Tinashe Sambiri| While the Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has been silent on Tapiwa Makore’s skull, he is exerting pressure on Britain to return Mbuya Nehanda’s head…

This has raised eyebrows as many suspect the cornered Zanu PF leader wants to perform rituals before the 2023 polls.

Mr Mnangagwa is also clandestinely pushing for the exhumation of his former boss Robert Mugabe’s remains for reburial at the National Heroes Acre.

Mr Mnangagwa, quoted by a State run daily paper said:

“We shall, however, continue to discuss to bring back her skull which was taken to the United Kingdom along others.”

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe also said:

“Sadly, the remains of Mbuya Nehanda are yet to be repatriated so that proper burial can be accorded in line with our cultural norms and values.

However, I am happy to advise that our efforts to ensure that the remains are repatriated to the country are in progress.”

I write to acknowledge with thanks your letter of 20th December 1985, in which you inform me about your meeting with the Commonwealth Group of Eminent Persons. I trust that the Group will discharge its unenviable task to the best of its ability. 1 shall eagerly await the results of its endeavour.

I must, however, frankly and honestly inform you that I take great exception to the second paragraph of your letter, especially the portion which reads as follows:
I was frankly dismayed to hear the news that another landmine had exploded in Northern Transvaal on 15 December, this time involving substantial loss of life. I understand that it is your policy not to allow such attacks to be mounted from Zimbabwe and hope that you will continue to use your influence to try to prevent such incidents.”

I write to acknowledge with thanks your letter of 2fie/’December, 1985, in which you inform me about your meeting with the Commonwealth Group of Eminent Persona. I trust that the Group will discharge its unenviable task to the best of its ability. I shall eagerly await the results of its endeavour.
I must, however, frankly and honestly inform you that I take great exception to the second paragraph of your letter, especially the portion which reads as follows:
I was frankly dismayed to
hear the news that another landmine had exploded in Northern Transvaal on 15 December, this tune involving substantial loss of life. I understand that it is your policy not to allow such attacks to be mounted from Zimbabwe and hope that you will continue to use your influence to try to prevent such incidents.’

Clearly, what you are trying to convey to me is not only your dismay at the landmine explosion but also your belief that the attack was mounted by the ANC from Zimbabwe and that, therefore, we must have allowed the ANC to use our territory as a base for such attacks.
Surely, with a well-established embassy in Zimbabwe and several thousands of British nationals living all over our territory, you should be in a position to know that we have no ANC, PAC or SWAPO bases in this country. The fact that the explosions have occurred in the Northern Transvaal close to the border with us does not make Zimbawe responsible for them. Perhaps you are also aware that within a few days of the Northern Transvaal landmine explosions there was a serious attack upon an electric station close to Swaziland. And only last week, another landmine explosion occurred close to the border with Botswana. Do you want to tell me that these countries neighbouring South Africa must be held responsible for those ANC attacks merely because of their geographical contiguity to South Africa?
Prime Minister, the ANC is not a Zimbabwean organisation and I have no influence on it. Therefore, the mode, timing, geography and targeting of the ANC attacks are entirely its own matter. But let it also be remembered that the ANC, PAC and other democratic forces in South Africa are waging a struggle for their freedom, a struggle for human rights, which is far nobler than your South African struggle for the sustenance of British economic interests. To me, the morality of their cause surely overrides the morality (in my view, the immorality!) of the British economic case.

I also find it surprising that the Northern Transvaal explosions should have been the first to dismay you. I suppose this is because the victims of the explosions were, for the first time, exclusively seven whites. What about the hundreds of blacks murdered by the apartheid regime within South Africa, and those others murdered by it across the border in Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Mocambique, Angola, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe? Do they move your conscience at all? While white may be more beautiful for the British and their South African apartheid allies, black is also more beautiful for us of African descent !
Please, there can never be any question of my pleading with the A.N.C. to “prevent such incidents”, as you put it. You certainly seem to be unaware of the stand taken by the last summit of the O.A.U. urging the South African Liberation Movements to intensify their freedom struggle. That is the African position! It is also my position! Anyway, Comrade Oliver Tambo, the President of the ANC, lives in London, not in Zimbabwe, and hence it is quite an easy matter for you to express your views directly to him.
The second paragraph of your letter also goes on to state, “but there are quite clearly limits to the South African Government’s tolerance if these incidents continue in the future.” This, indeed, amounts to a threat you are delivering to me on behalf of South Africa. But let me state quite clearly that we (that is, my Government and People) are not afraid of any invasion by South Africa. Whatever its military strength might be in relation to ours, we can never allow it to get away with any criminal act of blatant aggression. You can tell them that! It should not be forgotten that we won our freedom and independence through an armed revolutionary struggle. We remain prepared to defend that freedom and independence through the same struggle!

We, more than South Africa, have come to a stage where we can no longer allow our tolerance to be further stretched, and, certainly, we will not allow South Africa to engage with impunity in acts of direct aggression against us.

I am sure you know that in respect of Zimbabwe South Africa has, since Independence, been trying to destabilise both our political and economic systems. Even as I write you now, South Africa is training dissident and bandit recruits from Zimbabwe at at least two centres. We have thus been more sinned against that sinning. So, please do not add British insult to the injury being inflicted upon us by the Boers.
I am sorry to have to write in this tone, but am constrained to do so by the import of the second paragraph of your letter.

This is to inform you that last night one of our staff residences was destroyed by a massive fire. It affected 39 health workers and their families. We were lucky that no one was seriously injured. One person suffered a broken ankle and another had smoke inhalation effects but is stable. Our thoughts are with the affected members and their families. The hospital is arranging temporary alternative accommodation for them.

Some staff residents reported seeing sparks of fire from an electrical distribution box, and we suspect that this could be the cause of the fire. However, the Fire Brigade is working on further forensic investigations to establish the exact cause of the fire.

The estimated cost of damage to property is around US$500 000.00. We hope to rise up from this terrible setback and continue to give service to many of our patients.

Professor Solwayo Ngwenya

Acting Chief Executive Officer

By A Correspondent= Scores of ZANU PF youths on motorbikes have invaded a farm owned by war veteran and businessman Frederick Mutanda in retaliation for his court application challenging the extension of Luke Malaba’s term as Chief Justice by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mutanda said he had counted 25 motorbikes and four vehicles after the youths sent from Harare – camped on his farm in Mutorashanga, Mashonaland West province.

He said:

I got a call from the police on Tuesday morning informing me of an imminent invasion of my farm by party (ZANU PF) youths from Harare.

The youths claimed that I’m anti-government. I left them at the farm yesterday (Wednesday).

On 11 May, Mutanda joined the Young Lawyers Association of Zimbabwe in suing the Judicial Service Commission, Malaba and the Attorney General after Mnangagwa purported to extend the Chief Justice’s term by five years past the retirement age of 70. In an affidavit,

Mutanda said:

With great respect, I am disappointed that more than 41 years ago as a teenager, I together with other comrades suspended the enjoyment of our youth and went into the armed struggle voluntarily to fight oppression.

I envisaged a country in which every citizen would enjoy the fruits of the liberation war.

The Constitution before its amendment is such fruit, yet the older generation is not opening opportunities for those for who we fought the liberation war. This is most regrettable, it must be corrected.

The High Court on 15 May ruled that a term limit extension for senior judges under a constitutional amendment that had been rushed through parliament cannot benefit an incumbent.

The three-judge panel ruled that Malaba had therefore ceased to be Chief Justice and a judge when he reached the age of 70 on the same day.

The government is appealing the High Court decision.

ZimLive

By A Correspondent- A 29 year old woman from Gokwe scalded her stepson, 9, with cooking oil for allegedly stealing maize grain, and then denied her medical treatment fearing her abuse would come to light, police said.

Progress Mushonga, from Murairwa Village under Chief Chireya, also blocked the boy from going to school after dipping his finger in boiling oil as punishment for the suspected offense.

The victim was said to have exchanged the maize grain for Jolly Jus, a powdered cool drink.

Midlands Provincial police spokesperson Emmanuel Mahoko told ZimLive that they were “investigating a physical abuse case where a 9-year-old male juvenile was burnt with boiling cooking oil after being accused of stealing maize by his stepmother.”

“It is alleged the complainant admitted to the accusations and stated that he had exchanged the maize grain for jolly juice and apologized. This did not go down well with the suspect who hurled insults at the juvenile,” Mahoko said.

He added: “It is further alleged that she went on to boil cooking oil in a pan and dipped the juvenile’s fingers into the boiling cooking oil. The suspect denied the complainant health care to treat the burns despite the fact that he had suffered severe injuries. She further did not allow him to go to school to allow the wounds to heal first.”

The provincial police spokesperson said the issue came to light after an anonymous tip-off that led police to raid Mushonga’s homestead and apprehend her.

The juvenile was referred to Gokwe Provincial hospital for treatment, Mahoko said, adding police were appealing to “guardians of young children to treat them with the utmost care, the same way they would do their own children. Any ill-treatment of young children, if detected, attracts serious consequences as prescribed by the law.”

-ZimLive

By A Correspondent- Chief Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi has said the daring thieves who stole a copy of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 2020 Independence Day speech and a laptop were granted bail because warrants of arrest against them were not on the docket.

The thieves have so far skipped bail after they were remanded to April 22 by Kwekwe magistrate Cheryl Tembo. This sent tongues wagging with others alleging underhand dealings and corruption.

Trymore Jakarasi (35) of Pumula North in Bulawayo, and Shepherd Madaka (29) of Budiriro 3, Harare, were granted $5 000 bail each when they initially appeared before the courts.

Their alleged accomplice, Tinashe Matete Dube (27), of Glen View 3 in Harare, who is currently admitted at Gweru General Hospital after he was moved from Kwekwe General Hospital, was remanded in custody.

Dube is facing an attempted murder charge after he tried to run over police sergeant Misheck Mubika when the suspected thieves were cornered at Cooler Box Bottlestore in Kwekwe.

The three were part of a fourmember gang which was on the police “wanted list” for stealing a laptop and Mnangagwa’s speech from one of his security aides.

According to Mutevedzi, it was not mentioned that the gang was on the Criminal Investigations Department Masvingo’s “most wanted list” for theft from cars under case number CR17/06/2020. He also said it was also not mentioned in court that the notorious gang was reported at Dzivarasekwa Police Station, Harare, under case number CR155/04/20.

“When I first heard that the gang was granted bail under unclear circumstances, I immediately launched investigations on the matter. After the probe, I discovered that the warrants of arrest were not on the docket, neither were they mentioned in court,” he said.

“I want to make this clear to every Zimbabwean that under the free Zimbabwe, everyone is entitled to bail. It doesn’t mean that if someone is granted bail, he or she has been found not guilty.”

-newsday

By A Correspondent| Econet Wireless founder and Chairman Strive Masiyiwa has set the record straight on his recent listing as Britain’s first black billionaire saying it does not mean he is now a British citizen.

Masiyiwa was recently named as Britain’s first black billionaire in what sparked mixed reactions from Zimbabweans and the rest of Africa.

Responding to one Chrispin Joseph Beer-Sheba who said the business mogul had been mentioned as the First Britain black billionaire, Masiyiwa said he remains Zimbabwean who has just been recognised in the United Kingdon the same way he has been listed on the American Forbes rich list.

Below is the screenshot to Masiyiwa’s response and confirmation of being Zimbabwean…

 By A Correspondent- A magistrate’s court at Mwenezi, Masvingo Province, was on Thursday forced to adjourn after an Agritex officer’s wife wailed in court.

According to Masvingo Mirror, Siphelile Maroyi, the sex-starved wife to Rindai Tsvairai, told the court that she last made love to her husband three years ago.

Maroyi wailed in the middle of a civil matter after declaring that her husband was lying that he still loves her.

She said that her husband’s love went cold three years ago and since then she never bedded him.

Maroyi said Tsvairai had since married another wife and stopped caring for his children.

Mwenezi Resident Magistrate Honesty Musiiwa stopped the proceedings and only resumed the hearing when Maroyi had regained her composure.

Maroyi had approached the court for a protection order which she was granted.

She accused her husband of domestic violence and said that he recently came to the company house which they used to stay at Neshuro in the company of his niece to collect a refrigerator, sofas and other goods.

The wife told the court that they had 115 herds of cattle they had accumulated together but Tsvairai flatly refused and said only 15 cattle are in their stock card.

Tsvairai said his wife refused to go and stay at their rural home after they left the company house.

Government has conceded that it was found wanting in the implementation of previous economic blueprints and now pins its hopes on its ambitious National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) to cure the current economic ills.

The NDS1 is the second blueprint launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, following in the footsteps of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), which was launched in 2018 to run for two years but fell flat.

Zimbabwe has in the last three decades launched several economic recovery plans which missed their targets due to failure by authorities to implement reforms and keep expenditure within budget.

But the southern African nation is in the throes of its worst economic crisis in more than a decade underpinned by the continuing collapse of its Zimdollar on the more representative parallel market.

Its economic plight was made worse by the outbreak of the coronavirus that caused lockdowns which resulted in companies shedding jobs in an effort to stay afloat.

However, speaking during the postCabinet briefing yesterday, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said NDS1 was the magic wand to steer the economy on a growth trajectory and stabilise the exchange rate.

Critics say the authorities are maintaining an artificial exchange rate of $84,70 to the greenback while trading at $140 on the verdant black market.

“Noting that previous economic blueprints, albeit with similar targets, have fallen short on implementation, NDS 1 is premised on the need for bold and transformative measures that will ensure achievement of the country’s vision of an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income society by 2030,” Mutsvangwa said.

“This framework is set to steer the economy on a growth trajectory averaging 5%, supported by a sustainable annual fiscal deficit target of around 1,2% of GDP [gross domestic product], exchange rate stability and single digit inflation.”

Mutsvangwa said government would do away with “unmitigated and unbudgeted subsidies” as they undermined fiscal consolidation objectives under the new policy.

“The nation is informed that consistent with the overarching goal of the National Development Strategy 1:20212025 (NDS 1), it has become necessary that a guiding framework with regard to subsidies be established,” she said.

“Such a framework should ensure subsidies meet a specific public policy objective to remedy an identified market failure and are of the minimum size, necessary to achieve such an objective.”

Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector is heavily dependent on subsidies.

Currently, government is financing several programmes in the agricultural sector, including farm mechanisation, inputs and selling price support for crops such as maize, soyabeans, cotton and wheat.

“Subsidies that are being provided will have explicit identified funding sources, with costs adequately quantified to determine fiscal sustainability,” Mutsvangwa said.

On COVID-19, Cabinet said the pandemic was still wreaking havoc across the country and urged the public to remain vigilant.

On the B.1.617 variant which is prevalent in India and was detected in a localised outbreak in Kwekwe, she said government had put up stricter measures
to address the problem.

“Going forward, implementation focus will be directed towards high-impact targets that will transform the livelihoods of the citizenry guided by careful identification of the measurement criteria for targets and outcomes … Cabinet considered a report on the Tripartite Negotiating Forum meeting which was held on April 22, 2021 as presented by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.”

On civil servants’ salaries engagement, she said: “The nation is advised that government emphasised the need to strengthen the sectoral determination of salaries and wages through NECs [national employment councils] as well as maintain the stability of the economy and the prevailing foreign currency auction system.”

Mutsvangwa also said Cabinet considered and approved the proposed engagement of a private partner in the implementation of a national biometric database for the production of e-passports, national identity cards and birth certificates.

“The partnership will increase the passport production capacity to four million units per year, resulting not only in the clearance of the current backlog, but also meeting the daily demand and enabling the country’s embassies to issue passports to Zimbabwean citizens abroad.”

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Eighteen students at Bondolfi Teachers’ College here have tested positive for Covid-19 with the entire student population of over 300 being put under quarantine.

Authorities in the Ministry of Health and Child Care here have, however, cautioned against panicking saying the situation was being attended to.

Masvingo Covid-19 taskforce provincial spokesperson Mr Rodgers Irimai says authorities are currently scrambling to assess the situation and it’s ramifications on the war against the pandemic.

He cautioned that the situation was under control with all the 303 on-boarding students under mandatory quarantine for two weeks.

Covid-19 cases had lulled in Masvingo with the province recording zero cases for successive weeks until the latest blemish from one of the oldest private teacher training institutions in Masvingo.

-State media

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s motorcade Thursday morning caused untold congestion at the corner Glenara Avenue and Chiremba road when he was leaving for Mozambique.

Below is the transcript of a brief conversation in which Constantino Chiwenga’s estranged wife, Marry, pours her heart out on her ordeal, saying among other things that she has been banned from seeing her children, and it is now nearly 2 years since the last contact. She also says that Emmerson Mnangagwa will it confront his deputy because he is afraid of him.

Marry speaks to ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza (Simba).

Simba: Can you hear me
Marry: I can yes who is calling?
Simba: It’s Simba. Simba Chikanza
Marry: Yes Simba kanjani ?
Simba: How are you feeling
Marry: Not too well I am not too well haa I am not too well; this nightmare must end because do you know, if maybe If I was seeing my children maybe things could have been better maybe I could recover….(cut)
PHONE CALL RINGING….
Marry: I was saying that maybe if I was seeing my children, you know, maybe by now I would be better you know but now uuum almost 2yrs huh?

I don’t have access to my children.

Simba : Not even a phone call?
Marry: Nothing, absolutely nothing absolutely nothing zero….. like I don’t exist
Simba: No communication whatsoever from him?
Marry: Absolutely nothing nothing nothing I have heard of evil people; this is beyond evil. This is beyond evil. What do you tell children about their mother? Unoti kuvana mai venyu varipi? – what will you tell the children regards the whereabouts of their mother? … What will you say about the whereabouts of their mother? What do you say to them. What will you say about their mother’s whereabouts? Where is she? Because surely by now if he has got any common sense at all he knows that the things that he has been saying or whatever the things that he has been told do not exist, it’s a lie..but ya he went to extremes, he went to extremes. Who can survive not seeing the children for almost two years? My daughter, my daughter is going to be ten, my son is going to be nine and my other son is going to be…. oh he is seven.

I have not seen them in almost 2 yrs; you know how important it is for us mothers to take your son infact to take your child to school like on their first day of grade 1. I was denied that opportunity so aahhh hakuna; there is nothing like that like I don’t know ….I don’t ….
I have lost a considerable amount of weight I am a slim person but now I have come from slim to skinny like oooh aaah yeah… yeah… I don’t know coz I don’t know what else to do I mean because obviously the judiciary is conflicted. I spoke to number 1 because I thought oh ok that maybe as his boss he could knock some sense into him but nothing
Simba: When was the last time you spoke to number 1?

Marry: Oh yeah I haven’t spoken to him in a while because I just thot that maybe waal let me just stop because ndakaona ndakaona you know like vanga va…like he stopped responding to my messages eeeeh he stopped responding to my messages after I sent him lots of messages bamkuru my children bamkuru my children bamkuru my children noothing nothing nothing.
Simba: And that was last year or the previous year; was that last year 2020 or this year?
Marry: What?
Simba: Was that last year or this year?
Marry: No this year ….This year 2021.
Yeah
Over the phone over the phone I think physically he would be scared to see me he would be afraid to see me number 2 anovatyisa meaning that President Emmerson Mnangagwa is afraid of vice president Constantino Chiwenga.
Simba: Really
Marry: Yah Yah Aag I don’t know. I don’t know what else to do; I don’t know where else to go; I don’t know what else to say like I have spoken written everything; nothing.
Simba: There is one thing perhaps that we haven’t done last time when we spoke you had asked me for space to speak and we would pursue an interview like this where you will just pour your heart out..I spoke to SABC and they were ready I think you were too down at that time.
Marry: Do you know I have been in and out of hospital yeah I have been in an out of hospital like and you know like and do you know that there are some things that happen in life and you would never think that aah maybe this is only practical and only happens in movies only or whatever I am just like I am never ever never ever in my life did I think kuti I would one day need to convince somebody that I am actually sick. Court case that occurs in hospital for people to come and say that they want to see if she is sick…(chuckle). They actually did that to come into hospital.

Of course they did they did they did because I hadn’t showed up for court and they were told she is sick and they didn’t believe that I was sick they wanted to come and see I had the magistrate the pps my lawyers the police the what ah yah I am telling you
Simba: Do you remember which magistrate was that. Would you remember?
Marry: Huh?
Simba: Do you remember which magistrate this was that came to court
Marry: Aggg I can’t remember her name .I can’t remember her name . like they change every other time I go to court. It’s not the same person all the time I have lost track of who is who and what is what but yeah she came to the hospital.
Simba: We would want to give you an opportunity so you can scream this beyond just print so a proper audio broadcast like this….
Marry: It’s been hell. It’s been hell…

By A Correspondent- Police in Bindura is hunting for two men from Mazowe who are on the run after they had killed a suspected Rushinga thief for stealing a solar panel and groceries.

Mashonaland Central provincial police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mundembe confirmed the incident, which occurred last Friday, and identified the deceased as Rutendo Manyika.

“I can confirm a murder case at Plot 10, Mazowe where a Rushinga man was killed by five assailants, of which two of them have since been arrested and three are still at large,” he said.

Allegations are that Manyika broke into Tambudzai Musambo (58)’s tuckshop and stole goods worth US$76.

Passers-by allegedly alerted the tuckshop owner, who teamed up with Tafara Tinarwo, Alexander Manyika, Elliot Tauro and Talent Mapuwei and meted out instant justice on him.

Steven Chidavaenzi (41) discovered the dead body the next day and filed a police report, leading to the arrest of Musambo and Tinarwo.

-NewsDay

By A Correspondent-The trial of former Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo, who is facing criminal abuse of office charges has hit a brick wall following indications that the Prosecutor General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi wants the matter to be dealt with at the High Court.

Prosecutor Mr Garudzo Ziyadhuma told the court that he received a directive from the PG requiring that the ex-minister be indited at the High Court.

“We are applying that this matter should be postponed to June 16 as documents of the indictment are being processed and are expected to be complete in three weeks,” said Mr Ziyadhuma.

Chief magistrate Mr Munamato Mtevedzi remanded the matter to June 16 to allow the accused to be properly indicted at the High Court.

The former minister recently had his reporting conditions relaxed by Harare magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje.

The magistrate agreed to vary the reporting conditions for Moyo, who had been reporting three times a week at the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

In his application, Moyo pleaded with the court to make him report once a week at the ZACC offices, saying reporting thrice a week had become a burden on him.

In his ruling, Mr Mambanje said Moyo demonstrated his willingness to stand trial by abiding by his reporting conditions despite the State failing to furnish him with a trial date up to now.

-State media

Emmerson Mnangagwa, in his capacity as immediate former Chair of the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security, is today flying to Maputo, Mozambique for a session of the SADC Extraordinary Troika Summit.

Mnangagwa is expected to meet with his counterparts, Presidents Mogkweetsi Masisi of Botswana as current Chair, Cyril Ramaphosa as incoming Chair for the SADC Extraordinary Troika Summit, and the host President Filipe Nyusi.

The SADC Extraordinary Troika Summit is expected to receive a full report of the Technical deployment which was mandated on April 8, 2021, to produce a needs assessment report on the terrorist activity in the Cabo Delgado region of Mozambique.

The technical team which was supposed to table their report before the Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security on April 28, 2021, but the meeting was postponed.

The Committee is already digesting the contents of the report before submitting recommendations to the SADC Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit tomorrow.

This is indeed a crucial meeting whose adoption of recommendations by the three heads of State is expected to immediately trigger an active response which could see SADC deploying comprehensively to deal decisively with the terrorist menace in Mozambique.

To signal its seriousness in tackling the matter, SADC convened a Double Troika Summit in Maputo on April 8, 2021, at which a communique was issued to signal regional commitment to end the insurgency.

“Double Troika Summit received a report from the Organ Troika on the security situation in Mozambique, and noted with concern the acts of terrorism perpetrated against innocent civilians, women and children in some of the districts of Cabo Delgado Province of the Republic of Mozambique; condemned the terrorist attacks in strongest terms, and affirmed that such heinous attacks can not be allowed to continue without a proportionate regional response,” said SADC Secretariat in a communique.

The current harmonized efforts by the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security is aimed at preventing Mozambique from becoming another conflict hotbed in the region and continent at large.

This will have far-reaching consequences on the state of peace and security to the detriment of greater economic stability and growth.

The prevailing consensus and sense of urgency must be maintained to achieve the desired operational strength and effectiveness as well as to attract the necessary international goodwill.

These will be critical going forward so that a noble effort and initiative is not discredited.

SADC is driving Africa’s industrialisation agenda and therefore peace and stability will be indispensable imperatives for growing regional economies.

The Southern African Development Community region will have to attract quality investments to take advantage of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) for sustainable economic growth.- state media

Tinashe Sambiri|Zimbabwean cleric, Bishop Ancelimo Magaya has confronted the Zanu PF leader Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa over “introduction of paganism in the country.”

The cleric reprimanded Mr Mnangagwa for “attempting to divert the nation’s attention from the worship of one true God.”

Mr Mnangagwa wants to entrench the nation into paganism, according to the cleric.

According to biblical principles, paganism is an abomination before God.

See Bishop Magaya’s statement below:

Paganistic practices in Zimbabwean government; An abomination before God.

By Bishop Ancelimo Magaya

It saddens the heart to note that once again, today on May 25, ZIMBABWE witnesses yet another huge installment towards idolatry and paganism. The setting up of “Mbuya Nehanda” statue brings to memory attempts by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to divert Daniel and his Hebrew companions from the worship of one true God as he entrenched the nation into paganism about 2500 years ago.

It is beyond doubt now that we have at the helm of this country, a leadership in form of President Mnangangwa who, though convenes national days of prayer at state house, is a pagan at core. There is a deep sense that our national political leadership visit spirit mediums at night to get instructions on how they should lead Zimbabwe. It is clear that Zimbabwe is being led by pagans and the abysmal extent of this paganism is shocking. It should be noted that the coincidence of the setting up of this statue with the developments in Zvimba where it is reported that the former president RG Mugabe’s remains must be redug is deliberately contrived to entrench this nation into deep paganism.

Zimbabweans and in particular the church should not be blind to issues behind issues here.

I call upon the church to rise in prayer and pull down all such demonic forces and practices expressed in these diabolic relics, statues , enchantments and charms associated with tempering with the bodies of the deceased under the guys of proper reburial.

Prophet Isaiah warns strongly that when a nation goes corrupt, unjust, violent and idolatry, the economy will go down ( Chapter 1 vs 1-23 ). Zimbabwe has all these combined.

President and cabinet, be warned. Also Zimbabweans should be told how much in terms of money has gone into this project.

Blessed is a Nation whose God is Jehovah not this religious syncretism.

God Save Zimbabwe.

By A Correspondent- Masvingo City socialite Juliet Jaboon who is related to former Bikita Zanu PF MP Jeppy Jaboon has died.

Patience Rakabota, a close friend confirmed the sad news to The Mirror today and expressed sadness over the loss of a close associate.

She died at Masvingo Provincial Hospital of severe chest pains and high blood pressure last night.

“I am disgusted by the death of JJ because she was a very close and lovely friend, I last talked to her on Saturday at Masvingo Provincial Hospital where she was admitted and I was jokingly advising her to reduce alcohol intake since her BP was getting worse, I can’t believe this honestly, Gracelands will never be the same without her, ” said Rakabota.
Jaboon was a teacher at Sikato Primary School in Masvingo Rural District and is survived with one boy doing form 4. She was staying in the Majange area of Mucheke Suburb.”

I am in pain, JJ was very friendly and lovely, she was very close to her son especially after the death of her daughter recently in mysterious ways, pasi harigute,” said a close friend, Dzidzai Jiri who was collecting bereavement funds from friends on behalf of the family.

The Mirror has established that JJ will be buried tomorrow in Bikita and her body has since left Masvingo City.

— Mirror

By A Correspondent- Daggers have been drawn over opposition Zapu party presidency after the late former Vice-President Joshua Nkomo’s son Sibangilizwe Nkomo expressed interest in the post.

In March, Nkomo resigned from the chairmanship of both the Joshua Nkomo Cultural Movement and the Joshua Nkomo Legacy Restoration Project Trust in order for him to pursue his political dream to become Zapu president.

The opposition party is set to hold its elective congress in August, and the party now appears to have been shaken by Nkomo’s interest to contest the top post.

Party presidential aspirants have sharpened their swords against Nkomo amid accusations that he wants to turn the party into a family dynasty.

Among his rivals is Iphithule Maphosa, who is the party spokesperson.

“We can’t then have inheritance hunters coming up in March 2021 to claim so and so told them to rescue the party after 40 years,” Maphosa said.

Other members eyeing the Zapu presidency are Matabeleland South chairperson Matthew Sibanda, secretary-general Strike Mkandla, Bernard Magugu and Mqondobanzi Magonya.

“At Zapu, we have been toiling to build an institutional organisation whose existence rests on the foundations of equality, loyalty and constitutionalism. We do not have rules with name tags on them.

“We are not a family or clan dynasty. Leadership of the mother party is not hereditary. Neither is it sexually transmitted. If anybody is hunting for their missing inheritance package, Zapu is the wrong place,” Maphosa added.

Nkomo yesterday told Southern Eye that the accusations were coming from people that were scared to stand against him.

“If it was all about inheritance, I would not be contesting the presidency. I have always been a card-carrying member of Zapu from the 1970s, and I never, at any given time, joined other parties. In fact, I should hasten to point out that those throwing insults against me are exhibiting a political culture which is alien to Zapu. It’s a foreign culture which must be nipped in the bud,” Nkomo said.

He said he was confident of winning the presidency.

Initially, Zapu was supposed to hold its congress in April, but it was postponed to August due to logistical problems and the COVID-19 outbreak.

The late VP Nkomo was the long-time leader of PF Zapu, but in 1987, Nkomo’s PF Zapu signed a Unity Accord with the ruling Zanu PF to bring an end to the Gukurahundi massacres in Matabeleland and Midlands regions.

In 2008, the late Dumiso Dabengwa led a number of ex-PF Zapu officials to form a breakaway faction from Zanu PF in order to relaunch Zapu.

Dabengwa led the rebirthed Zapu till he passed away in May 2019.

-NewsDay

By James Gwati- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has now become a Covid-19 super spreader after he continues to break the pandemic’s guidelines set by the World Health Organisation.

Mnangagwa yesterday, gathered his party supporters in the CBD when he was unvailing Mbuya Nehanda statue. His supporters did not observe social distancing.

Last Friday, he addressed a huge gathering at Chief Njelele’s homestead in Gokwe South, in the Midlands province, where some of the attendees were not wearing masks.

The next day, he attended the memorial service of the late Agriculture minister Perrance Shiri in Chikomba district, where he attracted a sizeable gathering.

Shiri succumbed to COVID-19 in July last year and was buried at the National Heroes’ Acre.

By A Correspondent- A suspected thief from Rushinga was allegedly bashed to death by five people in Mazowe after they accused him of stealing a solar panel and groceries.

Mashonaland Central provincial police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mundembe confirmed the incident, which occurred last Friday, and identified the deceased as Rutendo Manyika.

“I can confirm a murder case at Plot 10, Mazowe where a Rushinga man was killed by five assailants, of which two of them have since been arrested and three are still at large,” he said.

Allegations are that Manyika broke into Tambudzai Musambo (58)’s tuckshop and stole goods worth US$76.

Passers-by allegedly alerted the tuckshop owner, who teamed up with Tafara Tinarwo, Alexander Manyika, Elliot Tauro and Talent Mapuwei and meted out instant justice on him.

Steven Chidavaenzi (41) discovered the dead body the next day and filed a police report, leading to the arrest of Musambo and Tinarwo.

-NewsDay

By A Correspondent- The government has transferred the Chiredzi District Lands Officer Mr Honest Mapfumo to Harare over accusations of improprieties in the administration of land allocations in the flashpoint district.

Mr Mapfumo was already under fire over reports of allegedly circumventing the Masvingo provincial leadership in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement in land allocations in Chiredzi which is predominated by sugar cane farming.

Sources said he was also now operating as a loner in land allocations after allegedly snubbing the district lands committee.

In a letter by the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Dr John Basera, dated May 19 2021, a copy which owns The Herald, Mr Mapfumo was ordered to report at the head office in Harare on 31 May.

He was also ordered to facilitate the hand-over and take-over processes to a new acting district lands officer designated by the provincial chief lands officer Mrs Tendai Mumera.

In his letter, Dr Basera said the decision to transfer Mr Mapfumo was motivated by “reports of administrative challenges on your performance in Chiredzi district.”

Chiredzi is a flashpoint district in land issues with Government officials usually going under crosshairs for irregularities in land allocations as demand for sugar cane plots remaining high.

-State media

By A Correspondent-The trial of former Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo, who is facing criminal abuse of office charges has hit a brick wall following indications that the Prosecutor General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi wants the matter to be dealt with at the High Court.

Prosecutor Mr Garudzo Ziyadhuma told the court that he received a directive from the PG requiring that the ex-minister be indited at the High Court.

“We are applying that this matter should be postponed to June 16 as documents of the indictment are being processed and are expected to be complete in three weeks,” said Mr Ziyadhuma.

Chief magistrate Mr Munamato Mtevedzi remanded the matter to June 16 to allow the accused to be properly indicted at the High Court.

The former minister recently had his reporting conditions relaxed by Harare magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje.

The magistrate agreed to vary the reporting conditions for Moyo, who had been reporting three times a week at the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

In his application, Moyo pleaded with the court to make him report once a week at the ZACC offices, saying reporting thrice a week had become a burden on him.

In his ruling, Mr Mambanje said Moyo demonstrated his willingness to stand trial by abiding by his reporting conditions despite the State failing to furnish him with a trial date up to now.

By A Correspondent- A 28-year old man from Fort Rixon has appeared in court for allegedly raping a ten-year-old minor.

The man, of plot 1 Thornville, Moyana Farm, Fort Rixon allegedly raped the minor on April 1.

He appeared before Bulawayo Magistrate Ms Rachael Mukanga on Wednesday and was remanded in custody to June 4.

Appearing for the state Miss Ashley Dube said the man visited the complainant’s place where he discovered that the minor’s parents away and took advantage of their absence to rape her.

“On April one, the man who resides at a neighboring plot proceeded to the complainant’s place of residence and discovered that the complainant’s parents were not around. The man invited the ten-year-old complainant to an abandoned house. Inside the house, the man removed the minor’s panties and knocked her to the ground. He raped the minor without using any protection,” she said.

By A Correspondent- Three Mazowe men have been arrested for mobbing and killing a suspected thief for stealing a solar panel and groceries.

Mashonaland Central provincial police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mundembe confirmed the incident, which occurred last Friday, and identified the deceased as Rutendo Manyika.

“I can confirm a murder case at Plot 10, Mazowe where a Rushinga man was killed by five assailants, of which two of them have since been arrested and three are still at large,” he said.

Allegations are that Manyika broke into Tambudzai Musambo (58)’s tuckshop and stole goods worth US$76.

Passers-by allegedly alerted the tuckshop owner, who teamed up with Tafara Tinarwo, Alexander Manyika, Elliot Tauro and Talent Mapuwei and meted out instant justice on him.

Steven Chidavaenzi (41) discovered the dead body the next day and filed a police report, leading to the arrest of Musambo and Tinarwo.

-NewsDay

By James Gwati- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has defied Covid-19 guidelines set by the World Health Organisation for the third time in one week.

Mnangagwa yesterday, gathered his party supporters in the CBD when he was unvailing Mbuya Nehanda statue. His supporters did not observe social distancing.

Last Friday, he addressed a huge gathering at Chief Njelele’s homestead in Gokwe South, in the Midlands province, where some of the attendees were not wearing masks.

The next day, he attended the memorial service of the late Agriculture minister Perrance Shiri in Chikomba district, where he attracted a sizeable gathering.

Shiri succumbed to COVID-19 in July last year and was buried at the National Heroes’ Acre.

By James Gwati- The civil society has raised concern over the continued breaching of Covid-19 regulations by Zanu PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The civil society’s representative body, the Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition, on Wednesday issued a stern warning to Mnangagwa complaining about his continued covid-19 regulations violations.

” We have also noted with great concern that the ruling party, Zanu PF continues to defy Covid 19 lockdown regulations by embarking on events that attract huge gatherings,” said Crisis.

The unveiling of the Mbuya Nehanda statue yesterday was attended by hundreds of Zanu PF supporters in direct defiance of Covid 19 lockdown regulations on public gatherings.

This was the third time in a week that President Mnangagwa has gathered large gatherings in defiance of the World Health Organization (WHO) regulations on Covid 19.

By A Correspondent-The trial of former Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo, who is facing criminal abuse of office charges has hit a brick wall following indications that the Prosecutor General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi wants the matter to be dealt with at the High Court.

Prosecutor Mr Garudzo Ziyadhuma told the court that he received a directive from the PG requiring that the ex-minister be indited at the High Court.

“We are applying that this matter should be postponed to June 16 as documents of the indictment are being processed and are expected to be complete in three weeks,” said Mr Ziyadhuma.

Chief magistrate Mr Munamato Mtevedzi remanded the matter to June 16 to allow the accused to be properly indicted at the High Court.

The former minister recently had his reporting conditions relaxed by Harare magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje.

The magistrate agreed to vary the reporting conditions for Moyo, who had been reporting three times a week at the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

In his application, Moyo pleaded with the court to make him report once a week at the ZACC offices, saying reporting thrice a week had become a burden on him.

In his ruling, Mr Mambanje said Moyo demonstrated his willingness to stand trial by abiding by his reporting conditions despite the State failing to furnish him with a trial date up to now.

By Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi- Attached is a crime alert that has gone viral on social media platforms. The truth of the matter is, your identity can be stolen in so many different ways.

To protect the citizens of Zimbabwe I shall not focus on how your identity can be stolen because that will be educating “would-be” criminals to commit similar crime. 

What is important is to demand that your identity is protected by your service providers, be it Banks, mobile money service providers, insurance and even the government has the duty to protect you.

Mind you I have forwarded this write up to the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs, ZRP, RBZ, financial service providers, ZACC, mobile money providers, insurance companies, Registrar General and ICT professionals in Zimbabwe.

The number one crime in Zimbabwe is mobile money scam and the most affected is ecocash according to our Cyber research.

There  is now an immediate need to use biometric facial recognition as a way of identifying clients. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crime in Zimbabwe with the identities of thousands of individuals having been compromised in recent years.

The criminals use the identity theft to scam. Identity theft is a type of fraud that involves using someone else’s identity to steal money or gain other benefits.

Leading to an innocent person ending up being arrested. How this is done is easy, the criminal reproduces a plastic National Identity (ID), after getting information that a “target” has a lump sum in their mobile money account or is receiving some cash.

At say 4:25pm just before mobile money shop closes the criminal enters the shop advises the customer assistant that he/she has lost her phone or it is stolen and requests for a subscriber identity module (SIM) card replacement.

Once one is issued with a replacement SIM card,the actual SIM card owner is immediately blocked  and the criminal will now have full access to your mobile money account and the owner does not have access to the mobile phone company because it will be closed for business.

The only time that one will get access to a mobile money service provider is at 8am the next day by then the mobile money wallet would have been wiped out.

There is now a need for mobile money companies to adopt the biometric facial recognition system and have a central database of all mobile money registered clients. Biometric face recognition technology is used worldwide for fighting crime, preventing fraud, securing public safety and improving customer experience across a vast range of locations and industries.

This is now the best technology that can be used to prevent mobile money fraud especially  in Zimbabwe where 96 percent of all transactions are now being processed electronically. 

The use of biometrics make use of our most unique physical features and behaviours to serve as digital identifiers that computers and software can interpret and utilise for identity-related applications. They can be used to identify someone in a biometric database or to verify the authenticity of a claimed identity.

We are urging Zimbabwe’s mobile money service provider to use biometric facial recognition to protect the vulnerable consumer who is now at the mercy of modern day criminals.

As a citizen of Zimbabwe remember there are laws (data protection act)  that demand that your identity is protected and verified by your service provider.

You can also sue your service provider for negligence if fraud or a crime is committed that leads to your arrest.

If you need any further advise or your company needs advice, do not hesitate to contact me on 0772278161 or email [email protected]

Engineer Mutisi is the Chair of the ICT division of Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers (ZIE) , a Board Member of the Zimbabwe Institute of Directors (IOD), a Member of The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) UK and a practising Engineer with Engineering Council of Zimbabwe (ECZ)
Leaders who don’t listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say.

By A Correspondent- The late socialite and businessman Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure’s family plans to build a mausoleum before they conduct a memorial service for him.

Ginimbi’s sister, Juliet Kadungure told H-Metro’s Takawira “Photovet” Dapi that Ginimbi’s memorial service will be done after they hold their mother’s memorial service.

She said:

I think you are also aware that we also lost our younger brother called Andrew on 01 January 2019, before Ginimbi died.

Andrew passed on when our mother was on deathbed, we then failed to do Andrew’s memorial because our mother took the whole year whilst on deathbed due to cancer.

Our mother then died on 28 January 2020 last year. So my mother was a churchwoman, a church person, meaning her memorial was to gather more people.

Unfortunately, Ginimbi passed on the 8th of November, the same year (2020).

Juliet said it wasn’t proper for them to hold Ginimbi’s memorial first because he was the one who passed on last amongst the three.

She said:

So in normal circumstances, we should have started with Andrew’s memorial, followed by mom’s and then that of Ginimbi last.

But because our mother is the eldest of all, we are going to start with our mother’s memorial.

I am thinking of holding it on the 6th of June next month because that will be our mother’s birthday.

… From there, I will then calculate how much money and time it can take to construct a mausoleum.

Afterwards, the memorial for Ginimbi will surely be held after his mausoleum has constructed.

On reports claiming that Ginimbi’s casket was later found outside his mansion, Juliet said nothing of the sort ever happened.

She said:

How can a casket be found outside the grave? If it was true, journalists must have been there to prove to the world that surely that casket is coming out daily, mobva mari miriraka richibudaka pa-mansion pacho.

Nothing of that nature ever happened; I think you still remember also a picture of a Lamborghini car on fire during Ginimbi’s funeral, but Ginimbi’s Lamborghini is still intact and parked inside his garages at his mansion today.

Ginimbi’s mansion is still free to visit, it is still the same, you will not notice that Ginimbi is late, his property is still intact.

-H-Metro

By A Correspondent- National Patriotic Front (NPF) spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire has claimed former Registrar-General Tobaiwa Mudede was arrested for his opposition to the erection of Mbuya Nehanda’s statue in Haare without consulting the late spirit medium’s relatives.

Mudede (70) was arrested on Wednesday and subsequently taken to court charged with theft. He is out on free bail.

Mawarire asked why Mudede was only arrested recently when the alleged offence was committed nearly two decades ago.

The journalist-cum politician, who was the late former president Robert Mugabe’s close ally, also challenged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to exhume the remains of his father buried in Zambia and bring them home for a “proper” reburial before pushing for Mugabe’s exhumation. Mawarire wrote on Twitter:

Zimbabweans, have u ever wondered why former Registrar Gen Tobaiwa Mudede was arrested & arraigned before the courts last week? Well, Mudede is a Hwata, a Mhofu, a close relative of Charwe (Mbuya Nehanda medium) & was against the erection of Charwe’s statue without the consent of the Hwata family.

In anger, Idhii & Gen Racto reacted by having Mudede arrested for some alleged theft that happened 20 or so years ago. That’s how far the Junta-PF will go in pushing for their occultic shenanigans.

It’s quite clear that they left no stone unturned in their quest to erect that statue & do rituals during the ceremony. In the same way, they bulldozed over family concerns in their bid to erect a statue for Charwe, they are riding roughshod over Mugabe’s family in their attempts to exhume his body & do rituals at some supposed reburial at Heroes Acre.

But what I want to ask Pres @edmnangagwa & @nickmangwana is why should ED prioritise exhuming Mugabe when ED’s father lies buried in Mumbwa, Zambia? When is @edmnangagwa going to exhume his own father who is buried in a foreign country in order to ‘properly’ bury him in independent Zimbabwe?

Hasn’t Pres Mnangagwa told us about how his father fought colonialists in Southern Rhodesia until he had to be deported to Zambia?

So why should we have such a gallant son of the soil lie buried in a foreign land he was banished into by the racist colonial govt of the time?

Doesn’t it make sense, Cde @edmnangagwa, that you prioritise the exhumation & reburial of your father in independent Zimbabwe, even at the Heroes Acre, for out of his loins came forth our esteemed President?

President @edmnangagwa, doesn’t charity begin at home? Why would you want to exhume President Mugabe against the wishes of his children when your own father lies undisturbed in Zambia?

Don’t you think bringing your father home should take precedence over RGM exhumation & Charwe statue?

Surely, President @edmnangagwa, if u want people to respect you, stop suspecting there are some ulterior motives pushing you to exhume RGM or erect Charwe’s statue against the wishes of the two’s close family members, you should go ahead & exhume your father from Zambia and properly bury him in independent Zimbabwe?

I am asking as a genuine peace-loving Zimbabwean who understand the history of this country & its people.

-JealousyMawarire

Tinashe Sambiri|Zimbabwean cleric, Bishop Ancelimo Magaya has confronted the Zanu PF leader Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa over “introduction of paganism in the country.”

The cleric reprimanded Mr Mnangagwa for “attempting to divert the nation’s attention from the worship of one true God.”

Mr Mnangagwa wants to entrench the nation into paganism, according to the cleric.

According to biblical principles, paganism is an abomination before God.

See Bishop Magaya’s statement below:

Paganistic practices in Zimbabwean government; An abomination before God.

By Bishop Ancelimo Magaya

It saddens the heart to note that once again, today on May 25, ZIMBABWE witnesses yet another huge installment towards idolatry and paganism. The setting up of “Mbuya Nehanda” statue brings to memory attempts by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to divert Daniel and his Hebrew companions from the worship of one true God as he entrenched the nation into paganism about 2500 years ago.

It is beyond doubt now that we have at the helm of this country, a leadership in form of President Mnangangwa who, though convenes national days of prayer at state house, is a pagan at core. There is a deep sense that our national political leadership visit spirit mediums at night to get instructions on how they should lead Zimbabwe. It is clear that Zimbabwe is being led by pagans and the abysmal extent of this paganism is shocking. It should be noted that the coincidence of the setting up of this statue with the developments in Zvimba where it is reported that the former president RG Mugabe’s remains must be redug is deliberately contrived to entrench this nation into deep paganism.

Zimbabweans and in particular the church should not be blind to issues behind issues here.

I call upon the church to rise in prayer and pull down all such demonic forces and practices expressed in these diabolic relics, statues , enchantments and charms associated with tempering with the bodies of the deceased under the guys of proper reburial.

Prophet Isaiah warns strongly that when a nation goes corrupt, unjust, violent and idolatry, the economy will go down ( Chapter 1 vs 1-23 ). Zimbabwe has all these combined.

President and cabinet, be warned. Also Zimbabweans should be told how much in terms of money has gone into this project.

Blessed is a Nation whose God is Jehovah not this religious syncretism.

God Save Zimbabwe.

By A Correspondent- Harare provincial development coordinator (PDC) Tafadzwa Muguti, who has been reportedly unwell after being poisoned for fighting land barons and corruption, says he would continue busting graft despite threats to his life.

Muguti was appointed last year, but of late, he has been absent from office amid reports that he had been poisoned for exposing land barons.

Speaking in an interview with NewsDay on Tuesday, Muguti who returned to work last month said:

I am not commenting on that (poisoning) issue, but what I can only tell you is because of our job, our lives are always under threat.

We are living in violent and politically toxic times, and my job comes with its consequences and all I can say is that we are protected by the Lord Almighty.

We are not targeting individuals, we are targeting the wrongs being done by people and if we can fix that then we can go far.

Muguti said his name had been abused by namedroppers, while he also faces resistance from land barons who felt he had disturbed their “feeding trough”.

He said:

Let me be frank, my job as PDC has come under a lot of resistance because people feel we are removing them from their feeding trough. The abnormalities at the City of Harare had become the normal way of life.

… I am employed to create a conducive working environment in the city and not to make friends. My job requires energy, I cannot please criminals.

Muguti was reportedly poisoned after he stepped on several land barons’ toes, mostly those affiliated to the ruling ZANU PF party and the opposition MDC formations.