7 August 2020

Patrick Chinamasa, acting secretary for information and publicity in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF government, has announced that, through the signing of the government’s “Global Compensation Agreement” on 29 July 2020, there is now acceptance from white commercial farmers that there will be no compensation for land from the Zimbabwe government.

Chinamasa emphasised that by agreeing on the amount of compensation for improvements, the time frame for payment and the modalities for raising the resources, ZANU-PF wished it to be known that it no longer considered the Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU) and the Southern African Commercial Farmers’ Alliance- Zimbabwe (SACFA-Z) to be anti the land redistribution programme.

Further to these comments published in the state-owned Herald newspaper on 5 August 2020, Chinamasa stated that white farmer organisations were now no longer against the taking of their members’ farms. He called for the Commercial Farmers’ Union and other farmers organisations to demand the unconditional lifting of sanctions imposed by the United States.

“As we go into the future, ZANU PF expects the voice of the two organisations in calling for the unconditional lifting of the sanctions to be loud, clear and unambiguous,” he said.

Chinamasa noted that the conclusion of the Global Compensation Agreement was “an acceptance by white commercial farmers that with respect to compensation for land, they should look elsewhere and not to the people of Zimbabwe nor to the Zimbabwe government.

“In terms of section 72(7) of our Constitution, the obligation to pay compensation for land was placed squarely on the shoulders of the former colonial power, the British,” Chinamasa added.

As SADC Tribunal Rights Watch (SADC-TRW), we wish to distance ourselves from the Global Compensation Agreement that the CFU, SACFA-Z and the Valuation Consortium were under extreme pressure to sign – and within a minimal time frame.

However, in the government’s apparent haste to have the agreement signed, even Zimbabwe’s own constitution has been violated in the laid down procedure for the compensation process.

Although the reasons for the pressure were not clear, numerous legal experts and dispossessed farmers, many of them living in dire straits in Zimbabwe or scattered around the world, urged caution and highlighted legal shortcomings in the proposed draft agreement.

SADC-TRW was also concerned that dispossessed farmers were not given prior sight of the actual agreement document before being asked to vote in a referendum on whether or not to accept the agreement, which was presented to them as the last option for compensation from the government.

The reality is that the government is broke and although the parties have agreed to a sum of US$3.5 billion, there is no money available or pledged, and the farming organisations are expected to work with the government to raise it internationally.

Chinamasa is a lawyer and was former Justice Minister during the landmark Campbell case (Mike Campbell (Pvt) Ltd et al. v. Republic of Zimbabwe), which was lodged with the SADC Tribunal in 2007. He has been trying to find ways to circumvent the 2008 SADC Tribunal judgment for the last 12 years.

Chinamasa has made it clear that he believes the Global Compensation Agreement is a great triumph in undermining this historic and binding judgment of the Tribunal.

SADC Tribunal judgment – key points

The Tribunal held that the Zimbabwe government had violated the Southern African Development Community (SADC)’s Treaty by denying access to the courts and engaging in racial discrimination against white farmers whose lands had been confiscated under the land reform program.

The Tribunal also held that the Zimbabwe government had violated the SADC Treaty by denying access to local courts and engaging in racial discrimination in the confiscation of the land.

With respect to the question of who should pay compensation, the Tribunal stated that in international law it is the expropriating state that should pay compensation.

Regarding compensation for the land, the Tribunal noted: “It is difficult for us to understand the rationale behind excluding compensation for such land, given the clear legal position in international law. It is the right of the Applicants under international law to be paid, and the correlative duty of the Respondent [the Zimbabwe government] to pay fair compensation.”

The Tribunal stressed that [the Zimbabwe government] cannot rely on its national law and its Constitution to avoid an international law obligation to pay compensation. The Tribunal was unanimous in its decision that fair compensation should be paid by the Zimbabwe government for land it had unilaterally taken.

It is important to note that more than 75 percent of title deeds were transferred after independence in 1980, after the government had issued “certificates of no present interest”.  This meant that government had the first option on any sale. If it did not want a farm for resettlement, it issued a certificate and the farmer could sell his land on the open market.

The Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA)

The Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA) requires that the Zimbabwe government compensates farmers fairly according to the SADC Tribunal judgments, the rule of law and international precedents, guidelines and norms.

Chinamasa claims that President Mnangagwa is leading the way in adhering to the Constitution, particularly Chapter 1, Section 295, subsection 3 (a) that obliges the State to pay compensation for the improvements that were on the land when such land was acquired.

However, the Constitutional Provisions that Chinamasa says President Mnangagwa is respecting in the “deal” are the very same Constitutional Provisions struck down by the SADC Tribunal judgment.

Indeed, if individual farmers do sign up to this “deal” over the next nine months – the time line agreed to – those farmers will be locked into a process which strips them of any further claims or rights that are derived from the landmark SADC Tribunal judgment of 28 November 2008.

This will be tragic given that everything farmers and their families had worked for and invested in over decades – some cases for up to four generations – was taken from them. They lost their entire farming enterprises and livelihoods, including expensive equipment and machinery, standing crops in the ground, livestock and wildlife.

In addition, they lost their homes, household possessions and in many cases cottages built for elderly parents for whom the farms were their source of retirement income. Even the very lives of farmers, family members and farm workers were taken during the frequently brutal land nationalisation process.

Despite the fact that the SADC Tribunal regional human rights court was shut down by the SADC heads of state in 2012 at the instigation of President Mugabe, all judgments made by the Tribunal remain in force and are legally binding.

Should farmers heed the minister’s call to lobby for the dismantling of the sanctions measures and the stipulations of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA), they will be siding with a government that is steeped in corruption and continues to perpetrate shocking human rights abuses and to violate the rule of law and property rights.

Ironically, the dispossessed farmers will find themselves in the invidious position of supporting the very tyranny that has left them and their fellow Zimbabweans in the dire position that the majority are currently enduring.

In closing, we highly recommend that you watch the following interview of a brave colleague and valued friend, Advocate Fadzayi Mahere, spokesperson for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change Alliance, who has just been released from prison and speaks for the suffering people in Zimbabwe.  https://youtu.be/4Rg5AGQ6scY

ENDS

Ben Freeth

Spokesperson for SADC Tribunal Rights Watch, Zimbabwe

E-mail:  [email protected]

NOTES TO EDITORS

ZDERA : The Mugabe administration’s undemocratic practices, human rights abuses, and economic mismanagement prompted the U.S. Congress to pass in 2001 (and amend in 2018 under Mnangagwa) the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA), which restricts U.S. support for multilateral financing to Zimbabwe until Zimbabwe makes specified political and economic reforms. /….

In 2003, the U.S. Department of the Treasury enacted targeted financial sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for undemocratic practices, human rights abuses related to political repression, and public corruption.  The U.S. also placed travel restrictions against selected individuals, a ban on transfers of defence items and services, and a suspension of non-humanitarian government-to-government assistance.

Sanctions Facts from the US Embassy website

U.S. targeted sanctions apply to only 84 Zimbabwean individuals and 56 entities (mostly farms and legal entities owned by the 85 individuals) as of February 5, 2019.  For an up-to-date list, please go to http://sdnsearch.ofac.treas.gov/ and select “Zimbabwe” from the list on the Program menu.

Complete information on the U.S. targeted sanctions program is available at the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control’s (OFAC) website. Click on the “Overview of Sanctions” link for a summary of the sanctions program.

[On 5 August 2020, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced new sanctions against businessman Kudakwashe Tagwire and Sakunda Holdings.]

Note: U.S. sanctions do not block the Government of Zimbabwe as a whole, nor do they prohibit all business with Zimbabwe or transactions involving that jurisdiction.  The United States has imported goods from Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe has imported goods from the United States on an ongoing basis both before and after the targeted sanctions commenced.  For current United States-Zimbabwe trade statistics, please go to: https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c7960.html

BREAKING- Zimbabweans in Pretoria demonstrate at Zimbabwean Embassy #ZimbabweanLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/c6Ho9cpU7D

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 7, 2020

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa instructed all Cabinet Ministers who were in contact with the late Perrance Shiri to self-isolate at home in order to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus.

According to a report by The Zimbabwe Independent, a number of ministers and officials who came into contact with Shiri during the last days of his life are now in isolation at home.

Shiri, who was Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement died last week on Wednesday after he contracted COVID-19.

Reports suggest that Shiri held several meetings in the few days leading to his demise, including with serving army chiefs.

Among those absent at the Cabinet meeting were Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Mines and Mining Development minister Winston Chitando and Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe who reportedly met with Shiri before his death.

A top official told ZimInd:

He (Mnangagwa) made it very clear that he expected anyone who could have been in contact with Shiri to self-isolate at home and avoid spreading the virus.

… They did not attend the cabinet meeting. They were in contact with Shiri a few days before he died.

Women’s Affairs minister Sithembiso Nyoni took over Mutsvangwa’s usual role of addressing the post-cabinet press conference on Wednesday morning.

By A Correspondent- Secretary General of the Dr Thokozani Khupe led MDC T faction Douglas Mwonzora has added his voice on the trending harshtag #ZimbabweanLivesMatter.

In a tweet posted Friday morning, Mwonzora lamented the deteriorating democracy, high poverty levels and inadequate medical facilities visa vis that effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

He said:

“The Covid 19 pandemic is devastating Zimbabwe at such an alarming rate. Our communities do not have access to adequate medical facilities. The poverty is debilitating. Corruption is rife. Democracy is in the intensive care unit. #ZimbabweanslivesMatter

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday officially reopened the Victoria Falls rainforest which had been temporarily shut down due to the coronavirus crisis.

Pictures from the “event” were shared on Twitter by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development captioned with the words:

HE President ED Mnangagwa also Officially reopened the Victoria Falls rainforest which has been temporarily shut down owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is however not clear what the “official reopening” of the rainforest meant.

See the pictures below:

By A Correspondent- Three women in Gweru were reportedly detained by Mkoba 1 Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) after they attempted to fetch water at the police camp.

According to CommutTalk, the three women were forced to sit in the sun throughout the day as punishment.

They were also denied food, access to medication and water from morning until nightfall. CommuTalk said in a statement:

Mkoba 1 police detained 3 ladies for seeking water at the police camp. The women were subject to direct sunlight, no food, water and denial to access medication from morning to dusk. Gweru is facing acute water shortages and extreme rationing by Council.

Gweru, like most urban settlements in Zimbabwe, is currently facing severe water shortages which are generally attributed to dilapidated infrastructure resulting in the leakage of treated water and a prolonged drought.

In April this year, the Gweru Residents and Ratepayers’ Association pleaded with Council to stop the tight water rationing introduced last year, at least during the lockdown period.

The plea was however dismissed by mayor Josiah Makombe who was quoted by NewsDay’s Brenna Matendere as having said:

Firstly the reason for the water rationing was to ensure that we preserve the little water in our dams so that it lasts to the next rainy season.

Secondly, technically we cannot afford to pump water to all areas at once. So yes the water rationing continues despite issues of the COVID-19.

By A Correspondent- Veteran journalist Brezhnev Malaba has announced that he is leaving The Zimbabwe Independent (ZimInd), a weekly publication under the Trevor Ncube-owned Alpha Media Holdings (AMH).

Malaba is the publication’s deputy editor and he was previously editor of the Sunday News, The Chronicle and The Sunday Mail.

He also worked as a foreign correspondent for the African Independent and The Star (South Africa) newspaper.

Malaba posted on Twitter:

“Folks, when I was asked by my brother Dumisani Muleya in 2016 to join the Zimbabwe Independent, I thought I would come on board for only 6 months, get a feel of things and exit. Months turned into years. I’m leaving the ZimInd. Journalism has changed forever and we must change with it.”

Malaba leaves The Zimbabwe Independent after three years and his departure comes after the newspaper’s former editor Dumisani Muleya quit in October last year after rejecting a lesser role.

AMH’s digital head Nqaba Matshazi quit last month to join the Media Institute for Southern Africa.

Government has taken note of false allegations of human rights abuse and ‘crisis’ in the country being peddled by known political activists and misinformed individuals and global actors. To set the record straight, there is no crisis or implosion in Zimbabwe. Neither has there been any abduction or ‘war’ on citizens Like any other country in the world. Zimbabwe has been enforcing Covid-19 Lockdown regulations intended to safeguard and protect the lives of all citizens. Where necessary, the law has been rattly applied.

The deliberate attempt to smear the Country’s image is betrayed by the use of doctored images, old video clips and highly exaggerated claims on social media, all intended to paint a picture of a “burning Zimbabwe.”

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Zimbabwe today, is peaceful and all citizens are free to go about their business as usual, within the boundaries set by the Lockdown regulations His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Second Republic believes in upholding the rule of law and freedom of speech. Indeed, it is this freedom of speech that is, unfortunately, being abused by those who seek to push a sinister political agenda.

Government calls on its counterparts in the region and internationally, not to lose perspective of the fact that Zimbabwe has for long, suffered efforts to destabilize it by external forces that have a bone to chew with the country since the historic Land Reform Programme. These efforts have in the past taken many forms, from attempted insurgency to the current organized smear campaign, using blatantly false claims. Such smear campaigns are not unique to Zimbabwe and have been employed in other countries over the years.

We urge those who wish us well to continue to partner us in developing our Count On our part, we will continue on the reform pathway that we are on to ensure a prosperous and democratic Zimbabwe for all citizens.

Nick Mangwana

PRESS RELEASE

The directions stipulate that contact training, and matches can be played in empty stadiums, with only limited people allowed to attend games.

CEO Jurie Roux welcomed the news from the South African Government that rugby has been given the green light to return to the playing field, under certain conditions.

The news was gazetted by Mr Nathi Mthethwa, the Minister for Sports, Arts and Culture, on Thursday. It allows for a return to competitive action subject to compliance with measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The directions stipulate that contact training, and matches can be played in empty stadiums, with only limited people allowed to attend games as part of essential services to make these events possible and from within a “bio safe environment”.

“Since the start of this pandemic, we have been working hard at ensuring we get back on the field and we’ve kept the Government informed on our plans throughout the process,” said Roux.

“We are very grateful for the opportunity to move to the next phase of our return-to-play plans and will provide the Department with all the necessary information required, such as venues for matches, to ensure a smooth transition to competitive rugby.

“Having said that, our eight franchise teams that returned to the training field recently still need a few more weeks of preparation before they will be ready for matches, and from SA Rugby’s side we will assist them with whatever is necessary.

“At this stage, we hope to have our first matches by early to mid-September and our plans on the structure of the planned competition will be announced in due course, as we have various options to consider.”

The Vodacom Bulls, Emirates Lions, Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers, Toyota Cheetahs, Southern Kings, Tafel Lager Griquas and Phakisa Pumas all started with non-contact training a few weeks ago.

The return to international competition is not permitted under the new regulations, but Roux said he understood the Government’s need to phase any return to normality.

“We know the World Rugby window for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship is only in November and December, so we’re hopeful that in due course the government will be in a position to further relax the restrictions,” said Roux.

“For now, it’s the most important thing is to ensure we get the action underway as we have many stakeholders, such as our broadcast partner, competition and team sponsors and our supporters, who are keen to see rugby again.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Rugby Union.

ZANU PF has responded to the South African, African National Congress, ANC, Secretary General Acie Magashule who accused the party of gross human rights violations.

The party said “Our solidarity with the ANC should be built on trust and not on rumors, gossip and conspiracy.

Below is the full statement:

ZANU PF’S RESPONSE TO ANC’S ACE MAGASHULE REMARKS

ZANU PF takes strong exception to the utterances that have been attributed to Cde Ace Magashule, the Secretary-General of the ANC where he appeared hoodwinked by those seeking to destabilize Zimbabwe through peddling social media falsehoods.

As a revolutionary sister, it has never been in our tradition to censure a fellow revolutionary movement or Leaders using megaphone approaches, more so when such utterances are misinformed and baseless, to say the least.

Appearing on an interview with eNCA, Cde Magashule said in response to Fake News alleging brutality, “We have talked to some of the people who were exiled from Zimbabwe, who ran away from Zimbabwe, we have interacted with them, we know their story, we have heard them. What we see there on Television is uncalled for …. and that Zimbabwean Lives Matter.”

We note that this is not the first time when a senior ANC leader has sought to speak like Zimbabwe’s prefect in similar fashion Cde Lindiwe Zulu’s similar utterances in 2013.

ZANU PF categorically states that Cde Magashule’s utterances were completely out of order. For the record, there is no brutality of whatever form happening in Zimbabwe but enforcement of LockDown regulations in line with recommendations by the World Health Organisation and our Ministry of Health and Child Care, and what has become common practice on #Covid19.

Secondly, there is no Zimbabwean who was exiled to South Africa by our Government nor the Party. Referring to fugitives of justice who escaped this country to find a safe haven in South Africa as exiles, when they dodged various corruption crimes committed during the previous administration is not only hypocritical but absolute hogwash.

To find, therefore, a person of the stature of the Secretary-General of the ANC making such deplorable utterances on the basis of old videos some of which have been imported from situations outside Zimbabwe but attributed to Zimbabwe in the past, being resurrected by keyboard activists is an embarrassment not only to himself but the organisation he represents.

ZANU PF reminds Cde Magashule that different countries have employed different measures and tactics to enforce Covid19 lockdown measures to a non-compliant public to protect their lives.

It is in this light that we have seen on social media, videos of South African soldiers beating their non-compliant citizens using fists and sjamboks while in some regrettable circumstances, we have seen them spraying rubber bullets on their citizens resulting in serious injuries and deaths, to the extent that it has been reported that members of the SANDF killed 8 citizens in the streets during enforcement operations. ZANU PF has not uttered a word in public.

We have watched Marikana Massacres that remain unprecedented since the turn of the millennium by government forces but we have sought to respect South Africa’s capacity and right to deal with those matters internally.

We, however, are taken aback by these latest irresponsible utterances by Cde Magashule, who by all means should have sought clarifications from his counter-part Cde Dr Obert Mpofu, the Secretary for Administration for ZANU-PF.

Honestly, for Magashule to rely on a fortune-seeking organisation like Tajamuka or faceless social media posts on matters of Zimbabwe is disturbing as it is shocking.

We have seen our people being victims of systematic xenophobic attacks with some ANC leaders spreading hostile messages that worsened those attacks against our people but we have sought to address that using the normal diplomatic channels.

ZANU PF has also seen reported issues of rampant corruption allegations against various ANC leaders, where Cde Magashule himself has been implicated, not mentioning the Gupta’s yoke that hovers around his neck and shortened President Zuma’s term of office but we have not sought to interfere on such issues which are foundationally internal by all standards.

The Nkandla-gate came and ended with re-payments without Zimbabwe uttering a single word, knowing fully well that our brothers and sisters in the ANC are capable of handling their own internal matters.

This we have done, in the spirit of respect for states’ sovereignty in dealing and handling internal matters whenever they arise.

ZANU PF is extremely disappointed that Cde Magashule has sought to become a collusive player in support of those working to undermine this Republic and its constitutionally elected government.

ZANU PF is extremely disappointed that as secretary-general of a sister revolutionary party keeps company with fugitives from justice.

We remind Cde Magashule, that the ANC is pretty aware of the standoff between Zimbabwe and the USA and its allies following our successful land reform program which has seen the US and its allies imposing illegal sanctions on this country.

We also bring to his attention that the USA has earmarked and primed this pandemic to increase its onslaught on our people and their government, having falsely caused regrettable publications that Zimbabwe’s government was hiding Covid19 causalities despite us releasing statistics daily.

We further bring to his attention, the fact that the USA is now running a variety of media houses, faceless twitter accounts and paid journalists for the sole purpose of demonising this country and its leadership in its desperate attempt to bring about illegal regime change.

State Media

Sithembiso Nyoni

UNDOCUMENTED Zimbabweans dying in South Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic period can be buried home after Cabinet resolved to grant the Zimbabwe Mission in that country a special waiver to repatriate the bodies.

However, the process can only take place on the basis of submitted affidavits from the chief/village head and relatives in the country.

There are thousands of undocumented Zimbabweans living and working across the Limpopo River.

Families were finding it difficult to repatriate the bodies of their loved ones for burial back home resulting in the smuggling of bodies for secret burials.

In a post- Cabinet Press Briefing on Tuesday, Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Sithembiso Nyoni said time storage of bodies in South Africa has been reduced because of Covid-19.

“Following recent developments in South Africa, where the time of storage of bodies has been reduced, Cabinet resolved to grant the Zimbabwe Mission in South Africa a special waiver during the Covid-19 pandemic period to clear the repatriation of undocumented Zimbabwean bodies for burial back home on the basis of submitted affidavits from the chief/village head and relatives in Zimbabwe,” she said.

The Minister said social media abusers must desist from posting or peddling falsehoods on Covid-19 that may cause despondency and alarm in the nation.

She said peddling of falsehoods is a punishable offence in terms of Covid-19 regulations.

Minister Nyoni said Cabinet has directed that all hospitals should admit patients without demanding a prior Covid-19 test result and proceed to do a PCR test on admission.

“To that end, the Ministry of Health and Child Care has already directed all public and private health institutions to establish Patient-Under-Investigation (PUI) zones to ensure that no patients are turned away,” she said.

In terms of preparedness, she said Wilkins and United Bulawayo Hospitals are now admitting mild to moderate Covid-19 cases.

Minister Nyoni said the recruitment of nursing staff is already underway.

“In the same vein, His Excellency the President has appealed to the striking nursing personnel to return to work such that the loss of lives can be minimised,” said Minister Nyoni.

State Media

Newly appointed Health and Child Care Minister Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has an immediate challenge on his table as striking health workers did not receive their July salaries after the Health Services Board (HSB) implemented the no-work-no-pay principle.

The nurses have been on strike since June, a critical time when their services are required in the fight against Covid-19.

The striking nurses were left counting their losses last month as they did not benefit from the US$75 Covid-19 allowances that Government paid others who were reporting for duty.

In an interview yesterday, HSB deputy director public relations, Ms Tryfine Rachael Dzvukutu confirmed the development saying the nurses who have been striking didn’t get their June salaries plus increment and the US$75 allowance.

“The striking nurses didn’t receive their July salaries and it’s because they were removed from the payroll by the Health Services Board on a no-work-no-pay basis,” she said.

Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) president Mr Enock Dongo said members of his association who were on strike were not paid last month after they were removed from the payroll.

He said after declaring incapacitation at the beginning of June, some nurses reacted by not reporting for duty.

Mr Dongo said in May, they received $3 400 as basic salary, an amount he said wasn’t enough to cover their monthly demands such as rentals, food and transport costs.

“Following the May salary, we declared incapacitation in June and spontaneously, nurses just reacted because they were expecting a salary increase and didn’t report for work. They were surprised in July when they received no salary, the 50 percent salary increase and even the US$75 allowances which were received by all the civil servants,” he said.

Mr Dongo said the nurses are dejected and are willing to return to work but are still incapacitated. He urged Government to reinstate the striking workers on the salary schedule so that they are able to report for duty.

“We hear the plea for the health workers to return to work and save lives, we want to and appreciate his call but we are incapacitated. We feel neglected by all this,” said Mr Dongo.

On Wednesday, Finance and Economic Development Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube said negotiations for an annual cost of living adjustment between Government and its employees under the National Joint Negotiating Council had started and will end within the next two months.

Prof Ncube said there would be recognition of the work that health workers do.

“We have started negotiations for annual normal cost of living adjustments, that process will take us to around September or October there will be further adjustments in that regard. There will be special programmes that recognise the health work they do and the risk that they take,” he said. “There will be a special health sector allowance and then there is a special Covid-19 risk allowance, then there is a US$75 wage balance. So, there is a layer of additional benefits and these benefits are tax free.”

State Media

A record 13 new deaths from Covid-19 were reported yesterday, but all were patients who died over the weekend or on Monday in the community or on admission to casualty at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals or other hospitals with the Covid-19 infection only established in post-mortems.

In its daily report last night, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said

The 13 deaths were nine men and four women from Harare and Mashonaland West, with 12 of the deaths coming from Harare.

On Wednesday three new deaths were reported, a 66-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman from Bualwayo and a 79-year-old man from Manicaland.

The number of new cases confirmed yesterday was 56, the lowest daily addition in recent days, with 54 of these within the community and two among quarantined returning residents. This takes the total to 4 395 confirmed cases with 3 299, more than three quarters, being people infected within Zimbabwe.

Wednesday saw 118 new cases, down moderately on recent averages, with 117 being infections within Zimbabwe.

Of the 3 299 local infections, 1 392 were in Harare with 51 deaths, over half the total, and 1 041 in Bulawayo with 23 deaths.

Midlands remains in third place with 283 cases and five deaths.

Gweru is regarded as the Midlands epicentre.

The growing seriousness of the pandemic in Harare is seeing far more adherence to public masking rules, although social distancing in queues is still variable.

South Africa has now ratcheted up 9 298 deaths from 529 877 confirmed cases with the global totals reaching yesterday 706 342 deaths and 18 752 917 confirmed cases.

Independent

The late Perence Shiri

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has been thrown into disarray after a number of ministers and senior bureaucrats were placed in isolation in the past week after either contracting the highly infectious Covid-19 or coming into contact with infected persons.

In terms of World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on the control and management of the pandemic, which had as of yesterday claimed 97 lives from 4 395 infections around the country, any infected person should be placed in quarantine until they recover while anyone who has come into contact with an infected individual should be quarantined for at least 14 days until they test negative.

The development comes just a week after the death of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement minister Perrance Shiri last week on Wednesday.

Shiri succumbed to Covid-19.

Coronavirus cases have surged dramatically in the country in the past month amid a shambolic health delivery system brought to its knees by poor state funding and an ongoing strike by doctors and nurses at public hospitals.

Information at hand indicates that a number of ministers and officials who came into contact with Shiri during the last days of his life are now in isolation at home.

Officials said Mnangagwa, at the start of the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, asked anyone who had been in contact with Shiri to go into self-isolation pending testing.

This came after it had been revealed that Shiri, an energetic former military chief, had held several meetings in the few days leading to his demise, including with serving army chiefs.

“He (Mnangagwa) made it very clear that he expected anyone who could have been in contact with Shiri to self-isolate at home and avoid spreading the virus,” a top official said.

Among those absent at the meeting, sources said, were Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Mines and Mining Development minister Winston Chitando and Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe who reportedly met with Shiri before his death.

“They did not attend the cabinet meeting. They were in contact with Shiri a few days before he died,” the source said.

Women’s Affairs minister Sithembiso Nyoni took over Mutsvangwa’s usual role of addressing the post-cabinet press conference on Wednesday morning.

The Information minister’s husband, Chris Mutsvangwa, is also said to be one of those who has gone into quarantine as he was also a contact of Shiri. He even missed Zanu PF’s politburo meeting on Wednesday last week.

Sources also said deputy Defence minister Victor Matemadanda, who is also the Zanu PF national political commissar, is also in isolation.However, he said: “I’m not in quarantine, I am not sick. Those who are saying I’m sick will be shamed.”

Contacted for comment, Mutsvangwa said: “I am absolutely fine. My husband is fine. The issue is that everyone is just taking precautionary measures and you should also be doing that.”

Kazembe said yesterday was his 13th day in self-isolation and would be out today.

“Yes that’s correct. I decided to self-quarantine as a precaution. We had a meeting with the late retired Air Chief Marshal Shiri on Thursday 23 July. Prior to that, I obviously met him frequently. I decided to self-quarantine. So far everything is okay, the results are good and I’m very fit, but I just did not want to take chances. Since then I have been working from home,” Kazembe said.

“I urge fellow Zimbabweans to take this pandemic seriously and act responsibly. Together we can win this war against this invisible enemy.”

The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement is now virtually crippled after co-deputy ministers Vangelis Haritatos and Douglas Karoro have also gone into self-isolation, while a total of 40 employees at the ministry’s Ngungunyana Building offices tested positive for Covid-19. The building has since been shut down.

“Both deputy ministers and some very senior officials at the ministry are now in isolation. Some have contracted the virus, but others are doing it as a matter of precaution,” a government source said yesterday.

Haritatos said: “I am following very strict WHO guidelines in order to protect my family and those who work close to me. It was an extremely difficult decision given that now that we have lost our commander in the late Minister Shiri that the workload has increased ever so much, but it was certainly a must.

“After I come out of self-isolation … I need to continue the vision of our late minister of making Zimbabwe food and nutrition self-sufficient and the breadbasket of Africa once again.”

Karoro and Chitando were not reachable and had not responded to enquiries sent to them at the time of going to print.Youth, Arts, Sport and Recreation deputy minister Tino Machakaire is also in isolation after contracting the virus.

The youthful Wedza South legislator made the announcement on his Facebook page on Tuesday.“I have also tested positive for Covid-19 and I have since self-isolated. In times of a pandemic, privacy concerns must be balanced with efforts to protect others. l have decided to be responsible and I am appealing to everyone l have been in contact with recently to go and get tested, self-isolate and seek necessary help,” he wrote. “This is a painful journey; it separates you from your loved ones. Self-isolation is not easy at all. The kids want to play with you, but you can’t entertain them. I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being. I do not wish this for anyone. For those who are already affected, let’s continue to pray together and hope for a better tomorrow. Our health will soon be restored.”

But even as some of the infected individuals openly revealed their health status, Information permanent secretary Nick Mangwana professed ignorance about the quarantine of cabinet ministers.

“I am not aware of any cabinet minister in either quarantine or isolation,” Mangwana said. “Cabinet ministers are being tested regularly for the protection of the President, their colleagues, ministry officials and their families.”

The Parliament of Zimbabwe suspended business two days before Shiri’s death after eight legislators tested positive, resorting to holding virtual sessions. The former Air Force commander, who died at 61, had recently attended a number of sessions in parliament where he interacted with various legislators from across the political divide.

This week, Harare South National Assembly representative Tongai Mnangagwa publicly announced via Twitter handle that he had tested positive for Covid-19. He encouraged those he had come in contact with to be tested.

The ruling Zanu PF party has also announced that 26 of its employees at its national headquarters have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Sources also said Shiri, who still enjoyed deep loyalties within the army despite having been retired nearly three years ago, attended a meeting of military commanders at the Zimbabwe National Army headquarters in Harare on July 15, which was meant to devise strategies for containing street protests that had been scheduled for July 31.

A number of them, including the now late army spokesperson Colonel Overson Mugwisi, who attended the meeting are reported to have tested positive for Covid-19.

Mugwisi died in a military hospital at the Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks on Friday morning.

“Mugiwisi already had flu-like symptoms by the time of Shiri’s death. They had a meeting earlier as they planned on how to contain the demonstrations of July 31. So, subsequently, he went for a Covid-19 test in the afternoon of July 29. The results came the next day when his condition had seriously deteriorated as he also had a heart problem,” a family source said

Independent

ZIMBABWE has lost in excess of US$32,179 billion through illicit financial flows (IFFs) in the last two decades, posing a major challenge to development financing for the whole of the southern African region.

A policy brief on IFFs in Africa by Africa Growth Initiative shows that 13,9% of total trade during that period was lost this way.

According to the report, Southern Africa was prejudiced of a staggering US$1,3 trillion during the period as a result of IFFs. The brief also notes that illicit financial outflows from Africa are concentrated in a few countries and a few sectors — in particular, the extractive and mining industries and fuel exporters being responsible for nearly half of the IFFs.

Zimbabwe has undergone a number of policy changes that have pushed up smuggling and money laundering as people try to remit their funds out of the country, which has given rise to corrupt tendencies.

“We find a positive and significant relationship between real GDP (gross domestic product) and illicit financial flows (aggregate). Inflation is also positively correlated with aggregate illicit financial flows. These findings could indicate that macro-economic fluctuations, such as inflation, weaken confidence in a country’s macro-economic environment and encourage people to send their capital abroad.

“We further find a positive and significant correlation between illicit flows as a share of trade and tax revenue as a share of GDP. Likewise, we find a positive and significant correlation between illicit flows as a share of GDP and tax revenue as a share of GDP. When governments collect a large share of taxes, individuals and corporations have incentives to store capital abroad, away from government appropriation,” read the report.

In June last year, the government resuscitated the Zimbabwean dollar, which had been abandoned a decade ago due to unsustainable levels of hyperinflation caused by excessive printing of money. This brought about a multi-currency regime in 2009, which was then outlawed last year through Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019. However, the local unit has been in rapid free-fall which has stoked hyperinflation that stood at 737% for the month of June.

The report also found a significant relationship between poor governance and illicit financial outflows with export of illicit funds often requiring the use of illegal means that involve corruption.

“Developed by the World Bank, the six indicators measure control of corruption, government effectiveness, political stability, rule of law, regulatory quality, and voice and accountability,” the report said.

Zimbabwe recorded 13 coronavirus deaths posthumously between 1 and 3 August with 12 of them in Harare, the Ministry of Health has said in its daily updates.

This has pushed the death toll to 97.

Harare now has 51 deaths and Bulawayo, 23.

The country also recorded 56 new cases today bringing the total to 4 395.

It has tested 144 490 people so far and has 3 040 active cases.

The United Nations Secretary General António Guterres is following developments in Zimbabwe with “concern,” his office said.

Hundreds of innocent citizens have been arrested in recent months, including journalists, lawyers, opposition politicians, doctors and nurses, for protesting against the government or striking for better pay as tensions rise in the troubled southern African country.

In his daily updates issued on Thursday’s noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General about the situation in Zimbawe;

“The Secretary-General has been following with concern recent developments in Zimbabwe.

He urges the Government of Zimbabwe to ensure the protection of all fundamental human rights, notably the freedom of opinion and expression and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, in accordance with Zimbabwe’s human rights obligations.

He also calls on all political actors and civil society to resolve issues peacefully through inclusive dialogue.”

Read the UN Secretary General daily update in the link below.

https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/db200805.doc.htm

President Cyril Ramaphosa

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has instituted a team to engage Zimbabwean authorities and report on alleged human rights violations.

Below is a statement issued by Tyrone Seale, Acting Spokesperson to the President.

The President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, has appointed Dr. Sydney Mufamadi and Ms Baleka Mbete as his Special Envoys to Zimbabwe, following recent reports of difficulties that the Republic of Zimbabwe is experiencing.

The Special Envoys are expected to engage the Government of Zimbabwe and relevant stakeholders to identify possible ways in which South Africa can assist Zimbabwe.

Dr. Sydney Mufamadi is the former Minister of Provincial and Local Government (1999 to 2008). In 1994, after South Africa’s first democratic elections, he was appointed Minister of Safety and Security in the Government of National Unity – a position he held until 1999.

Ms. Baleka Mbete is former Deputy President of Republic of South Africa, former Speaker of the National Assembly and former Chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC).

The President’s Special Envoys will leave for Zimbabwe as soon as all the arrangements are made.

Ian Khama.

Former Botswana President Ian Seretse Khama has added his weight behind calls for the Zimbabwean government to end impunity on its citizens.

Khama took to his social media sites to reveal his stance on Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

As we are all dealing with change in our lives, let’s not forget to pray for our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe as the situation is deteriorating everyday. Today I hosted Zimbabweans in Serowe to share thoughts about the current regime and appreciate their plight. Martin Luther King Jr once said, “The silence of the good people is more dangerous than the brutality of the bad people.” So let us all stand with Zimbabwe and condemn this brutality.

#ZimbabweanLivesMatter
#PrayForZimbabwe
#FreeZimbabweans

State Media

THE current wave of positive Covid-19 cases being transmitted locally are mainly due to the behavior of people who are resisting to adhere to preventive measures put in place while commercial trucks are also conduits in spreading the infectious disease, an official in the Ministry of Health and Child Care has said.

Speaking in a radio interview on Tuesday, Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Portia Manangazira said in public spaces some people are not wearing masks covering both the nose and the mouth at all times to avoid the spread of Covid-19 to the next person even when an individual does not feel sick.

People are also expected to maintain a social distance of one metre in public spaces while also avoiding close contact with sick people in their homes.

Coupled with that is the requirement for people to wash their hands with water and soap for at least 20 seconds.

Where there is no soap, one is expected to use a hand sanitizer which contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

Contrary to these guidelines it has been evident especially in public spaces like queues for transport or in supermarkets that social distancing is hardly being maintained.

Just yesterday, police arrested 65 people in Borrowdale for violating Covid-19 regulations after gathering at premises where a money pyramid scheme is allegedly being operated.

Another form of resistance is noticeable were people opt to wear their masks covering their mouth only.

The number of local transmissions which stand at 3245 have long overtaken imported cases which are now 1094.

Harare has now been identified as the epicenter of Covid- 19 in the country with 1 670 cases recorded as at August 5 while Bulawayo follows at 1073.

Dr Managanzira said positive cases detected from the huge numbers of returnees from South Africa and Botswana contributed to Zimbabwe’s two major cities’ cases.

“But we have also had quite significant numbers retuning from the UK and United States of America. When the airlines stopped moving, we still had arrivals into Harare in terms of Ethiopian Airlines coming three times a week bringing Zimbabweans back home.”

She added that significant numbers have been detected in the returnees and this explains Harare and Bulawayo’s high numbers.

“Midlands is of concern because it’s sitting right in the middle of the country and yes there will be people moving. Commercial transport has also been an issue of concern. When borders were closed, commercial transport kept moving and there are quite significant numbers of trucks.

“In Beitbridge up to 800 trucks pass through, in Nyamapanda and Chirundu about 600 trucks each on a daily basis and they have various stops within the country.

“And we see that also as conduits of the spread of Covid-19 infections. That also explains Manicaland,” she said.

Thirty-nine people have succumbed to Covid-19 in Harare while Bulawayo has lost 23 people. Manicaland had recorded seven deaths.

State Media

Sydney Gata

The entire Zesa Holdings board, including executive chairman Dr Sydney Gata, was suspended by President Mnangagwa yesterday, with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) given four weeks to conclude investigations into corruption allegations against the chairman and the board.

The board was appointed last year to lead the turnaround of Zesa, but there have been corruption allegations levelled against the chairman, the board and some executive staff.

Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda announced the suspension of the board in a statement yesterday.

“The ZACC chairperson, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo, was asked to immediately undertake thorough investigations into the following issues:

The allegations levelled against the executive chairman by Energy and Power Development Minister Advocate Fortune Chasi.

Any other underlying corrupt activities bedevilling Zesa board members and the electricity sector as a whole.

“His Excellency the President expects ZACC to complete its investigations as well as table its report on the findings within four weeks,” reads the statement by Dr Sibanda last night.

Minister Chasi had directed the board to probe the allegations against the executive chairman, with Dr Gata then trying to suspend the other eight board members.

Several senior Zesa employees are on suspension for abuse of office on various allegations of a criminal nature.

Among the allegations levelled against Dr Gata is that he may have taken for his personal use five Zesa vehicles over and above his official Mercedes Benz, scuttled the disciplinary hearing of a top executive, spent $10 million on Christmas parties, sent four consultants to South Africa and set up a trust to mine gold.

When Dr Gata, who was suing Zesa, was appointed in an executive capacity to lead the turnaround of the company, the move was criticised by some but Minister Chasi justified the appointment as compelling although an executive chairperson role is not provided for in the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act.

Cyril Ramaphosa with Emmerson Mnangagwa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Sydney Mufamadi and Baleka Mbete as his special envoys to Zimbabwe, following recent reports of difficulties that the country is experiencing.

The special envoys are expected to engage the Zimbabwean government and relevant stakeholders to identify possible ways in which South Africa can assist Zimbabwe, said the S.A. Presidency in a statement.

“The president’s special envoys will leave for Zimbabwe as soon as all the arrangements are made.”

The move comes after Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, announced on Thursday morning her department had been in contact with her Zimbabwean counterpart, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Sibusiso Moyo.

“As recent as on Tuesday, the two Ministers had a telephonic conversation, wherein Minister Pandor expressed South Africa’s readiness to assist if requested. Minister Pandor reiterated South Africa’s commitment to peace and stability in the region and the African Continent.

“She stated that it remains South Africa’s resolve to continue the pursuit for consultative solutions to address the existing socio-economic challenges and to contribute to the wellbeing of all Zimbabweans, the people of the SADC Region and Africans at large,” said the minister in a statement.

Zimbabweans recently took to the streets to protest against alleged state corruption and the country’s slumping economy.

The government has denounced the protests, calling them an “insurrection”. As a result, some of the country’s citizens, were arrested and charged with incitement to commit violence and breaching anti-coronavirus health regulations.

The country’s government has been widely criticised, with social media users shedding light on the protests using the hashtag #ZimbabweanLivesMatter.

Amnesty International has also joined those who condemned the crackdown on protests and dissent.

“This latest witch-hunt and repression of peaceful dissent is a continuation of what we have seen in the country in recent years, including the abductions and arbitrary arrests of those who are critical of the government,” said Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s deputy director for Southern Africa.

“The brutal assault on political activists and human rights defenders who have had the courage to call out alleged corruption and demand accountability from their government is intensifying,” she said.

The ruling ZANU PF party has reignited its impunity on Zimbabwean citizens which may see a host of locals fleeing the country yet again to seek refuge around the world.

Last week, a few brave citizens took to the streets to protest against corruption. They were also calling for the government to work on improving the economic situation in the country, they were instead met with a hard hand by security forces.

Almost all of the few demonstrators, including journalists and opposition party members were immediately arrested. Several more suspected activists have since been rounded up and detained.

ZimEye.com’s Simba Chikanza discusses the current situation with the SABC in the video downloading below.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has immediate changed its original Thursdays auction announcing that the Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) foreign currency auction which was launched recently will now also be held on Tuesdays.

The first auction was held this Thursday as initially stated.

In a statement issued after this week’s auction, RBZ said:

The Weighted Average Rate remained at the same level of the Main Auction.

Bids, which were not eligible in terms of the Priority List, were disqualified.

Bids with overdue (‘his, outstanding Bills of Entry (BOEs) and those with sufficient FCA balances were also disqualified
All qualifying bids were allotted in full.

Going forward the SMEs Auction will be run concurrently with the Main Auction on Tuesdays.

Zimbabwe’s High Court on Thursday dismissed investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono’s appeal for bail. The journalist was arrested last month and charged with inciting public violence.

The charges are related to Chin’ono promoting anti-corruption demonstrations that were set for last week Friday.

Harare has since conducted a brutal crackdown on dissent.

Chin’ono was denied bail in the Magistrate Court last month after it found that he was a flight risk and could possibly continue to incite violence. He then turned to the High Court seeking relief.

Defence lawyers argued that the journalist would not pose any risk to society and should be released on bail.

The High Court delivered the judgment without any reasons for the decision.

Meanwhile, opposition politician, Jacob Ngarivhume, who was arrested on the same day as Chin’ono and faces the same charges, will know his fate on Friday when the High Court delivers judgment in his appeal.

There are growing calls for action against the arrests of journalists and activists:

Watch the SABC discuss the issue on the video downloading below.

The President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, has appointed Dr. Sydney Mufamadi and Ms Baleka Mbete as his Special Envoys to Zimbabwe, following recent reports of difficulties that the Republic of Zimbabwe is experiencing.

The Special Envoys are expected to engage the Government of Zimbabwe and relevant stakeholders to identify possible ways in which South Africa can assist Zimbabwe.

Dr. Sydney Mufamadi is the former Minister of Provincial and Local Government (1999 to 2008). In 1994, after South Africa’s first democratic elections, he was appointed Minister of Safety and Security in the Government of National Unity – a position he held until 1999.

Ms. Baleka Mbete is former Deputy President of Republic of South Africa, former Speaker of the National Assembly and former Chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC).

The President’s Special Envoys will leave for Zimbabwe as soon as all the arrangements are made.

Tyrone Seale, Acting Spokesperson to the President

His Excellency the President, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has, in terms of Section 16 (1) (a) read together with Section 16 (1) (d) of the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act, suspended the Executive Chairman of the ZESA Holdings, Dr Sydney Gata and the entire ZESA Board Members with immediate effect.

His Excellency the President has also directed the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo to immediately undertake thorough investigations into the following issues:

1. The allegations leveled against the Executive Chairman by Honourable Minister of Energy and Power Development, Advocate Fortune Chasi.

2. Any other underlying corrupt activities bedeviling ZESA Board Members and the electricity sector as a whole.

Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet

Dr Misheck J. M Sibanda

A 21-YEAR-OLD Maphisa man has been jailed 18 years for raping his cousin.

The man who cannot be named for ethical reasons pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Mrs Sibonginkosi Mkandla facing a rape charge but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence.

He was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment and three years were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years. He will serve an effective 15-year jail term.

Prosecuting, Mr Khumbulani Nyoni said the man raped his cousin who is 13 years in 2017 while she was 10-years-old.

“On a date unknown to the prosecutor in 2017 the complainant was at home with the accused person when he approached her and told her that he wanted to have sexual intercourse with her. The complainant refused and threatened to report the accused person to her maternal grandmother who is also the accused person’s mother,” said Mr Nyoni.

“The accused person dragged the complainant into his bedroom and locked the door from the inside.

The complainant tried to scream but he covered her mouth with his hand and raped her. He warned the complainant against revealing the matter to anyone. The complainant reported the matter to her grandmother who promised to inform the complainant’s mother but didn’t.”

Mr Nyoni said in 2018 the complainant moved and went to stay with her father and step mother.

He said sometime in January this year the complainant started having her menstrual cycle and her stepfather was concerned that it had happened early.

Mr Nyoni said the complainant’s stepmother then asked the juvenile whether she had slept with any man and the complainant narrated what the accused had done to her.

The matter was reported to the police resulting in the arrest of the accused person.

In his defense the accused person said he had never had sexual intercourse with the complainant.

He accused the complainant and her parents of fabricating the allegations against him just to fix him-Chronicle

…..

“There is no crisis or implosion in Zimbabwe. Neither has there been an abduction or war on citizens…”

The Information Secretary Nick Mangwana has denied government violated human rights. He described recent allegations as misinformation, peddled by political individuals and global actors.

Mangwana was speaking to the SABC news yesterday.

Last month security forces cracked down on anti-corruption activists participating in demonstrations. At least half a dozen people were arrested for peaceful protests in their communities. These incidents have drawn international condemnation. Ephert Musekiwa and Noma Bolani compiled this report.

Said Mangwana: “There is no crisis or implosion in Zimbabwe. Neither has there been an abduction or war on citizens.

 

“Like any other country in the world Zimbabwe has been enforcing covid-19 regulations, intended to safeguard and protect the lives of all citizens. “

Farai Dziva|South African opposition party, Democratic Alliance wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to reprimand Emmerson Mnangagwa over gross violation of human rights.

See statement below :

Democratic Alliance Statetement On Persecution Of Zimbabwean Citizens By Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Administration

The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa and Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders to prevent, on a major scale, the erosion of human rights in Zimbabwe and any further decline in reputation and investment risk to the entire region.

The DA has deep concerns over recent alleged human rights violations in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has failed the test for tolerance for the opposition and respect for the rule of law.

The propagated rumours of destructive forces within our neighbouring country taking bribes, and the subsequent announcement of the curfew and restriction on movement came as little surprise.

When armed forces flexed muscle around Bulawayo and Harare it was clear that not only were the cities going to be eerily quiet, but the voices of the opposition were going to be oppressed.

The silence from President Ramaphosa, in his capacity as President of both South Africa and the African Union (AU), on this matter is of great concern as he has a duty to send a clear and stern warning to the Zimbabwean government to exercise restraint and to remind it the international community is watching.
President Ramaphosa has lost a great opportunity to show true statesmanship.

It is therefore important internally, regionally and internationally that he makes an urgent, public statement condemning the human rights abuses and oppression of peaceful protest.

Zimbabwe has seen its fair share of trouble. It just about managed to survive the Mugabe-era of transitional justice that led to the collapse of the economy, harmed food security and put the quality of life of the average Zimbabwean into steep decline.

The country might not survive President Mnangagwa using the cover of the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity to increase his power without fear of being called out by any of his peers.

Zimbabwe, and the whole SADC region, cannot afford for President Ramaphosa to sit on the sidelines as he is prone to do in South Africa with the likes of Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

As AU chair he has an obligation to ensure stability in the entire region and cannot turn a blind eye when people are suffering gross injustices.

The DA urges Presidents Ramaphosa and Mnangagwa to engage with SADC partners, and that:

1. All leaders of the SADC region must condemn all forms of human rights abuses;
2. SADC should call for a cessation of all human rights abuses on individuals and political parties as well as the unfair restriction of their rights. This should be monitored by a SADC task team;
3. SADC leaders should assist the Zimbabwean government to negotiate a mediation agreement until the next elections; and
4. South Africa should institute measurables and sanctions against Zimbabwe unless certain terms are reached and abided by.

The DA on its part will partner with all parties in the various SADC countries that have democracy, human rights and prosperity in their manifesto to be more productive and active in the region.

As AU Chair and president of a SADC country, President Ramaphosa cannot turn a blind eye to the atrocities plaguing our neighbouring citizens once again. This situation requires urgent intervention, as is the President’s mandate.

The longer the President remains a spectator, the worse the situation will be, and those atrocities will be added to his tally- Democratic Alliance

Farai Dziva|Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association founder, Eddie Mboma Nyatanga, has tested positive for Coronavirus.

Nyatanga said he was tested on Saturday and the results came out positive.

See Nyatanga’s statement below :

It is with a heavy heart that I come to you with not so bad news.

I got tested for Covid-19 on Saturday and the results came out positive.The results have now been confirmed today (yesterday) by medical experts.

I have seen my colleagues in sport, succumbing to this deadly pandemic, and I would like to urge my relatives, associates and dear friends to join me in prayers as I go into the mandatory 14-days quarantine.

I have come into contact with different people and I urge them to all get tested. I am waiting for further instructions from the medical experts. I might be quarantined at my home or at a designated quarantine centre, depending on their recommendations.

The medical team is due to visit my home to disinfect it and also to test those whom I have come into contact with here.

I would like to urge those I have been in contact with in recent days to be tested and avoid getting into contact with other people.

I’m now taking it one day at a time but I’m quite positive that I’ll completely make a fully recovery as I’m taking all the necessary precautions and I’m in constant touch with my doctor.
Now, this is the reality.

My close friends, and all those in sport in general, and football in particular, can now understand that the virus is real. I have decided to reveal my status for the love of my friends and Zimbabweans. Everyone is at risk, as it stands.

So, I am requesting that the authorities to conduct door-to-door tests, both at business premises and homes. I have been into contact with several people, including celebrities, who will all have to be traced.

It’s now very clear that the eye of the coronavirus storm of passing through our communities.

A few months ago, we used to watch from a distance, telling each other that this had nothing to do with us but a concern for some countries far away from here.

This has changed dramatically and what we do now will be decisive in helping us tame this monster.

That is why I don’t think we can gamble with having the domestic football campaign being started, in these circumstances, because we are at the crossroads.

We just have to deal with this storm and pray that when it passes we would still be standing so that we can start getting back to normal again.

Football, right now, just like many of our sporting disciplines, don’t matter at all because these are games that we can still play next year while we can’t replace the lives we could lose if we drop our guard.

Hopewell Chin’ono’s lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa has slammed the selective application of justice in the country…

Watch video below :

Hopewell Chin’ono’s lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa has slammed the selective application of justice in the country…watch video below:

Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance has strongly condemned the persecution of Hither Rujeko Mpambwa who is a member of the party’s Youth Assembly.

Hither is also a member of the MDC Alliance Students Council.

” Rujeko Hither Mpambwa was arrested in the morning from her workplace in Kariba, charged with undermining the authority of ED and breaking the postal and telecommunications act.

She is student leader @CouncilMdc .
ZimbabweanslivesMatter,” MDC Alliance said in a brief statement.

Last week Hither was threatened by known CIO operatives in Kariba.

Also watch video below :

By Nomusa Garikai- Ever since the day, 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared corona virus a pandemic many governments across the world prepared themselves to do what they could to contain the virus, save human lives and save the economy.

Those nations with competent leaders have done very well in all the three areas and those with mediocre leaders have done badly in one, two or even all three areas. 

Still, most governments, competent or mediocre, had their eyes on containing the virus, saving human lives and saving the economy. It is now abundantly clear that this Zanu PF government had its eyes fixed on making sure Zimbabwe’s official corona virus figure are one of the lowest. 

Of course, Zanu PF knew Zimbabwe was going to do badly in containing the virus, saving human lives and saving the economic given the country’s economy was already in total meltdown so there was little to save but worst of all the country will have no economic resources to buy the test kits, PPE, etc. needed to contain the virus and shore up the all but collapsed health care service. And so the country was doomed to have high confirmed covid-19 cases and deaths.

The regime was concerned about its reputation, whatever happened it cannot be seen as having performed badly, and hence the need to ensure that the official corona virus figures are kept as low as possible. 

The regime was quick off the mark in passing a law making it a criminal office to publish corona virus figures other than the official figures. And so Zimbabwe’s official confirmed covid-19 cases and deaths have remained very low, as much as 40 times lower than one would expect compared to that of South Africa, for example. 

Zimbabwe has managed to keep the corona virus figures very low by making sure it did not keep track of the virus by testing, tracing and tracking. If you do not test for covid-19 then all those with the virus or die from it cannot be included on the official list as corona virus victims. “Simples!” as VP Chiwenga would say.  

Last week 70 health workers at Parerinyatwa Hospital tested positive of covid-19. Early this week, 20 nurses at Maphisa District Hospital in Matabeleland South test positive of the virus. This was the first time most of these health care workers have been tested. They are lucky, many other health care workers are still waiting to be tested.

Needless to say the patients in these hospital and clinics, even those with covid-19 like symptoms, are not being tested. 

For months Zimbabwe has carried less than 1 000 test per day and no wonder not even the frontline health workers have not been tested! 

The other way Zanu PF has kept the corona virus figures done is by falsifying the figures. Parerinyatwa Hospital reported that between 9 June to 25 July 2020 the hospital had 21 covid-19 deaths. And yet the government official record said the whole of Harare Province had 10 covid-19 death since the outbreak! 

Zanu PF has already been boasting about Zimbabwe’s low corona virus statistics as proof of how well the regime has contained the virus. This has come at a huge price, by failing to test and informing the people of their covid-19 status this has only helped to spread the virus faster, farther and widely. If you don’t know you have the virus, for example, you don’t take the common sense precaution of self-isolating and so you, unknowingly, spread the virus to one and all! 

Zimbabwe’s official confirmed covid-19 cases and deaths have started to soar and the real figures are even higher. The chickens are coming home to roost in their thousands and millions, like the red-billed quelea! The Zanu PF ruling elite are not being spared by the corona virus

Yesterday it was reported that 26 workers at the party’s Shake-shake HQ had tested positive of the corona virus. Today we hear the Minister of Information, Monica Mutsvangwa, is in self-isolation because he husband tested positive of the virus. Last Friday the late Minister of Agriculture, Perrance Shiri, was laid to rest at the National Heroes Acre, a victim of the corona virus. 

The one thing corona virus has done is bring into sharp focus our folly of doing nothing to end four decades of bad governance for there is no denying that the huge price in human suffering and lost lives to covid-19 was exacerbated by decades of Zanu PF misrule and blundering incompetence.

One only hopes that this heartbreaking tragedy will spur this nation out of its sloth-like slumber into action and finally end the curse of bad governance. 

Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance has strongly condemned the persecution of Hither Rujeko Mpambwa who is a member of the party’s Youth Assembly.

Hither is also a member of the MDC Alliance Students Council.

” Rujeko Hither Mpambwa was arrested in the morning from her workplace in Kariba, charged with undermining the authority of ED and breaking the postal and telecommunications act.

She is student leader @CouncilMdc .
ZimbabweanslivesMatter,” MDC Alliance said in a brief statement.

Last week Hither was threatened by known CIO operatives in Kariba.

Also watch video below :

By A Correspondent- Police in Centenary, Mashonaland Central have arrested a woman who allegedly  bashed her husband to death before conniving with her boyfriend to burn the corpse in the garden on Tuesday.

Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mundembe confirmed that KIngston Chitsinde  (60) of Kadzungura village in Centenary was bashed to death by his wife Tendai Phiri (42).

Phiri later connived with  Givemore Chipata (50) and the duo tried to burn the body of the deceased in an attempt to conceal the murder case.

“I can confirm a murder case in Centenary and investigations are underway,” Mundembe said.

Allegations are that Phiri went to consult an apostolic prophet on the cause of their paralyzed child and on her return she had a serious altercation with her now deceased husband.

Phiri bashed Chitsinde to death and covered him with blankets before she proceeded went to pick her boyfriend Chipata who was also the deceased’s friend.

The two suspects hatched a plan to carry the dead body to the garden where Chipata set the body on fire.

The corpse was partially burnt and Phiri went to the village head to report that her husband was missing.

The village heard ordered villagers to search for Chitsinde and they found his dead body partially burnt in the garden.

It is further alleged that  the police interrogated the wife who confessed that she had killed her husband and her boyfriend helped her to dump the body in the garden before setting it on fire.

Chitsinde’s body is at Mvurwi hospital awaiting postmortem.

In April 2007 Sidney Mufamadi was sent by Mbeki to Harare for talks with Mugabe. Mufamadi shunned opposition leaders. In May ‘07 Mbeki and Mufamadi insisted opposition leaders recognize Mugabe as leader before talks could start. He has no credibility. This is a whitewash. https://t.co/YVKsA4p6tC

— Justice Malala (@justicemalala) August 6, 2020

OK Zimbabwe has announced the suspension of its OK Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

The OK Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion is the biggest promotion in the country.

This year, however, has been unique due to the pandemic, which has resulted in restrictions to movement, production and supply chain disruptions as well as limited business hours as part of efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus.

“Unfortunately, this year we could not run our biggest annual promotion, the OK Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion, because of disruptions caused by Covid-19,” said the group in a trading update for the quarter to June 30, 2020.

Since its inception three decades ago, the OK Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion has grown bigger to become one of the major highlights in the retail sector and for consumers.

Last year, the group launched the promotion despite the economic challenges obtaining then.

According to the group, although Covid-19 has caused disruptions, its stores have remained stocked during the lockdown period.

Said OK: “Generally, however, the stores were reasonably stocked since the lockdown started on 30th March.”

As part of efforts to limit the spread of the virus, OK has implemented various measures such as providing personal protective equipment for staff, temperature checks for both staff and customers, limiting number of people into stores, maintaining social distance as well as engaging suppliers to ensure availability of merchandise for trading.

Meanwhile, the group reported a 32 percent decline in sales volume for the quarter to June 30, 2020 compared to same quarter in the prior year as the market grappled with low disposable incomes due to effects of Covid-19-The Herald

OK Zimbabwe has announced the suspension of its OK Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

The OK Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion is the biggest promotion in the country.

This year, however, has been unique due to the pandemic, which has resulted in restrictions to movement, production and supply chain disruptions as well as limited business hours as part of efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus.

“Unfortunately, this year we could not run our biggest annual promotion, the OK Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion, because of disruptions caused by Covid-19,” said the group in a trading update for the quarter to June 30, 2020.

Since its inception three decades ago, the OK Grand Challenge Jackpot Promotion has grown bigger to become one of the major highlights in the retail sector and for consumers.

Last year, the group launched the promotion despite the economic challenges obtaining then.

According to the group, although Covid-19 has caused disruptions, its stores have remained stocked during the lockdown period.

Said OK: “Generally, however, the stores were reasonably stocked since the lockdown started on 30th March.”

As part of efforts to limit the spread of the virus, OK has implemented various measures such as providing personal protective equipment for staff, temperature checks for both staff and customers, limiting number of people into stores, maintaining social distance as well as engaging suppliers to ensure availability of merchandise for trading.

Meanwhile, the group reported a 32 percent decline in sales volume for the quarter to June 30, 2020 compared to same quarter in the prior year as the market grappled with low disposable incomes due to effects of Covid-19-The Herald

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care has announced that the country recorded 13 coronavirus deaths between 1 and 3 August.

The cases were confirmed after post mortems were done. The deceased include nine (9) males and four (4) females from Harare and Mashonaland West Provinces.

The country also recorded 56 new cases – 54 local and 2 returnees, 1 from Zambia and 1 from South Africa.

By A Correspondent- A Ruwa man Ronald Magweta and Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (Walpe) have approached the High Court seeking an extension of the starting time of the curfew to 8 pm.

The lawsuit comes after President Mnangagwa recently imposed a 12-hour dusk-to-dawn curfew which begins at 6 pm ending at 6 am the following day. Magweta’s Affidavit read:

The curfew is unreasonable because there is an acute shortage of transport in Zimbabwe. It is common cause that the only public transport operator is allowed to operate in Zimbabwe at the moment is the State-owned Zupco buses or independent public vehicles operating under the Zupco licences.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact that while businesses close at 3pm, there is only a three-hour gap to allow commuters to get home.

They want the new Health Minister, Vice President Chiwenga to be directed to consider extending the curfew time to 8 pm to allow the citizenry to travel back home.

They also want police directed to issue a statement declaring that the curfew will be ruled out as being unconstitutional.

-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- Opposition MDC Alliance national spokesperson, Advocate Fadzayi Mahere has said an award-winning Zimbabwean journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono is now officially a political prisoner.

Mahere speaks when the High Court this Thursday denied bail for the corruption whistleblower who was arrested on the 20th of July and charged with inciting public violence.

His arrest came after he had urged the Zimbabwean general populace to participate in anti-corruption protests that had been scheduled for the 31st of last month.

Mahere posted on Twitter urging the citizenry to continue demanding Chin’ono’s freedom. 

She said:  

Hopewell Chin’ono is officially a political prisoner. Every progressive Zimbabwean must continue to demand his release. He is innocent. Let’s continue to demand his release. Freedom is a constitutional right. Let’s RETWEET & let the world know because #ZimbabweanLivesMatter

Watch Chin’ono’s lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa speak at the High Court soon after the bail ruling:

The High Court on Thursday denied journalist Hopewell Chin’ono bail reiterating that the Magistrates’ Court had not erred in saying that the award-winning journalist was rightfully arrested.

Justice Chitapi also warned Chin’ono’s lawyers (Beatrice Mtetwa) against attacking judges who had ruled against the journalist being granted bail.

The judge also observed that Chin’ono’s case needs to be heard by the court that initially denied him bail.

Justice Chitapi also noted that Chin’ono had failed to present evidence suggesting that Magistrate Nduna had erred in denying him bail.

Reads the ruling in part:

The second matter concerns the submissions made on appeal by the appellant’s counsel that the siltation had changed because the demonstrations which constituted the focus of the tweets having been planned for 31 July, 2020 did not take place. I indicated then that this was a matter outside the appeal record which I could not take account of. An appeal is determined on the basis of the record of proceedings taken on appeal. In other words, this appeal determines whether the decision of the learned magistrate as given on 24 July, 2020 based on what was said and produced before him is supportable. Anything which occurred after the hearing and judgment cannot be considered on appeal. Thus, whether or not it is still in the interests of justice to continue the detention of the appellant without bail is a matter which should be determined by the court which initially denied him bail. New facts which arise after the determination of a denied bail application cannot be considered on appeal. It was for these reasons that I refused to take account of events after the termination of the bail proceedings before the learned magistrate.

In disposing of the matter, I determine that the appellant has failed to demonstrate any misdirections of fact, law or both made by the learned magistrate in the court a quo as would justify interference with his judgment. In consequence therefore, the order I make is as follows:

“The appeal be and it is hereby dismissed.”

Robert Martin Gumbura will be out of prison in just five years after the High Court slashed his sentence by half following an appeal.

The pastor was serving an effective 40-year jail term for rape and will now have to serve half of the years following a successful appeal against his sentence.

His lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku says he might have five years remaining considering the remission of sentence.

“In the magistrates’ court, he was given 50 years before 10 years were suspended conditionally.

“He has been in jail since 2014 meaning that he has already served part of the remaining sentence, also taking into account what it is called remission of sentence.

“You will find out that he is left with about five years,” said Madhuku.

The appeal was heard by Justices Charles Hungwe and Edith Mushore.

He said the reason why the State consented to the reduction of Gumbura’s prison term was because the regional magistrate erred in convicting him over a complainant who alleged she was raped twice.

He said the State agreed that she was indeed raped on the first encounter but failed to bring out the abuse on the second count.

Gumbura is accused of raping several female congregants and threatening to place them in the hands of the devil if they refused.

The Standard

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisor Christopher Mutsvangwa yesterday launched an astonishing attack against Zanu PF benefactor Kudakwashe Tagwirei, claiming that he is now a source of divisions in the presidium.

Mutsvangwa also revealed that Tagwirei was being given preferential treatment in the allocation of foreign currency for the importation of fuel, which he said had created a monopoly in the fuel industry.

The war veterans’ leader and one of the president’s top allies’ outbursts come amid reports that relations between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga have become sour.

Tagwirei, who owns Sakunda and has several controversial deals with the government, was thrust into the vortex of the infighting last week after Zanu PF apologist William Mutumanje, aka Acie Lumumba, claimed he was at the centre of a fuel cartel that included top Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) officials.

RBZ governor John Mangudya suspended four directors from the apex bank citing Mutumanje’s “exposé”.

Mutsvangwa was accused in some quarters of being the brains behind the “leak” of the alleged intelligence report linking Tagwirei to illegal foreign currency deals and a fuel “cartel”.

However, the former minister yesterday denied working with Mutumanje before launching an unrestrained attack on Tagwirei.

“He is dividing the presidium. How can a businessman have preferences in the presidium?

“That is trying to turn the country into a banana republic,” Mutsvangwa said, without clarifying Tagwirei’s leanings in the presidium.

Tagwirei’s business gets about US$80 to US$90 million every month for fuel from the RBZ, yet many companies, some of them largest fuel dealers in the world, want to come and invest in the fuel industry in the country.

“You can ask [Energy] minister Joram Gumbo. There are many who want to come. We can’t have a whole country for one man.”

Mutsvangwa claimed most of the foreign currency given to Sakunda was being sold on the black market to repay the RBZ through the real-time gross settlement (RTGS) system.

“One of the optimal conditions to attract investment is free competition. The RBZ is not a source of capital. Tagwirei relies on RBZ foreign currency allocation and claims to be a businessperson. I don’t respect such businesspeople,” he said.

“I know what I am saying. I have been fighting (former president Robert) Mugabe over creating an oligopoly since 2015 when this whole thing started.

“I can’t be faulted for moving against a monopoly and the whole country is against him. My crime is historical, for enlightening the Pope.”

He added: “I am the one who brought in a tobacco company from China, which has generated billions for the country.

“I also took small-scale gold miners to China and they are doing well, generating foreign currency, but the money is given to Tagwirei, why?

“Tobacco and gold are the two major sources of foreign currency. I also fought hard for chrome to be sold.

“All the hard-earned foreign currency is given to the RBZ and John Mangudya gives it to Tagwirei. Why can’t he go in the market to source his own foreign currency?

“How can someone have a business model that relies on RBZ foreign currency allocations? Taking from Peter to give Mary?

“If tobacco and gold producers can retain the money they raise, they can do better with it.”

Mutsvangwa said the RBZ was the nerve centre of the economy and for a just society, it should not allocate foreign currency to businesses.

“Taking money from panners and giving them digital dollars, phantom money while giving Tagwirei, whose business is simply to sit before a computer and invoice the RBZ, some hard dollars is just being cruel on Zimbabweans,” he said.

Mutsvangwa said he had nothing to do with Mutumanje’s “leaks” because he had been out of the country since September.

“Now that the public knows the truth, it is good. Tagwirei should simply tell the people what he has been doing with the money he was allocated by the RBZ and what makes him merit more allocation than others,” he said.

Mutsvangwa accused Tagwirei and Trafigura, a Singaporean company, of causing havoc on the economy.

“All the problems Zimbabwe has been experiencing centre around fuel,” he said.

He claimed that Tagwirei was involved in “oligopoly politics” and Trafigura was bent on capturing the state.

“The day his father died, the whole army went there, the whole government was closed,” he said.

“I was outraged, a single person closing government business; this is a sign of inordinate power. Where does it come from? “We want to know who is backing him.

“He should tell us how he ends up at the front queue of the RBZ, the political power behind him.

“I am against the whole philosophy of allocation of foreign currency and when the country had cholera, [Econet boss]Strive Masiyiwa provided $10 million, and when the country has a fuel crisis, Sakunda wants to cash in.

“He is using public infrastructure.

“How can a pipeline and underground fuel reserves built by the country end up being run by a private individual?

“Why does he invoice in hard currency for a facility that belongs to the country?

“With its facilities, Zimbabwe should be a regional hub of fuel but for 20 years, it has had artificial shortages of fuel when it has the third largest facility in the world.”

He claimed Tagwirei sponsored Norton MP Temba Mliswa in the last elections to keep him out of government because he was speaking against the Sakunda “oligopoly”.

Mutsvangwa said the command agriculture programme being bankrolled by Sakunda was meant to facilitate state capture.

“Where have you found the army grow food for the population in the world? I was opposed to that,” he said.

Tagwirei was not answering his phone yesterday when this paper tried to seek a comment on the allegations. The businessman is believed to be very close to Chiwenga.

NetOne has send out a message informing subscribers that they will be hiking their bundles tomorrow. Of course, they didn’t actually say they were going to hike prices tomorrow but we have been doing this dance for over a year now. Companies, especially mobile network operators send out a message saying they will be reviewing the prices of a certain item on such and such a date have all invariably meant to say they were going to jack prices up.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Dear Valued Customer,

Please be advised that all our bundle prices will be reviewed effect 7 August 2020.

Please dial *171# for details.

By bundle prices they probably mean all their bundles including voice bundles and SMS bundles. We will post the latest bundle prices tomorrow morning when they become effective.

Following in the footsteps of Econet

Econet have already adjusted their bundle prices in line with POTRAZ’s directive that all tariffs be in USD. These will be adjusted regularly in line with the official exchange rate which will change every week.

Price Checker

Bloomberg

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa accused his deputy of plotting against him in a heated exchange, highlighting a rift between the nation’s two most powerful men as the economy implodes.

At a meeting of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front’s politburo last week, Mnangagwa shouted at Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, according to two people familiar with the situation. They asked not to be identified because the quarrel hasn’t been publicly disclosed.

The president accused his deputy of instigating a plan to use an opposition protest on July 31 over the deteriorating economic situation to embarrass the national leader, the people said. Some party members would have been encouraged to demonstrate alongside the opposition, but focus their criticism on Mnangagwa to weaken his standing within the ruling party, the people said.

Chiwenga denied any plot against the president, saying he’d endorsed Mnangagwa as president for Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections, the people said. He said he had protected Mnangagwa against enemies within the party who have now fled the country.

The clash shows the tension between Mnangagwa, 77, and Chiwenga, the 63-year-old former head of the armed forces who installed Mnangagwa when he led a November 2017 coup that ousted President Robert Mugabe. Some military leaders and their allies have grown increasingly impatient as inflation has exceeded 700% and shortages of fuel, food and cash have become rife.

Calls to government spokesman Nick Mangwana and Chiwenga’s office weren’t answered when Bloomberg sought comment.to power, but at the same time Chiwenga is seen by analysts as ambitious and impatient to take over from Mnangagwa. The ex-military general wields influence within the ruling party and was this week handed oversight of the Health Ministry.

In June, military leaders held a press conference to say they weren’t planning a coup, stoking speculation of disquiet within the ruling elite. Still, later that month they ordered the closing of the stock exchange and banned large mobile-money transfers in a bid to stabilize its collapsing national currency, people familiar with the situation said at the time.

At last week’s meeting, Mnangagwa brandished fliers denigrating him that were seized by the Central Intelligence Organisation from the home of Cleveria Chizema, the party’s health secretary, the people said. Chizema has been suspended. She didn’t answer calls to her mobile phone.

The fliers called for Zanu-PF supporters to join the opposition protest, which was stillborn after security forces deployed on the streets of the capital, Harare. That deployment stoked the latest round of speculation of increasing military influence on the government.

Opposition MDC Alliance national spokesperson, advocate Fadzayi Mahere has said an award-winning Zimbabwean journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono who was denied bail in the high Court On Thursday is now officially a political prisoner.

Mahere posted on Twitter urging the citizenry to continue demanding Chin’ono’s freedom. She said:

Chin’ono’s arrest and that of opposition leader, Jacob Ngarivhume of Transform Zimbabwe sparked controversy and attracted attention from the international community.

Hopewell Chin'ono is officially a political prisoner. Every progressive Zimbabwean must continue to demand his release. He is innocent. Let's continue to demand his release. Freedom is a constitutional right. Let's RETWEET & let the world know because #ZimbabweanLivesMatter?? pic.twitter.com/6ROERM5oU9

— Fadzayi Mahere?? (@advocatemahere) August 6, 2020

Exiled former Zimbabwean Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Jonathan Moyo has urged human rights defenders in Zimbabwe to use foreign phone numbers for WhatsApp as a strategy to save their own lives. 

Moyo speaks at the backdrop of intense surveillance, arrest and torture of government critics by suspected state security agents. 

Moyo tweeted suggesting that local mobile network providers – Econet Wireless and NetOne, “voluntarily handover customer details and addresses” when police and central intelligence agents show up with a memo for a trace. He said:

If you are in Zim & are actively helping the people to exercise their constitutional rights to save lives & protect their livelihoods, stop using local numbers to setup your WhatsApp. Share the msg with Job Sikhala. Hopefully some NGOs can help with this!#ZimbabweanLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/73lOeI8Ptm

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) August 6, 2020

If you are in Zim & are actively helping the people to exercise their constitutional rights to save lives & protect their livelihoods, stop using local numbers to set up your WhatsApp. Share the msg with Job Sikhala. Hopefully, some NGOs can help with this! #ZimbabweanLivesMatter

A HARARE magistrate has ruled that charges levelled against former Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko are vague and embarrassing.

Mphoko is facing criminal abuse of office charges, where he allegedly unlawfully caused the release of former Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) officials from police custody in 2016 when he was Acting President.

The former VP, who is out on $1 000 bail following his arrest by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, had applied for exception to the charges at the Harare Magistrates Court.

In his ruling, magistrate Trynos Utahwashe said the right to fair trail was absolute in terms of section 186(3)( e) of the Constitution.

“All essential allegations to be proved by the State in order to sustain a guilty verdict must be contained in a charge sheet,” Utahwashe said.

“The charge sheet must contain the relevant elements of the crime that has been omitted and the manner in which the offence was committed. The charge, therefore, should not be vague and too broad, but specific. Only then can an accused person be required to answer to the charge.”

He concurred with Mphoko’s lawyer, Zibusiso Ncube that the State could not completely charge any public officer in terms of section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

“I, therefore, would disagree that section 174 does not contain any definition of conduct that is unlawful for a public officer,” he said.

The magistrate said the State made reference to section 106, which regulates the conduct of the VPs, ministers and deputy ministers in government, adding that the State could not, therefore, deny that the conduct alleged against Mphoko was defined in section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, alone and, therefore, could not stand.

“If the conduct complained against the accused by the State is in subsection (2) of section 106 of the Constitution, the conduct must be alleged in the charge sheet…,” Utahwashe ruled.

“The present charge omits the essential allegations of the conduct complained of by the State.”

Mphoko faced an alternative charge of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.

Utahwashe said the charge sheet has to essentially name particular officers who were obstructed to do their work, and not generalise.

Charges were that on May 6, 2016, Zacc received a report of allegations of fraud and criminal abuse of office against Zinara officials. Investigations led to the arrest of Zinara acting chief executive Moses Juma and non-executive director Davison Norupiri and Mphoko ordered their release.

Mphoko’s defence submitted that their client had no authority to issue orders to police officers as that was only reserved to the President and thus whatever he said at the police station on the day, did not constitute a lawful order to the officers.

Utahwashe ruled that whatever the accused said on the day became an order due to his position, upholding the exception and dismissing Mphoko’s charges as vague and embarrassing.

Newsday

Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has justified the appointment of Vice President Chiwenga as the Health Minister and said the county is generally undisciplined and in need of dogmatic leaders like Chiwenga.

He Tweeted:

This country needs a dogmatic leader because democracy and it's ideals such as freedom of speech we don't accept. The indiscipline is too much. Mugabe had a peaceful reign because he was dogmatic in dealing us.

— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) August 6, 2020

The South African Ministry of International Relations Naledi Pandor has revealed that it has been in touch with the Zimbabwean government to raise concerns on the on going human rights violations in the country.

The department posted as follows on Twitter:

The Government of the Republic of South Africa has noted with concern the reports related to human rights violations in the Republic of #Zimbabwe.

The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr. Naledi Pandor is in contact with her Zimbabwean counterpart, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Mr. Sibusiso Moyo.

As recent as on Tuesday, the two Ministers had a telephonic conversation, wherein Minister Pandor expressed South Africa’s readiness to assist if requested. Minister Pandor, reiterated South Africa’s commitment to peace and stability in the region and the African Continent.

She stated that it remains South Africa’s resolve to continue the pursuit for consultative solutions to address the existing socio-economic challenges and to contribute to the wellbeing of all Zimbabweans, the people of the SADC Region and Africans at large.

1/4 The Government of the Republic of South Africa has noted with concern the reports related to human rights violations in the Republic of #Zimbabwe.

— DIRCO South Africa (@DIRCO_ZA) August 6, 2020

Drax SAGL International has proposed that two (2) retired judges, Justices Moses Chinhengo and Ahmed Ebrahim — together with Advocate Firoz Girachmediate mediate in its US$20 million contract with the government of Zimbabwe.

The contract to supply medical equipment was cancelled by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development after it had emerged that the equipment was overpriced.

In reaction, Drax challenged the cancellation and sued National Pharmaceutical Company (Natpharm) arguing the termination of the contract was unlawful.

The company is challenging the cancellation of the contract on grounds that it had performed its obligations in terms of the law.

A letter from Drax addressed to R. Mtombeni of Natpharm reads:

Our client concluded a contract for the supply and delivery of medical supplies with yourselves on 11th December 2019.

Our client performed all its obligations in terms of the law…Our instructions are to indicate that your purported cancellation of the 11th June, signed by one…Sifeku is null and void….

The contract has already seen the then Health minister Obadiah Moyo and four officials arrested and charged with criminal abuse of office after authorising the supply of the equipment despite objections from Treasury.

-DailyNews

watch the live video loading below…..

We have been told to wait about 15 to 20 minutes for a written copy of the judgement.

So we are waiting. #FreeHopewell #FreeJacobNgarivhume #FreeZimbabwe #ZimbabweanLivesMatter

— Doug Coltart ✊??? (@DougColtart) August 6, 2020

Watch the live video loading below……

Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance has cited political interference as the main reason for the lack of sound development in rural and urban councils.

See statement below :

Superior Services impossible in councils as a result of central government interference

Guided by the PRIDES ( Particiption, Reform, Integrity Devolution , Environment and Superior Services) strategy , MDC Alliance lead councils have their focus on delivery of superior services to their stakeholders.

Most local authorities in the country are poorly staffed.

The majority of councils are sadly ran by senior managers that are occupying positions in acting capacities, a situation that is a recipe for disaster in this important sector which sits at the coal face of the livelihoods of the people

This situation is a result of central governments appetite for micromanagement of councils in contravention of the constitution which give powers to elected councils to run local affairs out of their own initiative and autonomously.

Central government wants to decide who should be Town clerk, chamber Secretary or indeed any senior management position.

We implore the minister of local government to allow councils to employ without interference.

We posit that the Local Government Board, has no place in a devolved local government system and should not be used to employ unqualified and partisan staff.

The quality of services and efficiency and effectiveness of councils is directly related to the quality, suitability , skills and experience of senior staff.

The appointment of politically connected, yet unsuitable staff is the catalysis for corruption and inefficiency in our councils today. Our fight against corruption is lost if this practice is not stopped quickly.

Sesel Zvidzai

Secretary for Local Gvt and Rural Development

Watch the live video loading below……

BREAKING- Hopewell Chin'ono has been denied bail by Justice Chitapi. #ZimbabweanLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/gSlYCFVCzv

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) August 6, 2020

Watch the live video loading below……

Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance has strongly condemned the persecution of Hither Rujeko Mpambwa who is a member of the party’s Youth Assembly.

Hither is also a member of the MDC Alliance Students Council.

” Rujeko Hither Mpambwa was arrested in the morning from her workplace in Kariba, charged with undermining the authority of ED and breaking the postal and telecommunications act.

She is student leader @CouncilMdc .
ZimbabweanslivesMatter,” MDC Alliance said in a brief statement.

Last week Hither was threatened by known CIO operatives in Kariba.

Also watch video below :