Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance has said the swearing in of Thokozani Khupe as leader of the opposition in Parliament is a gross violation of democratic processes.
In a statement the MDC Alliance denounced manoeuvres by Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to suppress the will of the people.
See full statement below:
FULL TEXT: MDC-A Communiqué On National Council Meeting
OCTOBER 24, 2020
On the 23rd of October 2020, the National Council of the MDC Alliance met in accordance with the party’s constitution.
The following matters were tabled for deliberation:
Livelihoods: The National Council received reports from all provinces on the deepening crisis of poverty in all provinces that has been caused by Zanu PF’s bad governance.
Teachers, doctors and nurses are incapacitated due to wage erosion and the worsening economic crisis.
Reports were also received of the politicization of Covid-19 food aid and Pfumvudza program assistance.
Most provinces are suffering from the continued hunger crisis and a lack of inputs for the upcoming agricultural season.
Human Security and Bad Governance Crisis: The National Council was briefed on the continued rise of abduction cases in all provinces where MDC Alliances leaders and pro-democracy activists are being routinely targeted.
There is also a coordinated weaponization of the law by the State where MDC Alliance members and pro-democracy activists have been arrested and detained on spurious charges in an attempt to silence their criticism of the government.
Recalls of Elected Representatives: The National Council received a comprehensive briefing on the capture of state institutions that have been used to fraudulently elevate Ms Khupe to Parliament and recall duly elected Members of Parliament and local government representatives in a clear breach of the will of the people.
The Council noted its strong displeasure with these unconstitutional acts and the continued onslaught on the will of the people.
The recalled MDC Alliance officials remain committed to serving the people notwithstanding what has transpired.
By-Elections: Preparations for by-elections are at an advanced stage. The Council received a detailed elections report.
All systems are in place to ensure that the party is well-positioned to carry out its mandate in respect of the people.
The demand for a free, fair and credible electoral process that accords with the constitutional standard and for the wholesale reform of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the electoral playing field were re-affirmed.
Health of the Party: The National Council took note of the sound health of the party as all branches and structures are solid and growing.
The strategic focus shall be directed towards energizing the basis with a particular emphasis on the rural strategy.
Action will be taken on implementing programmes centred around the party’s big fights, namely, the fight for the return to legitimacy and democracy, the fight for a people’s Government, the fight against corruption, the fight for better livelihoods and the fight in defence of the Constitution and Constitutionalism.
Attention will be devoted to renewing the institutional and administrative capacity of the party as well as developing modern, data-driven protocols and systems that are in tune with the demands of the communities the party serves.
The party will update all policies in line with the changing realities and new threats and emerging opportunities.
The National Council committed to remaining unwavering in championing the cause of the Zimbabwean people, being the legitimate voice of the suffering masses and leading a broad front to confront Zanu PF in the fight to win Zimbabwe for change.
The Ediots are gathered for a gala to remove sanctions imposed by America and EU on Sunday.
They have imported the help of SADC and AU to front the band of noise makers. For a moment if you just look at the skin colour and regionalism you could be quick to believe a lie that we have heard for years. If you are outside Zimbabwe and never seen rural people surviving on CARE International or USAID donations you could easily believe the Ediots. When you hear them say sanctions have ruined the lives of Zimbabwean you would imagine another Zimbabwe we all do not know. Is it the same Zimbabwe which had sanctions during Smith regime, yet its currency and economy was stronger than those imposing sanctions on it?
Are we still talking of a Zimbabwe with the great Dyke that stretches from Limpopo to Zambezi. The dyke that has more than 60 precious minerals, the Zimbabwe that discovered a diamond field that has never been discovered by any other country in years, a Zimbabwe that host one of 7 wonders of the world- the Victoria falls. Help me understand if it is the same Zimbabwe that has the red clay soils in its region one and two, the best climate in the region.
Remind me if I am wrong to say Zimbabwe you refer is the one that has the continent’s oldest river that has never dried-Save, the pure and sweet waters of Shangani, Mupfure, Mazowe, Nyadire, Lundi, Kairezi just to mention a few of them that empty their “breasts” to mother sea, yet our own people have dry tapes and dry fields. Save a moment and try to educate me if America and EU came and took away the orange trees in Mazowe, the coffee and tea plantations of Chipinge?
I last saw an orange from Mazowe long time. The sweet sugar cane of Hippo valley has since vanished. All the canals that delivered water to the low veld must have broken and God has stopped the water to flow that direction. Can some one help me understand if the timber forest of Chipinge, Chimanimani and Nyanga have stopped growing because of EU and US sanctions. I am yet to understand how best we can do to have pine trees grow without these sanctions.
May your grace flow towards me and tell me how America closed Shabani mine that our dear “spokesman” took from Mutumwa because he was not able to run it. How did America took this mine right under the nose of “our” government?
I use to enjoy carpenters from Kariba. Tell us. Have the Americans stopped people from fishing from our own dams? How dare sanction tell the fish not to come out of our own waters? The dams spread all over the country, all left by these “colonialist” have also decided not to give out fish and water to irrigate and drink. All they accept is sand from our cultivation activities.
We still wait for EU and US to remove their sanctions in order to revamp our electricity generators. When Chivhayo is given tender to put solar panels sanctions always block him.
By the way when last did we see Westnickleson working. What happened to the cattle? Just help me understand how Roy Bennet ended up taking the whole head of cattle that was in the ranches. If my memory serve me well Roy was locked up in prison for asking for his bull from Chinamasa. How did they end up taking these cattle. I miss the CSC A grade meat, the tinned beef or just Matumbu. The skins that made my path finders and the ox blood that made the best shoe polish.Did America came and took the cattle that were grazing God given grass? By the way what do cattle want from America to breed in vast lands we always had?
Through the parliamentary committees and the Auditor General reports, I am told that money is just vanishing. From their figures its always US dollars that vanishes . Billions disappear. I wonder if America bring US dollars in Zimbabwe only to steal it from our hands. My concern is that while no gala has ever been held to find out what has taken our Marange dimond’s 15billion, a gala to investigate how we can recover money lost in farm mechanisation exercises or even the commando of all money disappearances, the command agriculture scheme. Why no gala is held to find out why we are short of food when money invested is far more than what we got. Don’t you think we now need a gala to find where our own money is going? Ooooh I am running astray now. The topic is sanction. By the way ZDERA “yatirwadza”. The demand at the gala is sanctions must go unconditionally. Even SADC and AU have also said so. What are the conditions US demanding that we do not even want to meet? The hard conditions which AU and SADC are shaking with furry that their sister country is “unjustifiably” punished. i) Restore rule of law in Zimbabwe. ii) Hold free and fair elections in Zimbabwe iii) Have a legal , equitable and transparent distribution of land of Zimbabwe to only Zimbabweans iv) Have a Zimbabwean military institution that subject itself to civilian authority As for EU they are just saying to their own people, no one must sell Zimbabwe defence forces arms and ammunition.
Aa ngachitsve vakomana. Izvi zvinotoda gala izvi. Imagine you are telling Dzamara’s wife, or Tawanda Muchehiwa. Imagine you meet Tonderai Ndira’s wife, family members of August first shootings. What are you expecting them to say about the “harsh” conditions given by America? If you walk in the streets of Harare that have voted for 20 years hoping to change things in a peaceful means, those that wrote objections against what ZEC did to put a person they never chose. Try convince them that free and fair election is not worth a condition. Those with houses that were destroyed on allegations that they are not on legal stand. Try convince them that its not a reason to ask for legal and transparent land reform. May your good memory remember those with short sleeves as they limb for their rest of lives. Think about them in your gala and imagine on what you say is not worth of conditions. Those that lost their pension contribution, savings , medical aids, insurances or funeral policies must be educated to understand why rule of law is not worth a condition. If you have a heart and seen how police and army behave to Zimbabweans with black skin that has never been to America or Europe, then think about an army that has no authority of civilians as a condition that cannot be accepted. What do you have to say to a Chief Justice that turn up to be an activist? He demands that all other judges submit their judgements for marking. What law is this? When you are an Ediot try not talk too much. The worst sanction Zimbabwe has ever had is Zanu. As you dance kongonya against “American sanctions” remember to keep a distance from your bosses. They looted the Covid 19 funds. There is no more hospitals. For the first time in history America has “planted” a fake doctor at parirenyatwa hospital. Reporting for duty every day without being noticed. How many more of these fake Drs and minister without health acting as ministers of health. All blame is America. Ever since have we ever heard of a fake Dr reporting for duty at a government hospital? The citizens lives are at risk. Do we need America to come and check our duty rosters? A chief’s wife who is corruptly appointed town planner is busy looting. Upon arresting she cannot fit in a cell. But a young man spend months in prison just for standing 101m from Impala. Does that need America to come and check. For record sanctions are good for us citizens of Zimbabwe. If America could do more to those that abuse citizens, killers and looters deserve more than sanctions
Farai Dziva| A critical shortage of water has hit communities in Zaka.
Water points are dry while boreholes need to be fixed as a matter of urgency.
Speaking during a feedback meeting facilitated by Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development (COTRAD) in ward 18, villagers said they had been reduced to water scavengers.
The situation is getting worse owing to lack of repair and maintenance of boreholes and water points by the District Development Fund (DDF) department and the Rural District Council.
The villagers have reportedly engaged ward 18 councillor Mr Mativenga and the Ward Development Committee (WADCO) over the water challenges.
However, the community members are worried about government’s lame duck approach to the critical problem.
According to villagers, the situation on the ground is pathetic.
A local community borehole which serves Maputsa, Marufu, Chongore, Gaza and other local villages is currently not functioning.
The community members have been previously making contributions for the refurbishment of local boreholes.
“Villagers are now drawing water from unprotected shallow wells along Mushavhutwi River and Makambe Dam.
These water sources are being used by both humans and livestock, posing serious health risks to the people” said one community member.
Headman Madzivire, a WADCO member for Ward 18 confirmed the negotiations involving the Councillor, WADCO and COTRAD portfolio committee on water supply over the matter were in progress.
Improving access to clean water is critical especially during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
“COTRAD will continue to engage the local council and public officials until the water crisis is rectified.
Access to clean water is a constitutional right as enshrined in section 77 that, every person has the right to clean and safe water”, said Kupfuwa Ishmael, a COTRAD official.
Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has commended veteran nationalist Dr Kenneth Kaunda for playing a leading role in the liberation of African countries.
In his message on Zambia’s 56th Independence anniversary, President Chamisa described Dr Kaunda as a true African icon.
“Today(Saturday) is special.I have two memorials.
One for my uncle in Gweru and the other one for my brother Patson Dzamara… Sadly missed,” said President Chamisa in a statement.
He added:
“Zambia at 56;Freedom is contagious.
At great cost of the country, Dr KK & Zambia supported the Liberation Movements in Southern Africa.
We cherish this for generations to come.
One Africa, One people. I pray for peace in Zambia these trying times.Happy Independence Day Zambia.God bless Zambia!”
Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has challenged the Zanu PF administration to stop abusing ordinary Zimbabweans- by forcing them to participate in the Anti-Sanctions March.
According to President Chamisa, sanctions cannot be removed because of mere marching.
He also accused Zanu PF bigwigs using of ordinary citizens to pursue their selfish interests.
The restrictions target Zanu PF appatchiks who are violating human rights, looting State resources and politicizing aid.
“Sanctions can not be removed just because someone marched.
Those that imposed the targeted sanctions may not even notice that someone was marching.
The story of sanctions has always been filled with the lies.
The truth is, at most 200 individuals including entities were slapped with sanctions following unprecedented human rights abuse, corruption and mass electoral malpractice. That’s the truth.
Zimbabwe as a country is not under sanctions. There are laid down procedures that may be followed if ever someone is serious about having sanctions removed.
Don’t use the poor people to march for you just because you want to withdraw money from frozen foreign accounts. Give people the peace. Make peace with all men.
Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has challenged the Zanu PF administration to stop abusing ordinary Zimbabweans- by forcing them to participate in the Anti-Sanctions March.
According to President Chamisa, sanctions cannot be removed because of mere marching.
He also accused Zanu PF bigwigs using of ordinary citizens to pursue their selfish interests.
The restrictions target Zanu PF appatchiks who are violating human rights, looting State resources and politicizing aid.
“Sanctions can not be removed just because someone marched.
Those that imposed the targeted sanctions may not even notice that someone was marching.
The story of sanctions has always been filled with the lies.
The truth is, at most 200 individuals including entities were slapped with sanctions following unprecedented human rights abuse, corruption and mass electoral malpractice. That’s the truth.
Zimbabwe as a country is not under sanctions. There are laid down procedures that may be followed if ever someone is serious about having sanctions removed.
Don’t use the poor people to march for you just because you want to withdraw money from frozen foreign accounts. Give people the peace. Make peace with all men.
THE president of the United States is not just the leader of his country, he is probably the most powerful person on Earth. What he does changes life for all of us. Donald Trump is no exception.
So how exactly has Mr Trump changed the world?
How the world sees America
President Trump has repeatedly declared the US “the greatest country in the world”. But according to a recent 13-nation poll by the Pew Research Center, he hasn’t done much for its image overseas.
In many European countries, the percentage of the public with a positive view of America is at its lowest for almost 20 years. In the UK, 41% had a favourable opinion, while in France it was 31%, the lowest since 2003, and in Germany just 26%.
America’s response to the coronavirus pandemic was a major factor – only 15% of respondents felt the US had handled the virus well, according to figures from July and August.
Stepping back on climate change
It’s hard to pin down what President Trump believes about climate change, as he’s called it everything from “an expensive hoax”, to a “serious subject” that is “very important to me”. What is clear is that six months into the job, he dismayed scientists by announcing America’s withdrawal from Paris climate accord, which committed nearly 200 countries to keeping global temperature rises well under 2C.
The US is the second-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases behind China, and researchers have warned that if Mr Trump is re-elected, it may become impossible to keep global warming in check.
Rejecting the Paris agreement, the president claimed it “would have been shutting down American producers with excessive regulatory restrictions”. This has been a theme for Mr Trump, who has removed a raft of pollution regulations to cut the cost of producing coal, oil and gas.
Several US coal mines have still closed, however, driven by competition from cheaper natural gas and state efforts to support renewable energy. Government figures show renewable sources generated more energy than coal in the US in 2019, for the first time in more than 130 years.
America’s exit from the Paris climate deal formally takes effect on 4 November, the day after the presidential election. Joe Biden has pledged to rejoin the pact if he wins.
Fears that the US pull-out would prompt a domino effect have not been realised, although some observers believe it smoothed the path for Brazil and Saudi Arabia to block progress on cutting carbon emissions.
Closed borders, for some
President Trump set out his stall on immigration just a week after his inauguration, closing US borders to travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries. Currently 13 nations are subject to tight travel restrictions.
The number of foreign-born people living in the US was about 3% higher in 2019 than in 2016, President Obama’s last year in office. But who those immigrants are has changed.
The percentage of US residents born in Mexico has fallen steadily during Mr Trump’s term, while the number who moved from elsewhere in Latin America and the Caribbean has increased. There has also been a general tightening of the number of visas enabling people to settle permanently in the US – particularly for relatives of those already living there.
If there’s an emblem of President Trump’s immigration policy, it’s surely the “big, beautiful wall” he swore to build on the border with Mexico. As of 19 October, US
Customs and Border Protection says 371 miles of wall have been constructed – almost all of it replacement fencing where barriers already existed.
The work did not deter those desperate to reach America.
The number of migrants detained at the US-Mexico border hit its highest level for 12 years in 2019, spurred by a peak in arrivals during the spring. More than half were families, mostly from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, where violence and poverty are driving people to seek asylum and a new life elsewhere.
Turning to refugees, Donald Trump has made swingeing cuts to the number who can resettle in America. The US took in almost 85,000 refugees in the fiscal year 2016, which fell to under 54,000 people the following year.
In 2021, the maximum will be 15,000 people – the fewest since the refugee programme launched in 1980.
The rise of ‘fake news’
“I think one of the greatest of all terms I’ve come up with is ‘fake’,” Donald Trump said in an October 2017 interview. Although the president definitely didn’t invent the term “fake news”, it’s fair to say he popularised it. According to social media posts and audio transcripts monitored by Factba.se, he has used the phrase about 2,000 times since first tweeting it in December 2016.
Search Google for “fake news” today and you’ll get more than 1.1 billion results from all over the world. Charted over time, you can see how US interest rose in the winter of 2016-17, and spiked the week the president unveiled what he called the “Fake News Awards”, a list of news stories he viewed as false.
During the 2016 White House race, “fake news” meant untrue reports like one about Pope Francis endorsing Mr Trump for the presidency. But as it seeped into popular usage, that meaning shifted away from being just about misinformation.
The president has frequently used “fake news” to attack news stories he disagrees with. In February 2017, he took it further, branding several news outlets “the enemy of the American people”.
It’s a term that’s been picked up by leaders in Thailand, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, among others, and some have used allegations of spreading “fake news” to justify repression and prosecutions against opposition activists and journalists.
Civil society groups say that by using the term against credible reporting, politicians fundamentally undermine democracy, which relies on people agreeing what the basic facts are.
America’s ‘endless wars’, and a Middle East deal
In his February 2019 State of the Union address, President Trump pledged to withdraw US troops from Syria, declaring: “Great nations do not fight endless wars.”
The numbers paint a more nuanced story. Not least because months down the line, Mr Trump decided to keep about 500 troops in Syria after all to protect oil wells. The president has scaled back the presence he inherited in Afghanistan, and to an extent in Iraq and Syria. But American forces are still everywhere they were the day he took office.
There are ways to impact on the Middle East without troops, of course. President Trump overturned the objections of previous presidents by moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018, and recognising the city, including its occupied East, as Israel’s capital. Last month he hailed the “dawn of a new Middle East” when the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed agreements normalising relations with Israel – a move the US helped broker.
Rhetoric aside, this was perhaps the most significant diplomatic achievement of the Trump administration. The two Gulf states are just the third and fourth Arab nations in the Middle East to recognise Israel since it declared independence in 1948.
The art of the (trade) deal
President Trump seems to scorn deals he didn’t broker. On his first day in office, he dumped the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade deal approved by President Obama, after branding it “horrible”. The withdrawal mostly benefited China, which viewed the deal as an attempt to curb its influence in the Asia-Pacific region. But in the US, critics who felt the agreement would compromise American jobs cheered its demise.
Mr Trump also renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, which he called “perhaps the worst trade deal ever made”. Its replacement left much unchanged, but toughened up labour provisions and rules on the sourcing of car parts.
The president’s real fixation has been how America benefits from trade with the world.
The outcome was a bitter trade war with China, in which the world’s two largest economies imposed hundreds of billions of dollars of taxes on each other’s goods. It’s been a headache for US soybean farmers and the tech and auto industries. China was affected too, as businesses moved their manufacturing to countries like Vietnam and Cambodia to lower their costs.
For 2019, the US trade deficit in goods with China was slightly under its 2016 level. American companies imported less as they sought to avoid Mr Trump’s tariffs.
However, despite the coronavirus pandemic heavily influencing trends for 2020. America still imports more goods than it exports.
Tussles with China
This Trump tweet refers to a policy rollback so stunning that the phone call in question has its own Wikipedia page.
On 2 December 2016, Mr Trump (then president-elect) took the highly unusual step of speaking directly to the president of Taiwan – breaking with a precedent set in 1979, when formal relations were cut. Carrie Gracie, then the BBC’s China editor, predicted the move would prompt “alarm and anger” in Beijing, which sees Taiwan as a province of China not an independent state.
The bold opener from Mr Trump was the first in a multi-pronged poking contest between the great geopolitical rivals, which has sunk relations to their lowest point in years.
The US has irked China by declaring its territorial claims in the South China Sea illegal, heaping tariffs on its goods, banning downloads of the popular apps TikTok and WeChat, and blacklisting Chinese telecoms giant Huawei – which it claims is a threat to national security.
But the tensions did not begin under Mr Trump, and are driven in part by China’s own actions. President Xi Jinping, in power since 2013, has presided over a highly controversial national security law in Hong Kong, and the mass imprisonment of China’s Muslim minority Uighurs.
President Trump has renamed Covid-19 “the China virus”, and while he may be keen to deflect scrutiny from his own handling of the pandemic, a change of US leadership wouldn’t necessarily mean a more conciliatory tone. Democratic nominee Joe Biden has called President Xi a thug, and claimed the Chinese leader “doesn’t have a [democratic] bone in his body”.
An almost-war with Iran
“Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat,” Mr Trump tweeted on New Year’s Eve, 2019. “Happy New Year!”
Days later, to global shock, the US assassinated Qasem Suleimani, Iran’s most powerful general, and the man who spearheaded its military operations in the Middle East. Iran retaliated, firing more than a dozen ballistic missiles at two American bases in Iraq. More than 100 US troops were injured, and analysts deemed the nations on the brink of war.
There was no war, but innocent civilians still died: just hours after Iran’s missile strikes, its military mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing all 176 people on board.
How did it come to this? A series of mutual miscalculations made against a backdrop of mistrust.
The US and Iran have been at loggerheads since 1979, when Iran’s US-backed shah (its monarch) was overthrown, and 52 Americans were taken hostage inside the US embassy. In May 2018, Mr Trump ratcheted up tensions by abandoning a 2015 nuclear deal, under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. He then put in place what the White House called “the toughest sanctions regime ever imposed” – designed to compel Iran’s leaders into a deal more to his liking.
Tehran refused to bend. The sanctions drove Iran’s economy into severe recession, and by October 2019 the cost of food was up by 61% year-on-year and the price of tobacco by 80%. Suffering Iranians held widespread protests a month later.
While the coronavirus crisis has absorbed political attention in both hard-hit countries, their diplomatic channels remain few and their flashpoints numerous.
On 15 September 2020 I announced to the world that I had tested positive for COVID 19 because as a public figure I had that responsibility to my country and the world. It is unfortunate that many thought and still think the pandemic does not exist. It is real and is still infecting and affecting many Zimbabweans.
Let us therefore continue to be cautious and take all necessary measures to prevent its spread. I tested negative to Covid-19 and am now fully recovered and raring to go.
Many thanks to the hospital staff that did their best for me under difficult circumstances. I came face to face with the realities of our collapsed health delivery system. Hospitals are offering the barest minimum of care due to unavailability of adequate PPEs and medicines.
Vital tests are very expensive beyond the reach of the majority and take long to be done and there is a critical shortage of specialists to interpret results and attend to patients. There are no known drugs to cure COVID 19, except for the provision of oxygen and steroids to those with respiratory complications.
Besides that, all that the care givers do is to create the ideal environment for self- healing. It is imperative that a cure is found. In this endeavour, the government must allocate resources towards research.
We have no excuse and we must not wait for outsiders to develop a cure for us. We must strengthen our health institutions, both the traditional herbal and the international medical systems.
The Minister of Health has a responsibility to ensure professionalism returns in the health delivery system so that health goods are delivered to all who require them at affordable prices. The government must expedite the resolution of the standoff between the health personnel and the Ministry of Health.
I have spent a whole lot of time reflecting on the developments in both my party MDCT and the nation. I had the chance to reshape and perfect my vision for the Party and Zimbabwe.
MY BID
I will reiterate the message I sent out to you on our 21st Anniversary this year. I am offering my candidature for the presidency of the MDCT at the impending Extraordinary Congress.
If voted for at our forthcoming EOC I will gratefully serve as the President of our great party. With the plan of action I have, I am convinced that together we can build a formidable team of fighters for change, right from branch to the national organs.
This is the team that can defeat ZANUPF at the polls in 2023 and make Zimbabwe work again.
Vision
A united, virtuous MDCT family working together harmoniously to win the 2023 Harmonized Elections and delivering the Zimbabwe we all want.
Agenda
We need to refocus our attention away from this bruising internal competition for power to the education, mobilization and preparation of our people for the 2023 Harmonized Elections.
.The EOC must quickly be dispensed with so that the unnecessary divisions are put behind us. Coming up with Dr M. R. Tsvangirai’s successor should not be a dog –eat- dog affair. As is being suggested by our structures, the members of the party must quickly and democratically build consensus around the ideal candidate before the event. The Congress should just be there to endorse the candidate as has been our tradition since our inaugural congress in 2000. It should not be a difficult matter as all candidates are known to the Electoral College.
The MDCT EOC must be quintessential of a democratic process that the country, Africa and the world would emulate.
As a matter of principle, all those who respect democracy, constitutionalism and fair play must never allow or be part of a process with a predetermined outcome and that does not meet the above standards which we demand from ZANUPF all the time. Genuine democracy is a principle the heroes and heroines of the liberation struggle sacrificed for. It is one of the founding values behind the formation of the MDC.
Intra-party and inter-party dialogue is a critical function of any serious leadership of any organization. Indeed as Zimbabwean people we must dialogue among ourselves in order to find lasting solutions to the problems that have been with us for decades. The political polarization that has brought mistrust among Zimbabweans and stalled economic progress must come to an end. It must never be a question of “US” and “THEM” as we are members of the same family where everyone regardless of class, gender or ethnic origin must have equal opportunities to participate in the governance and economic activities of our country.
The government’s distributive authority must be used to benefit all Zimbabweans. All our youths, women and men must be included in all government empowerment programs. To this end, our communities and different cultural groups must be organized around a shared national vision that should result in the rebuilding and respecting all our national institutions. The following will be priority areas that will be given urgent attention soon after assuming office as President of the Party:
• Restoration of MRT House and Legacy: The sacredness of MRT House, formerly known as Harvest House, which is our national headquarters, will be restored. It is an august house that must never be defiled by unnecessary and unreasonable fights.
• Democracy: Restoration of constitutionalism and respect for all organs of the party in collective decision making. MDC is an institution that is respected as the largest opposition party poised to replace ZANU PF. It must therefore respect its values and observe international best practices governing modern democratic institutions.
• People’s Participation: In line with our tradition and values we will resume grassroots consultations and participation in decision making in the party. Wisdom is not a preserve of a few top leaders.
• Elected Officials: MPs and councillors will always come from the people. NO to imposition of candidates and no to corruption in the selection processes. • The Big Tent Concept: We need to unite in the party and nationally. After our EOC, we will bring together all those who have been in the trenches under one banner, one big happy family of democrats. All old and new cadres will be accommodated. A comprehensive recruitment drive will be initiated.
• Political Victims: We will update our roll of political victims. My family was a victim of political violence during the June 27 2008 presidential runoff campaign that saw hundreds of our members getting murdered in cold blood or being forced into exile by Mugabe’s military regime. We need to heal and counsel the victims.
• Political Prisoners: We will engage the government on all political prisoners and negotiate their release
• Violence: The party will reshape the youth wing to become a productive, self – reliant and respectable wing of the party which will never be associated with violence • Gender: Ensure equal representation of women in all leadership positions of the party • Engage the government on the political, social & economic reform agenda for recovery, development and prosperity.
THE NATION
Issues
Transition Problem
Zimbabwe is caught up in a transitional logjam. To unlock this logjam, we will initiate the first genuine attempt to seek the people’s concerns about problems and solutions to the logjam through an inclusive thorough process of research and consultations. We must depart from the confrontational approach to persuasion, engagement, unification and bridging gaps, to achieve reforms (Economic, social and political). This will eventually lead to a free and fair election that will be accepted by political players and the nation at large.
We need to work together to ensure that the economic problems bedeviling our country such as – poverty, corruption, sky rocketing prices, erosion of incomes, lack of investment, become a thing of the past.
The country has to focus on socio- economic development and choose dependable economic partners and destinations. The guiding principle will always be that Zimbabwean problems can only be solved by Zimbabweans when they sit down together as brothers and sisters.
Strengthening of and respect for State Institutions: ❖ There is need to reform our state institutions so that they become more robust, technical and compliant to the dictates of their respective functions. This will ensure that there are checks and balances in the governance systems.
If elected President of MDC-T at the EOC I will ensure that we get into the 2023 harmonised elections as a united family with one objective of taking over power from ZANU PF so as to change the fortunes of Zimbabwe. We must not betray the people of Zimbabwe who in the more than twenty years have invested so much into this project of change for a better Zimbabwe.
ZANU-PF MP for Nkayi South Stars Mathe shocked legislators on Wednesday after she requested for an opportunity to wail over sanctions in the National Assembly in the middle of a debate.
This comes as Zimbabwe and Sadc will on Sunday mark the Anti-Sanctions Day after a declaration by regional member states last year to unite in the call for the unconditional removal of the “unjust” economic restrictions that have had a debilitating effect on the country’s economic development.
Mathe made the request to cry during Parliament’s question and answer session through a supplementary question to the leader of government business, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, on what the executive was doing to help citizens who lost their jobs owing to coronavirus (Covid-19).
“Before I ask my supplementary question, allow me to cry because this week is meant for crying — mayibabo ngamasanctions mayibabo! My supplementary question Madam Speaker to the Honourable minister is what measures are you putting in place to make sure that those who have lost jobs are getting their jobs back and those who suffered extreme poverty due to Covid-19 are alleviated once the pandemic is over?” Mathe asked.
The request was met with sarcasm from MDC Alliance MP for Mbizo Settlement Chikwinya, who appeared puzzled and asked for a clarification after raising a point of order.
“Honourable Mathe made some noise and I thought I needed an explanation on what that meant. I took some time trying to figure out what the expression was and its relevance to Parliament.
“Can she be allowed to explain to us what she meant? It was like she was crying and I am not quite sure what the problem is,” Chikwinya said.
National Assembly acting Speaker Tsitsi Gezi explained that the majority of MPs had understood Mathe’s request as it was an expression of interest.
“As legislators, we have got a role to represent people and that is one of our mandates. Therefore, she was representing people in the call against sanctions,” Gezi said.
Yet Chikwinya did not relent on making a caricature of his fellow legislator, saying: “I was worried because I heard exactly the same cry last night at the hotel in room 306 so, I am not quite sure to whom she was referring”.
“I am not saying it was her crying — I am just saying there was a similar cry at the hotel in room 306,” Chikwinya said. This prompted Gezi to call Chikwinya to order and directed the opposition legislator to withdraw his words as they carried overtones of sarcasm, caricature and, therefore, un-parliamentary.
“When we are in this House, we believe that we are supposed to speak maturely. I understand those were your sentiments, but I do not think it will be good for you to be uttering words that can relate otherwise.
“I am kindly asking you to withdraw those words as much as it is something which happened which you are very much relating to but truly speaking, it leaves a lot to be desired. May you kindly withdraw those words?” Gezi said.
US coronavirus cases have hit a record daily high as states grapple with a renewed wave of infections.
Citing data from local state health authorities, the Covid Tracking Project reported 83,010 new cases on Friday.
US Surgeon General Jerome Adams has warned that hospital admission numbers are growing, but mortality rates are falling due to better patient care.
It comes as pharma giants AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson resume US vaccine trials after approval from regulators.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also warned that countries in the Northern Hemisphere are at a “critical juncture”.
“The next few months are going to be very tough and some countries are on a dangerous track,” said director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking to reporters.
What are the latest US figures?
According to the Covid Tracking Project, nearly 8.5 million cases of coronavirus have been reported in America since the pandemic began.
The daily increase on Friday surpassed by more than 6,000 cases the tracking project’s previous record of 76,842 on 17 July.
Over the last week, the US has tallied 441,541 new infections – its largest seven-day increase since the end of July.
The number of people who’ve died after contracting coronavirus has also steadily increased during the last six days, but is still significantly below the peak of over 2,000 daily deaths reported in April.
Hospital admission numbers are rising, too. As of Friday, 41,485 people were being treated in hospital, according to Covid Tracking Project data. This was the highest figure since the end of August, but it was also lower than figures reported in April and July.
Data for Friday has not yet been released by the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC). But on Thursday the CDC reported 74,380 new cases, its third-highest number on record.
Which states are worst affected?
America’s Midwest continues to be the hardest-hit region of the country, with cases soaring in states like North Dakota, Montana and Wisconsin.
In Ohio, a key battleground state for the upcoming presidential election, authorities recorded their worst daily case increase for a third day running.
Others in the region, including Illinois and Indiana, also saw daily rises near or at record highs on Friday.
Meanwhile, in the south-west cases reached an all-time high in Utah, where new mandatory mask rules have been introduced in 21 counties.
Governor Gary Herbert warned that the virus’s impact had seriously impacted local hospital capacity.
“Up until now, our hospitals have been able to provide good care to all Covid and non-Covid patients who need it. But today we stand on the brink,” said Mr Herbert.
“If Utahans do not take serious steps to limit group gatherings and wear masks, our healthcare providers will not have the ability to provide quality care for everyone who needs it.”
How is this impacting the US presidential race?
America’s coronavirus outbreak has become a key policy battleground ahead of the November election.
President Donald Trump and Joe Biden clashed over the subject during Thursday’s presidential debate, and the two candidates have continued to present starkly different views over the way ahead.
At a rally in Florida on Friday, President Trump promised supporters that the pandemic would end soon, and accused Mr Biden of overstating the crisis to scare people into voting for him.
Meanwhile, while speaking at an event in Delaware, Mr Biden said the president had given up on containing the virus.
The former vice-president said that, if elected, he would ask state governors to mandate the use of masks, put a national testing plan in place, and order the production of personal protective equipment.
Mr Biden also pledged to make the Covid-19 vaccine free for every American if one is approved. A similar plan was unveiled by the federal government in September, as part of a White House initiative dubbed Operation Warp Speed.
According to the WHO, 44 vaccine candidates are being clinically evaluated, including those by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which is being developed with Britain’s Oxford University, is considered one of the world’s most promising. But the project paused its global phase 3 trials last month after a volunteer in Britain became ill.
US regulators have now given the green light to resume the trial, as has already happened in the UK, Brazil, South Africa and Japan.
Johnson & Johnson suspended its US trial last week after a participant fell ill but now says it has “found no evidence that the vaccine candidate caused the event”.
AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson both have contracts to provide their vaccines to the US government if approved by regulators.
ZIMBABWE Republic Police CID Director, Crispen Charumbira has been granted ZWL10 000 bail on fresh charges of obstructing the course of justice.
ZRP Criminal Investigation Department Director, Chrispen Charumbira, who is on bail on criminal abuse of office charges, appeared in court once again this charged with defeating or obstructing the course of justice and an alternative charge of criminal abuse of office.
The state did not oppose to the granting of bail to Charumbira, who allegedly ordered the release of a suspected gold dealer without following due procedure.
As part of his bail conditions, Charumbira was ordered to continue residing at the given address, not to interfere with witnesses and report once every Friday at the nearest police station.
The Presiding prosecutor alleged that sometime in 2019, detectives; Constable Mashange, Constable Chada and Constable Mahere arrested one David Macheche in Mutare for dealing in or being in possession of gold without a license.
The trio escorted the alleged suspect to Mutare central police where they briefed detective Inspector Felix Machaka who was the officer in charge.
One, David Crosby then allegedly entered into the office where the trio was briefing the officer in charge, and handed over a phone alleging that Charumbira wanted to talk to the officer in charge.
It is alleged the accused unlawfully directed detective Inspector Machaka to release the suspect without confirmation of existence of a license or recording the exhibit and without pressing any charges but ordered them to return the recovered gold to the suspect.
Machaka allegedly complied with the instruction of Charumbira and returned the gold without entering into official books or pressing charges.
Charumbira was remanded out of custody to the 11th of November.
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority workers working on a new electricity line …Picture by Kudakwashe Hunda
GOVERNMENT says the provision of sustainable energy is key to socio-economic development. This came out during the launch of a biogas project at Ruya Adventist High School in Mt Darwin. The biogas digester at one of the 82 rural institutional facilities established by the Rural Electrification Fund countrywide is expected to ease cooking and lighting challenges at the school and surrounding community. Speaking during the launch of the project, the Minister of Energy and Power Development, Honourable Zhemu Soda said while treasury has allocated 70 million Zimbabwe dollars towards rural electrification, it is imperative for institutions to cascade the initiative to a household level.
“Provision of biogas will no doubt bring numerous benefits to the institutions and the surrounding communities. Embrace the new technologies and I would like to urge schools, clinics other government institutions, rural households and farms to take advantage of the Rural Electrification program and raise their standard of living through maximum use of raw waste,” he said. Rural Electrification Fund Board Member, Engineer Patridge Ndemera said the target for universal access to energy by 2030 is achievable. “While the Rural Electrification Fund has made significant strides in extending electricity grid infrastructure to rural areas, a lot more needs to be done with regards to development and dissemination of renewable energy technologies for rural communities in Zimbabwe,” he said. Other stakeholders also noted the need to shift towards the use of sustainable and environmentally friendly sources of power. “Schools have shown that they can lead the way through innovation, therefore the community should tap into this for the attainment of the national goals…..……renewable energy is an enabler of economic enterprise, it one cheap and safe means of energy use,” they said. The Rural Electrification Fund has electrified a total of 9 507 rural Institutions countrywide using both grid and solar technology. President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the National Energy Renewable Energy Policy in March this year, outlining the development of renewable and clean energy solutions.
Its been a while since Warriors legend and Mamelodi Sundowns team manager Peter Ndlovu was spotted on the Masandawana bench, prompting questions as to why that is.
The former Zimbabwean captain was last seen on the Brazilians’ bench before the novel Covid-19 pandemic brought football to a halt in March.
An investigation by Soccer24 revealed that the role of the Flying Elephant, as Ndlovu was affectionately known during his illustrious career in gold and green, is now more of a players’ welfare than technical, that is why he no longer sits on the bench.
Before he left for Egyptian giants Al Ahly, former Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane was making use of a ‘match analyst’, one whose role was technical hence sat on the bench, meaning Ndlovu’s role was now more of welfare of the players rather than technical.
Ndlovu still has the same role at Chloorkop in a new system which has three coaches, Rulani Mokwena, Manqoba Mngqithi and Steve Komphela-Soccer 24 Zimbabwe
Gerald Takwara is in South Africa awaiting clearance from his Zimbabwean club, Ngezi Platinum, to complete a move to top-flight side Chippa United.
According to the Herald, the midfielder recently sneaked out of the country where he agreed on personal terms with the Chilli Boys.
But Ngezi are demanding a fee from the Port Elizabeth-based side as they cannot release the player for free.
In an interview with the publication, club secretary-general, Cloete Munjoma, said: “For starters, we did not clear Gerald (Takwara) to go to South Africa. He is our player, and we don’t even know how he ended up in South Africa.
“It is actually confusing how he ended up in South Africa.
“Well, Chippa United have been in touch with us whereupon, they are asking us to clear the player to join them.
“There is definitely no way we can stand in the player’s way but, look, Gerald (Takwara) remains our player, and we have been honouring our contractual obligations, paying him his dues, just like all of our employees.
“But, we cannot let him go for free. He is our investment, and we have since told Chippa United to come up with a reasonable offer, but they haven’t come back to us as yet.
“We bought the player last year. He is still ours, and there is no way he can join another team for free. That doesn’t make any business sense.”
Takwara returned to Zimbabwe and joined Madamburo mid last year after he was released by the now-defunct Ajax Cape Town-Soccer 24
Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has challenged the Zanu PF administration to stop abusing ordinary Zimbabweans- by forcing them to participate in the Anti-Sanctions March.
According to President Chamisa, sanctions cannot be removed because of mere marching.
He also accused Zanu PF bigwigs using of ordinary citizens to pursue their selfish interests.
The restrictions target Zanu PF appatchiks who are violating human rights, looting State resources and politicizing aid.
“Sanctions can not be removed just because someone marched.
Those that imposed the targeted sanctions may not even notice that someone was marching.
The story of sanctions has always been filled with the lies.
The truth is, at most 200 individuals including entities were slapped with sanctions following unprecedented human rights abuse, corruption and mass electoral malpractice. That’s the truth.
Zimbabwe as a country is not under sanctions. There are laid down procedures that may be followed if ever someone is serious about having sanctions removed.
Don’t use the poor people to march for you just because you want to withdraw money from frozen foreign accounts. Give people the peace. Make peace with all men.
Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance has said the swearing in of Thokozani Khupe as leader of the opposition in Parliament is a gross violation of democratic processes.
In a statement the MDC Alliance denounced manoeuvres by Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to suppress the will of the people.
See full statement below:
FULL TEXT: MDC-A Communiqué On National Council Meeting
OCTOBER 24, 2020
On the 23rd of October 2020, the National Council of the MDC Alliance met in accordance with the party’s constitution.
The following matters were tabled for deliberation:
Livelihoods: The National Council received reports from all provinces on the deepening crisis of poverty in all provinces that has been caused by Zanu PF’s bad governance.
Teachers, doctors and nurses are incapacitated due to wage erosion and the worsening economic crisis.
Reports were also received of the politicization of Covid-19 food aid and Pfumvudza program assistance.
Most provinces are suffering from the continued hunger crisis and a lack of inputs for the upcoming agricultural season.
Human Security and Bad Governance Crisis: The National Council was briefed on the continued rise of abduction cases in all provinces where MDC Alliances leaders and pro-democracy activists are being routinely targeted.
There is also a coordinated weaponization of the law by the State where MDC Alliance members and pro-democracy activists have been arrested and detained on spurious charges in an attempt to silence their criticism of the government.
Recalls of Elected Representatives: The National Council received a comprehensive briefing on the capture of state institutions that have been used to fraudulently elevate Ms Khupe to Parliament and recall duly elected Members of Parliament and local government representatives in a clear breach of the will of the people.
The Council noted its strong displeasure with these unconstitutional acts and the continued onslaught on the will of the people.
The recalled MDC Alliance officials remain committed to serving the people notwithstanding what has transpired.
By-Elections: Preparations for by-elections are at an advanced stage. The Council received a detailed elections report.
All systems are in place to ensure that the party is well-positioned to carry out its mandate in respect of the people.
The demand for a free, fair and credible electoral process that accords with the constitutional standard and for the wholesale reform of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the electoral playing field were re-affirmed.
Health of the Party: The National Council took note of the sound health of the party as all branches and structures are solid and growing.
The strategic focus shall be directed towards energizing the basis with a particular emphasis on the rural strategy.
Action will be taken on implementing programmes centred around the party’s big fights, namely, the fight for the return to legitimacy and democracy, the fight for a people’s Government, the fight against corruption, the fight for better livelihoods and the fight in defence of the Constitution and Constitutionalism.
Attention will be devoted to renewing the institutional and administrative capacity of the party as well as developing modern, data-driven protocols and systems that are in tune with the demands of the communities the party serves.
The party will update all policies in line with the changing realities and new threats and emerging opportunities.
The National Council committed to remaining unwavering in championing the cause of the Zimbabwean people, being the legitimate voice of the suffering masses and leading a broad front to confront Zanu PF in the fight to win Zimbabwe for change.
Farai Dziva| A critical shortage of water has hit communities in Zaka.
Water points are dry while boreholes need to be fixed as a matter of urgency.
Speaking during a feedback meeting facilitated by Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development (COTRAD) in ward 18, villagers said they had been reduced to water scavengers.
The situation is getting worse owing to lack of repair and maintenance of boreholes and water points by the District Development Fund (DDF) department and the Rural District Council.
The villagers have reportedly engaged ward 18 councillor Mr Mativenga and the Ward Development Committee (WADCO) over the water challenges.
However, the community members are worried about government’s lame duck approach to the critical problem.
According to villagers, the situation on the ground is pathetic.
A local community borehole which serves Maputsa, Marufu, Chongore, Gaza and other local villages is currently not functioning.
The community members have been previously making contributions for the refurbishment of local boreholes.
“Villagers are now drawing water from unprotected shallow wells along Mushavhutwi River and Makambe Dam.
These water sources are being used by both humans and livestock, posing serious health risks to the people” said one community member.
Headman Madzivire, a WADCO member for Ward 18 confirmed the negotiations involving the Councillor, WADCO and COTRAD portfolio committee on water supply over the matter were in progress.
Improving access to clean water is critical especially during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
“COTRAD will continue to engage the local council and public officials until the water crisis is rectified.
Access to clean water is a constitutional right as enshrined in section 77 that, every person has the right to clean and safe water”, said Kupfuwa Ishmael, a COTRAD official.
Heartburn is a burning pain in your chest, just behind your breastbone. The pain is often worse after eating, in the evening, or when lying down or bending over.
Occasional heartburn is common and no cause for alarm. Most people can manage the discomfort of heartburn on their own with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications.
Heartburn that is more frequent or interferes with your daily routine may be a symptom of a more serious condition that requires medical care.
Symptoms
Symptoms of heartburn include:
A burning pain in the chest that usually occurs after eating and may occur at night Pain that worsens when lying down or bending overBitter or acidic taste in the mouth
When to see a doctor
Seek immediate help if you experience severe chest pain or pressure, especially when combined with other signs and symptoms such as pain in the arm or jaw or difficulty breathing. Chest pain may be a symptom of a heart attack.
Make an appointment with your doctor if:
Heartburn occurs more than twice a week Symptoms persist despite use of over-the-counter medications You have difficulty swallowing You have persistent nausea or vomiting You have weight loss because of poor appetite or difficulty eating.
Causes
Heartburn occurs when stomach acid backs up into the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach (esophagus).
Normally when you swallow, a band of muscle around the bottom of your esophagus (lower esophageal sphincter) relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow down into your stomach. Then the muscle tightens again.
If the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes abnormally or weakens, stomach acid can flow back up into your esophagus (acid reflux) and cause heartburn. The acid backup may be worse when you’re bent over or lying down.
Risk factors
Certain foods and drinks can trigger heartburn in some people, including:
Spicy foodsOnionsCitrus productsTomato products, such as ketchupFatty or fried foodsPeppermintChocolateAlcohol, carbonated beverages, coffee or other caffeinated beveragesLarge or fatty meals
Being overweight or pregnant also can increase your risk of experiencing heartburn.
Complications
Heartburn that occurs frequently and interferes with your routine is considered gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
GERD treatment may require prescription medications and, occasionally, surgery or other procedures.
GERD can seriously damage your esophagus or lead to precancerous changes in the esophagus called Barrett’s esophagus.
Source :Mayo Clinic
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information follow /like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga failed to save his ZANU PF allies from demotion during Wednesday’s tense politburo meeting, the Zimbabwe Independent reports.
Mashonaland East provincial affairs minister Apolonia Munzverengwi, Chegutu West legislator Dexter Nduna, and Matabeleland North provincial youth chair Tamuka Nyoni – all believed to be Chiwenga’s allies – were censored in one form or another during the tense politburo meeting.
Munzverengwi was demoted from the women’s league national political commissar position to become deputy secretary for lands, Nduna lost his position as Mashonaland West provincial vice-chairperson, becoming a mere card-carrying member and prevented from holding any position in the party for a year. Nyoni suffered a similar fate.
The Zimbabwe Independent reports that Chiwenga personally tried in vain to save both Munzverengwi and Nduna from facing stiffer penalties.
The former army general was however successful in convincing the politburo to rescind the national disciplinary committee (NDC)’s decision to expel Nduna from the party.
Mashonaland West the provincial chairman Ziyambi Ziyambi, secretary for security Lovemore Matuke, and national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri were all at one point or another involved in the heated discussion. ZimInd quoted its politburo source as saying: The province (Mashonaland West) had recommended that [Nduna] should be suspended for five years and when the matter came up for discussion, Matuke suggested he should also be enrolled at the Chitepo School of Ideology.
However, the vice president quickly dismissed the suggestion saying it would be an abuse of the facility.
He declared that there was no way Nduna would be sent to the ideological school and in the end, it was agreed that he should be suspended from holding a leadership position in the party for just one year.
Munzverengwi was supposedly censored for bringing the name of the party into disrepute after a nude picture of her went viral on social media last year. A politburo member is quoted as saying: The general feeling in the meeting was that she was being treated unfairly. Again it was Chiwenga who leapt to her defence first.
He clearly stated that there was nothing immoral about the photograph, which only showed her body from the chest upward.
He actually left the meeting in stitches when he suggested that there were some very senior party members who had done much worse things and no such punishment had been imposed on them.
So basically, it was agreed that since she had accepted her demotion during the hearing, it should not be altered-ZimIndependent
Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance has said the swearing in of Thokozani Khupe as leader of the opposition in Parliament is a gross violation of democratic processes.
In a statement the MDC Alliance denounced manoeuvres by Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to suppress the will of the people.
See full statement below:
FULL TEXT: MDC-A Communiqué On National Council Meeting
OCTOBER 24, 2020
On the 23rd of October 2020, the National Council of the MDC Alliance met in accordance with the party’s constitution.
The following matters were tabled for deliberation:
Livelihoods: The National Council received reports from all provinces on the deepening crisis of poverty in all provinces that has been caused by Zanu PF’s bad governance.
Teachers, doctors and nurses are incapacitated due to wage erosion and the worsening economic crisis.
Reports were also received of the politicization of Covid-19 food aid and Pfumvudza program assistance.
Most provinces are suffering from the continued hunger crisis and a lack of inputs for the upcoming agricultural season.
Human Security and Bad Governance Crisis: The National Council was briefed on the continued rise of abduction cases in all provinces where MDC Alliances leaders and pro-democracy activists are being routinely targeted.
There is also a coordinated weaponization of the law by the State where MDC Alliance members and pro-democracy activists have been arrested and detained on spurious charges in an attempt to silence their criticism of the government.
Recalls of Elected Representatives: The National Council received a comprehensive briefing on the capture of state institutions that have been used to fraudulently elevate Ms Khupe to Parliament and recall duly elected Members of Parliament and local government representatives in a clear breach of the will of the people.
The Council noted its strong displeasure with these unconstitutional acts and the continued onslaught on the will of the people.
The recalled MDC Alliance officials remain committed to serving the people notwithstanding what has transpired.
By-Elections: Preparations for by-elections are at an advanced stage. The Council received a detailed elections report.
All systems are in place to ensure that the party is well-positioned to carry out its mandate in respect of the people.
The demand for a free, fair and credible electoral process that accords with the constitutional standard and for the wholesale reform of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the electoral playing field were re-affirmed.
Health of the Party: The National Council took note of the sound health of the party as all branches and structures are solid and growing.
The strategic focus shall be directed towards energizing the basis with a particular emphasis on the rural strategy.
Action will be taken on implementing programmes centred around the party’s big fights, namely, the fight for the return to legitimacy and democracy, the fight for a people’s Government, the fight against corruption, the fight for better livelihoods and the fight in defence of the Constitution and Constitutionalism.
Attention will be devoted to renewing the institutional and administrative capacity of the party as well as developing modern, data-driven protocols and systems that are in tune with the demands of the communities the party serves.
The party will update all policies in line with the changing realities and new threats and emerging opportunities.
The National Council committed to remaining unwavering in championing the cause of the Zimbabwean people, being the legitimate voice of the suffering masses and leading a broad front to confront Zanu PF in the fight to win Zimbabwe for change.
By A Correspondent- An MDC Alliance MP, Kucaca Phulu, has said the party’s parliamentarians did not boycott President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the opening of the Third Session of the Ninth Parliament of Zimbabwe on Thursday.
MDC Alliance MPs, who have hitherto been walking out or booing Mnangagwa while he is addressing the nation in Parliament, were absent from Parliament when the President made the virtual address at the State House in Harare.
While MDC-T MPs and the party’s interim president Thokozani Khupe, who was recently appointed leader of the opposition in Parliament, attended the virtual address, legislators aligned to MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa were not present.
Phulu, the MDC Alliance MP for Nkulumane in Bulawayo dismissed assertions they had boycotted SONA. He said: I did not boycott Parliament as reported by some media organisations. The fact is that I and other MPs were not invited to attend the function due to Covid-19.
Actually, Parliament circulated a list of parliamentarians and cabinet ministers who were supposed to attend the opening.
I know a lot of MPs who were unable to attend Parliament and followed the parliamentary proceedings from their different bases.
So, it is not true that I snubbed Parliament.
MDC Alliance MPs have routinely snubbed Mnangagwa, insisting that he lacks legitimacy.
Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has commended veteran nationalist Dr Kenneth Kaunda for playing a leading role in the liberation of African countries.
In his message on Zambia’s 56th Independence anniversary, President Chamisa described Dr Kaunda as a true African icon.
“Today(Saturday) is special.I have two memorials.
One for my uncle in Gweru and the other one for my brother Patson Dzamara… Sadly missed,” said President Chamisa in a statement.
He added:
“Zambia at 56;Freedom is contagious.
At great cost of the country, Dr KK & Zambia supported the Liberation Movements in Southern Africa.
We cherish this for generations to come.
One Africa, One people. I pray for peace in Zambia these trying times.Happy Independence Day Zambia.God bless Zambia!”
By A Correspondent- Teachers’ unions have described as “daylight robbery” Government’s approval of a steep hike in school fees, a development which was confirmed by Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema.
The latest school fees increases will see some pupils at boarding and urban day high schools forking out in excess of $55 000 up from $6 000 and $20 000 up from $3 000 per term, respectively.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said the fees were certainly beyond the reach of many parents, particularly civil servants. He said:
Our position is that parents must stop paying fees until teachers and government find each other over teachers’ welfare, health and safety.
Sending kids to school when teachers are not teaching is a waste of time; the fees are certainly beyond the reach of many parents, particularly teachers.
Mathema asserted that the fees hikes had been approved after no parent formally raised objections with his ministry.
However, parents who spoke to NewsDay said school heads just presented them with figures to choose from and the process was not clear at all.5
Zhou said some school heads manipulated the parents by giving them inflated figures to choose from and in some cases school heads bribe education officials to have their fees approved.
Said Zhou: … school heads have learnt ways of cutting corners and even get government approval of fees without following appropriate procedures.
Heads manipulate attendance registers so that they are presented as consent over a figure that even parents would have shot down, while in some cases, heads bribe authorities at the provincial level to get fees approvals.
Some fees are even unilateral, pegged by schools without input from parents.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwean government has said the target for universal access to energy by 2030 is achievable provided stakeholders are willing to embrace new technologies.
Minister of Energy and Power Development, Zhemu Soda spoke during the launch of a biogas project at Ruya Adventist High School in Mt Darwin and said the treasury has allocated 70 million Zimbabwe dollars towards rural electrification. He said:
Provision of biogas will no doubt bring numerous benefits to the institutions and the surrounding communities. Embrace the new technologies and I would like to urge schools, clinics other government institutions, rural households and farms to take advantage of the Rural Electrification program and raise their standard of living through maximum use of raw waste.
ZBC News reports that the Rural Electrification Fund countrywide has so far established 82 rural institutional facilities to ease energy challenges in communities.
Meanwhile, Rural Electrification Fund Board Member, Engineer Patridge Ndemera said the target for universal access to energy by 2030 is achievable adding that the Fund had made efforts in extending electricity grid infrastructure to rural areas.
This comes when last year the country recorded the worst power shortages in the past decade resulting in low production across sectors.
ZBC News reports that the Rural Electrification Fund has electrified a total of 9 507 rural Institutions countrywide using both grid and solar technology in line with the National Energy Renewable Energy Policy launched by President Mnangagwa in March this year
By A Correspondent- The United Kingdom’s ambassador to Zimbabwe Mrs Melanie Robinson has reiterated that her country did not impose trade restrictions on Zimbabwe amid confusion as to what is really entailed by the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
Her remarks come as Zimbabwe and the Southern African Community Development at large are gearing up for 25 October a day set aside by the regional body to call for the unconditional removal of sanctions.
Mrs Robinson posted on Twitter as the ruling ZANU PF has often cited sanctions as one of the leading factors that have affected its bid to run the country well. She posted:
There’s no UK trade embargo on Zimbabwe: we’ve just welcomed Zimbabwe’s ratification of an EPA which will mean exporters continue to enjoy tariff & quota free access to the UK market. The UK is Zimbabwe’s 19th largest export market #itsnotsanctions#theUKstandswithZimbabweans
The diplomat speaks after the UK’s Minister for Africa had said his country imposed sanctions on a few individuals for violation of human rights.
Sanctions were imposed on the country two decades ago following the controversial fast track land reform programme that left many white farmers landless.
A number of government officials and some senior army officials, as well as some companies they own or control, are on the sanctions list.
ZANU PF says the coercive measures are only meant to champion the regime change agenda in the former British colony.
By A Correspondent| A Harare elderly woman was ordered to sell her posh flat in the Harare CBD and hand the money to controversial preacher Walter Magaya for a fake property he claimed was under construction in the Westgate area.
The self proclaimed prophet forced the vulnerable elder, who is a pensioner, to trade off her residence for a non existent mansion.
To force his sale through, Magaya had shown her a place where he announced he is building new flats, in Wonderland Estates (after Westgate along Lomagundi road).
This is a scheme first exposed by ZimEye.com three years ago.
ZimEye remains dedicated to expose more of Magaya’s frauds, to give victims a voice so they can recover their money’s.
At one point Magaya had already taken the woman to the fake property “saying this is yours.” She would 3 years later discoverthat it was all fake and the whole piece of land is actually owned by some Chinese businessperson.
At one time during court hearings, the elder’s lawyer tried to obtain restitution from an unfinished property at the estate, only to be told that the so called MAGAYA estate has since been sold off to some undisclosed Chinese businessmen, as the complainant narrates.
“My client was concerned saying she might be killed by MAGAYA’s people. According to her MAGAYA kills those who exposes him,” the lawyer Frank Nyangani tells ZimEye.
“It was MAGAYA who persuaded her saying you can actually sell this flat and invest in this bigger thing,” he adds.
He continues saying, “all along she was scared if the matter is published…”
Mr Nyangani however said she has since changed her mind and now says, “if he kills me let him kill me.”
Magaya had shown her 20 houses.
Magaya’s defence was the elderly had paid USD70,000 and he says this was a deposit; she is supposed to pay USD 140,000 so she must pay him an additional USD70,000 and he will refund her USD70,000 in bond note value.
A writ of execution has since been obtained to attach Magaya’s property.
Zim Parks scouts in training – readers please note: the above are not linked to this scandal
By Claris Magwenzi | Whistle blowers from ZIMPARKS have reported the Wildlife authority to the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission.
The reports are over irregular appointments of 7 top executives at the authority. The officials include Timothy Kuguyo, Gift Kuora, Roseline Mandisodza, Arthur Musakwa among others.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has corruption scandals which have remained hidden from the face of the public.
Part of the report read:
At the core of the corruption syndicate at Zimparks is a group of incompetent and corrupt elements who were corruptly hired and promoted to further personal causes.
Edward Chitiyo is currently an Economist Zimparks , he was appointed from outside the authority at D1 Level under the Business Development Unit. No interviews were done, no advert was flighted, he was upgraded to D3 following an instruction from Board Vice Chair-Mrs Mpamhanga. The position was not on the organizational structure, it was introduced from nowhere, and the grading justification was also flawed. Chitiyo was allegedly in a questionable relationship with Mrs Mpamhanga. Chitiyo wanted to become the Business Development Manager (BDM) at grade D5. To further this cause Chitiyo catalyzed the dismissal of the then BDM (Mr Gregory Nyaguse) because he had commented and red flagged Chitiyo’s relationship with Mrs Mpamhanga to Chitiyo in a peer discussion.
There were allegations that Nyaguse was loyal to Chidziya therefore he had to be removed despite good performance, Chidziya had to be removed even though he had not done wrong or dismissible offense.
During that time Mrs Tom was Acting Director Commercial Services on appointment of Mrs Mpamhanga and she joined hands with Chitiyo. Together they orchestrated the dismissal of Chidziya with the support of Minister Muchinguri who had business interests through Afro Jumbo.
Nyaguse had charged Afro Jumbo for not handling an event well and fired the entity.
Fainos Chuma, Corporate Secretary Appointed from outside at D3 Level as Heard of the Legal Services Unit and Cooperate Secretary.
He was out competed by other prospective but still imposed by the previous Board and DG Chidziya’s directives he was therefore unfairly recruited. Chuma has had consistent performance and capacity issues since he joined ZIMPARKS.
ZIMPARKS is said to have incurred several costs and losses from the appointment of Chuma which has not benefited ZIMPARKS in any manner or form.
Chuma is accussed of being involved in confidential information leaks involving the flawed recruitment of the Director Conservation, which resulted in his demotion to grade D4 reporting to Mtetwa who was his immediate subordinate.
Due to his lack of capacity, the Authority was left with no option but to separate the Legal Services and Corporate functions from his portfolio With the coming in of the Mpamhanga Board, Chuma was upgraded back to grade D5 and Mtetwa was also appointed to grade D5.
Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has challenged the Zanu PF administration to stop abusing ordinary Zimbabweans- by forcing them to participate in the Anti-Sanctions March.
According to President Chamisa, sanctions cannot be removed because of mere marching.
He also accused Zanu PF bigwigs using of ordinary citizens to pursue their selfish interests.
The restrictions target Zanu PF appatchiks who are violating human rights, looting State resources and politicizing aid.
“Sanctions can not be removed just because someone marched.
Those that imposed the targeted sanctions may not even notice that someone was marching.
The story of sanctions has always been filled with the lies.
The truth is, at most 200 individuals including entities were slapped with sanctions following unprecedented human rights abuse, corruption and mass electoral malpractice. That’s the truth.
Zimbabwe as a country is not under sanctions. There are laid down procedures that may be followed if ever someone is serious about having sanctions removed.
Don’t use the poor people to march for you just because you want to withdraw money from frozen foreign accounts. Give people the peace. Make peace with all men.
A Harare elderly woman was ordered to sell her posh flat in the Harare CBD and hand the money to controversial preacher Walter Magaya for a fake property he claimed was under construction in the Westgate area.
Watch live as the fraudulent scheme by the self confirmed prophet is exposed on ZimEye.com.
The United Kingdom’s (UK) Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, has said his country’s sanctions on Zimbabwe are targeted on those who are violating Zimbabwean citizens’ human rights.
In a post on Twitter, the Conservative parliamentarian asserted that the UK stands for human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and is committed to dealing with corruption to ensure a better future for Zimbabweans. Duddridge said:
The UK stands up for human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Our sanctions only target those who disregard these values in Zimbabwe and across the world. The UK is committed to tackling corruption and ensuring a better future for Zimbabweans. ?? ?? @newswireZW
— Sir James Duddridge KCMG MP (@JamesDuddridge) October 24, 2020
A Harare elderly woman was ordered to sell her posh flat in the Harare CBD and hand the money to controversial preacher Walter Magaya for a fake property he claimed was under construction in the Westgate area.
Watch live as the fraudulent scheme by the self confirmed prophet is exposed on ZimEye.com.
Zambia has joined the ranks of countries in the world that have lifted restrictions on travels, with the official opening of its borders to foreign nationals.
Issuance of tourist visas has, however, been put on hold by the government until further notice.
The entrance to the country through non-tourist visas is subject to approval from the Ministry of Health following a health screening at the port of entry.
All travellers will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) PCR test result. The test should have been conducted within the previous 14 days prior of arrival to Zambia. Zambia is enforcing mandatory 14-day quarantine, testing, and regular monitoring at their residence or preferred place of stay for persons entering Zambia.
Persons arriving are no longer required to quarantine at a government-designated facility but must communicate to Ministry of Health officials where they intend to reside and provide accurate contact information for regular follow-ups.
Symptomatic individuals will be tested for COVIS-19 (SARS-Cov-2) at the airports and will be required to enter isolation protocol at a Zambian government facility.
Limited domestic flight schedules operate twice-weekly between Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and Mfuwe International Airport, as well as between Kenneth Kaunda and Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone.
Airlines currently flying into Zambia are Ethiopian Airlines, RwandAir, Kenya Airways, and Emirates. Proflight Zambia is operating limited domestic flights.
The late Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi may be gone but his music legacy is definitely in very safe hands as his nephew, Simbarashe Mtukudzi is holding the fort.
The Bulawayo-based Afro-Jazz musician who is the leader of Black Elephants band has taken after his late uncle who had a passion to groom up-and-coming talent. Simbarashe does not have a studio or arts centre like Tuku’s Pakare Paye in Norton but this has not stopped him from helping aspiring Afro-Jazz artistes in and around Bulawayo.
The young lad who is a versatile artiste and lead guitarist, has also proved without doubt that music runs in his blood as he is churning out quality music.
Simbarashe, who is the son of Tuku’s young brother, gained popularity earlier this year after he featured Jeys Marabini on a single titled Todzosa Tuku. Tuku’s death dealt him a major blow as he had hoped to feature him on his debut album.
“We had been in talks with the old man and he had agreed to fine-tune my work at Pakare Paye Studios because he also wanted to spice it with his voice and some Dande tunes. However, that could not be as nature took its course.”
But this has not stopped him as he is assembling a team for a gospel single titled Ndauya Mwari.
“I’m working on a single that’s expected to be released in November. This song titled Ndauya Mwari is meant to inspire the young artistes as well as Black Elephant. While working on this single, I’ve managed to train young girls from AFM church’s Living Word Praise and Worship whom I featured. We also managed to rope in the services of seasoned voice trainer and vocalist Washington Rabson of the famous Mai vaDhikondo track who will be playing the saxophone,” he said.
Mtukudzi said he drew inspiration from his Dande rural home, a place he believes has been influential in shaping his music just like his late uncle.
He thanked fans for the support they have given him.
“I’d like to thank my fans for supporting the Black Elephant Music which is receiving airplay on most local radio stations like National FM, Radio Zimbabwe, ZiFM Stereo and Skyz Metro FM,” he said.
ABOUT 40 percent of sex workers in Zimbabwe are HIV-positive and have been subjected to some forms of stigma and discrimination which affects their health seeking behaviour.
According to Avert — an HIV and Aids data organisation — there are around 44 500 female sex workers in Zimbabwe.
Sex workers are part of key populations defined as groups who, due to specific higher-risk behaviour, are at increased risk of contracting or spreading HIV.
Key populations include young women, men who have sex with men, prisoners and people who inject drugs.
“There are around 44 500 female sex workers in Zimbabwe, around 40 percent of whom are living with HIV. This is concerning in an environment where sex work is illegal, condoms are being confiscated and gender inequality makes condom negotiation difficult. Despite this, some progress is being made; just under half, 44 percent of all sex workers are being reached with HIV prevention programmes,” says Avert.
“About 96 percent of sex workers reported using a condom with their most recent client. Around 93 percent of HIV-positive sex workers were aware of their status of whom 72 percent are on treatment.”
Avert added that sex workers’ vulnerability to HIV is exacerbated by police intimidation, harassment and arrest.
“This creates fear that stops sex workers from accessing health services. The Centre for Sexual Health, HIV and Aids Research (CeSHHAR) found that 20 percent of female sex workers in Zimbabwe had experienced violence from the police in one way or the other.
“Sex workers, and the organisations representing them, have minimal involvement in the Zimbabwean response to HIV. This marginalises them and prevents them from accessing services. Better inclusion of sex worker-led groups in HIV prevention initiatives would help improve the health of sex workers and the population as a whole.”
The organisation said stigma against people living with HIV and key populations could reverse gains that have been made in containing the disease.
“Stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV in Zimbabwe remains rife with one study finding that 65 percent of people living with HIV had experienced some form of discrimination due to their HIV status. The effects of stigma are far reaching as a majority of sex workers questioned said they avoid healthcare due to stigma and discrimination.”
SUBJECT: MURDER AS DEFINED IN SECTION 47 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW (CODIFICATION AND REFORM) CHAPTER 9:23 WHICH OCCURRED AT MUSENYI VILLAGE, CHIEF NDANGA, ZAKA DISTRICT
DECEASED: AARON BHASOPAYI NR 83-140316-H-83
FORCE NUMBER 828016 R
BUS 1 COMMANDO REGIMENT, HARARE
AGED 37 YEARS
RES OF VILLAGE MUSENYI, CHIEF NDANGA, ZAKA
ACCUSED (1) TAPIWA MUNEKWA NR NOT REGISTERED AGED 15 YEARS, OF VILLAGE
MUSENYI, CHIEF NDANGA, ZAKA
(2) NOAH MUSENYI NR NOT REGISTERED AGED 12 YEARS OF VILLAGE MUSENYI,
CHIEF NDANGA, ZAKA
3) TINASHE MUNEKWA NR NOT REGISTERED, AGED 10 YEARS, OF VILLAGE
MUSENYI, NDANGA, ZAKA
This memo serves to put on record circumstances surrounding the death of Aaron Bhasvopayi.
BACKGROUND
The now deceased was a member of the ZNA and is not related to the accused persons. The now-deceased had received information to the effect that his parents’ kitchen hut which was recently thatched was burnt down by the alleged thatcher who had failed to recover the outstanding payment balance.
The deceased travelled from Harare and went straight to the accused person’s homestead during the night and broke into the bedroom belonging to Patience Chineka NR 83-141768 L 83 of village Musenyi, Chief Ndanga, Zaka accusing her husband who was now in Police custody for setting fire to his mother’s hut.
CIRCUMSTANCES.
On the 21st day of October 2020, the now-deceased left work and proceeded to village Musenyi Chief Ndanga, Zaka after he got information that the accused person’s father had burnt her mother’s hut.
He arrived at the accused persons homestead at around 2200 hours and smashed open the Patience Chineka’s bedroom door.
He entered and found the accused persons already asleep. He woke them up by sprinkling Chibuku beer on them.
After that, he went to the next room, where he found Patience Chineka asleep and started to assault her accusing the family of the MDP committed by her husband.
Patience Chineka responded stating that his husband had been arrested in connection with the case but he confronted her and started assaulting her with booted feet and a knife which he used to stab Patience Chineka.
She cried out for help and the accused person 1 realizing that his mother was being attacked grabbed the now deceased from the back ordering the other two accused to assault him with pieces of wood.
They took an axe which was in the room and attacked the now deceased hitting him several times on the head. The now-deceased started to lose strength and later collapsed as he was having a severe nose bleed and blood gushing from his forehead.
When the accused persons noticed that the now deceased was unconscious they left him. They then alerted neighbours and accused person 1 came to ZRP Zaka to report that they had killed the now deceased in a bid to rescue their mother.
INVESTIGATIONS
Scene was attended by both ZRP DUB and CID Zaka and body was lying in Patience Chineka’s bedroom facing up in a pool of blood. Observed on the deceased’s body were deep cuts on the forehead and chin.
The body of the now deceased was searched and a ZNA identity card, 3 blue tablets, cigarettes, loose dagga wrapped in a rizzler paper and 2 sachets of dagga were recovered from his pockets
Axes and logs used to commit the offence were recovered at the homestead.
The body of the now deceased was conveyed to Masvingo General Hospital for post mortem.
Patience Chineka was taken to Ndanga District Hospital to seek medical attention but was in a stable condition though she was unable to wake up by herself.
Post mortem conducted revealed that death was caused by Hemorrhagic shock
ZRP Zaka CR117/10/20 refers. Case is a straight forward one and is being investigated by DUB Zaka.
CLIFFORD Tsamba was recently crowned the African champion at the just-ended African Individual Draughts Online League.
The 39-year-old Zimbabwean went 19 rounds unbeaten in a heavily-contested inaugural online league.
The tournament, held from September 26 to October 10, saw 20 players participating online.
Draughts (British English) or checkers (American English) is a group of strategy board games for two players.
It involves diagonal moves of uniform game pieces, and mandatory captures by jumping over opponent pieces.
Draughts developed from alquerque.
The name derives from the verb to draw or to move.
And Tsamba said he was happy with his achievement.
“I am elated, having won the first African Online Draught League,’’ he said. ‘’This is even more special, after going undefeated against 19 players, winning 17 games and two draws and bagging 36 points.
“It was a tough tournament but the experience I gained, after playing for the country in Russia in 2017 and winning the first African online championship, gave me confidence.
“I am grateful to the Zimbabwe Draughts Federation, and my partner Tonderai Mbereketo, who came third, for the support and encouragement.
“I urge all aspiring draught players to aim to represent the country and practice whenever they can.”
Mbereketo came third after winning 13 games, losing three and drawing three.
Another Zimbabwean, Shepherd Manhanga, finished 17th, after winning only three games at the tournament.
The tourney featured 20 players from Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi, Ghana and Mozambique.
Mukwaiwa, said he is proud to be part of a success story of draught in Zimbabwe.
“We did not despair during this Covid-19 period. We abide by the measures of controlling the disease by joining the virtual events, and this creativity and innovation, shows the world that this is a mind game where we are not found wanting.”
ZIMDF president, Andrew Gwatidzo, said due to the Covid-19 pandemic, game enthusiasm led to the development, and consolidation, of online draughts.
Draught is now a registered sport under the Sports Commission.
THE court gallery was left speechless after a Mutare woman demanded 160 litres of fuel as part of her nine-year-old son’s monthly maintenance.
Victoria Manyange said her Mercedes Benz needs two full tanks for the whole month.
She told the court that when she was still living with Mirai Manyange, he would always fuel her car. Victoria also claimed that her estranged husband is a co-owner at a fuel station in Marondera.
“We are used to a luxurious life and we are entitled to that kind of life regardless of the fact that we are no longer together. Our lifestyle should not change,” she said.
“I used to get more than two full tanks a month from him. I am actually being lenient with him,” she said.
Asked if she could prove that Mirai is a co-owner of a fuel station, Victoria claimed that Mirai is a silent partner in the company and therefore it would be difficult to prove.
“All I know is that the fuel station is his property. However, he is a silent partner and the company papers do not mention his name. Maybe he was trying to evade paying maintenance by deliberately having his name omitted in the company registration papers,” she said.
However, Mirai denied owning a fuel station.
He said he is employed by his friend as a manager at the said Marondera service station.
“I started working at that fuel station way back. She knows that. If I owned the company, why would I have removed my name from the company registration papers?” he said.
Mirai went on to state that Victoria’s ‘‘obsession’’ with an extravagant lifestyle is the reason for their separation.
He told the court that he could afford paying US$100 monthly for the maintenance of his son, an amount which was granted by the court.
In her initial maintenance application, Victoria had demanded US$600 as monthly maintenance for her son.
She said some of the money will be used for WiFi, DStv subscription and her son’s swimming and tennis sessions.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has shifted next month’s three T20 Internationals against Zimbabwe from Lahore to Rawalpindi citing the deteriorating air quality here. The three T20Is, which were earlier scheduled at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, will now be held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on November 7, 8 and 10.
“Following the sudden deterioration in air quality and now further expected air pollution in November, we have made a swift decision to move the matches scheduled in Lahore,” PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said in a statement on Friday.
“The early onset of hazardous pollution and subsequent poor air quality meant that the risk to keep matches in Lahore at this stage was too great.”
Air pollution is a major public health problem across Pakistan, where an estimated 128,000 people die annually from air pollution-related illnesses, according to the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution.
Lahore’s air quality has deteriorated over the past decade, a period during which an estimated 70% of its trees were felled to make way for more residents. Their vehicles still run predominantly on a type of highly polluting sulphur-laden gas that contributes some 40% of the air pollution in Lahore and the surrounding province of the Punjab, according to a 2019 report by the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
Despite warnings by the international indices that the air pollution levels are dangerously high in the province, the Environment Protection Department continues to misquote pollution levels at 174 on their website.
The rescheduling also affects the remaining four Pakistan Super League matches which will now be held in Karachi.
“For the sake of everyone involved and to ensure the remaining four matches of the HBL PSL and the three T20Is against Zimbabwe were completed without risk or interruption, it was important to move the matches,” Wasim said.
Earlier this month, the ODI leg of Zimbabwe’s limited-overs tour of Pakistan, beginning on October 30, was moved from Multan to Rawalpindi due to logistical and operational challenges.
The United States of America has refuted claims by senior Zimbabwean government officials that it was constantly changing the conditions to be met by Harare for sanctions to be scrapped.
Zimbabwe been under United States (US) sanctions since 2003 for violating the rule of law and human rights, among other issues.
The US Embassy in Harare said the key conditions are the same and these are the restoration of the rule of law, free and fair elections, equitable, legal, and transparent land reform, and civilian control of the military.
Western sanctions remain a contentious issue in Zimbabwe with the government insisting they are not only unjustified but meant to punish the country for the fast-track land redistribution programme. The government also insists sanctions are affecting ordinary persons and militating against economic recovery.
A post on Twitter by the Us Embassy read:
The Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Amendment Act (ZDERA) of 2018 outlines the steps Zimbabwe needs to take to gain the support of the United States Government for new lending through international financial institutions. #ItsNotSanctions
The key conditions the United States requires Zimbabwe to satisfy remain the same: 1) the restoration of the rule of law; 2) free and fair elections; 3) equitable, legal, and transparent land reform; and 4) civilian control of the military. #ItsNotSanctions
If Zimbabwe fully align its laws to the 2013 Constitution and followed through on President Mnangagwa’s own promises of reform, it would meet these requirements. https://t.co/PAQi4n31pypic.twitter.com/aZTHNXdVs4
President Mnangagwa has appointed career diplomat and former ambassador to the European Union, Mr Tadeous Tafirenyika Chifamba, as Zimbabwe’s new ambassador to the United States.
Ambassador Chifamba has just finished his tour of duty as ambassador to Brussels, Belgium, and now replaces Ambassador Ammon Mutembwa, who was Harare’s top diplomat in Washington.
The announcement was made by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda in a Statutory Instrument of published in the Government Gazette this week. Ambassador Chifamba has held several senior positions both in the diplomatic service and as a civil servant.
He is a former Permanent Secretary for Regional Integration and International Cooperation during the inclusive Government from March 2009 to September 2013, after earlier served as Permanent Secretary responsible for special projects in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He also served as Deputy Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the Permanent Mission of Zimbabwe to the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation at Geneva in Switzerland from 1994 to 2001 and Divisional Head of Multilateral Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2002 to 2007 and as Divisional Head for Africa, Asia and the Pacific from 2007 to 2009.
He has vast experience in bilateral, regional and multilateral negotiations having been appointed Coordinator and Spokesperson of the African Group of Trade Negotiators in the World Trade Organisation, a position he served in 1999 and 2001.
In 2011, he was elected chief negotiator for Eastern and Southern Africa for the negotiation of the Economic Partnership Agreements with the EU.
He holds a BSc Politics and Administration (Hons) degree as well as an MSc in International Relations degree from the University of Zimbabwe.
Ambassador Chifamba’s appointment is also expected to give impetus to the Government’s engagement and re-engagement efforts aimed at ending Zimbabwe’s isolation, particularly by Washington and Western countries.
HIGH Court judge Justice Erica Ndewere has filed an interdict against President Emmerson Mnangagwa to stop him from suspending her until Chief Justice Luke Malaba has followed correct disciplinary procedures.
Justice Ndewere has been accusing Justice Malaba of discrimination, saying former judge Justice Francis Bere’s disciplinary hearing was done according to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) guidelines, but her case had been sent directly to Mnangagwa without giving her an opportunity to be heard.
In her application for interdict, Justice Ndewere cited Mnangagwa, Justice Malaba, Judge President George Chiweshe, the JSC and Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.
“On September 15, 2020, I received documents containing complaints against myself from JSC,” Justice Ndewere said.
“It was noted that the complaints had been placed before JSC in terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
“I was asked to respond to the complaints on or before September 22. My lawyers of record then wrote a letter to JSC highlighting critical issues on how complaints against a sitting judge ought to be dealt with.”
She added: “It was clear from the document I received from JSC was acting on the basis that it is Malaba who is complaining about my conduct. If, indeed, it is Malaba who is of the opinion that I have conducted myself contrary in any shape or form, then the JSC code of ethics should apply.”
Justice Ndewere said the JSC did not respond to her letter and on October 13, she was shocked to receive news that she was to appear before a tribunal and received a letter stating that the complaints commission had referred the matter to the President.
She said she, therefore, concluded that the complaints considered by the JSC at the extraordinary meeting chaired by Justice Malaba were the same as the complaints delivered to her, which confirms that Justice Malaba was the one complaining about her conduct.
“By operation of law, the setting up of a tribunal by the first respondent (Mnangagwa) will result in my automatic suspension which will prejudice my work and my reputation,” she said.
“My reputation is in jeopardy because Malaba has complained about my conduct. I run the risk of losing my job based on complaints raised against me by Malaba alone. To allow this would be a violation of my right and to the administration of justice.”
Justice Ndewere said section 163(2) and (3) of the Constitution clearly stated that the Chief Justice was the head of Judiciary and was in charge of the Constitutional Court and Supreme Court and Judge President Chiweshe was in charge of the High Court.
She said Justice Chiweshe was supposed to be the complainant in her case.
Justice Ndewere is reportedly being victimised after allegedly refusing bail instruction in cases involving former Cabinet minister Priscah Mupfumira, who is accused of corruption and fraud, and MDC Alliance legislator Job Sikhala, accused of plotting Mnangagwa’s ouster.
MDC Alliance National Council Meeting held on 23 October 2020
On the 23rd of October 2020, the National Council of the MDC Alliance met in accordance with the party’s constitution. The following matters were tabled for deliberation:
1. Livelihoods: The National Council received reports from all provinces on the deepening crisis of poverty in all provinces that has been caused by Zanu PF’s bad governance.
Teachers, doctors and nurses are incapacitated due to wage erosion and the worsening economic crisis.
Reports were also received of the politicization of Covid-19 food aid and Pfumvudza program assistance.
Most provinces are suffering from the continued hunger crisis and a lack of inputs for the upcoming agricultural season.
2. Human Security and Bad Governance Crisis: The National Council was briefed on the continued rise of abduction cases in all provinces where MDC Alliances leaders and pro-democracy activists are being routinely targeted.
There is also a co-ordinated weaponization of the law by the State where MDC Alliance members and pro-democracy activists have been arrested and detained on spurious charges in an attempt to silence their criticism of the government.
3. Recalls of Elected Representatives: The National Council received a comprehensive briefing on the capture of state institutions that have been used to fraudulently elevate Ms Khupe to Parliament and recall duly elected Members of Parliament and local government representatives in a clear breach of the will of the people.
The Council noted its strong displeasure with these unconstitutional acts and the continued onslaught on the will of the people.
The recalled MDC Alliance officials remain committed to serving the people notwithstanding what has transpired.
4. By-Elections: Preparations for by-elections are at an advanced stage. The Council received a detailed elections report.
All systems are in place to ensure that the party is well-positioned to carry out its mandate in respect of the people.
The demand for a free, fair and credible electoral process that accords with the constitutional standard and for the wholesale reform of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the electoral playing field were re-affirmed.
5. Health of the Party: The National Council took note of the sound health of the party as all branches and structures are solid and growing.
The strategic focus shall be directed towards energizing the basis with a particular emphasis on the rural strategy.
Action will be taken on implementing programmes centred around the party’s big fights, namely, the fight for the return to legitimacy and democracy, the fight for a people’s Government, the fight against corruption, the fight for better livelihoods and the fight in defence of the Constitution and Constitutionalism.
Attention will be devoted to renewing the institutional and administrative capacity of the party as well as developing modern, data-driven protocols and systems that are in tune with the demands of the communities the party serves.
The party will update all policies in line with the changing realities and new
threats and emerging opportunities.
The National Council committed to remaining unwavering in championing the cause of the Zimbabwean people, being the legitimate voice of the suffering masses and leading a broad front to confront Zanu PF in the fight to win Zimbabwe for change.
Another of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s sons, Tarirai David Mnangagwa, was allegedly duped of US$4 million after he was booted out a company which he co-funded.
The directors of Hozheri Stone Crushers Private Limited have already appeared in court where they were granted $20 000 bail each by Harare magistrate Judith Taruvinga, who remanded them to November 27.
The accused, Elizabert Mushiringi, Chad Cecil Mupandanyama and Alec Mawere, who were represented by Tatenda Ndhlovu and Reginald Chidawanyika, were charged with fraud.
Tarirai David Mnangagwa is well known for his Alledged involvement in illegal foreign currency during the peak days of illegal money trading.
Allegations are that on September 29, 2017 Mushiringi and Mupandanyama registered a company called Wozheri Stone Crushers Private Limited with the Registrar of Companies under number 8640/2017.
According to their memorandum of association, Mnangagwa was a major shareholder with a 60% stake, Mushiringi had 5% while 15% were controlled by Mupandanyama.
It is alleged Mushiringi and Mupandanyama owned 40% on registration, but only took 20% indicating they would allot the remaining shares later.
Since the formation of the company in 2017, Mnangagwa took on his role of financier and was tasked to scout for other investors.
It is the State’s case that on July 2, 2018, Mushiringi and Mupandanyama after realising that Mnangagwa had brought in viable investment in the company, allegedly connived to boot him out of the company.
The State alleges Mushiringi and Mupandanyama allegedly fraudulently removed Mnangagwa from the directorship and replaced him with Mawere and updated the records at the Registrar of Companies.
It is alleged when the complainant was removed, he was never told of the development and he continued rendering services to the company.
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Zimbabwe cricket targets automatic World Cup spot On October 10 this year, during the verification of account opening at CBZ Bank, the complainant got to know that the accused persons had used fake company documents to resign him from the company, which then prompted him to report the matter to the police.
Armed with a warrant of search, detectives from Commercial Crimes Division proceeded to Gweru and seized the company documents used in the commission of the offence.
The State alleges Mnangagwa suffered a prejudice of US$4 million of the investment due to the accused person’s misrepresentation.
The sanctions which were imposed by the British, the Americans and European countries on Zimbabwe were as a result of human rights abuses and the land which was taken from the white farmers.
I would like to believe that Zimbabwe was right by reclaiming its land from the white colonial masters but the way it was done still boggles my mind.
Zimbabwe was a settler colony and that alone attracted a number of white farmers who had large tracts of land whilst other countries were peasant based colonies and were not as much privileged compared to those in Zimbabwe.
The former President Mugabe embarked on the land reform after pressure from the war veterans led by the late Chenjerai Hunzvi who demanded compensation from the government.
This riled white farmers whose land was forcibly taken by Mugabe’s ‘fast track’ land reform, resulting in Zimbabwe being slapped by economic embargoes.
In 1997 war veterans were given $50 000 in gratuities each by the late former President after embarking on a series of protests. The unbudgeted payouts which amounted to US$2000 saw Zimbabwe’s dollar losing its value by 70% in a day.
Poor governance, lack of policy implementation and corruption are major factors killing the country’s economy.
Mugabe came with marches against sanctions and Mnangagwa is also reading from the same script coming up with musical galas.
Zanu PF government should stop complaining about the effects of these Western imposed sanctions but should rather concentrate on improving the country’s economy through regional and local investors.
The revolutionary party allocated land to thousands of its supporters and these people should be empowered and given financial support to improve on production.
Zanu PF has a tendency of shifting the blame on sanctions when it fails to plan ahead. Firstly the scourge of corruption has proved to be the stumbling block in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
Mnangagwa is not sincere in fighting corruption as there is glaring evidence for everyone to see.
A very good example is that of former Minister of Health Obadiah Moyo who was involved in $US60 million tender with Drax International a company owned by Delish Nguwaya, the accused persons are scotfree and not behind bars.
Corruption is institutionalised in Zanu PF government accompanied by a catch and a release, so crying that sanctions are destroying the country will not be taken seriously.
In order for sanctions to be removed Zanu PF knows what must be done. It’s unfortunate that Zanu PF government is not serious in pursuing political and economic reforms and it will be hard to receive international support.
Selective application of the law is the order of the day. Political activists are being arrested and incacerated for days on trumped up charges without getting bail.
On electoral reforms we still have a yawning gap. Opposition political groupings have no space in the public media and we still have only one state captured television channel which does not give air time to opposing voices. Since independence in 1980 Zimbabwe boasts of one TV station and the few radio stations which are all under the state machinery.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa had a golden opportunity to attend to national reforms as he had all the support at his exposal when he replaced long time ruler Robert Gabriel Mugabe in November 2017 but politics of entitlement shattered all the dreams to revive the country’s ailing economy.
On his inauguration at the giant Stadium all political movements gave him a thump up in anticipation that he was going to revive the economy and bring back Zimbabwe to its glory days.
There is a lackadaisical approach on implementing reforms because Zanu PF knows that the moment it implements these reforms it will reform itself out of power.
So the removal of Mugabe was a mistake and Zanu PF was supposed to first remove sanctions. This sanction narrative is being used to maintain the grip on power and rulership.
The other truth is that not all African Union /Sadc members are not supporting Zimbabwe. Some have a very strong relationship with the West. A very good example is our neighbours South Africa.
The young bogus doctor who served in the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals casualty unit for seven months remains behind bars this weekend after the State opposed bail, with the magistrate only ready to give a bail decision on Monday.
Admire Chisi (25) from Zimre Park, Ruwa, allegedly attended to patients and wrote medical affidavits and prescriptions until a senior doctor discovered his shenanigans this week.
Chisi was charged with impersonating a public official and fraud when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga.
In opposing bail, prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa told the court that the State had a strong case against Chisi and that he endangered the lives of many patients as he was writing medical affidavits and prescriptions. As a result there was a high risk Chisi would abscond.
Chisi’s lawyer argued that the State had not previously mentioned the alleged danger that was encountered as a result of his client’s action. Chisi was a proper candidate for bail and was a man of fixed abode.
Mrs Taruvinga deferred the matter to Monday for ruling.
It is the State’s case that between April and Tuesday this week, Chisi went to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, where he misrepresented that he was a medical doctor.
He was apprehended after Dr Tapiwa Nyakudya finally noticed that Chisi was not acting as a professional doctor should and he failed to produce his practising certificate.
The court heard that Chisi was taken to the police where a report was made, leading to his arrest. Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals on Wednesday issued a statement confirming Chisi was a fake doctor and that they had handed him over to the police.
However, labour lawyers, medical experts and other commentators questioned how the hospital could be infiltrated by a bogus doctor for seven months. They blasted the leadership for failing to properly supervise staff while the security section of the institution was criticised for laxity.
The European Union (EU) has dismissed as baseless the Government of Zimbabwe’s claims that the country’s economy has been paralysed by what it calls illegal sanctions imposed by the economic bloc.
Posting on its Twitter handle, the EU in Zimbabwe said the sanctions, which it calls restrictive measures, only ban European companies from doing business with the Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI) and selling arms to Harare.
#DidYouKnow? The EU restrictive measures are a ban for European companies to do business with Zimbabwe Defence Industries and to sell arms to Zimbabwe. That’s all. The EU has not imposed anything else on #Zimbabwe. pic.twitter.com/AurRG7EuR8
The bloc further said that Zimbabwe can never provide evidence that these sanctions have negatively affected the Zimbabwean economy.
#DidYouKnow? There is no evidence that the Zimbabwean economy is affected negatively by EU restrictive measures. There are no legal restrictions on EU investment entering #Zimbabwe! pic.twitter.com/JSdnlKDNLW
#DidYouKnow? The EU restrictive measures have no impact on trade and the tariff and quota free privileged access of goods from #Zimbabwe to the #EU market, granted by the Economic and Partnership Agreement (#EPA) ratified in 2012. pic.twitter.com/p0JCAHKCkJ
A 37-YEAR-OLD 1 Commando Regiment-based soldier was on Thursday night killed by three minors after he allegedly attacked their mother over suspected arson at his parents’ home in Zaka, Masvingo province.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the murder of Aaron Bhasopayi by three children aged 15, 12 and 10 under circumstances still under investigation.
“We are investigating what really transpired,” Nyathi said. But a leaked police memo indicated that the soldier travelled from Harare to Zaka on Wednesday on a revenge mission after his parents’ hut was allegedly set on fire by the minor children’s father over a debt.
Bhasopayi arrived at the accused person’s home at around 10pm, forced himself into the accused’s room and woke them up before going to their mother’s bedroom, where he stabbed her with a knife, accusing her husband of torching his parents’ hut.
The trio’s mother cried for help and on realising their mother was in danger, the 15-year-old accused person grabbed Bhasopayi from the back and the other two accused persons started to assault the soldier using logs.
It is alleged the accused persons took an axe which was in the room and struck Bhasopayi several times on the head until he collapsed.
The accused persons left him unconscious and alerted neighbours and police.
The police officers attended the scene and found Bhasopayi’s body lying in a pool of blood. The police searched the body and recovered a Zimbabwe National Army identity card, three blue tablets, cigarettes and loose dagga.
The body was taken to Masvingo General Hospital for post-mortem while the accused’s mother was referred to Ndanga District Hospital for medical attention.
The matter is being investigated under ZRP Zaka CR117/10/20. lFollow Desmond on Twitter @DChingarande1
Below is the full memorandum by the police:
MEMORANDUM FROM: CRIME ZAKA TO : DCIO MASVINGO/ CHIREDZI DISTRICT INFOR: DISPOL MASVINGO EAST DATED: 22 OCTOBER 2020 SUBJECT: MURDER AS DEFINED IN SECTION 47 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW (CODIFICATION AND REFORM) CHAPTER 9:23 WHICH OCCURRED AT MUSENYI VILLAGE,CHIEF NDANGA,ZAKA DISTRICT
DECEASED: AARON BHASOPAYI NR 83-140316-H-83 FORCE NUMBER 828016 R BUS 1 COMMANDO REGIMENT ,HARARE AGED 37 YEARS RES OF VILLAGE MUSENYI, CHIEF NDANGA, ZAKA
ACCUSED (1) TAPIWA MUNEKWA NR NOT REGISTERED AGED 15 YEARS, OF VILLAGE MUSENYI, CHIEF NDANGA, ZAKA (2) NOAH MUSENYI NR NOT REGISTERED AGED 12 YEARS OF VILLAGE MUSENYI, CHIEF NDANGA, ZAKA 3) TINASHE MUNEKWA NR NOT REGISTERED, AGED 10 YEARS, OF VILLAGE MUSENYI, NDANGA, ZAKA This memo serves to put on record circumstances surrounding the death of Aaron Bhasvopayi. BACKGROUND The now deceased was a member of the ZNA and is not related to the accused persons. The now deceased had received information to the effect that his parents kitchen hut which was recently thatched was burnt down by the alleged thatcher who had failed to recover the outstanding payment balance.The deceased travelled from Harare and went straight to the accused person’s homestead during the night and broke into the bedroom belonging to Patience Chineka NR 83-141768 L 83 of village Musenyi, Chief Ndanga, Zaka accusing her husband who was now in Police custody for setting fire to his mother’s hut. CIRCUMSTANCES. On the 21st day of October 2020 the now deceased left work and proceeded village Musenyi Chief Ndanga, Zaka after he got information that the accused person’s father had burnt her mother’s hut. He arrived at the accused persons homestead at around 2200 hours and smashed open the Patience Chineka’s bedroom door. He entered and found the accused persons already asleep. He woke them up by sprinkling Chibuku beer on them. After that he went to the next room, where he found Patience Chineka asleep and started to assault her accusing the family for the MDP committed by her husband. Patience Chineka responded stating that his husband had been arrested in connection with the case but he confronted her and started assaulting her with booted feet and a knife which he used to stab Patience Chineka. She cried out for help and the accused person 1 realizing that his mother was being attacked grabbed the now deceased from the back ordering the other two accused to assault him with pieces of wood.. They took an axe which was in the room and attacked the now deceased hitting him several times on the head. The now deceased started to lose strength and later collapsed as he was having a severe nose bleed and blood gushing from his forehead. When the accused persons noticed that the now deceased was unconscious they left him. They then alerted neighbours and accused person 1 came to ZRP Zaka to report that they had killed the now deceased in a bid to rescue their mother. Investigations Scene was attended by both ZRP DUB and CID Zaka and body was lying in Patience Chineka’s bedroom facing up in a pool of blood. Observed on the deceased’s body were deep cuts on the fore head and chin The body of the now deceased was searched and a ZNA identity card, 3 blue tablets , cigarretes, loose dagga wrapped in a rizzler paper and 2 satchets of dagga were recovered from his pockets Axes and logs used to commit the offence were recovered at the homestead. The body of the now deceased was conveyed to Masvingo General Hospital for post mortem. Patience Chineka was taken to Ndanga District Hospital to seek medical attention but was in a stable condition though she was unable to woke up by her-self. Post mortem conducted revealed that death was caused by Hemorrhagic shock ZRP Zaka CR117/10/20 refers. Case is a straight forward one and is being investigated by DUB Zaka.
GOVERNMENT has approved a steep hike in school fees, which will see some pupils at boarding and urban day high schools forking out in excess of $55 000 up from $6 000 and $20 000 up from $3 000, respectively.
NewsDay Weekender has also heard that some schools are demanding payments in United States dollars for non-examination classes set to return to school on Monday.
This comes amid complaints by parents and guardians that the fees were too high considering that the term was short and most teachers were on strike.
Teachers’ unions described the increases as “daylight robbery” and insisted that their members would continue with their industrial action until government has addressed their demands for a pay hike.
Primary and Secondary Education minister Cain Mathema yesterday confirmed the fees hike, adding that no parent had formally raised objections with his ministry.
“No parent has complained to the ministry, every parent or guardian knows what needs to be done,” he said.
Schools reopened for examination classes on September 28 following a six-month break triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The second batch of students comprising Grade 6 and Forms Three and Lower Sixth will report for lessons on Monday while the last batch is expected on November 9.
Schools such as Catholic-run Gokomere and Silveira, Rusununguko and Prince Edward, among others, have reviewed their fees upwards with the latter now demanding $55 000 for boarders and $20 000 for day scholars.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said the fees were certainly beyond the reach of many parents, particularly civil servants.
“Our position is that parents must stop paying fees until teachers and government find each other over teachers’ welfare, health and safety. Sending kids to school when teachers are not teaching is a waste of time; the fees are certainly beyond the reach of many parents, particularly teachers,” Zhou said.
Parents interviewed by NewsDay Weekender said school heads just presented them with figures ranging from $28 000 to $55 000 and asked them to vote.
“The process was not clear, we were just told figures to choose from and those figures will be presented to the government as coming from the parents. We are still under COVID-19, where our incomes were affected. Where will we get that money?” a parent whose child is at Rusungunguko asked.
A parent with children at Price Edward in Harare asked: “Where can we get the $50 000 demanded by the school?”
Other schools like Roosevelt also announced fees ranging from between $33 000 and $40 000, depending on pupils’ subject combinations.
Parents of day scholars paid about $3 000 at Prince Edward before COVID-19, while boarding students at Roosevelt paid about $6 200.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said fees were effected in consultation with the parents.
“The onus to justify the fees level lies with school responsible authorities in liaison with parents and guardians of concerned learners,” he said.
“Obviously there are economic reasons justifying the increases. Complaints are appropriately directed to the initiators of those because there is no school head with capacity to individually raise fees without concurrence of SDCs and authority from ministry. If there are such transgressions, then the affected school heads are wrong and punching above their weight.”
But Zhou said some school heads manipulated the parents by giving them inflated figures to choose from.
“Is it a choice when you give parents options beyond their ability? Schools must produce a reasonable budget that must be presented to parents and on the basis of its reasonableness, parents can then deliberate over the amount to be paid. The majority of parents with kids at a school must attend such a meeting with more than 51% of parents’ casting votes over an agreed figure,” he said.
“Sadly, school heads have learnt ways of cutting corners and even get government approval of fees without following appropriate procedures. Heads manipulate attendance registers so that they are presented as consent over a figure that even parents would have shot down, while in some cases, heads bribe authorities at provincial level to get fees approvals. Some fees are even unilateral, pegged by schools without input from parents.”
Meanwhile, teachers’ unions yesterday maintained that their members would not go back to school until government has addressed their salary issues.
In a joint petition, dated October 23 and addressed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimta, PTUZ, Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Rural Teachers of Union, Zimbabwe Democratic Teachers Union, Amalgamated Teachers Union of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe National Teachers Union, said their members were genuinely incapacitated and could not report for duty.
“Our members are not demanding a salary or something out of this world. Teachers simply want restoration of the purchasing power of their salaries as they have existed before October 2018. Considering that the economy has dollarised, it is prudent that the teachers be paid the pre-October 2018 US$520 or its equivalent using the prevailing interbank rate.”
The teachers pleaded with Mnangagwa to intervene and resolve the crisis urgently for the benefit of examination classes.
This comes amid reports that idle students were engaging in sex orgies and drug abuse due to lack of supervision.
By Jane Mlambo| The ruling Zanu PF has accused G40 members of stifling national development through their use of social media to attack President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Addressing journalists following the party politburo meeting held on Wednesday, acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa said Mnangagwa himself spoke of the G40 machinations against his administration.
“His Excellency (Mnangagwa) told the Politburo meeting that social media is awash with the clandestine machinations of the G40 and their sympathisers,” said Chinamasa.
“They are using social media to make an orchestrated launch, and an onslaught against our country and party,” he added.
“But they will not get anywhere and the people will get to know that they are there to disrupt our orderly development,” Chinamasa said.
FIVE men have appeared in court for an alleged armed robbery spree in which they killed one person in Beitbridge together with the notorious John Sithole, aka Kedha, who was recently killed in a shootout with the police.
Kedha held 10 people hostage at his rented house in Dulivhadzimu house in a 14-hour standoff with police.
He later released the captives after the intervention of the Police Special Tactics Team (PSTT).
The five, who appeared in court on Thursday are Blessing Itai Chiri (38), Dereck Ndou (34), Brian Mukosi (30), Mapfumo Makhado (31), and Taurai Coaster Dube (42), all of Dulivhadzimu in Beitbridge.
The accused, who were arrested on Tuesday, were not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before Beitbridge resident magistrate Mr Toyindepi Zhou.
The five were remanded in custody to November 4 for trial at the regional court.
Allegations are that the accused, together with three others who are still at large, committed 35 robberies and one murder case in Beitbridge district.
Prosecuting, Mr Tariro Makaya said the five accused were arrested on Tuesday evening in Beitbridge following investigations.
The court heard that following the death of Sithole, the police got information on the whereabouts of the accused persons. They tracked them to a house in Dulivhadzimu suburb.
The detectives arrested Chiri first and he assisted with information leading to the arrest of his accomplices.
A cellphone stolen during the murder of one Andy Culkin Masuka a few weeks ago in a bush close to Makakhavhule Cemetery, west of Beitbridge town, was later recovered from Chiri. The state said the cellphone belonged to a woman who was with Masuka.
Police also recovered five other cellphones linked to armed robbery cases from the other four accused persons.
The young bogus doctor who served in the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals casualty unit for seven months remains behind bars this weekend after the State opposed bail, with the magistrate only ready to give a bail decision on Monday.
Admire Chisi (25) from Zimre Park, Ruwa, allegedly attended to patients and wrote medical affidavits and prescriptions until a senior doctor discovered his shenanigans this week.
Chisi was charged with impersonating a public official and fraud when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga.
In opposing bail, prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa told the court that the State had a strong case against Chisi and that he endangered the lives of many patients as he was writing medical affidavits and prescriptions. As a result there was a high risk Chisi would abscond.
Chisi’s lawyer argued that the State had not previously mentioned the alleged danger that was encountered as a result of his client’s action. Chisi was a proper candidate for bail and was a man of fixed abode.
Mrs Taruvinga deferred the matter to Monday for ruling.
It is the State’s case that between April and Tuesday this week, Chisi went to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, where he misrepresented that he was a medical doctor.
He was apprehended after Dr Tapiwa Nyakudya finally noticed that Chisi was not acting as a professional doctor should and he failed to produce his practising certificate.
The court heard that Chisi was taken to the police where a report was made, leading to his arrest. Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals on Wednesday issued a statement confirming Chisi was a fake doctor and that they had handed him over to the police.
However, labour lawyers, medical experts and other commentators questioned how the hospital could be infiltrated by a bogus doctor for seven months. They blasted the leadership for failing to properly supervise staff while the security section of the institution was criticised for laxity.
VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga is now staying at the Golden Peacock Villa Hotel in Harare owned by Anjin – a joint venture between the Ministry of Defence and a Chinese investor – after he abandoned his matrimonial Borrowdale Brooke mansion that he says holds “sentimental value” to him amid a nasty fallout with his ex-wife Marry Mubaiwa.
Chiwenga’s new home is located along Kingsmead Road in Borrowdale in Harare. Even though he managed to evict Marry, with the help of the army, Chiwenga still moved out. Some people initially said he was staying in Chisipite, yet others speculated he was at the National Defence University, but this week The NewsHawks established Chiwenga now resides at the Kingsmead villa for security and personal reasons.
This reinforced the view that he is close to the Chinese who saved his life when he looked terminally ill before being flown to Beijing for treatment last year. It is not the first time for Chiwenga to abandon the Borrowdale Brooke mansion which is perched on a hill with a panoramic view inside Zimbabwe’s prime housing estate on 614 Nick Price Road.
With a screaming inscription C&M (Constantino & Marry), the house stands majestically on a hill facing an 18-hole golf course designed by South African architect Peter Makovitch.
The estate was developed by Zimbabwe’s famous golf legend Nick Price, once Number 1 in the world’s golf rankings. Initially Chiwenga left the Borrowdale Brooke house, where used to live with his other former wife Jocelyn, in April 2010 to stay with Marry on 11 Rosary Close in Greystone Park suburb also under Borrowdale area.
This time around he went to the Anjin villa. Anjin Investments (Pvt) Ltd is a joint venture between Chinese company Anhui Foreign Economic Construction (Group) Co. Ltd and a Zimbabwean entity Matt Bronze Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, owned by the military, founded on December 2009.
The latest move came after Chiwenga evicted his estranged wife Marry with the assistance of the army. Just like in 2014 when he divorced Jocelyn, Chiwenga used armed soldiers to deny Marry access to the mansion, before the courts granted him the right to occupy the house.
Marry lost control of the house after Chiwenga got her arrested on allegations of attempted murder, fraud and money laundering in December last year.
She was granted bail on 6 January and told to stay at her matrimonial home, but was denied access to the house by armed soldiers. Chiwenga later challenged the court ruling which gave Marry access to the house on the grounds that the former model was dishonest and did not deserve bail as she had surrendered only one of her three passports to the court, a material fact which the vice-president’s lawyers said had not been disclosed when the judgment was made.
In any case, the lawyers argued, she could not stay with Chiwenga in the same house as he was the complainant. Chiwenga further said Marry found him staying at the residence in question when they married and thus she no longer had a legal right to be there following the termination of their customary union.
“Number 614 Nick Price Drive Borrowdale Brooke is my house of sentimental value awarded to me by the High Court in a former divorce matter by the late Justice Andrew Mutema,” Chiwenga said.
“I have no other home.” Locals in the Chinese villa’s vicinity said security has been beefed up since Chiwenga’s moved in. The villa is now fortified. In addition to private security, there are also soldiers guarding the hotel.
Informed sources say Chiwenga is locked in a fierce power struggle with President Emmerson Mnangagwa over Zanu PF’s unresolved leadership question. This has been variously confirmed with many credible sources.
A WOMAN from Bulawayo went berserk after she stumbled on a teenager performing sexual acts on her naked daughter.
The incident that has since spilled into court, happened last week on Monday when the woman in question spotted her 14-year-old daughter getting into a house in North End suburb.
Worried about that the woman followed and shockingly caught her daughter lying on a bed naked. As if that was not enough her daughter was fondling her boyfriend’s private parts while her lover was busy fondling her breasts and private parts, the source said.
Angered by that the woman grabbed her helpless daughter and bashed her several times. The teenage boy tried to flee but was grabbed by onlookers who handed her over to the woman who thrashed him with a stick all over the body, said the source.
The angry woman reported the teenage boy to the police for indecent assault.
The teenager appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Nomagugu Maphosa facing an indecent assault charge.
He pleaded guilty and asked for forgiveness.
“Your Worship, I’m sorry for what I did. May you kindly forgive me,” he pleaded with the magistrate.
He was remanded out of custody to next week on Tuesday for sentencing.
Farai Dziva|Hard-hitting MDC Alliance vice president, Hon Tendai Biti, has said Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State Of The Nation is fraught with deception and lies.
On Thursday Mr Mnangagwa chronicled what he described as the new dispensation’s achievements.
However, Hon Biti argued :
Failed regimes function on deception lies propaganda and spin .
The delusional regime makes crazy assertions in its Budget Strategy Paper. It claims a growth of 7.4 % for 2021 This is zany & not backed by any credible underlying assumption. @steve_hanke is right.This one has lost it
The claims of stability are the vortex of self delusion. “Stability “is a punchline in overkill.Truth is there is chaos out there.There is poverty, unemployment and instability.
There is low productivity and continued reproduction of an enclave economy.There is corruption and cluelessness.
By Jane Mlambo| The Nelson Chamisa led MDC Alliance which held its National Council meeting yesterday says its structures and branches remain strong and growing despite a serious state sponsored onslaught on the movement which saw over 40 of its legislators being recalled from Parliament by a rival grouping.
Party spokesperson Fadzai Mahere in a communique released after the National Council said they are at advanced stages in their preparation for by-elections to replace recalled parliamentarians and councillors.
“The council received a detailed elections report. All systems are in place to ensure that the party is well positioned to carryout its mandate in respect of people,” said Mahere.
“The National Council took note of the sound health of the party as all structures and branches of the party are solid and growing,” she added.
A MEMBER of a four-man machete gang has been sentenced to two years in jail after they robbed five miners and vendors in one night at Vhovha Mine in Gwanda.
Tavengwa Mudenda (23) of Njube suburb in Bulawayo pleaded not guilty to five counts of robbery but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence by Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi.
His accomplices are still at large.
Mudenda was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment of which five months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years. Five months were further suspended on condition that he pays R1 810 and $9 567 restitution to the complainants.
Prosecuting, Miss Faith Mutukwa said Mudenda and his three accomplices who were armed with machetes hatched a plan to rob people at Vhovha Mine on June 7.
“On 7 June at around 1AM Mudenda who was in the company of three others who are still at large went to Mr Marizani Phiri’s makeshift tent where he was asleep.
“Mr Phiri was awakened by the noise from accused persons. The accused persons who were armed with machetes ordered the complainant to come out of his tent and lie on the ground.
“They tied his hands and legs together with shoe laces and took his belongings which comprised a cellphone, R300 and $180.
“The accused persons then assaulted the complaint while demanding to know the whereabouts of a gold buyer before fleeing the scene,” she said.
Miss Mutukwa said the accused persons proceeded to a tent where Ms Siphilisiwe Ndlovu was asleep with her husband Mr Traya Sibanda and they threatened to assault them with machetes while demanding money. She said they took $3 600, R530, four cellphones and some groceries. The accused persons tied Ms Ndlovu and her husband with shoe laces before fleeing the scene.
Miss Mutukwa said the gang went to another makeshift tent where Ms Resifelipelo Sibanda and her younger sister Ms Rosemary Ncube were asleep. The demanded money and fled with R200, $300 and two cellphones.
“The accused persons proceeded to a makeshift tent where Ms Elizabeth Mhlanga was sleeping and they broke the iron sheet door of the tent. They threatened to attack the complainant with machetes while demanding money. They searched her room and took $2 000 and a cellphone before fleeing the scene.
“The gang went to a makeshift tent which belongs to Ms Patricia Ndlovu and forcibly opened the door to gain entry.
They searched her tent and took $1 000, R200, 12 by 750ml bottles of whisky, a cellphone and recharge cards and fled the scene,” she said.
Miss Mutukwa said after they were attacked the complainants alerted other mine workers and they teamed up and tracked down the accused persons and caught up with them while they were sharing the stolen property in a bushy area. She said Mudenda was apprehended by the complainants while his accomplices fled. The complainants escorted Mudenda to the police station resulting in his arrest.
WITH the blockbuster 2021 Afcon qualifier against Algeria looming large on the horizon, one of Manicaland’s former footballers, Shepherd “Dragline” Muradzikwa has called for Zimbabwe’s thorough preparations.
The Warriors visit the Desert Foxes before hosting them between November 9 and 17 in a crucial top-of-the-table double-header as their Group H campaign takes shape.
With the race for qualification heating up, the fixture comes hard on the heels of Zimbabwe’s drama filled trip to Malawi for a friendly match.
How Zifa handled the Blantyre battle drew criticisms from football fans.
While the Warriors were scrambling to put together a low-key encounter against the modest Flames, Algeria were engaging in high-profile warm-up duels against more fancied opponents — Mexico and Nigeria.
Muradzikwa, a former Under-20 and senior midfielder, reckons facing the tournament’s title holders demands robust preparations.
He says sending the Warriors into battle ill-prepared would be suicidal.
“The importance of our upcoming matches against Algeria is known to all. There is need for a pragmatic approach in preparing for these ties. How we went about business before leaving for Malawi is not how things should be done. We need to learn from the hiccups we faced so that we take our game to a higher level.
“Algeria have played Nigeria and Mexico as they prepare to tackle us, and that shows just how serious they are taking these qualifiers.
“The team needs to be assisted to achieve victory through sound preparations and thorough planning. That orderliness brings efficiency, which leads to success.
“Tournaments are scheduled well in advance to allow participants ample time to get their act together. What happens from the time the match is set affects how teams perform. When dates are announced, noone can argue that they were caught off guard,” said the Sakubva-raised three-time soccer star of the year finalist.
Caf announced the revised dates of the 2021 Afcon qualifiers in August following the suspension of action in March due to Covid-19.-Manica Post
THE court gallery was left speechless after a Mutare woman demanded 160 litres of fuel as part of her nine-year-old son’s monthly maintenance.
Victoria Manyange said her Mercedes Benz needs two full tanks for the whole month.
She told the court that when she was still living with Mirai Manyange, he would always fuel her car. Victoria also claimed that her estranged husband is a co-owner at a fuel station in Marondera.
“We are used to a luxurious life and we are entitled to that kind of life regardless of the fact that we are no longer together. Our lifestyle should not change,” she said.
“I used to get more than two full tanks a month from him. I am actually being lenient with him,” she said.
Asked if she could prove that Mirai is a co-owner of a fuel station, Victoria claimed that Mirai is a silent partner in the company and therefore it would be difficult to prove.
“All I know is that the fuel station is his property. However, he is a silent partner and the company papers do not mention his name. Maybe he was trying to evade paying maintenance by deliberately having his name omitted in the company registration papers,” she said.
However, Mirai denied owning a fuel station.
He said he is employed by his friend as a manager at the said Marondera service station.
“I started working at that fuel station way back. She knows that. If I owned the company, why would I have removed my name from the company registration papers?” he said.
Mirai went on to state that Victoria’s ‘‘obsession’’ with an extravagant lifestyle is the reason for their separation.
He told the court that he could afford paying US$100 monthly for the maintenance of his son, an amount which was granted by the court.
In her initial maintenance application, Victoria had demanded US$600 as monthly maintenance for her son.-Manica Post
The National Council of the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa yesterday met and after the meeting, party spokesperson Fadzai Mahere released the communique below.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has announced the strict protocols and match procedures ahead of the historic 2020/21 DStv Premiership season this weekend
After the success of the biological safe environment in Gauteng to end the Absa Premiership campaign last season, the PSL has confirmed a continuation of several rulings for the new season.
Having received a three-week pre-season before the MTN8 marked the start of the new campaign last weekend, there will no longer be mandatory water breaks but match officials will have the final say.
Compliance Officer’s will be required for each of the 16 professional clubs that will oversee that playing kits are changed at half-time while screening of players, match officials and the entire club staff and media will be undertaken.
Each fixture will have a moment of silence in remembrance for all those who have lost their lives during the global pandemic and in reference to the games, a few rules from last season remain in place.
A 20-man squad can be named for each matchday, which includes the starting eleven, nine substitutes – that will maintain a safe distance in the technical area – along with seven coaching staff members are also allowed.
Five substitutes will be available in order to safeguard players from injuries and fatigue but coaches have to make their respective changes with three separate opportunities.
However, in cup games, an additional opportunity is offered (4) to each team if the game is deadlocked and moved towards extra-time.-Kickoff.com.
Midlands Bureau Chief TWO Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) toll collectors based at the Gweru North tollgate along the Gweru-Kwekwe highway, died on the spot when a commuter omnibus they were travelling in side-swiped with a haulage truck near Regina Mundi High School in Gweru recently.
The two collectors were part of six Zinara employees coming from their shift at the tollgate.
Zinara public relations manager Mr Tendai Mugabe confirmed the death of the two employees but said he was still to get more details.
Gweru City Council public relations officer Ms Vimbai Chingwaramusee said Gweru fire brigade team attended the accident at about midnight on Friday last week.
“Our fire brigade team rescued passengers and both drivers following a side swipe involving a haulage truck and a commuter omnibus near Regina Mundi High School around midnight. Two people who are said to be Zinara employees died on the spot,” she said.
The employees had knocked off from work and were being ferried home aboard a commuter omnibus.-Chronicle
A TOTAL of 1 085 students yesterday graduated at the Lupane State University (LSU)’s 11th graduation ceremony since the opening of the university in 2005.
Only a fraction of the 1 085 graduates who received accolades for excelling in their studies attended yesterday’s graduation ceremony which was held at the university’s main campus in Lupane, Matabeleleland North.
The rest of the graduates followed proceedings online.
This was done as part of the Covid-19 mitigation measures to minimise gatherings.
From the total number of graduates, 58 percent were females.
Among the graduates, 449 were conferred with post-graduate degrees and the university recorded its first PHD graduate while 474 received undergraduate degrees and 152 graduated with diploma certificates.
President Mnangagwa, who is also Chancellor of all State universities conferred degrees and diplomas to the limited graduates.
Delivering his keynote address, LSU Vice Chancellor Professor Pardon Kuipa said the graduation was being held under extraordinary circumstances due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the higher and tertiary education sector had to quickly adapt and adopt to the new normal when Covid-19 disrupted normal learning.
“The 2020 second semester was something we never imagined. Our plans and normal routines were disrupted but we rose to the challenge and completed the semester against all odds. Our students and staff exhibited considerable flexibility during the peak period of Covid-19 pandemic by adapting quickly to a new mode of teaching and learning,” he said.
“In response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic in delivering face-to-face tuition to students, the university trained its lecturers on online teaching methods through a workshop which was conducted virtually from the 25th of May 2020 to the 17th of July 2020 by the Association of African Universities (AAU) in collaboration with E-Learning Africa.”
The Covid-19 pandemic forced Government to close schools, colleges and universities as part of measures to curb the spread of the pandemic.
When the infection risk was perceived to be lower, the universities reopened thereby enabling students to complete their semesters.-Chronicle
Farai Dziva|Hard-hitting MDC Alliance vice president, Hon Tendai Biti, has said Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State Of The Nation is fraught with deception and lies.
On Thursday Mr Mnangagwa chronicled what he described as the new dispensation’s achievements.
However, Hon Biti argued :
Failed regimes function on deception lies propaganda and spin .
The delusional regime makes crazy assertions in its Budget Strategy Paper. It claims a growth of 7.4 % for 2021 This is zany & not backed by any credible underlying assumption. @steve_hanke is right.This one has lost it
The claims of stability are the vortex of self delusion. “Stability “is a punchline in overkill.Truth is there is chaos out there.There is poverty, unemployment and instability.
There is low productivity and continued reproduction of an enclave economy.There is corruption and cluelessness.
Farai Dziva|Hard-hitting MDC Alliance vice president, Hon Tendai Biti, has said Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State Of The Nation is fraught with deception and lies.
On Thursday Mr Mnangagwa chronicled what he described as the new dispensation’s achievements.
However, Hon Biti argued :
Failed regimes function on deception lies propaganda and spin .
The delusional regime makes crazy assertions in its Budget Strategy Paper. It claims a growth of 7.4 % for 2021 This is zany & not backed by any credible underlying assumption. @steve_hanke is right.This one has lost it
The claims of stability are the vortex of self delusion. “Stability “is a punchline in overkill.Truth is there is chaos out there.There is poverty, unemployment and instability.
There is low productivity and continued reproduction of an enclave economy.There is corruption and cluelessness.
By Own Correspondent| Kanyemba district, with its green scenery, thick vegetation, enchanting landscape and rich soils, is one of the most beautiful areas in Zimbabwe.
Located in a mountainous area that give the ever-green district an imposing feature, the expanse that run into the majestic Zambezi river, provides a mystic view good for wildlife conservation and game ranging.
Birds chirp in the morning while hyenas laugh endlessly during the night. In this part of the country, globalization and civilization together with all the vices associated with it, is yet to taint the people’s way of life.
Most people here still survive on hunting, fishing and gathering.
Wildlife roam freely in the virgin forests. Elephants and lions are some of the animals found in the teeming area.
The area, located about 400 kilometers north of Zimbabwe’s capital Harare, is probably one Zimbabwe’s remotest places and was until recently shut from the outside world.
However, because of its location- a gateway to Zambia and Mozambique- the government of Zimbabwe decided to develop a town which they hope to be the heartbeat for industry, commerce and trade between Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique.
Away from the prying eyes of the international community, Zimbabwe has found a willing ally, Belarus investors have poured in USD$15 million in exchange for 10 000 hectares of land for supposedly farming activities in the area.
According to a signed agreement between the government of Zimbabwe and the team from Belarus, the foreigners will focus on agriculture mainly in crop and livestock production.
The area however does not support livestock productions as it is along the Zambezi valley which is a tsetse-fly infested area.
Midlands State University scholar Bester Makuvire who has undertaken a three year study in the district said “the area was prone to incessant floods because it located in the Zambezi valley and erratic rainfall making it difficult for rain-fed agriculture”.
“Due to erratic rainfall, the area is considered unsuitable for dry-land cropping and as a result only flood-plain crop cultivation is practiced,” he said.
“It’s a bogus deal, everything does not favour agriculture there including weather, pests and diseases.
“It baffles the mind why Belarus would pour in $15 million to invest in agriculture in this part of the country when the country has rich arable soils elsewhere,” said economist Tapiwa Mangwiro.
The Belarus team has been allocated 10 000 hectares of virgin land which geologists state that is rich in Uranium deposits.
According to studies undertaken by the Zimbabwean government, the entire Kanyemba basin has 450 000 tonnes of uranium deposits.
“It is believed that the 10 000 hectares area allocated to the Belarus team sits on an estimated 40 000 tonnes of Uranium deposits,” said geologist Mike Vareta, “lets wait and see if they are going to ignore uranium for agriculture”.
Initially, the Kanyemba basin had been allocated to an Iran consortium in 2011 which was supposed to mine uranium but the deal fell off in 2016 due to fear by the Iranian team on the possibility of being sanctioned by the United States of America.
The Zimbabwe government in 2006 then partnered with CNNC Overseas Uranium Holding, a subsidiary of the Chinese uranium giant China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
Media reports said from 2009-12, Chinese were shipping over 3 000 samples to China every month without mining licence. At the time, the sources said the Chinese were camped at an airstrip close to the safari area where they were “guarded” by armed personnel.
The area is inaccessible making it a fertile ground for underhand dealings. However, road works are underway.
Government is targeting to clear at least 200 000 hectors to attract other investors especially in the tourism sector.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said Belarus is one of the investors identified by government and that they would focus in agriculture.
“As far as I know, we signed an agreement with Belarus so that they would come and invest in agriculture. As it stands, their land is lying idle and we are waiting for them to hit the ground running,” Chiwenga said.
The VP denied claims that the Belarus team will explore uranium.
While the vast land remains untapped, the local community said that they have witnessed an unusual frequency of the ‘white men in helicopters.’
“There are white men who usually come and inspect the area. Most of them will be accompanied by soldiers,” said Tafara Doma, a community member.
ABOUT 40 percent of sex workers in Zimbabwe are HIV-positive and have been subjected to some forms of stigma and discrimination which affects their health seeking behaviour.
According to Avert — an HIV and Aids data organisation — there are around 44 500 female sex workers in Zimbabwe.
Sex workers are part of key populations defined as groups who, due to specific higher-risk behaviour, are at increased risk of contracting or spreading HIV.
Key populations include young women, men who have sex with men, prisoners and people who inject drugs.
“There are around 44 500 female sex workers in Zimbabwe, around 40 percent of whom are living with HIV. This is concerning in an environment where sex work is illegal, condoms are being confiscated and gender inequality makes condom negotiation difficult. Despite this, some progress is being made; just under half, 44 percent of all sex workers are being reached with HIV prevention programmes,” says Avert.
“About 96 percent of sex workers reported using a condom with their most recent client. Around 93 percent of HIV-positive sex workers were aware of their status of whom 72 percent are on treatment.”
Avert added that sex workers’ vulnerability to HIV is exacerbated by police intimidation, harassment and arrest.
“This creates fear that stops sex workers from accessing health services. The Centre for Sexual Health, HIV and Aids Research (CeSHHAR) found that 20 percent of female sex workers in Zimbabwe had experienced violence from the police in one way or the other.
“Sex workers, and the organisations representing them, have minimal involvement in the Zimbabwean response to HIV. This marginalises them and prevents them from accessing services. Better inclusion of sex worker-led groups in HIV prevention initiatives would help improve the health of sex workers and the population as a whole.”
The organisation said stigma against people living with HIV and key populations could reverse gains that have been made in containing the disease.
“Stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV in Zimbabwe remains rife with one study finding that 65 percent of people living with HIV had experienced some form of discrimination due to their HIV status. The effects of stigma are far reaching as a majority of sex workers questioned said they avoid healthcare due to stigma and discrimination.” -Herald
A leaked JOC Internal Memo doing rounds in social media clearly exposes the state as more dangerous to Zimbabwean citizens than sanctions.
It is not only disheartening but defies logic as to how a whole state security apparatus whose lifeblood depends on taxpayers money can have the audacity to hatch clandestine operations that seek to exterminate citizens voicing against corruption.
Where in the world have we seen state security institutions plotting against citizens fighting societal ills like corruption?
It is only in the land of spineless dictators where state security institutions prey on innocent citizens speaking against societal ills like corruption that threatens national interest.
Is it not true that corruption has now become a cancer threatening our very existence as a people?
When state security institutions become more predatory to those speaking against threats to national interest like corruption, then that state has become rogue.
A state that is predatory to those fighting corruption is more dangerous to national interest than targeted sanctions that Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime parrots about everyday.
It is time Mnangagwa’s regime start thinking about #Anti-corruption galas instead of wasting taxpayers money on the proposed useless #Anti-sanctions gala.
The only credible list that threatens national security is the one that must be headlined by Covid-19 funds thief, Obadiah Moyo and his acolytes.
We are citizens and not terrorists!
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDCAllianceYouthAssemblyNationalSpokesperson
A Bulawayo man apparently needs some cutting-edge tips on how to destroy evidence of cheating.
The call to leave no evidence of sex behind comes after he failed to keep his sex habits to himself when his wife found a used condom in his trouser pocket.
Joseph Davies Mkhethwa from Matshobane angered his wife Edith Mkhethwa and exposed himself as unfaithful after he allegedly brought home a used condom wrapped in a tissue paper.
Joseph’s “negligence” was revealed by his wife at the Bulawayo Civil Court where she was seeking a restraining order against him.
This was after her husband had shamed her by claiming she was having an affair with her pastor.
Edith, a nurse at Mpilo Hospital and also a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, decided to also shame her husband as punishment for labelling her a prostitute.
“I got married to Joseph Davies Mkhethwa in October 1993 and we have two children together.
“We started having marital problems in October last year after his retrenchment from work.
“Our disputes escalated until I was forced to move out of our matrimonial house in Matshobane. I am now staying at my parents’ house in Old Luveve.
“After moving out of the matrimonial house my husband is now coming to my workplace and house to harass me.
“He is also coming to my church spreading lies that I am having an extra-marital relationship with my pastor.
“He is also using my children’s cellphones to insult me and as a result I am now seeking a court order to bar him from insulting me, coming to my workplace, house and church to spreading lies that I am having an extra-marital affair with my pastor,” pleaded Edith.
She insisted that she was not of loose morals. She said that it was her husband that was promiscuous.
“I am not a prostitute. He is the one who brought a used condom wrapped in a tissue paper to our matrimonial home,” she protested.-B-Metro
A MAN from Gwezhera Village in Masvingo is on the run after he allegedly severely battered his daughter who died after a week at his homestead.
A source in the area said Tanyaradzwa Poruri (14) sneaked out of her bedroom hut through the window at night intending to attend a party. She headed to her cousin’s place and asked her to accompany her to the party but she refused. She ended up sleeping at her cousin’s home.
During the night, the source said, it rained heavily and raindrops poured into the bedroom hut through a window that the girl had left open.
Tanyaradzwa’s siblings cried for help, prompting their mother Merjury to head to their bedroom where she was shocked to find them alone, said the source.
The worried Merjury informed her husband Nhamoinesu Poruri (47) who in the morning went to a neighbour’s homestead and found her there.
“He tied her hands with tree fibre and dragged her to his homestead while thrashing her with a stick,” said the source.
Upon arrival at home he continued beating her with a stick and she was injured on the hands and legs.
It is reported that while he was beating her, Tanyaradzwa had a blackout and fell into the fire and suffered burns on the hands and thighs.
“They (parents) never took her to a hospital; they only soothed her with cold water. Sadly she died on Saturday.
When her father noticed that his daughter had died he fled and is still at large,” said the source close to investigation.
Chivhu – Two Chikomba Rural District MDC councillors have been dismissed from the local authority after they failed to comply with a Government directive to resign from Civil Service if they were to continue as councillors.
Bouncing ball Councillors Edwin Museva (Ward 11) and Emmanuel Punungwe (10) both teachers employed by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education were kicked out of council today because they are in violation of a Public Service Commission circular.
The circular says civil servants should resign from Public Service within 30 days of being elected either as MP or councillor.
The marching orders were read out by Chikomba District Development Co-ordinator (DDC) Michael Mariga during a full council meeting after he referred to a directive circulated by Public Service Commission secretary, Ambassador Jonathan Wutaunashe.
However Maseva told The Mirror that the two are not complying with the directive and they have since engaged a lawyer.
Punungwe left the boardroom before the end of the meeting.
The directive is in accordance with PSC circular number 10 of November 28, 2018. This was followed with a letter to the two dated March 25, 2020 to which the two responded through lawyers.
“Given the fact that it is an act of misconduct to engage in any other employment or service for remuneration without the consent of the Commission, it is advisable that you act immediately to correct the situation. For avoidance of doubt, the Commission hereby directs that as a civil servant, you should cease to serve as a councillor with immediate effect,” reads Wutaunashe’s letter.
“We (me and Punungwe) received the circular from PSC and we responded through our lawyers and we are still waiting for their response. We are not complying with what the DDC read today,” said Maseva.
1)I have seen a lot of msgs from junta apologists in Zim calling for the removal of sanctions. The most interesting thing is the insinuation that if these targeted sanctions are removed off the necks officials running the military regime here, immediately, Zim will be a paradise
2) Folks, do u think if those sanctions are removed, Zimbabweans will be free to demonstrate without Idhii & Gen Racto sending soldiers to murder them with AK47s? Do we believe if sanctions are removed, the looting of our diamonds, gold, platinum, chrome by Idhii & his cabal will
3) stop? Are we foolishly optimistic that the moment sanctions are removed, electoral theft will stop? Do Zimbabweans believe after removal of sanctions, ZBC will become a truly public broadcaster & afford every Zimbabwean a voice? Are we so gullible to believe that the day
4) sanctions are removed, no one will ever be arrested for “undermining the authority of the president? ” Do we believe, on the day sanctions are removed, if you get arrested,& u r an opposition politician, u won’t be denied bail for 40 days until some High Court judge releases u
5) and chides the magistrate for not applying themselves on the law? Are we sure on the day sanctions are removed, all abductions, even of university students, will cease? Tell me fellow Zimbabweans, do you believe once sanctions are removed, looting of Covid-19 funds will stop?
6) I would love to know, @nickmangwana, if the day sanctions are removed Zimbabweans will be allowed to vote for MPs & councillors of their choice without some dubious court ruling donating those seats to a politician they didn’t vote for? Will the removal of sanctions
7) end violation of property rights by Zanu-PF land barons? Will the removal of sanctions stop non-government officials, who are married to those in govt, from using dubious ambassadorial designations to steal from Natpharm? I wld love to know if the removal of sanctions
8) will end monopolies in the fuel industry? Tell me folks, will the removal of sanctions make the president realise that it’s corrupt for him & his chln to import buses, at a premium, for a State Owned Enterprise like Zupco? I might be naive, but help me Zimboz, would
9) the removal of sanctions put a stop to government expenditure on useless things like a statue of a dead spirit medium when our hospitals r underfunded? Will the removal of sanctions make sure provinces like Mash West, Mash Central, Mash East have even one resident gynecologist
10) instead of having more than 85 in Harare alone? Will the removal of sanctions stop thieving enterprises like Command Agriculture where more than US$7bn has been looted by Idhii & his cronies? Tell me Zimbabweans, will the removal of sanctions stop the deliberate ploy to kill 11) Econet & it’s Ecocash money payment system inorder to create space for Idhii & his Peter’s take over of Netone Data platform & mobile money platform through CBZ? I want to know, fellow Zimbabweans, if the removal of sanctions will give us a pro-people leadership. If u can 12) demonstrate to me, that all the ills I have listed above, and many more that others are raising, will automatically go away after sanctions are lifted, then & ONLY then, will you have my voice on the issue of sanctions removal.
1)I have seen a lot of msgs from junta apologists in Zim calling for the removal of sanctions. The most interesting thing is the insinuation that if these targeted sanctions are removed off the necks officials running the military regime here, immediately, Zim will be a paradise
A SHOWDOWN is looming between health workers and the government after the Health ministry banned flexi-hours which will see nurses working everyday instead of selected days per week. In a letter to all hospital chief executive officers and provincial medical directors, permanent secretary in the Health ministry Jasper Chimedza said flexi-hours were giving more problems to hospitals.
“All categories of nurses are supposed to work for 40 hours per week. However, they have been on flexi-hours since November 2019.
“The flexi-hours are causing the following challenges, no proper handover and takeover, no continuity of nursing care, compromised quality of patient care, exaggerated shortage of nurses resulting in inadequate ward coverage.
“Therefore, all heads of institutions are kindly advised to stop the flexi working hours forthwith. “All nurses should resume normal 40 working hours per week with immediate effect,” Chimedza wrote.
But Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) president Enock Dongo wrote back to Chimedza demanding that he reverse his decision.
“We make the following requests: That you immediately revoke your letter dated the 19th of October, 2020.
That you give government representatives in the Health Service Bipartite Negotiating Panel (HSBNP) an opportunity to raise the issues in the appropriate forum so that we can try and resolve them if they have merit.
“We note that despite our best attempts, your office has not found time to engage us.
“We, however, feel that as a representative body of the largest number of health workers, you urgently find time to slot us in your diary so that you can have an opportunity to hear nurses’ grievances before they explode again.
“This, in our view, is good labour relations and allows for problems to be addressed in good time. “We look forward to your urgent response on the issues we raised, hopefully within the next forty-eight (48) hours, failure of which we will look into taking other options to protect the interest of our members,” Dongo wrote.
He said the move to ban flexi-hours would scuttle the negotiations between health workers and the government.
“At the time you were appointed, nurses had withdrawn their labour as they were incapacitated.
“However, in order to give dialogue a chance and to show the government that we want to give it an opportunity to resolve our grievances, nurses agreed to return back to work.
“Since returning to work, we have waited to be engaged on our grievances, but such engagement has not taken place. “With this as a background, your circular to heads of institutions to remove the flexible hour system is ill-timed and will definitely set the government at a warpath with its employees again,” Dongo added.
He said Chimedza’s circular ran contrary to other communication they received from the Health ministry on May 11 where the authorities said the flexible hour system would remain in place because it reduced exposure to Covid-19.
“You are aware, or should be aware, that dialogue in the health sector is done within the ambit of the Health Service Bipartite Negotiating Panel.
“All stakeholders under this negotiating panel are treated as equals and sector decisions are reached after discussions.
“The decision to implement the flexible working hours system is a product of agreement within the HSBNP.
“It was not given unilaterally by the government, neither did the employees adopt it on their own accord,” Dongo explained.
ZANU-PF MP for Nkayi South Stars Mathe shocked legislators on Wednesday after she requested for an opportunity to wail over sanctions in the National Assembly in the middle of a debate. This comes as Zimbabwe and Sadc will on Sunday mark the Anti-Sanctions Day after a declaration by regional member states last year to unite in the call for the unconditional removal of the “unjust” economic restrictions that have had a debilitating effect on the country’s economic development.
Mathe made the request to cry during Parliament’s question and answer session through a supplementary question to the leader of government business, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, on what the executive was doing to help citizens who lost their jobs owing to coronavirus (Covid-19).
“Before I ask my supplementary question, allow me to cry because this week is meant for crying — mayibabo ngamasanctions mayibabo! My supplementary question Madam Speaker to the Honourable minister is what measures are you putting in place to make sure that those who have lost jobs are getting their jobs back and those who suffered extreme poverty due to Covid-19 are alleviated once the pandemic is over?” Mathe asked.
The request was met with sarcasm from MDC Alliance MP for Mbizo Settlement Chikwinya, who appeared puzzled and asked for a clarification after raising a point of order.
“Honourable Mathe made some noise and I thought I needed an explanation on what that meant. I took some time trying to figure out what the expression was and its relevance to Parliament.
“Can she be allowed to explain to us what she meant? It was like she was crying and I am not quite sure what the problem is,” Chikwinya said.
National Assembly acting Speaker Tsitsi Gezi explained that the majority of MPs had understood Mathe’s request as it was an expression of interest.
“As legislators, we have got a role to represent people and that is one of our mandates. Therefore, she was representing people in the call against sanctions,” Gezi said.
Yet Chikwinya did not relent on making a caricature of his fellow legislator, saying: “I was worried because I heard exactly the same cry last night at the hotel in room 306 so, I am not quite sure to whom she was referring”.
“I am not saying it was her crying — I am just saying there was a similar cry at the hotel in room 306,” Chikwinya said. This prompted Gezi to call Chikwinya to order and directed the opposition legislator to withdraw his words as they carried overtones of sarcasm, caricature and, therefore, un-parliamentary.
“When we are in this House, we believe that we are supposed to speak maturely. I understand those were your sentiments, but I do not think it will be good for you to be uttering words that can relate otherwise.
“I am kindly asking you to withdraw those words as much as it is something which happened which you are very much relating to but truly speaking, it leaves a lot to be desired. May you kindly withdraw those words?” Gezi said.
VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga is now staying at the Golden Peacock Villa Hotel in Harare owned by Anjin – a joint venture between the Ministry of Defence and a Chinese investor – after he abandoned his matrimonial Borrowdale Brooke mansion that he says holds “sentimental value” to him amid a nasty fallout with his ex-wife Marry Mubaiwa.
Chiwenga’s new home is located along Kingsmead Road in Borrowdale in Harare. Even though he managed to evict Marry, with the help of the army, Chiwenga still moved out. Some people initially said he was staying in Chisipite, yet others speculated he was at the National Defence University, but this week The NewsHawks established Chiwenga now resides at the Kingsmead villa for security and personal reasons.
This reinforced the view that he is close to the Chinese who saved his life when he looked terminally ill before being flown to Beijing for treatment last year. It is not the first time for Chiwenga to abandon the Borrowdale Brooke mansion which is perched on a hill with a panoramic view inside Zimbabwe’s prime housing estate on 614 Nick Price Road.
With a screaming inscription C&M (Constantino & Marry), the house stands majestically on a hill facing an 18-hole golf course designed by South African architect Peter Makovitch.
The estate was developed by Zimbabwe’s famous golf legend Nick Price, once Number 1 in the world’s golf rankings. Initially Chiwenga left the Borrowdale Brooke house, where used to live with his other former wife Jocelyn, in April 2010 to stay with Marry on 11 Rosary Close in Greystone Park suburb also under Borrowdale area.
This time around he went to the Anjin villa. Anjin Investments (Pvt) Ltd is a joint venture between Chinese company Anhui Foreign Economic Construction (Group) Co. Ltd and a Zimbabwean entity Matt Bronze Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, owned by the military, founded on December 2009.
The latest move came after Chiwenga evicted his estranged wife Marry with the assistance of the army. Just like in 2014 when he divorced Jocelyn, Chiwenga used armed soldiers to deny Marry access to the mansion, before the courts granted him the right to occupy the house.
Marry lost control of the house after Chiwenga got her arrested on allegations of attempted murder, fraud and money laundering in December last year.
She was granted bail on 6 January and told to stay at her matrimonial home, but was denied access to the house by armed soldiers. Chiwenga later challenged the court ruling which gave Marry access to the house on the grounds that the former model was dishonest and did not deserve bail as she had surrendered only one of her three passports to the court, a material fact which the vice-president’s lawyers said had not been disclosed when the judgment was made.
In any case, the lawyers argued, she could not stay with Chiwenga in the same house as he was the complainant. Chiwenga further said Marry found him staying at the residence in question when they married and thus she no longer had a legal right to be there following the termination of their customary union.
“Number 614 Nick Price Drive Borrowdale Brooke is my house of sentimental value awarded to me by the High Court in a former divorce matter by the late Justice Andrew Mutema,” Chiwenga said.
“I have no other home.” Locals in the Chinese villa’s vicinity said security has been beefed up since Chiwenga’s moved in. The villa is now fortified. In addition to private security, there are also soldiers guarding the hotel. Informed sources say Chiwenga is locked in a fierce power struggle with President Emmerson Mnangagwa over Zanu PF’s unresolved leadership question. This has been variously confirmed with many credible sources.
WHILE the principle of land reform in Zimbabwe was primarily to address the skewed legacy of colonial land ownership imbalances, the late former president Robert Mugabe and his family engaged in greedy accumulation of farms establishing themselves as the new landed aristocracy.
Owen Gagare
By the time of his death on 6 September 2019, Mugabe had became a top land baron with 24 farms in violation of his regime’s one-man-one-farm policy.
Beneath the rhetorical veneer of a noble cause of to correct historical land ownership imbalances, there was a greedy accumulation agenda for Zanu PF elites and their cronies who amassed land but mainly failed to utilise it, spawning food insecurity and shortages.
Some displaced white Zimbabwean farmers are now doing well in South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia and Nigeria, among other countries. The land seizures also left Zimbabweans holding onto dead capital on farms, with uncertainty of ownership decreasing the value of the property and the ability to lend or borrow against it.
Contrary to public perception and widespread reports that the Mugabes 10 or 14 farms at most, The NewsHawks has managed to dig out the record showing the correct number of farms that they held: 24.
By violating his own government policy on land ownership, Mugabe and his family became the largest landowning black family after the chaotic and often violent fast-track land redistribution programme which began in 2000.
Ironically, Mugabe used to publicly complain about multiple farm ownership at various fora, including the 2002 Johannesburg Earth Summit where he denounced former British prime minister Tony Blair, telling him: “Blair, keep your England and let me keep my Zimbabwe” as he vowed to push on with the land reform programme.
Blair’s No. 10 Downing Street strongly criticised as needlessly unstructured and brutal. “Every one of them (white farmers) is entitled to at least one farm, but they would want to continue to have more than one farm. More than one farm, indeed 15, 20, 35 farms, one person. These are not figures I’m just getting from my mind, they are real figures, so no farmer is being left without land…,” Mugabe said.
“We don’t mind having and bearing sanctions banning us from Europe, we are not Europeans. We have not asked for an inch of Europe, any square inch of that territory. So, Blair keep your England and let me keep my Zimbabwe.” After self-righteously and repeatedly telling the world, he was only motivated by correcting a major historical injustice, Mugabe however went to acquire many farms and, in some cases, grabbing up to five farms before consolidating them into one big bloc of a landholding.
For example, the Mugabe family ow Smithfield Farm in Mashonaland Central, which is an amalgam of five farms, namely Smithfield Farm, Willows Plot, Lemon Pool, Mazowe Junction and Lot 5 of Yarrowdale which totalled 1 300 hectares.
“Although they grabbed those farms just like colonial predators, the Mugabes are not farming on that consolidated farm. They have subcontracted and leased it to the Rudland Brothers—Simon and Harmish. The offer letter for the farm is in the name of the Grace Mugabe Foundation,” a relative of the Mugabes said.
While Mugabe bought Highfield Farm in Norton in the 1980s, he went on to take advantage of the land reform programme to grab four surrounding farms before consolidating the five farms.
Police, army and intelligence security operatives were deployed to facilitate the acquisition of Tankatara, Cressydale, John O’Groats and Clifford farms before they became part of Highfield Farm. The five farms total 4 800 hectares.
The Mugabes also own Iron Mask Farm, which is a consolidation of three properties. The three farms, according to the farm handover letter seen by The NewsHawks, are B of Greater B, Remainder of Iron Mask and Portion of Irene Estate.
Documents obtained by The NewsHawks support and prove this. The handover letter is in the name of Grace Mugabe Children’s Home and has a total of 1 399.6 hectares. Grace played a huge role in building the Mugabes’ land empire.
In addition, the family also has Gushungo Dairy Estate in Mazowe, once known as Foyle Farm. The farm was initially parceled out to the state-owned Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) by former agriculture minister Joseph Made, a Mugabe farm manager and right-hand man. It was then renamed Arda Foyle before being acquired by the Mugabes and developed to become the flagship of their Mazowe business empire.
“All infrastructure and equipment that was mobilised by Arda was taken over and the farm became Gushungo Dairy Estate,” an informed said.
Also in Mazowe, the Mugabe family acquired five farms and consolidated them under Manzou, with a game reserve. The consolidated farms are Manzou Farm, Surtic Ranch, Arnolds Farm, Maggiesdale Farm and Glenbervile with a combined hectarage of 16 000 hectares.
The Mugabes’ also have the 310-hectare Kaseplan Farm in Pomona on their books. The farm was initially taken over by some local families during the land reform programme, among them Adonia Makombe, Sahungwe Hungwe and Nyika Chifamba, who were given offer letters.
The Mugabes however later acquired a handover letter in the name of one of their companies, Kaseplan Grand Industries, in 2011 before evicting the families with the assistance of the police, military and intelligence operatives.
The family then grabbed 100 hectares of state land next to the farm that was initially meant for a botanical garden. The Zunde botanical garden project was shelved by the state owing to a lack of underground water in the area.
Further, the Mugabes also own the 1 300-hectare Mwenewazvo Farm, formerly known as Sigaro. The farm was initially taken over by Arda before being named Arda Sigaro. Arda then mobilised equipment for the farm before the Mugabes took over the land.
Vusumuzi Farm, which is 800 hectares and formerly known as Gwina in Mashonaland West, is also owned by the Mugabes after they grabbed part of it from the then High Court Justice Ben Hlatshwayo. The judge had been allocated the farm formerly owned by prominent commercial farmer Vernon Nicolle.
The long list of farms belonging to the Mugabes include Bucklands Farm, originally named Buckland Estate. The 310-hectare farm is next to Wild Geese Lodge. The Mugabe family also owns a 120-hectare plot after Pomona Golf Course which was allocated to their company called Mawuya Zimbabwe.
BELEAGUERED Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga made spirited but futile efforts to save his allies from the Zanu PF political guillotine during Wednesday’s tense politburo meeting in which a titanic battle among senior party officials exploded into the open.
The most high-profile casualty from Wednesday’s meeting was Mashonaland East provincial affairs minister Aplonia Munzverengwi, who was demoted from the women’s league national political commissar position to become deputy secretary for lands in the influential wing.
Mashonaland West provincial vice-chairperson Dexter Nduna — also Chegutu West legislator — was demoted to a mere card-carrying member, prevented from holding any position in the party for a year, while Matabeleland North provincial youth chair Tamuka Nyoni suffered a similar fate.
They are all believed to be Chiwenga’s allies.
As reported by the Zimbabwe Independent in the past three years, there is a simmering power struggle between President Mnangagwa, who is also Zanu PF’s president and first secretary, and Chiwenga since the two men conspired to overthrow the late former president Robert Mugabe in a military coup in November 2017.
Chiwenga is widely seen as leader of a faction in Zanu PF and is reportedly itching to take over from the 78-year-old incumbent, who is planning to seek a second term in 2023. Zanu PF has roundly endorsed Mnangagwa as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election.
Since the November 2017 coup, Mnangagwa’s camp has been working to decimate Chiwenga’s power base by weakening his influence on the military and other state departments. Mnangagwa has been making sweeping changes in the military and reassigning those perceived to be loyal to the Vice-President.
However, the former Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander, who orchestrated the coup, remains influential in the military and in Zanu PF.
Tension between the two has escalated dramatically over the past few months amid intense jostling for positions during the ongoing restructuring exercises, particularly the upcoming District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections.
Having dealt Chiwenga a decisive blow by neutralising his military influence, sources said, Mnangagwa has now firmly set his eyes on decimating his political power base and this explains the decision during the Wednesday’s politburo meeting to purge Chiwenga’s political allies.
The Independent’s politburo sources said Chiwenga personally tried in vain to save both Munzverengwi and Nduna from facing stiffer penalties but successfully managed to convince the politburo to rescind the national disciplinary committee (NDC)’s decision to expel Nduna from the party.
Nduna was accused of attempting to use his influence as provincial deputy chair to impose candidates for various DCC positions, against the provincial executive’s resolution.
Sources however alleged he was punished for frequently clashing with his superior, the provincial chairman Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is also Justice minister.
Ziyambi is widely considered to be Mnangagwa’s right hand man.
A politburo member said during a discussion on his issue, Zanu PF secretary for security Lovemore Matuke suggested that Nduna must be suspended from the party for five years and forced to enroll in the Chitepo School of Ideology.
Chiwenga, sources said, quickly shot down the proposal saying the sanction would be too harsh.
“The province (Mashonaland West) had recommended that he should be suspended for five years and when the matter came up for discussion, Matuke suggested he should also be enrolled at the Chitepo School of Ideology. However, the vice president quickly dismissed the suggestion saying it would be an abuse of the facility. He declared that there was no way Nduna would be sent to the ideological school and in the end it was agreed that he should be suspended from holding a leadership position in the party for just one year,” the politburo member said.
Insiders further said the issue of Munzverengwi took much more time as some of the politburo members sympathetic to Chiwenga felt she was being treated unfairly.
According to the NDC report presented by Zanu Pf national chair Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Munzverengwi was accused of bringing the name of the party into disrepute after a nude picture of her went viral on social media last year.
However, it emerged during the deliberations some politburo members reportedly rubbished the allegation saying she was actually being victimised by women’s league boss Marble Chinomona, with whom she has had bad blood since early 2019, well before the picture was circulated.
Munzverengwi comes from Wedza district, a stone’s throw from Chiwenga’s rural homestead. She is also a former senior assistant commissioner in the police and is perceived to be one of Chiwenga’s most ardent supporters having made several appearances at his private functions in Wedza.
“The general feeling in the meeting was that she was being treated unfairly. Again it was Chiwenga who leapt to her defence first. He clearly stated that there was nothing immoral about the photograph, which only showed her body from the chest upward. He actually left the meeting in stitches when he suggested that there were some very senior party members who had done much worse things and no such punishment had been imposed on them,” a source who attended the meeting said.
“So basically, it was agreed that since she had accepted her demotion during the hearing, it should not be altered,” the source added.
Nyoni was punished for attending meetings organised by shadowy pressure group, #tajamuka and receiving payments ahead of the thwarted July 31 protests.
“On being quizzed by the NDC, he said he had been sent by the provincial chair Richard Moyo to infiltrate and spy on the pressure group and give information back to the party. However, Moyo denied the allegation, leaving us with no option but to recommend that he should be demoted to being a card-carrying member,” another source said.
According to inside sources, the party bigwigs also viciously clashed when debating the fate of former Zanu PF secretary for youth affairs Kudzi Chipanga who had applied to rejoin the party from which he was jettisoned at the height of the 2017 military coup.
While those in the Mnangagwa camp like July Moyo and Matuke reportedly wanted him to be readmitted as a card-carrying member ineligible to occupy any leadership position for five years, Chiwenga and party secretary for finance Patrick Chinamasa came out guns blazing saying there was no way he could be allowed back into the party since he was the chief instigator of their woes during Mugabe’s last days in power.
Chipanga traversed the length and breadth of the country rallying youths against Mnangagwa and his then Team Lacoste faction and promoting his bitterest rival at the time, former first lady Grace Mugabe against whom he fought for the right to succeed Mugabe.
As further punishment, Chipanga will lose his farm in Rusape, again at the instigation of Chiwenga and Chinamasa.
“Basically, Chiwenga and Chinamasa argued that readmitting Chipanga would be a mistake as it would imply tolerance for G40 and there was a likelihood that he could be their conduit,” a senior politburo member said.
“On the issue of the farm, July Moyo had actually said he preferred the issue to be referred to the ministry of lands since it was not a party issue but an administrative issue to be best addressed through government. But Chinamasa and Chiwenga sharply disagreed saying the politburo had the right to make a determination on the case and in the end it was resolved that he should be asked to vacate the property,” the politburo member said.
Sources further said the politburo referred the cases of other G40 acolytes Tapiwa Matangaidze and Makhosini Hlongwane back to the Midlands provincial coordinating committee after strong objections from Sibusiso Moyo, Joram Gumbo, July Moyo, Tsitsi Muzenda and Simbarashe Mbengegwi, who argued that their applications had not been deliberated on at provincial level.
“The five, who are the most senior members from the Midlands province, accused secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana of misrepresenting to the politburo that their case had been deliberated on by the provincial PCC. The five then said they did not remember any such PCC meeting being converged and this resulted in the meeting referring the case back to the provincial structures,” a source said. —
FORMER Highlanders assistant coach, Reuben “Exe” Tsengwa has died.
Tsengwa died at the age of 60 Thursday after a lengthy illness. His sister, Shylet Mpofu said while his brother had been unwell for a while, he had actually shown signs of recovery before his death on Thursday. He is survived by three children, one boy and two girls.
Mourners are gathered at Q44 Mzilikazi. The family is making plans to lay him to rest on Saturday.
A defensive midfielder during his playing days, Tsengwa came through the Highlanders ranks and went up to the reserve team before he left for Gweru United where he played most of his senior football.
When he retired from playing, Tsengwa came back to Highlanders as a coach where he started off with the juniors and was promoted to the first team under Methembe Ndlovu in 2006, the year Highlanders last won the championship, which saw them take part in the 2007 Caf Champions League. Tsengwa took over in July 2008 as Highlanders caretaker coach when Ndlovu was fired in what turned out to be one of the worst seasons for Highlanders. He took charge of the team until the end of the season.
The late Tsengwa reunited with Ndlovu at Bantu Rovers where he worked as a juniors coach.
Mobile money service EcoCash has begun moving funds held in the recently banned agent lines with the transactions liable to 2% tax.
The liquidation follows the immediate ban of agent lines in August by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe saying that they were no longer serving any legitimate purpose.
While the Central Bank said that the liquidation process could be done after a legitimate source of funds could have been produced.
The mobile money platform announced the development in a notice , “ We wish to advise all EcoCash agents of the liquidation process as approved by RBZ.”
All transactions are being subjected to the famous 2% IMTT (Intermediate Money Transfer Tax).
“All transactions above $100 000 are subject to approval by the FIU,” said EcoCash
While most agent lines hold much funds in them the Central bank will most likely make a killing out of it.
Agent line holders are being required to produce documents certified by the police , fill in liquidation forms and show proof of bank accounts.
Government in August banned agent lines alleging that they were being used for illegal forex dealings fuelling the black market.
As an act of compliance Ecocash has since closed them down.
However , this has caused a dent in the black market and on daily transactions.
THIRTY musical acts among them Jeys Marabini, Sandra Ndebele, Iyasa, Jah Master, Enzo Ishall, Minister Mahendere, Madlela Skhobokhobo, Selmor Mtukudzi and Judgement Yard will be part of the Anti-Sanctions Virtual Gala tonight.
The Gala will be held in Bulawayo at the Rainbow Hotel and will be broadcast live on ZBCtv, Heritage Tv and Zimpapers Television Network. The show will start at 6PM and end the next day at 6AM.
Other artistes include Sniper Storm, Diamond Musica, Progress Chipfumo, Juntal, Allan, Tryson and Douglas Chimbetu, Chief Hwenje, Mechanic Manyeruke, Mzoe7, Hwabaraty, Bolamba Culture Birds, Kireni Zulu, LMG Choir, Poptain/Allana, Franco Dhaka Slomo, Peter Moyo, Bruce Machingura, Irene Mutangadura, Mahendere Senior, Enzo Ishall, Sweet Moby and Vimbai Zimuto.
Zanu-PF and the government of Emmerson Mnangagwa demonstrate that there are no lengths to which they will not go to humiliate and torture women who speak out against corruption.
At the time of this article, a Harare court was yet to decide whether Joanna Mamombe’s trial should be separated from her comrades.
On 13 May 2020, a group of young people held a peaceful demonstration in Harare demanding accountability on Covid-19 resources received by the government of Zimbabwe from different countries, organisations and local stakeholders.
On their way from the protest march, three women — Cecilia Chimbiri, Joanna Mamombe and Netsai Marova — members of Zimbabwe’s biggest opposition party, the MDC Alliance, were arrested at a Zimbabwe Republic Police roadblock.
They managed to notify some of their comrades about the arrest and police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed to two newspapers, the state-owned Herald and Newsday, a privately owned newspaper, their arrest for organising and participating in an illegal protest.
On hearing of the arrest, the three women’s lawyers rushed to Harare central police station, but police there claimed they did not have the women in their custody.
The lawyers and the women’s colleagues went to police stations in Harare searching for them, but were given the same response: “We do not have them in our custody.”
It became clear to everyone who understands the methods of the state that the women had been abducted. The police spokesperson also distanced himself from his earlier admission that they had arrested the three women.
Fortunately, the car they had been driving on the day of the protest was found parked at Harare central police station, so we knew the police were lying.
Zimbabweans took to Twitter and other media platforms to call for the immediate release of the women, undoubtedly victims of enforced disappearance. There has been a systematic and widespread use of abductions and enforced disappearance by the state on dissidents.
On 15 May, two nights after their disappearance, the three women were found dumped on a roadside near Bindura about 86km from Harare, traumatised and seriously injured. They were admitted to hospital for treatment. Zimbabweans were relieved when we heard they had been found. We thought their troubles were over, but it seems they were just beginning.
The women narrated their ordeal and in tears explained how after their arrest they had been abducted from police custody by armed men and taken to a forest where for two days they were physically and sexually assaulted and forced to perform humiliating and degrading acts such as drinking one another’s urine.
While still in hospital, on 26 May, they were charged with “inciting public violence”. A magistrate went to the hospital to hear the matter and a kangaroo court-style hearing was held at their hospital bedsides. Zimbabweans were outraged by the brazen continuation of the victimisation of these women, who had already been tortured. They were granted bail for that charge 29 May.
On 8 June they were discharged from hospital to finish their recovery at home. As they were attempting to pick up their lives after the traumatic experiences, just two days after they were discharged, on 10 June, they were arrested again and this time charged with faking abduction. They were sent to Chikurubi maximum prison only to be granted bail by the high court more than two weeks later on 26 June.
It is clear that the state is hellbent on forcing the MDC Three to face trial despite their mental health challenges. Everything that is happening to them is not because they broke any laws, but persecution for daring to question the government on how it used Covid-19 donations.
The bail conditions barred them from using social media, they were to report to police three times a week and they had to surrender their passports and pay Z$10,000 (about $100).
They were also banned from talking to the media. The media ban has meant that the world has no access to the finer details of the lengths to which Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has gone to abuse the women. There were rumours that all three were struggling with depression, anxiety and other stress- and trauma-induced conditions. Through it all, they observed their bail conditions religiously. They have not given any interviews, they have not participated in public gatherings and they have been reporting to the police three times weekly as stipulated.
Unfortunately, that has not prevented the state from victimising them further.
On 4 September, Mamombe had a psychological breakdown which saw her admitted to a mental institution. She was diagnosed with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
While in hospital she missed a court hearing for her ongoing trial of faking an abduction. Her lawyers explained to the magistrate that she was in hospital and therefore could not attend the hearing, but the magistrate would have none of it. On 15 September, police brandishing an arrest warrant descended on Mamombe and forcibly discharged her from hospital in her nightwear, despite pleas from her doctors to allow her to continue treatment.
On 24 September, to our disbelief and shock, a magistrate by the name of Bianca Makwande ordered that Mamombe be sent back to Chikurubi maximum prison for 14 days on the pretext that she had to be assessed by two state psychiatrists to see if she could stand trial. She was housed in the mental health section of Chikurubi maximum prison where the sickest members of the country are imprisoned. This is where the criminally insane are housed.
It is reported that on the day she was admitted they tried to inject her with an unknown substance, but she violently protested until they let her go. I believe the government put her there in a bid to drive her insane and thus have an excuse to commit her to a mental asylum.
Mamombe was released through a high court order on 7 October, but after having already spent 13 days in prison. The assessments by the doctors at a hearing held on 22 October 2020 indicate that Mamombe is not ready for trial and needs medical attention.
When I heard the news I believed it was good news, but unbeknown to everyone the state had something up its sleeve. Instead of waiting until Mamombe is well enough to stand trial, they say they now want to separate the trials of the MDC Three by trying Mamombe separately from her co-accused. This seems like a clear attempt to frustrate Mamombe further and to isolate her from the support and solidarity she shares with her co-accused. It also ignores the fact that the other two victims are also struggling with anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.
In December 2019, in the case of the State vs former Minister Prisca Mupfumira who is facing corruption charges involving theft of $95-million in pensioners’ funds, Prisca’s lawyer told the court that she was not mentally fit for trial. A psychiatrist had recommended that she be given three months to recover. The court granted her request and till today, she is free.
It is clear that the state is hellbent on forcing the MDC Three to face trial despite their mental health challenges. Everything that is happening to them is not because they broke any laws, but persecution for daring to question the government on how it used Covid-19 donations.
It is important that the world takes an interest in the case of these three women, victims of torture, enforced disappearance, persecution, grave forms of sexual violence, imprisonment and other inhuman acts; all crimes against humanity, according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Article 7.
Today, Friday 23 October, the court will give its ruling. I pray we all take a keen interest.
What kind of people would we be, what kind of world would this be, if all of us, Zimbabweans and citizens of the world, human rights defenders, women’s organisations, mental health organisations, political parties, civil society organisations, neighbouring and other countries, allow the government of Zimbabwe to continue these gross violations of human rights, unchecked?
The Victoria Falls Stock Exchange has been launched today, in a development that marks the establishment of an Offshore Financial Services Centre in the world famous resort town.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the bourse is expected to create a global platform for the trading of stocks in foreign currency in a way that promotes foreign investment into Zimbabwe and the region.
Prof Ncube said: “The establishment of the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange marks the beginning in earnest, of our journey towards the establishment of an Offshore Financial Services Centre in Victoria Falls.
“The move will go down as the laying of the foundation stone of the Offshore Financial ServicesCentre and thus is a key pillar supporting efforts to grow Victoria Falls’ status as not just a Special Economic Zone, but an offshore financial hub,” said Prof Ncube.
He said Government saw an opportunity to work with the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange in creating a global platform for the trading of stocks in foreign currency.
