Is something wrong with the name ZANU PF? Is it cursed or its just a party of ruthless, shameless hard core criminals who are after making money?

Two days ago ZANU PF ward councillor invited his business friends to come and “loot” government sourced stock feed from Murowa business centre for resale in Zvishavane town.

The stock feed was sourced by the government and meant for the rural people whose cattle are succumbing to the obtaining drought.

This was a noble idea considering the importance of cattle to the rural folks but this greedy and unsympathetic councillor saw a big gap of making huge bucks.

The government sourced stock feed was retailing at 6 USD cash (no bond no swipe but hard cash USD). 6 USD is equivalent to 600 zimdollars which is a lot of money to the poor povo.

The ward Councillor who is based in Zvishavane town invited his business friends to come and buy this cheap stock feed and transport it back to Zvishavane for resale.

The very same stock feed is now being sold at 16 USD to the very same poor rural folks who were robbed by the stingy greedy and unsympathetic councillor.

Is this the ZANU PF way of doing things? Is this how ZANU PF Councillors cater for the electorate? Is the First Secretary of ZANU PF aware of the shenanigans?

The very same ward Councillor is asking for huge sums of money for drought relief grain and government sourced agricultural inputs. Surprisingly these huge sums of hard cash go un-receipted.

The Councillor’s committee is known for selling looted grain and agricultural inputs. This has been happening ever since this crook councillor came into office and we have complained a million times but it seems he is the law himself.

But one thing for certain, he is tarnishing and de-campaining ZANU PF. Surely its a shame when shameless people rob the very same poor people who voted for them.

Down with shameless looters!

Murowa Ward Community

By Mthwakazi- It has always been how Zanu pf’s murderers work to cover their fingerprints in crime scenes which sees Chief Fortune Charumbira heaped with the responsibility to lead the Gukurahundi reburial exercise.

As we have always said that, the much talked about Gukurahundi reburial has nothing to do with healing the survivors of the massacres but everything about setting the perpetrators of the hook, we don’t think Emmerson Mnangagwa himself can give reasons of what exactly qualifies Charumbira to lead the reburial exercise.

Other than Charumbira is a Shona and perfectly positioned to shield him from prosecution, I don’t think Mnangagwa has any reason to justify his choice. It must be remembered that after the outbreak of Entumbane Zipra – Zanla war, a commission headed by a Shona Judge, Enoch Dumbutshena was established by Robert Mugabe to investigate the reasons for the outbreak of the war.

Its findings are unknown until this day. In 1983, the Gukurahundi stormed Mthwakazi/Matabeleland, killing, raping, torturing and maiming hundreds of people. There was a loud outcry of what was happening.

Fearing being exposed, Mugabe together with his henchman, Emmerson Mnangagwa, hatched a plan to dig and cover those carcasses deep underground. Another commision headed by another Shona, Simplisius Chihambakwe was established between 1983 and 84. Its results too went missing until this day.

So as number one suspect in the massacres, Mnangagwa only chose Charumbira to ensure he destroys all the existing evidence of the killings so he can ‘walk’ free. If that is not the case, what are the duties of Charumbira in the reburial exercise and what makes him special to lead it? Are there no Ndebele chiefs who are well versed with the burial cultures of Mthwakazi who could lead that process?

As MLF, we warn Mnangagwa to note that his dirty tricks on Mthwakazi can no longer go unnoticed and it is unfortunate that whether he successfully destroys the evidence of the killings, he cannot rub out of our minds the names of all those who had a hand in the killings. Their day to pay for their sins is coming very fast. 

We also urge all Mthwakazi chiefs to keep away from this evil exercise.

By Jane Mlambo| Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) President Takudzwa Ngadziore has vowed to continue fighting for the rights of students and justice for Bulawayo based Tawanda Muchehiwa saying silence will not guarantee his safety.

Posting on Twitter, Ngadziore who spend close to 40 days at Chikurubi maximum prison following his arrest at Impala Car rental premises said he will not pay attention to those asking him to be silent.

“I’ve heard ludicrous whispers, “If you talk, they will kill you Takudzwa” I’ve Questioned back : Is silence going to save me from Death (?) ONE SOLUTION- REVOLUTION,” vowed Ngadziore.

Since the abduction of Tawanda Muchehiwa in Bulawayo early this year, Ngadziore has continued to make noise in demand for justice.

He was arrested when he first went to Impala car rental premises demanding justice for Muchehiwa, resulting in his arrest. He was granted bail and ordered not to set foot 100 metres from Impala car rental premises.

By Reason Wafawarova| There are a number of interesting pointers and talking points about the Gold Smuggling Case involving Henrietta Rushwaya.

The case itself looks ridiculously criminal. No one exports 6 kgs of gold in a hand luggage handbag through regular airline checking points with no export paper trail to show for it, and then goes to court to declare innocence and a desperation to have a hearing to clear their name.

Then there is the implication of one Ali Muhammed as the owner of the gold in question and the deal, and another implication of an unnamed would be recipient in Dubai.

Then there is the implication of two security agents as accomplices to Rushwaya, with one Tserai being a known aide of the President, and also of the First Lady.

Then another person is arrested for allegedly trying to secure the release of Rushwaya by pretending to be a member of the Central Intelligence Organisation and also making claims that the gold in question belonged to the First Lady and her son Collins.

Then the Chief Secretary issues a statement warning “impersonators” to stop the “name dropping” habit where the name of the President or that of his wife or children have been used to act above the law, or to secure impunity.

Then we have the First Lady issuing a statement absolving herself from the gold smuggling case, and impliedly threatening the individual who named her and her son.

In the same statement the First Lady “challenges” the police to issue a public statement either incriminating her or absolving her.

In fact she dares the police to say something public about her and her son, reminding us of how much of a law abiding and transparent citizen she is, totally driven by the philanthropic passion to serve our underprivileged people across the country, and therefore far too busy doing great things for us that she has absolutely no time for petty crimes like smuggling just 6 kilograms of gold.

Here are pertinent questions that needy a speedy answer.

1. On what basis is it assumed the person who implicated the First Lady was fabricating his story?

2. We have not heard that the implicated First Lady and her son Collins have been interviewed by either the investigating officers or the fourth state, the media; or by any other independent persons, or ZACC, or Parliament. Why is that?

3. Is it not part of transparency for these two to be interviewed in the public interest?

4. We are told Collins denied the allegations to his friends. Wouldn’t it be better for him to volunteer his side of the story to the investigators?

5. Being implicated in the case, the First Lady becomes a suspect, or at the very least a person of interest or candidate for questioning.

As such does she hold any locus standi to suggest what the police must do in the course of investigations of this case?

Does she have the moral ground to help the police determine the facts in a case where she is implicated?

Does this amount to interference with the course of justice, or intimidating the institution of policing to influence the outcome of an investigation?

6. Does the ZRP issue public statements on criminal matters at the instigation of subjects of their investigations?

7. This matter is already before the courts, with the implicator charged to face trial. Is it not subjudice to make comments on the matter in regards to what investigators aught to do?

8. What does the President have to say about the internet picture trail that shows him with two of the accused 5, excluding Tserai his aide?

9. The First Lady absolves her adult son as innocent because she says, “He is hardworking.” Do parents declare the innocence of their adult children leading independent lives when they get implicated in alleged criminal matters?

10. Can the comments from the First Lady be misconstrued or construed to suggest shielding her son from possible arrest or questioning?

I am asking these questions not because I believe the First Lady tried to smuggle gold out of the country, nor because I believe she didn’t.

I am asking purely based on due process and the principle that says justice must be seen to be done, especially where high profile personalities are implicated or accused.

I do hope that the police will stand firm on their constitutional oath, and also that those suspected or charged will receive fair treatment and a fair trial where one will occur.

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Paul Nyathi

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has Gazetted benefits for spouses of former presidents and vice presidents that have served the country since 1987 automatically eliminating former President Canaan Banana’s widow, Janet.

Mnangagwa’s moves is done regardless of efforts by the Banana to have their mother accorded her benefits.

Canaan Sodindo Banana (5 March 1936 – 10 November 2003) was a Zimbabwean Methodist minister, theologian, and politician who served as the first President of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987. He was Zimbabwe’s first head of state after the Lancaster House Agreement that led to the country’s independence. In 1987, he stepped down as President and was succeeded by Prime Minister Robert Mugabe, who became the country’s executive president.

The family has tried to be very diplomatic about resolving the issue of the former President’s Pension and Retirement benefits that should have been accorded to the late President and First lady as stated in the Act that does not cover children above the age of 18 years.

The family says for over 17 years the former first lady has not received her full entitlement and consequently resorted to leading a life of frugality in the United Kingdom.

For a while now the family have been in constant communications with the previous and current government officials through countless correspondences and phone calls without any progress or timely responses being acknowledged besides lip service here and there.

In response, Mnangagwa has completely shut out the family pronouncing that the benefits will only accrue from those in office after 1987.

The benefits are contained in Statutory Instruments 261 and 260 of 2020 titled Presidential Pension and Retirement Benefits (Services and Facilities for Spouses of Former Presidents) Notice, 2020 and Presidential Pension and Retirement Benefits (Services and Facilities for Spouses of Former Vice Presidents), Notice 2020.

The SIs were gazetted in terms of section 3(1) of the Presidential Pension and Retirement Benefits Act.

SI 261 provides for the benefits of spouses of former presidents who serve for at least one full term.

“The spouse of the former President shall be entitled to the services of the following – such security personnel as may be determined by the President, but not less than two, and to be increased by such number as may be determined by the President whenever, and for such period, as the need arises; one driver; one private secretary and one aide-de-camp officer or personal assistant,” reads SI 261.

The spouse of the former President shall also be entitled to the provision of an office accommodation as may be determined by the President; a landline telephone and a cellphone; one computer and such other office facilities, equipment and materials as may be determined by the President.

The State will also provide accommodation to the spouse of the former President, including one domestic worker, a gardener, a cook and one waiter.

The spouse will also receive an allowance for medical aid contributions; a diplomatic passport; business class air and rail private travel within Zimbabwe, if available up to a maximum of two trips per annum; and business class international air private travel up to a maximum of two trips per year.

In terms of vehicles, the spouse will receive one sedan (Mercedes Benz E300 Series) or one four-wheel drive station wagon or an equivalent or similar class of vehicle; one pick-up van; and others meant for security personnel and other staff serving the spouse.

The vehicles would be maintained by the State while fuel allocation would be determined by the President.

The vehicles would be replaced every five years.

With respect to other benefits, the spouse of the former President shall be entitled to the provision of — (a) an entertainment allowance as determined by the President from time to time; telephone expenses in respect of the office and official residence of the spouse of the former President and water and electricity exemption in respect of the office and official residence of the former spouse of a former President, reads SI 261.

SI 260 provides for the benefits of spouses of a former vice president and these include; a domestic worker; a gardener; a driver; one private secretary and one aide-de-camp officer or personal assistant.

The other benefits are a Mercedes Benz sedan as may be determined by the President; colour television set; and an official office telephone.

The spouse will also receive allowances covering medical aid contributions and air travel once a year.

The open door policy of President Mnangagwa should not be abused for corruption, Zanu PF National Commissar Victor Matemadanda has warned.

The warning comes as reports surface of corrupt people using photographs of themselves meeting the President to disrupt investigations.

Speaking during Sunday’s Mashonaland West Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Chinhoyi, which was aimed at discussing the impending District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections, Matemadanda said many party members were abusing the President’s goodwill to conduct corrupt activities.

The new administration led by President Mnangagwa has made a commitment to eradicate corruption.

“We have people who have taken advantage of President Mnangagwa’s open door policy to conduct corrupt activities,” said Matemadanda.

“These people manipulate the warm response they would have received from the President. Some use photographs they would have been taken together with President Mnangagwa to engage in corruption. Recently, security agents arrested Henrietta Rushwaya who we suspect is among those who abused the open door policy.

“The Second Republic has continued to fight corruption since its coming to power. Arrests have been made by both the police and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission. Britain should not lecture Zimbabwe about corruption, democracy and sanctions. Our government, through the leadership of President Mnangagwa, is leading the nation in the right direction.”

Matemadanda, who is also the Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, said the country’s defence forces were not going to fold hands and let detractors derail the peace and development agenda.

By Dorrothy Moyo | In 2017, he was daily tormented by the First Lady leading to his humiliating ouster from government, this time it is a different kind of attack. The former energy minister, Fortune Chasi, who was dramatically removed from the contentious job this year (the second time in 2 years) has written complaining alleging that he has had scary owls sent after him to torment him.

Chasi made the claim in a tweet on Monday apparently pleading with the senders saying “what have I done to get at least 4 owls singing in a choir a few metres from my window?”

In Shona mythology, an owl is a sign of a very bad thing about to happen. The albeit beautiful creature is used by mysticists to threaten witchcraft or bad luck. Since the days of the fake Nehanda Nyakasikana, the 1890s days witchdoctor, there has never been any proof that the majestic creature has got any spiritual power or association thereof.

Chasi’s possible joke was met with responses from religious people who suggested that he must consider repenting and he will be forgiven.

“Try to be right with God and Declare the all powerful Blood of Jesus Christ. Do not be afraid for no evil can stand when you call on the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen!,” wrote the United democratic Alliance leader Daniel Shumba.

Below were some of the interactions Monday morning.

By Farai D Hove | ANALYSIS | Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba on Saturday uploaded a video of himself driving in a road a third narrower and tinier than the ones built by the Ian Smith regime 70 years ago.

Zimbabwe is still to have a 50 km road of the multi lane simple, 70 years after the first dualisations were done by the former Rhodesian state establishment.

Charamba’s boast comes at a time when the government has continued to allow the road parastatal, ZINARA to continue running the national transport infrastructure despite cash leakages that are a result of crony fested management, repeating for 4 decades.

Charamba was ecstatic as he wrote: “mabasa eZANU PF vakomana!!!! Aahhh!!!!! Ichoooooo!!!!” – these are the works of ZANUPF.’

Yes, the road might not one in Harare, but the point remains that 70 years later, rural areas should surely have received road expansions of the 1960 glories, the same way other African countries like South Africa have developed theirs.

Take the EB Cloete Interchange, for instance: located within the eThekweni Metro, KwaZulu-Natal, has for years been the South African National Roads Agency Ltd’s (SANRAL) iconic interchange. Constructed in the 1970s, it has provided a full-system interchange for the N2 and N3 National Roads.

An inter city road 80 years ago should be twice that of an inner city 20 years later if there’s been development, especially in a country that’s been the world’s fastest growing crop economy. Comparators can be drawn from countries paired with Rhodesia in the UN 1975 World Book.

Charamba’s boasts also come at a time Zimbabwe has abandoned the complete dualisation of the Beitbridge – Harare, Chirundu highway.

Infor minister Monica Mutsvangwa says Government will now only rehabilitate and widen the highway over the next three years at a cost of $693 million, while dualisation will only take place on some sections of the road. The road will be widened from the current seven metres to 12,5 metres making it at par with the N1 highway in South Africa and the Chirundu-Lusaka Road in Zambia. Sections of the road to be dualised will cost $466 million.

The project will be carried out by local contractors while Government concludes negotiations with Chinese firm Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group Limited (AFECC). Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Joel Biggie Matiza said first phase which is rehabilitation and widening, has already started with mobilisation of equipment. He said some of the equipment is on site and the contractors are working on detours.

“Cabinet received a briefing by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development (Joel Biggie Matiza) on progress in the rehabilitation and dualisation of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, following the decision by Government to use resources from the Road Fund, while waiting the conclusion of ongoing discussion with AFECC, a Chinese investor on the project,” Minister Mutsvangwa said at the end if 2018.

“It should be noted that the decision to commence work on the rehabilitation and dualisation of the highway using local resources was taken in light of the fact that a lot of time has already been lost on the project and that the lives of the travelling public continued to be at risk along this major highway which joins the North-South Development Corridor in the sub-region.

“In terms of this arrangement, the highway will be upgraded in two phases. Phase one entails the rehabilitation and widening of the existing road from the current seven metres width to Southern Africa Transport and Communications Commission (SATCC) standards of 12,5 meters width, and climbing lanes where necessary. This will bring the road to the same standard as N1 on the South African side and the Chirundu-Lusaka Road on the Zambian side.”

By A Correspondent| Double tragedy has hit a family, after a South African based man was reported dead inside a hospital in the border town of Musina.

This was according to an announcement made via audio messaging.

The man, only identified as Derreck Ndlovu was last Friday said to have departed and his body ‘stranded’ inside the mortuary.

The full announcement reads as follows –

Greetings good people. I have announcement about a lad called Derreck Ndlovu. I once had conversations with this lady when be told me he comes from Domboshawa in the Mverechena area, he was very tall lad. Many people knew him by being tall but I asked him his name when he told me he is Derreck. This lad now has two months since entering hospital at Musina.

Today I received word that he has died, today the 30th October. Three to four months ago his brothers once came from it is believed Pretoria or Joburg, and came to where he was living while traveling to their mother’s funeral in Domboshawa, it was said the mother died in an inferno.

So now there is noone with contacts ofrphone numbers of the brothers. So I was asking if there is anyone hearing this notice, they must spread the word. He died today the 30th October.

The Supreme Court will today determine the MDC-Alliance’s appeal against the High Court’s May judgment which ruled that the outfit is not a legal person with the capacity to sue or be sued.

The appeal will be heard by Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza, sitting with Justice Tendai Uchena and Justice Samuel Kudya.

This comes as the MDC-A had brought an urgent High Court application challenging MDC-T’s recall of legislators elected on the MDC-A ticket.

However, on May 29 this year, Justice Tawanda Chitapi ruled that the MDC-A as a collective had no legal right and responsibility to sue on behalf of the recalled legislators, who could bring legal action as individuals.

Justice Chitapi considered that evidence brought before the court indicated that the MDC-A was a coalition of political parties, with the status of a political party under the Electoral Act, but without legal standing as a person.

In the absence of such requirements as a decision to be legally incorporated as a voluntary organisation, or corporate, the MDC-A falls short as a political party.

By definition, the Justice Chitapi conceded, the MDC-A might be called a political party in terms of the Electoral Act, but found that there were no written instruments governing how the party was constituted or operated.

The agreement, Justice Chitapi ruled, constituted the parties’ entire agreement to the alliance, but did not spell out the legal status of the MDC-A.

The interim leader of the opposition MDC-T, Thokozani Khupe has removed and placed Nelson Chamisa’s ally, Daniel Molekele from the chairmanship of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education.

Molekele was replaced by Lindiwe Maphosa who crossed over from MDC Alliance to the rival MDC-T as the leadership crisis in the MDC rages on.

The development was announced by National Assembly Speaker Advocate Jacob Mudenda in Parliament this Thursday. Mudenda said:

The MDC-T has nominated the following to be chairpersons of committees; Southerton MP Peter Moyo will take over from former Kuwadzana MP Chalton Hwende as chairperson of the Information Communication Technology Portfolio Committee. Yvonne Musarurwa (MDC-T) is now the new chairperson of the Environment Portfolio Committee and will replace former PR MP Concillia Chinanzvavana (MDC Alliance). Molokele will be replaced by Maphosa.

This was however not unprecedented after Binga North MP Prince Dubeko Sibanda was previously removed from the chairmanship of the Media and Information Portfolio Committee; Hwende (ICT), and Chinanzvavana.

Noticeably, the removed members were very vocal in the committees.

Since the March Supreme Court ruling on the MDC leadership crisis, Khupe has been on a recalling spree of members of the MDC Alliance accusing them of ceasing to represent the interests of the party that gave them the ticket into 2018 elections.

–NewsDay

State Media

Civic organisations are free to petition Parliament, but a constitutionally-elected Government will only be removed through an election rather than unconstitutional regime change means, Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said.

Speaking during a stakeholders meeting with civic society organisations and the media at the Chinhoyi University of Technology last week, Advocate Mudenda said Parliament received both petitions, addressing various issues.

He, however, noted that the majority of petitions were largely from some Western-funded organisations purporting to be champions of democracy yet pushing for civil unrest using innocent citizens to effect regime change.

“Right now we are receiving a number of petitions, which speak to our daily lives.

“However, some organisations that are giving out money to people in Zimbabwe and Africa to effect regime change are also there. Regime change cannot come through petitions but only through voting,” he said.

Advocate Mudenda said although there was an intricate connection between Parliament and civic organisations under Section 149 of the constitution, which allowed citizens to petition Parliament, there was a clear cut line that had to be followed.

“When petitioning the Parliament, citizens should desist from using foul and insulting language. Citizens should also include their names and organisations they are representing.

They should also disclose their source of funds.

“As Parliament, we will protect whoever sends petition, but they have to be objective and factual.”

He also added that since the doctrine of separation of powers stops Parliament from meddling with the judiciary, petitions whose issues were before the courts would not be entertained by the Speaker of Parliament and the Senate President.

He added that the Clerk of Parliament receives petitions from citizens and then writes to leaders of the two houses who in turn deliberate on the issues.

Zimbabwe is part of the 179-member Inter-parliamentary Union and is obliged to give citizens their democratic right in airing their objective voices to improve quality and relevance of legislatures.

“Zimbabwe is a democratic and unitary state whose policies and laws are derived from the views of the public.

However, for the citizens to add their voices, the media which has the key means to inform the public should play its informative role so that they are well versed with Acts, Bills and policies,” he added.

He said the citizens possessed the power to put the performance and roles of the executive, Parliament and judiciary under spotlight.

State Media

A dispute between three prominent chiefs over jurisdiction of the Great Zimbabwe monuments continues to rage and has sucked in their subjects who are now also at loggerheads over who has dominion over the historic site.

While the battle for control of the monuments is now largely academic because the monuments are now a national heritage site under the custody of the State, the dispute continues to simmer within the Charumbira, Murinye and Mugabe families.

Great Zimbabwe is under the stewardship of the State through the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ).

Chiefs Charumbira (Shumba Sipambi), Murinye and Mugabe (who are both of the Duma Moyo) totem are in disagreement over the jurisdiction of the iconic monuments.

This comes as Great Zimbabwe has been hogging the limelight over proliferation of illegal settlements that are encroaching into the world heritage site. The settlements are blamed on unscrupulous village heads illegally parcelling out land.

Vice President Kembo Mohadi recently cautioned over the mushrooming of settlements, saying illegal settlers should immediately vacate the monuments’ precincts or face the law’s wrath.

Discussions at drinking spots and other gatherings within communities are dominated by various theories trying to explain the rightful traditional authority in charge of Great Zimbabwe.

Chief Murinye’s backers argue that the monuments fall under his jurisdiction since the founding Chief Murinye sired Mugabe who was his third born son.

They said Mugabe was the original Chief Murinye’s third eldest son after Shumba Chekai and Chikwanda and was actually allocated his present-day territory to rule by his father.

It is further alleged the original Chief Murinye first stayed in an area called Beza Ravakamira, east of the monuments near Lake Mutirikwi, before being forced away by white colonialists and resettled in the Mushandike area before moving again to the Great Zimbabwe monuments where he died.

Chief Murinye, Mr Ephias Munodawafa, said he was not at liberty to delve much into the jurisdiction of Great Zimbabwe monuments.

“I don’t want to say much about that issue, I am a qualified lawyer, but what I can tell you for a fact is that Mugabe was actually the original Murinye’s third eldest son who was given territory to rule by Shumba Chekai on the orders of the original Chief Murinye,” he said.

Chief Murinye qualified as a lawyer a few years ago and is building his homestead at Oartlands Farm, a short distance from the iconic monuments to the east.

This development has courted mixed reactions from communities in the area, with some claiming the move was an indirect attempt to stake a claim to the monuments.

His opponents said Chief Murinye’s claim to Great Zimbabwe was far-fetched as his boundary with Chief Mugabe was at Mupudzi River near Ancient City Lodge, which was away from the monuments.

Others even said Chief Murinye’s boundary with Chief Mugabe’s area was Mutirikwi River, which feeds into Lake Mutirikwi.

Chief Mugabe, Mr Matubede Mudavanhu, was assertive that Great Zimbabwe fell under his domain.

He said literature by white explorers and early missionaries vindicated his claim.

“It is clear even in all writings about Great Zimbabwe that the monuments fall under my area,” he said.

“Missionaries and explorers unanimously concur that when they arrived at the monuments around 1893, they found Haruzivishe, the great Mugabe ancestor there and in charge.”

Chief Mugabe said his boundary with Chief Murinye was further east of the monuments, while also ruling out Chief Charumbira’s claim to control. Chief Charumbira dismissed claims by Chief Mugabe, but hastened to say the argument over who controlled the monuments was largely academic.

“It’s academic to talk about that because the monuments are under the State,” he said. “No chief collects revenue from tourists who visit that place, all the money goes to the State, so it’s pointless to discuss about whose area the monuments are under.”

Chief Charumbira intimated that under normal circumstances, Great Zimbabwe would fall under him since the place was under Nemanwa, who was a headman under Charumbira.

He said Chief Mugabe’s claims to Great Zimbabwe were far-fetched since his boundary with Charumbira was close to Morgenster Mission, away from the monuments to the south.

“I am a national leader for chiefs and don’t want to reduce my standing by discussing such issues,” he said.

“However, the truth of the matter is that Mugabe and Charumbira’s boundary is at Henry Murray School at Morgenster.”

Chief Charumbira said Chief Mugabe’s boundary with Chief Murinye was at Chebopopo, a stream well outside the Great Zimbabwe monuments’ precincts.

This indirectly means he believes that none of the two chiefs can lay a claim to the monuments, leaving the area under Nemanwa, who is Chief Charumbira’s headman.

Threatening a police officer attracts severe consequences.

In Zimbabwe if one uses a threat perceived could deter or discourage an officer from performing duty by use of violence or fear, they are convicted of resisting an executive officer. It is a serious crime.

ZANU PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wife at the weekend threatened a police officer who named her for gold smuggling in the case against former ZIFA boss Henrietta Rushwaya who was last week arrested at RGM airport with a bag full of 6kg uncleared gold.

She said ” I am challenging the Police through their relevant office to issue a statement with regards the utterances by one officer during her arrest that falsely implicated me and my son Collins.”

Below was Auxillia’s full statement.

As first lady my duty is first and foremost to Zimbabwe as a nation. I serve each and every Zimbabwean whole heartedly and selflessly. I serve the interests of my nation and not any individual. I do not engage in illegal narrow minded pursuits like gold smuggling.

I have no dealings nor involvement with Miss Henrietta Rushwaya of any illegal kind. I am challenging the Police through their relevant office to issue a statement with regards the utterances by one officer during her arrest that falsely implicated me and my son Collins.

I am a strong advocate for transparency and honesty and any continued silence by the police can be misconstrued as a cover up. If there is any incriminating evidence against me I challenge the police to present it to the nation without fear or favour. If there be none I also challenge the police to say so.

I will not be dissuaded from working for those who need my help in both rural and urban areas. I will also support totally all anti corruption activities regardless of the many malicious attacks clearly designed to cow me from supporting them. I stand firm on my principles.

It pains me that my son who is hard working and an obedient son, is being attacked for no reason other than being a member of the first family. He is a hard working person and strives to improve himself day by day. As a mother I am proud of his work ethic and encourage him not be affected by malicious rumours.

I am an advocate for peace and love and work hard at helping those who I can. I am greatly aggravated by the continuation of these false stories and claims. However, I remain unshaken and will continue to serve my nation in its entirety to the best of my ability.

State Media

PUBLIC examinations for Ordinary Level candidates will spill into January next year, while results for Grade Seven candidates will be released before year-end to allow parents adequate time to secure Form One places for their children.

The examinations begin on December 1 with around 1,2 million candidates having registered to sit for the exams countrywide.

Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) dl said that Grade 7 candidates will sit first.

Advanced Level examinations will be completed by year-end.

Around 600 000 pupils will sit for Grade Seven examinations, while about 400 000 have registered for the Ordinary Level exams with nearly 200 000 candidates set to sit for the Advanced Level exams.

Exam classes are undergoing an intense crash programme to ensure that learners catch up on lost learning time.

Pupils sitting for the Cambridge examinations are already halfway through their exams, which started on October 1 and are ending on November 18.

About 50 000 pupils are sitting for Cambridge examinations at 118 private schools across the country.

Educationist Dr Cephas Nziramasanga proposed “lenient examinations” in light of the uncertain circumstances that learners have faced.

“We are now left with a month before the examinations start and given the circumstances, there are two options that are there, the first one being that they can stop the examinations and let pupils write when they are ready,” he said.

“The second option is that they let the pupils sit for the examinations with the markers being lenient and understanding.

“Personally I would go for the second option so that pupils can proceed to the next level.

“I think the examinations should be ‘soft’ so that pupils are tested on issues that they know and we hope they pass so that they go to next stage.

“It must be a win-win situation for everyone.”

Examination preparations for pupils have been hampered by failure by some teachers to report for duty.

The teachers are however, expected to report for duty as Government has said it will continue to improve the welfare of civil servants.

State Media

Bodies of two of the five miners who were trapped after a mine shaft collapsed at Task Mining Syndicate in Chegutu on September 8 have been retrieved by artisanal miners, Makorokoza, who are continuing to search for the other three bodies.

The body of Shingai Gwatidzo (20), which was among the two that were retrieved on Saturday was buried at Borgan Villa resettlement area in Mhondoro yesterday. It was in an advanced state of decomposition.

Fellow artisanal miners defied a Government directive to stop the search for the bodies of their trapped colleagues after all hope was abandoned of finding the five alive. The artisanal miners discovered the bodies 51 days after the incident.

Efforts to locate the other three bodies are continuing despite Government’s directive to suspend operations to avoid further loss of lives.

The second recovered body is yet to be identified owing to the degree of decomposition.

Apart from Gwatidzo, the other trapped miners were Munashe Nyamukanga (16), Charles Mutume (31), Crynos Nyamukanga (44) and Constantino Dzinoreva (47).

Chegutu district Civil Protection Unit (CPU) chairperson, Mr Tariro Tomu, said the artisanal miners clandestinely continued rescue operations after Government ordered their suspension on October 2, citing safety concerns.

“Management at Task Mining Syndicate confirmed to me that they have discovered two bodies which they are yet to retrieve. Their efforts continued outside the directive that we issued but as the CPU, we have secured five coffins for their decent burials.”

Despite lack of proper equipment and the threat of a possible shaft collapse, the artisanal miners manoeuvred through the 140-metre deep shaft and its complex tunnels in search of the bodies of their colleagues.

A sombre atmosphere engulfed the site when Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) executive moderator, Archbishop Johannes Ndanga, helped break the news of the discovery of the bodies to family members before giving a prayer.

He said the efforts by artisanal miners had helped bring closure to the families’ concerns.

“When such accidents occur, we should strive by all means to preserve our culture by letting relatives of the deceased bury their loved ones.

“I urge our mining inspectors to also consider the cultural implications that are attached to such unfortunate incidence. It was my wish that the five trapped get decent burials and as the church, we will not only render spiritual support but financial as well during the entire course of their burial,” he said.

Gwatidzo’s parents said although they had been devastated by the death of their son, the breakthrough had given them peace of mind.

“Sadly, we lost our son in the mishap and although our hopes were to see him alive, God has chosen his way of ending his life. I am, however, glad that finally, I have given my son a proper burial. I am also touched by the sympathy that hundreds of villagers and Chief Ngezi have shown,” said Mr Gwatidzo.

“My son had registered for six Ordinary Level subjects for the November examination. He had shown to be a very good athlete, representing the province’s secondary schools at national level last year and excelling in practical subjects.

“He chose to retake the subjects he failed last year with the hope of passing this year,” his mother Mrs Yeukai Gwatidzo.

Crynos Nyamukanga’s two wives, Ellen Nyongoro (34) and Elizabeth Nyirenda (40) are still camped at the site hoping that their husband will be found.

“When he left home, he urged us to unite as his wives. He also said he would raise and save enough money for a tractor to help maximise production at our plot,” an emotional Ms Nyirenda said.

The second wife, Ms Nyongoro, was also struggling to come to terms with the loss of Munashe Nyamukanga, her first born son.

With tears running down her chicks, she said: “My husband was finding it hard to support his polygamous life. I had begun to put hope on Munashe as he was a bright child at school,” she said.

Gogo Mutume, who is taking care of Charles’ two young girls, pleaded with well-wishers to chip in the upkeep of the children left under her care.

Ulate Dzinoreva, whose father (Constantino Dzinoreva) is also yet to be found, said he had premonitions about his untimely death.

Task Mining Syndicate chairperson, Mr Timothy Masviba said coffins and food had so far been secured for the burial of the five and pleaded with well-wishers to chip in with transport as the five were going to be buried in different parts of the country.

“We have discovered two and I am sure by tomorrow we would have discovered the remaining three. We have raised money for coffins and food towards burial processes but because the CPU has chipped in with coffins, we will put some of the funds to transport costs,” he said.

The syndicate is working with the Ministry of Mines, police and the CPU to map the way forward.

Farai Dziva|Former Zanu PF MP Killer Zivhu has triggered a raging social media storm after claiming Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa is a man of God.

Zivhu received a backlash on social media after attempting to glorify the cornered Zanu PF leader.

“Gold repa airport iro siyai ED imwi vekutaurisa saka kana hama yaba newe wabawo here.Kana ED achida zve gold ungatadza here kubudisa iye ari President.ED munhu waMwari haabiri nyika yake haana kuita President kuti asvake mari but kubatsira vanhu ve Zimbabwe mari dzake unadzo.

ED is the legitimate President of Zimbabwe,hapana chakaipa kuti President vaone vanhu kana kutorwa pictures with him.Musati kana munhu akaita zvinhu zvake kana kuba moti wakambotorwa picture na President zvine basa reyi izvozvo pakatorwa picture ndipo paibiwa here siyanayi na ED,” Zivhu wrote on Twitter.

Responding to Zivhu’s remarks, MDC Alliance Namibia spokesperson, Robson Ruhanya said:

“Zivhu’s utterances cannot go unchallenged.Mr Mnangagwa is not a political saint.Zivhu’s blasphemous remarks are unfortunate- he is daydreaming.

Mr Mnangagwa is the ringleader of corruption in the country, that’s an undeniable fact.”

Angry Zimbabweans also took turns to blast the former Zanu PF MP on social media.

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance has stepped up efforts to empower and equip rural women with essential skills for survival.

Speaking in Zvimba, Mashonaland West Province on Saturday, MDC Alliance Women’s Assembly chairlady, Hon Muchirairwa Mugidho bemoaned the persecution of rural women by Zanu PF. Hon Mugidho made the remarks an event held to celebrate International Rural Women’s Day.

In a statement released yesterday, MDC Alliance Mashonaland West said the International Rural Women’s commemoration event was successful:

Wow! The women have done it again.Yes the #International
RuralWomens Day was held today in Zvimba West.

Zanu and it’s hell’s angels tried painstakingly to scuttle the event but the people stood up and defended the movement.

The MDC Alliance National Organising Sec Hon Chibaya,Women Assembly Chair Mama Mgidho and other National members graced the event.PC Magunje attended together with the members of his PAC.

Hundreds of women attended.They danced and sang.Modelling was part of the days proceedings and made the day colourful.

There was also food competitions among other competitions.

The women enjoyed themselves as they sang ,danced and ate their hearts out.

Indeed it was a beautiful day for the beautiful people who are the bedrock of our Struggle.

ALUTA CONTINUA.

My name is Tafadzwa Nyikadzino. I challenge @daddyhope to leave all the comfort and luxuries at his house and come to the ground like what every other journalist does in Zim. Kana asingade ngaanyarare a respecte vamwe.@yojaZW @kovedzayi @clayton_shereni #Zimbabwe pic.twitter.com/nRDBYUCxh5

— King Tafadzwa Nyikadzino (@NyikadzinoMoses) October 30, 2020

Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has said Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration consists of clueless dealers who have dismally failed to transform the country’s economy.

The MDC Alliance is determined to address basic issues affecting ordinary citizens, according to President Chamisa.

See President Chamisa’s statement below:

“A NEW ZIMBABWE will only be possible with NEW POLITICS .

Nothing short of a cultural revolution, structural reset, system overhaul, infrastructure revamp and strategy rethink will set our country on a new trajectory.

Vision not division will make that miracle come true.

Leaders not dealers and rulers can only make this happen.

Planning not plotting will prosper our country.Love not hate will take us there.

Gautrain expansion plan links Soweto to Johannesburg.
Bullet trains are a reality in our lifetime.

Bulawayo to Harare in 2 hours is doable in our lifetime.Yes we will address all basics -water, food, employment, education and health and yes we will bring bullet trains and Spaghetti roads to the people.”

Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has said Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration consists of clueless dealers who have dismally failed to transform the country’s economy.

The MDC Alliance is determined to address basic issues affecting ordinary citizens, according to President Chamisa.

See President Chamisa’s statement below:

“A NEW ZIMBABWE will only be possible with NEW POLITICS .

Nothing short of a cultural revolution, structural reset, system overhaul, infrastructure revamp and strategy rethink will set our country on a new trajectory.

Vision not division will make that miracle come true.

Leaders not dealers and rulers can only make this happen.

Planning not plotting will prosper our country.Love not hate will take us there.

Gautrain expansion plan links Soweto to Johannesburg.
Bullet trains are a reality in our lifetime.

Bulawayo to Harare in 2 hours is doable in our lifetime.Yes we will address all basics -water, food, employment, education and health and yes we will bring bullet trains and Spaghetti roads to the people.”

By Farai D Hove | Govt Propaganda Secretary Ndabaningi Mangwana was on Monday morning humiliated at Rainbow Towers where journalists gathered for. America alliance function remained cold while he was speaking.

Mangwana said he was expecting them to be celebrating.

“AIPPA was repealed.

“It was not partially repealed, it’s gone, and I think this being the first conference … after the repealing of AIPPA, I expected to see banners saying AIPPA is gone,” said Mangwana.

The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) was enforced in 2002 by the Zimbabwean Parliament under the majority of the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) and Former President Robert Mugabe.

Mangwana who said it wasn’t at all a creation of ZANU PF, was met with more shame as scribes kept their hands to themselves during clapping.

Below were the live scenes (program continues)

By A Correspondent- An estimated 5 000 people packed into the Amphitheatre in Bulawayo on Sunday to bid farewell to music star Cal_Vin, who was killed in a hit and run car accident on October 25.

The 34-year-old rapper, real name Calvin Mgcini Nhliziyo, was laid to rest at Lady Stanley Cemetery.

Speaking at a funeral service before the burial, Bulawayo mayor Solomon Mguni said it was a pity that famous artists die poor without leaving anything for their children. He said:

What have our artistes benefited from the music that they shared in their lifetime?  It’s a wakeup call to all of us that we should appreciate artistes when they are alive.

It’s a pity when I look at Cal Vin’s life that he was still living at home.

As a city, we’ve failed to honour or give respect to our artistes by at least giving them a stand so that they are able to leave something for their children.

Cal_Vin was run over by a car on his way home from Cricket Club in Emakhandeni suburb where he watched a football match on the night of October 25.

He was with his girlfriend and two others when a white Mazda Familia with no number plates knocked him slightly off balance.

Witnesses said in a fit of rage, the singer jumped on the vehicle’s bonnet demanding that the driver stops.

However, the car appeared to pick up speed before the driver applied an emergency brake, throwing the singer off the vehicle before running him over.

Police on Friday announced that they had arrested 28-year-old Wilfred Mafuka, who handed himself in over the hit-and-run killing of the singer.

PUBLIC examinations for Ordinary Level candidates will spill into January next year, while results for Grade Seven candidates will be released before year-end to allow parents adequate time to secure Form One places for their children.

The examinations commence on 1 December with around 1,2 million candidates having registered to sit for the exams countrywide. Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) board chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje told our Harare Bureau that Advanced Level examinations will however, be completed by year-end.

“Examinations will start on December 1 with Grade Seven candidates being the first to sit for the exams. This will enable their answer scripts to be marked and the results to be published in December so as to allow parents enough time to look for Form One places. Advanced Level candidates are also likely to write and complete their examinations in December. Ordinary Level classes will have their examinations spill into January.”

He said due to the large number of subjects offered at O’Level, it was inevitable that the exams would spill into 2021.-The Sunday News

Own Correspondent| Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa has promulgated Statutory Instrument 261 which stipulates the benefits to be enjoyed by former first ladies.

Analysts argue Mr Mnangagwa is keen to “appease” former First Lady Grace Mugabe following the fallout with his long time boss Robert Mugabe.

The benefits are as follows:

such security personnel as may be determined by the President but not less than two, and to be increased by such number as may be determined by the President whenever, and for such period, as the need arisesone driverone Private Secretaryone aide-de-camp officer or personal assistantoffice accommodation as may be determined by the President

a landline telephone and a cell phoneone computersuch other office facilities, equipment and materials as may be determined by the President

suitable state residential accommodationone domestic employee

one gardener
one cook and one waiter

An allowance covering medical contributions of the spouse of the former President

a diplomatic passport

business class air and rail private travel within Zimbabwe, if available up to a maximum of two trips per annum

business class international air private travel up to a maximum of two trips per annumone sedan (Mercedes Benz E300 Series) or one four-wheel-drive station wagon or an equivalent or similar class of motor vehicleone pick-up van
such number of motor vehicles as may be determined by the President must be put at the disposal of the security personnel and other staff serving the spouse of a former President

fuel as may be determined by the President from time to time

maintenance of vehicles referred to in paragraph 6(a)which cost of maintenance shall be borne by the Government
replacement vehicles every five years

an entertainment allowance as determined by the President from time to timetelephone expenses in respect of the office and official residence of the spouse of the former President

water and electricity exemption in respect of the office and official residence of the former spouse of a former President…

A clinic under Chief Sai in Gokwe South District, Midlands Province, was destroyed by fire on Wednesday living more than 30 000 families stranded.

Reports suggest that a gas leak from a refrigerator at Sai Clinic triggered the inferno which consumed drugs, medical equipment and property worth thousands of dollars.

The villagers are now forced to walk over 100km to the nearest clinic in the hot and dry district.

The incident was confirmed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi. He said:

Police are investigating a fire incident which occurred at Sai Clinic on 28 October.

It is said the fire broke out in the dispensary and spread to other rooms, destroying various properties including drugs.

No one was injured and the cause of the fire is yet to be established.

Meanwhile, Gokwe Civil Protection Unit head Netsai Mushauri said they have dispatched a team to ascertain what really happened and how they can assist.-ZTN

Ministry of Health and Child Care COVID-19 Update: 31 October 2020

New cases: 5

Locals: 5

Returnees: 0

Deaths: 1

Recoveries: 10

PCR Tests Done: 681

National Recovery Rate: 94%

Active Cases: 230

Total Cumulative Cases: 8 367

Total Recoveries: 7 894

Total Deaths: 243

ONE more person succumbed to Covid-19 in Bulawayo yesterday while five others tested positive in the city.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the Bulawayo death is the only Covid-19 related death reported in the country.

Zimbabwe has so far recorded 8 367 Covid-19 cases and the country’s recovery rate stands at 94 percent.

In recent weeks, Bulawayo has been recording an increase in active cases and Covid-19 deaths.

“We recorded five new cases and one death in the last 24 hours and these were all recorded in Bulawayo province. As at 31 October 2020, Zimbabwe had 8 367 confirmed cases, including 7 894 recoveries and 243 deaths. We also recorded 10 new recoveries in the last 24 hours, seven from Bulawayo and three from Masvingo province,” read the statement from the Ministry.

State Media

Publishing identities of members of security services, including names of confidential informants and sources, will soon be criminalised under new provisions that will be added to the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, adopted by Cabinet last week.

Cabinet approved seven broad amendments to the law which make unauthorised private negotiations of a foreign relations nature between citizens and foreign governments illegal.

Making false statements with the intention of influencing any dispute between Zimbabwe and a foreign government will also be outlawed.

The proposed amendments seek to broaden criminal acts against the State.

A memorandum on principles of the proposed amendments tabled in Cabinet by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi recommending the changes effectively vests negotiations with foreign governments solely under the exclusive ambit of the State.

Minister Ziyambi told The Sunday Mail that Government had elected to introduce the changes through amending an already existing law instead of crafting a new one, which could take longer.

“It is easier (to amend an existing law) because in the code we already have crimes against the State and this is one of them,” said Minister Ziyambi.

Legislation to protect the identities of security services personnel is common in most jurisdictions, including the United States.

The US Congress passed the Intelligence Identities Protection Act in 1982, which criminalises the unauthorised disclosure of information that exposes covert US intelligence agents.

The law was passed in response to concerns of members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees “about the systematic effort by a small group of Americans, including some former intelligence agency employees, to disclose the names of covert intelligence agents”.

The Act prescribes punishment for disclosing the identities of covert agents with increasing severity according to the level of access to classified information the offender exploited.

The country could soon have a similarly crafted law once amendments sail through Parliament and are signed into law by the President.

“In the process of reviewing the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, it has been further identified that the current provisions do not cater for the protection from publication of the identity of members the security services, including informants and sources,” reads the Cabinet memorandum in part.

“Furthermore, it is proposed that Section 30 be amended to include the act of publication of the identity of members of the security services, including that of informants and sources as an offence of causing disaffection of officials.

“It is further proposed that “informants” and “sources” also be defined in terms of the Act.”

Some political activists have of late been using social media to publish the identities of security services personnel to suit their political agenda.

Negotiations

Justifying the proposed changes in the memorandum, Minister Ziyambi said the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) only recognises states as legitimate players in foreign relations and negotiations.

He argued that some private citizens were wilfully misinforming foreign governments in order to gain self-favour and discredit the Government.

Citizens will, however, not be prohibited from seeking redress for harm suffered from foreign governments.

Reads the memorandum: “It is proposed that the Act be amended to include the following provisions which criminalise conduct that falls within the following broad categories: Unauthorised private negotiations engaged in by citizens of Zimbabwe with a foreign government which directly or indirectly relates to the country’s foreign relations and policy with other sovereign nations.

“The law should be restricted to private negotiations that impact on the promotion and protection of the national interests of Zimbabwe, including its foreign policy agenda, but not negotiations by citizens on matters of purely private commercial interests.”

Provisions of the new law would avoid taking away the rights of individual citizens seeking redress for harm suffered as a result of conduct by a foreign sovereign government, its agents or citizens.

Citizen’s involvement in State-level diplomacy, added Minister Ziyambi, was now a source of chaos to the national interest and undermines the country’s foreign policy agenda.

“Zimbabwe, as many other countries, has not been spared from the malaise of isolated citizens or groupings, cooperating or conniving with certain hostile foreign governments to inflict suffering on its citizens, Government and generally its national interests.

“These self-appointed individuals are not shy to speak with indecent haste against their own country on issues of foreign relations without bothering to verify facts or engage domestic authorities.

“A substantial number wilfully misinform foreign governments in order to gain self-favour and discredit the Government. . .

“What is absent in our law are specific provisions that prescribe or criminalise the unauthorised communication or negotiation by private citizens with foreign sovereign governments that have a direct or indirect implication on Zimbabwe’s foreign relations and policy.”

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs chairperson Mr Misheck Mataranyika said the law will engender patriotism.

“It is a delayed law, honestly, because it is an inherent thing that everyone should be patriotic to their country,” said Mr Mataranyika.

“If someone calls for the imposition of sanctions then they should be punished accordingly.”

Having noted the diplomatic chaos that comes with private citizens having unauthorised negotiations with foreign governments, the US government passed the Logan Act in 1799.

It specifically prohibits citizens from negotiating with other nations on behalf of the United States without authorisation and makes it a crime for a citizen to confer with foreign governments against the interests of the United States.

Several local opposition politicians and prominent civil society leaders have often been accused of engaging hostile foreign governments to adopt an antagonistic posture towards Harare.

The United States government unilaterally imposed harsh economic sanctions on Zimbabwe at the turn of the millennium at the instigation of leaders in the opposition and civic society.

The sanctions, which have continued to be renewed annually, have wreaked havoc on the country’s economy, with Zimbabwe now ineligible for balance of payment support and affordable loans from international finance institutions.

Some opposition leaders have become permanent features at the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, where they constantly campaign for further sanctions against the country.

Whistleblower website — Wikileaks — has also outed dalliances between some local politicians and officials at the US embassy in Harare, with one politician requesting US military intervention in Zimbabwe in order to facilitate an illegal change of Government.

EWN

JOHANNESBURG – The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) federal congress has elected John Steenhuisen as the party’s new leader.

Steenhuisen had been acting in the position following a tumultuous period, which saw the DA lose its leader when Mmusi Maimane resigned in October 2019.

Steenhuisen was competing for the top job against former youth leader Mbali Ntuli.

It was a clean sweep for Steenhuisen as he secured an 80% win to lead the country’s official opposition party. Presiding officers announced that 88.6% of the delegates cast their votes in the internal poll.

The results also saw Helen Zille being elected as the federal council chairperson.

Meanwhile, Steenhuisen also delivered his acceptance speech, saying he never imagined being elected leader of the party.

“I’ve fought to fix potholes when I was a councillor. I fought to expose corruption when I was a member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature. I’ve held presidents accountable as a Member of Parliament, But never in my wildest imagination did I think that one day I would be a leader of this great party of ours,” Steenhuisen said.

List of DA’s new leadership:

• Federal leader: John Steenhuisen

• Chairperson of the federal council: Helen Zille

• Deputy chairperson of the federal council: James Masango

• Deputy chairperson of the federal council: Thomas Walters

• Federal chairperson: Dr Ivan Meyer

• First deputy federal chairperson: Refiloe Nt’sekhe

• Second deputy federal chairperson: Anton Bredell

• Third deputy federal chairperson: Jacques Smalle

• Federal finance chairperson: Dion George

State Media

Police are worried that Tafadzwa Shamba (40), the prime suspect and witness in the ritual murder of seven-year-old Tapiwa Makore (Junior), could be leading investigators on a wild goose chase owing to his suspected mental condition.

Exactly 46 days since the murder took place, police are still to conclude investigations on account of Shamba’s “unreliable” and “incoherent evidence”.

There have also been inordinate delays in releasing the results of forensic tests done on dismembered body parts recovered near the crime scene.

Police detectives recovered a torso and legs, which are believed to belong to the deceased, and submitted them for DNA tests to ascertain whether or not they belong to the minor.

A head — believed to be of another minor — was also discovered in the same village, but there are, however, indications it could have been exhumed from a grave.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said they were expecting DNA test results soon.

He said police were increasingly concerned about Shamba’s incoherent statements.

Shamba has admitted to beheading Tapiwa with the help of his employer, Tapiwa Makore (Senior), who is the boy’s uncle.

“The investigations are going on and we are waiting for the DNA test results, because that will determine our next step,” he said.

“But we are concerned with Shamba’s mental state. He appears to act normally sometimes and at times it appears as if he is trying to mislead investigations. We are, however, doing everything within our power to conclude this investigation as soon as possible.”

Traditional custom prohibits the Makore family from interring the boy’s remains with his head unaccounted for, leaving them in a quandary.

Family spokesperson Ms Beulah Musupai said the family would wait for the investigations to be concluded.

“So far, we are waiting for the police, whom we last spoke to on Tuesday and they said they are still investigating,” said Ms Musupai.

“We were told that the DNA test results will be released to the police, who will in turn hand them over to us after concluding investigations.

“As a family, we are just waiting, there is nothing more we can do at the moment. We will wait to hear from the police.”

Tapiwa’s father, Mr Munyaradzi Makore, told our sister paper The Herald last week that the family would consider burying the deceased without the head if forensic tests confirm that the torso is indeed his.

“We have paid US$330 and we hope to pay the balance on collection of the results. The results will determine the burial date,” he said.

“If the torso is indeed his, then we may proceed to bury the available parts of the body, but it is strange.

“Burying a headless body?”

Statement By Auxilia Mnangagwa

As first lady my duty is first and foremost to Zimbabwe as a nation. I serve each and every Zimbabwean whole heartedly and selflessly. I serve the interests of my nation and not any individual. I do not engage in illegal narrow minded pursuits like gold smuggling.

I have no dealings nor involvement with Miss Henrietta Rushwaya of any illegal kind. I am challenging the Police through their relevant office to issue a statement with regards the utterances by one officer during her arrest that falsely implicated me and my son Collins.

I am a strong advocate for transparency and honesty and any continued silence by the police can be misconstrued as a cover up. If there is any incriminating evidence against me I challenge the police to present it to the nation without fear or favour. If there be none I also challenge the police to say so.

I will not be dissuaded from working for those who need my help in both rural and urban areas. I will also support totally all anti corruption activities regardless of the many malicious attacks clearly designed to cow me from supporting them. I stand firm on my principles.

It pains me that my son who is hard working and an obedient son, is being attacked for no reason other than being a member of the first family. He is a hard working person and strives to improve himself day by day. As a mother I am proud of his work ethic and encourage him not be affected by malicious rumours.

I am an advocate for peace and love and work hard at helping those who I can. I am greatly aggravated by the continuation of these false stories and claims. However, I remain unshaken and will continue to serve my nation in its entirety to the best of my ability.

MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe has suspended her party’s national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe after he exposed alleged plans to manipulate the forthcoming extraordinary congress to choose a new leader.

A standing committee meeting recommended Bhebhe’s suspension after he sided with MDC Alliance members Gilbert Kagodora and Nason Mamuse, who want the High Court to force Khupe to release key information about the crucial event.

Bhebhe was served with a suspension letter last week, well-placed sources said. MDC-T interim secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora yesterday professed ignorance about the suspension.

“I don’t know about that yet, you can ask the president, what I know is, she wanted to suspend him,” Mwonzora said.

Khupe and the party’s spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni were not available for comment.

Bhebhe did not respond to questions sent to him.

In court papers supporting Kagodora and Mamuse, the former Nkayi South MP claimed Khupe had blown $7 million given to the party under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.

He also claimed Khupe and Mwonzora were making decisions about the congress without the approval of the national council as per the party’s constitution.

The extraordinary congress was ordered by the Supreme Court, which ruled that MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa’s succession of the late MDC founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai was illegal.

Meanwhile, Mwonzora disclosed that the MDC-T had repossessed Morgan Tsvangirai House, that had been taken over by party youths who accused the Khupe group of working with Zanu-PF.

The youths were led by suspended Harare MDC-T provincial youth chairperson Paul Gorekore,

A Harare magistrare court granted the MDC-T the go-ahead to regain possession of the building.

“We are going to hold a press conference from Harvest House this Monday (tomorrow),” Mwonzora said.

Insiders said the youths, who had been at the building for weeks, were forced to give up because they had run out of food provisions.

MDC-T youths led by Shakespeare Mukoyi are said to have taken control of the building last week.

Byo 24

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has promulgated Statutory Instrument 261 which stipulates the benefits to be enjoyed by former first ladies.

In Zimbabwe, however, there is no official title for a first lady. The country currently has two first ladies, Janet Banana, wife of the late ceremonial president Canaan Banana [1980-87] and Grace Mugabe, Robert Mugabe’s widow.

The benefits, to be paid for by taxpayers, of course, are as follows:

• such security personnel as may be determined by the President but not less than two, and to be increased by such number as may be determined by the President whenever, and for such period, as the need arises
• one driver
• one Private Secretary
• one aide-de-camp officer or personal assistant
• office accommodation as may be determined by the President
• a landline telephone and a cell phone
• one computer
• such other office facilities, equipment and materials as may be determined by the President.
• suitable state residential accommodation
• one domestic employee
• one gardener
• one cook and one waiter
• An allowance covering medical contributions of the spouse of the former President
• a diplomatic passport

• business class air and rail private travel within Zimbabwe, if available up to a maximum of two trips per annum
• business class international air private travel up to a maximum of two trips per annum
• one sedan (Mercedes Benz E300 Series) or one four-wheel-drive station wagon or an equivalent or similar class of motor vehicle
• one pick-up van
• such number of motor vehicles as may be determined by the President must be put at the disposal of the security personnel and other staff serving the spouse of a former President

• fuel as may be determined by the President from time to time
• maintenance of vehicles referred to in paragraph 6(a)
• which cost of maintenance shall be borne by the Government
• replacement vehicles every five years
• an entertainment allowance as determined by the President from time to time
• telephone expenses in respect of the office and official residence of the spouse of the former President
• water and electricity exemption in respect of the office and official residence of the former spouse of a former President

Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has said Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration consists of clueless dealers who have dismally failed to transform the country’s economy.

The MDC Alliance is determined to address basic issues affecting ordinary citizens, according to President Chamisa.

See President Chamisa’s statement below:

“A NEW ZIMBABWE will only be possible with NEW POLITICS .

Nothing short of a cultural revolution, structural reset, system overhaul, infrastructure revamp and strategy rethink will set our country on a new trajectory.

Vision not division will make that miracle come true.

Leaders not dealers and rulers can only make this happen.

Planning not plotting will prosper our country.Love not hate will take us there.

Gautrain expansion plan links Soweto to Johannesburg.
Bullet trains are a reality in our lifetime.

Bulawayo to Harare in 2 hours is doable in our lifetime.Yes we will address all basics -water, food, employment, education and health and yes we will bring bullet trains and Spaghetti roads to the people.”

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance has stepped up efforts to empower and equip rural women with essential skills for survival.

Speaking in Zvimba, Mashonaland West Province on Saturday, MDC Alliance Women’s Assembly chairlady, Hon Muchirairwa Mugidho bemoaned the persecution of rural women by Zanu PF. Hon Mugidho made the remarks an event held to celebrate International Rural Women’s Day.

In a statement released yesterday, MDC Alliance Mashonaland West said the International Rural Women’s commemoration event was successful:

Wow! The women have done it again.Yes the #International
RuralWomens Day was held today in Zvimba West.

Zanu and it’s hell’s angels tried painstakingly to scuttle the event but the people stood up and defended the movement.

The MDC Alliance National Organising Sec Hon Chibaya,Women Assembly Chair Mama Mgidho and other National members graced the event.PC Magunje attended together with the members of his PAC.

Hundreds of women attended.They danced and sang.Modelling was part of the days proceedings and made the day colourful.

There was also food competitions among other competitions.

The women enjoyed themselves as they sang ,danced and ate their hearts out.

Indeed it was a beautiful day for the beautiful people who are the bedrock of our Struggle.

ALUTA CONTINUA.

Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has said Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration consists of clueless dealers who have dismally failed to transform the country’s economy.

The MDC Alliance is determined to address basic issues affecting ordinary citizens, according to President Chamisa.

See President Chamisa’s statement below:

“A NEW ZIMBABWE will only be possible with NEW POLITICS .

Nothing short of a cultural revolution, structural reset, system overhaul, infrastructure revamp and strategy rethink will set our country on a new trajectory.

Vision not division will make that miracle come true.

Leaders not dealers and rulers can only make this happen.

Planning not plotting will prosper our country.Love not hate will take us there.

Gautrain expansion plan links Soweto to Johannesburg.
Bullet trains are a reality in our lifetime.

Bulawayo to Harare in 2 hours is doable in our lifetime.Yes we will address all basics -water, food, employment, education and health and yes we will bring bullet trains and Spaghetti roads to the people.”

By A Correspondent- Police stormed Harare City Council chambers to stop the city fathers from passing a resolution that would have seen suspended executives returning to work as fears of government interference in the operations of the local authority mount.

The dramatic swoop on October 26 saw 21 councillors and journalists being arrested during a full council meeting and they were taken to Harare Central Police Station.

Some senior government officials on social media were quick to link the arrests to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s anticorruption fight, but fresh details show that it was Harare Provincial Affairs minister Oliver Chidawu flexing his muscles.

Chidawu is said to have received information that council would adopt a report by its human resources committee paving the way for suspended directors to return to work.

The 25 officials include human capital director Matthew Marara, town clerk Hosea Chisango and director of housing and community services Admore Nhekairo.

Unbeknown to Chidawu and the police, councillors had agreed to put the report aside. This followed a meeting between MDC-T councillors and the minister.

The raid happened when councillors were rounding up the business of the day.

“There was a meeting recently with the minister and he was angry about the (human resources committee) report,” said a councillor, who requested to remain anonymous.

“We withdrew that report and these people came with a view that we wanted to bring back ‘thieves’ to council.”

Chidawu is said to have read the riot act to the MDC-T councillors during the meeting that preceded the police raid.

The councillors are said to have been told that the move to reinstate the suspended officials was driven by the fear that the local authority might incur losses arising from labour disputes.

“The report stated that those with bail conditions that would allow them back at work could be left to come back to work,” said another councillor.

Chidawu, sources said, was also told that council was still paying a former finance director, who was fired last year because his case was yet to be finalised by the Local Government Board.

Harare deputy mayor Luckson Mukunguma, who was chairing the full council meeting, was spared the embarrassment of being dragged to the police station after he temporarily left the chamber before the police pounced.

Mukunguma went to the police station on his own and was asked by the police to announce to his colleagues that they had been released without any charges being laid against them.

He confirmed to The Standard that police wanted to arrest them over the report by the human resources committee.

“They wanted to arrest us for a crime they thought we were going to commit,” Mukunguma said.

The journalists were released following the intervention of Misa Zimbabwe lawyer Chris Mhike.

“The police did not disclose any reason for the detention that the journalists had to endure for about three hours,” Mhike told Misa Zimbabwe.

Mnangagwa’s government says it is working to weed out corruption in local authorities and has so far only targeted councils controlled by the opposition MDC Alliance.-standard

By A Correspondent| Following First lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s statement distancing herself from the former ZIFA Chief Executive Officer Henrietta Rushwaya gold smuggling saga, the police have also issued their own statement claiming to have completed investigations which they said exonerated President Mnangagwa’s wife.

The police said the person who implicated Auxillia, Gift Karanda was lying with intend to defeat the course of justice.

By A Correspodent- The Government has scrapped Value Added Tax (VAT) on the tourism industry as it moves to drum up support for the recently launched domestic tourism campaign meant to encourage locals to visit tourist attractions in the country.

In doing away with the levy, the Government also unveiled the ZIMBHO promotion which is part of a raft of measures being implemented in reviving the tourism sector which was hard hit by effects of Covid-19. As the pandemic ravaged, tourism spaces were closed and it spelt doom for the industry that was highly reliant on foreign visitors.

At least 80 percent of Zimbabwe’s tourism activity, as noted by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is done by international tourists. The industry now pins hope on the local travel enthusiast. Fronted by the ZTA, the removal of VAT and the ZIMBHO campaign came at a time when the Government presented its master strategy of reviving tourism with the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy.

Hopes are high that if locals engage in travel and tour, the $5 billion tourism economy will be achieved in five years.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign on Thursday in Kariba, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu said the initiative was meant to boost the economy through the tourism sector. For the initiative to yield results, he said the Government has exempted VAT on all tourism services for domestic tourists.

“To support this campaign, the Government has exempted VAT on all tourism services for domestic tourists in a bid to reduce the prices being charged on tourism products and services. Government will continue looking at ways to make tourism affordable to the nationals and expects to see such incentives actually translating to price reductions in the sector for the benefit of the domestic market. In removing the VAT the Government had hoped that there will be a corresponding reduction in the cost of hospitality Institutions.”

He said the campaign and other measures put in place will ensure growth in the sector.

“The broad campaign is aimed at encouraging the growth of tourism through participation of Zimbabweans. This comes at a time when His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr ED Mnangagwa launched the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy in which we were challenged to achieve a $5 billion Tourism Economy by year 2025.”

Minister Ndlovu said domestic tourism was at the centre of the sector’s recovery.

“One of the key pillars of this Recovery and Growth Strategy is the promotion of Domestic Tourism,” he said.

The idea behind the campaign, according to the Minister, was copied from countries where domestic tourism has been a success.

“In the past, before the Covid-19 pandemic, destinations that were deemed successful the world over were supported heavily by their domestic market constituting more than 60 percent of business. While all destinations compete for International Tourism as it brings in new money into the economy, domestic tourism assists in inducing expenditure and circulating wealth in the economy.

“Furthermore, domestic tourists become destination ambassadors, assisting in promoting the destination and also encouraging international tourists who are usually keen to visit areas visited by locals. Domestic tourism further expands the value chain and helps in building national pride at the same time promoting national understanding among locals,” he said.

Minister Ndlovu said in the past domestic tourism has been on the low as most tourists are of foreign origin. The nation, he said, needed to rally behind the campaign so as to achieve set goals.

“In the past decades the tourism industry has been characterised by low participation of locals. Let me hasten to say that Domestic Business Tourism has been active as it constituted above 80 percent of tourism activity in Zimbabwe in all regions except Victoria Falls which was dominated by foreign tourists.”

ZTA spokesperson Mr Godfrey Koti said the future of tourism was in domestic tourism.

“We continue to call upon our people to appreciate the beauty of our country. Let us travel and explore more. With the launch of the #Vakatsha ZIMBHO campaign, we see the industry picking up. It is a matter of restoring the sector and making sure citizens are ambassadors of the country’s tourism destinations,” said Mr Koti.

The Government invited the private sector to be part of the campaign according to Minister Ndlovu.

“As Government, we have opened up areas for tourism development to allow for product innovation and diversification in the form of cultural tourism, recreational areas and resort developments. Some of the areas earmarked for these developments include but are not limited to, Tugwi Mukosi, Kanyemba, Osborne Dam, Binga and Kariba. These are some of the initiatives that are being taken by the Government and require support from the private sector in implementation in order to grow our domestic tourism,” said Minister Ndlovu.

Minister Ndlovu said the campaign is the first step towards creating demand for the existing tourism products and services.

The issue of pricing of tourism products remains a major issue that Minister Ndlovu said must be looked at.

“I remain totally concerned that the rates charged by the hotels and lodges in Zimbabwe are still very high. I urge the industry to take stock of what is happening elsewhere, particularly in neighbouring countries and review prices downwards. It is disturbing that an average breakfast costs US$25 or more in our hotels. That’s the price of a goat! Surely that cannot be justified regardless of even the much touted “high cost of doing business” argument. I urge the hospitality sector to focus on volumes rather than high margins,” fumed Minister Ndlovu.

A tourism business owner told Sunday News that the ZIMBHO campaign will only be a success if all the country’s destinations were well marketed.

“There is more that this country has for tourism. It is not only Victoria Falls. People must be presented with choices of places to visit. The better we tell stories of other places that are not popular, the more our people will be encouraged to travel,” said Mr Langton Masunda, a safari operator in the Gwayi Conservancy in Matabeleland North.-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has refuted reports that have linked her and her son Collins to the gold baroness, Henrietta Rushwaya.

Rushwaya was arrested on Monday last week at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport while attempting to smuggle 6kgs of gold to Dubai.

During Rushwaya’s arrest, one of the officers reportedly implicated Mnangagwa and her son Collins in the gold-smuggling syndicate.

In a statement, the First Lady said she does not engage in gold smuggling and she also challenged police to issue a statement regarding her alleged links with Rushwaya. The statement read in part:

I have no dealings nor involvement with Miss Henrietta Rushwaya of any illegal kind.

I am challenging the Police through their relevant office to issue a statement

I am a strong advocate for transparency and honesty and any continued silence by the police can be misconstrued as a cover-up.

If there is any incriminating evidence against me I challenge the police to present it to the nation without fear or favour. If there be none I also challenge the police to say so.

… It pains me that my son who is hardworking and an obedient son is being attacked for no reason other than being a member of the first family.

He is a hard-working person and strives to improve himself day by day. As a mother, I am proud of his work ethic and encourage him not to be affected by malicious rumours.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- An associate of Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya implicated first lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and her twin son, Collins, after Rushwaya was arrested for gold smuggling on Monday, it has emerged.

An internal police memo seen by ZimLive says after Rushwaya’s arrest at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport with 6kg of gold in her handbag, Gift Karanda tried to intercede on her behalf.

Karanda, 44, allegedly told police officers that the gold Rushwaya was carrying “belonged to the First Lady and one Collins, a son to the First Family who was supposed to have brought it but due to other commitments had requested Rushwaya to transport it on his behalf.”

Collins, who was previously linked to a Covid-19 procurement scandal involving US$60 million, has denied the claims to friends, a source told ZimLive.

In the National Assembly on Thursday, Zanu-PF MP Pupurai Togarepi stood up to deny that Rushwaya was related to President Mnangagwa, a claim made in the House of Lords in the United Kingdom on Tuesday.

Togarepi fumed: “Why is Lord Peter Hain lying, who lied to him that Henrietta Rushwaya is President Mnangagwa’s niece? Is there anything honourable in parroting and reproducing falsehoods from social media platforms in the so-called House of Lords, perhaps House of Lies?

“In his ignorance, Hain insinuates that what Henrietta Rushwaya did had the blessings of the President. What a load of rubbish from a supposed Lord.”

Police on Thursday confirmed the arrest of six people, including Karanda, who allegedly misrepresented that he was a Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operative.

Karanda, whose business address is listed as the Zimbabwe Miners Federation in the police memo, is being charged for defeating or obstructing the course of justice.

Police also confirmed the arrests of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s security aide Stephen Chenjerai Tserayi, 45, CIO operative Raphios Mufandauya, 37, and 52-year-old Pakistan businessman Ali Mohamad who owns a vehicle import company, Japan 786.

When she was arrested, Rushwaya told investigators that the gold worth US$333,000 belonged to Mohamad, who had given her instructions to take it to Dubai where she was to deliver it to an unnamed individual.

The police communication from the Criminal Investigations Department’s Minerals Flora and Fauna Unit (MFFU) says Mohamad is charged with smuggling, the same as Rushwaya.

Tserayi and Mufandauya, meanwhile, face charges of criminal abuse of office as public officials for “using their positions as members of the Central Intelligence Organisation to escort Rushwaya while evading all security check points at the airport with the intent to facilitate smuggling of the gold.”

As first lady my duty is first and foremost to Zimbabwe as a nation. I serve each and every Zimbabwean whole heartedly and selflessly. I serve the interests of my nation and not any individual. I do not engage in illegal narrow minded pursuits like gold smuggling.

I have no dealings nor involvement with Miss Henrietta Rushwaya of any illegal kind. I am challenging the Police through their relevant office to issue a statement with regards the utterances by one officer during her arrest that falsely implicated me and my son Collins.

I am a strong advocate for transparency and honesty and any continued silence by the police can be misconstrued as a cover up. If there is any incriminating evidence against me I challenge the police to present it to the nation without fear or favour. If there be none I also challenge the police to say so.

I will not be dissuaded from working for those who need my help in both rural and urban areas. I will also support totally all anti corruption activities regardless of the many malicious attacks clearly designed to cow me from supporting them. I stand firm on my principles.

It pains me that my son who is hard working and an obedient son, is being attacked for no reason other than being a member of the first family. He is a hard working person and strives to improve himself day by day. As a mother I am proud of his work ethic and encourage him not be affected by malicious rumours.

I am an advocate for peace and love and work hard at helping those who I can. I am greatly aggravated by the continuation of these false stories and claims. However, I remain unshaken and will continue to serve my nation in its entirety to the best of my ability.

By A Correspondent- MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe has suspended her party’s national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe after he exposed alleged plans to manipulate the forthcoming extraordinary congress to choose a new leader.

A standing committee meeting recommended Bhebhe’s suspension after he sided with MDC Alliance members Gilbert Kagodora and Nason Mamuse, who want the High Court to force Khupe to release key information about the crucial event.

Bhebhe was served with a suspension letter last week, well-placed sources said. MDC-T interim secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora yesterday professed ignorance about the suspension.

“I don’t know about that yet, you can ask the president, what I know is, she wanted to suspend him,” Mwonzora said.

Khupe and the party’s spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni were not available for comment.

Bhebhe did not respond to questions sent to him.

In court papers supporting Kagodora and Mamuse, the former Nkayi South MP claimed Khupe had blown $7 million given to the party under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.

He also claimed Khupe and Mwonzora were making decisions about the congress without the approval of the national council as per the party’s constitution.

The extraordinary congress was ordered by the Supreme Court, which ruled that MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa’s succession of the late MDC founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai was illegal.

Meanwhile, Mwonzora disclosed that the MDC-T had repossessed Morgan Tsvangirai House, that had been taken over by party youths who accused the Khupe group of working with Zanu-PF.

The youths were led by suspended Harare MDC-T provincial youth chairperson Paul Gorekore,

A Harare magistrare court granted the MDC-T the go-ahead to regain possession of the building.

“We are going to hold a press conference from Harvest House this Monday (tomorrow),” Mwonzora said.

Insiders said the youths, who had been at the building for weeks, were forced to give up because they had run out of food provisions.

MDC-T youths led by Shakespeare Mukoyi are said to have taken control of the building last week.-Online

By A Correspondent- A security guard at Mvurwi hospital Nicholas Chiwore allegedly collapsed and died Saturday afternoon.

He was 58.

Hospital officials confirmed the sudden death.

Allegations are that he was on duty when he collapsed and died but the cause of his death is yet to be established.

His body is being kept at Mvurwi mortuary awaiting postmortem.

By A Correspondent- A man from Masvingo slapped and punched two women after they refused to give him their cellphone numbers, moments after he had complimented them for their body structures.

This emerged when Paul Mutero (27) was convicted by Masvingo magistrate Ms Conceptor Ngwerume of assault last week. Although he pleaded not guilty to the assault charge, the magistrate found him guilty and ordered him to pay a fine of $1 200 or face two months in jail.

Prosecuting, Ms Heather Mhlanga told the court that on 17 October, Mutero met two women, Miss Shine Mudzanga and Miss Tatenda Mudavanhu in the city at about 7pm. Mutero then started commenting on their body structures but they ignored him.

He then asked for their contact numbers but the women again ignored him.

The court heard that Mutero got angry for being ignored and grabbed Miss Mudzanga and slapped her once on the left cheek.

Miss Mudavanhu tried to restrain Mutero but he hit her on the nose and left rib, the court heard.

Mutero only stopped assaulting the women when he saw an approaching car and fled.

The case was reported at Chesvingo police who launched a manhunt and arrested Mutero.

In an unrelated incident, a woman from Chief Shumba in Masvingo assaulted her housemate with a switch after she discovered that her clay pot that was boiling with peas on the fireplace had been removed and emptied while she was away.

Shelina Marasha appeared before Ms Ngwerume on 28 October 2020 for sentencing after she pleaded guilty to the assault case. She was ordered to pay a fine of $1 640.

Prosecutor, Ms Mhlanga told the court that on 20 October, Marasha who was staying with Ms Rumbidzai Chipundo arrived home at around 12pm from a neighbouring farm.

She found a clay pot which she had left on the fire place with peas emptied and set aside.

The court heard that Marasha quizzed Ms Chipundo on why her pot was now empty and when she did not get a satisfactory answer, an argument arose.

Ms Mhlanga said Marasha then started beating up Ms Chipundo with open hands several times on the face. She then took a switch and beat Ms Chipundo several times all over the body.

Ms Chipundo later reported the case to police leading to Marasha’s arrest.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Private commuter omnibus operators in urban areas may not return to business again as government has no intentions of lifting the ban.

Permanent Secretary in the information ministry Nick Mangwana said this after an inquiry on the surge of private commuter operators trickling back to business in Masvingo City after government continues to relax Covid-19 induced lockdown restrictions.

“They are not authorised to ferry passengers and the police will treat them as pirate taxis.

“It’s not clear yet as to when government will consider lifting the ban. They may never (return to business),” Mangwana said.

Earlier, Mangwana’s junior Masvingo the provincial information officer Rodgers Irimayi emphasised the ZUPCO franchise will continue providing transport services to the urban commuters.

This is despite concerns from passengers in the country’s first urban settlement that the franchise was no longer adhering to fumigation, body temperature checks and sanitising of passengers before boarding.

“Zupco is operating and providing transport service to the commuting public.

“As a measure to control the spread of Covid-19 according to guidelines set by government, all buses and kombies are disinfected daily at the depot.

“The move guarantees that passengers are safe and may not get infection.

“As for sanitising, all bus crews maybe reluctant to sanitise but daily Zupco ensures that every conductor gets his or her sanitiser before work.

“Zupco goes an extra mile to ensure that they comply to the Covid -19 regulations.”

Since the outbreak of the global pandemic in March, government suspended all private commuter transport operations in city centres and urged those willing to continue operating to join its ZUPCO franchise, a move which was met with mixed feelings among operators.-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- The Government has scrapped Value Added Tax (VAT) on the tourism industry as it moves to drum up support for the recently launched domestic tourism campaign meant to encourage locals to visit tourist attractions in the country.

In doing away with the levy, the Government also unveiled the ZIMBHO promotion which is part of a raft of measures being implemented in reviving the tourism sector which was hard hit by effects of Covid-19.

As the pandemic ravaged, tourism spaces were closed and it spelt doom for the industry that was highly reliant on foreign visitors.

At least 80 percent of Zimbabwe’s tourism activity, as noted by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is done by international tourists. The industry now pins hope on the local travel enthusiast. Fronted by the ZTA, the removal of VAT and the ZIMBHO campaign came at a time when the Government presented its master strategy of reviving tourism with the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy.

Hopes are high that if locals engage in travel and tour, the $5 billion tourism economy will be achieved in five years.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign on Thursday in Kariba, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu said the initiative was meant to boost the economy through the tourism sector. For the initiative to yield results, he said the Government has exempted VAT on all tourism services for domestic tourists.

“To support this campaign, the Government has exempted VAT on all tourism services for domestic tourists in a bid to reduce the prices being charged on tourism products and services.

Government will continue looking at ways to make tourism affordable to the nationals and expects to see such incentives actually translating to price reductions in the sector for the benefit of the domestic market. In removing the VAT the Government had hoped that there will be a corresponding reduction in the cost of hospitality Institutions.”

He said the campaign and other measures put in place will ensure growth in the sector.

“The broad campaign is aimed at encouraging the growth of tourism through participation of Zimbabweans. This comes at a time when His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr ED Mnangagwa launched the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy in which we were challenged to achieve a $5 billion Tourism Economy by year 2025.”

Minister Ndlovu said domestic tourism was at the centre of the sector’s recovery.

“One of the key pillars of this Recovery and Growth Strategy is the promotion of Domestic Tourism,” he said.

The idea behind the campaign, according to the Minister, was copied from countries where domestic tourism has been a success.

“In the past, before the Covid-19 pandemic, destinations that were deemed successful the world over were supported heavily by their domestic market constituting more than 60 percent of business.

While all destinations compete for International Tourism as it brings in new money into the economy, domestic tourism assists in inducing expenditure and circulating wealth in the economy.

“Furthermore, domestic tourists become destination ambassadors, assisting in promoting the destination and also encouraging international tourists who are usually keen to visit areas visited by locals.

Domestic tourism further expands the value chain and helps in building national pride at the same time promoting national understanding among locals,” he said.

Minister Ndlovu said in the past domestic tourism has been on the low as most tourists are of foreign origin. The nation, he said, needed to rally behind the campaign so as to achieve set goals.

“In the past decades the tourism industry has been characterised by low participation of locals. Let me hasten to say that Domestic Business Tourism has been active as it constituted above 80 percent of tourism activity in Zimbabwe in all regions except Victoria Falls which was dominated by foreign tourists.”

ZTA spokesperson Mr Godfrey Koti said the future of tourism was in domestic tourism.

“We continue to call upon our people to appreciate the beauty of our country. Let us travel and explore more. With the launch of the #Vakatsha ZIMBHO campaign, we see the industry picking up. It is a matter of restoring the sector and making sure citizens are ambassadors of the country’s tourism destinations,” said Mr Koti.

The Government invited the private sector to be part of the campaign according to Minister Ndlovu.

“As Government, we have opened up areas for tourism development to allow for product innovation and diversification in the form of cultural tourism, recreational areas and resort developments. Some of the areas earmarked for these developments include but are not limited to, Tugwi Mukosi, Kanyemba, Osborne Dam, Binga and Kariba.

These are some of the initiatives that are being taken by the Government and require support from the private sector in implementation in order to grow our domestic tourism,” said Minister Ndlovu.

Minister Ndlovu said the campaign is the first step towards creating demand for the existing tourism products and services.

The issue of pricing of tourism products remains a major issue that Minister Ndlovu said must be looked at.

“I remain totally concerned that the rates charged by the hotels and lodges in Zimbabwe are still very high. I urge the industry to take stock of what is happening elsewhere, particularly in neighbouring countries and review prices downwards. It is disturbing that an average breakfast costs US$25 or more in our hotels.

That’s the price of a goat! Surely that cannot be justified regardless of even the much touted “high cost of doing business” argument. I urge the hospitality sector to focus on volumes rather than high margins,” fumed Minister Ndlovu.

A tourism business owner told Sunday News that the ZIMBHO campaign will only be a success if all the country’s destinations were well marketed.

“There is more that this country has for tourism. It is not only Victoria Falls. People must be presented with choices of places to visit. The better we tell stories of other places that are not popular, the more our people will be encouraged to travel,” said Mr Langton Masunda, a safari operator in the Gwayi Conservancy in Matabeleland North.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A secret meeting between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) has divided unions, who are pushing the government to improve working conditions for their members.

Teachers at public schools have been refusing to return to classrooms since the government began a phased reopening of schools in September after a prolonged break due to Covid-19.

The teachers are demanding foreign currency-indexed salaries and provision of personal protective equipment before they resume work.

In a rare development, at least eight unions representing teachers have presented a united front, but Zimta’s meeting with Mnangagwa on October 26 seems to have driven a wedge between the labour leaders.

Zimta executive secretary Sifiso Ndlovu confirmed Zimta’s meeting with Mnangagwa.

“As Zimta, we had an opportunity to meet the president on Monday and addressed the socio-economic issues,” Ndlovu said.

“A teacher is a social services provider and we articulated the level of incapacitation,” Ndlovu said.

“The president has directed Finance minister Mthuli Ncube to look into the issue.”

Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou, however, had no kind words for Zimta.

“My humble submission to colleagues in Zimta is that our current incapacitation struggle is not about how big a union is, but unity in diversity and collective decisions to guarantee maximum gains and minimum losses,” Zhou said.

“At any rate, what matters in a fight is not the size of the dog, but the size of the fight. In our united front, we combine both size and agility.

“I was shocked to read a confirmation circular from Zimta that they met Mnangagwa.”

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said Zimta had sold out.

“They sneaked in secrecy to the ill-fated meeting with the head of state and government,” Masaraure said.

But Ndlovu said the other unions must not be confrontational, saying their meeting with Mnangagwa was not secretive as alleged.

“We did not go behind anyone’s back, our letter to he (his excellency) was sent on October 16 after our national executive pressured us to intensify our search for a breakthrough,” he said.

“The other unions congregated seeking solidarity and comfort later and submitted their paper to he on October 20.

“Initially, they had planned a demonstration march to Monomotapa Building to deliver the petition.

“Zimta’s mandate is to represent its 42 000 members and has led the teachers’ trade union movement for the last 80 years, traversing all the legal, trade union and political terrain with focus and decisiveness.-standard

By A Correspondent- Beitbridge armed robbers blamed for numerous violent incidents including some unsolved murders on the banks of the Limpopo River have fled their bases after vigilante groups killed three of the suspected criminals.

Some of the suspected robbers were stoned and whipped to death after being hunted down by crowds, who combed the bush a few hundred metres east of the south African side of Beitbridge.

Two died on the spot and the third is reported to have succumbed to injuries while admitted at Musina hospital.

Police in south Africa have not commented on the deaths, but videos that went viral on social media in Beitbridge showed the robbers being attacked by mobs, who later killed them.

It is understood the robbers were tracked down after a series of robberies in the small bushy area used by people illegally crossing into south Africa to shop.

By A Correspondent- First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has refuted reports that have linked her and her son Collins to the gold baroness, Henrietta Rushwaya.

Rushwaya was arrested on Monday last week at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport while attempting to smuggle 6kgs of gold to Dubai.

During Rushwaya’s arrest, one of the officers reportedly implicated Mnangagwa and her son Collins in the gold-smuggling syndicate.

In a statement, the First Lady said she does not engage in gold smuggling and she also challenged police to issue a statement regarding her alleged links with Rushwaya. The statement read in part:

I have no dealings nor involvement with Miss Henrietta Rushwaya of any illegal kind.

I am challenging the Police through their relevant office to issue a statement

I am a strong advocate for transparency and honesty and any continued silence by the police can be misconstrued as a cover-up.

If there is any incriminating evidence against me I challenge the police to present it to the nation without fear or favour. If there be none I also challenge the police to say so.

… It pains me that my son who is hardworking and an obedient son is being attacked for no reason other than being a member of the first family.

He is a hard-working person and strives to improve himself day by day. As a mother, I am proud of his work ethic and encourage him not to be affected by malicious rumours.-statemedia

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By A Correspondent- MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe has suspended her party’s national organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe after he exposed alleged plans to manipulate the forthcoming extraordinary congress to choose a new leader.

A standing committee meeting recommended Bhebhe’s suspension after he sided with MDC Alliance members Gilbert Kagodora and Nason Mamuse, who want the High Court to force Khupe to release key information about the crucial event.

Bhebhe was served with a suspension letter last week, well-placed sources said. MDC-T interim secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora yesterday professed ignorance about the suspension.

“I don’t know about that yet, you can ask the president, what I know is, she wanted to suspend him,” Mwonzora said.

Khupe and the party’s spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni were not available for comment.

Bhebhe did not respond to questions sent to him.

In court papers supporting Kagodora and Mamuse, the former Nkayi South MP claimed Khupe had blown $7 million given to the party under the Political Parties (Finance) Act.

He also claimed Khupe and Mwonzora were making decisions about the congress without the approval of the national council as per the party’s constitution.

The extraordinary congress was ordered by the Supreme Court, which ruled that MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa’s succession of the late MDC founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai was illegal.

Meanwhile, Mwonzora disclosed that the MDC-T had repossessed Morgan Tsvangirai House, that had been taken over by party youths who accused the Khupe group of working with Zanu-PF.

The youths were led by suspended Harare MDC-T provincial youth chairperson Paul Gorekore,

A Harare magistrare court granted the MDC-T the go-ahead to regain possession of the building.

“We are going to hold a press conference from Harvest House this Monday (tomorrow),” Mwonzora said.

Insiders said the youths, who had been at the building for weeks, were forced to give up because they had run out of food provisions.

MDC-T youths led by Shakespeare Mukoyi are said to have taken control of the building last week.

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance has stepped up efforts to empower and equip rural women with essential skills for survival.

Speaking in Zvimba, Mashonaland West Province on Saturday, MDC Alliance Women’s Assembly chairlady, Hon Muchirairwa Mugidho bemoaned the persecution of rural women by Zanu PF. Hon Mugidho made the remarks an event held to celebrate International Rural Women’s Day.

In a statement released yesterday, MDC Alliance Mashonaland West said the International Rural Women’s commemoration event was successful:

Wow! The women have done it again.Yes the #International
RuralWomens Day was held today in Zvimba West.

Zanu and it’s hell’s angels tried painstakingly to scuttle the event but the people stood up and defended the movement.

The MDC Alliance National Organising Sec Hon Chibaya,Women Assembly Chair Mama Mgidho and other National members graced the event.PC Magunje attended together with the members of his PAC.

Hundreds of women attended.They danced and sang.Modelling was part of the days proceedings and made the day colourful.

There was also food competitions among other competitions.

The women enjoyed themselves as they sang ,danced and ate their hearts out.

Indeed it was a beautiful day for the beautiful people who are the bedrock of our Struggle.

ALUTA CONTINUA.

By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance vice-chairperson Job Sikhala says Zimbabwe has reached a tipping point, warning President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government not to take boiling discontent against its leadership lightly.

Sikhala, who was recently detained for over 40 days for playing a leading role in organising the July 31 protests against corruption that were crushed by security forces, said a heavy-handed response to dissent would not forestall an uprising.

“Zimbabwe has reached the tipping point,” the Zengeza West MP told The Standard in a wide-ranging interview.

“If you don’t see a looming implosion, you must be living in a different world.

“Zimbabwe is pregnant with a revolution and delivery and birth is imminent.”

Sikhala was, alongside Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume, the voice of the 31st July Movement that spearheaded the protests.

The government justified the crackdown against the movement’s leaders saying they were sponsored by western countries to topple Mnangagwa.

Sikhala said the movement remained active and he would continue pushing its agenda.

“The 31st July Movement remains a citizen platform to air their grievances,” he said.

“It is a convergence platform of diverse characters representing different constituency groups. It is owned by citizens.

“It will continue to spearhead the cries of our people.

“It will continue calling for action to make the voices of our people from diverse constituencies heard.

“It will spearhead more collective citizen actions in the future.

“It will not rest until the voice of the people is heard.

“Watch its rapid strategy in motion that is in store by the citizens.”

The former student leader dismissed allegations by MDC-T spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni that he was about to join Thokozani Khupe’s camp.

“I think it’s taking me and the people of Zimbabwe for granted. I am not a hater,” Sikhala said.

“I smile to everyone, but don’t spite my smile with false claims as it is in my nature.

“I remain the vice-chairman of the MDC Alliance and the spokesperson of the broad citizens’ movement, the 31st of July Movement.”

He added: “What I despise is the Zanu-PF regime and everything related to it.

“I witnessed several splits in the MDC over years.

“They are no longer interesting adventures for me because they never advanced the goals of our liberation.”

He denied reports of splits in the MDC Alliance, saying the party led by Nelson Chamisa remained united.

“Fissures only exist in the figment of those, who form such illusions and believe them,” Sikhala said.

“You cannot stop enemies of progress to wish bad to us, when truth on the ground speaks differently.

“There is loyalty and faith as to the leadership elected at the Gweru congress.”-standard

By A Correspondent- A clinic under Chief Sai in Gokwe South District, Midlands Province, was destroyed by fire on Wednesday living more than 30 000 families stranded.

Reports suggest that a gas leak from a refrigerator at Sai Clinic triggered the inferno which consumed drugs, medical equipment and property worth thousands of dollars.

The villagers are now forced to walk over 100km to the nearest clinic in the hot and dry district.

The incident was confirmed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi. He said:

Police are investigating a fire incident which occurred at Sai Clinic on 28 October.

It is said the fire broke out in the dispensary and spread to other rooms, destroying various properties including drugs.

No one was injured and the cause of the fire is yet to be established.

Meanwhile, Gokwe Civil Protection Unit head Netsai Mushauri said they have dispatched a team to ascertain what really happened and how they can assist.-ZTN

By A Correspondent- PUBLIC examinations for Ordinary Level candidates will spill into January next year, while results for Grade Seven candidates will be released before year-end to allow parents adequate time to secure Form One places for their children.

The examinations commence on 1 December with around 1,2 million candidates having registered to sit for the exams countrywide. Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) board chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje told our Harare Bureau that Advanced Level examinations will however, be completed by year-end.

“Examinations will start on December 1 with Grade Seven candidates being the first to sit for the exams. This will enable their answer scripts to be marked and the results to be published in December so as to allow parents enough time to look for Form One places. Advanced Level candidates are also likely to write and complete their examinations in December. Ordinary Level classes will have their examinations spill into January.”

He said due to the large number of subjects offered at O’Level, it was inevitable that the exams would spill into 2021.-The Sunday News

By A Correspondent- Police stormed Harare City Council chambers to stop the city fathers from passing a resolution that would have seen suspended executives returning to work as fears of government interference in the operations of the local authority mount.

The dramatic swoop on October 26 saw 21 councillors and journalists being arrested during a full council meeting and they were taken to Harare Central Police Station.

Some senior government officials on social media were quick to link the arrests to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s anticorruption fight, but fresh details show that it was Harare Provincial Affairs minister Oliver Chidawu flexing his muscles.

Chidawu is said to have received information that council would adopt a report by its human resources committee paving the way for suspended directors to return to work.

The 25 officials include human capital director Matthew Marara, town clerk Hosea Chisango and director of housing and community services Admore Nhekairo.

Unbeknown to Chidawu and the police, councillors had agreed to put the report aside. This followed a meeting between MDC-T councillors and the minister.

The raid happened when councillors were rounding up the business of the day.

“There was a meeting recently with the minister and he was angry about the (human resources committee) report,” said a councillor, who requested to remain anonymous.

“We withdrew that report and these people came with a view that we wanted to bring back ‘thieves’ to council.”

Chidawu is said to have read the riot act to the MDC-T councillors during the meeting that preceded the police raid.

The councillors are said to have been told that the move to reinstate the suspended officials was driven by the fear that the local authority might incur losses arising from labour disputes.

“The report stated that those with bail conditions that would allow them back at work could be left to come back to work,” said another councillor.

Chidawu, sources said, was also told that council was still paying a former finance director, who was fired last year because his case was yet to be finalised by the Local Government Board.

Harare deputy mayor Luckson Mukunguma, who was chairing the full council meeting, was spared the embarrassment of being dragged to the police station after he temporarily left the chamber before the police pounced.

Mukunguma went to the police station on his own and was asked by the police to announce to his colleagues that they had been released without any charges being laid against them.

He confirmed to The Standard that police wanted to arrest them over the report by the human resources committee.

“They wanted to arrest us for a crime they thought we were going to commit,” Mukunguma said.

The journalists were released following the intervention of Misa Zimbabwe lawyer Chris Mhike.

“The police did not disclose any reason for the detention that the journalists had to endure for about three hours,” Mhike told Misa Zimbabwe.

Mnangagwa’s government says it is working to weed out corruption in local authorities and has so far only targeted councils controlled by the opposition MDC Alliance.-standard

By A Correspondent- Some hundreds of Shona people living in Kenya have been going on peaceful marches in the streets to draw the attention of the government to their statelessness so that they can be recognised as Kenyan citizens.

About 5 000 Shona people live in Kenya. They are the descendants of about 100 Shona missionaries who moved to Kenya from Zimbabwe in the 1960s to establish the Gospel of God Church.

The move was accepted and welcomed by Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta, but his successors have not done much to integrate the Shona.

Most of the missionaries settled in the Kiambu area just on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

However, their descendants are stateless in Kenya despite living and being born in the country.

The Shona in Kenya do not have access to identity cards, passports or driver’s license and are hindered from accessing good jobs because they cannot be employed formally.

Mike Moyo, a carpenter in nearby Kiambu County, has 10 children and 7 grandchildren who were all born in Kenya but are stateless and do not have birth certificates or identity cards. Moyo’s eldest highlighted their predicament.

He said:

We can’t enjoy services that nationals enjoy. We don’t have mobile banking and going to the hospital is also a challenge.

Birth certificates are needed for class 8 registration for our children who are in primary school so sometimes we are forced to ‘buy’ parents so that our children can continue with education. We cannot even save money.

Meanwhile, the Kenyan government has made efforts to resolve the statelessness of the Shona people and in August 2019, 600 citizenships were offered to some of them.

Some 2,000 people have applied for birth certificates recently and they are yet to be processed.-Face2FaceAfrica