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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“The brutal assault on political activists and human rights defenders who have had the courage to call out alleged corruption and demand accountability from their government is intensifying. The persecution of these activists is a blatant abuse of the criminal justice system and mockery of justice,” said Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Southern Africa.

“This latest witch-hunt and repression of peaceful dissent is a continuation of what we have seen in the country in recent years, including the abductions and arbitrary arrests of those who are critical of the government, in an attempt to muzzle differing views. The thwarting of the protest illustrates the Zimbabwean authorities’ total intolerance of criticism.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prominent writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga was also arrested.

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

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

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

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

@advocatemahere andothers .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Any inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted.

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

Together we will fight this deadly disease.

Thank you

T Zishiri

Registrar

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

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

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

“ZANU PF stole ZAPU properties.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This latest witch-hunt and repression of peaceful dissent is a continuation of what we have seen in the country in recent years, including the abductions and arbitrary arrests of those who are critical of the government, in an attempt to muzzle differing views. The thwarting of the protest illustrates the Zimbabwean authorities’ total intolerance of criticism.

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

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

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

Prominent writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga was also arrested.

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

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

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

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

@advocatemahere andothers .

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

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

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

See statement below:

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

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

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

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

Source:TellZim

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

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

Source:TellZim

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

The police officers did not produce a warrant of arrest.

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

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

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

The police officers did not produce a warrant of arrest.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is what PDAZ considers to be reasonable:

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

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

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

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

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

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

He said:

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

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

Said Mangwana:

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

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

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

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

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

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

He said:

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

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

Said Mangwana:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More: Zim Morning Post

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WELL know Bulawayo tennis coach, Mlaleli Mlalazi has died.

A message posted by Bulawayo Tennis Board chairman Tarwirwa Chikunichawa on a coaches group said Mlalazi, popularly known as coach Mla died in the early hours of Friday from complications related to high blood pressure and diabetes.

“It’s with great another heavy broken heart that I let you know that our fellow tennis comrade Mlalazi (coach Mpi) has passed (on). This happened in the early hours of today (Friday). He succumbed to high blood pressure/diabetes,’’ said Chikunichawa.

The BMTB chairman said the tennis family in the city has lost a reliable man who gave his time to the community of Emakhandeni. Chikunichawa appealed to well-wishers to contribute financially towards Mlalazi’s funeral costs.

Our tennis fraternity has been robbed of hard-working man who gave his time selfless to the community of Emakhadeni. I would make a special appeal from this kind community for any assistance financially, those keen to assist feel free to inbox me and we take up further. May his soul rest on eternal peace,’’ Chikunichawa said.

At the time of his death, Mlalazi was coaching at SOS Primary School and Emakhandeni Tennis Club.

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In hiding, MDC Alliance Deputy National Chairperson and Zengeza West legislator Job Sikhala has surprisingly claimed victory for today’s failed anti-corruption demonstration saying the no-show protest was part of the grand plan to bring the country into total shutdown.

In a three minute thirty four seconds audio recording circulating on social media, Sikhala said government played according to their scheming by enforcing a total shutdown on movement across the country which was part of the organisers’ plan.

“They thought we were going to express ourselves according to their prescription. Today we have shown, we great Zimbabweans, that we are people who can’t be taken for granted. We are more sophisticated than the oppressor,”

“We have two clear plans when we have been calling for this action on the 31st of July. The first one was that if citizens are able to express themselves on the streets so be it. Second one was an expectation that the state will unleash its massive military arsenal against the citizens then the citizens will successfully retreat into their homes,” an excited Sikhala said.

Government banned the demonstration citing the action was against efforts to curb Covid-19 pandemic.

Across major cities and towns today, state security details mainly soldiers and the police flooded the streets, enforcing a total lockdown, a move widely seen as meant to crush protests.

This also came at a time there have been heavy military presence on the streets enforcing Covid-19 restrictions which only saw numbers beefed up days leading to today s planned protests.

Despite Sikhala’s victory sentiments pretty much confusing, the firebrand politician vowed not to “retreat” until they achieve intended results.

“We are going to give a review of the situation this weekend. We are going to give you a way forward by Monday. We can not retreat and it must remain protracted until we have achieved and obtained our results,” he added.

Opposition forces led by the incacerated Jacob Ngarivhume organised today’s protest against worsening corruption levels in the country but the state reacted heavily by publicising a police wanted list with Sikhala, Obey Sithole, Godfrey Tsenengamu, and many others most of whom are in hiding.

Analysts have however been skeptical of today’s demonstration during the build up, citing lack of clear intentions which was likely to frustrate public by-in.

In January last year, the labor body, ZCTU organised a national shutdown that was resulted in massive looting and destruction of property worth millions of dollars.

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

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

See statement below:

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

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

Farai Dziva|Three MDC Alliance Youth Assembly leaders Joana Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecilia Chimbiri have been arrested.

According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the three were arrested near Zanu PF HQ.

ZLHR wrote on Twitter :

“@ZLHRLawyers
strongly condemns the arbitrary detention of
@obeyshava
with his clients
@JoanaMamombe
@MarovaNetsai
&
@ceechimbiri2

They were arrested near ZANU PF headquarters on their way to Central police where they are scheduled to report as part of their bail conditions.”

“Detention of our lawyer @obeyshava1
is strongly condemned, he must be released forthwith together with his clients on their way to fulfill their bail conditions.

We also strongly condemn wanton assault of
@ceechimbiri2
by a soldier.”

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

The police officers did not produce a warrant of arrest.

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

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

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is going ahead with the burial of late Agriculture Minister Perence Shiri after flooding the country with soldiers and police to suppress them telling him that they are suffering under his leadership.

Shiri succumbed to Covid-19 on Wednesday while on his way to hospital. He was declared a National Hero besides leaving behind a history of brutality and murders he executed as the commander of the Gukurahundi soldiers who killed over twenty thousand people in Matabeleland and the Midlands in the mid eighties.

Watch live video of the burial proceedings.

Nineteen Coronavirus patients risks dying at a Harare medical institution after soldiers blocked an oxygen delivery company to deliver the consignment.

The soldiers are currently doing an operation to block suspected #31July protestors.

The incident was reported by former journalist and National Patriotic Front Spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire who said, “Receiving reports there is a medical facility in Arundel needing urgent oxygen supplies. They have 19 Covid patients, they need bulk medical oxygen,but driver from a supplier (a big reputable company) has been turned back home by soldiers. If these patients pass on, isn’t ED culpable?”

Zimbabwe currently has 3092 confirmed cases, including 924 recoveries and fifty three (53) deaths.

Farai Dziva|Three MDC Alliance Youth Assembly leaders Joana Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecilia Chimbiri have been arrested.

According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the three were arrested near Zanu PF HQ.

ZLHR wrote on Twitter :

“@ZLHRLawyers
strongly condemns the arbitrary detention of
@obeyshava
with his clients
@JoanaMamombe
@MarovaNetsai
&
@ceechimbiri2

They were arrested near ZANU PF headquarters on their way to Central police where they are scheduled to report as part of their bail conditions.”

“Detention of our lawyer @obeyshava1
is strongly condemned, he must be released forthwith together with his clients on their way to fulfill their bail conditions.

We also strongly condemn wanton assault of
@ceechimbiri2
by a soldier.”

By Jane Mlambo| Firebrand South African opposition Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julias Malema has slammed the government of Zimbabwe over its move to compensate former white farmers who were displaced during the 2000 land reform exercise saying President Emmerson Mnangagwa had exposed his clueless-ness by dancing to the whims of the whites.

In a strongly worded statement, EFF said the government was misinformed about the causes of the economic crisis in Zimbabwe which he said had to do with deeply embedded cronyism and ineptitude on the part of the state.

“We are of the view that Mnangagwa is either deeply misinformed about the real causes of the crisis in Zimbabwe or is simply catapulting to the pressure from the white supremacist world. Either way, the treasonous act of paying to white settlers money that Zimbabwe does not have will not resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe which is essentially a political crisis resulting from mismanagement, at the centre of which Mnangagwa features prominently,” said EFF.

The vibrant movement further laid into Mnangagwa for betraying former freedom fighters and damaging the legacy of President Robert Mugabe by seeking to please white people by paying them for the Zimbabwean land they were illegally occupying.

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

“Mnangagwa will be remembered as a clueless, ideological amoeba who was prepared to trade off important gains of the struggle in order to be liked by the whites. We deeply condemn this act of betrayal by Mnangagwa, and call on ordinary Zimbabweans to reject this wasteful use of money that should be directed towards building hospitals in Zimbabwe,” added EFF.

By A Correspondent- The vice president of the opposition MDC Alliance, Tendai Biti has claimed that Zimbabwe has been totally shut down as the citizenry has withdrawn in protest against bad governance in the country.

He speaks when reports from the country’s major cities suggest that there is a heavy presence of state security officers in roads leading to central business districts to block the citizenry. Biti posted on Twitter this Friday:

There is a complete shut down of Zim as the citizen withdraws in protest against #corruption, misgovernance & abuse of the rule of law. The illegitimate regime has been stretched with thousands of security agents deployed all over. The people are speaking #peacefully& autocracy panics.

Meanwhile, the permanent secretary in the ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana claims that there is an insignificant change in some towns. He said:

GWANDA UPDATE: Major shopping centres are open but very few people are doing business. Zupco buses are ferrying people into town but they are not full. Residents appear to have chosen safety from Covid19 and peace from potential thuggery.

Some say the citizenry did not throng to the streets as planned in fear of the security forces deployed onto the streets.

Watch the live video loading below and see how the MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere was arrested today while staging a protest in Harare, Friday morning……

Watch the live video loading below and see how the MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere was arrested today while staging a protest in Harare, Friday morning……

Watch the live video loading below and see how the police arrested her and several others…..

Click on the link below and update us on what is happening in your area right now regards the July 31 protests.

Embarked on a socially distanced peaceful protest in our community this morning. It’s important to speak out and take a stand in accordance with the Constitution, Covid19 regulations & morality.

We all wore masks during the protest. We all observed social distancing. It was completely peaceful. Section 59 of the Constitution guarantees the right to demonstrate and present petitions peacefully. We said we would support this citizen-driven action & we kept our word.

We want a free Zimbabwe.??

Watch the live loading below….

Members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police attempted to nab Thandekile Moyo the creator of the #ZANUPRmustGo campaign using relatives of ZimLive Editor Mduduzi Mathuthu.

Mathuthu’s close associate Professor Jonathan Moyo said the police asked one of Mathuthu’s relative to lure Thandekile to them.

“Before raiding  @Mathuthu’s house, @PoliceZimbabwe in Byo arrested three of Mduduzi’s nephews: Amandlenkosi Mathuthu, Advent Mathuthu & Tawanda Muchehiwa. They forced Tawanda to call and try and lure @Mamoxn to the Police by saying: the flyers are ready, come and see them. Shocking!” Moyo said.

The police have been launching raids on homes belonging to Josphat Ngulube and Mthulisi Hanana who have been ndistibuting flyers with the hashtag.

Mathuthu is currently in hiding. The police are accusing him of possessing subversive equipment used to incite Zimbabweans to engage in an illegal demonstration on Friday.

Friday preliminary reports indicate that the country is generally calm with calls for protests having been suppressed by a heavy police and army presence all round.

Watch video downloading below on situation in Harare this morning.

Zimbabweans had called for nationwide marches on Friday, ostensibly against top-level corruption, in defiance of a government ban.

This had raised the spectre of possible clashes and violence between protestors and security forces.

Police national spokesman assistant commissioner Paul Nyathi told national radio that there were no reports of protests anywhere as of early morning on Friday, and the country was calm and peaceful.

Police and other security forces have been heavily deployed in key areas to enforce the protest ban.

“So far the country is very calm and peaceful, no reports of demonstrations or violence,” Nyathi said.

He added: “We are monitoring the situation cĺosely.”

In banning the protests, the government had expressed fears the marches could endanger the lives of the public by exposing them to the raging Covid-19.

The government had also cited possible violence during the protests as another reason for banning the marches.

Keep us informed on developments in your area by clicking the link below: