Angry youths besieged the Impala Car Rental offices in Harare, demanding the immediate release of ZINASU leader Takudzwa Ngadziore.

The youths also condemned the abduction of Tawanda Muchehiwa…

Watch video below :

Farai Dziva|Bees are giving cops at Chikato Police Station in Masvingo a torrid time.

The bees are stinging the cops and their families, triggering widespread speculation on where they came from. ..

The bees are in a chimney at one of the flats.

“We are having a torrid time at Chikato Police Station. The bees are attacking us even without being provoked. We don’t know where they came from -this is very strange,” a police officer who declined to be named told ZimEye.com.

The Masvingo Mirror reports how Ass Insp Forbes Musora was not only bitten but lost 17 chickens to the bees.

When asked for a comment, Insp Musora referred all questions to the Police Public Relations department, the paper says.

The PR department was however not taking any calls.

The development follows a separate incident back in July when soldiers and police details were attacked by a swarm of killer bees in Kuwadzana 4, Harare.

Of that incident, a witness narrated in full saying:

“There came a lorry full of police details and soldiers in Kuwadzana 4 Harare so everyone ran away.

Some of the soldiers were in civilian clothes and they were just arresting everyone and for you to run away, you ended up just being arrested.

In the past you would just notice that this person who has arrested me is a soldier or a police officer and that you have been arrested and are being taken to the police truck when you saw their boots.

Police boots
But today, they were just arresting everyone …so when they arrived at Kuwadzana 4 shops, people ran away leaving their groceries, the ones that they were selling including their firewood.

So there were bees that came from nowhere,they just flew and went underneath a cart.

The cart was like the ones that are used by vendors in towns when they are selling their wares. No one knows what time these bees made this cart their haven, but it should be today because this cart was at home last night and was taken to the shops this morning for it’s daily business.

So when people ran away after seeing that the soldiers in plain clothes were arresting people and taking them to their truck, they left their wares.

So these soldiers started confiscating people’s groceries and that is when they saw the cart and they started loading the confiscated goods and firewood into that cart.

Trouble began when they started to push the cart. The bees left their haven ,underneath the cart and started biting the soldiers. They were bitten so bad that they left the cart and started running away.

The soldiers were bitten and they ran back to their truck and they were wailing while the swarm of bees continued biting them. It was a swarm of bees. And when these soldiers who were fleeing the bees got to their truck, the bees continued biting them and those who were inside the truck were not spared either. They were all bitten.

The driver of the truck sped off but this did not help, the bees continued biting them.

I doubt these bees are a natural species. They must be someone’s bees. In Kuwadzana 4 today, we witnessed a rare occurence.

The soldiers were bitten so bad. They were wailing and crying.

Please do not take people’s property. This happened around 12pm in Kuwadzana 4, Harare.

The firewood that they wanted to take belonged to one granny whom we call gogo Ndunge. The soldiers were bitten so bad.”

..

The Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, pictured, has announced that the Statutory Instrument 225A/2020 has been deemed unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee.

This follows the recent announcement by the Vice President and Health Minster, Constantino Chiwenga that by-elections had been shelved indefinitely due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the decision was met with widespread resentment from all quarters alleging that it was unconstitutional and undemocratic.

Mbizo Member Of Parliament, Settlement Chikwinya said the decision by Mudenda is a step in the right direction as now the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission can pronounce new dates for the by-elections.

“This is critical in that the SI is immediately struck off and had no force or effect. This means that ZEC remains challenges to set out dates for By-Elections as per dictates of the Constitution.

“The cases challenging this SI which are now before the courts now have more than a bright chance to succeed if ever the government still wants to oppose which I do not see how,” he said.

Yesterday, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission expressed concern over the suspension saying it was an infringement on the democratic spaces.

“The ZHRC is worried by the recent pronouncement by the Minister of Health and Child Care Vice President C.G Chiwenga in terms of SI 225A /2020 of the Public Health COVID-19 prevention, Containment and Treatment) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, No. 4.

“Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Zimbabwe is a party provides that citizens have the right and opportunity to take part in the conduct of public affairs directly or through freely chosen representatives meaning the right to vote through electoral processes. The ZHRC underscores the fact that the right to vote in all elections and referendums to which this Constitution or any other law applies should therefore be observed and respected,” read the statement.

The Commission urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and other stakeholders exercise their obligations in upholding the Constitution.

Farai Dziva|Bees are giving cops at Chikato Police Station in Masvingo a torrid time.

The bees are stinging the cops and their families, triggering widespread speculation on where they came from. ..

The bees are in a chimney at one of the flats.

“We are having a torrid time at Chikato Police Station.The bees are attacking us even without being provoked. We don’t know where they came from -this is very strange,” a police officer who declined to be named told ZimEye.com.

No official comment could be obtained from the police.

Farai Dziva|The man who defeated Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa twice in the Kwekwe Central Parliamentary elections, Hon Blessing Chebundo, has described the MDC Alliance primary elections in the constituency as peaceful.

However, Hon Chebundo indicated that the figures were somehow exaggerated.

See statement below:

CORRECTING FIGURES ON AN ARTICLE BY ONE, SEARCHMORE MURINGANI, ON THE ‘FIGURE FACTS’ OF THE MDCA KWEKWE CENTRAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS HELD ON THE 10Th OCTOBER 2020 AT THE PARTY’S OFFICES IN KWEKWE, WHERE I WAS INVOLVED AS A CONTESTANT

Indeed the Primary Elections, for the people’s party were peaceful by all standards on this day. Issues arising from the processes prior to the primary election day, and pertaining to internal management, admin and communications were addressable and taken NOTE of.

The mischief to be corrected is with due respect to the ‘Votes figures’, ( ‘Judith Tobaiwa : 1328. Blessing Chebundo – 495. Henry Madzorera : 43, Admore Marongwe : 22) whose misrepresentation has a negative bearing on the part of the contestants, and for posterity.

The primaries were open for all those in the ZEC voters roll; though it was not very clear to many until evening on the eve. The correct version is as follows:-

A total of 359 people voted (validated) :

Judith Tobaiwa : 211
Blessing Chebundo : 140
Henry Madzorera : 5
Admore Marongwe : 3

                                            359

B. CHEBUNDO

Two women from Mabvuku, Harare have been arrested and arraigned before the courts for killing a robber who had attacked them.

It is alleged that on October 10 at around 5 am, Phoebe Tembo and Petronella Ndlovu were on their way home from fetching water from a well in Mabvuku when they were attacked by Gunungo who demanded cellphones.

The duo refused to give their phones to Gunungo who proceeded to drag Ndlovu prompting Tembo to intervene thereby triggering a fight.

Gunungo reportedly hit Tembo on the mouth with an iron bar and she lost her teeth before she pulled his privates. He managed to shove her to the ground and sat on her stomach trying to strangle her.

Ndlovu then disarmed Gunungo of the iron bar and allegedly hit him several times on the head, leading to his death.

The women were not asked to plead to the allegations before Harare magistrate Judith Taruvinga who granted them $500 bail each.-Daily News

A BOY, last seen kicking a football up a street on October 3, has not been seen since then.

The disappearance of 16-year-old Prince Sibanda, a Form Three pupil at Bulawayo’s Milton High School, has left his parents, Ms Sinothando Ncube and Mr Trevor Sibanda worried.

What was bizarre about his disappearance was that Prince ran ahead of his mother, up a sloppy road and then disappeared going down.

When his mother got to the top, there was no sign of him.

“My son and I were coming from church (12 Apostles Church) on October 3 accompanied by his siblings. There is a road that leads to our house that passes by Parrot Lodge in Matsheumhlophe suburb (along Valeview Road) and it has a steep slope. So, we were going up the slope and he ran forward kicking his plastic ball. He went over the hill and when we got there about a minute later, we couldn’t see him,” said a solemn looking Ms Ncube.

While she spoke, her husband, Mr Sibanda sat there in silence, perhaps still in shock that their son has been missing for 10 days.

Ms Ncube said she thought that Prince, an aspiring volleyball player at school, had run home.

“When we couldn’t see him, his siblings started laughing saying Prince has run home, but they had the house keys.

When we got home (in Sunninghill suburb), Prince wasn’t there. We called him on his cellphone and it wasn’t going through,” said Ms Ncube.

Soon they started getting worried as Prince did not return home that night.

The next day Ms Ncube said with her husband they went to report Prince as missing at the Zimbabwe Republic Police Hillside Station. They are appealing to members of the public to help find him.

Prince was last seen wearing a black and white long sleeve t-shirt, a blue Adidas cap with matching blue Nike takkies and a brown face mask.

Anyone who can help find Prince can contact their nearest police station or call or WhatsApp 0779139961 or 0778607723, said Ms Ncube.-Chronicle

State Media

Police in Beitbridge spent the whole day on Thursday held up in a a standoff with a suspected armed robber in Dulivhadzimu suburbs, Beitbridge.

The suspect is reported to have evaded an early arrest on Wednesday before being tracked to a house where he locked himself and had been firing wild shots from 1 am.

The police surrounded the house. One police source said they spent the day giving him room to finish up his ammunition so they could safely arrest him.

Additional special tactical team members had to be dispatched from Bulawayo.

More details to follow.

A confirmed ZANU PF Member who was last week shot at by security details at a retire army general’s house in Harare has died in police cells at Harare Central Police Station according to ZimEye.com sources.

The ZANU PF member whose party membership card was dropped off at the scene and identified as Kudakwashe Mupedzazvose, whose Zanu PF Youth League membership card was found at the crime scene died after being captured by police and kept at a police station without medical attention.

He is the second person to die after another man – previously thought to be Mupedzazvose because of the Zanu PF card – was killed at the home of Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje in what police said was a gunfight between armed robbers and soldiers guarding Rugeje’s home.

Mupedzazvose was known to the police after he was previously arrested in 2017 accused of the theft of power cables.

State Media

A 70-YEAR-OLD man from Bulilima drowned while he was fishing in a dam.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred at Kariba Dam in Fairview Village on Tuesday at around 11AM.

He said Emmanuel Mudzingwa from Nketa 6 Suburb in Bulawayo was fishing at the dam in the company of others when he drowned.

“I can confirm that we recorded a case of drowning which occurred at Kariba Dam in Fairview Village. Emmanuel Mudzingwa was fishing with others when he caught a big fish which pulled the fishing line and drifted with it further into dam. Mudzingwa tried to pursue the fish by following the fishing line. He dived inside the dam and drowned after failing to swim.

“His peers tried to rescue him but failed. Mudzingwa’s body was retrieved from the dam and the matter was reported to the police who attended the scene,” he said.

Chief Insp Ndebele urged members of the public to be careful when around water bodies. He said a number of lives have been lost during fishing expeditions. Chief Insp Ndebele said now that the rainy season had started people should desist from attempting to cross flooded rivers.

A workshop manager with Merchant Investment Company has appeared in court on allegations of defrauding Zanu-PF of $401 200 in a botched vehicle service deal.

Tinotenda Nigel Rusere (35) appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga facing fraud charges and was remanded to November 25 without having to pay bail.

Allegations are that on August 16, the party’s representative Mr Steward Mutizwa went to Merchant Auto Services Company workshop to have an accident-damaged Isuzu D-Tec repaired.

The court heard that Rusere prepared a quotation for $401 200 on the same date for the complete job and that Rusere started repairing the vehicle at Merchant Investment Company, trading as Merchant Auto Services, until he was dismissed.

The court heard that on August 23 Rusere went back to Merchant Investment Company and collected the Isuzu D-Tec motor vehicle and took it to his new workshop.

Mr Mutizwa later realised that the party vehicle was not repaired properly and decided to take it back to Merchant Investment Company and to lodge a complaint.

He was advised to bring proof of payment. It was then discovered that Rusere unlawfully instructed Mr Mutizwa to deposit $401 200 into his own account as payment. The court heard that Rusere misrepresented facts to Mr Mutizwa that he was able to do the job on time but failed to do so and prejudiced Zanu PF of $401 200.

President Mnangagwa has sworn in members of the Zimbabwe Media Commission at the State House in Harare.

The swearing in ceremony was attended by President Mnangagwa’s two deputies Dr Constantino Chiwenga and Cde Kembo Mohadi among other senior Government officials.

The commission, chaired by Professor Ruby Magosvongwe, also comprises Ms Dumisani Mashingaidze, Mrs Susan Makore, Ms Miriam Tose Majome, Rtd Major Edward Mbewe, Mr Tanaka Muganyi, Dr Phillip Pasirayi, Mr Jasper Maphosa and Mr Alec Ncube.

Caledonia, a sprawling informal settlement to the east of Harare, may get its own local board as Government has ordered the three surrounding councils to set up a caretaker local authority to assist in the regularisation of the chaotic area.

Harare, Ruwa and Goromonzi local authorities have been directed to each second five councillors plus critical staff to join a Government team to enable the setting up of a caretaker local authority.

The seconded team is scheduled to hold its first meeting today. Caledonia could eventually stand alone as a local board just like Epworth, or could be incorporated into an existing authority.

But first it needs to be fixed up. Caledonia Farm has no roads, electricity, clinics, schools, water and sewer reticulation facilities and other essential social amenities for proper human habitation.

Speaking during a recent Harare full council meeting, Mayor Jacob Mafume said Local Government and Public Works Minister Cde July Moyo had ordered for the creation of the caretaker local authority in line with the Urban Councils Act.

“Minister Moyo indicated that there be created a caretaker local authority for Caledonia which is going to be gazetted in terms of the Urban Councils Act,” he said.

“The staff will be seconded from Government and three councils that is Harare, Ruwa and Goromonzi will separately second five each councillors as well as some staff members.”

Mayor Mafume said the committee will make recommendations to Government.

“Part of the recommendations will either to make Caledonia a stand-alone local authority as it has a sizable population of over 150 000, 200 hectares of land and 30 000 stands,” he said.

“The other option might be that of just incorporating Caledonia into an existing local authority.”

Caledonia, a sprawling settlement east of Harare on a farm of the same name, has been synonymous with chaos, poor sanitation and irregular settlement.

THE trial of former Cabinet Minister Prisca Mupfumira and ex-Public Service Commission secretary Ngoni Masoka failed to kick-off again this morning after the former’s lawyer failed turn up because of ill-health.

Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba, who is representing Mupfumira, wrote to the court saying he was not feeling well and could not attend court for the hearing.

Mupfumira and Masoka are being tried on allegations involving a $90 000 debt acquired from NSSA and used to purchase a Land Cruiser and more than R10 000 used in the purchase of air tickets to South Africa.

The matter was postponed to November 4 for trial continuation.

Mupfumira and Masoka are denying the charges.

They appeared before Chief Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi.

Former Health Minister Obadiah Moyo today approached the court seeking relaxation of his bail reporting conditions saying they were costly and inconvenient to him.

Moyo, through his lawyer, said there were changed circumstances since his initial appearance on July 6 this year which warrants variation of his reporting conditions.

He was ordered to report thrice a week as part of his bail conditions.

The former Cabinet Minister is facing criminal abuse of office as a public officer.

Prosecutor Mr Michael Reza opposed the application saying nothing has changed since his first appearance in court.

Mr Reza also argued that Moyo did not challenge the conditions when they were imposed by the court on the day he was granted bail.

He also told the court that the conditions imposed were the ones which are compelling Moyo to return to court and they were still serving the purpose.

Magistrate Mr Trynos Utahwashe is expected to make a ruling on Moyo’s application on October 27.

President Mnangagwa will deliver a State of the Nation Address next Thursday as well as officially open the Third Session of the Nineth Parliament where he will set Government’s legislative agenda for the coming Session.

This was said by Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda this afternoon in the Chamber. Adv Mudenda said the official opening of the Third Session of the Nineth Parliament was consistent with the Constitution.

He said the Head of State and Government will deliver an address of a virtual joint sitting of both the National Assembly and Senate.

The Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, pictured, has announced that the Statutory Instrument 225A/2020 has been deemed unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee.

This follows the recent announcement by the Vice President and Health Minster, Constantino Chiwenga that by-elections had been shelved indefinitely due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the decision was met with widespread resentment from all quarters alleging that it was unconstitutional and undemocratic.

Mbizo Member Of Parliament, Settlement Chikwinya said the decision by Mudenda is a step in the right direction as now the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission can pronounce new dates for the by-elections.

“This is critical in that the SI is immediately struck off and had no force or effect. This means that ZEC remains challenges to set out dates for By-Elections as per dictates of the Constitution.

“The cases challenging this SI which are now before the courts now have more than a bright chance to succeed if ever the government still wants to oppose which I do not see how,” he said.

Yesterday, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission expressed concern over the suspension saying it was an infringement on the democratic spaces.

“The ZHRC is worried by the recent pronouncement by the Minister of Health and Child Care Vice President C.G Chiwenga in terms of SI 225A /2020 of the Public Health COVID-19 prevention, Containment and Treatment) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, No. 4.

“Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Zimbabwe is a party provides that citizens have the right and opportunity to take part in the conduct of public affairs directly or through freely chosen representatives meaning the right to vote through electoral processes. The ZHRC underscores the fact that the right to vote in all elections and referendums to which this Constitution or any other law applies should therefore be observed and respected,” read the statement.

The Commission urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and other stakeholders exercise their obligations in upholding the Constitution.

Paul Nyathi

Hope could just be lost for Justice Erica Ndewere after president Emmerson Mnangagwa this Thursday fired seasoned Judge Francis Bere.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa today removed Supreme Court Judge Justice Francis Bere from the bench over allegations of abuse of office.

This comes after a tribunal probing the suspended Supreme Court Judge established that the learned judge was unfit for office.

The three-member tribunal chaired by retired Simbi Mubako found Bere guilty of interference in a civil case involving the Zimbabwe National Road Administration and his relatives.

The tribunal which was investigating Bere’s suitability to hold office on Thursday recommended his removal for acts of gross misconduct before Mnangagwa endorsed the recommendation.

“Following the advice of the Judicial Service Commission that the question of removing honourable Justice Francis Bere ought to be investigated, the President, acting in terms of section 187(3) of the constitution, appointed, through proclamation number 1 of 2020, a tribunal to inquire into the question of removal from office of the said judge,” read a statement issued by Misheck Sibanda, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet

“His Excellency the President, accordingly, acting in terms of Section 187(81 of the Constitution, has removed the Honourable Judge from office with immediate effect.

A judge who recently granted l to MDC vice chairman Job Sikhala has also been suspended in a similar fashion by the Judicial Service Commission headed by Chief Justice Luke Malaba.

Justice Erica Ndewere of the Harare High Court is accused of “misconduct and conduct inconsistent with being a judicial officer,” said Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs secretary Virginia Mabhiza.

The JSC has also been referred the matter to President Emmerson Mnangagwa to appoint a tribunal to “inquire into the question of removal from office of Justice Erica Ndewere,” Mabhiza added.

Sikhala, charged with incitement of violence, was granted bail on appeal by Justice Ndewere on September 22 after spending a month at the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.

By Jane Mlambo| Students have shut down Impala Car Rental Offices demanding the release of ZINASU President Takudzwa Ngadziore who has been languishing in remand prison since his arrest on the 18th of September 2020.

Watch video below….

By Jane Mlambo| Mbizo legislator Settlement Chikwinya has announced that SI225 of 2020 which nullified by-elections until the COVID-19 is over has been declared unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee.

Health and child care minister Constantino Chiwenga recently enacted Statutory Instrument 225 of 2020 effectively banning the impending by-elections to replace recalled MDC Alliance legislators.

Below is Honourable Chikwinya’s full message:

“The speaker of Parliament has just announced that SI 225A/2020 has been deemed unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee. This is critical in that the SI is immediately struck off and had no force or effect. This means that ZEC remains challenges to set out dates for By Elections as per dictates of the Constitution. The cases challenging this SI which are now before the courts now have more than a bright chance to succeed if ever the gvt still wants to oppose which I do not see how.”

Farai Dziva|The man who defeated Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa twice in the Kwekwe Central Parliamentary elections, Hon Blessing Chebundo, has described the MDC Alliance primary elections in the constituency as peaceful.

However, Hon Chebundo indicated that the figures were somehow exaggerated.

See statement below:

CORRECTING FIGURES ON AN ARTICLE BY ONE, SEARCHMORE MURINGANI, ON THE ‘FIGURE FACTS’ OF THE MDCA KWEKWE CENTRAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS HELD ON THE 10Th OCTOBER 2020 AT THE PARTY’S OFFICES IN KWEKWE, WHERE I WAS INVOLVED AS A CONTESTANT

Indeed the Primary Elections, for the people’s party were peaceful by all standards on this day. Issues arising from the processes prior to the primary election day, and pertaining to internal management, admin and communications were addressable and taken NOTE of.

The mischief to be corrected is with due respect to the ‘Votes figures’, ( ‘Judith Tobaiwa : 1328. Blessing Chebundo – 495. Henry Madzorera : 43, Admore Marongwe : 22) whose misrepresentation has a negative bearing on the part of the contestants, and for posterity.

The primaries were open for all those in the ZEC voters roll; though it was not very clear to many until evening on the eve. The correct version is as follows:-

A total of 359 people voted (validated) :

Judith Tobaiwa : 211
Blessing Chebundo : 140
Henry Madzorera : 5
Admore Marongwe : 3

                                            359

B. CHEBUNDO

By A Correspondent| A suspect in last weekend’s shooting incident at former Zanu PF National Commissar Engelbert Rugeje’s home Kudakwashe Mupedzazvose has reportedly died in police holding cells at Harare Central Police Station overnight Wednesday.

Mupedzazvose, whose Zanu PF Youth League membership card was found at the crime scene in Harare’s Mt Pleasant suburb in the early hours of October 11.

He is the second person to die after another man – previously thought to be Mupedzazvose because of the Zanu PF card – was killed at the home of Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje in what police said was a gunfight between armed robbers and soldiers guarding Rugeje’s home.

Police said at least six suspects tried to enter Rugeje’s home on Cheshire Road.

Police sources have told ZimLive that contrary to police claims, there was in fact no exchange of gunfire because the so-called suspects were unarmed.

“In fact our investigations show that these men were copper thieves who were in the process of stealing ZESA cables because there was a power outage at the time. They were busy ripping power lines at the time,” a police source said.

Mupedzazvose was known to the police after he was previously arrested in 2017 accused of the theft of power cables.

Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was in a meeting when his comment was sought on Thursday morning.

-ZimLive

Farai Dziva|Bees are giving cops at Chikato Police Station in Masvingo a torrid time.

The bees are stinging the cops and their families, triggering widespread speculation on where they came from. ..

The bees are in a chimney at one of the flats.

“We are having a torrid time at Chikato Police Station.The bees are attacking us even without being provoked. We don’t know where they came from -this is very strange,” a police officer who declined to be named told ZimEye.com.

No official comment could be obtained from the police.

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) notes with great concern a renewed coordinated campaign by the government of Zimbabwe to further shrink the democratic space through draconian legislation and clampdown on Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in the country.

On October 12, 2020 President Emmerson Mnangagwa, while addressing a ZANU PF meeting, confessed that he was stalking and spying the daily movements of his perceived opponents and critics and further threatened to shut down NGOs that are alleged to be critical to the regime.

To add on to this, the Harare administration is speeding up the Patriotic Bill which, if enacted, will impose ‘stiff penalties’ on individuals and organisations ‘campaigning against the country’.

As the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, we view this Patriotic Bill as a desperate attempt to silence political dissent while working against efforts by Civic Society Organisations (CSOs) who have been calling for regional support to press for dialogue to end the multi faceted crisis in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe is signatory to various International Statutes on Human Rights, like the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and it is incumbent upon CSOs to continuously monitor the conformity of the Zimbabwean government to these statutes while updating the international community on rights violations in the country.

We further note with concern that President Mnangagwa’s recent threats against NGOs operating in the country have a potential of fuelling further attacks against civic society actors in the country.

If anything, President Mnangagwa’s recent sentiments prove that Zimbabwe, despite promises of a new dispensation, remains stuck in the dark past characterised by gross human rights violations and persecution of civic society and opposition activists.

Army shootings, arbitrary arrests, torture and abductions of civic society and opposition activists have proved beyond reasonable doubt that the ‘new dispensation’ is seeking to entrench authoritarian rule and a one party state system of governance.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition implores the Zimbabwean government to uphold key tenets of democracy as well as to acknowledge the role of civic society in democracy, prosperity and stability.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe will soon introduce a $50 note as it seeks to double cash in circulation to ZWL$3 Billion, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, Eddie Cross has said.

This was revealed by business journalist, Happiness Zengeni while posting on Twitter.

“Zim set to introduce a $50 note as it seeks to double cash in circulation to $3 bln, says Eddie Cross,” posted Zengeni.

The smaller Zimbabwe dollar denominations including 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2 have been rejected by the market and have since disappeared leaving only $5, $10 and $20 notes.

The move to introduce higher denominations have previously been discouraged on the grounds that it was believed to cause inflation to resurface, so it remains to be seen how the market will receive this new $50 note when it hits the market.

By A Correspondent| A suspect in last weekend’s shooting incident at former Zanu PF National Commissar Engelbert Rugeje’s home Kudakwashe Mupedzazvose has reportedly died in police holding cells at Harare Central Police Station overnight Wednesday.

Mupedzazvose, whose Zanu PF Youth League membership card was found at the crime scene in Harare’s Mt Pleasant suburb in the early hours of October 11.

He is the second person to die after another man – previously thought to be Mupedzazvose because of the Zanu PF card – was killed at the home of Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje in what police said was a gunfight between armed robbers and soldiers guarding Rugeje’s home.

Police said at least six suspects tried to enter Rugeje’s home on Cheshire Road.

Police sources have told ZimLive that contrary to police claims, there was in fact no exchange of gunfire because the so-called suspects were unarmed.

“In fact our investigations show that these men were copper thieves who were in the process of stealing ZESA cables because there was a power outage at the time. They were busy ripping power lines at the time,” a police source said.

Mupedzazvose was known to the police after he was previously arrested in 2017 accused of the theft of power cables.

Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was in a meeting when his comment was sought on Thursday morning.

-ZimLive

By A Correspondent- Popular Mutare bouncer Pension Gwinyai appeared in court early this week for attempted murder after knocking down a soldier with his vehicle following a scuffle at a night club.

Gwinyai (52), who is popularly known as Master Payee in the eastern border city, appeared before magistrate Nyasha Kuture, who remanded him in custody to October 26.

His lawyer Chris Ndlovu indicated that the bouncer sustained head injuries after the complainant, Kudzai Nedziwe, struck him with a stone during the scuffle.

The court heard that on October 10, 2020, Nedziwe refrained Gwinyai from assaulting an unidentified patron, leading to a brawl.

Gwinyai then allegedly punched Nedziwe in the face, leading to a fistfight. Gwinyai then got into his vehicle and sped towards Nedziwe who was walking back home, knocking him down headlong.

Nedziwe is currently admitted at 3 Field Hospital in Mutare with his condition said to be critical.-Newsday

By Jane Mlambo| Government has announced that the Gweru Prosecutor Namatirai Chipere who contested and won in the Zanu PF District Coordinating Committee elections had already resigned from her government position.

Posting on Twitter following what they said were media inquiries regarding Chipere’s issue, Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services said she resigned from the National Prosecution Authority.

“We received a number of Media Inquiries regarding Gweru Prosecutor, Namatirai Chipere who we understand contested and won Zanu PF DCC Elections. Govt wishes to advise that in line with constitutional requirements, the Prosecutor resigned from the National Prosecution Authority,” the ministry said.

Chipere’s poster campaigning for a Zanu PF DCC elections caused a stir on social media after it was revealed that she is a Prosecutor at the Gweru Magistrates Court.

By A Correspondent- Civil servants yesterday reacted angrily to government’s pronouncement that the US$75 monthly COVID-19 allowance would now be enjoined to their salaries and accused the Public Service Commission (PSC) of trying to hoodwink them into believing that they had been awarded a salary increment.

The PSC announced yesterday that payment of the US$75 allowance would now be done monthly and indexed to the existing exchange rate.

This effectively means that the lowest paid civil servant will get $11 350, about US$100, a far cry from the US$520 demanded by the public servants.

“The PSC is pleased to advise government workers that the US$75 COVID-19 allowance for September, 2020 is being paid today. Going forward, the US$75 COVID-19 allowance will be paid on pay days. This effectively means that the least paid worker (B1) is now earning $11 350 monthly, while a teacher at entry grade (D1) earns a total of $12 591,15. The US$75 allowance is indexed to the prevailing RBZ foreign exchange rate,” PSC secretary Jonathan Wutawunashe said in a statement.

He then saluted civil servants for religiously rendering their services despite the low pay, adding that he hoped negotiations for improved their salaries between government and their unions would be concluded soon.

Apex Council spokesperson David Dzatsunga said: “It is their unilateral decision and not negotiation and it reads as if they are just calculating the US$75 in local currency terms and then add it on to what we have been getting before.

“The correct thing is to talk about it, but we realise they are acknowledging that all is not well and they are now firefighting. We expect what we should have negotiated. The circular seems to be saying you guys are saying you are getting this, but in actual fact, you are getting $11 000 and, therefore, we are going to negotiate from that figure which I also find problematic.”

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) said nothing had changed and vowed that teachers would continue with their boycott.

“What they have done is to convert our nostro salaries into local currency and then added the 40% that they gave us. If you add US$75 and about $4 000, you get to $11 000 to $12 000, so there is nothing that they have done,” PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said.

This is not what we asked for and you don’t give a catapult to a child who asks for fish. We never asked for such an increase or whatever, what we want is the restoration of salaries that we were getting in October 2018.”

He described the move as an “unfair labour practice which is callous and a monument for Zimbabwean injustice.”

In a statement, the organisation said: “If it is true that the figure includes nostro, nothing has changed. Our members will not go to work on the back of deception. Mark our words.

“The insult against our members will have negative repercussions that will be felt for a long time. There are no negotiations going on. There has been no change in the salary figure. The announcement is intended primarily to hoodwink desperate parents and students.”

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe said the move by the government was meant to deceive the workers.

“There is nothing new here. Teachers have been earning the same inadequate income which falls short of both our expectations and the modest monthly budget for a low income earner. The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe pegged the monthly breadbasket at over $20 000. The COVID-19 allowances expire in December, 2020,” the rural teachers said.

“This is a joke. The government intends to deceive the world into believing that they adjusted our salaries. To the contrary, they simply added current teacher incomes to the COVID-19 allowance and announced the total figure. Teachers have been earning the same inadequate income since July.”

Meanwhile, in Parliament, former Finance minister Tendai Biti (Harare East MP MDC Alliance) said government should pay teachers the US$520 salaries they used to get before the re-introduction of the Zimbabwe dollar.

Government has steadfastly maintained the use of the Zimdollar at a time rentals, goods and services are charged in hard currency.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is expected to introduce higher denomination notes, which will see the amount of physical cash in circulation double to $3 billion.

A member of the RBZ’s MPC Eddie Cross said the new notes would soon hit the market after a lengthy deliberation by the authorities.

This was after the realisation that there are more US dollars in the economy than local currency.

Cross also said the country has a physical surplus of Rands which are sold monthly back to the South African Reserve Bank.

More to follow…

-FinGaz

By A Correspondent- Teachers yesterday scoffed at government threats to withhold their salaries for refusing to report for duty, saying they will not be cowed into submission after declaring incapacitation due to poor remuneration.

Different teachers’ unions said their members would continue with their industrial action and they described the threats of withholding their salaries as “acts of political bigotry” which will not solve problems in the education sector.

This comes after President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his ministers last week said government would not be held to ransom by teachers.

Teachers’ unions said after the government threats to teachers, a group of militia and “rogue headmasters” began threatening teachers across the country in attempts to intimidate them into submission.

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) president Richard Gundane said: “Our members who have bought into this anomalous reference to incapacitation have now fallen into the fear trench and are now in cyclic paranoia of vulnerability.

“Zimta repeats, teachers are not on strike but incapacitated. The following are not panacea to getting teachers back to their classrooms…threats associated with political bigotry, token incentives, wrong application of regulations, appealing to emotional sympathies. All these tactics fail on the tests of sustainability and reasonableness,” Gundane said.

He urged teachers to remain resolute, adding that they would not be frog-marched back to classrooms by any form of threats, but only if their incapacitation was addressed.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said: “We are watching a sad development where youth militia and rogue elements and a few rogue headmasters are conniving to bring people to schools to eject teachers from staff quarters claiming that if they are not teaching, they must not stay in staff accommodation. That is very unfortunate because in terms of policy, no outsider must approach teachers except through ministry officials. That is where they report their case.”

The PTUZ said the impasse between government and teachers could only be resolved through dialogue rather than threats.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Former Finance minister Tendai Biti (Harare East MP MDC Alliance) said government should pay teachers the US$520 salaries they used to get before the re-introduction of the Zimbabwe dollar.

Government has steadfastly maintained the use of the Zimdollar at a time rentals, goods and services are charged in hard currency.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) announced yesterday that payment of the US$75 allowance would now be done monthly and indexed to the existing exchange rate.

This effectively means that the lowest paid civil servant will get $11 350, about US$100, a far cry from the US$520 demanded by the public servants.

“The PSC is pleased to advise government workers that the US$75 COVID-19 allowance for September, 2020 is being paid today. Going forward, the US$75 COVID-19 allowance will be paid on pay days.

This effectively means that the least paid worker (B1) is now earning $11 350 monthly, while a teacher at entry grade (D1) earns a total of $12 591,15. The US$75 allowance is indexed to the prevailing RBZ foreign exchange rate,” PSC secretary Jonathan Wutawunashe said in a statement.

He then saluted civil servants for religiously rendering their services despite the low pay, adding that he hoped negotiations for improved their salaries between government and their unions would be concluded soon.

Apex Council spokesperson David Dzatsunga said: “It is their unilateral decision and not negotiation and it reads as if they are just calculating the US$75 in local currency terms and then add it on to what we have been getting before.

“The correct thing is to talk about it, but we realise they are acknowledging that all is not well and they are now firefighting. We expect what we should have negotiated.

The circular seems to be saying you guys are saying you are getting this, but in actual fact, you are getting $11 000 and, therefore, we are going to negotiate from that figure which I also find problematic.”

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) said nothing had changed and vowed that teachers would continue with their boycott.

“What they have done is to convert our nostro salaries into local currency and then added the 40% that they gave us. If you add US$75 and about $4 000, you get to $11 000 to $12 000, so there is nothing that they have done,” PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said.

“This is not what we asked for and you don’t give a catapult to a child who asks for fish. We never asked for such an increase or whatever, what we want is the restoration of salaries that we were getting in October 2018.”

He described the move as an “unfair labour practice which is callous and a monument for Zimbabwean injustice.”

In a statement, the organisation said: “If it is true that the figure includes nostro, nothing has changed. Our members will not go to work on the back of deception. Mark our words.

“The insult against our members will have negative repercussions that will be felt for a long time. There are no negotiations going on. There has been no change in the salary figure. The announcement is intended primarily to hoodwink desperate parents and students.”

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe said the move by the government was meant to deceive the workers.

“There is nothing new here. Teachers have been earning the same inadequate income which falls short of both our expectations and the modest monthly budget for a low income earner. The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe pegged the monthly breadbasket at over $20 000. The COVID-19 allowances expire in December, 2020,” the rural teachers said.

“This is a joke. The government intends to deceive the world into believing that they adjusted our salaries. To the contrary, they simply added current teacher incomes to the COVID-19 allowance and announced the total figure. Teachers have been earning the same inadequate income since July.”-dailynews

By A Correspondent- Norton legislator Temba Mliswa (Independent) on Tuesday warned newlysworn MDC-T proportional representative MP Thokozani Khupe against walking out on President Emmerson Mnangagwa when he is addressing the august House.

In apparent reference to MDC Alliance members who have been walking out in protest whenever Mnangagwa addresses Parliament, Mliswa said there was need for maturity from the opposition.

He said they should desist from walking out when the President is addressing.

MDC Alliance legislators have in the past justified their behaviour saying they did not recognise Mnangagwa, accusing him of manipulating the 2018 presidential election results following his defeat by Nelson Chamisa.

Khupe was sworn in as MP last week together with 14 others to replace recalled members from the Chamisa-led party.

She was immediately assigned to serve on the Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development.

“I would like to congratulate Khupe and other MPs. May I say to them; I hope you shall serve national interests and not walk out when the head of State is here,” Mliswa said.

“I know Khupe is a seasoned politician who is mature. I hope she leads in that manner. I think we are here for national interests and a lot of time has been wasted resulting in this Parliament losing credibility because of us not putting national interests first.

The President remains the head of State and Parliament is one of the institutions. I am hoping that during the State of the Nation Address (Sona), you shall be exemplary in showing the nation that national interests bind us.”

Mnangagwa is soon expected to present the Sona and officially open the Third Session of the Ninth Parliament on the same day.

While Mliswa claimed that MPs were not putting national interests first, last week the Zanu-PF chief whip Pupurai Togarepi praised opposition MPs saying that in the past months there was unanimity in Parliament, with both sides of the House debating issues of national interest.

MISA Zimbabwe has expressed concern over the proposed Patriotic Bill which it says was influenced by the #ZimbabweanLivesMatter campaign, which was centred on demanding respect for human rights in Zimbabwe.

The Patriotic Bill, according to government officials, is meant to criminalise campaigning against one’s own country. The Principles for the Patriot Bill have already been drafted and that the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs,  is expected to table them in Parliament. The proposed law will criminalise and impose stiff penalties for private correspondence by what was termed as ‘self-serving citizens’, with foreign governments or any officer or agent. Below is MISA Zimbabwe’s position on the Bill.

MISA Zimbabwe is greatly concerned by this proposed law which has the potential of curtailing the exercise of rights such as media freedom and freedom of expression, right to privacy,  access to information, freedom of conscience, political rights, freedom to demonstrate and petition,  and freedom of assembly and association.

Of equal concern is that this law will potentially cripple the work and mandate of non-governmental organisations that also work with foreign governments, embassies or similar organisations in foreign countries, among others.

It should be noted that in exercising freedom of expression, it is lawful for citizens to:

• Demand the prosecution of perpetrators of gross human rights violations.
• Request information with regards to the investigation and prosecution of police officers involved in media violations.
• Demand accountability with regards to abductions purported to have been state-sponsored
• Demand prosecution of high ranking officials alleged to have engaged in corrupt activities.
• Demand equal application of the law in Zimbabwe.

The above is centred on the exercise and enjoyment of fundamental rights for the betterment of Zimbabwe, which any patriotic citizen would be keen to support.

When citizens exercise their constitutional rights for purposes of transparency and accountability, such conduct should not be perceived as attacks on the government, the ruling party or any specific individuals.

In that regard, Zimbabwe should embrace the exercise of freedom of expression in its diverse forms.

Putting in place such a law will severely infringe the right to privacy as it creates further avenues for surveillance, tracking of internet usage and accessing of private communication records. Any mass and indiscriminate surveillance of citizens is unconstitutional and should not be sanitised through any piece of legislation.

Even in the United States where a similar law was enacted, several concerns were raised on its provisions and enforcement.

In defence of the US Bill of Rights in the case of West Virginia State Board of Education v Barnette, Justice Jackson highlighted that:

If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act or faith therein.

In other words, the love, devotion and strong support for one’s country should not be forced on citizens through legislation. Neither should honesty about one’s country’s shortcomings be considered to be unpatriotic or campaigning against one’s own country.

This frowns upon the basic tenets of democracy and respect for fundamental rights.

By Nomusa Garikai- “The Public Service Commission is pleased to advise Government workers that the USD 75 Covid 19 allowance for September 2020 is being paid today. Going forward, the USD 75 Covid allowance will be paid on pay days.

This effectively means that the least paid worker (B1) is now earning ZWL 11 350.16 (or US$ 141 at ZWL 80: US$1 monthly), while a teacher at entry grade  (D1) earns a total of ZWL 12 591.15 or US$157),” government announced.

This is a very generous offer indeed considering a teacher at entry grade (D1) was earning a mere US$ 30 per month! This constitutes a 500% wage rise. Should the teachers now go out and celebrate? The answer is no for two reasons:

1. Even with the new wage, teachers are still earning way below Poverty Datum Line (PDL)

The PDL in Zimbabwe is US$650 per month and the new wage increase is only a quarter of the way up. It underlines just how far the teachers are sunk!

• The wage rise is already being eroded away because of the high inflation

Government has not discovered an unknown source of revenue to pay for these 500% wage increase for the civil servants, it is going to print money. And printing money is one sure way of fuelling inflation. Inflation is already running at 838% year on year and so it is a certainty that inflation is going to soar.

But even if we assume inflation remains where it is at 838% year on year; this means in just over six months the teacher earning US$157 per month today will be earning US$ 30 per month. Back where they started!

A 500% wage rise, inflation rate of 838%, etc. these are the symptoms of an economy in serious trouble.

The people of Zimbabwe did not elect this Zanu PF government in July 2018. Zanu PF blatantly rigged the elections just as the party had done ever since the country’s independence in 1980. Zanu PF rigged the election and was confident the party will rig economic recovery.

President Mnangagwa was cocksure his “Zimbabwe is open for business!” clarion call would open the floodgate of investors. It is now crystal clear that no investors are ever going to come. “Zimbabwe is open for business!” is dead in the water. Zanu PF has failed to rig economic recovery. 

Like it or not we must accept the reality that Zanu PF has no clue what to do to revive the economy and, most important of all, that the party will not acknowledge it has failed much less accept the right of every Zimbabwean to a meaningful say in the governance of the country.

For the last 40 years Zimbabwe has sunk deeper and deeper into this economic and political crisis because the nation was stuck with a corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF regime that rigged elections to stay in power.

The need for free, fair and credible election is not just a human right it is the cure to Zimbabwe’s curse of rigged elections and bad governance. We must take it or the nation will, one of these day, sink beyond the point of no return – if we have not done so already. A 500% wage increase is proof of our already breakneck speed into the abyss!

“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,” reads Justice Erica Ndewere’s letter dated September 30, 2020.

By Farai D Hove | The Judicial Service Commission has officially confirmed that the Chief Justice Luke Malaba is the one behind the suspension of the High Court Judge who granted the Zengeza MP Job Sikhala.

The revelations came out as the JSC sought to clarify that in all the deliberations and decisions relating to the allegations against Justice Erica Ndewere by the commission, Chief Justice Luke Malaba and the Judge President George Chiweshe did not participate because they were involved in the initial investigations on the allegations made against the judge.

The development comes as a journalist who refused to be named narrated the High Court Case fracas saying,

“I remember on the day when the hearing for Job Sikhala’s bail appeal in the High Court was to be heard, we were shuffled from one Court to another until we were told that the bail hearing by the Judge will be heard their arguments from lawyers of Job Sikhala and prosecutors in Court J. The Judge opted for Court J instead of the usual bail court F because she wanted a Court with recorders. The bail hearing scheduled to commence at 14:15 hrs started late around 15:30hrs. Everyone was worried on the cause of the inordinate delay.

“When the matter started the Court room was full and journalists had to stand in the corridor to follow proceedings. After arguments by lawyers from both sides Justice Ndewere went back to her office.

“We noticed strange things happening and we whispered among ourselves as journalists about, who the people who followed Justice Ndewere to her offices. We later understood that these were not ordinary people. They were state security agents from Munhumutapa Building, who we gathered threatened Justice Ndewere on the dire consequences if she dare grant Job Sikhala bail.

“They went to show her some documents outlining her transgressions during her tenure as a judge, some of them ridiculous to contemplate or believe. They alleged that she used her Assistant to write judgements on her behalf and that they will come for her if she grants Job Sikhala bail.ht

“We wanted to break the news but my Editor told us that the story might jeopardize Job Sikhala’s chances of getting bail. We left it there.

“Again something strange happened: the Judge hesitated to give her ruling on the bail appeal for a period spanning a week and a half. Bail judgements are generally given immediately after arguments by lawyers and prosecutors, but Job Sikhala’s bail ruling was delivered after one and half weeks. This should have attracted the inquisitive mind of Zimbabweans.

“On the day of the bail ruling, Justice Ndewere announced that she will deliver her judgment at 1400hrs. People who came were directed to go to Court A, the largest Court room at the High Court. The Court was full to the gallery by the time announced for the ruling. All Job Sikhala’s family, friends and colleagues were waiting for the judgement only for another inordinate delay to take place. The Judge invited Job Sikhala’s lawyers and the state public prosecutor to come to her office. They came back and told everyone to wait as the judge was finishing editing her judgment putting comas and full stops. People had to wait until 16:46hrs for the Judge to enter the Courtroom. From her first sentence to the last full stop she was castigating the police and the Magistrate who heard the matter at Rotten Row for serious misdirections committed.

It could be noticed that the Judge was hiding her judgment from uninvited external forces. After the delivery of her judgment we obtained information that, she received a telephone call from the Chief Justice Malaba who shouted at her over her judgment. Her life was never the same since then. She became a loner at the Court hounded by the threats thrown at her by the Chief Justice Malaba.”

In their response however, the JSC said:

“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,” said the JSC.

Through her lawyers, Sawyer and Mkushi Legal Practitioners, Justice Ndewere wrote to the JSC responding to the allegations.

She referred to Sections 163(2) and 163(3) of the Constitution, arguing that the Judge President (Justice Chiweshe) was in charge of the High Court, while the Chief Justice was in charge of the Supreme Court.

She said 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.

State Media

FORMER chief magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe yesterday said the criminal abuse of office charges against him were inspired by malice on the part of his colleagues whom he had reprimanded for sexually harassing female members of staff, including magistrates.

Guvamombe is facing charges of defeating the course of justice after he allegedly directed a subordinate, Mr Elijah Makomo, to recuse himself in a trial involving his alleged business partner’s son.

On the second charge, he is being accused of offering internship to former ICT Minister Supa Mandiwanzira and former Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, who were both studying law at the University of Zimbabwe.

Guvamombe was yesterday formerly charged with the two counts when his trial commenced before Anti-Corruption Judge of the High Court Justice Felistus Chatukuta.

The judge adjourned the trial to today to allow the defence to peruse a record of tribunal proceedings on the inquiry into Guvamombe’s alleged misconduct of similar allegations two years ago.

A judicial committee on ethics and conduct that was set up by Chief Justice Luke Malaba then, to investigate Guvamombe in March 2018, cleared him of any wrongdoing regarding charges that he allegedly influenced a subordinate to recuse himself in a matter he had interest in.

Guvamombe is denying both charges and questioning the prosecution’s motive to bring the same allegations he had been cleared of, arguing his conduct did not constitute abuse warranting criminal sanctions.

Through his lawyer, Mr Jonathan Samukange, Guvamombe claimed that his erstwhile colleagues are behind his prosecution.

“These are trumped up allegations motivated by malice on the part of his erstwhile colleagues who are being vindictive after having reprimanded them on diverse occasions from committing sexual harassment on female members of staff including magistrates. There were irregular payments of allowances to the secretariat and to the exclusion of magistrates and failure to use retention funds to improve operations in the department,” said Mr Samukange.

“For example, at Harare Magistrates Court, litigants use the bucket system in all the toilets as there is no running water. This was replicated at most magisterial stations in the country.”

Mr Samukange also told the court that Guvamombe instructed one key witness, Mr Makomo, then regional magistrate to recuse himself from the case involving a complainant Mr Nighert Parween Savania after he received a complaint from one Nathan Mnaba that Makomo had been bribed with US$8 000 by Savania to convict Mnaba.

The money, said the lawyer, was handed to Makomo by one Sappa.

Prosecutor Mr Whisper Mabhaudi told the court that charges against Guvamombe arose sometime in June 2017, when former regional magistrate Elijah Makomo was assigned a criminal case in which one Nathan Mnaba was the accused and Nighert Savania the complainant.

During the trial, it is alleged, numerous applications were made by the defence which were dismissed due to lack of merit. This, however, provoked the defence to approach Makomo, who was presiding over the matter on June 26, 2017 demanding his recusal from the case.

But Makomo allegedly turned down the request and advised the parties to file their application at the High Court.

Makomo was later advised to report to Guvamombe’s office with Nathan’s court record and was told that he was mishandling the matter and as such, should disqualify himself. Guvamombe allegedly went on to handle the complainant’s case despite the fact that he had a previous business relationship with Mnaba’s father.

On the second charge, the prosecution accused Guvamombe of approving the internship of Mandiwanzira and Kasukuwere at the Magistrates Court at a time when they were facing criminal charges emanating from their days in power.

It is alleged that Guvamombe, while aware that the two ex-ministers had pending criminal cases before the courts, approved their internship, putting the integrity of the judicial system into disrepute.

He allegedly authorised the attachment of the duo by appending his signature and referred the correspondence to the deputy chief magistrate for action without any comments or reservations.

Mandiwanzira and Kasukuwere were attached at the magistrates’ courts for internship although they had allegations of corruption being levelled against them.

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reportedly tasked the principal of the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology, Munyaradzi Machacha, to bring former Zanu PF stalwarts Joice Mujuru and Nicholas Goche back to their party, the Daily News reports.

This was revealed by a party insider who said the president’s bid to have Mujuru and Goche back was because G40 is planning to lure them into their camp in its broader plan to come back to power.

The source that wanted to remain anonymous told the Daily News that:

The G40 cabal wants to take charge of Mashonaland Central Province as part of their broader strategy to creep back into power. They want Mai Mujuru, Goche and some politburo members in the province to be on their side.

Of late Goche has gone very, very quiet and is no longer attending party meetings and functions like he used to do despite having lost his Cabinet post.

This is worrying and the president (Mnangagwa) is concerned. The president has asked Machacha to ensure that Mujuru returns to the party. The president also wants Goche to bounce back into the central committee.

Joice Mujuru was expelled from the party by former president Robert Mugabe in 2014 after the latter accused her of trying to topple him from power.

Goche who also suffered the same fate as Mujuru was last week arrested for allegedly stealing 18 cattle from a local farmer a case his lawyers described as a civil matter, not a criminal matter.

By A Correspondent- ZRP has expressed deep concern over the increasing number of people with unlicensed guns in Zimbabwe. the Daily News reports.

The matter came to light as ZRP Police Spokesperson Paul Nyathi was speaking to the publication when he spoke about the incident that occurred at retired army official Lieutenant General Rugeje’s house where a robber was shot dead during a break-in.

Assistant Nyathi said:

There is a rise in the number of people with firearms (guns) and we are keen to establish their source and make sure that the law takes its course.

Assistant Nyathi also explained how the robbers got access to the general’s house in the first place:Investigations are ongoing. We have learnt that the suspects attacked one of the security guards who patrol the area during the night.

The guard, Constain Chinoda, was axed in the head before they dispossessed him of his baton which they later used in the robbery at General Rugeje’s home.

We urge members of the public to prioritise their security when they are at home,” Nyathi told the Daily News.

…..We are happy that at the moment we are on top of the situation because in most of the robbery cases we have received, arrests have been made.-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF Manicaland District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections have reportedly turned chaotic after it emerged that some candidates have started campaigning while the ruling party is still vetting the candidates, ZimMorning Post reports.

This was reportedly confirmed by Zanu PF Manicaland provincial chairman Mike Madiro on Tuesday who said

It’s advisable for the cadres to wait and stop premature campaigning, they must wait for the national electoral directorate since we are still in the vetting process.

The chaos in Mutare is not an isolated incident as allegations of vote-buying have been made in other parts of the country. President Mnangagwa reportedly called a meeting with Provincial executives to try and address the allegations according to the publication:

So intense has the allegations of vote-buying been in the ruling party that President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is the party’s First Secretary convened a special meeting with provincial executive members.

Mnangagwa used the platform to send a stern warning to party members against “manipulating the party constitution by imposing preferred candidates through vote buying.”

The Zanu PF primary elections in Kuwadzana in Harare and in Kwekwe turned bloody as the party decided to choose candidates to replace deceased MPs in both constituencies.-ZimMorningPost

BBC

Uganda’s opposition MP Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, was arrested during a police raid at his party’s office on Wednesday, his lawyer has told AFP news agency.

The lawyer, Anthony Wameli, said officials of Bobi Wine’s party, National Unity Platform, were also arrested.

“This is despicable and an attack on democracy by the partisan police and the army,” Mr Wameli is quoted as saying.

The party office was raided by dozens of armed soldiers and police officers.

Bobi Wine, who is running for the presidency, said documents to secure his nomination went missing during the raid. The elections will be held in January 2021.

Police said the raid was not political but an operation on misuse of uniforms and accoutrements that are gazetted.

By A Correspondent- A Harare man has been hauled to court for fraud after he pretended to be President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son before duping a South Africa-based Zimbabwean businessmen of his R136 000.

The matter came to light in court when the alleged impostor Charles Nyanguwo stood accused of fraud. It is the state’s case that Nyanguwo defrauded Trymore Madzire by telling him he was Collins Mnangagwa and he needed money to refuel his private jet and trucks. :

On September 28 this year, Nyanguwo called Madzire while passing himself as Mr Collins Mnangagwa, who had just arrived in South Africa. Nyanguwo is said to have told Madzire that his private jet had run out of fuel and wanted some money for refuelling.

It is said Nyanguwo asked Madzire to deposit the money into a South African Capitec Bank and he deposited the money on September 29. Nyanguwo went into hiding and switched off his cellphones.

The offence came to light when Madzire asked his friend, Cosmas Mushaninga, about Collins’ supposed visit to South Africa and about the money. Collins is said to have denied ever being in South Africa, prompting Madzire to lodge a complaint with the police leading to Nyanguwo’s arrest.

In opposing bail the state said Nyanguwo is so tactful he will likely commit another offense if he is freed on bail:

His modus operandi is so sophisticated that once he is freed, he is likely to commit similar offences. The investigating officer in the matter clearly revealed that there was serious expertise in the manner he committed the offence.

The accused had the audacity to use names of top Government officials and prominent individuals which means he can interfere with witnesses and also dupe other people

However Nyanguwo through his lawyers said he was not feeling well and he wanted to be tried from home, Harare Magistrate  Mr Trynos Utahwashe denied him bail and said he was a flight risk.-statemedia

Business Times

Former Harare mayor Herbert Gomba could face a fresh wave of abuse of office charges following allegations that he illegally sold a Harare City Council (HCC) swimming pool in Avondale for an undisclosed amount, Business Times has learnt.

It is understood that the proceeds were allegedly channelled towards his personal use. Gomba has been at the centre of various land corruption allegations which saw him getting arrested this year.

He is currently out on bail.

Well-placed sources told Business Times this week that an investigation is currently underway.

“(Herbert) Gomba is facing allegations of selling HCC swimming pool located in Avondale.

The proceeds of the sale are said to have been channelled towards his personal benefit and funding the recent takeover of Harvest House by MDC Alliance youths,” one source said.

The sources said Gomba was also likely to face charges on allegations of selling HCC land in Mufakose suburb. Gomba was not picking calls.

He also did not respond to text messages sent to him. Business Times can report that the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU) in the Office of the President has since assigned a team of detectives to investigate the matter. Head of SACU, Thabani Mpofu confirmed Gomba was being pursued on fresh charges.

But he declined to give further details.

“There is an investigation on allegations being raised against former mayor Gomba,” Mpofu told Business Times yesterday. Gomba was recently arrested over various land corruption allegations.

He is currently out on bail. Several other HCC officials and some Deeds Office officials were also implicated in alleged land grabbing around Harare especially in the Grange area.

Over a dozen Harare City Council officials, including human resources and housing director Matthew Marara, town planner Samuel Nyabeze and surveyor Munyaradzi Bowa have been arrested on several allegations that include criminal abuse of office and corruption.

HCC has since suspended Marara and 13 others to pave way for investigations into corruption allegations.

A senior police officer, Superintendent Naboth Nyachega, was recently arrested on allegations of abuse of office and bribery connected to the sale of stands worth US$1 million in Kuwadzana.

It is believed that he connived with HCC officials. A manhunt has since been launched for a fourth council official, Charles Sigauke, who was employed as senior clerical officer at Marlborough District Offices who has since gone into hiding. City of Harare director of housing Admore Nhekairo was also arrested in connection with the case.

It is alleged that Nhekairo approved the allocation of the Westlea stands.

Correspondent

A MALE Midlands State University (MSU) student, Tuesday appeared before a Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate facing charges of insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

This is after Victor Majoni (35) allegedly uploaded on his WhatsApp status a video status of a cartoon character with contents allegedly insulting the President.

Majoni appeared before magistrate Munjanja facing charges of insulting or undermining the authority of the President.

Appearing for the state, George Rufumoyo told the court that the state witness in the case is a Zanu PF secretary for administration in the youth league, Remigious Komboni.

Komboni, a farmer in Umguza area, told the court that Majoni posted the video on his status a few days after President Mnangagwa had announced that citizens should fast and pray for the nation.

“I was going through WhatsApp statuses on my phone one day and I saw the status on Majoni’s phone. I sent him a message to warn him that he was out of line, but he ignored my advice.

“I approached the councillor and the Member of Parliament before I proceeded to the police.

“He later told me that his nephew is the one who had uploaded the status,” Kombani told the court.

Majoni’s lawyer, Nqobani Sithole disputed Kombani’s evidence, insisting there was bad blood between his client and the informant because of their different political affiliations.

Sithole said Komboni threatened Majoni on several occasions with unspecified action.

He argued the allegations were malicious as the insults are said to have been chanted by the cartoon character and yet still there was no evidence showing that he had created the particular cartoon character.

The lawyer accused Kombani of abusing his Zanu PF party position to “fix” his client.

Said the lawyer, “The Constitution provides for freedom of expression. Whoever designed the post is the one responsible for that content.

“According to my client, on several occasions, you uttered tribal slurs to him. You have threatened him with unspecified action.”

Sithole implored the court to drop the charges due to lack of evidence.

The state opposed Sithole‘s submission insisting that sufficient evidence had been provided.

The magistrate ordered Sithole to submit in writing an application for discharge at the close of the State case by October 19 and that the State responds by October 22.

Mjanja said his ruling will be delivered on November 9 after Majoni finishes writing his examinations.

Since Mnangagwa’s administration came into power, several people including political activists have been arrested on similar charges.

INVESTIGATIONS into misconduct allegations against High Court Judge Justice Erica Ndewere were formalised in March this year and have nothing to do with her granting bail to MDC-Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala recently, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has said.

The judge is facing a tribunal to be set up soon to look into her suitability to hold the office of a judge. She is being accused of conduct inconsistent with a judicial office.

Reports in some sections of the media had claimed that Justice Ndewere was being persecuted for granting Sikhala bail.

JSC has expressed concern over false accusations being peddled against it in some sections of the media and on social media platforms, which have gone viral in defence of Justice Ndewere.

The commission said the misleading statements sought to link the institution of processes to investigate Justice Ndewere to the bail hearing of Sikhala that she recently presided over.

“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.

“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,” said JSC.

The commission said the allegations against the judge arose on October 22 last year, many months before Sikhala was arrested and applied for bail in the High Court last month. The formal investigations against Justice Ndewere started on March 12 this year, and she formally responded to the allegations on May 6, before the matter was referred for consideration by the JSC in terms of the Constitution on 11 September.

“This again, was before the judgment in respect of Honourable Job Sikhala’s bail application had been made,” said the JSC adding that on September 15, the commission resolved that the judge should be made to comment on the allegations levelled against her.

Later on September 17, the judge’s lawyers wrote to JSC requesting to be given more time to respond to the allegations, which time was granted.

The court’s decision on Sikhala’s bail application was only handed down on September 22, eleven months after the allegations against the judge had arisen and six months’ after formal investigations had commenced.

The JSC also sought to clarify that in all the deliberations and decisions relating to the allegations against Justice Ndewere by the commission, Chief Justice Luke Malaba and the Judge President George Chiweshe did not participate because they were involved in the initial investigations on the allegations made against the judge.

“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,” said the JSC.

Through her lawyers, Sawyer and Mkushi Legal Practitioners, Justice Ndewere wrote to the JSC responding to the allegations.

She referred to Sections 163(2) and 163(3) of the Constitution, arguing that the Judge President (Justice Chiweshe) was in charge of the High Court, while the Chief Justice was in charge of the Supreme Court.

She said 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.

Paul Nyathi

Zimbabwean opposition stalwart and father of SA music impresario Oscar “Oskido’ Mdlongwa, Esaph Mdlongwa, 73, has died.

Mdlongwa was a founding member of the country’s biggest opposition, the MDC, established in 1999 and led by the late Morgan Tsvangirai to challenge Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF.

He had been admitted at a private hospital, Mata Dei in Bulawayo, for almost a week. Family sources told TimesLIVE that he had endured a long battle with diabetes but had been admitted as a suspected Covid-19 patient.

MDC Alliance vice-president Welshman Ncube said Mdlongwa was originally a trade unionist who took up politics and became a father figure to many who are currently in opposition leadership positions.

“He was firm, principled, compassionate, kind and trusting … He dedicated his entire life to the struggles of the working class, the poor and the downtrodden. The giant of a man, Esaph Mdlongwa, the consummate nationalist trade unionist cum politician who was a mentor and a father figure to those of us whom he took under his protective wing, departs this world when the country he loved so dearly is in great strife,” he said.

The MDC Alliance in a statement said: “He was the party’s first organising secretary and is a former MP for Pumula-Luveve in Bulawayo. We are deeply saddened by this news and express our deepest condolences to his family.”

At the time of his death, Mdlongwa had retired from active politics choosing to guide leaders from behind the scenes.

In his youth, like many young men in Southern Africa, Mdlongwa went to SA and worked in mines. There he met Oskido’s mother, the late Emily Molefi. On his return to Zimbabwe he worked for the national railway company- which was a hotbed for the birth of the biggest opposition movement in Zimbabwe.

State Media

The Pfumvudza farming programme has been hailed as a master-stroke that will help Zimbabwe restore its breadbasket status while making the country a net exporter of food.

Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira yesterday rallied Zimbabweans to embrace the Pfumvudza concept as it was climate proofed and guarantees bumper harvest for farmers.

He was speaking at his Cresta Ibeka Farm about 10km west of Masvingo during the provincial launch of the programme, which was witnessed by hundreds of people including top Government officials and farmers from across the province.

He said Zimbabwe was poised for a bumper harvest this year because of the programme.

He praised President Mnangagwa for coming up with the Pfumvudza programme after recurrent droughts that affected the country.

“Let us all follow the advice that we get from our extension officers when it comes to implementing the Pfumvudza programme. If we adhere to all the advice we get from extension officers I have no doubt that our country is poised for a bumper harvest,” said Minister Chadzamira.

“We (Chadzamira family) decided to lead by example here by committing some plots to the Pfumvudza programme and I have no doubt that if what we are doing here is replicated across the province and the whole nation, we will be assured of achieving a bumper harvest this year and beyond.”

Minister Chadzamira said the Government had played its part by providing inputs for farmers countrywide to make the Pfumvudza programme a success.

Pfumvudza would help Zimbabwe cut its food import bill.

“I have no doubt that our country will achieve food self-sufficiency leaving surplus for export that will earn the country hard currency and create more jobs. We want to thank President Mnangagwa for this initiative and Pfumvudza is the way to go,” he said.

President Mnangagwa recently launched the Pfumvudza programme at Mbungo estates owned by ZCC Mutendi Church ,paving way for the distribution of inputs to farmers across the province.

At the launch President Mnangagwa underscored the need for Masvingo farmers to take advantage of abundant water bodies across the province to grow food under irrigation to help stem the growing tide of hunger and stop exportation of jobs through expending scarce foreign currency to import food.

Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) coronavirus situation report as of 14 October 2020:

New cases: 19
Locals: 18
Returnees: 1 (from Namibia)
Deaths: 1
Recoveries: 8
PCR Tests Done: 615
National Recovery Rate: 94.8%
Active Cases: 184
Total Cumulative Cases: 8055
Total Recoveries: 7640
Total Deaths: 231

State Media

Government has revealed that it will now be paying a newly-qualified teacher $12 591,15, while the least paid civil servant earns $11 350,15, inclusive of the US$75 Covid-19 allowance, which will be accessed simultaneously on pay days.

Speaking at a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Public Service Commission secretary Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe said the US$75 allowances would be paid into civil servants’ separate accounts at the prevailing Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) foreign currency exchange auction rate, simultaneously with their salaries on pay days.

“Government is committed to continuously improving the working conditions of civil servants, and hopes that negotiations in the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) to further improve emoluments for civil servants will be concluded soon”, he said.

This, he said, would see the least paid civil servant in grade B1 earning $11 350, 15, while a teacher at entry level (D1) would earn $12 591,15.

Earlier this month, civil servants were awarded a 40 percent cost of living salary adjustment.

Appreciating civil servants’ sterling work across categories in rendering services to fellow citizens, Ambassador Wutawunashe indicated said Government remained committed to the welfare of its employees in more than monetary terms.

Since June this year, the Government has been paying its workers US$75 allowances, and pensioners US$30 to cushion them against economic challenges aggravated by Covid-19.

The arrangement was later extended to the close of the year as the Government committed to the welfare of its workers through constant engagement.

Previously, the allowances were paid erratically through banks, which was cumbersome to civil servants as they had to queue to access them. This also affected forward planning, because they received fluctuating amounts depending on banks.

SETTLEMENT OF FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (“the Bank”) has noted with concern reports circulating on social media platforms alleging that banks are opening new accounts for what is referred to as “local USD RTGS transactions”. The Bank wishes to advise the public that such reports are false and misleading.

As the public may be aware, the introduction of the multicurrency system in Zimbabwe in 2009, resulted in the banking sector facing challenges of settling United States Dollars (USD) transactions within the local market. To address these challenges, the Bank put in place, in 2009, a system to cater for the settlement of USD transactions to enable the smooth movement of funds and payments within the national economy.

The system allows for movement of USD across banks for all local transactions including interbank settlements, whilst payments to offshore beneficiaries are made through Authorised Dealers’ correspondent banks. All such transactions are processed with the Authorised Dealers doing the necessary screening in order to ensure compliance with all the necessary Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) requirements, as well as other compliance processes and procedures.

The Bank and banks remain available to assist the public requiring processing of foreign payments and cash withdrawals through normal banking channels.

John P. Mangudya Governor

14 October 2020

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has called on his fellow ZANU PF collegues who were at the war front to “correct distortions on the country’s liberation struggle” through writing their own historical accounts.

He made the call during the launch of a controversial book written by the Zanu pf secretary for administration Dr Obert Mpofu in Harare this Wednesday.

Unveiling his book, “On the Shoulders of Struggle: Memoirs of a political insider” which is a narrative of his experiences during the liberation struggle and as a political figure, Obert Mpofu explained what the book entails, and what inspired his writing.

Guest of honor at the event, Chiwenga underscored the need for other cadres to tell their own stories through pen and paper, adding that such narratives liberate the nation from biased history written by third parties.

Also present at the event were members of the academia who gave plaudits to Dr Obert Mpofu.

Dr Mpofu has followed the footsteps of Tshinga Dube who launched his book titled “Quite flows the Zambezi”, which is also based on his liberation struggle experiences.

Zimbabwe says the lowest paid civil servant will with immediate effect get Z$11,350 (US$151) per month at a time 100,000 teachers, currently boycotting classes, are demanding salaries of up to US$520.

In a statement, the Public Service Commission (PSC) said the lowest paid school teacher will receive 12,591 (US$168) per month.

The PSC said, “The Public Service Commission is pleased to advise government workers that the USD75 COVID allowance for September 2020 is being paid today. Going forward, the USD COVID allowance will be paid on pay days. This effectively means that the least paid worker (B1) is now earning ZWL11,350.15 monthly, while a teacher at entry grade (D1) earns a total ZWL12,591.15. The USD$75 allowance is indexed to the prevailing RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) exchange auction.”

Most civil servants were getting less than ZWL8,000 per month in a nation the poverty datum line has now been pegged at ZWL22,000 by the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe, for a family of six living in an urban setup.

Reacting to the salary increases, Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association chief executive, Sifiso Ndlovu, said indications are that the wage hikes were part of what was rejected in the National Joint Negotiating Forum.

“ZIMTA can neither confirm nor disavow the authenticity of the statement. However, we see the statement as a public posture by the author, with an intention to refute and disclaim the earnings of educators. The statement does not reflect any new developments but confirms the disputed 40% offer tabled at the last NJNC meeting.

“Thus a careful reading of the sum earnings indicates that it is a total of one’s September salary + Rejected 40% offer + USD 75 COVI-19 allowance at auction rate.”

Former MDC Alliance top official Eddie Cross Says that the Zimbabwean dollar’s gains on the official market-driven foreign currency auction platform has created huge demand for the local currency on the back of growing confidence levels as well as price stability.

Cross who is a Businessman and member of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, RBZ, Monetary Policy Committee said the demand for the local dollar was a confirmation of the expanding market.

“The shortage of RTGs is a function of the market, the market is beginning to expand, people are increasing trading in local currency and as a result, shortages have surfaced. If we were to print money to cover the shortage it will be inflationary, so we are not going to do that,” said Mr Cross.

“We have been deliberately restricting RTGs (electronic money) because historically that has been the main source of inflation in Zimbabwe. This tight money supply we are going to maintain it for the present time. If people want RTGs they have to either sale foreign currency in exchange for RTGs or earn for RTGs.

“The velocity of money is very considerable in Zimbabwe. We trade about $3 billion a day in RTGs. So, it’s not a question of not trading, we are trading.”

Mr Cross said the country has had slight or zero inflation increase in the last two months and expectation was that stability would persist up to the end of the year. United Refineries Limited chief executive officer, Mr Busisa Moyo, has also acknowledged that getting the local dollar was now a tough task. “Times change and experiences may differ though. I never thought as operators we would be hunting, cutting deals and discounting to get local currency (RTGS/ZWL),” he posted on his Twitter account.

THE Zimbabwe Anti-corruption Commission (ZACC) has embarked on a recruitment drive as part of efforts to strengthen its investigation wing.

Speaking at the official opening of the ZACC Basic Investigation Course in Harare this Wednesday, the anti-graft body Chairperson, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo said the coming in of newly recruited officers will enhance the organisation’s capacity to fight corruption.

“Your recruitment to ZACC is therefore a welcome development as it not only makes the work easier to the already team in place but intensifies the fight against corruption,” she said.

Turning to the new officers, Justice Matanda-Moyo challenged them to create a culture of team work.
“ZACC has the culture of teamwork and capacitation. Departments do not work in silos they work together as one ZACC the behaviour of lone rangers is not tolerated.”

This comes after the anti-graft body launched the whistle blower platform and set up the assert recovery unit as part of sharpening its teeth in fighting corruption.

THE Department of Veterinary Services in Gwanda hinted that the mystery thing that was killing goats in Makwe area could have been dogs infected with rabies.

The department says it had to put down six dogs in the area after they attacked and killed goats.

This comes as authorities are still battling with the mystery of an unknown blood-sucking creature that has been killing livestock in the area.

About 80 goats have been killed by the unknown beast since the beginning of last month.

In an interview with State Media, Matabeleland South provincial veterinary officer, Dr Enat Mdlongwa said six dogs belonging to a villager from the area were gunned down on Saturday last week. He said since then they had not received any reports on goats being killed.

“We received a report from villagers on dogs that were killing goats in Makwe area at night. Our officers went there and shot six dogs. We took samples for testing and we are awaiting results to ascertain whether they are rabid or not. Since those dogs were shot we haven’t received any report on more goats being killed. We can’t ascertain for now whether the problem has been solved but only time will tell,” he said.

ZimParks national spokesperson, Mr Tinashe Farawo said they were still conducting investigations to identify the animal which was killing the goats. He said the visit which was conducted by officers last week did not yield any results as the carcasses were too deteriorated to produce conclusive results.

A BOY, last seen kicking a football up a street on October 3, has not been seen since then.

The disappearance of 16-year-old Prince Sibanda, a Form Three pupil at Bulawayo’s Milton High School, has left his parents, Ms Sinothando Ncube and Mr Trevor Sibanda worried.

What was bizarre about his disappearance was that Prince ran ahead of his mother, up a sloppy road and then disappeared going down.

When his mother got to the top, there was no sign of him.

“My son and I were coming from church (12 Apostles Church) on October 3 accompanied by his siblings. There is a road that leads to our house that passes by Parrot Lodge in Matsheumhlophe suburb (along Valeview Road) and it has a steep slope. So, we were going up the slope and he ran forward kicking his plastic ball. He went over the hill and when we got there about a minute later, we couldn’t see him,” said a solemn looking Ms Ncube.

While she spoke, her husband, Mr Sibanda sat there in silence, perhaps still in shock that their son has been missing for 10 days.

Ms Ncube said she thought that Prince, an aspiring volleyball player at school, had run home.

“When we couldn’t see him, his siblings started laughing saying Prince has run home, but they had the house keys.

When we got home (in Sunninghill suburb), Prince wasn’t there. We called him on his cellphone and it wasn’t going through,” said Ms Ncube.

Soon they started getting worried as Prince did not return home that night.

The next day Ms Ncube said with her husband they went to report Prince as missing at the Zimbabwe Republic Police Hillside Station. They are appealing to members of the public to help find him.

Prince was last seen wearing a black and white long sleeve t-shirt, a blue Adidas cap with matching blue Nike takkies and a brown face mask.

Anyone who can help find Prince can contact their nearest police station or call or WhatsApp 0779139961 or 0778607723, said Ms Ncube.-Chronicle

Two women from Mabvuku, Harare have been arrested and arraigned before the courts for killing a robber who had attacked them.

It is alleged that on October 10 at around 5 am, Phoebe Tembo and Petronella Ndlovu were on their way home from fetching water from a well in Mabvuku when they were attacked by Gunungo who demanded cellphones.

The duo refused to give their phones to Gunungo who proceeded to drag Ndlovu prompting Tembo to intervene thereby triggering a fight.

Gunungo reportedly hit Tembo on the mouth with an iron bar and she lost her teeth before she pulled his privates. He managed to shove her to the ground and sat on her stomach trying to strangle her.

Ndlovu then disarmed Gunungo of the iron bar and allegedly hit him several times on the head, leading to his death.

The women were not asked to plead to the allegations before Harare magistrate Judith Taruvinga who granted them $500 bail each.-Daily News

Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance(Youth Assembly) has described the level of police brutality in the country as shocking.

On Monday overzealous cops threw tear gas canisters into a bus full of children and the elderly…

Read below the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly statement :
12-10-2020

Barbaric acts by thugs disguised as members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police who recklessly tear gassed a bus carrying passengers including the elderly and the minors must never go unchallenged.

The inhumane act by some rogue police elements which occured in Harare on Monday at Showgrounds must never go unpunished.

It is very clear that the police force is now a danger to the public as exhibited by their recent acts of brutality.

This is not the first time that the police have exhibited animalistic behavior on innocent citizens.

Just a year ago, the same police force gruesomely hit a vendor Hilton Tamangani with iron bars and fists at a basement at QV Pharmacy in Angwa street.

Tamangani later succumbed to sustained injuries at Harare Remand Prison.

Earlier this year, the same police force was at it again when they released the trio of MDC Alliance female youth leaders, Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova into the custody of abductors after the police spokesperson Paul Nyathi had initially indicated that the trio were in police custody.

Few months later, the same unrepentant police force bashed a sprawling MDC Alliance Deputy Youth Spokesperson, Womberai Nhende at Morgan Richard Tsvangirai house. Up to now Nhende is walking wounded as a result of police brutality.

As if that was not enough, the same police force today summoned some foolish intelligence or lack of it and threw tear gas right into a bus carrying passengers.

Of importance to note for citizens is that the bus was not carrying MDC Alliance supporters but citizens from diverse backgrounds and political inclinations.

What this means is that no one is safe from this bunch of rogue police officers that behaves worse than the colonial black watchers (mabhurakwacha).

As citizens, we are no longer safe from this monster regime.

Resistance is now a must for every citizen because injustice is everywhere.

Surely if we can not be moved by today’s horrible police behavior, then something is wrong with us as a people.

In a normal society Police Commissioner General, Godwin Matanga is supposed to resign with immediate effect. Anything other than that is pure nonsense!

StopPoliceBrutality

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance National Youth Organising Secretary and councillor for ward 4, Masvingo Urban, Godfrey Kurauone is suing the police for illegally arresting and detaining him.

Councillor Godfrey Kurauone is demanding over $2 million for malicious arrest and persecution.

Kurauone, who was facing charges of criminal nuisance and obstructing traffic, was acquitted after the state failed to prove its case in court.

The state accused the councillor of posting a video of a song in which he called for immediate removal of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The state also alleged Kurauone burnt vehicle tyres along the Mashava-Zvamahande road disrupting the smooth flow of traffic.

He was arrested by officers from the Law and Order Section in Masvingo Town while reporting at the police provincial headquarters in fulfilment of his bail conditions for a similar case.

Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has said transparency is the MDC Alliance’s key policy.

Commenting on the party’s audit results released on Tuesday, President Chamisa said:

Focusing on administrative and financial fundamentals…

Just finished the Finance and Admin Sub Committee meeting(on Tuesday)

Our key task is to build strong structures, robust infrastructure and effective systems to achieve total institutional renewal and organizational revitalization!