By-Harare has announced that Cabinet Ministers from Zimbabwe and South Africa are set to meet in October to continue deliberations on the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP).

The special ZEP permits were issued in 2009, and are due to expire at the end of this year. They had expired end of 2021 but were extended for a year to allow Zimbabweans to apply for other permits to continue to stay in South Africa.

The ZEP is a special dispensation permit, which provided legal protection to an estimated 178 000 Zimbabweans who live, work and study in South Africa.

This will leave about 178 000 Zimbabweans facing deportation from South Africa.

Addressing Tuesday’s post-Cabinet briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the agreement to meet in October was made at the recent Bi-National Commission (BNC) Mid-Term Review. She said:

On Zimbabwe Exemption Permit, the Mid Term Review urged Ministers of Labour and of Home Affairs to meet by the end of October 2022 to make relevant interventions on Labour migration.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s decision to terminate ZEPs is being challenged in courts there. 

Those who are pushing for the reversal of the decision argue that the revocation of the permit affects all types of people from across the social spectrum – teachers, truck drivers, students and doctors and will separate families and leave others stranded without cars or access to banking.

By James Gwati- Violent Zanu PF thugs have disrupted a CCC meeting in Wedza’s Seke district.

CCC posted on social media that the thugs came in trucks and beat up their supporters.

Posted CCC:

Violence broke out in Seke today where three truckloads of Zanu PF thugs disrupted another meeting that was to be addressed by Change Champion in Chief, 

@nelsonchamisa

. Allan Kunaka & Brighton Chipunga were badly injured. A car was smashed. Police reports are being made.

Wedza turned into a terror zone! The signs of a desperate regime.

By-MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora has said that his top executive members were to take the party and its properties to the Nelson Chamisa-led Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

These reports come after the party chairman Senator Morgen Komichi has indicated to contest Mwonzora during the elective congress.

Mwonzora last week addressed his executives and said he needed new team leaders on the Standing Committee. 

He said:

The reason why we didn’t do well in recent elections, while others are saying it’s because of the president, I am saying we lost because of the team, give me a better team. The duty of a party leader is to think and I have shown that I can think hence the reason why I am saying I need a better team. I need a team that will stay together in good and bad times, when we fall, we must fall together, same as when we rise, not when we fall someone then assists our enemies to finish off the party. We no longer want such people in the system, that is our golden rule number one, talk about yourself when campaigning not to try and get votes by bad-mouthing others.

Rule number two is that we don’t want leaders who, after being voted into office, will take the party, take Harvest House (party headquarters) and give it to some other president in another party. We fought for that building to safeguard it in the name of Morgan Richard Tsvangirai. I cannot imagine Harvest House painted in yellow, that’s nada.

He said he will soon be announcing Congress dates a month earlier to allow prospective candidates to have a full month to campaign.

Mwonzora added that there is no position that is reserved for anyone and every member is free to contest any position “including that of the president”

Komichi told The Chronicle that it was pure propaganda to say that Harvest House would to another political party. He is quoted as saying:

Harvest House will never be for sale. It is the citadel of opposition politics and the High Court clearly said that it belonged to MDC-T. No one has any legal power to transfer party property, so to claim that some people want to do that is just being a propagandist.

Komichi said he will decide on whether to contest for the same post he is holding or go for a new challenge after Congress dates have been announced.

By The South African- A top South African government official in Limpopo Dr Pophi Ramathuba is chasing away Zimbabwe patients from that country’s hospitals.

In the video circulating on social media, Dr Ramathuba is confronting a Zimbabwean patient at a Bela-Bela hospital about their immigration status, telling them her department does not have the budget to accommodate foreign nationals.

“How do you find yourself in Bela-Bela when you are supposed to be with Mnangagwa (Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa) there? You know he doesn’t give me money to operate you guys and I’m operating you with my limited budget,” Ramathuba tells the woman.

The patient responds by saying she appreciates it, but that doesn’t stop the MEC from going on about her department’s budget constraints, which are further exacerbated by the fact that Zimbabwean nationals in the country also depend on government services/faclities.

“When you guys are sick, I’m hearing these days you just say, ‘let’s cross Limpopo river, there is an MEC there who is running a charity department. It’s not,” Ramathuba said.

Earlier this year, Ramathuba sparked outrage when she told Limpopo female learners to “open their books and close their legs” in an attempt to address teenage pregnancy. Many accused the MEC of only targeting girls during her speech, but she hit back, saying boys were also called out.

The health MEC explained that the children she was talking to do not have anyone to explain things like protected sex and menstruation to them, which is why she felt her words are justified.

“Teenage pregnancy is rife among the poor and working class. The affluent do not understand. My children and their children [the Twitter parents] know everything about reproduction because we sit with our children and explain things like menstruation, menopause, protective sex… we even teach them what is an orgasm,” she told Tshisa Live.

Limpopo Health MEC and provincial ANC official Dr Phophi Ramathuba to Zimbabwean patient admitted at a hospital in Bela-BelaP:
'You're supposed to be with Mnangagwa, he doesn't give me money to operate you guys. Now I must operate you with my limited budget…' #SadReality pic.twitter.com/rmC1iuOoR5

— Thohoyandou ?? ?? (@AlbaMokopane) August 23, 2022

By James Gwati- Reports coming from Seke say that Zanu PF thugs have burnt down a car belonging to a CCC local member.

The ruling party supporters burnt the car when blocking the opposition from holding its political meeting.

CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere announced on Twitter:

When Zanu PF thugs violently attacked a CCC meeting in Seke today, the vehicle of CCC member George Makwangwaidze’s, a Mercedes Benz E270 was badly damaged. The meeting was to be addressed by Adv 

@nelsonchamisa

 . Police reports are being filed at Dema Police Station.

By-MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora is planning to purge his top executive members on allegations they are intending to take the party and its properties to the Nelson Chamisa-led Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

These reports come after the party chairman Senator Morgen Komichi has indicated to contest Mwonzora during the elective congress.

Mwonzora last week addressed his executives and said he needed new team leaders on the Standing Committee. 

He said:

The reason why we didn’t do well in recent elections, while others are saying it’s because of the president, I am saying we lost because of the team, give me a better team. The duty of a party leader is to think and I have shown that I can think hence the reason why I am saying I need a better team. I need a team that will stay together in good and bad times, when we fall, we must fall together, same as when we rise, not when we fall someone then assists our enemies to finish off the party. We no longer want such people in the system, that is our golden rule number one, talk about yourself when campaigning not to try and get votes by bad-mouthing others.

Rule number two is that we don’t want leaders who, after being voted into office, will take the party, take Harvest House (party headquarters) and give it to some other president in another party. We fought for that building to safeguard it in the name of Morgan Richard Tsvangirai. I cannot imagine Harvest House painted in yellow, that’s nada.

He said he will soon be announcing Congress dates a month earlier to allow prospective candidates to have a full month to campaign.

Mwonzora added that there is no position that is reserved for anyone and every member is free to contest any position “including that of the president”

Komichi told The Chronicle that it was pure propaganda to say that Harvest House would to another political party. He is quoted as saying:

Harvest House will never be for sale. It is the citadel of opposition politics and the High Court clearly said that it belonged to MDC-T. No one has any legal power to transfer party property, so to claim that some people want to do that is just being a propagandist.

Komichi said he will decide on whether to contest for the same post he is holding or go for a new challenge after Congress dates have been announced.

By- The National Constitutional Assembly, NCA, has embarked on a door-to-door campaign ahead of the 2023 elections.

The Professor Lovemore Madhuku-led political party targets rural areas in its initial footprints.

The party’s spokesperson Madock Chivasa announced the commencement of the national campaign program on social media.

Tinashe Sambiri|CCC leader President Nelson Chamisa has completed a rigorous outreach programme in Uzumba Constituency.

Analysts say the fact that President Chamisa has managed to make headways into the volatile area shows the wind of change is blowing across the country.

Uzumba is widely regarded as a no go area for perceived Zanu PF opponents.

President Chamisa wrote on Twitter:

“I have been in UZUMBA for the past two days! Yellow is everywhere.

A New Great Zimbabwe is loading…#FakaPressure.”

By The South African- A top South African government official in Limpopo Dr Pophi Ramathuba is chasing away Zimbabwe patients from that country’s hospitals.

In the video circulating on social media, Dr Ramathuba is confronting a Zimbabwean patient at a Bela-Bela hospital about their immigration status, telling them her department does not have the budget to accommodate foreign nationals.

“How do you find yourself in Bela-Bela when you are supposed to be with Mnangagwa (Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa) there? You know he doesn’t give me money to operate you guys and I’m operating you with my limited budget,” Ramathuba tells the woman.

The patient responds by saying she appreciates it, but that doesn’t stop the MEC from going on about her department’s budget constraints, which are further exacerbated by the fact that Zimbabwean nationals in the country also depend on government services/faclities.

“When you guys are sick, I’m hearing these days you just say, ‘let’s cross Limpopo river, there is an MEC there who is running a charity department. It’s not,” Ramathuba said.

Earlier this year, Ramathuba sparked outrage when she told Limpopo female learners to “open their books and close their legs” in an attempt to address teenage pregnancy. Many accused the MEC of only targeting girls during her speech, but she hit back, saying boys were also called out.

The health MEC explained that the children she was talking to do not have anyone to explain things like protected sex and menstruation to them, which is why she felt her words are justified.

“Teenage pregnancy is rife among the poor and working class. The affluent do not understand. My children and their children [the Twitter parents] know everything about reproduction because we sit with our children and explain things like menstruation, menopause, protective sex… we even teach them what is an orgasm,” she told Tshisa Live.

Limpopo Health MEC and provincial ANC official Dr Phophi Ramathuba to Zimbabwean patient admitted at a hospital in Bela-BelaP:
'You're supposed to be with Mnangagwa, he doesn't give me money to operate you guys. Now I must operate you with my limited budget…' #SadReality pic.twitter.com/rmC1iuOoR5

— Thohoyandou ?? ?? (@AlbaMokopane) August 23, 2022

By-The organiser of the GoFundMe campaign to buy a bulletproof vehicle for CCC leader Nelson Chamisa have distanced him and the party from the initiative, saying it was a private project.

The project is being spearheaded by a group called Citizens Action for Change (CAC).

CAC launched the GoFundMe last year in December targetting to raise over US$120 000 to purchase an armoured vehicle for Chamisa.

The initiative was launched after Chamisa’s convoy was attacked by suspected ZANU PF supporters and State security agents during his meet-the-people tours in Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.

Juma Ulete, who is leading the initiative, on Monday told NewsDay that the project to purchase Chamisa’s bulletproof vehicle was still on. Said Ulete:

The campaign was started by citizens who were concerned over Chamisa’s safety. It was introduced way before the CCC was formed and the opposition is a mere beneficiary.

The funds were only released last week after we experienced administrative hitches, which were triggered by ZANU PF which had complained to GoFundMe in California, the United States of America that Chamisa was organising funds politically to purchase an armoured vehicle.

We are citizens who raised this money, not for a political party. We raised this money for a citizen whose name is Nelson Chamisa.

We started this fundraising on October 13, 2021, before CCC was formed, hence it does not have any ties to CCC.

We, as citizens, noticed that there is no even playing field in Zimbabwean politics.

GoFundMe was supposed to give us the money around December when we reached the target, but ZANU PF was bombarding the campaign saying why are these people politically fundraising?

Ulete said the funds were eventually released to CAC by GoFundMe last week.

He added that they had already met Chamisa and his security team to decide on the type of vehicle they wanted.

However, ZANU PF director for information Tafadzwa Mugwadi denied allegations that his party tried to sabotage CAC’s GoFundMe initiative.

More: NewsDay

By-South African taxi operators on Tuesday, 23 August, blocked the Beitbridge-Musina road protesting over the alleged failure by the South African Police Service (SAPS) to deal with armed robbers targetting motorists along the highway.

A traffic alert statement issued on August 23, 2022, by the South African Department of Transport and Community Safety indicated that there was Traffic obstruction on the N1 North towards Beitbridge. Part of the statement read:

Our law enforcement officers and other relevant stakeholders have been dispatched to attend to the matter. We urge motorists to exercise patience as we attend to this.

The traffic blockage was just a kilometre from the border post after a police checkpoint and a government weighbridge for haulage trucks.

One of the protestors said they want all police commanders in Musina and at the border transferred for failure to protect motorists. Said the protestor:

People going to Musina who give us business are attacked daily by robbers who live in the bush, and police have not accounted for any. The commanders are not in charge and they should go.

People are robbed daily and not a single arrest has been made. What are they here for?

We are losing business. Even in Musina, businesses are being robbed.

More: NewsDay

By James Gwati- The opposition CCC has announced the death of the party’s Chikanga-Dangamvura ward 18 councilor.

Fadzayi Mahere, the CCC spokesperson, announced on Twitter.

She said:

Rest in peace, Councillor Chisango. He was ward 18, Chikanga Dangamvura. He recently won the ward 18 by election & was the former deputy mayor of Mutare. We have lost a solid cadre. Sincere condolences to his family & loved ones.

By- ZBC radio presenter Rutendo Makuti is set to stand trial on allegations of attempting to extort money from the leader of Goodness and Mercy Ministries, Tapiwa Freddy.

The DJ is said to have threatened to expose her love affair with the controversial preacher.

Makuti’s trial has been set for September 8, where she is expected to jointly appear with Chief Chikwaka (Witness Bungu), former police officer Gibson Jaji, and ZBC staffer Mutetepi Maushe.

Freddy was charged, but acquitted of raping Makuti and the present trial follows on complaints made to the police by Freddy.
The State alleges that when Makuti and Freddy had a love affair, and while they were still together, she allegedly started threatening him that if he did not meet her financial and material demands she would expose the affair to the public.
In August last year, Freddy was summoned by Chief Chikwaka to his homestead, but after he was tipped off that there might be some police officers who wanted to extort money from him he then left without entering the chiefly homestead, it is alleged.
But as he was returning to Harare, he was said to have been stopped by police manning a roadblock along Mutoko Road just after the intersection near Chief Chikwaka’s homestead.
The State alleges that the police said they had been instructed by Inspector Jaji and Chief Chikwaka not to allow him to pass through. After a few minutes, two men arrived at the roadblock and introduced themselves as Chief Chikwaka and Inspector Jaji.
They allegedly ordered Freddy to drive to his place, but he refused to comply, according to the State.
It is alleged that Inspector Jaji forcefully entered Freddy’s car and ordered him to drive to the Chief’s homestead where he discovered some uniformed police officers seated in a hut with six assistants to the chief.
The State alleged that Chief Chikwaka started accusing Freddy of raping Makuti and having sexual relations with her barely a year after the death of her husband, which was against their traditions.
He allegedly told the clergyman to pay something for violating the traditions, but refused to deal with the rape allegations since the police had to handle criminal cases.
It is said that Freddy felt that whatever was happening was illegal, but he was allegedly pressured to promise to pay US$15 000 and three goats and promised to return on a later date with the items.
Allegations are that Chief Chikwaka made him sign an agreement, which was prepared by Inspector Jaji and who promised to track him down in Harare if he failed to pay, and pick him up during his church services.
It is said that Chief Chikwaka told Freddy that if he failed to comply he would leak a video of him he had recorded to the public. The court heard that when they returned to Harare, Makuti asked Freddy to give her the money since she was the one who was involved with him.
She then allegedly threatened that if he failed to give her the money she would expose their love affair to the public through someone called Tatelicious.
Out of fear and pressure, Freddy allegedly gave Makuti a Mercedes Benz E-250 and she allegedly warned him never to reveal their deal and made him sign an agreement, saying it was a way of settling thir differences.
After some days, Makuti allegedly started threatening Freddy, saying his secretary Nollen Mundawaro had insulted her and she wanted US$20 000 as compensation.
She allegedly told him that Ms Mundawaro could not represent his church on their radio and television programmes.
The other ZBC staffer, Maushe, allegedly phoned Freddy that he had up to the end of the day to pay the US$20 000 and sign an acknowledgement that he had raped Makuti.
It was at this stage that Freddy lodged a complaint with the police. He was tried on rape charges and found not guilty with the court commenting unfavourably on the allegations. Herald

By- ZBC radio presenter Rutendo Makuti is set to stand trial on allegations of attempting to extort money from the leader of Goodness and Mercy Ministries, Tapiwa Freddy.

The DJ is said to have threatened to expose her love affair with the controversial preacher.

Makuti’s trial has been set for September 8, where she is expected to jointly appear with Chief Chikwaka (Witness Bungu), former police officer Gibson Jaji, and ZBC staffer Mutetepi Maushe.

Freddy was charged, but acquitted of raping Makuti and the present trial follows on complaints made to the police by Freddy.
The State alleges that when Makuti and Freddy had a love affair, and while they were still together, she allegedly started threatening him that if he did not meet her financial and material demands she would expose the affair to the public.
In August last year, Freddy was summoned by Chief Chikwaka to his homestead, but after he was tipped off that there might be some police officers who wanted to extort money from him he then left without entering the chiefly homestead, it is alleged.
But as he was returning to Harare, he was said to have been stopped by police manning a roadblock along Mutoko Road just after the intersection near Chief Chikwaka’s homestead.
The State alleges that the police said they had been instructed by Inspector Jaji and Chief Chikwaka not to allow him to pass through. After a few minutes, two men arrived at the roadblock and introduced themselves as Chief Chikwaka and Inspector Jaji.
They allegedly ordered Freddy to drive to his place, but he refused to comply, according to the State.
It is alleged that Inspector Jaji forcefully entered Freddy’s car and ordered him to drive to the Chief’s homestead where he discovered some uniformed police officers seated in a hut with six assistants to the chief.
The State alleged that Chief Chikwaka started accusing Freddy of raping Makuti and having sexual relations with her barely a year after the death of her husband, which was against their traditions.
He allegedly told the clergyman to pay something for violating the traditions, but refused to deal with the rape allegations since the police had to handle criminal cases.
It is said that Freddy felt that whatever was happening was illegal, but he was allegedly pressured to promise to pay US$15 000 and three goats and promised to return on a later date with the items.
Allegations are that Chief Chikwaka made him sign an agreement, which was prepared by Inspector Jaji and who promised to track him down in Harare if he failed to pay, and pick him up during his church services.
It is said that Chief Chikwaka told Freddy that if he failed to comply he would leak a video of him he had recorded to the public. The court heard that when they returned to Harare, Makuti asked Freddy to give her the money since she was the one who was involved with him.
She then allegedly threatened that if he failed to give her the money she would expose their love affair to the public through someone called Tatelicious.
Out of fear and pressure, Freddy allegedly gave Makuti a Mercedes Benz E-250 and she allegedly warned him never to reveal their deal and made him sign an agreement, saying it was a way of settling thir differences.
After some days, Makuti allegedly started threatening Freddy, saying his secretary Nollen Mundawaro had insulted her and she wanted US$20 000 as compensation.
She allegedly told him that Ms Mundawaro could not represent his church on their radio and television programmes.
The other ZBC staffer, Maushe, allegedly phoned Freddy that he had up to the end of the day to pay the US$20 000 and sign an acknowledgement that he had raped Makuti.
It was at this stage that Freddy lodged a complaint with the police. He was tried on rape charges and found not guilty with the court commenting unfavourably on the allegations. Herald

By-South African taxi operators on Tuesday, 23 August blocked the Beitbridge-Musina road protesting over the alleged failure by the South African Police Service (SAPS) to deal with armed robbers targetting motorists along the highway.

A traffic alert statement issued on August 23, 2022, by the South African Department of Transport and Community Safety indicated that there was Traffic obstruction on the N1 North towards Beitbridge. Part of the statement read:

Our law enforcement officers and other relevant stakeholders have been dispatched to attend to the matter. We urge motorists to exercise patience as we attend to this.

The traffic blockage was just a kilometre from the border post after a police checkpoint and a government weighbridge for haulage trucks.

One of the protestors said they want all police commanders in Musina and at the border transferred for failure to protect motorists. Said the protestor:

People going to Musina who give us business are attacked daily by robbers who live in the bush, and police have not accounted for any. The commanders are not in charge and they should go.

People are robbed daily and not a single arrest has been made. What are they here for?

We are losing business. Even in Musina, businesses are being robbed.

More: NewsDay

By-Former Vice President Kembo Mohadi is conducting meetings with traditional leaders, telling them to mobilise support for Zanu PF ahead of the 2023 elections.

Mohadi was in Gokwe South District on Sunday with his election rigging programme.

Addressing the traditional leaders, Mohadi, said:

Please we are asking you our chiefs, headmen and village heads to develop your organisation (Zanu PF). Zanu PF is your party, did you know that?

Know it from today that Zanu PF is your party. We want to fight this war against the West-fronted opposition.

Zanu PF liberated this country. Did you know that this party is yours? We want you to increase the number of people to vote for Zanu PF.

Did you hear we want five million votes next year? We want them to vote for Zanu PF and through you, we know we will achieve that.

We want every village head to give us people we will check according to your register … If we are organised, we will rule until the donkeys have horns.

Some opposition said we had done a coup and that we are a military government, but we don’t care.

The previous day, Mohadi had addressed chiefs, village heads and headmen in Gokwe North.

More: NewsDay

By-The organisers of the GoFundMe campaign to buy a bulletproof vehicle for CCC leader Nelson Chamisa have distanced him and the party from the initiative, saying it was a private project.

The project is being spearheaded by a group called Citizens Action for Change (CAC).

CAC launched the GoFundMe last year in December targetting to raise over US$120 000 to purchase an armoured vehicle for Chamisa.

The initiative was launched after Chamisa’s convoy was attacked by suspected ZANU PF supporters and State security agents during his meet-the-people tours in Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.

Juma Ulete, who is leading the initiative, on Monday told NewsDay that the project to purchase Chamisa’s bulletproof vehicle was still on. Said Ulete:

The campaign was started by citizens who were concerned over Chamisa’s safety. It was introduced way before the CCC was formed and the opposition is a mere beneficiary.

The funds were only released last week after we experienced administrative hitches, which were triggered by ZANU PF which had complained to GoFundMe in California, the United States of America that Chamisa was organising funds politically to purchase an armoured vehicle.

We are citizens who raised this money, not for a political party. We raised this money for a citizen whose name is Nelson Chamisa.

We started this fundraising on October 13, 2021, before CCC was formed, hence it does not have any ties to CCC.

We, as citizens, noticed that there is no even playing field in Zimbabwean politics.

GoFundMe was supposed to give us the money around December when we reached the target, but ZANU PF was bombarding the campaign saying why are these people politically fundraising?

Ulete said the funds were eventually released to CAC by GoFundMe last week.

He added that they had already met Chamisa and his security team to decide on the type of vehicle they wanted.

However, ZANU PF director for information Tafadzwa Mugwadi denied allegations that his party tried to sabotage CAC’s GoFundMe initiative.

More: NewsDay

By- South African employers have ordered Zimbabwean nationals using the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) to pack their bags and prepare to go back home.

Chief Executive for the National Employers’ Association of South Africa, Gerhard Papenfus, said it is wrong and immoral that thousands of Zimbabweans, who are reliable employees, will lose their jobs. Said Papenfus:

There are different kinds of permits and visas and to make sure that your employees fall under this dispensation then you need to be prepared to terminate those employees’ services at the end of the year which is in our view very wrong.

It’s very unfortunate because these are very valuable employees in the hospital sector so business is very unhappy with this arrangement.

They work very hard and are very reliable. So this is a loss for the country, it’s very wrong and I think it’s immoral. So losing good employees is very difficult.

In November 2021, South Africa’s cabinet decided to end special permits that allow close to 180 000 Zimbabweans to live and work in the country.

The ZEPs were granted to Zimbabweans who moved to South Africa before 2009.

The temporary measure was meant to regularise their presence in the country and allow Zimbabweans access to services such as banking.

The one-year grace period expires at the end of 2022. The SA government says that in December all people under the permit, who fail to get other permits, must leave the country.

More: SABC News

By A Correspondent- The Election Resource Centre (ERC) has expressed its concern about the increase in fees for external oversight by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

Last week ZEC revised Presidential Nomination Fees from US$1 000 to US$20 000, and Parliamentary Nomination Fees from US$50 to US$1 000.

ERC said in a statement:

ERC notes with grave concern the amendments to fees for the nominations of candidates, accreditation of observers and to access the voters roll by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

The price increases do not seem to consider the importance of ensuring access to electoral processes by all citizens of Zimbabwe.

While the Electoral Body is within the confines of the law in increasing presidential and parliamentary nomination fees, the price increase has a bearing on electoral participation.

ERC also challenged ZEC to address key and pressing electoral reforms that remain outstanding instead of introducing measures that hinder participation.

Said ERC:

The newly introduced charges do not seem to promote openness, transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

As the country prepares for the 2023 Harmonised elections, the Electoral Commission must revisit the reform agenda and accordingly advise Parliament on priorities to facilitate better elections in Zimbabwe.

ERC identified several reforms that ZEC should prioritise. These are:

• Strengthening electoral administration processes including enhancing voter registration in under-registered districts; undertaking comprehensive voter education and more effective information by the Commission with election stakeholders
• Reform the ZEC by looking at the commission’s personnel, practices and administration.
• Alignment of electoral laws to the Constitution.
• Reform the conduct of the state media in electoral processes.
• Reform the conduct of the traditional leaders in political processes.

By A Correspondent- An 80 year old security guard from Plumstead Farm, Banket, was on 19 August killed by a runaway veld fire and his corpse charred beyond recognition.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said the now-deceased, Sakatiza Mariza, was on his way home from his workplace when he was burnt.

ZRP spokesperson Mashonaland West Province Inspector Margaret Chitove confirmed the incident to NewZimbabwe.com Monday. She said:

The now deceased was on his way home from his workplace at St John’s Farm in Banket. As he approached Plumstead Farm, a veld fire quickly spread towards him and he was burnt beyond recognition while trying to run away.

Later that day, Isiah Mutero of Plot 4 Plumstead Farm, who was driving through observed a human-like figure lying lifeless and stopped to investigate.

He noticed it was a male body burnt beyond recognition and alerted villagers at a nearby farm compound.

The victim’s 34-year-old son, Costa Mariza, rushed to the scene and positively identified his father’s remains

A half-burnt cellphone belonging to the deceased was found beside the corpse.

Police from Banket Police Station attended the scene and Mariza’s body was conveyed to Banket District Hospital for post-mortem.

Insp Chitove urged members of the public to desist from starting unnecessary fires and also to put fireguards around homesteads, fields and paddocks to avoid loss of lives and property.

By- National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), President Lovemore Madhuku, has blasted the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for charging exorbitant fees to candidates and parties to contest next year’s elections.

ZEC set candidate nomination fees at US$20 000, US$1 000 and US$200 for aspiring presidential, Members of Parliament, and councillors, respectively.

Speaking during a press briefing held in Harare on Monday, Madhuku said ZEC could not make fundamental decisions regarding who can be candidates.

He added that individuals have political rights guaranteed in Zimbabwe’s Constitution (Section 67) to campaign for office and not to be shut out of electoral processes. Said Madhuku:

Who is ZEC to be coming up with these decisions? These decisions ought to be made in the constitution as to who qualifies.

Our constitution does not say amounts that have to be paid as it just talks about the requirements one must meet to contest.

Even when you go through the Electoral Act it provides for some nominal fees that ought to be paid but what ZEC has done is substantive.

It’s a power ZEC is exercising as if it were a legislative body yet it doesn’t have the power to do that.

If we allow ZEC to have that power, then there will be no need for us to have a parliament.

Surely the regulations that ZEC has brought are the kind of regulations that ought to be debated by the public and there was no such public debate.

No Zimbabwean was ever asked to express a view. We didn’t even know this was in the pipeline.

Madhuku claimed that ZEC was taking Zimbabwe back to the dark years of the colonial era when a 1961 constitution disenfranchised black people because they did not have properties to qualify as voters. He said:

The colonial constitution would pretend Blacks were allowed to vote and were allowed to be MPs but one had to show a property qualification and own something.

It was known Blacks would not own that property. If you have US$20 000, this is a property qualification where you show you have some money.

We have already fought for these rights. ZEC must simply run elections not for them to go this far.

Our blame goes straight and exclusively to ZEC. We believe in this case; it misunderstood its powers and that’s a sign of incompetence.

… Our position as the NCA is this is ridiculous, totally unacceptable, unconstitutional and undemocratic.

More: CITE

By- The opposition CCC top officials, Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole, have now clocked 70 days in remand prison since their arrest over two months ago.

The two and a dozen other Nyatsime CCC activists were Monday again denied bail.

Sikhala and Sithole are being charged with obstructing the course of justice.

Harare magistrate Mrs Feresi Chakanyuka dismissed the duo’s application after noting no changed circumstances from June 17 when their first bail application was also dismissed.
Sikhala and Sithole, through their lawyers Mr Jeremiah Bamu and Ms Beatrice Mtetwa had mounted a fresh bail bid based on fluxion of time.
They had also argued that ZimLive had written a letter confirming that Sikhala had not posted a video on the Online platform.
The two had also told the court that there were other people who were arrested for causing the violence that occurred in Nyatsime following the killing of Moreblessing Ali.
In their application, they had argued that some owners of the trucks that the State alleges were hired by Sithole were also arrested in connection with the violence.
The State led by Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti had opposed the application.

By-Former Vice President Kembo Mohadi is meeting with chiefs, headmen and village heads, telling them to mobilise support for Zanu PF.

Mohadi was in Gokwe South District on Sunday with his election rigging programme.

Addressing the traditional leaders, Mohadi, said:

Please we are asking you our chiefs, headmen and village heads to develop your organisation (Zanu PF). Zanu PF is your party, did you know that?

Know it from today that Zanu PF is your party. We want to fight this war against the West-fronted opposition.

Zanu PF liberated this country. Did you know that this party is yours? We want you to increase the number of people to vote for Zanu PF.

Did you hear we want five million votes next year? We want them to vote for Zanu PF and through you, we know we will achieve that.

We want every village head to give us people we will check according to your register … If we are organised, we will rule until the donkeys have horns.

Some opposition said we had done a coup and that we are a military government, but we don’t care.

The previous day, Mohadi had addressed chiefs, village heads and headmen in Gokwe North.

More: NewsDay

By James Gwati- The opposition CCC has announced that they had engaged Twitter over their social media platform, which went down.

Fadzayi Mahere, the party’s spokesperson, made the announcement recently.

She said:

Please note that the @CCCZimbabwe Twitter page is currently down. We have engaged 

@Twitter

 with a view to ensuring normal transmission is restored expeditiously & we can get back to keeping you empowered, educated & informed. Kindly bear with us while we attend to this.

By James Gwati- Former Zanu PF Chivi South MP Killer Zivhu has announced that he would mobilise his constituency to march in support of President Emerson Mnangagwa.

Zivhu, a convicted criminal and the leader of the Cross Border Traders Association of Zimbabwe, was fired from Zanu PF for supporting the opposition.

He has made several attempts to return to Zanu PF but with little success.

Posting on Twitter Zivhu said:

More than 3 million traders in Zimbabwe will march in solidarity with our beloved President ED in all the Provinces soon

By Reuters – Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has filed a case with Supreme Court challenging Kenya’s presidential election results.

In the petition, Odinga asks the court to nullify the vote’s outcome on several grounds, including a mismatch between the turnout figures and the result and alleges the election commission failed to tally ballots from 27 constituencies, rendering the result unverifiable and unaccountable.

“We have enough evidence to prove all of the criminality that occurred,” Odinga told a news conference after the filing. “We are confident that in the end, the truth will be revealed.”

This is Odinga’s fifth stab at the presidency; he blamed several previous losses on rigging. Those disputes triggered violence that claimed more than 100 lives in 2017 and more than 1,200 lives in 2007.

Last week the election commissioner declared Odinga’s rival, Deputy President William Ruto, had won the Aug. 9 election by a slim margin, but four out of seven election commissioners dissented, saying the tallying of results had not been transparent.

The commission, its chairman and Ruto have four days to respond to Odinga’s claims through court filings.

Last week Odinga said the results were a “travesty” but said he would settle the dispute in court and urged supporters to remain peaceful. His supporters have said the results were the outcome of intentional fraud by election authorities. The election commission has denied any wrongdoing. read more 

In 2017, the Supreme Court overturned the election result and ordered a re-run, which Odinga boycotted, saying he had no faith in the election commission.

This time, Odinga is backed by the political establishment. President Uhuru Kenyatta endorsed Odinga’s candidacy after falling out with Ruto after the last election.

1/10

Kenya’s opposition leader and presidential candidate Raila Odinga, of the Azimio La Umoja (Declaration of Unity) One Kenya Alliance, and his running-mate Martha Karua arrive to file a petition challenging the presidential election result at the Supreme Court in Nairobi, Kenya August 22, 2022. 

At stake is control of East Africa’s wealthiest and most stable nation, home to regional headquarters for firms like General Electric, Google, and Uber. Kenya also provides peacekeepers for neighbouring Somalia and frequently hosts peace talks for other nations in the turbulent East Africa region.

The case will be heard by the seven-member Supreme Court and presided over by Martha Koome, Kenya’s first female chief justice, who was appointed by Kenyatta last year. read more 

The court will next conduct a status conference with all parties to define the hearing schedule and ground rules. The constitution requires judges to issue their decision within 14 days of the lawsuit being filed.

Due to the tight schedule, it normally issues a summary judgment within 14 days, followed by more thorough decisions from each of the seven judges at a later date.

THE DISPUTE

One week ago, electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati declared Ruto the winner with 50.49% of the vote against Odinga’s 48.5%.

But minutes earlier, his deputy Juliana Cherera had told media at a separate location that she and three other commissioners disowned the results. read more 

She said the elections had been conducted in a proper manner – and most international observers agreed – but that results were erroneously aggregated. read more 

Public confusion reigned over the tallying after the Kenyan media suspended a count of 46,229 polling-station level results with around 80% of the vote counted.

The election commission’s website still does not display the correct forms for all 291 constituencies. In some cases, the form is incomplete or only partially loaded, making it impossible for the public to confirm the commission’s count.

-Reuters

By- The opposition CCC top officials, Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole, were Monday again denied bail.

The two are being charged with obstructing the course of justice.

Harare magistrate Mrs Feresi Chakanyuka dismissed the duo’s application after noting no changed circumstances from June 17 when their first bail application was also dismissed.
Sikhala and Sithole, through their lawyers Mr Jeremiah Bamu and Ms Beatrice Mtetwa had mounted a fresh bail bid based on fluxion of time.
They had also argued that ZimLive had written a letter confirming that Sikhala had not posted a video on the Online platform.
The two had also told the court that there were other people who were arrested for causing the violence that occurred in Nyatsime following the killing of Moreblessing Ali.
In their application, they had argued that some owners of the trucks that the State alleges were hired by Sithole were also arrested in connection with the violence.
The State led by Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti had opposed the application.

Tinashe Sambiri|CCC leader President Nelson Chamisa is expected to address thousands of party supporters in Gokwe on Thursday.

CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziba said in a brief statement on Saturday:

“Going rural!
Fellow Citizens in Gokwe.
This coming Thursday we will present the Alternative.
Be there!!!”

A CCC official said at the weekend:

” We are the alternative, nobody can stop the wave of change.

Guns and tankers cannot stop the wave of change.”

By- National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), President Lovemore Madhuku, has blasted the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for charging exorbitant fees to candidates and parties to contest next year’s elections.

ZEC set candidate nomination fees at US$20 000, US$1 000 and US$200 for aspiring presidential, Members of Parliament, and councillors, respectively.

Speaking during a press briefing held in Harare on Monday, Madhuku said ZEC could not make fundamental decisions regarding who can be candidates.

He added that individuals have political rights guaranteed in Zimbabwe’s Constitution (Section 67) to campaign for office and not to be shut out of electoral processes. Said Madhuku:

Who is ZEC to be coming up with these decisions? These decisions ought to be made in the constitution as to who qualifies.

Our constitution does not say amounts that have to be paid as it just talks about the requirements one must meet to contest.

Even when you go through the Electoral Act it provides for some nominal fees that ought to be paid but what ZEC has done is substantive.

It’s a power ZEC is exercising as if it were a legislative body yet it doesn’t have the power to do that.

If we allow ZEC to have that power, then there will be no need for us to have a parliament.

Surely the regulations that ZEC has brought are the kind of regulations that ought to be debated by the public and there was no such public debate.

No Zimbabwean was ever asked to express a view. We didn’t even know this was in the pipeline.

Madhuku claimed that ZEC was taking Zimbabwe back to the dark years of the colonial era when a 1961 constitution disenfranchised black people because they did not have properties to qualify as voters. He said:

The colonial constitution would pretend Blacks were allowed to vote and were allowed to be MPs but one had to show a property qualification and own something.

It was known Blacks would not own that property. If you have US$20 000, this is a property qualification where you show you have some money.

We have already fought for these rights. ZEC must simply run elections not for them to go this far.

Our blame goes straight and exclusively to ZEC. We believe in this case; it misunderstood its powers and that’s a sign of incompetence.

… Our position as the NCA is this is ridiculous, totally unacceptable, unconstitutional and undemocratic.

More: CITE

By- The opposition CCC top officials, Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole, have been denied bail again.

The two are being charged with obstructing the course of justice.

Harare magistrate Mrs Feresi Chakanyuka dismissed the duo’s application after noting no changed circumstances from June 17 when their first bail application was also dismissed.
Sikhala and Sithole, through their lawyers Mr Jeremiah Bamu and Ms Beatrice Mtetwa had mounted a fresh bail bid based on fluxion of time.
They had also argued that ZimLive had written a letter confirming that Sikhala had not posted a video on the Online platform.
The two had also told the court that there were other people who were arrested for causing the violence that occurred in Nyatsime following the killing of Moreblessing Ali.
In their application, they had argued that some owners of the trucks that the State alleges were hired by Sithole were also arrested in connection with the violence.
The State led by Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti had opposed the application.

-Herald

By Reuters – Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has filed a case with Supreme Court challenging Kenya’s presidential election results.

In the petition, Odinga asks the court to nullify the vote’s outcome on several grounds, including a mismatch between the turnout figures and the result and alleges the election commission failed to tally ballots from 27 constituencies, rendering the result unverifiable and unaccountable.

“We have enough evidence to prove all of the criminality that occurred,” Odinga told a news conference after the filing. “We are confident that in the end, the truth will be revealed.”

This is Odinga’s fifth stab at the presidency; he blamed several previous losses on rigging. Those disputes triggered violence that claimed more than 100 lives in 2017 and more than 1,200 lives in 2007.

Last week the election commissioner declared Odinga’s rival, Deputy President William Ruto, had won the Aug. 9 election by a slim margin, but four out of seven election commissioners dissented, saying the tallying of results had not been transparent.

The commission, its chairman and Ruto have four days to respond to Odinga’s claims through court filings.

Last week Odinga said the results were a “travesty” but said he would settle the dispute in court and urged supporters to remain peaceful. His supporters have said the results were the outcome of intentional fraud by election authorities. The election commission has denied any wrongdoing. read more 

In 2017, the Supreme Court overturned the election result and ordered a re-run, which Odinga boycotted, saying he had no faith in the election commission.

This time, Odinga is backed by the political establishment. President Uhuru Kenyatta endorsed Odinga’s candidacy after falling out with Ruto after the last election.

1/10

Kenya’s opposition leader and presidential candidate Raila Odinga, of the Azimio La Umoja (Declaration of Unity) One Kenya Alliance, and his running-mate Martha Karua arrive to file a petition challenging the presidential election result at the Supreme Court in Nairobi, Kenya August 22, 2022. 

At stake is control of East Africa’s wealthiest and most stable nation, home to regional headquarters for firms like General Electric, Google, and Uber. Kenya also provides peacekeepers for neighbouring Somalia and frequently hosts peace talks for other nations in the turbulent East Africa region.

The case will be heard by the seven-member Supreme Court and presided over by Martha Koome, Kenya’s first female chief justice, who was appointed by Kenyatta last year. read more 

The court will next conduct a status conference with all parties to define the hearing schedule and ground rules. The constitution requires judges to issue their decision within 14 days of the lawsuit being filed.

Due to the tight schedule, it normally issues a summary judgment within 14 days, followed by more thorough decisions from each of the seven judges at a later date.

THE DISPUTE

One week ago, electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati declared Ruto the winner with 50.49% of the vote against Odinga’s 48.5%.

But minutes earlier, his deputy Juliana Cherera had told media at a separate location that she and three other commissioners disowned the results. read more 

She said the elections had been conducted in a proper manner – and most international observers agreed – but that results were erroneously aggregated. read more 

Public confusion reigned over the tallying after the Kenyan media suspended a count of 46,229 polling-station level results with around 80% of the vote counted.

The election commission’s website still does not display the correct forms for all 291 constituencies. In some cases, the form is incomplete or only partially loaded, making it impossible for the public to confirm the commission’s count.

By- The overzealous and corruption-accused Zanu PF MP for Gokwe-Nembudziya, Justice Mayor Wadyajena, has lost 22 trucks to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

Wadyajena is said to have bought the trucks using the US$5 Million he stole from Cottco.

The 22 more assets are an addition to his Lamborghini Urus and a BMW X6 recently seized by authorities while en route to South Africa.

Wadyajena was arrested last week together with four Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (COTTCO) officials, Pius Manamike (54), Maxmore Njanji (47), Fortunate Maloi (34) and Chiedza Danha (39). The five face fraud and money laundering charges involving US$5 million.
ZACC issued the warrant of search and seizure in terms of Section 49 (b) A.R.W.S 50 (1) (a) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, Chapter 9:07. It reads in part:
It is therefore directed that the Managing Director of Mayor Logistics (Pvt) Ltd and Justice Mayor Wadyajena or any other person in authority or control of the vehicles to release the following vehicles, to the Peace Officers and other Officers of the Law who are bearers of this warrant…
The assets are listed as follows:
A Lamborghini (SUV) vehicle registration number “Mayor”
BMW X6 vehicle registration number “JMW”
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6137
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6136
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 9244
A Freightliner (Road Tractor) Vehicle registration Number AEZ AE26255
A Freightliner (Road Tractor) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6256
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6139
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6138
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6116
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6114
A Freightliner (Road Tractor) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6134
A Freightliner (Horse) Venice registration Number AEZ 9247
A Freightliner (Road Tractor) Vehide registration Number AEZ 6254
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 9245
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 9246
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 9243
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6115
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6121
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6125
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6126
A Freightliner (Road Tractor Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6133
A Freightliner (Horse) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6135
A Freightliner (Road Tractor) Vehicle registration Number AEZ 6134
The warrant adds:
These are, therefore, in the State’s name to command you to proceed to Mayor Logistics (Pvt) Ltd and Justice Mayor Wadyajena or any other person in control of the vehicles and there from immediately obtain and take into your custody the mentioned vehicles and take them to the Peace Officers and other Officers of the law who are bearers of this warrant or other place of safety until the matter finalized or until you receive further orders from Court.

By James Gwati- CCC President Nelson Chamisa is planning for the weekend Kariba thank you rally amid reports that the police had banned the scheduled meeting.

The party posted on its various social media platforms announcing the preparations.

They want to celebrate the party’s victory in the recently-held Ward 5 by-election.

Posted CCC:

In 

@ccckariba

 to thank the masses for Voting Change. This is just the beginning of better Days. 28 August Nyamhunga Stadium.

The party at the weekend said that the police told them that the CCC supporters should not toy-toy in any procession, on foot or using motor vehicles.

The rally will be held on 28 August 2022 at Nyamhunga Stadium in the resort town.

By- South African employers have ordered Zimbabwean nationals using the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) to pack their bags and prepare to go back home.

Chief Executive for the National Employers’ Association of South Africa, Gerhard Papenfus, said it is wrong and immoral that thousands of Zimbabweans, who are reliable employees, will lose their jobs. Said Papenfus:

There are different kinds of permits and visas and to make sure that your employees fall under this dispensation then you need to be prepared to terminate those employees’ services at the end of the year which is in our view very wrong.

It’s very unfortunate because these are very valuable employees in the hospital sector so business is very unhappy with this arrangement.

They work very hard and are very reliable. So this is a loss for the country, it’s very wrong and I think it’s immoral. So losing good employees is very difficult.

In November 2021, South Africa’s cabinet decided to end special permits that allow close to 180 000 Zimbabweans to live and work in the country.

The ZEPs were granted to Zimbabweans who moved to South Africa before 2009.

The temporary measure was meant to regularise their presence in the country and allow Zimbabweans access to services such as banking.

The one-year grace period expires at the end of 2022. The SA government says that in December all people under the permit, who fail to get other permits, must leave the country.

More: SABC News