Chaos reigned supreme at Gweru’s Mtapa high density suburb yesterday when aggrieved residents and family members dumped the body of Tatenda Kasinyore, known as “Nyale”, near Monomutapa Police Station entrance where he was detained before falling sick and later dying at a local hospital.
Drama at Police Station
Kasinyore (28) allegedly died on Wednesday after being detained at the police station where he had been arrested for an alleged disorderly conduct following a complaint by a fellow resident that he was being a nuisance and throwing stones at her house. The residents and relatives are accusing police officers of having assaulted Kasinyore when he turned violent while he was trying to resist arrest.
Business was temporarily brought to a halt along Gweru-Matobo Road when residents left the body in the middle of the road close to the police station. Police had to fire teargas to disperse residents who were gathered outside the police station while some were marching on the streets after allegedly being influenced by civic society organisations and purported human rights activists who had allegedly hijacked the funeral.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police had to disperse residents who had violated Covid-19 lockdown regulations to have a maximum of 30 people gathering at a funeral.
Asst Comm Nyathi said police had to maintain law and order after some unnamed civil society organisations and purported human rights activists hijacked the funeral resulting in the commotion.
“According to the Covid-19 regulations, funeral gatherings are limited to 30 people. So we discovered that the people who had gathered for the funeral were exceeding 30 and police had to disperse people. On the other had we realised that there were some civil organisations and purported human rights activists who had taken advantage of the situation so, police had to maintain law and order,” he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi said Kasinyore died at Gweru Provincial Hospital in the early hours of Wednesday after being detained at Monomutapa Police Station.
“People in Mtapa called the police making a report of a person who was drunk and breaking window panes. The police arrested him and found him with drugs and he was drunk. They detained him and put him in a holding cell at Monomutapa Police Station. At around 4am, some suspects sharing the cell with him alerted the police that he was vomiting before an ambulance was called. He died at Gweru Provincial Hospital,” he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi said police were carrying out further investigations to establish what led to Kasinyore’s death.
“The matter is being investigated by the police and the public should allow the ongoing investigations to proceed smoothly,” he said. -Sunday News
Prominent Gweru businesswoman and property developer- Smelly Dube – who is the chief executive officer of River Valley Properties –has been remanded in custody to Tuesday after a Gweru court ruled that she has a case to answer in a fraud case involving more than US$9 million.
Dube was not asked to plead when she appeared before Gokwe regional magistrate Mr Taurai Manwere at the Gweru Magistrates Court yesterday. She did not attend the court hearing and was represented by her lawyers as she is still recuperating under police guard at Claybank Hospital where she has been admitted since Wednesday last week. Mr Manwere said there was no doubt that Dube committed fraud and conspiracy to criminal abuse of duty. Mr Manwere said Dube through her legal team did not dispute the allegations but was focused on the legality of her arrest.
“After hearing arguments from the State and defence, one can see that the accused has a case to answer. She is facing three counts of fraud which are on the request for remand form. The defence didn’t argue with regards to the charges but was arguing that her arrest was illegal, it was unconstitutional. But the court feels that the accused has a case to answer. The accused is remanded in custody to March 9,” ruled Mr Manwere.
Dube was represented by Advocate Joshua Chirambwe taking instructions from her lawyers Mr Nqobani Sithole and Mr MacPatrick Zinyakatira. Her lawyers had earlier made an application to postpone the matter to Tuesday to allow for the verification of cellphone messages with regards to her arrest from the investigation officer with service providers.
Mr Manwere ruled against the application saying it was the duty of the State to verify the authenticity of evidence in court.
The State then called the investigation officer, Assistant Commissioner Themba Mushoriwa, who said Dube was facing three counts of fraud. Asst Comm Mushoriwa told the court that on 28 February, he went to Dube’s house looking for her.
“She wasn’t home and I obtained her cellphone number. I told her that I wanted to see her in connection with the said allegations in which she was jointly charged with her company River Valley Properties,” he said.
Asst Comm Mushoriwa told the court that they agreed to meet at Gweru Police Station on 3 March at 8am.
He said later that day, he was told that she had been admitted to Claybank Hospital. Asst Comm Mushoriwa said they went to the hospital where an arrest was effected. Dube was supposed to appear in court on Friday but failed to do so as she was bedridden at the hospital. She was still in hospital yesterday under police guard. In a first at the Gweru Magistrates court, a temporary court was set up at Claybank Hospital on Friday so that Mr Manwere could see for himself the extent of the illness faced by Dube.
According to State papers Dube allegedly worked with former Midlands Governor, Jason Machaya, who was jailed over land deals last September, former senior Government official Matilda Manhambo and allocated land and developed it without engineering designs. As a result, 669 beneficiaries suffered prejudice of over US$460 000. On count two and three, Dube, working with Machaya and former Gweru District Administrator Shepherd Marweyi allegedly allocated State land in Gweru, Shurugwi and Zvishavane defrauding the Government of US$9 million.
In September last year Machaya (60) and provincial planning officer Chaisayanyerwa Chibururu (50) were each sentenced to 48 months imprisonment for unlawfully allocating 17 799 stands to land developers in Gokwe town, who in turn gave them 1 000 stands worth US$900 000 which was computed as ZW$900 000. Sunday News
Churches, which were shut as the country tightened lockdown measures at the beginning of the year, were allowed to resume physical services last week after the easing of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana, through his twitter handle on social media last week said churches had been given the green light to resume gatherings.
“Churches can congregate but shall not exceed 50 people,” he said. In line with new regulations announced by President Mnangagwa last week, congregations are expected to observe social distancing and sanitisation measures. Only 50 congregants will be allowed per sitting.
Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) executive director Reverend Useni Sibanda said the lockdown had been hard on many churches and congregants alike, as revenue streams were cut.
“In terms of the day to day running of the church, there has been a lot of revenue loss and I can tell you right now that a lot of pastors are struggling. This is because our people have not been working and they can hardly contribute anything. Zimbabwe is a largely informal economy and so if people are sitting at home, they cannot make any money,” he said.
Rev Sibanda said while many were elated that churches were up and running again, getting congregants interested in services could be a tall order as some were now used to life in the “new normal.”
While online services were now prevalent, Rev Sibanda said a lot of pastors missed delivering services with a personal touch.
Rev Sibanda’s sentiments were echoed by Bishop Colin Nyathi of Harvest House International Church, who said the reopening of churches will be a boost as preaching with congregants present physically was uplifting.
“As a preacher nothing beats physical contact with your congregants. As a preacher you get a lift when you hear people say ‘Amen’. So, this has been hard for us while it has not been easy for congregants as well because they want to fellowship with others,” he said.
Bishop Nyathi said while the return of people to church was welcome, it did not mean they will be abandoning their online services.
Church leaders heaved a sigh of relief after houses of worship were given the go ahead to reopen, as two months of a national lockdown had reportedly left some churches in financial dire straits while some missed the presence of their congregants. Churches, which were shut as the country tightened lockdown measures at the beginning of the year, were allowed to resume physical services last week after the easing of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana, through his twitter handle on social media last week said churches had been given the green light to resume gatherings.
“Churches can congregate but shall not exceed 50 people,” he said. In line with new regulations announced by President Mnangagwa last week, congregations are expected to observe social distancing and sanitisation measures. Only 50 congregants will be allowed per sitting.
Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) executive director Reverend Useni Sibanda said the lockdown had been hard on many churches and congregants alike, as revenue streams were cut.
“In terms of the day to day running of the church, there has been a lot of revenue loss and I can tell you right now that a lot of pastors are struggling. This is because our people have not been working and they can hardly contribute anything. Zimbabwe is a largely informal economy and so if people are sitting at home, they cannot make any money,” he said.
Rev Sibanda said while many were elated that churches were up and running again, getting congregants interested in services could be a tall order as some were now used to life in the “new normal.”
While online services were now prevalent, Rev Sibanda said a lot of pastors missed delivering services with a personal touch.
Rev Sibanda’s sentiments were echoed by Bishop Colin Nyathi of Harvest House International Church, who said the reopening of churches will be a boost as preaching with congregants present physically was uplifting.
“As a preacher nothing beats physical contact with your congregants. As a preacher you get a lift when you hear people say ‘Amen’. So, this has been hard for us while it has not been easy for congregants as well because they want to fellowship with others,” he said.
Bishop Nyathi said while the return of people to church was welcome, it did not mean they will be abandoning their online services. – state media
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has begun drawing up new National Assembly constituency boundaries that will be used for the 2023 harmonised elections.
ZEC has started undertaking the first phase of the delimitation exercise, which involves updating polling stations and adding new residential areas into the voter registration database ahead of next year’s boundary mapping process.
The elections management body has begun mobilising $10 billion required for the expansive nationwide exercise, which is carried out after every 10 years.
The Sunday Mail has gathered that delimitation will be undertaken in three phases, starting with a mass voter registration blitz, which has already commenced under Phase One.
Under Phase Two, ZEC will begin marking new constituency boundaries using data obtained under the initial phase.
The second phase will take six months to complete.
Phase Three, which will take a month to complete, will witness the production and distribution of the final delimitation report ahead of the elections.
ZEC chief elections officer Mr Utoile Silaigwana said the delimitation exercise will take two years to conclude.
“In total the exercise requires around $10,6 billion to cater for preparations, procurement of vehicles and equipment, establishment of ICT infrastructure, training of staff and stakeholders, production of voter education material, publicity and awareness campaigns, fieldwork and production and distribution of the delimitation report among others,” said Mr Silaigwana.
“The delimitation exercise has three phases.
“Phase One, which has already started, will run up to early next year and includes a mobile voter registration drive that will be conducted.
“Phase Two of the delimitation, which will take approximately six months, will commence early next year.”
He said the commencement date of Phase Two will be informed by the completion of preparatory activities, including the mobile voter registration campaign and procurement lead times.
“Phase Three includes the enactment, production and distribution of the final delimitation report which will take approximately one and half months.”
Delimitation involves coming up with a minimum threshold of registered voters to make the country’s 210 National Assembly constituencies, and is conducted using the number of registered voters in an administrative jurisdiction.
Zimbabwe goes for its harmonised elections in 2023 and ZEC is required by law to draw new electoral boundaries, at least six months before the elections.- The Sunday Mail
By A Correspondent| The Judicial Services Commission (JSC) has announced the death of Regional Magistrate who was based at Harare Magistrates Court, Morgan Nemadire.
The JSC did not state the cause of Nemadire’s death.
“The Judicial Service Commission has learnt with great shock about the untimely passing on of Regional Magistrate Mr Morgan Nemadire today, Saturday, 6 March 2021,” reads the announcement.
Nemadire was arrested in December last year charged with leniently fining a Venezuelan RTGS$700 for carrying 5kg cocaine worth US$469 000 in her luggage from Brazil into Harare.
A MUTARE man will perform 175 hours of unpaid work after he was convicted of assaulting his mother.
The man was accusing his mother of witchcraft.
Booker Mwedzi of Zimunya was convicted of assault charges when he appeared before a Mutare magistrate last weekend.
Mr Chris Munyuku prosecuted.
“On February 25, the complainant, Gogo Dephine Kanderera (59) heard her son Mwedzi shouting at home while she was in the field. Kanderera went to inquire what was happening and upon arrival, she saw Mwedzi seated at the doorstep.
He started shouting at her saying that she was a witch. Mwedzi assaulted Kanderera and she fell down,” said Mr Munyuku.
Mwedzi went into the house and armed himself with a hammer and a hoe. Gogo Kanderera managed to escape and informed one of their employees, Tendai Mapedza.
Gogo Kanderera went back to her house together with Mapedza and upon seeing them, Mwedzi grabbed a slasher intending to further assault his mother.
The old lady was rescued by Mapedza, who was also assaulted in the process.
A police report was made at Zimunya Police Post, thereby leading to Mwedzi’s arrest.- Manica Post
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has begun shifting the national map for purposes of the upcoming 2023 election.
ZEC boss Priscilla Chigumba
ZEC has started drawing up new National Assembly constituency boundaries that will be used for the 2023 harmonised elections.
ZEC has started undertaking the first phase of the delimitation exercise, which involves updating polling stations and adding new residential areas into the voter registration database ahead of next year’s boundary mapping process.
The elections management body has begun mobilising $10 billion required for the expansive nationwide exercise, which is carried out after every 10 years.
The Sunday Mail has gathered that delimitation will be undertaken in three phases, starting with a mass voter registration blitz, which has already commenced under Phase One.
Under Phase Two, ZEC will begin marking new constituency boundaries using data obtained under the initial phase. The second phase will take six months to complete.
Phase Three, which will take a month to complete, will witness the production and distribution of the final delimitation report ahead of the elections.
ZEC chief elections officer Mr Utoile Silaigwana said the delimitation exercise will take two years to conclude.
“In total the exercise requires around $10,6 billion to cater for preparations, procurement of vehicles and equipment, establishment of ICT infrastructure, training of staff and stakeholders, production of voter education material, publicity and awareness campaigns, fieldwork and production and distribution of the delimitation report among others,” said Mr Silaigwana.
“The delimitation exercise has three phases. “Phase One, which has already started, will run up to early next year and includes a mobile voter registration drive that will be conducted.
“Phase Two of the delimitation, which will take approximately six months, will commence early next year.”
He said the commencement date of Phase Two will be informed by the completion of preparatory activities, including the mobile voter registration campaign and procurement lead times.
“Phase Three includes the enactment, production and distribution of the final delimitation report which will take approximately one and half months.”
Delimitation involves coming up with a minimum threshold of registered voters to make the country’s 210 National Assembly constituencies, and is conducted using the number of registered voters in an administrative jurisdiction.
Zimbabwe goes for its harmonised elections in 2023 and ZEC is required by law to draw new electoral boundaries, at least six months before the elections.
Mr Silaigwana said under Phase One, ZEC will this year focus on creating a delimitation roadmap and train staff on the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) software for mapping and data analysis.
“ZEC will focus on the updating of polling area descriptions in aspects such as, properties found within and new infrastructure.
“Developments take place continually in communities with construction projects resulting in new schools, dams, roads, business centres, churches and so on.
“Additionally, addresses of new residential areas need to be captured. There are new settlements that continue to develop in most areas.
“These developments need to be incorporated into the voter registration address database,” he said.
The capturing of addresses for prospective registrants will ensure that they are posted to the correct polling station, in a particular ward and constituency.
“This is critical since we have now migrated from the ward-based voters roll to polling station specific voters roll and as such, a person will appear on only one polling station.”
Mr Silaigwana said training will focus on the steps involved in the delimitation process, the legal framework, the criteria used, and apportionment of seats.
“In our case we will train staff to use Geographical Information System (GIS) software for mapping and data analysis.
“We have to train staff to use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to capture geographic co-ordinates primarily of polling stations.”
Political analyst, Mr Godwine Mureriwa urged political parties to mobilise their supporters to register to vote.
“President Mnangagwa is on record as saying there will be electoral reforms and now that the preparatory work of the delimitation exercise has started, it is also important for political parties at Parliament level to begin advocating for electoral reforms,” said Mr Mureriwa.
“This is now the time to begin and not when elections are due or when they are completed. “It is also the time for political parties to know the country’s demography before elections are due.”
Findings from a recent research on prospects of delimitation conducted by independent elections civil group — Zimbabwe Election Support Network — established that using the legally established threshold for delimitation, National Assembly constituencies should have an average 27 000 voters.
Reads the ZESN report: “Applying the +/- 20 percent threshold provided for in the Constitution gave these figures; the lowest number of registered voters expected for any constituency would be 21 662, the average will be 27 077 and the highest number of registered voters expected would be 32 493.
“For the purposes of this research the average was used to provide an overall picture.”
Section 161 (3) of the Constitution states that: “The boundaries of constituencies must be such that, so far as possible, at the time of delimitation, equal numbers of voters are registered in each constituency within Zimbabwe.” – state media/additional reporting
ANGER tells us that we need to take action to put something right.
It gives strength and energy as well as motivates one to act, although sometimes it can be irrational action.
For some people, anger can get out of control and cause problems with family members, neighbours and the law.
This was the case for a Zimunya woman who did the unthinkable on Monday when she bit off her neighbour’s lower lip and swallowed it.
The woman allegedly went on to suck her victim’s blood.
The macabre real life drama has left some Zimunya residents convinced that it was an act of vampirism.
The cause of the fight was rumour mongering involving the lady’s daughter-in-law who had told her that their neighbour was gossiping about her.
Emilia Madondo (47) was left nursing a gaping wound on her face after being attacked by Shamisai Nyakasvika.
The Weekender caught up with Madondo at the Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital on Tuesday.
She narrated the events that led to the horror attack.
“On Monday morning, I received a text message from Nyakasvika enquiring on why her daughter-in-law had been at my place on Sunday. She threatened to drag her daughter-in-law to my house to force her to marry my son.
“She accused me of trying to influence her daughter-in-law into finding alternative accommodation, yet I have always been pleading with the woman not to turn her back on her in-laws,” said Madondo.
She said Nyakasvika then attacked her when she had approached her for recourse.
“When I approached her seeking clarification on what she meant through the text message, she punched me all over the body. I stood my ground and fought back,” she said.
Madondo said they traded insults during their fight but things took a dramatic turn when neighbours intervened to stop the fight. Nyakasvika took advantage of her lapse in concentration to deliver the devastating blow.
“During the fight, saliva was drooling from her mouth like a rabid dog. When she bit me, I first thought it was a dog. When she finally released her grip on me, blood gushed from my lower lip.
“We looked for the chunk everywhere, but could not locate it; I think she swallowed it. She did not even spit the blood that came with the lip.
“There were bloodstains on her doorstep this morning. I am afraid that she either swallowed my lip or kept it for ritual purposes,” said Madondo as she struggled to talk.
In an interview with The Weekender, a neighbour who was only identified as Mai Gumbo said there has always been bad blood between the two women.
“Nyakasvika is always away at work and when she returns home, her daughter-in-law feeds her with information on what Madondo would have been saying about her. This is common knowledge in the hood.
“During the attack, Madondo tried to bite Nyakasvika’s breast, but she got more than what she had bargained for as the latter bit her lip. Both women are well known for using teeth in their fights,” she said.
Nyakasvika’s phone went unanswered when The Weekender tried to reach her for comment.
The matter was reported at Zimunya Police Station and the police said investigations are still in progress.- Manica Post
Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has described the arrest of its three youth assembly members, Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova as a calculated ploy by Zanu PF to silence dissenting voices.
Joana and Cecilia were arrested as they were going through their routine reporting procedure in line with their bail conditions.Police then arrested Netsai as she was waiting for her colleagues.
The three were arrested for addressing a news conference in solidarity with jailed human rights activist Makomborero Haruvizishe.
In an interview with ZimEye.com on Saturday morning, MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson Clifford Hlatywayo denounced the harassment of the trio.
“The arrest of the trio is a calculated ploy by Mr Mnangagwa to silence dissenting voices. The clueless and cruel regime wants to destroy young people.
The regime is fighting the young, in actual fact the tired, old and useless Zanu PF bigwigs are fighting the future of the country. They are fighting the means of production.
Joana, Netsai and Cecilia are true freedom fighters.They are being persecuted for denouncing Zanu PF tyranny.
Mr Mnangagwa is desperate to destroy the future of young people. The regime is afraid of the people,” said Hlatywayo.
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance vice president Lynette Karenyi-Kore has described the working conditions for health workers in the country as pathetic.
Hon Karenyi-Kore challenged the Zanu PF administration to address health workers’ grievances as a matter of urgency.
Read full statement below:
As we start the International Women’s month, I visited Victoria Chitepo hospital in Manicaland Province in solidarity with women assisting with medical care to the province, and women receiving the same, particularly pregnant mothers.
I met with very hard-working nurses and doctors.
I was, however, disturbed by the working conditions prevailing at the hospital: inadequate and insecure PPE, outdated and malfunctional medical apparatus and broken beds.
Not forgetting the meagre salaries being paid to these nurses who risk their lives in this deadly pandemic. These nurses deserve better, patients deserve better, all Zimbabweans deserve better.
Lynette Karenyi-Kore Vice President MDC-Alliance 5 March 2021
CIOs Besiege Prominent Human Rights Lawyer's House
We received a distress call from Mr Mureri. Security Agents besieged his house in Eastvale, for unknown reasons! Mr Mureri Martin is a human rights lawyer based in Masvingo MDC Alliance Masvingo Communications pic.twitter.com/RtmYDBkcNY
Zambia national team coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojević has fired warning shots at Chipolopolo’s next opponents in the upcoming AFCON qualifiers, Algeria and Zimbabwe, saying his charges will be out to attack.
The Serbian named provisional squad for the decisive games scheduled for later this month as his charges, who currently sit bottom of Group H, seek to revive their campaign and book a place at the continental extravaganza.
Reacting to the announcement of the squad, Micho said Chipolopolo’s mission is simple, to attack.
“CHIPOLOPOLO there is no surrender no retreat with only option all out ATTACK. Football played before,is playing now and much more after ALGERIA& Zimbabwe matches but for us there is no maybe,if,but because it is a MUST. Leave the pressure with me u just be responsible for mother Zambia,” posted the coach on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Zambia host Algeria on the 25th of March before facing Zimbabwe at the National Sports Stadium four days later.- Soccer 24 Zimbabwe
Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has described the arrest of its three youth assembly members, Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova as a calculated ploy by Zanu PF to silence dissenting voices.
Joana and Cecilia were arrested as they were going through their routine reporting procedure in line with their bail conditions.Police then arrested Netsai as she was waiting for her colleagues.
The three were arrested for addressing a news conference in solidarity with jailed human rights activist Makomborero Haruvizishe.
In an interview with ZimEye.com on Saturday morning, MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson Clifford Hlatywayo denounced the harassment of the trio.
“The arrest of the trio is a calculated ploy by Mr Mnangagwa to silence dissenting voices. The clueless and cruel regime wants to destroy young people.
The regime is fighting the young, in actual fact the tired, old and useless Zanu PF bigwigs are fighting the future of the country. They are fighting the means of production.
Joana, Netsai and Cecilia are true freedom fighters.They are being persecuted for denouncing Zanu PF tyranny.
Mr Mnangagwa is desperate to destroy the future of young people. The regime is afraid of the people,” said Hlatywayo.
An assortment of brain-boosting, blood-sugar-leveling foods may help relieve the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
By Jessica Migala Medically Reviewed by Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES
Seasonal depression, more formally known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a common mood disorder characterized by low energy, hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, and sleep problems that coincide with the change in seasons, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
The cause of SAD is likely multifactorial, and may include imbalances in mood-regulating brain chemicals, as well as a lack of vitamin D (from less sunlight), and an overproduction of the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin.
Typical treatment involves light therapy, talk therapy, antidepressant medications, and supplements of vitamin D (which we normally get from sunlight, which is scarce during the winter).
Many clinicians also suggest another way to alleviate symptoms: diet.
“Nutrition habits can definitely have an impact on your mood,” says Nicole Avena, PhD, a research neuroscientist and nutrition and diet expert in New York City. “Variety and balance is important. If your eating pattern is unbalanced, it can upset other aspects of your health, including mood,” she says.
While research definitively linking a specific diet and relief of SAD symptoms is lacking, there’s good evidence to suggest that the following 10 foods support mood and brain function.
1 Salmon and Rainbow Trout Sardines and lemons in oil Offset Foods that include omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain health, and vitamin D, are a one-two punch. Salmon and rainbow trout are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and rich in vitamin D, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
2 Berries blueberries in cartons Veeterzy/Unsplash Many people are drawn to high carb junk food for a feel-good fix. But the payoff is short-lived. “Eating high amounts of added sugar, which can cause highs followed by lows, can cause swings in mood or irritability,” says Ginger Hultin, RDN, the owner of Champagne Nutrition in Seattle and author of Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep, Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries offer a sweet taste without a ton of added sugar.
3 Whole Grain Bread + Protein poached egg avocado toast Darren Muir/Stocksy Adding some fresh chicken or hummus, cheese, and vegetables to whole grain bread may be the perfect mood-supporting lunch. “Combining healthy carbs and protein can be a good way to support your mood in the winter because the protein will keep you full longer and the carbs will give your body the proper sugar it needs without the crash,” says Dr. Avena.
4 Green, Black, or White Tea pouring green tea Marti Sans/Stocksy People suffering from SAD sometimes over-consume coffee in search of a mood lift. Tea provides a dose of caffeine, but a milder one, and it has other brain benefits. Tea consumption is associated with a 31 percent lower risk of depression, according to a review published in Nutrients in June 2019. That may be because of the brew’s unique compounds, including teasaponin, L-theanine, and EGCG (in green tea), all of which affect the neurotransmitter dopamine, reduce bodily inflammation, and lessen the body’s stress response, say researchers.
5 Green Leafy Vegetables fresh kale in basket Thinkstock We’re talking spinach, bok choy, kale, collards, and other greens. These are packed with B vitamins that are also critical for brain function, says Hultin. In fact, some research in Nutrients in September 2019 suggests that an overall deficiency in this group of vitamins is associated with mood disorders in some people. Restoring those levels, therefore, may help improve mood. While the study did not find that supplementing with B vitamins decreased depression or anxiety, it was found to make a difference in lowering stress levels, which can contribute to winter angst.
6 Protein
In a study from Finland, published in Neuropsychobiology in July 2017, the percentage of people affected by seasonal affective disorder was four times higher in vegetarians compared with omnivores.
Researchers suggest that it might be the lack of certain nutrients, like B12, from animal products, as well as a greater focus on carbohydrate-rich foods (which vegetarians tend to prioritize) that led to lagging energy. If you are someone who eats animal-based proteins, make sure that you’re eating these types of foods during the winter season to keep your vigor up…
Source: Everyday Health
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information follow /like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance vice president Lynette Karenyi-Kore has described the working conditions for health workers in the country as pathetic.
Hon Karenyi-Kore challenged the Zanu PF administration to address health workers’ grievances as a matter of urgency.
Read full statement below:
As we start the International Women’s month, I visited Victoria Chitepo hospital in Manicaland Province in solidarity with women assisting with medical care to the province, and women receiving the same, particularly pregnant mothers.
I met with very hard-working nurses and doctors.
I was, however, disturbed by the working conditions prevailing at the hospital: inadequate and insecure PPE, outdated and malfunctional medical apparatus and broken beds.
Not forgetting the meagre salaries being paid to these nurses who risk their lives in this deadly pandemic. These nurses deserve better, patients deserve better, all Zimbabweans deserve better.
Lynette Karenyi-Kore Vice President MDC-Alliance 5 March 2021
The MDC Alliance trio have been remanded in custody again at Chikurubi Maximum Prison.
The magistrate said the court will give a ruling on Monday 08 March 2021.
Joana Mamombe, and Cecilia Chimbiri were arrested over the solidarity speech address the Harare West MP, Mamombe issued at the Harare Magistrates Court for the jailed activist Makomborero Haruzivishe last week. Their tortured colleague, Netsai Marova who was not included in the charges, was taken in at Harare Central Police Station last night while attending to her friends.
Prof Lovemore Madhuku who had also attended Mamombe’s speech address, presented himself for arrest last night but the police refused to charge him. – MORE TO FOLLOW
Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has described the arrest of its three youth assembly members, Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova as a calculated ploy by Zanu PF to silence dissenting voices.
Joana and Cecilia were arrested as they were going through their routine reporting procedure in line with their bail conditions.Police then arrested Netsai as she was waiting for her colleagues.
The three were arrested for addressing a news conference in solidarity with jailed human rights activist Makomborero Haruvizishe.
In an interview with ZimEye.com on Saturday morning, MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson Clifford Hlatywayo denounced the harassment of the trio.
“The arrest of the trio is a calculated ploy by Mr Mnangagwa to silence dissenting voices. The clueless and cruel regime wants to destroy young people.
The regime is fighting the young, in actual fact the tired, old and useless Zanu PF bigwigs are fighting the future of the country. They are fighting the means of production.
Joana, Netsai and Cecilia are true freedom fighters.They are being persecuted for denouncing Zanu PF tyranny.
Mr Mnangagwa is desperate to destroy the future of young people. The regime is afraid of the people,” said Hlatywayo.
Myanmar: UN human rights expert issues report and urges decisive, unified action to put an end to brutality.
GENEVA (4 March 2021) – By Tom Andrews | The UN’s human rights expert on Myanmar said today the military junta in the country is illegal, illegitimate and responsible for widespread and systematic human rights violations against nonviolent, peaceful protesters, and should be held accountable.
Tom Andrews
In a report to the Human Rights Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, details how the Myanmar military illegally overthrew the civilian government and proceeded to attack the people of Myanmar by committing the crimes of murder, assault and arbitrary detention.
The junta also systematically and illegitimately dismantled the people of Myanmar’s legal protections, installing new laws that remove basic protections of freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, and privacy. Additionally, the report describes how the military has forcibly displaced several thousand members of ethnic nationalities from their homes since the coup.
The most recent crackdown on protesters by the Myanmar military and police, including yesterday’s murder of 38 peaceful demonstrators, requires strong international action, Andrews said.
“Every day the military junta in Myanmar unleashes more brutality on peaceful protesters who are standing up for justice, human rights and democracy, defending their nation against this illegal military coup,” he said.
“While the future of Myanmar will be determined by its people, the international community must act urgently and decisively to support them.
“The UN Security Council is meeting on Friday to discuss the situation in Myanmar. I urge the members of the Council to consider the unrelenting brutality that we are witnessing in Myanmar. I urge the Council to take decisive and unified action against the military junta, including targeted sanctions, an arms embargo, and a referral to the International Criminal Court to investigate and prosecute atrocities committed since the coup on 1 February and those committed against ethnic groups in years prior.”
The Special Rapporteur also details human rights violations preceding the coup in an annex to the report, which will be presented to the Council on March 11. He demonstrates that throughout 2020, the military violated the International Court of Justice’s order to protect the Rohingya from further killings, assaults, torture and other crimes. The report shows that despite the order, Myanmar security forces continued to murder, torture, and fire indiscriminately on Rohingya civilians, while continuing to deny them equal access to citizenship rights.
UN Member States can stop the flow of arms and security and surveillance equipment to the generals of Myanmar, Andrews said. Forty-one countries have already imposed some form of arms embargo against the Myanmar military. These numbers must grow and governments should coordinate to stop the sale of weapons, as well the transfer of dual-use technology to Myanmar, he said.
Andrews also urged humanitarian and development donors to work directly with local Myanmar civil society and aid organisations whenever possible to directly support populations rather than through centralised mechanisms that are now controlled by the junta.
“Finally, I am urging Member states to deny recognition of the military junta as the legitimate government representing the people of Myanmar precisely because they are not,” Andrews added.
“Many have seen the gruesome photos and videos of people being killed or beaten or brutally arrested by police and army personnel on the streets of Myanmar,” Andrews said. “Despite these attacks, and the grave danger that they face, the people of Myanmar continue to rise up as a diverse yet powerfully unified whole. They are doing so to demand democracy, human rights and an immediate end to the junta. The nonviolent civil disobedience movement, or CDM, is effective and growing, drawing its organic power from the unflinching and democratic desires of the Myanmar people. Myanmar has never appeared to be more unified.
“I sincerely hope that the international community will rise to the occasion of this moment of history by following the lead and the inspiration of the people of Myanmar. And, that justice, dignity and human rights will finally prevail for all.”
Matabeleland Rural Schools are not ready to reopen schools, because they lack enough resources to meet the standard stipulated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the government for schooling to resume safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Daily News reports.
This was revealed by the Rural Communities Empowerment Trust coordinator Vumani Ndlovu who said:
Quite a number of schools have inadequate classroom blocks which will make the issue of maintaining physical distancing impossible. Furthermore, most schools don’t have water and sanitation facilities which are essential for prevention against coronavirus.
Schools are under-resourced as many parents cannot afford to pay school fees and as such the majority of the rural schools in Matabeleland will not be able to provide sanitisers and face masks.
Ndlovu urged the government to do something to address the situation of Matabeleland Rural Schools and even went on to say teachers might not be able to travel to their respective centers due to incapacitation:
While we welcome the move by the government to open schools given the fact that the continued closure affects mostly the rural pupils, who have no access to online learning, radio lessons due to Internet and signals connectivity challenges, we, however, feel that the government should have at least addressed some of the fundamentals first that will militate against proper and effective learning.
We have a strong feeling that teachers may not be able to travel to schools, especially those in rural areas citing incapacitation and lack of bus fares given that transport charges are now in foreign currency, but they are paid in local currency.
The government stated that schools will open their doors first for the writing classes on 15 March 2021 then for the rest of the students on 22 March 2021. Teachers have however said they are incapacitated and they will not be reporting for duty on the said dates.
Linda Masarira the LEAD President has denied theft charges being leveled against her and said her son is the one who stole the property she is being accused of stealing.
Masarira took to Twitter to deny the charges and blamed her son who she said was battling drug addiction at the time for the missing property.
Said Masarira in a tweet:
I am wrongfully accused in this matter. The person who stole some of the things on the docket is my son during the time he was battling with drug addiction. He even advised the police likewise who refused to change the docket. No weapon fashioned against me shall prosper!
Outspoken Norton legislator Temba Mliswa told Masarira to allow the court to determine her innocence and told her not be deterred:
Don’t be deterred, you’ve a good defence. Allow the court to determine as your facts are pretty clear. We’re politicians and people will always look for us one way or another, you’ve got to understand that. The struggle continues.
Linda Masarira last year reported her son to the police after he reportedly stole her cellphone, her son was arrested and charged and convicted which resulted in him spending a few months in jail for the crime.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has despatched a team to investigate the corrupt distribution of sugarcane plots by senior government officials in Chiredzi
The minister of state for Masvingo, Ezra Chadzamira, reportedly disbanded the Chiredzi district lands committee last year in January. As a result, land distribution in the lowveld district continued without the input of locals who later raised a red flag, accusing the minister and provincial lands officials of collecting bribes from land beneficiaries.
The team arrived in Chiredzi on Friday and held several interviews with members of the district lands committee, war veterans and government officials to establish if procedure was being followed in the distribution of land for the past three years.
Zacc spokesperson John Makamure told The NewsHawks that he is not aware that there is currently a team from the corruption watchdog in Chiredzi. He said he is aware of a team in Gweru but will check if there are investigations taking place in Chiredzi.
“I am not aware of any team from the commission which is currently in Chiredzi. I will however check with all our officers if there is anyone in Chiredzi,” said Makamure.
Chiredzi district development coordinator Lovemore Chisema, who chairs the district lands committee, confirmed the presence of Zacc officials in Chiredzi. He said he was not aware of their itinerary since he was in Harare where he will separately meet the investigators.
“Currently l am in Harare but I can confirm that l received a call from a Zacc official early this week informing me about their presence in Chiredzi. I told them that l was in Harare and they said they will meet me in Harare for interviews. I am yet to know their mission but from what l heard they had interviews with quite a number of people in Chiredzi district,” said Chisema.
Chiredzi district lands officer Honest Mapfumo told The NewsHawks he was interviewed by Zacc investigators on Monday regarding land distribution in Chiredzi. However, he said he was not priviledged to divulge more details about the investigations.
“I can only tell you that a team from Zacc interviewed me on Monday. They first came on Friday but l was not around but they informed me to appear before them on Monday, which l did. The issue is about land but unfortunately l am not priviledged to give you more details about the interview,” said Mapfumo.
A government official who was also interviewed by Zacc investigators said it seems the investigations are targeting individuals, especially Chadzamira and provincial lands officer Tendai Mumera. He said the investigators wanted to know if procedure was followed in allocating land to different individuals within the district. He said they also wanted to know about the disregarding of local input in relation to the disbandment of the lands committee.
The secret distribution of land, mainly sugarcane plots in Chiredzi, created a conflict between local Zanu-PF structures particularly war veterans and youths and the provincial government leadership.
Locals occupied Lot 10 of Triangle popularly know as Chihungume in a bid to stop Chadzamira and his team from subdividing into plots the more than 10 000 hectares of land.
The occupation of the disputed land by the locals is still ongoing. Eyebrows were also recently raised when over 30 people were allocated 70-hectare plots of dry land at an area extending from Chitsanga Hill to Chiredzi River where only a few local businessmen who allegedly paid bribes benefitted, with the rest being outsiders.
Investigations revealed that other beneficiaries are Mangena C, Bonface N, Mavhusa MK, Nature E, Matuke V, believed to be related to Gutu senator Lovemore Matuke, Moyo OM, Tinago I and others.
The NewsHawks is also informed that since the appointment of Chadzamira as minister of state after the 2018 elections, more than 30 sugarcane plots in Hippo Valley and Triangle Estates which were left vacant after some beneficiaries of a scheme spearheaded by the late minister of state for Masvingo, Shuvai Mahofa, failed to take up their offers due to various reasons were allocated to new people without the input of the local leadership.
Chivi Rural District Council chairperson Godfrey Mukungunugwa, who is responsible in handing out offer letters to beneficiaries, would neither confirm nor deny the ongoing allegations when The NewsHawks called him for a comment. He said discussing the issue could tarnish his image and pleaded for mercy.
“I am not in a position to answer your question. l am out of words, can you leave that issue since it can tarnish my image and remember we are brothers,” said Mukungunugwa.
Hie sis Jackie and please hide…..I’m so heartbroken because of what happened to this woman yesterday 24Feb around 11am at Edith Opperman clinic in Mbare. So this woman arrived at the clinic and she was in so much pain achitotaura kuti mwana aakuda kubuda. So the woman who had accompanied her took her inside kuti anobatsirwa nemanurse. So in no time vanga vatobuda vese vari 2 then vanhu vanga varipo vakatobvunza kuti ko mukuenda kupi nemunhu akadai coz aitoyerera ropa mumakumbo plus anga asisagone kana kufamba then the lady anga anaye bvaati atariswa anzi aripa6cm but the nurses said they could not assist her because she was too short as in her height! so they were referred kuHarare hosp kuti anobatsirwa ikoko! and people were like how do they refer munhu aripa6cm honestly! pasina ambulance futi hanzi pane vemataxi panze!! so the pregnant lady akangofamba a few steps from the door bvaatoti handichagoni mwana atove kubuda then bvaatorara pasi pamahuswa kuti agomere mwana wake….the nursing mothers that were there tried to call the nurses who were so reluctant to come out to assist ukuwo uyo atogomera mwana atobuda achibatsirwa nethat lady anga amuperekedza ane grey skirt uyo. Vakatozobuda mukadzi uyu aane mwana sure kuzvarira mwana pasi pagate reclinic here sure?????. vanhu vakatanga kupopota kuti indaa muine hutsinye kudaro and that ‘brave’ lady in green aakutofire back hanzi kana muchiona kuti munobatwa rough panapa endaika kwamunobatwa mushe kwacho what are you even doing here?? like seriously!! Sis Jackie I honestly feel women must not suffer like this while giving birth I’m hurt seriously!????
Lockdown has been relaxed & its a busy day here in MashWest.The first port of call for our Provincial Admin Committee was in Chikangwe, Hurungwe where we are building a house for the family of our abducted & murdered cllr Lovender Chiwaya to assess progress on site @nelsonchamisapic.twitter.com/gBC443zkm1
The MDC Alliance National Chairperson Thabitha Khumalo was in the wee hours of today attacked by suspected state agents and they seized her electronic devices including her cellphones, TV, and laptop. Khumalo had to be hospitalized after she was attacked in the morning.
The news of Thabitha Khumalo’s attack was shared by MDA Alliance Bulawayo which said in a tweet:
BREAKING: @mdczimbabweNational Chairperson, Thabitha Khumalo hospitalised after attack by suspected state agents in the early hours of morning. TV, three cell phones & laptop seized. Modus operandi similar to July 31, 2020 abductions @nelsonchamisa #ZimbabweanLivesMatter
It is still not clear what might have triggered the attack on the Bulawayo-based MDC Alliance Official by suspected state agents or if it was not a robbery as the party did not shed more light on the incident except that she had to be hospitalized after the attack. The party did not shed light again as to where the attack took place.
Meanwhile, ZRP arrested Cecilia Chimbiri and Joana Mamombe for reportedly addressing a press conference during a national lockdown.
Thabitha Khumalo’s attack comes a few short days after a Zanu PF official said Zanu PF was trying to consolidate power and make Zimbabwe a one-party state.
While MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa is down and bruised after two officials defected to Zanu-PF, the ruling party has come out rubbing more salt to Chamisa’s wounds claiming that the top officials have been in the political wilderness and have returned home.
Blessing Chebundo, who got famous for trouncing President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the Kwekwe parliamentary election back in 2000, was joined by former MDC Alliance senator Lilian Timveous in defecting to Zanu-PF early this week.
The defection has send shockwaves in the rank and file of the MDC Alliance with Zanu-PF savoring the moment saying the duo has seen the light and others should follow suit.
Zanu-PF national political commissar Victor Matemadanda, after receiving his first dose of the Chinese SinoPharm Covid-19 vaccine in Masvingo yesterday (February 24), told journalists that he was excited that the duo had come back home and it was a huge boost for the ruling party ahead of the 2023 elections.
“Those were not defections. I call that people coming back home from the diaspora. Zanu-PF is the home. If someone goes to diaspora and then decides to return home, you do not ask where they were but you take comfort in the fact that they are alive and well.
“We are very excited as a party that people of the caliber of Cde Timveous (Lilian) and Cde Chebundo (Blessing) have come back home.
“For your own information, before the formation of the MDC, Cde Chebundo was a Zanu-PF district chairperson in Kwekwe and so it just like home coming so we are very happy,” said Matemadanda.
He said the move by Timveous and Chebundo will pave way for others who were still in the political wilderness to come join Zanu-PF.
“This is going to show some people that are still in the wilderness that home is home and home is best,” said Matemadanda.
He said President Mnangagwa will gunner more than the projected 5 million presidential votes in 2023 elections as more people keep coming back to join Zanu-PF.
“The writing has been put on the wall and it is very clear for everyone that we are going to surpass our target of 5 million presidential votes.
“Our message to those in opposition is that come home and home is Zanu-PF. Many people are now realizing that they can no longer stay on the outside and are flocking home,” said Matemadanda.-TellZim
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance national chairperson, Thabitha Khumalo has been hospitalized after being attacked by suspected State Security agents.
Although details are still sketchy, it is believed Zanu PF agents pounced on the MDC Alliance official on Saturday morning.
In a statement released on Saturday, MDC Alliance said :
“MDC Alliance National Chairperson, Thabitha Khumalo has been hospitalised after attack by suspected state agents in the early hours of morning. Details to follow…”
2/3 The two suspects and the other one who is still at large hatched a plan to defraud the victim (27) of cash amounting to USD 13000 and in pursuance of their plan made counterfeit deed of transfer for a certain homestead in Tynwald and a fake plastic identity card.
— Zimbabwe Republic Police (@PoliceZimbabwe) March 6, 2021
3/3 The ZRP appeals to other home seekers who were duped in the same manner to come forward and lodge their complaints at any nearest police station. Investigations are in progress. #notocrime.
— Zimbabwe Republic Police (@PoliceZimbabwe) March 6, 2021
Why are we having 28 roadblocks from Beitbridge to Mutare during this lockdown and the cops especially in Masvingo province are taking bribes of not less that R500 from every foreign registered buses&vehicles? Police Anti-Corruption Unit are they part of the syndicate?
Renowned Harare-based constitutional law expert, Professor Lovemore Madhuku said that Statutory Instrument 50 of 2021, gazetted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government last week, is unlawful, unconstitutional and reflect a “colonial mentality”.
The statutory instrument ordered more than 1 000 mainly Shangaan/Tsonga families in Chilonga, Chiredzi District, to “depart permanently” from the gazetted 6 000 land hectarage that would be used to farm lucerne grass for stock feed. Said Madhuku:
That statutory instrument is unconstitutional; it is based on an unconstitutional understanding of the powers of government over communal land.
The colonial mentality which is still reflected in the statute is that communal land belongs to the State, and is owned by the president.
But that right which is given to the president is not equivalent to the ordinary right of ownership, which other people use.
If you are an owner of land you can easily displace anyone or remove anyone, that is not the case.
Communal land rights are somewhat special rights, communal people cannot be displaced merely at the whims of government.
Madhuku added that the government should have approached the High Court and state its reasons and then getting an appropriate order for those people to be moved to a different place.
Dendairy, a dairy company owned by a white farmer, Neville Coetzee, who has links with President Emmerson Mnangagwa was allotted the land for its lucerne grass project.-ZimLive
Zanu PF Zvishavane has welcomed its brand new member former MDC Alliance official Lilian Timveos.
This was revealed by Nick Mangwana the Infomation Ministry Permanent Secretary who shared photos of a Zimbabwe flag scarfe clad Timveos at the welcome party.
Mangwana captioned the photos he shared of Timveos being welcomed to Zanu PF Zvishavane:
She is causing a hubbub in Zvishavane. Her name is Lillian Timveous. She was wcomed by the President into his Party. Today she is being given a joyous welcome into the community of her Comrades in Zvishavane. She says more are on the way.
The late former president, Robert Mugabe blocked his close relatives, including his daughter Bona, from involvement in government contracts and deals for self-aggrandisement.
Official records seen by The NewsHawks this week show that Mugabe barred Bona and his nephew Leo Mugabe from using their family and political connections to seized control of Zimbabwe’s third-largest mobile operator, Telecel Zimbabwe.
One document says:
Sometime in 2015/2016, Mugabe’s son-in-law and his wife, and also separately his nephew wanted to use their family and political connections to gain control of Telecel.
They approached the then Minister of Information Communication Technology (Supa Mandiwanzira) to assist them to take over Telecel. First, it was Simba and Bona, and then later it was Leo Mugabe.
Russians were disposing of their 60% stake in Telecel and about five individuals, consortiums and companies showed interest.
The document further says: When it came to Simba and Bona, Mugabe said NO. They mustn’t be on the list and the minister should not allow them to take over the company. On Leo, President Mugabe gave a BIG NO; remarking ‘he (Leo) failed to pay for his shareholding in the empowerment consortium in the first place’.
Mugabe said Leo’s cheques bounced on his initial attempt to become a key player as part of the empowerment consortium in Telecel. He then told the minister that none of his family members and relatives should be involved.
Mugabe later went on to tell his relatives that they should not be involved. Leo actually called the minister to say ‘you have sold me out’, suggesting Mugabe had talked to him to stay out of Telecel.
The government later seized control of Telecel after concluding a US$40 million deal to buy out international telecommunications giant VimpelCom, which ultimately held 60% in the local company.
A Zanu PF affiliated Twitter account Zanu PF Patriots took the time to try and debunk what they called lies about the Lucerne grass project that is expected to evict people from Chiredzi.
The fact sheet shared by Zanu PF Patriots noted the following:
Zanu Pf Patriots
12 000 people cannot fit on 940 hectares of land
The number of people to be relocated is yet to be ascertained
Chiredzi people were consulted on the project by government officials including July Moyo and Constantiono Chiwenga
Government plans to suppliment stock feed made by maize with lucerne grass which is cheaper to grow
Dendairy has set aside US10 million to compensate people who will be affected by the relocation.
By James Gwati- Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance is urging citizens to is calling on Zimbabweans to boycott Dendairy (Pvt) Limited products and force the company reverse its request for the eviction of 12 500 Chilonga villagers from their Chiredzi ancestral land.
Dendairy (Pvt) Limited are the owners of a grass production company that has been sanctioned by the government to displace the poor villagers.
MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson, Clifford Hlatshwayo said the biggest win for Zimbabweans would be to see their compatriots being spared from the displacements.
“This is not just a campaign, it concerns people’s life issues and we have to stand together to achieve this. Dendairy must abandon that project in Chilonga and look for another area to grow grass. You cannot remove people and replace them with grass,” he said. “MDC Alliance shall work with the community and all stakeholders to pursue this agenda for the people of Chilonga. “We will employ several constitutional measures and approaches to stop these Zanu PF planned evictions. We will stop at nothing, together we will achieve it,” Hlatshwayo said.
The pandemic has caused a lot of suffering among our people. We know that a pandemic can become a disaster if the response to it is not adequate. We have been calling for effective leadership that addresses the concerns and needs of its people, and deals with all the myths and conspiracy theories surrounding covid-19 vaccines. The MDC-Alliance and its President rose above partisan politics by offering advice & support to government in the fight against this pandemic. We went on to welcome enthusiastically the arrival of the COVID-19 Sinopharm vaccine in Zimbabwe. We know that just having the vaccine does not in itself save lives, but rather the actual administration of the vaccine to a large enough proportion of the population. Globally, COVID-19 vaccines are proving that they prevent morbidity and mortality associated with Corona virus disease 2019. In order for these benefits to be realized in Zimbabwe, high vaccine uptake rates must be achieved.
MDC-Alliance Secretary for Health and Child welfare, Dr Henry Madzorera, received the Sinopharm vaccine a week ago in the first stage of Phase one vaccination of front line workers. “I did not experience any discomfort or adverse effect so far. I’m waiting for data on efficacy against the circulating variants of covid-19 in Zimbabwe”.
It may be too early to conclude but uptake of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine is not encouraging at all, even among the frontline health workers. Less than two fifths of the expected numbers in phase one stage one have been vaccinated so far in some provinces. We have also seen some religious leaders being hesitant to embrace the vaccine. This is a cause for concern, because these are important influencers in society. We need to look at what is causing the vaccine hesitancy among our population.
According to the WHO, vaccine hesitancy refers to delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccination despite availability of vaccine services. Factors influencing vaccine hesitancy have been classified into three C’s, namely Complacency, Convenience and Confidence.
Confidence refers to the trust people have in the safety & efficacy of the vaccine, and the system that delivers the vaccine, including reliability and competence of the health professionals. I doubt that anybody in Zimbabwe has questions on the competence of our health professionals. I would however dare add here as confidence determining factors, the manufacturer of the vaccine and the factors influencing the decision of government to procure one vaccine versus another. The perceived transparency in procurement, any due diligence done by the authorities before procurement, perceived presence or absence of personal or selfish motives like personal financial gain, and any historical track record of corruption or irregular procurement on the part of government, affect confidence of the population in a big way. Communication therefore becomes extremely important in allaying any anxieties the people may have. On this score the government has been found wanting, and many simple questions like what is it costing us to procure this vaccine per dose, and how does it compare to other market offerings in terms of efficacy, safety and cost, remain unanswered. This is lethal to the people’s confidence in the vaccine, and may explain the hitherto low uptake.
Convenience refers to availability, accessibility, & affordability, all of which do not seem to be an issue in our current program. The outreach teams are doing a fantastic job despite other constraints in their conditions of service. We must pause a little to thank them and encourage them to keep going for the good of the nation.
Complacency exists when the perceived risk of the disease covid-19 is low and vaccination is not perceived as a necessary preventive measure. This I must say is not the case in Zimbabwe at the moment. Everyone is anxious to see the backside of covid-19, and vaccination is generally accepted as the way out of this pandemic. The root causes for vaccine hesitancy are complex and not straight forward, but a caring, committed and inclusive government that listens to its people and works with them to address their concerns will boost their confidence in the vaccines being rolled out.
There is a great need to communicate with the hesitant populations as a priority. We must understand both individual and community hesitation to be vaccinated. The reasons for hesitation must be addressed to achieve herd immunity. Vaccine hesitancy is not only confined to one individual or one community. It is both a countrywide as well as a worldwide problem, which has been worsened by social media. The social media is full on anti-vaccination messages and conspiracy theories. If we do not have effective leadership that is trusted by its people then the people will turn to unreliable sources on social media. It is imperative that the government prioritise raising COVID-19 vaccine awareness and addresses the worries and concerns that our people have.
There is need to reassure the nation that the vaccines are being checked for quality before being rolled out. The safety and effectiveness of these vaccines must be made clear to our population. We know that the evidence coming out of other countries that have vaccinated millions of people is that these vaccines are safe and effective. There is need to show that the vaccines that we are choosing are also as safe and effective as those being rolled out in other countries. We do not doubt the effectiveness of Sinopharm vaccine being rolled out but we are concerned by the lack of communication so that the average person is confident enough to take it.
We now sound like a broken record in calling for the need to align our priorities with the needs of our people. Poorly prepared lockdowns caused the suffering our people. The intention was noble but execution was dismal and smelt of either incompetence or lack of care. Right now pushing the vaccine on starving people who are struggling to survive is likely to be met with resistance. Our people are arguing that if the government cares about us then it should be making sure that we have something to eat, jobs to work and land to till. If these basics are not met then the vaccine will be perceived as of low in priority. The proposed forced eviction of 12500 Chilonga villagers to grow grass for animals on their land erodes the people’s confidence in government’s capability to make sound sober choices and decisions for the people of Zimbabwe in any other area of life, including vaccines.
We call upon the government to improve the welfare of our people as we roll out this vaccine. Let us join hands in an honest and transparent way to rebuild lost trust through robust and trustworthy communication. That is the only way to eliminate vaccine hesitancy. We need effective leadership that is trusted by its people. We believe that this is achievable in Zimbabwe in our generation.
Once again, many thanks to the MDC-Alliance health portfolio committee for this presentation.
Dr Henry Madzorera. Secretary for Health and Child welfare. MDC-Alliance.
By James Gwati-Zanu PF youths have launched an anti- Constantino Chiwenga campaign ahead of the 2023 Presidential elections which are starting to gather momentum, by endorsing Emmerson Mnangagwa for the 2023 Presidential post.
Chiwenga runs a Zanu PF faction which has its strong support base in the military and a section of war veterans.
His faction wanted Mnangagwa to rule for one term and hand over power to the former army commander.
According to this faction, Mnangagwa was supposed to step-down at the end of his current term and allow Chiwenga to be the Party’s 2023 Presidential candidate.
To disturb Chiwenga and his wishful paction, Zanu PF youths this week launched a Mnangagwa 2023 campaign and started designing messages to that effect.
The party’s youth wing has also opened a Mnangagwa 2023 regalia shop which they are using as one of the vehicles for endorsing Mnangagwa’s 2023 Presidential candidature.
By James Gwati-President Emmerson Mnangagwa has justified his ban on Kombis and said that they were polluting the environment.
Mnangagwa on Friday directed the police to arrest all other cars and Kombis they would have seen carrying passengers.
He said only ZUPCO should carry the commuting public.
This has been denounced by the public who are saying that the ZUPCO buses are not enough to cover the whole nation.
Defending his Kombi ban, Mnangagwa said Kombis were polluting the environment.
“President Mnangagwa noted that buses were also critical in reducing air pollution as they emitted less carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides compared with smaller vehicles,” Mnangagwa was quoted in the state media as saying.
The state media said the desire to lower emissions, said President Mnangagwa, was consistent with what was outlined in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1), under the climate action
By James Gwati-President Emmerson Mnangagwa has unleashed police on private cars and kombis seen carrying passengers.
Mnangagwa who was commissioning 50 ZUPCO buses in the capital on Friday, said no any other vehicle which is not ZUPCO should carry commuters.
“In this regard, the Zimbabwe Republic Police must continue to enforce Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020 with regards to urban transport service provision,” said Mnangagwa.
Clause Two of SI 83 of 2020 reads as follows: “Transport services, whether intracity or intercity, for the carriage of passengers, shall be restricted to those provided by — (a) the parastatal company is known as the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco); (b) omnibuses and other passenger service vehicles operated by or on behalf of the Public Service Association, the Police Service, the Defence Forces and the Civil Protection Authorities,”
This has given the police the powers to throw spikes on moving vehicles which they would have suspected of pirating.
By A Correspondent- President Mnangagwa has directed the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to arrest Kombis and ensure that only the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company continue to be the provider of the public transport system.
He accused the private transport operators of abusing Government’s empowerment initiatives extended to them over the years through charging unsustainably exorbitant fares and failure to provide good customer care.
“Over the years, our transport sector has been opened to private players as an empowerment initiative. This has, however, presented pertinent and unique challenges. Our commuting public has often been subjected to poor services, unsafe travel and unsustainable fare structures,” said Mnangagwa while commissioning 50 ZUPCO busses in Harare on Friday.
By James Gwati- The Zanu PF Youth League, has opened their party regalia shop at the Zanu PF headquarters, where it is forcing party officials and visitors to buy the gab.
The shop which they have named “House of Cheneso” sales President Emmerson Mnangagwa faced jumpsuits, skirts, golf t-shirts, Cuban caps and pocketed waistcoat.
The Youths are taking anyone who would have visited Shake-Shake building to the shop and ask them to “support us” through buying “anything”.
All the merchandise is sold in United States Dollars.
By James Gwati- A Harare magistrate has postponed the trial of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s wife Mary after she had said that she was very ill and under heavy medication and could not comprehend court proceedings.
Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa, allowed for the postponement of the matter to 10 May, after noting that it was not in dispute that Mary was not feeling well.
Her doctor who was set to testify in court on her health condition failed to attend her hearing and said he was not sure when he will be available to give the testimony.
Chiwenga’s wife, through her lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa, wanted the doctor to testify on her health condition so the court could appreciate that she was not able to comprehend court proceedings during the trial. She faces trial on a charge of assaulting a family childminder, Delight Munyoro, outside Hellenic School in 2019.
She applied to have her doctor called to give evidence on her health condition after the State opposed her application for postponement of the trial on medical grounds.
Through Ms Mtetwa, Mary told the court that she was not ready to stand trial yesterday because of ill-health.
Mary said that she was taking heavy medication and was not mentally fit to comprehend court proceedings.
The State led by Mr Charles Muchemwa and Mrs Netsai Mushayabasa opposed the application for postponement.
ZANU-PF senior party members who have been lying low in the second republic under President Emerson Mnangagwa have bounced back to reclaim their political clout within the party structures.
Business Times can report that those that have come out of political hibernation in their provinces include the former political commissar Webster Shamu from Mashonaland West Province, former Health Minister, David Parirenyatwa and another former security Minister, Sydney Sekeramayi.
ZANU-PF secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu confirmed the development this week.
“I confirm that (David) Parirenyatwa is the secretary for health portfolio in ZANU-PF. Others including Sekeremayi have also bounced back,” Mpofu told Business Times.
Shamu has been roped in by the ZANU-PF commissariat department under Victor Matemadanda as one of the political advisors.
Shamu was the political commissar during the tenure of the late former president Robert Mugabe. He was fired as Minister of State for Provincial Affairs for Mashonaland West Province in May 2018.
Parirenyatwa was recently appointed to the post of secretary for Health in the politburo taking over from the expelled member Cleveria Chizema.
Parirenyatwa hails from Mashonaland East province.
He has been appointed by ZANU-PF at a time when the country is battling to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.
Parirenyatwa, who has some private surgeries in the country, had returned to continue his medical profession.
Politburo member Sekeremayi has been lying low since a failed attempt by the G-40 cabal for him to succeed Mugabe fell through after the November 2017 military assisted transition.
The veteran politician, who has held Cabinet portfolios of Defence and State Security, is heavily tipped to take over the post of the provincial chairmanship in Mashonaland East following the death of former cabinet minister Joel Biggie Matiza in January.
Contacted for comment, Sekeremayi told Business Times: “I am working for the party mobilising support as one of the senior party members in the province.”
By A Correspondent | Presidential Spokesman George Charamba has publicly confirmed that the government is truly after diamonds in the Chiredzi South, contrary to the claim that the area’s 12,500 black citizens are being displaced to pave way for a white owned grass growing project.
Charamba made the admissions on Friday morning on his Twitter portal, shortly before before rushing to delete his statement. He was responding to the Zim Freedom Of Expression org which had asked him over the mining project.
POLICE yesterday said more than 4 000 people were arrested within two days for not wearing face masks in public following the relaxation of Covid-19 lockdown measures.
President Mnangagwa on Monday relaxed Covid-19 level four national lockdown to allow for more economic activity after the measures that were implemented in January had worked to restrict Covid-19 infections.
Announcing the relaxed Covid-19 measures, President Mnangagwa said the public should remain on guard to ensure that the country does not record another spike in cases.
The President urged members of the public to adhere to Covid-19 prevention measures which include wearing of face masks, social distancing and washing of hands.
Following the easing of lockdown regulations, police have sounded concern that members of the public are becoming complacent and their actions could trigger a Covid-19 third wave.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said what is worrying is that members of the public want to follow regulations just when they are in the presence of law enforcement agents.
“We need people to really comply with the law so that we do not experience a third wave of Covid-19 in the country.
But worryingly, we are recording an increase in the number of Covid-19 prevention measures violators. If you check on March 3, over 1 900 people were arrested for not wearing face masks and yesterday (Thursday) 2 122 were arrested for not wearing face masks which is sad,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
“People are not taking the issue of Covid-19 seriously. They are taking for granted the issue of wearing masks. We want to implore the public to put their safety and that of others first and wear their masks whenever one is engaged in any activity in the public.”
He called for behaviour change among members of the public saying it was not enough to follow regulations for the police.
“When it comes to the issue of wearing of masks, social distancing, we have observed that the people want to be forced by the police yet we are saying following of regulations is for the health of everyone that we observe these World Health Organisation, these Government protocols. There is no need for one to be complacent, there is no need for one to wait for the police to follow regulations. There is no need to play hide and seek because Covid-19 does not play hide and seek,” he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi also warned members of the public against violating the curfew.
He said all the measures being imposed by the Government are for their protection hence there is no need for them to be forced to comply.
By James Gwati-Sex workers in Gwanda have connived and agreed to shun giving services to a local Gold panner because of his extra-ordinary man wood.
The sex workers have done this by circulating the picture of the Gold panner through their social media platforms.
The sex workers are turning down offers this popular gold panner saying no women can stand his poking monster!
The WhatsApp chats clearly show that the sex workers cannot handle the man identified as Bheki – almost everyone he has hired, gives him back his money as soon as she sees his huge endowment.
By A Correspondent| A Masvingo magistrate has granted temporary relief to the Chilonga villagers who are facing eviction from their ancestral homeland to pave way for Dendairy grass farming project.
Centre for Natural Resource Governance which engaged a private law firm to represent the affected community.
According to CNRG Director, Farai Maguwu, a team lawyers first visited Chilonga on Wednesday to speak to the affected families and get instructions before proceeding to Masvingo to file the application stopping the evictions.
The State has until 31 March to give valid reasons why this community must be displaced or why the order to evict the said community must not be interdicted.
About 12 000 Chilonga villagers were told to move away from their ancestral land to pay way for a grass project being spearheaded by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ally who runs Dendairy.
By James Gwati- Another accident has claimed seven lives along Mutare-Nyanga road this morning bringing the number of people who have died in road accidents to 14.
The Seven died on the 67 km peg along Mutare-Nyanga Road when a fuel tanker collided head-on with another truck. The other seven were killed in Madziwa near the Wimbo Shrine when a BMW vehicle hit a pedestrian, veered off the road and rammed five other pedestrians killing them on the spot.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the accidents.
“Both accidents occurred in the morning around 11 am. We will release more information later,” he said.
By A Correspondent | Presidential Spokesman George Charamba has publicly confirmed that the government is truly after diamonds in the Chiredzi South, contrary to the claim that the area’s 12,500 black citizens are being displaced to pave way for a white owned grass growing project.
Charamba made the admissions on Friday morning on his Twitter portal, shortly before before rushing to delete his statement. He was responding to the Zim Freedom Of Expression org which had asked him over the mining project.
By A Correspondent| Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has announced that police refused to arrest National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) leader Professor Lovemore Madhuku after he presented himself at Harare Central police station with the duo of Joana Mamombe and Cecelia Chimbiri who have since been arrested in connection with a press conference they addressed outside the Harare Magistrates Court over the detention of Makomborero Haruzivishe.
Prof Madhuku appeared in the video where Mamombe, Chimbiri and Netsai Marova together with members of the Zimbabwe National Students Union demanded the immediate release of Haruzivishe.
According to ZLHR Director Roseline Hanzi, the police told Prof Madhuku that they did not have an instruction to arrest him.
Members of ZINASU including Takudzwa Ngadziore have since been arrested in connection with the press conference.
“I am reliably informed that @ProfMadhuku appeared at Hre Central with duo, he advised @PoliceZimbabwe to arrest him too since he was at same presser that has now led to @JoanaMamombe + @ceechimbiri2. Officers refused to arrest saying they did not have instructions to arrest him,” said Hanzi.
It is though not a typical Crocodile Dundee story nor a movie script along those lines as the victim came out with cruel markings that are bound to be a permanent feature on his body. It is an episode which began with excitement and laughter punctuated with boyhood bravado only to end in blood and tears. His life will never be the same again and 13-year-old Clayton Dube is lucky to have survived after literally encountering the jaws of a crocodile.
One fine sunny day on January the 29th, Clayton and his friends left their homestead bound for Kalope Dam. The expanse water body is less than 5km from the Dube homestead in Lukosi. On normal hot days, the boys even enjoy a swim in the dam though elders frown upon the practice due to the number of crocodiles that have been spotted.
So as the saying goes that “boys will be boys,” Clayton and his friends went on a fishing expedition disregarding the perennial cautions by the village elders not to ever try venturing inside the dam. It would be a day when tragedy would change Clayton’s life forever.
“We threw our fish trap inside the water. As I monitored the situation, it began to sink. I thought a big fish had been caught hence it was going down,” says Clayton.
Little did he know that far from being the usual fisherman’s sign of a big catch, danger awaited him under the still waters of Kalope Dam.
The young lad says he jumped into the water excited of a great prospect. A fisherman’s catch is usually his day’s moment of coronation if it is a record one. But to young Clayton, it would turn out to be his moment of pain.
“I felt something grabbing my leg. I struggled and then felt a painful bite at that moment. Immediately I knew it was a crocodile and I had to fight for my life,” he relates with a rare confidence for someone who survived such an ordeal.
As he imagined what he had to do in such a moment, Clayton says he remembered crocodile survival tales that have always been spoken about in the village.
One of those old time lessons is that when one is attacked by a crocodile, they should look for its soft nose or push through its tongue a long stick.
The only alternative the young victim had at that time were his God-given fingers which he had to make use of.
His father Mr Bernard Dube says young Clayton related how he survived while he was being ferried by an ambulance to the nearly Wankie Colliery Hospital after being rescued.
“He told his mother while in the ambulance that he streched his hand and searched for a soft spot on the crocodile’s upper part.
He was looking for the nose which he found and then inserted his fingers with vigour. It was then that the crocodile left him,” says Clayton’s father.
However, the unpleasant scene was not yet over. After escaping the jaws of the cruel water monster, Clayton had lost his right leg.
He still had to find his way out of the dam and those watching from the shore were too scared to jump into the bloody water and rescue him. His grateful father however says they played a huge role in encouraging him to fight on till he got to safety on shallow water where he was then pulled out.
“Standing by the shore, they kept screaming and making noise to try and scare the crocodile. They even threw stones in the direction of the reptile to just keep it away from its bleeding victim,” he says.
A spirit of bravery and the will to survive must have taken hold of young Clayton who managed to swim minus the lower part of his right leg all the way to the shore. Those waiting by then pulled him out and called for an ambulance which took him to the Colliery Hospital for treatment.
Sadly, Clayton has lost a leg and he hobbles around the house and yard on crutches. When this news crew arrived at the Dube homestead in Lukosi his mother had just finished dressing his wounds.
The family is however positive that nothing will deter their son from going back to school when the new 2021 academic year re-opens. The young victim is going for his Grade 7 at Lwendulu Primary School and remains upbeat that he will rise to the challenge that has robbed him of his leg.
“I want to go back to school and learn even harder. Yes I will have a problem with walking, but I cannot stop going to school,” he beams with an ear to ear smile albeit telling a sad story.
To Clayton’s mother, this is nothing short of a miracle. It is a day that the family will always testify about as true testimony that the Almighty loves them dearly.
“I want to thank God for my child. I am grateful he survived. Yes there will be challenges when he goes back to school because he needs an artificial leg now.
“We pray to get it and are making frantic efforts though we hope well-wishers will assist us in that endeavour,” she says.
Crocodile attacks are not a new phenomenon in Africa though they increase mainly due to how much rains are received in a season.
The Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has constantly warned that water bodies are the natural habitat of these aquatic beasts.
“We encourage communities to stay away from water bodies especially in a season where there have been incessant rains. May crocodiles come through water bodies and we urge people to stay away from any water sources,” says Mr Tinashe Farawo, the authority’s spokesperson.
While this might be a lesson that came late for young Clayton and his friends, the outstanding bravery he tapped into in order to survive the attack at Kalope Dam might just fit in as one of the tales in the village for many years to come.-ZBC NEWS
Prominent lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa has accused the Judiciary of abusing her client, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s estranged wife Marry Mubaiwa, saying the assault case she was facing could have been treated differently had it involved a different suspect.
Marry Chiwenga at Magistrates court
Mtetwa said this after the State opposed her application for postponement of trial in a case Marry is accused of assaulting her domestic worker.
The defence counsel made the application on the basis that Marry was undergoing a complex blood transfusion process and was, therefore, not fit to stand trial at the moment.
Prosecutor Charles Muchemwa opposed the application, saying the State witnesses had been warned to appear in court yesterday and a move to postpone the matter would prejudice them.
Mtetwa told the court that the State was abusing her client, saying the fact that a mere assault case was transferred to the regional court meant the case was not treated like other assault cases which are being heard at lower courts.
Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa, who is presiding over the case, postponed the matter to May 10.
Gofa said there was no dispute on the sickness of the accused and for her to receive a fair trial, she should be given a chance to heal.
Allegations are that on January 26 this year, the domestic worker Delight Munyoro went to Hellenic Primary School in Borrowdale to collect the accused person’s child.
As she was waiting for him at the gate, it is alleged the driver, Batsirayi Furukiya, went to collect the child and the complainant remained seated in the vehicle.
The State alleges that when the driver was walking back to the car with the child, Marry was following behind him.
When she got to the vehicle, Marry allegedly started accusing Munyoro of telling her child not to like her.
It is alleged Marry shouted at Munyoro, telling her that she was a witch and could not allow her children to be taken care of by her.
While in the car, the accused allegedly struck Munyoro on her left cheek. -Newsday
The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (Zela) has filed an urgent chamber application at the Masvingo High Court seeking to interdict government from going ahead with its plan to displace more than 12 000 villagers from Chilonga in Chiredzi to pave way for a lucerne farming project.
Zela also filed another application challenging the constitutionality of Statutory Instrument 50 of 2021 which was promulgated by government last week, together with its empowering provision being section 10(3)(d) of the Communal Land Act.
Chilonga villager, Livison Chikutu is the first applicant while the land rights pressure group the Masvingo Center for Advocacy, Research and Development (MACRAD) is the second applicant.
Local Government minister July Moyo, Chiredzi Rural District Council (RDC), Lands minister Anxious Masuka and Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Ezra Chadzamira were cited as respondents.
“The applicants approached this honorable court under HC 08 /21, by making a court application which challenged the constitutionality of section 10(3)(d) of the Communal Land Act Chapter 20:04 read together with Statutory Instrument 50 of 2021 Communal Land (Setting Aside of Land) Chiredzi Notice, 2021,” the application read.
“SI 50 of 2021 ordered the Shangaan community to permanently depart from the Chilonga communal land and the setting aside of such land effectively started to run from the 26th of February, 2021, being the day of publication. Despite the pending challenge that the applicants have made before this honorable court, the threat, to be forcibly remove the Shangaan community subsists and as such, applicants have approached this honourable court on an urgent basis, seeking an interdict, barring the respondents, or anyone acting through them to enforce SI 50 OF 2021 pending the determination of the constitutional challenge that has been mounted to the same.
“The enforcement of this order, creates a reasonable apprehension of harm in any person, as the harm that the Shangaan people are fearful of is being placed into a state of homelessness, without any alternative to housing or shelter and forsaking all immovable structure they have developed in this community for years.
“The land in question resonates with their religious and cultural beliefs, and banishing them from this land would have stripped them of their rights as provided for at law. The balance of convenience favors the granting of this application, as the applicants will be greatly prejudiced and permanently so, if the respondents are left to operationalise or enforce Statutory Instrument 50 of 2021, and yet, the constitutionality of the same has been challenged.
“The applicants have no alternative remedy available for them as the first respondent’s decision has been made into law, save for challenging the same, and seeking that the regulations be set aside pending the determination of the constitutionality of the same,” read Zela’s urgent chamber application.
In the second application (case number 08/21) challenging SI 50 of 2021, as well as section 10(3)(d) of the Communal Land Act, MACRAD claims that Section 10(3)(d) of the Communal Land Act is constitutionally invalid as it violates section 74 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
It further seeks a declarator to the effect that Statutory Instrument 50 of 2021 is also unconstitutional as it infringes villagers’ rights not to be subjected to arbitrary evictions; right to dignity; right to religion and the right to procedurally and substantively fair administrative justice.
“The first applicant alleges that SI 50 of 2021 read together with section 10(3)(d) of the Communal Land Act is unconstitutional as it infringes on the right not be subject to arbitrary eviction as provided for under section 74 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, right to administrative action that is fair and just as provided under section 68 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the right to dignity as provided by section 54, right to equal protection and benefit of the law.”
The applicants argue that the Shangaan villagers have been affected by numerous evictions before when they paved way for sugarcane production in the Lowveld.
The two cases are yet to be set down for hearing. -Newsday/Additional reporting
Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has strongly condemned the plan by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to evict 12,500 villagers from their ancestral land.
Mr Mnangagwa’s administration wants to create space for a grass-growing project in the Lowveld.
Experts say the area is not suitable for a dairy project.
President Chamisa wrote on Twitter:
“STOP BEING HEARTLESS AND CRUEL..EVICTING 12 500 Chilonga villagers in Chiredzi for a grass dairy project is criminal and vile.
Chiyadzwa, Chingwizi, Chisumbanje greenfuel evictions show disdain of citizens. Capital &profits must not undermine citizens rights,heritage and dignity.”
Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has strongly condemned the plan by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to evict 12,500 villagers from their ancestral land.
Mr Mnangagwa’s administration wants to create space for a grass-growing project in the Lowveld.
Experts say the area is not suitable for a dairy project.
President Chamisa wrote on Twitter:
“STOP BEING HEARTLESS AND CRUEL..EVICTING 12 500 Chilonga villagers in Chiredzi for a grass dairy project is criminal and vile.
Chiyadzwa, Chingwizi, Chisumbanje greenfuel evictions show disdain of citizens. Capital &profits must not undermine citizens rights,heritage and dignity.”
Zambia national team coach Milutin Sredojević, better known as Micho, has named a 33-member provisional squad for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Algeria slated for later this month.
Chipolopolo, who anchor Group H with three points from four games, need to beat the Warriors and the Desert Foxes to entertain any chances of booking a place at the continental spectacle in Cameroon.
Here is the squad named by the Serbian tactician;
Goal keepers
Allan Chibwe, Cyril Chibwe, Lameck Siame.
Defenders
Kabaso Chongo, Tandi Mwape, Luka Banda, Adrain Chama, Golden Mafwenta, Clement Mulashi, Dominic Chanda,Benedict Chepeshi, Zachariah Chilongoshi.
Tinashe Sambiri|Zanu PF leader, Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa is directly involved in the eviction of Shangaan people because of his links to Dendairy, impeccable sources have revealed.
Mr Mnangagwa’s administration is planning to evict thousands of Shangaan people from their ancestral land to create space for a grass- growing project.
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Executive member, Antony Taruvinga condemned Mr Mnangagwa’s administration for preferring grass to villagers’ lives.
“We condemn the move by the milk company to choose grass over human life.
There are tracts of land that are unused in Zimbabwe, why can’t they grow their grass there other than evicting natives whose land is their only inheritance? It is gross disregard for human life and dignity. Yes, we must show by boycotting their products but if you choose Dairibord over Dendairy, you are still just supporting them.
Boycott both Dendairy and Dairibord as the latter is in the processing of legally engulfing Dendairy. Let’s try find any other alternatives, which are not Dairibord. PROmilk, YoMilk, Kefalos, Nestle or milk farms if worse comes to the worst,” argued Taruvinga.
Tinashe Sambiri|Zanu PF leader, Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa is directly involved in the eviction of Shangaan people because of his links to Dendairy, impeccable sources have revealed.
Mr Mnangagwa’s administration is planning to evict thousands of Shangaan people from their ancestral land to create space for a grass- growing project.
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Executive member, Antony Taruvinga condemned Mr Mnangagwa’s administration for preferring grass to villagers’ lives.
“We condemn the move by the milk company to choose grass over human life.
There are tracts of land that are unused in Zimbabwe, why can’t they grow their grass there other than evicting natives whose land is their only inheritance? It is gross disregard for human life and dignity. Yes, we must show by boycotting their products but if you choose Dairibord over Dendairy, you are still just supporting them.
Boycott both Dendairy and Dairibord as the latter is in the processing of legally engulfing Dendairy. Let’s try find any other alternatives, which are not Dairibord. PROmilk, YoMilk, Kefalos, Nestle or milk farms if worse comes to the worst,” argued Taruvinga.
The President of Zimbabwe Centre For Equal Opportunities (ZCEO) a Civic Society Organisation, Mr Paddington Japa Japa has warned Members of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDCA) in Zimbabwe and those around the World, not to be infuenced by external factors into making the most foolish and wrong decision of abandoning the Movement of Democratic Change Alliance under Chamisa, for other Political Parties without a future.We all know that every Human Being is an active creature which is innately good and capable of choice,which strive for Survival,Growth and Development of their Potential,they seek change,Plan and restructure their lives to achieve optimal self fulfilment.Every individual has got Humanistic needs which are Basic needs and Meta needs (ABRAHAM MASLOW FAMOUS HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGIST (1908-1970).The Basic needs consist of Physiological needs eg Human Survival,food,drink water,accommodation,sex,and exercise.Then there are Psychological needs being Personal Security,Love,Self esteem etc.There are also Metaneeds being higher level needs which include Cognitive needs, Aesthetic needs and self fulfilment.In brief these two broad category of needs are called Deficiency needs and Growth needs.Basic Psychological needs are also called deficiency needs because when they are not satisfied individuals engage in behaviours designed to satisfy them.The Metaneeds are called Growth needs because Activities relating to them do not result from deficiencies but from the organism’s tendency torward growth.
Due to our desire as Human beings to satisfy the Basic Physiological and higher level Meta needs which culminates into Self Actualisation. according to Famous Russian Psychologist Abraham Maslow, failure by institutions like Governments to create enabling environments for Citizens to thrive and Participate meaningfully in Mainstream Economic Activities soas to Satisfy Basic Physiological needs and Higher Level Meta needs,mean there would be no Peace,Law and Order to observe in Societies we live,because individuals will be hungry,naked, homeless and angry.
Maslow,s Humanistic Model can best be used to describe the Zimbabwean Socio-Political-Economic Situation, where Basic Physiological and Higher Level Meta needs are failing to be satisfied, which leads to Societal Social fabric break down.In turn the Societal Social fabric breakdown leads to individuals engaging in nefarious,evil, undesirable behaviours like Corruption,Murder,Robberies,Rape,Stealing,Car Jacking Cattle rustling,Poaching, to mention a few.This will include the infamous Selling of souls to the Devil,we saw the Registration of the first Church of Satan in the USA and secondarily in South Africa.Same sex Marriages by Gays and Lesbians is now the order of the day mainly in European and some African Countries.
Politics has not been spared in these Societal Social ills, with Politicians resorting to “Selling Out” their Political allegiance to Political antagonists because of the love of Money.The Bible which is the Word of God in the Book of Timothy 6 vs 10 says,For the Love of the Money is the root of all evil and some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the truth, faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.
Let me speak from a Spiritual and Prophetic point of view where i want to warn MDCA Party Members not to Abandon Nelson Chamisa,s MDCA for any other Political Party, such action would be tantamount to committing Political suicide.In Zimbabwean Politics there are only two serious Political Parties which are serious contenders for taking over power after every five years of General Elections in Zimbabwe.The serious contenders are the Old fashioned and Archaic Zanu Pf Party and the sure to Govern MDCA Alliance Party!!!! What worries me most is when i see some few Polical Rejectes who are dumping Chamisa’s MDCA to join, of all the Parties, Zanu Pf or its extension in the form of MDCT.Any sound minded Politician will never do such a stupid thing only Sellouts can because of the Love of Money., Psychopaths and Sociopaths do that also.Any active Member of the MDCA who intend to abandon the Party and join either Zanu Pf or the Supreme Court Constructed MDCT will be destroying their Political careers.Others tried it in the past but it never materialised.Any serious Opposition Politician who abandons Chamisa’s Political Umbrella will not survive or make it out their.Hate him or Love him, the Young,God fearing eloquent,Visionary,energetic,Strategical,Vibrant Opposition Leader has already been anointed by God, to take over Governance of this country called Zimbabwe when the time is ripe.No matter how much they might denigrate Him,calling him all sorts of names like foolish,Childish, liar, uinexperienced,no liberation war background, it shall all be in vain, remember, That which the Lord God has anointed, no Man can push assunder!!!! Even if they try to Poison or Assassinate him they will not Succ iteede, King Saul tried it on the Anointed David, that did not work.Chamisa Nelson is Protected by Flames of fire,Devine Protection!!! Those who have got ears to hear let them hear, this Prophetic word from His Majesty, God Almighty!!!!
THE AUTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE PADDINGTON JAPA JAPA IS AN EVANGELIST AND A TEACHER OF GOD’S WORD,SOCCER ADMINSTRATOR,CIVIC SOCIETY LEADER,MDCA NC AND NEC MEMBER,HOLDER OF A BSC HONOURS PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE!!!
The title for this week’s piece is borrowed from Barack Obama’s 2007 book published by Canongate Books Limited. The title speaks to a people’s avowed faith that all shall be well; that a day shall come when their aspirations and the toil of their endeavour, nay the labour of their sweat, shall all yield a positive change in their lived circumstance.
The audacity of hope is an aphorism that I feel encapsulates the mindset of every Zimbabwean at this political juncture; the faith that the dangling scarf shall throttle and choke its owner and that those repressing the people today will be washed away by the torrents of history. The audacity of hope denotes the unstinting faith that tomorrow can only be a better day and that a people’s desires and aspirations shall bear fruit well within their lifetime.
For Barack Obama, the audacity of hope is a phrase he says he borrowed from his pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright Jr, who used it as a title for a sermon. Obama, who was to use this forceful dictum as a title for his book, had also used the powerful phrase as the main theme for his speech when he delivered the keynote address as a relatively unknown politician at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004.
The conventions of the Democratic Party are grand occasions of passion and people power, they are inspiring fiestas for avowed social democrats. I came face to face with the lively, exuberant spirit of the DNC when I accompanied President Tsvangirai, then the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, to the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina in September 2012. I was humbled by the mass-centric thrust of the occasion and the optic showcase of people power. We missed our plane back home, having been delayed and held rapt by the wonderful sight of a determined people’s unstinting faith that their chosen politics can make meaningful, positive change in their lives.
For Barack Obama, the audacity of hope is a phrase that best defined the American spirit; the audacity to believe, despite evidence to the contrary, that hope still held even for a people and a nation torn by conflict, repression and hate.
Hope is audacious. Hope keeps a people astride their aspirations, in the optimism that what they desire shall be fulfilled one day.
Hope charms and soothes the heart. Hope is a sweet chariot that ferries despondent souls from the hopelessness of their lived moment to the comfort of their fancied destination.
The audacity of hope.
Hope keeps people alive. For it is only the power of unfettered hope that can assuage weeping souls, just as a mother’s lullaby calms the crying baby on her sweaty back.
My sister born after me and who celebrated her birthday last Friday was named Edina Tariro. And Tariro, the Shona word for hope, is a popular name in our communities. It sums up a stubborn and arrogant faith in a better future. It denotes a yearning spirit for a better life–an unstinting faith that all shall be well and that as a people, we shall one day live our collective fantasy, our collective dream.
In Zimbabwe, it is the audacity of hope that still carries our spirit, that exhorts us to carry on with the struggle—-the sheer gall and stoic belief that our effort and toil for a better country will definitely not be in vain.
For us, the audacity of hope refers to our conviction that Zanu PF’s onslaught to perish the people’ s movement will come to nought. We know—and we are certain—that through our own tenacity, we shall break the Zanu PF leash tying our collective fate to the incompetent hand of this wicked, clueless and murderous lot in government. They may arrest us, brutalise us, strip us of what rightfully belongs to us but we shall prevail.
Every generation must leave the country a better place than they found it. Only then can they stare history in the face and say their stint on this earth was worthwhile and well-deserved.
Adespondentnationofahopingpeople
Without a job, with no safety nets in the wake of this pandemic and struggling to feed his eight children, John Tembo in Mvuma can only hope that this health disaster comes to an end so he can vend on the roadside once again. The audacity of hope.
For Esther Chihwa and Smart Taundi of Harare Central, the dip in the Covid-19 mortalities has ushered in a renewed sense of hope. It is the hope that by-elections will soon be held so they can reinstate their chosen representatives who were recalled by the colluding parties they defeated in the last election.
Across the country, the people had chosen their councillors and MPs and these have been needlessly recalled and a fresh set of representatives foisted upon them, in some cases the people imposed on them are the same people they had rejected at the polls.
It is the people’s hope that they will soon deliver a cardinal lesson to Zanu PF and its surrogates that the people are sovereign; that leaders come from the people and that no one can recall the people’s unfettered choice except the people themselves! The audacity of hope.
Voters are hoping and waiting for their day in the ballot box in by-elections that must now be held as a matter of urgency so that the people get their fresh chance to restate their position that Nelson Chamisa and the MDC Alliance remain the sole repository of their faith, trust and confidence. The people are itching to send out a sonorous message of who their true leaders are. The by-elections can’t be banned forever. They will clear this planted mist of confusion. We are well past the 90-day period in which by-elections should have been held and the people are hoping and waiting for their hour. The audacity of hope.
The people of Chilonga too are caught up in the throes of hope. They too are hoping that for once, their worth and value be seen as greater than that of lucerne grass. They are hoping that normalcy returns and a true leadership takes over that understands that their worth is taller than lucerne grass. The audacity of hope.
When you have a government that believes that people should be evicted from their ancestral land so that the illegitimate President’s friend can grow grass for his dairy cows, a people can only hope that sanity and decency returns to the corridors of government, even if that government imposed itself on them.
Since 2000, Zanu PF has peddled the propaganda mantra that the MDC is a party of puppets, a party that fronts the interests of whites, the interests of capital. Now that the Shangaani people of Chilonga, the indigenous people of this land, are being evicted so that Mnangagwa’s white friend can grow grass for his cattle, it is now clear who the puppets are.
The question of who is playing puppet politics has now been sufficiently settled!
The unemployed people of this country, the despondent citizenry in the villages, in the urban areas and in the mining towns are all hoping for a chance to express their outrage. You don’t steal a People’s source of livelihood, a people’s future, a people’s land and birthright then go further to pilfer their party, the party name and recall their elected representatives, grab their party headquarters and the money due to them and still hope things will be normal.
No, the people will certainly come for you!
Hope is audacious. Even negative hope exists too. And negative hope is equally audacious.
Negative hope is the hope that you can repress a people forever and they will do nothing about it.
It is that hope when you lie to yourself that you will be able to vanquish a people’s party and a people’s leadership and recreate a similar entity under the leadership of stooges and surrogates.
The negative hope that the criminal lot in government will deliver and change the country’s fortunes, including a Willowgare criminal sworn into office only 48 hours ago. Criminals can only run a government in a kleptocracy—a government of thieves. And Zimbabwe does not deserve to be a kleptocraacy.
While negative hope is audacious, history has shown that in the end, it is only well-meaning hope that endures and that will ultimately prevail.
Conclusion
The dip in Covid-19 – related deaths means we are slowly reuniting with our rights that had been put in abeyance in the wake of this global pandemic, most importantly the rights of assembly, movement and association.
The right to petition and protest remains sacred, especially in the political moment that engulfs us. Our society will grab the chance to express its full revulsion at this despicable lot in government that is mismanaging our affairs, arresting, brutalising and killing people and dimming their collective hope.
Hope alone is not enough. Hope alone is vacuous and grossly inadequate in solving the key questions of the day. A people must act to push through the fulfillment of their hopes. You don’t just hope to become a medical doctor and then believe that your hope is enough to make you one; without going to school, without attending medical school and without taking the requisite practical steps to actualise your hope.
Even little David did not just hope for the giant Goliath to disappear from his face. He acted to bring his hope to fruition. He took a stone, put it on his sling and practically acted against the gargantuan human edifice that stood before him.
In the 1970s, our brothers and sisters did not just hope for Rhodesian repression to desert their desolate lives. They acted on their convictions, took up arms and fought a liberation struggle.
Times have changed. I am not saying we must take up arms. The point is a repressed people must go beyond hoping and take practical action to change their situation by actualising their hope.
It is simply not enough to hope.
Sometimes history needs a push, a helping hand. And the time has come in this country for the people to give history a huge push. Perhaps the time has come to nudge history by seeking sanctuary in section 59 of our Constitution, itself a Constitution that we made ourselves and endorsed in a referendum.
Hope is audacious but the people themselves are certainly more audacious than their hope.
Emmanuel Makandiwa who last year March made false claims that he knows the cure for COVID, says Mnangagwa, Chiwenga and other world leaders being vaccinated on TV, are lying." That's not your vaccine… that's a lie…," he says. pic.twitter.com/G7vQbh8V1Z
Emmanuel Makandiwa who last year March made false claims that he knows the cure for COVID, says Mnangagwa, Chiwenga and other world leaders being vaccinated on TV, are lying.” That’s not your vaccine… that’s a lie…,” he says.
By James Gwati-Sex workers in Gwanda have connived and agreed to shun giving services to a local Gold panner because of his extra-ordinary man wood.
The sex workers have done this by circulating the picture of the Gold panner through their social media platforms.
The sex workers are turning down offers this popular gold panner saying no women can stand his poking monster!
The WhatsApp chats clearly show that the sex workers cannot handle the man identified as Bheki – almost everyone he has hired, gives him back his money as soon as she sees his huge endowment.
By James Gwati- In what could be seen as the birth of another Genus Kadungure, the country has seen the emergence of another flamboyant entrepreneur who is under the age of 40.
The new Ginimbi is a Zimbabwean who is based in South Africa, Amos Tsopotsa, and deals in forex.
It is through forex dealings that he said gave him the money to buy two Bentleys at once.
A 2020 model Bently car costs at least US$250 000-00.
The forex dealer feels he can do better than the crop of Sir Wicknell and the late Ginimbi.
“Everything you see about me has been acquired through forex trading. I know many have been victims of scams, but if you take time and learn it yourself from reliable mentors you can make it. “I have turned many people from being employees to business people. I believe forex trading must be taken as a business and not a get-rich-quick scheme,” he said.
By James Gwati- Four Prison officers and an inmate have died in a road accident which occurred this morning along Mutare-Nyanga road.
The Prison guards and the inmate were coming from attending a court session in Nyanga.
They were stationed in Mutare.
The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Manicaland provincial office has confirmed the accident and said they were very saddened by the unfortunate development.
By James Gwati- There was drama at the Harare magistrates courts, Friday, after Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s wife Marry, requested the invitation of her doctors in the dock to testify that she was ill.
This happened after Mary, though her lawyer, Ms Beatrice Mtetwa, had told the court that she was not ready to stand trial today because of ill-health.
Marry was set be tried today on allegations of assaulting a family maid, Delight Munyoro sometime in 2019.
Chiwenga’s wife told Harare Regional Magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa that she was taking heavy medication and was not mentally fit to comprehend court proceedings.
She, therefore, sought for postponement of her matter to another date when she gets fit.
The State led by Mr Charles Muchemwa and Mrs Netsai Mushayabasa opposed the application for postponement.
They indicated that witnesses have been attending court for a long time and there was no proof to show that Marry could not comprehend court proceedings.
Ms Mtetwa then requested an adjournment to afford them time to call Marry’s doctor to testify on her condition in the next court session.
By James Gwati- Another accident has claimed seven lives along Mutare-Nyanga road this morning bringing the number of people who have died in road accidents to 13.
The Seven died on the 67 km peg along Mutare-Nyanga Road when a fuel tanker collided head-on with another truck. The other six were killed in Madziwa near the Wimbo Shrine when a BMW vehicle hit a pedestrian, veered off the road and rammed five other pedestrians killing them on the spot.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the accidents.
“Both accidents occurred in the morning around 11 am. We will release more information later,” he said.
Dear Editor We need your help in locating the family of Tafadzwa Alex Chiota from Harare who died in a car accident in Capetown.
Alex Chiota
We have tried to locate the families with no luck, all our leads unfortunately has reached a dead end. They were 4 in the car but luckily we have managed to get the other family members. We can help the family financially but we need anyone from his family members to come forward.
Kind regards Weston Willie Zimbabweans in Capetown +27 84 8704358
By A Correspondent- A Chitungwiza land baron who is also a close ally of the former Local Government Minister, Fredrick Mabamba, has died in remand prison.
Mabamba was arrested and was at Harare Remand Prison for allegedly illegal parcelling out of state land.
One of his close aides who preferred anonymity confirmed his death. “Yes, it is true that Mabamba has died. He collapsed at remand prison and was rushed to Parirenyatwa (group of Hospitals) where he was pronounced dead upon arrival,” said the aide.
National Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was yet to get the details.
Mabamba served as Chitungwiza Deputy Mayor during the then Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo at the turn of the millennium.
It is during this time that the police said Mabamba grabbed hundreds of residential and commercial stands in Chitungwiza, which he was now selling to desperate home seekers.
BREAKING: The MDC Alliance Trio are at Harara Central police station for their routine reporting.
A Police Officer has announced charges against the trio saying they held an unsanctioned meeting in solidarity with @MakomboreroH at the Harare Magistrates Court.
Warriors coach Zdravko Logarušić is back in the country from Croatia.
The firebrand tactician went back to his native country after the disastrous CHAN campaign in Cameroon and work permit issues had hindered his return to the country.
HE arrived in Harare yesterday afternoon.
Warriors team manager Wellington Mpandare told Soccer24 today that the coach’s work permit issue is ‘work in progress’.
Loga named a 38-man provisional squad for the decisive AFCON qualifiers against Botswana and Zambia scheduled for later this month.
Zimbabwe are second in Group H behind Algeria with two rounds of fixtures remaining.- Soccer 24 Zimbabwe
Zambia national team coach Milutin Sredojević, better known as Micho, has named a 33-member provisional squad for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Algeria slated for later this month.
Chipolopolo, who anchor Group H with three points from four games, need to beat the Warriors and the Desert Foxes to entertain any chances of booking a place at the continental spectacle in Cameroon.
Here is the squad named by the Serbian tactician;
Goal keepers
Allan Chibwe, Cyril Chibwe, Lameck Siame.
Defenders
Kabaso Chongo, Tandi Mwape, Luka Banda, Adrain Chama, Golden Mafwenta, Clement Mulashi, Dominic Chanda,Benedict Chepeshi, Zachariah Chilongoshi.
An assortment of brain-boosting, blood-sugar-leveling foods may help relieve the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
By Jessica Migala Medically Reviewed by Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES
Seasonal depression, more formally known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a common mood disorder characterized by low energy, hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, and sleep problems that coincide with the change in seasons, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
The cause of SAD is likely multifactorial, and may include imbalances in mood-regulating brain chemicals, as well as a lack of vitamin D (from less sunlight), and an overproduction of the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin.
Typical treatment involves light therapy, talk therapy, antidepressant medications, and supplements of vitamin D (which we normally get from sunlight, which is scarce during the winter).
Many clinicians also suggest another way to alleviate symptoms: diet.
“Nutrition habits can definitely have an impact on your mood,” says Nicole Avena, PhD, a research neuroscientist and nutrition and diet expert in New York City. “Variety and balance is important. If your eating pattern is unbalanced, it can upset other aspects of your health, including mood,” she says.
While research definitively linking a specific diet and relief of SAD symptoms is lacking, there’s good evidence to suggest that the following 10 foods support mood and brain function.
1 Salmon and Rainbow Trout Sardines and lemons in oil Offset Foods that include omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain health, and vitamin D, are a one-two punch. Salmon and rainbow trout are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and rich in vitamin D, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
2 Berries blueberries in cartons Veeterzy/Unsplash Many people are drawn to high carb junk food for a feel-good fix. But the payoff is short-lived. “Eating high amounts of added sugar, which can cause highs followed by lows, can cause swings in mood or irritability,” says Ginger Hultin, RDN, the owner of Champagne Nutrition in Seattle and author of Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep, Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries offer a sweet taste without a ton of added sugar.
3 Whole Grain Bread + Protein poached egg avocado toast Darren Muir/Stocksy Adding some fresh chicken or hummus, cheese, and vegetables to whole grain bread may be the perfect mood-supporting lunch. “Combining healthy carbs and protein can be a good way to support your mood in the winter because the protein will keep you full longer and the carbs will give your body the proper sugar it needs without the crash,” says Dr. Avena.
4 Green, Black, or White Tea pouring green tea Marti Sans/Stocksy People suffering from SAD sometimes over-consume coffee in search of a mood lift. Tea provides a dose of caffeine, but a milder one, and it has other brain benefits. Tea consumption is associated with a 31 percent lower risk of depression, according to a review published in Nutrients in June 2019. That may be because of the brew’s unique compounds, including teasaponin, L-theanine, and EGCG (in green tea), all of which affect the neurotransmitter dopamine, reduce bodily inflammation, and lessen the body’s stress response, say researchers.
5 Green Leafy Vegetables fresh kale in basket Thinkstock We’re talking spinach, bok choy, kale, collards, and other greens. These are packed with B vitamins that are also critical for brain function, says Hultin. In fact, some research in Nutrients in September 2019 suggests that an overall deficiency in this group of vitamins is associated with mood disorders in some people. Restoring those levels, therefore, may help improve mood. While the study did not find that supplementing with B vitamins decreased depression or anxiety, it was found to make a difference in lowering stress levels, which can contribute to winter angst.
6 Protein
In a study from Finland, published in Neuropsychobiology in July 2017, the percentage of people affected by seasonal affective disorder was four times higher in vegetarians compared with omnivores.
Researchers suggest that it might be the lack of certain nutrients, like B12, from animal products, as well as a greater focus on carbohydrate-rich foods (which vegetarians tend to prioritize) that led to lagging energy. If you are someone who eats animal-based proteins, make sure that you’re eating these types of foods during the winter season to keep your vigor up…
Source: Everyday Health
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information follow /like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
By Tapiwanashe Isaac Chiriga ZINASU Secretary General
I cannot afford to celebrate anything about leaving Mnangagwa’s terror dungeons after an unjustified week long stay.
I however would like to express heartfelt gratitude to cdes, friends and family who stood with us in all ways imaginable. My heart sinks knowing the filthy, inhuman and degrading conditions I just left my brothers Takudzwa Ngadziore and Makomborero Haruzivishe in this evening when I left Harare Remand Prison.
We have a group of people who are so scared of unarmed young people that they will employ a ruthless system to fight them when they speak out, responding to words with terror My greatest support, gratitude and solidarity goes to Pritchard T Paradzayi, Allan Chipoyi, Glown Magaya and Falon Dunga who were arrested demanding our release yesterday.
The way the system enablers always get uneasy whenever ZINASU is mentioned seriously reflects how much of a pain we have become in the skin of the Zimbabwean Terrorist cartel calling itself a government We FIGHT ON!!!
ABANDON CHAMISA’S MDCA PARTY AND YOUR POLITICAL CAREER IS FINISHED, JAPA JAPA WARNS OPPOSITION MDCA MEMBERS!!!!
A CRITICAL ANALYSIS!!!!
The President of Zimbabwe Centre For Equal Opportunities (ZCEO) a Civic Society Organisation, Mr Paddington Japa Japa has warned Members of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDCA) in Zimbabwe and those around the World, not to be infuenced by external factors into making the most foolish and wrong decision of abandoning the Movement of Democratic Change Alliance under Chamisa, for other Political Parties without a future.We all know that every Human Being is an active creature which is innately good and capable of choice,which strive for Survival,Growth and Development of their Potential,they seek change,Plan and restructure their lives to achieve optimal self fulfilment.Every individual has got Humanistic needs which are Basic needs and Meta needs (ABRAHAM MASLOW FAMOUS HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGIST (1908-1970).The Basic needs consist of Physiological needs eg Human Survival,food,drink water,accommodation,sex,and exercise.Then there are Psychological needs being Personal Security,Love,Self esteem etc.There are also Metaneeds being higher level needs which include Cognitive needs, Aesthetic needs and self fulfilment.In brief these two broad category of needs are called Deficiency needs and Growth needs.Basic Psychological needs are also called deficiency needs because when they are not satisfied individuals engage in behaviours designed to satisfy them.The Metaneeds are called Growth needs because Activities relating to them do not result from deficiencies but from the organism’s tendency torward growth.
Due to our desire as Human beings to satisfy the Basic Physiological and higher level Meta needs which culminates into Self Actualisation. according to Famous Russian Psychologist Abraham Maslow, failure by institutions like Governments to create enabling environments for Citizens to thrive and Participate meaningfully in Mainstream Economic Activities soas to Satisfy Basic Physiological needs and Higher Level Meta needs,mean there would be no Peace,Law and Order to observe in Societies we live,because individuals will be hungry,naked, homeless and angry.
Maslow,s Humanistic Model can best be used to describe the Zimbabwean Socio-Political-Economic Situation, where Basic Physiological and Higher Level Meta needs are failing to be satisfied, which leads to Societal Social fabric break down.In turn the Societal Social fabric breakdown leads to individuals engaging in nefarious,evil, undesirable behaviours like Corruption,Murder,Robberies,Rape,Stealing,Car Jacking Cattle rustling,Poaching, to mention a few.This will include the infamous Selling of souls to the Devil,we saw the Registration of the first Church of Satan in the USA and secondarily in South Africa.Same sex Marriages by Gays and Lesbians is now the order of the day mainly in European and some African Countries.
Politics has not been spared in these Societal Social ills, with Politicians resorting to “Selling Out” their Political allegiance to Political antagonists because of the love of Money.The Bible which is the Word of God in the Book of Timothy 6 vs 10 says,For the Love of the Money is the root of all evil and some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the truth, faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.
Let me speak from a Spiritual and Prophetic point of view where i want to warn MDCA Party Members not to Abandon Nelson Chamisa,s MDCA for any other Political Party, such action would be tantamount to committing Political suicide.In Zimbabwean Politics there are only two serious Political Parties which are serious contenders for taking over power after every five years of General Elections in Zimbabwe.The serious contenders are the Old fashioned and Archaic Zanu Pf Party and the sure to Govern MDCA Alliance Party!!!! What worries me most is when i see some few Polical Rejectes who are dumping Chamisa’s MDCA to join, of all the Parties, Zanu Pf or its extension in the form of MDCT.Any sound minded Politician will never do such a stupid thing only Sellouts can because of the Love of Money., Psychopaths and Sociopaths do that also.Any active Member of the MDCA who intend to abandon the Party and join either Zanu Pf or the Supreme Court Constructed MDCT will be destroying their Political careers.Others tried it in the past but it never materialised.Any serious Opposition Politician who abandons Chamisa’s Political Umbrella will not survive or make it out their.Hate him or Love him, the Young,God fearing eloquent,Visionary,energetic,Strategical,Vibrant Opposition Leader has already been anointed by God, to take over Governance of this country called Zimbabwe when the time is ripe.No matter how much they might denigrate Him,calling him all sorts of names like foolish,Childish, liar, uinexperienced,no liberation war background, it shall all be in vain, remember, That which the Lord God has anointed, no Man can push assunder!!!! Even if they try to Poison or Assassinate him they will not Succ iteede, King Saul tried it on the Anointed David, that did not work.Chamisa Nelson is Protected by Flames of fire,Devine Protection!!! Those who have got ears to hear let them hear, this Prophetic word from His Majesty, God Almighty!!!!
THE AUTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE PADDINGTON JAPA JAPA IS AN EVANGELIST AND A TEACHER OF GOD’S WORD,SOCCER ADMINSTRATOR,CIVIC SOCIETY LEADER,MDCA NC AND NEC MEMBER,HOLDER OF A BSC HONOURS PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE!!!
By Jane Mlambo| Theft accused LEAD President, Linda Masarira has responded to the reports of her appearance in court on theft charges, saying she is being wrongfully accused for the crimes committed by her son during a time he was battling drug addiction.
Posting on Twitter, Masarira said she advised the police about her son’s crime for them to change the docket but they refused to take heed.
She took a swipe at those she accused of smearing her over her son’s misdeeds.
“I am wrongfully accused in this matter. The person who stole some of the things on the docket is my son during the time he was battling with drug addiction. He even advised the police likewise who refused to change the docket. No weapon fashioned against me shall prosper,” said Masarira.
Masarira appeared in court facing allegations of selling her landlord’s property worth US$3 140 before converting the money to her own use.
The court heard that sometime in January 2018 Lawrence Madamombe, the landlord, left his property in Masarira’s custody at his place of residence in Marlborough.
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance official Antony Taruvinga has said Zanu PF bigwigs are desperate to destroy the opposition because they are afraid of the 2023 polls.
Zanu PF is using State resources to dismantle the opposition.
Taruvinga wrote on Facebook: Using State resources to finance the destruction of a competitor is the worst form of corruption and cowardice.
They can’t face a fair competition because under normal circumstances, almost everyone votes Zanu pf out.
In their usual patronage that has now been extended to the opposition, Zanu pf thinks they are destroying the MDC Alliance, no ways, the weak and gullible shall fall by the wayside, leaving the party with strong dedicated incorruptible leaders.
A New Zimbabwe is within our reach. That filthy party only cares about rigging elections and punishing opponents, no single clue on the economy that is just on a free fall.
The country is facing a huge implosion that will leave Mnangagwa and Zanu pf unpopular even among cronies.
Tinashe Sambiri|Zanu PF leader, Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa is directly involved in the eviction of Shangaan people because of his links to Dendairy, impeccable sources have revealed.
Mr Mnangagwa’s administration is planning to evict thousands of Shangaan people from their ancestral land to create space for a grass- growing project.
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Executive member, Antony Taruvinga condemned Mr Mnangagwa’s administration for preferring grass to villagers’ lives.
“We condemn the move by the milk company to choose grass over human life.
There are tracts of land that are unused in Zimbabwe, why can’t they grow their grass there other than evicting natives whose land is their only inheritance? It is gross disregard for human life and dignity. Yes, we must show by boycotting their products but if you choose Dairibord over Dendairy, you are still just supporting them.
Boycott both Dendairy and Dairibord as the latter is in the processing of legally engulfing Dendairy. Let’s try find any other alternatives, which are not Dairibord. PROmilk, YoMilk, Kefalos, Nestle or milk farms if worse comes to the worst,” argued Taruvinga.
The title for this week’s piece is borrowed from Barack Obama’s 2007 book published by Canongate Books Limited. The title speaks to a people’s avowed faith that all shall be well; that a day shall come when their aspirations and the toil of their endeavour, nay the labour of their sweat, shall all yield a positive change in their lived circumstance.
The audacity of hope is an aphorism that I feel encapsulates the mindset of every Zimbabwean at this political juncture; the faith that the dangling scarf shall throttle and choke its owner and that those repressing the people today will be washed away by the torrents of history. The audacity of hope denotes the unstinting faith that tomorrow can only be a better day and that a people’s desires and aspirations shall bear fruit well within their lifetime.
For Barack Obama, the audacity of hope is a phrase he says he borrowed from his pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright Jr, who used it as a title for a sermon. Obama, who was to use this forceful dictum as a title for his book, had also used the powerful phrase as the main theme for his speech when he delivered the keynote address as a relatively unknown politician at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004.
The conventions of the Democratic Party are grand occasions of passion and people power, they are inspiring fiestas for avowed social democrats. I came face to face with the lively, exuberant spirit of the DNC when I accompanied President Tsvangirai, then the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, to the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina in September 2012. I was humbled by the mass-centric thrust of the occasion and the optic showcase of people power. We missed our plane back home, having been delayed and held rapt by the wonderful sight of a determined people’s unstinting faith that their chosen politics can make meaningful, positive change in their lives.
For Barack Obama, the audacity of hope is a phrase that best defined the American spirit; the audacity to believe, despite evidence to the contrary, that hope still held even for a people and a nation torn by conflict, repression and hate.
Hope is audacious. Hope keeps a people astride their aspirations, in the optimism that what they desire shall be fulfilled one day.
Hope charms and soothes the heart. Hope is a sweet chariot that ferries despondent souls from the hopelessness of their lived moment to the comfort of their fancied destination.
The audacity of hope.
Hope keeps people alive. For it is only the power of unfettered hope that can assuage weeping souls, just as a mother’s lullaby calms the crying baby on her sweaty back.
My sister born after me and who celebrated her birthday last Friday was named Edina Tariro. And Tariro, the Shona word for hope, is a popular name in our communities. It sums up a stubborn and arrogant faith in a better future. It denotes a yearning spirit for a better life–an unstinting faith that all shall be well and that as a people, we shall one day live our collective fantasy, our collective dream.
In Zimbabwe, it is the audacity of hope that still carries our spirit, that exhorts us to carry on with the struggle—-the sheer gall and stoic belief that our effort and toil for a better country will definitely not be in vain.
For us, the audacity of hope refers to our conviction that Zanu PF’s onslaught to perish the people’ s movement will come to nought. We know—and we are certain—that through our own tenacity, we shall break the Zanu PF leash tying our collective fate to the incompetent hand of this wicked, clueless and murderous lot in government. They may arrest us, brutalise us, strip us of what rightfully belongs to us but we shall prevail.
Every generation must leave the country a better place than they found it. Only then can they stare history in the face and say their stint on this earth was worthwhile and well-deserved.
Adespondentnationofahopingpeople
Without a job, with no safety nets in the wake of this pandemic and struggling to feed his eight children, John Tembo in Mvuma can only hope that this health disaster comes to an end so he can vend on the roadside once again. The audacity of hope.
For Esther Chihwa and Smart Taundi of Harare Central, the dip in the Covid-19 mortalities has ushered in a renewed sense of hope. It is the hope that by-elections will soon be held so they can reinstate their chosen representatives who were recalled by the colluding parties they defeated in the last election.
Across the country, the people had chosen their councillors and MPs and these have been needlessly recalled and a fresh set of representatives foisted upon them, in some cases the people imposed on them are the same people they had rejected at the polls.
It is the people’s hope that they will soon deliver a cardinal lesson to Zanu PF and its surrogates that the people are sovereign; that leaders come from the people and that no one can recall the people’s unfettered choice except the people themselves! The audacity of hope.
Voters are hoping and waiting for their day in the ballot box in by-elections that must now be held as a matter of urgency so that the people get their fresh chance to restate their position that Nelson Chamisa and the MDC Alliance remain the sole repository of their faith, trust and confidence. The people are itching to send out a sonorous message of who their true leaders are. The by-elections can’t be banned forever. They will clear this planted mist of confusion. We are well past the 90-day period in which by-elections should have been held and the people are hoping and waiting for their hour. The audacity of hope.
The people of Chilonga too are caught up in the throes of hope. They too are hoping that for once, their worth and value be seen as greater than that of lucerne grass. They are hoping that normalcy returns and a true leadership takes over that understands that their worth is taller than lucerne grass. The audacity of hope.
When you have a government that believes that people should be evicted from their ancestral land so that the illegitimate President’s friend can grow grass for his dairy cows, a people can only hope that sanity and decency returns to the corridors of government, even if that government imposed itself on them.
Since 2000, Zanu PF has peddled the propaganda mantra that the MDC is a party of puppets, a party that fronts the interests of whites, the interests of capital. Now that the Shangaani people of Chilonga, the indigenous people of this land, are being evicted so that Mnangagwa’s white friend can grow grass for his cattle, it is now clear who the puppets are.
The question of who is playing puppet politics has now been sufficiently settled!
The unemployed people of this country, the despondent citizenry in the villages, in the urban areas and in the mining towns are all hoping for a chance to express their outrage. You don’t steal a People’s source of livelihood, a people’s future, a people’s land and birthright then go further to pilfer their party, the party name and recall their elected representatives, grab their party headquarters and the money due to them and still hope things will be normal.
No, the people will certainly come for you!
Hope is audacious. Even negative hope exists too. And negative hope is equally audacious.
Negative hope is the hope that you can repress a people forever and they will do nothing about it.
It is that hope when you lie to yourself that you will be able to vanquish a people’s party and a people’s leadership and recreate a similar entity under the leadership of stooges and surrogates.
The negative hope that the criminal lot in government will deliver and change the country’s fortunes, including a Willowgare criminal sworn into office only 48 hours ago. Criminals can only run a government in a kleptocracy—a government of thieves. And Zimbabwe does not deserve to be a kleptocraacy.
While negative hope is audacious, history has shown that in the end, it is only well-meaning hope that endures and that will ultimately prevail.
Conclusion
The dip in Covid-19 – related deaths means we are slowly reuniting with our rights that had been put in abeyance in the wake of this global pandemic, most importantly the rights of assembly, movement and association.
The right to petition and protest remains sacred, especially in the political moment that engulfs us. Our society will grab the chance to express its full revulsion at this despicable lot in government that is mismanaging our affairs, arresting, brutalising and killing people and dimming their collective hope.
Hope alone is not enough. Hope alone is vacuous and grossly inadequate in solving the key questions of the day. A people must act to push through the fulfillment of their hopes. You don’t just hope to become a medical doctor and then believe that your hope is enough to make you one; without going to school, without attending medical school and without taking the requisite practical steps to actualise your hope.
Even little David did not just hope for the giant Goliath to disappear from his face. He acted to bring his hope to fruition. He took a stone, put it on his sling and practically acted against the gargantuan human edifice that stood before him.
In the 1970s, our brothers and sisters did not just hope for Rhodesian repression to desert their desolate lives. They acted on their convictions, took up arms and fought a liberation struggle.
Times have changed. I am not saying we must take up arms. The point is a repressed people must go beyond hoping and take practical action to change their situation by actualising their hope.
It is simply not enough to hope.
Sometimes history needs a push, a helping hand. And the time has come in this country for the people to give history a huge push. Perhaps the time has come to nudge history by seeking sanctuary in section 59 of our Constitution, itself a Constitution that we made ourselves and endorsed in a referendum.
Hope is audacious but the people themselves are certainly more audacious than their hope.
Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has strongly condemned the plan by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to evict 12,500 villagers from their ancestral land.
Mr Mnangagwa’s administration wants to create space for a grass-growing project in the Lowveld.
Experts say the area is not suitable for a dairy project.
President Chamisa wrote on Twitter:
“STOP BEING HEARTLESS AND CRUEL..EVICTING 12 500 Chilonga villagers in Chiredzi for a grass dairy project is criminal and vile.
Chiyadzwa, Chingwizi, Chisumbanje greenfuel evictions show disdain of citizens. Capital &profits must not undermine citizens rights,heritage and dignity.”
By Patrick Guramatunhu- “What electoral reforms?” asked Francov.
“I have seen and read many articles on the need for Zimbabwe to reform/change its electoral laws. But I am yet to know or understand exactly what/which laws need to be changed and how they should change.”
You have raised some real important points and worthy our serious consideration.
It has been impossible to have a healthy and functioning democracy in Zimbabwe because most of the people out there do not even have a clue on what constitute free, fair and credible elections and so it has been easily for Mnangagwa to blatantly rig the elections and insist the elections were free, fair and credible.
For elections to be free, fair and credible the process must satisfy laid out laws and procedures in much the same way a game of football is governed by rules everyone must observe. For elections, we have rules saying who can and cannot vote, those eligible to vote must then register and be listed in a voters’ roll, the voters’ roll must be verified and produced at least a month before nomination day, etc., etc.
Not only did ZEC fail to produce a verified voters’ roll a month before nomination day; they never produced one even to this day.
“The electoral commission (ZEC) lacked full independence and appeared to not always act in an impartial manner. The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability,” stated the EU Zimbabwe 2018 Election Mission final report.
“As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards.”
Of course, if you do not have the verified voters’ roll you cannot verify who voted and who was denied the vote, how many voted more than once, etc., etc. The opportunity to rig the process is limitless and with no verified voters’ roll they know they will get away with murdered!
Many outsiders have been baffled as to why Nelson Chamisa and his friends in the opposition camp participated in the 2018 elections when ZEC had failed to produce something as basic as a voters’ roll? The answer is simple – greed!
“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections,” admitted David Coltart in his book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”
Coltart was an MDC-N Minister of Education in the 2008 to 2013 GNU that failed to implement even one democratic reform in five years.
Robert Mugabe bribed the two MDC faction leaders with the trappings of high office and, with their snouts in the feeding trough, they forgot about implementing the reforms.
SADC leaders, who had helped to hammer out the 2008 Global Political Agreement and got Mugabe and Zanu PF to agree to the raft of reforms, literally begged MDC leaders not to participate in the 2013 elections until the reforms were implemented. SADC leaders wanted the elections postponed until reforms were implemented.
Zanu PF was quick to point out that MDC leaders had never tabled any reform proposals in parliament, which was true. Patrick Chinamasa, who was Minister of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs throughout the GNU, called a press conference to confirm there were no outstanding reform proposals. None!
So, MDC leaders had failed to implement even one reform during the GNU because they were corrupt and were bribed to forget about the reforms using the trappings of high office. They could not boycott the 2013 (and future) elections to protest (pressure Zanu PF) the failure to implement reforms because it was none other than MDC leaders themselves who had sold-out on reforms. And so MDC have participated in the flawed and illegal elections since the GNU because they had no choice; they had the golden chance to implement reforms and they wasted it.
As Coltart readily admitted above, by participating in flawed and illegal elections MDC are giving “the process credibility” and by extension giving the result legitimacy. True enough, Mnangagwa has given the 23 presidential candidates in the July 2018 as proof Zimbabwe is a healthy democracy and the elections were free, fair and credible.
The reason why the opposition have participated in the flawed elections is greed, they knew Zanu PF was offering a 1/3 or so gravy train seats plus a corresponding share of the annual Political Party Finance Act pay out. The opposition have found this bait irresistible.
As can been seen from the details above many things must change, must be reformed. It is a legal requirement that ZEC must produce a verified voters’ roll, for example. So one must then look at what reforms are required to force ZEC to carry out this task?
It is common knowledge that state institutions like ZEC, Police, Judiciary, Public Media, are all but Zanu PF departments in all but name. The State President has the power to appoint and fire ZEC, Police, etc. The law must be changed force these public officials to appear before a parliamentary committee with the power have the official removed from office if their performance is unsatisfactory.
In some cases the open up of the democratic space would produce the desired change, for example a healthy and competent media will expose the corrupt and incompetent opposition politicians who have been participating in flawed elections out of greed.
Here is a list of five democratic reforms Zimbabweans should be demanding before the next elections in 2023;
a) a verified voters’ roll
b) Zimbabweans in the diaspora what have a vote
c) Zanu PF must stop politicising state assistance especially in the rural areas that has turned the people into medieval serfs beholden to Zanu PF leaders and their proxies
d) want a free public media, Police and other state bodies
e) corruption must be stamped out, this is the source of billions of dollars bankrolling the Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut.
The link below will open many other articles on elections and other related issues.
It is no exaggeration than many Zimbabweans out there would say the 2018 elections were rigged. Ask them why and it’s light out!
If we want a democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe, then we must earn it. There really is no excuse why the majority of people do not know what constitute free, fair and credible elections in this day and age. If we cannot be bother to ensure we have free, fair and credible elections then we deserve the corrupt and vote rigging dictatorship. And we have certainly got our just deserve!
We need to implement the democratic reforms to restore the individual freedoms and rights including the right to a meaningful vote. We will never secure free, fair and credible elections without securing all the other rights and freedoms.
By A Correspondent- Former Information Deputy Minister Energy Mutodi has filed a police report against an impostor accused of identity theft.
This report follows a Facebook post purported to be from Energy Mutodi in which ZBC news anchor Lee Ann Bernard was pictured with First Lady Amai Auxilia Mnangagwa. The picture carries a caption which reads First lady meets second lady.
Mutodi reported the matter at Borrowdale police.
Full statement below :
I am a male adult aged 42 residing at number **** ******** Brooke, Borrowdale, Harare and I am a Member of Parliament contactable on mobile numbers 07******
2. I do not know the accused person but I suspect the ministry of Information employees and those who run ZBC online accounts including internet bloggers who may be paid to do smear campaigns to be behind this.
3. I recall on the 3rd of March 2021 I was alerted by one of my friends on whatsup to the effect that there was a facebook account using my name and posted on Facebook a picture that is depicting the First Lady meeting an alleged Second Lady whose identity I do not know. The picture has a message “When First lady meets the Second lady #IfyouknowUknowl!”
4. The picture and message are surely defamatory and an attempt to cause a character assassination on me as I know nothing in connection with it and I have no account that has such information and neither have I sent such a post. The act to use my name and my picture on the fake facebook account is outrageous.
5. The accused has no right to act in such a manner
By A Correspondent- Norton legislator Temba Mliswa (Independent), who is accused of violating COVID-19 regulations after he held a Press conference which attracted several journalists at his Borrowdale home, had his trial moved to Monday by a Harare magistrate.
Mliswa, who was represented by Musindo Hungwe, appeared before magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro.
Hungwe challenged Mliswa’s placement on remand and warned the court that the trial could not take place before his application was responded to.
However, Muchuchuti-Guwuriro postponed the matter to Monday for ruling.
Mliswa is on $20 000 bail.
Allegations are that on February 11, Mliswa hosted 22 journalists at his house.
It is alleged the complainant, Joshua Tigere, received a tip-off that Mliswa was conducting a Press conference at his house.
He then rushed to Borrowdale Police Station where he picked up 12 police officers and led them to Mliswa’s house.
The State alleged that upon arrival, Mliswa was found taking questions from journalists, while videos were being taken without the maintenance of social distancing among journalists.
The complainant then introduced himself and Mliswa was arrested for contravening COVID-19 regulations.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe National Students Union leader Takudzwa Ngadziore, who is accused of holding a Press conference at the Harare Magistrates’ Court in solidarity with Makomborero Haruziviishe, in violation of COVID-19 regulations, has been denied bail by the same magistrate.
His co-accused Tapiwanashe Chiriga was, however, released on $5 000 bail.
By A Correspondent- The case in which Gweru businesswoman Smelly Dube is facing fraud charges involving the sale of urban state land failed to start at the Gweru magistrates courts this morning amid reports police were still gathering more evidence against her.
There were also reports that the prosecution team was set to come from Harare and by midday they were yet to arrive at the courts.
Dube, who was arrested while receiving treatment at a private hospital on Wednesday, remains admitted at the health institution under heavy police guard.
She is represented by three lawyers, Advocate Jushua Chirambwe, Mr MacPatrick Zinyakatira and Mr Nqobani Sithole.
Adv Chirambwe said the defence team has been at the Gweru Courts since morning and were still waiting for the case to kickstart.-statemedia
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa is on the verge of cancelling a US$600 million agreement, in which government had mortgaged 18 gold claims to a Malaysian company, ZimMal, which for 17 years failed to implement the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (MZWP).
The company recently sought audience with Mnangagwa to salvage the deal, which involved the construction of the dam and the two pipelines. The project, touted as a solution to Matabeleland region’s perennial water problems due to recurring droughts, has been on the cards since 1912.
It was mooted by the colonial mastermind Cecil John Rhodes’s British South Africa Company (BSAC).
The first phase of the project involves the construction of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, while the second phase will involve the installation of a pipeline from the dam to Bulawayo. The third and final phase involves the construction of a pipeline from the dam to the Zambezi River.
ZimMal was granted a contract to implement the project in 2003, but has failed to fulfill the contract, forcing the government to look for alternatives. Government then engaged China International Water and Electric Corp in 2018 to construct the dam. Mnangagwa said last week the state had reserved the construction of the pipelines for locals.
The Zimbabwe Independent understands that ZimMal approached the Office of the President and Cabinet seeking to salvage the deal after Mnangagwa commissioned the construction of the Gwayi-Shangani-Bulawayo pipeline last week.
A confidential report presented to the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in Charge of Implementation and Monitoring Joram Gumbo, exclusively in our possession, reveals that the minister is sceptical about the sustainability of the arrangement with ZimMal.
ZimMal, according to the report, expressed interest in financing the project, and was invited to work on the project by the then Rural Resources and Water ministry in 1997 on a Build-Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis. It was awarded the contract in 2003, but nothing was done until 2018.
The report further states that it was realised at the material time that the project, even on a BOT basis, would not be able to pay off the US$600 million by relying on water tariffs alone, resulting in ZimMal being given 18 gold concessions.
ZimMal was set to control 80% of the mining ventures, while the government, through a designated ministry, would have a 20% stake.
“It is argued that the mining concessions were meant to provide comfort in lieu of the losses to be incurred in the implementation of the project. Besides gold, the mining concessions cover a wide range of other minerals such as silver, copper, manganese, nickel, emeralds and platinum among others,” the report reads.
Gumbo also urged Mnangagwa to give audience to ZimMal, but advised him to cancel the deal.
“Given the facts enunciated above (in the report), I wish to advise that the request by ZimMal Holdings for an audience with Your Excellency be granted and a letter of invitation be extended in this regard. But given the recent developments on the project, the issue of the contracts signed in respect of the project must be openly and extensively discussed with representatives of ZimMal. If it is the decision of the government not to continue engaging ZimMal, the contracts should be terminated,” Gumbo advised.
“Your Excellency, in my view, the 18 gold concessions granted to ZimMal are not commensurate with the alleged losses to be incurred in the implementation of the project. In light of recent developments, it would be prudent for this issue to be discussed further with a view of cancelling the concessions granted to the company.”
Gumbo declined to comment on the report saying: “I cannot comment on matters concerning the OPC.” Presidential spokesperson George Charamba said the government had lost patience with a company which sat on a contract for 17 years, while the nation went thirsty.
“We spent 17 years waiting for the company to make a decision to undertake the project, while the city (Bulawayo) is dying from thirst. Here is a company which has been sitting on a contract for so long suddenly springing up once we held a ground-breaking ceremony. The President will have to be too generous to even grant them the audience,” Charamba said.
“We have got a target to meet and in December 2022, we should be turning on the taps.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) will investigate the conduct of eNCA’s senior reporter Lindsay Dentlinger after her treatment of black and white politicians during interviews after last week’s national Budget speech in Parliament sparked allegations of racism.
“The SAHRC has opened an own accord investigation following various complaints, including from the leader of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) General Bantu Holomisa, against eNCA reporter Lindsay Dentlinger,” the entity said on Thursday.
“The grievances allege that Ms Dentlinger treated interviewees differently on the basis of their race, in interviews conducted outside Parliament during the Budget speech on February 24. The commission is in the process of investigating the matter, and has requested to meet with the eNCA and Ms Dentlinger on the allegations.”
The SAHRC is one of South Africa’s Chapter Nine institutions established in terms of Chapter 9 of the Constitution to safeguard democracy.
Last week, civil rights movement #NotInMyName descended on eNCA’s premises in Joburg, protesting against what it called the racism displayed by Dentlinger when she asked UDM’s black deputy president and member of Parliament to put on a face mask in line with Covid-19 rules prior to a live post-budget interview, minutes after having allowed a white politician from another party to go mask-less.
The rights group wanted accountability and action from eNCA management over Dentlinger’s behaviour, and felt that a statement issued by the channel in her defence was “basically a middle finger to black people and the black race,” #NotInMyName president Siyabulela Jentile told the African News Agency (ANA).
eNCA said there had been no “mal-intent” on Dentlinger’s part, adding that in an intense live broadcast environment like the budget speech coverage “our journalists are under pressure to remain compliant while delivering fair, accurate and balanced news”.
The ruling ANC this week also picketed at eNCA’s offices, and its deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte slammed the channel over its handling of the controversy.
“It’s a management response that says she didn’t mean it and they’re going to go through a disciplinary hearing. We saw what we saw, so is eNCA telling us they didn’t see what we saw and are they telling us they didn’t see not only that incident but many other incidents, which were then subsequently shown to viewers?” Duarte said.
“It’s not enough and really there’s no room for any racism, be it overt or subliminal or a mistake. No, they must teach their journalists how to treat people with respect.”
On Monday, Dentlinger apologised for the incident during an interview on the channel’s programme Power to Truth with JJ Tabane.
“I totally acknowledge the outrage and I apologise for the disrespect it has caused to the people who don’t deserve to be drawn into this,” she said.
“I felt awful from how this is perceived and what the country believes to be a true reflection of who I am as a journalist. I do acknowledge how it is portrayed. I am being portrayed as not speaking to any black unless he is wearing a mask.”
By A Correspondent- Gweru land developer Smelly Dube has been arrested by anti-corruption police accused of selling state land in Gweru.
The River Valley Properties CEO collapsed and was hospitalised on Tuesday after learning that police were closing in on her.
Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said Dube faced fraud charges for allegedly selling urban state land.
Nqobani Sithole, a member of Dube’s legal team, on Thursday said she was still receiving treatment at a private hospital in Gweru.
“She has been charged. The charges are a joke and we look forward to demonstrating this in court,” said Sithole.
Dube’s company developed and sold stands in Hartfordshire Phase 1 and 2 as well as Subdivision 4 of Gwelo Small Holdings (Woodlands Phase 1 and 2) in Gweru.
By A Correspondent- Opposition politician Ms Linda Masarira appeared in court facing allegations of selling her landlord’s property worth US$3 140 before converting the money to her own use.
Masarira (38) was facing theft of trust property charges when she appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Richard Mangosi. She was remanded out of custody on free bail.
Mr Mangosi deferred the matter to April 7.
The court heard that sometime in January 2018 Lawrence Madamombe, the landlord, left his property in Masasrira’s custody at his place of residence in Marlborough.
It is alleged that when Madamombe went to collect his property from Masarira later that year he realised that the property was missing. The court heard that upon inquiring from Masarira, Madamombe discovered that she had sold his property and converted the money to her own use.
