Farai Dziva| A crestfallen Douglas Mwonzora left Masvingo Province in agony after addressing 15 people, including himself at a rally in Chivi Central Constitutiency at the weekend.
Mwonzora who was hoping to address hundreds of members of the MDC T 2014 structures was stunned when he found himself addressing a paltry gathering in Chivi.
Mwonzora also addressed a poorly attended meeting in Masvingo Urban Constituency.
The individuals who attended the meeting are not Congress delegates, it has emerged.
“Mr Mwonzora’ s bid to address hundreds of members of the MDC T 2014 structures hit a snag.
His meetings were poorly attended,” a source told ZimEye.com.
As Germany registered another record number of COVID-19 infections, Chancellor Angela Merkel called on young people to "do without a few parties now in order to have a good life tomorrow." pic.twitter.com/BjA5loIJVC
Kembo Mohadi’s ridiculous assertion that country’s fortunes have become better under Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime clearly exposes high levels of insincerity and pathological lies of this so called ‘new dispensation’.
Certainly Mohadi cannot hide under the piecemeal and snail paced roadworks where nothing significant is happening except overhaul of the remaining tarred strip albeit without replacing it.
Mohadi suddenly forgets that from 1980 he was part of the old establishment that ruined the once breadbasket of Africa.
Maybe because of old age, the usually bedridden Mohadi is now suffering from serious Alzheimer’s dementia.
Is it not a public secret that life for the ordinary has gone from bad to worse under Emmerson Mnangagwa’s short reign?
From the education sector to health sector, there is crises everywhere and one wonders what positive rides does Kembo Mohadi refer to.
It is time ZANU PF leaders know that lies, delusions and insincerity can never solve the economic question.
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDCAllianceYouthAssemblyNationalSpokesperson
The MDC T Midlands North Provincial Structures for 2014 met at the Kwekwe party offices on Saturday 17th October 2020, to brief each other on the Supreme Court Judgement of March 31st 2020, that called for the MDCT party to organize for an Extra Ordinary Congress to elect a replacement of the late founding Iconic President Tsvangirai, in line with the party constitution.
This meeting was the province’s first 2014 structures meeting since the ruling was made.
The turnout was good, with delegates from Gokwe Districts, Kwekwe Districts, and Kadoma Senatorial districts.
The MDC T Midlands North province 2014 is made up of 18 Parliamentary Constituencies.
The meeting was facilitated, and chaired by the 2014 provincial chairperson, Mr Sedwel Bhebhe, and was exceptional peaceful and of conducive environment.
Members of the Provincial Executive, District Chairpersons, and congress delegates from districts that make Midlands North province were in attendance.
There were some who gave apologies due to transport logistics. Also in attendance was NEC member Hon Blessing Chebundo, as well as the Deputy Mayors of Kwekwe and Redcliff, and some of the councillors, all who are delegates to the EOC by virtue of their positions in 2014 structures.
The meeting noted the importance of the 2014 delegates from the province to participate in the EOC, and within the party constitutional framework, and processes.
The meeting also discussed the need for the province to be ready with authentic provincial structures/delegates as per the constitution.
The meeting further noted the importance of unity and sanity needed for the party going forward. To that end, the meeting tasked the 2014 respective district chairpersons and their executives and through the provincial chairperson, to assist the party in availing, and validating the lists of the bona fide provincial EOC delegates, given the time that had lapsed since 2014.
The provincial chairman advised that, meanwhile, the province will await in anticipation of the Midlands North Provincial Council to be convened under guidance of the national 2014 leadership, in preparatory for the National EOC, hence the province should be ready with clear cut bona fide structures to enable the provincial council 2014 structures to attend, in fulfilment of the SC judgement, and of the party constitution regarding processes towards EOC.
It was agreed that the District chairpersons should have the lists of structures ready within one week, and these will be used to ‘cross check’ and validates with the available records.
During the plenary interventions from the floor, those who spoke called for unity of purpose amongst ‘all and sundry’ in the province and party, for the good of the party, and the people. Noting that the party and people stand to lose if the obtaining challenges are not addressed sincerely, and as MDC family.
That there was no need for people to display vindictiveness.
The Chairman ended the meeting by thanking the members for their demonstrated peace loving attitude and their conduct during the entire period of meeting, and went further to urge them to maintain this maturity through and through. Further noting that, this was the legacy left by the founding late President.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and presents an unprecedented challenge to public health, food systems and the world of work.
The economic and social disruption caused by the pandemic is devastating: tens of millions of people are at risk of falling into extreme poverty, while the number of undernourished people, currently estimated at nearly 690 million, could increase by up to 132 million by the end of the year.
Millions of enterprises face an existential threat. Nearly half of the world’s 3.3 billion global workforce are at risk of losing their livelihoods.
Informal economy workers are particularly vulnerable because the majority lack social protection and access to quality health care and have lost access to productive assets. Without the means to earn an income during lockdowns, many are unable to feed themselves and their families. For most, no income means no food, or, at best, less food and less nutritious food.
The pandemic has been affecting the entire food system and has laid bare its fragility. Border closures, trade restrictions and confinement measures have been preventing farmers from accessing markets, including for buying inputs and selling their produce, and agricultural workers from harvesting crops, thus disrupting domestic and international food supply chains and reducing access to healthy, safe and diverse diets. The pandemic has decimated jobs and placed millions of livelihoods at risk. As breadwinners lose jobs, fall ill and die, the food security and nutrition of millions of women and men are under threat, with those in low-income countries, particularly the most marginalized populations, which include small-scale farmers and indigenous peoples, being hardest hit.
Millions of agricultural workers – waged and self-employed – while feeding the world, regularly face high levels of working poverty, malnutrition and poor health, and suffer from a lack of safety and labour protection as well as other types of abuse.
With low and irregular incomes and a lack of social support, many of them are spurred to continue working, often in unsafe conditions, thus exposing themselves and their families to additional risks. Further, when experiencing income losses, they may resort to negative coping strategies, such as distress sale of assets, predatory loans or child labour. Migrant agricultural workers are particularly vulnerable, because they face risks in their transport, working and living conditions and struggle to access support measures put in place by governments.
Guaranteeing the safety and health of all agri-food workers – from primary producers to those involved in food processing, transport and retail, including street food vendors – as well as better incomes and protection, will be critical to saving lives and protecting public health, people’s livelihoods and food security.
In the COVID-19 crisis food security, public health, and employment and labour issues, in particular workers’ health and safety, converge. Adhering to workplace safety and health practices and ensuring access to decent work and the protection of labour rights in all industries will be crucial in addressing the human dimension of the crisis. Immediate and purposeful action to save lives and livelihoods should include extending social protection towards universal health coverage and income support for those most affected.
These include workers in the informal economy and in poorly protected and low-paid jobs, including youth, older workers, and migrants.
Particular attention must be paid to the situation of women, who are over-represented in low-paid jobs and care roles.
Different forms of support are key, including cash transfers, child allowances and healthy school meals, shelter and food relief initiatives, support for employment retention and recovery, and financial relief for businesses, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. In designing and implementing such measures it is essential that governments work closely with employers and workers.
Countries dealing with existing humanitarian crises or emergencies are particularly exposed to the effects of COVID-19. Responding swiftly to the pandemic, while ensuring that humanitarian and recovery assistance reaches those most in need, is critical.
Now is the time for global solidarity and support, especially with the most vulnerable in our societies, particularly in the emerging and developing world.
Only together can we overcome the intertwined health and social and economic impacts of the pandemic and prevent its escalation into a protracted humanitarian and food security catastrophe, with the potential loss of already achieved development gains.
We must recognize this opportunity to build back better, as noted in the Policy Brief issued by the United Nations Secretary-General.
We are committed to pooling our expertise and experience to support countries in their crisis response measures and efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We need to develop long-term sustainable strategies to address the challenges facing the health and agri-food sectors.
Priority should be given to addressing underlying food security and malnutrition challenges, tackling rural poverty, in particular through more and better jobs in the rural economy, extending social protection to all, facilitating safe migration pathways and promoting the formalization of the informal economy.
We must rethink the future of our environment and tackle climate change and environmental degradation with ambition and urgency.
Only then can we protect the health, livelihoods, food security and nutrition of all people, and ensure that our ‘new normal’ is a better one…
Credit: World Health Organization
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information follow /like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
Farai Dziva|Fearless human rights activist Namatai Kwekweza has dismissed the discourse indicating that Zanu PF is a party of patriots.
On the contrary Zanu PF bigwigs are haters of ordinary citizens, argued Kwekweza.
“Don’t get confused MaZimbo any party that gets into power and doesn’t work to ensure that ALL Zimbos are safe, secure and well governed is not a party of patriots.
Any party that abducts people and lies about it, is not a party of patriots. #ZimbabweanLivesMatter
Zanu Pf is just a political party. It is not the state. ZANU pf is not Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe is not ZANU PF. ZANU pf can not monopolize the definition of patriotism. Even in ZANU pf there are no patriots. That’s why our country has fallen. #ZimbabweanLivesMatter
ZANU PF is not the whole of Zimbabwe Just because we are not ZANU PF members, doesn’t mean we hate Zimbabwe. Just because you are a ZANU PF member it doesn’t mean you love Zimbabwe. #ZimbabweanLivesMatter
ZANU PF people are some of the biggest haters of Zim and it’s people. Think abductions, looting, political violence, authoritarianism. 40years after independence Zimbabwe still looks like a growth point by world standards because of ZANU PF looting. These people don’t love Zim,” Kwekweza wrote on Twitter.
For the record I have never claimed that I am still a Member of Zanu PF as it is currently constituted , am not and will not be again . I was expelled from its Central Committee in Nov 2017 , I did not contest my illegal & unilateral dismissal .
Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has described New Zealand Prime Minister’s victory as a sign of hope for the future.
See below President Chamisa’s congratulatory message to New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Arden:
So humbling and refreshing to see how others in the world run clean, free and fair elections.
Huge Congrats to the young leader Jacinda Ardern and the Labour Party on their landslide victory and re-election as Prime Minister of New Zealand.
PM Jacinda Ardern’s re-election shows she genuinely worked for the people in her last term.
We, in the whole world acknowledge the exemplary manner in which the young PM had shown exceptional leadership and in particular, how she handled Covid-19.
The composition of her Parliament, which includes our own from Africa, clearly shows her inclusive leadership.
We look forward to continued engagement based on our shared hope and vision for a just, happier and prosperous world. The future is young!
Parliament is backtracking on its stance that Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s suspension of by-elections to fill vacant parliamentary and municipal seats was constitutional, saying the pronouncement was a mistake.
Jacob Mudenda, the National Assembly speaker, last week announced that Statutory Instrument 225A of 2020, issued by Chiwenga a fortnight ago suspending by-elections as long as Covid-19 remained a “formidable pandemic”, was unconstitutional.
The speaker was, however, singing from a different hymn book in an interview with The Standard where he insisted that the Parliamentary Legal Committee was yet to review the contentious statutory instrument.
Mudenda said the committee was only likely to come up with a position on the statutory instrument in two weeks’ time. Ad by Valueimpression
“There are three statutory instruments that the Parliamentary Legal Committee is yet to consider so they did not pronounce themselves as to whether they were adverse or non-adverse,” he said. “We explained that later on because there was confusion. It appeared as if the statutory instrument had recieved an adverse report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee. That was explained,” Mudenda said. Ad by Valueimpression
“That statutory instrument and two others are still to be reviewed by the Parliamentary Legal Committee and they will meet probably in the next two weeks to pronounce their legal opinion.”
Mudenda had told Parliament that the committee had met and reviewed the statutory instrument and found it to be unconstitutional.
“The committee is of the opinion that the statutory instruments gazetted in the month of October are not in contravention of the Declaration of Rights or any other provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe except for the following statutory instruments:- Statutory Instrument 224 of 2020; Statutory Instrument 225 of 2020 and Statutory Instrument 225(a) of 2020. These three were not compliant with the constitution,” Mudenda said.
The statutory instrument issued by Chiwenga, who doubles up as Health and Child Care minister, was dismissed as unconstitutional by legal experts.
A group of citizens and the Elections Resource Centre have since approached the High Court seeking the reversal of the suspension of the polls.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission last week criticised the suspension of the polls, saying it was not consistent with democratic principles.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) last month said there would be by-elections on December 5 to fill over 80 municipal seats and nearly 30 parliamentary seats left vacant after Thokozani Khupe’s MDC-T recalled MDC Alliance members that refused to dump Nelson Chamisa.
After the ban, Zec accepted the names of Khupe and 14 others that had been nominated by the MDC-T interim leader to replace Chamisa’s recalled proportional representation MPs, which gave way to their swearing-in, in Parliament on October 7.
But despite the ban, Zanu PF has been conducting primary elections throughout the country in preparation for the by-elections.
Legal experts say the ban does not hold water because Covid-19 cases have been on a decline in Zimbabwe.
The country has significantly opened up after a national lockdown was imposed in March to slow down the spread of the virus.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwean government has said it is building the country despite the presence of sanctions imposed on the Southern African country by Western powers on the turn of the millennium.
These remarks were said by Nick Mangwana the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services as the country gears up for 25 October, the anti-sanctions day as declared by SADC.
Posting on Twitter this Monday, Mangwana said:
This year’s Anti-Sanctions theme is: RESILIENCE & SOLIDARITY IN A SANCTIONS ENVIRONMENT. -We are building this country – In spite of Sanctions. -We will achieve #Vision2030 – In spite of Sanctions. -We will meet citizens’ aspirations- In Spite of Sanctions #ZimSanctionsMustGo
Western states imposed the coercive measures on Zimbabwe following the controversial fast track land reform programme that was marred by widespread human rights violations.
Although the sanctions are allegedly “targeted on a few individuals” in the ruling ZANU PF and the army as well as companies they own, the Zimbabwean government and other observers claim that the measures have a spillover effect on the general populace.
Recently, law expert and leader of opposition National Constitutional Assembly, Professor Lovemore Madhuku said sanctions were not appropriate as a corrective measure.
This is happening when the ruling ZANU PF has over the years attributed the economic, humanitarian and political crises to sanctions imposed on the country.
Some say bad governance by the governing party is the leading factor in the demise of the once vibrant economy.-Twitter
NCA leader Lovemore Madhuku has spoken on his relationship with the then MDC-T led by the late Morgan Tsvangirai after the party participated in the COPAC constitutional making process.
Madhuku says he campaigned for MDC-T in the 2008 elections and still voted for Tsvangirai in 2013 respecting their close friendship though he had already made a decision to walk away from the movement.
MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzai Mahere has dismissed claims that the party is fighting over the Kuwadzana seat that fell vacant following the death of Mirriam Mushayi who was seconded by the MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube as part of the Alliance agreement.
There are murmurings from the MDC who felt hard done by the failure to respect the Alliance agreement which would have seen the vacant seat filled in by someone from the same party, but Mahere said that is water under the bridge and cannot be respected anymore.
“The MDC Alliance is a unified political party that has long evolved from the Alliance Agreement. We are governed by unified electoral rules derived from the MDC Alliance Constitution,” said Mahere.
The MDC Alliance was an agreement of seven political parties who came together to contest the 2018 harmonised elections as a unit.
I heard this video torched a storm and some have gone into feats of anger and personal abuse towards Samantha. Well, let's stand back and look at ourselves in this mirror placed before us. Let's not attack the mirror for giving us a reflection which is correct but unflattering. pic.twitter.com/CVGgmljpNu
By A Correspondent- Tsholotsho magistrate Rogers Mawarire is in trouble after a Chiredzi woman Violet Chauke, who was severely bitten on the nose by a soldier lodged a complaint against him with the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) for obstructing the course of justice.
Chauke was bitten on the nose by Godfrey Chiwara (32) of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), but Mawarire allegedly gave him a two-year sentence, which angered her as she hoped for severe punishment.
Chief Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi confirmed receiving the complaint and promised to investigate the matter before action is taken.
“I can confirm receiving that complaint. We are going to investigate the matter and appropriate action will be taken,” Mutevedzi said.
According to Chauke, her nose was bitten off by Chiwara, a member of the ZNA who is attached to the demining regiment in Dumisa in Chikombedzi.
However, Mawarire sentenced Chiwara to two years in jail, of which six months were suspended for three years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within that period.
The remaining 18 months were suspended on condition that the accused performed 630 hours of community service at Nyabira Police Station.
It is also alleged that Mawarire was transferred to Tsholotsho from Chiredzi after a series of complaints from members of the public.
Chauke was attacked by Chiwara after he borrowed $100 from her and failed to pay back. When she demanded her money, he became elusive. However, on December 23, 2018, she met him at Chikombedzi Police Station and a scuffle ensued, resulting in him biting off a chunk of her nose.
She was admitted at Chikombedzi Mission Hospital and treated for severe injuries and later transferred to a specialist doctor at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare for a plastic surgery which cost US$1 500.
She later sought medical attention in South Africa where she had a skin graft on the nose.
The matter dragged for two years after she reported it to the police who reportedly did not take action.
She also approached the late ZNA Colonel Overson Mugwisi and Lieutenant-Colonel Alphios Makotore in Harare, which led to Chiwara’s arrest before he appeared in court on July 29, 2020.
He was remanded out of custody to September 30, 2020.-Newsday
Freelance journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was back at the Harare Magistrates Court for routine remand following his arrest in July on charges of inciting public violence.
At the time of publishing, Chin’ono was still in court waiting for the Magistrate.
He was accompanied by his lawyers Douglas Coltart and Roseline Hanzi all from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
By Patrick Guramatunhu- Albert Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.”
He was right! What he should have said too, is how easy it is to fall into this trap especially when those would swear over others, claiming to know best, in fact are the insane who know fcuk all!
“Elections have become a problem that has sunk us into vicious violence, unreformed state institutions, political and economic strife. It is my desire to enlighten those that still believe in the politics of the ballot paper, that the system called Zanu-PF is a virus that cannot be cured by elections,” wrote Knowledge Hakata.
“Zimbabweans by now should know that voting or not voting Zanu-PF will still find its way back to Munhumutapa building echoing the recent statement by Vice President Kembo Mohadi who said “the junta regime is not going anywhere anytime soon”. Zanu-PF has mastered the art of manipulating the ballot in its favour for the past 15 years,”
Hakata, you cannot “enlighten” others on matters you have no clue what is happening yourself!
Yes Zanu PF has rigged elections and stayed in power these last 40 years (not 15, as you say) with disastrous consequences to the country and people. But to attribute Zanu PF’s successfully rigging the elections all these years to “mastered the art of manipulating the ballot in its favour” is to completely miss the point.
There have been many golden opportunities to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections. One must ask, why these opportunities were wasted?
The best chances to end the Zanu PF dictatorship were during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC fiends failed to implement even one democratic reform in 5 years of the GNU. Not even one!
Mugabe bribed Tsvangirai and company with the trappings of high office and, with their snouts in the feeding trough, they forgot about the reforms.
Of course, it is foolish to keep complain about Zanu PF mastery in rigging elections when, given a golden opportunity to stop the rigging, you sell-out.
“The system called Zanu-PF is a virus that cannot be cured by elections!” Hakata proclaims. He was quick to rule out elections as the cure of this super duper novel virus but failed to proscribe the cure.
The truth is there is absolutely nothing special about Zanu PF. It is a party of corrupt, incompetent, vote rigging and murderous thugs. Plus whatever other attributes some people have assigned to the thugs. The bottom line is, these Zanu PF thugs are above all else fallible mortals and not the invincible demigod, the incurable virus.
If the MDC idiots had implemented the democratic reforms when they had the golden opportunity to do so; the 2013 elections would have been free, fair and credible. Zanu PF’s reign of terror would have been brought to a screeching end!
By participating in flawed and illegal elections, MDC and the rest of the opposition opportunists are giving the electoral process credibility and, by extension, the vote rigging, per se illegitimate, Zanu PF legitimacy. They continue to participate out of greed; Zanu PF is giving away a few gravy train seats as bait. These opposition politicians know this to be so.
“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections,” wrote Senator David Coltart, in his Book.
“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”
Zanu PF thugs are not smart, the exact opposite as their track record shows. Zimbabwe would not be the failed state it is if Mugabe and company had the common sense. The country’s economic meltdown has not spared the Zanu PF ruling elite; the party is imploding because the party thugs are fight each other, like hyenas, over the ever shrinking national cake.
We have failed to end the Zanu PF dictatorship, regardless of the glaring weaknesses of the party thugs, because the men and women we have entrusted this task have themselves turned out to be breathtakingly corrupt, incompetent and sell-outs!
One cannot claim to know and understand Zimbabwe politics by exaggerating Zanu PF thugs’ tyrannical powers, on the one hand. And, on the other, completely ignore the sheer stupidity of the sell-out opposition opportunists.
As things stand, there is a real danger that Zanu PF will drag the nation over the edge into economic and political chaos comparable to that we see in Libya and Syria. We have failed to bring about peaceful and democratic change and now we face violent change complete with all the death and destruction that entails.
Yes, Mnangagwa and his cronies will rightly blamed for dragging the nation into this mess and, if nothing is done to end the dictatorship, beyond the point of no return. But Tsvangirai et al must too be held to account for the many wasted opportunities to end the dictatorship.
It is easy to see why Zimbabwe has been caught in this nightmare of rigged elections and bad governance for 40 years and counting – there has been very little intellectual discourse to ascertain what is going on much less what to do about it. It does help when the few loud voices to be heard are other Zanu PF propagandists or opposition apologists who pretend to know everything but, actually, know precious little.
By Patrick Guramatunhu| Albert Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.”
He was right! What he should have said too, is how easy it is to fall into this trap especially when those would swear over others, claiming to know best, in fact are the insane who know fcuk all!
“Elections have become a problem that has sunk us into vicious violence, unreformed state institutions, political and economic strife. It is my desire to enlighten those that still believe in the politics of the ballot paper, that the system called Zanu-PF is a virus that cannot be cured by elections,” wrote Knowledge Hakata.
“Zimbabweans by now should know that voting or not voting Zanu-PF will still find its way back to Munhumutapa building echoing the recent statement by Vice President Kembo Mohadi who said “the junta regime is not going anywhere anytime soon”. Zanu-PF has mastered the art of manipulating the ballot in its favour for the past 15 years,”
Hakata, you cannot “enlighten” others on matters you have no clue what is happening yourself!
Yes Zanu PF has rigged elections and stayed in power these last 40 years (not 15, as you say) with disastrous consequences to the country and people. But to attribute Zanu PF’s successfully rigging the elections all these years to “mastered the art of manipulating the ballot in its favour” is to completely miss the point.
There have been many golden opportunities to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections. One must ask, why these opportunities were wasted?
The best chances to end the Zanu PF dictatorship were during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC fiends failed to implement even one democratic reform in 5 years of the GNU. Not even one!
Mugabe bribed Tsvangirai and company with the trappings of high office and, with their snouts in the feeding trough, they forgot about the reforms.
Of course, it is foolish to keep complain about Zanu PF mastery in rigging elections when, given a golden opportunity to stop the rigging, you sell-out.
“The system called Zanu-PF is a virus that cannot be cured by elections!” Hakata proclaims. He was quick to rule out elections as the cure of this super duper novel virus but failed to proscribe the cure.
The truth is there is absolutely nothing special about Zanu PF. It is a party of corrupt, incompetent, vote rigging and murderous thugs. Plus whatever other attributes some people have assigned to the thugs. The bottom line is, these Zanu PF thugs are above all else fallible mortals and not the invincible demigod, the incurable virus.
If the MDC idiots had implemented the democratic reforms when they had the golden opportunity to do so; the 2013 elections would have been free, fair and credible. Zanu PF’s reign of terror would have been brought to a screeching end!
By participating in flawed and illegal elections, MDC and the rest of the opposition opportunists are giving the electoral process credibility and, by extension, the vote rigging, per se illegitimate, Zanu PF legitimacy. They continue to participate out of greed; Zanu PF is giving away a few gravy train seats as bait. These opposition politicians know this to be so.
“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections,” wrote Senator David Coltart, in his Book.
“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”
Zanu PF thugs are not smart, the exact opposite as their track record shows. Zimbabwe would not be the failed state it is if Mugabe and company had the common sense. The country’s economic meltdown has not spared the Zanu PF ruling elite; the party is imploding because the party thugs are fight each other, like hyenas, over the ever shrinking national cake.
We have failed to end the Zanu PF dictatorship, regardless of the glaring weaknesses of the party thugs, because the men and women we have entrusted this task have themselves turned out to be breathtakingly corrupt, incompetent and sell-outs!
One cannot claim to know and understand Zimbabwe politics by exaggerating Zanu PF thugs’ tyrannical powers, on the one hand. And, on the other, completely ignore the sheer stupidity of the sell-out opposition opportunists.
As things stand, there is a real danger that Zanu PF will drag the nation over the edge into economic and political chaos comparable to that we see in Libya and Syria. We have failed to bring about peaceful and democratic change and now we face violent change complete with all the death and destruction that entails.
Yes, Mnangagwa and his cronies will rightly blamed for dragging the nation into this mess and, if nothing is done to end the dictatorship, beyond the point of no return. But Tsvangirai et al must too be held to account for the many wasted opportunities to end the dictatorship.
It is easy to see why Zimbabwe has been caught in this nightmare of rigged elections and bad governance for 40 years and counting – there has been very little intellectual discourse to ascertain what is going on much less what to do about it. It does help when the few loud voices to be heard are other Zanu PF propagandists or opposition apologists who pretend to know everything but, actually, know precious little.
By A Correspondent- A ZUPCO bus overturned along Lytton Road in Harare on Saturday and 21 passengers were injured in the accident.
The bus belonging to Changu Logistics but contracted by ZUPCO was on its way to the CBD from Kambuzumba/Rugare when the accident occurred.
The accident was confirmed by ZRP National spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi who said the driver failed to negotiate a curve which caused the bus to overturn:
The driver of the Changu bus contracted to Zupco had 21 passengers on board. On approaching a curve near Rugare traffic lights along Lytton Road, the driver lost control of the bus and it veered off the road before overturning once. Police were called in. The injured were taken to Sally Mugabe Hospital for treatment.
Assistant Commissioner Nyathi said the bus was taken to Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) for inspection. A few weeks ago another ZUPCO bus at the Mupedzanhamo traffic lights rammed into 8 cars and injured 10 people including vendors selling their wares by the roadside.
Some people have questioned the fitness of the busses contracted by the government to ferry passengers through the urban transportation scheme introduced by the government last year after the January protest.-StateMedia
By Jane Mlambo| Former cabinet minister who is now in self imposed exile, Walter Mzembi has warned MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa against participating in the 2023 elections without reforms, saying they will be rigged in favor of Zanu PF.
Responding to Chamisa’s tweet where he congratulated New Zealand Prime Minister on his re-election, Mzembi was quick to draw parallels with Zimbabwe’s political terrain which he said is being run by the military who have taken control of the ruling Zanu PF party.
“A Military Junta will not hold free & fair elections or guarantee them , Zim is the only country in the world where the Military have captured a Political Party , Zanu PF. Should we expect a fair contest ? 2023 without Reforms is a fallacy, Vanokubira futi!,’ said Mzembi.
Chamisa had posted the message below;
“So humbling and refreshing to see others holding clean,free and fair elections.Huge Congrats to @jacindaardern and @nzlabour on a re-election as New Zealand PM. Looking forward to continued engagement based on shared hope and vision for a just, happier and more prosperous world.”
Mzembi has previously formed a political party in exile before jumping off it, to claim that he is still a member of Zanu PF together with another self exiled former cabinet minister Savior Kasukuwere.
Police officers are seen firming up their faces confronting a crowd around the commission to investigate the murder of innocent civilians during the Motlanthe Commission. Exactly 2 years later, Zimbabwe is straddled with another murder, that of a 7 year old Murehwa boy, whose bodyparts have remained missing 4 weeks running. Will this episode end in a discovery? This article is produced pursuant to the Child Protection Act.
ZRP COPS
Under Mnangagwa, will @PoliceZimbabwe ever find Tapiwa's skull or it's another Motlanthe?
Emmerson Mnangagwa looking into President Robert Mugabe’s coffin
People were after Mugabe’s body parts, family spokesperson revealed
By Farai D Hove | ANALYSIS | The late president Robert Mugabe left instructions to be buried next to his mother, instead of the National Heroes Acre in Harare with other war veterans, his nephew and family spokesperson Leo Mugabe said last year.
Leo told the state owned Zimpapers Television Network, that not only did Mugabe want to be buried in the village, but he also warned his wife Grace Mugabe to keep an eye on his remains as there were people who were apparently after his body parts.
As a precaution, Mugabe’s remains were buried in a tamper-proof casket.
Leo told the station: “Originally why we changed [the casket] was because we wanted a tamper-proof casket because you know with rituals and things like that, people really are after his body or his body parts, so we wanted something that is tamper-proof. That is why the casket was changed in the first place.
“The idea came from him because he said to his wife aunty Joyce: ‘When I’m gone, don’t leave my body, be careful because people want to use my body.’ It was him who said to the former first lady. We knew that spiritually he knows something.”
While Mnangagwa was not specifically mentioned by name, the inference was very direct that it was him, since he is the one who was wrestling the body away from the family resulting in several weeks of waiting during which Mnangagwa ‘s offers for an expensive mausoleum were turned down.
Since the bodyparts of thousands of Zimbabweans killed by Mnangagwa since 1983-2019, are still missing (& he was also accused by Mugabe for being after Bob's bodyparts), is it unethical to ask question Mnangagwa over Tapiwa Makore's missing skull whose ZRP case has dragged on?
More than a year later, Mnangagwa is still to comment over the very serious allegations against his name, and Mugabe’s wife, Grace has relocated to rural Kutama where she daily guards her husband’s remains.
Fast forward to this month, Zimbabwe is struggling with finding the missing body parts of a 7 year old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore. The late lad’s uncles yesterday told ZimEye they are frustrated with the rate at which the police are taking to trace the missing skull, especially three weeks after a key suspect narrated almost everything they feel is needed. The person who confesses to killing the toddler has spoken on video naming the person he handed the 7-year old’s skull.
Thousands of Zimbabweans on ZimEye yesterday openly suggested that there must be some political tampering in the Makore case. Many said there is a history of killings in the country that has run for over 37 years in which tens of thousands of people’s remains are still to be found. Reached for comment, Mnangagwa is on video since 1984 denying everything, and in February last year he told the France24 broadcaster he has no knowledge of the remains of 17 people killed under his instruction in January 2019. His victims include Tinashe Choto, a young football player who was coming from a practice match at the time. Choto’s father is still crying for answers to this day.
On 1 August 2018, Mnangagwa deployed the army to kill people so to scare them off and then change 2018 election results. 6 people were shot dead in Harare and Mnangagwa later set up a commission to investigate the killers, which process ended up with all fingers pointing at him. 6 months later, he would admit in writing to parliament saying he did it all.
MUREHWA MURDER- President Mugabe Warned Saying Mnangagwa Is After Human Body Parts | ANY LINK WITH TAPIWA MAKORE's DEATH?
By A Correspondent- In a very unfortunate turn of events, extra lessons students who were learning at their teacher’s house will rue the day they decided to gossip about their teacher’s love affair with his neighbor while his wife was listening in on their conversation after their conversation led to their teacher’s wife assaulting the alleged mistress.
The matter came to light in court where a nurse at UBH Precious Sibanda-Makowe (36) stood accused of assaulting her husband’s mistress Pretty Moyo (32) who both reside at the same compound at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Airport compound.
Sibanda-Makowe pleaded guilt to the charges of assault and said she committed the offense out of anger after she got home only to find the extra lessons students discussing the affair between her husband and his mistress who reside at the same compound. She said she confronted Moyo and she confirmed the affair between the 2.
It is the state’s case that: On 2 October 2020 around 1645 hours at M 18 JMN Airport compound, the accused person approached the complainant at her place of residence. She enquired if she was having an affair with her husband.
A misunderstanding ensued and the accused person picked up an empty soft drink bottle and hit the complainant on the face before punching her with clenched fists on the face. The complainant sustained a swollen left eye, bruises on the lower lid of the left eye and forehead.
Sibanda Makowe was jailed for 30 days and given an option to pay $1000 for her offense. Leaners have been out of school since 24 March 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic, when schools reopened on 28 September, teachers are on strike as they are citing incapacitation which has forced many parents to opt for the extra lessons route.-statemedia
Brilliant Khuzwayo and Itumeleng Khune of Kaizer Chiefs
Former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Brilliant Khuzwayo had to be hospitalised after a stabbing incident at the Mangosuthu University of Technology in Umlazi.
He also faces charges of assault after his alleged attacker laid counter-charges.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Jay Naicker explained police are investigating two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and crimen injuria but said the information around the incident is still somewhat unclear.
The spokesperson said two men were involved in an altercation at an event at the university on Sunday afternoon.
Naicker said both men claim to have been stabbed, one with a broken bottle and one with a knife.
They will both appear before the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
By A Correspondent- A Chipinge man, who killed his brother in a scuffle over a goat has been slapped with a 25-year jail term by High Court judge Justice Isaac Muzenda.
It is the State’s case that on October 16 last year, the convict, Tawanda Hlahla (25) had a misunderstanding with his elder brother Sifiso.
The court heard that the convict slaughtered Sifiso’s goat.
During the same week, Sifiso questioned his younger brother about his goat and a misunderstanding ensued.
The convict struck the nowdeceased with a machete once on the back of his head.
Sifiso bled profusely from the wound and died upon admission at Chipinge Hospital.
PARLIAMENT is backtracking on its stance that Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s suspension of by-elections to fill vacant parliamentary and municipal seats was constitutional, saying the pronouncement was a mistake.
Jacob Mudenda, the National Assembly speaker, last week announced that Statutory Instrument 225A of 2020, issued by Chiwenga a fortnight ago suspending by-elections as long as Covid-19 remained a “formidable pandemic”, was unconstitutional.
The speaker was, however, singing from a different hymn book in an interview with The Standard where he insisted that the Parliamentary Legal Committee was yet to review the contentious statutory instrument.
Mudenda said the committee was only likely to come up with a position on the statutory instrument in two weeks’ time.
“There are three statutory instruments that the Parliamentary Legal Committee is yet to consider so they did not pronounce themselves as to whether they were adverse or non-adverse,” he said.
“We explained that later on because there was confusion. It appeared as if the statutory instrument had recieved an adverse report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee. That was explained,” Mudenda said.
“That statutory instrument and two others are still to be reviewed by the Parliamentary Legal Committee and they will meet probably in the next two weeks to pronounce their legal opinion.”
Mudenda had told Parliament that the committee had met and reviewed the statutory instrument and found it to be unconstitutional.
“The committee is of the opinion that the statutory instruments gazetted in the month of October are not in contravention of the Declaration of Rights or any other provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe except for the following statutory instruments:- Statutory Instrument 224 of 2020; Statutory Instrument 225 of 2020 and Statutory Instrument 225(a) of 2020. These three were not compliant with the constitution,” Mudenda said.
The statutory instrument issued by Chiwenga, who doubles up as Health and Child Care minister, was dismissed as unconstitutional by legal experts.
A group of citizens and the Elections Resource Centre have since approached the High Court seeking the reversal of the suspension of the polls.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission last week criticised the suspension of the polls, saying it was not consistent with democratic principles.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) last month said there would be by-elections on December 5 to fill over 80 municipal seats and nearly 30 parliamentary seats left vacant after Thokozani Khupe’s MDC-T recalled MDC Alliance members that refused to dump Nelson Chamisa.
After the ban, Zec accepted the names of Khupe and 14 others that had been nominated by the MDC-T interim leader to replace Chamisa’s recalled proportional representation MPs, which gave way to their swearing-in, in Parliament on October 7.
But despite the ban, Zanu PF has been conducting primary elections throughout the country in preparation for the by-elections.
Legal experts say the ban does not hold water because Covid-19 cases have been on a decline in Zimbabwe.
The country has significantly opened up after a national lockdown was imposed in March to slow down the spread of the virus.
Zimbabwe is a liberated country. It did not come through democracy, there was no vote to say Zimbabwe now wants to become independent. It was fought for.” This is word of mouth by Patrick Chinamasa, ZANUPF Acting Spokesman, confirming that ZANUPF is a war monger allergic to all processes peaceful and democratic.
In the same breath and same manner, we remind the old timer that Matabeleland was not seized and put under Rhodesia now Zimbabwe, through votes or negotiations. It was taken through a bloody war that claimed 6000 lives of Matabele warriors, 12 000 Matabele civilians, many homes and the Capital City of Matabeleland, Bulawayo, was burnt down to ashes and the of the King of Matabeleland, His Majesty King Lobengula disappeared. More than 600 000 cattle and vast fertile land was looted. Surprisingly, the Shona people who claim that Matabeleland is theirs were fighting on the side of the white people to destroy Matabeleland.
It is only in 1980 that the Shona supremacist government, the first of its kind, received Matabeleland as a gift from Britain to thank the Shonas for selling out Matabeles and assisting in the destruction of Matabeleland.
Matabeles are not strangers to wars and we have lost quite a few in our history. We cannot be scared by an old man who has been given a platform at ZANUPF headquarters to hallucinate every week.
Matabeleland is our most treasured gift from above. We will fight for it using any means possible. If it means shedding blood again to regain our independence and sovereignty, we will do it without regret or apologising.
The conquest by the BSACO and its Shona allies was temporary. We regrouped and defeated it and put Rhodesia to an abrupt end.
We have regrouped again and there is no question about it, Zimbabwe is the next fake state to fall. The sleeping giant, Matabeleland has arisen and its enemies are petrified.
The clock is ticking and the zero hour is approaching. Like a thief, we shall sneak in when we are least expected and cause breaking news. It is at this moment of truth that the world and indeed our enemies, will come to know that Matabeleland is not Zimbabwe and that Matabeles are angry and they mean business, and that Zimbabwe is a country in great crisis.
When ZANUPF leaders parrot about war, one can be fooled into thinking that they are invincible inventors of war.You can also be deceived into thinking that they fought the Rhodesian war on their own.
But the truth is, they were ably assisted by China and many other countries that supplied them with weaponry, training space, instructors and others provided financial help. Even The Western countries also chipped in by imposing sanctions on the Smith Regime to force it to the negotiating table.
Mudara Chinamasa needs to be reminded that Zanupf wars are not our wars, their battles are not our battles, and their enemies are not our enemies.
As you got assistance from China, and many other foreign countries to liberate Zimbabwe from white minority oppression, we have the same rights and freedom to seek help from any foreign country of our choice to fight Shona majority oppression which is worse than white minority domination. We do not need permission from the government of Zimbabwe or ZANUPF to do that. We will never explain ourselves to anyone for any decisions that we take.
If sanctions were imposed on Rhodesia to force it to respect human rights and grant independence to majority blacks, we campaign for even harsher sanctions to be imposed on Zimbabwe government, liberator turned black oppressor, to force it to grant independence to Matabeleland. That too, we shall do without regret.
If anyone from any part of the wold offers help, we will gladly accept without apologising for it.
All young Matabele people who are joining Matabeleland Liberation Organization in their numbers are demanding military training and Ak47ns to liberate themselves from Shona oppression, a sign that Matabeles are seething with anger and are ready to liberate themselves. If the young people of Matabeleland say yes, who are we as MLO to say no?
We salute our President and Commander in Chief, Cde Paul Siwela for calling all able bodied young men and women of Matabeleland to stand ready to be called for duty to defend the people of Matabeleland who are slaughtered everyday like animals in Zimbabwe.
Matters have come to a head. The people of Matabeleland have had enough of oppression, tribal segregation, Shona hegemony, dehumanisation, humiliation and genocide that continues to date under the Shona supremacist government of Zimbabwe.The latest being two very disturbing incidents in Matabeleland North.
One in Victoria Falls last week whereby two Matabeles were gunned down in cold blood by the Zimbabwe National Army for speaking Ndebele language and another one in Dete about 133 kilometres from Victoria Falls in which Matabeles were beaten and tortured by the Zimbabwe National Army for relieving themselves in a toilet and heard speaking Ndebele language.
The above acts of barbarism by the Zimbabwe National Army are a clear declaration of war on Matabele nation.
We warn our own who have become traitors because of love of money. The history of Zimbabwe tells us that it is the black Selous Scouts and the Rhodesian African Rifles that killed or caused death of their own African brothers than whites during the Rhodesian war.
We know that the a Matebele in the camp of our enemies is more dangerous to us than the Shonas. Some of them have been discovered, some of them have exposed themselves. We say to them the black neckless is awaiting. It is one size fit all. That is the only gift we for sellouts.
The separation of Matabeleland from Zimbabwe will end in bloodshed and tears.
Lukhulu luyeza luyenyelela!
Izenzo kungemazwi!
Israel Dube MLO Secretary for Information and Public Affairs
By A Correspondent- Staffers at Harare Hospital (Sally Mugabe Hospital) and Chitungwiza Hospital are reportedly taking bribes from desperate travelers wishing to travel out of the country and issuing them fake COVID-19 certificates without conducting tests, The Heralds.
The syndicate which reportedly involves laboratory staff, nurses, and security guards at both hospitals is charging between $20 and $40 for a test that usually costs anything between $60 and $70 at approved laboratories.
The matter came to light when the publication embarked on an investigation following a tip-off. 4 reporters were deployed to both hospitals where they discovered they could obtain the COVID-19 certificates from the syndicates.
The reporters managed to get the COVID-19 free certificate from the syndicate without being tested and after just paying $20.
When contacted for comment the Deputy Health Minister Dr. John Mangwiro said those who are involved in the scandal will face the full wrath of the law:
I am now liaising with the permanentsecretary so that we start conducting investigations.-statemedia
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has urged churches to encourage congregants to blow the whistle on any suspected cases of corruption and put pressure on issues pertaining to improved accountability and transparency in public institutions.
This was said by ZACC chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo while addressing the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) for Church Leaders workshop in Harare last week.
She said given that the majority of people belong to a religious group, corruption should not be on the upward trajectory.
“Pastors should be setting good examples to their congregants by not indulging in corrupt activities such as bribing officials to obtain land to build churches and accepting suspicious tithes,” said Justice Matanda-Moyo.
“We encourage blowing the whistle on congregants that pay suspicious tithes. In addition, when a congregant confesses to have committed a criminal offence to the pastor/bishop/elder, the church should be part of the rehabilitation process of the offender by providing an alternative route when dealing with matters involving corruption related offences.
“Encourage congregants that confess to return the stolen money.”
Justice Matanda-Moyo said the country was facing its biggest challenge of corruption which had not only destroyed the moral fabric of society, but undermined the confidence of the people in public institutions and destroyed livelihoods.
She said the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) was launched by President Mnangagwa two months ago and was premised on the spirit and principles enshrined in the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
Justice Matanda-Moyo said NACS had strategic objectives which will be expected to be realised through actions, activities and interventions.
“It then puts the church at a critical position in the sense that the church should be more than just entertainment,” she said. “The church must return to its rightful place in society of influencing behavioural change amongst the citizens of this country.
“I have no doubt that senior Government officials, civil servants, members of independent commissions, local authorities and even officials in the private sector are church members to various denominations which are ably led by pastors here present.
“It is, therefore, the role of the church to pray for us as leaders. We are gathered here today as men of God, pastors, reverends, bishops etc. What have we done in contributing in the fight against corruption?
“How many of our church members have returned any stolen money following confessions made to the pastor? How many pastors have reported a suspicious transaction? How many congregants have been arrested and imprisoned for corruption related offences as a result of blowing the whistle by church members?
“How many outreach programmes for the youth, men and women have we had where we have included issues relating to corruption? These are some of the questions that should be addressed as you deliberate on the role of the church in NACS.”
Justice Matanda-Moyo said she looked forward to working with all church leaders in the implementation of the NACS for a better and prosperous Zimbabwe.
By A Correspondent- A 40 year old Concession man is in trouble after he attempted to rape a girl who owed her US$7.
The matter came to light at Concession magistrates yesterday where Wallace Jere pleaded not guilty to an attempted rape charge before magistrate Nixon Mangoti.
Mangoti remanded him in custody to tomorrow for trial.
Prosecutor led by Moses Kuimba alleged on September 25 the complainant (29) was sent to give Jere sadza as he was building a house for the complainant’s stepfather.
The complainant owed Jere US$7 and he demanded sex from her but she refused.
He then tipped her down and tried to rape her.
The complainant shouted for help and some herdboy came to her rescue leading to the arrest of Jere.
Emmerson MnangagwaEmmerson Mnangagwa looking into President Robert Mugabe’s coffin
Since the bodyparts of thousands of Zimbabweans killed by Mnangagwa since 1983-2019, are still missing (& he was also accused by Mugabe for being after Bob's bodyparts), is it unethical to ask question Mnangagwa over Tapiwa Makore's missing skull whose ZRP case has dragged on?
People were after Mugabe’s body parts, family spokesperson revealed
By Farai D Hove | ANALYSIS | The late president Robert Mugabe left instructions to be buried next to his mother, instead of the National Heroes Acre in Harare with other war veterans, his nephew and family spokesperson Leo Mugabe said last year.
Leo told the state owned Zimpapers Television Network, that not only did Mugabe want to be buried in the village, but he also warned his wife Grace Mugabe to keep an eye on his remains as there were people who were apparently after his body parts.
As a precaution, Mugabe’s remains were buried in a tamper-proof casket.
Leo told the station: “Originally why we changed [the casket] was because we wanted a tamper-proof casket because you know with rituals and things like that, people really are after his body or his body parts, so we wanted something that is tamper-proof. That is why the casket was changed in the first place.
“The idea came from him because he said to his wife aunty Joyce: ‘When I’m gone, don’t leave my body, be careful because people want to use my body.’ It was him who said to the former first lady. We knew that spiritually he knows something.”
While Mnangagwa was not mentioned by name, the inferrence was very direct that it was him, since he is the one who was wrestling the body away from the family resulting in several weeks of waiting during which Mnangagwa ‘s offers for an expensive mausoleum were turned down.
More than a year later, Mnangagwa is still to comment over the very serious allegations against his name, and Mugabe’s wife, Grace has relocated to rural Kutama where she daily guards her husband’s remains.
Fast forward to this month, Zimbabwe is struggling with finding the missing body parts of a 7 year old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore. The late lad’s uncles yesterday told ZimEye they are frustrated with the rate at which the police are taking to trace the missing skull, especially three weeks after a key suspect narrated almost everything they feel is needed. The person who confesses to killing the toddler has spoken on video naming the person he handed the 7-year old’s skull.
Thousands of Zimbabweans on ZimEye yesterday openly suggested that there must be some political tampering in the Makore case. Many said there is a history of killings in the country that has run for over 37 years in which tens of thousands of people’s remains are still to be found. Reached for comment, Mnangagwa is on video since 1984 denying everything, and in February last year he told the France24 broadcaster he has no knowledge of the remains of 17 people killed under his instruction in January 2019. His victims include Tinashe Choto, a young football player who was coming from a practice match at the time. Choto’s father is still crying for answers to this day.
MUREHWA MURDER- President Mugabe Warned Saying Mnangagwa Is After Human Body Parts | ANY LINK WITH TAPIWA MAKORE's DEATH?
The Zimbabwean government has, for a prolonged period, been engaged in a losing battle to stem illegal foreign exchange market activities. As has been the fashion, the regime has blamed runaway inflation and spiraling price increases on nefarious activities by “market saboteurs”.
Among these innumerable efforts, in the first week of June, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) threatened to embark on an unusual exercise. It sought to pursue illegal foreign currency dealers via the surveillance of WhatsApp groups through its financial intelligence unit, in collaboration with the police, banks, mobile-money service providers and relevant regulatory agencies. It threatened to bar and freeze suspects’ mobile numbers and accounts. This proved impossible.
On June 23, the RBZ then introduced a foreign exchange auction system (FEAS), which resulted in a move from a fixed exchange rate on the interbank market, which had, since March, been pegged at one US dollar to 25 Zimbabwe dollars (ZWL). After the introduction of the FEAS, the US dollar is now officially trading at 57 ZWL, against a black-market rate of between 80 and 100 ZWL.
On June 26, three days after the introduction of the FEAS, the permanent secretary in the ministry of information and publicity, Nick Mangwana, announced a ban, with immediate effect, on all mobile-money transactions (MMTs) and trading on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE). These drastic measures were described as making way for “intrusive investigations” into illegal dealings linked to the foreign currency black market, in which EcoCash is cited as the “centre pivot”.
In terms of market share, EcoCash, a subsidiary of Econet, accounts for about 97% of Zimbabwe’s mobile-money services. In addressing a crucial gap in Zimbabwe’s cash crisis, MMT services have, nonetheless, made the country’s economy vulnerable to a multiplicity of illicit foreign currency activities.
That said, the RBZ must not lose sight of its contributory role to this crisis through its (mis)management of the nation’s banking system that led to the liquidity crisis in the first place. This birthed and nurtured the mobile-money system that has since spiraled off its radar and, hence, out of its control.
Like any other stock exchange, the ZSE serves as a critical link for investors in the country. The loudest, yet most unfortunate, message from the temporary ban on its trading is that Zimbabwe is not only closed for business but also has no regard for investors’ property rights. Indeed, typical of the proverbial “burning down the house to kill a rat” or “throwing the baby out with the bath water”, this drastic measure is not good for investor confidence.
Further to this looming ZSE national catastrophe, the repercussions of which are yet to fully play out, is the plight of citizens already burdened by a loss of livelihood options during this indefinitely extended Covid-19 lockdown, that is most concerning. After the shock announcement of a blanket suspension of mobile-money services, the RBZ emerged, seemingly to avert a crisis, and reviewed the ban. This reviewed statement indicated that the ban is on MMT agents and merchant mobile-money account holders, while individual transactions up to a maximum of 5,000 ZWL are permitted.
Despite this reversal of the blanket ban and the assurance given by RBZ, Mangwana’s utterance has led to anxiety and a loss of confidence, with some street vendors and supermarkets already declining mobile-money payments.
For citizens battling a worsening economic crisis under the lockdown, this unfortunate development further impoverishes people, most of whom are Econet subscribers, who constitute an unbanked population that has found relief in transacting through mobile-money services.
For the few that are banked, the protracted liquidity crisis has seen citizens brave endless days and nights in long, winding queues in an effort to secure limited withdrawals each week. It is not unusual to leave the bank empty-handed even after dedicating oneself to these queues.
Apart from the often prohibitive costs associated with opening and maintaining a bank account, MMTs have offered a lifeline amid Zimbabwe’s protracted liquidity crisis. The Covid-19 context has also increased the demand for mobile-money services. This is because in light of the increasing levels of police abuse and brutality, they are a safer option in the current context in which citizen mobility, even for access to essential services, is restricted.
MMT services have also fulfilled transacting needs within an already failing banking sector, which, due to Covid-19 social-distancing regulations, has been operating below capacity. The digitalised transacting on mobile-money platforms offered by EcoCash, OneMoney, MyCash and Telecash have come to the rescue of consumers.
Last Friday’s announcement is evidence of a huge climbdown by the RBZ. Mangwana retweeted the climbdown with no hint of irony. This announcement has the potential to decimate what is left of Zimbabwe’s meagre economy and points to a governance system that has failed to subordinate itself to the rule of law.
The government should manage its communications system and segment information outflows so that announcements are delivered by the appropriate authorities, in this case the RBZ and the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). Since this is not the first example of such a case in Zimbabwe, until such time as public officials are brought to publicly account for their utterances, with consequences, not much reform can be expected in this regard.
As observed by telecommunications expert Dennis Magaya, the government’s failure to contain illegal foreign currency activities confirms a “widening gap” between a fast-changing digital world and Zimbabwe’s current monetary policy framework. This should be subject to regular review, in line with prevailing digital advances, to ensure that while monetary operations are not beyond its purview, they remain investor- and citizen-friendly.
A long-term solution to Zimbabwe’s liquidity crisis, which inevitably fuels the illegal foreign currency exchange market, must be found. Beyond the concerns of manipulation and illegality and hyperinflation as a result of money supply mismanagement, the latest crackdown compounds already immeasurable suffering for the majority of Zimbabwe’s citizens.
JOHN Sithole, who was shot dead in a dramatic shoot-out with police here last Thursday, was wanted in connection with two cases of rape, one of attempted murder and seven armed robberies.
Sithole, aka Kedha, who was killed in a movie-style operation that lasted 14 hours at a house in Beitbridge’s Dulivhadzimu suburb on Thursday was a violent criminal, sources close to the case revealed yesterday.
They said Kedha was on the most wanted list in connection with the crimes he allegedly committed in Beitbridge, Mberengwa, and along highways to Harare and Bulawayo.
Chronicle was told that he launched his operations from Musina in South Africa and would most of the time skip the border through the Limpopo River.
In the attempted murder case committed three weeks ago, Kedha is said to have raped a woman and her child in Mberengwa before locking them in a house and setting it ablaze. The victims were saved by other villagers who put out the fire.
National Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said:
“The suspect has helped clear two cases of rape and attempted murder in Mberengwa and seven armed robberies that occurred around Beitbridge.
“However, we cannot give further details concerning the cases since we are pursuing his other accomplices.”
During the Thursday stand-off, Kedha shot and wounded a detective on the arm.
Before his demise, he had evaded arrest at the Limpopo River on Wednesday afternoon and hid at his rented house in Dulivhadzimu where he was found by detectives.
According to the police, Kedha was ordered to surrender but he turned violent, held 10 people at the house hostage and opened fire at police. Police tried to make him surrender but he kept firing until reinforcements were called in from the special tactics unit.
The team eventually killed him in the afternoon after he had released the hostages and continued shooting at the police officers.
After he was shot the police recovered a Black Star S.A Calsap Pistol loaded with six rounds, and a plastic paper containing loose dagga was found in his trousers pocket.
“A further search was conducted around and within the house leading to the recovery of 25 by 9mm spent cartridges.
“Another 105 and 25 cartridges shot from the police’s AK47 and FN rifles were also picked from the crime scene,” said a security source.
According to the source, the police established that Sithole had in his possession 50 live rounds before the start of the gun battle.
Emmerson Mnangagwa looking into President Robert Mugabe’s coffin
People were after Mugabe’s body parts, family spokesperson revealed
By Farai D Hove | ANALYSIS | The late president Robert Mugabe left instructions to be buried next to his mother, instead of the National Heroes Acre in Harare with other war veterans, his nephew and family spokesperson Leo Mugabe said last year.
Leo told the state owned Zimpapers Television Network, that not only did Mugabe want to be buried in the village, but he also warned his wife Grace Mugabe to keep an eye on his remains as there were people who were apparently after his body parts.
As a precaution, Mugabe’s remains were buried in a tamper-proof casket.
Leo told the station: “Originally why we changed [the casket] was because we wanted a tamper-proof casket because you know with rituals and things like that, people really are after his body or his body parts, so we wanted something that is tamper-proof. That is why the casket was changed in the first place.
“The idea came from him because he said to his wife aunty Joyce: ‘When I’m gone, don’t leave my body, be careful because people want to use my body.’ It was him who said to the former first lady. We knew that spiritually he knows something.”
While Mnangagwa was not specifically mentioned by name, the inference was very direct that it was him, since he is the one who was wrestling the body away from the family resulting in several weeks of waiting during which Mnangagwa ‘s offers for an expensive mausoleum were turned down.
Since the bodyparts of thousands of Zimbabweans killed by Mnangagwa since 1983-2019, are still missing (& he was also accused by Mugabe for being after Bob's bodyparts), is it unethical to ask question Mnangagwa over Tapiwa Makore's missing skull whose ZRP case has dragged on?
More than a year later, Mnangagwa is still to comment over the very serious allegations against his name, and Mugabe’s wife, Grace has relocated to rural Kutama where she daily guards her husband’s remains.
Fast forward to this month, Zimbabwe is struggling with finding the missing body parts of a 7 year old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore. The late lad’s uncles yesterday told ZimEye they are frustrated with the rate at which the police are taking to trace the missing skull, especially three weeks after a key suspect narrated almost everything they feel is needed. The person who confesses to killing the toddler has spoken on video naming the person he handed the 7-year old’s skull.
Thousands of Zimbabweans on ZimEye yesterday openly suggested that there must be some political tampering in the Makore case. Many said there is a history of killings in the country that has run for over 37 years in which tens of thousands of people’s remains are still to be found. Reached for comment, Mnangagwa is on video since 1984 denying everything, and in February last year he told the France24 broadcaster he has no knowledge of the remains of 17 people killed under his instruction in January 2019. His victims include Tinashe Choto, a young football player who was coming from a practice match at the time. Choto’s father is still crying for answers to this day.
MUREHWA MURDER- President Mugabe Warned Saying Mnangagwa Is After Human Body Parts | ANY LINK WITH TAPIWA MAKORE's DEATH?
Precious Sibanda-Makowe with her husband and Pretty Moyo (right) at court
A BULAWAYO-based married teacher who had an affair with his neighbour was exposed by his pupils who were discussing his cheating ways without noticing the presence of his wife.
The pupils had come for extra lessons at their teacher’s house at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Airport compound when the wife eavesdropped on them talking about his affair with Pretty Moyo (32) of the same compound.
This was heard when Precious Sibanda-Makowe (36), a nurse based at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) appeared in court for assaulting Moyo.
She pleaded guilty when she appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Shepherd Munjanja facing an assault charge on Thursday.
In her defence, the remorseful Sibanda-Makowe told the magistrate that she committed the offence out of anger as she felt disrespected by her husband and her alleged girlfriend whom she was treating as a sister yet she went behind her back to do such a disgraceful thing.
“Your Worship, I was angered by the actions of the complainant. I was treating her as a sister. We greeted each other every day as if all was normal while she went behind my back to date my husband. When I confronted her, I expected her to show some remorse and apologise but she became arrogant.
“I became a laughing stock in front of people at the compound and worse she ended up admitting that she was in love with my husband because she thought that we had divorced. This infuriated me to assault her,” said Sibanda-Makowe.
When quizzed by the magistrate how she got to know about the affair she explained how she got home from work to eavesdrop on pupils discussing her husband’s affair and how they had seen him sneaking into the house of the complainant.
“I was coming from work when I overheard pupils discussing among themselves on who my husband was dating. I heard them agreeing that my husband usually goes to the complainant’s house when I am not around and they have seen them getting lovey-dovey at the compound during my absence.
“When I asked my husband about it, he failed to give me a satisfactory answer which forced me to confront the complainant at her place of residence where she also became jumpy on the matter.
On pressing her, she ended up confessing to having an affair with my husband,” Sibanda-Makowe said.
Prosecuting Mr Terrence Chakabuda told the court that Sibanda-Makowe and Moyo live in the same compound and there was a misunderstanding over a love affair.
“On 2 October 2020 around 1645 hours at M 18 JMN Airport compound, the accused person approached the complainant at her place of residence. She enquired if she was having an affair with her husband.
“A misunderstanding ensued and the accused person picked up an empty soft drink bottle and hit the complainant on the face before punching her with clenched fists on the face. The complainant sustained a swollen left eye, bruises on the lower lid of the left eye and forehead,” said Mr Chakabuda
She was found guilty and the magistrate sentenced her to 30 days in prison with an option of RTGS$1 000 fine.
State media this Monday ran an article in which under cover journalists from the media house managed to fraudulently acquire Covid-19 test certificates from staff at two Harare top goverment health centres, Harare Hospital and Chitungwiza Hospital.
According to the media, staff members at the two public hospitals and laboratories are charging between US$20 and US$40 to corruptly issue fake Covid-19 certificates to individuals, who need them for international travel, without conducting tests.
The corrupt syndicates at Chitungwiza Hospital and Harare’s Sally Mugabe Hospital involve laboratory staff, nurses and security guards at health facilities who then split the bribes.
Goverment recently Gazetted a US$65 charge for Covid-19 tests at its institutions with private centres charging a lot more than that up to about US$100 for the required PCR test.
But to avoid the inconvenience or cut costs those wishing to cross the borders have resorted to paying US$20 bribes to health staff in order to be issued with a fraudulent certificate showing they tested negative to Covid-19.
According to the Zimbabwean regulations following World Health Organisation guidelines, travellers must produce a PCR Covid-19 clearance certificate issued by a recognised health facility within 48 hours before leaving the country.
Cross-border traders, job-seekers and others desperate for cheaper certificates are the major clients of the corrupt syndicates.
Patients seeking admission to public and private hospitals are also being required to produce coronavirus test results before being taken in under a new policy introduced by the Health Ministry recently. The high cost of the test is likely to force the majority poor to die at home or rush to the “black market” for the test.
Health and Child Care deputy minister John Mangwiro confirmed the new policy in parliament recently.
Speaking to State Media on the corruption on test certificates, Mangwiro said those fingered in the illicit deals will face the full wrath of the law.
“I am now liaising with the permanentsecretary so that we start conducting investigations.”
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged members of the public to report such issues.
“Issues like that should be reported to the police so that investigations can be conducted,” he said.
A former president and his wife will reportedly battle it out in court, as she files for divorce and R150 000 in monthly maintenance. The maintenance will go towards maintaining her lifestyle, including a luxury vehicle, personal assistant and three domestic workers. The wife claims her husband has hidden assets and has demanded that he disclose details of his finances.
A former president and his soon-to-be ex-wife are going into battle over his assets, as she claims he his hiding his “secretive financial affairs”, according to a Sunday Times report.
The two parties cannot be named owing to a Constitutional Court ruling.
The woman reportedly filed court papers on Thursday seeking a divorce from the former president. She alleged she suffered emotional abuse by the former president, had her financial support removed for two years and that “third parties” interfered in the marriage.
According to the report, the wife wants R170 000 per month for herself and the children, and medical and educational expenses, along with a R50 000 contribution to her legal fees.
She is reportedly also demanding that he disclose his finances.
She claims her husband has the financial support and backing of influential individuals in neighbouring states and says she will be able to prove it in court.
She reportedly requires monthly maintenance to cover her expenses, which include three domestic workers, an au pair, a personal assistant and a tutor. She also needs to replace a luxury vehicle that was repossessed by a bank last year because she could no longer afford the instalments.
The former president’s lawyer told the Sunday Times he was not aware divorce papers had been filed and was as such not able to comment.
Shootouts have become common in Zimbabwe in recent weeks.
The government says there is a sudden uptick in the number of violent crimes involving guns.
Government officials and police are blaming this on the return of what they call hardcore criminals during COVID-19.
These suspects are allegedly based in neighbouring countries, especially South Africa.
Zimbabwe’s Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe said police will deal with the offenders.
“You have seen what happened in Beitbridge, there are so many cases that these fugitives are clashing with police,” Kazembe said.
“I am glad police are doing a good job. We have had people who were on the run for a very long time and known to be serious criminals.”
A week ago, armed men allegedly stormed former Zanu PF commissar Engelbert Rugeje’s house leading to a deadly shootout that involved soldiers who were guarding the property.
One person died during the shootout and another allegedly succumbed to gunshot wounds after he was arrested last week.
Last Thursday, a suspected armed robber was killed by police in a gunfight after he took a Beitbridge family hostage for over 14 hours. In September two men killed a soldier and injured another one in Chivhu after they stormed a police post.
The two, who escaped with two AK-47 rifles, were killed a day later after soldiers were deployed to track them.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police are still investigating the source of the Chivhu firearms.
“We want to know the source of the firearms and if they are firearms at all,” Nyathi said. “We want to establish whether they are toy guns being used to scare people or not.
“We also want to urge firearms owners to make sure their guns are secure and make sure they comply with the terms of the Firearms Act. “This includes company owners so that the firearms do not fall into wrong hands.
One of the intruders at Rugeje’s house was identified as Kudakwashe Mupedzazvose. A Zanu PF youth league membership card belonging to Mupedzazvose was found at the former army boss’s house.
He was arrested with a gunshot wound to the chest but was sent to police holdings cells where he died.
There have been reports of retired and some serving members of the uniformed forces using service guns to engage in criminal activities.
About two weeks ago, two suspected armed robbers believed to be part of a gang that also included an army deserter and an ex-policeman, which had been terrorising residents in and around Belvedere in Harare, were arrested and appeared in court.
Kazembe says Zimbabwe’s government is also working to extradite several former ministers who served under former President Robert Mugabe.
These former government officials have now sought refuge elsewhere, including in South Africa.
The minister says they have cases to answer to.
“Anyone who has a case to answer and who is outside the country is a fugitive. Police are keen to interview them they should come back and clear their names,” Kazembe said.
South African Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize and his wife Dr May have tested positive for COVID-19.
The minister made the announcement in a statement on Sunday night.
Mkhize said he and his wife Dr May Mkhize went to test for the COVID-19 after he started showing mild symptoms.
“I was feeling abnormally exhausted and as the day progressed, I started loosing appetite. My wife had a cough, was dizzy and extremely exhausted. Given her symptoms, the doctors advised that she must be admitted for observation and rehydration,” he said.
Mkhize is in quarantine at home.
He’s urged South Africans to continue adhering to health protocols.
DR ZWELI MKHIZE TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
18/10/20
I wish to inform the public that this afternoon my wife, Dr May Mkhize and I have tested positive for COVID-19.
We decided to go test yesterday when I started showing mild symptoms.
ABOUT 20 Form Four pupils at Loreto High School have been suspended for allegedly engaging in group sexual activities in July.
One of them has reportedly gone on a hunger strike in protest against her expulsion from the school located in Silobela, Midlands Province. The pupils were at school to sit for their June-July Ordinary Level examinations.
It is said the pupils, both male and female, were caught pants down in the girls’ dormitories in July with the reported suspension coming now, a development that has drawn the ire of parents who are questioning the motive to punish the pupils ahead of their final examinations.
Midlands Provincial Education Director Mr Jameson Machimbira confirmed the incident on Friday.
He however, said he was still waiting for finer details from a team which went to the school on Friday to investigate the matter.
“Yes, we received information that some pupils both male and female from Loreto High School had been suspended following reports that they were caught engaging in unconfirmed sexual activities. I received phone calls from some affected parents who wanted the Ministry (Primary and Secondary Education) to intervene citing the timing of the suspensions. So, we sent a team to investigate the matter on Friday and they are still to give me a report. So, I am waiting for the report,” said Mr Machimbira.
In an interview, a parent of a suspended child said her son confirmed to her that they had been caught while engaging in sexual activities in the girls’ dormitories.
“My son is currently doing Form Four, and is going to write his final examinations in December as advised by the Government. We were notified by the boarding master that they wanted us as parents at the school on October 13, reason being our son had committed an offence and they did not give any further details of the offence nor when it was committed,” said the parent on condition of anonymity to protect the child.
She said she was told by the school that her son was caught while engaging in a group sex in the girls’ dormitories.
“Before I knew it, I was advised to come and collect my child since they had expelled them from school because they were allegedly having sexual affairs. The only tangible evidence they had was they had heard from other students that the students had misbehaved in July 2020 when they were writing mid-year exams.
“My son completed writing on the 14th of July and that’s the day he arrived home but we heard that the Form Six students who had exams later during the month of July were the ones who had committed the offence. Most of the students had owned up and confessed to have misbehaved well after my son had gone home,” narrated the parent.
She said if it was a genuine disciplinary procedure the school should have informed parents of the offences committed by students and even suspended them pending disciplinary hearing.
The parent said affected parents have gone back with their children.
“The children are obviously traumatised by all this. We are not saying children are above the law, no, we only want what is best for our children and in this case, they should be in school preparing for examinations and not at home,” she said.
She said one of the suspended girls hasn’t been eating for the past three days because of trauma.
“One affected girl tried to plead her innocence without anyone listening to her and has gone for three days without eating food. It’s sad for the children,” she said.
The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Cain Mathema told Parliament last week that Government does not expect any children or teachers to misbehave.
He said school heads, school administrations and the inspectors are there to make sure that pupils don’t stray.
“We will do everything we can to protect the children and I’m ready if any Honourable Member has that evidence let them come to my office and show me and we will do the investigations. We will go out of our way to stop every criminal activity that may be taking place in schools. We are ready to listen to everybody, every parent, every guardian or community member; if you see any indecent activity by any child, please bring that information to my office,” said Minister Mathema.
At least 21 passengers were injured on Saturday after a Changu Bus Service coach contracted to the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) overturned along Lytton Road in Harare when the driver failed to negotiate a curve.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the accident yesterday.
“The driver of the Changu bus contracted to Zupco had 21 passengers on board,” he said. “On approaching a curve near Rugare traffic lights along Lytton Road, the driver lost control of the bus and it veered off the road before overturning once.
“Police were called in. The injured were taken to Sally Mugabe Hospital for treatment.”
Asst Comm Nyathi said the bus was taken to the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) for inspection.
He said it was not clear what caused the driver to lose control, but police were conducting investigations into the matter.
The weekend accident comes after concerns over the condition of some of the buses contracted to Zupco.
Recently, a bus contracted to Zupco veered off the road and rammed into several private vehicles and injured some pedestrians near Mupedzanhamo flea market in Harare.
Another bus contracted to Zupco, earlier this month veered off the road in Harare and narrowly missed a pedestrian who was standing on the pavement.
Early this year, 27 people were injured when a bus contracted to Zupco bound for Harare veered off the road and overturned near Beatrice, in Mashonaland East province.
ELANGENI Training Centre in Bulawayo is reopening today to cater for the growing number of people testing positive to Covid-19 in the city.
The facility reopens as medical experts warn that the second wave of the global pandemic is upon the city and could be deadly if people fail to uphold preventive measures.
The isolation centre for asymptomatic Covid-19 patients was closed for renovations but health officials decided to reopen it in response to the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Bulawayo.
Medical experts have warned that with the way members of the public have become relaxed in terms of social distancing and wearing of masks, infections may spike.
As of yesterday, Bulawayo accounted for 1 570 cases of Covid-19 recorded since the outbreak of the disease in the country on March 20. The country has 238 active cases with city having the highest number at 116 followed by Midlands province at 32.
New Covid-19 cases have been up daily and over the past week Bulawayo province has recorded a majority of the reported cases.
By Saturday the seven-day rolling average for new cases stood at 14 and of the 11 cases recorded, five were from Bulawayo.
On October 13, Bulawayo recorded seven cases which rose to 10 the following day and then 13 on Thursday. A total of 11 new cases were recorded on Friday and 20 yesterday.
Bulawayo to date has recorded 47 of the total 231 Covid-19 deaths in Zimbabwe.
Countries like England and Italy are already bearing the brunt of the second wave of Covid-19 with reports showing that globally, the virus had killed more than a million people. The prevalence of Covid-19 in communities has exposed self-isolation challenges in the city as some people do not meet the conditions for isolating at home.
Isolating at home entails being able to stay at home without getting in contact with those one resides with as they also could be infected through interaction with the Covid-19 confirmed person.
Bulawayo is home to four designated Covid-19 treatment centres and three of them have all been undergoing renovations since the outbreak of Covid-19 in March. The three that are being refurbished are Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital, the Old Bartley Memorial Block (BMB) within the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and Ekusileni Medical Centre.
The fourth centre is the privately-owned Mater Dei Hospital.
The BMB is said to be almost ready and will open its doors on November 1 while Ekusileni will open on November 30.
Bulawayo provincial medical director Dr Welcome Mlilo said the paperwork had been done to have Elangeni reopen.
He raised concern over the sudden rise of Covid-19 infections in Bulawayo saying if proper measures are not taken, the situation may be uncontrollable soon.
“Our numbers of Covid-19 cases are on the rise and we are concerned about experiencing a second wave of infections. We need to actively isolate cases to stop the community spread of the virus hence the decision to reopen Elangeni Training Centre,” said Dr Mlilo.
Acting Mpilo Central Hospital chief executive officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said people must heed advice from experts to ensure that the infections remain under control.
He said the reproductive rate of the virus stands at three meaning anyone with Covid-19 has a potential of infecting three more people at a time.
Professor Ngwenya also called for a March-like lockdown which was effective in stopping the spread in Zimbabwe.
He said members of the public were exposing themselves through unnecessary travel.
“The first lockdown was successful as we managed to keep the reproductive rate to below one but with the relaxation and attitudes prevalent in the community now, a Covid-19 storm is looming.
My prediction as a medical expert is that if we are not careful, we will bury many people before the Christmas holiday because it’s clear that the virus has spread rapidly in the community,” he warned.
Prof Ngwenya added that people should be wise enough to heed advice and never mistake it for threats or a violation of their rights.
The three-member tribunal to inquire into the suitability of Justice Erica Fungayi Ndewere to hold the office of a judge is expected to be announced today after the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) last week recommended to President Mnangagwa to set it up.
The tribunal for Justice Ndewere is coming after the sacking last week of Supreme Court Judge Justice Francis Bere for improper conduct after the tribunal set up on another JSC recommendation found the judge was no longer suitable to hold office.
Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Permanent Secretary Mrs Virginia Mabhiza confirmed that the steps required to bring the judge before a tribunal were moving forward.
“The proclamation for the setting up the tribunal will be published on Monday, which will set the processes in motion. The allegations against the judge will also be spelt out,” she said.
According to sources Justice Ndewere is facing allegations of misconduct and conduct inconsistent with being a judicial officer. Her suspension from the bench will be automatic by operation of law once the tribunal is in place.
The JSC last week said investigations into misconduct allegations against Justice Ndewere were formalised in March this year and had nothing to do with her granting bail to MDC-Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala recently. After the results of these investigations were studied by the JSC, the commission then recommended the tribunal.
While the President formally appoints the tribunal, and has to formally dismiss the judge if the tribunal makes an adverse finding, he has no input in the process, acting on the recommendation of the JSC to appoint the tribunal and on the recommendation of the tribunal to clear or fire a judge.
The commission was responding to reports from certain quarters of the media which sought to link the judge’s predicament to Sikhala case, claiming she was being persecuted.
“It is, therefore, unfortunate for one to attempt to link a genuine accountability process that the Honourable Judge is going through with the decisions that the judge made in court,” said the JSC in a statement.
“The Judicial Service Commission respects and indeed makes every effort to protect the independence of the Judiciary. This is a constitutional imperative which we will always adhere to.
“The synopsis of events given shows that there is no connection between the two decisions by the JSC and that of the judge in Sikhala’s matter.”
Justice Ndewere has since responded to JSC allegations through her lawyers Sawyer and Mkushi Legal Practitioners.
She referred to the Constitution, arguing that Judge President Justice Chiweshe was in charge of the High Court, while the Chief Justice was in charge of the Supreme Court.
The judge insisted that the JSC did not have the legal authority to deal with complaints raised against her.
“We direct your attention to Statutory Instrument 107 of 2012 and the provisions contained therein. The Chief Justice does not have the authority to direct the Judicial Service Commission to attend to any complaint against a sitting judge of the High Court,” read the letter dated September 30, 2020.
She implored the Chief Justice to follow laid down procedures for dealing with complaints against a sitting judge.
If the tribunal clears her, she will return to the bench; if the tribunal makes other findings and recommendations she could well lose her post. The tribunal is not a criminal court, but can report that certain conduct is not consistent with holding judicial office.
Justice Bere was fired by President Mnangagwa last week for gross misconduct following recommendations by the tribunal set up to inquire into his fitness to hold the office of a judge.
Justice Bere, who was on suspension pending conclusion of investigations, was fired for interfering with a Harare lawyer involved in a matter in which he had an interest.
Retired Judge Justice Simbi Mubako chaired the three-member tribunal which investigated the judge’s conduct.
The tribunal presented its findings and recommendations to President Mnangagwa at State House after which the report was actioned and the decision made to sack the judge immediately.
Other members of the tribunal were Advocate Takawira Nzombe and veteran lawyer Ms Rekayi Maposa.
President Mnangagwa set up the tribunal inquiry on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission after the lawyer accused Justice Bere of interference in a civil case involving the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) and his relatives.
The judge allegedly telephoned the lawyer, who was representing Zinara, asking him to consider settling a civil dispute pitting Zinara against Fremus Enterprises. Justice Bere was serving on both the Constitutional Court and Supreme Court benches when he was suspended in March this year.
Staff at two public hospitals and laboratories are charging between US$20 and US$40 to corruptly issue fake Covid-19 certificates to individuals, who need them for international travel, without conducting tests.
The corrupt syndicates at Chitungwiza Hospital and Harare’s Sally Mugabe Hospital involve laboratory staff, nurses and security guards at health facilities who then split the bribes.
Most institutions charge around US$65 for the required PCR test for Covid-19, a test that is required within 48 hours before leaving the country by road or air.
But to avoid the inconvenience or cut costs those wishing to cross the borders have resorted to paying US$20 bribes to health staff in order to be issued with a fraudulent certificate showing they tested negative to Covid-19.
According to the Zimbabwean regulations following World Health Organisation guidelines, travellers must produce a PCR Covid-19 clearance certificate issued by a recognised health facility within 48 hours before leaving the country.
Cross-border traders, job-seekers and others desperate for cheaper certificates are the major clients of the corrupt syndicates.
The Herald recently got a tip-off and embarked on a week-long investigation to expose the rot.
As part of the investigation, two reporters were deployed at Chitungwiza Central Hospital and Sally Mugabe Hospital where they found that corrupt syndicates were ready to issue certificates.
Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro said those fingered in the illicit deals will face the full wrath of the law.
“I am now liaising with the permanentsecretary so that we start conducting investigations.”
At Chitungwiza Hospital, the reporter paid US$20 and was issued with a laboratory report certifying that he had tested negative to Covid-19 when no samples had been taken from him. Initially, he was asked to pay US$25 but the bribe was cut to US$20 after bargaining.
The reporter was introduced to the syndicate by some employees at the hospital and the “greedy” slow-witted team never bothered to ask how the reporter got to know of the service.
He advised the syndicate of his immediate plans to leave the country on a work trip before asking for a Covid-19 certificate.
On Thursday visitors entering Chitungwiza Central Hospital were using a small gate where like anyone else, the reporter had a temperature test.
The temperature read 36,4 degrees Celsius.
The reporter then proceeded to the reception where he met a woman student nurse whom he had been referred to.
“We charge US$25 for a PCR Covid-19 clearance certificate and the process takes less than 10 minutes,” said the student nurse.
However, the reporter bargained for a lesser bribe, until the nurse reduced the figure to US$20.
They proceeded to the hospital’s laboratory where they met an unidentified tall male laboratory technician, who took over from the nurse.
“Let me get you a form so that you quickly fill in your personal details. From the US$20 that you have, give me US$10 so that I give the lady who has the date stamp.
“If you are not in a hurry, I will steal the stamp during lunchtime but if you are in a rush, we will just give her the US$10,” he said.
The reporter then acceded to pay the US$10 which was handed over to the laboratory technician.
He then went into the laboratory where he came out with an existing template used at the institution.
A copy of the fake Covid-19 test certificate issued to the Herald reporter at Chitungwiza Central Hospital last week
They doctored the template by including the reporter’s name, date of birth and other particulars.
Interestingly, the Covid-19 certificate was issued in five minutes despite the fact that the normal PCR test takes at least two hours.
After the certificate was produced the syndicate then demanded the remaining US$10, which was also secretly handed over to the student nurse.
However, the student nurse started pressing for an extra US$5 saying the one who stamped wanted extra cash.
The other reporter deployed at Sally Mugabe Hospital in Harare met a nurse who explained to him that the institution was only testing hospital staff.
“We do not test outsiders. We only offer the service to hospital staff. My advice is for you to go to private health centres who offer that service to all,” she said, quite correctly and properly.
But the reporter then went to the hospital laboratories where a male security guard referred him to the offices on the first floor of the building.
On the first floor of the said building, the reporter met one of the officials and a conversation began.
Asked the reporter, “Sir I am looking for a Covid-19 certificate which is required if one wants to visit outside Zimbabwe. I have been referred to this building. Can you help on how I can obtain one?’’
The official in his response said they are not offering the service to outsiders and referred the reporter to clinics for the service.
“You can go to any clinic and they will send the sample here for processing. But it takes time. When do you intend to leave the country?”
After some minutes the official said, “Okay, take my contact number so we can communicate on WhatsApp. Just save my name as Fidza,” said the official before walking away.
On WhatsApp, the reporter was furnished with the number of the person who could assist.
The reporter dialled the number and talked to a man who did not disclose his name.
However, a check with the number’s Ecocash account showed the name of the account holder as Mathias Hlomayi.
WhatsApp chats between the reporter and the man show that the reporter was charged US$40.
He unsuccessfully negotiated for the reduction of the bribe.
The man, however, accepted a payment plan whereby he would get US$30 with the balance expected in a few days.
The reporter was asked to send his details on WhatsApp to enable processing of the certificate.
He was asked to send his name, surname and date of birth.
However, the writer could not pursue the case considering that he had gathered enough proof through the WhatsApp chats.
The man claimed to be an employee of the National Microbiological Testing Centre.
NATIONAL police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged members of the public to report such issues.
“Issues like that should be reported to the police so that investigations can be conducted,” he said.
Farai Dziva|MDC-T Organizing Secretary, Abednego Bhebhe has all but distanced himself from Thokozani Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora’s sinking political project.
Bhebhe’s court affidavit exposes how Khupe and her disciples are using fake 2014 MDC-T structures to undertake the business of the 2014 MDC-T party.
Bhebhe also queried Khalipani Phugeni’s role in the 2014 MDC-T structures.
Bhebhe further exposed the high level of unconstitutionalism which has seen Thokozani Khupe and Mwonzora making decisions without consulting the National Council.
In a statement on the same issue, MDC Alliance said: MCD-T Organising Secretary Bhebhe has exposed how @DMwonzora and Khupe are manufacturing MDC-T 2014 structures, how they have consistently refused to hold meetings of 2014 legitimate structures in an EXPLOSIVE affidavit…
Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has described the late MDC founding Organising Secretary Esaph Mdlongwa as a dedicated Statesman.
Addressing mourners at Mdlongwa’s funeral in Bulawayo on Saturday, President Chamisa said Mdlongwa fought consistently for democracy and good governance.
“In Bulawayo this weekend…
Now in Luveve laying to rest our hero Ubaba uEsaph Mdlongwa.
Zimbabwe has lost a principled statesman who consistently fought for democracy and good governance.
May his soul rest in peace,” President Chamisa said in a brief statement.
MASVINGO –MDC T Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora has expelled Dusty Zivhaze, an MDC founding member who succumbed to ulcers on July 15, 2019 from the party.
An internal memo dated July 2, 2020 and signed by Mwonzora in possession of The Mirror affirms the expulsion. Efforts to get a comment from Mwonzora were futile.
Zivhave, an MDC founding member died on July 15, 2019 at Checheche St Peters Hospital after battling ulcers. He was the secretary for information and publicity at his death.
The memo expels 34 members from Harare, Mash West, Manicaland, Mash Central, Chitungwiza, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mat North and Mat South.
In Masvingo, the late Zivhaze was expelled together with provincial chairperson James Gumbi, Takanayi Mureyi and youth leader Philip Chingini.
“In terms of clause 5 (10)a of the constitution of the MDC party be their joining or supporting another party they have automatically terminated their membership of the MDC party led by the late Dr Richard Morgan Tsvangirai,” reads part of the memo.
The President is committed to the rule of law, and to property rights, the Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said exactly 2 years ago at the London think-tank Chatham House. 2 years later, we review his promise. | WAS HE TELLING THE TRUTH?
MASVINGO –MDC T Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora has expelled Dusty Zivhaze, an MDC founding member who succumbed to ulcers on July 15, 2019 from the party.
An internal memo dated July 2, 2020 and signed by Mwonzora in possession of The Mirror affirms the expulsion. Efforts to get a comment from Mwonzora were futile.
Zivhave, an MDC founding member died on July 15, 2019 at Checheche St Peters Hospital after battling ulcers. He was the secretary for information and publicity at his death.
The memo expels 34 members from Harare, Mash West, Manicaland, Mash Central, Chitungwiza, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mat North and Mat South.
In Masvingo, the late Zivhaze was expelled together with provincial chairperson James Gumbi, Takanayi Mureyi and youth leader Philip Chingini.
“In terms of clause 5 (10)a of the constitution of the MDC party be their joining or supporting another party they have automatically terminated their membership of the MDC party led by the late Dr Richard Morgan Tsvangirai,” reads part of the memo.
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance deputy national chairperson, Hon Job Sikhala, has said Mr Kembo Mohadi is a delusional and misguided politician.
Hon Sikhala was responding to Mr Mohadi’s assertion that Zanu PF will rule Zimbabwe forever.
Hon Sikhala also challenged Mr Chris Mutsvangwa to stop rambling about sanctions.
“We all heard Chris Mutsvangwa rambling about the stupidity of using sanctions as an excuse of failure.
They damned their Mugabe for using sanctions as the excuse for his failures. Those who told us about the stupidity of using sanctions as an excuse are in the same default mode today,” argued Hon Sikhala.
“This young Terrence Manjengwa is suffering for standing with me during my incarceration. He came to Court in solidarity with myself. They took him to jail… Pliz Free Terry.”
“Dear Kembo Mohadi. You are deluded to entertain your illusions that you will rule this country forever.
Although you call yourself junta, what you are saying will happen over our dead bodies.
Makajaidzwa kudzvanyirira vanhu. We are on this case as serious as you purport to be.”
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi.
Six land barons have been arrested in Harare under an operation being conducted across the country to curb illegal selling of housing stands.
The six are: Revai Desha (42), Naboth Munyengera (47), Sophia Chiswede (44), Rosemary Mhaka, Tranos Muzambi (49) and Philbert Madziya (48). Some of them have already appeared in court.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests in a statement issued yesterday.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police has intensified operations into the illegal allocation of housing stands by land barons in several parts of the country in conjunction with Provincial Affairs Ministers, Provincial Development Co-ordinators and Ministry of Local Government and Public Works,” he said.
“Members of the public are urged to come forward and report illegal acts by land barons to enable the law to take its course,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
Land barons are those who take control of public land, owned either by the Government or a local authority, convert it into an informal urban settlement, divide the land up and sell the stands. Required services such as roads, sewers, water pipes and electricity servitudes are rare, and the proper town planning processes are ignored. This led to people losing their savings.
Recently, Vice President Kembo Mohadi said the creation of illegal urban settlements by land barons was now a thing of the past, with the Second Republic spearheading the construction of modern houses in line with Vision 2030 as pronounced by President Mnangagwa.
Speaking during belated World Habitat Day commemorations held at Nemamwa Growth Point on Friday last week, the Vice President said Vision 2030 was crafted by Zimbabweans, and therefore, everyone should work tirelessly towards the attainment of its targets.
He said as a result, Government will no longer allow unlawful settlements even in rural areas, as this negated the ongoing drive towards modernisation. He said the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa valued order and lawfulness.
VP Mohadi warned against perpetuating a culture of lawlessness in critical areas such as housing that had a bearing on Vision 2030. -Herald
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance deputy national chairperson, Hon Job Sikhala, has said Mr Kembo Mohadi is a delusional and misguided politician.
Hon Sikhala was responding to Mr Mohadi’s assertion that Zanu PF will rule Zimbabwe forever.
Hon Sikhala also challenged Mr Chris Mutsvangwa to stop rambling about sanctions.
“We all heard Chris Mutsvangwa rambling about the stupidity of using sanctions as an excuse of failure.
They damned their Mugabe for using sanctions as the excuse for his failures. Those who told us about the stupidity of using sanctions as an excuse are in the same default mode today,” argued Hon Sikhala.
“This young Terrence Manjengwa is suffering for standing with me during my incarceration. He came to Court in solidarity with myself. They took him to jail… Pliz Free Terry.”
“Dear Kembo Mohadi. You are deluded to entertain your illusions that you will rule this country forever.
Although you call yourself junta, what you are saying will happen over our dead bodies.
Makajaidzwa kudzvanyirira vanhu. We are on this case as serious as you purport to be.”
A Bulawayo-based married teacher who had an affair with his neighbour was exposed by his pupils who were discussing his cheating ways without noticing the presence of his wife.
The pupils had come for extra lessons at their teacher’s house at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Airport compound when the wife eavesdropped on them talking about his affair with Pretty Moyo (32) of the same compound.
This was heard when Precious Sibanda-Makowe (36), a nurse based at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) appeared in court for assaulting Moyo.
She pleaded guilty when she appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Shepherd Munjanja facing an assault charge on Thursday.
In her defence, the remorseful Sibanda-Makowe told the magistrate that she committed the offence out of anger as she felt disrespected by her husband and her alleged girlfriend whom she was treating as a sister yet she went behind her back to do such a disgraceful thing.
“Your Worship, I was angered by the actions of the complainant. I was treating her as a sister. We greeted each other every day as if all was normal while she went behind my back to date my husband. When I confronted her, I expected her to show some remorse and apologise but she became arrogant.
“I became a laughing stock in front of people at the compound and worse she ended up admitting that she was in love with my husband because she thought that we had divorced. This infuriated me to assault her,” said Sibanda-Makowe.
When quizzed by the magistrate how she got to know about the affair she explained how she got home from work to eavesdrop on pupils discussing her husband’s affair and how they had seen him sneaking into the house of the complainant.
“I was coming from work when I overheard pupils discussing among themselves on who my husband was dating. I heard them agreeing that my husband usually goes to the complainant’s house when I am not around and they have seen them getting lovey-dovey at the compound during my absence.
“When I asked my husband about it, he failed to give me a satisfactory answer which forced me to confront the complainant at her place of residence where she also became jumpy on the matter.
On pressing her, she ended up confessing to having an affair with my husband,” Sibanda-Makowe said. Prosecuting Mr Terrence Chakabuda told the court that Sibanda-Makowe and Moyo live in the same compound and there was a misunderstanding over a love affair.
“On 2 October 2020 around 1645 hours at M 18 JMN Airport compound, the accused person approached the complainant at her place of residence. She enquired if she was having an affair with her husband.
“A misunderstanding ensued and the accused person picked up an empty soft drink bottle and hit the complainant on the face before punching her with clenched fists on the face. The complainant sustained a swollen left eye, bruises on the lower lid of the left eye and forehead,” said Mr Chakabuda
She was found guilty and the magistrate sentenced her to 30 days in prison with an option of RTGS$1 000 fine. -Chronicle
The new political administration has managed to achieve milestones that the previous dispensation failed to make progress on during its entire tenure, Vice President Kembo Mohadi has said.
Addressing the ZANU PF Matabeleland South Provincial Co-ordinating Committee (PCC) in Gwanda Town yesterday, VP Mohadi said the country is on the right track under the astute stewardship of President Mnangagwa.
“We have done what the first dispensation did not achieve. The Beitbridge-Masvingo Road; Harare-Chirundu Road were done by the New Dispensation. In Chimanimani, where Cyclone Idai wreaked havoc and killed many people, new road networks have been constructed, new schools and housing units have been put up.
“Agricultural produce can now be taken to markets, and (in all this) we used our own resources and local expertise.”
Some critics, he added, had grimly projected up to one million deaths by June as a result of the coronavirus, but Government had managed to contain the pandemic to manageable levels.
VP Mohadi also took a swipe at party members who were involved in vote buying.
“When I was injured during the 2018 blast at White City Stadium, people took advantage of my incapacitation to use money to buy their way into the party. Now we have people who do not know what ZANU PF stands for because they were not groomed by the party,” he added.
The Vice President said although the country was feeling the effects of three successive droughts, Government has made sure no one dies of hunger.
“The Government is talking of Vision 2030, where we are saying we should have attained an upper middle-income economy by 2030; this is something which we are focused on.”
ZANU PF, he said, is committed to achieving its target of 5 million voters in 2023.-The Sunday Mail
THE Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) will start conducting road tests and issuing driver’s licences from tomorrow after it closed in March due to Covid-19 induced lockdown.
Cabinet okayed the resumption of VID operations last month.
Since being given the nod to reopen, the department is understood to have been developing operating procedures and health protocols in line with Covid-19 guidelines.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Permanent Secretary Engineer Amos Marawa told our Bulawayo Bureau that VID had finalised developing the procedures in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations.
The guidelines were approved by Cabinet and the National Covid-19 Taskforce.
“VID has developed operating guidelines and standard operating procedures which are in line with WHO guidelines and were approved by the National Taskforce on Covid-19, and Cabinet.-The Sunday Mail
Farai Dziva|MDC-T Organizing Secretary, Abednego Bhebhe has all but distanced himself from Thokozani Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora’s sinking political project.
Bhebhe’s court affidavit exposes how Khupe and her disciples are using fake 2014 MDC-T structures to undertake the business of the 2014 MDC-T party.
Bhebhe also queried Khalipani Phugeni’s role in the 2014 MDC-T structures.
Bhebhe further exposed the high level of unconstitutionalism which has seen Thokozani Khupe and Mwonzora making decisions without consulting the National Council.
In a statement on the same issue, MDC Alliance said: MCD-T Organising Secretary Bhebhe has exposed how @DMwonzora and Khupe are manufacturing MDC-T 2014 structures, how they have consistently refused to hold meetings of 2014 legitimate structures in an EXPLOSIVE affidavit…
HEALTH and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro allegedly railroaded the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm), in dramatic events, including visiting the parastatal’s workers at night and threatening them with dismissal, to award a US$5,6 million contract to an “undeserving company” — Young Health Care.
This is contained in a Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (zacc) report which says the Deputy Minister had “personal interest” in the matter.
The investigation, conducted from August 31 to September 4 this year, looked into circumstances of how the Ministry of Health and Child Care handled a Covid-19 tender (NAT ITCB FWWK 04/2020) for the purchase of laboratory equipment, reagents and consumables.
The Sunday Mail recently reported that senior Government officials were allegedly caught with hands in the till over the Covid-19 materials procurement.
The alleged scandal was unearthed following a whistleblower’s tip-off in August.
Reached for comment, Dr Mangwiro said: “Sorry, I cant talk right now”, in a terse SMS response to The Sunday Mail, after his phone went unanswered.
According to the report, the commission recommended a further probe to check if the Deputy Minister criminally abused his office; possible violation of the Public Finance Management Act and Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets.
The suspected violations stem from allegations against the Deputy Minister that he ordered NatPharm to give Young Health Care a tender and advance payments before delivery of goods.
Dr Mangwiro, the zacc report says, usurped the duties of the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary through issuing countless directives to NatPharm.
Young Health Care, it emerged, was given a contract through a directive from then acting Permanent Secretary Dr Gibson Mhlanga, at a time when it was not even registered with the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) as required by law.
NatPharm acting managing director, Mr Zealous Nyabadza resisted the alleged unlawful act by Ministry of Health and Child Care officials resulting in a public tendering process which was delayed to allow Young Health Care to register with Praz.
In part, the zacc report reads: “Initial quotation by Young Health Care for supply of commodities under direct procurement, where prices quoted by Young Heath Care Limited were exorbitant amounted to USD$5 600 000, which was coincidentally the same amount that was in the Ministry coffers, suggesting that the company had inside information.-The Sunday Mail
Zanu pf member Mupfumira stole millions is out if prison on a Zanu technicality that she is not fit for trial whilst #FreeTerrenceManjengwa is languishing in prison for standing in solidarity with @JobSikhala1 for the why ?.difference rules for different class of people ka?
By Nomazulu Tata- They see everything is wrong and going wrong because of Thokozani Khuphe. But who ignited the whole shenanigans going on in the MDC opposition parties?
Indeed tribalism is embedded, it is entranced in our psyche, we fail to think outside our tribal affiliations. This has always been that we look at the polarized tribal thinking and settings and logic is thrown out of the window.
If its not tribal, then the gender aspect comes centre-stage. Thokozani Khuphe suffers both, where she comes from first and a woman as such. All fingers are pointing at Thokozani who sold out.
However, I personally am not happy with Thoko’s politics of working together with Zanu government to crush Chamisa. Do not insult her please.
We seem not to understand the pain Thokozani Khuphe is going through. We have overlooked serious timelines, beginning with the time the late Morgen Richard Tsvangirai appointed two VPs, openly disregarding Khuphe to take over as the interim leader: apparently Tsvangirai’s instinct told him that he was not surviving the terminal cancer.
Hakata must be schooled, must be told in no uncertain terms that this tribal argument is a tired one. We are not buying it for many reasons. After the death, instantly there was a conference to reinstate Chamisa as the leader of the MDC-T.
Why is it that our fellow citizens are not following the timelines where the problem started? It is not Khuphe who started the problem, but it was Tsvangirai who made sure that Khuphe does not assume presidency after his death.
Khuphe, a leader sent from hell is not only sinister, it is not only cynical, it is an insult hard to digest because even the people of Matabeleland are aware of how short-changed Khuphe was by a man he trusted most: Richard Morgen Tsvangirai.
Listening to Sikhala talk about Khuphe who cannot even be voted by donkeys and dogs, why was the hurry to pedestalize Chamisa to presidency immediately after the death of Tsvangirai if you were sure Thoko was going to lose elections at congress?
When the peoples from Mashonaland make obvious political mistakes, somehow it is overlooked and tacitly accepted, everyone is expected to move on without any scrutiny and critiquing political processes that do not make sense.
These wars between Thokozani and Chamisa are classical tribal wars reminiscent with the Zimbabwean politics of the present and the past. In the same manner: Zanu and Zapu had such splitting’s and regrouping for decades.
Frontline states tried on several occasions to reunite the two parties Zanu/Zapu together to fight a common enemy UDI Ian Douglas Smith as one force. Those who survived the guerrilla inner-fighting’s in Tanzania-Mgagau will tell you the story of tribal hate, what is the evil of tribalism?
We have not learnt much from these timelines especially the liberation period that should informed us about tribal animosities in our culture. We should address tribalism in our societies before we depart from this earth.
Who in the Chamisa-MDC-Alliance is on the side of Thokozani Khuphe who nearly lost her life together with Douglas Mwonzorwa in Bhuhera at the funeral of Tsvangirai? But it is easy to sit and pen an article in big letters: KHUPHE; A LEADER SENT FROM HELL.
Painful in this article here is the tribal vitriol more than the argument itself why is she is sent from hell. Your Führer Chamisa is failing to lead the MDC-Alliance with 2,7 million supporters at his disposal.
I cannot even imagine if it was Thokozani Khuphe in Chamisa’s position failing the opposition politics so glaringly and embarrassingly, even Professor Stephen Chan can see this lack of leadership seven thousands miles away from Zimbabwe.
Chamisa is supposed to step down and give someone who has the stamina to stand against the evil regime of Emmerson Mnangagwa. We need someone who is prepared to leave the comfort zone and confront Mnangagwa regime head-on.
Khuphe is a leader who tasted near death by burning. Her anger against Chamisa and all those who crafted her downfall has reached a boiling.
She was given a chance by a DEVIL to crush enemy Chamisa, a fellow leader in MDC-T, an advocate and pastor who would easily have burnt her alive like her relatives who got burnt in the Gukurahundi atrocities.
These are facts we forget when we begin to scrutinize Khuphe’s vindictive politics against MDC-Chamisa. We are quick to see her as the one on the wrong side of the pale.
Let us not forget that Thokozani may be aware of her unpopularity in Zimbabwean political landscape. She is consciously out to eliminate the entire Chamisa-Alliance and all of them permanently from Zimbabwe political landscape altogether.
Her anger is unstoppable, but the damage was done by Tsvangirai, we cannot blame everything on Thoko because she is a small fry in the scheme of things; a woman, of Ndebele tribe as such.
We are pained by the fact that Thokozani is using the wrong stick to whip Chamisa. To work together with Mnangagwa government’s judiciary to crush Chamisa is not the cleanest way to do things, hence, even the voices in Matabeleland are deeply concerned about purging of members of parliament and councillors. These inner fighting’s are exposing a new low in the political maturing of the opposition.
Some parliamentarians who have been purged, crossed the floor to reach out to MDC-T Thokozani for the sake of personal survival. This is politics in Zimbabwe, a means to an end. There is no other source of income if one was thrown out of parliament – a double bind.
Thokozani is throwing the baby out with the bathwater: Chamisa needed some punishment, some threshing but never of this kind where a devil Mnangagwa is robbed in to destroy the only opposition we had.
Let us not be tribal when critiquing opposition destruction, let us not be gender insensitive when we critiques Thokozani and Chamisa shenanigans. We must remember too that these two; Thokozani and Chamisa have been comrades for two decades. They know one other in-and-out.
There is a lot of dirty work they have done in the party together we may not be privy of them. In as much as Thokozani is not clean politically, so is Chamisa too who has on several occasions is accused of back handedness in his political dealings that Thokozani knows too well.
Dear Knowledge Hakata, next time please use a measured language to critique the two political parties of Chamisa and Thokozani, please use a language less tribal and gender sensitive.
It can also be good if both crushed to the point of no return so that we have new names in our political fields. We need new names; said Violent Bulawayo. The beautiful ones needed to be born to take over from where we have dismally failed.
By Knowledge Hakata- Elections have become a problem that has sunk us into vicious violence, unreformed state institutions, political and economic strife.
It is my desire to enlighten those that still believe in the politics of the ballot paper, that the system called Zanu-PF is a virus that cannot be cured by elections.
Zimbabweans by now should know that voting or not voting Zanu-PF will still find its way back to Munhumutapa building echoing the recent statement by Vice President Kembo Mohadi who said “the junta regime is not going anywhere anytime soon”. Zanu-PF has mastered the art of manipulating the ballot in its favor for the past 15 years.
In 2008 Morgan Tsvangirayi won the ballot while in 2013 the late former Premier won again and on top of that his predecessor the charismatic preacher and lawyer Nelson Chamisa also won the ballot without doubt in 2018 but both charming leaders failed to step into the iconic State House.
In 2008 the late Morgan Tsvangirai won the presidential elections with more than 70%. The MDC also managed to bang the majority of the seats in both the Senate and Parliament chambers while at local council it was the same story.
MDC took control of almost every council country wide notably in all the towns MDC was in control from Mutare to Harare, but with all that in hand Morgan Tsvangirai failed to grab the keys to the state house as that place had become a no go area because of the existence of the late Robert Mugabe.
The late Army General Vitalis Zvinavashe had once said “the highest office in the land was a strait jacket” and the events which followed the 2008 presidential elections were totally fulfillments of the late Army Generals words.
Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party essentially lost at the ballot box, and remained in power only by pursuing a campaign of political violence that caused his main presidential challenger to withdraw from the runoff vote. Moreover, amid international pressure and economic collapse, he was forced to accept a power-sharing agreement.
But in 2013 Mugabe was able to engineer a win that did not trigger the same international criticism. Both the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) deemed the July 31 elections to be “generally” credible, finding that any irregularities would not have changed the outcome a supermajority in Parliament for ZANU-PF and an overwhelming presidential victory for Mugabe.
But free and fair elections do not appear to apply in Zimbabwe at all. In 2018 President Emmerson Mnangagwa a former Mugabe lieutenant who grabbed power in a November 2017 coup won with 50.8 percent of the vote, narrowly avoiding a runoff election.
And his ruling ZANU-PF party won a two-thirds majority of 149 seats in parliament’s lower house, permitting it to amend the constitution at will. But those results were disputed again
The security forces have for many years interfered in the nation’s political and electoral affairs, adversely affecting the right of Zimbabweans to vote for the candidates of their choice.
Mnangagwa and his administration should level the electoral playing field by preventing the military from engaging in partisan politics or interfering in electoral processes, and taking strong action to deter violence and intimidation by the military during the campaign period and elections.
The military leadership should publicly demonstrate its commitment to a fair election process and not interfere with the outcome of the vote.
However without doubt Zanu-PF has managed to capture the Judiciary, ZEC, Police, Army and even the church. Zimbabwe has indigenous churches which always endorse anything that comes from the mouth of Zanu-PF and a good example of such religious leaders is Nehemiah Mutendi.
The ZEC is the most compromised election body in the region, at one point the election body took almost a month to release the presidential election results, the body is just too compromised that without proper electoral reforms,
Zimbabweans will never taste a free, fair and democratic election. Zimbabwe’s political climate is just too compromised in favor of Zanu-PF.
By A Correspondent- Glenview police station shocked Zimbabweans when they detained a 65-year-old widow accusing her of demanding rent from a tenant.
Mrs Editor Mavaza was detained by Glenview police for demanding rent from he lodger Owen Ndoro who is a well known MDC activist.
Mr Owen Ndoro an MDC A activist refused to pay his rent and further refused to vacate the property despite having been given enough notice. He assaulted the landlord for asking for her rent and boasted that the police will not do anything to him and that he will not vacate the property. He told the landlord to go and collect her rent from Mnangagwa.
The landlord Ms Editor Mavaza made a report of an assault to Glenview Police who refused to take action telling her that “the police station was not a rally”.
The officer told Ms Mavaza that she was too proud of her brother Dr Masimba Mavaza who is a defender of President ED Mnangagwa on social media and abroad. The officer instructed Ms Mavaza to go home and allow the lodger to stay until Mnangagwa gives people money.
After a month the lodger Mr Ndoro refused to pay again saying he is not going to pay and nothing will happen to him. The landlord then removed her door as she intended to repair it. The lodger went to the police in Glenview.
The same officer who had refused to handle the assault case was the one who took the report. He arrested the landlord and detained her. The landlord was denied food, medication and access to her lawyer.
She allegedly was told to get her food from her brother who is a known ZANU PF Activist.
In the evening her lawyer came and the police refused him permission to see his client. The police forced the landlord to abandon any eviction process in exchange for her freedom.
Despite the fact that the facts of the matter did not disclose crime and that the landlord has a fixed aboard the police sought to take the matter personally.
This abuse of authority by the police angered civic organisations resulting in LEAD leaser Linda T Masaira writing an open letter to the Commissioner-General to air her disquiet about the heavy-handedness by the police. The detention was unwarranted and it was motivated by malice.
Ms Editor Mavaza’s lawyer Mrs Eucheria Makaka served the police with a pre-action protocol.
Speaking to this reporter Ms Editor Mavaza said she was disappointed with the police.
“The painful thing is that the police insulted me for the things I did not know. And they chose to send me to the cells while my lodger was sent into my house to sleep there.”
“Right now he is refusing to vacate because the police are baking him. I am suffering because of my brother’s political activities.” She said as she cried.
Glenview police refused to comment referring all the questions to the Police headquarters.
By A Correspondent- MDC-T interim leader Thokozani Khupe is trying to stop the party’s organising secretary Abedinico Bhebhe from washing the outfit’s dirty linen in public by blocking his participation in a court case.
Khupe, MDC-T interim chairman Morgen Komichi, acting secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora and Bhebhe were taken to the High Court by two party members Gilbert Kagodora and Nason Mamuse, who want them to be compelled to release key information ahead of an extraordinary congress to choose a new leader.
Bhebhe turned against his allies last week and filed an answering affidavit supporting Kagodora and Mamuse.
He accused Khupe, Komichi and Mwonzora of trying to manipulate the outcome of the congress.
Khupe, who initially signalled that she would not respond to the application as an individual, on Thursday made a spectacular summersault and filed an answering affidavit targeting Bhebhe.
She argued that Bhebhe was not qualified to speak on behalf of the party and should not be allowed to respond to the court application as an individual.
“The fourth respondent ought not to have been joined to these proceedings.
“He is not permitted by the constitution of the first respondent (MDC-T) to speak about the first respondent’s affairs in a court of law in respect of any functions assigned to him under the constitution,” Khupe said in her affidavit.
“He is accountable to me and the relevant organs of the party.
“If any issues arise from his official duties, he cannot be sued in a court of law.
“It is the party and its authorised officials who may sue or be sued on behalf of the party.
“He must be removed from these proceedings.
“I am advised that the fourth respondent’s papers do not comply with the law on notices of opposition.
“He is not opposing the basis of the application; he is adding his own grievances and has his own prayer.
“This is not permitted by our law. His papers must be expunged from the record.”
Bhebhe argued Khupe, Komichi and Mwonzora were deliberately delaying national council and national executive meetings while attempting to shut out bona fide MDC-T leaders in terms of the 2014 congress from participating at the upcoming extraordinary congress.
He said they had “failed and neglected” processes leading to the extraordinary congress while accusing them of trying to manipulate the process in their favour.
A Supreme Court judgement in March nullified the appointment of MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa and ordered an extraordinary congress within three months. The ruling said the party should revert to its 2014 structures with Khupe as acting president.
Chamisa, however, dismissed the ruling, saying it did not in any way affect their party as it was a different legal entity on its own, but Khupe has managed to use the Supreme Court ruling to recall MDC Alliance legislators and councillors.
The MDC-T’s extraordinary congress is yet to take place and, according to Bhebhe, there were attempts to hold the national council and national executive meetings virtually, but in the process shutting out bona fide members of the party’s 2014 structures.
Bhebhe accused Khupe and Komichi of “direct and flagrant disregard” of the MDC-T constitution while “habitually and unilaterally” abusing the national standing committee by pushing through this committee decisions that are ordinarily in the province of the national executive and/or the national council meeting.
The decisions, Bhebhe said, included firing elected officials and members of the party 2014 structures without due process.
Parallel delegates have been positioned, according to Bhebhe, while his list has been sidelined yet he was in charge of the party structures.
Kagodora and Mamuse approached the courts after Mwonzora said MDC Alliance legislators and councillors that were recently recalled by his party would not be allowed to contest for positions at the congress despite them being in the party 2014 structures.
They are also demanding that before the congress is held, the party’s various internal organs must be involved.-Standard
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has banned the sale of borehole water by some residents in Bulawayo who are taking advantage of the critical situation in the city.
Bulawayo has been experiencing acute water shortages that have seen the local authority only providing water in the Central Business District and industrial sites while most residential areas are going for days without the precious liquid.
The desperate water situation has seen some house owners who have boreholes at their premises selling bulk water and also supplying bulk water to middlemen who then in turn sell to their customers.
According to the Water Act, no one can use water for commercial purposes except in terms of a permit or agreement. Zinwa corporate communications officer Mr Tsungirirari Shoriwa said selling of bulk borehole water was illegal.
“Water which is extracted from underground is governed from Statutory Instrument (SI) 90 of 2013 of the Water Act and that SI bars anyone from conducting bulk water activities from residential areas or other restricted areas. In terms of that SI, it is not allowed for anyone to carry bulk water activities within residential areas,” he said.
Those selling bulk water legally for registered companies in Bulawayo are fetching US$20 for 2 000 litres in the Central Business District while residents are selling the same amount of water for between US$10 and US$15 to illegal bulk water suppliers who in turn sell the water for anything between US$20 and US$25.
Mr Shoriwa said bulk water suppliers must register their business with Zinwa in order for them to be given permits.
“It makes it mandatory for any bulk water dealer to be registered with Zinwa first. They must approach our offices because what they are doing is a criminal offence in terms of the SI 90 of 2013. Everyone who is engaging in bulk water activities must register with Zinwa. It is important to regularise their activities,” he added.
Those selling “smaller” quantities in residential areas are also being warned that they may reach the quantities of bulk water and risk being arrested too. Zinwa has an updated list of all bulk water suppliers for the year 2020 and anyone outside of that is deemed to be selling bulk water illegally.
A 20 litre bucket of water is selling for ZW$10 in some residential areas as water continues to be a challenge. According to Zinwa, the company is mandated in terms of the Water Act and the Zinwa Act to protect and ensure the optimum utilisation of the country’s water resources.
Zinwa has also noted that it is a legal requirement to have trucks that deliver bulk water endorsed as fit for the purpose of ferrying bulk water every three months.-statemedia
By A Correspondent- Parliament is backtracking on its stance that Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s suspension of by-elections to fill vacant parliamentary and municipal seats was constitutional, saying the pronouncement was a mistake.
Jacob Mudenda, the National Assembly speaker, last week announced that Statutory Instrument 225A of 2020, issued by Chiwenga a fortnight ago suspending by-elections as long as Covid-19 remained a “formidable pandemic”, was unconstitutional.
The speaker was, however, singing from a different hymn book in an interview with The Standard where he insisted that the Parliamentary Legal Committee was yet to review the contentious statutory instrument.
Mudenda said the committee was only likely to come up with a position on the statutory instrument in two weeks’ time.
“There are three statutory instruments that the Parliamentary Legal Committee is yet to consider so they did not pronounce themselves as to whether they were adverse or non-adverse,” he said.
“We explained that later on because there was confusion. It appeared as if the statutory instrument had received an adverse report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee. That was explained,” Mudenda said.
“That statutory instrument and two others are still to be reviewed by the Parliamentary Legal Committee and they will meet probably in the next two weeks to pronounce their legal opinion.”
Mudenda had told Parliament that the committee had met and reviewed the statutory instrument and found it to be unconstitutional.
“The committee is of the opinion that the statutory instruments gazetted in the month of October are not in contravention of the Declaration of Rights or any other provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe except for the following statutory instruments:- Statutory Instrument 224 of 2020; Statutory Instrument 225 of 2020 and Statutory Instrument 225(a) of 2020. These three were not compliant with the constitution,” Mudenda said.
The statutory instrument issued by Chiwenga, who doubles up as Health and Child Care minister, was dismissed as unconstitutional by legal experts.
A group of citizens and the Elections Resource Centre have since approached the High Court seeking the reversal of the suspension of the polls.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission last week criticised the suspension of the polls, saying it was not consistent with democratic principles.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) last month said there would be by-elections on December 5 to fill over 80 municipal seats and nearly 30 parliamentary seats left vacant after Thokozani Khupe’s MDC-T recalled MDC Alliance members that refused to dump Nelson Chamisa.
After the ban, Zec accepted the names of Khupe and 14 others that had been nominated by the MDC-T interim leader to replace Chamisa’s recalled proportional representation MPs, which gave way to their swearing-in, in Parliament on October 7.
But despite the ban, Zanu PF has been conducting primary elections throughout the country in preparation for the by-elections.
Legal experts say the ban does not hold water because Covid-19 cases have been on a decline in Zimbabwe.
The country has significantly opened up after a national lockdown was imposed in March to slow down the spread of the virus.
Zimbabwean entrepreneur Ethel Mupambwa is among the top 10 finalists of the Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) prize, a program to support and inspire the next generation of African entrepreneurs.
The program, which is in its second year, is created by the Jack Ma Foundation’s African Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI).
The organizer of the 2020 ABH prize announced its top 10 finalists on Monday, who will pitch at the competition’s grand finale in November, for a chance to win a share of a 1.5 million U.S. dollars prize pool.
The 10 outstanding entrepreneurs – half of whom are female – have been selected from over 22,000 applications across all 54 African nations, following several rounds of rigorous evaluation.
“I am excited. I am so so so excited, super excited. You don’t know what’s happening in me right now,” Mupambwa told Xinhua while struggling to contain her excitement.
Mupambwa is the co-founder and Executive Director of MoneyMart, a microfinance firm that provides its clients with tailor-made business loans and offers energy solutions to energy-poor households living off the electricity grid in rural areas.
By Fanuel Chinowaita- Shurugwi South Ward 7 Zanu pf Councillor Jabulani Muzvezve under Chief Nhema is accused of misusing his office and stealing from the villagers.
It is alleged that Councillor Muzvezve of ward 7, is taking money from villagers promising them fertilizers, heifers and boreholes but failed to deliver. It is also said that he has been refusing to work according to the wish of people of his ward since he was sweared in.
Reports says that from the day he became the Councillor, he took only two people who keep his secret and use them to steal from the poor villagers.
“Our Councillor is very corrupt. We contribute money in the ward but that money is never accounted for. When it was said there’s allocation for fertilizers in our ward we contributed a certain amount but many failed to get the fertilizers and the money was never brought back.
“We were also told to contribute money for the boreholes in our community, but up to now we only have two boreholes. We dont know if we are the ones supposed to buy boreholes or the government. We feel that Councillor is taking money into his pockets and get the boreholes from donors.
“Last year our Councillor told us to pay money for heifers but nothing came our way up to today. The money was taken and we did not see any heifer”, narrated a concerned villager.
I went to Chikato shopping centre asking about this Councillor and there was the old man who confirmed that the above is true and he is asking for Government or ZACC interventions before they become more poorer.
The old man said, “we paid money for fertilizers, heifers and boreholes. When this man was campaigning he said he will do it for us not us to do for ourselves.
“We want the Government and ZACC to take him and ask where he us putting our money.”
Spanish champions Real Madrid suffered a shock 1-0 loss at home to promoted Cadiz on Saturday, their first La Liga defeat in over seven months.
Honduran forward Anthony Lozano put Cadiz ahead in the 16th minute, darting between Madrid defenders Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane to meet a cushioned header from Alvaro Negredo and lifting the ball over keeper Thibaut Courtois into the net.
Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane made four substitutions at halftime in a bid to turn the game around and brought on Luka Jovic later on, the Serbian striker soon putting the ball in the net but seeing his effort ruled out for a clear offside.
Vinicius Junior missed the target with a free header, while Karim Benzema struck the bar from the edge of the area and Cadiz clung on to claim their first league win over Madrid since 1991.
“This is a historic win and we want to celebrate it,” said match-winner Lozano.
The shock victory took Cadiz up to second in the league, level on 10 points with Madrid, who visit Barcelona next week in the Clasico.
“If you concede an early goal against a team like this you really struggle,” Madrid keeper Courtois said after his team suffered their first league defeat at home in more than a year.
“The first half was very bad, we conceded two or three chances, we had a serious discussion at halftime and made a few changes but couldn’t find the goal because they were very organised and defended very well.
“We weren’t at our best today and if you aren’t at your best you can’t expect to win games.”
Zidane had hinted at rotating his squad for the match but fielded a strong team, not withstanding injuries to defenders Dani Carvajal, Alvaro Odriozola and forward Eden Hazard.
He took off Ramos at halftime and the defender was seen icing his knee as he watched on from the stands as Madrid, wearing an unfamiliar pink jersey despite playing at home, tried in vain to break down Cadiz, who are back in the top flight for the first time in 14 years.
“There’s no explanation. We have to accept the defeat,” Zidane said. “We can’t be happy, we aren’t happy, but it can happen in football. We didn’t start well, it was hard for us from the beginning.
“In the second half we were a bit better, but in the first half they could have scored two or three goals. When you can’t get into a game things get complicated and that’s what happened tonight. There are no excuses.”
On Ramos’ injury, Zidane added: “Let’s hope it isn’t much, it’s a knock, tomorrow we’ll see exactly what he has.”-ESPN
While we acknowledge that Algeria are the African champions and have not lost in over 20 games, we will not give them too much respect, Warriors coach Zdravko Logarušić has said.
Logarušić’s troops take on the Desert Foxes in two blockbuster AFCON qualifiers in Algiers on the 12th of November before hosting four days later at the National Sports Stadium, which recently got a temporary green light from CAF to host international matches.
The Croat took charge of the Warriors for the first time in the goalless draw against Malawi in an international friendly and with Algeria looming, he insists while they are the champions, they shouldn’t be given too much respect.
“We should be realistic about this match against Algeria. They drew 2-2 against Mexico, with a full-strength squad, a privilege we didn’t have when we played Malawi in our own friendly last week. They have not lost in almost 20 games and they are African champions so we must give them respect,’’ he told The Sunday Mail.
“However, we will not give them (Algeria) too much respect. Remember we are the Warriors and we are fighters. We have been analysing them, we have also been looking at some of their games at the previous AFCON finals,” added the coach.-Soccer 24
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance deputy national chairperson, Hon Job Sikhala, has said Mr Kembo Mohadi is a delusional and misguided politician.
Hon Sikhala was responding to Mr Mohadi’s assertion that Zanu PF will rule Zimbabwe forever.
Hon Sikhala also challenged Mr Chris Mutsvangwa to stop rambling about sanctions.
“We all heard Chris Mutsvangwa rambling about the stupidity of using sanctions as an excuse of failure.
They damned their Mugabe for using sanctions as the excuse for his failures. Those who told us about the stupidity of using sanctions as an excuse are in the same default mode today,” argued Hon Sikhala.
“This young Terrence Manjengwa is suffering for standing with me during my incarceration. He came to Court in solidarity with myself. They took him to jail… Pliz Free Terry.”
“Dear Kembo Mohadi. You are deluded to entertain your illusions that you will rule this country forever.
Although you call yourself junta, what you are saying will happen over our dead bodies.
Makajaidzwa kudzvanyirira vanhu. We are on this case as serious as you purport to be.”
Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has described the late MDC founding Organising Secretary Esaph Mdlongwa as a dedicated Statesman.
Addressing mourners at Mdlongwa’s funeral in Bulawayo on Saturday, President Chamisa said Mdlongwa fought consistently for democracy and good governance.
“In Bulawayo this weekend…
Now in Luveve laying to rest our hero Ubaba uEsaph Mdlongwa.
Zimbabwe has lost a principled statesman who consistently fought for democracy and good governance.
May his soul rest in peace,” President Chamisa said in a brief statement.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries were making steady progress in tackling tuberculosis (TB), with a 9% reduction in incidence seen between 2015 and 2019 and a 14% drop in deaths in the same period.
High-level political commitments at global and national levels were delivering results. However, a new report from WHO shows that access to TB services remains a challenge, and that global targets for prevention and treatment will likely be missed without urgent action and investments.
Approximately 1.4 million people died from TB-related illnesses in 2019. Of the estimated 10 million people who developed TB that year, some 3 million were not diagnosed with the disease, or were not officially reported to national authorities.
The situation is even more acute for people with drug-resistant TB. About 465 000 people were newly diagnosed with drug-resistant TB in 2019 and, of these, less than 40% were able to access treatment. There has also been limited progress in scaling up access to treatment to prevent TB.
“Equitable access to quality and timely diagnosis, prevention, treatment and care remains a challenge,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “Accelerated action is urgently needed worldwide if we are to meet our targets by 2022.”
About 14 million people were treated for TB in the period 2018-2019, just over one-third of the way towards the 5-year target (2018-2022) of 40 million, according to the report. Some 6.3 million people started TB preventive treatment in 2018-2019, about one-fifth of the way towards the 5-year target of 30 million.
Funding is a major issue. In 2020, funding for TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care reached US$ 6.5 billion, representing only half of the US$ 13 billion target agreed by world leaders in the UN Political Declaration on TB.
The COVID-19 pandemic and TB
Disruptions in services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have led to further setbacks. In many countries, human, financial and other resources have been reallocated from TB to the COVID-19 response. Data collection and reporting systems have also been negatively impacted.
According to the new report, data collated from over 200 countries has shown significant reductions in TB case notifications, with 25-30% drops reported in 3 high burden countries – India, Indonesia, the Philippines – between January and June 2020 compared to the same 6-month period in 2019. These reductions in case notifications could lead to a dramatic increase in additional TB deaths, according to WHO modelling.
However, in line with WHO guidance, countries have taken measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on essential TB services, including by strengthening infection control. A total of 108 countries – including 21 countries with a high TB burden – have expanded the use of digital technologies to provide remote advice and support. To reduce the need for visits to health facilities, many countries are encouraging home-based treatment, all-oral treatments for people with drug-resistant TB, provision of TB preventive treatment, and ensuring people with TB maintain an adequate supply of drugs.
“In the face of the pandemic, countries, civil society and other partners have joined forces to ensure that essential services for both TB and COVID-19 are maintained for those in need,” said Dr Tereza Kaseva, Director of WHO’s Global TB Programme. “These efforts are vital to strengthen health systems, ensure health for all, and save lives.”
A recent progress report from the UN Secretary General outlines 10 priority actions for Member States and other stakeholders to close gaps in TB care, financing and research, as well as advance multisectoral action and accountability, including in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Note for the editors
Global targets
In 2014 and 2015, all Member States of WHO and the UN adopted the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and WHO’s End TB Strategy. The SDGs and End TB Strategy both include targets and milestones for large reductions in TB incidence, TB deaths and costs faced by TB patients and their households.
TB is included under Goal 3 Target 3.3 of the SDGs which aims to “end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases” by the year 2030.
The WHO End TB Strategy aims for a 90 per cent reduction in TB deaths and an 80 per cent reduction in the TB incidence rate by 2030, compared to the 2015 baseline. Milestones for 2020 include a 20% reduction in the TB incidence rate and a 35% reduction in TB deaths.
Efforts to step up political commitment in the fight against TB intensified in 2017 and 2018 culminating, in September 2018, in the first-ever high-level meeting on TB at the UN General Assembly. The outcome was a political declaration in which commitments to the SDGs and End TB Strategy were reaffirmed. The UN Political Declaration on TB also included 4 new targets for the period 2018-2022:
Treat 40 million people for TB diseaseReach at least 30 million people with TB preventive treatment for a latent TB infectionMobilize at least US$13 billion annually for universal access to TB diagnosis, treatment and careMobilize at least US$2 billion annually for TB research…
Source :World Health Organization
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information follow /like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance deputy national chairperson, Hon Job Sikhala, has said Mr Kembo Mohadi is a delusional and misguided politician.
Hon Sikhala was responding to Mr Mohadi’s assertion that Zanu PF will rule Zimbabwe forever.
Hon Sikhala also challenged Mr Chris Mutsvangwa to stop rambling about sanctions.
“We all heard Chris Mutsvangwa rambling about the stupidity of using sanctions as an excuse of failure.
They damned their Mugabe for using sanctions as the excuse for his failures. Those who told us about the stupidity of using sanctions as an excuse are in the same default mode today,” argued Hon Sikhala.
“This young Terrence Manjengwa is suffering for standing with me during my incarceration. He came to Court in solidarity with myself. They took him to jail… Pliz Free Terry.”
“Dear Kembo Mohadi. You are deluded to entertain your illusions that you will rule this country forever.
Although you call yourself junta, what you are saying will happen over our dead bodies.
Makajaidzwa kudzvanyirira vanhu. We are on this case as serious as you purport to be.”
MASVINGO –MDC T Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora has expelled Dusty Zivhaze, an MDC founding member who succumbed to ulcers on July 15, 2019 from the party.
An internal memo dated July 2, 2020 and signed by Mwonzora in possession of The Mirror affirms the expulsion. Efforts to get a comment from Mwonzora were futile.
Zivhave, an MDC founding member died on July 15, 2019 at Checheche St Peters Hospital after battling ulcers. He was the secretary for information and publicity at his death.
The memo expels 34 members from Harare, Mash West, Manicaland, Mash Central, Chitungwiza, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mat North and Mat South.
In Masvingo, the late Zivhaze was expelled together with provincial chairperson James Gumbi, Takanayi Mureyi and youth leader Philip Chingini.
“In terms of clause 5 (10)a of the constitution of the MDC party be their joining or supporting another party they have automatically terminated their membership of the MDC party led by the late Dr Richard Morgan Tsvangirai,” reads part of the memo.
By Fanuel Chinowaita- MDC Alliance Councillor John Nyamhoka of Ward 17 Mutare Chikanga Dangamvura visited one of the most elderly woman in his ward on Saturday.
Surprisingly, this very old woman knows the current issues happening in MDC and Zimbabwe.
Gogo (name with held) said the problems we have in Zimbabwe are because of Zanu pf and Mnangagwa whom she said is using his position to enrich himself while the majority is suffering.
Gogo also put blame on Zanu pf led government for Corona virus that has claimed hundreds of lives in Zimbabwe.
She said:,
“I am blaming Emmerson Mnangagwa for all this suffering including the corona virus , Mnangagwa is using his position for his benefits.”
On the MDC issue Gogo, who pronounced MDC as DC said she supported Doctor Morgan Tsvangirai before he died.
She also said that she now supports Nelson Chamisa, whom she refferred as this young man.
Meanwhile, ward 17 Councillor John Nyamhoka handed over a small parcel to her before he left.
The below video is that of MDC Alliance stalwart Lovemore Chinoputsa as he artfully crushed rocks of truth on Emmerson Mnangagwa’s commission of inquiry over the 1 August shootings. This happened on this day exactly 2 years ago.
Zimbabwean international, Tino Kadewere scored a brace as Olympique Lyonnais held off RC Strasbourg Alsace to win 3-2 on Sunday and bring a five-game winless streak to an end.
THE MATCH
Lyon’s last league win had come in late August, and Rudi Garcia’s men must have been hopeful of improving their fortunes against a Strasbourg team that started the game second-from-bottom of the table.
The visitors certainly made a strong start: with just 12 minutes on the clock, Kadewere raced onto Memphis Depay’s ball in behind the home defence, and fired past Bingourou Kamara, who might have done better.
The Zimbabwean forward’s first Lyon goal would have been followed by another maiden OL strike for Lucas Paqueta but the Brazilian was flagged offside before he lobbed Kamara (16′).
Lyon, who had beaten Strasbourg 14 times and lost just once in 17 21st-century encounters between the pair, were soon two up though. After Paqueta won the ball back, Depay charged forward and crossed for Toko-Ekambi to claim his first league goal of the campaign (26′).
A negative COVID-19 test that came through just hours before OL headed to Alsace on Saturday meant Anthony Lopes could play, and the Portugal international made the journey worthwhile by pushing out Jean-Eudes Ahoulou’s volley (32′).
Strasbourg boss Thierry Laurey brought on new signing Habib Diallo eight minutes before the break to go to a 4-4-2, but after Lopes had denied Stefan Mitrovic (39′), Toko-Ekambi extended OL’s lead from close range following more good work from Depay (42′).
Diallo, signed from regional rivals Metz during the transfer window, responded almost immediately, snapping up the rebound after Lopes had pushed out Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s shot (43′) to give the hosts hope.
That hope was boosted still further when Ahoulou’s first-time shot found the net following another Lopes save, this time from Diallo (55′). He was there again nine minutes from time to halt Ludovic Ajorque (81′) and give the seven-time French champions a welcome three points.
Emmerson Mnangagwa, Auxillia is to tour Chimanimani on 22 October 2020. Like her husband, she is skipping Ngangu. These are hundreds of families still stranded nearly 2 years running…
Auxillia Mnangagwa is to tour Chimanimani on 22 October 2020. Like her husband, she is skipping Ngangu. These are hundreds of families still stranded nearly 2 years running… https://t.co/9YPNL8KHiE
The Judicial Service Commission has finally revealed charges that have been laid against High Court Judge, Justice Erica Ndewere.
Though a popular belief is that the judge is being punished for freeing on bail opposition MDC Alliance Deputy National Chairman Job Sikhala bail, the commission says Ndewere is accused of freeing a convict Kenneth Majecha due to gross incompetence.
The file with the charges has since been referred to President Emmerson Mnangagwa for processing to kick start a tribunal to investigate the judge.
Corrupt international networks attempted to profit from Zimbabwe’s Covid-19 response in collusion with government officials — until someone leaked an invoice. Ten working days; that is how long it takes to set up a limited liability company in Switzerland. All you need is a few signed documents and just over US$23,000 deposited into a local bank account. This amount would buy you a Swiss general manager, salary management for up to five employees, having your tax returns filed and all your accounts kept. The time it takes depends on the information you provide, says Rudy Summerer, a financial expert with Fidinam & Partners in Lugano, a town in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino near the Italian border. “According to the constitution, we have to know our client perfectly, because the laws in force on money laundering require us to know the origin [of], and where the funds will be directed,” he states. These constitutional safeguards clearly had little effect in the case of Drax Consult SAGL, the Swiss company at the centre of a US$60m drugs procurement scandal in Zimbabwe which has claimed the scalp of the country’s Minister of Health. The scandal has exposed how shelf companies with no premises, employees or track records are used to fleece impoverished taxpayers through no-bid contracts and murky procurement deals, with few consequences for the politically connected perpetrators. The story begins, as it often does, with a lawyer. Drax was registered in March 2017, with Lorenzo Fornara as the managing director. Fornara is a Swiss notary and legal practitioner; he founded the company alongside Ilir Dedja — registered as an Italian citizen — who put up the entire CHF20,000 (US$22,000) capital. He resigned from Drax in November of the same year, leaving Dedja as the sole director of the company — presumably after his task of registering the company was complete. However, the registered telephone number for Drax Consult SAGL is still the same as Fornara’s law office. This is not Fornara’s only directorship — he holds mandates in numerous other companies. At first glance, he appears to be a serial entrepreneur with 21 currently registered companies — all of which share the same address with Drax. Drax actually shares the same address as 26 other companies, indicating that via Pretorio 13 in Lugano is not a normal business address, but a domicile for shelf companies. Contacted for comment, Fornara refused to answer questions about Drax Consult SAGL, or the (perfectly legal) company registration services he provides: “I am a lawyer, you have to talk to the director — I do not have his number.” Nobody seems to have Dedja’s number. The elusive Albanian is a mysterious figure, who has somehow managed to secure massive procurement contracts in Zimbabwe while providing no evidence of experience or capacity whatsoever. His public profile is limited to company registration documents in Switzerland and Hungary, where Drax Consult was also registered in March 2020 as a branch of the Swiss company, to conduct “business and other management consultancy activities.” It is in Hungary where Drax is reportedly under investigation by Interpol — an investigation which Interpol has steadfastly refused to comment on. Asked to confirm or deny the authenticity of a letter ostensibly sent from Interpol Budapest to Interpol Harare, Hungarian police have remained mum. “Due to criminal reasons, we cannot provide any response to confirm the authenticity of the mentioned document,” responded Lieutenant-Colonel Csajági Nándor, the Head of Department at the International Law Enforcement Cooperation Centre at Interpol Budapest. Dedja has reportedly proclaimed his innocence in Albanian media, releasing a statement in which he denies ever having been to Zimbabwe and denouncing the “misinformation and denigration” of his image. “The case is in the hands of the Lawyers and very soon the truth will be revealed about all the ‘multi-million dollar contracts’ that I have appropriated,” the statement reads. “You can’t ask the wolf to be in charge of the sheep!” While Dedja is presumably free to defend his reputation, his alleged co-conspirators have not been so lucky. Drax’s Zimbabwean frontman Delish Nguwaya is on bail facing charges of prejudicing the State by overpricing Covid-19 testing kits, while health minister Obadiah Moyo was sacked for his part in the scandal and is also on bail. However, as with many things in Zimbabwe, it is not that simple. In his ruling granting bail to Nguwaya, High Court Justice Pisirayi Kwenda found that Nguwaya did not cause any financial prejudice to the State, but simply overpriced his products. He said if there was any deception resulting in financial prejudice, then that could only have been a result of a flawed procurement process. Because Nguwaya is not a State official, the fact that medicines were overpriced should have been noted by State officials during due diligence in a competitive bidding process. “The financial prejudice ensuing from lack of due diligence cannot be blamed on [Nguwaya], but perhaps on the persons who procured on behalf of the State,” said Justice Kwenda. He conceded that even if it was proved that Nguwaya misrepresented that Drax Consult SAGL and Drax International were manufacturers of medicines they were selling during negotiations, the State officials involved in the procurement could have refused to sign the contracts. This is all part of a familiar pattern in Zimbabwe, says University of Kent law professor Dr Alex Magaisa. Magaisa, who helped draft the country’s 2013 Constitution, says the charges against Nguwaya were deliberately crafted to fail, and the situation is reminiscent of previous cases involving allegations of high-level corruption. “When I read the [Nguwaya] prosecution documents, it was clear to me that they were defective, and this was eventually confirmed by [Justice Kwenda] who was very critical,” he continued. “In my opinion it was very clear that they did not have the facts that disclosed the offence that Nguwaya had committed.” According to Magaisa, the case was set up to fail from the very start, and whoever drew up the prosecution’s case knew exactly what they were doing and did not want it to succeed. “The catch-and-release tactic is a euphemism for the strategy by the government when it arrests someone on allegations of corruption, then a few days later they are released. The idea is to create a show for the people, to make it appear like the government is doing something,” he explains. “Then a few days later the person is released, and you never hear of the case again.” Magaisa is highly critical of the Zimbabwe government’s anti-corruption efforts, including the creation of an anti-corruption office in the President’s Office: “You can’t ask the wolf to be in charge of the sheep!” With Ilir Dedja roaming free, Delish Nguwaya and Obadiah Moyo out on bail and presumably in the comfort of their plush homes, none of the major players involved in the multimillion-dollar Drax scandal appear set to suffer any consequences for trying to fleece the government of Zimbabwe. The US$2m already paid to the seemingly non-existent company’s Hungarian branch may or may not be lost forever. That is how you rob an African country — or at least try to.
Background
Once a radio and nightclub disc jockey under the nickname DJ Biscuit, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Health now stands accused of facilitating an international effort to loot finances earmarked for the impoverished nation’s coronavirus pandemic response. On 20 June 2020, the Magistrate’s Court released Obadiah Moyo on bail following his arrest the previous day on allegations of corruption regarding a murky US$60m deal to acquire novel coronavirus (Covid-19) test kits and other equipment. He was subsequently fired from the cabinet. Moyo was only arrested after the government came under pressure from independent media and political opposition over the procurement scandal. The shadowy transactions came to light after a letter from the finance ministry — authorising the purchase of Covid-19 testing kits at inflated prices — was leaked to an online newspaper. The minister’s corruption charges are related to a US$20m contract awarded to a Hungary-registered firm without going through the proper processes. The deal with two-month-old Drax Consult SAGL was allegedly pushed through without the required consent of the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ). A subsequent US$2m payment from Zimbabwe’s state pharmaceutical company NatPharm was reportedly identified as suspicious by Hungarian authorities in March and is under investigation by Interpol. The Interpol press office would neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation, instead pointing out that any information shared by police in one of their 194 member countries remains under the ownership of that country. “Interpol does not therefore comment on specific cases or individuals except in special circumstances and with approval of the member country concerned,” they continued. “With regard to your request, we would advise you to contact the relevant national authorities.” Police in the Hungarian capital Budapest refuse to confirm an investigation into Drax Consult SAGL’s Hungary branch “due to criminal reasons.” Zimbabwe’s government eventually cancelled Drax’s two pharmaceutical supply contracts worth a total of US$60m. Amid the controversy, an entity called Drax International LLC issued a statement signed by director Ilir Dedja, threatening legal action over “falsehoods and defamatory publications” after the procurement scandal received wide coverage in Zimbabwe. Delish Nguwaya, who is Drax’s representative in Zimbabwe, was also arrested in connection with the case. Questions were raised over how a controversial young businessman with a history of criminality, who had failed a vetting process months earlier, had set up a new company and secured millions of dollars’ worth of contracts to supply medicines and equipment — some at hugely inflated prices. Early searches for details of Drax Consult SAGL, when state media first reported on the procurement deal, revealed scant details. Drax did not even have a website at the time, nor a track record in pharmaceuticals. A search of the ICANN Internet database shows that the company’s domain name internationaldrax.com was only registered on 1 April 2020. Interest in Drax increased in early April, when company representative Nguwaya appeared alongside President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House, ostensibly donating medical supplies reported to be worth US$200,000. Nguwaya’s past involvement in high-level police corruption, including the extortion of US$20,000 from a Chinese businessman in 2016, raised inevitable questions about the legitimacy of his business dealings. The emergence of leaked invoices showing overpricing for COVID-19 materials by UAE-based Drax International LLC completed a picture that already looked remarkably suspicious. Drax, by many measures, has the characteristics of a shell company that secures oversized contracts through corruption. Such companies tend to use exotic addresses but never provide detailed public information about them. Drax Consult SAGL has a Swiss address, while Drax International LLC, which was formed in 2020, gives an address in the United Arab Emirates, yet it does not appear as a registered company in the UAE’s business registry. These companies also typically rely on agents or representatives with access to politicians in the country where contracts are awarded. In the wake of revelations regarding Drax’s access to millions of dollars’ worth of government contracts, social media has been awash with pictures of Nguwaya with President Mnangagwa’s family in various social settings — including a State House dinner. The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation has also suspended staff involved in airing Nguwaya’s April “donation” on the country’s television station. The re-emergence of the news clip has proved embarrassing for the “first family”, after repeated denials of personal or professional links to Drax. An extraordinary government gazette of 25 October 2019 shows that Drax Consult was registered with PRAZ, using a Gmail address and Nguwaya’s telephone number. While registered as a supplier, the health minister is accused of corruptly pushing the Drax contracts despite its failing due diligence tests. Moyo’s arraignment followed the arrest of three NatPharm bosses the previous week on charges of criminal abuse of office for approving the Drax deal without following laid down procurement procedures. Sitting in Harare, the magistrate’s court granted Moyo bail of 50,000 Zimbabwean dollars ($2,000). State prosecutors — who are pursuing three charges including abuse of office which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years — did not oppose bail. He is accused of trying to coerce the treasury to pay for 15,000 coronavirus test kits that were being held at the airport. The prosecutors claim contracts were illegally awarded by the health ministry without a competitive tender process. “[Minister Moyo] acted contrary to or inconsistent with his fiduciary duty,” according to magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi. “The accused’s actions showed favour to Drax,” he concluded during the bail hearing. Drax’s Nguwaya is out on bail after a stint in remand prison, while the company’s principal — the mysterious Ilir Dedja — remains an elusive figure. “Most of the articles published on the media are falsehood regarding Drax International LLC,” the company has told Reuters. “Goods regarding COVID-19 emergency response … have been delivered and no payment has been made by authorities in Zimbabwe,” it added.
I HAVE previously gone on several drinking sprees with the former deputy director of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Menard Muzariri.
I was introduced to him by a mutual friend. When he knew that I was with the Police Protection Unit (PPU) and also from Mt Darwin, we hit it off! We partied in the usual night spots in Harare and Chitungwiza and he would occasionally summon me to go and look for women for him! One time we partied with some South African intelligence operatives whom he introduced to me. He never talked work and I would never dare ask him questions. At that time I was not aware of his role in the Gukurahundi democide. These experiences and other interactions with intelligence, forensics, and policing personnel whetted my curiosity in those fields.
The Zimbabwean state, since it came into being after independence from Britain in 1980, has been known for various democides which include political violence, crimes against humanity, state-sanctioned murder, violence and illegal mining atrocities.
The purpose of this opinion piece is to outline the contemporary state intelligence tactics, structure, resources and modus operandi in relation to murders and abductions in Zimbabwe. I will primarily focus on the CIO. The paper will also elucidate some of the actions and profiles of other perpetrators such as the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), War Veterans (WV) and Zanu PF Youth Wing (YW).
The present CIO, formerly the Special Branch, came into being in 1981 and was headed by Ken Flower until his retirement in 1984. The Special Branch was responsible to the Deputy Commissioner (Crime and Security prior to its incorporation into the President’s Office). The present CIO boss is Isaac Moyo and is deputised by Brigadier-General Walter Tapfumaneyi and former National University of Science and Technology Pro-Vice-Chancellor Gatsha Mazithulela. Between the two of them they supervise various key branches—such as internal, external, counter-intelligence, military intelligence, training, close protection unit, technical, training, administration and another simply known as Branch Six. In addition, there are desks on social media, trade unions, projects, terrorism, and propaganda.
There are currently around 3 500 full-time staff and around 2 000 part-time “assets” deployed mostly in Zimbabwe. There are also operatives in most African countries and in Europe. In terms of locations where they operate from, a decade ago SW Radio Africa published a credible list which is found here. In addition to these locations like most intelligence agencies around the world, the CIO has safe houses and farms dotted around the country. As readers might be aware, Zimbabwe was listed as one of the countries which the CIA used for renditions. This is the abduction and torture of suspects by the CIA carried out in other countries with permission.
Before discussing the shenanigans of the Zimbabwe intelligence service, let us discuss briefly how a professional service like this should function. Firstly, it should not be based in the Office of the President for obvious reasons such as bias, corruption, misuse and manipulation. Hallmarks of the present CIO. The purpose of a professional intelligence service is to gather intelligence, manage information, work on evidence and disclosure, and support other security services. In Zimbabwe, as this paper will demonstrate, the CIO literally serves at the pleasure of the President. However, I must admit not all intelligence services are 100% professional, the extent to which they are dubious is the problem in Zimbabwe.
Now readers might want to know what intelligence is. The CIA (1999), defines intelligence as knowledge and foreknowledge of an individual’s or entity’s surroundings used for present and future decision making and action. Intelligence can also be viewed as actions or processes used to produce knowledge. Global Intelligence Working Group (2003) defines law enforcement intelligence as the acquisition and analysis of information to produce intelligence which can be used for decision making.
There are plenty of examples within Zimbabwean contexts that can be used to illustrate some of these definitions. Take the Catholic Church’s former archbishop of Bulawayo province, Pius Ncube. The CIO had information that, despite his being a devout priest, he had a weakness for the ladies. They had this information for years and were waiting for the right opportunity to use that information (intelligence) to shut his anti-Mugabe stance down. And they used that, albeit successfully, I should say. Readers can think of dozens of other examples of such successful use of information, particularly against politically connected individuals. Remember former Vice-President Joice Mujuru previously mentioning that Mugabe has files on everyone. This is the kind of information that they have.
So how is intelligence of ordinary citizens collected by the CIO? This is done covertly, overtly, through social media, some of it comes through the ZRP, ZNA and paid informers. Covert intelligence is information gathered through undercover, technical surveillance, and pseudo operations. Zimbabwean CIO operatives like being known and most of them are not exactly discreet. There are various videos of human rights defenders (HRD) who have been followed by operatives and subsequently filmed them.
The Namatai Kwekweza video is one such example. The purpose of such aggressive form of surveillance is to intimidate and to distract the individual. What sort of intelligence or information does the CIO collect? Well, they note everything from shoe size, clothing, friends, family drinking habits, sporting activities, vehicles used, work, addresses and, in some extreme cases, they can collect DNA. This information is often fed into a software system, analysed, rated for use, or marinated. Marination is when any useful information is kept for future use.
Let me give you a practical example below on how that information looks like presently. Previously, intelligence was kept on index cards which took ages to search and input intelligence.
Let us cite the example of well-known journalist Hopewell Chin’ono. What does his profile look like on their system? Here is an example:
Pictures Addresses Associates Vehicle Crimes Intelligence and Operations Schematic of CIO intelligence system.
Each of the above tabs will be interactive and when you click on them they will show you further contents associated with an individual. In addition, as you go from left to right, depending on operational level of clearance, one will not be able to see certain information. The intelligence section is the most populated as it will contain detailed descriptive intelligence on an individual. For high-profile individuals, there might be daily updates or intelligence. If there is a high level of intelligence from multiple sources, this will force the analyst to make actionable decisions. This can be either an arrest, abduction, warning or assault etc. So what do most intelligent notes look like? Here is an example:
On 05/10/2020 Chin’ono was seen in the company of Jacob Ngarivhume at Belgravia shops at approx. 3pm. Hopewell was wearing blue jeans, grey t shirt and black shoes. Jacob was wearing blue trousers, grey shirt, and white trainers. The long range listening device was not working hence could not hear conversation. Both individuals stayed at the shops for approximately 2 hours and left in their respective vehicles which are already on file
When this information has been sent, it then becomes rated according to the source of information, intelligence evaluation, information content, and risk assessment. Also, as demonstrated information is easily falsified, politicised, and accepted. If you look at the history of all opposition leaders from Joshua Nkomo to Nelson Chamisa, most of the intelligence gathered against them is false and grossly exaggerated. Recent statements by security Minister Owen Ncube about Operation Light House is one such example.
If the intelligence is correct and further investigation were done, why then not arrest the individuals in question or mount an operation? In Zimbabwean contexts, detailed surveillance of individuals is limited to high-profile individuals found in opposition and human rights groups. Surveillance of Nelson Chamisa, for example, will be in technological terms and the use of operatives. Technological devices can be planted on vehicles, associates and can be unwittingly downloaded via clips in chat groups/social media which have a worm. I had the privilege of working at the US embassy in Harare during my PPU days. They sweep their vehicles for devices every single day. The devices used to check are readily available and some can be found here.
In terms of overt surveillance, operatives will normally be a six-men team, the two advance party (AP), static team (ST), and direct observation (DO) team. The DO team are the ones observable and have been reported numerous occasions by individuals being followed in Zimbabwe. The ST are static and normally are on the peripheral edges of a target. The AP team are the ones who know the route normally taken by a target and can be used often to intercept. The Sanderson Makombe incident can give you a loose indication on how the teams worked in the incident that ended up in two people dying. For “minor” individuals, the surveillance team will be smaller; as you can see, it is very expensive due to the number of people and resources involved.
Another important source of intelligence in contemporary contexts is social media and the hacking of phones. The CIO has a dedicated cyber unit which carries out offensive and defensive operations on selected targets. They have additional access to the military intelligence (MI) unit based at Mt Hampden as reported by Professor Jonathan Moyo. There are myths associated with what they can reasonably do or perform. They cannot hack your WhatsApp as it has end-to-end encryption. However, messages can be read before they are encrypted or after they are decrypted. That means any spyware dropped on the phone by an attacker could read the messages. Edward Snowdon encourages people to use other apps such as Signal. In addition, all companies and individuals who have local server emails are easily hacked. I remember telling Paston Dzamara about his email which he later changed. To demonstrate this, we can look at the Baba Jukwa investigation which led the then assistant police commissioner Crispen Makedenge nowhere.
Even Facebook messages are safe unless, of course, you have unwittingly downloaded spyware on your phone from a WhatsApp group, in which case they can read and see everything. In addition, unless you are a targeted individual, they do not have the capacity and personnel to carry out analysis of millions of people like what China does, for example. In terms of internet, the Tor browser is useful if you want to circumvent the prying eyes of the CIO. I am aware that Prof Moyo is currently banging on about the Mt Hampden listening centre which is apparently being manned by Group Captain Peacemaker Credo Kereke. However, as demonstrated previously, the CIO has not been able to effectively utilise those tools as they currently rely on abduction and the physical examination of devices. Readers might be reminded that big companies such as Facebook and Apple will not even supply information to the FBI.
Lastly, let us move on to the abduction and torture of individuals by the CIO. What is the plan, what do they do, and where do they take them? Since 2000, there has been more than 5 000 abductions by the state and associated organs.
Each respective state apparatus has an associated signature. However, I am going to focus on the CIO. The purpose of abduction is normally to scare, disable, or elicit information that otherwise was not obtained during normal surveillance methods, as discussed previously. Before an abduction takes place, intelligence is synthesised and an operation order is issued by a senior intelligence officer.
This order will contain information such as purpose, personnel, location, target, resources, risk assessment, and tactics. In addition, there will be trigger plans—these are the processes to implement in case something goes wrong. If we cite the example of Itai Dzamara, these processes were in place when he was abducted on 9 March 2015. I spoke to the late Patson Dzamara at that time a few weeks after Itai’s abduction and suggested they apply for mobile phone triangulation of his phone, but I believe the idea was shot down by the police. Itai’s mobile phone would have indicated who was travelling with him and where he was taken if the phone was on.
This I also strongly suggested in the Tawanda Muchehiwa abduction as the perpetrators used his phone to lure other victims. The nearest mobile phone mast to that location has details of individuals who were close to him. This is dependent on their mobiles being on. The state is aware what exactly happened as they have obfuscated the information at every turn. My theory on Itai Dzamara is that something went wrong during the abduction and torture, resulting in the officers in question implementing the trigger plan.
Let us discuss abductions using Harare as a snapshot in order to unpack tactics and locations. The way the CIO abduct, torture and leave individuals either dead or alive has explanations within psychological and criminological contexts and I have identified certain concepts. Routine activities theory (RAT), presupposes that for an offence to occur, three elements need to be present. That is, a motivated offender (CIO), suitable victim (human rights defender), and the absence of a capable guardian (ZRP). The optimal foraging theory (OFT) can be used as a theoretical framework for applying abduction site prediction modeling to aid in locating the missing. This will be illustrated briefly in the next section.
Offender profiling is guarded by two significant assumptions, consistency and homology theory. The consistency assumption suggests that perpetrators often repeat offences in an analogous fashion. This can partly explain the methods of various state entities in the massacres and abductions that have taken place in Zimbabwe. The 5 Brigade, for instance, were very consistent in their methodologies in searching, detaining and killing of people in Matabeleland.
The homology theory proposes that the way an offence is committed is related to background characteristics of the perpetrator (The more training, resources, time the offender has the greater the opportunities and severity of torture). We can use the Jestina Mukoko abduction as an example within that context. This can be explained in other various signature kidnappings by either MI, the Ferret Team/s or War Veterans.
Let us discuss these aspects using the dozens of abductions that have taken place in Harare in the last few years. If we look at the abductions of Jestina Mukoko, Patson Dzamara, Joana Madamombe, Peter Mugombeyi, Samantha Kureya, to name but a few, a pattern emerges. The location of torture and subsequent release are within an hour of Harare and include: Beatrice farming area, Mt Hampden (near Cyber Centre), Mazowe, Bindura, Seke/Dema junctions, Snake Park, Nyabira, Nharira Hills and Lake Chivero. Anyone can actually map this (I have a map!). The operatives are operating within their comfort zone in an analogous fashion. They also have a stand down area nearby and are familiar with the area. Now that the cat is slightly out of the bag, they might change tact! In forensic contexts there might be still a wealth of information which is available in these locations.
Another aspect with regards abductions of civilians in Zimbabwe is the issue of injection of unknown substances by the CIO. Examples of people who have been subjected to such methods include Job Sikhala and Mugombeyi. The CIO inherited personnel and equipment used by the Special Branch and other Rhodesian forces. As reported by Cross in Rhodesia and Chemical Biological Warfare 1975-1980, Zimbabwe had a chemical warfare unit which poisoned thousands of guerrillas in the liberation war. Curiously, if you look at the press release in the appointment of deputy director of the CIO, Dr Mazithulela, it states that he is the chairman of the National Authority on Chemical Weapons Convention! Now why is Zimbabwe in the convention and what chemical weapons do we have? So what substances are being injected into detainees? We know the CIA, the rendition colleagues of the CIO, use Scopolamine aka “Truth Serum”. Other substances are sodium thiopental and phenobarbital. If any of the barbiturates were administered to Joana Mamombe, for example, it might explain her present physical and mental health. People metabolise and respond differently to certain drugs.
In concluding this piece, it is important for human rights defenders and other victim groups to implement community safety and abduction prevention/mitigation measures. These can be found in countering some of the activities elucidated above. Examples is the use of smart bracelets and registering on the Sentinel project for satellite tracking. These are all legal and can be found in technological, psychological and simple security measures. So those concerned should data capture low-hanging fruits such as vehicles used, names published, and locations. There are also opportunities on the technological fronts in the phone of cleaning devices and use of virtual private networks (VPNs) as alert tool, using social media and a bit of journalistic work as demonstrated by Chin’ono.
Peace.
About the writer: Silika, based in the United Kingdom, is a former policeman in Zimbabwe and has a PhD in Forensic Archaeology.
The opposition MDC Alliance has set a very high bar against ZANU PF in terms of holding internal elections as the party went through very peaceful and organised primary elections in Kuwadzana Constituency ahead of the forth coming by elections.
The party opened polling stations early Sunday morning with thousands of party members expected to cast their votes by 4pm when polling closes.
The opposition party used the the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission 2018 elections voters roll with about ten polling stations set up in the constituency.
Last week, the ruling ZANU PF primary elections in the same constituency were marred with chaos and violence which forced the ruling party to postpone the primary elections.
There were running battles as people fought over money which was being splashed by one of the candidates, former Kuwadzana MP Betty Kaseke, using runners.
Trouble started when those who were handling the money in some of the groups did not give it out,
Kaseke reportedly went to the commissariat department where she managed to convince the people manning the office to give her the cell lists (voters’ roll).
She took them away and allegedly added some more names and deleted others which forced the party to resort to using the Zec voters’ roll which was rejected by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The Nelson Chamisa led MDC Alliance is this sunday holding primary elections in Kuwadzana Constituency in preparation for the by election to replace the late Miriam Mushayi.
The by elections reported to have been going on smoothly at the time of writing come amidst a heated contestation on who should represent the party in the by-elections, with members of the Welshman Ncube’s MDC declaring that the seat be reserved for them as per a 2018 agreement.
The Ncube led partner in the Alliance had unanimously picked on former party spokesperson Kurauone Chihwayi to be the candidate believing on the strength of the Alliance Agreement which accorded the party the seat.
Chihwayi since withdrew his candidature after the party leaders opened up the seat for an open primary election to all members of the Alliance.
In a letter to the MDC Alliance secretary general, Chalton Hwende, Chihwayi expressed disappointment over the primary election order.
“I am strongly disturbed by the violation of a valid MDC Alliance agreement that expires in 2023, which gave the seat to the MDC led by Prof Welshman Ncube.
“As such, I expected the MDC to elect or choose one of its own to finish the term of office left by the late Hon. Miriam Mushayi,” Chihwayi said.
He further said there was no need for the MDC Alliance to hold primary elections in the constituency since the seat was reserved for his party when they signed the MDC Alliance agreement in 2018.
“I did not see the rationale of participating in a primary election with members of the then MDC-T in the MDC Alliance. I am a full member of the MDC Alliance by virtue of being a member of the MDC,” Chihwayi alluded.
He further said members of the then MDC-T should withdraw from the primary elections as a way of showing respect to the terms and conditions of the 2018 agreement.
The late Mushayi was a member of the MDC before her party joined the MDC Alliance in 2018 and with this, Chihwayi believes that the seat should remain in the hands of the then MDC until the terms of the Alliance expire in 2023.
Meanwhile, women in the “MDC Green,” as the Ncube party is nicknamed also demanded that the seat be seconded to a woman from their party as was the original internal arrangement within the party.
They suggested the name of Harare based member Ellen Shiriyedenga.
Results of the by election are yet to be published.
MDC Alliance Primary Elections are currently taking place in Kuwadzana. We have three Polling stations opened till 4PM. pic.twitter.com/EoX86235wJ
— Citizens' Coalition for Change (@CCCZimbabwe) October 18, 2020
By Wilbert Mukori- “There are no imaginative skills on how to move the country forward internally and externally, be it economic and political in both the ruling party and the opposition of Nelson Chamisa,” wrote Nomazulu Thata, commenting on Professor Stephen Chan’s recent video interview.
Professor Stephen Chan is a blundering idiot masquerading as an intellectual. He has made many very serious blunders on Zimbabwe politics in the past and talked about one such blunder in his interview. He admitted to advising the British Secretary of State for Africa to attend Mnangagwa’s inauguration following the rigged July 2018 elections. He argued the British to give Mnangagwa a chance.
Other luminary personalities who had observed Zimbabwe’s July 2018 elections, notably Labour MP Kate Hoey, dismissed the elections as a farce and argued the international community not to give the illegitimate Zanu PF regime any support.
It was a great pity that the British government accepted Professor Chan’s advice and not that of MP Hoey. We, in Zimbabwe, have paid dearly for that blunder to this day!
I do agree with Professor Chan’s gloomy assessment of the sorry state Zimbabwe is in. He is right to say there is a lack of imagination, internally and externally, as what to do to get the country out of the mess. The irony is the solution has been hiding in plain sight all along; if only we would open our eyes and minds to see it.
The root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic and political crisis is the country’s failure to hold free, fair and credible elections. 40 years of gross mismanagement and rampant corruption have left the country’s economy in ruins. 40 years of stifled debate and democratic competition has forced quality out of public life leaving the field open to corrupt and incompetent individuals on both sides of the political divide.
We need to implement the democratic reforms to promote free debate and competition and to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections.
Since Zanu PF government will never implement the reforms, the party will never reform itself out of office, we must appoint an independent body that will implement the reforms.
Zanu PF must step down to allow the political space for the independent body that will implement the reforms.
“Zanu PF will never step down!” many have argued. Of course, they will step down; they have done is before already!
Zanu PF was forced to step down following the blatant cheating and wanton violence of the 2008 elections. The international community, included the usually reticent see nothing SADC and AU, refused to endorse Zanu PF’s claim of electoral victory and legitimacy.
By participating in the July 2018 elections Zimbabwe’s corrupt and incompetent opposition parties gave the flawed and illegal process credibility and, by extension, the vote rigging Zanu PF regime some modicum of legitimacy. Just one of the many decisions proving the compete lack of quality and imagination on the part of Nelson Chamisa et al!
The EU, the Americans, the Commonwealth and all the other nations and organisations with any democratic credentials worth a spit condemned the July 2018 elections as a farce.
“The electoral commission lacked full independence and appeared to not always act in an impartial manner. The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability,” stated the EU Mission final report.
“As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards.”
Given such a damning report, the decision by Professor Chan and the British to let Mnangagwa off the legitimacy hook beggared belief and showed a complete lack of imagination.
The pressure on Zanu PF to stop down should have been brought to bear immediately following the rigged 31 July 2018. The pressure can still be brought to bear even now, the failure to revive the economy is putting Mnangagwa under renewed pressure.
Mnangagwa rigged the July 2018 elections confident he would go on to “rig” economic recovery. His “Zimbabwe is open for business!” clarion call has failed to attract the flood of investors. The corona virus pandemic has made a bad situation even worse, the crisis has now turned into a real tragedy.
Before the corona virus outbreak, 34% of the Zimbabweans were already living in extreme poverty; the number has surged upward.
Basic services such as health care and education have all but collapse because of decades of poor funding. Teachers and health care personal have been on strike for months on end demanding a living wage and safe working conditions. All civil servants have just been awarded up 500% wage increase taking the pittance wage of the lowest paid teachers from US$30 to 157 pm. The PDL in Zimbabwe is US$650 pm.
With inflation already at 838% year on year, the wage hike will be eroded away within a few months and everyone will be out of strike again.
With more than a third of the population living in extreme poverty, no health care service, no education for the children, etc. Zimbabwe’s future is bleak. And as long as the country remains a Banana Republic, a pariah state, ruled by corrupt, incompetent and vote rigging thugs; the situation will only get worse.
Zimbabwe could have been saved from this tragic end if only Zanu PF had been stopped from turning the country into a pariah state. The country can still be save from sinking even deeper into this man-made hell-on-earth by implementing the democratic reforms designed to end the curse of rigged elections.
Only that is needed is the courage and resolve to demand that the illegitimate Zanu PF regime steps down and stop holding the nation to ransom.
Yes, Professor Chan is right, there really is shocking lack of imagination here. When a corrupt, incompetent and, for all intend and practical purposes, braindead thug like Emmerson Mnangagwa is viewed for 40 years and counting as an all powerful demigod; there is a daft lack of imagination all round.
By A Correspondent | AS ZIMEYE.COM INVESTIGATES – the family of the murdered 7 year old MUREHWA boy, Tapiwa Makore, speak to ZimEye on Sunday expressing concerns on the speed with which the police are processing investigations to find the lad’s missing body parts, which include his skull…
THE late former MDC MP for Luveve Constituency in Bulawayo Esaph Mdlongwa, who was also father to South Africa based legendary music producer Oscar “Oskido” Mdlongwa who died last Wednesday evening at Mater Dei Hospital due to Covid-19 related complications was yesterday laid to rest at Luveve Cemetery in the City.
He was 78.
The burial, which was restricted to close family members was historic as it brought together the two splinter MDC parties presidents Dr Thokozani Khupe and Advocate Nelson Chamisa.
Mdlongwa who was the founding organising secretary of the MDC, was buried in accordance with the WHO guidelines on Covid-19.
Mdlongwa was elected as part of the first leadership of the opposition party in 1999- before its initial split in 2005- together with the late Mr Morgan Tsvangirai (president), the late Mr Gibson Sibanda (vice president), Professor Welshman Ncube (secretary general), Mr Gift Chimanikire (deputy secretary general), the late Mr Isaac Matongo (chairman), the late Mr Fletcher Dulini Ncube (treasurer general), Mrs Lucia Matibenga (women’s assembly), the late Learnmore Jongwe (spokesman) and Mr Nelson Chamisa (youth assembly).
He was elected as the MP for Luveve in the 2000 general election.
Both Thokozani Khupe and Chamisa were given an opportunity to address the gathering with Khupe being given a chance to address the main service at the Amphitheatre in the City Centre and Chamisa being given an opportunity to speak at the grave site.
Watch video downloading below as Khupe addresses the mourners.
By A Correspondent| The new political administration has managed to achieve milestones that the previous dispensation failed to make progress on during its entire tenure, Vice President Kembo Mohadi has said.
Addressing the ZANU PF Matabeleland South Provincial Co-ordinating Committee (PCC) in Gwanda Town yesterday, VP Mohadi said the country is on the right track under the astute stewardship of President Mnangagwa.
“We have done what the first dispensation did not achieve. The Beitbridge-Masvingo Road; Harare-Chirundu Road were done by the New Dispensation. In Chimanimani, where Cyclone Idai wreaked havoc and killed many people, new road networks have been constructed, new schools and housing units have been put up.
“Agricultural produce can now be taken to markets, and (in all this) we used our own resources and local expertise.”
Some critics, he added, had grimly projected up to one million deaths by June as a result of the coronavirus, but Government had managed to contain the pandemic to manageable levels.
VP Mohadi also took a swipe at party members who were involved in vote buying.
“When I was injured during the 2018 blast at White City Stadium, people took advantage of my incapacitation to use money to buy their way into the party. Now we have people who do not know what ZANU PF stands for because they were not groomed by the party,” he added.
The Vice President said although the country was feeling the effects of three successive droughts, Government has made sure no one dies of hunger.
“The Government is talking of Vision 2030, where we are saying we should have attained an upper middle-income economy by 2030; this is something which we are focused on.”
ZANU PF, he said, is committed to achieving its target of 5 million voters in 2023.-The Sunday Mail
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission has opened an active investigation into the Health Deputy Minister Dr. John Mangwiro after it emerged that he held a meeting with National Pharmaceutical Company (Natpharm) and influenced them to award a contract worth US$5,6 million to supply COVID-19 sundries to an unregistered firm.
A report contained by ZACC says the Health Deputy Minister went to Natpharm at night and threatened them with dismissal if they failed to award the tender to an undeserving company called Young Health Care.
A report by ZACC which states that ZACC has opened an investigation to determine if the Heath Deputy Minister abused his office reads:
The Deputy Minister (Dr Mangwiro) also demanded that a purchase order be issued that same night. The adjudication team was picked from their homes around 2200 hours and were interrogated by the Deputy Minister until the early hours of the following day. The Deputy Minister threatened the team with dismissal for failing to award Young Health Care the contracts
Young Health Care Limited managed to deliver a paltry six percent of Nucleic Acid and another six percent of Transport Media but went on to request pre-payment for the awarded contract, including undelivered supplies contrary to the terms and conditions of the contract signed with Natpharm, which stipulates that payment should be made seven days after delivery (post-payment).
The Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Mangwiro, reportedly insisted on pre-payment and tasked the technical team from laboratory and Natpharm procurement to visit Young Health Care Limited in their country office and verify available stock to compel Natpharm to make a pre-payment to Young Health Care Limited.
Given the extent to which the Deputy Minister was involved in the said tender process, indications are that he was acting in his own capacity and not on behalf of the ministry. The actions of the Deputy Minister signal a personal interest in the tender and this should have prompted him to declare his interest.
Analysts last week urged the government to suspend Dr. Mangwiro for his involvement in the tender.-statemedia
Kim Jong Un , Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, received a reply message from Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, on June 15 after he wrote to Mnangagwa in April on the occasion of Zimbabwe’s independence celebrations.
Mnangagwa sounds to be enticing the Koreans for an unspecified future relationship.
Mnangagwa as State Security Minister in the early eighties entices the North Koreans to train the notorious Gukurahundi soldiers who went on to kill over 20 000 Zimbabweans in the Matabeleland region.
The reply message reads as follows:
I acknowledge, with appreciation, receipt of your kind and thoughtful message on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of the Independence Day of Zimbabwe.
Our two countries share a close historical relationship which continues to grow since Zimbabwe gained independence on 18 April 1980.
I look forward to closely working with you to strengthen bilateral relations and to further consolidate the bonds of solidarity that exist between our two countries, for the mutual benefit of both nations and peoples.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa commit resources to promote agricultural innovations. This is based on the assumption that rural livelihoods are mainly agricultural and that the innovations will increase agricultural production and household income.
As resources come under pressure from growing populations and natural resource degradation, governments and donors want to see that agricultural research and innovation has an impact. They want to see “success” and “value for money”.
But success is understood in different ways. It depends on how it’s framed and by whom.
Studying conflict in agricultural innovations can lead to a better understanding of the appropriateness of certain technologies in terms of how they’re designed, promoted and how they’re linked to rural livelihoods.
Conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe provides a good example of an innovation like this. This approach to farming has been widely promoted by non-governmental organisations, research institutes and the state. It’s also promoted in other countries of eastern and southern Africa.
The method is based on minimal soil disturbance, mulching soil with crop residues, and crop rotation. These are meant to conserve moisture, reduce soil erosion and build up soil organic matter to improve crop yields and rural livelihoods.
We wanted to know how this innovation was promoted and implemented in Zimbabwe and how its “success” was framed and assessed. Our study found that there were differences in how farmers and promoters of conservation agriculture defined its success.
These differences matter when investments are made in promoting agricultural innovations. It’s particularly important to understand the diversity of rural livelihoods.
The research Our study was conducted in Gwanda and Insiza districts in south western Zimbabwe. Droughts are a common feature in the area, occurring on average every two or three years. We collected data via a household questionnaire survey, interviews and focus group discussions. Participants included farmers, NGO and government extension officers.
We found that innovation was understood by the majority of respondents as having three main attributes, namely, “novelty”, “adaptability” and “utility”. Despite novelty being mentioned more often than other understandings of innovation, some felt that it existed in theory and not practically.
For example, a farmer said interventions promoted in their communities weren’t new but rather repackaged existing technologies with different names. Some weren’t suitable for the area.
Conservation agriculture was identified as the innovation most often promoted by non-governmental organisations and government extension officers in the area. Huge investments were committed to promoting it – the Department for International Development set aside about US$23 million to promote it in Zimbabwe. Yet after the project’s three year lifespan, farmers mostly abandoned the practice.
The locals gave it the name “diga ufe”, which means “dig and die”, because it required so much physical labour. The manual digging of conservation basins during land preparation and the multiple weeding was labour intensive.
Farmers did find, though, that using the conservation agriculture techniques in their vegetable gardens yielded better results compared to bigger plots. Under crop production, farmers prioritised irrigated agriculture compared to rain-fed agriculture. Gardening was therefore identified as the second ranked important livelihood source after livestock production.
Respondents agreed that innovation was vital for sustaining food security and nutrition in the context of climate change. One farmer said innovation was about experimenting with resources at one’s disposal to come up with something new and suitable for the area. He also emphasised that innovation was a collective action that includes farmers, researchers, extension agents and the private sector. He said it was not only confined to new technology (hardware), but processes such as governance, that would yield positive results.
Climate smart crops such as sorghum, millet and cowpeas and climate smart livestock (goats and indigenous poultry) were identified by locals as potentially suitable in addressing dry spells in the area. But poor informal markets, limited bargaining power, shortage of grazing land, pests and diseases constrained productivity.
Diversifying out of agriculture was identified as an alternative response to climate change. It could boost the income of the household and help sustain food and nutrition security.
Government extension officers felt that innovations in the area should be targeted towards livestock production. The area’s semi-arid climate means it’s not conducive for rain-fed agriculture.
So, despite the efforts to promote conservation agriculture, dry land cropping was ranked as the lowest source of livelihood for rural people. People in the area prioritised livestock production. Promoting more livestock production related innovations would have been ideal for the area.
What does this mean for policy and innovations? Innovation can thrive in rural areas. But this depends on understanding the communities’ perceptions and livelihood context to appreciate their priorities.
Rural communities are dynamic and complex. Imposing innovations that don’t speak to the needs of these communities won’t achieve rural development. Our study showed the importance of developing innovations with communities as opposed to innovations for communities.
People in rural areas don’t lack capacity. They need support to utilise available resources and innovate in a flexible manner that’s context specific. They should be key players in coming up with solutions, since they have a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities within their communities.
THE late former MDC MP for Luveve Constituency in Bulawayo Esaph Mdlongwa, who was also father to South Africa based legendary music producer Oscar “Oskido” Mdlongwa who died last Wednesday evening at Mater Dei Hospital due to Covid-19 related complications was yesterday laid to rest at Luveve Cemetery in the City.
He was 78.
The burial, which was restricted to close family members was historic as it brought together the two splinter MDC parties presidents Dr Thokozani Khupe and Advocate Nelson Chamisa.
Mdlongwa who was the founding organising secretary of the MDC, was buried in accordance with the WHO guidelines on Covid-19.
Mdlongwa was elected as part of the first leadership of the opposition party in 1999- before its initial split in 2005- together with the late Mr Morgan Tsvangirai (president), the late Mr Gibson Sibanda (vice president), Professor Welshman Ncube (secretary general), Mr Gift Chimanikire (deputy secretary general), the late Mr Isaac Matongo (chairman), the late Mr Fletcher Dulini Ncube (treasurer general), Mrs Lucia Matibenga (women’s assembly), the late Learnmore Jongwe (spokesman) and Mr Nelson Chamisa (youth assembly).
He was elected as the MP for Luveve in the 2000 general election.
Both Thokozani Khupe and Chamisa were given an opportunity to address the gathering with Khupe being given a chance to address the main service at the Amphitheatre in the City Centre and Chamisa being given an opportunity to speak at the grave site.
Watch video downloading below as Khupe addresses the mourners.
Zimbabwe is still involved in high level squabbles on whether to go on with by elections originally set for the 5th of December because Health and Child Care Minister Constantino Chiwenga banned the elections due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
While Zimbabwe is still undecided, neighboring South African IEC says it has put measures in place to ensure the country’s by elections set for November “don’t turn into superspreader events.”
Voting was set down for March but had to be rescheduled for 11 November due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Like most entities, we had to adjust we have to adjust activities to give voice to the people without turning election into superspreader event,” said Masego Shiburi, IEC deputy manager.
“There will be a slight varied voting process and we will enforce social distancing and provide PPE for our staff.”
The IEC says these by-elections will serve as a dress rehearsal for the 2021 local government polls.
It comes amid intense debate on whether the local government and general elections should be combined in 2024.
Chiwenga, who is also the Health Minister, early this month amended the 2020 Public Health Regulations and suspended all by-elections the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had scheduled for 5 December citing the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last month, ZEC chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba announced by-elections were to be conducted in December.
However, Chiwenga as the Health Minister announced that all by-elections had been suspended.
Meanwhile, parliament last week roped in to reverse Chiwenga’s ban which had been confirmed by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) saying that the election body had no legal basis to call off the by-elections based on the statutory instrument by Chiwenga that has not undergone parliamentary scrutiny.
In Parliament on Thursday, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda said statutory instruments can only be acted upon after the Parliamentary Legal Committee has issued a non-adverse report – which was yet to happen.
Dear Zimbabweans
By Hon Job Wiwa Sikhala, Zengeza West MP.
Terrence Manjengwa
When I was in prison one young man called Terrence Manjengwa, through pain of my incarceration and persecution came to attend my Court sessions at Rotten Row Magistrates Court. Poor fellows in chambers upon their heads which they call riot gear refused him entrance to come and follow proceedings of my case. These are penniless idiots who were used to intimidate all those who came to give me solidarity at Rotten Row Magistrates Court. Terrence resisted this injustice and told these idiots that there is no reason why they were refusing them the right to hear the proceedings of my case in the Court. I later found out that the video of their resistance against police bullism went viral when they were telling the useless idiots in chambers over their head on the entrance to Court to go to hell.
They arrested him for a charge of criminal nuisance. Since then he is now 50 days in remand prison with courts refusing to grant him bail on the grounds that he ashamed the State.
So stupid are grounds for refusing him bail that people tend to question themselves whether Zimbabwe still has any judiciary to talk about. Does anyone need to ashame a regime which is a shame itself.
I have now taken it upon myself to inform all embassies and important bodies about the injustice perpetrated upon this young man. He is just 26 years old. His wife was expecting and delivered a baby boy last week when the husband is in prison.
The nonsense of punishing people before trial must come to an end. How would a normal country with a properly functioning judiciary system honestly refuse an accused person bail for a charge of criminal nuisance. This must be brought to the world so that everything wrong with our state is exposed. This is what is called shaming oneself not what Terrence did. Release this young man as soon as possible. Otherwise I will sprink from the slumber. I don’t give empty threats. It’s not part of my DNA. Release Terrence Manjengwa. Stop doing this kind of nonsense in our country. On Tuesday I am going to address a Press conference concerning the abuse of this young man. Enough is enough.
When I was in prison one young man called Terrence Manjengwa, through pain of my incarceration and persecution came to attend my Court sessions at Rotten Row Magistrates Court. Poor fellows in chambers upon their heads which they call riot gear refused him entrance to come and follow proceedings of my case. These are penniless idiots who were used to intimidate all those who came to give me solidarity at Rotten Row Magistrates Court. Terrence resisted this injustice and told these idiots that there is no reason why they were refusing them the right to hear the proceedings of my case in the Court. I later found out that the video of their resistance against police bullism went viral when they were telling the useless idiots in chambers over their head on the entrance to Court to go to hell.
They arrested him for a charge of criminal nuisance. Since then he is now 50 days in remand prison with courts refusing to grant him bail on the grounds that he ashamed the State.
So stupid are grounds for refusing him bail that people tend to question themselves whether Zimbabwe still has any judiciary to talk about. Does anyone need to ashame a regime which is a shame itself.
I have now taken it upon myself to inform all embassies and important bodies about the injustice perpetrated upon this young man. He is just 26 years old. His wife was expecting and delivered a baby boy last week when the husband is in prison.
The nonsense of punishing people before trial must come to an end. How would a normal country with a properly functioning judiciary system honestly refuse an accused person bail for a charge of criminal nuisance. This must be brought to the world so that everything wrong with our state is exposed. This is what is called shaming oneself not what Terrence did. Release this young man as soon as possible. Otherwise I will sprink from the slumber. I don’t give empty threats. It’s not part of my DNA. Release Terrence Manjengwa. Stop doing this kind of nonsense in our country. On Tuesday I am going to address a Press conference concerning the abuse of this young man. Enough is enough.
Usual congestion at Beitbridge Border Post during festive season rush.
Immigration experts at Beitbridge Border Post have advised goverment not to fully open the port of entry probably until after the festive season.
Speaking during a tour of Beitbridge Border Post, team leader Mr Stewart Nyakotyo said engagements have been ongoing with stakeholders at the one of Africa’s busiest border.
“We have started engaging various stakeholders at Beitbridge border post to assess the resources, operations, proposals, state of manpower, proposed timeframes for reopening, current operational challenges and what they need to get things moving,” he said.
“After that we are going to have a practical feel on the ground of what they have and the shortcomings.
“We will then make recommendations to the National Covid-19 Taskforce, which will then merge our findings and recommendations with those from other teams.
During consultations, stakeholders proposed that Government should consider a phased reopening that begins with private vehicles. The immigration officer in charge of Beitbridge, Mr Nqobile Ncube, said:
“It is only prudent to go with the phased route considering the current state of affairs here, where we are battling with commercial trucks with South Africa having re-opened their borders.
“You will note that in 2019, we cleared 5,3 million people at this border, with 14 000 passing daily, and we could have more people if we open at full throttle considering that people have not been moving for over six months.”
He said successfully reopening land borders will depend on Government’s commitment and availability of resources to attend to all safety measures as proposed by stakeholders. Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) shift manager Mr Jericho Rundogo said current civil works to upgrade the border had left them with limited space to operate, prompting the need to stagger the reopening.
“Currently, we are using private cars and bus lanes to clear commercial cargo. Imagine what will happen if we open full scale? So our proposal is, let’s have small or private cars which are easy to manage to come through and we look at public transport after the festive season to avoid chaos,” he said.
