MDC Alliance Secretary General, Charlton Hwende has said a prison guard from Chikurubi maximum prison has told him that Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume is seriously ill and requiring urgent medical attention.

Mafume was arrested last year on charges of abuse of office and was denied bail by the Harare Magistrates Court.

He has taken his freedom bid to the High Court and is waiting for a ruling on his bail application.

The last time Mafume appeared in court, he was not feeling well amid claims that he could have contracted the Coronavirus.

“Just been informed by a Prison Guard that our Detained Mayor Jacob Mafume is now seriously ill and requires urgent Medical help. The situation is very bad,” said Hwende.

Chido Mbewu / The United Kingdom embassy in Harare, has raised concern over the arrest of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, who will spent the weekend in police custody.

“Concerned to hear Hopewell Chin’ono will remain in custody for two more nights following his re-arrest on Friday. We continue to follow this case closely,” the embassy Twitted, Saturday afternoon.

Concerned to hear Hopewell Chin'ono will remain in custody for two more nights following his re-arrest on Friday. We continue to follow this case closely #ActiononReform

— UKinZimbabwe ?? ?? (@UKinZimbabwe) January 9, 2021

SOUTH Africa’s Department of Health in Limpopo province has urged cross-border travellers who used the Beitbridge Port of Entry to access the neighbouring country and Zimbabwe in the last four days to go for self-quarantine.

This follows the detection of a cumilative104 Covid-19 positive cases during screening and testing at Sadc’s busiest port of entry.

An average of 6000 travellers have been using the border daily during the just-ended festive season.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, 15 000 people were using the border and the number would rise to 30 00 daily in peak periods.

Travellers entering South Africa are being screened at the foot of the New Limpopo Bridge, while suspected cases of those entering Zimbabwe are tested at the National Social Security (NSSA) hotel, which is being used as a quarantine, isolation and transit.

The hotel is used to process returnees who arrive by road from Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa.

Currently, there are 55 returnees who came in from South Africa who tested positive for covid-19 and are at the NSSA isolation centre.

-State Media

2 ZRP officers from Beitbridge were reportedly arrested yesterday for murder after they allegedly killed a suspect and chopped off his limps before stashing his remains in a sack and hiding them under a bridge, ZTN News reports.

Xander Siyasayi and Daniel Peyan were arrested yesterday and they are expected to appear in court next week. The pair had reportedly picked the suspect Blessing Nare following the disappearance of some cash from a bottle store and allegedly detained him for 2 days.

On 4 January his mother reportedly reported him missing and it prompted Zezani Police Station Officer in Charge Inspector Marisa to investigate:

On January 5 2021, Inspector Marisa went to Swereki Police Base and was told that (the suspect) had escaped from custody and police details had failed to apprehend him.

It was discovered that no warned and cautioned statement was recorded as per standard operating procedure. There was also no official communication to the Officer-In-Charge regarding the report of unlawful entry and theft; and the suspect’s alleged escape from lawful custody.

A search party, later on, found his remains under the bridge the 2 officers reportedly hid the body:

A member of the search party observed a foul smelling emanating from under the bridge. She checked and discovered a white sack. Criminal Investigation Department (Homicide) detectives attended the scene and found a head and limbs in the sack. The torso was missing. The suspect’s half burnt clothes were also recovered, suggesting his killers had tried to burn him.

In 2020 ZRP officers caused the death of Paul Mukanopa who was fleeing from them when they shot his vehicle and accidentally killed him.

Source- ZTN

Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has assured the nation that he will not abandon the people’s struggle.

In his letter to the nation, President Chamisa points out that the people of Zimbabwe know the difference between genuine opposition and pretenders.

In the letter, President Chamisa also reveals how he was mentored by MDC founding President and former Prime Minister, Right Honourable Morgan Richard Tsvangirai.

See part of President Chamisa’s letter below:

Fellow Zimbabweans,
When we began this journey 22 years ago, I was a young college student alongside my contemporaries. I was part of a generation of college students that joined veteran trade unionists, powerful women in the women’s movement, war veterans, civic and church leaders, among others, who believed that the way Zimbabwe was being governed needed serious transformation.

We believed that the system over which ZANU PF presided was only serving a minority of elites who occupied vantage positions within and around the state, while most Zimbabweans were condemned to suffering. It was plain that the future was bleak unless progressive Zimbabweans intervened to change the course. That is why we championed the message of change.

Looking back those days seem like a long time ago. A new generation has emerged since that time. Babies born in 1999 are now adults. They have lived their formative years in very difficult circumstances. Times were different back in 1999, but I remember the energy and passion of every cadre as if it were yesterday. The idea that was sown in our hearts and minds has no expiry date.

To be sure, the journey has been gruelling. But I was never under any illusion that it would be easy. We have lost thousands of cadres along the way, including our founding father, Morgan Tsvangirai who departed in February 2018. I was privileged to have a special relationship with him and from him, I learned a lot under his leadership and guidance. The most painful losses have been those suffered at the hands of the state, through violence. We cannot betray the memory of these dearly departed cadres. We must honour their dreams and aspirations for a better Zimbabwe, otherwise, they would have died in vain. This is why I have never veered from the course that was set in 1999.

I look back and realize that I have spent more than half of my life chasing the vision that was designed and shaped by those courageous men and women who gathered in 1999 to form the Movement for Democratic Change. The greatness of the idea has not diminished with time, no. It has been strengthened. Those men and women understood that the fundamental weaknesses at the heart of government needed not only new leaders but also a fresh set of ideas and ways of doing things. We remain committed to that vision.

One of the things that please me a lot is seeing a younger generation coming up and carrying the torch in politics. This is how strong institutions grow and I want to pay special tribute to the young people of Zimbabwe whose political consciousness is growing.

The journey has had seminal moments, some positive, and others negative. Both types have been important learning experiences. Some of these challenges have been read as representing existential threats to the organization, but we overcame them. We survived the loss of our founding father by going on to amass the largest electoral votes in the history of the opposition and had we not been cheated; we would have prevailed.

It is a testament to the strength of the idea, the abiding loyalty of the people to the cause, and the abundance of their political wisdom that the party has withstood severe tests. Even when we have been written off by our doubters, we have shown our mettle and surprised them, disappointing rivals along the way.

Many of you have seen what has happened in the past year. Our rivals have used multiple tricks in the dictators’ handbook, in a calculated and relentless effort to undermine our party. Using apparatuses of the state, and under the cover of what has been described as lawfare, they have robbed us of our legislators, councillors, and funds that were due to us under the law. In a direct subversion of democracy, they have even catapulted into Parliament undeserving individuals whom you as voters rejected in the last election. The assault upon democracy has been vicious, but we are undaunted.

As a party, we know that the purpose of these strategies is not just to undermine us, but it is also intended to obliterate us from the political landscape. ZANU PF has never been comfortable with strong opposition. They aim to build an opposition that they control. This is the sole purpose of the project that they have moulded with our erstwhile colleagues. These were deliberate acts of provocation, designed to lure us into conduct that would justify violent repression during the pandemic. We have remained calm and resolute, not because we are unable to respond, but because we know the game they are playing. We also remain true to our founding principle: we are committed to achieving change through peaceful and non-violent means.

We have remained composed because we are confident that progressive fellow Zimbabweans are solidly behind us. We know this because of all the love, support, and encouragement that they have shown us during these testing times. We trust the gift of discernment that is given to Zimbabweans, which enables them to distinguish between right and wrong. They can tell when a bully is abusing power and they know how to punish this abusive behaviour, which punishment will be exacted through the ballot box.

Significantly, Zimbabweans can tell the difference between genuine opposition that is challenging repression and enablers who are aiding and abetting repression. This is not the first time that the people of Zimbabwe have encountered this situation. During the last days of colonialism, the Smith regime tried to hoodwink people by promoting people like Bishop Abel Muzorewa, ahead of the true nationalists who were fighting repression.

Smith preferred the likes of Muzorewa because they were lackeys who would do his bidding while Muzorewa and others were eager to join the gravy train to serve their interests…

Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cornered administration has arrested MDC Alliance vice chairperson Hon Job Sikhala again.

Watch video below:

Tinashe Sambiri|Hard-hitting preacher, Bishop Ancelimo Magaya has described attempts by Zanu PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to use the chaos in the US to justify the violation of human rights in Zimbabwe as futile and embarrassing.

On Thursday Mr Mnangagwa cried for the removal of sanctions arguing US has no moral ground to “punish” Zimbabwe.

Analysts say the restrictions imposed on Harare target Zanu PF bigwigs, comtrary to claims that Zimbabwe has been slapped with sanctions.

Below is Bishop Magaya statement:

THE DEVELOPMENTS IN USA DEPLORABLE BUT NOT JUSTIFICATION FOR REPRESSIONS IN ZIMBABWE.

I have been following with keeness the reactions from Zimbabwean top politicians to the deplorable developments that have happened in the USA on January the 6th. The media world over is awashed with the story of the storming of the US capitol following Trump’s public address resulting in violence which saw 4 people killed and scores arrested. On the basis of this , President Mnangagwa took to Twitter, stating that USA has no moral ground to punish Zimbabwe through imposition of sanctions. ZBC TV during it’s current affairs broadcasting on the 7th of January went to lengths in presenting different commentators who lampasted and ridiculed the USA for it’s double standard. During 8 pm news hour, the TV station even went to the extent of drawing similarities between Trump and MDCA President Nelson Chamisa, highlighting Chamisa’s claim that Zanu Pf and ZEC had rigged 2018 elections.

Please note the following observations

1. What has happened in the USA is quite deplorable and should be condemned in the strongest of terms. Indeed, storming the US capitol and violently disrupting electoral processes is insurrection and not peaceful protest.
2. The shooting and killing of people by the police should be investigated and justice executed in the same way that we demanded justice for what happened on the 1st of August 2018 in Harare. The police should always use minimal force in dispersing crowds that may be turning violent.
3. It is heartening however to note that the strong institutions in the US preserve the country from degenerating into levels of lawlessness that we have witnessed in Zimbabwe.
4. ZBC TV shamelessly decided to draw similarities between Chamisa and Trump and deliberately avoided the same in what Mugabe and his top aides with the assistance of the military deed after 2018 harmonised elections when they barred the timeous release of election results and unlished violence to reverse MDC Tsvagirai electoral victory. Such disregard of historical facts that are still fresh in people’s minds is not only shocking but could be a strong premonition of what may happen again in future given the non repentance of President Mnangagwa and the ruling ZANU PF.
5. Closely linked to the foregoing, if USA institutions were not strong enough, Trump could have successfully reversed Biden’s victory in the same way that Mugabe and his top aides including the current president did in 2008. Remember President Mnangagwa’s chronical of how he encouraged the former President to proceed forming cabinet regardless of the electoral loss he had suffered.
6. The desperateness with which the pro Zanu Pf commentators were quick to want to prove that their notion of democracy as a concept that should be contextualy defined can be a lesson to US is suspcious. They has been a sense in which the ” chinhu chedu ( entitlement attitude) amoug top Zanu Pf officials may have given them a sense of justification to retain power at all costs. This could be their understanding of democracy. Democracy should be practised within the context of Zanu Pf perpetuation. That is why the military intervened in November 2017. It was not to advance democracy in the context of multi partysm and civil liberties.
7. It is tragic to speak it yet true to say that the developments in the USA may be used to nurture , entrench and justify dictatorship in Zimbabwean governance system and other African countries like what is happening in Uganda.

GOD SAVE ZIMBABWE!

DEPRIVING her family of a chicken meal on Unity Day holiday cost a Chipinge girl (13) her life after she was beaten to death by her father who accused her of negligently losing a US$5 note she had been given to buy the cutlets.

Shadreck Mufuka (44) of Nyamanga Compound, Southdown Estate, sought to conceal the murder by telling the girl’s mother that she died after being attacked by unseen things.

Mufuka has since appeared in court charged with the alleged murder of his daughter, Choice, on December 22.

He was not asked to plead when he appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Mrs Elizabeth Hanzi and was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

Mufuka was remanded to January 12 for routine remand.

Choice was given the money by her stepmother, Sharon Mungofa, to buy chicken cutlets at the nearby shops, but later returned home empty-handed claiming that she had lost the money.

Appearing for the State, Mr Timothy Katsande, said: “On December 22, Choice was sent by her stepmother with a US$5 note to buy chicken cutlets. She later came back home around 7pm without the chicken cutlets and informed Mungofa that she had lost the money.

“Mungofa informed her husband that Choice had lost the money. An enraged Mufuka locked Choice in the dining room and went outside to get a switch from a peach tree in their backyard. When he came back, he assaulted Choice all over the body with the switch until she became unconscious .”

Mr Katsande said after assaulting the teenager, Mufuka shared the same room with her for the night, while his wife and other child slept in the bedroom.

“When Mufuka woke up the following morning, he noticed that his daughter had died. He informed Mungofa what had happened and the two agreed to inform Choice’s mother, Loveness Matengana,’’ he said.

Matengana was Mufuka’s first wife before they separated.

“Matengana, who remarried, came to Mufuka’s homestead to find out what had happened. She saw Mufuka preparing a coffin in preparation for Choice’s burial.

“Mufuka told Matengana that Choice was beaten to death by unseen forces. Upon viewing her daughter’s body, Mufuka discovered that it was swollen and had bruises all over. Mufuka was evasive on the cause of Choice’s death. Choice’s head was also deformed. The wall in the room where Choice’s body was in was covered with fresh blood. This left Matengana with suspicions that Choice’s head could have been bashed against the wall culminating in her death,” said Mr Katsande.

Matengana made a police report at Chipinge Rural Junction Gate Base leading to Mufuka’s arrest.-Manica Post

Kuda Choto / There could never been a more embarrassing moment and loss of high moral ground on the upholding of human rights and democratic principles, than the last US election, which has left the global superpower shamefully naked to the rest of the world.

• 

The world has watched in shock events unfold in the US, characterised by allegations of vote rigging, missing ballots, stuffing ballot boxes, citizens being killed in political violence, a script that has historically been reserved for struggling poorer countries and their ‘propensity for tyranny’.

Reacted the global watchdog the International Crisis Group, after President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol Hill and disrupted a session that was to certify Joe Bidens victory.

“The U.S. today is a nation where millions are convinced the new president was illegitimately elected, and where too many among those millions are both armed and seemingly willing to resort to extreme measures to ensure their view prevails,” the group said.

“Having spent decades telling other countries that they need to face up to their problems, it is past time for the U.S. to turn its gaze inward. The stakes could hardly be higher.”

A result of the devastating consequences of sanctions, Zimbabwe has been among the countries that have also gleefully pointed out the US double standards and hypocrisy, Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo poured scorn on the outcome of the election, “

“Unprecedented scenes of chaos and politically-motivated violence in Washington’s ‘citadel of democracy’ on 6 January. Provoked by those who refuse to accept electoral defeat. 5 dead. Scores injured. Police clearly under-prepared and overwhelmed.

“Perhaps the moralizing and prescriptive tone towards others might now change somewhat”.

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has remained intact despite being attacked from all directions by Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.

President Chamisa also accused Mr Mnangagwa’s administration of plundering State resources while millions are suffering.

Said President Chamisa:
Let us continue to pray that things get better for us and the rest of the world. We want to work with everyone to ensure that we get the vaccines and other support that we need to safeguard our communities.

I know that the lockdown is extremely hard for many people. Ours is now largely an informal economy and when people are stopped from working, they have no means of earning income. If it were up to us, we would have offered more creative ways to support people during this difficult time.

We would also have done more to support our frontline workers in the healthcare sector who are in harm’s way as they carry out an important national duty. The billions that are lost through corruption and patronage can go a long way to support our healthcare sector which was already in bad shape long before the pandemic. Our people are paying the price of high level incompetence over the years.

I wish to conclude by reassuring you that your party, the MDC Alliance, remains solid, undaunted, and emboldened. I would like to thank you for your continued support and encouragement even as we have been attacked from all directions by the regime and its enablers. These enablers will present themselves as the opposition’s opposition. You know that they are not genuinely the alternative. You know that they have relied on the abuse of state institutions to steal from us – your MPs, councillors, money, and party property – and in doing so, they have undermined trust in politics.

But you also know that there are some things that the repressive state and its surrogates can neither command nor steal: your loyalty and support. They cannot force you to support what you disagree with. They cannot command you to divert your loyalties. I am personally humbled by the knowledge that you have trusted us with these precious gifts, and I re-emphasize my commitment to honour and respect them.

Do not be perturbed by the fog they have created because it will soon clear.

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has lost two senior members in as many days.

The two are Provincial Secretary for Welfare(Masvingo) Wilson Boko and founding councillor for ward 23, Waterfalls, Linus Paul Mushonga.

“The MDC Alliance mourns the sad passing of Linus Paul Mushonga who was the MDC Founding Councillor for Ward 23 Waterfalls.

May his soul rest in peace,” the party said in a statement.

“We are saddened by sudden departure of founding councillor of ward 23 Waterfalls Linus Paul Mushonga to be with the Lord.
Hatfiled and entire Mdc Alliance family we have lost a friend,brother,father unshakened loyal cadre.May his soul rest in peace,” MDC Alliance Hatfield Youth Assembly posted on Facebook.

MDC Alliance Masvingo Provincial spokesperson Lee Mahachi described Boko as a dedicated and fearless party member.

Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has assured the nation that he will not abandon the people’s struggle.

In his letter to the nation, President Chamisa points out that the people of Zimbabwe know the difference between genuine opposition and pretenders.

In the letter, President Chamisa also reveals how he was mentored by MDC founding President and former Prime Minister, Right Honourable Morgan Richard Tsvangirai.

See part of President Chamisa’s letter below:

Fellow Zimbabweans,
When we began this journey 22 years ago, I was a young college student alongside my contemporaries. I was part of a generation of college students that joined veteran trade unionists, powerful women in the women’s movement, war veterans, civic and church leaders, among others, who believed that the way Zimbabwe was being governed needed serious transformation.

We believed that the system over which ZANU PF presided was only serving a minority of elites who occupied vantage positions within and around the state, while most Zimbabweans were condemned to suffering. It was plain that the future was bleak unless progressive Zimbabweans intervened to change the course. That is why we championed the message of change.

Looking back those days seem like a long time ago. A new generation has emerged since that time. Babies born in 1999 are now adults. They have lived their formative years in very difficult circumstances. Times were different back in 1999, but I remember the energy and passion of every cadre as if it were yesterday. The idea that was sown in our hearts and minds has no expiry date.

To be sure, the journey has been gruelling. But I was never under any illusion that it would be easy. We have lost thousands of cadres along the way, including our founding father, Morgan Tsvangirai who departed in February 2018. I was privileged to have a special relationship with him and from him, I learned a lot under his leadership and guidance. The most painful losses have been those suffered at the hands of the state, through violence. We cannot betray the memory of these dearly departed cadres. We must honour their dreams and aspirations for a better Zimbabwe, otherwise, they would have died in vain. This is why I have never veered from the course that was set in 1999.

I look back and realize that I have spent more than half of my life chasing the vision that was designed and shaped by those courageous men and women who gathered in 1999 to form the Movement for Democratic Change. The greatness of the idea has not diminished with time, no. It has been strengthened. Those men and women understood that the fundamental weaknesses at the heart of government needed not only new leaders but also a fresh set of ideas and ways of doing things. We remain committed to that vision.

One of the things that please me a lot is seeing a younger generation coming up and carrying the torch in politics. This is how strong institutions grow and I want to pay special tribute to the young people of Zimbabwe whose political consciousness is growing.

The journey has had seminal moments, some positive, and others negative. Both types have been important learning experiences. Some of these challenges have been read as representing existential threats to the organization, but we overcame them. We survived the loss of our founding father by going on to amass the largest electoral votes in the history of the opposition and had we not been cheated; we would have prevailed.

It is a testament to the strength of the idea, the abiding loyalty of the people to the cause, and the abundance of their political wisdom that the party has withstood severe tests. Even when we have been written off by our doubters, we have shown our mettle and surprised them, disappointing rivals along the way.

Many of you have seen what has happened in the past year. Our rivals have used multiple tricks in the dictators’ handbook, in a calculated and relentless effort to undermine our party. Using apparatuses of the state, and under the cover of what has been described as lawfare, they have robbed us of our legislators, councillors, and funds that were due to us under the law. In a direct subversion of democracy, they have even catapulted into Parliament undeserving individuals whom you as voters rejected in the last election. The assault upon democracy has been vicious, but we are undaunted.

As a party, we know that the purpose of these strategies is not just to undermine us, but it is also intended to obliterate us from the political landscape. ZANU PF has never been comfortable with strong opposition. They aim to build an opposition that they control. This is the sole purpose of the project that they have moulded with our erstwhile colleagues. These were deliberate acts of provocation, designed to lure us into conduct that would justify violent repression during the pandemic. We have remained calm and resolute, not because we are unable to respond, but because we know the game they are playing. We also remain true to our founding principle: we are committed to achieving change through peaceful and non-violent means.

We have remained composed because we are confident that progressive fellow Zimbabweans are solidly behind us. We know this because of all the love, support, and encouragement that they have shown us during these testing times. We trust the gift of discernment that is given to Zimbabweans, which enables them to distinguish between right and wrong. They can tell when a bully is abusing power and they know how to punish this abusive behaviour, which punishment will be exacted through the ballot box.

Significantly, Zimbabweans can tell the difference between genuine opposition that is challenging repression and enablers who are aiding and abetting repression. This is not the first time that the people of Zimbabwe have encountered this situation. During the last days of colonialism, the Smith regime tried to hoodwink people by promoting people like Bishop Abel Muzorewa, ahead of the true nationalists who were fighting repression.

Smith preferred the likes of Muzorewa because they were lackeys who would do his bidding while Muzorewa and others were eager to join the gravy train to serve their interests…

By A Correspondent | The Zengeza MP Job Sikhala has been arrested.

The development comes two days after the MP had predicted the police plot to imprison him over sharing the video of a police officer who killed a child in Second Street, Harare last Monday.

SIKHALA ARRESTED https://t.co/TiNT1GXqSd

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) January 9, 2021

More to follow

WATCH VIDEO- #HopewellChinono arrives at Harare Magistrates Court (vid- credit @blessedmhlanga) pic.twitter.com/6vCkDzDVfI

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) January 9, 2021

Can you see the number plates of this police car that abducted Hopewell Chin'ono @daddyhope ? HOW DO THE DIGITS READ IN YOUR EYES? https://t.co/YB5cI8OZi8 pic.twitter.com/Avjr9VmkSC

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) January 9, 2021

By ZimEye Editorial

1. The charges announced against Hopewell Chin’ono as he was being taken away yesterday are totally frivolous and amount to a covering up of child abuse by a police officer in an incident which happened in Second Street, Harare last Monday.
2. The identity of the police officers who performed this arrest were not disclosed at the point of contact as is standard with all normal arrests.
3. The so called police officers did not provide any badge numbers as is required in the country’s policing guidelines.
4. The arrest comes at a time when the police officer who abused a child in the capital city, Harare is still to be tried or punished for their crime. Any sort of arrest punishing a journalist for sharing what is already in the public domain concerning child abuse, at a time when the Zimbabwe Republic Police should be updating the nation on the child abuse matter, amounts to nothing than an abduction by the same police force that abused the child and has an implicatorial conflict of interest in any legal procedure regarding the child abuse case.
5. At a time when the police force has kept hidden the identity of the child and its mother, any arrest other than that of the cop who committed this abuse, can only amount to a criminal abuse of office, to the public detriment.
6. The Zimbabwe Republic police has a history stretching over 40 year’s under the direct headship of the current so called president, in which evidence has been destroyed and more than 30000 innocent civilians killed. The ZRP has a long history of abusing and killing children.

7. There are strong grounds to believe that that the child’s mother has been killed by now, in order to hide evidence any police arrest other than that of the cop who did this heinous act can only amount to to something worse than an abduction.
8. The vehicle that took Hopewell Chin’ono is not recognisable police car and the same type has been used in years past to conduct notorious kidnappings.
9. The case which Hopewell Chin’ono is accused of spreading falsehoods over, involves the police’s alleged killing of a child whose head can be clearly be seen as motionless.
10. The police force is still to reconcile facts to the public why they say the child was not at all injured, when the matter at hand is not that if injury but of murder.

VIDEO- Police officer allegedly beat to death a baby strapped on its mother's back along second street in Harare. @PoliceZimbabwe @nickmangwana @schikanza @MakomboreroH @Cde_Ostallos @LynneStactia pic.twitter.com/FORUfS8d0j

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) January 5, 2021

11. ZimEye has taken the police to task to explain why they ignore the fact that the phrase, “you have killed this child!” is continuously repeated be several people at the scene over 9 times in a short space of 43 seconds in the footage which went viral on Monday. The police were still to reply to several phone calls, or call back ZimEye at the time of writing.

12. This is not the first time Chin’ono has been arrested and in previous times, the charges have been either frivolous or totally baseless.

https://twitter.com/ZimEye/status/1347863050003558400?s=19

By A Correspondent- Chiefs are set to abandon their colonial regalia as it does not reflect Zimbabwe’s traditional heritage and cultural values but cements colonial dominancy.

The red and purple gown and round shaped hat has been part of the chiefs’ identity pre and post independence, but the traditional leaders no longer want to have anything to do with it.

They said the regalia reflects a ‘bastardised’ traditional leaders’ identity which in essence is a symbol of dominance by colonialists. They said after 40 years of independence, they can no longer be portrayed in the way the settler government wanted them to be seen.

Some of the institutions that remain stuck with colonial regalia include the judiciary as judges are expected to wear wigs before presiding over court cases.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has previously been criticised for spending limited foreign currency importing wigs for judges.

For instance in 2019, it is said more than US$170 000 was spent importing wigs for 64 local judges from the United Kingdom. In local authorities, town clerks also wear wigs in some of the council official business while mayors also wear robes which reflect coloniality.

Before the country was colonised, chiefs used to put on animal skin regalia associated with royalty which colonialists changed when they enforced their dominance on Africans.

The chiefs said a new traditional leaders’ dress should not take them to the Stone Age but reflect Zimbabwe’s diverse cultures.

National Council of Chiefs president Chief Fortune Charumbira said funds permitting they will be inviting a national competition for designers to come up with chiefs’ regalia which reflects Zimbabwean culture. He said chiefs were slowly abandoning the regalia as they no longer wear it at most official gatherings. Some of the traditional leaders opt only to pin shields onto their shirts that identify them as chiefs as opposed to wearing the whole regalia.

“The whole chiefs’ regalia from the head and all the other pins that we put on as chiefs were designed during colonial times for a purpose. The messages in that regalia can never be the same messages of an independent Zimbabwe. They do not reflect in any way our core values and cultures. For example we want to celebrate as a people where we come from. We want to celebrate that we have artefacts like Great Zimbabwe,” said Chief Charumbira.

“We want to celebrate that we are people that have liberated ourselves, that we’re agricultural people, that we are hardworking people, that we have ubuntu and other values. All these are not reflected in the regalia. It has all to do with what whites thought of us, it was meant to please whites.”

He said for instance the round shaped hat is the core of colonial supremacy as it is a product of the British South Africa Company and its officials gave it to those who directly reported to it like messengers and police who would spy on Africans. Chief Charumbira said they want a chiefs’ regalia they can relate to and be proud of.

“So we are in the process of inviting competition to design the regalia for chiefs. This will reflect our own values, histories, symbols, artefacts as Africans, not regalia which depicts the ethos and the philosophies of the past colonial government,” said Chief Charumbira.

“There is a budgetary issue, we will see what we are given this time around by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development in the 2021 budget. We will see if we have enough resources to do that (set up the competition). The themes in that national regalia should project the diversity of our people. A good designer should ensure all these key elements come out and should tell a story of who we are.”

He said other institutions that are stuck with colonial regalia should also be moving towards changing them. Chief Charumbira said mental enslavement remains an issue even in independent Zimbabwe, something that should change.

“Go to the Judiciary, Parliament, the dressing is still much of the colonial past. The restraining factor in behaviour has also to do with the culture and values. Culture and values is in symbols, is in what we eat what we wear. How we appear is still more British than African and that’s why we are talking about a disintegrating social fabric, because we don’t have our own fabric. Ours is still very much weakened, diluted, bastardised by the colonial past. We don’t have a standard to follow or a compass because those symbols at the end of the day are the compass that should guide us to the true north,” said Chief Charumbira.

He said it was important for chiefs to be deliberating on their new regalia at a time when a national dress is in the national discourse as well.

“You want to do these things simultaneously. They cannot be separate from each other. They both are carrying the message of national appearance, national posture and national projection. “You would want to do them concurrently and you would want to say which one should be for Parliament, Judiciary or Chiefs. You want them in some areas to look distinct for example the one for chiefs we want it to be distinct from others,” said Chief Charumbira.

Tsholotsho traditional leader and Senator Chief Mathuphula said traditional leaders have reached a consensus that the chiefs’ regalia should be changed.

“On the issue of the traditional dress, chiefs regalia to be precise, I feel and we feel that the current regalia does not really reflect our traditions and heritage. Our culture or the cultures that we have in our areas and I think there is a need for the people to look at it from the village perspective to ask the local leadership on the ground to come up with a dress that reflects our cultures.

“We need to revisit what we used to put on and design something that we can be proud of and children be proud of. So that we start to have a national consciousness with regards to tradition and culture,” said Chief Mathuphula.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo woman was exposed as a paternity cheat after results of a DNA test showed that the child was not fathered by the man who she claimed was her daughter’s dad.

The bombshell came to light when Nkosilathi Ndlovu, a lecturer at Gwanda State University, who was disputing having a love-child with his ex-lover, Breater Gertrude Tayengwa Muvirimi, went for paternity tests at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) Applied Genetics Testing Centre.

The Nust DNA lab has been operational since 2015 and it previously said 70 percent of paternity tests conducted at the lab had exposed some women as cheats.

Muvirimi from Entumbane suburb was demanding $6 680 from Ndlovu as monthly upkeep for her one-year and 11 months old daughter.

“In terms of the Maintenace Act (Chapter 5:09) I’m seeking to claim maintenance from the respondent Nkosilathi Ndlovu. I’m applying for maintenance in the sum of $6 680 for a child aged one-year and 11 months. I need money for rent, clothing and food. He is the father of the child and is legally liable to maintain as he is employed as a lecturer at Gwanda State University and earns $40 000 per month,” said Muvirimi.

Muvirimi claimed she was unable to cope with the financial demands associated with looking after the child since she was not employed.

“I am not working and I do part time jobs and getting 100 rand per day,” she claimed.
In response Ndlovu dismissed Muvirimi’s application saying he was not legally liable to maintain the child who was not his.

“We did DNA tests and I discovered that the child was not biologically mine,” said Ndlovu while tendering the DNA results.

The results read in part: “The alleged father Mr Nkosilathi Ndlovu is excluded as the biological father of the child.

“The conclusion is based on the non-matching alleles observed at the loci listed above with likelihood ration equal to zero. The alleged father lacks the genetic markers that must be contributed to the child by the biological father. The probability of paternity is 0%”.

Muvirimi however, disputed the results saying she was not present when they were released.

“I was not there when the results were out, so I don’t think they were done properly. I was surprised when police served me with the copy of the DNA results,” she said.

In her ruling presiding magistrate Nomsa Ncube dismissed her claims saying the respondent has produced a paternity test result which showed that the probability of his paternity was zero percent.

Meanwhile, this claim around paternity discrepancy/fraud is not a new one in Zimbabwe. It has been reported before that more than 70 percent of Zimbabwean men may be taking care of children who are not theirs as cases of paternity fraud continue to soar in the country where mothers deliberately misidentify the biological father of the child.-bmetro

By A Correspondent- Over 2 000 squatters at Bulawayo’s three slums have resorted to fetching domestic water from sewage ponds and open pits oblivious of the health implications, NewsDay Weekender has learnt.

A survey conducted by the Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights (MIHR) at the three slum settlements – Ngozi Mine, Trenance and Killarney – has exposed the ticking health time bomb.

The illegal settlements accommodate at least 2 200 people.

MIHR last year assisted the Ngozi Mine squatters to petition the Bulawayo City Council for provision of clean water and the petition was signed by over 160 residents and presented to the ward councillor.

But council said it did not recognise them and refused to address their demands.

The MIHR report released on Thursday states that globally, slum dwellers are increasing with the current global population being estimated at one billion up from 883 million in 2003.

“In Africa, south of the Sahara, there are over 72 million slum settlers. The Zimbabwean Census Statistics Office (ZimStat) does not record the slum population separately. This makes it difficult to have authoritative statistics of Zimbabwean slum residents …,” read the report.

In its findings, the organisation says the slum dwellers cannot talk of the quality of water because they do not have water to drink in the first place.

“Access to clean, safe and potable water is a major challenge in all the three settlements as BCC and Umguza RDC are not providing water services to the communities …,” the report read.

MIHR revealed that Ngozi Mine residents survive on collecting water from an pit left open by council after extracting pit sand.

“The open pit water is brown in colour and is likely to be contaminated as it is downhill and closely adjacent to the dumping site. They also go to Montgomery low-density
suburb to collect from the well.

“During the rainy season, they also attempt rainwater harvesting and drinking from the local stream contaminated due to open defecation and eroding dumpsite rubble.”

MIHR stated that in Killarney slum settlement, residents collect water from a regular water burst.

“The residents further explained that at times the water from the burst comes out greenish in colour.

“In Trenance, residents beg from nearby plot-holders with boreholes or water harvesting during the rainy season. The residents said begging for borehole water is becoming difficult during COVID-19 as plot-holders fear being infected.”

MIHR said some of the plot-holders insist that slum residents do manual labour around the home as payment for collecting water.

“Collecting water from burst pipes is not sustainable as the council repairs them. Squatters are also afraid that council rangers may implicate them for damaging the pipes. An average family of six uses 60-80 litres a day for all domestic water needs,” the MIHR report read.

MIHR urged the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency to provide specific statistics of the slum dwellers to enable mobilisation of humanitarian assistance for them.

“Parliamentarians should visit slums to hear their concerns and hold the government accountable for the fundamental rights of slum residents,” MIHR said.

“The government should enact policies that recognise the legitimate human rights and freedoms of slum residents.”

MIHR said slum residents were entitled to legitimate fundamental human rights and freedoms.

Established between the late 1970s and the early 1980s, Bulawayo slum communities have a unique historical background.

Killarney Slum settlement began as a settlement for mine migrants in the late 1970s, housing migrant mine workers from Zambia and Malawi who worked at Sweep Ticket.

Trenance camp was formed by former suburban workers who occupied the privately-owned land and made it their new home.

The settlement is believed to have begun around 1981.

Ngozi Mine settlement inhabitants are people who scrounge the dumpsite in search of dumped materials for resale.

-newsday

One of the 82 Heads who tested positive lost the battle to COVID19 at Mahusekwa hospital at 0400hrs today. MHSRP. We blame @MoPSEZim for his death and the deaths of all Trs, learners & parents who contracted the virus from schools. The judiciary also failed to save lives. pic.twitter.com/Zb3LCOu1JU

— Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe,ARTUZ (@ARTUZ_teachers) January 9, 2021

?#Zimbabwe??: RSF condemns in the strongest possible terms the re-arrest of investigative journalist Hopewell Chin'ono. This third arrest for @daddyhope over the last six months is a disgrace. cc President @edmnangagwa. #FreeHopewell #JournalismIsNotACrime pic.twitter.com/6QF4mnurJP

— RSF (@RSF_inter) January 9, 2021

By A Correspondent- Most sex workers in Zimbabwe meet clients in person in bars and on a dark street corner at night in town, but since the Covid-19 lockdown came into effect on Saturday, the street hookers have been forced to move their business online.

The government reviewed lockdown measures over the weekend, resulting in gatherings such as weddings and churches being banned for 30 days, with formal and non-formal businesses being suspended. Businesses now operate from 8AM to 3PM. The curfew is now in effect from 6PM to 6AM.

Since most sex workers come out to work at night, the dusk-to-dawn curfew means their ‘offices’ are out of reach.

And since the essential services provided are not viewed as essential by government, they have no choice, but to use social media to sell their flesh.

In separate interviews commercial sex workers who spoke to B-Metro said of all the challenges that come with the lockdown, lack of clients was the biggest test they have to contend with.

“As sex workers our incomes disappeared overnight when the Government reviewed its lockdown measures in the face of rising Covid-19 cases by imposing a stringent regime resulting in bars, bottle stores and lodges being closed.

We are really in a desperate situation as we are in need of money to pay rent and buy food,” said a commercial sex worker who identified herself as Rose, adding that some prostitutes will be left homeless and without any income.

She said as the reviewed lockdown measures threaten their livelihoods as sex workers, they were also now working from home using WhatsApp and Facebook to make appointments with their clients.

“The return of lockdown doesn’t just mean being out of work, it could also mean that we should be innovative. We are using technology to service our clients. I am now meeting with my regular clients via WhatsApp and Facebook.

“It’s easy for those who drive as they just come to my house and if they are not comfortable being serviced indoors, we just go to a bushy area close to my suburb to make love in the car,” said Rose.

A research by B-Metro has also shown that with an urgent need to replace lost income, many commercial sex workers have switched to online services, offering their clients video calls, erotic photographs, and videos instead.

Another commercial sex worker who refused to be identified said it was going to be tough for her as moving online was not a simple solution.

“This Covid-19 is a disaster for us who are involved in client-facing business. My kids are really struggling for food.

Now we have no business at all and we have also been forced to change timetables.

“Instead of meeting our clients at night, it now makes sense to invite them during the day but it’s difficult for those who are married as they don’t want to be seen sneaking into our houses. For appointments with clients, I use WhatsApp, but it’s not easy as some clients will just ignore me as they suspect that they are being trapped,” she said.

Another sex worker who identified herself as Connie said although the demand for sex services was high, it was difficult to service her clients as lodges and hotels were not accessible.

“I used to see up to six clients a day at lodges but it’s now difficult for me to service them since I stay with my two children which means I can’t invite them (clients) to my place. As you know as part of lockdown measures people are supposed to stay indoors so I can’t chase my kids to create space for my clients.

“It’s also difficult to invite my clients home since my landlord too doesn’t know about my occupation,” said Emma, while swiping her finger down the phone to reveal dozens of unanswered texts and WhatsApp messages from her potential clients.

An official with a sex worker-led organisation Sexual Rights Centre (SRC), who requested not to be named, said nationwide lockdown was particularly damaging for sex workers as many of them were struggling to survive.

“The nationwide lockdown implemented by government to contain the spread of Covid-19 has left many sex workers jobless. To make matters worse they are excluded from emergency assistance available to other workers. They are also not benefitting from pandemic response and recovery plans being extended to other workers in the informal sector,” said the official.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Only bars and restaurants serving hotel residents are allowed to sell alcohol and any other outlets including supermarkets are banned from doing so, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday.

Following a spike in coronavirus cases, Zimbabwe was put under level four lockdown which reintroduced a 6PM to 6AM curfew.

Under the lockdown regulations announced last Saturday by Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care only essential businesses such as supermarkets, pharmacies and banks, can remain open and all gatherings such as wedding ceremonies or religious services are banned, with the exception of funerals, which are limited to 30 people.

Yesterday, there was panic on the liquor streets of Bulawayo as imbibers shared pictures of leading supermarkets putting up notices that they were no longer selling alcohol.

Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp were awash with pictures of alcohol sections of different supermarkets shutting down.

Bottle stores, bars and other leisure centres were banned from operating leaving, before yesterday, only supermarkets to sell alcohol during the lockdown.

The Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi said Statutory Instrument (SI) 10 of 2021 means that even supermarkets are not supposed to sell alcohol and those who have stopped are doing so correctly under the lockdown regulations.

“The only places that were allowed to sell alcohol are hotels for their residents. If there’s a bottle store in a supermarket it’s supposed to be closed. The SI banned the sale of alcohol in bottle stores, supermarkets, except hotels. Those chain supermarkets have segments, if they have a bottle store in the supermarkets they should be closed. I think they are correct if they are stopping the sale of alcohol,” said Minister Ziyambi.

Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi “Bottle stores and bars are potential hazardous places for the spread of Covid-19. Generally, alcohol leads to non-compliance. Our aim is to ensure that people comply and stay at home and we arrest new infections.”

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Suspended Harare mayor Jacob Mafume, remanded in custody for abuse of office, obstruction of justice and corruption charges, can now be attended to by a medical doctor of his choice, the court ruled yesterday.

Harare provincial magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwuriro allowed Mafume to be attended to by his doctor in custody although his lawyer Mr Tendai Biti had applied to have him released instead.

On Thursday, Mr Biti told court that Mafume had received treatment at Harare Remand Prison Clinic, but his condition has continued deteriorate.

Mr Biti argued that Harare Central Remand Prison was overcrowded, and there was no adherence to Covid-19 regulations such as social distancing, use of sanitisers and wearing of masks. He asked the court to conduct an inspection in loco to have an appreciation of the conditions.

“The accused is not well and displaying symptoms related to coronavirus which are fever, weakness in his joints and headache. He has been attended to at the clinic at Harare Remand (but) there are no drugs and decent medication. It is in the best interest that accused be subjected to, not only coronavirus, but other medical checks by a practitioner of his choice, Dr Francis Lovemore.

“He is in D Class, which is an open cell where there are 64 inmates in that cell. There is no social distancing, no masks, no sanitisers, no gloves and he was sleeping on the floor on extremely crowded conditions,” he said.

Mr Charles Muchemwa for the State did not object to Mafume being medically examined, saying the health of an individual was of paramount importance. Mafume is facing two sets of charges.

The first, for which he has been admitted to bail, concern the alleged allocation of council stands in Westlea to his sister and a secretary at his law firm, although neither was on the waiting list, and the second relates to allegations that he in defiance of his bail conditions attempted to get a testify in his favour.

Mafume is expected to be back in court on January 12 when the State is expected to apply to revoke his bail on the land allocation charges.-statemedia

By Son Of The Soil

There are reports that Zanu PF is planning to force Zimbabweans to fund its 2023 election campaign.

The message is circulating on social media and we don’t know how true it is.

“Citizens must fund the Zanu PF 2023 election campaign.
It will be a way of appreciating Cde ED’s leadership.

We know that Kasukuwere wants to take over the esteemed office,”
said one Cde Nyika Ndeyeropa who claimed to be a decision maker.

“We will investigate the issue, if it’s true then Zimbabweans have the right to resist the move.

Political analsyts say citizens should not be forced to fund political parties.

A former military commander, Brigadier-General Collin Moyo (Retired), has died.

Brig-Gen Moyo, whose Chimurenga name was Rodwell Nyika, died at the age of 66 on Friday morning at Haematology Centre, Harare after a short illness.

He had retired from the army in 1997 and at the time of his death, he was a director in the Ministry of Defence and Welfare of War Veterans responsible for Investigations, Vetting and Inspectorate.

In a statement on Friday night, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) confirmed Brig-Gen Moyo’s death describing him as a true revolutionary who steadfastly defended the country’s sovereignty. The statement read in part:

He committed his whole life to serve Zimbabwe and fought to defend her interests.

He made valuable contributions to regional peace and security.

Above all, he remained focused and steadfast in the face of neo-colonial machinations by Britain and her allies.

Brig-Gen Moyo is said to have trained the likes of Commander Defence Forces General Philip Valerio Sibanda, Major General Diye, Major General N. Dube, Lieutenant General S.B Moyo (Rtd), Major General Chiramba among others.

-State Media

Live recordings of music concerts, lockdown parties and like gatherings are illegal under the latest lockdown measures and those found on the wrong side of the law, will be arrested and prosecuted, Bulawayo law enforcers have said.

Funerals are the only gatherings that are allowed under the latest lockdown that came into effect on Tuesday. A maximum of 30 people are allowed to gather for a funeral.

Last year, during the lockdown, artistes were recording their video content at various studios and holding lockdown parties that they broadcasted online.

During these recordings, there was normally a technical team and a bunch of artistes.

However, according to Bulawayo province police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube, such gatherings according to law are illegal.

“A gathering according to the law is more than three people. Even if they are people who are congregated outside, if they are more than three, they are a gathering and they can be arrested. Only a funeral is the one that’s exempted and according to the regulations, it should have a maximum of 30 people, the rest are gatherings,” said Insp Ncube.

He warned people not to be caught on the wrong side of the law.

“Some people hold these recordings in places that they think are secluded, but as long as it is a gathering, this is illegal and those risk to be arrested and prosecuted,” said Insp Ncube.

Following the arrest and subsequent conviction of Chillspot Records duo, DJ Fantan (Arnold Kamudyariwa) and DJ Levelz (Tafadzwa Kadzimwe) who were both jailed six months for holding a show in Mbare, Harare, when the country was under lockdown, artistes are now afraid of being found on the wrong side of the law.-Chronicle

A circulating picture of an ox drawn car being used as a community ambulance in Mberengwa has caused social media stir with Zimbabweans expressing anger over the lack of prioritization by the government especially with millions of dollars pumped into a Mbuya Nehanda statue in Harare.

Below is the picture of the community ambulance. What do you think about Zimbabwe’s development priorities?

HUNDREDS of Harare and Bulawayo nurses, who went on strike on Thursday, resumed their duties yesterday after government provided the personal protective equipment (PPE) they were demanding.

On Thursday, nurses at major public hospitals demonstrated against being forced to go to work without PPE, arguing that they were being exposed to highly infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) president Enoch Dongo yesterday told NewsDay Weekender that government had taken heed of their concerns and vowed to provide PPE.

Nurses at Sally Mugabe Hospital (formerly Harare Central) in Harare withdrew their services after some of their colleagues and other patients tested positive for COVID-19.

Government also gave in to the nurses’ demand for flexible working hours which will see a limited number of staff reporting for duty at any given time.

“Authorities agreed to draft another duty roster with fewer health workers at any given time which will be effective starting Monday  next week,” Dongo said. “This will result in nurses decongesting the health institutions. Also, it helps the number of nurses that will be exposed to the deadly virus at any given time.

“Most importantly, government is not in a capacity to provide enough PPE if all nurses report for duty at once, but if we revert back to the flexible working hours, government will be able to provide the required PPE to all the fewer nurses who will be on duty,” said.

Dongo added that government should address the plight of health workers with urgency as nurses were turning out to be carriers of the virus which was detrimental to all other government efforts in containing the virus.

“There is a situation where patients come to hospital for treatment on other diseases, but they go back to their homes with the virus after contracting it from the health workers attending to them,” he said.

Government last year cancelled the flexible working conditions where nurses work for 40 hours in three days and directed that all nurses work the same 40 hours over seven days.

An application by Zina which seeks to stop government from enacting that directive is still pending at the High Court.

-Newsday

Prominent Masvingo businessman Ernest Mukumba who ran a number of hardware shops in several parts of the country including Masvingo Hardware has died.

He also owned Harmony and Heavenly, an upmarket lodge in Zimre Park in Masvingo.

He passed on at Parirenyatwa Hospital at around 3am today.

More to follow….

Chiefs are set to abandon their colonial regalia as it does not reflect Zimbabwe’s traditional heritage and cultural values but cements colonial dominancy.

The red and purple gown and round shaped hat has been part of the chiefs’ identity pre and post independence, but the traditional leaders no longer want to have anything to do with it.

They said the regalia reflects a ‘bastardised’ traditional leaders’ identity which in essence is a symbol of dominance by colonialists.

They said after 40 years of independence, they can no longer be portrayed in the way the settler government wanted them to be seen.

Some of the institutions that remain stuck with colonial regalia include the judiciary as judges are expected to wear wigs before presiding over court cases.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has previously been criticised for spending limited foreign currency importing wigs for judges.

For instance in 2019, it is said more than US$170 000 was spent importing wigs for 64 local judges from the United Kingdom.

In local authorities, town clerks also wear wigs in some of the council official business while mayors also wear robes which reflect coloniality.

Before the country was colonised, chiefs used to put on animal skin regalia associated with royalty which colonialists changed when they enforced their dominance on Africans.

The chiefs said a new traditional leaders’ dress should not take them to the Stone Age but reflect Zimbabwe’s diverse cultures.

National Council of Chiefs president Chief Fortune Charumbira said funds permitting they will be inviting a national competition for designers to come up with chiefs’ regalia which reflects Zimbabwean culture.

He said chiefs were slowly abandoning the regalia as they no longer wear it at most official gatherings.

Some of the traditional leaders opt only to pin shields onto their shirts that identify them as chiefs as opposed to wearing the whole regalia.

“The whole chiefs’ regalia from the head and all the other pins that we put on as chiefs were designed during colonial times for a purpose. The messages in that regalia can never be the same messages of an independent Zimbabwe.

They do not reflect in any way our core values and cultures. For example we want to celebrate as a people where we come from. We want to celebrate that we have artifacts like Great Zimbabwe,” said Chief Charumbira.

“We want to celebrate that we are people that have liberated ourselves, that we’re agricultural people, that we are hardworking people, that we have ubuntu and other values. All these are not reflected in the regalia. It has all to do with what whites thought of us, it was meant to please whites.”

He said for instance the round shaped hat is the core of colonial supremacy as it is a product of the British South Africa Company and its officials gave it to those who directly reported to it like messengers and police who would spy on Africans.

Chief Charumbira said they want a chiefs’ regalia they can relate to and be proud of.

“So we are in the process of inviting competition to design the regalia for chiefs. This will reflect our own values, histories, symbols, artifacts as Africans, not regalia which depicts the ethos and the philosophies of the past colonial government,” said Chief Charumbira.

“There is a budgetary issue, we will see what we are given this time around by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development in the 2021 budget. We will see if we have enough resources to do that (set up the competition). The themes in that national regalia should project the diversity of our people. A good designer should ensure all these key elements come out and should tell a story of who we are.”

He said other institutions that are stuck with colonial regalia should also be moving towards changing them.

Chief Charumbira said mental enslavement remains an issue even in independent Zimbabwe, something that should change.

“Go to the Judiciary, Parliament, the dressing is still much of the colonial past. The restraining factor in behaviour has also to do with the culture and values. Culture and values is in symbols, is in what we eat what we wear. How we appear is still more British than African and that’s why we are talking about a disintegrating social fabric, because we don’t have our own fabric. Ours is still very much weakened, diluted, bastardised by the colonial past. We don’t have a standard to follow or a compass because those symbols at the end of the day are the compass that should guide us to the true north,” said Chief Charumbira.

He said it was important for chiefs to be deliberating on their new regalia at a time when a national dress is in the national discourse as well.

“You want to do these things simultaneously. They cannot be separate from each other. They both are carrying the message of national appearance, national posture and national projection.

“You would want to do them concurrently and you would want to say which one should be for Parliament, Judiciary or Chiefs. You want them in some areas to look distinct for example the one for chiefs we want it to be distinct from others,” said Chief Charumbira.

Tsholotsho traditional leader and Senator Chief Mathuphula said traditional leaders have reached a consensus that the chiefs’ regalia should be changed.

“On the issue of the traditional dress, chiefs regalia to be precise, I feel and we feel that the current regalia does not really reflect our traditions and heritage. Our culture or the cultures that we have in our areas and I think there is a need for the people to look at it from the village perspective to ask the local leadership on the ground to come up with a dress that reflects our cultures.

“We need to revisit what we used to put on and design something that we can be proud of and children be proud of. So that we start to have a national consciousness with regards to tradition and culture,” said Chief Mathuphula.

-State Media

22 more people succumbed to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe on Friday while 985 tested positive according to the ministry of health and child care update.

Yesterday’s numbers takes the cumulative total to 19660 cases and 468 deaths of which 12184 have recovered from the disease.

While previous were balanced between returnees and local cases, yesterday 984 were local confirming that the virus is now in the country.

People are encouraged to stay at home and if you chose to go out, mask up and always maintain social distancing.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, currently on annual leave at a time Zimbabwe is battling the intensifying Covid-19 pandemic, including attendant deaths, was last week forced to abandon a trip to his Sherwood farm in Kwekwe after several security personnel and his farm manager tested positive, The NewsHawks can reveal.

This comes just a few months after Mnangagwa made drastic changes to his security team after nearly 20 soldiers from the Presidential Guard Brigade, including some that were deployed to his motorcade, tested Covid-19 positive a few days before the arrival of his visiting Malawian counterpart Lazarus Chakwera last October.

Zimbabwe this week recorded its highest daily death toll when 34 people succumbed to the infection on Tuesday. At least 13 more died the following day – Wednesday – bringing the total death toll to 431.
At least 15 more people died yesterday, meaning 446 fatalities.

While Mnangagwa was going away on leave, the rising Covid-19 cases and fatalities prompted co-Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, who also doubles as Health minister, to announce a 30-day lockdown last week which began on Tuesday.

Sources told The NewsHawks that four soldiers from 2 Presidential Guard, located in Harare’s Dzivaresekwa suburb, 10 Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) personnel and seven police officers from the Police Protection Unit underwent Covid-19 tests ahead of Mnangagwa’s Kwekwe trip. The tests were conducted last week on Wednesday at State House, sources said.

Mnangagwa’s security includes the CIO, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (VVIP Police Protection Unit) and the military which entails the Presidential Guard and the Special Air Services.

The yellow-beret military personnel from Dzivaresekwa provide security to the head of state when he travels outside the capital to places such as his Pricabe farm in Sherwood just outside Kwekwe.

“The President’s security team underwent Covid-19 tests at State House which involved inserting a six-inch-long swab into the nose (nasopharyngeal swab) for 15 seconds and rotating it several times,” a source in the Health ministry told The NewsHawks.

“It came as a shock when results came out. The President’s security team had been struck by the virus and thankfully most of them are asymptomatic at this stage. A farm manager who is also related to the President also tested positive. His trip had to be abandoned.”

Contacted for comment, presidential spokesperson George Charamba said he was not in the office, but referred this reporter to the principal director in Chiwenga’s office, whose phone was unreachable. Last year, Mnangagwa changed his security team when soldiers tested positive for Covid-19.

The drastic security changes came less than three years after he rotated the security personnel in the Presidential Guard Brigade subsequent to the 2017 coup that brought him to power before the elections.

Soon after the coup, Mnangagwa appointed former Presidential Guard commander Nhamo Anselem Sanyatwe to serve in the diplomatic service in Tanzania.

Sanyatwe, a key military officer who played a critical role in the ouster of the late long-time leader Robert Mugabe, was replaced by Fidelis Mhonda, who was first deputised by David Nyasha, recently promoted to Brigadier-General. Mnangagwa’s former aide-de-camp Never Jones Makuyana took over from Nyasha.

Following Mhonda’s appointment, commissioned and non-commissioned officers from 1 Presidential Guard Barracks were moved to the Dzivaresekwa Barracks in what key security sources said was an unprecedented move.

The then commander of 2PG, Samson Murombo, was deployed to 1PG before being briefly appointed Mnangagwa’s aide-de-camp. Murombo was later deployed to the All Arms Battle School after clashes with First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa.

Sources further said cases of Covid-19 have in the past few months been detected at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe School of Intelligence in Msasa Park, Harare, where more than 50 security service personnel tested positive.

A few months ago workers at Zanu PF headquarters, including high-ranking officials, were forced into self-quarantine after many people tested positive to the virus which poses a renewed threat to Zimbabwe.

-Newshawks

By Dr Takavafira Zhou| 2020 was a wasted year in terms of welfare, health and safety of teachers. High on the Agenda of the United Front of teachers in 2021 is urgent social dialogue to guarantee better salaries for teachers, industrial harmony and productivity in 2021.

We therefore urge gvt to urgently engage teacher unions as opposed to moribund, archaic and obsolete Apex Council for social dialogue. Teachers cannot wait longer to get starvation wages, and the earlier gvt takes the initiative to kick start robust collective bargaining as opposed to collective begging, the better.

We also appeal to gvt to avail relevant paper work to schools so that several teachers that so far have tested positive to covid 19 can complete and get assistance. It’s sad that several teachers have approached district and provincial offices without getting any assistance in terms of gvt assistance to covid 19 positive teachers. Our members are becoming more and more agitated as they fail to get assistance.

Teachers cannot continue to be treated as if they are of no account. Teachers are in essence arbiters of a nation’s destiny and must be treated well.

Venceremos

Dr Takavafira M. Zhou

Zimbabwe entered a hard lockdown this week and it’s second wave of infections is beginning to peak.

Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro, has declared the entire Zimbabwe a coronavirus hotspot.

He says infection rates are rising drastically in all the country’s regions.

On Tuesday, the Department of Health in Zimbabwe recorded its highest number of new daily infections at over 1 300 cases.

In the video below, Zimbabwe residents react to life under full lockdown:

Zimbabwe entered a hard lockdown this week and it’s second wave of infections is beginning to peak.

The country has more than 17 000 cumulative cases and the death toll is standing above 480.

Magwiro says the coronavirus caseload keeps on increasing rapidly.

“There’s no area that’s called the hotspot its now the whole country. That is why we are at level four of transmission. If [it was a] cluster of just hundred people, we would [be] on level one. Most of our COVID-19 centres have enough beds people should not rely on social media or hearsay,” explains Mangwiro.

-Reuters

DEPRIVING her family of a chicken meal on Unity Day holiday cost a Chipinge girl (13) her life after she was beaten to death by her father who accused her of negligently losing a US$5 note she had been given to buy the cutlets.

Shadreck Mufuka (44) of Nyamanga Compound, Southdown Estate, sought to conceal the murder by telling the girl’s mother that she died after being attacked by unseen things.

Mufuka has since appeared in court charged with the alleged murder of his daughter, Choice, on December 22.

He was not asked to plead when he appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Mrs Elizabeth Hanzi and was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

Mufuka was remanded to January 12 for routine remand.

Choice was given the money by her stepmother, Sharon Mungofa, to buy chicken cutlets at the nearby shops, but later returned home empty-handed claiming that she had lost the money.

Appearing for the State, Mr Timothy Katsande, said: “On December 22, Choice was sent by her stepmother with a US$5 note to buy chicken cutlets. She later came back home around 7pm without the chicken cutlets and informed Mungofa that she had lost the money.

“Mungofa informed her husband that Choice had lost the money. An enraged Mufuka locked Choice in the dining room and went outside to get a switch from a peach tree in their backyard. When he came back, he assaulted Choice all over the body with the switch until she became unconscious .”

Mr Katsande said after assaulting the teenager, Mufuka shared the same room with her for the night, while his wife and other child slept in the bedroom.

“When Mufuka woke up the following morning, he noticed that his daughter had died. He informed Mungofa what had happened and the two agreed to inform Choice’s mother, Loveness Matengana,’’ he said.

Matengana was Mufuka’s first wife before they separated.

“Matengana, who remarried, came to Mufuka’s homestead to find out what had happened. She saw Mufuka preparing a coffin in preparation for Choice’s burial.

“Mufuka told Matengana that Choice was beaten to death by unseen forces. Upon viewing her daughter’s body, Mufuka discovered that it was swollen and had bruises all over. Mufuka was evasive on the cause of Choice’s death. Choice’s head was also deformed. The wall in the room where Choice’s body was in was covered with fresh blood. This left Matengana with suspicions that Choice’s head could have been bashed against the wall culminating in her death,” said Mr Katsande.

Matengana made a police report at Chipinge Rural Junction Gate Base leading to Mufuka’s arrest.-Manica Post

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa has strongly denounced the harassment of citizens by overzealous cops.

According to President Chamisa police officers are not allowed to assault citizens.

Overzealous police details are terrorising residents of the city of Masvingo under the pretext of enforcing lockdown restrictions.

Addressing mourners at the burial of Assistant Commissioner Emmanuel Chimwanda in Gutu on Thursday, President Chamisa called for tolerance of diverse views.

“We are receiving disturbing information about the harassment of citizens by overzealous police officers.

Police officers are not allowed to assault ordinary citizens.

Human rights must be respected.

The late Assistant Commissioner Emmanuel Chimwanda was a dedicated police officer during his time of service.

He refused to be pushed out of his line of duty by politicians,” said President Chamisa.

He added :

“Let’s shun political intolerance because we are all Zimbabweans.Political parties come and go -why do we have to harm each other because of intolerance?”

Tinashe Sambiri|MDC MDC Alliance Secretary General Hon Charlton Hwende has ruled out dialogue with Douglas Mwonzora’s MDC-T.

Hon Hwende also described the withdrawal of former Zanu PF MP, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti from the MDC Alliance as a non-event.

On Thursday Bhasikiti announced his decision to pull out of the MDC Alliance.

Hon Hwende responded:

We have had many MDC’s in the past and that has never confused our people.

Since 1999 we have managed to sustain this struggle and give hope to our people because we have successfully managed to outwit the regime by always electing and following a genuine political leader who can’t be bought by the regime to sell out the struggle. We succeeded with President Morgan Tsvangirai and we will succeed with President Nelson Chamisa.

Our Number one asset is our Leader. Even all other leaders are bought and we remain with him alone and the People Tinosvika Chete. Don’t be disturbed by those who are pushing us to abandon our name MDC Alliance it’s a trap the masses know their Party and they Know that their Leader is Nelson Chamisa. Some are now day dreaming and talking about Unity.

Unity with Progressive Political Parties yes but not with ED and ZanuPF created opposition. “Impoitai zveku Polad…

Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly has denounced the harassment of its members by overzealous police details in Gweru.

Members of the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly have been summoned to the police for “dubious questioning” at Gweru CID Law and Order Section.

See statement below:

The Zanu PF regime has through the police continued to torment MDC Alliance Youths.

The so called new dispensation has refused to leave behind human rights abuses and all the dirty deeds which were done by those they call old dispensation and claim to be different from.

Youths from Mkoba suburb are being called to Gweru CID Law and Order for questioning which we see as a ploy to intimidate and silence all those who do not support Zanu PF.

This random picking of known Mdc Alliance Members started with our Mkoba district youth chairperson John Kuka who was the first to be called on the 18th of December and then followed by Tonderai Chadoka who was called for questioning on the 4th of January.

The percecution seems not to be ending anytime soon as six more youths were called in also for the so called questioning today. Those who went to law and order today are Mthulisi Noko, Portia Tambalika, Edwin Chakanyuka, Tawedzerwa zvirawi, Precious Mtengwa and Tendai Gama

We strongly condemn the continued unfair treatment of citizens. zanu pf must use all this energy in the fight against this covid 19 pandemic which the nation and the whole world is facing. This behaviour of trying to crush opposing voices through arrests and trumped up charges which has rocked the nation must not have any space in our community. This must be a time where all citizens unite and stop the spread of covid 19.

As Mdc Alliance Mkoba youths we say we will not be intimidated or diverted from our goals and fight for a new zimbabwe where everyone is equal, a new corruption free zimbabwe, fight for constitutionalism and return of rule of law, fight for good governance

CCC

Ward 9 info desk
Mthulisi noko

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday toured the site of the Mbuya Nehanda statue and was satisfied with the work done so far which is 80 percent complete.

He was accompanied by Local Government and Public Works Acting Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere and Deputy Minister Marian Chombo.

The tour was to allow the Vice President to assess progress made to date.

During the tour, the contractor said progress now stands at 80 percent with 20 percent still remaining on site with all concrete works, that is staircases, ramps and foundations, and fabrication of the steel bridge now complete.

Chiwenga thanked all involved for their commitment and dedication.

Government is erecting a memorial statue for Zimbabwe’s First Chimurenga war heroine — Mbuya Nehanda — in Harare to honour her for her heroic rebellion against colonialism, resulting in her paying the ultimate price by being hanged in 1898.

The memorial statue is being erected at the intersection of Samora Machel Avenue and Julius Nyerere Way.

Construction started on June 25 last year.

The Mbuya Nehanda statue project is about remembering and paying tribute as a nation, as a people, to an ancestor whose contribution to history deserves recognition.

Mnangagwa recently said Mbuya Nehanda’s statue must be redone to capture the image that all recognise, backed by contemporary photographs.

This followed the President’s visit to Nyati Gallery near Snake Park late last year, where he was presented with a youthful version of Mbuya Nehanda by sculptor David Mutasa, who has been tasked with making a statue of the iconic spirit medium.-State media