Farai Dziva|Police are blocking lawyers from seeing Transform Zimbabwe leader, Jacob Ngarivhume, who has been arrested for allegedly inciting violence.

See below Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights twitter threads:

“We have deployed lawyers to offers emergency legal support services to opposition Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume, who is at Harare Central Police Station after he was taken by the police.”

Ngarivhume has in recent weeks protested against corruption in Zimbabwe.

At Harare Central Police Station, lawyers being denied access to their client.”

“@ZLHRLawyers
has deployed lawyers to offer emergency legal support services to journalist
@daddyhope
, who has been taken from his residence by
@PoliceZimbabwe
& is presumably being driven to Harare Central Police Station
@SAHRDNetwork

In recent weeks,
@daddyhope
has been criticised by both state anenge non-state actors for freely expressing himself.

Lawyers being denied access to
@daddyhope
at Harare central police Station.”

By David Coltart| I’ve just been informed by a reliable source that @daddyhope is safe & that this is being done by one faction of the government, but it’s an action not supported by others in authority. No prizes for guessing which part of the regime is hurt by his revelations.

https://twitter.com/DavidColtart/status/1285178837253464064?s=20

Allowing journalists to do their work is vital in the fight against corruption.

The arrest of @daddyhope today is part of a worrying trend against free speech in #Zimbabwe.
@edmnangagwa @MinisterSBMoyo @PoliceZimbabwe #FreeHopewell pic.twitter.com/TE6YlOp5ro

— Dutch Embassy Harare ?? (@NLinZimbabwe) July 20, 2020

Lawyers being denied access to @daddyhope at Harare central police station

— ZLHR (@ZLHRLawyers) July 20, 2020

Watch- Who are these men who took Hopewell Chin'ono? @schikanza @nickmangwana @DrNkuSibanda @ShumbaTapiwa @usembassyharare @pressfreedom @RSF_en pic.twitter.com/njOwNsc3DG

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 20, 2020

By A Correspondent- Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has been abducted by 8 state security agents from his home Monday morning.

Chin’ono raised an SOS through twitter and his lawyer confirmed the abduction minutes later after visiting his home.

Said Mtetwa:

“The state security agents were 8 and they broke the front window at his house before they gained entry into his home. His worker says they did not pproduce any warrant and he does not know where they took him.”

BREAKING- HOPEWELL CHIN'ONO ABDUCTED BY SUSPECTED STATE SECURITY AGENTS pic.twitter.com/aSx69cla70

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 20, 2020

watch the live video loading below……

BREAKING- HOPEWELL CHIN'ONO ABDUCTED BY SUSPECTED STATE SECURITY AGENTS pic.twitter.com/aSx69cla70

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 20, 2020

They are breaking into my home. Alert the world!

— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) July 20, 2020

By A Correspondent- Secretary for Information Ndabaningi Nick Mangwana has announced that ordinary Zimbabweans will not be allowed to enter the Central business District with immediate effect.

Mangwana said in an effort to mitigate the spread of the deadly Coronavirus, only essential workers will be allowed to access the CBD.

Said Mangwana:

“Yesterday, 133 positive cases were registered. There are some cases of deaths which are awaiting test results on whether Covid19 was the cause. Security is being tightened to ensure only essential services can be allowed through to CBDs. We apologise for any inconveniences.”

By Jane Mlambo| Former Reserve Bank Governor Dr Gideon Gono has dragged the late MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai’s name in the controversial farm mechanization scheme saga, after questioning why he was not being mentioned as one of the beneficiaries of the central bank’s quasi-fiscal interventions.

In response to Alex Magaisa’s expose which listed names of prominent people who benefited from the farm mechanization scheme which saw government later assuming USD$1,3 Billion debt, Gono said the late President Robert Mugabe had to use quasi-fiscal interventions to acquire Tsvangirai’s Highlands house.

“I recall in October/ November 2009 when the former President, Cde R.G. Mugabe, former Prime Minister M. R.  Tsvangirai had to use a quasi-fiscal intervention to acquire the PM’s Highlands home for $1,5m just to settle a dispute over the residence status of Dr Tsvangirai which had become one of the sticky issues and had led to an MDC-T disengagement from Government of National Unity (GNU) 16 October,2009).

“Approval to pay for the house was given to me on 13 November 2009 and the State acquired this “debt” and eventually wrote it off,” said Gono.

He defended his move to dish out farm equipment saying it was not a burden when looking at what could have negatively happened to the economy.

“Both taxpayers belonging and not belonging to MDC-T have had to foot that bill. I don’t call it a burden when you weigh what could have negatively happened to our economy and government had the then PM remained outside Government and what eventually, then happened after the MDC-T returned to the table.”

By Jane Mlambo| Police officers have stormed the home of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.

MDC Alliance Spokesperson Fadzai Mahere made the revelations on Monday morning.

It was not clear what the charge or the motive is.

Mahere broke the news on Twitter saying,

“I’ve been advised that @PoliceZimbabwe have stormed the home of investigative journo @daddyhope.

“It’s unclear what their mission is. Constitutionally, journalists have the right to freedom of media which includes the protection of their sources.”

Actually made my own version? pic.twitter.com/cd9dlpUJoT

— Adam Theo??? (@AdamTheofilatos) July 19, 2020

Currently at Rotten Row to stand in solidarity with my brother @adv_fulcrum who's facing bogus charges for obstructing the course of justice. It's improper for lawyers to be persecuted for carrying out their professional duties. It's a grave threat to the rule of law.#FreeThabani pic.twitter.com/SyDH0ufM5I

— Fadzayi Mahere?? (@advocatemahere) July 20, 2020

While we are all busy with corruption in Zimbabwe, Mnangangwa is not stopping he is busy taking everything he now owns A coalbed methane concession in Mbungu, And has taken most Gold mines in the last weeks around Chiredzi☹️ Military should stop defending this man!! #31July pic.twitter.com/0FpuaAojo2

— Mbuya Gudo from dotito (@MamoyoT) July 20, 2020

Returnees coming through the Plumtree and Beitbridge Border Posts have been supplying authorities with false information in order to dodge officials and sneak back into the neighbouring countries.

Some returnees that are being deported from South Africa and Botswana have been claiming to be from Matabeleland South Province so that they are not transferred to their provinces in order to have easy access back into the neighbouring countries. This has made it difficult for authorities to follow up on some returnees that escape from quarantine centres.

Returnees that are coming in through the Plumtree and Beitbridge Post are taken to quarantine centres in the province where they are tested for Covid-19. Those with results that come out positive are placed under isolation. Returnees that are from other provinces are then transferred to their respective provinces.

In an interview, Matabeleland South provincial social welfare officer Mr Criswell Nyakudya said they have since engaged the Registry Department in order to verify details given by returnees.

“A number of returnees have proved to be untrustworthy as they have been providing us with false addresses. There are some who claim to have lost their National Identity cards and then give us fake ID numbers, addresses and names and claim to be from Matabeleland South Province. We have been experiencing this mostly with those returnees that would have been deported and not those coming back voluntarily.

“After the returnees have completed their quarantine period they are transported to their respective provinces. Those who pretend to be from Mat South will be doing so in order to avoid being transported to their provinces so they can remain in Matabeleland South where they have easy access back to Botswana and South Africa,” he said.

Mr Nyakudya added: “As a result we roped in the Registry Department which is now checking particulars of returnees. If a returnee doesn’t have an ID and they supply our officers with an ID number and place of origin the officers from the Registry Department can confirm whether that particular ID number matches the district of origin.

“Every returnee that says is from Matabeleland South is now subject to this screening in order to avoid such incidences.”

Mr Nyakudya said it was difficult to make a follow up on returnees that escaped from quarantine centres when they provided false information.

Matabeleland South provincial medical director, Dr Rudo Chikodzore said the Ministry of Health and Child Care had rolled out an electronic record system in the province to facilitate capturing information of returnees. She said the information will come in handy in the planning process and aligning resources. She said they were in the process of training quarantine and isolation teams in various districts on how to use the system.

“In the long run we will have it linked to other systems to ensure it’s authentic. The main advantage is that this system will reduce the load of paper work and duplication of information. Some of the information is recorded at the point of entry and is also recorded at the quarantine and isolation centres.

“So, if a person’s details are entered at the point of entry their particulars can be accessed nationwide through our system as the Ministry of Health. This information will be updated in real time as the returnees come in. This will make it is easy to do follow ups. It will also improve our efficiency,” she said.

-State Media

“My dad was a pastor and now my mother is living in a rented house. She is just living there at the mercy of the landlord who knew my late father. All we want is to get back what we owned and even if it is a one roomed house to our family name, it is ok. But Magaya is refusing. My dad signed a MOU in 2016 with him, but to date nothing has materialised. There are no stands!“

By A Correspondent- Preacher Walter Magaya reportedly duped another Bulawayo family through his fake housing scheme in a development that saw the family sell their family home in exchange for a none existent stand.

Watch the heartrending story as one of the family members narrates how the family was defrauded by Walter Magaya in his fake housing scheme……………

https://youtu.be/OGpeKhSP-W8

By A Correspondent- Acting Health and Child Care Minister Amon Murwira said the rapid surge in coronavirus infections in the country, especially local transmissions, is a cause for concern.

Speaking on Saturday to the Daily News On Sunday, Murwira said the increase in local transmissions reveals that people are now disregarding the rules and regulations of the national lockdown meant to mitigate the spread of the virus.

These regulations include observing social distancing, sanitising or washing hands with soap, staying at home and avoiding unnecessary movement.

Murwira advised members of the public to consider the next person to be infected with the virus and always act out of fear of contracting coronavirus.

He said:

What this means is that you need to look at the next person as if he or she has the virus and then be able to observe all regulations meant to mitigate the spread of the virus, or to look at yourself as if you have the virus and stop mingling with people in order to protect them from the virus.

On Sunday Zimbabwe recorded 233 new coronavirus cases, with the majority (216) being local transmissions, while 17 were returnees from South Africa.

This takes the total confirmed cumulative cases to 1 114.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care announced that 233 new coronavirus cases were recorded on Sunday 19 July 2020, with the majority being local transmissions. This takes the total cumulative cases to 1114.

The Ministry also recorded 30 new recoveries, Midlands (28), and Mashonaland East province (2). The Ministry said in its daily update:

One hundred and thirty-three (133) cases tested positive for COVID-19 today. These include returnees from South Africa (17) and 216 local cases who are isolated.

Twenty-two (22) of the local cases are contacts of known confirmed cases. Investigations are underway to establish the source of infection for the other 94 cases.

Thirty (30) new recoveries were reported by Midlands Province (28) and Mash East Province (2) Today 197 RDT screening tests and 802 PCR diagnostic tests were done.

The cumulative number of tests done to date is 101 375(59937 RDT and 41 438 PCR) Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak on 20 March 2020, the total number of confirmed cases is 1611; recovered 472 active cases 1114 and 25 deaths.

By A Correspondent- Former Zanu-PF youth leader Jim Kunaka has had to endure a painful week-long mourning for his late son as health authorities are demanding his coronavirus Covid-19 test result before they can bury him.

Kunaka blamed health authorities at Wilkins and Parirenyatwa hospitals for taking too long to give him the results of Covid-19 tests they did on his 12-year-old son who died on Sunday last week.

“When he passed on at Park Town Hospital we called Nyaradzo funeral services and they took the body to the parlour. They later took it to Harare Hospital for Covid-19 tests on Tuesday and we were told that the results would be out after 48 hours. However, up to now (Saturday) the results have not been released. We were also told that a forensic post-mortem is supposed to be done.

“On Friday the doctor demanded Covid-19 tests but nobody knows where the blood samples they took are. I was made to shuttle between Wilkins Hospital and Parirenyatwa trying to locate the samples but there was nothing. I was shocked at the level of unprofessionalism by the people there. How could blood samples disappear without trace?”

The former leader of Chipangano, a Zanu-PF vigilante group from Mbare, said he now has to wait for another week to have another test done.

“You can imagine how frustrating it is that I have to wait for the doctor who does the forensic post-mortem because he comes once a week.

“I have to wait again for the Covid test. In this difficult economic environment it is expensive to run a funeral for two weeks. It is also painful as a parent to be unable to bury my son for this long. I think we need to respect the dead. It is really unfair, he lamented.”

Kunaka said his son, who lived with his grandmother in Chitungwiza, complained of a severe headache last Saturday before they took him to Parktown hospital in Harare where he died.
“While I would like to also know the cause of my son’s death, the time the tests have taken has really frustrated me. I am beginning to suspect that something fishy is going on.

“I don’t know what they are doing with the blood samples they took. I don’t know if I am supposed to be following them when they do their job so that I collect the results as soon as they finish before they lose them again,” he added.

-DailyNews

Dear Editor:

Can you use this pic to tell zim people that its up to us to fix our country.

FOUR commuter drivers have been arrested after they were intercepted by police in Lupane illegally carrying passengers without exemption to operate during the Covid-19 lockdown.

This comes as the ZUPCO buses that have been authorised by goverment to ferry passengers during the Covid-19 era are failing to cope with the high demand for transport.

Nyasha Arnold Chinyoka (28) of Mkhosana Victoria Falls, Jasper Mpofu (37) of Pumula East, Usher Mpofu (25) of Luveve and Xolisani Ndlovu (25) of Old Lobengula, all in Bulawayo were arrested separately between July 8 and last week Tuesday carrying people along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road.

Chinyoka was driving a kombi from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls with seven passengers while Mpofu was driving a Mercedes Benz Sprinter from Jotsholo to Kenmaur with seven passengers.

Ndlovu was driving a Toyota Granvia from Bulawayo to Cross Dete with eight passengers on board while Usher was driving a kombi with nine passengers from Bulawayo to Lupane.

They were all not authorised to carry people between cities as they were not essential service providers.

Each was charged with contravening Section 4(2) of the Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020, cited as the Public Health (Covid-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) Regulations 2020, that is to say venturing into inter-city transport services during national lockdown while not exempted.

Chinyoka, Mpofu, Ndlovu and Usher pleaded guilty to the charge when they separately appeared before Lupane Resident magistrate Mr Ndumo Masuku who fined each of them $3 000 or six months in jail in default of payment.

In addition, the magistrate slapped each of them with six months in jail which was wholly suspended for five years on condition that they do not commit similar offences.

The magistrate said they committed a serious crime as they exposed members of the public to high risks of contracting Covid-19 by carrying them without following due procedures to ensure social distancing as espoused by the law.

Prosecuting, Mr Derrick Ndlovu said none of the four was authorised to operate.

There can be no doubt about it, despite their obstinacy the government’s transport strategy is not working.

Ever since the lockdown was eased, ZUPCO buses and kombis have had the urban transport monopoly as the government refuses to allow private transport operators back on the road. This has resulted in scores of people being forced to wake up early in the morning and to line up late in the evening as they wait for transport.

It’s not even clear why the government is not allowing private players to resume operations. The initial reason given was that private players would not be able to ensure the safety of passengers. Nowadays ZUPCO buses and kombis are often crowded.

In any case, the government could bring back kombis under a strict safety regime. Currently a lot of passengers are now being forced to rely on rogue transport operators who don’t bother to follow safety protocols.

By Own Correspondent| Government has warned human rights activists that it will continue arresting them for violating COVID-19 lockdown regulations.

Speaking during an interview with South African television channel eNCA, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana said:

Human rights activists or so-called, are not above the law. Lawyers are not above the law, permanent secretaries are not above the law. Anyone who breaks the law has to face their day in court. And this is what’s happening.

Zimbabwe gave Malawi’s late former president Bingu wa Mutharika a $124,111 (about R2,1m) “gift” in 2007 through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ).

This is according to an exposé by Alex Magaisa, a law professor at the University of Kent  on Zimbabwe’s controversial farm mechanisation programme. The programme’s $200m debt is being borne by taxpayers.

“No beneficiary of the farm mechanisation programme ever refused to pay for the equipment they got, neither were they asked to pay,” former RBZ governor Gideon Gono said in a statement clarifying how politicians, military men and some church leaders benefitted from the fund.

Wa Mutharika was president of Malawi from May 2004 until his death in April 2012. His wife, Ethel Zvauya Mutharika (died 2007), was Zimbabwean and through her the family owned a farm in Zimbabwe.

Magaisa, on his blog the Big Saturday Read, said: “It’s one thing that a foreign leader got a loan from a national scheme, but an entirely different and more scandalous matter that he failed to repay his debt, which was then offloaded onto the shoulders of poor Zimbabwean taxpayers.”

The list of beneficiaries include current Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa, who got $411,728 (about R7m).

Some members of his family received amounts ranging between $100,000 and $200,000.

There are projects linked to late former president Robert Mugabe that also benefited from the programme.

In an interview with the state-run Sunday Mail, Gono said the quasi-fiscal programme was undertaken “in the national interest” because he was “at the centre of trying to keep the economy going.”

Zimbabweans have taken to twitter under #PayBackTheMoney, tagging people who are listed as beneficiaries of the programme.

Deputy secretary to the president, George Charamba, said there was nothing amiss because governments the world over embark on similar programmes.

However, MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said the government was warned as early as 2013 that such loans were a bad idea.

“As early as 2013, the comptroller and auditor-general raised the alarm that the government would fail to recover money loaned to farmers using funds from a $200m Chinese loan. It’s plain rude for Gono to pretend this didn’t happen,” she said.

Critics said Zimbabwe’s land reform was chaotic because it was a political tool used by Zanu-PF instead of a viable means to revolutionise the agrarian sector.

According to a press statement by Cimas on Saturday night, laxity and failure to adhere to the basics of social distancing, temperature testing saw one official testing positive.  However, all is not well as at least 21 more are now positive.

Below is the Cimas press release:

The views expressed in this article are the writer’s, they do not reflect the views of Opera News.

Government senior information officer Nick Mangwana has told ENCA, a South African news channel that the ZANU PF government will continue arresting human rights activists, accusing them of violating Covid-19 lockdown regulations.

In the past few weeks, several activists, lawyers, journalists and members of the MDC Alliance opposition party, have been taken into custody on various charges.

Zimbabwe is currently under an indefinite level 2 lockdown, with over 1,400 COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths.

Watch the video downloading below.

• 

JULY 20, 2020

1. First of all, I must express my prima-facie disappointment with my brother and friend of a long time, Alex Magaisa for appearing not to have thoroughly read the RBZ Debt Assumption Bill which became Act in 2015. I say so because had he seemingly done so and gone through what Parliament approved, including the supporting schedules that make up the $1,3billion debt taken over by Government, he would have noticed that there is no reference to a Farm Mechanisation Program Debt there let alone a figure of $200m allegedly taken over by Government and saddled on the taxpayer via that Debt Assumption Bill of Act. There are none and no heading or description to that effect.

2. In this article, I have used the same document that Parliament used at that time and tried to summarise from it because it’s a public document, the makeup of the RBZ debt taken over and the period during which such debt was contracted and for what purpose.

3. It was interesting to note that 24% of the debt taken over ($309,9m) was from period 1976/7 to 2001 and the balance (76%) ($962,1m) was for the ten year period that I was Governor of the RBZ, with $578,9m (60%) of that amount being borrowed for fuel and electricity, $294,5m (31%) for maize, Fertilisers, chemicals and seed, $24,3m (2,5%) going to cars for ministries and special programs like Bacossi, $26,5m (2,8%) being used for mineral audits by an international firm of experts and $7,5m (1%) being borrowed to meet mandatory retrenchment packages in 2011/12. Tobacco Farmers accrued Support stood at $22,5m (2%) and Health and interest claims stood at $7,9m (1%).

4. Farm Mechanisation is not part of any of the amounts mentioned above neither does it feature as a take-over debt by the State in term of that Bill or Act and so one wonders where the conclusion that the taxpayer was or has been saddled with a $200m debt through the RBZ Debt Assumption Act is coming from. It is important to also state upfront that I had already retired and left the Bank in 2013 when the Debt Assumption Bill was crafted and gazetted in 2014 and subsequently passed into law in 2015. I cannot, therefore, be accused of have had a hand in its crafting or makeup two years after retiring. I have analysed what is in the public domain and used my knowledge and documentation of facts to arrive at what I have just given out.

5. I hope it is the same Bill and supporting documents that we are referring to and thus if we start from there, it will be clear that a serious misrepresentation has been fed to the public and taxpayer.

6. Having said that, I state openly that I was Governor in charge of the RBZ-driven Government Farm Mechanisation Program during the most trying period of our country’s history, and to this end, I can speak more authoritatively and factually than most people as I was firmly in charge of that programme myself.

7. This pioneering program had, like any other new initiative, its own challenges here and there but overall, the programme ran smoothly and was above board.

8. Governments the world over do carry out special programs at various points in their life to address challenges of the times. Some of these programs could be sector-driven, regionally-based, age-or-gender based, while others could be ethnically, culturally, even racially and/or disaster-driven so designed to address certain unique dimensions of a particular time but all these programs are usually geared to address extraordinary circumstances in an extraordinary way.

9. I recall in October/ November 2009 when the former President, Cde R.G. Mugabe, former Prime Minister M. R. Tsvangirai had to use a quasi-fiscal intervention to acquire the PM’s Highlands home for $1,5m just to settle a dispute over the residence status of Dr Tsvangirai which had become one of the sticky issues and had led to an MDC-T disengagement from Government of National Unity (GNU) 16 October 2009). Approval to pay for the house was given to me on 13 November 2009 and the State acquired this “debt” and eventually wrote it off.

10. Both taxpayers belonging and not belonging to MDC-T have had to foot that bill. I don’t call it a burden when you weigh what could have negatively happened to our economy and government had the then PM remained outside Government and what eventually, then happened after the MDC-T returned to the table.

11. The economy under GNU flourished. Some costs are of a national character and we must avoid the temptations to portray ourselves as paragons of virtue when in fact, given the facts, we can all see the rationale for State interventions at particular times in our history. At the time of the said quasi-fiscal intervention related to the personal residence of the late PM (MHDSRIEP), my brother and learned friend was working in the then PM’s Office as an advisor or in some other capacity.

12. The IMF, in August 2009, responding to a global economic crisis, had to intervene through a $250billion SDR instrument in a way that sought to promote the attainment of IMFs purposes and avoid economic stagnation and deflation as well as excess demand and inflation. It used the authority under its Articles of Agreement to do so.

13. Extraordinary circumstances demand extraordinary interventions and those who question them after the event beg the curious questions of motive, timing, source of data and questions, authenticity and credibility of source data if it is not from the source itself, in this case, the RBZ itself or myself as the driver of the pioneering rescue program.

14. The country has had to buy aircraft and charged the cost to taxpayers even though not everyone flies in those planes… we have had youth programs, women’s programs, health-sector frontline staff programs, miners and farmers programs, all charged to the national fiscus even tough beneficiaries are individuals, some getting more than others depending on criteria in use.

15. During the same difficult period, under a program code-named The Health Sectors Skills Retention Scheme, an RBZ-initiative meant to retain our doctors and health workers (who were about to leave the country for greener pastures leaving their mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters without adequate attention) saw us “give” to individual doctors cars which till today have never been paid for neither has Government asked them to pay.

16. That intervention was not a loan. Not all the doctors received the cars as the program had to stop after GNU but the initial intention was to give every doctor and health worker means to get to work without having to ask them to pay for it.

17. Those cars are still on the road and anyone can verify that with the hospitals. The cost was borne by the State. It would be unfair if someone came across the list of beneficiaries to claim and label them as “ looters” without sufficient background to the intervention.

18. Like the Farm Mechanisation, this medical sector intervention was made public and the allocation was done following a particular criterion that was specific to the health sector and without regard to gender, political affiliation, religious belonging or ethnicity.

19. In the farming sector the world over, governments subsidise farmers, governments buy farms and equipment for them so the farmers can grow food for the nations concerned. Some countries even go further, in difficult times, to buy the farmers produce only to throw it away, so as to just keep a farmer on the land. The money so used to buy the crop thrown away is charged to the national budget and in the end, it all depends on the objectives of the State-sponsored program(s) at that particular point time. That’s how nations survive.

20. Some of these activities are publicized others are not. Those in the know of how economic crises the world over are dealt with will confirm that the Quantitative Easing Programs in the USA, Europe and elsewhere are never put on balance sheets of individual beneficiaries but are carried by the State with sub-accounting being done at micro level later.

21. After initially deciding at inception( 2007/8)that the Farm Mechanisation Program would be paid for by beneficiaries, a GNU was consummated in 2009 and when in 2010 the RBZ sought guidance on the matter, there was a change of heart by the inclusive government who, through cabinet minister Dr Joseph Made, advised, initially verbally but subsequently in writing, that Government( as in inclusive)had decided in 2012 to include the program as part of its national Mechanisation and Irrigation and that was the end of the story.

22. The term “ Debt” referred to in my letter to the Minister relates to ministries owing the RBZ for interventions made on their behalf. At a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Investment Promotion presentation made at Parliament on 18 July 2011, all this information was provided to the Committee and page 5, para 2:12 detailed “ Debts” owed to RBZ by Government as follows:

Min of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development $572,5m; GMB $605,4m; Min of Finance $225,9m; ZESA $100,4m, Noczim $14,8m; Min of Foreign Affairs $7,5m; Min of Health $1,9m and various other ministries $7,5m all coming to a total of $1,5billion which was a debt owed to RBZ against which $1,3m was supposed to be deducted leaving RBZ with a net positive position of $200m.

23. This situation showed that the RBZ was never going to be a burden to anyone if the Government had paid the Bank its dues. The Debt Assumption Bill of 2014/15 was and became a one-legged bookkeeping entry, a debit to the fiscus with a corresponding credit entry.

24. I tried to ask the Portfolio Committee in 2014/15 Hon David Chapfika to allow me to come and explain to Parliament but was denied the opportunity because “I was now retired” and he went on a tangent thereby creating the erroneous impression that the RBZ Debt take-over was about Farm Mechanisation when in fact there was never and there not a single line on that debt-takeover schedule that refers to Farm Mechanisation debt of the figure often talked about!

25. The Debt Assumption Bill is a public document and anyone can check and cross-check, it does not refer to Farm Mechanisation debts at all!

26. If anything, the $1,3billion RBZ Debt Assumption Bill of 2015, now an Act, talks of the following key amounts and I’m surprised that learned minds are running amok making clearly unsubstantiated allegations to the effect that Farm Mechanisation was the basis of that Bill now Act.

27. Vakomana nevasikana, inga makaenda ku chikoro wani… we regard you are our pillars of knowledge, dissection and intelligence… society does not call you “ learned members for nothing” but you are disappointing!

28. Categories of the RBZ Debt Take-Over Act of 2015

a) Bank Negara (Malaysia) debt contracted in 1991 remained unpaid $42,9m.

b) IMF debt contracted in 1996 remained unpaid $100,3m.

c) Meikles Debt contracted in 1998 remained unpaid $47,1m.

d) Anglo-American, a debt contracted in 2001 remained unpaid $109,6m.

e) South African Reserve Bank facility contracted before independence and kept being rolled over $10,0m.

Total Debt assumed by the State for the period before I took over as Governor in December 2003: $309,9m (24%).

29. Debts Period 2004-2013 Taken Over by the State:

a) Fuel: Equatorial Guinea $221,9m

b) Electricity/fuel loans $357,0m

c) Maize, Seed/Fertilisers $294,5m

d) Motor Vehicles $24,3m

e) Minerals Audit $26,5m

f) Tobacco Farmers Support $22,5m

g) Staff Retrenchment $7,5m

h) Medical Supplies/Interest $7,9m

Total New Debt Assumed (2004-13) $962,4m (76%)

30. Grand Total: $1272,3m(100%)

31. None of the above headings refers to Farm Mechanisation Debts assumed by the State; none too refers to the former PM’s residence payment, all of which were absorbed internally from accumulated revenues, some of which was of an exchange rate nature and seignorage.

32. It will be recalled by those who care to remember that some time in 2012/13 the same inclusive Government decided to assume and write off the Zesa electricity and water bills of citizens across the board regardless of name, position, political affiliation, gender, ethnicity or financial standing in society.

33. I guess local authorities and ZESA will now be required by BSR to publish the names of all beneficiaries of that program so that they pay back what they derived by way of that benefit. I’m sure BSR will lead in that process.

34. I am however of the view that Parliament should repeal those sections of the various laws that criminalize disclosures of beneficiaries of public programs in the interests of good governance, transparency and promotion of sound economic management to avoid reliance on leaks and distortions of the nature we are witnessing and one would have hoped that my learned brothers and sisters in various political and public spheres would spend more time scrutinizing and sanitizing such inhibitive clauses as exist in a number of current legislative pieces of governance than waste time on fishing expeditions that are incompetent at law and irrelevant in present circumstances where energies must be focused on COVID-19 related preventive measures so that our families and everyone remains safe and alive.

35. The country cannot move too much ahead if citizens operate and depend on investigative journalism where such investigations are an unnecessary expenditure of effort, money and sweat. The information must just be available when needed and the recent repeal of AIPPA is a step in the right direction even though it threatens the existence of those who have made a living through investigative journalism.

36. Once issues are brought to light and both sides to the equation are given fair space to air their position(s) on any subject, society should be the final arbiter not individual opinions and not premeditated postulations.

37. Zimbabwe has, in drought years often written off farmers loans and equally in disaster years, certain areas of the country and individuals in that area have had their houses and infrastructure built for them and that cost is written off or carried by the State without regard to ones standing in society. You just needed to fit the criteria and you are a beneficiary.

38. One could be a judge, a priest, a soldier, teacher, nurse or headmaster from a given area that’s been targeted for State Assistance and you will benefit. Such is the nature of realities the world over except that the practice here has been one of not publicising the names and in the process, create an impression of a scandal or corruption where in reality it is not the case.

39. As stated already, Brother Magaisa, and company talk of transparency and good governance that comes with the publication of information; this is positive debate but then people should not be selective in their dissemination of information as seems to have been the case in the BSR. Why were prominent figures in the MDC-A and MDC-T not mentioned?

40. Hon. T Khupe, Acting President of MDC-A Hon. Welshman Ncube, the late Hon. Gasela (MHDSRIEP) late Hon Dumiso Dabengwa (MHDSRIEP) and many others from MDC-T and MDC-A as well as other political and social formations who were not published in the said BSR were beneficiaries of this noble programme. Several Hon Members of Parliament and Senators, across the divide, also benefited from other State Programs for which they were not required to pay back. The issue of cost and benefit must not, however, be a one-legged accounting entry. We must account for the benefit the State got from the individual concerned.

41. These benefits relate to employment creation and keeping people off the streets of hunger, social delinquency and crime, tax paid to the State by the employees who would otherwise remain unemployed, exports generated in some cases and import substitutions, among others. I bring this out so that we are not parochial or blinded by emotions.

42. Surely if we are talking about benefiting from State resources which were not paid back and we want to name and shame, I have no problem giving out names of all chiefs, headman and rural area people who benefited from the Mechanisation Program for Brother Magaisa and Company to institute recovery proceedings, including from about 1,5 million households of 6 persons or more each, who benefited from Bacossi Food Hamper Program and Honourables who benefited from Motor Vehicles, Generators, funeral assistance, forex travel and hotel subsidies. Many of these beneficiaries are still alive and some are retired from Government while some are still very active in various political circles, crying the loudest with the twitter handles but forgetting their beneficial associations with either the Mugabe dispensation, the GNU or current dispensation. Its gonna be a long journey but records don’t disappear just because one has retired.

43. Individuals in the following institutions who got cars from the RBZ could be put on notice, as the BSR wants , for repayment: Zimra, Ministries of Finance,Ministry of Defence, Local Government, Air Zimbabwe, Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Ministry of Justice & Legal Affairs, Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Ministry of Information & Publicity, Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Environment & Tourism, Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Ministry of Public Service, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Transport, ZIMSEC, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Zimbabwe Republic Police, Noczim, NRZ, UZ, Midlands State University, NUST, Great Zimbabwe University, ZOU, Zimbabwe Women’s University, National Incomes and Pricing Commission, Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries, Consumer Council of Zimbabwe, Parliamentarians, the Judiciary, Chitungwiza Hospital, Chinhoyi Hospital, Parirenyatwa Hospital, Ingutsheni Hospital, ZESA, ZINWA, District Development Fund( tractors), Harare Hospital, United Bulawayo Hospital, Marondera Hospital, Mutare Hospital, Gwanda Hospital, Masvingo Hospital, Gweru Hospital, Bindura Hospital, Chinhoyi and Norton Hospitals, War Veterans, all beneficiaries of the Land Reform Program (A1 and A2) who recieved fertilizers, chemicals, seeds and agricultural price subsidies, persons and victims and survivors of the 2007/8 cholera attacks, those who were rescued after floods, disasters and accidents under my watch in 2007/8.

44. Some in the Labour Movement could also be having some repayments to make and I’m sure the Minister of Finance will never need a supplementary budget again for the next decade if everyone pays up.

45. All local authorities, Mayors, present and past and councillors from Harare to Bulawayo, Norton, Chitungwiza, Ruwa, Gweru, Mutare, Masvingo, Bindura who were beneficiaries of various programs of our attempts to resuscitate our economy may also expect to be put on notice, thanks to BSR.

46. The AMH, publishers of the Independent and NewsDay, Zimpapers Group, Financial Gazette, the ANZ, publishers of the Daily News stable, ZBC and others may need to pay back what the State paid to them via the Reserve Bank whether directly or by way of subsidies for any of their inputs and raw materials when they needed assistance at those critical times.

47. The same could apply to those private sector companies and supermarkets that were assisted by the State under the instrumentality of Operation Restore Productivity of 2007/8. This will apply to, among many others, GMB, Victoria Foods, National Foods, Blue Ribbon Foods in respect of Maize Meal, rice, salt and Flour for the people; GMB, Lobels, Bakers Inn, Harambe Holdings in respect of Bread, Olivine Industries, United Refineries, Surface Investments in respect of cooking oil, Cold Storage Commission( CSC), Irvines, Crest Breeders, CFI, Colcom and the Veterinary Services Department in respect of Meat, Star Africa, Hippo Valley, Triangle and Zimbabwe Sugar Distributors in respect of sugar, Delta corporation and Schweppes in respect of Beverages like Mazoe, Coke, Fanta, beers and other cordials, Unilever in respect of Soap. It should be clear to everyone that matter of the state and governance are not as easy as tweeting. They are real and one must be guided by practicalities and theory.

48. Subsidies are a form of State intervention on behalf of the people. It is unfair to want to be selective in our analysis of what what the State ends up taking over as costs to the taxpayer… some costs can be attributed directly to particular points of entry even though they benefit everyone, including those who unwittingly criticize and see evil in them. The records are there and we must not be lazy to carry out a fish-bone analysis of these interventions and see who in the end was the beneficiary of what and get them to pay so that proponents of BSR can be happy. But who will sponsor the exercise… it cannot be the State but he who makes the accusation of impropriety: he should go all the way, lest we question the motives of the article, it’s source, sincerity and timing.

49..For the sake of emphasis, I repeat: if we are going to do justice to the idea of rubbishing State interventions of the nature carried out under very difficult circumstances under my watch while others were enjoying life out there without experiencing the going’s on here, then let’s go all the way as proposed by what the priests and paragons of virtue are saying. There should be no half-measures. I advocate for a practical and not theoretical, armchair-type academic stuff. Let us embrace transparency in its totality and I’m ready for it.

50. Some of today’s critics were just kids still in high school or at university 13 or so years ago and so they may not even know how their education got subsidised… let’s trace it back…What’s good for the gander must be good for the goose.

51. I have kept quiet all these years when people made all sorts of comments and attacks on my integrity and that of the RBZ but my silence has been mistaken for acquiescence. Nothing could be father fro the truth. Let’s organize debates around what happened and a few of the armchair critics will be surprised with the truth behind the scenes which I have not yet bothered to put out there.

52. Closer to home, the cost of the Land Reform Program which however did not directly benefit every taxpayer, and is now a national debt to be paid for and/or serviced by the State and according to the BSR thinking, the beneficiaries should also be put on notice to repay the State. That’s what the implications of Magaisa’s BSR is saying.

53. At independence, there are debts and obligations which were assumed by the new government even though the said debts or loans included some whose proceeds were used to purchase weaponry that killed and maimed the same taxpayers who today have to meet the burden of repayment.

54. A closer look at the RBZ … Having been at the central bank myself, I came across such loans dating back to the 1970s and we still honoured them against revenue from taxpayers.

55. Things were tough and farming was not everyone’s cup of tea in 2007/8. The food importation bill was huge and the idea of a 3-year roll-out program to Mechanise our farmers became a priority. Methods had to be found to entice and excite farmers to be on the land.

56. We had a clear, productivity-related selection criteria based on a record of past performance on one’s farm and no other criteria. It was not region or political affiliation neither was it a criterion that looked at one’s standing in society. Every beneficiary was referred to GMB for record of past grain delivery.

57. The program was meant to run up until 31 December 2010 by which time all farmers would have been capacitated. Unfortunately, it ended in mid-2008, two-and-a-half years earlier.

58. We gave out animal-drawn implements to rural farmers worth about $300m and wrote-off that expenditure against the Bank’s income and spent about $198m on imported Mechanized farm equipment. We did the same thing and fully expensed that outlay.

59. The most expensive equipment were combine harvesters, some costing upwards of $150,000 a piece and if one included both wheat and maize heads, it was not unusual for one complete set plus a big tractor to call for $300-350,000 just for such that basic equipment. Of course, some equipment and combinations were more or less in total.

60. Anyone who has tried to do farming will know these facts and realize that it’s not an easy game to go into farming, hence some of the figures thrown around by the good Dr of Laws as alarming are actually basic. You need more to do real farming!

61.No equipment was given out as a LOAN to anyone. The good Doctor is an expert not just at law but banking as well. He will be the first one to understand what a loan contract is and how a loan is obtained, it’s tenure, cost elements and terms of repayment in order for such a transaction to qualify as a loan. None of these elements existed in contractual terms between beneficiaries and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, hence no repayment was expected and none was demanded by the Bank after consulting with the GNU government.

62. This does not, however, mean that the Bank was not going to recover its liquidity outlay from the vote of the ministry responsible for that exercise, hence we called it a Debt in our books( owed not by beneficiaries but by Government through the responsible ministry) and it is that ministry which in turn would ask Treasury to assume the liquidity reimbursement back to RBZ, same pocket but different hands so to speak.

63. Because the program was cut short before it covered everyone with a farm or piece of land who needed equipment, some of those who did not get the implements felt shortchanged and started complaining that their neighbours had benefited unfairly while they didn’t. Naturally, the human instinct of petty jealousies took over and our noble activities got unduly politicised.

64. We currently are all witnesses to the futility of trying to turn around our economy in an environment of mutual suspicion, intolerance, hate-speeches and the politicization of certain programs which if our politicians were singing from the same hymn, would have been moving smoothly but they are not. Government is going its own way while some of the political players are at a tangent.

65. As a result, it is easy to whip up emotions and see evil where no evil exists, hear a noise where sweet melodies should be heard and to fight where brotherly embraces ought to be the order of the day.

66. I conclude by stating categorically here that was absolutely no scandal, no corruption and no mistaken belief, after guidance from Government, that the beneficiary farmers were to pay, no. Nothing went extraordinarily bad in the execution of this Mechanisation Program and everything was done publicly, transparently and accounting records were kept of each beneficiary.

67. This was a duly Government-sanctioned Program which was always graced by the relevant minister, that of Agriculture and Mechanisation. It was not an RBZ program per se.

68. A look at the schedule making up the $1,3b debt assumption does not have the $200m referred to by the learned Doctor, hence my calling him “ off-side” in the Sunday Mail of 19 July 2020. A quick check with the one who was in charge then would have served all the excitement even from people who were in government and should know better. When in the cabinet, the decisions you take are collective and not individual and when ministers speak, they represent the whole government not just their ministries. Dr Made spoke on behalf of the whole government when he communicated the decision not to charge farmers for the equipment.

69. The schedules Magaisa purports to have are internal schedules and I cannot vouch for their accuracy let alone authenticity because no one authenticated them. Those in the legal profession do exercise caution regarding the admissibility or otherwise of evidence collected surreptitiously. I notice some beneficiaries are trying to distance themselves from the noble program by thinking that paying or not paying was an act of shame or heroism. Well, it’s a free country and if their conscience is troubling them, and are willing and capable of paying, they should go to RBZ and pay but there is NO obligation to do so on anyone in respect of that particular program and I make no apology for giving this advisory stance but we cannot live on intimidation or be chameleonic about it, being one thing on Monday to Thursday but another on Friday to Sunday. No.

70. As a banker, I indeed refused to divulge names of beneficiaries even after I retired, because breaking confidentiality not how banking is done. Banking is a game of trust and confidence but when challenged, I have had to break that code of conduct.

71. Just as it is not right to demand a patient’s medical records simply because he or she has been treated in a government hospital whose staff and other costs are met by the taxpayer, we must desist from asking people’s banking or personal details just because they are in a government bank. Confidentiality remains confidentiality regardless of point of cure or medication.

The Reserve Bank (RBZ)

72. For the benefit of the uninitiated, the RBZ is, like most central banks, a creature of statute. It can only do that which it is specifically obligated to do by law.

73. The Bank undertook quasi-fiscal activities are the behest of Government and in the national interest. This was in accordance with Section 8 of the RBZ Act( Chapter 22:15)(unamended)which read in 8(ii )” Nothing in this section shall prevent the State from carrying on transactions in such a manner as the State may require and if, so requested by the State, the Bank shall make the necessary arrangements to this end”.

74. The Bank had formal ministerial authorizations to Act as it did. No illegality there and no corruption either!

75. My team and I at the Bank did not feel obliged to disclose the names of beneficiaries of the Farm Mechanisation Program when requested by Parliament at the time because, as the learned Doctor will agree, it is and was not in the public interest to disclose internal accounting information in violation of public policy as it related to information covered by the Official Secrets Act( Chapter 11:09); information exempted from disclosure under the then (unrepealed) Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act( Chapter10:27); and information under the Banking Act( Chapter 24:20). I have already proposed that these sections be amended through Parliament to enhance transparency and accountability in modern democratic society. Until our parliamentarians do that, it will remain an uphill task to get information of the nature we are talking about.

76. For me and my team, it was important that the RBZ, had valid instructions from the Minister as defined in the Act, and that we were undertaking the Mechanisation Program on behalf of the State for the good of Zimbabwe.

77. The participation in the Program of certain institutions forwarded to us by Government constituted information entrusted to the Bank by the State relating to such institutions. Section 4(i)(d)(ii )of the Act criminalises the disclosure of information…” for any purpose which could be prejudicial to the safety or interests of Zimbabwe “ and such disclosures would have been criminal offences in terms of section 4(2)(b) and 5(2)(b) of the same Act. An example is the disclosures by Magaisa which have potential to cause disaffection and despondency between the population and certain offices of the State and Judiciary.

78. The unfortunate conclusions reached by the influential learned brother have the potential to cause public unrest in an environment already pregnant with its own anger-points and anxieties from other quarters. This plays into the hands of those erroneously convinced that the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Program of 2007/8 was riddled with fraud and corruption when in fact, nothing could be further from the truth!

79. I question and challenge the accuracy and authenticity of the documentation before Magaisa. I can categorically state that he has been given half-backed data and information for purposes far removed from telling the truth. Magaisa may need to go back to his sources. I am a banker, an accountant and a chartered secretary trained to keep accurate records of events and my experience as an accountant does help a bit to understand issues more clearly than if I was not. I would urge caution against taking those numbers and information as gospel truth.

80. Today’s e-world can be treacherous… people can create false documents that look official.

81. For all, I know and given the respect, I hold for Magaisa, I think it’s unfair to do this to him. Magaisa is a champion of honesty and I have never before had occasion to question the integrity of his writings, until today.

82. I hope more effort will not be spared to secure a more authentic document with more accurate information than so far disseminated, including issuing early apologies if he deems it necessary. That would be my advice to him.

83. What’s been done already could be subject to serious challenge with catastrophic unintended consequences to the reputation of my good learned brother and Doctor. It is my trust, prayer and hope that those individuals erroneously injured by this Saturday’s BSR will forgive my brother and quickly get out of the shock of being labelled financial absconders of low moral standing in matters finance, debt contraction and banking.

84. To Baba Guti and everyone mentioned, my apologies for your being dragged into this mess. Your role in trying to feed this country at a most difficult time in its history will never be forgotten. You were and remain loyal to your fellow Zimbabweans. Every grain of maize or wheat that was produced by everyone helped to feed our people at a time when forex was so scarce and our politicians were, like now, at each other’s throats while Rome was burning.

85. I also thank the many diasporans who helped feed their families back home then and are still doing so today during these trying times. Without that support, many would not have made it to today.

86. I note that my brother Magaisa is complaining about my sharing the WhatsApp exchange we had had yesterday. In fact, I did not release his WhatsApps to me which came long after an hour and I had already engaged the Sunday Mail to say that I had tried to reach him in vain. I repeat, I did not release his WhatsApp texts to me but my WhatsApp to him. After all, he had shared erroneous information with the whole world without bothering to get in touch with me which he should have done seeing he was running with my letter to Minister Joseph Made without verifying with me first. He was making accusations about a programme that had run under my watch. Who between us committed a breach of comradeship? Do unto others what you expect from them is a useful biblical point of reference. Nothing personal but basa se basa. As promised, I am sending you this piece directly without cutting my rights to get it into the public domain through other channels besides yours.

87. I rest my case.

Gideon Gono was Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe from 2003 to 2013

State Media

The Farm Mechanisation Programme of 2007 was above board, was funded from Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe funds with beneficiaries never expected to repay the sums, and taxpayers were not saddled with the bill since the $200 million was never part of the RBZ debts assumed by the State, says the former RBZ Governor Dr Gideon Gono.

Replying to a comment by British-based commentator Dr Alex Magaisa on his Big Saturday Read site, Dr Gono said that RBZ Debt Assumption Act of 2015 transferred $1.3 billion of RBZ debts to the Government, but there was no reference to a Farm Mechanisation Programme debt there, let alone a figure of $200 million.

Of the debt taken over, $309.9 million was from 1976-7 to 2001, before Dr Gono became Governor, and $962.1 million dated from the 10 years he was in office.

Of that almost $1 billion, $578.9 million was for fuel and electricity, $294.5 million for maize, fertilisers, chemicals and seed, $24.3 million was for cars for ministries and special programmes like Bacossi, $26.5 million was used for mineral audits by an international firm of experts and $7.5m had been borrowed to meet mandatory retrenchment packages in 2011/12.

Tobacco farmers accrued support stood at $22.5 million and health and interest claims stood at $7.9 million. These figures, noted Dr Gono, are listed in the statute law of Zimbabwe as part of the Act.

Farm mechanisation was neither part of any of the amounts mentioned nor did it feature as a take-over debt by the State in terms of that Act, and Dr Gono wondered where the conclusion that the taxpayer was or has been saddled with a $200m debt through the RBZ Debt Assumption Act came from.

He had already retired and left the bank in 2013 when the Debt Assumption Bill was crafted and gazetted in 2014 and subsequently passed into law in 2015.

“I cannot therefore be accused of having had a hand in its crafting or makeup two years after retiring.”

But as he was governor in charge of the RBZ-driven Government Farm Mechanisation Programme he could speak authoritatively on the subject.

“This pioneering programme had, like any other new initiative, its own challenges here and there but overall, the programme ran smoothly and was above board.”

Dr Gono noted that Governments did intervene in all cases where there was need and he referred to the quasi-fiscal operation in October and November 2009 to spend $1,5 million on a Highlands home for the then Prime Minister Dr Morgan Tsvangirai “to settle a dispute over the residence status of Dr Tsvangirai which had become one of the sticky issues and had led to an MDC-T disengagement from Government of National Unity”.

“Approval to pay for the house was given to me on November 13, 2009, and the State acquired this ‘debt’ and eventually wrote it off. Both taxpayers belonging and not belonging to MDC-T have had to foot that bill. I don’t call it a burden when you weigh what could have negatively happened to our economy and Government had the then PM remained outside Government and what eventually, then happened after the MDC-T returned to the table.”

Dr Gono noted that at this time Dr Magaisa was “working in the then PM’s Office as advisor or in some other capacity”.

Among the many programmes run from the RBZ was “The Health Sectors Skills Retention Scheme, an RBZ-initiative meant to retain our doctors and health workers (who were about to leave the country for greener pastures leaving their mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters without adequate attention) saw us ‘give’ to individual doctors cars which till today have never been paid for, neither has Government asked them to pay. That intervention was not a loan. Not all the doctors received the cars as the programme had to stop after GNU but the initial intention was to give every doctor and health worker means to get to work without having to ask them to pay for it.”

Stressing the similarity, Dr Gono said: “Like the Farm Mechanisation, this medical sector intervention was made public and the allocations were done following a particular criterion that was specific to the health sector and without regard to gender, political affiliation, religious belonging or ethnicity.”

The Government of National Unity concurred that the farmers who were helped with mechanisation did not have to pay back.

“When in 2010 the RBZ sought guidance on the matter, there was change of heart (that farmers had to repay) by the inclusive government who, through Cabinet minister Dr Joseph Made, advised, initially verbally but subsequently in writing, that Government (as in inclusive) had decided in 2012 to include the programme as part of its national mechanisation and irrigation and that was end of story.”

None of the headings in the Assumption of Debt Act refer to Farm Mechanisation debts assumed by the State and none refers to the former PM’s residence payment, “all of which were absorbed internally from accumulated revenues, some of which was of an exchange rate nature and seigniorage”, said Dr Gono.

“It will be recalled by those who care to remember that sometime in 2012-13 the same inclusive Government decided to assume and write off the Zesa electricity and water bills of citizens across the board regardless of name, position, political affiliation, gender, ethnicity or financial standing in society. I guess local authorities and ZESA will now be required by BSR (Big Saturday Read, the blog by Dr Alex Magaisa) to publish the names of all beneficiaries of that programme so that they pay back what they derived by way of that benefit. I am sure BSR will lead in that process.”

Dr Gono thought Parliament should “repeal those sections of the various laws that criminalise disclosures of beneficiaries of public programmes in the interests of good governance, transparency and promotion of sound economic management to avoid reliance on leaks and distortions of the nature we are witnessing”.

Dr Gono noted that among the State interventions were disaster recovery.

“Zimbabwe has, in drought years often written off farmers’ loans and equally in disaster years, certain areas of the country and individuals in that area have had their houses and infrastructure built for them and that cost written off or carried by the State without regard to one’s standing in society. You just needed to fit the criteria and you are a beneficiary.”

He felt that beneficiaries of programmes who were in opposition parties should also be mentioned.

“Brother Magaisa and company, talk of transparency and good governance that comes with publication of information; this is positive debate but then people should not be selective in their dissemination of information as seems to have been the case in the BSR. Why were prominent figures in the MDC-A and MDC-T not mentioned?”

“Surely if we are talking about benefiting from State resources which were not paid back and we want to name and shame, I have no problem giving out names of all chiefs, headman and rural area people who benefited from the Mechanisation Programme for Brother Magaya and company to institute recovery proceedings, including from about 1,5 million households of 6 persons or more each, who benefited from the Bacossi Food Hamper Programme and Honourables who benefited from motor vehicles, generators, funeral assistances, forex travel and hotel subsidies.

“Many of these beneficiaries are still alive and some are retired from Government while some are still very active in various political circles, crying the loudest with the twitter handles but forgetting their beneficial associations with either the Mugabe dispensation, the GNU or current dispensation. It’s gonna be a long journey but records don’t disappear just because one has retired.”

Dr Gono noted that many ministries, universities and other State institutions received cars through the RBZ, that many farmers received seed and chemicals, and that “some in the Labour Movement could also be having some repayments to make and I’m sure the Minister of Finance will never need a supplementary budget again for the next decade if everyone pays up.”

The RBZ helped all local authorities and all media, both public sector and private sector, along with wide swathes of industry with raw materials and inputs.

“Subsidies are a form of State intervention on behalf of the people. It is unfair to want to be selective in our analysis of what the State ends up taking over as costs to the taxpayer. Some costs can be attributed directly to particular points of entry even though they benefit everyone, including those who unwittingly criticise and see evil in them. The records are there and we must not be lazy to carry out a fish-bone analysis of these interventions and see who in the end was the beneficiary of what and get them to pay so that proponents of BSR can be happy.

“But who will sponsor the exercise? It cannot be the State but he who makes the accusation of impropriety: he should go all the way, lest we question the motives of the article, it’s source, sincerity and timing.”

Outlining the mechanisation intervention Dr Gono said in 2007-8, the food import bill was huge and the idea of a 3-year roll-out programme to mechanise farmers became a priority.

“We had a clear, productivity-related selection criteria based on a record of past performance on one’s farm and no other criteria. It was not region or political affiliation neither was it a criterion that looked at one’s standing in society. Every beneficiary was referred to GMB for record of past grain delivery.”

The programme ended in mid-2008, two and half years early, which later generated a lot of jealousy as not everyone supposed to benefit did benefit.

“We gave out animal drawn implements to rural farmers worth about $300 million and wrote-off that expenditure against the bank’s income and spent about $198 million on imported mechanised farm equipment. We did the same thing and fully expensed that outlay.”

Combine harvesters, some costing upwards of $150 000 apiece, were the most expensive items and one complete set plus a big tractor could cost $300 000 to $350 000.

The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Harare has temporarily closed down following a case of Covid-19 Infection.

The church send the notice below to its members warning of the latest development.

George Charamba, who is the Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications), has hinted that the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa will soon be interdicted from using the “MDC ” brand by the MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe.

Charamba made the stunning revelations on Sunday during an exchange with MDC Alliance secretary for elections Jacob Mafume.

Mafume had mocked ZANU PF and its leaders for allegedly trying to create a coalition government with Khupe’s MDC-T. Mafume had said:

Organised represents what you are! You cannot take a defeated ruling party, a defeated quisling opposition. And hope to create something. As your VP said a bottle store and bus operator cannot run a government, without a lecture from the white men…

Charamba, in typically abrasive fashion, hit back at Mafume, telling him that Khupe has taken over the opposition party and very soon, Chamisa will lose even the name of the party. Charamba retorted:

Except you have no party while pretending to be in organized opposition!!! Khupe amhanya nechinhu!! (she is now in the driving seat). Very soon you will be interdicted from using MDC-Anything!!! Watch the space!!!

Since the controversial March Supreme Court ruling which declared that Chamisa was illegitimate, Khupe has become the darling of State media and her party has since won a string of court cases against Chamisa.

Khupe has been able to seize the party headquarters, the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House or Harvest House with the assistance of state security, and she has also fired several MDC Alliance MPs and councillors despite the fact that her party lost heavily to Chamisa during the 2018 elections.

Compiled by Pindula

Johane Marange apostolic sect members removed from Maparanyanga, among them women and children, had to sleep by the roadside along the Masvingo-Mashava highway on Saturday night as they scrambled to access the limited transport back home.

Police on Saturday dispersed more than 5 000 members of the Church who had gathered on the outskirts of Masvingo for their annual Passover ceremony.

The worshippers were ordered to return to their homes after violating Covid-19 social distancing rules which do not allow a group exceeding 50 people to congregate.

When state run Herald reporters visited the site on Sunday, scores of families were still by the roadside where they had pitched up tents for temporary shelter.

The visibly agitated church members said they were unhappy at being ordered to disperse by the police before they could have their annual Passover feast.

Cooking utensils, blankets among other items were strewn all over the place with some seated around fires while others were cooking.

They refused to have photographs taken, complaining over the way they had been blocked from celebrating Passover.

“We have our own transport which is on its way. What do you want here? Don’t take our pictures otherwise it won’t end well here. It could be better if Government had allowed us to remain at our shrine and now that you chased us away, we are like animals,” said one male sect member, threatening to harm the reporters.

In May 2014, the sect shot to fame after they beat up police officers and journalists who attempted to disperse them. More than six riot police officers and journalists were seriously injured after members of the apostolic sect attacked them with knobkerries and stones in Harare’s Budiriro suburb.

The attack took place soon after ACCZ executive president Archbishop Johannes Ndanga announced that the church led by Madzibaba Ishemael Mufani had been banned from operating in Zimbabwe because it was violating the country’s laws and that of Christianity.

The congregants were singing a song called “Hondo Yepfumo Neropa” and smashed a Zbc truck shouting that the only recognise President Mugabe not Ndanga.

The injured were rushed to Harare Hospital and others were taken to Garden City Clinic in Highfield.

Watch video downloading below of a man castigating members of the police force for using donkey cart to attend to a crime scene.

ZANU PF has told MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to wait for the 2023 elections for him to come to power as President Mnangagwa is not going to spare time to have any discussions with him. Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba says the President is presently busy and focused on developmental issues.

This comes as the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), have been trying to bring political party leaders to the negotiating table with a series of meetings that are meant to culminate in the formation of a transitional government.

Mr Charamba reiterated that the Government will not be part of any negotiating forum outside the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad), a multi-party liaison platform that includes all political parties and which has yielded results since its establishment.

“I am not aware of a request or invitation extended to the President for a church-brokered interaction of political parties outside of the already established Polad platform. I can’t see the President running with the hares and hunting with the hounds. He is the creator of Polad, it is a consensus building platform and we can’t continue to go for forum shopping as if the problems of this country will be solved by multiplying forums that don’t build anything,” said Mr Charamba.

He said what was disconcerting from the so-called church-led negotiations forum was that it was in pursuance of an agenda to have President Mnangagwa meet with Mr Chamisa.

“The message to Chamisa is very clear, if you feel like joining in the national discourse, come to Polad unconditionally. There are no big egos, there are no small egos. It is elastic and can accommodate all sentiments, big or small.

“We can’t keep telling men of the cloth, over and over again that there is a long-standing invitation for all political parties to join dialogue, the parameters of which have been established. What we seem to be getting from the persistent calls from the church as represented by Mtata and company is not so much to get national dialogue but one of trying to broker bilateral interaction between two political players, but more critically, when you look at the other side of the bilateral meeting and the problems they have, you are tempted to conclude that this is in fact a rescue package to a stressed political party that is wrapped under the cloth of lofty good intentions for a national dialogue.

“We reject that and they know it, that’s our position and there is nothing to gain in asking for what has been rejected. If Chamisa wants, let him join Polad, if not let him wait for 2023, thus, the whole idea of thinking that he can, whether through church leaders or through street action, he can smuggle himself into government, smuggle himself into some form of arrangement is futile,” said Mr Charamba.

The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) has cancelled all planned Census mapping training programs scheduled for 20th to 25th July 2020 after some of its employees contracted the Covid-19 virus at a Public Service staff bus.

The office ordered all its members of staff to stop reporting for duty with immediate effect following the incidence of COVID 19 positive cases at its Kaguvi offices and in the Public Service Commission Harare – Chitungwiza bus which ferries workers to and from work.

ZIMSTAT director-general Taguma Mahonde wrote in the memorandum:

Following the incidence of COVID 19 positive cases at Kaguvi and in the Public Service Commission Harare – Chitungwiza bus, all ZIMSTAT staff are kindly requested to stop reporting for duty with immediate effect.

We have engaged City of Harare to disinfect our offices and they are yet to respond.

In view of the above, all planned Census mapping training programs scheduled for 20th to 25th July 2020 are hereby cancelled.

Staff members will be advised when it is safe to return to work.

POLICE on Saturday dispersed more than 5 000 members of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church who had gathered on the outskirts of Masvingo for their annual Passover ceremony.

Their leader, Mr Karifinosi Mashanda shocked the authorities when he appealed to the provincial Covid-19 taskforce team to allow them to have Holy Communion before dispersing.

“While we are not against what the authorities want us to do, we are just requesting to have our Holy Communion as per the tradition of our church then we can go back home,” said Mr Mashanda.

The taskforce declined the request saying it would be illegal for them to do so since a gathering of more than 50 people was outlawed under Covid-19 control regulations.

Taskforce spokesperson Mr Rodgers Irimai yesterday praised the sect members for being co-operative as some immediately left after being advised that the gathering was illegal.

“We had fruitful discussions with the sect leaders on Saturday morning and members immediately started dispersing after we told them that a gathering of more than 50 was unlawful.

“They were very cooperative although they wanted to be allowed to have their Holy Communion, which is cause was not possible.”

Mr Irimai allayed fears the sect members would be stranded by the roadside.

“We are not going to assist them with transport because they told us they had made prior transport arrangements before coming for their Passover,”he said.

The taskforce expected all the sect members to have returned to their homes by today, the day when the majority had pre-booked transport back home.

Source: State Media

Mpilo acting chief executive Professor Solwayo Ngwenya confirmed the death of one more Covid-19 case in the City on Sunday and warned members of the public against breaking lockdown conditions.

He said the virus had spread so much in the city and that no one was safe given the increasing number of new cases and deaths.

“Covid-19 is now everywhere and is nearer to all more than we think. It is near your neighbour, in the offices, buses used for transport and people must take responsibility and ensure they do not catch this efficient killer disease,” said Prof Ngwenya.

“The virus is not found in the hospital only but it’s deep in the community as witnessed by the two deaths which occurred during the past few days. The two bodies came to Mpilo where Covid-19 was confirmed but they were from the community which means everyone is now at risk.”

Prof Ngwenya said people were likely to die as institutions were not fully equipped to deal with complications.

“People are going to die if they are not careful and my advice is that they must stay at home, it’s as simple as that.”

He said the four patients are yet to be moved to Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital.

“We have set up a temporary ward where they are admitted as we wait for the city health department to come and move them to Thorngrove,” added Prof Ngwenya.

Contacted for comment, director of health services Dr Edwin Sibanda said the four Covid-19 patients at Mpilo were the responsibility of the provincial medical director Dr Welcome Mlilo.

Dr Mlilo could not be reached for comment.

State Media

FORMER Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri has no valid legal reason to undermine a High Court order demanding an explanation on the wealth his family acquired during his 25 years as police chief, says Attorney-General Prince Machaya.

The unexplained-wealth order obtained by the National Prosecuting Authority against Chihuri was related to public accountability in the interest of justice, he said when responding to Chihuri’s court application challenging the order compelling him to explain his wealth, links to and interests in several companies, and how his family acquired large property holdings and other assets.

Adv Machaya also contended that Chihuri and his wife, Isobel Hakima Khan, had no valid authority to represent their co-applicants, mainly their relatives, in the civil suit recently filed in the High Court.

He dismissed Chihuri’s contention that the unexplained wealth order constituted a “gross irregularity and a fundamental breach of their legal rights” and the request for the High Court to declare certain provisions of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act, 2019, an infringement of the Constitution.

Adv Machaya said the order was in accordance with a valid law and did not violate any of the stated constitutional rights and freedoms and is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.

He did not comment on the legal position regarding the constitutionality of the provisions which Chihuri seeks to impugn, saying his lawyer would deal with the issues.

Chihuri approached the High Court last month after all his known Zimbabwean assets were placed under management pending an explanation on his link to the companies and to the properties which the State listed for possible forfeiture.

The former police chief is being accused of paying US$32 million of public funds into family companies and acquisition of properties.

The order which the NPA obtained when seeking an explanation also encumbered Chihuri and the family’s properties, placing them under the management of the Asset Management Unit.

Chihuri, who is being represented by Kantor and Immerman law firm, argues that when the order was granted, neither he nor others listed were given any prior notice of the proceedings, nor given an opportunity to respond to the allegations that support the unexplained-wealth order.

In challenging the constitutionality of the impugned provisions of the Act at the High Court, Chihuri and his family rely on a constitutional provision that gives courts subordinate to the Constitutional Court, the power to make constitutional declarations and to pronounce as invalid, offensive pieces of legislation, although any such finding is subject to confirmation by the Constitutional Court.

Chihuri argues that if for any reason, the High Court does not wish to consider the constitutional matter, then the constitutional questions he is raising should be referred to the Constitutional Court for determination, which the AG is not opposing.

The State seeks to freeze Chihuri’s companies and the properties pending the final outcome of possible criminal investigations and civil suits.

Justice Felistas Chatukuta in May granted an application by Prosecutor-General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi for an order forcing Chihuri and his wife to explain how they acquired their properties and to interdict them from having any dealings with the companies.

THE Covid-19 death toll in Zimbabwe has risen to 25 following the death of a 36-year-old woman at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo amid reports that four positive cases are housed at the health institution.

Mpilo is not a designated Covid-19 health institution and so far, two people admitted there have succumbed to the pandemic.

Bulawayo has a cumulative of 11 deaths and 447 cases.

More than 197 health workers have been quarantined at Mpilo following the infection of a nurse in June.

An additional 14 nurses tested positive at Mpilo after the initial quarantine of the 197 who were in contact with the nurse.

Mpilo acting chief executive Professor Solwayo Ngwenya confirmed the death yesterday.

The country also recorded 58 new cases bringing the cumulative total to 1 478 since the outbreak of the global pandemic in March.

Of the new cases, 21 are returnees from South Africa, 16 from Botswana and the rest are local members of the public who are already on isolation.

Matabeleland South province recorded the highest number of new cases yesterday with 50, followed by Manicaland which recorded five.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, 439 people have recovered from the pandemic since the first was recorded.

“As at July 18, 2020, Zimbabwe had 1478 confirmed cases, including 439 recoveries and 25 deaths.”

ZANU PF STATEMENT ON THE REMOVAL OF DR. OBADIAH MOY0 FROM THE OFFICE OF MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE

ZANU PF stands solidly behind the decision by His Excellency, President E. D Mnangagwa to remove Dr Obadiah Moyo from the post of Minister of Health and Child Care.

ZANU PF applauds the President for his boldness in walking the talk in the fight against corruption.

The decision by His Excellency, the President should serve as stern warning to all those cadres whom the Party has deployed to Central Government, Local Authorities and Parastatals that in the discharge of their functions they should, like Caesar’s wife, be beyond suspicion.

They should at all times know that any whiff of corruption will cost them dearly because the President declared that there will be no sacred cows when it comes to fighting corruption.

ZANU PF takes this opportunity to bring to the attention of those Law Enforcement Agencies involved in the Administration of Criminal Justice its concerns and those of the population.

Expectations are that Law Enforcement Agencies should carry out thorough investigations to establish a prima facie case before arrests are effected as to At otherwise leads to the practice commonly referred to as “Catch and Release” a situation which will put the administration of criminal justice into disrepute.
Equally of concern to the population is the prolonged and protracted nature of trials. This also leads to reputational damage to the administration of criminal justice.

ZANU PF is, therefore, calling upon Law Enforcement Agencies involved in the administration of justice namely, the Police, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Judiciary to expedite the prosecution and finalisation of criminal charges, in particular, cases pertaining to corruption in line with the pronouncements made by the President on the Africa Anti-Corruption Day.

Furthermore, the Party reiterates its position, that unnecessary political activities such as demonstrations will not be tolerated in line with the current LockDown regulations as directed by the President and Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde ED Mnangagwa to contain #Covid19Zim.

Those who are organising such demonstrations will have themselves to blame if they continue to defy authorities.

What happened on 01 August 2018 and 14-16 January 2019 will never be allowed to repeat again.

The merchants of violence who are known to be working with our detractors must heed our call for them to respect the law if they want the law to respect them as well.

Farai Dziva|Veteran Movement for Democratic Change activist and musician, Dread Reckless, has warned Douglas Mwonzora and Thokozani Khupe against sabotaging the people’s struggle.

He also described President Nelson Chamisa as a great visionary who has the capacity to lead the nation to prosperity.

Below is Dread Reckless’ statement:

I have no time at all to worry about people who claim to be opposition party leaders when they are being funded in darkness by the party they claim to oppose and pretend otherwise during the day.

With our little, immature, inexprienced but political stable and iconic leader Nelson Chamisa we are fine.

As they move in to take our offices we will fight to retain the great vision, as they take party names, we retain the party- take the support of Matemadanda and we choose the support of the people.

We also want to eat but the only difference is that, most of us are patient enough to wait for what is rightfully ours.

Since when did Matemadanda become the opposition’s political adviser?

Varume, idyai mari idzi muchitsiurana.

Field Marshall Dread Reckless

ZANU PF will not shirk from its responsibility of recalling party members tainted by corruption from all levels of Government in line with its zero tolerance to graft policy, a senior official has said.

In a statement yesterday, the ruling party’s acting National Secretary for Information and Publicity, Patrick Chinamasa, said the recent dismissal of Dr Obadiah Moyo as Minister of Health and Child Care should stand as a warning to all individuals who engage in corrupt activities.

“ZANU PF stands solidly behind the decision by His Excellency, President ED Mnangagwa to remove Dr Obadiah Moyo from the post of Minister of Health and Child Care,” said Chinamasa.

He called on law enforcement agents to expedite prosecution of all cases involving corruption.

Expectations are that law they should carry out thorough investigations to establish a prima facie case before arrests are effected as to do otherwise leads to the practice commonly referred to as “catch and release”, a situation which will put the administration of criminal justice into disrepute,” Chinamasa said.

“Equally of concern to the population is the prolonged and protracted nature of trials. This also leads to reputational damage to the administration of criminal justice.”

He warned opposition elements against organising unsanctioned demonstrations during the national lockdown.

Chinamasa said the law would be applied without fear or favour to deal with those behind organising the demonstrations.

“Furthermore, the party reiterates its position that unnecessary political activities such as demonstrations will not be tolerated in line with the current lockdown regulations as directed by the President and Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde Mnangagwa, to contain Covid-19.

“Those organising such demonstrations will have themselves to blame if they continue to defy authorities.

What happened on August 1, 2018 and between January 14 and 16, 2019 will never be allowed to recur again.

The merchants of violence who are known to be working with our detractors must heed our call for them to respect the law if they want the law to respect them as well,” he said-The Sunday Mail

THE country’s biggest mobile money provider, Econet Wireless was allegedly involved in black market activities between January and June which saw the company crediting huge sums of money to “runners” who bought foreign currency which the company externalised.

The revelations are contained in an affidavit signed by investigations officer, Detective Inspector and Officer-in-Charge of the Criminal Investigations’ Asset Unit, Mkhululi Nyoni, that is accompanying a court warrant obtained by police to search and take some financial records and subscription database of the company as part of investigating accusations of money laundering.

According to the affidavit signed on Friday, Econet allegedly violated sections of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act (Chapter 9:24).

“On 9 July 2020, information was received to the effect that during the period extending from 01 January 2020 to 30 June 2020, Econet Wireless (Pvt) Ltd and its subsidiaries have been fraudulently creating and issuing non-attributable and non-auditable subscribers merchants billers and agents which they credited with huge sums of money and distributed to their runners through their trust accounts. The runners would in turn buy foreign currency in the black market before being externalised,” the affidavit reads.

In the affidavit, police applied to see the list of subscribers/customers both registered and unregistered on the Econet Wireless database with full subscriber details for the period from January to June.

In addition, police also want to check the summary of transient e-money/airtime credit service posited on the platform through airtime loans for the same period and all financial statements showing the entire inflow and outflow monetary transactions.

According to the warrant of search and seizure obtained by police, it is suspected that the company is in possession of documents, information or records which are required to afford evidence in a criminal docket for the purpose of investigating the crime.

Since the beginning of the year, Zimbabwe saw massive black market activities that were mainly carried out through mobile money transactions that continued to erode the value of the local dollar.

Last month, the Government through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe responded by banning all money agents from mobile financial transactions although the general public was allowed to continue to transact using the platforms-The Sunday News

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

Former ZANU PF legislator for Chivi South, Killer Zivhu has said president Mnangagwa is the solution to the problems bedevilling Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe is facing a myriad of socio-economic and political challenges including starvation, inflation, shortage of medicines, cash, foreign currency, fuel and electricity as well as a deteriorating democratic space.

He tweeted:

Vision 2030 can be a success if the President changes his Central Committee, Politburo and Cabinet. ED is the solution to our problems, pava kuda kubviswa mashawi mugorosi nyika yoinda mberi. usanyeperwe ED ndiyo simbi yebasa but pavakuda change gedhe bhora rinomwa [President Mnangagwa is the solution to our probems, what is needed remove corrupt and incompetent people around him to achieve the nationa goals and objectives.]

The Ferret team, made up of various security agencies on Saturday intercepted a commercial truck carrying 19, 6 tonnes of suspected stolen telephone and electricity cables at the Beitbridge Border Post destined for South Africa.

The owners of the contraband had allegedly made a false declaration to the customs authority (Zimra) indicating they were shipping out 7 tonnes of copper granules.

More to follow.

ZANU PF STATEMENT ON THE REMOVAL OF DR. OBADIAH MOY0 FROM THE OFFICE OF MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE

ZANU PF stands solidly behind the decision by His Excellency, President E. D Mnangagwa to remove Dr Obadiah Moyo from the post of Minister of Health and Child Care.

ZANU PF applauds the President for his boldness in walking the talk in the fight against corruption.

The decision by His Excellency, the President should serve as stern warning to all those cadres whom the Party has deployed to Central Government, Local Authorities and Parastatals that in the discharge of their functions they should, like Caesar’s wife, be beyond suspicion.

They should at all times know that any whiff of corruption will cost them dearly because the President declared that there will be no sacred cows when it comes to fighting corruption.

ZANU PF takes this opportunity to bring to the attention of those Law Enforcement Agencies involved in the Administration of Criminal Justice its concerns and those of the population.

Expectations are that Law Enforcement Agencies should carry out thorough investigations to establish a prima facie case before arrests are effected as to At otherwise leads to the practice commonly referred to as “Catch and Release” a situation which will put the administration of criminal justice into disrepute.
Equally of concern to the population is the prolonged and protracted nature of trials. This also leads to reputational damage to the administration of criminal justice.

ZANU PF is, therefore, calling upon Law Enforcement Agencies involved in the administration of justice namely, the Police, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Judiciary to expedite the prosecution and finalisation of criminal charges, in particular, cases pertaining to corruption in line with the pronouncements made by the President on the Africa Anti-Corruption Day.

Furthermore, the Party reiterates its position, that unnecessary political activities such as demonstrations will not be tolerated in line with the current LockDown regulations as directed by the President and Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde ED Mnangagwa to contain #Covid19Zim.

Those who are organising such demonstrations will have themselves to blame if they continue to defy authorities.

What happened on 01 August 2018 and 14-16 January 2019 will never be allowed to repeat again.

The merchants of violence who are known to be working with our detractors must heed our call for them to respect the law if they want the law to respect them as well.

A woman in Bulawayo was arrested for refusing to accept $2 notes while she was selling airtime in the city of Kings.

21-year-old Prudence Mhene appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya facing charges of contravening a section of Statutory Instrument 175/2008, the Bank Use Promotion and Suppression of Money Laundering Act.

It is the state’s case that:
On July 17 at 10am at Mandalane Building located at 5th Avenue and Fife Street Bulawayo, the accused was selling airtime in the shop.

The complainant, Mr Mthokozisi Ngwenya handed over $18 bond notes intending to buy Telecel airtime. The accused told Mr Ngwenya that she had a limit for the amount of $2 bond notes and handed him back 2 x $2 notes and asked for a $5 note.

The accused person implied that the customer should produce $5 bond notes only as she had limits of accepting denominations less than $2 bond notes. The complainant later revealed his identity as a police officer and the accused person was arrested.

Mhene was remanded out of custody and will be back in court tomorrow.

ZRP has reportedly launched “Operation accept Zimbabwe currency as legal tender” which has seen over 100 people being arrested for various crimes including refusing to accept the Zimbabwe Dollar for their goods and services-source: The Sunday News

“He (Walter Magaya) is at it again. But we are now enlightened. We will not be conned anymore by him.”

Added Tracy:

“We have been patient for too long. Three years is a long time. But not anymore. This man (Walter Magaya) is a fraudster.”

Watch the live video loading below….

https://youtu.be/vhvVzduVmeI

Zanu PF will not shirk from its responsibility of recalling party members tainted by corruption from all levels of Government in line with its zero tolerance to graft policy, a senior official has said.

In a statement yesterday, the ruling party’s acting National Secretary for Information and Publicity, Patrick Chinamasa, said the recent dismissal of Dr Obadiah Moyo as Minister of Health and Child Care should stand as a warning to all individuals who engage in corrupt activities.

“ZANU PF stands solidly behind the decision by His Excellency, President ED Mnangagwa to remove Dr Obadiah Moyo from the post of Minister of Health and Child Care,” said Chinamasa.

He called on law enforcement agents to expedite prosecution of all cases involving corruption.

Expectations are that law they should carry out thorough investigations to establish a prima facie case before arrests are effected as to do otherwise leads to the practice commonly referred to as “catch and release”, a situation which will put the administration of criminal justice into disrepute,” Chinamasa said.

“Equally of concern to the population is the prolonged and protracted nature of trials. This also leads to reputational damage to the administration of criminal justice.”

He warned opposition elements against organising unsanctioned demonstrations during the national lockdown.

Chinamasa said the law would be applied without fear or favour to deal with those behind organising the demonstrations.

“Furthermore, the party reiterates its position that unnecessary political activities such as demonstrations will not be tolerated in line with the current lockdown regulations as directed by the President and Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Mnangagwa, to contain Covid-19.

“Those organising such demonstrations will have themselves to blame if they continue to defy authorities.

What happened on August 1, 2018 and between January 14 and 16, 2019 will never be allowed to recur again.

The merchants of violence who are known to be working with our detractors must heed our call for them to respect the law if they want the law to respect them as well,” he said-The Sunday Mail

Over 100 people have been arrested as police launch Operation accept Zim Bond. Will this strategy work to restore confidence for the local currency?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 19, 2020

Farai Dziva|Veteran Movement for Democratic Change activist and musician, Dread Reckless, has warned Douglas Mwonzora and Thokozani Khupe against sabotaging the people’s struggle.

He also described President Nelson Chamisa as a great visionary who has the capacity to lead the nation to prosperity.

Below is Dread Reckless’ statement:

I have no time at all to worry about people who claim to be opposition party leaders when they are being funded in darkness by the party they claim to oppose and pretend otherwise during the day.

With our little, immature, inexprienced but political stable and iconic leader Nelson Chamisa we are fine.

As they move in to take our offices we will fight to retain the great vision, as they take party names, we retain the party- take the support of Matemadanda and we choose the support of the people.

We also want to eat but the only difference is that, most of us are patient enough to wait for what is rightfully ours.

Since when did Matemadanda become the opposition’s political adviser?

Varume, idyai mari idzi muchitsiurana.

Field Marshall Dread Reckless

Over 100 people have been arrested as police launch Operation accept Zim Bond. Will this strategy work to restore confidence for the local currency?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 19, 2020

By A Correspondent- A woman in Bulawayo was arrested for refusing to accept $2 notes while she was selling airtime in the city of Kings.

21-year-old Prudence Mhene appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya facing charges of contravening a section of Statutory Instrument 175/2008, the Bank Use Promotion and Suppression of Money Laundering Act.

It is the state’s case that on July 17 at 10am at Mandalane Building located at 5th Avenue and Fife Street Bulawayo, the accused was selling airtime in the shop.

The complainant, Mr Mthokozisi Ngwenya handed over $18 bond notes intending to buy Telecel airtime. The accused told Mr Ngwenya that she had a limit for the amount of $2 bond notes and handed him back 2 x $2 notes and asked for a $5 note.

The accused person implied that the customer should produce $5 bond notes only as she had limits of accepting denominations less than $2 bond notes. The complainant later revealed his identity as a police officer and the accused person was arrested.

Mhene was remanded out of custody and will be back in court tomorrow.

ZRP has reportedly launched “Operation accept Zimbabwe currency as legal tender” which has seen over 100 people being arrested for various crimes including refusing to accept the Zimbabwe Dollar for their goods and services-source: The Sunday News

The Ministry of Health and Child Care on Saturday reported that the country’s coronavirus deaths had risen to 25 following the death of a 36-year-old female at a hospital in Bulawayo.

In a statement, the ministry also said 58 new positive coronavirus cases had been recorded bringing the total number of known cases to 1 478 including 439 recoveries, 1 014 active cases and 25 deaths. The statement read in part:

Today we regret to report 1 death at facility level in Bulawayo Province. The death is of a 36- year old female who was admitted in hospital on 16th of July 2020 with a persistent cough and tested positive for Covid-19…

Since the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak on 20 March 2020, the total number of confirmed cases is 1 478, recovered 439, active cases 1 014 and 25 deaths.

The state security forces have since tightened lockdown regulations as a result of the surge in the number of cases lately.

Zimbabwe is for an indefinite period under level 2 of the nationwide lockdown which was initially imposed in March to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

President Mnangagwa recently hinted that he will review the lockdown regulations in response to the recent spike.

-NewZiana

Gono clarifies farm mechanization: pic.twitter.com/PkaxpTOlA4

— Fadzayi Mahere?? (@advocatemahere) July 19, 2020

By A Correspondent- Law expert, Advocate Fadzayi Mahere has described the move by the state to search Econet and Cassava offices and seize full subscribers’ details as a “far-reaching breach of privacy.”

Mahere who is also the spokesperson of the opposition MDC Alliance speaks after police, equipped with a warrant by a Magistrate, on Friday executed a search and seizure warrant at Money Laundering-accused Econet Wireless and Cassava’s main offices in Harare.

Posting on Twitter, Mahere said:

“Full subscriber details” of each user means they have your name, cellphone number, address and all EcoCash records for the relevant period. This is a far-reaching breach of privacy. Imagine what  @PoliceZimbabwe  can do in this authoritarian environment with such extensive data.

The development comes after the government recently suspended all mobile money operators – Econet’s Ecocash, NetOne’s OneMoney and Telecel’s Telecash, together with the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange on the basis that they were fuelling illegal forex dealing.

This came as the local currency continued to lose value at a paraffin speed on the parallel market, to the displeasure of the state that wanted to convince the public that reintroduction of the Zimbabwe dollar was the best move to curb inflation and kickstart economic growth.

By A Correspondent- Nurses have notified the government that their salaries would have to be pegged at ZW$203 332 if the government insists on paying them in the local currency.

They speak as the government has urged workers who are demanding for restoration of October 2018 salaries or payment in United States dollars to be “realistic.”

In the letter dated July 14 to acting Health minister Amon Murwira, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) said RTGS salaries were making the lives of workers unbearable as the economy is dollarising under the watch and sanction of the government. The letter reads in part:

If we are to negotiate for an RTGS amount … our salaries will be pegged at $203 332, which by merely looking at it, is unrealistic.

We are aware that there have been efforts to misrepresent the position of the nurses by some quarters. We do not see it necessary to comment on this but we would want to factually bring you into our confidence as to why our members are demanding payment in US$ …

ZINA president Enoch Dongo vowed to continue with the ongoing industrial action adding withholding of some nurses’ salaries is a cause for concern.

The soaring inflation is eroding workers’ salaries.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services has proposed the release on bail those facing minor offences and increasing testing on new admissions as a measure to minimise the spread of the disease at its facilities.

This comes amid reports that the number of people who have tested positive for the coronavirus is increasing rapidly.

Speaking during the handover of personal protective equipment to the ZPCS by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association in Gwanda this Friday, Assistant Commissioner Ngwenya said:

The number of inmates has gone back to where it was before the amnesty. As such we are having a challenge in placing new admissions in our facilities separate from those who are already there. We, therefore, wish we could enhance testing and also appeal to our courts to deal with cases with speed.

President Mnangagwa issued a presidential pardon to convicts back in March to decongest prisons as a way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The virus has however since breached prison walls and the trend is likely to get worse as new people are being imprisoned for various crimes.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, Gideon Gono was Saturday forced to defend his controversial Farm Mechanisation Programme, insisting the dishing out of millions of public funds to senior Zanu-PF and government officials was above board.

Senior government and Zanu-PF officials including President Emmerson Mnangagwa accessed millions in United States dollars from the RBZ between 2007 and 2008 through the programme.

None of the beneficiaries repaid the loans.

However, according to the now reclusive Gono who was forced to come out and defend the scheme, the beneficiaries were not expected to repay the loans.

On Saturday, UK-based lawyer and academic, Alex Magaisa penned a damning article in which he traced how well-connected senior government and Zanu-PF officials looted millions of dollars in foreign currency under Gono’s murky Farm Mechanisation Programme.

However, in response to the article on Saturday night, a fuming Gono attacked Magaisa for allegedly making “inaccurate, unfair and unfounded” allegations against the beneficiaries.

“My statement comes in the wake of Dr Magaisa’s allegations, which makes a lot of unfounded allegations and inaccurate, and unfair conclusions that border on defamation,” said Gono adding the programme was undertaken in accordance with the law.

The former RBZ governor, scorned for presiding over the apex bank when Zimbabwe was going through its worst economic turmoil in decades, said he introduced the programme to capacitate newly-resettled farmers through mechanisation.

Zimbabwe embarked on a controversial land reform programme in 2000. The programme saw thousands of white farmers being kicked out of productive farms to be replaced by black Zimbabweans.

“I come as the man who was in charge of the RBZ during the most trying period in our history and as a man who was at the centre of trying to keep the economy going.

“I can state categorically that Dr Magaisa is offside and that no beneficiary of the farm mechanisation programme ever refused to pay for the equipment that they got and neither were they asked to pay,” Gono said.

He was at pains to explain after Zimbabweans took to social media Saturday to express disgust at how politically connected individuals could feast on the carcass of a dead economy with gay abandon.

According to Masvingo based Tellzim, a local provincial taskforce yesterday dismissed more than 5000 members of an apostolic church who had gathered for an annual passover feast.

“The Provincial Taskforce today dismissed more than 5 000 members of an Apostolic church who had gathered at their Maparanyanga Shrine for their annual Passover feast or Holy Communion,” the message from the taskforce read.

Apostolic churches have started defying lockdown rules with another gathering of more than 10 000 congregants reported in Manicaland.

This is happening despite a government directive that not more than 50 people should gather at any given time due to the COVID-19 threat.

By A Correspondent- A prisoner who escaped from Mutare Farm Prison last November was re-arrested and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

At the time of his escape, Forgive Zimunya (31) only had two days left on his eight months jail term.

He had been convicted of theft charges.

Zimunya pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody as defined in Section 185 (1) (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23, when he appeared before a Mutare magistrate last week on Friday.          

In passing the sentence, the magistrate, Ms Notebulgar Muchineripi said Zimunya committed a serious offence.

She said she couldn’t understand why Zimunya decided to flee from prison when he was almost done serving his sentence.

“The court will pass a harsh sentence on the convicted person to deter would-be offenders. Prisoners should not even think about escaping from prison,” she said.

Mr Chris Munyuki prosecuted.

He told the court that on November 5, 2019, Thomas Gwiza was the prison office on duty. He supervised Zimunya and five other prisoners as they cleared bushes outside the prison. Zimunya took this opportunity to escape.

“Zimunya was tasked with making a fire to prepare breakfast while the rest of the prisoners continued with their work. When they went back to where they had left Zimunya preparing breakfast, they discovered that he had escaped.

“A search was made, all to no avail,” said Mr Munyuki.

Officer Gwiza and other prison personnel went to Zimunya’s home in search of him. They informed his mother about his escape from prison and advised her to call them upon his arrival.

When Zimunya finally got home, his mother alerted the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services.

Zimunya was subsequently re-arrested.

-ManicaPost

Kent University based academic, Dr Alex Magaisa who released a list of beneficiaries of the 2005 farm mechanisation scheme has responded to criticism that he deliberately omitted names of other beneficiaries, saying he was only working with what he had, challenging those with the full list to make it available.

Responding to former RBZ Governor Dr Gideon Gono who appeared in the weekly Sunday Mail attempting to fight back the expose, Magaisa said his interest is the upholding of constitutional values of transparency and accountability.

“…there is no cherry-picking or nefarious plan apart from the public interest to uphold the constitutional values of transparency and accountability. Indeed, those who have the full list must take the opportunity to furnish it to the public. This is why I find it disappointing that the former Governor’s clarification does not fill the gaps,” said Magaisa.