THE United States yesterday said it was unfazed by the Zimbabwean government’s actions of undermining their assistance to fight the ravaging COVID19 pandemic and remained committed to assisting millions of its population.

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member, Jim Risch, said Washington has been the largest provider of health and humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe, totalling US$3,5 billion since independence in 1980, and would not be swayed by politicking.

“No matter how hard the Zimbabwe government tries to undermine our assistance, we remain committed to helping Zimbabweans fight the COVID19 pandemic,” he posted on Twitter reacting to Harare’s position to reject a donation of Johnson and Johnson vaccines by the US.

Addressing journalists on the 25 million COVID19 vaccines donation to the African Union, Gayle Smith, State Department coordinator for Global COVID19 Response and Health Security and Akunna Cook, deputy assistant secretary of State for African Affairs, also reiterated the position that there was nothing political about the donations.

They said the donation was motivated by the desire to help Africa combat the ravaging virus.

“As the President (Joe Biden) said, we are doing this with no strings. We are not asking governments to take a position in our favour on the Security Council, to buy our goods, to do anything else, much as we have done with all of the other investments we have made in Africa’s progress on health,” Smith said.

“Our intent here is very clear. We want to see Africa defeat this pandemic. We want to see Africa be resilient and to thrive. So there are no strings attached, is, I think, the first and most important message that we can offer.”

Cook said: “We have long been partners of Africa, and our assistance is really about being good partners to Africa. It’s not about coercion or influence. It’s really about wanting to make sure that our African partners are resilient and are able to have a strong and healthy future in this increasingly interdependent and interconnected world. Vaccines don’t – viruses don’t know borders. Right? And so it is clear to us that defeating this pandemic everywhere, including in Africa, is essential.

“On mistrust, I think it’s – we as the United States, we see ourselves in a leadership position. That is why we are sharing these vaccine doses that we have available, and we are trying to do it as quickly as possible.”

On Wednesday, government through presidential spokesperson George Charamba claimed the US was politicising the vac- cine donations and had handed over half a million doses to the main opposition MDC Alliance for “political vaccination.”

The MDC Alliance and the US have rubbished the claims.

Zimbabwe is targeting at least 10 million vaccinations by year-end to achieve herd immunity and allow life to get back to normal.

Of the intended target, only 1 352 524 had received their first doses by Thursday, while only 664 587 had received their second jab.

-Newsday

FORMER Bulawayo deputy mayor and Ward three councillor Tinashe Kambarami has dragged President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Bulawayo City Council and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to court seeking his reinstatement.

Kambarami was recently blocked by senior council officials from assuming his duties following his reinstatement as Ward three councillor by the Supreme Court.

Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Thompson Mabhikwa in 2019 declared Kambarami’s election null and void after 1892 Mthwakazi Restoration Movement Trust and Nomalanga  Dabengwa approached the High Court challenging his election.

He, however, appealed the ruling at the Supreme Court which overturned Justice Mabhikwa’s ruling.

Following the apex court’s ruling, Kambarami early this month attempted to attend a full council meeting but the move was blocked by mayor Solomon Mguni and town clerk Christopher Dube.

The two officials claimed Kambarami had been recalled from the council by the Douglas Mwonzora led MDC-T.

Kambarami had been recalled from council together with other eight councillors last year by the MDC –T but the former deputy Mayor argues that when he was purportedly recalled, he was no longer a councillor because his election had been nullified.

“The application for a declaratur is made on the grounds that the letter written by MDC –T be declared null and void in as far as it relates to the applicant (Kambarami) as he was not serving as a councillor during that time. He, therefore, could not be recalled,” he argued in his latest court challenge.

“Further and alternatively, the decision of the MDC-T to expel or arrive at the determination that applicant is no longer a member of the Bulawayo City Council to be declared unlawful and set aside and consequently the letter written by the 2nd respondent to the 3rd respondent is declared null and void.”

The court application was filed through his lawyers Mqhawe Mpofu of Sam Mlauzi and Partners.

Kambarami also wants the court to bar Mnangagwa and ZEC from proclaiming Ward three vacant.

“The President and, or his officials, functionaries, employees, agents or assignees be and are hereby permanently interdicted proclaiming a date for the holding of a by-election in Ward three, Bulawayo in terms of section 39 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13).

“Consequently, there being no lawful encumbrance to the resumption of applicant’s duties, the 1st respondent shall immediately admit the applicant to council pursuant to his reinstatement by operation of the law following the judgment in case number SC 66/21 on May 2021,” further reads the application.

In the application Kambarami also Local Government Minister as respondents.

The respondents are yet to file their opposing papers.

-Newsday

THE GOVERNMENT has enlisted the services of a Lithuanian printing company, Garsu Pasaulis (GP), to produce national identity documents (IDs) to ease current shortages.

A progress report presented by GP to the Government last week indicates that delivery of consumables used to produce IDs has begun.

Responding to questions from Members of Parliament in the National Assembly last week, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe said the move will address the backlog.

“A private company was contracted to take over the production of IDs.

“This was necessitated by challenges our Government is facing with regards to foreign currency issues,” he said.

“As you would appreciate, (for) our IDs and passports, we use a lot of consumables which are imported but that issue will become history very soon because the company that was contracted is seized with the matter.

“In fact, only today we received a progress report to the effect that they are busy procuring all the required consumables to deal with the backlog of IDs.

“Even with the passport issue, the situation has improved a bit (and) I am pleased to say in the next few months we will see a big change since access to these documents is a human right.”

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Mr Aaron Nhepera said Cabinet had approved the deal.

“We are still in talks with the company. There are contracts which still need to be signed, but I can confirm that Cabinet has approved.”

Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission chair Dr Elasto Mugwadi applauded the move.

“We will be monitoring what the minister said closely because national identification documents are a fundamental right.

“We carried out a national enquiry of the issue a few years back, we noted issues such as low production of the national documents, rejection of affidavits signed by chiefs and headmen and requirement of up to six witnesses when one requires a national document in some instances.

“So we had a meeting with the minister some time last year and he assured us that the issues will rectified.

“Our target is to have everyone issued with a national document by end of 2022, since it is a national document,” he said.

Last month, the Registrar-General’s Office abruptly suspended a two-day application exercise to issue this year’s Advanced and Ordinary Level school examination candidates with IDs after the department was overwhelmed by applicants.

-State Media

Doctors and nurses working in public health institutions will no longer be allowed to go on strike for an uninterrupted period spanning more than three days under proposed changes to the Health Services Act.

Amendments to the Act, which were gazetted on Friday, once passed, will also require health care providers to give two days’ notice in writing before embarking on a collective job action. In addition, all medical professionals will be required by law to provide care to patients in a medical emergency or needing critical or intensive care during any legal collective job action.

Any worker representative who incites or organises an illegal job action could also face up to three years in jail, under the changes which are meant to bring back discipline into a profession that has been plagued by illegal job actions in the past.

Chief director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Maxwell Hove said once passed the law will allow health care workers to strike for three days and wait for two weeks before embarking on another strike.

“Healthcare workers will not be able to go on strike for more than three days and will stay at work for a minimum of two weeks before the law allows them to go on another three-day strike. In each case no strike can go beyond three days and emergencies will also be covered during every strike.”

The amendments also seek to replace the Health Services Board with an independent commission – the Health Services Commission, which will among other things create grades in the health service and fix conditions of service for doctors and nurses.

“Judicial Service Commission, Defence Forces Service Commission, Police Service Commission are examples of Commissions whose members are public officers but are not members of the Civil Service Commission as per section 199 of the Constitution. The same will apply to the Health Service Commission under consideration,” added Dr Hove.

Crucially, the proposed changes will designate health care workers as essential service providers as defined under the Labour Act.

The Labour Act designates any service whose interruption endangers the life, personal safety or health of the whole or any part of the public as an essential service.

Reads the Health Service Amendment Bill in part:
“The Health Service shall be deemed as an essential service referred to in section 65 (3) of the Constitution; and no collective job action whether lawful or unlawful shall continue for an uninterrupted period of 72 hours or for more than 72 hours in any given 14-day period; and notice of any collective job action must be given in writing 48 hours prior to the commencement of such collective job action.

“Any individual who is a member of the governing body of any trade union or representative body of members of the Health Service which incites or organises any job collective action contrary to subsection 2(b) or (c) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 10 or to imprisonment for a period no exceeding three years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.”

The Health Service Commission will be given powers to discipline any medical worker found to be in contravention of the new provisions.

The Commission can also report the offending member to their relevant professional council in terms of the Health Professions Act.

However, Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) president Mr Enoch Dongo said there was a need for Government to consult health care professionals before enacting the amendments.

“It is never the intention of health workers to withdraw their labour, in fact it is the last option. So, it is important for Government to consult health personnel when crafting such laws.”

Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) president Dr Shingai Nyaguse requested for questions in writing and had not responded by the time of going to print.

-State Media

THE Government has started splitting some schools into two or more to decongest them as Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc in communities.

The Government is also contemplating opening schools virtually. There are a number of options also being put forward including scrapping Term Two and allowing only examination classes to attend lessons while others learn virtually.

Sunday News understands that one school in Luveve, Bulawayo has already been divided into two institutions with separate staff as the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education puts in place measures to see how they could reopen schools.

Director Advocacy and Communication in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mr Taungana Ndoro could neither deny nor confirm the development.

“All I can say is that there are a number of measures we are putting in place to ensure that we deal with Covid-19 when schools open. Right now the situation is not good, teachers and headmasters are dying of Covid-19, when schools are closed,” he said.

However, impeccable sources in the Ministry said they wanted enrolment to be reduced to 1 000 and any school with more than the number will be divided into two.

“It’s not just about reducing the number of new enrollment but dealing with the current numbers. It has been put forward that schools must have just 1 000 pupils so that the classes can be managed during the Covid-19 crisis. The exercise has already started and one school in Bulawayo has already been divided into two with separate staff. Funds permitting we are pointing to a need to build more schools to enable decongestion,” said the source.

Mr Ndoro said as a Ministry, they were waiting from guidlines from the Ministry of Health and Child Care on the way forward.

“We are waiting for the direction from the Ministry of Health and Child Care. Treasury has also said this time parents must chip in to ensure that when schools open they contribute to issues around safety of the kids.”

Last month, under the enhanced level four lockdown, the Government deferred the opening of schools for the second term as cases of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to surge.

-State Media

By A Correspondent- Two Mvurwi based cell phone thieves suspects were arrested on Thursday after they tried to sell stolen cell phones to a detective.

Romeo Zvinairo (33) and Missi Mutumika (23) were arraigned before Guruve resident magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa on Friday facing unlawful entry and theft.

The state led by Albert Charewa alleged on July 15 the duo broke into Rumbidzai Musonza’s house and stole a number of itel phones.

Musonza discovered the unlawful entry and theft the next day and filed a police report.

On July 23 detectives heard that the duo were selling their loot and purported to be buyers before arresting them.

Musonza possitively identified her cellphones and were all recovered.

The matter continues on August 4.

By A Correspondent- At least five police officers have been arrested, while more are under investigation over their alleged involvement in smuggling activities along the border with Mozambique as authorities declare zero tolerance against the rampant vice which is bleeding the economy.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi revealed on Wednesday that the seemingly free-for-all situation that was obtaining along the porous border line was due to corrupt law enforcement agents who were working in cahoots with smuggling syndicates.

“The evidence is there on the ground that we have finally won the war against smugglers who had created a free-for-all situation along the border. This is so because we have taken a multi-stakeholder approach which involves all arms of law enforcement in dealing with smugglers. The ongoing operation will continue indefinitely until order reigns.

“Corruption among some of our officers manning the borderline was negatively affecting our operations to restore order. At least five police officers have been arrested on allegations of working with syndicates to smuggle contraband into the country and a lot more are still under investigations.

“We are saying zero tolerance against corruption and we mean it. Smugglers were carrying on with their illegal enterprise because there were some law enforcement agents who were looking the other way after receiving bribes. We have put an end to that and that is why everything has gone back to normal. Trade with the outside world should take place via legal entry points at the borders and not through the bush,” he said.

Assistant Commissioner Nyathi said the recent successes in combating smuggling are largely due to the priceless support the police is receiving from members of the public who are supplying tip-offs regarding the movement of the smugglers.

“These smugglers are cunning and dynamic. They change their operations and routes daily in order to evade arrests, but members of the public have been supplying useful information resulting in numerous arrests. This is the cooperation we need because smuggling bleeds the economy and it affects us all.

A litany of strategies has been put in place so that we deal with smuggling once-and-for-all. I cannot tell you everything because that will jeopardise our operations, but what I can assure you is that there will be no peace for would-be smugglers.

“On the other hand, the media played a big part in exposing this rot and bringing everything to the attention of the authorities. This is the kind of coverage we need to bring out corrupt activities,” he said.

Assistant Commissioner Nyathi also said the recent arrest of three suspects who had smuggled more than 19 000 litres of diesel into the country through Chipinge show that law enforcement agents are manning the entire borderline.

He said some of the smugglers who ordinarily used illegal routes near Mutare have shifted and are now trying out some routes in remote places.

“We have all the information and law enforcement agencies are manning the length and breadth of the entire borderline. Everything should get into the country through official points,” he reiterated.

The three suspects from Harare were last week hauled before a Mutare provincial magistrate on allegations of contravening the Customs and Exercise Act after they had smuggled 19 000litres of diesel from Mozambique via an illegal crossing point at Southdowns in Chipinge.

The trio – Charles Dube (54), Tanaka Kwaadini (27) and Dennis Chinokora (27) – appeared before Mr Langton Mukwengi and were denied bail.

Public prosecutor, Mr Tafadzwa Chiwanza said on July 14, Assistant Inspector Onward Tembedza received information that some trucks were smuggling fuel into Zimbabwe using an undesignated crossing border point in Chipinge

A team of four police officers from Mutare Central District Police Intelligence Unit reacted to the information and laid an ambush at the Southdowns illegal crossing point near Makuyana Village.

Mr Chiwanza said the police officers spotted an unregistered DAF CF tanker truck crossing into Zimbabwe and intercepted it.

Upon being interviewed, the occupants indicated that they were carrying approximately 19 000 litres of diesel.

They failed to produce the relevant documents and the tanker was subsequently impounded and escorted to ZRP Mutare Central together with the accused persons.

— Manica Post

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has urged citizens to register to vote in numbers as doing so is the only way effective way of getting rid of political violence, rampant looting and propaganda.

Zimbabwe is expected to enter a new era of new politics, according to President Chamisa.

The citizens are suffering as a result of looting of national resources by Zanu PF bigwigs.

“NEW POLITICS ..We must get rid of the politics of dishonesty, propaganda, violence and looting.

We must fix what is broken and rotten in our politics.

Fresh ideas, thought leadership and accountable representatives built around the community and citizens is essential.

It’s time for COMMUNITY EMBEDDED LEADERSHIP #newthingsahead,” President Chamisa wrote on his official Facebook page.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader President Nelson Chamisa has urged citizens to register to vote in numbers as doing so is the only way effective way of getting rid of political violence, rampant looting and propaganda.

Zimbabwe is expected to enter a new era of new politics, according to President Chamisa.

The citizens are suffering as a result of looting of national resources by Zanu PF bigwigs.

“NEW POLITICS ..We must get rid of the politics of dishonesty, propaganda, violence and looting.

We must fix what is broken and rotten in our politics.

Fresh ideas, thought leadership and accountable representatives built around the community and citizens is essential.

It’s time for COMMUNITY EMBEDDED LEADERSHIP #newthingsahead,” President Chamisa wrote on his official Facebook page.

By A Correspondent- A Zanu-PF dark horse has emerged in Marondera Central constituency ahead of a looming primary elections, resulting in party members diverting attention from traditional contestants.

Richard Mavhunga, a former top army officer and businessman, reportedly submitted his curriculum vitae (CV) to represent the ruling party during the by-elections after the seat fell vacant following the recalling of opposition MDC Alliance’s Caston Matewu.

Mavhunga will be battling against traditional rivals Lawrence Katsiru and educationist Cleopas Kundiona, who all have since submitted their CVs.

Mavhunga went quiet in 2013 after he was barred by the late former President Robert Mugabe from contesting in Marondera West constituency to pave way for Ambrose Mutinhiri.

He was forced to withdraw his nomination papers as an independent candidate after being muscled out of the race.

Mutinhiri went uncontested in Zanu-PF for the Marondera West seat, which he went on to win against the MDC-T.

In the 2018 harmonised elections, Mavhunga stood as an independent candidate for Marondera West after losing to Zanu-PF’s Sphiwe Mukunyaidze in the ruling party primaries.

Mavhunga is now targeting Marondera Central, which was won by MDC Alliance’s Matewu during the 2018 general polls.

Matewu beat Kundiona, who represented Zanu-PF after beating Katsiru in the party’s internal polls.

Mavhunga yesterday confirmed that he had submitted his CVs to contest for the Marondera Central seat.

“I have submitted my CVs to contest for the Marondera Central seat,” Mavhunga said.

“I am ready for the primary elections. I arrived at this decision as I feel that this constituency lacks proper candidates who can return the seat to Zanu-PF. The new dispensation demands vibrant people who can also win people to the party as we move towards the five million votes campaign for 2023 elections.”

Zanu-PF is currently inviting CVs from its members to fill the vacant seats, among them Murewa South and Marondera East constituencies.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- A Zimunya man left the court dumbfounded after admitting being intimate to a cow “because all women were rejecting his love proposals”.

John Muchiriwesi (24), from Nehwangura Village under Chief Zimunya in Mutare, appeared before magistrate Langton Mukwengi charged with bestiality.

Asked by the magistrate why he was intimate with a cow, the accused said he had no girlfriend.

“My Lord, all girls I am proposing are rejecting me. That was the reason why I decided to be intimate with the cow,” he said.

It is the State’s case that on March 26, 2021 at around 11am, the complainant, Simbarashe Nkomo, left his four cattle tied with a rope in the paddock grazing pasture and proceeded home.

On the same day, the complainant went to the paddock to check the cattle.

He saw the accused tying the cow’s legs to a tree using a rope. He removed his trousers and pants and become intimate with the cow.

When Muchiriwesi saw the Nkomo heading towards his direction, he picked his clothes and ran away.

He will be back in court next week for judgment.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwean man deported from the UK Shepherd Masvanhire has apologised to his family and all Zimbabweans especially women for killing his wife adding that he regrets his mistake.

He said:

“I apologise to all Zimbabweans and all women…. I killed one person and ….if you hate me that much come and see me…i know i have made my mistake … i take full responsibility of my actions.”

Watch Masvanhire speak…..

TBy Wilbert Mukori- Zimbabweans are a naive and gullible people, easily fooled; hence the reason the country is in such a mess. Indeed, in some cases as now we like to be fooled so we do not have to deal with the consequences of knowing the truth!

Only a village idiot believes Zimbabwe has had 88 415 corona virus cases and 2 747 deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic. One of the reasons why the numbers have remained very low is because the regime has not been testing for the virus even when common sense dictated it. By not testing, tracing and tracking as diligently as we should we have allowed many people with the virus to continue to mix and spread the virus.

We have found comfort in the official figures suggesting there are very few people out there with the virus and dying from it. False comfort since many more people have the virus and died than the official figures and more significantly hundreds of thousands of those who had the virus and thousands of the died would have been spared if only the nation had the common sense to demand to know the truth and due diligence in the testing!

We are a foolish and conceited people who insist on seeing what we want to see regardless of how far-fetched that happens to be from the reality.  Zimbabwe is in this hell-on-earth of our own making and we are not getting out of it by pretending everything is just fine!

The corona virus has happened at the time when Zimbabwe was already down and out after decades of gross mismanagement, rampant corruption and rank lawlessness making the country a Banana Republic in which nothing worked. The idea that the country has fared much, much better than countries like SA with a robust economy, working health care services, etc. is just nonsense.

SA has over 2 million corona virus cases and over 68 000 deaths and Zimbabwe, with ¼ SA’s population and an all but collapsed health care service and economy, should be faring far worse than having ¼ of SA’s cases and deaths. Instead of over 500 000 cases and 17 000 deaths; Zimbabwe, officially, has 88 415 cases and 2 747 deaths, less than 20% in each case. No wonder the Zanu PF regime has been bragging about it!

“Despite Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 response being one of the best on the continent as evidenced by fewer deaths and infections as compared to other nations, for government, a single death is one too many,” boasted Zimbabwe’s Minister of Information (read Propaganda), Monica Mutsvangwa.

In a way that there should be such a wide discrepancy between the official corona virus cases and the real numbers on the ground should not come as a surprise; Zanu PF ruling elite have always ridden roughshod over the masses denying them their freedoms and rights including their right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country and even the right to life.

The testing, tracking and isolation protocol was diligently carried out to reduce any of the ruling elite getting the virus; the protocol was largely ignored when it was the life of povo at stake.

To include all the corona virus cases and deaths among the povo in the official count would have exposed the Zanu PF regime’s blundering incompetence in the handling of the pandemic and that was sacrilege.

Indeed, the first thing the Zanu PF regime soon after the outbreak of the pandemic was to ensure it alone controlled who get tested of the virus and only the official figures are released for publication. A 20-year jail sentence awaits anyone who publish anything other than the official corona virus cases and deaths.

A 20-year jail sentence for taking away Zanu PF’s bragging right that the regime’s handling of the corona virus pandemic is “one of the best on the continent” although we all know that is a lie. Worse still, this is a damned lie that has helped the virus spread more widely and faster causing more economic disruption and more human misery and deaths.

There is not one Zimbabwean out there with half a working brain who does not know that the official covid-19 cases and deaths are damned lies; they know in country of 15 million the undertakers would not be overwhelmed by 50 or so additional deaths per day over the normal.

And yet the majority of Zimbabweans have elected to believe the damned lie “Zanu PF’s handling of the pandemic is one of the best on the continent” because to do otherwise will force them out of their sloth-like slumber – this, just like Zanu PF’s lying, is nothing new.

Zanu PF blatantly rigged the 2018 elections; the regime denied over 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora the vote (more than the 2.4 million who voted for Mnangagwa), ZEC failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, etc.; and still the regime maintain the elections were legal, free, fair and credible.

Zimbabweans, for the sake of maintaining their sloth-like slumber have pretended their right to free and fair elections is not a right but a privilege and so the blatant vote rigging was all water off a duck’s back.

It is true that in the long run, each nation get the government it deserves; we in Zimbabwe certainly deserve this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship complete with the entourage of equally corrupt and useless opposition parties.

Zimbabwe is in this man-made economic and political mess because for the last 41 years and counting Zimbabweans have maintained this stony indifference to criminal waste of the nation’s material and human resources, causing untold human suffering and deaths, by the country’s ruling elite.

It sickens me to admit this but readily do so because it will kill me not to; it is far better to throw up, unsightly as that may be, than hold down the poison.

Mankind is a creature of reason and one does not need to be a rocket scientist to an election in which 30% plus of the electorate are denied the vote cannot be a free and fair election.  When 49% of the population is languishing in abject poverty, basic services such as education and health care have all but collapsed and the corona virus is caused heart-breaking human sufferings and deaths – far more that the official lies; surely this must force everyone out of their sloth-like slumber and demand change. Sadly, the sloth has not even stirred!

The corona virus storm is not done yet, Zimbabwe will have done very well indeed if the country was to vaccinate the 10 million herd immunity by this time next year (the regime claims it will achieve this target by end of the year, that is doubtful given it took six months to vaccinate 1 million (first dose) and 600 000 (required two doses) and so the grime-ripper has time to increase the covid-19 cases and deaths toll.

And as long as the country remains a Banana Republic governed by corrupt, incompetent and murderous tyrants who are not democratically accountable to the people, the country’s relentless march deeper and deeper into this man-made hell will continue; the march will continue as long as the people remain in their sloth-like slumber. The sloth-like slumber has lasted 41 years now, only time will tell how much longer it will last?

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe will only hold by-elections if the country vaccinates about 10 million people, representing 60% of the population required to reach herd immunity, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said.

In October last year, government through Vice-President and Health Minister Constantino Chiwenga ordered the suspension of by-elections citing COVID-19 fears.

The by-elections were necessitated by the recall of MDC Alliance MPs by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T and deaths of some MPs, which left about 26 seats vacant, according to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec).

Contributing to parliamentary debate on the Zec report for the year 2020 on Thursday, Ziyambi said the country was sticking to the suspension of by-elections due to COVID-19.

He said polls would only take place upon achievement of the vaccination targets.

“You do not vote when you are dead. You do not exercise your democratic rights when you are dead,” Ziyambi said.

“I believe that all things being equal, once we have reached herd immunity, we are going to vote. So for now, we stick to the laws that are there.”

In April this year, Chiwenga said the country was targeting the 10 million vaccination mark by year-end to allow life to get back to normal.

Of the intended target, only 1 352 514 had received their first doses by Thursday, while 664 587 had received their second jab.

But Dzivarasekwa MP Edwin Mushoriwa (MDC Alliance) said Zec was not moving with speed to fulfil its mandate and the delay was prejudicing the electorate currently not represented in Parliament.

“If you check the Zec report of 2020 and then you check its mandate and what it is supposed to do, you will realise that there are a lot of gaps that need to be filled,” he said.

“As we speak right now, we have got numerous vacancies in the House and a number of constituencies do not have MPs. A number of wards in this country do not have councillors. By-elections and representation is the key ingredient in a democratic society.”

Mushoriwa said the failure to conduct by-elections in a country with at least 20% of the people not represented was putting the “democratic ethos of a country in jeopardy”.

“We do not want to have a situation where other people will then tend to view the electoral commission as a commission in handcuffs,” he said.

“It appears as if it is doing the bidding of other people rather than the mandate which it was given by the Constitution and the people of Zimbabwe.”

Mushoriwa said a lot of gatherings had been allowed to proceed in Zimbabwe and raised questions why government was particular in stopping by-elections.

“We have had quite a number of church gatherings, some apostolic sects having more than 10 000 people gathered at a shrine.

“Right now, we are here passing laws, budgets and other things, but we also need to be cognisant — what about the people of Kuwadzana, who do not have a voice in Parliament? What about the people in Highfield, in Mkoba, they also need to have their voice. They need to have a channel upon which they can throw in some of their recommendations and some of the things that they want Parliament to do and to change.”

The MDC Alliance desperately wants the by-elections to regain its parliamentary presence after losing most of its legislators, a development that also forced it to lose funding under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.

Yesterday, Zec announced that it had suspended operations for two weeks due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is hereby notified for the general public that all Zimbabwe Electoral Commission offices across the country will temporarily close for 14 days from July 26, 2021 to August 8, 2021; in response to rising COVID-19 cases countrywide,” Zec chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba said in a statement.

Zimbabwe has recorded 95 722 new infections and 63 819 recoveries in the past two weeks.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora has insisted that his party was the only legitimate owner and rights holder to the name first used in 1999.

Speaking during a question and answer session on HSTV, an Alpha Media online radio and television platform, Mwonzora said his party was the only legitimate holder of the name MDC.

“I know only one legitimate holder of that name and that is the MDC-T, it is also the legitimate holder of the name MDC Alliance,” Mwonzora said.

“I am not dreaming about this, it is documented. I don’t know what other leaders are going to do, but you are going to find our political party on the ballot paper,” he added.

He told MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to look for a new name for his political party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

“Our aim is not to stop people from contesting the election; people who want to contest the election must be free to contest an election,” he said.

“People who have formed their own party must have the courage of using the names of their new political parties.”

The MDC has splinted several times since its formation in 1999. In 2005, its split led to the formation of MDC by Welshman Ncube. Later, Job Sikhala formed his MDC99, but none of them were dragged to court over name use.

But Mwonzora said he would deal with anyone who attempted to use the name MDC during an election.

“We are definitely going to be the users of the MDC name because it is in black and white, anybody who wants to steal our name we will deal with that,” he said.

There has been uncertainty in Chamisa’s camp over its continued use of the name MDC Alliance after Mwonzora said the name belongs to his party because it was the party that went into an alliance with the other parties.

MDC Alliance vice-president Tendai Biti has, however, come out saying there was no need to get a new name, but instead, they could ditch the affix Alliance and adopt a Chamisa as the affix.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has, however, said it was more concerned with symbols than party names when accepting nomination papers for the purposes of

elections.

The Zimbabwe Elections Support Network has been advocating for laws to register political parties in order to allow regulation for the purposes of determining those entitled to receive public funds.

-NewsDay

By A Correspondent- The smuggling of liquor, cigarettes, bags of cement, and building materials through the Zambezi River into Binga has been on the rise, with police accused of facilitating illegal activity.

Concerned communities along the banks of the mighty Zambezi River bordering the country with Zambia have called for the intensification of security patrols to curb the vice.

Smugglers were reported to be smuggling the items, most of them in high demand in the country.

Binga residents alleged that police assisted smugglers to cross the Zambezi River to the nearest Zambian town, where they buy their goods and smuggle them back into the country.

“Through assistance by the police officers, many people cross the mighty Zambezi River into the nearest towns in Zambia where they buy goods for resale in Binga and other towns like Hwange and Bulawayo,” a resident, Davis Mupande, said.

“Police officers’ cars help smugglers transport their goods from the shores of the river to their houses. Police have been involved in high smuggling deals, compromising their roles as security agents, who should protect the State from such corruption practices.”

Another resident who requested anonymity said police officers sometimes fought over the smugglers.

“The water transporters are also linked to the police for the swift movements in the water. At times, the police officers fight for clients (smugglers) to transport goods from the shores to inland,” he said.

“The key leading agents usually smuggle alcohol, mealie-meal, bales of clothes, cement, building materials and many other goods found in their shops.”

The source said one of the boats drowned two weeks ago while trying to cross the river.

“Recently, a rig sank while attempting to cross from Zambia to Zimbabwe’s Binga border harbour overloaded with a variety of goods ranging from groceries to cement, and many more. Most of the transporters are controlled by the police officers,” the sources said.

Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda declined to comment saying he was not at work.

“I am not going to say anything on this issue because I am not at work at the moment,” he said.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi requested Southern Eye to call later, but he was no longer picking calls when further efforts to get his comment were made.

By A Correspondent- Police in Bulawayo on Thursday intercepted a haulage truck that is suspected to have been carrying smuggled goods looted in South Africa.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Officer Commanding Bulawayo Province, Commissioner Patton Mbangwa confirmed the arrest of a suspected smuggler who was offloading some goods along Harare road in the dead of night. Said Comm Mbangwa:

Our men were on patrol and intercepted this truck along the Zuva garage. They saw this truck offloading goods into the other truck and when they approached the truck one of the trucks took off.

It is then when police discovered that this haulage truck has these goods. The driver of the white truck was chased by police and dumped the vehicle only to appear this morning.

From the look of things, it is visible that these goods did not enter the country legally. The proper destination of this consignment is Msasa in Harare.

You may be aware that there were lootings in South Africa and we suspect that these are some of these goods.

We are now investigating how these goods managed to get into the country and who the owners are.

Comm Mbangwa called on members of the public to report any suspects with looted goods to their nearest police station.

He said Zimbabwe’s relationship with South Africa should remain cordial as it is and the ZRP will not allow Zimbabwe to be a destination for stolen goods that belongs to a neighbour.

Added Comm Mbangwa:

Recent deadly riots in South Africa’s Kwazulu-Natal and Gauteng Provinces resulted in the looting of malls and warehouses and the closure of busy highways, with the country economy estimated to have lost over 20 billion rands

-ZBC

By A Correspondent- A youthful Headlands businessman was last week gunned down by robbers who made off with US$1 500 cash and other goods.

Mr Knowledge Kapfava (27) died days later after succumbing to the wounds.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed the robbery.

The robbers, who are still at large, also attacked another Headlands businessman, Mr Paradzai Nyarugwe, and stole US$1 500, groceries and a Toyota Ipsum vehicle

Mr Nyarugwe sustained serious injuries after being severely assaulted all over the body with electric cables.

“The five robbers, who were on a looting spree, were armed with pistols and electric cables. They broke into Mr Kapfava’s shop at Nyamombe Business Centre in Mayo and stole US$1 500 and some groceries. They shot him several times on his thigh and tied him with cloths before vanishing from the scene. Mr Kapfava died a few days after the incident,” said Inspector Chananda.

The incident happened a few hours after the five robbers had pounced on Mr Nyarugwe (77) near the business centre.

The five produced pistols and demanded cash from him.

The gang stole US$1 500, a Samsung laptop, a television set and data cables from Mr Nyarugwe.

“They demanded Mr Nyarugwe’s car keys and assaulted him with electric cables all over his body. They drove Mr Nyarugwe’s Toyota Ipsum vehicle to Nyamombe Business Centre where they attacked Mr Kapfava,” said Inspector Chananda.

He appealed to members of the public with information leading to the arrest of the five to contact their nearest police station.

In March, two gun-toting robbers pounced on a Headlands service station and shot a fuel attendant, before vanishing with US$700.

The duo approached Kumbirai Marozva and Silence Makandiona at Energy Park Service Station and demanded cash.

They shot Marozva and left him for dead.

-ManicaPost

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe will not hold by-elections any time soon as it needs to vaccinate about 10 million people, representing 60% of the population required to reach herd immunity.

As of Friday, 23 July 2021, only 1 400 905 people had received the first jab, while 671 155 people had received both doses.

In October 2020, the government through Vice-President and Health and Child Care Minister Constantino Chiwenga ordered the suspension of by-elections citing COVID-19 fears.

On Thursday Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi said the country was sticking to the suspension of by-elections due to COVID-19.
He said elections would only take place upon the achievement of the vaccination targets. Ziyambi said this while contributing to a parliamentary debate on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) report for the year 2020. He said:
You do not vote when you are dead. You do not exercise your democratic rights when you are dead.
I believe that all things being equal, once we have reached herd immunity, we are going to vote. So for now, we stick to the laws that are there.
The by-elections were necessitated by the recall of MDC Alliance MPs by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T and deaths of some MPs across the political divide, which left about 26 seats vacant, according to ZEC.
Meanwhile, Dzivarasekwa MP Edwin Mushoriwa (MDC Alliance) said ZEC was not moving with speed to fulfil its mandate and the delay to hold by-elections was prejudicing the electorate currently not represented in Parliament.

-NewsDay

By A Correspondent- Former MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu and newly appointed Commissioner of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) is under fire by pro-democracy grouping, Zimrights over his affiliation to Zanu PF.

Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights), a National Transitional Justice Working Group Zimbabwe (NTJWG) member, recently filed an application demanding that Gutu be removed from NPRC as section 286 of the Constitution forbids political party actors from serving as NPRC commissioners. The NTJWG statement read:
Dzikamai Bere, the executive director of ZimRights, who deposed the founding affidavit, had submitted that on March 17, 2021, Gutu joined Zanu PF amid pomp and fanfare at State House where he was welcomed to the political party by President Mnangagwa.
But in a shock response, while admitting the reports and the article (Sunday Mail, 21 March: Why I joined Zanu PF) explaining his decision to join Zanu PF, Gutu submitted that he was yet to submit a formal application and had not paid the required joining fee. He said he had abandoned the idea of joining Zanu PF when he was appointed to NPRC.

Ironically, Gutu was in March paraded at State House by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who announced that the former MDC-T vice-president had defected to the ruling party.
Some have been calling for Gutu’s dismissal from NPRC over his recent remarks on Gukuruhundi atrocities that killed over 20 000 civilians in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.

Gutu said Gukurahundi constituted a small fraction of the issues the NPRC was dealing with.

By A Correspondent- A Youthful Headlands businessman has been gunned down by robbers who made off with US$1 500 cash and other goods.

Mr Knowledge Kapfava (27) died days later after succumbing to the wounds.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed the robbery.

The robbers, who are still at large, also attacked another Headlands businessman, Mr Paradzai Nyarugwe, and stole US$1 500, groceries and a Toyota Ipsum vehicle.

Mr Nyarugwe sustained serious injuries after being severely assaulted all over the body with electric cables.

“The five robbers, who were on a looting spree, were armed with pistols and electric cables. They broke into Mr Kapfava’s shop at Nyamombe Business Centre in Mayo and stole US$1 500 and some groceries. They shot him several times on his thigh and tied him with cloths before vanishing from the scene. Mr Kapfava died a few days after the incident,” said Inspector Chananda.

The incident happened a few hours after the five robbers had pounced on Mr Nyarugwe (77) near the business centre.
The five produced pistols and demanded cash from him.
The gang stole US$1 500, a Samsung laptop, a television set and data cables from Mr Nyarugwe.

“They demanded Mr Nyarugwe’s car keys and assaulted him with electric cables all over his body. They drove Mr Nyarugwe’s Toyota Ipsum vehicle to Nyamombe Business Centre where they attacked Mr Kapfava,” said Inspector Chananda.

He appealed to members of the public with information leading to the arrest of the five to contact their nearest police station.

In March, two gun-toting robbers pounced on a Headlands service station and shot a fuel attendant, before vanishing with US$700.

The duo approached Kumbirai Marozva and Silence Makandiona at Energy Park Service Station and demanded cash.
They shot Marozva and left him for dead. – Manica Post

By A Correspondent- Umuguza women have lost ZAR 1300 and cellphones to ten armed robbers.

The armed robbers struck in Umguza at the Mgambela shops in Matabeleland North province and robbed two women

Police on their Twitter page said the women were robbed on Tuesday and are appealing for information to help their investigations.

“Police in Nkulumane are appealing for information which may aid investigations of a robbery case which occurred on 20/07/21 at Mgambela shops, Umguza. Two women who were employed as a shopkeeper and cashier were attacked and robbed by 10 suspects of cash amounting to ZAR 13 200 and US$15, cellphones, shoes and other valuables,” tweeted the police.

By A Correspondent- Bulawayo police have intercepted a Toyota Quantum vehicle, stolen from neighbouring South Africa, along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge highway.

Sharing a picture of the Toyota Quantum, which is generally used by cross-border transporters, police said Wiseman Ndlovu (35) and Nkosilomusa Ndlovu (42), were arrested at a roadblock along The Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.

The duo tried to disable the tracker on the vehicle but failed.

By A Correspondent- Police in Bulawayo have impounded a South African truck carrying smuggled groceries worth more than R200 000.

The Zambia bound truck was intercepted along the Bulawayo-Harare Road near Zuva garage while the driver, Mr Phila Vilakazi, was trying to offload the goods into another truck heading to Kwekwe.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednego Ncube said the owners of the smuggled goods failed to produce paperwork proving that the groceries came through the Zimbabwean border.

“This vehicle was impounded by the Zimbabwe Republic Police, central traffic department, along Harare Road behind Zuva garage. This was after police on patrol enforcing Covid-19 regulations and traffic regulations noticed that there were two trucks which were exchanging some properties and goods,” said Insp Ncube.

“Police officers interviewed them and Mr Vilakazi indicated that he was from South Africa going to Zambia. Police also discovered that the groceries put on top of what Vilakazi was intending to take to Zambia did not have any papers proving they had been cleared.”

Insp Ncube said in the middle of that, some members of the public came to the scene and claimed to be owners of the groceries.

“They also attempted to bribe police officers who turned them down. One of the truck drivers attempted to run away and only appeared this morning to claim his vehicle as both cars were taken to Ross Camp,” he said.

“We will continue doing our best to arrest anyone found with goods that are not declared as they are not welcome into the country. We encourage members of the public to continue cooperating and to report any suspicious transactions,” he said.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe will not hold by-elections any time soon as it needs to vaccinate about 10 million people, representing 60% of the population required to reach herd immunity.

As of Friday, 23 July 2021, only 1 400 905 people had received the first jab, while 671 155 people had received both doses.

In October 2020, the government through Vice-President and Health and Child Care Minister Constantino Chiwenga ordered the suspension of by-elections citing COVID-19 fears.

On Thursday Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi said the country was sticking to the suspension of by-elections due to COVID-19.
He said elections would only take place upon the achievement of the vaccination targets. Ziyambi said this while contributing to a parliamentary debate on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) report for the year 2020. He said:
You do not vote when you are dead. You do not exercise your democratic rights when you are dead.
I believe that all things being equal, once we have reached herd immunity, we are going to vote. So for now, we stick to the laws that are there.
The by-elections were necessitated by the recall of MDC Alliance MPs by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T and deaths of some MPs across the political divide, which left about 26 seats vacant, according to ZEC.
Meanwhile, Dzivarasekwa MP Edwin Mushoriwa (MDC Alliance) said ZEC was not moving with speed to fulfil its mandate and the delay to hold by-elections was prejudicing the electorate currently not represented in Parliament.

-NewsDay

A CHIMANIMANI man will spend the next 10 years in jail after fatally assaulting his wife for failing to buy him some beer.

Amos Gwinya was convicted of murder as defined in Section 47(1)(a) or (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23 by Mutare High Court judge, Justice Isaac Muzenda last week.

Mr Malvern Musarurwa prosecuted.

The court heard that on March 6, 2020 at Mutambara Mission staff quarters in Chimanimani, Gwinya demanded money for alcohol from his wife, Nyasha Mudzimu.

When she didn’t give him anything, he physically attacked her all over the body.

Mudzimu, who was a teacher at Mutambara Mission, sustained serious injuries and died on April 6.

Testifying in court, Mudzimu’s domestic worker, Anymore Mabvira, said she heard Gwinya demanding money from Mudzimu.

She said she later heard Mudzimu shouting that Gwinya was killing her.

In the company of neighbours, Mabvira knocked on Mudzimu’s bedroom door.

When Gwinya opened the door, Mudzimu was lying on the floor.

“Mudzimu got up and tried to escape. While in the passage, Gwinya punched her with a fist on the forehead. Mudzimu managed to escape, but Gwinya followed her. While outside, she fell down and Gwinya dragged her for about eight metres.

“He kicked and stamped on her body before neighbours could restrain him,” testified Mabvira.

Mudzimu became unconscious and was frothing from the mouth and nose.

She was rushed to Mutambara Mission Hospital before being transferred to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital.

However, she succumbed to the injuries and died a month later.

Dr Dominic Nkulu who carried out a post-mortem on Mudzimu concluded that the cause of death was due to head injuries.- Manica Post

Tinashe Sambiri| MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa has implored citizens to exercise extreme caution and abide by laid down protocols as COVID-19 continues to cause havoc across the country.

According to President Chamisa, every gathering is a potential superspreader of the deadly virus.

“These past weeks we lost many of our loved ones.

Many have been sharing their experiences with #COVID19. The virus doesn’t move on its own, it needs people.

Fellow citizens, treat yourself as a potential carrier. Every gathering is a potential super-spreader.

Let’s observe Covid protocols! Let’s us steadfastly PRAY to defeat this pandemic. Only God saves,” President Chamisa wrote on his official Facebook page.

Health experts the COVID-19 delta variant is more lethal than the previous infections.

The nation is currently battling to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

By A Correspondent- At least five people are feared dead after a boat capsized in Lake Kariba in the early hours of Friday.

Three people, including two Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers, were rescued by a local fisherman, Mr Chenjerai Zambezi.

The boat, which was carrying passengers and goods from Nyaodza fishing camp to Nyamhunga township in Kariba, sank due to suspected overloading.

Sources close to the incident say of the eight passengers who were on board, five were still missing.

This is a developing story. More details follow .

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A man of questionable sanity was arrested in Epworth this week after he was found in possession of human remains he had exhumed from Zinyerere Cemetery in the neighbourhood.

Pinky Bhekeshita (26) was allegedly found in possession of Jaqueline Mbewe’s remains while roaming around the Stop Over area at around 4 pm.

Mbewe is said to have died on June 15, 2006.
Bhekeshita yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with violating graves.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has announced that it will be closing its offices for two weeks in response to the rising Covid-19 cases countrywide.

In a statement Zec chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba said all Zec offices across the country will be closed from July 26 to August 8.

“It’s here notified for the general public that all Zimbabwe Electoral Commission offices across the country will temporarily close for 14 days from 26 July to 8 August 2021, in response to the rising Covid-19 cases countrywide.

“This is a mitigatory measure to contain further spread of the virus among our internal and external stakeholders. During this period all staff members will be working remotely from their homes, save for critical issues that would require access to the office. The commission encourages its stakeholders to observe the national Covid-19 guidelines, World Health Organisation guidelines and Zec Covid-19 policy during the break,” she said.

Zec is conducting a voter registration exercise across the country.

-State media

By A Correspondent- Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has mourned the late Brigadier General (Rtd) Fidelis Satuku whom he said was a polished officer.

He died on Monday at 3 Field Ambulance Company in Mutare after suffering from kidney-related complications.

Chiwenga worked with the late during his days in the military where the former retired as commander defence forces.

“I was privileged to work with the late Brig-Gen (Rtd) Satuku, following his integration into the Zimbabwe National Army in June 1980 as a Major.
“He was a polished officer whose professionalism was beyond reproach. Due to his dedication to duty and high professional and ethical standards he was therefore seconded to the United Nations to understudy the commanders of the First Battalion Welsh Guards and Pirbright.”

Chiwenga said, “General Satuku was also a versatile officer, a quality that made it easier for the Zimbabwe National Army to task him variously and where it mattered most until 2015 when he retired from the service.”

Satuku was a veteran of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and the VP also talked about his credentials in the independence war.

“Like many youths of his day and age Brig-Gen (Rtd) Satuku joined the liberation struggle when he crossed the border into Mozambique to join ZANLA forces in 1976. His second Chimurenga name was Cde George Mackenzie.

“The General briefly stayed at Doeroi Base before moving to Takawira 1 Base in 1977for his initial military training. Later he moved to Takawira Base 2 to complete military training.

“Upon completion of his training he was amongst the other comrades who were selected for further military training in Romania in 1978and got deployed to Chilimanzi Detachment of Musikavanhu sector, where he operated up to the end of the war in 1979.”

Chiwenga said thoughts are with the Satuku family as they endure this period of sadness and great loss.

“May they find solace in that the late General had carved a niche for himself through selfless service and become an asset beyond the family realm. His loss therefore is not their alone but also that of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and the entire nation. May his dear soul rest in eternal peace,” said Chiwenga.

-State media

By A Correspondent- The government neglected a Nkayi Hospital mortuary in Matabeleland North province that has reportedly not been functional for close to 13 years following equipment breakdown.
The hospital is in ward 29 in Nkayi district.

Indications were that very little effort has been made by the government to repair the morgue, amid an outcry by locals who now resort to traditional means of preserving corpses before burial in rural areas.

Former Nkayi council chairperson Kufakwezwe Ncube said villagers were in a dilemma over where to take the bodies of their relatives who die at home since the mortuary was not functioning.

He said this was putting them in a difficult position, especially at a time when COVID-19 was causing several deaths.

“Nkayi District Hospital mortuary has not functioned for years now. They now have a heap of skeletal bodies which have not been collected or are difficult to identify and are piled up there,” Ncube said.

“In 2008 when I became a councillor and council chair, I found the same situation. I, however, managed to have pauper burials for some corpses and also got the mortuary repaired. It has since broken down again. The Health ministry and Public Works ministry both do not have budgets to repair it.”

Ncube said as a result, relatives of the deceased failed to view the bodies of their loved ones during funerals due to the decomposed state of the corpses.
“You know these days, people are dying in numbers, and the hospital is not taking any corpses because of the situation. People are now resorting to traditional ways such as use of sand and banana leaves to preserve the bodies before burial,” Ncube said.
Nkayi resident Butholezwe Ndlovu said the situation at the hospital was bad and needed urgent attention.
Nkayi district medical officer Thabani Moyo confirmed that the mortuary was not working.
However, he said it had not been working for the past six months, and not 13 years.
“Yes ,the mortuary is not functioning and this has been so for six months or so. We usually talk to the relatives of the deceased telling them to collect bodies for burial within a day or two after death. The compressor is down and even the mechanism in the facility is not proper. The rollers are not functioning and all this needs urgent attention,” Moyo said.
He said currently, there were no bodies at the mortuary, adding that the Health ministry promised to assist in rehabilitating the mortuary.
Moyo refused to reveal the total cost of the required repairs to the morgue.
-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The government has acknowledged that it was paying ghost pensioners and said that they were now embarking on a biometric life certificate verification exercise of its pensioners to strengthen the pension management.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) in a statement Thursday, said: “As part of the broad public sector reforms, specifically information communication technology and modernisation, the government has observed that the biometric attributes of some of the pensioners, do not appear in the Registrar-General’s database.

“To strengthen the pension management system in that regard, the government is embarking on a biometric life certificate verification exercise. The benefits of the exercise to government and pensioners are as follows: a) avoiding payment to ghost pensioners; b) enhancing the security of the pension system to curb corruption, and c) enhancing service delivery.”

PSC said all pensioners with metal identity cards, but do not have valid passports, should visit the nearest Registrar-General’s offices to obtain plastic IDs so that their biometric data could be captured.

“Pensioners are requested to present a bank statement or pension payslip to prove that they are government pensioners. We expect this exercise to be completed by August 31, 2021. From October 1, 2021, only those with verified biometric data will be paid their pension,” the PSC said. “All pensioners are kindly advised to ensure that they have registered their biometrics to be compliant with this new requirement.”

By A Correspondent- The United Kingdom has frozen assets of and imposed a travel ban on Sakunda Holdings proprietor and Zanu PF benefactor Kudakwashe Regimond Tagwirei.

Tagwirei, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ally, was named among four others when UK Foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced further sanctions on individuals under Britain’s Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regime.

By A Correspondent- The government has blamed local pastors and church leaders for Covid related deaths the country is experiencing

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana, said the clergy is to blame for some of the COVID-19 deaths.

Mangwana, however, did not explain how pastors are responsible for the deaths. The inference could be that pastors could be spreading the coronavirus through pastoral visits or by discouraging congregants from getting vaccinated. Said Mangwana:

I am going to be blunt (as usual). Men of cloth are responsible for a number of deaths among the unvaccinated.

So, it is quite helpful when some like Pastor Charamba come out in support of the vaccination programme. They are saving lives.

Mangwana was commenting on a social media post by Rooted in Christ Ministries founder and leader and award-winning musician Charles Charamba.

In the post, Charamba warned Zimbabweans against “experimenting” with death by refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

He said while death will surely visit every person at God’s appointed time, it was better not to “choose” to die before the appointed time. Said Charamba:

Hama, ngatirege kuti ndiri kuda kuona kuti ndikasa vaccinetwa zvinoita sei. Beloved, vaccination is better experimenting with than death.

We shall all die in God’s fullness of time but let’s not choose to do so outside His time. Let’s get vaccinated.

The Good Samaritan in Jesus’ story left the patient under medical care.

Some religious influencers, especially some prominent self-styled prophets and Apostolic sect leaders have advised their followers against receiving the jab, saying the vaccine is “the Mark of the Beast.”

The Mark of the Beast is a cryptic mark in the New Testament’s Book of Revelation which indicates allegiance to Satan.

By A Correspondent- Matabeleland South Provincial Education Director (PED) Lifias Masukume has died, aged 53.

Masukume succumbed to COVID-19 on Friday morning at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after a brief battle with the virus.

His death was confirmed by the Director of Communication in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Taungana Ndoro. Said Ndoro:
I confirm that we have lost or provincial education director for Matabeleland South, Mr Lifias Masukume.

This is indeed a great loss to the education fraternity, and we are devastated because we have lost a master educationist who dedicated his life and career to service in the fraternity.

We have sadly lost him to the ravages of this pandemic. We are however grateful for his sterling work.
Masukume was appointed PED in 2018, following the promotion of then PED Tumisang Thabela to the Permanent secretary’s post.

By A Correspondent- Two members of the Zimbabwe National Army early Friday survived a boat accident after the boat they were sailing capsized in Lake Kariba.

The soldiers were sailing with six other people who are yet to be found when the two were rescued by a local fisherman, Mr Chenjerai Zambezi.

The boat was carrying passengers and goods from Nyaodza fishing camp to Nyamhunga township in Kariba, sank due to suspected overloading.

Sources close to the incident say of the eight passengers who were on board, five were still missing.

By A Correspondent- At least five people are feared dead after a boat capsized in Lake Kariba in the early hours of Friday.

Three people, including two Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers, were rescued by a local fisherman, Mr Chenjerai Zambezi.

The boat, which was carrying passengers and goods from Nyaodza fishing camp to Nyamhunga township in Kariba, sank due to suspected overloading.

Sources close to the incident say of the eight passengers who were on board, five were still missing.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa has implored citizens to exercise extreme caution and abide by laid down protocols as COVID-19 continues to cause havoc across the country.

According to President Chamisa, every gathering is a potential superspreader of the deadly virus.

“These past weeks we lost many of our loved ones.

Many have been sharing their experiences with #COVID19. The virus doesn’t move on its own, it needs people.

Fellow citizens, treat yourself as a potential carrier. Every gathering is a potential super-spreader.

Let’s observe Covid protocols! Let’s us steadfastly PRAY to defeat this pandemic. Only God saves,” President Chamisa wrote on his official Facebook page.

Health experts the COVID-19 delta variant is more lethal than the previous infections.

The nation is currently battling to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

By A Correspondent- Two bodies of three people who disappeared into a small pool along Musogwezi River in Mapanzure in Masvingo Rural during prayers on Friday have been found today.

The bodies were found while a Mirror crew was there covering the scene. The first body was recovered at 9am while the second was seen at 3pm.

The third body is not yet found.

The three people went missing after they plunged into a ‘tiny’ pool whose depth is about a metre during exorcism conducted by Pastor Amos Chituri of the Agness Access Apostolic Church. Sources said people at the prayers started talking in tongues and the three dived into the water and disappeared since Friday.

Police was yet to recover the bodies from the water by late this afternoon because of transport issues.

A villager who declined to be named said the whole village believes that the three were taken by mermaids.

Village head Edward Makasi confirmed development to The Mirror.

By A Correspondent- Government has been urged to avail free data bundles for teachers to enable them to conduct virtual lessons in the absence of face-to-face learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has caused havoc globally.

The calls were made by the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) yesterday, where they also demanded a further review of teachers’ salaries before the second term opens.

As schools remain closed, the Primary and Secondary Education ministry outlawed the holding of extra lessons either at school or home classes, saying these were possible Covid-19 super spreaders.

PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou in a statement yesterday said that learning could not be suspended forever and called on government to avail data bundles to teachers to allow them to begin online lessons.

“There is need for new pedagogical methods of learning rather than face-to-face learning. The earlier government embraces teachers’ initiatives of class and subject WhatsApp learning whilst pupils are in their homes, the better,” Zhou said.

“We, therefore, urge the government to provide data bundles to teachers and use the money donated by organisations like United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) to acquire learning gadgets that can assist pupils from poor backgrounds and those living with disability to effectively learn through WhatsApp lessons.”

While virtual learning is seen as a stopgap measure in the absence of face-to-face lessons, the digital divide and high cost of data is seen as militating against the initiative.

Reports last week said government distributed over 200 000 radios to rural communities to ensure that learning continued.

However, Zhou said without adequate telecommunications infrastructure for network coverage, this would be futile in a country where 75% of students have no access to television and radio frequencies.

The PTUZ said e-learning was the way to go as opening of schools now would be a monument of injustice and expose the 136 000 teachers and almost six million pupils and other ancillary staff members at schools to the Covid-19 virus.

“Bloated classes, limited infrastructure, congested hostels and inadequate Covid-19 abatement equipment in schools, has cumulatively contributed to the spread of the virus at learning institutions,” he said.

The PTUZ recommended that schools must open in September 2021 when temperatures would be higher (hot) to adequately suppress the spread of the respiratory virus.

In Parliament, on Wednesday, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, said government would acquire ICT gadgets to facilitate e-learning at schools.

“The desire of government is that we should have what we call blended learning which incorporates physical and virtual learning. So the Ministry of ICT is looking for gadgets and will be erecting base stations so that those school pupils will be able to learn. Online learning is the in thing worldwide,” Ziyambi said in the National Assembly.

Parliamentarians said e-learning must also accommodate children from remote areas such as Rushinga, Chipinge, Chiredzi, Beitbridge, Dande/Kanyemba, Hurungwe, Plum Tree, Lupane, Tsholotsho, Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe and Binga among others.

-newsday

By A Correspondent- At least 36 Zimbabweans, who stayed behind in the United Kingdom, raised fears of persecution by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government, citing human rights violations in Zimbabwe.

Only 14 out of a possible 50 people touched down at the Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare.

They were immediately whisked away by Zimbabwe United Passenger Company buses, accompanied by police, who maintained a heavy presence at the airport alongside other State security agents.

The media was denied access to the deportees.

Information secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana said the 14 were taken to ZIPAM, where they will be in isolation for 10 days before meeting their families.

Those who had gathered to welcome their relatives were not afforded the opportunity.

“Fourteen Zimbabweans arrived today,” Mangwana said.

“They have been taken to ZI PAM, where they will have COV ID19 tests and be quarantined for 10 days. After being cleared for Covid-19, they will join their families and communities.”

Mangwana said the safety of the deportees was guaranteed, despite the national broadcaster yesterday stigmatising them as criminals who have come back home with nothing, gushing: “We welcome these fellow citizens home. They will be safe and the same opportunities availed to everyone else will be available to them.”

But reports from the UK suggested that there were growing fears over the safety of the deportees. Most of them claimed they fled Zimbabwe due to human rights violations and were likely to be tracked down and persecuted.

Besides the fear of human rights violations, others failed to travel after they were in contact with Covid-19 positive colleagues. There was an outbreak of the deadly virus at the Brook House near Gatwick Airport in London.

Other UK reports suggested that 75 parliamentarians signed a letter by the all-party parliamentary group on Zimbabwe, raising concerns about what they said was a deteriorating political and human rights situation in Zimbabwe.

“Hours before the flight was due to take off, two detainees due to board it threw themselves from a second-floor, landing at Colnbrook immigration removal centre onto netting below. They are believed to have been unharmed and were not removed,” reports said.

However, an emergency out-of-hours High Court challenge by Duncan Lewis solicitors to halt the whole flight did not succeed.

Bella Sankey, director of the charity Detention Action, said: “The High Court’s landmark intervention rightly recognises the real risk of appalling human rights violations when the Home Office allows the Zimbabwean government to question those it seeks to expel.

“But how horrifying that others subjected to the same practice may have been loaded onto the plane, unable to hear about this judgment or use the precedent to prevent their own removal.”

According to British media, the deportation comes after the British government reportedly struck a secret deal with the Zanu-PF regime last month to extradite hundreds of Zimbabwean asylum-seekers. Although the identities of the people were not made known, the British media claimed most of them could be human rights activists who fled political persecution from the country.

Rosie Huzzard of Walls Must Fall told The Morning Star: “It appears that Priti Patel and her Home Office ministers are happy to strike deals with oppressive governments such as Zimbabwe to put the lives of people with well-established lives in the UK at serious risk, just to make a bit of a splash in the news. De porting 150 black Zimbabweans, many of whom were trade unionists and democracy campaigners – which is why they fled in the first place – is systemic racism. She is leading it.”

But a Home Office spokesperson said: “Foreign criminals who abuse our hospitality should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them. Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity.”

newsday

 By A Correspondent- A fierce argument almost turned tragic when a man threw a petrol bomb into his neighbour’s bedroom and took to his heels.

Jay Luphahla (34) escaped unhurt, but the petrol bomb burnt some of his clothes, said a family member who declined to be named.

Jay screamed for help, prompting neighbours to come to help him put out the fire which almost consumed his bed.

After the life-threatening incident, the petrol bomber Stansilas Mbeki (46) fled to evade arrest and is still at large.

Jay reported the incident at Pumula Police Station.

Police are now on a mission to apprehend Mbeki, said a source close to investigations.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident: “I can confirm that a man allegedly threw a petrol bomb into a neighbour’s bedroom after they had an argument. We would like to advise members of the public to solve their differences amicably than to take the law into their hands because doing so might lead to unnecessary loss of life.”

In an unrelated incident, two teenagers aged 17 and 13 were injured after a 9mm bullet they had picked up exploded in Mpopoma suburb last week.

“Its fragments hit the 13-year-old in the mouth and some remained stuck on his shoulder, the 17-year-old sustained a cut on his hand,” said a source.

The two were rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital for treatment.

Bulawayo police spokesperson advised community members to inform police whenever they see live rounds of ammunition.

“I would like to advise members of the public to inform police whenever they see or encounter a live round. They must not risk their lives by picking it,” he said.

-BMetro

A FORMER senior Zanu PF official in Mashonaland Central province has called for the impeachment of President Emmerson Mnangagwa for allegedly running down the economy, human rights violations and failure to adhere to constitutionalism.

Goodman Musariri, who was fired from Zanu PF last year for disrespecting Mnangagwa, said the situation in Zimbabwe was now ripe for a “second operation restore legacy” in the form of the November 2017 military coup.

Mnangagwa took over power on the back of a military coup in November 2017, which led to the ouster of his predecessor, the late Robert Mugabe.

The outspoken Musariri is currently on bail facing charges of undermining the authority of the President after he allegedly called for Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga to take over from Mnangagwa, whom he accused of ascending to power through an illegitimate process.

“Now is the time to call for the resignation of ED (Mnangagwa) and an impeachment motion by any faithful servant of the voice of God in Parliament. Walls of Jericho must certainly fall,” he told NewsDay.

“The voice is crying from the wilderness for another operation to restore legacy.

“Zimbabweans, don’t just sit there, but stand up and begin to march again as you did in November 2017.

“You will never notice your chains until you start walking. The voice of the people is the voice of God. The voice does not waver through disbelief. Like Abraham, the voice hopes even where there is no hope.

“So, by faith, the people of Zimbabwe should march once more in a greater solidarity march than the 2017 one, this time targeting criminals surrounding President Mnangagwa himself.”

He said Mnangagwa’s rise to power in 2017 was via an unsanctioned Zanu PF central committee meeting, hence it was null and void.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo refused to comment on Musariri’s utterances.

“This is why he was expelled from the party because he is a loose cannon. Zanu PF will never lose sleep over such people because they are irrelevant to its norms and values,” Khaya Moyo said.

“Whatever he is saying shows that he is trying to look for relevance. No sane person can dream such things. As Zanu PF, we are not fazed by that. We have a lot of issues which are of national interest which need to be attended to, not this hallucination.”

There are growing fears of a plot to impeach Mnangagwa that started immediately after he took over power.

In May 2018, Mnangagwa told a healing and reconciliation workshop in Harare that there was a plot to impeach him.

“I got intelligence that some of those who have won these primary elections have two minds,” he said then.

“They have gone to join the Zanu PF wagon using various tricks, money included, to be elected with a possible view that once in Parliament, they will band together and move a motion of impeachment.”

-Newsday

A Guruve-based female drug peddler went berserk and stripped naked when male police officers came to arrest her on allegations of selling dagga.

Mildred Muzana (21) ran away naked shouting that police offices wanted to rape her as other police officers shot a video for evidence.

The matter came to light at Guruve Magistrates’ Courts yesterday, where Muzana appeared before magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa who slapped her with a $2 500 fine for indecent exposure and failure to pay would earn her 15 days in prison.

Prosecutor Albert Charewa told the court that on July 8, police officers received a tip off that Muzana was selling dagga at her homestead and went to the place to conduct a search.

When Muzana realised that police officers were close by she stripped all her clothes and showed them her privates, saying “arrest me if you can,” before shouting ”police want to rape me” while running away.

After some minutes, she went to a friend’s place and got dressed before going to the charge office to file a rape report against the police officers.

The officers who were on their way to the charge office were called and informed about the matter. They told their colleagues to lock her up since they had video evidence of what she had done.

-Newsday