Luke-king the Beast in the Eye
By Luke Tamborinyoka| As Zimbabwe stands on the cusp of crucial by-elections and a watershed plebiscite in 2023, it is important that media reforms be implemented as part of a comprehensive reform package that must equally ensure the public media conform to the cardinal Constitutional obligation for impartiality and presentation of divergent views.
The ZBC and the Zimpapers group form part of the country’s public media that are funded by the taxpayer and have a higher obligation to comply with the Constitution and to prudently and impartially serve the diverse spectrum of Zimbabweans. Historically, the public media have operated as an extension of Zanu PF, dismally failing to give equal coverage to other political parties, a development that has become patently illegal with the advent of the new Constitution in May 2013.
Yet notwithstanding the new Constitution’s explicit provisions demanding that the public media be impartial, flight divergent views and grant equal coverage to all parties contesting in elections, the ZBC and Zimpapers have continued to behave as if the supreme charter of the of the land did not even exist. Only recently, the public media willingly became Zanu PF’s propaganda megaphone by invading the privacy of Harare West MP Joannah Mamombe all in a vain hatchet job to lie to the world that she and her two colleagues had not been abducted.
For purposes of this instalment, it is pertinent to state that in July 2019, the High Court handed down a landmark judgement that pronounced that Zimbabwe’s public media were biased in favor of ZANU PF in the July 2018 elections and should strive to ensure that they comply with the Constitutional obligation that exhorts them to be impartial and to present divergent views.
It is trite to point out that in every election, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and the Zimbabwe Newspapers parrot the ZANU PF voice, even though they are required by the Constitution to be impartial as they are funded by the taxpayer.
Zimpapers and the ZBC are are by the far the largest media concerns in the country, owning several newspapers and broadcasting stations between them. The two media houses are publicly-owned and they have an obligation to reflect the diversity of the very public that owns them by being impartial so as to ensure that Zimbabweans make informed choices, especially during elections.
At the centre of the demands by the MDC and Zimbabweans in general ahead of the next elections is the strident call for the implementation of a comprehensive reform agenda, including media reforms. Media reform must ensure that the public media do not embed themselves with ZANU PF but that they comply with the Constitution to truly become impartial and reflect the diversity of the very Zimbabweans who fund them and who they ought to prudently serve.
The advent of a new Constitution in 2013, made and affirmed by the people in a referendum, came with clear and explicit provisions that exhorted the public media to conform to the cardinal obligation to impartiality and presentation of divergent views. While the Constitution is clear, the public media have fallen far short when it comes to compliance.
The High Court last year ordered the public media to stick to the sacred strictures of Constitutionalism. In a landmark ruling, High Court judge Justice Joseph Mafusire ruled that Zimpapers and the Zimbabwe Newspapers had failed their Constitutional obligation for impartiality and presentation of divergent views in the election of 2018.
In fact there was nothing landmark about that judgment. Justice Mafusire was simply restating what is in the Constitution when he ordered the public media to exercise impartiality and independence in the editorial content of their broadcasts and other communication. He said the public media should ensure that their communication do not show bias in favour of one political party and its candidates against the others.
Mafusire’s judgement reflects the simple demand of the MDC since 2013; that the public media must remove themselves from the firm clutches of ZANU PF and must conform to the letter and spirit of Constitutionalism.
Even the region, SADC, had given the same order at its summit in Maputo on 15 June 2013 that Zimbabwe must not rush into an election until a conducive environment had been created in the country. The summit unambiguously urged the implementation of reforms, including media reforms, as a prerequisite for the 2013 plebiscite to be held credibly. However, ZANU PF had contrived the much-vaunted Mawarire case to stampede the nation into a rushed election without the institution of the requisite reforms.
At the centre of any truly free and fair election is a neutral and impartial public media that presents all the divergent political views to enable the electorate to make informed choices. However, in Zimbabwe, the public media have thrown best international practice out of the window and have embarrassingly been mere propaganda wings of ZANU PF—in flagrant and brazen violation of the supreme law of the land.
The Constitutional stipulations for impartiality
The Zimbabwe Constitution (2013) is clear that the public media ie. Zimpapers and the ZBC, must be impartial and must present divergent views. The ZBC is the country’s biggest broadcaster with a television channel and several radio stations. ZImpapers is the biggest print media house with two daily newspapers and several weekly titles, including provincial newspapers, as well as a radio station. Zimpapers are also among the frontrunners for a TV license if current indications are anything to go by.
Section 61 of the Constitution makes it clear that all broadcasting and other electronic media of communication have to be independent of control by government or any political or commercial interests. Section 61 (4) (b) and (c) of the Constitution are explicit that publicly-owned media of communication, such as the ZBC and Zimpapers, must be impartial and must present divergent views.
However, despite these clear and explicit provisions, the ZBC and Zimpapers have parroted the ZANU PF voice ad nauseam , ad infinitum , as if the sacred law of the land did not even exist. It is pertinent to point out that the 2018 election, to which Justice Mafusire’s judgment makes reference, was held under the so-called new dispensation that has tried to mislead Zimbabweans and the world that government has now adopted a new culture. In fact the regime has publicly committed itself to implementing a basket of reforms but current indications are that there are better chances of the Pope getting pregnant than anything like that happening.
Added to the provisions under section 61 is yet another provision under section 155 (2) (d) that specifically urges the State to:
provide all political parties and candidates contesting an election or participating in a referendum with fair and equal access to electronic and print media .
Thus, the behaviour and deportment of Zimpapers and the ZBC is steeped in clear, explicit and unambiguous Constitutional provisions. What we have seen over the years is a nauseating Zanufication of public media houses funded by the taxpayer, despite clear provisions that they must be fair, impartial and must present divergent views.
Justice Mafusire’s ruling has simply echoed these cardinal provisions and going forward, there has to be robust political pressure to ensure compliance with the exhortations of the sacred charter of the land. Any half-hearted, scarfed attempt will not wash.
That is the sole reason why the MDC is now urging peaceful but robust political pressure to ensure the full implementation of a comprehensive reform package that, among other things, ensures strict compliance with the supreme law of the land.
The dictates of regional and international protocols
Zimbabwe is a member of the United Nations, the African Union and SADC. This makes the country a party to protocols such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Windhoek Declaration, the African Charter on Broadcasting and the SADC Protocol on Culture, Information and Sport. These declarations and protocols require that member States and public institutions respect human rights; especially freedom of expression, impartiality and reflection of divergent views.
The protocols also call for member States to create an enabling environment for media freedom, impartiality, pluralism and diversity. More importantly, most of the above protocols and declarations set minimum standards for the transformation of State broadcasters into genuine public service broadcasters (PSBs) that are protected against partiality and political interference and whose programming serve not the State but the public interest in its diversified sense. In this respect, the Mass Media Trust used to own all Zimpapers titles on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe. But the MMT was unprocedurally disbanded so that government could have direct, unfettered control to achieve partisan ends.
It is important to state that there is a world of difference between a State broadcaster and a public service broadcaster. A State broadcaster is owned and controlled by the State while a public broadcaster is owned and controlled by the tax-paying public. And the ZBC and Zimpapers are public-owned and not State – owned media houses. Or at least they are supposed to be.
In other countries such as South Africa, the board and senior management of a public broadcaster are employed through a public process that involves Parliament while in Zimbabwe, the State has taken over what in essence should be public as opposed to State institutions, in this case Zimpapers and the ZBC.
The MDC’s tenuous experience with the public media
The MDC’s experience with the public media has been grueling and tortuous. The public media, ie the ZBC and Zimpapers, have overtly and brazenly supported ZANU PF while excoriating and denigrating other political parties, even after the advent of a new Constitution in 2013 with its clear and explicit provisions urging them to be impartial and to present divergent views.
For example, in its survey of the 2018 elections, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network revealed that 91 percent of the stories in the public media gave positive coverage to ZANU PF, 9 percent of the coverage was neutral while negative coverage of Zanu PF was zero. Of the stories that covered the MDC, 89 percent were negative, 11 percent represented neutral coverage while positive coverage of the MDC stood at zero percent.
This represents unadulterated and embarrassing partiality.
During the 2013 election, some of the MDC’s paid adverts were never flighted for no apparent reason. We engaged in running arguments with the ZBC after the adverts we had developed and submitted to the ZBC through our advertising agency were never flighted. Even though we had paid, they were not flighted and to date, the court case we filed against the ZBC has not been heard!
In some cases, the adverts we wanted flighted on specific days were delayed by several days. I was to learn through my moles at ZBC that the adverts were first submitted to a ZANU PF team then led by Jonathan Moyo to enable them to first develop counter-adverts before our own electronic adverts could be flighted. When they were eventually flighted, the ZBC would then immediately flight a counter Zanu PF advert admonishing the content in our advert , even in instances where our advert was appearing on radio or television for the very first time.
On 5 July 2013, the ZBC covered live ZANU PF’s election campaign launch at Gwanzura stadium in Highfield, Harare. On 6 July 2013, in my capacity as the presidential spokesperson of the MDC and in the spirit of fair and equal coverage, I wrote to the ZBC requesting the same live coverage for our party’s election campaign launch at Rudhaka stadium in Marondera. The ZBC turned down the request before later agreeing to grant us live coverage provided we paid US$165 000, even though ZANU PF’s campaign launch had been covered for free.
We refused to pay. And we did not receive the live coverage, in blatant violation of the Constitution that calls for fair and equal coverage to all contesting parties and candidates.
Ironically, in its verdict after the 2013 polls, the African Union Election Observer Mission (AUEOM) report curiously deemed the poll free, fair and credible even after it had made the following damning assessment in its report:
The AUEM’s emphasis was on the function of the public broadcaster which has a central role in elections in terms of the AU Charter (2007) , to provide a platform for airing political messages or news coverage emanating from all political contestants .
Further , the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides fair opportunity for the presentation of divergent political views and opinions . In this regard , the AUEM noted that the national broadcaster tended to provide live and in-depth coverage largely to a single political party , Zanu PF .
Surprisingly, even after making this poignant observation of partisanship about the country’s sole broadcaster, the African Union still branded the 2013 polls as having been free, fair and credible.
The public media’s bias has been a long-drawn story even in previous elections. Ahead of the next plebiscite, the public media have to be stampeded into abiding by the supreme law of the land, whatever it may take. After all, one of our key five fights is defending the Constitution and Constitutionalism.
In 2018, even after the advent of a new Constitution with its explicit provisions calling for impartiality, the ZBC and Zimpapers operated simply as ZANU PF megaphones.
The MDC Alliance and President Nelson Chamisa were given scant coverage, if any at all while all prime time viewing on ZBC and acres of space in the Zimpapers titles were accorded to Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF.
This must stop now.
The public media’s embededness in ZANU PF
Not only did the ZBC and Zimpapers give more than ample coverage to ZANU PF and the ZBC. We even had the embarrassing situation in 2018 where journalists in these stables submitted their CVs expressing their wish to contest as candidates in Zanu PF primary elections against the ethics of journalism.
Journalists Tendai Munengwa and Andrew Neshamba both of the ZBC and Garikai Mazara of The Sunday Mail submitted their CVs and ran as candidates in Zanu PF primary elections. How could practising journalist claim neutrality in cases where they seek to run as candidates of political parties?
Once you decide to join a political party, you must leave this sacred profession, as I did on 28 October 2005 when I left my Chief News Editor’s role with The Daily _News_to join the MDC. That is what ethical and self-respecting journalists do.
The Way forward
The way forward is that we will be doing all it takes to ensure the public media complies with the Constitution. When we served as MDC spokespersons, Fortune Daniel Molokele and I moved around various media houses, including the ZBC, where we engaged them on a host of issues, including the unambiguous Constitutional dictates for impartiality and presentation of divergent views. They pretended to listen, but it was clear that compliance would take more than meetings and sermons.
The public media must simply serve the public in its diversity, without fear or favor. They must not only provide fair and equal coverage but must ensure the expression of divergent views.
Twelve years ago, even before the advent of a new Constitution, the Media Institute of Southern Africa-Zimbabwe chapter exhorted our public media to present divergent views in line with international best practice:
Zimbabwe is a country with many voices and these must be allowed to express themselves as part of a holistic nation-building project that does not hold one view as better than the rest . The basic principle of election coverage or political reporting is that all contesting parties and candidates must be given equal opportunities to spell out their programmes to the electorate . In line with this principle , we recommend that in the coverage of plebiscites , the ZBC must give reasonable and equal opportunities to all political parties contesting the elections (MISA 2007:7).
Indeed, this is as it should be.
Conclusion
We are on the brink of a decisive moment in Zimbabwe. The citizens shall be taking robust practical steps to clamour for their rights.
Indeed, we shall be peacefully and constitutionally instituting various methods of political pressure to encourage the addressing of a host of issues, including a comprehensive reform agenda in the country.
We want genuine reforms, not a half-hearted scarfed attempt to hoodwink Zimbabweans and the international community. No to these feeble attempts to manicure and pedicure repressive laws in the name of reform.
They lied to the world that they were reforming POSA but the Maintenance of Public Order Act has turned out to be just but another POSA in a scarf!
Scarfed reforms will not wash. They are now claiming to be repealing AIPPA but the successor Bills are just as repressive, if not worse. As the late Eddison Zvobgo would say, the proposed legislation is bristling with arrows aimed at the very heart of freedom.
And as we have always done, we are about to lose an opportunity to usher in multiple voices in the media if the charade at the TV licences hearings is anything to go by. The usual suspects will definitely get the licences. Sameness is not diversity. Like POLAD, it’s turning out to be all about surrogates, about acolytes. Supa Mandiwanzira, Zimpapers and others closely linked to Zanu PF are likely to be granted TV licenses. It does not help matters that it is the same characters who were given community radio licenses. The only difference is the addition of those in the so-called private press who now appear to have sold out their hearts and soul to the regime!
Talk about the POLAD-isation of the country’s media terrain!
However , the pith of this instalment is that the ZBC and Zimpapers are compelling cases for Constitutional compliance and comprehensive reform.
And yet there used to be great men of the pen in the public media, great journalists such as Geoff Nyarota and the late Willie Dzawanda Musarurwa who understood that the true remit of the public media was to tell truth to power.
In one of his stinging editorials, Musarurwa wrote in a Sunday Mail editorial:
” A psychophantic press , which showers government leaders with undeserved and worshipful adulation , is as good as Judas Iscariot . It eventually betrays those that it flatters and lulls them into a stupor of complacence and a false sense of infallibility .”
Rest in peace, gallant warrior of the pen!
In the meantime, we shall do all we can, including engaging in robust political pressure, to ensure comprehensive reforms are implemented ahead of the next election and that the public media strictly comply with the letter and spirit of the dictates of the supreme law of the land.
We owe it to ourselves and to future generations!
Luke Tamborinyoka is the Deputy Secretary for Presidential Affairs in the MDC Alliance led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa . He is a multiple award-winning journalist who was once elected and served as the secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists . Tamborinyoka also served as spokesperson for almost 10 years to the country’s democracy icon , Morgan Tsvangirai , until the latter’s death in 2018 . He is an ardent political scientist who won the Book Prize for Best Student when he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Political Science at the University of Zimbabwe . You can interact with him on Facebook or on the twitter handle @ luke-tambo .
Zanu PF has called for reparations from Western countries that enslaved and looted resources from Africa years ago.
The party make the call at a time when goverment is also under pressure from Gukurahundi Victims and survivors for a similar reparation from it.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing in Harare yesterday, Zanu PF acting Secretary for Information and Publicity Patrick Chinamasa said the party is lending its weight to the clarion call.
Chinamasa said that the party bemoans the fact that Africa’s development history since the 15th century is one of slavery in three distinct physical forms namely Captive, Colonial and Neo Colonial slavery.
Untold atrocities committed during the era of the Atlantic African Slave Trade, he said are part of a long chain of human suffering that Zanu PF would not want to be forgotten or just washed away.
Millions of Africans, Chinamasa said, were killed in the slave raids, millions died on the long march to the slave ports and millions perished in the voyage from Africa to the respective destinations
“These deeply embedded issues from history refuse to and will not go away from modern consciousness,”.
He added that the brutalities that occurred before the creation of modern African Independent states and which accompanied the process of conquest, pacification and the establishment of effective administrations of colonial occupation were experienced by citizens of African modern states
The subjugation experienced by citizens of these states, he said carry and reproduce collective memories of the painful past.
“As everybody knows the attainment of independence and total sovereignty by each such new state, state formation and constitution was invariably a forced rather than a negotiated matter. In the case of Zimbabwe Independence and restoration of basic human rights were attained after a 16 year of protracted armed struggle. In other words, there were massive violations of human and people’s rights committed during the ear of conquest and the establishment of colonial rule which turned out not to be a civilising mission at all but another form of slavery,” said Chinamasa.
In the case of Kenya, he said brutalities were committed by the British Colonial Administration against Kenyan population during the Mau Mau insurrection.
“No apology or reparations were paid to the Kenyans,” he said.
In Zimbabwe, Chinamasa said, the modern parallel to the slave raids is the orchestrated social media onslaught against the country.
“Zanu PF, is lending its revolutionary support to recent efforts at dialogue. The Namibians and Germans are talking about acts of genocide committed on the Herero and Nama people of Namibia and which arose in the first decade of the 20th century.
“The Democratic Republic of Congo together with the Burundians are talking to the Belgians about issues of human barbarity that occurred in King Leopold, so called Congo Free State and the colonisation of Burundi and Rwanda and their balkanization along ethnic lines”.
Chinamasa added that as a consequence of seeking to redress the brutalities that occurred in colonisation of Zimbabwe accompanied by dispossession of land and brutal confiscation of livestock by colonialists the country has suffered 20 years of naked bullying, economic isolation and a severe sanctions regime by the former colonial powers now acting in concert as economic and political powers in support of what they allege are the rights of 4 500 former white farmers.
“….there will come a time that you will have to pay, but as of now we are going to make sure that as citizens we impose our own sanctions..”
By A Correspondent | The company at the center of several kidnappings, Impala Car Rental, was yesterday slapped with local community sanctions.
Impala, which has a long history of abductions in which over 10 vehicles are listed with the Zimbabwe Republic Police for kidnappings, recently got the Zimbabwe National Students Union leader Taku Ngadziore arrested as punishment for asking for the details of its client who hired the vehicle that participated in the abduction and torture of journalism student, Tawanda Muchehiwa earlier in July.
The abduction was captured on CCTV.
To date, the company has commented saying it cannot release the data because the client file was handed over to the police.
But there is a standing High Court order instructing that the company must release the said identity details. This development has cast doubt on the company’s sincerity and its commitment to social and legal responsibilities.
Yesterday, the company was slapped with sanctions as citizens comprising mainly young students declared as follows (video):
We are in charge.
You Impala you are in the business of abducting people and disobeying Court orders.
And we are here to send a message, the people you are abducted, such as Tawanda Muchehiwa, they are someone’s brother, they are someone’s sister.
So we are here to make a statement that you got him locked up so in that case we have also locked you up.
We are also in charge and we are giving you an ultimatum, if you continue coming here and enabling abductions in Zimbabwe, we are also making sure that you also stop operating.
So we are giving you an ultimatum. Number one- you should go and withdraw the charges against Takudzwa Ngadziore.
Number Two, you must obey the High Court Order and release the information of the people you are abducting, citizens of Zimbabwe, young people of Zimbabwe.
Today we have locked it, we in charge of the keys.
You locked Takudzwa Ngadziore in prison, we have also locked you inside there.
We as students, we are going to the schools and shut them down all, then they will have to release our commander now. If they don’t do that we are going to shut down all colleges and all universities.
The abductions are a crime against humanity, you may think you are clever but it happened in Rwanda, even in Germany. You the people who are in enabling, there will come a time that you will have to pay, but as of now we are going to make sure that as citizens we impose our own sanctions.
Here are the keys.
We have the keys the Impala, we are in charge.
The below is an open letter, that has remained unchallenged 3 months later, proving that contrary to denials by the judicial services commission, on the Job Sikhala Verdict involving Justice Erica Ndewere, Chief Justice Luke Malaba truly wants to control High Court judgements.
It was written and signed by all the judges of the High Court 22nd July 2020.
DIRECTIVE ON HANDING DOWN AND DISTRIBUTION OF
JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS
1 Reference is made to the Memorandum from the Hon Chief Justice dated 16 July 2020, and the subsequent amendment dated 17 July 2020.
2 The Memorandum gives directives on the procedure to be followed by Judges of the High Court and the Labour Court in the handing down of judgments or orders in certain situations. The substance of the directive is that a judgment that has been handed down cannot afterwards be withdrawn for any reason and that once issued it must be accessible to both the parties and members of the public
3 All the Judges of the High Court identity and agree with the substance of the Memorandum. In fact, it was a subject about which they had been previously consulted arid had aired their own views, including on the issue of to !earpore judgments, addressed in Paragraph 2 (vii) of the Memorandum. In their input, the Judges had expressed their strong support for those positions. This was then communicated to the Hon Chief Justice_
4 However, when the directive was issued in the form of the above Memorandum. It contained completely new issues in Paragraph 2 (iv) and (v) to the effect that.
• before a judgment or an order of the High Court or Labour Court is issued or handed down, it should be ‘seen and approved’ by the head of court or division, and that
• Judges should forthwith desist from the practice of issuing orders with the undertaking to give reasons later, the only exception being in relation to orders on points in & nine.
5 The subsequent amendment removed the word “approved in Paragraph 2 (iv) to
read.
‘Before a judgment or an order of the High Court Of Labour Court is issued or handed down, it should be seen by the head of court /docb,on.’
6 Quite apart from the impracticality of the directive that the head of court or the heads of divisions should ‘see’ every judgment or order before they are handed down (presumably including those made in motion court proceedings, or in bail applications), Judges of the High Court, at all the stations, wish to bring it to the attention of the Hon Chief Justice that. Paragraph 2 (iv) and (v) of the directive, even as amended, is highly objectionable and completely unacceptable for a number of reasons, not least.
• by some administrative fiat, it ;s effectively sought to impugn and seriously undermine the independence of a Judge who, in terms of the Constitution, is appointed as an individual to exercise, without fear or favour, such of the functions as are reposed by law;
• in the exercise of his or her judicial functions, such as making decisions and handing them down, a Judge does not operate under any other Judge or person or body.
• the directive to have the head of court or division ‘see’ a judgment or order before they are handed down lacks precision as to what this means practically, and what the ‘seer’ ought to do after ‘seeing’_
Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) coronavirus situation report as of 15 October 2020:
Guardian
A campaign focusing on the detention of 22-year-old Takudzwa Ngadziore, who has been held for 30 days in a remand prison, is gaining momentum in Zimbabwe, putting pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to release the student.
Ngadziore, president of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (Zinasu), was arrested and jailed last month for protesting outside a car hire company, Impala Car Rental. The company has been under pressure from campaigners to release details of the alleged use of one of their vehicles in the suspected abduction of another student activist, Tawanda Muchehiwa.
Muchehiwa was snatched in July by suspected state agents in Bulawayo and was tortured for three days. His abduction appeared to have been caught on CCTV.
The hashtags #freetaku and #FreeTakudzwaNgadziore are attracting wide international attention, as supporters call for his release.
The arrest of Ngadziore is the latest in a series of actions against opposition figures in Zimbabwe. Fadzayi Mahere, from the opposition electoral bloc Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance, is among the prominent politicians to demand his release.
“Takudzwa Ngadziore is still languishing in prison. He is innocent. Demanding justice and accountability for the abduction is not a crime. We demand his immediate release #FreeTaku,” Mahere wrote on Twitter.
Prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, jailed for 45 days at Chikurubi prison on allegations of inciting violence in July, said Ngadziore was a prisoner of conscience.
Chin’ono had published documents raising concerns that powerful individuals in Zimbabwe were profiting from multimillion-dollar deals for essential supplies to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
On Wednesday he called on the international community to add their voice in demanding Ngadziore’s release.
“The world should not forget this young man, a student leader who is a political prisoner of conscience in Mnangagwa’s jail,” Chin’ono, a respected documentary maker, wrote on Twitter.
Ngadziore’s bail hearing has been postponed repeatedly and Zimbabweans expressed their outrage on social media when images of the activist in prison clothing were published.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, a pressure group, also urged authorities to release Ngadziore, while MDC Alliance politician David Coltart said his imprisonment was illegal.
“The ongoing incarceration of student leader Ngadziore is illegal and vindictive. His ‘crime’ was to protest against the crime against humanity committed by the regime,” Coltart wrote on Twitter.
Ngadziore was first arrested in February this year for organising a protest to free activist Makomborero Haruzivishe. In September, as he left court at the start of his trial, he was suddenly re-arrested by armed police and charged with participating in a public gathering.
He was held for four days then released, on order not to go within 100m of Impala Car Rentals offices.
After addressing a press conference on 18 September, 101m outside the car hire company, Ngadziore was allegedly assaulted by unknown assailants in unmarked cars and before being taken away by police.
Zimbabwe has witnessed a sharp rise in human rights violations, with opposition activists arrested, imprisoned and abducted.
In July, the police arrested Booker prize shortlisted author Tsitsi Dangarembga for engaging in a one-woman protest, among other activists.
Opponents say Mnangagwa is exploiting Covid-19 restrictions to stifle dissent.
The below is an open letter, that has remained unchallenged 3 months later, proving that contrary to denials by the judicial services commission, on the Job Sikhala Verdict involving Justice Erica Ndewere, Chief Justice Luke Malaba truly wants to control High Court judgements.
It was written and signed by all the judges of the High Court 22nd July 2020.
DIRECTIVE ON HANDING DOWN AND DISTRIBUTION OF
JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS
1 Reference is made to the Memorandum from the Hon Chief Justice dated 16 July 2020, and the subsequent amendment dated 17 July 2020.
2 The Memorandum gives directives on the procedure to be followed by Judges of the High Court and the Labour Court in the handing down of judgments or orders in certain situations. The substance of the directive is that a judgment that has been handed down cannot afterwards be withdrawn for any reason and that once issued it must be accessible to both the parties and members of the public
3 All the Judges of the High Court identity and agree with the substance of the Memorandum. In fact, it was a subject about which they had been previously consulted arid had aired their own views, including on the issue of to !earpore judgments, addressed in Paragraph 2 (vii) of the Memorandum. In their input, the Judges had expressed their strong support for those positions. This was then communicated to the Hon Chief Justice_
4 However, when the directive was issued in the form of the above Memorandum. It contained completely new issues in Paragraph 2 (iv) and (v) to the effect that.
• before a judgment or an order of the High Court or Labour Court is issued or handed down, it should be ‘seen and approved’ by the head of court or division, and that
• Judges should forthwith desist from the practice of issuing orders with the undertaking to give reasons later, the only exception being in relation to orders on points in & nine.
5 The subsequent amendment removed the word “approved in Paragraph 2 (iv) to
read.
‘Before a judgment or an order of the High Court Of Labour Court is issued or handed down, it should be seen by the head of court /docb,on.’
6 Quite apart from the impracticality of the directive that the head of court or the heads of divisions should ‘see’ every judgment or order before they are handed down (presumably including those made in motion court proceedings, or in bail applications), Judges of the High Court, at all the stations, wish to bring it to the attention of the Hon Chief Justice that. Paragraph 2 (iv) and (v) of the directive, even as amended, is highly objectionable and completely unacceptable for a number of reasons, not least.
• by some administrative fiat, it ;s effectively sought to impugn and seriously undermine the independence of a Judge who, in terms of the Constitution, is appointed as an individual to exercise, without fear or favour, such of the functions as are reposed by law;
• in the exercise of his or her judicial functions, such as making decisions and handing them down, a Judge does not operate under any other Judge or person or body.
• the directive to have the head of court or division ‘see’ a judgment or order before they are handed down lacks precision as to what this means practically, and what the ‘seer’ ought to do after ‘seeing’_
Tell us about the money for Kunzvi Dam works donated in 1990 which works were supposed to be finished by 1996. Has another Supreme Court ruling pushed back the MDC party's existence to 1990 when the Kunzvi Dam works money disappeared Nick?
— Simba Chikanza (@schikanza) October 16, 2020
…..
President Mnangagwa yesterday swore-in members of five commissions, two of which are tribunals to investigate allegations of impropriety against three members of the Zimbabwe Land Commission and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).
In some of these appointments he has appointed people with police and military backgrounds as commissioners, this is coming at the time the country’s security forces have been accused of brutality and various human rights abuses.
Angeline Guvamombe, the former Officer Commanding ZRP Support Unit, notoriously referred to as the Black Boots & known for violent policing methods which contravene human rights has been appointed to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at State House and was witnessed by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi and other senior Government officials.
Three commissions whose members took oaths of office are the Zimbabwe Media Commission, the Civil Service Commission and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.
Professor Ruby Magosvongwe, who will chair the Zimbabwe Media Commission, was the first to take her oath of office followed by the other commissioners — Ms Dumisani Mashingaidze, Mrs Susan Makore, Ms Miriam Tose Majome, Major Edward Mbewe (Retired), Mr Tanaka Muganyi, Dr Phillip Pasirayi, Mr Jasper Maposa and Mr Aleck Ncube.
Prof Magosvongwe holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the University of Cape Town.
She is also a holder of a Graduate Certificate in Education, BA General and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ).
She is currently the director of information and public relations at UZ.
Ms Mashingaidze, a lawyer by profession, holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Women’s Law, all from UZ.
Mr Muganyi and Ms Majome also hold law degrees, among other qualifications.
Mrs Makore, the group chief executive for AB Communications, holds a Master of Arts degree in Media and Cultural Studies from the University of Natal, a Bachelor of Arts Degree (UZ) and a post graduate Diploma in Media and Communications Studies (UZ), among others.
Mr Maphosa is a lecturer at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU), who holds a Master of Science degree in Media and Society Studies and a BSc Media and Society Studies Honours degree.
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Major Mbewe (Retired) holds a Master of Science degree in Development Studies, BA degree in English and Communications among others while Dr Pasirayi holds a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) Degree in International Development from the University of Oxford (UK) and a Master of Law (LLM) in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from the University of Lancaster (UK).
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In an interview, Prof Magosvongwe said the commission would work to reduce polarisation in the media industry.
“My desire is that we promote greater cohesion and peace in our country through the media because there has been so much polarisation in the press,” she said.
She added that there was need to promote in the media all 16 official languages as provided for in the Constitution to reduce marginalisation of some communities.
Members of the ZHRC that were sworn-in are Commissioners Angeline Guvamombe, Dorothy Moyo, Beauty Kajese, Owen Dziva and Brian Penduka.
Speaking on behalf of the commissioners, Mrs Guvamombe said they would do their work diligently as provided for by the Constitution.
The new deputy chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, Dr Nomathemba Ndiweni Masuku, also took her oath of office.
She said she was honoured to be appointed to the position.
“It’s a very heavy appointment but I will do my best to step and serve the nation. The CSC is looking particularly at Government capacitation of the human resources and that we don’t have a wasteful civil service but rather we have appropriate appointments at the appropriate level and doing the right job,” Dr Ndiweni-Masuku said.
She also said promoting gender parity in the civil service was a critical task she would work on achieving.
Retired Justice Maphios Cheda was appointed chairperson of the tribunal to investigate the deputy chairperson of the Zimbabwe Land Commission, Mr Tadious Muzoroza and commissioner Jeanette Marrie Manjengwa.
Muzoroza and Manjengwa are accused of allegedly co-authoring and uploading onto the World Bank Conference website, an abstract which painted a negative picture of the country’s land reform programme in respect of the land tenure and allocation of land to women, youths and farm workers.
It is alleged the abstract made reference to the Zimbabwe Land Commission’s National Comprehensive Land Audit Phase One Report.
The other members of the tribunal are Telecel Zimbabwe chief executive Ms Angeline Vere and Gweru lawyer Mr Godfrey Mutseyekwa.
Retired High Court Judge Justice Nicholas Ndou, who will chair the tribunal to investigate allegations of misconduct against ZACC commissioner Frank Muchengwa, also tookhis oath of office.
University of Zimbabwe law lecturer Dr Tarisai Mutangi and lawyer Ms Clara Mapota are the other members of the tribunal who were also sworn-in.
By Jane Mlambo| Mbizo legislator Settlement Chikwinya has announced that SI225 of 2020 which nullified by-elections until the COVID-19 is over has been declared unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
Health and child care minister Constantino Chiwenga recently enacted Statutory Instrument 225 of 2020 effectively banning the impending by-elections to replace recalled MDC Alliance legislators.
Below is Honourable Chikwinya’s full message:
“The speaker of Parliament has just announced that SI 225A/2020 has been deemed unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee. This is critical in that the SI is immediately struck off and had no force or effect. This means that ZEC remains challenges to set out dates for By Elections as per dictates of the Constitution. The cases challenging this SI which are now before the courts now have more than a bright chance to succeed if ever the gvt still wants to oppose which I do not see how.”
By Farai D Hove | President Nelson Chamisa on Friday dropped a bombshell on his counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa who has been abusing citizens since the 2018 elections.
Having used the security forces against citizens and killing over 25 people since 1 Aug 2018, Mnangagwa has continued to utilize the state aparratus to intimidate civilians. Mnangagwa has also continued to blame the opposition for causing the economy to fail, at the time however when his military crackdown against civilians has cost the nation billions of US dollars. The 1 Aug shootings alone cost the country 16 billion US dollars according to figures at the Finance Ministry presented before the Motlanthe Commission in 2018.
Last week the state security minister Owen Ncube rose up to issue a statement accusing the opposition of trying to push back the country to the 2018 polls, saying the economy is being held back by the MDC Alliance, which albeit has less than a third of seats in parliament.
Writing early morning, President Chamisa said Mnangagwa will lose the war to citizens. He said:
“The incumbent’s illegitimacy is confirmed by the excessive use of force & coercion against citizens, ” he said.
He continued warning that, “faith in brute force often mislead unpopular rulers to mistakenly rely on guns, imprisonment,teargas and terror to subjugate & muzzle citizens. Ultimately,citizens will always win! “
By Dorrothy Moyo | A picture of the MDC renegade Douglas Mwonzora aparrently falling off a raised hut, has broken the internet. The undated pic which has gone viral, has Mr Mwonzora struggling to get to the ground after entering the enclosure. – WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS GOING ON HERE? PIC BELOW
By Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo | Edgar Lungu, the current Zambian President contested the 2015 by-election after campaigning for only two weeks and managed to beat his arch-rival Hakainde Hichilema with a margin of about 100, 530 votes.
Hichilema, a six-time losing presidential candidate had over 90 days to campaign whilst Lungu’s ruling party was embroiled in intense factional wars to replace the late Michael Sata, the fifth Zambian president who died at the age of 77.
Lungu had little resources but he applied a well-knit strategy and won with 50.35% of the total votes against Hichilema’s 47.63%. These by-elections in Zambia were a wake-up call for Hichilema who used to draw prodigious crowds to his rallies. Hichilema was tipped to win the elections owing to his popularity. Sadly, he woke up to a rude shock as the Election Commission of Zambia announced Lungu the winner.
Hakainde Hichilema would spend most of his time on social media instead of being visible on the ground. Over reliance on social media is proving costly for many African presidential aspirants who have potential to win the presidency.
Politicians need to have a great appeal to the people and know them well, understand their needs and interests so that they can win their hearts and votes with little or no money.
What opposition leaders need to understand is that grassroots politics and strategy are critical to assume presidency in any given context.
The late Morgan Tsvangirai used to pull phenomenal crowds. In 2013 he pulled an extraordinarily huge crowd at Robert Square on the eve of the election day. Regrettably he lost that election. At his wife’s funeral in Buhera, more than 100 000 people thronged the Humanikwa village to pay their last condolences. Everywhere Tsvangirai went, he drew gigantic crowds. With all these bumper crowds, Tsvangirai failed to get to the state house.
I have since warned opposition politicians against spending much time on social media in one of my many articles. My advice is free to both ZANU PF and MDC.
I find it a bit intriguing that opposition leaders spend much of their time on Twitter. Zanu PF is busy with Pfumvudza program in rural areas and rural folks who participate in that program will vote for Zanu PF come 2023. It is a fact that the opposition controls urban stake. It is a fact that many people are tired of Zanu pf. It is a fact that Zanu PF has failed to live up to its promise. It is a fact that Zanu pf has run down the country. But what is worrying at the moment is the failure by the opposition to take advantage of the current economic mess to offer tangible solution to the despondent nation. What is even more worrying is the failure by the opposition to introduce its own “Pfumvudza” to the urban denizens.
In my next article I will shed more light on the Pfumvudza concept and the chemistry behind it. Nevertheless, my advice to the opposition is; don’t criticize Pfumvudza but come up with something that can outsmart Pfumvudza and put in place urban and rural policies. The fact is Pfumvudza is roaring in rural areas and Zanu PF is taking advantage of this program to drum up support ahead of elections 2023.
Zanu PF will not afford to lose elections consecutively
The struggle needs schemers. Look at how Zanu pf invests in spin doctors and other social media guerillas well known as Varakashi. Zanu pf would rather starve the nation and underpay civils servants to just invest in projects that will help them retain power. It is the opportune time for opposition to consider investing in schemers that will help them with counter strategies to navigate the cumbersome political terrains.
When Chamisa took over as MDC president in 2018, many people especially the youths rallied behind him. He gave the people a reason to hope again. The MDC Alliance was supposed to grab the opportunity to translate their popularity into power. Sadly the party plunged into ugly factional wars that are threatening to totally decimate the party.
What I want to warn the opposition is that you can’t be crybabies in politics. Be strategic and organize yourselves. Go back to the drawing board and come up with rejuvenating message to tell your supporters. This “Tinosvika Chete” slogan is now tired, people have waited more than enough and they now need action. Time is moving, people need action and tangible things. Deploy strategy in key areas of governance.
I repeat, Zanu PF does not lose elections consecutively. Every step and process in politics requires strategic intelligence. Look at the Malawians experience, they were well positioned, and they had plan A and B, and this worked well for them and today Chakwera is at State House. He managed to infiltrate state apparatus. Wy can’t the opposition in Zimbabwe do the same?
Opposition should be ahead of the game. You need to outfox Varakashi and put in place programs that appeal to the electorate more than Zanu pf’s Pfumvudza. ZANU PF is not finished yet, it is working hard on the ground and mobilizing as many people as possible. Remember they are targeting 5 million voters in 2023. It may seem laughable but they are making inroads.
Whilst it is important for Nelson Chamisa as the MDC Alliance President to maintain the face of opposition politics, some of his luitenants are not doing the best for him by contradicting themselves on social media regarding party positions. You must keep cards close to your chest.
Last but not least, Zanu PF supporters in rural areas vote overwhelmingly. Yes, there is intimidation but there is need for opposition to thoroughly conduct civic education to counter some old Zanu pf tactics. In urban areas, you find youths playing golf or cricket on the voting day. You need to mobilize these youths with enlivening message so that they understand the importance of their vote.
Rigging is countered with strategic intelligence
You must be ahead of your political nemesis. Plan ahead
Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo is the Head of Zimbabwe Institute of Strategic Thinking – ZIST and he can be contacted at [email protected]
By A Correspondent| A Harare elderly woman was told to sell her posh flat in the Harare CBD having been forced to purchase in its place, one of the controversial preacher Walter Magaya’s scheme properties, a fake mansion.
ZimEye today exclusively explores how the self proclaimed prophet forced the vulnerable elder, who is a pensioner, to trade off her residence for a non existent mansion.
To force through his sale, Magaya had shown her a place where he announced he is building new flats, in Wonderland Estates (after Westgate along Lomagundi road).
This is a scheme first exposed by ZimEye three years ago.
ZimEye remains dedicated to expose more of Magaya’s frauds, to give victims a voice so they can recover their money’s.
At one point Magaya had already taken the woman to a fake property “saying this is yours.” She would discover 3 years later that it was all fake and the whole piece of land is actually owned by some Chinese businesspersons.
At one time during court hearings, the elder’s lawyer tried to obtain restitution from an unfinished property at the estate, only to be told that the so called MAGAYA estate has since been sold off to some undisclosed Chinese businessmen, as the complainant narrates.
“My client was concerned saying she might be killed by MAGAYA’s people. According to her MAGAYA kills those who exposes him,” the lawyer tells ZimEye.
He continues saying, “all along she was scared if the matter being published… If he kills me let him kill me.
“It was MAGAYA who persuaded her saying you can actually sell this flat and invest in this bigger thing,” he tells ZimEye.
Magaya had shown her 20 houses.
Magaya’s defence was the elderly had paid USD 70,000 and he says this was a deposit, she is supposed to pay USD 140,000 so she must pay him USD70,000 and he will refund her USD70,000 in bond note value.
A writ of execution has since been obtained to attach Magaya’s property.
This case will be exclusively explored today 16th October 2020.
Paul Nyathi
THE profligate President Emmerson Mnangagwa administration is spending millions of dollars per month on double salaries and allowances for senior officials in the Ministry of Health and Child Care despite a clean-up operation promised by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga. Chiwenga also oversees the operations of the health sector.
Investigations by the Zimbabwe Independent show that directors who were sent on forced leave to pave way for corruption investigations over three months ago are still receiving their full salaries, while at the same time those who were elevated to act in their positions are enjoying similar perks.
Chiwenga has been superintending over the extensive restructuring process since last month when he was appointed Health minister after Obadiah Moyo was sacked from the position on July 7, at a time Zimbabwe is battling to contain the novel coronavirus.
Moyo’s sacking from cabinet arose from allegations that he unprocedurally awarded a shadowy company called Drax International a US$60 million contract for the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the fight against Covid-19. Mnangagwa’s sons, Emmerson Jr and Collins were linked to the multi-million-dollar scandal through Drax International local representative Delish Nguwaya.
In the wake of the scandal, now commonly referred to as Draxgate, seven senior officials at national drug supplier, NatPharm, were fired.
The ongoing costly restructuring initiative, which is meant to “achieve greater efficiency as envisaged in the National Health Strategy”, has so far seen 27 directors and deputy directors placed on indefinite paid leave, as Chiwenga reshuffles the scandal-ridden portfolio. Most of the staffers put on paid leave served during Moyo’s tenure.
Source: Zimbabwe Independent
@TembaMliswa complains why women dumped Khupe on 2018. "The Hon @DrThoko_Khupe stood as a presidential candidate, how many women voted for her, yet we have 55% of people on the voters roll voting… ? " pic.twitter.com/gOkbpJFElj
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 16, 2020
All public schools must conduct online lessons, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema said yesterday, and warned teachers who are using learners to force the authorities to acquiesce to their wage demands.
After his presentation on the role of education in nation building and development at the Zimbabwe National Defence University, Minister Mathema said he was pursuing commercialisation of practical subjects in schools.
He said this was part of fostering economic self-sustenance.
“Once you have online learning, it means the child has to be assisted at home,” said Minister Mathema.
“I cannot accept that public schools at this moment do not have online learning facilities, there is absolutely no reason at all. Each school has enough land for commercial activity.”
Minister Mathema said Government was aware of reported delinquent behaviour at schools, reports of which are being circulated on social media, and implored elders in society to counsel children.
He said it was not the role of schools alone to bring up children.
“I am personally expecting the parents, guardians, religious leaders, community leaders, to assist these children,” said Minister Mathema.
“Each child belongs to Zimbabwe.
“I know that there have been on social media, immoral videos that have been circulating,” he said.
“I do not understand an adult taking videos of children doing wrong things.
“I know some people are saying the children have fallen pregnant. The schools opened less than four weeks ago. Did they fall pregnant at home or at school? That is why I say the issue of discipline should start at home.”
If there were cases of sexual activity under the legal age of consent, then criminal action could be taken, he said.
Minister Mathema said teachers who have labour issues should follow procedures with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and stop using children as pawns for personal gains.
“I know there are some teachers who said they are going on strike,” he said. “That is a labour issue. They know the channels. They should go to Minister (Paul) Mavima. Teachers who are using children to try and force Government to acquiesce to their demands are being cruel.
“Do they have children at heart? Do they love children? Why are they using children? We will not accept a situation where other people want to deliberately distort the environment for their own ends.”
Before he made his presentation at ZNDU, the institution’s Vice Chancellor Air Vice Marshal Dr Michael Moyo, introduced Minister Mathema to students and mentioned that he is a veteran of the liberation struggle who trained together with the late liberation war stalwart General Solomon Mujuru.
In his presentation, Minister Mathema centred on the involvement of schools in the country’s quest of attaining an upper middle income society by 2030.
He said Government now wanted a two-pronged approach aimed at profit-making and academic excellence, saying the immediate challenge was to ensure that profits from projects at schools pay examination fees of learners by next year.
Paul Nyathi
A recent Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) dossier reveals that Health Deputy minister John Mangwiro potentially violated public procurement procedures by directing the NatPharm acting general manager and the adjudicating committee to award an undeserving entity Young Health Care a US$6 million contract to procure Covid-19 consumables.
Members of the adjudicating team that arbitrated in favour of Young Health Care comprise of the newly elevated staff. The contract, through which the country could have been prejudiced US$2 million, has since been re-tendered.
In an interview Mangwiro denied any wrongdoing and advised journalists to get answers from ZACC.
He said: “Handiti Zacc ndiyo irikutitonga? Handina kana chandinombotaura neveZacc ivava. Ngavarambe vachikupayi news muchinzwa kuti ndakaita seyi.” (Is it not Zacc which is judging us? Zacc must continue giving you news so that you know what I’m supposed to have done in this matter).
Independent
ZIMBABWE’s businesses this week applied fresh pressure on government to end profligacy, saying unchecked extravagancy in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration had thrown the country into a catastrophic debt trap.
In a frank paper in which the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) slammed government for agreeing to pay “very high” compensation to former white commercial farmers kicked out of their land in 2000, industry said authorities must invoke laws to punish overspending bureaucrats while forcing them to account to parliament.
The ZNCC said applying laws and policies to check government borrowing would help stop the mayhem that has crippled the fiscas.
ZNCC fired the broadside at government for failing to abide by standing policies, while giving transgressors headroom to push the economy down the swamps.
The ZNCC’s strongly-worded paper added to three weeks of showdowns over poor debt management by government, which has been accused of borrowing to find executive expenditures at the expense of growth stimulating capital projects.
The country’s foreign debt was estimated at US$10,6 billion last year, when government undertook to apply breaks on borrowing in order to contain a relentless inflationary surge and money supply growth.
But last week, the administration slipped into the eye of a raging storm again, after Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe statistics showed it had incurred US$2,23 billion in fresh debt between July 2019 and July 2020.
The central bank’s July economic review said net foreign liabilities had shot to ZW$366,35 billion in July this year, from ZW$23,28 billion in July 2019.
“No debt should ever be procured without the involvement of the parliament of Zimbabwe,” the ZNCC said in its submissions to the 2021 budget.
“The legislature must be held accountable for the stock of debt in the economy with regular market updates on debt being promoted exactly the same way updates on money supply,” said the paper.
The ZNCC said it was worried that a string of debts accumulated by Zimbabwe’s mostly insolvent State firms could be unaccounted for in publicly declared figures.
It said coming clean on debts like these would give a clear picture of the extent of government’s exposure.
The debt issue has been complicated by the fact that parastatals took many years to release financial results with little or no sanction from authorities.
“We believe government has guaranteed a lot of debts on a number of loss making parastatals and an urgent audit is required to ascertain the potential exposure of government. As long as some release their financials more than 24 months post financial period, the attempt to deal with debt remains futile. The Treasury needs to explicitly state the up to date figures for external and internal debt as of the month the budget is presented not December 2019 figures,” the ZNCC said.
Parliament last week threatened to take unspecified action against Finance minister Mthuli Ncube for delaying to update legislators about the debt situation.
The Public Debt Management Act compels the Finance minister to submit regular updates on debt dynamics to parliament.
Parliament’s misgivings were ignited by findings of a report released by the African Forum for Debt and Development, which slammed government for violating its own laws.
Publication of the debt is crucial to enhance accountability and transparency in public financial administration.
Afrodad’s report showed that until March, no debt bulletin had been produced by the public debt management office.
“The minister is not coming, so the question is what is it that we now need to do?” asked Felix Mhona, chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget and Economic Development who spoke during a conference in Bulawayo.
“We are not sticking to some of the dictates of the Constitution. When we go back to parliament, we want to take the executive to account. It is no longer a talk show. I assure you as parliament that going forward, this (report by Afrodad) is a dashboard to say honourable minister, you are not bringing the reports to the house and we are sanctioning you,” he said.
The ZNCC said it was worried about the RBZ’s debt.
“The country cannot support the central bank debt which is paid with interest. We appreciate that the Global Compensation Agreement is a constitutional issue but believe that this is not a priority at the moment.
“The ministry should rather engage experts for the restructuring of the compensation agreement rather and not on raising the finance because the country has committed to a high figure. The US$3,5 billion compensation translates to payments of US$875 000 per farmer,” the ZNCC said.
POLICE have picked up a traditional healer for questioning over the missing head of the seven-year-old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore, suspected to have been murdered for ritual purposes.
Body parts taken in a ritual murder which occurred at Makore Village under Chief Mangwende, would have to be processed in particular ways, the superstitious believe, so that they bring good fortune and riches.
Police started hunting for the traditional healer they believed was implicated in this killing soon after they arrested the two men they suspect were the actual killers. Only a torso and legs were recovered from the dismembered body, but the head is still missing.
In their investigations, police recovered the head of another child, a 12-year-old, in the same village, but think it may have been exhumed from a grave.
Although the police did not disclose the name of the traditional healer, they confirmed he was being questioned.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police have established that they had been given a lot of misleading information on the death of the boy and people were hiding crucial information.
“We have realised that some people are not telling the truth and they are hiding crucial information. But we will surely get to the bottom of the matter and the truth will come out,” said Asst-Comm Nyathi.
Tapiwa was allegedly murdered for ritual purposes by his uncle Tapiwa Makore (Senior) who used his own domestic worker, Tafadzwa Shamba (40). The boy was kidnapped in the family garden in the village.
Shamba, a herdsman, and the boy’s uncle have since been arrested and taken to court facing murder charges.
They now await trial while in remand prison. They were remanded in custody to October 26 in absentia yesterday, as they are still assisting police with investigations.
Meanwhile, police have taken the head of a 12-year-old child recently found in the same village for forensic analysis.
There has been no report of another missing child in that age group, creating room for suspicion that the head could have been exhumed from a grave.
“The other head found in Makore village is now subject to forensic analysis. So far no report of a missing person falling in that category has been received by the police. We are still investigating that matter,” said Asst-Comm Nyathi.
During investigations, Shamba recently told detectives he killed the boy by cutting off the head with a knife in the dead of the night, while the boy’s uncle was holding a torch.
Shamba said after the alleged murder, he carried a black plastic bag containing the head and the dismembered body while his employer, who is the boy’s uncle, carried another bag containing the arms and legs.
He led the team of detectives to the uncle’s homestead where he said he fed the boy, drugged him with kachasu and locked him up in a room for hours.
Shamba said he met the boy’s uncle around midnight and took the boy to a nearby mountain, where they allegedly killed him.
“Around midnight, we opened the door and I carried the boy, who was still in deep slumber to a mountain in the village. Mr Makore carried the knives and the plastic bags. While here (in the mountain), I pressed the boy to the ground and cut off his head with a sharp knife, while his uncle was holding a torch for lighting.
“I also cut off the hands and legs, but we packed the parts in different plastic bags. I carried the one with the torso and the head while Mr Makore carried another one containing the legs and hands,” he said.
At the scene, investigators saw human waste, believed to have been excreted by the boy during the murder.
Shamba told detectives that he cleaned the scene of the blood and set the grass on fire to destroy evidence.
He said while walking back to Makore’s homestead, he felt the load was becoming heavier before dumping the torso near Mr Summer Murwira’s homestead.
While at Makore’s homestead, Shamba said he was instructed to put the head in one of the rooms, which he did.
The following day, Shamba said he dumped the arms and legs at a nearby grave as police investigations were intensifying. -Herald
State Media
President Mnangagwa will deliver his annual State of the Nation Address next Thursday when he opens the Third Session of the Ninth Parliament and sets the Government’s legislative agenda for the coming session.
The President combined the two presentations last year as well. During that presentation opposition MDC Alliance o legislatures walked out on Mnangagwa.
The opposition party has declared that it does not recognise Mnangagwa as the legitimate President of the country.
What waits to be seen this year is how the MPs will behave with Thokozani Khupe in charge.
This was said by Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, yesterday in the Chamber.
Adv Mudenda said the official opening of the Third Session of the Ninth Parliament was consistent with Section 140 of the Constitution, which relates to Presidential addresses and messages to Parliament.
“The President may at any time address either House of Parliament or a joint sitting of both Houses,” reads the Constitution.
“At least once a year the President must address a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on the state of the nation, and the Speaker and the President of the Senate must make the necessary arrangements for Parliament to receive such an address.”
Adv Mudenda said the President will deliver an address of a virtual joint sitting of both the National Assembly and Senate. There are a number of Bills that are still outstanding that Parliament will deal with in the coming session.
The Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill, which has sailed through the National Assembly, must now be considered by the Senate.
The Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill, the Financial Adjustment Bill, the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (Number 1) Bill, the Marriages Bill, the Constitutional Court Amendment Bill, the Pension and Provident Funds Bill, the Manpower Planning and Development Bill, and the Centre for Education, Innovation, Research and Development Bill are in various stages of becoming law.
Some of the Bills are meant to align statute law with the Constitution or bring into effect the necessary political and legal reforms that the Second Republic has set out to achieve.
There is also the much-awaited Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, which initially went through Parliament, but President Mnangagwa withheld his assent and referred it to the House so that it could address concerns that he felt were not consistent with the Constitution.
Meanwhile, the MDC-T leader, Dr Thokozani Khupe was nominated as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, taking over from Ms Thabitha Khumalo, who was recalled.
This was announced in the National Assembly by Adv Mudenda.
Dr Khupe, together with 14 other legislators who sit in proportional representation seats, where a party nomination rather than a by-election suffices, were sworn-in last week to fill in vacancies that arose following the recall of MDC-T legislators.
Today is World Food Day, and the United Nations has released the following short statement.
The below article after some fact checking, has since been revised to measure that Rhodesia was ranked the world’s fastest growing crop economy in 1975, on all combined produces. (The previous phrase that was used, later challenged) alleges the country became the bread basket of Africa.)
ZIMBABWE THEN AND NOW: A CAUTIONARY TALE
THEN……….
Dr. Mick Gammon, a senior official in the erstwhile Rhodesian Department of Agriculture, wrote the following in the magazine The Rhosarian (October 2009):
“The first white hunters, traders and missionaries who in the 19th century came to the region which was to become Rhodesia and subsequently Zimbabwe, found a land devoid of infrastructure. The wheel was not yet in use. Early travellers recorded travelling often for days without seeing any human habitation. Commercial farming started in the 1890’s on what was for the most part virgin land. There were no roads or railways, there was no electricity or telephone, there were no fences, boreholes, pumps, windmills, dams or irrigation schemes; there were no cattle dips, barns or other farm buildings.
These first commercial farmers had to discover how to contend with predators that killed their livestock plus other animals that consumed their crops and how to control diseases, pests and parasites of livestock and crops that were foreign to them. From this starting point, agriculture developed faster than anywhere else in the world.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Year Book of 1975 ranked the then Rhodesia second in the world in terms of yields of maize, wheat, soya beans and ground nuts, and third for cotton. In the combined ranking for all these crops, Rhodesia ranked first (that is, fastest growing) in the world.
Rhodesia’s Virginia tobacco was rated the best in the world in yield and quality, while maize entries in world championships were consistently placed in the first three slots. The world’s largest single citrus producer was developed early in the country’s history.
Rhodesia was the world’s second largest exporter of flue-cured tobacco. This together with exports of maize, soya beans, cotton, sugar, coffee, tea, fruit, vegetables, flowers and beef made agriculture the major source of foreign currency. Agriculture contributed more to the gross domestic product than any other industry. It was the largest employer of labour, providing employment for about a third of the total labour force.”
AND NOW!
The story of the destruction of Zimbabwe basically started with the tsunami of African independence as Europe abandoned its African colonies in a post Second World war haste to pacify the new nationalisms sweeping the continent. India took the lead and many were not far behind. Colonial financial and other responsibilities were unsustainable and it was at the same time easy to wash one’s hands of pesky African demands, bring down the flag and beat a hasty retreat. But Southern Africa’s substantial white populations were harder nuts to crack. A flourishing Rhodesia stood its ground through a self-declared independence and a vicious civil war where the Mugabe’s and the Nkomo’s terror triumphed with the help of a West whose prime goal was to get out as fast as they could. Where are the Harold Wilsons now? Mrs Thatcher’s Rhodesian legacy preceded a British-assisted ANC government in South Africa. And where are the British parliamentarians, churchmen and London street protestors whose efforts brought Robert Gabriel Mugabe to power?
Do they now avert their eyes at a Zimbabwean 90% unemployment rate? Are they actively helping to alleviate the hunger and poverty that their protégé Robert Mugabe’s destruction of the country’s commercial agriculture caused? Do they write to the Times about the appalling condition of the country’s hospitals and judiciary? Are they content that ideology trumped a functioning state and food on the table for all? In reality they really didn’t care who took over Rhodesia. What a strange political ideal – third world destruction preferable to first world prosperity! And the millions of Zimbabwean blacks thrown to the wolves? We don’t hear much about them in Westminster’s hallowed halls.
CATHY BUCKLE
Cathy Buckle is a Zimbabwean who writes about her country. Her whimsical style and her clear love for Zimbabwe’s natural beauty is tempered by the terrible reality that is Robert Mugabe’s political Zimbabwe. Her books will remain forever a testament to Perfidious Albion and its forsaking of a wonderful land and people, the erstwhile bread basket of Africa.
Arriving back in Zimbabwe from a trip overseas, she says “going from the first world to the third world is a trip of mixed emotions, culture shocks and confusing adjustments”. On landing, “rules go out the window: queues, waiting for hours, every bag checked, scrutinized by tax collectors for anything that may yield a dollar or two”.
“Once through with the formalities, you head for the toilet where you find a door with no lock, only one of three hand basins has water, the soap dispenser doesn’t work and neither does the hand dryer”. After weeks away nothing has changed: “electricity is unlikely, water is rare but politicians are too busy to care as they scramble for positions in a silent succession war”.
“We come back to a country where it’s not unusual to see four or five people on a motorbike” she says, “and where adults and children alike bathe, fish and swim in puddles on the sides of the road.” We are back into the “system”, she declares. “Police roadblocks every ten kilometres, no water for days at a time, generators roaring in the towns and the whole nation laying its wares out on the pavements, trying to survive unemployment. Public officials don’t greet you, look at you or thank you when you go to their offices to do business. Chewing gum, talking to their colleagues or on their cell phones, they scroll up and down Facebook pages while you stand in front of them.”
The Minister of Local Government tells the population to ”make babies”, this in a country with 90% unemployment and where very few of the country’s 300 000 annual school and college graduates ever find jobs.
“Where else in the world would the Minster of Energy blame the Meteorological Department for the country’s energy crisis?” declares Cathy. Apparently “wrong predictions” were responsible for the government’s failure to plan against the low water levels in the Kariba Dam.
“Where else would the Vice President of a country stay in a luxury 5-star hotel for over 290 days with his family because ‘suitable accommodation’ has not yet been provided for him? This in a country that is broke and has an external debt of over US$ 7 billion and an internal debt of over US$ 9 billion.” (Yes, the currency is in US dollars due to the collapse of the Zimbabwean currency.)
THE STAFF OF LIFE
“People queue from as early as 5 am on weekday mornings outside a local bakery. They want to buy the cheap bread – breakages, damaged loaves or misshapen loaves, below standard loaves. The cheap bread is 50c a loaf.”
“Electricity suppliers ZESA publish schedules of ‘load shedding’ indicating which times of day will be without power. The schedules are a complete waste of time because they are not adhered to. The cuts never last for the stipulated six to twelve hours – they last for seventeen or eighteen hours. For people who are trying to make a living from home doing things like baking, sewing, welding or printing, it’s impossible to keep going. In October 2015 the government’s solution to the power crisis was an announcement that all mining companies and other big industries must reduce their electricity consumption by 25% with immediate effect. Another ‘solution’ is to ban electric geysers. Will they ban water taps next?” asks Cathy.
Some children were stung by bees. The nurse at the local government clinic had nothing to treat the victims with: no pain killers, no anti inflammatories, no anti histamine. The nearest provincial hospital 14 kilometers away had had no electricity for 13 hours. By the light of a single candle, the nurse checked out the children but there was no medication to treat these casualties. A prescription was written out and the group with the children was told to go and source the injections themselves in town. The group went out into the darkness. They needed $30 to buy the medication. Someone rescued them, and a week later, one of the children regained consciousness.
Five days later in his State of the Nation speech, President Mugabe said Zimbabwe’s health sector was growing thanks to help from the Chinese.
In the meantime, dustbins have not been collected for five months. Street lights haven’t worked for eleven years. High grass grows unchecked on the verges. Blocked storm drains and piles of garbage dumped on the roadside highlight the parlous state of local ‘government’.
Economist John Robertson estimates that only 700 000 people in Zimbabwe are in formal employment and half of those employed are in the civil service, this in a country of 14 million people.
State Media
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has fired Supreme Court Judge, Justice Francis Bere, for gross misconduct following recommendations by the tribunal set up to inquire into his fitness to hold the office of a judge.
Justice Bere, who was on suspension pending conclusion of investigations, was fired for interfering with a Harare lawyer involved in a matter in which he had conflict of interest.
Retired Judge Justice Simbi Mubako chaired the three-member tribunal which investigated the judge’s conduct.
The tribunal presented its findings and recommendations to President Mnangagwa at State House yesterday after which the report was actioned and the decision made to sack the judge immediately.
Other members of the tribunal were Advocate Takawira Nzombe and veteran lawyer Ms Rekayi Maposa.
In a statement, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, said President Mnangagwa’s decision to fire the judge followed due process.
He said following advice from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), that Justice Bere’s conduct needed investigation, President Mnangagwa, acting in terms of the Constitution, appointed through Proclamation Number 1 of 2020, a tribunal to inquire into the question of removal from office of the judge.
“The tribunal has completed its investigations and has recommended that Honourable Justice Bere JA be removed from office for acts of gross misconduct,” said Dr Misheck Sibanda.
“His Excellency the President, accordingly acting in terms of Section 187(8) of the Constitution, has removed the Honourable Judge from office with immediate effect.”
Justice Bere
This means the tribunal made adverse findings and recommendations leading to the judge losing his post. If it had cleared him of any wrongdoing, he could have returned to the bench.
The tribunal is not a criminal court, but can report that certain conduct is not consistent with holding judicial office.
Investigations were concluded in the absence Justice Bere and his legal team after they walked out on the proceedings in protest over the tribunal’s refusal to have one of its members, Advocate Takawira Nzombe, recuse himself because of his alleged links to the lawyer who was a crucial witness in the inquiry.
Defence lawyers were also not happy with the extension of the tribunal’s tenure by another six months after the expiry of its initial tenure of four months.
Lead defence counsel Advocate Froze Girach, Advocate Lewis Uriri and Prof Lovemore Madhuku walked out of the hearing protesting what they claimed to be a “violation of legal procedure”.
President Mnangagwa set up the tribunal inquiry on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission after the lawyer accused Justice Bere of interference in a civil case involving the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) and his relatives.
The judge allegedly telephoned the lawyer, who was representing Zinara, asking him to consider settling a civil dispute pitting Zinara against Fremus Enterprises.
Justice Bere was serving on both the Constitutional Court and Supreme Court benches when he was suspended in March this year.
The tribunal sought to establish whether or not Justice Bere conducted himself improperly in violation of the oath of office and the Constitution by interfering in the matter at the centre of the inquiry
State Media
A lone gunman who held 10 people hostage, among them his 10-year-old niece, was shot and killed by police in a movie-style operation that lasted 14 hours at a house in Beitbridge’s Dulivhadzimu suburb yesterday morning.
The man, who was identified as John Sithole, also known as Kedha, was on the police wanted list in connection with several armed robberies committed in Beitbridge and along highways to Harare and Bulawayo.
The Herald understands that the suspect was launching his operations from Musina in South Africa and would most of the time skip the border through the Limpopo River.
By end of the day yesterday, police were still verifying the age of the man believed to be from Chipinge and aged between 22 and 25 years.
It took nine hours for a police Special Tactics Team and members of the Support Unit to subdue the heavily-armed Sithole.
During the stand-off, Sithole managed to shoot and wound one detective on the arm.
The police special tactics team arrives at the scene
The town was at a standstill for over eight hours with cars and residents filling the nearby streets to witness the shoot-out.
According to neighbours, the suspect had been staying at the house for two weeks.
“I was terrified to hear the sound of heavy gunfire in the middle of the night behind my house. When I went outside, I saw some armed police and there were already some spent cartridges. Police calmed us down and told us they were pursuing a dangerous armed robber next door,” said Ms Rumbedzani Ribombo.
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said it was unfortunate that someone had died and urged people to avoid exchanging gunfire with police and to comply with their orders.
“It is sad that the suspect died. We wanted to question him to clear a number of armed robbery cases,” said Asst Comm Nyathi. “Initially the suspect evaded arrest at the Limpopo River and hid at his rented house in Dulivhadzimu where he was found by our detectives.
“Since he was armed, they ordered him to surrender but he turned violent and held 10 people at the house hostage and opened fire at police. They tried everything to make him surrender but he was not relenting and kept firing until reinforcements were called in from our special tactics unit,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
The door next to the room where the suspect was eventually shot dead in a gunfire exchange with the police special tactics unit
He said the police managed to free the 10 hostages, including the man’s wife and niece, but the man remained in combat mode until he was killed.
His body was taken to Beitbridge District Hospital mortuary.
The incident came a few weeks after the country’s most wanted armed robber, Taj Abdul Musa was arrested in the same town as he planned a robbery.
WHILE many people are happy that the rainy season is upon us, a woman from Ntabazinduna is living in fear of losing her life after her estranged husband threatened to kill her by lightning while in her house.
Rhoda Dlodlo from Madlelenyoni Line claimed her ex-husband Elias Zondo from Dobha Line in ward 5, also in Ntabazinduna, threatened that he had the power to send lightning to kill her as punishment for deserting him. In a desperate bid to stop Zondo from carrying out his chilling threats, a fearful Dlodlo approached the Bulawayo Civil Court and sought a protection order against him.
“I want a protection order to be granted against my ex-husband Elias Zondo. We parted ways because he was an irresponsible man. He was failing to financially support me. He is a drunkard and would drink beer from morning till late at night.
“He would come home very drunk and start insulting me with vulgar language. On 17 September he followed me to my sister’s house where I’m now staying. He came armed with an axe and knobkerrie and was threatening to harm me.
“He also threatened to bewitch me saying he was going to send lightning to kill me together with those I’m staying with. He is also coming late at night at our home and lies in wait in the yard. He is a very dangerous man and I now feel insecure that he can harm me together with those people I’m staying with,” said Dlodlo.
Zondo didn’t, however, refute his ex-wife’s accusations. He said he carried out the threats in a bid to force Dlodlo to reconcile with him.
“Yes, I followed her to where she is now staying because I wanted her to come back home so that we can stay together. I was hurt that she deserted me so that is why I followed her to her place of residence. This is also because I didn’t expect her to leave me just like that,” protested Zondo.
His efforts to reconcile with Dlodlo seemed to have been dampened after the presiding magistrate Nkosinomusa Ncube sternly ordered him that for the next six months he should not to go to her house without her consent or to behave in a violent manner towards her.-B-Metro
Zimbabwe’s Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has warned of a dry spell that will follow the rains recorded this week across the country.
Some parts of the country this week recorded heavy rainfalls that some farmers were contemplating planting their crops thinking the rain season has officially started.
Speaking to ZBC News on Wednesday, MSD officials warned farmers against planting if they do not mechanisms to ensure the continuous watering of plants since the rains are taking a pause before they fall again. Said MSD:
We are coming from a wet weekend to a dry week. Please do not plant yet, unless you have the means to irrigate.
October rains are generally erratic for rain-fed agriculture; more effective rains are expected from November into December 2020 in most places.-ZBC News
Gibson Mhaka
SEX is arguably one of the most intimate expressions of love for married couples. So, what happens when one partner constantly says no to sex?
For men it can cause a blow to their ego and for that reason a man from Gokwe approached a traditional court lamenting how his wife was using sex as a bargaining chip, by barring him from having sexual intercourse with her until he paid the balance on the bride price.
It is reported that Eunice Chitangu from Marumisa village under Chief Nemangwe decided to punish her husband Nesbert Chitondo by denying him sex as punishment for allegedly demanding sex all the time even when she was not in the mood.
It was revealed to B-Metro that in January this year, Chitangu who felt her husband should not continue enjoying her affection without giving her parents their dues as an appreciation for raising a woman who bore him four children solemnly told him the comfort, he had enjoyed was equivalent to the lobola he had so far paid.
Irked by his wife’s “sufficient reason” to deny him his conjugal rights, Chitondo then approached Chief Nemangwe’s traditional court complaining that his wife was holding him at ransom by allegedly denying him sex on grounds that he had not yet finished paying lobola for her.
According to a source who claimed to have intimate details of the incident, Chitondo was now accusing his wife of having a boyfriend arguing that same boyfriend must be the one who has been issuing instructions to his wife so that he doesn’t get his conjugal rights.
“In his case which is yet to be heard before Chief Nemangwe, Chitondo is complaining about his wife saying since January this year, he has not had sex with her because every time he tries to stimulate her sexual desires, she would refuse saying he should pay the outstanding lobola.
“Despite the fact he wanted the chief to restore the conjugal rights, Chitondo was complaining that he was also fed up of living with a stingy and disrespectful wife,” the source said.
The source further said Chitondo tried his best to make his wife happy and he even preached to her on the dangers of leaving him sexually starved, but to no avail.
B-Metro also gathered that central to the dispute is the fact that Chitondo was constantly demanding sex to an extent that he would even set his alarm clock an extra 30-40 minutes early so that he could fit in some of his lovemaking sessions with his seemingly restive wife.
Contacted for comment Chief Nemangwe could neither confirm nor deny the incident.
“I am not at liberty to comment on that case now because I have a lot of cases before me, which accumulated after we suspended hearings in March as part of Government’s efforts to reduce the spread of the deadly Covid-19. I will however, only be able to do so after I have presided over it,” said Chief Nemangwe.B-Metro
IMBIBERS scurried for cover when their drinking partner axed a man on the head after a heated argument over beer.
The attempted murder incident happened in Cowdray Park suburb last week on Sunday at a shebeen.
Speaking to B-Metro, Kelvin Manyathela said the whole fracas happened fast as they were taking wise waters at a shebeen in the suburb.
Manyathela said it started with usual shebeen talk but it suddenly took a u- turn when Thabani Nyathi accused him of showing off to the ladies.
“He accused me of refusing to buy him alcohol and showing off money by buying ladies beer. As a result we had a fierce argument. While we were arguing he reached for his axe in his pocket. He then axed me in the head declaring that he would kill me,” he said.
He added : “ As I was trying to stop the blood gushing from my head Thabani tried to flee as residents were baying for his blood. They pursued him and caught up with him and meted out instant justice on him.”
A source close to investigations said Thabani was escorted to a police station as residents had a free-for-all in battering him for almost killing Kelvin. They handed him over to the police leading to his arrest.
Kelvin was rushed to Mpilo hospital for treatment. He has been discharged and is recovering at home.-B-Metro
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By A Correspondent | Zimbabwe’s Kudakwashe Clinton Nyamhuka was among finalists of the ATU Africa Innovation Challenge 2020. The 24 year old topped the Southern Africa region together with fellow contestant Tiisetso Masilo from Lesotho. Kudakwashe’s innovation, Venda, is an ecommerce medium that allows informal workers to sell a broad range of products through the platform. The application also offers personalized insurance for the informal worker by bundling the purchase of insurance with the purchase of essential items such as food. This is done to provide the informal worker with a degree of risk cover and ensure business continuity.
Winning the top prize was North Africa’s Mai Nagy who will be taking home USD 5000 for her innovation, a virtual science lab that allows students to conduct science experiments virtually. The innovation, according to Ms. Nagy, has been structured to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic which has forced the shutdown of schools in many countries in the continent.
“Today, students lose the benefit of carrying out experiments in school laboratories. Our innovation seeks to fill this gap,” said Ms. Nagy, defending the initiative.
The competition, launched by the African Telecommunications Union-a specialized agency of the African Union in the field of telecommunications, was designed to identify and support young African innovators who have developed innovations useful for benefiting the fight to contain COVID-19’ and possibly other emergency situations in Africa in future. The ATU believes that investments and commitments in ICT will be the fastest way to support economic growth and bring more Africans into the fast-growing Digital Economy.
Event Chief Guest Mr. Joseph MUCHERU, EGH, MBS, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs recognized ICT as an important driver for social and economic development. “As the ICT community, we have chosen to be part of the solution at a time when the problem is too dominant,” he said, expressing his approval for the competition format.
His sentiments were underscored by title sponsor representative, Huawei Group Vice President Mr. Tao HOU who noted that: “If we can build more networks, digital skills and content, we can reduce inequality in Africa – enabling those in remote areas, or the disadvantaged, to access quality education and healthcare”. He called on local developers to come up with local solutions that will solve local problems, highlighting Huawei’s efforts on the continent with OpenLabs, Huawei Cloud and Huawei’s AppGallery as tools they can use. Mr. HOU also noted that Huawei is trying to enhance digital skills through initiatives such as the DigiTruck in Kenya and school based programs in Senegal and South Africa so that all Africans can benefit from these winning innovations.
Also awarded at the ceremony was Kenya’s Abdinoor Yerrow who bagged USD 3000 and Cameroun’s Bequerelle MATEMTSAP MBOU who received USD 1000. Mr. Yerrow’s submission, a mobile application designed to bridge the language barrier in learning, enables rural learners to access basic literacy and numeracy in their local dialects. The entry was awarded second position. Ms. Bequerelle’s entry which came third in the competition is an electronic kit that helps protect crops from damage caused by animals. The kit works by emitting ultrasound which is annoying for animals, inaudible and without effect on humans.
ATU Secretary General Mr. John OMO, speaking at the forum, thanked the Challenge partners for their support and affirmed that the Union is keen to pursue cooperation with institutional investors, bilateral or multilateral providers of finance, and other sources to further support the competition winners.
“Our aspiration is to be as helpful as possible in identifying, testing and highlighting innovative adaptation approaches with potential to be replicated and scaled,” he said.
Other than the title sponsor Huawei Technologies Company Limited, the Challenge also attracted the partnership of Intel Corporation, GSM Association, the International Telecommunications Union and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Egypt.
Intel Corporation’s Government and Policy Director for Africa, Dr. Bienvenu AGBOKPONTO SOGLO expressed the desire of Intel to sustain its relationship with the Challenge winners beyond the award ceremony. “Our shared experience in the recent months in combating COVID-19 has been extraordinary. It is our conviction that enabling and accelerating access to digital infrastructure through extensive partnerships will support this fight,” he said. Dr. Bienvenu was also the head of the evaluation committee. His sentiments were shared by Mr. Wadé OWOJORI, Director of the GSMA Innovation Fund.
The event also recognized the top two participants from each of the regions of Africa. Those awarded in this category include, Yasmin Eldeeb (Egypt), Mouhamadou Lamine KEBE (Senegal), Tiisetso Masilo (Lesotho), Olusegun Adegun (Nigeria) and Placidius Rwechungura (Tanzania).
Delivering a recorded speech, Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Mr. Amr Talaat, agreed with his counterpart from Cameroon H.E. LIBOM LI LIKENG Minette on the importance of winners to build partnerships that will help realize accessibility of the innovations.
| 1 July 2021 (tentative) | Togo, Syrian Arab Republic, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Iceland, Zimbabwe, Lithuania,Uganda,Timor Leste, Republic of Moldova, Haiti,South Sudan |
Through the Universal Periodic Review, the Human Rights Council reviews on a periodic basis, the fulfilment by each of the 193 United Nations Member States of their human rights obligations and commitments.
A review of a State is based on: (a) a national report prepared by the State under review; (b) a compilation of United Nations information on the State under review prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); and (c) a summary of information submitted by other stakeholders (including civil society actors, national human rights institutions and regional organizations), also prepared by OHCHR.
The review itself takes place in Geneva in a session of the Working Group on the UPR, which is composed of the 47 member States of the Human Rights Council. The review takes the form of an interactive dialogue between the State under review and the member and observer States of the Council. At the end of each review, the Working Group adopts an outcome document, which is subsequently considered and adopted by the Human Rights Council at a later session.
(a) Contributions to UPR documentation by “Other Stakeholders”, including civil society and national human rights institutions
The UPR process provides for the participation of all relevant stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), national human rights institutions (NHRIs) and regional mechanisms.
Civil society actors, NHRIs and regional mechanisms can submit written information for the report containing a summary of information submitted by other stakeholders, which is considered during the review.
Accredited stakeholders can also attend and observe the session of the UPR Working Group. Accredited stakeholders can also attend , and make oral statements, during the regular sessions of the Human Rights Council when the outcomes of the State reviews are considered.
Stakeholders – civil society organizations, national human rights institutions and regional mechanisms – should follow the technical guidelines for stakeholders submissions for the 3rd cycle issued by OHCHR, to send written contributions to UPR documentation.
Stakeholders’ submissions should be sent – according to the deadlines below – through the “On-line UPR submissions registration system” to register contributions for the UPR documentation from UN entities and stakeholders available in the following link: https://uprdoc.ohchr.org. Stakeholders should follow the Guidelines for the Use of the On-Line UPR Submissions Registration System” available in the Online system.
Important note: all UPR submissions must be submitted and received (through theOn-line system for registration of contributions) not later than the day of the given deadline (3:00 p.m. Geneva time). Late submissions will not be considered. Should organizations encounter technical problems using the Online system, please contact the UPR Submissions Helpdesk through the following email address: [email protected].
Any act of intimidation or reprisal for cooperation in the context of the UPR should be promptly reported to the UPR Secretariat ([email protected]) as well as to the reprisals team of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights ([email protected]). – UN
Zimbabwe Boxing Federation president (ZBF) Jim Mpalale has died.
Mpalale who was battling a heart ailment died at his home in Mbizo suburb in Kwekwe yesterday.
His death was confirmed to the publication by his niece Lucia Mubaiwa who told the publication that Jim Mpalale:
Has been battling heart complications for over 10 years and was taken seriously ill a couple of months ago. He died today (Thursday) in the early hours of the morning.
Describing the late Jim Mpalale, ZBF Secretary-general Arvian Mathe said:
Mpalale was an honest and astute administrator with years of experience in boxing administration from the grassroots level right up to the top echelons of the sport. He introduced boxing at Mbizo High School in Kwekwe in the early 1990s and rose through the ranks in boxing administration to taking up the presidency of ZBF in 2017.
He was instrumental in making sure that local boxing officials attended International Boxing Association (AIBA) R&J Certification Courses to improve the level of local boxing to international standards. Right now, we have 11 certified AIBA referees and judges up from three since Mpalale took over as president of ZBF.
He survived by his wife and 2 children and 3 grandchildren-Chronicle
Angry youths besieged the Impala Car Rental offices in Harare, demanding the immediate release of ZINASU leader Takudzwa Ngadziore.
The youths also condemned the abduction of Tawanda Muchehiwa…
Watch video below :
Angry youths besieged the Impala Car Rental offices in Harare, demanding the immediate release of ZINASU leader Takudzwa Ngadziore.
The youths also condemned the abduction of Tawanda Muchehiwa…
Watch video below :
By Farai D Hove | At a time when Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son, Collins is walking on scotfree despite clear links to the multi-million dollar fraud involving the briefcase company, Drax, the top most “dark-angel” prosecutor, Michael Reza, has been appointed over the case trying the former minister of health, Obadiah Moyo.
Moyo is on trial for his alleged involvement in NatPharm’s unprocedural contract with Drax International LLC to supply medicines and surgical sundries, and is consequently facing criminal abuse of office charges.Will Obadiah Moyo ever go to jail? Obadiah-Moyo is Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cousin, a term called “uncle” or sekuru, in the Shona vernacular.
He is son to Mnangagwa’s mother’s brother.
Will Obadiah ever taste jail?
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 16, 2020
When the police arrested him mid June this year, while he was signing a warned and cautioned statement, the state machinators decided to release him on Emmerson Mnangagwa’s orders. The head of the Central Intelligence Organisation, Isaac Moyo is another of his relatives who worked together with Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi. They together went to Mnangagwa and organised that everything be staged so that he (Obadiah Moyo) is served so to subdue growing public angers over the Draxgate scandal. The plan was that Obadiah Moyo would sleep inside the police cells, and then bail be granted (and even that was cut short – he left Rhodesville Police station soon after arrival.)
The CIO Director General and Ziyambi then went to get Obadiah Moyo’s own muzukuru, cousin, Munamato Mutevedzi who is the acting Chief Magistrate. Mutevedzi was invited to come and sit on the same case and the case had the prosecutor saying that bail is not opposed.
https://youtu.be/F3P7LRZom3I
Asking for bail conditions to be relaxed
Prosecutor Mr Michael Reza yesterday told the court that the Zacc investigations manager, a Mr Midzi, had told him that once this final document was secured, Moyo’s case would be ready for trial.
Mr Reza said this while responding to Moyo’s application for relaxation of his bail reporting conditions.
Moyo wanted the lifting of all reporting conditions, which compel him to report to the police three times a week, saying these visits were costly and causing him a lot of inconvenience.
Said Mr Reza: “We are opposed to the application because about two to three months ago is when the accused was placed on remand and among conditions was that he reports three times a week.
“Nothing has changed between then and now. The defence was aware, but they now say reporting conditions are costly and inconvenient, but they did not challenge it in any way.
“It is not as if they have suddenly realised that these conditions cause inconvenience. State sees no reason why that condition should be interfered with.
“Reporting conditions serve a purpose and for all we know, he is coming to court because of reporting conditions. State should be able to give a trial date on the next remand date, according to the investigating officer.”
Through his lawyer, Mr George Mhlanga, Moyo argued there were changed circumstances since the day he initially appeared in court.
He said the State had promised to conclude investigations within a short period of time, but they were still pending. Harare regional magistrate Mr Trynos Utahwashe is expected to make a ruling on October 27.
Farai Dziva|Bees are giving cops at Chikato Police Station in Masvingo a torrid time.
The bees are stinging the cops and their families, triggering widespread speculation on where they came from. ..
The bees are in a chimney at one of the flats.
“We are having a torrid time at Chikato Police Station. The bees are attacking us even without being provoked. We don’t know where they came from -this is very strange,” a police officer who declined to be named told ZimEye.com.
The Masvingo Mirror reports how Ass Insp Forbes Musora was not only bitten but lost 17 chickens to the bees.
When asked for a comment, Insp Musora referred all questions to the Police Public Relations department, the paper says.
The PR department was however not taking any calls.
The development follows a separate incident back in July when soldiers and police details were attacked by a swarm of killer bees in Kuwadzana 4, Harare.
Of that incident, a witness narrated in full saying:
“There came a lorry full of police details and soldiers in Kuwadzana 4 Harare so everyone ran away.
Some of the soldiers were in civilian clothes and they were just arresting everyone and for you to run away, you ended up just being arrested.
In the past you would just notice that this person who has arrested me is a soldier or a police officer and that you have been arrested and are being taken to the police truck when you saw their boots.
Police boots
But today, they were just arresting everyone …so when they arrived at Kuwadzana 4 shops, people ran away leaving their groceries, the ones that they were selling including their firewood.
So there were bees that came from nowhere,they just flew and went underneath a cart.
The cart was like the ones that are used by vendors in towns when they are selling their wares. No one knows what time these bees made this cart their haven, but it should be today because this cart was at home last night and was taken to the shops this morning for it’s daily business.
So when people ran away after seeing that the soldiers in plain clothes were arresting people and taking them to their truck, they left their wares.
So these soldiers started confiscating people’s groceries and that is when they saw the cart and they started loading the confiscated goods and firewood into that cart.
Trouble began when they started to push the cart. The bees left their haven ,underneath the cart and started biting the soldiers. They were bitten so bad that they left the cart and started running away.
The soldiers were bitten and they ran back to their truck and they were wailing while the swarm of bees continued biting them. It was a swarm of bees. And when these soldiers who were fleeing the bees got to their truck, the bees continued biting them and those who were inside the truck were not spared either. They were all bitten.
The driver of the truck sped off but this did not help, the bees continued biting them.
I doubt these bees are a natural species. They must be someone’s bees. In Kuwadzana 4 today, we witnessed a rare occurence.
The soldiers were bitten so bad. They were wailing and crying.
Please do not take people’s property. This happened around 12pm in Kuwadzana 4, Harare.
The firewood that they wanted to take belonged to one granny whom we call gogo Ndunge. The soldiers were bitten so bad.”
..
The Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, pictured, has announced that the Statutory Instrument 225A/2020 has been deemed unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
This follows the recent announcement by the Vice President and Health Minster, Constantino Chiwenga that by-elections had been shelved indefinitely due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the decision was met with widespread resentment from all quarters alleging that it was unconstitutional and undemocratic.
Mbizo Member Of Parliament, Settlement Chikwinya said the decision by Mudenda is a step in the right direction as now the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission can pronounce new dates for the by-elections.
“This is critical in that the SI is immediately struck off and had no force or effect. This means that ZEC remains challenges to set out dates for By-Elections as per dictates of the Constitution.
“The cases challenging this SI which are now before the courts now have more than a bright chance to succeed if ever the government still wants to oppose which I do not see how,” he said.
Yesterday, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission expressed concern over the suspension saying it was an infringement on the democratic spaces.
“The ZHRC is worried by the recent pronouncement by the Minister of Health and Child Care Vice President C.G Chiwenga in terms of SI 225A /2020 of the Public Health COVID-19 prevention, Containment and Treatment) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, No. 4.
“Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Zimbabwe is a party provides that citizens have the right and opportunity to take part in the conduct of public affairs directly or through freely chosen representatives meaning the right to vote through electoral processes. The ZHRC underscores the fact that the right to vote in all elections and referendums to which this Constitution or any other law applies should therefore be observed and respected,” read the statement.
The Commission urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and other stakeholders exercise their obligations in upholding the Constitution.
Three people, including a pregnant woman were killed by lightning bolts in separate incidents in Gokwe South.
Chief Njelele of Gokwe, who confirmed the deaths that occurred under his jurisdiction, said some of his superstitious subjects were now living in fear and were calling for a cleansing ceremony after similar deaths were recorded in the area last year.
Last year, two people were killed by lightning bolts under Chief Njelele, prompting the traditional leader to institute an inquiry into the incident. Over 25 cattle belonging to two families were also killed in a single lightning strike in Gokwe South last year and Chief Njelele had to order the burning of the carcases after some villagers had started feasting on them.
In the latest incident, Chief Njelele said a 26-year-old woman was walking on a footpath and was struck and killed by a bolt of lightning on Monday afternoon.
“What is puzzling is that it was not raining, we had only received some showers the previous day, so the villagers are failing to accept that someone can be struck by a bolt of lightning under such circumstances. Maybe it is because we do not know the science behind lightning,” he said.
Chief Njelele said two other deaths were recorded last week due to lightning.
“My subjects are demanding that we conduct a cleansing ceremony because they suspect there is something abnormal. I have however, been made to understand that one victim was of a villager who was putting on some headphones ,so apart from conducting a cleansing ceremony, we need to educate our subjects on safety measures during the rainy season,” he said.
Most people and almost all livestock killed by lightning are killed indirectly, although some are the discharge point.
Rather a nearby discharge, and the main energy of a lightning strike is from the ground to the cloud, creates a very strong static electric field around the discharge point and that in turn can allow a fatal flow of current.
This is why experts no long advise people to lie on the ground during a thunderstorm, but rather squat close together to minimise being struck, and leave a little gap between body extremities, to minimise the effects of any electric field. -Herald
Farai Dziva|Bees are giving cops at Chikato Police Station in Masvingo a torrid time.
The bees are stinging the cops and their families, triggering widespread speculation on where they came from. ..
The bees are in a chimney at one of the flats.
“We are having a torrid time at Chikato Police Station.The bees are attacking us even without being provoked. We don’t know where they came from -this is very strange,” a police officer who declined to be named told ZimEye.com.
No official comment could be obtained from the police.
Farai Dziva|The man who defeated Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa twice in the Kwekwe Central Parliamentary elections, Hon Blessing Chebundo, has described the MDC Alliance primary elections in the constituency as peaceful.
However, Hon Chebundo indicated that the figures were somehow exaggerated.
See statement below:
CORRECTING FIGURES ON AN ARTICLE BY ONE, SEARCHMORE MURINGANI, ON THE ‘FIGURE FACTS’ OF THE MDCA KWEKWE CENTRAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS HELD ON THE 10Th OCTOBER 2020 AT THE PARTY’S OFFICES IN KWEKWE, WHERE I WAS INVOLVED AS A CONTESTANT
Indeed the Primary Elections, for the people’s party were peaceful by all standards on this day. Issues arising from the processes prior to the primary election day, and pertaining to internal management, admin and communications were addressable and taken NOTE of.
The mischief to be corrected is with due respect to the ‘Votes figures’, ( ‘Judith Tobaiwa : 1328. Blessing Chebundo – 495. Henry Madzorera : 43, Admore Marongwe : 22) whose misrepresentation has a negative bearing on the part of the contestants, and for posterity.
The primaries were open for all those in the ZEC voters roll; though it was not very clear to many until evening on the eve. The correct version is as follows:-
A total of 359 people voted (validated) :
Judith Tobaiwa : 211
Blessing Chebundo : 140
Henry Madzorera : 5
Admore Marongwe : 3
359B. CHEBUNDO
Farai Dziva|The man who defeated Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa twice in the Kwekwe Central Parliamentary elections, Hon Blessing Chebundo, has described the MDC Alliance primary elections in the constituency as peaceful.
However, Hon Chebundo indicated that the figures were somehow exaggerated.
See statement below:
CORRECTING FIGURES ON AN ARTICLE BY ONE, SEARCHMORE MURINGANI, ON THE ‘FIGURE FACTS’ OF THE MDCA KWEKWE CENTRAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS HELD ON THE 10Th OCTOBER 2020 AT THE PARTY’S OFFICES IN KWEKWE, WHERE I WAS INVOLVED AS A CONTESTANT
Indeed the Primary Elections, for the people’s party were peaceful by all standards on this day. Issues arising from the processes prior to the primary election day, and pertaining to internal management, admin and communications were addressable and taken NOTE of.
The mischief to be corrected is with due respect to the ‘Votes figures’, ( ‘Judith Tobaiwa : 1328. Blessing Chebundo – 495. Henry Madzorera : 43, Admore Marongwe : 22) whose misrepresentation has a negative bearing on the part of the contestants, and for posterity.
The primaries were open for all those in the ZEC voters roll; though it was not very clear to many until evening on the eve. The correct version is as follows:-
A total of 359 people voted (validated) :
Judith Tobaiwa : 211
Blessing Chebundo : 140
Henry Madzorera : 5
Admore Marongwe : 3
359B. CHEBUNDO
Two women from Mabvuku, Harare have been arrested and arraigned before the courts for killing a robber who had attacked them.
It is alleged that on October 10 at around 5 am, Phoebe Tembo and Petronella Ndlovu were on their way home from fetching water from a well in Mabvuku when they were attacked by Gunungo who demanded cellphones.
The duo refused to give their phones to Gunungo who proceeded to drag Ndlovu prompting Tembo to intervene thereby triggering a fight.
Gunungo reportedly hit Tembo on the mouth with an iron bar and she lost her teeth before she pulled his privates. He managed to shove her to the ground and sat on her stomach trying to strangle her.
Ndlovu then disarmed Gunungo of the iron bar and allegedly hit him several times on the head, leading to his death.
The women were not asked to plead to the allegations before Harare magistrate Judith Taruvinga who granted them $500 bail each.-Daily News
A BOY, last seen kicking a football up a street on October 3, has not been seen since then.
The disappearance of 16-year-old Prince Sibanda, a Form Three pupil at Bulawayo’s Milton High School, has left his parents, Ms Sinothando Ncube and Mr Trevor Sibanda worried.
What was bizarre about his disappearance was that Prince ran ahead of his mother, up a sloppy road and then disappeared going down.
When his mother got to the top, there was no sign of him.
“My son and I were coming from church (12 Apostles Church) on October 3 accompanied by his siblings. There is a road that leads to our house that passes by Parrot Lodge in Matsheumhlophe suburb (along Valeview Road) and it has a steep slope. So, we were going up the slope and he ran forward kicking his plastic ball. He went over the hill and when we got there about a minute later, we couldn’t see him,” said a solemn looking Ms Ncube.
While she spoke, her husband, Mr Sibanda sat there in silence, perhaps still in shock that their son has been missing for 10 days.
Ms Ncube said she thought that Prince, an aspiring volleyball player at school, had run home.
“When we couldn’t see him, his siblings started laughing saying Prince has run home, but they had the house keys.
When we got home (in Sunninghill suburb), Prince wasn’t there. We called him on his cellphone and it wasn’t going through,” said Ms Ncube.
Soon they started getting worried as Prince did not return home that night.
The next day Ms Ncube said with her husband they went to report Prince as missing at the Zimbabwe Republic Police Hillside Station. They are appealing to members of the public to help find him.
Prince was last seen wearing a black and white long sleeve t-shirt, a blue Adidas cap with matching blue Nike takkies and a brown face mask.
Anyone who can help find Prince can contact their nearest police station or call or WhatsApp 0779139961 or 0778607723, said Ms Ncube.-Chronicle
MBARE Magistrate Shelly Zvenyika on Thursday 15 October 2020 acquitted 11 nurses who had been on trial after they were arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers in July and charged with contravening some national lockdown regulations during a protest over poor salaries and working conditions.
Magistrate Zvenyika acquitted the 11 nurses at the close of the prosecution case after their lawyers Tinashe Chinopfukutwa and Rudo Bere of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights applied for them to be discharged arguing that the nurses had not committed an offence warranting them to be prosecuted.
The 11 nurses namely Ndadyei Gudza, Raikai Chibharo, Moses Sigauke, Michelle Magonye, Kumbirai Maiswa, Trish Chireka, Nyasha Kapesi, Evermay Chikoka, Lucas Sharara, Samson Gurupira and Laiza Magwizi, whose trial commenced on Tuesday 29 September 2020, were arrested on Monday 6 July 2020 and charged with participating or convening a gathering knowing that such a gathering is prohibited in terms of section 5(3)(a) of Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020 Public Health (COVID 19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment Regulations) National Lockdown) Order, 2020.
During trial, prosecutors told Magistrate Zvenyika that the nurses contravened national lockdown regulations when they allegedly gathered at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital in Harare on Monday 6 July 2020 for a feedback meeting convened over a litany of grievances against government which is their employer.
The nurses who are employed at various medical centres including Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Chitungwiza Central Hospital and Sally Mugabe Central Hospital were accused of being part of about 100 people who gathered at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital intending to stage a demonstration and proceeded to sing protest songs and waved some placards in contravention of national lockdown regulations.
Sigauke, who is one of the nurses acquitted on Thursday 15 October 2020 returns to court on Monday 26 October 2020 for commencement of his trial on a charge of incitement as defined in section 187 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, after he allegedly recorded a video while in police detention on Monday 6 July 2020 at Mbare Police Station and posted it on Facebook encouraging other nurses to come and join the detained nurses in demonstrating at Mbare Police Station.
The state alleged that Sigauke posted a message on Facebook which reads; “Ngatingouya tizadze camp tese tiite demo yedu tiri mu camp. Handiti ndimo munonzi muri illegal,” which if loosely translated means; “Let’s all gather at the police station and stage our demonstration.”
By posting such a message, prosecutors charged that Sigauke had incited nurses to gather at Mbare Police Station and demonstrate and cause violence.
State Media
Police in Beitbridge spent the whole day on Thursday held up in a a standoff with a suspected armed robber in Dulivhadzimu suburbs, Beitbridge.
The suspect is reported to have evaded an early arrest on Wednesday before being tracked to a house where he locked himself and had been firing wild shots from 1 am.
The police surrounded the house. One police source said they spent the day giving him room to finish up his ammunition so they could safely arrest him.
Additional special tactical team members had to be dispatched from Bulawayo.
More details to follow.
A confirmed ZANU PF Member who was last week shot at by security details at a retire army general’s house in Harare has died in police cells at Harare Central Police Station according to ZimEye.com sources.
The ZANU PF member whose party membership card was dropped off at the scene and identified as Kudakwashe Mupedzazvose, whose Zanu PF Youth League membership card was found at the crime scene died after being captured by police and kept at a police station without medical attention.
He is the second person to die after another man – previously thought to be Mupedzazvose because of the Zanu PF card – was killed at the home of Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje in what police said was a gunfight between armed robbers and soldiers guarding Rugeje’s home.
Mupedzazvose was known to the police after he was previously arrested in 2017 accused of the theft of power cables.
State Media
A 70-YEAR-OLD man from Bulilima drowned while he was fishing in a dam.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred at Kariba Dam in Fairview Village on Tuesday at around 11AM.
He said Emmanuel Mudzingwa from Nketa 6 Suburb in Bulawayo was fishing at the dam in the company of others when he drowned.
“I can confirm that we recorded a case of drowning which occurred at Kariba Dam in Fairview Village. Emmanuel Mudzingwa was fishing with others when he caught a big fish which pulled the fishing line and drifted with it further into dam. Mudzingwa tried to pursue the fish by following the fishing line. He dived inside the dam and drowned after failing to swim.
“His peers tried to rescue him but failed. Mudzingwa’s body was retrieved from the dam and the matter was reported to the police who attended the scene,” he said.
Chief Insp Ndebele urged members of the public to be careful when around water bodies. He said a number of lives have been lost during fishing expeditions. Chief Insp Ndebele said now that the rainy season had started people should desist from attempting to cross flooded rivers.
A workshop manager with Merchant Investment Company has appeared in court on allegations of defrauding Zanu-PF of $401 200 in a botched vehicle service deal.
Tinotenda Nigel Rusere (35) appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga facing fraud charges and was remanded to November 25 without having to pay bail.
Allegations are that on August 16, the party’s representative Mr Steward Mutizwa went to Merchant Auto Services Company workshop to have an accident-damaged Isuzu D-Tec repaired.
The court heard that Rusere prepared a quotation for $401 200 on the same date for the complete job and that Rusere started repairing the vehicle at Merchant Investment Company, trading as Merchant Auto Services, until he was dismissed.
The court heard that on August 23 Rusere went back to Merchant Investment Company and collected the Isuzu D-Tec motor vehicle and took it to his new workshop.
Mr Mutizwa later realised that the party vehicle was not repaired properly and decided to take it back to Merchant Investment Company and to lodge a complaint.
He was advised to bring proof of payment. It was then discovered that Rusere unlawfully instructed Mr Mutizwa to deposit $401 200 into his own account as payment. The court heard that Rusere misrepresented facts to Mr Mutizwa that he was able to do the job on time but failed to do so and prejudiced Zanu PF of $401 200.
President Mnangagwa has sworn in members of the Zimbabwe Media Commission at the State House in Harare.
The swearing in ceremony was attended by President Mnangagwa’s two deputies Dr Constantino Chiwenga and Cde Kembo Mohadi among other senior Government officials.
The commission, chaired by Professor Ruby Magosvongwe, also comprises Ms Dumisani Mashingaidze, Mrs Susan Makore, Ms Miriam Tose Majome, Rtd Major Edward Mbewe, Mr Tanaka Muganyi, Dr Phillip Pasirayi, Mr Jasper Maphosa and Mr Alec Ncube.
Caledonia, a sprawling informal settlement to the east of Harare, may get its own local board as Government has ordered the three surrounding councils to set up a caretaker local authority to assist in the regularisation of the chaotic area.
Harare, Ruwa and Goromonzi local authorities have been directed to each second five councillors plus critical staff to join a Government team to enable the setting up of a caretaker local authority.
The seconded team is scheduled to hold its first meeting today. Caledonia could eventually stand alone as a local board just like Epworth, or could be incorporated into an existing authority.
But first it needs to be fixed up. Caledonia Farm has no roads, electricity, clinics, schools, water and sewer reticulation facilities and other essential social amenities for proper human habitation.
Speaking during a recent Harare full council meeting, Mayor Jacob Mafume said Local Government and Public Works Minister Cde July Moyo had ordered for the creation of the caretaker local authority in line with the Urban Councils Act.
“Minister Moyo indicated that there be created a caretaker local authority for Caledonia which is going to be gazetted in terms of the Urban Councils Act,” he said.
“The staff will be seconded from Government and three councils that is Harare, Ruwa and Goromonzi will separately second five each councillors as well as some staff members.”
Mayor Mafume said the committee will make recommendations to Government.
“Part of the recommendations will either to make Caledonia a stand-alone local authority as it has a sizable population of over 150 000, 200 hectares of land and 30 000 stands,” he said.
“The other option might be that of just incorporating Caledonia into an existing local authority.”
Caledonia, a sprawling settlement east of Harare on a farm of the same name, has been synonymous with chaos, poor sanitation and irregular settlement.
THE trial of former Cabinet Minister Prisca Mupfumira and ex-Public Service Commission secretary Ngoni Masoka failed to kick-off again this morning after the former’s lawyer failed turn up because of ill-health.
Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba, who is representing Mupfumira, wrote to the court saying he was not feeling well and could not attend court for the hearing.
Mupfumira and Masoka are being tried on allegations involving a $90 000 debt acquired from NSSA and used to purchase a Land Cruiser and more than R10 000 used in the purchase of air tickets to South Africa.
The matter was postponed to November 4 for trial continuation.
Mupfumira and Masoka are denying the charges.
They appeared before Chief Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi.
Former Health Minister Obadiah Moyo today approached the court seeking relaxation of his bail reporting conditions saying they were costly and inconvenient to him.
Moyo, through his lawyer, said there were changed circumstances since his initial appearance on July 6 this year which warrants variation of his reporting conditions.
He was ordered to report thrice a week as part of his bail conditions.
The former Cabinet Minister is facing criminal abuse of office as a public officer.
Prosecutor Mr Michael Reza opposed the application saying nothing has changed since his first appearance in court.
Mr Reza also argued that Moyo did not challenge the conditions when they were imposed by the court on the day he was granted bail.
He also told the court that the conditions imposed were the ones which are compelling Moyo to return to court and they were still serving the purpose.
Magistrate Mr Trynos Utahwashe is expected to make a ruling on Moyo’s application on October 27.
President Mnangagwa will deliver a State of the Nation Address next Thursday as well as officially open the Third Session of the Nineth Parliament where he will set Government’s legislative agenda for the coming Session.
This was said by Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda this afternoon in the Chamber. Adv Mudenda said the official opening of the Third Session of the Nineth Parliament was consistent with the Constitution.
He said the Head of State and Government will deliver an address of a virtual joint sitting of both the National Assembly and Senate.
Video loading below…
The Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, pictured, has announced that the Statutory Instrument 225A/2020 has been deemed unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
This follows the recent announcement by the Vice President and Health Minster, Constantino Chiwenga that by-elections had been shelved indefinitely due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the decision was met with widespread resentment from all quarters alleging that it was unconstitutional and undemocratic.
Mbizo Member Of Parliament, Settlement Chikwinya said the decision by Mudenda is a step in the right direction as now the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission can pronounce new dates for the by-elections.
“This is critical in that the SI is immediately struck off and had no force or effect. This means that ZEC remains challenges to set out dates for By-Elections as per dictates of the Constitution.
“The cases challenging this SI which are now before the courts now have more than a bright chance to succeed if ever the government still wants to oppose which I do not see how,” he said.
Yesterday, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission expressed concern over the suspension saying it was an infringement on the democratic spaces.
“The ZHRC is worried by the recent pronouncement by the Minister of Health and Child Care Vice President C.G Chiwenga in terms of SI 225A /2020 of the Public Health COVID-19 prevention, Containment and Treatment) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, No. 4.
“Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Zimbabwe is a party provides that citizens have the right and opportunity to take part in the conduct of public affairs directly or through freely chosen representatives meaning the right to vote through electoral processes. The ZHRC underscores the fact that the right to vote in all elections and referendums to which this Constitution or any other law applies should therefore be observed and respected,” read the statement.
The Commission urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and other stakeholders exercise their obligations in upholding the Constitution.
Paul Nyathi
Hope could just be lost for Justice Erica Ndewere after president Emmerson Mnangagwa this Thursday fired seasoned Judge Francis Bere.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa today removed Supreme Court Judge Justice Francis Bere from the bench over allegations of abuse of office.
This comes after a tribunal probing the suspended Supreme Court Judge established that the learned judge was unfit for office.
The three-member tribunal chaired by retired Simbi Mubako found Bere guilty of interference in a civil case involving the Zimbabwe National Road Administration and his relatives.
The tribunal which was investigating Bere’s suitability to hold office on Thursday recommended his removal for acts of gross misconduct before Mnangagwa endorsed the recommendation.
“Following the advice of the Judicial Service Commission that the question of removing honourable Justice Francis Bere ought to be investigated, the President, acting in terms of section 187(3) of the constitution, appointed, through proclamation number 1 of 2020, a tribunal to inquire into the question of removal from office of the said judge,” read a statement issued by Misheck Sibanda, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet
“His Excellency the President, accordingly, acting in terms of Section 187(81 of the Constitution, has removed the Honourable Judge from office with immediate effect.
A judge who recently granted l to MDC vice chairman Job Sikhala has also been suspended in a similar fashion by the Judicial Service Commission headed by Chief Justice Luke Malaba.
Justice Erica Ndewere of the Harare High Court is accused of “misconduct and conduct inconsistent with being a judicial officer,” said Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs secretary Virginia Mabhiza.
The JSC has also been referred the matter to President Emmerson Mnangagwa to appoint a tribunal to “inquire into the question of removal from office of Justice Erica Ndewere,” Mabhiza added.
Sikhala, charged with incitement of violence, was granted bail on appeal by Justice Ndewere on September 22 after spending a month at the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.
Norman Mapeza’s decision to pack his bags and leave DStv new boys Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) might have been an odd one but it was a justifiable choice after all.
TTM is the club which bought the franchise of former champions Bidvest Wits in June but the manner in which the club is being run prompted for experts to question their readiness for top-flight football.
Mapeza was on the verge on becoming the Limpopo-based side’s new coach but walked away at the 11th hour with less than a week before the team takes on SuperSport United in the MTN 8.
The Zimbabwean tactician was diplomatic in explaining his decision to leave TTM but reports in South Africa, of the unprofessional and disorganised manner in which the club is being run, might explain why Mapeza decided to leave.
South African publication The Sowetan exclusively-revealed that the executive appointed by owner Masala Mulaudzi is absolutely clueless on how to run a professional football club and are failing to conduct basic errands.
The paper alleges that the club could not even provide a bus to transport players who were training in Pretoria to Limpopo and some of them (the players) ended up providing their own transport.
“There is no professionalism there. Now they don’t want Oupa Manyisa because they have failed to fulfill their promise to him. They have not paid him his signing-on fee,” a source told The Sowetan.
“This team is so disorganised. They want to do things late. When they left for Polokwane (from Pretoria), they didn’t have a bus. Some players went there in their cars while others didn’t travel. It is a mess.” he added-Soccer 24
By A Correspondent | Zimbabwe’s Kudakwashe Clinton Nyamhuka was among finalists of the ATU Africa Innovation Challenge 2020. The 24 year old topped the Southern Africa region together with fellow contestant Tiisetso Masilo from Lesotho. Kudakwashe’s innovation, Venda, is an ecommerce medium that allows informal workers to sell a broad range of products through the platform. The application also offers personalized insurance for the informal worker by bundling the purchase of insurance with the purchase of essential items such as food. This is done to provide the informal worker with a degree of risk cover and ensure business continuity.
Winning the top prize was North Africa’s Mai Nagy who will be taking home USD 5000 for her innovation, a virtual science lab that allows students to conduct science experiments virtually. The innovation, according to Ms. Nagy, has been structured to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic which has forced the shutdown of schools in many countries in the continent.
“Today, students lose the benefit of carrying out experiments in school laboratories. Our innovation seeks to fill this gap,” said Ms. Nagy, defending the initiative.
The competition, launched by the African Telecommunications Union-a specialized agency of the African Union in the field of telecommunications, was designed to identify and support young African innovators who have developed innovations useful for benefiting the fight to contain COVID-19’ and possibly other emergency situations in Africa in future. The ATU believes that investments and commitments in ICT will be the fastest way to support economic growth and bring more Africans into the fast-growing Digital Economy.
Event Chief Guest Mr. Joseph MUCHERU, EGH, MBS, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs recognized ICT as an important driver for social and economic development. “As the ICT community, we have chosen to be part of the solution at a time when the problem is too dominant,” he said, expressing his approval for the competition format.
His sentiments were underscored by title sponsor representative, Huawei Group Vice President Mr. Tao HOU who noted that: “If we can build more networks, digital skills and content, we can reduce inequality in Africa – enabling those in remote areas, or the disadvantaged, to access quality education and healthcare”. He called on local developers to come up with local solutions that will solve local problems, highlighting Huawei’s efforts on the continent with OpenLabs, Huawei Cloud and Huawei’s AppGallery as tools they can use. Mr. HOU also noted that Huawei is trying to enhance digital skills through initiatives such as the DigiTruck in Kenya and school based programs in Senegal and South Africa so that all Africans can benefit from these winning innovations.
Also awarded at the ceremony was Kenya’s Abdinoor Yerrow who bagged USD 3000 and Cameroun’s Bequerelle MATEMTSAP MBOU who received USD 1000. Mr. Yerrow’s submission, a mobile application designed to bridge the language barrier in learning, enables rural learners to access basic literacy and numeracy in their local dialects. The entry was awarded second position. Ms. Bequerelle’s entry which came third in the competition is an electronic kit that helps protect crops from damage caused by animals. The kit works by emitting ultrasound which is annoying for animals, inaudible and without effect on humans.
ATU Secretary General Mr. John OMO, speaking at the forum, thanked the Challenge partners for their support and affirmed that the Union is keen to pursue cooperation with institutional investors, bilateral or multilateral providers of finance, and other sources to further support the competition winners.
“Our aspiration is to be as helpful as possible in identifying, testing and highlighting innovative adaptation approaches with potential to be replicated and scaled,” he said.
Other than the title sponsor Huawei Technologies Company Limited, the Challenge also attracted the partnership of Intel Corporation, GSM Association, the International Telecommunications Union and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Egypt.
Intel Corporation’s Government and Policy Director for Africa, Dr. Bienvenu AGBOKPONTO SOGLO expressed the desire of Intel to sustain its relationship with the Challenge winners beyond the award ceremony. “Our shared experience in the recent months in combating COVID-19 has been extraordinary. It is our conviction that enabling and accelerating access to digital infrastructure through extensive partnerships will support this fight,” he said. Dr. Bienvenu was also the head of the evaluation committee. His sentiments were shared by Mr. Wadé OWOJORI, Director of the GSMA Innovation Fund.
The event also recognized the top two participants from each of the regions of Africa. Those awarded in this category include, Yasmin Eldeeb (Egypt), Mouhamadou Lamine KEBE (Senegal), Tiisetso Masilo (Lesotho), Olusegun Adegun (Nigeria) and Placidius Rwechungura (Tanzania).
Delivering a recorded speech, Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Mr. Amr Talaat, agreed with his counterpart from Cameroon H.E. LIBOM LI LIKENG Minette on the importance of winners to build partnerships that will help realize accessibility of the innovations.
CAF has confirmed the match officials who will take charge of the Warriors’ back-to-back Afcon qualifiers against Algeria next month.
The national team will travel to Algiers for the matchday three tie on 12 November before hosting the North Africans at National Sports Stadium four days later in matchday 4.
According to information released by the continental body, Cameroonian officials will oversee the first match in Algeria. 38-year old Alioum Alioum who officiated the 2019 Afcon final will be the centre referee.
Alioum had taken charge of a Warriors’ game before as he officiated the encounter against Egypt at the Afcon tournament last year.
He will be assisted by Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue and Sanda Oumarou with Blaise Yuven Ngwa the 4th official and Massa Diarra from Mauritania as the match commissioner.
Sudanese officials will oversee the return fixture in Harare with Mahmood Ismail as the centre referee, and assisted by Mohammed Abdallah Ibrahim and Ahmed Nagei Subahi.
Elsiddig Mahamed El Treefe is the fourth official while Raoul Romain Arizaka Rabekoto of Madagascar is the match commissioner.-Soccer 24
Angry youths besieged the Impala Car Rental offices in Harare, demanding the immediate release of ZINASU leader Takudzwa Ngadziore.
The youths also condemned the abduction of Tawanda Muchehiwa…
Watch video below :
Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca have reportedly made a US$1 million offer to secure Prince Dube from Azam.
The Zimbabwean striker has been on fire since arriving in Tanzania in August, scoring seven goals in all the seven matches, including friendlies, he has played in. He was also named Tanzania Premier League’s September Player of the Month.
According to the Herald, the performances have attracted Raja’s interest, but Azam are unlikely to accept the offer.
An unnamed source told the publication: “Yes, there is interest from Raja Casablanca, and some crazy figures are being talked about, but it’s unlikely to happen because Azam would rather have Prince completing this season playing for them.
“A million United States dollars is good money, anywhere in the world, but Azam are not desperate for money right now and, given a choice between winning the league, and getting a million dollars, the club’s owners will go for the league.
“That is where things get complicated for this deal to go through, right now, because the Tanzanian club want their player to, at least, complete the season in their team.”
Dube has also, in the past months, linked with a move to France despite joining Azam. His agent, Gibson Mahachi, said in August that the Tanzanian side would release the player to undergo trials at two unnamed French clubs once the coronavirus travelling restrictions are lifted.-Soccer 24
By Jane Mlambo| Students have shut down Impala Car Rental Offices demanding the release of ZINASU President Takudzwa Ngadziore who has been languishing in remand prison since his arrest on the 18th of September 2020.
Watch video below….
CAF has confirmed upholding the ban on Barbourfields Stadium to host senior men’s games.
The venue, along with the rest of the stadiums in the country, was banned from hosting any international match due to poor condition.
Renovations were carried but the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) director-general, Prince Mupazviriho revealed in June that the venue would not be able to host the national team again as it was too old for expansion.
CAF has now confirmed the development in a letter to ZIFA, reading: “With relation to Barbourfields Stadium, based on the information received, the decision is to upheld the ban for use in CAF Men’s Senior matches.”
The Bulawayo stadium, however, can still host low-tier matches such as those featuring the country’s national youth teams.
Meanwhile, the National Sports Stadium has been given temporary approval to host the Warriors’ games.
The development means the Afcon game against Algeria will happen on home soil and avoiding hosting the encounter elsewhere, possibly in South Africa-Soccer 24
By Jane Mlambo| Mbizo legislator Settlement Chikwinya has announced that SI225 of 2020 which nullified by-elections until the COVID-19 is over has been declared unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
Health and child care minister Constantino Chiwenga recently enacted Statutory Instrument 225 of 2020 effectively banning the impending by-elections to replace recalled MDC Alliance legislators.
Below is Honourable Chikwinya’s full message:
“The speaker of Parliament has just announced that SI 225A/2020 has been deemed unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee. This is critical in that the SI is immediately struck off and had no force or effect. This means that ZEC remains challenges to set out dates for By Elections as per dictates of the Constitution. The cases challenging this SI which are now before the courts now have more than a bright chance to succeed if ever the gvt still wants to oppose which I do not see how.”
Farai Dziva|The man who defeated Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa twice in the Kwekwe Central Parliamentary elections, Hon Blessing Chebundo, has described the MDC Alliance primary elections in the constituency as peaceful.
However, Hon Chebundo indicated that the figures were somehow exaggerated.
See statement below:
CORRECTING FIGURES ON AN ARTICLE BY ONE, SEARCHMORE MURINGANI, ON THE ‘FIGURE FACTS’ OF THE MDCA KWEKWE CENTRAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS HELD ON THE 10Th OCTOBER 2020 AT THE PARTY’S OFFICES IN KWEKWE, WHERE I WAS INVOLVED AS A CONTESTANT
Indeed the Primary Elections, for the people’s party were peaceful by all standards on this day. Issues arising from the processes prior to the primary election day, and pertaining to internal management, admin and communications were addressable and taken NOTE of.
The mischief to be corrected is with due respect to the ‘Votes figures’, ( ‘Judith Tobaiwa : 1328. Blessing Chebundo – 495. Henry Madzorera : 43, Admore Marongwe : 22) whose misrepresentation has a negative bearing on the part of the contestants, and for posterity.
The primaries were open for all those in the ZEC voters roll; though it was not very clear to many until evening on the eve. The correct version is as follows:-
A total of 359 people voted (validated) :
Judith Tobaiwa : 211
Blessing Chebundo : 140
Henry Madzorera : 5
Admore Marongwe : 3
359B. CHEBUNDO
By A Correspondent| A suspect in last weekend’s shooting incident at former Zanu PF National Commissar Engelbert Rugeje’s home Kudakwashe Mupedzazvose has reportedly died in police holding cells at Harare Central Police Station overnight Wednesday.
Mupedzazvose, whose Zanu PF Youth League membership card was found at the crime scene in Harare’s Mt Pleasant suburb in the early hours of October 11.
He is the second person to die after another man – previously thought to be Mupedzazvose because of the Zanu PF card – was killed at the home of Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje in what police said was a gunfight between armed robbers and soldiers guarding Rugeje’s home.
Police said at least six suspects tried to enter Rugeje’s home on Cheshire Road.
Police sources have told ZimLive that contrary to police claims, there was in fact no exchange of gunfire because the so-called suspects were unarmed.
“In fact our investigations show that these men were copper thieves who were in the process of stealing ZESA cables because there was a power outage at the time. They were busy ripping power lines at the time,” a police source said.
Mupedzazvose was known to the police after he was previously arrested in 2017 accused of the theft of power cables.
Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was in a meeting when his comment was sought on Thursday morning.
-ZimLive
By Dr Masimba Mavaza | There was a report in the media in particular the newsday Zimbabwe alleging that the suspended judge Ndewere had told off the Chief Justice. The reporter went on to say she refused instructions and that she refused supervision from the Chief Justice. It makes sense to remind each other that soon after Justice Ndewere ruled in favour of Job Sikhala an opposition sympathiser Magaisa took to Twitter warning that Judge Ndewere will be investigated. He however said the investigation will be triggered by the granting of bail to Job Sikhala.
There are two issues we must look at.
Justice Ndewere was the only person aware of the pending suspension. So what happened? The judge told Magaisa that she has a pending misconduct hearing. So she was fully aware that Magaisa will twitt it. This twit was not only to help her in her case but she will emerge as a heroine among the opposition. Justice Ndewere has used this as a fall back. So her arrogance in telling off the Chief Justice shows a person who is swimming in a fallacy and a facade of comfort. She has assembled Twitting brigade to vilify the Chief Justice. Ndewere is a person who can not handle a problem she is prepared to pull the whole judiciary system down with her.
The information in the paper obviously came from her through her lawyers. Integrity has escaped her and she seeks to white wash her misdemeanour with a sympathy card
The judge claimed that She was instructed by the chief justice to deny bail. Job was not a class D prisoner and again his core accused were already bailed. His case did not the interference of the chief justice. So the judge employed an old trick of smearing the judge in-order to get a miss-trial.
The Chief justice is being threatened and he has to be strong and enforce discipline in his army of justice.
The Judiciary can not be oiled without a strong leadership. No amount of bad publicity will cow the Chief Justice to submission.
Chief justice Malaba is not conflicted in his job and he does no command politically correct judgements.
We should remember that the Chief Justice of Zimbabwe is the chief judge of the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe. As such, he is head of the Zimbabwe judiciary.
The Chief Justice leads the business of the Supreme Court and presides over oral arguments. He is also the most senior of the three members of the Zimbabwe Court of Appeals. The Chief Justice also administers the oath of office to the President of Zimbabwe.
Since the court was established in 1927, 14 men have served as Chief Justice. This includes eight chief justices during the Southern Rhodesia and Rhodesia periods. The first Chief Justice was Sir Murray Bisset. Since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980, six men have served as Chief Justice. Of these six, three have been White and three Black. The current Chief Justice since 2017 is Luke Malaba.
Luke Malaba (born 15 May 1951 is a Zimbabwean judge currently serving as the Chief Justice of Zimbabwe. He was appointed Chief Justice by then-President Robert Mugabe on 27 March 2017. However, he had already been serving as acting Chief Justice since 1 March 2017, following Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku‘s retirement. Previously, he had served as Deputy Chief Justice.
The Chief is the President of the Supreme Court and titular head of the judiciary, the judicial arm of government.
The Constitution also attributes two specific additional functions to the Chief Justice:
The Chief Justice has responsibility for all aspects of the work of the Supreme Court. In addition to presiding at hearings of the Supreme Court the Chief Justice has the responsibility of managing the Court including the assignment of Judges to cases coming on for hearing.
The Chief Justice is ex officio a member of both the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
Other responsibilities.
In addition to the purely judicial duties and administrative responsibilities associated with the Supreme Court itself, the Chief Justice has a range of other administrative responsibilities. He occupies the following positions:
1. Chairman of the JSCand many other portfolios
The chief justice presides over the Court’s public sessions and also presides over the Court’s private conferences, where the justices decide what cases to hear and how to vote on the cases they have heard. Perhaps the chief justice’s greatest power is the power to decide who writes the Court’s majority opinion if, but only if, the chief justice has voted with the majority.
Otherwise, the power to assign the majority opinion shifts to the member of the majority who has the most seniority on the Court. Sometimes, the chief justice will assume personal responsibility for writing the Court’s most important or controversial decisions; sometimes he will assign that responsibility to others.
While the judge President is responsible for judges of the high court it is insubordination of the highest level to refuse instructions from the Chief Justice.
Instead of telling the public what was the reason of her suspension the judge suddenly fell into selective mode. She only remembered the Job Sikhala bail and forgot the inefficiency and other charges she is facing. The vilification of the chief justice by the judge and her lawyers is a sad day for the integrity of court.
The chief justice is also the administrative head of the entire judiciary. Indeed, his official title is Chief Justice of the Zimbabwe not Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, as Justice Ndewere erroneously assume). The chief justice presides over a corps of some high court judges, including thousands of magistrates. and labour court judges. The judicial branch includes a staff of seven thousand, with the chief justice picking the most important central administrators, The chief justice also picks the members of important policy-making judicial committees and of specialized courts.
So to say the chief justice gives instructions on how to give a decision in a bail application is an insult.
It should be known that.
The Supreme Court is a superior court of record established in terms of section 168 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, 2013.
It consists of;
(a) the Chief Justice and the Deputy Chief Justice and
(b) no fewer than two other judges of the Supreme Court and
(c) any additional judges appointed in terms of the Constitution.
Where the services of any additional judge(s) are required for a limited period, the Chief Justice may appoint a judge of the High court or a former judge to act as a judge of the Supreme Court for that period.
The Supreme Court Act [Chapter 7:13] (The Act) and the Supreme Court Rules, 2018 (the rules) regulate the exercise of jurisdiction by the Supreme Court.
The rules were promulgated on June 2018.
Looking at the history of the chief justice there is no doubt that he is a jurist. There is no reason he could be so obsessed with power as to be giving instructions on bail. We might not know the politics of the corridors of law but there is a mole. The problem with moles they tend to add soup in the pan and point to an elephant in the room.
The problem with those who spread falsehoods they forget that the real issues will be heard in Tribunal not in the press.
Justice Ndewere must not blame the Chief Justice for her short comings. If she did not give her wrong side of the story to the Twitting brigades then her lawyers must be ashamed for such a horrible strategy. It is a shame to soil the justice system in trying to fight for justice.
The Chief justice has always been a target of the disgruntled but to have officers of the court turning the scales of justice upside down its a shame.
Lawyers must be known for defending justice. Magaisa is a lawyer but his love for the opposition politics has seen him walking on the side of contempt.
Law is not only a profession but a way of life.
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF is literally killing rural women by exposing them to perilous conditions, the MDC Alliance has said.
Below is the MDC Alliance Assembly of Women statement on International Day of The Rural Woman:
MDC ALLIANCE ASSEMBLY OF WOMEN STATEMENT ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE RURAL WOMAN
15 October is the International Day of the Rural Woman and as the MDC Alliance Assembly of Women, we join hands with women all over the world in commemorating this very important day.
The International theme is ” Building Rural Women Resilience in the wake of Covid 19 and it comes after observing the effects of Corona Virus in the entire world that left everyone devastated. Covid 19 exposed a lot of countries in terms of disaster preparedness and management. Although Africa did not record very high statistics as compared to the European and Assian countries, it was the worst in terms of managing the pandemic.
Zimbabwe was not spared by Covid 19 as it was exposed. The health sector was not prepared on this pandemic. The hospitals are, and continue to be under-equipped. The health personnel had no adequate protective clothing and equipment. The situation was even worse and dire in the Rural areas as there was no equipment and medication at all.
The rural women bore the brunt of giving extra care as they nursed their beloved ones who could not afford to go to hospitals either due to non availability of medical staff including doctors, or lack of drugs and equipment.
The Assembly notes with concern the resilience by women during this Covid era. Women continue to forge ahead economically and socially despite the economic hardships. None have given up their families. They continue and hang on and by the same token, the Assembly urges all members to remain resolute, steadfast and support the People’s President Adv Nelson Chamisa.
A new Zimbabwe is definitely coming as we continue to fight for a people’s government and better livelihoods and God is in it.
I thank you
Barbara Tanyanyiwa
Spokesperson – MDCA Assembly of Women
Farai Dziva|Bees are giving cops at Chikato Police Station in Masvingo a torrid time.
The bees are stinging the cops and their families, triggering widespread speculation on where they came from. ..
The bees are in a chimney at one of the flats.
“We are having a torrid time at Chikato Police Station.The bees are attacking us even without being provoked. We don’t know where they came from -this is very strange,” a police officer who declined to be named told ZimEye.com.
No official comment could be obtained from the police.
Almost 2 million babies are stillborn every year – or 1 every 16 seconds – according to the first ever joint stillbirth estimates released by UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank Group and the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
The vast majority of stillbirths, 84 per cent, occur in low- and lower-middle-income countries, according to the new report, A Neglected Tragedy: The Global Burden of Stillbirths. In 2019, 3 in 4 stillbirths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa or Southern Asia. A stillbirth is defined in the report as a baby born with no signs of life at 28 weeks of pregancy or more.
“Losing a child at birth or during pregnancy is a devastating tragedy for a family, one that is often endured quietly, yet all too frequently, around the world,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “Every 16 seconds, a mother somewhere will suffer the unspeakable tragedy of stillbirth. Beyond the loss of life, the psychological and financial costs for women, families and societies are severe and long lasting. For many of these mothers, it simply didn’t have to be this way. A majority of stillbirths could have been prevented with high quality monitoring, proper antenatal care and a skilled birth attendant.”
The report warns that the COVID-19 pandemic could worsen the global number of stillbirths. A 50 per cent reduction in health services due to the pandemic could cause nearly 200 000 additional stillbirths over a 12-month period in 117 low- and middle-income countries. This corresponds to an increase in the number of stillbirths by 11.1 per cent.
According to modeling done for the report by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 13 countries could see a 20 per cent increase or more in the number of stillbirths over a 12-month period.
Most stillbirths are due to poor quality of care during pregnancy and birth. Lack of investments in antenatal and intrapartum services and in strengthening the nursing and midwifery workforce are key challenges, the report says.
Over 40 per cent of stillbirths occur during labour—a loss that could be avoided with access to a trained health worker at childbirth and timely emergency obstetric care. Around half of stillbirths in sub-Saharan Africa and Central and Southern Asia occur during labour, compared to 6 per cent in Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand.
Even before the pandemic caused critical disruptions in health services, few women in low- and middle-income countries received timely and high-quality care to prevent stillbirths. Half of the 117 countries analyzed in the report have coverage that ranges from a low of less than 2 per cent to a high of only 50 per cent for 8 important maternal health interventions such as C-section, malaria prevention, management of hypertension in pregnancy and syphilis detection and treatment. Coverage for assisted vaginal delivery – a critical intervention for preventing stillbirths during labour – is estimated to reach less than half of pregnant women who need it.
As a result, despite advances in health services to prevent or treat causes of child death, progress in lowering the stillbirth rate has been slow. From 2000 to 2019, the annual rate of reduction in the stillbirth rate was just 2.3 per cent, compared to a 2.9 per cent reduction in neonatal mortality, and 4.3 per cent in mortality among children aged 1–59 months. Progress, however, is possible with sound policy, programmes and investment.
“Welcoming a baby into the world should be a time of great joy, but every day thousands of parents experience unbearable sadness because their babies are still born,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The tragedy of stillbirth shows how vital it is to reinforce and maintain essential health services, and how critical it is to increase investment in nurses and midwives.”
The report also notes that stillbirth is not only a challenge for poor countries. In 2019, 39 high-income countries had a higher number of stillbirths than neonatal deaths and 15 countries had a higher number of stillbirths than infant deaths. A mother’s level of education is one of the greatest drivers of inequity in high-income countries.
In both low- and high-income settings, stillbirth rates are higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Socioeconomic status is also linked to greater incidence of stillbirth.
Credit:WHO
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MDC ALLIANCE ASSEMBLY OF WOMEN STATEMENT ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE RURAL WOMAN
15 October is the International Day of the Rural Woman and as the MDC Alliance Assembly of Women, we join hands with women all over the world in commemorating this very important day.
The International theme is ” Building Rural Women Resilience in the wake of Covid 19 and it comes after observing the effects of Corona Virus in the entire world that left everyone devastated. Covid 19 exposed a lot of countries in terms of disaster preparedness and management. Although Africa did not record very high statistics as compared to the European and Assian countries, it was the worst in terms of managing the pandemic.
Zimbabwe was not spared by Covid 19 as it was exposed. The health sector was not prepared on this pandemic. The hospitals are, and continue to be under-equipped. The health personnel had no adequate protective clothing and equipment. The situation was even worse and dire in the Rural areas as there was no equipment and medication at all.
The rural women bore the brunt of giving extra care as they nursed their beloved ones who could not afford to go to hospitals either due to non availability of medical staff including doctors, or lack of drugs and equipment.
The Assembly notes with concern the resilience by women during this Covid era. Women continue to forge ahead economically and socially despite the economic hardships. None have given up their families. They continue and hang on and by the same token, the Assembly urges all members to remain resolute, steadfast and support the People’s President Adv Nelson Chamisa.
A new Zimbabwe is definitely coming as we continue to fight for a people’s government and better livelihoods and God is in it.
I thank you
Barbara Tanyanyiwa
Spokesperson – MDCA Assembly of Women
By Ezra Thsisa Sibanda
One of the founding fathers of the Movement For Democratic Change (MDC) Mr Esaph Mdlongwa who is also the father of my friend, the legendary Music Producer and Dj Oskido Mdlongwa has gone to be with the Lord. He died at Bulawayo’s Matadei.
He was a wonderful man. And when a man is that special, you know it sooner than you think possible.
You recognise it instinctively, and you are certain that no matter what happens, there will never be another one like him.
He was just a funny man full of humour and loved by many people.
My condolences to the Mdlongwa family, uBaba will be dearly missed MHDSRIP
Farai Dziva|The man who defeated Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa twice in the Kwekwe Central Parliamentary elections, Hon Blessing Chebundo, has described the MDC Alliance primary elections in the constituency as peaceful.
However, Hon Chebundo indicated that the figures were somehow exaggerated.
See statement below:
CORRECTING FIGURES ON AN ARTICLE BY ONE, SEARCHMORE MURINGANI, ON THE ‘FIGURE FACTS’ OF THE MDCA KWEKWE CENTRAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS HELD ON THE 10Th OCTOBER 2020 AT THE PARTY’S OFFICES IN KWEKWE, WHERE I WAS INVOLVED AS A CONTESTANT
Indeed the Primary Elections, for the people’s party were peaceful by all standards on this day. Issues arising from the processes prior to the primary election day, and pertaining to internal management, admin and communications were addressable and taken NOTE of.
The mischief to be corrected is with due respect to the ‘Votes figures’, ( ‘Judith Tobaiwa : 1328. Blessing Chebundo – 495. Henry Madzorera : 43, Admore Marongwe : 22) whose misrepresentation has a negative bearing on the part of the contestants, and for posterity.
The primaries were open for all those in the ZEC voters roll; though it was not very clear to many until evening on the eve. The correct version is as follows:-
A total of 359 people voted (validated) :
Judith Tobaiwa : 211
Blessing Chebundo : 140
Henry Madzorera : 5
Admore Marongwe : 3
359B. CHEBUNDO
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) notes with great concern a renewed coordinated campaign by the government of Zimbabwe to further shrink the democratic space through draconian legislation and clampdown on Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in the country.
On October 12, 2020 President Emmerson Mnangagwa, while addressing a ZANU PF meeting, confessed that he was stalking and spying the daily movements of his perceived opponents and critics and further threatened to shut down NGOs that are alleged to be critical to the regime.
To add on to this, the Harare administration is speeding up the Patriotic Bill which, if enacted, will impose ‘stiff penalties’ on individuals and organisations ‘campaigning against the country’.
As the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, we view this Patriotic Bill as a desperate attempt to silence political dissent while working against efforts by Civic Society Organisations (CSOs) who have been calling for regional support to press for dialogue to end the multi faceted crisis in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe is signatory to various International Statutes on Human Rights, like the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and it is incumbent upon CSOs to continuously monitor the conformity of the Zimbabwean government to these statutes while updating the international community on rights violations in the country.
We further note with concern that President Mnangagwa’s recent threats against NGOs operating in the country have a potential of fuelling further attacks against civic society actors in the country.
If anything, President Mnangagwa’s recent sentiments prove that Zimbabwe, despite promises of a new dispensation, remains stuck in the dark past characterised by gross human rights violations and persecution of civic society and opposition activists.
Army shootings, arbitrary arrests, torture and abductions of civic society and opposition activists have proved beyond reasonable doubt that the ‘new dispensation’ is seeking to entrench authoritarian rule and a one party state system of governance.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition implores the Zimbabwean government to uphold key tenets of democracy as well as to acknowledge the role of civic society in democracy, prosperity and stability.
Two women from Mabvuku, Harare have been arrested and arraigned before the courts for killing a robber who had attacked them.
It is alleged that on October 10 at around 5 am, Phoebe Tembo and Petronella Ndlovu were on their way home from fetching water from a well in Mabvuku when they were attacked by Gunungo who demanded cellphones.
The duo refused to give their phones to Gunungo who proceeded to drag Ndlovu prompting Tembo to intervene thereby triggering a fight.
Gunungo reportedly hit Tembo on the mouth with an iron bar and she lost her teeth before she pulled his privates. He managed to shove her to the ground and sat on her stomach trying to strangle her.
Ndlovu then disarmed Gunungo of the iron bar and allegedly hit him several times on the head, leading to his death.
The women were not asked to plead to the allegations before Harare magistrate Judith Taruvinga who granted them $500 bail each.-Daily News
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe will soon introduce a $50 note as it seeks to double cash in circulation to ZWL$3 Billion, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, Eddie Cross has said.
This was revealed by business journalist, Happiness Zengeni while posting on Twitter.
“Zim set to introduce a $50 note as it seeks to double cash in circulation to $3 bln, says Eddie Cross,” posted Zengeni.
The smaller Zimbabwe dollar denominations including 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2 have been rejected by the market and have since disappeared leaving only $5, $10 and $20 notes.
The move to introduce higher denominations have previously been discouraged on the grounds that it was believed to cause inflation to resurface, so it remains to be seen how the market will receive this new $50 note when it hits the market.
By A Correspondent| A suspect in last weekend’s shooting incident at former Zanu PF National Commissar Engelbert Rugeje’s home Kudakwashe Mupedzazvose has reportedly died in police holding cells at Harare Central Police Station overnight Wednesday.
Mupedzazvose, whose Zanu PF Youth League membership card was found at the crime scene in Harare’s Mt Pleasant suburb in the early hours of October 11.
He is the second person to die after another man – previously thought to be Mupedzazvose because of the Zanu PF card – was killed at the home of Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje in what police said was a gunfight between armed robbers and soldiers guarding Rugeje’s home.
Police said at least six suspects tried to enter Rugeje’s home on Cheshire Road.
Police sources have told ZimLive that contrary to police claims, there was in fact no exchange of gunfire because the so-called suspects were unarmed.
“In fact our investigations show that these men were copper thieves who were in the process of stealing ZESA cables because there was a power outage at the time. They were busy ripping power lines at the time,” a police source said.
Mupedzazvose was known to the police after he was previously arrested in 2017 accused of the theft of power cables.
Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was in a meeting when his comment was sought on Thursday morning.
-ZimLive
By A Correspondent- Popular Mutare bouncer Pension Gwinyai appeared in court early this week for attempted murder after knocking down a soldier with his vehicle following a scuffle at a night club.
Gwinyai (52), who is popularly known as Master Payee in the eastern border city, appeared before magistrate Nyasha Kuture, who remanded him in custody to October 26.
His lawyer Chris Ndlovu indicated that the bouncer sustained head injuries after the complainant, Kudzai Nedziwe, struck him with a stone during the scuffle.
The court heard that on October 10, 2020, Nedziwe refrained Gwinyai from assaulting an unidentified patron, leading to a brawl.
Gwinyai then allegedly punched Nedziwe in the face, leading to a fistfight. Gwinyai then got into his vehicle and sped towards Nedziwe who was walking back home, knocking him down headlong.
Nedziwe is currently admitted at 3 Field Hospital in Mutare with his condition said to be critical.-Newsday
By Jane Mlambo| Government has announced that the Gweru Prosecutor Namatirai Chipere who contested and won in the Zanu PF District Coordinating Committee elections had already resigned from her government position.
Posting on Twitter following what they said were media inquiries regarding Chipere’s issue, Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services said she resigned from the National Prosecution Authority.
“We received a number of Media Inquiries regarding Gweru Prosecutor, Namatirai Chipere who we understand contested and won Zanu PF DCC Elections. Govt wishes to advise that in line with constitutional requirements, the Prosecutor resigned from the National Prosecution Authority,” the ministry said.
Chipere’s poster campaigning for a Zanu PF DCC elections caused a stir on social media after it was revealed that she is a Prosecutor at the Gweru Magistrates Court.
By A Correspondent- Civil servants yesterday reacted angrily to government’s pronouncement that the US$75 monthly COVID-19 allowance would now be enjoined to their salaries and accused the Public Service Commission (PSC) of trying to hoodwink them into believing that they had been awarded a salary increment.
The PSC announced yesterday that payment of the US$75 allowance would now be done monthly and indexed to the existing exchange rate.
This effectively means that the lowest paid civil servant will get $11 350, about US$100, a far cry from the US$520 demanded by the public servants.
“The PSC is pleased to advise government workers that the US$75 COVID-19 allowance for September, 2020 is being paid today. Going forward, the US$75 COVID-19 allowance will be paid on pay days. This effectively means that the least paid worker (B1) is now earning $11 350 monthly, while a teacher at entry grade (D1) earns a total of $12 591,15. The US$75 allowance is indexed to the prevailing RBZ foreign exchange rate,” PSC secretary Jonathan Wutawunashe said in a statement.
He then saluted civil servants for religiously rendering their services despite the low pay, adding that he hoped negotiations for improved their salaries between government and their unions would be concluded soon.
Apex Council spokesperson David Dzatsunga said: “It is their unilateral decision and not negotiation and it reads as if they are just calculating the US$75 in local currency terms and then add it on to what we have been getting before.
“The correct thing is to talk about it, but we realise they are acknowledging that all is not well and they are now firefighting. We expect what we should have negotiated. The circular seems to be saying you guys are saying you are getting this, but in actual fact, you are getting $11 000 and, therefore, we are going to negotiate from that figure which I also find problematic.”
The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) said nothing had changed and vowed that teachers would continue with their boycott.
“What they have done is to convert our nostro salaries into local currency and then added the 40% that they gave us. If you add US$75 and about $4 000, you get to $11 000 to $12 000, so there is nothing that they have done,” PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said.
This is not what we asked for and you don’t give a catapult to a child who asks for fish. We never asked for such an increase or whatever, what we want is the restoration of salaries that we were getting in October 2018.”
He described the move as an “unfair labour practice which is callous and a monument for Zimbabwean injustice.”
In a statement, the organisation said: “If it is true that the figure includes nostro, nothing has changed. Our members will not go to work on the back of deception. Mark our words.
“The insult against our members will have negative repercussions that will be felt for a long time. There are no negotiations going on. There has been no change in the salary figure. The announcement is intended primarily to hoodwink desperate parents and students.”
The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe said the move by the government was meant to deceive the workers.
“There is nothing new here. Teachers have been earning the same inadequate income which falls short of both our expectations and the modest monthly budget for a low income earner. The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe pegged the monthly breadbasket at over $20 000. The COVID-19 allowances expire in December, 2020,” the rural teachers said.
“This is a joke. The government intends to deceive the world into believing that they adjusted our salaries. To the contrary, they simply added current teacher incomes to the COVID-19 allowance and announced the total figure. Teachers have been earning the same inadequate income since July.”
Meanwhile, in Parliament, former Finance minister Tendai Biti (Harare East MP MDC Alliance) said government should pay teachers the US$520 salaries they used to get before the re-introduction of the Zimbabwe dollar.
Government has steadfastly maintained the use of the Zimdollar at a time rentals, goods and services are charged in hard currency.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is expected to introduce higher denomination notes, which will see the amount of physical cash in circulation double to $3 billion.
A member of the RBZ’s MPC Eddie Cross said the new notes would soon hit the market after a lengthy deliberation by the authorities.
This was after the realisation that there are more US dollars in the economy than local currency.
Cross also said the country has a physical surplus of Rands which are sold monthly back to the South African Reserve Bank.
More to follow…
-FinGaz
By A Correspondent- Teachers yesterday scoffed at government threats to withhold their salaries for refusing to report for duty, saying they will not be cowed into submission after declaring incapacitation due to poor remuneration.
Different teachers’ unions said their members would continue with their industrial action and they described the threats of withholding their salaries as “acts of political bigotry” which will not solve problems in the education sector.
This comes after President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his ministers last week said government would not be held to ransom by teachers.
Teachers’ unions said after the government threats to teachers, a group of militia and “rogue headmasters” began threatening teachers across the country in attempts to intimidate them into submission.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) president Richard Gundane said: “Our members who have bought into this anomalous reference to incapacitation have now fallen into the fear trench and are now in cyclic paranoia of vulnerability.
“Zimta repeats, teachers are not on strike but incapacitated. The following are not panacea to getting teachers back to their classrooms…threats associated with political bigotry, token incentives, wrong application of regulations, appealing to emotional sympathies. All these tactics fail on the tests of sustainability and reasonableness,” Gundane said.
He urged teachers to remain resolute, adding that they would not be frog-marched back to classrooms by any form of threats, but only if their incapacitation was addressed.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said: “We are watching a sad development where youth militia and rogue elements and a few rogue headmasters are conniving to bring people to schools to eject teachers from staff quarters claiming that if they are not teaching, they must not stay in staff accommodation. That is very unfortunate because in terms of policy, no outsider must approach teachers except through ministry officials. That is where they report their case.”
The PTUZ said the impasse between government and teachers could only be resolved through dialogue rather than threats.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- Former Finance minister Tendai Biti (Harare East MP MDC Alliance) said government should pay teachers the US$520 salaries they used to get before the re-introduction of the Zimbabwe dollar.
Government has steadfastly maintained the use of the Zimdollar at a time rentals, goods and services are charged in hard currency.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) announced yesterday that payment of the US$75 allowance would now be done monthly and indexed to the existing exchange rate.
This effectively means that the lowest paid civil servant will get $11 350, about US$100, a far cry from the US$520 demanded by the public servants.
“The PSC is pleased to advise government workers that the US$75 COVID-19 allowance for September, 2020 is being paid today. Going forward, the US$75 COVID-19 allowance will be paid on pay days.
This effectively means that the least paid worker (B1) is now earning $11 350 monthly, while a teacher at entry grade (D1) earns a total of $12 591,15. The US$75 allowance is indexed to the prevailing RBZ foreign exchange rate,” PSC secretary Jonathan Wutawunashe said in a statement.
He then saluted civil servants for religiously rendering their services despite the low pay, adding that he hoped negotiations for improved their salaries between government and their unions would be concluded soon.
Apex Council spokesperson David Dzatsunga said: “It is their unilateral decision and not negotiation and it reads as if they are just calculating the US$75 in local currency terms and then add it on to what we have been getting before.
“The correct thing is to talk about it, but we realise they are acknowledging that all is not well and they are now firefighting. We expect what we should have negotiated.
The circular seems to be saying you guys are saying you are getting this, but in actual fact, you are getting $11 000 and, therefore, we are going to negotiate from that figure which I also find problematic.”
The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) said nothing had changed and vowed that teachers would continue with their boycott.
“What they have done is to convert our nostro salaries into local currency and then added the 40% that they gave us. If you add US$75 and about $4 000, you get to $11 000 to $12 000, so there is nothing that they have done,” PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said.
“This is not what we asked for and you don’t give a catapult to a child who asks for fish. We never asked for such an increase or whatever, what we want is the restoration of salaries that we were getting in October 2018.”
He described the move as an “unfair labour practice which is callous and a monument for Zimbabwean injustice.”
In a statement, the organisation said: “If it is true that the figure includes nostro, nothing has changed. Our members will not go to work on the back of deception. Mark our words.
“The insult against our members will have negative repercussions that will be felt for a long time. There are no negotiations going on. There has been no change in the salary figure. The announcement is intended primarily to hoodwink desperate parents and students.”
The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe said the move by the government was meant to deceive the workers.
“There is nothing new here. Teachers have been earning the same inadequate income which falls short of both our expectations and the modest monthly budget for a low income earner. The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe pegged the monthly breadbasket at over $20 000. The COVID-19 allowances expire in December, 2020,” the rural teachers said.
“This is a joke. The government intends to deceive the world into believing that they adjusted our salaries. To the contrary, they simply added current teacher incomes to the COVID-19 allowance and announced the total figure. Teachers have been earning the same inadequate income since July.”-dailynews