Zimbabwe’s underpaid teachers have dug in and refused to report for duty today as schools open for non-examination classes, saying they will only do so after their employer, government, has acceded to their demand for their salaries to be restored to the preOctober 2018 levels.

Then, teachers were earning between US$520 and US$550, but are now earning the equivalent of slightly above US$100.

Government, which has threatened to dock salaries for workers who absent themselves without official leave, has said it has no capacity to pay US dollar-indexed salaries demanded by its restive workers.

Teachers yesterday rejected the 75% salary increment offered to all civil servants, saying the adjustment was not a product of collective bargaining.

Cabinet last week approved a 75% pay increment offer for civil servants, which will be paid in a staggered format, with 25% being effected this month, followed by the remainder, 50%, to be paid in June.

The standoff between government and teachers will negatively impact learners, who last had face-to-face lessons in September last year before going on a long COVID-19-induced break.

Teachers unions said their members would not report for duty because they are financially incapacitated to travel to their various stations and pay their children’s school fees.

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) last week gave notice of a nationwide strike starting today despite pronouncements by the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) that it would meet this week to review civil servants’ working conditions.

Last week’s NJNC negotiations ended in a stalemate after the President Emmerson Mnangagwa-led administration dangled a 25% salary increase, which civil servants dismissed as a pittance.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said teachers under his union would not report for work despite the 75% increment announcement.

“It’s madness of the worst order. The same government gave police, soldiers, and Central Intelligence Organisation officers more than 100% salary increases with effect from February 2021. Now they want to give the rest of the civil service 25% with effect from April, and the other 50% from June,” he said.

“This double standard is unacceptable. Worse still, it is not a product of social dialogue, but unilateralism. What teachers want is restoration of the purchasing power parity of US$520 to US$550 or its equivalent.

“The incapacitation modus operandi will continue unabated until government takes teachers seriously.”

Zimbabwe National Teachers Union chief executive officer Manuel Nyawo described the 75% proposed increment as a mockery to the teaching profession given that the increment would be staggered, adding that by June, it would have been eroded by inflation.

“We are so much frustrated and disappointed by the proposed 75% increment which remains a drop in the ocean. The increment margin that is being offered ranges from $3 500 to $4 500. How is the little amount going to solve our incapacitation?” Nyawo asked.

“There is no reason for us not to demonstrate. We are incapacitated, hence we will join any other union that wants to demonstrate for our own good.”

Artuz president Obert Masaraure said the salary increment had not yet been officially agreed with civil servants as it was announced through the media, which was the root of the crisis in the civil service.

He said protocols pertaining to agreement and announcement of salary increments by government were not duly followed, which further complicated the problem.

“It was never a collective bargaining engagement between the government and its employees. Government still has powers to fix salaries of civil servants without going through a genuine process of collective bargaining. All the salaries we are earning were never a product of a genuine collective bargaining process and we don’t have a signed collective bargaining agreement,” Masaraure said.

“We reject the 75% increment, both the process and the amount. The amount itself is pathetic and unacceptable. What we need is a genuine reform of the laws governing the civil service. Labour laws governing the civil service should be aligned to the Constitution so that we also have collective bargaining agreements which can govern us.”

Zimbabwe Teachers Association chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said: “We have only seen the announcement in the Press. No communication has been made, but what we are looking forward to is a favourable outcome of negotiations whose results we have not received.

“We are looking forward to the second meeting and an improvement from the last offer and with a clear roadmap towards restoration of salary levels matching the pre-October 2018 US$550. Anything diverting from the roadmap will be unsatisfactory and unacceptable. Dialogue should demonstrate serious attention to this demand as promised in the NJNC agreement of November 2020.”

Moses Mhike, the Public Service Commission representative in the NJNC, said he was not aware of the proposed 75% increment.

“I was out of town and where I was, there was no access to the media. I haven’t come across such information, I am just getting into Harare now,” he said.-Newsday

By A Correspondent| High enrolment in government schools is depriving learners as they are being asked to come to school once every week to allow social distancing in classes.

Government announced the re-opening of schools in a phased approach with examination classes having opened doors last week while the rest of classes have resumed today.

One of the schools in Harare has informed parents that their children will only attend face to face classes once a week.

In one of the messages seen by ZimEye, a teacher told parents that pupils who will come to school when its not their turn will be send back home.

The school said the move is meant is meant to implement social distancing following government’s announcement emphasizing strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.

“This group will come on Monday. Those who are not in this group should not come. If they do come, I will ask you to come and collect them as we are implementing social distancing. Thank you for your co- operation in advance,” reads one of the messages.

 CHRA joins the world today in commemorating World Water Day under the theme valuing water. The theme comes at a time when water has become a scarce resource in Harare

Harare City Council failed to produce adequate clean and safe water for Harare residents.  In suburbs such as Tafara Ward 46, the area has more than 20 years without a single drop of water.

Apparently the city council is producing 440megalitres per day against a demand of 1200mega megalitres.

In Harare 60% of treated water is being lost through water bursts and the responsiveness of council to such has not been good enough to preserve water as a valuable resource.

The shortage of this valuable resource has affected the productive time of women and young girls mostly as they are caregivers of the society.

In most cases they spent more than three hours at communal boreholes in an effort to access water. This has exposed them to all forms of abuse and harassment by water barons.

Water is the life blood of our economy and it is needed for life to exist. The shortage of water has crippled production of goods and services as it is essential.

CHRA will continue to call upon the government and the local authority to work together to end the water crisis through investing more resources to improve the water sources.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema said that schools reopened last week with no problems and he expects the return of all learners to classes this Monday to be incident-free as well.

Speaking to State media on Sunday, Mathema thanked stakeholders including teachers, parents and learners for adapting to the normal compulsory safety protocols. He said:

The education sector has adjusted to the new normal. Last week we resumed lessons for examination classes without any problem and we expect the same this week with the rest of the classes.

Teachers who were supposed to report for duty last week reported. I want to commend parents, learners and teachers for the way they have managed the resumption of classes under the circumstances.

The measures prescribed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care for a safe resumption of classes are now in place and we are ready for the resumption of classes.

Everyone is ready and we expect a safe resumption of classes tomorrow (today) as some learners have started going to school, joining those who resumed their lessons last week

National Association of Secondary Heads (NASH) president Arthur Maphosa also said schools opened last week without any major challenges and they expect the prevailing situation to continue.

National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH) president Cynthia Khumalo said they are ready to welcome all pupils back to school though there are still challenges regarding social distancing protocols in some schools.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has confirmed the appointment of Dorothy Mabika as Manicaland Senator replacing Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba who passed away.

Dr Gwaradzimba was also Minister of Provincial Affairs and Devolution.

The electoral management body has also notified of the nomination by Zanu-PF of Frederick Metrine Mudau from Beitbridge, Matabeleland South to fill the vacancy of Proportional Representative Member of Parliament in the National Assembly left by Lisa Singo who died early this year.

ZEC has also accepted the nomination of Dr Fredrick Shava as Midlands Senator to fill in the vacancy left by Dr Sibusiso Moyo.

Dr Shava has since been sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

The announcements were made by ZEC chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba in a Government Gazette published last Friday.-statemedia

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka fired the head of an Agricultural Rural Development Authority (Arda)-run agriculture scheme in Lupane on the spot and said the parastatal’s operations are not in sync with the Second Republic’s thrust of transforming the country’s economy through agriculture.

Dr Masuka was also riled by the fact that Government has had to write off a sorghum crop at the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme in Binga as a result of “remote management”, leading to a wastage of resources.

He breathed fire during a tour of the Bubi-Lupane Irrigation Project and the Bulawayo Kraal Irrigation Scheme on Friday, where he was accompanied by Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo.

The minister said a lackadaisical approach to work had no place in the Second Republic that was anchored on maximisation of resources and betterment of citizens’ lives through production.

Despite the ineptitude at the irrigation schemes, the country is on the verge of its largest harvest in 37 years with farmers expecting to reap between 2,5 and 2,8 million tonnes of maize and above 360 000 tonnes of traditional small grains following above normal rains that fell countrywide this year.

Dr Masuka was not impressed with the sorghum crop in Lupane and said it was unlikely that a meaningful yield would be realised. He instructed that it be removed. The crop was not properly planted leaving a lot of gaps in between, leading the minister to conclude that poor agronomic work was on display.

The Bubi-Lupane Irrigation Project is being revived and benefited from three centre pivots from Government. Arda is the project manager and works with the local community in planting of crops.

Dr Masuka fired on site, the Bubi-Lupane Irrigation Project manager for alleged incompetence saying the same will befall officials who fail to meet Government’s expectations in the transformation of the agriculture sector. Chronicle could not establish the official’s name.

“I’m not happy with Arda’s performance, you are still in the past. Arda must wake up to the realities of the Second Republic and the President’s thrust of using agriculture as a vehicle for the attainment of vision 2030,” said Dr Masuka. He said Government has set minimum requirements for managing Arda irrigation sites.

Dr Masuka said going forward, Government wants Arda managers to be stationed on-site as opposed to visiting the farms.

“When you employ you must pay only a basic survival salary to that scheme manager. It must be a performance-based contract and 75 percent of the annual salary must come from a crop production bonus. The crop production bonus is predetermined. For wheat we want 4,5 to 5 tonnes per hectare they (farm managers) get their two percent on the net. If they are unable to do that then it means they will be a sunset clause in that contract which says the moment they harvest and it not happened (achieving the yield target) it means the contract automatically lapses,” said Dr Masuka.

“So, we don’t deal with this perennial problem of hiring mediocre people that do not want to grow this community. This scheme in the years ahead will be the envy of many districts. It is our intention with Minister Moyo to bring the Presidency here to launch the 200 hectares per district. This will be the first district to attain 200 hectares. We want that wheat to be a classic crop so that we can plan for launch of the 200 hectare per district by the President and I suggest that it takes place here. It has to happen.”

He said Government is moving towards having each district having 200 hectares of crop under irrigation as part of measures to ensure the country has food security.

“Government policy is that Zimbabwe is going to get drier in the decades ahead. So, we must climate proof our agriculture. Our population is increasing and vision 2030 beckons. Therefore, we must prepare and transform agriculture and through it transform rural livelihoods. That is why the President has indicated that he wants to see 200 hectares per district,” he said. He said the sorghum crop was a write-off and Arda should bear the cost.

“This crop is unlikely to yield anything due to poor agronomy. So, the intervention is that we convert this immediately into fodder and stop the irrigation. We plan for winter wheat for pivot number one and pivot number two with all the water now going to pivot number three where we have 60 hectares of sugar beans, where we are likely to salvage something if it’s not commercial then it’s for the communities that have already worked and we pay them for their labour and everything through that. You as Arda you will recoup your costs on the next wheat crop without burdening the community. The community’s investment is to make a living out of agriculture and agriculture as a business,” he said.

Dr Masuka said Arda should start preparing for winter wheat farming as it removes the sorghum.

“As you can see the planting itself was done poorly and it is our considered view that at this stage we must prepare better for the next crop. We must admit that we have failed on this crop and we must pledge and commit to do better on the next crop. We will be employing a professional scheme manager who will be assisting in the management of the scheme and we will replicate this,” said Dr Masuka.

At the Bulawayo Kraal, the minister did not mince his words as he read a riot act to the new Arda board and management to up its game and prove its worth. He said full-time managers must be stationed at Bulawayo Kraal and Bubi-Lupane Irrigation as one of the remedial measures.

“Today we were touring Arda estates in Matabeleland North. We started with Bubi-Lupane and now we are at Bulawayo-Kraal. At both schemes we learnt about how not to farm and clearly the two schemes at this stage are a write-off.

“We are disappointed that resources went down the drain but however, we are pleased that the new Arda board chairman and chief executive are with us to see why we have been talking about Arda needing a transformation. I look forward to this board and management transforming Arda and agriculture as well as the rural landscape in pursuit of the noble vision by the President for an upper and empowered middle-income society by 2030,” said Dr Masuka.

Minister Moyo said the scheme requires a hands-on approach. He said plans are underway to prepare for planting winter wheat and beans in the next few weeks.

The Bulawayo Kraal project has been failing to produce a successful crop due to a myriad of challenges including recurrent pipe leaks. The projects seek to create employment for locals and alleviate poverty through transforming the area into an economic hub.

Binga District is traditionally viewed as lagging in terms of development and the irrigation scheme is one of the many projects in the area to show the potential of the district to sustain itself and feed the province. The scheme will cover 15 000ha and will provide food and nutrition security in the country in the backdrop of climate change and recurrent drought.

Arda entered into partnership with a local investor to develop the 15 000ha piece of land into a food and export crops as well as crocodile farming zone. Irrigation equipment including three centre pivots and pipes to draw water from Zambezi River are already in place.

Newly-appointed Arda board chairman Mr Ivan Craig said a mammoth task lies ahead of the parastatal and this will include proper planning and having on-the-ground managers.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Illegal money changers in Harare and other parts of the country are now hanging around and even inside supermarkets that might have a reasonable number of shoppers using foreign currency offering to pay a premium.

They use their bank cards or Ecocash to pay for groceries and other items on behalf of shoppers and get the hard currency later.

The near ubiquitous CCTV systems that most supermarkets have installed to prevent shoplifting are just as good at catching currency deals on the premises, and the supermarkets dislike the practice.

Some even get to an extent of pushing trolleys for the customers in supermarkets, make payment and assist the shopper to pack the groceries in their vehicles.

In some shops, illegal money changers pose as genuine customers, picking some items and putting them into trolleys. They then sidle up to likely targets and ask if they are using US dollars. If the shopper is not the dealer breaks off and starts stalking another target.

Officially, US$1 is worth a whisker under $84, but the illegal foreign currency traders are offering higher rates ranging from $100 to $110 per US$1. Cash rates are lower, around $90.

Traditionally, illegal money changers in Harare hung around Patrice Lumumba Street near the intersection with Agostinho Neto Avenue opposite Meikles Hotel, around the south and west sides of Eastgate Mall, outside Roadport international bus station, in Kwame Nkrumah Avenue at the back of Holiday Inn and some shopping centres across the suburbs, both high and low density.

They are still there, but some, faced with the competition, are now trying the supermarkets.

Supermarkets like OK Zimbabwe, Pick n Pay, Mahomed Mussa, Spar and others that stick to the official auction rates in their transactions are mostly targeted by illegal money changers.

Smaller shops that illegally trade at exchange rates higher than the official rate do not attract illegal money changers. At one stage police did wonder if shop owners using official rates were working in cahoots with the illegal changers, and some shop owners were even questioned, but none have been charged and the police now accept that the shop owners are as against the practice as they are.

Zimbabwe Retailers Association president Mr Denford Mutashu confirmed the new business approaches of the “store dealers”.

“Illegal foreign currency traders operating on the entrances to major shops have become a menace. They are an ugly creature, not only to us, but to the entire economy. They are weighing down on positive policies introduced by the Government to revive the economy,” he said.

Much of the forex meant for formal shops, is being collected by illegal traders outside major shops, resulting in serious foreign currency shortages for certain imported consumer goods. While industry can go to the auctions, and store owners can buy local products without foreign currency, the commercial sector still has to find its own currency to import some of the luxury and semi-luxury consumer items that are not on the auction priority lists. They were relying on raising their own foreign currency by offering to take US dollars and other currencies at their tills, but using auction rates. Now, especially in the city centre, shops are seeing fewer foreign currency shoppers.

“It’s a huge problem for the sector. It is now difficult for established shops to raise forex for restocking. All forex is now being mopped and diverted to the black market.

“We are not an arresting authority, but we continue to engage the police in our quest to curb the rot. The police have tried their best, but they are also facing challenges. ” We need to work together with the law enforcement agents,” he said.

As part of an investigation, an investigative journalist visited a number of shops in Harare, including OK First Street, Pick n Pay Kavalamanja Battle Street and Mahomed Mussa Wholesalers in Guy Clutton Brock Avenue where money changers had slunk into the premises, pretending to be shoppers and sliding up to those who they thought might be using US dollars. At Pick n Pay Jason Moyo Avenue, illegal money changers could be seen pushing trolleys as if they wanted to buy, when they intended to negotiate with buyers.

“My brother, are you using US dollars? I can swipe for you at a good rate of US$1:$110. It’s cheaper for you because the shop uses a lesser rate of US$1:$83,” said a female money changer, who used to operate from Eastgate Mall.

Asked on the rate for EcoCash payment, the woman said: “For EcoCash transactions our rate is US$1: $100 because the charges of transacting are higher,” she said.

At OK First Street Mall, the rate for using bank cards was US$1: $105 when EcoCash rate was at US$1: $100. Illegal money changers at OK First Street offered to push the trolley for their “clients” in the shop assisting in picking groceries. They also offered to push the trolley to the vehicle where they would get their cash. They no longer accept to be paid their US dollars in the supermarkets for fear of being captured by cameras.

Beitbridge town is generally a rand economy due to the area’s location at the busiest inland border in Sadc. Many people transact in foreign currency which has resulted in some informal currency dealers camping near or at established wholesale shops including N. Richards and N & R, and other shops, where they target those people intending to buy goods using either South African rands or United States dollars. They offer lucrative rates which are slightly above the official auction rates.

In exchange for the foreign currency, they either buy goods on behalf of the clients using their credit cards or transfer money into the clients’ bank accounts. One dealer who preferred anonymity said their major clients were shop operators from the rural part of the district who use mainly rand to restock goods for their shops.

“You will note that because of network connectivity in rural parts of the district, many transactions are done in foreign currency and hence there is a huge amount of rands in circulation there.

“It’s cheaper for the shop owners to buy goods using local currency at the wholesales and hence we offer them lucrative deals,” said the dealer.

In Bindura The Herald visited Pick n Pay supermarket where money changers were openly touting for clients on the entrance. The illegal transactions were being done in full view of some police officers who turned a blind eye and chose to mind their own business.

A woman who was pacing around the Pick n Pay supermarket while displaying wards of notes approached The Herald reporter offering to buy for her using her bank card at the rate of US$1: $100.

The situation was the same at N. Richards where people illegally transacted without fear.-statemedia

Former MDC-T vice-president Obert Gutu, who defected to Zanu-PF last week, says he crossed the floor after realising that the main opposition party had long been buried together with its late founder Morgan Tsvangirai in 2018.

He told NewsDay that he decided to join Zanu-PF for its ideological clarity, adding that it took him two years to make the decision.

Gutu and former MDC Alliance senator James Makore joined the ruling party last week and were welcomed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and other senior party officials during a ceremony held at State House.

“I took a decision to join Zanu-PF after a lengthy process. I have been in the MDC for over 20 years after starting from a low position as organising secretary for Harare North district. I think the party just lost direction. In 2002, there was unity and the vibe and solidarity, but I don’t know what happened over time. There was backbiting, camps, money exchanging hands and that happened around 2004,” he said.

“There was now a direct attack on Tsvangirai, being labelled a dictator, and it would appear he had his own intelligence, hence did what he did. Morgan would not openly show anger. Even if insulted, he would take it in and I think that was his strength and he would manage people. If Tsvangirai’s succession had been well-handled, the party would have been stronger.”

Gutu claimed that those that now assert to have liked Tsvangirai were the loudest in fighting him.

“Makore and a group of some elderly people stood with Tsvangirai at that time and they include Morgan Femai, the late Cephas Makuyana and others. (Elias) Mudzuri had a rural mobilising strategy that was vibrant. There was no Twitter that time and they really went on the ground just like what Zanu-PF is doing now.”

He claimed that the old guard in the MDC were now bitter as they worked for the party but remain as unsung heroes.

“The MDC has not healed since 2005. People say I hate (MDC Alliance leader Nelson) Chamisa), I don’t. Why should I? He is one of the few who know my village home, having been there with Tsvangirai and a few others and was here when my daughter graduated and even came with his wife,” Gutu said.

“I can tell you the MDC went with Tsvangirai. It was buried with Tsvangirai in Humanikwa village.”

Tsvangirai succumbed to colon cancer on February 14, 2018 and was buried at his rural home in Buhera.-Newsday

News review early Monday – VIDEO LOADING BELOW…. 7.30am (UK time)

Today (Saturday) the @mdczimbabwe president @nelsonchamisa mourned Rex Matova, a prominent businessman behind chambara businesses centre in Chikomba.- MDC Alliance

Trouble seems to be brewing in paradise for Zaka Central legislator Davison Svuure whose councillors have pinned him down demanding accountability for the 2020 Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

Svuure and his councillors share a WhatsApp group in which they discuss developments in the constituency and areas of cooperation.

The gasket blew when Svuure asked for reports from the councillors who then fired back at the legislator saying he should also report to them on how the 2020 CDF funds have been used.

Each constituency received a total of $200 000 in CDF in 2020 which was revised upwards in the 2021 national budget to $2 million per constituency.

TellZim News is in possession of the leaked chats and audios from the WhatsApp group where Svuure told the councillors that they had no right to ask him about CDF as it was his money and was not obligated to explain himself to them.

“Is there anything happening in Ward 8, 9 and 13. Councillor Tererai (Ward 8) Mada (Ward 13) and Mutandavari (Ward 9) I am not hearing anything from there but we said lets share information of what is happening on the group.

“I heard you councillor Mada saying you don’t know anything about CDF, I don’t know what you want to know because the fund is not yours.

“It’s not for councillors but for the MP. The only way you can know about the CDF is only if you are in the CDF committee.

“You cannot come asking to see the CDF budget, it’s not your duty, there are parliament auditors who are responsible for that,” said Svuure.

Ward 13 councillor Manfred Mada responded saying they were not sharing information from their wards because Svuure was not doing the same.

“The challenge is we are kept in the dark on parliamentary issues and CDF so let’s communicate from top to bottom so that we know where we stand in terms of development,” said Mada.

Svuure, who doubles as the Zaka District Coordinating Committee (DCC) deputy chairperson, warned that councillors should respect him singling out Ward 8 councillor Tererai Tererai whom he said was his critic.

Svuure told TellZim News that he had discussed the matter with the councillors and told them that those who want clarification should visit his office in Jerera saying he could not discuss internal matters through the media.

“I discussed the matter with the councillors and I told them to visit the office if they wanted clarification on how the CDF was used and their silence means they understood so I cannot say anything more to the media. If there is anyone else who want to know more should come to my office,” said Svuure.

-TellZim

By A Correspondent The Supreme Court has thrown out Marry Mubaiwa’s application to get her passport back to travel to South Africa for medical treatment, saying she is likely to abscond trial.

Mubaiwa is facing multiple charges of attempting to kill her ex-husband, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, assaulting her maid, money laundering and fraud involving more than US$1 million.

She had approached the Supreme Court seeking relaxation of her bail conditions through contesting an earlier High Court decision turning down her bid to get her passport.

Mubaiwa wanted her passport back and suspension of a bail condition compelling her to report at Borrowdale Police Station every fortnight. While the highest court of appeal accepted evidence that Mubaiwa was unwell and required specialist treatment, it ruled that a mere undertaking that she would stand trial, without alternative forms of security, failed to convince the bench.

She is suffering from an ailment known as lymphoedema, which causes swelling of hands and legs.

Justice Tendai Uchena said evidence produced in court shows Mubaiwa had strong connections in South Africa and it was risky to free her without other forms of security to convince the court that she will not abscond.

“The appeal is dismissed with no order as to costs. An applicant for variation of bail conditions in circumstances where variation removes the safeguards intended to ensure that he or she will stand trial, must offer other forms of security in substitution of those to be suspended if variation is to be granted.

“If the bail conditions are temporarily altered without substitution, they will severely weaken the possibility of her standing trial. The appellant did not offer any security in substitution of the conditions to be varied,” said Justice Uchena.

The appeal court considered reports that Mubaiwa bought two houses and other properties in South Africa from proceeds of the crimes committed, hence chances of her absconding could not be ruled out.

“In this case, the appellant is alleged to have bought two houses in South Africa. She is alleged to have bought three motor vehicles, two of which were registered in her name in South Africa. She is alleged to be the sole shareholder of her South African company. She is alleged to have furnished one of the houses she bought in South Africa. Charges preferred against her are serious. The strength of the charges preferred against her offers a strong incentive for her to abscond,” said Justice Uchena.

Mubaiwa is accused of sending her driver Carrington Kazingizi and Terrence Mutandwa to China with US$114 000 without making a declaration to authorities.

She is alleged to have sent US$230 769 to South Africa and purchased a Range Rover and Ford Ranger. She is accused of externalising US$36 923,08 to purchase furniture for her South African house at Number 1309 Kingstone Heath Close, Waterkloof Golf Estate, Pretoria. It is alleged that an additional US$201 846 was sent to South Africa disguised as funds to purchase event tents and chairs for a local business but the money was later used to buy a Range Rover Autobiography, which was registered in Mubaiwa’s name.

Mubaiwa is accused of transferring US$307 545 from CBZ Bank into a South African bank account, which was used to buy a house in Pretoria registered in the name of Mubaiwa’s company called LaChelle Travel & Tours.-statemedia

Kanti why is Zanupf making it seem like Gutu defected from MDCA? ?‍♀️
Basithatha kanjani?
We all know Gutu was MDCT so I don't think his move to Zanupf is anything to write home about.#ZanupfMustGo

— Thandekile Moyo (@Mamoxn) March 21, 2021

  By A Correspondent- A Zaka village head was last week dragged to Chief Nyakunhuwa’s court facing charges of raping a married woman whom he is alleged to have coerced to sleep with him in exchange for preference on government or donor aid.

The village head is said to have abused his authority to have sex with an 18-year-old married woman who told the court that she was forced into the act and the matter was forwarded to the police.

He was caught in the act by the owner of the maize field who accused the two of having an affair.

Acting Chief Nyakunhuwa, born Courage Mashavave, confirmed matter and said his court failed to rule over the case as it appeared to be rape and had to refer the matter to the police.

“I heard the matter at my court last Friday, but the man denied the allegations and from the deliberations I thought it was rape and I referred the case to the police and a report was made,” said Nyakunhuwa.

-TellZim

It never rains but pours for the Makwarimba family as Zanu-PF Masvingo province has demoted Phainos from his position as the deputy provincial political commissar and barring him from attending the party’s Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) and Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meetings.

The Makwarimbas, who recently lost their father Clemence to Covid-19, were at the centre of controversy during the Zanu-PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections after they openly expressed their dissatisfaction on the manner on which the elections were conducted in the province.

In a letter dated February 3, 2021, addressed to Phainos, Zanu-PF provincial disciplinary committee said that he is an illegitimate member of the provincial executive.

“The provincial disciplinary committee notifies you that you are not a legitimate member of the Provincial Executive Committee as there are no minutes to support your co-option into the executive.

“You are hereby barred from attending any Zanu-PF Provincial Coordinating Committee and Provincial Executive Committee meetings with immediate effect,” reads the letter.

The committee chairperson and deputy provincial chair Robson Mavhenyengwa said Phainos, who has served for about five years in the commissariat department, has been reduced to a card carrying member.

“We are just doing our job and we found out that there were no supporting documents to Makwarimba’s (Phainos) position.

“There is nothing amiss about it because the procedure is very clear and it should be followed. Whenever there is a co-option, there should be minutes which are presented to the PEC and PCC meetings.

“No such procedure happened with Makwarimba,” said Mavhenyengwa.

Phainos told TellZim News that he was shocked to receive a letter from the disciplinary committee as he was unaware of any disciplinary case.

“What I know is that I was co-opted and I have served with distinction for the past five year. It boggles the mind when one says I was not co-opted after five years.

“It just does not make any sense. The letter came from the disciplinary committee and I do not recall have any disciplinary case.

“This was an administrative issue so why was the disciplinary committee involved? Nothing makes sense at all. Who should produce the so called minutes?

“The letter says it is clarifying my position in the province yet I never sought any clarification,” said Phainos.

-TellZim

At least 450 Harare youths yesterday officially joined Zanu-PF, as the party’s youth wing intensified its mobilisation drive ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.

The party’s provincial youth league leadership received some of the new members at a welcoming ceremony at the party’s provincial headquarters.

The youths were recruited through social media campaigns over the last three weeks.

Addressing the new members, Zanu-PF Harare province youth chairperson Emmanuel Mahachi said the party’s Youth League plans to recruit more than a million members before the elections.

“This was just a reception of a few youths who are joining the people’s party, more are coming, and they were just here so that they get to know their leadership,” said Mahachi.

“We want to acquaint the new members with the party’s structure, from the cell level up to the presidium.”

The Youth League, he said, had realised that there was growing appetite among youths to join the party.

“So the youngsters are important to the party and we will empower them so that they participate in economic and national development of their country.

“We have realised that most youths have become tech-savvy; that is why we used social media campaigns and here we are.

“A lot more are coming as we gear up for 2023.”

Provincial vice chairperson Golden Mavesere said youths will deliver victory for the party during the next elections.

“The party is built on unity and it is a party that takes care of its youth.

“We will have a day where new members will go through an ideological training about the party, getting them to know the structures and the entire leadership from cells to the presidium,” said Mavesere.

The event was held under strict Covid-19 protocols.-statemedia

An apostolic sect church leader is reportedly wearing 2 different cloaks as he has admitted that he is a prophet sometimes and if need be, he will exchange the prophet’s cloak for the traditional healer (sangoma)’s cloak to help those who come to him looking for solutions to life’s various problems, The Sunday Mail reports.

Bishop Cuthbert Nyaruvenda, the founder of Sangano Dzvene Revapostori Church admitted to the Sunday Mail that he dips in both ponds of Christianity and traditionalism which is viewed by some as 2 distinctly different roles from different worlds that cannot mix.

Recently the controversial leader is said to have conducted a religious ceremony at his church where traditional beer and traditional snuff (Bute) was present and his church congregants gladly drank the traditional beer and took turns to take the snuff.

In an interview, Bishop Nyaruvenda reportedly said there was absolutely nothing wrong with practising faith and traditional healing at the same time:

It started as a suggestion. I noticed that many of my followers have problems that can only be solved through traditional healing. After a church service, I called upon those that would want to have their problems solved the traditional way to stay behind. 

I was shocked by the response. The majority of the congregation stayed behind and what followed was a day in which evil spirits were cast away the traditional way

I said it before and I am going to say it again: Most people, among them well-known religious leaders, are hypocrites.During the day, they will be busy castigating traditional healing yet these are people that come to seek our services during the night. 

The Vapostora Bishop also said people were made to believe that African Spirits are demons:

In our traditional beliefs, we have the spirits and in Christianity these are the angles. Unfortunately, the majority of our people were deliberately misinformed and believe that African spirits are demons

People who commented on the issue said it was impossible for one man to be both a traditionalist and a Christian and Bishop Nyaruvenda must choose one side and not pick both.-statemedia

Own Correspondent|Central Intelligence Organization agents raided MDC Alliance Councillor Gilbert Mutubuki’s house on Saturday night.

Mutubuki is the councillor for ward 18 in Chiredzi. He is also a member of the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly.

“CIO agents raided my house last night.They harassed my relatives demanding information about my movements.

I have since left Chiredzi because government agents are looking for me. Intimidation and harassment of political activists will not disrupt the convergence for change.

The regime is afraid of the people’s agenda.They are trying by all means to thwart the #Agenda 2021 programme,” said Mutubuki.

Government is set to establish a new authority under the Health ministry to regulate the operations of medical aid societies, in a departure from an earlier Cabinet decision to place them under the stewardship of the Insurance and Pensions Commission (Ipec).

On February 23 Cabinet had approved the Insurance and Pensions Commission Bill, which said medical aid societies would be regulated by Ipec.

The Bill also said the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) would fall under the regulation of the insurance industry regulator.

The Bill is going through the usual law-making process before becoming statute.

Government says the amendment sought to ensure the maintenance of a fair, safe and stable insurance and pensions sector, which benefits and protects policy holders and pension fund members.

However, Cabinet said on Tuesday last week that it had reconsidered the position after a presentation made by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, which looked at the regulation of medical aid societies.

Chiwenga is also the minister of Health and Child Care.

“Cabinet noted that since medical aid societies are not for profit enterprises and represent members’ efforts to pool funds to assist in covering health bills and expenses, it is best international practice for such entities to be regulated by independent authorities with expertise to deal with the complex and peculiar aspects of the medical industry and should be under the oversight of the ministry of Health and Child Care,” Cabinet said.

“Cabinet resolved to establish the Medical Aid Societies Regulatory Authority under the ministry of Health and Child Care. Accordingly, Cabinet approved that medical aid be separated from general insurance, that is, exclusion of medical aid societies from the Insurance and Pensions Commission Bill,” the Cabinet minutes noted.

But insurance experts said it was important for medical aid societies to be placed under a special regulatory authority, but not to be regulated by government.

Martin Tarusenga, the general manager of Zimbabwe Pensions and Insurance Rights, told Standardbusiness that medical aid societies and medical insurance companies should either fall under an insurance regulator, or government should establish an exclusive regulator with competencies to handle complexities of the sector.

“It is instructive for Ipec to regulate medical aid societies in Zimbabwe,” Tarusenga said last week.

“Ipec regulation should, however, take into account the difference between a medical aid society and a medical company. It is right that their regulation under this Bill is being transferred to a regulator such as Ipec. It is Ipec’s regulatory approach that should radically be transformed, given Ipec’s poor track record as evidenced by the mess that the pensions and insurance sectors are in right now.”

He, however, said Ipec had to regulate the sector under the ministry of Health.

Tarusenga agreed with government that medical aid societies were a special sector that required separate regulation from insurance companies.

“It would be another insurance tragedy if Ipec regulation of medical aid ignored the ministry of Health as a key stakeholder. It is time that regulation of the insurance sectors, medical aid included, is broken up into complementary authorities consisting of a financial conduct authority and a prudential authority, staffed with demonstrably competent officers,” he said.

“The conduct authority would serve to protect interest/concerns of the primary vulnerable stakeholders, while prudence will serve to translate such concerns into objective riskbased quantitative management techniques. Such regulatory approaches have long been in operation in progressive economies, thereby sustaining vibrant pensions and insurance sectors.”

Leading economist Victor Bhoroma said: “The ideal scenario is for all insurance sector players to be licensed, supervised and regulated by Ipec as the regulator has no conflict of interest. This promotes confidence and independence of regulatory affairs from political ideals.”

Announcing the Bill last month, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said: “The amendment Bill mainly seeks to ensure the maintenance of a fair, safe and stable insurance and pensions sector for the benefit and protection of policy holders and pension fund members. NSSA, medical aid societies and any other persons conducting insurance business will now be subject to regulation by the commission. The Insurance and Pensions Commission Bill will therefore strengthen the integrity of the insurance sector and enable it to play its role in supervising the sector”-standard

By A Correspondent- The battle to reposition Bulawayo as the heartbeat of Zimbabwe’s industries appears to be hitting a brick wall.

Just when national manufacturing output is reportedly rising, Bulawayo’s industrialists told Standardbusiness that up to 75% of combined industrial capacity in the former industrial hub is idle.

This means companies in Zimbabwe’s second-largest city are only utilising a tiny portion of their machinery, about 25%, as they grapple to access affordable long-term loans to acquire advanced technologies and take on stiff competition posed by a flood of cheap imports.

The 25% falls far short of the 47% national capacity utilisation figure released by the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) two weeks ago.

It means as Bulawayo’s companies are facing a bleak future, firms elsewhere are faring much better. The CZI projected the figure to rise to 61% this year, as firms return to full production in line with government’s strategy to balance between fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and keeping industries running. Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) vice-president Golden Muoni said the crisis that has haunted Bulawayo escalated once the Covid-19 pandemic hit the economy in 2020, with blanket lockdowns forcing companies to lock up and send staff home.

Production was halted and supply chains were disrupted, Muoni told Standardbusiness.

This was the situation across the entire country. But what made Bulawayo’s case unique was that this was only a new angle to a problem that had troubled the city ever since Zimbabwe’s downturn emerged in 2000.

There has been little or no respite since then, with a spectre of job losses, capital flight and forced migration highlighting how authorities have failed to deal with a crisis that may cost little or no money to resolve.

A few free actions that may be taken to save Bulawayo’s industries include reviewing policies and tariffs and fees.

“Covid-19 came at a time when the trajectory was to revive industry and disrupted the whole plan of trying to revive the industry,” Muoni said.

“We are looking at not more than 30% of capacity utilisation. We are looking at about 25% to 30%. But by the end of the year, if we are not hit by a third wave, we might end at about 40% to 45% capacity utilisation,” the ZNCC chief told Standardbusiness.

“Our economy is 70% to 80% informal. The balance is the formal economy. The coronavirus disrupted the informal ecosystem, which has not been working. This affected the other economy, because that informal economy is an economy on its own which also feeds into the formal economy. Where other parts of the economy are allowed to operate because of its informality, it affects disposable incomes,” Muoni said.

Bulawayo has been reeling under the effects of a decade-long chronic de-industrialisation that has seen over 100 firms, mostly in the manufacturing sectors, shutting down.

That was even before the pandemic struck.

The list of firms that have collapsed under the weight of foreign currency shortages, a power crisis, capital flight and diminishing disposable incomes includes some of Zimbabwe’s household names.

True Value, Label Fashion, Suntosha Leisure Wear, Lancaster, Harren Manufacturing, Ascot, Belmor Fashions, Cinderella, Textile Mills and Rusglen Fashions immediately come to mind.

But even those that still remain, such as the National Railways of Zimbabwe, Cold Storage Company, Merlin or Merspin, Marvo Stationery, Wetblue and Rubber Products Manufacturers have been affected by the dislocations that have stemmed out of the fall of their peers.

Several efforts have been made to revive industries in Bulawayo, but with little success.

In 2011, the ministry of Industry and Commerce arranged a multi-million dollar funding window with a financial institution under the Distressed and Marginalised Industries Fund (DIMAF) to bankroll the recovery of industries, especially in Bulawayo.

DIMAF was either looted by bigwigs or used by executives to purchase fast cars and build hilltop mansions.

While government made a lot of noise about this, no one has been arrested or punished.

Last year, government unveiled an $18 billion Covid-19 relief package to help firms affected by economic closures.

Nothing was realised.

CZI Matabeleland chapter president Shepherd Chawira said Bulawayo’s crisis had been compounded by delays by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to release funding from the foreign currency auction system after every allotment.

However, the foreign currency auction system has been largely credited for saving Zimbabwe’s industry after being established in June last year, when parallel market rates were running riot.

Still, it means had the central bank effected the release foreign currency on time, it would have made a much bigger impact than it has made today.

“The increasing stability that we are experiencing has been brought about by the introduction of the foreign currency auction system,” said Chawira.

“The fuel supply situation has improved; power to a larger extent has improved though of late we have been experiencing load-shedding. We are just praying that the current state of industry persists. If the stability that we are experiencing at the moment persists, we will have growth,” he added.

“Delays (in releasing foreign currency) have affected raw material importation. It’s taking up to six weeks and at times even more. We have members who have gone up to six weeks or slightly more, which means foreign currency has not been remitted to their suppliers. It creates a gap in terms of supply of raw materials. We have experienced serious delays of movement of goods at the borders,” he added.

The central bank said it has agreed with banks to release allotted funds within two weeks.

Industrialists emphasised the need for companies to embrace new technologies in order to boost their competitiveness.

Chawira said they were looking forward to assisting the government on the vaccination programme so that they avoid more business disruptions due to Covid-19.

“We have offered to vaccinate employees and their spouses, just to assist the government in the vaccination programme. We are waiting for the government to give guidance in terms of the vaccines which they have approved,” he said.

This strategy has been adopted by a few countries in Asia, where industrialists have said by protecting workers, they would also be protecting their companies.

“Our position as business is that we want to request the government to allow business to import any World Health Organisation-approved vaccines. It is better to invest in vaccination than to lose business through lockdowns. We are more than willing to support the government,” Chawira said.

Under a government-sponsored vaccination programme that kicked off last month, close to 40 000 frontline workers have been inoculated.

-standard

Reckless drivers and other drivers who violate road regulations will lose their licenses under the new law to be gazetted by the government, The Sunday Mail reports. The government is going to introduce a driver’s licence penalty points system that will see reckless drivers lose their licenses if they engage in reckless driving. The move is aimed at encouraging drivers to be cautious on the road and not endanger other motorists on the road due to reckless driving.

This was revealed by Transport and Infrastructural Development Secretary Engineer Theodius Chinyanga who told the publication hoe the system will work and said:

The system will start working when we have set up an electronic database that allows police to dock points for road regulation infractions because it is the police and not the Ministry that will be responsible for implementing the new system.

Each offence will be allocated a certain amount of points and after a driver reaches a defined number of points, then their licence will be suspended.

For example, we can allocate three points for passing through a red robot or a parking offence.

In cases where there is an accident, if it is concluded that a certain driver was responsible for causing the accident due to reckessness then a certain number of points will be allocated to them.

These points are then added together over a defined period of time; it could be after a year or five years and if you have reached a certain threshold then your licence will be suspended.

Chinyanga said the government has imported 10 scanners to help the government through the transition phase from a manual to a digital database:

However, the Ministry has received 10 scanners that were imported to enable the capturing of the driver details from the manual database to the electronic database being created at Central Vehicle Registry.

Once the process of capturing is done and data integrated with other road related information/data, the law enforcement included, the system can then be piloted.

A similar system is used in the UK and other western countries.-statemedia

The Province met today after a long sabatical. We are mobilizing the masses to converge for change under the People's Agenda. In action below is our natl youth leader @TereraiSithole & Depty SG Chinanzvavana. With @nelsonchamisa, we will win Zimbabwe for change ?? #ZanuPfMustGo pic.twitter.com/bABcvLhoA5

— CCC Mash West (@cccmashwest) March 20, 2021

Hordes of people have resumed camping outside the capital’s passport offices, raising the spectre of coronavirus infections, as standard health protocols are not being strictly observed.

Since the resumption of issuance of passports and identity cards, multitudes have been thronging the Registrar-General’s (RG) Makombe Government Complex.

Opportunists such as vendors, street photographers and the odd lot of those who live on the streets are also part of the melee.

The Sunday Mail Society saw a sea of people that had gathered by the RG’s complex entrance by 6am on Thursday morning.

Some of them had joined the long, winding queue as early as 5am.

Pushing and shoving was inevitable, especially as the RG’s Office is reportedly attending to only 100 people per day.

However, last week, the bulk of the people that turned up were those who were hoodwinked by social media reports suggesting passport applications from February 2019 had been processed and were ready for collection.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage has since dismissed the reports as fake.

“The Civil Registry Department is working round the clock to clear the passport backlog and any communication regarding the collection of passports by applicants will be communicated through official communication channels and through the Short Message Service (SMS) platform,” the ministry said in a statement.

Mr Farai Chipaze of Chitungwiza was a disappointed man and had no kind words for those who peddle fake news.

“What these people are doing is diabolic. When I saw the fake news, I was in Mutare and I had to hurry back, only to be told that it was a ruse. People should stop playing with our emotions,” a fuming Mr Chipaze, who was milling around the premises, said.

Inside the premises, scores of people were at the enquiries desk.

Passport officials, however, routinely advised people to disperse as they were not attending to those applying for ordinary passports.

Only those that had made applications for emergency passports were being attended to on that particular day.

Some enterprising youths who live on the streets have turned to the old ways of sleeping outside the offices in order to sell off their positions in the morning.

Some of the guards have also joined in the act of soliciting for bribes from those that are desperate to be served on time irrespective of their position in the queue.

The Government recently gave the nod for the resumption of issuance of civic documents.

Acting Registrar-General Mr Henry Machiri said they will redouble efforts to ensure applicants comply with health guidelines and protocols.

 “With regards to your observation in which you highlighted that those seeking passports are not observing social-distancing measures, I have taken note of that and will act accordingly. As you might be aware, we are not 100 percent open. We are, however, working within the Covid-19 regulations,” Mr Machiri said.

He advised those that are seeking passports to be patient and ignore some of the fake social media news.

“We currently have only 40 percent of our staff. As such, our output is governed by the number of workers that we have. The sad thing is that the high number of people that are coming to our offices are responding to a fake social media posting.”

The Registrar-General’s Office is battling to clear the huge passport backlog.

Last year, the backlog was cut back by 20 percent, taking advantage of a lull in new applications due to Covid-19 restrictions that limited travel.

Before the lockdown, production of passports had been seriously affected by increasing applications and foreign currency shortages. Only 83 379 passports were processed during the first two months of the lockdown period.-statemedia

MDC Alliance says it plans to respond to the controversial ongoing recalls of its legislators from Parliament with protests as it accuses President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government of engineering the chaos.

Former Finance minister Tendai Biti, who is also MDC alliance deputy president, became one of the biggest victims of the recalls after the Lucia Matibengaled People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was allowed to recall six legislators.

Other recalled MPs were Willias Madzimure (Kambuzuma), Settlement Chikwinya (Mbizo), Kucaca Phulu (Nkulumane), Sichelesile Mahlangu (Pumula), and Regai Tsunga (Mutasa South), who were all once PDP members.

That brought the number of recalled legislators since last year to 48.

Others were recalled by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T after they refused to back his formation and insisted they were members of the MDC alliance party.

Mwonzora has been accused of working with Mnangagwa’s government to cripple the Nelson Chamisa-led opposition, which has refused to recognise the Zanu-PF leader’s 2018 election victory.

Clifford Hlatywayo, the MDC alliance spokesperson, said they will protest against alleged abuse of state institutions such as Parliament, courts and the police.
“Right now people are mobilising each other for a citizen convergence for change,” Hlatywayo said.

“It’s about the people, not the looting elite in a dying party Zanu-PF.

“Zanu-PF can’t survive on its own without abusing state institutions, and in fact it’s non-existent.

“I challenge them face to face, no police, no soldiers, no courts, no state funds, no government inputs, no abusing of government ministries, no guns etc. They
are dead.”

He said the recalling of opposition MPs was a continuation of the manipulation of the outcome of the 2018 elections.

“This regime is illegitimate, it crooked it’s way to the state house, using the Supreme Court, Zimbabwe Election Commission, military and other institutions of the state,” Hlatywayo said.

“It’s not the product of the people by the people, so whatever it does is not for the people.

“Making people suffer is a lubricant to this illegitimate regime.

“That’s why it’s illegally recalling the people’s representatives in councils and Parliament.”

He added: “But it’s plot has been exposed.

“The people are speaking and in the near future their voices will be louder.”

Mnangagwa’s government has in the past dealt ruthlessly with dissent, claiming that its rivals want to seize power illegally.

-standard

The government is mulling yet another amendment to the constitution to effectively nationalise commercial farms owned by foreign nationals in Zimbabwe, barely a year after making concessions on the matter, it has emerged.

Processes are already afoot to amend section 289 of the constitution and repeal Statutory Instrument (SI) 62 of 2020 to effectively ban freehold title deeds for farms covered by Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAs).

Under the new proposed laws drafted last week, only indigenous farmers who bought land before the controversial land reform programme will be spared.

The proposed changes to the constitution and SI 62, which deals with Land Commission (Gazetted Land) (Disposal in Lieu of Compensation) Regulations, are likely to strain relations with many western countries whose citizens lost their land during the land reform programme.

Last year, Zimbabwe pledged to return land to dispossessed farmers who were covered by BIPPAs as part of the US$3,5 billion compensation deal with white farmers.

The moves to change the rules, said to be spearheaded by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, will mark a major policy reversal by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

Chiwenga is said to have held marathon meetings with several government officials in recent days to push through his proposals.

The VP reportedly met attorney General Prince Machaya, Lands minister anxious Masuka and Finance minister Mthuli Ncube on the matter.

His personal assistant, Major General Godfrey Chanakira, was also present in the meetings where Chiwenga reportedly ordered Machaya to amend the constitution to abolish freehold title deeds on Bippa farms, claiming it was tantamount to reversing the land reform programme.

“Chiwenga later went to meet the president in the company of Machaya to apprise him of his decision and get the greenlight to amend the constitution,” a government official disclosed.

“Machaya was instructed to draft the changes to the constitution and an SI has already been made.

“A draft amendment has already been prepared for circulation.

“The draft will be fast-tracked in Parliament using the ruling party’s majority.”

Zanu-PF enjoys a two-thirds majority in Parliament and with the ongoing recalls of opposition legislators by the Douglas Mwonzora-led MDC-T, any proposed changes to the constitution are likely to sail through without any resistance.

Under the proposed changes to section 289 of the constitution and SI 62, BIPPa farms would be put under 99-year leases that can be withdrawn by a minister.

Government will also abolish title deeds for all land in Zimbabwe, except for some indigenous farmers who bought the farms before the land reform programme.

The proposed changes will likely affect the goodwill Mnangagwa wanted to build on with the West as his government is already being accused of policy inconsistency.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary affairs permanent secretary Virginia Mabhiza said she was unaware of the proposed amendments and Machaya referred questions to Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services minister Monica Mutsvangwa.

Mutsvangwa, however, yesterday said she was too busy to comment.-standard

Kuno kuMhondoro tawirwa negoredema mushure mekunge varume vaviri vekwaGuvamombe vakapondwa nezuro kwaNyamweda kuGonza kwa Mukan'a village uko vanga vaenda kunotsvaga madhongi avo akange abiwa.Vakapondwa nevakaba madhongi avo. @ZimEye @263Chat @bustoptv @NewsDayZimbabwe @maDube_

— CCC Mhondoro Mubaira (@cccmhondoro) March 21, 2021

The “collapse” of the local tobacco auction system has created a pricing problem with some arguing that minimum auction prices should not continue to determine the pricing of contract tobacco.

Zimbabwe has a dual marketing system where tobacco is sold through both auction and contract and has over the years been using the minimum price paid on the auction market for pricing the crop.

The pricing model was based on the fact that about half of the total output was being sold through the auction but of late, about 95 percent of farmers were funded by contractors, therefore, tobacco likely to be sold via the auction floors will be very little.

The collapse of the auction system prompted some stakeholders to argue that it would be absurd to continue applying the policy as the tobacco farming landscape has completely changed. 

Zimbabwe Tobacco Association (ZTA) chief executive officer Mr. Rodney Ambrose said:

Pricing of contract tobacco (95 percent of national production) cannot continue to be based on the minimum of tobacco prices paid on the auction floors (5 percent of national production).

This is outdated legislation that needs to be speedily changed by the authorities.

Ambrose’s sentiments were echoed by Dr. Andrew Matibiri, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) who believes it is “unfair” for a small crop size of “lower quality (to) determine” the minimum grade price of tobacco.

Dr. Matibiri added that the TIMB board had agreed that something needs to be done.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union executive director Mr. Paul Zakariya told The Sunday Mail Business in an interview that abandoning the current dual marketing system would leave farmers exposed to potential price manipulation by contractors.

Mr. Zakariya said:

We can’t just throw away this important tool of price discovery. The competition at the auction is quite important . . .

Zakariya’s sentiments were supported by Mr. Carlos Tadya, an analyst with a local research firm, said the Government should “seriously consider” funding tobacco to avoid a total collapse of the auction system.-statemedia

Obert Gutu, a Harare lawyer and former spokesperson for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party has spoken on why he joined the ruling ZANU PF after years of fighting it. We present his article that was featured in the Sunday Mail of 21 March 2021.

MY political activism dates back to the late 1970s when I actively participated in the armed liberation struggle as a young mujibha attending pungwes in my rural area in Gutu district, Masvingo province.

Sometime in 1979, when I was still in my teens, I had my first harsh encounter with the racist colonial police.

One of my maternal uncles, the late Raphael Mushava, was employed as a medical assistant at Mvuma District Hospital.

Then, I was a schoolboy at Fletcher High School in Gweru and during some school holidays, I would stay with my maternal uncle and his family in Mvuma.

Along with a group of other young and radical black youths, one day we picked up a quarrel with the white district commissioner, who stayed at a house somewhere in that small town.

He was a rabid racist who was in the habit of routinely ill-treating and harassing black residents.

He was a much-hated man within the predominantly black community.

For our troubles, we were picked up by the police and locked up in the cells at Mvuma police station.

There were about 12 of us, all juveniles and we were detained for 10 days without being taken to court.

We were eventually released from the cells and sent back to our different homes.

That was the first time I was locked up in police cells.

Looking back, this nasty experience radicalised me and in a big way, excited the political animal in me.

At the University of Zimbabwe in the early 1980s, I became a member of the Zanu University Branch.

This was my very first time buying a Zanu membership card.

During my time at university, the predominant political parties were Zanu followed by PF Zapu.

Later on in life, I became a passionate MDC activist before formally joining the party soon after its formation.

In the year 2000, I was elected MDC Harare North district organising secretary.

Over the years, I rose within the party ranks until I was elected the national secretary for information and publicity at the MDC fourth annual congress in 2014.

During its formative years, the MDC was a formidable opposition political party that was bench-marked on the values and ethos of social democracy.

Birthed by the labour movement, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), the MDC propagated pro-poor policies that easily resonated with the interests of the urban working class.

Little wonder, therefore, that the MDC support base is still predominantly the urban working class up to this day.

With time, however, the MDC’s ideological benchmark became blurred, conflicted and confusing.

The majority of white former commercial farmers, who had been dispossessed of their farms at the onset of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme, became major funders of the MDC.

Naturally, because of their immense financial power, these white former commercial farmers began to develop a vice-like grip on both the party’s ideological reconfiguration as well as the general trajectory of the party in both the national and international context.

Gradually, the MDC became increasingly reactionary by playing to the whims and fantasies of its chief financiers — the white former commercial farmers as well as powerful Western countries who poured millions of dollars into the party both overtly and covertly.

Therein lay the foundation for the inevitable collapse of a once mighty and powerful opposition political party.

The nationalist and progressive social democracy ideology was promptly replaced by a clearly reactionary and anti-nationalist sentiment that deliberately lampooned and poured scorn on anything associated with nationalist and Pan-African ethos.

This includes respect for the armed liberation struggle as well as the revolutionary thrust to empower historically disadvantaged indigenous people by giving them land that was previously owned and occupied by white commercial farmers.

Indeed, it was an incredibly racist set-up that ensured almost 90 percent of the fertile and arable commercial farming land in Zimbabwe was owned and occupied by about 4 500 white farmers.

The MDC was virtually hijacked by powerful local white interests as well as the invisible, but clearly powerful hand of influential and rich Western nations.

It was apparent that the main agenda of these alien interests was essentially to reverse the gains of the land reform programme, hence the fervent interest of white former commercial farmers in the affairs of the MDC.

Even the first split of the MDC in 2005 had the hidden hand of these powerful alien interests.

The handlers of the MDC were becoming disenchanted with the late Morgan Tsvangirai and they sought to influence the rise of a new party leader whom they deemed better educated and more acceptable to the design and construct of the main funders of the party.

Smart propaganda was disseminated in order to portray the late Morgan Tsvangirai as an uneducated dictator who was deviating from democratic notions and values.

Alas! The grand plan was to torpedo Tsvangirai’s hold on the party and to make sure that the labour-backed founder members of the MDC were slowly, but systematically displaced from positions of power and influence within the party.

Put bluntly, the ideological decomposition of the MDC had begun in earnest.

Intra-party fighting, violence, intolerance and factionalism became the norm within the MDC ranks as opposing factions fought for control of the levers of power within the party.

With time, the party had its founding values of peace, tolerance, empathy, solidarity and social democracy virtually completely eroded.

It became a dog-eat-dog affair that only worsened with the unfortunate passing on of Tsvangirai in February 2018.

The violent scenes that marked the funeral of the late Tsvangirai at Humanikwa village in Buhera clearly depicted that the party was now gravitating towards a self-destruction trajectory.

Some power-hungry and unprincipled individuals had found it fit and proper to unconstitutionally usurp power even before the late Tsvangirai’s body had been removed from the mortuary in South Africa.

Personally, I wasn’t impressed by this thuggish and uncouth brand of politics and I promptly resigned from the engulfing madness.

I was not going to be part and parcel of a violent mob that was only interested in grabbing power at whatever cost.

This was anathema to my own personal values, beliefs and principles.

In its factions, the MDC is currently ill-disposed to win any national elections.

The party has never been this divided in its entire history.

The leadership in the factions are deeply divided and polarised.

The level of intra-party hatred is unprecedented.

There’s an entrenched lack of party cohesion and there is too much negative energy.

Alternative views and opinions are routinely shot down.

Hero-worshipping is now in vogue.

There is no way in which I could continue to associate with such an organisation in any of its factions.

The lack of decisiveness in calling for the unconditional lifting of all forms of unilateral and punitive sanctions imposed against Zimbabwe made it impossible for me to continue associating with the party.

Actually, I had had it up to here!

After reaching my Damascene moment regarding sanctions, I could no longer associate with a political party that effectively propagates and lobbies for the continued imposition of these evil and satanic sanctions.

These sanctions have caused and continue to cause untold suffering to the majority of the people of Zimbabwe.

MDC is literally a house on fire.

It is a crumbling edifice.

Regardless of the denialist tendencies of some MDC leaders, that party has pressed the self-destruct button and at the harmonised elections in 2023, it will suffer a humiliating and crushing defeat at the hands of a resurgent Zanu PF.

Opposition politics in Zimbabwe right now is toxic, divisive and directionless.

That is their Achilles’ heel.

Instead of mobilising and effectively growing their support base on the ground, opposition political parties are busy being swayed and fascinated by social media popularity and activism.

They will surely reap their miserable harvest in 2023.

I am not saying that Zanu PF is perfect. No.

There is no political party in this world that is perfect.

The thrust of my argument is that
Zanu PF has a clear and well-defined ideological template.

They are a nationalist and Pan-Africanist revolutionary party that fervently advocates for the total and complete political and socio-economic emancipation of the black majority.

I have joined Zanu PF to serve the nation and not to be served.

I am perfectly comfortable with being just an ordinary card-carrying member.

I am not a position-oriented party cadre.

More and more MDC politicians will be defecting to the ruling Zanu PF party in the coming weeks and months.

Few people are able to tolerate the ongoing erosion of internal democratic practices within the MDC’s various formations. Many supporters are completely disgruntled and totally disillusioned.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

Auxillia Mnangagwa's 17 min long speech pic.twitter.com/9SYOI7P4XF

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 21, 2021

I gave birth to my daughter in 1982, Anne was always cheerful, she was never moody, she was obedient. She finished her school and started modeling, discovering her talent; started acting at Studio 263….I didn't know she would later return to Zim inside a coffin -Mother pic.twitter.com/KQwxI7T3IG

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 21, 2021

ANNE NHIRA FUNERAL https://t.co/xrtWRR9vmX

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 21, 2021

Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube has said plans are afoot for Zimbabwe to open its borders to passenger traffic “very soon” after they were closed to curb the transmission of the coronavirus.

The closure of borders resulted in the country losing n potential revenue from import duties. It also worsened the plight of the general populace especially those who are into cross-border trading.

Speaking on the reopening of borders during a tour of the Plumtree Border Post Saturday, Ncube said:

We are informed that when you tighten screws here, people cross into Botswana using other illegal entry points. As Government we are concerned and we are going to equip you.

We have authorised the purchasing of drones to reduce smuggling and illegal migration. Very soon we are going to open up borders for passenger traffic and we expect the borders to be having a lot of pressure and we will see how best we give you support.

He also indicated that Zimbabwe was expecting more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from China next week to bring the total received vaccines to one million.

Zimbabwe has to date received over 600 000 doses of SinoPharm vaccines and has now entered the second phase of inoculation with the aim of dosing at least 10 million people to achieve community immunity.

He added:

We are importing more vaccines next week which will bring the total to one million doses. It’s important that we get vaccinated. I have been vaccinated and I urge people to do the same.

The immigration department and the Zimra employees should get the vaccine because it is important to do so considering the nature of their job.

Zimbabwe experienced a resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic in the last quarter of 2020 and the government was blamed for reopening the borders as most of the cases recorded since then were of those coming into the country.-statemedia

By James Gwati- People In Bulawayo said they will never vote for Zanu PF until the party apologizes for the Gukurahundi atrocities.

This was revealed in the comments posted on a story which ZimEye.com posted earlier today where Finance minister Mthuli Ncube at Zanu-PF Provincial Coordinating Committee in Bulawayo at the weekend announced that they were starting paying out people a monthly $1200 in the name of empowering “the vulnerable” so that they can buy food.

“We are not targeting any number of beneficiaries, but we are saying all those that need help should come forward and register with the Department of Social Welfare and then they will be screened, registered and then we will be able to pay them.
“We have just raised the amount that they will receive from $600 to $1 200 so it has now become more meaningful,” said Mthuli Ncube.

People of Matebeleland and Midlands provinces want Zanu PF to give a public apology for killing more than 20000 people in the early 1980s.

By A Correspondent- There was no break-in at the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) Mt Pleasant offices as earlier reported, police have confirmed.

Last week ZAAC Chairperson Loice Matanda Moyo reported that her offices had been broken into resulting in an investigation by the police.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) suggest that no breaking in occurred.

“The police confirm that a report of a suspected unlawful entry into premises at the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission Mt Pleasant offices was made to the Police on March 15, 2021.

According to investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department who include scene of crime experts, the circumstances and appearance of surroundings suggest that no breaking in occurred,” he said.

Asst Comm Nyathi said a curtain rail moved due to wear and tear and displaced the ceiling and nothing was stolen from the offices.

“Nothing was stolen or any form of tampering with objects or other items was observed. Indications are that the office curtain rail moved due to wear and tear thereby displacing a ceiling panel,” he said.
-Sunday News

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

I gave birth to my daughter in 1982, Anne was always cheerful, she was never moody, she was obedient. She finished her school and started modeling, discovering her talent; started acting at Studio 263….I didn't know she would later return to Zim inside a coffin -Mother pic.twitter.com/KQwxI7T3IG

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 21, 2021

ANNE NHIRA FUNERAL https://t.co/xrtWRR9vmX

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 21, 2021

By James Gwati- An angry mob in Mutare’s Chikanga suburb has forced a habitual thief to drink a concoction of herbs and pubic hair after catching him red-handed stealing.

Liberty Muchagumisa was forced by an angry mob to drink a concoction of herbs that was mixed with his pubic hair.

When The Manica Post arrived at the scene, Muchagumisa was in the custody of the Police who had swiftly moved in to save him from a thorough beating from the mob.

Initially, residents had hesitated to attack him after he had claimed that he uses juju to sneak in and out of people’s houses without being dictated.

He showed people the rings that were on his fingers and claimed that they were some of his juju.
However, some daring residents pounced on him and forced him to drink the concoction.

By James Gwati- In a move strongly believed to a poly to lure Bulawayo voters Zanu -PF said it will persuade the government and start paying out residents a monthly $1200 in the name of empowering “the vulnerable” so that they can buy food.

This was revealed by the Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube to the Sunday News on the sidelines of a Zanu-PF Provincial Coordinating Committee in Bulawayo at the weekend.

“We are not targeting any number of beneficiaries, but we are saying all those that need help should come forward and register with the Department of Social Welfare and then they will be screened, registered and then we will be able to pay them.
“We have just raised the amount that they will receive from $600 to $1 200 so it has now become more meaningful,” he said.

A group of villagers living on a farm near Chegutu say Zimbabwe government spokesman Ndavaningi Mangwana has ordered them off the land after six years, ZimLive reported.

Some 70 families settled on parts of the 2,000-hectare Thorndike Farm after its late owner Gilford Rukawo signed up for a voluntary farm downsizing scheme which saw him retain about 800 hectares.

The families say they applied to the lands ministry between 2014 and 2016 to be officially settled on the farm, but despite promises, they heard nothing back – until January this year when Mangwana arrived with an offer letter for 102 hectares of the land ceded by Rukawo.

Several of the families live on that section where they have built their homes and grown crops for over five years.

Ebenia Shava, one of the leaders of the affected villagers, told ZimLive: “Mangwana proposed that we sign agreements that we will vacate the farm after we had harvested our crops, and we refused.

“It’s on record that we applied for offer letters between 2014 and 2016. In March 2020, forms were completed and submitted to Chinhoyi provincial offices (lands ministry).

“In 2017, I had a meeting with Mrs Kunonga, the Chegutu district lands officer, who assured me she was aware of our situation at Thorndike farm and that after downsizing the farm we would be the first people to be considered for offer letters.

“But to our amazement, Mangwana and some other connected people were awarded offer letters for land we had applied for.”

Shava, who was flanked by two other representatives of the villagers Charles Mutami and Tendai Dehwa, said they had no doubt Mangwana – the permanent secretary in the ministry of information – had been favoured over them.

Mangwana, who says he was offered the farm in November 2020, insisted that he had no role in the decision to allocate him that particular piece of land. At least three other connected individuals have also been allocated land measuring about 100 hectares each.

“I made my application for a farm in 2013 when I was still in the United Kingdom, but allocation was only done after the land audit,” Mangwana said.

“The allegations that I invaded a farm are false. I was allocated the farm and have the proper documentation to prove that. I’m actually taking a humane approach to evict these illegal occupants on my farm.

“As a matter of fact, they actually grew maize crop on my land and I’m waiting for them to harvest their crops then I evict them.”

Shava rubbished Mangwana’s sentiments, insisting that he only got allocated the farm “because of his office and the power he wields.”

“He’s a mafikizolo to the farm, yet he’s now lording it over us. When Nick was in London writing columns for the Sunday Mail, we were reading the publication whilst farming on the same land he is now talking about,” added Shava.

Mutami claimed that the local farmers were victims of a “corrupt, abusive and manipulative system” being perpetrated by individuals “abusing their proximity to power.”

“What’s happening is a typical case of local political blindness. We’ve  four families which are meant to come in to replace over 70 families. The land reform programme was meant to benefit the general populace of Zimbabwe, regardless of the power that beneficiaries wield in both the political, social and economic spaces,” Mutami said.

“We have escalated our issue with a number of political and governance administrative structures with the hope that the principles of equality are applied. We wish to retain our pieces of land because of the investment we have done.”

Another farmer who preferred anonymity fearing victimisation said he relocated to the farm in 2003, but was shocked when Mangwana and other connected individuals pegged portions of land on the farm.

“My fence was destroyed by a bulldozer. Mangwana and his associates put new fences to mark the land portions they have made claim to. I have since pursued the legal route over the matter, but some families are frightened to take action fearing the repercussions of doing so,” said the farmer.

Shava, Mutami and Dehwa allege that on January 19 they contacted the provincial lands officer in Chinhoyi, Joyce Sifile, who failed to explain why Mangwana and others had been given offer letters on the same land they had applied to be settled on.

Sifile, according to the farmer, referred them back to the Chegutu district lands officer Kunonga who stated that the matter was “beyond her.”

Sifile complained of poor network when this reporter called her, and had not responded to questions left on WhatsApp.

Kunonga, meanwhile, hung up when asked to comment. She did not respond to a message left on her WhatsApp.

Norton MP Temba Mliswa, speaking in parliament, previously accused Kunonga of corrupt land allocations.

ANNE NHIRA FUNERAL https://t.co/xrtWRR9vmX

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 21, 2021

By James Gwati- The Nelson Chamisa led Opposition MDC Alliance has indicated that it is planning to protest against the recalling of its Members of Parliament (MPs.

Clifford Hlatshwayo, the party’s deputy spokesperson said plans were underway to stage protests as a response to “abuse of state institutions” by the ruling Zanu- PF.

Hlatshwayo makes the remarks as 48 MDC Alliance MPs including former Finance minister Tendai Biti, Willias Madzimure, Settlement Chikwinya, Kucaca Phulu, Sichelesile Mahlangu, and Regai Tsunga, were recalled from Parliament. 

“Right now people are mobilising each other for a citizen convergence for change.

It’s about the people, not the looting elite in a dying party Zanu PF. Zanu PF can’t survive on its own without abusing state institutions, and in fact, it’s non-existent. I challenge them face to face, no police, no soldiers, no courts, no state funds, no government inputs, no abusing of government ministries, no guns etc. They are dead,” said Hlatshwayo.

“This regime is illegitimate, it crooked it’s way to the statehouse, using the Supreme Court, Zimbabwe Election Commission, military and other institutions of the state,” he said.

Hlatshwayo added that recalling the legislators who were chosen by the electorate was an illegal move that will, however, haunt the ruling party shortly.

The incumbent government has in the past blocked or ruthlessly dealt with protests and is likely to do it again this time.

Since 2019, MDC Alliance planned national demonstrations were blocked while state security forces used sheer force to disperse anti-government protesters.

Reports of abductions surged immediately before the MDC Alliance plans with some arguing that it was the government’s way of inculcating feat into members of the public.

President Mnangagwa yesterday congratulated new Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan after she was sworn in on Friday following the death of President John Magufuli.

President Hassan became the East African country’s first female President. In a statement, President Mnangagwa reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s position to continue working with the East African country to further strengthen and broaden the two countries’ relations.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Zimbabwe and indeed on my behalf, I wish to convey to you, Your Excellency, hearty congratulations on your swearing in as President of Tanzania. Your Excellency and Dear Sister, as you assume this important office, allow me to note with satisfaction the excellent long-standing relations that exist between our two countries which were born during the days of our struggle for liberation and self-determination. Let me assure you of my unwavering commitment to continue working with you to further strengthen and broaden these excellent relations for the mutual benefit of our two countries and peoples,” said President Mnangagwa.

The President emphasised his readiness to work with President Hassan in Sadc, to enhance regional integration and in the African Union to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063 and other multilateral fora for peace, security and development.

“I wish you, Your Excellency, personal good health and success, and peace and prosperity for the friendly people of the United Republic of Tanzania,” said President Mnangagwa.

President Hassan ascended to the Presidency after President Magufuli’s death due to a heart disease was announced by the Government last Wednesday. According to Tanzania’s constitution, the Vice-President serves out the remainder of the term of a President who dies in office. President Magufuli, who was first elected in 2015, secured a second five-year term in elections last year in October. The constitution also states that after consultation with their party, the new President will propose a deputy, the choice to be confirmed by the votes of no fewer than 50 per cent of the National Assembly.

President Mnangagwa described the late President of Tanzania as a dedicated Pan-Africanist who championed the removal of illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West. He was speaking during a handover ceremony of a utility bus he donated to Zvishavane Vocational Training Centre at State House in Harare yesterday. The President will today travel to the east African country where he will join fellow Sadc leaders attending the funeral of the late Statesman ahead of his burial tomorrow.

“It was very sad news, it came as a huge shock to me personally because of my personal relationship with the late President Magufuli. He was supportive of Zimbabwe. We have been under sanctions for two decades but when he became Sadc chairperson, he is the one who proposed that as the Sadc region, we must take a stand (against the sanctions). Under his chairmanship, 25 October was set aside as a day on each year that the bloc will protest against the sanctions and that they must be lifted by those who imposed them against us.”

In 2019, the Sadc Heads of State and Government summit in Dar es Salaam proclaimed 25 October as a day of solidarity with Zimbabwe against sanctions, with regional countries committing to hold events annually on the day in their respective countries, until the punitive measures are lifted.

The bloc’s secretariat was tasked to co-ordinate a regional drive, through its diplomatic channels, to exert pressure on the West to relent and remove the sanctions. President Mnangagwa described President Magufuli as a great friend of Zimbabwe whose death will be felt throughout the region.

“He will be interred on Monday so I was called by my colleagues, the first colleague who called was the President of Mozambique (Filipe Nyusi) last night, so we are going to meet in Tanzania. Thereafter my brother (South African President) Cyril Ramaphosa also phoned and we agreed we will meet there. After that my brother (President of Botswana) Mokgweetsi Masisi phoned and we are going to meet there too. I’m expecting a call from (Namibian President) Hage Geingob and I think he is going to convey the same message. So I think most of the Sadc Presidents will be in Dodoma on Monday.”

Meanwhile, Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry has hailed President Mnangagwa for donating a bus to Zvishavane Vocational Training Centre.

“It’s huge, the last time the President came to the Zvishavane VTC, he asked if there was anything the Vocational Training Centre needed and we very much needed a bus so he said he would reach out to the private sector and today we have seen the handover of a much bigger bus which is really incredible,” she said.

-State Media

Prospective surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 by genome sequencing in Zimbabwe between December, 2020, and January, 2021 (the period of the so-called second wave), has identified that variants with concerning mutations are prevalent in sequenced samples.

In December, 2020, 95 (89%) of 107 sequenced cases contained mutations of concern, rising to 102 (98%) of 104 in January, 2021.

The identified variants included the previously reported B.1.351 (501Y.V2) and A.23.1 variants, along with a novel variant under investigation (C.2).

 The B.1.1.7, B.1.525, P.1, and P.2 and variants were not identified in Zimbabwe.

Variants with concerning mutations have all replaced previously identified lineages in Zimbabwe (appendix).

Firstly, the B.1.351 variant of concern, originally identified in South Africa, accounted for 74 (69%) of 107 sequenced cases in December, 2020, and 99 (95%) of 104 sequenced cases in January, 2021.

The population structure was consistent with multiple separate introductions. Zimbabwe is the second country other than South Africa to report B.1.351 as the dominant variant to date.

 As in other countries, this variant has been associated with increased transmissibility, resulting in overwhelmed health-care systems and in higher mortality than the first wave (appendix).

Secondly, the A.23.1 variant of concern, first reported in Uganda, was observed in 3 (3%) of 107 sequenced cases in December, but was not observed in 104 sequenced cases in January.

Thirdly, a variant designated C.2 and containing a spike protein mutation (N501T) that was previously reported in another lineage of SARS-CoV-2 found in mink was present in Zimbabwe in both December, 2020, and January, 2021. N501T is thought to improve ACE2 receptor binding in mink.

A mutation in the same location, N501Y, is associated with increased transmissibility in humans.

In December, 2020, 18 (15%) of 117 of cases were found to be of the C.2 variant, whereas in January, 2021, this number fell to 3 (3%) of 104.

Phylogenetic analysis of international genomes of the C.2 variant indicated that they were interspersed with C.2 genomes from Zimbabwean cases, indicating that Zimbabwe was a possible source. In conclusion, variants with concerning mutations identified in December, 2020, and January, 2021, have replaced previously identified lineages in Zimbabwe.

 This observation highlights the importance of global surveillance by whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 to identify sources and transmission routes, and to provide supporting evidence for policy decisions.

SOURCE: www.thelancet.com