By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo man has lost R181 500, US$5 000, and $4 700 to thieves.

State media report that the thieves snatched a bag containing the money from the man’s vehicle, which he had left parked in Bulawayo’s city centre while buying food.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.

Insp Ncube said the complainant left his car parked at the corner of Jason Moyo and 11th Avenue on Thursday last week at around 10AM while buying food and leaving his two workers behind.

He said the two workers later disembarked from the vehicle.
“I can confirm that we recorded a case of theft from a motor vehicle which occurred in the CBD at corner Jason Moyo and 11th Avenue. The complainant parked his car and went to buy some food leaving behind his two workers. The workers also disembarked from the vehicle and went out to get some fresh air. When he returned, a bag containing his cash and work suit was missing,” he said.

“A witness who was close by claimed to have seen a suspect who was carrying a bag jump into a Nissan truck which drove away. The complainant lost R181 500, US$5 000 and $4 700.” Insp Ncube said investigations were underway and appealed to members of the public with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to contact the police.

He urged members of the public to take extra care of their valuables. He said whenever people leave their valuables under the care of other people, they have to be specific about the valuables they have.

Insp Ncube also urged members of the public to desist from keeping large sums of money in their vehicles or homes as they were endangering their lives.

By A Correspondent- POlice in Bulawayo have reportedly arrested anti-Gukurahundi campaigner and Ibhetshu LikaZulu Secretary-General Mbuso Fuzwayo.

Reports say Fuzwayo was arrested and detained by police in Bulawayo for holding the International Day of Peace commemorations yesterday.

Fuzwayo and his pressure group have often clashed with authorities for holding commemorations of the massacre of 20 000 civilians by the military in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces back in the early 1980s.

The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly.

By A Correspondent- Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira, who was arrested for corruption, has appeared in public.

Chadzamira made a public appearance yesterday in Masvingo when he commissioned the two tractors acquired under the Belarus agricultural mechanisation programme.

Since his arrest two weeks ago, Chamira had been lying low.

By A Correspondent- Pictures of a battered Harare man have gone viral on social media.

The man only identified as Lord Guzh is said to have been attacked by thugs over Slay Quee.

Social media posts say the thugs used clenched fists and unidentified metal objects to attack Guzh.

By A Correspondent- Meet the man of the moment, Tinashe Mugabe, and drop one word that best describes him.

By A Correspondent-President Emmerson Mnangagwa has sent condolence message to the family of the country’s longest-serving civil servant Mariyawanda Nzuwah.

Dzuwa died in Harare yesterday.

He was the former Chairman of the Public Service Commission and served in government for more than 35 years.

In his condolence message, Mnangagwa said Nzuwah’s death was a blow to the Nation.

 As a committed cadre, he placed his professional skills and career at the disposal of the struggle and his country soon after the attainment of our Independence. Hence, together with the likes of fellow academic contemporaries in the mould of the late national heroes Dr Tichaona Jokonya, Dr Charles Utete, the current Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, and many others, were reassigned from the University of Zimbabwe to throw their weight behind public service. That made them a rare crop of leaders in the civil service. The late Dr Nzuwah will be remembered in the annuls of our Bureaucracy as the first indigenous person to Chair the Public Service Commission making him a longest-serving member or the Commission to date. He distinguished himself by ably superintending over the transformation of our Civil Service from a colonial bureaucracy serving minority interests to placing it at the service of the majority of our people in a post-Independent Zimbabwe. 

On behalf of the eating Party, ZANU-PF, Government, my family, and on my own behalf, I express deep sorrow and grief to the Nzuwah family, especially to Mrs Nzuwah and the children who have lost a devoted husband, loving father and guardian. May they take comfort from the knowledge that the Nation joins them in mourning his loss.

May his soul rest in eternal peace. 

E.D Mnangagwa PRESIDENT 21/09/21

By A Correspondent- Pictures of a battered Harare man have gone viral on social media.

The man only identified as Lord Guzh is said to have been attacked by thugs over Slay Queen.

Social media posts say the thugs used clenched fists and unidentified metal objects to attack Guzh.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance vice president Hon Tendai Biti has scoffed at the Zanu PF regime’s manoeuvres to nail him.

The regime accuses Hon Biti of insulting Russian investor Tatiana Aleshina.

Magistrate Stanford Mambanje cancelled the warrant of arrest on Monday.

“Despite the fact that I was at court by 8.30 AM, State Prosecutor Micheal Reza applied for a warrant of arrest against me in my ongoing persecution engineered by land baron Ken Sharpe.

This was a prepaid warrant as the @HeraldZimbabwe was reporting on the same before its issuance.

In cancelling the Warrant, Magistrate Stanford Mambanje was critical of State position and State lies.

It is quite clear the extent of State Capture and the desperate attempt to silence critical alternative voices. We have never been cowards. We never yielded on matters of principle.

Our struggle is just one. Our struggle is a pure one, is for a just free democratic open Zim in which every citizen will live a happy prosperous life.

Neither Mnangagwa nor his political commissars masquerading as prosecutors will stop wheels of change. A new Zim is beckoning,” Hon Biti posted on Twitter.

By A Correspondent-The government has the Level 2 Lockdown Measures announced on the 7th of September 2021 by another two weeks, under the same conditions.

The Secretary of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana posted on social media on Tuesday notifying members of the public about the development. He said:
His Excellency the President has extended the Level 2 Lockdown Measures announced on the 7th of September 2021 by another two weeks, under the same conditions.

This is happening when statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care indicate that coronavirus infections and deaths have been falling in recent weeks.

There have, however, been a spike in new cases in some schools especially in the Midlands province.
Under the Level 2 Lockdown Measures, business operators are allowed to operate between 0800 hours to 1900 hours.
Beer hall operators, nightclubs and or shebeens remain closed.
Public gatherings are limited to not more than 100 people and should be held within the stipulated period and not cross over into the curfew period which is from 2200 hours till 0530 hours the next morning.
Intercity travelling is allowed.

By A Correspondent-The government has the Level 2 Lockdown Measures announced on the 7th of September 2021 by another two weeks, under the same conditions.

The Secretary of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana posted on social media on Tuesday notifying members of the public about the development. He said:
His Excellency the President has extended the Level 2 Lockdown Measures announced on the 7th of September 2021 by another two weeks, under the same conditions.

This is happening when statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care indicate that coronavirus infections and deaths have been falling in recent weeks.

There have, however, been a spike in new cases in some schools especially in the Midlands province.
Under the Level 2 Lockdown Measures, business operators are allowed to operate between 0800 hours to 1900 hours.
Beer hall operators, nightclubs and or shebeens remain closed.
Public gatherings are limited to not more than 100 people and should be held within the stipulated period and not cross over into the curfew period which is from 2200 hours till 0530 hours the next morning.
Intercity travelling is allowed.

By A Correspondent- Political activist Linda Masaira has teamed up with gender and sued Johanne Marange Church for marrying off underage girls.

Masarira has partnered, Precious Nyaradzo Musarurwa and Munyaradzi Midzi, and engaged lawyer Ms Jacqueline Sande in the court case.

The four are challenging the constitutionality of the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church doctrine of marrying off young girls.

They are saying the laws were helping to cover up alleged sexual abuse among congregants.

The activists have launched the suit at the Constitutional Court seeking urgent alignment of the Marriages Act and the Customary Marriages Act with the Constitution within six months to protect girls under 18.

The proposed Marriages Bill, which does bring both civil and customary marriages into a single law and insists that both parties to any marriage must be at least 18 and both consenting, has been bogged down in Parliament for much of this year and will have to be reintroduced in the next session when it is now likely to pass after the Government conceded that customary unions, although not civil marriages, need a lobola element.

In the law suit that is likely to help intensify pressure for the new legislation, the Ministers of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development were also listed as respondents in their official capacities along with the Attorney General of Zimbabwe.

The application is based on the recent incident where a 15-year-old Annah Machaya died while giving birth at a Johanne Marange shrine in Manicaland. The Constitutional Court will first rule on whether the three have the legal right to directly approach the court with their case, before getting into the merits. They also seek to push the Government into expediting the amendment of the marriage laws to criminalise child marriages and intimacy involving children before the age of consent.

The Constitutional Court some five years ago, outlawed marriage of children under 18 years but the age of sexual consent in terms of the Criminal Law Codification Reform Act remained at 16 years.

The three want it raised to 18 years to fit in with the minimum marriage age. In the application, the applicants argued that the church’s doctrine was unlawful and any members caught on the wrong side of the law must be arrested and charged without fear or favour.

The three argue and allege that the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church doctrine and other doctrines have been used to deceive and coerce girls and women to take part in sexual activities, childbearing and more through forced marriages without facing any legal consequences for their allegedly unlawful acts.

The three argue in their papers filed at the Constitutional Court that the unconstitutionality of such practices by individuals but most notably, religious sects like the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church who practice child marriages, sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse affecting girls and women and depriving them of their rights. They further argue that the existence of child marriages, some six years after the Constitutional Court judgment, should be blamed on the Government which did not speed up the alignment process.

The existence of early child marriages and pregnancies is evidence that there is a gap that the law needs to cover in order to protect girls against such discrimination. Girls are entitled to effective protection by the courts as the upper guardian of the rights of children which is responsible for enforcing the fundamental rights designed for their protection and has a duty to ensure alignment of all the other laws to the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the relevant international laws, reads the papers.

However, Government through The Attorney General’s civil division argued that the order being sought is incompetent because Parliament was already dealing with the amendment of the laws in question. At this juncture, respondents would like to highlight that already the Parliament of Zimbabwe is in the process of enactment of the new Marriages Act which has been deliberated by the National Assembly and has now reached Senate.

The ministers named and the Attorney General no longer have any control of the pace at which lawmakers consider the Bill. To that end, the nature or the order being sought by the applicants is incompetent since the four officials can no longer control the process due to the doctrine of separation of powers, reads the notice of opposition. It was also argued that the matter of Annah Machaya complained of was already in the criminal court with suspects being charged.

By A Correspondent-The country’s longest-serving civil servant Mariyawanda Nzuwa has died.Dzuwa was the former Public Service Commission (PSC) chairperson.

Below is President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s condolence message , following the death of Dr Mariyawanda Nzuwah.

The death this morning of our former Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Dr Mariyawanda Nzuwah, has dealt a great blow to our Nation which has been robbed of a long-serving civil servant, very dedicated and loyal to his country. 

An eminent academic, Dr Nzuwah’s early scholarly works were in nationalist research in support of the liberation struggle. As a committed cadre, he placed his professional skills and career at the disposal of the struggle and his country soon after the attainment of our Independence. Hence, together with the likes of fellow academic contemporaries in the mould of the late national heroes Dr Tichaona Jokonya, Dr Charles Utete, the current Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, and many others, were reassigned from the University of Zimbabwe to throw their weight behind public service. That made them a rare crop of leaders in the civil service. The late Dr Nzuwah will be remembered in the annuls of our Bureaucracy as the first indigenous person to Chair the Public Service Commission making him a longest-serving member or the Commission to date. He distinguished himself by ably superintending over the transformation of our Civil Service from a colonial bureaucracy serving minority interests to placing it at the service of the majority of our people in a post-Independent Zimbabwe. 

On behalf of the eating Party, ZANU-PF, Government, my family, and on my own behalf, I express deep sorrow and grief to the Nzuwah family, especially to Mrs Nzuwah and the children who have lost a devoted husband, loving father and guardian. May they take comfort from the knowledge that the Nation joins them in mourning his loss.

May his soul rest in eternal peace. 

E.D Mnangagwa PRESIDENT 21/09/21

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission, ZAC has arrested the Zimbabwe Republic Police Officer Commanding Mashonaland West province Commissioner Conneli Dube.

ZAC announced the arrest of the senior cop Tuesday saying that he had been nabbed on allegations of criminal abuse of office.

Officers arrested comm Dube from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) following allegations that he had been protecting junior officers implicated in a bribery case.

In a statement, ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure confirmed the arrest.

“A high ranking ZRP officer, Commissioner C. Dube who is the Officer Commanding Mashonaland West Province has been arrested on allegations of abuse of office.

“He is alleged to have ordered that no action be taken on CID operatives who had been arrested on a bribery case. The accused is expected to appear in the Chinhoyi Magistrate’s Court today,” he said.

Tinashe Sambiri|Two The MDC Alliance officials who were arrested in Gutu on Sunday have been granted RTGS $ 2500 bail each.

The two, Langton Mabande Guvava( secretary for cadreship and training) and Gutu North Constituency chairperson Philip Mahachi were arrested for allegedly violating COVID-19 regulations.

The two were arrested at Zvavahera Business Centre.

The meeting they were addressing was attended by 36 people.

ZimEye.com has been informed that Gutu North MP Yeukai Simbanegavi ordered police to arrest Mahachi and Guvava.

By A Correspondent- Opposition MDC Alliance has said it is not bothered by the formation of a new political party that appeared to have hijacked Nelson Chamisa-led party’s social media mobilisation slogans.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesman George Charamba posted a screenshot of a letter still being typed, and addressed to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, announcing the formation of the Citizens Convergence for Change (CCC) party.

The party’s secretary-general, one Farai Zhou, gave a post office box address in Vuhera (Buhera) and put down a Bulawayo law firm for all communications.

The same letter was also posted on Twitter by Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu, sparking speculation that Zanu PF had used proxies to register the name.

Citizens Convergence for Change has been gaining momentum on Twitter as a hashtag, with pro-democracy activists and MDC Alliance officials using it to mobilise first-time voters and get volunteers to adopt polling agents in the 2023 elections.

Some thought it should be the name of a new coalition built around Nelson Chamisa’s leadership.

Exiled former cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo earlier warned the MDC Alliance to take the necessary legal steps to protect CCC as a name to outmaneuver proxies that wanted to capitalise on the main opposition’s political clout.

MDC Alliance secretary-general Charlton Hwende, responding to Moyo, noted that the biggest impediment was the judicial process where “president Emmerson Mnangagwa has pliant judges that are being used to disregard legal steps which will ordinarily protect a political party.”

MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said the development was justification for MDC Alliance’s refusal to reveal its plans. Said the law expert:

These are the shenanigans we spoke of when we stated we wouldn’t lay bare our strategies for the regime to try and pull the rug from under our feet. For us, this is a non-event. We remain focused on our goal of securing six million votes.

We are in the middle of a nationwide voter registration campaign and have set in place mechanisms to ensure the vote is protected.

She added that the party remained MDC Alliance and if there are any changes, they will be communicated using official channels.

The MDC Alliance has been under pressure to change its name after its former secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora claimed his MDC-T party was now called MDC Alliance.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwean actress-cum-radio-and-television-presenter Tinopona “Tin Tin” Katsande has said she is thrilled to be back on daytime radio after a long absence.

Tin Tin on Sunday co-presented with Tonderai Nokutenda Katsande on the new ZiFM Stereo show, The Sunday Brunch, coming as a surprise to many.

Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style, Tin Tin said it was a blessing to be doing what she loves adding that she is honoured and humbled to be back working with her “mentor, friend and biggest most loyal cheerleader, my boss TK.” She added:

I am a bit surprised that it’s been purported that this is my first time back on ZiFM since I was unlawfully dismissed over seven years ago. That is incorrect, I rejoined ZiFM three years ago with my own show called Formation that aired on Sunday nights.

I then fell pregnant with my second son. It was a difficult pregnancy and I had to stop the late-night shift and when I gave birth, I then decided to hang the radio coat for a while as I focused on raising my newborn baby Yambuko.

Tin Tin who is running an entrepreneurial eggs business as a side hustle from her entertainment career expressed gratitude to family and friends who stood with her “at every hurdle.”

She added that she would continue with her Mazai KwaTino project which “is blossoming into a formal business.”

By Jane Mlambo| Controversial Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has said the new political parties sprouting everyday could be eyeing seats on POLAD which has proved to be a lucrative after President Emmerson Mnangagwa pampered smaller parties with top of the range cars.

Posting on Twitter, Mliswa said while the setting up of new parties can be lauded for its democratic significance, their relevance in the current situation is non-existent.

“I see more political parties being set up. That could be lauded for democratic significance but the practical truth is that they are absolutely useless in the wider matrix of local politics. They may be eyeing seats on POLAD but for the people most of these parties are useless,” said Mliswa.

A number of new political parties have emerged with the most interesting ones being FORUS and DAVID.

Another party named Citizen Convergence for Change has also written to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announcing its formation.

In the 2018 Presidential elections, a record of 22 political parties contested for the presidential ballot while an even bigger number tussled for other lower seats including parliamentary and local government.

Opposition MDC Alliance aligned activists and analysts have accused Zanu PF of sponsoring the countless parties to confuse voters.

Government has said feasibility studies are underway to pave way for the rehabilitation of the Beitbridge-Bulawayo highway.

Secretary for Transport and Infrastructural Development, Engineer Theodius Chinyanga said work on the 327km Beitbridge to Bulawayo Road, which is now in bad shape, was delayed by the outbreak of COVID-19.

Eng Chinyanga said the road was being rehabilitated in line with the requirements of the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (Zida) Act.

“Work on this road had been temporarily delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, but the concessioner is now busy with the feasibility studies. This will then inform what needs to be done under what timelines, but we are confident this will be done in the shortest possible time as required by the Zida Act,” said Eng Chinyanga.

He said the Government and the Zimborders Consortium have completed the first phase of the Beitbridge Modernization project which is being done at a total cost of US$300 million.

So far, US$65 million has been spent on the construction of a new state-of-the-art terminal, where a two-week dry run started on Thursday last week pending its official opening on October 6.

“We are going to move the contractor who is on the southernmost part of the Beitbridge to Harare highway to start work on the exit of the modernized border post,” said Eng Chinyanga.

“As you are aware, we are upgrading the Beitbridge to Masvingo to Harare Road, and it is part of the works that we will take into account so that this border goes hand in hand with a good road. Our plan is to, at the beginning of next year or earlier than that, get the contractor working on the 20km stretch from the border going towards the Bubi area”.

-State Media

By A Correspondent- Nkayi villagers have accused the Ministry of Health and Child Care of discriminating locals in the recruitment of Primary Care Nursing (PCN) trainees.

The Ministry flighted an advert for a two-year PCN training for the September 2021 intake and indicated that only candidates who meet the recruitment criteria will be shortlisted for interviews.

The internal interviews were held on the 13th of September in Nkayi District and the external interviews were held on the 17th at Mpilo Hospital.

Meanwhile, CITE quoted a source as saying there were people from Nkayi who applied for PCN training and they were called for interviews but no one was shortlisted. Said the source:

We heard that people coming from other areas such as Harare and Gwanda are the ones who got the places. As a community, we are not impressed. This is corruption and it must stop.

Contacted for a comment, Nkayi District Medical Officer (DMO), Dr Thabani Moyo said he only knows four locals who were shortlisted.

Said Moyo:

I am not aware of the list of the people who were selected but I also heard about the complaints saying that from the whole of Nkayi only four people were chosen, so that was the concern.

I won’t be quick to respond because don’t know whether the people from Nkayi were not also deployed to other stations, since they are saying people are coming to this side from Harare maybe there are also people from Nkayi who went that side, I don’t know.

We will wait for them to begin so that we will see how many were shortlisted from the total which had applied.

By A Correspondent- Opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday accused “jittery” Zanu-PF and State security agents of hijacking his party’s Citizens Convergence for Change (CCC) project and registering it at the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) under little known politician Varaidzo Musungo.

It is thought that the MDC Alliance had targeted to contest the 2023 general election as CCC after MDC-T’s Douglas Mwonzora laid claim to the MDC Alliance name.

The CCC, which has been trending on social media over the past few weeks as a rallying call for opposition supporters, is the brainchild of MDC Alliance and former Zanu-PF politburo member Jonathan Moyo.

Both Chamisa and Moyo yesterday dismissed Zanu-PF’s attempts to hijack the project as “desperate moves by a party afraid of elections”.

In a letter to Zec dated September 20, 2021, Musungo’s party secretary-general Farai Zhou said: “We can confirm that our party’s president and 2023 presidential candidate is Ms Varaidzo Musungo. Our party logo (is) as appears at the top and bottom of this letter. In the interests of better communication, we are sourcing offices in Harare and will advise once we have these.”

But Moyo, a formidable political schemer whose ideas have helped Zanu-PF before, described the move as an inconsequential Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO)-driven farce.

“The hullabaloo over the purported registration of the Citizens Convergence for Change (CCC) is a farce which exposes the bizarre copycat politics that has gripped the jittery Zanu-PF securocrats in the CIO who are dazed by the infectious power of CCC as rallying call for the unity of citizens across the political divide,” Moyo said.

“What exposes the farce even more is that political parties in Zimbabwe are not subject to registration, and hence there’s no law for such registration and, in any event, Zec is not a registrar of political parties,” he said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, an idea belongs to whoever conceptualises it and uses it first and does so in public, in an organised and documented fashion. Only people from Mars do not know that CCC is the intellectual property of the MDC Alliance and has been in existence for far much longer than September 8, 2021 when the Zanu-PF and CIO copycats plagiarised the idea.”

In the run-up to the 2018 general election, Moyo threw his weight behind Chamisa’s candidacy, and recently offered to help fund the training of MDC Alliance polling agents on how to guard against vote rigging in the 2023 plebiscite.

MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said the party was not shaken by Zanu-PF’s decision to hijack the idea.

“It’s clear that it’s Zanu-PF doing this. This is desperation on the part of Zanu-PF. They thought that they had finished us off, but they have since realised that we have come up with a concept which is bigger than the MDC in 1999. The wave is bigger than ever in the country. It has created the biggest momentum ever seen in the country in recent years and this wave is unstoppable, it has engulfed the whole nation. It’s a great idea whose time has come and nobody can stop it, just like (the late South African reggae musician) Lucky Dube said ‘nobody can stop reggae’. Nobody can stop this wave,” she said.

“We are not shaken, we know that these are shenanigans being done as a way of trying to divert our focus, but the convergence is a platform and an idea of building a new consensus and a new alliance by all the people of Zimbabwe, so wanting to reduce it into a political party is an act of desperation by the people who are panicking, who are scared of the election, who are scared of the people and Zimbabwean citizens coming together to demand real change. Their biggest problem is that they have a candidate who is very hard to sell.”

Efforts to get comments from Zanu-PF were fruitless as its leadership was still holed up in a politburo meeting, its highest decision-making organ outside congress.

By A Correspondent- A Kariba magistrate has resigned over alleged unfair treatment by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

Magistrate Tafadzwa Mhlanga revealed that he was transferred from Mvuma to Kariba without any valid reason.

JSC secretary Walter Chikwana accepted the resignation and ordered Mhlanga to serve his notice period which is due to end on December 14.

“My working relationship with the commission had deteriorated from the time I was moved to Kariba in January 2020,” Mhlanga said.

“From the onset, I had objected to the redeployment exercise from Mvuma to Kariba Magistrates Court in a space of only one-and-a-half years at Mvuma.”

Mhlanga said his bosses continued to ignore his request to be transferred from Kariba, adding that he could not take it anymore as the workload at Kariba was too much.

“I have been working as a one-man station from September 2020 when  resigned up to this date. As a result, I could not go for two-week breaks that were afforded to other magistrates during lockdown period,” he said.

“It is, therefore, my considered view that it is high time for me to resign and explore other opportunities,” Mhlanga said. Chief magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi was shaken by Mhlanga’s resignation which came after Mahere, who was stationed at the same court, resigned last year.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- The Zanu PF Politburo yesterday posthumously declared the late Rabelani Choeni, Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu, Elliot Ngwabi, Professor George Kahari and Professor Sheunesu Mpepereki as national heroes.

President Mnangagwa informed the Politburo, during an extraordinary meeting yesterday, that he had posthumously conferred national hero status on the five distinguished nationalists.

“The Politburo gave a thumbs up to the decision made by the President which indeed bestowed befitting respect and honour to the heroes,” said acting Zanu PF national spokesperson, Dr Mike Bimha.

Cde Choeni was Zanu PF Matabeleland South provincial chairman and succumbed to Covid-19 related complications on July 16.

He was buried at Malusingani in Beitbridge.

Cde Choeni joined the liberation struggle under Zipra in 1974 when he crossed the border into Zambia through Botswana.

After independence, he served in various political portfolios, including as Zanu PF chairman for Matabeleland South Province, a position he held until the time of his death.

Cde Ndlovu, also a freedom fighter and distinguished journalist, died of a heart ailment aged 87 at the United Bulawayo Hospitals on July 16 and was buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery.

He was has described as a rare breed of journalists whose skills were developed and sharpened by the liberation struggle.

Before joining the mainstream media, Cde Ndlovu was the director of Publicity and Information of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) between 1964 and 1978.

He was also the founding editor of a magazine that was published by the party. In 1972, Cde Ndlovu was sent to the Soviet Union by ZAPU for military training and participated in the liberation struggle.

After independence, Cde Ndlovu worked for The Chronicle and The Sunday News before joining Munn Publishing Company where he was the contributing editor and regional manager responsible for Matabeleland, the Midlands, Masvingo, Botswana and Zambia.

Cde Ngwabi, who was a veteran nationalist, succumbed to Covid-19 related complications aged 85 on August 14.

He was interred at his home in Esiphezini (Mabindisa village) in Umzingwane District, Matabeleland South province.

President Mnangagwa initially conferred liberation war hero status on Cde Ngwabi following a request from the Zanu PF leadership in Matabeleland South province, before the status was upgraded yesterday.

He was among the four heroic freedom fighters who dramatically escaped from the tightly guarded Grey Street Prison — now Bulawayo Prison — in 1965.

The late Prof Mpepereki was a renowned academic and University of Zimbabwe lecturer. He succumbed to Covid-19 on July 10 at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals at the age of 70.

Prof Mpepereki was also presenter on national broadcaster, ZTV, where he co-hosted a programme called “Zvavanhu” with other academics including the late Dr Vimbai Chivaura, Dr Tafataona Mahoso and Prof Claude Mararike.

He joined the UZ’s Faculty of Agriculture as a staff development fellow in 1985 and proceeded to complete a Master of Science Degree majoring in Science and Microbiology at North Carolina State University, the US, in 1987.

After completing his PhD at the UZ in 1994, he launched the soya-bean promotion programme in 1996.

Prof Mpepereki was promoted to senior lecturer in 1998, associate professor in 2000, and full professor in 2002.

Prof Kahari died of Covid-19 complications on July 23, three days after turning 91.

He was an unwavering nationalist, top academic, diplomat, educator, arts administrator and writer.

During his career, Prof Kahari served as Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Germany, Italy and Czechoslovakia.

He was also one of the founders of the Catholic University of Zimbabwe, which was founded in 1999, and the first black director at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.

Prof Kahari became active in nationalist politics in 1958 when he joined the African National Congress (ANC) before moving to ZAPU, where he was elected Central Committee member and Deputy Publicity Secretary in 1975.

Prof Kahari was then appointed member of the ZAPU delegation to the Geneva conference in 1976.

In academic circles, he taught at various schools and colleges including the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, as well as the University of Zimbabwe.

He had over 10 publications to his name, among them: The Odyssey of Shona Narratives, A Standard Dictionary of Shona-English Names, and The Search for Identity and Ufuru.

Provinces and stakeholders were directed to submit their recommendations on heroes timeously for appropriate consideration.

The ruling party also announced the suspension of provincial elections to pave way for preparations for this year’s 19th Annual People’s Conference .

Yesterday’s extraordinary Politburo session checked on the state of preparedness for this year’s annual indaba and to receive reports from the various committees involved in the preparations.

Dr Bimha said the elections would be held at a date to be announced.

He also announced the co-option of the current national Youth League executive members into the Central Committee.

Dr Bimha said President Mnangagwa said the extraordinary Politburo session was necessitated by the urgency of the National Annual People’s Conference which will be held from the 25-30 October 2021.

National chairperson Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri who also chairs the national committee on the conference preparations, gave a report on the state of preparedness of the party to host the conference.

The Politburo endorsed the recommendation to reduce the number of delegates attending both the national conference as well as the provincial virtual centres.

“It also endorsed the need to follow the Covid-19 regulations and protocols. This implies that all delegates at each provincial centre must have been vaccinated and tested. They must be able to observe social distancing,” said Dr Bimha.

“The Politburo following deliberations resolved to suspend provincial elections until further notice. This was done to allow party structures to focus on the preparations of the Annual People’s Conference.”

The Politburo also reiterated the position of the party constitution on the youth league which states 35 years as the limit for league membership.

“It was agreed that this provision must be respected unconditionally and that the composition of the youth league at any time must be 35 years and below.

“However, to ensure growth of the national members of the youth league who are now above 35 years, it was resolved that these members will be retrained and redeployed as ex-officio members of the Central Committee.”

The district elections will go ahead as planned across the country’s 10 provinces.

Zanu PF acting Secretary for Youth League Cde Tendai Chirau commended the party and President Mnangagwa for co-opting the youth league members into the Central Committee.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A jilted Shurugwi woman has been remanded in custody for pouring acid on her husband’s alleged lover.

The court heard that, Nobhire Nyasha (27) confronted Gracious Mutsindikwa (23) at Dongo Mine on September 2, accusing her of having an affair with her husband.

As Mutsindikwa who was denying the affair tried to explain herself, Nyasha accused her of lying before she poured acid on her face and her back.

Mutsindikwa is reportedly responding to treatment at Shurugwi Hospital.

Nyasha appeared before Shurugwi magistrate Percy Mukumba facing attempted murder charge.

She is expected back in court on September 30 for routine remand.

Tafadzwa Guzete appeared for the State.-HMetro

21 September 2021

Embracing Peace as a Right for all Zimbabweans

Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) joins the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of Peace which was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. In 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of nonviolence and cease-fire.

This year’s commemorations that are running under the 2021 theme “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world,” speak well to the Zimbabwean situation. ZimRights believes that as we heal from Covid19 pandemic, displacements and many other crises we are facing as a nation, we can collectively recover better and build a peaceful nation.

ZimRights calls on government to put enablers to ensure nation building, put policies and programs that restore stability and ensure sustainable Peace which can be achieved when we create a culture of human rights.

Through the ZimRights Right to Peace Campaign, we have continuously capacitated and strengthened Zimbabwean communities through new infrastructure for Peace and strengthening existing peace cultures. The ZimRights Rights to Peace campaign builds on three fundamental beliefs which are:

• The understanding of peace as a right
• Activating community tools and cultures of peace
• Linking the national peace architecture with community structures.

When we understand that Peace is a fundamental human right whose foundation is in the Bill of Rights, we will embrace the consequent obligation to build it. We believe that the first pillars in the journey to build sustainable peace is respecting human rights.

ZimRights therefore calls on the government of Zimbabwe to participate in the peacebuilding journey by respecting the rights of the people of Zimbabwe as enshrined in the Bill of Rights. During the course of the year, we have documented serious violations of human rights that are an affront to our Constitutional obligations to work for the peace and justice of all.

• The displacement of communities from their ancestral and agricultural lands to pave way for big businesses that are owned by friends and families of the ruling elite.
• The overthrowing of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) from discharging its mandate regarding the Gukurahundi atrocity as well as deploying political activists to damage the NPRC’s reputation.
• The suspension of elections as an avenue through which ordinary people directly influence how they are governed.

• The massive looting of public funds and natural resources by politically exposed persons depriving the poor of their right to education, healthcare, clean water and a safe environment.

These few among many make a mockery of the peace tenets espoused by our Constitution.

As we commemorate the International Day of Peace, ZimRights calls on the government of Zimbabwe to the following:

▪ Stop the displacement of people from their homes as this is a violation of their dignity and their right to shelter.
▪ Stop the systematic attacks on the integrity and mandate on the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) and provide the necessary resources for the commission to do its work.
▪ Repeal Statutory Instrument 225A of 2020 and allow by-elections to resume in the areas affected by the illegal recalls.
▪ Investigate allegations of grand corruption and prosecute perpetrators.

ZimRights further calls upon the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) as the commission charged with advancing the national goals on peace and reconciliation to adhere to its constitutional mandate, maintain its independence and regain the confidence of the people of Zimbabwe.

The NPRC must further distance itself from political activists that a bent on destroying its credibility.

ZimRights offers its solidarity with all the Zimbabwean communities that have never known peace in a long time, encouraging them to become remain vigilant in the pursuit of peace.
Issued by the ZimRights Information Department

[email protected] I www.zimrights.org.zw

16   SEPTEMBER 2021

Residents Associations from different parts of Zimbabwe convened on the 16^th of September 2021 to deliberate on ways through which residents associations can strengthen their coordination and empower citizens in advocating for quality social service delivery, electoral reforms as well as influence public discourse around elections.  

1. The meeting acknowledged the need to build citizen agency in terms of advocacy on electoral reforms as well as to mobilize and motivate citizens to participate in electoral processes. This is in light of the continued voter apathy arising from lack of integrity on electoral processes.

• Participants noted that voter education is critical in strengthening the capacity of citizens to demand for accountable, transparent, free and fair elections.

• In light of the linkage between elections and service delivery, participants noted that there is need to push for electoral reforms which are linked to service delivery so that citizens will have an understanding of how their vote will impact on access to social services. The need to push for duty bearers at council level to have power in terms of decision making as a way of enhancing accountability will also be a key advocacy issue. This is line with the principle of devolution as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

• The meeting acknowledged the need to push for Executive Mayors at councils across the country. This is in light of the fact that technocrats have become more powerful than elected officials and in some instances, appear to be pushing partisan agendas

• On natural resource governance, the meeting acknowledged that local communities must benefit, be involved and have a voice in the management of natural resources within their localities.

• Participants bemoaned the perpetual abuse of Section 129(k) by politicians through the ongoing recalls of Councilors and Members of Parliament which is working against representative democracy, crippling accountability mechanisms and rendering residents powerless, hence the need to come up with provisions in the Electoral Act that will operationalize Section 129(k) of the Constitution to allow involvement of citizens in the recall process of elected officials.

• Attendants concurred that there is need to push for a youth and women’s quota system in the composition of both local and provincial councils and that allocation processes for the women’s quota should be inclusive and transparent.

• The meeting acknowledged the need to strengthen operational structures of Residents Associations as well as the need to engage with key stakeholders on issues related to elections. Participants also acknowledged the need for a robust voter mobilization drive deliberately targeting youths, women and people living with disabilities as well as first time voters ahead of the 2023 elections

• The meeting acknowledged the need to push for a diaspora vote in the upcoming 2023 elections

Done on September 16, 2021

Present;

• Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association
• Combined Harare Residents Association
• Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association
• Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents Association
• Combined Mvurwi Residents and Ratepayers Association
• Chinhoyi Residents and Ratepayers Association
• Gweru Residents Forum
• Epworth Residents Development Association
• Marondera Residents Open Forum
• Marondera Residents Association
• Marondera Progressive Residents and Ratepayers Association
• Masvingo Residents Forum
• Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance
• Ruwa Residents and Ratepayers Association Trust
• Simukai Residents Association
• United Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association
• Wedza Rural Development Initiative Trust

ENDS//

By A Correspondent- Opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration of making citizens’ lives a living hell, especially with the underperforming economy turning the majority into paupers.

Chamisa’s averments came at a time Mnangagwa and his Zanu-PF party have shifted into an election gear as they prepare for the 2023 general election, two years ahead of schedule, at the expense of the economy.

Chamisa said Zimbabwe had been further impoverished by Mnangagwa regime’s failure to address key economic fundamentals.

“Of interest to Zimbabweans is the fact that in 2018, 29% of the population was in extreme poverty. About two years later, an additional 20% of the population entered into extreme poverty on the back of years of bad policies, bad governance, conflict and a command economy,” Chamisa told NewsDay yesterday.

“Sadly, the incapable in government are celebrating the so-called surplus when half of the population is now wallowing in abject poverty. The message here is clear, voting for them is voting for poverty. This is why it is urgent for all citizens to converge.”

The MDC Alliance is rallying citizens to unite, register to vote, vote and defend their vote to ensure a resounding opposition victory in the 2023 polls.

“Everywhere I go, people are struggling to make ends meet, put money in their pocket, get food for their families and roof above their heads. Life in Zimbabwe is such a daily fight for everything and anything from food, electricity, water, transport, jobs to money,” Chamisa said.

“When Finance minister (Mthuli Ncube) is celebrating budget surplus, the budget cuts and excessive taxes have pushed 49% (7,9 million) of the population into extreme poverty up from three million people in 2011 (during government of national unity). In fact, in 2020 alone, 1,9 million Zimbabweans entered into extreme poverty,” he said.

Mnangagwa took over power following a November, 2017 military coup amid promises of an economic rebound, jobs, health for all and an end to load shedding.

However, most of the problems he had promised to solve have worsened.-newsday

By A Correspondent- A Zanu-PF politburo member has charged that the nationwide jostling for positions by party members in the ongoing restructuring exercise was aimed at self-enrichment.

Zanu-PF secretary for external relations Simbarashe Mumbengegwi made the remarks while officiating at the Manicaland provincial co-ordinating committee meeting in Mutare on Saturday.

His statement came at a time party members were jostling to be elected to leadership positions in their respective provinces in next month’s internal elections.

Mumbengegwi, who was the guest of honour at the event, took the opportunity to warn ruling party officials against assuming leadership positions to amass wealth.

The ruling party is holding district executive elections this week in the country’s 10 provinces ahead of the provincial elections slated for next month.

“You should not be elected to get riches, you should be elected to serve the people, and you must seek office to produce results for the best of the land, Our President Emmerson Mnangagwa has always been saying that we should work for our nation,” he said

“Yes, we liberated our country in 1980, but the war is still on as we also need to liberate our economy,” he said

He added that Zanu-PF was geared to win the 2023 elections resoundingly, and urged party members to vote in their numbers.

“We have noted with concern that we have party members when it comes to elections, so far we have 3,6 million registered voters, we are targeting five million votes,  so we are urging party leaders to go out there and mop up for more people to join our party, but I am
very sure we are going to win the elections resoundingly  come 2023,” he said.

By A Correspondent- Police in Chivhu have arrested two men who were part of a gang that raided a road construction company along Masvingo-Harare Highway and stole 350 litres of diesel.

The suspects were arrested in a movie style high-speed chase which saw them dump their vehicle and take to their heels.

But nimble footed police officers outpaced and apprehended them.

Mashonaland East provincial police spokesperson Inspector Simon Chazovachii, confirmed the arrests, adding a manhunt for the other three has since been launched.

According to police, on September 10, at around 6pm, a security guard was on duty manning Fossil Construction Company road equipment at the 123km peg along Harare-Masvingo Highway.

At around 2am, a white unregistered Mazda Bongo stopped along a detour about 20 metres from the company’s base, prompting the guard to check.

Upon arriving at the vehicle, its driver sped off towards Harare.

The security guard then heard a loud bang at the base and rushed back to check. Upon arrival at the site, he was hit on the forehead with a metal object. The security guard realised that there were four other suspects at the site.

The security guard was further attacked and they fled from the scene before hiding in a nearby farm.

At around 5am, the security guard returned and discovered that the lids of diesel tanks of two steel roller machines and an excavator opened.

He also discovered that diesel had spilled to the ground from the machines.

A report was made at Feathrestone Police Station.

After an hour, police officers, who were manning a roadblock in Beatrice tried to intercept a Nissan Caravan which was overloaded.

They flagged down the vehicle, but it did not stop, resulting in a high speed chase towards Harare.

The police officers then alerted their colleagues manning a roadblock at the 20km peg.

It is reported that the suspects were stopped at the 20km peg and fled on foot. The police officers gave chase and apprehended one of the suspects, Prosper Hipandambira (46).

Police recovered 27x20l containers filled with diesel as well as two small pipes.

Hipandambira implicated Robson Mudzonga (32) of Dzivarasekwa in Harare. The detectives discovered that the gang had also stolen 350l of diesel and 2x48kg gas tanks at Fossil Construction Site near Njiva shops in Chivhu.

“Police are appealing for information that may lead to the arrest of the three suspects who are still at large. They are known by their pseudonyms as Edward of Epworth and Bonnie of Dzivarasekwa Extension,” Chazovachii said.-newsday

In a Twitter Spaces program on ZimEye Monday night, MDC T leader @DouglasMwonzora says he is succeeding because he wrote a letter to ED and ED wrote a letter to him. Should Mwonzora avail the letters?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 21, 2021

By A Correspondent- Police in Harare have arrested and seriously injured 11 student teachers at Belvedere Teachers College who were protesting over the decision to block them from accessing the campus before paying their tuition fees.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) confirmed the arrests and that the students were initially held at Milton Park police station before being transferred to Harare Central police station.

Lawyers Tinashe Chinopfukutwa and Paidamoyo Saurombe both from the ZLHR are representing the arrested students.

Today, the week commenced with our lawyers searching for and locating 11 student teachers who were rounded up at Belvedere Technical Teachers College and detained at Milton Park police station,” an alert from the lawyers read in part.

“The 11 are being transferred to Harare Central police station and some of them are nursing injuries after they were severely assaulted.”

The students were demonstrating against the fee hike and the college’s decision to turn away students for non-payment of fees.

Students said fees ranging from between $38200 for campus students and $21100 for day scholars was beyond their reach and were planning to march to Higher Education minister Professor Amon Murwira’s offices to register their concern.-newsday

DREAM INTEPRETERS HELP

Ndarota ndiripaCoppa Cabanna. Mahwindi akamira mumaDoor emabhazi akatengwa nehurumende yavaMnangagwa (@edmnangagwa) achiti: "Hapinde. ZUPCO rakazara!!!!"
What does this DREAM mean,Who is this one who is being said by the masses?:"He will NEVER to Enter"

— Dr. Obert M. Mpofu (@DrObertMpofu) September 21, 2021

By A Correspondent- African Apostolic Church leader, Paul Mwazha has approached the High Court in a bid to stop his sons from holding pilgrimages at the church shrines.

The church is split between Mwazha and his sons.

Earlier this year, the High Court barred both parties from accessing the church shrines at Ndarikure Shashe in Midlands and Mapembe in Manicaland provinces.

Nevertheless, Mwazha’s second son and faction leader, Alfred Kushamisa has invited members of the church to attend two pilgrimages scheduled to be held at the end of this week and next month at the church’s shrines.

Mwazha wants the gatherings slated for Ndarikure from 24 – 26 September and Mapembe from 8 -10 October cancelled pending the finalisation of the leadership wrangle.

The church also wants Mwazha’s three sons and five others to be evicted from the church’s shrines.

The church also predicts that there will be violent clashes between the factions if the proposed gatherings proceed considering that previous activities resulted in violence at the shrines.

It also believes that the gatherings will be COVID-19 super spreaders considering that many people are likely to attend the pilgrimages.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF National chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said the party would not be allowing any Covid-19 unvaccinated member to attend the party’s annual conference.

Zanu PF is holding its 2021 annual conference next month in Bindura.

Addressing the media after the party’s Politburo meeting in Harare Monday, Zanu PF acting spokesperson Mike Bimha said Muchinguri said they had endorsed the recommendation to reduce the number of delegates attending the national conference well the provincial virtual centres.

“It also endorsed the need to follow the Covid-19 regulations and protocols. This implies that all delegates at each provincial centre must have been vaccinated and tested. They must be able to observe social distancing,” said Bimha.

“The Politburo following deliberations resolved to suspend provincial elections until further notice. This was done to allow party structures to focus on the preparations of the Annual People’s Conference.”

The Politburo also reiterated the position of the party constitution on the youth league which states 35 years as the limit for league membership.

“It was agreed that this provision must be respected unconditionally and that the composition of the youth league at any time must be 35 years and below.
“However, to ensure growth of the national members of the youth league who are now above 35 years, it was resolved that these members will be retrained and redeployed as ex-officio members of the Central Committee.”

By A Correspondent- Gays and Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) said President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2018 positively responded to their issues.

Sylvester Nyamatendedza, a senior GALZ official, told a local online news portal that ahead of the 2018 elections, their organisation approached 16 political parties contesting in that year’s plebiscite seeking clarification on whether their grievances had been included in their election manifestos.

He said ahead of the elections, Zanu gave the association an opportunity to share its concerns and demands on behalf of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) communities. Said Nyamatendedza:

Prior to the 2018 elections, the LGBTI community who are members of GALZ asked us to inquire from political parties their interpretation on good governance and service delivery system, if their manifestos had anything to do with LGBTI issues, and what their plans were as a party if they won the elections regarding LGBTI.

We wrote to 16 political parties, and we only received a response from the ruling party, ZANU PF who asked us for a meeting. We managed to submit our needs, concerns, and demands as the LGBTI community.

Nyamatendedza declined to name other political parties they approached but ignored GALZ’s requests.

Zanu PF’s new stance on GALZ is now far removed from the party’s former leader and Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe who once described gays and lesbians as “worse than pigs”.

Zimbabwe’s Constitution criminalises same-sex marriages while Section 74 of the Criminal Codification and Reform Act has for years been used against members of the LGBTI community.

By A Correspondent- Controversial Zimbabwean actress and media personality, Tinopona Katsande widely known as Tin Tin in entertainment circles has returned to radio.

Tinopona is now back at ZiFM Stereo as co-host of “SundayBrunchRun” alongside veteran broadcaster Tonderai “TK” Katsande.
She was rehired by ZiFm Stereo, one of the leading FM radio stations in Zimbabwe.
Ecstatic about the development, Tinopona took to social media announcing her return to ZiFm Stereo.

“Haaaalllaa!! Guess who’s back on radio? Yayiii!!! @zifmstereo with the baddest in the business @teekayzw – cheers to all who support come backs 1 “

Katsande was one of the first employees for ZiFm Stereo when it was launched. She, however, lost her job in October 2013 after a tape of her in a sexual act flooded the internet. After 5 years of suspension, she was rehired again in 2018 by the same broadcaster.

She was on social media recently when she was said to have resorted to selling eggs to gain a living.

…to allow people to cheat the electorate and then change political parties midstream is not to promote dignity…

By A Correspondent | In what signals a dark cul de sac for Zimbabwe’s most popular politician Nelson Chamisa, and what demonstrates that no matter which direction he turns, be it changing party name, or starting a new organisation, he will be fought against, because, Chamisa is ‘cheating the electorate,’ as his nemesis Douglas Mwonzora said last night.

The issue of hate speech… Komichi did not give any hate speech. Komichi stated a fact that we will not allow people that do not belong to us to continue holding our position that's not hate that's stating the obvious that's stating a party position, pic.twitter.com/SQWCsl0r9X

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 21, 2021

Speaking to a large audience moderated by top journalists Garikai Chaunza and Lynette Manzini, Mwonzora said statements by his aide, Morgen Komichi to recall MPs and councillors who under Nelson Chamisa cannot be termed, hate speech.

He said this while hinting that a government of national unity is coming soon.

Mwonzora was also responding to a complaint raised by Hwange MP Daniel Molokele, and a female member of the crowd, when he said:

“The issue of hate speech… Komichi did not give any hate speech.

“Komichi stated a fact that we will not allow people that do not belong to us to continue holding our position that’s not hate; that’s stating the obvious that’s stating a party position, what is hate speech if I can give you an example, is because Mwonzora comes from Manicaland you call him Muzorewa, and all that, that is directed, that is hate now but if I say we will recall who don’t belong to us, that’s not hate at all.

“And Madam, what you understand about dignity and what I understand about dignity may be different, and as far as I am concerned to allow corrupt people to get away with it, is not promoting dignity.

“To allow corrupt councillors who steal from the poor, to continue keeping those positions, is not enhancing dignity, to allow people to cheat the electorate and then change political parties midstream is not to promote dignity.

“To allow lawlessnes and anarchy is not promoting dignity. The MDC has a constitution…”

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) officers have been implicated in stealing millions of money from road regulatory authority by corruptly allowing banned motorists, kombis and pirate taxis to sneak through boom gates.

The Herald reports that the illicit practice, which is most pronounced at Dema toll gate along the Chitungwiza-Marondera road in Seke, is being done in full view of police officers.

They take advantage of motorists in front of them, who duly pay toll fees and are allowed to pass.

Before the boom gate closes, rogue elements will sneak through and drive off at high speed without paying.

Surprisingly, no reports have been officially made against the motorists who evade payment on several times daily.
The same errant motorists pass through the toll gate daily and no arrests have so far been made.

Zinara spokesperson Mr Tendai Mugabe referred all questions to the national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi.

Mr Mugabe
“The police are the ones who enforce the law and we cannot comment on such cases,” said Mr Mugabe.
Asst Comm Nyathi said police will investigate the cases.
“We will engage the relevant police station to find out what is happening. If there is connivance, then definitely action will be taken,” he said.
At Skyline toll gate along Harare-Masvingo highway, pirate taxis popularly known as “mushikashika” queue at a side boom gate reserved for those with pre-payment proof and exemption certificates.
Once the gate opens for those on exemption, pirate taxis sneak through without payment.
Almost daily, the kombis, Toyota Wish, and Honda Fit vehicles fraudulently gain passage in full view of officials and police officers.

Since the announcement of the Covid-19 lockdown measure in 2020, kombis across the country were banned.
Unlike conventional buses which were allowed on several times to operate, when the measures were relaxed, kombis remained banned.
However, some kombi owners and operators have allowed their crew to operate, and there are allegations that they connive with corrupt police officers manning roadblocks, for free passage.
The alleged unholy alliance is derailing Government efforts to curb the spread of the virus.
The Herald observed that whenever the driver of a kombi is approaching the Dema Toll gate, they allow either a private vehicle or a haulage truck to be ahead allowing them to be behind the haulage truck or private vehicle.
Whenever a haulage truck driver pays a toll fee, and the gate opens to allow him to pass, but kombi and the mushikashika drivers take advantage of that and speed off without payment.
Observations made by The Herald revealed that almost all the kombis that ply the Chitungwiza-Hwedza or Chitungwiza-Marondera routes engage in this unlawful activity.
On September 4 this year around 3pm, a silver kombi ADZ 8001 inscribed “Remember Me” almost rammed into an Isuzu double cab at Dema Toll gate while rushing to pass through before the gate closes.

It passed without payment.
Asked to comment on the behaviour of the kombi driver, a female cashier at Dema had this to say: “We are tired of these kombi drivers. They do this always and we compile a list of the registration numbers of such vehicles daily. This counter book is almost full,” said the Zinara cashier.
On September 15 around 9am, this writer witnessed a Silver Toyota Hiace (AEU 8305) plying Chitungwiza-Hwedza route going through the same toll gate without paying.
At law, kombis ferrying passengers are supposed to pay US$3 or $246 to gain passage at toll gates.
These illegal kombis operating from Chitungwiza to Marondera and Hwedza pass through police checkpoints.
In most cases, these kombis pass through three or four roadblocks before getting into Marondera from Chitungwiza.

There is a road block which is sometimes mounted just near Ziko Business Centre and another one about half a kilometre before the tollgate.
Another roadblock is always mounted about a kilometre before the Dema Police Station.
In most incidents, kombis pass through these checkpoints without a hustle.
On several occasions, they are briefly stopped, and a chit chat between officers and kombi drivers is done and the crew is allowed passage.
But it is not always the case, as on some days, the crew would evade these road blocks especially when they allegedly realise that the officers manning the roadblocks on that particular day are not friendly. They will use gravel roads which pass through Mabika village.
Some evade the Dema tollgate and use a gravel road which will take them to Murape Primary School, a kilometre after the toll gate.

The police checkpoint which is hard to evade is the one near Dema police station.
However, this is not a hindrance to the illegal commuters as they always through, raising suspicion that they pay bribes.
“I always use these kombis to and from Hwedza, they are not stopped at roadblocks, vakomana ava vanongobvisa mari vopa police votopfuura,” said one of the passengers while talking to this writer in a Hwedza-bound kombi.
The commuter omnibus was stopped at Dema roadblock and true to the passenger’s word, it was allowed passage.

By A Correspondent- The family of late national hero and Cabinet minister Perrance Shiri has questioned the authenticity of documents used by the Master of the High Court Eldard Mutasa to handle his vast empire.

A decorated national hero and ex-Air Force of Zimbabwe commander, Shiri became Agriculture minister soon after President Emmerson Mnangagwa took over in a November 2017 coup and served in that capacity until he succumbed to COVID-19 on July 29 last year.

Some of his children have, through their lawyers, written to Mutasa on several occasions, arguing that the estate administration documents were not authentic.

Shiri’s estate beneficiaries also challenged Mutasa’s appointment of former Attorney-General Sobusa Gula-Ndebele as executor when the late Agriculture minister had a family trust with its own executor.

They claimed that Gula-Ndebele had shown bias in executing the estate as he had un-procedurally given authority to undeserving relatives to use Shiri’s property, namely his nephew Bornwell Chitanda who is now staying at the deceased’s property in Borrowdale after moving out of his Hatcliffe home to occupy the house which had key documents and family safes.

But Chitanda yesterday said: “I was asked to stay at the late minister’s house because there was no relative staying with him at the time of his death. I am just looking after the property. I know nothing about the late minister’s documents to do with his estate. I wouldn’t concern myself with his estate because I am not a beneficiary anyway.”

The matter is now being investigated by police under reference ER5/2021 with the hope that the estate does not fall into wrong hands.

Shiri’s children argued that Mutasa had used a 1995 will, which the late minister had disregarded after registering a family trust with one of his children Rufaro Stephanie Shiri as executor, but who some family members are allegedly wanting to muscle out.

According to documents seen by NewsDay, the late Agriculture minister’s children, Rufaro Stephanie reportedly with the support from sisters Tatenda and Cynthia, accused the Master’s office of using fraudulent documents to deprive them of their inheritance.

“The estate issue has ceased to be a family issue as portrayed to the public and government. People are using government letterheads and offices to execute their fraudulent activities. Mr Gula-Ndebele was appointed executor both dative and testamentary, was the Master’s Office confused on what role to give to him since the family trust has its own executor? His (Mutasa) letter appointing him as administrator was stamped on August 20, 2020, but signed on August 21. Was the stamp stolen on the 20th and someone who was not supposed to sign signed his letters of administration,” Stephanie queried.

The children also questioned the addition of other individuals to benefit from the estate among them Tawanda Zulu and Tanaka Stephanie Shiri who they claimed her real name was Tanaka Musvamhiri, yet they were allegedly not Shiri’s biological children. Zulu has been given Shiri’s farm under unclear circumstances through a letter reportedly signed by the late minister.

“After approaching the Agriculture ministry officials who had worked with our father they happened to confirm the offer letter existed and that the farm had been subdivided, but the question is if the farm was truly subdivided, and if the Agriculture minister chairs the committee for subdivision of farms. Why did he decide to write to himself stating he wanted his farm to be given to Tawanda Zulu, whom he had not given the name Shiri and (though) (he) had stayed with the family for 10 years. The letter can only be read over the phone and had been read on the phone with ministry officials requiring a family meeting to release the letter. No one has ever seen a hard copy of the letter, but what we can confirm is it’s on the ministry’s letterhead,” she said.

But Gula-Ndebele dismissed the allegations in heated exchanges with Stephanie and her sisters’ lawyers.

Shiri’s estate was registered on August 3, 2020 by his daughter Stephanie.

“If Mr Sobusa Gula-Ndebele knew he was an executor, why didn’t he register the estate? Under the laws and statues of Zimbabwe, a family meeting is done to appoint an executor and the decision lies among deceased’s spouse and/or children. Such a meeting was not done,” Stephanie said.

“The Master of High Court has records of all wills and trusts and it is his duty to scrutinise wills and approve if they can be used to administer one’s estate. The 1995 will in particular, has the following grey areas: (for instance) the marital clause states that: In the event of death of any of my daughters, her inheritance will go to her children. If the daughter has no children at the time of her death, her share of the inheritance will be shared equally among her.”

She added: “The clause eliminates Mr Titus Takudzwa Chikerema Shiri. I believe when the will was registered in 1995 according to the document we have only three children listed. Titus being one of them! How could he have been included in one clause and eliminated in the marital clause. How did the deceased know that Titus would not be able to marry and would not die, but the daughters would die and clearly states their children were to benefit and or siblings if there were no children?

“Today, Titus is no more, he died in 2013, he had been allocated a house in the will, had no children, what is going to happen to that house since the will eliminated him in the marital clause? The clauses also suggest that he no longer has male children which people could have derived from the trust and the reason why Titus was eliminated in the new documents is because he doesn’t exist, he died in 2013.”

Stephanie confirmed that Gula-Ndebele was once Shiri’s lawyer, but argued that as an interested party, he should not have drafted and executed the will.

“Witness names are not there, only signatures present, no names with ID numbers. At the time of my father’s death, Sobusa Gula-Ndebele was no longer his lawyer.”

She added that the documents provided to Gula-Ndebele as executor had many disparities.

“The document Acceptance of Trust as Executor MHC 11 on the top left part is printed by Printflow (Private) Limited and the signature used to sign that document is not Sobusa Gula-Ndebele’s.

“The bond of security for the issue of letters of administration to executor also on the top left part is printed by Printflow (Private Limited) on the top right reference number 63911-0 MHC 52 333 (J). Letter of administration is on the other hand printed by the Government Printer, Harare M.H.C.16,” she said, adding that the bond of security document and letters of administration did not have the Master’s signature and stamp.

She also argued that there were two copies of letters of administration — the one with the government emblem date-stamped on August 20, 2020 and deemed to have been signed by one D Gutu (for the Master of High Court) on August 21, 2020.

“These are to certify that ……. (But) how do they certify that he (Gula-Ndebele) has a letter of administration with no official stamp or signature from the Master. This letter was only issued on the 29th of August 2020, while the one with the government emblem was issued on the 21st of August 2020, weren’t they supposed to be done on one day? The letter to certify him as executor has no stamp and no signatures,” Stephanie questioned.

She added that according to every document provided, Gula-Ndebele was appointed executor dative and testamentary.

“Executor dative is an executor that is appointed by the Master of the High Court where the deceased died without a will (intestate and/or real executor doesn’t wish to accept the appointment). So on whose behalf was he being appointed executor testamentary on executor nominated by will?” Stephanie asked.

Documents show that Shiri in 1995 appointed Gula-Ndebele as executor of his will and administrator of his estate together with late General Solomon Mujuru in the event that Gula-Ndebele would have failed to perform his duty properly. But Mujuru died in 2011 in a mysterious inferno at his Beatrice farmhouse.

In the will, Shiri bequeathed 50% of his bank savings, insurance policies to his now late son Titus and the other half of savings to his children Tatenda and Cynthia Shiri, and all his other children who were yet to be born and to come.

A death notice filed at the Master’s Offices indicated that three more children Tawanda (adopted son who stayed with his family for 10 years before he reportedly moved out), Stephanie and Tanaka were also listed as beneficiaries of Shiri’s estate.

“So this implies even those that Gula-Ndebele would want to include can only benefit from the savings and nothing else which then nullifies his distribution account which allocates shares to Tawanda Zulu and Tanaka Musvamhiri also in the overall estate distribution,” Stephanie argues.

Yesterday, Tanaka responded: “I do not dispute the documents that are being used by the Master of the High Court. I accept them as authentic. I can’t comment further, but I insist that I am the late minister’s daughter and I have proof to that effect.”

Zulu said: “I can’t comment on the matter. Those who are making claims on the authenticity of the documents are better placed to answer your questions.”

On April 12, 2021, Stephanie wrote to Mutasa requesting to be appointed as executrix dative of her father’s estate, since Gula-Ndebele as the executor testamentary had allegedly failed to register the estate following her father’s death.

On May 17, 2021, she wrote another letter requesting for the removal of Gula-Ndebele as the executor of Shiri’s estate, accusing him of neglecting his duties.

She also accused the executor of a litany of issues including failing to register the estate, read the will on time and to urgently address important issues for estate administration.

Stephanie recommended her lawyer to be appointed as executor of the late Shiri’s properties, in place of Gula-Ndebele and implored Mutasa to carry out investigations on suspected fraudulent acts on her father’s estate.

“Sometime in December 2020, the executor refused me the right to legal representation, violating my constitutional right to legal representation by a lawyer of my choice,” she stated in the letter.

“This is why my lawyers have been writing directly to the Office of the Master of the High Court because the executor refused them the opportunity to represent me. I, therefore, now appeal to your high offices as the Master of the High Court to remove the executor from office in terms of section 116 of the Administration of Estates Act (Chapter 6:01).”

She asked Mutasa to convene a meeting of the beneficiaries, with two sisters, Cynthia and Tatenda to appoint an executor.

But, Mutasa in response stated that there was no need for a meeting to deliberate on the dictates of section 116 of the Administration of Estates Act.

“We note that Ms Rufaro filed an objection to the account, which the executor has already filed. The estate appears to us to be almost finalised,” Mutasa said in a May 17, 2021, letter.

“What remains is to address the issues you raised as the basis for your objection to the account which we have forwarded to the executor and now awaits his responses before the office takes a position.

“On the issue of registration of the estate, please note that any of the interested parties connected to the deceased could have registered the estate and what Ms Rufaro did was completely in order. There was no need to wait for the lawyers to attend to the registration.”

Yesterday, Mutasa said: “I am not allowed to comment to the media without authorisation from the Judicial Service Commission secretary. I have to seek his authority first.”

Stephanie questioned why the Master’s Office had failed to remove Gula-Ndebele as executor of the Shiri estate given Shiri’s children’s misgivings over how the estate was being handled.

“We, therefore, appeal to the leadership of this country to see to it that those involved in these shenanigans are brought to book. This poses a serious security threat to us as beneficiaries if it’s not addressed urgently. We believe we still have a lot to benefit from our father’s colleagues, but there are people who would want to taint them for no reason. All culprits should be brought to book,” Stephanie said.

Gula-Ndebele was recently at the centre of a messy wrangle which erupted over the distribution of another hero’s estate which includes several houses, a farm, residential stands and cash.-Newsday

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has bemoaned increasing poverty in the country due to mismanagement of State resources by the Zanu PF regime.

According to President Chamisa, voting for Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu PF is voting for poverty.

See President Chamisa’s full presentation on Twitter…

1/INCREASING POVERTY..Everywhere I go people are struggling to make ends meet,put money in their pocket, get food for their families & a roof above their heads. Life in Zimbabwe is such a daily fight for everything & anything..from food,electricity,water, transport,jobs to money.

2/Based on data analysis on food poverty with 2017 & 2019 Poverty,Income, Consumption,Expenditure Survey (PICES)data,the World Bank estimates that the no of people under the food poverty line (the share of pple that can’t afford a basic basket of food products),

3/or people living with income under USD $1.90 per day has increased from 3 million people in 2011 to 4.7 million (29% of the population) to about 6 million in 2019 and rose to 7.9 million in 2020 (World Bank, 2021).

4/When the Min of Finance is celebrating budget surplus,the budget cuts & excessive taxes have pushed 49% (7.9 million) of the population into extreme poverty up from 3 million people in 2011 (during GNU).In fact,in 2020 alone,1.9 million Zimbabweans entered into extreme poverty.

5/Of interest to Zimbabweans is the fact that in 2018, 29% of the population was in extreme poverty. About two years later, an additional 20% of the population entered into extreme poverty on the back of years bad policies, bad governance, conflict and a command economy.

6/Sadly, the INCAPABLE in Gvt are celebrating the so-called ‘budget surplus’ when half of the population is now wallowing in abject poverty.The message here is clear:voting for them is voting for poverty.This is why it is urgent for the all CITIZENS TO CONVERGE FOR CHANGE!#CCC

We will not be surprised if we find Nelsomm Chamisaa on the ballot with the same face of our own Nero

— Vapange Chipanga? (@PrideDhliwayo4) September 20, 2021

YOU have spend time and using #ccc, this name was about or has penetrated in some rural areas. YOU will see this name on ballot paper in 2023, and some by error will place their vote on it. This is how rigging start

— kudzi (@kudzi263) September 20, 2021

It wont be surprising to find a candidate by the name Melson Chamisa on the ballot box..keep them guessing.

— Mpangazitha ?? (@NicksonMpofu) September 20, 2021

at this rate, people should not be surprised kuona pa ballot box paine ka look-alike ka Nelson Chamisa.

apa kanenge kakanzi Melson Chamisa

— Tino (@tinogosha) September 20, 2021

Chamisa wotyisa! Mati madii? Dougie akanhonga mastreet kids ndokumati MDCA and the name refused to stick. Nhasi Jamwanda and Nick registered a party called Citizens Convergence for Change. Likewise it will evaporate like morning dew. Ngaapinde Hake Mukomana #NHM pic.twitter.com/3emGYEFRPh

— Luther Malcom Hove (@Luther_Hove) September 20, 2021

They ask Chamisa:
1. What's the name of the new alliance?
2. What's your plan?
These questions are simply being posed for a counter attack!#NgaapindeHakeMukomana pic.twitter.com/p1dqSR5FK4

— Luther Malcom Hove (@Luther_Hove) September 20, 2021

Imajeni !!! All the resources they have used so far and they are not stopping #NHM next week kuchaita imwe party inonzi CNN kuzoti patichasvika 2023 kunenge kwato neinonzi Chamisa Ka ?

— MChinoz (@MunyahChinoz) September 20, 2021

https://twitter.com/ChihwaJohari/status/1439952499293704193?s=20

https://twitter.com/Queenmtamba/status/1439945459766792193?s=20

This does not mean anything as long as they register Chamisa @nelsonchamisa as their Candidate!

It's not the first time ZanuPF has taken our name, and it wil not be the last!

Millions don't care about the name, they want Chamisa to lead, chete chete!#NgaapindeHakeMukomana pic.twitter.com/X5SFRkUFDN

— Batsirai K ?? (@BatsieKu) September 20, 2021

Inyaya ye tag #NgaapindeHakeMukomana yavashaisa hope!

— Dayimane eLimnyama? ?? (@ChiefJusticeHD) September 20, 2021

True 2023 we are going to vote them out…Ngaapinde Hake Mukomana

— Pilgrim (@Pilgrimzim) September 20, 2021

By A Correspondent- A new political party, Citizens Convergence for Change (CCC), has notified the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of its existence.

In a letter addressed to the chairperson of ZEC and dated 20 September 2021, CCC Secretary-General, Farai Zhou, said the party’s leader, Varaidzo Musungo, will be their 2023 presidential candidate. Wrote Zhou:

We refer to the above and write further to our letter of 8 September 2021.

We can confirm that our Party’s President and 2023 Presidential Candidate is Ms Varaidzo Musungo. Our party logo as appears at the top and bottom of this letter.

In the interests of better communication, we are sourcing offices in Harare and will advise once we have these.

Meanwhile, exiled former ZANU PF Politburo member, Professor Jonathan Moyo, who has become a critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government since his exile several years ago, early this month urged the MDC Alliance to take the necessary legal steps to protect the “Citizen Convergence for Change (CCC)” brand.

CCC has over the past few months been touted as an alternative party name for the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance after MDC-T president Douglas Mwonzora laid claim to the MDC Alliance name.

In a tweet, this Monday, journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin’ono criticised the MDC Alliance for its perceived lack of strategy. 

He said:

Jonathan Moyo @ProfJNMoyo warned citizens against complacency, and also the need to register CCC. Whilst many were busy insulting Jonathan Moyo, this is what the regime was busy doing! Do you now understand that numbers are meaningless without strategy?

By A Correspondent- Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has warned residents against drinking borehole water saying it (council) has no capacity to treat the water.

In its latest council report, the local authority warned that borehole water was a potential health risk.

The council said sewer overflows and bacteriological contaminated soil are the main sources of borehole contamination.

The local authority advised residents to boil borehole water before drinking it. The council report read:

The Director of Engineering Services reported (29th July, 2021) that borehole water was not treated water nor did Council have the capacity to treat or protect such water from contamination.

In that regard, bacteriological quality of borehole water could not be guaranteed since the water was untreated and subject to contamination at any time from environmental factors like sewer overflows and bacteriological contaminated soil.

20 September 2021

We the organizations here present,

United as a coalition working towards wetlands preservation in the Harare Metropolitan Province,

Gravely Concerned by the construction of houses and a vocational centre at Cleveland wetland/catchment area and concerned that the construction will adversely affect water delivery and disaster preparedness plans against flooding as we head towards the 2021-2022 rain season,

Disturbed, by the continued construction activities in the Cleveland Catchment when an Environmental Protection Order was issued to the developer by EMA,

Outraged, by the disregard of the newly gazetted Harare Wetlands Map,

Acknowledging our inalienable right to life, to clean water and a clean environment as provided for in the 2013 Constitution of Zimbabwe as well as the role wetlands play in water delivery and climate change resilience.

Maintaining thatthe destruction of wetlands through construction of buildings in Harare Metropolitan Province remains one of the contributors to the water challenges bedeviling Harare and flooding of homes that rocked Harare in past years.

The evidence of the past is clear that people whose houses are built on wetlands have been experiencing perpetual flooding within their homes every rain season, hence allowing construction of houses in any wetland is a recipe for disaster.

In relation to disasters posed by construction of houses in wetlands, we view that this will burden already depleted local authorities and national budgets,

Worried that the property developer on Cleveland wetland was issued an Environmental Protection Order by EMA and still continued to disregard the order; and worried that events at Cleveland Catchment area reflects the current wave of destruction of wetlands at national level and by the gap that exist between policy and practice on protection of water sources and ecologically sensitive areas in our country.

Following reports, we made to the City of Harare and the Environment Management Agency in the last week. This follows our routine engagements with relevant authorities on the urgency to protect wetlands from construction of buildings, illegal urban agriculture and sand poaching.

We are disappointed that the authorities have not taken decisive action to halt this unfortunate situation. What is more worrying is we are heading towards the rain season and weather forecasts from the Meteorological Services Department show that Harare is likely to get above normal rainfall, the same prediction that happened last rain season and we got serious flooding of houses constructed on wetlands.

We contend that the construction of buildings is at the heart of the water challenges and flooding disasters hitting local authorities.

The water supply situation in Harare remains dire. The City is producing 417 megalitres per day, 60% of which is unaccounted for water. The agenda of wetlands preservation remains urgent. There seems to be no clear plan to use the Harare Wetlands map to guide spatial planning in Harare Metropolitan Province.

We implore the Government to urgently ensure that Harare Wetlands map guide spatial planning within Harare Metropolitan Province.

We state that any public official both elected and non-elected who, promote, support, sustain or catalyze destruction of wetlands is not fit to hold public office and he or she is a threat to water security  

We thus make the following demands as Combined Harare Residents Association and Community Water Alliance:

v  Improved coordination among government departments, agencies and local authorities on environmental and water management plans. The newly developed Harare Wetlands map should guide spatial planning within the Metropolitan Province.

v  Government must respect international treaties, domestic laws and its policies by immediately stopping construction activities currently underway in the Cleveland Catchment Wetland area.

v  Full implementation of devolution as provided by Chapter 14 of the constitution and allow citizens to have a voice on the management of natural resources within their local areas.

v  Government and local authorities must not allow any further land grabs or invasions on any wetland and safeguard the abuse of regularization provisions in the regional Town Planning Act by politically connected land barons.

v  Scaling up the wetlands agenda among CSOs and Residents Associations through establishment of a National Wetlands Coordination Forum and 10 Provincial Wetlands Coordination Forums in view of devolution.

v  Political parties in Zimbabwe should come up with comprehensive and robust climate change policies that will include wetlands protection in their election Manifestos ahead of the 2023 elections.

v  Local Authorities must come up with enforceable Climate Change Policies that recognize wetlands protection as part of climate resilience strategy

As an emerging nucleus of a Coalition on Wetlands protection we intend to do the following;

v  Take legal action against the current developments in the Cleveland Catchment and other areas.

v  Ratchet a campaign on organizing and mobilization of citizens to take charge of their wetlands within their local areas.

v  Compliment and support local authorities and government efforts in the protection of wetlands

v  Conduct an information blitz campaign that includes naming and shaming people involved in wetlands destruction.

By A Correspondent- A new political party, Citizens Convergence for Change (CCC), has notified the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of its existence.

In a letter addressed to the chairperson of ZEC and dated 20 September 2021, CCC Secretary-General, Farai Zhou, said the party’s leader, Varaidzo Musungo, will be their 2023 presidential candidate. Wrote Zhou:

We refer to the above and write further to our letter of 8 September 2021.

We can confirm that our Party’s President and 2023 Presidential Candidate is Ms Varaidzo Musungo. Our party logo as appears at the top and bottom of this letter.

In the interests of better communication, we are sourcing offices in Harare and will advise once we have these.

Meanwhile, exiled former ZANU PF Politburo member, Professor Jonathan Moyo, who has become a critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government since his exile several years ago, early this month urged the MDC Alliance to take the necessary legal steps to protect the “Citizen Convergence for Change (CCC)” brand.

CCC has over the past few months been touted as an alternative party name for the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance after MDC-T president Douglas Mwonzora laid claim to the MDC Alliance name.

In a tweet, this Monday, journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin’ono criticised the MDC Alliance for its perceived lack of strategy. 

He said:

Jonathan Moyo @ProfJNMoyo warned citizens against complacency, and also the need to register CCC. Whilst many were busy insulting Jonathan Moyo, this is what the regime was busy doing! Do you now understand that numbers are meaningless without strategy?