A 48 year-old security guard at Gutu United Primary School, Constantine Chipira, has appeared at the Gutu Magistrates’ Court facing charges of raping an 8-year-old pupil who is doing grade 1 there.
It is the State’s case that sometime in September at Mpandawana Town, under Chief Gutu, the accused on several occasions raped the complainant whilst on her way from school.
Chipira followed the complainant on her way from school, dragged her into the bush and had sexual intercourse with her, the prosecutor said.. It is said that raping the complainant had become routine to the accused.
Allegations are that Chipira had had sex with the complainant three times on different occasions in September. The matter came to light when the complainant told her mother who then went on to report the case to the Police resulting in the arrest of the accused.
The case was heard by Magistrate Nyasha Vhitorini.
Ben Freeth Blasts MDC-T
Veteran farmer and SADC Tribunal Watch head Ben Freeth writes blasting the Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC-T for neglect of duty on the New Constitution.
OPEN LETTER TO EDDIE CROSS, POLICY CO-ORDINATOR GENERAL FOR THE MDC
Dear Eddie
Your article: The Battle of the Titans – 28 November 2014
I remain distressed at your apparent blindness to the repugnant Section 72 of our “modern” and “brave new” Constitution, as you’ve referred to it previously. In your latest piece entitled “Battle of the Titans”, you write:
“Now we have adopted a new Constitution – the first crafted by Zimbabweans. It is a modern Constitution which entrenches all the values and norms that have been so damaged by the conflicts in our society since 1980.”
As you know I have been extremely vocal regarding Section 72 of the new Constitution. I believe implicitly that individual private property rights are fundamental to a functioning modern society. A country in which the State can take private property at the stroke of a pen and where individuals are expressly barred by the Constitution from getting any recourse is a backward country with a backward Constitution. Such a Constitution, contrary to what you say, goes against all “values and norms” of “modern constitutions” around the world.
As you are aware, we fought a successful legal battle in the SADC Tribunal to get this exact section – then Amendment Number 17 of the old Constitution – struck down. This very section then reappeared in the new Constitution – and it seems as if you are not prepared to acknowledge it, either in your recent speech to the jurists in Cape Town or, after I pointed it out to you, even now.
The battle to get Amendment 17 struck down ultimately cost a great deal – the life of my father-in-law, Mike Campbell, being the most significant cost to us. For you to gloss over the reincarnated Amendment 17 as Section 72, is a very sad indictment of where you, and your part of the so-called democratic movement, are at.
Proper Constitutional democracy does not allow the theft of private property from individuals without legal recourse, as is allowed by our new Constitution – and as is taking place at the moment. To have legislated ouster clauses in our Constitution go directly against the rule of law and have no place in a modern Constitution!
Just to be sure that you are familiar with Section 72 of the Constitution I wish to quote parts of it:
“(2) Where agricultural land”, [agricultural land is where 70% of the people of Zimbabwe live] “or any right or interest in such land, is required for a public purpose… the land right or interest may be acquired by the State by notice published in the Gazette…whereupon the land, right or interest vests in the State with full title with effect from the date of the publication of the notice.
“(3) (a) no compensation is payable …
“(b) no person may apply to court for the determination of any question relating to compensation…and no court may entertain such application; and
“(c) the acquisition may not be challenged on the ground that it was discriminatory…
“(5) As soon as practical after agricultural land is acquired in accordance with subsection (2), the officer responsible for registration of title over land must, without further notice, effect the necessary endorsements upon any title deed and entries in any register for the purpose of formally cancelling the title deed and registering the States title over the land.
“(6) An act of parliament may make it an offence for any person, without lawful authority, to possess or occupy agricultural land referred to in this section or other State land.”
It is a simple equation: if the State can control all the land, it can control all the people. As it stands, under the Constitution, the State can throw anyone off the land it chooses. Ironically, even the most senior chefs with 99 year leases can fall foul of the Party and have their leases cancelled in 3 months.
Those with title can have it taken by the State at the stroke of a pen. Those that then continue to stay on what immediately becomes State land can be put in prison for up to 2 years. This leaves almost all of the more than a million farm workers still on the land “without lawful authority” liable to spend 2 years in jail for remaining in their houses under the “modern” Constitution if the State decides to use the law to control them. I really find it inconceivable that any democrat can be enthralled with a Constitution that says such things!
Will a Constitution that does not protect property rights bring investment? Of course not!
Will it create employment? Not at all!
Will it bring productivity to revive commerce and industry? No way!
Will it create tax money to revive education and health? An emphatic no!
Eddie, your courage, dedication and perseverance are unquestionable and I salute you for these things! It is extremely problematic however, when you make inaccurate and misleading claims about our Constitution when it explicitly fails to protect and promote the fundamental, basic and most far reaching right of individual private property rights for the people.
To pretend that our brave new Constitution “entrenches values and norms” is to walk to the edge of a cliff and carry on walking in the mistaken believe that gravity will somehow not take effect.
Yours sincerely
Ben Freeth
Spokesperson – SADC Tribunal Rights Watch
Zim, Angola Draw One All
Angola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0)1
Zimbabwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (0)1
THE Young Warriors dropped two crucial points when they were held by Angola in a rain-drenched exciting African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games men’s football encounter played at Barbourfields (BF) Stadium yesterday.
The seemingly fatigued Young Warriors, who had played Swaziland at Luveve Stadium on Monday, dropped to second position in Group A.
Malawi leapt to the top spot with six points as they came from behind to beat Mozambique at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
Angola remain on third spot with four points, while Mozambique, with the same number of points, are on position four due to an inferior goal difference after losing to Malawi at Luveve Stadium.
Young Warriors must win their last group match against Malawi on Friday. The log leaders have what looks like an easy encounter against Swaziland at BF today.
Total Football Academy product Thomas Kadyaridzire rescued the Young Warriors with a 79th minute equaliser after Angola had scored first through Cristofer Luzala Mbuini in the 49th minute.
Young Warriors coach Tafadzwa Mashiri conceded that it’s a must-win encounter against Malawi on Friday.
“It’s a must-win for us against Malawi,” he said.
“We should have killed the game today and would have been in a good position to remain in the competition. We were affected by suspension with our captain (Mathias Chodeva) having accumulated two yellow cards. We also made one injury-inspired change to the team and that affected us.”
Angola, still with a chance, also play their last tie against Swaziland tomorrow at Luveve Stadium.
Coach Simao José said Zimbabwe played a good game, but he believed they still had a chance to make it to the semi-finals.
“Zimbabwe are a good team and they played a good game,” he said.
“It was difficult to win. It was 50-50. We had equal opportunities. We still have a chance to qualify. If we were able to play well against Zimbabwe who were at home then we can beat Swaziland.”
Swaziland will have to win both their matches against Malawi and Angola while Mozambique have already being knocked out of the competition.
The top two teams qualify for the semi-finals and Zimbabwe, Angola, Malawi and Swaziland all still have a chance in the five-team group.
Rescheduling of the fixtures by Cosafa has seen teams play games within 24 hours in breach of the standard, at least 36 to 48 hours rest for players after taking part in competitive matches as regulated by Fifa.
Another revised schedule of fixtures was released by Cosafa yesterday. Heavy rains pounded BF, but that did not stop the home fans from cheering their boys on after Mbuini had struck in the 49th minute.
A crude tackle by central defender Trevor Zidoro on Angola’s danger man Vladimir Eston Antonio earned his side a free-kick just on the edge of the penalty box.
Mbuini’s strike curled past the Young Warriors’ wall, beating goalkeeper Kelvin Shangiwa on the near post.
But when all seemed over for the Young Warriors, Kadyaridzire received a pass from the centre, dribbled past Angola defender Fernando Jacinto Quissanga before unleashing a thunderbolt that beat goalkeeper Sebastio Coio all systems out.
Kadyaridzire had an effort saved by Coio in the 32nd minute after receiving a cross from impressive right linkman Ishmael Munsaka.
Teams
Angola: S Coio, L Joao, F Feliciano, F Quissanga, O Soares, J Songa (M Costa 55th minute), V Antonio (I Joao 69th minute), Z Catraio (M Paulo 63rd minute), D Antonio, C Mbuini, N da Luz
Zimbabwe: K Shangiwa, F Rukunda, J Munzira, L Muyambo, T Kadyaridzire, D Khumalo, I Munsaka (L Bvochora 67th minute), L Lunga, B Sibanda (A Chivandire 78th minute), T Zidoro, T Mthunzi
– SouthernEye
Why Mugabe Rushed To Save Sekeramayi
Zanu-PF’s Mashonaland East bigwgs, Sydney Sekeramayi and David Parirenyatw earlier accused of supporting Joice Mujuru were saved from expulsion Tuesday through Robert Mugabe’s mercy yesterday.
Robert Mugabe moved to allow the two to be re-elected into the Central Committee in fresh polls held in districts in the province.
Other provincial heavyweights Paddy Zhanda, Jerry Gotora, Newton Kachepa and Eric Navaya also emerged victors in their respective districts with Joel Biggie Matiza the only big shot who failed to make it.
Although the state media reported claiming that Zanu-PF ordered fresh elections in the province following concerns that the list submitted to the 6th National People’s Congress last week did not reflect the wishes of the people, close sources to the developments said Mugabe himself had intervened to restore “Sekeramayi’s dignity”.
One source who cannot be named because of his own accusations of being linked to the disgraced businessman Ray Kaukonde told this reporter, “if it was not for President Mugabe Sekeramayi would be on the street right now.” They added saying the reason was because Sekeramayi had apologised to Mugabe for his links with Kaukonde.
“But it was good for Comrade Sekeramayi to apologise,” the source said.
The recent development could see Sekeramayi retaining his ministerial post despite earlier threats to relinquish him of it.
In Goromonzi, Zhanda, Gorden Mujahwe and Felix Zhangazha won the elections while in Seke, Blanco Matsangura, Tabeth Murwira and Joseph Mubaiwa made it. In Murehwa, Parirenyatwa, Stanley Jakopo and Lilian Zemura made it into the Central Committee with Matiza losing out. The ZANU PF Central Committee members elected in Mutoko are Japhet Chinake, Annah Kadiki and Ordo Nyakudanga while Mudzi had Kachepa, Navaya and Christopher Musa.
Meanwhile Sekeramayi has thanked party officials for standing by him.
“The will of the people has prevailed. I thank you for heeding the call by President Mugabe that fresh elections be held and indeed they have been done in a peaceful environment. To those who lost, we are one and let us work together for the development of the province and the party at large.”
Zimbabwe’s New President Emmerson Mnangagwa! – VIDEO
As Zimbabwe awaits the grand announcement by President Robert Mugabe of his presidium picks today, below is a VIDEO highlight of presidential aspirant Emmerson Mnangagwa. He was:
– Born September 15, 1946 (age 68), Education in Zambia.
– He says he was trained to kill and destroy but he is now “as soft as cotton-wool.”
– As in the video below, Mnangagwa upholds a rare religious belief that God Almighty wears a cap with Robert Mugabe’s signature on it.
– The total number of his several wives and concubines across the country is unknown and remains a mystery.
– His vast empire of grabbed farms and estates is shrouded in secrecy and as late 2014 he was seen taking over a poor old couple’s house and plot in the Midlands area.
– He hopes to take over from veteran Robert Mugabe and enter State House as soon as possible.
13 ‘Abducted’ Zim Kids Found in Botswana
BOTSWANA police are investigating an incident in which 13 children without travel documents were found on a minibus in the country.
The children, aged three to 13, were believed to be Zimbabwean, said spokesperson Near Bagal on Tuesday.
The children were found on Monday morning during a police operation in Francistown and two men were held for questioning.
The minibus was travelling from Masunga village to Francistown.
Police and immigration officials had engaged with their Zimbabwean counterparts to identify the parents of the children, Bagal said.
Mujuru Abuses Dotito As She Breaks Her Silence
Former Vice President Joice Mujuru has committed a grave sin against the people of Dotito who she has abused in ways that will need sacrificing 500 live bulls.
Having analyzed Vice President Mujuru’s first public speech yesterday as she broke her silence after being sidelined for corruption and public scandals, I just want to remind the public that now Joice Mujuru realizes a need for support from the people of Dotito more than she ever before. All these glossy years she had never publicly associated with the rural people of Dotito as her career kept excelling. She never even identified with them, let alone publicly acknowledge that she was from that backward part of the country. Today Dotito is caricatured and mocked as a backward rural spot in the middle of nowhere. Many hardly know where that is. Anyone who wants to make fun of an unknown place, Dotito sounds convenient. If Mai Mujuru loved her rural home, today Dotito could be on the limelight. Many could know the place through a good way and feel proud to identify with it. Unfortunately, Dotito remains a dark crevice that no one wants to be reminded of.
It is just sad that Mai Mujuru now appeals to the wonderful people of Zimbabwe as a daughter of Dotito area in Mount Darwin. She states that she is a simple girl from the village who was illiterate at independence. She then goes on to mention that she has all these years fought hard to make sure people have access to clean water, good health facilities and good infrastructure. This she states to make a public appeal and yet she forgets to elucidate further as to how she worked hard for the people despite her empty and countless promises to the masses year in year out. She even has the audacity to state that she saw the advancement of women during her days as the VP in Zimbabwe. What she forgot to mention was that she herself was the beneficiary of the affirmative action and she jealously guarded against the advancement of any other women that she kept under as cooks, singers and dancers in her rallies. She just wanted them to be her cheerleaders as she rose to fame and power. She never brought any sewing machine, needle, crotch or any kind of sustainable project to Mount Darwin.
Mai Mujuru never brought or caused the construction of any dam, road, school, bus station shelter, dip tank or bridge among the very village people that sent her off to national representation. As if that was not already enough of a problem, she never wanted to see anyone from Mount Darwin do better. That was why she fought tooth and claw to ensure that Strive Masiyiwa would never establish his telecommunications business in Zimbabwe in the late nineties. Were it not for Father Zimbabwe, the late Joshua Nyongolo Mqabuko Nkomo who reprimanded her and her fellow vindictive lot to “stop harassing the young innocent man [Strive] ”, there would be no Econet in Zimbabwe today.
Mai Mujuru was a selfish leader who just spearheaded her own selfish interests regardless of cost or social relations. She was one of the most corrupt leaders in ZANU PF and she went out of her way to amass wealth by any means as she wrestled from those with little. She never advanced the causes of the poor as she remained ruthless, unscrupulous and carefree. She never thought about developing her region. She made it a point that Mount Darwin would remain the same ancient place that was occupied by Chief Mutota and Changamire Dombo in ancient history. That was just how cruel she was.
So here she is now. Dotito is now her shield word. She now wants people to feel sorry for her. Now she is back to the same spot where she started and she needs people to identify with her. How history forgets itself! It is just unfortunate that she is so forgetful that if she had cared for the people of Mashonaland, maybe they could have defended her fort. Unfortunately she amassed billions of dollars and mines and factories as she buried her head in the sand to protect her empire for Kuzivakwashe and the other siblings.
And she is not the only one. Mashonaland Central leaders are notorious for being heavy-handed and blind among their own. They do not bring development and they take the Korekore people for granted. I just wish Mai Mugabe could keep going and dislodging all the deadwood especially from Mashonalanad Central. These have been the main reaosn why Zimbabwe is retrogressing. They remain selfish and ignorant of the needs of their masses.
To mai Mujuru, I say this was karma. If you do bad to others, it will catch up with you somehow. And be nice to those you meet on your way up for you shall need them as you fall down. Look at Nicholas Goche and Lazarus Dokora. Finally reality has struck. In Korekore language they say, Manga matidichira. Meaning this was long overdue. Chiendai munoenzera. Go and sleep well.
Woman Impregnated By “Dead Man”
Gokwe Nemangwe community have been left in a state of shock after news broke forth of a woman who was forced to make love to her dead husband (necrophilia) before burial as per the deceased’s demand, was found now pregnant.
This came to light at the weekend pending DNA tests, after the sisters of the late Nemangwe man announced to their close relatives on discovery of the unusual situation that has left villagers tongue tied. The woman identified as Sarah Simirayi, of Svisvi village under chief Nemangwe, left her husband for a heavy truck driver sometime two years ago, and returned when her boyfriend ditched her for another new lover.
Sarah who has been away for a couple of years, returned only to find her 68 year old husband stressed from her departure, and died a few weeks of her return.
The late husband Nunurayi Musamo, who was also a former soldier, in the Rhodesian army left a note that he wanted read at his funeral, and that letter contained a message that he died of missing his beloved wife and also that he would need to make love to her before burial.
The shocking message was delivered to Sarah who tried to resist, but later accepted the most difficult task.
This reporter managed to interview Sarah who preferred not to be pictured, and she said, “I went to a pharmacy at the town centre and bought some pregnancy test materials, which tested positive thereby confirming I am pregnant. I am yet to go for scanning so that I will be in a position to know if the baby is a boy or a girl.”
A source close to the family claims that the husband’s manhood was in full erection, after they opened the coffin and Sarah removed her underwear, before going on top of the corpse to insert the late husband’s manhood, in the view of the late husband’s two sisters, who were ululating, as a gesture of appeasing the spirit of the late Musamo.
Asked how she felt after the said “sexual encounter” with her dead husband on the fateful day, Simirayi told ZimEye, “I felt the sperms moving in my body as if my late husband did when he was still alive. I think I also need to consult prophets and traditional healers; I am now confused as to what will happen to this pregnancy,” she said.
A source who refused to be named added voice claiming to ZimEye that the dead man ejaculated, soon after the penetration, and the erection disappeared, leading to the body viewing and subsequent burial of the man.
This reporter visited the Svisvi village head and he admitted receiving that information, but opted to down play it. “This is a purely private issue that traditional leaders cannot dwell upon. People have their own cultures and values and that must be respected,” he said before ordering this journalist not to take any photos of him, if he wanted to come back for more stories next time.
When ZimEye visited the two families, Musamo and Simirayi, they were engaged in serious talks on the future of Sarah. They also promised to come back with a comment as soon as they finalise the required cultural ceremonies.
This reporter has made a strict request to the family so that DNA tests can be conducted as soon as the baby has been born in order to confirm the veracity of the pregnancy claim.
Baba Jukwa Ruling Delayed Again
The High Court ruling on whether The Sunday Mail Editor Edmund Kudzayi and his brother Philip accused of being the main characters behind the shadowy Facebook blog Baba Jukwa should remain on remand or not, has been deferred again to today (Wednesday)
Reasons given were that the presiding magistrate was said to be attending to other business.
The brothers have submitted their application for refusal of further remand arguing that their right to trial within a reasonable time should not be trampled on citing several reasons one of them being the long delay in finalsing so called extra-territorial investigations amid revelations Investigating Officer Crispen Makedenge did not at all travel to the United States as before claimed, (Click here here to READ MORE-Baba Jukwa Case: Makedenge Denied US Visa)
Joice Mujuru Speaks: “I Will Die With ZANU PF” – AUDIO
If player does not respond CLICK HERE …..
– Studio7/VOA
8 Hrs CountDown, Will “Cotton-Soft” Mnangagwa Land Power?
It is exactly 20hours before the exact moment Robert Mugabe should splash out his grand decision on who is going to be the second most powerful person in this former British colony.
Investors, local Zimbabweans and the international community are all waiting having strained their patience for more than 14 years to date on who is to take over the reins of power soon after Mugabe has breathed his last. This is vital to know now that Joice Mujuru has been kicked out.
Wednesday afternoon could have surprises although the bulk of commentators say the man who announces that he is “As Soft As Cotton Wool” , Emmerson Mnangagwa will be made First Vice President. If he does make it, it will be against First Lady Grace Mugabe’s latest wishes, unless she changes her mind to believe in Mnangagwa’s softness, (READ MORE).
If Mnangagwa does make it however, this will be Mugabe’s own experiment using the man he feared most. It will mean that Mugabe has agreed on Ngwena’s claims that Robert Mugabe is so popular between heaven and earth that God Almighty The Creator Himself also wears the Gushungo Regalia. (READ MORE)
BREAKING NEWS: Mugabe Fires Mujuru, Eight Ministers
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has fired his deputy Joice Mujuru, days after she lost her post in the ruling party, offficials said.
Mugabe sacked Mujuru on Tuesday and was expected to name a new cabinet, officials cited by the Reuters news agency said.
Eight other ministers are reported to have been given the sack along woth Mujuru according to the Jonathan Moyo controlled State Media.
They includeWebster Shamu (Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier
Services), Simbarashe Mudarikwa (Minister of State for
Mashonaland East Province), Francis Nhema (Minister
of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment), Olivia Muchena (Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology
Development), Nicholas Goche (Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare), Didymus Mutasa
(Minister of Presidential Affairs), Dzikamai Mavhaire (Minister of Energy and Power Development) and
Munacho Mutezo (Deputy Minister of Energy and Power
Development).
The sources, who declined to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the news media, said Mujuru had received her dismissal letter on Monday night after weeks of accusations that she had led a “treacherous cabal” to try to unseat Mugabe.
Al Jazeera Haru Mutasa, reporting from the capital Harare, said Mugabe “says he has evidence that Mujuru met with US officials, and in this meeting they plotted a plan to try and remove” him from office.
“Supporters of ZANU-PF are concerned that there could be a split [in the party]. They know that Mujuru has been a member of the party for many years – even before independence from British rule in 1980,” said our correspondent.
“She does have a following – a lot of women supporters thought that she would perhaps be the first woman president of Zimbabwe one day, should Mugabe step down.”
‘Smear campaign’
Mujuru on Tuesday blamed “a well-orchestrated smear campaign and gross abuse of state apparatus” that led to the loss of her ruling party post and shook Zimbabwean politics, the AFP news agency reported.
Mujuru, who once looked likely to succeed long-ruling Mugabe, has been accused of plotting to assassinate the 90-year-old and removed from the ruling ZANU-PF party’s central committee.
She said she was being victimised after exposing infiltrators conspiring to destroy the party, which has ruled the country since independence in 1980.
“I have become the fly in the web of lies whose final objective is the destruction of ZANU-PF and what it stands for and ultimately the present government,” Mujuru said in a statement.
“A vociferous attempt has been made to portray me as ‘a traitor’, ‘murderer’ and ‘sellout’, yet no iota of evidence has been produced to give credence to the allegations.”
ZANU-PF held an elective congress last week which endorsed Mugabe as president and his wife Grace as head of the women’s wing.
Source: ZimEye, Al Jazeera and agencies
BREAKING NEWS: Mugabe Wants Mavhaire, Mutezo Arrested After Their Expulsion
President Robert much awaited cabinet reshuffle has begun with him hunting down two ministers (said to be Joice Mujuru allies) and seeking their immediate arrest.
Energy Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire and his deputy Eng Munacho Mutezo were last night fired from office. They were served with their expulsion letters in an operation that had State House staff work overtime to ensure the two are sent home.
Following their ouster, the Jonathan Moyo controlled State Media announced that they should be arrested for abuse of office and corruption. While the charges were not independently verified, there was wide speculation that Mavhaire is being persecuted for criticising Billy Rautenbach’s ethanol project which was corruptly launched with the help of several ZANU PF gurus without due process, operational and environmental impact assessment.
Meanwhile Mavhaire who is known for being the first ZANU PF politician to boldly call for Mugabe’s retirement in the late 90s, was alleged to have been a key Mujuru ally seeking to elevate the latter to the Presidency. Analysts say it is Mr Mugabe himself who wants Mavhaire arrested. More to follow…
Baba Jukwa Case: Makedenge Denied US Visa
The Baba Jukwa case took a twist Tuesday amid revelations that Investigative Officer Assistant Commissioner Crispen Makedenge, has been denied a US visa.
A source revealed to this reporter Makedenge never flew to the United States as earlier claimed by the Prosecutor.
“Obviously the US government will not comment on individual cases of visa applicants but you can see it for yourself from Makedenge if he ever entered US territory,” an embassy source told this reporter pointing that Makedenge was never given US passage to travel to that country so to investigate the Baba Jukwa email and Facebook account.
Makedenge has already been finger-pointed by the main accused, Edmund Kudzayi of deleting several email records in the Baba Jukwa email account during the time he was in control of it before it was taken back through the help of the US based Google company. It is widely believed Makedenge himself was part and parcel or a key member of the Baba Jukwa syndicate.
The latest revelations on the Visa denial were further confirmed by repeated judicial requests by the Prosecutor to Harare magistrate Mr Milton Serima to stretch the court case and keep the Sunday Mail Editor Edmund Kudzayi and his brother Philip, on remand. Despite the convincing evidence however, prosecutor Ms Sharon Mashavira today urged the court to postpone the matter pending finalisation of extra territorial investigations, saying the United States department of justice and criminal division was yet to assist in the case.
“US, Washington DC department of justice criminal division in the office of international affairs, have sent letters in response to State’s request pertaining investigations,” said Ms Mashavira.
“We are still waiting for documents from Google and Facebook which will form part of the evidence. It would not be in the interest of justice to remove the accused from remand considering the complexity of the matter which requires mutual legal assistance.”
The Kudzayi brothers’ lawyer Mr Rubaya told the court that the continued wait for the letters from the US exposed Asst Comm Makedenge as having done nothing with regards the matter so far.
“This is an old song being repeated today,” he said.
“If Asst Comm Makedenge was denied assistance, he should tell us. We don’t want to believe that the State is being used by a political hoax, but they leave us to presume.
“The steps taken so far are elementary which, should have been done before arresting the accused.
“There is no guarantee that they will have the information, let them investigate until Jesus’ second coming, but the accused’s rights to trial within a reasonable time should not be trampled upon.”
Edmund and Philip are facing charges involving banditry, insurgency and demeaning the Office of the President by allegedly running an online campaign against the Government under the Facebook page, Baba Jukwa.
It is alleged that in April last year, Edmund hatched a plan with Philip to overthrow the Government through unconstitutional means.
They allegedly created a Gmail account, [email protected], using a mobile phone line registered in Philip’s name, but used by Edmund.
The State says the two allegedly posted articles on the Baba Jukwa Facebook page, which encouraged rebellion against the Zanu-PF Government.
They also posted articles to the effect that they had a Dare Rechimurenga in place and that a team was on the ground studying the situation in Zimbabwe, the State says.
The Prosecutor says investigations have revealed that Edmund and Philip were the ones in control of the Baba Jukwa Gmail account.
The court further heard that Philip opened an account with a local bank, which he accessed payments for Amai Jukwa articles, which were authored and published by Edmund.
RBZ Seeks Miracles Amid Political Pricks
With no currency of its own and reduced by years of mismanagement to a shadow of its former self, Zimbabwe’s central bank struggles to prop up troubled banks and help revive the country’s fortunes.
Now, that could change if the new Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) chief John Mangudya maintains his strategy to shift from bad old policies that crippled the bank while steering clear of politics as he seeks a turning point for the banking sector and economy.
But he still has to find a way past two major hurdles that probably could dash hopes of polishing the bank’s image and fixing the financial system: Zanu PF politics and the country’s unsustainable external debt.
Being at the helm of a an institution that had become notorious for bending rules and shifted its focus to the personal whims of politicians can be no easy feat, especially amid political turmoil.
Should President Robert Mugabe decide to remain in power and investors continue to shun the country as a result, it will effectively test Mangudya’s ability to get around these setbacks.
Zimbabwe is in the throes of a severe liquidity crisis that has squeezed banks and forced scores of cash-strapped firms to shut down. A number of smaller local lenders have collapsed while others teeter on the brink.
One of Mangudya’s main worries is bad loans that spiked to critical levels of 20 percent in October this year, from 18 percent in June.
But his recent move to free banks from danger by buying toxic loans from them has been widely praised as a masterstroke likely to prevent many from going bust even as financial sector recovery has proven to be elusive.
Fewer options are available to him at the moment, presenting quite a jolt for monetary policy at a time when the Zimdollar has since 2009 been shelved in favour of a basket of hard foreign currencies.
The artistic RBZ head reiterated last week that certain economic fundamentals ought to be achieved before the reserve bank were to consider printing the local currency again; saying an early return for it would be suicidal.
“What would be the fundamental reasons for (early) re-introduction of the local currency? That will be economic suicide…” Mangudya cautioned.
He gave the warning at a conference to unveil new special coins meant to alleviate a shortage of lower denomination currency and make business transactions easier.
The Zimbabwe Asset Management Company, formed earlier this year to buy bad debts from banks, has to date acquired US$60 million worth of non-performing loans that have assets backing them.
But the central bank will have to make do with that in the time being as long as time is not yet ripe for the local currency’s to bounce back, with international reserve not enough to cover it.
Already dogged by a lack of foreign investment due to President Robert Mugabe’s hostile indigenisation policy, current Zanu PF internal power struggles threaten to stoke economic troubles further.
Zimbabwe’s economy had steadily been on a recovery path after a decade-long downturn marked by an annual inflation rate which peaked to 500 billion percent in 2008.
That rebound ended after a July 2013 election saw Mugabe claim “resounding victory” in what the mainstream opposition MDC party says was plain electoral theft.
According to the latest International Monetary Fund foreasts, Zimbabwe’s economy grew by a robust 10.5 percent in 2012, while it will decelerate to 4.5 percent in 2013.
The growing signs of another economic disaster waiting to happen could stifle Mangudya’s intentions if the solution as to who will succeed ailing Mugabe, 90, is not quickly found.
The Mugabe sucession confusion has cast a shadow on the livelihoods of average Zimbabweans, many of whom rely on the goodwill of foreign donors and those in the diaspora for survival.
Vowing to “get back to basics” and “to clean up and strengthen banks’ balance sheets and provide them with the liquidity to fund valuable projects for the economy”, the central bank has set itself a goal that is as prudent as it may later prove to be a tall order.
Could this be this be the beginning of an epoch-making era for an institution bogged down by many years of reckless policies and blatant disregard for its autonomy?
The jury is still out for Mangudya because the major hurdles that have spooked Zimbabwe and held back its economic potential are still lurking in the shadows of Mugabe’s lengthy rule, but he is certainly putting a brave fight.
Joice Mujuru Silent As MDC Activists and 30,000 Civilians Are Killed and Only Screams When Mugabe Farts!
“I am grateful to the Lord that I am able to address you once again, despite the ever present but still unlawful threats against my person,” started VP Mujuru in her press statement. The whole statement continued and finished along the same vein of sanctimonious half-truths and damned lies! She would have never signed the statement as a sworn statement to be produced in a court of law, yet she willingly evoked the name of the Lord to bear witness to the half-truths and damn lies!
Madam, Zanu PF has systematically denied the people of Zimbabwe their basic and fundamental freedoms and human rights including the right to a meaningful vote and even the right to life itself but please, please do not make the mistake of thinking that we are all stupid and blind.
We know it is Mugabe’s modus operandi to accuse all those he considers a threat to his strangle-hold on political power of all manner of criminal activities ranging from petty crime to treason, for example. Rarely if ever are the accused ever brought before a court of law and evidence produced but rarer still is anyone ever convicted after transparent due process. However having made the accusation, Mugabe uses this as cover for harassing, intimidating, threatening and depriving his opponent and his/her supporters basic human rights. He will do whatever it takes, including rigging the vote and/or murder, to ensure he “wins” the election and stay in power.
So Madam when you say “A vociferous attempt has been made to portray me as “a traitor”, “murderer ” and “sell out”, yet not a single iota of evidence has been produced to give credence to the allegations,” you are not telling us anything new that we have not seen happen before.
You, as a very senior member of this Zanu PF regime, must have been aware of the party’s dirty political trickery. For the record, the regime has murdered over 30 000 innocent Zimbabweans for selfish political gain in its 34 years in power. Throughout all these years and the shedding of blood of all these thousands, you have never lifted a finger to stop this madness.
Are you doing it now because you are now the victim of the Zanu PF political machination? Or is it because you are human and those who lost their lives in the past are not quite human beings?
Now that Mugabe has thrown you out of Zanu PF, rightly or wrongly, justly or otherwise; you will have to make-up your ‘simple mind’, as Mugabe called it. Is your loyalty still with Mugabe, with the Zanu PF members who dared to support you and who too have been purged or it is with the ordinary Zimbabweans whom Zanu PF betrayed since 1980 by denying them their the basic human rights and dignity?
To us Mugabe is a corrupt and murderous tyrant who has systematically denied us, the masses, povo, our basic rights and dignity. To us, all this “His Excellency” crap makes us want to puke.
The fact that you still refuse to see Mugabe for the corrupt and tyrant he is even with the benefit of what you have witnessed him doing to you and those who have supported and followed (foolishly as it has turned out) you as their leaders show that Mugabe was right in dismissing you as a simpleton, not fit to hold high office.
Why Mugabe promoted you to be VP has to do with his own Satanic desire to surround himself with simpletons who pose no threat to his hold on power which is at odds with the national interest of appointed the most competent person for every position.
Madam if you should ever want to win the sympathy of the ordinary people of Zimbabwe, then you must stop treating them as if they are all stupid. You insult our intelligence when you deny that you are corrupt.
However the greatest public good you could do this nation at this critical time in our national
history is to tell the truth about last year’s rigged elections.
Zimbabwe is stuck in this political limbo because everyone is refusing to deal with an illegitimate Zanu PF regime. Even if Zanu PF finally scrapped the ill-advised indigenisation law, for example, no one in the world will ever trust the regime yourself included whether you remain in or out of government.
If you want our sympathy, open your mouth now before it is too late and before you become insignificant. Know for certainty that after Friday this week, no journalist anywhere in the world will recognise your face even for a newspaper advert rental.
Kombi Accident Nearly Kills 9
NINE people were seriously injured when a kombi they were travelling in veered off the road after being hit by a Toyota Ipsum on its left side along Old Esigodini Road adjacent to Ilanda suburb on Sunday.
The accident happened at around 6pm, with the injured passengers immediately being ferried to nearby United Bulawayo Hospitals.
The kombi was ferrying people from the city centre to Manningdale when the Toyota Ipsum that was exiting the Infectious Disease Hospital at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) reportedly failed to give way.
The driver of the kombi fled the scene after realising that his passengers were badly hurt, an issue that made most eyewitnesses suspect that he was either under the influence of alcohol or unlicensed.
Efforts to get a comment from the police were fruitless as the Bulawayo spokesperson referred questions to Harare, while his counterparts in Harare referred questions back to Bulawayo.
Eye witnesses and a passenger told the Southern Eye that the kombi driver was speeding and the Ipsum driver failed to give way to the traffic coming from his right, leading to the accident.
“The Ipsum driver is lucky not to be hurt because he was wearing his seatbelt, he was wrong in not giving way and so was the kombi driver in speeding,” a local vendor known as MaNcube said.
“We hope no one dies from injuries sustained from this accident.”
A passenger, Themba Maphosa, said he was lucky not to be injured as he was sitting in the back seat.
The kombi was badly damaged. – SouthernEye
US Embassy Speaks Out, Blasts Mugabe on Mujuru Assassination Claims
UNITED States State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki has dismissed as unfounded claims by President Robert Mugabe that the US was in an unholy alliance with Vice President Joice Mujuru to assassinate him.
Psaki said the allegations were baseless and were unworthy of a response.
“Allegations made about the activities of the US embassy in Zimbabwe are baseless and do not merit a response,” she said.
“The United States remains a steadfast friend of the Zimbabwean people.”
Psaki’s remarks follow Mugabe’s claims on Saturday that Mujuru, who is seemingly out of her way from Zanu PF, was plotting with the US embassy to remove him from office.
Mugabe told about 12 000 members of the ruling Zanu PF party that his spies followed Mujuru to the embassy, where he said she held secret meetings to plan his assassination.
The three-day party congress formalised First Lady Grace’s position as leader of the Zanu PF women’s league, re-elected the 90-year-old Mugabe to a new five-year term as party president and authorised him to choose his vice-presidents and other top party officials.
“I am open to competition, but not when it involves taking me out the Kabila way,” Mugabe said, referring to the former leader of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Laurent Kabila, who was assassinated by one of his bodyguards in 2001.
“I met Joice when she was a young kid in the war,” he said.
“I strengthened her and even pushed her to get an education until she got a doctorate.”
Mujuru became a member of the Cabinet at 25 when Mugabe was elected president in 1980.
Mugabe said his wife, Grace, pushed him to appoint Mujuru as vice-president in 2004.
— triblive.com/Staff Reporter
Royal Bank Property Goes Under the Hammer
Property belonging to the now defunct Royal Bank, which was placed under liquidation at the beginning of the year will this week be auctioned in Harare and Bulawayo to recover creditor’s funds.
The bank owes its creditors $3,7 million.
According to a notice issued by Hammer and Tongues Auctioneers, the bank’s assets that include vehicles, equipment, household and office furniture will go under thee hammer on Friday and Saturday in the two cities.
“Duly instructed by Tudor House Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, the liquidators of Royal Bank Zimbabwe Limited under liquidation will sell the following assets by auction. Ford ranger pickup, Mazda B1800, Isuzu KB double cab, generator, four plate stove, dining room suites, television sets, Chubb money safes, computer sets…,’ read one of the notices.
Royal Bank was placed under provisional liquidation on February 20 after it surrendered its operating licence to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe when it failed to secure new investors.
As at June 30, 2012, Royal Bank was heavily undercapitalised with a core capital of $1,850 million, which fell far short of the minimum regulatory capital requirement of $12,5 million for commercial banks at the time.
The monetary authorities have since raised the minimum capital requirements for commercial banks to $100 million by year 2020.
VIDEO: Mnangagwa Says “God Wears Gushungo Label Clothes”
Presidential aspirant Emmerson Mnangagwa who is hoping to be appointed Vice President tomorrow, says that God Almighty wears a hat with the Gushungo(Robert Mugabe) label on it.
In an address to mourners at a funeral caught on motion video, Mnangagwa who is the murdered Josiah Tongogara’s brother in law, said that God Almighty was once spotted wearing a hat with the Gushungo label on it while talking to the Devil. VIDEO:
Zimbabwe Cabinet Ministers Reshuffle This Morning
Dr. Misheck Sibanda, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet says Cabinet will sit this morning Tuesday 9th December 2014 in Parliament. The Cabinet meeting comes at a time some senior Government officials, including Vice President Joice Mujuru, are in trouble for reportedly plotting to unseat President Mugabe.
Many are keen to see if Mujuru will attend the Cabinet meeting considering that she has been boycotting some high-level Zanu-PF meetings, including the party’s just-ended 6th National People’s Congress. According to her latest public statement, she has been mindful of her personal security as the youths were meant to be unleashed on her for a physical assault.
A shake-up of the Cabinet is looming in the wake of the Congress resolution that all implicated in the plot to unseat the President, be punished without fear or favour; and President Mugabe’s announcement that all culprits whether at ministerial, deputy ministerial or civil service level face the boot.
Meanwhile, Mugabe will this week appoint a new Zanu-PF Politburo that will not feature several heavyweights who have relegated themselves to political oblivion by seeking to ouster President Mugabe. The changes could be a precursor to a Cabinet shakeup.
Major casualties in both the party and State executives are likely to be VP Mujuru, Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa, Public Service Nicholas Goche, Education Minister Lazarus Dokora and ICT Minister Webster Shamhu. Minister Francis Nhema, Olivia Muchena, Dzikamai Mavhaire, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, Flora Bhuka, and Simbabneuta Mudarikwa also face uncertain future.
Senior government officials such as permanent secretaries and directors who were implicated in the faction related issues could also face the ouster. In line with the ratification of amendments to the party’s constitution, any member who is passed a vote of no confidence faces a five year suspension or expulsion. The amendments also established an elections commission to take over management of internal polls from the commissariat.
FULL TEXT: Mujuru Responds to Mugabe
PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE HONOURABLE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE, AND MEMBER OF THE RULING PARTY, ZANU PF – HONOURABLE DR. JOICE TEURAI ROPA MUJURU, TO THE CITIZEN’S OF ZIMBABWE.
Dear Comrades, friends, fellow citizens and countrymen:
I am grateful to the Lord that I am able to address you once again, despite the ever present but still unlawful threats against my person. The State Media, has continued to publish malicious untruths about me in the run up to, and after the 6th Congress of the ruling Zanu PF party.
Having listened intently to the numerous unfounded allegations levelled against me, I feel compelled to correct these unsubstantiated statements, misconceptions, lies being communicated to His Excellency The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Comrade R G Mugabe, and the general public.
Alleged Treasonous Conduct:
As a law abiding citizen of Zimbabwe, I abhor the very notion that an elected President or Government of the day can be removed from office through wrongful or unlawful means.
The allegations that I, alone, or (together with various distinguished Comrades) have sought to or attempted to remove His Excellency R G Mugabe from office are ridiculous.
Earlier this year, in Chinhoyi, I had occasion to state publicly that the Zanu PF Party had been infiltrated by a group of persons with nefarious intent, whose objective is to destroy the Party from within. As a result of my objections to this agenda, I have become the fly in a web of lies whose final objective is the destruction of Zanu PF and what it stands for and ultimately the present Government of H.E R G Mugabe.
A vociferous attempt has been made to portray me as “a traitor”, “murderer ” and “sell out”, yet not a single iota of evidence has been produced to give credence to the allegations.
Alleged practice of “witchcraft”:
Were it not that the allegations of the practice of “witch craft “have been made in relation to a very serious matter, I would not have been concerned. Suffice to say that I am and have always been a God-fearing person and would not and have not resorted to witchraft to advance my political career. Support comes from the people, it cannot be divined under cover of darkness.
Association with the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe:
I was invited to be Patron of the ApostolicChristian Council of Zimbabwe, which represents at least 700 apostolic Christian churches in Zimbabwe, as long ago as January 2011. This was with the full consent and blessing of His Excellency. I have since then, with the full knowledge of the Head of State, attended numerous church gatherings, as Patron and also as Vice President. There has never been any clandestine or unlawful gatherings that I have been a part off.
Alleged incompetence and ineptitude
In my position of Vice President , I had numerous responsibilities including mid-last year, the duty to campaign (amongst others) for the Party in the national elections. I personally held and attended 43 campaign rallies all over Zimbabwe in a three week period, often at great personal expense, and happily losing 4kgs in that period! The result of the 2013 elections has been recorded in history, and I believe I played my part in the outcome.
Having been Vice President for the past 10 years, I am perplexed that allegations of ineptitude only arose a few weeks before Congress.
The position of women in Zimbabwean Society
I believe that I have advanced national causes as Vice President, and especially issues that affect the family, women, youth and children – successfully. We the women of Zimbabwe are legally, and constitutionally – equal citizens to men, we should not be derided or treated as second class citizens in our society which is supposed to be modern and progressive.
Threats against my life and person
Towards the 6th Zanu PF Congress, the forces at work in the Party realized that I was not and would not resign any of my public or party positions on flimsy or contrived grounds. Therefore, their strategy moved from being one of persistent denigration and defamation in the national state media and newspapers, to one of direct threats against my person and life.
My agents were wrongfully and unlawfully prevented from submitting my nomination papers for the Congress and subsequently the state media and newspapers advised me that my life and person was at risk if I attended the Congress. In the interests of public order, and given that this unprecedented “screening”of delegates was unchallenged by the Party Leadership, I decided to stay away from the inevitable public humiliation as was meted out to other unfortunate members of the Party . I made my fears known to the Party Leadership. It was important to maintain the dignity of the office of the Vice President even in the face of such unwarranted violence by a section the party membership.
Simplicity- thy name is Teurai
Fellow Zimbabweans, I regret that I must accept, one of the allegations. I am a simple village girl from Dotito. I went to join the liberation war at the age of 18 years and when I first became a cabinet minister in 1980 I could hardly speak, read or write English! Through encouragement from His Excellency, I went to night school and over the years have systematically and diligently improved myself academically (just as many of you have done over the years) culminating in the recent doctorate degree from the University of Zimbabwe.
There are a few practical truths that I must share, which I appreciate all the time.
Zimbabweans are crying out for solutions to the simple problems we have:
- how to put food on the table, how to obtain healthcare,
- sending our children to school
- providing transport for them and restoring the transport infrastructure,
- keeping our cities clean,
- and restoring electricity to all urban households together with clean running water.
- It is these simple problems that I have dedicated my life and career to and will continue to pursue.
Criminal Allegations
I maintain that I am, and remain, a law-abiding citizen who has not been involved in any criminal activity. The reported accusations of criminal conduct are based on the alleged actions of third parties who the state media has tenuously linked to me out of desperation. This approach can only be explained as a well-orchestrated smear campaign, and gross abuse of state apparatus and resources.
Alleged Abuse of Office
As I stated before, I have always utilized my office to faithfully assist His Excellency President R. G Mugabe in driving the social and economic programmes of his Government to successful fruition. At no point have I ever been motivated by self-interest when discharging my public duties.
Alleged Assassination of the President
The most repugnant allegation made recently has been that I sought to assassinate the President. My loyalty to His Excellency and my country Zimbabwe, is unquestionable. I would never be party to such an action or activity, alone or in a group.
Conclusion
In conclusion my fellow citizens, let it be known that I am loyal to the President and faithful to my Party, and its leader, devoted to its aims, obedient to its cause and resolute in my service to Zimbabwe. God bless you all.
DOCTOR JOICE TEURAI ROPA MUJURU
BREAKING NEWS:Grace Mugabe Deletes Mnangagwa from Presidential Roll
- Mugabe violates constitution to please Grace
- Mnangagwa pushed out at last minute
- Only women allowed to control presidium
Zimbabwe’s most powerful woman Grace Mugabe, has deleted the name of top presidential candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa in what will likely see the famous blue eyed boy ditched at the 11th hour and miss the door into State House.
Mugabe reportedly refused at the last minute to make presidium and politburo appointments at the congress in line with the stipulated protocol at a time when Mr Mugabe had yet already physically lined up his preferred successor as evidenced by Mnangagwa’s high table seat at the weekend. “Women will rule this country,” said Mrs Mugabe during the days running up to the congress.
Mnangagwa’s team had in the last few months labouriously toiled firing media missiles to disarm the only other rival Joice Mujuru as numerous fake files were compiled just to disgrace and discredit Mujuru. Mnangagwa even went to the point of launching an expensive Gushungo Football Cup which squandered more than $100,000 in Robert Mugabe’s honour hoping to gain the most coveted favour. But all that work was in vain and Mnangagwa was actually toiling for others, a top ZANU PF source told this reporter.
Reports at hand revealed on Monday show that if Mugabe goes ahead to appoint Mnangagwa against Grace’s wishes, their bedroom is not going to be a safe place. “Zvinobva zvatooma kana vakadaro,” one of the sources said.
ZimEye can reveal Grace Mugabe has handpicked Senate Supremo Ednar Madzongwe.
It is widely held that the prominent reason why Grace distrusts Mnangagwa is the latter’s bad reputation with women and so she feels she will not be able to control Mnangagwa once her husband dies.
Ednar Madzongwe (pictured) is from Mashonaland West and is said to be a relative of the Mugabe’s who has been close to the Gushungos.
TB Joshua Celebrates Obama’s Hospitalization Prediction
Controversial Nigerian Preacher, TB Joshua, whose building killed 116 people in September, has rushed to celebrate US President Barack Obama’s hospitalisation saying he predicted it weeks before.
The preacher posted an edited video said to have been shot in August of him allegedly making the prediction.
One of his paid journalists wrote the below accompaying the edited footage:
I found out that Obama was apparently rushed to Hospital today and googled for more info but then I saw in the suggestion feed a prediction by TB Joshua that was posted on youtube in August 2014.
Coincidence of just plain luck?
SEE VIDEO:
President Obama whisked to hospital by motorcade and given a CAT scan for ‘persistent sore throat’ he’s been suffering for weeks
President Barack Obama underwent fiber optic exam Saturday morning
Then referred to military hospital in Maryland for CAT scan in afternoon
Results of two tests show president has acid reflux, physician has said
Condition is caused when the contents of the stomach flow back up the esophagus, often leading to severe heartburn and nausea after eating
White House has stressed hospital visit was not urgent medical matter
Obama, 53, had a physical exam in May; was said to be in good health
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2863755/Obama-taken-Maryland-hospital-treated-sore-throat.html#ixzz3LB12fqOB
Russia Goes after Grace Mugabe’s Oranges
Russia has rubbished EU sanctions and resolved to buy citrus and other food products from Zimbabwe to supplement its domestic needs, a move that will boost Grace Mugabe’s Mazoe citrus farm.
Kuda Chideme| A visiting Russian trade delegation has expressed interest in importing agricultural produce from Zimbabwe as the eastern European powerhouse seeks to establish new commodities markets in the wake of Western imposed trade sanctions.
Russia already has local business interests in the mining sector.
Head of the delegation Igo Avakumo told journalists on Monday ahead of a meeting with agriculture minister Joseph Made, that trade sanctions by the European Union and United States had propelled Russia to turn to Latin America, Asia and Africa for agricultural produce.
Before the sanctions , Russia’s food imports from the EU and the US accounted for over $40 million annually.
Avakumo said Russia’s need for citrus fruits would create business opportunity for Zimbabwe.
“Imports of citrus fruits will be of interest to us as we don’t have much of that in our country. We have been producing them in greenhouses but the high energy demand for greenhouses makes it expensive,” Avakumo said.
“We are also proposing to establish a genetic selection centre in Zimbabwe which would supply Russia with high quality seeds particularly vegetables and potatoes.”
Made said in exchange Zimbabwe was also seeking credit loans for local farmers from the eastern European powerhouse.
“We would like to study your credit finance structure that has enabled you to meet your grain requirements. We would like to understand the nature and structure of subsidies because that is where the crux of the matter is in terms of sustaining the farmers,” he said.
In September, the two countries signed several agreements to develop a $3 billion platinum project in Darwendale near Harare.
US Mystery Drone Causes Stir in Victoria Falls
A (US made) DRONE AIRCRAFT fitted with cameras and owned by a tour operator in Victoria Falls has raised the ire of residents and tour operators who fear it is a security risk as its operations are shrouded in mystery.
The drone, known as the quadcopter or quadrotor helicopter, is a multi-rotor craft that is lifted and propelled by four rotors and remote-controlled by a person on the ground.
Residents accuse the operator of spying on them and were no longer free to do their business fearing their images were being captured by the gadget.
To add to the mystery, residents said they had no idea what the videos taken over residential places were being used for.
Reports were that the gadget was also used to fly over the falls, risking accidents, as it could interfere with helicopters from Zimbabwe and Zambia flying over the water falls, a journey known as the Flight of the Angels.
Fears were that the gadget could be used for spying, as it flew over protected areas or poaching, as it could easily be used to spy on wildlife.
Victoria Falls residents’ association chairperson Morgan Gaza Dube said the drone should be stopped from operating until stakeholders agree on its operations.
“It’s really unacceptable for a person to operate such a gadget without telling us what it’s all about,” he said.
“We don’t know the purpose of the filming.
“We feel very insecure because no one has explained to us what it’s all about.
“It’s like walking into someone’s home and filming.”
Dube said authorities should introduce regulations on the use of unmanned aircraft.
“What value is that gadget adding to Victoria Falls?” he asked.
“We feel it should be stopped first and we meet as stakeholders so that we understand its purpose and agree, unlike the current situation where it’s just being flown without our knowledge.”
The owner of the drone could not be reached for comment yesterday. – SouthernEye
FULL VIDEO: Robert Mugabe Rubbishing Own Party ZANU PF
Mugabe Still Scared of Emmerson Mnangagwa
As Zimbabweans were left guessing on who is going to be handed the powerful post of First Vice President in the next 72 Hours, details have emerged from ZANU PF’s inner circles that President Robert Mugabe is bone-scared that his own blue eyed boy Emmerson Mnangagwa will soon turn against his family following his death.
Senior sources in the just dissolved Politburo told this reporter the veteran leader could not go ahead to appoint politburo members and senior secretaries of the Presidium on Saturday due to the heavy crisis of decisions he has been caught up with.
“We all know Comrade Mnangagwa boasts of being his right hand man since the war but do you realise Mugabe has never raised Mnangagwa beyond the level of Minister since 1980? We shall see what he decides at the end but I have told what we all know hakurarwi vhiki rino (there will be no sleep this week”, said one of the sources.
“Why do you think vaMugabe in 2004 pushed Ngwena aside putting Mujuru into place?,” another source said.
Meanwhile there was wide speculation Monday amid wild rumours that Mugabe’s choice is going to end up being Ednar Madzongwe seconded by Simon Khaya Moyo with National Chairman as Jacob Mudenda, and Mnangagwa taking Didymus Mutasa’s job Secretary for Administration. The Secretary for Commissariat would be Oppah Muchinguri according to the fiery rumours.
Political Analyst and Journalist, Methuseli Moyo has voiced saying Mugabe Saturday left people guessing, although for him, the surprise would be if Mugabe did not pick Mnangagwa.
“I think he really needs more time to think seriously,” he said.
“Technically there are two vacancies after the removal of Joice Mujuru, it means that he can choose anyone at his own pleasure.
“The only surprise he can make is not to appoint Emmerson Mnangagwa as one of the vice-presidents.”
After getting the carte blanche to pick his deputies and party chairperson, Mugabe has three vacancies to fill, which could be an indicator on who his preferred successor is.
To add to speculation, at the high table, Mugabe sat with Moyo, House of Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda and his Senate counterpart Edna Madzongwe, raising conjecture that those could be his picks to fill in the vacant posts.
Political analyst Qhubani Moyo said he was not expecting any surprises when Mugabe chooses his lieutenants.
“I think there’s a clear indication that he wants to apply his mind in terms of who he’s going to appoint,” he said. “To me it’s not logical that a person who has just been elected immediately jumps to appoint his lieutenants without scrutinising them.”
However, at previous congresses, Mugabe has immediately announced the politburo line-ups, but Moyo advised patience.
“The wait is not long,” he said.
“It’s only four days and I think we need to be patient.” SouthernEye/ZimEye
Outrage as ZRP Cop Beats Up Football Referee
The curtain came down on the Eastern Region Division 1 on a rather bad note as a ZRP cop who is a Masvingo FC player only identified as Dadzani decided to employ his hands in the field of play against the referee as result injuring him in the chest on Sunday at Mucheke stadium where they were hosted by Masvingo United (Una Una).
What started as a good family day for Masvingo soccer enthusiasts degenerated into a horror movie when Dadzani who had earned a red card just after half time when he lunged his studs into Josiah Chekacheke’s left leg leaving the referee with no option except to give a red card to the player who had already earned himself a yellow card for rough play.
The red card did not go down well with Dadzani as he charged towards referee Zebediah Chitiga hailing unprintable words and plunging into him at the chest so hard creating a bloody bruise. Cowing down to the intimidation, the referee was seen altering his decision: At first the referee granted Una Una a penalty but changed his mind after the confrontation by Dadzani to a free kick.
Dadzani’s behaviour was roundly condemned by soccer fans who had come to watch the derby which was expected to be a thriller as both teams are in the top half of the log.
“This behaviour is unacceptable in this day and age, the referee was clearly intimidated into changing his decision from a penalty to a free kick, it is unprofessional at all” said Una Una gaffer Joannies Nhumwa
Chitiga had no kind words for Dadzani, “I am shocked by this behaviour worse still coming from a police team who are supposed to be the custodians of discipline.”
The ZRP coach only identified as Chishiri refused to talk to the media and referred all questions to the ZRP spokesperson.
“We are yet to receive a report of the match, more so it is not our responsibility to discipline soccer players we leave it to ZIFA as the administrators of the game,” said Masvingo acting spokesperson assistant inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa.
“I am yet to receive the report from the match commissioner for me to be able to comment,” said the ZIFA eastern region manager, Tadius Machawira when approached for a comment.
The match ended 1-1. -Mirror
ZANU PF Delegates Left Stranded in Harare After Congress
Delegates to the Zanu (PF) Sixth National People’s conference left today for their respective destinations but as has become the norm after huge party events, some activists were stranded as they failed to find transport.
When The Zimbabwean visited the venue of the congress, frustrated party activists could be seen milling around waiting in vain for transport to take them home.
One of the activists blamed lack of proper coordination as being behind the chaos that saw people waiting for long hours since the early hours of the morning.
“We were told that transport would come to pick us at six in the morning but up to now, we are still waiting and there has not been any communication as to how we are going to be transported from here,” said a Mutare delegate who identified himself as Samuel Garidzwa.
Other delegates said they were left behind as they had been told buses would come to pick them later in the day yet their fellow delegates were picked early morning.
“When we came to enquire on the transport arrangements, we were told that buses that were supposed to ferry us had already gone and we have been told that other buses are being arranged so we will just wait,” said another delegate from Kwekwe who identified herself as Hazel Chara.
Some of the delegates complained of hunger due to the fact that since people were leaving, efforts were being focused more on transport issues.
“Some of us last had a meal last night and the problem now is that issues of food are no longer being given attention to yet we need to eat,” said Givemore Muredzo from Mutoko.
At the congress venue, workers could be seen pulling down tents while security maintained a heavy presence. – TheZimbabwean
Supreme Court Upholds REMO Suspensions, Dealer Motsi Gets Reprieve
The Supreme Court has upheld the suspension of stock-broking firm, Remo but reduced its suspension by six months from the initial five years, court papers have shown.
The firm’s managing director Mohamed Mahmed, who also had his securities dealers’ license cancelled by the Securities Commission of Zimbabwe (SECZ) however had his appeal dismissed while Rezana Ebrahim, the firm’s compliance officer and John Motsi, a registered securities dealer had their sentences suspended.
SECZ cancelled Remo’s broker’s license, suspended Mahmed, Ebrahim and Motsi in 2012 after Remo failed to recover shares it had pledged as security after borrowing close to $2 million from Interfin Securities.
Remo then sought the intervention of the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange to pressure Interfin to return the shares, which prompted an investigation into the issue.
Proctor and Associates, which was tasked by SECZ to carry out the investigation, established that Remo did not record shares that were in question in the nominees register as required by the Securities Act.
Investigators also said Remo Investments engaged in non-permissible activities in the money market, leading to its suspension.
The Administrative Court in 2012 upheld the decision and Remo, Mahmed, Ebrahim and Motsi launched a joint appeal against the judgment to the Supreme Court.
“The appeal succeeds in part to the extent that the sanction imposed on REMO is reduced and, in respect of Ebrahim and Motsi, is set aside entirely. I find no justification for the actions of the Commission against Ebrahim and Motsi,” read part of the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court bench made up of justices Garwe, Gowora and Patel.
“The appeal by the first applicant (REMO) is allowed to the extent that the conviction on a charge of contravening section 50(1) of the Act is set aside and consequent thereto, the period of cancelation is reduced to four years and six months.”
BREAKING NEWS: Didymus Mutasa Now Fully Recovered, Flies Away to India
ZANU PF’s outgoing Secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa has recovered and exited a South African Hospital, and is now skating over and across the Indian oceans to Asia.
Mr Mutasa emphatically told ZimEye in an exclusive interview he is now well and is today Monday flying out of Africa to India.
“Ndikati zvakanaka,” he said.
Despite his healing, he added that he is flying his wife (who needs crucial attention) to India.
“Tirikuenda navo kuIndia mangwana(today),” he said.
Mr Mutasa was at the just ended ZANU PF Congress mocked by party leader Robert Mugabe who announcing his hospitalisation said he had before he fell ill, been consulting witch doctors to see Mugabe’s downfall. Mugabe claimed that Mutasa was part of people who consulted n’angas and prophets seeking assistance that would see them taking over the leadership of the party.
“They would ask, when will Mugabe die? so that they take over,” said President Mugabe.
FULL VIDEO: Mugabe Dynasty Sudden Exit, London Prophet’s Interview
Kaukonde Escapes, Flees to South Africa
Former Zanu-PF Mashonaland East provincial chair Ray Kaukonde has fled to South Africa after being linked to a plot to topple President Mugabe and replace him with Vice-President Joice Mujuru.President Mugabe yesterday revealed: “We hear Kaukonde is now in South Africa. That is why he is not here.”
Kaukonde is believed to be the main financier of the Mujuru faction. His centrality to the plot to unseat President Mugabe was first publicly revealed by First Lady and Zanu-PF Women’s League boss Grace Mugabe, who also accused him of prodding former Politburo member Dr Simba Makoni to rebel and form an opposition party.
He — together with VP Mujuru and former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa — did not attend the 6th Zanu-PF Congress that ended in Harare.
Mugabe has refused to accept results of Mash East central committee elections saying it contained people linked to Kaukonde. Some Mashonaland East delegates were heard whispering that Sydney Sekeramayi and Simbaneuta Mudarikwa were among the “bad apples that spoiled the basket”.
A larger group went on to denounce those presented to the President. President Mugabe said: “You are the only province that has raised this concern. But these are the people you gave us. We now hear that tadzorera vanhu vaKaukonde.
“If you say they did not come from you, who then elected them? We will do as you wish by making sure new elections are held. We will send representatives to assist you in this matter.”
Mujuru had toyed with the idea of showing up at the National Heroes Acre where former ambassador, Kotsho Dube was buried. But in the end she chickened out. – ZBC
PICTURE Of Zim Boy Killed in Scotland UK
One ex-church member has narrated the family’s ordeal saying : “this is very serious, can you believe this couple was happily married before they started going to Agape. It was the husband’s brother Joseph Chiriseri who introduced the couple to Pastor Walter Masocha and in no time the marriage collapsed”, one of my close sources told me yesterday. Tichakunda Chiriseri, under the guidance and instruction of Walter Masocha left his young wife Farai after he was told she was demon possessed and committed himself fully to Agape Church. It makes me sick and angry, because the exact same thing happened to me. Chiriseri was then arranged Attache Caroline Chiwara by Walter Masocha. He would drive to church conferences with Caroline Chiwara, leaving Farai at home alone with the children. This must have drove the poor mother to this drastic measures knowing her husband had been given another woman by Walter Masocha.”
Govt Selling Billy Rautenbach’s Urine, Court Ruling
The Zimbabwean Government is violating the constitution by forcing Zim motorists to buy ZANU PF businessman Billy Rautenbach’s “urine” (as it is now infamously referred as), ethanol blended fuel, the Constitutional Court is expected to rule.
The Constitutional Court is preparing to decide on the thorny case presented by top barrister Tendai Biti representing his client Mr Tabani Mpofu, who contests on the constitutionality of mandatory petrol blending in its entirety.
While the Jonathan Moyo media claimed that Mr Biti is fightin on the constitutionality of mandatory petrol blending to levels beyond E10, the truth and facts on the case are that the lawsuit is in fact about mandatory petrol blending in its entirety.
Prof Moyo’s journalists last month further claimed saying that “the Constitutional Court has no jurisdiction to determine issues pertaining to the blending of fuel because that decision must be made by the Executive,” an argument spoon-fed by Green Fuel Advocate Adrian De Bourbon.
Adv De Bourbon said the courts should leave issues to do with the blending ratios to the Executive and that the court should not be called upon to make such Executive decisions. He urged the court to dismiss the blending challenge on the basis that it was not properly before the court.
State Media journos claim that Mr Mpofu did not establish any breach of the fundamental rights as enshrined in the Bill of Rights and that his application was wrongly before the court.
But Mr Tendai Biti argues that the constitutional rights of Mr Tabani and subsequently other Zimbabweans have been breached by forcing people to buy the fuel which is incompatible with numerous vehicles.
ZimEye caught up with Mr Biti soon after the court hearing last month and he voiced confidence that he will win the case. “We are very confident.Yes the judge was very sympathetic and the judgement was reserved, but I haven’t read the Herald,” he said.
Biti reiterated his legal argument now twisted by the Herald newspaper which claimed that he is fighting Green Fuel on the basis of mandatory blending of levels beyond the E10 class.
“That’s not the argument,” said Biti.
He continued, “the argument is on choice.
“When it’s there people must be able to buy it and import it from anywhere, with hydrocarbon, fellow companies import form Kuwait, from Saudi Arabia, from Venezuela, from Angola, from Nigeria, any country with oil. Why is it that with unhydronous ethanol, we are being forced to buy locally where the production costs are very high? You have got countries like Brazil and America, the two largest producers of ethanol fuel who are [selling it a far much lower prices] (sic). Here we are buying it at 140cents a litre. So then this is a Rautenbach law because of ZANU PF corruption,” said Biti.
“Our argument is that it is unconstitutional to force people to consume one product. People should have a right to choose,” he said.
Biti further added that the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority does not have powers to regulate ethanol, which is an agricultural product.
He said the Petroleum Act could not be used to regulate ethanol, hence the regulations for the blending of fuel with ethanol were not in sync with the parent Act.
Mr Biti said motorists were denied the right to choose the fuel type they want through the Statutory Instruments on mandatory blending.
On behalf of zera, Mr Raphael Tsivama said there was no breach of the Constitution and that the regulations were not divorced from the Petroleum Act.
He said petrol remained a petroleum product despite the fact that it would have been mixed with ethanol and that there was no discrimination as all people were subjected to the same regulations of mandatory blending.
Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, sitting with eight other judges, reserved judgement after hearing the arguments.
In the application, Mr Mpofu cited, zera, Energy and Power Development Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire and GreenFuel as respondents.
Government introduced mandatory blending ratios of E15 on November 30 2013 and wanted the ratios increased to E20 by March this year.
But Mr Mpofu took ZERA, Minister Mavhaire and Green Fuel to court over the issue. He filed the application at the Constitutional Court last December challenging Green Fuel’s monopoly and blending ratios. Mr Mpofu argued that the monopoly and blending ratios did not guarantee fair competition and were not in the interest of motorists.
The blending started with five percent ethanol and 95 percent unleaded petrol on August 15, following the issuance of an ethanol production (mandatory blending) licence to Green Fuel on August 5.
Meanwhile outside the court case, other controversies have been to do with vital environmental assessment studies which were never performed before commencing the project and recently environentalists have fired a warning that Rautenbach is poisoning rivers and destroying the ecosystem through the ethanol production. READ MORE Rautenbach responsible for water poisoning, & shooting of villagers’ cattle –
Mavhaire Donates $1500 to Local Football
The Minister of Energy and Power Development who is also a Senator for Masvingo, Dzikamai Mavhaire has donated $1 500 and 18 soccer balls to Mucheke Social League.
The donation was made at Flamboyant hotel last Friday.
Mavhaire said $1 000 will go towards the winners of the league while $500 will go towards the second-placed.
The donation of cash was handed over to the league treasurer, Bernard Makunikeni and the balls were handed to the captains of the 18 teams by the Minister.
“This is not the only group of people I have helped, I have taken 300 children to Mushagashe Training Centre to be trained in seven different area of building, welding, hair dressing and others.
I am happy therefore that I’m glad now helping a social group,” said Mavhaire.
“We are very grateful for the donation from the Minister. It will help us in the long run as we lacked balls as a league,” said Mucheke social league administration secretary, Nota Forbes. – Mirror
New Vice President of Zimbabwe Taking Mujuru’s Job Is……
Zimbabwe’s new Vice President taking over outgoing VP Joice Mujuru is being announced within the next 90 Hours as Robert Mugabe appoints a new Zanu-PF Politburo that will not feature several heavyweights who according to the ZANU PF media “have relegated themselves to political oblivion by seeking the First Secretary’s ouster.”
Mugabe yesterday(Saturday) said he is announcing his cream-choices by Wednesday. In the mean time, the cornered Joice Mujuru remains Vice President even though she is now out of the party’s top leadership.
STATE MEDIA REPORT:
The changes could be a precursor to a Cabinet shake-up that will reflect the fall-out from the attempt to push out – and possibly assassinate – the President just a year after he resoundingly won a national five-year mandate to lead the nation.
Major casualties in both the party and State executives are likely to be Vice-President Joice Mujuru, Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa; his Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare counterpart Nicholas Goche; ICT Minister Webster Shamu and several others.
Ministers Francis Nhema, Olivia Muchena, Dzikamai Mavhaire, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, Flora Bhuka and Simbaneuta Mudarikwa, Tendai Savanhu too, face uncertain futures.
Senior Government officials, such as permanent secretaries and directors, who were implicated in the faction-related mess could also be put out to grass. The President – who was unanimously re-elected by zanu-PF’s 6th National People’s Congress yesterday — said he needed a little more time to weigh who in the new Central Committee was fit for the Politburo.
Newly-empowered by constitutional amendments that allow him to appoint all Politburo members so as to ensure there is only one centre of power in the ruling party, President Mugabe said he would unveil his core team this week.
Section 40 of Zanu-PF’s amended constitution empowers the First Secretary and President to — during the sitting of Congress — appoint Politburo members from the newly-elected Central Committee.
Outgoing secretary for legal affairs Cde Emerson Mnangagwa said President Mugabe was within his constitutional rights to make his appointments later this week.
He said Section 37 of Zanu-PF’s constitution (Powers and Functions of the Central Committee) allowed the President to announce a new Politburo when the Central Committee met as it is the highest organ of the party in between congresses and acts on behalf of congress when it is not in session.
“That is the provision we have used,” said Cde Mnangagwa. “In terms of the Unity Agreement, it gives the President the power to appoint the two Vice-Presidents. Only today did we have the election of the Central Committee this afternoon.
“It is from the Central Committee membership that the President must now select a team for the two Vice Presidents, national chairperson and heads of department who will constitute the Politburo. So, he needs time to go through the names and select a team for that purpose.
“He is doing so under the provision that when Congress is not sitting, the Central Committee takes that responsibility. So Central Committee will meet on Wednesday or Thursday next week. That is when he is going to announce to the Central Committee what he has not announced here because the constitution so provides.”
With the President understood to be keen to ensure his Politburo dovetails seamlessly with State functions, sources say any changes to the party team will reflect on the Cabinet.
The sources, however, were hesitant to say when the Cabinet reshuffle was likely.
The President yesterday said: “We will set up the Politburo (this) week.
“Hatingambozviiti mawuro ano. Mazita acho handisati ndamboona kuti province iyi yatipa vanhu vakadii, ndavanani vatingatore kuisa muPolitburo. So, I don’t want to rush it. So, be patient.
“But mid-next week, by Wednesday or Thursday, we will make an announcement. We will let you know because we cannot go far . . . We will have to choose the two Vice-Presidents, the chairman and secretary veSecretariat; basa ranga richiitwa naVaMutasa . . .
“But we will do a reshuffle. There will disappointment, but we will try to be as objective as possible and we will try to avoid zvemafactions and vamwe vakanga vachishanda mumafactions.”
Expectations were high yesterday that President Mugabe would name his two deputies and the party National Chair, but as indicated by The Sunday Mail last week, he chose to take his time and not succumb to populist pressures.
Senior officials linked with the top jobs after the Presidency are those of Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi, Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo, Ambassador Phelekezela Mphoko, National Assembly Speaker Cde Jacob Mudenda and Senate President Edna Madzongwe.
Some senior Zanu-PF members who had been frozen out due to factionalism — such as Cdes July Moyo (Midlands) and Mike Madiro (Manicaland) — bounced back into the Central Committee yesterday.
President Mugabe also appointed Cdes Supa Mandiwanzira, Pupurai Togarepi, Walter Mzembi, Aguy Georgias, Mudhomeni Chivere, Absolom Sikhosana, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Josephine Gandiya, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu and Charles Tawenga into the Central Commitee under the quota of Presidential appointees. sunday mail
Mzembi Attacks Chinamasa
Walter Mzembi, the Zimbabwe Minister of Tourism was left with no option
but to publicly register his anger through Twitter after Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa left out the Tourism sector during his state of the economy presentation at the Zanu PF congress on Friday.
Chinamasa, who presented his state of the economy report to more than 12 000 delegates at the Robert Mugabe Square, touched on mining, manufacturing and other industries, but deliberately ignored tourism.
“State of the economy: Not a single mention of tourism by Chinamasa. Tragic to ignore a sector – 10 percent of GDP, $1 billion turn over, twelfth employer, eish,” read Mzembi’s tweet on Twitter after Chinamasa’s presentation.
Though it could not be established whether Chinamasa skipped Mzembi’s tourism sector deliberately or not, observers said the move could be a reflection of factionalism in Zanu PF and the side-lining of those ministers reportedly aligned to under-fire Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
This also emerged as ministers and loyalists of the Mujuru camp were left out in the cold and subjected to humiliation at the Congress where they have been isolated. Friday reports were that Kwekwe Central MP Masango Matambanadzo had to run to save himself from youths who were baying for his blood for his perceived allegiance to Mujuru.
Matambanadzo had reportedly tried to sneak into the venue without proper accreditation. Although he was not immediately available for comment, Midlands Zanu PF spokesperson Cornelius Mpereri confirmed the incident. “Security had to follow him inside. He had to run for dear life after he had come with two people he claimed were his bodyguards(sic),” Mpereri said.
Mnangagwa Beefs Up Security for Mugabe
Amid the ongoing unsubstantiated allegations of a potential assassination of President Mugabe by members of his own party and cabinet, President Robert Mugabe has moved a step further and beefed up his personal security.
Mnangagwa has been asked to take over Mugabe’s security. In allegations that have bemused Zimbabweans and beggared belief, Mugabe has claimed that vice president Joice Mujuru and her allies were trying to assassinate him if plans to force him out of office at this week’s Zanu PF congress failed.
And developments over the last four days indicate that Mugabe and those around him have been paying particular attention to his security. The 90-year-old leader is already one of the best protected leaders in the world, travelling with a cavalcade of anything up to 40 vehicles but the security measures have clearly been ramped up following the assassination claims with the phalanx of bodyguards travelling with him much bigger. At Zanu PF’s last politburo meeting on Tuesday, Mugabe did not allow members of the committee, many of them cabinet ministers, to attend with their mobile phones.”We were told to leave our mobile phones at the reception,” said a politburo member. The following day Mugabe addressed the ruling party’s central committee members where the same security measures were enforced.
Before the veteran leader arrived at the party headquarters where the meeting was held, the complex was subjected to a thorough search by security details with sniffer dogs. And, a few minutes before Mugabe entered, Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa carried out a final security check of the entire conference centre. Mugabe was accompanied by more than 15 close personal security details into the venue. Members of the gun-totting presidential guard, who are normally left outside buildings, were this time allowed both inside and outside the venue.
Meanwhile, during the official opening of the Zanu PF congress Thursday, a huge security detail littered the whole conference venue. Central Intelligence (CIO) boss Happyton Bonyongwe was the first to conduct a thorough sweep of the high table with delegates already packing the hall. A few minutes later, Mnangagwa repeated the security check.”Mnangagwa has taken over the security of Mugabe,” said a government official.
Mugabe Denounces Own Party Shouts “Pasi NeZANU PF”
A slip of the tongue or is it not rather an eternal slip of the mind? – there was shock on Saturday when President Robert Mugabe denounced his own party ZANU PF saying Pasi Ne ZANU PF. The utterances were confirmed by Herald Editor Caesar Zvayi who defended saying, it is “a slip of the tongue, very normal.”
“But he actually stood up and (deliberately) fired the slogan,” one Zimbo told ZimEye.
Mugabe who is just a few years from reaching 100 years of age, was addressing his party’s congress on Saturday when both his tongue and mind warped before the whole world in the speech which was largely to do with Joice Mujuru’s alleged insurrection coupled with nostalgic attacks on long gone Rhodesia.
The development comes as a London prophet predicted that Mugabe’s life is ending in a few months’ time, READ MORE – LIVE VIDEO: Meet the Prophet Who Says Mugabe Is Dying and Opposition Party Is Now Set to Rule Zimbabwe .
People listening to the President’s address via Jonathan Moyo’s broadcaster ZBC complained they heard Mr Mugabe clearly sloganearing “Pasi neZANU PF.’ Journalists were however at odds attempting to defend the President with some saying the transmission was not audible enough to confirm he did say that. The majority of journalists however concurred that the 2018 President candidate committed the mortal exhibition of his fast waning interllect during his Congress speech on Saturday afternoon.
Mutsvangwa Humiliated as Mumbembegwi Bounces Back | CONGRESS LIVE UPDATE
War Veterans Chairman Christopher Mutsvangwa was left red-faced on Saturday when his rival Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, the war vet supremo hoped would be expelled frm the party, bounced back into the Central Committee.
Mutsvangwa sparked a flame with Mumbengenwi earlier this year attacking the man who is also his boss in the Foreign Affairs Ministry lading to allegations that Mumbengegwi supports Joice Mujuru.
But Mumbengegwi bounced back as one of the powerful Central Committe members as he was announced.
Below was an excerpt of the updates from the congress:
S.K Moyo announces 10 members appointed by the President inline with the Zanu PF constitution. These are Supa Mandiwanzira, Togarepi, Guy Gorgias, Mudhomeni Chivende, Absolom Sikhosana, Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, Charles Tavengwa, Walter Mzembi, Josephine Gandiya, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.
18:20 Midlands Province Central Committee Members – Emmerson Mnangagwa, Max Zvidzai, Wellignton Magura, Joram Gumbo. July Moyo, Larry Mavhima, Daniel Mackenzie Ncube, Leornard Chikomba, Emmanuel Pfunira, Timothy Muri, Auxilia Mnangagwa, Tsitsi Muzenda, Tongai Sithole among others. Francis Nhema, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Fred
18:15 Mat South Central Committee Members – Kembo Mohadi, Aaron Maboyi, Abednico Ncube, Patrick Hove, Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu, Nicholas Nkomo, Simon Khaya Moyo, Richard M. Ndlovu, Richmond Moyo, Rose Mpofu, Elizabeth Ndiweni among others. Andrew Langa is one notable figure missing on the central committee lists
18:10 Mat North Central Committee Members – Obert Mpofu, Lot Mbambo, Professor Jonathan Moyo, Clifford Sibanda, Richard Moyo, Cain Mathema, Wilson Tshuma, Headman Moyo, Alois Ndebele, Joshua Mzamba, Adv Jacob Mudenda, Fati Mpofu, Alice Dube, Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu, Rebecca Fanuel among others
18:05 Masvingo Central Committee Members – Kennedy Matimba, Josiah Hungwe, Paul Mangwana, Titus Maluleke, Jimmy Mahiya, Abraham Sithole, Lovemore Matunge, Ezekiah Magweba, Webster Mozara, Tafadzwa Shumba, Rtd Gen Chineka, Vincent Mawere, Nyasha Gavaza among others. Dzikamai Mavhaire misses out.
18:00 Mash East – Pardington Zhanda, Charles Mubaiwa, Sydney Sekeramayi, David Parirenyatwa, Joel Biggie Matiza among others.
17:55 Manicaland Province Central Committee Members – Patrick Chinamasa, Oppah Muchinguri, Joseph Made, Monica Mutsvangwa, Joseph Chinotimba among others
17:50 Harare Province Central Committee Members -Lloyd Bhunu, Andy Mhlanya, Patrick Nyaruwata, Rtd Breg Hurungudo, Sabina Tembani, Evermary Mahwa, Justice Zvandasara, Susan Madziva, Last Mbizvo, Betty Mutero. Innocent Hamandishe, Oliver Chidhawu
17:44 Bulawayo Province Central Committee Members – Tshinga Dube, Emmanuel Kanjoma, Annah Moyo, Godfery Malaba, Joseph Tshuma, Killian Sibanda, Elderman David Ndlovu, Joshua Malinga, Charles Chiponda, Phelekezela Mphoko, Violet Ncube, Ottilia Mangoye, Canasiah Satiya among others.
17:41 Now its time for the announcement of Youth central committee members. Among them is Kudzai Chipanga, Tongai Kasukuwere, Mpehlabayo Malinga and Annastacia Ndlovu. S.K. Moyo requests Chipanga to lead the youths to shake hands with President Mugabe.
READ MORE
Mugabe Wishes ill Coup Plotter Mutasa Speedy Recovery
President Robert Mugabe has wished the ill Zanu PF Secretary for Administration, Didymus Mutasa a speedy recovery, but has insisted that he did wrong in siding with the embattled Vice President Joice Mujuru, who wanted to topple him as president.
Speaking at the Zanu PF National People’s Congress today, Mugabe revealed that Mutasa, who skipped the congress, is hospitalised in South Africa, wondering whether the illness was due to shock after the coup plot was exposed.
He also revealed that Mutasa’s wife is also ill, but said he wished the family well.
“I spoke to Mutasa over the phone this morning and he said he is better, but his wife requires more medical attention. They indicated that they might go to India for further treatment,” said Mugabe.
The President said it was unfortunate that Mutasa was part of the VP Mujuru faction that sought to unseat him.
He said the faction even consulted n’angas and prophets to seek assistance that would see them taking over the leadership of the party.
“They would ask, when will Mugabe die? so that they take over,” said President Mugabe.
Mugabe called on party cadres to be principled and remain united for the ruling party to lead in the revival of the country’s economy and shame western detractors who have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe
LIVE VIDEO: Meet the Prophet Who Says Mugabe Is Dying and Opposition Party Is Now Set to Rule Zimbabwe
LIVE PROGRAM ENDED AT 5.30pm(Zim time) . A Full Audio Replay (On Demand) is now available below. The ‘On Demand’ FULL VIDEO is now available. Click Here to watch.
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News readers are invited to join in the video interview of the London based preacher, Prophet Austin Moses who says Mugabe’s sudden exit is imminent and now time-bound.
Moses is the first preacher to indicate an exit date for the entire Mugabe Dynasty which development will usher in a new era in the former British colony, according to him.
In June Moses foretold of Zimbabwe declaring that “a big tree is falling with its branches.”
He is credited for several accurate predictions including one on the Ukrainian crisis where he has since been given a VIP invitation in recognition of his utterances.
Moses will be interviewed via video on Saturday afternoon (5.00PM Zim time). Readers are invited to fire their questions to the Prophet. Questions may be sent from the comments area, through the Twitter account@ZimEye and or to the Whatsapp number +447426863301
Mnangagwa Hangs in Hoist On Presidency as Grace Is Confirmed | CONGRESS LIVE UPDATE
As Grace Mugabe was confirmed as the new head of ZANU PF’s women’s wing at congress on Saturday, underlining her sudden and swift political rise, Presidential hopeful Emmerson Mnangagwa was on Saturday afternoon hanging by in hope with just Robert Mugabe declared for the presidium.
According to ZANU PF’s new constitution however, Mugabe retains the powers to appoint Mnangagwa and he may later pronounce him the man for the post anytime later today despite wide speculation that Mugabe has chosen someone else for the post.
Update Roll:
19:33 Mugabe says Rhodes travelled accros Africa and chose to be buried in Zimbabwe, Matopo area. When the country gained independence, people wanted to exhume his body but I said no, let him pay tax for he never paid his tax when he was alive. I told the guys to tell Britain to come and see their son but when they get to Matopo, they have to pay to see his grave. Yes, we use part of the payments to look after Rhodes’s grave. We cannot take your money to maintain Rhodes’s grave. He says Rhodes was not pro-Africa. He left 7 million pounds and gave it to Oxford to give Scholars but no African scholar has benefited. Gaddafi formed alliance with British, and we told them that they want to access the strength of your army but he did not listen.
19:10 Commissariat seemed not to know what to do. I will look at Central Committee and look at hands on people who will make it to the Politburo. Those who are not here have said goodbye to us. We are not sending them away, except those we have expelled. We just got them out of the management of the party. They have become ordinary member and will have more time to farm potatoes. But if they want to be members of the party, they will have to learn what the party stands for. Do you know Zanu PF’s origins?
18:55 Mugabe now giving his closing remarks. He expresses gratitude to the way people have conducted themselves during the congress.
18:52 The newly constituted central committee shall be meeting next week and Mnangagwa has highlighted to delegates that he shall present this report to them.
18:50 S.K Moyo calls on Emmerson Mnangagwa to present congress resolutions. Mnangagwa takes to the podium and denounces betrayers
S.K Moyo announces 10 members appointed by the President inline with the Zanu PF constitution. These are Supa Mandiwanzira, Togarepi, Guy Gorgias, Mudhomeni Chivende, Absolom Sikhosana, Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, Charles Tavengwa, Walter Mzembi, Josephine Gandiya, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.
18:20 Midlands Province Central Committee Members – Emmerson Mnangagwa, Max Zvidzai, Wellignton Magura, Joram Gumbo. July Moyo, Larry Mavhima, Daniel Mackenzie Ncube, Leornard Chikomba, Emmanuel Pfunira, Timothy Muri, Auxilia Mnangagwa, Tsitsi Muzenda, Tongai Sithole among others. Francis Nhema, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Fred
18:15 Mat South Central Committee Members – Kembo Mohadi, Aaron Maboyi, Abednico Ncube, Patrick Hove, Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu, Nicholas Nkomo, Simon Khaya Moyo, Richard M. Ndlovu, Richmond Moyo, Rose Mpofu, Elizabeth Ndiweni among others. Andrew Langa is one notable figure missing on the central committee lists
18:10 Mat North Central Committee Members – Obert Mpofu, Lot Mbambo, Professor Jonathan Moyo, Clifford Sibanda, Richard Moyo, Cain Mathema, Wilson Tshuma, Headman Moyo, Alois Ndebele, Joshua Mzamba, Adv Jacob Mudenda, Fati Mpofu, Alice Dube, Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu, Rebecca Fanuel among others
18:05 Masvingo Central Committee Members – Kennedy Matimba, Josiah Hungwe, Paul Mangwana, Titus Maluleke, Jimmy Mahiya, Abraham Sithole, Lovemore Matunge, Ezekiah Magweba, Webster Mozara, Tafadzwa Shumba, Rtd Gen Chineka, Vincent Mawere, Nyasha Gavaza among others. Dzikamai Mavhaire misses out.
18:00 Mash East – Pardington Zhanda, Charles Mubaiwa, Sydney Sekeramayi, David Parirenyatwa, Joel Biggie Matiza among others.
17:55 Manicaland Province Central Committee Members – Patrick Chinamasa, Oppah Muchinguri, Joseph Made, Monica Mutsvangwa, Joseph Chinotimba among others
17:50 Harare Province Central Committee Members -Lloyd Bhunu, Andy Mhlanya, Patrick Nyaruwata, Rtd Breg Hurungudo, Sabina Tembani, Evermary Mahwa, Justice Zvandasara, Susan Madziva, Last Mbizvo, Betty Mutero. Innocent Hamandishe, Oliver Chidhawu
17:44 Bulawayo Province Central Committee Members – Tshinga Dube, Emmanuel Kanjoma, Annah Moyo, Godfery Malaba, Joseph Tshuma, Killian Sibanda, Elderman David Ndlovu, Joshua Malinga, Charles Chiponda, Phelekezela Mphoko, Violet Ncube, Ottilia Mangoye, Canasiah Satiya among others.
17:41 Now its time for the announcement of Youth central committee members. Among them is Kudzai Chipanga, Tongai Kasukuwere, Mpehlabayo Malinga and Annastacia Ndlovu. S.K. Moyo requests Chipanga to lead the youths to shake hands with President Mugabe.
17:39 He tells new central committee members to shake hands with President Mugabe.
17:35 S.K Moyo now announcing Women Central Committee Members and among them is Eunice Sandi Moyo, Chinamona Mahofa
17:15 Dr Mugabe pays tribute to the Youth League. She ends her address with ‘Pasi NeGamatox’ slogan and adds, STOP IT! She takes the MIC to join the POLICE BAND as delegates chant YES, YES, YES.
17:08 First Lady turns to her prepared speech and pays tribute to Muchinguri and describes her as a true REVOLUTIONARY. She thanks the people for backing her nomination and commits to working for the people. She outlines her plans to support women and to fight factionalism.
17:03 Dr Mugabe accused VP Mujuru of being the architect of Bhora Musango in 2008. ‘I liken those who were part of BHORA MUSANGO to zvituta. Mai Mujuru started a fight with me by telling people to embarrass me. We knew her shenanigans from way back thus we were exposing her but there is worseto expose.’
16:58 She tells delegates that Amai Sally Mugabe was also once a Secretary for Women’s League but when she (Dr Mugabe) was nominated, VP Mujuru went berserk. She said, Pembe yapihwa benzi meaning that she regarded me as a fool. I blew the whistle on her. I warned her but she did not take heed. War credentials on their own do not allow to divide the party and be so corrupt. – Dr Mugabe.
16:52 President asks First Lady to stand and he endorses her as Secretary for Women’s League. First Ladies prepares to make her maiden speech.
16:49 S.K Moyo tell delegates that his powers have been dissolved and is only now only doing a special caretaker chairman. He asks President to endorse to the First Lady.
16:46 President ends his address and informs delegates to prepare for Central Committee announcement.
16:40 President dissolves the Central Committee. ‘All those who had powers in the central no longer have any powers. Those who will be selected should be deserving.
16:36 Obama has been a failure in terms of what Africa expects. America wants to teach us democracy but there are more blacks in their jails than in their Universities. As for Britain, we taught them democracy but the want to keep me and my wife on sanctions.
16:33 People here are a calculating people. They joined us in the struggle to defeat the enemy. The number of people who died is thousands. Ian Smith would send his bombs. In Chimoio alone we had two camps that were bombed. Innocent people died.
16:27 Mujuru should have come for elections. Mujuru was free to come for the congress. We never blocked her. She is at her home as we speak. Let us be peaceful people. – President Mugabe.
16:20 President Mugabe has told delegates that Muchinguri is one of the women who approached him and called for the elevation of VP Mujuru. However, Mujuru became too hungry for power and would consult n’angas seeking to land the top post. She became too close to erstwhile enermies who colonised us, he said.
16:13 Dr Joshua Nkomo said unity begins with me, with you and with all of us. Let us practice this. We must love each other. Hatidi huipi. We people act contrary to rules of the party in order to assume power, we say NO. We fought Ian Smith and even exhumations continue till today. George Rutanhire took Joice to war when she was a young woman. Joice met Mujuru. Mujuru aiva nevakasikana vakawanda. Joice would complain about this. Zvevakadzi izvi ndizvo zvaive zvake. – President Mugabe.
16:09 Listen to the people when they sing and say their choice. I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you. I know I am not greater than people. As a leader, I am your servant. I can only lead the struggle. ZimAsset will give you better lives but you should be educated. – President Mugabe.
16:02 We must treasure and take care of Zimbabwe. We must give a fortress against our enemy. We treasure this home because yesterday they came from Britain and made us subjects. The British taught us religion. Together we have to protect this land so that it does not become a colony again. – President Mugabe.
15:56 We all come from the people. It is the people of Zimbabwe that must guide us as leaders. We should know what their likes are and what we can do as their leaders to raise their standards of living. Zimbabwe is just one, bound together by the fact of being Zimbabwean. – President Mugabe.
15:53 President Mugabe takes to the podium and thanks the people for voting for him. The crowd shouts we love you and The President reciprocates.
15:50 S.K. Moyo asks President to dissolve the Central Committee
15:48 The positions held by individuals in Zanu PF belong to the people. All the positions are now open. Whatever position you held, if you did not perfom well, do some introspection and if you did well, you will enter the kingdom, says S.K. Moyo.
15:44 Tumultous atmosphere as President Mugabe is emphatically endorsed as President and First Secretary of Zanu PF. S.K. Moyo calls eccentric delegates to order saying he has an important announcement before announcing that the endorsement is revolutionary.
13:52: Obert mpofu booed while presenting on committee on transport, addressing on the state of the country’s roads
13:10: Jacob Mudenda annonces the endorsement of president mugabe the 2018 presidential candidate. His wife, Grace was also confirmed as leader of the Womens League.
Mudenda spoke of an alleged Mujuru plot to remove Robert Mugabe from power. He said, “sadly, however, towards the end of this review period, particularly in the year leading to this 6th national people’s congress, the party unearthed and thwarted a plot which had external underpinnings, to remove the President and first secretary of the party unconstitutionally, before or during the congress,” Mudenda said.
“This plot involved some among us, under the leadership of then Vice-President Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru and her cabal of senior politburo members, who had been enticed by the Americans and some Europeans with promises that they would pour billions of dollars into Zimbabwe once they succeeded in allying with the opposition formations to oust Zanu PF and its iconic President and first secretary from power.”
Mudenda added saying that the same people mentioned in the whistleblower website Wikileaks as working with with the “enemy” were the same people who were plotting dubious means of ousting Mugabe.
“They instead deepened their plotting, captured party and State structures through imposition, vote-buying, patronage, corruption and all sorts of treacherous intrigue to appoint where they felt sufficiently ready to oust the President, even threatening to assassinate him,” he alleged.
“They orchestrated sham primary elections ahead of the 2013 harmonised polls resulting in their domination of both the House of Assembly and the Senate and consequently, Cabinet,” Mudenda said.
“Thanks to the revelations made by the First Lady Amai Doctor Grace Mugabe, a whirlwind was unleashed which swept away the conspirators. The challenge that the party faces now, going forward from this congress, is to orient all its organs, members and functionaries in government back to its ideology and policies.”
“The failure of the party to fund its programmes sufficiently from the centre talks very strongly of the need for the party to urgently address this problem,” he said.
“Quite commonly during this review period, the funding of all commissariat programmes was left to the whims and caprices of community leaders and opinion makers who were moneyed.
“Those who repent and are remorseful must not be persecuted, but we must embrace and gently mentor them back into rectitude.”
13:06 : The program starts.
13:03: President Mugabe arrives
12:59: He says there were lots of consultations going
12:55: Simon Khaya Moyo appologises for the delays in starting the programme.
12:11: The party’s thematic committee has endorsed Robert Mugabe to be the presidential candidate for 2018 elections this morning.
Chiwenga, Chihuri Set to Be Dismissed
THE future of some of the services chiefs hangs in the balance, as their contracts have not yet been extended by President Robert Mugabe, it has emerged.
Most of the service chiefs had their contracts unilaterally extended for a two-year period in 2012 by Mugabe during the tenure of the unity government.
Sources said contracts of Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Constantine Chiwenga, Zimbabwe National Army commander Lieutenant General Philip Valerio Sibanda, Air Marshal Perrance Shiri and the Commissioner-General of Prisons Retired Major General Paradzai Zimondi, as well as Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri were about to expire.
The sources said Chihuri and Central Intelligence Officer boss Happyton Bonyongwe’s contracts were unlikely to be extended largely due to the current factional fights in Zanu PF.
The extension was not without controversy when the then Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara demanded that they be involved in extending Chihuri’s contract, as his stay was dividing the coalition government.
Contacted for comment, police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba professed ignorance about the extension.
“I don’t know about the contract or its extension,” she said.
“This is a personal contract which is private. However, I will ask him and come back to you.
“What is your interest in Commissioner-General Chihuri’s contract, as if he is the only service chief?”
Sources said decorated army chief of staff Lieutenant-General Trust Mugoba was tipped to take over from Chihuri.
The extension of the contracts for service chiefs was said to be dependent on factionalism playing out within Zanu PF.
First Lady Grace Mugabe may have let the cat out of the bag when she castigated the police for not taking action on Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s alleged corruption at one of her countrywide rallies.
Reports say Chihuri’s contract has been extended 14 times since he was first appointed as police boss in 1994.
His first contract expired in 1997.
Contacted for comment, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba was not sure if the service chief’s contracts had been extended.
But he said there was nothing to worry about, as any extension would be done in line with the laws of the country.
“If it has not been gazetted then it has not been extended,” he said.
“As we speak I’m not sure . . . you should not get worried, everything is under control.” – SouthernEye
Magaya and Rushwaya, Henrietta Speaks on Sex Scandal Report
Expelled ZIFA boss Henrietta Rushwaya has spoken out on her ‘special’ relationship with Prophet Walter Magaya and allegations that she masterminded a payout for sex-scandal accuser Denford Mutashu.
Ms Rushwaya told ZimEye in an exclusive interview she has never met Mutashu who was controversially “silenced” soon after charging at the prophet on charges of abusing his wife for sexual gratification. The interview began with questions following her recently announced legal action against her former employers ZIFA.
FULL INTERVIEW:
Q: There is a report that you worked for ZIFA without getting any salary according to your lawyer is that true?
R: Yes I worked for ZIFA For 4 years which is equivalent to 48 months without getting a single cent.I can confirm that.
Q: How come you never raised such an issue for such a long time? Never sued ZIFA as you had a court case soon after your suspension from work that when yo.Now there are accusations that you have destroyed national foot ball and the national team.
R: It also came as a surprise to me. that i never got a single cent. I never expected a single cent but all I was expecting a situation where a question of professionalism comes in where everyone who works has to get his dues as a common norm.
Q: You have been put in an untenable situation. Now people have judged you saying you are unpatriotic. There are accusations that you have destroyed national football and the national team.
R : If it is to do with the match fixing scandal, the Asiagate scandal never existed …(.sic) and if something is not proven in the court of law its not true. There are some other footballers who got banned because of these allegations.
R: In this case you are still in good books with FIFA?
R : I am in good books with ZIFA because football teams should never be taken to court (sic).
Q: There are comments that you are the one who manufactured the Magaya amd Mutashu fiasco for the purpose of money. Is that true?
R: I don’t know who Mutashu is and I have never met him. How could I have organised such as a thing like that with someone whom I have never seen? I don’t believe that those people(accusing me) are from Magaya’s church but they are from the football association, detractors who want to tarnish my image and reputation. No proven(sic).
Remember during my tenure football was run during hard time economic times. which was being experienced by Zimbabwe. And because the runnings and mileage did not down go well with Dube and that’s when he came in.
Q: So Cuthbert Dube is the one behind the malicious damage?
R: He is being malicious and… He does not even have any (sic) that he can attatch to (sic). All this was done for money.
BREAKING NEWS: Zimbabwean 5 Yr Old Boy Stabbed to Death in Scotland, Mum Arrested
A Zimbabwean five year old boy was yesterday morning stabbed to death at his home in Scotland in an incident that has seen the toddler’s mother arrested at the scene.
ZimEye.com can exclusively reveal the lad found in Clackmannanshire yesterday is a Zimbabwean boy killed in an incident that has seen his mother being the sole suspect in the case.
Police have said they are not looking for any other suspect other than the mother.
ZimEye.com is reliably told the woman whose surname is “Chiriseri” has been a member of Walter Masocha’s AGAPE church.
Several streets had to be cordoned off by police when law enforcement agents were called to the flat in Alva, Clackmannanshire on Friday. The full details of how the stabbing occurred were still being investigated by cops at the time of writing but ZimEye has been told they have now reached an advanced stage in their vital evidence gathering.
Chief Inspector Stephen Sneddon said: “On arrival, police officers found the child with a significant injury to his body and he was later pronounced dead at the scene by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
“Inquiries into the full circumstances surrounding this incident are ongoing and a woman is currently detained in connection with the investigation.
“We are not currently looking for anyone else and I want to reassure the local community that there is no risk to them.
“Police officers will be carrying out various inquiries in the area and I would ask the public to continue to give us the full support they have shown so far, to allow us to conclude these investigations as soon as possible and allow the area to return to normal.
“This is a quiet area and I would emphasise that this is a very unusual incident which poses no risk to others.”
VIDEO: Mujuru’s Head Chopped Off, Says Mutsvangwa
Politics And The Neurotic Economy
Our politicians must come to a fundamental understanding that life must carry a sense of direction, from past to present, and from present to future, otherwise it is simply not worthy the journey of living.
No doubt we Zimbabweans are often given thisunprolific present based on our heroic liberation war past, but equally of no doubt is the fact that we are given a bleak present shorn of a future, resulting in many of our bewildered people behaving like schizophrenics.
We cannot hope to build a sound society by entertaining political leaders who believe they can manipulate the past and the present in order to create a false sense of hope in our people. Politicians thrive on manipulating public opinion, and many times they find in the youth a vulnerable component of our society where it is fairly achievable to manipulate mentality, sanity, and the ability to deal with reality.
Our young people are often manipulated wherever and whenever political ills like violence, intolerance, vote buying, and lawlessness are talked about, and even rebel wars are often all centered on the energy of youths, guided or misguided.
Zimbabwe boasts of fairly high standards of intellectual structures and powers, being Africa’s highest literacy;thanks to the post-independence mass education drive. However, these intellectual structures are obviously underdeveloped, restricted, and they are very alienating. We boast of alienated knowledge that can only be used in the interest of aliens, and that is why we believe that without foreign investors flocking in to create employment for us, we are a doomed people, and as things stand, indeed we are.
We are in a country with precious natural wealth, but we are slaves of the unwritten rule that says none but foreigners can develop our natural resources. We have mathematicians, scientists, and all manner of professors who know everything else except who they are, academics with no connection whatsoever with their own people, history and identity.
One of the reasons our politicians bloviate so much about the Western-imposed illegal sanctions as the main stalling factor to the performance of our economy is precisely because we have a huge problem using alienated knowledge for our own benefit, and that iswhy only the presence of Western investors would make our knowledge useful.
Our fellow countrymen that have left the country for Western “greener pastures” are very useful in advancing the visions and goals of their foreign employers, and there is no doubt that we rank among the most reliable and competent employees in the world.
We are excellent custodians of other people’s business interests and dreams, and we foolishly believe that this kind of expertise can build our nation into an industrialised country.
There is a worrying disconnect between our knowledge and our historical and cultural structure, and that is exactly why we can get so many degrees in business administration but we are totally incapable of building any businesses of our own. We have so many engineers graduating year after year from our local universities and from abroad, but we still have to come to a day when we can celebrate a simple water filter designed by a Zimbabwean engineer.
Our ZANU-PF politicians prattle a lot about wealth creation when they are not at each other’s throats to fill the 245 seats that make up the party’s Central Committee, or ruthlessly fighting in the vainglorious factional wars. They preach vociferously about indigenisation and the land reform policy, but somehow we live in a country where the two biggest companies are a brewery and a mobile network company.
Some of our new farmers have resorted to leasing their land to aliens, even to the former white farmers from whom they acquired that land, and it is sad that the highest talking point of our indigenisation policy has not ben in anyway related to production. Rather it has been the ill-fated Community Share Schemes – themselves a consumerist phenomenon where profit proceeds are ceded to communities, ostensibly for developmental purposes.
One would think that production oriented policy would supersede distributive policy, but we are inherently a consuming people, are we not? We always do our economics the other way around.
We preach economic empowerment to our people, and yet we command no coping skills for the empowerment we sermonise so much about. For years we have heard our politicians talk about value addition to our minerals, but at no time have we heard them talking about using proceeds from our raw diamonds to develop diamond-cuttingfirms. For all we have heard, the country raucously agrees that the diamond proceeds must be used to hike salaries for our civil servants and our parliamentarians, and of course to feed our starving population.
Our natural wealth is worthy billions of dollars, but we are a people that can only spend money, so hopelessly unable to make it. This is why at our greatest point of need, the best we can do is sustain a company whose core business is supplying beer, and another specialising in talking and gossip.
We are told the theme of the ongoing ZANU-PF conference is “Accelerated Implementation of the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation.” Zimbabweans would very easily settle for normal pace implementation of the $27 billion dollar economic blue print, and they most surely are not too worried about “acceleration,” at this point in time, for the simple reason that most of us are aware that we have not exactly started walking, and as such we are just incapable of acceleration.
ZimAsset informs us that within the next four years Zimbabwe will seek to achieve food security and adequate nutrition for its people, that the country will embark on a sufficient social services and poverty eradication program, that we are going to see a reformed infrastructure with all basic utilities, and that the country will finally be doing value addition and beneficiation for our raw minerals, and perhaps agricultural products.
We already have a law in place to enforce remittances to the Sovereign Wealth Fund, and we sincerely hope that the government will be informing us on how much the fund holds. Well, little Botswana already has the third largest Sovereign Wealth Fund on the continent, and with the right political will and commitment we could equally come up with something for the future generations.
Our economists tell us that the country is suffering a cash crunch at the moment. But are we really suffering from lack of money? No way!
We are suffering from the absence of an economic system. Money is not a system; money is simply a current medium of exchange. A system involves a systematic and organised way of economic production, a systematised utilisation and distribution of resources. We lack the system, the pattern, the organisation, and as such we barely have an economy in motion, unpatriotic as this may sound.
With an economic system and pattern that has over 80% of the national revenue going to salaries of civil servants, we simply do not have an economic base from which we can expect the generation of money. This is why we have our land in our hands, but we are still poor, why we have so many natural resources, but we still suffer intensive cash crunches.
Every maladjusted characteristic in the black Zimbabwean serves an economic function. Our predicament is not by accident, and neither is it there because white people hate us. Our maladjusted characteristic is there because it maintains imperial domination, and until we change it, we will perpetually be a subjugated people.
Our opposition MDC has since its inception preached donor benevolence and job creation masterminded by aliens, and ZANU-PF preaches indigenisation and economic empowerment ostensibly dependent on alien financial support, if the outcry about the deadly effect of Western sanctions is anything to go by.
An economic system is built on trust, reliability, dependability, and respect for one another. Do we trust ourselves economically? Are our people in business reliable? Is our political leadership trustworthy and reliable? Is our governance system dependable? Do our leaders have respect for our people?
We recently read that one government Minister just walked to a CEO of a public owned company armed with a private bank account number and ordered that money be deposited therein, and we hear the practice was in fact next to normal conduct. Had it not been for the said Minister’s apparent wrong stepping on the political front, we probably would not have ever known of this malfeasance, and yet we pride ourselves as a people headed for a triumphant economic empowerment destiny.
With all this suspiciousness, dishonesty, corruption, ineptitude, laziness, mediocrity, empty ambition, and contempt for the public, we surely cannot start dreaming of challenging European people economically, even though we live on top of vast natural resources.
We are simply a people dismally failing to appreciate the shared experience that our own history represents, and as such we cannot utilise mutual trust and dependability upon which we can build a sound economic social system.
Our ancestors had an economy before whites came into existence in our country, and that economy was developed and maintained prior to colonial ascendancy. Why have our black bank owners failed to sustain their banks? These banks have retarded our economic empowerment instead of advancing it, the reason being that these banks were started more because they made the owners look and feel good, not for the purpose of why banks must exist.
We needed to move first into economic existence and control before we started building banks. Only after building a sound economic base would it make economic sense to start building banks. But we did it the other way around; we did it backwards, because we are a dominated people who hardly know themselves.
We built banks yet we hardly had anything to invest in, ignoring the fact that banks make money by loans and investments, not by mere client deposits. Our bankers spoiled themselves and their cronies with interest free loans, emphatically running down the ill-conceived banking institutions in the process.
We have often put ourselves under the rule of other people, as we are doing now by inviting “experts” from the IMF and the World Bank. They will come and tell us that we can only do this, that and the other thing with our economy, and like we did with ESAP in the early nineties we will blindly concur, plunging ourselves into the deeper ends of the poverty abyss.
The Iranians, Chinese and Cubans have significantly developed their economies independent of Western benevolence, but they do not have the type of politicians we have here, neither do they have the type of intellectual community like ours.
These are people so ideologically devoted to shaping the respective destinies of their countries. They command an unquestionable political will for their domestic economic growth.
We on the other hand have political leaders who believe the purpose of having a country is to have it help you shape your individual destiny at the expense of all others, and that is the calamity of African politics.
Zimbabwe we are one and together we will overcome. It is homeland or death!!
- REASON WAFAWAROVA is a political writer based in SYDNEY, Australia.
Biti Defending Joice Mujuru Because She is an Incorruptible Filthy Rich Political Widow?
“Mujuru is an outstanding female guerrilla and is in a class of her own. She is certainly the most known and most decorated [freedom fighter] and her late husband, Solomon Mujuru, was a liberation war hero with no equal,” Tendai Biti said.
“The way that she has been removed from the party leadership points to [the fact] that one has to be crazy to try to invest in a predatory country like ours.”
The trouble with people like Tendai Biti is they cannot tell the woods from the trees then here and now from yesteryear.
Mai Mujuru has not been purged from the party because she is NOT “the most known and decorated freedom fighter”. She has been accused of being corrupt and incompetent, amongst other things. Is Biti saying because she is “the most etc., etc.” she cannot therefore be corrupt and incompetent? Or is he saying because she is “the most etc., etc.” she can be as corrupt and incompetent as she wants it does not matter?
There is no question that Mai Mujuru is corrupt; how else did she earn her huge fortune!
As for Mai Mujuru’s politically incompetence her political record speaks for itself. She has been in government as a deputy minister or minister for 24 years and as VP for the last 10 years; she must bear some of responsibility for all the evil committed by this tyrannical regime including the politically motivated murder of over 30 000 innocent Zimbabweans. She has sat there like a cabbage and did nothing to stop any of these crimes.
“If Zanu-PF can’t talk among themselves in order to settle disputes, then how will they talk to investors, and what of property rights and the rule of law? The impact is that no one can touch a government like ours, which behaves in a barbaric manner,” said Tendai Biti.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! The penny has finally dropped, Tendai Biti has finally realised that Zanu PF has no respect for rule of law. May be in another fifty years Mr Biti and his MDC friends will realise that Zanu PF is a party of corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs.
Mr Tendai Biti, Morgan Tsvangirai, Welshman Ncube, David Coltart and the other MDC leaders were tasked to implement the democratic reforms designed to dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship and restore the people’s basic freedoms and rights and to deliver free, fair and credible elections. They have five years to do so and failed to implement even one reform. Not even one reform! Now we know why; they did not want the Zanu PF dictatorship dismantled because, as far as they are concerned, it is not a party of corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs!
Corruption is certainly one of the biggest problems in Zimbabwe, the root cause behind the economic meltdown and therefore the Mount Everest unemployment rate, the 16% or 2 million now living in abject poverty, etc. To even suggest that anyone guilty of corruption should be let off the hook is to betray the millions of innocent Zimbabweans who no jobs, cannot afford even one decent meal a day, etc.; they are the real victims of corruption.
Corruption is a very serious crime and anyone guilty of corruption must be punished. In the Zimbabwe we want, no one is above the law, absolutely no one – yes even “the most known and most decorated [freedom fighter]” – is above the law.
Of course Tendai Biti may be defending Mai Mujuru to court her and her followers to join up with him and Professor Ncube to bolster their recently formed United MDC. No doubt her looted wealth would help the cash strapped UMDC; given that the donors who had funded the different MDC factions left in droves last year in protest at the MDC leaders’ incompetence in failing to get even one democratic reform implemented.
Mr Biti you have betrayed the people of Zimbabwe by failing to implement the reforms and thus stop Zanu PF rigging the elections and so too has Mai Mujuru by being part and parcel of this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship. You are teaming up now because you are both keen to get back on the gravy train; you do not care about the suffering ordinary people but only pretend to because you need their votes. You are both hypocrites; it is important that you remember that and, more significantly, that the people remember that and not be conned again!
ICC Drops Murder, Rape Charges Against Kenyan President Kenyatta
Blow for court’s credibility as key prosecution witness refuses to testify in Uhuru Kenyatta trial and another admits lying.
The international criminal court’s chief prosecutor has dropped all charges of crimes against humanity against Kenya’s president, highlighting the court’s difficulties in bringing to justice the high-ranking officials it has accused of atrocities.
A spokeswoman for the prosecution office, Florence Olara, said the prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, had filed a notice withdrawing the charges against the president, Uhuru Kenyatta. She accused the Kenyan government of harassing and intimidating potential witnesses.
Kenyatta had been charged with murder, rape, persecution, deportation and other inhumane acts as an “indirect co-perpetrator” in violence that flared after Kenya’s 2007 elections, leaving more than 1,000 people dead.
The collapse of the case is a new blow to the credibility of the court’s prosecution office. The office has begun nine full investigations since it was established in 2002, all of them in Africa, and has just seven suspects in custody.
Reacting to the news on Friday, Kenyatta said he was excited and called for a case against his deputy, William Ruto, and another Kenyan to be dropped as well. “One down, two to go,” he said.
Kenyatta’s British lawyer, Steven Kay, said the court and its prosecutors “owe [Kenyatta] an apology for bringing proceedings based upon false witnesses and impugning his integrity”.
Kenyatta’s trial was postponed twice this year while prosecutors attempted to shore up their case after one of their key witnesses refused to testify and another admitted giving false evidence. Earlier this week, judges gave prosecutors a week to say whether their case remained strong enough to continue or to drop the charges.
Kenyatta was indicted in 2011 but went on to become president in the 2013 election, using his indictment at the Hague-based court as an election issue. His government lobbied hard to have the case against him deferred by the UN security council, arguing that the delay was essential because Kenya needed its leader to help fight al-Shabaab terrorists in neighbouring Somalia and at home.
The court’s mission is to prosecute perpetrators of atrocities when a country is unwilling or unable to prosecute them itself. It has no police force and must rely on help from governments that may only wish to cooperate when it suits their political purposes.
In a lengthy statement, Bensouda blamed the Kenyan government for obstructing her investigations. “Contrary to the government of Kenya’s public pronouncements that it has fully complied with its legal obligations in this case, the ruling has confirmed that in fact it has breached its treaty obligations under the Rome statute by failing to cooperate with my investigation,” she said.
“I have persistently sought to secure the cooperation that my office required from the government of Kenya in this case in order to execute my mandate. Crucial documentary evidence regarding the 2007-08 post-election violence, including concerning the conduct of the accused, can only be found in Kenya and is only accessible to the prosecution through the assistance of the government of Kenya. This crucial assistance was ultimately not provided, as confirmed by the recent decision of the trial chamber.”
Bensouda said prosecutors had also endured a “steady and relentless stream of false media reports about the Kenya cases, an unprecedented campaign on social media to expose the identity of protected witnesses in the Kenya cases [and] concerted and wide-ranging efforts to harass, intimidate and threaten individuals who would wish to be witnesses.”
As a result, she said: “The government of Kenya’s failure to provide my office [with] important records has had a severe adverse impact on this case. It has deprived the victims of their right to know the full account of what transpired in 2007-08. It has further undermined my ability to carry out a full investigation. And finally, it has prevented the judges from carrying out their critical functions of assessing the evidence and determining the truth.” – Guardian, UK
FULL TEXT: Zimbabwe’s New Coins And Why They Are Essential; By RBZ Boss Dr J P Mangudya
The purpose of this press conference is to unveil the bond coins to the public in line with the announcement that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe made in the Monetary Policy Statement in August 2014.
The bond coins are going to be issued in denominations of 1c, 5c, 10c, 25c and 50c. The 50c coins shall be released into the market in March 2015 due to the prerequisite security features needed in the design and manufacture of this coin.
The economics of the bond coins is that they are being introduced to buttress the multiple currency system through the provision of change especially for the US$ notes which have a smallest denomination in circulation in Zimbabwe of US$1.
The Reserve Bank is therefore addressing the divisibility and store of value qualities of money through this initiative which has already received significant support from the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe, business organisations and
financial institutions.
The bond coins would be at par with the US cents i.e. trading one for one with US cents. This is necessary to complete the divisibility series of the US$ for the benefit of both consumers and businesses.
Our expectation is that the introduction of bond coins would necessitate correct pricing for goods and services which hitherto was constrained by the absence of an appropriate system of coins. These coins shall therefore go a long way in mitigating the country’s lopsided pricing structure for the convenience of consumers.
The bond coins derive their name from the US$50 million bond coin facility that the Reserve Bank arranged for the purpose of providing the coins with intrinsic value. The bond coins would therefore be a good store of value.
Consumers and businesses would be able to exchange the coins for paper money at their banks. The initial amount to be made available is US$10 million worth of bond coins to be released into the market between December and March 2015. This translates to just below 2% of total bank deposits. Under normal circumstances, the proportion of coins to money in circulation in an economy is between 20 to 25%. However due to the fact that Zimbabwe is using multiple currencies, we envisage the bond coins to remain below 10% of total bank deposits.
For transparency and accountability purposes, the Reserve Bank shall ensure that the whole process is subject to public scrutiny and that both the value and quantity of bond coins in circulation are subject to audit by reputable institutions. We have already engaged and appraised the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe in this
regard.
The bond coins shall be distributed to the public through normal banking channels and shall be in circulation starting 18 December 2014. Their circulation is limited to Zimbabwe.
Grace Hires Ndebele-Guru to Tell Mujuru “Run Now!”
Grace Mugabe’s anti Mujuru campaign reached a climax when yesterday she deployed a Ndebele speaking guru to pump up her message to Vice President Joice Mujuru that the latter must go, and “there is no point of return.”
Mrs Mugabe has before revealed already that she speaks in tongues when sending strong messages to people. “Whenever I speak to you, you may not understand me, because I speak in mighty tongues”.
The development comes after analysts revealed it will be difficult for Mugabe to remove Joice from office even though he has removed her from the party. The constitution restricts Mugabe, analysts claim. One guru said:
“(1) The Senate and the National Assembly, by a joint resolution passed by at least one-half of their total membership, may resolve that the question whether or not the President or a Vice-President should be removed from office for—
(a) serious misconduct;
(b) failure to obey, uphold or defend this Constitution;
(c) wilful violation of this Constitution; or
(d) inability to perform the functions of the office because of physical or mental incapacity;
should be investigated in terms of this section.
(2) Upon the passing of a resolution in terms of subsection (1), the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders must appoint a joint committee of the Senate and the National Assembly consisting of nine members reflecting the political composition of Parliament, to investigate the removal from office of the President or Vice-President, as the case may be.
(3) If—
(a) the joint committee appointed in terms of subsection (2) recommends the removal from office of the President or Vice-President; and
(b) the Senate and the National Assembly, by a joint resolution passed by at least two-thirds of their total membership, resolve that the President or Vice-President, as the case may be, should be removed from office;
the President or Vice-President thereupon ceases to hold office.”
Yesterday Grace Mugabe’s campaign team deployed the dreaded youth leader Absalom Sikhosana aside her century-old husband struggling to speak, to reinforce her message using a ancient Ndebele dialect at the ZANU PF Congress. (See video)
A linguist commented that what Grace is doing is utilising a multi-pronged cluster of threatening phrases and other vocalisations to disable Mujuru’s confidence among her followers countrywide.
VIDEO:
Joice Mujuru Joining MDC-T Will Crush Robert Mugabe | ANALYSIS
History is about to be set in Zimbabwe as ZANU PF comrades aligned to Vice President Joice Mujuru are wounded and they can now easily forge a powerful, formidable force that will push out Robert Mugabe’s faction out of power, writes political analyst Barbara Nyagomo.
History proves that liberation parties caught in situations such as the present Mujuru-predicament, will split and the persecuted will soon become the conquerers, Nyagomo argues using Kenya as a prominent case study.
“The succession battle was messy and selectively targetting the stronger faction led by Mai Joyce Mujuru.I think after congress we might have the KANU Political effect caused by Daniel Arap Moi in 1991(Kenya),” she writes.
She continues, “ZANU PF might have fractures after the congress(visible factions already exist),the organisation might split into two or several portions.One of the factions might unite with the opposition to win 2018 elections just like what happened to Mwai Kibakis political party from KANU formed from a faction. They won elections in 1997 but there was bloodshed.You think all the Cdes who were purged are not hurt?
“You seriously think there will be stability after congress?
“Suddenly the people and global investors will ignore Zim poor governance,corruption,poor policies,lack of the rule of law and invest in our country?
DARE TO HAVE AN OPINION!”
PICTURES Of The Week: Buttock Message to Joice
Think Tank Advises Government To Tackle The Expanding Wage Bill
But in his 2015 budget announcement, Chinamasa said wages took up 82 percent of government revenue and that recurrent expenditure next year would consume 92 percent of the budget.
Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe (LEDRIZ) director Godfrey Kanyenze told The Source on Thursday that limited fiscal space, which resulted in the crowding out of social spending and capital projects would lower Zimbabwe’s chances of getting financial support from the IMF.
“What is happening is that we are moving in the opposite direction simply because revenues are declining while expenditure is spiking. The biggest challenge for government is not doing anything to deal with expenditures,” Kanyenze said.
“At the end of the day one can say government has no appetite, political will and courage for reforms resulting in parastatals being heavily dependent on treasury and that’s the tragedy. The outcome of this is very simple. It doesn’t hurt the IMF because its us who want to re-engage with them. So it simply means there will not be any re-engagement.”
Zimbabwe in June last year undertook an IMF staff monitored programme (SMP), an informal and flexible instrument for dialogue between the Fund staff and a member country on its economic policies.
Although Zimbabwe missed key SMP targets, the IMF expressed satisfaction with Harare’s commitment and agreed on a new monitored programme which is expected to lapse next October.
According to estimates of expenditure, government expenditure will continue to trend upwards against advice from the International Monetary Fund.
The budget allocation for the office of the President and Cabinet is expected to grow to $227 million in 2016 from $206 million in 2014.
The defence budget for next year is expected at $389 million next year from $368 million this year before rising to $424 million in 2016. The ministry of health on the other hand has been allocated a $357 million budget next year, which is also expected to rise to $374 million in 2016. _The Source
Tuku Tribute Show Cancelled, Postponed to 2015
The long awaited Tuku Tribute show in London has been cancelled.
The show which was meant to attract thousands of music revellers was cancelled in the last minute after the organisers reportedly failed to secure visa clearance.
Below was an announcement by the promoter Y2K.
Y2K Entertainment hereby regret that the long awaited Tuku Tribute Concert scheduled for 06/12/14 has been postponed to 04/07/15 due delays in VISA processing in Pretoria, SA and have not been given reasons for such up to the time of travel. It is unfortunate as all necessary arrangements were done well on time.
For those who have purchased advance tickets and in need of refunds please contact Y2K official ticketing agents as well as ticketweb or alternatively you can still use same tickets in July 2015. We would like to reassure fans that the Tuku Tribute Concert will keep all artists and venue and even a surprise acts for the same advance price. Now that the concert has been rescheduled to summer we will start much earlier on the day. We will continue to sell tickets as normal. All other events in relation to this event such as Trisha Birthday Bash featuring Spiderman and Ras Pompy on 07/12/14 in Dunstable will not proceed and the youngsters will not feature on Afro First Event in Sheffield 0n 05/12/14.
More info
Y2K Entertainment 07525741060 / 07877196217 www.y2kpromotions.com
BBC Debt Reaches 90 Million,After Revenue Drops To 65%
Since the directive, Mayor Martin Moyo said municipal debt had increased by $90 million while revenue collected declined by almost 65 percent, from about $6, 9 million to around $2, 4 million a month as the economy continues to struggle.
According to the latest council minutes, as at October 31, council owes statutory bodies such as National Social Security Authority, Municipal Provident Fund and the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund about $37,8 million, Tel One and Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority about $45 million.
The council also owes workers $2,8 million in outstanding salaries while unpaid taxes had increased to $1,2 million. Financial institutions are owed $3,6 million.
In addition to the $90 million municipal debt, the council is also owed $2,8 million by government.
Last month, BCC adopted a $158 million 2015 budget which raised tariffs by four percent. _The Source
Mugabe Nearly Breaks Down at Congress
President Robert Mugabe nearly broke down in front of the congress crowd yesterday, Zimbabweans watching the head of state have voiced saying.
While addressing the delegation multitude, the President spoke with a jerky and staggering slurred speech inconsistent with his performance. Several words and phrases were crunched up as Mr Mugabe failed to construct audible and convincing statements in his delivery.
Mugabe’s performance has given rise to speculation that he is suffering from the effects of what may have been a stroke. According to medical experts, victims of stroke exhibit, the following signs,
Difficulty putting sentences together
- Getting speech sounds mixed up
- Problems understanding spoken words
- Problems with reading
- Difficulty writing and spelling
- You might have problems following a conversation
- Reading might be difficult to follow
These problems are called Dysphasia. Another problem can be caused by weak muscles in the face and throat. This might cause some of the following problems:
- Slurred or jerky speech
- Speech fading away
- Quiet or weak voice
Zimbabwe Set to Receive More EU Funding
The European Union is working with the Zimbabwean government to identify priority projects that could be funded through the 1.3 billion Euro Regional Indicative Program that will be launched in Botswana next week.
In an interview, EU ambassador Philippe Van Damme said Zimbabwe needs a comprehensive strategy to derive maximum benefit from the program as allocation will be demand driven.
“We will be receiving funding from the 1.3 billion euro Regional Indicative Programme that will be formally adapted in Gaborone next week. The program which will cater for the COMESA region will focus on peace and security and regional integration and will also include development of regional infrastructures,” he said.
The program will also focus on trade related support. The allocation for Zimbabwe will compliment the National Indicative Programme.
“There are 25 countries in the COMESA region; as Zimbabwe, we are discussing with the ministry of Finance and the ministry of Industry and Trade to put our act together so as to tap into this fund. We need to identify priority actions that could be funded through the regional programme. The allocation process will be demand driven, so we need a comprehensive strategy that will draw a substantial allocation,” Van Damme said.
The ambassador said the country is likely to receive funds for the National Indicative Programme early next year. The EU will extend 234 million euros to support socioeconomic programs in Zimbabwe over the net five years.
“We have consulted widely with government, EU member states and the civil society on the National Indicative Programme. We now have what we believe is an interesting program as it is aligned to ZIMASSET.
“The programme is currently undergoing an adoption procedure in Brussels, as all programs have to be discussed in the Economic Development Fund committee. Thereafter it will be formalized in the legal department. The decision process will take us a couple of weeks. However we hope that, if all goes well, we will be able to finalize and sign the National Indicative program in early 2015 which is valued at 239 million euros,” he said.
The EU last month lifted its decade-long economic sanctions on Zimbabwe, paving way for the regional trading bloc to resume financial support to the southern African country. – XINHUA
Chanakira Flies to London to Fundraise for Harare and Mpilo Hospitals Friday Evening
Fundraising dinner for Harare and Mpilo hospitals in Barking, London.
Medical charity Vana VeZimbabwe is today Friday (6 PM) hosting a fundraising dinner and dance in London to contribute towards the purchase of medical equipment for hospitals in Zimbabwe.
Leading Zimbabwean businessman and founder of Kingdom Bank, Nigel Chanakira, is the guest speaker at the event, which will be held on Friday 5 December at Oasis Banqueting suite in the Barking area of East London.
Jesca Gudza, one of the charity’s founders and event organisers, called on the Zimbabwean community to come out in full support of the fundraiser, adding that Harare Hospital in the capital and Bulawayo’s Mpilo Hospital would be the first recipients of the charity’s assistance.
“The rebuilding of a healthy Zimbabwe begins with cultivating healthy minds, both young and old. It all begins with improving our health services, and Zimbabwe’s hospitals are in dire need of equipment.
“As an organisation, we will begin by donating wheel chairs. This will mean easier, more comfortable transportation of patients and ease of mobility for those visiting relatives in hospital. So come and be a part of a healthier, more productive Zimbabwe,” Gudza said.
The event will be compered by renowned Zimbabwean inspirational speaker Glorianne ‘Glo Diamond’ Francis and Carol Zinamo, who is one of Vana VeZimbabwe’s founders. Other speakers at the red carpet event include presenter and philanthropist Pauline Long, success coach David Musendo, chairperson of Inspire Zimbabwe Foundation Florence Chaurura, and Itayi Garande.
Guests will be treated to a thrilling line-up of performers including gospel artiste Carol Felice Nyakudya, gospel rapper Ace Tinashe, and Birmingham-based singer and rapper Lyfe Martinez. Popular DJ Big Mike will weigh in with offerings that are guaranteed to keep guests on the dance floor.
Tickets are £35 standard and £55 VIP; details on how to purchase them can be found on the website http://vanavezimbabwe.com/.
Vana VeZimbabwe is a non-profit making organisation founded by UK-based Zimbabwean professionals Dorica Chanakira, Jesca Gudza, Juwannella Chanakira and Carol Zimano. All four women have professional backgrounds and abiding interests in the health services sector.
As professionals with different areas of expertise, they realised that they would be more effective as a group than as individuals and, working together with partners on the ground in Zimbabwe, they have created a platform committed to making medical and health services readily available to those who are most in need of them.
Vana VeZimbabwe’s vision is to bridge the gap in health service provision in the whole of Zimbabwe and help meet the Millennium Goals to reduce the child mortality rate, improve maternal health, and combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. This will in turn help improve the health outcomes of the nation.
For ticket enquiries contact: 07944 186 977 /07901 740 782
Venue: Oasis Banqueting Suite, 6- 8 Thames road, Barking, London, IG11 0HZ
Disaster as City Council Closes Parklands Shopping Centre
Fanyana Shumba writes for ZimEye narratig the sudden fate of Parklands Shopping Centre
Jobs are hanging in a balance in Bulawayo after a up-market shopping complex was suddenly and without warning closed down after the council refused to supply the place with water.
The Bulawayo city council has been accused of making businesses closing down, creating unemployment and also going against the spirit of Christmas by shutting down Parklands shopping centre, which is owned by ZESA.
At a time when elsewhere shops are throbbing with Christmas shoppers who are buying groceries and gifts for Christmas, but Parklands shopping centre, is silent, empty of cars. All the businesses have closed doors and no customers have been seen anywhere near there. The supermarket was Tuesday found to be open but there were only (4)four or (5)five customers standing beside silent tills and the employees folding their hands, relaxing with nothing to do.
One would think that the MDC run council would want to help businesses, but they appear to be pushing the businesses in this shopping centre to close down. Christmas is the busiest time of the year with shops having more turnover than any other time of the year, but on Tuesday, 2nd December, Parklands shops were empty.
I spoke to the security guards and they informed me that three men in Bulawayo city council uniforms had approached them and commanded them to close the booms going into the centre. I observed several late model expensive cars attempting to get into the centre but being refused and going elsewhere.
I asked if they were given a paper explaining the authority by which they were commanded to prevent access to the centre, but it was only word of mouth.
Apparently the council has cut off the water supplies to the centre. Due consequential concerns of hygiene council then closed the centre.
Yet the council has been ordered by the courts not to cut off water from any one without a specific court order. It appears that they are going aginst a court order, therefore in contempt of court ….. and in contempt of the people of Khumalo and Parklands suburbs in Bulawayo
Joice Mujuru, Mutasa and Mates Face Arrest For Corruption- Mugabe
The Zanu PF First Secretary and President, Cde Robert Mugabe, says political leaders are elected for the benefit of the nation and not to personally benefit from the country’s resources.
Addressing delegates at the 6th Zanu PF National People’s Congress today, President Mugabe said those in government are given positions to upgrade the livelihood of the country’s citizens.
He said once evidence has been fully gathered, all who have flouted the country’s laws regardless of their political position will be tried according to the provisions of Zimbabwe’s constitution.
He said whoever is fingered in corrupt activities whether they are a minister, deputy minister or a civil servant will lose their position.
Regarding Vice President Joice Mujuru, who did not attend the Congress’ official opening together with Cde Didymus Mutasa and Cde Nicholas Goche, Cde Mugabe said she was appointed as a figure to represent the empowerment of women.
He said he was however disappointed to learn that she was working against the progress of the country by being corrupt and planning to assassinate him.
President Mugabe also thanked Zanu PF members for weeding out retrogressive elements in the party.
Notice: ZBC Tv to broadcast the proceedings of the 6th Zanu PF Congress at 9PM tonight.
ZANU-PF’s Congress, Dawn of New Zimbabwe
The on-going ZANU-PF’s 6th National Congress running under the theme “Accelerated implementation of Zim-Asset”, in Harare will mark the beginning of a new Zimbabwe.
This national congress will witness the rising of our country’s economy thereby elevating Zimbabwe to greater heights. The ZANU-PF constitution has been amended as a way of solving the challenges that have been affecting the ZANU-PF party and the country as a whole.
The ZANU-PF meeting of the National People’s Congress will bring changes in party leadership in their government positions, and will mark the official departure of some current government leaders who have been given vote of no confidence by their fellows.
The theme of this congress tells it all that, economic progress is the top priority of this meeting. For that reason, the new board of the elected leaders will have to work tirelessly to restore the ailing economy. Zimbabwe is blessed with abundant resources among them rich minerals and fertile soils. As a result, these resources must be utilized fully and positively so that the country will generate revenue from them.
The First lady’s message during her “meet the people rallies” was long overdue, as it made it clear and transparent that party leaders that lacked commitment and dedication towards developing the nation should be eliminated from conducting national duty.
Corruption is another factor that highly contributes to under development of a nation. Therefore, votes of no confidence should also be passed to all corrupt leaders who abuse state funds at the expense of their personal interest. Corruption should be uprooted in all ministries and parastatals. Ending corruption will also assist in the full implementation of Zim-Asset.
Solutions to eradicate corruption may not be hundred percent, but rather tools for decreasing high levels of corruption must be applied. After all, the main problem is not in the current political situation but rather the problem is the individualistic nature of human beings.
Elimination of incompetence party members will certainly witness high quality production and development in the nation’s day to day activities. Some party members were believed to be working with westerners with the aim of destabilizing the current government. Truly, western input has been dragging back the development of the economy.
Imposing of illegal sanctions by the westerners is one of the realistic examples that weakened the growth of the economy.
It is well known that ZANU-PF is a party of the people for the people. Whatever results that will come from the deliberations of congress will be for the good of the people of Zimbabwe.
Woman Eats Man
A mentally challenged Gutu woman reportedly ate “a man alive” as has beeen said after axing him to death before turning onto his wreathing corpse yesterday.
The occured yesterday morning when Esthar Katandawa (27) disarmed the man who had an axe on his shoulders, struck him on the head before eating his flesh, police confirmed.
Katandwa the official police statement said met the now-deceased Simon Muzenda (29) at around 9am in Mupandawana Village, in headman Gadzingo’s area.
Acting Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident, saying Katandawa has since been arrested and was in police custody.
“We have indeed heard about the incident and we can confirm that the accused, who is mentally challenged, has
since been arrested and is in custody,” he said.
He said Katandawa met the deceased in the same village in the morning and disarmed him of the axe, before chasing after him and turning the axe on him.
“The now-deceased was limping as his leg was aching,” Dhewa said.
“After the axe was taken away from him, he tried to flee, but could not go further as he could not run due to his leg that was troubling him.
“Unfortunately, he was struck with the axe and died on the spot.
“The accused then started eating his flesh.”
Other villagers who were passing by are said to have heard his cries, before they apprehended Katandawa and made a police report, leading to her arrest – SouthernEye
Rushwaya Demands “My Job and Money Now!”
As the ZANU PF Congress swung into full mode Thursday, the former ZIFA boss, Henrieta Rushwaya , fired for alleged misconduct in the infamous so called “Asiagate Scandal”, returned to her employer’s pad demanding to be reinstated and be paid all the salary she lost.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the ZANU PF crunch Congress, Ms Rushwaya told ZimEye.com she was not paid a single penny during her tenure at ZIFA, and partly blamed her fate on the President Cuthbert Dube and his board for what she said was “the Asiagate Scandal which never existed”.
Her lawyers, Chinyama and Partners Legal Practitioners yesterday wrote to Zifa CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze demanding she be reinstated to her post within 48 hours and asked the mother body to pay the salary arrears within seven days.
The letter which was copied to Fifa secretary-general Jerome Valcke.
“Our client was employed by Zifa in terms of written contract of employment for a period of four years at an initial salary of $3 000 which she genuinely expected to rise to $4 000 after a period of six months and to be constantly reviewed after each and every twelve months,” the letter read in part.
“During her tenure of employment as CEO of Zifa she has never received any salary at all from your organisation despite the written contract of employment and your organisation owes our client arrear salaries at the rate of $4 000 per month for a period of 48 months which when calculated translates to $144 000,” the lawyers said.
Rushwaya told ZimEye.com, “I worked for 48 months which is equivalent to four years without being paid a single cent.” She blamed her demise on what she said were malicious attacks from the Cuthbert Dube led ZIFA board. Watch this space for the full interview.
TB Joshua Fights Judicial Coroner, Avoids Being Questioned on Building Collapse
The coroner’s inquest into the cause of the collapsed building at the Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, was stalled Wednesday after the church’s founder filed an application seeking to stop him from appearing at the hearing.
Over 115 people, mostly foreigners, died in the September 12th incident.
Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe adjourned till December 5 to enable him rule on the application.
T.B Joshua, founder of the SCOAN, had filed an application before the coroner seeking for stay of further proceedings of the inquest pending the determination of the suit before a high court.
Mr. Joshua, through his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, had also filed a similar application before a Lagos High Court in Ikeja praying for an order stopping the coroner from summoning him to give evidence.
“The coroner who relied on his personal knowledge of the facts of the case is not a proper person to preside at the inquest,” said Mr. Ojo.
At the inquest’s last proceedings, the coroner had told Mr. Joshua to emulate the South African ambassador who testified despite his immunity.
On Wednesday, Mr. Komolafe said that the applications challenging the inquest are stalling the enquiry.
“It’s like you don’t want your prophet to come to court,” he told Mr. Ojo.
“The order you are seeking in that motion…. We have to take this application before we move on, it will be an impediment.”
But Mr. Ojo said that he needed time to effect service to other parties involved in the inquest.
“The position we are in now is, technically, one that the motion cannot be said to be ripe for hearing, having not been served to parties,” said Mr. Ojo.
“It is a motion that is pending but not ripe for hearing.”
Mr. Komolafe said that the inquest cannot continue until the application is heard.
“I have to adjourn to hear the application and give a ruling.”
ZANU PF Congress LIVE UPDATES
State Media updates
15:25 Foreign sister organisations have finished delivering their solidarity messages and delegates break for lunch. Local sister organisations will deliver their messages tomorrow, Zanu PF National Chairman has announced.
15:18 December 12 Movement Solidarity message: They congratulate the endorsement of the First Lady to lead the Women’s League and say they will always be with Zimbabwe as they have continued since 1972. They declare that Zimbabwe will never be a colony again and is a country for Zimbabweans.
15:01 Cuba Communist Party: The Cuban people convey solidarity message on the occasion of the congress adding that the two countries share the same challenges of sanctions imposed by the West and its allies.
14:57 Sudan says Zimbabwe will always prosper under the leadership of Presdient Mugabe.
14:53 South Sudan Liberation Movement solidarity message: The president congratulates Zanu PF for the 6th National People Congress. African liberation movements supported our leader and it is through this solidarity that South Sudan got independence in July 2011. We are truly grateful for that.
14:45 DPRD official from Democratic Republic of Congo solidarity message. The official says the DPRD appreciates the honour and privilege of being invited to the congress. This indication is a strong signal of the strong ties that exist between Zimbabwe and DPRD as well as Zanu PF and DPRD. We take this opportunity presented to us by the congress to congratulate the people of Zimbabwe and especially president Mugabe for unity. The ideological line of Zanu PF encourages nations to be masters of their own destiny. Thanks ZANU PF for the invitation.
14:35 Nangolo Mbumba, Swapo Secretary General conveys SWAPO solidarity message – “We are aware of deliberate and well orchestrated events meant to destabilise cohesion among revolutionary parties in the region. There is therefore need for sister parties to close ranks and thwart the obnoxious move. SWAPO salutes Zanu PF and wishes the party well and does not doubt that after the congress, the party will emerge stronger and forge ahead in pursuit of the implementation of ZimAsset. ‘Pamberi neZanu PF, Phambili leZanu PF,” as he wraps his message.
14:29 He tells delegates that the ANC shares deep links with Zanu PF and were together in the trenches fighting colonial masters. He adds that the ANC wishes ZANU PF wisdom to take the country forward and stimulate economic growth and success.
14:26 The National Chairman now invites Dr Zweli Mkhize, the treasurer general of ANC Africa to give his party’s solidarity message
14:20 National Chairman informs delegates that the venue, Harare Civic Grounds has been renamed Robert Mugabe Grounds and four roads have been renamed Dr Grace Mugabe, Dr Simon Vengesai Muzenda, Dr Joshua Muqabuko Nkomo and ZimAsset respectively. He also expressed gratitude for the food (rice, mealie-meal, beef and sausages donated by the first family to the congress.
14:07 Zanu PF delegates break into song and dance as they belt popular rendition, “Musaputse Sungano”. President Mugabe, Dr Grace Mugabe, Cde Edna Madzongwe and Professor Moyo are dancing as well.
14:04 Cde Mudenda calls upon the Chairman of Bulawayo Province to move the motion to take note of the Key Note Address and accept the report presented by President and First Secretary of Zanu PF. The Acting Chairman of Midlands Province seconds the motion.
13:58 He praises President Mugabe for teaching them good leadership that they should be honest and truthful leaders who have unity of purpose through self introspection. He assures the President that God will fight his battles and wishes the first family long life. “Long Live President Mugabe, Long Live Mother of the Nation, Dr Mugabe,” he says.
13:55 Congress delegates break into song and dance as President Mugabe leaves the podium to take up his seat. Cde Jacob Mudenda now addressing the gathering and chants ‘DOWN WITH REBELS.’
13:53 He hands over the Central Committee report to delegates before thanking attendees for coming. “Pamberi nekubatana, Phambili lokubambana, Phambana lokubamba,” he says raising his fist and firmly waving it to mark the end of his speech.
13:58 He praises President Mugabe for teaching them good leadership that they should be honest and truthful leaders who have unity of purpose through self introspection. He assures the President that God will fight his battles and wishes the first family long life. “Long Live President Mugabe, Long Live Mother of the Nation, Dr Mugabe,” he says.
13:55 Cde Jacob Mudenda takes to the podium and shouts – “ DOWN WITH REBELS!”
13:50 He said 2013 elections were people driven which is why no one among leadership should claim it. “It belongs to you, the people. Which is why you used your powers to clean up the party. Today we are here to look at ourselves and the policies that we should follow, ZimAsset kupedza hurombo, dams, irrigation and things like that. This congress is about celebrating victory.”
13:47 President Mugabe says some had lost hope that the party will rise and did not want to go for elections. Some had deserted the posts the party had assigned them. Some had formed alliances with MDC formations to topple the government with the help of western nations. He also castigated the dirty team that wantonly betrayed the ideals of Zanu-PF.
13:45 He thanks foreign delegates for coming to support Zanu-PF, a party that emerged victorious in the 2013 elections.
13:40 Zanu-PF had to endure the inclusive government because it had performed dismally in the 2008 elections – President Mugabe.
13:35 “Those who are corrupt will be prosecuted if the allegations are proven and all government officials involved in any corrupt dealings will have their employment terminated,” – President Mugabe.
13:30 He says, “Tinotenda kuti tiritose asi zvakanaka kuti vatadzi ava takavabata tisati tasvika patiri. Zvinhu izvi zvagara zvichiitika mumusangano asi tinozvitadza. Tinokutendai nekubatana kwamakaita, makarasa marara aya.”
13:25 President Mugabe thanks party leadership and supporters for unity of purpose and working together to flush out people who were bent on betraying the ideals of the struggle.
13:20 “This is how thieves behave,” President Mugabe on VP Mujuru and her cabal of thieves who boycotted Congress. He gives anecdote of a stranded couple which they accommodated overnight but stole his mother and sister’s clothing and left early morning in a huff.
13: 15 “Over the years we thought we were working together with her, but alas, behind our backs she was plotting my downfall. We carried investigations and noted it was a clique that involved provincial chairpersons and ministers. Information started trickling in from provinces that a plot to topple the President was on the cards,” – President Mugabe
13:07 “The party saw it fit in 2004 to include women within the top leadership, resulting in the appointment of VP Mujuru” – President Mugabe.
13:05 The past leadership failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people due to a myriad of problems which included a cabal within the leadership which wanted to remove me from power – President Mugabe
13:02 President Mugabe commends war veterans for uniting Zanu-PF and castigates those who wanted to change the party leadership and topple him from power
12:58 President Mugabe takes to the podium at the invitation of SK Moyo
12:53 ”A revolution does not succeed on the basis of the weakness of the opposition but the successful implementation of its programmes” – SK Moyo
12:50 Zanu-PF grew stronger during my chairmanship. Factionalism is a dangerous virus – SK Moyo
12:45 SK Moyo is delivering his welcome address.
State Media updates
12:10 Zanu PF National Chairman has announced the beginning of the proceedings at officially convenes the sitting of the Congress in terms of Article 5, Section 22 of the Zanu PF Constitution. He has announced that in terms Article 9, Section 44 (1) of the constitution, he will chair the plenary.
11:50 Bishop Manhanga delivers the opening prayer.
11:20 President Mugabe has arrived at the venue but is yet to enter the marque. He is reported to be in a briefing party leadership. Vice President Joice Mujuru is has not arrived.
10:50: Zanu PF National Chairman, Cde S.K. Moyo making last minute arrangements to the high table in anticipation of the president’s imminent arrival. Chief of Dr Munyaradzi Kajese making last minute inspection of the higher table.
10:30: An army of local and foreign journalists present here at the Zanu PF National People’s Congress venue. This is testament to the massive interest the event has has garnered.
10:27: Cabinet Ministers and Politburo Members Dr Olivia Muchena, Dr David Parirenyatwa and Cde Sydney Sekeramai have arrived at the venue.
10:21: All Women’s League provincial chairpersons have been summoned outside the marque by out going secretary for women affairs, Cde Oppah Muchinguri for a quick briefing.
10:04: Security is tight in and around the venue with scores of police, military, intelligence officers and party youths maintaining order and keeping the peace.
The Congress Venue has been renamed Robert Mugabe Square
09:43: ZANU PF headquarters is a hive of activity with last minute preparations underway. Scores of Zanu PF supporters are camped outside the party headquarters as they wait for the mop up accreditation to commence. Among those try to beat the last minute accreditation is former Zimbabwean Ambassador to South Africa and Russia, Cde Phelekezela Mphoko.
DAY 3 – ZANU PF NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS
13:40: President Mugabe has just entered the hall and the meeting is supposed kick off anytime from now
13:32: Cde Simbarashe Mbengegwi has just arrived.
13:28: Dr Timoth Stamps has arrived and proceeded into the hall.
13:24: Cde Patrick Chinamasa has also arrived. Delegates are just moving in and out of the hall and some are standing outside.
13:11: Professor Jonathan Moyo and Cde Savior Kasukuwere have just arrived. They went straight into the hall.
13:07: Cde SK Moyo and Cde Mnangagwa have just entered the hall. The environment is calm here and the meeting has not started. President Mugabe is still in the main building.
13:01: Cde Cephas Msipa, Cde Jacob Mudenda and Cde Goodwills Masimirembwa have also arrived.
12:25: Dr David Parirenyatwa, Cde Olivia Muchena and Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa have arrived at Zanu PF Headquarters for the Central Committee meeting.
12:15: Central Committee members are now entering the hall to take their positions but Cde Mnangagwa has moved out of the hall and proceeded into the main building. Cde Ignatius Chombo has also arrived. The meeting has not started and some members of the Central Committee are still arriving.
12:07: Cde Sydney Sekeramai has just arrived here at Zanu PF Headquarters. Cde Mnangagwa too has just arrived and went straight inside the hall where the meeting is taking place
11:45: Zanu PF delegates are now standing outside the hall to welcome the President who just arrived but went through the basement.
11:44 The vehicle, Zim1 has just arrived the President, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe has arrived at Zanu PF Headquarters for the Central Committee meeting.
DAY 2 ZANU PF NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS
1702: The First Lady’s meeting ends, she refuses to be interviewed
1628: The First Lady is still in the closed door meeting
1628: Harare provincial affairs minister Miriam Chikukwa sneaks out using another entyrance avoiding youths who have been denouncing her through a song . . . “Chikukwa chera mwena nguva yakwana”
1605: Scores of Zanu PF youths are outside singing songs denouncing the kingpins of the plot to topple President Mugabe namely VP Mujuru, Cdes Webster Shamu and Didymus Mutasa.
1546: The First Lady is done and currently in a closed door meeting with the party leadership as journalists wait outside hoping to get an interview with her.
1509: The First Lady has arrived at the congress venue and is now being taken around.
1423: Cdes Saviour Kasukuwere, Jonathan Moyo, Patrick Zhuwawo and Patrick Chinamasa have arrived.
1412: Also present is Zanu PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, national commissar Webster Shamu, deputy health minister Dr Paul Chimedza and NetOne general manager Reward Kangai.
1408: The team that accompanied her during her “Meet the people tour” are already here. These are Cdes Oppah Muchinguri, Shuvai Mahofa, Sarah Mahoka and Eunice Sandi Moyo.
1406: The First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe is expected to arrive at for her scheduled tour at the congress venue any minute from now.
Zanu -PF has remained committed to the economic empowerment of indigenous Zimbabweans
1255: Delegate accreditation is still on going at the Zanu PF Headquarters in Harare while the Politburo meeting is about to start.
Grade 2 Drop-Out MP to Be Expelled With Joice Mujuru aides
Kwekwe Central MP Masango Matambanadzo (Blackman) who boasts of being a Grade 2 Drop-Out, is to be booted from both the party and Parliament over his violent public behaviour.
HON MP Matambanadzo in response to the reports has said he is only being persecuted because of his “sharp brains.” Mr Matambanadzo faces the axe after ZANU PF’s Midlands executive met to execute their resolve on him which is that he goes under the current purge of Mujuru supporters underway.
Senior Central Committee Douglas Tapfuma in a statement said the provincial executive has ruled to commence the process soon after congress which ends at the weekend.
“The province has been concerned by the behaviour of Hon Matambanadzo, who has been involved in various violent confrontations with senior members of the party and even the Mayor of Kwekwe (Matenda Madzoke). He has caused serious embarrassment to Zanu PF and we have just had enough,” Tapfuma said.
Matambanadzo faces charges of beating up fellow party legislator Owen Ncube (Gokwe-Kana MP) who is also the provincial secretary for security in Amaveni, the matter which is still pending at the courts.
Tapfuma also accused the controversial MP of boycotting party meetings and rallies held in the province.
“We don’t know if he is still a party member because he is not working with us, he has never visited the Kwekwe party office since he was elected and he is running a dubious $1 a day programme which as a party we have distanced ourselves from,” he said.
Tapfuma said soon after congress, the provincial executive will urgently submit its recommendations to the party’s national disciplinary committee to have Matambanadzo expelled from the party.
“We do not have the power to expel him from the party, but we can only recommend that he should be expelled and once that happens he will be recalled,” he said.
Matambanadzo on record says that he is being persecuted because of his “sharp brains”. “I might be a Grade 2 dropout, but I have sharp brains which have seen me helping people and that is the reason why some people from my own party hate me and are doing everything to pull me down,” he recently told flea market vendors in Kwekwe.
Mugabe Attacks Ghana, “Still As Poor As The Day I Met Sally in 60s”
President Robert Mugabe’s attacks on Vice President Joice Mujuru boiled up on Wednesday with him viciously attacking his inlaws’ country Ghana.
Mugabe said Ghana is still the same undeveloped state it was when he met his wife Sally in the 1960s.
“I have been to Ghana 1958 to 1960 and when you look at them now and compare their present situation to that that existed in the 1960s, no change.
“There might be more people yes, there may be one road from the airport which has been well done yekungoti vanhu vanosvika munyika imomo vafunge kuti nyika yakwirira,” he said.
Mugabe took a swiped at Ebola ravaged West and North Africa where the countries were predominantly colonised by France showed that Europe did not have Africa’s interests at heart.
“That’s about all, no change. There are still areas were not all children go to school, nyika dzakakura. Woti why? Because they have remained under the control of countries like France, European countries like that,” he said.
He said most French colonies had remained dependent on their former colonisers due to the agreements they signed when they attained independence and had no control over their natural resources.
“So those countries are not free. What is now very important but an absolutely discouraging development is that the leaders we get now are not of the same calibre as vana (Kwame) Nkrumah, vana Seko Toure, vana Modibo Keita, vana (Abdel) Nasser, no. They are all yes leaders because they expect help, money from European countries,” he said.
BREAKING NEWS – Rugare Gumbo Expelled from ZANU PF, Forever
ZANU PF’s suspended chairman Rugare Gumbo has been given the boot by the ZANU PF Congress currently underway in Harare.
The decision will mean Gumbo’s earlier 5 year suspension is now superseded by the expulsion.
Sitting in the Central Committee, members voiced they were collectively excommunicating Mr Gumbo forever. A source told this reporter following the decision, “We will deal in this way (navo vose) with all who work to destroy the party. Hakuna kwavanosvika vese ava vana Jabu navana Joram – They will not get anywhere,” he said. It was confirmed by spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo who said, “suspended spokesperson, Cde Rugare Gumbo has been expelled from the party by the central committee.”
Mr Gumbo was expelled following his recent criticism of President Robert Mugabe in which he announced that ZANU PF is facing a leadership crisis, making reference to his boss Mugabe.
“We have a serious leadership crisis and the whole world is aware of that. We have a leadership that is disjointed, a leadership that has no focus on how to resolve major issues. We have a leadership that is power-hungry and will do anything to subvert the will of the people,” Gumbo said.
“They want to remain leaders forever at the expense of the suffering majority. It is an unfocused leadership that is concerned with its own interests, not addressing the concerns of the people.”
Gumbo, a prominent veteran of the liberation struggle, said Mugabe (almost 91) has virtually lost control of the party as he has allowed power-hungry opportunists to push for illegal party constitutional amendments and purges to accommodate themselves.
“Mugabe has lost direction and he is being used by power hungry people. He has practically lost control of the party. He should not have allowed the First Lady to attack long-time comrades like that; and that on its own shows he is no longer in control. He has no vision. You cannot bulldoze amendments to the constitution so that it fits into what opportunists want.
“He has to respect the constitution. How can a leader who is in charge allow illegal purges of elected provincial executives like that. It means he is detached from the people. He is not the one controlling those provinces anymore and this should ring a bell that it’s time for change of leadership.”
Before his suspension Gumbo demanded that congress must resolve the succession issue
Mujuru Rushes to Prophets To Oust Me: Mugabe
As Vice President Joice Mujuru was found missing at the central committee meeting Wednesday afternoon , President Robert Mugabe opened the meeting announcing that Mujuru has been traveling to prophets seeking supernatural assistance to remove him from power.
During the central committee meeting, Mugabe claimed Mujuru and her clique “went to prophets and n’angas seeking to oust him.”
Because our journalists were barred from taking in their phone devices, it was not possible to print his full speech in good time at the time of writing.
Delegates to ZANU PFs National Congress were still being accredited at the time of writing.
Meanwhile Mrs Mujuru’s whereabouts were not known at the time of writing with reports that she is suffering from depression at her home.
UPDATED AT 5.30pm
BREAKING NEWS:Violence Breaks Out at Crisis Coalition
Violence broke lose at a Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition meeting at the Election Resource centre in Harare over power struggles with youths bussed in causing havoc pushing and boxing delegates. Police covering the ZANU PF Congress had to be called in to stop the violence.
The hired youths from former student and current leaders clashed at an on going meeting chaired by Mfundo Mlilo the disputed Crisis Coalition spokesperson. The youths said Mlilo should leave the conference room.
There are currently power struggles at the organisation. The NGO is led by Macdonald Lewanika who is being charged at by sympathisers of the former Chair Dewa Mavhinga.
Mavhinga was last month forced to retire by Mlilo and Lewanika.
The meeting was forced to end by journalists who own the Quill Club and who then called in the police manning ZANU PF delegates at the ambassador hotel.
The police ended up ejecting the violent youths.
LIVE UPDATE: Congress and Central Committee
The situation was tense Wednesday afternoon as delegates congregated at the desolate empty space outside the Rotten Row Magistrates courts whose heavily dusty airspace has had a strip road hurriedly named after Grace Mugabe.
As ZimEye covers the Zanu Pf Congress, our journalists were within the last 90minutes barred from entering the Central Committee meeting with their cellphones at 4pm. This was after professor Jonathan Moyo reacting to a UK warning on the congress told security to bar journalists from entering with devices that connect to the internet.
(READ – President Robert Mugabe opened the meeting announcing… – See more )
ZANU PF youths in green bomber uniform were seen roaming the makeshift conference area lurking for intruders from the Mujuru faction.
More to follow…
Mystery Ugly Bird Sent To Collect Debt
Sleepless nights as a bird is directed to collect debt.
Bulawayo – A Robert Sinyoka woman is having sleepless nights after a grey bird was reportedly sent from Tamandayi in Chipinge “to collect a debt” she failed to pay as per stipulated time and agreed period, a development that has roped in renowned local pastors to assist her.
Theresa Mguni 38, a cross border trader and operator of more than five flea market bays in and around Bulawayo travelled to South Africa three months ago to buy stock for her business, and this was the beginning of the troubles which has sent shivers in her spine countless times.
When she was from SA to buy goods, she deliberately took some bags which were stuffed with material for sale from across the border and sold the order before a dream came to her ordering her to return what she stole.
According to Ms Mguni, the dream kept coming until she sought divine intervention from prophets who warned her to look for the owner of the goods she had stolen previous months.
“I went back to Beitbridge and tried to look for the owners but that was to take me another journey into the deep jungle in search of the owners of the goods I took. I am regretting the day I picked up that did not belong to me,” said Mguni.
She also told ZimEye that she went to a village where she was directed by prophets and came across an old man in his 70s. She told her that he was waiting for her arrival three weeks to come and return the stolen goods.
“What can I do sekuru, because at the moment I do not have the goods, I sold them and I promise if you give me time I will pay you the loss, ” she said.
She was ordered to enter into a mutual agreement of paying the said amount which was calculated to $800 and she agreed. According to Mguni, sekuru gave her a small root that she said ‘I must take to SA and do another order and that the order will double the charge he demanded’. The goods that Mguni took were also valued at $400 and she was to repay her victims money and also another $400 to sekuru.
Mguni went to SA and did what she was told to do and the deal went well, that she managed to acquire $1600, which she squandered and delayed to return to sekuru with the payment for both her victims and the old man, she has admitted.
A few days after she squandered the cash, in the morning when she was taking a bath, a bird arrived from nowhere and greeted her in the bathroom and it introduced itself as sekuru Nyandima.
“I nearly fainted but I remembered that I had breached the agreement with the old man, so I am in a stressful situation as I only have $300 with me and I am failing to raise the cash on demand, ’ said Mguni who looked dejected and in shock.
Asked to shed more light about the bird, she told ZimEye that the bird is still coming every time she is at her lodgings and she is now asking for well-wishers to come to her rescue to pay off the old man.
Pastor Solomon Ncube of Christ for All Ministries told ZimEye that they also tried to assist Theresa but she does not commit herself to God and opts to go to fake prophets who tell her confusing and conflicting advices that haunt her.
Currently, Theresa is asking for anyone who can come to her rescue and she told ZimEye that she is prepared to give a collateral security for the $800 needed to pay off the debt.
Canada Resumes Zimbabwe Deportations
After a long ten year moratorium on deportations to Zimbabwe, Canada has announced it is resuming sending back Zimbos because according to them the situation in the nation has changed for the better.
Deportations will now also resume for citizens of Haiti, the government said.
The below was a public statement by Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister, Chris Alexander.
Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander, and Steven Blaney, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today announced that the temporary suspension of removals for Haiti and Zimbabwe has been lifted, effective immediately. With the suspension now lifted, affected individuals will be provided with an additional six months to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
The Government of Canada is implementing measures for individuals affected by the lifting of the temporary suspension of removals. All affected individuals will be given an additional six months to stay in Canada, with access to work permits. This will allow them enough time to either apply for permanent residence in Canada based on humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) grounds or return home. In support of this measure, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will defer their removal pending a final decision on their H&C application.
Quick Facts
- The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness may impose a temporary suspension of removals on a country when the entire civilian population faces a generalized risk as a result of:
– An armed conflict within a country or place;
– An environmental disaster resulting in a substantial temporary disruption of living conditions; or
– Any situation that is temporary and generalized.
- A temporary suspension of removals is an interim measure. The CBSA and Citizenship and Immigration Canada review country conditions and make recommendations on whether to impose, maintain or lift a temporary suspension of removals.
- The conditions in Haiti and Zimbabwe have improved and the Government of Canada considers that there is no longer a generalized risk to the entire civilian population in these countries.
Quotes
“Haitians and Zimbabweans have demonstrated tremendous courage in recovering from the earthquake of 2010 and years of political instability. After a thorough review of country conditions, the Government of Canada is lifting the temporary suspension of removals to these countries as others of our international allies have already done.”
Steven Blaney, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
“Canada is one of the most generous countries in the world, and we have extended that generosity for over 10 years to Haitians and Zimbabweans by allowing them to stay in Canada because of unsafe conditions in their home countries. With the temporary suspension now lifted, the uncertainty has ended and Haitians and Zimbabweans will have the opportunity to apply to make Canada their permanent home.”
Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister
Mujuru MP Plan to Resign and Disable Mugabe |ANALYSIS
ZANU PF MPs aligned to Vice President Joice Mujuru are mulling plans to resign from Parliament in a move that could paralyse the legislature and force another general election.
The plan has as much chance of succeeding as the failed plan to ensure VP Mujuru held on to her position as VP after the elective congress. There are many reasons why the plan is doomed amongst them are the following:
To force another general election, two thirds of both houses, parliament and senate, will have to pass a resolution dissolving parliament and senate. The Mujuru faction plus MDC do not have the numbers.
Some people claimed Mujuru had as many as 100 MPs on her side before the factional fighting took centre stage three months ago; now with the battle all but won by the Mnangagwa faction, she will be very lucky to still have half of her MPs still behind her.
Mai Mujuru would be even luckier still if the 50 or so MPs supporting her would risk their seats on the gravy train and resign to force bye-elections. As seating MPs their economic situation is infinitely better than if they were just another head of the powerless and voiceless masses, povo. Mujuru faction candidate is certain to lose the bye-election to Mnangagwa faction candidate in the first place, if the bye-election is a repeat of last year’s vote, and if there is no vote rigging then the opposition candidate will win.
All Zanu PF MPs know that they did not win last year’s elections as Nathaniel Manheru cum George Charamba admitted in his last column over the weekend.
“If truth be told, very few leaders in Zanu-PF are able to explain how the 2013 elections happened, how the landslide victory came about. Equally, very few in Zanu-PF can legitimately claim that victory, much as it benefited them,” wrote Nathaniel Manheru in the article “The notion of an extended GNU had many silent proponents inside Zanu-PF” in Bulawayo24.
Everyone knows that last year’s elections were rigged and that it was the Mnangagwa faction who hatched the plan and executed it. Not that the plan was a master-piece, indeed it was amateurish as access to the voters roll would have revealed and hence Mugabe’s refusal to make it public. The plan worked largely because of the breath-taking incompetence of Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends; they failed to get even one democratic reform implemented, they did not even insist on having the voters roll released.
Most of the Mujuru faction MPs including VP Mujuru herself were deliberately kept in the dark of the details of last year’s vote rigging plan still they were aware of the plan and have since learnt more details. If they are serious about ending the Zanu PF dictatorship then they must reveal the details of last year’s rigged elections because that will show the regime is indeed illegitimate. That will be enough to force the regime to accept the implementation of all the democratic reforms and thus ensure the next elections are free, fair and credible.
If the Mujuru faction kept their lips sealed as regards last year’s rigged elections, then they are storing up trouble for themselves because they will have no chance of winning the bye-elections. It is one thing throwing the loaded dice it is another matter knowing that you are being cheated.
The biggest challenge to Zanu PF’s continued rule is not the factional fighting, ruthless and bloody as it already, but the economic meltdown caused by the decades of gross mismanagement and rampant corruption. Throughout all these years none of the Zanu PF leaders, right across the factional divide, have shown that they had realised something was wrong. Even today, few in Zanu PF seems comprehend the full extent of the economic meltdown much less how to put it right.
If any of the Mujuru faction members are banking on public sympathy for the savage kicking in the teeth they have just got from the Mnangagwa faction to get themselves elected back into office to carry on as before on with the mismanagement and corruption as before then they need their heads examined. The Zimbabwe public want an end to the corruption and tyranny.
Conclusion
What the Mujuru faction is failing to realise is that as far as the ordinary Zimbabweans are concerns they are part and parcel of this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship which dragged the nation into this political and economic hell-hole. The only way out of this hell is for the dictatorship to be completely dismantled; the dog-eat-dog factional fighting is a necessary part of this dismembering of the dictatorship.
The Mujuru faction is the less devisive and ruthless of the two factions in Zanu PF but that any look at VP Mujuru, Rugare Gumbo or any of the other leaders in her factions shows that they are just as corrupt and incompetent as the rest in the Mnangagwa factions. The people of Zimbabwe want the political stage swept clean of the Zanu PF dictatorship and not the half-way house shaking off one Zanu PF faction and retain the other half to continue to rule!
The only useful option for thr Mujuru faction in this clean-start scenario is for them to give the details of how last year’s elections were rigged and force the implementation of the reforms to stop future elections being rigged. They can then take their chance in the next free, fair and credible election on the same footing as everyone else.
Residents Relieve Themselves in Plastic Bags as Water Shortages Bite
Heavy rains may have pounded Gweru, but erratic water supplies in the city have continued causing residents to relieve themselves in plastic bags.
The development could result in an outbreak of serious diseases with areas like Mambo having to run without water for 5 years.
In other areas including Senga , Mkoba and Ascot suburbs, water supplies are abruptly cut at intervals of three weeks and in many other areas around the city, supplies are only available at night.
Although the city of Progress, Gweru which is celebrating 100 years with the theme “100 years of resilient progress”, provisions of safe drinking water and proper sanitation remain a pipe dream,34 years after the country ‘s independence from Great Britain.
In 2012 Gweru Town Clerk, Daniel Matawu announced that the problem would be a thing of the past as the council was by then replacing obsolete equipment, some of which he said was 50 years old.
Zimbabwe’s own constitution has enshrined the right to water and health, hence the government of the day should be committing to their obligation, residents have complained saying.
Efforts to contact Mr Matawu were fruitless by the time of posting.
CIOs Caught Red Handed in Kaukonde Fake Certificates Hoax
Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) agents of the Zimbabwe government have been caught red handed in the Ray-Kaukonde so called “Fake Certificate Scandal”. The move has seen the state media pitting an innocent disabled man in the same guilt ring with Mr Kaukonde, a disgraced ZANU PF businessman who faces academic certificate forgery allegations.
The State Media has misleadingly claimed that the bankrupt Ray(Joseph) Kaukonde has been building a house for Mr Tapiwa Chimbganda in order to silence him from revealing his (Kaukonde’s) crime of forgery. But Mr Chimbganda was not even in Zimbabwe when the alleged crime was committed and he had with him all his certificates with him in the United Kingdom where he was pursuing A Level studies. Subsequently he attended university in West Yorkshire. To this date Mr. Chimbganda still holds onto all his Ordinary and Advanced Level certificates that have remained intact and unblemished. That means if Kaukonde committed the alleged forgery, he could only have committed it under the full gaze of his employers (the ZANU PF government) utilising privileged remote intelligence access to national registry records, as ZimEye now exclusively reveals. Kaukonde has held several high profile government posts screened through the CIO since independence and in the 1980s being stationed at ZANU PF’s former headquarters at 88 Manica Road. He has been known and commonly associated with the personal company of President Robert Mugabe.
ZimEye tracked Mr Tapiwa Chimbganda’s footsteps in the United Kingdom and discovered that the victim was indeed on British soil for a prolonged time into the 1980s. This publication has also verified from impeccable records that, as contrarily stated by the Jona Moyo-controlled media under Zim papers, Mr. Chimbganda’s siblings in the United Kingdom have truly been building him without any funding from Ray Kaukonde. The key funder a well known London property mogul who is also Chimbganda’s younger sister, Morejoy Chimbganda, has been pouring out thousands in cash into the house for their brother’s house. To add to that, the troubled ZANU PF businessman, Kaukonde, could not have been able to afford such luxury as he has been failing to pay workers in his collapsing ventures in Zimbabwe.
Money transfer records over several years the state media could have easily perused, reveal the full funding for the building which has nothing whatsoever to do with the ‘disgraced’ Kaukonde.
Miss Chimbganda told ZimEye at the weekend, “They have put my brother, an extremely vulnerable disabled man into danger by linking him with things he has no connection with whatsoever and he neither supports Joice Mujuru.”
She continued, “It is true that Kaukonde was taken care of by my father as an orphan, but to link our family with his acts is ludicrous.
On the issue of the fake certificates, Miss Chimbganda questioned the shocking inconsistencies in the drama. “I cannot comment on the certificates matter as it is beyond my scope; but still Mr. Kaukonde worked for the government since 1981 when he gained access to employment while my brother was here in the UK. How come they did not detect that he was using fake certificates since they gave him several high profile jobs; and also how dramatic and obvious must that act of forgery have been seeing it would mean ink-blotting out both block surname and first name?,” she wondered.
Secret Mujuru Tapes: Mugabe Speaks Out
PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE yesterday for the first time since his wife went on a cyclonic anti-Mujuru rant, publicly knifed Vice President Joice Mujuru following the so called ‘secret Mujuru tapes’ handed him months earlier.
The tapes in Mugabe’s possession, replay a voice said to be that of Mujuru insulting and stating in chikorekore dialect that Mugabe has overstayed his welcome and he must leave. Click Here Read more – EXCLUSIVE – Mugabe’s Secret Spy Tapes of Mujuru ‘Saying Bob Resting on Own Faeces.’
Until yesterday analysts had speculated that Grace Mugabe was acting of her own volition in her countrywide crusade against Mujuru.
But Mugabe brought clarity to shore when he tore into Mujuru saying she is too simplistic to lead anyone.
“We are experiencing it (problems) for the first time in Zanu PF,” Mugabe told a group of senior ZANU PF politicians last night.
He continued,
“And for that matter it’s a woman who says she wants to lead.
“She doesn’t even ask whether she’s able to handle the country, the pressures.”
Mugabe linked up Mujuru with the MDC parties.
“We know the infiltration that has been going on, we know the discussions that have been going on that they will link up with the MDC and America and Britain will pour lots of money,” he said to applause from the delegates.
“That simplistic thinking, I don’t trust a white man at all.”
He added alleging that Mujuru was working with the MDC and this is evidenced in that she did not want the country to have elections last year.
“Mujuru didn’t want elections, why?,” he asked.
Mugabe said Western countries influenced a number of African countries and leaders to discourage Zimbabwe from conducting a run-off election after the inconclusive March 29, 2008 harmonised elections where MDC-T leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai led in the first round by securing just more than 47 percent while President Mugabe had 43 percent though Zanu-PF beat MDC-T in both houses of parliament amassing 45.94 percent of the vote to MDC-T’s 43.56 in the Senate; and 45.94 percent to 42.88 in the House of Assembly suffrage.
Yet the Constitution stated that for a Presidential candidate to be declared a winner, they were supposed to garner 50 plus one percent.
“Even Thabo Mbeki was saying no what use is there, the Europeans will not recognise you if you go for another election and win? Ah do I care for European recognition?
“The Inclusive Government was a humiliating thing but infact even in politics you must have also a strategy that ah now this is what needs to be done. And Jabulani (Sibanda) was saying ah matengesa kuti muve in association naTsvangirai. Even my child Bellarmine was saying ah mabva mukubata Tsvangirai handidi. Dad I won’t shake you. So you can see how humiliated I was. When you are rejected by your own son,” President Mugabe said.
He spoke of the alleged conspiracy by Mujuru,
“But I knew of course that well we would get them. Fine we worked together, I gave Tsvangirai tea. He thought I had put poison in the tea so I drank the tea and gave him. But later on he was asking for more like Oliver Twist. In the meantime we were building our party. Ivo vakanakirwa nawo saying no we should not have elections…
“Even our side, our people didn’t want elections. Vana Mai Mujuru didn’t want elections. Why? There you are. So we had those elections our own way and we emerged 31st July with that resounding victory,” said President Mugabe.
He said it was important for party cadres to remain steadfast on principles than sacrifice them for expediency or money.
He said some people including Americans and former Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Xin Shunkang thought Zanu-PF would lose the elections.
Mugabe thanked the war veterans for throwing their weight behind his sole candidacy at the Zanu-PF 6th National People’s Congress.
He said he would continue as President as long as God wished him to remain there.
Mugabe urged the war veterans to remain united and principled so that Government can recognise them even through creation of a specific ministry for them.
He said Government would endeavour to empower war veterans through various interventions.
Politburo Refuses To Fire Khaya Moyo
The Zanu PF Politburo has dismissed last minute petitions seeking the ouster of the party’s National Chairman and Spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo and Matabeleland South Minister of State, Abednico Ncube.
Sources attending the ruling party’s Politburo meeting say the last minute petitions have been dismissed and described as mischievous.
The petitions, triggered by a group of war veterans in Matabeleland South Province yesterday and endorsed by the Provincial Executive Committee, are said to have come too late and raised frivolous issues.
The provincial executive had sought the endorsement of the Politburo to have the vote of no confidence take effect.
Some of the issues raised against Khaya Moyo are said to be too old and too naïve to be raised on the 11th hour under such crucial issues taking place.
ZBC
UK Fires Warning on Bloody ZANU PF Congress
The UK government has fired an emergency warning on ZANU PF’s National Congress and raised its risk rating on the meeting believed to be escalating into a bloody conflict.
The government in the last 24 hours has cautioned travelers and tourists to Zimbabwe urging them to be ready to be air-lifted at short notice if security deteriorates in the country as the ZANU PF congress roles out.
Following a purge on senior party members ahead of the congress by President Mugabe and threats by war vets aligned to Grace Mugabe to attack Joice Mujuru supporters if they set foot at the congress venue, expert indications show events are taking a bloody turn.
UK citizens have been told to avoid crowds, make security arrangements and be ready to leave the country at short notice if need be.
“Zimbabwe’s ruling party will be holding their national Congress in Harare from 3 to 6 December 2014. You should avoid large gatherings and demonstrations, follow the advice of local authorities and monitor local media.
“If you’re living in Zimbabwe, keep your security arrangements under close review, make sure your travel documents are up to date and readily available and have a contingency plan in place in case you need to leave at short notice.”
But the warning stated however that there is low threat from terrorism albeit the state risk.
“There is a low threat from terrorism,” it further read.
It continued, “Dual British-Zimbabwean nationals who wish to travel to Zimbabwe and return to the United Kingdom must have a valid travel document to re-enter the United Kingdom. It’s not possible to re-enter the UK using a Zimbabwean passport or emergency travel document without a visa or entry clearance endorsed.
Holiday and business visas are available at the port of entry. Don’t violate the terms of your visa.
Although the economic outlook in Zimbabwe improved under the 2009 to 2013, under the Government of National Unity, the economic situation is increasingly fragile with smaller banks facing difficulty.”
BREAKING NEWS: Jabulani Sibanda Crushes Mugabe in Court, Goes to Con-Court
Expelled war veterans Chairman Jabulani Sibanda came out walking in victory Tuesday afternoon crushing Robert Mugabe in the case he was accused of insulting the President through his bedroom coup complaint against Grace Mugabe.
Mr Sibanda now heads to the Constitutional Court after his bail application was granted. That was after the judges accepted that the State’s case against him was confined in the realm of Sibanda’s “constitutional rights as a citizen of Zimbabwe”.
ZimEye tracked Mr Sibanda as he walked out of court quiet but with a firm face consistent with his victory in the case which is set to create a precedent in all cases of so called “insults on the President”.
The State had sought to criminalise Sibanda’s complaint on Grace Mugabe’s attacks on Joice Mujuru as he repeatedly said: “Why does a national broadcaster give acres of space to Grace to attack the Vice President of the country?” He then said that Zimbabwe is not a monarchy, it is a Republic, also adding that war veterans will stand to defend their rights which are being infringed. State prosecutors however overzealously followed the layperson’s guidance of the vocal Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba who insisted that Sibanda had insulted Mugabe and deserved to be punished for it.
ZANU-PF Truck Disses Mugabe, “Vote Of No Confidence in Bob” At Congress
As the ZANU PF Congress opened in Hararae Tuesday, a Zanu pf Nissan Hardbody was seen cruising around the central business district throwing flyers written on them “Vote Of No Confidence Mugabe. ” People scrambled for the fliers which were bearing ‘Vote of no confidence! Mugabe’. The identity of the driver could not be ascertained and neither the car’s registration number since it was continuously speeding off and not stopping at any corner. IN THE PICTURES – One of the flyers thrown off the vehicle….
The Vote of No Confidence term has become synonymous with ZANU (PF) since the entrance of President Robert Mugabe’s wife Grace into the main stream media as many from the Mujuru faction were unceremoniously kicked out.
People were however reluctant to pick up the fliers fearing victimization.
The fliers are believed to be coming from the Vice President Joice Mujuru faction which is being purged by Grace Mugabe
“The problem in Zimbabwe is that you never know who is who and if you take these things you might end up being followed even at home”, said a certain Mr Joseph. PICTURES:
Sex In The Bush: ZIMRA Boss Nearly Killed By Elephants
A married senior Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) official and his girlfriend fled naked from a bush in Victoria Falls, where they were allegedly having sex when a herd of elephants invaded their love nest.
The hapless pair reportedly jumped into their branded Mazda B1800 vehicle and sped off, only to ram into a stationary haulage truck.
The incident that has set the resort town abuzz occurred at about 10PM on Thursday at the Stanley and Livingstone Hotel turn-off.
Jambo Nyongo, 47, a supervisor in charge of the registry department in Hwange and his alleged married lover Sophia Penga, 29, who is a security guard at Cobra Security Company were rushed to Victoria Falls General Hospital
Nyongo has since been discharged from hospital while Penga is still battling for life at the institution.
Good Samaritans who stopped to attend to the accident said Nyongo and Penga were only dressed in green vests.
Jabulani George Murapa who is the driver of the haulage truck that they rammed into said he found himself in a catch-22 as he could not put his hands on Penga to get her out of the car.
“The two accident victims were completely naked at the bottom while at the top they were putting on green vests.
“I had a breakdown near Masui Bridge in Victoria Falls and I put a reflective triangle as is the norm. At about 10PM, I saw a speeding Mazda B1800 belonging to Zimra and it went straight into the back of my truck.
“When other motorists and I got to the victims to help them, we were very shocked to see the two completely nude. I only managed to remove the driver from the car but didn’t know how I could help the naked woman who was screaming for help”, he said.
Nyongo confirmed that he was taken from the scene of the accident naked but attributed his nudity to poor services rendered by paramedics who attended the accident scene.
“Yes I was naked when I was removed from the car but this is because the paramedics who came to the scene cut our clothes off as they tried to rescue us from the wreckage.
“Allegations of sex or that this woman is my small house are unfounded. She is just my long-time friend,” he said.
Other sources close to the accident said Penga is a married woman who had left home in uniform purportedly going to work only to be involved in an accident while naked.
“We wonder how this happened. She left her home in uniform going to work but I don’t understand how her clothes were taken off and how she ended up in Victoria Falls,” said one source.
As word of the story spread like wildfire, there was mayhem at Victoria Falls General hospital with Chinotimba residents jostling to catch a glimpse of the naked couple when the ambulance arrived with the couple.
The officer commanding Victoria Falls Chief Superintendent Jairos Chiona declined to comment and referred questions to national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, who could not be reached on her mobile phone. chronicle
Sibanda Remains In Jail But Begs to Meet Mugabe to Reconcile
Expelled former War Veterans chairman Jabulani SIbanda is to remain in prison on charges of “Insulting President Robert Mugabe”.
Sibanda who is credited for inventing the term “Bedroom Coup,” referring to Mugabe’s Wife’s meteoric rise to power in which she sought to unseat outgoing Vice President Joice Mujuru, was last week slapped behind bars for the so called “crime” said to have been committed on the 27th October.
Even while in prison, Sibanda has continued in his request for a meeting with President Robert Mugabe to present his case that he did not insult the head of state but was only making a constitutional protest against the attacks on Vice President Joice Mujuru. He told ZimEye earlier,
“I know nothing about the attack of President Mugabe. I just started to hear about it on the 5th November from the newspapers…
“I know nothing about that.
“One thing I know is that I didn’t attend the (Grace Mugabe) rally because I was busy doing college work.
“I was not even compelled to attend the rally. If I wanted to attend the rally I would have attended but because that rally has developed some hatred and apparently people are fighting for power in the party I was not really interested. I couldn’t afford to substitute the work I was doing to unite in the party and join a group that uses power position and who are fighting for power.”
Appearing before magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe yesterday Sibanda was remanded in custody to Tuesday when his lawyer Sobusa Gula-Ndebele presents a bail application as well as pleas to have the trial relocated to his home town in Bulawayo.
Meanwhile State Prosecutor Jonathan Murombedzi alleged that on the 27th October Sibanda conducted an ‘illegal’ meeting at Herbert Mine in Mutasa where he insulted President Robert Mugabe saying he was using a coup to remove Mujuru and announcing that Grace Mugabe was launching a bedroom coup by attacking Vice President Joice Mujuru. In his speech Sibanda, who was addressing the gathering of freedom fighters converged at Herbert Mine where remains of 82 freedom fighters were exhumed from a disused mine shaft, said the Zanu PF Politburo is now dominated by power hungry people and as war veterans they will not allow them to prevail.
According to the State outline Sibanda also alleged that war veterans are being blocked from meeting President Mugabe, threatening to organise a march to State House to meet their patron if this continues.
Coal Brick Sees Growth In Coal Exports
“At first we feared the new players would eat into our market but we have seen exports doubling. We are now doing more than 10,000 tonnes per month for countries in the North,” he said.
Msipa added that demand especially in Zambia was high due to the resurgence of many copper mines.
Coal companies are also being attracted by the northern markets which reportedly offer better prices compared to South Africa.
Industry players say the state’s Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe applies a two-tier pricing system on coal, which puts the price at $180 per tonne when exporting to South Africa and $260 per tonne to the northern markets.
Coal Brick started operations in 2010, producing 500,000 tonnes of coal in its first year. The firm is owned by a consortium of investors – Redmagic Holdings, Pan African Energy, Liketh Union, Liketh Finance, Vulner Investments and Blackhealth Investments – all with a combined net asset value of $3,5 billion. _The source
UNICEF Improves Water Supply In Shurugwi Town
VIDEO: Mujuru Shooting Down Rhodesian Helicopter, Sniper Surfaces
The real snipers who downed a Rhodesian helicopter previously credited to Vice President Joice Mujuru have come forward to present their evidence. VIDEO:
STATE MEDIA REPORT:
VICE President Joice Mujuru and her hangers-on misled the country when they claimed that she downed a helicopter at the height of the liberation struggle as she was nowhere near Murehwa when the incident happened.
War veteran and a member of the National Traditional Inheritance Kingdom, Cde Linda Mangwende, whose Chimurenga name was Sarudzai Nehanda, said VP Mujuru had been using her picture that was taken in 1978 to claim it was her after shooting down a helicopter.
War veteran and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Christopher Mutsvangwa has already dismissed the VP’s claims saying it was propaganda being peddled by political commissar Cde Webster Shamu to prop up VP Mujuru’s bid to depose President Mugabe.
“VP Mujuru has been using my picture claiming it is her after shooting down a helicopter, but the truth of the matter is that that is my picture that was taken in 1978 when I was coming from Takawira Sector entering Tangwena Sector in Gaza province,” said Cde Mangwende in an interview with The Herald yesterday.
“I had left Cdes Kambanje (Tenzi Nehoreka) going to the sector where Cdes Aginyu Kambeu (the late General Amoth Chimombe), Freddy Matanga, Brigadier General Munemo, Grenjar Benhura, Tonderai Zimondi, Charles Munyoro and Tokwe were.
Play the video below:
“On the women side, it was myself, Lieutenant Colonel Mukurazhizha, Cde Muchaneta Plaxedes, the late Colonel Mlambo and Mabel Chinomona. We are the ones who used to carry materials.
“The people responsible for shooting down the helicopter are Cdes Dick Joboringo, Kambanje pa D-Level, Brian, Long Chase, Dangarembizi, Masweets, Gabarinocheka, Norest, Shungu and the late Bazvoka Chidemo.
“These are the people who brought down the helicopter not these lies about Joice Mujuru because at the time she was at Osibisa Nehanda.”
Cde Mangwende said she wanted VP Mujuru to pay her back all the money she gained for using her picture.
Cde Mangwende said the embattled VP must not claim to have downed the aircraft when she had not yet been trained.
Chief Nehoreka concurred with Cde Mangwende, saying VP Mujuru was nowhere near Murehwa when the helicopter was shot down.
“We don’t understand why she wants to lie because she was not there when we brought down that helicopter.
“The picture that she is claiming to be her is of Cde Mangwende when she had just left us. Mujuru was not part of the team that downed the helicopter,” he said.
PICTURES: Grace Mugabe Takes Over “The World”
First Lady Grace Mugabe has taken over the world, at least that of “her own mind” and she has been honoured by having a street named after her becoming the first person in Zimbabwe to have a street called after them by their title so that it reads “Dr Grace Mugabe Way”. PICTURES:
Mujuru Finally Goes Home In Tears | Analysis
The events that have unfolded in Zanupf for the last months have taken the country by storm leading to Vice President Joice Mujuru today heading home in both ‘sighs and tears’ as she serves her last 24hours in the highest office next only to Robert Mugabe. Zanu Pf seems to be on a self destructive mode, the case of snake eating its own tail and body.The current winner is not clear between President Mugabe and the Mnangagwa camp, however the biggest loser in the contest is clearly the incumbent Vice president Joice Mujuru.
Vice president Mujuru until recently was the leading candidate to succeed President Mugabe. Mujuru is the most senior person in Zanupf structures after the president, and has been the vice president for the last ten years.It seemed all along that, she had somehow outmaneuvered her arch rival in the race of succession, with nine of ten provinces being under her loyalists.The turn of events, however may mean Mujuru has blown the golden opportunity or to put in politely she had let the opportunity to slip off her hands. She dismally failed to play her cards well in time.The English language has an interesting adage, that talks about striking when the iron is hot.However it seems Mujuru failed to read and interpret the temperatures and the iron has now cooled and solidified.
Mujuru is a decorated 2nd Chimurenga fighter. She is one of the most famous fighters of that era,to cap her achievements, until recently she was believed to have downed a Rhodesian helicopter with a machine gun.The helicopter incident has been vehemently rubbished by other freedom fighters ,like Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa the new Warveterans leader. For today,there is no need to dwell on the authenticity of the helicopter incident, Her uncontested profile so far, is that she fought against colonialism.
At independence in 1980, she became the youngest cabinet minister at the age of 25 years, an impressive record indeed.She has been in cabinet for the last 34 years, along side Robert Mugabe, Emmerson Munangagwa and Sydney Sekeramayi. Among the portfolios she had held is the Post and Telecommunications, where she is remembered well for stifling development in that sector by denying Econet Wireless a licence along side Robert Mugabe.
She steadily climbed the political ladder under the tutelage of her late husband, the first black commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, the late General Solomon Mujuru, another decorated 2nd Chimurenga hero. Her husband seemed not to be interested in direct power, he was just sort of a king maker running things to a certain extent from behind scenes. Naturally as the king maker, he enjoyed enormous privileges that are not dreamt by the average citizen.
As a result of those privileges, he earned a notorious reputation of accumulating a sizable estate in the most unscrupulous means among others extortion and racketeering.These stated means were revealed by the then Zimplats Chairman David Brown, in a Wikileaks cable,the then retired General approached Zimplats, promising to protect the company from indigenisation in exchange of stake in the company.God knows how many businesses were victimised like this, these unscrupulous means seem to have been adopted by Vice President also,this is according to the erratic and loose tongued Grace Mugabe, a fellow fake Doctorate holder. Many other corruption deals were also reported in 2011, where it was understood the Mujurus were smuggling gold worth about $35 million per month out of the country with their Spanish son in law playing the front.
Mujuru’s career soared in 2004, when She was promoted by Robert Mugabe to the position of vice President ahead of the then party favourite Emmerson Munangagwa.The move was one of Mugabe’s grandstanding tactics of clipping wings of over ambitious lieutenants .Hence to Mugabe it was better to be surrounded by weak deputies, devoid of ambitions to secure his long cherished dream of becoming a permanent resident of the statehouse. Mujuru then was not the most senior person even among women, it is obviously that her husband played a role in securing the position. She unwittingly revealed this, when She accused youths of harassing her, because her husband is no more. While we sympathise with her for losing her husband under a mysterious fire.Politics is not for the faint hearted especially in Africa. No one should be treated with kids gloves because they are widows or orphans, those who want such treatment should leave politics.Leadership is the ability to rise beyond these challenges.
Mujuru’s effectiveness as a leader was yet to be seen, she was just among others passengers in the Bob driven train.Her first watershed test came sometime in the beginning of this year when her loyalist in parastals were exposed for stripping and plundering these state enterprises.The publishing of these extravagant salaries earned by CEOS of bleeding parastals left the public enraged.The salaries were way higher than what the average worker can never earn in a lifetime, half millions etc.
Mujuru scored her own goal when she went on a crusade against the state media for publishing such abuse of public money.She went on a rampage jibes obviously aimed at the minister of information who was using the media, accusing him of trying to destroy Zanupf from within. To the public it was obvious that Mujuru did not care about plundering of state resources, She preferred impunity over justice. The theft of public funds by her lieutenants does not matter, it should be just swept under the carpet.Thus Mujuru proved that she was not a reformist, she was worse than Mugabe in terms of nurturing corruption. Mugabe at least is known for empty barks against the rampant corrupt to lull public anger, like Godwills Masimbarembwa and a few caught off guard.
In this case it could have been nobler for Mujuru to remain silent than blessing grand theft.
It cannot be dismissed that Mujuru could see where the hatchet was pointed to.The Ngwena strategy seem to have been first to isolate the victim, take the fish out of the water and make it powerless. Mujuru fell for the trap and thus disqualified herself, she proved that integrity an transparency is not high on her agenda. While it is public knowledge, that Zanupf is a breeding ground for corruption, it is fatal for an aspiring president to show such indifference to the vice.
The next opportunity presented itself for Mujuru to assert her leadership and yet again, she failed to seize the opportunity. When Grace Mugabe was unleashed under the guise of meet the people rallies across the country, she viciously went on tantrums against Mujuru for being incompetent and corrupt first in parables then finally in open language.These charges are true, but none is Zanupf is clean from these two charges.When Mujuru saw that her house was on fire, she kept quite, believing that silence was golden.This rule is not always true especially in politics. Mujuru went on to organise a graduation party for her controversial PHD like that of the first lady. During the party she praised President Mugabe and credited the Phd to him, she refered him to as a father.Thus Mujuru reaffirmed her unquestionable allegiance to Mugabe at a time where she was supposed to confront Mugabe to bridle his wife.She proved that she is just a puppet without rigorous ambition. Mujuru chose to charm an angry snake instead of hitting it or running away.This did not stop Grace, it seemed Mujururu’s action was well ready as someone who could not strike back, Grace eventually called for her outright resignation.
The next wave saw votes of no confidence being passed against all perceived Mujuru sympathisers. Once again Mujuru did not see it fit to defend her victimised allies, her foot soldiers fell by the way side without any public assurance.This was clearly the greatest sign of lack of strategy and being spineless. she just sat down and watched as her foot soldiers were being purged. Provincial leaders and structures that were aligned to her,were all mercilessly purged without proper procedures even by Zanupf ambiguous standards.One fails to understand how Mujuru intended to remain in power without structures backing her.Once again She proved her indecisiveness by not acting or uttering anything.
In a heavily mercenarised organisations like Zanupf, where many are just there for the benefits , it is obvious that betrayals and opportunism is rampant. Most people will just wait and see were the current is flowing to , before jumping in that direction.In actual fact, people in such organisation have no preferred candidate except the winning one.The patronage systems concentrates rewards and punishment in the hands of those in power.Thus failure to be good books with those in power may mean loss of privileges and reprisals. As Magareth Dongo rightly noted the levels of cowardice in the party, when she called Zanupf leaders Mugabe’s wives. Soon the remaining loyalist saw the warning shots and gave up, switched their allegiances . A good example is one youth leader started calling the first family alphas and omega of the revolution.What a pathetic young person!
Mujuru was further to embarrass herself by submitting her name for the Vice presidency at the congress only to be told that, the position would not be contested.The president will appoint the Vice president and the national chairman.This sealed Mujuru’s fate, as it was not enough her own district refused to nominate her for central committee, meaning that after congress should whoever is the president not appoint her, she could become ordinary Zanupf card caring member. When Mujuru saw that things were falling apart she should have been bold and declared her candidacy for president of the party. Whether rules or whatever were changes she could have appealed to more people, even opposition supporters.This was a golden opportunity for her, bearing in mind that the opposition is in its lowest ebb.The strategy of her opponents work,ed she have been stripped of all power form structures and sympathy of the ordinary man who often saw her as a better devil.
Thus Mujuru might be still retained as a harmless ceremonial vice president, and would never be a threat to president.Hence Mujuru’s chances of becoming the next president are ranging from nill to rare.Her spinelessness, indecisiveness, callow and lack of strategy has proven that she is no leadership material .
—
Mlungisi Dube
“We Cannot Remain Prisoners of Fear”: Rugare Gumbo Speaks
Rugare Gumbo Interview With Zimbabwe Independent
SUSPENDED Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo (RG), who unwaveringly stood behind under-fire Vice-President Joice Mujuru as he demanded Zanu PF must resolve its succession conundrum at congress next week, has opened up on the tumultuous events rocking the faction-riddled party, and how he feels betrayed by party leader President Robert Mugabe.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Zimbabwe Independent political reporter Elias Mambo (EM) this week, Gumbo ominously said all progressive forces being purged ahead of congress will not watch forever as their party is destroyed from within by opportunists and infiltrators.
Below are excerpts:
EM: Where to now after your five-year suspension from the politburo?
RG: I have always been on the battlefront all my adult life and I remain resolute that the struggle has to be fought. I am not out. I will make sure the people of Zimbabwe get their freedom and my views of genuine freedom will never be compromised. I will never deviate from principle.
EM: How are you going to continue the fight since you have been booted out of Zanu PF?
RG: Revolutions are fought from different angles. I will continue fighting on behalf of the people to ensure freedom, economic recovery and development.
EM: Do you regret speaking out? Do you feel you owe the President an apology?
RG: Hahaha! I am not apologetic for whatever I have been saying. That has always been my stance and there is nothing to apologise for. Zimbabweans want real issues to be resolved and not for us to remain prisoners of fear.
The succession issue is wreaking havoc with the turnaround of this economy. It cannot be ignored. So why should I apologise? For what? Focused leadership should be aware that one day leadership will change and this calls for robust discussion and not to whip people into line and suppress debate on such a crucial issue.
EM: Take us through events of that fateful day when you were suspended. Were you aware of your impending fate?
RG: I was shocked. Not only me, but everyone else. I knew there were plans to deal with me maybe after congress but not on that day. I was not given a chance to defend myself on the allegations levelled against me and I was not happy that a very junior person (Edson Chakanyuka, Zanu PF Youth League deputy secretary) who has no clue of how this country came to being was used to move a motion to suspend me.
I am a veteran of the struggle and that is not questionable. Mugabe should have moved in to stop that madness considering my role in the liberation struggle and independent Zimbabwe. He should have considered that instead of allowing a representative of a faction that wants power to push me out. Obviously, it was pre-planned and Mugabe knew about it.
EM: And how did the others react, especially those who subscribe to your views of the need for a robust discussion on the succession taboo?
RG: Everyone was shell-shocked. They were taken by aback and no one thought it would come to this. They were scared and there was no dissenting voice to stop the motion. They all kept quiet. I felt that Mugabe should have engaged me before the politburo and not expose me to open attacks.
I was never elected into this position. He appointed me so he betrayed me in the sense that he used some people to help him boot me out. He appointed me so he was supposed to be the person who should have told me openly that he is dropping me, not some dubious character who is ignorant of the history of the struggle and is being used by those who are power hungry. As they say, the one who appoints can also disappoint.
EM: What was your reaction?
RG: I stood up and told Mugabe that I was leaving since I no longer had any role to play. Why would I have wasted my time when I had been chucked out?
EM: What did he say?
RG: He said he thought I should wait until the politburo was over.
EM: And what about the allegations that you wanted to topple or even assassinate Mugabe and replace him with Mujuru?
RG: Pure lies. Blatant lies being peddled by the faction that wants to take over power. It is not possible after having spent my life serving the party to think of overthrowing a sitting president.
I have done nothing wrong. Supporting Mujuru is not a crime. She is the number two in command and if anything happens to the president she is entitled by the constitution of this country to take over. She should be supported and we should not apologise for that.
The president himself said so in 2004. Are we selling out if we are supporting his deputy? No! She is not an enemy so she needs our support.
EM: Are you saying you support the Mujuru faction?
RG: I do not have a faction. I support Mujuru because naturally she was supposed to take over. Mugabe should also support her because he groomed her and that is not a crime.
EM: Do you think Mujuru will take over given how events are taking place in Zanu PF?
RG: Mujuru is going to survive. She is strong and she has a very strong support base. She is well-groomed and mature. There is nothing to stop her from taking over in future.
EM: But those who are supporting her are being purged just like you. How will she survive at congress?
RG: Those suspensions and removals are illegal. They are unwarranted, they are unfair, uncalled-for and they do not consider the contributions of those people to the struggle and development of this country.
EM: But the removed people will not take part at congress? So what will happen?
RG: If Mugabe is given the power to appoint, then it ceases to be an elective congress. In fact that congress is now a sham because illegal structures will be playing crucial roles. Those acting chairpersons are not elected individuals and the constitution does not allow that.
The whole congress is a non-event because the constitution has been manipulated and violated, so where is democracy. It is not a congress at all. It’s a charade.
EM: But it will go ahead as planned and you and others will be left out. What are you going to do?
RG: It is up to the people to react to that. All those sidelined democratic forces can raise their concerns.
EM: Are you saying those people may form their own party?
RG: I am saying people will not sit and accept injustice forever. They will not accept a leadership that is not focused and which they would not have voted for. It is not a people-chosen leadership.
EM: Lastly, are we seeing the end of Zanu PF?
RG: Zanu PF is above any individual. We will not allow our party to be destroyed from within. Those who have highjacked the party will soon realise that power belongs to the people and not them.
Ebola Vaccine Breakthrough At Last
BBC|The devastation of the Ebola outbreak in parts of West Africa has been one of the most shocking and distressing stories of the year.
Tonight there is a glimmer of hope – the first evidence that a vaccine could be available for health workers and others battling to bring the virus under control.
Ultimately, it could mean a vaccine for everyone in areas at risk.
Sir Andrew Witty, the chief executive of GSK, told the BBC that new clinical data published tonight was “very encouraging” and that a viable vaccine could be available in the second half of next year – If these early trials continue to provide positive results.
‘Very encouraging’
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) in America has just released the first trial data for the vaccine that GSK is working on in its laboratories in Italy and Belgium.
Twenty adults were tested and an immune response to Ebola was prompted in each of them. The vaccine was also “well tolerated” by each of the people tested.
“It’s a very encouraging first signal,” Sir Andrew told me.
“Whether it’s a breakthrough depends on making sure that all the rest of data over the next few weeks and months is in line. But this certainly gives us very significant cause for optimism.
“We’ve been looking at a potential Ebola vaccine, we’ve been looking at its basic safety and whether or not it can generate an immune response in healthy volunteers – and the data is very encouraging.
“But we need to put it into context – this is a very accelerated development programme and this is the first bit of data.
“It’s the first piece of what will be a jigsaw of information that we are going to gather over the next five or six weeks before we move to the next stage.”
Further trials
“We are busy working out how we scale up manufacturing capacity, so that as we move into the second half of next year we would be in a position to manufacture very large quantities”
Of course, as Sir Andrew says, any developments must be kept in perspective and there are a number of other trials still to report this year.
Any of those could throw up major problems in the vaccine’s progress
Pastor adopts Ten Orphans from Ngozi Dumpsite and Sidojiwe
Bulawayo- Pastor Tapiwa Maponga, who is a founding Director of Educate a Child Foundation Trust, a Bulawayo based non-profit making organisation, has adopted ten from hundreds of homeless children who have been dumped by the City Council, in their effort to clean up the city centre for Youths games, which are starting this week.
The Bulawayo based and Masvingo born man of the cloth will pay for their school fees and their upkeep at their church base.
“I read about this sad story from your publication last week, and I made efforts to visit the mentioned places, and found out that there are kids with the ability to go to school. I also visited Sidojiwe flats where a good number of orphans are staying and also found heart breaking situations. I will fight to help them acquire birth certificates with relevant authorities and start paying their school fees from January next year,” said Pastor Maponga.
Last week ZimEye carried a story on the dumping of street children at Bulawayo’s biggest dumping site. Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo, vehemently denied ever carrying that exercise, but ZimEye visited the area and found hundreds of street children dumped in the area, with a number of vagrants, also dumped there in an effort to clean the city, in preparation for forthcoming youth games this week.
Pastor Maponga also attended one of the Sidojiwe Pre-School graduations during the weekend, a product of his sponsorship which he started early this year as a pilot project for the disadvantaged children.
The Pastor has since started paying school fees for the Sidojiwe orphans, who will be in grades one to seven respectively.
Bikita Grandfather Caught Having Sex With Close Relatives, Witchcraft and Mubobobo
A 67 year old grandfather and former British South African Police Officer (BSAP) whose name is in ZimEye’s possession, has been caught having sex with multiple sex sessions forcing himself on his closest relatives.
The man who cannot not be named for security reasons, was reportedly “caught” by a spiritualist in what is said to be “a vision” and when confronted without delay confessed to sleeping with his relatives wives, sisters, daughters and villagers wives using mubobobo and juju, which he named as ‘Murima’ literally meaning in the middle of a dark night.
The situation came to light when a neighbour and close relative’s wife got seriously ill at the end of November, without hope for recovery from medical experts. The families of the victim decided to consult faith healers and prophets from spiritualist churches, leading to this revelation.
Wedzerai Mapetere, who is a close relative of the perpetrator, gathered family members to solve his wife’s mysterious ill health problems. They discovered that his wife was a victim to this man. He told ZimEye how their big brother plays evil to the family. “He would follow our wives to the bush where they will be helping themselves, as you know that in rural areas, there are very few toilets. On this, he would propose love to relatives’ wives and if they refuse, he will make love to them at night using mubobobo,” said Wedzerai.
Another relative, Sharai Chibi told ZimEye that their elder brother would even enter their bedroom in the middle of the night, and have sex with them. “He would enter our place where we sleep and we will see that this guy is our brother. It will be more like a dream. He would then remove our pants and have sex with the three of us without having power to cry or shout for help. After having sex with us, he would not say anything but put back his privates and zip on, before walking out of our closed door,” narrated Sharai.
ZimEye managed to interview the faith healer and prophet, and he agreed after a thorough body search of recorders and cameras from this reporter. The witchcraft hunter refused to be photographed for fear of other witch hunters who he said mighty jeopardise his spiritual healing prowess.
The faith healer who preferred to be called murapi Podzai , told ZimEye that he trapped evil doers in their own backyard and with the accused, he videographed him in an impeccable vision which has precise details which he cannot deny. “I am a freeman who can help end evil situations at homes. I do not show off to anyone but I just do my work easily,” he boasted.
Efforts to get comment from Chief Marozva in whose jurisdiction the evil happenings occurred were fruitless by the time of going to press as he was said to be in Harare for the ZANU Pf congress.
Mnangagwa Humiliated by Dynamos, Bosso Supporters
Presidential aspirant Emmerson Mnangagwa launching the Gushungo Cup, was yesterday left with an egg on his face when Dynamos and Bosso fans decided to ignore him and stay at home.
Mnangagwa is rumoured to have been trying to strike a spark with President Robert Mugabe by launching the Gushungo Cup just in time for the crunch national congress when a Presidential successor should be chosen. Mnangagwa had hoped the stadium would be full to the brim. But a handful fans less than three hundred came over .
Mnangagwa had been expecting over 60,000 people and on the reason why only the two teams were chosen, Gushungo Victory Cup chairman Blessed Mushando said they
“…chose Dynamos and Highlanders because these are two of the country’s football giants. They are crowd pullers and again these are the two teams that finished first and second respectively last year (in the PSL).”
Following the match in which Dynamos beat Bosso 3-2 via penalty shootout, Mnangagwa who awaits being appointed Vice President at the congress this week , posed for photographs with DeMbare captain Murape Murape.
IN PICTURES: New Fibre Optic Cable Bulawayo to Harare
Pics by Mark Swannack
PROPHECY: Date For Mugabe’s Sudden Exit
At a time when many preachers are staying away from predicting dates and events in defined content, a UK based ‘prophet’ has declared the first time-specific prediction as he says when the Mugabe dynasty will exit the scene and be forgotten forever.
Prophet Austin Moses who in June predicted what he said was a big tree falling down with its branches, foretelling of the shocking Mujuru purges, fearlessly declared that Mugabe’s era will be over in a few months’ time.
Pharaoh’s era is ending, said Moses.
When questioned on the date, he did not waste a breath declaring almost instantly that it will be before the end of 2016 when the Mugabe dynasty will be forgotten forever.
“It will be between 2015 and 2017”, he said…
The London based pastor said Zimbabweans all over the world will soon be returning to their country as God is restoring Zimbabwe’s international status.
He said there would be great changes between now and 2017 and Zimbabweans must pray.
“According to what the lord revealed to me, I saw many people, Zimbabweans returning back home. God is in the middle of returning the country back to its origins. It shall never be a desolate country any more. I am not a Zimbabwean, but I say what God has asked me to say, ” he said.
He continued, “the rein of Pharaohs in the land of Zimbabwe is coming to an end. The Lord revealed to me that between 2015 and 2017 He is returning Zimbabwe, ” he said.
Prophet Austin Moses is based in North London and has to his credit several accurate predictions including that of the Ukrainian crisis where after noticing the strength of his predictions, the Ukrainians soon extended a VIP invitation for him to grace their country.
Facebook Comments:
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Raalt Nester Ebenesto I don think its time for this stuff here. We want solutions to our problems not predictions of wen pipo shld die. We knww dat mugabe shall die.
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Dennis Mafagane Many profet has said that before , the biggist thing is to liberate the people of zim not to come with stupit prophecy
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Adriano Shoniwa The only way to achieve change is to understand the change process!A struggle that is supposed to take 6months can take several years!A struggle requires gaining an insight of how a system is operating,where and how it derives its power!Revolutionary parties” appeal” more to rural populace while oppostion parties are well grounded in urban politics!Revolutionary parties just need to neutralise urban votes!As long as your focus is “Mugabe,Mugabe!” even if he is gone pf will remain a cancer to live with!If it were nt for rural votes.It is high time opposition parties in Africa are not seen as fronts of western countries so that they are received well in rural areas!Rural people are “wise”!You should be very convincing to change them,they are highly conservative!!Hee! Mugabe will go!Heee!shall die!Those are facts of life!He will go its true!But who will make go?The people who give him power!He relies on people!So go to people and win people’s hearts and prove selves as better alternatives!kkkkk!MaPastor amera ” chiMugabe” pamuromo!
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Mthembo Petros Don’t forget Man United won ngempelasonto admin
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Nathan Dewa Mugabe achafa next year ,Mugabe is seriously ill , Mugabe will lose election , Mugabe sudden exit from politics , Mugabe this……ah please give the man and us as break , panyo penyu vamu profita intact I don’t believe in all this Bullshit of prophets its FAKE kubira vanhu Mari dzavo mhata Mese maprofita and those who believe in them , dark evil forces
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Munyaradzi Bhudhas Musekwa Zivai zvekunamatira siyanayi na mudhara wangu uyu
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Willard Will Chizinga usatinyepere iwe vaporofita venhema mawandisa.Mwari havatambwe navo.
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Stewart Vincent Karim Robin Van Perse scored a wonderful goal. united we stand
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Denis Chikwanda Prophets of Doom
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Tatenda Nzira He is no different frm muxular mula
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Richard Maposa Bosso loose again kkkkk
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Richard Kopje This is not news , fake prophets
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Madzima Mupfeki Kuda kuonekwa here
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Adriano Shoniwa Prophet of doom!Nhema dzoga!just whipping up people’s emotions and expectations!kurota hakurambidzwe asi marotero acho!Just the point yokuti “will be forgotten forever” is a lie!!
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Liberty Chinyota nxaaaa
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Buju Rusengah taneta nadzo mbwa idzo kuhukura hadzina mazino
Mwonzora Released On Bail
MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, who was arrested on charges of fraud, has been released on US$500 bail. Mwonzora on Saturday appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Milton Serima, who granted him US$500 bail coupled with reporting conditions. Prosecutor Miss Sharon Mashavira alleges that Mwonzora misappropriated US$15 000 in trust funds.
Mwonzora yesterday said he was released after paying US$500 bail.
“It is the usual story about me where the enemies of democracy want to fight my career as a lawyer and politician by making spurious allegations. The good thing is I will always win because God and justice are on my side,” he said.
Meanwhile, the former Copac co-chair will today be in Rusape for trial together with some 31 MDC-T party followers from Nyanga North.
They are accused of assaulting Zanu-PF supporters.
According to the State, in February 2011, Mwonzora and MDC-T supporters held a meeting at Chatindo School, Nyamaropa, where Zanu-PF youths wanted to play social soccer.
The State alleged the group, at the instigation of Mwonzora, attacked Zanu-PF youths and forcibly ejected them from the school.
It is the State’s case that some of the youths were injured and rushed to the nearby Regina Coeli Hospital, where Mwonzora and his co-accused followed them and damaged some buildings. – Herald
Mwonzora allegedly vanished from the scene following the arrival of the police.