Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) president Nelson Chamisa has strongly condemned Zanu-PF for instigating the violence which rocked his rally in Kwekwe Sunday.
One CCC supporter died while 17 were seriously injured.
The violence was allegedly instigated by a Zanu-PF gang wielding machetes. This behaviour is synonymous with a local Zanu-PF aligned terror gang monikered Al-Shabab, after the Somali-based terrorist group.
Chamisa took micro-blogging site Twitter to express his disappointment.
“And this is what Zanu-PF intruders did to us. They were so angry because of the huge turnout at our rally. They unleashed violence using stones machetes and iron bars,” he tweeted.
Party spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere blamed Vice President Constantino Chiwenga for the violence that erupted moments after CCC president Nelson Chamisa’s arrival.
She quoted Chiwenga’s statement that Zanu-PF will “crush the CCC like lice” as having been inflammatory.
“At least 17 have been hospitalized while one person sadly lost his life following an orgy of violence by Zanu-PF thugs during President Chamisa’s address. They used spears, machetes and iron bars. We condemn the regime’s use of violence against our members,” said Mahere.
“This incitement to violence ought to have no place in a constitutional democracy. Violence against the citizens is not acceptable. We need new leaders.”
Some of the injured were treated by CCC medical assistants following a wave of attacks in the crowd and at the VIP tent occupied by the party’s top brass.
-NewZimbabwe
By A Correspondent- Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) president Nelson Chamisa has strongly condemned Zanu-PF for instigating the violence which rocked his rally in Kwekwe Sunday.
Two CCC supporter died while an estimated 17 others were seriously injured.
The violence was allegedly instigated by a Zanu-PF gang wielding machetes. This behaviour is synonymous with a local Zanu-PF aligned terror gang monikered Al-Shabab, after the Somali-based terrorist group.
Chamisa took micro-blogging site Twitter to express his disappointment.
“And this is what Zanu-PF intruders did to us. They were so angry because of the huge turnout at our rally. They unleashed violence using stones machetes and iron bars,” he tweeted.
Party spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere blamed Vice President Constantino Chiwenga for the violence that erupted moments after CCC president Nelson Chamisa’s arrival.
She quoted Chiwenga’s statement that Zanu-PF will “crush the CCC like lice” as having been inflammatory.
“At least 17 have been hospitalized while one person sadly lost his life following an orgy of violence by Zanu-PF thugs during President Chamisa’s address. They used spears, machetes and iron bars. We condemn the regime’s use of violence against our members,” said Mahere.
“This incitement to violence ought to have no place in a constitutional democracy. Violence against the citizens is not acceptable. We need new leaders.”
Some of the injured were treated by CCC medical assistants following a wave of attacks in the crowd and at the VIP tent occupied by the party’s top brass.
Another Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) supporter has passed on following violence which broke out at the party’s Kwekwe rally.
This the total number of causalities from the Kwekwe violence to two.
Yesterday, one CCC supporter Mboneni Ncube died after being attacked by suspected Zanu PF thugs who started throwing stones into the crowd following Nelson Chamisa’s address in Mbizo yesterday.
The suspected Zanu PF thugs used machetes, iron bars and spears to attack CCC supporters.
Meanwhile, police have announced that they have arrested 16 people in connection with the Kwekwe violence.
According to the police, the arrested people were found in possession of yellow t-shirts, machetes and other weapons.
SAD NEWS: Another CCC supporter has passed on in Kwekwe bringing the total to 2. They were attacked by Zanu thugs for attending their party’s rally. Machetes , iron bars and spears were used to attack them.
KWEKWE FUNERAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO Settlement Chikwinya
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By A Correspondent- Mines and Mining Development minister has been caught up in a corruption storm after a Harare businessman accused him of using ministerial powers to grab his gold mining claims in Mberengwa and awarding them to his company.
The allegations were brought to light on Thursday when Anesu Gold Mining and its director Yakub Ibrahim Mohamed dragged Chitando and his company, Gold Reef Mining before High Court judge, Justice Rogers Manyangadze seeking to interdict them from mining in the disputed area.
Prominent Harare lawyer, Advocate Tawanda Zhuwarara who is representing Mohamed told the court that for reasons known to himself, Chitando failed to defend the corruption allegations by either deposing an opposing affidavit or filing heads of argument since November last year when Anesu Gold applied for the interdict.
Professor Lovemore Madhuku who was representing Chitando made a last minute attempt to argue on behalf of Chitando. He said the allegations raised against the Mines Minister were serious and there was need for him to defend himself.
However, Zhuwarara argued that the time Chitando should have responded had lapsed and his lawyers never applied for an extension if they wanted him to respond to the allegations.
Justice Manyangadze reserved judgement.
The mining claims, known as Mangoro were previously owned by, and registered in the name of, Start Mining Services (Private) Limited which has since changed its name to Anesu Gold.
Zhuwarara argued in court that Chitando abused his ministerial powers to forfeit the eight mining claims in Mberengwa and corruptly re-issued them in a Special Grant to Golden Reef Mining where he is a director and shareholder.
He said Anesu Gold was never given prior notice before its claims were confiscated.
“Thus despite the applicant having rights to the claims in issue, it was not afforded the opportunity to make representations before the forfeiture of its mining claims by the second, third, fourth respondents (who all qualify to be administrative authorities in terms of the Administrative Justice Act),” Zhuwarara submitted.
“The fourth respondent (Chitando) breached the provisions of the Administrative Justice Act for him to award the claims to his company and he chose the richest claims. The Applicant’s Founding Affidavit shows that there was corruption. The second fourth respondents clearly abused their power.
“It is not in dispute that the first respondent is on the mines in question, extracting minerals such that by the time the main case is finalized all minerals would have been extracted, and the resultant judgment will be a brutum fulmen. So this interdict is necessary to preserve the subject matter of HC5161/21, otherwise the applicant will suffer irreparable harm.”
Mohamed said Chitando was a director of Gold Reef Mining and shareholder through his company Windev Investments (Private) Limited.
He said in 2018, he secured a US$6,4 million Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and Fidelity Printers and Refiners (Private) facility to finance the mining claims and operations, including the payment of the inspection fees for the mining claims but was shocked to learn later that they had been forfeited by Chitando.
Mohamed also said, he had secured an Australian investor to provide additional funding for the project.
Professor Welshman Ncube who is representing Gold Reef mining said several jobs will be lost if the interdict is granted. He said Anesu Gold lost the mining claims because it was holding them for speculative purposes.
According to the court papers, Anesu Gold initially owned a 70 % stake in Start Mining Services, while 30 % was held by Mberengwa Enterprises (Private) Limited owned by Rugare Gumbo.
Mohamed in his founding affidavit said he was now holding a 100% stake in the company after buying Gumbo’s 30 % shareholding.
He said in 2012, Gumbo approached Chitando before he became minister in an attempt to interest him to invest in the mining claims, but was turned down but in 2014 businessman Shingi Mutasa expressed an interest in the claims and invited the former Mimosa Mining boss to do a due diligence.
“I gave him all the write ups and information of the mining claims. Mutasa engaged Chitando’s team to carryout due diligence. Mutasa and Chitando chartered a small plane and flew to the mining claims for an inspection in loco. Mutasa did not come on board following due diligence for reasons best know to himself,” he said.
“It is necessary to note that although Mutasa did not come on board, Chitando’s team and himself, had all the data and information of the of the juicy areas of the mining claims and watch what followed later.”
By- Zanu PF thugs on Sunday killed a Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) supporter.
The killed supporter who was killed during a CCC rally in Kwekwe has been identified as Mboneni Ncube, a male aged 35.
According to CCC national spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere, Ncube was attacked with a spear and murdered by Zanu PF activists during a campaign rally at Mbizo 4 Shopping Centre in the Midlands town. Said Mahere:
A dark cloud hangs over us as we mount the sad loss of Mboneni Ncube (35, male) who was attacked with a spear and murdered in broad daylight in Kwekwe yesterday by Zanu PF thugs.
His only crime was to believe in a brighter Zimbabwe where all are free.
Reports indicate that stone-throwing thugs armed with machetes stormed the rally while CCC leader Nelson Chamisa was addressing his supporters.
Chamisa calmly told party supporters not to run away. The CCC youths swiftly fought back and subdued the attackers.
By- Three blood-thirsty thieves went on a rampage in Bulawayo, axing two people in the space of two days while also attacking anyone they met with a knobkerrie and knives, among other dangerous weapons.
This emerged when the trio, Kholisani Nyathi of Mabutweni, Nkosikhona Sibanda (25) of 71868 Lobengula West and Walter Mpunzi also of 71868 Lobengula West last week appeared before Western Commonage regional magistrate, Shepard Mjanja on charges of murder as defined in section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 and were remanded in custody to 10 March.
The trio’s rampage began on 12 May last year at around 6pm when they struck the now deceased Misheck Rindai Mapeta with an axe and knobkerrie on the head.
The trio met Mapeta along a footpath in Pelandaba West, attacked him with an axe, knobkerrie and knife which they used to stab him in the eye.
The trio stole a cellphone and a forge torch before fleeing. Mapeta succumbed to his injuries.
A day later, on 13 May, two of the gang members — Nyathi and Sibanda went to Mabutweni Shopping Centre to collect money from one Frank Sibanda of C21 Njube, a firewood vendor.
The duo reportedly found Sibanda holding an axe and one of them forcibly took it from him and threatened to kill him with it resulting in their victim running away.
The two members of the murderous gang then reportedly ran amok and began assaulting everyone they met along the road with axes they had in their possession.
The duo then met the now deceased Joseph Mawa Moyo along a footpath near a stream that separates the suburbs of Mabutweni and Njube.
Nyathi struck Moyo on the head twice with an axe and the deceased sustained two deep cuts after which Sibanda robbed him of his cellphone and they made good their escape.
Moyo was ferried to Mpilo Hospital where he received treatment, but unfortunately died the following day.
Witnesses who saw the trio’s rampage provided information which led to their arrest and they confessed to the crime.
The murder weapons used in the commission of the crime were recovered from Nkosikhona Sibanda and following indications, two stolen cellphones were also recovered.
After confessing to their crime, the accused persons assisted the investigating officers with indications at the crime scene.
According to court documents, the accused persons have a litany of other charges that are in the courts including attempted murder and armed robberies.
They are facing one attempted murder charge and six charges of armed robbery.
After their arrest, the two confessed to murdering Mapeta and the knobkerrie used was recovered.
They also gave indications of their actions at the crime scene.
Meanwhile, a 24-yeard old man from Cowdray Park appeared before the same magistrate facing charges of attempted murder.
In the State’s case outline, on 24 December last year, Onesimos Sibanda and his accomplices named as Marvelous Siwela, Knowledge Siwela, Walter Siwela and Nqobile Ndlovu approached the complainant, Francis Dube and asked him to buy beer for them.
Dube reportedly told the gang that he had no money, but was searched and robbed of US$70 by Marvelous Siwela.
When Dube asked for his money back, the six men became violent and assaulted him with bricks.
Onesimos Sibanda who is reportedly known as “Bhuru” then stabbed Dube on the neck near the collar bone and again on the right side of his waist.
Dube died days after he was admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital.
Of the six members of his gang, Sibanda is the only one who was apprehended and his accomplices are still at large.
He was remanded in custody to tomorrow for trial.
By- A Nyanga man decommissioned a grinding mill that he bought in 2019 and dumped it in nearby bushes after spiritual healers told him that the machine was bringing misfortune to his family.
Phillip Mafemera of Mazarura Village in Nyanga was left homeless after his entire homestead was razed down by a mysterious fire that started in broad daylight.
Spiritual healers had warned him that the grinding mill he bought from a neighbour was causing mysterious occurrences at his home.
Mafemera lost his bedroom, granary and the structure which housed the grinding mill to the fire.
He said he dumped the grinding mill in the bush because the family that sold him the mill was refusing to take it back.
Mafemera was recently brought before acting Chief Saunyama’s court after Charles Chibvuri caught him performing rituals with maize-meal at his house.
The accused did not deny the allegations and said he was forced to perform the rituals after the Chibvuri family had refused to take back their grinding mill which he believes is cursed. Said Mafemera:
For two years, they have been refusing to take back their grinding mill even though it was causing mysterious things at my home. Every night, I would see the shadow of a man at the grinding mill.
We have endured the scary occurrences for a long time. The shadow acts as someone guarding the grinding mill. At times the shadow would chase us.
The grinding mill never worked ever since I bought it. Mechanics would tell me that it was in perfect working condition, but it still did not work.
That is when I consulted spiritual healers who told me that there was a need for spiritual cleansing as the grinding mill was cursed.
They are the ones who told me that there was a shadow watching me ever since I bought the grinding mill.
Mafemera said Madzibaba Anthony Chirangeni instructed him to take grounded maize-meal to Chibvuri’s home and perform some rituals.
He said the spiritual healer warned him that if he did not return the grinding mill to its owner, someone would die in his family.
The traditional court ordered the Chibvuri family to restitute the three cattle used by Mafemera to buy the grinding mill.
On his part, Mafemera was fined six beasts for performing rituals at a neighbour’s homestead without their consent.
In an interview with The Manica Post, Chibvuri denied the allegations that his family sold Mafemera a cursed grinding mill.
He said when the grinding mill was sold to Mafemera, it was in good working condition and the issue was that he was no longer able to maintain it.
Chibvuri criticised the judgement as unfair, saying he should have been made to reimburse Mafemera part of the payment that he made because he used the grinding mill for two years.
By- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has officially endorsed the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga for the presidency.
Addressing delegates of the Mt Kenya region last week, Kenyatta urged his community to support Odinga, saying he has the best interests for the country.
Kenyatta snubbed his Deputy President William Ruto and decided to back an opposition leader, Odinga.
He said he will have no problem supporting Ruto in future if he reforms. Said, Kenyatta:
I’m asking you to support Raila Odinga as he means well for the Country. When ‘my young man reforms’, we will consider him.
This is the first time President Kenyatta was publicly telling his community that the ODM leader was his preferred successor.
He told the Sagana III meeting that Odinga was the best fit not only for the Mt Kenya region but Kenya ta large.
Odinga (77), served as the Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013.
He was the main opposition candidate in the 2007 presidential election, running against the then incumbent Mwai Kibaki.
In the subsequent presidential election 5 years later, Odinga came out second against Kenyatta.
He made another attempt for the presidency in August 2017 against Kenyatta.
The electoral body declared Uhuru Kenyatta the winner with 54% of the votes cast to Odinga’s 43%.
However, the outcome was eventually annulled by the Supreme Court following findings that the election was marred by “illegalities and irregularities”.
A subsequent fresh election ordered by the Court was won by Kenyatta when Odinga declined to participate citing inadequate reforms to enable a fair process in the repeat poll.
By- The self-proclaimed prophet and founder of Prophetic and Deliverance Ministries (PHD), Walter Magaya, is in Kenya.
Magaya is in the East African country for a crusade organised by the Christ Pinnacle Embassy Ministries.
The crusade was organised by Apostle Backson Saning’o and Prophet David Losojo of the Christ Pinnacle Embassy Ministries.
Speaking to reporters in the company of Losojo and Backson earlier on Friday, Magaya promised his adherents “great sermons”. He said:
I’m delighted by the kind of reception you have given me. Expect nothing but great sermons from the Lord.
Magaya was expected to be in Kenya for at least three days before he flies back to Zimbabwe.
Tinashe Sambiri| Citizens’ Coalition For Change leader President Nelson Chamisa will on Tuesday unpack #Agenda 2022.
This was revealed by Citizens’ Coalition For Change spokesperson, Advocate Fadzayi Mahere on Saturday.
Said Advocate Mahere:
“Our Citizen Champion in Chief, Adv @nelsonchamisa will deliver his Agenda 2022 address virtually on Tuesday evening at 7pm.
By all accounts, he is the hope of the nation. Let’s all tune in.
Follow the @CCCZimbabwe Facebook page so you don’t miss out!!!”
Credit: World Health Organization
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Why does WHO consider air pollution a major public health emergency? If you live in areas with high levels of air pollution, does COVID-19 impact you differently? Hello and welcome to Science in 5, I’m Vismita Gupta-Smith. We are talking to Dr. Maria Neira today.
Welcome, Maria. Maria, let’s start with why does WHO consider air pollution a major public health emergency?
Dr Maria Neira
Hello, everyone. Well, when you have more than 7 million premature deaths every year, every single year associated with exposure to air pollution, I’m sure that everybody agrees that this is a major public health issue. Actually, nine out of every 10 people around the world, particularly those living in cities, are breathing air that is not consistent with what WHO considers the good standards according to our air quality guidelines for breathing and still be healthy. And, you know, for many years, we thought and most of the diseases linked to exposure to air pollution were considered only to be affecting our respiratory system. And this is still true. Very much. Exposure to air pollution is responsible for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, lung cancer, pneumonia, name it. But in addition to that, we know now that these toxic particles will come to our lungs and from there to the bloodstream will reach our cardiovascular system and then be responsible for ischemic heart diseases, for neurological disorders, for stroke, for neurological problems as well in general and reproductive system issues. So, as you can imagine, all of those reasons tell us consider that air pollution is one of the biggest public health issues we are confronting today.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Maria, if a person is living in a highly polluted environment where whether air pollution levels are very high. Does COVID-19 impact them differently?
Dr Maria Neira
Yes, we have now more and more scientific evidence. One reason is that exposure, long term exposure to air pollution will affect your immune system and therefore will make you more susceptible to any type of respiratory diseases. And obviously, COVID-19 is a respiratory disease. In addition to that, we know that exposure to air pollution will increase the risk for chronic diseases like cardiopulmonary, like metabolic diseases, diabetes. And we all know now that those diseases are the so-called co-morbidities that will increase the risk for more severity and even later outcome if you are a patient with COVID-19. So, yes.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Maria, when we think about air pollution, it seems like the scale is so big and what can we do to reduce it? Share with us some examples of initiatives that governments and organizations took, which actually reduced air pollution.
Dr Maria Neira
Well, clearly the best way to reduce air pollution will be stop burning fossil fuels. I mean, that combustion of the fossil fuels is contributing not only to climate change, but to generate this high level of pollutants that then end up in our lungs. So changing that policy around which source of energy we are using will be one of the most effective. Legislation, go for enforcing the air quality guidelines of WHO. But if we go to concrete measures, of course at the city level, you have measures now going for change in the transport, the public transport system they have, promoting more sustainable ways of public transport, reducing the use of private cars, going for more efficient energy use of our buildings, making sure that they reduce the traffic congestion in certain areas. And we can see that all of those measures are immediate. They have immediate positive outcomes. Obviously, as an individual, the best you can do is to put pressure on your politicians, on your mayors. Make sure that there are systems to monitor the air quality that you are breathing every day in your city. And by doing so, ensuring that measures are taken at the political level. If the situation on air pollution is really bad, if we take measures, there is optimism. You can see that in European countries, for instance, or North America, the situation improved very much in the last 20 years. We are still far in other parts of the world and we still need to put in place measures on sustainable transport, a clean and modern use of energy sources and all our way of consuming, recycling. And therefore we will be able to tackle this huge problem of air pollution. Tackling the causes of climate change will bring enormous benefits as well on reducing the causes of air pollution and therefore contributing enormously to our health.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Thank you, Maria, for explaining this link, this interconnectedness between our health and that of the planet. Thank you very much. That was Science in 5 today. Until next time then. Stay healthy, stay safe and stick with science…
Source: World Health Organization
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Harare City Council has warned residents that it is illegal for anyone to sell Liquid Petroleum Gas (LP Gas) from residential premises.
Harare City Council spokesperson, Michael Chideme, urged residents to report people who sell LP gas from their residences.
He said:
It is not allowed to sell gas in residential premises because of the dangers it causes to human life and properties in the event of an explosion.
As city council, we are also enforcing the regulations when such people operate outside the law and we are also asking people to report anyone who is violating the laws to come forward.
This comes after an entire family in Eyestone, part of the Retreat area in southern Harare, perished in a fire caused by a gas explosion.
A couple and its three children were killed around 8.30 PM on Wednesday when gas from a gas tank believed to be faulty exploded in their two-roomed house and ignited a fire.
Following the explosion, the 48kg gas tank went through the roof and landed 50 metres away.
The deceased, who are from Gokwe, were identified as Kudzai Gozhora (32), his wife Shupikai Makwara (30) and their three daughters, Valentine (11), Monalisa (seven) and Trumpfree (13 months).
Neighbours vainly tried to extinguish the fire which reportedly lasted for about 30 minutes, but by then the family had already perished.- The Herald
The leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “to call Russian President Vladimir Putin and apologise”.
Addressing assembled servicemen in central Grozny, Kadyrov demanded that Ukrainian president Zelensky apologises to Putin. He said:
Taking this opportunity, I want to give advice to the current President Zelensky so that he calls our President, Supreme Commander Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and apologizes for not doing so sooner.
Do it in order to save Ukraine. Ask for forgiveness and agree to all the conditions that Russia puts forward. This will be the most correct and patriotic step for him.
According to Russia Today, thousands of Chechens are willing to offer assistance to the Russian military.
On Friday, 12 000 local volunteers gathered on the central square of the regional capital, Grozny.
Kadyrov said the rally was organised in order to show their support for Russia and their readiness to aid its objectives.
He said no troops would be deployed until the “Supreme Commander in Chief” Putin gave the go-ahead.
Chechnya is a constituent republic of Russia situated in the North Caucasus in Eastern Europe, close to the Caspian Sea.
The country gained de facto independence as the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria following the First Chechen War of 1994–1996 with Russia.
However, Chechnya remained de jure a part of The Russian Federation.
Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, 24 February after Putin declared in a pre-dawn TV address that Russia could not feel “safe, develop and exist” because of the threat reportedly posed by its neighbour of 44 million people.- IOL
Harare City Council has warned residents that it is illegal for anyone to sell Liquid Petroleum Gas (LP Gas) from residential premises.
Harare City Council spokesperson, Michael Chideme, urged residents to report people who sell LP gas from their residences.
He said:
It is not allowed to sell gas in residential premises because of the dangers it causes to human life and properties in the event of an explosion.
As city council, we are also enforcing the regulations when such people operate outside the law and we are also asking people to report anyone who is violating the laws to come forward.
This comes after an entire family in Eyestone, part of the Retreat area in southern Harare, perished in a fire caused by a gas explosion.
A couple and its three children were killed around 8.30 PM on Wednesday when gas from a gas tank believed to be faulty exploded in their two-roomed house and ignited a fire.
Following the explosion, the 48kg gas tank went through the roof and landed 50 metres away.
The deceased, who are from Gokwe, were identified as Kudzai Gozhora (32), his wife Shupikai Makwara (30) and their three daughters, Valentine (11), Monalisa (seven) and Trumpfree (13 months).
Neighbours vainly tried to extinguish the fire which reportedly lasted for about 30 minutes, but by then the family had already perished.- The Herald
The leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “to call Russian President Vladimir Putin and apologise”.
Addressing assembled servicemen in central Grozny, Kadyrov demanded that Ukrainian president Zelensky apologises to Putin. He said:
Taking this opportunity, I want to give advice to the current President Zelensky so that he calls our President, Supreme Commander Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and apologizes for not doing so sooner.
Do it in order to save Ukraine. Ask for forgiveness and agree to all the conditions that Russia puts forward. This will be the most correct and patriotic step for him.
According to Russia Today, thousands of Chechens are willing to offer assistance to the Russian military.
On Friday, 12 000 local volunteers gathered on the central square of the regional capital, Grozny.
Kadyrov said the rally was organised in order to show their support for Russia and their readiness to aid its objectives.
He said no troops would be deployed until the “Supreme Commander in Chief” Putin gave the go-ahead.
Chechnya is a constituent republic of Russia situated in the North Caucasus in Eastern Europe, close to the Caspian Sea.
The country gained de facto independence as the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria following the First Chechen War of 1994–1996 with Russia.
However, Chechnya remained de jure a part of The Russian Federation.
Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, 24 February after Putin declared in a pre-dawn TV address that Russia could not feel “safe, develop and exist” because of the threat reportedly posed by its neighbour of 44 million people.- IOL
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FC Platinum stretched their winless run to three matches after registering a 1-1 draw against ZPC Kariba on Saturday.
The Platinum Boys opened the scoring through Gift Mbweti in the 21st minute. The forward connected Oscar Bhebhe’s corner-kick.
ZPC only recovered on the stroke of full-time courtesy of Newman Sianchalli’s injury time equaliser.
In the capital, Harare City beat Cranborne Bullets 3-1 to record their second victory of the season.
The Sunshine Boys got their goals from Wilfred Muvirimi, Emmanuel Mandiranga and Tatenda Tumba.
Bullets scored their consolation early in the second half as they remained without a win in the campaign.
Elsewhere, Triangle United won 2-1 against Black Rhinos, Ngezi drew 1-1 versus Yadah and Bulawayo Chiefs and Tenax played to a goalless draw.
Results:
Bulawayo Chiefs 0-0 Tenax
ZPC Kariba 1-1 FC Platinum
Harare City 3-1 Cranborne Bullets
Ngezi Platinum 1-1 Yadah
Black Rhinos 1-2 Triangle United.- Soccer24 Zimbabwe
Antonio Conte has hinted he could walk away from Tottenham after the team’s current slump in form.
Spurs lost 1-0 to Burnely on Wednesday to register their fourth defeat in their last five English Premier League games. They remain seven points off the top four in eighth place.
“I have to talk to the club,” said Conte after the defeat at Turf Moor. “I am too honest to close my eyes and continue in this way, and also take my salary.
“I want to take my responsibility. I am open for every decision because I want to help Tottenham.
“Four defeats in the last five games, this is the first time in my life this type of situation has happened. This is unacceptable.
“I came in to try and improve the situation with Tottenham, but maybe in this moment, I am not so good to improve it.
“I’m trying to do everything to change the situation,, but the situation is not changing.”
Conte took over in November at Spurs after Nuno Espirito Santo was relieved of his duties. He enjoyed a promising start with the club, winning six and drawing three of his first nine Premier League games in charge to send them flying back up the table.- Soccer24 Zimbabwe
Tinashe Sambiri| Citizens’ Coalition For Change leader President Nelson Chamisa will on Tuesday unpack #Agenda 2022.
This was revealed by Citizens’ Coalition For Change spokesperson, Advocate Fadzayi Mahere on Saturday.
Said Advocate Mahere:
“Our Citizen Champion in Chief, Adv @nelsonchamisa will deliver his Agenda 2022 address virtually on Tuesday evening at 7pm.
By all accounts, he is the hope of the nation. Let’s all tune in.
Follow the @CCCZimbabwe Facebook page so you don’t miss out!!!”
Tinashe Sambiri|Citizens’ Coalition For Change leader President Nelson Chamisa has said the abuse of ZRP cops by the Zanu PF regime is totally unacceptable.
Police on Saturday violently dispersed CCC members in Gokwe as they blocked President Chamisa’s rally.
President Chamisa accused the Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa of arrogantly scheduling his rally for Kwekwe, countering the CCC rally in the process.
President Chamisa wrote on Twitter:
THE ABUSE OF POLICE UNACCEPTABLE..We had no single policeman in Highfield or at any of our rallies.Our rallies are not covered by police.They just disrupt our activities.Police are only for Zpf.
They don’t have police to cover the rally,but they have police and arsenal to block us.
So low! But Why?? We were the first once to notify the police about our Kwekwe and Gokwe rallies. ED countered by provocatively and arrogantly penciling his rally for Kwekwe. We don’t accept bullying!!
Credit: World Health Organization
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Why does WHO consider air pollution a major public health emergency? If you live in areas with high levels of air pollution, does COVID-19 impact you differently? Hello and welcome to Science in 5, I’m Vismita Gupta-Smith. We are talking to Dr. Maria Neira today.
Welcome, Maria. Maria, let’s start with why does WHO consider air pollution a major public health emergency?
Dr Maria Neira
Hello, everyone. Well, when you have more than 7 million premature deaths every year, every single year associated with exposure to air pollution, I’m sure that everybody agrees that this is a major public health issue. Actually, nine out of every 10 people around the world, particularly those living in cities, are breathing air that is not consistent with what WHO considers the good standards according to our air quality guidelines for breathing and still be healthy. And, you know, for many years, we thought and most of the diseases linked to exposure to air pollution were considered only to be affecting our respiratory system. And this is still true. Very much. Exposure to air pollution is responsible for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, lung cancer, pneumonia, name it. But in addition to that, we know now that these toxic particles will come to our lungs and from there to the bloodstream will reach our cardiovascular system and then be responsible for ischemic heart diseases, for neurological disorders, for stroke, for neurological problems as well in general and reproductive system issues. So, as you can imagine, all of those reasons tell us consider that air pollution is one of the biggest public health issues we are confronting today.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Maria, if a person is living in a highly polluted environment where whether air pollution levels are very high. Does COVID-19 impact them differently?
Dr Maria Neira
Yes, we have now more and more scientific evidence. One reason is that exposure, long term exposure to air pollution will affect your immune system and therefore will make you more susceptible to any type of respiratory diseases. And obviously, COVID-19 is a respiratory disease. In addition to that, we know that exposure to air pollution will increase the risk for chronic diseases like cardiopulmonary, like metabolic diseases, diabetes. And we all know now that those diseases are the so-called co-morbidities that will increase the risk for more severity and even later outcome if you are a patient with COVID-19. So, yes.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Maria, when we think about air pollution, it seems like the scale is so big and what can we do to reduce it? Share with us some examples of initiatives that governments and organizations took, which actually reduced air pollution.
Dr Maria Neira
Well, clearly the best way to reduce air pollution will be stop burning fossil fuels. I mean, that combustion of the fossil fuels is contributing not only to climate change, but to generate this high level of pollutants that then end up in our lungs. So changing that policy around which source of energy we are using will be one of the most effective. Legislation, go for enforcing the air quality guidelines of WHO. But if we go to concrete measures, of course at the city level, you have measures now going for change in the transport, the public transport system they have, promoting more sustainable ways of public transport, reducing the use of private cars, going for more efficient energy use of our buildings, making sure that they reduce the traffic congestion in certain areas. And we can see that all of those measures are immediate. They have immediate positive outcomes. Obviously, as an individual, the best you can do is to put pressure on your politicians, on your mayors. Make sure that there are systems to monitor the air quality that you are breathing every day in your city. And by doing so, ensuring that measures are taken at the political level. If the situation on air pollution is really bad, if we take measures, there is optimism. You can see that in European countries, for instance, or North America, the situation improved very much in the last 20 years. We are still far in other parts of the world and we still need to put in place measures on sustainable transport, a clean and modern use of energy sources and all our way of consuming, recycling. And therefore we will be able to tackle this huge problem of air pollution. Tackling the causes of climate change will bring enormous benefits as well on reducing the causes of air pollution and therefore contributing enormously to our health.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Thank you, Maria, for explaining this link, this interconnectedness between our health and that of the planet. Thank you very much. That was Science in 5 today. Until next time then. Stay healthy, stay safe and stick with science…
Source: World Health Organization
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By Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
President Chamisa Takes Fourth Chimurenga To Gokwe
26.02.2022
The People’s President and Commander of the Fourth Chimurenga, Advocate Nelson Chamisa today led from the front in Gokwe as people power once again reigned supreme over state machinery.
With the police barring the People’s President from addressing the citizens, President Chamisa pulled a first and still addressed the citizens through action.
A public appearance at Metro Peach Wholesalers by President Chamisa send citizens who looked dejected because of rally ban into wild frenzy.
All the citizens wanted was a glimpse of their man, but for strange reasons the police responded by throwing tear gas canisters and spraying citizens with poisoned water.
Much to his credit, the People’s President did not waver. He proceeded right through the tear smoke to address thousands of Gokwe citizens, not by words but through action.
Non verbal communication and non violent action was on display!
President Chamisa simply walked side by side with the citizens -no word but just waving his index fingers to which the citizens responded with ululation and jubilation.
Not even tear smoke could deter the Fourth Chimurenga battle at Gokwe Centre!
If there was any ounce of doubt from some Thomases about the readiness President Chamisa to govern, those doubts were put to bed today.
The President is ripe and ready to lead!
A New Great Zimbabwe is loading.
Tinashe Sambiri|Citizens’ Coalition For Change leader President Nelson Chamisa has said the abuse of ZRP cops by the Zanu PF regime is totally unacceptable.
Police on Saturday violently dispersed CCC members in Gokwe as they blocked President Chamisa’s rally.
President Chamisa accused the Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa of arrogantly scheduling his rally for Kwekwe, countering the CCC rally in the process.
President Chamisa wrote on Twitter:
THE ABUSE OF POLICE UNACCEPTABLE..We had no single policeman in Highfield or at any of our rallies.Our rallies are not covered by police.They just disrupt our activities.Police are only for Zpf.
They don’t have police to cover the rally,but they have police and arsenal to block us.
So low! But Why?? We were the first once to notify the police about our Kwekwe and Gokwe rallies. ED countered by provocatively and arrogantly penciling his rally for Kwekwe. We don’t accept bullying!!
By A Correspondent- Citizens’ Coalition For Change leader President Nelson Chamisa has said the abuse of members of the ZRP by the Zanu PF regime is totally unacceptable.
Police on Saturday violently dispersed CCC members in Gokwe as they blocked President Chamisa’s rally.
President Chamisa accused the Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa of arrogantly scheduling his rally for Kwekwe, countering the CCC rally in the process.
President Chamisa wrote on Twitter:
THE ABUSE OF POLICE UNACCEPTABLE..We had no single policeman in Highfield or at any of our rallies.Our rallies are not covered by police.They just disrupt our activities.Police are only for Zpf.
They don’t have police to cover the rally,but they have police and arsenal to block us.
So low! But Why?? We were the first once to notify the police about our Kwekwe and Gokwe rallies. ED countered by provocatively and arrogantly penciling his rally for Kwekwe. We don’t accept bullying!!
By A Correspondent- Harare City Council has warned residents that it is illegal for anyone to sell Liquid Petroleum Gas (LP Gas) from residential premises.
Harare City Council spokesperson, Michael Chideme, urged residents to report people who sell LP gas from their residences.
He said:
It is not allowed to sell gas in residential premises because of the dangers it causes to human life and properties in the event of an explosion.
As city council, we are also enforcing the regulations when such people operate outside the law and we are also asking people to report anyone who is violating the laws to come forward.
This comes after an entire family in Eyestone, part of the Retreat area in southern Harare, perished in a fire caused by a gas explosion.
A couple and its three children were killed around 8.30 PM on Wednesday when gas from a gas tank believed to be faulty exploded in their two-roomed house and ignited a fire.
Following the explosion, the 48kg gas tank went through the roof and landed 50 metres away.
The deceased, who are from Gokwe, were identified as Kudzai Gozhora (32), his wife Shupikai Makwara (30) and their three daughters, Valentine (11), Monalisa (seven) and Trumpfree (13 months).
Neighbours vainly tried to extinguish the fire which reportedly lasted for about 30 minutes, but by then the family had already perished.- The Herald
By- A Nyanga man decommissioned a grinding mill that he bought in 2019 and dumped it in nearby bushes after spiritual healers told him that the machine was bringing misfortune to his family.
Phillip Mafemera of Mazarura Village in Nyanga was left homeless after his entire homestead was razed down by a mysterious fire that started in broad daylight.
Spiritual healers had warned him that the grinding mill he bought from a neighbour was causing mysterious occurrences at his home.
Mafemera lost his bedroom, granary and the structure which housed the grinding mill to the fire.
He said he dumped the grinding mill in the bush because the family that sold him the mill was refusing to take it back.
Mafemera was recently brought before acting Chief Saunyama’s court after Charles Chibvuri caught him performing rituals with maize-meal at his house.
The accused did not deny the allegations and said he was forced to perform the rituals after the Chibvuri family had refused to take back their grinding mill which he believes is cursed. Said Mafemera:
For two years, they have been refusing to take back their grinding mill even though it was causing mysterious things at my home. Every night, I would see the shadow of a man at the grinding mill.
We have endured the scary occurrences for a long time. The shadow acts as someone guarding the grinding mill. At times the shadow would chase us.
The grinding mill never worked ever since I bought it. Mechanics would tell me that it was in perfect working condition, but it still did not work.
That is when I consulted spiritual healers who told me that there was a need for spiritual cleansing as the grinding mill was cursed.
They are the ones who told me that there was a shadow watching me ever since I bought the grinding mill.
Mafemera said Madzibaba Anthony Chirangeni instructed him to take grounded maize-meal to Chibvuri’s home and perform some rituals.
He said the spiritual healer warned him that if he did not return the grinding mill to its owner, someone would die in his family.
The traditional court ordered the Chibvuri family to restitute the three cattle used by Mafemera to buy the grinding mill.
On his part, Mafemera was fined six beasts for performing rituals at a neighbour’s homestead without their consent.
In an interview with The Manica Post, Chibvuri denied the allegations that his family sold Mafemera a cursed grinding mill.
He said when the grinding mill was sold to Mafemera, it was in good working condition and the issue was that he was no longer able to maintain it.
Chibvuri criticised the judgement as unfair, saying he should have been made to reimburse Mafemera part of the payment that he made because he used the grinding mill for two years.
By- Three blood-thirsty thieves went on a rampage in Bulawayo, axing two people in the space of two days while also attacking anyone they met with a knobkerrie and knives, among other dangerous weapons.
This emerged when the trio, Kholisani Nyathi of Mabutweni, Nkosikhona Sibanda (25) of 71868 Lobengula West and Walter Mpunzi also of 71868 Lobengula West last week appeared before Western Commonage regional magistrate, Shepard Mjanja on charges of murder as defined in section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 and were remanded in custody to 10 March.
The trio’s rampage began on 12 May last year at around 6pm when they struck the now deceased Misheck Rindai Mapeta with an axe and knobkerrie on the head.
The trio met Mapeta along a footpath in Pelandaba West, attacked him with an axe, knobkerrie and knife which they used to stab him in the eye.
The trio stole a cellphone and a forge torch before fleeing. Mapeta succumbed to his injuries.
A day later, on 13 May, two of the gang members — Nyathi and Sibanda went to Mabutweni Shopping Centre to collect money from one Frank Sibanda of C21 Njube, a firewood vendor.
The duo reportedly found Sibanda holding an axe and one of them forcibly took it from him and threatened to kill him with it resulting in their victim running away.
The two members of the murderous gang then reportedly ran amok and began assaulting everyone they met along the road with axes they had in their possession.
The duo then met the now deceased Joseph Mawa Moyo along a footpath near a stream that separates the suburbs of Mabutweni and Njube.
Nyathi struck Moyo on the head twice with an axe and the deceased sustained two deep cuts after which Sibanda robbed him of his cellphone and they made good their escape.
Moyo was ferried to Mpilo Hospital where he received treatment, but unfortunately died the following day.
Witnesses who saw the trio’s rampage provided information which led to their arrest and they confessed to the crime.
The murder weapons used in the commission of the crime were recovered from Nkosikhona Sibanda and following indications, two stolen cellphones were also recovered.
After confessing to their crime, the accused persons assisted the investigating officers with indications at the crime scene.
According to court documents, the accused persons have a litany of other charges that are in the courts including attempted murder and armed robberies.
They are facing one attempted murder charge and six charges of armed robbery.
After their arrest, the two confessed to murdering Mapeta and the knobkerrie used was recovered.
They also gave indications of their actions at the crime scene.
Meanwhile, a 24-yeard old man from Cowdray Park appeared before the same magistrate facing charges of attempted murder.
In the State’s case outline, on 24 December last year, Onesimos Sibanda and his accomplices named as Marvelous Siwela, Knowledge Siwela, Walter Siwela and Nqobile Ndlovu approached the complainant, Francis Dube and asked him to buy beer for them.
Dube reportedly told the gang that he had no money, but was searched and robbed of US$70 by Marvelous Siwela.
When Dube asked for his money back, the six men became violent and assaulted him with bricks.
Onesimos Sibanda who is reportedly known as “Bhuru” then stabbed Dube on the neck near the collar bone and again on the right side of his waist.
Dube died days after he was admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital.
Of the six members of his gang, Sibanda is the only one who was apprehended and his accomplices are still at large.
He was remanded in custody to tomorrow for trial.
By A Correspondent- Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday issued chilling threats against the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) saying the ruling party was ready to “crush the party like lice” to prevent its leader Nelson Chamisa from winning elections.
As if to lend credence to Chiwenga’s threats, opposition CCC supporters were being tear-gassed by police in Gokwe to prevent Chamisa from holding a campaign rally at Gokwe centre.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa was in Kwekwe at Mbizo stadium addressing a campaign rally where Chiwenga warned that the ruling party was unflinching in its resolve to ‘crush’ the CCC ‘like lice’.
“I have heard others here saying down with triple C, let me assure you that there is nothing that it can achieve, you see how we crush lice with a stone,” Chiwenga said.
“You put it on a flat stone and then flatten it to the extent that even flies will not make a meal out of it.”
Chiwenga said Zanu-PF was as big as the biblical Goliath and would not allow Chamisa to seize State power in an election.
Ironically, the Biblical Goliath was felled by a young David with one stone.
“You heard Blessing Chebundo speaking here, that people should not oppose for the sake of opposing. You can’t oppose every time, even the best thing can’t be opposed, you opposing as who, we are as big as Goliath, we will see him when time is ripe,” Chiwenga warned.
Mnangagwa spoke out against violence after Chiwenga’s threats.
“It is undemocratic to be violent against democracy,” Mnangagwa warned.
“The country is built by its owners.
“It is, therefore, important for you in the coming by-elections to vote for the Zanu-PF candidates because these are the owners of the country.
“If you vote for the opposition they won’t be able to develop this country because they are not the owners.”
As has become tradition, Zanu-PF commandeered Zupco buses to ferry thousands of party supporters to welcome Mnangagwa in his home province where youths were treated to live music by hired artists.
Mbizo Stadium was filled to capacity and each person was given a flag, T-Shirt and cap as they entered the stadium.
Top leadership of the party arrived in fuel guzzling, brand new SUVs of all makes withToyota Landcruciers topping the list, followed by BMW’s and Isuzu twin cabs.
The poor were crammed in Zupco buses, most of them without number plates and looking almost new.
As if sensing the odd structure of the display of power, Mnangagw said: ‘”You are the bosses and we the servants, if you decide not to vote for us we will leave this place, so you are our boss.”
The rally was organised to campaign ahead of the March 26 by-elections.-standard
By A Correspondent- The government of Zimbabwe has informed all students who have left Ukraine to urgently get in touch with the government official in Poland.
The government has already dispatched an official to Poland to organise their stay in Poland and buy their tickets to Zimbabwe.
In a Twitter message, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Int Trade said,
“The Government wishes to inform all students who have left Ukraine to urgently get in touch with the government official in Poland. The government has already dispatched an official to Poland to organise their stay in Poland and buy their tickets to Zimbabwe.”
“All those who are stranded and wish to travel to Zimbabwe will be assisted.”
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) says it is weeding out corrupt employees following a scandal at toll gates in the Midlands where several employees were allegedly caught stealing from its coffers.
On Friday, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) said it had arrested more Zinara employees in Shurugwi that were involved in the alleged theft of $6.8 million from a tollgate.
“Two more Shurugwi tollgate employees (have been) arrested for fraud,” Zacc said on Twitter.
“Supervisors Lilian Svinurai and Peter Pikita are facing allegations of 234 counts of fraud involving $6,8 million.
“Seven other employees at the tollgate were arrested in 2021. ZACC remans unrelenting in fighting corruption in Zimbabwe.”
Zinara officials yesterday acknowledged the arrest of its former employees, who resigned during the investigations by ZACC and Zinara last year.
The officials said the organisation instituted thorough investigations after receiving a tip off from ZACC in 2021 that some employees stationed at the Flamingo tollgate in Gweru were abusing the Zinara prepaid cards.
“We are working closely and cordially with ZACC and last year they tipped us that there were some employees who were abusing our prepaid cards at Flamingo tollgate,” said the official.
“Our risk and loss control and audit departments instituted thorough investigations that resulted in 16 employees being brought before disciplinary hearings.
“Out of the 16 employees, 10 resigned before the hearings and six were dismissed based on the overwhelming evidence that showed that they were involved in fraudulent activities.
“We compiled a detailed report that we shared with ZACC as part of our collaborative efforts.”
Zinara has set up a full-fledged risk and loss control department to work closely with law enforcement agencies in tracking all reported cases of corruption within the organization.
Since its inception, the risk and loss control department has investigated several cases of corruption and shared its findings with ZACC for possible prosecution, the official said.
To enhance transparency and entrench a culture of accountability, it is understood that Zinara with technical assistance from ZACC has also set up an integrity committee to strengthen its systems in the fight against corruption.
Last week the new Zinara board led by George Manyaya said it was building a new institution that respects the ethos and tenets of good corporate governance.
The board said it had taken a bold stance against corruption and was enhancing Zinara’s ICT systems to reduce manual transactions which are usually prone to manipulation.-standard
By A Correspondent- Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has denied allegations of negligence by the mother of a four-year-old girl who died from severe burns while admitted at the health institution.
Catherine Charumbira alleged that staff at the Parirenyatwa neglected to attend to her child, Dephine Gwerevende, possibly causing her death a few days after she was admitted to the hospital.
Dephine, who was an ECD A pupil at Little Rider preschool in Tynwald suburb, sustained burns to 17 per cent of her body on Monday last week.
She accidentally tipped a pot of boiling water from a stove before slipping and rolling in the water resulting in burns on her back, arms and right leg.
Dephine’s mother said she was immediately rushed to Parirenyatwa Hospital where nurses put her on a drip and admitted her into the resuscitation room.
Charumbira alleged that thereafter, nursing staff at the hospital completely ignored Dephine who succumbed to her injuries on Friday morning.
She said nurses kept telling them they were looking for specialist doctors who deal with burns, and at one point, one of the nurses told her to go to a private hospital.
Charumbira said nurses only started attending to the child after they had made the call to a senior Government official.
However, Dephine’s condition continued to deteriorate in the coming days and despite doctors undertaking a procedure to drain bloody phlegm from around her chest area, on Friday, she died the same day around mid-morning.
Parirenyatwa Hospital spokesperson Linos Dhire denied allegations of negligence, saying a post-mortem and further investigations will help determine the cause of death. Said Dhire:
Indeed, the child was presented at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals as an emergency with burns on her back and the right leg.
She was taken straight to the resuscitation room where all critical emergencies are attended to.
A resuscitation room is an emergency Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and is not a waiting room, so she was not neglected.
That is the room where she received drip (intravenous fluids) and some pain killers.
A casualty doctor immediately examined the child to determine the extent of the injury and prescribed appropriate medication, which was given.
The same doctor referred the child to general surgeons for take-over.
General surgeons attended to the child on the same day and after further examinations referred the child to plastic surgeons.
The plastic surgeon on call attended to the child on the same day and ordered admission to the ward.
The child remained under close supervision in the resuscitation room when all the above doctors attended to her until she was taken to ward B8 (Burns Unit) at 12 am.
So she was moved to the wards after doctors were satisfied that she had stabilised.
As such, the child was not neglected but the extent and nature of the injuries may have predisposed her to complications.
We have notes detailing the whole process.-statemedia
By- Citizens of Gokwe On Saturday resisted efforts by the Zimbabwe Republic Police to disrupt a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) political rally.
The police fired tear smoke at thousands of the party supporters but failed to disrupt the event.
Commenting on the even CCC deputy spokesperson Gift “Ostallos” Siziba said they were humbled by the resilience shown by the people of Gokwe.
Siziba said CCC would not be intimidated as the opposition party is set to hold another rally in Kwekwe this Sunday.
He said:
By-Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) deputy spokesperson Gift “Ostallos” Siziba has saluted the people of Gokwe for defying the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)’s efforts to disrupt the party rally on Saturday
Heavily-armed police officers used water cannon, tear gas and batons to disperse CCC supporters in Gokwe, forcing the party’s leader, Nelson Chamisa, to shelve the rally.
Posting on Twitter, Siziba said CCC will not be intimidated as the opposition party is set to hold another rally in Kwekwe this Sunday.
He said:
By- Zanu PF is using the former MDC senior member Blessing Chebudo to denounce the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
Chebundo defected to Zanu PF last year, and Zanu PF has been parreding him on its rallies.
On Saturday, Chebundo was at a Zanu PF rally in Kwekwe where he was praised by the party’s vice President, Constantino Chiwenga while threatening violence on Chamisa.
Said Chiwenga:
I have heard others here saying down with triple C, let me assure you that there is nothing that it can achieve, you see how we crush lice with a stone.
You put it on a flat stone and then flatten it to the extent that even flies will not make a meal out of it.
You heard Blessing Chebundo speaking here, that people should not oppose for the sake of opposing.
You can’t oppose every time, even the best thing can’t be opposed, you opposing as who, we are as big as Goliath, we will see him when time is ripe.
By- President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga differed on violence at a Zanu PF rally held in Kwekwe on Saturday.
Chiwenga at the rally said they were going to unleash violence on Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) and prevent the opposition party from winning elections and attaining control of the State.
Chiwenga threatened to crush CCC like lice, likening the ruling party to the Biblical Goliath.
But speaking after Chiwenga’s threats to the opposition, President Emmerson Mnangagwa urged Zanu PF supporters to refrain from violence. He said:
It is undemocratic to be violent against democracy. The country is built by its owners.
It is, therefore, important for you in the coming by-elections to vote for the Zanu PF candidates because these are the owners of the country.
If you vote for the opposition, they won’t be able to develop this country because they are not the owners.
By- The police Saturday tear-gassed thousands of people who attended the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC)’s Gokwe rally.
This happened despite the High court ruling that the police should not disrupt the rally.
Lawyers representing CCC had filed an urgent application at the High Court after the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) purportedly cancelled the rally.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), CCC officials received a call on Friday requesting them to cancel their rally because President Emmerson Mnangagwa has his own rally in Kwekwe, 143 km away.
In court, ZRP accused CCC of lying that they had banned the opposition party rally saying “maybe, they’re no longer interested in proceeding with their own rally”.
ZLHR reported ZRP as saying they don’t even know anyone by the name Muza who purportedly called CCC banning the rally within its rank and file.
Justice Sylvia Chirau, Saturday morning made a finding that there is no proof that the rally has been cancelled by ZRP or is likely to be cancelled.
The Judge stated that what she has is “proof that the police have authorised the rally… that authorisation has not been withdrawn or cancelled. That authorisation remains extant”.
ZRP approved the CCC rally in a letter written by ZRP Officer-In-Charge Gokwe District, Chief Superintendent Chikono, addressed to the party’s Organising Secretary in Gokwe Central Constituency, Agnes Limbani Jumo.
The letter, dated 22 February, read in part:
It is your submission that you intend to conduct a by-election campaign launch rally at Open Space opposite Runganga Service Station, Gokwe South on the 26th day of February 2022 from 1000 hours to 1700 hours.
Your notification has been noted and this office does not have any reservations subject to the following;
a) You adhere to the stated date and times.
b) You ensure that you stick to the notified venue and avoid breaching public peace or interfering with the normal life or movement of other citizens.
c) No processions or toyi-toyi to be done before, during or after the rally.
d) Should you wish to make any changes, you shall have to re-notify.
e) The provisions of Section 7 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, Chapter 11:23 will be evoked if any of the conditions are violated.
f) You ensure that all proceedings are done within the confines of your mandate.
g) You adhere with due regards to the COVID-19 guidelines and ensure the gathering is not more than one hundred people and subjected to properly wearing of face masks, use of sanitisers, temperature screening and observing the social distancing.
By-Former Warriors and Caps United left-back Charles Yohane has finally been laid to rest at Zororo Memorial Park in Chitungwiza this Saturday.
Yohane was carjacked and murdered in cold blood in South Africa last week.
Speaking at the burial, coach Lloyd Chigove said Yohane showed his brilliance from a young age when he was still in primary school. Said Chigove:
When I talk of Charles I see one of my sons because I recruited him from Nharira Primary School and he was quite talented.
There was not much of naughtiness in him. Actually, he could be absent whilst present.
It was only when you get him in the field that’s when he would make his statement.
He had an artistic foot who was technically found player at an early age.
Former Warriors defender, Harlington Shereni, who played with Yohane in the same Warriors team in the same position, described the late footballer as humble and quiet. Shereni said:
You know, Charles he is the one who made me realise that even if you play the same position, you can play in the same team without any conflicts.
Whoever went to play that position delivers well. He had no problem with anyone.
He was humble and quiet, even if he was told that today you are on the bench, he would accept as it is.
Former Warriors captain and Manchester City striker Benjani Mwariwari also eulogized Yohane, describing him as quiet but competitive. He said:
We used to play snooker behind our complex in South Africa. He was a person who wanted to win all the time.
When he was playing, he was hard. Outside football he was quiet, but when we played football he was very competitive.
Madzibaba, as Yohane was known then by his fans, was part of the dominant Steve Kwashi coached Caps United class of 1996 that won the first League Championship for the club since Independence.
Yohane also starred for the Warriors when he scored in their 3-0 win over Sudan in Khartoum in 1997 in the AFCON 1998 qualifiers.
The late defender was a regular Warriors player and was part of the 2004 squad that qualified for their first-ever AFCON Tournament hosted by Tunisia.
By- Zimdancehall, musician Jaha Master has survived a car accident.
Rodney Mashandure, the musician, was involved in an accident while travelling from Chiredzi to Harare Friday night.
Jah Master had just had performed at Chideu Complex.
He was driving the City Hooper Car that he received when he became a brand ambassador for the BancABC company in May 2021.
The musician shared images of his damaged car captioned “Thank you God for saving us” on Facebook. The post has since been deleted.
Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday issued chilling threats against the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) saying the ruling party was ready to “crush the party like lice” to prevent its leader Nelson Chamisa from winning elections.
As if to lend credence to Chiwenga’s threats, opposition CCC supporters were being tear-gassed by police in Gokwe to prevent Chamisa from holding a campaign rally at Gokwe centre.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa was in Kwekwe at Mbizo stadium addressing a campaign rally where Chiwenga warned that the ruling party was unflinching in its resolve to ‘crush’ the CCC ‘like lice’.
“I have heard others here saying down with triple C, let me assure you that there is nothing that it can achieve, you see how we crush lice with a stone,” Chiwenga said.
“You put it on a flat stone and then flatten it to the extent that even flies will not make a meal out of it.”
Chiwenga said Zanu PF was as big as the biblical Goliath and would not allow Chamisa to seize State power in an election.
Ironically, the Biblical Goliath was felled by a young David with one stone.
“You heard Blessing Chebundo speaking here, that people should not oppose for the sake of opposing. You can’t oppose every time, even the best thing can’t be opposed, you opposing as who, we are as big as Goliath, we will see him when time is ripe,” Chiwenga warned.
Mnangagwa spoke out against violence after Chiwenga’s threats.
“It is undemocratic to be violent against democracy,” Mnangagwa warned.
“The country is built by its owners.
“It is, therefore, important for you in the coming by-elections to vote for the Zanu PF candidates because these are the owners of the country.
“If you vote for the opposition they won’t be able to develop this country because they are not the owners.”
As has become tradition, Zanu PF commandeered Zupco buses to ferry thousands of party supporters to welcome Mnangagwa in his home province where youths were treated to live music by hired artists.
Mbizo Stadium was filled to capacity and each person was given a flag, T-Shirt and cap as they entered the stadium.
Top leadership of the party arrived in fuel guzzling, brand new SUVs of all makes withToyota Landcruciers topping the list, followed by BMW’s and Isuzu twin cabs.
The poor were crammed in Zupco buses, most of them without number plates and looking almost new.
As if sensing the odd structure of the display of power, Mnangagwa said: ‘”You are the bosses and we the servants, if you decide not to vote for us we will leave this place, so you are our boss.”
The rally was organised to campaign ahead of the March 26 by-elections.
-The Standard
This CCC is trying to threaten us like a little Goliath, we shall see in the coming days, VP Chiwenga threatens https://t.co/qyPhlxlL78
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 26, 2022
Companies are growing business and creating new employment, says VP Chiwenga https://t.co/qyPhlxlL78
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 26, 2022
Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday issued chilling threats against the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) saying the ruling party was ready to “crush the party like lice” to prevent its leader Nelson Chamisa from winning elections.
As if to lend credence to Chiwenga’s threats, opposition CCC supporters were being tear-gassed by police in Gokwe to prevent Chamisa from holding a campaign rally at Gokwe centre.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa was in Kwekwe at Mbizo stadium addressing a campaign rally where Chiwenga warned that the ruling party was unflinching in its resolve to ‘crush’ the CCC ‘like lice’.
“I have heard others here saying down with triple C, let me assure you that there is nothing that it can achieve, you see how we crush lice with a stone,” Chiwenga said.
“You put it on a flat stone and then flatten it to the extent that even flies will not make a meal out of it.”
Chiwenga said Zanu PF was as big as the biblical Goliath and would not allow Chamisa to seize State power in an election.
Ironically, the Biblical Goliath was felled by a young David with one stone.
“You heard Blessing Chebundo speaking here, that people should not oppose for the sake of opposing. You can’t oppose every time, even the best thing can’t be opposed, you opposing as who, we are as big as Goliath, we will see him when time is ripe,” Chiwenga warned.
Mnangagwa spoke out against violence after Chiwenga’s threats.
“It is undemocratic to be violent against democracy,” Mnangagwa warned.
“The country is built by its owners.
“It is, therefore, important for you in the coming by-elections to vote for the Zanu PF candidates because these are the owners of the country.
“If you vote for the opposition they won’t be able to develop this country because they are not the owners.”
As has become tradition, Zanu PF commandeered Zupco buses to ferry thousands of party supporters to welcome Mnangagwa in his home province where youths were treated to live music by hired artists.
Mbizo Stadium was filled to capacity and each person was given a flag, T-Shirt and cap as they entered the stadium.
Top leadership of the party arrived in fuel guzzling, brand new SUVs of all makes withToyota Landcruciers topping the list, followed by BMW’s and Isuzu twin cabs.
The poor were crammed in Zupco buses, most of them without number plates and looking almost new.
As if sensing the odd structure of the display of power, Mnangagwa said: ‘”You are the bosses and we the servants, if you decide not to vote for us we will leave this place, so you are our boss.”
The rally was organised to campaign ahead of the March 26 by-elections. -Standard/Additional Reporting
By George Charamba | The recent rebranding of Chamisa’s faction of the Movement for Democratic Change to three Cs, Citizen’s Coalition for Change, amounts to nothing more than an attempted resale of age-old neo-colonial project through enticing visuals.
Historically, “colour revolutions” were sponsored and launched by the West in post-Soviet era, to colour a false brave new world which the seemingly triumphant West thought it could manufacture and sell the world.
Western sponsored anti-establishment movements mushroomed in Latin America and Asia. Their common DNA was the preponderance of colour over content; form, prop, presentation and personality over substance, policy, plan and programme. It is no wonder that both Presidents Putin and Xi of Russia and China respectively recently took a stance against this so-called “colour revolutions” across the world. Through Chamisa and his remade MDC faction, this same colour revolution has now washed up on Zimbabwe’s political shore.
All colour, sound and fury signifying nothing
Discerning Zimbabweans have not wasted time to notice. And also to find appropriately derisive epithets for laughing off those pretentious politics. The “nyaudzosingwi” (rhetorical flourish) and “haana plan” (he has no plan) verbal slap dealt Chamisa, including by his former colleague, Blessing Chebundo, are wholly apt, merited and characteristic of the utter contempt with which these politics have been received. Not helped by his twitter supporters whose only reposte to opposed, content-grounded arguments is a mere DOT.
A commentator recently quipped this DOT revolution amounted to frozen brains within opposition ranks. Chamisa himself admitted to this characteristic emptiness at his typically colourful Zimbabwe Grounds Rally. Many trawled in vain for direction and substance from him, only to meet a flashy dilettante or coxcomb of Dickensian “Bleak House” fame. What a way to behold the new, and to announce the arrival of a “newly” born!!
Yellow medium, message and noise.
At this inaugural rally all Chamisa delivered were boyish acrobatics and a garishly yellow slumber jacket. Colour was the sender, the medium, the message, the receiver and the noise, all rolled in one. Colour not in the Victorian colonial sense of skin pigmentation as a marker of racial worth and place in the social hierarchy. But colour as mere aesthetics, as decorative political proposition for mass distraction at a time of serious plebiscitary choice. Yes, colour to mask and prettify the empty and the ugly. And ugliness haunts Chamisa’s formation.
Bane more than boon
In history, the opposition’s feat of capturing virtually all the country’s municipalities since 2000, turned out more a bane than a boon. It was an ambiguous gain. Ambiguous in that it made the opposition a governing party at local, municipal level, while retaining it as a fracking opposition nationally. A doer and a critic all in one; a ruptured virgin, indeed an ageing sinner feigning righteousness of the unborn.
Probity deficit . . .
As a municipal governor, the opposition assumed the burden and responsibility to account to an angry ratepayer it poorly served and swindled. As a national opposition, it demanded the benefit of doubt, the impeccability of one who has never lived or governed! Today this ambiguity damns it. The incompetence and stupendous probity deficits it has delivered at gubernatorial level has turned our towns and cities into some all-round mess. By way of infrastructure, in service delivery terms, and by way of books of accounts it never writes at all, or cooks routinely. ZINARA funds-gate is illustrative. This appalling record at municipal level denies Chamisa the beauty of innocence he wishes for himself, and is claimed by opposition parties worldwide. The swindled voter cannot buy his claim to govern better than the ruling Zanu PF.
Ruling municipal party
Yet this bare fact is yet to registered on the mind of the youthful politician. Had it registered, he would have launched himself on anything but mere colour and histrionics. He would have known he faces an angry ratepayer who now demands a vision, a plan and a programme for alternative governance. And the word is ALTERNATIVE: not to Zanu PF or even the Rhodesia Front which Zanu PF toppled. But an alternative to himself, to his record since 2000 of messing up all municipalities in the country! If brutal truth be told, today and again in 2023, Chamisa runs against himself, against his appalling record as leader of a ‘ruling’ municipal party.
Zanu PF moves in to repair
And Zanu PF has wasted no time in nailing him. Not only has Zanu PF moved in to repair stupendous damages wrought by Chamisa from 2000 — wrought for over two decades; it has communicated this decadal mess as a peek into, and metaphor for, an unfortunate Zimbabwe under the colourful CCC!!!
Chamisa has no plan; only colour.
Chamisa has no worldview; only a finger gesture.
Opposing themselves
Much worse, Chamisa has no counterpoint to raise against charges he invited onto himself. To illustrate, I turn to my experience in debating him, his acolytes (he calls himself a messianic pastor!), his supporters and all those freelancing for his person (not cause, which he doesn’t have!) on the thoughtless Twitter platform. Quite often, they raise and post images of urban squalor and disrepair as evidence and props for attacking Zanu PF. Then you ask: so who dunnit? Only then does it dawn on them THEY DID! And they then either retreat from their boomerang props in ignominy. Or they just drop the legendary DOT of frozen intellect and reasoning-come-unstuck! Worse, they pile it all on Douglas Mwonzora, their bete noire! Mwonzora’s recall of their MPs and councillors has become a rescue to their decadal failures.
Save us from ourselves . . .
If all the above fail, they blame their myriad failures on Minister July Moyo who is in charge of Local Government!! Minister Moyo should have stopped us from swindling ratepayers, they lamely retort! Not only are they in denial and desperate for scapegoats; they wind up inadvertently conceding Zanu PF is the only fitting ruling Party which must oversee them, indeed restrain them from their venality. It can’t be worse! And as if to oblige, Minister July Moyo has since moved in to clean up the mess they wrought.
Yellow is no zeitgeist
A party readying itself to govern must be convincing. It must offer persuasive arguments, persuasive plans. It must make itself synonymous with national solutions and narratives. It must, in other words, create the zeitgeist — the defining mood and spirit of a particular period moulded by trending ideas, visions and arguments. Chamisa’s sickly yellow is no zeitgeist. Not even in the world of fashion! He lacks a marshalling argument. His supporters are all over, spectacularly arguing and running against themselves. And their leader!
Paying tribute to rival Zanu PF
As a launching political statement, Zimbabwe Grounds was an unmitigated disaster. Chamisa’s CCC ran a tweet that said the party would be launched at Zimbabwe Grounds, WHERE IT ALL BEGAN! What began at Zimbabwe Grounds in 1980! The story of Zimbabwe’s march to freedom through the watershed 1980 election which Zanu PF won resoundingly. Why would Chamisa do this to himself? This backhanded tribute to the rival Zanu PF party was quite baffling, even to us who work in the ruling party’s ideological kitchen. Why would Chamisa pay such glorious tribute to his rival? Chamisa cannot chant incantations that revive the ghost of 1980 without suffering self-relegation and irrelevance. After all, he was still in the womb while those he contests for power had survived and come back from a brutal war which gave birth to the Nation he now aspires to govern.
Having omelette without breaking egg
Two more gaffes compounded this monumental blunder. At Zimbabwe Grounds, Chamisa announced he NOW supported land reforms, even as he decried the methodology of those reforms. In claiming support for an end-state whose painful mechanism he opposed, he hoped to have an omelette without breaking the egg. But more damned him. His new position meant before Zimbabwe Grounds, he opposed Land Reforms! Which is to say he favoured occupation of Zimbabwe‘s Land by a colonial white landed aristocracy.
When Zanu PF forces
Chamisa’s hand
The question which he himself invited by that uncalled for, ill-fated disclosure was: what brought about this volte face? He left this enquiry an open-ended, thus giving Zanu PF the political license to fill the gap. And Zanu PF did: it was the sheer completeness, the sheer irreversibility and success of Zanu PF’s Land Reform Programme which had forced him to come to terms with a programme he opposed until now! Another ringing endorsement of Zanu PF as the only fitting ruling Party! I don’t need to remind you, gentle reader, that by raising and affirming Land Reforms, Chamisa was firmly orbiting in Zanu PF’s zeitgeist! Serious aspiring governors don’t react, even then 22 years later; they act and write a new, alternative script. In real time too!!!
Romancing Smith’s notorious DAs
I said two gaffes. Here is the second one. To communicate its changed position on Zanu PF’s Land Reform Policy, CCC produced a graphic of men in arms. The hope was to dock the party’s volte face in a milieu of armed militancy led and prosecuted by Zanu PF. He sought to engraft CCC on Zanu PF’s historical stem, unashamedly! Except the graphics used showed Ian Smith’s surrogate all-African askari army: the notorious DAs or District Assistants. Anyone old enough to have experienced the war immediately recoiled at this outrage from a party already facing charges of being a political project of white Rhodesia’s embittered landed gentry. Why would Chamisa’s ideologues get it so awfully wrong, and in a manner which validated charges of their Rhodesian political paternity and ancestry? Can a party which mischaracterises a Nation’s founding process ever be trusted to govern, let alone defend that Nation’s interest? Try and imagine the British Labour Party confusing Churchill’s army with that of Hitler! -Sunday Mail
Emmerson Mnangagwa said constitutional provisions have been made to allocate 10 proportional seats for young people since they constitute the majority of the country’s population.
This follows the constitutional amendments proposed by the Government that will culminate in the scrapping of the concept of running mates in Presidential elections and the extension of the women’s quota system by another 10 years after the 2023 elections.
Addressing multitudes of Zanu-PF supporters during a Presidential Star Rally at Mbizo Stadium in Kwekwe ahead of the March 26 National Assembly and local authorities by-elections yesterday, President Mnangagwa said the youths were the future of the country.
Multitudes of Zanu-PF supporters greet President Mnangagwa (right) at a Presidential Star Rally at Mbizo Stadium in Kwekwe yesterday
“As Zanu-PF, we want our children, the youths to know how the country is governed and so have created 10 extra seats for the youths in Parliament.
We have created 10 extra seats so that they are in Parliament,” said President Mnangagwa amid cheers and ululations from party supporters.
He said he was called for a workshop in Victoria Falls by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Cde July Moyo who told him that women wanted their representation quota in local authorities increased as well.
“So the women stood and said there were few of them in local authorities. I said to them, so vote for women councillors. But they argued that in Parliament we have more women quotas and asked why they didn’t have such a privilege in local authorities.
So we agreed that each council will reserve 30 percent quota for women. So you can see how focused the Second Republic is. This Second Republic is a Zanu-PF Government,” said President Mnangagwa.
President Mnangagwa said the Second Republic was being led by a focused and listening party that was pushing people oriented programmes.
“We are a listening Presidency, we are a listening party as we listen and find solutions for our people. We have programmes for the youths as you know that the future of the country lies in the hands of the youths.
The future of the country are the youths. So as the Second Republic we value the girl child, we value all the youths.
We have the Women’s Empowerment Bank for women. We are working on making a better future for the women and the youths,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF cherishes peace, love and unity for the development of the country.
“We are averse, we are against violence. Our DNA is peace and love and unity, we are not like those (opposition) who are saying that if they lose the 2023 Presidential election, they will resort to violence.
I laughed at that. Promising violence because you have lost. Democracy speaks of accepting the popular vote. So undemocratic to be violent against democracy. May I repeat, it’s undemocratic to be violent against democracy,” he said.
Added the President, “I heard one called (Tendai Biti) saying that when they get into power, they will reverse the successes of the land reform by giving back the land to white people.
“There is nothing like that, that will not happen. Nothing like that will happen.
If you are his relative go and advise him to brew beer so that the evil spirits that has visited him depart. The soil we have taken and we will never return it.”
President Mnangagwa said in spite of empty threats by the opposition leader, Zanu-PF will continue to focus on building the nation brick upon brick and stone upon stone.
“So we are here to talk and encourage each other to go and vote for Zanu-PF candidates in the National Assembly and council by-elections.
You tell those at home that I said voting is not a difficult task.
“For us to protect our legacy as a liberation party, let’s go and vote for Zanu-PF. It is the only party that keeps and maintains the people’s legacy,” he said.
President Mnangagwa explained that the Second Republic had raised US$460 million for the revival of Ziscosteel, adding that Kwekwe and Redcliff will also be revived for the benefit of locals and the country at large. -Sunday Mail
Tinashe Sambiri|Citizens’ Coalition For Change( Namibia) has pointed out that ZEC is failing to perform its duties in line with expected constitutional principles.
In a statement on Saturday morning, CCC Namibia said ZEC must be disbanded…
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) must be disbanded:Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia echoes!
26 February 2022
Citizens Coalition For Change Namibia(CCC) comprehends that the constitutional functions of the purported independent body ZEC are as follows: 1)Preparing for conducting and supervising all elections in Zimbabwe and referendums.2)Ensuring that elections are free, fair, transparent, credible and perfect in accordance with the law.
This however, has not transpired as Yellow Revolutionaries and other stakeholders claim that the institution is biased in favour of Zanupf serial elections fraudsters. Our message is very clear, ZEC should religiously follow the constitution in the country by ensuring that elections are free, fair and credible.
Multiple irregularities from ZEC in terms of directing and controlling voter registration become a clear testament that the organisation does not respect the constitution of the country. It has dismally failed to direct and control voter registration since the inception of the democratic project then led by the late Icon Dr Morgan Tsvangirai, may his dear soul rest in power. The country has experienced voter apathy because ZEC does not conduct voter education to lure virgin voters and the obvious reason is their empathy to the unpopular Harare regime.Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC)Namibia demands that releasing voters rolls and registers should be done within the confines of the supreme law. We absolutely condemn the excess rigging through the capture of the body.
Moreover, Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia alleges ZEC of providing inaccurate, inadequate and biased information to the electorate favouring the incumbent party. It must be clear to the citizenry that the operations of the body should be in compliance with the ZEC Act which has been abandoned taking instructions straight from the Shake Shake Building! We demand an independent body that represents and protects the will of the people. In short ZEC must be disbanded for abusing the constitution.
Against its mandate to keep the public informed about preparations of elections, ZEC has chosen to ignore the masses.
There is no voter registration campaign launched by ZEC, the registration centres remain hidden and inaccessible from the general populace which is a deliberate ploy to promote voter apathy.Before the registration blitz was launched in February, only 63 registration centres out of the expected 2000 were pathetic for an election body that claims to be independent from the Harare regime. Results of votes are always a challenge and all matters concerning the work of the commission are questionable. In 2008, the poll results took a month and a half before they are published which is quite satanic in a democracy.
On numerous occasions the ZEC has been dubbed captured by the clueless Zanupf and their independence questioned by the alternatives as well as international independent media. ZEC never condemned Zanupf political violence and intimidation of voters prior and post elections. Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia believes that the June 2008 elections
could not be conducted fairly due to high levels of torture and forced disappearances. We believe that the violence was state- sponsored, and in most cases they are sponsored by the state militia. We are seriously condemning this tomfoolery.
Furthermore, Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia would like to warn members of the police, Zimbabwe National Army,and prison officers to resist being compelled to vote for Zanupf thugocrats. We absolutely blame Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC )for completely failing to condemn public confessions among Zanupf officials that Mr Mnangagwa will continue to rule regardless of electoral results, which has energised counterfeit war veterans and poor Zanupf youths to provoke politically motivated violence. The defence minister Oppah Muchinguri made it clear that elections do not have any ritualistic aspect to transform Zimbabwe since Zanupf thugs will not give away power to the Yellow Marine astute leader President Advocate Nelson Chamisa even if he wins in 2023. This must be resisted with all the reserved energy and determination.
Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia also believes that the commission has failed to conduct it’s duties of regulating efficiently since it didn’t act on the bias, such as the censored state-run Herald newspaper, which they are required to exercise in their mandate.
The captured media is wholely one-sided and subjective in favour of Zanupf and the current president. We totally blame ZEC for publishing incorrect figures of registered voters, inciting racial, religious and political hatred among citizens. We also want to applaud Team paChedu for unearthing the shenanigans of the compromised Zimbabwe Electoral Commission who are busy transferring voters without their consent. This attempt to rig the will of the people shall be exposed and challenged before the by-elections in March.
In a nutshell, Citizens Coalition For Change Namibia urges all social democrats across the globe to put pressure on ZEC as a way of forcing ZEC to bring comprehensive political and electoral reforms. We should push for more registration centres and these must be accessible as well. It is unexpected that citizens struggle to register to vote in an independent country.
As a district, we encourage the downtrodden teachers, nurses, doctors and the rest of the civil service to take voting seriously. Usually, civil servants are deployed are polling officers and they are deliberately displaced from their polling stations as a result they are denied their fundamental right to vote. We reiterate that voting is part of independence! Civil servants should participate in voting so that they transfigure their livelihoods by voting for the change that delivers.#YellowSaturdayInGokwe.
Citizens Coalition For Change ( CCC)Namibia
Rundu Branch Spokesperson
Robson Ruhanya
Inside Fourth Chimurenga
By Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
26.02.2022
The People’s President and Commander of the Fourth Chimurenga, Advocate Nelson Chamisa today led from the front in Gokwe as people power once again reigned supreme over state machinery.
With the police barring the People’s President from addressing the citizens, President Chamisa pulled a first and still addressed the citizens through action.
A public appearance at Metro Peach Wholesalers by President Chamisa send citizens who looked dejected because of rally ban into wild frenzy.
All the citizens wanted was a glimpse of their man, but for strange reasons the police responded by throwing tear gas canisters and spraying citizens with poisoned water.
Much to his credit, the People’s President did not waver. He proceeded right through the tear smoke to address thousands of Gokwe citizens, not by words but through action.
Non verbal communication and non violent action was on display!
President Chamisa simply walked side by side with the citizens -no word but just waving his index fingers to which the citizens responded with ululation and jubilation.
Not even tear smoke could deter the Fourth Chimurenga battle at Gokwe Centre!
If there was any ounce of doubt from some Thomases about the readiness President Chamisa to govern, those doubts were put to bed today.
The President is ripe and ready to lead!
A New Great Zimbabwe is loading.
Jordan Zemura says he will not be affected by his contract situation at Bournemouth.
The Zimbabwean defender entered the final six months of his deal, and talks for a new contract were suspended in December to avoid any distraction on the player’s performances.
His performance at Cherries has seen him linked with EPL sides Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Leicester City.
Zemura, who made his debut in the Carabao Cup in September 2020, has made 22 appearances for the club this season, scoring three goals.
Asked if his contract situation had been on his mind, Zemura told the Daily Echo: “No, not at all. At the end of the day, I think the gaffer was right.
“When we had the chat about it, it’s true, I’m still so young.
“So having talks about something like that is a bit like, ‘what do I worry about? Do I worry about this?’.
“So, for me, I just listen to the gaffer. I’ve listened to him since he’s first to come in and just left it. Whatever comes, we’ll just revisit it when we need to.
“But right now it’s about playing and getting the job done.”- Soccer24 Zimbabwe
Credit: World Health Organization
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Why does WHO consider air pollution a major public health emergency? If you live in areas with high levels of air pollution, does COVID-19 impact you differently? Hello and welcome to Science in 5, I’m Vismita Gupta-Smith. We are talking to Dr. Maria Neira today.
Welcome, Maria. Maria, let’s start with why does WHO consider air pollution a major public health emergency?
Dr Maria Neira
Hello, everyone. Well, when you have more than 7 million premature deaths every year, every single year associated with exposure to air pollution, I’m sure that everybody agrees that this is a major public health issue. Actually, nine out of every 10 people around the world, particularly those living in cities, are breathing air that is not consistent with what WHO considers the good standards according to our air quality guidelines for breathing and still be healthy. And, you know, for many years, we thought and most of the diseases linked to exposure to air pollution were considered only to be affecting our respiratory system. And this is still true. Very much. Exposure to air pollution is responsible for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, lung cancer, pneumonia, name it. But in addition to that, we know now that these toxic particles will come to our lungs and from there to the bloodstream will reach our cardiovascular system and then be responsible for ischemic heart diseases, for neurological disorders, for stroke, for neurological problems as well in general and reproductive system issues. So, as you can imagine, all of those reasons tell us consider that air pollution is one of the biggest public health issues we are confronting today.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Maria, if a person is living in a highly polluted environment where whether air pollution levels are very high. Does COVID-19 impact them differently?
Dr Maria Neira
Yes, we have now more and more scientific evidence. One reason is that exposure, long term exposure to air pollution will affect your immune system and therefore will make you more susceptible to any type of respiratory diseases. And obviously, COVID-19 is a respiratory disease. In addition to that, we know that exposure to air pollution will increase the risk for chronic diseases like cardiopulmonary, like metabolic diseases, diabetes. And we all know now that those diseases are the so-called co-morbidities that will increase the risk for more severity and even later outcome if you are a patient with COVID-19. So, yes.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Maria, when we think about air pollution, it seems like the scale is so big and what can we do to reduce it? Share with us some examples of initiatives that governments and organizations took, which actually reduced air pollution.
Dr Maria Neira
Well, clearly the best way to reduce air pollution will be stop burning fossil fuels. I mean, that combustion of the fossil fuels is contributing not only to climate change, but to generate this high level of pollutants that then end up in our lungs. So changing that policy around which source of energy we are using will be one of the most effective. Legislation, go for enforcing the air quality guidelines of WHO. But if we go to concrete measures, of course at the city level, you have measures now going for change in the transport, the public transport system they have, promoting more sustainable ways of public transport, reducing the use of private cars, going for more efficient energy use of our buildings, making sure that they reduce the traffic congestion in certain areas. And we can see that all of those measures are immediate. They have immediate positive outcomes. Obviously, as an individual, the best you can do is to put pressure on your politicians, on your mayors. Make sure that there are systems to monitor the air quality that you are breathing every day in your city. And by doing so, ensuring that measures are taken at the political level. If the situation on air pollution is really bad, if we take measures, there is optimism. You can see that in European countries, for instance, or North America, the situation improved very much in the last 20 years. We are still far in other parts of the world and we still need to put in place measures on sustainable transport, a clean and modern use of energy sources and all our way of consuming, recycling. And therefore we will be able to tackle this huge problem of air pollution. Tackling the causes of climate change will bring enormous benefits as well on reducing the causes of air pollution and therefore contributing enormously to our health.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Thank you, Maria, for explaining this link, this interconnectedness between our health and that of the planet. Thank you very much. That was Science in 5 today. Until next time then. Stay healthy, stay safe and stick with science…
Source: World Health Organization
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Mnangagwa afraid of Chamisa’s popularity and resorts to violence.
Police disrespected court order issued by high court to allow CCC rally.
26 February 2022
Wezhira Munya
Zimbabwe Police fire live ammunition to disperse thousands of Citizens Coalition for Change supporters who had attend rally at Gokwe centre today.
(See vedio attached: showing police firing live bullets)
Thousands of CCC supporters ran for their dear lives as Police set their vicious dogs on them.
President Chamisa was expected to address his supporters today.
Contrary, Mnangagwa addressed thousands of bused supporters to attend his rally in Kwekwe about 170kms away from Chamisa’s rally.
Jordan Zemura says he will not be affected by his contract situation at Bournemouth.
The Zimbabwean defender entered the final six months of his deal, and talks for a new contract were suspended in December to avoid any distraction on the player’s performances.
His performance at Cherries has seen him linked with EPL sides Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Leicester City.
Zemura, who made his debut in the Carabao Cup in September 2020, has made 22 appearances for the club this season, scoring three goals.
Asked if his contract situation had been on his mind, Zemura told the Daily Echo: “No, not at all. At the end of the day, I think the gaffer was right.
“When we had the chat about it, it’s true, I’m still so young.
“So having talks about something like that is a bit like, ‘what do I worry about? Do I worry about this?’.
“So, for me, I just listen to the gaffer. I’ve listened to him since he’s first to come in and just left it. Whatever comes, we’ll just revisit it when we need to.
“But right now it’s about playing and getting the job done.”- Soccer24 Zimbabwe
The country’s senior men national team, the Warriors, will not take part in the upcoming Afcon 2023 qualifiers, after FIFA banned Zimbabwe from international competitions for government interference in the running of the game.
Fifa took the decision to sanction Zimbabwe yesterday and ordered the suspended Felton Kamambo-led Zifa board to be reinstated for the ban to be lifted.
“We had to suspend two of our member associations; Kenya and Zimbabwe for government interference in the activities of the football associations,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
“So the football associations are suspended from all football activities with immediate effect and they know what needs to be done before they are re-admitted,” he added.
In response, SRC Chairman Gerald Mlotshwa scoffed at the sanction, insisting Kamambo and company will not be reinstated.
“Pending any such compromise, the ZIFA Executive Committee and the General Secretary shall
remain suspended. The various matters pending before the Courts in Zimbabwe shall continue
as shall the criminal proceedings and all other actions focused on restructuring football in our
country,” Mlotshwa said in a statement.
“Domestic football will continue in Zimbabwe. It will be supported fully by the SRC, as has been
the demonstrable case thus far.
ZIFA will return to the “FIFA Family” when it is in a condition fit to do so,” he added.
The sanction, as well as the refusal of the SRC to reinstate the suspended Zifa board, means the Warriors will not take part in the upcoming Afcon 2023 qualifiers scheduled to start in March.- Soccer24 Zimbabwe
Tinashe Sambiri|The Citizens’ Coalition For Change Diaspora Network has put in place measures to rescue Zimbabweans trapped in Ukraine.
Russian troops attacked Ukraine on Thursday.
The Citizens’ Coalition For Change Diaspora Network is also providing food to Zimbabweans in Ukraine.
Read statement below:
CCC Diaspora Network for Change
Our team on their way to the border to collect those arriving, a lot of traffic coming from the border.
Look for our Zim Flag when you arrive! We are waiting for you, accomodation and food will be provided after arrival.
A very important message from our team, please listen carefully and share widely.
Currently we are attending to all Zimbabweans in Ukraine! Call/WhatsApp +4915736995414.
We are offering help 24hrs!
This is what the border looks like right now!
We won’t rest untill every Zimbabwean is safe.
Tinashe Sambiri|Citizens’ Coalition For Change( Namibia) has pointed out that ZEC is failing to perform its duties in line with expected constitutional principles.
In a statement on Saturday morning, CCC Namibia said ZEC must be disbanded…
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) must be disbanded:Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia echoes!
26 February 2022
Citizens Coalition For Change Namibia(CCC) comprehends that the constitutional functions of the purported independent body ZEC are as follows: 1)Preparing for conducting and supervising all elections in Zimbabwe and referendums.2)Ensuring that elections are free, fair, transparent, credible and perfect in accordance with the law.
This however, has not transpired as Yellow Revolutionaries and other stakeholders claim that the institution is biased in favour of Zanupf serial elections fraudsters. Our message is very clear, ZEC should religiously follow the constitution in the country by ensuring that elections are free, fair and credible.
Multiple irregularities from ZEC in terms of directing and controlling voter registration become a clear testament that the organisation does not respect the constitution of the country. It has dismally failed to direct and control voter registration since the inception of the democratic project then led by the late Icon Dr Morgan Tsvangirai, may his dear soul rest in power. The country has experienced voter apathy because ZEC does not conduct voter education to lure virgin voters and the obvious reason is their empathy to the unpopular Harare regime.Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC)Namibia demands that releasing voters rolls and registers should be done within the confines of the supreme law. We absolutely condemn the excess rigging through the capture of the body.
Moreover, Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia alleges ZEC of providing inaccurate, inadequate and biased information to the electorate favouring the incumbent party. It must be clear to the citizenry that the operations of the body should be in compliance with the ZEC Act which has been abandoned taking instructions straight from the Shake Shake Building! We demand an independent body that represents and protects the will of the people. In short ZEC must be disbanded for abusing the constitution.
Against its mandate to keep the public informed about preparations of elections, ZEC has chosen to ignore the masses.
There is no voter registration campaign launched by ZEC, the registration centres remain hidden and inaccessible from the general populace which is a deliberate ploy to promote voter apathy.Before the registration blitz was launched in February, only 63 registration centres out of the expected 2000 were pathetic for an election body that claims to be independent from the Harare regime. Results of votes are always a challenge and all matters concerning the work of the commission are questionable. In 2008, the poll results took a month and a half before they are published which is quite satanic in a democracy.
On numerous occasions the ZEC has been dubbed captured by the clueless Zanupf and their independence questioned by the alternatives as well as international independent media. ZEC never condemned Zanupf political violence and intimidation of voters prior and post elections. Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia believes that the June 2008 elections
could not be conducted fairly due to high levels of torture and forced disappearances. We believe that the violence was state- sponsored, and in most cases they are sponsored by the state militia. We are seriously condemning this tomfoolery.
Furthermore, Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia would like to warn members of the police, Zimbabwe National Army,and prison officers to resist being compelled to vote for Zanupf thugocrats. We absolutely blame Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC )for completely failing to condemn public confessions among Zanupf officials that Mr Mnangagwa will continue to rule regardless of electoral results, which has energised counterfeit war veterans and poor Zanupf youths to provoke politically motivated violence. The defence minister Oppah Muchinguri made it clear that elections do not have any ritualistic aspect to transform Zimbabwe since Zanupf thugs will not give away power to the Yellow Marine astute leader President Advocate Nelson Chamisa even if he wins in 2023. This must be resisted with all the reserved energy and determination.
Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia also believes that the commission has failed to conduct it’s duties of regulating efficiently since it didn’t act on the bias, such as the censored state-run Herald newspaper, which they are required to exercise in their mandate.
The captured media is wholely one-sided and subjective in favour of Zanupf and the current president. We totally blame ZEC for publishing incorrect figures of registered voters, inciting racial, religious and political hatred among citizens. We also want to applaud Team paChedu for unearthing the shenanigans of the compromised Zimbabwe Electoral Commission who are busy transferring voters without their consent. This attempt to rig the will of the people shall be exposed and challenged before the by-elections in March.
In a nutshell, Citizens Coalition For Change Namibia urges all social democrats across the globe to put pressure on ZEC as a way of forcing ZEC to bring comprehensive political and electoral reforms. We should push for more registration centres and these must be accessible as well. It is unexpected that citizens struggle to register to vote in an independent country.
As a district, we encourage the downtrodden teachers, nurses, doctors and the rest of the civil service to take voting seriously. Usually, civil servants are deployed are polling officers and they are deliberately displaced from their polling stations as a result they are denied their fundamental right to vote. We reiterate that voting is part of independence! Civil servants should participate in voting so that they transfigure their livelihoods by voting for the change that delivers.#YellowSaturdayInGokwe.
Citizens Coalition For Change ( CCC)Namibia
Rundu Branch Spokesperson
Robson Ruhanya
By Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
President Chamisa Takes Fourth Chimurenga To Gokwe
26.02.2022
The People’s President and Commander of the Fourth Chimurenga, Advocate Nelson Chamisa today led from the front in Gokwe as people power once again reigned supreme over state machinery.
With the police barring the People’s President from addressing the citizens, President Chamisa pulled a first and still addressed the citizens through action.
A public appearance at Metro Peach Wholesalers by President Chamisa send citizens who looked dejected because of rally ban into wild frenzy.
All the citizens wanted was a glimpse of their man, but for strange reasons the police responded by throwing tear gas canisters and spraying citizens with poisoned water.
Much to his credit, the People’s President did not waver. He proceeded right through the tear smoke to address thousands of Gokwe citizens, not by words but through action.
Non verbal communication and non violent action was on display!
President Chamisa simply walked side by side with the citizens -no word but just waving his index fingers to which the citizens responded with ululation and jubilation.
Not even tear smoke could deter the Fourth Chimurenga battle at Gokwe Centre!
If there was any ounce of doubt from some Thomases about the readiness President Chamisa to govern, those doubts were put to bed today.
The President is ripe and ready to lead!
A New Great Zimbabwe is loading.
Credit: World Health Organization
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Why does WHO consider air pollution a major public health emergency? If you live in areas with high levels of air pollution, does COVID-19 impact you differently? Hello and welcome to Science in 5, I’m Vismita Gupta-Smith. We are talking to Dr. Maria Neira today.
Welcome, Maria. Maria, let’s start with why does WHO consider air pollution a major public health emergency?
Dr Maria Neira
Hello, everyone. Well, when you have more than 7 million premature deaths every year, every single year associated with exposure to air pollution, I’m sure that everybody agrees that this is a major public health issue. Actually, nine out of every 10 people around the world, particularly those living in cities, are breathing air that is not consistent with what WHO considers the good standards according to our air quality guidelines for breathing and still be healthy. And, you know, for many years, we thought and most of the diseases linked to exposure to air pollution were considered only to be affecting our respiratory system. And this is still true. Very much. Exposure to air pollution is responsible for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, lung cancer, pneumonia, name it. But in addition to that, we know now that these toxic particles will come to our lungs and from there to the bloodstream will reach our cardiovascular system and then be responsible for ischemic heart diseases, for neurological disorders, for stroke, for neurological problems as well in general and reproductive system issues. So, as you can imagine, all of those reasons tell us consider that air pollution is one of the biggest public health issues we are confronting today.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Maria, if a person is living in a highly polluted environment where whether air pollution levels are very high. Does COVID-19 impact them differently?
Dr Maria Neira
Yes, we have now more and more scientific evidence. One reason is that exposure, long term exposure to air pollution will affect your immune system and therefore will make you more susceptible to any type of respiratory diseases. And obviously, COVID-19 is a respiratory disease. In addition to that, we know that exposure to air pollution will increase the risk for chronic diseases like cardiopulmonary, like metabolic diseases, diabetes. And we all know now that those diseases are the so-called co-morbidities that will increase the risk for more severity and even later outcome if you are a patient with COVID-19. So, yes.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Maria, when we think about air pollution, it seems like the scale is so big and what can we do to reduce it? Share with us some examples of initiatives that governments and organizations took, which actually reduced air pollution.
Dr Maria Neira
Well, clearly the best way to reduce air pollution will be stop burning fossil fuels. I mean, that combustion of the fossil fuels is contributing not only to climate change, but to generate this high level of pollutants that then end up in our lungs. So changing that policy around which source of energy we are using will be one of the most effective. Legislation, go for enforcing the air quality guidelines of WHO. But if we go to concrete measures, of course at the city level, you have measures now going for change in the transport, the public transport system they have, promoting more sustainable ways of public transport, reducing the use of private cars, going for more efficient energy use of our buildings, making sure that they reduce the traffic congestion in certain areas. And we can see that all of those measures are immediate. They have immediate positive outcomes. Obviously, as an individual, the best you can do is to put pressure on your politicians, on your mayors. Make sure that there are systems to monitor the air quality that you are breathing every day in your city. And by doing so, ensuring that measures are taken at the political level. If the situation on air pollution is really bad, if we take measures, there is optimism. You can see that in European countries, for instance, or North America, the situation improved very much in the last 20 years. We are still far in other parts of the world and we still need to put in place measures on sustainable transport, a clean and modern use of energy sources and all our way of consuming, recycling. And therefore we will be able to tackle this huge problem of air pollution. Tackling the causes of climate change will bring enormous benefits as well on reducing the causes of air pollution and therefore contributing enormously to our health.
Vismita Gupta-Smith
Thank you, Maria, for explaining this link, this interconnectedness between our health and that of the planet. Thank you very much. That was Science in 5 today. Until next time then. Stay healthy, stay safe and stick with science…
Source: World Health Organization
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
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Tinashe Sambiri|Suspected Zanu PF hooligans hurled missiles at Citizens’ Coalition For Change member John Mupanduki on Friday night.
The suspected Zanu PF hooligans also reportedly threatened to harm Mupanduki physically.
“A group of suspected Zanu PF hooligans threw stones at John Mupanduki’s house at Nyika Growth point last night.
He pressed the alarm button prompting the Fawcett reaction team to rush to the house.
The hooligans then ran away. We suspect Zanu PF agents want to harm our members,” a source told ZimEye.com.
Mupanduki was abducted by suspected government agents at the beginning of the year and he was also arrested for seeking police protection.
Tinashe Sambiri|Citizens’ Coalition For Change( Namibia) has pointed out that ZEC is failing to perform its duties in line with expected constitutional principles.
In a statement on Saturday morning, CCC Namibia said ZEC must be disbanded…
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) must be disbanded:Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia echoes!
26 February 2022
Citizens Coalition For Change Namibia(CCC) comprehends that the constitutional functions of the purported independent body ZEC are as follows: 1)Preparing for conducting and supervising all elections in Zimbabwe and referendums.2)Ensuring that elections are free, fair, transparent, credible and perfect in accordance with the law.
This however, has not transpired as Yellow Revolutionaries and other stakeholders claim that the institution is biased in favour of Zanupf serial elections fraudsters. Our message is very clear, ZEC should religiously follow the constitution in the country by ensuring that elections are free, fair and credible.
Multiple irregularities from ZEC in terms of directing and controlling voter registration become a clear testament that the organisation does not respect the constitution of the country. It has dismally failed to direct and control voter registration since the inception of the democratic project then led by the late Icon Dr Morgan Tsvangirai, may his dear soul rest in power. The country has experienced voter apathy because ZEC does not conduct voter education to lure virgin voters and the obvious reason is their empathy to the unpopular Harare regime.Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC)Namibia demands that releasing voters rolls and registers should be done within the confines of the supreme law. We absolutely condemn the excess rigging through the capture of the body.
Moreover, Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia alleges ZEC of providing inaccurate, inadequate and biased information to the electorate favouring the incumbent party. It must be clear to the citizenry that the operations of the body should be in compliance with the ZEC Act which has been abandoned taking instructions straight from the Shake Shake Building! We demand an independent body that represents and protects the will of the people. In short ZEC must be disbanded for abusing the constitution.
Against its mandate to keep the public informed about preparations of elections, ZEC has chosen to ignore the masses.
There is no voter registration campaign launched by ZEC, the registration centres remain hidden and inaccessible from the general populace which is a deliberate ploy to promote voter apathy.Before the registration blitz was launched in February, only 63 registration centres out of the expected 2000 were pathetic for an election body that claims to be independent from the Harare regime. Results of votes are always a challenge and all matters concerning the work of the commission are questionable. In 2008, the poll results took a month and a half before they are published which is quite satanic in a democracy.
On numerous occasions the ZEC has been dubbed captured by the clueless Zanupf and their independence questioned by the alternatives as well as international independent media. ZEC never condemned Zanupf political violence and intimidation of voters prior and post elections. Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia believes that the June 2008 elections
could not be conducted fairly due to high levels of torture and forced disappearances. We believe that the violence was state- sponsored, and in most cases they are sponsored by the state militia. We are seriously condemning this tomfoolery.
Furthermore, Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia would like to warn members of the police, Zimbabwe National Army,and prison officers to resist being compelled to vote for Zanupf thugocrats. We absolutely blame Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC )for completely failing to condemn public confessions among Zanupf officials that Mr Mnangagwa will continue to rule regardless of electoral results, which has energised counterfeit war veterans and poor Zanupf youths to provoke politically motivated violence. The defence minister Oppah Muchinguri made it clear that elections do not have any ritualistic aspect to transform Zimbabwe since Zanupf thugs will not give away power to the Yellow Marine astute leader President Advocate Nelson Chamisa even if he wins in 2023. This must be resisted with all the reserved energy and determination.
Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC) Namibia also believes that the commission has failed to conduct it’s duties of regulating efficiently since it didn’t act on the bias, such as the censored state-run Herald newspaper, which they are required to exercise in their mandate.
The captured media is wholely one-sided and subjective in favour of Zanupf and the current president. We totally blame ZEC for publishing incorrect figures of registered voters, inciting racial, religious and political hatred among citizens. We also want to applaud Team paChedu for unearthing the shenanigans of the compromised Zimbabwe Electoral Commission who are busy transferring voters without their consent. This attempt to rig the will of the people shall be exposed and challenged before the by-elections in March.
In a nutshell, Citizens Coalition For Change Namibia urges all social democrats across the globe to put pressure on ZEC as a way of forcing ZEC to bring comprehensive political and electoral reforms. We should push for more registration centres and these must be accessible as well. It is unexpected that citizens struggle to register to vote in an independent country.
As a district, we encourage the downtrodden teachers, nurses, doctors and the rest of the civil service to take voting seriously. Usually, civil servants are deployed are polling officers and they are deliberately displaced from their polling stations as a result they are denied their fundamental right to vote. We reiterate that voting is part of independence! Civil servants should participate in voting so that they transfigure their livelihoods by voting for the change that delivers.#YellowSaturdayInGokwe.
Citizens Coalition For Change ( CCC)Namibia
Rundu Branch Spokesperson
Robson Ruhanya
BY DR MASIMBA MAVAZA | The Zimbabwe High Commissioner to the United Kingdom His Excellence Retired Colonel Christian Katsande has for the first time taken lead in the repatriation negotiations of the first Chimurenga Heroin and Heroes’ remains.
United Kingdom is believed to have several remains of the first Chimurenga fighters. Of the remains there are remains of the first woman African army General Mbuya Nehanda Nyakasikana who was captured and hanged by the colonisers.
The story of her capture and murder exposes the sadistic demonic war crimes committed against the Africans by the British-in the 18th to 19th century. Mbuya Nehanda who led the first Chimurenga was captured and subjected to a unlawful hastily scrambled hearing in a court of injustice. She was convicted after a trial which she was not represented neither was she given an interpreter. She was then sentenced to death by hanging.
Mbuya Nehanda Sekuru Kaguvi Chingaira and several others were hanged. Their remains were not accorded the decent burial instead Nehanda was beheaded and he skull taken to England as a trophy. Mbuya Nehanda and here tools of war and her spiritual gadgets were shipped in a sack to England where she has been displayed in a museum ever since.
After behind the scenes high level discussions and sometimes heated discussions the UK has invited the Zimbabwean delegation led by Dr Mahachi director of Museums to come to the Uk and make arrangements for the repatriation.
Ambassador Katsande is leading the delegation which is in England to clear the way for the high powered delegation from Zimbabwe.
Whenever there is repatriation of remains Often there was a looting, this looting is in conjunction with war or armed political conflict. Repatriation claims for objects involved in this illegal trade of cultural property are especially difficult as proof must be established of the illicit extraction of the objects and thieves seldom document their work, especially in war zones. It is because of this that the repatriation has taken this long.
The British government has not been willing to let go of their loot. This is because the remains and artefacts looted symbolised shift of power from the defeated to the victors. Returning the loot will be a public acknowledgment of defeat. Further more repatriation is never easy, the British Museum Act, a law from 1963, prevents the museum in London from doing the same. The law does set out limited exceptions (such as if the object is a duplicate), but returning the loot of empire is not one of them. … In November 2020, a new law was passed to allow the return of 27 artefacts to former colonies. Zimbabwe has taken advantage of the new law to have the remains and all the loot back.
It is this task where Colonel Katsande is expected to balance his diplomatic skills and his military training.
For all the years Nehanda was displayed in a museum the British realised a lot of revenue.
The UK based Team leader for the repatriation committee Princess Eugine Majuru pointed out that “Artefacts are enriched by being viewed in their place of origin. They are part of the area’s history. These artefacts have been illegally procured. These artefacts are the foundation of a potential tourist trade.”
Defending their delay in releasing the remains Vand A director Tristan Hunt remarked
“Europe’s museums serve a nuanced purpose and shouldn’t automatically bow to calls to return artworks plundered by 19th-century colonisers”
One of the advocates for repatriation Mr Welcome Bhebhe asked “Looted colonial art: Is there the political will to return pilfered artifacts?
From African cultural treasures to artworks and even human remains, calls have been growing louder to return goods appropriated by colonial powers during their often brutal reigns across Africa. But is it mostly talk?While African nations have long demanded the restitution of poached cultural artifacts, in former colonial powers like France and Germany the debate has recently reached fever pitch as cultural and political figures make the case for repatriation.
Addressing a team which is doing the ground work in the UK ambassador Katsande said “Repatriation is about restoring dignity and making right the wrongs of the past.”Another panel member Professor George Shiri said “Repatriation is important as it shows respect for the dead, for cultural beliefs, and for the hurt that has been caused to source communities as a result of the development of science and museum collections.”
Comrade Tando Shambira who is a lawyer and an excombatant reminded the committee that
“Repatriation is the return of stolen or looted cultural materials to their countries of origin. Although a belief that looting cultural heritage is wrong and stolen objects should be returned to their rightful owners. Repatriation claims are based on law but, more importantly, represent a fervent desire to right a wrong—a kind of restorative justice—which also requires an admission of guilt and capitulation. This is what makes repatriations difficult: nations and institutions seldom concede that they were wrong.”
The repatriation of art and cultural objects is a popular topic in the news and there is a familiar list of arguments on either side of the debate. The primary arguments for repatriation, most frequently deployed by countries and peoples who want their objects back, are: It is morally correct, and reflects basic property laws, that stolen or looted property should be returned to its rightful owner.Cultural objects belong together with the cultures that created them; these objects are a crucial part of contemporary cultural and political identity.To not return objects stolen under colonialist regimes is to perpetuate colonialist ideologies that perceived colonized peoples as inherently inferior (and often “primitive” in some way).
• Museums with international collections, often called universal or encyclopedic museums, are located in the Global North: France, England, Germany, the US, places which are expensive to visit and therefore not somewhere most of the world can go to see art. It is precisely a colonial legacy that allowed so many “universal” museums to acquire the range of objects in their collection.
• Even if objects were originally acquired legally, our attitudes about the ownership of cultural property have changed and collections should reflect these contemporary attitudes.
On the other hand the colonisers advance very shameful arguments against repatriation, most frequently deployed by museums and collections which hold objects they don’t want to lose, are:
If all museums returned objects to their countries of origin, a lot of museums would be nearly empty.
Source countries do not have adequate facilities or personnel (because of poverty and/or armed conflict) to receive repatriated materials so objects are safer where they are now.
•Universal museums enable a lot of art from a lot of different places to be seen by a lot of people easily. This reflects our modern globalist or cosmopolitan outlook.
The ancient or historical kingdoms from which many objects originally came no longer exist or are spread across many contemporary national borders, such as those of the ancient Roman empire. Therefore, it’s not clear to where exactly objects should be repatriated.
•Returning cultural objects which were obtained under colonial regimes to their countries of origin does not make up for the destruction of colonialism.
•Most objects in museums and collections, at the time of their acquisition, were legally obtained and therefore have no reason to be repatriated.
The debate over repatriation engages powerful and personal sentiments of morality, patriotism,nationhood, and identity, and few people can talk about it without raising their voice. Regardless of this passion, however, the issue, ultimately, is a legal one and the international legal frameworks developed in the 20th century are what bring about repatriations. The first, which recognized the damage of warfare to property, was the 1907 Hague Convention, which forbade plundering of any kind during armed conflict, although it did not deal specifically with cultural property. The 1954 Hague Convention, however, in the wake of the widespread destruction of art during the Second World War, sought to expressly protect cultural property during armed conflict. The 1970 UNESCO Convention allowed for stolen objects to be seized if there was proof of ownership, followed by the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects, which calls for the return of illegally excavated and exported cultural property. Without these conventions and treaties, there would be no legal obligation for the return of anything.
The vast majority of repatriation cases derive from colonial or imperial subjugation. Throughout history, across the globe, powerful nations and empires have taken valuable objects, including cultural property, from those they have conquered and colonized. These objects of beauty and esteem number in the many millions and most will likely be lost to their former owners forever. However, the theft of a few especially valuable and/or important objects have proven unforgettable and the subject of frequent repatriation requests.
The looting of defeated peoples’ cultural heritage by war has been common practice since ancient times. In our situation the looting of art and remains was a series of confiscations of artworks and precious objects carried out by the British army or officials in Zimbabwe.
The dedicated members who attended the meeting with the ambassador were Princess Eugene Majuru, Agnes Zengeya, Professor George Shire, Dr Masimba Mavaza, Mr Welcome Max Bhebhe, Mrs Mashavave Embassy staff, Deputy Ambassador Karodza, Zim London Ambassador Col Christian Katsande, Col Stanford Kufa , cde G Chamboko and cde Peter Mavunga.
The Zimbabwean Team is expected in the country soon and now with the support of the ambassador the remains of Nehanda and others will soon be given the respect and honour they deserve.
Zimdancehall musician Jah Master, born Rodney Mashandure, was involved in an accident while travelling from Chiredzi to Harare on Friday night. He had just performed at Chideu Complex.
He was driving the City Hooper Car that he received when he became a brand ambassador for the BancABC company in May 2021.
Jah Master shared images of his damaged car captioned “Thank you God for saving us” on Facebook. The post has since been deleted. See the pictures below:
By A Correspondent- An angry married woman has resorted to harassing her husband’s baby mama in a bid to force her to stop communicating with her partner.
Ritha Moyo (27) frequents Nosizi Dhewa’s workplace and has even opted to use violence to deter the 24-year-old from being in a relationship with her husband, Michael Ndlovu (38).
Nosizi said her reputation has been left in tatters because Ritha would embarrass her in the presence of her workmates.
Whenever they meet Ritha would manhandle her and punch her.
Nosizi said she had tried to talk to her via her aunt but all her efforts were in vain.
She applied for a protection order. In her founding affidavit she said: “My name is Nosizi. I was in a relationship with Michael Ndlovu and we have a child. Time after time I send him text messages or WhatsApp messages to request money for the upkeep of the child.
But his wife does not like that and she assumes we are still in love and she accuses me of communicating with her husband. She frequents my workplace and would insult me in the presence of my workmates. And whenever we meet she would assault me.” The presiding magistrate Ulukile Ndlovu granted Nosizi a peace order. Ritha was ordered to refrain from visiting, physically and verbally abusing Nosizi.
By A Correspondent- One of the suspected armed robbers who was part of a three-man gang that recently robbed 66 passengers of R167 050 and $7 367 aboard a cross border MBT bus to South Africa along the Harare-Masvingo Highway has been arrested after committing another serious crime in Beitbridge on Wednesday night.
The suspect is part of a gang that was arrested on Wednesday in Beitbridge for attempted murder during an armed robbery that occurred in Zezani, Beitbridge.
They are Brighton Marange (30) and his two accomplices—Devine Mulaudzi (20) and Ronald Madovoyo (19).
The three are alleged to have raided a family in Beitbridge where they shot two of the occupants during the robbery before fleeing from the scene. They were later arrested following investigations.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the suspects.
“The suspects who were armed with Knobkerries and a pistol allegedly attacked a family in a robbery attempt and shot two complainants before fleeing the scene after one of the victims charged towards them. A CPVENA ZASTAVA pistol and a black hunter’s torch were recovered from the suspects’ Honda Fit vehicle.
“One of the suspects is being linked to a robbery case in which a South African bound MBT bus was robbed at the 60km peg along Masvingo- Beitbridge Road recently,” he said.
Some 66 passengers aboard a cross border MBT bus to South Africa were recently robbed of R167 050 and $7 367 after three armed robbers who had pretended to be genuine passengers, drew out pistols and started shooting at passengers and at the roof of the bus while ordering the bus driver to stop.
The incident occurred along the Harare-Masvingo Highway near Mvuma around 11pm.
The bus driver, Mr Lazarus Mungadzi (46) and three passengers were injured.
One female passenger was shot in the chest and seriously injured
By A Correspondent- Cellular network operator, NetOne has reverted to its old One Fi bundle prices as it backtracked on its decision to increase prices by more than 100 percent.
10GB of data now costs $6 500, with 25GB going for $8 500, 50GB is $12 500 and $15 000 is needed for 80GB.
NetOne Cellular had yesterday announced that it would be increasing data bundle tariffs today. Zimbabweans were shocked to learn that 10GB of data was now $16 250, 25GB $40 700, 50GB $81 400 and 80GB $99 000.
In US dollars, using the auction rate, 10GB was costing US$131, 25GB was US$328, 23, 50GB US$656, 45 and 80GB left one US798, 39 broke.
“In light of the recent tariff review, NetOne would like to thank our valued customers for your feedback which is greatly appreciated and is of paramount importance to use”. “We are in a process of looking into all the concerns that you have raised and we will keep you posted on further developments,” NetOne said in a statement published on twitter.
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wife Auxilliah is missing at her husband’s Kwekwe rally where his deputy Contantino Chiwenga has announced at 12noon that she is absent due to committments at her feeding programs.
Auxillia’s motorcade was involved in a deadly accident that ended the lives of 4 aides Thursday. Follow the live broadcast here
The leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “to call Russian President Vladimir Putin and apologise”.
Addressing assembled servicemen in central Grozny, Kadyrov demanded that Ukrainian president Zelensky apologises to Putin. He said:
Taking this opportunity, I want to give advice to the current President Zelensky so that he calls our President, Supreme Commander Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and apologizes for not doing so sooner.https://zero.pindula.co.zw/market/featured/?limit=4
Do it in order to save Ukraine. Ask for forgiveness and agree to all the conditions that Russia puts forward. This will be the most correct and patriotic step for him.
According to Russia Today, thousands of Chechens are willing to offer assistance to the Russian military.
On Friday, 12 000 local volunteers gathered on the central square of the regional capital, Grozny.
Kadyrov said the rally was organised in order to show their support for Russia and their readiness to aid its objectives.
He said no troops would be deployed until the “Supreme Commander in Chief” Putin gave the go-ahead.
Chechnya is a constituent republic of Russia situated in the North Caucasus in Eastern Europe, close to the Caspian Sea.
The country gained de facto independence as the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria following the First Chechen War of 1994–1996 with Russia.
However, Chechnya remained de jure a part of The Russian Federation.
Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, 24 February after Putin declared in a pre-dawn TV address that Russia could not feel “safe, develop and exist” because of the threat reportedly posed by its neighbour of 44 million people.
By A Correspondent- Some butcheries in Mutare and Odzi are reportedly selling meat from cattle infected with suspected theileriosis, a tick-borne disease also known as January disease.
The Manica Post has established that villagers are selling their diseased cattle to butcheries at very low prices to avoid losing their beasts for nothing.
One of the affected villagers, Shupikai Mvurumutiya, revealed that farmers are selling their sick cattle for a maximum of US$50, while under normal circumstances, a bull is sold for US$300. Said the villager:https://zero.pindula.co.zw/market/featured/?limit=4
We have recorded unprecedented cattle deaths in our village over the last two weeks, and this weekend alone we recorded 20 deaths. The prospect of having the entire herd wiped out by the disease is scary.
As a result, butcheries from Odzi and Mutare have deployed runners in the village to buy and slaughter all the sick cattle for sale.
If they pay you US$50 for one beast, you can consider yourself lucky. It is an opportunity for them to make money and the farmers have no other option but to sell all the sick cattle. We can’t just watch them die.
The reported cattle sales and slaughter are being done without the mandatory permits from veterinary authorities and clearance from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).
Manicaland Provincial Veterinary Officer, Charles Guri, said it is illegal to sell meat that has not been examined and certified. Said Guri:
The slaughtering of sick cattle for commercial purposes is illegal. Such meat should not be sold to the public.
We have deployed our officers together with the police in the Mapembe area to get to the bottom of this scandal.
It has come to our attention that certain butcheries had deployed some runners in the affected villages to convince farmers to sell all their sick cattle for a song.
The cattle are being slaughtered without the required permits and clearance from the police, meaning they are breaking the law and must be brought to book.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka said police were investigating the reports.-Manica Post
By-There is a heavy police presence at the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) rally in Gokwe.
The rally is going on after the High court this morning ruled that the police should not disrupt it.
Lawyers representing CCC had filed an urgent application at the High Court after the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) purportedly cancelled the rally.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), CCC officials received a call on Friday requesting them to cancel their rally because President Emmerson Mnangagwa has his own rally in Kwekwe, 143 km away.
In court, ZRP accused CCC of lying that they had banned the opposition party rally saying “maybe, they’re no longer interested in proceeding with their own rally”.
ZLHR reported ZRP as saying they don’t even know anyone by the name Muza who purportedly called CCC banning the rally within its rank and file.
Justice Sylvia Chirau, Saturday morning made a finding that there is no proof that the rally has been cancelled by ZRP or is likely to be cancelled.
The Judge stated that what she has is “proof that the police have authorised the rally… that authorisation has not been withdrawn or cancelled. That authorisation remains extant”.
ZRP approved the CCC rally in a letter written by ZRP Officer-In-Charge Gokwe District, Chief Superintendent Chikono, addressed to the party’s Organising Secretary in Gokwe Central Constituency, Agnes Limbani Jumo.
The letter, dated 22 February, read in part:
It is your submission that you intend to conduct a by-election campaign launch rally at Open Space opposite Runganga Service Station, Gokwe South on the 26th day of February 2022 from 1000 hours to 1700 hours.
Your notification has been noted and this office does not have any reservations subject to the following;
a) You adhere to the stated date and times.
b) You ensure that you stick to the notified venue and avoid breaching public peace or interfering with the normal life or movement of other citizens.
c) No processions or toyi-toyi to be done before, during or after the rally.
d) Should you wish to make any changes, you shall have to re-notify.
e) The provisions of Section 7 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, Chapter 11:23 will be evoked if any of the conditions are violated.
f) You ensure that all proceedings are done within the confines of your mandate.
g) You adhere with due regards to the COVID-19 guidelines and ensure the gathering is not more than one hundred people and subjected to properly wearing of face masks, use of sanitisers, temperature screening and observing the social distancing.
By Dr Masimba Mavaza | President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told Ukrainian troops “you are all we have” as he accused European countries of an insufficient reaction to the Russian invasion.
The Russian invasion will upend the lives of 44 million Ukrainians. But the relevance of Ukraine, on the edge of Europe and thousands of miles from the United States, extends far beyond its borders. Its fate has huge implications for the rest of Europe, the health of the global economy and America’s place in the world.
The problems in Ukraine came to naught in February 2014, after a decade of increasingly destabilizing political confrontations, Ukrainian nationalists ousted the Russian-supported Ukrainian government in what became known as the Maidan Revolution. Russian annexation of Crimea and covert support for “Ukrainian Russian Separatists” in the Eastern Oblasts of Ukraine soon followed. Nine months later, the Russian military intervened overtly in support of the Ukrainian Separatist forces.
The conflict has settled into a large, complex example of Hybrid (or Russian New Generation) warfare in a context reminiscent of static military operations during World War One.
We must then be alive to the lessons emerging from Ukraine which has been strong from the conflict’s beginning. While some of these efforts are wide ranging, they can generally be clustered in two categories: geo-political and tactical/technical. If, as some have argued, the conflict in Ukraine represents a 21st-century version of the Boer War or the Spanish Civil War—where emerging military technologies and concepts were employed in a nascent form but pointed the way toward a disruptive future—then much more needs to be done to develop lessons in the broad middle.
Before the invasion of Ukraine by Russia NATO led by America made outrageous promises to Ukraine and its people. America promised undying love and that they will pour in Ukraine like the Tsunami to support and help the people of Ukraine against Russia.
Learning lessons from these kinds of conflicts requires an integrated approach. Direct lessons applicable to current capabilities are often obscured by the particular economic, political, and social characteristics of the participants. Recent efforts by the Military Services (particularly the US Army) to collect lessons in Ukraine are notable but generally narrow in both subject and application.
Projecting these lessons into the future and more importantly, into conflicts of a different character from the one being examined, requires a different approach.
Ukraine has learnt it the hard way. After being urged on at the end of the day there was no Europe to help no America only Russia. This prompted the president of Ukraine to say to his army “you are all that we have.”
Many African opposition parties live in a dream. They are promised help once they remove their governments. Zimbabwe opposition parties have been pure puppets of the West but the West are not to be trusted if you do not believe look at Ukraine now. This is a great lesson for Chamisa and other opposition members. The money which Chamisa is boasting about is in the hands of the Western sponsors. As a people Zimbabweans must learn from the situation in Ukraine. Do not trust those who just promised you. You only have one country take a good care of it.
Why might Russia, the United States and Europe care so much about Ukraine? It felt in recent weeks like a scene from the Cold War, a perilous episode from a bygone era. An unpredictable Russian leader was amassing troops and tanks on a neighbor’s border. There was fear of a bloody East-West conflagration. Ukraine was urged on by the West but was the West there to the end. Then the Cold War turned hot: Vladimir Putin has sent his forces over the border into Ukraine, with repercussions that were immediate and far-reaching.In the days ahead of the invasion, even as Russian forces reached an estimated strength of 190,000 and they formed a pincer around Ukrainian territory, and even as the United States warned in increasingly dire tones that a military strike appeared inevitable, there was hope. Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, kept up his message of optimism. Mr. Putin was claiming that he was open to diplomacy, and European leaders were working desperately to persuade the Kremlin to stand down.
Ukraine took comfort from the promises of the West. Then just before 6 a.m. Thursday, the Russian president, addressing his nation, declared the start of a “special military operation” in Ukraine. The goal, he said, was to “demilitarize” but not occupy the country.Mere minutes later, large explosions were visible near Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, and blasts were reported in Kyiv, the capital, as well as other parts of the country. And soon, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry reported that Russian troops had landed in Odessa and were crossing the border.
The invasion threatens to destabilize the already volatile post-Soviet region, with serious consequences for the security structure that has governed Europe since the 1990s.
President Putin has long lamented the loss of Ukraine and other republics when the Soviet Union broke apart, but diminishing NATO, the military alliance that helped keep the Soviets in check, may be his real mission.Before invading, Russia made a list of far-reaching demands to reshape that structure — positions NATO and the United States rejected.After the Soviet Union collapsed, NATO expanded eastward, eventually taking in most of the European nations that had been in the Communist sphere.
The Baltic republics of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, once parts of the Soviet Union, joined NATO, as did Poland, Romania and others.As a result, NATO moved hundreds of miles closer to Moscow, directly bordering Russia. And in 2008, it stated that it planned — some day — to enroll Ukraine, though that is still seen as a far-off prospect.Mr. Putin has described the Soviet disintegration as a catastrophe that robbed Russia of its rightful place among the world’s great powers and put it at the mercy of a predatory West. He has spent his 22 years in power rebuilding Russia’s military and reasserting its geopolitical clout.
The Russian president calls NATO’s expansion menacing, and the prospect of Ukraine joining it a major threat to his country. As Russia has grown more assertive and stronger militarily, his complaints about NATO have grown more strident. He has repeatedly invoked the specter of American ballistic missiles and combat forces in Ukraine, though U.S., Ukrainian and NATO officials insist there are none.
Mr. Putin has also insisted that Ukraine and Belarus are fundamentally parts of Russia, culturally and historically. He holds considerable sway over Belarus, and talks about some form of reunification with Russia have gone on for years.But East-West relations worsened drastically in early 2014, when mass protests in Ukraine forced out a president closely allied with Mr. Putin. Russia swiftly invaded and annexed Crimea, part of Ukraine. Moscow also fomented a separatist rebellion that took control of part of the Donbas region of Ukraine, in a war that still grinds on, having killed more than 13,000 people.
The West insisted that President Putin appears intent on winding back the clock more than 30 years, establishing a broad, Russian-dominated security zone resembling the power Moscow wielded in Soviet days. Now 69 years old and possibly edging toward the twilight of his political career, he clearly wants to draw Ukraine, a nation of 44 million people, back into Russia’s orbit.
The problem of having a nation stronger than the other creates bullies. Russia is not the only Bully here. America has attacked many countries at will and deposed several governments according them “in the interest of America.” So is Russia not allowed to act to protect their interest.
Ukraine under American influence is a security threat to Russia and a preemptive action is in the best interest of Russia.
Russia presented NATO and the United States in December with a set of written demands that it said were needed to ensure its security. Foremost among them are a guarantee that Ukraine would never join NATO, that NATO draw down its forces in the Eastern European countries that have already joined, and that the 2015 cease-fire in Ukraine be implemented — though Moscow and Kyiv disagree sharply on what that would mean.
The West dismissed the main demands out of hand, while making overtures on other concerns, and threatening sanctions. Moscow’s aggressive posture has also inflamed Ukrainian nationalism, with citizen militias preparing for a drawn-out guerrilla campaign in the event of a Russian occupation.Mr. Putin’s timing could also be related to the transition from President Donald J. Trump, who was notably friendly to him and disparaging of NATO, to President Biden, who is committed to the alliance and distrustful of the Kremlin.He may also want to energize nationalists at home by focusing on an external threat, as he has in the past.
As the war continues with Ukraine about to capitulate the West is in closed doors offering lip service.
The best lesson for all is do not trust foreign leaders to help in your domestic issues. The faster Chamisa realises this the better.
This idea of putting your trust in foreign countries only destroys your country.
Looking at Ukraine now it is the people of Ukraine who are paying with their blood. We only have one country let us love it.
By- The High Court has ruled that the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) can proceed with its rally scheduled for Gokwe this Saturday.
Lawyers representing CCC had filed an urgent application at the High Court after the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) purportedly cancelled the Gokwe rally at the 11th hour.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), CCC officials received a call on Friday requesting them to cancel their rally because President Emmerson Mnangagwa has his own rally in Kwekwe, 143 km away.
In court, ZRP accused CCC of lying that they had banned the opposition party rally saying “maybe, they’re no longer interested in proceeding with their own rally”.
ZLHR reported ZRP as saying they don’t even know anyone by the name Muza who purportedly called CCC banning the rally within its rank and file.
Justice Sylvia Chirau, Saturday morning made a finding that there is no proof that the rally has been cancelled by ZRP or is likely to be cancelled.
The Judge stated that what she has is “proof that the police have authorised the rally… that authorisation has not been withdrawn or cancelled. That authorisation remains extant”.
ZRP approved the CCC rally in a letter written by ZRP Officer-In-Charge Gokwe District, Chief Superintendent Chikono, addressed to the party’s Organising Secretary in Gokwe Central Constituency, Agnes Limbani Jumo.
The letter, dated 22 February, read in part:
It is your submission that you intend to conduct a by-election campaign launch rally at Open Space opposite Runganga Service Station, Gokwe South on the 26th day of February 2022 from 1000 hours to 1700 hours.
Your notification has been noted and this office does not have any reservations subject to the following;
a) You adhere to the stated date and times.
b) You ensure that you stick to the notified venue and avoid breaching public peace or interfering with the normal life or movement of other citizens.
c) No processions or toyi-toyi to be done before, during or after the rally.
d) Should you wish to make any changes, you shall have to re-notify.
e) The provisions of Section 7 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, Chapter 11:23 will be evoked if any of the conditions are violated.
f) You ensure that all proceedings are done within the confines of your mandate.
g) You adhere with due regards to the COVID-19 guidelines and ensure the gathering is not more than one hundred people and subjected to properly wearing of face masks, use of sanitisers, temperature screening and observing the social distancing.
BY- President Emmerson Mnangagwa’ lied about giving title deeds to thousands of informal settlers in and around Harare.
His Justice minister and leader of government business Ziyambi Ziyambi exposed the propaganda lies in Parliament Ziyambi Ziyambi on Thursday.
Ziyambi said the title deeds would be given to certain people, for example, Glen View residents who were allocated residential stands by Abel Muzorewa’s Zimbabwe-Rhodesia government in 1979.
About three weeks ago, Mnangagwa promised to formalise all informal settlers and give the residents title deeds.
He made the pledge just before he launched the ZANU PF campaign for the 26 March by-elections in Epworth, but critics dismissed the decision as mere politicking.
Before the rally, ZANU PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa had announced that 80 000 title deeds would be given out at the rally.
Addressing thousands of residents who attended the rally, but came back empty-handed, Mnangagwa said:
After having seen the situation in Epworth and Harare South, we sat down and decided those who are living in informal settlements should get title deeds.
We have finished the mapping process of Harare South and Epworth. Unfortunately, we cannot give anyone title deeds at this rally as it needs planning.
Meanwhile, Ziyambi, who is also the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister, said the people who will benefit are those who were settled in Glen View 43 years ago. He said:
It is not a call for people to go and invade open spaces, but to say that those that have been in certain areas, for instance, Glen View.
Some of them were settled there in 1979 during the (Abel) Muzorewa era and they do not have title deeds up to now.
This is an exercise to ensure that we regularise and ensure that all those people who occupy houses have title to the piece of land that belongs to them.
… The government is undertaking this project fully aware of what is required of it and the number of households that we need to issue with title deeds.
Ziyambi added that the Government is looking at case by case and merits and wouldn’t want to encourage people to go and build where they have not been allocated.
Energy and Power Development minister Soda Zhemu told parliamentarians that his ministry will not waste public resources to electrify settlements that are not regularised.
Land barons with links to ZANU PF have in the past been accused of illegally selling housing stands to desperate home seekers.
By- Seven people have drowned during this rainy season while trying to cross the flooded Runde River.
Three people, including a three-year-old baby, died after the Toyota Hilux car they were travelling in was swept away by the flooded Runde River at Chilonga Bridge this Monday.
The vehicle that was travelling to Chilonga business centre from Chiredzi had ten passengers on board. Said a villager:
This accident is not sitting well with us. We have many unanswered questions because this bridge is slowly turning into a death snare that people are just dying here. So far seven have died during this rainy season and it’s troubling us.
“We were there when the incident occurred and we tried to rescue all the passengers, unfortunately, two drowned and we also couldn’t find a two-year-old baby. We thought the child was trapped under the car so when we moved the car yesterday, we still couldn’t find the child.
As the ZRP Buchwa sub-aqua unit was conducting a search operation for the body this Wednesday, a member of the team, Sergeant Rillford Rimai aged 34 drowned in the river and his body was retrieved last night at around 7. pm.
Police national spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident:
Yes, I can confirm that one of our officers drowned in the river while searching for the missing juvenile. His body was retrieved last night. Police are still searching for the missing juvenile. It’s really sad.
Callisto Gwanetsa, legislator for Chiredzi South constituency promised to push for the bridge to be rehabilitated under the government’s emergency road rehabilitation programme (ERRP).
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Republic Police has urged the public not to cross flooded water bod
VIDEO LOADING BELOW….
By A Correspondent- Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa’s legal advisor, Advocate Thabani Mpofu, has joined the CCC President at his Gokwe centre rally.
Posting on his Twitter handle today, advocate Mpofu said he was happy to associate with Chamisa.
“Ndafunga kumusha kuGokwe. Exciting times ahead!!!! Happy Sabbath Citizens,” Advocate Mpofu posted
By- One of the suspected armed robbers who was part of a gang that robbed 66 passengers of R167 050 and $7 367 aboard a cross border MBT bus to South Africa along the Harare-Masvingo Highway has been arrested after committing another serious crime in Beitbridge on Wednesday night.
The suspect is part of a gang that was arrested on Wednesday in Beitbridge for attempted murder during an armed robbery that occurred in Zezani, Beitbridge.
They are Brighton Marange (30) and his two accomplices—Devine Mulaudzi (20) and Ronald Madovoyo (19).
The three are alleged to have raided a family in Beitbridge where they shot two of the occupants during the robbery before fleeing from the scene. They were later arrested following investigations.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the suspects.
“The suspects who were armed with Knobkerries and a pistol allegedly attacked a family in a robbery attempt and shot two complainants before fleeing the scene after one of the victims charged towards them. A CPVENA ZASTAVA pistol and a black hunter’s torch were recovered from the suspects’ Honda Fit vehicle.
“One of the suspects is being linked to a robbery case in which a South African bound MBT bus was robbed at the 60km peg along Masvingo- Beitbridge Road recently,” he said.
Some 66 passengers aboard a cross border MBT bus to South Africa were recently robbed of R167 050 and $7 367 after three armed robbers who had pretended to be genuine passengers, drew out pistols and started shooting at passengers and at the roof of the bus while ordering the bus driver to stop.
The incident occurred along the Harare-Masvingo Highway near Mvuma around 11pm.
The bus driver, Mr Lazarus Mungadzi (46) and three passengers were injured.
One female passenger was shot in the chest and seriously injured.
-State media
The US based philanthropist, Robert Chapman yesterday led the way to rescue over 59 Zimbabweans currently stranded in the ongoing Ukraine war…IN THE VIDEO LOADING BELOW, HE IS TALKING TO THE FRIGHTENED CITIZENS
By- The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, ZEC has brewed another shocker after its voters’ roll has revealed that there were 3 253 people aged more than 100 years.
Eleven (11) of those are older than the oldest surviving person in the world on record, Japanese Kane Tanaka, who turned 119 on January 2.
ZEC chief elections officer (CEO) Utoile Silaigwana was not picking up calls for clarification.
A total of 3112 people are aged between 101 and 110 years while 130 are between 111 and 120.
Meanwhile, ZEC has been so far failed to explain voters roll anomalies identified by online pressure group Team Pachedu over the past weeks.
It claimed that thecommission had redirected 170 000 voters from their registered polling stations to those outside their constituency and or wards, some as far as 100km apart.
Team Pachedu also highlighted questionable registration patterns including hundreds of residents of Chinotimba who share the same house voting in different wards.
ZEC dismissed the allegations as malice.
More: NewZimbabwe
By- The High Court has nullified a will purportedly drafted by the late socialite and businessman Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure.
The will in question had no signature of the deceased, neither was it dated.
Among other things, the will bequeathed Ginimbi’s Lamborghini to one of his friends identified as Kit-Kat.
Justice Amy Tsanga nullified the will as dubious and relieved the executor Patricia Darangwa of her duties citing irregularities.
It later turned out that Kit-Kat was one Nomatter Zinyengere, also Nomatter Zinyengerere, while Darangwa became an executor to an estate where she was also benefiting.
The Master of High Court had accepted the will but the Kadungure family members, Ginimbi’s sisters — Juliet and Neria together with their father Anderson, opposed the move.
They sought a review of the Master of High Court’s decision to accept the will as well as the appointment of Darangwa as executor.
Darangwa, the Master of High Court and Kit Kat were listed as respondents in the review application.
Justice Tsanga ruled in favour of the Kadungure family.
She declared that Ginimbi died intestate and his family can inherit it. She said:
In the circumstances, the late Genius Kadungure popularly known as Ginimbi, indeed died intestate.
This is not a bad thing, his family gets to inherit. It is hereby declared that:
The document registered with the second respondent (Master) on November 25 2020 under DRNumber 1771/20 as the will of the late Genuis Kadungure who died on November 8 2020, is null and void.
The judge ruled that the Master of High Court shall convene another meeting to appoint an executor.
The nullified will showed that Ginimbi owned a mansion in Domboshava, a company called Infinity Gas, an undisclosed fleet of vehicles and several other companies.
Ginimbi died on the spot in the wee hours on 8 November 2020 along Liberation Legacy Way in Harare when his speeding Rolls Royce collided head-on with a Honda Fit and veered off the road.
He was with two foreign friends, Limumba Karim of Malawi and Alishia, a Mozambican, as well as a friend, Mitchelle “Moana” Amuli.
All four occupants of the Rolls Royce died on the spot.
