Reports indicate that former Kwekwe Central MP, Blessing Chebundo led some senior party officials to secretly meet with MDC-T interim leader Thokozani Khupe and forge a unity pact.
Chebundo, until recently, a staunch supporter of Chamisa, led a delegation of MDC Alliance officials who included some Kwekwe Town councillors, to a meeting with Khupe.
Insiders said at the meeting held at Khayalethu Gardens, the councillors pleaded with Khupe not to recall them from the local council. Khayalethu Gardens is owned by Kwekwe mayor Angeline Kasipo.
Sources confirmed some of the attendees to the meeting were Chebundo, councillors Erick Rukavhairo, Silas Mukaro, Betty Ndlovu and Melody Chingarande and former Midlands North provincial chairperson Sedwell Bhebhe.
Bhebhe, in a written statement, confirmed the meeting with Khupe took place.
“The MDC-T Midlands North Province 2014 chairman met with MDC-T acting president Madam Khupe on 25 October 2020 in Kwekwe,” he said.
“The meeting followed the first of the Midlands North 2014 structures and extraordinary congress delegates interaction held at the Kwekwe party offices on 17 October 2020, where it was resolved the province will abide and participate in the Supreme Court judgment,” Bhebhe added.
However, when contacted for comment, Chebundo, who last month lost in the MDC Alliance primary elections for the Kwekwe Central by-elections, denied the meeting took place.
He could also not confirm whether he had abandoned the MDC Alliance, but said he would be attending the MDC-T extraordinary congress set for next month to elect a new president to replace the late founder leader Morgan Tsvangirai who died in February 2018.
“For me the question does not arise. What I know is that I am going to attend the extraordinary congress as a 2014 executive member,” Chebundo told NewZimbabwe.com.
The MDC Alliance Midlands provincial spokesperson Takavafira Zhou said his party members were misled to attend the meeting.
“It’s a contested view but it would seem someone misled our members that the meeting was sanctioned by our party,” Zhou said.
He, however, said the issue has since been resolved.
“The issue has since been resolved and our members are aware that willingness to attend the extraordinary congress does not resonate with accommodating the Zanu PF project fronted by parochialists of Khupe and (Douglas) Mwonzora calibre.
“We are also clear as the MDC Alliance that being an MP or councillor is more of providing service and self-sacrifice. Self-centered leaders will not be tolerated in the MDC Alliance. Our grassroot support remains solid and intact,” he said.
“We certainly wish all those who are so eager to serve their personal interests or associate with Komichists, Mwonzoraists and Khupeists to come clear as politics has freedom to associate and dissociate with one’s party of choice.”
Zhou said the MDC Alliance Midlands provincial structures would continue supporting Chamisa.
In Kwekwe Town, three councillors Joshua Tinago, Mercy Ranga and Future Titora, have since joined the Khupe faction.
A GWANDA man has lodged a complaint against Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda over a petition he sent to Parliament calling for Matabeleland region to be declared a separate state in terms of the pre-1893 colonial boundaries, which was dismissed by the Speaker.
In his petition dated September 1, Ndaniso Mpande had pleaded with Parliament to call for a referendum whereby people would then decide whether there should be separation of Matabeleland and restoration of pre-1893 colonial boundaries.
But the National Assembly threw away the petition after the Speaker made a ruling saying that “the petition was deemed inadmissible and the petitioner was notified accordingly”.
Mpande, however, in his letter of complaint dated October 21, expressed dissatisfaction over Mudenda’s ruling.
“Now I am asking for that written notification be given with reasons. I am told the letter is missing. I do hereby register a complaint to you that I am not happy with the way my petition was handled in Parliament,” the letter read.
In his petition, Mpande claimed that Matabeleland pressure groups and political parties such as Moses Mzila-Ndlovu’s Alliance for National Salvation and the secessionist Mthwakazi Republic Party were in support of his petition.
“A Bill must be drafted in terms of the Fifth Schedule (section 130 and 131) part 2(1) of the Zimbabwe Constitution Amendment Bill (No 20) ACT 2013 to give the people of Matabeleland region a chance to choose if they want self-determination and to restore the 1893 boundary or to continue through a process of a referendum. The Bill must be enacted into law in terms of Chapter (6) part 6 section 131(8),” the petition reads.
Government has argued that Zimbabwe is a unitary State amid calls for a Ndebele monarch and secession.
Mpande said the continued refusal by authorities to address the issue of pre-colonial boundaries will continue fuelling tribalism.
“The petition of the undersigned is mindful of the fact that the call for restoration of boundaries as it was in 1893 is rising each day and continues dividing the people of present Zimbabwe that makes tribalism and hate speech part of our living.
“That is and has promoted mistrust in our working environments, in socialisation, in sporting competitions and that also affects the security stability.”
Joe Biden has declared it is “clear” he has won the US presidential election as Donald Trump launches legal challenges with the result still in the balance.
On Wednesday night, Mr Biden was projected to have won Michigan and Wisconsin, putting him within touching distance of the White House.
The key states of Nevada and Georgia could be declaring in the next few hours – which means the next president of the United States could be known very shortly.
However, Mr Trump and his campaign have already claimed victory and are seeking to halt vote counts in battleground states through the courts, suggesting a turbulent few days to come.
As things stand right now, Trump needs to win Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina and Nevada (winning Alaska isn’t required).
If one of those falls to Biden, it’s over.
Now, there’s this little wrinkle of Arizona. It could still be for Biden, but things are getting close. If Arizona flips, the path opens back up again a bit.
If all of the above doesn’t fall in Trump’s favour, he’ll be relying on a court case or a recount to win a second term.
Stay tuned to ZimEye.com as we continue to focus on the intriguing home stretch in the US elections.
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has announced new fuel prices effective Thursday 5 November 2020.
The new price for diesel is now ZWL$82.05 and US$1.00 per litre, while that for petrol is now ZWL$97.11 and US$1.19 per litre.
In a public notice on Thursday morning, ZERA said operators may, however, sell at prices below the cap depending on their trading advantages.
The new prices show that the price of diesel in Zimbabwe dollars has increased marginally from last month’s price of ZWL$81.85 and the USD price has remained the same at US$1.00.
As for petrol, the price has fallen from ZWL$97.62 to ZWL$97.11 and from US$1.20 to US$1.19 per litre.
ZANU PF has axed and suspended some party officials for name-dropping, while investigations are underway to name and shame more such malcontents, the party’s acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa has said.
Chinamasa told the media yesterday that the party will not hesitate to weed out people who abuse the names of the First Family.
“We have noted with concern that these name-droppers are abusing the names of senior leaders in the party, Government and the First Family. They allege that they are relatives of senior leaders and go about conning people in the name of our leadership.
“That should stop forthwith. Here at the party, we have fired some of these name-droppers, conmen and con-women who abuse the name of the party and leadership. We challenge all media players to expose these fraudsters and extortionists whenever you come across them. In the next press conference after full investigations, we will name and shame them,” he said.
Already, the revolutionary party has fired four employees and suspended another four from various departments for abusing the names of the party leadership, while some cases are still under investigation.
Government has expressed concern with growing cases of name-dropping whereby some people claim to be connected to critical offices in order to evade arrest.
The First Family in particular has suffered the most from name dropping as unscrupulous elements have often evoked names of members to wriggle themselves from arrest.
On Sunday, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa had to issue a statement after a man who is implicated in the gold smuggling case involving Henrietta Rushwaya falsely claimed that members of the First Family were involved.
And comprehensive investigations that were carried by the police have since established that the accused man, Gift Karanda, lied to police officers in order to obstruct or defeat the course of justice.
But despite the actions of the name-droppers and some elements who seek to besmirch the First Family, Government will not be deterred by those who are still living in the past and continue to use tired tactics to advance their corruption agendas.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said malicious reports that seek to link President Mnangagwa and his family to corrupt individuals are by no means a coincidence; rather they are a well-coordinated attacks on the system, which is intended to agitate Zimbabweans into demonstrations and uprising.
“Predictions by the country’s detractors to the effect that the economy would implode by year end have been shown to be wishful thinking; on the contrary, the country has achieved macroeconomic stability and tamed inflation much to the disappointment of purveyors of doom,” she said.
The goal of the Second Republic, Minister Mutsvangwa said is to grow the economy transparently and to foster the spirit of hard work in citizens.
The Government is currently working on infrastructural developments in all sectors of the economy, such as roads rehabilitation, power generation and dam construction, among others initiatives to stimulate economic growth and attract more investments.
High Court judge, Justice Davison Foroma, has recused himself from the case in which a fellow judge is seeking to interdict President Mnangagwa from setting up a tribunal to investigate her for alleged misconduct.
Justice Foroma’s decision follows an application by Justice Erica Ndewere seeking his recusal from her urgent application to stop the tribunal against her until the determination of the legality of the process followed.
Through her lawyers, Justice Ndewere argued that sitting judges would not easily rule against their superiors Chief Justice Luke Malaba, Judicial Service Commission and Judge President Justice George Chiweshe, all listed as respondents in the matter.
Justice Foroma agreed to recuse himself, stating that he was in the same criminal division as Justice Ndewere, adding that judges in the same division interact closely with each other in a number of collaborative respects.
Although presiding over the case would not influence him in anyway, Justice Foroma felt there was need to maintain collegiality amongst judges to avoid perceptions in the public domain and that it would be in the best interests of justice.
Justice Ndewere is denying the allegations.
She approached the court after the JSC made recommendations to the President to set up a tribunal to look into the question of whether or not she was fit to hold office, reported for slipshod work and delayed judgments.
She is being accused of conduct inconsistent with a judicial officer.
In her papers filed at the High Court last week, Justice Ndewere claimed the misconduct allegations levied against her were victimisation for refusing to comply with “unlawful orders”.
Through her lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa, Justice Ndewere argued that Chief Justice Malaba instituted disciplinary proceedings against her without complying with the provisions of the Judicial Services Code of Ethics Regulations as read together with the Constitution.
She argued that the complaints against her were raised by the Chief Justice, who then submitted them to himself as the Chief Justice, before they were “improperly and unprocedurally” submitted to the JSC.
Justice Ndewere contends that the JSC prematurely advised the President to set up a tribunal to investigate her without first setting up a disciplinary committee comprising of three judges as per the standard disciplinary procedure for the judges.
She further argued that since the President was in the process of setting up a tribunal to investigate her, if this was not interdicted, her rights would be violated and her dignity impaired.
In addition, the setting up of a tribunal will result in her automatic suspension based on a fatally flawed process, she said.
Justice Ndewere’s suspension from the bench will be automatic by operation of law once the tribunal is put in place.
If the tribunal clears her, she returns to the bench; if the tribunal makes other findings and recommendations, she could well lose her post.
Justice Ndewere becomes the second judge this year to be probed for conduct that constitutes judicial misconduct, and which calls for a tribunal hearing.
Mary Robison at the Zimbabwean National Citizens Convention in 2018.
Current chairperson of the respected Elders group, Mary Robinson has called on Zimbabweans to engage in meaningful dialogue to solve the country’s crisis.
She said this in a letter to the Zimbabwean National Citizens Convention taking place in Harare.
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson is an Irish Independent politician who served as the seventh President of Ireland from December 1990 to September 1997, becoming the first woman to hold this office.
The Elders is an international non-governmental organisation of public figures noted as elder statesmen, peace activists, and human rights advocates, who were brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007.
They describe themselves as “independent global leaders working together for peace and human rights”. The goal Mandela set for The Elders was to use their “almost 1,000 years of collective experience” to work on solutions for seemingly insurmountable problems such as climate change, HIV/AIDS, and poverty, as well as to “use their political independence to help resolve some of the world’s most intractable conflicts”.
Below is the letter to the Zimbabwean National Citizens Convention of 2020.
Dear friends,
It is with great pleasure that I send you my greetings and congratulations on the occasion of the third National Citizens Convention in Zimbabwe.
I still treasure the memory of speaking to many of you at the first Convention in Harare Gardens on July 20th 2018, alongside my dearly-missed friend and colleague Kofi Annan.
Kofi stood steadfast in his support of the Zimbabwean people, their rights and freedoms to the very end of his life, and the words he said on that day still ring true now:
“Rebuilding Zimbabwe will be the work of the nation, a nation made up not just of politicians, but also of professionals, of traders, students, workers, a nation of men and women like you. Politics is too important to be left to the politicians.”
The events of 2020 have shown how right he was, not just in Zimbabwe but across the world. COVID-19 has turned all our worlds upside down, and it is only through our collective endeavours that we can fight the pandemic and restore our nations to stability and prosperity.
The work of the National Citizens Convention is more essential than ever. Rebuilding Zimbabwe requires dialogue, solidarity, inclusivity, transparency and accountability.
This can only be done if the rule of law is upheld, human rights are respected, and no impunity is afforded to those behind abductions, torture, perversion of the course of justice, and violence.
I know from our previous conversations that these principles inform all of your work, and I welcome your focus on social cohesion, participatory democracy, respect for the Constitution of Zimbabwe and building a sustainable and inclusive economy.
In your discussions today, I urge you to go ever further down the path of active citizenry and build connections with wider networks across Zimbabwe for a comprehensive, inclusive national dialogue reflecting the diversity and richness of your beautiful country.
As you know, this can only be done if the rule of law is upheld, human rights are respected, and there is no impunity afforded to those behind abductions, torture and violence.
The path ahead is challenging but I salute your resilience and determination, and on behalf of The Elders I extend my warmest wishes and enduring support.
The investigating officer in the case in which Henrietta Rushwaya and four others reportedly attempted to smuggle 6kg gold out of the country yesterday dismissed the alleged bid by one of the accused to cover up the matter by dropping the names of the First Family as simply a lie and a “dirty tactic” to try and get Rushwaya released.
Detective Chief Inspector Michael Chibaya from the Police Law and Order section agreed yesterday that miner Gift Karanda who rushed to Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport after Rushwaya was caught with the gold, had no connection with the First Family.
Karanda allegedly said Rushwaya was carrying the gold for First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and her son, Collins Mnangagwa.
“It is not in dispute that Karanda has no connection with First Family. However, people who commit such offences can use any dirty tactics to instil fear into security agents with the motive to get his or her freedom. Such dirty tactics involve name-dropping amongst others,” said Chibaya.
He was responding to questions from Mr Admire Rubaya, the lawyer representing one of the two Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives, Stephen Tserai, who are being charged with arranging for Rushwaya to go through the VIP route with minimal checks on the day she was arrested. The questioning is part of the application by Tserai and hisco-accused for bail.
Tserai, through Mr Rubaya, has denied that Karanda mentioned the First Family when at the airport and said the matter only arose when the case was moved from the CID Minerals Fauna and Flora Unit to Law and Order. Tserai was alleging that “malcontents within the security services including the Law and Order department” were peddling rumours of the First Family’s involvement as a move designed to wage digital warfare against the President and his family.
Through Mr Rubaya, Tserai said the allegations were never part of the State case when they were being interviewed at the Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit and that if Karanda had made the assertion, he would have raised the alarm.
Mr Rubaya attacked the detective chief inspector in his cross examination.
“The allegations that the gold was supposed to be brought by Collins Mnangagwa is a well-coordinated counter revolutionary disinformation tactic being peddled by security malcontents including one Detective Chief Inspector Chibaya from Law and Order and designed to wage a digital warfare against the President and his family,” he said.
“You are being used, misused, abused and overused as a pawn in this whole political chess game where there is a plot to portray His Excellency as a bad leader and cause hostility against his persona and family, leading to agitation of the citizenry to rise up against His Excellency.”
Det Chief Insp Chibaya, in his response, said it was malicious for Tserai to portray an image of law enforcement agents who sought to cause anarchy and despondence in the country by soiling the name of the President and his family.
“This is a lie. This is a case with its facts which brings about this charge with enough witnesses who will testify during trial.
“However, I feel it is malicious for the defence counsel to portray a picture as though the police in particular and other security sectors are intending to cause anarchy and despondency by soiling the image of His Excellency and his family. This is a position being taken by defence counsel with intentions to save his clients at all cost,” he said.
Tserai is appearing in court along with Rushwaya, Pakistani businessman Ali Muhamad, security agent Raphios Mufandauya and miner Karanda on smuggling, illegal possession of gold, criminal abuse of office and obstructing the course of justice
Ali Muhamad, who is being represented by lawyer Mr Tinashe Robin Tanyanyiwa (Snr), disowned Rushwaya, saying he had no links with her.
He told the court that he was never found in possession of any gold after the police conducted three searches on separate occasions at his Belvedere house in Harare.
Mr Tanyanyiwa (Snr) said there was no one among his co-accused who ever implicated him in the smuggling bid.
Suspended Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) President Ms Henrietta Rushwaya has been cleared of allegations of opening secret Nostro accounts where miners allegedly deposited fees.
An investigation conducted by a special committee set up by the federation established that the former ZIFA boss did not open any Nostro accounts without the knowledge of other ZMF members.
ZMF chairperson Makumba Nyenje on Tuesday confirmed that the probe exonerated Rushwaya of any wrongdoing.
“Actually, they are not secret accounts, they are accounts which they opened on behalf of the organisation. We discovered that they were waiting for other signatories to bring their documents. It is above board and no money has been deposited into the accounts,” Nyenje said.
The allegations of misuse of the nonexistent funds in the Nostro accounts were made public by Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) General Secretary Philemon Mokuele in a side interview with the sun news. Mokuele said that miners were depositing their fees in the accounts amid fears that the ZMF members could have been duped of thousands of US dollars in the clandestine operations.
Mokuele has since the arrest of Rushwaya been on an offense attacking the underfire suspended ZMF boss yet weeks ago he was pictured in numerous photos smiling with his hand across Rushwaya’s shoulder. ZMF insiders say Mokuele has been acting childishly and recklessly, throwing around unsubstantiated allegations, and has ambitions to become the Association’s leader.
ZMF is currently being led by an interim leader Mr. Marufu Sithole until Rushwaya’s case is concluded in the courts. Names of those who may replace the beleaguered ZMF boss have started popping up with Mugawu, Dosman Mangisi, Makumba Nyenje, Lindi Mpofu who is believed to be out of the country, being frequently mentioned.
Rushwaya was suspended from ZMF following her arrest at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on Monday last week on suspicion of attempting to smuggle to Dubai more than 6kg of gold worth US$330 000.
Rushwaya has however claimed that she picked up the wrong bag with four gold bars instead of a similar bag with her clothes when she went to the airport.
VETERAN striker Rutendo Makore was a pale shadow of her usual aggressive self as the Mighty Warriors got off to a false start, losing 0-1 to East African guest nation Tanzania at the ongoing Cosafa Women’s Championship in Nelson Mandela Bay last night.
The usually reliable Mako re, whose talents saw her getting a contract in Spain, was used as a lone striker by coach Sithethelelwe Kwinji 15 Sibanda, probably because of her known aggressive and bustling nature but she sadly failed to come to the party and even when in possession, she would deliver stray passes which completely distabilised the team.
Tanzania took the lead exactly an hour into the encounter through Kadosho Shekigenda who headed home from a corner as the Mighty Warriors defence stood akimbo.
The afternoon turned into a horror show for the Mighty Warriors when skipper Emmaculate Msipa received her marching orders for a second yellow card and they had to finish the game with 10 players and 16 minutes still on the clock.
It was the first red card of the tournament and will keep her out of their next fixture.
Meanwhile, Cosafa.com reports that Tanzania got their Cosafa Women’s Under-17 Championship campaign off to a strong start as they defeated Comoros Islands 5-1.
Aisha Masaka bagged a brace, including the opener, while Mwanamvua Haruna, Joyce Lema and Protasia Mbunda were also on target. Noussrat Mistoihi had equalised for Comoros from the penalty-spot in the first half.
Zambia defeated South Africa 2-1 in their opener, with Cindy Banda claiming the winner a minute from time as she scrambled the ball into the back of the net.-Chronicle
PARENTS have withdrawn their children from a private school in Victoria Falls saying they cannot afford the fees.
Amazing Kids Primary School is run by Mr Ozias Marange of Makomwe Transport and Hardware and has more than 100 pupils from Early Childhood Development (ECD) to Grade Two.
The fees is US$130 per term per pupil and parents have been appealing to the school authorities to discount them for this term.
Parents are accusing the school authorities of fleecing them as the school is also demanding US$6 per pupil for masks, an additional US$1 per pupil for fumigating the school premises and US$10 security fees per child.
The school opened on Monday yet is supposed to open next week according to the Government’s phased reopening of schools schedule and only two pupils attended classes according to parents.
The majority said they withdrew their children because the school authorities have refused to engage over the issue of high fees.
Schools closed prematurely towards the end of the first term as part of measures to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Government resolved to reopen schools in three phases to allow room to monitor the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education adopted Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to guide the safe reopening.
Examination classes reopened on September 28 while the last batch of non-examination classes will open next Monday.
Parents said the school should allow them to pay at least half the fees because the term will be only one month long.
“We have a problem with the school authorities. The school only has ECD up to Grade Two hence is supposed to open on November 9. They requested to open earlier which we didn’t have a problem with but as parents we asked them to at least reduce fees but they refused.
“We feel US$130 is too much for just one month. Instead of engaging us, they went on to block all parents on the school’s official WhatsApp platform so that no one raises the issue. That’s when parents resolved to withdraw kids,” said an angry parent.
Some have started transferring their children.
“Only two kids went to school on Monday and today (Tuesday).
Many are considering transferring their children and it’s a protest action because the school authorities don’t respect us and have refused to meet us halfway. They should understand our plight that everyone was affected by Covid-19.
“It’s not like we want to destroy the school but we just want them to be considerate. We enrolled our children there because it is a good school. We were shocked when they also started demanding US$10 per kid saying it’s a security fee for children to spend the whole day at school.-Chronicle
ZANU PF has axed and suspended some party officials for name-dropping, while investigations are underway to name and shame more such malcontents, the governing party’s acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa has said.
This comes as President Mnangagwa has declared zero tolerance to corruption, saying any corrupt person, regardless of political status or connections, will be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the laws of the country.
The latest move by Zanu PF to crack the whip on wayward members also comes at a time when some unruly elements both within Government and the party have been abusing the names of the First Family to cover up their repugnant criminal activities.
Consequently, Chinamasa told the media yesterday that the revolutionary party will not hesitate to weed out people who abuse the names of the First Family, with action has already been taken against certain individuals.
“We have noted with concern that these name-droppers are abusing the names of senior leaders in the party, Government and the First Family. They allege that they are relatives of senior leaders and go about conning people in the name of our leadership.
“That should stop forthwith. Here at the party, we have fired some of these name-droppers, conmen and con-women who abuse the name of the party and leadership.
We challenge all media players to expose these fraudsters and extortionists whenever you come across them. In the next press conference after full investigations, we will name and shame them,” he said.-The Herald
The interim leadership of the opposition MDC-T has said a Government of National Unity (GNU) was now necessary as a strategy to address the country’s deepening socio-economic and political crises.
MDC-T’S Secretary-General, Douglas Mwonzora and the chairperson Morgen Komichi told the Daily News on Tuesday that they were keen to engage the ruling ZANU PF for the suffering masses. Komichi said:
We want talks that will culminate in a mechanism that will alleviate the people’s suffering like we did in 2008 when the level of suffering had become unbearable.
We negotiated and came up with a GNU. So, the same is necessary now. Whatever name you give to the platform — GNU, National Transitional Authority or anything else — must be an outcome of a negotiation.
What is key is that, as a party our ambition is not to take over the State presidency, but to make sure that we work towards the improvement of our people’s lives.
There are no jobs, incomes are very low and we cannot continue like this.
Mwonzora reiterated Komichi’s remarks adding that MDC believed that Zimbabwe’s problems can be resolved through dialogue opposed to “confrontation, acrimony, rancour and violence.” He hinted that the process to engage ZANU PF was already underway. Mwonzora said:
So, yes, when the time comes, when the internal process is done and when our consultations are completed, you will see us calling for dialogue.
There is enough historical evidence in this country to show that most of the problems and big issues are resolved through dialogue.
MDC insiders, however, claimed that informal talks between Zanu PF and their party had already begun with Mwonzora always in constant touch with a senior Zanu PF official over the GNU issue.
Meanwhile, ZANU PF acting Secretary for Information, Patrick Chinamasa has said the push for a transitional authority was an undemocratic and overzealous endeavour aimed at smuggling into office politicians who lost elections.
This comes as the prolonged impasse between ZANU PF and the opposition in the country is said to be worsening an already collapsed economy.- Daily News
Tinashe Sambiri|The facilitators of the July 31 Movement Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume have denounced the persecution of prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono by the panicky Zanu PF administration.
Sikhala also “confronted” Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa over violation of human rights.
“We will not allow the regime to kill us while we are silent -never.It’s better to die fighting for freedom than to be killed in silence.So we are not going back, very soon the regime will be out of power, whether they like it or not,” declared Sikhala.
According to Sikhala, the movement will not allow Mr Mnangagwa to torment citizens at will.
Ngarivhume also said:” We will not be silenced by Zanu PF’s threats.”
Tinashe Sambiri|The facilitators of the July 31 Movement Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume have denounced the persecution of prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono by the panicky Zanu PF administration.
Sikhala also “confronted” Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa over violation of human rights.
“We will not allow the regime to kill us while we are silent -never.It’s better to die fighting for freedom than to be killed in silence.So we are not going back, very soon the regime will be out of power, whether they like it or not,” declared Sikhala.
According to Sikhala, the movement will not allow Mr Mnangagwa to torment citizens at will.
Ngarivhume also said:” We will not be silenced by Zanu PF’s threats.”
Tinashe Sambiri|The facilitators of the July 31 Movement Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume have denounced the persecution of prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono by the panicky Zanu PF administration.
Sikhala also “confronted” Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa over violation of human rights.
“We will not allow the regime to kill us while we are silent -never.It’s better to die fighting for freedom than to be killed in silence.So we are not going back, very soon the regime will be out of power, whether they like it or not,” declared Sikhala.
According to Sikhala, the movement will not allow Mr Mnangagwa to torment citizens at will.
Ngarivhume also said:” We will not be silenced by Zanu PF’s threats.”
Tinashe Sambiri|Zimbabwe is now a mafia state as a result of brutality and rampant looting of State Resources, MDC Alliance vice president, Hon Tendai Biti has said.
Hon Biti blasted Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for torturing hapless citizens and stealing State resources.
“In 3 years of their existence they have turned Zim into a gluttonous arena of extraction and embarked on a massive feeding frenzy.
Wether it’s minerals,procurement,FX, agriculture inputs,drugs, buses the Mnangwagwa regime has no restraint nor elasticity.
Zim has become mafia state,” Hon Biti wrote on Twitter.
Tinashe Sambiri|Zimbabwe is now a mafia state as a result of brutality and rampant looting of State Resources, MDC Alliance vice president, Hon Tendai Biti has said.
Hon Biti blasted Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for torturing hapless citizens and stealing State resources.
“In 3 years of their existence they have turned Zim into a gluttonous arena of extraction and embarked on a massive feeding frenzy.
Wether it’s minerals,procurement,FX, agriculture inputs,drugs, buses the Mnangwagwa regime has no restraint nor elasticity.
Zim has become mafia state,” Hon Biti wrote on Twitter.
Veteran comedian Lazarus Boora, known by his legion of fans as Gringo, has fallen sick again after failing to raise money for medication.
Gringo, who turned 47 last month, is battling tesnel or intestine obstruction and experiencing discomfort in sitting, backache coupled by hearing and talking difficulties.
The actor last year had appendix surgery before he relocated to his rural home in Rusape.
Now, he has returned to Harare where he is staying with his wife Netsai Meki and three children.
When The Herald Arts visited Gringo in Hatfield, Harare, yesterday, he was lying in agony and looking frail.
Sadly, unlike his former self, Gringo failed to crack jokes which he normally does effortlessly whenever he meets the Press or new people.
His wife and two nieces, Eridha Boora and Rhoda Ganga, had to help him onto the couch.
The nieces, who both hail from Chimanimani, came after they were called on Saturday that the veteran actor was now seriously ill.
Barely after five minutes, Gringo, who was clad in white T-shirt and navy blue cargo pants, could not sit up straight and requested to lie down.
“Let me lie down, then I will wake up”, he softly said.
His wife put a pillow behind his back, saying that is now his routine.
“That is how he is surviving now, sleeping and sitting for a few minutes. He is in pain compared to before.
On Saturday we took him to a hospital in Waterfalls because his condition was worsening. They said he was dehydrated. He is failing to eat properly, and if he eats, he vomits and is suffering from diarrhoea.
We give him only a few spoons of porridge and he eats amorsel of sadza, which he sometimes can’t finish. Now he is having back problems. The doctor said he might have an infection in his intestines and needs to go for a scan. The challenge now is finances to go back to his first surgeon,” narrated his wife.-Chronicle
BULAWAYO residents on Wednesday officially wrote to the local authority tabling their objection to the proposed 2021 budget noting that the process and content of the budget were flawed.
A couple of weeks ago the residents, through the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) demanded that the Bulawayo City Council avails them with a detailed financial statement for the year up to September 2020, among a host of other demands to enable them to fully appreciate the proposed 2020 supplementary budget and the 2021 budget.
The residents had up to end of day Wednesday to table their objections.
In the objection letter to the local authority, signed by BPRA coordinator, Mr Emmanuel Ndlovu, the residents expressed disappointment that to date the local authority had failed to avail the full unabridged draft 2021 budget.
They said that due to the failure by the local authority to avail the unabridged draft budget the residents were thus in no position to make an informed decision on the matter.
“We are of the opinion that the information should have been shared with residents way before the commencement of the consultations so that residents are informed and come up with meaningful contributions.
“Following the documents, we received from BCC, we have analysed the draft budget further which lends balance to the fact that both the process and content of the budget were flawed. Given the foregoing, BPRA is of the view that the budget should not be acceded and outrightly rejects the budget,” said Mr Ndlovu.
The residents further claim that the initiative of having the budget consultation meetings on Whatsapp due to the Covid-19 lockdown regulations, officials did not respond adequately to residents’ enquiries thus leading to the meetings being one sided.
“While we applaud BCC for the novel WhatsApp budget consultations in the context of imposed Covid-19 restrictions, we are of the view that the consultations were one-way as residents never had meaningful contributions. The consultations did not afford residents any meaningful room to engage.
“Some BCC staff members including some councillors who were responsible for communicating with the residents in each respective ward group were failing to answer residents’ questions with some councillors becoming emotional and personalising the process to the point of exiting WhatsApp Budget consultation groups,” said Mr Ndlovu.
Last month BCC proposed a supplementary budget of $550 792 328 and a 2021 annual budget of $16 billion.
The Simba Queens star’s effort was the difference between the East Africans and their Southern Africa counterparts on Wednesday
Tanzania started their campaign in the 2020 Cosafa Women’s Cup on a fine note with a 1-0 win over Zimbabwe on Wednesday.
Kadosho Shekigenda’s solitary effort helped the Twiga Stars claim a victory against the Mighty Warriors in their first competitive match since April when they featured in the 2020 Unaf Women’s Cup.
The two teams were meeting for the first time in the competition since 2011 when the East Africans bowed 4-2 on penalties to their Southern Africa opponents in a semi-final encounter in Harare.
After a drab goalless first half, Shekigenda broke the deadlock on the hour mark for Tanzania as she managed to fire the ball past Zambibwe goalkeeper Cynthia Shonga and into the net.
Comeback hopes for Zimbabwe were dashed when Emmaculate Msipa was handed her marching orders after receiving her second yellow card in 74th minute as the Twiga Stars held on for the win.
The victory saw the East Africans avenge their 2011 defeat at the hands of the former champions and takes them to the top of the Group C table with three points from their opening match.
Article continues below Matchwinner and Simba Queens striker Shekigenda was voted the Player of the Match following her impactful display for Tanzania.
The East Africans will aim to seal a semi-final spot when they take on 2019 fourth-place finishers Botswana on November 7.
Zimbabwe’s Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa has issued a travel advisory for Zimbabwean citizens intending to return home from the neighbouring country during the lockdown period.
Below is the advisory.
Reference is made to Zimbabwe’s Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020: Public Health (COVIO-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020: permitting the re-entry of citizens and returning residents during the lockdown period.
In order to ensure a predictable, smooth and orderly repatriation process which is compliant with the Covid 19 health protocols: travellers and bus operators should be guided as follows:
• ALL bus operators involved in the repatriation of Zimbabwean nationals from South Africa are; with immediate effect required to obtain travel clearance from the Consulate of Zimbabwe in Johannesburg two days before the intended departure date. This applies to all, except for those travelling from the Cape Provinces who should approach the Zimbabwe Consulate in Cape Town for clearance.
• In order to obtain the Consulate clearance, bus operators are required to submit the following documents; (i) A passenger manifest which is compliant with the 70% carrying capacity. Please note that the number of passengers should NOT Be LESS THAN 70%, (The passenger manifest should contain the following mandatory information; Passengers’ Full Names. Passport/Temporary Travel Document number. Vehicle and Trailer Registration details, Final Destination in Zimbabwe and Driver(s)’ Identification Details).
• Please note that the repartition exercise is strictly on a non-commercial basis.
• AU. passengers and bus crew are required to hove Covid-19 Free Certificates which are within the 48 hours validity for presentation at the port of entry.
• Requests for clearance should be submitted to: [email protected] and should be clearly marked “Request for Repatriation Clearance”.
• To avoid congestion at the port of entry a maximum of five (5) buses will be cleared to travel per day. Requests will be considered on g first come first serve basis.
• Bus operators must ensure that all passengers are in possession of the requisite travel documents prior to the purchasing of travel tickets. (Those without travel documents should urgently visit the Consulate to apply for a Temporary Travel Document (TTD).
• Please note that TTD applicants are not required to make an appointment before visiting the Consulate.
Attached for ease of reference, please find the passenger manifest template to be submitted to the Consulate for the departure clearance. (Annexure I)
PLEASE NOTE
• THOSE BUSES THAT DO NOT MEET THE ABOVE CONDITIONS WILL NOT BE CLEARED FOR ENTRY 8Y THE ZIMBABWE AUTHORITIES.
• THE CLEARANCE OF BUSES IS FREE OF CHARGE
• THE EMBASSY AND THE TWO CONSULATES DO NOT HAVE AGENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA
• CLIENTS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO USE THE AVAILABLE OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS TO VERIFY AUTHENTICITY OF INFORMATION WHENEVER THEY ARE IN DOUBT.
In agonising labour pain and turned away from a Harare health centre, Aurage Katume feared that, like many other Zimbabwean women, she could lose her unborn baby.
She struggled to another clinic in the country’s capital. The midwives there were not ready to help her either.
“What did you bring us?” one of them said, a subtle bribe request, as Katume’s mother pleaded with them to be merciful.
“My mother quickly realised that they were asking for money, and she handed $5 (£3.90) to the one who appeared more senior. There was no receipt and all of a sudden I was taken to a bed in the delivery room,” she said in court documents seen by the Guardian.
As Zimbabwe’s once enviable healthcare sector collapses under the weight of dilapidated infrastructure, a lack of drugs and poorly paid staff going on frequent strikes, pregnant women are being forced to pay bribes to get help with giving birth, with reports of babies being born in queues outside maternity clinics.
The Zimbabwean constitution guarantees the right to healthcare, and, after her experience giving birth, Katume and another woman, Melody Mapani, took city authorities to court to force them to reopen 42 clinics. A high court judge this month ordered the council to do so, and ensure women get the services they need. In the court papers, Katume said her baby could have died had her mother not paid the bribe.
Uganda court rules government must prioritise maternal health in ‘huge shift’ “The midwives flatly refused to attend to me. My mother pleaded with them to be merciful. In the discussion, one of the ladies asked: ‘What did you bring us, what’s in it for us,’” Katume said.
Her lawyers allege corrupt staff in clinics give priority to clients who pay in US dollars.
“Since only a few clinics are operational, this has resulted in rampant corruption from healthcare workers who are giving priority treatment to those paying US dollars which employers are pocketing,” the lawyers said.
“The violation of rights is ongoing and any delay in arresting puts the lives of Harare residents in grave danger, especially pregnant women,” argued the lawyers.
“Lives have been lost, especially of babies during the birth, some dying before birth owing to delayed or non-attendance by healthcare workers at these clinics.”
Many have resorted to back yard delivery homes or home deliveries, which increase the risk for the mother and child.
Harare’s heroine: how Esther Zinyoro made her home a maternity ward The court documents also allege negligence and lack of care at the council clinics, with pregnant women reportedly being tossed from one clinic to another without due care.
Under these circumstances women with pre-existing conditions risk losing their babies, as happened to Melody Mapani. She went from one clinic to another looking for help before suffering a stillbirth linked to high blood pressure, which hadn’t been picked up on because a clinic had closed, according to the court documents.
The women allege scores of pregnant women in Harare are being turned away at the few clinics that are open, while some endure long queues where social distancing is impossible.
There are also cases of patients fainting while in long queues, unsafe home deliveries being done by unqualified people, and a thriving of a black market for drugs, the women said.
An untrained midwife, whose house has served as a makeshift maternity ward.
According to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey, while the trend in the past five to 10 years shows a decline, the estimated maternal mortality ratio for the country is still high, at 651 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Zimbabwe’s deteriorating health sector has worsened since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and suffered following a general strike by frontline workers.
In June, seven babies were stillborn at Harare hospital after urgent treatment was delayed because of staffing issues.
Local NGOs have called on the government to prioritise maternal health issues to reduce maternal mortality. The majority of deaths can be prevented if women receive the right care throughout their pregnancies and during birth.
Former StarFM sports news reporter Yvonne Mangunda has announced that she has joined Harare-based Dynamos Football Club.
Mangunda who is known as the “First Lady of Sport” announced on 1 November that she was leaving Star FM Radio after an exciting 8 years.
She announced the latest development on social media saying she is the club’s Marketing and Communications Manager. Mangunda said:
As my chapter with Star FM concludes, a new season has begun. I am now the Marketing and Communications Manager for the biggest club in Zimbabwe, Dynamos. Its a privilege to have been headhunted by the most supported team, with the most titles in Zimbabwe.
A FILABUSI man has been arrested after he allegedly fatally struck his neighbour with a brick on the head after accusing him of drinking his beer without permission.
Melusi Ngwenya (32) of Lunyame Village was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi facing a murder charge. He was remanded in custody to November 10.
Prosecuting Miss Ethel Mahachi said Ngwenya was drinking beer with Mr Sibusiso Dube (28) and Mr Oliver Ndlovu (29) when a misunderstanding arose between them and Ngwenya struck Mr Dube with a brick on the head.
“On 10 August 2019 at around 8PM Ngwenya, Mr Dube and Mr Ndlovu were drinking beer at Lunyame Business Centre. Ngwenya left his beer and went to relieve himself and left his beer behind with Mr Dube and Mr Ndlovu. When he returned Ngwenya noticed that his beer and been consumed.
“He confronted Mr Dube and Mr Ndlovu over the matter and later learnt that Mr Dube had consumed his beer. Ngwenya and Mr Dube had a misunderstanding over the matter and Mr Ndlovu managed to calm them down and they continued drinking,” she said.
Miss Mahachi said the trio later left the business centre headed for their homes and along the way, Ngwenya confronted Mr Dube again. She said the two started fighting and Ngwenya struck Mr Dube with a brick on the head and fled.
Miss Mahachi said Mr Ndlovu rushed to the business centre to get help. She said Mr Dube was ferried to a clinic where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
A 27-year-old Harare man yesterday appeared in court on allegations of using the names of President Mnangagwa’s sons to defraud an unsuspecting man of thousands of dollars in an elaborate con.
Warlord Billy Masango appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga facing fraud charges.
Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa opposed bail and the hearing was adjourned to today for the bail ruling.
The court heard that on Thursday last week Hilton Mbano (40) received a call from Masango asking him to assist a son of President Mnangagwa, but did not name the person.
It is alleged that after a while, Mr Mbano received a message from another number saying he had been referred by Masango. Mr Mbano phoned back and the person introduced himself as “Collins Mnangagwa”.
The court heard that the fake Mnangagwa said he was in urgent need of money and asked Mr Mbano transfer the money into his CABS or CBZ account but the supplied details were for a CBZ account in the name of A Mutsango.
It is the State’s case that Mr Mbano asked a friend to transfer $180 000 into that account. A scanned copy of proof of transfer was sent to to the number of the fake Mnangagwa. The alleged con then grew with the fake Mnangagwa now asking Mr Mbano to deposit R60 000 in a South African FNB account and that was followed by a call from South Africa by a person who called himself “Shawn Mnangagwa” who wanted help and R2 500 transferred into another FNB account.
After the transaction, the fake Shawn told Mbano that someone called Moro NFPK, was coming with the money to pay everything back and gave a mobile number.
Since that day, Mbano has been trying the number without success, prompting him to make a detailed report to the police.
The New Government Complex in Gweru, which houses all the provincial government department heads, was partially closed yesterday for fumigation after Provincial Affairs Minister, Senator Larry Mavima, tested positive for Covid-19.
Sen Mavima is in self isolation at home after he became the latest high profile official to contract the disease.
There was little activity at the double storey complex yesterday, which houses over 500 employees.
The second floor, where the Minister, Provincial Development Coordinator and Provincial Public Service Inspector’s offices are located and all its wings, was closed for fumigation with all employees working from home.
At the Provincial Registrar’s Offices, only a handful of people applying for emergency passports and other documents were being assisted, while the majority were turned away.
Midlands Provincial Public Service Inspector, Mr Andrew Chimanyiwa, said the fumigation of the provincial headquarters was being done in phases and will continue today.
“We have temporarily closed the second floor and the rapid response team was fumigating the offices and everything there, he said. “We are currently operating from outside, so tomorrow (today) the fumigation will continue on the ground floor.
What is encouraging and pleasing is that no one has been taken ill, we are just taking precautionary measures. I have also spoken to the Minister, he is in good spirits. He said he is asymptomatic.”
Sen Mavima, who is also the Provincial Covid-19 Taskforce chair, confirmed on Monday that he had contracted the virus, but quickly allayed fears of serious illness, saying he had no other symptoms and was not even feeling sick.
Sen Mavima said the rapid response team collected samples for his contacts and the results were expected today.
“All my contacts were accounted for and the Provincial Medical Director will advise on the results once they have them,” he said.
On Monday, Sen Mavima urged members of the public to continue exercising social distancing, as well as putting on masks when in public places, adding that the country was still strictly observing WHO guidelines in the fight against the spread of the disease.
Around 2 000 nurses in Zimbabwe have downed tools after Government resolved to cancel the flexi hours arrangement which would see nurses who fail to report for duty subjected to disciplinary processes.
At least 1 280 nurses across the country have so far “failed” to heed to the call to return to normal working hours in all the public health institutions and have been summoned to face disciplinary hearings.
Zimbabwe Professional Nurses Union secretary-general Chikobvu Douglas said they will continue to defy Government’s position arguing that flexi working hours are a result of a collective bargaining agreement which is still in place.
“Our membership and our profession is under siege from Government after nurses defiantly refused the unilateral ban on flexi hours,” Douglas told ZimMorningPost.
“We now have approximately 2000 nurses up for hearing. Government breached the CBA agreement and went on to summon our nurses for failing to uphold permanent secretary directive to stop flexing. Government is trampling on the democratic spaces of nurses.”
“As nurses we are defiant because the flexi hours were born from the collective bargaining agreement and this agreement still stands.”
“We aborted strike in favour of amicable negotiations but the Government is now instituting punitive measures against our members. Nurses have no other option but to declare incapacitation and call Government to order and stop all impeding unprocedural hearings upon our membership,” Douglas added.
The decision to take measures against “non-compliant” nurses by Government follows an adverse report presented to Cabinet last week by Vice President and Health minister Constantino Chiwenga.
The Health Services Board (HSB) and Health ministry, against the desires of the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina), saw it fit to ban the flexi hours’ system.
Under the flexi hours regime, nurses working for government would rotate coming to work, with the majority at times reporting for duty for as little as two days per week.
The justification for this was so that those in the healthcare system, particularly nurses, would manage well their incapacitation situation.
Nurses, including many within the public health delivery system, complain that their remunerations fall far below expected levels.
This publication understands that at its sitting last week, Cabinet resolved to cancel the flexi hours arrangement and that nurses who failed to report for duty be subjected to disciplinary processes.
Management at public health institutions was also ordered to take down daily attendance registers for nurses so that they be submitted to the HSB and Health and Child Care Head Office.
It was also ordered by Cabinet that the nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars; namely contract workers; Health Service Permanent Workers and Secondment from the Uniformed Forces.
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has extended the country’s nightly curfew to Jan. 3 as part of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 after numbers surged in October.
Kenyatta said that in October alone, the number of new confirmed coronavirus cases had risen by 15,000 and the East African nation reported about 300 deaths.
“October has gone down as the most tragic month in our fight against COVID-19,” Kenyatta said, adding that the rate of infections from tests carried out had shot up to 16% in the month, four times what it was a month earlier.
The government allowed bars to reopen on Sept. 28 and cut the nightly curfew by two hours. Schools partially reopened on Oct. 12.
Kenyatta said he had also suspended all political rallies for 60 days and asked senior government officials to work virtually.
The health ministry had raised concerns that a revival of political meetings at the start of October could have been among the causes of the virus’s spread.
The national and county governments will also enforce an order that will allow them to deny services to anyone who visits their offices without a mask on, he said.
As of Nov. 3, Kenya had a total 57,093 coronavirus cases, 1039 deaths and 37,846 recoveries, health ministry data showed.
A 37-year-old man was arrested after allegedly evaded a roadblock along Lomagundi Road in Harare and attempted to bribe a security guard who was manning a farm in the area in a bid to avoid police.
Following his arrest, police recovered 17 bales believed to have been smuggled into the country through Chirundu Border Post.
Malusi Chagwedera of Chinhoyi was arrested on Sunday while driving a Nissan Caravan (AFA 6089), which he was using to transport the smuggled goods.
It is alleged that on approaching a roadblock in the Westgate area, Chagwedera evaded the roadblock by turning left into Goodhope Road, which leads to some farming areas.
During the process, he approached a security guard manning one of the farms and offered him a bribe so that he would be allowed passage.
The head of security at the farm, who was passing near the scene, is reported to have heard the conversation and confronted Chagwedera before alerting the police, leading to his arrest.
Police searched the vehicle and recovered the 17 bales of second-hand clothes.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and said investigations were in progress.
“On November 1, 2020, a Chinhoyi man evaded a police roadblock and tried to bribe a security guard manning a boom gate at a farm in Harare to allow him passage. He was arrested by police after his vehicle was searched and 17 bales of smuggled clothing were recovered,” he said.
Meanwhile, nine people were arrested in Beitbridge last week after they were intercepted by police crossing into Zimbabwe from South Africa.
The nine were charged under the Immigration Act for exiting the country by evasion.
Two of the suspects were additionally charged for importing hazardous substances without a permit after being found in possession of 80 litres of fuel.
On the same date, at the Masvingo-Beitbridge turnoff, police arrested two women who had smuggled nine sacks containing various clothes. They have since paid the requisite duty.
Police in Mahusekwa also intercepted a green Mercedes Benz Sprinter registration number ADC 3834, along the Harare-Hwedza Road, which was loaded with 22 goats on October 24 at around 0230 hours.
The driver of the vehicle was waived to stop by a motorised police patrol team but failed to stop resulting with a high speed chase.
Police said the driver later stopped and together with four other occupants, they vanished into the darkness.
The goats were recovered, but no report that they were stolen has been made.
Farmers missing their goats can contact officers at Mahusekwa Police Station.
Self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri, his wife Mary and co-accused were on Wednesday granted bail in the Pretoria magistrate’s court
They were granted bail of R200 000 each with strict conditions .
As part of the bail condition Bushiri and his wife have to hand in their title deed for their property in Centurion as a guarantee.
They are also not allowed to make any comments in their church services about witnesses, the prosecution team and those involved in the case.
Bushiri and his wife are facing charges of fraud, theft and money laundering.
The other accused in the matter Landiwe Ntlokwana got bail of R100 000 Mudolo Zethu was given bail of R20 000.
All of the accused have to report at a nearby police station on Monday and Friday between 6am and 6pm.
“Accused number four and five (the Bushiris) are barred from travelling anywhere else in the republic of South Africa. They can only travel within Gauteng and North West province until the case is finalized,” said magistrate Thandi Theledi.
Government is working on modalities to avail funds that will enable the Registrar General’s office to clear the passport backlog.
Home affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe recently said a comprehensive strategy had put in place to deal with the issue of outstanding passports.
He said although funds that had initially been raised for this purpose had been channeled towards fighting the Covid 19 pandemic, Treasury was working on making more funds available.
“The Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube is now seized with the matter to avail the funds and we will be able to clear the passport backlog,” he said.
“I am happy that we managed to do 200 000 passports during the lockdown period so our backlog has actually come down significantly, but we also take note that no one was applying. I hope the Ministry of Finance will soon avail the funds for us to buy some consumables and machinery as well.”
Minister Kazembe said he was confident that Government would deal with bottlenecks that have been limiting production of travel documents.
For the past few years, the passport backlog has been growing and before the lockdown, production had been seriously affected by increasing applications and foreign currency shortages.
In Manicaland alone, applications for passports had gone up to 50 000 by the time the Registrar’s office stopped taking new ones.
Manicaland Provincial Registrar Ms Joyce Munamati said the province had issued a total of 9 000 passports during the lockdown period.
A Harare man has approached the Harare Civil Court seeking the cancellation of the birth certificate of his child after DNA tests showed that he was not the father.
Edmund Mutambara has made an application for cancellation of the birth certificate of the child after his girlfriend Josephine Nekazhu allegedly lied that the baby was his.
However, the paternity test proved that Mutambara is not the father of the child. In the application, Mutambara, cited Nekazhu and the messenger of court as the first and second respondents respectively.
Circumstances are that, sometime in April last year, Mutambara was involved in an intimate relationship with Nekazhu and in June, Nekazhu fell pregnant and she told Mutambara that it was his pregnancy.
On October 14, 2019, Nekazhu gave birth and her maternity records reflected that she delivered after carrying the baby to full term.
Mutambara started disputing paternity of the minor child since the two had only known each other for only seven months when the baby was born.
According to Mutambara’s affidavit in January 2020, Nekazhu threatened that she will claim maintenance for the minor child if he refused to contribute to the child’s upkeep.
Nekazhu reportedly told Mutambara that she has secured a birth certificate for the minor child through the messenger of court and that it indicated that he was the biological father of the child.
This did not go well with Mutambara since the birth certificate was issued without his knowledge or consent and he had never surrendered his identification particulars to Nekazhu as is the norm.
Mutambara then engaged Nekazhu’s relatives so that DNA tests could be done to determine the child’s paternity.
In March, this year, DNA tests were done after samples were taken from Mutambara and the baby after consent from both parties.
The DNA test results came out on August 25 this year and they indicated that the probability of Mutambara being the father of the baby was zero percent.
The results were explained to the parties and Nekazhu did not dispute them. She pleaded with Mutambara to seek advice on how to cancel the birth certificate so that the matter can be resolved amicably.
The matter has been set down for November 9 for hearing at the Harare Civil Court.
Prisca Mupfumira wants Chief Magistrate Mr Munamato Mutevedzi to recuse himself from the case in which she is jointly charged with former Public Service Commission secretary Ngoni Masoka on criminal abuse of office and concealing a transaction from a principal saying he has dealt and dismissed her other applications and “has already formulated an opinion on the matter”.
Mupfumira and Masoka are alleged to have misappropriated a US$90 000 loan facility and paying for air tickets to South Africa worth more than R10 000 without the authority’s approval.
Through her lawyer, Advocate Sylvester Hashiti, Mupfumira made the application after Mr Mutevedzi dismissed her application to have the trial deferred to another day pending a Supreme Court determination on her appeal against High Court decision to dismiss a review of her application for exception to the charges.
Adv Hashiti had argued that the outcome of the Supreme Court decision will have a bearing on the on going trial since it has already been set down for hearing.
But Mr Mutevedzi dismissed the application saying there was no order from the upper courts that compel him to stay proceedings pending determination of her appeal.
The State was set to call a third witness to testify during Mupfumira and Masoka’s trial.
Mr Jonathan Chingwinyiso and Mr Tafara Chirambira, prosecuting, are expected to respond to the application for Mr Mutevedzi’s recusal.
President Mnangagwa has this afternoon left the country for Tanzania to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President John Magufuli following his re-election for a second five-year term last week.
The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be held at Jamhuri Stadium in Tanzania’s capital city of Dodoma tomorrow.
The President was seen off at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Harare provincial affairs minister, Oliver Chidau, service chiefs and senior Government officials.
The President is being accompanied by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Sibusiso Moyo and other senior Government officials.
Former Marondera Town Clerk Josiah Musuwo and the town’s director of Works Christopher Chineka yesterday appeared in court facing three counts of criminal abuse of office after they allegedly illegally parcelled out stands to residents without Government’s approval.
They appeared before Marondera magistrate Ms Sharon Mashaira, who did not ask them to plead and remanded them in custody to Friday next week.
Prosecuting, Mr Lovemore Musariyarwa told the court that the two illegally sold land in Chitepo, Ruzawi and Cherutombo suburbs in Marondera valued at US$1 468 394.
“The accused persons’ responsibility was to make sure that proper procedures were followed before parcelling out land,” he said. “They unlawfully and intentionally did what was contrary to their duties as public officers by showing favour to few selected beneficiaries at the expense of council’s good administration and the people on the housing waiting list,” he said.
Mr Musariyarwa told the court that sometime in early May 2012 council decided to allocate infill land in Chitepo to the public on the waiting list.
The duo the lodged their layout plans with the Department of Physical Planning but instead of waiting for the department’s approval, they alleged originated a memorandum directing the stands to be sold to those who could afford to purchase them and not necessarily those on the housing waiting list.
On the second count, it is alleged that sometime in early September 2016, stand number 2840 Ruzawi Street in Marondera was repossessed from FML Oil Company by the municipality for non-compliance with the contract agreement and council decided to allocate the land to people on its waiting list.
Musuwo and Chineka caused the subdivision of the repossessed land into seven commercial stands and lodged their layout plan with the Department of Physical Planning. In mid-April 2017, they again originated a memorandum directing the land to be sold on first come first serve basis without the department’s response or approval by the responsible ministry.
On the third count, it is alleged that at the beginning of September 2004, council decided to use part of the golf course for commercial purposes.https://b0aa42bdc27dabacceab45a3cafd5653.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
The accused persons prepared a layout plan called CBD Extension, which was submitted to the Physical Planning Department for assessment.
It is alleged that the director of physical planning raised issues specified in the master plan, which states that before any development onn the golf course, a local development plan should be prepared first.
In early September 2015, the accused persons rushed to dispose of the commercial stands despite the objection by the Director of Physical Planning having not been addressed and with the full knowledge that local layout plan had not been approved and change of reservation had not been done.
Wales national team coach Ryan Giggs was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend, according to several reports in the UK.
The 46-year old was picked up by the police on Monday and bailed out pending further inquiries.
The incident happened at the former Manchester United star’s home in Manchester.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) gave a statement confirming Giggs will not be involved in Wales’ three scheduled November games, with assistant coach Robert Page instead taking charge.
The football body also said it was “aware of an alleged incident involving the gaffer”.
A statement released on behalf of Giggs said: “He is co-operating with the police and will continue to assist them with their ongoing investigation.”-Soccer 24
Former Highlanders striker Tinashe Makanda has been invited for trials at a top-flight club in Kosovo.
The forward is expected to start the assessment at KF Drenica on Thursday and stay in South Eastern Europe for three weeks, according to the Chronicle.
“After much deliberation with the team board, we wish to formally invite Makanda Tinashe from Zimbabwe to our three weeks open trials that will be hosted in Bajram Aliu Stadium,” the club said a letter seen by the publication.
“We urge the authorities of Kosovo to give this player all the necessary passage to the country. The trial will commence on November 5 and will last for three weeks.”
Makanda is a free agent after he severed his ties with Highlanders following the expiry of his contract in June this year. The striker was recently linked with rivals Dynamos, but his camp denied the reports, saying he only signed a sponsorship contract with Gold Leaf Tobacco who also sponsors the Glamour Boys.-Soccer 24
The local football season might not return this year with ZIFA now targeting mid-February due to lake of funds.
The association had proposed a mini-league tournament for two weeks to mark the return of local football in the country. However, strict regulations which include setting up of a bio-bubble environment have seen the plans becoming impossible.
Most clubs are yet to start group training almost a month after the Government gave the green light for the safe return of football.
ZIFA president Felton Kamambo explained the situation to The Herald: “The secretariat is already working on that. We intend to start the 2021 season early next year, and we will stagger the start, for logistical purposes.
“We are also engaging the Government to possibly allow fans at the stadiums. We understand that most teams in the country heavily rely on gate-takings.
“It is against that background that we have decided to engage the authorities and see how best fans can be allowed at match venues.”
Kamambo added that their focus is on national teams and they can’t pour many resources for clubs in the bio-bubble mini-league tournament.
“We are currently running around preparing for the Warriors match against Algeria in Algiers, and we have failed to secure commercial flights to Algeria,’’ he said.
“Instead, we will have to charter a plane to North Africa which will cost us a lot more.
“We currently don’t have any sponsors helping us out.
“What it means is that we may not be able to put much in the bio-bubble tournament as we will also use significant resources when we host the Algerians here.”-Soccer 24
Teenage Hadebe will be looking to redeem himself during the international break after the defender fell in the pecking order at his Turkish side, Yeni Malatyaspor.
A first-team regular in the previous campaign, the Warriors star has not featured in the last three games. His last appearance came before the October international window, playing just six minutes of the game.
And in total, he has earned a mere 105 minutes on the field in this season so far.
His troubles seem to have emanated from the arrival of three other centre backs this term who have brought more competition in the backline. The new signings include Brazilian Wallace and Semih Kaya, who have been paired together in recent games, and Gökhan Akkan.
The back-to-back Afcon qualifiers against Algeria present Hadebe with an opportunity to redeem himself from the current struggles.
The 25-year old is in the 24-man selection that will play the Desert Foxes on 12 and 16 November in Algiers and Harare respectively.
He did feature in the Warriors’ warm-up match against Botswana last month, but his performance was average just like any other player in the team, owing to the squad’s poor preparations.
The former Highlanders man is expected to be paired with Alec Mudimu in the central defence for the next assignments.-Soccer 24
For medicines to work safely, it’s vital to have strong systems in place to report any undesired side effects or “adverse drug reactions“.
The most important aspect of drug safety monitoring is reliable, real-time information. Health-care professionals (physicians, pharmacists, nurses, dentists) are best placed to report suspected adverse reactions as part of patient care. Patients also have a critical role in getting the right information to authorities and should refer to their medical practitioner as soon as they detect unwanted symptoms or reactions. Both health professionals and patients should report these even if they are doubtful about the precise relationship between the given drug and the reaction.
Most adverse reactions are preventable
Many undesired drug reactions may be due to factors independent of the medicine. For example:
incorrect diagnosis of the patient’s medical condition;prescription of an inappropriate drug or incorrect dosage of the appropriate drug;an undetected medical, genetic or allergic condition that may cause a patient reaction;self-medication with prescription medicines;not following instructions for taking the medication;interactions with other drugs (including traditional medicines) and certain foods.
But s risks may also occur because a medicine’s composition and ingredients do not meet required standards, causing them to be ineffective and even hazardous; or because the medicine is counterfeit, with no active ingredients or inappropriate ingredients.
Assessing medicines before and after they reach patients
Before medicines or vaccines are made widely available in countries, they are rigorously tested in patient and healthy volunteers respectively to discover how well they work for a defined disease and how safe they are. But to get a comprehensive picture of a product’s safety, it is important to keep watching how it works once it is widely used in a population.
This requires careful patient monitoring and further scientific data collection by organized local, national and international agencies.
Drug safety during the COVID-19 pandemic
International drug safety monitoring is particularly important during global epidemics such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, and even more so when there are no proven vaccines or medicines for the disease. As new COVID-19 vaccines and treatments become available, health-care professionals and patients will need to be actively engaged in monitoring the effects of these novel products and reporting any potential adverse reaction. By analyzing reported reactions, national medicines authorities can take the necessary measures for safer use of the drugs, scientists can assess the data and, if needed, international networks can be activated to address the problem.
WHO’s role in making medicines safer
WHO promotes global drug safety through its Programme for International Drug Monitoring, which supports countries to develop sound pharmacovigilance policies, organizes hands-on training and workshops, and establishes networks for information sharing.
An important role of the programme is to strengthen national reporting systems and their contribution to VigiBase, the global WHO database for adverse drug reactions, managed by Uppsala Monitoring Centre in Sweden, and to identify possible links between the use of a drug and adverse reactions. When signals of drug safety problems emerge through the database or other sources, WHO and Uppsala Monitoring Centre share new information on serious adverse reactions with all WHO Member States.
A recent key WHO development is the introduction of a mobile application called “Med Safety”, jointly launched in nine countries* with Uppsala Monitoring Centre and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The app enables health-care professionals and patients to report suspected adverse reactions directly to the national authorities’ data base. WHO is preparing to roll out the app in more countries once a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.
Source: World Health Organization
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information follow /like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
Tinashe Sambiri|The facilitators of the July 31 Movement Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume have denounced the persecution of prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono by the panicky Zanu PF administration.
Sikhala also “confronted” Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa over violation of human rights.
“We will not allow the regime to kill us while we are silent -never.It’s better to die fighting for freedom than to be killed in silence.So we are not going back, very soon the regime will be out of power, whether they like it or not,” declared Sikhala.
According to Sikhala, the movement will not allow Mr Mnangagwa to torment citizens at will.
Ngarivhume also said:” We will not be silenced by Zanu PF’s threats.”
Tinashe Sambiri|The facilitators of the July 31 Movement Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume have denounced the persecution of prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono by the panicky Zanu PF administration.
Sikhala also “confronted” Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa over violation of human rights.
“We will not allow the regime to kill us while we are silent -never.It’s better to die fighting for freedom than to be killed in silence.So we are not going back, very soon the regime will be out of power, whether they like it or not,” declared Sikhala.
According to Sikhala, the movement will not allow Mr Mnangagwa to torment citizens at will.
Ngarivhume also said:” We will not be silenced by Zanu PF’s threats.”
For medicines to work safely, it’s vital to have strong systems in place to report any undesired side effects or “adverse drug reactions“.
The most important aspect of drug safety monitoring is reliable, real-time information. Health-care professionals (physicians, pharmacists, nurses, dentists) are best placed to report suspected adverse reactions as part of patient care. Patients also have a critical role in getting the right information to authorities and should refer to their medical practitioner as soon as they detect unwanted symptoms or reactions. Both health professionals and patients should report these even if they are doubtful about the precise relationship between the given drug and the reaction.
Most adverse reactions are preventable
Many undesired drug reactions may be due to factors independent of the medicine. For example:
incorrect diagnosis of the patient’s medical condition;prescription of an inappropriate drug or incorrect dosage of the appropriate drug;an undetected medical, genetic or allergic condition that may cause a patient reaction;self-medication with prescription medicines;not following instructions for taking the medication;interactions with other drugs (including traditional medicines) and certain foods.
But s risks may also occur because a medicine’s composition and ingredients do not meet required standards, causing them to be ineffective and even hazardous; or because the medicine is counterfeit, with no active ingredients or inappropriate ingredients.
Assessing medicines before and after they reach patients
Before medicines or vaccines are made widely available in countries, they are rigorously tested in patient and healthy volunteers respectively to discover how well they work for a defined disease and how safe they are. But to get a comprehensive picture of a product’s safety, it is important to keep watching how it works once it is widely used in a population.
This requires careful patient monitoring and further scientific data collection by organized local, national and international agencies.
Drug safety during the COVID-19 pandemic
International drug safety monitoring is particularly important during global epidemics such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, and even more so when there are no proven vaccines or medicines for the disease. As new COVID-19 vaccines and treatments become available, health-care professionals and patients will need to be actively engaged in monitoring the effects of these novel products and reporting any potential adverse reaction. By analyzing reported reactions, national medicines authorities can take the necessary measures for safer use of the drugs, scientists can assess the data and, if needed, international networks can be activated to address the problem.
WHO’s role in making medicines safer
A recent key WHO development is the introduction of a mobile application called “Med Safety”, jointly launched in nine countries* with Uppsala Monitoring Centre and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The app enables health-care professionals and patients to report suspected adverse reactions directly to the national authorities’ data base. WHO is preparing to roll out the app in more countries once a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.
WHO promotes global drug safety through its Programme for International Drug Monitoring, which supports countries to develop sound pharmacovigilance policies, organizes hands-on training and workshops, and establishes networks for information sharing.
An important role of the programme is to strengthen national reporting systems and their contribution to VigiBase, the global WHO database for adverse drug reactions, managed by Uppsala Monitoring Centre in Sweden, and to identify possible links between the use of a drug and adverse reactions. When signals of drug safety problems emerge through the database or other sources, WHO and Uppsala Monitoring Centre share new information on serious adverse reactions with all WHO Member States.
Source: World Health Organization
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information follow /like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa remains the people’s hope despite attempts by Zanu PF to soil his image, an MDC Alliance official has said.
Speaking in an interview with ZimEye.com, MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson, Clifford Hlatywayo said people have confidence in the leadership of President Chamisa.Hlatywayo was commenting on Tongai Matutu’s defection to Zanu PF.
Hlatywayo also said it was sad to note that Matutu elected to join the collapsing Zanu PF House.
“It’s his democratic right to join any political formation of his choice at his own time.
The MDCA is a leading party in the country. We are the government in waiting that won the 2018 Presidential election vote by more than 2.6million.
People have confidence in the leadership of President Nelson Chamisa. He is the people’s Hope and he is ready to lead Zimbabwe to the promised land. Zimbabwe need a People’s Government urgently to resolve the crisis we are facing as a people,” said Hlatywayo.
“It’s very unfortunate that Tongai Matutu joined a collapsing house.
It is an understatement to say that ZANU pf is dead but it is at its later stages of decomposition.
ZANU pf is stinking, that’s where our brother has decided to go. Obvious he is motivated by certain things.
But the things we know in ZANU pf is corruption, abductions, violence, abuse of the people’s rights, intimidation, bleeding the nation, smuggling minerals including gold and diamonds among others. This is the ship where Mututu is joining.
It’s regrettable and unthinkable to find a young person of his stature joining an organization that terrorize the ordinary people.
In politics you must be guided by principles and values. This move is a clear testimony that his values has changed because of lack of principles.
MDCA is solid and focused on the goal that is to win Zimbabwe for change and install a People’s Government.”
Tinashe Sambiri|Zimbabwe is now a mafia state as a result of brutality and rampant looting of State Resources, MDC Alliance vice president, Hon Tendai Biti has said.
Hon Biti blasted Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for torturing hapless citizens and stealing State resources.
“In 3 years of their existence they have turned Zim into a gluttonous arena of extraction and embarked on a massive feeding frenzy.
Wether it’s minerals,procurement,FX, agriculture inputs,drugs, buses the Mnangwagwa regime has no restraint nor elasticity.
Zim has become mafia state,” Hon Biti wrote on Twitter.
By A Correspondent- A group of parents has given Government a seven-day ultimatum to resolve teachers’ incapacitation as the situation was violating their children’s right to education.
A Bulawayo parent, Patrick Sande, said 295 parents have already signed the petition, but they were still trying to get more signatures to force the government to resolve the impasse.
Said Sande:
“We are petitioning the Primary and Secondary Education ministry for violating our children’s right to education under section 86 of the Constitution.
We know that there are some labour issues between the employer and the employee but the impact is now violating our children’s rights.
… As parents, we do not care about their fights, but all we want is to see our children being taught at school.
We also wonder what criterion is being used in setting the exams by the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) when children have not been learning.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Schools Development Committees acting president Maxwell Mkandla said teachers were also to blame as they are getting salaries without teaching.
Mkandla urged the government to close schools for now and open them next year after recruiting teachers.-newsday
By A Correspondent- A 23 year old Chivhu woman on Monday allegedly struck her husband with a log during a dispute over a towel, which resulted in his death.
Mashonaland East police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza yesterday said Eneresi Nyandoro of Mutoro area in Chivhu struck her now-deceased husband, Shadreck Phiri (28), with a log during an altercation.
“On Monday, Nyandoro went to Mandadya River for laundry. She took a towel which she shared with her husband and returned late in the evening. A misunderstanding ensued between the two pertaining to why she had spent the whole day at the river with the towel,” Mwanza said.
The following day, they resumed the argument.
It is said that Phiri took a log and struck his wife once on the head.
But Nyandoro then wrested the log from him and struck him on the head.
Phiri later went into the bedroom complaining of a severe headache. His wife informed their employer, who drove from Harare and took him to Nyamhere Clinic.
He was, however, referred to Chivhu General Hospital, but he died before admission. Nyandoro is said to have sustained internal injuries.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to Nyandoro’s arrest.
Barely a month ago, a woman from the Featherstone area of Chivhu was arraigned before the courts on murder charges after she hacked her husband to death with an axe during a domestic dispute.
Mwanza urged the public to resolve domestic disputes amicably to avoid loss of life over petty issues.-Newsday
Tinashe Sambiri|The facilitators of the July 31 Movement Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume have denounced the persecution of prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono by the panicky Zanu PF administration.
Sikhala also “confronted” Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa over violation of human rights.
“We will not allow the regime to kill us while we are silent -never.It’s better to die fighting for freedom than to be killed in silence.So we are not going back, very soon the regime will be out of power, whether they like it or not,” declared Sikhala.
According to Sikhala, the movement will not allow Mr Mnangagwa to torment citizens at will.
Ngarivhume also said:” We will not be silenced by Zanu PF’s threats.”
Tinashe Sambiri|The facilitators of the July 31 Movement Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume have denounced the persecution of prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono by the panicky Zanu PF administration.
Sikhala also “confronted” Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa over violation of human rights.
According to Sikhala, the movement will not allow Mr Mnangagwa to torment citizens at will.
THIRTEEN suspected MDC-Alliance activists, who allegedly ran amok, destroying windows and cutting padlocks with bolt cutters at Harvest House last week appeared in court yesterday charged with public violence.
The rowdy youths, who are said to have been armed with stones, iron bars and bolt cutters also attacked motorists and pedestrians who passed through the area.
Victor Machavhaira (37), Shame Chidzonga (34), Mafaiti Mubaiwa (32), Angirai Mowotidhi (42) and Forward Sezali (40) initially appeared before magistrate Ms Judith Taruvinga on Monday and were remanded in custody to yesterday for bail ruling after prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa had opposed bail.
The other eight Paul Gorekore (37), Peter Shonhiwa (35), Godfrey Katsaya (24), Lloyd Zhou (36), Richard Dube (21), Onisimo Chaitezvi (30), Sign Chanachimweza (29) and Washington Dzungwa (37) appeared on a separate record yesterday.
They were all released on $1 500 bail each after their lawyer Mr Moses Mavhaire successfully applied for bail. They were ordered to report once a week to the police and not to interfere with witnesses.
It is the State’s case that on October 29 at around 10am, the gang while acting in common purpose with others who are still at large teamed up within the CBD.
They walked towards Harvest House along Nelson Mandela and while on the way, the gang allegedly disturbed the peace and order in the CBD.
It is alleged that they also assaulted members of the public. When they got to Harvest house, they destroyed the front window panes using stones before cutting the key locks on the screeengate using bolt cutters, the court heard.
The police reacted and arrested Machavhaira, Chidzonga, Mubaiwa, Mowotidhi and Sezali while others escaped.
On the same day at around 11 pm, Gorekore, Shonhiwa, Katsaya, Zhou, Dube, Chaitezvi, Chanachimweza, Dzungwa returned to Harvest house leading to their arrest.
According to the state, Mowotidhi and Sizali have pending cases before the same court.
Despite their recent clash on social media over the role of musicians in standing for people against dictatorship, musician Jah Prayzah has extended a heart warming message to journalist Hopewell Chin’ono who was arrested yesterday.
Posting on Twitter, Jah Prayzah only said;
“You are always in our prayers mukoma” the lanky crooner said with a picture of Chin’ono.
Chin’ono spend over 40 days in remand prison when he was initially arrested on the 18th of July ahead of their anti-corruption protests.
He wasarrested again yesterday charged with interfering in the work of the judiciary system after he alleged that the Chief Justice Luke Malaba was seen leaving the Harare Magistrates Court on the day he was denied bail.
OUTSPOKEN Norton MP, Temba Mliswa has described the recently introduced government-funded pfumvudza farming programme as another scheme created to loot state resources.
Pfumvudza, the government’s climate proofed presidential inputs programme, is a farming method that was revived by the government for the 2020/21 summer farming season to support small-scale farmers who have limited farming equipment to optimise their production and ensure household and national food and nutrition security.
Small-scale farmers who have been supplied with free farming inputs by the government are expected to produce 1.8 million tonnes of maize and 360 000 tonnes of oilseeds.
However, Mliswa said the much-touted pfumvudza was a failure and a waste of resources. He also claimed the scheme was open for abuse and most of the inputs would find their way onto the black market.
“During this time of the season, you see many shops that sell agricultural inputs being set up. The recent arrest of a councillor and Agritex officers is because of the cartel they have set up to sell government inputs from government,” said Mliswa.
“Agritex must ensure that farmers receiving inputs under the pfumvudza programme have land. They must be able to account for it rather being excited that 1.8 million seed packs have been distributed when half of it is being sold on the black market.”
A Chegutu councillor, two soldiers and a police officer were last week arrested for allegedly diverting $1,1 million worth of inputs meant for small-scale farmers under pfumvudza.
Also, in Chegutu, a general hand at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depot, two Agritex extension workers, and a transporter were also arrested. They allegedly inflated the list of beneficiaries using names of non-existent farmers before grabbing tonnes of inputs.
Councillor (Independent) for Ward 23 Ngoni Mupfudza (51), two master sergeants at Jason Ziyapapa Moyo Airbase – Perfect Dhliwayo (36) and Talent Chiota, two Agritex employees – Margret Manda (49) and Patricia Chemhazo (53), a general had at GMB Pepukai Mamvura (26), Constable Bridget Mutondoro of ZRP Chegutu and a transporter Dominic Zinyakatira appeared at Chegutu Magistrates’ Court and were freed on bail.
Mliswa said the government, instead of embarking on pfumvudza should have identified farmers with the capacity, provide them with agriculture inputs, and revive obsolete irrigation infrastructure.
“From a food security point of view, we must be identifying farmers with the capacity so that we deal with national food security,” Mliswa told NewZimbabwe.com Tuesday.
“The rainfall pattern has not been good, so how much will be harvested and how much is lost in terms of millions of dollars in buying inputs.
“If those inputs were going to empower farmers with A2 farms, rehabilitating irrigation infrastructure and making sure that farmers given inputs have the capacity, and will be able to see the season through because of the irrigation which is there.”
The politician who is also into large-scale described farming as having irrigation infrastructure.
“We have got water bodies which are plenty but what is lacking is the irrigation facilities which are not there. So it is important that we are seen rehabilitating the irrigation infrastructure for us to be able to make sure that we are food secure.
“We are importing so much when we don’t need to import and priority is important. What the people in the rural areas want is food security.
Zanu PF Acting Spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa has commented on the ongoing United States elections saying there is nothing to learn from the plebiscite he claimed is marred by incidences including barricading of roads among other issues.
He said there are no observers from Africa in the United States elections saying African countries should not go out of their way to invite the international community to observe elections when they do not do the same to them.
By A Correspondent- The MDC T leadership is keen to hold talks with President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF with a view to forming a new government of national unity (GNU).
Acting national chairman Morgen Komichi and secretary general Douglas Mwonzora said that another GNU would help to resolve many of the country’s myriad challenges.
Komichi and Mwonzora confirmed the party was keen on talks with Zanu-PF saying the talks will culminate in a mechanism that will alleviate the people’s suffering just as what happened in 2008.
Mwonzora said that MDC had already put in motion plans to hold talks with Zanu-PF.
Informal talks between Zanu-PF and the party had already begun.
By A Correspondent- The ruling Zanu-PF party has reportedly rejected 3 000 CVs from potential candidates for the party’s district co-ordinating committee (DCC) elections over their alleged association with the vanquished G40 faction.
Exiled G40 kingpins confirmed the development yesterday while former Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairperson and Norton legislator Temba Mliswa (Independent) claimed that ruling party members affiliated to his Youth Advocacy for Reform and Democracy (Yard) project were also barred from contesting in the DCC elections.
But party acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa rubbished the claims, accusing the G40 leaders of creating a false impression that they still had a lot of influence in the ruling party.
Zanu-PF recently accused the G40 elements of sponsoring candidates to infiltrate its structures ahead of the 2023 elections.
Exiled former Zanu-PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere claimed they had received reports from their sympathisers on the ground that they were being sidelined as G40 elements.
“Out of about 5 000 applications for the DCC positions, well over 3 000 have been turned down because they are not (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa’s favourites,” he said.
“This includes those removed before the provinces considered their names. It’s been a bloodbath. G40 leaders have called upon those affected to remain within the party and not allow its destruction. The divisions are being perpetuated by people with little knowledge of the party and who are on their way out. Cadres must be patient and ultimately, democracy within the party will be restored. It’s been this unconstitutional behaviour that is causing pain and turmoil within the party.
“Matured and measured response to barbaric behaviour will not last. Unity in the party is essential and in good time it shall be well.”
In Mashonaland East province, some of the top Zanu-PF officials disqualified from contesting in the DCC elections include Lawrence Katsiru and Boniface Mutize, who were eyeing the Marondera and Goromonzi district chairmanship, respectively.
Former Goromonzi West legislator Biata Nyamupinga was also disqualified from contesting for chairperson position for the women’s league in Goromonzi district, while Joyce Chiroodza failed to make it in the same district after bidding for the post of secretary for legal affairs.
Mliswa claimed that Zanu-PF was using DCC elections to purge perceived G40 and Yard members.
“Allegations of this one being aligned to this person are rife to a point where they even accuse certain people of being on my side in Yard, yet Yard is actually a youth movement, it’s apolitical and remains apolitical. The DCCs are really exposing Zanu-PF’s failure to be a democratic party. Campaigns are littered with incidents of vetted lists being submitted to the PCCs with names missing,” he tweeted.
The late former President Robert Mugabe was in 2013 forced to disband the DCCs claiming they were divisive.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwean government said it will deploy military medical personnel at all State hospitals to avoid disruptions caused by striking civilian nurses and doctors.
Government resolved that nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars namely contract workers, health services permanent workers and secondment from the uniformed forces.
Mutsvangwa said the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA), a union representing thousands of nurses, had openly defied the Cabinet’s decision to cancel the flexi hours arrangement while other unions have accepted the decision.
Daily attendance registers will therefore be submitted to the Health Service Board (HSB) and all nurses who fail to report for duty will be subjected to disciplinary processes. Said Mutsvangwa:
Cabinet was briefed by VP Chiwenga, as the Minister of Health and Child Care, on the withdrawal of labour by nurses.
At its 38th meeting held on October 28, 2020, Cabinet was informed that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) openly challenged the Cabinet decision on the cancellation of the flexi-working arrangement and defied the secretary for Health and Child Care directive for the association to reverse its statement.
Cabinet resolved to cancel the flexi hours arrangement and that nurses who fail to report for duty be subjected to disciplinary processes, that daily attendance registers for nurses be submitted to the Health Service Board (HSB) and the Ministry of Health and Child Care head office, and that nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars, namely contract workers, health service permanent workers, and secondment from the uniformed forces.
… A total of 1 280 nurses failed to heed to the call to return to normal working hours.
The flexi-working arrangement was introduced early this year to deal with nurses’ incapacitation and also to mitigate an acute shortage of personal protective equipment (PPEs).-newsday
By A Correspondent- Former chief magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe’s trial on charges of criminal abuse of office and defeating the course of justice resumed at the High Court yesterday with his ex-deputy Elijah Makomo taking to the witness stand.
Makomo told Justice Felistas Chatukuta that contrary to State claims that he was forced to recuse himself in a matter where he was conflicted, he did so of his own volition.
The State had alleged that Guvamombe forced Makomo to recuse himself from a matter involving businessman Nathan Mnaba.
In his testimony, Makomo said he took the decision to recuse himself from handling the matter following complaints raised by both Mnaba, who was the accused in the matter and Nighert Parween Savania who was the complainant.
He was asked to read a report which he authored in response to the allegations that had been raised against him for having failed to properly handle the trial leading to his recusal.
Makomo dismissed allegations that he had received a US$8 000 bribe from Savania and further challenged Mnaba to prove his allegations.
Through his lawyers, Jonathan Samukange and Brighton Pabwe, Guvamombe denied the charges being levelled against him, accusing his former workmates and colleagues of concocting the charges to cover up their sexual abuse cases.
In one of the counts, Guvamombe is accused of allowing former Cabinet ministers Supa Mandiwanzira and Saviour Kasukuwere to be attached at the Harare Magistrates Court from the University of Zimbabwe while facing criminal charges.
In his defence, he told the court that his actions were above board since he delegated the issue of the students’ attachment to Makomo, who then forwarded the matter to the human resources department for implementation.
When the trial started, Judicial Service Commission secretary Walter Chikwanha absolved Guvamombe of any wrongdoing, saying the commission then did not have a proper policy on student attaches.-newsday
By A Correspondent- High Court judge Justice Erica Ndewere, who has taken President Emmerson Mnangagwa to court seeking to interdict him from setting up a tribunal to investigate her for alleged misconduct, has applied for Justice Davison Foroma to recuse himself from the case saying she preferred a retired judge.
Her lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa of Mtetwa and Nyambirai made the application yesterday, but no determination was made.
Justice Ndewere argued that sitting judges would not freely rule against their superiors Chief Justice Luke Malaba, Judicial Service Commission and Judge President Justice George Chiweshe, whom she cited as respondents.
The matter was postponed to today to allow Attorney-General Prince Matshaya to respond to her application on behalf of the State.
NewsDay is also reliably informed that Mnangagwa and Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi have not yet filed opposing papers, a situation which is assumed to indicate their unhappiness with the simmering dispute that is tarnishing the image of the country and the Judiciary.
Justice Ndewere is denying the allegations, which she says were fabricated by Chief Justice Malaba in order to incriminate her after she spurned unlawful orders to deny bail to former Environment minister Priscah Mupfumira and opposition MDC Alliance vice-chairperson Job Sikhala.
Section 165(3) of the Constitution states that: “When making a judicial decision, a member of the Judiciary must make it freely and without interference or undue influence.”
The High Court Act also states that: “In the exercise of his judicial authority, a member of the Judiciary shall not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority.”
Legal experts say that the allegation of impropriety by a High Court judge against the Chief Justice is unprecedented in the history of the Judiciary in Zimbabwe and cannot be swept under the carpet without an investigation by a tribunal to clear the Chief Justice.
Malaba, who is 69 years old, was due for retirement in eight months, but Cabinet recently approved the extension of his tenure from 70 years to 75 years.
ByA Correspondent- Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has threatened to roll out a nationwide strike to press for United States dollar-based salaries and better working conditions.
ZCTU president Peter Mutasa yesterday said the labour body was mobilising for the national shutdown with the date for the showdown set to be announced soon.
“It’s true we are mobilising for the national shutdown,” Mutasa said.
He also took to Twitter to mobilise for the mass protests.
“Workers and citizens of Zimbabwe arise. Towards a general strike! Our struggle is not going to be one day, one week, one month or a year, but lifetime. Speak up against any form of injustice, oppression or exploitation,” he posted.
“Workers have been demanding that they be paid a living wage. Since February, the labour movement representatives at the Tripartite Negotiating Forum have been clear that workers must be paid in US dollars in order to restore the value that has been eroded by inflation and devaluation,” Mutasa wrote.
“The government and business representatives requested for six months to either stabilise the economy or dollarise. The government has dollarised almost everything, including trade and taxes, except salaries.”
The call for the mass protests came at a time teachers’ unions are divided, with other unions accusing Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) of selling out the struggle.
This was after Zimta Nicodemously met with President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday last week, where they agreed on a US$320 minimum wage, down from their common position of US$520.
Past protests by the labour unions have often turned violent after government unleashed soldiers on protesters. Protests led by ZCTU in January last year resulted in 18 deaths.
By A Correspondent- The Health Services Board (HSB) has removed 1 032 nurses from the payroll after they refused to resume normal working hours and insisted on the continuation of the flexi-working arrangement.
He said the nurses who are not working the normal hours will not be paid and the board has instituted disciplinary action against them. Said Sikosana:
We have removed 1 032 nurses from the paysheet. They defied a Government directive and we were left with no option.
The affected nurses, most of who were on the staff of central hospitals, face a variety of penalties depending on charges and circumstances.
These include dismissal or being placed on fixed-term contracts if they return as part of a proposed restructuring of the public health sector.
The HSB employees between 16 000 and 18 000 nurses and this imply that less than 8 per cent of the nursing staff will be affected by the twin developments.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told a post-cabinet media briefing on Tuesday that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has defied Government’s directive to terminate the flexi hours arrangement which has left authorities with no option.-statemedia
By A Correspondent- A probe into the alleged secret nostro accounts allegedly held by suspended Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) boss Henrietta Rushwaya has absolved the former football administrator of any wrongdoing.
Rushwaya was suspended from ZMF last Monday following her arrest at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport while trying to smuggle more than 6kg of gold worth US$330 000 to Dubai.
The federation immediately set up a special committee to probe allegations that Rushwaya was operating nosto accounts in the name of ZMF without the knowledge of other members.
ZMF chairperson Makumba Nyenje yesterday confirmed that they investigated the accounts, and established that they were above board.
“Actually, they are not secret accounts, they are accounts which they opened on behalf of the organisation,” Nyenje said.
“We discovered that they were waiting for other signatories to bring their documents. It is above board and no money has been deposited into the accounts.”
ZMF general-secretary Philemon Mokuele last week said miners deposited their fees in the accounts and there were fears that the money could have been abused.
“In the meeting, the treasurer-general highlighted that there were CBZ nostro accounts where miners deposited fees. We then discovered that these accounts were not official, hence our decision to set up a committee headed by the treasurer-general to look into the issue as well as audit all ZMF accounts,” Mokuele said then.
Rushwaya and her accomplices, Gift Karanda, business partner Ali Mohammed, Central Intelligence Organisation operatives Stephen Tserayi and Raphios Mufandauya and two top police officers are languishing in remand prison awaiting ruling on their bail application.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- The husband of a woman who allegedly stole a baby from its mother at a grocery store in Harare last month was arrested in Murombedzi, Zvimba, in Mashonaland West Province on Monday.
Gift Chemhuru (40) was arrested by police at his homestead in Zvimba in connection with the kidnapping of four-week-old Tamiranashe Chadwick at Spar Supermarket, Montague Shopping Centre in Harare on 22 October 2020.
The woman suspected of snatching the baby, Mirriam Bwanali, who is Chemhuru’s wife, escaped before police could apprehend her. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said in a statement:
The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of Gift Chemhuru (40) following the kidnapping of a four-week-old baby at Spar Supermarket, Montague Shopping Centre, Harare on 22nd October 2020.
The baby was rescued from the suspect’s homestead on 2nd November 2020 in Zvimba following a tip-off from members of the public who heard the baby crying incessantly without being breastfed.
The baby was taken to Zvimba District Hospital.
Meanwhile, police are looking for the key suspect in this case, Mirriam Bwanali, the wife of Gift Chemhuru, in connection with the same matter. She escaped during the time police were called in.
Gift Chemhuru was also wanted for Theft and Motor Vehicle related offences.
The baby has since been reunited with its parents after they were called in by the police and positively identified him.
By A Correspondent- Henrietta Rushwaya is now stating that she picked up the wrong bag with four gold bars weighing 6kg, instead of a similar bag with her clothes when she went to the airport over a week ago and that her arrest was being used for political expedience aimed at “soiling” the name of the First Family.
Although she acknowledged owning the gold in question, Rushwaya told the court that there was a “mix-up” of bags when she left home for the airport ending with her picking the wrong bag containing gold instead of the one with her clothes.
Through her lawyer Mr Tapson Dzvetero, Rushwaya said the handbag containing gold was loaded into her car instead of a similar handbag containing the clothes she intended to travel with.
Mr Dzvetero said this was brought to the attention of the investigating officer, who initially handled the matter upon Rushwaya’s arrest at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on October 26.
He said this while cross-examining the investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Michael Chibaya, during Rushwaya’s bail application.
Rushwaya is appearing before Harare regional magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna along with Pakistani business tycoon Ali Muhamad, State security agents Stephen Tserai and Raphios Mufandauya, and miner Gift Karanda.
They are facing allegations in various groups of smuggling, illegal possession of gold, criminal abuse of office and obstructing the course of justice.
“The bag was similar to another bag which she was about to carry out of the country. The wrong bag was put into her vehicle and she did not have the knowledge of the contents that she took to the RGM Airport and she realised this at the point the scanners revealed that there was gold. Will you dispute that the investigating officer, one Bruno Chiketo, captured this aspect which is critical to her defence when she interviewed first accused (Rushwaya) upon her arrest at airport,” asked Mr Dzvetero.
Detective chief inspector Chibaya could not dispute the averments saying: “Yes, she could have indicated that.”
Mr Dzvetero went on to say that Rushwaya’s arrest has since been politicised.
“My client is now being played a political victim which explains why once a simple matter was transferred to Law and Order. We hear of name dropping of the First Family and it has now political connotations,” he said.
Mr Dzvetero distanced Rushwaya from the commercial invoice bearing the name of Ali Muhamad’s company, Ali Japan 786 Limited, that the State says was found in possession of Rushwaya upon her arrest at the airport.
He said the document was manufactured.
“She denies ever having given anyone a document that was said to belong to Ali. Without you having seen it you are uncertain to tell the court whether it forms the exhibit. The commercial invoice is a cooked up document which is being used for political expedience,” said Dzvetero.
Detective chief inspector Chibaya in his response said police compiled facts from witnesses’ statements which pointed out that the documents were recovered from Rushwaya upon her arrest.
“There are many witnesses we recorded statements from. There are some police officers arrested for having connived with accused persons to alter some information to the advantage of the accused persons. It was like we were starting investigations. I interviewed first investigations officer (Bruno Chiketo) when she (Rushwaya) indicated that the gold was not hers and it belonged to Ali which was further supported by documents in Ali’s name,” he said.
Answering to why the matter was being handled at the Law and Order unit instead of the Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit and whether her permit was of importance to the case of illegal possession of gold, Detec Chief Insp Chibaya said: “That is an administrative question that should be dealt with at Police General Headquarters.
“I feel this document (commercial invoice) will be of no importance to Rushwaya because there are conditions set and given by the issuing authority as to how the holder should deal with the gold. “I have never seen where it is written giving permission for one to take it for export without RBZ authority taking into cognisance the place where she was arrested.” The hearing continues today.
Meanwhile, two police officers, Douglas Shoko and Paul Chimungu, who are being accused of failing to arrest Ali Muhamad and altering his statements that implicated him in the smuggling deal, were denied bail.
Deputy chief magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande denied the duo bail saying they were likely to interfere with witnesses. They are expected to appear in court on November 16 for routine remand. Shoko and Chimungu are charged with criminal abuse of office.-statemedia
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s neice, Henrietta Rushwaya who was found out by ZimEye busy walking the streets of Harare at a time when police were claiming she is under arrest, is now stating that she picked up the wrong bag with four gold bars weighing 6kg, instead of a similar bag with her clothes when she went to the airport over a week ago and that her arrest was being used for political expedience aimed at “soiling’’ the name of the First Family.
Audio – Clear Evidence That Henrietta Rushwaya Was Never Arrested | WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ED?
Although she acknowledged owning the gold in question, Rushwaya told the court that there was a “mix-up’’ of bags when she left home for the airport ending with her picking the wrong bag containing gold instead of the one with her clothes.
Through her lawyer Mr Tapson Dzvetero, Rushwaya said the handbag containing gold was loaded into her car instead of a similar handbag containing the clothes she intended to travel with.
Mr Dzvetero said this was brought to the attention of the investigating officer, who initially handled the matter upon Rushwaya’s arrest at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on October 26.
He said this while cross-examining the investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Michael Chibaya, during Rushwaya’s bail application.
Rushwaya is appearing before Harare regional magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna along with Pakistani business tycoon Ali Muhamad, State security agents Stephen Tserai and Raphios Mufandauya, and miner Gift Karanda.
They are facing allegations in various groups of smuggling, illegal possession of gold, criminal abuse of office and obstructing the course of justice.
“The bag was similar to another bag which she was about to carry out of the country. The wrong bag was put into her vehicle and she did not have the knowledge of the contents that she took to the RGM Airport and she realised this at the point the scanners revealed that there was gold. Will you dispute that the investigating officer, one Bruno Chiketo, captured this aspect which is critical to her defence when she interviewed first accused (Rushwaya) upon her arrest at airport,” asked Mr Dzvetero.
Detective chief inspector Chibaya could not dispute the averments saying: “Yes, she could have indicated that.”
Mr Dzvetero went on to say that Rushwaya’s arrest has since been politicised.
“My client is now being played a political victim which explains why once a simple matter was transferred to Law and Order. We hear of name dropping of the First Family and it has now political connotations,” he said.
Mr Dzvetero distanced Rushwaya from the commercial invoice bearing the name of Ali Muhamad’s company, Ali Japan 786 Limited, that the State says was found in possession of Rushwaya upon her arrest at the airport.
He said the document was manufactured.
“She denies ever having given anyone a document that was said to belong to Ali. Without you having seen it you are uncertain to tell the court whether it forms the exhibit. The commercial invoice is a cooked up document which is being used for political expedience,” said Dzvetero.
Detective chief inspector Chibaya in his response said police compiled facts from witnesses’ statements which pointed out that the documents were recovered from Rushwaya upon her arrest.
“There are many witnesses we recorded statements from. There are some police officers arrested for having connived with accused persons to alter some information to the advantage of the accused persons. It was like we were starting investigations. I interviewed first investigations officer (Bruno Chiketo) when she (Rushwaya) indicated that the gold was not hers and it belonged to Ali which was further supported by documents in Ali’s name,” he said.
Answering to why the matter was being handled at the Law and Order unit instead of the Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit and whether her permit was of importance to the case of illegal possession of gold, Detec Chief Insp Chibaya said: “That is an administrative question that should be dealt with at Police General Headquarters.
“I feel this document (commercial invoice) will be of no importance to Rushwaya because there are conditions set and given by the issuing authority as to how the holder should deal with the gold.
“I have never seen where it is written giving permission for one to take it for export without RBZ authority taking into cognisance the place where she was arrested.”
The hearing continues today.
Meanwhile, two police officers, Douglas Shoko and Paul Chimungu, who are being accused of failing to arrest Ali Muhamad and altering his statements that implicated him in the smuggling deal, were denied bail.
Deputy chief magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande denied the duo bail saying they were likely to interfere with witnesses. They are expected to appear in court on November 16 for routine remand.
Shoko and Chimungu are charged with criminal abuse of office.
A 26-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested for allegedly kidnapping a Form Two pupil and raping her several times.
The complainant who was only rescued after six days, went on a hunger strike for two days in an attempt to stop the accused from abusing her but he allegedly continued to rape her.
The man’s wife and the complainant’s mother teamed up with the police to rescue the 15-year-old girl who had been subjected to repeated sexual abuse.
This was heard when Simbarashe Dube of Mberengwa appeared before Gweru regional magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing kidnap and rape charges.
Dube has pleaded not guilty.
It is the State’s case that on April 30, Dube allegedly met the complainant at Sibange River when she was coming from Mwembe Business Centre where she had gone to buy her school uniform.
Dube allegedly ordered the complainant to accompany him where he was going.
The court heard that he allegedly produced a knife and threatened to kill her if she did not comply.
He allegedly grabbed her right hand and pulled her off the road.
The court heard that Dube then force-marched the complainant to Anna Chikwekwete’s homestead in Newline Village, Chief Maziofa.
It was not stated in court how Chikwekwete is related to Dube.
After arriving at the homestead, the court heard that Dube allegedly locked the complainant in a room before he went away.
The accused allegedly asked Chikwekwete to heat water for the complainant to bath.
After bathing, Dube allegedly told the complainant that he wanted to have sexual intercourse with her but she refused pleading to be taken home.
Dube allegedly showed a knife and threatened to cut her throat if she screamed or refused to have sexual intercourse with him.
Dube, the court heard, went on to spread some blankets on the floor before raping her once.
The same night, Dube allegedly raped her two more times.
The following day, Dube allegedly took the complainant’s uniform and went away locking her inside the room.
At around 9AM, the court heard that Dube came back and gave the complainant a yellow floral skirt and ordered her to put it on.
Dube then force-marched the complainant to his sister’s house before they came back at around 9PM.
The complainant started crying before Dube again threatened to cut her head off.
He allegedly ordered her into the blankets before raping her three times.
On May 2, the accused forced-marched the girl to his friend’s house in Langelo village where he opened a bedroom door before forcing her inside.
Dube then went away before coming back with a plate of isitshwala but the complainant refused to eat.
The court heard that he went on to rape her three times.
On May 3, Dube, the court heard, took the complainant to another homestead where they spend the day and he again raped her.
This was the second day the complainant had gone without eating.
In the morning as he was in the middle of allegedly raping her, a police officer, the complainant’s mother and Dube’s wife rescued the girl.
THE six-man armed gang that on Monday robbed a Fawcett Security cash-in-transit van of undisclosed amount of money at the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ) branch in Bulawayo, on the same day robbed a Kezi-based gold buyer of US$4 000 after masquerading as police officers.
In Bulawayo, the robbers hijacked a black Mercedes Benz and drove to CBZ where they disarmed security guards before driving away in an armoured Fawcett vehicle with an undisclosed amount of money belonging to Zupco.
The armoured vehicle was later dumped in Woodlands and the robbers hijacked a Nissan Hardbody in Ilanda which they also later abandoned.
It emerged yesterday that the robbers proceeded to Kezi with the hijacked Mercedes Benz where they robbed a Fidelity Printers agent.
It was also revealed that when they pounced at the bank, the robbers were driving two vehicles including the hijacked Mercedes Benz and they split after the robbery.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the robbery in Kezi, 98kms from Bulawayo.
“Police are investigating a case of a Fidelity Printers’ agent who was robbed by four people at gunpoint in Kezi.
“They were driving a black Mercedes Benz that was stolen in Bulawayo and used to rob the cash-in-transit van in the city in the morning. The black Mercedes Benz model C200 has a registration number AFB 0202,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He said the robbers masqueraded as members of the security services to gain entry into the gold agent’s home.
“The robbers travelled to Kezi and went to the gold buyer’s house and presented themselves as people who wanted to deal in gold. Then they changed their story and said they were members of the security services and she then allowed them in. They produced pistols and force-marched the complainant and her friend into the house before ransacking the home. They took her hand bag which had US$4 000. They tied them up using a rope and threw them on the bed and left,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He said when the gang robbed the cash-in-transit van at the CBZ, they were driving two cars that included the hijacked Maercedez Benz.
Asst Comm Nyathi urged members of the public who might have information leading to the arrest of the robbers to contact any nearest police station.
“We know that these people are out there and are known. They are hiding somewhere or someone is benefiting from their criminal activities,” said Asst Com Nyathi.
THE Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has warned of violent and destructive thunderstorms as light rains are expected across the country until Friday.
Most parts of the country received rains yesterday and areas such as Matopos in Matobo district, Matabeleland South province had hailstorm.
MSD head of forecasting Mr James Ngoma said the rains would not exceed 50 millimetres.
“We are expecting isolated showers across most of the country until Friday. We will then have a slight break over the weekend and another downpour in the coming week. The downpours are expected to be of at least 50 millimetres (mm) in localised areas. This is a moderate pour because when we speak of heavy downpours it exceeds 50mm,” said Mr Ngoma.
“The rains are not really meaningful but the biggest disadvantage is that the rains might bring a lot of destructive elements such as hail, lightning and strong winds.”
He said members of the public should avoid being outdoors during the rains especially when there is lightning.
Two people were struck by lightning in Gokwe last month.
“We advise members of the public to be indoors when its raining. If you are doing your land preparations it’s not safe to be in the fields when there is lightning. The potential of lightning strikes is very high when you are in the fields.
The easiest way to note whether you are in a safe proximity of lightning storm, is that when you see lightning and can’t count to 30 before you hear the thunder then you know that you are not safe,” he said.
“In terms of strong winds, make sure that your roofing is secure and if there is any chance of lightning and you have no shelter its always not advisable to hide under a tree. You should instead crouch on the ground as low as possible.”
Mr Ngoma urged farmers to follow updates from Agritex officers on the step to follow as they prepare for the 2020/21 farming season.
MSD among other weather experts have projected normal to above normal rainfalls in the 2020/2021 rainy season.
The projections have excited agriculturalists as they hope it would spur better yields in the coming cropping season as the country has received successive poor rainfalls in the past two seasons resulting in drought.
In view of the hazards that come with the projected heavy rains, Cabinet last month approved a US$32 million budget to capacitate the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) in dealing with rain related disasters in the 2020/21 rainy season.
PARENTS have given the government a seven-day ultimatum to resolve the salary impasse with teachers, saying the strike was violating children’s right to education.
A Bulawayo parent Patrick Sande told NewsDay in an interview that due to the impasse, a group of parents had decided to petition the Primary and Secondary Education ministry to press for payment of a living wage to teachers.
He said parents wanted President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to use the country’s mineral resources to improve teachers’ salaries.
Sande said 295 parents had signed the petition, but they were still soliciting for more signatures to force government to resolve the impasse.
“We are petitioning the Primary and Secondary Education ministry for violating our children’s right to education under section 86 of the Constitution. We know that there are some labour issues between the employer and the employee but the impact is now violating our children’s rights,” Sande said.
“The government is not budging and does not want to pay what is being demanded by the teachers. The end result is that our children are not learning. That is a violation of the Constitution. The government should simply pay the teachers as the examinations are by the corner. What will our children write?”
Sande said parents would not tolerate any claims by the government that they were incapacitated in terms of financial resources to pay teachers.
“Zimbabwe has plenty of minerals; the government should prioritise where to allocate resources. If they do not prioritise the education sector, they are violating section 86 of the Constitution,” he said.
“The Primary and Secondary Education ministry and the President Emmerson Mnangagwa should ensure that the right to education is not violated.”
He added: “As parents, we do not care about their fights, but all we want is to see our children being taught at school. We also wonder what criterion is being used in setting the exams by the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) when children have not been learning.”
National Association of Schools Development Committees acting president Maxwell Mkandla said the government should close schools for now and open them next year after recruiting teachers.
“Government should just close schools. There are no teachers. The teachers are also to blame because every month they are getting their salaries but are not teaching,” Mkandla said.
By Taruberekera Masara in Pretoria | Zimbabwe will be a poorer country when the pandemic finally recedes.
It will be in be debt-distressed and consequentially will lose some of its sovereignty to its lenders. The penury will bear dissent and restlessness.
How will it ( government) respond to these challenges?
When the State sovereignty is lost the government becomes suspitable to capture. State capture in every aspect destroy democracy and majoritarianism.
After the pandemic when it (Zimbabwe) looks at itself in the mirror it will see the country it once hoped to become. In the gap between its real face and the phantom in the mirror a difficult politics may arise.
Zimbabwe’s 1980 democratic dispensation pledge was built on a simple proposition.Equality for all (gutsaruzhinji). It’s political leaders then Joshua Nkomo, Josiah Tongogara and Robert Mugabe believed in the mantra and preached it. Years later the pledge is seemingly extinct. Gutsaruzhinji is now gutsavashoma as MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa once said.
Zimbabwe has vastly changed ,from the jewel of Africa that Julius Nyerere saw. Growth slowed. Unemployment rose. It is worrying that in a democratic era significant numbers of Zimbabweans have stopped getting better off.
Zanu PF’s second republic is slowly getting us to the worst. Our democracy is under siege. Events that have taken place since it came into force is a clear testimony of an uneasy journey ahead.
What happens when the democratic era’s foundational covenant breaks?
What happens when it becomes apparent that the next generation will be worse off than the last?
The gilt on the second republic is fading. What it offered — a glittering global economy and respectability among global power. For that connection rests on the promise of an ascent into a future that grows better all the time.
It is the sort of politics that kept the presidency of Mugabe abay. Mugabe’s cronyism and elite corruption had given up entirely on the future. It consisted in the establishment of an alliance that aimed to pillage what it could from the present.
Covid 19 pandemic lockdown has again offered the platform. The gluttonous state is devouring the little the economy can offer while completely ignoring it’s citizens.
When the government fails to deliver to it’s citizens it suffocates them from rising up against it. The lockdown has seen the introduction of measures that water down democracy and press life out of the democratic systems that Zimbabwe was found on.
It’s seems we are headed for a disastrous crash at the end of the pandemic lockdown.
Our democracy depends on institutions. And these institutions are continuously being securitized. Voting alone does not point to democracy. Autocratic leaders go to votes and emerge as winners with over 90% majority.
Are our institutions safe? Do they offer lifeblood to democracy? The answers might be debatable.
Maybe Zimbabwe need to ask why deep inside pandemic lockdown Mnangagwa decided to fast track public hearings on 27 bills that are being reformed?
Why were they rushing,who was it benefitting?
Zimbabwe might need to ask the relevance of supreme Court judgement on MDC fightings ahead of all corruption cases that are piled up in the Courts.
Maybe it’s time to ask why the Gwanda solar project is not working out.
People might be interested to know why nurses and doctors are now supposed to be employed via the ministry of defense?
Why more and more military personnel are retiring and subsquently reemployed in other civilian portfolios?
The Patriotic Act why? What’s it’s significance in a comatose economy.
ED’s politics is inevitably winning the day. While we are well alive to the danger and from whence it is coming we remain somehow apathetic and subdued.
The heightened role the security forces have come to play since the onset of the pandemic. When the maintenance of public order becomes a feature of everyday life, the army and police take on a political valence they did not have before.
The idea that order is constantly under threat and that force is constantly needed to keep disorder at bay can turn very fast into a lethal political tool.
Protests from those outside the second republic and it’s allies are banned. On many occasions Mnangagwa has threatened to escalate the paramilitary policing of the country. He has proffered different reasons for doing so. But it is clear the motive is embedded, for it promises to become a resource for those who wish him ill.
But perhaps the most important weapon against the onset of a dark politics is honesty. Zimbabwe cannot and must not pretend to be the country were promised it would become in both 1980 and in the 2 weeks of November 2017.
It needs to be redescribed more modestly, as painful as that may be. Citizens ought to boldly tell the New Dispensation something awful has happened, and that life may well not get better for a time.
Zimbabwe needs to pause and take stock. It is going too fast in the wrong direction and at a snail’s pace in the right direction.
Democracy is dying. And the pandemic lockdown has offered the excuse for it’s decimation.
It is painful that while we think that democracy die under the hail of gunfire this is not the kind of death our democracy is facing.
According to Steven Levitsky in his book How Democracies Die, the primary way in which democracies have died since the end of the Cold War, over the last 30 years or so, is at the hands of elected leaders, at the hands of governments that were often freely or close to freely elected, who then use democratic institutions to weaken or destroy democracy.
And we’re very hopeful that Zimbabwe’s democratic institutions will survive this process. But if we were to fall into some kind of crisis, surely it would take that form.
“Electoral authoritarians come to power democratically. They often have democratic legitimacy as a result of being elected”,
“And there’s a kind of gradual chipping away at democratic institutions, kind of tilting of the playing field to the advantage of the incumbent, so it becomes harder and harder to dislodge the incumbent through democratic means” he wrote.
Fateful Alliances
Using the lee of Covid 19 pandemic lockdown Mnangagwa handed down a supreme Court judgement which many concluded that it was aimed to decimate the MDC Alliance and prop up his ally Thokozani Khupe.
By so doing he is panning an alliance similar to the one Mussolini did in Italy by putting on a party list by a leading liberal statesman Giovanni Giolitti, who included him on his party’s list.He gained in legitimacy.
Mnangagwa seems to be repeating the same script by smuggling Khupe to the Parliament.Reports are rife that an official position of the Leader of Opposition will be established.
The developments on the political arena so far points to the death of Zimbabwe’s democracy. It’s very likely that at the end of the pandemic lockdown this country will be a ‘new’ something.
GOVERNMENT has resolved to deploy military medical personnel at all State hospitals to avoid disruptions caused by striking civilian nurses and doctors.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
The move, which is widely viewed as Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s attempts to militarise hospitals in order to deal with striking health personnel, comes at a time the Health ministry announced that there were no vacant posts for doctors at government hospitals and, therefore, graduates seeking employment should consider joining the army and the Zimbabwe Republic Police as clinicians.
In a post-Cabinet media briefing yesterday, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said government would now replace striking nurses with medical professionals from uniformed
forces.
“Government resolved that nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars namely contract workers, health services permanent workers and secondment from the uniformed forces,” Mutsvangwa said.
“Cabinet was briefed by VP Chiwenga, as the Minister of Health and Child Care, on the withdrawal of labour by nurses. At its 38th meeting held on October 28, 2020, Cabinet was informed that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) openly challenged the Cabinet decision on the cancellation of the flexi-working arrangement and defied the secretary for Health and Child Care directive for the association to reverse its statement.
“Cabinet resolved to cancel the flexi hours arrangement and that nurses who fail to report for duty be subjected to disciplinary processes, that daily attendance registers for nurses be submitted to the Health Service Board (HSB) and the Ministry of Health and Child Care head office, and that nursing services be restructured to be supported by three pillars, namely contract workers, health service permanent workers, and secondment from the uniformed forces,” she said.
Mutsvangwa said some nurses had continued to defy the government directive banning the flexi hours regime.
“The various nurses’ labour organisations comprising the Zimbabwe Nurses Association, Confederation of Nurses Association, Theatre Nurses Association and the Nurses Educators Association met with the Health Services Board and resolved to comply with the government directive, save for the Zimbabwe Nurses Association. A total of 1 280 nurses failed to heed to the call to return to normal working hours,” she said.
As a result, Mutsvangwa said the HSB has started instituting disciplinary hearings for the defiant nurses.
Nurses have been engaged in strike action since 2018 demanding a living wage.
Their job action was followed by a strike by doctors who demanded an improvement in wages, conditions of service, as well as equipment and other medical materials to ensure safety while performing their duties.
Chiwenga was in September deployed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over from fired former Health minister Obadiah Moyo.
Soon after his deployment, Chiwenga promised to deal with the rot in the health sector, but his ministry continues to be riddled with corruption, with recent allegations that his deputy John Mangwiro was involved in a US$6 million COVID-19 procurement scam.
In 2018, Chiwenga fired 16 000 striking nurses and said they would be replaced by newly-trained and retired staff.
At that time, Chiwenga dismissed the nurses in his capacity as the supervisor of the social services cluster.
He described the strike by the nurses as “politically motivated” and as actions that were beyond issues of conditions of service and welfare.
