State Media

THE Government has gazetted Statutory Instrument 200 of 2020 stipulating l conditions to be adhered to during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Zimbabwe, like many other countries, is on a national lockdown as part of measures to curb the spread of the Covid-9 pandemic which has so far claimed 155 lives.

Dubbed the Public Health Covid-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment; National Lockdown Consolidation and Amendment Order, 2020, the SI 200 of 2020 is a summary of legislation that has been put in place to ensure there is no spread of the global pandemic.

The piece of legislation also repeals 16 other previously gazetted public health statutory instruments which spoke to issues to do with national lockdown conditions.

According to the document, essential services include the work of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission established in terms of the Electoral Act.

“Essential services include any hospital service; any service relating to the generation, supply or distribution of electricity and any service relating to the supply and distribution of water. Any service relating to the production, supply, delivery or distribution of food in particular supermarkets and food retail store, fuel or coal as well as banking institutions, bureaux de changes, money transfer services are also essential services,” read the document.

The list also includes any sewerage or sanitary service; fire brigade or ambulance service; coal mining; communications and telecommunication services.

“The telecommunications services include the Internet, any public or licensed broadcasting service and the activities of persons as journalists, newspaper vendors or employees of such services.”

According to the SI, the conducting of public examinations at schools, colleges, universities or other tertiary institutions in accordance with circulars issued by the ministries responsible for primary, secondary, tertiary or technical education are also an essential service.

“The Government Printer (Printflow (Private) Limited); all criminal and civil courts together with their support staff including the Sheriff of the High Court or messengers of court are part of the essential services. All arms and organs of the State engaged in providing security services, and licensed private security services are also part of the essential services.”

Under the new regulations, residents who hoard food for profit making through resale will be subjected to prosecution if found guilty.

“No person shall, at his or her home or in any other premises or location, hoard medicines meant to combat Covid-19 or food in excess of what is needed to be stored for himself or herself and his or her family during the period of the national lockdown. No person shall export or attempt to export from Zimbabwe medical supplies needed to combat Covid-19 unless the exporter or other person in charge of the consignment for export of such supplies produces to a revenue, customs or enforcement officer a clearance letter,” reads part of the S1.

Correspondent

Residents of Bulawayo East constituency who claim to have voted in the 2018 elections have organised themselves to block the nomination of MDC-T members including its leader Thokozani Khupe into parliament.

The Zimbawe Electoral Commission, ZEC, gazetted that Khupe and her other MDC-T top leaders had been nominated to fill proportional representation seats in the National Assembly and Senate that fell vacant following their recalling from Parliament of MDC Alliance MPs.

According to the electoral act, voters have a tight to object to the nominations through ZEC before they are confirmed.

On Sunday, some voters in Bulawayo East held an emergency meeting in Mahatshula where they resolved to block Khupe’s nomination.

“As Bulawayo East voters, we are saying during the July 2018 harmonised elections, we overwhelmingly voted for the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa. Our constituency and our votes contributed to the cumulative provincial votes which formed the basis for the allocation of the proportional representative according to the Electoral Act,” said Gilbert Sibanda, who is spearheading the objection process.

“ZEC has a duty to respect our choices and should not allow the MDC-T to usurp our rights to choose our preferred representatives. Failure to abide by this duty is a clear infringement of our rights of association as spelt out in Section 58 of the Constitution,” he said.

“The whole essence of elections the world over is for people to choose their representatives. Why have elections when people’s preferred candidates can be replaced by other people without the approval of their political parties?”

Besides Khupe, other names set to replace expelled MDC Alliance MPs are; Yvonne Musarurwa, Lindani Moyo, January Sawuke, Memory Munochinzwa, Lwazi Sibanda, Sipho Mokone, Molly Dorothy Ndlovu, Tamani Moyo, Gertrude Moyo, Piniel Denga, Chief Ndlovu, Nomalanga Khumalo, and Teti Chisorochengwe. Khupe’s spokesperson Khalipani Phugeni has also been nominated.

President @nelsonchamisa leading demo against ZRP from the front, and five months later, youths are now on the ground, skilfully executing & subduing cops with live-bullets from the lips https://t.co/ppQS93GwM2 https://t.co/vQihilPZB1 pic.twitter.com/2GghzXoiir

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 25, 2020

State Media

PEOPLE should adapt their lifestyles to the new normal to curb the spread of Covid-19 for the country to win the war against the pandemic, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa has said.

With no vaccine in sight experts have said people should learn to live safely.

In a media briefing after the ad-hoc Inter Ministerial Taskforce on Covid-19 meeting yesterday, Minister Mutsvangwa said as each day passes people are learning new information about the virus.

“Experts have informed us that those who will win this war are those who adapt to the new normal which entails adopting the protective and preventative measures that curb the spread and transmission of Covid-19. This is a new normal. Let us all accept it and adapt our lifestyles to it,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said Government appreciates how difficult it is for citizens to avoid venturing out due to the demands of different social circumstances, but they must not put their lives at risk.

She said even though the country has been in lockdown for about five months, the worst is not yet over.

“Let us dig in into our legendary resilience and take heart in that what we are being asked to do will save us, our families and communities. Let us not violate the movement restrictions that are in place to protect us and others as well as the wearing of masks in public places,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the number of local transmission remain worrisome and continue to rise.

She said Government continues to work to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Additionally, community awareness programmes are gathering momentum. The training of trainers is underway in all eight rural and two metropolitan provinces. Training of village and community health workers is also underway in all districts. Village Health Workers are vital to the country’s health delivery system as they interface with communities on a day to day basis,” said the minister.

She said in the current Covid-19 context, the role of Village Health Workers has expanded beyond engaging communities in prevention and protective measures, to include detection and responses in containing the pandemic.

“There are presently 1 293 persons in quarantine facilities, which marks a significant reduction from the figures reported in previous weeks. This again follows the WHO recommendation that the quarantine period be reduced from 21 to 14 days,” said the minister.

She said the National Taskforce has noted with concern that despite Government’s effort to capacitate Zupco to provide services to commuters in urban areas, there is a lot of unnecessary travelling which increases risk in urban areas.

Minister Mutsvangwa said citizens are therefore encouraged to only travel when absolutely necessary and those who do not have to travel during peak hours are also encouraged to avoid travelling during the high congestion times.

She said the National Taskforce is now being chaired by the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who is deputised by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Prof Amon Murwira.

Two Zimbabwe Republic police officers received live rounds of verbal ammunition, truth-packed bullets, when they were told at the trial of the fiery Zengeza MP Job Sikhala:

“You can assault me here, I offer my body as a sacrifice, but tomorrow you will be miserable.”

The cops became totally subdued by the words spoken by two bold protesters angry with the manner in which Sikhala has been abused by the state.

The development came as Sikhala through his lawyers revealed that he has received death threats from a prison officer; is being kept in the death row section of the prison, and his warned-caution statement has been altered to suit the charges levelled against him. It was also revealed that he has been mixed with prisoners who are covid positive. VIDEO:

You can assault me here, I offer my body as a sacrifice, but tomorrow you will be miserable, @PoliceZimbabwe

cop told pic.twitter.com/OlTTKEYwci

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 24, 2020

Zimbabwe had 140 new coronavirus cases today pushing the number of cases to 6 070.

Seventy-eight people recovered raising the number to 4 950 but the number of active cases also rose from 903 to965.

There were no deaths.

The national recovery rate now stands at 82 percent.

State Media

Angry MDC Alliance supporters caused a scene yesterday at the Harare Magistrates Courts when they stormed the premises protesting against Job Sikhala’s arrest.

Sikhala was arrested last week on Friday for allegedly inciting public violence by calling for the July 31 flopped demonstrations.

Police had to disperse the rowdy group, which was singing and calling for his release.

Through his lawyer, Mr Harrison Nkomo, Sikhala said the officer-in-charge at the prison whom he identified as George Mutimbanyoka threatened him.

Sikhala said he “was advised in no uncertain terms that you shall die in this prison” and was asked to give a telephone number of the person the prison should contact in the event of death.

He accused Mutimbanyoka of directing a junior officer, named Murima, to handcuff him the entire day and he was in leg irons in the courtyard of Chikurubi on August 23.

Sikhala said he was kept in D Class cells where he was advised by inmates that seven people in that section had tested positive for Covid-19, with four more testing positive on that day.

“You obviously are aware of the catastrophic nature of this virus. No PPE or sanitiser,” he said.

Harare magistrate Mr Lazini Ncube ordered the fumigation of the prison cells and ordered the State to investigate the allegations made by Sikhala.

In his application, one of Sikhala’s legal team, Mr Jeremiah Bamu, took to the witness stand where he told the court that the police tampered with Sikhala’s warned and cautioned statement.

He said the statement was materially distorted and doctored in many aspects to suit police charges.

Mr Bamu told the court that he was neither shown the videos nor audios that the police alleged to be in possession of that they say supported the charges.

Sikhala is expected back in court today for continuation of his application for challenging his placement on remand.

Messrs Tendai Shonhai and Garudzo Ziyaduma represented the State.

State Media

The battle by former Information Communication Technology Minister Supa Mandiwanzira to quash the remaining charge of corruption he is facing continues with the former minister approaching the High Court to overturn a magistrate’s decision to allow the charge to stand.

Mandiwanzira is facing a charge of criminal abuse of office for allegedly seconding the personal assistant to the Minister, Tawanda Chinembiri, to the board of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) without due process when he was ICT Minister.

Chinembiri was an employee of the Government and his position was equivalent to a Deputy Director in the Ministry.

The High Court has already quashed a second charge under which Mandiwanzira allegedly engaged a South African firm, Megawatt Company, to carry out consultancy work for NetOne without due process.

Mandiwanzira contested the charge because it gave the impression that Chinembiri was not an employee of government.

On the allegations that Mandiwanzira had hired a South African company to investigate corruption at NetOne without going to tender, investigations by Megawatt unearthed overpricising of equipment by NetOne of over US$100 million. At least US$30 million was recovered as a result of the investigations by Megawatt.

It is on this basis that the then High Court Judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi dismissed the first case against Mandiwanzira.

Last month, Mandiwanzira unsuccessfully applied to challenge the remaining charge via an application for exception before regional magistrate Ms Bianca Makwande.

But Ms Makwande dismissed the application when she made a finding that corruption matters should not be resolved on technicalities. Mandiwanzira argues it is a clear case of witch-hunting.

However, the ruling paved the way for the resumption of the former minister’s prosecution until Friday last week when he filed his latest application for review of the trial court proceedings.

In his High Court application, Mandiwanzira challenges the charge, which the prosecution wants to amend, two years after it failed to stick.

He wants the court to review the trial magistrate’s decision arguing that her findings were irregular in view of the prosecution concession in the exception hearing that the remaining charge did not disclose an offence.

“The charges were a nullity at law in that they were predicated on a false premise,” said Mandiwanzira.

The former minister also complained over why it had taken so long to finalise the matter since his arrest two years ago. He argued that the prosecution was not keen to finalise the matter, citing the fact that at one stage it considered withdrawing the charges.

“One wonders why after two years, the State proposes to amend its charge when it is the one that indicated the allegations were helpless,” said Mandiwanzira.

“Whichever way this matter is looked at, the result should be the trial court’s decision must be set aside for being irregular and actuating a constitutional violation.” The prosecution is yet to file its response.

State Media

A 54-year-old Bulawayo security guard was killed while his colleague was left nursing a serious head injury after eight gold panners set upon them with machetes.

The assailants got away with a loaded 303 rifle.

Mr Ernest Dube died on duty at Adar Bali Mining Compound along Victoria Falls Road on Thursday and his colleague Mr Ashley Manyemba (20) who reported his death is in a critical condition at Mpilo Central Hospital.

Police in Bulawayo have arrested four of the suspects who will appear in court today facing murder and attempted murder charges.

The four are Tobias Dube from Nkayi, Nkosilathi Ncube from Magwegwe, Loud Ngulube and Givemore Ngwenya from Insuza.

Dube was the first to be arrested after a tip off and upon investigations he implicated the other three.

On Thursday around 9.30PM, Mr Manyemba who was on duty with the deceased left the premises unarmed intending to have his supper.

On his way back he met a group of at least eight men who were armed with machetes.

The gang pounced on him and one of them struck him with a machete and left him for dead.

Mr Manyemba gained consciousness after a while and staggered to his colleague whom he found lifeless in a pool of blood.

He also noted that Dube’s rifle, shoes and uniform were missing and a report was made to the police.

Investigations led police to the four and they recovered the rifle which had four rounds of ammunition missing and they are yet to establish where these were used.

The police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident yesterday and said investigations are under way. “We have arrested four men in connection with the murder of a security guard in Bulawayo and the attempted murder of his colleague which occurred on Thursday. The four were arrested on Friday after a tip off and police are still investigating as they were found in possession of a rifle,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

“We appeal to members of the public with information that may lead us to more suspects to contact their nearest police station.”

A 28-YEAR-OLD Filabusi man has been arrested for allegedly killing his neighbour by striking him with a brick on the head after accusing him of cheating with his girlfriend.

Moses Sibanda of Zamanjalo Village was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi facing a murder charge. He was remanded in custody to September 1.

Prosecuting, Miss Ethel Mahachi said Sibanda met the now deceased Carlos Ndlovu walking with his girlfriend and he accused him of being in love with his girlfriend.

She said the two men had a misunderstanding over the matter.
Sibanda then struck Ndlovu behind his head with a brick.

Ndlovu was rushed to a nearby clinic where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

“On 21 May at around 2PM Sibanda was on his way to see her girlfriend at her home when he met her on the way while she was walking with Ndlovu. Sibanda became furious and confronted Ndlovu on why he was with his girlfriend when he knew that they were lovers which resulted in a misunderstanding,” she said.

“Ndlovu ignored Sibanda and then walked away leaving him with his girlfriend.

Sibanda pursued Ndlovu and demanded a response but Ndlovu refused to entertain him.

Sibanda accused Ndlovu of coming in between him and his girlfriend and also blamed him for the misunderstandings which they had been lately experiencing in their relationship.

Sibanda picked up a brick and struck Ndlovu on the back of his head before fleeing the scene.”

Miss Mahachi said Ndlovu lost consciousness and the woman rushed to a nearby homestead where she sought help.

She said Ndlovu was rushed to a nearby clinic where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

She said the matter was reported to the police resulting in Sibanda’s arrest.-Chronicle

THE country’s Covid-19 active cases have dropped to less than 1 000 for the first time in more than a month.

Since last month the country Covid-19 cases had been increasing following a surge in local transmissions.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care daily report shows that as of Sunday, Covid-19 active cases had dropped to just over 900.

On Sunday, 37 new cases were recorded while two people succumbed to Covid-19 related illnesses in Manicaland province as the death toll increases to 155.

“As of 23 August 2020, Zimbabwe has now recorded 5 930 cases, 4872 recoveries and two deaths,” reads the ministry’s report.

The report further states that the country has 903 active cases.-Chronicle

POPULAR preacher Nixon Chibuzor Ohizu, 46, the leader of Empowerment Ministries Church along Seke Road, Harare, has been arrested on allegations of bribery.

He allegedly tried to bribe National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) officials to reverse the cancellation of a lease agreement between his church and NRZ.

Ohizu was not asked to plead to the allegations when he appeared before Harare magistrate Richard Ramaboa last week.

He was remanded out of custody to October 1 on $10 000 bail and was ordered to surrender his passport.

Allegations are that on August 19, Ohizu went to NRZ offices where he found two high ranking officials, Colonel Nyabambi and Clive Ncube.

He allegedly tried to bribe the two officials to reverse the cancellation of a lease agreement between his church and NRZ served on him on August 7.

The two NRZ officials reportedly accepted a bribe offer of US$2 000 and he left the premises to collect the money.
The officials reportedly notified the police and a trap was set.

He allegedly gave US$2 000 to Ncube in $100 denominations, money which is being held as exhibit.

Prosecutor Sabastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State.-Daily News

OPPOSITION MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has challenged Zimbabweans to move out of their cocoons and protect their rights in the wake of what he termed increased State-sponsored human rights violations in the country.
In a virtual address to his supporters last night where he accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa of presiding over gross human rights abuses, Chamisa also pleaded with the international community to stand with the people of Zimbabwe “in their hour of need” as they were now under siege from the Zanu PF regime.

He started his address by quoting from Nobel Peace Prize winner and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who once said: “If you are neutral in the time of injustices, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

Said Chamisa: “I come to you in circumstances of unprecedented national crisis.

Zimbabwe has been turned into a banana republic, a pariah State and the epicentre of evil and outpost of terrorism against innocent civilians.

“It has become so apparent that if we are all going to wait for others to do it, it will never be done.”

He said Mnangagwa must stop
labelling citizens as terrorists and bad apples to justify the clampdown by State security agents.

Several people have been arrested while others are in hiding following a government crackdown that began in the run-up to the foiled July 31 protests.

“This business of branding, labelling and condemning citizens as bad apples and terrorists to be flushed out is unacceptable.

It is the leader who sets the pace for unity, peace and harmony, heal not kill, treat and not injure, love and not hate, encourage and not victimise,” Chamisa said.

He said Mnangagwa must not be vindictive, but apologise when he makes mistakes, insisting that there was need for Zimbabweans to have their voices heard and that protesting was their right.

“A leader apologises when they make mistakes, forgives and not revenge, love and not hate. Only bad leaders point fingers, blames anyone but themselves, seeks to explain problems not to solve them. Bad leaders opt to bury their heads in the sand,” Chamisa said.

He said he was heartened that the church had spoken out as the “moral campus” of the country adding it was now time for Zimbabweans to act and speak against the social ills choking their lives.

The opposition leader bemoaned the abuse of State institutions by government to silence opposing voices.

“Only when Zimbabwe goes through leadership renewal shall we witness a completely new crop of leaders who are accountable.

I call upon you not to allow fear mongers, terrorists, to stop you from opening up and demanding accountability. Enough is enough, Zimbabwean lives matter and we can’t breathe,” he said.

“Protest is a God-given right, a fundamental right. Stand up, speak out and fight for your rights.

Your voices matter. Let’s not allow threats to force us into silence.”
“Everyone can’t be wrong except the government, it can’t be possible.

It is government against the world. Journalists are wrong, lawyers are wrong, doctors are wrong, nurses are wrong, opposition is wrong, churches are wrong, bishops are wrong, prophets are wrong, (South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius) Malema is wrong, AU is wrong, UN is wrong, (Mmusi) Maimane is wrong, (Ugandan opposition leader) Bobi Wine is wrong, Europe is wrong, the region is wrong and only government is correct. It can’t be so,” Chamisa said adding it was now clear that government had become incapacitated to deal with the national crisis.-NewsDay

THE newly-elected Zanu PF Bulawayo Provincial executive committee has been tasked with mobilising party membership to ensure the party wins the 2023 harmonised elections by a 5 million vote margin.

Zanu PF National Political Commissar, Victor Matemadanda, this Sunday, presided over an electoral process to choose 15 members of the 25-member executive committee for Bulawayo Province.

The remaining 10 seats in the committee are set to be filled in due course.

After the election, the National Political Commissar spelt out the huge task for the committee in mobilising support and instilling discipline among party members ahead of the 2023 elections.

“As the party, we have a 5 million target which we have set for ourselves. Remember the president has put a vision but before we get to that vision we have said 2018 elections have created problems for us,” he says.

“The president was in the same bracket with the opposition (2 million bracket). What we plan to do is to have a 5 million vote in the 2023 election so that the margin is big for all to see,” he adds.

Zanu PF National Women’s League Deputy Secretary, Cde Angeline Masuku urged the newly elected Bulawayo executive committee to work in line with party values.
“We should work to bring back the values of the party.

It should not be about positions but commitment to serve the party and stand for the entire party ethos,” she said.

The newly elected Zanu PF Chairperson of Bulawayo province, Cde Obert Msindo pledged to serve the party well.

Bulawayo province has been without an executive following the dissolution of structures in 2019 and had been operating under the chairmanship of Politburo member, Cde Absalom Sikhosana who died in May this year.-ZBC News

POLICE in Dema, Mashonaland East Province, have arrested a 23-year-old man who allegedly killed his lover after being intimate with her in a car, before dumping the body in a bush.

Shepherd Ndemera of Madoro Village under Chief Seke is assisting police with investigations after he allegedly murdered his girlfriend, Nokuthula Shana, of Chitungwiza.

Provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tendai Mwanza, confirmed the incident.

“I confirm a murder case that occurred in Dema where a female corpse was discovered in a bush,” he said.
“The suspect has since been arrested and is helping the police with investigations.

We urge the public to exercise restraint during misunderstandings to avoid such tragic incidents.”

On August 16 around 7pm, the suspect reportedly asked his girlfriend to spend a night with him in a car that he was guarding along the Chirasavana-Gombe Road.
The car had developed a mechanical fault.

It is understood the girlfriend proceeded to the place, but they had a misunderstanding over infidelity, which degenerated into a fight.

On realising his girlfriend had died, the suspect allegedly carried the body and dumped it in a bush about 200 metres from the broken down vehicle.

The body was discovered by a villager the following morning, who alerted Dema police, who observed that the half-naked corpse had bites all over the face and a deep cut on the head.

Police also found blood stains inside the vehicle, leading to the arrest of the suspect.-The Herald

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has accused Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa of “killing the people of Zimbabwe softly.”

Advocate Chamisa has also strongly condemned the violation of the rule of law by Mr Mnangagwa.

Watch video below :

Police Bash, Arrest MDC Alliance Supporters For Demanding Sikhala's Release

3 MDC Alliance supporters have been arrested outside Harare Magistrates Court for demanding Job Sikhala's release pic.twitter.com/S4Z5ky2DJb

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 24, 2020

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has accused Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa of “killing the people of Zimbabwe softly.”

Advocate Chamisa has also strongly condemned the violation of the rule of law by Mr Mnangagwa.

Watch video below :

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance vice president Tendai Biti has described the detention of prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono as unconstitutional.

“The court has just dismissed Hope’s application for bail on changed circumstances.

One is is innocent until proven guilty.

We consider bail a constitutional right.A sad for the law. In any event Hope did not commit any crime .

Constitution must be restored #ZimbabweanLivesMatter,” Biti wrote on Twitter.

Farai Dziva| Controversial Masvingo based preacher, Isaac Makomichi’ s anointed love potion herb has been a subject of discussion in Masvingo in the past few months.

Church leaders and pastors argue Makomichi is a sangoma because he uses herbs to resolve love matters.

“Anyone can help you to solve problems, even Satan has the power to fix love matters because he is the one who destroys them.

Makomichi must speak the truth, is he a sangoma or a prophet?” said one church leader.

In his response Makomichi said:
“The said pastors want to soil my name .

I’m not a sangoma, God revealed the love herb to me”.

By Patrick Guramatunhu- ”Sadly, I too tested positive for the Covid-19 virus. This virus is real and we need to fight it by following the guidelines that our Government has given us which is in line with the WHO regulations,” said Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Vangelis Peter Haritatos.

Deputy Minister Haritatos, you were tested for covid-19 as soon as you suspected of catching the virus; possibly as soon as you learned your boss, the late Minister Perrance Shiri had the virus.

Do you know that there are hundreds of thousands of frontline workers, like nurses and doctors, who work with covid-19 patients without the recommended WHO PPE, not even the most basic face mask?

Deputy Minister, do you also know that WHO has recommended that frontline corona virus workers must be tested on regular bases? In Zimbabwe, many of the nurses and doctors let alone the ordinary people with the corona virus symptoms, are not being tested.

As soon as you learned you had the corona virus, you went into isolation to protect your family and friends. Has it ever occurred to you that all those poor Zimbabweans who have the virus but don’t know it because they are denied a US$6 test would too want to go into isolation to protect their family and friends?

Zimbabwe has carried out a total of 145 000 tests as of the end of July, that is 1 in 110 people tested. Compared to SA that has done 3 million tests which 1 in 20. This is contrary to the WHO clarion call to “Test! TEST!! TEST!!!”

There is a sinister reason why Zanu PF is not testing aggressively, at least not testing povo. The regime is hiding its blundering incompetence in the handling of the pandemic by sweeping the grime reality under the carpet.

Zimbabwe’s confirmed covid-19 cases and deaths is one of the lowest per capita in the world. Whilst other nations have earned the accolade by stamping out the virus Zimbabwe is cheating. Of course, if you do not test you will keep the confirmed cases and deaths very low.

The price of not testing is that many, many infected people who should be in isolation remain in the community spreading the virus far and wide. It is the povo, not the ruling elite, who are paying with their suffering and deaths for Zimbabwe’s rigged corona virus statistics!

Zanu PF is blatantly rigging the corona virus statistics, just as the regime has rigged the country’s elections, with the usual callous indifference to tragic suffering and deaths the spreading corona virus is causing to the ordinary people. Deputy Minister Haritatos, please, please spare us your insulting lies; the criminal negligence and dereliction of duty to save lives by this Zanu PF government is not what WHO ordered!

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance vice president, Hon Tendai Biti has described Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s reconcilatory gesture as mere pretence meant to hoodwink the nation and the international community.

Biti also blasted Mr Mnangagwa for feigning concern about Gukurahundi atrocities.

“On the day he locked up #Job he was in Bulawayo discussing Gukurahundi.

But how can those with blood on their hands masquerade as healers.

They have shown no remorse contrition ,apology nor acknowledgement.

This abuse must stop.The Wananchi are not fools #ZimbabweanLivesMatter,” Hon Biti wrote on Twitter.

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance vice president, Hon Tendai Biti has described Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s reconcilatory gesture as mere pretence meant to hoodwink the nation and the international community.

Biti also blasted Mr Mnangagwa for feigning concern about Gukurahundi atrocities.

“On the day he locked up #Job he was in Bulawayo discussing Gukurahundi.

But how can those with blood on their hands masquerade as healers.

They have shown no remorse contrition ,apology nor acknowledgement.

This abuse must stop.The Wananchi are not fools #ZimbabweanLivesMatter,” Hon Biti wrote on Twitter.

South African Broadcasting Cooperation has granted ZANU PF a platform to defend themselves against series of news reports that have been covered by the SABC news channel regarding abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe.

The program which will feature ZANU PF representatives will be aired on Wednesday at 9PM on the program African Perspective.

The platform was created after ZANU PF Director of Information Tafadzwa Mugwadi accused SABC news anchor Sophie Mokoena of being biased against Zimbabwe.

“Yesterday I had a 1 hour conversation with my sister & seasoned anchor @Sophie_Mokoena She is a wonderful lady in her trade. We talked over our disagreements On her part, she took me thru her long journey in her trade & gave me priceless advice which I found very inspiring.” Mugwadi posted on Twitter.

Mokoena acknowledged Mugwadi’s post by saying, “Thank you. Lets now move on. Let us all build a better Africa. Wednesday we will have a panel to revisit the Zim story. Giving all stakeholders right to reply. Watch @AfricanPerspec1 on #sabcnews channel 404 at 9 PM.”

Govt will only announce any school opening date once Cabinet has taken a position. What's on this news item is not correct;https://t.co/dMnjqdVPgv

— Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) August 24, 2020

Daily Maverick

President Cyril Ramaphosa, has “strongly reprimanded” Finance Minister Tito Mboweni for his weekend tweets, which sharply criticised Zambian President Edgar Lungu for abruptly firing the governor of the Zambian central bank, Denny Kalyalya.

Mboweni, former governor of the SA Reserve Bank, tweeted at the weekend that: “Presidents in Africa must stop this nonsense of waking up in the morning and fire a Central Bank Governor! You cannot do that. This is not some fiefdoms of yours! Your personal property?! No!!

“The President of Zambia must give us the reasons why he dismissed The Governor or else hell is on his way. I will mobilize!”

In response, the Zambian government’s chief spokesperson, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Dora Siliya called Mboweni’s comments “immature and improper”, and said her government would take up the issue diplomatically.

Mboweni had responded defiantly by tweeting: “I stand by my statement. Central Bank independence is key. Not negotiable. Let all central bankers speak out!”

Later, he tweeted: “ You know. Trouble makers are game changers! I am glad that I am a TROUBLE MAKER!”

But Zambia evidently did deliver an official complaint and Ramaphosa was clearly not amused. First thing on Monday morning, Ramaphosa’s office issued a statement saying that the president had strongly reprimanded Mboweni.

“In one of his tweets, Minister Mboweni is promising to mobilise if not given reasons why the Central Governor has been fired by President Lungu,” Ramaphosa’s acting spokesperson Tyrone Seale said in the statement on Monday, 24 August.

“President Ramaphosa wishes to assure the government and people of the Republic of Zambia that the unfortunate remarks do not reflect the views of the South African Government and its people.

“The issue is being addressed to ensure that such an incident does not occur again. South Africa and Zambia enjoy strong historical relations dating back to the days of the struggle against apartheid. South Africa remains committed to maintaining the deep and solid bonds of friendship between the peoples of South Africa and Zambia.”

Mboweni retweeted Ramaphosa’s statement after deleting his earlier tweets criticising Lungu.

Zambians believe Lungu fired Kalyalya because Kalyalya was trying to rein in inflation and was also frank about the weakness of the economy.

He replaced him with Christopher Mvunga, a deputy secretary to the Cabinet who is likely to be far less independent, a Zambian journalist told Daily Maverick. This change was “like replacing an experienced heart surgeon with a mechanic, in the middle of heart surgery,” Zambia’s main opposition leader, Hakainda Hichilema, who leads the United Party for National Development (UPND), said on Facebook.

Sunday Chanda, media director of the ruling Patriotic Front party suggested Kalyalya had been fired because he deliberately tried to sabotage the economy by creating a liquidity problem to advantage Hichilema – his cousin.

Lungu is up for reelection in 2021 and clearly, the weak economy is counting against him. DM

Paul Nyathi

Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa and her husband Christopher Mutsvangwa might not be coming out of the same house after all, as the two ZANU PF heavy weights have expressed two completely varied opinions over opposition leader Nelson Chamisa’s “Kudira Jecha” statement.

Mutsvangwa recently told journalists during a cabinet media briefing that problems being experienced by the country emanated from post-2018 election vows by the opposition leader Nelson Chamisa that President Emmerson 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.”

“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.

Her husband, Christopher Mutsvangwa, in a Sunday Mail column however differed with her claiming that Chamisa has completely failed to effect his threat claiming that Mnangagwa has conquered and bringing the country to prosperity.

Mutsvangwa wrote:

“Nelson Chamisa and his MDC-Alliance lost the election in the July 2018 elections of the post-Mugabe era.

“Reacting to this loss, he cockily pronounced that it was of no consequence.”

“His agenda henceforth would be to ensure that the country is ungovernable through extra-parliamentary and extra-constitutional disruption.”

“Mutakura wacho tichaudira jecha tigoona kuti achaudya ndiani?”

Here was a self-proclaimed man of God embracing the mutually assured destructive path of biblical strongman Samson of the Temple.

There was an assured confidence of a defiant loser.

On what nuclear option weapon was he standing upon?

For the answer, dial Biti, his vice president of revolving MDC doors and a darling of the intrusive Washington neo-liberal practitioners of regime change in Zimbabwe.

Boasting of his legalistic command of complex financial matters, he gloated, “Mnangagwa can rig elections, but he cannot rig the economy!”

Why such political prancing by the two ambitious MDC stalwarts?”

Mutsvangwa goes on to mock Chamisa:

“President Mnangagwa’s mantra “Zimbabwe Is Open for Business” has acquired a potent and cogent expression.

“Welcome to on-ramp onto the highway to the middle-income status Zimbabwe by 2030.

“Sorry Chamisa, the dira jecharist. Zvakona! Mutakura wotonakisa.

“Pity to Biti. EDM has gone so far as to rig the economy.”

“As for detractors and doomsayers, ZDERA sanctions now face a potent weapon in a normalised economic and financial landscape.”

An MDC Alliance official, Prince Dubeko Sibanda who was arrested and dragged to court after he allegedly distributed face masks branded #ZANUPFMUSTGO in Bulawayo has been freed on bail.

Revolutionary gratitude to all of you who were in solidarity with me in what I went through. As I got bail my cry is #FreeHopewell #FreeJacobNgarivhume #FreeJobSikhala . The message I bring is that prison officers, police officers, prosecutors & all want masks #ZanupfMustGo

— Prince Dubeko Sibanda (@DubekoSibanda) August 24, 2020

The state says they two masks which had been distributed to two Pick n’ Pay, Hyper Supermarket workers on 2 August were recovered and can be presented as proof.

Prince Sibanda Dubeko is an MDC Alliance legislator for Binga North Post.

He joins scores of government critics who have been arrested so far since the detained opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume convened the foiled anti-government protests he had slated for the 31st of July.

Zbc

THE newly-elected Zanu PF Bulawayo Provincial executive committee has been given a daunting task with mobilising party membership to ensure the party wins the 2023 harmonised elections by a 5 million vote margin.

Zanu PF National Political Commissar, Victor Matemadanda, this Sunday, presided over an electoral process to choose 15 members of the 25-member executive committee for Bulawayo Province.

The remaining 10 seats in the committee are set to be filled in due course.

After the election, Matemadanda spelt out the huge task for the committee in mobilising support and instilling discipline among party members ahead of the 2023 elections.

“As the party, we have a 5 million target which we have set for ourselves. Remember the president has put a vision but before we get to that vision we have said 2018 elections have created problems for us,” he says.

“The president was in the same bracket with the opposition (2 million bracket). What we plan to do is to have a 5 million vote in the 2023 election so that the margin is big for all to see,” he adds.

Zanu PF National Women’s League Deputy Secretary, Angeline Masuku urged the newly elected Bulawayo executive committee to work in line with party values.

“We should work to bring back the values of the party. It should not be about positions but commitment to serve the party and stand for the entire party ethos,” she said.

The newly elected Zanu PF Chairperson of Bulawayo province, Obert Msindo pledged to serve the party well.

Zanu PF Bulawayo province has been without an executive following the dissolution of structures in 2019 and had been operating under the chairmanship of Politburo member, Absalom Sikhosana who died in May this year.

State Media

Chitungwiza Municipal Council demoted its acting town clerk Dr Tonderai Kasu last week after he unnecessarily declined to authorise free data lines and bundles for councillors.

He was also accused of issuing a public statement without council authority listing alledged irregularities in the construction of a building on the stand allocated to MDC-A deputy national chairman Job Sikhala in Zengeza 2

He was repleced by finance director Mrs Evangelista Machona.

The demotion was made during a special council meeting held last Thursday.

Well-placed sources said Dr Kasu was demoted on allegations that he had opposed a demand by councillors to have data lines and monthly bundles.

“Dr Kasu was pressured to sign a memo seeking authorisation of councillors to be given data lines and five gigabyte data bundles on a monthly basis, which are not included on the ministerial directive on the prescribed benefits for councillors,” said a source.

Another source said councillors were unhappy with the way he handled Sikhala’s stand issue after issuing public statements raising concern over developments at the politician’s stand in Zengeza 2.

Dr Kasu refused to comment on the issue, referring all the questions to the mayor.

But Chitungwiza mayor Lovemore Maiko said the decision was taken to allow Dr Kasu to focus on his health portfolio following concerns over the rise in Covid-19 cases in the town.

“There is a resolution that directors must rotate as acting town clerk. However, in this case we were motivated to reassign him to his portfolio due to the increased cases of Covid-19 in Chitungwiza,” he said.

“There was a gap which Dr Kasu needed to fill as a medical doctor and make sure we contain the pandemic just like in Harare where the health director, Dr Prosper Chonzi, is hands on.”

Clr Maiko dismissed allegations that Dr Kasu was being victimised for writing orders against Sikhala’s stand in Zengeza 2 as that decision was done collectively.

In terms of data bundles, he said they wrote a letter to the parent ministry, Local Government and Public Works, and were given the greenlight since they intended to conduct virtual meetings considering that their chambers have limited space, which does not allow them to practice social distancing.

https://twitter.com/BitiTendai/status/1297910800431054849?s=20

Happening Now: @PoliceZimbabwe assaulting supporters of Zengeza West MP Hon. Job Job Sikhala outside Harare Magistrates Court. Video Credit Kumbirai Mafunda. pic.twitter.com/1g5Wu5Qvga

— ZLHR (@ZLHRLawyers) August 24, 2020

The Standard

Striking health workers have rejected Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s pleas for them to return to work, saying the government must first address their grievances.

Chiwenga, who was appointed Health and Child Care minister by President Emmerson Mnangagwa early this month, last week appealed to doctors and nurses to return to work while their grievances were being addressed.

The majority of health workers, including nurses, went on strike two months ago demanding salaries in United States dollars and the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE).

They were joined by doctors weeks later, crippling services at public hospitals at a time the country is battling the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shingayi Nyaguse from the Zimbabwe Senior Hospital Doctors’ Association said although their members were concerned about the plight of their patients, they would not return to work until their grievances were met.

“We are glad he (Chiwenga) is concerned about the lives of patients as we are,” Nyaguse said.

“Unfortunately, none of the factors that made people unable to come to work have been addressed.

“We would love to meet him or his representatives and discuss how to resolve the immediate issues and also to discuss how the underlying problems in the sector can be addressed in the medium to long-term.”

Enoch Dongo, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) president, said nurses would only return to work after government addressed their grievances.

“Nothing has changed in as far as our grievances are concerned,” Dongo said.

He said besides poor remuneration, nurses wanted the government to improve their working conditions and provide them with PPE.

“We still do not have adequate personal protective equipment, so we will not be pushed to go back without the proper tools to carry out our work,” Dongo said.

Most public hospitals do not have drugs and basic equipment to treat patients.

Health workers have also been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic with over 400 of them testing positive for the disease.

Meanwhile, Dongo said nurses were also frustrated that Chiwenga had not made an effort to engage them since he was appointed Health and Child Care minister.

“We just heard that the Health minister has called on us to go back to work, but he is yet to engage us,” he said. “We also need to be heard and share our side of the story.”

Nurses downed tools on June 8 citing incapacitation because of poor salaries and lack of PPE.

Senior doctors joined the strike, saying they too were unhappy with their conditions, which have been worsened by the absence of nurses in hospitals.

Itai Rusike, the director of the Community Working Group on Health, urged the authorities to urgently address the health workers’ grievances.

“We call for a speedy, fair and impartial procedure in resolving the labour dispute to avoid further loss of life,” Rusike said.

Strikes by doctors and nurses have become commonplace in Zimbabwe due to poor salaries and lack of equipment and drugs at hospitals.

Police officers at the Harare Magistrates Court had a torrid day trying to disperse a number of MDC Alliance supporters who had turned up at the courts in support of their leader Job Sikhala.

Sikhala was arrested from a house in Harare where he was supposedly in hiding from the police. He is charged with inciting violence.

Watch video downloading below.

Watch- "Unogona kundirova asi mangwana uchaita rombe" Police officer told at Rotten Row Magistrates court pic.twitter.com/iLncqZjIsH

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 24, 2020

By A Correspondent- Masvingo Provincial Covid-19 Taskforce announced on Monday that five government workers at Masvingo provincial offices have tested positive for the coronavirus.

The development was announced by the Taskforce’s spokesperson, Rodgers Irimayi who said out of a total of 139 workers that were tested for Covid-19 last week from the government offices in the city, five had tested positive.

Masvingo recorded two Covid-19 deaths last week, and the province, overall, has 19 other active cases.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe as a whole, as of Sunday 23 August 2020, had recorded a total of 5930 known coronavirus cases including 155 deaths.

Of late, local transmissions have been more than imported cases. Health authorities have as a result urged the citizenry to observe recommendations to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

statemedia

My Fellow Zimbabweans
This Honda Fit AFB – 8275 .This car tried to push us out of the road and when we stopped to talk to the driver he runaway and the car has been following me since yesterday .. #ZimbabweanLivesMatter @zimlive @ZimEye @PacheduZW @DougColtart pic.twitter.com/N0r8dgX14f

— Dr Nyasha William Gwazemba PhD (@DrNyashaForMP) August 24, 2020

State Media

Zanu PF Harare province has demanded that Harare City Council rescind the sale of land to some party officials, which the party was occupying on lease from the city, saying the transaction was fraudulently done.

The ruling party’s provincial executive led by acting chairperson, Oliver Chidawu, has since appointed the party’s District Coordinating Committee chairperson, Godwils Masimirembwa, to represent it in criminal investigations to establish the circumstances of the sale.

The Chidawu-led executive said only the party’s national leadership had the authority to handle the matter and not provincial executive members as what happened in the present case.

However, the party officials accused of buying Stand Number 55 Pomona Estate, Number 8 Campel Road measuring 8 000 square metres in Borrowdale, insisted the purchase was above board.

It is alleged that the party officials, using their private company, purchased the property through misrepresentation to council.

The stand has been used as district party offices by Zanu PF Borrowdale District since 1990.

One of the officials, Lameck Tarupuwa, said they bought the property after Zanu PF Harare province, through a letter by provincial secretary for administration, George Mashavave, notified council that it had no objection to the sale.

A paper trail in possession of The Herald show that normal procedures were followed in the acquisition of the land by Tarupuwa’s company, with letters from the city council and the party authorising the sale.

According to the papers, the stand was eventually bought by Pebney (Pvt) Ltd from the City of Harare on the strength of the letter from Mashavave.

The matter was eventually brought to the city’s Education, Health, Housing and Community Services and Licensing Committee, which approved the sale after the company offered to pay US$650 000 against a valuation of US$130 000.

In an interview yesterday,Mashavave said he wrote the letter after the then Zanu PF provincial management committee directed him to do so on the understanding that the party would be given alternative land.

Harare city council director for housing and community services, Mr Addmore Nhekairo, said they allowed Pebney to buy the stand after its application was accompanied by a cover letter from Zanu PF Harare province, indicating the party had no objection to the sale.

“We had no reason to doubt that party officials whom we were dealing with had no legitimate authority from the party,” he said.

“It was only brought to our attention when we attended meetings with Cde Chidau where we were told that we had to set aside the sale. Our hope is that they will find each other among themselves.”

In a new twist of events, Chidau’s executive has since reported the matter to police and appointed Cde Masimirembwa as the party’s contact person.

“This letter serves to authorise Godwills Masimirembwa in his capacity as Chairman Zanu PF DCC4 to represent Zanu PF in criminal investigations under CCD DR 55/7 and CCD CR 503/7/2020 pertaining to fraudulent purchase of stand number Lot 55 Pomona Estate (No 8 Campbel) by Pebney (Pvt) Ltd represented by Lameck Tarupuwa and the fraudulent transaction involving US$26 000 rentals due to Zanu PF rentals which was deposited into the account of one Fungai Chiboora,” read a letter from Chidau dated July 17, 2020.

In another letter to Mr Nhekairo, Zanu PF DCC4 secretary for administration Blessing Chimangah said Harare provincial members had no authority to consent to the sale of the land to a third party.

Chimangah said Harare City Council should have first offered to Zanu PF the right of first refusal before selling the land to a third party as per their agreement.

He said the purported consent to the disposal of land by Zanu PF was fraudulently given.

“Issues of land acquisition and disposal are decided upon by national leadership of the party, not by provincial leadership,” said Chimangah.

“Thus the letter written by Cde Mashavave or any provincial leader consenting to the disposal should be disregarded,” read the letter.

Further, it is argued that Tarupuwa was a member of Zanu PF Harare Province when his company, Pebney (Pvt) Ltd, purchased the property from the City of Harare.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

Luck and certainly justice just don’t appear to be on the side of detained journalist Hopewell Chin’ono as he was denied bail by the Harare magistrates court yet again on Monday.

Chinono is facing charges of allegedly inciting the public to take part in a protest march last month.

He is seen as one of the key figures in the planned July 31 protests, which the government had outlawed citing security and Covid-19 health grounds.

He is accused of widely using social media to rally people to take part in the planned protests inspite of the ban of the marches.

Chin’ono, who was arrested together with other political activists on the same charges, has unsuccessfully tried to secure bail at the High Court and Harare Magistrates Court several times.

In the latest case, he sought bail on grounds of changed circumstances, arguing that since the date of the planned protests had passed, there was no need to keep him in remand prison.

The protests were generally snubbed by the public, a factor Chin’ono’s lawyers argued also made him a good candidate for bail.

But magistrate Ngoni Nduna dismissed the application, ruling that there were no changed circumstances that warranted granting of bail.

“Freelance journalist Hopewell Chin’ono denied bail again. Magistrate Nduna says there are no new facts warranting his admission to bail,” Chin’ono’s lawyers, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said.

In the latest bid for partial freedom, the political activist had also claimed dangers of possible Covid-19 infection in prison.

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was on 24 August 2020 denied bail yet again following his fresh bail application on the basis of changed circumstances.

However, in his ruling, Harare magistrate Ngoni Nduna highlighted that alleged exposure to Covid-19 in the prison facility and the passage of 31 July 2020 (a day that had been planned for demonstrations), does not constitute changed circumstances that warrant the granting of bail.

The fresh bail proceedings had been held in camera following an application by the State represented by prosecutors Whisper Mabhaudhi and Tendai Shonhayi.

Read: Bail ruling for journalist Chin’ono reserved to Monday

Read: Lawyer Mtetwa barred from representing journalist Chin’ono

Read: Fresh bail application for journalist Chin’ono to be held in-camera

Chin’ono was arrested on allegations of incitement to participate in a gathering with intent to promote public violence, breaches of peace or bigotry or alternatively incitement to commit public violence, allegedly linked to the planned demonstrations.

In custody since 20 July 2020, Chin’ono is set to appear in court on 1 September 2020 for the continuation of the remand proceedings.

He is now represented by Advocate Taona Nyamakura after his former lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa was barred from representing him on allegations of being disrespectful to the court and making derogatory comments towards the court through a Facebook page titled: Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law.

By A Correspondent- A Mount Darwin pedophile was sentenced to 16 years in jail by Bindura regional magistrate Amos Mubhobho who for raping a 12 year old girl twice in the field.

Andrew Kambosha (37)  of Nyamupfukudza village was convicted after full trial.

Prosecutor Samson Chamunorwa told the court that sometime in February Kambosha followed the minor in the fields and pinned her down before raping her.

A week later he used the same modus operandi and threatened to kill her if she revealed it to anyone.

The matter came to light when the victim asked the name of the rapist after he was involved in bestiality and told her aunty that he had raped her months ago.

She was taken to hospital where it was revealed that she was penetrated leading to his arrest.

Police arrest MDC Alliance members at magistrates court pic.twitter.com/zoBC83m48u

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 24, 2020

Happening Now: @PoliceZimbabwe assaulting supporters of Zengeza West MP Hon. Job Job Sikhala outside Harare Magistrates Court. Video Credit Kumbirai Mafunda. pic.twitter.com/1g5Wu5Qvga

— ZLHR (@ZLHRLawyers) August 24, 2020

By A Correspondent- At least 364 people have succumbed to Malaria this year while 361 000 people were infected by the disease according to the World Health Organisation.

Most of the affected people are in Manicaland, Masvingo and Matabeleland.

This comes as Zimbabwe observed World Mosquito Day, which falls on August 20 every year in commemoration of British doctor Ronald Ross’ discovery in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria among humans.

-DailyNews

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has accused Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa of “killing the people of Zimbabwe softly.”

Advocate Chamisa has also strongly condemned the violation of the rule of law by Mr Mnangagwa.

Watch video below:

POLICE in Dema, Mashonaland East Province, have arrested a 23-year-old man who allegedly killed his lover after being intimate with her in a car, before dumping the body in a bush.

Shepherd Ndemera of Madoro Village under Chief Seke is assisting police with investigations after he allegedly murdered his girlfriend, Nokuthula Shana, of Chitungwiza.

Provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tendai Mwanza, confirmed the incident.

“I confirm a murder case that occurred in Dema where a female corpse was discovered in a bush,” he said.
“The suspect has since been arrested and is helping the police with investigations.

We urge the public to exercise restraint during misunderstandings to avoid such tragic incidents.”

On August 16 around 7pm, the suspect reportedly asked his girlfriend to spend a night with him in a car that he was guarding along the Chirasavana-Gombe Road.
The car had developed a mechanical fault.

It is understood the girlfriend proceeded to the place, but they had a misunderstanding over infidelity, which degenerated into a fight.

On realising his girlfriend had died, the suspect allegedly carried the body and dumped it in a bush about 200 metres from the broken down vehicle.

The body was discovered by a villager the following morning, who alerted Dema police, who observed that the half-naked corpse had bites all over the face and a deep cut on the head.

Police also found blood stains inside the vehicle, leading to the arrest of the suspect.-The Herald

We publish below the live updates at MDC Alliance leader Job Sikhala’s court hearing which is currently happening at Rotten Row Magistrates court

State says there should be an investigation into complaints put before the court by the defence counsel. Says Sikhala can only be removed from Chikurubi upon production of an investigation report https://t.co/Yb78xJnELM

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 24, 2020

Lawyer says Sikhala noblonger feels safe at Chikurubi

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 24, 2020

14:35- The State says there should be an investigation into complaints put before the court by the defence counsel.

14:32- Mutimbanyoka told Sikhala that verbatim) “you will die” and asked for his next of kin’s number.

14:30- Harrison Nkomo who is representing Sikhala tells the court that jis client was mixed with inmates who had tested positive to coronavirus.

14:28-  Mutimbanyoka instructed a junior prison officer to handcuff Sikhala for the whole day on 23 August 2020, the court hears.

14:25-  Sikhala’s lawyers complain to Magistrate that his client was threatened with death by a prison officer named Mutimbanyoka at Chikurubi maximum prison.

By A Correspondent- Doctors at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals have with immediate effect withdrawn their services after some of their colleagues tested positive for COVID-19.

In a letter to the Hospital Management, the doctors said their decision to withdraw their services was to protect their patientsand the spread of the virus.

We publish below the letter to management by the doctors:

“A considerable number of the SRMOS have tested positive for SARS-Covid-19 and a sizeable number SRMOS are displaying symptoms of Covid-19 and await to be tested. In the best interest of other health workers and patients, we have found it best that we self-isolate at home whilst Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital is disinfected.

Those who tested positive will be in quarantine as per national guidelines. Those who are symptomatic will self-isolate until they are cleared. Providing service whilst symptomatic and without proper PPE puts patients and other health workers at risk of contracting the highly contagious pathogen.

We kindly implore your office that you organise that all patients that will be admitted in hospital be tested for Covid-19. Those who test positive will have to be managed in the Red Zone.”

The court says #JobSikhala can only be removed from Chikurubi maximum prison upon the production of an investigation report detailing the aunthenticity of his complaints against state security agents. Can the STATE independently INVESTIGATE ITSELF? #ZimbabweansLivesMatter

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 24, 2020

We publish below the live updates at MDC Alliance leader Job Sikhala’s court hearing which is currently happening at Rotten Row Magistrates court

State says there should be an investigation into complaints put before the court by the defence counsel. Says Sikhala can only be removed from Chikurubi upon production of an investigation report https://t.co/Yb78xJnELM

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 24, 2020

Lawyer says Sikhala noblonger feels safe at Chikurubi

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 24, 2020

14:38- The State says Sikhala can only be removed from Chikurubi upon production of an investigation report.

14:35- The State says there should be an investigation into complaints put before the court by the defence counsel.

14:32- Mutimbanyoka told Sikhala that verbatim) “you will die” and asked for his next of kin’s number.

14:30- Harrison Nkomo who is representing Sikhala tells the court that jis client was mixed with inmates who had tested positive to coronavirus.

14:28-  Mutimbanyoka instructed a junior prison officer to handcuff Sikhala for the whole day on 23 August 2020, the court hears.

14:25-  Sikhala’s lawyers complain to Magistrate that his client was threatened with death by a prison officer named Mutimbanyoka at Chikurubi maximum prison.

BY Dr Masimba Mavaza | Politics becomes brutal and bruising as enemies attack Cde Victor Matemadanda the Deputy Minister of Defence and ZANU PF’s National Political Commissair. Comrade Matemadanda has been accused of impregnating Mr Kaseke’s wife. Mr Kaseke is currently on Wheelchar.

A whatsapp message was circulating with no author saying, “Zanu PF national political commissar Victor Matema Damba impregnates Bety Nhambu Kaseke the wife of Karikoga Kaseke former ZTA CEO. Matemadanda and Kaseke were very close before, during and after the coup time.

“It was Kaseke who used to provide accommodation at rainbow towers to Matemadanda and Mutsvangwa when they were fighting Mugabe. Matemadanda took Betty from Kaseke after Kaseke fell ill, he is now wheelchair bound.

“This is the type of leadership we have in Zimbabwe and we expect these people to fix our political and economic quagmires.”

Cde Matemadanda commented saying, “I have no time for detractors. I am a principled man and i can never go down that low to defile my body with such human endurance. I have a great task for my President My Party and my nation. I do not want to dignify such street talk from people who want to slow down my work.”

In a serious tone Cde Matemadanda said “ we are a few years from 2023. My focus is on winning the elections for my president, my party and all ZANU PF MPs. “

He added “ I am Victor not only by name but in purpose. “

I am aware of some scrupulous people who tried to smuggle some CVs for the DCCs and I stood by the due process and the constitution of the party. By standing resolute I created a lot of friends and enemies. As a result I get a lot of mudslinging and accusations which baseless”

By A Correspondent | Zengeza MP Job Sikhala’s wife last night received a message which suggests that there are poisoning efforts at the Harare Remand prison where her husband is currently held.

The message who’s authenticity could not be established was a supposed alert narrated in broken English that her husband will never be permitted bail, and will be poisoned.

It read in full:

“I’m a top prison officer works at Chikurubi maximum prison. I don’t want to lie to you, all these activists being arrested will not be permitted bail never.

“These guys are being given food poison and water inside. I don’t think the opposition MDC will exist again. Last night 3 government officials visits here and left some plastic bags with powders I’m sure it’s an additional poison to these inmates.

The arrest of Ngaribvume, Chin’ono and Sikhala’s main aim is to wipe them all in cells.
23-08-20
Alert!”

Sikhala is set to attend court Monday morning after being arrested on Friday afternoon and he has been charged for inciting public violence. His party, the MDC Alliance, however maintains that he is being punished simply for being an opposition MP.

The US is rallying the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to play a more assertive role in helping to solve the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe.

The US is also urging Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa to open dialogue with the opposition.

Speaking for the first time since the ruling Zanu-PF called him a “thug”, US Ambassador to Harare Brian A Nichols, told TimesLIVE SA was leading by example and could achieve success in bringing about change in its neighbouring country.

“This is an opportunity for the institution (Sadc) to stand up to the excesses that are taking place here in terms of human rights abuses. And this is an opportunity for Sadc to promote a more prosperous region,” he said.

Zimbabwe says it is not on the agenda of the four-day SADC summit, which starts on Friday, because there is no crisis in the country.

“The step SA has taken in sending its special envoys here is very positive. The statement from the AU was a very positive step. All those people of goodwill will come together to support Zimbabwe at this difficult moment.”

Nichols said Zimbabwe had a three-pronged crisis: health care, food security and political turmoil.

“There’s widespread concern about where Zimbabwe is headed and people who are legitimate friends of Zimbabwe are deeply worried,” he said.

He said since 2018, after the disputed general elections that handed a narrow win to Mnangagwa, there had been high-level meetings between him and American officials — but what was discussed had not been implemented by Harare.

“We have had a couple of high-level meetings with President Mnangagwa. From Washington, secretary of state for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy has met with President Mnangagwa twice — once on the margins of the UN General Assembly in 2018, and then last year at the African CEO Summit in Maputo. At that time we talked about our desire to have a stronger relationship.

“But that depended on this government pursuing strong and irreversible reforms and, unfortunately, we are waiting for many of those reforms still to take place,” he said.

The ambassador said some of the concerns are “shared mutually” with some senior officials in government who believe the country’s future depends on enacting broad reforms around freedom of expression, rule of law, strong institutions, anti-corruption, and levelling the political playing field.

Nichols is not alone in calling for dialogue between Mnangagwa and MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa. Killer Zivhu, a former Zanu-PF legislator, was expelled from the party last month for making the same call. Last week, former Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono also suggested dialogue between opposing parties — but instead of having SA play the mediation role, he suggested Rwanda’s Paul Kagame for the task. Gono argued that because of his military background Kagame could do a better job.

Gono suggested that Zimbabwe should have a transitional authority while the country works on a framework for reform before elections are brought back.

Nichols said he believed this could work if all stakeholders acted in good faith.

“That is something that we have supported for the last couple of years. Several civic society organisations are advocating for that solution. How that dialogue progresses and what agreements come out of it, will depend on the people of Zimbabwe.

It will depend on all the political, economic and social actors and religious communities coming together and having a conversation centred around how we deal with the challenges of the economic crisis, how do we deal with corruption, as well as health-care issues, and how do we come up with a living wage,” he said.

Despite Harare denying there’s a crisis in the country, there has been an increased onslaught on opposition political activists. MDC Alliance legislator Job Sikhala was on Friday arrested and charged with inciting public violence by backing the July 31 protests.

He joins journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and Transforms Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume who were denied bail.

Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party last month called Nichols a “thug” and accused him of funding the opposition ahead of the planned anti-government protests that authorities said were meant to overthrow the government.

-Online

Paul Nyathi 

The MDC leader over the weekend took time to address the ills engulfing Zimbabwe and said the situation in Zimbabwe was deteriorating every single day and there was an undeniable crisis in Zimbabwe.

“I come to you in unprecedented circumstances of national crisis, things are worsening every day, the situation is deteriorating, the situation is decaying and decomposing. Over the past few weeks and days, our country has attracted the attention and critical eye of the world,” said Chamisa.

Watch his full address in the video downloading below. Please be patient while the video downloads.

About 400 Zimbabweans are reportedly stranded at Lindela Repatriation Centre in South Africa after the Zimbabwean Embassy in South Africa is said to be refusing to assist to verify them so that they can be deported.

Lindela is a detention centre for undocumented migrants in South Africa.

Some of the detainees who spoke to this publication over the weekend said the Embassy isn’t verifying them for deportation because Zimbabwe was not ready to receive them citing issues relating to lack of quarantine and rehabilitation centres.

South Africa cannot deport them without Zimbabwe verifying that they are her citizens.

Another detainees who is a former prisoner said his group was granted amnesty but when they got to Lindela they were informed that Zimbabwe had requested a halt to deportation. He has been stranded in the facility while other prisoners have returned to their countries or to their homes in South Africa.

The Zimbabwe Embassy was not available for comment at the time of writing.

-Online

Times Live

The US is rallying the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to play a more assertive role in helping to solve the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe.

The US is also urging Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa to open dialogue with the opposition.

Speaking for the first time since the ruling Zanu-PF called him a “thug”, US Ambassador to Harare Brian A Nichols, told TimesLIVE SA was leading by example and could achieve success in bringing about change in its neighbouring country.

“This is an opportunity for the institution (Sadc) to stand up to the excesses that are taking place here in terms of human rights abuses. And this is an opportunity for Sadc to promote a more prosperous region,” he said.

“The step SA has taken in sending its special envoys here is very positive. The statement from the AU was a very positive step. All those people of goodwill will come together to support Zimbabwe at this difficult moment.”

Nichols said Zimbabwe had a three-pronged crisis: health care, food security and political turmoil.

“There’s widespread concern about where Zimbabwe is headed and people who are legitimate friends of Zimbabwe are deeply worried,” he said.

He said since 2018, after the disputed general elections that handed a narrow win to Mnangagwa, there had been high-level meetings between him and American officials — but what was discussed had not been implemented by Harare.

“We have had a couple of high-level meetings with President Mnangagwa. From Washington, secretary of state for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy has met with President Mnangagwa twice — once on the margins of the UN General Assembly in 2018, and then last year at the African CEO Summit in Maputo. At that time we talked about our desire to have a stronger relationship.

“But that depended on this government pursuing strong and irreversible reforms and, unfortunately, we are waiting for many of those reforms still to take place,” he said.

The ambassador said some of the concerns are “shared mutually” with some senior officials in government who believe the country’s future depends on enacting broad reforms around freedom of expression, rule of law, strong institutions, anti-corruption, and levelling the political playing field.

Nichols is not alone in calling for dialogue between Mnangagwa and MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa. Killer Zivhu, a former Zanu-PF legislator, was expelled from the party last month for making the same call. Last week, former Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono also suggested dialogue between opposing parties — but instead of having SA play the mediation role, he suggested Rwanda’s Paul Kagame for the task. Gono argued that because of his military background Kagame could do a better job.

Gono suggested that Zimbabwe should have a transitional authority while the country works on a framework for reform before elections are brought back.

Nichols said he believed this could work if all stakeholders acted in good faith.

“That is something that we have supported for the last couple of years. Several civic society organisations are advocating for that solution. How that dialogue progresses and what agreements come out of it, will depend on the people of Zimbabwe. It will depend on all the political, economic and social actors and religious communities coming together and having a conversation centred around how we deal with the challenges of the economic crisis, how do we deal with corruption, as well as health-care issues, and how do we come up with a living wage,” he said.

Despite Harare denying there’s a crisis in the country, there has been an increased onslaught on opposition political activists. MDC Alliance legislator Job Sikhala was on Friday arrested and charged with inciting public violence by backing the July 31 protests. He joins journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume who were denied bail.

Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party last month called Nichols a “thug” and accused him of funding the opposition ahead of the planned antigovernment protests that authorities said were meant to overthrow the government.

State Media

Pyramid scheme bosses Bevern Dzinoenda and Ambrose Chikukwa are wanted by the police in connection with contravening the Banking Act after allegedly operating their money laundering business in Harare and Kwekwe.

Dzinoenda and Chikukwa ran a company called Bevern Capital (Pvt) Limited in Harare and Kwekwe, where they were taking deposits of various amounts from people for a return within a week, which was said to be in violation of the Banking Act.

Their partner, Richard Boutros Samunda, has since been arrested and appeared at the Harare magistrates court charged with violating the Banking Act, with a prejudice to the State of US$2 million.

Samunda is expected back in court today for his bail ruling after the State led by Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa opposed granting of his bail, saying he was a flight risk.

Mr Mutizirwa told the court that Samunda was likely to interfere with investigations, which he said were still at an early stage.

In his bail application, Samunda told the court that he was only a security person at Bevern Capital and had nothing to do with his employers’ day-to-day running of the business.

He told the court that he was not a flight risk since he owned the place where he resides in Belvedere.

Circumstances leading to Samunda’s arrest were that sometime in 2018, acting in connivance with Dzinoenda and Chikukwa, he formed Bevern Capital for purposes of accepting deposits from people and invest the money into an unknown enterprise.

The trio, through their company,

would return the money to the depositors after six weeks with a 50 percent interest.

On August 14 this year, the Reserve Bank, which is the sole regulator of banking institutions’ activities, received information to the effect that Bevern Capital was taking deposits from people.

Investigations by the RBZ revealed that the trio, through their company, were not registered either under the Banking Act or the Micro-Finance Act.

Mr Mutizirwa said on the same date, police raided Bevern Capital’s offices in Milton Park, Harare, and found the premises closed.

The police were said to have noted that Samunda had dismissed nearly 200 people from the place after been informed that police were looking for him.

Correspondent

The country’s health services continue to collapse as senior medical professionals at the country’s biggest health centre, Parirenyatwa Hospital,have downed tools immediate effect after a number of their colleagues in the profession tested positive for coronavirus.

The professionals include obstetrics and gynaecologists.

The decision to down tools by the specialist doctors also comes weeks after eight babies who needed urgent assistance died because of lack of poor staffing as nurses are on strike to press for better remuneration and personal protective equipment (PPE).

In a letter to the hospital management, the specialist doctors said the decision to stop offering their services was also in the best interest of patients.

“A considerable number of the SRMOS have tested positive for SARS-Covid-19 and a sizeable number SRMOS are displaying symptoms of Covid-19 and await to be tested,” said the notice.

“In the best interest of other health workers and patients, we have found it best that we self-isolate at home whilst Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital is disinfected.

“Those who tested positive will be in quarantine as per national guidelines. Those who are symptomatic will self-isolate until they are cleared.

“Providing service whilst symptomatic and without proper PPE puts patients and other health workers at risk of contracting the highly contagious pathogen.

“We kindly implore your office that you organise that all patients that will be admitted in hospital be tested for Covid-19.

“Those who test positive will have to be managed in the Red Zone.”

State Media

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa has recused himself from the gold theft case involving Harare lawyer Admire Rubaya and seven others.

Rubaya is demanding over $1.1 million from Justice Mabhikwa in damages for unlawful incarceration.

He now wants Justice Mabhikwa’s fitness to hold office investigated.

Justice Mabhikwa’s recusal follows a criminal complaint filed against him for allegedly abusing public office after he ordered Rubaya’s “unjustified” 10-day incarceration at Khami Remand Prison in June.

Rubaya is facing theft charges or obstructing the course of justice after he defended his then client, Jefat Chaganda, for smuggling 14kg of gold to Botswana.

He wrote to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) and the police on July 28 seeking a probe and arrest of Justice Mabhikwa.

Justice Mabhikwa is denying the allegations, but agreed to pave way for another judge.

On Friday, Justice Mabhikwa issued an order recusing himself, so that “justice must not just be done, but must be seen to be done”.

The trial is set for continuation on September 8 and all parties have been notified of Justice Mabhikwa’s decision.

Rubaya was released from Khami Remand Prison after approaching the Supreme Court, which censured Justice Mabhikwa’s decision to revoke his bail.

He has since approached the High Court seeking leave to sue Justice Mabhikwa for damages suffered because of the detention as his constitutional rights were infringed.

For this reason, he intends to claim payment of the sum of $665 000 and $475 000, being damages in terms of the law.

Rubaya argues that Justice Mabhikwa caused his detention under circumstances where he was constitutionally-bound to presume the lawyer innocent.

He has also written to the Judicial Service Commission, which regulates the conduct of judges, to investigate Justice Mabhikwa’s conduct.

In his complaint to ZACC and the police, Rubaya alleged that on June 23, in the company of his co-accused, he appeared before Justice Mabhikwa for a pre-arranged remand hearing.

He said he was shocked when Justice Mabhikwa revoked their bail and remanded them in custody, without the State making an application for such incarceration.

Rubaya said Justice Mabhikwa acted with unparalleled caprice to his prejudice in a bid to fast-track a trial he had earlier on postponed to September 8 by the consent of all parties.

He further argued that Justice Mabhikwa’s decision to mete “group” punishment on the co-accused persons who were in attendance on June 23, 2020 on the basis of the non-appearance in court of Chaganda was not only unprecedented, but also negated basic fundamental tenets of natural justice.

Rubaya said before his bail was revoked, he had read a Facebook account under the name of Andrew Maimba claiming to be a journalist, who posted on his wall on June 11 warning him of the incident that finally unfolded in court on June 23.

Maimba went on to write a follow-up article on the day he was incarcerated indicating he had advised him of the impending detention, but had not paid heed.

Rubaya said it was cause for investigation that a journalist had knowledge of how court proceedings before Justice Mabhikwa were to unfold 12 days before.

Rubaya is charged along with Chaganda, who reportedly died early this year, the magistrate who tried the case at Plumtree Timeon Makunde, prosecutor Stanley Chinyanganya as well as Sidingumuzi Ncube, Tyson Ruvando, Godfrey Makuvadze, Ladislous Tamboonei and Ladislous Tinacho, who is in charge of the ZRP Minerals and Border Control Plumtree.

State Media

THERE are fears that two Harare couples that went missing in separate incidents this year, could have been killed and their bodies dumped at yet unknown places, police investigations show.

In mid-February, a Chinese couple went missing in the city and another couple went missing on June 21. Police said the whereabouts of the couples were still unknown and investigations were continuing.

Sources close to the investigations last week said although they had intensified the probe into the two cases, the couples could have been killed. So far, there are no leads that might assist police to locate the missing couples.

On June 21, a Borrowdale couple, Mr Gus Spartas (73) and his wife Ellen Mupfumisa (48) went missing and their vehicle, a Toyota Hilux double cab was burnt to a shell in the same suburb. The couple, which stayed alone at house number 3 Circle Close, Rolf Valley in Borrowdale, is said to have been missing since the morning of June 21.

Mr Spartas was a psychologist and all of his children and relatives are in the United States. A reward of US$1 000 is being offered for information on the couple’s whereabouts. According to neighbours, the couple left home at around 6am on that day and did not return. One of the neighbours said they only heard the couple’s vehicle leaving the house. After realising that the couple did not return home, the neighbours made a report to police.

Investigations led to the recovery of the couple’s vehicle that had been dumped and burnt in an area being developed for residential stands off Crowhill Road near Borrowdale Brooke.

The Herald understands the couple was residing in the cottage at their property while leasing the main house to another couple. The tenants are alleged to have been skipping rentals since January this year and were being charged about US$700 per month. It is said the couple disappeared around the same time Mr Sparta and his wife went missing.

Meanwhile, police are still appealing for information on the whereabouts of the Chinese couple that went missing in Harare in mid-February.

Valentine’s Day after briefly visiting a friend in Highlands. Their car, a Mercedes Benz ML was found abandoned, but intact the following day.

Friends and relatives have offered a $1 million reward for anyone with information that might assist in the search. Those with the information can also contact CID Homicide on (0242) 2758031 or send a WhatsApp message to 0733 333 331 or 0773 070326.

Own Correspondent

Captured Matabeleland Collective leader Jenny Williams has showered unprecedented praises for Matabeleland genocide leaders Emmerson Mnangagwa and the late commander of the Gukurahundi army Perence Shiri for what she called a commitment to tackling the emotive Gukurahundi issue as well as committing to solving the regional historical challenges through completion of stalled projects such as the Zambezi Water Project.

Mnangagwa was in Bulawayo on Saturday and engaged civic society organisations represented by the Matabeleland Collective.

In an interview after the meeting, Williams said the Mnangagwa had demonstrated willingness to solve problems bedevilling the region in a short space of time.

“His Excellency’s commitment is quite significant because this meeting was called at very short notice. His line ministries are coming in and we are moving,” she said.

Williams went on to mourn the passing on of Shiri which a great majority of Matabeleland celebrated because of his brutality as he led Gukurahundi during the 1980s.

Shiri, then known as Black Jesus, ordered for the killing of over 20 000 people in the region.

“Unfortunately, we recently lost a key Minister of Lands and Water, Perrance Shiri. Now we are now waiting for the new minister to put his gloves on. The issue of Zambezi Water Project is one of the key issues for engagement.

“The equalisation of the people of Matabeleland must be realised through ensuring the completion of the Zambezi Water Project, that will make our people see that something is being done.”

Part of challenges from Gukurahundi is the significant number of people and families who need birth and death certificates. Williams said she was dragging Mnangagwa to the Matopos area where the highest number of people were murdered by Gukurahundi at Bhalagwe concentration camp.

“The President created a dispensation that they will ensure there will be free documentation for people who were affected by Gukurahundi and in general, the people of Matabeleland. Most of the issues have been addressed and we are now wanting to launch this project in Matopos, because that is the centre,” said Ms Williams.

“Sometimes there are whole generations that don’t have birth certificates or any documentation. So as we identify the beneficiaries, the Registrar General will bring a mobile team to make sure the reality of a document in the hands of the people is actually realised,” said Ms Williams.