By Jane Mlambo| Gokwe Nembudziya legislator has come under fire from members of his committee and civil society to relinquish his position as chairperson of the parliamentary committee on lands and agriculture following revelations that he corruptily benefitted from Cottco inputs.

The inputs have since been seized by the police and is also under investigation from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

A member of parliament from Wadyajena’s committee who spoke on condition of anonymity told ZimEye that it is only logical for the powerful Gokwe Nembudziya legislator to step down from his role in order to allow investigations into his alleged dealings.

“It is only logical that he steps down because it is clear that he abused his power and privilege of being the chairperson of a committee that monitors Cottco where he corruptily benefitted,” said the legislator.

Meanwhile, an organisation by the name Agenda for Development and Empowerment (ADE) has also petitioned parliament to have Wadyajena removed from the Lands and Agriculture Parliamentary Committee.

“It is only fair and prudent that Justice Mayor Wadyajena steps aside from the Portfolio committee he chairs as the issues under investigation involve the parliamentary portfolio committee which he chairs,” reads part of the petition signed by Mgcini Ncube.

Ncube also urged the parliamentary committee on lands and agriculture to sit and discuss Wadyajena’s issue saying his continued leadership will curtail investigations into his abuse of office issue.

“This committee should sit immediately and discuss Wadyajena’s locus standi as Chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio committee on Agriculture,” added Ncube.

“We therefore petition and ask the Speaker of the National Assembly(Chairperson), President of the Senate(Deputy Chairperson), Deputy Speaker, Deputy President of the Senate, Minister of Finance and two other Ministers appointed by the President, the Leader of Government Business, the Leader of the Opposition, Chief Whips of all parties represented in Parliament, the President of the National Council of Chiefs, eight members elected by Parliament, four from each House and two members appointed by the Speaker of the National Assembly and the President of the Senate who make up the Committee on Standing rules to deliberate on this matter and ensure that Justice Mayor Wadyajena is suspended from the committee chairmanship until his name has been cleared,” further reads the petition.

Freelance journalist Simbarashe Sithole’s lawyer, Alice Mujakachi, has sent a formal complaint to Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga over delay by police in bringing ZANU PF militia Isheanesu aka “Chief Saunyama” Dzimbiti to book.

Dzimbiti is facing threats of future violence charge against Sithole.

In a letter addressed to Matanga and copied to Bindura law and order officer-in-charge Jealous Chitsa, Mujakachi said Police should bring Dzimbiti to court in line with the Constitution.

However, contacted for comment Chitsa professed ignorance saying Dzimbiti was attending to ZANU PF programmes.

“Dzimbiti is busy with ZANU PF programmes. As soon as he finishes, he will come to court,” said Chief Inspector Chitsa.

According to a police memorandum leaked to this publication, Police said the ZANU PF youth league needed schooling on how to handle issues amicably without committing offences.

“ZANU PF youth league needs to be educated on how to handle issues amicably rather than to end up committing offences. It was noted that Isheanesu Dzimbiti also contested for ZANU PF Mashonaland Central Youth Chairmanship. It was also noted that Isheanesu Dzimbiti must desist from using ZANU PF when committing crimes or when threatening individuals since this will go far in tarnishing the political party ZANU PF and the country at large. The issue of factions within ZANU PF political party is dividing supporters hence weakening it’s support base,” reads the police memo in part.

-Byo24

Human rights groups have expressed grave concerns over Home Office plans to deport 150 people to Zimbabwe next week, warning that their lives would be in danger.

The flight, scheduled for July 21, comes after the British government reportedly struck a secret deal with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime last month to deport hundreds of Zimbabwean asylum-seekers.

Zimbabwean community groups in Britain said they are horrified by the Home Office’s mass deportation plans given the country’s “atrocious human rights record.”

Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) said the move was disturbing not only because it disregards the risk to deportees’ lives but also as “this development is pursuant to a bilateral arrangement between the notorious government of Zimbabwe and the government of the United Kingdom.”

The group said that abuses had worsened under the late Robert Mugabe’s successor, including cases of state-sanctioned murder, assault and torture of those critical of the ruling party.

But the Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation claims that the Home Office’s assessment of the conditions in Zimbabwe are based on the situation in 2016, with only a “few minor updates.”

ROHR added: “The clandestine nature of the operation and the speed at which it is being executed appears to be designed to give the victims little to no chance of access to legal representation.”

The Home Office has already rounded up and detained 150 Zimbabwe citizens for removal next week — the first charter flight to the country since 2019.

Campaigners told the Morning Star that they include people who have lived in Britain for decades, some of whom arrived as children, as well as political activists. The Home Office said that deportees are foreign criminals.

ROHR is among a number of groups considering legal action to halt the flight.

Human rights campaigner and Zimbabwean national Violet, who lives in Britain, warned that the risk for deportees is massive.

“Whatever deal the Home Office made with the Zimbabwean government — those people are not going to be safe at all,” she told the Star.

Ministry of HealthZW
@MoHCCZim
·
Jul 21
@MoHCCZim
&
@ProtonBakers
combine efforts in creating awareness in Marondera on the ongoing Tracoma MDA.

Everyone in the targeted districts(Shamva,Bindura,Rushinga,Binga,Nyanga,Mutasa,Gweru&Marondera) is encouraged to visit their nearest health facility to receive treatment

@MoHCCZim& @ProtonBakers combine efforts in creating awareness in Marondera on the ongoing Tracoma MDA.
Everyone in the targeted districts(Shamva,Bindura,Rushinga,Binga,Nyanga,Mutasa,Gweru&Marondera) is encouraged to visit their nearest health facility to receive treatment. pic.twitter.com/cbWGyqIK4Y

— Ministry of HealthZW (@MoHCCZim) July 21, 2022

A 37-year-old man has been arrested in Shurugwi on allegations of killing his two lovers who were businesswomen in separate incidents before stealing their vehicles and various property.
The suspect Emmanuel Mahembe was arrested in connection with the two cases of murder and theft of motor vehicles involving the two businesswomen in Shurugwi.

Investigations revealed that Mahembe killed and buried Patricia Mutero (35) in a shallow grave along the river banks of Gwamvurachena River, Makotore Village in 2021.

He then stole her Honda Fit and the victim’s passport.

This year, Mahembe also killed Idah Chigumbate (37) on May 21 and dumped the remains in Mutevekwi River before getting away with the victim’s cellphone, identity particulars and a Honda fit vehicle.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of Mahembe and said investigations were still in progress. Herald

Tinashe Sambiri|Chief Mazuru left a funeral programme in Gutu East with egg on the face after unsuccessfully attempting to ban CCC songs and slogans.

The traditional leader was forced to leave the burial of CCC cadre Beria Musimudziwa after attempting to block mourners from singing party songs.

CCC supporters ignored Chief Mazuru’s announcement.

See full story below:

Masvingo Mirror

GUTU – Chief Mazuru allegedly left a funeral function at Musimudzirwa Village in Ward 13, Gutu East in a huff as Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members defied his order to stop sloganeering and singing party songs.

The party was burying its senior member and prominent businessman Beriya Musimudzirwa who died after a long illness.

The situation got to the edge when Chief Mazuru allegedly tried to stop a CCC representative from giving a speech just before burial and he was overwhelmed by the singing and the large number of CCC members.

Having lost the tug-of-war, he allegedly gathered his aides and left in a huff and sources said he was hoping that mourners would dare not bury the deceased in his absence.

Asked for comment, Chief Mazuru told The Mirror that he did not give the order directly to CCC members but talked to the deceased’s family to stop slogans at a funeral because that was not the tradition of the area.

He said CCC members also angered him because they called Musimudzirwa a hero and yet according to him the hero status is only for those who are buried at the Heroes’ Acre.

He warned that those who called Musimudzirwa a hero would get into serious trouble if he reported them to Government adding that it was illegal to call anyone a hero.

“They don’t know that they were committing a serious crime. If I report them they will be in serious trouble. In our tradition we don’t bury our loved ones while wearing party regalia or calling them heroes,” said Mazuru.

Musimudzirwa was the chairperson of the then MDC Alliance and he worked with former MDC MP for Gutu East, Ramson Makamure in 2008.

Present at the funeral was aspiring Gutu East CCC candidate and veteran banker, Gift Gonese.

Gonese calmed mourners after the chief’s departure and told them that burial would continue because the chief like any other citizen has the right to associate or not to associate with a CCC burial. Mourners agreed and the burial went ahead without the chief.

CCC national deputy spokesperson Gift ‘Ostallos’ Siziba said the chief is out of line and his utterances show that he is a partisan chief.

“There is nothing wrong with people wearing party regalia at their member’s funeral. Chiefs should not meddle in political issues,” he said. https://www.masvingomirror.com/

Audio : Susan Mutami reveals Mnangagwa bedroom secrets

Audio : Susan Mutami reveals Mnangagwa bedroom secrets

One person died while 8 others were critically injured when a Tenda bus they were travelling on veered off the road and overturned near Rusape.

Police said the accident occurred around 4 PM this Thursday at the 165km peg along the Harare-Mutare highway. A statement posted on the ZRP official Twitter page reads:

The ZRP confirms a fatal road traffic accident which occurred today at around 1600 hours at the 165 km peg along Harare-Mutare road near Rusape where one person died while 30 passengers were injured, eight of them in critical condition.

The driver of a Tenda bus with 50 passengers on board tried to overtake another vehicle resulting in the bus veering off the road before overturning.

Police said they will release more details pertaining to the accident in due course.

Meanwhile, one of the passengers, Enoch Zhungu, who sustained minor injuries, told ZBC News that the bus overturned and dragged on the tarmac after the driver was stopped by police as he was overtaking a haulage truck.

He said the driver lost control of the bus as he tried to return to his lane.- ZBC

Tinashe Sambiri|CCC leader President Nelson Chamisa has appealed to Ama2000 to register to vote in numbers.

The CCC leader urged young people to join the citizens’ struggle for political emancipation.

“This is it!! Zimbabwe needs all of us thinking, walking, working and acting together. This is a Citizens’ struggle,” said President Chamisa.

He was responding to Advocate Thabani Mpofu’s tweet below:

Thabani Mpofu
@adv_fulcrum
· Jul 19
Let’s have 100 000 citizens in the middle class take upon themselves the obligation to register ama2000. 10 kids each. That’s a million new voters. Does not even cost $100. The middle class has the country’s future right in its hands. Let’s do this.

RegisterToVoteZW

Tinashe Sambiri|Chief Mazuru left a funeral programme in Gutu East with egg on the face after unsuccessfully attempting to ban CCC songs and slogans.

The traditional leader was forced to leave the burial of CCC cadre Beria Musimudziwa after attempting to block mourners from singing party songs.

CCC supporters ignored Chief Mazuru’s announcement.

See full story below:

Masvingo Mirror

GUTU – Chief Mazuru allegedly left a funeral function at Musimudzirwa Village in Ward 13, Gutu East in a huff as Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members defied his order to stop sloganeering and singing party songs.

The party was burying its senior member and prominent businessman Beriya Musimudzirwa who died after a long illness.

The situation got to the edge when Chief Mazuru allegedly tried to stop a CCC representative from giving a speech just before burial and he was overwhelmed by the singing and the large number of CCC members.

Having lost the tug-of-war, he allegedly gathered his aides and left in a huff and sources said he was hoping that mourners would dare not bury the deceased in his absence.

Asked for comment, Chief Mazuru told The Mirror that he did not give the order directly to CCC members but talked to the deceased’s family to stop slogans at a funeral because that was not the tradition of the area.

He said CCC members also angered him because they called Musimudzirwa a hero and yet according to him the hero status is only for those who are buried at the Heroes’ Acre.

He warned that those who called Musimudzirwa a hero would get into serious trouble if he reported them to Government adding that it was illegal to call anyone a hero.

“They don’t know that they were committing a serious crime. If I report them they will be in serious trouble. In our tradition we don’t bury our loved ones while wearing party regalia or calling them heroes,” said Mazuru.

Musimudzirwa was the chairperson of the then MDC Alliance and he worked with former MDC MP for Gutu East, Ramson Makamure in 2008.

Present at the funeral was aspiring Gutu East CCC candidate and veteran banker, Gift Gonese.

Gonese calmed mourners after the chief’s departure and told them that burial would continue because the chief like any other citizen has the right to associate or not to associate with a CCC burial. Mourners agreed and the burial went ahead without the chief.

CCC national deputy spokesperson Gift ‘Ostallos’ Siziba said the chief is out of line and his utterances show that he is a partisan chief.

“There is nothing wrong with people wearing party regalia at their member’s funeral. Chiefs should not meddle in political issues,” he said. https://www.masvingomirror.com/

Audio : Susan Mutami reveals Mnangagwa bedroom secrets

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Zimbabwe is choking under mounting international debt as it begins to pay the price for borrowing heavily from China for infrastructure projects at the tail end of Robert Mugabe’s rule.

Beijing funded the expansion of Victoria Falls International Airport and that of the southern African country’s main source of electricity, the Kariba Hydropower Station on the Zambezi River, among other major projects.

Ongoing big infrastructure projects funded by Chinese financiers include the expansion of the Hwange Thermal Station with a loan of $1.2 billion, upgrading of Robert Mugabe International Airport and construction of dams.

Read: China gifts Zimbabwe a modern Parliament

The loans saw Zimbabwe’s public and publicly guaranteed external debt stock rise to $13.35 billion as of the end of December 2021.

It excludes $5 billion President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government committed to pay white Zimbabweans whose commercial farms were seized during the country’s controversial land reform programme that began at the turn of the millennium.

That debt has also pushed Zimbabwe’s domestic debt obligations to unsustainable levels amid indications that the external and domestic debts are now over $19 billion.

However, it is the foreign debt that is giving the authorities headaches given the volatility of the local currency and mounting arrears, especially accruing from Chinese loans.

A report released by the Finance ministry’s debt management office warns that “arrears on external debt, which amounted to $6.6 billion (49 percent of the public and publicly guaranteed external debt) remain a major protracted challenge to restoring debt sustainability and to the economy, resulting in the lack of access to official external financing.”

Last year, the economically troubled southern African country only spent $59.30 million to repay outstanding external loans.

The payments included $9.60 million in token remittances to multilateral banks and Paris Club creditors.

Zimbabwe was blacklisted by major international financiers such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and members of the Paris Club nearly two decades ago after it defaulted on loans.

In September last year, the government started making quarterly token payments of $100,000 to each of the 16 Paris Club creditors as it sought ways to extinguish the mounting debt.

As of the end of May, Zimbabwe had made $8 million in token payments to multilateral banks and $4.8 million to the Paris Club creditors.

Zimbabwe is already defaulting on active loans from China, which is affecting the disbursement of funds for ongoing projects, the debt management office said in the report.

“The low disbursements of loans is due to accumulation of arrears to active China Eximbank loans (amounting to 4266 million) on projects such as the Victoria Falls International Airport ($54 million), NetOne network expansion ($61 million) and expansion of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport ($3 million),” the report says.

It stated that the ratio of the value of the public debt to the gross domestic product is estimated at 50.9 percent against a threshold of 35 percent prescribed under the Low-Income Country DSA Framework and this has made the situation untenable.

“The cost and risk indicators for external debt are being adversely affected by the continuous accumulation of external debt arrears,” added the report.

“The portfolio is vulnerable to foreign exchange rate risks as indicated by external debt being 78 percent of total debt as well as short term external debt to international reserves of 68.8 percent.

“This implies that any movements in exchange rates will heavily impact the portfolio and will raise the cost of debt service.”

Zimbabwe’s currency, which was reintroduced in 2019 after a decade of dollarisation, has been on a downward spiral against major currencies.

After being fixed to be at par with the US dollar when it bounced back, it now trades at ZW$379.2 to the greenback on the official market, while on the widely used parallel market one US dollar comfortably fetches about 850 Zimbabwe dollars.

To address the debt crisis, Zimbabwe is toying with the idea of joining the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative or undertaking a non-HIPC route involving debt restructuring and arrears clearance through bridge financing and using its own resources.

The HIPC initiative, which was initiated by the World Bank and IMF, facilitates 100 percent debt relief for poor countries upon meeting set stringent requirements.

Previously, Zimbabwe explored the HIPC route when the late Mugabe formed a joint government with late opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai between 2009 and 2013, but the idea was shot down by ruling Zanu-PF hardliners, who resisted political and economic reforms that could have made Zimbabwe eligible for debt relief.

Also read: Robert Mugabe’s multimillion-dollar business closes shop

The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) said the latest debt strategy would be meaningless without genuine political and economic reforms.

“It remains to be seen if Harare will honour its debt strategy given the fact that the success of all options proposed in this strategy are highly hinged on the full implementation of political and economic reforms,” ZIMCODD said.

“In its conclusion of the 2021 staff monitored programme, the IMF indicated Harare’s lack of progress in instituting these reforms as per the expectations of creditors and the international community.

“While the two options being considered in Harare’s debt strategy are sufficient to bring a lasting solution to the debt crisis, the strategy has also laid bare the effects of toxic politics on economic progression.”

ZIMCODD noted that after initially rejecting the HIPC initiative, the same authorities who rejected the idea “a decade later are now seeing great advantages of participating in the HIPC initiative” as a result of limited options in resolving the burgeoning debt.

It also noted that the weakening Zimbabwe dollar was set to worsen the debt crisis as the country would struggle to service external loans.

“Local currency volatility increases the cost of servicing external debt,” ZIMCODD added.

“This in turn crowds out social service delivery, the gold bar, especially for the poor majority.

“Currency instability also exerts government spending pressure because it forces treasury to award unsustainable spending reviews, which are inevitable.”

Zimbabwe has also been mortgaging its vast mineral resources in exchange for loans from China and Trafigura, a global commodity broker, in a move that was recently described as dangerous by the World Bank.

Read: Zimbabwe to sell gold coins as local currency weakens

According to recent reports, President Mnangagwa’s government has been discussing a deal with Trafigura that would give the commodities trader control over output from some of Zimbabwe’s biggest mines to enable repayment of debts.

Trafigura would get $225.6 million it is owed by Zimbabwe for fuel supplies dating back to 2016.

In a paper, “Developing Economies Should Think Hard About Taking on Resource Based Loans”, the World Bank said Zimbabwe had also made arrangements with China to repay loans by mortgaging mineral resources.

“In 2006, Zimbabwe contracted a $200 million loan from China Eximbank for the purchase of agriculture equipment and the platinum deposits in Selous and Northfields reserves were given as collateral,” the World Bank said.

“There is no information on whether platinum production was to be carried out by Zimbabwean or Chinese mining companies, only that China reportedly asked that the rights to 50 percent of the potential platinum reserves be put up as collateral for the loan, which is freed once the loan is fully repaid in cash.

“We have rarely observed still in the ground resource assets (rather than flows) being used as collateral.

“This is in line with Gelpern et al’s review of Chinese loan contracts more broadly where they found limited evidence of using still-in-the-ground resource assets as collateral.

“They should tread carefully: a renewed embrace of resource-backed loans could backfire on them.”

In May, President Mnangagwa requested the African Development Bank (AfDB) to lead Zimbabwe’s debt repayment strategy as the country sought to expunge its unsustainable debt overhang.

The huge external debt has been blamed for the country’s failure to access affordable long-term financing from both multilateral and bilateral financiers.

Although Zimbabwe cleared its arrears to the IMF in 2016, it cannot access funding from the Bretton Woods institution because of the money it owes to the World Bank, AfDB and European Investment Bank.

“As a general rule the IMF is prevented from lending to any member country that has arrears to other international financial institutions,” the IMF said last year as it explained why Zimbabwe was excluded when it gave African countries such as South Africa and Zambia millions in loans to help them cushion their economies against the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

-The East African

A police officer stunned the court yesterday when he told  Harare magistrate Taurai Manuwere that law enforcement agents were employed to defend President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Violet Kadiki, who is based at Warren Park Police Station, told the court during cross-examination by  lawyer Alec Muchadehama representing five Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists accused of violating COVID-19 lockdown regulations.

The CCC members, Joannah Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri, Makomborero Haruziviishe, Stanley Manyenga and Lovejoy Chitengu were arrested after holding a demonstration in Warren Park in May 2020.

Kadiki told the court that they arrested the accused for carrying placards written “ED must Go”.

“Is it bad to say ED must go?” Muchadehama asked.

“Yes,” Kadiki replied.

Muchadehama then asked: “So what do those placards written ED must go mean?”

In response, the police officer said: “They were asking the President to go and we are there to defend the President from those who oppose the government.”

“What if the protestors were saying ED meaning another politician, Egypt Dzinemunhenzva?” Muchadehama further asked.

She replied saying she only knew “ED” as the President.

Dzinemunhenzva was a presidential candidate in the 2018 polls.

However, Kadiki said she could not identify the accused persons in the dock, saying they were wearing face masks at the time of their arrest.

The trial was postponed to Tuesday.

Allegations were that the accused persons breached COVID-19 regulations when they participated in a protest over poor delivery of food promised during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

-NewZimbabwe

Political temperatures are rising ahead of the Kariba Ward 5 by-election pencilled for Saturday, amid accusations by the opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) that a top Zanu-PF official dished out candy in order to lure voters.

Justice minister and Zanu-PF Politburo member Ziyambi Ziyambi reportedly handed out mint-flavoured sweets to mostly women attending a mini-rally held in Mahombekombe Suburb, last Saturday.

During the event, the minister also warned the electorate against voting CCC or face risk of the ruling party blocking development to the perennially marginalised but iconic location built during construction of Kariba Dam.

Said Ziyambi at the event: “Vote wisely because development doesn’t need people to throw away votes. Electing CCC is throwing away votes as they are not responsible for allocating resources. If you realise lack of development in this place, Mahombekombe, blame yourselves because you would have thrown away votes by choosing a CCC candidate.”

Responding to Ziyambi’s utterances, CCC interim provincial spokesperson, Blessing Mandava said the minister takes the electorate for fools, hence he threw sweets at them instead of championing sustainable livelihoods.

“Ziyambi was busy giving out trinkets to hoodwink the electorate, which he takes for fools. No wonder why he dished out mint sweets at the Mahombekombe rally, as if the mint sweets will develop the ward,” charged Mandava.

“His recent remarks clearly show that Zanu-PF is worried of its impending loss in the Kariba Ward 5 by-election. They have now resorted to intimidation and empty threats in a frantic bid to boost their waning fortunes.

“Admitting that Zanu-PF has been throwing spanners into local government, we now know how stupid he really is. His claims that only a Zanu-PF candidate will bring development to Mahombekombe are pure hogwash and utter rhetoric which can easily pass as beer talk. Evidence is awash of Zanu-PF’s mismanagement of the whole nation. How can a destroyer rebuild what he has destroyed?”

He added: “As the Mash West Change Champions, we are boldly declaring that Kariba Ward 5 shall not kowtow to threats. The people shall speak, we urge them to rise early, vote early and defend their vote.”

The by-election is set to fill a vacancy left behind following the resignation of then CCC councillor, Tendai Mapondera, over criminal abuse of office charges.

CCC is fielding Tonderai Chikwati to replace her, while Zanu-PF candidate Kudakwashe Mafusire is gunning for the post.

Kariba Urban constituency has nine wards, in which CCC has eight and Zanu-PF only one.

-NewZimbabwe

President Emmerson Mnangagwa was left with egg on his face after an abrupt power outage interrupted his speech during the ground-breaking ceremony of the Cyber City in Mt Hampden on Wednesday.

Mnangagwa, who was in the company of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and billionaire investor Nawab Shaji Ul Mulk, chairman of Mulk International, had to wait for three minutes as officials made frantic efforts to restore power.

Sensing the humiliation, a group aligned to the President calling itself MenBelievED broke into song to save the situation.

Mnangagwa could not hide his disappointment with the power utility Zesa Holdings for the power outage in the presence of visitors.

“This is very humiliating. The guys at Zesa do not know the time to do their power cuts. They cannot have their load shedding when we

have guests like this,” he said.

The majority of Zimbabweans experience incessant power cuts on a daily basis.

Wheat farmers are also currently complaining that the power cuts are seriously affecting farm operations at a time when thecountry is aiming for a bumper winter wheat harvest.

On Tuesday, Energy and Power Development minister Zhemu Soda warned that the country might endure rolling power cuts beyond August due to depressed generation capacity.

Power utility Zesa last week issued a notice warning of prolonged power outages.

But Soda said government was making frantic efforts to ease the power cuts through imports and rehabilitation of the Hwange Thermal Power Station.

Zimbabwe requires 2 000 megawatts (MW) of electricity monthly to meet power demand.

Mozambique’s Hydro Cahora Bassa currently sells 50MW of power to Zimbabwe, while South Africa also supplies it with 400MW of power, still inadequate to close the supply gap.

The Kariba Dam, which has provided the country with the bulk of hydro power, has over the past few years experienced falling water levels, subsequently causing a drop in supply of electricity.

Hwange, which has also over the years contributed to the power requirements, is currently struggling due to obsolete equipment.

-Newsday

Government says it has failed to recruit teachers required to minimise the shortfall of educators at the country’s public schools because inflation has wiped out the budget for the exercise.

This could be a tip of the iceberg for a government that in 2019 and 2020 overshot its budget by $107 billion and took two years to apologise for the over-expenditure when it was supposed to do so within 60 days.

Fears abound that many, if not all ministries’ budgets have been wiped out by inflation now at 191,6% as of last month.

The figure is Africa’s second highest after Sudan and has pushed up the cost of living, with many commodity and service providers now demanding strictly United States dollars.

In June, the Primary and Secondary Education ministry announced that it would hire 5 000 teachers by September after revealing that the country had a shortfall of 25 000.

Initially, the ministry wanted to recruit 10 000 teachers before the figure was slashed by half.

Primary and Secondary Education minister Evelyn Ndlovu told Parliament during a question-and-answer session on Wednesday that skyrocketing inflation had scuttled plans to recruit more teachers.

“I engaged the Ministry of Labour regarding this particular situation. We were promised 5 000 teachers this year, but because of inflation, we have managed to engage a small percentage of the required teachers,” she said.

Ndlovu last month said they hired 3 904 teachers.

“So we hope that the supplementary budget will come as a panacea to our problem, which will also allow us to look at the issue of salaries, to secure vehicles.”

This comes as teachers are meeting today finalising plans for a strike after they received measly July salaries of less than US$50 on the parallel market, despite a 100% salary increment in June.

Educators have also been quitting their jobs in droves in protest over poor salaries, further depleting staffing levels in schools.

Ndlovu admitted that inflation had paralysed the ministry’s plans to address the crisis facing the education sector, including hiring more
teachers.

“The issue of Early Childhood Development teachers is critical because without elementary level teachers, the child does not have a good foundation because this is the level where the future of any student is cultivated, from Mathematics to other subjects,” she said.

“However, the challenge is that our budgeted resources were affected by the hyperinflation, which culminated in the government failing to remunerate teachers. So I would like to request that we be considered during the supplementary budget.”

Ndlovu said rising inflation has also affected the Basic Education Assistance Module (Beam) programme, whereby government pays tuition fees for the disadvantaged and orphans.

“On the issue of Beam, there are problems. Beam is meant to relieve vulnerable children, but I am under pressure due to inflation on the amount of money that has not been paid,” Ndlovu said.

“Yes, we will assist those children who have parents who are in dire straits, but we cannot assist all the children because government money is also limited.

“Our cake is very small. We are working with a small cake with a big number of children. So wherever possible and when given the names of the children timeously, we can intervene on time for the child to continue to go to school or to write examinations.”

Last month, research watchdog, the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development said its survey revealed that four million children were failing to pay fees and were looking to Beam for assistance.

Public Service minister Paul Mavima said government was only giving assistance to 1,5 million children this year.

-Newsday

A Zaka couple and their son were left wounded after they were attacked by a clan of hyenas in Bota communal lands on Monday afternoon.

Robert Maroyi, his wife Muchanyara Maroyi and their son Rwatinga Maroyi, of Mapfumo village, have since been hospitalised at Musiso Hospital where they are receiving treatment after being attacked by three hyenas.

Other villagers came to the rescue of the Maroyis and managed to scare away the hyenas.

The three were taken to Musiso Hospital where their condition is critical but stable.

Zimparks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo confirmed the incident and revealed they had deployed a team of rangers to hunt down the marauding hyenas. Said Farawo:

Our team (of game rangers) is on the ground to trek the hyenas. Those who were attacked are hospitalised and are out of danger as of now.

The attack on the Zaka family by the hyenas is one of the several reported cases of human/wildlife conflict countrywide. The latest case has instilled fear in some considering that the attack occurred during the day.- The Herald

The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) youth communication secretary Stephen Chuma has called for a citizens’ arrest of Anton Mashayanyika, a bishop in the Habbakuk Apostolic Faith Mission church in Mberengwa after he threatened to kill Nelson Chamisa.

Addressing a ZANU PF local meeting, Mashayanyika said Chamisa and his followers must be killed describing them as sellouts. He recently told The Standard that he did not have any regrets over his threats, saying he was “too Zanu PF” to be arrested.

Tshuma said since the police have not yet arrested Mashayanyika, citizens must arrest the clergyman.

He said:

It is clear that Zanu PF wants the law unto itself. It is without a doubt that at this juncture, citizens of Zimbabwe, Mberengwa in particular, must initiate a citizens’ arrest and hand over this criminal and Zanu PF thug into the hands of the police.

Mashayanyika’s statements have been described as hate speech as tension grows ahead of next year’s elections.

Chamisa survived an alleged assassination during his meet the people tours last year.

Police have been accused of selective application of the law as CCC and civil society activists are routinely arrested for “trumped-up” charges while Mashayanyika, who was caught making deaths on video walks scot-free.- Pindula News

ESIGODINI gold dealer Baron Dube is back in prison after the Supreme Court dismissed his appeal against conviction and sentence for lack of merit.
Dube (46) of Habane Extension Township was in 2020 convicted of murder and sentenced to an effective 10 years in jail by Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Maxwell Takuva in connection with the death of Prince Antony Bvundura in September 2018.

Last year, he was released by the High Court on $30 000 bail pending appeal against his conviction and sentence at the Supreme Court.

Dube shot Bvundura, a member of a rival mining gang in Esigodini, in the heat of a fight over a mining claim at Block 13 Atlas Mine in Esigodini using a Voere 458 calibre rifle.

Bvundura was aged 22 at the time of his death.

In October last year, Dube successfully applied to the Supreme Court to be granted leave to note the appeal challenging his conviction and sentence.

In papers before the court, the State was cited as a respondent.

In dismissing the appeal, Supreme Court judge, Justice Alfas Chitakunye sitting with Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza and Justice Hlekani Mwayera said Dube deplorably failed to show that the High Court erred in its assessment of the evidence placed before it and in convicting him.

“It is clear that nothing has been placed before this court warranting interference with the sentence imposed by the court a quo.

The appellant (Dube) lamentably failed to show that the court a quo erred in its assessment of the evidence placed before it, and in convicting the appellant as it did,” he ruled.

“Equally, the sentence was not shown to be inappropriate in the circumstances.

The entire appeal has no merit and accordingly, the appeal against both conviction and sentence, is hereby dismissed.”

Justice Chitakunye said he found merit in the High Court’s finding that Dube parked his vehicle with lights shining on the miners, because one of his rivals was able to see that the appellant was armed with two firearms; a rifle in his hand and a revolver tucked in his trousers at the waist.

The judge said Dube’s testimony was full of inconsistencies and improbabilities casting doubt on his version.

“As a result, the court a quo cannot be faulted for believing the State’s version of events of what transpired on the fateful day over the appellant’s version.

The conclusion that the appellant was reckless in firing the firearm in the direction of one of the witnesses, Mncebisi Mguni and others in his company is sound,” he said.

“The circumstances were such that he ought to have realised that there was a real risk or possibility of hitting someone and thus causing their death.”

Justice Chitakunye said despite that realisation, Dube proceeded to discharge the lethal firearm towards Mguni and company.

“I, therefore, find that there is nothing warranting this court’s interference with the verdict of the court a quo,” he said.

In his grounds of appeal, through his lawyer Mr Leopold Mudisi of Mutendi, Mudisi and Shumba Legal Practitioners, Dube argued that the State failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

He said his conviction and sentence were not warranted. Dube contended that the lower court erred by convicting him when there was no evidence to support his conviction.

He submitted that his conviction was unsafe, arguing that the State relied on uncorroborated evidence.

“In my evidence, I mentioned that I accidentally discharged my revolver following an attack by gold panners.

The State had a duty to prove that the projectile which caused the death of the deceased was discharged from my rifle and that I was not attacked resulting in me falling into a pit,” argued Dube.

He argued that the firearm accidentally discharged after he stepped on a rock and fell down while fleeing a mob, which was throwing stones at him while baying for his blood.

Mr Khumbulani Ndlovu, who represented the State, opposed the appeal, saying the State had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Dube deliberately shot and killed Bvundura.

“It is common cause that the deceased was shot by the applicant and died from a gunshot wound.

The court was alive to the fact that the State needed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt,” he said.

“The court rejected the notion that there was an accidental discharge. The court analysed the evidence and concluded that the applicant proffered two versions.”

According to court papers, on September 26, 2018, Bvundura went to work at Block 13 Atlas Mine in Esigodini in the company of his workmates. On the same day, Dube arranged a gang of about 20 people so that they could disperse everyone and take over the mine where there was a gold rush.

At about 11PM, Dube armed himself with two guns, a revolver and a rifle and his accomplices were carrying machetes, axes, shovels and picks.

He drove to the mine in his Toyota Land Cruiser with his gang and on arrival at the mine, he chased away all miners, claiming he had been granted authority to operate at the mine by the owner, one Mr Tendai Musanangura.

Bvundura, who was part of a group of miners fleeing during the skirmishes, was shot and he died on the spot.

According to the post-mortem results the cause of death was gunshot wound, heart destruction and hypovolemic shock.- Chronicle

One person died while 8 others were critically injured when a Tenda bus they were travelling on veered off the road and overturned near Rusape.

Police said the accident occurred around 4 PM this Thursday at the 165km peg along the Harare-Mutare highway. A statement posted on the ZRP official Twitter page reads:

The ZRP confirms a fatal road traffic accident which occurred today at around 1600 hours at the 165 km peg along Harare-Mutare road near Rusape where one person died while 30 passengers were injured, eight of them in critical condition.

The driver of a Tenda bus with 50 passengers on board tried to overtake another vehicle resulting in the bus veering off the road before overturning.

Police said they will release more details pertaining to the accident in due course.

Meanwhile, one of the passengers, Enoch Zhungu, who sustained minor injuries, told ZBC News that the bus overturned and dragged on the tarmac after the driver was stopped by police as he was overtaking a haulage truck.

He said the driver lost control of the bus as he tried to return to his lane.- ZBC

The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) youth communication secretary Stephen Chuma has called for a citizens’ arrest of Anton Mashayanyika, a bishop in the Habbakuk Apostolic Faith Mission church in Mberengwa after he threatened to kill Nelson Chamisa.

Addressing a ZANU PF local meeting, Mashayanyika said Chamisa and his followers must be killed describing them as sellouts. He recently told The Standard that he did not have any regrets over his threats, saying he was “too Zanu PF” to be arrested.

Tshuma said since the police have not yet arrested Mashayanyika, citizens must arrest the clergyman.

He said:

It is clear that Zanu PF wants the law unto itself. It is without a doubt that at this juncture, citizens of Zimbabwe, Mberengwa in particular, must initiate a citizens’ arrest and hand over this criminal and Zanu PF thug into the hands of the police.

Mashayanyika’s statements have been described as hate speech as tension grows ahead of next year’s elections.

Chamisa survived an alleged assassination during his meet the people tours last year.

Police have been accused of selective application of the law as CCC and civil society activists are routinely arrested for “trumped-up” charges while Mashayanyika, who was caught making deaths on video walks scot-free.- Pindula News

Tinashe Sambiri|CCC has dismissed Zanu PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri’s claims that Zanu PF will rule forever.

Writing on Twitter, Muchinguri-Kashiri vowed opposition will never rule Zimbabwe.

Said Muchinguri- Kashiri:

“The freedom we enjoy today came at a great price; lives were lost as we fought against the colonial forces. It’s important to educate the youth of our history.

Locals masquerading as the opposition whilst pushing their masters interests will never rule this country, never!”

In response, CCC Namibia said:

” Poor old Muchinguri-Kashiri thinks that she owns Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe does not belong to Zanu PF.

Above all our grandparents participated in the liberation struggle. Muchinguri- Kashiri and her Zanu PF party cannot monopolize the liberation struggle.

Come 2023, President Nelson Chamisa will win resoundingly,” CCC Namibia said in a statement.

CCC Gutu East Community Projects:

Citizens We Are A National Family One Nation Hatina Imwe Nyika Yatonogara Kunzwe Kwe Zimbabwe…

Your Hon Gift Gonese is a best friend to the disabled.

He is buying a wheel chair for that intelligent boy who is disabled BUT VERY INTELLIGENT…

He intends to set up a tuckshop business for Him… God is Amazing this guy is a sure vote…is registered…

we have identified 5 more who need wheel chairs and this is MY CALL FOR SUPPORT….WATSAPP ON ±263772359448 IF YOU WANT TO DONATE TO THE DISABLED IN OUR CONSTITUENCY..

CCC Gutu East Community Projects:

Citizens We Are A National Family One Nation Hatina Imwe Nyika Yatonogara Kunzwe Kwe Zimbabwe…

Your Hon Gift Gonese is a best friend to the disabled.

He is buying a wheel chair for that intelligent boy who is disabled BUT VERY INTELLIGENT…

He intends to set up a tuckshop business for Him… God is Amazing this guy is a sure vote…is registered…

we have identified 5 more who need wheel chairs and this is MY CALL FOR SUPPORT….WATSAPP ON ±263772359448 IF YOU WANT TO DONATE TO THE DISABLED IN OUR CONSTITUENCY..

Tinashe Sambiri|Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s POLAD has released a statement on the need for electoral reforms but analysts say the whole thing is meant to confuse voters.

Political observers feel Mr Mnangagwa is merely playing mind games with voters by feigning concern about reforms via POLAD.

POLAD is widely viewed as Mr Mnangagwa’s baby.

See below POLAD full statement:

We the Political Actors at an Extra-Ordinary Executive Plenary Meetings on Electoral Reforms held on the 17th of December, 2021 and the 14th of January 2022 for the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD),

Whereas, we recognise that electoral reforms are pertinent in conducting free and fair elections,

Whereas, we recognise that there is need for organised and structured contestation of elections,

Whereas, we recognise that there are institutions and legal frameworks that facilitate the conducting of elections. There is need to enhance and strengthen the electoral processes,

And whereas, we are committed to the common understanding that we remain united in our common purpose to dialogue with the intention of resolving the issues affecting the nation, in particular electoral reforms,

Now, therefore, we have resolved to adopt and recommend the following electoral reforms that affect the Electoral Act:

Reform 1: All election-related laws to be in the Electoral Act
Access to the electoral law by all political actors must be easy and the law itself must not be complicated. Ideally, all electoral laws must be found in one Code. This is not the case now: political party financing is in its own legislation, the regulation of political rallies and other political meetings is in a separate statute while access to the media by political actors during the election season is shrouded in mystery and is regulated outside the Electoral Act. It is proposed that all election-related laws must be in the Electoral Act. Thus, the Political Parties (Finance) Act must be repealed and all its provisions transferred to the Electoral Act. The regulation of political rallies and political meetings during an election season must be in the Electoral Act and not MOPA. Special access to the public media during an election season must be provided for in the Electoral Act and not the Broadcasting Services Act.

Reform 2: State funding of political parties must be widened to promote multi-party democracy.
The current system of state funding of political parties does not promote the growth of a truly democratic multi-party system. It does not take into account all votes cast in a general election. It has a very high minimum threshold of 5% of votes cast and it does not consider votes cast for the President and for local councillors.

It is proposed that the Political Parties (Finance) Act be amended to take into account all three elections namely Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Authorities for participating political parties. The minimum threshold must be reduced to less than 5%.

Reform 3: Regulation of political campaign meetings must be kept to a bare minimum during the period from the proclamation of elections up to polling day.

Political campaign meetings during the period from the proclamation of elections up to polling day following flexible arrangements:

• Door-to-door campaigns: police notified for record purposes only.

• Meetings of less than SO people indoors: police notified for record purposes only.

• Meetings of less than 100 people open space: police notified for record purposes only.

• All other political campaign meetings: 2 days’ notice to the police.

Reform 4: The Electoral Act must have a specific provision giving each political party fielding candidates in an election a free statutory cumulative minimum two-hour period on each public media platform to propagate its campaign message and a minimum of five articles provided the allocation of time must be proportionate to the number of candidates fielded by the participating political party.
Access to the public media during the election season, particularly radio and television, is uneven. This must be remedied by a legislated two-hour free slot during prime time viewing for every political party participating in the election and minimum of five (5) articles at least on pages with odd numbers. In addition ZMC must monitor fair coverage of all Political Parties in the public media.

Reform 5: The formula for the 30% female quota in local authorities recently introduced by the Constitution must be provided for in the Electoral Act in time for 2023.
The Constitution now provides for a 30% female quota in respect of councillors for local authorities but the Electoral Act has not yet made provision for how the female quota is to be filled. It is proposed that this be done immediately and that the formula currently being used for the female quota in Parliament be used subject to the following difference: the party list of each contesting political party must be headed by a woman who is either less than 35 years of age or is living with disability.

Reform 6: ZEC regulations must be promulgated at least 6 months before the elections.
Save in exceptional circumstances, any regulations that ZEC is mandated by law to promulgate to govern a general election must be promulgated at least 6 months before the election. For the avoidance of doubt such regulations must include any amounts of money that candidates may be required to pay.

Tinashe Sambiri|Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s POLAD has released a statement on the need for electoral reforms but analysts say the whole thing is meant to confuse voters.

Political observers feel Mr Mnangagwa is merely playing mind games with voters by feigning concern about reforms via POLAD.

POLAD is widely viewed as Mr Mnangagwa’s baby.

See below POLAD full statement:

We the Political Actors at an Extra-Ordinary Executive Plenary Meetings on Electoral Reforms held on the 17th of December, 2021 and the 14th of January 2022 for the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD),

Whereas, we recognise that electoral reforms are pertinent in conducting free and fair elections,

Whereas, we recognise that there is need for organised and structured contestation of elections,

Whereas, we recognise that there are institutions and legal frameworks that facilitate the conducting of elections. There is need to enhance and strengthen the electoral processes,

And whereas, we are committed to the common understanding that we remain united in our common purpose to dialogue with the intention of resolving the issues affecting the nation, in particular electoral reforms,

Now, therefore, we have resolved to adopt and recommend the following electoral reforms that affect the Electoral Act:

Reform 1: All election-related laws to be in the Electoral Act
Access to the electoral law by all political actors must be easy and the law itself must not be complicated. Ideally, all electoral laws must be found in one Code. This is not the case now: political party financing is in its own legislation, the regulation of political rallies and other political meetings is in a separate statute while access to the media by political actors during the election season is shrouded in mystery and is regulated outside the Electoral Act. It is proposed that all election-related laws must be in the Electoral Act. Thus, the Political Parties (Finance) Act must be repealed and all its provisions transferred to the Electoral Act. The regulation of political rallies and political meetings during an election season must be in the Electoral Act and not MOPA. Special access to the public media during an election season must be provided for in the Electoral Act and not the Broadcasting Services Act.

Reform 2: State funding of political parties must be widened to promote multi-party democracy.
The current system of state funding of political parties does not promote the growth of a truly democratic multi-party system. It does not take into account all votes cast in a general election. It has a very high minimum threshold of 5% of votes cast and it does not consider votes cast for the President and for local councillors.

It is proposed that the Political Parties (Finance) Act be amended to take into account all three elections namely Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Authorities for participating political parties. The minimum threshold must be reduced to less than 5%.

Reform 3: Regulation of political campaign meetings must be kept to a bare minimum during the period from the proclamation of elections up to polling day.

Political campaign meetings during the period from the proclamation of elections up to polling day following flexible arrangements:

• Door-to-door campaigns: police notified for record purposes only.

• Meetings of less than SO people indoors: police notified for record purposes only.

• Meetings of less than 100 people open space: police notified for record purposes only.

• All other political campaign meetings: 2 days’ notice to the police.

Reform 4: The Electoral Act must have a specific provision giving each political party fielding candidates in an election a free statutory cumulative minimum two-hour period on each public media platform to propagate its campaign message and a minimum of five articles provided the allocation of time must be proportionate to the number of candidates fielded by the participating political party.
Access to the public media during the election season, particularly radio and television, is uneven. This must be remedied by a legislated two-hour free slot during prime time viewing for every political party participating in the election and minimum of five (5) articles at least on pages with odd numbers. In addition ZMC must monitor fair coverage of all Political Parties in the public media.

Reform 5: The formula for the 30% female quota in local authorities recently introduced by the Constitution must be provided for in the Electoral Act in time for 2023.
The Constitution now provides for a 30% female quota in respect of councillors for local authorities but the Electoral Act has not yet made provision for how the female quota is to be filled. It is proposed that this be done immediately and that the formula currently being used for the female quota in Parliament be used subject to the following difference: the party list of each contesting political party must be headed by a woman who is either less than 35 years of age or is living with disability.

Reform 6: ZEC regulations must be promulgated at least 6 months before the elections.
Save in exceptional circumstances, any regulations that ZEC is mandated by law to promulgate to govern a general election must be promulgated at least 6 months before the election. For the avoidance of doubt such regulations must include any amounts of money that candidates may be required to pay.

Tinashe Sambiri|CCC has dismissed Zanu PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri’s claims that Zanu PF will rule forever.

Writing on Twitter, Muchinguri-Kashiri vowed opposition will never rule Zimbabwe.

Said Muchinguri- Kashiri:

“The freedom we enjoy today came at a great price; lives were lost as we fought against the colonial forces. It’s important to educate the youth of our history.

Locals masquerading as the opposition whilst pushing their masters interests will never rule this country, never!”

In response, CCC Namibia said:

” Poor old Muchinguri-Kashiri thinks that she owns Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe does not belong to Zanu PF.

Above all our grandparents participated in the liberation struggle. Muchinguri- Kashiri and her Zanu PF party cannot monopolize the liberation struggle.

Come 2023, President Nelson Chamisa will win resoundingly,” CCC Namibia said in a statement.

By A Correspondent| Revolutionary greetings Cdes. Today l thought of writing to you this letter from the dungeons of Harare Central Prison. It is now day 13 of my re-arrest after having spent 16 days at Chikurubi Maximum Prison. I urge you to fight on to defend our profession, one which we love so much. These detentions will not stop me from fighting for workers rights, but will rather strengthen my resolve for a better teacher in one’s country.

Teachers,as l am in prison, I hear they plan on meeting us sometime next week to discuss the conditions of living in our sector as if they don’t know. Firstly, the prices of goods are now pegged in USD whilst our labour is being paid in non-existent currency called RTGS.

The meeting is meant to sway us away from the strike which is supposed to start tommorow 22 July 2022. The minister Paul Mavhima knows that if we unite over our salaries and demand them to be restored back to their pre-October 2018 salaries, we will win. He has promised that we have to meet with the Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, this after the Unions had met him on Tuesday.

I urge you Union leaders in the teaching profession please do not sell out. This is our chance to unite all teachers and bring back the classroom dignity. It is at this point in time that we must demand what was stolen from us by the failed economic policies of one Mthuli Ncube.

Now it is time to show the employer that us teachers, we are a united force. Let’s just demand a fair and decent wage as it is our right. We must be part of the historic strike in demanding labour justice in our sector. There is power in unity, let’s all unite to achieve what we have been fighting for since October 2018.

Yours comradely
ARTUZ NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Obert Masaraure

Tinashe Sambiri|CCC has dismissed Zanu PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri’s claims that Zanu PF will rule forever.

Writing on Twitter, Muchinguri-Kashiri vowed opposition will never rule Zimbabwe.

Said Muchinguri- Kashiri:

“The freedom we enjoy today came at a great price; lives were lost as we fought against the colonial forces. It’s important to educate the youth of our history.

Locals masquerading as the opposition whilst pushing their masters interests will never rule this country, never!”

In response, CCC Namibia said:

” Poor old Muchinguri-Kashiri thinks that she owns Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe does not belong to Zanu PF.

Above all our grandparents participated in the liberation struggle. Muchinguri- Kashiri and her Zanu PF party cannot monopolize the liberation struggle.

Come 2023, President Nelson Chamisa will win resoundingly,” CCC Namibia said in a statement.

The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) youth communication secretary Stephen Chuma has called for a citizens’ arrest of Anton Mashayanyika, a bishop in the Habbakuk Apostolic Faith Mission church in Mberengwa after he threatened to kill Nelson Chamisa.

Addressing a ZANU PF local meeting, Mashayanyika said Chamisa and his followers must be killed describing them as sellouts. He recently told The Standard that he did not have any regrets over his threats, saying he was “too Zanu PF” to be arrested.

Tshuma said since the police have not yet arrested Mashayanyika, citizens must arrest the clergyman.

He said:

It is clear that Zanu PF wants the law unto itself. It is without a doubt that at this juncture, citizens of Zimbabwe, Mberengwa in particular, must initiate a citizens’ arrest and hand over this criminal and Zanu PF thug into the hands of the police.

Mashayanyika’s statements have been described as hate speech as tension grows ahead of next year’s elections.

Chamisa survived an alleged assassination during his meet the people tours last year.

Police have been accused of selective application of the law as CCC and civil society activists are routinely arrested for “trumped-up” charges while Mashayanyika, who was caught making deaths on video walks scot-free.- Pindula News

THE Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has given Local Government and Public Works Minister Hon. July Moyo two days to withdraw his orders to City of Harare (CoH) in which he asked the local authority to rescind its decision terminating the controversial waste management contract with Geogenix B.V.

Moyo on 7 July 2022 wrote a letter to CoH purportedly directing it to immediately rescind resolutions which it made in early June in relation to the establishment of the Pomona Waste to Energy Project.

Moyo said CoH’s resolutions do not take away the local authority’s responsibilities which were purportedly set out in the contract.

Among some of the resolutions, CoH suspended the Pomona Waste to Energy Project charging that it was signed without the local authority conducting its own feasibility study. CoH also appointed a special committee to investigate the Pomona Waste to Energy Project.

But in a letter written to Moyo on 18 July 2022, CHRA, which is represented by Archford Rutanhira of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), said the Local Government and Public Works Minister must cease and desist from interfering with CoH’s operations and should withdraw his letter ordering the local authority not to terminate the purported contract between CoH and Geogenix B. V within 48 hours.

In the event of Moyo’s failure to comply with its demand, CHRA said it will be left with no option but to approach the courts to compel him to conform.

CHRA said by seeking to reverse CoH’s resolution on termination of the purported contract with Geogenix B. V, Moyo is not acting in the public interest or the interest of the inhabitants of the capital city as the local authority has constitutional rights to govern the area under its jurisdiction as well as the devolution of power hence central government should not interfere in that regard.

The residents association said it is scandalous for the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to be on the fore-front of protecting an agreement which binds CoH to hand over the Pomona dump site to Geogenix B. V for nothing for a period of 30 years and yet the local authority is expected to pay US$40 000 per day to dump trash which it would have collected at its own cost and delivered to its own dumpsite.

CHRA said the purported agreement in issue is for a period of 30 years yet the waste incinerators have an average lifespan of between 25 to 30 years meaning that under the Built Own Operate Transfer partnership model, the waste plant will be handed over to CoH when it is effectively useless.

The residents association said Moyo’s actions are all contrary to the Consumer Protection Act, which guarantees, among other things, the right to fair value for goods and services supplied as well as guarding against unfair, unreasonable and unjust contract terms.

Moyo’s ministry, CHRA said, has an insatiable appetite to overstep its statutory boundaries and descend into the arena solely under the jurisdiction of CoH, which creates a fertile ground for corruption, bad governance and interference with the local authority’s statutory obligations to deliver a service to its residents and Zimbabwe at large.

Moyo’s behaviour, CHRA said, is regrettable in a country which is founded on the principles of the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law, transparency, justice, accountability and responsiveness.

Already, the hearing and determination of an application for review of the contract between CoH and Geogenix B. V is pending at the High Court.

The applicants in the matter, who include CHRA, Harare North legislator Norman Markham, Borrowdale Residents and Ratepayers Association and Centre for Alternative Development Trust, and are represented by Denford Halimani of ZLHR, want the High Court to set aside the contract signed between CoH and Geogenix B. V for the establishment of Pomona Waste to Energy Project and for the contract to be declared a nullity and of no force and effect.

CHRA, Markham, Borrowdale Residents and Ratepayers Association and Centre for Alternative Development Trust argue that the decision by CoH to approve the contract with Geogenix B.V was grossly unreasonable, irrational and extremely detrimental to the interests of residents, stakeholders and ratepayers.