaries despite that Mandishona is getting US$40 000.
Insiders say the average benefits for executives which were US$ 10 000 have now been slashed to about US$1 000. This has left top company executives fuming, while others were resisting changes even though the firm is struggling.
Some other new changes include a new vehicle policy which states that heads of departments will now be driving twin cabs 4×4 vehicles, not luxury cars such as the Mercedes Benz and Jeep Cherokee. All top executives will be entitled to a single SUV Land Cruiser and a sedan such as a Mercedes Benz.
Insiders say Mandishona has two cars, an SUV and Mercedes Benz.
The new MD took over the running of Psmas at a time the health insurer was facing serious financial challenges that have seen it failing to pay service providers and its members being turned away by medical practitioners.
Psmas blames part of its problems on government’s failure to remit civil servants’ contributions. Government owed Psmas US$71 million, although it recently paid US$61 million.
All things considered, it however still owes Psmas US$25 million in outstanding contributions. Civil servants constitute the majority of over 800 000 members of the health insurer, which has branches across the country and the region.
Last week, the Independent reported a looting frenzy at Premier Services Medical Investments (PSMI), a subsidiary of Psmas, where large sums of money had reportedly been squandered or siphoned off by its top directors through overpriced car acquisitions, insurance fraud and huge salary perks.
PSMI is a group of medically related, strategic business units wholly-owned by Psmas.
Insiders say attempts to change the situation at Psmas followed the hiring of Ethel Kuuya (EK) Consultancy Services (EK is owned by turnaround strategist Ethel Kuuya) which has been trying to reorganise the company.
“The new consultants at Psmas introduced a new market-based remuneration structure which was accepted by the interim board and signed off by interim committee chairperson Dr Gibson Mhlanga,” a senior Psmas executive said this week.
When EK came on board, they proposed a structure that would enhance service delivery for both members and service providers which was accepted and endorsed by the board in December 2014. “They ensured project preserved jobs and avoided retrenchment of general staff as well as introduced an equitable grading system which previously did not exist,” the executive said.
Kuuya was awarded the contract to carry out Psmas restructuring after she left PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) which had initially been hired to do an organisational transformation exercise.
The Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) between Psmas, PwC and EK, seen by this paper, states that PwC was awarded the contract in April 2014, the same month Kuuya resigned from PwC.
Kuuya served out her three months’ notice from April to June, during which time she was project manager for PwC at Psmas.
“On the first day of April 2014 Psmas engaged Pricewaterhouse Coopers to do an organisational transformation exercise. Whereas the consultant was the PwC project manager and in that capacity was an instrumental member of the project. The consultant left the employ of PwC for personal reasons,” reads the MOU.
“As the notice period drew to a close, Psmas and PwC both acknowledged that Kuuya was instrumental to the success and conclusion of the project, and all three of the parties (Kuuya, Psmas, and PwC) agreed to a constructive way forward.
“PwC signed an addendum to their contract acknowledging and agreeing to Psmas intention to contract EK directly. EK signed a contract with Psmas to carry out the work that PwC could not conclude. EK signed a contract with Psmas as an independent consultant on the 1st of August 2014.
“PwC, Psmas and EK are all in agreement that for the project to be successfully implemented, the consultant (EK) should continue working on the strategy organisational review and design service while PwC does the rest of the work as contained in the agreement signed between it and Psmas on the 1st of April.”
Kuuya specialises in turnaround strategies, organisational development, culture realignment and performance measurement. She has done consultancy in Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Nigeria for both private and public entities. Efforts to speak to Kuuya were unsuccessful as she was said to be out of the country.

Today marks exactly two years since Robert Mugabe and his beleaguered and faction – ridden political party, Zanu PF, staged the mother of all electoral theft and rigged themselves into power on July 31,2013.
Two years down the line, the illegitimate Zanu PF regime has totally failed to rescue the national economy from an endless tailspin that has led to an unprecedented number of workers losing their jobs in the formal sector as several companies and industries continue to close down. Thousands of people have been unleashed onto the streets as desperate vendors struggling to eke out a living. More than 60 000 people have since lost their jobs in just a short period of two years.
Following upon the disappointing Supreme Court judgment that was handed down on July 17, 2015, at least 16 000 more workers have since lost their jobs as broke and struggling companies are jostling to downsize their business operations.Zimbabwe is facing a national socio – economic crisis of unprecedented proportions.
Oblivious of the collapsing economy around him, Robert Mugabe has embarked on endless foreign jamborees that have cost the national treasury no less than US$100 million in only two years. The bloated civil service is struggling to be paid on a regular basis and in his mid – term fiscal policy review statement that was presented in Parliament on Thursday, July 30, 2015 a thoroughly exasperated and out – of – sorts Minister of Finance, Patrick Chinamasa announced that the government intends to cut the size of the civil service by at least 40%.
This effectively means that at least 200 000 civil servants will soon be laid off and dumped on the job market. Things have gone horribly wrong in Zimbabwe. The national economy has virtually imploded and central government is now totally bankrupt.Robert Mugabe might have successfully managed to rig the elections on July 31,2015 but he has certainly dismally failed to rig the economy.The end game is beckoning.
The MDC calls upon all patriotic Zimbabweans to come together and help save their country from total collapse. The ruinous economic policies that that have been pursued by the bankrupt Zanu PF regime in the past two years have led to massive capital flight. The ill – conceived and unco–ordinated so – called indigenisation program has scared off potential investors and led to the severe downsizing and closure of the few remaining businesses that are still operating in the formal sector.
We are now faced with the horrifying spectre of a national economy that has been virtually informalised in a very short two years. The revenue base for the tax authority continues to shrink and there is a real likelihood that the Zanu PF regime will very soon be totally unable to pay civil servants their salaries and other benefits. Zimbabwe is presently in an economic and financial hell hole.
The prevailing economic condition is clearly unsustainable. Something has got to give. Robert Mugabe and his broke Zanu PF regime should immediately swallow their pride; bite the bullet and admit that the economic situation needs emergency surgery.
As the MDC, we have always advocated for a social democratic socio – economic trajectory that would stimulate job creation and also trigger the sustainable growth of the country’s agricultural, manufacturing and industrial base.
Zimbabwe is an agro – based economy that can only remain vibrant provided that the agricultural sector is provided with adequate infrastructural and financial support.With the prevailing massive power load shedding and shortage of dams and irrigation infrastructure, our otherwise very hard – working and committed commercial and communal farmers will never be able to provide enough food for the nation.
Put simply, Zimbabwe will remain a net importer of food.This is a very embarrassing and humiliating state of affairs for a country that, only a few years ago, was the bread basket of Southern Africa.The country needs to have a grain reserve of about 1,2 million metric tonnes of maize but right now, only 40 000 metric tonnes of maize have been delivered to the Grain Marketing Board.
The Zanu PF regime is totally bankrupt and they don’t have the money to import the required maize in order to feed the nation. The MDC calls for the holding of an emergency national convergence indaba aimed at rescuing the country from the impending disaster.
At least 3 million Zimbabweans will be facing starvation by year end if no emergency remedial action is taken by the Zanu PF and other concerned stakeholders.A government that cannot feed its own people is not fit for purpose.Robert Mugabe should take a long,hard look at himself and proceed to do the honourable thing of resigning in order to save the nation.We trust that good sense and patriotism will prevail and that the clueless Zanu PF regime will see the light and throw in the towel. That is the only decent thing to do in the prevailing circumstances.
MDC: EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
Obert Chaurura Gutu
National Spokesperson

First Lady Grace Mugabe has heightened her calls for the castration of men who abuse and marry underage girls.
As she called on the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to align the existing laws to the new constitution to ensure no marriages are allowed to children below 18, Grace called for stiffer penalties to be meted on those engaging in child marriages.
 
Grace said older men who entice kids into early marriages should be castrated.
 
She said she will, on behalf of women in Zimbabwe, continue advocating for castration through various platforms in the country.
 
The First Lady was speaking to thousands of women from different pursuits of life and school children who gathered at the Harare International Conference Centre for the launch of the African Union Campaign on Ending Child Marriages this Friday.
 
Mugabe implored chiefs represented at the launch by Chief Fortune Charumbira to continue spreading the gospel against child marriages.
Mugabe castigated some sentences that are being given to perpetrators of child rape such as community service saying they leave a lot to be desired.
 
She took a swipe at some young school children who seduce older men saying they should first concentrate on their education, adding that school girls should do first things first.   Mugabe said she is also not happy with some older women and members of the community who blame their children.  The First Lady said it is the responsibility of the community to build and bring up a child.

The government central mechanical equipment parastatal CMED has fired workers across the country.
In a development that will see close to a hundred work-persons suddenly laid off without retrenchment pay, the department moved to axe long standing employees some who have been faithful for over 29 years.

Zimbabwe’s Prosecutor General, Johannes Tomana was today attacked by primary school girls for his statements of decriminalising sexual abuse of 12 year olds and qualifying them for marriage.
The girls from Matabeleland’s Lwendulo primary school openly recited to him a poem during the regional merit awards held at Landa J Nkomo High school in Tsholotsho, denouncing the newly passed law which adjusted the girls’ early sexual age of consent.
ZimEye.com captured the young girls in action attacking the decision, in full glare of legislators and senior education officers, who were also gathered for the schools event.

The girls also denounced the sexual abuse mentioning attacks by parents and teachers, who they criticised for not defending them from depraved predators who are now thriving on “Tomana’s legal interpretation” to rape their own daughters. Watch the girls in action on Saturday morning – 0100Hrs:

A former Harare high school teacher now working for the Lobels company, has been sacked due to the recent Supreme Court ruling empowering employers to fire workers. ALSO READ “Axing Workers Very Good for Zimbabwe” – Minister | ZimEye

Despite her recent denials, First Lady Grace Mugabe is still headed for the Presidency, a top ex-military man Captain Albert Matapo says.
Matapo who is well connected with army structures, contends that Mrs Mugabe will be President deputised by the two Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko.
Matapo who now leads a new party called United Crusader for Achieving Democracy (UCAD), adds saying contrary to speculative rumours, Joyce Mujuru will not return to ZANU PF but remain in the opposition. He communicates these views in the below paper:
GRACE MUGABE VS THE TWO ZANU VICE PRESIDENTS: UCAD PERSPECTIVE AND PLANS

Mugabe is busy positioning Grace to be the next President. She is going to be deputised by the same Vice Presidents Mnangagwa and Mboko. She will be vocal but everything being dictated by Ngwena. Mai Mujuru and team are meant to act as true opposition, making noise within the opposition circles but with no interest to take power. It is very clear that soon all those who were close to Tsvangirai will get overtaken by these fakes because the people of Zimbabwe are too blind to be able to see reality.
I do not mind criticism but the reality remains. The popular opposition has already overtaken by vampires who were sent by Mugabe to do exactly that. Grace is going to officially take over as the President of the republic once the ancestor Mugabe is declared dead. The Politiburo will sit and elect Grace as both leader of Zanu and President of Zimbabwe. These murderers. Liars, thieves are merely following the example of North Korea on this aspect. When Kim Yong died the Juntas simply put his son. Its not the son who is rulling but the Juntas. That is exactly what is coming to us.
It is a pity some people are leading the majority into accepting that these Zanu murderers the likes of Temba Mliswa, Jabulani Sibanda, mai Mujuru, Dydmus Mutasa, etc are genuine. As UCAD Green Party we maintain that those murderers are still part of Mugabe and were only assigned to destroy opposition. You do not unite with a spy simply because you have grown to know that it is unity that helps to win struggles. These are men and women purely on a mission. Some senior opposition leaders could be aware of this and this could be a deal that earned them big amounts of money. During the 1990 elections Zanu used Tekere. This is when Patrick Kombayi was shot by Elias Kanengoni who later got promoted for that. In 1995 Zanu used both Tekere and Margaret Dongo. Tekere was made to team up with Muzorewa and other opposition parties to become United Parties, and he destroyed them. In both 2000 and 2002 Zanu used Farm invasions. In 2005 they still used Farm invasions. In 2008 they used the same issue of farms during the first round then they used violence in the second round.
In 2013 Zanu used NIKUV. If you recall the issue of ink was mentioned by Baba vaJukwa just before elections. Now in 2018 Zanu plans to use this issue of factionalism, fake suspensions plus NIKUV. Only blind people can afford to ignore these points. Analytical people will examine and re- examine UCAD’s point of view.
Those who are good at remembering or keeping records, may you keep this record. We need to remind the nation when it eventually happens. Mai Mujuru with what she and her husband looted, she has no reason to want to be President. She has had enough. On the other hand Mnangagwa also looted equally much but is there to ensure that opposition does not take over as they all would lose what they stole and they would end up in jail. If it was genuine that these Zanu thieves and murderers, the likes of Temba Mliswa, Jabulani Sibanda, Mai Mujuru, Dydmus Mutasa, etc were opposing Zanu for real and they posed genuine threat to Mugabe, Ngwena, Mboko, and team then it would not take Mugabe a day to silence them. Mugabe and Ngwena are killers. They do not hesitate killing. In a day they make them dissappear.
The truth is that genuine threat to Mugabe and team today cannot openly operate in Zimbabwe, never. Dzamara was genuine but he did not see the fact that genuine threats have to be well forward. Being well forward does not mean right at number one, no. Ask Military Officers who received Cadet Officer training. Dzamara only lacked that knowledge. He was following the footsteps of those who have since been corrupted by Zanu. This is only the truth that some people may not want to hear. If we do not make sure to neutralise Zanu before 2018 then all this would be proved. Fortunately as UCAD (Mugabe’s real lions) we are not going to wait for this proof to come. We are going to correct all the wrongs. We know the nation has suffered enough and we feel for you. Let no one ask us how but just join if you are a man. Those who are not, stay away. UCAD will do what it can. We already have all the backing that we need. Those with doubts, stay away. Those who want come forward. Do not ask us when. Good night.

A Zimbabwean man beheaded in South Africa around the Durban area has been identified and claimed by a Victoria Falls family from pictures as Mr Never Charinya.
Disturbing pictures published by ZimEye.com in April showed a man’s decapitated head being held from the ear by one of the murder suspects.
Mr Charinya who called himself Papa Yeta, traveled to South Africa at the age of 32 in 1995, “and he never came back ,” a top relative told ZimEye.com.
The incident is suspected to have occurred sometime early this year when xenophobic violence began in several parts of South Africa.[lightbox link=”http://www.zimeye.com/http://www.zimeye.com/wp-content/live_images/2015/07/Never-Charinya2.jpg” thumb=”http://www.zimeye.com/http://www.zimeye.com/wp-content/live_images/2015/06/warning.png” width=”412″ align=”right” title=”warning” frame=”true” icon=”image” caption=””]  The South African government denied that the act was due to xenophobic violence.
 
PUBLIC APPEAL by Family[lightbox link=”http://www.zimeye.com/http://www.zimeye.com/wp-content/live_images/2015/07/Never-Charinya.jpg” thumb=”http://www.zimeye.com/http://www.zimeye.com/wp-content/live_images/2015/06/mad-man-warning.jpg” width=”471″ align=”right” title=”mad-man-warning” frame=”true” icon=”image” caption=””]
Charinya’s family is now appealing for assistance with information on where Charinya could be buried and exactly where the murder occurred plus also details on who committed the heinous act.
“There is a story which you wrote about a man who was beheaded in South Africa”,  a top relative told ZimEye.com
We had a brother who went to South Africa in 1995. He never came back home, never communicated with anyone.
Yesterday we saw the disturbing picture of a man holding the head of a beheaded man, and the face resembles that of our son. Everyone here is very sure that he is the one killed.
This happened during the Xenophobia days.
“May you please kindly assist us with information of the dead man.
“We are sure he is our son. It will give us comfort to know the details of the dead man,” the relative who refused to be named because the deceased’s mother has not been notified, told ZimEye.com. Anyone with any information ias asked to contact the editor on Whatsapp +447426863301 Or Email at 
 
 
 

Zimbabwe’s Prosecutor General, Johannes Tomana is responsible for rent dodgery for amounts accruing to over $146,000 it has emerged.
The National Prosecuting Authority has fallen on hard times as it struggles to pay rent for Corner House Building in Harare resulting in an outstanding bill of $146 000. When the National Prosecuting Authority Act became operational in January this year and the independent authority recruited its own secretariat, Government saw it fit to move them from the New Government Complex to some rented offices at Corner House.
Prosecutors moved into the new building in March this year, but the NPA is facing challenges in paying rent.
Prosecutor-General Mr Johannes Tomana revealed the information on Wednesday at the official handover of the same building from Government to the NPA. The bills have ballooned to those levels barely four months after the NPA took occupation of the building.
Appealing to Vice President and Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs overseer Emmerson Mnangagwa for financial assistance, Mr Tomana revealed that the bill now stood at $146 000.
“While we applaud our permanent secretary for the support we are being given, I want to call upon the accounting office to continue paying more attention to us in terms of the financial aspect.
“I say so because as I speak to you Sir, we are in rental arrears for this building to the tune of $146 000, which is not a very nice starting point . . .” said Mr Tomana.
However, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Permanent Secretary Mrs Virginia Mabhiza assured Mr Tomana that Treasury was addressing the problem and the debt would soon be cleared.
“The Treasury is very much aware of the problem and it is being addressed. Our plan is to clear the debt and to ensure payments are done six months in advance,” said Mrs Mabhiza.
Vice President Mnangagwa said Government would work towards constructing a building for the NPA to avoid renting other people’s properties.

He said the rented building for NPA was only a starting point for the newly established authority, but Government was planning to buy a building to accommodate prosecutors.
“This is the first of many steps to build the capacity of the NPA and hopefully in the short to medium term, it will buy its own building to be used as its headquarters. It is our vision that the NPA will be accommodated in its own premises throughout the country and that all its officers be housed in habitable offices,” said VP Mnangagwa.
VP Mnangagwa added that Government was trying to find ways of addressing all the challenges facing the NPA.
“Government is aware of the challenges faced by officers of the NPA and let me assure you that we are tirelessly looking for ways to address your conditions of service,” he said.
At the same occasion, Chinese Ambassador Lin Lin handed over a donation of 20 desktop computers, 10 laptops and five printers to the NPA.
VP Mnangagwa hailed the Chinese government for the donation, saying it strengthened the good relations between the two governments.
“Let me now also thank the Chinese government represented here by Ambassador Lin Lin for their generous donation of computers and printers.
“On behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe and indeed on my own behalf, I would like to convey my sincere gratitude to our all-weather friends from China.
“This generous donation is testimony of the good relations between the Government of Zimbabwe and the government of the People’s Republic of China . . .”
Mr Tomana said he had visited all NPA offices countrywide and realised the need to capacitate the authority for more efficiency. “We have travelled countrywide and we realised that the situation on the ground requires capacitation.
“The stations are working, but with improved capacitation, we can do better,” he said. Ambassador Lin said China would continue assisting Zimbabwe in line with the two countries’ bilateral relations.

-Herald

THE Mutare Show Grounds were cordoned off on Wednesday morning as scores of prison officers besieged the provincial agricultural exhibition centre to track down a convict who had escaped and disappeared into the adjacent Murahwa Hills. The fugitive, Kenneth Mubvumbi (29), who is serving two years at Mutare Remand Prison, made good his escape while doing maintenance work with eight other convicts under the watchful eye of two armed prison guards.
Mubvumbi tricked one of the guards into believing that he was relieving himself, yet he was scaling the perimeter fence.
Clad in his khaki prison garb, he vanished into the nearby thickets.
After realising that Mubvumbi had taken long to come out of the toilet, the guard went to investigate and got the shock of his life when he realised that the convict had actually escaped.
When journalists arrived at the scene moments after the escape, the two prison officers were at pains to explain what had happened.
One of them quickly called for help, while the other guarded the remaining eight convicts who were holding their garden tools.
“He lied that he was going to the toilet. Moments later he was gone,” said one of the convicts.
In no time, a Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service Nissan UD truck arrived at the Show Grounds with hordes of armed officers on board to beef up the search party.
They were briefed of the circumstances surrounding the escape and quickly went into action to track down the fugitive.
While some climbed up the hill, other officers mopped up the entire Show Grounds premises and surrounding areas looking for clues to nab the escapee.
“We have done this before and we are definitely going to apprehend him,” said one of the officers.

Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services public relations officer for Manicaland Region Principal Prison Officer Liberty Mhlanga said the fugitive was an inmate at Mutare Remand Prison serving a two-year sentence handed down by a Mutare court.
“He was sentenced on June 12, 2015 on malicious injury to property charges and was supposed to be out on October 11 next year. Circumstances surrounding his escape are that he scaled a security fence and disappeared into the Murahwa Hills.
“The fugitive was part of a nine-man crew that was doing maintenance work at the Show Grounds. He is yet to be located and we urge members of the public to report to the nearest police station if they have any leads,” he said.
PPO Mhlanga said search parties would work round the clock tracking the escaped convict.
In 2013, a 24-year-old prisoner was convicted by a local court for escaping from Mutare Farm Prison where he was serving a three-year jail term. Jealous Makaza made good his escape on September 24, 2013 after disappearing from the prison garden where he was working. He was due to complete the sentence on August 7, 2015.
In 2012, an armed robber escaped from holding cells at the Mutare Magistrates’ Courts soon after being convicted of four counts of robbery. Trymore Gata, who was awaiting sentence ran away from prison guards and sped off in a gate-away Toyota Mark II vehicle which was parked at the court’s entrance. He was later re-arrested and jailed.
In 2011 another armed robber was shot dead following a failed escape bid at the Mutare Magistrates’ Courts in which members of the public gave chase and apprehended the escapee in the city centre.-Manicapost

FOLLOWING a demonstration by MDC legislator Priscilla Mushonga on Zimbabwe’s importing of second hand underwear, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has announced a 10 percent increase in import duty on second hand vehicles and a ban on the importation of second hand clothes.
Presenting the Mid-Term Fiscal Review in Parliament, Chinamasa increased surtax on imported second hand vehicles of five years and older to 35 percent from 25 percent in a bid to protect local car assemblers and contain the growing import bill.
Chinamasa announced a cocktail of measures to protect local industry which include a ban on second hand clothes and the scrapping of rebate on imported basic goods that can be produced locally from August 1. He said the economy continued to be weighed down by a ballooning import bill, with exports remaining constrained.
Imports for the six months to June this year stood at $3,1 billion from $3 billion recorded in the corresponding period last year, he said, adding that imports are expected to grow by six percent this year.
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
›› Economic growth revised downwards to 1,5 percent
›› Government to reduce wage bill from 80 percent to 40 percent of total budget.
›› Duty on second hand vehicles increased.
›› Groceries such as maize-meal, meat, sugar and flour to be removed from Traveller’s Rebate
›› Importation of second hand clothing and shoes banned
›› Agriculture output projected to decline by 8,2 percent in 2015.
›› $3 million facility for SMEs
›› $5 million seed money for Women’s Bank.
›› Revenue target reduced to $3,6 billion from $3,99 billion
›› World Bank to fund audits of Public Enterprises.
›› Blankets to be removed from the Open General Import Licence for two years.
›› Exports projected to decline by 5 percent
Exports account for 50 percent of the country’s liquidity, he said.
A marginal 0,4 percent growth was seen in exports receipts for the six months to June this
year amounting to $1,3 billion compared to $1,22 billion recorded in the corresponding period last year.
With Zimbabwe’s car manufacturing sector virtually non-existent, thousands of Zimbabweans have resorted to second hand car imports from Japan and Britain, driving up the import bill.
The importation of second hand clothes and shoes will be banned with effect from September 1 this year. Goods will be subject to seizure and destruction.
Zimbabwe’s textile and leather industries have, since dollarisation, been under siege from the influx of imports, especially finished second hand clothes, shoes and leather products that forced some of them to close down.
The new measures also form part of extensive measures the government is taking to grow the economy, with the economic growth rate revised down from 3,2 percent to 1,5 percent due to a poor agricultural season.
The slower growth is also expected to impact government revenues, which have since been revised downwards to $3,6 billion from $3,99 billion after first half collections missed the target by 6 percent.
Minister Chinamasa said apart from the negative impact of second hand imports of shoes and clothes on industrial recovery, these products posed a health hazard, as they were not subjected to fumigation.
He said despite the customs duty rates of $5 per kg on clothing and 40 percent plus $1 per pair of shoes to reduce competition for local industry, the products had continued to flood the market.
“I, therefore, propose to remove secondhand clothing and shoes from the Open General Import Licence.,” he said.
“Furthermore, any future importation of second hand clothing and shoes will be liable to forfeiture and destruction. Over and above this, the emergence of vending of cheap, low quality and smuggled imports is further choking both our producers and retailers, in addition to limiting inflows into the fiscus”.
The sale of second hand shoes and clothes had become so rampant along virtually all streets of the country’s major cities, towns and business centres, as most of the products were evading paying duty.
The used products were sold everywhere including in front of formal retail shops, which negatively impacted on established businesses that pay rentals and taxes to the government.
Prior to the proliferation of secondhand shoes and clothes, this form of trade was confined to officially designated places such as Mupedzanhamo in Mbare and Nkulumane in Bulawayo.
The minister also removed from the travellers rebate such grocery items as mealie-meal, meat, sugar and flour.
“Customs duty is levied on selected groceries that include flour, mealie-meal, bath and laundry soap, washing powder, toothpaste and petroleum jelly, among others.
“Cross-border travellers continue to import groceries duty free under rebate. However, there is no justification for continued rampant importation, since locally manufactured products are readily available,” he said. World Bank to fund audits of Public Enterprises.

A BULAWAYO man will regret the day he fondled a waitress’s private parts as he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for indecent assault.
Marvellous Ncube, 31, appeared before magistrate Batanai Tuwe facing a charge of indecent assault.
Ncube pleaded not guilty to the crime. The magistrate sentenced him to 12 months but suspended six months on condition he does not commit a similar crime.
Ncube will serve the remaining six months in prison. Prosecuting, Dzidzai Josiah said on April 6 at around 8PM the victim was at the counter when Ncube came from behind and put his hand between her legs from behind and fondled her private parts.
When the victim pushed off his hand Ncube started to insult the victim saying she’s stupid. A police officer Tayengwa Mhlanga, who was a patron at the sports bar, spotted Ncube.
Tayengwa told the court how Ncube fondled the victim.
“I saw him put his hand underneath the buttocks as if to touch the private parts. I went up to him to show him my police identity card,” he said.
He said he called another police officer who was on duty from Southampton Building to arrest Ncube.
Ncube told the court that he was not drunk and remembers the events of the alleged night.
“I didn’t touch her. I just asked for a drink and she called me a thief. I was surprised when the police officer arrested me,” he said. Tuwe found Ncube guilty of indecent assault.
“Indecent assault can easily turn to rape and this matter calls for a deterrent sentence. The rights of women must be seen to be upheld by the courts,” he said.-Chronicle

ZIMBABWE’s VICE PRESIDENT Phelekezela Mphoko has said he is not planning on removing President Robert Mugabe.
Speaking yesterday Mphoko dismissed claims that he is angling to succeed President Mugabe.
He said he is content with his current post.
Mphoko appointed last year, said he should not be mixed up in succession plots after becoming a target of so called anti-Government tabloids.
Grace Mugabe and Zanu-PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere have also denied similar claims, with Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa also being a target in a scheme which appears designed to cause distrust in the party’s hierarchy.
Mphoko, who is on a tour of developmental projects in Matabeleland South province, told villagers in Maphisa that the values of his party Zanu-PF did not allow him to fight for his leader’s post.
“It has been reported that I’m fighting with Mnangagwa over the presidential post. I come from a culture with proper leadership that does not allow us to fight for our seniors’ posts,” the Vice President said.
“I want the people to know that I’m happy with my post as VP and I’m not fighting with Mnangagwa over the presidency. President Mugabe is not only our leader, but our father. We therefore respect his leadership and this will never change.”
He said it was unfortunate that people were wasting time peddling lies instead of focusing on more important things that bring development to the country.
“The late Vice Presidents s Joshua Nkomo, Simon Muzenda, Joseph Msika and John Nkomo never gave President Mugabe any problems and this is what we were taught in our party. I have no intentions to give our leader any problems.
“Those who want to be involved in fights for the presidential post are free to do so, but they should leave me alone because I’ve important work to do for the nation as VP.”
Kasukuwere, who is also the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister, recently distanced himself from the reports, saying he should be counted out of the imagined race.
He said he was there to assist and serve President Mugabe and should not be implicated in any succession plots and speculations.
President Mugabe has warned party members against propping up some leaders over others as this would create another “Gamatox” — a reference to a putschist cabal led by former Vice President Joice Mujuru who was expelled along with other top party officials for plotting to unconstitutionally depose him ahead of the 6th Zanu-PF People’s Congress last December.(State Media/Additional Reporting)

Air Zimbabwe is facing yet another crisis with the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Dr Obert Mpofu confirming that the airline has run out of Jet A1 fuel.
The minister confirmed the development to the State Media while raising fears that Air Zimbabwe might have to resort to seeking assistance from regional neighbours if its stocks have run dry.
Dr Mpofu also warned that while frantically trying to address the fuel crisis, several Air Zimbabwe flights will be affected and passengers inconvenienced.
Experts say the absence of a strategic leadership, a tainted image and other legacy issues have been identified as the major set-backs to turning around the fortunes of Air Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) says the recent Supreme Court labour rulings will help revive struggling companies operating under the current harsh economic environment.
ZNCC chief executive Christopher Mugaga on Tuesday told journalists in the capital that while the rulings had cost many people their livelihoods, the Court’s decisions would “pay dividend in the future”.
“There is absolutely nothing special about this ruling except that it was long overdue. Before (this ruling) companies could not dismiss excess workers, a situation which was bleeding and affecting performance,” he said.
Mugaga also said the ruling was a “mere interpretation of existent laws” thus making it “a very legal standing” by the court.
“We have always talked about how inflexible the country’s labour laws are, and now, the Supreme Court acted on one of the resolutions from our recently ended congress, which is that of aligning labour laws to accommodate streamlining measures.” Mugaga said.
This comes as Supreme Court Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku on July 17, 2015 passed a judgement that companies could terminate workers’ contracts at any time, without offering them packages by giving them three months’ notice.
The decision was in a case in which two former Zuva Petroleum managers, Don Nyamande and Kingstone Donga were challenging termination of their contracts.
The legal precedent that followed this decision was that most companies acted on this window and downsized, with close to 6 000 people having since lost their jobs since the ruling two weeks ago.
Early this week, barely 14 days after the first ruling, the same court made another landmark labour ruling giving employers the right to withdraw employees’ allowances and benefits saying these were not a right or entitlement.
In a judgment delivered at the Supreme Court, in a matter involving the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) against all its employees’ associations who were demanding payment of outstanding housing and educational allowances, it was ruled that the NRZ had no obligation to pay such allowances since issues of allowances were based on collective bargaining agreements.
Meanwhile, Davison Norupiri, ZNCC president said the ruling was similar to a case recorded in the 1990s.
“The ruling has stirred emotions and relief within the market, on the surface, it appears like a blatant violation of workers’ rights but once factors in the business environment we are operating in are put into play, one will realize this was a major relief.
“Surprisingly, the Zuva Petroleum vs. its staff is not the first ruling of this kind under the similar circumstances, if my memory serves me well, in the 1990s we had the Nhamo vs Chirisa case even though the judgment went unnoticed to the public,” he said. Dailynews.

The South African government this morning resumed a mass raid and deportation exercise of illegal immigrants resident in the country’s commercial capital Johannesburg.
The operation led by the South Africa Police Service includes officers from the country’s immigration department and reinforced by the City of Johannesburg’s Metro Police and members of the South African Defence Forces. Scores of officers and vehicles were this morning seen being dispatched into the notorious Hillbrow suburb of Johannesburg heavily armed and equipped.
Hillbrow is home to hundreds of thousands of foreigners most of whom are resident illegally in the country. Hillbrow is home to mostly Zimbabweans and Nigerians. It is estimated that about a million Zimbabweans are living in and and around Hillbrow a few of whom have proper documentation to reside in South Africa.
Panic hit the streets in the early hours of this morning as the police vehicles made their way into the metropolitan suburb. People were seen dashing in every direction fleeing the police. Scores of them who were on their way to work were seen getting off the taxis making good their escape back home.
At the time of this article, the police are still cordoning off several residential flats in the suburb and stopping everyone on the streets checking residence permits.
The South African government recently called on Zimbabweans resident in the country to come forward and regularise their stay in the country under a special dispensation permit. Only 650 000 out of an estimated 3 million Zimbabweans resident in the country responded to the call. The government has since been making threats to massively deport Zimbabweans who remained illegally in the country or using fraudulent documents.
It is not yet clear how long the operation code named Fiela will last or how much it will be spread into other towns in South Africa. In 2002, South Africa engaged in a similar exercise under operation Sikhukhula which was stopped by the United High Commissioner for Refugees after hundreds of thousands of foreigners had been deported or thrown into detention camps in South Africa.

DISCLAIMER: The below opinion piece is the author’s and no one else’s  : Once again, the First Lady, Dr Grace Mugabe, has put paid to speculations that were doing rounds in rumour mongering mills of the private media about her political ambitions.
Only recently, President Mugabe exposed other speculations that were peddled in the same media when he appointed Nyasha Chikwinya as the Minister of Women, Gender and Community Development, a ministry that detractors ruminated that it was being reserved for the First Lady. That was not to be and the First Lady pointed out clearly that she was not interested in a cabinet post. Indeed, she was very sincere in saying this because she has all the ministerial merits. There is nothing that could have stopped her from becoming one for she is far much better than certain people in the cabinet.
The First Lady bared out her thoughts on politics during her recent birthday celebrations. She told the whole nation, if not the entire world, that she was not eyeing the presidency neither did she had presidential ambitions. The private and international media have been awash with gibberish that suggested that the President was grooming his wife for the presidency.
Now that she has set the record straight, what is next for these peddlers of lies and prophets of doom? In any case, there is no law in Zimbabwe that prohibit her, as the First Lady, from seeking election as president, let alone any political office. She is a Zimbabwean citizen who, like anyone else, has constitutional rights to seek for any political office.
The constitution of Zimbabwe part 2 Section 91 subsection (1) (a)-(b) says: “A person qualifies for election as President or Vice President if he or she is a Zimbabwean citizen by birth, has attained the age of forty years, is ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe and is registered as a voter.”
Not that I am lobbying the First Lady to throw her hat in the ring but only that detractors must know that she is Zimbabwean who meets the prerequisites for the presidential office. She is a registered voter, a resident Zimbabwean, and she is 10 years above the constitutional age limit. Therefore, there is nothing whatsoever that can prohibit her from joining the presidential race as long as people support her.
However, we respect her decision to stay away from the presidential race and concentrate on women issues and her charitable projects. I personally wish if children’s affairs can come under her jurisdiction in the politburo. Nevertheless, Zimbabwe needs people of her calibre for the top office in the country. Like her husband, she is development oriented, which is what this country needs most in the face of the illegal sanctions that have devastated our country. She is philanthropist, a rare attribute that will pay dividend to this country. It will be a blessing in abundance for a country to have a big-hearted leader.
All the presidential hopefuls for this country, after the visionary leader, President Mugabe, must take a cue from the First Lady. They must be embodiment of all the virtues that are in the First Lady. They must adopt the zero tolerance to corruption and other vices. Zimbabwe needs someone who will be able to say, “Stop it” to all the vices that are an albatross around the neck of the socio-economic development of this country.
The birthday celebrations of the First Lady also exposed people who are always blind to good things but are quick to point at faults. The private media and other detractors slated the celebrations that they referred to as lavish. They wanted to give an impression that the First Lady was hosting the celebrations for personal benefits.
The First Lady keeps several orphans at her Mazowe children’s home and she is a patron of many other similar homes in Zimbabwe. The money she realised at the dinner will be channelled towards these homes. The funny part of it is that some of the people who are making the noise are the ones who sired and dumped or neglected the children that the First Lady is looking after.
There are many well-heeled people in this country but the idea of extending a helping hand to the needy and vulnerable section of the community never crossed their minds. Even the principal of these detractors, at one time, was very moneyed but never thought of adopting even a single orphan. Instead, he ‘adopted’ women, most of whom were gold diggers.
That principal lived large in a sea of poverty. He could afford a trip to New York to celebrate his belated birthday. He gave his newfound lover an open cheque to spend as she pleased. He could afford to pay US$36 000 in bride price for a wife, whom he later divorced and paid US$300 000 in an out of court settlement.
In a country that was economically bleeding, that principal afforded to buy a US$40 000-kitchen unit for a girl friend whom he later took for a wife. The same people, who try to play ignorance as an excuse to attack a noble cause, never censured that level of profligacy by their extravagant principal.

Rochdale News| A man has been charged with murder after a woman died in Rochdale.
Josphat Mutekedza (13/08/1979) of no fixed address was charged with murder and section 16 firearms offences and is due to appear before Manchester city magistrates today, Thursday 30 July 2015.

A 45-year-old man arrested has been released without charge.
At around 9.50pm on Wednesday 28 July 2015, police were called to reports of a disturbance on Shawclough Way in Rochdale.

Numerous reports were received of a man with a gun and further reports were received of shots having been fired.
A 35-year-old woman was found with stab wound injuries but she sadly died at hospital.-Rochdale News

Gokwe Nembudziya farmers have resorted to protect their cotton produce using so called “traditional methods” in which they use baboons as security guards following several thefts of their cotton bales by unscrupulous guards.
This came to light last week, after one of the security guards who was manning the cotton bales at Chinyenhyetu Township, met the traditional security partners, two baboons and a huge brown cat.
Simon Nderunderu of Kuwirirana village in Gokwe came face to face with two male baboons and a big brown cat sitting on top of a Chireya farmer’s cotton bales, and tried to scare them, but was in turn threatened by the creatures, before he took to his heals for assistance from the other guards who were on duty at the nearby shops.
The other two Rickson Machinga and Norman Ndoro advised Nderunderu to wait for the cotton owners to come, since most of Gokwe farmers have resorted to traditional ways of protecting their hard earned cotton produce.
“I am still in shock as I can still see the creatures in my eyes. I have asked my bosses to transfer me to another cotton depot, but they said I must resign if I am scared of Gokwe, and look for employment elsewhere,” said Nderunderu .
The two guards, who came to Simon’s rescue Machinga and Ndoro refused to be pictured for fear of victimisation from their employers and villagers, but confirmed the ordeal to ZimEye.com.
“We suspect our friend wanted to steal some of the cotton and came face to face with the creatures. In Gokwe, it is now common that farmers use their traditional means to protect their harvests, like what we saw at the cotton depot.
This time it’s no longer easy to reap what you did not sow in Gokwe, as most of the people are witches and can do everything possible to protect their wares from thieves,” said Machinga.
The owner of the cotton bales, who identified himself as Robson Kazenge confirmed the ownership of the creatures, but refused to shed more light on how he work with them.
“Sorry young man, it’s my secret that I will not reveal to you, because you will publish it and I will lose my wealth. What will you do to help me when I lose my strength? Iwe just know that these are my creatures that’s all,” said Kazenge before ordering this journalist to leave him in peace.
Gokwe Nembudziya has been awash with juju, as two weeks ago, a young girl rose from the dead before burial and also three old women confessed to have human flesh in their huts, for relish.
Headman Nembudziya’s representative Chekayi Chingwe confirmed the presence of the creatures and warned villagers against stealing from anyone’s fields, as death will befall them.
“We strongly warn thieves not to risk their lives here in Nembudziya, as we tried in vain to dialogue with juju community to resolve their issues amicably with their victims. Many people are dying as a result of theft from villages, especially from swelling stomachs and headaches,” he said.

A prophet Emannuel Makandiwa fake miracle exposed last month has opened another can of worms after the preacher attempting to ward off the humiliation was shown to have failed to heal the very same usher who pulled a string planted onto the red dress woman exposed by ZimEye.com, (Mrs Muza from Kwekwe).
Unedited church footage show that the same usher who performed the fraudulent act, remained with her own fat belly ( a real one) unhealed. The woman whose name was revealed as “Mrs Mbova”, is seen struggling with her bulging belly on live camera while Makandiwa claims to have healed the one Mbova is ushering(in a red dress). Her large belly is in sharp contrast to the one of the said “ill” woman in red dress- see picture below…

SEE VIDEO:

The woman in red dress has since been found to have lied that she has medical records to prove her belly condition. VIDEO:

In another video stitch up, Makandiwa responded to the expose’ as he called for ZimEye journalists to “bring their own bellies to be healed” by him. But news readers have asked why Makandiwa failed to perform the same miracle on his own usher a few centimetres from the patient, Mrs Mbova.

The Mugabe administration has once again come under fire from Zimbabwe’s Bulawayo Metropolitan Senator Eddie Cross, after he compared the effects of climate change as better than the Harare administration.
In his brief presentation during the Climate Change Consultative Forum in Bulawayo yesterday, the main opposition legislator blasted the ZANU PF led government for lack of professional governance in everything they do.
“Zimbabwe has failed to implement all important concerns and main activities due to their poor leadership skills and corruption. In as much as I am one of the legislators, I can confirm here that we have failed as a country, because we are under a bad government, whose mandate is not people oriented, but based on selfish ends.
This government is worse than the effects of climate change, as it has failed to rescue its people from the jaws of poverty they created,” said Eddie Cross.
His sentiments concurred with those of MDC Renewal Spokesperson Joshua Mhambi, who said that the Mugabe led government needed “guidance from the word of God”.
“While Zimbabwe was reduced from the bread basket of the continent to the cursed basket, the government must have the political will to deliver and implement their election promises. A bad government makes everything worse,” said Cross.

Zimbabwe’s Police officers prone to numerous senseless acts across the country, will now have powers to shoot suspects who resist arrest or attempt to flee from police custody under sweeping new powers.
The Criminal Procedure and Evidence Amendment Bill, currently at the public consultation stage, will allow police to use lethal force, even on unarmed suspects.
The development comes shortly after a “senseless” act by a police officer who was caught on camera nearly getting himself killed by dangling his full body onto a moving kombi, shocked the entire Harare community.

Jessie Majome, who chairs the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs parliamentary portfolio committee, on Tuesday told Gweru residents that if the Bill sailed through, police will have extra powers which she suggested cannot be supported by the Constitution.
She said: “Clause 15, Subsection (2) of section 42 of the Act permits the killing of persons who resist arrest or attempt to escape arrest. Under section 86(3) of the Constitution, the right to life can’t be limited by any law (except to the extent specified in section 48).”
Gweru residents attending the consultative meeting forcefully opposed the proposed law change.
They said if police were given power to kill, it would result in people living at the mercy of police officers.
Martin Chivhoko said police should rather shoot to injure or disarm an armed person. He said the Bill was not even clear on persons who were not armed.
“What if one is not armed but is resisting arrest? Will the police kill that person? Police shouldn’t just kill people,” he said. “What I’m saying is that killing shouldn’t be allowed as the police will finish us (sic).”
Cleopas Shiri from Mkoba suburb said the Bill should state that only dangerous criminals armed with guns should be killed. There was less debate when other proposed amendments were discussed.
Changes to Clause 20 Section 52(2) of the Act, which gives police officers power to stop people found carrying goods at night, passed without much comment.
It reads: “If anyone so stopped cannot give a satisfactory explanation for having the goods, the police officer can convey the person to a police station or prison and detain him or her until the next sitting of a Magistrates’ Court.”
“This clause will replace subsection (2) by other provisions that require, firstly, that a person so stopped cannot be detained unless he or she is suspected of committing an offence; and secondly, which ensures that people arrested under the section are accorded their constitutional rights.”
Clause 21 is being proposed to amend section 54 of the Act, which empowers a police officer to enter without a warrant any premises (other than a dwelling house) to get evidence of the commission of an offence by way of interrogation of any person and the examination of any books, records or other documents. “The amendment will require a police officer subjecting any person to these powers (whether that person is a suspect in a criminal offence or not) to furnish that person upon his or her demand with the particulars of his or her name, rank and number, and the reasons for carrying out the search and seizure without warrant. Any police officer who fails to do so will commit an offence.” -State Media/Additional Reporting

President Robert Mugabe yesterday said Government will not hesitate to kick out British and American ambassadors if they continue instigating chaos by funding vendors to resist relocation to designated areas. Officially opening the Global Small and Medium Enterprises Expo in Harare, the President warned the two ambassadors to stop fomenting anarchy here.
“The resistance by vendors, we see the British and American ambassadors coming to the vendors and giving them money wanting them to continue to resist and these are ambassadors of countries that have sanctions on us,” he said.
“So, we have said if they continue doing that we will kick them out of the country.”
President Mugabe said Zimbabweans were known worldwide as enlightened people and it was incumbent upon them not to be led into anarchy.
He said Americans and the British were averse to peace in developing countries and “just want to see chaos, people fighting each other, terrorism everywhere.”
President Mugabe said the British and Americans behaved as if they were possessed by demons that did not want to see peace prevailing in the country.
“What demons do they have? Apoka ndopanomuka shave rangu ipapo. When a person insists on wanting to do wrong things to undermine the peace and calm of a nation, to undermine the unity of a people, then they are no good for us,” he said.
“We don’t need the British ambassador here; we don’t need the American ambassador here. But they would want diplomatic representation with us. We don’t do that in their own countries. So, they have to behave. Behave and you will be in peace with us, misbehave and we will kick you out right from the bottom. It’s our country.”
Mugabe said Zimbabwe is an independent State that cherishes peace, which is a prerequisite for economic development.
“Hongu kana wakanga wawana nzvimbo yako, haisi nzvimbo yedahwa, dahwaka munoziva kuti rinoramba richi dzokera netsuro. Aiwa, kana wakanga wawana nzvimbo pawakanga usati wawanikidzwa uchiita mari, isiri nzvimbo yakanaka, wazowanikidzwa toti toda kukugadzirai zvakanaka tiise mastores pamunofanira kutengesera, aah kwete dzava nharo,” President Mugabe said.
He urged vendors to relocate to designated areas and not turn urban centres into chaos and confusion.
“Asika tinenge tisingade mvonga-mvonga, magariro atinoona kune dzimwe nyika where you see goats in the city centre like in First Street,” said President Mugabe.
“That’s what I once witnessed in West Africa, no, we want to ensure that those who have shops are able to sell their wares freely, then goats must go kumbudzi.”
Mugabe commended the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development Sithembiso Nyoni for organising the Small and Medium Expo and urged her to ensure that similar future expos are well publicised so that they become larger.
Mugabe said it was an acknowledged fact that the SME sector plays a pivotal role in the economic development of many countries.
He said according to the International Finance Corporation of 2012, there are more than 125 million SMEs globally absorbing about 67 percent of employment, and contributing more than 51 percent to the gross domestic product.
“Locally, SMEs employ more than 60 percent of the country’s workforce and contribute over 50 percent to the country’s GDP,” said President Mugabe.
“Having recognised the importance of such a viable and dynamic sector, essential and pivotal for economic development, we in Zimbabwe established the Ministry of SMEs and Cooperatives.”
He urged SMEs to obtain local and global certification standards so that their products can compete in the global economy. He said entrepreneurs should take advantage of Zimbabwe’s geographical location which is strategically placed at the centre of Sadc and the COMESA region.
He also said the Government was committed to addressing challenges being faced by SMEs which include lack of appropriate workspace, regulatory challenges and limited lines of credit.
He said SMEs were the ones that have sustained the country and showed great resistance to the enemies’ moral, political and economic onslaught aimed at installing regime change.
Mugabe said the small and medium enterprises were the ones that have continued to sustain the economy in the face of economic hardships exacerbated by drought and economic sanctions imposed by the West.
He said even people in rural areas had so much resilience that they make sure that children attend school through various initiatives that included selling livestock to buy uniforms.
“Even if we are small, we have the power to resist,” President Mugabe. “We have the power to say never again shall we come under the yoke of colonialism.”
President Mugabe commended the relations that exist between Zimbabwe and Iran and expressed hope that the two countries will exchange ideas on how best the SMEs can be harnessed and promoted for economic development.
Zimbabwe and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation between upcoming businesses and potential investors from Middle East country.
The decision to forge cooperation comes after the delegations from the two countries made successful visits to the respective countries over the last five months.
A 40-member Iranian delegation is in Zimbabwe for the 8th Zimbabwe-Iran Joint Commission which started on Tuesday.

The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Saviour Kasukuwere and the State Procurement Board (SPB) Chairperson, Charles Kuwaza could be charged for contempt of parliament after a parliamentary portfolio committee moved to have them charged.
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Justice Mayor Wadyajena moved the motion this Wednesday, calling on parliament to charge Kasukuwere on charges of intimidation, verbal attacks and contempt charges.
Wadyajena alleges that the minister openly challenged him when the portfolio committee was conducting oral evidence hearings on the Marange Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trusts. Another dramatic moment also belonged to Lovemore Matuke who is the Chairperson of the Mines and Energy Parliamentary Portfolio Committee.
Matuke moved a motion for parliament to charge SPB’s Kuwaza who after appearing twice before the committee failed to adequately provide information while also insulting the committee for being disorderly. Kuwaza stands accused of failing to provide information on the ZESA tenders, and becoming ‘openly abusive.’
He at one time suggested there was no order in the committee, thus undermining the authority of parliament and the committee in particular. Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda indicated that after studying the motions, he will make a ruling.

The First Lady Grace Mugabe has implored those who run charitable organisations to be honest, transparent and upright in the running of the institutions.
Grace was speaking to representatives of several charitable organisations from different parts of Zimbabwe who gathered at Mazowe Children’s Home for the distribution ceremony of the proceeds of the First Lady’s 50th birthday fundraising dinner hosted Saturday night.
Mugabe urged charitable institutions to declare everything given in private and not to convert anything to their own personal use, warning them that God is always watching.
She said charity work is not a business where funds to do business can be applied for in a bank, adding that support for charity is from well-wishers who can only be inspired through good use of the donations.
Mugabe said charity should be viewed as a calling and be taken seriously with a committed heart.
She explained to the gathering that the Grace Mugabe Children’s Home is a permanent residence for the children unlike other institutions that take care of abandoned children up to the age of 18 when they are released into the world with or without education to equip themselves for the world.
Dr Fatima Maruta founder of the Rose of Sharon Orphanage implored the First Lady to conduct workshops on setting similar orphanages built along the lines of Mazowe Children’s Home.
Dr Maruta added that it is a pain to most orphanage founders to release their children into a jungle world after teaching them the ways of life.
The different homes received a variety of groceries, including bath soaps, rice, mealie-meal, cooking oil and US$5 000 each.
50 children’s homes from all provinces of the country were represented at the ceremony accompanied by two children from each one of the invited homes.
Mugabe also spoke about some charitable organisations who decline to give her children when her home approaches them saying they will be denying the children a second chance in life.
She said some institutions use the children to attract donations.
Some care givers who have served at the home for a period of at least 3 years were also acknowledged and thanked, with the First Lady almost in tears in expressing her gratitude.
The ceremony was also attended by President of the Senate Edna Madzongwe, Zanu PF Deputy Secretary for the Women’s League Eunice Sandi Moyo, Acting Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Prisca Mupfumira and the Minister of State for Mashonaland Central province Advocate Martin Dinha among several other government ministers, legislators and dignitaries.

FULL TEXT – Over the past two days the state-owned Herald newspaper has been running with a false story that Western governments had summoned the MDC to arrange funding for the party.
The publications give an impression that the state newspapers had an interview with our Secretary- General, Mr Douglas T. Mwonzora.
At no point did our Secretary- General have the interview with the state papers or anyone else for that matter on the subject. The reports are therefore false.
Further, the MDC is very much aware that the governments mentioned do not fund political parties. it is therefore the height of absurdity to even imply that these governments had invited the MDC.
The main sources of funding for the MDC are the political parties funding under the Political Parties (Finance Act) and the subscriptions from its members. The party has no other source of funding.
It is false therefore that the MDC will be visiting the countries mentioned in order to transact the business mentioned.The false publication is meant to justify the denial of the MDC of its share of the funds under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.
Yesterday, our Secretary-General wrote to the Herald setting the facts correct but this has fallen on deaf ears.
Obert Gutu, National Spokesperson, Movement for Democratic Change

Sugar milling giant Tongaat Hulett should fund Zanu (PF)’s election campaign in 2018 in return for favours from the state, Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Shuvai Mahofa has said.
The company has rejected Mahofa’s plea arguing that it is apolitical. Addressing Tongaat workers in Triangle last week Mahofa said that government was happy with the way Tongaat was assisting surrounding communities but would want to see more being done through supporting Zanu (PF) ‘s election campaign in 2018.
“We will always lean on you Tongaat Hulett,”said Mahofa. “We have big multi -national companies in Masvingo like Bikita minerals and Renco Mine among others but they have failed to work well with the government. We would now want you to support Zanu (PF)’s aspiring members of parliament in Masvingo in 2018.
“We are the leaders and once you fund our campaign I will make sure that all your programmes continue uninterrupted because we are in the driving seat,” she said.
The company’s managing director, Sydney Mutsambiwa, said: “I have no comment to make on what Minister Mahofa said but let me make it clear that our company is apolitical and cannot be pushed into politics.”
The government has clashed with Tongaat Huletts on several occasions with the state accusing the country’s sole sugar processor of failing to comply with indigenisation laws and failing to take on board blacks to get into the lucrative sugar cane growing business.
The company is also accused of under-declaring its land holdings. The company has denied all the allegations levelled against it, arguing that it supports local communities to the tune of $1 million annually. Zimbabwean

The Glen View Shopping Complex inferno on Wednesday morning saw the fire brigade arriving without any water, and after several hours later managing to douse the fire using “pothole water” taken from burst pipes. The entire Glen View shopping area 8 complex was razed down to ashes….CLICK HERE TO READ MORE –

Harare town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi is now demanding an exit package from the cash-strapped municipality after he was sent on forced leave last month. The State Media is reliably informed that Dr Mahachi’s lawyers have since engaged council over the matter. Dr Mahachi was set to retire at the end of the year.
“Dr Mahachi has offered to leave after seeing that he was not going to win the war with mayor Manyenyeni. He had agreed to leave council in December. Dr Mahachi however, gave us the burden of working out his package which is likely to be a hefty one,” said the source.
Clr Manyenyeni confirmed the development yesterday.
“They wrote a letter and they are saying let us sit down and discuss on the contract,” he is quoted by The Herald saying.
Sources at Town House said some directors are now jostling to replace Dr Mahachi.
The city’s Human resources and General Purposes chairperson Clr Wellington Chikombo yesterday said Dr Mahachi’s replacement would be chosen on merit.
“Town House is not a Banana Republic where idiocy is allowed to reign supreme much to the detriment of the city. We will not allow anyone who is not qualified to occupy that position on the basis that he has bought support from councillors. We want someone who is heavily chlorinated and competent,” he said.

Glen View is on fire.

Glen View Furniture Complex the place popularly known as “Ku-Masofa” was early Wednesday morning hit by a raging inferno. The Glen View shopping area 8 complex is in fumes, flames and ashes with numerous properties razed down by the inferno.
ZimEye.com can reveal the property after 5am was still on fire with just about all of its furniture destroyed after the fire brigade arrived with no water to douse the horrific fires which sent a stench across the whole neighbourhood.

Details were sketchy at the time of writing and a comment from the fire brigade not possible.

Concerns have been raised over the whereabouts of a 36 year old Zimbabwean mother.
The development comes after the woman gave testimony that she “killed” her child (INTERVIEW BELOW).

She was last seen by family members at her home in Birmingham in March soon after she told ZimEye.com she had somewhat aborted while engaged in a love triangle fight with her husband’s lover. Details were sketchy with family members saying they are worried for her safety amid concerns also for her immigration worries.
“Her phone is now off and we have no clue where she could be. It is a very difficult situation she was in but to do this is worse,” an in law relative identified as William, told ZimEye.com. Below is a video of her earlier interview:

The Supreme Court has dismissed former Attorney General Johannes Tomana’s appeal to reverse a High Court order compelling him to reinstate five prosecutors.
The five prosecutors had allegedly been dismissed for indiscipline and insubordination following an industrial action they engaged in 2011, but the Supreme Court has upheld the High Court’s decision that they be reinstated.
The five prosecutors Leopold Mudisi, Patros Dube , Derrick Charamba, Musekiwa Mbanje and Mehuli Tshuma on the 18th of September in 2011 acting under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Law Officers Association embarked on a strike seeking a redress of their salary related grievances.
Two months later, the then Attorney General Tomana allegedly withdrew his authority and power to prosecute conferred on the officers in terms of Section 76 of the constitution.
The High Court ruled in favour of the five, stating that they had not been dismissed lawfully and following due process.
Likewise, Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malaba and Justices Paddington Garwe and Bharat Patel unanimously dismissed an appeal by Tomana seeking the reversal of the High Court order.
The court maintained that in dismissing the five, all employed by the Civil Service
Commission as prosecutors, Tomana did not follow the tenets of natural justice embodied in section 3 of the Administrative Justice Act.

The domestic violence trial of Chitungwiza mayor Phillip Mutoti yesterday started at the Chitungwiza Magistrates’ Court with his wife Alice Kuvheya giving evidence on how she was being allegedly ill-treated by the city father.
By Sofia Mapuranga
Mutoti (44) pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before magistrate Renika Dzikiti, accusing his wife of fabricating charges against him in a bid to tarnish his image as a politician.
Through his lawyer Fred Machokoto, Mutoti said Kuvheya wanted to be in the limelight while portraying him in bad light since she knew he was in the process of divorcing her.
“The complainant knows that my client has approached her family seeking to divorce her customarily, considering that the duo are married. This is why she is fabricating these charges to get back at him,” Machokoto said.
However, in her evidence-in-chief, Kuvheya (31) said Mutoti assaulted her at a time when she was weighing only 47kg due to ill health.
“He used vulgar language when he was insulting me outside our gate, calling my mother a prostitute. He said I was no longer satisfying him sexually because I was too thin and did not have any buttocks,” she said.
“He further told me that it was at my own peril if I was not on anti-retroviral treatment because he had already commenced taking them for the good of his health.”
Kuvheya said she was currently housed at Musasa Project, a shelter for abused women, since she feared for her life after Mutoti allegedly continuously threatened her with death.
“He said because he is the one who held all the power, he would ensure that he made my life a misery and I would have nowhere to go,” Kuvheya said.
She also said Mutoti had threatened to hire MDC-T youths who campaigned for him to deal with her.
“He takes drugs such as bronco [Bron Cleer] and marijuana and this is why I am now living in fear. That is why I decided to report the matter to the police in July even after the assault took place in March,” Kuvheya said.
Allegations against Mutoti are that on March 14 and at house number 343, St Mary’s in Chitungwiza, he had a misunderstanding with his wife after accusing her of stealing his $50.
The State alleges Mutoti left the house in a huff and went outside the gate, but his wife followed him and in a fit of rage, Mutoti charged towards her, dragged her inside the house slapped, punched, kicked and choked her before their security guard, only identified as Mutambirwa, intervened to save her.
Ntombikayise Nleya prosecuted.-Newsday

New Bill Allows Early Sex for Under 16s

The new General Laws Amendment Bill recognises early sexual activities by children under the age of 16 as it is proposing that they should not be prosecuted for having sex with each other. Gweru residents yesterday immediately blasted the bill saying the age of sexual consent should be raised to 18 years. In their submissions to the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Portfolio Committee on the General Laws Amendment Bill and the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Amendment Bill during a public hearing at the Gweru Theatre, residents said it was un-cultural, inhuman and un-African to allow children under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activities without getting punished.
The chairperson of the committee, Jessie Majome, said: “We are here to get your views. The General Laws Amendment Bill will not prosecute boys under 16 who engage in sexual intercourse with girls under that age.” She said Section 70 of the Code (sexual intercourse or performing indecent acts with young persons) prevents the sexual exploitation of young persons.
“It, however, recognises sexual intercourse between young persons under the age of 16. It is implicit from the wording of this section that only adults may be prosecuted for this crime, because the subject of the crime is a ‘person’ and its object is a “young person” (defined in section 61 of the Code as a person below the age of 16).
“However, it is in society’s interests to protect all young persons from being “sexualised” prematurely, regardless of whether the perpetrator is, for instance, a boy of 15 who has “consensual” sexual intercourse with a girl of 13,” Majome said.
He said it was sad to note that society wanted to acknowledge early sex but that would result in the country raising spoilt children. “Our children will lack discipline, once they start engaging in sex they will not stop and we can’t allow that,” said Apostle Nyerenga.
Precious Mujere from the ZCTU said girls were starting their menstruation cycle at the age of 12 and by not punishing boys who indulge in sexual intercourse with them, the country would see a surge in teenage pregnancies and unwanted babies.
“If we agree to this we are promoting early pregnancies, early child births and early marriages. So perpetrators should be brought to book,” she said.
The General Laws Amendment Bill (H.B. 3 – 2015) seeks to amend 126 statutes in order to align them with the new Constitution. Major statutes to be amended under this Bill are the Electoral Amendment Act, Privileges, Immunities and Powers of Parliament Act, Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Interpretation Act and Trademarks Act.
Key issues that the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Amendment Bill (H.B. 2 – 2015) is seeking to address are; rights of arrested people, private prosecution, police powers in relation to arrest, use of force, search and seizure, death penalty, bail and sentencing.

GOVERNMENT will soon revise its position regarding the funding of political parties from the fiscus following the admission by MDC-T that three Western governments were bankrolling its preparations for the 2018 harmonised elections. This might see the Government completely stopping some political parties from accessing funding from the fiscus or tightening the requirements.
In terms of Section 6 of the Political Parties Finance Act, political parties are not allowed to accept foreign funding.
However, in direct contravention of this law, MDC-T secretary-general Mr Douglas Mwonzora announced that a delegation of senior MDC-T officials would on Friday visit three Western countries to receive funding and to brief the host governments on political developments here.
The visit will cover England, Australia and Norway. Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba said the move by MDC-T naturally called for a funding review of political parties by the Government, among other issues.
“There are three things we are worried about with the move taken by MDC-T,” he said.
“Firstly, we are worried by the issue of external funding because the whole essence of funding political parties from the fiscus is to develop politics loyal to the nation.
“When we have foreigners funding local political parties, we have the reason to revise legal parameters that govern the funding.”
Mr Charamba said the stance taken by MDC-T might also scuttle re-engagement efforts underway between Zimbabwe and the European Union. Said Mr Charamba:
“We also have political-cum-diplomatic processes underway. When you have overtly hostile stance hinted by MDC-T, we have to reassess our own re-engagement efforts with the EU. Surely the EU cannot run with hares at the same time hunting with the hounds.
“Thirdly, are we surprised by the move by MDC-T? Not at all. The essence of MDC-T politics has always been external. MDC-T has proved to be a true proverbial chip off a corrupt block.”
Legal experts also condemned the MDC-T saying it was openly flouting the law. Prominent Harare lawyer Mr Terrance Hussein said: “That is in violation of the Political Parties Finance Act and there are some penalties that come along with that.
“In terms of Section 6 of the Act no political party or a member of the political party shall accept any foreign donation directly or indirectly.
“Any person or party which contravenes Section 6 shall be guilty of a fine equivalent to level 12 or equivalent to the market value of the donation. So if it happens that you receive a foreign donation of $20 million the fine you will pay is also $20 million.”
Another lawyer Mr Jonathan Samkange, said the law should take its course on such issues.
“When a political party violates the law it is the responsibility of the police to do their work,” he said.
“Even if you do not see the money they can be charged for attempting.”
Mr Mwonzora said the four day visit was made possible by the host countries that invited them although the party’s spokesperson tried to do a damage control by claiming that they were invited by their external province of England and Ireland.
“The four-day visit has been made possible by the host countries, which have invited us,” Mr Mwonzora said.
“We are also going to take that chance to meet with our party structures in these countries and intensify our 2018 political campaigns, which have already started in earnest.”
Asked about the “No Reforms No Elections” Mr Mwonzora said they had changed their political strategy.
“The game will never be the same in 2018 as we have changed our approach to the election,” he was quoted as saying.
“I cannot tell you our new strategy at this moment because it is still premature to reveal it, but I want to assure you that the game has changed for the better.”

The murder trial of the husband of Emily Munemo who was killed early this year, has been set for August.
Family sources told ZimEye.com Mr. Gibson Masikana will stand trial on a date to be announced around the middle of August 2015.
Emily Munemo was found stabbed twice in her kitchen on the 30th January this year. More to follow…

Ousted Vice President Joice Mujuru is reportedly dumping the   People First movement  thinking that she might be recalled by President Robert Mugabe, ZimEye.com can reveal.
Mujuru was dumped by Mugabe at the party’s controversial and discredited last December congress.
That was after Mugabe’s wife Grace had embarked on an anti-Mujuru crusade throughout the country accusing her of plotting to assassinate his 91 year old husband.
The “fall” of Mujuru saw many government ministers aligned to her also being either suspended or booted out of the party.
“Of late she (Mujuru) is not meeting with her allies (Jabulani Sibanda, and Dydimus Mutasa) who are also divided over the new political arrangement they were working on.
“Others are saying the People First project should form a coalition with the likes of the MDC-T and other progressive movements while others are opposed to that position.
“But Mujuru  being the leader of them all has been silent waiting for Mugabe to probably recall her”, said a source close to the Mujuru camp.
A local private newspaper the Daily News this week reported that Mugabe was now regretting for sacking Mujuru.
The paper said the aging leader has discovered that the allegations which were leveled against his former vice President were lies perpetrated by “hyenas” within the party.

Chances for suspended Harare Town Clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi to return to the Town House are getting slimmer by the day as the council’s human resources committee has placed him on indefinite leave.
Dr Mahachi, who was placed on three months forced leave, says he is still awaiting communication from the council through his lawyers.
The council’s human resources committee chairperson Councillor Wellington Chikombo says Town House fully supports the mayor’s decision, adding Dr Mahachi will not return to work until thorough investigations have been completed.
“Yes we placed Dr Mahachi on ad finitum leave and he will not be returning to the Town House soon. We endorsed the mayor’s decision because we cannot allow a situation where one person wants to behave with impunity,” said Councillor Chikombo.
In a telephone interview, Dr Mahachi professed ignorance on the matter.
He maintains council has not communicated with him.
Dr Mahachi, however, remains on his full salary and benefits.

Zanu PF insiders claim that President Robert Mugabe no longer buys into the “contrived narrative” that former Vice President Joice Mujuru had plotted to oust and assassinate him — as it apparently becomes increasingly clear to the First Family that some ambitious ruling party bigwigs expediently “manufactured” the fib for their political benefit.
The sources who spoke to the Daily News yesterday claimed that events of the past few months had “clearly shown” Mugabe that some “hyenas”, and not Mujuru, were behind the seemingly unstoppable factional and succession wars that continue to devour Zanu PF.
“All indications are that both the president and Dr Amai (First Lady Grace Mugabe) are now aware that the allegations against Mai Mujuru were a contrived narrative by some ambitious hyenas who manufactured the plots for their personal benefit.
“This is why the president has not acted further against Mai Mujuru, even as these hyenas have continued to push for her to be incarcerated on account of the false claims of treason that she and others allegedly committed.
“Most people also noted at the weekend that Dr Amai made it very clear that she felt used by these over-ambitious hyenas who, after manufacturing the false claims against Mai Mujuru, were now pushing the equally false claims that she wanted to succeed President Mugabe,” one of the sources said.
At the same time, former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa yesterday dismissed weekend claims by Grace that Mujuru was dismissed from both the warring post-congress Zanu PF and the government because she was arrogant and had surrounded herself with the “wrong advisors”.
State media quoted Mugabe’s controversial wife on Sunday saying that Mujuru had jumped the gun, become too arrogant and surrounded herself with wrong people in the run-up to Zanu PF’s damp squib “elective” congress last year.
Grace, who was nicknamed “monya for hire” in that chaotic period, tried to cut a motherly figure in her weekend interview — a sharp contrast to the belligerent and uncaring persona that she appeared to actively cultivate at the height of the ruling party’s internal ructions.
Mutasa, who has stood by Mujuru throughout the ongoing succession storm, said yesterday that while Grace was entitled to her opinions, she was “dead wrong” about the claims that Mujuru had fallen because she had become arrogant and had surrounded herself with the wrong people.
“They, (the First Family) are realising that they made mistakes. And she (Grace) is entitled to her views, but one day the truth will come out. We all know the truth,” Mutasa said.
Asked if he was prepared to reconcile with his erstwhile comrades in the troubled post-congress Zanu PF, Mutasa said flatly: “I will not go back”.
“The question is to reconcile with who? If we are reconciling to build Zanu PF, then we are not going back there. If it is Zanu PF, we are not going back there, but we are prepared to reconcile with anyone to build the nation,” Mutasa said.
The former close ally of Mugabe also traced the country’s political woes to Mugabe getting all executive powers from 1987 — adding that he yearned for a return to the days when the late Canaan Banana was the president and Mugabe the prime minister.
“When you look back at the period when we had Banana as president, you should consider that kind of constitution. Presently, we have chiefs but now they are being abused by Zanu PF, they have sold their souls. And yet that institution should be independent.
“Let us go along with that kind of constitution where the chiefs choose their president and we choose our own prime minister,” Mutasa said.
But Mutasa treaded a fine line between condemning Mugabe and reaching out to him, saying that it was not entirely the veteran leader’s fault that he was making many political errors — blaming Zanu PF “mafikizolos (Johnny-come-latelies” for lying to the nonagenarian about many things.
“I am glad that there has been this vindication of what we have already said in the past. I have always said that Baba, President Mugabe, was misled and is still being misinformed by unprincipled people who haven’t got the interest of the people at heart. And that is the unfortunate thing about the Zanu PF leadership,” he said. daily news

There was pandemonium and shock in Harare when a huge delivery van’s wheels were swallowed (partially) “by the road” underneath.

The incident occurred at Jason Moyo and Sam Mujoma streets in the capital, close to the Greatermans building. While newsreaders speculated that the van belongs to the Pick and Pay company, the company denied owning the vehicle and told ZimEye.com they will still follow up with City Council on the state of the road. “If our customers are at danger, we will take action with council”, a representative told ZimEye.com. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon.

 

MARONDERA-based Proton Bakery has taken its human resources manager Thomas Rugoho to court on 10 counts of fraud for allegedly fleecing several jobseekers of various amounts of money after promising to secure them employment.
Rugoho (40) and his alleged accomplice Moses Nyarufaro (35) are today expected to appear before Marondera magistrate Tendai Muchini for trial. Rugoho is currently on $100 bail.
The State alleges that sometime between February and November last year, several job seekers paid between $100 and $200 to Rugoho’s alleged middleman Nyarufaro in order to secure employment at the bakery.
It is alleged that Nyarufaro took the money and the job seekers’ academic qualification and contact details to Rugoho and then shared the money.
In one of the incidents, a complainant identified as Innocent Mukomborero was offered a job as a casual worker after paying $150.
Three months later, Nyarufaro allegedly called Mukomborero on his mobile phone and ordered him to pay an additional $50 to get a permanent contract. After paying the money, Mukomborero was allegedly upgraded to a permanent employee.
Using the same modus operandi, the suspects fleeced nine other desperate job seekers, with some securing employment while others failed. The matter came to light after police detectives received a tip-off about the alleged shenanigans at the bakery before launching investigations that led to the suspects’ arrest.