By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has commended his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga for volunteering to be the first to take a jab of the Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine, Sinopharm saying he showed Zimbabwe that the vaccine is safe.

Chiwenga who doubles as the minister of Health and Child Care was the first person to be vaccinated at Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital in Harare where the inaugural vaccination session took place.

Health caregivers were expected to take the shots next as they are listed among groups of people prioritised to be vaccinated.

Reacting to Chiwenga’s gesture, President Mnangagwa posted on Twitter expressing his gratitude.

He Tweeted:

Zimbabwe’s first COVID-19 vaccination 

Thank you to Vice President and Health Minister Constantino Chiwenga for showing Zimbabwe that this vaccine is safe for all our people. This is a historic moment in our country’s fight against this virus.

Some Zimbabweans were afraid to take the vaccine saying lab tests have been inadequate therefore it could have major side effects.

Some even proposed that political elites be the first to receive the vaccine to boost confidence and to prove that the vaccine was safe.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s president and Health Minister, in that order, Cyril Ramaphosa and Zweli Mkhize Wednesday took the COVID-19 vaccine, a move that many also said was to assure the nation that the vaccine was safe.

There have been conspiracy theories that suggested that the vaccines were a weapon by “white people” to depopulate Africa.

Hon Mbondiah: The question is directed to the Minister of Health and Child Care.  Are there any measures being taken to ensure that the vaccine has no side effects and if so what compensatory plans are there?  Also is the vaccine effective against the newly discovered covid-19 variant.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. DR. MANGWIRO):  Any medicine or drug for that matter if it is given to a human being, might have side effects, but from the studies that have been done so far by the people who produce the vaccine, there seems to be very minimal reaction.  Like I said at the beginning, people might react.  We are ready to manage the side effects which can be just anaphylaxis reactions or localised reactions we can manage that one and it is very possible that it will not be very severe, it is something that we can take control of.

He also asked about the newly discovered South African variant.  I want to repeat that viruses mutate or they change their state for their own survival every time but there is no way a vaccine can be manufactured against each variant everyday because if you see the South African variant is only about two or three months old but in a few weeks more it will be changed.  

So what we normally do is these vaccines are manufactured for the generality of the virus but there is no way we can catch up to say everyday it mutates we make another one so the vaccine should be able to cover generally.  However, next time this variant- if people are supposed to make vaccine against it, it will take us another eight months to a year because vaccines are not made overnight.  So right now this South African variant is something that is there, we are aware of it and we are sure that people will be covered.  

 I am going to start again and say that people with cancer, HIV, diabetes mellitus and hypertension have weakened immunities.  We have no policy to say that they are not going to be vaccinated – actually, these people need the vaccine much more because they need to be protected.  These are the people we are saying, those with underlying conditions and the elderly – we are targeting people who we know have weak immunities.  The elderly have weakness in their immunity due to age – their marrow, reaction and production of antibodies is much slower now.

          So those people with those underlying conditions must get the vaccine so that they can fight the disease/virus better when they get it because their antibodies will have been enhanced from the vaccine.  We cannot discriminate and it is not correct to say that they are not going to be vaccinated.  It is clear that it is not correct – those must be just the ordinary rumours that always go round the mill.  In short, we are vaccinating them because they need the vaccine much more than those people whose immunities are okay.

HON. T. MOYO:  My question is directed to the Hon. Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.  In his absence, I will direct the question to the Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.  My question is that in view of the decline in the pass rate of Grade 7 district examinations for 2020 which saw a decline from 46.9% in 2019 to 27.1% in 2020, what is Government policy towards the students and schools that performed dismally in the Grade 7 examinations?  Should they proceed to Form 1 or should they be given a chance to rewrite the examinations and what happens to the schools that performed 0% during the Grade 7 examinations?  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

          THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. KAZEMBE): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, I would like to sincerely thank the Hon. Member for such a pertinent question. 

          Yes, indeed, the pass rate that we witnessed this time around is very worrisome in any language.  The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is seized with the matter.  They are actually investigating to find out exactly what transpired and a decision will be made – it is indeed worrisome Mr. Speaker Sir.  I thank you.

Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, as I mentioned earlier that Government is equally worried and disturbed – investigations are on going to establish the reasons why this happened and that will then inform decisions going forward.  I thank you Mr. Speaker.

Zanu PF has declared the late Zimdancehall star Soul Jah Love a provincial hero.

In a letter to Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda, Zanu PF Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu said President Emmerson Mnangagwa had conferred a Liberation Hero status to the late Zimdancehall star.

“His Excellency, the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF, Cde E. D Mnangagwa has conferred a Liberation Hero status to the late Cde Soul Muzavazi Musaka who passed away on 16th February 2021 at Mbuya Dorcas Hospital,” said Mpofu.

“I shall be most grateful if you would make the usual arrangements for his burial and payment of benefits to his family,” added Mpofu.

Below is Mpofu’s letter to Dr Sibanda.

By A Correspondent- Formers Highlanders and Caps United winger Gabriel Nyoni, who recently broke his foot while playing for his South African club, has asked for prayers from his fans, saying the pain in “unbearable”.

Nyoni was injured on Tuesday during Cape Umoya’s Glad Africa Championship match against Richards Bay.

The speedy winger, who is also battling the COVID-19, had surgery on Wednesday. He tweeted:

Having surgery today at 3 pm, broken and fractured foot and have COVID-19.

Despite the surgery being successful, Nyoni later tweeted complaining of pain and asking for prayers.

He said:

The pain is unbearable. Pray for me.

Nyoni joined the South African second-tier club, Cape Umoya in September last year from Maritzburg United, who play in the DStv Premiership.

By A Correspondent- Speaker of parliament Javob Mudenda has blasted the state broadcaster ZBC over its “sluggish” coverage of parliament and senate proceedings.

Said Mudenda Wednesday:

“Hon. Minister (Monica Mutsvangwa), today is Members day just like it is tomorrow Thursday. The message from this House and the Senate must go to the people through the media.  

We are not quite happy with the sluggish manner in which ZBC in particular covers this House and the Senate.  The message must go out there; policy issues from Hon. Ministers must go out there and can only do so through the media, both public and private.  

This is the importance of the fourth estate in any country.”

By A Correspondent -The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has deployed a probing team at Zimplats to investigate why the wall of one of the company’s mine collapsed crushing one worker to death last Sunday, the state media has said.

It remains unclear as to what could have caused the wall to collapse while others blamed it on incessant rains.

Officials from the ministry confirmed the investigation to the state media but referred all questions to the Ministry’s chief mine engineer, Michael Munodawafa.

Zimplats’ corporate affairs manager, Busi Chindove told the delegation which was led by Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland West, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka that a team of inspectors from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development were conducting investigations.

“When there is an incident of this nature, the law says we should inform the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development inspectorate and once they are on sight, they lead the investigations. So, we are working with them and all other relevant authorities,” she said.

She said the company, which has strived to maintain a fatality-free record for long, was saddened by the loss of the worker. Speaking after visiting the accident site, Minister Mliswa-Chikoka said the accident might have been caused by heavy rains.

“From what I seeing on sight, I think it’s the heavy rains that could have contributed to the breakdown of the wall. But, there is an investigation team to ascertain the real cause of the accident, we wait for the results once investigations are done

-Herald

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

Read part of the report:

As shown in the two maps, the density of human rights violations increased
significantly in the month of January. Harare had the highest, followed by the three
Mashonaland Provinces and Midlands.

This is a worrying trend and ZPP continues to closely monitor the situation and to urge government to take necessary measures to protect citizens from human rights violations

Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals is the largest medical institution in Zimbabwe and its main
hospital – a complex maze of charcoal grey buildings built before Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980 – is located a few kilometres shy of Harare’s city centre, a distance that is walkable for many. Upon entering the foyer in the casualty department, the first noticeable thing is the large numbers of people.

Dozens sit on the rows of the benches to the left while many others are either milling round or sitting all over the place, while others stand on the reception area, sorting out administrative issues with the medical personnel. A nurse checks blood pressure and temperature of the incoming patients on one part of the foyer.

There is a strong sense of hopelessness, despair and the fatigue on the many faces is too much to be ignored. Today, I am here to join family members who have come to process the paperwork for the burial of my auntie who died a day after being admitted to the COVID-19 section of the hospital.

We are headed towards the police post within the hospital complex and on the way is the
entrance to the mortuary. The strong, traumatising stench in that area suggests poor ventilation and improper handling of the morgue.

As we reach the police post, I notice hordes of people waiting on the outside, waiting to collect burial orders for their dead relatives. In Zimbabwe, a burial order is a document
approving the burial of a deceased person, and it often has the authorization of a doctor,
pathologist, the police and next of kin. Inside the police post, are two officers and a
pathologist, all sitting on chairs, processing papers.

There is no doubt the three are going beyond their limits to deal with the dozens of people
eagerly waiting outside. We submit my aunt’s papers and the police officer politely tells us that since she was in the COVID-19 ward, she will not get a post mortem. “But when she was admitted, she had negative results from the two tests she undertook at a private hospital and when we came here, she never got tested for COVID-19, so what leads to
that conclusion?” we enquire.

The pathologist weighs in.

“All bodies that come from the COVID-19 ward do not get post mortems,” he says.

Later on, we discover that anyone who is admitted to the hospital exhibiting any
symptoms of COVID-19, be it a fever or breathing complications, they are bundled to the
COVID-19 ward even before they are tested, and there, they are condemned with no access to any life-saving medication.

As we waited for about an hour for our papers to be processed, over five people came in to submit papers of their relatives who had died of COVID19- related complications.

When all was done, we collected our papers and all we know, without any conclusive evidence, is that our aunt died of ‘COVID-19- related complications’, and that is because she was never tested positive, neither was she tested posthumously.

In the end, my aunt becomes one of the statistics of COVID-19, and still we are never sure of the cause of her death, and she joins the many Zimbabweans whose deaths are not being fully accounted for as government continues to keep a tight lid on how it is dealing with contact tracing, testing of the deceased and their relatives, among other procedures necessary to deal with COVID-19.

The story of the death of my auntie speaks a great deal to how a lot of corners are being cut
to cover up for government’s failure to deal with COVID-19.

In addition, it exposes government’s disjointed approach to the pandemic, and whereas other countries such as South Africa have already secured vaccines, the Zimbabwean government is still appealing for funding and donations.

It goes beyond COVID-19. It must be noted that while COVID-19 is the major focus right now, other healthcare needs, such as medication for chronic diseases, sexual and reproductive health services, among others, remain inaccessible to the ordinary people.
Local clinics are charging a prohibitive US$5 consultation fee in some cases.

Corruption and general mis-governance at the highest level of governance naturally run down to the lower levels of society.

It is a culture, a cycle that can only be broken when the highest powers in the land gather
the will to instill transparency right from the head of the rotting fish.

In the case of Zimbabwe, corruption has become a cancer, and this January, its seeds, which
had been abundantly watered throughout the years by government’s ineptitude, flourished
and further spread deep into the lowest level of society.

As government announced a 30- day lockdown, police and soldiers returned to roadblocks
to enforce the strict travel restrictions.

In addition to harassing, intimidating and assaulting citizens, the police and the army
engaged in their own form of low-level corruption.

ZPP recorded countrywide incidents where the state security agents demanded bribes in
exchange for freedom to those they would have arrested.

For example, on January 5, police at Murombedzi Growth Point in Zvimba West arrested
and assaulted villagers who were at the rural shopping centre before demanding bribes.
The victims were accused of not properly wearing face masks and the villagers were only
released after paying between US$2.00 and US$3.00 each.

Down in Mt Darwin South soldiers from 2-1 brigade reserve force housed at the former
Border Gezi National Youth Service training camp have habitually carried out random
patrols in the small town.

Armed with guns and whips, the soldiers assault, intimidate and harass ordinary citizens in
the small town.

Dear Editor

Please can you help exposing the corruption at ZESA Waterfalls Depot in Harare. Since the introduction of pre paid meters, if you need a new connection at your property, consumers are now buying the cables, the meter and pay a connection fee.

There is no longer a reason for any delay because before, one would wait for 6 months to almost a year before you get electricity connected at your house because ZESA would say we dont have meters or cables.

Now we buy everything on our own and on top of that pay a connection fee that  ranges between ZWL11,000.00 to 15.000.00.

I bought my meter, USD100.00, bought the needed cable, USD30.00 and paid ZWL 11,000.00 on 15 December 2020.

Up to today, the area manage for Waterfalls is telling me stories:

First he said, we are approching Christmas nothing can be done now despite the fact that there was eight days before Christmas day. They resumed work on the 27th December, i was told we will come before New Year. They never did.

After NewYyear, I was told we are doing stock taking and they never came. After stock taking, we went into lockdown.

ZESA is under essential services and they have not closed. But the area manager said he only has people attending to faults. According to him, new connections are not a priority.

BUT, two people from the same depot are willing to do the connection upon payment of USD150.00 bribe.

They have a backlog going back to October of new connections. I am on the list of those who are not prepared to pay a bribe that is why I am not getting connected.

To get an inspector to come and inspect wiring, I had to pay the inspector USD15.00 bribe. To get what they call a pin number that enabled me to get an account number to pay connection fee and buy a meter, I had to pay USD20.00 bribe. Now they want me to pay another bribe for connection.

I don’t have the money anymore.

Please help me to expose ZESA Waterfalls Area Manager, that is the only way we can get electricity connected to our new houses. Obviously he gets a cut.

Can he explain why he has a backlog back dating October when ZESA is no longer supplying consumebles for connections. It takes less than 2 hours to connect a cable from the main pole to the meter box.

Concerned Citizen

Kind reg

By Jane Mlambo| Vice President Constantino Chiwenga will be among the first people to be vaccinated for COVID-19 together with frontline workers at Wilkins hospital today.

Government announced that health workers at the City of Harare run Wilkins hospital will be vaccinated today before the rollout is extended to other centres across the country.

According to information coming from Wilkins, Chiwenga will be among the first people to be vaccinated.

The vaccination of Chiwenga is expected to boost the confidence of citizens who were skeptical of the vaccine amid conflicting information on the Chinese produced jabs.

The powerful vice President who is also the minister of health and child care has since arrived at Wilkins hospital to officiate the function.

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa and his health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize were publicly vaccinated yesterday at an event covered by their local media.

It is not clear when President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be vaccinated.

There were no social distancing precautions at Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s Vaccination Roll out on Thursday morning.

People in the crowd gathering at Wilkins Hospital, were squeezed into each other as the Vice President commenced the session. .

The development comes a day after Chiwenga was grilled over the vaccine with Harare East MP Tendai Biti (MDC Alliance) saying he must explain why the government was choosing Sinopharm, which was not even the preferred remedy to deal with the virus in China.

Pics: Openparly/263chat

Zimbabwe on Monday received over 200 000 doses of Sinopharm from China.

“Why have you registered for Sinopharm?  The Sinopharm drug itself has not yet been peer-reviewed and has not been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO),” Biti asked.

“In China itself, Sinopharm is not the dominant drug. The dominant drug is actually Sinovac. So why are you accepting from China a drug that Chinese themselves are not using?”

Biti questioned the government silence on the Covax facility, which had become a contentious issue between the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe with senior government officials accusing the UK of wanting to armtwist Harare  to sign for it.

He also said the budgeted US$6 million for vaccines was inadequate.

“In your statement, you were referring to a budget of US$6m. Even to buy a herd of cattle in Matabeleland South, US$6m is not enough.  What is the budget for COVID-19 vaccines that will be sufficient to vaccinate the people of Zimbabwe?”

Makoni South MP Misheck Mataranyika (Zanu PF) questioned why MPs were not placed on the priority list as frontline workers while also advocating for teachers to be prioritised if schools are to reopen soon.

Kadoma Central MP Muchineripi Chinyanganya (MDC Alliance) questioned whether the vaccines were effective against the new South African variant that has hit Zimbabwe.

MDC-T MP Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga asked the logic behind using over 15 vaccines.

“Are there choices to the vaccine that you are having because you cannot have a mixture of the Russian vaccine and have the Indian vaccine tomorrow, particularly in circumstances where you are dealing with pregnant women? Are pregnant women going to be vaccinated also? Are there serious problems associated with getting vaccines for pregnant women?” she asked.

There have been reports that the Sinopharm vaccine is not suitable for pregnant women and those with suppressed immune systems.

Chiwenga had to summon a team of “scientists and experts” to help him respond on issues he was not familiar with.

“Government has come up with a budget of $100m and the private sector has also come up with their budget to contribute towards vaccines. An account has been opened where the corporates are putting their money and all this is under the Finance ministry. The corporate sector is co-operating,”  Chiwenga said.

He added: “As I said earlier, life cannot be bought. We want to make sure that every life in Zimbabwe is saved, no matter the person is rich or poor.  We want that life to be saved.”

The VP said the government would try to get vaccines that suit every condition.

On the efficacy of Sinopharm, Chiwenga said: “The Sinopharm was approved by WHO and it was attenuated and that is why we chose it. My deputy (John Mangwiro) is the one who went to get the delivery and we are also taking Sinovac because it was approved by WHO.”

He said government had already signed for the Covax facility, adding that it was doing all it can to facilitate the vaccination of Zimbabweans.

On the effectiveness of the vaccines against the South African variant, Mangwiro said: “These viruses mutate on a daily or weekly basis. There is no country that will say everyday they make a vaccine against each mutant. The vaccines we are getting now — for a vaccine to be on the market, it would have been looked at for at least not less than six to eight months. The vaccines we are getting now, the studies started last year using a particular virus that they saw that time.

“People will start making vaccines according to the variants and we will be following the virus from behind. There is no way we can say the UK has this variant, now make the vaccine. It is impossible. You need a year. By the time you finish making it for the variant that is there now, next year you will have 100 more variants,” he said.

Other questions included whether or not Zimbabwe was gambling with people’s lives by testing the vaccine in just 48 hours.

“Is it practical to test the vaccine by our scientists in just 48 hours? Is this not dangerous trial and error with people’s lives? This one I want to correct the question. What I understand is that he thinks that the vaccine has to be tested there and then. This thing when it comes here, it is already tested like I said, in those phases, and then it has already been proved to be effective and safe,” Mangwiro said.

Others questioned reports that those with HIV and on chemotherapy would not take the vaccine.

In response, Mangwiro said: “I am not sure where the writer got that message from because immunosuppression does not mean HIV only. Diabetes is a chronic inflammatory disease and it is an immunosuppressive disease.  That is not a correct supposition that people with HIV cannot take the vaccine.  People with diabetes or hypertension and cancer can take the vaccine.  People with cancer have massive immunosuppression because of the cancer — it is an immunosuppressive disease, they can take the vaccine.” Newsday/additional reporting

By A Correspondent| The Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) is yet to pay teachers who marked the 2020 Grade Seven examinations.

Marking of the examinations started soon after Christmas and ended in mid-January and the results were released early this month.

Speaking to a local publication on condition of anonymity, one of the markers said they were promised ZWL$10 for Paper One and ZWL$15 for Paper Two per script.

“Before we commenced the marking of the examinations, we were promised that payment will be deposited in our accounts on the day of completion of the marking exercise,” said the source.

The teachers added that ZIMSEC has failed to give them satisfactory explanations on the delays.

They bemoaned the fact that they had to borrow money to travel to marking centres with the hope that payments would be sorted soon after completion of the marking process.

“Some of us borrowed money to travel to marking centres, hoping that our payment will be released on time,” said the teacher.

By A Correspondent- The ruling Zanu-PF party is likely to face a litmus test in the looming Murewa South by-election if Noah Mangondo, who was an independent candidate in the 2018 general elections, decides to contest.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Joel Biggie Matiza last month.

Matiza, who was also the Transport minister succumbed to COVID-19 and was buried at the National Heroes Acre.

In the 2018 election, both Matiza and Mangondo polled more than 10 000 votes with the former winning by a small margin.Mangondo challenged the result, but lost the case.

A top Zanu-PF official in the constituency, who refused to be named, said Mangondo was likely to take over from Matiza. The official urged the party to readmit the former central committee member into its structures to avoid a humiliating defeat.

“As the party seeks to find a new legislator for the constituency, it will be good not to ignore Mangondo in the whole matrix,” the official said.

“Matiza almost lost to him and the fact that an independent candidate gave him a torrid time speaks volumes of the kind of person he (Mangondo) is. It is high time for the revolutionary party to readmit him for the benefit of both the party and electorate.”

In a bid to retain the seat, popularly known as Macheke, the late Matiza, who was also the Zanu-PF Mashonaland East provincial chairperson, reportedly ensured that Mangondo’s CV was missing ahead of the party’s primaries.

Chaos erupted afterwards as Zanu-PF supporters protested against the missing CV. Mangondo then decided to go solo, a move that rattled the party as the former ambassador attracted better crowds than Matiza.

Yesterday, Mangondo refused to comment on his candidature.

“I have no comment,” he said.

But residents say Mangondo has been a defacto MP and had done several developmental projects in the area. A number of candidates were reportedly positioning themselves to succeed Matiza, among them Michael Chifamba, youthful politician Josphat Tanga and provincial women’s league boss Lyn Gororo.

Matiza has been Murewa South legislator for close to two decades.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Three Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers from Machipisa police station allegedly arrested a pregnant woman in Highfield for not wearing a mask and detained her for 48 hours after she failed to pay US$10 last Friday.

Fungai Mutsvairo told a local publication that she failed to give the cops US$10 bribe and they detained her for two days before releasing her without any charge.

“The cops at Machipisa are so corrupt three of them arrested me on Friday outside my yard where l was buying tomatoes without putting on a mask,” Mutsvairo said.

“They demanded USD $10 but l told them l did not have that kind of amount and they said they would fix me l tried to tell them that l was pregnant but they did not listen to me.”

“They locked me in their holding cells for two days and released me on Sunday ordering me to vacate without any charge,” she narrated.

On the same day, they arrested Bulawayo24.com reporter Simbarashe Sithole whom they accused of loitering when he was covering their skirmishes with money changers and subsequently changed the charge to not wearing a mask despite him having it.

Sithole said on the date in question they fined hundreds of people as they were just picking people giving them various charges.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was in a meeting and could not respond to the questions.

“I am in a meeting is it urgent?” he said before hanging up.

-Byo24

By A Correspondent- The country’s Covid-19 vaccination programme begins today in Harare with frontline health workers expected to be among the first to be inoculated.

This follows the arrival on Monday of 200 000 vaccine doses from China which will be administered on 100 000 people under the initial phase of the programme.

According to an advisory from the Ministry of Health and Child Care yesterday, the first shots of the Covid-19 vaccine will be administered at Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital in Harare, to kickstart the country’s largest ever mass immunisation campaign.

“The vaccination programme will start on Thursday, February 18, 2021, starting with Harare Metropolitan Province.

“As we roll out this important vaccination exercise, I want to encourage all priority populations to take up the vaccine for their protection. Vaccination, however, remains voluntary and will be free of charge as per Government’s previous pronouncements,” said the Ministry of Health.

Health officials have already been trained to administer the jabs with preparations continuing for the continued implementation of the programme which is targeting 10 million people.

Zimbabwe’s first phase of the vaccination programme is being carried out using the Sinopharm vaccine which was donated to Zimbabwe by the People’s Republic of China.

Negotiations are ongoing to procure more vaccines at a cost US$6,7 million, while there are commitments to boost the country’s capacity from countries such as China, Russia, India as well as the World Health Organisation.

Several immunisation programmes have been done in the country to protect citizens against different ailments, especially the five major killer diseases.

Covid-19 has killed more than 1 400 Zimbabweans in less than a year, prompting a cocktail of preventative and control measures from the Government, working in tandem with the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Government is working with local and international partners to boost capacity of the immunisation programme. The Health Ministry reiterated that it would, under the first phase, target those at the highest risk of being infected by the global pandemic who include the elderly andvulnerable groups.

Those targeted under the second phase encompass college and university lecturers and school teachers while the rest of the population at low risk will be catered for under the final phase.

“The first phase of the programme which we are announcing today will see the vaccination of populations at high risk of Covid-19, that is, our frontline workers (health workers, village health workers, ports of entry personnel, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, Immigration and security health workers).

“The inaugural vaccination will take place at Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital in Harare at 10am, February 18, 2021.”

President Mnangagwa has said no more lives should be lost to the pandemic and vaccinating the population has been rated as the best foot forward in the country’s response to tame the disease. China and Zimbabwe continue to enjoy good bilateral ties and have been cooperating in efforts to tame the virus.

Chinese medical experts are in the country to help local health personnel to effectively administer the Covid-19 vaccine. As the highest risk groups are vaccinated, the programme will move to stage two which targets those with chronic medical conditions and the over 60s.

Monday’s batch of Sinopharm doses will be augmented by a far larger shipment from China next month.-newsday

By A Correspondent- Members of Parliament on Tuesday grilled Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga on the efficacy and possible side-effects of the Chinese-donated Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.

Chiwenga was questioned over several grey areas, including the lack of information about the vaccine, leading MPs to accuse government of experimenting on Zimbabweans.

Harare East MP Tendai Biti (MDC Alliance) said it was not clear why the government was choosing Sinopharm, which was not even the preferred remedy to deal with the virus in China.

Zimbabwe on Monday received over 200 000 doses of Sinopharm from China.

“Why have you registered for Sinopharm? The Sinopharm drug itself has not yet been peerreviewed and has not been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO),” Biti asked.

“In China itself, Sinopharm is not the dominant drug. The dominant drug is actually Sinovac. So why are you accepting from China a drug that Chinese themselves are not using?”

Biti questioned the government silence on the Covax facility, which had become a contentious issue between the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe with senior government officials accusing the UK of wanting to armtwist Harare to sign for it.

He also said the budgeted US$6 million for vaccines was inadequate.

“In your statement, you were referring to a budget of US$6m. Even to buy a herd of cattle in Matabeleland South, US$6m is not enough. What is the budget for COVID-19 vaccines that will be sufficient to vaccinate the people of Zimbabwe?”

Makoni South MP Misheck Mataranyika (Zanu-PF) questioned why MPs were not placed on the priority list as frontline workers while also advocating for teachers to be prioritised if schools are to reopen soon.

Kadoma Central MP Muchineripi Chinyanganya (MDC Alliance) questioned whether the vaccines were effective against the new South African variant that has hit Zimbabwe.

MDC-T MP Priscilla MisihairabwiMushonga asked the logic behind using over 15 vaccines.

“Are there choices to the vaccine that you are having because you cannot have a mixture of the Russian vaccine and have the Indian vaccine tomorrow, particularly in circumstances where you are dealing with pregnant women? Are pregnant women going to be vaccinated also? Are there serious problems associated with getting vaccines for pregnant women?” she asked.

There have been reports that the Sinopharm vaccine is not suitable for pregnant women and those with suppressed immune systems.

Chiwenga had to summon a team of “scientists and experts” to help him respond on issues he was not familiar with.

“Government has come up with a budget of $100m and the private sector has also come up with their budget to contribute towards vaccines. An ac count has been opened where the corporates are putting their money and all this is under the Finance ministry. The corporate sector is co-operating,” Chiwenga said.

He added: “As I said earlier, life cannot be bought. We want to make sure that every life in Zimbabwe is saved, no matter the person is rich or poor. We want that life to be saved.”

The VP said the government would try to get vaccines that suit every condition.

On the efficacy of Sinopharm, Chiwenga said: “The Sinopharm was approved by WHO and it was attenuated and that is why we chose it. My deputy (John Mangwiro) is the one who went to get the delivery and we are also taking Sinovac because it was approved by WHO.”

He said government had already signed for the Covax facility, adding that it was doing all it can to facilitate the vaccination of Zimbabweans.

On the effectiveness of the vaccines against the South African variant, Mangwiro said: “These viruses mutate on a daily or weekly basis. There is no country that will say everyday they make a vaccine against each mutant. The vaccines we are getting now — for a vaccine to be on the market, it would have been looked at for at least not less than six to eight months. The vaccines we are getting now, the studies started last year using a particular virus that they saw that time.

“People will start making vaccines according to the variants and we will be following the virus from behind. There is no way we can say the UK has this variant, now make the vaccine. It is impossible. You need a year. By the time you finish making it for the variant that is there now, next year you will have 100 more variants,” he said.

Other questions included whether or not Zimbabwe was gambling with people’s lives by testing the vaccine in just 48 hours.

“Is it practical to test the vaccine by our scientists in just 48 hours? Is this not dangerous trial and error with people’s lives? This one I want to correct the question. What I understand is that he thinks that the vaccine has to be tested there and then. This thing when it comes here, it is already tested like I said, in those phases, and then it has already been proved to be effective and safe,” Mangwiro said.

Others questioned reports that those with HIV and on chemotherapy would not take the vaccine.

In response, Mangwiro said: “I am not sure where the writer got that message from because immunosuppression does not mean HIV only. Diabetes is a chronic inflammatory disease and it is an immunosuppressive disease. That is not a correct supposition that people with HIV cannot take the vaccine. People with diabetes or hypertension and cancer can take the vaccine. People with cancer have massive immunosuppression because of the cancer — it is an immunosuppressive disease, they can take the vaccine.”

Source – newsday

By Dorothy Moyo | The recently leaked Susan Mutami pictures were seized by police officers who visited her after her ex boyfriend, the Norton MP Temba Mliswa had lodged a complaint over why state agents are not investigating the allegations she made against Mliswa of plotting to kill the President’s son, it has emerged.

The bedroom pictures are of Mutami with different high profile men. They are made public at a time when a leaked affidavit shows she became pregnant to another man within months of her ‘pregnancy’ with the Norton MP.

Mutami made the revelations yesterday when she tweeted saying: “Kana ndimiwo how many men have I been given now ? Handipengi ndinodanana ne nyika yese ka ini.

“I gave those pictures to officers that came to interview me surprisingly after I had been questioned abt who I had been in contact w mu gvt all my life.”

By James Gwati- The National Blood Services of Zimbabwe which supplies all hospitals with blood is appealing for urgent blood donations as the country’s bank runs drying owing to the high demand of the life-serving liquid from COVID-19 patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges that have contributed to serious blood shortages in the country.

A pint of blood in Zimbabwe costs at least US$80.

In a statement Thursday, NBSZ said blood donors should urgently visit their local NBSZ centre with the donation.

“ Donors of all blood types are urged to give blood at their nearest donor centre or mobile blood drives. As of Thursday 18 February 2021, NBSZ Clinics open from 0800 to 17:00hrs to provide more opportunity for donors to donate”, said NBSZ.

NBSZ requires 315 units of blood per day nationally.

For one to be eligible to donate blood you must be 16 years and above and weigh 50 Kgs and over.

Tinashe Sambiri|Mrs Auxillia Mnangagwa is facilitating a cooking festival at a time the nation is grappling with the deadly Coronavirus pandemic.

The event is scheduled for February 18 at Chinhoyi University of Technology.

Although lockdown restrictions clearly stipulate that public gatherings should be restricted to 30 people, Mrs Mnangagwa’s event is likely to exceed the specified number.

See below seasoned journalist Hopewell Chin’ono’s statement below:

The First Lady Mai Mnangagwa is having a cooking festival in the middle of a pandemic in Chinhoyi.

Yet we are all not allowed to have gatherings of more than 30?

What kind of leadership is this, and what message does it send to the ordinary citizens when leaders break their own rules?!

DemLoot-

Hopewell Chin’ono

Tinashe Sambiri|The bail application hearing for Alan Moyo has been postponed to Thursday February 18.

In a statement, MDC Alliance Youth Assembly official, Hon Joana Mamombe described the postponement of Alan Moyo’s bail application as notorious.

“The bail application for Alan Moyo has been notoriously postponed to tomorrow in what has a become a sad trend – ‘the state did not file a response’. Alan has clocked an unbelievable 72 Days in Prison without trial. This amounts to clear victimisation and shameful attempts by the state to break the spirit of our dear brother.

Pretrial detention is a worrying trend now being used by the state to clamp down on dissent- violating rights to bail.

There is no legal reason why Alan remains in detention.
My thoughts are with you bro, Alan. You are a fighter
FreeAlanMoyo,” said Hon Mamombe in a statement.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

https://youtu.be/lXUzTsv2QFQ

FUNERAL UPDATE https://t.co/nKZJWRbXK8

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 17, 2021

FUNERAL UPDATE https://t.co/nKZJWRbXK8

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 17, 2021

https://youtu.be/lXUzTsv2QFQ

By A Correspondent -The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) said it has no idea of how tobacco farmers would be paid for the 2021 tobacco marketing season which begins next month.

TIMB said they will only establish the payment modalities for tobacco farmer after the announcement of this year’s monetary policy statement.

According to the state media, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya is expected to present this year’s monetary policy statement any time from this week going forward.

TIMB chief executive officer Dr Andrew Matibiri, told the state media, Wednesday that nothing regarding the payment modalities for this year’s tobacco crop has been made.

“We are still waiting for the Reserve Bank to decide, at the moment we don’t know. I think maybe in about a week we would be knowing,” he said.
“I think we are waiting for the monetary policy statement first, but its (monetary policy statement) due sometime this week,” he said.

Last year, tobacco farmers were paid half their earnings through their Zimbabwe dollar accounts with the remaining half being deposited into their Foreign Currency Accounts.

However, most farmers faced difficulties in accessing their hard currency due to failure to appreciate the processes involved.

-Chronicle

By James Gwati- Zanu PF politburo has conferred the late former Zimbabwe Republic Police Deputy Commissioner, Moses Griffiths Mpofu, with national hero status.

The announcement was made by Simon Khaya Moyo, Wednesday evening after the Zanu PF politburo meeting which was held in Harare.

Mpofu (66), passed away on 12th February 2021 at United Bulawayo Hospital, Bulawayo after a long illness.

The late ex-Deputy Commissioner Mpofu went to Nsezi Primary, Tsholotsho and completed his secondary education at Thegwani High School in 1974.

He crossed the border to Zambia under the ZIPRA banner in 1975 and received military training at Mwembeshi, Zambia, and later Mgagao and Morogoro in Tanzania.

After training, the late Mpofu was deployed in Zambia under the ZAPU intelligence wing, National Security Order, a counter agency against Rhodesian forces.

He underwent command related courses between 1978 and 1979 at Novocherkassk Advanced Police Academy under the United Soviet Social Republic (USSR).

On attainment of the country’s independence, Mpofu joined the Police Service in 1981 as a patrol officer and was posted to ZRP Mphoengs after training.

He served at various stations across the country including Mayobodo, Fort Rixon, Esigodini, Gwanda, Bulawayo Central and Harare Province

He rose through the ranks to the rank of Deputy Commissioner in 1999 a rank which he held until his retirement in December 2003.

By James Gwati- Musician Jah Prayzah, said he missed recording a song with the late Zimdancehall artist, Soul Jah Love, during his days after the latter snubbed him ( Jah Prayzah) three times.

Jah Love or Chibaba as he was affectionately known by his fans died Tuesday night in Harare.
In his condolence message following his death, Jah Prayzah said he wished to have recorded a song together with Chibaba.

“I remember you asked me if we could do a song three different times and on all occasions, my answer was the same; “Who in his right mind would not want to do a song with Soul Jah Love”. You stood me up at the studio on all 3 occasions and somehow I don’t know how I still find that funny. The last time we met you said “this time ndakuuya zvemashuwa”.
There will be no replacement for you,” He said.

Jah Prayzah said he could not still believe that Chibaba had gone.
“Chibaba matisiya. I still cannot believe it, but who are we to reverse it. You always had a way to make everyone laugh, even when we least expected a joke from anyone, you would pull up. This was just how talented you where your name should be mentioned well up there amongst the greats as one of the most talented artists Zimbabwe ever had.
“Rest In Peace my brother, seems like the years were too short but the music you gave us is enough to last a lifetime,” said Jah Prayzah.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW …

• Court paper shows Susan Mutami is pregnant with child from another man.

By A Correspondent | A legal paper suggests that the Norton MP Temba Mliswa’s ex-girlfriend, Susan Mutami truly has a son with the late SB Moyo, contrary to her denials to the effect.

Mutami who is in a bitter split with her former lover, the independent legislator, and who she accuses of impregnating her, last year alone, dated at least four different men who include the Foreign Affairs Minister SB Moyo, one after the other:

Polite Kambamura, the Mining Deputy Minister (they were engaged). Walter Chikwana, Secretary for the Judicial Commission (they had a civil partnership in 2020), and ZANU PF MP, Hon Kenneth Musanhi (see pictures).

Furthermore, an affidavit seen by ZimEye states in addition that she was already pregnant way before bedding Mliswa last year.

The affidavit, certified by the Judicial Services Commission, shows by end of March 2020, she was still engaged to another man, who works inside the JSC, Mr Walter Chikwana. The man was reached for a comment Tuesday but wouldn’t speak or respond to the matter.

Meanwhile, the affidavit states that Mutami was carrying a pregnancy to another man at the end of March 2020. In the affidavit, her boyfriend, Mr Chimwanda says:

‘ I am Susan Vivian Mutami’s partner and in case of emergency I can be contacted on the above mentioned address or on my mobile number, +263772***********”

He then goes on to say he is the legal guardian of SB Moyo’s Child (full name redacted-in accordance with the Children’s Act on the paper).

” I am also the legal guardian of (name withheld), and our unborn child as of date. Attached hereto is a copy of my identification.”

The affidavit was signed on the 24th March 2020.

The development puts burden on Mutami to explain the timing drama surrounding her two pregnancies (to different men) which are within months of each other.

Efforts to get a comment from Mutami were fruitless at the time of writing as she repeatedly put down the phone, while only giving interviews to the Newsday publication which carries a story making false claims that she is the holder of two Australian degrees of which she has none, and also makes false claims that she is the winner of Australia’s CEO awards.

Meanwhile, her ex lover, Mliswa has maintained his allegations that he was set up by the Central Intelligence Organisation in order to incriminate him using Susan Mutami.

By James Gwati- Government spokesman, Nick Mangwana, has shocked the nation when he announced that Harare will experiment on Zimbabweans with the Chinese donated COVID-19 vaccine.

The government on Monday received 200 000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine from China and has announced that it will start vaccinating health workers and other frontline workers tomorrow, Thursday.

Zimbabweans are already hesitating to take up the Chinese vaccine saying that the ruling elite must take up the lead.

The ruling Zanu PF party’s big wigs such as Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, have openly said that they were not going to take the Chinese COVID-19 jab.

In a bad joke on his Twitter handle, Wednesday, Nick Mangwana said they would “experiment” the vaccine on anyone the authorities would have found roaming around the streets of Harare without exemption letters from the government.

Mangwana’s reckless tweet confirms that President Emerson Mnangagwa’s administration is also not sure of the efficacy of the donated jab.

Tinashe Sambiri|Mrs Auxillia Mnangagwa is facilitating a cooking festival at a time the nation is grappling with the deadly Coronavirus pandemic.

The event is scheduled for February 18 at Chinhoyi University of Technology.

Although lockdown restrictions clearly stipulate that public gatherings should be restricted to 30 people, Mrs Mnangagwa’s event is likely to exceed the specified number.

See seasoned journalist Hopewell Chin’ono’s statement below:

The First Lady Mai Mnangagwa is having a cooking festival in the middle of a pandemic in Chinhoyi.

Yet we are all not allowed to have gatherings of more than 30?

What kind of leadership is this, and what message does it send to the ordinary citizens when leaders break their own rules?!

DemLoot-

Hopewell Chin’ono

By A Correspondent – President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Zweli Mkhize have announced they will join healthcare workers to receive the first of South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccines.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine arrived in the country Tuesday night.

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) says the vaccine will be administered at 17 sites.

Some healthcare workers should receive their jabs on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Health Department reported 1,210 new COVID-19 cases in South Africa

The department also confirmed 219 more COVID-19 related deaths, taking SA’s death toll to 48,313.

By A Correspondent- PHD Ministries founder and leader Walter Magaya has said if the late Soul Jah Love had rushed to him for another touch, he would have healed.

Magaya said this while mourning the late talented dancehall artist who died last night in Harare.

Said Magaya:

“As a Man of God I wished to see him grow his talent more when he was healed. Gone too soon When he felt not okay ,

I wish he had rushed for another touch. I wish he had found a way to come for another touch.

Just one more. One more lift would have happened.”