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MDC MP Prince Dubeko Sibanda

I have just received a call from D/A/I Moyo from Law & Order Byo inviting me for "an interview" allegedly for an allegation of "distributing face masks to 2 children". @ZLHRLawyers @Welshman_Ncube @nelsonchamisa @ProfJNMoyo

— Prince Dubeko Sibanda (@DubekoSibanda) August 20, 2020

Political critic Jealousy Mawarire has attacked President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s declaration that the church has no moral ground to be involved in politics.

Mawarire instead says the Church has the moral obligation to stand for the vulnerable and it is within their right to do so.

In a post on Twitter, Mawarire said it is unfortunate that the “junta” government believes that “the Church is there to support its programs, massaging egos of the looting and genocidal cabal”.

Wrote Mawarire:

The Junta-PF government response to the Catholic Bishops Pastoral letter is quite interesting in as much as it is intriguing because it shows a warped understanding of the role of the Church and its leadership.

Zimbabweans should refuse to be intimidated by a rogue regime just because the regime is irritated by the truth. It’s not the role of the Church to prop-up dictatorship. The church is there to rebuke, publicly, those sinning (1Tim 5:20) even if the sinners are institutionalised in government.

State Media

SOUTH African police (SAPS) have arrested six men believed to be Zimbabweans after they intercepted haulage trucks that were carrying cigarettes worth millions of rands that had been smuggled across the border from this country.

The suspects were arrested after a joint intelligence operation by the SAPS and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg.

The cigarettes included brands such as Remington Gold, Chelsea, Royal Express and Premium.

In a statement SAPS said: “Six suspects were arrested after the integrated team discovered the suspects in the process of loading boxes of illicit cigarettes onto a number of trucks, which were allegedly going to be dispatched to a destination yet to be confirmed.”

“Preliminary reports suggest that the crime scene at an industrial site in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg, was being used as a distribution point where alleged traders and in this case, the six arrested suspects, would collect the illicit cargo for further distribution and sales.”

The possibility of more arrests have not be ruled out and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) will take over the case for further investigation.

Gauteng police commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela welcomed the arrests and urged the investigators to get to the bottom of this case and to deal decisively with organised crime.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police said on Thursday at least 16 people were murdered throughout the country between August 13 and August 19 this year.

In a statement, ZRP national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the rise in the number of murder cases was evidence that people no longer valued sacredness of human life.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police notes with concern the upsurge in murder cases during the period extending from 13 to 19 August 2020 where sixteen cases were recorded countrywide. It is disturbing that some people no longer value the sanctity of human life.

“Two cases of patricide were recorded in Tsholotsho and Mutare where two fathers were murdered by their own sons over petty disputes. In one of the cases, the accused person scolded mourners at a funeral and when his father tried to admonish him, he assaulted him with a three legged fire stand, leading to his death,” he said.

Ass Comm Nyathi said during the current national lockdown period, unnecessary gatherings should be shunned as some of the murders were occurring during illegal beer drinking sprees.

“Infidelity has also contributed to the number of recorded cases for the period under review. In Dema, a 22 year old female adult was murdered by her boyfriend on 16 August 2020.

“In Rimuka, Kadoma, another 19 year old female was fatally stabbed with a knife for permitting accused person’s girlfriend to meet with another man at her residence,” he said.

He urged the public to desist from taking matters of the law into their own hands and seek counselling to resolve disputes.

“Members of the public are encouraged to find amicable ways of resolving their differences whenever they fail to find common ground,” he said.

“Traditional leaders, the church, close family members and counselling experts should assist parties in finding common ground whenever there is a dispute. The Police is also available to assist families in resolving differences.”

New Ziana

Department: Information & Publicity

APOLOGIES TO AL JAZEERA NEWS AGENCY & FEMI OKE

I hope this letter finds you well.

On the 18 of August 2020, I was part of the panel of discussants on Al Jazeera about our beautiful Nation, Zimbabwe involving myself and two MDC alliance representatives.

Following the conclusion of the heated discussion which featured falsehoods, punctuated by biased video interludes which appeared to be aimed at sustaining a false narrative that there is a crisis of human rights in Zimbabwe, lost my tamper in which I ended up using uncouth language.

Although that was never meant for the interview as I felt the interview had ended, I strongly feel I owe Aljazeera, the world, Zimbabweans and in particular the Anchor Femi Oke an unreserved apology. I further apologise to the Leadership of the Party who certainly were embarrassed by those words.

Following spirited attempts by various Global Media to drive a false agenda against Zimbabwe, Government, Leadership and our People in general, I must express my gratitude and that of the Party to Al Jazeera for their decision to reach to us to get a candid understanding of the reality of what is obtaining in Zimbabwe, contrary to social media falsehoods mirrored by recycled videos of the past while some of the videos are imported from other jurisdictions.

There is no crisis in Zimbabwe but there is a leadership crisis in opposition groups, and that does not translate into a national crisis.

I look forward to keep engaging you in future as partners in a friendlier, balanced and sober manner.

Comradely

Tafadzwa Mugwadi ZANU PF Director of Information & Publicity ZANU PF Headquarters

PAMBERI NE ZANU PF PHAMBILI NGE ZANU PF KUNEMBO A ZANU PF FORWARD WITH ZANU PF

By A Correspondent- National Spokesperson for the National Patriotic Front (NPF), Jealousy Mawarire says the Church has a moral obligation to stand for the vulnerable and it is within their right to do so.

He made the remarks following a Pastoral Letter issued by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference on 14 August which called on the government to end human rights abuses.

The Pastoral Letter was not well-received by the government, with Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa lashing out at the Bishops, calling them “genocidal” and a “self-righteous Ndebele minority”.

In a post on Twitter, Mawarire said it is unfortunate that the “junta” government believes that “the Church is there to support its programs, massaging egos of the looting and genocidal cabal”.

Wrote Mawarire:

The Junta-PF government response to the Catholic Bishops Pastoral letter is quite interesting in as much as it is intriguing because it shows a warped understanding of the role of the Church and its leadership.

While the rogue regime believes the Church is there to support its programs, massaging egos of the looting and genocidal cabal, the Church is there to protect the poor, the vulnerable and the downtrodden from a diabolical political leadership. There shouldn’t be a disconnect between the Church and politics since Jesus, the head of the Church is King of Kings.

Jesus, whom the Bishops represent, is the overall leader, He is above presidents and is the ultimate politician (Rev 1:5). ED is actually a VP. The church has a right to dabble in politics, Jesus did not die for the world so that genocidal leaders can continue abusing people.

Biblical prophets, like Amos, chided leaders and announced their removal from power. They attacked the leadership of the day for oppressing the poor and for corruption (Amos 3:10-11).

The coup government in Zimbabwe has no moral authority to tell the Church not to intervene when it tramples upon the rights of citizens, allegedly murdering, abducting and raping citizens. The Church has a moral obligation to stand for the vulnerable and it’s within their right to do so.

Zimbabweans should refuse to be intimidated by a rogue regime just because the regime is irritated by the truth. It’s not the role of the Church to prop-up dictatorship. The church is there to rebuke, publicly, those sinning (1Tim 5:20) even if the sinners are institutionalised in government.-twitter

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating suspended ZESA executive Sydney Gata over possible abuse of office and corruption.

A charge sheet has since been completed while suspended ZESA board members were invited for interviews at the ZACC offices where they presented a collective statement.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa suspendeded ZESA Holdings Executive chair Sydney Gata and the entire ZESA board which is mired in corruption allegations.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) was also been given four weeks to conclude investigations into corruption allegations against the chairman and the board.

Gata is in the eye of the storm for allegedly allocating for his personal use, five company vehicles, scuttling the disciplinary hearing of a top executive, spending $10 million on Christmas parties, sending four consultants to South Africa, and setting up a trust to mine gold.

In a statement, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda said the suspensions were with immediate effect.

“His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has suspended the Executive Chairman of the ZESA Holdings, Dr Sydney Gata and the entire ZESA Board Members with immediate effect,” Sibanda said.

The utility’s executive chair who was suspended by the Board members last week scoffed at the board’s decision to suspend him and refused to vacate office, insisting he could not be investigated by his juniors.

He adamantly insisted only President Mnangagwa could suspend him.

Mnangagwa further directed the ZACC chairperson Justice Matanda-Moyo to undertake thorough investigation into the allegations levelled against Gata by Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi.

Said Sibanda, “President Emmerson Mnangagwa has also directed the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo to immediately undertake thorough investigations into, the allegations levelled against Executive Chairman by Honorable Minister Energy and Power development Fortune Chasi, and any other underlying corrupt activities bedevilling Zesa Board and the electricity sector as a whole,” read the statement.

Mnangagwa gave ZACC just four weeks to complete all investigations and present the findings.

“President Mnangagwa expects ZACC to complete its investigations as well as tabling its report on the findings within four weeks,” added Sibanda.

-BusinessTimes

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF party has expelled two politburo members from the party on allegations of working with the organisers of the anti-corruption July 31 demonstrations which were thwarted by security forces.

The two officials are the secretary for health Cleveria Chizema and former Mbare legislator Tendai Savanhu.

The party’s Information and Publicity Acting Secretary Patrick Chinamasa confirmed the expulsions while addressing a media briefing held after Wednesday’s 343rd session of the Politburo.

He said: The politburo has unanimously resolved that Cleveria Chizema be fired from the party because of the seriousness of her case in which she did not deny any wrongdoing. She joins her accomplice Tianshe Mathusa who was expelled in the previous politburo.

The politburo has warned that any element bent on or working to split our leadership and dividing the party will be treated with no leniency. Cde Tendai Savanhu was also expelled again for his association with Cleveria Chizema.

We are making these serious decisions to send a clear message that anyone who does not follow the party line does not deserve to be in our midst.

While several ZANU PF officials have been censored by the party for their involvement in organising the demonstrations, none of them has been arrested.

Meanwhile, freelance journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and Transform Zimbabwe (TZ) leader Jacob Ngarivhume are currently languishing in prison at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison on similar allegations.

Farai Dziva|
British ambassador to Zimbabwe, Melanie Robinson held a crucial meeting with MDC-Alliance leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa on Wednesday.

Ambassador Robinson described the meeting as fruitful.

The engagement with Advocate Chamisa is part of broad political consultations with Zimbabwean stakeholders to see how the United Kingdom can intervene in the political crisis in the country, according to the ambassador.

“We continue to engage across the political spectrum to understand how the United Kingdom can best support Zimbabweans,” Robinson wrote on Twitter.

ZIMBABWE has recorded a 33 percent increase in Diaspora remittances to US$466,2 million as at 31 July 2020 compared to US$349,7 million at the same time last year, according to Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya.

This is despite the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has crippled the global economy and rendered millions of migrant workers jobless.

Based on this view, experts had predicted a drop in diaspora remittances mainly from developed economies such as Europe and the United States, as these were heavily affected by the pandemic, leading to loss of incomes mainly on key economic sectors.

Dr Mangudya told journalists during a joint online press conference hosted by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and the Apex Bank today that the Diaspora community has greatly assisted the economy by injecting more foreign exchange in the first seven months of the year.

“Over the past months, despite Covid-19, the amount of money that is coming from the Diaspora to Zimbabwe has never gone down,” said the Governor.

“The first seven months of the year (January to July) we received US$466,2 million compared to US$349,7 at the same time last year. This is a 33 percent increase and these are the funds we use in the country.”

-State Media

THOKOZANI Khupe led MDC has moved to decimate the remains of Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance after they recalled Harare mayor Hebert Gomba and five councillors saying their membership from the opposition had been terminated.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, MDC secretary general Douglas Mwonzora said the councillors had ceased to belong to the MDC.

Mwonzora said he derived the authority to recall the councillors basing on the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe judgement in SC 56/20.

The Supreme Court ruling passed in March said Chamisa was an illegitimate MDC president and went on to establish former MDC-T vice president Khupe as interim president adding the party should revert to its 2014 structures.

The councillors who have been recalled are Gomba, Ward 27, Hammy Madzingira, Ward 10, Kudzai Kadzombe, Ward 41, Gaudencia Marere, Ward 32, Costa Mande, Ward 24, and Happymore Gotora, Ward 7.

The move will further cripple Chamisa’s hold on power as the Harare City Council is in part a cash cow that provides financial relief to the MDC Alliance’s operations.

The blow comes as High Court judge, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda recently threw out an urgent chamber application filed by 14 Members of Parliament after they failed to prove that their recent recalls by the MDC led by Khupe were unlawful.

By A Correspondent| Binga North Member of Parliament, Prince Dubeko Sibanda has posted on Twitter than police from Bulawayo have invited him for an interview on allegations of distributing face masks to two children.

I have just received a call from D/A/I Moyo from Law & Order Byo inviting me for “an interview” allegedly for an allegation of “distributing face masks to 2 children,” said Sibanda who is an MDC Alliance parliamentarian.

Sibanda did not shed light on the time for the interview or place where the alleged crime was committed.

THE July 31 Movement has set aside August 31 for “more protests” to pile pressure on the government to end corruption, arbitrary arrests and other gross human rights violations against civilians and activists, its spokesperson Job Sikhala said yesterday.

Sikhala, who is MDC Alliance vice chair, is in hiding as police bay for his blood for allegedly inciting violence by calling for protests against the Zanu-PF government.

Speaking from his hideout, Sikhala gave President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his regime 10 days to stop all acts of alleged abductions and torture of the citizens and ensure workers are paid in a stable currency.

“Stop forthwith the on-going abductions, torture and se_xual assaults of citizens. Take immediate and full responsibility for all previous cases of abductions, torture and se_xual assaults of citizens and hold everyone involved in these cases to account in terms of national and international law,” the Zengeza West legislator said.

“Stop politically-motivated arrests of citizens forthwith, end forthwith all political trials that are before the courts and get the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to arrest and charge all persons involved in massive corruption and looting of public resources and State assets.”

He added: “If Mnangagwa’s regime does not act within the specified ultimatum period, Zimbabweans will join hands on Monday August 31, 2020 to protest against its complicity and inaction.”

Sikhala said on the same day, the South African opposition Economic Freedom Fighters together with “our brothers and sisters in South Africa” will shut down the Beitbridge Border Post in solidarity with Zimbabweans “whose lives and livelihoods have been put in grave danger by Mnangagwa’s regime”.

“It is outrageous that Zimbabwe’s prisons are currently filled with prisoners of conscience, who are demanding accountability from the regime, while masters of corruption, abductors and human rights abusers roam around free,” he said.

Sikhala is on the police wanted list together with several other activities who are accused of organising the July 31 protest, which was foiled by the military and police.

Mnangagwa yesterday celebrated the failure of the July 31 push, saying it had shamed his detractors.

“I want to commend the party and the citizens in general for shunning the machinations of violence and division through the planned ill-fated July 31 insurrection.

“Following the failure, our detractors are evidently in disarray and desperate and grasping at straws to destroy confidence in our democratically-elected government. They are equally on overdrive to discredit our people-centred programmes,” the Zanu-PF leader told his party’s politburo meeting in Harare.

-Newsday

By Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s major move to compensate former white farmers is set to be challenged by Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) Secretary General Raymond Majongwe who tweeted that the government was prioritizing colonizers at the expense of workers who are earning below the poverty datum line.

Majongwe posted after meeting University of Zimbabwe lecturer and socialist Munyaradzi Gwisai.

Majongwe accused the former white farmers of enjoying a century of exploiting Zimbabwe land and labour.

“Had a long meeting with Gwisai Munyaradzi yesterday preparing papers to challenge the gvt decision to pay $3,5B to white farmers who had an interrupted Century of exploiting our land and our Labour. They can’t pay workers a livingwage but can pay colonizers.”

Government of Zimbabwe signed a landmark agreement with former white farmers to pay US$3.5 Billion for ‘the developments made on the land which was eventually repossessed and handed to black peasants.

The move has attracted mixed feelings with some quarters accusing government of treating the west with gloved hands.

Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) and Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) have to wait a bit longer for the verdict after filing an urgent chamber application praying the court to order an end to ZUPCO monopoly by allowing other transport operators to resume operations.

High Court judge Tawanda Chitapi  reserved his judgment on the matter.

Women and Law in Southern Africa represented CHRA and PAZ. The acting Health Minister of Health at the time,  Amon Murwira, Transport minister Joel  Matiza and ZUPCO were cited as respondents.

-Online

Government has embarked on an operation code-named ‘Nyama Yabvepi’ with the intention of taking diseased meat off the market.

Chief Director in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Doctor Josphat Nyika revealed at a presser yesterday that government has scaled up police operations amid illegal sell of carcasses.

“As a result of reports that the public is exposed to un-inspected meat, police presence at various check points is going to be up scaled.

“In the next few days there will be operation ‘Nyama yabvepi’ and this will be done by the police, veterinary services, Ministry of Health and local authorities to make sure that all culprits are brought to book.

“The department of veterinary services is working closely with the police to bring perpetrators to book.

“We urge all those with evidence to come forward and help bring sanity to the beef value chain.

“Reports can be made to the nearest police station or senior veterinary officials.

“All these departments are there to make sure that the public is safe.

“Usually this time, the price of meat goes down, demand is less than the supply and consumers then find cheap meat on the market and think it’s probably coming from contaminated beasts but we can’t rule it out that there are unscrupulous dealers out there,” explained Dr Nyika.

Asked on how the public will identify safe meat in various meat outlets, Dr Nyika explained:

“It is not easy to identify an animal that has died from natural causes, however, what is important is the source and we ask where are people getting the meat.

“The problem arises when people get meat from backyard meat sources.

“Abattoirs and butcheries are required by law to display their certificates for the ordinary public to indicate that it is registered.”

He said the Ministry of Lands had noted with concern the recent reports on social media of unscrupulous operator in the beef value chain.

“Following shocking postings on social media that abattoirs operators, butcheries and supermarkets were selling un-inspected meat derived from sick and dead meat animals, a team of veterinary public health officers carried out an extensive investigations to verify the authenticity of the allegations.

“The team could not find evidence to support the media claims that meat derived from sick and dead animals were entering into human food chain.

“Under no circumstances are movement permits issued to sick or dead animals.

“If sick animals or dead animals are detected at ante-mortem inspections, those animals are not processed through the abattoirs, but are condemned and destroyed by burning.

“The public is therefore advised to buy and consume meat that is roller marked in blue ink.

“Such meat is available from reliable major supermarkets and butcheries in Harare and most urban centres in Zimbabwe,” he said.

Dr Nyika said it was a criminal offence for all meat outlets to sell or display for sale meat that has not been processed in a registered slaughter house and inspected and certified as fit for human consumption.

-State Media

An illegal Shamva fuel dealer is nursing burns at a local hospital after his house which had fuel in stock was gutted yesterday.

Tapiwa Murombedzi (39) of 102 Rugare street, Wadzanai in Shamva sustained burns after trying to put out a fire that gutted his house there by destroying property worth over US$1000.

Mashonaland Central deputy police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Fidelis Dhewu confirmed the case.

“I can confirm that we recorded a fire incident where a fuel tout is in hospital after sustaining burns from the inferno,” Dhewu said.

Allegations are that a minor was preparing super using firewood and fire caught up with a drum of fuel that gutted the house thereby burning Murombedzi.

Police warned people to shun illegal fuel dealings.

-Online

By A Correspondent- The civil servants’ Apex Council has accused Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube of lying to the nation by saying that negotiations under the National Joint Negotiation Council (NJNC) are going on when no such meeting has happened since April.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Apex Council said the government has abandoned salary negotiations which are supposed to be held periodically between the two parties under the NJNC.

They said:

The civil service apex council hereby registers its dismay at the absence of dialogue with the employer on the urgent matter of employee welfare in spite of deepening erosion of incomes due to unrelenting inflation.

Although the minister of Finance has been quoted seevral times in various media claiming that negotiations are ongoing, the Apex Council would like to categorically state that no talks of any nature are happening.

For the record, the last National Joint Negotiation Council (NJNC) meeting happened in April 2020, where both parties agreed to reconvene in two weeks as the government side wanted to consult with their principals.

In June, the government awarded civil servants a 50 per cent temporary salary adjustment and a US$75 Covid-19 allowance and promised them a substantive salary increase.

The workers have pleaded with the government to ensure banks did not deprive them of their full value of the US$75 COVID-19 allowance which they are receiving electronically.

They reiterated their demand for USD salaries.

-Statemedia

The Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T has expelled Harare Mayor, Councillor Herbert Gomba and five others accusing them of having ceased to be members of the party.

In a letter to Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Honourable July Moyo, MDC-T Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora said;

“We hereby notify your office in terms of section 278 as read with section 129 of the constitution, we hereby declare that the following Councillors have ceased to belong to Movement for Democratic Change which is a member of the Movement for Democratic Alliance which was formed in terms.”

The party has previously recalled Members of Parliament, Senators and councillors following the Supreme Court ruling which nullified leadership changes that took place following the death of party founding President Morgan Tsvangirai in February 2018.

The recalled MDC Alliance members include Happymore Chidziva, Prosper Mutseyami, Charlton Hwende, Tabitha Khumalo and Lilian Timveos among others.

Own Correspondent

Hopewell Chin’ono has revealed that he is still being starved by prison officials despite a court ruling pressuring the officials to make sure that he gets food as provided by law.

Chinono told his media colleagues in a short interview as he was being whisked away back to prison that he was being starved by prison officials.

“Well I’m okay but hungry. The prison is not complying with a court order which allows me to eat. No food is being brought to me,” he said.

Asked if he is still survived on biscuits and water, he replied, “Well yah.”

Chin’ono has a special diet and according to his lawyers, cannot eat food provided at the prison.

His lead attorney Beatrice Mtetwa has been barred by the courts from representing him.

He is now being represented by Advocate Taona Nyamakura who is taking instructions from his lawyers Gift Mtisi, Roselyn Hanzi and Douglas Coltart.

Bail hearing continues in camera this Friday.

Paul Nyathi

MP

President Mnangagwa recently promoted Deputy Commissioner-General Moses Chihobvu to Commissioner- General of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services with effect from November 1, 2020.

In an interview with State Media on his new position, Chihobvu lamented over the growing population in the prisons despite the recent amnesty by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The prisons boss said:

The prison population has continued to balloon over time with inmates now exceeding 20 000 in our country’s correctional facilities.

We continue to urge members of the society to desist from committing crime as this is detrimental not only to personal, and societal lives but to the good of our nationhood as resources are strained to the limit trying to cater for the welfare of those incarcerated.

Zim Morning Post

THOKOZANI Khupe led MDC has moved to decimate the remains of Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance after they recalled Harare mayor Hebert Gomba and five councillors saying their membership from the opposition had been terminated.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, MDC secretary general Douglas Mwonzora said the councillors had ceased to belong to the MDC.

Mwonzora said he derived the authority to recall the councillors basing on the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe judgement in SC 56/20.

The Supreme Court ruling passed in March said Chamisa was an illegitimate MDC president and went on to establish former MDC-T vice president Khupe as interim president adding the party should revert to its 2014 structures.

The councillors who have been recalled are Gomba, Ward 27, Hammy Madzingira, Ward 10, Kudzai Kadzombe, Ward 41, Gaudencia Marere, Ward 32, Costa Mande, Ward 24, and Happymore Gotora, Ward 7.

The move will further cripple Chamisa’s hold on power as the Harare City Council is in part a cash cow that provides financial relief to the MDC Alliance’s operations.

The blow comes as High Court judge, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda recently threw out an urgent chamber application filed by 14 Members of Parliament after they failed to prove that their recent recalls by the MDC led by Khupe were unlawful.

Paul Nyathi

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is a very cheeky man.

After the huge barrage on Ndebele people of Matabeleland by his mouth piece, Monica Mutsvangwa, the President has hurriedly convened a meeting with members of the disgraced Matabeleland Collective an organisation which he captured last year to use as his endorsing authority in the Matabeleland region.

ZimEye.com is reliably informed that the meeting will be held at the Bulawayo State House on Friday.

Mnangagwa knows it from the bottom of his heart that he is extremely not favoured in Matabeleland because of his leading role in executing the eighties Gukurahundi atrocities that killed over 20 000 people in the region.

In an effort to spruce up his image in the region, he successfully hijacked a Matabeleland cluster of civil society organisations, The Matabeleland Collective, which he has been holding meetings with claiming to be the inclusive representation of the region.

The major highlight of his meetings with the Collective has been to fastrek a sub called conclusion to the Gukurahundi issues that will leave him vindicated.

The visit to Bulawayo by Mnangagwa comes at a time when the region is up in arms against his goverment after Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa made a huge tribal slur against the people of the region.

Sources close to the issue told ZimEye.com that Mnangagwa’s visit and meeting with the collective is to try and appease the region of Mutsvangwa’s utterances.

Mutsvangwa burst out on Saturday accusing the head of the Zimbabwe Catholic bishops congress of stoking division and seeking to create a “genocide” after the group spoke out against alleged rights abuses and economic woes.

On Friday, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC) issued an unusually strong letter deploring the thwarting of anti-government protests on July 31.

The bishops denounced the “unprecedented” crackdown on dissent and weighed in on Zimbabwe’s long-standing social and economic crisis, which the government vehemently denies.

In the statement Mutsvangwa said the letter had been written under the “evil minded” leadership of ZCBC president Archbishop Robert Ndlovu.

Mutsvangwa accused Ndlovu, a member of Zimbabwe’s Ndebele minority group, of “fanning the psychosis of tribal victimisation” and sowing “sins of collective guilt” among the Shona majority.

She likened the archbishop to Athanase Seromba, a Rwandan priest who was found guilty of crimes against humanity for facilitating the killing of Tutsis during the 1994 genocide.

“Ndlovu is inching to lead the Zimbabwe Catholic congregation into the darkest dungeons of the Rwanda-type genocide,” Mutsvangwa said, adding that the letter sought to revive the “perennial vices of division”.

Paul Nyathi

Confused underfire Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa says President Emmerson Mnangagwa is failing to run the country because of opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa is “pouring sand” into his administration.

In a post cabinet media briefing on Tuesday, Mutsvangwa said that problems being experienced by the country emanated from post-2018 election vows by Chamisa that Mnangagwa would not find sleep in his rule.

“We all know that after the 2018 elections, the opposition MDC Alliance spoke about pouring sand (hamutongi tichadira jecha) on Mnangagwa’s reign and this is a public message.

“They have not stopped.”

Mutsvangwa also accused the western world for imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe based on lies.

“Some countries have imposed illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe. These have caused divisions among families. They have stage-managed abduction stories. There is an enemy in Zimbabwe,” she said.

Paul Nyathi

In the middle of Zimbabwe’s first economic turmoil in 1998, the country’s labour movement pressured then President Robert Mugabe to attend to the collapse of the economy.

The Union led several mass actions including staying away from work and demonstrations which were violently foiled by the Mugabe regime.

In the thick of things, instead of Mugabe seeking for dialogue with the powerful workers Union led by Morgan Tsvangirai and Gibson Sibanda, the arrogant Zimbabwean leader challenged the labour union to go out and form its own political party if it wanted to address issues affecting the country.

In less than a year, the labour based Movement for Democratic Change was formed led by the tough Morgan Tsvangirai.

From there on Mugabe never rested. His free rule of the country got its biggest challenge since swallowing Joshua Nkomo’s PF ZAPU into his ZANU PF in 1987.

He went on to lose subsequent elections to the new opposition party he ordered for only to keep using his dirty rigging tactics and military backing to remain in power.

Fast forward to yesterday, under siege President Emmerson Mnangagwa has gone the Mugabe digging into the Catholic Church the world’s most followed church,telling the local priests who rebuked him for poor leadership, to form their own party and challenge him to the elections.

This comes after Catholic priests, under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference, last week penned a damning condemnation of the Zanu PF led administration for failing to run the country.

Addressing a party politburo Wednesday, Mnangagwa echoed his predecessor’s words telling his party elites that men of the cloth were free to join or form their own political parties if they were itching for a showdown with him.

“It is most unfortunate when men of the cloth begin to use the pulpit to advance a nefarious agenda for detractors of our country.

“Those who want to enter the political realm are welcome to do so. They must come out and form political parties.

“As Zanu PF, we are ready for the 2023 elections,” said Mnangagwa.

Poor Mnangagwa, however, fails to realise that he does not pears possess as much power as did Mugabe back then.

Mnangagwa denied claims Zanu PF was averse to church counsel, adding, the party worked closely with the church during the liberation struggle and in the post-independence era.

“Zanu PF has a close relationship with the church dating back to the days of the liberation struggle,” he said.

“In the post-independence period, we continued to work well. Going forward, we remain committed to working well with church to advance the national development agenda, as a united people.”

Religious organisations local and international have come out in full support of the bishops against Mnangagwa. Civil Society, opposition political parties and students movements have also joined in to support the bishops with some urging the men of the cloth to go on and take Mnangagwa head on.

Time is always the best judge and everyone awaits to see how the church will react to Mnangagwa’s challenge.

Masvingo Province today recorded its first coronavirus death pushing the national death toll to 150.

Nine people died today, six of them from Harare.

There were 265 new cases, 254 of them local transmissions.

The country now has 5 643 cases.

There were 337 recoveries today raising the total to 4 442, leaving only1 051 active cases.

Tables have been turned again with Harare now leading with 409 active cases, followed by Bulawayo with 197 cases. Matebeleland South is now down to 114 active cases.

Correspondent

Zanu PF Information and Publicity Director Tafadzwa Mugwadi Wednesday issued an apology for muttering the ‘F-word’ during a live virtual debate with global news channel Aljazeera.

The youthful former ZINASU president insulted Aljazeera journalist Femi Oke, presenter of the Stream.

Co-panellists during the debate were Human Rights Watch’s director Dewa Mavhinga and opposition MDC Alliance national spokesperson Fadzai Mahere.

The Zanu PF Information Director was invited to participate in a debate that was themed “Are Zimbabweans being silenced?”

In the course of the programme, Mugwadi burst into sarcastic laughter interrupting Oke and then said, “This is rubbish. F*ck you.”

Addressing the media after a politburo meeting at the Zanu PF headquarters, Mugwadi said he had felt unsafe as he was encircled by three MDC activists and ended up throwing harsh remarks on a live show.

“I ended up throwing harsh remarks to an international journalist from Aljazeera. My unreserved apologies,” said Mugwadi.

“I must say I had been encircled by three activists from the MDC Alliance and I felt that it wasn’t balanced, we will look forward to working with them.”

Britain’s ambassador to Zimbabwe Melanie Robinson met opposition leader Nelson Chamisa on Wednesday and declared having had a good conversation worth the opposition leader about the ongoing human rights violations in Zimbabwe.

She said her engagement with Chamisa is part of a political engagements with Zimbabwean stakeholders to see how the United Kingdom can help Zimbabwe out of the current problems.

“We continue to engage across the political spectrum to understand how the United Kingdom can best support Zimbabweans,” Robinson wrote on Twitter.

Good conversation with Nelson Chamisa. Discussed serious concerns on human rights, corruption and the situation for ordinary Zimbabweans. We continue to engage across the political spectrum to understand how the UK can best support Zimbabweans. pic.twitter.com/oev3kuuypp

— Melanie Robinson (@HMAMelanieR) August 19, 2020

Former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday called on the Zimbabwe government to “release all political prisoners”, heaping fresh pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa who was accused last week of launching an “unprecedented crackdown on dissent” by Catholic bishops.

Clinton, the wife of former U.S. president Bill Clinton, used Twitter to call out the Zimbabwe government.

I'm calling for the government of Zimbabwe to release all political prisoners, including Godfrey Kurauone, who represent the country's future. Justice demands it.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 19, 2020

“I’m calling for the government of Zimbabwe to release all political prisoners, including Godfrey Kurauone, who represent the country’s future. Justice demands it,”: she tweeted.

Kurauone, an MDC Alliance councillor in Masvingo, was arrested for allegedly singing a song denouncing Mnangagwa on July 31 – and has been held without bail since. His family says he has a chronic condition and is being denied access to a doctor.

State Media

ACADEMIC, author and former associate professor of history at the University of Zimbabwe, Professor Chengetai Jonas Mudadirwa Zvobgo, has died.

Prof Zvobgo died at St Giles Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Harare yesterday, after a long illness related to a stroke he suffered a year ago.

He was a younger brother to the late national hero and veteran nationalist Dr Eddison Zvobgo.

Family spokesperson and Vice Chancellor of Great Zimbabwe University, Professor Rungano Zvobgo, described his elder brother as a strong-willed individual who was determined to make the best of every situation.

“He was a unifying force for the family,” he said. “He would use humour to lighten heavy situations whilst referring to the Bible for words of wisdom and encouragement. In him, we have lost a father, brother, uncle and friend whose life is celebration of determination and valour.

“Chengetai was a brilliant history professor who loved his students and friends.”

Prof Zvobgo graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from the University of California (UCLA); a Master of Arts in African History from UCLA; a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education from Makerere University (Uganda) and a PhD in African History from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

He was a distinguished academic who authored several journal articles on Zimbabwe.

Prof Zvobgo published books such as “A History of Zimbabwe, 1890-2000” and “Postscript; Zimbabwe, 2001-2008”; “The Wesleyan Methodist Missions in Zimbabwe, 1891-1945”; “A History of Christian Missions in Zimbabwe, 1890-1939” and “The Struggle for Zimbabwe 1935-2004 Eddison JM Zvobgo.”

Prof Zvobgo is survived by three daughters — Knowledge, Wendy and Clara.

Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.

TimesLive

South Africa is likely to hit 600,000 Covid-19 cases on Thursday or Friday, after 3,916 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours.

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced on Wednesday that there were now 596,060 confirmed infections across the country. More than half of these cases were in Gauteng (202,011), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (107,271) and the Western Cape (103,210).

There were 159 deaths in the past 24 hours, said Mkhize, taking the death toll to 12,423 to date.

Of the new deaths, 37 were in the Eastern Cape, 43 in Gauteng, 45 in KwaZulu-Natal, five in the Free State and 29 in the Western Cape.

The minister also announced that there were 491,441 recoveries – a recovery rate of 82%.

The figures are based on 3,455,671 total tests, of which 25,324 were in the last 24-hour cycle.

Zimbabwe’s Covid-19 death toll topped 150 yesterday with nine new deaths, but the number of recoveries rocketed to 4 442 out of the 5 643 cases since the start of the pandemic.

Six of the new deaths were in Harare, driving the city’s death toll up to 83, with one each in Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East and Masvingo, the first in that province the Ministry of Health and Child Care reported last night.

The total number of new cases reported was 265, but as provincial totals continue to be updated this was exceeded by yesterday’s total of new confirmed recoveries, 337.

So far 78,7 percent of all infected Zimbabweans have now been confirmed as fully recovered with the death toll still hovering around 2,66 percent.

There are just 1 051 active cases still on the ministry books although as delayed recovery figures are updated, the number of ill people is expected to drop further.

South Africa has now recorded 12 264 deaths from 592 144 cases.

But the slowing down of the pandemic in that country is seen with 485 468 recoveries leaving for the first time in some weeks less than 100 000 active cases, with 94 412.

Government workers on Wednesday accused their employer of abandoning salary negotiations which are supposed to be held periodically between the two parties under the National Joint Negotiation Council (NJNC).

In June this year, the government awarded its workers a 50 percent temporary salary adjustment and a US$75 Covid-19 allowance to cushion them while awaiting conclusion of negotiations for a substantive salary increase.

But, the workers said they last met their employer in April.

“The civil service apex council hereby registers its dismay at the absence of dialogue with the employer on the urgent matter of employee welfare in spite of deepening erosion of incomes due to unrelenting inflation,” the workers said in a statement.

“Although the Minister of Finance has been quoted several times in various media claiming that negotiations are ongoing, the Apex council would like to categorically state that no talks of any nature are happening. For the record, the last National Joint Negotiation Council (NJNC) meeting happened in April 2020, where both parties agreed to reconvene in two weeks as the government side wanted to consult with their principals.”

The workers reiterated their demand for USD salaries.

“The Apex council takes note of the un-negotiated 50 percent salary increment plus the US$75 Covid-19 allowance as an admission on the employer’s part that the welfare of its workers needs to be improved.

“We also appreciate government’s realisation that workers need to earn USD to survive. Our view is that negotiations should now commence informed by this re-awakening on the employer’s side that our demand for USD is after all the best foot forward,” they said.

The workers also appealed to the government to ensure banks did not deprive workers of their full value of the $75 Covid-19 allowance, which is being paid into special Nostro- accounts and is not being dispensed as cash.

Banks had agreed with government that civil servants would be given special bank cards which they would use to pay for goods and services, but reports indicate that banks have been forcing workers to liquidate their Nostro balances into RTGS sometimes at rates lower than the prevailing market rate.

New Ziana

MDC Alliance (MDC-A) president Nelson Chamisa has appointed one of his three deputies, Prof Welshman Ncube, to engage South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s envoys when then return to Harare to continue with their engagement efforts.

Ncube told the Daily News that Chamisa assigned him to work with various departments within the party to gather their input for the party’s submission to the envoys.

Said Ncube:

“I have been assigned by president Chamisa to co-ordinate the work of the various MDC Alliance departments who are working on the party’s submission to the envoys — which the president intends to make to the envoys when and if they return to the country to consult us and other stakeholders”

“When the envoys returned to South Africa last week, the South African ambassador to Zimbabwe telephoned president Chamisa indicating that the envoys intended to return to Zimbabwe as soon as possible and that we would be advised once the dates are confirmed.”

“It is in that context that we have continued to work on our submission that the president will make to the envoys”

According to an unnamed MDC-A official who spoke to the Daily News, Chamisa appointed Ncube for the role because he (Ncube) is close to Mufamadi, the duo worked together in the 2008 inclusive government negotiations.

The official said the MDC-A is now hoping to use this closeness to Mufamadi to tell its side of the story.

Earlier this month, Ramaphosa sent special envoys – former South African vice president Baleka Mbete and ex-ministers Sydney Mufamadi and Ngoako Ramatlhodi – to Harare.

Source: Daily News

THE ruling Zanu PF has expelled politburo secretary for health Cleveria Chizema and former Mbare legislator Tendai Savanhu for working with the organisers of the failed July 31 demonstrations.

Information and Publicity Acting Secretary Patrick Chinamasa confirmed the expulsions while addressing a media briefing held after Wednesday’s 343rd session of the Politburo .

“The politburo has unanimously resolved that Cleveria Chizema be fired from the party because of the seriousness of her case in which she did not deny any wrong doing, she joins her accomplice Tinashe Mathusa, who was expelled in the previous politburo,” said Chinamasa.

“The politburo has warned that any element bent on or working to split our leadership and dividing the party will be treated with no leniency.

Tendai Savanhu was also expelled again for his association with Cleveria Chizema.”

He added; “We are making these serious decisions to send a clear message that anyone who does not follow the party line does not deserve to be in our midst.”

Chizema was suspended earlier this month after she was found in possession of posters and pamphlets that denounced President Emmerson Mnangagwa ahead of the flopped 31 July.-ZBC News

265 new coronavirus cases and 9 deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours, bringing the cumulative figures to 5 643 and 150 respectively.

Of the 265 new cases, 254 were local and 11 are returnees from South Africa.

Harare Metropolitan Province reported 6 deaths and each of Mash Central, Masvingo and Mash West reported one death.

337 total recoveries were reported countrywide, with Mat South contributing 188 of the total figure.

Active cases have dropped to 1 050.-Ministry of Health and Child Care

THE MDC Alliance is hopeful that South African envoys will be able to nudge President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu PF to finally hold much-needed dialogue with the opposition and other key stakeholders to end Zimbabwe’s decades-old political crisis.

So hopeful is the Alliance, that it was apparently persuaded not to escalate its grievances against Mnangagwa and the government to the just ended 40th Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) — which was held virtually.

This comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa is trying to end Zimbabwe’s worsening political and economic crises, which have once again attracted international attention — following the government’s alleged breach of human rights in the country during last month’s foiled protests.

It also comes as Mnangagwa, who ascended to power via a popular military coup in November 2017, has come under growing pressure from long suffering Zimbabweans over his government’s failure to mend the country’s broken economy.

Now, ahead of the planned return to Harare by Ramaphosa’s special envoys — former South African vice president Baleka Mbete and ex-ministers Sydney Mufamadi and Ngoako Ramatlhodi — the MDC Alliance says it is hopeful that this will result in positive engagements.-Daily News

Farai Dziva|Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa says Zanu PF has a sound relationship with the church since the days of the liberation struggle but the party will not tolerate criticism from clerics advancing a ” nefarious agenda.”

Despite pressure from international and local groups on government to apologize to the Catholic Bishops, Mr Mnangagwa has indicated there is no need to retract the sentiments expressed by Information Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa.

In his statement on Wednesday, Mnangagwa said the clerics should form their own political parties.

“It is unfortunate to note that men of the cloth are using the pulpit to advance a nefarious agenda for the detractors of our country.Let them form their own parties.As Zanu PF, we are ready for the 2023 elections,” said Mnangagwa.

Farai Dziva|Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa has claimed his administration is working tirelessly to improve the living standards of the people of Zimbabwe.

This comes against the backdrop of torture and harassment of citizens by his administration.

“We are delivering on the promises we made to the people,” said Mr Mnangagwa in a statement on Wednesday.

He also said the compensation of commercial farmers was another milestone achievement for his government.

The Zanu PF leader also pointed out that the “second Republic” has managed to achieve set objectives in line with the party manifesto.

Farai Dziva|Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa has claimed his administration is working tirelessly to improve the living standards of the people of Zimbabwe.

This comes against the backdrop of torture and harassment of citizens by his administration.

“We are delivering on the promises we made to the people,” said Mr Mnangagwa in a statement on Wednesday.

He also said the compensation of commercial farmers was another milestone achievement for his government.

The Zanu PF leader also pointed out that the “second Republic” has managed to achieve set objectives in line with the party manifesto.

By Blessing Simpson Madzima

The decision to stage a coup to overthrow Mugabe was clearly calculated on the basis and reasons of the increased vulnerability of Mugabe’s decreased capacity generation of strategic leadership and coordination of his authoritarian rule.

Mnangangwa and Chiwenga were always a factor in Mugabe’s dictatorship and decision making.

Their decision to remove Mugabe was exercised with the blessing of China, Britain and South Africa who also wanted to see the back of Mugabe.

Britain wanted to facilitate a peaceful transition to democracy and unity to ensure its intention to invest in various fields such as mining and agriculture was guaranteed.

Mnangwagwa and Chiwenga had different objective and the intention was to take advantage of the vulnerability of the country and its citizens to ensure they guarantee their authority and power to even oppress the people more and keep them under control.

The events of August 31st 2018 and January 2019 were not a surprise, but a clear warning to the citizens and the entire world that the regime had not changed by the removal of Mugabe.

The removal of Mugabe was to ensure the regime stayed in power to entrench its militarisation of law enforcement and foster infiltration and subversion of citizen groups that could be forces of reform.

The case and treatment of Hopewell and Beatrice Mtetwa are signals that denotes the effects of tyrannical rule which are designed to inflict pain, stress, mental disorder, malnutrition, poverty, brutal attacks, persecution, death and suffering. The behaviour and conduct of the judiciary is the beginning of instituting a ruined society and country.

The tyrant Mnangangwa will continue to institute Judicial activism and continue to issue unconstitutional decisions from the benches across the country.

If citizens fail to build profound engagement, collaboration and strategic resistance mechanism compounded by great leadership, then we are to experience a brutal experience of poverty and suffering masses for a longtime.

Something has to be done now and a broader collective collaboration with profound leadership is needed urgently to inspire people to develop a positive impactive resistance to this brutal tyrant.

Constant focus on the tyrant other than our differences is a prerequisite for us to overcome this tyrant.

Farai Dziva|Fearless cleric, Bishop Ancelimo Magaya has said church leaders should not be used by Zanu PF to advance its evil machinations.

Bishop Magaya rebuked Prophet Andrew Wutawunashe and Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi for purporting to speak on behalf of the church.

Below is Bishop Magaya’s statement:

It is tragic when church leaders pontificate with no aorta of biblical references.

Hearing Wutaunashe and Mutendi speaking on ZBC in defense of the government , you would think you are hearing political commissars.

They would rather disassociate with the church and cling to evil doers.

“And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible…..they strengthen the hands of evil doers so that no one of them repents from wickedness…”(Jer 23 vs14).

It is not surprising when today you hear church leaders like Wutaunashe speaking as surrogates of ED.

Farai Dziva|Fearless cleric, Bishop Ancelimo Magaya has said church leaders should not be used by Zanu PF to advance its evil machinations.

Bishop Magaya rebuked Prophet Andrew Wutawunashe and Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi for purporting to speak on behalf of the church.

Below is Bishop Magaya’s statement:

It is tragic when church leaders pontificate with no aorta of biblical references.

Hearing Wutaunashe and Mutendi speaking on ZBC in defense of the government , you would think you are hearing political commissars.

They would rather disassociate with the church and cling to evil doers.

“And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible…..they strengthen the hands of evil doers so that no one of them repents from wickedness…”(Jer 23 vs14).

It is not surprising when today you hear church leaders like Wutaunashe speaking as surrogates of ED.

70 new coronavirus cases and 6 COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours.

67 of the new cases are local and the other 3 are returnees from Botswana.

All 6 deaths are from Harare province.

The number of active cases is 1 132.

257 total new recoveries were reported, 156 were reported by Matabeleland Province.

Cumulatively, Zimbabwe now has recorded 5 378 cases, 4 105 recoveries and 141 deaths-Ministry of Health and Child Care

Jah Prayzah’s first born son, Mukudzeyi Junior who has been showing interest in his father’s trade is set to release his debut single on Wednesday.

Mukudzeyi Junior, a few months before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, had been accompanying his father to some of his shows where he would showcase his singing talent, much to the amusement of show goers.

Also, he has been featuring on some of his father’s music videos of late with many encouraging Jah Prayzah to nurture his son while he is still young.

It seems Jah Prayzah has taken that advice as he yesterday shared news that Mukudzeyi Junior is ready to share his first song with people.
“Mukudzeyi Junior in the studio creating magic.

I am proud of you son. I can’t wait for the world to hear your talent and voice,” wrote Jah Prayzah as he shared an image of his son in his studio in Harare.

He said the song was produced by talented Victor Stot who he thanked for assisting his son.-Chronicle

New Ziana

The government on Wednesday said it had resolved to summon the Vatican’s diplomatic representative in Zimbabwe to clarify issues raised by the Church’s local leadership in a pastoral letter last week.

In their letter, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference accused government of perpetrating human rights abuses, without providing any evidence.

Of particular concern to government, the Bishops said: “It is not clear to us as your Bishops that the national leadership that we have has the knowledge, social skill, emotional stability and social orientation to handle the issues we face as a nation.”

It is in light of that statement that Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said that the government would seek clarification from the Vatican whether this was now its official position on Zimbabwe and its leadership.

“In this regard, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Lt Gen S.B. Moyo will be meeting the Apostolic Nuncio, the diplomatic representative of the Holy See accredited to Zimbabwe,” he said.

“This statement constitutes an outright insult to the person of the President E.D Mnangagwa and his entire government and is couched in language decidedly unbecoming of an institution such as the Catholic Church.

“Given that the venerable Bishops represent the Catholic Church, government is compelled to directly engage the Vatican in order to ascertain whether or not such statements reflect the official attitude of the Holy See towards Zimbabwe’s leadership or whether these are views of the various individuals concerned.”

Ziyambi said government was disappointed with the manner the Bishops had decided to air their concerns instead of approaching government using existing diplomatic channels.

He condemned the stance taken by the Bishops and said instead of preaching unity and peace, the Bishops sought to further entrench the polarisation which already afflicts the country.

“That they have chosen this moment to add their voices to what has become a shrill, politically motivated cacophony masked as moral outrage on the basis of a deliberate misinterpretation of recent events in Zimbabwe is both regrettable and deeply disappointing,” he said.

“At no stage have the authors of the letter, either as individuals or as a collective, sought to engage the government on any level in order to gather an understanding of its position on any of the issues raised. The government notes that the Bishops have made a conscious decision to avoid direct engagement, opting instead for grandstanding and what amounts to politically motivated mudslinging.”

He added: “By allowing itself to be manipulated into joining what is so clearly a fabrication based on distortion, invention and outright falsehood, the Catholic church does itself injury and its followers a major disgrace.”

Ziyambi said although the Bishops had opted for a confrontational approach, government was willing to engage the Catholic Church and other religious communities in a cordial manner.

“Notwithstanding the deliberately provocative and divisive nature of the pastoral letter, the President’s commitment to the path of engagement with all religious communities remains steadfast and solid.

“With specific regard to the letter and with a view to preserving and maintaining long-standing cordial relations with the Catholic Church, government will avail itself of existing diplomatic channels to engage the church to more fully understand and appreciate the actions of its local representatives,” he said.

On the issues raised by the Bishops, Ziyambi said government was committed to fighting corruption and the President has demonstrated this by firing two Cabinet Minister over corruption allegations.

Their cases are currently before the courts.

New deaths : 6

All deaths : 150

New cases : 265 (254 local, 11 returnees)

All cases : 5 643

New recoveries : 337

Total Recoveries : 4 442

Active : 1 051

Own Correspondent

ZANU-PF Spokesman Tafadzwa Mugwadi has dragged Zimbabwe’s international reputation further through the mud this week after he resorted to profanity and insults during a live interview with Al-Jazeera.

The news broadcaster had invited Tafadzwa Mugwadi on air to discuss the coronavirus crisis. Instead of participating in the conversation, ZANU-PF’s director of publicity – yes, really – has now probably caused himself a lot of work to take care of on Wednesday morning.

Things boiled over after a clip of President Mnangagwa was played to the panel. The leader’s claims were openly challenged, sending the ZANU-PF representative into a strop. He then dropped the f-bomb live on air, after laughing his way through a pretty serious line of questioning.

Watch the video downloading below. Please be patient while the video download.

https://youtu.be/yqpbb3a21e8

On Wednesday, Zimbabweans woke up to the saddening news that political activist and brother to the missing journalist Itai Dzamara, Patson Dzamara was diagnosed with colon cancer. Mr Dzamara was diagnosed with colon cancer and needs US$28,000 for treatment.

A UK based Cancer Support Network has offered to help Dzamara.

Watchvideo downloading below – Please be patient as the media stream downloads.

The Southern Africa Bishops’ Conference has encouraged the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops to stand strong, saying keeping quiet when egregious human rights violations are being committed is not an option.

Below is the statement in full.

SOLIDARITY STATEMENT TO THE BISHOPS AND THE CHURCH IN ZIMBABWE

We, the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) greet you in the name of our risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

We continue to note with increasing concern the unabated situation of repression in Zimbabwe, resulting in increasing hardship and suffering to the citizens.

We commend you for your prophetic voice in naming and condemning the brutalisation of ordinary people by security forces and the underlying corruption that has led to the total collapse of services to the people by the government.

As St. Paul informs us, “we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body” (Rom.12:5), and so the pain that you are going through, we feel it too.

The Catholic Church and its Bishops in Southern Africa stands in unconditional solidarity with you as leadership who are being targeted by the government and with masses of the people who are suffering from this situation.

Your Pastoral letter of Friday 14 August 2020 clearly describes the hardships and problems faced by Zimbabwe, and analyses the causes, which those in authority do not want to hear.

Your voice of encouragement to the people of Zimbabwe is what they needed to hear in this time of their greatest need.

It is opportune and appropriate that this letter was issued on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption of Mary.

We take hope from and hold on to the assurance given by Our Mother that, “God has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.” (Lk. 1:52).

It is most regrettable that instead of addressing the issues, the government through its Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, chose instead to target and insult Archbishop Robert Ndlovu as “evil minded”, projecting its own tribalistic agenda to fuel divisions in the country.

To you bishops and particularly to you Archbishop Ndlovu we remind you of what Jesus foretold about those who speak in his name that “they will seize you and persecute you” (Lk.21:12).

We pray that the Bishops and the Church will continue to speak prophetically, with the voice of God, and be the light that shines in the darkness”, and the darkness has not overcome it”, (Jn.1:5).

Keeping quiet is not an option and as shepherds of the people your voice of support gives hope to the people entrusted to you to carry on.

As your brothers and sisters in Southern Africa, we assure you of our support and prayers that this time of suffering in your country may soon come to an end.

Yours in Christ

Sithembele Sipuka
Bishop of Mthatha and President of the SACBC

African Arguments

You may have heard about the seven babies stillborn in Harare Hospital in one day at the end of July. From the maternity register that night, you can see that the infants were on average a healthy weight. They should have survived. The reason they died is because Zimbabwe’s health system is simply not functioning as we speak.

Many doctors, like me, are afraid to say this because our government only knows how to use force. That’s why I am writing this anonymously. But the reality here is that the tragic case of those babies is just one of many. There are many more people dying.

This situation was already desperate last year. Medics in Zimbabwe were struggling to get by on such low wages and to work in such poor conditions. This led us to go on strike in September 2019. We only returned to work in January 2020 when the telecoms tycoon Strive Masiyiwa offered to supplement our government wages with a monthly subsistence allowance through his charitable foundation.

But then, in March, Covid-19 reached Zimbabwe. At a time when the dilapidated healthcare sector urgently needed support and attention, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration did nothing.

In April, the High Court ordered the government to ensure all healthcare workers were supplied with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). But now in August, there is still hardly any PPE. If you’re lucky, you’ll get an N-95 mask (one with an air filter), but we’re mostly working with one surgical mask that has to last the entire day and plastic aprons. We hear more and more of nurses being infected and, when they do, there is no insurance for them, no support, and no one to look after them. This, in the middle of a pandemic.

Pay has also remained desperately inadequate. Health workers are not asking for money to buy expensive houses and go on holiday, but just enough to survive. As a doctor, for instance, I receive about $175/month. That’s a little less than $6 a day. Both my wife and I are frontline workers, and we struggle to pay the rent and bills with this pay. The situation is even more dire for nurses. Many of these essential workers receive just $30/month and go hungry because they can’t afford to spend money on food.

It’s for these reasons that nurses in Zimbabwe went on strike two months ago. Instead of improving pay, PPE and working conditions, however, the government brought in student nurses and those who had been out of work for a long time. This meant that many wards were overwhelmed or staffed with nurses who were either inexperienced or who hadn’t received recent training.

Shortly after, doctors downed tools too. We are demanding the same things as our colleagues: PPE; better conditions and equipment in hospitals; decent pay; and for our salaries to be paid in US dollars rather than the RTGS dollar (or “Zimdollar”) which is subject to hyperinflation.

Throughout the pandemic and following the story about the death of the babies, some of us have been criticised for going on strike. I understand, but we are not striking because we don’t want to work. We are striking because we want to be able to do our jobs. But to do that, we need real equipment and not to be improvising the whole time. We need to be physically, emotionally and mentally fit. And we can’t be worried about catching COVID-19 every time we go to work and thus endangering ourselves and our families.

Those seven babies should be gurgling happily with their parents or guardians right now. But in the current situation in Zimbabwe, the truth is that they didn’t stand a chance. At the department where they were born, the staff were overworked and underappreciated to the point that they could simply no longer afford to work. There is maybe one overwhelmed nurse or midwife there, taking care of ten to fifteen patients. If a woman needs to be operated on, there are no anaesthetists to call on and too few nurses to prepare the patient.

The tragedy of those babies, however, is just one story. There are many more that you won’t have heard about. Of people dying on operating tables; of patients with tumours being turned away because we haven’t been able to carry out elective surgeries for months and then dying after the disease spreads; of preventable conditions that should only require basic treatment becoming life-threatening.

Across the country, health workers are having to turn patients away. I have lost count of the number of patients I have had who are sick but cannot afford even the most basic of treatments. Sometimes you stop and wonder: are all these people being failed by Zimbabwe’s healthcare system now just dying at home?

We are tired of telling patients that you are going to die, tired of patients dying when it could have been prevented. As people who were trained to care, the situation is incredibly distressing. Our morale is incredibly low – the lowest it has ever been – and so many people now just want to leave the country.

We are looking to our government for change, but the truth is they don’t care. The people in power don’t get treated in government hospitals. When they get sick, they go abroad. They even saw the pandemic as little more than a money-making opportunity. We saw this play out in the multi-million-dollar equipment procurement scandal that led to the recent arrest of the Health Minister as well as the vindictive detention of Hopewell Chin’ono, the journalist who uncovered it. The government then appointed Vice-President Constantine Chiwenga – a military man known for making insulting comments about doctors – as the new Health Minster.

President Mnangagwa’s disdain for ordinary Zimbabweans can be seen in his administration’s stifling of people’s freedoms. A month after it awarded Range Rovers and Toyota Pick-Up Trucks to senior civil servants and diplomatic staff, it can also be seen in its treatment of the nation’s health workers, its healthcare system and the millions of Zimbabweans who rely on it.

The Zimbabwean doctor was speaking to Samira Sawlani of The African Arguments.

Own Correspondent

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says he has learnt with concern of developments in the Republic of Mali, which have led to the forced resignation of the President of Mali, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

President Ramaphosa, as Chair of the African Union, condemned the unconstitutional change of government in Mali.

In a statement, President Ramaphosa demandedbthat the Malian military release from detention the President, the Prime Minister, Ministers and other Government executives.

He called for an immediate return to civilian rule and for the military to return to their barracks.

Ramaphosa urged the people of Mali, political parties and civil society, to observe the rule of law and engage in peaceful dialogue in order to resolve their challenges.

The South African President further urged African leaders and the entire international community to denounce and reject the military-led unconstitutional change of government and to assist the people of Mali to return to civilian and democratic rule.

The Zanu PF Politburo on Wednesday expelled party secretary for health, child care and the elderly, Cleveria Chizema and former Mbare East Member of Parliament Tendai Savanhu, for “behaviour inconsistent with the party”.

Last month, Zanu PF suspended Chizema-the most senior Politburo member in Harare-for further investigation after the security department presented a report on how internal forces were working with some senior officials to foment discord in the party.

The two were fired when a number of party officials expected Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa to be the causality after she exposed the party to disrepute with a careless statement against Catholic Bishops Conference.

Announcing the dismissal of the two Zanu PF acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa said the ruling party would not spare those working to divide the party.

“Today the Politburo unanimously decided that Mrs Cleveria Chizema be fired from the party because of the seriousness of her case in which she did not deny any wrongdoing. She joins her accomplice Tinashe Maduza who was expelled at the last Politburo,” he said.

He said any elements working to split or divide the party would not be treated with leniency.

“On the list of the people expelled from the party is Tendai Savanhu, again for his association with Chizema. He stands expelled as of today.”

Chinamasa said in the case of Chizema, she did not deny the allegations.

“She said it happened in March but she did not alert the party and hid some of the material under her carpet,” he said.

The Politburo also endorsed the suspension of Tamuka Nyoni, the party’s Matabeleland North youth chairperson.

“Tamuka Nyoni, youth leader from Matabeleland North was suspended by his province and the politburo endorsed the suspension for his alleged involvement in behaviour and actions which are inconsistent with our expectations of cadres of the party,” said Chinamasa.

He added: “We are making serious decisions to send clear message to anyone who does not follow the party line that he does not deserve to be in our midst,” he said.

New Ziana

JOHANNESBURG – MTN Group today announced that the current group CFO of MTN Group, Ralph Mupita, has been appointed as the new group president and CEO with effect from 1 September 2020.

Ralph has served as the MTN Group CFO since April 2017 and has played a critical role in the development and execution of the group’s strategy, capital allocation processes, financial performance as well as in the resolution of a number of complex regulatory matters.

MTN Group chairman Mr Mcebisi Jonas said, “After a rigorous and extensive search process, we are pleased to have appointed someone of Ralph’s calibre, experience and ability to fill the group president and CEO position. Ralph’s experience as the group CFO, strong knowledge of our businesses and markets, as well as successful background in financial services, M&A and emerging markets, place him in an excellent position to lead the growth and sustainability of the business going forward“.

Ralph is a graduate of the University of Cape Town with a degree in Engineering and an MBA. Prior to joining MTN Group, Ralph was the CEO of Old Mutual Emerging Markets for five years, a business that provided financial services to individuals and corporates across 19 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia, managing over R1 trillion of customer assets under management at the time.

Commenting on his appointment, Mupita said, “Leading a business with MTN Group’s history, scale and socio-economic impact is a privilege and honour, and I look forward to working with the group board and executive committee in driving growth and unlocking value for shareholders and broader stakeholders”.

“MTN Group is well positioned to take advantage of the digital acceleration shifts and opportunities across our markets, and we are well placed to play an important and leading role in digital and financial inclusion of the African continent, working with our stakeholders and partners.”

The current group president and CEO, Rob Shuter, will step down from his executive responsibilities on 31 August 2020 and will thereafter support Ralph as required until the end of his fixed-term contract early next year.

An update regarding the GCFO position will be made on or before 1 September 2020.

Midlands News

Former Midlands Province Minister of Provincial Affairs, Jason Machaya was yesterday issued with a warrant of arrest after he absconded from court, midlands news can report.

Machaya who is facing criminal abuse of office charges was yesterday issued with a warrant of arrest after he failed to appear in court as ordered by court on July 28.

Provincial Magistrate, Charity Maphosa issued the warrant of arrest in Gweru. The magistrate was expected to deliver the final judgement yesterday on a case that took more than two years to conclude.

Machaya’ legal representative, Aleck Muchadehama, last night confirmed to midlands news that indeed the court has issued a warrant of arrest against his client.

However, Muchadehama described the warrant as administrative as he indicated that the court was well aware of Machaya’ latest health condition which could not allow him to stand before the court.

“The warrant you were talking about is merely administrative. We wrote to the court advising them that our client was unable to attend court due to a medical operation.

“The court is aware that Machaya received the operation on August 8, and he needs at least 14 days to recover according to the doctors,” said Muchadehama.

Machaya faces a length jail term, if found guilty.

The former Gokwe Senator is facing allegations of unlawfully allocating and disposing of State land.

Machaya was arrested on January 3, 2018 and is out of custody on 1 000ZWL bail.

Another Provincial Magistrate, Tawenga Sangster had on July 28 further remanded Machaya to August 17 for judgement while Wadzanai Shayanewako represented the state.

Paul Nyathi

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday refused to attend to the issues raised by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference choosing to instead attack the Roman Catholic Church leaders claiming that they are destroying the relationship that ZANU PF has always had with the church.

Addressing the Zanu PF politburo meeting, President Mnangagwa said such a relationship was pivotal to national development.

“Zanu PF has a close relationship with the Church, dating back to the days of the liberation struggle. In the post independence period, we continued to work well. Going forwards, we remain committed to working well with the church to advance the national development agenda, as a united people,” he said.

President Mnangagwa castigated the church leaders accusing them of meddling in the political affairs of the country and challenged them to remove their religious robes and form political parties.

“However it is most unfortunate when men of the cloth begin to use the pulpit to advance a nefarious agenda for detractors of our country. Those who want to enter the political realm are welcome to do so. They must come out and form political parties. As Zanu PF we are ready for the 2023 elections,” he said.