By A Correspondent- Former MDC T stalwart Obert Gutu who is now a commissioner at the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission has reiterated his sanctions must fall mantra regretting ever supporting their imposition on Zimbabwe as arguably the worst mistake of his political career.

He said in a tweet:

My Damascus moment was clear & emphatic.

Supporting & clamouring for more sanctions to be imposed against my beloved country, Zimbabwe ?? was arguably the WORST mistake of my political career.

I publicly apologised for this awful & treacherous mistake.

SANCTIONS MUST FALL

By A Correspondent- The Mines Ministry is demanding $8 million from the 2022 budget to woo investors into the mining sector and ensure that closed mines scattered around the country are reopened.

This was said on Sunday by Mines minister Winston Chitando in a report which he presented in Victoria Falls during the 2022 pre-budget seminar in response to issues raised by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines.

He said:

The ministry will enhance its efforts towards the resuscitation of closed mines. A total of $8 172 604 is required to support promotional activities, engagement with investors and relevant stakeholders towards the reopening of the closed mines.

More effort is also being made through Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) whereby they are engaging various investors to reopen closed mines. The ministry intends to transform the Lupane office into a full-fledged provincial office. Currently, Bulawayo Metropolitan hosts most of the staff and operations of the province.

Chitando said during public hearings by the committee on the 2022 national budget, members of the public demanded that government must prioritise the reopening of closed mines throughout the country to enhance employment creation and improve mining revenue going into the national purse.

He said Zimbabwe had a lot of large-scale mines that were shut down due to the collapse of the economy leaving thousands of employees jobless.

He added that it was also recommended that a lithium smelting and processing plant should be set up to produce products rather than export raw minerals.

Zimbabwe intends to achieve a US$12 billion mining industry by 2023 with a view to attaining an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.

By A Correspondent- The ruling party Zanu-PF’s 19th National People’s Conference kicks off at Chipadze Stadium in Bindura, Mashonaland Central province tomorrow, with a number of high-level engagements expected to dominate the four-day programme which runs up to Saturday.

The National People’s Conference is being held in a hybrid format for the first time in the history of Zanu-PF due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw last year’s calendar event being suspended.

The party’s Politburo meeting will be held at the main venue while delegates from the provinces are expected to follow the main proceedings at Chipadze Stadium virtually.

In line with Covid-19 health regulations, delegates are expected to produce their valid Covid-19 vaccination certificates before accreditation.

In Bulawayo, 101 delegates will gather at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Hall 2 where they will follow the virtual proceedings from the main venue.

Other provinces will also congregate at selected venues where they will follow proceedings.

Bulawayo yesterday joined the rest of the country in marching against sanctions

The annual party indaba takes place at a time when the Government under the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa is rolling out a number of initiatives to revive the economy as part of a transformative drive towards an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

In an interview yesterday, Zanu-PF acting spokesperson Mike Bimha said it was all systems go following the last meeting on preparations yesterday.

“We are almost ready for the indaba and various sub-committees today submitted their reports to the national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri. She was quite happy with the amount of effort that has been put by the sub-committees to make sure that the conference is a success,” he said.

“With the reports that we got, it is quite clear that we will have a successful conference. The various provinces are ready with all the materials and we believe that the connectivity will operate as expected.”

Bimha said the main venue was mainly for the Politburo members who are less than 100, including some Government ministers.

“The conference is officially starting on Wednesday with the Politburo meeting while the Central Committee will be on Thursday,” he said.

Bimha said President Mnangagwa will officially address delegates on Friday.

The conference will discuss, among other issues, the state of the party, state of the economy, food security and nutrition, social services and poverty eradication, macroeconomic stability and reengagement, infrastructure development and utilities as well as value addition and beneficiation.

The annual Indaba is coming at a time the country has embarked on rapid modernisation in terms of infrastructure development, industrialisation and economic growth in line with President Mnangagwa’s vision for an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

Consistent with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and the country’s devolution thrust, the Government is making sure that development leaves no one behind.

Infrastructure development and rehabilitation, a key pillar in the economy in terms of the NDS1, is receiving increased attention under the Second Republic, with several key projects being implemented across the country.

Some of the notable projects being undertaken by the Government include the construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani in Hwange district, Matabeleland North, Tuli-Manyange Dam in Ntalale in Gwanda district, Matabeleland South, the revamping of Beitbridge Border Post and dualisation, upgrading and tolling of the Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu highway.

The Lake Gwayi-Shangani project is a major component of the National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (NMZWP), which upon completion in December, is expected to provide a permanent water solution for Bulawayo and Matabeleland region.

Modernisation of the Beitbridge Border Post is in line with Vision 2030 of attaining an upper middle-income economy, and is one of the key projects being undertaken by the Government to promote the ease of doing business and trade facilitation.

The Government is also undertaking the Robert Mugabe International Airport upgrade and the US$1,5 billion Hwange Units 7 and 8 expansion as well as the Hwange Power Station units 1-6 upgrade.

The ongoing Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Programme 2 (ERPP2) launched by President Mnangagwa in response to the damaged road network throughout the country as well as devolution funding, have transformed key infrastructure in both urban and rural areas.

Road rehabilitation is a key enabler in transforming Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

The economy is on a recovery trajectory and for the first time in many years, the country exhibited higher resilience to recent unforeseen shocks, including the latest outbreak of Covid-19.

Anchored on the successful 2020/21 rainfall season, higher international mineral commodity prices and a stable macro-economic environment, Zimbabwe’s enhanced resilience to prevailing shocks has it implementing a number of development projects despite the many competing priorities.

Domestic GDP growth for the year 2021 is projected to remain strong at 7,8 percent, slightly above the 2021 National Budget growth forecast of 7,4 percent

This will be mainly driven by recovery in the agriculture sector, which recorded a bumper harvest in the last season, and is set to grow by to 34 percent.

The good harvest realised by Zimbabwe from the last farming season will slash the import bill by US$300 million.

The recent success in food production indicate that Zimbabwe is on course to achieve the US$8,2 billion revenue from agriculture by 2025 under the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy.

Agriculture and mining sectors are expected to collectively contribute US$20 billion to the economy in a few years’ time.

Due to continuing fiscal support measures, higher growth rates are projected in agriculture, electricity generation, accommodation and food services as well as financial services.

The fiscal and monetary consolidation measures being implemented by Government have firmly anchored inflation expectations as shown by a significant decline in inflation from 837,5 percent in July last year to 106,6 percent in June 2021.

The country’s annual inflation stood at 51,55 percent for the month of September 2021.

In recent months, the country’s annual inflation has been slowing down as monetary authorities projected a rate below 25 percent by year-end.

Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) statistics show that there has also been a steady performance of the mining sector, coupled with noticeable recovery in the manufacturing sector whose capacity utilisation rose from 36 percent in 2019 to 47 percent last year and 54 percent in the second quarter of 2021.

The strong economic recovery has also been attributed to the comprehensive reform drive being undertaken by  the Government.-statemedia

Case Alert

25 October 2021

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government is adamant that it has accomplished a lot in stopping child marriages in Zimbabwe despite some reported rising cases of the pervasive practice.

In response to summons filed at Harare High Court on 28 September 2021, government lawyers are unwavering that President Mnangagwa’s administration had taken all the legislative and other steps required at law to stop child marriages including enforcement of the same.

The lawyers argued that a request for an order from the High Court to secure the rights of the girl children exposed to the practice of child marriages is misplaced, unnecessary and incompetent.

In March 2021, government released some shocking figures showing that 4 959 girls fell pregnant between January and February 2021 alone at a time when the scourge of child marriages increased due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and associated national lockdowns.

The response by government filed at High Court on 18 October 2021 came after Sharon Moffat, a Masvingo resident and two human rights organisations recently asked the High Court to order Marange Apostolic Church of St Johanne and the Apostolic Churches Council to mount a campaign denouncing the practice of child marriages.

In the application, Moffat, Legal Resources Foundation (LRF) and Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) want Marange Apostolic Church of St Johanne and the Apostolic Churches Council to be ordered to publish at every shrine or every place of worship, a message for 19 consecutive weeks, clarifying, for the benefit of their congregants
and adherents, that the marrying or giving in marriage of girl children is not an aspect of their respective faiths and should not be committed in the name of their religion.

Moffat, LRF and WCoZ also want the High Court to order Health and Child Care Minister Constantino Chiwenga, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Hon. Ziyambi, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Hon. Kazembe Kazembe, Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Hon. Sithembiso
Nyoni, Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Gender Commission and Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, to take steps to bring to an end the practice of marrying and giving in marriage of girl children in Marange Apostolic Church of St Johanne and in Independent African Apostolic Churches represented by Apostolic Churches Council.

The trio want Zimbabwean authorities to conduct an identification of children married in terms of the practice, their removal, from such marriages and placement in places of safety established in terms of the Children’s Act for their rehabilitation.

They also want the activation of the criminal justice system against all men who have married or otherwise have had sexual intercourse with minor children in the name of religion post the decision of the Constitutional Court in Mudzuru and Another v Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and Others in Case No. CCZ-12-15 and the publication of a summary of the declaraturs in all national newspapers and on all national radio stations in all vernacular languages.

Moffat, LRF, which is a law based human rights organisation and WCoZ, a network of women’s organisations involved in the preservation and protection of women’s rights including the rights of children are represented by Paidamoyo Saurombe of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Advocate Thabani Mpofu, Advocate Regina Bwanali and Advocate Choice Damiso.

The matter is yet to be set down for hearing.

Watch the live video loading below……

Watch the live video loading below……

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has visited Cyrene Farm in Figtree, owned by the Anglican Province of Central Africa Church, to investigate cases of human rights violations by invaders and police.

This was after a church worker was assaulted by police officers when he went to report the invasion of the property.

Over 500 illegal settlers have invaded the property owned by Anglican Province of Central Africa Church, Figtree, Matabeleland South province.

The settlers seized the farm at the height of the chaotic land reform programme in 2000, with police said to be reluctant to evict them despite the existence of a High Court order.

ZHRC officers, who visited the area early this month, are preparing a report to be submitted to Parliament and President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“The commission is investigating how the invaders got on the farm, who gave them permission, and whether their offer letters are valid and authentic, and why the local authority has not taken action even after church officials engaged them several times on the issue.  They are investigating why there is laxity on the part of law enforcement agents to deal with the invaders and the land barons,” a source from the church said.

The source said ZHRC intended to establish who was responsible for the acquisition of the farm since it is disputed land.

ZHRC chairperson Elisto Mugwadi could not deny nor confirm that the commission was probing the Cyrene Farm invasion.

Mugwadi said he was not on the ground to comment and referred Southern Eye to his deputy Dorothy Moyo, who is based in Bulawayo.

“Yes, our team went on a fact-finding mission. It is currently  writing a report that will constitute our recommendations. I will link up with  it tomorrow and see how far it has gone,” Moyo said.

Sometime in 2003, the Anglican Church filed a High Court application seeking the eviction of settlers from the farm.

The High Court granted the order, but the deputy sheriff did not execute the order until recently.

Indications are that the deputy sheriff was paid to deal with only 52 of the illegal settlers.

Church officials are concerned that the settlers are returning to the place and police officers are reluctant to take action.

The invaders are reportedly encroaching onto Cyrene High School, clinic and a cattle-ranching project.-newsday

By A Correspondent- A 33 year old man from Gutu has been arrested in Beitbridge for breaking into two houses and stealing an assortment of goods, including an AK47 rifle belonging to a member of the President’s Department.

Obey Mhuru was arrested after a man he had threatened to shoot using the stolen rifle in  Vhembe View suburb knocked him down with a car on Friday morning.

Mhuru was not asked to plead to two charges of unlawful entry when he appeared before Beitbridge Resident Magistrate Mr Takudzwa Gwazemba on Saturday.

Mhuru was remanded in custody to November 5.

Prosecuting, Mr Ronald Mugwagwa said on September 7 at around 5pm, Mhuru stole a Samsung J7 smartphone, R1 000 and US$70 after breaking into a cottage in Benne Knot Street .

The court heard that the following day at around 5pm, Mhuru went to a house  belonging to the President’s Department when the occupants were away.

He broke down the door to the dining room and subsequently forced open the doors to the other rooms, ransacked the house and stole an AK47 rifle and a magazine with  30 rounds.

Both offences were discovered on September 9 and reported to the police.

Mhuru was arrested on Friday last week at around 2am after being hit by a car as he attempted to attack a motorist using the stolen firearm.

The rifle was recovered loaded with 19 rounds and Mhuru confessed to investigators that he had stolen the firearm.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Bulawayo residents have lamented the council’s delays in responding to  burst sewerage in their communities saying this could contribute to disease outbreaks.

The city has recorded a series of sewer pipe bursts, which has seen raw effluent flowing into their homes.

Speaking during a Ward 17 meeting in Pumula North yesterday, residents said apart from sewer pipe bursts, the council also delayed in attending to burst water pipes, which sometimes leaves them without water for days.

The meeting was organised by the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association and was attended by council officials and area councillor Ms Sikhululekile Moyo.

The meeting’s agenda was to brief the community on council budget processes as most of them had not participated in its online consultation processes.

One of the residents said she had been living with a burst sewer for three  months despite reporting the burst pipe to council.

“I reported this issue three months ago  to have raw sewage flowing from your  home on a daily basis with no action being taken.
“We don’t know whether the council’s offices are still functional. Where should we report now?” asked the resident, who did not reveal her identity.

Another resident said council was also not attending to burst water pipes and as a result he had dug a small well in his yard to harvest the water.

“Whenever there is water shedding, some residents even come to my house to fetch water from the well.

“The council is losing a lot of treated water due to its failure to timeously respond to burst pipes,” said the resident.

The residents said council should channel ward retention funds towards fixing burst water pipes.

Some residents complained that the council keeps increasing rates yet service delivery was not improving.
This was in response to the city’s proposed 2022 budget which will see rates increasing by 200 percent.

In response to their concerns, Cllr Moyo said the local authority was resource constrained to effectively attend to some of their concerns.

“As council we don’t have enough money to attend to some of the challenges that are obtaining in our communities. I understand that residents want to channel ward retention funds to fixing burst sewer and damaged water pipes but the money is too little.

“I however urge you to continue paying your bills as this will enable the council to attend to some of your challenges,” said Cllr Moyo.

She said ward retention funds can be channelled towards resuscitating soccer grounds and other recreational facilities.

Cllr Moyo said this will help youths to refrain from substance abuse and also reduce general crime in the area.

She challenged residents to also protect council infrastructure from vandals that deliberately destroy the local authority’s property.-statemedia

A land cruiser has dropped off suspected ZANU-PF thugs at MDC Alliance Vice President Tendai Biti’s office, ahead of his press conference due to start at 12 pm, the party reports.

– this is a developing story

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Friday last week arrested two armed robbers who were masquerading as police officers. The duo is said to have been involved in several robbery cases. Said the police in a statement:

On 22/10/21, police in Mutawatawa joined hands with members of the public and managed to arrest two of the several armed robbery suspects, Chikomborero Gono (28) and Luckson Tsingano (32) who were masquerading as police officers.

The suspects robbed Tinotenda Karumazondo (21) employed at a local gold milling company of USD15 000, 49g gold and a cellphone before kidnapping him, tying him with shoelaces and spraying him with an unknown substance that made him go unconscious.

A member of the public sustained a gunshot injury on the palm during the exercise. The two suspects are assisting the police with investigations whilst the other suspects are at large.

This comes after police announced the arrest of a syndicate that was dealing in guns. Two police officers who were part of the syndicate were also arrested.

Police said some of the guns were being sold to armed robbers.

Cases of armed robberies have been on the rise in the country lately.

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said he is eagerly looking forward to his first visit to the United Kingdom when he attends the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) scheduled for the 23rd and 24th of November in Glasgow, Scotland.

He revealed this in a twitter thread where he said that because Zimbabwe felt

I am eagerly looking forward to my first visit to the United Kingdom. @COP26 meeting of nations comes at an extraordinary time in world history. Many countries are still battling the pandemic whilst having to undertake immense changes to our economies to meet climate goals.

The discussions @COP26 are going to be an important step in agreeing to a collective way forward.

For Zimbabwe, we feel the impact of climate change more than others. Our temperatures have risen by approximately 2°C over the past century. Which has seen a significant increase in extreme weather. In the past two decades alone, we have had to deal with 10 droughts.

If the world doesn’t step up, we will see jobs lost, livelihoods destroyed, and people will lose their lives. That is something we must avoid and why Zimbabwe is coming to the table with ambitious plans to tackle climate change.

Zimbabwe has now committed to reducing emissions by 40% before 2030. The time for words is over – we must act now.

While we will offer to hasten our economic transformation, we do need to remain alive to the shocks of drought and the impact of climate change through necessary social safety nets. I will be appealing for multilateral support to supplement our efforts.

Zimbabwe has come a long way over the past three years, I hope our presence @COP26 and our commitment to the global fight against climate change will be recognised as part of our ongoing re-engagement campaign.

Meanwhile, ousted Ntabazinduna chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni on Thursday last week led a group of demonstrators to the Zimbabwean embassy in the United Kingdom (UK) calling for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to be barred from participating at the event.

By A Correspondent- Members of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) yesterday staged online anti-government protests meant to coincide with the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) anti-sanctions solidarity day where they demanded improved working conditions.

They said the protests were targeted at Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, whom they accused of slashing their salaries from US$540 in 2018 to US$100 as he implemented his unpopular fiscal policy measures in 2018.

Their protest yesterday ran under the hashtag #EndSalarySanctions.

In a series of tweets, Artuz said the salaries that teachers were getting were inadequate for their self-sustenance.

“The teacher takes home a salary of ZW$16 308, which is an equivalent of around US$82. The teacher cannot afford 2 100 calories of food per day for each member of a family of five. They earn below the food poverty line. They are malnourished. These are sanctions imposed on us by the government #EndSalarySanctions,” Artuz tweeted.

“This is the reason why we are calling on citizens to help us implore @MthuliNcube to end #EndSalarySanctions.”

They said the only weapon left for them was to down tools in protest as the responsibility to save the education sector was on Ncube’s shoulders.

“Teachers keep on piling pressure on @MthuliNcube to end salary sanctions. The government should not punish civil servants who are working round the clock to keep this nation ticking. The sanctions list is long.”

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) acting national general-secretary Goodwill Taderera said although teachers affiliated to his union had not unanimously decided to join the online protests, as a union they welcomed every effort and move by different stakeholders to enhance the conditions of service for teachers.

“We support every move and effort that will push the government to pay teachers a reasonable salary. We appreciate Artuz for fighting in their corner and we have no problem with any stakeholders that push for salary enhancement and the well-being of teachers,” Taderera said.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) President Takavafira Zhou said sanctions come in two forms; internal and external.

Zhou said internal sanctions included issues such as underpayment of teachers in particular and of civil servants in general, as well as the high-profile corruption that has become routine and has invited imposition of external sanctions.

“We call upon our Zimbabwean government to pay teachers and the rest of the civil servants as they are the pillars of sustainable development of the nation.  As much as we have not jointly planned anything with any other union in Zimbabwe, we have been in the forefront  in calling for unity in diversity against slave wages for teachers that in some way are a form of internal sanctions.

“What is, however, more deleterious to national development are internal sanctions characterised by cartelism, underpayment of workers and a shocking contrast between richness and poverty,” Zhou said.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) secretary-general Japhet Moyo said as a union, they had been campaigning against wage theft over the years.

“Any effort by any of our affiliates or workers to demand a living wage is appreciated and supported. Businesses have been making huge profits taking advantage of the parallel market rates, but at the same time refusing to link wages to the same exchange rates. Most goods and services are in US$ or parallel exchange rate, but wages are compressed. This is in both the public and private sectors,” Moyo said.

Last week in response to threats by teachers to strike, Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said:  “There is nothing overwhelming about calls for job action that would be heeded by about 3 000 teachers.  Primary and Secondary Education minister Evelyn Ndlovu said she was committed to address issues pertaining to the welfare of teachers.”

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By A Correspondent- A suspected armed robber, who was last week run over by a car belonging to a would-be victim in Beitbridge, was yesterday arraigned before the courts.

Obey Mhuru of Ruzive village, Chief Chimombe, Gutu, is facing two counts of housebreaking and theft involving an AK47 rifle, R3 500 and US$70.

Mhuru, who was not asked to plead, was remanded to two weeks in custody from his hospital bed at Beitbridge District Hospital by magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba.

He was hit by a car at a house that he had broken into in a bid to commit robbery last Friday.

Allegations are that on September 7, 2021, Mhuru, broke into a cottage at 193 Benne Knot Road in Beitbridge.

He stole a Samsung Galaxy 7 mobile phone, R1 000 and US$70 belonging to Zakaria Manatse and Albert Mtandwa.

Mhuru returned the following day and broke into the main house and stole a collapsible AK47 which had 30 live rounds belonging to Phillip Wutawunashe.

He was arrested on Friday while allegedly attempting to steal at a house along  Hill Close.

Mhuru sustained back and facial injuries after the owner hit him with a car. He was found in possession of an AK47 gun.

Ronald Mugwagwa appeared for the State.

By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF has disowned its member, Sybeth Musengezi, who recently filed a High Court application, challenging President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s legitimacy as leader of the party and country.

Last week, Musengezi approached the Bulawayo High Court seeking the nullification of the November 19, 2017 special session of the Zanu-PF central committee meeting which elected Mnangagwa to replace the late former President Robert Mugabe.

Through his lawyer, Nqobani Sithole, Musengezi cited Zanu-PF as the first respondent and Mnangagwa as the second, while other respondents are party secretary for administration Obert Mpofu, acting political commissar Patrick Chinamasa, former Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko and former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo.

Zanu-PF director of information and publicity Tafadzwa Mugwadi yesterday said Musengezi was not a Zanu-PF member, warning him to “chew what he was capable of swallowing”.

“The official Zanu-PF position on Musengezi is that the character in question is not a member of Zanu-PF,” Mugwadi said.

“As such, the party does not take cognisance of whatever he is up to. However, we are alert to how his actions are aimed at tarnishing the image of the party and the sooner he realises the legal consequences of such actions, the better for him and those behind his actions. He must be advised to chew that which he is capable of swallowing.”

But Musengezi dismissed attempts by Zanu-PF to disown him, saying he has locus standi to sue the ruling party, Mnangagwa and other senior party officials.

In his court application, he said he had been a member of the ruling party for over 20 years, adding that he was a youth league member under Mugabe’s leadership in Harare province, and held party card number 1515786.

He said he renewed his Zanu-PF party membership following the 2017 power transition at Mai Chitepo branch in Muzinda 1 party district in Harare province under card number 0131988.

Musengezi also participated in the Zanu-PF primary elections for Harare North constituency ahead of the 2018 elections and lost to the MDC Alliance’s Allan Markham in the elections.

“Who is Mugwadi to discredit my membership when he doesn’t even have five years in the party?  Although I lost, I was a Zanu-PF primary election candidate for Harare North constituency ahead of the 2018 general elections.”

He told South African broadcaster SABC on Saturday that he was not fighting for the removal of Mnangagwa, but he wanted the party to follow the dictates of its constitution on appointment of its leaders.

He said he received overwhelming support from some Zanu-PF members close to Mnangagwa for filing the application.

Legal expert Alex Magaisa said Musengezi’s application exposed an internal power struggle in Zanu-PF which clearly showed that he had backing from an authority within the party.

“We were not far off at the BSR (Big Saturday Read) when we suggested there are several signs of trouble in the house (of) Mnangagwa.  Musengezi is a smart, articulate and well-prepared chap. He has done his homework. But he is not a lone wolf. He is a well-trained proverbial tortoise, but not even the smartest tortoise can climb to the top of the fence post on its own.

“Someone helps it to get up there. An application like this would have taken several meetings of well-organised people to plan and execute. Other tortoises usually lend their name to an application and remain in the background. They have no voice, even when they are challenging individuals without State power. It’s more than bravery for Musengezi to take up such a public platform as the SABC,” Magaisa said.

By A Corespondent- Supporters of eSwatini Premier League teams Pirates, Wanderers, Swallows and Highlanders have threatened to boycott playing matches against eSwatini security forces football clubs because of violence on civilians. Security forces are reported to be brutalising pro-democracy protestors.

We publish below the joint statement from the supporters:

We as representatives of the supporters of the top four teams in the country, Mbabane Highlanders, Moneni Pirates, Mbabane Swallows and Manzini Wanderers met on this day to discuss the issue of playing against the security forces teams going into the new season.

Mental,/ football is supposed to help improve concentration, boost mood and reduce stress while building good friendship and working together However, these have been dented by the forces’ brutality on unarmed civilians including football supporters of the teams.

it is for this reason that we feel our supporters and players are not mentally fit to engage in sporting activities with teams from the forces. The teams are therefore appealing to the PLE to positively address and put this into consideration and give guidelines to avoid negative consequences that may include tines in the event teams take the decision to boycott games against the forces.

We, therefore, give your office up until Friday to respond on this matter.

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Members of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) yesterday staged online anti-government protests meant to coincide with the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) anti-sanctions solidarity day where they demanded improved working conditions.

They said the protests were targeted at Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, whom they accused of slashing their salaries from US$540 in 2018 to US$100 as he implemented his unpopular fiscal policy measures in 2018.

Their protest yesterday ran under the hashtag #EndSalarySanctions.

In a series of tweets, Artuz said the salaries that teachers were getting were inadequate for their self-sustenance.

“The teacher takes home a salary of ZW$16 308, which is an equivalent of around US$82. The teacher cannot afford 2 100 calories of food per day for each member of a family of five. They earn below the food poverty line. They are malnourished. These are sanctions imposed on us by the government #EndSalarySanctions,” Artuz tweeted.

“This is the reason why we are calling on citizens to help us implore @MthuliNcube to end #EndSalarySanctions.”

They said the only weapon left for them was to down tools in protest as the responsibility to save the education sector was on Ncube’s shoulders.

“Teachers keep on piling pressure on @MthuliNcube to end salary sanctions. The government should not punish civil servants who are working round the clock to keep this nation ticking. The sanctions list is long.”

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) acting national general-secretary Goodwill Taderera said although teachers affiliated to his union had not unanimously decided to join the online protests, as a union they welcomed every effort and move by different stakeholders to enhance the conditions of service for teachers.

“We support every move and effort that will push the government to pay teachers a reasonable salary. We appreciate Artuz for fighting in their corner and we have no problem with any stakeholders that push for salary enhancement and the well-being of teachers,” Taderera said.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) President Takavafira Zhou said sanctions come in two forms; internal and external.

Zhou said internal sanctions included issues such as underpayment of teachers in particular and of civil servants in general, as well as the high-profile corruption that has become routine and has invited imposition of external sanctions.

“We call upon our Zimbabwean government to pay teachers and the rest of the civil servants as they are the pillars of sustainable development of the nation.  As much as we have not jointly planned anything with any other union in Zimbabwe, we have been in the forefront  in calling for unity in diversity against slave wages for teachers that in some way are a form of internal sanctions.

“What is, however, more deleterious to national development are internal sanctions characterised by cartelism, underpayment of workers and a shocking contrast between richness and poverty,” Zhou said.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) secretary-general Japhet Moyo said as a union, they had been campaigning against wage theft over the years.

“Any effort by any of our affiliates or workers to demand a living wage is appreciated and supported. Businesses have been making huge profits taking advantage of the parallel market rates, but at the same time refusing to link wages to the same exchange rates. Most goods and services are in US$ or parallel exchange rate, but wages are compressed. This is in both the public and private sectors,” Moyo said.

Last week in response to threats by teachers to strike, Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said:  “There is nothing overwhelming about calls for job action that would be heeded by about 3 000 teachers.  Primary and Secondary Education minister Evelyn Ndlovu said she was committed to address issues pertaining to the welfare of teachers.”

-Newsday

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

By A Correspondent- Opposition MDC Alliance’s deputy chairperson, Job Sikhala has dismissed as rubbish a poster circulating on social media that claims he is the MDC Alliance candidate in the 2023 presidential election.
He says the poster was created by the ruling ZANU PF in connivance with the central intelligence organisation (CIO) to create confusion and hatred in the opposition party.

The CIO has created a poster circulating on social media of the MDC-Alliance deputy chairman, Job Sikhala, portraying him as the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.

Said Sikhala:

“It is not all the rubbish & nonsense I respond to, but I can not allow this scandalous scam by the CIO & the ZANU PF intelligence 2 destabilize our party & its unity. They are circulating this nonsense to cause hatred. Our President is Adv Nelson Chamisa,” Said Sikhala on his twittrt account.

By A Correspondent- Members of the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) are said to be trying to divide the opposition MDC-Alliance ahead of the 2023 elections.

The CIO has created a poster circulating on social media of the MDC-Alliance deputy chairman, Job Sikhala, portraying him the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.

Sikhala has since dismissed the poster:

“It is not all the rubbish & nonsense I respond to, but I can not allow this scandalous scam by the CIO & the ZANU PF intelligence 2 destabilize our party & its unity. They are circulating this nonsense to cause hatred. Our President is Adv Nelson Chamisa,” Said Sikhala on his twittrt account.

By A correspondent- Police in Harare’s in Budiriro high-density suburb is looking for an alleged rapist named Madzibaba Tanya.

Madzibaba is wanted in connection with an alleged case of rape where he is said to have sexually abused a 33-year-old woman twice at his shrine.

The incident is said to have happened in September after the victim visited him seeking help for her sick son.

Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza yesterday warned women against being trapped by “perverts bent on sexual gratification” at religious shrines.

“Sex predators are a menace to society. The public, especially women, should not be deceived into believing in such religious pronouncements by perverts whose acts are simply bent on sexual gratification. People should always be alert and report such people to the police,” Mwanza told NewsDay.

“We are on the hunt for the alleged rapist and anyone with information on his whereabouts should report to any nearest police station.”

It is alleged that on September 20, the complainant, from Budiriro 1, went to the accused person’s shrine seeking assistance for her son.

Madzibaba Tanya reportedly told the complainant that she had spiritual husbands and ordered her to have sexual intercourse with a man in the bush for three consecutive days and then bring semen for cleansing.

“The complainant told the accused person that she had no one to have sexual intercourse with and the accused volunteered to be the man,” Mwanza said.

After two encounters, she did not return for the third time after figuring out that she was being raped.

She reported the matter to the police.

-NewsDay

By A Correspondent- Former vice President Kembo Mohadi’s son has ignored fixing cars he negligently hit in a road accident that happened in 2019.

A Bulawayo resident Sibukekile Moyo has filed a police complaint against Mohadi’s son, Kgosidintsi, over the issue.

The accident reportedly happened on August 24, 2019, in Bulawayo and Mohadi, of Glen Lorne in Harare, paid a fine for driving without due care and attention.

Moyo told NewsDay that after the accident, Mohadi undertook to pay for the repairs to her car, as well as three other cars that were damaged as a result of his conduct. She said:

He had promised to fix my car, but he later kept quiet until I fixed my car using my own money. When I called him and told him I had fixed my car, he said I should keep the receipts and he would reimburse me. But until today, there is nothing and he has now blocked my numbers.

Moyo said Kgosidintsi owed her US$800 for the repairs, and that the former Vice-President had asked her to give him the quotations, but nothing materialised from him too.

She alleged that Kgosidintsi later claimed that he was a student, while his father was a civil servant and so they could not afford to pay that kind of amount.

Moyo added that Kgosidintsi blocked her number when she kept calling him.

More: NewsDay

By A Correspondent- The National Constitution Assembly, NCA Party sanctions were giving the Zanu PF government a political advantage to stay in power.

Below is a complete statement by NCA issued by the party’s spokesperson Madock Chivasa:

▪️The NCA party join hands with all progressive forces in calling for the unconditional removal of sanctions against Zimbabwe.

▪️The sanctions are affecting us as Zimbabwe socially, politicaly and economically.

▪️As NCA party, an opposition in Zimbabwe, we believe that Zanu pf is using sanctions to justify its incompetence and hold to political power.

▪️The sanctions are not serving the purpose that they were imposed on Zimbabwe.

▪️As opposition in Zimbabwe we believe that removing Zanu pf must not be a foreign agenda but should also be purely a Zimbabwean agenda.

▪️Zimbabweans will eventually remove Zanu pf on their own terms and there is no need for any foreign intervention to achieve this noble definite cause.

▪️We encourage any other mechanism to deal with the problems affecting Zimbabwe and sanctions are not part of such a solution.

▪️As NCA Party we encourage all Zimbabweans to speak with one voice in denouncing the sanctions as well as calling for their unconditional removal.

Issued By,
Madock Chivasa
NCA Party National Spokesperson
Phone +263 772 904 492 +263 775 614 471
Email [email protected]
Facebook Page National Constitutional Assembly/NCA Party Information & Publicity

By A Correspondent| A Chitungwiza man was left in tears after an Apostolic Faith Mission Church in Zimbabwe (AFM) caretaker snatched his wife.

Eddison Sangana (37), who resides at house number 4229, Unit D, Chitungwiza, says his wife Maybe Muchineuta (35) is now staying with madala Martin Shereni (62) who works as a caretaker at AFM Maranatha in Unit D.

However, Sangana says if his wife returns to him from the madala, “ndinongomuda zvakadaro”.

Tinashe Sambiri|Emmerson Mnangagwa has become a political liability and cannot stretch his mandate beyond two terms, hard-hitting MDC Alliance vice chairperson Hon Job Sikhala has said.

Hon Sikhala scoffed at attempts by the Zanu PF youth league to extend Mnangagwa’s disputed mandate.

“More than two terms dzekudiiko nhai Mnangagwa. You are 80 years. You want to fight God and nature.

Munotozviona muchisvitsa 90 dzaMugabe here?
Inga. Good luck.”

Hon Sikhala also blasted Kudzanai Chipanga for describing Mnangagwa as an invincible political figure.

“Kwayi na Kudzanai Chipanga Mnangagwa hamumugoni nokuti iye navamwe vaati vari Joni uko vakambomuzama vakamukoniwa.

Gegegegege usativhuna mbabvu nekuseka. Ndimi henyuzve makamukoniwa

Isu navana ve Zimbabwe tichamubvisa uye hatimbomukoniwi.
Anoenda chete kwete zvako izvo.”

Tinashe Sambiri|Many people are asking questions about the sincerity of one Sybeth Musengezi, a Zanu PF member who has dragged Emmerson Mnangagwa to court for seizing power.

Musengezi has approached the High Court seeking nullification of the Central Committee resolutions that endorsed Mnangagwa’s ascendancy.

Below Musengezi roasts Mnangagwa on SABC…

Tinashe Sambiri| President Nelson Chamisa has described the late Movement for Democratic Change founding member, Learnmore Judah Jongwe as an icon of the people struggle.

Writing on Twitter, President Chamisa pointed out that the people of Zimbabwe have suffered for too long under Zanu PF misrule…

“THE EXODUS MOMENT..People are thirsty for change and a prosperous country.We’re suffering too much. It has not been easy.Those benefiting from this oppressive system will fight us. But enough is enough! We must win & deliver Zimbabwe for change. A New Great Zimbabwe is loading,” wrote President Chamisa.

He added:
LEARNMORE JUDAH JONGWE
28/04/1974- 24/10/2002
Honouring and Celebrating a Brother, Friend, Comrade and Leader.

We will never ever forget! Struggle is the language of the oppressed.We’re the voice of the voiceless.The struggle continues.We fight for freedom,peace &real change!

By A Correspondent- African Apostolic Church (AAC) founder Bishop Paul Mwazha celebrated his 103rd birthday on Saturday in Waterfalls at a well-attended gathering.

Over 16 000 congregants of AAC, popularly known as VaApositori vekwaMwazha, mainly from Harare and Chitungwiza converged in Waterfalls for what they call Gumhano, a monthly church service gathering and took the opportunity to celebrate their leader’s birthday.

Born on October 25, 1918, Mwazha is believed to have started preaching at the age of 16.

In an interview on the sidelines of the celebrations, Alfred Kushamisa Mwazha, the son of Bishop Paul, who is one of the church Bishops, said the huge gathering showed that everything they are doing as a church is in the right direction.

“We have gathered here for prayers, thanking the Almighty for taking care of our father Paul Mwazha. He is now 103 years old and we are happy as a church and family for that, hence the huge gathering you are witnessing here.

“This gathering is a testament that the servant of God, Paul Mwazha, was given a gift by God. A gift to win peoples’ hearts through teaching and preaching His word to them.

“My father started preaching at the age of 16 and now he is 103 years old, you can imagine all the years he has been doing God’s work. More than 80 years, he has dedicated to God’s work.”

Bishop Alfred added that the entire family and church were happy with the protection that their founder was getting from God. Bishop Elson Tafa, who is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the church, said they were humbled by the huge turn-out for the celebrations.

“Gathered here is also the Priesthood Council who are the three sons of Paul Mwazha weAfrica. They are Bishops Edward Ngoni Mwazha, Alfred Kushamisa Mwazha and James Mwazha. This Council is the one which represents Paul Mwazha as you know that he has advanced in age and walking is now difficult so in his absence, his three sons are here in his place.

“So this gathering has Paul Mwazha’s blessings through the Priesthood Council. Whatever we do is approved by this Council.”

Bishop Tafa said as they celebrated Bishop Mwazha’s birthday, they also prayed for the nation, President Mnangagwa and his administration.

He said the church was also praying for Zimbabwe’s economic prosperity.
-State media

By A Correspondent-The Minister of Health and Child Care, Vice President Costantino Chiwenga, says the government should introduce taxes on beer and cigarettes to raise money for medical services.

Chiwenga who was speaking during a pre-budget seminar for parliamentarians in Victoria Falls where he was the guest of honour said this will help avoid overtaxing every citizen. He said:

The ministry is proposing that a certain percentage of the ZINARA funds be ring-fenced to finance health services such as purchasing of ambulances required in cases of road traffic accidents and the treatment of victims of accidents requiring hospitalisation.

It is also proposed that a certain number of cigarettes be reserved for financing health, for example, for every five packets sold one goes to the national health services. With regards to alcohol, a certain number of bottles should contribute to financing healthcare services.

Chiwenga said the taxes shall be collected from the source, where manufacturers will be asked to furnish the government with details of quantities made since it is impossible to collect the “two per cent tax from non-users of these things.” He added:

So let’s have a cent from alcohol, cigarettes and ZINARA fees, to fund national health services.

He challenged Finance and Economic Development minister Mthuli Ncube to honour the Abuja Declaration where African states agreed to commit at least 15 per cent of the national budget for health services.

The ministry was allocated 13 per cent in the 2021 budget.

Chiwenga made the proposal in response to parliamentarians who had proposed that the treasury should introduce a 1.5 per cent cancer levy across all sectors of the economy to fund cancer-related medical needs.

His proposal comes when members of the public have complained over many taxes that are leaving their pockets dry.

Some criticise the government for failing to curb tax evasion by big companies and too many tax exemptions.

More: NewZimbabwe

By A Correspondent

By A Correspondent- Former vice President Kembo Mohadi’s son has ignored fixing cars he negligently hit in 2019.

A Bulawayo resident Sibukekile Moyo has filed a police complaint against Mohadi’s son, Kgosidintsi, over the issue.

The accident reportedly happened on August 24, 2019, in Bulawayo and Mohadi, of Glen Lorne in Harare, paid a fine for driving without due care and attention.

Moyo told NewsDay that after the accident, Mohadi undertook to pay for the repairs to her car, as well as three other cars that were damaged as a result of his conduct. She said:

He had promised to fix my car, but he later kept quiet until I fixed my car using my own money. When I called him and told him I had fixed my car, he said I should keep the receipts and he would reimburse me. But until today, there is nothing and he has now blocked my numbers.

Moyo said Kgosidintsi owed her US$800 for the repairs, and that the former Vice-President had asked her to give him the quotations, but nothing materialised from him too.

She alleged that Kgosidintsi later claimed that he was a student, while his father was a civil servant and so they could not afford to pay that kind of amount.

Moyo added that Kgosidintsi blocked her number when she kept calling him.

More: NewsDay

By A Correspondent- The National Constitution Assembly, NCA Party sanctions were giving the Zanu PF government a political advantage to stay in power.

Below is a complete statement by NCA issued by the party’s spokesperson Madock Chivasa:

▪️The NCA party join hands with all progressive forces in calling for the unconditional removal of sanctions against Zimbabwe.

▪️The sanctions are affecting us as Zimbabwe socially, politicaly and economically.

▪️As NCA party, an opposition in Zimbabwe, we believe that Zanu pf is using sanctions to justify its incompetence and hold to political power.

▪️The sanctions are not serving the purpose that they were imposed on Zimbabwe.

▪️As opposition in Zimbabwe we believe that removing Zanu pf must not be a foreign agenda but should also be purely a Zimbabwean agenda.

▪️Zimbabweans will eventually remove Zanu pf on their own terms and there is no need for any foreign intervention to achieve this noble definite cause.

▪️We encourage any other mechanism to deal with the problems affecting Zimbabwe and sanctions are not part of such a solution.

▪️As NCA Party we encourage all Zimbabweans to speak with one voice in denouncing the sanctions as well as calling for their unconditional removal.

Issued By,
Madock Chivasa
NCA Party National Spokesperson
Phone +263 772 904 492 +263 775 614 471
Email [email protected]
Facebook Page National Constitutional Assembly/NCA Party Information & Publicity

By A Correspondent- Ousted Ntabazinduna chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni last week led a demonstration against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s invitation to the Climate Change Conference (COP26).

COP26 will be held next month on November 23 and 24 in Glasgow, Scotland, and Mnangagwa has been invited to attend.

But last Thursday, Ndiweni led a group of demonstrators at the Zimbabwean embassy in the UK and later handed over a petition to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Ndiweni told the protesters that climate change issues in Zimbabwe could only be dealt with effectively by a government that respects the rule of law, “a government underpinned by democracy.”
He added the ruling ZANU PF was not democratic. He said:
The meeting requires honesty and some form of legitimacy, but currently, in Zimbabwe, we do not have that. So we are raising our voice in a democratic country here in England to say that the presence of the so-called President of Zimbabwe is not acceptable among the brotherhood and sisterhood of nations. He (Mnangagwa) cannot sit at the table among other such nations. So we are raising our voices to say we reject him.

Last month, Mnangagwa met the British ambassador to Zimbabwe Melanie Robinson in Harare in preparation for the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 26).
The Zimbabwean government viewed the invitation as a step towards re-engagement with the international community.
Ndiweni who Mnangagwa’s government dethroned as a chief is now based in the UK.

-NewsDay

By A Correspondent- Rusty Labuschagne, a South African businessman who spent ten years in Zimbabwean prisons after being convicted of murder, denied committing, wrote a book narrating his ordeal.

He said he does not have any anger despite being “wrongfully” convicted.

The 60-year-old Labuschagne, a successful businessman, who ran a safari outfit, was accused of drowning a poacher near his fish resort in Zimbabwe in late December 2000.

He was sentenced to 15 years in a Zimbabwe jail and was moved around to various prisons in the country.

He spent hundreds of thousands of rand trying to prove his innocence and fighting the system.

Eventually, after 10 years, Labuschagne was released from prison. He said he went on a fishing trip with his friends, including Spike Claasen, on Lake Kariba in December 2000. He narrated:

On our way back, we spotted two fish poachers in a steel boat, who immediately, upon seeing us, started paddling hastily for the shore in an effort to get away from us.

Knowing that they were notorious poachers, I drove my boat towards them to scare them off, and the wake of my boat tilted theirs, causing them to jump out into the water, which was about 1.5m deep.

They were about three metres from the shore and soon scrambled to dry land.

Spike and I then watched as they ran away into the bush, and thought nothing more of it.

The following day the police arrived and accused them of drowning one of those poachers. He said one of the poacher, the police, and the courts, framed him adding that this was a “politically influenced conspiracy.”

He was sentenced to 15 years five of which were suspended as remission. His friend, Spike, only got a US$10 fine and was set free because he was not driving the boat.

Labuschagne has written about his experience in his new book, Beating Chains, an inspiring story of hope and resilience.

Labuschagne, who now resides in Cape Town with his wife Sandra, and does motivational talks for corporates, private functions, and churches, says his book was written for people who are overcoming hardships and to have the injustice recorded.

He spent time in various prisons in Zimbabwe such as Khami Maximum Security Prison, Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, Harare Central, and also Connemara Farm Prison.

He says finding happiness in even the smallest of things in prison kept his mind healthy.

While Labuschagne is happy to be free and now lives a wonderful life with his wife, Sandra, he says he is still scarred.

Labuschagne adds that he also visited the president of Zimbabwe in 2018 for a presidential pardon and President Emmerson Mnangagwa instructed the minister of justice to find a legal way of pardoning him.

However, the feedback he got after a year was that people were upset because he had gone directly to Mnangagwa.

More: The Saturday Star

By A Correspondent- A human rights lawyer representing the persecuted MDC-Alliance youth leader Makomborero Haruzivishe, has complained about the persecution of his client by the state.

Obey Shava, a Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights member, said his client must be released.

Shava tweeted Monday:

“Arrested in February 2020, the state said it had overwhelming evidence against him.1yr 8 months down the line, the state doesn’t want the trial, doesn’t want him released.The prosecutor doesn’t show up in court on the trial date.We all know what is happening & the forces behind it”.

By A Correspondent- The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries Water and Rural Resettlement and Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) will tommorrow 26 October 2021 hand over 250 x Tablets, 22 x Laptops and 70 x Desktops to support the operationalisation of the Agricultural Information Management System (AIMS).

In addition, 1 Server will be also handed over to Ministry of Local Government Public Works and National Housing to host the Sendai Monitoring System for Zimbabwe.

Said the United Nations Zimbabwe in a communique to the media:

“The generation of data improves both agriculture productivity and profitability. The benefits include knowledge and access to appropriate inputs, extension advice, weather warnings and market prices.

The advancement in Information, Communication Technology (ICT) enables the monitoring and prediction of trends which in turn allows communities to plan for risks and disasters, thus increasing their resilience in the wake of the climate crisis.

The handover ceremony will be addressed by Dr John Basera who is the Permanent Secretary – Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries Water and Rural Resettlement and Madelena Monoja, the Acting Resident Representative – United Nations Development Fund (UNDP).”

About Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund

The Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund is a long-term development initiative funded by the European Union (EU), Government of Sweden, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with an overall objective of contributing to increased capacity of communities to protect development gains in the face of recurrent shocks and stresses enabling them to contribute to the
economic development of Zimbabwe.

By A Correspondent- Pressure is mounting on Finance minister Mthuli Ncube to dollarise the economy after members of the public told Parliamentarians that it was the only way to tackle price and exchange rate instability that were inflaming inflationary pressures on the economy.

A report by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget and Finance issued yesterday in Victoria Falls at the 2022 pre-budget seminar showed that Zimbabweans wanted government to adopt the United States dollar as goods and services in the country were mainly being sold in that currency.

MPs raised concern over galloping inflation, which they said was rendering earnings for public workers worthless.

However, Ncube on Saturday rejected the proposal saying the country would not adopt the United States dollar as its sole currency due to risk of incurring large foreign currency deficits.

“We cannot adopt the United States dollar alone as the official currency, you were there before and there were long queues at the banks, huge foreign currency deficits and you had deflation. That was because of the US dollar. It is not a good idea and it will be suicidal to do so. What has happened is after we introduced the local currency, the industry is picking. It’s about stabilising the currency. We are reforming the country, running the country under a basically dual currency regime and of course other smaller currencies,” he said.

During public hearings on the 2022 budget, Zimbabweans suggested that Ncube announces a US dollar budget.

“Members of the public suggested that the government should denominate the 2022 National Budget in United States dollars,” the Budget and Finance committee report read.

“They expressed concern that the parallel market rate is going up at unprecedented rates, affecting the pricing of goods and services. They proposed that government should consider reverting to the multi-currency system, since most service providers prefer trading in forex. They expressed concern that the current tax system is complex and not user friendly for new entrants making it difficult to collect more revenue.”

MPs also said Zimbabweans expressed scepticism over the government-controlled foreign currency auction, which they asserted was failing to meet demand from the market and resultantly pushing up the parallel market rate.

Economist Gift Mugano, who also addressed MPs at the pre-budget seminar, warned that the auction system was “holding on a thin thread” and that its collapse was imminent.

“Although the auction system at its inception managed to foster economic stability, in recent months, it has faced several threats and risks mainly coming on the back of exchange rate disparities, that is approximately $93 to US$1 versus $180 to US$1 (on the parallel market).

“Massive price hikes in commodities like cotton, wheat and maize caused serious threat on money supply resurgence which has prompted RBZ [Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe] to institute measures aimed at cleaning out bad money,” Mugano said.

“The other drivers of black market rate spiral are the ongoing construction projects and the self-fulfilling prophecy – exchange depreciation causes further depreciation as market watchers throng the black market to preserve their currency.”

Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda said Ncube should ensure that the 2022 National Budget was “people-centred”.

Mudenda bemoaned the widening gap between the official auction foreign currency rate and the galloping parallel market rate, which he said was resulting in price instability.

“You may recall that one of the key outcomes from the presentations at the pre-budget briefing seminar was the worrisome disparity between the auction exchange rate premium and the odious parallel market rate, which is now hovering around $200 per one unit of the United States dollar as compared to the forex auction rate of $90 per unit of the United States dollar,” he said.

“If this conundrum is not addressed, it will derail the National Development Strategy 1 objective of stabilising the inflation rate and fail to contain it within the Sadc macroeconomic convergence of between 3% and 7%.”

MPs recommended that Ncube strengthens the local currency by prioritising funding of key sectors such as manufacturing and agriculture, as well as beneficiation of the mineral resources.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Chief executives of banks came under pressure at the weekend to act on concerns that financial institutions were fleecing consumers through punitive fees and commission charges on their accounts, while giving little or no interests on deposits.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya, who made a presentation to legislators during a pre-budget consultation seminar on Saturday, indicated that he would be pursuing moral suasion in his efforts to nudge banks into playing a fair game.

But he indicated that spin-offs of doing the right thing would be multi-pronged, with banks likely to see an influx of foreign currency-indexed deposits flowing into their coffers, while confidence in the Zimbabwe dollar as a store of value would be boosted.

Mangudya, who spoke a day after Finance ministry permanent secretary George Guvamatanga on Friday said government had lined up confidence-building measures to calm the jittery market, has been among a few officials that have slammed banks for pursuing a cautious lending strategy, which has seen them hold up to US$1,7 billion in dormant liquidity while companies struggle.

Non-performing loans were estimated at less than 1% in August, but market watchers said there was nothing to celebrate about as very little was being channelled to fund economic activity.

“(The RBZ will) encourage banks to set appropriate interest rate margins for savings and time deposits to improve the appeal of the Zimbabwean dollar as a value preservative currency and continue to encourage banks to streamline bank charges to stimulate foreign currency deposits by the banking public,” Mangudya said.

“(The RBZ will) take appropriate measures to ensure that foreign currency allotments are settled timeously, pursue a strict monetary targeting framework to ensure that money supply does not destabilise the exchange rate, truant behaviour in the economy is minimised, support domestic savings in local currency through instruments that compensate local currency depositors for potential exchange rate depreciation,” the central bank chief noted.

Perhaps this could be the solution to a depositor flight that has shaken the markets since a deadly financial crisis rattled Zimbabwe between 2003 and 2008.

But depositors have for now preferred to keep their funds at home, instead of trusting a system they accuse of letting them down only a decade ago.

The result has been catastrophic, with US$500 million said to be circulating outside banks.

Giving a keynote address during Friday’s 22nd edition of the Banks and Banking Survey, which was held virtually, Guvamatanga said the process to rebuild confidence commenced with moves to introduce payment of interest on electronics balances.

Zimbabwe’s banking sector has paid the price of waning market confidence since the 2004/2005 financial crisis when operators collapsed under the weight of a corporate governance rot and financial mismanagement that triggered a depositor flight.

But Mangudya has significantly stabilised the sector since coming into office in 2013.

In August, the RBZ chief also encouraged banks to pay interest on deposits, after negotiations with the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe.

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube also presented a paper at the seminar.

19 CTOBER 2021

1. Residents Associations from across the country met in Gweru from 4-5 October 2021 to deliberate ways through which they can strengthen citizen agency in terms of participation on electoral and local governance issues
2. The meeting noted with concern the continued shrinking of the democratic space in Zimbabwe
3. The meeting acknowledged the need to create a coalition of Residents Associations whose tasks will include voter mobilization and civic education as well as to push for electoral reforms (around local governance issues). The coalition will include different stakeholders including the private sector
4. The meeting noted the need to engage government with regards the implementation of the devolution and decentralization policy with a view of ensuring that concerns/inputs from Residents Associations are taken on board
5. The meeting noted the importance of voter education as a way of capacitating citizens to demand accountability from duty bearers. The voter education campaign will target youths, women and people living with disabilities as well as first time voters ahead of the 2023 elections
6. The meeting acknowledged the need to strengthen the organizational capacity of Residents Associations in responding to local governance and electoral issues
7. The meeting also acknowledged the need to push for a diaspora vote in the upcoming 2023 elections

Thematic areas identified during the meeting are listed below;

• Electoral reforms linked to issues of local governance
• Voter registration including easy access to national documentation
• Role of citizens in the recall process of elected councilors
• Legitimization of the diaspora vote
• Role of traditional leaders in local governance issues
• Restoration of Executive Mayors
• Citizen participation in resource allocation and management in line with principles of devolution
• Land allocations, management and housing
• Roads and infrastructure development
• Waste Management
• Primary Health Care
• 50/50 representation of women in local governance
• Education

Done on October 5 2021

Present;

• Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association
• Combined Harare Residents Association
• Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association
• Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents Association
• Combined Mvurwi Residents and Ratepayers Association
• Epworth Residents Development Association
• Local Governance Trust
• Marondera Residents Open Forum
• Marondera Residents Association
• Marondera Progressive Residents and Ratepayers Association
• Masvingo Residents Forum
• Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance
• Ruwa Residents and Ratepayers Association Trust
• Simukai Residents Association
• United Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association
• United Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Trust
• Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association
• Wedza Rural Development Initiative Trust
• Zvishavane Urban Residents and Ratepayers Association Trust

ENDS//

By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance legislator for Chitungwiza South, Mr Maxwell Mavhunga was reportedly assaulted by suspected ZANU PF supporters over Ngaapinde Hake Mukomana slogan.

The slogan which means “Let The Youngman In” is being used by the opposition party to rally the citizenry to vote for MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa in the 2023 elections.

MDC Alliance’s co-vice chairperson, Job Sikhala, on Sunday announced the assault on Mavhunga saying the incident happened in Victoria Falls. Said Sikhala:

Breaking News: Our MP for Chitungwiza South Maxwell Mavhunga has been badly beaten in Victoria Falls by suspected ZANU PF supporters after he shouted Ngaapinde Hake Mukomana. He says he was taken from the shores of Zambezi River & dragged into a room where he was badly attacked.

This comes when Chamisa last week reportedly escaped an assassination attempt in Manicaland where he was touring the province.

By A Correspondent- Police in Budiriro, Harare, are on a manhunt for an alleged rapist known as Madzibaba Tanya, who sexually abused a 33-year-old woman twice at his shrine in September after she visited him seeking help for her sick son.

Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza yesterday warned women against being trapped by “perverts bent on sexual gratification” at religious shrines. Mwanza told NewsDay:

Sex predators are a menace to society. The public, especially women, should not be deceived into believing in such religious pronouncements by perverts whose acts are simply bent on sexual gratification. People should always be alert and report such people to the police.

We are on the hunt for the alleged rapist and anyone with information on his whereabouts should report to any nearest police station.

It is alleged that on September 20, the complainant, from Budiriro 1, went to the accused person’s shrine seeking assistance for her son.

Madzibaba Tanya reportedly told the complainant that she had spiritual husbands and ordered her to have sexual intercourse with a man in the bush for three consecutive days and then bring semen for cleansing.

Mwanza said the complainant told the Madzibaba Tanya that she had no one to have sexual intercourse with and the accused volunteered to be the man.

After two encounters, she did not return for the third time after figuring out that she was being raped.

She reported the matter to the police

A weeping Plumtree mother narrates how her son was tortured until he began urinating blood.

Greetings to you all, I am Shepard’s mother.

I am here to narrate how my son Shepard died.

Shepard was in bed the whole morning until Trust came and asked to wake him up so they go and fix a car radio. The car belonged to Prince. Trust had been asked by Prince to fix the car radio.

Punso is the one who stole the car radio from Vitalis’ house, this is the same radio which was sold to Prince.

Prince then asked Trust to help him fix the radio, Prince then approached Trust to help him with the task.

They fixed the car radio together while Shepard was having a beer or two.

On Monday Shepard woke up and went to work, there he mentioned Ngwanyana’s car at the Council and they asked for Shepard, that’s how he was taken into the police station. The CID swore that he was going to tell the truth of what transpired with the radio and the tool box of which he denied any knowledge of. Shepard mentioned that what he knows is that Trust brought a car radio which he fixed in my yard on Prince’s car.

Then they started torturing him, beating him up and electrocuting him (Shepard). They whipped him underneath his feet, while he was chained in irons.

This caused so much pain to him until he relented and couldn’t take it anymore. Then they took a bench and laid him on top; they started jumping and stomping on him until his back was damaged.

Shepard was injured in his head, spinal cord, and his head suffered internal bleeding. He had a severe headache which made it difficult for him to lift up his head. Shepard stated that when he is walking, he feels too much pain from the beatings.

He was taken to court after 4 days being in remand prison. There was no transport to court however Chicco gave them a lift to the court house. At the courts it was asked what happened since Shepard could not manage to stand up on his own. Shepard announced that he was assaulted by the CIDs, Chicco, Ngwanyana, an unnamed lady and a man.

Shepard reiterated that he knows Chicco and Ngwanyana well. Shepard mentioned that Chicco drives a green car and Ngwanyana drives a white one.

They were taken back into remand and called for another court hearing session where he asked for bail to attend hospital treatment as he could not handle the pain anymore.

He was granted bail and left for his home. He was struggling to walk.

Puntso who is alleged he is the one who took the radio stated he told police officers not to beat them up as he is the one who stole the radio.

Pintso said that he went to Vitalis’ house and found the owner playing on his phone indoors, Pintso then proceeded to steal the radio. The owner turned on the lights and Pintso ran away leaving the boot of the car open. Pintso stated that he did all that these guys accused are innocent of

Despite this they assaulted Shepard nearly killing him. I took Shepard to the hospital. The police came to take a statement from him. Shepard mentioned that he was taken from work and tortured by the CIDs and he reiterated that he will not stop saying that he was beat up by Chicco and Ngwanyana.

He went downhill after the statement was taken by the police, Mangena came in and he only greeted Madam Mangena and didn’t want to engage with other guys.

Shepard was in serious pain and did not manage to talk afterwards. He began urinating blood.

Shepard was taken to Mpilo however when he returned, he was in a critical condition unable to talk or turn himself. At the hospital he was given drip medication  which I bought for him at a cost of $280, including some urinating tunes.

He could no longer urinate, and he was now using a catheter tube.

I then suddenly got a call around 5am that Shepard has passed away. I went up to the hospital to confirm and found out that indeed he is no more. The hospital staff mentioned he was struggling to breathe three days from non eating; he was weak. Shepard had been breathing through oxygen aids.

When the top officers at the camp heard about Shepard’s passing away, they said they will come over to apologise about what happened; they want good working relations to avoid squabbles.

The post-mortem will be done in a few days so that we establish what happened.

At the moment I am struggling to feed people who have come to the funeral wake as I have no support. I am currently not working and my husband is redundant. He is nursing his health at the moment. He was being looked after financially by Shepard.

I am in deep pain and in need of support in this matter. The perpetrators are still out there at large. I am appealing for help on how to get justice for my deceased son.h That’s all I know what transpired.

I thank you.

The mother can be contacted on +263 78 336 3754

▪️The NCA party join hands with all progressive forces in calling for the unconditional removal of sanctions against Zimbabwe.

▪️The sanctions are affecting us as Zimbabwe socially, politicaly and economically.

▪️As NCA party, an opposition in Zimbabwe, we believe that Zanu pf is using sanctions to justify its incompetence and hold to political power.

▪️The sanctions are not serving the purpose that they were imposed on Zimbabwe.

▪️As opposition in Zimbabwe we believe that removing Zanu pf must not be a foreign agenda but should also be purely a Zimbabwean agenda.

▪️Zimbabweans will eventually remove Zanu pf on their own terms and there is no need for any foreign intervention to achieve this noble definite cause.

▪️We encourage any other mechanism to deal with the problems affecting Zimbabwe and sanctions are not part of such a solution.

▪️As NCA Party we encourage all Zimbabweans to speak with one voice in denouncing the sanctions as well as calling for their unconditional removal.

Issued By,Madock Chivasa

NCA Party National Spokesperson

Phone +263 772 904 492 +263 775 614 471

Email [email protected]

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