Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has finally spoken on the attempts by the Zanu PF regime to assassinate him.
President Chamisa has survived two assassination attempts in Chiredzi and Mutare as the regime desperately seeks to disrupt his community engagement meetings.
He wrote on his official Facebook page:
THEY NEARLY TOOK ME OUT..He wants me killed and dead.
They want blood and more blood.They missed by seconds because Our #Godisinit.Violence & assassinations won’t solve complex national challenges.
I’m Nyanga today meeting the community.Change must happen.The citizens are clear!
I’m in rural Manicaland ..The JOY & HOPE is palpable ! HOPE is all I see. HOPE is what we represent. HOPE is what we bring! A NEW GREAT ZIMBABWE in our lifetime. Winning Zimbabwe for Change!
Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance is targeting a landslide victory for President Nelson Chamisa in Kwekwe Central Constituency.
Though Kwekwe is regarded as Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s home ground, the Zanu PF leader has lost dismally in the area in previous elections.
See the MDC Alliance Namibia statement below:
Honourable Judith Tobaiwa hails Mdc Alliance Namibia for exhibiting solidarity with Kwekwe Central Constituency.
21 October 2021
Kwekwe Central Constituency leadership represented by the able Honourable Judith Tobaiwa expressed great honour and appreciation to Mdc Alliance Namibia after receiving a beautiful soccer kit with party logo and colours. On top of the football jerseys, the vibrant district under the chairmanship of Elisha Chambara added 50 t-shirts towards the #OneMillionCampaign targeted at virgin voters in 2023.
According to Honourable Judith Tobaiwa, RedStars is a team comprising of 18-22 years old youths recruited and registered to vote for socio-economic transformation in 2023 choosing none other than the political mountain President Advocate Nelson Chamisa. The team is being used as a voter registration tool and also an effective recruitment and mobilisation avenue. Mdc Alliance Namibia feels energised to continue supporting organic and pragmatic approach to the national democratic revolution. It is quite sweet to hear that for one to qualify in the the team in Chiundura, one has to be a registered voter or to be a recognised member of the youth assembly.
Furthermore, a local league has been established and the change team is doing very well in increasing the number of youths itching to join the freedom train. Social democrats in Kwekwe Central Constituency gyrated hysterically in uncontrollable gusto upon realising that the donated kit was a marketing tool on its own because of the party brand, logo,name and colours. The leadership acknowledged the huge influence the kit has on voter registration drive. It is clear that solidarity with our constituencies back home is significant in re-energising the revolutionary base.
It is against this comradely background that Honourable Judith Tobaiwa said,”I want to thank Mdc Alliance Namibia Chapter or family for the revolutionary contribution towards building a strong party in Kwekwe Central. We say thank you for your solidarity, welldone”. The active district went on to adopt Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe as a twin for 2023 harmonised elections. As democratic fighters,we believe that solidarity is a core value in Social Democracy hence the need to walk the talk. We urge all stakeholders in Mdc Alliance external assemblies to twin rural constituencies towards 2023 where we target 6 million voters for change ready to defend the vote.
In a nutshell, voter registration drive is our concern across the breadths and lengths of Zimbabwe. We need to offer moral, material and financial support to the national democratic revolution so that we can win Zimbabwe for complete change. It is everyone’s revolutionary obligation to embrace participatory democracy. Mdc Alliance Namibia District eulogises the interface by President Advocate Nelson Chamisa in marginalised rural communities in Zimbabwe.The decision to go rural was a dream, now our president is walking the word despite Zanupf shenanigans manifesting in futile assassination attempts on the people’s President. What inspires us is that the leadership is not backtracking or wavering, thank you President for dodging bullets for your people who are languishing in abject poverty.
HARARE – A hastily-arranged special session of the Zanu PF central committee that catapulted Emmerson Mnangagwa to the party presidency in 2017, ousting Robert Mugabe, was unlawful, a Zanu PF supporter has sensationally charged in a court filing.
Sybeth Musengezi, a card-carrying member for 20 years, wants the High Court to declare the resolutions of that central committee meeting “null and void”, and for a special congress to be ordered within three months to “regularise the top leadership positions in the party.”
Musengezi argues that Mnangagwa, who had been sacked as vice president, was thrust as leader by an unlawful central committee meeting convened by unknown people including Patrick Chinamsa and Obert Mpofu, in violation of the party’s constitution.
He accused the parties of taking advantage of the unfolding military coup, dubbed ‘Operation Restore Legacy’ to topple the late former President Robert Mugabe from power.
“The implementation of the strategy to topple Mugabe from the position of president and first secretary of Zanu PF commenced with unknown individuals convening a purported special session of the Central Committee of Zanu PF at the party’s headquarters on Sunday, November 19, 2017,” Musengezi said.
The meeting resolved that the top leadership of the party was incapacitated to execute their duties in terms of the constitution, and Mpofu was elected to preside over the proceedings as he was the most senior member of the party present.
Musengezi said the resolution document betrays the unconstitutionality and unlawfulness of the purported special session of the Central Committee not least because the Zanu PF constitution says only the first secretary (president), second secretary or the chairperson can preside over a central committee meeting.
Musengezi said the meeting was not convened by the then secretary for administration, Ignatius Chombo, and Mugabe was not incapacitated at all to preside over a lawfully convened session of the central committee in terms of the party constitution.
“He (Mugabe) was at all material times seized with the internal affairs of the party in his engagement with the commanders of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces as evidenced by the subject of his televised speech on the evening of November 19, 2017, at the end of which he bid the whole country a good night with the famed Asante Sana remark,” he said.
A day later, Mugabe was evidently not incapacitated because he managed to cap hundreds of university students at the Zimbabwe Open University graduation ceremony, says Musengezi.
He said Phelekezela Mphoko, then the vice president and Zanu PF second secretary, also was not incapacitated.
“If anything, the ZDF justified its intervention in the internal affairs of the party on the basis of protecting Mugabe from criminals around him. This, therefore, means that the president and first secretary of the party were fully protected and available to convene and preside over the lawfully convened session of the central committee,” Musengezi argues.
“The conclusion is therefore inescapable that the alleged incapacitation of the top leadership of the party to preside over a lawfully convened session of the central committee was a figment of the imagination of these members bent on violating the clear provisions of the constitution of Zanu PF in the furtherance of their preconceived strategy to unlawfully topple Mugabe and to foist on the party Mnangagwa in absentia as the president and first secretary.”
He said it was illegal for Chinamasa to purport to usurp and discharge the functions of the secretary for administration.
“From the narrative above, it becomes clear that the purported special session of the central committee was unconstitutional and therefore illegal. It follows, therefore, that all the purported resolutions passed at the impugned meeting are also unlawful and invalid.”
Musengezi also told the High Court that the central committee does not have the power to reinstate a member who was expelled from the party, without that member following due process under the party constitution.
He said it was therefore illegal for the committee to purport to reinstate expelled members as well as Mnangagwa in absentia to the position from which he had been lawfully dismissed.
“It was scandalous and it gives credence to the inference that it was all part of a preconceived strategy to further the achievement of the well-documented ambitions of Mnangagwa of toppling and succeeding Mugabe both as president and first secretary of the party and as president and the head of state of the country,” he argues.
He said as a direct result of the unconstitutional and unlawful special session of the central committee, Mnangagwa was purportedly elected in absentia to the position of president and first secretary of Zanu PF and to the position of acting president and head of state of the country.
He said the conduct of those who convened the meeting robbed Zimbabweans of freely choosing their president.
Musengezi said Mnangagwa was “handpicked by not more than 201 party members gathered outside the provision of Zanu PF constitution.”
Zanu PF, he argued, is supposed to hold its elective congress every five years but Mnangagwa has failed to do so, two years after it became due.
He petitioned the court to grant a declaratory order and consequential relief that the events of November 19, 2017, be declared null and void.
He begged the court to order the party to go back to November 19, 2017, and direct Mphoko as the lawful vice president and second secretary to take necessary steps in terms of the party constitution to convene the special congress to regularise leadership within three months of granting of the order.
Musengezi has cited Zanu PF as the first respondent in the matter, while Mnangagwa is second, secretary for administration Obert Mpofu (third), acting political commissar Patrick Chinamasa (4th), former vice president Phelekezela Mphoko (fifth) and former secretary for administration Ignatious Chombo as the sixth respondent.
Musengezi wants respondents who oppose the application to pay costs of the suit.
MASVINGO – A man from Rujeko C in Masvingo allegedly bedded his 22-year-old girlfriend who is doing Chemical Engineering at Masvingo Poly in the presence of his wife of three years.
The incident happened on Tuesday last week and it has forced Fadzai Chikanga to move out of her matrimonial home and go back to her relatives in Runyararo West, The Mirror has confirmed.Desire Manombe (26), a security guard is now staying with pregnant Rutendo Chaziva after the departure of Chikanga.
Manombe told The Mirror in a telephone interview that he no longer loved his wife hence his actions. Fadzai Chikanga also confirmed the story but Rutendo refused to speak to the Press.Chikanga said it all started on Wednesday morning last week when her husband who was coming from night shift brought along Rutendo and introduced her as his new wife. She said her husband is trained in karate. After the introductions the two got into bed in the one room that Manombe rents in the populous suburb. Shattered by what the two were about to do, Chikanga went next door and sought the intervention of neighbours.
‘It shocked me when they got into my bed. I rushed to tell neighbours who came and persuaded them to stop what they were doing. The neighbours even told Rutendo that it was taboo for her to sleep on another woman’s bed but they went back into bed as soon as the neighbours left.
“They made love and it pained me so much. I was chocked with pain. I spent the night together with Rutendo after my husband had gone to work. I would not touch Rutendo because Manombe is trained in karate and he would have killed me if I did that. “I consulted my relatives the next day and they told me to pack my bags and leave,” said Chikanga.
By A Correspondent| Senior Assistant Commissioner Wiklef Makamache allegedly bought cars in the name of police and clandestinely changed the vehicles to his personal use, an impeccable source has said.
Makamache was director of finance in the police force.
The three trucks were bought from scania and changed to Titus Moyo’s Tenco Investment.
Moyo is Makamache’s cousin.
He allegedly later changed the ownership into Moses Mudavanhu and they are currently operating under Westrans Logistics.
Contacted for comment Makamache denied ever involved with Titus Moyo nor the companies.
“I am not aware of what you are talking about. I don’t know any person by the name Titus Moyo nor the company that is involved,” he said.
However, low ranking officers said the police boss has become one of the wealthiest police officers in the country owning multiple houses in leafy suburb of Harare in which all the rentals are collected by Moses Mudavanhu.
The police chef who was recently transferred from Manicaland to Mashonaland Central Province after violence that erupted in Bindura involving Zanu PF supporters
By A Correspondent | Violence broke out between MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora and his party’s parliamentary head, Thokozani Khupe on Thursday afternoon. This was when Khupe’s personal bodyguard was brutally assaulted at an anti-Douglas Mwonzora press conference held at the Media Centre in Harare.
Khupe is the MDC-T leader of the house in parliament in a scuffle-up arrangement with party leader Douglas Mwonzora.
There was chaos when Mwonzora aide, Yvonne Musarurwa stormed the meeting room and began shouting that Kudzanai Mashumba must be assaulted. Mashumba ended up speeding out of the building and straight onto the back of a moving truck to escape a hoarde of youths who marched in to start the violence.
Musarurwa loudly announced that Khupe’s Chief of Staff, Mashumba is not an MDC T member, meaning an all out slap in the face against Khupe. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
By A Correspondent- More than 280 workers at the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) have been redeployed to other departments that are understaffed within the parastatal as the ongoing restructuring exercise continues.
A total of 762 employees will be affected by the restructuring programme at NRZ and management have assured the workers that no job losses will be triggered by the ongoing exercise.
NRZ acting public relations manager Martin Banda confirmed the development, saying the aim of the restructuring exercise is to improve service delivery.
Banda said:
The aim is to bring improvement in the quality of service delivery through optimisation of the organisation operational activities, cost-based rationalisation and profitability enhancement.
Out of about 4 500 employees, we have got 762 workers mainly affected by the restructuring exercise.
And from those 762, we have got 288 who have already been deployed into other areas within the organisation.
Bearing in mind that on a monthly basis, we have got natural attrition of almost 30 people leaving service due to age, medical reasons and some who opt to leave the railways.
So, at the end of the day, we are talking about some adverts which are going to be advertised for about 200 people and these are non-officers and staff.
NRZ acting general manager, Respina Zinyanduko, said the restructuring programme was not a witchhunt thus no one will be retrenched.
She said:
The restructuring exercise is not a witchhunt and we have assured our workers that no one will be made redundant.
What is happening is that some people have already been redeployed within NRZ to departments that are understaffed.
Where we have got excess staff, such workers will be registered under the general manager’s pool and will remain there until redeployed by management.-statemedia
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwean Exemption Permit Holders Association, which speaks for about 250 000 Zimbabweans based in South Africa, has asked for permanent residencies.
The association on Wednesday pleaded with the Gauteng High Court for the Zimbabwean nationals’ permanent residencies on Wednesday before the expiration of the permits in November 2021.
It also asked for South African ID documents based on permanent residency in the neighbouring country and in terms of the Immigration Act as well as the Identification Act. The court statement read in part:
… knowing that the holders of the permit have known no other home besides South Africa for more than 10 years.
It is further submitted that the holders of Zimbabwean Exemption Permits have a legitimate expectation for the renewal of their current permit, and for permanent residence, without any further conditions, and the right to apply for citizenship in the Republic of South Africa.
Meanwhile, Advocate Simba Chitando, a Zimbabwean national, said the neighbouring country’s immigrants have delivered consistent value towards South Africa’s wealth. He said:
The problem faced by many hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans in SA is that they have been here for 10 years or longer under a variety of different permits, and it is generally conceded that they make a huge contribution to the SA economy, yet these permits do not allow them to enjoy the benefits that come with permanent residences, such as full access to banking facilities, or the right to accumulate pension savings.
We argue that it is past time to grant permanent residence to those Zimbabweans who have been living and working in SA in a kind of no-man’s land.
We believe it is reasonable to expect to be granted permanent residence when the ZEPs expire, which they do in November 2021.
By Leo Igwe- The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) urges Kenyan authorities to take comprehensive measures to end witch persecution in the country.
AfAW is making this appeal following the brutal murder of alleged witches in the country. Graphic images of scenes where local mobs attacked and butchered suspected witches in Kenya’s Kisii region have been circulating on social media.
There has been an international outrage over the occurrence of this instance of witch bloodletting in Kenya in this 21st century.
So shocking and heart-wrenching was a particular scene where, an elderly woman, suspected of witchcraft was desperately pleading innocent.
She stretched her hands toward a young man who charged with a machete, begging for her life. But this woman was eventually hacked to death by this person said to be the grandson.
Local media sources said that three other persons including two elderly women and a man were among those lynched by the mob.
A media source has noted that the case of a 17-year old student, who was unable to speak, is linked to this horrific murder. This student was subjected to a ritual, and in the process, confessed that these four elderly persons bewitched him.
Angry mobs went and dragged the suspected witches out of their homes, killed them, and burnt their bodies.
These savage attacks and killings took place in a public square, where people gathered, watched, photographed, and videoed with cell phones.
The lynching happened in a region that has community leaders, police stations, and other local state authorities. Unfortunately, no state agency intervened. No police officer tried to stop the lynch mob.
No community leader tried to save the lives of the victims. There was no public resistance of this revulsive and atrocious act.
Kisii is one of the regions that are notorious for witch persecution in Kenya. So this incident did not come as a surprise to the government and the people.
AfAW calls on the Kenyan government to carry out a thorough investigation of these savage killings. Government should penalize all who through their actions or inactions, aided and abetted the perpetration of this crime.
There have been reports that some of the suspects have been arrested. While this is a welcome development, the government should go beyond prosecuting suspected killers. It should ensure a diligent trial and punishment of all implicated at various levels in this horrific incident.
In addition to penalizing the perpetrators, the government should sanction local police commanders, village and council heads, leaders of the affected communities, and municipal authorities.
This witch hunting incident is an indictment on the collective conscience of Kenyans. Kenya should launch a national public education and awareness campaign to reorient the minds of the public and reason the people out of these harmful superstitions and irrational beliefs.
This instance of witch bloodletting is a stark demonstration of moral failure. Kenya should take legal and administrative measures to ensure that savage attacks and violence linked to witchcraft beliefs never happen again.
By A Correspondent- Tanzania’s third-largest political party has slammed Zanu PF for attacking MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa. The ACT Wazalendo has also urged President Mnangagwa and his government to respect democratic laws and principles.
We present ACT Wazalendo’s statement below:
ATTACKS AGAINST PRESIDENT OF THE MDC ALLIANCE OF ZIMBABWE MR. NELSON CHAMISA IS AN ATTACK AGAINST DEMOCRACY WHICH ACT WAZALENDO STRONGLY CONDEMNS
ACT Wazalendo is saddened by the attacks on the President of Zimbabwe’s Opposition MDC Alliance Ndg. Nelson Chamisa. Ndg. Chamisa has survived at least two attacks with clear indications of attempted murder within seven days.
The most recent attack took place yesterday, October 19. 2021 at 11 pm Zimbabwe time, when Chamisa was on his way to visit the people when his convoy was shot. Some of the shots were fired at the car he was riding in. which clearly indicates that the attackers were deliberately trying to harm him.
The Police and gangs of the ruling ZANU PF party have been accused of participating in the attack. We are sorry that no accountable action has been taken by the government against such acts.
ACT Wazalendo strongly condemns attacks against Mr Chamisa and his MDC Alliance party. Attacks against him and his Party are attacks on Democracy within Zimbabwe and within SADC and Africa. It is an attack and sabotage against democrats anywhere in the world. Those acts should not be condoned.
We call on ZANU PF and its government to respect democratic laws and principles. Run civilized politics. Run the politics of argument and not the politics of piracy. Misuse of state apparatus to undermine the legitimate activities of the opposition parties and instill fear in the people especially the opposition supporters is a tactic that is only used by parties that have failed to legitimize themselves with arguments instead they are using force to stay in power. Africa should not continue with that tradition. We urge the authorities to stop bringing violence and political crisis into Zimbabwe. Let the Zimbabweans decide the fate of their country, and let them decide on what kind of leaders and party they see fit to lead them.
Our hope is that attacks against Mr. Chamisa and the MDC Alliance will be stopped immediately. We send solidarity message to our colleagues in MDC Alliance party and its members and encourage them to stay the course.
Moreover, ACT Wazalendo calls upon Tanzania’s ministry of Foreign Affairs to communicate to Zimbabwe authorities about these sad concerns and demand that Zimbabwe adhere to SADC Protocol on Democracy.
Issued by:
Bonifasla A. Mapunda Deputy Head of Foreign Affairs Department, ACT Wazalendo October 20, 2021
By A Correspondent | MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe’s personal bodyguard has been brutally assaulted at an anti-Douglas Mwonzora press conference held at the Media Centre in Harare.
Khupe is the MDC-T leader of the house in parliament in a scuffle-up arrangement with party leader Douglas Mwonzora.
There was chaos when Mwonzora aide, Yvonne Musarurwa stormed the meeting room and began shouting that Kudzanai Mashumba must be assaulted. Mashumba ended up speeding out of the building and straight onto the back of a moving truck to escape a hoarde of youths who marched in to start the violence. Below were some pics from the incident
Violence broke out at a press conference called by Kudzanai Mashumba who is a disgruntled member of the MDC-T party led by Douglas Mwonzora.
Mashumba wanted to expose what he termed embezzlement of party funds by Mwonzora.
The press conference did not last longer than 10 minutes as party thugs led by Harare parliamentarian Yvonne Musarurwa stormed the venue and disrupted the proceedings.
The thugs shoved and pushed him outside before he sought refuge in a building along Jason Moyo street.
He was later whisked away by a pick-up truck that came to rescue him from Musarurwa and her thugs.
Kudzanai Mashumba jumped into this pick-up truck and was whisked awayKudzanai Mashumba in grey suit leaving one of the buildings where he had sought refuge
Mashumba had called for a press conference to expose Mwonzora’s abuse of funds.
By A Correspondent- A 46 year old man was killed by an elephant while coming from church in Save, Parks and Wildlife Management public relations manager Tinashe Farawo has revealed.
This brings to 6 the total number of people killed by wild animals this week alone.
Farawo said:
“A 46 year old man from Save was unfortunately killed by an elephant whilest coming from church with other congregants. Other congregants managed to escape from the raging bull. They were traveling in a scotch cart. @Zimparks @ZBCNewsonline.
This week alone at least 6 people were killed by wild animals in separate incidences across the country. 4 were killed by elephants & 2 by crocs.
By A Correspondent- Manicaland provincial Zanu PF youths have denied attacking MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa in Mutare Tuesday afternoon adding that the alleged assassination attempt was a ploy stage-managed in order to taint Emmerson Mnangagwa’s image.
Addressing journalists at a press conference at Zanu PF Manicaland offices, Wednesday the District Coordinating Committee (DCC) secretary for youth affairs, Danmore Mambondiyani said Chamisa’s assassination attempt was stage-managed by own party stalwarts in a bid to raise funds for their leader’s armoured vehicle.
Chamisa survived an assassination attempt in Mutare as he travelled from Chipinge district where he is meeting traditional leaders and the electorate.
Said Mambondiyani:
“One can see the claims of attacks and gunshots by the MDC Alliance are merely a continuation of a failed Black Operations strategy aimed at smearing the integrity of the government and the people of Zimbabwe.
“The President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) and his government are seized with expanding the power grid, dam capacities, improving roads infrastructure across the country, as well as creating an environment that is conducive for business and job creation.”
“Chamisa wants to tarnish the name of our nation and our hardworking youths in all districts despite that he is enjoying roads recently surfaced by President Mnangagwa. Probably he may be seeking support for fundraising a vehicle which he is longing for.
“He is trying to hobnob with sponsors so that he will continue enjoying the newly surfaced roads across the country.
Mambondiyani is one of the suspects identified to be behind the plot to assassinate Chamisa Tuesday.
By A Correspondent- Comedian Carl Joshua Ncube yesterday morning dropped a bombshell on his fans when he posted on Facebook, his decision to separate with his wife of close to 10 years, Nelsy Ncube.
This announcement that surprised and left many disheartened was made days after the couple celebrated their ninth anniversary.
In his post, Carl who has been unwell and battling with sugar diabetes for a while now said due to depression and deteriorating health, he has not been getting along with Nelsy. As such, he said he has asked for a divorce.
“This week, I asked my wife for a divorce. We have not been getting along for a while added to the fact that I am also going through depression and my health has been steadily deteriorating.
“After many discussions, we have decided to go on separation while I seek professional help for my depression so that after this process, we can have a chance to deal with our marriage through counselling,” posted Carl on his Facebook page.
He went on to ask for privacy as he deals with this matter.
“. . . as such, we are just kindly requesting some time to deal with some huge issues privately if you can allow us that.
Thank you.”
Being the joker that he is, Chronicle Showbiz got in touch with the comedian to seek clarity. He indeed confirmed that the post was his doing and that all that was written was true and not a joke.
Following the announcement, friends and family of the couple have been sharing words of encouragement. From the comments, it was clear that people were disheartened and hoped for the power couple to get back together.
Comedian Q Dube Siziba commented: “Thoughts go out to you both.”
Showing that many were of the opinion that Carl was joking around, one fan, Andy Patea commented: “I thought Carl is at it again with his jokes.
I am praying for you guys, I have grown to admire you both, your love and union and it feels like you are divorcing me too. May the dear Lord restore that which has been broken and may he heal your spirit . . . sending both of you hugs and kisses.”
“I started reading your post and thought it was one of those viral messages to see who reads to the end and then I got to the end and realised it wasn’t. I pray for restoration in your marriage. I pray that the spirit of depression may be removed from your life and you may have peace and serenity,” commented another.
Anyone who follows Carl Joshua on social media would know how deeply he loves his wife. The two have been inspirational to many as their relationship goals were unmatched.
“I don’t know you personally, but I follow you and Nelsy on Facebook. You were my ideal couple. My prayer is that God restores your marriage. Really saddened by the divorce,” commented Constance Muchoni.
The fact that this post was made days after the couple celebrated their anniversary troubled many although they said they were relieved that all hope is not lost.
“I’m glad you haven’t closed the door yet and there is a chance of reconciliation when you find your own healing. Thoughts and prayers with you,” commented one.
On the issue of Carl admitting that he is depressed, his fans commended him for acknowledging it and seeking help.
We hear that ZANUPF and Mwonzora have instructed Zimra to attach and seize all vehicles belonging to recalled MDCA MPs despite the fact that these matters are before the courts. The aim is to curtail Chamisa's programs. They attribute the success of his programs to these cars!!
The opposition MDC Alliance has announced that its party leader Nelson Chamisa’s car has been impounded by the police at a roadblock after Rusape.
The party said the police also threatened to arrest the people in the vehicle.
BREAKING ‼️
President @nelsonchamisa’s convoy car (Toyota Fortuner) has been impounded with threats of arrest against those in the vehicle. This happened just after the Rusape road block. Details to follow.
The development comes after President Chamisa held his rural areas engagement tours where Zanu Pf thugs attempted to assassinate him.
Said the MDC Alliance:
“The people’s President, Adv @nelsonchamisa met community leaders, stakeholders & women’s groups in Nyanga North. He shared the movement’s agenda which seeks to champion the cause of the people and secure 6 million votes so we form the next Govt & win Zim… “
Watch the people’s president thanking the electorate for their support:
During his Manicaland Meet The People tour, the people’s President Adv @nelsonchamisa has thanked citizens for heeding the call to converge for change. We are overwhelmed by the mass support for the transformation agenda in villages & towns wherever we go. #Ngaapindepic.twitter.com/4RO5RYVs6N
— Citizens' Coalition for Change (@CCCZimbabwe) October 21, 2021
However, Manicaland provincial Zanu PF youths have denied attacking MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa in Mutare Tuesday afternoon adding that the alleged assassination attempt was a ploy stage-managed in order to taint Emmerson Mnangagwa’s image.
Addressing journalists at a press conference at Zanu PF Manicaland offices, Wednesday the District Coordinating Committee (DCC) secretary for youth affairs, Danmore Mambondiyani said Chamisa’s assassination attempt was stage-managed by own party stalwarts in a bid to raise funds for their leader’s armoured vehicle.
Chamisa survived an assassination attempt in Mutare as he travelled from Chipinge district where he is meeting traditional leaders and the electorate.
Said Mambondiyani:
“One can see the claims of attacks and gunshots by the MDC Alliance are merely a continuation of a failed Black Operations strategy aimed at smearing the integrity of the government and the people of Zimbabwe.
“The President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) and his government are seized with expanding the power grid, dam capacities, improving roads infrastructure across the country, as well as creating an environment that is conducive for business and job creation.”
“Chamisa wants to tarnish the name of our nation and our hardworking youths in all districts despite that he is enjoying roads recently surfaced by President Mnangagwa. Probably he may be seeking support for fundraising a vehicle which he is longing for.
“He is trying to hobnob with sponsors so that he will continue enjoying the newly surfaced roads across the country.
Mambondiyani is one of the suspects identified to be behind the plot to assassinate Chamisa Tuesday.
By A Correspondent- Government is inching closer to fully relocating Matabeleland North civil servants to Lupane as construction of the Lupane Government Complex is now 88 percent complete with all works expected to be completed before year-end.
A Chronicle news crew was in Lupane yesterday and witnessed construction workers busy at work.
The construction of the Lupane Government Complex had been dragging for years but since the coming in of the Second Republic, neglected infrastructural development projects are being revived.
President Mnangagwa has been championing the devolution agenda and in due course people in Matabeleland North who have been travelling to Bulawayo for some critical services, will no longer be doing so.
On Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa revealed during a post Cabinet media briefing that the complex was now 88 percent complete.
Yesterday, Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo said it was critical for the Government in the province to move to its capital in Lupane.
“‘I’ve been lobbying for the completion of the Government Complex. It does not augur well to be running Matabeleland North from another province. We want to service the people from within their locality hence it is an important step to know that the complex will be completed by year end. This will cut distances that are travelled by our communities, some of them who travel all the way from Binga and Nkayi to get Government services in Bulawayo,” said Minister Moyo.
He said changes will also enable effective monitoring of Government projects as implementers will be on the ground.
Minister Moyo said infrastructural development projects being undertaken in the province will transform communities.
Local governance expert and political scientist Mr Teddy Ncube said the infrastructure development projects being undertaken by Government are in sync with the devolution mantra.
“This targeted completion of the Government Complex in Lupane is part of an extensive infrastructural development programme being pursued by Government precisely in Matabeleland North. We have witnessed quite a lot of progress in the province and I’m of the view that Matabeleland North is on a fast path of development,” said Mr Ncube.
“It (commitment to complete construction works) is part of a broader governance agenda and I would love to situate it within the devolution agenda. Because the Government has been talking a lot about devolution and these are the steps that we can point to as to whether the Government is committed towards devolution.”
He said it was inappropriate for people in Matabeleland North to travel to Bulawayo to access services.
Mr Ncube said scaling up construction works also proves that there is political will by the Government which is also abiding by the country’s supreme law.
“It was inappropriate to have Matabeleland North affairs being handled in Bulawayo. In the same way it was considered to be inappropriate to have Bulawayo affairs to be handled from Harare or Mutare affairs to be handled from Harare,” said Mr Ncube.
“The commitment towards completion of the Government Complex in Lupane is a reflection of the political and financial will on the part of Government, the New Dispensation on the issue of good governance because devolution emanates from Chapter 14 of the country’s constitution. Hence, Government is obliged to ensure that devolution is implemented.”
He said people in Matabeleland North will be able to bring Government to account on issues as all administrative offices will be closer to them.
Nkayi South legislator Stars Mathe welcomed the development saying communities from Matabeleland North were being shortchanged when they were being compelled to travel to Bulawayo for services.
She said even civil servants deployed to Matabeleland North need to operate from the province to fully understand and appreciate what is obtaining in the region.
“The communities from Matabeleland North have a right to have their designated offices operating from within their locality. This will enable them to access public services with much ease as opposed to traveling to another province such as Bulawayo to seek for services. Also, Government employees should be easily accessible and they need to be resident in the province where members of the public can have access to them,” she said.-statemedia
By A Correspondent- The late former Vice-President Joshua Nkomo’s son, Sibangilizwe, has lost in nominations for Zapu presidency in Harare province after initially being announced as winner in nominations that were later nullified.
Sibangilizwe had garnered the highest votes in the first round, but lost to Strike Mkandla, who got 69 votes against his single vote in a re-run conducted at the weekend.
He, however, leads overally after winning nominations in nine other provinces.
Zapu spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa confirmed that Mkandla got 69 votes, Sibangilizwe one, and Bernard Magugu two.
This was after Sibangilizwe had been announced as having garnered the highest nominations, with 79 votes, followed by Mark Mbaiwa with two, Magugu one, while Mkandla and Sithembiso Mpofu allegedly failed to secure nominations.
“These are the correct results as presided by the national council of elections representative, and they show that Magugu got two votes, Sibangilizwe one, and Mkandla got 69. Harare leadership stood its ground and the results were then overturned,” Maphosa said.
Zapu is set to hold its elective congress on October 29 and 30 in Bulawayo.
Sibangalizwe will compete for the party presidency with Mbaiwa, Magugu, Mkandla and Mpofu.
The post was left vacant after the death of Dumiso Dabengwa in May 2019.
Isaac Mabuka, who is not contesting, is acting Zapu leader.-newsday
Good afternoon ZimTwitter. My name is Taurai Tsungu. I am a self-taught ballistics expert. Based on physics, I am here to show you what happened when President @nelsonchamisa's car got shot yesterday. Kune vari kuvhunza angle, that's what happened. Any further questions? pic.twitter.com/hQEdAjdvZk
By A Correspondent- Comedian Carl Joshua Ncube yesterday morning dropped a bombshell on his fans when he posted on Facebook, his decision to separate with his wife of close to 10 years, Nelsy Ncube.
This announcement that surprised and left many disheartened was made days after the couple celebrated their ninth anniversary.
In his post, Carl who has been unwell and battling with sugar diabetes for a while now said due to depression and deteriorating health, he has not been getting along with Nelsy. As such, he said he has asked for a divorce.
“This week, I asked my wife for a divorce. We have not been getting along for a while added to the fact that I am also going through depression and my health has been steadily deteriorating.
“After many discussions, we have decided to go on separation while I seek professional help for my depression so that after this process, we can have a chance to deal with our marriage through counselling,” posted Carl on his Facebook page.
He went on to ask for privacy as he deals with this matter.
“. . . as such, we are just kindly requesting some time to deal with some huge issues privately if you can allow us that.
Thank you.”
Being the joker that he is, Chronicle Showbiz got in touch with the comedian to seek clarity. He indeed confirmed that the post was his doing and that all that was written was true and not a joke.
Following the announcement, friends and family of the couple have been sharing words of encouragement. From the comments, it was clear that people were disheartened and hoped for the power couple to get back together.
Comedian Q Dube Siziba commented: “Thoughts go out to you both.”
Showing that many were of the opinion that Carl was joking around, one fan, Andy Patea commented: “I thought Carl is at it again with his jokes.
I am praying for you guys, I have grown to admire you both, your love and union and it feels like you are divorcing me too. May the dear Lord restore that which has been broken and may he heal your spirit . . . sending both of you hugs and kisses.”
“I started reading your post and thought it was one of those viral messages to see who reads to the end and then I got to the end and realised it wasn’t. I pray for restoration in your marriage. I pray that the spirit of depression may be removed from your life and you may have peace and serenity,” commented another.
Anyone who follows Carl Joshua on social media would know how deeply he loves his wife. The two have been inspirational to many as their relationship goals were unmatched.
“I don’t know you personally, but I follow you and Nelsy on Facebook. You were my ideal couple. My prayer is that God restores your marriage. Really saddened by the divorce,” commented Constance Muchoni.
The fact that this post was made days after the couple celebrated their anniversary troubled many although they said they were relieved that all hope is not lost.
“I’m glad you haven’t closed the door yet and there is a chance of reconciliation when you find your own healing. Thoughts and prayers with you,” commented one.
On the issue of Carl admitting that he is depressed, his fans commended him for acknowledging it and seeking help.-statemedia
By A Correspondent | The persecution of award winning journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono appears to be a concerted effort by the authorities to intimidate and harass him in retaliation for his public advocacy, the American Bar Association has said while calling on the government of Zimbabwe to stop persecuting him.
The ABA Center for Human Rights, which mobilizes lawyers to help threatened advocates, protect vulnerable communities, and hold govts accountable under law, released a 29 page document stating in part that:
Hopewell Chin’ono attending court earlier in the year – file pic
His three arrests and the charges against him—effectively for peacefully expressing his opinions, including supporting a peaceful demonstration and exposing corruption, raising concern over the independence of the judiciary and prosecution, and reportedly raising public concern over police brutality—all appear to be politically motivated and in violation of his rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly, and to participate in public affairs.
In addition, the numerous due process violations in his case—including the failure of the police to inform him of the reasons for his first arrest, to
promptly inform him of the charges against him, and to ensure his right to legal representation of his choice immediately after arrest and during
his first case; and the repeated initial denials of bail pending trial resulting in a collective 84 days in prison, often in a maximum security
prison despite his status as an accused person— all point to a deliberate misuse of the criminal
justice system to harass Mr. Chin’ono under a veneer of legality. Further, his placement in pre-trial detention, in disregard of WHO recommendations on places of detention during the COVID-19 pandemic, unnecessarily exposed
him to potential infection, thus infringing on his right to health.
All of these factors indicate that his arrests and detentions were arbitrary. While the Center has focused on Mr. Chin’ono’s case in particular, other human rights defenders and activists have also been subjected to similar intimidation, harassment, and suppression of their freedom of
expression through abuse of the criminal justice system. This report raises concern that the persecution and prosecutions of Mr. Chin’ono,
as well as that of other HRDs and activists, has had a chilling effect on Zimbabwean’s right to exercise their constitutional rights and to engage with their government on matters of concern.
In view of this analysis, the government of Zimbabwe and all its arms, including the police, prosecution, legislature, and judiciary, must respect freedom of expression, association, assembly, and the right to participate in public
affairs in the country, and:
• Immediately and unconditionally drop all the criminal charges against Mr. Chin’ono. His continued persecution and prosecution,
is a violation of his right to freedom of expression and to participate in matters of public interest.
• Ensure that Mr. Chin’ono is not threatened for exercising his right to freedom of expression, especially for commenting on issues of corruption in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Republic Police must independently and thoroughly investigate the allegations of threats issued against Mr. Chin’ono for reporting on matters of corruption.
• Refrain from using the judicial apparatus to harass and intimidate journalists, HRDs, and others, ensuring all arrested and detained persons have their due process rights respected and protected.
Appropriate systems and structures to
ensure the independence of the judiciary must be put in place to guarantee, among other things, the right to bail in deserving cases, especially at the lower courts, and expeditious resolution of politically
motivated cases.
• Ensure that all individuals under Zimbabwe’s jurisdiction are afforded the right to freedom of expression, association, and assembly, as well as the right to participate in public affairs without retaliation, including through peaceful protests and posts on social media. State
and non-state actors must refrain from the harassment and intimidation of individuals and institutions for exercising their rights, as well as refrain from arresting and charging journalists and others simply for
the peaceful expression of their opinions online and offline.
• Ensure that the legislature repeals or revises all legislation, including false information laws, such as section 31(a)(iii) of the Criminal
Law (Codification and Reform) Act, which are inconsistent with regional and international standards and unjustifiably restrict freedom of expression. In addition, the executive
must respect and promote progressive
decisions of the courts that are in tandem with regional and international standards, such as the Chimakure case.
• Put in place freedom of expression policies and promotional campaigns to make it clear that the authorities are committed to respecting and protecting the right of all to express their opinions, especially given the extent and gravity of the violations of the
right to freedom of expression in recent times.
The report further calls on the authorities to respect fair trial rights and ensure the protection
of the right to health by:
• Limiting the deprivation of liberty, including pretrial detention, particularly of political prisoners, and enhancing efforts to resort to non-custodial measures during this
pandemic as a measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
By A Correspondent- The South African government has blamed Zimbabwe for the delays being experienced by truck drivers at the Beitbridge Border Post which are negatively impacting the movement of goods across the region.
Truck drivers are spending up to 10 days at the Beitbridge border post as toll company Zimborders, which has been awarded a contract by the Zimbabwean government to upgrade the border post, began collecting toll fees.
South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the Zimbabwean government is not playing ball.
He said Zimbabwe’s decision to “charge people US$200 and demanding the money in cash” has complicated matters, adding:
And when you are doing renovations you make no space for parking, when you know that Beitbridge is not only a passage to Zimbabwe, it’s a passage to the whole continent.
We have been discussing the issue of automation forever. The newly renovated buildings have opened 75% of the place, which is new. But that newly renovated place is not automated.
So it doesn’t matter how many trucks you process in SA, they can only take a particular number. At some stage, they could only take 10 trucks per hour. That is quite terrible for us.
We have a team based there permanently, which is meeting [Zimbabwean] officials every single day. And every time they meet, they say, ‘We are waiting for an answer from Harare’.
Meanwhile, Road Freight Association CEO Gavin Kelly said on Wednesday that truck queues on the Zimbabwean side have been dealt with.
He said:
The situation already changed in the past 24 hours. The queues from Zimbabwe are gone. We are trying to eradicate the SA-side queue today [Wednesday].
The opposition MDC Alliance has announced that its party leader Nelson Chamisa’s car has been impounded by the police at a roadblock after Rusape.
The party said the police also threatened to arrest the people in the vehicle.
BREAKING ‼️
President @nelsonchamisa’s convoy car (Toyota Fortuner) has been impounded with threats of arrest against those in the vehicle. This happened just after the Rusape road block. Details to follow.
By A Correspondent- A man from the United Kingdom was splattered with raw sewage, while he was in his garden. According to the unlucky man, the raw sewage which splattered him and his garden, fell from the sky after being dumped by a passing plane.
The rather unusual incident occured sometime in July in the town of Windsor, southeast England. The town is only eight miles from Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports.
The unfortunate incident was relayed by local councillor Karen Davies during a virtual council meeting.
According to Newsweek:
,“Local councillor Karen Davies told the aviation forum of the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead that she had been ‘horrified’ to hear of the incident and was looking into it, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“‘I know a number of incidents happen every year with frozen sewage from planes, but this wasn’t frozen and his whole garden was splattered in a very unpleasant way,’ Davies said.”
“He was out in the garden at the time, so a really horrible, horrible experience,” she added.
“Davies said the man’s “whole garden, and garden umbrellas, and him” were all “covered.”
Ms Davies said the resident had decided not to pursue an insurance claim as it would increase his premium “for the sake of a couple of garden umbrellas” that were also hit by the waste.
The name of the airline has not been shared, but the BBC reported that Ms Davies said the airline was “based a very long way away from here”.
The resident contacted the airline, which denied its plane was in the area, but then later acknowledged the incident after the man was able to identify the aircraft via a flight-tracking app.
Another councillor Geoff Paxton, who has worked at airports for 40 years, called the incident “very rare” and one he had not seen in a long time. He said:
“We used to have problems with blue ice on arrivals but that was because those toilets used to leak.”
Blue ice, in the context of aviation, is frozen sewage material that has leaked mid-flight from commercial aircraft lavatory waste systems. It is a mixture of human biowaste and liquid disinfectant that freezes at high altitudes. The name comes from the blue colour of the disinfectant. Airlines are not allowed to dump their waste tanks in mid-flight, and pilots have no mechanism by which to do so; however, leaks sometimes do occur from a plane’s septic tank.
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday admitted that his party was in shambles and threatened to descend heavily on party members locked in bloody power struggles.
Addressing an extraordinary session of the Zanu-PF politburo, Mnangagwa said unruly members violating the party constitution would be dealt with.
Mnangagwa, who said those divisions had no place in Zanu-PF, pleaded for unity and harmony in the ruling party ahead of the 2023 elections where he will seek re-election.
“The party has no room for divisive elements who want positions at the expense of the party’s discipline, unity, love and harmony and development,” he said.
“It is alien for our party members to fight for posts; violence of any kind whether physical or verbal has no place in Zanu-PF or in our country.”
Zanu-PF has been rocked by violent power struggles during its internal party elections over the past months. The fights, which erupted in Mutare and other districts, portends a deeply divided Zanu-PF limping towards the 2023 elections.
Mnangagwa was last month forced to postpone provincial elections indefinitely as fights for positions turned nasty.
The party’s district elections also turned violent in Harare and Manicaland provinces, while haggling has forced delays in some provinces.
In Mutare, protests against provincial chairperson Mike Madiro ended badly, with some party youth led by Danmore Mambondiyani bashed by the provincial leader’s backers. In Harare, a fight between Godwin Gomwe and Godwills Masimirembwa ended in court.
In Mashonaland Central, a nasty fight between incumbent chairperson Kazembe Kazembe and businessman Tafadzwa Musarara has triggered friction and an exchange of words in party WhatsApp groups.
“Those who wantonly violate and desecrate our party constitution’s peaceful culture and values must be dealt with decisively without fear or favour,” Mnangagwa said.
He added that Zanu-PF must now unleash its machinery towards mobilising voters to register, since it was now all systems go ahead for the elections.
“It is now all systems go towards harmonised elections, the electorate must be mobilised to vote and appreciate the scope of the polling station-based exercise,” Mnangagwa said.
Facing a crumbling economy, unhappy civil service and a hungry ordinary voter, Mnangagwa brandished the Western sanctions card, telling politburo members that the restrictions were the reason behind human rights abuses, poverty and lack of development in the country.
He accused the West of trying to effect regime change, adding that they had been stopped by alert young people.
“Young people continue to resist these sanctions and other manoeuvres as tools of regime change. This is more critical as our detractors continue to exhibit their nefarious modus operandi with regards marring our national image. Moreso, as we approach the 2023 harmonised elections,” Mnangagwa said.
Acting party political commissar Patrick Chinamasa also confirmed the infighting, promising to deploy senior party members to provinces and districts to iron out differences among members.
“We are promising to deploy politburo members to provinces to address them and the DCC’s to receive any complains about the restructuring excises and take any solutions that are needed where possible,” Chinamasa told a post-politburo briefing.
Zanu-PF acting spokesperson Mike Bimha said the ruling party had received defectors from the MDC Alliance and the National Patriotic Front (NPF) in Kwekwe.
“Zanu-PF received 200 members who defected from MDC and the NPF, all of whom have defected to the party in Kwekwe alone. Their message has been the same that they are coming back home. The politburo directed all party structures to embrace and welcome our returning comrades with both hands and also help them to settle and contribute towards the party,” Bimha said.-newsday
The development comes after President Chamisa held his rural areas engagement tours where Zanu Pf thugs attempted to assassinate him.
Said the MDC Alliance:
“The people’s President, Adv @nelsonchamisa met community leaders, stakeholders & women’s groups in Nyanga North. He shared the movement’s agenda which seeks to champion the cause of the people and secure 6 million votes so we form the next Govt & win Zim… “
Watch the people’s president thanking the electorate for their support:
During his Manicaland Meet The People tour, the people’s President Adv @nelsonchamisa has thanked citizens for heeding the call to converge for change. We are overwhelmed by the mass support for the transformation agenda in villages & towns wherever we go. #Ngaapindepic.twitter.com/4RO5RYVs6N
— Citizens' Coalition for Change (@CCCZimbabwe) October 21, 2021
However, Manicaland provincial Zanu PF youths have denied attacking MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa in Mutare Tuesday afternoon adding that the alleged assassination attempt was a ploy stage-managed in order to taint Emmerson Mnangagwa’s image.
Addressing journalists at a press conference at Zanu PF Manicaland offices, Wednesday the District Coordinating Committee (DCC) secretary for youth affairs, Danmore Mambondiyani said Chamisa’s assassination attempt was stage-managed by own party stalwarts in a bid to raise funds for their leader’s armoured vehicle.
Chamisa survived an assassination attempt in Mutare as he travelled from Chipinge district where he is meeting traditional leaders and the electorate.
Said Mambondiyani:
“One can see the claims of attacks and gunshots by the MDC Alliance are merely a continuation of a failed Black Operations strategy aimed at smearing the integrity of the government and the people of Zimbabwe.
“The President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) and his government are seized with expanding the power grid, dam capacities, improving roads infrastructure across the country, as well as creating an environment that is conducive for business and job creation.”
“Chamisa wants to tarnish the name of our nation and our hardworking youths in all districts despite that he is enjoying roads recently surfaced by President Mnangagwa. Probably he may be seeking support for fundraising a vehicle which he is longing for.
“He is trying to hobnob with sponsors so that he will continue enjoying the newly surfaced roads across the country.
Mambondiyani is one of the suspects identified to be behind the plot to assassinate Chamisa Tuesday.
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwean authorities shut down a popular black-market currency-tracking platform, the latest action to try and stop an accelerating decline in its currency.
The central bank ordered marketwatch.co.zw and other sites that publish parallel-market currency rate to shut down, Governor John Mangudya said in a phone interview on Tuesday.
The website has been used by residents and businesses to guide their purchases of foreign exchange on the streets of the capital, Harare, which they are forced to resort to when weekly central bank auctions don’t provide enough to meet demand.
Zimbabwe follows Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy, in blaming online platforms for fueling the collapse of their currencies.
Nigerian authorities last month targeted abokiFX, a platform that tracks the unofficial naira exchange rate, after central bank Governor Godwin Emefiele accused the company of manipulating the exchange rate. abokiFX denies any wrongdoing.
“It’s cybercrime,” Mangudya said. “How is the rate determined on the computer? It’s based on nothing but hot air.”
Marketwatch.co.zw was unavailable on Wednesday morning, with a notice saying: “Sorry, this website is no longer in service.”
The Zimbabwean dollar weakened 3.2% on Tuesday to 93 per dollar — the biggest decline in 14 months. It’s plunged to about 175 per dollar on the parallel market in recent weeks.
Instability in the foreign-exchange market is being driven by an unrelenting growth in money supply, increasing imports and long delays in settlement at the central bank’s weekly currency auction, the Chamber of Zimbabwe Industries said last week.
To halt the currency’s decline, authorities have taken steps including arresting black-market traders and launching a probe into a currency abuse claim against Simbisa Brands, the nation’s largest fast-food giant.
Businesses that peg their prices using unofficial market rates have been threatened with having their operating licenses revoked.-Bloomberg
The development comes after President Chamisa held his rural areas engagement tours where Zanu Pf thugs attempted to assassinate him.
Said the MDC Alliance:
“The people’s President, Adv @nelsonchamisa met community leaders, stakeholders & women’s groups in Nyanga North. He shared the movement’s agenda which seeks to champion the cause of the people and secure 6 million votes so we form the next Govt & win Zim… “
Watch the people’s president thanking the electorate for their support:
During his Manicaland Meet The People tour, the people’s President Adv @nelsonchamisa has thanked citizens for heeding the call to converge for change. We are overwhelmed by the mass support for the transformation agenda in villages & towns wherever we go. #Ngaapindepic.twitter.com/4RO5RYVs6N
— Citizens' Coalition for Change (@CCCZimbabwe) October 21, 2021
However, Manicaland provincial Zanu PF youths have denied attacking MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa in Mutare Tuesday afternoon adding that the alleged assassination attempt was a ploy stage-managed in order to taint Emmerson Mnangagwa’s image.
Addressing journalists at a press conference at Zanu PF Manicaland offices, Wednesday the District Coordinating Committee (DCC) secretary for youth affairs, Danmore Mambondiyani said Chamisa’s assassination attempt was stage-managed by own party stalwarts in a bid to raise funds for their leader’s armoured vehicle.
Chamisa survived an assassination attempt in Mutare as he travelled from Chipinge district where he is meeting traditional leaders and the electorate.
Said Mambondiyani:
“One can see the claims of attacks and gunshots by the MDC Alliance are merely a continuation of a failed Black Operations strategy aimed at smearing the integrity of the government and the people of Zimbabwe.
“The President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) and his government are seized with expanding the power grid, dam capacities, improving roads infrastructure across the country, as well as creating an environment that is conducive for business and job creation.”
“Chamisa wants to tarnish the name of our nation and our hardworking youths in all districts despite that he is enjoying roads recently surfaced by President Mnangagwa. Probably he may be seeking support for fundraising a vehicle which he is longing for.
“He is trying to hobnob with sponsors so that he will continue enjoying the newly surfaced roads across the country.
Mambondiyani is one of the suspects identified to be behind the plot to assassinate Chamisa Tuesday.
By A Correspondent- Manicaland provincial Zanu PF youths have denied attacking MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa in Mutare Tuesday afternoon adding that the alleged assassination attempt was a ploy stage-managed in order to taint Emmerson Mnangagwa’s image.
Addressing journalists at a press conference at Zanu PF Manicaland offices, Wednesday the District Coordinating Committee (DCC) secretary for youth affairs, Danmore Mambondiyani said Chamisa’s assassination attempt was stage-managed by own party stalwarts in a bid to raise funds for their leader’s armoured vehicle.
Chamisa survived an assassination attempt in Mutare as he travelled from Chipinge district where he is meeting traditional leaders and the electorate.
Said Mambondiyani:
“One can see the claims of attacks and gunshots by the MDC Alliance are merely a continuation of a failed Black Operations strategy aimed at smearing the integrity of the government and the people of Zimbabwe.
“The President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) and his government are seized with expanding the power grid, dam capacities, improving roads infrastructure across the country, as well as creating an environment that is conducive for business and job creation.”
“Chamisa wants to tarnish the name of our nation and our hardworking youths in all districts despite that he is enjoying roads recently surfaced by President Mnangagwa. Probably he may be seeking support for fundraising a vehicle which he is longing for.
“He is trying to hobnob with sponsors so that he will continue enjoying the newly surfaced roads across the country.
Mambondiyani is one of the suspects identified to be behind the plot to assassinate Chamisa Tuesday.
By A Correspondent- A man from Rujeko C in Masvingo allegedly bedded his 22-year-old girlfriend who is doing Chemical Engineering at Masvingo Poly in the presence of his wife of three years.
The incident happened on Tuesday last week and it has forced Fadzai Chikanga to move out of her matrimonial home and go back to her relatives in Runyararo West, The Mirror has confirmed.
Desire Manombe (26), a security guard is now staying with preg_nant Rutendo Chaziva after the departure of Chikanga.
Manombe told The Mirror in a telephone interview that he no longer loved his wife hence his actions. Fadzai Chikanga also confirmed the story but Rutendo refused to speak to the Press.
Chikanga said it all started on Wednesday morning last week when her husband who was coming from night shift brought along Rutendo and introduced her as his new wife. She said her husband is trained in karate.
After the introductions the two got into bed in the one room that Manombe rents in the populous suburb. Shattered by what the two were about to do, Chikanga went next door and sought the intervention of neighbours.
‘It shocked me when they got into my bed. I rushed to tell neighbours who came and persuaded them to stop what they were doing. The neighbours even told Rutendo that it was taboo for her to sleep on another woman’s bed but they went back into bed as soon as the neighbours left.
“They made love and it pained me so much. I was chocked with pain. I spent the night together with Rutendo after my husband had gone to work. I would not touch Rutendo because Manombe is trained in karate and he would have killed me if I did that.
“I consulted my relatives the next day and they told me to pack my bags and leave,” said Chikanga.
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday admitted that his party was in shambles and threatened to descend heavily on party members locked in bloody power struggles.
Addressing an extraordinary session of the Zanu-PF politburo, Mnangagwa said unruly members violating the party constitution would be dealt with.
Mnangagwa, who said those divisions had no place in Zanu-PF, pleaded for unity and harmony in the ruling party ahead of the 2023 elections where he will seek re-election.
“The party has no room for divisive elements who want positions at the expense of the party’s discipline, unity, love and harmony and development,” he said.
“It is alien for our party members to fight for posts; violence of any kind whether physical or verbal has no place in Zanu-PF or in our country.”
Zanu-PF has been rocked by violent power struggles during its internal party elections over the past months. The fights, which erupted in Mutare and other districts, portends a deeply divided Zanu-PF limping towards the 2023 elections.
Mnangagwa was last month forced to postpone provincial elections indefinitely as fights for positions turned nasty.
The party’s district elections also turned violent in Harare and Manicaland provinces, while haggling has forced delays in some provinces.
In Mutare, protests against provincial chairperson Mike Madiro ended badly, with some party youth led by Danmore Mambondiyani bashed by the provincial leader’s backers. In Harare, a fight between Godwin Gomwe and Godwills Masimirembwa ended in court.
In Mashonaland Central, a nasty fight between incumbent chairperson Kazembe Kazembe and businessman Tafadzwa Musarara has triggered friction and an exchange of words in party WhatsApp groups.
“Those who wantonly violate and desecrate our party constitution’s peaceful culture and values must be dealt with decisively without fear or favour,” Mnangagwa said.
He added that Zanu-PF must now unleash its machinery towards mobilising voters to register, since it was now all systems go ahead for the elections.
“It is now all systems go towards harmonised elections, the electorate must be mobilised to vote and appreciate the scope of the polling station-based exercise,” Mnangagwa said.
Facing a crumbling economy, unhappy civil service and a hungry ordinary voter, Mnangagwa brandished the Western sanctions card, telling politburo members that the restrictions were the reason behind human rights abuses, poverty and lack of development in the country.
He accused the West of trying to effect regime change, adding that they had been stopped by alert young people.
“Young people continue to resist these sanctions and other manoeuvres as tools of regime change. This is more critical as our detractors continue to exhibit their nefarious modus operandi with regards marring our national image. Moreso, as we approach the 2023 harmonised elections,” Mnangagwa said.
Acting party political commissar Patrick Chinamasa also confirmed the infighting, promising to deploy senior party members to provinces and districts to iron out differences among members.
“We are promising to deploy politburo members to provinces to address them and the DCC’s to receive any complains about the restructuring excises and take any solutions that are needed where possible,” Chinamasa told a post-politburo briefing.
Zanu-PF acting spokesperson Mike Bimha said the ruling party had received defectors from the MDC Alliance and the National Patriotic Front (NPF) in Kwekwe.
“Zanu-PF received 200 members who defected from MDC and the NPF, all of whom have defected to the party in Kwekwe alone. Their message has been the same that they are coming back home. The politburo directed all party structures to embrace and welcome our returning comrades with both hands and also help them to settle and contribute towards the party,” Bimha said.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) has deployed hundreds of soldiers who are armed to teeth in areas in and around Chiredzi thereby causing panic among villagers.
Some villagers from Chilonga where Government plans to evict 12 000 families to give way to a Lucerne grass project who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were afraid that the Army will use force to evict them.
Deputy director Army public relations, Lieutenant Colonel Alex Zuva confirmed the deployments in a statement to The Mirror but said that these were routine training programmes.
Masvingo Centre for Research Advocacy and Development (MACRAD) director, Ephraim Mtombeni said it is unprofessional and wrong for the Army to deploy in a civilian area without giving clear information to allay inevitable fear.
“There are hundreds of soldiers who are armed like they are in the battlefield. They are armed to teeth, it’s frightening,” said one village head who declined to be named.
Mtombeni who also works with villagers in Chilonga said what raised more eyebrows is that Zanu PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) chairperson for Chiredzi Siyaki Mundungehama is doing the public relations for the Army by issuing statements to villagers.
The deployments have heightened fears of violence as the 2023 elections beckon. Mtombeni urged the Army to do their training in empty places like Gonarezhou instead of places populated with people and domestic animals.
“ZDF should make use of areas like Gonarenzhou. The presence of ZDF in Chilonga without clear communication instills fear in communities. Further, Zanu PF should not issue statements on behalf of ZDF. These are distinct institutions which must perform their duties as stipulated by the law,” said Mtombeni.
“The exercise is part of routine training that ZDF conducts regularly in fulfilment of its Consitutional mandate. The field training exercise is beig conducted jointly with other security services including ZRP and the President’s Department. The training is being conducted in areas under Chief Sengwe, Chief Chitanga, Chief Mpapa, Chief Neromwe, Chief Chilonga and Chief Gezani.
“As part of the ZDF Community Assistance programmes, a COVID-19 vaccination programme will run concurrently with the exercise. The field training exercise which started on September 27, 2021 is expected to end on October 23, 2021,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Zuva.
There is however, a legal notice issued by the Minister of Local Government, July Moyo on February 26, 2021, ordering over 12 000 people on 12 940 hectares of Chilonga communal land in Chiredzi to leave immediately.
Mundungehama’s statement to the villagers reads; “How are you Chiredzi District residents? I am here to notify you that soldiers (ZDF) will be displaying their drills (Military Exercises) in most of the wards if not all, starting from October 7, 2021, until the end of the month.
“You are urged to carry on with your usual chores. Don’t be afraid of them, but you should respect them because they are your children, brothers, fathers, mothers, and sisters who protect you from the enemies.”
By A Correspondent- Zanu PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa has admitted that he was losing control of the party, which is in turmoil as ambitious cadres violently jostled for positions.
Addressing an extraordinary session of the ZANU PF politburo, Mnangagwa threatened to descend heavily on party members who he accused of violating the party’s constitution. He said:
The party has no room for divisive elements who want positions at the expense of the party’s discipline, unity, love and harmony and development. It is alien for our party members to fight for posts; violence of any kind whether physical or verbal has no place in ZANU PF or in our country. … Those who wantonly violate and desecrate our party constitution’s peaceful culture and values must be dealt with decisively without fear or favour.
This comes after ZANU PF district elections turned violent in Harare and Manicaland provinces, with Mnangagwa forced to postpone provincial elections indefinitely last month as fights for positions turned nasty. Mnangagwa pleaded for unity and harmony in the ruling party ahead of the 2023 elections where he is expected to seek re-election for a second and final 5-year term. During his address, Mnangagwa also accused the West of trying to effect regime change through the imposition of sanctions, adding that they had been stopped by young people. Acting party political commissar Patrick Chinamasa told a post-politburo briefing that the party will deploy senior members to provinces and districts to iron out differences among members. -NewsDay
By A Correspondent| Opposition MDC Alliance vice President Tendai Biti’s lawyer Alec Muchadehama has castigated Acting Deputy Prosecutor General Michael Reza for being obsessed with his client’s case.
Biti is facing charges of assaulting a controversial Russian woman Tatiana Aleshina, who is also a runner for at large land baron Kenneth Raydon Sharpe.
In an affidavit in support of Biti’s application for recusal of Harare Regional Magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti Guwuriro and Reza from hearing his assault case, Muchadehama dropped a bombshell on what he termed a coordination of his client’s matter outside the Court room.
Ms-Tatiana-Aleshina the woman at the centre of Biti’s assault case
“I further confirm that on the 8th of October 2021 I wrote a letter to 3rd Respondent about my inability to be available at 0900 hrs on 13 October 2021.
“I had indicated that I could be available at 11:15am hoping that I would be done with the matter I was dealing with at the Master’s Court. I had also given this time to allay any fears that I intended to use the matter before the Master for purposes of delaying Applicant’s matter.
“I must indicate to the court that any application for postponement by the Accused no matter how genuine has been met by the submission by 3rd Respondent that it is intended to delay. 3rd Respondent has become so obsessed with the Applicant’s case that he will stop at nothing but to proceed,” said Muchadehama.
He then spilled the beans on Guwuriro, whom he accused of taking the matter into her own hands to call the Master of High Court on behalf of Reza.
“Quite unsolicited Mr Gapare said that around 1100hrs, Mrs Guwuriro, 1st Respondent had called him asking whether I had attended at the Master’s office and whether I was still there.
“It must be from 1st Respondent’s calls to Mr Gapare (Master of High Court) that 1st Respondent got the impression that I was not at the Master’s office a suggestion which is factually incorrect,” added Muchadehama.
Muchadehama said there is a desire by both Guwuriro and Reza to have Biti’s case dealt with quicker than usual which smacks of a sinister plot to deal with the Harare East legislator.
He also exposed how the two Guwuriro and Reza appear to have too much interest in Biti’s case to the extend that they had to disregard his right to a fair trial by refusing to postpone his case to allow his lawyer to attend.
“All things being equal Respondents would have postponed the matter and request me to explain my absence on the 13th of October 2021.
“Alternatively Respondents should have given Applicant to look and brief an alternative lawyer in my absence.
“To order Applicant to proceed simply because I was absent was unfair to him yet I had a valid explanation for my absence as stated above,” added Muchadehama.
Biti has previously raised concern that Reza who is a senior prosecutor handling a mere assault case proved that there are interest besides justice.
By A Correspondent- Opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa said he narrowly escaped Zanu PF assassination attempts.
He posted on Twitter on Wednesdaychamisa said he was lucky to be alive.
He wants me killed and dead. They want blood and more blood. They missed by seconds because Our #Godisinit. Violence & assassinations won’t solve complex national challenges. I’m (in) Nyanga today meeting the community. Change must happen. The citizens are clear!
THEY NEARLY TOOK ME OUT..He wants me killed and dead.They want blood and more blood.They missed by seconds because Our #Godisinit.Violence & assassinations won’t solve complex national challenges.I’m Nyanga today meeting the community.Change must happen.The citizens are clear!
Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday admitted that his party was in shambles and threatened to descend heavily on party members locked in bloody power struggles.
Addressing an extraordinary session of the Zanu PF politburo, Mnangagwa said unruly members violating the party constitution would be dealt with.
Emmerson Mnangagwa – file
Mnangagwa, who said those divisions had no place in Zanu PF, pleaded for unity and harmony in the ruling party ahead of the 2023 elections where he will seek re-election.
“The party has no room for divisive elements who want positions at the expense of the party’s discipline, unity, love and harmony and development,” he said.
“It is alien for our party members to fight for posts; violence of any kind whether physical or verbal has no place in Zanu PF or in our country.”
Zanu PF has been rocked by violent power struggles during its internal party elections over the past months. The fights, which erupted in Mutare and other districts, portends a deeply divided Zanu PF limping towards the 2023 elections.
Mnangagwa was last month forced to postpone provincial elections indefinitely as fights for positions turned nasty.
The party’s district elections also turned violent in Harare and Manicaland provinces, while haggling has forced delays in some provinces.
In Mutare, protests against provincial chairperson Mike Madiro ended badly, with some party youth led by Danmore Mambondiyani bashed by the provincial leader’s backers. In Harare, a fight between Godwin Gomwe and Godwills Masimirembwa ended in court.
In Mashonaland Central, a nasty fight between incumbent chairperson Kazembe Kazembe and businessman Tafadzwa Musarara has triggered friction and an exchange of words in party WhatsApp groups.
“Those who wantonly violate and desecrate our party constitution’s peaceful culture and values must be dealt with decisively without fear or favour,” Mnangagwa said.
He added that Zanu PF must now unleash its machinery towards mobilising voters to register, since it was now all systems go ahead for the elections.
“It is now all systems go towards harmonised elections, the electorate must be mobilised to vote and appreciate the scope of the polling station-based exercise,” Mnangagwa said.
Facing a crumbling economy, unhappy civil service and a hungry ordinary voter, Mnangagwa brandished the Western sanctions card, telling politburo members that the restrictions were the reason behind human rights abuses, poverty and lack of development in the country.
He accused the West of trying to effect regime change, adding that they had been stopped by alert young people.
“Young people continue to resist these sanctions and other manoeuvres as tools of regime change. This is more critical as our detractors continue to exhibit their nefarious modus operandi with regards marring our national image. Moreso, as we approach the 2023 harmonised elections,” Mnangagwa said.
Acting party political commissar Patrick Chinamasa also confirmed the infighting, promising to deploy senior party members to provinces and districts to iron out differences among members.
“We are promising to deploy politburo members to provinces to address them and the DCC’s to receive any complains about the restructuring excises and take any solutions that are needed where possible,” Chinamasa told a post-politburo briefing.
Zanu PF acting spokesperson Mike Bimha said the ruling party had received defectors from the MDC Alliance and the National Patriotic Front (NPF) in Kwekwe.
“Zanu PF received 200 members who defected from MDC and the NPF, all of whom have defected to the party in Kwekwe alone. Their message has been the same that they are coming back home. The politburo directed all party structures to embrace and welcome our returning comrades with both hands and also help them to settle and contribute towards the party,” Bimha said. – Newsday
A Chitungwiza police officer has been taken to court for assaulting a 12-year-old boy for igniting firecrackers in January last year.
Constable Lisini Ngilazi allegedly beat up the juvenile (name withheld), causing him to develop nose-bleeding problems.
Ngilazi on Tuesday appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Brighton Danana after the assault case was reported under case number CRB 1280/21.
The case was postponed to next Friday. It was initially brought before the court in April and on September 24, a medical doctor, Alvis Katsande testified.
It is alleged that Ngilazi assaulted the juvenile for making noise with fire crackers by clamping the child’s head between his legs and slapping him on the back and neck.
In the process, the victim’s head hit wall several times, resulting in him developing a nose-bleeding problem.
In his medical report on September 24, Katsande said he examined the minor on March 3, upon request by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
“As a result of the examination, I found the patient to be suffering from head injury, headache and epistaxis. The injuries were consistent with having been inflicted by a sharp object,” Katsande said.
He said the injuries were serious although there was no possibility of permanent disability. – Newsday
The Prosecutor General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi has said the conditions of service for prosecutors have to be improved effectively fight corruption.
In an interview in Kwekwe on Monday, Mr Hodzi said fighting corruption requires a well remunerated prosecutor.
Kumbirai-Hodzi…
He said prosecutors must be catered for to ensure that they refuse accepting bribes.
“Well, the remuneration of the prosecutors is what we are seized with at the moment. We need to improve the conditions of service of the prosecutors so that we ring fence them against corruption. We want a situation where a prosecutor will refuse any amount of bribe knowing that he is well remunerated and we are in consultations with the treasury over that,” he said.
He said prosecutors also need decent accommodation so that they don’t fall prey to sophisticated criminals.
“The prosecutors are an important part of the justice delivery system and for it to be top-notch without any mishap, we need to ring fence them by offering them better conditions of service. They need vehicles, they need accommodation and it all comes into shape as we work towards the new prosecution guidelines,” said Mr Hodzi.
In May, it was reported that corruption syndicates comprising police officers, prosecutors and magistrates were reportedly soliciting bribes from suspects before organising acquittals through sloppy investigations and prosecution.
All this started at the police station where suspects were discouraged from engaging lawyers, with rogue officers assuring them of acquittal and seeking bribes that are lower than what a lawyer would charge in any case, without that same degree of certainty of acquittal.
Half-baked investigations were then done before the bribed investigating officer took the case to a prosecutor, who would be part of the syndicate, for vetting.
During the trial, there would be under-prosecution, leaving the magistrate with no option, but to clear the suspect.
The allegations were made at an all-stakeholders’ anti-corruption conference by Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) executive secretary Mr Edward Mapara and backed by Police Assistant Commissioner Joseph Nyabasa.
The conference was organised by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) and Transparency International Zimbabwe.
In most cases, Mr Mapara said, the suspects were acquitted, hence corruption continued unabated. -Chronicle
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) has deployed hundreds of heavily armed soldiers in and around Chiredzi.
This has left villagers panicking because of the bad memories they have about the gunmen.
Some villagers from Chilonga where Government plans to evict 12 000 families to give way to a Lucerne grass project who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were afraid that the Army would use force to evict them.
Said one village head who declined to be named:
There are hundreds of soldiers who are armed like they are in the battlefield. They are armed to the teeth, it’s frightening.
Deputy director of Army public relations, Lieutenant Colonel Alex Zuva confirmed the deployments in a statement to The Mirror but said that these were routine training programmes.
He said: The exercise is part of routine training that ZDF conducts regularly in fulfilment of its Consitutional mandate. The field training exercise is beig conducted jointly with other security services including ZRP and the President’s Department. The training is being conducted in areas under Chief Sengwe, Chief Chitanga, chief Mpapa, Chief Neromwe, Chief Chilonga and Chief Gezani. As part of the ZDF Community Assistance programmes, a COVID-19 vaccination programme will run concurrently with the exercise. The field training exercise which started on September 27, 2021 is expected to end on October 23, 2021.
Masvingo Centre for Research Advocacy and Development (MACRAD) director, Ephraim Mtombeni said it is unprofessional and wrong for the Army to deploy in a civilian area without giving clear information to allay inevitable fear. Mtombeni said what raised more eyebrows is that Zanu PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) chairperson for Chiredzi Siyaki Mundungehama is doing the public relations for the Army by issuing statements to villagers. He added: ZDF should make use of areas like Gonarenzhou. The presence of ZDF in Chilonga without clear communication instills fear in communities. Further, Zanu PF should not issue statements on behalf of ZDF. These are distinct institutions which must perform their duties as stipulated by the law.
Mundungehama’s statement to the villagers indicated that soldiers (ZDF) will be displaying their drills (Military Exercises) in most of the wards if not all, starting from October 7, 2021, until the end of the month. It urged villagers to carry on with their usual chores and not to be afraid of them, “but you should respect them because they are your children, brothers, fathers, mothers, and sisters who protect you from the enemies.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police have ignored to act on Zanu PF supporters who are attacking the opposition MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa.
Chamisa has been under attack since last week when he embarked on national political campaign tours.
Last week he was attacked in his Masvingo home area by suspected Zanu PF supporters in Charumbira village.
On Tuesday in Mutare, he also faced the same fate.
The opposition leader Wednesday managed to escape after a suspected Zanu PF mob tried to block his path in Makoni, Manicaland.
The ZRP has not even issued a statement on these several incidences.
By A Correspondent- Agriculture minister Anxious Masuka has been sued for failing to pay for farming inputs.
Masuka is failed to pay US$83 937.52 worth of tobacco farming inputs they supplied him by Tian Ze Tobacco Company (Private) Limited.
According to Harare High Court summons served, the inputs were supplied in terms of the Tobacco Farming Contract the two parties agreed upon. The terms of the contract were such that Tian Ze was supposed to supply United States denominated farming inputs to Masuka. This was after the company had obtained Exchange control approval from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to transact in United States dollars. “Payment of USD$ 83 937.52 or its equivalent ZWL$ at the prevailing interbank rate due and owing to Plaintiff (Tian Ze) for USD$ denominated tobacco farming inputs supplied to Defendant (Masuka) in terms of the tobacco Farming Contract and acknowledgement of the date….”
In turn Masuka was supposed to produce Virginia tobacco and sell it to Tian Ze after curing it.
However, Masuka breached the contract by failing to “produce and or sell tobacco and pay Tian Ze in terms of the contract”. The papers state that on January 20, 2017 Masuka acknowledged his indebtedness and made an undertaking to pay the debt by October 2019 as agreed when the contract was signed. According to Tian Ze he has opted to pay in Zimbabwe dollars. “Defendant has been making ridiculously low ZWL$ payments which were being rated to the prevailing interbank rate for that day by Plaintiff,” reads the papers. -Zim Morning Post
Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday admitted that his party was in shambles and threatened to descend heavily on party members locked in bloody power struggles.
Addressing an extraordinary session of the Zanu PF politburo, Mnangagwa said unruly members violating the party constitution would be dealt with.
Mnangagwa, who said those divisions had no place in Zanu PF, pleaded for unity and harmony in the ruling party ahead of the 2023 elections where he will seek re-election.
“The party has no room for divisive elements who want positions at the expense of the party’s discipline, unity, love and harmony and development,” he said.
“It is alien for our party members to fight for posts; violence of any kind whether physical or verbal has no place in Zanu PF or in our country.”
Zanu PF has been rocked by violent power struggles during its internal party elections over the past months. The fights, which erupted in Mutare and other districts, portends a deeply divided Zanu PF limping towards the 2023 elections.
Mnangagwa was last month forced to postpone provincial elections indefinitely as fights for positions turned nasty.
The party’s district elections also turned violent in Harare and Manicaland provinces, while haggling has forced delays in some provinces.
In Mutare, protests against provincial chairperson Mike Madiro ended badly, with some party youth led by Danmore Mambondiyani bashed by the provincial leader’s backers. In Harare, a fight between Godwin Gomwe and Godwills Masimirembwa ended in court.
In Mashonaland Central, a nasty fight between incumbent chairperson Kazembe Kazembe and businessman Tafadzwa Musarara has triggered friction and an exchange of words in party WhatsApp groups.
“Those who wantonly violate and desecrate our party constitution’s peaceful culture and values must be dealt with decisively without fear or favour,” Mnangagwa said.
He added that Zanu PF must now unleash its machinery towards mobilising voters to register, since it was now all systems go ahead for the elections.
“It is now all systems go towards harmonised elections, the electorate must be mobilised to vote and appreciate the scope of the polling station-based exercise,” Mnangagwa said.
Facing a crumbling economy, unhappy civil service and a hungry ordinary voter, Mnangagwa brandished the Western sanctions card, telling politburo members that the restrictions were the reason behind human rights abuses, poverty and lack of development in the country.
He accused the West of trying to effect regime change, adding that they had been stopped by alert young people.
“Young people continue to resist these sanctions and other manoeuvres as tools of regime change. This is more critical as our detractors continue to exhibit their nefarious modus operandi with regards marring our national image. Moreso, as we approach the 2023 harmonised elections,” Mnangagwa said.
Acting party political commissar Patrick Chinamasa also confirmed the infighting, promising to deploy senior party members to provinces and districts to iron out differences among members.- NewsDay
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) has deployed hundreds of heavily armed soldiers in and around Chiredzi.
This has left villagers panicking because of the bad memories they have about the gunmen.
Some villagers from Chilonga where Government plans to evict 12 000 families to give way to a Lucerne grass project who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were afraid that the Army would use force to evict them.
Said one village head who declined to be named:
There are hundreds of soldiers who are armed like they are in the battlefield. They are armed to the teeth, it’s frightening.
Deputy director of Army public relations, Lieutenant Colonel Alex Zuva confirmed the deployments in a statement to The Mirror but said that these were routine training programmes.
He said: The exercise is part of routine training that ZDF conducts regularly in fulfilment of its Consitutional mandate. The field training exercise is beig conducted jointly with other security services including ZRP and the President’s Department. The training is being conducted in areas under Chief Sengwe, Chief Chitanga, chief Mpapa, Chief Neromwe, Chief Chilonga and Chief Gezani. As part of the ZDF Community Assistance programmes, a COVID-19 vaccination programme will run concurrently with the exercise. The field training exercise which started on September 27, 2021 is expected to end on October 23, 2021.
Masvingo Centre for Research Advocacy and Development (MACRAD) director, Ephraim Mtombeni said it is unprofessional and wrong for the Army to deploy in a civilian area without giving clear information to allay inevitable fear. Mtombeni said what raised more eyebrows is that Zanu PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) chairperson for Chiredzi Siyaki Mundungehama is doing the public relations for the Army by issuing statements to villagers. He added: ZDF should make use of areas like Gonarenzhou. The presence of ZDF in Chilonga without clear communication instills fear in communities. Further, Zanu PF should not issue statements on behalf of ZDF. These are distinct institutions which must perform their duties as stipulated by the law.
Mundungehama’s statement to the villagers indicated that soldiers (ZDF) will be displaying their drills (Military Exercises) in most of the wards if not all, starting from October 7, 2021, until the end of the month. It urged villagers to carry on with their usual chores and not to be afraid of them, “but you should respect them because they are your children, brothers, fathers, mothers, and sisters who protect you from the enemies.
Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday admitted that his party was in shambles and threatened to descend heavily on party members locked in bloody power struggles.
Addressing an extraordinary session of the Zanu PF politburo, Mnangagwa said unruly members violating the party constitution would be dealt with.
Mnangagwa, who said those divisions had no place in Zanu PF, pleaded for unity and harmony in the ruling party ahead of the 2023 elections where he will seek re-election.
“The party has no room for divisive elements who want positions at the expense of the party’s discipline, unity, love and harmony and development,” he said.
“It is alien for our party members to fight for posts; violence of any kind whether physical or verbal has no place in Zanu PF or in our country.”
Zanu PF has been rocked by violent power struggles during its internal party elections over the past months. The fights, which erupted in Mutare and other districts, portends a deeply divided Zanu PF limping towards the 2023 elections.
Mnangagwa was last month forced to postpone provincial elections indefinitely as fights for positions turned nasty.
The party’s district elections also turned violent in Harare and Manicaland provinces, while haggling has forced delays in some provinces.
In Mutare, protests against provincial chairperson Mike Madiro ended badly, with some party youth led by Danmore Mambondiyani bashed by the provincial leader’s backers. In Harare, a fight between Godwin Gomwe and Godwills Masimirembwa ended in court.
In Mashonaland Central, a nasty fight between incumbent chairperson Kazembe Kazembe and businessman Tafadzwa Musarara has triggered friction and an exchange of words in party WhatsApp groups.
“Those who wantonly violate and desecrate our party constitution’s peaceful culture and values must be dealt with decisively without fear or favour,” Mnangagwa said.
He added that Zanu PF must now unleash its machinery towards mobilising voters to register, since it was now all systems go ahead for the elections.
“It is now all systems go towards harmonised elections, the electorate must be mobilised to vote and appreciate the scope of the polling station-based exercise,” Mnangagwa said.
Facing a crumbling economy, unhappy civil service and a hungry ordinary voter, Mnangagwa brandished the Western sanctions card, telling politburo members that the restrictions were the reason behind human rights abuses, poverty and lack of development in the country.
He accused the West of trying to effect regime change, adding that they had been stopped by alert young people.
“Young people continue to resist these sanctions and other manoeuvres as tools of regime change. This is more critical as our detractors continue to exhibit their nefarious modus operandi with regards marring our national image. Moreso, as we approach the 2023 harmonised elections,” Mnangagwa said.
Acting party political commissar Patrick Chinamasa also confirmed the infighting, promising to deploy senior party members to provinces and districts to iron out differences among members.- NewsDay
By A Correspondent- A 47 year old man set his grandmother’s house in Entumbane, Bulawayo on fire after he accused tenants of not paying rent on time and trying to steal the house.
His grandmother, Gogo Gladys Sibanda reported that Nkululeko Mpofu who was drunk torched the house on Monday night, burning property that belonged to a tenant only known as MaTshuma.
The property lost in the inferno was worth $50 000 and Gogo Sibanda does not know how to pay her tenants. Narrated Gogo Sibanda:
My grandson arrived in the evening drunk and found myself and MaTshuma talking. We were discussing the Bible. He then started accusing us that we are gossiping about him and then we replied saying why should we gossip about you when we are discussing the Bible.
He then started saying the tenants were not paying rent money on time. MaTshuma replied to him saying, how many times did he want her to pay rent. I also added that how can he ask me about money that doesn’t concern him.
She said Nkululeko insulted MaTshuma and they had a heated exchange outside the house.
Gogo Sibanda said she tried to quell the situation but failed, prompting her to seek the assistance of a resident’s association representative.
Before her return, she was informed that her house was of fire and immediately came back with the residents and the police. Nkululeko was then arrested.
She said she has been with him since his birth.
Gogo Sibanda is temporarily living with relatives in Pumula Old.
Bulawayo City Council Chief Fire Officer Linos Phiri confirmed the incident.
This should concern a true leader you are not suitable to utter any words of encouragement when you fail to denounce the behaviour of your supporters. https://t.co/D1iRCn0xBV
Zvinoimbwa zvacho nxa. Sure voting should have a serious criteria. Izvi zve 18yrs chete haaa no mhani. "Vaudzei vavhotere pamasvingo, hondo hatidi" WTF does that mean??? Voting and procreation should be special rights for a selected people. ?
By A Correspondent- Professor Lovemore Madhuku’s National Assembly party has condemned the Tuesday attacks on the MDC-Alliance Leader, Nelson Chamisa.
Chamisa was attacked by suspected Zanu PF supporters near Mutare on his way to Chipinge Tuesday afternoon.
The opposition leader claimed his attackers fired live bullets and damaged his car.
Commenting on the attack, NCA spokesperson Madock Chibasa said the police should investigate and arrest the perpetrators.
On his Facebook page Wednesday, said Chivasa: I have been following shocking comments about the violence and attempt on MDC leader Advocate Chamisa’s life. As a responsible society we should condemn the barbaric acts and the concerns must not be about whether or not the holes are bullet holes or not. Instead ZRP must investigate and arrest the perpetrators of this violence. Who is attacking the opposition leader and what are the reasons behind the barbaric attacks. In 2017 during a Bikita by election where I was contesting representing my party NCA I was attacked and assaulted by guns and left for dead by Zanu pf thugs. The cowardly attacks were led by Katsiru who was Zanu pf Mp for Marondera and I positively identified him and reported to the police that he was the one leading the thugs who attacked me and no arrests were made up to now. When I survived I was disheartened to follow Facebook comments that suggested that I was faking the attack because Zanu pf could not attack me since NCA was not a threat in that election. But to cut the story short if anyone is attacked the police must investigate and arrest the perpetrators to spend time discussing the nature of the attack shows the level that we have sinked low as a society and this is not the Zimbabwe we all want.
A woman was raped last Wednesday night on a train near Philadelphia while fellow passengers were watching.
Authorities said some passengers may have even taken pictures and videos while it happened.
Officers reviewed surveillance footage from a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) train that shows a man boarding shortly after a woman and sitting next to her.
The footage shows the man talking to her, then “gradually” got aggressive, eventually ripping her clothes off and assaulting her.
Upper Darby Township Police Department Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt said “He sat next to her for a conversation. . . . And then he just completely overpowered the woman and forcibly raped her.”
Andrew Busch, a SEPTA spokesman said the assault took about eight minutes – but onlookers did not help the woman. Busch said:
If somebody who witnessed this had called 911, it’s possible that we would have been able to intervene even sooner. Because this had apparently started before the employee who was on board noticed what was going on.
Court records say the suspect, Fiston Ngoy, 35, has been charged with several crimes, including rape and aggravated indecent assault.
He is being held at the Delaware County jail on $180 000 bail. Once Ngoy was arrested, the woman – who has not been publicly identified – was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Bernhardt, the Upper Darby superintendent, Saturday said that the most “appalling” part of the event was the lack of empathy displayed by the other individuals riding the train.
Investigators are going over the surveillance footage, and police received reports of riders recording video or taking pictures while the rape took place. He said:
“I’m just speechless… I don’t know where we are in society that people can’t help other people out in a time of need.”- IOL
We are highly stunned to learn that MDC Alliance President Adv Nelson Chamisa’s convoy was shot at in Mutare by hired ZANU PF thugs.
The aim was to block him from entering Mutare.It is appalling that bloodthirsty violence mongering vampires had the audacity and bravado to shoot at the car carrying Adv Chamisa.
This development is very worrisome and unfortunate.
It is such dispositions which has the prospensity of plunging the nation into stagnation and and strife.The country is regressing and retrograding to medieval and feudal era where great political questions of day were settled by violence.We have since adopted the principle that,”if ideology fail we will resort to geology” that is the use of stones as a politcal solution.
The violence in Mutare is crystal cleared evidence like the azure blue sky that ZANU PF has found politcal messiah in violence.
They are now using their well oiled violence spewing machinery as a means to coerce and punish dissenting voices.We call upon the ZANU PF leadership to desist from violence and whip their followers in line.
The Rights to Freedom of Expression, Association and Assembly are Fundamental Universal Basic Human Rights and are Indispensable components of Constitutional Democracy, Mdc Alliance Namibia echoes.
20 October 2021
Mdc Alliance Namibia is deeply concerned by the repression of political activists, human rights defenders and all voices dissent who are persecuted for being a democratic alternative. We are quite transfixed to learn that the clueless Zanupf regime, in an attempt to conceal the revolutionary appetite in the masses went on to barricade the Peoples’ President Advocate Nelson Chamisa’s convoy just outside Mutare. Social democrats in Namibia learnt that armed Zanupf thugocrats who were carrying guns ,knives and knobkerries attacked the president’s car blocking him a peaceful entrance into the city. The road entrance was barricaded with stones and they advanced violently towards his convoy. We absolutely condemn the incessant attempts to assassinate the people’s hope.
As advocates for constitutional democracy, we are very cognisant of the fact that the African Union ( and the Organisation of African Unity before it ) has repeatedly reaffirmed the significance of human rights and the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Initially, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Ministerial Conference on Human Rights at Grand Bay, Mauritius in April 1999, the OAU clamoured “on African satanic governments to employ appropriate measures to effectively implement the Declaration in Africa. We are seriously calling for the intervention of the African Union and SADC to take sterner action against dictatorship in our motherland. ZanuPF should pay heed to the call to respect the constitution and rule of law in Zimbabwe. It is not a crime to have astounding political capital. #NgaapindeHakeMukomana.
Further, the African Commission’s Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa ,adopted at the 32nd session of the African Commission held in October 2002 in Gambia, reaffirms the fundamental importance of freedom of expression as a sure means of guaranteeing absolute respect for all human rights, stating that freedom is a basic universal human right and an indispensable component of constitutional democracy. The politically-bankrupt Zanupf Satanists should respect our basic human freedoms in Zimbabwe. The Declaration makes it point blank that any restrictions on freedom of expression should be prescribed by law ,serve a legitimate interest and be necessary in a democratic society.
Moreover, the African Commission Resolution on the right to Freedom of Association also pronounces specific reference to the limits of any restriction on the fundamental right to freedom of association. This is the antithesis of the recommendations submitted by both the African Union and the United Nations Declaration. It’s now high time these two continental and world organisations take serious action on the perpetrators of state-sponsored violence. Mdc Alliance Namibia demands the intervention of the United Nations as defined in its objectives:1) to keep world peace,2)to grant countries their total emancipation from repression,3) to uphold human rights. We understand that any grieved country or person has the reserved right to bring cases of the violation of human rights to the attention of the United Nations. As a district we urge all stakeholders in Zimbabwe politics to petition SADC , African Union and the United Nations so that our president and his legion of supporters could be saved from the marauding Zanupf morons and their surrogates.
Besides two attempts at our dynamic and organic leadership in Masvingo and Mutare respectively, some democratic fighters have been subjected to torture ,inhuman or degrading treatment including the unconstitutional imprisonment of ardent change seekers such as Last Maengahama and Tungamirai Madzokere who were incarcerated for 10 years on trumped up charges only to be acquitted not forgetting the late victim Rebecca Mafikeni who died at Chikurubi Maximum prison after being brutalized by the captured state security agents. Right now Makomborero Haruzivishe is languishing in jail for demanding justice and transparency on the abduction of our youth assembly leader Tawanda Muchehiwa. We comprehend that the UN replaced the League of Nations after the( WW2 ) World War 2 because the organisation was purported to be a toothless bulldog which could buck but not bite.
ZanuPF is obliged to repeal all domestic laws that are anti-people to ensure that they are consistent with international treaties as well to adopt measures to enhance the implementation of the obligations contained in the treaties to which they are part. Mdc Alliance Namibia’s message to the belly politicians in Zanupf is very clear that state parties must refrain from violation of the rights recognised by the Covenant. Desperate Zanupf morons should not override constitutional provisions guaranteed by the constitution and international standards. These belly politicians should not enact provisions which would limit the exercise of the stipulated freedom. The regulation of the exercise of the right to freedom of association should be in tantem with the State’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
Social democrats in Namibia did not forget that in 2002,the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights sent a fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe after the bloody elections when poor Mugabe allowed his people to kill opposition activists in cold blood for being an alternative. The African Commission found that Zanupf had dismally failed to chart a path that signalled a commitment and dedication to the rule of law and in its recommendations it stated that the independence of the judiciary should be assured and that court orders should be followed religiously. The Commission figured out that the greedy stomach politicians had introduced laws which undermined freedom of expression and recommended that such autocratic laws be amended to meet international standards for freedom of expression. We are calling for international assistance against Zanupf dictatorship.
Recently, we witnessed at least 7 people being shot in Harare after 2018 harmonised elections. We also saw at least 17 shot dead between 14 and 17 January 2019 for demonstrating against rigging of elections and the astronomical rise of fuel respectively. The Mothlante Commission was put in place to investigate the August 1 sad shooting of innocent citizens by soldiers. In his recommendations, he was clear that the victims were butchered by Zanupf captured soldiers. He said the perpetrators of state-sponsored deaths should be brought to book but nothing transpired to date. This must be resisted with equal measure. It’s the opportune time to petition SADC, African Union and the United Nations.
In a nutshell, Mdc Alliance Namibia encourages all Zimbabweans globally register to vote,vote in 2023 and equally defend the vote against Zanupf serial electoral fraudsters. The attempt to assassinate our political generator President Advocate Nelson Chamisa Wamba Dia Wamba shall be surely resisted till our total emancipation from the Zanupf shenanigans. We are ready to prosecute the struggle for socio-economic transformation to its logical conclusion. Voting is one kind of social and political independence. #NgaapindeHakeMukomana
The COVID-19 pandemic has reversed years of global progress in tackling tuberculosis and for the first time in over a decade, TB deaths have increased, according to the World Health Organization’s 2021 Global TB report.
In 2020, more people died from TB, with far fewer people being diagnosed and treated or provided with TB preventive treatment compared with 2019, and overall spending on essential TB services falling.
The first challenge is disruption in access to TB services and a reduction in resources. In many countries, human, financial and other resources have been reallocated from tackling TB to the COVID-19 response, limiting the availability of essential services.
The second is that people have struggled to seek care in the context of lockdowns.
“This report confirms our fears that the disruption of essential health services due to the pandemic could start to unravel years of progress against tuberculosis,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This is alarming news that must serve as a global wake-up call to the urgent need for investments and innovation to close the gaps in diagnosis, treatment and care for the millions of people affected by this ancient but preventable and treatable disease.”
TB services are among many others disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but the impact on TB has been particularly severe.
For example, approximately, 1.5 million people died from TB in 2020 (including 214 000 among HIV positive people).
The increase in the number of TB deaths occurred mainly in the 30 countries with the highest burden of TB[1]. WHO modelling projections suggest the number of people developing TB and dying from the disease could be much higher in 2021 and 2022.
Challenges with providing and accessing essential TB services have meant that many people with TB were not diagnosed in 2020. The number of people newly diagnosed with TB and those reported to national governments fell from 7.1 million in 2019 to 5.8 million in 2020.
WHO estimates that some 4.1 million people currently suffer from TB but have not been diagnosed with the disease or have not officially reported to national authorities. This figure is up from 2.9 million in 2019.
The countries that contributed most to the global reduction in TB notifications between 2019 and 2020 were India (41%), Indonesia (14%), the Philippines (12%) and China (8%). These and 12 other countries accounted for 93% of the total global drop in notifications.
There was also a reduction in provision of TB preventive treatment. Some 2.8 million people accessed this in 2020, a 21% reduction since 2019. In addition, the number of people treated for drug-resistant TB fell by 15%, from 177 000 in 2019 to 150 000 in 2020, equivalent to only about 1 in 3 of those in need.
Global investment for TB falls Funding in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that account for 98% of reported TB cases remains a challenge. Of the total funding available in 2020, 81% came from domestic sources, with the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa) accounting for 65% of total domestic funding.
The largest bilateral donor is the Government of the United States of America. The biggest international donor is the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The report notes a fall in global spending on TB diagnostic, treatment and prevention services, from US$ 5.8 billion to US$ 5.3 billion, which is less than half of the global target for fully funding the TB response of US$ 13 billion annually by 2022.
Meanwhile, although there is progress in the development of new TB diagnostics, drugs and vaccines, this is constrained by the overall level of R&D investment, which at US$ 0.9 billion in 2019 falls far short of the global target of US$ 2 billion per year.
Global TB targets off track Reversals in progress mean that the global TB targets are off track and appear increasingly out of reach, however there are some successes. Globally, the reduction in the number of TB deaths between 2015 and 2020 was only 9.2% – about one quarter of the way to the 2020 milestone of 35%.
Globally, the number of people falling ill with TB each year (relative to population) dropped 11% from 2015 to 2020, just over half-way to the 2020 milestone of 20%.
However, the WHO European Region exceeded the 2020 milestone, with a reduction of 25%. This was mostly driven by the decline in the Russian Federation, where incidence fell by 6% per year between 2010 to 2020. The WHO African Region came close to reaching the milestone, with a reduction of 19%, which reflects impressive reductions of 4–10% per year in South Africa and several other countries in southern Africa, following a peak in the HIV epidemic and the expansion of TB and HIV prevention and care.
“We have just one year left to reach the historic 2022 TB targets committed by Heads of State at the first UN High Level Meeting on TB. The report provides important information and a strong reminder to countries to urgently fast-track their TB responses and save lives,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme. “This will be crucial as preparations begin for the 2nd UN High Level Meeting on TB mandated for 2023.”
The report calls on countries to put in place urgent measures to restore access to essential TB services. It further calls for a doubling of investments in TB research and innovation as well as concerted action across the health sector and others to address the social, environmental and economic determinants of TB and its consequences.
The new report features data on disease trends and the response to the epidemic from 197 countries and areas, including 182 of the 194 World Health Organization (WHO) Member States.
THE MDC Alliance yesterday said party leader Nelson Chamisa’s convoy was intercepted by heavily suspected armed Zanu PF youths who fired gunshots, hitting a rear window on the opposition leader’s vehicle on the outskirts of Mutare.
Chamisa is on a tour of Manicaland province drumming up support for his party.
He was coming from Birchenough Bridge and Chipinge headed for Mutare when he was intercepted by the Zanu PF youths who were travelling in over a dozen unmarked twin-cab vehicles.
Party spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said Chamisa’s convoy was intercepted by Zanu PF activists led by Manicaland youth leader Danmore Mambondiyani.
“The youths were armed with axes, guns and machetes,” she said.
“There were 12 to 15 vehicles that were trailing the president’s motorcade. The motorcade was delayed by numerous roadblocks to allow the youths to close in.
“Just towards Mutare, there were gunshots which hit one window. Other vehicles were stoned.”
Mahere said party organising secretary Amos Chibaya made a police report.
But national police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said: “I have checked with Manicaland, we did not receive such a report.”
Mahere’s deputy, Gift “Ostallos” Siziba, who was part of Chamisa’s entourage, said he suspected security details were part of the group that intercepted the motorcade.
“We have strong suspicions that some of them were soldiers in civilian clothes,” he said, adding that the road was barricaded with stones.
“One Mambondiani was co-ordinating the group that had been trailing president Nelson Chamisa’s vehicle. They were armed and threatening violence against the president.”- NewsDay
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) has deployed hundreds of heavily armed soldiers in and around Chiredzi.
This has left villagers panicking because of the bad memories they have about the gunmen.
Some villagers from Chilonga where Government plans to evict 12 000 families to give way to a Lucerne grass project who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were afraid that the Army would use force to evict them.
Said one village head who declined to be named:
There are hundreds of soldiers who are armed like they are in the battlefield. They are armed to the teeth, it’s frightening.
Deputy director of Army public relations, Lieutenant Colonel Alex Zuva confirmed the deployments in a statement to The Mirror but said that these were routine training programmes.
He said: The exercise is part of routine training that ZDF conducts regularly in fulfilment of its Consitutional mandate. The field training exercise is beig conducted jointly with other security services including ZRP and the President’s Department. The training is being conducted in areas under Chief Sengwe, Chief Chitanga, chief Mpapa, Chief Neromwe, Chief Chilonga and Chief Gezani. As part of the ZDF Community Assistance programmes, a COVID-19 vaccination programme will run concurrently with the exercise. The field training exercise which started on September 27, 2021 is expected to end on October 23, 2021.
Masvingo Centre for Research Advocacy and Development (MACRAD) director, Ephraim Mtombeni said it is unprofessional and wrong for the Army to deploy in a civilian area without giving clear information to allay inevitable fear. Mtombeni said what raised more eyebrows is that Zanu PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) chairperson for Chiredzi Siyaki Mundungehama is doing the public relations for the Army by issuing statements to villagers. He added: ZDF should make use of areas like Gonarenzhou. The presence of ZDF in Chilonga without clear communication instills fear in communities. Further, Zanu PF should not issue statements on behalf of ZDF. These are distinct institutions which must perform their duties as stipulated by the law.
Mundungehama’s statement to the villagers indicated that soldiers (ZDF) will be displaying their drills (Military Exercises) in most of the wards if not all, starting from October 7, 2021, until the end of the month. It urged villagers to carry on with their usual chores and not to be afraid of them, “but you should respect them because they are your children, brothers, fathers, mothers, and sisters who protect you from the enemies.
By A Correspondent- Zanu PF in Makoni district in Manicaland Wednesday blocked villagers from meeting with the opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa.
Chamisa is in the province where he is taking his campaign to rural areas. Today dozens of Zanu PF supporters blocked his cars and ordered villagers who had gathered for his address to disperse.
Last week he was in Masvingo, where he met party supporters and ordinary villagers.
By A Correspondent- Professor Lovemore Madhuku’s National Assembly party spokesperson Madock Chivasa has condemned the attacks on the MDC-Alliance Leader, Nelson Chamisa and said that he also escaped the same in 2017.
Chamisa has been under attack from suspected Zanu PF supporters since last week when he launched his meet the people national tour.
On Tuesday he was attacked in Mutare on his way to Chipinge. The same happened Wednesday in Makoni where he was also going to meet with villagers.
Commenting on the attacks, NCA spokesperson Madock Chivasa said he also endured the same in the hand of Zanu PF during the run up to the 2018 elections.
NCA National Spokesperson Madock Chivasa
Said Chivasa on a Facebook post Wednesday: I have been following shocking comments about the violence and attempt on MDC leader Advocate Chamisa’s life. As a responsible society, we should condemn the barbaric acts and the concerns must not be about whether or not the holes are bullet holes or not. Instead ZRP must investigate and arrest the perpetrators of this violence. Who is attacking the opposition leader and what are the reasons behind the barbaric attacks. In 2017 during a Bikita by election where I was contesting representing my party NCA I was attacked and assaulted by guns and left for dead by Zanu pf thugs. The cowardly attacks were led by Katsiru who was Zanu pf Mp for Marondera and I positively identified him and reported to the police that he was the one leading the thugs who attacked me and no arrests were made up to now. When I survived I was disheartened to follow Facebook comments that suggested that I was faking the attack because Zanu pf could not attack me since NCA was not a threat in that election. But to cut the story short if anyone is attacked the police must investigate and arrest the perpetrators to spend time discussing the nature of the attack shows the level that we have sinked low as a society and this is not the Zimbabwe we all want.
By A Correspondent- The opposition MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa has managed to escape after a suspected Zanu PF mob tried to block his path in Makoni, Manicaland.
Zanu PF has been attacking the opposition leader since last week.
Chamisa is in Manicaland touring the province. The alleged blockade comes barely hours after MDC Alliance claimed that Chamisa was narrowly missed by a bullet shot at his car in an attempted assassination attempt. His party announced Wednesday:
Zanu PF thugs have unleashed an orgy of violence & mounted an illegal ambush at the Troutbeck turn off en route to Nyanga. They are armed with machetes & weapons. Civilians are being searched & the movement of vehicles has been blocked. No reaction from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).
Reports suggest that the mob tried to block Chamisa’s path with a diagonally parked Mitsubishi with its bonnet open.
Surprisingly, the alleged attacks come when a United Nations special rapporteur, Alena Douhan, is in the country to assess the impact of sanctions that were imposed on the country over the deteriorating democratic space.
Douhan’s report will likely result in the removal of sanctions if there is proof that the sanctions are affecting the general populace.
By A Correspondent- The continued attacks on MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa by Zanu PF supporters have exposed the true colours of Zanu PF.
Zanu PF has been attacking the opposition leader since last week.
Today morning Chamisa eportedly managed to escape after a suspected Zanu PF mob tried to block his path in Makoni, Manicaland.
Chamisa is in Manicaland touring the province. The alleged blockade comes barely hours after MDC Alliance claimed that Chamisa was narrowly missed by a bullet shot at his car in an attempted assassination attempt. His party announced Wednesday:
Zanu PF thugs have unleashed an orgy of violence & mounted an illegal ambush at the Troutbeck turn off en route to Nyanga. They are armed with machetes & weapons. Civilians are being searched & the movement of vehicles has been blocked. No reaction from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).
Reports suggest that the mob tried to block Chamisa’s path with a diagonally parked Mitsubishi with its bonnet open.
Surprisingly, the alleged attacks come when a United Nations special rapporteur, Alena Douhan, is in the country to assess the impact of sanctions that were imposed on the country over the deteriorating democratic space.
Douhan’s report will likely result in the removal of sanctions if there is proof that the sanctions are affecting the general populace.
By A Correspondent- MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa, Wednesday morning reportedly managed to escape after a suspected Zanu PF mob tried to block his path in Makoni, Manicaland.
Chamisa is in Manicaland touring the province. The alleged blockade comes barely hours after MDC Alliance claimed that Chamisa was narrowly missed by a bullet shot at his car in an attempted assassination attempt. His party announced Wednesday:
Zanu PF thugs have unleashed an orgy of violence & mounted an illegal ambush at the Troutbeck turn off en route to Nyanga. They are armed with machetes & weapons. Civilians are being searched & the movement of vehicles has been blocked. No reaction from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).
Reports suggest that the mob tried to block Chamisa’s path with a diagonally parked Mitsubishi with its bonnet open.
Surprisingly, the alleged attacks come when a United Nations special rapporteur, Alena Douhan, is in the country to assess the impact of sanctions that were imposed on the country over the deteriorating democratic space.
Douhan’s report will likely result in the removal of sanctions if there is proof that the sanctions are affecting the general populace.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition implores the ruling party; Zanu PF to desist from acts of violence against the opposition.
Today, October 20, 2021 Zanu PF youths clad in the party’s regalia tried to block opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa’s convoy in Nyanga, Manicaland province.
We are concerned over reports of an assassination attempt on the MDC Alliance leader in Manicaland on October 19, 2021.
Reports indicate that armed Zanu PF youths intercepted the opposition leader’s convoy and fired gunshots at his vehicle.
The incident follows another attack against the opposition leader by alleged Zanu PF activists in Masvingo Province on October 11, 2021.
On the same day (October 11, 2021), Chamisa and his team were teargased by riot police while they were holding a private meeting in Masvingo town.
The continued clampdown on the opposition goes against the ideals of a democratic society.
Of major concern is the fact that the state media and state security institutions are aiding the clampdown on the opposition and this has raised fears of yet another bloody election in 2023.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition implores state security institutions to desist from partisan politics.
In our capacity as an umbrella body of civil society organisations operating in Zimbabwe, we implore law enforcement agents to investigate the incidences of violence and bring perpetrators to book.
Allowing Zanu PF activists to operate above the law can only serve to further shrink the democratic space and fuel rights violations against opposition supporters.
The Residents Coalition for Electoral Reforms a coalition of Residents Associations advocating for electoral and local governance reforms in Zimbabwe denounces the escalation of politically motivated violence in the country.
We condemn acts of political violence in the form of clampdown on the opposition that have been witnessed in areas that include Masvingo and Manicaland as well acts of intra-party violence being reported from different parts of the country.
The high level of political intolerance which has resulted in intra-party and interparty violence escalating ahead of the by-elections and the 2023 general elections is disturbing and unacceptable.
We call for immediate intervention before the situation gets out of hand. Politically motivated violence ahead of a general election has the potential to create another disputed election which will further plunge the nation into a serious political and economic crisis as witnessed in past elections.
Furthermore, a political environment characterised by violence is a deterrent for vulnerable groups such as women, youths, the elderly and people with disabilities to participate in electoral processes including standing for public offices in the upcoming elections.
We bemoan the lack of capacity among politicians and state institutions to embrace the principles of tolerance, democracy and constitutionalism. Political intolerance has no place in a democracy.
We affirm that the supreme law of the land and in particular, Section 67(1) and (2) gives every citizen the right to form, to join and to participate in the activities of a political party or organisation of their choice, campaign freely and peacefully for a political party.
Accordingly, all political parties should respect this constitutional principle. We reiterate that criminalising diversity of political opinion and affiliation and labelling of fellow countrymen as enemies based on differences in political convictions is unconstitutional and counters development as it will further divide an already polarised citizenry.
While the constitution of Zimbabwe calls on traditional leaders to be apolitical and not to act in a partisan manner, the involvement of some traditional leaders in the matrix of politically motivated violence is worrying.
Traditional leaders must stay away from partisan politics and desist from perpetrating violence. We call upon the security sector, the police in particular, to respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution.
Allowing hundreds of citizens to demonstrate while other groups and parties are not given the same privilege exposes the police and gives room for perceptions among citizens that the police force is furthering political interests and acting in a partisan manner which is against the dictates of the constitution.
We commend the action by leaders of special interest groups and associations who have demonstrated leadership by adding their voice in condemning political violence and media houses that have been exposing political violence without misinforming the public.
We therefore recommend the following;
1. Adherence to constitutionalism by political parties, police, pubic office holders and traditional leadership.
2. The police must investigate and arrest all perpetrators of the recent political violence that took place in Masvingo and Manicaland without fear or favour and without furthering the interests of politicians and their political parties.
3. We urge traditional leaders to desist from partisanship and serve the people rather than political parties.
4. Political leaders must act responsibly and desist from hate speech which is aimed at fuelling politically motivated violence and ultimately divide an already fragmented citizenry.
5. Parliament must expedite the Independent Complaints Law that will provide ways for reporting, receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public on various issues including misconduct of security forces and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct.
Endorsed by;
– Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association, Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents Association, Chinhoyi Residents and Ratepayer Association Trust, Combined Harare Residents Association, Combined Mvurwi Residents and Ratepayers Association, Epworth Residents Development Association, Gutu United Residents and Ratepayers Association, Gweru Residents Forum, Greater Whange Residents Trust, Harare Residents Trust, Marondera Progressive Residents and Ratepayers Association, Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance, Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Association, Ruwa Residents and Ratepayers Association Trust, Simukai Residents Trust, United Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association, United Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Trust, Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association, Wedza Rural Development Initiative Trust
Newcastle United have fired their coach Steve Bruce.
Bruce’s sacking was expected following the EPL club’s takeover by billionaire Saudi owners Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The 60-year-old final match in charge was the 3-2 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday. The game marked his 1,000th match as a manager – with non-executive chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and director Amanda Staveley watching on at St James’ Park.
Speaking after his sacking, Bruce said: “”I am grateful to everyone connected with Newcastle United for the opportunity to manage this unique football club.
“I would like to thank my coaching team, the players and the support staff in particular for all their hard work. There have been highs and lows, but they have given everything even in difficult moments and should be proud of their efforts.
“This is a club with incredible support, and I hope the new owners can take it forward to where we all want it to be. I wish everyone the very best of luck for the rest of this season and beyond.”
Newcastle had shortlisted Zinedine Zidane among the potential coaches to replace Bruce but the Frenchman rejected the offer.
Other coaches who have also turned down an the club’s approach include Brendan Rodgers and Antonio Conte.
Graeme Jones will lead the team on an interim basis, starting with Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace.- Soccer24 Zimbabwe
Table-topping AFC Bournemouth extended their lead at the summit of the English Championship, courtesy of a crucial 1-0 win away at Stoke City last night.
The Cherries, home to Zimbabwean sensation Jordan Zemura, have now opened a six-point gap at the top of the table after an impressive start to the 2021-22 season.
Zemura started for Scott Parker’s charges, who have now put some daylight between them, and second-placed West Bromwich Albion.
Bournemouth occupy top spot with 31 points from 13 matches.
They are undefeated and host Huddersfield Town next, on Saturday.- Soccer24 Zimbabwe
Former Orlando Pirates and Zambian senior national team coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has been found guilty on sexual harassment charges.
The Serbian gaffer was charged with sexually harassing a waitress during the COSAFA U20 tournament in Port Elizabeth last year. He made his first appearance in court in December and was released on R10,000 bail.
According to Soccer Laduma, Sredojevic, who is now in charge of Uganda, has received a three-year sentence in prison, which is wholly suspended for five years.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) spokesperson in Port Elizabeth, Anelisa Ngcakani, confirmed to the publication that the mentor has been found guilty.
“Yes, I can confirm that he has been found guilty,” she said while promising to reveal further details in a statement.- Soccer24 Zimbabwe
The People’s President, Adv @nelsonchamisa has just held a citizen conversation interface at Ruvangwe in Nyanga. Zanu PF bused in pple to try and disrupt the interface but were thwarted by vigilant MDCA youths. The President held meetings with community leaders & stakeholders.
— Citizens' Coalition for Change (@CCCZimbabwe) October 20, 2021
Brendan Galloway scored his second League One goal of the season in Plymouth Argyle’s 3-0 home victory against Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday.
The defender returned to the starting XI and put on man-of-the-match performance. He netted the goal in the 6th minute to open the scoring in the game.
His other strike came early in the month against Lincoln City.
Macauley Bonne was also on target in League One, netting the opener in Ipswich Town’s 4-0 victory over Portsmouth.
The striker has now scored ten goals in thirteen appearances this campaign.
Elsewhere, it wasn’t the best night for Tendayi Darikwa, who endured a frustrating outing with Wigan Athletic.
The Zimbabwean defender scored an own-goal in his team’s 2-1 home defeat to MK Dons. This was the second time in this season he converted into his net.
In the English Championship, Luton Town striker Admiral Muskwe came on as a first-half substitute versus Derby County to make his second appearance since returning from a month-long spell on the sidelines due to an injury.
Jordan Zemura played the entire match as Bournemouth beat Stoke City 1-0 to extend their lead at the top of the table.- Soccer24 Zimbabwe
Bullets Can’t Stop People’s Struggle- MDC Alliance On Zanu PF Attempt To Assassinate President Chamisa
The Rights to Freedom of Expression, Association and Assembly are Fundamental Universal Basic Human Rights and are Indispensable components of Constitutional Democracy, Mdc Alliance Namibia echoes.
20 October 2021
Mdc Alliance Namibia is deeply concerned by the repression of political activists, human rights defenders and all voices dissent who are persecuted for being a democratic alternative. We are quite transfixed to learn that the clueless Zanupf regime, in an attempt to conceal the revolutionary appetite in the masses went on to barricade the Peoples’ President Advocate Nelson Chamisa’s convoy just outside Mutare. Social democrats in Namibia learnt that armed Zanupf thugocrats who were carrying guns ,knives and knobkerries attacked the president’s car blocking him a peaceful entrance into the city. The road entrance was barricaded with stones and they advanced violently towards his convoy. We absolutely condemn the incessant attempts to assassinate the people’s hope.
As advocates for constitutional democracy, we are very cognisant of the fact that the African Union ( and the Organisation of African Unity before it ) has repeatedly reaffirmed the significance of human rights and the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Initially, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Ministerial Conference on Human Rights at Grand Bay, Mauritius in April 1999, the OAU clamoured “on African satanic governments to employ appropriate measures to effectively implement the Declaration in Africa. We are seriously calling for the intervention of the African Union and SADC to take sterner action against dictatorship in our motherland. ZanuPF should pay heed to the call to respect the constitution and rule of law in Zimbabwe. It is not a crime to have astounding political capital. #NgaapindeHakeMukomana.
Further, the African Commission’s Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa ,adopted at the 32nd session of the African Commission held in October 2002 in Gambia, reaffirms the fundamental importance of freedom of expression as a sure means of guaranteeing absolute respect for all human rights, stating that freedom is a basic universal human right and an indispensable component of constitutional democracy. The politically-bankrupt Zanupf Satanists should respect our basic human freedoms in Zimbabwe. The Declaration makes it point blank that any restrictions on freedom of expression should be prescribed by law ,serve a legitimate interest and be necessary in a democratic society.
Moreover, the African Commission Resolution on the right to Freedom of Association also pronounces specific reference to the limits of any restriction on the fundamental right to freedom of association. This is the antithesis of the recommendations submitted by both the African Union and the United Nations Declaration. It’s now high time these two continental and world organisations take serious action on the perpetrators of state-sponsored violence. Mdc Alliance Namibia demands the intervention of the United Nations as defined in its objectives:1) to keep world peace,2)to grant countries their total emancipation from repression,3) to uphold human rights. We understand that any grieved country or person has the reserved right to bring cases of the violation of human rights to the attention of the United Nations. As a district we urge all stakeholders in Zimbabwe politics to petition SADC , African Union and the United Nations so that our president and his legion of supporters could be saved from the marauding Zanupf morons and their surrogates.
Besides two attempts at our dynamic and organic leadership in Masvingo and Mutare respectively, some democratic fighters have been subjected to torture ,inhuman or degrading treatment including the unconstitutional imprisonment of ardent change seekers such as Last Maengahama and Tungamirai Madzokere who were incarcerated for 10 years on trumped up charges only to be acquitted not forgetting the late victim Rebecca Mafikeni who died at Chikurubi Maximum prison after being brutalized by the captured state security agents. Right now Makomborero Haruzivishe is languishing in jail for demanding justice and transparency on the abduction of our youth assembly leader Tawanda Muchehiwa. We comprehend that the UN replaced the League of Nations after the( WW2 ) World War 2 because the organisation was purported to be a toothless bulldog which could buck but not bite.
ZanuPF is obliged to repeal all domestic laws that are anti-people to ensure that they are consistent with international treaties as well to adopt measures to enhance the implementation of the obligations contained in the treaties to which they are part. Mdc Alliance Namibia’s message to the belly politicians in Zanupf is very clear that state parties must refrain from violation of the rights recognised by the Covenant. Desperate Zanupf morons should not override constitutional provisions guaranteed by the constitution and international standards. These belly politicians should not enact provisions which would limit the exercise of the stipulated freedom. The regulation of the exercise of the right to freedom of association should be in tantem with the State’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
Social democrats in Namibia did not forget that in 2002,the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights sent a fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe after the bloody elections when poor Mugabe allowed his people to kill opposition activists in cold blood for being an alternative. The African Commission found that Zanupf had dismally failed to chart a path that signalled a commitment and dedication to the rule of law and in its recommendations it stated that the independence of the judiciary should be assured and that court orders should be followed religiously. The Commission figured out that the greedy stomach politicians had introduced laws which undermined freedom of expression and recommended that such autocratic laws be amended to meet international standards for freedom of expression. We are calling for international assistance against Zanupf dictatorship.
Recently, we witnessed at least 7 people being shot in Harare after 2018 harmonised elections. We also saw at least 17 shot dead between 14 and 17 January 2019 for demonstrating against rigging of elections and the astronomical rise of fuel respectively. The Mothlante Commission was put in place to investigate the August 1 sad shooting of innocent citizens by soldiers. In his recommendations, he was clear that the victims were butchered by Zanupf captured soldiers. He said the perpetrators of state-sponsored deaths should be brought to book but nothing transpired to date. This must be resisted with equal measure. It’s the opportune time to petition SADC, African Union and the United Nations.
In a nutshell, Mdc Alliance Namibia encourages all Zimbabweans globally register to vote,vote in 2023 and equally defend the vote against Zanupf serial electoral fraudsters. The attempt to assassinate our political generator President Advocate Nelson Chamisa Wamba Dia Wamba shall be surely resisted till our total emancipation from the Zanupf shenanigans. We are ready to prosecute the struggle for socio-economic transformation to its logical conclusion. Voting is one kind of social and political independence. #NgaapindeHakeMukomana
The COVID-19 pandemic has reversed years of global progress in tackling tuberculosis and for the first time in over a decade, TB deaths have increased, according to the World Health Organization’s 2021 Global TB report.
In 2020, more people died from TB, with far fewer people being diagnosed and treated or provided with TB preventive treatment compared with 2019, and overall spending on essential TB services falling.
The first challenge is disruption in access to TB services and a reduction in resources. In many countries, human, financial and other resources have been reallocated from tackling TB to the COVID-19 response, limiting the availability of essential services.
The second is that people have struggled to seek care in the context of lockdowns.
“This report confirms our fears that the disruption of essential health services due to the pandemic could start to unravel years of progress against tuberculosis,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This is alarming news that must serve as a global wake-up call to the urgent need for investments and innovation to close the gaps in diagnosis, treatment and care for the millions of people affected by this ancient but preventable and treatable disease.”
TB services are among many others disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but the impact on TB has been particularly severe.
For example, approximately, 1.5 million people died from TB in 2020 (including 214 000 among HIV positive people).
The increase in the number of TB deaths occurred mainly in the 30 countries with the highest burden of TB[1]. WHO modelling projections suggest the number of people developing TB and dying from the disease could be much higher in 2021 and 2022.
Challenges with providing and accessing essential TB services have meant that many people with TB were not diagnosed in 2020. The number of people newly diagnosed with TB and those reported to national governments fell from 7.1 million in 2019 to 5.8 million in 2020.
WHO estimates that some 4.1 million people currently suffer from TB but have not been diagnosed with the disease or have not officially reported to national authorities. This figure is up from 2.9 million in 2019.
The countries that contributed most to the global reduction in TB notifications between 2019 and 2020 were India (41%), Indonesia (14%), the Philippines (12%) and China (8%). These and 12 other countries accounted for 93% of the total global drop in notifications.
There was also a reduction in provision of TB preventive treatment. Some 2.8 million people accessed this in 2020, a 21% reduction since 2019. In addition, the number of people treated for drug-resistant TB fell by 15%, from 177 000 in 2019 to 150 000 in 2020, equivalent to only about 1 in 3 of those in need.
Global investment for TB falls Funding in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that account for 98% of reported TB cases remains a challenge. Of the total funding available in 2020, 81% came from domestic sources, with the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa) accounting for 65% of total domestic funding.
The largest bilateral donor is the Government of the United States of America. The biggest international donor is the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The report notes a fall in global spending on TB diagnostic, treatment and prevention services, from US$ 5.8 billion to US$ 5.3 billion, which is less than half of the global target for fully funding the TB response of US$ 13 billion annually by 2022.
Meanwhile, although there is progress in the development of new TB diagnostics, drugs and vaccines, this is constrained by the overall level of R&D investment, which at US$ 0.9 billion in 2019 falls far short of the global target of US$ 2 billion per year.
Global TB targets off track Reversals in progress mean that the global TB targets are off track and appear increasingly out of reach, however there are some successes. Globally, the reduction in the number of TB deaths between 2015 and 2020 was only 9.2% – about one quarter of the way to the 2020 milestone of 35%.
Globally, the number of people falling ill with TB each year (relative to population) dropped 11% from 2015 to 2020, just over half-way to the 2020 milestone of 20%.
However, the WHO European Region exceeded the 2020 milestone, with a reduction of 25%. This was mostly driven by the decline in the Russian Federation, where incidence fell by 6% per year between 2010 to 2020. The WHO African Region came close to reaching the milestone, with a reduction of 19%, which reflects impressive reductions of 4–10% per year in South Africa and several other countries in southern Africa, following a peak in the HIV epidemic and the expansion of TB and HIV prevention and care.
“We have just one year left to reach the historic 2022 TB targets committed by Heads of State at the first UN High Level Meeting on TB. The report provides important information and a strong reminder to countries to urgently fast-track their TB responses and save lives,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme. “This will be crucial as preparations begin for the 2nd UN High Level Meeting on TB mandated for 2023.”
The report calls on countries to put in place urgent measures to restore access to essential TB services. It further calls for a doubling of investments in TB research and innovation as well as concerted action across the health sector and others to address the social, environmental and economic determinants of TB and its consequences.
The new report features data on disease trends and the response to the epidemic from 197 countries and areas, including 182 of the 194 World Health Organization (WHO) Member States.
We are highly stunned to learn that MDC Alliance President Adv Nelson Chamisa’s convoy was shot at in Mutare by hired ZANU PF thugs.
The aim was to block him from entering Mutare.It is appalling that bloodthirsty violence mongering vampires had the audacity and bravado to shoot at the car carrying Adv Chamisa.
This development is very worrisome and unfortunate.
It is such dispositions which has the prospensity of plunging the nation into stagnation and and strife.The country is regressing and retrograding to medieval and feudal era where great political questions of day were settled by violence.We have since adopted the principle that,”if ideology fail we will resort to geology” that is the use of stones as a politcal solution.
The violence in Mutare is crystal cleared evidence like the azure blue sky that ZANU PF has found politcal messiah in violence.
They are now using their well oiled violence spewing machinery as a means to coerce and punish dissenting voices.We call upon the ZANU PF leadership to desist from violence and whip their followers in line.
Zanu PF thugs have unleashed an orgy of violence & mounted an illegal ambush at the Troutbeck turn off en route to Nyanga. They are armed with machetes & weapons. Civilians are being searched & the movement of vehicles has been blocked. No reaction from @PoliceZimbabwe. pic.twitter.com/A4WVNmzZSS
— Citizens' Coalition for Change (@CCCZimbabwe) October 20, 2021
By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa has said that he is not going to make any changes at the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and the Zimbabwe Republic Police if he wins the 2023 national elections.
This is the first time that the leader of the country’s biggest opposition has made such pronouncement in what is thought to be a message of reassurance to all and sundry that everyone is safe and secure under Chamisa’s government.
The message is also an election strategy to eat into the traditional Zanu PF support base.
Speaking at a gathering at Mataruse Village under Chief Charumbira where he had gone to pass his condolences on the passing on of Joseph Mutema, Chamisa said elections are there to change politicians and not the Army or the Police.
“We are not bringing in a new Army or a new Police force when we get into power. The Police and Army that are there are the forces of our country. You don’t change the Army, you don’t change the Police what you change are politicians and they must be changed from time to time.
“We want a stable country,” said Chamisa.
He bemoaned the living standards of liberation war veterans which he described as pathetic. He said all over the World including countries like Vietnam war veterans are well looked after by the State and promised to make sure that the same happens in Zimbabwe.
“I am saddened when I meet war veterans,” said Chamisa.
Turning to corruption Chamisa said the State is going to take back all looted wealth. He however, said there will be no retributive justice.
“We cannot spend all our time on each other’s throats and running after each other. Let’s open a new page and create stability and peace in our country but whatever looted State property we find you with we will recover.
What you have squandered is however, between you and God,” he said.
Those who killed for political reasons will not be hanged under Chamisa’s government.
“It is not for humans to punish by killing other humans but one thing certain is that murderers are going to meet their God,” said Chamisa.
Chamisa predicted a 70% to 30% victory against Mnangagwa. He said that his victory will be so resounding that Mnangagwa would cry foul and declare that the elections were rigged.
“Muchaona chipani chatiri kukuunzirai (You will see the team that we will set). We are not going to beat Zanu PF by a small margin. We should get 70% and my brother of the scarf will get less than 30%. I will ask him to read the election results and chances are that he will cry foul and complain that the elections were rigged,” said Chamisa to wild applause.
Mutema is one of the earliest MDC members after joining the party a year after its formation in 2000. He contested Parliamentary elections on several occasions under the MDC ticket. He died in August this year.
By A Correspondent- Opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday said people in the rural areas were living in fear due to intimidation ahead of the 2023 general elections, adding that Zimbabweans from all walks of life were in perpetual grief over the worsening socio-economic crisis in the country.
Chamisa, who met traditional leaders, the business community, villagers, students and party supporters during his stakeholders’ engagement drive in Manicaland province, said his outreach programme had enabled him to appreciate the poverty levels in the country.
His tour of Masvingo province last week was characterised by violent scenes, which saw his convoy and security aides attacked by suspected Zanu PF supporters.
He was also teargassed while attending a meeting at a private residence in Masvingo.
Zanu PF, as usual, described the alleged attacks as stage-managed ahead of the visit by the United Nations (UN) special rapporteur Alena Douhan who is currently in the country to assess the impact of sanctions.
In Manicaland, Chamisa addressed villagers in Chimanimani, Birchenough Bridge and Musikavanhu, where he said people were in grief over the worsening crisis bedevilling the country.
“We can’t have a country where everyone is complaining. Workers are crying, traditional leaders are crying, students are crying, women are crying, people in rural areas are crying and it is a difficult thing.”
“I am yet to see anyone who is happy and satisfied with the situation in the country. These are the things we are working on,” he said.
Chamisa said there was so much fear in the rural areas where villagers were being intimidated.
“Fear is the big issue, there is a lot of intimidation.
“There is also weaponisation of food aid and fertilizer. Those are the issues people are generally saying that life is now unbearable. Those are issues that are everywhere. I am telling them that we must put a fullstop to these challenges and then let us win Zimbabwe for change.”
The opposition leader, who narrowly lost the presidential race to Zanu PF’s Emmerson Mnangagwa in the 2018 harmonised elections, said he was now focusing on rural areas, the ruling party’s stronghold.
By A Correspondent- Gogo Malisebo Lebuso believes se_x is a demon and she fights it with the Bible!
The 72 year old from Victory Farm, near Clocolan in the Free State, told Daily Sun she had won the battle against se_x and was still a vir_gin.
She said she lived a sin-free life and used prayer to ward off temptation.
Gogo Malisebo, who lives alone in a two-roomed shack, said: “I don’t need a man in my life. Poking is for the weak.
“I have had hundreds of men asking me out in my life and I turned them all down.
“I lived with my sister, who died six years ago, and we both abstained from se_x. I do have feelings but when they come, I take out my Bible, kneel and pray for the temptation to go away.
“My problem with sleeping with men started when I lived with my parents and I saw boys abandoning their girlfriends when they got preg_nant.
“I saw these girls getting beaten up by their boyfriends and vowed never to be in a relationship.”
The gogo said her shack had no windows because in the past, men would knock on her window and ask to sleep with her.
“Six years ago, three men came to my shack and broke the window,” she said.
“They wanted to rap_e me, but after I kneeled down and prayed they left.
“I then decided to remove my windows.”
Thando Mojali (74) has been asking gogo Malisebo to marry him for eight years without success.
“I offered her six cows for lobola but she refused.
“I was married but my wife died 20 years ago,” he said.
“I love her and I know she’s a virg_in. If she married me, I would be a good husband to her.”
By A Correspondent- Former finance minister Simba Makoni appeared in court Tuesday accused of using black market currency exchange rates at his business.
Makoni was not asked to plead to a charge of contravening exchange control regulations during a brief appearance before magistrate, Stanford Mambanje.
Mambanje released the 71-year-old on free bail.
The National Prosecuting Authority charged Makoni in his capacity as the chairman of Powerspeed, which owns Electrosales.
An Electrosales outlet in Harare was allegedly found using black market exchange rates for its goods. The official exchange rate was one United States dollar to 93.08 Zimbabwe dollars on Tuesday, but the greenback fetches as much as 200 on the black market.
Many businesses which import most of their stock provide discounts for customers buying in United States dollar.
By A Correspondent- A Southview Park young couple was left homeless after its cabin was struck and burnt to ashes by lightning on Monday.
The incident occurred around 2pm.
Vimbai Mupoperi-Madondo said she was at her marketing stall when the mishap occurred.
Her husband Wellington Mupoperi only found the remains of the cabin when he got home.
“It is fortunate that there was no one in the house. I had the children with me at the market.”
The evidently distressed Wellington said:
“Zvese zvatsvira mumba; hembe dzese, ma birth certificates ne US$25 zvatsviramo.
“Nothing was recovered from the inferno.
“Property worth about US$500 was burnt to ashes and we were left with nothing, no clothes,” he said.
The neighbours couldn’t do anything to save the cabin as the disaster struck in the twinkling of an eye.
One of the neighbours identified as Mativenga said the couple had been offered temporary accommodation by one of the residents, whilst the community was mobilising donations to help them.
By A Correspondent| Police on Thursday said they had busted a “sod0my and se_xual abuse” syndicate after a Harare schoolboy reported missing in June was found at a house in Bulawayo.
A 48-year-old man, Emmanuel Chatikobo, appeared in court on Thursday accused of Nyasha Jayaguru’s kidnapping.
Police said a second suspect, Richard Padzarondora, 44, “passed on recently whilst police were conducting investigations.”
Young boys are being groomed on Facebook and WhatsApp leading to “se_xual activities that are conducted at certain lodges and houses,” national police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said.
Nyasha, a Form 4 pupil at Mbare High School, disappeared without trace on June 29 on his way from school as his desperate parents pleaded for his safe return.
Nyathi said detectives found the 16-year-old at a house in Bulawayo on Wednesday “after he was made to hide by members of a social media group.”
“He has since been reunited with his parents Farayi Jayaguru and Hamunyari Shumba in Harare while awaiting a full medical examination and counselling,” Nyathi said in a statement.
Before Nyasha was found, his mother told the ZBC: “I have sleepless nights wondering whether my son is alive or not. I had so much to look forward to because he is the first born, but they dealt me a huge blow. Will I ever see my son?”
Nyathi said the investigation into Nyasha’s disappearance “revealed that there is a social media group of syndicate which is targeting school boys for sod0my and se_xual abuse.”
“The group comprises both the young and old who communicate mostly through Facebook and WhatsApp. The communication is discreet and leads to dating where se_xual activities are conducted at certain lodges and houses,” Nyathi said.
He identified Padzarondora as one of the kingpins of the “syndicate”. Police did not say how he died, but a ZBC report on Wednesday said he “died in remand prison” following his arrest on July 3.
Nyasha’s father said before Padzarondora died, “he admitted” to taking the boy “and apologised.”
“He actually said he felt sorry for him and dropped him off after picking him up at NSSA,” Farayi Jayaguru said.
Chatikobo, who also uses the name Lemmy Gwaku, was a member of the syndicate, police said.
According to senior Jayaguru, a call log history on Padzarondora’s phone showed “intense communication” with Chatikobo during the time the boy disappeared, and there was evidence that Chatikobo had paid some money into Padzarondora’s bank account.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police is now conducting comprehensive investigations in order to establish the extent of this threat of se_xual perverts to school children especially considering the fact that some lessons are now being conducted through social media platforms,” Nyathi said.
“Parents and guardians are urged to be acquainted with individuals and groups who befriend their children on social media platforms during the course of educational and social interaction.”
Police said they were also engaging the ministry of primary and secondary education to raise awareness of the risk posed by the syndicates to children.
“The police is ready to work together with all relevant stakeholders to unearth and account for the suspects who are involved in this criminal enterprise,” Nyathi added.
By A Correspondent- United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Unilateral Coercive Measures and Human Rights, Alena Douhan has been accused of ignoring contributions made by opposition political parties in Venezuela.
Douhan, who arrived in Zimbabwe Monday, was accused of propping up Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro’s sanctions mantra in what they termed “regime propaganda” during her visit to that country early this year.
She is in Zimbabwe on a 10-day visit to ascertain the effects of sanctions imposed on individuals and specific corporates in the country.
In Venezuela, Douhan was investigating how sanctions imposed by the U.S., the European Union and other coutries had affected the citizens’ rights in the South American state.
Douhan concluded that the “unilateral sanctions increasingly imposed by the United States, the European Union, and other countries have exacerbated the above-mentioned calamities.”
However, the opposition in Venezuela said it regretted the outcome of Douhan’s final report. Opposition party Popular Will’s envoy to the UN Miguel Pizarro said in February:
We regret the rapporteur’s imprecisions and the lack of mention of subjects like corruption, inefficiency, political violence and the use of hunger as a tool of social and political control.
That is allowing oneself to be used for regime’s propaganda.
In Zimbabwe, Douhan is expected to meet government ministers, Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda, and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum executive director Musa Kika told NewZimbabwe.com they expected to meet and engage her physically after sending written submissions and an informal online engagement.
Journalists have not been granted access to Douhan with Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi saying the media interviews could hinder her investigations.
