AUGUST 1, 2020
Today marks 2 years since 6 people lost their lives at the hands of the military in Zimbabwe. Two years on, there is still no justice for the innocent civilians.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) remains concerned with the delayed justice for the victims bearing in mind that “justice delayed is justice denied.”

Following relatively peaceful 30 July 2018 harmonised elections, protests broke out in the Harare central business district on 1 August 2018, with protesters demanding the release of the results of the presidential elections.

In response, the media documented security forces indiscriminately shooting and assaulting civilians, including those who were not taking part in the protests.

Some were shot at the back, as they were escaping the scenes. As a result of the shootings, six (6) people died whilst over sixty (60) more people were brutally assaulted.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe to lead a Commission of Inquiry into the 2018 Post-Election Violence whose report was released on 18 December 2018.

Some of the recommendations made by the commission are as follows;

The payment of compensation for all victims of the violence and dependents of the deceased. Where the deceased had young children, the Commission recommended that they be urgently assisted with school fees and their general welfare.

The government should put in place a special committee to assess and determine the quantum of damages and compensation to be awarded to victims on a case by case basis and their general welfare
The government should set up a fund to assist those directly affected.
Police to urgently complete their investigation to enable the prosecution of those persons responsible for alleged crimes committed on the 1st of August 2018.
The Forum which represents some of the victims and relatives of the deceased persons remains extremely concerned that two years on, nothing of substance has been done to operationalise the Commission’s recommendations.

On 28 June 2020, the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Permanent Secretary Virginia Mabhiza issued a statement in which she alleged that government had fully complied with recommendations made by the Motlanthe Commission.

She also stated that some of the victims’ families had not approached the Department of Social Welfare for assistance.

This is all surprising as the recommendations of the Motlanthe Commission never alluded to the need for the victims’ family members to approach the Department of Social Welfare, and no public or direct communication to the victims was ever made for them to approach the Department of Social Welfare.

The Forum has also noted with concern the unrepentant nature of the State in the protection of human rights.

In January 2019, the State abrogated the recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry and unleashed the military into the streets once again.

At that point, seventeen (17) people lost their lives. As we remember fellow citizens who lost their lives on 1 August 2018, the State has also unleashed the security forces onto the streets of Zimbabwe leading to the death of Paul Munakopa who was shot in Bulawayo and the assault and torture of many more.

Apart from the compensation of victims, there is no evidence of security sector reforms in the country as recommended by the report of the Commission of Inquiry.

It is disturbing to also note that there is no record in the public domain pointing to any disciplinary action being taken against members of the armed forces who perpetrated the heinous crimes.

Rather, Brigadier-General Anselem Sanyatwe the tactical commander of the force deployed on 1 August 2018 was promoted and subsequently appointed Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Tanzania.

The 1 August 2018 events remain a fresh wound in Zimbabwe. As a result, the Forum calls on:

The government to-

fully implement the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry;

learn from the past and desist from the unnecessary deployment of the military to
conduct civilian policing duties;
pursue its constitutional mandate in relation to allegations of continuous human rights violations at the hands of the State apparatus;
prosecute military personnel who killed unarmed civilians to be held accountable
for their actions; and
reach out to the families affected and provide compensation.
The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to:

to urgently work towards reconciliation and compensation to the victims of 1 August 2018 shootings; and
work towards prevention on recurrence.
Zimbabwe HUMAN RIGHTS NGO Forum

World-acclaimed author and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga, MDC Alliance national spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere and five other protestors were granted a $5 000 bail each by a Harare magistrate on Saturday.

Dangarembga, Mahere, Simon Drury, Tinashe Murapatsa, Nyasha Musendu, Josee Lots, Jessica Drury, Julie Barnes and Tinotenda Muswe appeared before Magistrate Ngoni Nduna.

They were facing two charges of participating in a public gathering with intent to promote public violence, and contravening the Public Health (Covid-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) Act for participating in peaceful protests on Friday, 31 July 2020.

The seven were arrested separately in Avondale, Groombridge, and Borrowdale. The charge sheet read:

The accused persons were seen demonstrating and placards were recovered. There are witnesses who will testify and give evidence to the effect that accused not having been exempted to carry out any movement within the national lockdown period, did so.

The accused were represented by Alec Muchadehama, Chris Mhike, and Paidamoyo Saurombe.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) in Bulawayo has secured the release of Panashe Vongai Sivindani on $2 000 bail.

Sivindani, who is a third-year student at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), was arrested on Friday for staging a lone anti-corruption demonstration at a TM supermarket. She has also has been ordered to report to police once a week.

Newsday

FORMER Zipra cadres yesterday said they were still bitter with the late Agriculture minister Perrance Shiri because he commandeered the North Korea-trained 5th Brigade military unit that committed atrocities in the Matabeleland and Midlands regions in the mid-1980s.

Shiri, who is the former Air Force of Zimbabwe boss, died on Wednesday morning and was buried at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare yesterday.

He commanded the 5th Brigade deployed by the late former President Robert Mugabe “to deal with a dissident insurgency” in the Matebeleland and Midlands provinces, which killed over 20 000 people, according to the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe.

“As Zipra ex-combatants based in foreign countries due to the hooliganism and unethical behaviour conducted by an army commanded by Shiri, we are not saddened by his death; neither do we consider him as a cadre,” Zipra Veterans Association secretary Petros Sibanda said in a statement.

“We lost families, comrades and colleagues over the operations of 5th Brigade headed by Bigboy Chikerema (aka Perrance Shiri). Today, we are shell-shocked to learn from the President of Zimbabwe (Emmerson Mnangagwa) that Perrance Shiri was a great commander.

“This is utter nonsense. How on earth do you declare a commander of warlords a hero. Someone who masterminded the death of more than 20 000 people unarmed civilians?”

The Zipra cadres said they would put it to Mnangagwa that they abandoned their families, hard-earned independence because of the 5th Brigade Gukurahundi massacres masterminded by him working with Shiri.

“We doubt very much that he was an indeed trained soldier because a trained soldier is driven by high levels of human dignity, respect, over and above, he is selfless and protects the citizens of the country with high agility,” Zipra said.

Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance says the persecution of opposition members and human rights defenders by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s troubled administration is a sign of desperation.

See full statement below:

01 August 2020

The MDC Alliance condemns the arrest and persecution of National Spokesperson Adv Fadzai Mahere, Acting Chairperson of the Women’s Assembly Hon Mugidho,National Youth Organising Secretary Godfrey Kuraone, councillor Edward Dzeka and many others.

We demand their immediate and unconditional release.

The right to peaceful protest is provided for by the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

The fact that the illegitimate ZANU-PF government does not like it can not make it legal. Law is not based on the regime’s likes or dislikes.

Yesterday, across the country, there were a myriad of other unlawful arrests, including that of award winning author Tsitsi Dangarembwa, Mdudusi Matutu’s family members among others.

All these arrests further tarnish an already bad image of our country.

If Mnangagwa and ZANU-PF are serious, they must arrest corruption, state capture, hunger, poverty and economic decay.

The weaponisation of law and systematic targeting of members of the MDC Alliance and dissenting citizens is a sign of desperation. A clear manifestation of an unstable and panicking government.

Clifford Hlatywayo
Deputy National Spokesperson

Farai Dziva|Firebrand South African opposition leader Julius Malema has described Emmerson Mnangagwa as a “clueless ideological amoeba.”

Malema also accused Mnangagwa of trampling on the fundamental values of the liberation war.

See statement below:

The Economic Freedom Fighters notes the announcement by Emmerson Mnangagwa the President of Zimbabwe, that his government has taken a decision to compensate the British occupiers of Zimbabwean land who lost their illegitimate rights to Zimbabwean land through the fast track land reform programme.

Mnangagwa announced that they had secured S3.5 billion to pay to British settlers for the loss of ‘their lane. through the Zimbabwean land reform programme and hopes that this will bring closure to the instability brought about by the forced return of Zimbabwean land back to Zimbabwean people. We are of the firm view that Mnangagwa is either deeply misinformed about the real causes of the crisis in Zimbabwe or is simply catapulting to the pressure from the white supremacist world.

Either way, the treasonous act of paying to white settlers money that Zimbabwe does not have will not resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe which is essentially a political crisis resulting from years of mismanagement at the centre of which Mnangagwa features prominently.

It must also be noted that the push for the repossession of the land In Zimbabwe was not initiated by the State. At the time Zimbabwe gained its independence, the framework for land reform was premised on a market-led land reform programme whereby the State with the assistance of Britain, was required to purchase land from white landowners for land redistribution purposes.

This was based on the 1980 Lancaster Agreement, which provided that the government would not engage in compulsory land acquisition and that land distribution would take place subject to the principle of ‘willing buyer willing saner’, whereby the government would ‘pay promptly adequate compensation’ for property.

When this failed to return Zimbabwean land back to Zimbabweans.

It was the ordinary person on the street, together with war veterans, who started forcefully taking back their land in Zimbabwe. This action found a willing political leader in the form of a resolute and ideologically clear Seeder in President Robert Mugabe.

Mnangagwa is now not only pissing on the graves of the many heroic men and women who laid down the lives for the return of Zimbabwean land but he is also desecrating on the legacy of Robert Mugabe from whom he violently took power in an unprincipled coup. This action Is a serious blow to the idea of decolonisation in the continent. It is reminiscent of the forced debt France imposed on Haiti when the Haitians liberated themselves from slavery. wherein France demanded payment for loss of property.

The crisis in Zimbabwe is as a direct consequence of the political ineptitude of the ruling elite there.

Their deeply embedded cronyism and their insatiable desire for theft of public funds.

It has been proven time and again that ordinary Zimbabweans who got the land as a result of the fast track land reform programme are actually working the land and producing at levels that would be much higher if there was a targeted support programme from the State.

Mnangagwa will be remembered as a clueless, ideological amoeba who was prepared to tread on important gains of the struggle in order to be liked by whites.

We deeply condemn this act of betrayal by Mnangagwa and call on ordinary Zimbabweans to reject this wasteful use of money that should be directed towards building hospitals in Zimbabwe.

By A Correspondent| According to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, at least 60 people were arrested in connection with the 31 July protest and these include Jacob Ngarivhume, Hopewell Chin’ono and Fadzayi Mahere among others.

The human rights group said 16 people were injured and requiring medical attention while calling on authorities to appreciate the fact that peaceful protests are a human right.

“At least 60 people have been arrested ahead of or during #31July protest. They include; Hopewell Chin’ono, Jacob Ngarivhume and Fadzayi Mahere amongst others. 16 people were injured requiring medical attention. Peaceful protest is a human right,” said ZLHR on Twitter.

Police and army forced the shutdown of major cities including Harare, Bulawayo and Gweru among others, to quash the planned protest which the state run media described as a flop.

According to MDC Alliance Deputy National Spokesperson, Clifford Hlatywayo, party National Spokesperson Advocate Fadzai Mahere and six others were granted RTGS5000 Bail this afternoon by Harare magistrate Ngoni Nduna.

Hlatywayo demanded the release of other detained persons including a Chegutu Councillor and other arrested members countrywide.

More to follow….

Harare regional magistrate Ngoni Nduna on Friday adjourned the trial of Harare West legislator Joanna Mamombe (MDC Alliance) and her party colleagues Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova, to August 21.

The three MDC-A activists are accused of participating in an illegal demonstration in Warren Park, Harare, on 13 May this year.

Obey Shava, of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, appearing on behalf of lawyer Alec Muchadehama, told Nduna that the trio’s lawyer was attending a colleague’s funeral.

Shava said a workmate at the firm identified as G Sibanda had died and that some of the lawyers at the firm were working from home as their premises were being deep cleaned for coronavirus.

The MDC-A trio is alleged to have gathered at Choppies Supermarket in Warren Park 1 with other MDC-Alliance youths on 13 May at around 12.30 pm where they staged an illegal demonstration.

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A joyride by Kwekwe lovebirds ended in tragedy after their vehicle overturned and landed on its roof resulting in the death of the 39-year-old driver, while his 15-year-old girlfriend sustained serious injuries.

Police confirmed the incident, which occurred in Mbizo 17 on Thursday evening. The deceased has been identified as Steward Macheza.

According to witnesses, Macheza had just bought a second-hand Toyota Alex and decided to take his minor girlfriend on a joyride.

“Macheza left at around 6pm saying he was picking up his girlfriend for a joyride. Unfortunately, they had only covered 300m when the car, which was speeding, skidded resulting in him losing control and the car overturning,” said a witness, Mr Aaron Chikava.

Mr Chikava said residents in the neighbourhood quickly rushed to the scene and tried to assist the two who were trapped. “Unfortunately, Macheza could not make it and died on the spot but the girl (name  supplied) was rushed to the hospital by well-wishers,” he said.

Another eyewitness, who only identified herself as Mrs Hove concurred that the vehicle was speeding and skidding on the narrow road when tragedy struck. “We could see that the driver was very excited judging by the way he was driving,” she said. 

Midlands police spokesperson, Inspector Joel Goko confirmed the accident yesterday.

“The deceased Mr Steward Macheza was driving a white Toyota Alex with a female passenger due north on an open space in Mbizo 17. The driver was skidding and in the process drove over a small ant hill, lost control of the vehicle resulting in it overturning twice before landing on its roof,” he said.

Insp Goko said Kwekwe police traffic attended to the scene but the driver had already died.

“The female passenger was taken to the hospital where she is still admitted,” he said.

-Herald

By A Correspondent- Harare Mayor Herbert Gomba was on Thursday granted $10 000 bail by the Anti-Corruption Court of the High Court following his arrest on criminal abuse of office charges.

Anti-Corruption Court of the High Court judge Justice Felistus Chitakunye, however, banned Gomba from setting foot at Town House and interfering with State witnesses.

Gomba, through his lawyer Lovemore Madhuku, had appealed against a decision by Harare regional magistrate Bianca Makwande to deny him bail.

Makwande had ruled that there was high risk Gomba would interfere with evidence if released on bail.

He was also instructed to report at Glen Norah Police Station every Friday and surrender his passport.

Gomba is alleged to have written a letter that authorised the development of the land he reportedly awarded to Taringana Housing Scheme.

The State alleges that in 2019 Gomba connived with his accomplices, who are yet to be accounted for by police, and altered an approved layout plan belonging to Youth in Business Housing Trust.

As a result, Gomba and his accomplices allegedly converted State land into council land and allocated it to Taringana Housing Scheme.

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The High Court in Bulawayo on Saturday ordered the Officer in Charge of CID Law and Order Section in Bulawayo and the Officer Commanding Police in Bulawayo to produce within 72 hours Tawanda Muchehiwa, a citizen who was abducted on Thursday, 30 July 2020.

Nqobani Sithole filed an urgent chamber application before the High Court of Bulawayo on the 31st of July 2020 around 15:00hrs for a habeas corpus of Muchehiwa. He filed the application representing MISA Zimbabwe.

According to MISA Zimbabwe, Muchehiwa is nephew to ZimLive Editor Mduduzi Mathuthu whose home was ransacked by police on the same evening of the 30th of July 2020.

He was arrested by the Police in Mahatshula Suburb in Bulawayo but the police who arrested him later professed ignorance as to his whereabouts.

Muchehiwa was last seen in the custody of the police at Bulawayo Central Police Station after he was separated from Amandlenkosi Mathuthu and Advent Mathuthu whose whereabouts are now known.

High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese declared Muchehiwa’s detention is illegal and unlawful and he must be released forthwith.

Long-time friend Vice President General (Rtd) Constantino Chiwenga recalled his mission school antics with his war-time friend Perrance Shiri bringing some light-hearted moments to the sombre atmosphere.

Watch the Vice President’s remarks below:

By A Correspondent- The deadly Coronavirus has claimed the life of Provincial Intelligence Officer in the Counterintelligence branch of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Joseph Mbwanyo

He passed away on Friday morning after having tested for Coronavirus.

In the past 7 days Zimbabwe has lost prominent persons including Keith Guzah, Norman Mataruka, Sam Malaba, Perrance Shiri and Colonel Mugwisi.

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By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe will not be lectured by misinformed and misguided regional parties such as the South African Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on anything as the country is not a province of South Africa.

Responding to a statement issued by EFF, which according to the state media sought to cast aspersions at the recently signed US$3.5 billion Global Compensation Deed (GCD) deal between Government and representatives of former white farmers, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said the agreement was a fulfilment of constitutional provisions.

“The compensation of the said farmers is in line with the Zimbabwe Constitution, overwhelmingly voted for by the majority of Zimbabweans, political leaders across the divide included.

Specifically, Chapter 16, Section 295 Sub Section 3, as read with Section 72 Sub Section 3 (a), obligates the State to pay compensation for improvements that were on land when such land was acquired,” he said.

Julius Malema’s EFF, which has offered a political home to members of the decapitated G40 faction, who are running away from the long arm of the law, in its statement wrongly claimed that the Government would pay for the land with money that has since been secured but this is far from the truth.

Julius Malema Under the historic agreement, that was sealed at State House on Wednesday, and which puts to rest the land question, both Government and the white former farmers will mobilise financing of the Global Compensation Deed and payment is only for improvements that were made at the farms, not the land.

“Government has not ‘secured’ the US$3.5 billion compensation as again claimed by Malema. Following the signing, both sides will now jointly mount initiatives to raise the funds.

“Any claims contrary to the above-stated facts which are publicly available, point to deliberate misinformation or lack of understanding of the intricate nature of Zimbabwe’s land history,” said Mr Mangwana.

The Permanent Secretary reminded the EFF that President Mnangagwa “is well aware of the causes of the economic challenges bedevilling Zimbabwe and does not need to rely on hastily made conclusions by excitable entities that are yet to garner requisite experience in management of such issues”. He said had Malema and his partners used appropriate diplomatic channels, he could have been told the real facts around the historic land deal that has been hailed globally as a milestone.

“Government also takes offence at the uncouth but unsurprising attacks on the person of President Mnangagwa by Malema who appears to be under the illusion that vulgarity is an ideology. We therefore wish to remind Mr Malema that Zimbabwe is not a province of South Africa or one of his shacks and he should leave Zimbabweans to deal with Zimbabwean issues.

“While Zimbabwe welcomes any counsel from its neighbours, Government is of the view that Malema, as one of the opposition leaders in South Africa, is better occupied tackling challenges in his own country rather than pronouncing himself on matters he is not well versed with in Zimbabwe,” he said Commenting on the same issue, Zanu-PF director for Information and Publicity Tafadzwa Mugwadi said Malema has no moral ground to talk about Zimbabwe.

“Mr Julius Malema or marema, whatever is the proper pronunciation, has no moral ground to poke his nose and uncircumcised mouth on matters of Zimbabwe, which he is historically, foundationally and contemporarily unschooled on. It is not only surprising but absolute hogwash that while our Zimbabwean indigenous farmers who benefited from the land reform itself are yet to comment, Mr Malema and his moribund group of provocateurs, desperate of waning domestic traction in SA politics, think that Zimbabwe is a readily available vantage from which to revive fading fortunes.

“As a candid reminder, Mr Malema has never dealt with nor can he claim any experience in empirical management of decolonisation processes to which land is the nuclei. Until he can give us a single exemplary EFF beneficiary of land reform in his own society, then we have neither parlance nor parity with him or his outfit,” said Mugwadi.

He said by accommodating political misfits in the form of former G40 functionaries, and becoming their puppet, Malema will soon meet his Waterloo just as did the former. Zimbabwe is one of the few countries in the world that has successfully given land back to the majority, while in neighbouring countries the black majority continue to coax a living on the economic margins.

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The Namibian government has flighted the following advert which appeared in the local press in Namibia.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES CALL FOR APPLICATIONS OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

The Ministry herewith invites applications of registered Health Professionals: Medical Officers, Specialists, Physiotherapists, Audiologists, Dentists, Epidemiologists, Surveillance Officers, Occupational Therapists, Radiographers, Pharmacists, Medical Rehabilitation Workers, Orthopaedic Technologists, Speech Therapists, Social Workers, Environmental Health Practitioners, Laboratory Technicians, Registered Nurses and Enrolled Nurses to submit applications for employment at various Public Health Facilities in Namibia.

– – – Buy NetOne, Telecel Airtime on WhatsApp using EcoCash.
Send the word Airtime to +263 714 815 229
No extra charges. – – –

Applications can be submitted at the Regional Human Resource Management Offices, Ministry of Health 6r Social Services or emailed [email protected] or [email protected]  Human Resource Management Office, National Level. Tel no. 264 61-2032181 / 4

The above-mentioned applications should reach the Ministry on or by 30 August 2020

ZimEye interviewed a witness in the ZBC footage that circulated on Social Media showing the arrest of the MDC Alliance Trio of Joana Mamombe, Netsai Marowa and Cecilia Chepiri who were arrested as they were going to report to the police as part of their bail conditions.

The man who gave an eye witness account that the soldiers did not assault any of the ladies was identified as Lonias Rozvi who is alleged to be a member of ZANU Infomation Department.

The development raised the question if the national broadcaster paid the witnesses to say the MDC Trio was not assaulted by law enforcement agents.

Watch the live video loading below…

ZUPCO hikes fares with immediate effect.

Notice is hereby given to public that ZUPCO will review its fare charges with effect from 1 August 2020.

The new fares will be as follows.
Local Routes (1-20 km radius)
Kombis-ZW$16
Buses-ZW$8

Long Distance and Peri Urban will be charged at ZW$2 per km.

By A Correspondent- Midlands Provincial Deputy registrar Mr Andrew Mpambo on Thursday succumbed to COVID-19, The Chronicle reports.

Mpambo who reportedly succumbed to the disease while he was admitted at Gweru Provincial Hospital was buried yesterday under the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

His death was confirmed by Midlands Provincial Medical Director Dr Reginald Mhene  who said:

I can confirm that Mr Mpambo died of COVID-19

Mpambo’s house and the Midlands Registrar General’s office was disinfected following his death.

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By A Correspondent- A teenage girl will rue the day she decided to go on a joyride with her 39-year-old lover after they were involved in an accident that claimed the man’s life and left her seriously injured.

The accident which occurred on Thursday night in Mbizo 17 in Kwekwe was confirmed by the police and the deceased was identified as Steward Macheza. Midlands police spokesperson, Inspector Joel Goko said:

The deceased Mr Steward Macheza was driving a white Toyota Alex with a female passenger due north on an open space in Mbizo 17. The driver was skidding and in the process drove over a small ant hill, lost control of the vehicle resulting in it overturning twice before landing on its roof.

Eyewitnesses that spoke to the publication about the incident said Macheza has bought a new car and he had decided to take his lover on a joyride.

Macheza left at around 6pm saying he was picking up his girlfriend for a joyride. Unfortunately, they had only covered 300m when the car, which was speeding, skidded resulting in him losing control and the car overturning.

Unfortunately, Macheza could not make it and died on the spot but the girl  was rushed to the hospital by well-wishers.

Another eyewitness said Macheza was clearly excited about his car judging by the way he was driving. The girl sustained serious injuries and is still hospitalised since the accident.

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By A Correspondent- Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi has nullified the suspension of ZESA Holdings board members by the board’s executive chairman Sydney Gata.

Gata suspended all the eight ZESA board members after Chasi last week gave the Zesa Holdings board five days to initiate investigations into allegations of corruption and mismanagement against the embattled executive chairman.

Speaking to State media on Friday, Chasi said the move by Gata was a legal nullity and vowed to end the “irrationality” prevailing at the parastatal.

Said Chasi:

Government is deeply concerned by the allegations made against him and his complete disdain for corporate governance, Governmental authority and more importantly, the importance of Zesa in the economy.

His purported firing of the board, which itself is a legal nullity, suggests simply that the wheels have come off.

The Government and the board are taking all necessary steps to ensure that the prevailing irrationality is quickly curtailed.

Gata had earlier issued a statement in which he purportedly suspended the other board members, threatening that several corruption-related arrests were looming, including of board members and senior managers.

Meanwhile, investigations against Gata started last week following allegations that he may have allocated for his personal use five ZESA vehicles over and above his official Mercedes Benz, among other misdemeanours.

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Watch the live video loading below…..

By A Correspondent- A 27 year old truck driver was arrested in Masvingo on charges of smuggling cough syrup Broncleer (bronco) which has a street value of US$2.5 Million from South Africa. Bronco is used as a recreational drug by some people in Zimbabwe.

It is the state’s case that:

On July 28, Denis Norman Gwangava of Redcliff, who is employed as a driver by a South African registered company G and H Transport, was arrested by police following a tip off.

Detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics received information that Gwangava had smuggled the cough syrup using his haulage truck which was towing two trailers.

At the Masvingo turn-off in Beitbridge, police intercepted the truck and escorted it to the police station where a search was conducted leading to the recovery of 12 500x 100ml bottles of the cough syrup, which is a medicine containing Codeine, which are controlled and restricted.

The cough syrup was taken to Beitbridge District Hospital Pharmacy for examination and the report is an exhibit, which will be produced in court.

Gwangava appeared before Beitbridge magistrate Toyindepi Zhou facing charges of contravening the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act Chapter 15:03, Zhou remanded him out of custody $15 000 bail.

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Watch the live video loading below……

Health workers should put the nation first in the fight to contain Covid-19, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Friday at the burial of the late national hero Perrance Shiri, who succumbed to Covid-19 on Wednesday at the age of 65.

Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans should draw lessons from the late liberation war commander who selflessly served his country with distinction until the very end.

This comes as some health workers have been withdrawing their labour, seeking higher salaries and better personal protective equipment, although this is now flowing in. However, the President, who acknowledged their grievances, said amid a global pandemic, saving lives was paramount and should come first.

“We must stop the scourge of Covid-19, itself a global pandemic. It spares no one, great or small. All nations of the world are suffering from its impact, with figures of infections and deaths rising daily. In unity and through discipline, we stand a chance to save our nation from its menace.

“I call on our medical staff to act in the national interest and exhibit a great sense of responsibility. My Government hears your cries, listens to your concerns. But the time to serve is now. Your grievances, which we acknowledge and continue to address, cannot be enjoyed at the expense of loss of life. When the pandemic spreads and the death toll rises, there are no winners, none at all. Tinopera tese kufa,” he said.

He called upon Zimbabweans to stay at home, wear masks, maintain good hygiene and practice social distancing to curb the spread of Covid-19 that has infected close to 20 million people globally. Zimbabwe has recorded more than 3 000 positive cases with 53 deaths by Thursday night.

“Let us draw lessons from the illustrious life of our national hero Shiri. We need peace, peace, perfect peace, for national development. Let us shun strife, violence and disunity. Proponents of such divisive and ruinous acts must be rejected and exposed”.

The President said for the country to achieve its set goals, that include devolution and decentralisation, there is a need for unity of purpose in “harmony and love”.

“Along many who lie interred here at our National Shrine, Shiri and those of us who are survivors and from our armed struggle, know the meaning of war and strife, indeed know the priceless value of national peace and unity,” he said.

In war and in conflict, people die and suffer; in peace and in unity, nations and peoples prosper. Both from our history, and from the numerous examples of contemporary African experiences, we must, as Zimbabweans, continue on the path of peace, entrenching peace, choosing peace and national unity, over war, divisions and instability,” he said.

Shiri, who was born Bigboy Benjamin Samson Chikerema, joined the liberation struggle in 1973, the late national hero led from the front in the war against settler subjugation.

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By A Correspondent- Villagers in Makakhavhule area in Ward 6 here are panicking after a 51-year man who illegally returned from South Africa died and they suspect he was infected with Covid-19.

The local Covid-19 taskforce is now conducting investigations into the case. It is reported that the man returned from Musina, South Africa, by paddling across the Limpopo River.

A source said the man had been staying in South Africa for the last three weeks until his return on Thursday evening.

“He arrived around 9 pm and was ferried from the crossing point with eight other border jumpers by a local transporter,” said the source.

“Upon arrival at his house at Makakhavhule Primary school, he started complaining of chest pains. His relative then notified health authorities who upon arrival found him already dead. The matter was referred to the Covid-19 Taskforce for further management”.

Beitbridge District Civil Protection Unit chairperson, Mrs Sikhangazile Mafu-Moyo who also leads the local Covid-19 taskforce, said the death was now under investigation.

“Yes we received such a report and officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care are seized with investigations into that death,” she said.

The Herald is reliably informed that authorities are now tracing the man’s contacts who live in the same village. The Herald is reliably informed that authorities are now tracing the man’s contacts who live in the same village.

The incident comes a few days after two brothers who tested positive for Covid-19 escaped from isolation in Beitbridge and went to Madaulo village in the same district where they infected eight children aged under 15.

The smuggling of people and goods has drastically increased at Zimbabwe and South Africa’s borderline after the only land border (Beitbridge) was closed to non-essential human traffic to contain the spread of Covid-19.

However, many people wanting to avoid the mandatory quarantine are now snealing across the river at River Ranch, Tshivhara, Panda Mine, Mai Maria, Gate 2, and Musetshe area.

-statemedia

By MISA Zimbabwe| Nqobani Sithole has filed an urgent chamber application before the High Court of Bulawayo on the 31st of July 2020 around 15:00hrs for a habeas corpus of Tawanda Muchehiwa. He filed the application representing MISA Zimbabwe. 

Tawanda Muchehiwa’s whereabouts are unknown following his arrest by the Police in Mahatshula Suburb in Bulawayo on the 30th of July 2020.

The police that arrested him are professing ignorance as to his whereabouts hence this application before the court. Muchehiwa is nephew to ZimLive Editor Mduduzi Mathuthu whose home was ransacked by police on the same evening of the 30th of July 2020 and his sister was also detained in the process.

Other relatives of Mathuthu that were arrested with Muchehiwa are Amandlenkosi Mathuthu and Advent Mathuthu whose whereabouts are now known. The 1st and 2nd respondents in the matter are Officer In Charge of CID Law and Order Section Bulawayo and the Officer Commanding Police Bulawayo Province respectively.

The applicant contends that Muchehiwa was last seen in the custody of the police at Bulawayo Central Police Station after he was separated from his two aforementioned relatives upon arrival at the station.

Sithole indicated that Muchehiwa’s right to liberty, protection and benefit of the law is being violated and in order to stop the police from continuing with that violation the effective remedy is a habeas corpus. A habeas corpus is an order that seeks to have a detainee who has disappeared under the custody of the police be brought before the court and released unless lawful grounds exist for his continued detention.

The matter has been set down for today, August 1, 2020 at 10:00hrs before Justice Makonese.

Former ZANU PF youth leader, Godfrey Tsenengamu who is also one of the organizers of the 31 July anti-corruption demonstration has taken to social media to mock the police for ‘standing in solidarity with the people’ after they were deployed to thwart any protests in all surbubs and the Central Business District of Harare.

Posting on Facebook, Tsenengamu said, “We are very grateful to our ‘boys in uniform’ for coming out in solidarity and in full force in every street and ghetto to protest on our behalf the unarmed citizens. You are representing us well even in the CBD. Keep it up. Spend the day with us. People Power.”

SECURITY UPDATE BY ZIMBABWE REPUBLIC POLICE

The Zimbabwe Republic Police applauds Zimbabweans for the peaceful environment which characterized all parts of the country today.

No reports of violence were received by the police and security services as they continued to conduct patrols, roadblocks and checkpoints to ensure safety, security and health of Zimbabweans.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Republic Police has arrested five (05) people in Harare, Bulawayo, and Chegutu for trying to incite the public to engage in illegal demonstrations while carrying placards written various political messages meant to cause public disorder.

Those arrested include Tsitsi Dangarembwa, and a white person who were carrying placards along Borrowdale Road in Harare, Mzingaye Matthew Thaka in Bulawayo, Edward Dzeka, an MDC Alliance Councilor for Ward 9, Chegutu, and other suspects namely Lloyd Kashiri (41), Nkulumani Matoboto (35) and Isheanesu Chimunyemba (26). The three were also arrested in Chegutu.

The public is urged to continue observing peace and to report anyone who engages in any form of criminality to the police.

[NYATHI. P] Assistant Commissioner

Senior Staff Officer (Press, Public and International Relations]

To the Commissioner-General of Police Police General Headquarters

Junior doctors have demanded a massive salary hike of up to ZWL$156 000 per month inclusive of various allowances.

In a letter dated 29 July 2020 and addressed to the Health Services Board (HSB), Board Chairperson Paulinus Sikhosana, the Progressive Doctors Association of Zimbabwe (PDAZ) said the pay hike will avert a crisis. They said

This letter serves as a follow-up to our meeting on the 28th of July 2020 where it was agreed upon that we forward the net income figures we would consider fair for junior doctors.

Here is what PDAZ considers to be reasonable:

• Basic Salary: ZWL$30 000
• Transport: ZWL$11 000
• Housing: ZWL$15 000
• On-Call: ZWL$80 000
• Risk Allowance: ZWL$20 000
• Total: ZWL$156 000

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) yesterday arrested MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzai Mahere and six other activists on allegations of inciting public violence after they were found wielding placards at a shopping centre in Harare.

Another MDC Alliance activist, Cecilia Chimbiri was arrested in the central business district (CBD) after she allegedly insulted law enforcement agencies who were at a checkpoint.

Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests of Mahere and her fellow activists last night.

He said Mahere was arrested together with activists who include, Jessca Drury, Simon Drury, Tinashe Murapata, Nyasha Musandi, Jaser Lotter, Tinotendwa Muswe.

“Mahere and her accomplices were arrested at Groombridge Shopping Centre in Mount Pleasant after they were found wielding placards aimed at inciting an illegal demonstration and public violence. All the accused persons are being held with the Law and Order section where they are assisting police’s with investigations,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

He said Chimbiri, who was accompanied by Harare West legislator Joana Mamombe, was arrested after she displayed disorderly conduct at a police security check point in central Harare.

Chimbiri and Mamombe were coming from the Harare Magistrates Courts where they were appearing on a different case.

“In respect of Chimbiri, the police recorded necessary documents before releasing her. She is likely to be taken to court next Tuesday,” said Ass Comm Nyathi.

The police were on top of the situation as the situation in and around Harare was calm.

State Media

ACTING Midlands Provincial Deputy Registrar, Mr Andrew Mpambo succumbed to Covid-19 and was buried yesterday in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

Mr Mpambo becomes the fourth Covid-19 victim in the Midlands province.

On Tuesday, Government declared Gweru, the Midlands Provincial capital as a Covid-19 hotspot together with Bulawayo and Harare as local transmissions surge.

Government said the Covid-19 hotspots will be analysed with a view to implementing stricter lockdown measures so as to ensure behaviour change.

Mr Mpambo who died on Thursday, was admitted to Gweru Provincial Hospital.

He was buried in line with strict Covid-19 pandemic rules at a private cemetery along the Gweru-Chiwundura Road.

Following Mr Mpambo’s death, Midlands Covid-19 Rapid Response team led by Midlands Provincial Medical Director Dr Reginald Mhene and Gweru Provincial Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Fabian Mashingaidze went to the Provincial Registrar’s offices and addressed workers before offices were disinfected.

Mr Mpambo’s house at the Old Prison Complex was also disinfected.

Dr Mhene confirmed the passing on of Mr Mpambo saying he was admitted to Gweru Provincial Hospital.

“I can confirm that Mr Mpambo died of Covid-19,” he said.

Dr Mhene said Mr Mpambo started showing symptoms of Covid-19 after returning from his rural home in Bikita where he had gone to attend a funeral.

He said they have since asked the Rapid Response team there to start contact tracing for people who attended the same funeral while locally they are tracing those Mr Mpambo was in contact with.

Ms Agnes Gambura, the Midlands Provincial Registrar said they had lost a committed and experienced hard worker.

State Media

A joyride by Kwekwe lovebirds ended in tragedy after their vehicle overturned and landed on its roof resulting in the death of the 39-year-old driver, while his 15-year-old girlfriend sustained serious injuries.

Police confirmed the incident, which occurred in Mbizo 17 on Thursday evening. The deceased has been identified as Steward Macheza.

According to witnesses, Macheza had just bought a second-hand Toyota Alex and decided to take his minor girlfriend on a joyride.

“Macheza left at around 6pm saying he was picking up his girlfriend for a joyride. Unfortunately, they had only covered 300m when the car, which was speeding, skidded resulting in him losing control and the car overturning,” said a witness, Mr Aaron Chikava.

Mr Chikava said residents in the neighbourhood quickly rushed to the scene and tried to assist the two who were trapped. “Unfortunately, Macheza could not make it and died on the spot but the girl (name supplied) was rushed to the hospital by well-wishers,” he said.

Another eyewitness, who only identified herself as Mrs Hove concurred that the vehicle was speeding and skidding on the narrow road when tragedy struck.

“We could see that the driver was very excited judging by the way he was driving,” she said.

Midlands police spokesperson, Inspector Joel Goko confirmed the accident yesterday.

“The deceased Mr Steward Macheza was driving a white Toyota Alex with a female passenger due north on an open space in Mbizo 17. The driver was skidding and in the process drove over a small ant hill, lost control of the vehicle resulting in it overturning twice before landing on its roof,” he said.

Insp Goko said Kwekwe police traffic attended to the scene but the driver had already died.

“The female passenger was taken to the hospital where she is still admitted,” he said.

HARARE Mayor Herbert Gomba, who is facing criminal abuse of office charges, was on Thursday granted $10 000 bail by the Anti-Corruption Court of the High Court, but has been banned from setting foot at Town House and dealing with municipal officials, meaning he will find it almost impossible to continue mayoral duties.

He was appealing against a decision by Harare regional magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande to deny him bail after she found that there was high risk he would interfere with evidence if released.

Through his lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku, Gomba appealed for bail at the higher court. Anti-Corruption Court of the High Court judge Justice Felistus Chitakunye granted the application by Gomba and freed him on $10 000, but banned him from setting foot at Town House and banned him from interfering with State witnesses.

He has to report at Glen Norah Police Station every Friday and surrender his travel documents.

In denying Gomba bail, the regional magistrate ruled that should the State prove that he was the author of a letter that gave green light to development of the land he allegedly awarded to Taringana Housing Scheme, chances of a prison term were high.

Charges against Gomba arose last year, when he allegedly connived with his accomplices, who are yet to be accounted for by police, and altered an approved layout plan belonging to Youth in Business Housing Trust.

In doing so, Gomba and his accomplices, allegedly converted State land into council land and allocated it to Taringana Housing Scheme, with the same plan number that was allocated to Youths in Business Trust.

It is alleged, Gomba, in his capacity as the ceremonial mayor, originated a memorandum dated February 18, 2020 saying that the Plan for Taringana Housing Scheme had been approved and council should survey the land.

The court heard that the letter was misleading and inaccurate since the same plan had been issued and approved by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to the Youths in Business Housing Scheme.
Plans to proceed with change had been set aside by the Town Clerk, but Gomba disregarded such advice, a court heard.

The State alleges that Gomba acted beyond his powers as a ceremonial mayor.

The Environmental Management Agency inspected the land and noted that 40 percent of it was a wetland and recommended that this section be excluded from permitted development.

But Gomba allegedly went ahead to demarcate the wetland, in violation of the agency recommendations.

His actions were said to have shown favour to Taringana Housing Trust and disfavour to Youths in Business Housing Scheme.

Health workers should put the nation first in the fight to contain Covid-19, President Mnangagwa said on Friday when assuring them that Government was attending to their grievances.

In a moving speech at the burial of the late Perrance Shiri, who succumbed to Covid-19 on Wednesday at the age of 65, Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans should draw lessons from the late liberation war commander who selflessly served his country with distinction until the very end.

This comes a majority of health workers have been withdrawing their labour, seeking higher salaries and better personal protective equipment. However, Mnangagwa, who acknowledged their grievances, said amid a global pandemic, saving lives was paramount and should come first.

“We must stop the scourge of Covid-19, itself a global pandemic. It spares no one, great or small. All nations of the world are suffering from its impact, with figures of infections and deaths rising daily. In unity and through discipline, we stand a chance to save our nation from its menace.

“I call on our medical staff to act in the national interest and exhibit a great sense of responsibility. My Government hears your cries, listens to your concerns. But the time to serve is now. Your grievances, which we acknowledge and continue to address, cannot be enjoyed at the expense of loss of life. When the pandemic spreads and the death toll rises, there are no winners, none at all. Tinopera tese kufa,” the President said.

He called upon Zimbabweans to stay at home, wear masks, maintain good hygiene and practice social distancing to curb the spread of Covid-19 that has infected close to 20 million people globally.

Zimbabwe has recorded more than 3 000 positive cases with 53 deaths by Thursday night.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday bade farewell to late Agriculture Minister Perence Shiri, who was born Bigboy, Benjamin Samson Chikerema in 1955 in Chikomba District.

The President, Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, Cabinet ministers, Ministers of State, service chiefs, Zanu PF senior officials and representatives from Mashonaland Central Province formed part of the thin crowd that came to witness the burial.

Mnangagwa described Shiri as a great hero of the liberation struggle and a notable figure in post-independent Zimbabwe.

“We lost a patriot, a brave freedom fighter, a commander, a hardworking Minister of Government, a party stalwart and a disciplined and loyal cadre. We lost a great son of the soil.

“Bigboy Benjamin Samson Chikerema, better known as Comrade Perrance Shiri, is no more, snatched from us by the coronavirus. Shock, thus, grips us all, especially those who daily interacted with him in the course of discharging our duties,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said it was a painful time for the Chikerema family and those who associated and interacted with Minister Shiri both in wartime and peacetime, both in exile during the struggle, and here at home after our Independence.

“The war fostered bonds of blood, which forever made us a close family: hama dzeropa. Those bonds forged and sealed in struggle today snap and fail, as death divides us.

“We have been robbed; we are in pain, and share the loss with you, mhuri yekwa Shiri-Chikerema, vabereki vegamba redu. Please accept our deepest condolences,” he said.

He said during the second republic, Shiri worked hard to ensure national food security through different projects and was spearheading the Agriculture Recovery Programme that encompassed the Pfumvudza Concept, mechanisation, modernisation, irrigation development climate-proofing of our agriculture.

“He was “Mutumwa zvepedo”, he understood that strategy without execution is no strategy. He has left us that value and work ethic. The lasting tribute we should give to him is to carry on, from where he left,” he said.

Zanu PF Mashonaland Central Provincial chairperson Kazembe Kazembe described Minister Shiri as a unifier, arbitrator and a dedicated cadre who was people-centric whose void will be difficult to fill.

“He had a vision for the province to improve the livelihoods of people of Mashonaland Central, particularly Kanyemba and Rushinga.

Family spokesman, Mr Nimrod Chikara said although they spent with him only 17 years before he left the country to join the liberation struggle, they were proud of their son.

“The loss is not only to the Chikerema family but the party and nation as a whole. Benjamin was groomed by Zanu PF. We are proud that he remained loyal to his country until the end,” he said.

The funeral of Air Chief Marshal Perrance Shiri (Retired) unfolded under unfamiliar conditions at the National Heroes Acre on Friday.

Where thousands usually teem to pay their last respects to national heroes , only a few came as Government, in accordance to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on Covid-19, kept the numbers low to curb the spread of the contagion that has claimed more than half a million people globally.

Unlike his fellow comrades who lie at the National Heroes Acre, Shiri’s body did not pass through Stodart Hall in Mbare, there were no choral groups, and only a selected few were allowed in at the top of the hillock where the heroes are buried.

The famous ZANU PF aligned Mbare Chimurenga Choir was not there to sing liberation struggle songs and perform their dances. There were no church choirs or Apostolic sect members who normally compete with the Police Band on Christian hymns.

Over their military fatigues, the pallbearers wore personal protective equipment, complete with goggles.

Instead of a gun carriage, the body was in a Doves vehicle, which is unusual of national heroes who are buried at the national shrine.

But there was a 17-gun salute and a fly-past befitting an Air Chief Marshal who served at the top of the country’s Air Force for more than two decades.

There was no laying of wreaths at the graveside as is the norm and his comrades in arms could only look or imagine from afar as the body of a beloved comrade was committed to mother earth.

Zimbabwean authorities on Friday thwarted a peaceful anti-corruption protest and launched a witch-hunt against political and human rights activists suspected of being behind the planned demonstration, according to Amnesty International.

In a statement, Amnesty International said a number of activists have gone into hiding after police published a list of names of human rights defenders who are wanted for questioning in connection with the planned protests. A number of opposition leaders are also understood to be wanted by the police, while six others have already been arrested.

“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. The persecution of these activists is a blatant abuse of the criminal justice system and mockery of justice,” said Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Southern Africa.

“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, in an attempt to muzzle differing views. The thwarting of the protest illustrates the Zimbabwean authorities’ total intolerance of criticism.”

Six activists were arrested or abducted in the past few days, to prevent the protests from taking place Friday.

Opposition MDC-Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere and Henry Chivanga, an activist fighting for rights of people with disabilities, are among those who were arrested.

Police also arrested the sister of ZimLive editor, Mduduzi Mathuthu, on 30 July, and refused to release her until the journalist appeared at Bulawayo Central police station. Mathuthu is facing charges of planning the protests. His sister was released on the same day.

Amnesty International said in the lead up to the Friday protests, authorities have been beefing up security in main cities, including sealing off the Harare Central Business District, under the pretext of enforcing COVID-19 regulations.

“Zimbabwean authorities must stop using COVID-19 as a pretext for restricting human rights. Peaceful protest is not a crime, and the motivations for crushing this demonstration are plain to see.

“Zimbabweans must be allowed to freely exercise their human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The authorities must stop harassing, intimidating and arresting people who have done nothing more than peacefully express their opinions.”

The government launched a crackdown last week ahead of protests with the arrest of prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume.

While Chin’ono was arrested for “inciting public violence”, Amnesty International says “it appears that he was targeted for exposing allegations of corruption in the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment related to COVID-19.”

President Emmerson Mnangagwa fired Health Minister Obadiah Moyo over a $60 million shady deal involving Drax International, which was hired without following state tender procedures to purchase COVID-19 test kits and other materials.

Mnangagwa recently said the protesters were terrorists aimed at overthrowing a constitutionally-elected government.

A political analyst, Davis Laque, has exposed the false narrative being peddled by government apologists on social media, that it was “business as usual” this Friday, 31 July.

Laque argues that the arrest of journalists and activists, the heavy deployment of soldiers and police in townships, and the closure of the central district business, among other things, shows that it’s not business as usual. He posted on Twitter:

How is it “business as usual” when your paranoia resulted in the militarization of the streets, the CBD & the ghettos? What’s so “business as usual” about abductions & a “night of long knives” targeting journalists & activists? What’s so “business as usual” about a shutdown?

It’s one thing to say a demo was “unsuccessful”.. yet its another to normalize a shutdown. The arrest of journalists, activists & the clampdown on dissidents all exposes this shallow propaganda. Zim was effectively shut down by the government. There’s no other explanation.

It’s equally sad that the perpetrators of violence will pay a blind eye to human rights abuses, experienced all over Zimbabwe throughout this week. This should be the correct documentation of what happened in line with #31stJuly, everything else is embarrassing spin.

So really, citizens decided to exercise their constitutional right to demonstrate, a right which can’t be stopped by a statutory instrument. The State decided to replace it with a national shutdown. There’s nothing “business as usual” about both. They send the same message.

So really, you can’t address numerous pressers feeding your supporters the dogma that members of the Opposition are planning to attack them… You can’t then have your party vigilantes attacking defenceless citizens unprovoked, & then christen that “business as usual”!

But rather, more importantly, you can’t militarize communities & then say citizens “chose to stay indoors”. They only did this out of fear of being butchered. You can’t force the citizens to stay indoors away from their socio-economic activities & call this “business as usual”.

Critically, however, it has not been “business as usual” just today, 31st July. It hasn’t been “business as usual” in Zim for quite a long time. Corrective action should address this #BusinessUnusual. But it takes Leadership & there’s a deficiency of this in Harare.

INTERVIEWING NICK MANGWANA’S STATE WITNESS WHO SAYS CECILIA WASN’T ASSAULTED

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance members Fadzayi Mahere (National Spokesperson), three Youth Assembly officials Joana Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecilia Chimbiri have been arrested as Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration intensifies efforts to silence dissenting voices.

Prominent writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga was also arrested.

MDC deputy president Tendai Biti condemned the persecution of citizens by the paranoid regime :

“The #amoeba has totally lost it . Indeed Fadzai , Tsitsi and others have been arrested .

So too the #MDCAllianceTrio & their lawyer Obey Shava who were all coming from a hastily arranged trial at the Harare Magistrate Court .Civil rights have now securely been quarantined in Zim.

It appears that the desperate regime is now arresting citizens wily nilyThey appear to have picked up Tsitsi Dangarembgwa,our spokesperson

@advocatemahere andothers .

The right to peacefully demonstrate is is codified in our constitution,” Biti wrote on Twitter.

By Dr Phillan Zamchiya| Dear Reader,
In order to legitimise anti-democratic politics, violence and human rights abuses to the world, the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) has gone back to its exhausted ideological settings.

This follows a widespread call by active citizens for a demonstration on 31 July 2020 against menacing corruption, deepening poverty and ZANU PF’s autocratic rule among other genuine demands.

The calculated response was predicated on the rhetoric around fighting global capitalism, neo-imperialism, Covid 19 and defending the gains of the liberation struggle. However, the 31st of July 2020 has shown that the ZANU PF rhetoric is still meant to mask a violent and bigoted mode of governance. It seems it was meant to mimic the late Robert Mugabe without his sophistication.

Instead of addressing the citizens’ legitimate cries the regime apparatchiks framed the problem as that of fighting global capitalism as a way to appeal to Africa, the global south and progressives in the world. Douglas Mahiya (War veterans’ secretary in the ZANU PF politburo) alleged that the problem is that of global capitalism at a ZANU PF presser on 27 July 2020.

He said, ‘we know the original enemy and when we are talking about the original enemy we are talking about global capitalists…’ He then promised ‘to turn the young people into an army’ against these imagined forces. This was meant to sway the anti-capitalist movements but he ignored the fact that it is ZANU PF that has been on an aggressive mission to invite the global capitalists from November 2017 with its slogan of ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’.

Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe President and ZANU PF leader) sought to justify the uncivilized response as a defense of the liberation struggle. As Raftopolous has argued, ZANU PF strives to position itself as a sole arbiter of national interest and patriotism.

In that vein, Mnangagwa, Patrick Chinamasa (ZANU PF Acting Secretary for Information and Publicity) and other ZANU PF senior officials have cast the opposition and active citizens as ‘terrorists’, ‘hoodlums’, ‘malcontents’, ‘hooligans’ et cetera. Mnangagwa and Chinamasa denigrated the active citizens as a front of the West and the demonstrations as a creation of the foreigners. At the heart of this is a justification to deny the active citizens their right to citizenship, protection under the Constitution which includes fundamental freedoms in the Bill of Rights.

This was not mere talk as on 31 July 2020 many active citizens were arrested such as Fadzayi Mahere (Movement for Democratic Change Alliance [MDC Alliance]’s Spokesperson) and Tsitsi Dangarebwa (Internationally Renowned Novelist). Cecilia Chimbiri (MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Vice Chairperson), Joana Mamombe (MDC Alliance Member of Parliament) and Netsai Marova (MDC Youth Assembly National Deputy Organiser) were victims too.

The last three were tortured, sexually abused and face trial for allegedly participating in a demonstration in May 2020. Nevertheless, they were detained on 31 July 2020 at a roadblock. Advocate Thabani Mpofu ‘witnessed a soldier physically assault and molest Cecilia Chimbiri…’ on 31 July 2020 near ZANU PF’s headquarters. The police refused to take an official complaint.

Mamombe and Marova were later released without charge but Chimbiri was charged with insulting a ‘green bomber’. The assault on Chimbiri confirms the continued use of sexual violence as a weapon of politics by the ruling regime. Obey Shava, a top human rights lawyer, was also briefly detained for defending the three ladies.

Many more active citizens were arrested. Meanwhile, state agents hunted some active citizens and they are now living in the bush such as the outspoken Job Sikhala (MDC Alliance MP and Zengeza West MP), Ostallos Siziba (MDC Alliance Secretary General), Denford Ngadziore (MDC Alliance Harare Province Organizing Secretary) Makomborero Haruzivishe (MDC Alliance Youth Assembly) and Mduduzi Mathuthu (Prominent Journalist).

Others like Hopewell Chin’ono (Prominent Journalist) and Jacob Ngarivhume (Transform Zimbabwe President) were locked and denied bail well ahead of 31 July on frivolous charges. Mazwi Ndlovu (MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Executive Member) died after being beaten by ZANU PF thugs.

It is not by coincidence that most victims were MDC Alliance, journalists and active citizens. The idea is to annihilate any opposing voices. To ZANU PF, violence is justified and hence Mahiya’s unashamed appeal to war. Further legitimating the autocratic assault by Mnangagwa is the use of Covid 19 to suffocate democracy in what now seems to be the norm of authoritarian leaders globally.

Chinamasa also framed his response as a struggle against neo-imperialism but the idea is to demonise and delegitimise the opposition and active citizens. Nelson Chamisa (MDC Alliance President), Tendai Biti (MDC Alliance Vice President) and Sikhala were attacked in the same breath with Brian Nichols the American ambassador to Zimbabwe. Nichols was accused of funding a regime change agenda. On 27 July 2020, Chinamasa did not hesitate to call the US Ambassador a ‘gangster ‘and a ‘thug’.

He told Nichols to know that ‘Zimbabwe is a sovereign republic and a full State under the Montevideo Convention’.The idea was to appeal to a very particular regional and international audience and legitimate social movements that face similar struggles against neo-imperialism. That is the purported logic in the madness.

The opposition, citizens and organised civil society need to forcefully expose this duplicitous view of ZANU PF. The battle needs to be won on the streets and ideologically. They must develop and sustain a modern neo-imperialist critique that embraces democratic politics as they engage the Southern African Development Community (SADC), African Union (AU) and progressive global forces.

The last week of July 2020 has shown that there could be some space outside the controlled ‘judiciary courts to contest ZANU PF’s authoritarian politics. There is potential for active citizens to move out of that technical politics or what Neocosmos called ‘de-politicised politics’. 31 July has gone beyond ZANU PF’s comfort zone and forced the leopard to show its true spots as it unleashed a military armed to the teeth against its citizens and shut down all businesses in the country. The irony of it is that Zimbabwe on 31 July 2020 resembled a successful stay away with a huge cost on the state.

The last week of July 2020 has further shown that Mnangagwa was all but deceptive in an unsustainable manner when he came into power through a military coup in November 2017. He had promised a shift from what he viewed as hard nationalism to economic nationalism. He emphasised he was re-framing the national question to one predicated on re-engaging the West, promotion of foreign based investments and all the liberal niceties. Whatever remains of that deceit will continue to fall after the 31 July 2020’s tired response.

The structural problems facing Zimbabwe will not go away on ideological rhetoric. I am inclined to conclude by quoting Frantz Fanon who said, ‘a bourgeoisie that provides nationalism alone as food for the masses fails in its mission and gets caught up in a whole series of mishaps’.

By Dr. Phillan Zamchiya, Pres1zamchiya@gmail,com, 31 July 2020

Yesterday Friday 31 July 2020, Zimbabwe recorded 77 new Covid-19 cases to take the total number of cases to 3162, 1004 recoveries and 67 deaths.

Read the daily update from the ministry of health and child care below….

In light of the continued increase in the number of new COVID-19 positive cases which saw the President announcing new lockdown measures on the 21st of July 2020, the University would like to advise final year, final semester students in the faculties of Science and Technology, Law, Education and Natural Resources Management and Agriculture who were scheduled to commence preparations for their final examinations on the 3rd of August 2020 that examinations have been postponed to a date to be advised.

Please note, this decision was made in the best interests of our stakeholders’ health.

Any inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted.

Always remember to maintain social distance, sanitise and wear your mask correctly at all times.

Together we will fight this deadly disease.

Thank you

T Zishiri

Registrar

Following government’s move to compensate former white commercial farmers violently dispossessed of their farms in the 2000 land redistribution exercise, the opposition Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) has also demanded compensation for its properties violently taken away by the ruling Zanu PF after independence.

In a statement released today, ZAPU Spokesperson, Iphithule Maphosa accused Zanu PF of stealing his party properties while also blasting the move to compensate white farmers.

“What a huge mockery by ZANU PF regime and what a slap in the face to all who paid the ultimate price fighting for Africa’s self-determination as the oldest stooge of British imperialism continues to bow and take orders from its masters,” said Maphosa.

“ZANU PF stole ZAPU properties.

“If Mthuli Ncube is to salvage a semblance of decency from the ignominy that has come to define his tenure of office in government he should forthwith deal with the plight of the ZPRA and ZAPU properties that left the owners of those from whom Zanu stole in a much worse situation than the farmers who have now been given the $3.5 billion bounty,” added Maphosa.

Meanwhile, the South African opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has also condemned the move to compensate white farmers saying it was an open betrayal of the sacrifices made by freedom fighters during the liberation war.

“Mnangagwa will be remembered as a clueless, ideological amoeba who was prepared to trade off important gains of the struggle in order to be liked by the whites,” EFF said in a statement released today.

On Wednesday, government signed a $3.5 billion agreement to compensate white farmers displaced during the 2000 land redistribution exercise in a move President Emmerson Mnangagwa said would bring closure to the land question.

By MISA Zimbabwe| Franklin Sibindi, a journalist with the Centre for Innovation and Technology (CITE ZW) was detained by the police in Bulawayo today, July 31, 2020, for allegedly using an expired accreditation card.

Sibindi was taken to Tshabalala Police Station where he was detained for about three hours without any charges being laid against him.

MISA-Zimbabwe deployed lawyer Nqobani Sithole who attended to the matter and secured his release.

While the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) has commenced accreditation of journalists, the process has been slow for reporters outside the capital Harare. Due to this slow process, many journalists continue to use 2019 accreditation cards.

Recently, the ZMC reiterated that the 2019 accreditation cards were still valid.

PROMISING to love and support one another “until death do us part” is arguably the most difficult part of marriage vows.

A Bulawayo woman allegedly dumped her husband and eloped with her married lover who also dumped his wife and children.

Nothando Mpunzi, a hairdresser at a salon situated at corner 5th Avenue and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street allegedly dumped her husband and took off with her married boyfriend Ntokozo Sibanda.

According to Ntokozo’s wife Loveness Sibanda she was left in the lurch after Mpunzi eloped with her husband of 15 years.
Loveness said her estranged husband was refusing to maintain his two children but providing upkeep for his lover’s three children.

An embittered Loveness bared her soul at the Bulawayo Civil Court where she was suing Mpunzi for disturbing her peace and marriage because of her adulterous relationship with her husband.

“I am legally married to Ntokozo Sibanda under the Marriages Act Chapter 5:11 and it’s still subsisting. The marriage is blessed with two minor children aged nine and 14.

My husband however, deserted his family to go and stay in Magwegwe with his girlfriend Nothando Mpunzi. His girlfriend also left her husband to co-habit with him.

“Nothando does not respect me despite the fact that she is now staying with my husband of 15 years. And my husband no longer maintains our children but he maintains her three children.

She is also harassing and stalking me and my children,” complained Loveness.

She adds: “I don’t want my children to go to her place because of the sleeping arrangement where her 15-year-old son sleeps on the same bed with my 14-year-old daughter.

She and my husband sleep with my nine-year-old child on the same bed. I am not happy with that arrangement”.

Surprisingly, Mpunzi’s husband was also in court when Loveness sought reasons from her (Mpunzi) on why she left her husband to stay with hers.

Mpunzi, who indicated that she never harassed Loveness was, however, not opposed to her request for a peace order.

“I am not opposed to her application for a peace order since I don’t talk to her,” she tersely said.

Loveness’ request for a peace order was dismissed by presiding magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu after Mpunzi indicated that she never harassed her.

The magistrate however, advised Loveness that one of the remedies an aggrieved spouse like her could pursue was a claim for adultery damages-B- Metro

By Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC Alliance Vice President Tendai Biti has described Friday’s planned anti-corruption demo as a success, hailing citizens for outsmarted the state by staying away.

Posting on Twitter, Biti said action by the state to shutdown the country will expose the new dispensation to the world for its crude use of force.

“The #amoeba & his regime will have another sleepless night tonight . The citizen outsmarted same by staying away. But the world was exposed to a crude farcical display of force & idiocy proof beyond doubt that he is irredeemable & the sooner he departs the throne the better,” said Biti.

The Harare East legislator demanded the release of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume and many other citizens including the MDC Alliance trio, Tsitsi Dangarembga who were arrested by the regime in its quest to stay in power.

“The arrest & harassment of citizens is a sign of regime s state of derangement .We demand the immediate release of Hope ,Jacob ,Cecelia, Tsitsi,Farsi, Drury family members &many others victimized by this regimeWe demand the immediate restoration of the constitution &rule of law,” added Biti.

A FUMING village head leapt to his feet during a traditional court and assaulted a villager with fists after they exchanged harsh words.

According to a villager who requested to speak on condition of anonymity, tempers flared when Tayisi Ncube and village head of Jeqe Village, Ward 24 in Matopo, Simon Zulu, exchanged harsh words.

The villager said it happened so fast that the enraged Zulu charged at his subject while pointing a finger at him.

“We could sense danger on how they exchanged harsh words at each other.

The village head stood up and pointed a finger at Ncube while accusing him of disrespecting him and influencing other villagers to disrespect him,” said the villager.
The villager added: “The village head then went flying with fists at Ncube.

Zulu was too powerful for him as he rained the fists too fast for him and he fell and bled.”
It took the intervention of one of the brave villagers who restrained the marauding Zulu.

“Zulu wanted to teach him a thorough lesson as he continued beating him while he was bleeding from the mouth and nose. But thanks to the villager who stopped him from further assaulting him,” said the source.

Contacted for a comment Ncube said: “I wanted to put my point across but he got furious and assaulted me with fists.

I tried to flee as I did not retaliate because I respected him as he holds an influential position in the community and is our traditional leader.”

The source further revealed that the temperamental Zulu was known for beating up his subjects during traditional court meetings.

“He is known for beating villagers who object to his views. Last year he beat a villager and just recently he beat another villager. Most of the villagers are afraid of him,” said the source.

Efforts to get a comment from Zulu were fruitless as his mobile phone rang continuously.
The matter was reported to the police and local leadership.

Meanwhile, Zulu this week appeared at the Plumtree magistrates’ court for initial remand on an assault charge following the traditional court brawl- B-Metro

THREE soldiers from the Parachute Regiment at Inkomo Barracks, Darwendale, have been arrested for beating up a man to death after he had an altercation with his wife.

Challenge Msengezi, Paddington Tinei Muketiwa and Milton Kamutikaoma allegedly fatally assaulted Fortune Mutyambizi of Mutyambizi Village, Madziva, Mashonaland Central.

The three soldiers were not asked to plead to murder when they appeared before Mt Darwin magistrate Rutendo Muchena on Wednesday.
They were remanded in custody to August 8.

Allegations are that on July 23 at around 7pm in Madziva, Mutyambizi had a dispute with his wife Rumbidzai Sanyika over money and she fled from her matrimonial home to her father-in-law’s homestead for sanctuary.

After 30 minutes, the three soldiers allegedly went to the deceased’s father, Charles Mutyambizi and told him they were taking his son to their base for counselling.
“They allegedly added they wanted to physically chastise Fortune for harassing his wife.

The following morning, the State alleges, the soldiers returned to the Mutyambizi homestead requesting for a wheelbarrow to ferry Fortune whom they said was no longer walking.

Charles drove to the soldiers’ base where he found his son lying lifeless on the ground. The soldiers were allegedly adamant that Fortune be ferried to his father’s homestead for first aid. They allegedly tried without success to resuscitate him with warm water.

The trio allegedly left the scene on the guise that they would be coming back, but never returned.

The deceased’s father then made a report to the police and the three were subsequently arrested.

A postmortem revealed that Fortune had died from internal bleeding secondary to assault and cold-Daily News

President Emmerson Mnangagwa implored striking doctors and nurses to return to work as coronavirus infections continue to rise.

Addressing mourners at the burial of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri at the National Heroes Acre this Friday, President Mnangagwa said health workers should act in the national interest while their grievances continue to be addressed. He said:
We must stop the scourge of Covid-19 itself a global pandemic. It spares no one.

Great or small. Our nations of the world are suffering from its impact with figures of infections and deaths daily rising.

In unity and through discipline we stand a chance to save our nation from the impact of its menace. I call on our medical staff to act in the national interest and exhibit a great sense of responsibility.

My government hears your cries, listens to your concerns but the time to serve is now.

Your grievances which we acknowledge and continue to address cannot be enjoyed at the expense of loss of lives.

When the pandemic spreads and the death toll rises, there are no winners, none at all. We will all die- New Ziana

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.

The persecution of these activists is a blatant abuse of the criminal justice system and the mockery of justice.

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, in an attempt to muzzle differing views. The thwarting of the protest illustrates the Zimbabwean authorities’ total intolerance of criticism.

Opposition MDC-Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere, an author, Tsitsi Dangarembga and Henry Chivhanga, an activist fighting for rights of people with disabilities are among those who were arrested for protesting.

Meanwhile, police also arrested the sister of investigative journalist Mduduzi Mathuthu on 30 July and refused to release her until the journalist appeared at Bulawayo Central police station.

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance members Fadzayi Mahere (National Spokesperson), three Youth Assembly officials Joana Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecilia Chimbiri have been arrested as Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration intensifies efforts to silence dissenting voices.

Prominent writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga was also arrested.

MDC deputy president Tendai Biti condemned the persecution of citizens by the paranoid regime :

“The #amoeba has totally lost it . Indeed Fadzai , Tsitsi and others have been arrested .

So too the #MDCAllianceTrio & their lawyer Obey Shava who were all coming from a hastily arranged trial at the Harare Magistrate Court .Civil rights have now securely been quarantined in Zim.

It appears that the desperate regime is now arresting citizens wily nilyThey appear to have picked up Tsitsi Dangarembgwa,our spokesperson

@advocatemahere andothers .

The right to peacefully demonstrate is is codified in our constitution,” Biti wrote on Twitter.

Farai Dziva|Eight MDC Alliance members were abducted by suspected state security agents on Friday morning.

Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration has intensified efforts to cow Zimbabwe’s restive citizens into submission.

See statement below:

MDC Alliance Bulilima East CCC Secretary Ephraim Ndlovu and 7 others were abducted at 4am by suspected state agents.

This is barely 4 days after the death of Mazwi Ndlovu from Bulilima who was killed by Zanu PF youths for challenging the politicization of Covid-19 food aid-MDC Alliance

Disability Amalgamation Community Trust (DACT) member Henry Chivhanga was arrested for marching from his home in Majange to Masvingo town in a one-man demo to push for the improvement of the welfare of people with disabilities.

At a police roadblock at “Craft Centre” just before Mucheke Bridge, Chivhanga was prevented from proceeding into town and was taken to the local police station for questioning.

Source:TellZim

Disability Amalgamation Community Trust (DACT) member Henry Chivhanga was arrested for marching from his home in Majange to Masvingo town in a one-man demo to push for the improvement of the welfare of people with disabilities.

At a police roadblock at “Craft Centre” just before Mucheke Bridge, Chivhanga was prevented from proceeding into town and was taken to the local police station for questioning.

Source:TellZim

Farai Dziva|Heavily armed police details raided MDC Alliance Organising Secretary Amos Chibaya’s house on Friday afternoon.

The police officers did not produce a warrant of arrest.

“As the siege against MDC Alliance leaders and pro-democracy activists continues, armed riot police have stormed the home of MDC Alliance National Organizing Secretary, Amos Chibaya in Mkoba 13.

They did not produce a warrant of arrest,” MDC Alliance said in a statement.

Farai Dziva|Heavily armed police details raided MDC Alliance Organising Secretary Amos Chibaya’s house on Friday afternoon.

The police officers did not produce a warrant of arrest.

“As the siege against MDC Alliance leaders and pro-democracy activists continues, armed riot police have stormed the home of MDC Alliance National Organizing Secretary, Amos Chibaya in Mkoba 13.

They did not produce a warrant of arrest,” MDC Alliance said in a statement.

A 26-YEAR-OLD miner has been arrested for allegedly raping a 62-year-old woman after she turned down his love proposal.

Proud Ndebele who works at a mine in Sun Yet Sen was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi facing a rape charge. He was remanded in custody to August 27 for trial.

Prosecuting, Mr Silent Shoko said Ndebele met the elderly woman while she was on her way home on May 30 and proposed love to her.

“On 30 May at around 6PM the complainant was on her way home from Sun Yet Sen Business Centre in Kezi when she met Ndebele. He proposed love to the complainant and she turned him down. The complainant left the accused person standing along the footpath and she proceeded home,” he said.

“On the same night at around 7PM Ndebele arrived at the complainant’s place of residence and found her cooking in her kitchen hut. He approached the complainant and requested to have sexual intercourse with her but she refused and ordered Ndebele to leave her homestead. This didn’t go down well with Ndebele who then slapped the complainant several times on her face and threatened to kill her if she didn’t give in to his demands.”

Mr Shoko said Ndebele then ordered the complainant to lie down on the kitchen floor and he raped her.

“During the process the complainant tried to fight off the accused person by scratching him on the face but he did not stop and instead burnt the complainant with a piece of firewood,” he said.

After committing the crime, Ndebele fled and the complainant went to inform her neighbour.

The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the accused person. –Chronicle

Junior doctors have demanded a massive salary hike of up to ZWL$156 000 per month inclusive of various allowances.

In a letter dated 29 July 2020 and addressed to the Health Services Board (HSB), Board Chairperson Paulinus Sikhosana, the Progressive Doctors Association of Zimbabwe (PDAZ) said the pay hike will avert a crisis. They said

This letter serves as a follow-up to our meeting on the 28th of July 2020 where it was agreed upon that we forward the net income figures we would consider fair for junior doctors.

Here is what PDAZ considers to be reasonable:

• Basic Salary: ZWL$30 000
• Transport: ZWL$11 000
• Housing: ZWL$15 000
• On-Call: ZWL$80 000
• Risk Allowance: ZWL$20 000
• Total: ZWL$156 000

By A Correspondent- Information ministry permanent secretary Nick Mangwana has revealed that according to a recently published article, some of the COVID-19 symptoms mimic food poisoning.

In a tweet Friday afternoon, Mangwana said the genomic structure and symptomalogy of coronavirus is said to be changing where some of its symptoms are presenting as food poisoning.

The development comes amid reports by the late minister Perrance Shiri’s family that their relative died of suspected food poisoning.

The family of the late retired Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) Commander, and Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement’s account was however contradicted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa who alleged that the fighter in the liberation struggle had succumbed to COVID-19.

Speaking before the post-mortem results were out, family spokesperson Benjamin Chikerema (Junior) said that the doctors who initially attended to him also suspected food poisoning.

He said:

We have noted social media reports of COVID-19 suspicions. Although we cannot rule that out, what we know for now is that he started vomiting severely and was attended to by doctors who suspected food poisoning.

He started vomiting and was taken to the doctors who said they suspected he had eaten poisoned food. Around 3 am, he started having difficulties breathing and died when he was being taken to a Chinese facility.

Said Mangwana:

The genomic structure and the symptomatology of coronavirus is said to be changing. Some of the symptoms are said to even mimic food poisoning.”

By A Correspondent- Information ministry permanent secretary Nick Mangwana has revealed that according to a recently published article, some of the COVID-19 symptoms mimic food poisoning.

In a tweet Friday afternoon, Mangwana said the genomic structure and symptomalogy of coronavirus is said to be changing where some of its symptoms are presenting as food poisoning.

The development comes amid reports by the late minister Perrance Shiri’s family that their relative died of suspected food poisoning.

The family of the late retired Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) Commander, and Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement’s account was however contradicted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa who alleged that the fighter in the liberation struggle had succumbed to COVID-19.

Speaking before the post-mortem results were out, family spokesperson Benjamin Chikerema (Junior) said that the doctors who initially attended to him also suspected food poisoning.

He said:

We have noted social media reports of COVID-19 suspicions. Although we cannot rule that out, what we know for now is that he started vomiting severely and was attended to by doctors who suspected food poisoning.

He started vomiting and was taken to the doctors who said they suspected he had eaten poisoned food. Around 3 am, he started having difficulties breathing and died when he was being taken to a Chinese facility.

Said Mangwana:

The genomic structure and the symptomatology of coronavirus is said to be changing. Some of the symptoms are said to even mimic food poisoning.”

A Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) officer has died after contracting coronavirus.

Joseph Mugwanyo, who was a PIO (Provincial Intelligence Officer) in the Counterintelligence branch of the CIO, died upon arrival at the Parirenyatwa Hospital on Friday morning.

Mugwanyo tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus ten days ago, a Zim Morning Post report claims.

He was reportedly rushed to Parirenyatwa hospital in the early hours of Friday morning. Zim Morning Post quoted its source as having said:

The patient arrived at the hospital around 0100 hours but was pronounced dead on arrival [after having tested corona virus positive ten days ago].

This has caused a furore at the counterintelligence offices because officers are now refusing to come to work.

They want the whole building to be disinfected before they resume operating from there.

The biggest challenge is that only two offices are said to be constantly disinfected.

More: Zim Morning Post

A 26-YEAR-OLD miner has been arrested for allegedly raping a 62-year-old woman after she turned down his love proposal.

Proud Ndebele who works at a mine in Sun Yet Sen was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi facing a rape charge. He was remanded in custody to August 27 for trial.

Prosecuting, Mr Silent Shoko said Ndebele met the elderly woman while she was on her way home on May 30 and proposed love to her.

“On 30 May at around 6PM the complainant was on her way home from Sun Yet Sen Business Centre in Kezi when she met Ndebele. He proposed love to the complainant and she turned him down. The complainant left the accused person standing along the footpath and she proceeded home,” he said.

“On the same night at around 7PM Ndebele arrived at the complainant’s place of residence and found her cooking in her kitchen hut. He approached the complainant and requested to have sexual intercourse with her but she refused and ordered Ndebele to leave her homestead. This didn’t go down well with Ndebele who then slapped the complainant several times on her face and threatened to kill her if she didn’t give in to his demands.”

Mr Shoko said Ndebele then ordered the complainant to lie down on the kitchen floor and he raped her.

“During the process the complainant tried to fight off the accused person by scratching him on the face but he did not stop and instead burnt the complainant with a piece of firewood,” he said.

After committing the crime, Ndebele fled and the complainant went to inform her neighbour.

The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the accused person. –Chronicle

Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) spokesperson Colonel Overson Mugwisi has died due to COVID-19 complications.

A family member of the Mugwisi family, who preferred anonymity, revealed that the Colonel died in the early hours of Friday.

Mugwisi reportedly died at an army hospital at the Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks, formerly KGV1 Barracks in Harare.

He had been rushed to the facility last night after the family failed to have him admitted at both private and public hospitals. The family member said:

He has not been well for some time now but his condition deteriorated severely last night.

His close family went from one hospital after another trying to get him admitted without success.

They finally took him to a military hospital at KGV1. Unfortunately, he passed on in the morning.

Colonel Mugwisi’s death comes two days after former Air Force of Zimbabwe commander Perrance Shiri died of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.