Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has pointed out that no mortal being will stop the wave of change.

President Chamisa has also revealed why Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa is desperate to destroy the MDC Alliance.

“They fight us because we are stronger.

They attack us because we are resisting them.

They pull us down because we are standing and not fallen.
They hate us because we are the best..

We will get there no matter what!
Be inspired this Sabbath,” President Chamisa wrote on social media on Saturday.

The Guardian

AN acute shortage of sanitiser, PPE and clean water is putting pupils and school staff at risk of Covid-19, say unions.

Teachers in Zimbabwe are refusing to return to work after the resumption of some classes this week, accusing the government of failing to adequately prepare for the opening of schools.

Schools reopened last week for pupils due to sit exams in early December, six months after they were closed because of a rise in Covid-19 cases in the country. But teachers say the government is ill-prepared to deal with a possible outbreak of the virus in schools.

Only a limited amount of hand sanitiser has been made available to schools, according to the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), and acute water shortages make handwashing impossible.

“Government is not serious. There is no sanitation, there are not enough toilets and sanitisers. Each school in urban areas was given 20 litres of sanitisers and this is expected to cover 800 schoolchildren. It is simply not enough. How then will you sanitise the kids enough when they are coming to school every day,” PTUZ president, Raymond Majongwe said.

Regular washing of hands has been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an effective way to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

According to the union, 98% of teachers did not report for work last week across the country, leaving some pupils fearing they will struggle to pass exams.

With most pupils failing to access online lessons during lockdown, attending class in the remaining months before the exams offers the only chance to catch up.

Teachers, who are paid the equivalent of $50 (£39) a month, have been at loggerheads with the government over salaries. They have said returning to class would endanger their families and are demanding a salary rise to $520 a month.

As frontline workers, the teachers also want regular testing, personal protective equipment (PPE) and risk allowances before resuming work.

“Teachers should now be regarded as frontline staff, so we need allowances, PPE and other things that come with frontline workers. We must be tested because nobody was tested. We risk taking Covid-19 home, so the government should be serious here,” Majongwe said.

Education ministry officials acknowledge schools are struggling to provide clean water for handwashing.

Obert Masaraure, president of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), said schools were ill-equipped to reopen.

“Rural schools have the worst infrastructure; the pandemic has exposed serious fault lines in our education sector. The same schools cannot afford to procure basic learning materials and cannot be expected to institute recommended safety measures for safe learning. Learners are going to school with faces covered with rags as they can’t afford masks,” Masaraure said.

According to a report on the education system by ARTUZ, social distancing is nearly impossible in overcrowded classes. Zimbabwe has 136,000 teachers for 4.6 million learners.

The government is now working to reduce overcrowding.

The report also noted an acute shortage of infrared thermometers to measure students’ temperature before entering school.

Teachers are calling on the government to defer 2020 examinations to give students more time.

“On the PPE issue, all teachers and learners will be protected; supporting staff will be protected. You can rest assured that what is required at each public school will be available,” education minister, Cain Mathema said.
Schoolchildren in Harare said they were afraid of failing final examinations without a teacher in place and with only two months to complete the syllabus.

Many of Zimbabwe’s children are working, as street vendors or in fields, alongside their schoolwork.

“I never got time to study during lockdown because my mother required me to sell vegetables. That is our only means of survival so studying was virtually impossible,” a pupil at Kuwadzana high school said.

An A-level student from George Stark high school in Harare said she had no access to e-learning facilities due to increases in data costs: “Data prices were rising every month so learning online was very tough. I only managed to benefit from the group discussions with my friends but it is not enough to pass exams.”

In a shocking case of child abuse, a 23-year-old Harare woman is accused of deliberately infecting her friend’s 10 month-old son with HIV after breastfeeding the baby in an effort to silence it after it started crying.

The child had been left in the woman’s custody while the mother was doing her daily errands.

The woman, whose name has been withheld for legal reasons, appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court recently charged with deliberate transmission of HIV.

She was not asked to plead to the charges when she initially appeared before magistrate, Mrs Sharon Rakafa on September 21. The 23-year-old was initially charged with ill-treatment of a minor under the Children’s Act.

State counsel, Mrs Locadia Rasonza, said sometime in August this year, the baby’s mother took it to her friend for custody whilst she was away. It is said the child started crying while playing with other children and the woman took the baby and started breastfeeding it in full view of other children, the court heard.

Allegations are that the woman knew that she was HIV positive. Another child is said to have revealed the incident to the boy’s mother who reported to the police.

The woman is on $500 bail and is expected back in court on October 19 for trial.

To: Members of all the undersigned Unions/Associations

Ccc :Parents and Learners

We the undersigned teachers’ Unions wish to unequivocally state that the meeting that had been perceived to bring tangible results failed to bring such.

What the Honourable Minister Paul Mavhima did was to assure teachers that no one will be fired willy nilly from work as a result of incapacitation.

We managed to present successfully our position paper. The Minister promised to take our demands to cabinet for further discussion

There was no progress from the meeting at all.

Therefore we wish to state it clearly that members of the teaching fraternity remain incapacitated

To parents and learners we would like to advice them that it is risky to keep learners at a school environment where there are no teachers

Jointly Signed by
ARTUZ – Chere R.
PTUZ – Zunde L.
TUZ – Phiri R.
ZDTU – Tasaranarwo F.
ZIMTA – Sibanda N. T.
ZINATU – Nyawo M.
ZINEU – Chinosengwa C.
ZRTU – Fambai F.

A 24-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested after he allegedly raped his neighbour’s wife over a debt owed by her husband.

The man from Ntabenende area in Esigodini who cannot be named for ethical reasons was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi facing a rape charge. He was remanded in custody to October 19.

Prosecuting, Miss Ethel Mahachi said the man raped the complainant on August 14 at around 9PM after he found her alone at her house.

“On 14 August at around 7PM the accused person went to the complainant’s homestead looking for her husband as he owed him R50 which he had promised to have paid during the previous month. The complainant advised the accused person that her husband was not around as he had travelled to visit some relatives,” she said.

“At around 9PM, the accused person returned to the complainant’s homestead while drunk and demanded to see her husband. The complainant indicated that he was not around but the accused person refused to accept the excuse and started demanding his money from the complainant. The complainant pointed out that she didn’t have the money and advised the accused person to leave and return when her husband was back.”

Miss Mahachi said the accused person refused to leave and forced his way into the complainant’s house.

He allegedly said he would remain there until he received his money. She said the complainant ordered the accused person to get out but he grabbed her and pushed her onto the bed and raped her.

Miss Mahachi said after committing the offence, the accused person told the complainant that she had paid up her husband’s debt and he left the house. She said the complainant rushed to a neighbour’s house and narrated what had happened.

The matter was reported to the police resulting in the arrest of the accused person.

Standard

MDC-T insiders claim that an elaborate plan has been set to block MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa from contesting the 2023 presidential elections, which will include stripping him of his party and assets.

The Thokozani Khupe-led outfit has been methodically decimating Chamisa’s base since the Supreme Court ruled in March that the MDC Alliance leader’s succession of Morgan Tsvangirai was illegal.

Khupe has been using the ruling to recall legislators and councillors from a party that defeated her in the previous elections.

On Friday she returned to Parliament as a proportional representation MP on an MDC Alliance ticket despite the fact that her MDC-T contested the 2018 polls against Zanu PF and Chamisa’s party.

A senior MDC-T official said the developments in the opposition were following a script that was crafted a long time ago and will culminate in Khupe’s party supporting constitutional amendments that will effectively shut Chamisa out of the forthcoming polls.

“The plot is like this: Zanu PF will support Khupe, decimate Chamisa and force him to form a new party and lose everything like party offices, safe houses and so forth,” said the official who requested to remain anonymous.

“Then in 2022, Zanu PF and the MDC-T MPs will make constitutional amendments to peg the presidential candidates’ minimal age at 50 in order to disqualify Chamisa,” a well-placed Zanu PF official disclosed.

“Chamisa will not run in 2023, he will only run in 2028 and by that time Zanu PF will have sponsored internal divisions over his leadership. In short, Chamisa is finished.”

In 2018, Zanu PF secretary for security Lovemore Matuke said the ruling party was contemplating using its two-thirds majority in Parliament to raise the age limit for presidential election candidates from 40 to 50.

Matuke claimed Chamisa, who was 40 at the time, was immature after he refused to accept President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s controversial election victory.

Chamisa says the polls, which he narrowly lost to the 77-year-old ruler, were rigged.

The main opposition leader also angered Mnangagwa by refusing to join the Political Actors Dialogue where Khupe is a member.

“Mnangagwa and Zanu PF will not forgive him for that. They know if he is left undisturbed, there is no way Zanu PF can win against him in 2023,” the MDC-T official added.

MDC-T interim chairman Morgen Komichi, however, dismissed allegations that his party was colluding with Zanu PF to neutralise Chamisa.

“As MDC, we are independent, we are not working with Zanu PF,” Komichi said.

“This is our conflict with Chamisa; it is an internal issue emanating from succession which has already been resolved by the court.

“We are now focusing on how we can bring order to the party so that we can confront Zanu PF in 2023.”

He added: “We are not recalling people as a practice; we recall when a member ceases to belong to our party.”

Zanu PF director of information Tafadzwa Mugwadi also denied working with Khupe, saying the ruling party had a two-thirds majority in Parliament and does not need any help from the MDC-T.

“That is hogwash, Zanu PF has a majority in Parliament and it does not need the benevolence of any party to amend the constitution,” Mugwadi said.

“Those saying so do not know what two-thirds majority means.”

He said his party was not involved in the MDC squabbles.

ZANU PF is going ahead with its primary elections besides an order by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga barring the by elections originally set for December 5.

In the party’s latest internal election, William Gondo will represent the party in the Mkoba constituency by-elections after trouncing four other candidates who were contesting in the primary elections.

In Mkoba, there were five candidates who were eyeing constituency which fell vacant following the recalling of MDC-Alliance member Mr Amos Chibaya from Parliament.

While it was smooth sailing in Mkoba Constituency, Zanu PF Kwekwe Central constituency primary elections were cancelled following violence which resulted two party vehicles damaged.

Police had to be called in and fired shots in the air to disperse the violent gangs armed with machetes and iron bars.

Gondo, who runs a number of colleges in Gweru won in Mkoba constituency after getting 358 votes with Charles Simbi coming in second with 287.

Basilton Sikhosana did not get any vote, Thomas Mlitao got 41 votes and Rosemary Vundla got 43 votes.

Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri who announced the results said all went well in Mkoba constituency primary elections while there were disturbances in Kwekwe Central Constituency primary elections.

“Cde William Gondo won the Mkoba Constituency primaries after winning Cde Gondo won after attaining 358 votes with Cde Charles Simbi coming in second with 287.

Basilton Sikhosana got zero votes. There were 50 assisted and 25 spoiled votes,” he said.

He said the primary election in Kwekwe Central constituency was suspended after skirmishes were recorded in the area amid indications that some party members were arrested after causing the disturbances.

“Zanu-PF Midlands provincial leadership yesterday suspended indefinitely Kwekwe Central primary elections after rowdy youths suspected to be illegal gold miners invaded the district party office and started beating up everyone, including polling agents,” he said.

The youths, most of whom were said to be not in the party structures reportedly accused the district leadership of trying to impose candidates.

They allegedly went on to unleash wave of violence on all polling stations including stoning parked vehicles at the party district headquarters.

Two vehicles were extensively damaged.

Zanu-PF Midlands Provincial chairman, Engineer Daniel Mackenzie Ncube said it was a sad day for the party.

He said perpetrators of violence should be brought to book.

“As the voting process was beginning to start, some rowdy youths, most of them gold panners from the surrounding mines, came and disrupted the elections. They beat up everyone, including polling agents. They also stoned vehicles and investigations are going on to establish the motive behind the violence.

“We have suspended the elections in Kwekwe indefinitely as we still try to investigate the hand behind the violence,” he said

“We are a party of peace and unity, so we want to do a complete investigation while we assist the police in these investigations,” he said.

In the suspended Kwekwe primaries, local businessman and an apostolic sect leader, Kandros Mugabe was battling it out with Energy Ncube.

Kwekwe Central constituency fell vacant following the death of the national Patriotic Front’s MP Mr Masango Matambanadzo in July.

WASHINGTON, United States – White House Press Secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, announced on Monday she has tested positive for COVID-19, three days after President Donald Trump was hospitalised with the disease.

“After testing negative consistently, including every day since Thursday, I tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday morning while experiencing no symptoms,” McEnany said in a statement.

“No reporters, producers, or members of the press are listed as close contacts by the White House Medical Unit,” added Trump’s spokeswoman, who said she was going into quarantine following the diagnosis.

Source: AFP

Paul Nyathi

A highly ambitious ZANU PF Councillor gave back the Gwanda Mayoral seat to the opposition MDC Alliance in a highly intriguing election held in the town on Monday afternoon.

With the council left with nine councillors after the recall of Mayor Jastone Mazhale, the MDC Alliance had five councillors and ZANU PF four.

The ruling party fielded councillor Albert Ndlovu only for him to get a shock of his life when Councillor Thulani Moyo nominated himself and was tactically seconded by eventual winning MDC Alliance candidate Njabulo Siziba.

The Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T failed to field a candidate after the MDC Alliance councillors all couldn’t submit their nomination on her side.

With three candidates in the contest, ZANU PF’s Albert Ndlovu polled 4 votes, Siziba polled 4 votes for the MDC Alliance while Moyo polled his sole vote.

A rerun was ordered which was eventually won by MDC Alliance with five votes against ZANU PF’s Four.

A close analysis of the election results tells that one MDC Alliance councillor sold out to ZANU PF in the first run while there is no certainity how the rerun voting pattern was.

263Chat

President Emmerson Mnangagwa Monday ordered members of the security to deal with individuals who are involved in criminal activities.

The country has witnessed a spate of criminal activities including the recent murder of seven-year-old Tapiwa Makore in Murewa. The minor was beheaded in a suspected case of ritual murder.

Addressing mourners at the burial of Brigadier General Ruphus Chigudu at the national heroes’ acre, Mnangagwa said the trend should be ‘speedily’ removed from society.

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“Government is very concerned about growing cases of ritual murders of minors. Let me reiterate that all stakeholders in our criminal justice system speedily and strongly deal with perpetrators so that this evil trend is expunged from our society,” said Mnangagwa

He said people should draw inspiration from the late Brigadier General Chigudu and use firearms to protect and defend national interests.

“Equally worrisome are the growing cases of armed and violent crimes. We must draw lessons and inspirations from the late Brigadier General Cde Chigudu whose profession was founded on the use of firearms, who knew that guns are for defence and protection of national interest unlike others in our midst who turn up against their own nation, betray their own people for the love of money, engage in criminal activities due to lack of principle. I have ordered our security arms to deal with such misdeeds.” he added

The country has also witnessed an increase in robbery cases in which citizens have lost valuable properties to robbers.

The MDC Alliance party led by Nelson Chamisa has won the Gwanda Mayoral elections defeating a candidate sponsored by a rival camp led by Thokozani Khupe.

This was revealed by party Secretary General Charlton Hwende on Twitter.

“Congrats to our remaining Cllrs in Gwanda for defeating the Zanu-PF backed Mwonzora rebellion team. We secured the Mayorship against all the odds. Thanks to our Provincial Leadership and our National Local Gvt Secretary Hon Zvidzai,” said Hwende.

By Jane Mlambo| ZINASU leader Takudzwa Ngadziore today appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court for his routine remand.

Ngadziore who is waiting to have his appeal against bail ruling by the magistrate court before the High Court was arrested over three weeks ago and charged with inciting public violence.

By A Correspondent- William Gondo, a member of the ruling party Zanu PF will represent Zanu PF in upcoming by-elections for Mkoba constituency in Gweru which fell vacant when MDC T led by Thokozani Khupe recalled Amos Chibaya.

This was revealed by the party’s Midlands Provincial Spokesperson who said the results of the primaries which were contested by 5 candidates were as follows:

1. William Gondo got  358 votes
2. Charles Simbi coming in second with 287.
3. Basilton Sikhosana 0
4. Thomas Mlitao 41
5. Rosemary Vundla 43 votes.

Speaking about the primaries, Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri said they had suspended the Kwekwe primary elections indefinitely after it headlined that there were violent clashes at the elections and 2 vehicles were damaged in the chaos.

A source that spoke to New Zimbabwe told the publication that the violence broke out because the 2 factions one backing Owen Mudha Ncube’s nephew and the other one backing Victor Matemadanda’s candidate disagreed on how the polls were to be conducted:

The bone of contention arose from the use of the voters’ roll. While Mugabe’s camp was in support of using ZEC’s voters roll, Ncube’s faction was against that as most of his supporters were not on the ZEC roll. Instead, they wanted to use the cell-based voting

By A Correspodent- Zambia’s Department of Immigration in Sinazongwe district in Southern Province has convicted 12 Zimbabweans for the offence of unlawful entry.

The offenders who were convicted on Friday, October 2, 2020, were arrested on September 25, 2020 in Sinazongwe after being intercepted on a Zimbabwe bound Bus which was returning from Lusaka.

The group comprising seven females and five males did not have any travel documents at the time of the arrests and have since been removed from Zambia after paying the fines.

This is according to a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today, by Public Relations Officer Namati Nshinka.

Mr Nshinka noted that each has been sentenced to pay a fine of K300 or in default 6 months simple imprisonment.

“The Department of Immigration in Sinazongwe on Friday, 2nd October, 2020 secured the conviction of twelve (12) Zimbabweans for the offence of unlawful entry. They were each sentenced to pay a fine of K 300 or in default 6 months simple imprisonment,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Nshinka has added that five other foreign nationals were also convicted for being found outside the refugee camp without authority.

“On 2nd October, 2020 the Department secured five (05) convictions. The convicts were two Malawians and one South African convicted for unlawful entry and one Burundian and one Congolese, both refugees, convicted for being outside a refugee camp without authority,” he explained.

On the same date, 32 persons of various nationalities were apprehended for various immigration offences, country-wide.

Mr Nshinka said the Department also removed thirty-five illegal immigrants from the country and refused six foreign nationals entry into Zambia for failing to meet entry requirements.-LusakaNews

Farai Dziva|Key stakeholders are threatening to pull out of a clinic construction project in Gutu District, Masvingo Province, due to political interference, it has emerged.

Impeccable sources told ZimEye.com on Saturday, the construction of a clinic at Chitsa Business Centre has been stalled by political interference.

Key stakeholders are reportedly unhappy with the politicization of the project.

“Villagers were forced to chant Zanu PF slogans at stakeholders meeting last week.

This has angered those interested in funding the clinic construction project.

In actual fact the project has been grabbed by Zanu PF.

Zanu PF is already using the project as a campaign tool,” a government official told ZimEye.com.

#BreakingNews @ARTUZ_teachers march in Gweru to handover a petition for a living wage pegged at US$520. We stand in solidarity with the incapacitated teachers and all other government workers.@ZctuZimbabwe @ZimEye @NewZimbabweCom @daddyhope @263Chat @HStvNews @WeArePindula pic.twitter.com/ViBoQD211p

— @Liberation_Mvt (@LiberationMvt) October 5, 2020

Where is the President?

— Duke of Thobotshana ? (@SechabaTutu) October 5, 2020

Pamusoro pemba kudhidha zvangu pic.twitter.com/f62a7NlDtZ

— Hon Zivhu (@killerzivhu1) October 5, 2020

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance vice president, Hon Tendai Biti has sensationally revealed how Zanu PF is stealing State funds through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

The former Finance Minister described the RBZ as a rogue bank that is being used to fund illicit Zanu PF programmes and tyranny.

“The RBZ is a rogue bank that has been key to sustaining the ZANU agenda of regime survival and state capture . In 1 year alone it has contracted debt of US$2.5 b without approval from Parliament and in breach of the of the constitution,the Debt Management Act ,the PFMA and the RBZ Act

A huge chunk of the RBZ US$2.5 b debt is from the African Export and Import Bank (Afrexim ) and has been used to prop up the rigged one supplier FX auction .

Parliament has made it clear that the law must be followed . S 327 of the constitution requires prior approval of Parly…

The RBZ Quasi Fiscal Activities centered around illicit dealings in foreign currency,fuel,debt , Command Agriculture, TBs ,fuel and energy subsidies ,minerals and minerals securitization, export surrender requirements , money creation and ZAMCO make it the most dangerous organ in Zim,” Hon Biti wrote on Twitter.

Harare — Zimbabwe’s finance minister said on Monday the economy would not be as severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic as initially feared and foreign currency inflows had shown resilience.

The Southern African nation was already grappling with runaway inflation, shortages of drugs in hospitals and strikes by public workers before the novel coronavirus arrived in March.

“I am more bullish again even during this Covid-19 moment, I think the economy will surprise us on the upside,” finance minister Mthuli Ncube said during an online media conference.

“Our prognosis is that the impact of Covid-19 overall on Zimbabwe is not as deep as in other countries,” Ncube said but declined to give details or a new economic growth forecast.

Ncube had said during a medium-term budget statement in July that the economy was set to shrink by 4.5% in 2020 owing to the fallout from the pandemic.

Ncube said the government had made significant progress on economic reforms, including cutting its wage bill from 92% of the total budget in 2017 to below 50% now and had stopped printing money and stabilised the exchange rate.

But ordinary Zimbabweans say life has become harder since Ncube was appointed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cabinet two years ago, with salaries lagging soaring inflation of 761% and prices of basic goods rocketing up.

Electricity tariffs rose 50% last week, which would feed into inflation, but Ncube said this was necessary to keep the state power company viable and enable it to pay coal suppliers.

Most teachers have refused to return to class since schools re-opened last week for the first time since March, saying they do not earn enough to work.

Ncube said mining and agriculture would anchor an economic recovery. The government would resume token payments to creditors such as the World Bank and African Development Bank, which it owes more than $1bn, Ncube said.

Reuters

Watch the video loading below….

According to legend, they are evil mythological beings which feed on blood and can morph into a bat or wolf. Most people associate vampires with movies or Count Dracula, the legendary, blood-sucking subject of Bram Stoker’s epic novel, Dracula, which was published in 1897.

Tell that to villagers from Makwe area, Ward 8 about 40km west of Gwanda Town in Matabeleland South who have lost more than 57 goats in one month to what they believe is a nocturnal creature that sucks the blood out of their livestock and leaves two puncture/teeth marks on their necks.

Some villagers believe the teeth marks and the fact that the creature leaves no tracks, are sure signs that a vampire is on the loose in the village.

Isolated incidents were first recorded in 2018 but a pattern developed over the months, culminating in increased killings that have spread fear in the community.

The palpable terror in the village has been magnified by superstition as some villagers believe they are dealing with goblins or some supernatural force from the underworld.

Others think a strange cat-like being is responsible after it reportedly attacked a woman and her children at their home one night.

A villager who said he was a wildlife expert told Chronicle there was no known animal species in the area that could inflict the deep tooth marks found on dead livestock.

Frightened community members no longer venture outdoors after dark.

The area’s traditional leader, Chief Mathema has since asked Gwanda Rural District Council Officials to engage the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) officials to help track down the killer beast.

A villager who chose to identify himself only as Moyo said he was convinced a vampire was preying on livestock.

“Believe what you want. Tell me they don’t exist but you will be speaking from an uninformed point of view. You have not woken up to find six dead goats drained of blood in your kraal. Nothing else eaten and not even a sound of alarm through the night. This is a vampire. I know of other villagers who think the same. Authorities need to protect us,” said Moyo.

Mr Edwell Dube said he lost four goats last month. He said he found two of the goats outside the kraal while the other two were inside.

Each goat, he said, had been pierced on the neck. Mr Dube said the kind of killings were only seen in vampire movies.09&ifi=3&uci=a!3&btvi=3&fsb=1&xpc=oEaJGAcAqT&p=https%3A//www.chronicle.co.zw&dtd=9481

“It’s like we are now living a horror movie because of what we are experiencing in our village. Almost every morning we find goats dead. A month ago, I found four of my goats dead and their blood had been sucked out. They had pierced markings on their neck where this creature sucked the blood out of them. These are the kind of killings that we see in vampire movies. We are now afraid to move around because we don’t know what kind of creature we are faced with,” he said.

Yesterday the villagers woke up to find nine goats dead. The mysterious killings have left the villagers wondering when the blood thirsty predator will strike next or whether it will move further to attack humans.

A villager told the news crew a bizarre creature recently sneaked into her house in the middle of the night.

Ms Lenia Ndlovu said she found the animal which is the size of a cat in her children’s blankets. She bravely fought it and stabbed it with a spear in the stomach.

She said she had since abandoned her home and was staying at her aunt’s homestead following the encounter.

Describing the creature Ms Ndlovu said it looked like a cat with a very long furry tail. She said the cat had a capped forehead with a black, brown and white skin tone.

“As the creature bled, I alerted neighbours who threw stones and logs at it in a bid to kill it but it managed to escape and fled into the night,” said Ms Ndlovu.

She said she suspected that the creature which was killing their livestock was the one which invaded her home. Ms Ndlovu said however what puzzled her is that she was not able to spot any teeth on the creature.

Ms Seluleko Ncube said on Thursday morning she found five of her goats lying dead scattered on the ground.

“I woke up at around 6AM and found five of my goats lying dead on the ground. The flesh was intact but four of them had puncture marks on their necks whose width is the size of an adult’s finger while the fifth had similar marks on the stomach. It showed that whatever attacked my goats, sucked blood out of them through the marks because they had blood stains around the neck area going down to the chest.

“I didn’t find any blood stains on the ground. There were also some scratch marks on the bodies of the goats which I suspect were caused by this vicious creature as it was attacking the goats. I’m now wondering that if this creature was able to attack my goats which were a few metres away from my homestead what about me and my children. This creature has to be hunted down soon otherwise there will be more bloodshed,” she said.

Mrs Thobekile Siziba (45) said she lost four goats to the eerie predator last week.

A village head from the area, Mr Goden Ncube (77) said he had never come across a predator that kills in such a manner or creature which fits the description that people were giving. He said villagers suspected a goblin was on the loose and hunting for blood.

“This problem started two years back but it was just isolated cases and each time a goat was killed dogs would follow and devour it and we assumed that it was the dogs which were killing the goats. Now the situation has worsened and we see that we have a serious problem on our hands,” he said.

Mr Ncube said the community has previously had problems of predators such as hyenas and other wild animals but they had never recorded such encounters. He said even dogs were afraid of the creature.-statemedia

By A Correspondent| The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has raised alarm at the deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe, particularly the arbitrary arrests and detention of journalists and women human rights defenders.

The ACHPR raised its concerns following its 66th Ordinary Session held virtually between 13 July and 7 August 2020.

Among other issues, the ACHPR through Resolution 443 on the Human Rights Situation in the Republic of Zimbabwe, condemned reports of human rights violations in Zimbabwe, including violations of rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly.

The Commission called on the Government of Zimbabwe to ensure that measures taken by its law enforcement agents do not lead to violations of fundamental rights and freedoms, including expression, association and assembly.

The ACHPR also called on the government to guarantee the protection of the rights of human rights defenders, political activists, journalists, healthcare workers and other peaceful protestors, including from arbitrary arrest and detention.

The ACHPR is tasked with promoting and protecting human rights and collective (peoples’) rights in Africa.  Zimbabwe is a State party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Meanwhile, in its submissions to the ACHPR Ordinary Session, on 20 July 2020, MISA Zimbabwe raised concern at the increasing number of attacks on media workers and the deteriorating safety and security environment for journalists.

Since the beginning of the implementation of the COVID-19 regulations on 30 March 2020, MISA Zimbabwe has recorded at least 30 media violations, including the arrest of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and the raid on the home of ZimLive editor, Mduduzi Mathuthu.

MISA Zimbabwe also raised concern with the government’s determination to amend the Constitution as opposed to aligning existing laws with relevant constitutional provisions.

By A Correspondent- A 24 year old man has been arrested after he allegedly raped his neighbour’s wife over a debt owed by her husband.

The man from Ntabenende area in Esigodini who cannot be named for ethical reasons was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi facing a rape charge. He was remanded in custody to October 19.

Prosecuting, Miss Ethel Mahachi said the man raped the complainant on August 14 at around 9PM after he found her alone at her house.

“On 14 August at around 7PM the accused person went to the complainant’s homestead looking for her husband as he owed him R50 which he had promised to have paid during the previous month. The complainant advised the accused person that her husband was not around as he had travelled to visit some relatives,” she said.

“At around 9PM, the accused person returned to the complainant’s homestead while drunk and demanded to see her husband. The complainant indicated that he was not around but the accused person refused to accept the excuse and started demanding his money from the complainant. The complainant pointed out that she didn’t have the money and advised the accused person to leave and return when her husband was back.”

Miss Mahachi said the accused person refused to leave and forced his way into the complainant’s house.

He allegedly said he would remain there until he received his money. She said the complainant ordered the accused person to get out but he grabbed her and pushed her onto the bed and raped her.

Miss Mahachi said after committing the offence, the accused person told the complainant that she had paid up her husband’s debt and he left the house. She said the complainant rushed to a neighbour’s house and narrated what had happened.

The matter was reported to the police resulting in the arrest of the accused person.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Addressing the media at AgriBank Monday afternoon, the Zimbabwe Congress Of Trade Unions (ZCTU) described the bank as a slave yard where workers are working for a pittance despite the institutions raking in millions.

The ZCTU called on all workers to demand for better forex salaries, an end to corruption and better working conditions regardless of their sector adding that the demand for better remuneration was not confined to doctors, nurses or teachers but all the workers.

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“We are saying every Monday, workers must converge and strike for our three demands”

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ZCTU leader Peter Mutasa’s address to the media

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By A Correspondent- MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe will be sworn in as MP tomorrow together with others nominated by her party after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission cleared them on Friday, and she will ultimately become leader of opposition in Parliament.

This comes two years after Khupe’s flirtation with the august house came to a dramatic end when Nelson Chamisa recalled her in 2018.

But Chamisa has said the move to get Khupe back in Parliament was unconstitutional and, therefore, a nullity, adding that all the effort was meant to frustrate the people and subvert their vote.

“We have people who are in government out of a criminal conduct and fraud and they can only continue to be in government through fraud. Their foundation and framework is fraudulent and we cannot allow that to continue,” he said.

Chamisa, who has been under siege amid recalls of Members of Parliament and councillors as well as the takeover of his party offices across the country, among other issues, said it was sad that a person rejected by the people used the backdoor to get back into Parliament.

Khupe garnered only 45 000 votes in her attempt to be the country’s President against Chamisa’s over two million votes.

Her swearing in will make her the leader of opposition in Parliament, despite her party losing heavily in the 2018 elections, managing only two proportional representation seats.

As a result of recalls by Khupe, 32 parliamentary seats and 165 council seats have fallen vacant.

Chamisa said his party was under siege, adding that it would rise again.

By A Correspondent- A 27 year old Concession man was arraigned before regional magistrate Nixon Mangoti for allegedly stealing a she goat before assaulting the owner

Langton Victor Kwafaera pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody.

The state led by Moses Kuimba alleged on September 28 at Tsatsi farm Kwafaera went to Sarudzai Gatsi’s homestead demanding cash from her son.

The son did not have money and the accused forcibly took a brown she goat from Gatsi’s pen.

She tried to stop him but was overpowered. The accused used a wooden stick to assault the complainant for demanding her goat.

After the assault he drove the away. He was later arrested.

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF has indefinitely suspended Kwekwe primary elections after yesterday’s violent clashes as 2 rival groups within the party backed different candidates.

The ruling party said the clashes were caused by suspected illegal gold panners (Makorokoza).

The bloody by-elections suspension was revealed by Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri who said the

Zanu-PF Midlands provincial leadership yesterday suspended indefinitely Kwekwe primary elections after rowdy youths suspected to be illegal gold miners invaded the district party office and started beating up everyone, including polling agents.

Narrating what transpired at the Kwekwe primary elections in which 2 vehicles were reportedly destroyed, Zanu-PF Midlands Provincial chairman, Daniel Mackenzie Ncube said:

As the voting process was beginning to start, some rowdy youths, most of them gold panners from the surrounding mines, came and disrupted the elections. They beat up everyone, including polling agents. They also stoned vehicles and investigations are going on to establish the motive behind the violence.

We have suspended the elections in Kwekwe indefinitely as we still try to investigate the hand behind the violence. We are a party of peace and unity, so we want to do a complete investigation while we assist the police in these investigations.

Owen Mudha Ncube who unconfirmed reports claim is the godfather of illegal miners in Midlands ‘s nephew backers and outspoken Zanu PF’s political commissar candidate clashed at the elections and ZRP had to be called to attend to the situation.-Statemedia

Controversial socialite Passion Java has taken his battle for flamboyance with Genius Kadungure to a whole new level after erecting 20 purposeless billboards around Harare including one in Domboshava, where his rival stays.

Passion and Ginimbi are no strangers to controversy as they regularly flaunt their riches in public and at times dishing out money to people.

They have also competed buying porsche cars with Ginimbi recently taking delivery of a USD$1 Million Lamborghini which his rival already had among his fleet.

Not to be outdone, Passion who is now known as a socialite than a cleric bragged that he was in the process of upgrading his fleet with a

The United States based socialite posted on Instagram that he had erected 20 billboards in Harare, reserving one for his rival’s backyard just to prove a point that he is more papered.

Press Statement

ZESN STATEMENT ON THE INDEFINITE SUSPENSION OF BY-ELECTIONS IN ZIMBABWE

04 October 2020 –

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) expresses concern over the indefinite suspension of by-elections by the Minister of Health and Child Care who is also the Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

The move taken as a health emergency COVID-19 response undercuts Constitutional principles on freedom of expression, good electoral practice and curtails the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and Parliamentary oversight.

In terms of Section 68 Chapter 15:17 of the Public Health Act, government enacted Statutory Instrument 225A of 2020 (SI 2020-225A) which will be cited as Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020, No 4). The S.I suspended by-elections that had been pencilled to be held on 5 December 2020.

“Pursuant to subsection (2), the holding of any by-election to fill in a casual vacancy in Parliament or in a local authority, is for the duration of the period of the declaration of the COVID-19 as a formidable epidemic disease, suspended, and if such vacancy occurred while such a declaration is in force, no part of the period from the date of such vacancy to the date of the end of declaration shall be counted for the purposes of section 158 (3) of the Constitution, ” reads the Amendment.

ZESN is of the view that, while the special policy has been enacted in response to containing the pandemic, ZESN reiterates its concerns on the seemingly quarantining of democracy as it is not clear when the restrictions will be lifted and more so given that no one knows how long the pandemic will last.ZESN notes that the amendment to suspend by-elections comes a few weeks after the ZEC, in consultation with the Health Ministry recently published a COVID-19 policy on elections, paving way to the conduct of by-elections in the context of the COVID-19.

Subsequently last month, ZEC further announced when by-elections would be held to fill in over 30 vacant seats either due to party recalls or other reasons such as death in the COVID-19 era.What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

Parliament conducted public hearings on Constitutional Amendment Bill No.2 at the height of the pandemic, citizens queue on a daily basis for basic commodities, cash outs at banks and money agents, social welfare and food aid from government, foundations, NGOs and churches, among other organizations are providing aid whilst observing safety measures.

The government has also relaxed the lockdown measures. Furthermore, a number of countries have so far held electoral activities amid COVID-19, with Malawi conducting general elections general elections only recently.

Tanzania is set to hold elections on 28 October, the USA and South Africa are on course to conducting general and municipal elections in November 2020.

There is need to strike a balance between ensuring the health and safety of all stakeholders and upholding the law.

ZESN recommends more dialogue between ZEC and electoral stakeholders on alternative methods of conducting elections that will ensure the health and safety for all involved.// ENDS

By A Correspondent- Interim MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora is said to be planning to extend his recall of MDC Alliance councillors to Masvingo where he faces immense resistance.

Fear of recalls among the seven MDC Alliance Masvingo urban councillors increased recently after Mwonzora recalled 11 Harare councillors, including the deputy mayor in the wake of a mayoral by-election which was won by Jacob Mafume ahead of MDC-T’s preferred candidate Luckson Mukunguma.

The Mwonzora faction went on to capture the Marondera mayoral position with the help of the town’s lone Zanu PF councillor after recalling some city fathers perceived to be loyal to Nelson Chamisa.

Mwonzora, however said he did not have any immediate reason to recall anybody in Masvingo.

Mwonzora is said to be targeting Masvingo urban ward 4 councillor Godfrey Kurauone, who is MDC Alliance national youth organising secretary and a strong Chamisa ally; ward 5’s Daniel Mberikunashe, who is related to Chamisa; and ward 7’s Richard Musekiwa, who is also said to be fiercely loyal to Chamisa.

World Teachers Day Speech Presented in Gweru at Mkoba Hall by Cde Robson Nikita Chere.

The President, Cde Obert Masaraure, Cdes and friends, all protocol observed. I welcome you to this event with revolutionary greetings as we converge not to celebrate this teachers’ day, but to commiserate about our collective plight and predicament as workers, as teachers and as a people.

We meet not only to commiserate, but most importantly to join hands once again, to reconfigure our collective struggle as we march towards extricating ourselves from collective absolute poverty and its attendant indignities.

Cdes, there is no doubt that teachers are the foundation upon which all else is built. The founder of one of the biggest religions was called Rabbi after all! We are those hands that mould and shape children to become whomever they dream and envisage to be and we plead guilty to the charge that we unfortunately taught even politicians!

Isn’t it therefore paradoxical that in this country the teacher is now regarded as a dispensable nuisance by a government that is intransigent and seems to be obsessed with destroying what little semblance of education in this country?

The global theme for this year’s World Teachers day is ” Teachers: Leading in crisis, re-imagining the future”. The 5 October World Teachers Day is an annual event since 1994 an ILO/UNESCO reccomendation which sets benchmarks regarding rights and responsibilities of a teacher among other issues .

Cdes it is in line with the global aims that we have also come up with a local theme “Restoring Teachers Dignity and Recalibrating the deteriorating education sector, Since We are meeting today when teachers are living or existing well below the poverty datum line.

We meet today when educators are being threatened everyday. We meet today as the government is using undue influence and duress to force educators to work for slave wages and dog tax. We did not become teachers because we had run out of options. We were called to be teachers.

We have no illusion whatsoever about our worthy. We don’t owe our employer anything. It is not a previledge that we are employed by the state. It is our sacred right. We don’t want anything from those politicians in government but a living and just wage.

And we will get it! We reiterate and emphasise our unwavering commitment today to restore and accentuate our collective dignity. We will not allow greed and corrupt crooks masquerading as politicians and national leaders to bastadise our profession.

We will leave no stone unturned and no turn unstoned as we seek financial justice from our employer. We insist today as we have always insisted that we will not be complicit in destroying and compromising the quality of education in this country.

We don’t believe that an incapacitated teacher should be anywhere near a learner hence will stay at home until this uncaring and parasitic government does the correct thing. We refuse to be calpable in pretending to teach when in actual fact academic genocide will be taking place in our schools.

Cdes, we no longer have anything to lose hence it follows that we are invincible. We can’t protect what we don’t have. In light of that, I call upon as I hereby do all progressive unions and organisations to join ARTUZ as we educate and enlighten this government about labour relations and basic conditions of employment.

Let love for our country, passion for education and selfless patriotism unite us as we correct this helpless government. Zimbabwe, our motherland, may she survive till eternity through the commitment and courage of her sons and daughters.

Aluta continua.

Cde Robson Nikita Chere.

By Jane Mlambo| Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has vowed that teachers will not return to the classroom until their dignity is restored while warning government that they will not agree to return to work without adequate salaries.

Majongwe posted on Twitter, just before teachers representatives go into meeting with government to find solution to the ongoing strike that has crippled the schools re-opening plan.

With about an hour to go before talks between gvt and teachers’unions, we wld like to assure gvt that the era of teachers that subsidised gvt is gone. Whatever is agreed, we will only back to the classroom when our dignity has been restored.

WATCH VIDEO- "Pan'ono pan'ono ndiri kubwera". Catholics belt it out in song and dance #Zimbabwe #catholicsbishops pic.twitter.com/2hi8OKkfwr

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 5, 2020

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By A Correspondent- Vice President in charge of the Ministry of Health and Child Care Constantino Chiwenga’s banning of elections has been interpreted as a politicical decision and not a COVID -19 related decision.

Godfrey Gandawa the former Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education says the, “Chiwenga betrayed his political motives by specifically mentioning by-elections. The Health ministry only needed to lay down general regulations on gatherings, leaving ZEC to reach its own determination as to whether it could conduct elections under those broad regulations.”

Gandawa said the Health Minister should have issued non-discriminatory guidelines applying to all human activity instead of maliciously targeting elections.

“Assuming the Sport ministry wants to hold an event, of any nature, will Chiwenga issue another statutory instrument to stop them?

“ZEC is supposedly an independent institution and should have the latitude to determine whether or not it can hold an election while abiding by health regulations. Government, confirming widely held views, is interfering with ZEC because it is angling for a political outcome.”

By A Correspondent- The trigger-happy opposition MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe continues being unrelenting in its bid to rid itself of rival leader Nelson Chamisa’s sympathisers among its ranks as the Khupe camp yesterday sent 25 Chamisa allies packing.

A local publication reports that the Kuwadzana MDC-T District Council met Sunday 4 October 2020 to deliberate on various things developing in the Party, chief among them being the impending extraordinary congress.

The meeting, called and chaired by members openly sympathetic to MDC-T Secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, kicked off by discussin the Supreme Court Judgement which was delivered in March 2020 in which all the Party Structures were reverted back as to what they were at the last Congress of 2014.

The ruling declared Chamisa’s succession of Morgan Tsvangirai as illegitimate, and the Kuwadzana District Council yesterday endorsed the Supreme Court Judgement.

However there were other members who were in the MDC- T Structures in Kuwadzana District, Wards and Branches who did not want to respect the Supreme Court Judgement had chose to be part of the Chamisa camp. These were all expelled yesterday Kuwadzana.

Among those expelled is Johnson Matambo, a former personal aide to Chamisa during the time Chamisa was a Government Minister between 2009 and 2013. Matambo is running to replace Chalton Hwende as the Kuwadzana East Member of Parliament.

Hwende became the first casualty of the intra factional battles in the MDC camps as he was recalled by Khupe long back.

The Khupe camp said Matambo and 24 others who openly aligned with Chamisa had by so doing expelled themselves and will be barred from participating in the extraordinary congress.

The expelled members are:
1) Girisoti Mandere
2) Thomas Gono
3) John Kaseke
4) Raymond Jakopo Mubaiwa
5) Samuel Murahwa
6) Peter Chitukudza
7) Maria Masango
8) Chiedza Sengwe
9) Doreen Dhimasi
10) Johnson Matambo
11) Adonia Shoko
12) Moses Mulanje
13) Phabi Mquabuko
14) Zivanai Tapera
15) Julia Letera
17) Memory Murangwa
18) Fungai Muromba
19) Tapfumaneyi Mugota
20) Elias Mutengwa
21) Stewart Shonhiwa
22) Lucas Marizani
23) Vincent Dinara
24) Last Nyaduwe
25) Davison Mapfuwa.

Most members of the Chamisa camp have recently come to realize they blundered by not following the Supreme Court ruling and some have been openly claiming they will take part in the extraordinary congress in order to wrestle control of the party and assets from Khupe.

Hwende and MDC Alliance secretary for local government, Sesel Zvidzai, are among those who have indicated they want in on the extraordinary congress.-ZimVoice

PICTURES- President #EmmersonMnangagwa 's security as he arrives for the burial of Brigadier General Ruphus Chigudu #ZimHeroes #Zimbabwe #Liberation @ProfJNMoyo @MakomboreroH @Sophie_Mokoena @hwendec @DrNkuSibanda pic.twitter.com/FBpWlLDtfw

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 5, 2020

https://twitter.com/cozwva/status/1313025945566089216?s=20

https://twitter.com/cozwva/status/1313025945566089216?s=20

"Instead of freedom they bring imprisonment to those who oppose them. The only thing they know is violence…..They are dishonest, all they bring is nothing but distress…The poor are always the victims" Catholic bishop #BishopRaymondMupandasekwa #Zimbabwe #ZimDoctors pic.twitter.com/flVuphDdck

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 5, 2020

Pictures from Stodart Hall where the late national hero Ruphus Chigudu passed through before burial at the National Heroes Acre.

By A Correspondent- Striking Teachers have vowed to continue with their strike as they said the 40% salary increment is just meant to hoodwink them but it is not enough.

In a letter addressed to the striking teachers from the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA), teachers were urged to remain strong:

Dear Teachers

Good afternoon dear comrades and friends, we write to tell you that tomorrow we are escalating our campaign for better salaries and allowances. We call upon all bona-fide members and sympathizers to join in the chorus of better salaries.

We have refused to acknowledge the 40% offer meant to hoodwink us into believing that we have received an increase, nothing is further from reality than this. For your negotiators to get into the meeting tomorrow October 5, 2020, strong, galvanized and with unshaken resolve, they need to know they have you behind in support. If you are in, raise up your hand. I am in the struggle, are you?

We thank all our members who are in the trenches and encourage them to remain there until victory. For the undecided, we invite you to stand up and be counted support us to fight well and to those playing cat and mouse game, playing clock in and disappear we ask you to be bold. Make that unequivocal statement and stay home. Membership power is what counts.

Let’s all make that declaration of incapacitation loud and clear. Meanwhile, we will hear what the author.. have for educators tomorrow.

ZIMTA

The opposition MDC Alliance has urged government to urgently address the remuneration of teachers to restore the dignity of the teaching profession in Zimbabwe.

The MDC Alliance made the remarks while marking the World Teachers Day which is commemorated on the 5th of October every year.

“The MDC Alliance joins the world in commemorating World Teachers’ Day. We cherish the contribution teachers make to society & urge the Govt to urgently address the teacher remuneration crisis & restore the dignity of the teaching profession in Zimbabwe,” the party said.

Teachers are currently fighting with government over low salaries, plunging the schools re-opening plan as they are refusing to report for duty without better remuneration.

The MDC Alliance joins the world in commemorating World Teachers' Day. We cherish the contribution teachers make to society & urge the Govt to urgently address the teacher remuneration crisis & restore the dignity of the teaching profession in Zimbabwe. pic.twitter.com/1tGBHIHOyG

— Citizens' Coalition for Change (@CCCZimbabwe) October 5, 2020

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission ZACC has revealed that it is working very hard on the Bulawayo City Council Docket as it is investigating corruption in various councils countrywide.

This was revealed by ZACC Commissioner John Makamure who said their team is still investigating the issue and they want to come up with an airtight docket.

Said Makamure:

We are doing thorough investigations in Bulawayo, which is why our team is still there, over two weeks on, our aim is that we have an airtight docket that will lead to convictions hence we are gathering the necessary documentation and evidence relating to the BCC issue.

We are working hard to weed out all corruption within our local authorities, as it is, we have reports in Bulawayo, Harare, Kwekwe and Gweru to mention but a few, where we are gathering the necessary evidence for us to effect the arrests.

ZACC has said it is also working on a 36 high profile cases with a combined asset value of $4.5 million. ZACC said it is  conducting lifestyle audits on the 36 profiles and it is aiming to have 80 dockets by year end.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe’s Vice President who also doubles as the country’s Health Minister Constantino Chiwenga while touring United Bulawayo Hospitals told the people he was touring with that his ministry was working on reviving 13 pharmaceutical companies that closed down because of the economic turmoil.

Promised Chiwenga:

We are going to be opening all 13 pharmaceutical companies that were closed down. We are going to revamp all those facilities which had gone to waste. We are now going to revamp that area of equipment and drug manufacturing here in Zimbabwe. When we buy from outside Zimbabwe what we are actually doing is that the meagre foreign currency, which we are earning, is lost.

Chiwenga also said Government hospitals were now required to seek authority from the ministry to procure consumables and medical sundries from outside the country:

That will be a thing of the past and it must never be repeated. We don’t want a situation where some equipment would have been purchased from another country and then upon arrival, we discover that it does suit our environment yet money would have been wasted. That has to stop.

He then urged medical practitioners to stop shunning the country and said we need to build the country together and said our medical practitioners in foreign countries are told you are here for money when they complain:

We should not shun our own country because if we do so no one will develop it. I have seen our own specialists in foreign hospitals whenever they see wrong things being done at those institutions, they are not allowed to say anything and they are told ‘shut up and you did not come here to teach us; you are here for money.

While at the hospital VP Chiwenga also narrated how doctors at the hospital saved him when his appendix ruptured some 3 decades ago.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- The Roman Catholic Bishop of Chinhoyi, Father Raymond Tapiwa Mupandasekwa, has launched a scathing attack on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Government, saying the ruling party is led by ruthless killers who arrest anyone who thinks differently from them and is full of people who are not afraid to shed innocent blood.

The Masvingo-born Mupandasekwa, who in 2018 became the first black bishop of Chinhoyi Catholic Diocese, took particular aim at Government over the recent decree by Vice President Chiwenga to employ all graduating doctors under the army as a way to prevent future job actions in the country’s fragile healthcare sector.

The 50-year-old Catholic Bishop also blasted the Mnangagwa administration for the arrests in July and subsequent prolonged denial of bail to political activists and journalists who stand accused of plotting the unconstitutional removal of Government.

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono together with opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume spent 44 days locked up at Chikurubi Prison as the State repeatedly opposed bail. Opposition MDC Alliance official Job Sikhala was also to be later arrested and held the same waym

Speaking yesterday at a church service in Chinhoyi, Bishop Mupandasekwa described Mnangagwa’s government as “killers”.

He said:

“They bring bloodshed; they kill. Instead of freedom, they bring imprisonment. They bring violence and imprison all those who oppose them. The only thing they know is violence,” said the cleric to an astounded congregation.

Turning to the plight of young medical doctors who now have no option than join the army in order to complete the last two years of their qualification journey, Father Mupandasekwa said the government was bringing “great” distress to the medical professionals with this “unconstitutional proposition”.

“The freedom party refused to give freedom of choice to the young doctors,” he said.

He added that the country could soon find itself with no more doctors as a result of the decree.

Born on the 28^th of April 1970 in Masvingo, Bishop Mupandasekwa in 2018 became the black first Catholic Bishop for Chinhoyi diocese. He succeeded Bishop Emeritus Dieter Scholz who was overseeing Chinhoyi at the time.

Bishop Mupandasekwa’s mother Roswita Madzima (deceased) was a housewife and a tailor. She died from breast cancer. His Father Fabian Mupandasekwa (now also deceased) was a police officer for many years. He died in 2002 from injuries sustained from a car accident.

He attended Chishawasha seminary in the early to mid 1990s and was eventually ordained priest by Archbishop Patrick Chakaipa in August 2001.

The Bishop becomes the first Catholic leader in recent memory to launch a direct attack on the Zimbabwean leaders since Father Pius Ncube had run-ins with Robert Mugabe in the early 2000s.

However, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC) has of late been making scathing commentaries as a bloc against the Government for alleged human right abuses and corruption.

A case in point is the scathing letter sent by the ZCBC accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime of abusing power in its crackdown on political activists, and of rampant corruption.

The letter reads:

“The crackdown on dissent is unprecedented. Is this the Zimbabwe we want? To have a different opinion does not mean to be an enemy. It is precisely from the contrast of opinions that the light comes. Our government automatically labels anyone thinking differently as an enemy of the country: that is an abuse …

“Suppression of people’s anger can only serve to deepen the crisis and take the nation into deeper crisis.”

The bishops said corruption in the country had reached alarming levels.

The letter, sent on 14 August, continues: “Government and civic society are agreed that corruption is [choking] the economy, and compromising our justice system. While there is this acknowledgement there hasn’t been equally a serious demonstration by government to rid the country of this scourge.”

The clergy said an urgent solution to the Zimbabwean crisis was needed.

The bishops have also thrown their weight behind the #Zimbabweanlivesmatter movement, which was trending on social media in August.

The government said at the time that it was offended by the letter, which it described as “inappropriately prescriptive and grossly disrespectful”.

Mnangagwa told his party’s politburo meeting: “It is most unfortunate when men of the cloth begin to use the pulpit to advance a nefarious agenda for detractors of our country.

Ziyambi Ziyambi, the Minister of Justice, said at the time: “Government is compelled to engage the Vatican to ascertain whether such statements reflect the official attitude of the Holy See towards Zimbabwe’s leadership or whether these are merely the views of the various individuals concerned.”

Effort to get a comment from both the ZCBC and the Government’s spokesperson George Charamba on Bishop Mupandasekwa’s remarks drew blanks.-online

By A Correspondent | The MDC Alliance Trio and others appear in court at the Harare Magistrates Court this morning over the case in which they are being tried for allegedly breaking lockdown rules on the 13th May 2020.

Those under trial are as follows:

Obey Sithole. (Youth Assembly President)
Netsai Marova (Deputy Organ)
Hon. Joana Mamombe.
Cecilia Chimbiri.
Stanley Manyenga (Harare Province, Chair)
Lovejoy Chitengu. (Organiser, Harare).

At the time of writing, Hon Joana Mamombe, who is currently incarcerated at Chikurubi Maximum Prison, was still to arrive at court.

The hearing commences at 9am.

By A Correspondent | A latest allegation was communicated on Sunday afternoon by a female whistleblower, a mother, that the arrested Murehwa man, Mr Tapiwa Makore’s wife, wanted to kidnap her child while both were traveling from South Africa, 11 months ago.

Mr Makore is the uncle who was arrested after his brother’s son, he shares the same name with, Tapiwa junior, was found decapitated, and other body parts missing last week.

The allegation was made by the mother, name withheld, during a discussion programme with Sis Melly on her Diaries.

This has raised suggestions that the suspect’s wife is an accomplice in other killings.

A comment from the accused could not be obtained at the time of broadcasting. This was a live discussion.

This article is released in pursuance to the country’s Child Protection laws.

A police SOS has since been raised.

ZimEye is making a follow up investigation with the police HQ.

https://youtu.be/HIFd9AA44iw

By A Correspondent- Zimasco is reportedly evicting some retirees from the houses it gave them as retirement packages.

The matter came to light during an investigation that was carried out by The Standard together with Humanitarian Information Facilitation Centre (HIFC).

The investigation claims that ZIMASCO which is under SinoSteel evicted the former employees forcing them to live in temporary structures near Boterekwa Mountain while some are reportedly staying in classrooms at nearby schools.

Narrating the unfortunate incident that has gave birth to a humanitarian crisis in the area, Fortune Ngwenya, who is the chairperson of the retrenched workers committee said:

When we were laid off, the company said part of our pensions would buy the houses that we were staying in. 

However, lately the company has turned around and they have started evicting us from those same houses. It is now four years since the deal was struck that the company was giving us the houses. It is totally unfair

I am one of the people who have been evicted and I know the pain going through many others. We feel we are being oppressed because we have no power. The company has power and support. But what they are doing is totally unfair and we call upon government to intervene and help us.

However, when ZIMASCO was contacted for comment, the company’s Spokesperson Clara Sadomba said the evictions were above board:

All dues to retrenched workers were completed in January 2018. There are no retrenched workers who deposited money for houses in Shurugwi. All evictions are being done after due process.

The retrenchments reportedly occurred after the 2016 High Court judgment that allowed companies to let go or retrench their workers/employees on a 3 months notice.-standard

A long-haul aircraft bought by Government from Malaysia to augment Air Zimbabwe’s fleet — the Boeing 767 — was delivered yesterday.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza received the 265-seater plane at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

This completes the delivery of both aircraft after the first one — the Boeing 777 — arrived in the country in January.

Minister Matiza said the acquisition of the long-haul plane indicated Government’s commitment to revive the country’s national airline.

“Now that the (Boeing) 767 is here as well, they all suit our strategy,” he said.

“For domestic market, we have an Embraer (ERJ50), which is fully functional; we have the 737, which also does domestic and regional.

“As we speak, the (Boeing) 737 is in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) operating on the regional route. So this is great for Air Zimbabwe . . .”

Mr Tonderayi Mukubvu of Grant Thornton, which is administering the transactions, said the acquisition of the planes was a progressive move.

“You would recall that the Government had committed to supporting the restructuring of Air Zimbabwe by giving them appropriate equipment, and these two pieces of equipment are now in the country,” he said.

“We are now putting efforts and plans together to try and ensure how we can optimally utilise these aircraft.

“We received an Embraer ERJ 50-seater aircraft in April 2019; this aircraft has since gone to South Africa for maintenance and major checks and we are getting it back end of October.”

Mr Mukubvu said Air Zimbabwe will soon be able to deploy the latest plane on domestic and regional routes.

“So we are anticipating, with these new additions, that operationally, Air Zimbabwe should start breaking even or making marginal profits,” he said.

“What is critical going forward, still under reconstruction, is for Government to now avail funds for us to be able to settle our creditors, both local and foreign, and those discussions are currently at an advanced stage.”

PUBLIC Service Minister Paul Mavima has summoned teachers’ unions to a meeting in Harare Monday afternoon as the impasse between government and educators continues.

Some teachers have refused to go back to work citing incapacitation.

The Zimbabwe National Teachers Union (ZINATU), one of the teachers’ unions has said it is not moved by threats of dismissal uttered by Primary and Secondary Education Minister Can Mathema who has said thousands of teachers are on standby to replace those who have refused to go back to work.

In a statement, ZINATU said its members will not return to work unless the government meets their demands and accused Mathema of causing anarchy and discord.

“We wish to start by thanking the listening, passionate, forthcoming, action-oriented, sympathetic, focused, and objective Hon Minister Professor Paul Mavima for the gesture he has extended to all teacher unions for a meeting with him tomorrow. He never at any point directed threats of dismissals on us when he was Education Minister.

“However, we wish to very sadly and regrettably point out to the good professor that his appeal that we go back to work as negotiations with unions are in progress is not sustainably actionable. Our reasons are very simple, the Hon Professor needs to be further briefed why we are at home. Teachers have declared incapacitation. Our children who should have gone to their boarding schools are still with us at home. Our own employer has incapacitated us,” said ZINATU chief executive Manuel Nyawo.

He said the $1 500 teachers received last week was paltry and hardly enough to buy four grocery items.

“So our incapacitation issue has not been attended to. To be able to go back to work, put us at par with our counterparts whom you awarded more than us in June and the money must be backdated to the same month.

“We will use this money to carry our belongings to our stations but subject to meeting other conditions as raised below,” said Nyawo.

He said teachers want a living wage that will enable them to fees for their children,

“Give us a living wage that will enable us to pay between $28 000 and $40 000 in boarding fees which have been approved by the Ministry. The approval we presume was premised on the general range of civil servants’ salaries, teachers included with the assumption that we are capable of raising these fees from our salaries and so the need for an upward adjust must not be a tall order.

“That alone should tell you that any figure below $40 000 as salary for teachers is just not enough and your colleague Minister Cain Mathema who is reckless with his mouth must attest to that,” added Nyawo.

Teachers want the government to pay them a Covid-19 allowance, particularly the USD$150 which was introduced a few months ago and has only appeared on payslips and never paid, address sector-specific allowances but not at the National Joint Negotiating Committee (NJNC) platform where not all teacher unions will be represented.

He said teachers are not prepared to wait for the NJNC processes which ordinarily take long for their issues to be addressed.

They want a memorandum of agreement with the government reflecting specific areas of concern and the payable date which should be this month.

“Be informed and rest assured that by copy of this communique our members shall peacefully stay at home until further notice and realistic payments are made into their accounts or alternatively sound agreements are signed. We as ZINATU are not fighting government but are not motivated to go to work.

“Our spirits are at their lowest ebb and we don’t deserve reckless and provocative words as came from Minister Mathema who seems to have a penchant for distaste for teachers. He should desist from breeding anarchy and discord. If he wants our respect, he should respect us too.

Paul Nyathi

Today is World Teachers Day which is met with gloom for Zimbabwean teachers who are on an industrial action.

Commemorations to mark the World Teachers’ Day, also known as International Teachers Day, are held every year on October 5 to honour teachers and recognise their contributions to education and development.

Many events are organised on this day to emphasise the importance of teachers and learning and to raise the profile and increase the awareness and understanding of the teaching profession and its importance.

The theme for World Teachers’ Day 2020 is ‘Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future’. As the Covid-19 pandemic affected the education process thus creating challenges for teachers across the world. It created a need to revisit the method of giving education.

UNESCO announced October 5 as World Teachers’ Day in 1994. The day is celebrated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) along with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Education International.

Hundreds of Zimbabwean teachers demanding better pay have stayed at home as schools reopened after six months of coronavirus restrictions.

Teachers “did not turn up for duty”, Raymond Majongwe, secretary general of one of the country’s largest unions, the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, told journalists recently.

Majongwe said teachers battle to “survive” and that they can’t even afford to send their own children to school.

Teachers’ salaries, he said, have been heavily eroded by inflation – which stands at over 700% – to an average equivalent of $40 a month, down from $550 in October 2018.

He said:

Forty dollars is an insult. Teachers have lost their ranking in society. It’s actually an insult to be a teacher. It’s a curse.

Paul Nyathi

Goverment has retained the Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day as a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

Zimbabwe first declared 21 February to be a public holiday called “Robert Mugabe National Youth Day” in 2017. The date of the holiday falls on Robert Mugabe’s birthday. Even though he is no longer in power, the current government has said that the holiday will still be held.

The day was confirmed as a holiday again next year by goverment.

The announcement was made by Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe in terms of the relevant legal statute in a Government Gazette published last Friday.

“It is hereby notified that the Minister has, in terms of section 2(1) of the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act (Chapter 10:21), declared that the days listed in the Schedule shall be public holidays in 2021,” reads the notice p

New Year’s Holiday will be on Friday January 1, 2021, while the National Youth Day will fall on a Sunday, February 21 2021, where the following day will be a public holiday.

Easter Holidays will run from April 2 to April 5.

Independence Day will be on Sunday April 18, which makes the following day a public holiday.

Workers Day will fall on a Saturday and Africa Day will be on a Tuesday May 25.

Heroes and Defence Forces Day will be commemorated on Monday August 9 and Tuesday 10th August 2021 respectively, while the National Unity Day will fall on Wednesday 22 December 2021.

Christmas Day will be celebrated on Saturday December 25 2021, while Boxing Day will fall the following day.

State Media

At least $118 million is being mobilised to transport inputs under the Climate-Proofed Presidential Inputs Programme, commonly known as Pfumvudza, from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots.

Government is meeting transport costs and distribution of inputs is expected to pick up in the next few days, as the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development is working tirelessly to ensure farmers receive inputs on time.

Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Douglas Karoro said last week that Government was going to meet the costs of transporting inputs under Pfumvudza.

“Inputs under Pfumvudza must be transported at Government’s cost to the beneficiaries,” he said.

“In the past one or two weeks, we had some challenges with the disbursement of funds from Treasury, but now the Ministry of Finance is working round the clock to make sure the money requested by GMB for that purpose is expeditiously released,” he said.

“GMB requested for $118 million to transport the inputs from its depots to the wards where farmers are. I am pleading with farmers to bear with us for the next few days as Government is working on ensuring they get inputs in time.”

Some reports show that other local leaders in some areas had begun mobilising funds to transport the inputs.

Zimbabwe National Farmers Union (ZNFU) vice president Mr Edward Dune said there was nothing wrong with farmers mobilising resources if they could afford, rather than wait for Government.

All extension workers are expected to establish demonstration plots which will be used as centres of excellence where farmers will be trained on the principles and tenets of conservation agriculture.

The programme received a major boost in terms of extension services through enhanced mobility for the agricultural extension officers, with the support of 5 000 motor cycles from President Mnangagwa.

Over three million farmers have so far been trained on the Pfumvudza farming concept, with the majority of them being women.

The Programme is targeting 1,8 million households, with a target of 1,8 million tonnes of cereal and 360 000 tonnes of oil seed.

A 73-year-old Mbare woman was burnt to death on Saturday night after her house caught fire in unclear circumstances.

The incident occurred around 8pm at house number 17 Ruredzo Makoni Street in Mbare and furniture and electrical gadgets worth thousands of dollars were destroyed.

Some rooms had the roof damaged.

The cause of the fire was still not known and investigations are still in progress.

The elderly woman was identified as Mrs Oripa Mukumbi and her body was taken to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital mortuary.

In an interview yesterday, Mrs Mukumbi’s son, Mr Godfrey Mukumbi, said the cause of the fire was still to be established.

“I am not sure about the cause of fire since I was not around, but from what we gathered, the fire started in the room she was sleeping in,” he said.

“Some neighbours and family members teamed up and managed to extinguish the fire. They also managed to take some items outside the house. But most of the property was burnt.”

Mrs Makumbi’s body was discovered at the door, indicating she was attempting to leave the room when she died.

Mr Mukumbi said the fire brigade and the police arrived a few minutes later and they helped putting out the fire.

Mrs Mukumbi is survived by four children and 20 grandchildren.

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority has announced new fuel prices.

New fuel prices announced with some relief for motorists
And on the large it is down except for the USD price for petrol.

Diesel is down to $4.51 & 4 cents in ZWL and USD respectfully. The new price is ZWL81.85 and USD1.

For diesel the drop is 31 cents in ZWL but and increase of 2cents in USD. The new prices are ZWL97.62 and USD1.20.

Fuel prices effective 05/10/20@ZBCNewsonline @HeraldZimbabwe @SodaZhemu @mazeti1 @official_MOEPD @ChronicleZim @InfoMinZW @StarfmZimbabwe @ManicaPostZim @DailyNewsZim @newsdayzimbabwe @263Chat @FingazLive pic.twitter.com/Hmswwj3xX8

— ZERA (@zeraenergy) October 4, 2020

State Media

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) which is investigating cases in many local authorities across the country is finalising dockets that could lead to arrest of senior officials at the Bulawayo City Council over alleged graft.

Recently, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works sent a probe team to Bulawayo to investigate corruption allegations, including the unprocedural allocation of stands to councillors and senior council officials. Countrywide.

In an interview in Gweru last week, the Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo said there is an urgent need to curb corruption in urban councils to improve service delivery.

“In all the urban councils across the country, we have serious land scam issues and I have sent teams all over for further investigations and bring to book those found on the wrong side of the law,” he said.

“You know, in some of these urban councils, councillors and staff and I emphasise, councillors and staff, end up taking land, which was open land and they start having stands and if they have the stands, the allocation system becomes skewed towards themselves, family and their party. We think some of the land scams was for fundraising for their political party rather than doing correct things for the benefit of the residents.” The urban councils have been accused of turning open spaces into housing or commercial stands without following laid down procedures.

“So, in terms of the law, you cannot change an open space into housing units or stands without the minister signing, so it’s very easy to check and we have checked like in Harare and we will check in other cities,” he said.

“In Harare, I think we have more than 20 open spaces which were made residential or commercial stands without going through the normal channels. After unearthing that, we then gave names, the evidence, processes and violations of the law which were given to law enforcement agencies including Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc).”

In Gweru, Zacc is investigating irregular land sales involving councillors and management.

Sources at Town House have revealed that investigators have already requested several documents from city management amid indications that some officials and councillors might have corruptly benefited from land sales and would be brought to account.

Sources said Zacc investigators have also requested the list of all Gweru councillors who served in the last term and details of land sales involving them.

Bulawayo Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube was in the eye of a storm recently after a proposed allocation of a stand to him ahead of the renewal of his employment contract.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Mr Zvinechimwe Churu said:

“The focus of the investigation is not just on Bulawayo but all urban local authorities. The ministry would like to ascertain if councillors and senior officials are adhering to the law and good governance in this area.

We have undertaken this exercise after developments that have taken place in Harare and would like to assure ourselves and Government that such practices are not nationwide.”

Sources close to the investigations revealed the probe team was particularly interested in the town clerk’s land offer and councillors’ and officials’ purchase of land.

The anti-graft team is also interested in the allocation of a plot in Rangemore to the mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni and an application by the mayor to construct duplex flats on stand number 19789 Bulawayo Township, which was eventually turned down by councillors.

In an interview, Zacc spokesperson, Mr John Makamure said:

“We are doing thorough investigations in Bulawayo, which is why our team is still there, over two weeks on, our aim is that we have an airtight docket that will lead to convictions hence we are gathering the necessary documentation and evidence relating to the BCC issue.

“We are working hard to weed out all corruption within our local authorities, as it is, we have reports in Bulawayo, Harare, Kwekwe and Gweru to mention but a few, where we are gathering the necessary evidence for us to effect the arrests.”

State Media

Investigations into the sale last year of 24 hectares of Mount Pleasant Golf Club by Harare City Council to a private developer for almost $27 million with the cash allocated to clearing the salaries backlog are underway.

Among the allegations being investigated are that the then chairperson of council’s Finance Committee, Highfield Councillor Luckson Mukunguma, and a senior municipal official shared US$90 000 “facilitation fees.”

In August last year, Clr Mukunguma in his capacity as Finance Committee chairperson, allegedly worked out a plan with officials to sell part of the golf club and approached a local realtor Segimel Investment (Pvt) Limited to look for buyers.

Mr Farai Rwodzi, who had just sold his Zim Alloys company, expressed interest in buying the land through his company, Hard Spec Investment. He agreed to pay $26 923 340 and payment was made in three tranches of $5 million, $20 million and $1 923 340 in January and February this year.

It is at this point that the investigations are centring on allegations of underhand dealings. It is alleged that Clr Mukunguma asked for a US$100 000 facilitation fee and then officials from Segimel Investment inflated this to US$200 000. This would have been worth around $1,6 million at the time.

The allegations continue that Clr Mukunguma was paid US$90 000 in cash, in the presence of a senior official to whom he gave US$20 000. But the rest of the fee was never paid council to speed up the deal.

Clr Mukunguma confirmed yesterday that the land was sold, but denies any personal benefit and said he was not involved in the sale nor was he in contact with the estate agents. The senior of the officials involved said he had no dealings whatsoever with the estate agents.

Giving details of the transaction, a source said: “Rwodzi was given an offer letter for the 24 hectares which were going for $26 923 340. The land was supposedly sold for recreational purposes. However, Mr Rwodzi failed to settle the full amount, at that time on September 6, 2019, the rate was 1:8,” said the source.

According to a receipt paid at Harare City Council, Mr Rwodzi, only made payment this year starting with a deposit of $5 million on January 7 this year. The money was transferred from Zim Alloys trade Banc ABC account.

Subsequent payment of $20 million and $1 923 340 were made on February 18 from Hard Spec Investment’s Banc ABC account, by then the exchange rate had increased by more than 100 percent.

The same source said Mr Rwodzi then declined to pay the rest of the facilitation fee. He allegedly claimed to have paid out a total of US$150 000 in fees.

Asked about the transaction and his relationship with Segimel Investment, Clr Mukunguma said he did not remember the company that facilitated the sale of the land, but confirmed that part of Mt Pleasant Golf Course was sold to clear the city council salary arrears backlog.

“This has been said for a long time. As a councillor I can only oversee such deals. I will never be involved,” he said.

“This information is coming because of the fights within the council. It really doesn’t make any sense. I have never been involved in any such dealings.

“We sold the land because we had no money and we wanted to raise money for salaries. We know selling of assets is not proper, but we had to clear the backlog, I don’t even know the person called Rwodzi.”

A number of land deals involving the council, individual councillors and officials are in progress. These involve creation and sale of stands on land that has been rezoned without going through the formal process, serious queue jumping on the waiting list, and complex deals that see councillors or officials pay off from the profits made by private developers.

One set of allegations involves land being sold in local currency and the buyer then reselling in foreign currency, making the profit from the rapid fall in the exchange rate until stability returned mid-year through the auction system.

Paul Nyathi

Antiriot police had to be called in to disperse thousands of ZANU PF members who clashed with each other at the party’s primary elections in Kwekwe.

Violence broke out at the party’ district offices in Kwekwe following demonstrations against corruption and bribery allegations leveled against the election presiding team led by one Rtd Col Dr Kahuni and party’ provincial vice chairperson, Robert Nyathi according to The Midlands News.

Several vehicles parked inside the district HQ yard were damaged during the disturbances with one unnamed police officer and several party supporters reportedly injured.

The demonstration ensued soon after the Kwekwe Central Constituency structures rejected the use of ZEC’ voters roll in Sunday’ party primary elections with many accusing National Commissar, Victor Matemedanda and the election presiding team of corruption after he ordered the use of 2018 elections voters roll which many say favoured Kandros Mugabe the party’ 2018 losing Kwekwe Central parliamentary candidate.

Party supporters were demanding the use of cell registers only, while Rtd Col Kahuni and his presiding team refused to badge to the demands leading to the demonstration.

Police were seen firing live rounds and throwing tear-gas canisters at demonstrators before they were overpowered by angry party supporters.

Matemedanda directed the party leadership throughout the country where by elections are scheduled to use the 2018 elections voters roll to avoid busing in of voters , much to the dismay of party supporters.

“We are aware that the temptation to bus in people from outside the constituency is a high possibility and we are keen and committed to ensuring that the primary by-election reflects the will of the people”, read the memo.

According to reports from Kwekwe many party members claimed that they were not in the voters roll despite having voted in Kwekwe Central Constituency in the 2018 elections.

This is the first time that ZanuPF has used ZEC’ voters roll during its primary elections.

ZanuPF provincial chairperson, Engineer Daniel Mckenzie Ncube admitted that the election could not take off after the party was forced to abandon the process due to a number of challenges chief among them the sharmbolic 2018 elections voters roll.

“I can confirm that we have called off the Kwekwe primary election until further notice.

“The election faced a lot of challenges and one of them was the use of 2018 elections voters roll. It came to our attention that a lot of party members who voted in 2018, were found not to be on the same voters roll. The same was with party cell registers and this forced us to cancel the election”, said Ncube.

26 year old Energy Ncube popularly known as Dalla was contesting against 47 year old Mugabe a church Bishop.

The Kwekwe Central Constituency was left vacant following the death of NPF party sponsored MP, Masango ‘Blackman’ Matambanadzo who died this year of suspected food poisoning.

Source: Midlands News

Paul Nyathi

The late Zimbabwe National Army Brigadier-General, Ruphus Chigudu, will be buried this Monday at the National Heroes Acre, with President Mnangagwa presiding over the event.

Attendance by the public will be limited owing to Covid-19 health regulations.

Brig-Gen Chigudu died on September 24 at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals aged 64 and was declared a national hero last Thursday.

In an interview with the State Media over the weekend, Secretary for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Aaron Nhepera said all the preparatory work for the burial was complete.

“Today we have been doing final touches such as finalising the programme. I can assure you that we are through with all the necessary preparations for the burial of our departed national hero. He will be buried on Monday morning,” said Mr Nhepera.

The funeral would follow the usual programme where the body will leave Charles Gumbo Barracks (formerly One Commando Barracks) around 7am and will be taken to Stodart Hall in Mbare for body viewing.

“From Stodart Hall, the body will proceed to the national shrine for the main event where he will be buried. Like what we have earlier on said, there will be limited attendance because of Covid-19 regulations,” said Nhepera.

State Media

Zimbabweans and South Africans who had failed to leave either country at the onset of the Covid-19 lockdown are with immediate effect allowed to travel to their countries without going through their embassies.

But the borders are still closed to general travellers in line with Zimbabwe’s lockdown protocols.

Though South Africa re-opened 18 borders to international travel on Thursday, including Beitbridge, Zimbabwe still remains in lockdown.

The assistant regional immigration officer-in-charge of Beitbridge Border Post, Mr Nqobile Ncube said in a memorandum to various stakeholders that the movement of people within borders had been revised to accommodate returning residents.

“With South Africa no longer on lockdown, the requirement for South African nationals in Zimbabwe to seek clearance from the Embassy of South Africa in Harare falls away,” he said.

“With immediate effect, all South African nationals seeking to exit should be allowed out without hindrances. The same applies to holders of South African permanent resident permits and valid time-restricted permits.”

Mr Ncube said Zimbabweans in South Africa no longer need to seek clearance with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in the neighbouring country.

He said they may return to Zimbabwe under the new set-up and that they shall be allowed passage to the country subject to relevant Covid-19 compliances as administered by the Port Health.

Mr Ncube said the facility also covers those with permanent residents permits in Zimbabwe.

“With the repealing of the lockdown restrictions in South Africa, the implication is that Zimbabwean nationals no longer need DIRCO clearance to leave South Africa,” said Mr Ncube.

“This should be read in tandem with the current Covid-19 restrictions which provide for re-entry for Zimbabwean nationals returning home.

“Team leaders should ensure that all personnel get a copy of this memo and implement as such. Members are also reminded that we are still under lockdown and only those indicated categories should be allowed movement.”

Prior to the latest development, the commercial cargo, diplomats on government business and remains for burial were allowed passage across the borders.

Those South Africans or Zimbabweans wishing to return to their homes had to be cleared by their embassies and the host Government respectively.

They were also subject to mandatory Covid-19 screening and quarantining at various centres upon arrival.

A total of 9 331 Zimbabweans returned to the country from Eswatini, South Africa and Lesotho via Beitbridge border post between April and September.