By James Gwati- Civil Society groups in South Africa under the banner of the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum have voiced against gross human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.

The grouping which is a network of progressive South African civil society organisations that include youth, women, labour, faith-based, human rights and student formations that are engaged in the promotion of democracy in Zimbabwe said President Emmerson Mnangagwa should observer the rule of law.

The grouping met with Zimbabwe CSO on Thursday, on the backdrop of the Covid 19 pandemic which has been used by the Zimbabwean government to stifle fundamental rights under the guise of enforcing lockdown regulations.

During the meeting, civic society organizations from Zimbabwe, including the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU), Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) and the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance briefed their regional counterparts on the prevailing situation in the country.

By A Correspondent- Swarms of several indigenous locust species have hit Chiredzi and Mwenezi damaging nearly 8 000 hectares of crops.

According to the state media, small grains have been the worst affected by these rare locusts.

Shingirai Nyamutukwa, head of the Plant Protection Research Institute said that the outbreak of three indigenous locust species locust which does not spread over long distances unlike the African migratory locust – had damaged 3 – 92 per cent of the crops, leaving scores of farmers at risk of food insecurity.

By James Gwati- Controversial preacher Uebert Angel has taken his fake degrees to the state-controlled daily newspaper for authentification.

“The Herald has in its possession a copy of Ambassador Angel’s intermediate transcript in a Professional Diploma in Education obtained from Bolton University in 2006”, reports the state-controlled daily on Friday.

The state media said “Just last year he completed a Masters of Science in Business Management (Entrepreneurship), at the University of Edinburgh Napier. His dissertation title was “Adoption and Use of Electronic Banking Services and Products in Zimbabwe”.

The state media claimed that Angel brought his “degrees” after the social media platforms were awash with stories claiming that the fake prophet had fake degrees.

Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  Good afternoon to all the esteemed Members of this august House.  

I thank you for affording me the opportunity to add my voice and debate the Presidential Speech as well as presenting my maiden speech.  

Madam Speaker Maam, please allow me to begin by notice that as a country we joined the international world to celebrate the International Women’s Day on 8^th March, 2021.  We remain dedicated to advocating for gender equality in all aspects of life in our society.

                   Madam Speaker Maam, I want to thank and pay tribute to some special women who are an inspiration and a true symbol of hope for the struggle of women issues.  

I would like to salute my own mentor, Dr. Thokozani Khupe, the leader of the opposition in Parliament and former Deputy Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Hon. Paurina Mpariwa, MDC-T Chief Whip, Madam President of the Senate, Hon. Mabel Chinomona, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, South African Minister and Former Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States of America and last but not least, Ngozi-Okonjo-Iweala, the Director General of the World Trade Organisation among others.

                   I want to challenge ourselves as women to introspect if we genuinely are committed to achieving the 50/50 gender equality.  If so, let us then desist from what we call the ‘pull her down (PHD) attitude or syndrome.  

Madam Speaker I stand today representing Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, the City of Kings and Queens, the second largest city of this country, with a population of 638 337 according to ZIMSTATS, 2012, while Bulawayo City Council claims the population to be about 1.2 million.  

It is my hope that the coming census will present a true picture of Bulawayo Province population density, so as to help in the planning, implementation of developmental programmes as well as in allocation of financial resources. 

                   In the SONA, His Excellency the President, E. D. Mnangagwa raised a number of issues and challenges affecting our country as well as Bulawayo Province.  These include among others, socio-economic challenges, environmental and ever changing climate conditions, sanctions as well as the recent global pandemic, COVID – 19.

                   Zimbabwe has been on national lockdown for over 12 months, with most severe period being the festive season which saw the country recording alarming increase of the COVID – 19 cases as well as deaths.  

The period of this lockdown had a serious impact of livelihoods because our economy is mostly informalised.  We hope that the recent opening of the economy will have a positive impact on the daily lives of our people and of recent note is the procurement of the Sinopharm Vaccine which has seen most frontline workers as well as Members of Parliament being vaccinated.  Also of note are the following positives on the SONA:-

·       The opening of the skies to boost both domestic and international flights which will boost our tourism industry;

·       The opening of schools and colleges which will stabilise our education system;

·       Export increase in the first half of 2020 by 4.9, that is about 1.96 billion as compared to 1.86 million in 2019;

·       The foreign receipts performing better than anticipated at 18% at the end of August, 2020, coupled by the diaspora remittances;

·       The Five Year National Development Strategy which answers the question of the dilapidated infrastructure that has been debated upon by many Hon. Members in this august House;

·       Road construction, modernisation and rehabilitation as an ongoing programme throughout all provinces as well answers need for Bulawayo roads that are in an appalling state;

·       The ongoing reforms in the health services sector which will improve accessibility and affordability of health and medicines for all Zimbabweans.

Before I go any further, there is a myth that I would want to correct.  It was being debated here about women who cook for children in school and the concern was may be the medical examination that had not been done for most of them. I would like to state that HIV/AIDS is not transmitted through cooking.  

When we ask people who cook to go for medical examinations, we are trying to avoid conditions that are caused by the bacteria and probably things like tuberculosis. They normally take swabs from the fingers in order to see that they do not have bacteria as they are going to handle food but HIV/AIDS is not transmitted through food.

Issues for Bulawayo – Madam Speaker, Bulawayo Province like many other provinces in Zimbabwe, has not been spared by socio-economic environmental challenges.  These include the issues of water, housing, economy, corruption, de-industrialisation and road infrastructure among other issues.

Water as a basic human right -Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) speaks to the issue of clean water and sanitation for all.  The City of Bulawayo has had perennial water shortages since time immemorial.  

The situation worsened in year 2020.  Three months into COVID -19 national lockdown, thus in June, 2020, the city embarked on a water rationing programme as a way of saving water, which saw residents going for long hours without water.  It is during this period that the residents experienced diarrhea outbreak that claimed 13 lives and affected 2000 residents.   

It is my hope that the Gwayi-Shangani project and pipeline will be completed as promised by His Excellency, the President E. D. Mnangagwa as it will go a long way in resolving the perennial water shortage for the City of Bulawayo and the province as a whole.  

Madam Speaker, please allow me to thank His Excellency President E. D. Mnangagwa for the official opening of the Epping Forest Acquifer in Nyamandlovu, following the expansion and rehabilitation programme which recently took place in the past weeks.  The project will go a long way in alleviating and addressing the prevailing water shortages for the province. 

Let me thank also the Almighty for the rains that we were graced with as a country.  By his grace, our dams which supply the City of Bulawayo have harvested a combined 65% of water that will improve the city’s water supplies.

          Economy

          Bulawayo Province, like the rest of the country, has not been spared of a plethora of challenges which include fuel shortages leading to transport problems.  The province and Bulawayo City council has been affected by such resulting to failure to collect refuse.

This has led to residents dumping refuse and garbage in undesignated areas around the city. This has been a serious cause for concern as it is a threat to our environment.  Hon. Members of Parliament have recommended to the Government to adopt a biogas strategy as a way of increasing our energy as well as addressing the environmental hazards that come with refuse. It is my hope that these recommendations will also form part of the NDS1 in dealing with electricity shortages in our country. 

The issue of de-industrialisation in Bulawayo province remains a serious cause for concern. Our industries have been turned into shells and now house most churches.  This development has stripped Bulawayo of her status of being “Intuthu Ziyathunga” because of the economic activities that were coming from Bulawayo.  It is my hope that as we thrive to implement devolution, we move to redress the economic challenges in the province. 

Corruption

Madam Speaker, corruption is a cancer which has had a negative bearing to our economy as well as revenue collection.  Let me commend the Government for empowering the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and giving them a constitutional mandate to deal with corruption activities besieging our country.  

I call upon the Central Government to increase financial support for ZACC activities to enable the Commission to decentralise their operations in the provinces and be able to discharge their mandate effectively and delinquently.  An act of Parliament must be put in place so as to protect the whistleblowers if the fight against corruption is to be taken seriously.

Shelter and Accommodation

Bulawayo is facing a housing backlog of over 100 000 units to address the issue of housing shortages.  Section 28 of our Constitution empowers our arms of Legislation and local authorities to enable every person to have access to good shelter.  SDG 11 also makes cities and human settlements inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

The Government should look at ways of providing affordable accommodation for all including the poor of our society.  These efforts have been curtailed by harsh economic conditions bedeviling our country, as well as, corrupt transactions involving land across the country.  Madam Speaker, I call upon this august House to critically look into these issues in fulfillment of SDG 11. 

Gender and Women

Our country joined the rest of the world in commemorating the International Women’s Day on 8^th March, 2021, yet women remain faced with serious health issues as a result of inaccessibility to health facilities and services.  May I applaud the Government for coming up with a policy of free maternal and child care.  

Whilst that is celebrated, the first port of call for antenatal booking is the local authority health care centre which still charges US$19 for the booking.  This remains a challenge to most pregnant women who cannot afford such.  It is therefore my sincere hope that the ongoing reforms in the health sector improve accessibility and affordability of the health and medicines for all Zimbabweans.

Whilst the national lockdown measures were a necessity and acceptable for the country to control the deadly pandemic, these had negative effects on the welfare of women who mostly irk a living through the informal sector.  Most households could not afford to get food for their families, pay rentals as well as other livelihood obligations. 

Let me call on the Central Government, working together with the local authorities through the devolution funds, to establish state working stations for the informal sector to allow them to carry out their businesses even during the times of crisis like this one.

According to Zimstat, the informal sector provides 94% of the country’s employment and it is the major contributor to the country’s economic activity, contributing to an estimate of at least 48% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

As the country implements NDS1, let us make it a point that women and youths are included in the manufacturing sector to drive our economy and return Zimbabwe to her rightful place, that of the bread basket of Africa.  Empowering women and closing the gender gap in the whole world is key to achieving the Vision 2030 Agenda.  Unemployment will be a thing of the past. 

Madam Speaker, may I conclude by saying that we have ourselves to correct all wrongs and leave a good legacy for generations to come.  Allow me to quote the Speaker, Hon. J.F. Mudenda.  In his opening remarks in the 2017 Budget in Bulawayo, he said, “Emancipation from mental slavery by Marcus Garvey / Bob Marley depending on when you were born.”  

God bless you all.

I thank you.

Thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir.  I stand to move a motion from the report of the Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education.  This report is in connection with a petition that you have forwarded to the Committee.  The petition is one that is coming from Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and as you would know Mr. Speaker Sir, in terms of Section 149, we are required as a Committee when you refer a petition to us to make sure that we deal with it.

          Section 149 of the Constitution on the Right to petition Parliament, provides that “every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has a right to petition Parliament to consider any matter within its authority, including the enactment, amendment or repeal of legislation”.

          The Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education received a petition from Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), on the School Feeding Programme (SPP) and the Petitioner (s) made the following prayers;

1.             The need for parliamentary oversight regarding best interests of the children as regards the SPP, to be studied and gaps in the policy identified;

2.             Engage the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) to fully implement the School Feeding Programme according to their strategic plan, constitutional provisions and regional treaties.  The Ministry to ensure that all associated costs are identified and all schools adhere to policy adopted;

3.             Enhance the nutritional value of meals through greater diversity and where possible, MoSPE must ensure there are alternative sources of food that do not require cooking ;

4.             Ensure a fully resourced feeding scheme, complete with grain and relish that come at no cost to the parents, ensuring children’s learning interest, became paramount;

5.             The SPP to be uniformly implemented in all school, urban and rural to encourage retention of learners and reduce the school dropout rate;

6.             Ensure holistic and multi stakeholder consultative approach, so as to make schools an important agricultural development nerve centre with water, food and agricultural innovations that bring food sovereignty to their community and;

7.             Ensure that MoPSE audits all school, to determine access to water and cause to be prepared a School Water Access Action Plan in coordination with the relevant Ministries.  The school Water Action Plan must provide sufficient access to water for the development of school Nutrition Gardens.  Dams and Irrigation systems are paramount if the New Competency Curriculum can facilitate the practical learning of agriculture as a subject.

OBJECTIVES

The Committee’s main goal was to respond to the petition on the basis of the demands made by the Petitioner and report back to the august House. Additional objectives were to;

Appreciate the challenges being faced in the implementation of the School Feeding Programme and to offer recommendations for policy improvements.

METHODOLOGY

          The Committee conducted field visit to purposively selected schools in Matabeleland South, Bulawayo Metropolitan and Matabeleland North, in line with the dictates of the petitioners.

          The Committee had discussions with School Development Associations, parents and teachers.  In addition, the Committee also interacted with children and observed pupils as they go through the actual feeding processes.

          Although the petition made reference to SFP in Matabeleland and Metropolitan, the Committee took advantage of the field visits to schools to assess compliance and implementation of the Standard Operating Procedure for COVID 19 pandemic.

          The Committee split into two teams and the other team took the opportunity to investigate the SFP in Masvingo, Manicaland and Mashonaland.

Team A

SCHOOL	DISTRICT	PROVICNE
Sitez Primary	Gwanda	Matabeleland South
Mhali Primary	Magwegwe	Bulawayo Metropolitan
Zibungululu Primary	Tsholotsho	Matabeleland North
Fudu Primary	Nkayi	Matabeleland North
Nyongolo Primary	Hwange	Matabeleland North

 Team B

SCHOOL	DISTRICT	PROVINCE
Matriore Primary	Bikita	Masvingo
Mashonjowa Priamry	Chimanimani	Manicaland
Bosbury	Chegutu	Mashonaland West
Bondamakare Primary	Mutoko	Mashonaland East
Mupandira	Madziva	Mashonaland Central

Committee Findings

–         Contributions towards relish, foreign currency required and majority of parents cannot afford.

–         Sustainability and frequency of food distribution was cited as a huge challenge for most beneficiary schools.

–         Challenges to collect the food stuffs from Government offices

–         Government only providing maize and/or rice without any relish

–         Parents bearing the burden to meet procurement of relish and other ingredients.

–         In the Southern region, only Mashonjowe Primary School was implementing the school feeding programme

COMMITTEE FINDINGS

–         Water availability situation throughout the schools visited shows a dire situation.

–         At Mhali and Sitezi Primary, availability of water constrains the preparation of food and learners were requested to bring their own water to school

–         Firewood was the main source of energy for cooking and particularly women were tasked to bring the firewood,

–         At Bondamakare Primary School, the SFP was not functional because firewood and water was a challenge in addition to food.

FOOD PREPARATIONS AND UTENSILS USED

–         Committee noted that those who prepare food did not go through any medical examination, posing a serious health disaster to the pupils.

–         Learners bring their own utensils e.g. at Sitezi Primary while other schools have their own utensils e.g. at Mhali Primary in Bulawayo Metropolitan.

–         Some schools expressed ignorance of the SFP, like Mhali School where the school Administration did not have clarity on those who cook, and did not have an idea where the food comes from.

–         At Bosbury Primary School, the school authorities noted that there was no specific staff employed to cook the food hence they relied on parents from the community.

          Majority of the schools visited indicated that labour was a serious challenge that affected the smooth running of the SFP.

COMMITTEE OBSERVATIONS

Whilst the field visits were conducted during the pinnacle of COVID-19 pandemic, the SFP appeared to be implemented in a normal way.  A situation which confirms that the Standard Operating Procedures do not specify new means of implementing the SFP.

The SFP was placing an extra burden on women both in urban and rural areas who are being requested to cook for pupils on voluntary basis as well as providing firewood and relish.

The SFP is discriminatory on the basis of contributions.  Children with parents who were failing to contribute towards transportation costs, among others, were being denied food, thereby working against the principles of SFP.

Structural unavailability of portable and clean water within school premises affected the preparation and serving of food and in some cases schools were using water that is not safe for drinking and an example is Sitezi Primary School.

That food supply is inconsistent thereby affecting the full implementation of the programme.

Schools were facing the challenge of relish and this was affecting the provision of a balanced nutritious diet.

The SFP is currently being implemented for primary schools only and that secondary school learners are not benefitting which is inconsistent with the policy.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should commission a proper evaluation study of the SFP and report the findings to the august House before first term 2021 schools open.

The Standard Operating Procedures should be reviewed to take into account the SFP and outline clearly the process that should be followed in food preparation in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic before first terms 2021 schools open.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should consider procuring instant and prepared food such as porridge and mahewu to eliminate vigorous challenges of preparing food, unpaid labour, and energy unavailability and ensure adherence to the COVID-19 regulations by 30 June 2021.

Going forward, the Ministry should run tenders for producing and delivering of food requirements to the schools to avoid burdening parents with transport costs and subsequent discriminations.

That for vulnerable communities, secondary schools should benefit from the programme to ensure that learners attend school and reduce structured poverty by 30 June 2021.

The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare should reserve an allocation of food distribution to schools in vulnerable communities by 30 June 2021.

That the SFP in its current state was ineffective and unsustainable.

There is need for a comprehensive review of the SFP to take into account new developments including the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic, as such, the following should be considered.

          Hon. Misihairabwi-Mushonga presented a sample of the instant porrige meant for the school feeding programme to the Hon. Speaker to taste.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa has said lack of political tolerance is a worrisome trend in politics.

President Chamisa blasted “political monsters” taking advantage of their positions of influence to persecute perceived opponents.

“It is clear that the individual who persecutes a man, his brother,
because he is not of the same opinion, is a monster.– Voltaire,”President Chamisa wrote on Twitter.

He also wrote a brief statement on the death of Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli.

“With sadness, I note the passing on of H.E
@MagufuliJP
of Tanzania. My sincere condolences to the Magufuli family and the great people of Tanzania. Our prayers are with them all during this difficult time.Wishing Tanzania a democratic and peaceful transition. RIP Mzee.”

Quills of Malice

Nefarious vipers in the Nation’s bossom

Why cold blood to the holy nation?

Malice begets malice to the bottom,

Blood curdling rumble of sick ration, 

Quills Of Malice!!

You are harlotry stirring hornet’s nest

Brewing ghosts from embattled souls,

Barnish milestone of abhorrence jn your neck,

Seek abode in the warm soils,

Quills of Malice!!

Relinquish the bleak speck of euphoria

Of blatant malice gathering on stray scribes,

Corrosive intent acts  of volcanic phobia,

Inflammatory tongues licking the beauty of Liberty!   

Quills of Malice!!

Who painfully seize you by throatAnd soil menace the last vestiges

Of nationalistic pride minus thought?

And your putrid alliance with alien Vintages,  Quills of Malice!!

Why ruthlessly prick our nosesTo cut the throat to save the neck?

Gathering cold and disquieting noises

But with flawless infinitive grace

The excruciating journalistic thorn shall rot   

Quills of Malice!!

**Written by Collen Kajokoto, a protest poet and human Rights defender .
Quills Of Malice lashes out at State sponsored journalists who perpetuate despots grip on power through complicit propaganda.

Local banks are demanding personal assets, including houses as collateral to finance agriculture, amid the unresolved confusion over the bankability of 99-year leases.

Banks say the risk of financing farmers is too high since the land cannot be used as collateral due to tenure uncertainties.

A 99-year lease is a legally binding agreement between the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement, on behalf of the government, and the farmer the lessee. Government issued 99-year leases from 2006 to resettled farmers after the land redistribution exercise that began in 2000. However, banks have refused to use leases as collateral, arguing they are not bankable, citing that land still belongs to the State.

Finance and Economic Development minister Mthuli Ncube insists the government is looking at offering full and partial guarantees to banks for the acceptance of 99-year leases. But banks argue the process of redeeming land as collateral is shrouded in secrecy.

Bankers Association of Zimbabwe (BAZ) president Ralph Watungwa said talks stalled due to lack of transferability mechanisms of the 99-year lease. Lack of investments on the farms is a sticking issue.

Last year the government embarked on a farm downsizing programme, while underutilised land was repossessed.

“The starting point is that we must get farmers to believe they own the land and they should invest on farms. We have farmers who don’t want to invest but want to borrow from banks. That’s the fundamental problem on the land issue,” he said.

“The problem is that there are certain sections of society who are not entitled to take over the land because they are not indigenous or don’t have the money. You can’t say you want to realise security and find another Zimbabwe to buy the land; there are very few people like that. It means the ability of banks to realise value in the event that the customer is unable to pay becomes limited.”

Watungwa said according to the law, when one transfers land, it has to be to the government.

“You don’t go to an auction to buy land like a house. With land, it has to be to certain people. It means the value of the land as security then becomes questionable and banks would need to get their money back from the asset in the quickest possible time,” he said.

“A lot of banks are now financing agriculture using houses or another asset as security instead of the land. So it means that the land has no value. again the process of making it bankable takes a long time because of the bureaucracy, as the process requires legislative changes. It’s not an overnight thing. It requires a lot of stakeholders’ approval. But should the relevant authorities apply their minds, it’s a process that should not take two years.”

Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) president Andrew Ivordale said full recovery of the agricultural sector is hampered by lack of a bankable tenure instrument.

“Hopefully the new National Land Policy will deal with this issue. The consultation process for this only ended in December 2020, so we need to allow time for the process to be completed. Banks lend depositors’ money. They have to have sufficiently secure collateral for those funds. a secure, tradable, transferable tenure instrument is what is required. While it is difficult to quantify, Zimbabwe has suffered substantial losses as a result,” he said.

Zimbabwe’s land tenure and title deeds system was disrupted and thrown into chaos by the fast-track land reform programme which started in 2000. The farm invasions violated property rights.

-Independent

The Bindura Registrar-General’s office has not been processing passports after the office failed to purchase pre-paid electricity tokens for several months.

Provincial registrar Tafadzwa Nyandoro confirmed the power crisis adding that he had been assured that the solution was on its way.

Nyandoro said:

Yes, it’s true, but I have received assurance that it is being attended to by our accounts department and we will soon be up and running.

NewsDay was told that residents were failing to access the documents since they were supposed to be processed electronically.

One resident, Donald Shungu:

Passports are only issued in Bindura and it is not acceptable that such a big office is failing to pay for electricity bills. What is the Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe doing when the whole province is crying over passports?

Zimbabwe has a huge passport backlog that is attributed to a shortage of resources at the Registrar-General’s office to process the documents.

This has happened when the citizenry has been applying for the documents in large numbers in an endeavour to escape from the biting economy.

-Newsday

HEALTH experts have warned that people receiving the second dose of the Chinese-manufactured COVID-19 Sinopharm vaccine might experience severe side effects, but said this should not be cause for alarm as the pain would subside with time.

At least 39 067 frontline workers who underwent the first vaccination programme, which started last month, are due to receive the second jab to complete the course.

Vice-President and Health minister Constantino Chiwenga was the first person to be inoculated with the Sinopharm vaccine on February 18 at Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital in Harare, and yesterday got his second jab.

Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights secretary Norman Matara told NewsDay that it was normal for vaccines to trigger side effects in patients.

“Side effects after the second dose may be more intense than those experienced during the first dose. However, there is no need for citizens to panic, as this is actually a good sign. The side effects mean that your body is responding to the vaccine, and is triggering an immune response that will result in production of antibodies, exactly what the vaccine is designed to do,” he said. Matara cautioned people against spreading falsehoods once the side effects begin to manifest.

“Musazoti 666 yatanga (when you see that happening, don’t speculate that the number 666, which was mentioned in the book of Revelations in the Bible is being fulfilled).”

Matara said the side effects would include pain, redness and swelling of the injected site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain and ache, chills, fever and nausea.

“The side effects are self-limiting and resolve on their own usually within a few days. There is no danger to life anticipated. We advise the public to participate in the national vaccination programme as vaccination of individuals has been proved to be an effective way of eradicating pandemics. These vaccines go through various stages of clinical trials before approval and are safe and effective. We need to get vaccinated in order for us to return to normalcy,” he said.

Matara said roughly, 40% to 50% of the vaccinated people would experience side effects. Medical and Dental Private Practitioners of Zimbabwe Association president Johannes Marisa said the public should not panic as there was no drug without side effects.

“It’s an international standard that you are supposed to list all possible side effects of that particular drug. You hear that paracetamol causes hepatitis, jaundice (yellowing of the eyes), nausea, diarrhoea, severe headaches, poor vision and so forth. However, have you ever developed poor vision or hepatitis from paracetamol? No,” Marisa said.

“So I don’t think it’s necessary to panic because it’s like any other drug. We don’t want people to be frightened.”

He called for concerted efforts to ensure increased uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines so that the country achieves its targeted herd immunity of 60% and return to normalcy.

The national vaccination pro-gramme, spearheaded by government to fight the highly infectious respiratory disease, has experienced low uptake, with mostly nurses doubting the efficacy of the Chinese-produced vaccine, Sinopharm. To date, the disease has claimed over 1500 lives in Zimbabwe, amid fears that a looming third wave
could cause more fatalities.

“From a simple survey I did a few days ago from those who got vaccinated, especially the front-liners, there is virtually nothing in terms of side effects. My family and members of staff, we were all vaccinated and we didn’t experience any serious or life-threatening side effects,” Marisa said.

Health deputy minister John Mangwiro said the side effects were not anything to be scared of.

“Information is also there about the vaccine (Sinopharm) in the medical journals. You find that these doctors just post these things on social media. I am a doctor, I have been vaccinated today and as I speak to you, I am attending to patients that have experienced no side effects,” he said.

Early this week, Zimbabwe took delivery of the second batch of a donation of 200 000 doses of Sinopharm and 200 000 doses of an-other Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine procured by government.

Chiwenga said the second roll-out programme would target the education and religious sectors, with the rest of the population expected to be catered for in the third phase.-Newsday

THE Presidential Farming Inputs Programme popularly known as Pfumvudza has been used to fleece unsuspecting farmers through a well-orchestrated scheme involving thousands of United States dollars.

A total of 1,8 million tonnes of cereal and 360 000 tonnes of oil seed have been delivered to a registered 1,8 million families for 290 000 hectares countrywide.

This translates to 72 000 deliveries made by 30-tonne trucks to various wards across rural Zimbabwe.

Investigations have revealed that a syndicate of Zanu-PF councillors conniving with Agritex officers and GMB staff have been demanding amounts ranging from US$1 to US$2 from each household to transport the inputs

This means they have realised at least US$1 200 per truck. The loads consist of 600 by 50kg bags fertilisers which were transported at a cost of US$2 each.

Some 5 kg bags of maize seed, 2 kg of sorghum, 50kg of gypsum were some of the several inputs delivered.

“We were told that the government only managed to transport inputs to GMB depots and it was our duty as villagers to mobilise transport to our wards.

“I have paid for all the inputs I received because I was afraid of losing out. At one point I failed to receive inputs because I didn’t have the money,” said Farai Nyanguwo of Matiengane village at Matondo Growth Point in Chigodora, Manicaland.

Contacted for comment, Grain Marketing Board (GMB) chief executive officer Rockie Mutenda referred questions to the parastatal’s corporate communications officer Joseph Katete who had not replied by time of going to print.

However, Mutenda is on record saying GMB was responsible for transportation of inputs to centres as the programme is fully funded by the government.

Investigations highlighted similar occurrences transpired on October 25, November 20 and 21 last year at Chiwere Business Centre in Ward 34 under Odzi where 5 kg bags of maize seed were delivered. The ward has a total of 14 villages.

Other delivery points in Odzi include Nyagundi and Chinota.

“The committee pockets the money and shares it. I checked with some drivers who indicated that everything was paid for,” said a Zanu-PF official monitoring the deliveries.

“In another incident I walked in on the committee sharing the spoils and they tried to bribe me.

“The transport costs are handled by a committee led by the councillor and subject to willful use of the committee. No audit or accountability measures are taken to ensure that the funds are used for intended purposes.

“Apart from purporting to pay for transport, the funds are used to pay community off-loaders, Agritex officers’ allowances as expenses incurred while arranging for the collection and distribution of goods from GMB. It’s not clear what happens to the remaining funds in the event there are balances.”

Apart from abuse of funds, there is also misappropriation of inputs as there is double dipping of farming inputs.

An intelligence source said rogue councillors will be blacklisted from contesting in the 2023 elections.

“There are growing fears that the abuse of the Presidential Inputs Programme can affect the performance of the party during the next polls. A lot of complaints were made,” he said.

The Zimbabwe Independent gathered that apart from intelligence officers, President Emmerson Mnangagwa also gave a green light to an organisation called In Defence of Zimbabwe Sovereignty Organisation (IDZSO) to investigate abuses of inputs distribution.

IDZSO wrote to Mnangagwa on November 25, 2020 asking for permission to investigate alleged abuses. The request was granted.

The team has already made headway in Harare but has been facing challenges in Manicaland.

IDZSO, has since written four complaint letters to the President accusing provincial police of failing to deal with alleged looters. The organisation’s Manicaland chairperson Landmine Madongonda wrote on February 2, 2021, advising Mnangagwa to push the police to act on evidence provided “as we (IDZSO) are investigating the corruption made on the Command and Pfumvudza inputs”.

Mutare Rural District Council (RDC) chief executive officer Shepherd Chinaka confirmed that some farmers paid for the delivery of free government inputs.

“We received reports at our offices that some members of the community are being asked to contribute some money to ensure that the aid gets to their distribution centres.

“This is why we have raised this concern because we had prior knowledge that the government delivers for free. People are complaining about exorbitant charges,” Chinaka said.-Independent

By A Correspondent- Harare businessman Freddy Chimbari of Fremus Enterprises yesterday appeared in court facing bribery charges after he bribed officials at the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) to win a US$20 million tender.

Chimbari appeared before magistrate Stanford Mambanje, who remanded him to May 7 on $50 000 bail.

It is alleged that from 2010 to 2013, Chimbari’s company was corruptly awarded a tender to carry out rehabilitation of rural roads in Buhera, Mhondoro, Ngezi, Gutu, Murehwa and Zaka without following due process.

Former Zinara chief executive Frank Chitukutuku allegedly instructed several rural district councils to award the tender to Fremus Enterprises.

The State further alleged that as a result of Chitukutuku’s order, Fremus Enterprises was offered the US$20 million tender.

On five different occasions after receiving the money, Chimbari allegedly deposited various amounts of money from his company to Chitukutuku’s personal account.

Investigations later revealed that Chimbari and Chitukutuku were friends and the payments constituted a gift or bribe.

Chimbari is alleged to have deposited US$114 000 to Chitukutuku’s personal bank account.

Chitukutuku is also on remand for the same matter.-newsday

 By A Correspondent- A tussle has erupted between medical practitioners in the private sector and medical aid societies, as doctors are accused of turning down policy holders without cash co-payments due to health funders’ failure to settle claims.

Medical practitioners who spoke to the Zimbabwe Independent had no kind words for medical aid executives, whom they said lived lavishly from clients’ premiums.

The doctors said patients could barely afford medical bills since the cost of living continued skyrocketing. Patients are left with no option, but to turn to private doctors because the public health system is in a shambles underpinned by an acute shortage of medical equipment and medicines.

Health funders, doctors added, were failing to meet the demand for cover despite clients religiously paying subscriptions. This has complicated the situation, as medical doctors are forced to demand cash upfront from patients.

Medical and Dental Private Practitioners of Zimbabwe Association president Johannes Marisa said they preferred payments in foreign currency.

“Private doctors are charging co-payments in foreign currency to ensure they remain viable and sustain operations in the medical industry,” Marisa said.

“It is unfortunate that medical aid societies are not paying health covers yet they are collecting monthly contributions from their clients.”

He went on: “Almost half of health funders don’t want to own up to their obligations to pay service providers. Survival of the private medical practice is hanging by a thread because some doctors have to fund for their own personal protective equipment and meet other costs of running hospitals.”

He blasted medical aid societies managers for driving top-of-the-range cars at a time patients’ needs were not met.

“The medical aid managers are the ones benefiting from the scheme as they are misusing funds for personal benefits. It’s not the doctors’ fault. For those few that own up to cover their clients, they pay in local currency which does not match with black market exchange rates in the United States dollars.”

Patients, however, have complained about doctors’ demand for foreign currency.

Some patients have petitioned private doctors to meet medical aid societies and resolve the issue.

Zimbabwe Senior Hospital Doctors Association president Shingai Nyaguse said the public must be educated on medical aid societies.

“Unfortunately the public tends to blame doctors on failed health insurances. Several medical aid societies are using clients’ monthly subscriptions for personal benefits like hefty packages. Medical aid generally pays well below the agreed tariffs, hence the shortfalls,” he said.

Zimbabwe Medical Association (Zima) tariff liaison committee chairperson Shingirirai Meki said doctors used best international practices to determine co-payments.

“I want to highlight the fact that medical aid payments and doctors failing to get their money on time has been happening for a longtime. However, over the years, we have been trying to solve the matter for the benefit of patients,” Meki said.

“If a medical aid has financial struggles, we might never know because it’s not declared publicly. On what is being charged by doctors versus medical aid reimbursements, there are tariffs that come from doctors (Zima), while health funders pay from collections. What then is paid by a patient is the difference we call a shortfall or co-payment.”

Meki said co-payment is charged to meet any outstanding amounts.

“As Zima, we stand guided by the Statutory Instrument that was gazetted by the government in 2014. The government then found a middle ground to set standard tariffs that we adhere to. It’s unfortunate that some medical aids have failed to pay tariffs set by the government. Patients are not being ripped off; it’s just that the medical aids sometimes fail to pay.”

No comment could be obtained from the Association for Healthcare Funders in Zimbabwe (AHFOZ) this week as officials were buck-passing.

AHFOZ has previously said medical aid societies were adjusting contributions to match healthcare service provider rates and narrow shortfall gaps.-Independent

Former MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu who recently joined the ruling party has been blasted on micro blogging Twitter after he told people to look forward to his opinion in Sunday Mail on why he joined ZANU PF.

“WHY I JOINED @ZANUPF Official

Don’t miss my opinion piece to be published in the country’s leading weekly @ SundayMailZim on Sunday,March 21,2021,” reads Gutu’s tweet.

Former Cabinet Minister Walter Mzembi said Gutu does not owe anyone an explanation since it is his choice.

“Chitova it’s your choice, you do not owe anyone an explanation,just like the beard you are grooming is a personal choice! tweeted Mzembi.

Alouis Zananhwe said Gutu is bothering himself in trying to explain himself.

“Akungozvinetsawo nekuda kutipa explanation uyo.”

“Do you need a whole article to say l was trapped, my handlers have my DMs and other compromising  materials,and l needed some money so l jumped onto the gravy train,” Gerald Nyoni said.

Several opposition officials have crossed the flow to ZANU PF and a number of opposition Members of Parliament have been recalled there by weakening MDC A.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi says he is fortunate to be alive after battling a Covid-19 related illness for several weeks and is using his near-death experience to urge adherence to regulations aimed at controlling the spread of the pandemic.

Minister Ziyambi tested positive for Covid-19 at the end of December 2020, before being admitted to hospital where a number of doctors, including those from the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS), attended to him after his condition deteriorated.

During the period that he was ill, several Government ministers and high ranking Zanu-PF officials succumbed to the novel virus. Ziyambi, who is Zanu-PF provincial chair for Mashonaland West, recounted his experience to fellow party cadres during a Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Chinhoyi last Saturday.

Ziyambi implored party officials to get vaccinated once the second and third vaccination phases were introduced, saying Covid-19 was real.

“I am a survivor of Covid-19 and the disease is painful and deadly. I lost a lot of colleagues and many cadres here in Mashonaland West province.

“We lost Minister Ellen Gwaradzimba, Foreign Affairs Minister, Sibusiso Moyo, former ZPCS Commissioner General, Paradzai Zimondi and my dear friend, (Joel Biggie) Matiza,” the visibly emotional, Ziyambi said.

The late Matiza was the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development.

“I become very emotional when I talk about these losses because the majority of the incidents happened when I was indisposed and in hospital.”

The minister recounted how ZPCS doctors who were treating him instructed the nursing staff to take away the television remote control unit and cellphones to cut outside communication and information. “The doctors were afraid I could get affected by the news of the deaths.”

He said Covid-19 was not only affecting urban communities, but ravaging rural areas as well.

“When I survived the pandemic, I was shocked to hear of a lot of people who had succumbed to the virus in Zvimba rural which shows how the disease has become even more deadly.”

-State Media

ZB Financial Holdings Limited group chief executive Mr Ron Mutandagayi has taken leave of absence from his duties, the board of directors has said.

This follows the leaking a video of him flooring his wife with clenched fists while his daughter watches. The footage got him arrested and he was charged in January this year. When ZimEye telephoned him, he responded saying his wife had poured hot water on him, an allegation his own daughter denies. The below video was recorded by his 16 year old daughter:

ZBBank CEO, Ronald Mutandagayi, assaulting his wife in front of daughter, 16. FULL INTERVIEW ON https://t.co/eY98GsdO0a pic.twitter.com/LPMtIOC0eg

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 8, 2021

In a statement, the ZB board said it had taken note of the social media communication relating to Mr Mutandagayi, which was first published on March 7.

“The matter in question is currently before the courts. In the meantime, Mr R Mutandagayi has taken leave of absence from his duties while the board of directors of the group considers appropriate action on the matter.

“Stakeholders will be advised on any new developments as they arise.”

-State Media

A self confessed CIO agent has written in claiming that Norton MP Temba Mliswa’s exlover, Susan Mutami who disappeared last month is safe, and is living at a house in Harare. They go on to allege that she has been separated from her child- her son is now staying at Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s farm in Kwekwe. ZimEye investigates into the mystery surrounding Miss Mutami’s whereabouts.

By A Correspondent | Today marks one month and one day after Norton MP, Temba Mliswa’s girlfriend, Susan Mutami was stopped from flying out of Zimbabwe, following her allegations that she possesses knowledge on the terrorists who bombed White City Stadium in June 2018. ZimEye launches a search for her whereabouts- is she in Zimbabwe or in Australia?

This is Brisbane, where Susan Mutami resides and we check today check on her at her usual addresses. This is St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Brisbane, where she could be employed and where her mother, Rabecca works.

Susan herself used to work here as a Care Assistant.

We are told, “she is not here; she has not been seen in several months.”

We cannot reveal the identity of interviewee at the hospital, per their request.

We now head to Princess Alexandra Hospital. Susan Mutami is not here. Sources tell ZimEye she is not here at all.

The Hospital was placed into lockdown after a positive #COVID19 case was detected 3 days ago. But we manage to speak to a source via phone who responds saying:

“For legal purposes. I cannot say much, but the person you are asking for no longer works here,” a female employee tells ZimEye.

It also turns out Susan cannot work there anymore as she was fired over continued absenteeism, the day before she travelled to Zimbabwe last year.

We now turn to Durack, the place where Susan can only come when she arrives into the country. This is where she lives.

Two of Susan’s closest friends tell ZimEye, they do not believe she is anywhere in Australia. “If she comes back into the country she will come here first, ” one of her colleagues says while asking not to be identified due to the political sensitivities around her case in Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, as Susan’s mother Rabeccca does not appear willing to speak with journalists, we turn back to Susan herself.

We send her two messages, one becomes, blueticked, the other is still to be opened.

1st message: “Hello Susan. Are you okay? You’ve gone suddenly quiet. Strength to you!”

2nd message: “Many are worried over you. When are you traveling to Australia?”

There is no reply at all, and neither does she pick the phone up, which is not characteristic of her.

As her Zimbabwean phone sounds disconnected, her two Australian numbers all lead to her voicemail boxes. They have been in this state for nearly month.

Where is Susan then, and is she the one who is tweeting on her portal in the last month? A structured content audit of her tweets suggests someone else is publishing the posts. Terms like FDI, and economy do not form her known vocabulary.

When she was stopped from flying out of Zimbabwe on the 18th February, she quickly sought the help of lawyers and began referring journalists to them. Her solicitor last month told ZimEye, “she is alive, she is ok and she is safe.

“I can’t say much due to professional ethics; She will come back to you soon,” she said without revealing much detail.

ZimEye checked on the position of the Australian Embassy in Harare whose assistance she invoked last month, and found in their statement they have distanced themselves from Miss Mutami’s case saying her private conduct in Zimbabwe does not fall under the embassy’s interests.

“Ms Mutami’s behaviour in Zimbabwe are matters for the Zimbabweans authorities as they fall under Zimbabwean law,” the Australian embassy said in a statement responding to her affair with Norton MP Temba Mliswa.

ZimEye today returns to the Australian Embassy for further comment as we investigate Susan Mutami’s whereabouts.

WHERE DO YOU THINK SUSAN MUTAMI IS?

Discipline gone wrong? A Binga man was so angry when he discovered his teenage daughter was pregnant that he kicked her in the stomach leading to her death.

A court has since sentenced him to 10 years in jail.

Anderson Munkuli (47) of Lubu 4 in Chief Binga’s area went berserk when he discovered that his Form Four daughter Respect (17) was six months pregnant and wanted to get married to the person responsible for the pregnancy.

On April 24 last year, Munkuli summoned the man – who was not named in court – and he offered to marry the girl but Munkuli was opposed to the marriage, saying his daughter was still young and in school. A seething Munkuli armed himself with three spears and summoned his wife, Otilia and Respect. He ordered them to kneel before him and thrust a spear in front of each of them while he held the other, threatening to stab them.

Munkuli struck his wife three times with the handle of the spear before kicking the girl once on the stomach. Both fled in terror and sought refuge at a neighbour’s place where they stayed for 12 days as they were afraid to go home. The girl suffered abdominal pains after the assault but did not seek medical help.

She collapsed and died 12 days later on May 6. Munkuli was found not guilty of murder but guilty of a lesser charge of culpable homicide when he appeared before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese who is on circuit in Hwange. He was also charged with physical abuse for the assault on his wife.

The judge implored parents and guardians to desist from using violence on children. He sentenced Munkuli to 10 years in jail but suspended two years for five years on condition of good behaviour. Prosecuting, Mrs Martha Cheda said Munkuli kicked Respect once in the stomach and punched her twice on the head on April 24, 2020.

“The accused entered a bedroom hut and came back armed with three spears. He shoved one spear near the deceased who was kneeling down and another closer to his wife and sat down on a stool holding the other which he used to hit his wife three times and the handle broke. He then kicked the deceased once on the stomach before punching her twice on the back of the head. The girl developed abdominal pains and died on May 6,” said Mrs Cheda.

Mrs Cheda said after the assault, Otilia and her daughter managed to escape and fled to a neighbour’s place. On May 6, Otilia decided to go back to her homestead leaving her daughter behind. Along the way, she discovered that the deceased was following her. The girl collapsed and died on the road.- Chronicle

WELL, isn’t that strange that a woman assaults her husband while accusing him of being weak and failing to impregnate her.

Wonder no more, because this has happened after a man from Chademana Village in Zaka area, Masvingo province sued his in-laws demanding back his lobola claiming his wife was savagely beating him up over his inability to impregnate her.

Reports gathered by B-Metro are that Jethro Mundanga had been constantly assaulted by his wife Kudzai Mabhiza to an extent that he moved out of their matrimonial home to stay with his relatives.

The two, Mundanga and Mabhiza had been customarily married for 10 years and their marriage had not been blessed with a child, leading the latter to suspect that it was her husband who had a problem since she had a child from her previous marriage.

It was also gathered that the relatives tried to intervene in the matter to no avail.

The situation became worse when Mabhiza started bashing her husband each time they picked up a quarrel.

According to a source, Mundanga, who apparently felt his wife had lowered his dignity and could no longer live with her, approached Chief Ndanga’s traditional court where he narrated his sad love story while demanding that his lobola should be returned.

“He approached Chief Ndanga’s traditional court demanding that his in-laws should pay back his money and two beasts because his wife had turned him into a laughing stock by constantly assaulting him in front of neighbours and relatives while accusing him of being weak because he was unable to give her children.

“She was always shouting obscenities at him, something that makes Mundanga feel not good enough for her. At one time she even forcibly removed his pair of trousers after he came home drunk and in the process she was shouting at him saying he was wasting his energy on beer,” the source said.

Added the source: “That was actually very sad such that Mundanga moved out of the house to stay with a relative and later approached Chief Ndanga’s traditional court demanding that his in-laws should refund him his lobola since their daughter was always deriding him saying he was not man enough.”

Chief Ndanga could neither confirm nor deny the incident.

“There is nothing I can say at the moment and I will be at liberty to comment on the matter once I preside over it.

“This is because at the moment there are a lot of cases which accrued because of Covid-19 regulations which were prohibiting people from gathering and moving from one place to another,” said Chief Ndanga.- B- Metro

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance vice chairperson Hon Job Sikhala has said the so called defection of opposition members to Zanu PF is an attempt by Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime to create a one- party State.

Commenting on the death of Tanzanian President, John Pombe Magufuli, Hon Sikhala said:

“When we all live on earth and have time to serve people, we must always know that there is God in heaven.

He is the King. Alfa and Omega, the beginning and the end. I pray he used his time to serve his people in Tanzania with love, dignity and respect of human rights.”

Hon Sikhala also described the recall of MDC Alliance vice president Hon Tendai Biti from Parliament as a violation of voters’ rights.

“There is complete overthrow of the Constitution in Zimbabwe, undermining every facet of democratic electoral politics.

This is a coup against the electoral choice of the pple. We are nw in complete constitutional anarchism. However, this must not tire us frm demanding our freedom.”

On the defection of opposition members to Zanu PF Hon Sikhala said:

“Even Chiwenga’s look tells you that he is asking kuti vanhu ava dzakakwana here? Chii chiri kunzi ndiri kuita ipapa. Before passing on my Father left us a will in his rich words. Spit when you see ZANU PF, they are murderers. They killed your aunt in Gwanda during Gukurahundi”

The other thing that I realized when I was having my vaccine: there were white people there, there's no way they would have selected this vaccine is for white people, nurse says after taking @AstraZeneca
…@ZimHealthUK @nhsleeds
@SimbisoRanga – @TNLComFund pic.twitter.com/5JjIwqo7To

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 18, 2021

By James Gwati-Harare East legislator, Tendai Biti has been expelled from parliament at a time the former Finance minister through the parliament portfolio committee is probing a corruption case involving President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s top ally, Kuda Tagwirei.

Biti chairs the parliament’s public accounts committee which is probing allegations of serious corruption at Zesa after Sakunda Holdings was awarded a US$250 million tender to build a failed diesel power plant in Dema despite not placing a bid.

Sakunda Holdings, which is owned by Kudakwashe Tagwirei, an ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The Dema tender was initially won by an American company, but was later cancelled without explanation and handed to Sakunda.

By James Gwati- Norton Independent Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa, said corrupt Zanu PF bootlickers were behind the recalling of his fellow lawmaker, Tendai Biti from parliament.

Biti together with a number of his compatriots was yesterday recalled from parliament by their People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on allegations of no longer representing the interests of the little known political grouping.

Mliswa soon after Biti’s expulsion from parliament said the recalling of Biti and company was a sad development for him.

He said to him, the National Assembly was losing brilliant minds at the expense of what he called politricks.

Mliswa said as Public Accounts Committee Chair, Tendai Biti was extremely proficient.

“ Having been a former Minister of Finance, he was very knowledgeable. He was meticulous in his reports; it’ll be hard to fill the gap,” said Mliswa.
He also bemoaned the recalling of Kucaca Phulu saying with him gone, the Legal & Parliamentary Committee had lost an integral player.
“All the MPs lost yesterday were vibrant members who contributed immensely to Parly. If you follow the Hansard, they spoke with knowledge & detail & were diligent in their execution,” he added.
“I see this all the time, and I’m hoping come 2023, people will be wise enough, lessons must be learnt,” he said.

By James Gwati-Tanzania has declared 14 days of mourning following the death yesterday of President John Pombe Magufuli.

Magufuli died while receiving treatment in Dar Es Salaam.
He was aged 61.

The Tanzanian President died after disappearing from the public for almost three weeks.

In a televised address last night, that country’s deputy President Samia SuluhuHassan said President Magufuli had died of heart complications.

She said President Magufuli was hospitalised on March 6 at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute.

The BBC Thursday announced that Tanzania had declared two weeks of mourning as arrangements for the burial are made and during this period, all flags in Tanzania will fly at half-mast.

By James Gwati-The country’s civil society umbrella grouping, the Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition has launched a documentary that exposes Zanu PF’s human rights and election rigging machinery.

The documentary titled “Command Politics: The Military in Zimbabwe’s Civilian Space” was launched Thursday on the NGO’s online platforms.

The documentary reveals how the military factor has affected Zimbabwe’s political landscape and consequently led to the closure of the democratic space in the country.

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance vice chairperson Hon Job Sikhala has said the so called defection of opposition members to Zanu PF is an attempt by Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime to create a one- party State.

Commenting on the death of Tanzanian President, John Pombe Magufuli, Hon Sikhala said:

“When we all live on earth and have time to serve people, we must always know that there is God in heaven.

He is the King. Alfa and Omega, the beginning and the end. I pray he used his time to serve his people in Tanzania with love, dignity and respect of human rights.”

Hon Sikhala also described the recall of MDC Alliance vice president Hon Tendai Biti from Parliament as a violation of voters’ rights.

“There is complete overthrow of the Constitution in Zimbabwe, undermining every facet of democratic electoral politics.

This is a coup against the electoral choice of the pple. We are nw in complete constitutional anarchism. However, this must not tire us frm demanding our freedom.”

On the defection of opposition members to Zanu PF Hon Sikhala said:

“Even Chiwenga’s look tells you that he is asking kuti vanhu ava dzakakwana here? Chii chiri kunzi ndiri kuita ipapa. Before passing on my Father left us a will in his rich words. Spit when you see ZANU PF, they are murderers. They killed your aunt in Gwanda during Gukurahundi”

By James Gwati- Police Chief, Godwin Matanga has responded to police brutality complaints which are being daily raised by the public and warned his officers to behave in a professional manner.

There are complaints against police from the public that the cops have not only become corrupt, but also cruel and brutal to the citizens they have a constitutional mandate to protect.

In Harare and other cities, police have become inhuman and are extorting citizens more than what criminals do.

Matanga who was addressing 40 officers who recently returned from United Nations Peacekeeping Mission duties in Abyei and Darfur, in the capital, Thursday, said police service needed loyal and dedicated officers who put their country and people first.

He challenged his colleagues to perform their duties diligently, with a high level of professionalism, warning them to shun any form of behaviour that might bring the force and the country into disrepute.

Just In- Meet Dr. Samia Suluhu- Tanzania's Acting President. pic.twitter.com/rkcgc2wm10

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 18, 2021

By James Gwati- Zanu PF has intensified its clampdown on the opposition-controlled cities and has engineered the arrest of the Gweru City Council director of housing and community services Mr Shingirayi Tigere

According to the state media, Tigere was arrested last night on allegations of criminal abuse of office involving the sale of a single stand to the city Mayor Josiah Makombe.
He was arrested by police working with the Special Anti Corruption Commission (Sacco) at his home around 7pm yesterday.

Tigere’s lawyer, Mr Esau Mandipa of Mutatu and Mandipa Legal Practice, however, confirmed the arrest.
“I can confirm that my client was arrested last night by the police in connection with a stand that he allegedly sold to Mayor Josiah Makombe. They alleged that he didn’t follow some procedure,” he said.

By A Correspondent- Former Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Energy Mutodi, has described Tanzanian president John Magufuli’s death as God’s way of proving that he was right when he mocked Tanzania’s approach to COVID-19.

Mutodi tweeted on Thursday after it had been announced Wednesday that Magufuli had died of a heart complication in Dar es Salam. Some reports claimed Magufuli had contracted the coronavirus. Commenting on Magufuli’s death, Mutodi said:

The Lord Almighty has vindicated His servant in the death of Tanzanian President John Pombe Magafuli. Where there was rejection and rebuke, He has provided reparation.

The former Rhumba musician had earlier mocked Magufuli for his approach to coronavirus after the late leader had declared Tanzania a COVID-19-free zone saying it was defeated by prayer.

He tweeted back then:

His Excellency John Pombe Magafuli’s Tanzania now has 630 COVID-19 cases with prayers but without a lockdown while His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe only got 31 cases with lockdown and masks. An insight into how managers can be game-changers.

Then minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the late Dr Sibusiso Moyo was forced to intervene saying Mutodi’s remarks were not reflective of the views held by Zimbabwe as a nation but by Mutodi as an individual.

Following the recent tweet, the ruling ZANU PF described Mutodi’s behaviour as childish. Responding to the tweet, the ruling party said:

This is disappointing, childish.

— ?? ZANU PF PATRIOTS ?? (@zanupf_patriots) March 18, 2021

Mutodi was last year fired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa following a chain of reckless behaviour that created tensions among government officials and between Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries.

Some reports suggest that Mutodi was fired at Sibusiso Moyo’s behest. It is alleged that Moyo had threatened to resign if Mutodi who was making his diplomatic role tough had not been sacked.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has since appointed Makonde legislator, Kindness Paradza, a former journalist and publisher, as Energy Mutodi’s replacement.

A Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) top official, Major Sybert Muradzikwa yesterday appeared before Harare magistrate Isheunesu Matova after he allegedly conned a Harare woman of US$5 000 in a deal to clean soiled bank notes.

Muradzikwa was remanded to April 5 on $5 000 bail.

It is alleged that in January this year, Muradzikwa and his accomplices, who are still at large, misrepresented to the complainant, Lyn Mavhunga, that they wanted to engage her on a business venture to clean old notes using a liquid chemical.

Mavhunga allegedly released US$5 000 to purchase the liquid, before Muradzikwa requested for more money. Complainant turned down the request and reported him to police.

Upon arrest, Muradzikwa was found in possession of the bag containing the alleged soiled bank notes.

Meanwhile, a 60-year-old Harare man allegedly shot a State witness who testified against him in a 2018 case.

Ronias Mutaki was arrested and appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi yesterday facing attempted murder charges. The magistrate will deliver his ruling on the matter today.

The complainant in the matter is a gardener in Mutaki’s neighbourhood in Avondale.-Newsday

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) last week arrested suspended Zesa southern region manager King Dube on allegations of using one of the power utility’s employees as his domestic worker, thus prejudicing the company of over US$17 000.

Dube, who was suspended on allegations of engaging in underhand dealings together with eight other senior Zesa officials from the region, yesterday appeared before Gweru magistrate Edwin Marecha facing criminal abuse of office charges.

He was remanded to March 29 on $20 000 bail and ordered to surrender his passport, reside at the given address, report three times a week at Gweru Central Police Station and not to interfere with investigations.

The prosecution alleged that from January 2013 to the end of February 2017, Dube allegedly ordered a Zesa employee, Andrew Homa, to work as a domestic worker at his residence in Gweru.

Homa was on the electricity utility’s payroll and Dube assigned him to do domestic duties at his home.

During the said period, Homa received US$17 568 in salaries from Zesa although he was working at Dube’s private home.

-Newsday