A GWANDA man has been arrested after he bit a police officer who tried to apprehend him for assaulting his wife.
Barbson Pande (40) from Jacaranda Suburb pleaded not guilty to charges of physical abuse and assaulting or resisting a peace officer but was convicted by Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi due to overwhelming evidence against him.
He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment but six months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years. The remaining six months were further suspended on condition that he performs 210 hours of community service at Gwanda Magistrate’s Court.
Prosecuting, Miss Glenda Nare said Pande assaulted his wife, Miss Farai Matekenya on July 9 and when she reported him to the police he went on to bite the lip of Constable Artwell Chokera who attended the scene.
”On 9 July at around 6PM Pande was at home with his family when he started accusing his wife of making noise for him together with their children. Pande threatened to kill his wife who went on to the call the police and reported the incident.
”Two police officers attended the scene and when Pande saw them he further insulted his wife, grabbed her by the neck and dragged her on the floor. The cops tried to apprehend Pande but instead he bit Constable Artwell Chokera on the upper lip before fleeing the scene,” she said.
In his defence Pande denied assaulting his wife. He said he only reprimanded her.
He said he resisted arrest as the police wanted to apprehend him for an offence that he did not commit.
Pande said the cops only wanted to apprehend him for their personal gain as one of them was having an affair with his wife.-Chronicle
By A Correspondent- As parliamentarians remembered Perrance Shiri who passed on on 29 July 2020 in parly yesterday, Zanu PF MP for Bindura North Kenneth Musanhi while speaking about Shiri broke down as he recounted fond memories about the late retired Air Marshall, The Herald reports.
Musanhi could not finish his contibution as emotion overcame him while he outlined how he had worked with Shiri who he said helped him fight a tough Tyson (Savior Kasukuwere). Musanhi said;
We fought together against G40. Tyson was a tough guy. Cde Shiri would just give me advice from the background saying he ought not to be seen.
Another Zanu PF legislator, Chikomba Central’s Felex Mhona (Zanu PF) described him as a meek and humble person:
His meekness and humility was a marvel to the people of Njanja, Chikomba Central.
While Pupurai Togarepi said Shiri helped him during the time he was going through a tough time politically:
At one point in my political life I faced challenges. He would give me confidence when chips were down
Meanhwile Norton Legislator Temba Mliswa urged parliamentarians to stop associating Shiri with the Gukurahundi Masscres even after details of his alleged involvement in the masceres evolved.
By A Correspondent- The Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Matabeleland South province deputy director Mr Elfas Siziba (58) allegedly hanged himself in a bushy area near his house in Gwanda town following a misunderstanding with his first wife.
Matabeleland South acting provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the incident which happened near Nssa Complex in the Central Business District.
Insp Makonese said the late Mr Siziba was last seen by his family on Saturday at around 10PM and he was found hanging from a tree by a passerby on Sunday at around 9AM.
“I can confirm that we recorded a case of sudden death by hanging near Nssa Complex in Gwanda. Elfas Siziba was last seen by his family on Saturday at around 10PM as he retired to bed. He was found hanging from a tree at around 9AM. The matter was reported to the police who attended the scene and his body was taken to Gwanda Provincial Hospital mortuary,” she said.
Insp Mangena said investigations were underway. A source said the late Mr Siziba left a suicide note indicating that he had a misunderstanding with his first wife.
By A Correspondent- The trial of Prisca Mupfumira in which she stands accused of siphoning public funds amounting to US $95 Million from National Social Security Authority (NSSA) will kick off on 19 October.
According to the publication, the state which will be led by George Manokore has notified magistrate Trynos Utawashe that they are ready to proceed:
Prosecutor George Manokore yesterday told magistrate Trynos Utawashe that the State was now ready for trial after several false starts, with Priscilla Mupfumira’s lawyer Advocate Silvester Hashiti threatening to file for refusal of further remand in protest over the delays.
risca Mupfumira is facing 7 counts of frauds as the state alleges that she siphoned $95 million from NSSA and bought properties in Asia, Europe and South Africa.
Mupfumira who was publicly arrest last year in July and was in remand for close to a month before being released on bail has denied the allegations levelled against her that she used pensioners’ money to buy properties in Dubai, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
President Mnangagwa fired Prisca Mupfumira from her job as a cabinet minister after she was released from prison and her case could not commence at some point as she was said to be suffering from mental instability.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- Residents Associations are calling for the immediate amendment of the constitution which gives powers to political parties to recall councilors without consulting citizens.
Speaking at a radio program recently in Harare, Harare Metropolitan Residents Forum (HAMREF) Chairperson Mr Marvellous Kumalo said:
As residents we are going to lobby for the amendment of the constitution, these forms of recalls should go through a referendum of that particular constituency.”
CHRA Director Mrs. Loreen Mupasiri Sani highlighted that, the political contestations of the opposition parties has resulted in the wild recalls of councilors and left the electorate on the periphery of the local governance.
“Councilors are the bridge between the residents and the council officials”, said the CHRA Director.
The Secretary for Local Governance for MDC Alliance, Sesel Zvidzai lamented that the recalls were not procedural. “If recalls were to be made there are processes and procedures to be followed not just a mere letter,” said Zvidzai.
Zvidzai added that:
“Councilors were being recalled because they were refusing to be raped politically.”
Mr Morgan Komichi the National Chairperson for the MDCT defended the recalls and highlighted that there were a necessity.
“These recalls are informed by Supreme Court ruling which regard Thokozani Kuphe as the president of MDC Alliance and Councilors recalls is a process of dealing with indiscipline among councilors ,issues of service delivery will be dealt with later”, said Komichi.
So far twenty one (21) Councilors out of forty-six (46) have been recalled to a situation that has crippled council committees and operations.
The recalls come at a time when Council was in an important political process of budget formulation.
CHRA calls for the fighting political parties to prioritize residents and service delivery; they are crippling as these recalls are affecting representative democracy and quality service delivery.
A week after his departure from Absa Premiership side Highlands Park, former Highlanders and national team skipper Tapuwa Kapini has found a new home at GladAfrica Championship side Sekhukhune United.
The National First Division outfit, previously known as African All Stars before buying the franchise of Tshakhuma Tsha Madzhivhandila and later changing the name to Sekhukhune, is coached by Johnny Ferreira.
Kapini was offloaded by Highlands Park last week after the club’s new owners informed him they had no plans for his services.
With many of his fans thinking the eccentric goalie would call time on his football career that has seen him wearing gloves for two decades now, the 36-year-old instead told Chronicle Sport in an interview from South Africa that he wasn’t retiring, at least for now.
He said he would retreat to his workshop and await offers and seemed confident something was brewing.
Kapini took to the microblogging site Twitter to reveal his new employers.
“Thank you for the prayers and words of encouragement. Proud to call Sekhukhune United my new home,” wrote Kapini.
He, however, did not reveal the finer details of the contract, but it is believed he penned a two-year deal that will take him to 2022.
Kapini joined a then star-studded Highlanders side in 2001 where he went on to command a first team jersey and won three championship medals before packing his bags for South Africa to join the now defunct Platinum Stars in 2006.
He was part of the inaugural Warriors squad that competed in the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and was also in the travelling party when Zimbabwe made their second consecutive appearance at the finals in the 2006 Afcon tournament in Egypt.
From Platinum Stars he moved to Amazulu, but his services were terminated with six months of his contract remaining due to a frosty relationship with the coach.
It did not take long for him to find a new club in Highlands Park where he spent five years until his departure last week.
Kapini holds the rare record of captaining all, but club that he has played for in his illustrious career, which, based on his age, is surely now coming to an end.
ZIMBABWE international Terrence Dzvukamanja has moved to a new club after signing a three-year deal with South Africa football giants Orlando Pirates.
The 26-year-old was unveiled on Wednesday afternoon along with midfielder Collins Makgaka, who joined the club from Baroka.
Dzvukamanja was part of the Bidvest Wits family for the past two seasons but decided to leave after the club was sold to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila ahead of next season.
“Following the announcement of the signing of Thulani Hlatshwayo and Deon Hotto Kavendji on Monday, the club is pleased to announce two more additions ahead of the start of the 2020/21 season.
“Terrence Dzvukamanja and Collins Makgaka have joined the club. Dzvukamanja has put pen to paper having agreed to a three-year deal with the Buccaneers,” announced Pirates on their website.
Electricity tariffs have shot up by at least 50% in some instances. Domestic consumers who were paying less than $200 for the first 200 units available for the first purchase of the month will be paying $324 for the same 200 units with effect from today, 23 September 2020.
This was revealed in a communique by ZESA on a pamphlet brought to ZimEye.com’s attention.
The comparison in the tariff prices as compiled by Techzim are as follows:
THE head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control has praised African states for managing to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Africa has seen about 1.4 million cases, and 34,000 deaths since March.
These figures are far lower than those in Europe, Asia or the Americas, with reported cases continuing to decline.
Early interventions played a crucial role in curbing the virus’ spread, John Nkengasong told the BBC’s Newsday programme.
The continent of more than one billion people accounts for just under 5% of cases globally and 3.6% of deaths.
Dr Nkengasong described as “false” suggestions that cases and deaths in Africa were significantly under-reported.
“We may not have been picking up all the cases, just like in other parts of the world… but we are not seeing people around the continent falling dead on the streets or mass burials going on,” Dr Nkengasong said.
All African states introduced a series of measures to tackle the virus as soon as the first cases were reported in March. Many, including South Africa, introduced nationwide lockdowns, but others such as Ethiopia opted for less strict measures.
Dr Nkengasong, however, attributed the low number to a “joint continental effort”, which focused on “scaling up testing and following up contact tracing and very importantly masking”, or the wearing of face masks.
“In many countries, including Ethiopia where I live, if you go to the streets of Addis Ababa you will see there is almost 100% masking,” he added.
What other reasons did he give?
Africa’s relatively young population also contributed to the low number of cases, Dr Nkengasong said.
Furthermore, the emphasis on community-driven initiatives, and experience in contact-tracing from fighting diseases like Ebola, had helped countries to tackle the virus, he said.
“This virus is in the community, and without a strong community response and strong community engagement there is no chance we can fight it,” Dr Nkengasong added.
Joint statement by Teacher Unions in Zimbabwe Concerning Re-opening of Schools.
Realising that the gvt has since announced the dates for re-opening of schools for exam classes and commencement of exams, Irked that this announcement was not a product of widespread consultations and meaningful engagement with teacher unions but a ‘diktat’ by gvt,
Perturbed that gvt has totally ignored the welfare of teachers as evidenced by salaries that were received by teachers in September,Aware that the Total Consumption Poverty Line (TCPL) for a family of five is now above ZW$ 17 244 as given by Zimstat,Surprised by the continued salary discrepancies between teachers and the other civil servants, especially the uniformed forces,United in our diversity by our common desire for the entrenchment of a credible quality public education system in Zimbabwe,Acknowledging the worthlessness of current infinite negotiations under NJNC and lack of seriousless and urgency in such negotiations
Reaffirming the position that the economy has fully redollarised, with prices of most goods and services pegged in US Dollars, including those offered by gvt itself,Noting that there are still Covid 19 active cases, most of them being local,Adequately informed that most boarding schools have increased fees to between $20 000 and $40 000 while the teacher’s salaries have remained stagnant in a volatile economic environment,Emphasizing that well paid teachers in safe schools is a must for quality public education.
Aware that all teachers are financially crippled and have no capacity to report at their respective schools on 28 September
We, the undersigned Teacher Unions in Zimbabwe, now therefore, urge the government to:
Urgently expedite consultations with all teachers’ unions with a view to sharing ideas on the way forward before the opening of schools. This is informed by the fact that teachers’unions are a key stakeholder in the education sector and represent the very people who are implementers of gvt policies;
Restore the purchasing power parity of teachers’ salaries pegged at USD500 to USD550.Implement meaningful education sector-specific allowances that commensurate with teachers responsibilities and status.Pay a Covid allowance that is a product of negotiations or agreement between employer and teachers rather than the current benevolence gesture dubbed presidential prerogative. If schools reopen during this Covid period, it entails that teachers will be frontline workers who deserve a meaningful covid allowance;Pay salaries that resonate with workers’ qualifications, experience, responsibilities and promotion rather than the current scenario where physical fitness has become more rewarding.
Establish an Inclusive Covid 19 Task Force to assess the level of preparedness of schools before re-opening.Ensure that schools are safe to receive the learners and teachers and their health, safety and welfare are highly prioritised. The $600 million set aside by gvt should reflect on the ground, in schools not in the media only or end in higher offices without reaching the intended beneficiaries.
Currently, there is almost nothing in public schools because the school coffers are dry since there hasn’t been any collection of fees after closure in March 2020.
Give teachers and learners enough time to cover syllabi and prepare for exams. The period of two months between 28 September 2020 and 1 December 2020 (the proposed date for commencement of exams) does not adequately compensate for the lost time of six months since schools closed.Listen to professional advice and provide a broad blue print that covers all learners than being restricted only to exam classes.
Indeed, there is nothing as dangerous as having under-paid, undernourished, under-resourced and demotivated teachers in the classrooms because teachers are in essence role models of their communities and society and help to shape the future of individuals, society and the country. It is only well-paid, healthy, motivated, innovative and dynamic teachers that can fulfill this vital cog of sustainable development.
Harare West legislator Joana Mamombe’s lawyer Aleck Muchadehama today clashed with state prosecutor Michael Reza, accusing of him of pursuing a personal vendetta against his client.
This followed Reza’s refusal to have Mamombe’s matter postponed to 26 September despite being advised by the actual prosecutor handling the matter, Garudzo Ziyadhuma to do so.
Muchadehama had asked for postponement saying that he was committed to other matter in Gweru.
Muchadehama pleaded with the court to question Reza if he had conflict of interest with the matter which Mamombe is standing accused of.
“We seek an extra notion on Reza on why he is being so much interested in this matter to an extent that he refused to postpone the matter even after the actual prosecutor who is doing this matter, Garudzo Ziyadhuma advised him to postponed to 26 September,” he told magistrate Bianca Makwande.
He also asked if Reza had personal interest or issues with him and Mamombe.
“We want to know if the state is super litigate that it can say whatever it wants and it happens?” queried Muchadehama.
However, Reza shot back and denied the allegations saying that he is doing his job as a public prosecutor.
“I am nothing but just a public prosecutor who is just doing his job.
“It is so wrong for the defence to say I have something holding against him and also all the allegations are hear-say evidence, I have never spoken with him personally,” he said.
He however did not deny that he spoke to Ziyadhuma about postponement and said he told lawyer Jeremiah Bhamu that he will oppose the postponement application.
Magistrate Makwande however did not make a ruling on this matter saying the utterances were made outside court.
This happened after the state has applied that Mamombe should be detained and examined by government doctors.
The defence is opposing to the application saying the state is not looking closely to the law but using personal issues towards the case.
The court moved the matter to 24 September for a ruling.
WORKERS in the agricultural sector have had their salaries reviewed, with lowest paid employee receiving a minimum wage of $4 600.
Previously, it was agreed that the lowest paid worker in this sector should get $2 960.
A statement by the National Employment Council for the Agricultural Sector in Zimbabwe indicates that the highest paid grade in this sector will see workers getting $9 085, up from $5 826.
The new wage adjustment agreement, which was signed on September 18, became effective on 1 September.
The agreement was reached by labour unions in the sector, among them the Zimbabwe Agricultural Employers Organisation (ZAEO), the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZFCU), Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU), Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) and agro employer representatives on the employer’s side and the General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ).
The Horticulture, General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe represented the employees in that sector in the negotiations.
Part of the agreement, however, states that an employer may apply to the National Employment Council for an exemption or review from paying the increased wages, stating the reasons.
By A Correspondent | A Great Zimbabwe University lecturer, who featured on ZimEye a few days ago has had a successful first operation for colon cancer.
Dr Farai Maunganidze’s organising team tells ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza, of the 41 year old lecturer who is being treated in Harare, the first operation has been successful.
“Thanking you Mkoma, the first Operation was successful and Dr Maunganidze is keeping well, I’m forever thankful for your assistance ?????? “, Mr Robert Gaza writes through.
The development has confirmed what the UK based Cancer Support Network advised the late activist Patson Dzamara, when he was panicking to fly out of the country as they told him he could easily be treated in Zimbabwe and the procedure is affordable. Mr Dzamara was at the time being advised by other people to go ahead with foreign travel plans, while being misled by some colleagues who made him believe a false allegation that the Cancer Support Network are herbalists. ZimEye battled to help Mr Dzamara against the Twitter activists and the human rights hero would unfortunately realise at the last minute only to apologise (audio recording). By that time however time had run out, and he passed on.
The Cancer Support Network was founded by healthcare professionals in Oncology who have deep insight and passion to serve the people of Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile scores of Zimbabweans have so far donated to Mr Maunganidze including the Ladies Of The UK organisation led by Flossy Kandodo.
He is now headed for the 2nd procedure. Those who wish to donate to his fund can do so on the following link…
THE spread of the Covid-19 epidemic is coming under control in Zimbabwe, with the number of infections falling below initial expectations, Government has said.
As at 22 September, Zimbabwe has recorded 7 711 confirmed Covid-19 cases, including 5 979 recoveries and 226 deaths.
Yesterday five new cases, all local infections, were recorded while there were no deaths noted. Overall, the epidemic has so far taken 226 lives and the country’s recovery rate still stands at 78 percent.
In a post Cabinet meeting briefing yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa noted that while the country appeared to have avoided the worst so far, citizens needed to remain vigilant as the virus was still a present threat.
“Cabinet was informed that the Experts Advisory Committee conducted a modeling exercise on current local and international Covid-19 data and noted that the Zimbabwe epidemic has not peaked as previously predicted due to the control measures that have been put in place.
“The Committee also concluded that the decreasing number of new infections is an indication of an epidemic coming under control. Cabinet, however, emphasizes that the public should continue being vigilant in adhering to Covid-19 containment measures as the effects of Covid-19 will continue to be felt until a vaccine is found,” she said.
Despite social media reports to the contrary, Minister Mutsvangwa said that the number of deaths in the country had decreased.
“Cabinet assures members of the public that there has not been increase in the death rate in Zimbabwe as alleged by some unsubstantiated social media reports. The Law and Order Sub-Committee compiled and compared data from the Central Registry on the country’s recorded deaths for the period January to August 2019 against the same period this year (2020). The data revealed that more people (45 256) died in 2019 than in 2020 (33 818) notwithstanding the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.
2/…distractions. It is not easy for a professional to speak out about their challenges. When you find a grown woman lamenting and crying then we all know that all is not well. Special thanks to our candidate Trywell Magura who donated bus fare to the nurses. #TogetherWeCanpic.twitter.com/8NCUurfO8a
THE Government stands ready to engage with private commuter omnibus operators, as there is a need to include other players in the transport sector now that the country continues to gradually open up its economy, but it will not entertain any proposals from pirate taxis owners, a Cabinet minister has said.
Privately-run kombis have been banned since the lockdown was effected on 30 March, with only those that are a part of the Zupco fleet allowed to operate.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday, Defence and War Veteran Affairs Minister, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who also chairs the Ad Hoc Inter-Ministerial Task Force on Covid-19, said Government was willing to allow private transport to come on board as infections decreased and the country’s economy opened up.
“As we have been observing the number of infections coming under control and also the opening of quite a number of sectors, now we see a need to bring in other players. Originally, every private operator who wanted to operate had to register with Zupco but we realise that Zupco also has some challenges. There are now new players in the economy and therefore the need that we open up, especially inter-city transport,” she said.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said Government was open to engagement with kombi operators should they follow the proper channels. The door however, remained closed pirate (mushika-shika) operators.
“Those that are legal whether Kombis, will be required to register with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development and we do hope that with that window those kombis will have to approach the relevant ministry and comply with the rules and regulations.
“They’re not being barred but only if they’re illegal because we see a lot of them that are not roadworthy. Some are not registered and always avoid to go through the official points. So we are ready to engage but not mushikashika, that one is a no, it’s still a nuisance. But for the kombis there’s an opportunity where they can approach the relevant authorities,” she said.
Zengeza West legislator, Job Sikhala has insinuated that the MDC Alliance government will close down Chikurubi maximum prison and turn it into a museum once it is elected into office.
Sikhala who was granted ZWL$50 000 bail by the High Court yesterday made the remarks after his release at Chikurubi maximum prison Wednesday afternoon.
“The new order is going to close down this horrible, inhabitable infrastructure called Chikurubi maximum prison, we are going to make sure that Chikurubi maximum prison is going to be museum, it doesn’t worthy human habitation, people there are surviving from food that does not even deserve to be served to dogs,” said Sikhala
He added that the conditions Zimbabweans are living in the country are similar to the ones being experienced inside Chikurubi maximum prison.
Three MDC-Alliance parliamentarians contesting their recall from Parliament do not want High Court judge Justice Pisirai Kwenda hearing their case since he has already ruled against 14 other MPs who made a similar application last month.
Lilian Timveos, Prosper Mutseyami and Thabita Khumalo were recalled from Parliament by the MDC-T for sympathising with the MDC-Alliance.
The basis of the recall is that the Supreme Court found in a civil suit that under party rules Thokozani Khupe was acting leader of the MDC-T and that the MDC-T is legally entitled to recall any legislators placed on the MDC-A list through a MDC-T nomination.
Through their lawyer, Mr Tendai Biti, the trio first wrote to Judge President George Chiweshe asking for the matter to be placed before another judge on the basis that Justice Kwenda had already decided on the main issues raised in the present application in his previous ruling against Basilia Majaya and others.
However, the Judge President advised Justice Kwenda that once he had allocated a matter, as he had done, his administrative functions had ended.
This entails that the issue of recusal was now a substantive issue before a concerned judge.
In the application for recusal, Mr Biti argued that Justice Kwenda has already made his decision on the matter and should not sit as to what amounted as a court of appeal on his own judgment.
In this regard, Timveos, Mutseyami and Khumalo were entitled to equal protection and benefit of the law in terms of the Constitution.
Mr Biti said equal protection and benefit of the law and due process required that another judge who had not pronounced judgment on the same issue, be allocated the case.
Justice Kwenda threw out two urgent chamber applications by 14 other MDC-A legislators on a similar case in August.
He upheld the recalls in a finding that the 14 failed to prove that their recalls were unlawful. His judgment was based on his interpretation of the Supreme Court ruling and other undisputed evidence placed before the court.
By A Correspondent- Equatorial Guinea Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Simeon Oyono today paid a courtesy call on President Mnangagwa at State House to deliver a special message from President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
Mr Oyono is leading a high-powered 10-member delegation from Malabo, which includes the Minister of Finance, Mr Cesar Mba and the Minister of Mines Mr Gabriel Obiang Lima.
The officials are in the country for wide ranging discussions with their local counterparts.
In brief remarks after meeting President Mnangagwa, Mr Oyono said his team had been deployed to seek ways of strengthening already existing bilateral ties.
“We are all part of the African Union and the United Nations and we already have excellent bi-lateral relations. We are here to look at areas where we can strengthen the ties and particular focus will be on tourism, mining and agriculture,” said Mr Oyono.
The delegation then went into closed door consultations with Zimbabwean officials led by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo.
The Zimbabwean officials included the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya.
The two countries have had excellent ties since 2004 when Zimbabwean authorities helped foil a planned coup against President Nguema Mbasogo.
The abortive coup was aimed at installing Spain-based opposition politician, Mr Severo Moto, as the country’s new leader.
President Nguema Mbasogo has visited Zimbabwe several times, the last being in 2018 when he pledged to continue working with President Mnangagwa’s administration.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) on Monday started marking the June 2020 Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations.
The process started after markers who tested negative to Covid-19 were cleared and checked in on Sunday.
The makers and supporting staff underwent Covid-19 testing between September 8 and 11 in Harare and results came in last week.
The examiners will be following strict World Health Organisation (WHO) Covid-19 rules and regulations which involve wearing of face masks, maintaining social distance and sanitisation.
The results are expected before the commencement of the November 2020 Ordinary and Advanced Level exanimations.
Zimsec public relations manager Ms Nicky Dlamini said markers had settled in and started work.
“Covid-19 testing for markers was done from September 8 to 11 and last week the results came and those cleared started checking in on Sunday. Today (Monday), marking started in earnest and we are making progress,” she said.
Last week, Zimsec board chairperson Professor Eddie Mwenje said they had extended the registration period for November 2020 Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations to cater for pupils and schools that failed to do so due to different reasons related to the Covid-19-induced lockdown.
“The registration will start on the September 28 once they open schools and then it will close on October 2,” he said.
This was the second time that Zimsec has extended the registration process.
He said the examinations are going ahead with the council having already completed the printing of Grade 7 examination material.
Prof Mwenje said no late registration fees will be charged to candidates and centres.
The provision, he said is in accordance with Government’s announcement that all candidates will access the 2020 examinations.-statemedia
Peter Muduhwa’s proposed move to Sudan has fallen through in the last minute after football agents Gibson Mahachi and George Deda clashed over the player.
The Highlanders defender was supposed to fly out to North Africa this week where he would join an unnamed top club. Deda was facilitating the deal and started working on it three months ago.
According to the Chronicle, the football agent, who has also worked on the transfer of Prince Dube to Azam, and Last Jesi and Silas Songani’s moves to Al Hilal, was notified on Monday morning that Muduhwa actually belongs to Mahachi.
The player had misrepresented himself and indicated that he did not have an agent when the deal was still in its infancy.
And Deda felt “robbed” as this was the same scenario he faced when he was facilitating Prince Dube’s move to Tanzania.
An unnamed source explained the situation to the newspaper: “Muduhwa’s move to Sudan has collapsed. The guys who were organising the deal are the same who facilitated Prince’s move to Azam.-Soccer 24
Barcelona have seen another player leaving the club this summer as the La Liga side continues with its overhaul ahead of the new season.
EPL team, Wolves, has completed the signing of Portuguese right-back Nelson Semedo from the Catalans in a £37m deal for three years.
“It’s isn’t often that we have the opportunity to sign a world-class player from a world-class club. Nelson’s signing shows we will never stop progressing and we are still hungry and humble in our heart,” Wolves executive chairman Jeff Shi said.
Semedo, 26, becomes the latest departure at Camp Nou after Arturo Vidal joined Inter Milan on a €1m transfer on Tuesday.
Ivan Rakitic, Arthur, Carles Perez and Marc Cucurella have also left the club while Luis Suarez is set to follow suit with links to Atletico Madrid.-Soccer 24
Farai Dziva|Senior MDC Alliance official Stanley Manguma has revealed how Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa is using Thokozani Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora to “pull down” President Nelson Chamisa.
According to Manguma, Mr Mnangagwa is keen to exorcize the illegitimacy ghost through elevating Khupe to the corridors of power.
Below is part of Manguma’s argument :
After realizing MDC-T is just a name without followers, they have changed to MDC Alliance, name of another party, our party.
They are fighting a Mnangagwa battle, they are ED puppets.
Make no mistake about that. This stupidity will be allowed to take effect because our laws only exist on paper.
Where the law is applied, it is applied selectively, to the advantage of ED and disadvantage of Pres. Nelson Chamisa.
We have a captured Judiciary that receives orders from Mnangagwa.
Everything Khupe Mwozora do, including recalls, remains illegal, after expiry of terms of Supreme Court judgement.
They are banking on Mnangagwa and crooked Judiciary for a lifeline.
Above all, the illegitimacy ghost is haunting Mr Mnangagwa.
Gareth Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnet has lashed out at Real Madrid, describing the manner in which the Spanish giants handled his client as ‘disrespectful.’
Bale rejoined Tottenham Hotspur on a season long loan last week after a season in the Spanish capital characterized by a frosty relationship with coach Zinedine Zidane.
Speaking for the first time since the Welshman was confirmed as a Spurs player, Barnet castigated the ‘mistreatment’ of the player by Los Blancos.
“He’s probably the most successful footballer Britain has ever produced, and there’s lots of things he still wants to do with his life, so we’ll have to wait and see,” he told TalkSport.
“For somebody who has done as well as he has for Real Madrid, he didn’t get the respect he deserved and that was a big problem.
“What he’s achieved for Real Madrid, they should be kissing the floor that he walks on,” Barnet added.-Soccer 24
You will need: 2 bunches of black jack leaves, one large chopped tomato and 1 medium chopped onions ,250 ml of boiling water, oil and salt to taste.
Boil the black jack leaves for 5 minutes before starting to cook
1.Add oil to the pan.
2.When the oil is hot, add the onions and after one minute add tomatoes. Let them simmer until the tomatoes make soup. Add salt.
3.Add the boiled black jack leaves and the 250 ml of boiled water to the pot and let it simmer until the soup is nearly over.
Note: Do not cook the hooks and flowers of the black jack.
Health Benefits Of Black Jacks
1.It is very effective in preventing and aiding in treating diabetes because of its numerous nutrients such as fibres and antioxidants. These nutrients help in regulating blood sugar levels in the body. Antioxidants improves the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels
2.It is known for its richness in anti-cancer properties to nearly every type of cancers.They help in preventing ,stopping and killing of cancer cells. Its nutrients help in stopping growth of cancer cells, strengthening the immune system and allows the body to detect and kill cancer cells faster.
3.Black Jacks help in improving the digestive system health because of its richness in fiber. These helps in preventing constipation, acid reflux, bloating, indigestion, diarrhoea and many other digestive orders. By preventing these digestive disorders, it prevents development of cancers in the digestive system.
4.It also prevents gastrointestinal illnesses.
5.It also helps in improving the body’s cardiovascular health. Its nutrients help in preventing heart diseases such as strokes and heart attacks. It is known for its efficiency in low blood cholesterol levels which prevents many chronic diseases.
6.It also helps in curing respiratory infections
7.Black jacks helps in controlling blood pressure in the body
8.It helps in the healing of wounds.
It acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
From Opera News Hub
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information follow /like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
Farai Dziva|Senior MDC Alliance official Stanley Manguma has revealed how Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa is using Thokozani Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora to “pull down” President Nelson Chamisa.
According to Manguma, Mr Mnangagwa is keen to exorcize the illegitimacy ghost through elevating Khupe to the corridors of power.
Below is part of Manguma’s argument :
After realizing MDC-T is just a name without followers, they have changed to MDC Alliance, name of another party, our party.
They are fighting a Mnangagwa battle, they are ED puppets.
Make no mistake about that. This stupidity will be allowed to take effect because our laws only exist on paper.
Where the law is applied, it is applied selectively, to the advantage of ED and disadvantage of Pres. Nelson Chamisa.
We have a captured Judiciary that receives orders from Mnangagwa.
Everything Khupe Mwozora do, including recalls, remains illegal, after expiry of terms of Supreme Court judgement.
They are banking on Mnangagwa and crooked Judiciary for a lifeline.
Above all, the illegitimacy ghost is haunting Mr Mnangagwa.
Joint statement by Teacher Unions in Zimbabwe Concerning Re-opening of Schools.
Realising that the gvt has since announced the dates for re-opening of schools for exam classes and commencement of exams, Irked that this announcement was not a product of widespread consultations and meaningful engagement with teacher unions but a ‘diktat’ by gvt,
Perturbed that gvt has totally ignored the welfare of teachers as evidenced by salaries that were received by teachers in September,Aware that the Total Consumption Poverty Line (TCPL) for a family of five is now above ZW$ 17 244 as given by Zimstat,Surprised by the continued salary discrepancies between teachers and the other civil servants, especially the uniformed forces,United in our diversity by our common desire for the entrenchment of a credible quality public education system in Zimbabwe,Acknowledging the worthlessness of current infinite negotiations under NJNC and lack of seriousless and urgency in such negotiations
Reaffirming the position that the economy has fully redollarised, with prices of most goods and services pegged in US Dollars, including those offered by gvt itself,Noting that there are still Covid 19 active cases, most of them being local,Adequately informed that most boarding schools have increased fees to between $20 000 and $40 000 while the teacher’s salaries have remained stagnant in a volatile economic environment,Emphasizing that well paid teachers in safe schools is a must for quality public education.
Aware that all teachers are financially crippled and have no capacity to report at their respective schools on 28 September
We, the undersigned Teacher Unions in Zimbabwe, now therefore, urge the government to:
Urgently expedite consultations with all teachers’ unions with a view to sharing ideas on the way forward before the opening of schools. This is informed by the fact that teachers’unions are a key stakeholder in the education sector and represent the very people who are implementers of gvt policies;
Restore the purchasing power parity of teachers’ salaries pegged at USD500 to USD550.Implement meaningful education sector-specific allowances that commensurate with teachers responsibilities and status.Pay a Covid allowance that is a product of negotiations or agreement between employer and teachers rather than the current benevolence gesture dubbed presidential prerogative. If schools reopen during this Covid period, it entails that teachers will be frontline workers who deserve a meaningful covid allowance;Pay salaries that resonate with workers’ qualifications, experience, responsibilities and promotion rather than the current scenario where physical fitness has become more rewarding.
Establish an Inclusive Covid 19 Task Force to assess the level of preparedness of schools before re-opening.Ensure that schools are safe to receive the learners and teachers and their health, safety and welfare are highly prioritised. The $600 million set aside by gvt should reflect on the ground, in schools not in the media only or end in higher offices without reaching the intended beneficiaries.
Currently, there is almost nothing in public schools because the school coffers are dry since there hasn’t been any collection of fees after closure in March 2020.
Give teachers and learners enough time to cover syllabi and prepare for exams. The period of two months between 28 September 2020 and 1 December 2020 (the proposed date for commencement of exams) does not adequately compensate for the lost time of six months since schools closed.Listen to professional advice and provide a broad blue print that covers all learners than being restricted only to exam classes.
Indeed, there is nothing as dangerous as having under-paid, undernourished, under-resourced and demotivated teachers in the classrooms because teachers are in essence role models of their communities and society and help to shape the future of individuals, society and the country. It is only well-paid, healthy, motivated, innovative and dynamic teachers that can fulfill this vital cog of sustainable development.
A GWANDA man has been arrested after he bit a police officer who tried to apprehend his for assaulting his wife.
Barbson Pande (40) from Jacaranda Suburb pleaded not guilty to charges of physical abuse and assaulting or resisting a peace officer but was convicted by Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi due to overwhelming evidence against him.
He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment but six months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years. The remaining six months were further suspended on condition that he performs 210 hours of community service at Gwanda Magistrate’s Court.
Prosecuting, Miss Glenda Nare said Pande assaulted his wife, Miss Farai Matekenya on July 9 and when she reported him to the police he went on to bite the lip of Constable Artwell Chokera who attended the scene.
”On 9 July at around 6PM Pande was at home with his family when he started accusing his wife of making noise for him together with their children. Pande threatened to kill his wife who went on to the call the police and reported the incident.
”Two police officers attended the scene and when Pande saw them he further insulted his wife, grabbed her by the neck and dragged her on the floor. The cops tried to apprehend Pande but instead he bit Constable Artwell Chokera on the upper lip before fleeing the scene,” she said.
In his defence Pande denied assaulting his wife. He said he only reprimanded her.
He said he resisted arrest as the police wanted to apprehend him for an offence that he did not commit.
Pande said the cops only wanted to apprehend him for their personal gain as one of them was having an affair with his wife.-Chronicle
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwean government has expressed interest in engaging private commuter omnibus operators (Kombis) amid concerns of transport woes in the country.
Commuter omnibuses were barred from roads in March when the country initially announced the coronavirus induced lockdown.
Addressing members of the media following this week’s Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Defence and War Veteran Affairs Minister, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said:
As we have been observing the number of infections coming under control and also the opening of quite a number of sectors, now we see a need to bring in other players. Originally, every private operator who wanted to operate had to register with Zupco but we realise that Zupco also has some challenges. There are now new players in the economy and therefore the need that we open up, especially inter-city transport.
She added that the private commuter omnibuses have to be registered with relevant authorities and also have to be roadworthy.
Unregistered kombis operating without route permits, at undesignated picking points known as Mushikashika, have in the past caused headaches for local authorities who intended to collect taxes.
The government parastatal, the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) is failing to quench the high demand which rose when the country reopened the economy.-statemedia
You will need: 2 bunches of black jack leaves, one large chopped tomato and 1 medium chopped onions ,250 ml of boiling water, oil and salt to taste.
Boil the black jack leaves for 5 minutes before starting to cook
1.Add oil to the pan.
2.When the oil is hot, add the onions and after one minute add tomatoes. Let them simmer until the tomatoes make soup. Add salt.
3.Add the boiled black jack leaves and the 250 ml of boiled water to the pot and let it simmer until the soup is nearly over.
Note: Do not cook the hooks and flowers of the black jack.
Health Benefits Of Black Jacks
1.It is very effective in preventing and aiding in treating diabetes because of its numerous nutrients such as fibres and antioxidants. These nutrients help in regulating blood sugar levels in the body. Antioxidants improves the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels
2.It is known for its richness in anti-cancer properties to nearly every type of cancers.They help in preventing ,stopping and killing of cancer cells. Its nutrients help in stopping growth of cancer cells, strengthening the immune system and allows the body to detect and kill cancer cells faster.
3.Black Jacks help in improving the digestive system health because of its richness in fiber. These helps in preventing constipation, acid reflux, bloating, indigestion, diarrhoea and many other digestive orders. By preventing these digestive disorders, it prevents development of cancers in the digestive system.
4.It also prevents gastrointestinal illnesses.
5.It also helps in improving the body’s cardiovascular health. Its nutrients help in preventing heart diseases such as strokes and heart attacks. It is known for its efficiency in low blood cholesterol levels which prevents many chronic diseases.
6.It also helps in curing respiratory infections
7.Black jacks helps in controlling blood pressure in the body
8.It helps in the healing of wounds.
It acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
From Opera News Hub
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information follow /like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) has called upon the government to provide safety nets to cushion the citizenry from effects of the coronavirus-induced lockdown. We present its statement below.
21 September 2020
176 days of COVID-19 lockdown In Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Health and Child Care reported that, as at 20 September 2020, the total number of COVID-19 cases Increased to 7 683. Active cases went up to 1 534, following the record of 11 new cases and 10 recoveries. The total number of recoveries stands at 5 924. The death toll now stands at 225.
We highlight the concern raised by the WHO that the despite the 14% drop in COVI13-19cases across Africa, the picture of pandemic Is difficult to ascertain with certainty due to the inconsistencies in testing strategies on the Continent hence African countries should remain vigilant. It is against this background we are concerned of the resumption of movement across the North-South trade corridor to which Zimbabwe is part of the land liked trade route. These countries are continuing to see rises In cases amidst reports that Indicate relaxation of adherence to mask-wearing, social distancing and frequent sanitization In countries across the corridor. We remain concerned at Imported cases and also spread of Infections domestically.
We commend the resumption of operations for the Central Registry, particularly the issuing of birth certificates. We highlight the plight of mothers who recently gave birth during the lockdown, and may still continue to face challenges in accessing the Centra/ Registry despite Its resumption of operations. We, therefore, recommend to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, setting up of mobile Registry clinics In communities to ensure easy access to documentation such as birth certificates. • We urge the retro – fining of process and public spaces of the central registry to ensure that the traditional congestion of these spaces to do not tum the re-opening of offices Into super spreader events • We continue to call for devolved issuance of birth certificates at community clinics and health centres on the day of birth and not to place new mother under the burden of going to central government office.
Critical Emerging Issues
1. Hunger & Delay In Implementing social protection measures
We highlight the World Food Program, (WFP) report that indicates that 75% of Zimbabwe Urban Workers have been rendered Jobless by the COVID-19 pandemic related restrictions.
We highlight the scourge of exacerbated social vulnerabilities related to such a grave circumstance and the need for widespread aggressive rebuilding agenda to ensure that lives and saved in the pursuit of non-consultative economic restructuring that has a high risk to create jobless, rootless growth. Whilst we continue to note that Government Is yet to avail funds for the COV1D.19 relief pay-out, we continue to remain dismayed by the lack urgency by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare to provide real tangible social safety nets. This has raised a general sense of discontent and disgruntlement by the communities over the delays in the Implementation of social protection measures by Government.
• We query policy measures put In place by Government to ensure that citizens access basic commodities in the time of COVID-19.
• We further call the State to order, particularly on Its duty to ensure that citizens enjoy the progressive realisation of their fundamental right to food and water.
• We, therefore, call upon the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare to expedite the implementation of social protection programs to alleviate economic shocks upon vulnerable households.
• We recommend an increase In the COV1D-19 relief payouts, and an expedited implementation of social protection programs for all vulnerable households.
Outstanding Issue
1. Relaxation on adherence to public health guidelines In the wake of gradual easing of the lockdown measures. Our monitoring of the COVID49 situation reveals a continuing general trend, throughout Communities, businesses and public spaces, indicating a relaxation in observing social distancing, use of face masks and sanitizers.
Concerned that failure to adequately observe social and physical distancing may erode all the gains recorded so far in the COVID-19 battle.
• We remind the general populace on the need to fortify their efforts in maintaining both social and physical distancing. in every environment which may include work, public transport or supermarkets.
By A Correspondent- War veterans and labour activists have urged government to channel part of the US$3,5 billion meant to compensate white former commercial farmers towards ex-farm workers who lost their sources of livelihood and property during the chaotic land reform programme.
A recent United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report states that at least one million people lost their livelihoods and homes as a result of the controversial farm seizures which started in 2000.
The report stated that an estimated 320 000 workers or about 25% of the country’s labour force were employed on commercial farms before government seized the farms and redistributed them to landless indigenous farmers.
“In the aftermath of the land invasions, over 200 000 farm workers and their families an estimated one million people lost their livelihoods and homes, as well as access to farm schools and other social amenities,” read the UNDP report.
The late former President Robert Mugabe, ex-combatants and the ruling Zanu-PF party defended the land reform programme as necessary to correct colonial land ownership imbalances between blacks and whites.
Government recently signed a US$3,5 billion compensation deal with white former commercial farmers for improvements on their seized land, but former workers were left out of the deal.
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions western region chairperson Ambrose Sibindi said: “This is another clear-cut decision by the government, which proves that we have a government that is not pro-workers but is there just for their own benefit in terms of profits.
“Yes, obviously if the farmers are to be compensated to the tune of US$3,5 billion, it goes without saying that the farm workers who lost their jobs definitely need to be considered. We are looking forward to the government also announcing and putting up a clear budget on how they will be compensated. Mind you it’s not only compensating them in terms of salaries or wages, we also know that some workers stayed in compounds and their properties were destroyed. As a labour movement, we are looking forward to those workers needing to be compensated, that is our position.”
Ex-Zipra veteran Maxwell Vuma Mkandla said the former farm workers also deserved to be compensated.
“When the land invasion started, most of them lost their property and their jobs and since then, some of them have not even recovered from the effects of the process because some had no rural homes and they lived in farm compounds.”
Human rights activist effie Ncube said the former farm workers were left out because the Zanu-PF government did not care about workers.
“It is not surprising that the former farm workers were not included in the rehabilitation of the former white farmers. Government of Zanu-PF has never cared about the workers, it does not care about Zimbabweans, it only cares about them to the extent that they can feed into electoral victory by Zanu-PF. When it looks at citizens, it does not see them as people who are rights holders,” Ncube said.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- Independent legislator for Norton, Temba Mliswa Tuesday urged other legislators to speak good about the late former Agriculture Minister Perrance Shiri as it was inhuman to talk evil of someone who cannot defend themselves.
Shiri, who once served as an army commander during the Gukurahundi atrocities, died on 29 July due to Covid-19 complications.
His name features prominently when ever there is talk on the subject of killings on over 20 000 people during the Matabeleland and Midlands massacres by the Zimbabwe military in the early 1980s.
However, Mliswa described Shiri as a liberation struggle icon and urged other MPs to speak glowingly about the late politician.
“Mr. Speaker Sir, may this be an opportunity for my colleagues Honourable Members of Parliament to talk about the good that this man did. It will be totally inhuman to talk about what a man did when he cannot defend himself when he is no more,” said Mliswa Tuesday.
“I hasten to say do not associate him with Gukurahundi. He was just a commander when there were other commanders. If we decide to talk about people being killed let us bring every soldier who has been to war before the courts and ask them why they killed. He was never the commander of the army and he was never part of the commander of the Air Force (of Zimbabwe),” Mliswa said.
“There is a commander-in-chief who they take instructions from. So, he must never be tainted with something which other people gave orders to. Unfortunately, the true story of Gukurahundi will never come out because the commander-in-chief at the time was the former late President R. G. Mugabe. He was there and nobody had the chance to ask him and when you are in that position, no one else can speak for you but yourself.”
Mliswa said parliament failed to exercise its oversight role and invite Mugabe to give his side of the story.
“We invited him (Mugabe) to come because we wanted to understand. The various committees had an opportunity to invite him to also find out about Gukurahundi since he was the commander-in-chief and he was the President at the time.
“For us to talk about who was in charge of Gukurahundi when the principal is no more, I think you are opening old wounds; may the souls of those people who passed away rest in peace. May we never again have such an experience as a people. May we have a leadership which forgives and asks for forgiveness,” said Mliswa.
He continued, “In that spirit, we are able to move as one nation and we are able to safeguard the pain, joy, and interest of the people who sacrificed for this country, the late Joshua Nkomo, the late Josiah Tongogara, the late Nikita Mangena, the late Herbert Chitepo, the late Ziyapapa (Moyo) all those that we know about can only be happy when we are in unity and we are tolerant of each other.
“They could tolerate the white men at the time when the white men had an agenda to totally kill people, but today why can we not be tolerant of each other? May we learn the tolerance of Gudoguru the late retired Air Chief Marshall Shiri in that he could talk to anyone because he was Zimbabwean and he put Zimbabwe first?”
By A Correspondent- Zanu Pf yesterday reacted angrily to South Africa’s persistent calls for the party to come clean on the crisis in Zimbabwe and receive assistance in resolving the problems, arguing that there was no need for the neighbouring country to offer help.
On Sunday, South Africa’s International Relations minister Naledi Pandor said the influx of Zimbabwean economic refugees was a clear indicator that the country was in a serious crisis.
Zanu-PF denies the existence of a crisis, and accuses the opposition, civic society and Western diplomats of spreading “malicious” allegations to tarnish the image of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government as part of a regime change agenda.
Speaking on public broadcaster SABC, Pandor said Zimbabwe should admit there is a crisis and receive assistance to resolve the issues it is facing.
“I am sure you are aware that the government of Zimbabwe and its governing party (Zanu-PF) are saying there are no problems in their country and we are arguing that actually there are difficulties because we have hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Zimbabweans in South Africa.
“Many of them indicate that they are here because the situation on economic progress is dire in their country and so we do think there is a basis for us to have a collaboration to see how we might assist Zimbabwe to achieve economic recovery and a level of stability that will allow the people of Zimbabwe to feel they are able to return to their country and contribute to its development.”
“But that can only happen when the government of Zimbabwe openly says to South Africa that we do think we should have a conversation about development,” Pandor said, insisting it was up to Zimbabwe to acknowledge the crisis.
She said South Africa was not avoiding direct intervention, but urged Harare to first admit that there is a crisis and seek help.
“When we have sought help, we have opened up and said we have a problem in this area, could we talk to country X or organisation B to see how we resolve our problems and when only we get to that level of openness and admission that we begin to address problems that confront us,” Pandor said.
“We are ready to have a discussion through which we will provide any assistance required, but when a leader says there are no problems, who am I, a mere Minister of International Relations, to say well, Mr President, I know there are problems. It’s just not done, it’s not diplomacy.”
But Zanu-PF information director Tafadzwa Mugwadi yesterday said South Africa had never helped Zimbabwe in any way and should just “shut up”.
“What help does South Africa give Zimbabwe? Zimbabwe has never received any cent from South Africa and you have to be aware of that. They are lying to the world and if they say they will help Zimbabwe, you would think there is money stashed somewhere to be given us, yet they have never given us anything. They must just shut up, we don’t need their help,” Mugwadi said.
“They must stop giving us a headache. They must just stop it. Who are South Africans and who do they think they are?”
Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party and its South African counterpart, the African National Congress, have been trading blows over the crisis in Zimbabwe, with officials in Harare vehemently insisting there is nothing like that in the country.
“Where and when was that said? I did not hear or see that,” Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said when asked to comment on Pandor’s comments.
South Africa has been active in trying to intervene in the Zimbabwean political and economic crises and has twice dispatched special envoys as part of efforts to resolve the crisis, which have hitherto come to naught.-Newsday
THE trial of former Public Service minister Prisca Mupfumira, on charges of defrauding the National Social Security Authority by diverting US$95 million from its coffers, kicks off on October 19.
Prosecutor George Manokore yesterday told magistrate Trynos Utawashe that the State was now ready for trial after several false starts, with Mupfumira’s lawyer Advocate Silvester Hashiti threatening to file for refusal of further remand in protest over the delays.
Mupfumira faces seven counts of criminal abuse of office involving US$95 million amid reports that she had allegedly used some of the money to acquire properties in South Africa, Dubai and the United Kingdom, a charge she denies.
By A Correspondent- Norton independent MP Temba Mliswa Tuesday urged other legislators to speak good about the late former Agriculture Minister Perrance Shiri as it was inhuman to talk evil of someone who cannot defend themselves.
Shiri, who once served as an army commander during the Gukurahundi atrocities, died on 29 July due to Covid-19 complications.
His name features prominently when ever there is talk on the subject of killings on over 20 000 people during the Matabeleland and Midlands massacres by the Zimbabwe military in the early 1980s.
However, Mliswa described Shiri as a liberation struggle icon and urged other MPs to speak glowingly about the late politician.
“Mr. Speaker Sir, may this be an opportunity for my colleagues Honourable Members of Parliament to talk about the good that this man did. It will be totally inhuman to talk about what a man did when he cannot defend himself when he is no more,” said Mliswa Tuesday.
“I hasten to say do not associate him with Gukurahundi. He was just a commander when there were other commanders. If we decide to talk about people being killed let us bring every soldier who has been to war before the courts and ask them why they killed. He was never the commander of the army and he was never part of the commander of the Air Force (of Zimbabwe),” Mliswa said.
“There is a commander-in-chief who they take instructions from. So, he must never be tainted with something which other people gave orders to. Unfortunately, the true story of Gukurahundi will never come out because the commander-in-chief at the time was the former late President R. G. Mugabe. He was there and nobody had the chance to ask him and when you are in that position, no one else can speak for you but yourself.”
Mliswa said parliament failed to exercise its oversight role and invite Mugabe to give his side of the story.
“We invited him (Mugabe) to come because we wanted to understand. The various committees had an opportunity to invite him to also find out about Gukurahundi since he was the commander-in-chief and he was the President at the time.
“For us to talk about who was in charge of Gukurahundi when the principal is no more, I think you are opening old wounds; may the souls of those people who passed away rest in peace. May we never again have such an experience as a people. May we have a leadership which forgives and asks for forgiveness,” said Mliswa.
He continued, “In that spirit, we are able to move as one nation and we are able to safeguard the pain, joy, and interest of the people who sacrificed for this country, the late Joshua Nkomo, the late Josiah Tongogara, the late Nikita Mangena, the late Herbert Chitepo, the late Ziyapapa (Moyo) all those that we know about can only be happy when we are in unity and we are tolerant of each other.
“They could tolerate the white men at the time when the white men had an agenda to totally kill people, but today why can we not be tolerant of each other? May we learn the tolerance of Gudoguru the late retired Air Chief Marshall Shiri in that he could talk to anyone because he was Zimbabwean and he put Zimbabwe first?”
Once you see the bigmouth trio of George Charamba aka Jamwanda, Presidential Spokesman, Victor Matemadanda aka Taximan, Deputy Minister of Defence and Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Information, spewing unprintable obscenities and insulting former President of Botswana, Ian Khama, journalists, Catholic Bishops and everyone who speaks the truth about Zimbabwe’s failing economy and politics, you know that there is a big crisis in the looter’s paradise called Zimbabwe.
ZANU PF Acting Spokesman, Patrick Chinamasa, has been posted permanently at ZANUPF headquarters wherefrom he is spiting venom at anyone who dares to mention the word crisis in the same sentence with Zimbabwe. This, he does through a misplaced press conference that he holds weekly.
Suddenly but not surprising ‘crisis’ has become the most feared word in ZANUPF circles. The fear and fury exibited by the leaders is evidence that Zanupf headquarters is shaken to the core.
The honey moon is over for the coup plotters. Gone are the days when Zanupf leaders enjoyed a political massage from African leaders for all wrong doing. Rightly so, African leaders are now calling a spade a spade.
We commend the ANC Leadership for not only speaking out on the political crisis in Zimbabwe but for using their time and resources to go to Zimbabwe in an effort to find a permanent solution to Zimbabwe’s crisis which by its nature, is very huge.
We also applaud former President of Botswana Ian Khama for speaking out against gross human rights abuse in Zimbabwe. The former President spoke well when he said that in the last 40 years the only change experienced in Zimbabwe is the name change.
Yes we have seen less development but more slaughtering and tribal marginalisation and oppression of minorities particularly Matabele people. More looting and plundering of state resources. More political persecutions, assassinations and attempted assassinations. More beatings, torture and abductions of those who speak against the terrorist government of Zimbabwe. More empty promises and mismanagement of the economy. This forms the basis of Zimbabwe crisis.
You have subjected yourselves to unwarranted insults and humiliation for the good cause of Ubuntu and humanity.
A good neighbour is one who knocks at the door and asks if everything is alright on hearing continuous screaming of the children and wife coming from their neighbour.
Guilt cautious ZANUPF does not like it as they have come out guns blazing attacking you, but over 5 million ordinary Matabeles and 10 million Zimbabweans who are suffering appreciate your efforts.
In the 1980s our neighbours and the world ignored the cries of agony from Matabeleland and the moment they opened their eyes, more than 40 000 innocent Matabeles including defenceless born and unborn children, women and old people, had been slaughtered by the Zimbabwe government through Zimbabwe National Army 5th Brigade.
That was genocide and ethnic cleansing done with British complicity. Therefore it is a recommendable thing to keep such a murderous government in check.
ZANU PF is like a skunk. When you deal with it you cannot escape its
unpleasant smell. The clueless, heartless and useless bunch of terrorists and genocidists value diplomacy and sovereignty more than the lives of human beings under their rule.
The political dynamics in Zimbabwe are so dramatic and cruel such that one does not know whether to laugh or cry.
In 2017 the incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is now denying that there is a crisis in Zimbabwe, illegally crossed the South African border to seek refuge and assistance. But now he is chasing away and humiliating the same people who helped him.
Guess who has run to South Africa this time to seek refuge, and to some extent, intervention? Yes it is Saviour Kasukuwere, Patrick Zhuwao and Walter Mzembi. The very guys who were pouring scorn on Mnangagwa saying he was a border jumper.
Who will be the next border jumper? As long as Shona tribal battles continue do not be surprised to see Mnangagwa and his lapdogs like Victor Matemadanda, Chinamasa and others running back to South Africa to seek refugee. It is a Shona political circus !
Politics of tribe has finally caught up with Shonas, they are now fighting each other.
Like hyenas fighting for a carcass, the Shonas are fighting for political power. The Shona tribe that holds the levers of power stands in a good position to loot which is every Shona’s dream. It is because of this that no Shona tribe will allow itself to be ruled by another and the crisis will go on and on.
The factions in ZANUPF have given themselves battle names like G40 (Zezuru unconquerable), Lacoste (Chinu Chetu/ our thing) and the Weevils.
The opposition MDC will always cry foul. Forever using the issue of illegitimacy and vote rigging which has become an over used and tired tactic of theirs.
The subtle British engagement in trying to influence Shona political dynamics has created serious crisis within the Shona people. The British stand to lose big time and would be greatly disappointed after pouring millions and millions to influence the outcome they want.
What they conveniently forget is that the Shona people have never had any respected central authority in their culture. It is for this reason why you find a small country with over 100 presidential candidates and over 500 political parties.
Robert Mugabe was the only leader who managed to keep the disparate Shona groups together. Due to the military coup that removed him, he cursed his fellow Shona people and now they will never produce a leader to unite them for the next 1000 years. They should have asked Dr Staar L. Jameson and Cecil J. Rhodes .
This is why Cecil J. Rhodes ended up dealing with Matebele monarchy to secure his fraudulent Rudd Concession to obtain the coveted charter to colonize the two separate territories. The Shona people are now through natural instinct, retreating to their reset mode thus creating instabilities in all their political parties ie Zanupf, MDC MDC-99, MDC T, MDC -M, MDC A, MDC Chinja/Guqula, MDC- and et al.
This is the opportunity which the people of Matabeleland have been waiting for. These divisions are Shona supremacist Achilles’s heel. When your enemy is divided you can sleep in their camp. But for us, this is not time to sleep. Let us wake up and fight for our freedom!
MLO has launched a massive mobilizing campaign calling upon all Matabele people to come out in their numbers and join hands with us in the fight for Matabeleland independence and sovereignty.
Stand up and be counted!
Let us not behave like certain fools that we know. They want to be paid to liberate themselves, worse more they believe that the world owes them and that someone from somewhere must come and fight on their behalf while they enjoy a peaceful sleep in their bedrooms.
By A Correspondent- Three MDC Alliance legislators who are challenging their recall from Parliament have applied to have High Court judge Justice Pisirai Kwenda removed from hearing their case.
The trio argued through their lawyer Tendai Biti that Justice Kwenda has already ruled against 14 other MPs who made a similar application in August.
Biti said equal protection and benefit of the law and due process required that another judge who had not pronounced judgment on the same issue, be allocated the case.
The trio, Lilian Timveos, Prosper Mutseyami and Thabita Khumalo were recalled from Parliament by the MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe for allegiance to MDC-Alliance which is led by Nelson Chamisa.
The three are among more than a dozen more legislators and councillors that have so far been recalled by the reinstated MDC-T leadership.
Some observers view the recallings as a direct jab at the will of the people who voted for those individuals who are being recalled.
MDC-T leadership argues that it is allowed by local laws to recall members who would have ceased to belong to the party – they belonged to at the election.-Statemedia
By Lloyd Mupfudze- Local government in Zimbabwe is recognised in the national constitution. The constitution explicitly requires local government to respect human rights. Section 194 on Basic values and principles governing public administration sates that “Public administration in all tiers of government, including institutions and agencies of the State and government-controlled entities and other public enterprises, must be governed by the democratic values and principles enshrined in this Constitution”.
Section 266 also stipulates that employees of provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities must act in accordance with the Constitution and the law and no employee of a provincial or metropolitan council or a local authority may, in the exercise of their functions violate the fundamental rights or freedoms of any person.
The powers of local governments must be exercised in accordance with the law, which means that they are obliged to observe human rights guaranteed by the law. The duty of local government to observe human rights is expressed in principles such as securing the public welfare and ensure the fair and equitable representation of people within their areas of jurisdiction.
It is important to have an explicit legal provision which obliges local government to promote and protect human rights. Local authorities are thus informed of their human rights responsibilities, understanding that any failure to comply with these responsibilities will entail their liability under national law as well as international responsibility of the State as a whole.
The provision will impose a clear obligation on local authorities to apply a human rights-based approach to delivering public services within their defined mandate. Consequently, it may well encourage rights holders to claim their rights vis-à-vis local authorities.
Local authorities are close to citizens’ every day needs and deal with human rights on daily basis. Therefore, the nexus between human rights and local government can never be underestimated. Local councils take decisions relating in particular to housing, education, environment, law and order.
These are fundamental and directly linked to the implementation and realisation of human rights. If the local authorities fail in their mandate to provide the essential services the possibilities of citizens to enjoy their human rights is diminished. Therefore, there is need to integrate a human rights dimension in local government initiatives.
Council officials are responsible for a wide range of human rights issues in their work. However, it is unfortunate that the officials and the general public do not perceive council functions as human rights implementation or programming. Consequently, human rights are not included in policy analysis and practice at the local government level.
Human rights duties of local government follow the classical tripartite typology of States’ human rights obligations, namely, the duty to respect, the duty to protect and the duty to fulfil. The duty to respect means that local authorities must not violate human rights through their own actions.
It requires local government to refrain from interfering with the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms of all persons within its jurisdiction beyond the permissible limitations. The duty to protect requires measures to ensure that third parties do not violate the rights and freedoms of the individual citizens.
For example, local authorities are required to take action to ensure that children are not prevented by others from attending school. The duty to protect can necessitate creating safer urban environments that reduce the risk of violence, for example against women. The duty to fulfil means that local government must take positive action to facilitate the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms.
Further, local councils should promote the understanding of and respect for human rights of all individuals within their jurisdiction through education and training. In particular, local authorities should organize, on a systematic basis, human rights training for their elected representatives and staff and the dissemination of relevant information among citizens about their rights. By promoting human rights, local authorities can help build a culture of human rights in the community.
By A Correspondent- MDC-T’s Marondera Ward 2 councillor Simbarashe Nyahuye has won the mayorship after beating MDC Alliance’s Bornface Tagwireyi 4-3.
The election was to replace Mayor Chengetai Murowa who was part of the five (5) councillors ousted in last week’s recall by the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T.
Marondera had 12 councillors before the recall with MDC Alliance claiming the majority. After the recall, MDC Alliance and MDC-T had 3 each while ZANU PF had 1.
ZANU PF councillor, Joel Mujaranji of Ward 12 voted for MDC-T’s Nyahuye who eventually won the mayoral race 4-3 against the MDC Alliance candidate.
This is happening when the recently inaugurated Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume was also recalled which means elections to replace him may be called soon.
MDC Alliance which is led by Nelson Chamisa accuses MDC-T of working with the governing ZANU PF to weaken Chamisa who is regarded the face of opposition in the country.
The leadership crisis in the opposition MDC has been on the rise since the appointment of Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as vice presidents in the party.
The crisis worsened with the demise of former Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai who succumbed to cancer in 2018 as Khupe and Chamisa wrangled to succeed the late veteran leader.-ZimLive
By A Correspondent- MDC-T’s Marondera Ward 2 councillor Simbarashe Nyahuye has won the mayorship after beating MDC Alliance’s Bornface Tagwireyi 4-3.
The election was to replace Mayor Chengetai Murowa who was part of the five (5) councillors ousted in last week’s recall by the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T.
Marondera had 12 councillors before the recall with MDC Alliance claiming the majority. After the recall, MDC Alliance and MDC-T had 3 each while ZANU PF had 1.
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ZANU PF councillor, Joel Mujaranji of Ward 12 voted for MDC-T’s Nyahuye who eventually won the mayoral race 4-3 against the MDC Alliance candidate.
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This is happening when the recently inaugurated Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume was also recalled which means elections to replace him may be called soon.
MDC Alliance which is led by Nelson Chamisa accuses MDC-T of working with the governing ZANU PF to weaken Chamisa who is regarded the face of opposition in the country.
The leadership crisis in the opposition MDC has been on the rise since the appointment of Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as vice presidents in the party.
The crisis worsened with the demise of former Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai who succumbed to cancer in 2018 as Khupe and Chamisa wrangled to succeed the late veteran leader.-ZimLive
By A Correspondent- MDC-T’s Marondera Ward 2 councillor Simbarashe Nyahuye has won the mayorship after beating MDC Alliance’s Bornface Tagwireyi 4-3.
The election was to replace Mayor Chengetai Murowa who was part of the five (5) councillors ousted in last week’s recall by the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T.
Marondera had 12 councillors before the recall with MDC Alliance claiming the majority. After the recall, MDC Alliance and MDC-T had 3 each while ZANU PF had 1.
ZANU PF councillor, Joel Mujaranji of Ward 12 voted for MDC-T’s Nyahuye who eventually won the mayoral race 4-3 against the MDC Alliance candidate.
This is happening when the recently inaugurated Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume was also recalled which means elections to replace him may be called soon.
MDC Alliance which is led by Nelson Chamisa accuses MDC-T of working with the governing ZANU PF to weaken Chamisa who is regarded the face of opposition in the country.
The leadership crisis in the opposition MDC has been on the rise since the appointment of Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as vice presidents in the party.
The crisis worsened with the demise of former Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai who succumbed to cancer in 2018 as Khupe and Chamisa wrangled to succeed the late veteran leader.
Zimbabwean freelance journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has expressed concern over the deplorable state of local prisons revealing that over 500 inmates are sharing 2 toilets.
Chin’ono who was arrested and spent over a month in prison for inciting public violence after he used social media to support anti-corruption protests that were being organised by Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume for 31 July exposed the inhuman treatment of prisoners incarcerated in Zimbabwean prisons.
The award-winning journalist and filmmaker criticised the justice system in the country saying individuals who would not have been convicted of any crime should not be sent to Chikurubi Maximum prison where he, Job Sikhala and Ngarivhume were housed.
Speaking on Sikhala who was still in prison when he wrote the article, the CNN Africa Journalist of the year said:
His prison cell is meant to house ONLY 16 prison inmates, but like all other prison cells at Chikuribi prison, it is packed with 42 prisoners, and it only has one toilet with NO running water for those 42 men.
At times the prison cell can have more prisoners, I know so because I shared the same cell with Job Sikhala.
At one point the prison officials wanted to bring more inmates with mental disorders so that we would end up around 75 for that night in a cell designed for only 16 prisoners!
He also said prisoners are kept in cells for 17 hours daily, starting from 1500 hours, adding that “if you fall sick during those 17 hours, you won’t get any practical medical help at all.”
Other points he raised:
Sub-standard meals (cooked Sadza and boiled beans; badly cooked Sadza with boiled cabbages).
Toilets are are not enough (only 2 for 500 inmates).
Risk of contracting Coronavirus is high (no soap, no running water)
Chikurubi is meant to house 1360 prisoners, today it houses over 2500 prisoners.
He was imprisoned at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison without trial after exposing massive Covid-19 looting scandals that included President Mnangagwa’s allies.
The corruption exposures resulted in the former health minister Obadiah Moyo being fired.
Chin’ono is a Harvard University Nieman Journalism Fellow and a University of Oxford Africa Leadership Fellow.-NehandaRadio
By A Correspondent | MDC-T leader, Thokhozani Khupe’s top ally and former Harare Mayor, Eng. Elias Mudzuri is reportedly failing to pay for his medical bill.
His “friends” Monday posted on social media appealing for donations to foot the politician’s medical bills.
According to the posts Mudzuri is battling with Covid-19.
Below is the text which Mudzuri’s “friends” posted.
Attention Relatives and friends
We are friends of Engineer Elias Mudzuri who is currently battling Covid 19.
Realizing that the huge medical bills continue to accrue by each day, we decided to raise funds to assist him.
Those who wish to contribute towards this noble cause can either deposit RTGS or ecocash into the following accounts
Name: Everesto Mudzuri
Bank: CABS Savings
Account No.
1002131847
Branch: CABS Centre
By A Correspondent- Senator Morgen Komichi, who defected to the Thokozani Khupe faction led MDC T has advised MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa to form his own political party arguing that it was disrespectful of him to claim being leader of the MDC Alliance.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with ZimEye, Komichi advised Chamisa to become the founding father of his own political party which bore no semblence to MDC- T or MDC Alliance.
Said Komichi:
“You know what happened in March our story the MDC -T story after Tsvangirai’s death, our issue went to the courts and we got a ruling from the courts in Zimbabwe.
It came out where the Supreme Court ruling that what you did after Tsvangirai’s death where you elected his replacement, it was not above board so go back to extra ordinary congress which is the right way to go when a leader of your party dies.
So after that we did not agree with other party cadres but I insisted that we should follow the law….
Tsvangirai’s place is still vacant. It has not yet been filled to date.. meaning that Madam Khupe is the leader of MDC T and she is automatically the leader of MDC Alliance.
So Nelson Chamisa cannot say MDC Alliance is his party… he has no party because it was an alliance. This is why we are using it.
If he says MDC Alliance is his party, its disrespect to Constitutionalism. Those who are in parliament as MDC Alliance MPs and councillors, they belong to us as MDC T.
MDC T has the right to discipline its MPs in parliament. We have a right to discipline our Senators.
We won at court.. and we cannot be forced to change our names towards elections. If we go as MDC T, there will be conflict of identity. Our MPs cannot be labelled MDC T and MDC Alliance at the same time. So starting December, for the by elections we will be using that name.
We are serious about this. But we have advice to our friends..(Nelson Chamisa), sit down and form your own party. we want to work together and we need to find each other so that we resolve the Zimbabwean crisis.
We are wasting time fighting each other. violating our Constitutions….my advice to our erstwhile friends is that they should focus.
Chamisa has not yet announced the name of his party. Chamisa and his grouping are expected to come up with their own political party which does not confuse us the (MDC T).
My advice to him is that he should form his own party. They could be a big party in the future, who knows. Maybe it’s God’s plan. God has his own plans of doing things. It could be that he may be the founding father of his own political party, who knows.
….and such is life, who knows. We may converge in the future, who knows. Who knows the future. We may meet again and become best friends and go on with our lives.”
Watch Morgen Komichi speaking…. (please be patient as the video uploads)
By A Correspondent- Liberation stalwart Rugare Gumbo says that Zanu-PF’s future is bleak without national harmony as he renewed his calls for dialogue both within and outside Zanu-PF.
Gumbo said President Mnangagwa needed to unite Zanu-PF if it was to survive much longer.
Meanwhile, Zanu-PF yesterday reacted angrily to South Africa’s persistent calls for the party to come clean on the crisis in Zimbabwe and receive assistance in resolving the problems, arguing that there was no need for the neighbouring country to offer help.
On Sunday, South Africa’s International Relations minister Naledi Pandor said the influx of Zimbabwean economic refugees was a clear indicator that the country was in a serious crisis.-online
By A Correspondent- The government has announced a staggered plan for reopening schools for other classes that are not going back to school on Monday next week.
The government said classes in phase 2 will start school on 26 October while those in phase 3 will start school on 9 November.
This was reviewed in a tweet by the Infomation Ministry which tweeted that:
#PostCabinetBriefing Schools reopening :
~Phase 1 will open on September 28 (Grade 7, Forms 4 & 6)
Phase 2 will open on 26 October 2020 (Grade 6, Form 3 and 5)
~Phase 3 will open on 9 November 2020 (rest of the learners which covers ECD A and B, Grade 1,2,3,4,5, Form 1 and 2)
This announcement comes at a time teachers have declared their incapacitation and said they will not be able to report for duty on Monday due to the incapacitation.
Earlier this month, private schools applauded the government’s move to reopen schools.-twitter
By A Correspondent- The state on Tuesday made an application to have Joana Mamombe, opposition MDC Alliance legislator, admitted to a government psychiatric hospital.
Mamombe’s lawyers had argued that their client was not fit for trial as she is experiencing some mental disorders. Dr Fungisai Mazhandu testified before the court supporting the claim.
Representing the state, Prosecutor Mr Michael Reza told Harare regional magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande that in terms of Section 26 of the Mental Health Act, Mamombe has to be assessed by two Government doctors.
He added: The accused has been brought to court several times with excuses of mental disorder hence the need to detain her in a facility for mental assessment.
Mamombe needs treatment and the court needs assistance from Government experts to determine a time frame when she will be fit for trial.
Reza also said that Dr Mazhandu brought no proof to support that Mamombe had mental disorders hence the need for government experts to determine when Mamombe can be fit for trial.
The Harare West legislator is jointly charged with Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova for allegedly staging their abduction in May this year.
The state has however not yet managed to explain how the trio managed to escape from police custody on the night in question if they actually faked their kidnapping.-statemedia/Zimeye
I pick a blend of issues in the painful drama playing out in our MDC “family” – in its former context and content.
1. The very source of our problems was the appointment of the 2 Vice Presidents followed by Morgan Tsvangirai’s death.
2. Then the eventual succession, after his sad demise, was not handled to the satisfaction of (certainly) some of the aspirants and also many observers
3. The struggle for change had/has taken too long to the frustration of voters
4. These succession concerns and also the frustration seem to have hit the leadership even harder.
5. Subsequent fallout from and among the following ( Khupe, Chamisa, Mudzuri, Mwonzora and Komichi) all stemmed from personal political interests and NOT public political interests.
6. The behaviour of all these leaders in varying degrees was bent on defending personal political interests first and foremost.
There is evidence of insincerity and inconsistent behaviours and utterances in how each and every one of them handled this matter of threatened personal designs and desires.
7. That background was fertile for ZanuPF to take advantage of.
The MDC family made sure that dialogue and reconciliation were not priority early enough.
Now it is way too late for that route.
If you want to see an MDC person fight fiercest just give him an internal enemy to fight.
Within the party the glaring absence of grey-haired ELDERS and custodians of the common good who have nothing to gain has been so noticeable.
No internal remedies are on record.
8. ZanuPF has taken advantage of the internal fights to mount a bigger brutal external campaign.
This shameless involvement has been the decider.
9. ZanuPF’s hand is very visible in the worsening crisis.
MDC has crafty people and brutal people but not so many criminally brutal people to have orchestrated what has been unfolding.
Only the broader ZanuPF ie including state institutions has that capacity.
10. What we have seen the last few months is a shrewd HIGHLY TECHNICAL operation fully funded by the State in all material respects.
11. The abuse of the State institutions to torpedo democracy particularly the police and the courts reached unprecedented levels.
12. Most of the splinter factions are operating what I would call “Project Shaisano” – a fatal scorched earth policy which has attacked and overturned democratic outcomes and put the party on life-support.
13. Accusations of leadership cluelessness from the terraces are not entirely unexpected.
Our people play their bare minimum parts but prefer to watch, observe and make comments.
14. Our people have very little time for detailed analysis and critical performance attribution.
They hardly interrogate what is there to achieve what with in the conclusions.
Most markedly our population is third party the political issues are not theirs.
They don’t belong to politics.
They view and comment from a distance.
Because of this they demand that MDC must outsmart the ZanuPF apparatus which includes police, judiciary, CIO, army, ZEC, and most Gvt offices etc.
90% of ZanuPF work and costs are on the account of the taxpayer while MDC depends on the poor membership and the voters
15. Is the people’s party leadership in denial? NO !
They know what has SINCE hit us.
Is the party in a position to respond to this ZanuPF-enabled tsunami?
A 63-year-old Chitungwiza man died on Saturday afternoon after he was assaulted by three touts along High Glen Road in Harare.
The touts allegedly wanted to force him to board their unregistered commuter omnibus. Mr Anias Chiyangwa of Zengeza 1 was pronounced dead at Parktown Clinic in Waterfalls where he was taken by his relatives.
Mr Chiyangwa was walking near Mashwede service station when he was approached by the touts who were travelling in an unregistered Nissan Caravan.
The touts tried to force him to board their vehicle, but he resisted and they started assaulting him until he became unconscious.
According to a witness, one of the touts kicked him several times on the head and another on the chest, until some members of the public intervened.
The touts jumped into their vehicle and sped off.
Members of the public searched Chiyangwa’s pockets and found his mobile phone, which they used to inform one of his relatives who attended the scene.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and appealed for information leading to the arrest of the suspects.
He expressed concern over unregistered vehicles on the country’s roads, saying many of them were being used to commit crimes.
In September 2017, a Harare man died after he was manhandled by touts near Roadport Bus Terminus along Robert Mugabe Road as he and his family waited for transport to Mutare.
Meanwhile, police have so far impounded 2 115 unregistered vehicles countrywide during the ongoing blitz launched last week.
According to the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act, vehicles should be registered and always display their registration marks and numbers.
Asst Comm Nyathi warned the public that it was an offence to drive unregistered vehicles on the roads.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police wishes to clarify that it is in the interest of motorists and road safety that all vehicles moving on the road should have permanent registration number plates,” he said.
“Motorists should take note that vehicles with no permanent registration number plates cannot be licensed or insured.
“The Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act, Chapter 13:14 clearly specifies that an acquired vehicle should have change of ownership effected within two weeks and licensed thereof.”
The crackdown on unregistered vehicles comes in the wake of a spate of armed robberies countrywide as criminals are using such vehicles to avoid detection.
Seventy-five years ago the United Nations was established to introduce a new world order to achieve peace in the world.
It was the dawn of a new era of global cooperation, forged in the
aftermath of one of the darkest periods in the history of humankind.
In 1945 the world was in crisis.
It was counting the devastation wrought by war, devastation and plunder.
Today, we are in the throes of another crisis – the coronavirus pandemic.
The pandemic has cost nearly a million lives. It has deepened human suffering and uprooted communities, destroyed livelihoods and plunged economies into turmoil.
But just as the founders of the UN once stood united for the greater good, so too do we stand together to confront this grave threat.
In this crisis, people across the world have extended the hand of solidarity to people in other nations.
From the North to the South, humanity has been galvanised into action.
We have formed international partnerships to ensure there is equitable access to medical equipment and supplies.
Many nations have set up extensive social support systems to protect citizens whose jobs, businesses and livelihoods have been threatened.
Our response to the COVID pandemic has demonstrated the heights that can be attained when we work in the spirit of friendship and solidarity.
If we are to build a common and inclusive future in the aftermath of COVID-19, it is this solidarity that must endure.
In the words of Nelson Mandela:
“It is human solidarity, the concern for the other, that must be at the centre of the values by which we all live.”
As the African continent, our response to coronavirus has been swift and effective.
We have a continental strategy to fight the pandemic being driven by the regional economic communities.
The African Union has established a COVID-19 Response Fund and launched a ground-breaking African Medical Supplies Platform to ensure all countries have access to the necessary equipment and supplies.
Nonetheless, the pandemic will inevitably set back our developmental aspirations.
The resources we have had to redirect to fighting the pandemic has set back our efforts to provide housing, health care, water and sanitation and education to our people.
When the Secretary-General António Guterres delivered the 18th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture in July 2020, he called on the nations of the world to forge a New Social Contract and a New Global Deal.
He said we must create equal opportunities for all, that we must advance a more inclusive and balanced multilateral trading system, that debt architecture must be reformed, and that there should be greater access to affordable credit for developing countries.
It is a call we as South Africa wholly endorse.
It is in the spirit of this New Global Deal, that we call on the international community and our international partners to support the rollout of a comprehensive stimulus package for African countries.
This will enable African countries to not only mitigate the health impacts of COVID-19 but to aid us in the immense task of rebuilding our shattered economies.
To ensure that no country is left behind we reiterate our position as the African Union that economic sanctions against Zimbabwe and Sudan should be lifted to allow their governments to respond adequately to the pandemic.
We also call for the suspension of interest payments on Africa’s external and public debt.
As the African Union we are encouraged by the collaboration of the G20, the IMF, the World Bank and the UN towards finding solutions to debt sustainability in developing countries.
This pandemic has highlighted the urgency with which we must strive to meet all the Sustainable Development Goals, but more importantly Goal 1 – to end poverty in all its forms everywhere.
For until we eradicate global poverty, we will always fall short of realising the vision of the founders of the United Nations.
We must expand economic opportunities to all people around the world, but most especially to the young, to women and to the vulnerable people in the world.
We must boldly pursue avenues of redistribution and redress as a means of advancing shared prosperity.
We must deal decisively with the rot of corruption that is robbing our people of the opportunities and services that are their right.
Together, we must raise our level of ambition to ensure that every man, every woman and every child has an equal chance at a better future.
It is a future free of hunger, disease, insecurity and war.
It is a world that affirms the dignity and worth of all, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation or social circumstances.
The year 2020 will be remembered for the massive groundswell to push back the frontiers of racism under the umbrella of the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
As a country that has known too well the anguish of institutionalised racism, South Africa supports the demands for swift action against racism, whether committed by individuals, companies, officials or a state.
South Africa calls on the United Nations to spare no effort to end prejudice and intolerance in all its forms and wherever it may be found.
In the words of Dr Martin Luther King Jnr:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
As we mark the 25th Anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, we must intensify our efforts to empower women and girls.
It is the right of women and girls to be full and equal participants in the workplace, in political life and decision-making, in the economy, in obtaining an education and in society as a whole.
South Africa is proud to be a member of the UN’s Generation Equality campaign and has prioritised the eradication of gender-based violence and femicide.
At a continental level, we are working to finalise and adopt an AU Convention on Violence against Women during the course of this year.
AU member states are engaging on measures to promote financial inclusion, preferential procurement and preferential trade agreements for women.
As African countries we continue with our effort to ‘silence the guns’ once and for all through conflict resolution and peace-building.
Cooperation between the UN Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council has contributed to improved peace and security in the Darfur region of Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Mali and the Central African Republic.
It is imperative that this collaboration is institutionalised and that the financing of AU peacekeeping operations is addressed and resolved.
South Africa is currently serving its second year as an elected non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
We have used our tenure to promote international peace and security by advocating for the peaceful settlement of disputes and inclusive dialogue.
The current composition of the Security Council does not reflect the world in which we live.
On the 75th anniversary of the UN we repeat our call for greater representation of African countries on the Security Council, and that this be taken up with urgency at the Intergovernmental Negotiations.
It is only through a reformed and inclusive UN Security Council that we will be able to collectively resolve some of the world’s most protracted conflicts.
As we celebrate the founding of an organisation dedicated to freedom and equality, the people of Palestine and Western Sahara continue to live under occupation.
We repeat our call for an end to the illegal occupation of Western Sahara and for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
We further call for the lifting of the economic embargo and blockade of Cuba.
Your Excellencies,
We have no choice but to work together to address the climate change crisis.
As we rebuild in the aftermath of this pandemic we have an opportunity to place the global economy on a low-carbon, climate resilient developmental path.
We must advance the principles of the green and circular economies, not just for the sake of environmental sustainability but because of the opportunities for job creation and economic growth.
The global recovery effort must place climate change adaptation, mitigation and support at its centre – in line with the Paris Agreement and other multilateral environmental commitments.
As the founders of the UN stood at a crossroads in 1945, so do we 75 years later.
They answered history’s call to craft a new order for a world in crisis.
Today we battle the fires of a deadly pandemic, of racism and prejudice, of violence, war and extremism and, above all, of poverty and inequality.
The order we seek to build must be rooted in solidarity, equality and unity of purpose.
The coronavirus pandemic has presented us with a choice.
It is a choice between the global cooperation envisaged in the UN Charter or the pursuit of narrow self-interest and unilateralism.
It is a choice between tolerance or prejudice.
It is also a choice between economic justice or growing inequality.
The path we choose now will determine our collective destiny.
Though we face the most daunting of prospects, we have at our disposal the most potent force.
It is the solidarity and friendship upon which the United Nations was founded.
When history faithfully records the global response to the worst health emergency of this century, let it be said that we stood and acted as one, that we provided leadership, and that we gave the peoples of all nations hope and courage.
The best, and most fitting, legacy of this 75th Session will be that through our actions we gave true meaning to the term ‘United Nations’.
South Africa reaffirms its commitment to the ideals and the spirit of the UN Charter, and to sparing no effort to bring about a more just, peaceful and equitable world.
May our cooperation deepen and may our solidarity endure.
Let us make sure that all our efforts leave no woman, no child and no man behind, and that no nation is left behind.
Funsho honored for his work with Rotary International to eradicate wild polio in Africa.
LAGOS, Nigeria, September 23, 2020/ — TIME named Nigerian physician Dr. Tunji Funsho to the 2020 TIME100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The full list and related tributes are available now at time.com/time100, and Dr. Funsho’s TIME100 profile is available here (https://bit.ly/3ky8pZg).
The list, now in its seventeenth year, recognizes the activism, innovation and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals.
Dr. Funsho, a cardiologist based in Lagos, Nigeria, is the first Rotary member to receive this honor for the organization’s work to eradicate polio, having played an essential role in ensuring Africa’s certification as wild polio-free in August of 2020.
“I’m honored to be recognized by TIME for my part in ensuring that no child in Africa will ever again be paralyzed by wild polio, a disease that once disabled 75,000 African children every single year,” said Dr. Funsho. “Eradicating the wild poliovirus in Africa was a team effort that required the cooperation and dedication of governments, partners, Rotary members, hundreds of thousands of health workers, and countless parents who chose to have their children vaccinated against polio.”
As the leader of Rotary’s Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee, Funsho has worked alongside Rotary members throughout the country to raise awareness about the importance of polio immunization, encouraged governments and public figures to support polio eradication, and served as a vocal leader and advocate for Rotary’s fight to end polio in Africa.
Dr. Funsho works closely with Rotary’s partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI): the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. As a member of Nigeria’s Presidential Task Force on Polio, he has coordinated immunization and advocacy campaigns with the Minister of State for Health and the Inter-Agency Coordination Committee for Polio Eradication. He has also worked closely with the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, the Dangote Foundation, the Traditional Leaders Council and the Federation of Muslim Women’s Association of Nigeria.
In August 2019, Nigeria reached three years without a case of wild poliovirus. Nigeria’s progress, led by Rotary, its GPEI partners and local and national governments, was the result of decades of sustained efforts, including domestic and international financing, the commitment of hundreds of thousands of health workers, and innovative strategies to immunize children who previously couldn’t be reached due to insecurity in the country’s northern states.
On 25 August, the African region was certified wild polio-free. This historic announcement means that five of the WHO’s six regions, representing more than 90 percent of the world’s population, are now free of the wild poliovirus. The virus is now endemic in just two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Rotary’s nearly 32,000 members in Africa have played a critical role in helping the region achieve its wild polio-free status by holding events to raise funds and awareness for polio, and working with world governments and national and local leaders to secure funding and support for polio eradication.
CONTROVERSIAL Norton independent MP Temba Mliswa Tuesday on Monday shocked all and sundry when he called on the nation to stop associating late former Agriculture Minister Perrance Shiri to Gukurahudi as “it was inhuman to talk evil of someone who cannot defend themselves.”
Mliswa was speaking in parliament in a debate as parliament gave condolences on the passing on of the former Minister.
Shiri served as the commander of the soldiers during the Gukurahundi atrocities who killed over 20 000 people in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.
Shiri died on 29 July due to Covid-19 complications.
Mliswa described Shiri as a liberation struggle icon and urged other MPs to speak glowingly about the late politician.
“Mr. Speaker Sir, may this be an opportunity for my colleagues Honourable Members of Parliament to talk about the good that this man did. It will be totally inhuman to talk about what a man did when he cannot defend himself when he is no more,” said Mliswa Tuesday.
“I hasten to say do not associate him with Gukurahundi. He was just a commander when there were other commanders. If we decide to talk about people being killed let us bring every soldier who has been to war before the courts and ask them why they killed. He was never the commander of the army and he was never part of the commander of the Air Force (of Zimbabwe),” Mliswa said.
“There is a commander-in-chief who they take instructions from. So, he must never be tainted with something which other people gave orders to. Unfortunately, the true story of Gukurahundi will never come out because the commander-in-chief at the time was the former late President R. G. Mugabe. He was there and nobody had the chance to ask him and when you are in that position, no one else can speak for you but yourself.”
Mliswa said parliament failed to exercise its oversight role and invite Mugabe to give his side of the story.
“We invited him (Mugabe) to come because we wanted to understand. The various committees had an opportunity to invite him to also find out about Gukurahundi since he was the commander-in-chief and he was the President at the time.
“For us to talk about who was in charge of Gukurahundi when the principal is no more, I think you are opening old wounds; may the souls of those people who passed away rest in peace. May we never again have such an experience as a people. May we have a leadership which forgives and asks for forgiveness,” said Mliswa.
He continued, “In that spirit, we are able to move as one nation and we are able to safeguard the pain, joy, and interest of the people who sacrificed for this country, the late Joshua Nkomo, the late Josiah Tongogara, the late Nikita Mangena, the late Herbert Chitepo, the late Ziyapapa (Moyo) all those that we know about can only be happy when we are in unity and we are tolerant of each other.
“They could tolerate the white men at the time when the white men had an agenda to totally kill people, but today why can we not be tolerant of each other? May we learn the tolerance of Gudoguru the late retired Air Chief Marshall Shiri in that he could talk to anyone because he was Zimbabwean and he put Zimbabwe first?”
THE stability of the local currency against the united states dollar continues according to this Tuesday’s Reserve bank of Zimbabwe foreign Currency Auction results with the local unit marginally gaining from last week’s 81.69 to 81.50.
A total of US$31 million was fully allotted against the corresponding bids speaking volume of the central bank’s capacity to meet forex demands for the country.
This shows the increase in the amount of foreign currency being accessed on the auction system which points to exchange rate stability.
The foreign currency auction system was launched in June this year as a way of countering the parallel market rate which was going up on a daily basis. With the local currency firming against US$, it shows that government is on track getting the economic fundamentals right for a stable economy.
Herald entertainment editor Godwin Muzari, who died last week, was buried at Glen Forest Memorial Park in Harare yesterday.
Muzari died in a case of suspected suicide at his Waterfalls home.
Mourners, including prominent figures in the arts industry, came to pay their last respects to the award-winning arts writer.
Colleagues described his demise as a loss to the journalism profession.
Speaking on behalf of The Herald Editor Hatred Zenenga at the funeral service held at the Muzari family home in Glen Norah A yesterday, his deputy Lovemore Mataire said although he had worked with Muzari for a short period, he was a talented journalist with an inimitable style of writing.
“We used to call him ‘Godfather’ because of his exceptional journalistic competence. I remember he wrote an article on Leonard Dembo’s mother, which resulted in the outpouring of sympathy and material contributions towards the welfare of the late musician’s mother. This was Goddy, his articles connected with readers. His heart was always compassionate for the downtrodden,” Mataire said.
He described the late Muzari as a jovial and ever-smiling individual.
“We are shocked and pained by Godwin’s death as we least anticipated his departure. However, we feel that the Muzari family can be consoled by the fact that Godwin was no longer just a member of the Muzari family, but was now also part of the Zimpapers family and the nation. What he wrote impacted the whole country. No one is going to write in the manner Muzari used to write. We are going to dearly miss his writing and its impact on our readers,” added Mataire.
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe director Nicholas Moyo said there is still disbelief in the arts industry over Muzari’s death.
“Godwin was a prolific arts writer and made a difference in our industry. He even won a NJAMA award for his contribution to the arts industry, this shows he was well versed in arts reporting,” said Mr Moyo.
“As the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe some few years later we gave him a NAMA award which is the most premier award in this country which is for appreciating hard work. Muzari was not afraid of covering controversial issues, but remained ethical in his execution of duty.”
The State yesterday made an application for MDC Alliance legislator for Harare West, Joanna Mamombe, to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for mental examination.
Mamombe is jointly charged with Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova for allegedly faking their abduction in May this year.
Prosecutor Mr Michael Reza told Harare regional magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande that Mamombe has to be assessed by two Government doctors in terms of Section 26 of the Mental Health Act.
“The accused has been brought to court several times with excuses of mental disorder hence the need to detain her in a facility for mental assessment.
“Mamombe needs treatment and the court needs assistance from Government experts to determine a time frame when she will be fit for trial,” he said.
“Dr Fungisai Mazhandu, who testified before the court, brought no proof whatsoever that she was a psychiatrist. She failed to determine for how long Mamombe needs treatment hence the court needs assistance from Government experts to determine the time Mamombe needs to be certified fit for trial,” he said.
Mr Jeremiah Bamu, who is part of Mamombe’s legal team, requested that the application be postponed to another date as the lead counsel Mr Alec Muchadehama was in Gweru on another matter.
Mr Bamu told the court that the prosecutor handling the Gweru case had asked Mr Reza to postpone the matter to Friday. Mr Reza confirmed this, but said that he informed Mr Bamu that he would oppose the postponement as there was no need for Mr Muchadehama to wait for the sentencing of his client in Gweru.
Mrs Makwande ruled that Mamombe had a right to a fair hearing by choosing a legal counsel of her choice despite Mr Bamu assisting Mr Muchadehama.
She allowed the State to make its application in terms of section 26 (2)(b) of the Mental Health Act and gave Mr Muchadehama the chance to respond when he avails himself today.
By A Correspondent | MDC-T leader, Thokhozani Khupe’s top ally and former Harare Mayor, Eng. Elias Mudzuri is reportedly failing to pay for his medical bill.
His “friends” Monday posted on social media appealing for donations to foot the politician’s medical bills.
According to the posts Mudzuri is battling with Covid-19.
Below is the text which Mudzuri’s “friends” posted.
Attention Relatives and friends
We are friends of Engineer Elias Mudzuri who is currently battling Covid 19.
Realizing that the huge medical bills continue to accrue by each day, we decided to raise funds to assist him.
Those who wish to contribute towards this noble cause can either deposit RTGS or ecocash into the following accounts
Name: Everesto Mudzuri
Bank: CABS Savings
Account No.
1002131847
Branch: CABS Centre
The US coronavirus death toll has passed 200 000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. America is the worst-hit country, with cases continuing to rise.
More than 6.8 million people are known to have been infected in the US.
The milestone comes amid an increase in cases in several states, including North Dakota and Utah.
In March, President Donald Trump said if deaths were between 100 000 and 200 000, the country would have done a “very good job”.
The previous month, when 15 cases had been reported in the country, he predicted that the number was going to be “close to zero” within a couple of days.
JHU reported the new death toll of 200 005 on Tuesday. The university has been collecting the US and global coronavirus data since the outbreak began late last year in China. The first case in the US was confirmed in January.
President Trump’s administration has been repeatedly criticised over its handling of the outbreak.
“Due to Donald Trump’s lies and incompetence in the past six months, [we] have seen one of the greatest losses of American life in history,” Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Monday.
“With this crisis, a real crisis, a crisis that required serious presidential leadership, he just wasn’t up to it. He froze. He failed to act. He panicked. And America has paid the worst price of any nation in the world.”
But on the same day, Mr Trump said he and his administration had done “a phenomenal job” and gave himself an “A+” for his handling of the pandemic.
He said the US was “rounding the corner on the pandemic, with or without a vaccine”.
North Dakota has seen a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in recent weeks. Officials say there were more than 3 200 active cases in the state as of Monday, while 87 people are in hospital.
The state ranks first in the country for the number of cases per capita in the past two weeks, according to data cited by the Associated Press news agency.
Cases are also rising in states including Utah, Texas and South Dakota. On Tuesday, Wisconsin extended a public health emergency order for the third time since 30 July.
China accused Donald Trump of spreading a “political virus” at the United Nations after the US leader delivered a harsh attack on Beijing over the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When the international community is really fighting hard against the COVID-19, the United States is spreading a political virus here in the General Assembly,” China’s ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, told reporters.
“I have to emphasise that the US noise is incompatible with the general atmosphere of the General Assembly.”
Trump, in his speech to the General Assembly beforehand, lashed out at Beijing over what he called the “China virus.”
In remarks reminiscent of a campaign rally, Trump asked the world to take action over China’s spreading of the “plague.”
Trump has repeatedly sought to blame China over the pandemic that has claimed 200,000 lives in the United States, more than in any other country.
Paul Nyathi | Analysis | U.S President Donald Trump took to the virtual stage at the United Nations General Assembly throwing scathing criticism of China for all manner of offenses, from inflicting a pandemic on the world to poisoning the global environment which left some critics describing him as the new Robert Mugabe at the UNGA.
Former Zimbabwean President the late Robert Mugabe was for a long-time the limelight of the UNGA where he he would take scathing attacks at countries he perceived as a threat to Africa and Zimbabwe.
Trump took the world by surprise when he continued to call “China Virus,” the Coronavirus virus which has shaken the world in the last ten months.
“It is my profound honor to address the United Nations General Assembly 75 years after the end of World War II and the founding of the United Nations, we are once again, engaged in a great global struggle. We have waged a fierce battle against the invisible enemy, the China virus, which has claimed countless lives in 188 countries,” he said.
“As we pursue this bright future, we must hold accountable the nation, which unleashed this plague onto the world, China. In the earliest days of the virus, China locked down travel domestically while allowing flights to leave China and infect the world. China condemned my travel ban on their country. Even as they canceled domestic flights and locked citizens in their homes, the Chinese government and the World Health Organization, which is virtually controlled by China, falsely declared that there was no evidence of human to human transmission. Later they falsely said people without symptoms would not spread the disease, the United Nations must hold China accountable for their actions. In addition, every year, China dumps millions and millions of tons of plastic and trash into the oceans, over fishes other countries waters, destroys vast swaths of coral reef and admits more toxic mercury into the atmosphere than any country, anywhere in the world.”
“China’s carbon emissions are nearly twice what the US has and it’s rising fast. By contrast, after I withdrew from the one sided Paris Climate Accord, last year, America reduced its carbon emissions by more than any country in the agreement, those who attack America’s exceptional environmental record while ignoring China’s rampant pollution are not interested in the environment. They only want to punish America and I will not stand for it. If the United Nations is to be an effective organization, it must focus on the real problems of the world. This includes terrorism, the oppression of women, forced labor, drug trafficking, human and sex trafficking, religious persecution, and the ethnic cleansing of religious minorities. America will always be a leader in human rights. My administration is advancing religious liberty, opportunity for women, the decriminalization of homosexuality, combating human trafficking and protecting unborn children. We also know that American prosperity is the bedrock of freedom and security all over the world.”
Watch Donald Trump’s full address in the video below:
A MEMBER of the pressure group Zimbabwe People Power Movement (ZPPM) has been arrested for allegedly undermining the State after he was found in Dete soliciting residents to sign a petition alleging that there was a crisis in the country that needed international intervention.
Simasimpe Reeds Tshuma (25) of 7619 Mkhosana in Victoria Falls had travelled to Dete for the purpose of making members of the public sign a petition calling on the United Nations and other countries to declare a humanitarian disaster in Zimbabwe. About 600 people had signed the petition when Tshuma was arrested on September 12.
Tshuma was not asked to plead to a charge of publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the State when he appeared before Matabeleland North magistrate-in-charge Mrs Sekai Chiundura.
He was released on $5 000 bail and ordered not to interfere with witnesses or visit Dete where he was arrested, reside at his given Victoria Falls address and to report fortnightly to Criminal Investigation Department in Victoria Falls as part of his bail conditions.
The accused was remanded to October 19 to allow for further investigations into the matter.
Prosecuting Mr John Chisango Mutyakaviri said the petition alleged that more than 8 million Zimbabweans are in dire need of food and humanitarian support and require urgent food, medicines, and international aid to help recover from the effects of the devastating situation.
“Sometime during the month of June, the accused person joined the Zimbabwe People Power Movement (ZPPM) WhatsApp group where they used to communicate on issues to do with the economic situation in Zimbabwe saying there was catastrophic challenge that needed urgent help or intervention of United Nations.
“In August the accused received a bunch of petition leaflets with a communiqué from ZPPM to be signed by Zimbabweans to call for the United Nations and its member states, sister states and other world leaders to consider declaring the state of affairs in Zimbabwe a humanitarian disaster. On 12 September the accused left Victoria Falls for Dete where he went around soliciting for people to sign the petition,” said Mr Mutyakaviri.
He said Tshuma had managed to get 600 signatures in Dete’s Mtuya and Soweto suburbs when police arrested him after a tip-off.
The petition papers had space for citizens to write their names, national identity numbers and signature.
Goverment and teachers appear to be on a collision course over the opening of schools with just days left before the first group of learners trickle back to school.
Goverment has ordered that all examination classes return to school on Monday with the rest of the learners joining in phases up to the 9th of November.
Eight teachers’ unions yesterday in Harare expressed their worries over supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the need for improved salaries so teachers could get to work.
But Primary and Secondary Education Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema allayed their concerns both in terms of their protection and salaries.
The Government claims it has set aside $600 million to be distributed to needy schools to increase sanitation, he said, and the Government and representatives of civil servants are in discussion over salaries and negotiations are continuing.
“On the personal protective equipment issue, all teachers and learners will be protected; supporting staff will be protected. You can be rest assured that what is required at each public school will be available,” said Minister Mathema.
The issue of salaries was confirmed by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube. “We have a process where there are negotiations. I cannot pre-empt the outcome, I do not know the outcome. But as Government we have expressed to civil servants what we are able to afford. I am sure we will be able to find some middle ground and move forward as usual,” said Prof Ncube.
“We always find some middle ground and I always thank the civil servants for working very hard, especially working with me. I am a hard charging individual, so they work very hard. So I personally want to make sure and the whole Government feels like that, that they are well looked after.
“We have done our best under the Covid-19 pandemic. We have even put the cushion in terms of the US$75 allowance and US$30 for pensioners, and let us also not forget our pensioners. So I think we will be able to reach a palatable ground and support them.”
National Association of Secondary Heads president, Mr Arthur Maposa, raised concerns over the transport of pupils and teachers to schools when they reopen.
In response Minister Mutsvangwa said Cabinet had already approved dedicated Zupco buses to ferry pupils to schools for examinations.
National Association of Primary Heads chair Mrs Cynthia Khumalo said it was all systems go for Grade Seven classes and examinations but raised concern for the other classes.
Though it will be based on operational procedure at each school, Minister Mathema said schools will be directed to decongest their classes and leaners will not be supposed to attend classes at one go.
All school classes will reopen over the next six weeks in three phases, but with smaller numbers of pupils, more teachers and other health-related measures so that children can resume education without the risk of a spike in Covid-19 infections.
The phased reopening, approved by Cabinet yesterday, will be done in three stages. The three examination classes — Grade 7, Form 4 and Upper Sixth — open on September 28 in phase 1 as was announced several weeks ago.
Four weeks later, on October 26, next year’s examination classes — Grade 6, Form 3 and Lower Sixth or Form 5 — open in the second phase and a fortnight after that, on November 9, everyone else goes back to school — ECD A and B, Grades 1 to 5 and Forms 1 and 2.
In keeping with social distancing rules, classes must be smaller and so more teachers are being employed, classes might be split and steps taken to ensure no class will have more than 30 pupils in one classroom, a measure that will help teachers in the catch-up process.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Senator Monica Mutsvangwa announced the phased reopening in Harare last night after the Cabinet meeting.
“Cabinet notes that all the necessary measures are being taken to ensure that schools are reopened for examination classes in a safe environment.
“Progress has been made on the comprehensive logistical plan for the coordinated, accelerated completion of the schools’ WASH project; the supply and distribution of personal protective equipment, hygiene kits, disinfectants, and infrared thermometers to all public schools,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said there was impressive progress in terms of adherence to the new measures of all schools at district level, with most of the districts reporting improved levels of preparedness by schools.
“Cabinet approved that a Covid-19 sentinel surveillance system be established in schools to monitor the behaviour of the virus and make adjustments where necessary.
“Cabinet is pleased to announce that Cambridge Examination Centres reopened successfully on September 14 and no health incidents were reported in light of the high level of preparedness in the education sector,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
MDC Alliance vice chairperson Job Sikhala was on Monday granted $50 000 bail by the High Court with the the judge taking swipe at the state and the lower court for unduly keeping him in prison.
Justice Erica Ndewere ruled that Sikhala’s conduct was not that of a fugitive evading the law, but was running away from alleged unknown persons who were trailing him.
The court found that Sikhala proved on a balance of probabilities that in the interest of justice, he should be released on bail in view of the evidence adduced in the lower court.
Most of the evidence from the record of proceedings was fraught with inconsistencies and numerous concessions that failed to justify compelling reasons why Sikhala could not be granted bail, the court found.
In this regard, Justice Ndewere said whatever fears the State had could be eliminated by the imposition of appropriate bail conditions for Sikhala’s release.
The State alleged that the police looked for Sikhala and did not find him.
The court found no evidence placed before the lower court to support that claim.
She criticised the police for allowing themselves to be derailed by social media posts instead of invoking their own police procedures to look for Sikhala.
“Instead of establishing their own trail of evidence, it appears the police were following up the appellant’s social media posts to the disadvantage of the State, which did not get evidence proving that indeed the police looked for the appellant,” said Justice Ndewere.
She considered that Sikhala’s co-accused, Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume, who are facing similar charges, were granted bail.
Sikhala was then granted $50 000 bail after he failed to provide surety in the form of immovable property.
He was directed to surrender his travel documents and reside at his given address.
Further, he was told not to interfere with State witnesses and report three times a week at St Mary’s Police Station in Chitungwiza until the matter is finalised.
Simbarashe Nyahuye, Marondera ward 3 councillor from the MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe yesterday won the Marondera mayoral election against the MDC Alliance led by advocate Nelson Chamisa.
Nyahuye got four votes against fellow Councillor Boniface Tagwirei who got three votes.
Nyahuye immediately took the oath of office to replace Clr Chengetai Murowa, who was recalled by the MDC-T.
“We will try to work together and residents are our first priority, and I am aware water is the greatest challenge and we are going to work tooth and nail to address the water situation,” he said.
Bulawayo football giants Highlanders last week visited the home of a COVID-19 survivor and walked the survivor who was reportedly refusing to go to the shops because people were giving her a “COVID-19 look” to the local shopping center and back while chanting songs of encouragement, The Sunday News reports.
The club led by its CEO Nhanhla Dube who was accompanied by some players visited the home of Case #20, an 11-year-old who together with 4 family members survived the novel coronavirus and walked her to Hillside Shopping Centre as they sang songs of encouragement.
Speaking after their kind gesture, Dube said:
These children are our brand carriers, they carry the flag and represent Highlanders. Why it was important for us is that we realised that society looks at new events or realities by panicking and creating more victims. By so doing we tend to ‘kill’ people more than diseases actually do. It is because we are going to then keep our distance, label them and dehumanize them in the process.
When Covid-19 visited the family, they became the victims and there was no sympathy for them. The net sum is that if we do not assist these affected or infected persons, we also do not learn from this, how to heal and how to also reintegrate those that were affected
We also want to show that we have a humane side. We came to show them that we care for them although we know we cannot heal the pain of stigma.
We cannot be stuck on who had Covid-19, we will now be segmenting society on the basis of diseases. By doing so we are making people live longer with the scars of the disease. We came as Highlanders to uplift an affected family, the strength that we should be as Zimbabweans post covid-19 is based on what we have leant and how we treat each other.
By stigmatizing them, we will be preventing them from accessing medical attention, interacting with the society, community activities, going to church or gym to name a few. This is an opportunity to learn and correct our mistakes associated with stigma,
The minor, case #20 thanked Highlanders and said she was happy they spent the day with her:
Thank you, Highlanders, for coming to spend time with me, you have shown love that I will never forget. Thank you for the uplifting words, they are a treasure.
To those that are victims, there is life after Covid-19, stay strong knowing that there are people like Highlanders Club who are ready to walk with you saying no to daughter. It was amazing to walk with the team because it made me feel like a celebrity for a moment. I was the youngest but they respected me so much.-The Sunday News
A GWANDA man has been arrested after he bit a police officer who tried to apprehend his for assaulting his wife.
Barbson Pande (40) from Jacaranda Suburb pleaded not guilty to charges of physical abuse and assaulting or resisting a peace officer but was convicted by Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi due to overwhelming evidence against him.
He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment but six months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years. The remaining six months were further suspended on condition that he performs 210 hours of community service at Gwanda Magistrate’s Court.
Prosecuting, Miss Glenda Nare said Pande assaulted his wife, Miss Farai Matekenya on July 9 and when she reported him to the police he went on to bite the lip of Constable Artwell Chokera who attended the scene.
”On 9 July at around 6PM Pande was at home with his family when he started accusing his wife of making noise for him together with their children. Pande threatened to kill his wife who went on to the call the police and reported the incident.
”Two police officers attended the scene and when Pande saw them he further insulted his wife, grabbed her by the neck and dragged her on the floor. The cops tried to apprehend Pande but instead he bit Constable Artwell Chokera on the upper lip before fleeing the scene,” she said.
In his defence Pande denied assaulting his wife. He said he only reprimanded her.
He said he resisted arrest as the police wanted to apprehend him for an offence that he did not commit.
Pande said the cops only wanted to apprehend him for their personal gain as one of them was having an affair with his wife.-Chronicle
A Harare man, Mr William Chikoore, today promised to stop hitting his wife when Harare Civil Court magistrate Ms Meenal Narotam granted his wife, Nyarai Nziramasanga, a protection order against him.
Nziramasanga had told the court that Chikoore assaulted and verbally abusing her whenever they had an argument, and that he did not respect her as his wife and was always threatening to kill her.
“I am applying for a protection order against my husband. We are married but he moved out because he was always in a habit of assaulting and verbally abusing me.
“At times he comes back home with a knife and threatens to kill me saying he cannot live without me. He once came with his nephews to take me out for a braai and on our way he started assaulting me until I had to get off while the vehicle was in motion,” Nziramasanga said.
She pleaded with the court to ban Chikoore from coming to their matrimonial house as he was always causing havoc whenever he visits.
Responding to the allegations, Chikoore asked for forgiveness and promised before the magistrate that he will not abuse Nziramasanga in any way.
“I am asking for forgiveness. I will never do that again. All what she is saying is true. I am very sorry,” he said.
Ms Narotam granted the protection order but did not ban Chikoore from visiting their matrimonial house saying he had to be allowed to visit his children.
“Since the property is a matrimonial home, I cannot bar him from coming. By consent the protection order is granted,” she said.-The Herald
A GWANDA woman has been left stranded after her husband set their property on fire on Sunday morning following a dispute over alleged infidelity.
The man, Amos Phiri (37) from Matshetsheni area also destroyed their co-tenant, Ms Patience Nyathi’s property before threatening to stab her with her knife accusing the woman of influencing his wife to engage in adultery.
Phiri’s wife, Ms Rosebell Mdlongwa (36) from Garikai Houses in Ward 8, said she had fled to a neighbour’s house in fear after her husband torched the property.
She said her husband of 11 years who works as a gold panner was in a habit of physically assaulting her on a daily basis until she decided to flee to a neighbour’s house after he made repeated threats to stab her with a knife for three consecutive days.
Ms Mdlongwa, a mother of three children aged five, 10 and 14, said her husband destroyed all their clothes, food, property and valuable documents which they had in the house, leaving her stranded.
“I last saw him on Thursday when he left our home after severely assaulting me. I was alerted by a neighbour who sent children to tell me that my husband was burning our property. I rushed to the house but I didn’t get near as I was afraid but I saw him burning our property from afar. He collected property from the house and piled it outside and set it on fire.
“Community members tried to apprehend him but he fled. On the day that he burnt the property I hadn’t seen him for three days as he left after severely assaulting me and threatened to stab me,” she said.-Chronicle
A Deputy Director in the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation’s Matabeleland South Province has committed suicide following a misunderstanding with his wife.
58-year-old Elfas Siziba reportedly hanged himself in the bushes near his house in Gwanda, near NSSA Complex in the Central Business District.
The incident was confirmed by Matabeleland South acting provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Loveness Mangena who said:
I can confirm that we recorded a case of sudden death by hanging near NSSA Complex in Gwanda. Elfas Siziba was last seen by his family on Saturday at around 10PM as he retired to bed. He was found hanging from a tree at around 9AM.The matter was reported to the police who attended the scene and his body was taken to Gwanda Provincial Hospital mortuary.
Sources that spoke to the publication said Soziba left a suicide note that indicated that he had a misunderstanding with his first wife.
Over the weekend a Herald Lifestyle editor also committed suicide due to unknown reasons.-The Herald
Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance has described Thokozani Khupe and Morgen Komichi as stomach politicians.
The MDC Alliance argues talk of rebranding is meant to disrupt party programmes.
See statement below:
MDC ALLIANCE NAMIBIA SATIRISES KOMICHI’S POLITICAL HYPOCRISY ON PARTY IDENTITY.
22 SEPTEMBER 2020
To the chagrin of committed and dedicated social democrats around the globe, the fake constitutionalists represented by the ressurected Komichi announced their evil intention to use our name( Mdc Alliance) in the impending by-elections. Morgan Komichi of the judicially-sponsored Mdc-Thokozani has desperately declared that their party will be using the name Mdc Alliance in the by-elections set for 5 December 2020.
Mdc Alliance Namibia would like to make it categorically distinct that the President of the Mdc Alliance party is Advocate Nelson Chamisa who amassed 2.6 million votes in July 2018. We want to restate our concrete support to the people’s party. As a party, we are quite aware of the unholy marriage between Zanupf and their surrogates. The latest episode is a reminder that the so-called strategic prowess of the power-hungry MdcT stomach politicians is overrated since it epitomised double-standards meant to force a name change(rebranding) of our political behemoth.
Moreover, the chameleonic changes to their party identity transforming it from Mdc-T to Mdc Alliance unravels how clueless and frustrated they are. How does one party fill party list vacancies under Mdc-T and then seek to contest by-elections under Mdc Alliance,let alone the one you have opposed and disowned. This clearly unearthes their political bankruptcy and hypocrisy.
Mwonzora and cabal are just playing sick politics that does not put the voters into consideration. Mdc Alliance Namibia remains steadfast even if they recall everyone as they expose their stupid plan and their perpetual suffocation of the suffering electorate.
Furthermore, we are also cognisant of the fact that Zanupf and their puppets have deployed hundreds of varakashi masquerading as Mdc Alliance supporters to scream for rebranding. Politically inept Zanupf Satanists are desperate to annihilate the Mdc Alliance. There is need for vigilance. The Mdc Alliance Namibia Rundu branch Spokesperson Robson Ruhanya strongly asserted that , “Mdc Alliance must not rebrand! What happens when another one from the rebranded Mdc Alliance pulls the same trigger as the Zanupf controlled Thokozani faction?” Rebranding of ideas and strategies become evidently imperative. It is clear that time has come for genuine revolutionaries not to play the game according to their rules , but according to the actual rules and regulations of social democracy.
The Secretary General of Mdc Alliance Namibia Rundu branch Simbarashe Ndoda further castigated the courts for opposing the righteous and promoting injustices. Everyone who renounces the sadist Zanupf rogue regime is arrested, abducted, tortured and butchered. He went on to say that the truth stumbles in the streets and honesty is outlawed.
Hopewell, Job SaroWiwa Sikhala, Godfrey Kurauone and others are living testimonies to the inhuman treatment of innocent citizens. Given the escalating disrespect of human rights in Zimbabwe, Mdc Alliance Namibia views this as the opportune time to rebrand ideas and take it to the streets demanding an immediate end to injustices, inequalities,repression and capture of all state institutions.
In a nutshell, as Mdc Alliance Namibia, we shall remain committed and dedicated to defending our legacy as the people’s party. Instead of changing our name, we shall fight for the independence of Zec from Zanupf capture, confront Zanupf for comprehensive reforms as stipulated in our Reload policy. We are not here to enforce Zanupf cabinet resolutions. Mdc Alliance Namibia is resolutely behind the National executive council resolutions.
Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance has described Thokozani Khupe and Morgen Komichi as stomach politicians.
The MDC Alliance argues talk of rebranding is meant to disrupt party programmes.
See statement below:
MDC ALLIANCE NAMIBIA SATIRISES KOMICHI’S POLITICAL HYPOCRISY ON PARTY IDENTITY.
22 SEPTEMBER 2020
To the chagrin of committed and dedicated social democrats around the globe, the fake constitutionalists represented by the ressurected Komichi announced their evil intention to use our name( Mdc Alliance) in the impending by-elections. Morgan Komichi of the judicially-sponsored Mdc-Thokozani has desperately declared that their party will be using the name Mdc Alliance in the by-elections set for 5 December 2020.
Mdc Alliance Namibia would like to make it categorically distinct that the President of the Mdc Alliance party is Advocate Nelson Chamisa who amassed 2.6 million votes in July 2018. We want to restate our concrete support to the people’s party. As a party, we are quite aware of the unholy marriage between Zanupf and their surrogates. The latest episode is a reminder that the so-called strategic prowess of the power-hungry MdcT stomach politicians is overrated since it epitomised double-standards meant to force a name change(rebranding) of our political behemoth.
Moreover, the chameleonic changes to their party identity transforming it from Mdc-T to Mdc Alliance unravels how clueless and frustrated they are. How does one party fill party list vacancies under Mdc-T and then seek to contest by-elections under Mdc Alliance,let alone the one you have opposed and disowned. This clearly unearthes their political bankruptcy and hypocrisy.
Mwonzora and cabal are just playing sick politics that does not put the voters into consideration. Mdc Alliance Namibia remains steadfast even if they recall everyone as they expose their stupid plan and their perpetual suffocation of the suffering electorate.
Furthermore, we are also cognisant of the fact that Zanupf and their puppets have deployed hundreds of varakashi masquerading as Mdc Alliance supporters to scream for rebranding. Politically inept Zanupf Satanists are desperate to annihilate the Mdc Alliance. There is need for vigilance. The Mdc Alliance Namibia Rundu branch Spokesperson Robson Ruhanya strongly asserted that , “Mdc Alliance must not rebrand! What happens when another one from the rebranded Mdc Alliance pulls the same trigger as the Zanupf controlled Thokozani faction?” Rebranding of ideas and strategies become evidently imperative. It is clear that time has come for genuine revolutionaries not to play the game according to their rules , but according to the actual rules and regulations of social democracy.
The Secretary General of Mdc Alliance Namibia Rundu branch Simbarashe Ndoda further castigated the courts for opposing the righteous and promoting injustices. Everyone who renounces the sadist Zanupf rogue regime is arrested, abducted, tortured and butchered. He went on to say that the truth stumbles in the streets and honesty is outlawed.
Hopewell, Job SaroWiwa Sikhala, Godfrey Kurauone and others are living testimonies to the inhuman treatment of innocent citizens. Given the escalating disrespect of human rights in Zimbabwe, Mdc Alliance Namibia views this as the opportune time to rebrand ideas and take it to the streets demanding an immediate end to injustices, inequalities,repression and capture of all state institutions.
In a nutshell, as Mdc Alliance Namibia, we shall remain committed and dedicated to defending our legacy as the people’s party. Instead of changing our name, we shall fight for the independence of Zec from Zanupf capture, confront Zanupf for comprehensive reforms as stipulated in our Reload policy. We are not here to enforce Zanupf cabinet resolutions. Mdc Alliance Namibia is resolutely behind the National executive council resolutions.
A prolific Midlands minister in the late President Robert Mugabe’s cabinet, has become the first senior former government official to be jailed for criminal abuse of office.
The Midlands provincial minister Jason Machaya was, Tuesday, sentenced to 4 years in prison by a Gweru magistrate.
Machaya and co-accused Chaisanyerwa Chibururu will however, serve an effective 2 and half years in jail each after 18 months were conditionally suspended. The charges related to the unlawful allocation of residential stands in Gokwe.
During trial, court heard that Machaya intentionally allocated 17 799 housing stands from State land to land developers who in turn gave him 1,791, stands.
Prosecutor Garudzo Ziyaduma also told court that Machaya allocated 192 commonage stands to the Apostolic Christian Church of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) when he did not have the lawful right to do so.
The duo had denied the charges when their trial started last year but the State proved beyond reasonable doubt that they committed the offences.-state media
RE: REQUEST TO BE ENROLLED AT THE HERBERT CHITEPO SCHOOL Of IDEOLOGY
The above matter refers.
I write to you as a loyal child of the Party I wish to be enrolled at the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology.
I appreciate the role and function of this important institution in re-orienting party cadres, teaching us the history of the party, its ideology and vision. I am keen to be enrolled any time that is convenient.
I further wish to express my sincere apologies to his Excellency the President and First Secretary of the Party, Cde ED Mnangagwa and his two deputies, the entire Party leadership and the Masvingo Party leadership for the whole spectacle and bad publicity that a happened against the Party as I was hauled before the disciplinary Committee of the Party ensuing in my expulsion.
I have since written to His Excellency who has replied with commendations.
I remain a loyal son of the Party and do believe that enrolling with The Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology will further enrich my knowledge and understanding of the foundation and visionl of our Party.
I thank you in anticipation of your assistance and consideration.
The opposition MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa has resolved to field recalled party members in the upcoming by-elections.
They were recalled by MDC-T reinstated leader Thokozani Khupe for their continued allegiance to Chamisa, leaving a number of council and Parliamentary seats vacant.
Speaking to NewsDay after the party’s Bulawayo provincial executive committee meeting, MDC Alliance provincial spokesperson Swithern Chirowodza confirmed said they were confident of reclaiming the seats despite the unfavourable political environment.
Chirowodza said:
The Bulawayo provincial executive met on Sunday and unanimously agreed that all the recalled councillors, save for those under disciplinary hearings, should contest in the impending by elections. We are saying these councillors did not do anything wrong and were simply recalled for supporting our president (Chamisa). They were voted for by the people and we are confident that the people will vote for them again.
Chirowodza, however, expressed concern over the confusion that is likely to engulf the electorate after Khupe rebranded the MDC-T to MDC Alliance, a name which Nelson Chamisa-led outfit has been using.
By last week, Khupe’s MDC-T has recalled 84 councillors throughout the country, a development that has affected service delivery in local government authorities.-NewsDay
