By A Correspondent- Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda (pictured) has said he does not enjoy recalling legislators, but was mandated to follow the Constitution to the letter.

He made the remarks in Mutare on Thursday at the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines Mining Development meeting to review legislation and policies governing the mining industry in Zimbabwe.

“I don’t enjoy reading recall letters in Parliament. It is not within me to read that, but I am just following the Constitution, I think you get me,” he said.

“Ok, I am failing to read this word, honourable Settlement Chikwinya has bewitched me, but it’s very unfortunate I am schooled, I know what I am doing,” he said jokingly.

Mudenda has been accused by the Nelson Chamisaled party of working in cahoots with MDC-T interim leader Thokozani Khupe to dismantle the MDC Alliance through recalling its MPs.

Mudenda, however, said the committee faced a difficult task in assisting the Mines ministry achieve its targets.

“The Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development has a tall order in assisting the Mines ministry to achieve its laudable targets, particularly the US$12 billion economy target by 2023,” he said.

“It is also important for the committee and ministry to come up with a strategy on how to export and market our products during this COVID-19 period. A way has to be found … that is why we have the brains and we need to apply them.”

-newsday

By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo self-proclaimed prophet, allegedly applied some substance on his female client’s private parts and inserted one of his fingers into her genitals before raping her under the guise of conducting cleansing rituals.

Soul Ndonga (30) of Mzilikazi suburb allegedly raped the victim (18) under the pretext that he was exorcising evil spirits that were affecting her love life.

Ndonga appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya on Wednesday facing rape charges. He was remanded in custody to August 6 pending trial at the regional court.

Prosecuting, Mr Leonard Chile said on June 27 at around 2pm, the complainant went to the accused person’s home in the company of her two cousins for a prayer session.

Upon arrival at Ndonga’s house, the accused told the trio that he wanted to pray for them separately.

“After the accused person had finished praying for the complainant’s cousins, he ordered the two women to leave the room so that he could pray for the complainant. The accused prayed for the victim and told her that she was being tormented by evil spirits which were affecting her love relationship,” said Mr Chile.

The court heard that Ndonga told the complainant that he wanted to exorcise the evil spirits and asked her to remove her undergarments. The girl refused, but the accused person assured her that it was part of the process of conducting the rituals and she complied.

“The accused person ordered the complainant to sit on the bed before he lifted her skirt and rubbed some strange substance on her private parts and stomach,” said Mr Chile.

Ndonga then inserted his fingers into the complainant’s private parts and smeared the substance before he pushed her to the bed and raped her once. After committing the offence, Ndonga ordered the girl not to tell anyone about what had transpired.

The complainant informed her two cousins and the matter was reported to the police leading to Ndonga’s arrest.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Zinef has issued a statement castigating arresting of investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono as targeting at silencing the voice of reason in exposing deep-rooted corruption.

Below is the full press release.

Statement on journalist Hopewell Chin’ono’s arrest- Zinef

The Zimbabwe National Editors’ Forum condemns the arrest by police, detention and charging of local investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono on spurious  allegations of inciting public violence.

While journalists are not above the law and should be to held to account for their crimes in terms of the constitution and the law, the way the police stormed and broke into his house speaks to a malicious political agenda and calculated intimidation behind their move.

Indeed, Chin’ono’s arrest was preceded by political threats against him coming from the ruling Zanu PF purporting to be acting on behalf of and to protect President Emmerson Mnangagwa from public attacks by journalists and critics, as if that was a crime.

Chin’ono has of late been exposing through social media mounting acts of governance failures and corruption by the Mnangagwa regime.

He has also been criticising the government for worsening economic mismanagement and failure to reform to fix the country’s political, economic and social crisis which has taken a new dimension since Mnangagwa came into power in  2017.

Given the clearly vindictive and intimidatory nature of Chin’ono’s arrest, Zimbabwean authorities must immediately release him  and drop the crude, politically motivated incitement charges against him.
And government should also stop its ongoing crackdown on political, civic and labour activists ahead of the planned July 31 protests against growing mismanagement and corruption in public affairs.

We have noted with grave  concern the recent arrests of political activists, including female opposition activists who were abducted and abused, then maliciously arrested and detained after that, crackdown on lawyers and other dissenters as political repression fiercely resurfaces amid government’s mounting insecurities due to mismanagement, corruption and incompetence, among other things, fuelling political and social discontent.

The way Chin’ono was arrested indicates political harassment and intimidation at play.

At about 11am yesterday, police stormed Chin’ono’s house, prompting him to post two short messages on his Twitter account, which are no longer available after his account was later deactivated.

At the material time, Chin’ono said police and security agents were harassing workers on his property and breaking into his home in Harare.

In a livestream on Facebook, he recorded the police entering his home.
In a video shared on Twitter, Chin’ono’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, said that police had “abducted” her client without a warrant.

Yesterday afternoon, Police spoeksman Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Nyathi said   Chin’ono had been charged with “incitement to participate in public violence.”

What is clear is that the arrest and detention of Chin’ono is yet another example of Zimbabwe’s increasing authoritarian intolerance and repression toward the media  and critics, especially those who expose misrule and corruption by the country’s leaders and their cronies.

Indeed, it shows government is scared of peaceful protests and the people.
In other words, government is scared of democracy and accountability.

Peaceful demonstrations are part of entrenched rights and therefore protected by the constitution. People have a right to freedom of assembly, expression, and indeed have political and civil liberties that cannot just be arbitrarily suspended, breached or withdrawn by anyone.

Instead of investigating and detaining corrupt elements engaged in brazen looting and primitive accumulation, Mnangagwa’s regime wants to silence the messenger, which makes it complicit in corruption and looting of public resources.  

Chin’ono, an award-winning journalist who writes for local and international publications, has been part of journalists who have been covering the alleged corruption by Mnangagwa’s government officials and cronies on Covid-19 procurement fraud within the Ministry of Health which led to the arrest and sacking of Health Minister Obadiah Moyo earlier this month, and detention of one of the main suspects Delish Nguwaya who is linked to the President’s family, especially one of the sons.

Information Ministry spokesperson Nick Mangwana’s claim that government’s interest is only to enforce law and order is thus disingenuous and dishonest.

We know why government is cracking down on dissenters, especially now: to silence them in general, but also particularly ahead of the planned protests.

That is why authorities also charged Jacob Ngarivhume, a leader of the opposition Transform Zimbabwe party, with alleged incitement of public violence, the same crime.

Ngarivhume has been organising the planned mass protests against corruption, working with some political, civic and labour activists, which is not a crime.

So this is clearly not about law and order, or public violence; it’s about political repression and silencing government critics and intimidating citizens who openly speak out against governance failures to protect the public interest and common good.

That is why Chin’ono must be released unconditionally, and this ongoing crackdown must stop forthwith.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has specified the documents required for members of the public to pass through roadblocks and checkpoints in line with the COVID19 national measures announced by President Mnangagwa on Tuesday.

The documents considered for movement exemptions are clustered as follows:

a) Health sector are required to be in uniform, health ID cards. Those in civilian attire, a letter from Medical Superintendent or Chief Executive Officer (CEO) stating the place, dates, and times for reporting on and off duty.

b)Companies/Organisations- letters from the Chief Executive Officer or General Manager stating the place, days and times of reporting on and off duty.

c) Ministries/Parastals HQ and Provincial levels- National level,an exemption letter from Directors and above stating the duty,place, days, and times of reporting.

Provincial level-an exemption letter from the Provincial Heads stating the duty, days, and times of reporting.

(d) Commercial A2 and A1 farmers- an offer letter or lease agreement and exemption certificate from local Officer In Charge station.

All the documents must indicate the details of the person who issued them.

Police Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the police once again remind the public to conduct permitted activities between the hours of 0600hrs and 1800hrs of each day.

“The observance of the national lockdown measures will promote the effective maintenance of law and order by police and other security services” he added

By A Correspondent- Exiled former cabinet minister and opposition party leader Savior Kasukuwere has said he paid back the loan he received from the RBZ in the infamous Farm Mechanisation Scheme that has rocked the nation and caused a media frenzy this past week.

Kasukuwere disclosed this information on Twitter where he even went ahead and asked for the RBZ to invoice those who paid back the loans. Kasukuwere was responding to one Royal Manala who had urged those who benefited from the scheme to pay back the money and said:

Those who benefited from the mechanization USD fat cheques,please you dont need to be invoiced officially to pay back, and you dont need to pay RBZ, you need to find citizens who need financial support to kick start projects and extent a helping hand by giving them soft loans

Kasukuwere responded and said he paid for the tractors he got from the scheme and said:

I think the RBZ should invoice and collect the money. These are public funds and no one should put up useless defences for looting. I paid for the two tractors I got and I am happy to receive an invoice from the RBZ if I owe them anything.

The ruling party officials have released a statement saying they will not be repaying the debts, former RBZ governor Gideon Gono also said the loans were not supposed to be repaid contrary to what he had said almost decade ago when the loans were being issued by the central bank.

-twitter

By A Correspondent- Members of the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) have raised concern over the much hyped 31 July mass  demonstrations registering fears of loss of property which will have adverse effects on their businesses.

During a GMAZ National Executive Council meeting held on Thursday in Harare, millers highlighted that previous demonstrations have left them with massive financial losses which resulted in job cuts and some closing shop.

In January 2019 Zimbabwe witnessed violent and sporadic demonstrations which saw some shops being looted and property destroyed. Insurance companies refused to foot the costs of replacing the damaged properties and looted goods.

GMAZ sources who spoke to this reporter said the members indicated that they wanted the association to seek a binding legal judgement which will hold the organisers of the 31 July demonstrations personally liable for any loss of property, life and limb.

The Millers are said to have noted that the decision would be naturally opposed by the opposition parties and activists calling for the demonstrations. However, there were other members who raised concern that such legal action would also attract scorn and ridicule from some political players within government.

The Millers gave the US$27 million wheat facility as an example of how they created structures to rescue the nation from wheat shortages and were later persecuted over the action.

Millers blamed the US$27 million witch-hunt on political forces who had an agenda to break up the Millers Association.  Millers supply a number of items such as maize meal, rice, flour, beans, salt and other products to retailers  on account and consignment.

Some Millers argued that they have bank loans which need to be serviced and any losses incurred would also affect their ability to service the loans.

Commenting on the matter, Political Analyst Nicholas Ncube said:

“It is given that law abiding citizens will abide by lockdown regulations and those who are defiant are likely to come out and demonstrate, there are no limits to what the defiant will or won’t do as they express their frustration over the situation in the country.

“Millers and all business and property owners have rights too which must be protected. On the other hand demonstrators also have a right to express themselves. Therefore it is only fair and prudent that liability for loss of life, limb and property should fall on the organisers of the demo.”

Ncube added that the organisers of the demo will take credit for the demo’s success and they should equally foot the bill should there be any losses incurred.

By A Correspondent | Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Zengeza West MP Job Sikhala, after he was reportedly spotted near the Zambian border in Vic Falls today.

Sikhala who is currently on the run, has vowed that the state must not be allowed to abuse civilians’ rights. He says people have inalienable freedoms that are sacred and should not be breached as they make a call for a corruption free nation.

Sikhala is the famous MP who at the young age of 25, personally moved to broker a proposed deal with the Zimbabwe Defence Forces top generals, so that they accept Morgan Tsvangirai’s Presidency in 2002. He was at the time, the secretary for Defence Intelligence And Security.

The development comes after state agents descended onto his house earlier this week when journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested together with Transform Zimbabwe leader, Jacob Ngarivhume, incidents that happened on the same day.

Three days later, Hon Sikhala briefly appeared on ZimEye to encourage Zimbabweans on their resolve against corruption. The whole program, part of a series, lasted an hour.

A second program scheduled for Friday night was cancelled.

In the latest development, and as Zimbabweans expect him to appear on his Saturday night program, Sikhala has been reported missing.

A senior spokesperson for the MDC Alliance, Stephen Chuma announced early Saturday morning saying:

“Job Sikhala just seen in Victoria Falls; He was detected by State security agencies when he was the first to check into Zimbabwe today early in the morning at 6am from Livingstone in Zambia.

“He walked into Zimbabwe and was intercepted by 3 vehicles soon after the bridge into Zimbabwe.

“The vehicles took off at high speed. These were a brand new Toyota Fortuner 2.8 litre, an lsuzu double cab with Zimbabwe registration number and a Mercedes Benz ML.

“The vehicles were seen taking the Binga Rd.”

• MORE TO FOLLOW

By Own Correspondent- Ridgeview Shree Omkar Mandir in Harare (Zimbabwe), which re-opened on June 26 after over three months closure due to COVID-19, has been shut down again for the same reason. 

Executive Committee of The Hindoo Society Harare (HSH), which runs the temple, in an email on July 24 to its members, stated that all “events, meetings, gatherings and visits of any nature, are to cease and are hereby either cancelled or postponed”…“The Society Priest, alone, will continue to perform the daily Aarti”. 

“Infection from and the transmission of the Covid-19 virus can no longer be considered, a remote or distant threat. It is, metaphorically, at our doorstep”, the email added. 

Other HSH run Cameron Street Shree Omkar Mandir also reportedly continues to be shut. Both the temples were shut down “until further notice” due to coronavirus outbreak in an email directive on March 24. Schools run by the HSH—Westridge High School, Westridge Primary School, Gujarati School—were also reportedly closed. But the Ridgeview Shree Omkar Mandir had a “limited opening” from June 26.  

Cameron Street Shree Omkar Mandir celebrated 90^th anniversary in February 2019, while 25^th anniversary of Ridgeview Shree Omkar Mandir was observed in 2017. HSH “intends to publish a written record” of the hundred years of “community’s existence in Zimbabwe”. 

Commending HSH for attempting necessary precautions and actions to combat deadly coronavirus and educating the community, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, urged Hindus to draw closer to God through prayer during COVID-19. 

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, suggested Hindus to pray at least twice daily in their home shrines with total devotion and pure heart. These prayers might include making offerings to ista-devata, chanting mantras, reading sacred texts, performing aarti and bhajans, doing puja, etc. 

Hindus are God’s people, full of courage and generosity. Petition God for the common good of all the local and world communities during these times of confusion and suffering, Rajan Zed says. 

In the pre-COVID-19 times, HSH reportedly had been conducting various bhajan events, twice-weekly yoga classes, Hindi lessons, cultural/social activities; organized daily aarti at both the temples with Havan on Sundays; and offered funeral assistance for bereaved families; etc.; besides running Mahila Mandal, Shishu Mandal and Yuvak Mandal.  

Dear Editor

Soldiers are occupying Theological college boomgate collecting 50 rtgs per person to pass and corner Meadow Crescent in Hatfield.

At Domboramwari ZRP is also extorting money as “toll fees”. Even if you want to go to the shops they will say $US1 for two.

They are abusing residents of Park meadowlands.

Please help us expose this rot.

Let’s fight corruption.

Parkmeadowlands resident

The Office of the Minister
Reference:
Telegram: SECINFO MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, PUBLICITY AND
BROADCASTING SERVICES
P. O Box CY 1276
CAUSEWAY
HARARE
ZIMBABWE

25 July 2020

PRESS RELEASE

THE ARREST OF MESSRS HOPEWELL CHIN’ONO AND JACOB NGARIVHUME

Government would like to set the record straight on the arrest of Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume and their subsequent appearance in court. We have noted with dismay, a well coordinated local and international misinformation and disinformation media campaign where the duo are said to have been arrested for supposedly exposing alleged corruption cases in Government.

For the avoidance of doubt, Hopewell Chin’ono was not abducted. He was lawfully arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic Police. And he was not arrested for exposing corruption. He was arrested for using his social media accounts to incite Zimbabweans to violently overthrow the Government.

Even though Hopewell Chin’ono writes about corruption he is not unique in this regard. All the Newspapers in Zimbabwe, including independent publications have written extensively about corruption in Government and private sector. None of the Journalists who have written about the subject of corruption have been arrested for publishing the same.

This is because the Government and the President of Zimbabwe acknowledge and appreciates the role the media plays in the investigation and exposition of corruption. The Standard and the Zimbabwe Independent newspapers together with the State media, reported on the NSSA scandal that resulted in the arrest of Minister Prisca Mupfumira.

None of the journalists from these newspapers were arrested or censured for reporting in this case. In addition, the President appointed Trevor Ncube the proprietor of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) which is the biggest independent newspaper stable in Zimbabwe, to his Presidential Advisory Council (PAC)

Such claims are deliberately calculated to mislead and manufacture a false narrative which brings into question His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s sincerity in fighting corruption both in Government and private sector. Since coming into office as leader of the New Dispensation, His Excellency President Mnangagwa has provided a favourable working environment for media practitioners to conduct their business unfettered.

The Zimbabwe Independent from AMH publishes articles accusing Government Officials of corruption on a weekly basis without fail but this has not attracted any arrest of the journalists concerned.

The Second Republic through Parliament has repealed AIPPA which in the past was used against journalists and replaced it with a raft of legislation aimed at protecting the rights of journalist to practice their profession freely and the rights of citizens to information concerning the areas of interests and concern.

President Mnangagwa ordered an investigation into the Drax Affair before Hopewell Chin’ono started tweeting about it. As a result of those investigations several arrests were made. The most prominent of those arrested was the former Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo who was charged and relieved of his duties as Minister of Health and Child Care. It is therefore false to state that no action has been taken against the corrupt individuals fingered by Hopewell’s expose

The President has consistently shown his unflinching commitment to fighting corruption by setting up a robust legal infrastructure to fight this economic scourge. He has also spearheaded the funding of the Zimbabwe Anticorruption Commission (ZACC) as a way of capacitating it to deliver on its constitutional mandate.

This has seen an unprecedented arresting and summary dismissal of two serving Cabinet Ministers in a short space of time. The conviction and jailing of high profile individuals such as former Minister Samuel Undege, Mr Douglas Tapfumaneyi and Simon Taranhike and many more is also indicative of this Zero Tolerance to Corruption Policy.

The arrest of these two individuals clearly, has nothing to do with their anticorruption stance which finds convergence with President Mnangagwa’s own position but their ploy to violently destabilize the country and unconstitutionally seize power (by any means necessary) putting Zimbabwean lives and property at risk.

The role of foreign powers in this plot to instigate an illegal regime change in Zimbabwe is made apparent by a set of events and statements that followed the police operation.
1- Within minutes of the arrival of the police at Mr. Chin’ono’s home, the US embassy was already all over this issue which is between a sovereign country and its citizen, by tweeting and trying to bring pressure to bear on the Zimbabwean Government, so it would not enforce the law of the land. Its particular interest in this one person is curious in the least.
2- Other Western Embassies who usually take the USA’s lead joined in this irregular interference by tweeting and releasing statements which were calculated to obstruct the course of justice in a hosting country.
3- Even after Zimbabwe’s Independent Judiciary had issued its verdict on the duo’s bail application, a senior member of the US Administration issued a very derogatory and undiplomatic statement against the Government of Zimbabwe, showing condescending disrespect to a sovereign country.
Zimbabwe is keen to engage with all members of the community of nations but will not surrender its sovereignty as a trade-off for this. All what Zimbabwe seeks is mutual respect and non-interference in its internal affairs.

Going forward, Government will not compromise on Zimbabwe’s national security and expects all foreign embassies hosted here to behave with propriety as set out in the Vienna Convention.

All the aforesaid is happening in the context of Zimbabwe’s fight against COVID 19 pandemic

At this moment Zimbabwe like the whole world faces the threat of the pandemic. The Zimbabwe Government has done reasonably and surprisingly well to date. Indeed it has confounded detractors and doom mongers.

Hopewell and Ngarivhume belong to that camp of evil wishers. The begging question is why call for a violent uprising in the midst of a raging and ravaging Covid 19?

The ongoing USA elections are a big exercise in democratic expression. Even President Trump has had to cancel the Convention of the Republican Party in Jacksonville for fear of Covid 19. Why can’t the detractors and doom mongers equally copy this act of noble political restraint?

And why can’t the American and Western embassies provide counsel to their regime change charges that this is not the hour to play dice with the lives of Zimbabweans?

This is the season of Black Lives Matter after the choking to death of George Floyd by a cruel white police officer in Minneapolis.

We have travelled and suffered from their past depredations. It’s not democracy they want. After all we paid a heavy price to attain it from the conquering colonials. They did not give up Zimbabwe on a platter. It’s cruel self enrichment from our resources that they seek.

Please why can’t you give Africa a break? As Zimbabwe we are saying: WE CAN’T BREATHE.

SPROUTING SHOOTS
Their actions are premised on the fear that President Mnangagwa and his deep seamed economic and financial reforms have taken root. That they are beginning to pay off in reviving the economy and rekindling hope.

Blood sucking money launderers and other dirty players in our fiscal and financial players are being squeezed by the succeeding Weekly Auction of Foreign Exchange.

The mobile money platforms are being husbanded into the central bank..

The all important energy sector is now full of promise from huge investments in Matebeleland North as can be seen from the recent visit by President Mnangagwa to the region.

The mortal fear of Africa by the West is the economic success of a self sustainable African Nation. Zimbabwe now offers that prospect after braving through devastating sanctions by the West for two decades.

No wonder the pandemonium being engendered by the fear of a good example.

President Mnangagwa and his government are fully appraised on this evil agenda and devilish machinations.

We will keep the course of re engagement while safeguarding the nation from a slide to chaos.

Issued by
Hon Monica Mutsvangwa (Senator)
Minister of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting Services.

A Victoria Falls woman has been accused of pimping her 15-year-old stepdaughter who is now almost five months pregnant.

Pimping is the action or practice of controlling pr_stitutes and arranging clients for them, taking part of their earnings in return.

The Form Two girl made the revelations during the trial of her 29-year-old boyfriend, Evermore Ndlovu, who was charged with having extra-marital s_xual intercourse with a young person.

In Zimbabwe, juveniles less than 16 years are at law unable to consent to s_x.

The girl told the court that her stepmother would on several occasions send her to Ndlovu’s home to ask for money to buy bread.

She said she ended up falling in love with Ndlovu and the two had s_xual intercourse several times between November and February this year when she discovered she was pregnant.

Ndlovu would give the girl cash to give to her stepmother, and sent some of the money through EcoCash after they had consensual s_x.

The juvenile claimed that her stepmother became angry when she told her about the pregnancy and accused her of being careless yet she had only told her “to spend the man’s money.”

The woman has not been charged with any offence as no formal report has been made against her.

Victoria Falls magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa sentenced Ndlovu to 18 months in jail, but six months were suspended for five years on condition that he does not within that period have s_xual intercourse with a young person.

-statemedia

PRESS RELEASE

Government would like to set the record straight on the arrest of Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume and their subsequent appearance in court. We have noted with dismay, a well coordinated local and international misinformation and disinformation media campaign where the duo are said to have been arrested for supposedly exposing alleged corruption cases in Government.
For the avoidance of doubt, Hopewell Chin’ono was not abducted. He was lawfully arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic Police. And he was not arrested for exposing corruption. He was arrested for using his social media accounts to incite Zimbabweans to violently overthrow the Government.
Even though Hopewell Chin’ono writes about corruption he is not unique in this regard. All the Newspapers in Zimbabwe, including independent publications have written extensively about corruption in Government and private sector. None of the Journalists who have written about the subject of corruption have been arrested for publishing the same. This is because the Government and the President of Zimbabwe acknowledge and appreciates the role the media plays in the investigation and exposition of corruption. The Standard and the Zimbabwe Independent newspapers together with the State media, reported on the NSSA scandal that resulted in the arrest of Minister Prisca Mupfumira. None of the journalists from these newspapers were arrested or censured for reporting in this case. In addition, the President appointed Trevor Ncube the proprietor of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) which is the biggest independent newspaper stable in Zimbabwe, to his Presidential Advisory Council (PAC)
Such claims are deliberately calculated to mislead and manufacture a false narrative which brings into question His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s sincerity in fighting corruption both in Government and private sector. Since coming into office as leader of the New Dispensation, His Excellency President Mnangagwa has provided a favourable working environment for media practitioners to conduct their business unfettered.
The Zimbabwe Independent from AMH publishes articles accusing Government Officials of corruption on a weekly basis without fail but this has not attracted any arrest of the journalists concerned.
The Second Republic through Parliament has repealed AIPPA which in the past was used against journalists and replaced it with a raft of legislation aimed at protecting the rights of journalist to practice their profession freely and the rights of citizens to information concerning the areas of interests and concern.
President Mnangagwa ordered an investigation into the Drax Affair before Hopewell Chin’ono started tweeting about it. As a result of those investigations several arrests were made. The most prominent of those arrested was the former Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo who was charged and relieved of his duties as Minister of Health and Child Care. It is therefore false to state that no action has been taken against the corrupt individuals fingered by Hopewell’s expose

The President has consistently shown his unflinching commitment to fighting corruption by setting up a robust legal infrastructure to fight this economic scourge. He has also spearheaded the funding of the Zimbabwe Anticorruption Commission (ZACC) as a way of capacitating it to deliver on its constitutional mandate.
This has seen an unprecedented arresting and summary dismissal of two serving Cabinet Ministers in a short space of time. The conviction and jailing of high profile individuals such as former Minister Samuel Undege, Mr Douglas Tapfumaneyi and Simon Taranhike and many more is also indicative of this Zero Tolerance to Corruption Policy.
The arrest of these two individuals clearly, has nothing to do with their anticorruption stance which finds convergence with President Mnangagwa’s own position but their ploy to violently destabilize the country and unconstitutionally seize power (by any means necessary) putting Zimbabwean lives and property at risk.
The role of foreign powers in this plot to instigate an illegal regime change in Zimbabwe is made apparent by a set of events and statements that followed the police operation.
1- Within minutes of the arrival of the police at Mr. Chin’ono’s home, the US embassy was already all over this issue which is between a sovereign country and its citizen, by tweeting and trying to bring pressure to bear on the Zimbabwean Government, so it would not enforce the law of the land. Its particular interest in this one person is curious in the least.
2- Other Western Embassies who usually take the USA’s lead joined in this irregular interference by tweeting and releasing statements which were calculated to obstruct the course of justice in a hosting country.
3- Even after Zimbabwe’s Independent Judiciary had issued its verdict on the duo’s bail application, a senior member of the US Administration issued a very derogatory and undiplomatic statement against the Government of Zimbabwe, showing condescending disrespect to a sovereign country.
Zimbabwe is keen to engage with all members of the community of nations but will not surrender its sovereignty as a trade-off for this. All what Zimbabwe seeks is mutual respect and non-interference in its internal affairs.
Going forward, Government will not compromise on Zimbabwe’s national security and expects all foreign embassies hosted here to behave with propriety as set out in the Vienna Convention.
All the aforesaid is happening in the context of Zimbabwe’s fight against COVID 19 pandemic

At this moment Zimbabwe like the whole world faces the threat of the pandemic. The Zimbabwe Government has done reasonably and surprisingly well to date. Indeed it has confounded detractors and doom mongers.

Hopewell and Ngarivhume belong to that camp of evil wishers. The begging question is why call for a violent uprising in the midst of a raging and ravaging Covid 19?

The ongoing USA elections are a big exercise in democratic expression. Even President Trump has had to cancel the Convention of the Republican Party in Jacksonville for fear of Covid 19. Why can’t the detractors and doom mongers equally copy this act of noble political restraint?

And why can’t the American and Western embassies provide counsel to their regime change charges that this is not the hour to play dice with the lives of Zimbabweans?
This is the season of Black Lives Matter after the choking to death of George Floyd by a cruel white police officer in Minneapolis.
We have travelled and suffered from their past depredations. It’s not democracy they want. After all we paid a heavy price to attain it from the conquering colonials. They did not give up Zimbabwe on a platter. It’s cruel self enrichment from our resources that they seek.

Please why can’t you give Africa a break? As Zimbabwe we are saying: WE CAN’T BREATHE.

SPROUTING SHOOTS
Their actions are premised on the fear that President Mnangagwa and his deep seamed economic and financial reforms have taken root. That they are beginning to pay off in reviving the economy and rekindling hope.

Blood sucking money launderers and other dirty players in our fiscal and financial players are being squeezed by the succeeding Weekly Auction of Foreign Exchange.

The mobile money platforms are being husbanded into the central bank..

The all important energy sector is now full of promise from huge investments in Matebeleland North as can be seen from the recent visit by President Mnangagwa to the region.

The mortal fear of Africa by the West is the economic success of a self sustainable African Nation. Zimbabwe now offers that prospect after braving through devastating sanctions by the West for two decades.

No wonder the pandemonium being engendered by the fear of a good example.

President Mnangagwa and his government are fully appraised on this evil agenda and devilish machinations.
We will keep the course of re engagement while safeguarding the nation from a slide to chaos.

Issued by
Hon Monica Mutsvangwa (Senator)
Minister of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting Services.

State Media

In a statement yesterday, Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga said police and other security agents will ensure that the Covid-19 preventive measures are complied with countrywide to ensure the health and safety of Zimbabweans.

“The public should co-operate with law enforcement agents to enable the maintenance of law and order in the country to proceed smoothly. Non-working sections of our population required to stay at home should do so and put their health first in order to fight Covid-19,” he said. “In this vein I urge the public to secure food from their nearest shopping centres and this should be done by selected family members to curtail public gatherings. Those accessing health services and water should do so in an orderly manner, which promotes safety and security for all.”

Comm-Gen Matanga said they will ensure that there is no non-essential human and vehicular traffic movement during the curfew hours.

He said those who those who defy curfew orders will be charged in terms of Section 17(3) (4) of Statutory Instrument 174/20 as read with SI83/20.

Comm-Gen Matanga also warned errant kombi drivers, bottle store and shebeen operators against violating curfew regulations.

“Kombis which are moving around without number plates and carrying passengers in violation of Covid-19 lockdown regulations will be impounded with owners facing stern action. All commercial and manufacturing enterprises should stick to the stipulated business operation hours from 8am to 3pm to avoid hassles with law enforcement officers,” he said.

“This includes supermarkets, vegetable markets, banks, food retail shops and those in the informal sector with the relevant permits.”

Comm-Gen Matanga said no intercity public transport and rural areas movement will be allowed to proceed beyond checkpoints and roadblocks. He also warned motorists who are in the habit of travelling at night to evade police, saying they risk being arrested and charged for violating Covid-19 regulations.

He said they have intensified patrols and deployments in checkpoints across the country.

A total of 2 654 people have been arrested between Wednesday and Thursday for violating Covid-19 lockdown regulations. Of those arrested, 1 273 were arrested for unnecessary movement and 661 for failure to wear masks.

Comm-Gen Matanga said yesterday 284 people escaped from isolation and quarantine centres and 30 have been arrested.

“We have stepped up security at points of entry and exit in the country and acts of smuggling and border jumping will not be tolerated. Members of the public are free to reports acts of corruption by police and security services members on 0242-748836/703631 or WhatsApp number 0712800197,” he said.

Comm-Gen Matanga said police will continue to monitor church gatherings to ensure that they adhere to strict World Health Organisation (WHO) Covid-19 protocols.

“Religious gatherings should have at least 50 congregants or less and services should be conducted between 8am and 3pm with strict adherence to WHO health guidelines and Covid-19 protocols. families conducting funerals throughout the country are urged to observe Covid-19 lockdown regulations by ensuring that 50 people or less attend burial,” said Comm-Gen Matanga.

State Media

THE MDC-T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe has approached the Supreme Court seeking guidance on the dates to hold its extra-ordinary congress as it cannot proceed on the set dates due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In March this year, the Supreme Court ruled that the MDC-T should hold its extraordinary congress by July 31 but due to the lockdown the party says it can no longer proceed to have the congress within the stipulated period.

Acting MDC-T spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni confirmed the latest developments.

“We have instructed our legal team to approach the Supreme Court so that they can give us a variation on the dates. As of now, we are waiting for the advice from the Supreme Court to give us an appropriate date for the congress,” said Mr Phugeni

Mr Phugeni said they will stand guided by updates from the Ministry of Health and Child Care on the best way forward.

“I would also want to say having come up with the dates, we are going to be consulting the health authorities because there is a public health imperative which we dare not to ignore.

“We are going through a pandemic, so we want to be guided. No one must lose their lives because of politics. The lives of our members are more precious than elective congress,” said Mr Phugeni.

The elective congress is meant to elect a substantive leader of the party following the death of founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai in 2018.

State Media

THE gazetted legal statutory instrument amending lockdown regulations by setting the 6PM to 6AM curfew, now requires church gatherings, jogging, walking and cycling to take place not earlier than 8AM or later than 3PM.

The definition of “wearing a face mask” in a public place now means that wearers must “securely” cover their nose and mouth with the mask.

Acting Minister of Health and Child Care Prof Amon Murwira gazetted Statutory Instrument 174/20 under the Public Health (Covid-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (Amendment) Order, 2020 (No. 14) on Wednesday.

The new law stipulates that those who fail to comply face hefty penalties of up to $36 000 or a year in jail. The curfew definition of essential services includes all services already defined as essential for other purposes with six deletions.

While the production, supply, delivery and distribution of food, fuel and coal is permitted during the curfew hours, supermarkets and food shops cannot operate during the curfew. Banks, bureaux de change and the like have to obey the curfew, except their security staff can work at night. Courts, the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, public examinations and Parliament remain essential services for all other purposes, but have to obey the curfew.

The amendment to the lockdown regulations adds mining and the operations of designated tobacco auction floors to the list of services that are exempted and can operate during the curfew.

Under the curfew all travel by those who are in non-essential services, in or out of vehicles, is prohibited during the curfew hours and they must stay at home.

However, there are five categories of exemption from the movement ban, but the onus is on the person moving outside curfew hours to satisfy the officer enforcing the curfew.

People are allowed to “break” curfew to buy medicine, move to and from work if they are employed in the essential services, seek medical attention, go to the home of a relative who needs medical help, or if they are a member of staff of a foreign mission or agency and are going to that mission.

Besides the essential services and businesses, there are also exempted businesses. These remain the same with no change of definition and so can continue operating, but their hours have been shortened back to 8am to 3pm. This means all industrial and commercial businesses, including those in the informal sector that have been already exempted, can continue.

Supermarkets, food shops, fuel outlets, restaurants, and safari and hunting operations have, however, for the purposes of operating times been added to the list of non-essential businesses that can operate only between 8am and 3pm.

Some of these, especially restaurants and service stations, had been able to operate outside the previous restrictions on hours, but no longer.

The amended regulations now lay down the rules for what happens when a member of staff of a non-essential, but exempted business, which for this purpose now includes the food shops, restaurants, service stations and safari operations, tests positive or is confirmed to have died from Covid-19.

The relevant premises have to be closed and disinfected before reopening and immediately before the reopening every other member of staff who could have been in contact with the affected member of staff must be tested.

Police also urged members of the public to comply with the new measures announced by President Mnangagwa on Tuesday.

Correspondent

Some Econet customers are still having issues with the network in accessing the internet, making calls and accessing USSD services such as Ecocash, recharging airtime and sending messages according to reports on social media.

The network challenges started on Thursday evening with wide spread speculation that this was a deliberate attempt to frustrate 31 July protests being lobbied by some activists.

This however appears to be baseless speculation as there is no evidence this is the case and Econet themselves have said they are investigating the cause.

NetOne and Telecel don’t appear to be having any issues further pouring water on the deliberate shutdown theory. In anycase, the authorities would be more interested in disrupting social media communication as they have done in times past rather than calls.

This is not the first time Econet has experienced issues. The telecom giant’s national services have gone down twice on separate occasions. These were blamed on central computers that manage access to the network. Again there is no evidence or word from Zimbabwe’s largest mobile network operator that this is the case.

Own Correspondent

Returnees housed at Townsend High School in Bulawayo have raised concerns on the conditions at the quarantine centre which they claim to be uninhabitable.

Speaking to ZimEye.com in confidence, one of the returnees at the centre indicated that they are being kept at the centre under squalid conditions with no water and very poor food provisions.

“The issue is that human rights are not being observed at Townsend High School quarantine centre in Bulawayo. The main problem is that there is no running water yet we are in the middle of a pandemic,” said a source at the centre.

According to the source, a total of twenty eight people including five children have been housed at the centre since the 20th of July despite goverment claims that all schools have been cleared of being Covid-19 quarantine centres.

Amongst the twenty three adults, one of the returnees is said to be a heavily pregnant woman who is due to deliver any time soon.

“The food is different from the rest of the other quarantine centres where others that we travelled with are placed,” said the source.

“We are being fed Soya Chunks, cabbage and beans on a daily basis while our colleagues at Khumalo hotel are being given a five star treatment.”

The source further complained that since they arrived at the centre they have not been tested having only been tested at Beitbridge Border Post on arrival.

“The other returnees in other centres have been tested again after Beitbridge tests but nothing has happened here,” she said. “We are still waiting to have our second testing.”

Schools being used as quarantined centres were expected to be vacated over three weeks ago. Announcing the developments at a press briefing on the outcome of the National Taskforce on Covid-19 meeting last month, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, said provincial task forces had to quickly move to find alternative accommodation for the returnees.

Efforts to get a comment from Bulawayo Minister of Provincial Affairs on the situation at Townsend High School were not successful at the time of this article.

State Media

Four National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) board members were yesterday arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) on allegations of abuse of office.

The arrested board members are: Dr Billy Rugava, Advocate Racheal Chibaya, Dr Johnson Shonhe and Dr Harunavamwe Chifamba.

Zacc spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure confirmed the arrests last night and said they should appear in court today. But he declined to outline the allegations they are facing.

In June, three former top NatPharm bosses appeared in court facing allegations of approving Drax International LLC to supply and deliver medicines and surgical sundries to Government without following procurement procedures. Florah Nancy Sifeku (67), Charles Mwaramba (78) and Rolland Mlalazi (55), have since appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with criminal abuse of office.

Sifeku was the NatPharm managing director, Mlalazi was the finance manager while Mwaramba was the operations manager. They were all not asked to plead to the charges when they separately appeared before magistrate Ms Vongai Guriro, and were remanded out of custody on $10 000 bail each.

Sifeku and Mwaramba are jointly charged on one of the offences where the State alleges that sometime in December 2019, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care gave a directive to NatPharm to issue a tender. Drax Consult SAGL had written a letter of interest to supply Zimbabwe with medicine and surgical sundries under a US$20 million facility.

Allegations are that Sifeku and Mwaramba allegedly disregarded the Permanent Secretary’s directive and went on to award a direct purchase to Drax Consult SAGL, saying there was extreme

emergency. Sifeku and Mwaramba are alleged to have fast-tracked the awarding of the order to Drax Consult SAGL to supply the medicines and surgical sundries.

The duo allegedly withheld the tender documents for a month, while they were processing another tender for the same company.

Sifeku and Mwaramba are alleged to have used the two tenders to award and sign a contract for Drax Consult SAGL under the credit facility of US$20 million to supply medicines and surgical sundries.

After realising that Drax Consult SAGL had failed to supply the medicine and sundries within three months as stated by the agreed contract, Sifeku and Mwaramba allegedly deliberately failed to cancel the contract for non-performance.

On another matter in which Sifeku and Mlalazi are jointly charged, the State alleges that sometime early this year, former Health Minister Obadiah Moyo was approached by Delish Nguwaya and Ilir Dedja, who introduced themselves to him as Drax International LLC’s country representative and legal representative.

Nguwaya and Dedja are said to have tendered an expression of interest, saying their company could supply medicines to Zimbabwe through a US$40 million facility.

The State alleges that knowing that Drax International LLC had changed its name to Drax Consult SAGL and previously known as Papi Pharma and had also failed the vetting, Sifeku and Mlalazi went on to offer it another tender to supply US$13 351 071 worth of medicines.

On April 9, 2020, Secretary for Finance Mr George Guvamatanga wrote a letter to Dr Mahomva after noting that Sifeku and Mlalazi had entered into an agreement with Drax International LLC.

The following day, Dr Mahomva responded to the letter saying the ministry had not given NatPharm the greenlight to sign the contract.

Acting on the contract, Drax International LLC is said to have supplied 3 740 coveralls, CatIII type 6B worth US$336 600, 5 040 masks worth US$141 120 and 15 000 test kits for US$510 000.

In another case where Sifeku is appearing on her own, the State alleges that sometime in March 2019, Minister Moyo was approached by Nguwaya with a letter of interest to supply the country with medicines through a US$15 million facility.

Minister Moyo is said to have referred the letter to the former permanent secretary Dr Gerald Gwinji.

On April 11, 2019, Dr Gwinji is said to have written to Sifeku recommending NatPharm to work with 65 product lines of medicines worth US$9,4 million and negotiate the prices downwards.

In the same letter, NatPharm was directed to come up with comparative international prices for the products and apply for necessary waiver from the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.

Sifeku, without drawing the comparative international price schedule and waiting for due vetting process for PAPI Pharma, allegedly went on to sign the agreement to supply medicines worth US$6 306 115.

Own Correspondent

Zimbabwe’s total of confirmed Covid-19 cases rose to 2 296 yesterday, with four more deaths, taking the number of fatalities to 32, according to the daily report from the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

The number of new cases was 172, with 152 of them local infections and 79 of these from the Midlands, now a third focus of infection after Bulawayo and Harare. But of these 152 local cases, the source is known in 90.

Both Bulawayo deaths were men with other illnesses. The Harare death is a person testing positive on July 14 and dying from respiratory failure and acute kidney injury on July 17, while the Midlands death was a man with other medical conditions.

Bulawayo remains the hardest hit province with 569 known local infections and 15 deaths, followed by Harare with 283 confirmed infections and 10 deaths and Midlands now with 147 confirmed local infections and three deaths.

Acting Bulawayo provincial medical director Dr Welcome Mlilo recently said lockdown fatigue may be behind the increase in Covid-19 cases in the city.

“There are a number of factors that we can attribute to the increase in the number of recorded cases. Certainly, we are witnessing what may be called ‘lockdown fatigue’, with residents no longer observing lockdown laws and the infection, prevention and control measures articulated by the Ministry of Health. Zimbabwe as well doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The number of cases recorded across the border has remained high,” he said.

“Factor in that we are now in peak winter season, and we did expect to see the peak number of cases sometime in winter. These are but some of the contributing factors to the recent surge in number of cases in Bulawayo. But it is also testament to the quality of contact tracing efforts done by the Bulawayo health services department. Most of our cases are asymptomatic and yet we are able to detect them.”

Dr Mlilo said the message to people remains the same: treat everyone as a potential Covid- 19 case. He said over 80 percent of cases will be asymptomatic or show mild symptoms.

“So, approach everyone as a possible source of Covid-19 infection. The government measures in place will not protect us without the community buy in.

Let’s all take personal responsibility for ourselves and the next person. Wear a well-fitting mask in public spaces, practice social distancing at every opportunity and let’s practice good hygiene, wash and iron our masks, wash our hands. These are simple but yet effective measures that stop the transmission of the virus,” said Dr Mlilo.

Zimbabwe Medical Association president Dr Francis Chiwora said porous borders and the country’s proximity to South Africa was the chief contributor to the high numbers being recorded.

“We are very close to the borders, there is a lot of illegal unaccounted travel. People are crossing illegally into the country. No one is testing them. Some families are harbouring them, then obviously with such scenarios, cases are expected to skyrocket. What we need is a heavier lockdown, which will ensure limited movement, hence reducing the chances of people infecting each other. Remember that the virus does not move, but people move and carry it around, so the more we stay in one place, the less we spread it,” said Dr Chiwora.

Mpilo Central Hospital clinical director and acting chief executive officer Dr Solwayo Ngwenya said epicentres in the country were shifting partly due to relaxed lockdowns in both South Africa and Zimbabwe, which made it easier for people to sneak into the country undetected.

He said imported goods from truckers brought legally, and those brought by border jumpers were also possible carriers of the virus, which can stay on some surfaces for up to eight days.

“Our geographical link with South Africa, Africa’s epicentre is problematic. It is now in the top 10 worldwide, and its lockdown was laxed, meaning people could move and come closer to the illegal crossing points. It’s even more convenient for such travel as the lockdown measures in the country were also laxed. Dead bodies of relatives are crossing into the country. Infections from bodies cannot be ruled out too. These porous borders are yet to bring even more doom,” said Dr Ngwenya.

“More people will die, if they do not listen. We have reached a dangerous point in the history of the virus. For every case you see, there could be three more cases unreported, and probably three more. If you do the math, it is not good. We need a hard lockdown.”

South Africa has now confirmed 6 093 deaths from 408 052 confirmed infections.

State Media

GOVERNMENT has expressed concern over reports that bodies of Zimbabweans who could have died from Covid-19 in neighbouring countries are being smuggled into the country, saying that could be a source of the spike in local spread of the virus.

Police have since activated its officers on the country’s borders to be on high alert to detect such illicit practices.

International truckers and the cross-border couriers known as “omalayitsha”, who remit money and commodities across the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe are allegedly at the centre of the scandal.

They are reportedly transporting the corpses for a fee.

Reports are that some of the corpses are wrapped in plain sheets and bundled together with groceries, exposing recipients to the deadly Covid19 pandemic.

Social media platforms are awash with videos, audios and pictures showing the smuggled coffins with the remains of a suspected Covid-19 victim.

In one of the videos, a truck allegedly belonging to “omalayitsha” is seen offloading groceries and a coffin at an unknown home where a funeral was being conducted.

The coffin and groceries were loaded in the same trailer.

In another picture also circulating on social media, a coffin laden with groceries and a corpse can be clearly seen with unconfirmed reports linked the body to Covid-19.

In another incident, there was drama at the burial of a Coronavirus victim after family members of the deceased buried the body with four bags containing goods that were smuggled and destined to the funeral service company driver’s client thinking they belonged to their departed person.

According to a video circulated on social media, the driver was sleeping during the funeral service and the relatives saw the bags and put them together in the grave according to their tradition.

When the driver woke up, he realized what was happening and quickly stopped the burial process and retrieved the bags.

Watch the video downloading below.

In a tweet, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said the rot could be the reason for the spike in local Covid-19 transmissions.

“The smuggling of goods hidden as contraband in a coffin carrying the remains of a Covid-19 victim is a concern. The people that handle, use or eat such goods are being exposed to the virus.

“One never knows how prevalent the practice is but this may explain some local transmissions,” he said.

Mr Mangwana said this kind of smuggling is possible because borders are porous.

“The porousness of our long border has become a cliché. People are smuggling human bodies through undesignated crossing points, putting themselves and others at risk from Covid19 infection. In some cases, there is corrupt collusion with those who are supposed to apprehend them.”

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi warned people against smuggling bodies although he indicated no such reports had been officially received by the police.

He said police, Zimra and immigration officers at the borders were now on high alert and any such practices would be detected.

“We want to urge members of the public to report to the police if they see such things happening so that investigations can be conducted. But at the moment we do not have any concrete evidence to what is being alleged.

“We have alerted all officers who are policing at the borders so that they work together with officers from the Immigration and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA). They should remain alert,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.

State Media

A BULAWAYO self-proclaimed prophet, allegedly applied some substance on his female client’s private parts and inserted one of his fingers into her genitals before raping her under the guise of conducting cleansing rituals.

Soul Ndonga (30) of Mzilikazi suburb allegedly raped the victim (18) under the pretext that he was exorcising evil spirits that were affecting her love life.

Ndonga appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya on Wednesday facing rape charges. He was remanded in custody to August 6 pending trial at the regional court.

Prosecuting, Mr Leonard Chile said on June 27 at around 2pm, the complainant went to the accused person’s home in the company of her two cousins for a prayer session.

Upon arrival at Ndonga’s house, the accused told the trio that he wanted to pray for them separately.

“After the accused person had finished praying for the complainant’s cousins, he ordered the two women to leave the room so that he could pray for the complainant.

The accused prayed for the victim and told her that she was being tormented by evil spirits which were affecting her love relationship,” said Mr Chile.

The court heard that Ndonga told the complainant that he wanted to exorcise the evil spirits and asked her to remove her undergarments.

The girl refused, but the accused person assured her that it was part of the process of conducting the rituals and she complied.

“The accused person ordered the complainant to sit on the bed before he lifted her skirt and rubbed some strange substance on her private parts and stomach,” said Mr Chile.

Ndonga then inserted his fingers into the complainant’s private parts and smeared the substance before he pushed her to the bed and raped her once.

After committing the offence, Ndonga ordered the girl not to tell anyone about what had transpired.

The complainant informed her two cousins and the matter was reported to the police leading to Ndonga’s arrest

Own Correspondent

Harare Mayor Herbert Gomba was denied bail when he appeared before a Harare magistrate on Friday.

Gomba appeared before regional magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande who ruled there was high risk he would interfere with evidence if released on bail.

The court also noted that once the State proves that he was the author of a letter that gave green light to development of the piece of land he allegedly awarded to Taringa Housing Scheme, chances of a prison term were high.

“This would induce him to escape the jurisdiction of the court,” said Mrs Makwande, before dismissing his bail application.

Circumstances leading to Gomba’s arrest are that sometime last year, he allegedly connived with his accomplices, who are yet to be accounted for by police, and altered an approved layout plan belonging to Youth in Business Housing Trust.

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

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

The court heard that the letter was misleading and inaccurate since the same plan had been issued and approved by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to the Youths in Business Housing Scheme.

Plans to proceed with the piece of land in question had also been set aside by the Town Clerk, but Gomba disregarded such advice, a court heard.

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

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) inspected the piece of land and noted that 40 percent of it was a wetland and recommended that the part be left out.

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

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

Zimbabwe’s first black Comptroller and Auditor-General, Mr Abdulman Eric Harid a former Commissioner of Taxes, has died.

Mr Harid died at West End Hospital in Harare on Monday this week. He was 82.

The family said he had been unwell for some time and that when he was hospitalised, it was discovered that he had cancer.

He was buried on Wednesday afternoon at Pioneer Cemetery, in Harare, next to his parents and his brother, Mr Abraham Harid, who was one of the country’s first black surgeons.

In 1987, Mr Abdulman Eric Harid was appointed the first black Comptroller and Auditor-General. He remained in office until 2004, when the first female black Comptroller and Auditor-General, Mrs Mildred Chiri, was appointed.

Abdulman Eric Harid is popular for his report on the 1999 goverment audit where he exposed how then President Robert Mugabe’s office was wantonly abusing state funds without control.

In his report, dated 22 September 2002 and submitted to Parliament Eric Harid, said his inquiry into the general state of Zimbabwe’s financial transactions had revealed the government’s flagrant disrespect for Parliament and standing Treasury rules for expenditure of public funds especially in the presidency.

Owing to growing concern over corruption, the country’s Anti-Corruption Act came into operation in 2005 and Mr Harid’s next public appointment was as the first chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

He was succeeded at the Commission by a team led Dr Job Whabira.

Mr Harid’s next public appointment was in 2014, when Dr Obert Mpofu, then Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, appointed him Chairman of the Board of Air Zimbabwe. After Air Zimbabwe, Mr Harid concentrated on farming in Bindura.

He is survived by four sons and three daughters.

A family spokesperson described him as “a practical hard-working man”.

FINANCE and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has reiterated that there was no going back on the use of the Zimbabwe dollar, adding that the future of the local currency was “bright”.

Responding to questions during a meeting with Bulawayo businesspeople at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre on Friday, Prof Ncube said people should remember that the country allowed the use of the United States dollar a few months ago, to address the challenges of currency volatility induced by Covid-19 pandemic.

“The future of the Zimbabwe dollar is bright. You are abusing it, we will use it. And as Government and together with you the private sector, I believe we are on the right track,” he said. Prof Ncube said despite efforts by the saboteurs to destroy the economy, Government will continue implementing measures aimed at promoting economic growth and development.

“Fiscal discipline is critical as an ingredient for macro stability because once you have a deficit, you have to monetise it through money supply growth and that again we will weaken the currency,” he said.

Last month, Government introduced the weekly Foreign Currency Auction Trading System in a rushed bid to try to promote currency stability.

The coming on board of the forex auction trading system saw the exchange rate reach US$1:72,14 this week.

Own Correspondent

Harare regional magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna says that journalist Hopewell Chin’ono is likely to continue posting statements on social media that have the effect of instigating public violence if freed on bail.

Chin’ono, who was being represented by lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa, was denied bail on Friday and is expected back in court on August 7 for routine remand.

He is being charged with incitement to commit public violence or alternatively incitement to participate in a gathering with the intent to promote public violence.

In his ruling, Mr Nduna refused to attend to the interpretation of Chin’ono’s tweets saying that they would be dealt with during trial, but the State presently fears that he was likely to re-offend once released on bail.

Through his lawyer, Chin’ono had argued that there was no reference to violence in his tweets.

Chin’ono’s case arose after he allegedly posted messages through his Twitter handle between March 1 and July 20, calling for mass demonstrations by any means against Government on July 31.

Getting into a waiting prison vehicle Friday, Chin’ono had this to say to waiting reporters.

“We are being persecuted for talking about corruption and we won’t be bowed. (Coco: “And your spirits?”) I am fine,” said Chin’ono.

In Geneva Friday, UNHCR spokesperson Liz Throssell in a statement said that Zimbabweans have a right to protest corruption or anything else.

“Merely calling for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest are an exercise of recognized human rights,” said Throssell. “We are also concerned at reports of police using force to disperse and arrest nurses and health workers for infringing lockdown restrictions as they were trying to protest for better salaries and conditions of work… While recognizing the government’s efforts to contain the pandemic, it is important to remind the authorities that any lockdown measures and restrictions should be necessary, proportionate and time-limited, and enforced humanely without resorting to unnecessary or excessive force.”

Another activist, Jacob Ngarivhume was also denied bail on similar charges and is expected back in court on August 6.

Own Correspondent

Opposition National People’s Party Spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire has called on the parliament to impeach President Emmerson Mnangagwa for failing to effectively run the country’s health system in the middle of the ravaging Covid-19 era.

Read below full thread of tweets by Mawarire:

(1)With Covid-19 cases on the increase Zimbabwe has a President who does have a minister of health in cabinet, no health perm sec, all referal hospitals have no medical directors, Natpharm, the central medical store has no directors, hospitals have no doctors & nurses.

(2) Without all those medical response variables pertinent in the face of the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, President Mnangagwa only thinks about locking citizens at home in the foolish hope that staying at home without a concomitant robust medical response will combat Covid-19

(3) It is time that every Zimbabwean demand their elected MPs to move a motion to IMPEACH President Mnangagwa. He has failed. Which leader can go to war without any army commander, without field marshals, without a fighting force & still believe people will take him seriously?

4) President Mnangagwa is pretending to lead us into battle against Covid-19 without an army commander (Minister of Health), without a Chief of Staff (Perm Sec), without field marshals (Medical Directors at hospitals) without fighting forces (doctors & nurses),

5) without a functional armoury (Natpharm), without ammunition (medication & PPEs).A leader who does that is not only endangering his army but the citizens that the army is supposed to protect. Any Pres who exhibits such nonchalance & extreme derelection of duty shld be IMPEACHED

6) It is worse when the same Pres, in the face of such a serious health challenge like Covid-19, believes there humour derived from his confession that he used to steal medical supplies meant for freedom fighters during the war so he could sell & buy himself beer.

7) What are we supposed to think when he shows extreme nonchalance in the face of Covid-19 & when allegations fly around that individuals linked to him or his family are capitalising on the pandemic to make business for themselves? What are we supposed to believe when

8)State House is turned into a medical store where every medical donation is made? Shld we be forced to believe an indiv who finds humour in the fact that he used to steal medical supplies for sick & injured freedom fighters,can look after medical supplies meant 4 Covid-19?

9) Fellow Zimbabweans, lets demand that our MPs take the President to task over his response to Covid-19 especially the fact that he is running a health sector without a health minister, perm sec, hospitals medical directors, doctors, nurses and a central medical store.

10) Our MPs (Senate & National Assembly) shld, for the benefit of our citizens, IMPEACH the President on account of his response to Covid-19. Our Constitution has a provision for that in Section 97

11)Pres Mnangagwa’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic,epitomised by his careless leadership whereupon he is running a govt without a substantive Health Minister,a health ministry Perm Sec, no medical directors in referal hospitals, no doctors, no nurses is “serious misconduct”.

12)Such “serious misconduct ” warrants the removal of the President as provided for under section 97 of the constitution. His derelection of duty, seen by his attitude of running a govt without substantive health personnel in the face of Covid-19 pandemic calls 4 his IMPEACHMENT.

13)The Pres,caz of his actions,is endangering lives of citizens he is supposed 2protect as provided in sec 29 of the const.Citizens’ right to life is provided 4 in sec 48 of the const & the Pres,or any other person,shldnt take away that right thru errors of omission or comission

14)It shldnt matter your MP is Zanu-PF, MDC-A or NPF, if your MP doesn’t see the need & pertinence of IMPEACHING ED now, on account of his lack of seriousness in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, don’t vote for that MP again in 2023 caz they don’t care about you #ImpeachEDNow

Own Correspondent

Investigative journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono, was late Friday denied bail by the Magistrate Courts after his bail hearing was cut short on two consecutive days.

In postponing the hearings, court officials said they wanted to leave early to ensure they comply with a dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday as part of new restrictions to contain COVID-19.

Beatrice Mtetwa, who is representing Chin’ono, was not amused.

“We find this extremely frustrating because constitutional rights like the right to liberty have now been suspended through failure to make appropriate arrangements,” said Mtetwa.

“Surely, they should make arrangements such as bail to take staff home so that constitutionally guaranteed rights like liberty are not unnecessarily infringed. It’s extremely frustrating. It makes a mockery of the need to come to court within 48 hours. It makes a mockery of the requirement that bail (application) be heard urgently.”

Announcing the curfew, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he was aware that some rights would be infringed upon. But Mtetwa is not convinced.

“If you want to make excuses for trampling on people’s rights, you are absolutely free to do so but it is not what the constitution provides for,” said Mtetwa. “Bail matters are always heard on an urgent basis. You can sit right into the night as long as you make arrangements to take the court staff home. So it cannot be an excuse that the president has decreed. The president has no power to suspend constitutional rights.”

Own Correspondent

The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights says it is concerned that the Zimbabwean government may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

In a statement issued on Friday, the UN High Commission for Human Rights blasted President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s goverment for the arrest of Journalist Hopewell Chinono and opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume.

“Merely calling for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest are an exercise of recognized human rights. We are concerned at reports of police using force to disperse and arrest nurses and health workers for infringing lockdown restrictions as they were trying to protest for better salaries and conditions of work,” the commissioner said.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa – highlighting an increase of 600 COVID-19 cases in a week to a total of 1,713 – on Tuesday announced a series of measures that he said were necessary to curb the spread of the disease, including a dusk to dawn curfew and the curtailment and suspension of freedoms that, as he put it, Zimbabweans “have always enjoyed”.

The United States and several other countries have expressed similar sentiments, saying the Zimbabwean government should stop intimidating journalists and political opponents.

In a tweet, Tibo Nagy, Assistant Secretary for U.S Department of State’s Bereau of African Affairs, said,

Below is the statement by the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights.

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:  Liz Throssell  
Location: Geneva 
Date: 24 July 2020
Subject:Zimbabwe

We are concerned at allegations in Zimbabwe, which suggest that the authorities may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

Among the latest incidents, investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested on 20 July and charged with inciting public violence, after he tweeted his support for nationwide protests against government corruption and worsening economic conditions. Jacob Ngarivhume, an opposition leader who has been calling for the protests on 31 July, was also detained and similarly charged.

Merely calling for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest are an exercise of recognized human rights.

We are concerned at reports of police using force to disperse and arrest nurses and health workers for infringing lockdown restrictions as they were trying to protest for better salaries and conditions of work.

This pattern of intimidation echoes the events in May when three members of the main opposition party were arbitrarily arrested and detained for taking part in a protest.  The women – Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova – alleged that state agents abducted them from the police station, tortured and sexually assaulted them.  The women were then formally arrested in June, charged with participating in the protests and faking their abduction. They were recently released on bail.

It is clear that COVID-19 has added greatly to the challenges Zimbabwe faces amid a deteriorating economy and placed a further burden on an already struggling health sector.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa – highlighting an increase of 600 COVID-19 cases in a week to a total of 1,713 – on Tuesday announced a series of measures that he said were necessary to curb the spread of the disease, including a dusk to dawn curfew and the curtailment and suspension of freedoms that, as he put it, Zimbabweans “have always enjoyed”.

While recognizing the Government’s efforts to contain the pandemic, it is important to remind the authorities that any lockdown measures and restrictions should be necessary, proportionate and time-limited, and enforced humanely without resorting to unnecessary or excessive force.

We encourage the Government to engage with civil society and other stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to grievances while ensuring that people’s rights and freedoms are protected in accordance with Zimbabwe’s human rights obligations.  These include the responsibility of the State to guarantee economic, social and cultural rights.

Avenues clinic has with immediate effect suspended patient visiting hours due to the continued rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country, a circular from the medical centre has confirmed.

The hospital said relatives and friends will be able to continue communicating with patients using cellphones with the facility extending Internet connection to those admitted to aid communication.

Read the full circular below….

Farai Dziva|Tajamuka leader Promise Mkwananzi has said the July 31 protests are about sacrifices meant to emancipate the people of Zimbabwe from poverty and corruption.

In a strong warning to the Zanu PF regime, the former MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General said no form of ammunition would stop the protests.

“This is the time for the people of Zimbabwe to unite and fight for total emancipation.The demo is not about political parties, rather it is about the people of Zimbabwe.

Nobody is supposed to go to work, for once let us unite as Zimbabweans.

We know they want to suppress the protests but our message to them is clear- no form of ammunition will stop us from fighting for freedom.

Those who want to buy food please do so in time because this is not a joke,” said Mkwananzi.

MDC Alliance Secretary General and former Kuwadzana East legislator, Charlton Hwende has accused clerk of parliament, Kennedy Chokuda of playing politics following his announcement that all recalled opposition parliamentarians should return vehicles allocated to them or face legal action.

In an interview with 263Chat, Hwende accused Chokuda of helping MDC-T Acting President Thokozani Khupe and Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora to bring down MDC Alliance leader Chamisa, whom he said is loved by many people than them.

“Mr Chokuda is playing politics, he is being used by Mwonzora and Khupe to abuse Parliament in order to put pressure on our MPs to dump our President Advocate Nelson Chamisa. The good news is that our MPs and the struggle for Democratic Change has never been about material things or self aggrandizement,” he said.

In an interview with a local newspaper, Chokuda said Parliament wrote to the recalled MDC Alliance legislators telling them to return vehicles allocated to them or face legal action.

“Members who have been recalled from Parliament have an option to fully pay for their vehicles or surrender them to Parliament. If they surrender them, they will have to pay any differences between the valuation of the vehicle.”

“As required by the law, we have already written to affected MPs to make a decision on the matter. We are simply guided by the law on this,” said Mr Chokuda.

–263Chat

Opposition politician Linda Masarira has warned that the country’s detractors are behind the planned July 31 demonstrations and want to use cover of corruption to subvert the Government.

In a detailed statement, Ms Musarira, an active member of country’s civil society movement with inside information on its modus operandi, said the advent of the New Dispensation in 2017, opened floodgates for the country’s detractors to come in as freedoms flourished.

Presently, she said, merchants of regime change seem to have found a voice in activists such as Hopewell Chin’ono, some churches and the country’s troubled opposition led by Mr Nelson Chamisa.

Massive funding from rich sources such as George Soros of the Open Society Initiative and the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the said organisations want to use July 31 to defeat democracy and foist on Zimbabwe a National Transitional Authority (NTA), Ms Masarira said.

“The impending 31 July revolt by citizens will play into the strategy of the US of instigating the fall of the Zanu PF Government, replace it with a “technocratic” neo-liberal National Transitional Authority (NTA).”

“The NTA is a US imposed idea that will see the Americans pour millions of dollars into Zimbabwe for the resuscitation of the economy, provided the NTA reverses some nationalistic policies such as the land reform and liberalise the economy to allow their companies to freely loot Zimbabwe’s natural resources,” said Ms Masarira.

She said the strategy originates from Henry Kissinger’s foreign policy plan premised US dominance and exploitation of resources of weaker rich nations.

The NTA proposal, she said, seeks to suspend democracy by suspending elections for a period of seven years, focus on rebuilding the economy through reversing ZANU PF nationalistic and populist policies to allow multi-national corporations to invest in Zimbabwe, create jobs and loot strategic minerals like uranium, lithium, gold, diamonds, natural gas.

Armed with skills learnt from the notorious Centre for Applied Nonviolent Actions and Strategies (CANVAS), an international organisation based in Belgrade, Serbia, whose track record is littered with success stories of bringing down governments in several countries, civil society and opposition activists want to create “dilemma scenarios where they score normative leverage through public sympathy”.

“Canvas Group leaders led the Otpor revolution in Serbia that brought down the ‘dictator’, Slobodan Milosevic and worked with activists in Egypt, Libya, Syria in the Arab Spring and their latest project was in Sudan.

“In short we are under attack as a nation. They are tirelessly working to bring down one of the most entrenched governments that is hated by the United States of America for its radical stance in empowering its citizens.”

The organisation, that targets governments that do not pander to the whims and caprices of the United States is funded by the US International Republican Institute (IRI), an organisation that continues to fund some clandestine regime change agents in Zimbabwe, Ms Musarira said.

Ms Musarira, an insider in the country’s well-oiled civic society, also exposes organisations that are actively working with a selected few activists in order to effect regime change in Zimbabwe and install a puppet administration with handlers in the US.

“Otpor was funded by the US International Republican Institute (IRI) that is also funding some activists’ groups in Zimbabwe alongside the National Endowment for Democracy and other smaller US Embassy grants as well as organisations like George Soros’ OSISA among others. Pursuant to the regime change agenda, the United States has trained over 200 activists from Zimbabwe through its Young African Leadership Initiative Programme (YALI) and most of these leaders are deployed into organisations to influence a neo-colonialism agenda. Zimbabwe had been a target of the United States since the land reform programme and the US scaled up funding for the Civic Society Space,” read part of Ms Musarira statement.

Zimbabwe’s civic organisations are among the most highly funded non-governmental organisations on the continent, leaders of the organisations that consorts with Western embassies live flashy lives and often pay people to demonstrate.

Although civil society organisations bleat about good governance and harp about fighting corruption, a closer look reveals a web of deceit and dishonesty. Last year, Amnesty International was forced to close its offices in Zimbabwe due to rampant fraud.

Ms Masarira claims that various organisations that are being funded to destabilise the country that include; Zimrights, Election Resource Centre, Combined Harare Residents’ Association and Crisis Coalition and from outside the country’s borders there are organisations such as the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, which is funded by George Soros, the Human Rights Watch and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, which are all allegedly linked to the CIA to create “international relations war zone for Zimbabwe and stifle the government’s capacity to engage”.

“These organisations influence international perception about a country and the regime change proponents are strategically positioned to influence the international community against Zimbabwe. Their concerted and unrelenting efforts to demonise Zimbabwe, backed by a legion of Diaspora based fake asylum seekers who want the country to become a failed state so as to justify their asylum status, have been vehemently attacking Zimbabwe, instigating instability and sabotage activities being carried out by activists at home.

“The local activists are bent on generating fake news that are alarming, sensational and disturbing with an objective of causing public alarm, panic and despondence using social media and make financial gains in return from naïve donors.”

The violent demonstrations that rocked the country on August 1, 2018 and also the January 2019 protests can all be traced to the trainings that were done by the Canvas Group.

-State Media

THE gazetted legal statutory instrument amending lockdown regulations by setting the 6PM to 6AM curfew, now requires church gatherings, jogging, walking and cycling to take place not earlier than 8AM or later than 3PM.

The definition of “wearing a face mask” in a public place now means that wearers must “securely” cover their nose and mouth with the mask.

Acting Minister of Health and Child Care Prof Amon Murwira gazetted Statutory Instrument 174/20 under the Public Health (Covid-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (Amendment) Order, 2020 (No. 14) on Wednesday.

The new law stipulates that those who fail to comply face hefty penalties of up to $36 000 or a year in jail. The curfew definition of essential services includes all services already defined as essential for other purposes with six deletions.

While the production, supply, delivery and distribution of food, fuel and coal is permitted during the curfew hours, supermarkets and food shops cannot operate during the curfew. Banks, bureaux de change and the like have to obey the curfew, except their security staff can work at night. Courts, the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, public examinations and Parliament remain essential services for all other purposes, but have to obey the curfew.

The amendment to the lockdown regulations adds mining and the operations of designated tobacco auction floors to the list of services that are exempted and can operate during the curfew.

Under the curfew all travel by those who are in non-essential services, in or out of vehicles, is prohibited during the curfew hours and they must stay at home.

However, there are five categories of exemption from the movement ban, but the onus is on the person moving outside curfew hours to satisfy the officer enforcing the curfew.

People are allowed to “break” curfew to buy medicine, move to and from work if they are employed in the essential services, seek medical attention, go to the home of a relative who needs medical help, or if they are a member of staff of a foreign mission or agency and are going to that mission.

Besides the essential services and businesses, there are also exempted businesses. These remain the same with no change of definition and so can continue operating, but their hours have been shortened back to 8am to 3pm. This means all industrial and commercial businesses, including those in the informal sector that have been already exempted, can continue.

Supermarkets, food shops, fuel outlets, restaurants, and safari and hunting operations have, however, for the purposes of operating times been added to the list of non-essential businesses that can operate only between 8am and 3pm.

Some of these, especially restaurants and service stations, had been able to operate outside the previous restrictions on hours, but no longer.

The amended regulations now lay down the rules for what happens when a member of staff of a non-essential, but exempted business, which for this purpose now includes the food shops, restaurants, service stations and safari operations, tests positive or is confirmed to have died from Covid-19.

The relevant premises have to be closed and disinfected before reopening and immediately before the reopening every other member of staff who could have been in contact with the affected member of staff must be tested.

Police also urged members of the public to comply with the new measures announced by President Mnangagwa on Tuesday.

In a statement yesterday, Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga said police and other security agents will ensure that the Covid-19 preventive measures are complied with countrywide to ensure the health and safety of Zimbabweans.

“The public should co-operate with law enforcement agents to enable the maintenance of law and order in the country to proceed smoothly. Non-working sections of our population required to stay at home should do so and put their health first in order to fight Covid-19,” he said. “In this vein I urge the public to secure food from their nearest shopping centres and this should be done by selected family members to curtail public gatherings. Those accessing health services and water should do so in an orderly manner, which promotes safety and security for all.”

Comm-Gen Matanga said they will ensure that there is no non-essential human and vehicular traffic movement during the curfew hours.

He said those who those who defy curfew orders will be charged in terms of Section 17(3) (4) of Statutory Instrument 174/20 as read with SI83/20.

Comm-Gen Matanga also warned errant kombi drivers, bottle store and shebeen operators against violating curfew regulations.

“Kombis which are moving around without number plates and carrying passengers in violation of Covid-19 lockdown regulations will be impounded with owners facing stern action. All commercial and manufacturing enterprises should stick to the stipulated business operation hours from 8am to 3pm to avoid hassles with law enforcement officers,” he said.

“This includes supermarkets, vegetable markets, banks, food retail shops and those in the informal sector with the relevant permits.”

Comm-Gen Matanga said no intercity public transport and rural areas movement will be allowed to proceed beyond checkpoints and roadblocks. He also warned motorists who are in the habit of travelling at night to evade police, saying they risk being arrested and charged for violating Covid-19 regulations.

He said they have intensified patrols and deployments in checkpoints across the country.

A total of 2 654 people have been arrested between Wednesday and Thursday for violating Covid-19 lockdown regulations. Of those arrested, 1 273 were arrested for unnecessary movement and 661 for failure to wear masks.

Comm-Gen Matanga said yesterday 284 people escaped from isolation and quarantine centres and 30 have been arrested.

“We have stepped up security at points of entry and exit in the country and acts of smuggling and border jumping will not be tolerated. Members of the public are free to reports acts of corruption by police and security services members on 0242-748836/703631 or WhatsApp number 0712800197,” he said.

Comm-Gen Matanga said police will continue to monitor church gatherings to ensure that they adhere to strict World Health Organisation (WHO) Covid-19 protocols.

“Religious gatherings should have at least 50 congregants or less and services should be conducted between 8am and 3pm with strict adherence to WHO health guidelines and Covid-19 protocols. families conducting funerals throughout the country are urged to observe Covid-19 lockdown regulations by ensuring that 50 people or less attend burial,” said Comm-Gen Matanga.

-State Media

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has paid tribute to former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa who passed on yesterday at the age of 81.

In a letter to his Tanzanian counterpart President John Magufuli, the President saluted the late Cde Mkapa for his peace building efforts not only in the East African region but across the continent.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Zimbabwe, and indeed on my own behalf, I wish our deepest condolences to you, and through you, to the family and to the people of the United Republic of Tanzania, on the death of the former President of United Republic of Tanzania, Mzee Benjamin William Mkapa, on 23 July 2020,” read the letter in part.

The late Cde Mkapa served as the Tanzanian President from 1995 to 2005.

“Our prayers are with the Mkapa family and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania during this period of mourning. We hope that the nation will find solace in the legacy that the late former President leaves behind him, including his immense contribution to the achievement of peace, stability and economic development of the United Republic of Tanzania, the East African Community, the Southern African Development Community, and indeed the whole African continent,” the President said.

Cde Magufuli early today announced the death of the former Head of State after a short illness, which forced him to be admitted at a Dar es Salaam hospital.

-State Media

By A Correspondent| The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) and Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) have dragged government and Zupco to court over shortage of public transportation that has seen residents in Harare being harassed by police due to government imposed dusk to dawn curfew.

The case is being represented by Women and Law in Southern Africa(WILSA).

More to follow….

A BULAWAYO self-proclaimed prophet, allegedly applied some substance on his female client’s private parts and inserted one of his fingers into her genitals before raping her under the guise of conducting cleansing rituals.

Soul Ndonga (30) of Mzilikazi suburb allegedly raped the victim (18) under the pretext that he was exorcising evil spirits that were affecting her love life.

Ndonga appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya on Wednesday facing rape charges. He was remanded in custody to August 6 pending trial at the regional court.

Prosecuting, Mr Leonard Chile said on June 27 at around 2pm, the complainant went to the accused person’s home in the company of her two cousins for a prayer session.

Upon arrival at Ndonga’s house, the accused told the trio that he wanted to pray for them separately.

“After the accused person had finished praying for the complainant’s cousins, he ordered the two women to leave the room so that he could pray for the complainant.

The accused prayed for the victim and told her that she was being tormented by evil spirits which were affecting her love relationship,” said Mr Chile.

The court heard that Ndonga told the complainant that he wanted to exorcise the evil spirits and asked her to remove her undergarments.

The girl refused, but the accused person assured her that it was part of the process of conducting the rituals and she complied.

“The accused person ordered the complainant to sit on the bed before he lifted her skirt and rubbed some strange substance on her private parts and stomach,” said Mr Chile.

Ndonga then inserted his fingers into the complainant’s private parts and smeared the substance before he pushed her to the bed and raped her once.

After committing the offence, Ndonga ordered the girl not to tell anyone about what had transpired.

The complainant informed her two cousins and the matter was reported to the police leading to Ndonga’s arrest-Chronicle

By A Correspondent| Yesterday, a vendors organisation VISET conducted a “Meet The Traders” Tour in Harare’s Hopley surburb as part of its COVID19 Comprehensive Informal Sector Response Initiative launched in March this year.

The initiative has seen the organisation Touring nearly all the major cities and towns in the country.

During the tour, VISET received disturbing reports of harassment of Traders by some overzealous law enforcement officers who are taking advantage of the lockdown to violate the right of Informal Sector Workers to earn a living.

“The Traders also bemoaned the lack of information with regards to the process of registering Informal Traders and called upon authorities to ensure that the process is transparent and inclusive,” said VISET.

Furthermore, the Traders urged the city fathers to expedite the process of refurbishing markets so that Traders who are moving in to occupy these new markets work from safe spaces and are not exposed to the deadly COVID19 virus.

VISET also donated 150 face masks, a box of 100-200ml hand sanitizers and some COVID19 IEC materials.

Below is the link to join a WhatsApp group that is discussing the topic of a Chiwenga Presidency. Below is the poster and the URL:

Follow this link to join the WhatsApp group:

The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights says it is “concerned” that authorities in Zimbabwe may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on citizens’ freedoms.  This week, police arrested a prominent investigative journalist and an opposition leader, accusing them of inciting public violence.  

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and politician Jacob Ngarivhume have been jailed since Monday on allegations of inciting public violence — through social media — ahead of a planned July 31 government corruption protest.  Both men have denied the charges.

In Geneva Friday, OHCHR spokesperson Liz Throssell said Zimbabweans have a right to protest corruption or anything else.

“Merely calling for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest are an exercise of recognized human rights,” said Throssell. “We are also concerned at reports of police using force to disperse and arrest nurses and health workers for infringing lockdown restrictions as they were trying to protest for better salaries and conditions of work… While recognizing the government’s efforts to contain the pandemic, it is important to remind the authorities that any lockdown measures and restrictions should be necessary, proportionate and time-limited, and enforced humanely without resorting to unnecessary or excessive force.”  

Late Friday, Chin’ono was denied bail by the Magistrate Courts, one day after the courts denied bail to Ngarivhume.  Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said it would appeal  the rulings to the High Court next week.

Earlier in the week, bail hearings for Chin’ono and Ngarivhume were cut short on two consecutive days.  Officials said they wanted to leave early to ensure they comply with a dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed in Harare Wednesday as part of new restrictions to contain COVID-19. 

Beatrice Mtetwa of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, who is representing Chin’ono, was not amused.

“We find this extremely frustrating because constitutional rights like the right to liberty have now been suspended through failure to make appropriate arrangements,” said Mtetwa. “Surely, they should make arrangements such as bail to take staff home so that constitutionally guaranteed rights like liberty are not unnecessarily infringed. It’s extremely frustrating. It makes a mockery of the need to come to court within 48 hours. It makes a mockery of the requirement that bail (application) be heard urgently.”

Announcing the curfew, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he was aware that some rights would be infringed upon. But Mtetwa is not convinced.

“If you want to make excuses for trampling on people’s rights, you are absolutely free to do so but it is not what the constitution provides for,” said Mtetwa. “Bail matters are always heard on an urgent basis. You can sit right into the night as long as you make arrangements to take the court staff home. So it cannot be an excuse that the president has decreed. The president has no power to suspend constitutional rights.”

Getting into a waiting prison vehicle Friday, Chin’ono had this to say to waiting reporters.

“We are being persecuted for talking about corruption and we won’t be bowed. (Coco: “And your spirits?”) I am fine,” said Chin’ono.

Nick Mangwana, the secretary of Zimbabwe’s ministry of information, did not answer phone calls from VOA.

-VOA

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Liz Throssell
Location: Geneva
Date: 24 July 2020
Subject:Zimbabwe

We are concerned at allegations in Zimbabwe, which suggest that the authorities may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

Among the latest incidents, investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested on 20 July and charged with inciting public violence, after he tweeted his support for nationwide protests against government corruption and worsening economic conditions.

Jacob Ngarivhume, an opposition leader who has been calling for the protests on 31 July, was also detained and similarly charged.
Merely calling for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest are an exercise of recognized human rights.

We are concerned at reports of police using force to disperse and arrest nurses and health workers for infringing lockdown restrictions as they were trying to protest for better salaries and conditions of work.

This pattern of intimidation echoes the events in May when three members of the main opposition party were arbitrarily arrested and detained for taking part in a protest.

The women – Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova – alleged that state agents abducted them from the police station, tortured and sexually assaulted them.

The women were then formally arrested in June, charged with participating in the protests and faking their abduction. They were recently released on bail.

It is clear that COVID-19 has added greatly to the challenges Zimbabwe faces amid a deteriorating economy and placed a further burden on an already struggling health sector.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa – highlighting an increase of 600 COVID-19 cases in a week to a total of 1,713 – on Tuesday announced a series of measures that he said were necessary to curb the spread of the disease, including a dusk to dawn curfew and the curtailment and suspension of freedoms that, as he put it, Zimbabweans “have always enjoyed”.

While recognizing the Government’s efforts to contain the pandemic, it is important to remind the authorities that any lockdown measures and restrictions should be necessary, proportionate and time-limited, and enforced humanely without resorting to unnecessary or excessive force.

We encourage the Government to engage with civil society and other stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to grievances while ensuring that people’s rights and freedoms are protected in accordance with Zimbabwe’s human rights obligations.

These include the responsibility of the State to guarantee economic, social and cultural rights.

Farai Dziva|The COVID-19 death toll has risen to 28 in Zimbabwe.

See statement below:

Ninety (90) cases tested positive for COVD-29 today. These include returnees from South Africa (7) and (83) local cases who are isolated.

Nine (9) of the local cases are contacts of known confirmed cases. Investigations are underway to establish the source of infection for the other 74.

Today we regret to report (2) deaths from Harare and Bulawayo Provinces.

The death from Harare is a patient who tested positive for COVO-19 on 20 July 2020 and was symptomatic and with other comorbidities.

The death from Bulawayo is patient who was admitted today with COVID-19 symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19.
Today 1525 RDT screening tests and 1248 PCR diagnostic tests were done.

The cumulative number of tests done to date is 110 560 (65 704 RDT and 44 856 PCR).

Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak on 20 March 2020, the total number of confirmed cases 2 124; recovered 510; active cases 1586 and 28 deaths.

A BULAWAYO female police officer was arrested for allegedly whipping her nine-year-old stepdaughter with an electric cord.

Shelita Zulu from Mahatshula North and stationed at Queens Park Police Station is being accused of repeatedly beating her stepdaughter and inflicting injury.

Records say on an unknown date but sometime in June this year a fight ensued between Zulu’s stepdaughter and another minor child who also stays at the same house.

It is reported that Zulu intervened and instead of disciplining the two, she allegedly assaulted her stepdaughter several times all over the body with an electric cord.

It is yet to be proven that the alleged brutal assault was committed on top of the numerous abuses that she was perpetrating on the minor child.

After the alleged abuse the minor child reportedly sustained injuries and it was later discovered by her mother who took her to the hospital for treatment.

The matter was reported to the police leading to Zulu’s arrest.

Zulu has since appeared in court facing a charge of ill-treating a child as defined in section (7) (1) of the Children’s Act Chapter 5:06.

She, however, pleaded not guilty when she appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Marygold Ndlovu. The matter was postponed to 22 July for trial.

This was also after Zulu’s lawyer indicated to the court, that he was not served with State papers including witnesses’ statements:B-Metro

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala has revealed the names of state security agents who are behind the torture of citizens.

Sikhala also urged Zimbabweans to unite in the fight for total freedom from repression.

See statement below:

LETTER TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD :

By Hon Job Wiwa Sikhala :
July 31 Movement Operative

Dear Zimbabweans :

It is with great boldness dear Zimbabweans to share with you that despite oppressive circumstances we are in, never should we give in to the suffocation of our right to speak out against the excesses of the State against its citizens.

Giving in to oppression is rewarding and burying our future to the oppressor. The arrest and incarceration of our colleagues Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume for simply speaking against looting and corruption has never been witnessed in modern civilization. It is now clear even to the most daft that the world was sold a charade of the so called new dispensation. Criminalising a cry against looting is bringing our country to the world of the wildlife. Oppressors enjoy looting and all the luxuries of life when they are silencing everyone. 40 years of independence we have suffered indurable oppression in our own country.

From Monday this week the oppressors created a barrack of all its security agencies around my house. The Feret team was deployed at my house, as if speaking against looting and corruption is a crime. The most desperation was the tracking and chasing of my wife on her way to the Church with 3 motor vehicles, two unmarked and the other one a Double Cab Nissan NP300 with false number plates. The Feret team comprises of members of the CIO, MID, PISI and Law and Order. Their purpose is generally abduction, torture and assassinations. Tobaiwa and Javangwe were the PISI members leading the forces of darkness. Our team on the ground kept surveillance on all their movements. Curious cars frequented past my house.

This is exactly what oppressors enjoy. This can not be accepted in modern civilization. It is the duty of all of us as Zimbabweans to speak out on the 31st of July. Wherever you will be just carry your placard and go to the nearest place of the representative of the looters. Whether you are a member of ZANU PF who is not a benefiary of looters, People First, ZANU Ndonga, National Patriotic Front, MDC or Christian Democrats please speak out. Whether you are in Juba, Toronto, Dubai, Nairobi, Qatar, New Delhi, Pretoria, Cape Town, New York, Washington, Francistown, Gaborone, Moscow, Berlin, London, Sydney carry your placard to the Zimbabwe Embassy and speak out. Speaking against looting and corruption is sancronsact. Whether you are a Doctor, Engineer, nurse, teacher, soldier or police just look at your pay slip.

To the Pastors, Prophets, Apostles and all Men and Women of God speak out. The flock you are shepherding on behalf of God is suffering. They need redemption. Let the cry be head. Ooh Lord hear your children.

Speak out Zimbabwe Speak.
Tinotenda
Siyabonga
I Thank you.

Farai Dziva|Tajamuka leader Promise Mkwananzi has said the July 31 protests are about sacrifices meant to emancipate the people of Zimbabwe from poverty and corruption.

In a strong warning to the Zanu PF regime, the former MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General said no form of ammunition would stop the protests.

“This is the time for the people of Zimbabwe to unite and fight for total emancipation.The demo is not about political parties, rather it is about the people of Zimbabwe.

Nobody is supposed to go to work, for once let us unite as Zimbabweans.

We know they want to suppress the protests but our message to them is clear- no form of ammunition will stop us from fighting for freedom.

Those who want to buy food please do so in time because this is not a joke.Nobody should be left out of the programme.We are going to confront the regime,” said Mkwananzi.

Farai Dziva|Tajamuka leader Promise Mkwananzi has said the July 31 protests are about sacrifices meant to emancipate the people of Zimbabwe from poverty and corruption.

In a strong warning to the Zanu PF regime, the former MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General said no form of ammunition would stop the protests.

“This is the time for the people of Zimbabwe to unite and fight for total emancipation.The demo is not about political parties, rather it is about the people of Zimbabwe.

Nobody is supposed to go to work, for once let us unite as Zimbabweans.

We know they want to suppress the protests but our message to them is clear- no form of ammunition will stop us from fighting for freedom.

Those who want to buy food please do so in time because this is not a joke.Nobody should be left out of the programme.We are going to confront the regime,” said Mkwananzi.

Own Correspondent|MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala has castigated Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for harassing those who are determined to fight corruption.

Sikhala also condemned the persecution of Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume.

Watch video below :

Own Correspondent

Econet Wireless has started restoring service to most of its customers, as at 10pm on Friday, after the network broke down at around midnight on Thursday.

The giant mobile phone service provider on Friday afternoon acknowledged that it had been experiencing issues which are affecting voice calls on its network.

Contrary to the statement by the company, much of the Southern region of the country had a complete blackout on the network as all services including internet access were down.

Read the statement:

PUBLIC NOTICE

Dear Valued Customer

We regret to inform you that we are currently experiencing a technical challenge that has affected some voice calls. As a result, some of our customers are failing to initiate calls. However, services such as data, SMS and EcoCash are working well.

Our technical teams are working to resolve the issue and we will inform you once it has been resolved.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.

Econet Wireless

inspired to change your world

ECONET

Media Statement

The Patriotic Front (TPF) would like to take this time to unreservedly apologize to victims and survivors of Gukurahundi, the people of Zimbabwe’s western region, victims of all past and present attrocities and all progressive and peace-loving Zimbabweans for the comments made by TPF President, Mr Darryl Collet during his address to journalists at the Bulawayo Media Centre earlier during the week.

TPF stance on Gukurahundi and all past attrocities is fully explained in our Founding Document in that there must be a victim-centred approach which affords people a chance to get closure, mourn their loved ones and get the kind of recourse in a way defined by them with the view of allowing for reconciliation with justice.

We cannot as a party hope or suggest that people should just forget about painful experiences, especially those in which they lost their loved ones.

We’re currently reviewing the context of the statement made by TPF President, himself a victim who lost his own blood – a daughter and a brother-in-law during that dark period in our country.

It is possible that Mr Collet made this comment about himself as a victim of Gukurahundi.

A full statement will be made in due course once we get the full context.

Mxolisi Ncube
Secretary for Information and Publicity
The Patriotic Front
www.tpfz.org

CITE

A newly formed political party, The Patriotic Front, says Zimbabweans must break from the past, forget wrongdoings and instead focus on the country’s future.

The party formed by expatriates mostly based in South Africa two months ago describes its political vision as futuristic and dwelling on past ills such as colonialism or Gukurahundi would not fix the country.

Addressing Bulawayo journalists recently, leader of the party, Darryl Grey Collett, said the country can move into the future by uniting people and forgetting the past.

“Let’s move to the future and fix things. Forget about colonialism, forget about all those things. There’s Gukurahundi, if that is to live in our minds forever, we are not going to move forward. I lost a 16-year-old daughter and brother in law, at that time. We have to move on, we can’t keep on digging up those graves if we want to fix the country,” he said.

“People out there are struggling. There are bank and fuel queues and people are tired. The only way to fix this is to put the past behind, realise where we are now and see if we cannot move together. We must collect every brain that can think, be it White, Coloured, Black, let’s come together and stop the peoples’ suffering.”

Collet, who will turn 74 at the end of this year, said The Patriotic Front, was a multiracial movement born out of a desire and vision for a better future of the country.

“It has been a milestone in the country’s politics, we can’t be proud of the state and history people find itself in. We are indeed navigating through difficult times filled with fear, economic hardships and Covid-19 making things even worse. Uncertainties of the future dominate the minds of all. My message is one of encouragement and hope as we strive together with your support to convince all that hold authority the need for change and a different approach,” he said.

Collett, elected on an interim basis, said expatriates wanted to return to a better home.

“These are people whose prime objective is trying to change things in their mother country so they can return. People have phoned me as far as Russia, France, the United Kingdom and other European countries. The party has a constitution and is yet to be launched in Zimbabwe,” he said.

The Patriotic Front is self-funded by its members, said Collett, who noted he was a farmer who started farming in the Plumtree area at Ingwizi ranch until the government bought the land after independence.

He then bought another ranch in Mwenezi West constituency, farmed there for 27 years but lost it.

The Patriotic Front has, however, been criticised for lacking logic and coherence while others have castigated the party’s name, saying it sounds familiar to the ruling party.

ZAPU, one of the parties pushing the government to account for its atrocities, dismissed The Patriotic Front.

“We cannot be bound by compromised persons, who benefitted from an oppressive system brought about by their ancestors. They must not tell us to forget sins of the past. We need accountability, reparations, truth and accountability. How can we forget when Gukurahundi graves are still open,” said the party’s southern region communications director, Patrick Ndlovu.

He added the country could not move ahead without putting in systems of good governance.

“We are still fresh from colonisation and its oppressive system was inherited by the post-independence government who have done wrongs that have to be accounted for,” Ndlovu said.

Kwekwe town council housing director Edson Chiyangwa has been hurled before the court facing murder charges after he reportedly shot and killed a member of a machete-wielding gang (MaShurugwi) that invaded his mine in Totororo, Zhombe on Tuesday evening.

Kwekwe magistrate denied Chiyangwa bail and advised him to apply for bail at the High court before remanding him in custody till 6 August 2020.
It is the state’s case that:

On 21 July around 11PM, Chiyangwa was at his Forever Mine in Zhombe with Mr Cornelius Dube where they were overseeing their mining operations.

While they were conducting mining operations, a gang armed with machetes and axes among an assortment of weapons attacked the pair and the mine employees.

While Dube escaped and hid himself in a car, Chiyangwa, the court heard, tripped and fell and the gang continued advancing intending to hack him with machetes.
He then produced a 357 Taurus Pistol and fired a warning shot in the air.

The gang however continued advancing leading to Chiyangwa firing another shot towards the gang, killing one of them instantly.

The gang left him and charged towards the Toyota D4D Hilux where Dube had locked himself inside.

The gang hit the vehicle with machetes and forced open the car, dragged Dube outside the vehicle and attacked him all over the body with machetes leaving him for dead and in a pool of blood.

Sensing danger, Chiyangwa vanished from the scene and made a report to the police. The following day Chiyangwa was picked up by police detectives leading to his appearance in court.

MaShurugwi wreaked havoc in gold-rich areas in Zimbabwe earlier this year-Chronicle

Own Correspondent|MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala has castigated Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for harassing those who are determined to fight corruption.

Sikhala also condemned the persecution of Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume.

Watch video below :

Customers of Econet Wireless were left stranded on Friday after the service provider experienced dificulties in conducting phone calls and sending SMS.

The Telecoms company attributed the blackout to a technical fault.

The company has since issued the below statement:

Dear Valued Customer

We regret to inform you that we are currently experiencing a technical challenge that has affected some voice calls. As a result some of our customers are failing to imitate calls. However, services such as data, SMS and EcoCash are working well.

Our technical teams are working to resolve the issue and we wall inform you once it has been resolved.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.

He was remanded in custody to August 7 2020.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest details.

Farai Dziva|Tajamuka leader Promise Mkwananzi has said the July 31 protests are about sacrifices meant to emancipate the people of Zimbabwe from poverty and corruption.

In a strong warning to the Zanu PF regime, the former MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General said no form of ammunition would stop the protests.

“This is the time for the people of Zimbabwe to unite and fight for total emancipation.The demo is not about political parties, rather it is about the people of Zimbabwe.

Nobody is supposed to go to work, for once let us unite as Zimbabweans.

We know they want to suppress the protests but our message to them is clear- no form of ammunition will stop us from fighting for freedom.

Those who want to buy food please do so in time because this is not a joke.Nobody should be left out of the programme.We are going to confront the regime,” said Mkwananzi.

Farai Dziva|Tajamuka leader Promise Mkwananzi has said the July 31 protests are about sacrifices meant to emancipate the people of Zimbabwe from poverty and corruption.

In a strong warning to the Zanu PF regime, the former MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General said no form of ammunition would stop the protests.

“This is the time for the people of Zimbabwe to unite and fight for total emancipation.The demo is not about political parties, rather it is about the people of Zimbabwe.

Nobody is supposed to go to work, for once let us unite as Zimbabweans.

We know they want to suppress the protests but our message to them is clear- no form of ammunition will stop us from fighting for freedom.

Those who want to buy food please do so in time because this is not a joke.Nobody should be left out of the programme.We are going to confront the regime,” said Mkwananzi.

Own Correspondent|MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Job Sikhala has castigated Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for harassing those who are determined to fight corruption.

Sikhala also condemned the persecution of Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume.

Watch video below :