By Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo| In 2017, in Gwanda during Livestream star rallies masterminded by G40 kingpins, Grace Mugabe, Jonathan Moyo, Patrick Zhuwao and others, ED nicknamed Ngwena remained calm, whilst G40 heckled him, he kept on clapping hands, and smiling, he never uttered a word, which is sign of danger warnings ahead.
When he was relieved off his duties as the Vice President of Zimbabwe, he never said anything, instead he left the country, with some claiming he walked into the jungle of Mozambique, whilst some alleged that he was picked by a plane from Mutare to South Africa.
Few days after the sad departure from the Vice Presidency, Larry Mavhima, one of his strategist, claimed through Newsday that ED will be back in three week’s time, and this eventually came to pass.
Three weeks later, tankers started rolling on the ground, the then Zanu PF strongman was surprised to see himself in such a mud situation. He was forced to preside on graduations under house arrest, and strict conditions, stripping him off his manhood in the public.
Nobody knows where ED was hiding, what he was up to, and what he was planning. This is the man who managed to convince the whole SADC regional body, that this was not a military coup, it was a soft landing, and he managed to convince at least the AU Chairperson, Paul Kagame, to attend the inauguration at the gigantic 50 000 seater stadium, with many others like Edgar Lungu of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda, the first Republican President of Zambia, fourth Republican President of Zambia, Namibian President, Ian Khama and many others, and finally the event was endorsed.
Now that the former Defence Minister, Security Minister, Legal and Justice Minister, Rural and Social Amenities Minister and personal aide to the late President Robert Mugabe is now at the helm of the country, with full arms on all state security apparatus, he needs a strong contender, and opposition must go back to the drawing board.
The events leading to January 2019, 31 July, 2020, you can easily conclude that he is not a cheap man, you need to be a real strategist to remove such a man on the throne of power.
Whilst insults were heaped on him, he remained calm, and clapping his hands , and everyone concluded that ED, popularly known as ” Ngwena” , was finished and he was out of the game .
Opposition, should learn one or two games from the time ED took over the supreme reigns of this country, that he is totally a different man from Mugabe, this is a different game.
The way Harvest House was taken over, the way MDC Alliance Mps lost their Parliamentary seats, the way Hopewell Chin’ono s case is being handled, and the way Beatrice Mtetwa was barred from court proceedings should open your eyes that ED is not a Pastor , we are not in a church where you expect smooth running of things.
We have a lightweight opposition which is expecting smart politics to be tabled, let me remind you, ED is totally different from Mugabe and you may have to go back to the drawing board.
Opposition is slowly disintegrating, scattered alover, and we are fast approaching 2023, and if you are not careful, you will get 35%. ED is not shaken by Twitter rants, he is not moved by social media rants, he needs a strong man to match him in the game. Remember, this is the same man who occupied Security cluster ministries since independence, and you know what it means. If you remain quiet, by the time we get to 2023, you will be scattered alover, and some may not even bounce back in politics . The Mtetwa fiasco is a clear indication that ED does not fear anything, he can do anything, Mugabe was a bit different in approach, sometimes he would be smarter in approach, unlike what we are witnessing.
Opposition is alover, today you have Zimbabwelivesmatter, tomorrow let’s unlike ED’ s page, another day, let’s take to the streets, tomorrow hashtag, let me remind you, this is the man who slept in the bush under abnormal circumstances, he has gone through thick and thin, and he is ready for anything, he has a different approach with Mugabe, this one will wipe you all in the game, and life goes on. Whilst Twitter rants are important, the game is not social media, but on strategic Thinking and intelligence on dealing with a regime like Zanu PF.
Remember Zanu PF does not loose twice consecutively.
Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo is the Head of Zimbabwe Institute of Strategic Thinking – ZIST, and he can be contacted at [email protected]
The Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council, ZIMSEC once again announced an exclusionary examinations’ calendar. Grade 7, Ordinary level and Advanced level examinations are to be conducted this November 2020 as scheduled.
The examinations will be forced down the throats of over 650 000 unprepared learners who had no access to remote learning after COVID19 induced schools closure of 24 March 2020.
An average of 32 000 elite learners who enjoyed exclusionary access to online learning will be ready for these apartheid examinations.
Apartheid is an Afrikaans word which literally means apart from us. It has since been adopted to describe a form of governance.
Apartheid is a system of governance anchored on discriminating along lines of gender, race e.t.c.
The Zimbabwe state has adopted an apartheid form of governance under which access to fundamental rights and freedoms is discriminated along class lines.
The poor and the majority governed are denied basic rights and freedoms which are a preserve of the ruling elites and at times the rich.
The November examinations are a perpetuation of the apartheid system, under which the right to education is now a preserve of the rich minority who have access to online learning.
Examination candidates have lost 5 solid months of learning time in the critical final year of their studies. They are likely to lose more.
Traditionally these lost months are dedicated to completing the syllabi and embarking on a robust revision process to recall concepts covered in the first academic year of the two year course.
It is practically impossible to frog march these ill prepared learners into the examination room and expect them cough out good results. Apart from the minority elite learners, the rest will fail.
The proposal to open schools in September, is definitely going to be resisted by the underpaid teachers. Teachers’ salaries were illegally slashed from USD 520 to the current USD 30 per month.
It should be noted that schools are not only closed for safety from CIVID19, schools are also closed because teachers are reluctant to report back for duty until their salaries are paid in a stable currency.
A labour dispute between teachers and their employer which has been simmering over the months will come to light if schools are forcibly opened in September.
Teachers are not going to report for duty in protest of the apartheid salary payment regime, apart from government Ministers and Senior Civil Servants no one else is being paid a salary in a stable currency.
More learning time will be lost as the labour dispute rages on, hampering learner preparedness for November 2020 examinations.
Nurses have been on strike for over 60 days but their salary grievance remains unresolved, if the same happens in education, no learning will take place until the day November examinations kick start.
The learners have also suffered psychological trauma as a result of the COVID19 inspired movement restrictions. Learners have been confined to their homes since 31 March to date.
The confinement is highly traumatic and triggers mental health problems. It will be cruel to force such learners into an examination room without providing therapy for the learners.
Again apart from the elites who can afford to pay for private counselling sessions no one else will have access to therapy.
We have tabled proposals to government on offline remote learning. Our proposals were ignored as they were going to benefit the othered class.
Our proposal is to move the November examinations to May 2021, to afford learners time to prepare. Government should also urgently attend to our 4th of May position paper which detailed a roadmap to safe schools opening.
Teacher salaries should be paid in a stable currency to avert a looming job action which will disrupt learning.
We call upon parents, learners and teachers to come together and dismantle the apartheid system of education.
The right to education as espoused in section 75 of Zimbabwe’s constitution should be respected.
Discrimination is outlawed in section 56 of our constitution. The agency of education stakeholders is needed now than ever. Lets unite and protect the right to education.
By A Correspondent| President Mnangagwa, yesterday, while addressing the nation said the primary and secondary final year students were supposed to sit for their final examinations in November and December as planned, despite the fact that learners were last in school on 24 March 2020.
During his address President Mnangagwa said:
Cabinet notes that schools are continuing with their preparations for the re-opening of schools for final examination classes. The developed and approved guidelines that were put in place for the June 2020 examinations will be used for the holding of the final examinations in November and December.
Read a post cabinet statement:
“Regarding primary and secondary education, government notes that the sector is continuing with its preparations for the re opening of schools for its final examinations classes.”
The announcement is likely to be met with stiff hostility from parents and teachers as it places a lot of students at a disadvantage since they may be inadequately prepared to take their final examinations.
By A Correspondent| People selling buckets of water to desperate residents in Chitungwiza reportedly doubled the price of water they are selling for reasons best known to them, The Herald reports.
A 20-litre bucket of water which was going for $5 to $10 per bucket is now selling for anything between $15 and $20 according to the publication.
The acting town clerk Dr Kasu spoke to the publication about the water barons and said most of them who were operating in Chitungwiza’s pubic water points were politically connected and said:
The menace is emanating from water barons even from the few public water points that are operating in Chitungwiza. We have a serious case of water barons some of whom are politically connected and are abusing their political connectedness to do their crude acts
Kasu also said they were trying to address the problem by drilling 25 more boreholes for the satellite town.
As Chitungwiza, we are a local authority, we are not a water authority, we are dependent on the City of Harare for supplies of treated water.
Given that supplies of water from City of Harare to Chitungwiza have been erratic, it is, therefore, important to appreciate that some of the challenges with respect to water supply in Chitungwiza have been beyond our control.
The council is also pinning its hopes on the construction of Muda Dam which will be used by the municipality to provide the town with running water.
By Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC-T Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora has urged government to also consider compensation to former farm workers who lost their jobs during the chaotic land reform as a social and economic imperative.
Posting on Twitter, Mwonzora who is also Manicaland Senator said former commercial farm workers lost their means of livelihood due to the land reform program hence deserve compensation.
“The State must compensate the farm workers who lost thier employment and therefore thier means of livelihood due to the Land Reform Program. This is both a social and economic imperative. The process must be transparent and completely de-politicised,” said Mwonzora.
Government has committed to compensate White farmers for developments made on the land which they were dispossessed of in 2000 during the land reform exercise.
Their loss of land also affected hundreds of thousand of families who earned their livelihoods from working at the farms.
By A Correspondent| Addressing a press conference in Mutare yesterday, Zimbabwe Indigenous Inter-denominational Council of Churches (ZIICC) spokesperson Andrew Wutawunashe said the council he represents is distancing itself from religious leaders who are calling people to demonstrate against the government and revive old grudges, The Herald reports.
In a statement that was clearly directed at the Catholic Priests who wrote to the government about the human right abuses, Wutawashe borrowed a page from the government’s book and said the calls made by the Priests were genocidal. Said Wutawunashe:
We take strong exception to and categorically dissociate ourselves from calls bycertain religious leaders to march against the Government and to reignite conflicts and wounds of the past to heal us, from which God answered our prayers by bringing political leaders to the negotiating table where reconciliation was achieved. Please do not reverse the good that God had done.
Our response as God’s servants should not be to call people to revive old grudges, but rather to urge people to go forward in peace.
As true shepherds, let us encourage our sheep to be productive rather than destructive. Right from the beginning, God urged man to be productive. Good shepherds should therefore urge their sheep to work towards building our country.
”Isn’t it a shame that Zimbabwe with all the abundant and fertile land that it has, is spending US$40 million a month to import food when in the 1980s it had enough maize to feed itself for three years even if there was drought and had enough grain to last eight years. Good shepherds should advocate for positive and constructive discourse than judgement.”
Some fortune-seekers in Kwekwe could have been swindled of thousands of United States dollars after a pyramid scheme collapsed this week, citing Covid-19 laws for its closure.
The development comes barely five months after the pyramid scheme opened its doors for business.
Hundreds of people who joined the pyramid scheme included vendors, money changers, flea market traders and some civil servants who had received their US$75 Covid-19 allowance.
Clients who had invested between US$1000 and US$10 000 were left counting loses.
Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko said they were yet to receive a report from clients who could have been duped by the pyramid scheme.
“We have not received any report about the issue but people should not invest their money in illegal pyramid schemes,” he said.
The pyramid scheme by the name BC, which was operating from the light industrial site in Kwekwe, claimed in a public notice to clients that Covid-19 restrictions on the gathering of people forced them to close and will only reimburse investors their money through mobile money transactions.
“We are currently facing problems with Health officials regarding gathering people during this Covid-19 pandemic.
“Those with accounts maturing on the 17th of August going forward will be issued with new collection dates and times via SMS. Reimbursements will be done over the phone to avoid crowding. We apologize for any inconvenience caused,” said a public notice issued to clients and signed by BC.
Gates at Number 967 Parsons Street (formerly Autoworks) where the pyramid scheme was operating from were closed, with few clients milling outside the premises pondering the next move.
A flea market operator, who is one of first people to invest in the scheme when it started its operations in town before moving to the light industrial area said she had to date invested US$20 000.
“I started with US$1000 and getting my interest after every week without redeeming the money, and as a high risk taker I lost my initial deposit plus interest. I am down on my knees. I hope they will honour their word and give me back my money in hard currency, since I don’t have a Nostro account,” said the lady.
A money changer who invested US$1000 in the scheme said: “Their (BC) rate was very attractive, but I didn’t know that it would end like this.”
Repeated efforts to get a comment from the pyramid scheme operators were unsuccessful as their mobile number went unanswered.
The company was accepting minimum deposit of US$100 and each investor would pay an administration fee of US$10 for the first US$1 000.
After six weeks, the investors are promised 50 percent interest.
A number of unsuspecting fortune-seekers, expecting lucrative returns, have been swindled of their hard-earned money through pyramid schemes around the country, with some of the conmen being dragged to the courts to answer fraud charges.
Pyramid schemes work by giving older investors money from new investors and rely on far more newcomers joining at each step than people already in the scheme; they collapse when there are not enough newcomers.
Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo has yet again dismissed claims that there is a serious human rights crisis in the country claiming that there is instead challenges mainly caused by the Covid-19 lockdown, sanctions and climate change which has brought drought.
Moyo was responding to questions by journalists during a Tuesday post-cabinet media briefing.
“Most activities that have happened are stage-managed to portray them as real,” said the minister.
“We have challenges that have slowed down the economy which include Covid-19 lockdown, sanctions and climate change that has resulted in drought and Cyclone Idai,” Moyo said.
He added, “Because of Covid-19, many people are in lockdown.
“If there are issues, the problems emanate within and these should be discussed.”
The minister said it was now a trend that if there is a bloc summit or programme, something happens to portray negativity around the Zimbabwean government.
MDC Alliance Member of Parliament, Dr Ruth Labode a highly qualified medical doctor claims to be one of the people who received online healing’ from COVID-19 during a prayer session on TB Joshua’s Emmanuel TV on Sunday.
Labode and her husband both confesses to be COVID-19 positive.
“Currently the symptoms are a headache, sore throat, cough, body weakness, loss of sense of taste and appetite,” she described, brandishing her medical report confirming the diagnosis and a breathing device to aid her because of difficulty in breathing.
“As a policymaker, you have a responsibility at a national level… When you cannot participate in the policymaking, you are out of circulation. I am asking God to deliver me from COVID-19. I do not believe this COVID is unto death,” she explained.
Indications are that one of Joshua’s ministers came forward on screen to offer a prayer for Labode, alongside other COVID-19 patients from Colombia and South Africa. Both Labode and her husband began to involuntarily ‘vomit’ as the prayer proceeded, falling to their knees in their home in Zimbabwe before being declared ‘free’.
“When I was being prayed for, I felt the heat in me,” the Member of Parliament explained after the prayer, which was uploaded to Emmanuel TV’s YouTube channel with over 1.7 million subscribers.
“Right now, my sense of smell has returned. I am not coughing. I also vomited something out,” she testified, tasting and smelling an orange to verify the immediacy of the changes in her health.
“I am healed of this COVID and I want to thank TB Joshua for allowing himself to be used by God to cut the transmission of COVID,” the doctor turned politician concluded. Labode’s Nigerian husband equally testified he was ‘healed’ from COVID-19 and removed the neck collar he used as a result of the pains.
Joshua’s popular ministry has claimed that ‘thousands worldwide’ have received healing from COVID-19 after receiving ‘interactive prayer’, with several testimonies uploaded to YouTube from those with medical reports ‘scientifically’ proving their recovery.
Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reacted to the video of a Cameroonian medical doctor who stated he was healed of coronavirus after receiving prayers from Joshua.
In a press conference, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director-General, noted the importance of “spiritual leadership” and said faith and science should work together.
Ruth Labode is a graduate of Sofia Medical School in Bulgaria (MBChB) and also holds a Master’s Degree in Community Health (MCOMMH) from University of Liverpool UK.
She was the first female Provincial Medical Director in Zimbabwe, a position she held for five years and she is currently serving her second term as a Member of Parliament of Zimbabwe.
THE opposition MDC Alliance has vowed to fight what it terms “the subversion of the people’s will” by taking back the parliamentary seats which the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T grabbed through parliamentary recalls and intends to fill with its nominees.
MDC Alliance secretary-general Chalton Hwende said the party was concluding consultations with the electorate to block the unconstitutional and subversion of the people’s will.
“The people voted us into office and the Zanu-PF government is trying to block the social contract that we signed with the electorate. This is clearly a subversion of the people’s will. The people are now being forced to be led by the people they rejected in elections,” he said.
“We are concluding our consultations with the electorate and we will advise the route we are taking. The Zanu-PF government has turned this country to be among fascist regimes. The voters will express their anger on the subversion of their will.”
In a notice yesterday, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chief executive officer Utoile Silaigwana said the commission was ready to fill the vacant 15 proportional representation posts in line with section 39 of the Electoral Act.
“Zimbabwe Electoral Commission would like to inform the public that it is proceeding with filling in the proportional representation vacant seats which arose from recalls made by MDCT party in line with provisions of section 39 of the Electoral Act,” he said.
“It is important to note that the commission is not the arbiter of who may or not recall a Member of Parliament. It merely facilitates the filling of the resultant vacancy in the confidence that Parliament has conformed to its governing procedures and to the law in notifying it of the vacancies.”
Silaigwana said if there were objections to the creation of the vacancy, the “remedy for that lies not in an attack on the performance of peremptory statutory functions by the commission, but elsewhere”
Last week, legal think-tank Veritas warned that Zec might entangle itself in legal hurdles if it fills the vacancies as the recalls were legally questionable.
Parliament accepted the recall of the MPs from the Nelson Chamisa-led party despite that the fired legislators contested under MDC Alliance and competed against MDC-T candidates.
MDC-T acting secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora recalled 21 MDC Alliance legislators from Parliament after the Supreme Court judgment of March 30, 2020 restored Khupe as interim party leader.
Some MDC Alliance councillors have also been recalled.
MDC-T acting spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni yesterday said the party had already sent its nominees list to Zec.
“The secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has submitted the list to Zec and there is no violation of the Constitution because it is clear that when a party sponsors a member to represent Parliament and if that sponsored member ceases to be a member of that party, that party can choose a representative. The Constitution is being followed here,” he said.
In Harare, the party nominated Yvonne Musarurwa and Lindani Moyo, Mashonaland Central (Sawuke January), Manicaland (Getrude Moyo), Matabeleland South (Sipho Mokone and Nomalanga Khumalo), Bulawayo (Khupe, Phugeni, Tamano Moyo and Dorothy Ndlovu), Matabeleland North (Chief Ndlovu and Lwazi Sibanda), Midlands (Teti Banda), Masvingo (Memory Munochinzwa) and Mashonaland East (Piniel Denga).
The MDC Alliance yesterday said the move was meant to cripple its leader Chamisa through the court rulings and give an edge to Zanu-PF.
According to a source, the MDC-T is expected to recall more constituencybased legislators from the MDC Alliance when Parliament resumes sitting next Tuesday.
The High Court on Friday dismissed an urgent bid by 14 recalled legislators to stop the MDC-T from replacing them in Parliament.
Political analyst Rashweat Mukundu said Zec was violating the Electoral Act and voters’ rights.
“People cast their ballots in the 2018 harmonised elections and they picked MDC Alliance candidates against MDCT candidates, so this is a gross violation of the rights of the electorate. This shows how interference of the Judiciary by the State has made this to happen,” he said.
“Filling the vacant posts with MDCT candidates is violating voter’s rights. Even those parliamentarians (MDC Alliance) who supported Khupe have violated their social contract with voters. This shows the high level of political chaos in this country and it needs to be corrected sooner rather than later.”
THE family of a man who died of a brain injury during surgery three years ago has filed a lawsuit demanding over US$354 000 compensation and damages from two doctors, alleging negligence resulted in the death of their bread winner.
Ms Linda Chakavanda and her two children on Monday filed the suit at the High Court against the anaesthetist, and the urologist who performed the surgery. The two attended the late Christopher Chakavanda at West End Hospital on May 6, 2017.
Chakavanda died of brain injury during the operation. The suit comes after the two were both found by their regulatory authority to be negligent after they pleaded guilty.
The lawsuit comes at a time when the Government is setting up the Coroner-General charged with carrying out thorough independent investigations into deaths in hospitals, prisons, police cells and other places.
In the claim, filed at the High Court on Monday, the Chakavanda family is claiming damages in the sum of US$354 000 for loss of support, emotional grief and trauma among other claims.
Mrs Chakavanda stated in her claim that her husband was in May 2017 referred to a specialist urologist by Dr Mataruse, a physician who was dealing with a complaint of palpitations, raised blood pressure and a headache.
She said the urologist was to perform a left adrenalectomy. This specialist procedure of necessity required the employment of an anaesthetist, amongst other professionals.
The urologist then assembled a team of five experts, which included the anaesthetist, after Mr Chakavanda consented to the operation.
Mrs Chakavanda claims that the two doctors allegedly carried out the procedure negligently,by failing to do adequate pre-operative assessment, planning and preparation for the surgical operation. She said when her husband’s vitals began to deteriorate, this was not communicated to the surgical team. She also claimed that the anaesthetist had no back-up plan to deal with possible problems, had not prepared the patient adequately, and had not consulted the referring physician.
Further, the family argue that the doctors had no joint management plan for the patient, which included ensuring that safety measures such as a readily available ICU bed were in place at the time of the procedure.
“The result was that the deceased could not be placed in the ICU for approximately three hours after the procedure,” she said.
“As a result of the defendants’ negligence, the deceased had a cardiac arrest whilst on the operating table.”
An attempt to induce a coma to speed recovery led to five days on oxygen support until Mr Chakavanda was confirmed to be brain dead on May 21. It was confirmed that he died of hypoxic brain injury that occurred during the procedure. Mrs Chakavanda became aware of all the facts leading to the cause of action last year in November when she was advised by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe that her husband had died during the medical procedure, contrary the two doctors’ version that he was in an induced coma up until May 21 2017.
The High Court has over the years been inundated with lawsuits against medical practitioners who negligently cause the death of patients.
A Karoi woman in 2017 took a medical doctor to the High Court claiming damages amounting to $400 000 after her husband died during an ill-performed operation.
Ms Jane Mazhambe filed the lawsuit in the High Court through her lawyers claiming $86 095 in school fees for her three minor children, $17 020 for the completion of the construction of the family’s house, $261 338 for the minors’ food, health care and ancillary expenses and $52 000 for utility bills and her health care as well.
Last year, a Mutare farmer Mr James Makununura, who lost his wife due to medical negligence successfully sued a doctor for $20 000. Mrs Miriam Makununura sought medical attention for fibroids from the specialist in 2010 but was discharged without her hypertension being catered for.
A 43-year-old Mt Hampden man died Saturday after his wife pulled his genitals during an ill-fated domestic dispute.
Christopher Kamwaza, who was a self-employed brick-maker, was Tuesday buried at a local cemetery amid a sombre atmosphere.
Kamwanza and his polyandrous wife only identified as Ropafadzo, reportedly had a fight Friday night after she demanded US$250, which the now deceased said he did not have.
His cousin, Asani Mafala, said the family got the shocking news the next morning.
“After they were restrained from fighting, we thought all was well. We were, however, shocked to be told the next morning at around 8am after Christopher’s lifeless body was discovered by passersby near the Gazebo area,” narrated Mafala.
Ropafadzo had two husbands, one of which was Kamwaza.
According to the deceased’s relatives, Ropafadzo reportedly confessed to killing Kamwanza by pulling his testicles until he died.
The banning of Beatrice Mtetwa today is what Emmerson Mnangagwa announced in Mwenezi on the 16th Feb 2019 when he said he will go after the lawyers and doctors treating people who demonstrate against him.
Earlier in his speech he confessed publicly that he has deployed emissaries to spoon-feed African leaders on his version of events. He said.
” First of all we sent our own leaders, to all SADC countries just spoon feed them on what happened during the demonstrations (or noise), because for instance in Bulawayo they were travelling from one area to the other and saying tomorrow anyone who will have been arrested you must go to lawyers who are ready to defend you, those who have been injured, they will be doctors ready to treat you. Hurting other people’s children like that. All those people we are not going after them.
He then said, “those doctors, those lawyers who were treating dissenters, we are going after them.”
He also threatened to shorten the lives of demonstrators. He added saying he will shorten the lives of many people. He said:
“Hallelujah to those who choose peace and may their days be increased in the land ruled by black people. But those who chose to demonstrate their days will be shortened (shrunk).”
The banning of Beatrice Mtetwa yesterday is what Emmerson Mnangagwa announced in Mwenezi on the 16th Feb 2019 when he said he will go after the lawyers and doctors treating people who demonstrate against him. Earlier in his speech he confessed publicly that he has deployed emissaries to spoon-feed African leaders on his version of events. He said.
” First of all we sent our own leaders, to all SADC countries to spoon feed them on what happened during the demonstrations (or noises), because for instance in Bulawayo they were travelling from one area to the other and saying tomorrow anyone who will have been arrested you must go to lawyers who are ready to defend you, those who have been injured, they will be doctors ready to treat you. Hurting other people’s children like that. All those people we are not going after them.
He then said, “those doctors, those lawyers who were treating dissenters, we are going after them.”
He also threatened to shorten the lives of demonstrators. He added saying he will shorten the lives of many people. He said:
“Hallelujah to those who choose peace and may their days be increased in the land ruled by black people. But those who chose to demonstrate their days will be shortened (shrunk).”
Thread 1) In her interview with @Y1079FM, Samantha aka @Misred uttered the word 'disconnect', between #TheyThem and the situation on the ground. #them meaning Zim diaspora, "who crossed borders for different reasons"In 2019 one of ourpic.twitter.com/ECRyYjkEWP
ZANU PF is set to hold an urgent ordinary session of the Politburo this morning at the party headquarters in Harare.
Highly placed sources within the party told ZimEye.com that the Secretary for Administration, Dr Obert Mpofu called all members of the Politburo for the meeting to be held today, on Wednesday at the party headquarters commencing 1000hrs.
All members are expected to be seated by 9.45am.
The sources claim that the meeting has been convened following the damming letter from the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference calling on government to solve the country’s problems.
The sources further indicated that the ruling party’s supreme decision making body stopped President Emmerson Mnangagwa from making his highly expected response until after the meeting.
According to the sources, some members of the party are demanding that Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa be removed from her position following her responses to the bishops which were highly condemned throughout the world.
Cabinet ministers follow proceedings on the screen at the inaugural Cabinet virtual meeting from the State House tent, New Munhumutapa boardroom
Government yesterday held its inaugural Cabinet meeting on a highly secure virtual platform as part of national efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19 by keeping groups of ministers in separate locations when they need to meet.
President Mnangagwa launched the system yesterday at State House.
To ensure maximum security of information, the Government developed an in-house virtual conferencing software application and virtual private networks for use in conducting Cabinet committee meetings. Cabinet meetings are regarded as top secret in all countries and the system developed within Government circles had to be secure.
The launch was attended by a small group of Cabinet members, including Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Vice President Kembo Mohadi and Ministers Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Sibusiso Moyo, Monica Mutsvangwa, Mthuli Ncube, Sithembiso Nyoni, Anxious Masuka and Soda Zhemu, plus senior Government officials.
Other ministers were in the Munhumutapa new boardroom.
The launch follows the decision by Cabinet to adopt a virtual system for its meetings as part of measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 and in line with World Health Organisation guidelines.
The system, which is user friendly while it ensures top notch security, was developed using local software.
The technology will now see Cabinet meetings being conducted at three separate venues; the State House Cabinet tent, Cabinet Room and the new Munhumutapa boardroom.
The technical team that developed the technology included the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Cabinet Secretariat Department, President’s Department, Government Internet services provider and the e-Government technology unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
President Mnangagwa said the outbreak of the global pandemic had necessitated expeditious implementing of the process.
“Owing to the increasing number of cases attributed to local transmission we agreed as Cabinet to adopt virtual meetings as part of measures to comply with the WHO guidelines.
“The decision also took into account the progress our systems have achieved in migrating to virtual platforms with the e-Government technology unit assuming a leading role in that regard.
“Our virtual meetings will be held on secure home-grown platforms which are being perfected as we move on,” he said.
The President said all Government business will be conducted on the virtual platform, rather than foreign and commercial software platforms such as Zoom, when dealing with classified Government information except when being hosted by other partners outside Government.
“As per practice, the agenda will constitute the invitation to all meetings. Members will be advised of the meeting venues in accordance with the matters under discussion on the day according to the agenda.
He said given the logistical requirements associated with the distribution and circulation of Cabinet documents and the need to maintain safety in the Covid-19 era, business will be strictly as on the agenda.
“As the executive we have to lead by example. Our focus on the attainment of Vision 2030 remains on course,” he said.
The President urged Cabinet members to embrace the new mode of doing business.
Chief Secretary in the Office of the President Dr Misheck Sibanda said to ensure maximum security of information, the technical team developed an in-house virtual conferencing software application and virtual private networks for use in conducting Cabinet committee meetings
“We have distributed guidelines on virtual conferencing for Cabinet with a handbook,” he said.
Head of the e-Government technical team, Brigadier Gen Charles Hwekwete, said the system comprised hardware which was bought while the software was developed in-house within Government and using Government-owned ICT companies.
“It is equivalent to Zoom but developed in way that information will stay within our network to ensure security,” he said.
In a sudden new turn, Zimbabwean Covid-19 figures are changing with recoveries shooting up while deaths and new cases are slowing down.
In the run up to the foiled July 31 planned protests, the country reported a sudden huge numbers of new cases and deaths most of which were discovered in postmortem reports.
The sudden huge rise in the new cases and deaths, at the time, got critics believing that goverment was cooking up figures to scare citizens out of the demonstration which government banned on health grounds because of the then rise in Covid-19 cases.
In the last week, the Ministry of Health and Child Care has been reporting a huge rise in recoveries with no explanation where the Ministry is getting it right. The figures have forced goverment to relax some stringent curfew measures rolled out few days before the July 31 foiled protests.
In the latest report from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, 257 new recoveries were recorded with 156 of those coming from Matabeleland South, with six new Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday 18 August 2020.
70 new cases were recorded, 63 of them local contact and seven from Botswana. 47 of the local contact cases those were in Harare.
In total, there have been 5,378 cumulative cases to date. Of the resolved cases, 11 have resulted in death while 4,105 have recovered.
That means Zimbabwe active Covid-19 cases continue to drop and now sit at 1,132.
Is a magistrate or a judge above the law? Can they do what they want and punish you unfairly or illegally? Are judicial officers totally immune from prosecution over crimes that they have committed inside the courtroom while in the exercise of their normal duties?
A legal expert who once represented the abducted journo Itai Dzamara, Kennedy Masiye, argues using several sections of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. He comments following the case of Beatrice Mtetwa who was kicked out the courtroom yesterday while representing her client, the journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.
He tells ZimEye, there is nothing such as absolute immunity for judicial officers in Zimbabwe.He quotes from for instance, Section 50. Rights of arrested and detained persons. It reads in part:
8. An arrest or detention which contravenes this section, or in which the conditions set out in this section are not met, is illegal. 9. Any person who has been illegally arrested or detained is entitled to compensation from the person responsible for the arrest or detention, but a law may protect the following persons from liability under this section– • Protection from false imprisonment a. a judicial officer acting in a judicial capacity reasonably and in good faith; b. any other public officer acting reasonably and in good faith and without culpable ignorance or negligence
VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
https://youtu.be/TCERYYJH-YQ
REFERENCES:
Block, Frederic. 1999. “Qualified Immunity: A View from the Bench.” Touro Law Review 15 (summer).Duffy, Shannon P. 1999. “Judges Have Absolute Immunity for Actions on the Bench, Circuit Rules.” New Jersey Law Journal 157 (September 27): 7.
Morgan, Thomas D., and Ronald D. Rotunda. 1993. Professional Responsibility: Problems and Materials. 5th ed. Westbury, N.Y.: Foundation Press.
Romo, Cheryl. 2002. “Jurist’s Infamous Case Set Judicial Immunity Precedent.” The Los Angeles Daily Journal 115 (December 30)
Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta has resigned, after being detained by soldiers on Tuesday, state TV reports.
In a televised address, Mr Keïta said he was also dissolving the government and parliament.
“I want no blood to be spilled to keep me in power,” he added.
It comes hours after he and Prime Minister Boubou Cissé were taken to a military camp near the capital Bamako, drawing condemnation from regional powers and France.
“If today, certain elements of our armed forces want this to end through their intervention, do I really have a choice?” said Mr Keïta.
“I hold no hatred towards anyone, my love of my country does not allow me to,” he added. “May God save us.”
Earlier, the mutinying soldiers took control of the Kati camp.
There has been anger among troops about pay and over a continuing conflict with jihadists – as well as widespread discontent with the former president.
Mr Keïta won a second term in elections in 2018, but there has been anger over corruption, the mismanagement of the economy and the rise of communal violence in areas of the country.
It has prompted several large protests in recent months. A new opposition coalition led by the conservative Imam, Mahmoud Dicko, has called for reforms after rejecting concessions from Mr Keïta, including the formation of a unity government.
It was led by Col Malick Diaw – deputy head of the Kati camp – and another commander, Gen Sadio Camara, BBC Afrique’s Abdoul Ba in Bamako reports.
After taking over the camp, about 15km (nine miles) from Bamako, the mutineers marched on the capital, where they were cheered by crowds who had gathered to demand Mr Keïta’s resignation.
On Tuesday afternoon they stormed his residence and arrested the president and his prime minister – who were both there.
The president’s son, the speaker of the National Assembly, the foreign and finance ministers were reported to be among the other officials detained.
The number of soldiers taking part in the mutiny is unclear.
Kati camp was also the focus of a mutiny in 2012 by soldiers angry at the inability of the senior commanders to stop jihadists and Tuareg rebels taking control of northern Mali.
When news first broke of the mutiny, the United Nations and African Union both called for the release of those held by the soldiers.
The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), a regional body, also said its 15 member states had agreed to close their borders with Mali, suspend all financial flows to the country, and eject Mali from all of Ecowas’ decision-making bodies. In recent months, Ecowas has a key mediator between Mr Keïta’s government and opposition groups.
The UN Security Council is to meet on Wednesday to discuss the latest developments in Mali.
Mali’s former colonial ruler, France, was also quick to condemn the president’s detention, and Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian urged the soldiers to return to barracks. Mali is a key base for French troops fighting Islamist insurgents across the Sahel region.
Beatrice Mtetwa in court representing Hopewell Chinono
The Harare Magistrate’s Court has ordered that top human rights lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa be barred from representing a prominent journalist, Hopewell Chinono, because she allegedly ran Facebook pages critical of the country’s justice system.
The court ruled on Tuesday that Beatrice Mtetwa – an internationally acclaimed lawyer who has been at the forefront of defending the country’s human rights activists – be removed from representing award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.
The state accused Mtetwa of writing contemptuous letters to the country’s magistrates and high courts, and of running Facebook pages that denigrated the courts.
“In view of the submissions by both the state and the defence, the disqualification of the lead counsel Beatrice Mtetwa as requested by the state be and is hereby granted,” ruled magistrate Ngoni Nduna.
The posts undermined public confidence in the courts, the magistrate said.
“The picture portrayed a biased justice system and the world was invited to an outrage over abuse of human rights,” he added.
Mtetwa denied any knowledge of the Facebook pages.
She said the government was leading a “personal” attack against her with a “chilling effect” on other lawyers.
“The idea is to say to human rights lawyers, ‘If you represent such a client we will come after you,'” Mtetwa told reporters outside court, adding that her team would challenge the decision.
“The right to legal representation has been curtailed by a court which is supposed to be supporting that right.”
Mtetwa had served as the lead counsel for Chin’ono, who helped expose a multimillion-dollar corruption scandal involving the procurement of coronavirus protection gear and test kits.
The journalist has been in jail since he was arrested by armed police at his house in Harare on July 20.
Chin’ono had encouraged the public to join the July 31 anti-government protests via Twitter.
The protests were then banned, and around 20 activists who held demonstrations in their neighbourhoods were arrested and have since been freed on bail.
Those arrested included internationally acclaimed writer and Booker Prize nominee Tsitsi Dangarembga.
The curfew has been cut to between 8pm and 6am, while business hours were restored to between 8am and 4.30pm to ease the plight of the public and lower the risk of Covid-19 infection by cutting crowding.
At the same time, returning residents can go home as soon as they have a negative PCR test and promise to self-quarantine for 21 days.
Announcing the changes approved by Cabinet yesterday, Information, Broadcasting and Publicity Services Minister Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said the changes were made “having noted the plight of the public and the need to lessen the risk of contracting Covid-19”.
Businesses and their customers had been complaining that the restriction of operating hours for exempted businesses and the retail end of many essential services had resulted in crowding outside the business premises. Industrial businesses in non-essential areas also needed more time to meet orders.
Workers were complaining that transport problems, especially for those needing to catch two buses to get home, meant it took too long to get home. Besides queuing for two buses at peak hours, they had the walks to the work area bus stop, between the two terminuses, and then home from the nearest stop.
This, many said, was making them unintentional curfew breakers.
The changes give them an extra half hour from the close of business to the start of curfew.
Public transport drivers are now required to be tested regularly and legal buses and kombis will get dedicated lanes to expedite their passage.
The Government further eased quarantine requirements for Zimbabwean returnees who meet newly-set criteria spelt out yesterday.
“Immigrants who are PCR negative on arrival will no longer be detained but be put on home quarantine and reviews will be conducted by the rapid response teams in that locality. Those who test positive on arrival will be placed in isolation centres,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
Initially, those who were returning from foreign lands were required to undergo a 21-day quarantine in a State-approved centre before joining their families.
This was reduced to eight days if tests were negative, if the returning person promised to remain self-quarantined at home until the end of the total 21-day requirement.
Zimbabwe has been witnessing a spike in Covid-19 cases though the number of recoveries has also been on a sharp rise. The country is in an indefinite level two lockdown, but authorities continue to tweak conditions based on available information and feedback from citizens.
FORMER Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Jason Machaya yesterday failed to turn up to court for judgment in his case of criminal abuse of office amid indications that he was unwell after being operated on.
Machaya was supposed to know his fate first on July 30 but the matter was postponed to yesterday before it was further remanded to September 18 after he failed to attend court.
The court was told that Machaya is not feeling well after he recently went under the knife.
The kind of surgery he underwent and the reason for having it were not stated in court.
He is facing criminal abuse of office charges after he allegedly allocated and disposed of State land.
Trial magistrate Ms Charity Maphosa postponed the matter to September 18 for judgment. The former minister is out on $1 000 bail.
Machaya was supposed to have been put to his defence on August 21 last year after Ms Maphosa dismissed his application for discharge at the end of the State case.
The magistrate ruled that he had a case to answer and should be put to his defence but Machaya approached the High Court describing the decision of placing him on his defence as “grossly irregular”.
However, Harare High Court judge Justice Pisirayi Kwenda threw out the application saying it lacked merit.
The judge said the trial at the lower court had to be completed before Machaya could seek a review by a higher court or appeal.
The ex-minister was back in court from Monday last week to yesterday when he was put to his defence.
Machaya in his defence is arguing that he acted in delegated authority in his capacity as Midlands Minister of State.
The State’s case is that the accused intentionally allocated State land totalling 17 799 stands to developers which was inconsistent with his duties.
Prosecutors say Machaya did not have any lawful responsibility to allocate State land to the developers and entities, a lawful responsibility of the Minister of Local Government and Public Works. The accused person, the court heard, further received 1 791 commonage stands from the said land developers and entities which constituted 18 percent of the total stands on the allocated State land.
It is further alleged that Machaya sold 1 185 of the commonage stands which was also inconsistent with his duties as the stands could only be allocated and distributed by the Local Government Minister.
The accused person is also alleged to have also allocated 192 commonage stands to the Apostolic Christian Church of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) when he did not have lawful right to do so.
PREMIERSHIP clubs will each receive US$5 500 from ZIFA as part of Covid-19 relief package from funds received from FIFA and CAF.
It’s the same amount they were allocated when the ZIFA board first met to allocate funds to their affiliates.
There had been fears the PSL clubs would get less than what they were originally scheduled to receive amid reports the regions and the provinces were also asking for a bigger share.
However, the ZIFA leaders, who met on Monday, decided to retain the same amounts which they had allocated to the country’s top-flight clubs.
The money, though, will be paid in local currency at a rate of US$1 to $82.56.
This means the clubs will be paid $454 080 each.
This is part of the US$1.3 million bailout package from FIFA and CAF which was released last week.
Part of that money, US$500 000, is specifically meant for women’s football.
The association will receive a further US$500 000 from FIFA, for men’s football, in January next year.-The Herald
Is a magistrate or a judge above the law? Can they do what they want and punish you unfairly or illegally? Are judicial officers totally immune from prosecution over crimes that they have committed inside the courtroom while in the exercise of their normal duties?
A legal expert who once represented the abducted journo Itai Dzamara, Kennedy Masiye, argues using several sections of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. He comments following the case of Beatrice Mtetwa who was kicked out the courtroom yesterday while representing her client, the journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.
He tells ZimEye, there is nothing such as absolute immunity for judicial officers in Zimbabwe.He quotes from for instance, Section 50. Rights of arrested and detained persons. It reads in part:
8. An arrest or detention which contravenes this section, or in which the conditions set out in this section are not met, is illegal. 9. Any person who has been illegally arrested or detained is entitled to compensation from the person responsible for the arrest or detention, but a law may protect the following persons from liability under this section– • Protection from false imprisonment a. a judicial officer acting in a judicial capacity reasonably and in good faith; b. any other public officer acting reasonably and in good faith and without culpable ignorance or negligence
VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
https://youtu.be/TCERYYJH-YQ
REFERENCES:
Block, Frederic. 1999. “Qualified Immunity: A View from the Bench.” Touro Law Review 15 (summer).Duffy, Shannon P. 1999. “Judges Have Absolute Immunity for Actions on the Bench, Circuit Rules.” New Jersey Law Journal 157 (September 27): 7.
Morgan, Thomas D., and Ronald D. Rotunda. 1993. Professional Responsibility: Problems and Materials. 5th ed. Westbury, N.Y.: Foundation Press.
Romo, Cheryl. 2002. “Jurist’s Infamous Case Set Judicial Immunity Precedent.” The Los Angeles Daily Journal 115 (December 30)
MDC Alliance Masvingo City Councillor Godfrey Kurauone
As MDC Alliance Manicaland travels 300kms to give solidarity to Godfrey Kurauone
18 August 2020
Wezhira Munya
MDC Alliance National youth organiser Godfrey Kurauone will be back in Masvingo Magistrate court on the 1st September 2020.
Firstly, MDC National youth organiser and Masvingo ward 4 councillor Godfrey Kurauone spent 10 days in Remand Prison after he was arrested for undermining the president. Now, councillor Kurauone will spend 31 days in prison after he was arrested on the 31 July, for illegally participating in the demonstration and circulating the video he was singing at funeral in Manicaland.
Today, councillor Kurauone appeared before Masvingo Magistrate Patience Mandondo.
The second case, councillor Kurauone is accused of participation on 31 July 2020 demonstration and singing a song in Manicaland “kana tabvumirwa nababa kubvisa munangangwa ichava nhoroondo”.
Today(Tuesday), Councillor Kurauone appeared before Masvingo Magistrate Patience Mandondo. Magistrate Patience Mandondo ruled that Councillor Kurauone will appear before her on 1 September 2020.
Advocate Martin Mureri said, “Today, the state said they are not ready because the investigating officer said he needs more time to complete investigation. But we have agreed that on 1 September 2020 there is a trial. However, fails to provide trial date will make an application for refusal for further remand. Because police dont arrest to investigate , but police investigate to arrest.”
More so, councillor Kurauone’s trial date of first case is on the 25th August 2020.
Councillor Godfrey Kurauone today came to court in leg irons and his hands were handcuffed. More so, prison officials guarding councillor Kuraone were heavily armed.
All MDC Alliance supporters and leaders, civic society and residence were not allowed to enter into the court yard. The security only allowed court officials to enter the premise.
In addition, the security agencies officials were in attendance.
However, many MDC Alliance officials from Masvingo and Manicaland came to give solidarity to councillor Kurauone.
Manicaland MDC Alliance leaders arrived around 8am at Masvingo Magistrate court.
Some of the Manicaland MDC Alliance leaders who attend councillor Godfrey Kuraone are: MDC Alliance National women assembly acting Secretary General Monica Mukwada, Councillor Sophie who is also national member,
Mutare deputy mayor Chisango, councillor John Nyamhoka,
Councillor Zvenyika Misi,
Vice secretary Chikono,
Organiser Makunike,
Information Angellar Maunde,
Elizerbeth Murwira provincial member,
youth chair Byron Myambo,
Deputy organiser James Mugurosa,
Deputy treasurer Christine Dzingai,
Currrency Maguruwada provincial member and Mai Murwira the mother of late youth leader Kerrine. At the funeral of late Kerrine that where councillor Kuraone is allegdly to have sang a song “kana tabvumirwa nababa kubvisa munangangwa ichava nhoroondo.” This song is of one of the alleged offence councillor Kurauone committed.
MDC Alliance National women assembly acting Secretary General Monica Mkwada said, “On behalf of MDC Alliance women assembly, I convey our support to our son and MDC Alliance National youth organiser Godfrey Kurauone and his family during this tough period. Our prayers are with them.”
Acting National Women assembly Secretary General Mkwanda then led MDC Alliance officials in praying for councillor Kuraone at the main entrance at Masvingo Magistrate court premise.
MDC Alliance Mutare deputy mayor Chisango said, “As MDC Alliance Manicaland leaders and members, we have come to give solidarity, love and care of our National youth organiser Godfrey Kuraone. They are trying to break him. But councillor is a warrior and God is with him.”
In addition, councillor Sophie who is also Manicaland MDC Alliance National member said, “As Mutare councillors we are supporting our fellow councillor Kurauone. He is being persecuted for supporting President Nelson Chamisa and fighting for freedom of our people.”
Masvingo MDC Alliance National member, leader Matara said, “We thank Manicaland Provincial chair honourable Mutseyami, Manicaland MDC Alliance family and all those who came to give solidarity to our councillor Kurauone. May God bless you Manicaland.”
Chikanga /Dangamvura constituency youth chair Mr Byron Myambo said, “Councillor Kuraone is our National organiser, we are praying for him. We support him. We will never give up the fight.”
On the other hand, Masvingo United Residents Ratepayers Association, Director Mr Muguti gave food humper and financial assistance to councillor Kurauone’s wife.
Civic society leaders Mr Ramus and Mr Zivanai came to give solidarity to councillor Kurauone.
At the court today, MDC Masvingo national, provincial, district and branch leaders came in large numbers to give solidarity. Some of the leaders who attended include National leader Matara, national leader Chakabuda, Councillor Mberikunashe, Councillor Musekiwa, Ms Mahachi, Mr Kingsley Sibanda, Mr Nyahunda, Mr Wakura, Mrs Magomo, Mrs Boroma, Mrs Jiri, Mr Murinye, Mr Mabhena, Mr Richard Munyenye, among others.
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
Commuters have sued Zimbabwe’s public transport utility, the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) for failing to adequately provide public transport during the lockdown.
The Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) and Combined Harare Residents Association(CHRA), representing the commuters, said ZUPCO has put them at greater risk of contracting coronavirus as they are being forced to spend hours in queues and the buses are not properly disinfected.
The Lawyer representing the passengers, Advocate Choice Damiso told ZTN that ZUPCO has not been able to avail adequate buses to cater for the commuting public.
She said:
There is pressure for buses and pressure in terms of getting onto the bus. Commuters spend a lot of time in queues waiting for infrequent buses. When the buses do come there is no consistency with social distancing and buses are not being disinfected.
The applicants are seeking that the court allows more operators of public transport to assist ZUPCO in providing transport for members of the public.
The State’s argument was that the limitations that were imposed are necessary in the interests of public health and safety.
Meanwhile, High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi has reserved his judgement. The judgment will be handed down in open court on the 26th of August.-ZTN
Farai Dziva| Microblogging site has permanently blocked the account of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services over hate language.
Twitter cited multiple violations of the company’s policies.
Twitter noted that the Ministry ignored repeated warnings.
According to Techunzipped, as a result of the ban, the Ministry of Information has now opened a new account called
@InformationZim .
Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has been roundly criticized for her diatribe against Catholic Bishops.
MDC Alliance Masvingo City Councillor Godfrey Kurauone
Farai Dziva|The trial of detained MDC Alliance Youth Assembly organizer and Masvingo Urban councillor for ward 4, Godfrey Kurauone has been postponed to September 1.
Kurauone is facing three charges- criminal nuisance, undermining the authority of the President and obstruction of traffic respectively.
” Yes, the trial of Councillor Kurauone has been postponed to 1 September.
However, he will also appear in court on the 25th August facing another charge,” an MDC Alliance official said.
Junior soldiers in Mali have detained the country’s president, as well as the prime minister and other top officials in an apparent coup attempt.
President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and PM Boubou Cissé are being held at a military camp near the capital Bamako.
Earlier, the mutinying soldiers took control of the Kati camp.
There has been anger among troops about pay and over a continuing conflict with jihadists – as well as widespread discontent with President Keïta.
Tuesday’s mutiny and arrests have sparked international condemnation.
The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), a regional bloc that has been mediating talks between President Keïta and opposition groups, has called for the immediate release of all officials.
In a statement , it also said its 15 member states had agreed to close their borders with Mali, suspend all financial flows to the country, and eject Mali from all of Ecowas’ decision-making bodies.
What do we know about the mutiny?
It was led by Col Malick Diaw – deputy head of the Kati camp – and another commander, Gen Sadio Camara, BBC Afrique’s Abdoul Ba in Bamako reports.
After taking over the camp, about 15km (nine miles) from Bamako, the mutineers marched on the capital, where they were cheered by crowds who had gathered to demand President Keïtas’s resignation.
In the afternoon they stormed his residence and arrested the president and his prime minister – who were both there.
The president’s son, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the foreign and finance ministers were reported to be among the other officials detained.
The number soldiers taking part in the mutiny is unclear – as are their demands. Some reports say it was fuelled by a dispute over army pay.
Kati camp was also the focus of a mutiny in 2012 by soldiers angry at the inability of the senior commanders to stop jihadists and Tuareg rebels taking control of northern Mali.
Footage from AFP news agency showed a building owned by the justice ministry in Bamako ablaze on Tuesday.
In recent months huge crowds led by populist imam Mahmoud Dicko have been calling on President Keïta to step down.
Much smaller crowds reportedly gathered in the capital on Tuesday in support of the soldiers.
What has the reaction been?
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres demanded the “unconditional release” of Mali’s leaders and the “immediate restoration of constitutional order”. The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday, following a request by France and Niger, a senior UN diplomat told the AFP news agency.
The chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said he “emphatically condemns” the arrests of President Keïta and his prime minister.
The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) said: “This mutiny comes at a time when, for several months now, Ecowas has been taking initiatives and conducting mediation efforts with all the Malian parties.” – BBC
ZIMBABWE’S POLITICAL CRISIS DESERVES SADC ATTENTION
We note that the Communique of the just ended 40th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government has omitted the deteriorating governance and legitimacy crisis in Zimbabwe.
Whereas the Communique has taken note of the security situations in some countries including Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo, we urge regional leaders to equally pay attention to the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe.
Under the cover of COVID-19, the Government of Zimbabwe has intensified its crackdown on human rights defenders including journalists, lawyers, labor unions, civic society, the church and the opposition for exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
In response to citizen discontent owing to grand state corruption and plummeting socio-economic standards.
The political elite has abused state institutions to carry out systematic abductions, torture, extra-judicial killings and unlawful arrests. In the short period before and after the July 31 2020 peaceful citizen protests, we have recorded at least 146 cases of human rights violations against our members including 38 abductions.
The situation, coupled with the lack of cohesion in government now pose a serious threat to peace and security in Zimbabwe and the SADC region in general.
We reiterate that genuine inclusive national dialogue to agree on a comprehensive reform age. and platform through an agreed neutral facilitator supported by SADC.
The African Union and the international community at large remains the only plausible route to extricate Zimbabwe out of its current state.
We urge SADC to urgently intervene in Zimbabwe in line with the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security in order to maintain regional peace and security.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) notes with disappointment the Communique from the 40th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government’s failure to discuss the political crisis unfolding in Zimbabwe and other hotspots in the region.
Whilst the world and other progressive countries like South Africa and the African Union have acknowledged that there is a political crisis in Zimbabwe and thus expressed concern over the abuse of human rights, we are therefore worried about SADC turning a blind eye as the situation continues to deteriorate in Zimbabwe posing a risk to regional security and integration.
We also wish to express our disappointment by the Summit’s failure to come up with concrete interventions to deal with the insurgency in Mozambique, Madagascar and Eswatini.
We, however, still hold the view that SADC and other regional partners have a role to play in the Zimbabwe crisis and thus, the Coalition will, in the next few days be engaging the Botswana President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi the incoming Chairperson of the SADC Troika to convene a special Troika on Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Madagascar and Eswatini.
Above all, we recommend that the South African special envoy be expanded to include SADC and meet all relevant stakeholders including civil society.
We will continue urging SADC to support the efforts of President Ramaphosa and his envoy in their quest to finding lasting solutions to the crisis in Zimbabwe.
We, therefore, reiterate that the national dialogue process must involve all stakeholders and a national visioning process that has civil society, government, political parties, business, religious groups and labour unions among other critical stakeholders.
The dialogue process should produce a timed roadmap to the demilitarisation of civilian political processes and the restoration of normalcy by focusing on key political, economic and social reforms.
In this regard, we call for FULL CONSULTATION of all stakeholders rather than cosmetic processes.
Below is the full judgement of matter where the State was seeking the disqualification of Ms Mtetwa from handling the Chinóno case on the basis that she had abdicated her role as an officer of the Courts CRB No. Acc..77/2020
In the Regional Court for the Eastern Division
Held at Harare
In the Matter Between
The State
And
Hopewell Chin’ono The Accused
RULING: APPLICATION FOR DISQUALIFICATION OF OPPOSING COUNSEL
The accused duly represented, reappeared before the court on 13th August 2020. He was pursuing his admission to bail pending trial on the allegations he is facing. The allegations have been restated over a number of times. A history of the matter is necessary.
On the 22nd of July 2020 accused had his initial appearance before this court. His placement on remand was not opposed. He promptly applied for bail pending trial. After three days of submissions and mainly cross examination of two state witnesses the application for bail was not granted. That was on the 24th of July 2020. Exercising his right of appeal, accused took the decision to the High Court. He appealed. The appeal failed. He has therefore reappeared for a bail rehearing. However, before his quest was heard, the state indicated that they had an advance issue which the state desired heard and decided first before the bail issue. The state’s concerns emanate from posts on a Face Book wall hoisted under the names of the Lead Counsel for the accused. I will restate the posts;
Where is the outrage from the International Community that Hopewell Chin’ono is being held as a political prisoner?
His life is in serious peril. Raise awareness about his unlawful imprisonment. Do not let him be forgotten
You or someone you love could be the next one abducted from your home and put in leg irons
SPEAK OUT
The state alleges these posts are attributable to the lead counsel herein one Beatrice Mtetwa to be precise and that as a result she must be debarred from appearing before the court as she has become personally involved so as to diminish her objectivity as an officer of the court. The defence or the lead counsel specifically denies anything to do with the posts and aver that even if it is so, accused’s right to a lawyer of his choice cannot be taken away so lightly and that the state has adopted the wrong procedure by bringing the contempt allegations before the victim to adjudicate. The above posts appear on the Wall or page styled Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of law. Further the state submits that the lead counsel was recently censored by the High Court when the bail application went on appeal. The state referred to a passage at page 15 in S v Hopewell Chin’ono HH519/2020. I will revert to this part latter.
The foremost issues for the court to decide are therefore the following;
Whether or not the posts scandalise the court, thereby being contemptuous
Whether or not the lead counsel should be held to the said posts
Whether or not the state has brought up contempt proceedings and if so have they acted properly
If (3) above is answered in the negative, what is the nature of the state’s application.
In order to answer the first question, the posts must be read objectively, and be ascribed the meaning which an objective man would upon reading the posts award them. These posts relate to real events of a trial involving the accused Hopewell Chin’ono who following his arrest has been appearing before this court and the High Court. It has been a very publicised appearance right from the arrest. It must be noted that when accused was arrested it is not in question that the first publication was from the stable of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights of that arrest. They styled the arrest an abduction. They sponsored the notion that accused’s whereabouts were not known following that abduction. That arrest and its management featured in the bail hearing before me. I will refer to it. It came out very clearly and was not disputed that a team of police officers led by D/S Mberi approached accused’s residence. It was a team comprised of uniformed and un uniformed police officers. In the process accused’s lawyer and co lawyer in these proceedings arrived at the scene and observed the arrest of the accused. The lawyer Mr Mtisi was then advised by the leader of the arresting team that accused was to be taken to Harare Central Police Station’s Law and Order Section for further management. Mr Mutisi followed to the station. Accused was detained thereat with the full knowledge of the lawyer.
I would define the term “arrest” as follows;
To seize (someone) by legal authority and take them into custody and in this context for the purposes of bringing him to court.
However, what came out of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights was that they championed the arrest of accused as an abduction. I understand abduction to mean the seizure of someone without any legal basis for some unlawful purposes. Its tantamount to a kidnapping.
So clearly we have a very experienced lawyer who comes out into the public domain to advise the world at large that Hopewell Chin’ono a journalist who is exposing corruption has been abducted in Zimbabwe by state agents. The lawyer does so at a time he is well informed of the factual and legal basis of that arrest. To demonstrate the mala fide conduct; when accused appeared in court neither his remand nor his arrest was challenged. The lawyers; quite a handful of them proceeded to apply for bail advising and assisting each other. This was done because the lawyers obviously believe in the lawfulness of the arrest and the subsequent remand proceedings. A person is placed on remand successfully if there is reasonable suspicion that an accused committed an offence alleged against him. The following cases detail on this requirement;
S v STOUYANNIDES 1992 (2) ZLR 126 (SC)
MUCHERO & ANOR v ATTORNEY-GENERAL 2000 (2) ZLR 286 (SC)
MARTIN v ATTORNEY-GENERAL & ANOR 1993 (1) ZLR 153 (SC)
Despite this the world was advised that accused was abducted. I have seen it fit to relate to this because it gives out clearly the context within which the post in question must be viewed and the attitude inherent in them. At that moment the lead counsel whose conduct the state want impugned comes to the fore.
The posts then clearly continue to portray that picture of a legal system and a court that is perpetuating the alleged abduction. The posts rebrand the accused to be a political prisoner and this court to be complicity in the dealing with the alleged now political prisoner. The world is being invited to outrage.
There is a letter which was authored by the lead counsel where the same sentiments are replete. This is not the only letter which the lead counsel wrote and forced the clerk to deliver personally to my attention. There is another which again bore the same sentiments. The first was written on the 24th of July 2020 and the second which found its way to the high court was authored on the 27th of July 2020. Both these letters characterise the court and the legal system in picture portrayed in the Face Book posts at Beatrice Mtetwa and the rule of law.
Clearly the posts demean the court severely. However, whether the contempt is in the face of the court or not in the face of the court, it is important that it should be borne in mind by courts themselves that the court should use its summary powers to punish for contempt sparingly. Courts should not display undue degree of sensitiveness about this matter of contempt and they must act with restraint on these occasions. However, it is the expectation of the very courts that those tasked with the prosecution of offences take action when conduct of contempt has become the modus of operation of a given individual.
Counsel submitted that the offence of scandalising the court is inconsistent with the protection of freedom of expression which is guaranteed by the Constitution. Given that freedom of expression is the lifeblood of democracy, this is an important issue. And there is no doubt that there is a tension between freedom of expression and the offence of scandalising the court or contempt of court. But the guarantee of freedom of expression is subject to qualification in respect of provision under any law. It is limited (1) “for the purpose of … maintaining the authority and independence of the courts” and (2) shown to be “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society”. The offence of scandalising the court exists in principle to protect the administration of justice. It must be recorded that proceedings on the offence of contempt of court are admittedly rare and it is recorded that in England none have been successfully brought for more than sixty years. But it is permissible to take into account that in younger democracies, the administration of justice is more vulnerable than in the United Kingdom. The need for the offence of scandalising the court in such young democracies is greater:
see Feldman, Civil Liberties and Human Rights, in England and Wales, 1993, 746-747;
Barendt,Freedom of Speech, 1985, 218-219.
Moreover, it must be borne in mind that the offence is narrowly defined. It does not extend to comment on the conduct of a court unrelated to its performance on
the bench. It exists solely to protect the administration of justice rather than the feelings of a court. There must be a real risk of undermining public confidence in the administration of justice. So a court which dealing with allegations of inciting public violence is publicised and portrayed as dealing with perceived political opponents and causing illegal detentions is clearly being held to extreme disrepute in the eyes of the public.
By their nature therefore the posts are indeed scandalising the court. The lead counsel premised her charge that this court must not be called to deal with the alleged contempt since it is the victim. Firstly that is not what the state has called the court to do. The case referred to in In re: CHINAMASA 2000 (2) ZLR 322 (SC) is different from this matter. In that the court issued a summons for Mr Chinamasa to appear because Mr Chinamasa was alleged to have disparaged the court in the press and he was the Attorney general; equivalent of today’s Prosecutor General. The court not have directed him to cause his own prosecution.
This is clearly a different issue from what is being pursued by the state in this application.
The state essentially is saying that the lead counsel is the author of the posts or is complicity in the authorship of the posts and by that conduct the lead counsel has shown that she is no longer detached from the case to continue appearing in it. That is my understanding of their prayer and position. She is now personally involved so as to lose the requisite objectivity of an officer of the court. That is the state’s application.
The lead counsel’s position is to deny that she is not the page handler and has nothing to do with scribblings on its wall. However, in the same breath it’s acknowledged that the face book page was opened when a documentary entitled Mtetwa and the Rule of law was being produced. That documentary was profiling the lead counsel and her alleged prowess in court in human rights related cases. In a nutshell lead counsel is aware of the existence of the page and approved its coming into being. The lead counsel called to the witness stand from the bar co-counsel to give evidence on what was claimed to have been a conversation between the counsel and Mr Mabhaudhi. The conversation, it was alleged was touching or referred to the incapacitation of lead counsel. The accused was also called to the witness stand and he gave evidence on how he knew the coming into existence of the page Mtetwa and the Rule of law. He told the court what has been captured above as the purpose of its existence.
On the other hand, the lead counsel’s position is that the prayer by the state is contrary to the constitutional framework in which criminal trials are held. It is only accused who has that right to expel his lawyer of choice and no one else. She upgrades the state’s claim to be an allegation of contempt of court against her and that the state should have proceeded by her prosecution rather than to seek to punish accused by disgorging his lawyer of choice from his case. It is further argued that the application by the state breaches her fundamental right to a fair trial by an independent court. She says this court is the one allegedly insulted and disparaged, hence unfit to preside over what she understands to be a contempt of court trial of herself. Clearly this later position is wrong. That is not the state’s prayer. The prayer by the state is as summarised above as far as I understood it. I will repeat it to put the matter straight; It is not a contempt of court trial or proceedings against the lead counsel. These are proceedings concerned with conduct alleged to be unbefitting of an impartial and objective lawyer which it is the duty of counsel to be as an officer of the court.
Defence Counsel like a public prosecutor has a mandate to present her case in the utmost diligent manner and within the confinements of the acceptable decorum of a legal process. He or she must not exhibit an attachment to the case which goes beyond the acceptable professionalism of a lawyer so as to be personally involved; or so as to appear to be serving multiple constituencies. See SMYTH v USHEWOKUNZE & ANOR 1997 (2) ZLR 544 (SC) whose flynote which correctly captures the court’s decision on the issue states that;
Legal practitioner – prosecutor – conduct and ethics – duty of impartiality and detachment – interdict against prosecutor who had demonstrated personal involvement, vindictiveness and bias
A legal practitioner’s first duty is to uphold and advance the interests of justice because he or she is an officer of the court. In this regard, a legal practitioner’s duty to the court is greater than their duty towards their clients, except as is regards their duty not to disclose the confidences of the client to the court. This can be achieved by acting impartially and making decisions dispassionately in court. Legal practitioners must be truthful, honest, candid and fair in all their dealings. This is an all-embracing and inflexible rule.
Above all, lawyers must not act in contempt of court by, for example, insulting a judge or magistrate. See R v Silber 1952 (2) SA 475 (A); R v Rosenstein 1943 TPD 65.
If a lawyer has fallen off the rails, and conduct herself as was the position in SMYTH v USHEWOKUNZE & ANOR(supra) he or she is disqualified from continuing to act in the matter. A legal practitioner’s interest in the matter he is in charge of should not be beyond his profession otherwise it becomes unethical. In Central African Building Construction Company (Pvt) Ltd v Construction Resources Africa (Pvt) Ltd HH112/10 the court held thus of such counsels;
“… He (a legal practitioner) has aligned himself so closely with his client’s case that this court can be forgiven for stating that he has displayed an interest in the case going beyond that of a legal practitioner
And continued,
….A legal practitioner’s duty is to protect the interests of his client and to give legal advice. It is not the function of the legal practitioner to then step into the shoes of the client and to perform acts that are materially related to the dispute before the court in an endeavour to buttress the case of his client…..It is important that a legal practitioner should at all time retain his independence in relation to his client and the litigation which is being conducted….
It Is not only in Zimbabwe where a court, in exercise of its inherent powers of supervision, may disqualify counsel found to be in conflict of interest with respect to a case before the court. In America In re Gopman, 531 F.2d 262, 266 (5th Cir. 1976); Estates Theatres, Inc. v. Columbia Pictures Indus., 345 F. Supp. 93, 95 n.l (S.D.N.Y. 1972) it was noted that the court can exercise such powers. It was further held that when opposing counsel is in a serious conflict of interest, it is clearly the duty of an attorney to move for disqualification. Some motions or applications to disqualify opposing counsel, however, may be nothing more than tactical devices to delay the proceedings or to remove opposing counsel, not because of the purported conflict of interest, but because opposing counsel is dangerously competent.
Therefore, position taken by the state is legally possible if it is supported by the facts of the case.
Is the wall hoisting the allegedly offensive posts related to the lead counsel?
The evidence called from Mr Chin’ono and in the submissions of counsel it is clear that the wall and lead counsel are not strangers to each other. They are actually bed mates. The documentary Beatrice Mtetwa and the rule of law face book page was created to market according to Mr Chin’ono the lead counsel’s prowess as a human rights defender. Obviously the lead counsel authorised and approved its coming into existence. In that breath she acceded to posts being made on it which posts are relevant to herself. She cannot be seen assuming that Lore Cornways is posting to say now this particular post has nothing to do with her. Because the posts are offensive to the very function of courts in which lead counsel appears, she was expected to have registered her disapproval of that with the said Lori Cornways. She cannot wash her hands like Pontias Pilate of the Bible. Lead Counsel’s position is almost on all fours with counsel in Charles Kwaramba vs The Honourable Justice Bhunu N.O Sc46/2012.
The applicant a lawyer was representing some 29 accused persons. He addressed a press conference from wherein he was allegedly quoted as uttering words imputing mal-conduct against the Honourable Judge. The Honourable Judge reprimanded the applicant in his judgment. The applicant took issue with the reprimand and went with it on review to the Supreme Court. It was held as follows;
Essentially the applicant’s complaint is that the learned Judge should not have severely reprimanded him for his conduct or misconduct. The applicant does not seem to appreciate what is expected of him as a legal practitioner and an officer of the court. On the applicant’s own account, the Daily News ascribed to him the remarks it published in its newspaper. The remarks ascribed to him do not only scandalise the learned Judge but were also made while the matter was sub judice. There is a time-honoured practice which has crystallised into law that prohibits the making of inappropriate statements on matters pending before the courts. I have no doubt in my mind that the statements ascribed to the applicant grossly transgressed the sub judice rule and clearly constitute contempt of court, in that they scandalise the court by ascribing to it political motivation in its judgment. The inescapable inference is that the remarks were made not only to bring the court into contempt in the eyes of the public but also in an attempt to influence the outcome of the bail application and consequently the course of justice. The applicant should consider himself lucky that he was not prosecuted for contempt of court.
Legal practitioners who show such blatant disrespect and contempt for the courts have no business appearing before the courts. In my view, serious consideration should be given to the introduction of more stringent measures to protect the dignity of the courts from being impaired by reckless utterances.
The Apex court then went on to find that Mr Kwaramba in the circumstances had a duty to denounce the publication and put the record straight if he had been misquoted. The same applies herein. Her failure to do so and seek to portray that she was unaware of that is mischievous. Even when she became aware she never addressed that part.
The lead counsel’s conduct is also seen in the letters she has written to the court. She has written two letters and caused these to be part of the record. The other one was commented on at the High Court. One was written on 24th July 2020 after submissions had closed in court. By that letter lead counsel made further submission on the application. It was not served on the state but went straight into the record. It was captioned;
“for the attention of magistrate NDUNA, Esq”
I will reproduce it;
“Given the informal nature of bail proceedings, our obligation to be of assistance to the court and the for the completeness of the record of proceedings, we correct the gross misrepresentation by the state that the Defence referred to the standard of proof required for an accused to be placed on remand and that the defence referred to this as being proof beyond reasonable doubt. As the application was not challenging placement on remand and related purely to the admission to bail, there was no reference to the standard of proof required for the placement on remand.
The only reference to the state bearing the onus of proof related to the provisions of Section 117(2) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act[Chapter 9:07] where we relied on Kwenda, J’s comments in Nguwaya vs The State HH 443/2020 at page 4 of the cyclostyled judgment where the Honourable Judge stated as follows; In the court a quo, the appellant was entitled to bail unless the state proved beyond reasonable doubt that one or more of the grounds listed in Section 117(2) existed justifying detention in custody”. We confirm that a copy of the judgment was handed in to the court for its convenience and that it is necessary that the court record reflect the correct information as opposed to the deliberate misrepresentation by the state. We therefore request that this clarification be placed on file.
Yours faithfully
(signed)
MTETWA
MTETWA & NYAMBIRAI
MR Mabhaudhi, Prosecutor General’s Office Rotten Row
A lawyer who is professionally seized with a case does not conduct the case with such desperation. This moment you are in court arguing the case, the next you are writing letters in bad taste and smuggling them into the record and the next you are posting on social media that the whole trial process is for political expediency and that an accused, your client, is a political prisoner and inviting the whole world to show its outrage. This case is reminiscent of SMYTH v USHEWOKUNZE & ANOR (ibid) where a public prosecutor failed the test for impartiality and detachment required of practitioner of law. The court held that when a prosecutor conducts himself thus, he should be relieved from taking part in the case. I see no valid differentiation with an accused’s legal practitioner.
I therefore make the following orders
That the application for disqualification of Ms Beatrice Mtetwa as a counsel participating in this matter is hereby granted as prayed for by the state
That the Prosecutor General consider institution of prosecution against Lead Counsel Beatrice Mtetwa for contempt of court emanating from disparaging contents of her letter of 27th July 2020 and the Face Books posts at Beatrice Mtetwa and the rule of law
That a copy this judgment be made available to the Law Society of Zimbabwe
The proceedings are postponed to an agreed date between the state and the other co counsels to enable accused to consider his legal representation in view of this ruling.
NDUNA N REGIONAL MAGISTRATE
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) notes with disappointment the Communique from the 40th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government’s failure to discuss the political crisis unfolding in Zimbabwe and other hotspots in the region.
Whilst the world and other progressive countries like South Africa and the African Union have acknowledged that there is a political crisis in Zimbabwe and thus expressed concern over the abuse of human rights, we are therefore worried about SADC turning a blind eye as the situation continues to deteriorate in Zimbabwe posing a risk to regional security and integration.
We also wish to express our disappointment by the Summit’s failure to come up with concrete interventions to deal with the insurgency in Mozambique, Madagascar and Eswatini.
We, however, still hold the view that SADC and other regional partners have a role to play in the Zimbabwe crisis and thus, the Coalition will, in the next few days be engaging the Botswana President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi the incoming Chairperson of the SADC Troika to convene a special Troika on Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Madagascar and Eswatini.
Above all, we recommend that the South African special envoy be expanded to include SADC and meet all relevant stakeholders including civil society.
We will continue urging SADC to support the efforts of President Ramaphosa and his envoy in their quest to finding lasting solutions to the crisis in Zimbabwe.
We, therefore, reiterate that the national dialogue process must involve all stakeholders and a national visioning process that has civil society, government, political parties, business, religious groups and labour unions among other critical stakeholders.
The dialogue process should produce a timed roadmap to the demilitarisation of civilian political processes and the restoration of normalcy by focusing on key political, economic and social reforms.
In this regard, we call for FULL CONSULTATION of all stakeholders rather than cosmetic processes.
A pastoral letter to the churches and the people of Zimbabwe
Let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24)
To the churches and people of Zimbabwe,
Grace and peace from the God of life and the Lord Jesus Christ
Christian greetings from the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and the World Methodist Council.
We have heard the laments of our sisters and brothers in your country and we are deeply concerned about the circumstances by which you are afflicted.
We express our solidarity with all the people of Zimbabwe yearning for the realization of their human rights, for justice, and for physical and economic security in their communities.
We have heard of the deteriorating conditions for women, children, young people and men whose lives and livelihoods are facing increasingly serious threats each day, with approximately half of the entire population facing hunger, staggering unemployment rates, corruption and insecurity, the country is crying out for effective accompaniment.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the economic challenges and seriously affected the already fragile public health and education systems.
The ongoing medical doctor’s strike has caused millions of Zimbabweans – including children and pregnant women – to have no access to essential medical care.
While we understand the gravity of the challenges posed by the pandemic, we also recognize that the root causes of corruption and the longstanding failure to protect human rights lie in failed governance structures.
We condemn the increasing use of force, violence and intimidation against people protesting these failures, targeting particularly those deemed to oppose the current government.
We are particularly concerned about the mistreatment of political activists and other advocates for human rights.
We strongly condemn the sexual abuse and violence against women activists. We find the incarceration of journalists and political leaders unacceptable.
We are encouraged by the ongoing ministry of churches in Zimbabwe to serve the most vulnerable and call on you to keep remembering the ‘least of these’ even as you remain steadfast in your hope in Christ Jesus.
May your voice continue to be raised on behalf of the most vulnerable.
We believe that the God of life calls us into action for justice for the oppressed.
We pledge our solidarity with you as we lift up your cries for justice, dignity, and protection of their human rights.
We shall continue to advocate together with our member churches for this cause.
Sisters and brothers, we assure you of the continued prayers of the global Christian family.
Hold steadfast to the faith that we share, which binds us together in Christian unity, and compels us to seek justice and work for peace.
In solidarity,
Rev. Prof. Dr loan Sauca, WCC Interim General Secretary
A pastoral letter to the churches and the people of Zimbabwe
Let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24)
To the churches and people of Zimbabwe,
Grace and peace from the God of life and the Lord Jesus Christ
Christian greetings from the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and the World Methodist Council.
We have heard the laments of our sisters and brothers in your country and we are deeply concerned about the circumstances by which you are afflicted.
We express our solidarity with all the people of Zimbabwe yearning for the realization of their human rights, for justice, and for physical and economic security in their communities.
We have heard of the deteriorating conditions for women, children, young people and men whose lives and livelihoods are facing increasingly serious threats each day, with approximately half of the entire population facing hunger, staggering unemployment rates, corruption and insecurity, the country is crying out for effective accompaniment.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the economic challenges and seriously affected the already fragile public health and education systems.
The ongoing medical doctor’s strike has caused millions of Zimbabweans – including children and pregnant women – to have no access to essential medical care.
While we understand the gravity of the challenges posed by the pandemic, we also recognize that the root causes of corruption and the longstanding failure to protect human rights lie in failed governance structures.
We condemn the increasing use of force, violence and intimidation against people protesting these failures, targeting particularly those deemed to oppose the current government.
We are particularly concerned about the mistreatment of political activists and other advocates for human rights.
We strongly condemn the sexual abuse and violence against women activists. We find the incarceration of journalists and political leaders unacceptable.
We are encouraged by the ongoing ministry of churches in Zimbabwe to serve the most vulnerable and call on you to keep remembering the ‘least of these’ even as you remain steadfast in your hope in Christ Jesus.
May your voice continue to be raised on behalf of the most vulnerable.
We believe that the God of life calls us into action for justice for the oppressed.
We pledge our solidarity with you as we lift up your cries for justice, dignity, and protection of their human rights.
We shall continue to advocate together with our member churches for this cause.
Sisters and brothers, we assure you of the continued prayers of the global Christian family.
Hold steadfast to the faith that we share, which binds us together in Christian unity, and compels us to seek justice and work for peace.
In solidarity,
Rev. Prof. Dr loan Sauca, WCC Interim General Secretary
At least three Zimbabweans died after being involved in a three-truck pile up at the treacherous Kapiringozi Escarpment along the Chirundu-Kafue Road in Zambia.
The accidents occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning when the driver of one of the trucks lost control of the vehicle as it was descending the mountainous area, rammed into an oncoming truck before hitting a broken down truck, igniting a huge inferno.
An unknown number of people in the trucks were burnt beyond recognition.
Zambian police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Esther Katongo confirmed the accident adding that two Zimbabwean drivers had so far been positively identified.
“Police in Chirundu received a report of a road traffic accident which happened today 16th August, 2020 around 6.40am on Chirundu-Kafue road at Kapiringozi hills involving three trucks.
“Involved in the accident was an unknown motor vehicle driven by an unknown driver with unknown number of passengers who are suspected to have been burnt to ashes,” she said.
One of the deceased drivers was a 25-year-old Zimbabwean who was driving a Volvo truck which had broken down while the other one was driving a truck with suspected Jet A1 fuel which could have ignited the inferno.
“The accident occurred when the unknown driver who was driving the completely burnt truck and was descending the hill lost control due to excessive speed and hit into a FAW Motor vehicle which was carrying suspected Jet1 Fuel. It also hit a stationary Volvo truck which had a break down and all the vehicles caught fire and were completely burnt,” she said.
Police and the fire brigade managed to put out the fire but the number of people who have died in the accident has not yet been established.-The Herald
At least three Zimbabweans died after being involved in a three-truck pile up at the treacherous Kapiringozi Escarpment along the Chirundu-Kafue Road in Zambia.
The accident occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning when the driver of one of the trucks lost control of the vehicle as it was descending the mountainous area, rammed into an oncoming truck before hitting a broken down truck, igniting a huge inferno.
An unknown number of people in the trucks were burnt beyond recognition.
Zambian police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Esther Katongo confirmed the accident adding that two Zimbabwean drivers had so far been positively identified.
“Police in Chirundu received a report of a road traffic accident which happened today 16th August, 2020 around 6.40am on Chirundu-Kafue road at Kapiringozi hills involving three trucks.
“Involved in the accident was an unknown motor vehicle driven by an unknown driver with unknown number of passengers who are suspected to have been burnt to ashes,” she said.
One of the deceased drivers was a 25-year-old Zimbabwean who was driving a Volvo truck which had broken down while the other one was driving a truck with suspected Jet A1 fuel which could have ignited the inferno.
“The accident occurred when the unknown driver who was driving the completely burnt truck and was descending the hill lost control due to excessive speed and hit into a FAW Motor vehicle which was carrying suspected Jet1 Fuel. It also hit a stationary Volvo truck which had a break down and all the vehicles caught fire and were completely burnt,” she said.
Police and the fire brigade managed to put out the fire but the number of people who have died in the accident has not yet been established.-The Herald
"Cabinet directed (a) that the business hours which were ending at 15:00 will now end at 1630 hours and the curfew to be extended to 2000 hours; (b) that public transport buses be allowed a dedicated lane at roadblocks to expedite their passage. "
The Zimbabwe dollar has fallen slightly by ZWL$0.04 at Tuesday’s foreign currency auction to ZWL$82.9 against the United States dollar from ZWL$82.5 last week.
The exchange rate of the Zimbabwe dollar against the greenback has been on the downhill track since June this year from ZWL$57.4:US$1,when government introduced the foreign currency auction, dumping the fixed interbank exchange rate of ZWL$25:US$1, which had been in place since February.
At Tuesday’s auction, a total of US$14.2m was allotted with the main auction getting US$13.7m while the SMEs auction got US$517 630.88.
The highest rate was 88.38 in the main auction and 85 in the SMES auction.
The lowest was 80 and 78 for the main and SMEs auctions respectively
Lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa believes that the government is persecuting her after Magistrate Ngoni Nduna removed her from representing incarcerated investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.
Nduna recused Mtetwa from Chin’ono’s case after State prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudhi last week made an application seeking for her removal from representing the journalist, saying she was posting comments critical of the Judiciary on the Facebook page, Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law.
Speaking to reporters at Rotten Row Magistrate Court in Harare this Tuesday, Mtetwa, who claimed that she was not on Facebook and had no social media accounts, said President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s threat to deal with lawyers had come to pass. Said Mtetwa:
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I think all of you heard at the beginning of the year we will deal with the lawyers and doctors, they started dealing with the lawyers.
For me, doing what they are doing, obviously, it has a chilling effect on other lawyers particularly the younger lawyers. The idea is to say to human right defenders, you defend a certain type of, we will be after you. It is not a coincidence that there is an order that says I must be prosecuted.
When that order is coming from the court that is carrying the case, there will be chilling effects that young lawyers will be prosecuted for doing their work. If you’re young and you’re 30, you cannot afford to be prosecuted.
I’m over 60, I can be prosecuted towards the end of my career. The intention is to stop us from defending a certain type of client.
We are going to challenge the decision because we don’t agree with it in a whole lot of respect but it means the right to legal representation has been severely curtailed by the courts which are actually supposed to be expanding that right.
By A Correspondent- Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor John Panonetsa Mangudya recently told bakers and millers that they will not be allowed to raise the price of bread.
Mangudya said this during an online meeting hosted by the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ), last week.
The meeting was also attended by the National Bakers Association of Zimbabwe, including Bakers Inn, Lobels Bread and Proton, as well as millers such as National Foods, Blue Ribbon Foods and Edurate Milling.
Mangudya said:
We want to assure bakers and millers that going forward they will now be prioritised for foreign currency allocation during the weekly forex auction.
Bakers have no reason to justify any bread price increase because when the price of bread was $79, it was based on a speculative black market rate of between $100 and $120 per US$1.
We expect bread prices to go down given the fact that bakers are now accessing forex at the auction at a much lower rate of $80 against US$1.
Millers and bakers wanted to increase the price of a standard loaf of bread to $80 from an average $60, citing rising productions costs.
Mangudya pledged to avail at least US$2 million weekly to millers and bakers, though they need a total of US$12 million per month.
MORE people continue succumbing to Covid-19 in Zimbabwe with reports showing that three died on Monday which brings the death toll to 135.
According to the Ministry of Health, 47 more people tested positive for the global pandemic on the same day, leaving the cumulative total of cases at 5 308.
The latest deaths were recorded in Bulawayo, Manicaland and Mashonaland East provinces.
Of the 47 new cases, 15 were recorded in Matabeleland South, three in Bulawayo, seven in Harare, nine in Manicaland, five in Masvingo and three in Mashonaland West province.
“As of August 17, 2020, Zimbabwe has now recorded 5 308 cases, 3 848 recoveries and 135 deaths. A total of 47 new cases were recorded yesterday and five of those are from returnees,” read the statement.
“We also recorded three deaths, one from Bulawayo, one from Mashonaland East and the other from Manicaland province.
The ministry said men remain the most affected sex when it comes to Covid-19 cases and deaths.
There are 1 325 active cases in Zimbabwe.
Bulawayo province has a cumulative 1 207 cases and 28 deaths with 873 recoveries while Matabeleland South has 522 cases with two deaths and 76 recoveries.
Matabeleland North has 98 cases, three deaths and 62 recoveries.
By Patrick Guramatunhu- “The (November 2017) coup has been over taken by events and there has been an election in between, the disputed results notwithstanding.
It is what it is and now we must focus on getting Zimbabweans to have a good and sober look around and re-examine their potential choices for 2023,” said Albert Gumbo. He is the secretary general of Alliance for People’s Agenda (APA) led Dr Nkosana Moyo.
“The elected must govern and if they can’t, they must be voted out at the next election!”
Dr Moyo was one of the 23 presidential candidates in Zimbabwe’s 31st July 2018 harmonised elections. The parliamentary and local elections were an equally hotly contested affairs.
Zanu PF went on to win the presidential race and 2/3 majority in parliament, the result was never in doubt as it was clear the party was going to rig the elections and did.
Of course, it is most infuriating that Zimbabwe’s corrupt, incompetent and sell-out opposition politicians continue to refuse to acknowledge a simple historic fact that Zanu PF rigs elections and it is therefore nonsensical to keep talking of the people voting the regime out of office.
After 40 years of rigged elections under our belt they still pretend they have no clue what constitutes free, fair and credible elections!
Of course, Zanu PF blatantly rigged the July 2018 elections. The regime deny 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora a chance to register and vote, a very significant number since Mnangagwa claimed victory with 2.4 million votes.
There was no free and independent media. But most notable of all, the regime failed to produce a verified voters’ roll, a legal and common sense requirement!
The opposition candidates not only knew that Zanu PF was blatantly rigging the elections but, worst of all, they also knew that by participating in the elections regardless, they would give the process “credibility”.
“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections,” wrote MDC Alliance senator David Coltart in his book.
“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”
So the opposition gave Zimbabwe’s flawed and illegal election process credibility and, by extension, the results the modicum of legitimacy! Zanu PF offered the opposition politicians the few gravy train seats as their reward for participating and giving the regime legitimacy.
Since the rigged 2018 elections Zanu PF has not implemented any democratic reforms and, as we can see, the opposition are gearing to participate in the next elections. And with no reforms in place Zanu PF is certain to rig the elections and we will be back in the situation we are in today and have been for the last 40 years – stuck with the corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship.
The settled Zimbabwe election cycle is Zanu PF rigging elections, the opposition paying lip service to demanding reform, no reforms are implemented, the opposition participate giving legitimacy to yet another Zanu PF rigged elections and so back to a new cycle. If we are to break this vicious cycle we must fight on two fronts:
we must stand firm in rejecting Zanu PF’s legitimacy, the party rigged the 2018 elections, it has no mandate to govern and must step down to allow the appointment of a competent body to implement the reforms and hold free and fair elections. By refusing to step down, Zanu PF is holding the nation to ransom and has done this for donkey years now. That is totally unacceptable.
we must expose the corrupt and incompetent opposition politicians for the sell-out they are. The people of Zimbabwe must now wake-up to the political reality that opposition leaders are now running with the povo hare and hunting with the Zanu PF hounds.
We can be 100% certain that if Zanu PF is in power until 2023, the party will rig the elections. We can also be 100% certain that Zimbabwe’s opposition parties, all 130 of them at the last count, will participate in the flawed and illegal elections. It is incumbent on us to make sure the next elections are free, fair and credible.
“If Zanu PF have failed to govern, vote them out in 2023!” The people have failed to do so these last 40 years precisely because Zanu PF rigs elections. The only reason why the opposition politicians refuse to acknowledging that Zanu PF rigs elections is they are now working in cahoots with the regime!
A microblogging site, Twitter, on Monday permanently blocked the account of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services over alleged multiple violations of the company’s hateful conduct policy.
Without specifying the actions which warranted the blocking Twitter noted that the account was permanently banned after the Ministry ignored “previously received repeated warnings for similar violations,” specifically of rules “prohibiting participating in or inciting targeted abuse of individuals.”
Permanent bans on Twitter were born out of the company’s ongoing effort to tame the unruly masses of anonymous tormentors whose threats and ugly commentary have long been a major liability for the social platform.
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Techunzipped reports that as a result of the ban, the Ministry of Information has now opened a new account called @InformationZim.
This comes after the Minister of Information, Senator Mutsvangwa recently stormed controversy after her attack on Catholic Archbishop Richard Christopher Ndlovu over his pastoral letter that criticised bad governance in the country.
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe’s Food Poverty Line (FPL) for one person rose to $1 329 while the Total Consumption Poverty Line for one person stood at $3 115 in July 2020, latest official figures show.
According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat), the Total Consumption Poverty Line (TCPL) for an average of five persons per household was $15 573.
Zimstat said in its latest report:
The Food Poverty Line for one person in July 2020 was $1,329.00, while that for an average household of five persons was $6,643.00.
The Total Consumption Poverty Line for one person stood at $3,115.00 in July 2020, while that for an average of five persons per household was pegged at $15,573.00.
In June, the Total Consumption Poverty Line for one person stood at $2 267 while that for an average of five persons per household was pegged at $11 334.
According to the agency, the TCPL is a combination of food and non-food items that an average family requires for it not to be deemed poor.
By A Correspondent- Armed Robbers allegedly pounced on a Kwekwe woman yesterday morning and robbed her of her money before firing warning shots to scare her.
Beatrice Muza (43) was robbed of her US$3 500 and ZAR 2000 at her house.
Sources close to investigations told a local publication that two robbers forcefully entered Muza’s house armed with an AK47 rifle and a pistol.
They broke her door using an iron bar and demanded money from her.
Muza surrendered US$500 which was under her pillow however the accused proceeded to search the complainant’s wardrobe and took US$3000 and ZAR 2000 which was in her husband’ jacket.
The robbers also took the complainant’s cell phone.
On departure, the suspects fired one shot into the air and fled into a nearby bush.
Courts have dismissed the application of popular Harare-based lawyer advocate Thabani Mpofu which sought the revocation of further placement on remand.
Mpofu had argued, through his lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, that the facts relied upon by the State did not constitute a reasonable suspicion that the alleged offences were committed.
It is the state’s case that Mpofu corruptly concealed a transaction from a principal and defeated or obstructed the course of justice on two counts after representing “a non-existent” person who was challenging President Mnangagwa’s appointment of prosecutor-general Kumbirai Hodzi.
Meanwhile, the “fictitious man,” Simbarashe Zuze, behind the arrest of Advocate Thabani Mpofu and another lawyer, Tapiwa Makanza recently came out to prove his existence.
Mpofu was arrested in June, charged with “defeating or obstructing the course of justice,” and was released on a ZWL$20 000 bail.
He has since June 2 this year been on remand out of custody and is scheduled to return to court on 21 August 2020 at 9.00 am for his trial.
Mpofu who became more popular in 2018 after representing Nelson Chamisa who was challenging the outcome of the Presidential election which he said had been manipulated in favour of President Emmerson Mnangagwa,
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) has issued a statement the Communique from the 40th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government saying the failure of the regional body’s leadership to discuss the Zimbabwean crisis was concerning. The organisation further proposed ways to resolve the crisis. We present the statement in full below.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) notes with disappointment the Communique from the 40th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government’s failure to discuss the political crisis unfolding in Zimbabwe and other hotspots in the region.
Whilst the world and other progressive countries like South Africa and the African Union have acknowledged that there is a political crisis in Zimbabwe and thus expressed concern over the abuse of human rights, we are therefore worried about SADC turning a blind eye as the situation continues to deteriorate in Zimbabwe posing a risk to regional security and integration.
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We also wish to express our disappointment by the Summit’s failure to come up with concrete interventions to deal with the insurgency in Mozambique, Madagascar and Eswatini.
We, however, still hold the view that SADC and other regional partners have a role to play in the Zimbabwe crisis and thus, the Coalition will, in the next few days be engaging the Botswana President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi the incoming Chairperson of the SADC Troika to convene a special Troika on Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Madagascar and Eswatini. Above all, we recommend that the South African special envoy be expanded to include SADC and meet all relevant stakeholders including civil society.
We will continue urging SADC to support the efforts of President Ramaphosa and his envoy in their quest to finding lasting solutions to the crisis in Zimbabwe.
We, therefore, reiterate that the national dialogue process must involve all stakeholders and a national visioning process that has civil society, government, political parties, business, religious groups and labour unions among other critical stakeholders.
The dialogue process should produce a timed roadmap to the demilitarisation of civilian political processes and the restoration of normalcy by focusing on key political, economic and social reforms.
In this regard, we call for FULL CONSULTATION of all stakeholders rather than cosmetic processes.
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa will soon dispatch his special envoys to Harare again — to meet with key local stakeholders, including the opposition, the Daily News reports.
This comes as the government has come under renewed pressure internally and internationally for alleged gross human rights breaches by authorities.
It also comes as analysts have said that the only viable path out of the country’s decades-long political and economic crisis is to get President Emmerson Mnangagwa to talk to the opposition.
Earlier this week, Ramaphosa’s special envoys — former South African vice president Baleka Mbete and ex-ministers Sydney Mufamadi and Ngoako Ramatlhodi — were in the country, where they met Mnangagwa over Zimbabwe’s myriad crises.
Yesterday, South African minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Naledi Pandor, said Ramaphosa would again soon be dispatching his emissaries to Harare — this time for wider consultations with key stakeholders.
“We sent envoys there (to Zimbabwe) because there have been huge concerns about reports of abuse of human rights, imprisonment of opposition MPs and many other concerns which have been directed at the presidency and my department.
“We agreed that the president would appoint three envoys and they would visit Zimbabwe.
“We asked that they should meet the government, particularly … Mnangagwa, but also meet other stakeholders in the opposition, NGOs and so on,” Pandor told South African media yesterday.
“Unfortunately, they (special envoys) could not meet other stakeholders, but Zimbabwe has indicated its readiness to facilitate such a visit and we are in discussion with the president (Ramaphosa) about the envoys returning to Zimbabwe to have wider meetings and to be able to have face contact.
“So, we are not distressed by the fact that full expectations were not met in the first visit.
“My understanding is that the discussion was cordial and indeed the desire of … Ramaphosa is that there be meetings with individuals and organisations other than the (Zimbabwean) government. This was communicated by the envoys,” Pandor further said.
She also emphasised that South Africa would continue to engage all stakeholders in Zimbabwe so that the crises in the country could be resolved.
“This is something that we must continue to work at because, as I say, the situation of Zimbabwe impacts on South Africa and South Africa has to … resolve the problems there in order to address our own situation and focus on the challenges of South Africa,” she added.
Following the meeting with Mnangagwa on Monday, Mufamadi revealed that the envoys had discussed with him the country’s situation, as well as the possible solutions to its problems — adding that the finer details of the meeting would be made available later.
“Myself and two of my colleagues, Ms Baleka Mbete and Advocate Ngoako Ramatlhodi, we came here as envoys of the president of the Republic of South Africa.
“We had an exchange with his counterpart. In other words we listened to the rhythm of the situation and what is being done and the intentions to do extra things and so on.
“I know you will not ask us to report to our president through the media. We will be reporting to the president (Ramaphosa) who will then interact with the public, in part through you, in due course,” Mufamadi said.
But the MDC Alliance claimed that Mnangagwa had blocked the envoys from meeting with them, despite an earlier commitment to do so.
Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said they had been formally requested to attend a meeting with the special envoys, but were surprised after being advised that the emissaries had departed without engaging with them.
“We can only assume that the failure to meet the MDC Alliance delegation was as a result of demands made by the Zanu PF delegation.
“We reiterate that Zimbabwe is in a state of crisis that has been characterised by a de facto state of emergency, a crackdown on citizens, abductions, arbitrary arrests of government critics and the political persecution of journalists,” Mahere said.
However, South Africa’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Phakama Mbete, later refuted the claims that the special envoys had snubbed the country’s opposition and civil society organisations.
Mbete told the Daily News that while the envoys had come to Zimbabwe with an open mind of engaging with other key local actors if the opportunity presented itself, their main mission on this visit was to meet with Mnangagwa.
“The special envoys came to meet … Emmerson Mnangagwa and they were also open to meeting any other key actors, including members of the opposition and civil society if the opportunity presented itself.
“In this case, however, they met with the head of state of Zimbabwe and decided to go back to South Africa and brief … Ramaphosa on their meeting.
“Their wish is to meet with other key actors in Zimbabwe and if an opportunity presents itself they will come back and meet them in future,” Mbete told the Daily News.
The appointment of the envoys came after Zimbabwean authorities were accused of gross human rights violations — following the government’s heavy deployment of police and soldiers ahead of the foiled July 31 mass protests.
Rights groups have also said dozens of opposition figures and activists have been tortured and assaulted in a retributive exercise by suspected security agents.
On its part, the government has refuted the allegations — claiming instead that the opposition is allegedly working with foreigners to destabilise the country.
BREAKING: Mnangagwa has cancelled his national address in response to the Catholic Bishops &relegated the role to Justice Minister Ziyambi. Govt Spokesman @nickmangwana said,"I have … been advised that the Minister of Justice will now deliver the comprehensive statement."
ZANU PF’s acting spokesperson, Patrick Chinamasa has maintained on his rant and rave course towards the United States of America government telling the North American country to stop acting like Zimbabwe’s ‘prefect.’
Speaking on ZiFM last night, Chinamasa highlighted that the US has no right whatsoever to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe as all countries are equal.
“All countries are equal, no country should act as a prefect of the other. The USA has no right to impose sanctions on anyone, this is reflective of their quest to see us submit to their will in the guise of human rights reforms.
“When we decide to make reforms, they will be for Zimbabweans to enjoy not Americans. If we decide to make adjustments to POSA it will be for Zimbabweans to enjoy, so why does America persuade us into reforms from which they will not benefit from?” queried Chinamasa.
This comes weeks after the former finance minister labelled the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols, a ‘thug.’
In his interview, Chinamasa indicated that he does not regret those utterances neither will they affect re-engagement efforts the Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government has embarked on.
“I was only being honest, engagement is neither capitulation nor appeasement, us wanting to re-engage does not mean we should not tell each other the truth. The moment we stop addressing our grievances yielding to whatever the US says in the name of re-engagement we would have lost our sovereignty,” said Chinamasa.
Below is the full judgement of matter where the State was seeking the disqualification of Ms Mtetwa from handling the Chinóno case on the basis that she had abdicated her role as an officer of the CourtsCRB No. Acc..77/2020
In the Regional Court for the Eastern Division
Held at Harare
In the Matter Between
The State
And
Hopewell Chin’ono The Accused
RULING: APPLICATION FOR DISQUALIFICATION OF OPPOSING COUNSEL
The accused duly represented, reappeared before the court on 13th August 2020. He was pursuing his admission to bail pending trial on the allegations he is facing. The allegations have been restated over a number of times. A history of the matter is necessary.
On the 22nd of July 2020 accused had his initial appearance before this court. His placement on remand was not opposed. He promptly applied for bail pending trial. After three days of submissions and mainly cross examination of two state witnesses the application for bail was not granted. That was on the 24th of July 2020. Exercising his right of appeal, accused took the decision to the High Court. He appealed. The appeal failed. He has therefore reappeared for a bail rehearing. However, before his quest was heard, the state indicated that they had an advance issue which the state desired heard and decided first before the bail issue. The state’s concerns emanate from posts on a Face Book wall hoisted under the names of the Lead Counsel for the accused. I will restate the posts;
Where is the outrage from the International Community that Hopewell Chin’ono is being held as a political prisoner?
His life is in serious peril. Raise awareness about his unlawful imprisonment. Do not let him be forgotte. You or someone you love could be the next one abducted from your home and put in leg irons
SPEAK OUT
The state alleges these posts are attributable to the lead counsel herein one Beatrice Mtetwa to be precise and that as a result she must be debarred from appearing before the court as she has become personally involved so as to diminish her objectivity as an officer of the court. The defence or the lead counsel specifically denies anything to do with the posts and aver that even if it is so, accused’s right to a lawyer of his choice cannot be taken away so lightly and that the state has adopted the wrong procedure by bringing the contempt allegations before the victim to adjudicate. The above posts appear on the Wall or page styled Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of law. Further the state submits that the lead counsel was recently censored by the High Court when the bail application went on appeal. The state referred to a passage at page 15 in S v Hopewell Chin’ono HH519/2020. I will revert to this part latter.
The foremost issues for the court to decide are therefore the following;
Whether or not the posts scandalise the court, thereby being contemptuous
Whether or not the lead counsel should be held to the said posts
Whether or not the state has brought up contempt proceedings and if so have they acted properly
If (3) above is answered in the negative, what is the nature of the state’s application.
In order to answer the first question, the posts must be read objectively, and be ascribed the meaning which an objective man would upon reading the posts award them. These posts relate to real events of a trial involving the accused Hopewell Chin’ono who following his arrest has been appearing before this court and the High Court. It has been a very publicised appearance right from the arrest. It must be noted that when accused was arrested it is not in question that the first publication was from the stable of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights of that arrest. They styled the arrest an abduction. They sponsored the notion that accused’s whereabouts were not known following that abduction. That arrest and its management featured in the bail hearing before me. I will refer to it. It came out very clearly and was not disputed that a team of police officers led by D/S Mberi approached accused’s residence. It was a team comprised of uniformed and un uniformed police officers. In the process accused’s lawyer and co lawyer in these proceedings arrived at the scene and observed the arrest of the accused. The lawyer Mr Mtisi was then advised by the leader of the arresting team that accused was to be taken to Harare Central Police Station’s Law and Order Section for further management. Mr Mutisi followed to the station. Accused was detained thereat with the full knowledge of the lawyer.
I would define the term “arrest” as follows;
To seize (someone) by legal authority and take them into custody and in this context for the purposes of bringing him to court.
However, what came out of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights was that they championed the arrest of accused as an abduction. I understand abduction to mean the seizure of someone without any legal basis for some unlawful purposes. Its tantamount to a kidnapping.
So clearly we have a very experienced lawyer who comes out into the public domain to advise the world at large that Hopewell Chin’ono a journalist who is exposing corruption has been abducted in Zimbabwe by state agents. The lawyer does so at a time he is well informed of the factual and legal basis of that arrest. To demonstrate the mala fide conduct; when accused appeared in court neither his remand nor his arrest was challenged. The lawyers; quite a handful of them proceeded to apply for bail advising and assisting each other. This was done because the lawyers obviously believe in the lawfulness of the arrest and the subsequent remand proceedings. A person is placed on remand successfully if there is reasonable suspicion that an accused committed an offence alleged against him. The following cases detail on this requirement;
S v STOUYANNIDES 1992 (2) ZLR 126 (SC)
MUCHERO & ANOR v ATTORNEY-GENERAL 2000 (2) ZLR 286 (SC)
MARTIN v ATTORNEY-GENERAL & ANOR 1993 (1) ZLR 153 (SC)
Despite this the world was advised that accused was abducted. I have seen it fit to relate to this because it gives out clearly the context within which the post in question must be viewed and the attitude inherent in them. At that moment the lead counsel whose conduct the state want impugned comes to the fore.
The posts then clearly continue to portray that picture of a legal system and a court that is perpetuating the alleged abduction. The posts rebrand the accused to be a political prisoner and this court to be complicity in the dealing with the alleged now political prisoner. The world is being invited to outrage.
There is a letter which was authored by the lead counsel where the same sentiments are replete. This is not the only letter which the lead counsel wrote and forced the clerk to deliver personally to my attention. There is another which again bore the same sentiments. The first was written on the 24th of July 2020 and the second which found its way to the high court was authored on the 27th of July 2020. Both these letters characterise the court and the legal system in picture portrayed in the Face Book posts at Beatrice Mtetwa and the rule of law.
Clearly the posts demean the court severely. However, whether the contempt is in the face of the court or not in the face of the court, it is important that it should be borne in mind by courts themselves that the court should use its summary powers to punish for contempt sparingly. Courts should not display undue degree of sensitiveness about this matter of contempt and they must act with restraint on these occasions. However, it is the expectation of the very courts that those tasked with the prosecution of offences take action when conduct of contempt has become the modus of operation of a given individual.
Counsel submitted that the offence of scandalising the court is inconsistent with the protection of freedom of expression which is guaranteed by the Constitution. Given that freedom of expression is the lifeblood of democracy, this is an important issue. And there is no doubt that there is a tension between freedom of expression and the offence of scandalising the court or contempt of court. But the guarantee of freedom of expression is subject to qualification in respect of provision under any law. It is limited (1) “for the purpose of … maintaining the authority and independence of the courts” and (2) shown to be “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society”. The offence of scandalising the court exists in principle to protect the administration of justice. It must be recorded that proceedings on the offence of contempt of court are admittedly rare and it is recorded that in England none have been successfully brought for more than sixty years. But it is permissible to take into account that in younger democracies, the administration of justice is more vulnerable than in the United Kingdom. The need for the offence of scandalising the court in such young democracies is greater:
see Feldman, Civil Liberties and Human Rights, in England and Wales, 1993, 746-747;
Barendt,Freedom of Speech, 1985, 218-219.
Moreover, it must be borne in mind that the offence is narrowly defined. It does not extend to comment on the conduct of a court unrelated to its performance on
the bench. It exists solely to protect the administration of justice rather than the feelings of a court. There must be a real risk of undermining public confidence in the administration of justice. So a court which dealing with allegations of inciting public violence is publicised and portrayed as dealing with perceived political opponents and causing illegal detentions is clearly being held to extreme disrepute in the eyes of the public.
By their nature therefore the posts are indeed scandalising the court. The lead counsel premised her charge that this court must not be called to deal with the alleged contempt since it is the victim. Firstly that is not what the state has called the court to do. The case referred to in In re: CHINAMASA 2000 (2) ZLR 322 (SC) is different from this matter. In that the court issued a summons for Mr Chinamasa to appear because Mr Chinamasa was alleged to have disparaged the court in the press and he was the Attorney general; equivalent of today’s Prosecutor General. The court not have directed him to cause his own prosecution.
This is clearly a different issue from what is being pursued by the state in this application.
The state essentially is saying that the lead counsel is the author of the posts or is complicity in the authorship of the posts and by that conduct the lead counsel has shown that she is no longer detached from the case to continue appearing in it. That is my understanding of their prayer and position. She is now personally involved so as to lose the requisite objectivity of an officer of the court. That is the state’s application.
The lead counsel’s position is to deny that she is not the page handler and has nothing to do with scribblings on its wall. However, in the same breath it’s acknowledged that the face book page was opened when a documentary entitled Mtetwa and the Rule of law was being produced. That documentary was profiling the lead counsel and her alleged prowess in court in human rights related cases. In a nutshell lead counsel is aware of the existence of the page and approved its coming into being. The lead counsel called to the witness stand from the bar co-counsel to give evidence on what was claimed to have been a conversation between the counsel and Mr Mabhaudhi. The conversation, it was alleged was touching or referred to the incapacitation of lead counsel. The accused was also called to the witness stand and he gave evidence on how he knew the coming into existence of the page Mtetwa and the Rule of law. He told the court what has been captured above as the purpose of its existence.
On the other hand, the lead counsel’s position is that the prayer by the state is contrary to the constitutional framework in which criminal trials are held. It is only accused who has that right to expel his lawyer of choice and no one else. She upgrades the state’s claim to be an allegation of contempt of court against her and that the state should have proceeded by her prosecution rather than to seek to punish accused by disgorging his lawyer of choice from his case. It is further argued that the application by the state breaches her fundamental right to a fair trial by an independent court. She says this court is the one allegedly insulted and disparaged, hence unfit to preside over what she understands to be a contempt of court trial of herself. Clearly this later position is wrong. That is not the state’s prayer. The prayer by the state is as summarised above as far as I understood it. I will repeat it to put the matter straight; It is not a contempt of court trial or proceedings against the lead counsel. These are proceedings concerned with conduct alleged to be unbefitting of an impartial and objective lawyer which it is the duty of counsel to be as an officer of the court.
Defence Counsel like a public prosecutor has a mandate to present her case in the utmost diligent manner and within the confinements of the acceptable decorum of a legal process. He or she must not exhibit an attachment to the case which goes beyond the acceptable professionalism of a lawyer so as to be personally involved; or so as to appear to be serving multiple constituencies. See SMYTH v USHEWOKUNZE & ANOR 1997 (2) ZLR 544 (SC) whose flynote which correctly captures the court’s decision on the issue states that;
Legal practitioner – prosecutor – conduct and ethics – duty of impartiality and detachment – interdict against prosecutor who had demonstrated personal involvement, vindictiveness and bias
A legal practitioner’s first duty is to uphold and advance the interests of justice because he or she is an officer of the court. In this regard, a legal practitioner’s duty to the court is greater than their duty towards their clients, except as is regards their duty not to disclose the confidences of the client to the court. This can be achieved by acting impartially and making decisions dispassionately in court. Legal practitioners must be truthful, honest, candid and fair in all their dealings. This is an all-embracing and inflexible rule.
Above all, lawyers must not act in contempt of court by, for example, insulting a judge or magistrate. See R v Silber 1952 (2) SA 475 (A); R v Rosenstein 1943 TPD 65.
If a lawyer has fallen off the rails, and conduct herself as was the position in SMYTH v USHEWOKUNZE & ANOR(supra) he or she is disqualified from continuing to act in the matter. A legal practitioner’s interest in the matter he is in charge of should not be beyond his profession otherwise it becomes unethical. In Central African Building Construction Company (Pvt) Ltd v Construction Resources Africa (Pvt) Ltd HH112/10 the court held thus of such counsels;
“… He (a legal practitioner) has aligned himself so closely with his client’s case that this court can be forgiven for stating that he has displayed an interest in the case going beyond that of a legal practitioner
And continued,
….A legal practitioner’s duty is to protect the interests of his client and to give legal advice. It is not the function of the legal practitioner to then step into the shoes of the client and to perform acts that are materially related to the dispute before the court in an endeavour to buttress the case of his client…..It is important that a legal practitioner should at all time retain his independence in relation to his client and the litigation which is being conducted….
It Is not only in Zimbabwe where a court, in exercise of its inherent powers of supervision, may disqualify counsel found to be in conflict of interest with respect to a case before the court. In America In re Gopman, 531 F.2d 262, 266 (5th Cir. 1976); Estates Theatres, Inc. v. Columbia Pictures Indus., 345 F. Supp. 93, 95 n.l (S.D.N.Y. 1972) it was noted that the court can exercise such powers. It was further held that when opposing counsel is in a serious conflict of interest, it is clearly the duty of an attorney to move for disqualification. Some motions or applications to disqualify opposing counsel, however, may be nothing more than tactical devices to delay the proceedings or to remove opposing counsel, not because of the purported conflict of interest, but because opposing counsel is dangerously competent.
Therefore, position taken by the state is legally possible if it is supported by the facts of the case.
Is the wall hoisting the allegedly offensive posts related to the lead counsel?
The evidence called from Mr Chin’ono and in the submissions of counsel it is clear that the wall and lead counsel are not strangers to each other. They are actually bed mates. The documentary Beatrice Mtetwa and the rule of law face book page was created to market according to Mr Chin’ono the lead counsel’s prowess as a human rights defender. Obviously the lead counsel authorised and approved its coming into existence. In that breath she acceded to posts being made on it which posts are relevant to herself. She cannot be seen assuming that Lore Cornways is posting to say now this particular post has nothing to do with her. Because the posts are offensive to the very function of courts in which lead counsel appears, she was expected to have registered her disapproval of that with the said Lori Cornways. She cannot wash her hands like Pontias Pilate of the Bible. Lead Counsel’s position is almost on all fours with counsel in Charles Kwaramba vs The Honourable Justice Bhunu N.O Sc46/2012.
The applicant a lawyer was representing some 29 accused persons. He addressed a press conference from wherein he was allegedly quoted as uttering words imputing mal-conduct against the Honourable Judge. The Honourable Judge reprimanded the applicant in his judgment. The applicant took issue with the reprimand and went with it on review to the Supreme Court. It was held as follows;
Essentially the applicant’s complaint is that the learned Judge should not have severely reprimanded him for his conduct or misconduct. The applicant does not seem to appreciate what is expected of him as a legal practitioner and an officer of the court. On the applicant’s own account, the Daily News ascribed to him the remarks it published in its newspaper. The remarks ascribed to him do not only scandalise the learned Judge but were also made while the matter was sub judice. There is a time-honoured practice which has crystallised into law that prohibits the making of inappropriate statements on matters pending before the courts. I have no doubt in my mind that the statements ascribed to the applicant grossly transgressed the sub judice rule and clearly constitute contempt of court, in that they scandalise the court by ascribing to it political motivation in its judgment. The inescapable inference is that the remarks were made not only to bring the court into contempt in the eyes of the public but also in an attempt to influence the outcome of the bail application and consequently the course of justice. The applicant should consider himself lucky that he was not prosecuted for contempt of court.
Legal practitioners who show such blatant disrespect and contempt for the courts have no business appearing before the courts. In my view, serious consideration should be given to the introduction of more stringent measures to protect the dignity of the courts from being impaired by reckless utterances.
The Apex court then went on to find that Mr Kwaramba in the circumstances had a duty to denounce the publication and put the record straight if he had been misquoted. The same applies herein. Her failure to do so and seek to portray that she was unaware of that is mischievous. Even when she became aware she never addressed that part.
The lead counsel’s conduct is also seen in the letters she has written to the court. She has written two letters and caused these to be part of the record. The other one was commented on at the High Court. One was written on 24th July 2020 after submissions had closed in court. By that letter lead counsel made further submission on the application. It was not served on the state but went straight into the record. It was captioned;
“for the attention of magistrate NDUNA, Esq”
I will reproduce it;
“Given the informal nature of bail proceedings, our obligation to be of assistance to the court and the for the completeness of the record of proceedings, we correct the gross misrepresentation by the state that the Defence referred to the standard of proof required for an accused to be placed on remand and that the defence referred to this as being proof beyond reasonable doubt. As the application was not challenging placement on remand and related purely to the admission to bail, there was no reference to the standard of proof required for the placement on remand.
The only reference to the state bearing the onus of proof related to the provisions of Section 117(2) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act[Chapter 9:07] where we relied on Kwenda, J’s comments in Nguwaya vs The State HH 443/2020 at page 4 of the cyclostyled judgment where the Honourable Judge stated as follows; In the court a quo, the appellant was entitled to bail unless the state proved beyond reasonable doubt that one or more of the grounds listed in Section 117(2) existed justifying detention in custody”. We confirm that a copy of the judgment was handed in to the court for its convenience and that it is necessary that the court record reflect the correct information as opposed to the deliberate misrepresentation by the state. We therefore request that this clarification be placed on file.
Yours faithfully
(signed)
MTETWA
MTETWA & NYAMBIRAI
MR Mabhaudhi, Prosecutor General’s Office Rotten Row
A lawyer who is professionally seized with a case does not conduct the case with such desperation. This moment you are in court arguing the case, the next you are writing letters in bad taste and smuggling them into the record and the next you are posting on social media that the whole trial process is for political expediency and that an accused, your client, is a political prisoner and inviting the whole world to show its outrage. This case is reminiscent of SMYTH v USHEWOKUNZE & ANOR (ibid) where a public prosecutor failed the test for impartiality and detachment required of practitioner of law. The court held that when a prosecutor conducts himself thus, he should be relieved from taking part in the case. I see no valid differentiation with an accused’s legal practitioner.
I therefore make the following orders
That the application for disqualification of Ms Beatrice Mtetwa as a counsel participating in this matter is hereby granted as prayed for by the state
That the Prosecutor General consider institution of prosecution against Lead Counsel Beatrice Mtetwa for contempt of court emanating from disparaging contents of her letter of 27th July 2020 and the Face Books posts at Beatrice Mtetwa and the rule of law
That a copy this judgment be made available to the Law Society of Zimbabwe
The proceedings are postponed to an agreed date between the state and the other co counsels to enable accused to consider his legal representation in view of this ruling.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has given up on the ABSA Premiership title after his side’s defeat to Cape Town City.
Masawandana failed to reduce log leaders Kaizer Chiefs’ gap at the top to three points when they were beaten 3-2 by City, a setback which now gives Amakhosi the golden chance to open a nine point gap.
Speaking to SuperSport TV after the game, Mosimane conceded the title is now out of reach for the Brazilians.
“”We tried to win it for the third time but it’s not easy. If we don’t find it we fight for the Nedbank Cup, you can’t win everything. It’s just how the game goes, if its not going to be for us, its not going to be for us,” he said.
“We made mistakes, the third goal was the one that killed us, the game was still on we could come back that’s why we got the second.” Mosimane added.-Soccer 24
Harare magistrate Ngoni Nduna on Tuesday ruled that prominent lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa should stand down from representing freelance journalist-cum activist Hopewell Chin’ono and ordered the Prosecutor General to institute contempt of court proceedings against her.
The ruling followed an application by the State led by prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudhi to stop Mtetwa from representing Chin’ono after she posted matters which were before the court on her Facebook page.
Mtetwa is alleged to have posted on her Facebook page titled Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law saying: “Where is the outrage of the international community that Hopewell Chin’ono is being held as a political prisoner?
“His life is in serious peril. Raise awareness about his unlawful imprisonment. Do not let him be forgotten. You or someone you love could be the next one abducted from your home and put in leg irons. SPEAK OUT”.
But Mtetwa, who is representing Chin’ono in a case in which he is being charged with inciting public violence, argued that the allegations of contempt, stemming from a Facebook page being run using her name, did not have any legal basis.
She denied being the owner of the page and was backed by her client Chin’ono who said it belonged to a film documentary maker who is not based in Zimbabwe.
Nduna said he would take his decision to the Law Society for further management arguing that Mtetwa’s practising licence should be cancelled for ‘scandalising the court’.
Speaking to journalists after the ruling, Mtetwa said she would appeal against the court order.
“It is not a coincidence that an order just says I must be prosecuted. So clearly when that order is coming from the court there will be that chilling effect that young lawyers will be prosecuted and if you are young and 30 you cannot afford to be prosecuted. I am over 60 and am going to be prosecuted at the end of my career.
“The intention is to stop us defending a certain type of client.
“Obviously we are going to challenge the ruling because we don’t agree with it. It means the right to legal representation has been severely curtailed by the courts which are actually supposed to be supporting that right,” she said
Chin’ono, who has been in remanded after a number of attempts to have both the High Court and Magistrates Court grant him bail have so far failed, has since selected Advocate Taona Nyamakura to be his lead lawyer.
FC Barcelona have wielded the axe on coach Quique Setien, three days after the Baryen Munich fiasco.
“Quique Setién no longer first team coach.
The new coach will be announced in the coming days as part of a wide ranging restructuring of the first team,” announced the club via a statement.-Soccer 24
Prince Dube has officially been unveiled at Tanzanian side Azam FC after passing his medical on Monday.
The club announced in a statement, saying:
“Zimbabwe’s international striker, Prince Dube, has passed medical tests ready to join Azam FC ahead of the next season.”
Dube is joining the club on a three-year-contract after leaving Highlanders FC, less than six months before the expiry of his contract.
He will play along with former Bosso team-mate Bruce Kangwa and midfielder Never Tigere who moved to the side in January this year-Soccer 24
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has published results of its foreign currency auction with the Zimbabwean dollar maintaining its value from last week.
The Zimbabwe Football Association says it’s yet to come up with a way forward on the return of football in the country after the initial plans were affected by the lockdown extension last month.
The association, together with the Premier Soccer League, had agreed to start the 2020 season around the August/September period, but the government upheld the restrictions following a surge in coronavirus cases in the country.
Replying to a question by a football fan on Twitter, Zifa said they are still consulting other stakeholders on the safe return of football.
“The return date of football competitions has not been determined yet,” the association responded.
“ZIFA is consulting stakeholders with the help of health, safety and security experts on the best way to play again.
“If it’s safe, a proposal will be presented to the government for clearance.”
The 2020 season was supposed to kick-off at the end of April but failed after the Castle Lager Challenge Cup, featured between the league champions and the Chibuku Super Cup winners, which serves as curtain-raiser to the campaign.-Soccer 24
Consuming a healthy diet throughout the life-course helps to prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and conditions.
However, increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns.
People are now consuming more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many people do not eat enough fruit, vegetables and other dietary fibre such as whole grains.
The exact make-up of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics (e.g. age, gender, lifestyle and degree of physical activity), cultural context, locally available foods and dietary customs.
However, the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same.
For adults
A healthy diet includes the following:
Fruit, vegetables, legumes (e.g. lentils and beans), nuts and whole grains (e.g. unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat and brown rice).
At least 400 g (i.e. five portions) of fruit and vegetables per day (2) , excluding potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava and other starchy roots.
Less than 10% of total energy intake from free sugars (2, 7) , which is equivalent to 50 g (or about 12 level teaspoons) for a person of healthy body weight consuming about 2000 calories per day, but ideally is less than 5% of total energy intake for additional health benefits (7) . Free sugars are all sugars added to foods or drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, as well as sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.
Less than 30% of total energy intake from fats (1, 2, 3) . Unsaturated fats (found in fish, avocado and nuts, and in sunflower, soybean, canola and olive oils) are preferable to saturated fats (found in fatty meat, butter, palm and coconut oil, cream, cheese, ghee and lard) and trans-
fats of all kinds, including both industrially-produced trans- fats (found in baked and fried foods, and pre-packaged snacks and foods, such as frozen pizza, pies, cookies, biscuits, wafers, and cooking oils and spreads) and ruminant trans- fats (found in meat and dairy foods from ruminant animals, such as cows, sheep, goats and camels).
It is suggested that the intake of saturated fats be reduced to less than 10% of total energy intake and
trans- fats to less than 1% of total energy intake (5) . In particular, industrially-produced trans -fats are not part of a healthy diet and should be avoided (4, 6) .
Less than 5 g of salt (equivalent to about one teaspoon) per day (8).
Salt should be iodized.
For infants and young children
In the first 2 years of a child’s life, optimal nutrition fosters healthy growth and improves cognitive development. It also reduces the risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing NCDs later in life.
Advice on a healthy diet for infants and children is similar to that for adults, but the following elements are also important:
Infants should be breastfed exclusively during the first 6 months of life.
Infants should be breastfed continuously until 2 years of age and beyond.
From 6 months of age, breast milk should be complemented with a variety of adequate, safe and nutrient-dense foods. Salt and sugars should not be added to complementary foods.
Practical advice on maintaining a healthy diet
Fruit and vegetables
Eating at least 400 g, or five portions, of fruit and vegetables per day reduces the risk of NCDs (2) and helps to ensure an adequate daily intake of dietary fibre.
Fruit and vegetable intake can be improved by:
always including vegetables in meals;
eating fresh fruit and raw vegetables as snacks;
eating fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season; and
eating a variety of fruit and vegetables.
Fats
Reducing the amount of total fat intake to less than 30% of total energy intake helps to prevent unhealthy weight gain in the adult population (1, 2, 3) .
Also, the risk of developing NCDs is lowered by:
reducing saturated fats to less than 10% of total energy intake;
reducing trans -fats to less than 1% of total energy intake; and
replacing both saturated fats and
trans- fats with unsaturated fats (2, 3) – in particular, with polyunsaturated fats.
Fat intake, especially saturated fat and industrially-produced trans- fat intake, can be reduced by:
steaming or boiling instead of frying when cooking;
replacing butter, lard and ghee with oils rich in polyunsaturated fats, such as soybean, canola (rapeseed), corn, safflower and sunflower oils;
eating reduced-fat dairy foods and lean meats, or trimming visible fat from meat; and
limiting the consumption of baked and fried foods, and pre-packaged snacks and foods (e.g. doughnuts, cakes, pies, cookies, biscuits and wafers) that contain industrially-produced trans- fats.
Salt, sodium and potassium
Most people consume too much sodium through salt (corresponding to consuming an average of 9–12 g of salt per day) and not enough potassium (less than 3.5 g). High sodium intake and insufficient potassium intake contribute to high blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease and stroke (8, 11) .
Reducing salt intake to the recommended level of less than 5 g per day could prevent 1.7 million deaths each year (12) .
People are often unaware of the amount of salt they consume. In many countries, most salt comes from processed foods (e.g. ready meals; processed meats such as bacon, ham and salami; cheese; and salty snacks) or from foods consumed frequently in large amounts (e.g. bread). Salt is also added to foods during cooking (e.g. bouillon, stock cubes, soy sauce and fish sauce) or at the point of consumption (e.g. table salt).
Salt intake can be reduced by:
limiting the amount of salt and high-sodium condiments (e.g. soy sauce, fish sauce and bouillon) when cooking and preparing foods;
not having salt or high-sodium sauces on the table;
limiting the consumption of salty snacks; and
choosing products with lower sodium content.
Some food manufacturers are reformulating recipes to reduce the sodium content of their products, and people should be encouraged to check nutrition labels to see how much sodium is in a product before purchasing or consuming it.
Potassium can mitigate the negative effects of elevated sodium consumption on blood pressure. Intake of potassium can be increased by consuming fresh fruit and vegetables.
Sugars
In both adults and children, the intake of free sugars should be reduced to less than 10% of total energy intake (2, 7) . A reduction to less than 5% of total energy intake would provide additional health benefits (7) .
Consuming free sugars increases the risk of dental caries (tooth decay).
Excess calories from foods and drinks high in free sugars also contribute to unhealthy weight gain, which can lead to overweight and obesity. Recent evidence also shows that free sugars influence blood pressure and serum lipids, and suggests that a reduction in free sugars intake reduces risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (13) .
Sugars intake can be reduced by:
limiting the consumption of foods and drinks containing high amounts of sugars, such as sugary snacks, candies and sugar-sweetened beverages (i.e. all types of beverages containing free sugars – these include carbonated or non‐carbonated soft drinks, fruit or vegetable juices and drinks, liquid and powder concentrates, flavoured water, energy and sports drinks, ready‐to‐drink tea, ready‐to‐drink coffee and flavoured milk drinks); and
eating fresh fruit and raw vegetables as snacks instead of sugary snacks.
Credit:WHO
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information follow /like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
Farai Dziva| Microblogging site has permanently blocked the account of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services over hate language.
Twitter cited multiple violations of the company’s policies.
Twitter noted that the Ministry ignored repeated warnings.
According to Techunzipped, as a result of the ban, the Ministry of Information has now opened a new account called
@InformationZim .
Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has been roundly criticized for her diatribe against Catholic Bishops.
Farai Dziva|The MDC-Alliance has called for the immediate intervention of SADC in the political crisis in Zimbabwe.
Below is the MDC -Alliance statement :
17 August 2020
ZIMBABWE’S POLITICAL CRISIS DESERVES SADC ATTENTION
We note that the Communique of the just ended 40th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government has omitted the deteriorating governance and legitimacy crisis in Zimbabwe.
Whereas the Communique has taken note of the security situations in some countries including Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo, we urge regional leaders to equally pay attention to the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe.
Under the cover of COVID-19, the Government of Zimbabwe has intensified its crackdown on human rights defenders including journalists, lawyers, labor unions, civic society, the church and the opposition for exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
In response to citizen discontent owing to grand state corruption and plummeting socio-economic standards.
The political elite has abused state institutions to carry out systematic abductions, torture, extra-judicial killings and unlawful arrests. In the short period before and after the July 31 2020 peaceful citizen protests, we have recorded at least 146 cases of human rights violations against our members including 38 abductions.
The situation, coupled with the lack of cohesion in government now pose a serious threat to peace and security in Zimbabwe and the SADC region in general.
We reiterate that genuine inclusive national dialogue to agree on a comprehensive reform age. and platform through an agreed neutral facilitator supported by SADC.
The African Union and the international community at large remains the only plausible route to extricate Zimbabwe out of its current state.
We urge SADC to urgently intervene in Zimbabwe in line with the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security in order to maintain regional peace and security.
Farai Dziva|Outspoken cleric, Bishop Ancelimo Magaya has urged the nation to pray for the protection of Archbishop Richard Ndlovu following the pastoral letter he wrote citing gross violation of human rights by Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.
See Bishop Magaya’s statement :
The ferocity with which Mutsvangwa read government’s response to ZCBC pastoral letter is one of guilty.
The deliberate and desperate attempt to isolate Bishop Ndlovu from the Catholic Church is fore-boarding and therefore worrying.
I pray that God protects him from the anger of a wounded lion.
Some non God fearing kings of Israel responded in the same way to the prophets that spoke Gods mind.
To Bishop Ndlovu, be strengthened in the inner man with might through the Holy Spirit.
Consuming a healthy diet throughout the life-course helps to prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and conditions.
However, increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns.
People are now consuming more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many people do not eat enough fruit, vegetables and other dietary fibre such as whole grains.
The exact make-up of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics (e.g. age, gender, lifestyle and degree of physical activity), cultural context, locally available foods and dietary customs.
However, the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same.
For adults
A healthy diet includes the following:
Fruit, vegetables, legumes (e.g. lentils and beans), nuts and whole grains (e.g. unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat and brown rice).
At least 400 g (i.e. five portions) of fruit and vegetables per day (2) , excluding potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava and other starchy roots.
Less than 10% of total energy intake from free sugars (2, 7) , which is equivalent to 50 g (or about 12 level teaspoons) for a person of healthy body weight consuming about 2000 calories per day, but ideally is less than 5% of total energy intake for additional health benefits (7) . Free sugars are all sugars added to foods or drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, as well as sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.
Less than 30% of total energy intake from fats (1, 2, 3) . Unsaturated fats (found in fish, avocado and nuts, and in sunflower, soybean, canola and olive oils) are preferable to saturated fats (found in fatty meat, butter, palm and coconut oil, cream, cheese, ghee and lard) and trans-
fats of all kinds, including both industrially-produced trans- fats (found in baked and fried foods, and pre-packaged snacks and foods, such as frozen pizza, pies, cookies, biscuits, wafers, and cooking oils and spreads) and ruminant trans- fats (found in meat and dairy foods from ruminant animals, such as cows, sheep, goats and camels).
It is suggested that the intake of saturated fats be reduced to less than 10% of total energy intake and
trans- fats to less than 1% of total energy intake (5) . In particular, industrially-produced trans -fats are not part of a healthy diet and should be avoided (4, 6) .
Less than 5 g of salt (equivalent to about one teaspoon) per day (8).
Salt should be iodized.
For infants and young children
In the first 2 years of a child’s life, optimal nutrition fosters healthy growth and improves cognitive development. It also reduces the risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing NCDs later in life.
Advice on a healthy diet for infants and children is similar to that for adults, but the following elements are also important:
Infants should be breastfed exclusively during the first 6 months of life.
Infants should be breastfed continuously until 2 years of age and beyond.
From 6 months of age, breast milk should be complemented with a variety of adequate, safe and nutrient-dense foods. Salt and sugars should not be added to complementary foods.
Practical advice on maintaining a healthy diet
Fruit and vegetables
Eating at least 400 g, or five portions, of fruit and vegetables per day reduces the risk of NCDs (2) and helps to ensure an adequate daily intake of dietary fibre.
Fruit and vegetable intake can be improved by:
always including vegetables in meals;
eating fresh fruit and raw vegetables as snacks;
eating fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season; and
eating a variety of fruit and vegetables.
Fats
Reducing the amount of total fat intake to less than 30% of total energy intake helps to prevent unhealthy weight gain in the adult population (1, 2, 3) .
Also, the risk of developing NCDs is lowered by:
reducing saturated fats to less than 10% of total energy intake;
reducing trans -fats to less than 1% of total energy intake; and
replacing both saturated fats and
trans- fats with unsaturated fats (2, 3) – in particular, with polyunsaturated fats.
Fat intake, especially saturated fat and industrially-produced trans- fat intake, can be reduced by:
steaming or boiling instead of frying when cooking;
replacing butter, lard and ghee with oils rich in polyunsaturated fats, such as soybean, canola (rapeseed), corn, safflower and sunflower oils;
eating reduced-fat dairy foods and lean meats, or trimming visible fat from meat; and
limiting the consumption of baked and fried foods, and pre-packaged snacks and foods (e.g. doughnuts, cakes, pies, cookies, biscuits and wafers) that contain industrially-produced trans- fats.
Salt, sodium and potassium
Most people consume too much sodium through salt (corresponding to consuming an average of 9–12 g of salt per day) and not enough potassium (less than 3.5 g). High sodium intake and insufficient potassium intake contribute to high blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease and stroke (8, 11) .
Reducing salt intake to the recommended level of less than 5 g per day could prevent 1.7 million deaths each year (12) .
People are often unaware of the amount of salt they consume. In many countries, most salt comes from processed foods (e.g. ready meals; processed meats such as bacon, ham and salami; cheese; and salty snacks) or from foods consumed frequently in large amounts (e.g. bread). Salt is also added to foods during cooking (e.g. bouillon, stock cubes, soy sauce and fish sauce) or at the point of consumption (e.g. table salt).
Salt intake can be reduced by:
limiting the amount of salt and high-sodium condiments (e.g. soy sauce, fish sauce and bouillon) when cooking and preparing foods;
not having salt or high-sodium sauces on the table;
limiting the consumption of salty snacks; and
choosing products with lower sodium content.
Some food manufacturers are reformulating recipes to reduce the sodium content of their products, and people should be encouraged to check nutrition labels to see how much sodium is in a product before purchasing or consuming it.
Potassium can mitigate the negative effects of elevated sodium consumption on blood pressure. Intake of potassium can be increased by consuming fresh fruit and vegetables.
Sugars
In both adults and children, the intake of free sugars should be reduced to less than 10% of total energy intake (2, 7) . A reduction to less than 5% of total energy intake would provide additional health benefits (7) .
Consuming free sugars increases the risk of dental caries (tooth decay).
Excess calories from foods and drinks high in free sugars also contribute to unhealthy weight gain, which can lead to overweight and obesity. Recent evidence also shows that free sugars influence blood pressure and serum lipids, and suggests that a reduction in free sugars intake reduces risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (13) .
Sugars intake can be reduced by:
limiting the consumption of foods and drinks containing high amounts of sugars, such as sugary snacks, candies and sugar-sweetened beverages (i.e. all types of beverages containing free sugars – these include carbonated or non‐carbonated soft drinks, fruit or vegetable juices and drinks, liquid and powder concentrates, flavoured water, energy and sports drinks, ready‐to‐drink tea, ready‐to‐drink coffee and flavoured milk drinks); and
eating fresh fruit and raw vegetables as snacks instead of sugary snacks.
Credit:WHO
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information follow /like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
ZIMBABWE’S POLITICAL CRISIS DESERVES SADC ATTENTION
We note that the Communique of the just ended 40th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government has omitted the deteriorating governance and legitimacy crisis in Zimbabwe.
Whereas the Communique has taken note of the security situations in some countries including Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo, we urge regional leaders to equally pay attention to the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe.
Under the cover of COVID-19, the Government of Zimbabwe has intensified its crackdown on human rights defenders including journalists, lawyers, labor unions, civic society, the church and the opposition for exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
In response to citizen discontent owing to grand state corruption and plummeting socio-economic standards.
The political elite has abused state institutions to carry out systematic abductions, torture, extra-judicial killings and unlawful arrests. In the short period before and after the July 31 2020 peaceful citizen protests, we have recorded at least 146 cases of human rights violations against our members including 38 abductions.
The situation, coupled with the lack of cohesion in government now pose a serious threat to peace and security in Zimbabwe and the SADC region in general.
We reiterate that genuine inclusive national dialogue to agree on a comprehensive reform age. and platform through an agreed neutral facilitator supported by SADC.
The African Union and the international community at large remains the only plausible route to extricate Zimbabwe out of its current state.
We urge SADC to urgently intervene in Zimbabwe in line with the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security in order to maintain regional peace and security.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) notes with disappointment the Communique from the 40th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government’s failure to discuss the political crisis unfolding in Zimbabwe and other hotspots in the region.
Whilst the world and other progressive countries like South Africa and the African Union have acknowledged that there is a political crisis in Zimbabwe and thus expressed concern over the abuse of human rights, we are therefore worried about SADC turning a blind eye as the situation continues to deteriorate in Zimbabwe posing a risk to regional security and integration.
We also wish to express our disappointment by the Summit’s failure to come up with concrete interventions to deal with the insurgency in Mozambique, Madagascar and Eswatini.
We, however, still hold the view that SADC and other regional partners have a role to play in the Zimbabwe crisis and thus, the Coalition will, in the next few days be engaging the Botswana President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi the incoming Chairperson of the SADC Troika to convene a special Troika on Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Madagascar and Eswatini.
Above all, we recommend that the South African special envoy be expanded to include SADC and meet all relevant stakeholders including civil society.
We will continue urging SADC to support the efforts of President Ramaphosa and his envoy in their quest to finding lasting solutions to the crisis in Zimbabwe.
We, therefore, reiterate that the national dialogue process must involve all stakeholders and a national visioning process that has civil society, government, political parties, business, religious groups and labour unions among other critical stakeholders.
The dialogue process should produce a timed roadmap to the demilitarisation of civilian political processes and the restoration of normalcy by focusing on key political, economic and social reforms.
In this regard, we call for FULL CONSULTATION of all stakeholders rather than cosmetic processes.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) has issued a statement the Communique from the 40th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government saying the failure of the regional body’s leadership to discuss the Zimbabwean crisis was concerning.
The organisation further proposed ways to resolve the crisis.
We present the statement in full below.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) notes with disappointment the Communique from the 40th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government’s failure to discuss the political crisis unfolding in Zimbabwe and other hotspots in the region.
Whilst the world and other progressive countries like South Africa and the African Union have acknowledged that there is a political crisis in Zimbabwe and thus expressed concern over the abuse of human rights, we are therefore worried about SADC turning a blind eye as the situation continues to deteriorate in Zimbabwe posing a risk to regional security and integration.
We also wish to express our disappointment by the Summit’s failure to come up with concrete interventions to deal with the insurgency in Mozambique, Madagascar and Eswatini.
We, however, still hold the view that SADC and other regional partners have a role to play in the Zimbabwe crisis and thus, the Coalition will, in the next few days be engaging the Botswana President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi the incoming Chairperson of the SADC Troika to convene a special Troika on Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Madagascar and Eswatini. Above all, we recommend that the South African special envoy be expanded to include SADC and meet all relevant stakeholders including civil society.
We will continue urging SADC to support the efforts of President Ramaphosa and his envoy in their quest to finding lasting solutions to the crisis in Zimbabwe.
We, therefore, reiterate that the national dialogue process must involve all stakeholders and a national visioning process that has civil society, government, political parties, business, religious groups and labour unions among other critical stakeholders.
The dialogue process should produce a timed roadmap to the demilitarisation of civilian political processes and the restoration of normalcy by focusing on key political, economic and social reforms.
In this regard, we call for FULL CONSULTATION of all stakeholders rather than cosmetic processes.
The right of an accused person to be represented by a lawyer of choice is one of the most fundamental rights in a democratic society. I believe the court's decision to bar Beatrice Mtetwa from representing Hopewell will not survive an urgent review by the High Court.
A pastoral letter to the churches and the people of Zimbabwe
Let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24)
To the churches and people of Zimbabwe,
Grace and peace from the God of life and the Lord Jesus Christ
Christian greetings from the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and the World Methodist Council.
We have heard the laments of our sisters and brothers in your country and we are deeply concerned about the circumstances by which you are afflicted.
We express our solidarity with all the people of Zimbabwe yearning for the realization of their human rights, for justice, and for physical and economic security in their communities.
We have heard of the deteriorating conditions for women, children, young people and men whose lives and livelihoods are facing increasingly serious threats each day, with approximately half of the entire population facing hunger, staggering unemployment rates, corruption and insecurity, the country is crying out for effective accompaniment.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the economic challenges and seriously affected the already fragile public health and education systems.
The ongoing medical doctor’s strike has caused millions of Zimbabweans – including children and pregnant women – to have no access to essential medical care.
While we understand the gravity of the challenges posed by the pandemic, we also recognize that the root causes of corruption and the longstanding failure to protect human rights lie in failed governance structures.
We condemn the increasing use of force, violence and intimidation against people protesting these failures, targeting particularly those deemed to oppose the current government.
We are particularly concerned about the mistreatment of political activists and other advocates for human rights.
We strongly condemn the sexual abuse and violence against women activists. We find the incarceration of journalists and political leaders unacceptable.
We are encouraged by the ongoing ministry of churches in Zimbabwe to serve the most vulnerable and call on you to keep remembering the ‘least of these’ even as you remain steadfast in your hope in Christ Jesus.
May your voice continue to be raised on behalf of the most vulnerable.
We believe that the God of life calls us into action for justice for the oppressed.
We pledge our solidarity with you as we lift up your cries for justice, dignity, and protection of their human rights.
We shall continue to advocate together with our member churches for this cause.
Sisters and brothers, we assure you of the continued prayers of the global Christian family.
Hold steadfast to the faith that we share, which binds us together in Christian unity, and compels us to seek justice and work for peace.
In solidarity,
Rev. Prof. Dr loan Sauca, WCC Interim General Secretary
A Harare court has dismissed the application of popular Harare-based lawyer advocate Thabani Mpofu which sought the revocation of further placement on remand.
Mpofu had argued, through his lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, that the facts relied upon by the State did not constitute a reasonable suspicion that the alleged offences were committed
It is the state’s case that Mpofu corruptly concealed a transaction from a principal and defeated or obstructed the course of justice on two counts after representing “a non-existent” person who was challenging President Mnangagwa’s appointment of prosecutor-general Kumbirai Hodzi.
Meanwhile, the “fictitious man,” Simbarashe Zuze, behind the arrest of Advocate Thabani Mpofu and another lawyer, Tapiwa Makanza recently came out to prove his existence.
Mpofu was arrested in June, charged with “defeating or obstructing the course of justice,” and was released on a ZWL$20 000 bail.
He has since June 2 this year been on remand out of custody and is scheduled to return to court on 21 August 2020 at 9.00 am for his trial.
Mpofu who became more popular in 2018 after representing Nelson Chamisa who was challenging the outcome of the Presidential election which he said had been manipulated in favour of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
MDC Alliance Masvingo City Councillor Godfrey Kurauone
Farai Dziva|The trial of detained MDC Alliance Youth Assembly organizer and Masvingo Urban councillor for ward 4, Godfrey Kurauone has been postponed to September 1.
Kurauone is facing three charges- criminal nuisance, undermining the authority of the President and obstruction of traffic respectively.
” Yes, the trial of Councillor Kurauone has been postponed to 1 September.
However, he will also appear in court on the 25th August facing another charge,” an MDC Alliance official said.
By A Correspondent- The officer in charge of Shamva Support Unit training camp, Inspector Machaye was taken an ambulance Saturday night after a suspected COVID-19 attack.
The development comes as 300 police officers who are on quarantine at Shamva battle camp who reportedly were waiting for their Covid 19 results defied being locked at the battle camp.
Almost three quarters left the battle camp on Friday to withdraw their salaries. The police officers are arguing that they can’t be quarantined by ZRP that is failing to provide them with masks and sanitizers.
“This is a serious issue concerning the spread of Covid 19 in Zimbabwe, a source told ZimEye.
They continued:
“Both the community and the police officers themselves are not safe. Our government doesn’t care.”
It has also emerged that 300 officers taken from different departments and various districts and are supposed to be undergoing Support Unit training. However, ZimEye has been reliably informed that two of them have since tested positive to Covid-19 because when they went for training.
One source said:
There is fear of a serious Covid-19 outbreak at Shamva police camp. The remaining police officers have been tested but for two weeks now the results are still to come.
Why is the government keeping a gathering of police officers at Shamva yet it’s banning gatherings all over the country?
There is no shortage of Support unit officers who are struggling to get accommodation and most of them spend the whole month playing football and doing guard duties.
Those poor souls are exposed to Covid-19 and they will pass it on to the public.”
This is a developing story. More details to follow…
A microblogging site, Twitter, on Monday permanently blocked the account of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services over alleged multiple violations of the company’s hateful conduct policy.
Without specifying the actions which warranted the blocking Twitter noted that the account was permanently banned after the Ministry ignored “previously received repeated warnings for similar violations,” specifically of rules “prohibiting participating in or inciting targeted abuse of individuals.”
Permanent bans on Twitter were born out of the company’s ongoing effort to tame the unruly masses of anonymous tormentors whose threats and ugly commentary have long been a major liability for the social platform.
Techunzipped reports that as a result of the ban, the Ministry of Information has now opened a new account called @InformationZim.
This comes after the Minister of Information, Senator Mutsvangwa recently stormed controversy after her attack on Catholic Archbishop Richard Christopher Ndlovu over his pastoral letter that criticised bad governance in the country.
By A Correspondent- A Gweru man axed his wife to death and then killed himself following a domestic dispute over alleged infidelity.
Pride Hove (30) of Hertfordshire low-density suburb in Gweru struck his wife, Patience Matura (22) with an axe on the neck and went on to hang himself from roof trusses.
The incident occurred on Tuesday last week at about 4 AM after Hove stumbled on a love message in his wife’s phone from another man.
Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko confirmed the incident. He said:
I can confirm that we are investigating a murder case where a 30-year-old male adult killed his wife following a domestic disputing emanating from suspected infidelity.
It is suspected that Hove saw a message in his wife Matura’s phone and accused her of having an affair. The two had a misunderstanding but were refrained by a neighbour.
When the neighbour left, it is suspected that Hove struck Matura with an axe on the neck before committing suicide by hanging.
Their bodies were discovered in the afternoon by their landlord who had just returned from Masvingo.
He noticed that Hove’s body was hanging from the trusses while his wife’s body was lying on the ground in a pool of blood.
The matter was reported to the police and the two bodies were taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital mortuary, Insp Goko added.
The officer in charge of Shamva Support Unit training camp, Inspector Machaye was taken an ambulance Saturday night after a suspected COVID-19 attack.
The development comes as 300 police officers who are on quarantine at Shamva battle camp awaiting Covid 19 results defied being locked at the battle camp.
Almost three quarters left the battle camp on Friday to withdraw their salaries. The police officers are arguing that they can’t be quarantined by ZRP that is failing to provide them with masks and sanitizers.
This is a serious issue concerning the spread of Covid 19 in Zimbabwe, a source told ZimEye.
They continued, “Both the community and the police officers themselves are not safe. “Our government doesn’t care.”
It has also emerged, of 300 officers taken from different departments and various districts and are supposed to be undergoing Support Unit training: Two of them have since tested positive to Covid because when they went for training – they had been tested and awaiting results. One source said: There is fear of a serious Covid outbreak at Shamva.
The remaining police officers have been tested but for two weeks now the results are still to come. Why is the government keeping a gathering of police officers at Shamva yet it’s banning gatherings all over the country?
There is no shortage of Support unit officers who are struggling to get accommodation and most of them spend the whole month playing football and doing guard duties.
Those poor souls are exposed to Covid and they will pass it on to the public.
Harare Magistrate Ngoni Nduna removes and bans Beatrice Mtetwa from representing freelance journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.
He has also ordered that Prosecutor General institute contempt of court proceedings against her and for Law Society of Zimbabwe to be provided with copy of his judgement so that they can withdraw her license.
Chin’ono has now selected Advocate Taona Nyamakura to be his lead lawyer.
BREAKING Magistrate Ngoni Nduna rules that lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa stands down from representing journalist Hopewell Chin'ono and directs that the Law Society of Zimbabwe should cancel her licence for "scandalising the court". #ZimbabweansLivesMatter
By A Correspondent- Harare Magistrate Ngoni Nduna today removed and banned Beatrice Mtetwa from representing freelance journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.
He has also ordered that the Prosecutor General institute contempt of court proceedings against her.
Magistrate Nduna instructed that the Law Society of Zimbabwe be provided with copy of his judgement so that they can withdraw advocate Mtetwa’s practising license.
Chin’ono selected Advocate Taona Nyamakura to be his lead lawyer.
This is a developing story. More details tto follow…
Harare Magistrate Ngoni Nduna removes and bans Beatrice Mtetwa from representing freelance journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.
He has also ordered that Prosecutor General institute contempt of court proceedings against her and for Law Society of Zimbabwe to be provided with copy of his judgement so that they can withdraw her license.
Chin’ono has now selected Advocate Taona Nyamakura to be his lead lawyer.
Harare Magistrate, Ngoni Nduna has ruled that lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa stands down from representing journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and directs that the Law Society of Zimbabwe should cancel her licence for “scandalising the court”
ZBC dismisses online allegations regarding the recent executive management changes. The changes are driven by recognition that the future is digital & ZBC needs to ensure that our content is innovative and accessible on various platforms and addresses different target audiences.
By A Correspondent- The government has refuted claims that were made by exiled former cabinet minister Professor Jonathan Moyo that those senior government officials looted a US$1.2 billion loan received by the National Oil and Infrastructure Company (NOIC) from a foreign company, Sotic International.
Responding to Prof Moyo’s claims, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga on Saturday said no such loan agreement was ever signed.
He said:
The information is false. The value of the pipeline is US$300 million. Sotic could only lend money that it would have raised from its bankers unless it had free cash flows.
Which bank would lend you US$1.2 billion against the security of an asset worth US$300 million? One of the critical tenets of lending is the purpose of the loan and the source of repayment.
An international lender would not conduct adequate due diligence and lend a country $1.2 billion which will then be fraudulently diverted.
Prof Moyo claimed that NOIC was forced to mortgage the national oil pipeline to secure the $1.2 billion loan and that former Energy Minister Fortune Chasi was fired last week because of the deal.
International pressure continues to pile on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to respect human rights, with the United States embassy in Harare also raising concern over the matter yesterday.
“Zimbabweans’ rights to freedom of expression, speech and association remain enshrined in their Constitution. Citizens exercising their civil rights, such as Godfrey Kurauone, Hopewell Chin’ono, Jacob Ngarivhume, should have those rights respected,” the US embassy tweeted.
Several civic, Christian and human rights organisations also slammed the State for using hate speech against perceived enemies, among them Catholic priests who recently called government to order.
The government described the Catholic bishops as “genocidal and evil-minded” for calling it out on its increasing human rights violations.
Several human rights and political activists, journalists and opposition political supporters are languishing in remand prison, while others have been arrested, charged and released for alleged subversion.
Over 60 opposition members were abducted and tortured in the run-up to the July 31 protests, while more than 30 are in hiding.
Investigative journalist Chin’ono, who unmasked corruption involving US$60 million after senior government officials issued a tender to Drax International without due process, and opposition leader Ngarivhume are also languishing in prison after being denied bail for allegedly organising the anti-corruption protests.
Kurauone, an MDC Alliance activist and Masvingo councillor, was arrested after reporting to the police on July 31 as part of his bail conditions.
Several local, regional and international organisations and governments have condemned the gross human rights violations in Zimbabwe.
But government has denied that there is a human rights crisis in the country despite evidence of torture, abductions and arrests of innocent citizens who are viewed as enemies of the State.
The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC) whose pastoral letter called out the government over the deteriorating human rights situation, was seen as a ploy to “sow seeds of internecine strife as a prelude to civil war and national disintegration” by Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa has gained support from international, regional and local organisations.
Police officers patrolling the streets orders a man pushing a handcart to go home. 
