State Media

Health and safety measures against Covid-19 infections must be in place at all June examination centres by June 26 in line with the prescribed standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the High Court has ruled in an order issued by consent.

The pledge by Government to fullfil the exam conditions sought by the teachers’ unions means the urgent chamber application brought by the unions became an uncontested matter, thus prompting the High Court to grant the order.

The unions wanted the court to compel the Government to postpone the sitting of June examinations until all examination centres meet WHO Covid-19 prescribed standards, but the Government in response said it would meet those standards by June 26.

The public examinations are scheduled to start on June 30, but teachers’ unions were arguing that they were not ready to go back to school until a well-informed analysis of the impact of Covid-19 has been done and all health and safety measures are in place.

When the parties appeared before Justice Jesta Charewa sitting in her chambers last Wednesday they thrashed out the contentious issues, leading to the judge granting the consent order.

It was agreed that by June 26,Government should ensure that schools are fumigated, and the cleaning and disinfecting carried out within specified and agreed timelines.

Government would provide necessary temperature scanners for teachers and learners, ensure testing and adequate sanitisation, as well as making sure that all necessary steps to meet the Covid-19, WHO guidelines.

Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Mr Tapson Nganunu in a statement yesterday said that the Government’s response to the union’s application was based on the premise that Government would ensure that learners and teachers who will take part in the June 2020 examinations will be protected against Covid-19.

Own Correspondent

Tapiwa Mashakada continues to shock the world with his barrage of accusations against the MDC Alliance which he voluntarily left to join the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T as formulated by the Supreme Court.

In his latest move, Mashakada has been cited by the State Media giving shocking exposes details that the highly emotional abduction of Dr Peter Magombeyi in September last year, that triggered public outrage, was in fact staged by the MDC Alliance working with the American Embassy to malign the image of the Emmerson Mnangagwa goverment.

Mashakada’s mistimed hopeless revelations come at a time when goverment is harassing similarly abducted three female MDC activists.

“During the alleged abduction period of the ZHDA leader, Dr Peter Magombeyi, MDC-A senior members Douglas Coltart and Arnold Tsunga allegedly organised accommodation for him at the US Embassy in Westgate where he stayed for five days.

“An instruction was given from the party to make noise about this on social media and to tag all foreign adversaries. Magombeyi left the embassy on September 19 with his cellphone well charged and a team from the embassy drove him and left him at Nyabira where he started calling his friends. After some medical examinations, it was proved that Magombeyi was fit and was never tortured.

“He got a reward from the Americans who sponsored his luxurious vacation in an expensive hotel in South Africa,” said Mr Mashakada.

Mashakada said Magombeyi’s abduction was another well calculated move which took place when the UN General Assembly was coming and when a high-ranking delegation was visiting Zimbabwe to assess the human rights situation.

“Dr Magombeyi was not a threat to Government to warrant abduction by State agents and what would the Government gain by abducting the medical doctor at such a time when they were trying to clean up their own image? The MDC Alliance was only trying to push the narrative that there were gross human rights abuses in Zimbabwe and to call for more sanctions.

“This Magombeyi case is a ruse, everything we stage managed. I left the MDC Alliance because these people are after money and tarnishing the image of the Government for nothing and for this they are doing all sorts of nasty things. The movement has been captured and high jacked by some external forces and no longer serving the purpose,” said Mr Mashakada.

A fortnight ago, Mashakada also made unfounded claims that the MDC Alliance was sponsored by the ZANU PF G40 faction. He also made shallow claims that the party’s top officials helped themselves to $2 million from Government, claims which were since dismissed by no nonsense MDC Alliance Treasurer General David Coltart.

Exiled former ZANU PF heavyweight Jonathan Moyo has since revealed that Mashakada has been a ZANU PF agent within the opposition party for a long time.

State Media

THE debate over retaining the death penalty in the country’s statutes should not cloud the court when assessing murder sentences, a High Court judge said after condemning two robbers to death for killing a taxi driver two years ago.

Zimbabwe’s Constitution allows death sentence to be passed on adult men convicted of aggravated murder, but since 2005 there has been a de facto moratorium on executions with all those sentenced to death after a few years having their sentence commuted to life imprisonment.

But Justice Tawanda Chitapi said it has to be accepted that murders committed by men in the course of robbery invariably attract the death penalty in the absence of hefty mitigatory circumstances.

Romeo Jambara (29) and Norest Tamangani (31) were convicted of murder with constructive intent of taxi driver Taruvinga Mutiza.

Murder with constructive intent means that the killing was not premeditated, but that the killers were prepared to use extreme violence and were utterly reckless.

It is a common verdict when someone is killed during a robbery, but the original intent was to rob rather than kill.

After the murder, the two dumped the body along Acacia Road in Westgate after stealing the taxi and driver’s property, which included USB cables, chargers, modulators, a cellphone and a wallet.

Arrested accomplice Dallen Mary Mukupe was acquitted of the murder, while the other accomplice only identified as Last, is still at large.

In passing the death penalty, Justice Chitapi took a judicial notice that apart from the debate there has been no execution of the death sentence since 2005, which clearly showed lack of appetite by the Executive to carry out the sentence and authorise the execution.

Those sentenced to death have an automatic appeal to the Supreme Court, and if that court confirms the sentence then the matter goes to Cabinet.

A decision to hang a murderer is a Cabinet decision with the death warrant signed by the Justice Minister. Since 2005 no Cabinet has made the decision to carry out an execution.

Argument was even made by the duo’s pro deo lawyers that there was no point of imposing a sentence, which would not be executed.

But Justice Chitapi disagreed and took the view that, “this is a court of law”, and should apply the law as it is given.

“Until the death penalty is removed from the Constitution and statute books, the judge would be abrogating his or her sworn oath to uphold the Constitution and the law where he or she to refrain from passing a competent sentence befitting a particular offence because public opinion is against the imposition of that type of sentence,” said Justice Chitapi.

It was also the court’s view that the argument that no death row prisoners were being hanged was an issue for the Executive, which is charged with carrying out the executions.

The court has no power to direct the Executive to carry out the executions, said the judge.

However, Justice Chitapi said the murder was committed in aggravating circumstances hence the court had a discretion to impose any of the three sentences provided for in terms of the law, including the penalty imposed on the duo.

While Zimbabwe has not carried out any executions since 2005, at the end of last year about 80 people were on death row. In March this year, President Mnangagwa commuted to life imprisonment the death sentences of all those convicts that had been on death row for at least 10 years.

Being a former death row prisoner, the President has made it clear in public for several years that he totally opposes the death penalty and is working on legal modalities to remove the penalty from the country’s statutes.

Former President Robert Mugabe, was also opposed to the death penalty, although not in public, but was willing to be outvoted in Cabinet in the early years of independence.

President Mnangagwa narrowly escaped the gallows in the 1960s on the technicality that he was below 21 years when his contemporaries were hanged after they were caught while on a radical mission to disrupt infrastructure inside the then Rhodesia, as they fought against white colonial rule.

Own Correspondent

Businessman Kuda Tagwirei has come out gun blazing over revelations that he has been making huge profits in the acquisition of ZUPCO buses for goverment through a company Landela Investments which is reportedly linked to him.

The businessman has demanded for a apology with a thought to take legal action from weekly publication The Zimbabwe Independent for making the revelation.

The same media last month tried to follow up on the deal with government and all ministers were evasive after being asked to explain the details of the murky deal between the government and Landela Investments (Pvt) Ltd.

The Zimbabwe Independent broke the news that Landela Investments has been acquiring buses for the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) mass public transportation system, contrary to claims by public officials that the vehicles were directly sourced by the government.

When the media house sort explanations from goverment on the issue, all the relevant ministries in the bus deal said that they were not involved in the agreement in which the state-run Central Mechanical Equipment Department (CMED) has a hire purchase agreement with Landela.

Although Zupco is under the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the minister, July Moyo, curiously refused to comment and referred the Independent to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development, which controls the CMED.

“Yes, Zupco is under my ministry, but this is a CMED issue and that is under the Ministry of Transport. Zupco also rents from over 20 companies and it is difficult for me to know the details of every agreement,” Moyo said.

Contacted for comment, Transport minister Joel Biggie Matiza said the Finance ministry was the right authority to talk to regarding the bus agreement.

“It is the Ministry of Finance that is responsible for purchases and the tendering. What is there now is there,” Matiza said.

As the astonishing merry-go-round continued, the Finance ministry also shifted the responsibility to comment on the matter to other government departments, including the Procurement Regulation Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz).

“No, the Ministry of Finance is not involved in the purchase, we only approve payment through normal channels,” Finance ministry spokesperson Clive Mphambela said.

“We are not the right people to talk to in terms of procurement. We have Praz. But let me also just say when government procures, we do not usually import something directly, as in the case with fuel and other things.”

Government officials have in the past claimed that the buses already belonged to Zupco, with Mnangagwa commissioning the fleet amid pomp and fanfare.

The Independent has also learnt that Landela paid only 20% for the imported buses with the 80% balance payable a year after delivery. The buses were bought through a dealer, FAW Zimbabwe, which has offices in Harare.

At the time Landela imported the buses, the Civil Service Commission also acquired 20 new buses from the same supplier to boost its fleet.

In a letter to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) dated March 2, 2020, Massbreed Investments (Pvt) Ltd, which trades as FAW Zimbabwe, named the importer of some of the buses as Landela Investments.

“We are aware that the vehicles are to be warehoused in our bonded warehouse in conformity with the Customs and Excise Regulations Section 69:2A regarding the operation of Bonded Warehouses,” a letter by FAW Zimbabwe director Kuda Muzvongi to the Zimra controller read. “Undertake to return signed proprietor’s report (Form 26), acknowledgement receipt of goods together with any discrepancies within five days of the date of the entry to the proper officer at the warehousing port.”

The buses imported by Landela were reported by state media to be part of a consignment of 1 000 buses ordered from China and 500 from Belarus.

Source: Zimbabwe Independent

By Farai D Hove| Zimbabweans in South Afirca were last week treated to the touching story of an elderly man who reveals that he is 120 years old per evidence on his passport, and is stranded in the neighbouring country since the year 1918. Yes you heard me right there, 3 years way before the late Robert Mugabe was born.

Mr Samson Vera Shumba, narrates all in a short video clip while assisted by two women who’ve just spotted him. He shows them his passport to prove he entered South Africa in 1918. Visuals of the book can’t however be seen as the clip which ends prematurely. But the man reveals saying:

“I am Samson, the son of Vera, Shumba.”

“I come from Vudzi. I came here. Now I want to come home.  Why don’t you come and take me home?, ” he pleads.

What’s your father’s name?, he is asked, to which he answers saying, “Vera, Shumba.”

Which is your Village Book? “paVudzi,” he answers.

Who is your chief? “Bota, in Zaka.”

So which year did you come here?, he is asked, to which he says, “Aaah, I was a mad person.”

But we shall take a photograph of your passport, is that alright? You came here in 1918 when you were 18?, he is asked.

He replies saying, “Yaaah.”

The good Samaritan women then propose that they post his video onto a WhatsApp group, to which he expresses wonder saying, “What is a (WhatsApp) group? “

ZimEye is appealing to the Good Samaritan women to contact this news network as some people have voiced saying they are related to the elderly man. +447426863301

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

I'm stranded in South Africa since 1918, says 102 year old Samson Vera Shumba pic.twitter.com/CVbrGP4Bdl

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 21, 2020

There's a bus (ZUPCO) full of people, traveling from Capetown to Harare that's passed through Mvuma at 9pm on Sunday. When they briefly disembarked at ChickenSlice,the whole busload were seen without any masks. ChickenSlice workers had to run for cover fearing infectious diseases

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 22, 2020

Farai Dziva|An incensed Zanu PF MP, Berita Chikwama of Gutu East Constituency nearly assaulted MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Organising Secretary and councillor for ward 4, Masvingo Urban, Godfrey Kurauone during a public hearing on the Constitutional Amendment Bill in the ancient city on Thursday.

Stunned by Kurauone’s presentation, Chikwama charged towards the former and accused him of insulting her.Chikwama was restrained from physically attacking Kurauone by the facilitators of the event.

Speaking during the Public Hearing session, Kurauone said :

“Align the urban councils act first before tampering with the Constitution. The female quota system must be based on capacity.

Do not send people who sleep in Parliament. The amendments are designed to give ED sweeping powers.

ED must concentrate on reviving the economy and he must implement the 2013 Constitutional provisions.

Therefore, l reject all the amendments.”

After the presentation, Chikwama threatened to deal with Kurauone and she also accused the MDC Alliance of destroying the country’s economy.

Zimbabwe has recorded two COVID-19 Deaths deaths within 24 hours bringing the total number of fatalities related to the virus to 6, according to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

One of the deceased is a woman from the Midlands Province who was tested for coronavirus when she was already dead. The second case had tested positive for the virus on the 17th of June in Bulawayo.

According to the Health Ministry, the number of recoveries has risen to 64 after one person recovered from the virus.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care pointed out that the total number of known COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 486 after seven cases were recorded.

The Ministry has reported that of all the new cases, six are returnees from South Africa while one is from Portugal- Health Ministry

A GWERU woman who died on Friday became the fifth person to die of Covid-19, as cases in Zimbabwe continue to spike.

The death is the first coronavirus-related fatality in the Midlands Province.

The last person to die of Covid-19 before the latest case was 82-year-old Gogo Nguni from Mashonaland West Province, who died on April 22.

The latest death was reported by the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs Larry Mavima yesterday while addressing a Zanu PF meeting in Gokwe.

Mavima said he was notified of the death by Midlands provincial medical director Dr Reginald Mhene on Friday night.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the death of a woman from Gweru who is said to have been Covid-19 positive.

Dr Mhene told me that tests done on the woman after her death showed that she was Covid-19 positive.

“This brings to five the number of Covid-19-related deaths in the country and the first in the province,” said Minister Mavima, who is also the chairperson of the Midlands Provincial Covid-19 taskforce.

Mavima said statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care showed that the local transmission of Covid-19 was on the increase.

He said it was prudent for people to follow both lockdown rules and health guidelines such as maintaining social distancing and wearing face masks to prevent the spread of the virus.

Mavima said law enforcement agents would not hesitate to bring people to book for flouting Covid-19 rules and regulations.

“We have a situation where we have people harbouring relatives and friends who ran away from quarantine centres. It is wrong and unsafe. People who come from quarantine centres must have certificates to that effect.

Without one, people must report them to the police,” he said.

As of Friday, Zimbabwe had recorded 479 cases and 63 recoveries.
Meanwhile, Government said it has only managed to account for 30 returnees of the 171 who escaped from various quarantine centres- The Sunday Mail

THE strike by nurses at Bulawayo’s two major hospitals entered day two on Saturday with a handful of the health workers reporting for work.

Nurses at Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals on Friday went on strike demanding that their salaries be reverted to 1 October 2018 levels which were in United States dollars, which they said was a stable currency that can store value of their salaries.

Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer Mr Solwayo Ngwenya said only 21 nurses out of 80 who were expected yesterday afternoon had reported for duty.

“Yes, it’s still on (strike). A total of 21 out of 80 nurses expected to be on duty are at work. No doctors are on strike. A few student nurses and student midwives are also at work,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from the UBH acting chief executive officer Dr Narcisius Dzvanga were fruitless but an insider said the situation was bad.

“It is a terrible situation that we have this side, we cannot function efficiently without the nurses.

Those in the maternity department were working with one midwife in the labour ward which is not acceptable and risky too looking at the number of cases.

We cannot work this way for such a big institution, we have had to go back to emergency mode but still we are failing to cope, it’s just not a workable way out. Nurses are truly the backbone of healthcare in any country, they are essential.”

The source said nurses were ward managers and were a critical part in the functioning of a hospital.

“They spend a lot of time with patients and when they are not there it is a disaster.”

Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Mr Enock Dongo was quoted last week saying the nurses’ salaries in US dollars were stable as local currency was continuously eroding pensions, savings, medical aid and funeral policies, among other things- The Sunday News

By A Correspondent- South Africa’s opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has urged Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa to settle only for one term arguing that he is too old.

Malema said Mnangagwa to consider passing on the baton stick to the younger Zanu-PF generation, who will compete with the main opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa.

‘We call upon President Mnangagwa to serve one term, he is too old. We hope President Mnangagwa will not want to go for the second term, let Zanu PF begin a process of producing younger people who will compete with Chamisa,” Malema said.

“President Mnangagwa, this is a brotherly advice, it is a son’s call that says one term is enough, you are too old, let the younger generation take over,” he said.

By A Correspondent- Former cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo while responding to a fellow former cabinet Minister Savior Kasukuwere said the government needs to do these 5 things in order to fix the problems bedevilling the Southern African Nation.

Kasukuwere had said:

Politics is praxis! The discussions should be about where do we go from here and moving forward. We needs a list of 5 Things to do. Let’s get moving.

Moyo listed the following 5 things he said will help fix beleaguered Zimbabwe:

1. Respect the will of the people won by @nelsonchamisa

2. Restore constitutionalism & fully implement 2013 Constitution with no amendments

3. Setup Truth & Justice for all atrocities since 1980

4. Dollarise & adopt an agrobased economic turnaround

5. Stemitise education!

Moyo has been very vocal about Zimbabwe’s current affairs and has made several controversial declarations ever since he went into exile in 2017.

Watch the live video loading below…..(please be patient as it uploads)

FLASHBACK- President Emmerson's Mnangagwa's Five year pledge. Please comment with a love if you think he is on course and a retweet if you think he is failing and will not achieve anything as promised. pic.twitter.com/Fu6yd8sCMN

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 21, 2020

By A Correspondent | The MDC Alliance spokesperson, Fadzai Mahere’s 2018 election campaign manager, Kuda Musasiwa, has announced saying MDC President Nelson Chamisa wants to replace the top expert Dr Nkululeko Sibanda as his Presidential spokesperson.

His claims, contained in a tweet that remained unchallenged by Chamisa 3 days later, comes 3 weeks after Chamisa replaced Hon Daniel Molokele with Mahere in what some say was a good move, while others complain saying her rise to influence in the MDC Alliance is too sudden, and could turn disastrous.

Musasiwa ran Mahere’s entire 2018 election campaign, when Mahere thought she would defeat the MDC Alliance in Harare’s Mt Pleasant surbub.

Musasiwa is also known for plotting to rid the MDC Alliance of the capital city, Harare, having ganged up with Acie Lumumba (Gerald Mutumanje), Evan Mawarire, and a small group of zealots before the 2018 elections.

During that time Musasiwa would clash with the MDC stalwart Jameson Timba, who would in turn swear saying Fadzai Mahere prides herself in mere Twittership. Both Mahere and Musasiwa would regularly clash with the MDC Alliance until the day when she was given the heavy slap of reality that the MDC Alliance rules the city.

Fast forward, to June 2020, Musasiwa’s boss, the same Mahere, has risen to the post of running the entire information engine of the party she planned to crush (she has taken the shoes of the last most powerful spokesperson of the MDC Alliance, Obert Gutu, who had presidential ambitions, and remains a thorn in the flesh in the side of the MDC Alliance to this day.)

Her rise is clearly sudden, and it is at this time, that Musasiwa is seen announcing that he has been contacted by Chamisa for to replace Dr Sibanda, a claim that has remained unchallenged up to the time of the publication of this article.

While efforts to get a comment from Chamisa were fruitless at first (he later on dismissed the claim saying it is all false, there’s no truth at all in it), Musasiwa had openly published his tweet saying, ” even the president said to me that he (Nkululeko Sibanda)’s a clown and offered me his job. “

He also mocked Dr Sibanda saying he has a fake British accent. He said, “haiwawo Blaz uye ibaranzi..

“Aigija with a BriS**t accent yefeja. Nxa.”

Dr Sibanda has for more than 20 years proved to be not only an MDC loyale since his student union days when he was tortured by the CIO in the Midlands area, but worked hard to shape the MDC Alliance’s political strategy, and had Morgan Tsvangirai listened to him at the time of the coup, Mnangagwa would have been subdued during the very military takeover that removed Robert Mugabe. He supplied strategic intelligence that the MDC must not march to remove Mugabe or participate in impeachment drives until securing a state reform deal underwritten by the United Nations.

On the other hand, both Mahere and Musasiwa have no history of sacrifice to the struggle for democracy apart from participating in ED-Lacoste protests before the 2017 coup.

COMMENT – Meanwhile, should the development be true, firing Dr Sibanda especially at this time, will be disastrous for Nelson Chamisa and the entire party, while giving political ammunition to his nemesis, Douglas Mwonzora. Subsequently the person to gain out of all this is Emmerson Mnangagwa, there perhaps won’t be any need for ZANU PF to use state security against Chamisa, he will have finished himself.

MDC Alliance has urged the Mayor of Bulawayo His Worship Solomon Madlala Mguni to engage the residents and all stakeholders in Bulawayo in order to come up with a workable solution to the crisis that has seen about 10 people succumbing to a strange waterborne disease.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the opposition party applauded Council for availing free testing and medical treatment including free medicines for the communities in the affected areas.  

Read the full statement below:

The City of Bulawayo is facing an unprecedented water shortage. The water sources are currently at only 27% capacity. This exigence has resulted in extreme water rationing that could last until the rain season. Currently, tap water in Bulawayo is only available once a week.

This has caused an upsurge in waterborne diarrheal diseases as the quality of these sources of water cannot be guaranteed. We regret that people have died, many have been taken ill and others are hospitalized.

The Mayor of Bulawayo and his team are making frantic efforts to mitigate the effects of this humanitarian disaster.

The Bulawayo City Council is availing free testing and medical treatment including free medicines for the communities in the affected areas.  We applaud the Council for this initiative which has so far seen more than 300 residents getting help.

In addition, the Old Luveve area has now been exempted from water-shedding until the diarrheal outbreak is under control. Council is also replacing all galvanized pipes in Old Luveve with PVC piping. The galvanized pipes are now old and heavily rusted. The repairs are being effected urgently.

MDC Alliance has asked the Mayor and his team to go all out to engage the residents and all stakeholders in Bulawayo in order to come up with a workable solution to the crisis.

We believe that the medium to long term solution to the Bulawayo woes lies in ensuring there is sufficient raw water for the City of Kings and Queens. Zinwa has to immediately avail more water from the Nyamandlovu and Eping Forest Acquafers and make plans on a long term basis to have enough raw water in the face of this crisis. We will continue to lobby for them to do so.

The livelihoods of the people of Bulawayo are important to us. We will do everything in our power to ensure this crisis is swiftly resolved. Our hearts go out to all families who have needlessly lost loved ones due to the crisis.

Sunday News

Thokozani Khupe’s spokesperson Mr Khalipani Phugeni has rejected insinuations that the Khupe led MDC T faction is a Zanu Pf project whose sole aim is to neutralise the youthful MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa, Sunday News reports.

In dismissing the reports, Phugeni said Khupe has never received anything from Zanu PF:

It is a sad thing that people would treat others in a manner they would not want to be treated themselves, because we all know that natural justice demands that he that accuses must prove. Dr Khupe has previously been arrested over seven times, she has received nothing, publicly or privately from Zanu-PF, which the same cannot be said about her detractors.

Simply because she stood firm and pushed back against infringement of her rights and stood resolute defending not only herself but her gender because she was being marginalised on the basis of her gender and ethnicity, so she stood firm, which the ruling elite and the private media did not like. They did not like this woman who was not submissive.

Earlier this month, Khupe took over MDC Alliance headquarters Harvest House assisted by state security agents, which further fueled stories they were working for or with the ruling party to neutralise the ruling party’s strongest opponent Nelson Chamisa.

Byo 24

The South African opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has urged Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa to settle only for one term arguing that he is too old.

Malema said Mnangagwa to consider passing on the baton stick to the younger Zanu-PF generation, who will compete with the main opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa.

‘We call upon President Mnangagwa to serve one term, he is too old. We hope President Mnangagwa will not want to go for the second term, let Zanu PF begin a process of producing younger people who will compete with Chamisa,” Malela said.

“President Mnangagwa, this is a brotherly advice is a son’s call that says one term is enough, you are too old, let the younger generation take over,” he said.

He says it’s a brotherly and friendly advice

ZBC

THE late national hero, Stanley Gagisa Nleya is expected to be laid to rest at the National Heroes Acre this Wednesday. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic only invited guests will attend the burial which will be covered live by the ZBC.

A spokesperson for the Nleya family, Tshaha Nleya told the Zbc News that the family is being guided by government dictates of how national heroes are buried.

This comes after the family also requested that the body lie in state at the Nleya rural home overnight before being flown to Harare for burial.

“We made the request because his mother is still alive but she is now bedridden due to advanced age,” said the family spokesperson.

Nleya, whose Chimurenga name was Gagisa, was one of Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) commanders during the war of independence.

He also trained current Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Phillip Valerio Sibanda.

He succumbed to heart disease on Tuesday at United Bulawayo Hospitals where he had been admitted.

He is survived by three children and two grandchildren. Mourners are gathered at Number 30 New Luveve in Bulawayo.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has come back with new rules.

On Tuesday there is an expectation of a new official rate as the foreign currency auction system kicks in. This will essentially move the dial away from the 25 currently there, to well, who knows?

But the new new is that shops will now be required to post the official rate so that they do not peg their pricing against the parallel market.

Of course, this will be easy to manage when it comes to the official shops but we know a lot of trade is happening outside the formal system. So does that mean informal sector actors will have to carry these as well? And hotels? And lodges? And, well you see where we are going with this.

There is a feeling among many that the myriad of rules every week are not even being given a chance to see if they work. This would make one wonder if there is a clear indication of a plan.

That said, it should make for a possibly strange week. How close to the street rate will the official rate come?

Farai Dziva|An incensed Zanu PF MP, Berita Chikwama of Gutu East Constituency nearly assaulted MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Organising Secretary and councillor for ward 4, Masvingo Urban, Godfrey Kurauone during a public hearing on the Constitutional Amendment Bill in the ancient city on Thursday.

Stunned by Kurauone’s presentation, Chikwama charged towards the former and accused him of insulting her.Chikwama was restrained from physically attacking Kurauone by the facilitators of the event.

Speaking during the Public Hearing session, Kurauone said :

“Align the urban councils act first before tampering with the Constitution. The female quota system must be based on capacity.

Do not send people who sleep in Parliament. The amendments are designed to give ED sweeping powers.

ED must concentrate on reviving the economy and he must implement the 2013 Constitutional provisions.

Therefore, l reject all the amendments.”

After the presentation, Chikwama threatened to deal with Kurauone and she also accused the MDC Alliance of destroying the country’s economy.

By A Correspondent- The strike by nurses at Bulawayo’s two major hospitals entered day two on Saturday with a handful of the health workers reporting for work.

Nurses at Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals on Friday went on strike demanding that their salaries be reverted to 1 October 2018 levels which were in United States dollars, which they said was a stable currency that can store value of their salaries.

Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer Mr Solwayo Ngwenya said only 21 nurses out of 80 who were expected yesterday afternoon had reported for duty.

“Yes, it’s still on (strike). A total of 21 out of 80 nurses expected to be on duty are at work. No doctors are on strike. A few student nurses and student midwives are also at work,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from the UBH acting chief executive officer Dr Narcisius Dzvanga were fruitless but an insider said the situation was bad.

“It is a terrible situation that we have this side, we cannot function efficiently without the nurses.

Those in the maternity department were working with one midwife in the labour ward which is not acceptable and risky too looking at the number of cases.

We cannot work this way for such a big institution, we have had to go back to emergency mode but still we are failing to cope, it’s just not a workable way out. Nurses are truly the backbone of healthcare in any country, they are essential.”

The source said nurses were ward managers and were a critical part in the functioning of a hospital.

“They spend a lot of time with patients and when they are not there it is a disaster.”

Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Mr Enock Dongo was quoted last week saying the nurses’ salaries in US dollars were stable as local currency was continuously eroding pensions, savings, medical aid and funeral policies, among other things- The Sunday News

Zimbabwe has recorded two COVID-19 deaths within 24 hours bringing the total number of fatalities related to the virus to 6, according to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

One of the deceased is a woman from the Midlands Province who was tested for coronavirus when she was already dead. The second case had tested positive for the virus on the 17th of June in Bulawayo.

According to the Health Ministry, the number of recoveries has risen to 64 after one person recovered from the virus.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care pointed out that the total number of known COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 486 after seven cases were recorded.

The Ministry has reported that of all the new cases, six are returnees from South Africa while one is from Portugal- Health Ministry

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe has recorded two coronavirus deaths within 24 hours bringing the total number of fatalities related to the virus to 6.

One of the deceased is a woman from the Midlands Province who was tested for coronavirus when she was already dead while the second one was a case from Bulawayo Province who had tested positive for the virus on the 17th of June.

Meanwhile, the number of recoveries has risen to 64 after one person recovered from the virus.

This was announced by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in a statement which also observed that the total number of known coronavirus cases in the country rose to 486 after seven cases were recorded.

The Ministry reported that of all the new cases, six are returnees from South Africa while one case was from Portugal.

It is not clear from the statement if the two fatalities (death in quarantine and community death) are part of the 7 new cases.

OPPOSITION MDC-T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe has hit back at its rivals who are alleging that the formation was a Zanu-PF project noting that those who were peddling such falsehoods were attempting to get an unfair political advantage.

Supreme Court judge Justice Bharat Patel, sitting with Justices Paddington Garwe and Antonia Guvava, in April ruled that Mr Nelson Chamisa was not the legitimate MDC-T leader in terms of the party’s constitution and subsequently ordered the convening of an extra-ordinary congress within three months to elect a new president.

Since the ruling, members of the Chamisa-led MDC-Alliance have labelled Dr Khuphe a sell-out, even claiming that she was a pawn of the ruling Zanu-PF. Last week, MDC Alliance vice-president, Professor Welshman Ncube was quoted in the private media saying Dr Khupe was shameless.

Responding to questions from the Sunday News, MDC-T, deputy secretary for information and publicity, who is also Dr Khupe’s spokesperson, Mr Khalipani Phugeni said Dr Khupe’s detractors were just angered by the fact that she refused to be submissive and allow for the infringement of her rights. He said most of the accusations that were being levelled against the party’s leaders were not provable by either Mr Chamisa or his cronies.

“It is a sad thing that people would treat others in a manner they would not want to be treated themselves, because we all know that natural justice demands that he that accuses must prove. Dr Khupe has previously been arrested over seven times, she has received nothing, publicly or privately from Zanu-PF, which the same cannot be said about her detractors.

“Simply because she stood firm and pushed back against infringement of her rights and stood resolute defending not only herself but her gender because she was being marginalised on the basis of her gender and ethnicity, so she stood firm, which the ruling elite and the private media did not like. They did not like this woman who was not submissive,” said Mr Phugeni.

He took a swipe at Prof Ncube and the MDC-Alliance co-vice-president Mr Tendai Biti for spreading baseless allegations noting that the two had themselves previously been labelled Zanu-PF projects by the same individuals they were now siding with.

“Dr Khupe’s working with Zanu-PF is only restricted or defined by the fact that it is the governing party of the day, so you can’t boycott Government because it is the Government that provides social services, build roads, gives us birth certificates to mention but a few, so if that is being Zanu-PF then all of us are Zanu-PF, as citizens of this country.

“Strange enough those that are now clamouring louder on this Zanu-PF tag, in particular Prof Ncube, has also once been called a Zanu-PF project by the same people he has joined ranks with. Tendai Biti was also once in the same boat, which was even worse for him as our late president Dr Morgan Tsvangirai is on record accusing him of having stolen large sums of money, so you are talking of a thief here, according to Dr Tsvangirai,” said Mr Phugeni.

He further clarified on the issue of recalling MPs and councillors saying they were still establishing those of their representatives that were pushing the party’s agenda and those that were not for them to come up with a detailed list of those that were to be recalled.

“Our agenda is not to recall, our agenda is to deliver, so you will appreciate that our representatives which we deploy in Government are being deployed to help us achieve this agenda. The issue does not have to do with whether one supports Dr Khupe or not but more of the values, aims and objectives of the MDC-T. This is something that we are patiently taking our time on because the violent takeover of the party did not help so the process of establishing those MPs and councillors that are carrying out their mandate with exception is taking time but very soon our caucus will be in shape,” he said.

On the issue of reclaiming of the MDC-T’s offices and assets around the country, Mr Phugeni said while the issue was still before the courts it was known to all that when Mr Chamisa usurped power he took both the party and its assets hence it had to follow that Dr Khupe’s MDC-T should also repossess their offices around the country.

He further revealed that at the moment they were not worried about public perception but were focusing on doing what was right in terms of the party constitution.

“We have not followed the public discourse mainly because we are doing what is right, it is not a popularity contest, it’s all about doing right by the party, Remember, Dr Khupe as the president of the party, she has what is called a fiducial duty towards the MDC-T and she must carry it out without fear or prejudice. The best way to carry out this mandate is not to worry much about public perception, I’m not saying public perception is not important but it is not a popularity contest, we are just making sure that the mandate of our people is carried out to the best of our ability,” said Mr Phugeni.

THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has launched a new operation code-named “Wakazvitenga Sei?” that is set to see individuals who fail to account for their wealth forfeiting it to the State.

ZACC chair Justice Loyce Matanda-Moyo said the anti-graft body was empowered by the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Act to seize assets bought through proceeds of crime.

Even if the suspected corrupt person is acquitted by the courts, the unexplained wealth orders give the commission and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) power to forfeit the properties.

The law demands that anyone suspected of corruption explain his or her source of wealth, failure of which they will lose the properties.

It is understood that some persons of interest, including high-profile individuals, are already being investigated by ZACC.

Justice Matanda-Moyo told The Sunday Mail that those that would be under investigation are expected to produce verifiable and auditable data to support their wealth.

“This is an intensive lifestyle audit on some of the rich people. They have to produce their invoices on what goods or services they rendered and this has to match the value of the acquired properties,” she said.

“We will also be checking if these people or their businesses were paying taxes. This means that the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is also on board as we seek to ensure compliance to all laws.”

However, before the properties or wealth is seized, an application would be made through the NPA.

Those who are under investigation will then be afforded an opportunity at the High Court to account for their wealth.

Failure to do so will automatically result in seizure and forfeiture.

Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara)’s  former chief executive officer Mr Frank Chitukutuku’s properties have been frozen while investigations into his case continue.

A former Zimra revenue official Mr Kennedy Nyatoti recently lost a US$150 000 mansion and a vehicle after the taxman conducted a lifestyle audit which exposed that his earnings did not match his possessions.

ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure said the country now has robust legal instruments to fight corruption such as the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Act and Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Writing in his bi-weekly column, Corruption Watch, which is published by The Sunday Mail, Commissioner Makamure said the unexplained wealth orders were recently enacted into law and gave impetus to assets forfeiture of properties reasonably suspected to have been acquired through corruption.

“The unexplained wealth orders are a profound development in the quest for zero tolerance to corruption. This is because someone can be acquitted in a criminal trial but still have assets forfeited as long as on the balance of probabilities there is reasonable suspicion that they were acquired from corrupt activities.”

Commissioner Makamure said they were closely working with the NPA, which makes applications at the courts to seize targeted properties under the operation.

“We are confident that the improved legal framework on asset recovery should enable the commission to surpass its target of recovering assets worth $300 million by the end of this year.”

Legal expert Mr Oliver Marwa said while the current statutes were adequate to combat corruption, there is need to double down on efforts to fight the scourge considering its prevalence.

There was need for ZACC to hire competent chartered accountants and lawyers who should be well paid to avoid bribery from suspects, he said.

“Corruption in Zimbabwe is more pronounced in the public sector where politicians have more assets compared to their counterparts in the developed world. They acquire houses and cars, hence it is not difficult to seize and forfeit properties acquired from proceeds of crime,” said Mr Marwa.

He recommended that asset seizure should be done expeditiously as properties could be easily transferred or sold to third parties and render the whole exercise futile.

“Corruption is very complicated. So let us be serious because it sustains itself in that if someone is arrested he/she can easily pay a bribe and be released. In some cases, one may never get evidence of corruption,” said Mr Marwa.

“In Zimbabwe, we have the slowest action in dealing with corruption but this must change if we want to win this war.”

President Mnangagwa’s administration has declared war against corruption and has been propping up institutions that fight graft to be able to deliver on their mandate.

By A Correspondent- Former MDC Alliance secretary for Policy and Research, Tapiwa Mashakada has accused the party leadership of employing the services of cyber mercenaries to target fellow party members and silence them from speaking out on the chaos that has become of the party.

Mashakada who is the Hatfield legislator told ZBC News that the schemers of the cyberattacks include Pedzisayi Ruhanya and former legislator Kuwadzana East Charlton Hwende.

He said:

“They are Masters of media theatrics and chicanery. Ruhanya is a former Daily News Political Editor. The desperate cabal led by Ruhanya and Hwende is so desperate to muzzle me and soil my image.

Recently they desperately staged an interview using Zim-eye featuring a confused man claiming I had snatched his wife. I bet you the next stupid drama they will stage is a rape case. They will even make attempts on my life. I now fear for my life and that of my family.”

Responding to the allegations, Ruhanya labelled Mashakada a ZANU PF agent adding that his remarks were childish.

This comes when tensions between the MDC formations led by Nelson Chamisa and Thokozani Khupe have in the recent past intensified following the Supreme Court ruling that reinstated Khupe as the MDC leader.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- A Zimbabwean human rights defender, Tatenda Mombeyarara has said that he is terrified by the recent reports of abduction and torture of three MDC Alliance trio – Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova.

Mombeyarara was last year kidnapped from his home at ungodly hours, tortured and sustained a fractured leg.

He is one of many people who were last year arrested on grounds that they were intending to subvert a constitutionally established government.

Speaking to DW, Mombeyarara said dissent can lead to abduction and torture.

He said:

I am petrified and terrified. It is a difficult situation to become a villain when you are the victim. You are forced to decide to keep to yourself to prevent further victimization. You have to remain gagged to heal. The nature of harm caused on you goes beyond physical.

Although the identity of the perpetrator of these human rights abuses is not yet known, the opposition MDC and human rights organizations say in most incidences, the pattern of the violations points towards the state.

The government, however, has denied involvement with the Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe saying the government does not engage or permit any of its agencies and institutions to use methods such as torture, forced disappearances or abductions.

Kazembe accused the opposition of working with foreign organizations to destabilize the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa adding that “torture and forced disappearances are alien to us.”

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch Southern Africa Director Dewa Mavhinga observes that Zimbabwe’s failure to decisively deal with cases of abductions disappearances and torture severely undermines the standing of the country within the international community and reengagement efforts.

-DW

MDC Alliance Vice President and former Finance Minister, Tendai Biti has called on incumbent Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube to resign from his position as he is failing.

Below is Biti’s presentation on a point of privilege in parliament.

Mr. Speaker Sir, we are gravely concerned about the continuous shifting of our Monetary Policy. We are concerned particularly about the constant changes to our Monetary Policy. In 2009, we introduced the basket of multiple currencies. The basket of multiple currencies lasted until 2016, when in November 2016, the Bond Note was introduced through amendments that were made to the Reserve Bank Act. In 2017, Mr. Speaker Sir, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Finance spent the bulk of the year convincing Zimbabweans that the Bond Note was on par with the US dollar. They ran an expensive campaign called Operation gedye gedye, persuading the people of Zimbabwe to accept that the bond note was equal to the US dollar. We were shocked Mr. Speaker Sir when on the 1st of October 2018 banks were suddenly advised by the Reserve Bank in an exchange control directive that they had to separate people’s accounts into nostro FCAs and nostro RTGS. We were further shocked when on the 20th of February 2019, Statutory Instrument 33 of 2019 was introduced which said we now have a new currency called the RTGS, which initially was at 1:1 then 1:2.5 and then was floated.

In June of 2019, Mr. Speaker Sir, we were advised by the esteemed Minister of Finance that the country had dedolarised; that the regime of multiple currencies were no longer legal tender in Zimbabwe; that the Zimbabwean dollar had been restored as the sole currency in this country. Mr. Speaker Sir, some people protested and made the point that the country was not ready to introduce its own currency. We made the point that conditions did not exist for the introduction of our own currency. We were further confused yesterday when the Minister of Finance effectively dedollarised by the introduction of a US$75 allowance to civil servants and US$30 to war veterans. It is our contention Mr. Speaker that the Minister of Finance owes Zimbabweans an apology that he should not introduce dollarisation through the back door; that he should repeal Statutory Instrument 33 and Statutory Instrument 142 and the Finance Act. Mr. Speaker Sir, the Minister of Finance has failed in absolute terms and must resign. I thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir.

Security forces have been accused of disrupting the economy through the chaotic implementation of Covid-19 lockdown regulations after they forced the closure of Bulawayo businesses without notice last week.

Armed soldiers and police last Tuesday forced people out of Bulawayo’s central business district (CBD).

The following day they restricted entry into Kwekwe’s CBD, amid claims by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba that a decision had been made to restrict people’s movement after authorities received intelligence that the opposition was plotting protests.

There were also reports of police and soldiers manning roadblocks restricting entry into Harare CBD, even for people that had authorisation letters.

On June 17, the Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe (Emcoz) wrote to Labour minister Paul Mavima complaining about the conduct of the police and soldiers deployed to enforce the lockdown.

“This letter serves to express our concern as business with respect to the disruption that is being caused to operations as a result of actions of security forces at roadblocks and checkpoints particularly in urban centres,” read the letter.

The letter, signed by Emcoz president Israel Murefu, claimed police and soldiers had been turning away workers at roadblocks, forcing business to close down.

“We wish to put it on record that the conduct of security forces, which prima facie, do not appear to be in accordance with known Covid-19 lockdown regulations, is causing serious disruptions to business operations,” read the letter.

A recent survey by the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic is weighing down on Zimbabwe’s productive sector, amid warnings that some manufacturing companies are on the brink of collapse.

Low production and over-reliance on imports are haunting the country’s economy and weighed down the local currency.

Murefu said the continued disruptions would have a negative effect on the economy.

“You would be aware that both the minister of Finance (Muthuli Ncube) and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor (John Mangudya) are on record making the observation that our biggest problem leading to the current poor economic performance is lack of production or low utilisation,” the letter added.

“The failure of workers to report for duty as well as the failure of business to open in some urban centres as a result of workers failing to report for duty is actually exacerbating the problem.”

The Standard

By A Correspondent | The MDC Alliance spokesperson, Fadzai Mahere’s 2018 election campaign manager, Kuda Musasiwa, has announced saying MDC President Nelson Chamisa wants to replace the top expert Dr Nkululeko Sibanda as his Presidential spokesperson.

His claims, contained in a tweet that remained unchallenged by Chamisa 3 days later, comes 3 weeks after Chamisa replaced Hon Daniel Molokele with Mahere in what some say was a good move, while others complain saying her rise to influence in the MDC Alliance is too sudden, and could turn disastrous.

Musasiwa ran Mahere’s entire 2018 election campaign, when Mahere thought she would defeat the MDC Alliance in Harare’s Mt Pleasant surbub.

Musasiwa is also known for plotting to rid the MDC Alliance of the capital city, Harare, having ganged up with Acie Lumumba (Gerald Mutumanje), Evan Mawarire, and a small group of zealots before the 2018 elections.

During that time Musasiwa would clash with the MDC stalwart Jameson Timba, who would in turn swear saying Fadzai Mahere prides herself in mere Twittership. Both Mahere and Musasiwa would regularly clash with the MDC Alliance until the day when she was given the heavy slap of reality that the MDC Alliance rules the city.

Fast forward, to June 2020, Musasiwa’s boss, the same Mahere, has risen to the post of running the entire information engine of the party she planned to crush (she has taken the shoes of the last most powerful spokesperson of the MDC Alliance, Obert Gutu, who had presidential ambitions, remains a thorn in the flesh in the side of the MDC Alliance to this day.)

Her rise is clearly sudden, and it is at this time, that Musasiwa is seen announcing that he has been contacted by Chamisa for to replace Dr Sibanda, a claim that has remained unchallenged up to the time of the publication of this article. – THIS IS A DEVELOPING ARTICLE.

While efforts to get a comment from President Chamisa were fruitless at the time of publishing, Musasiwa openly published his tweet saying, ” even the president said to me that he (Nkululeko Sibanda)’s a clown and offered me his job. “

A few hours later, President Chamisa dismissed Musasiwa’s claims. He briefly described his allegations as “false.”

Musasiwa has mocked Dr Sibanda saying he has a fake British accent. He said, “haiwawo Blaz uye ibaranzi..

“Aigija with a BriS**t accent yefeja. Nxa.”

…

Dr Sibanda has for more than 20 years proved to be not only an MDC loyale since his student union days when he was tortured by the CIO in the Midlands area, but worked hard to shape the MDC Alliance’s political strategy, and had Morgan Tsvangirai listened to him at the time of the coup, Mnangagwa would have been subdued during the very military takeover that removed Robert Mugabe. He supplied strategic intelligence that the MDC must not march to remove Mugabe or participate in impeachment drives until securing a state reform deal underwritten by the United Nations.

On the other hand, both Mahere and Musasiwa have no history of sacrifice to the struggle for democracy apart from participating in ED-Lacoste protests before the 2017 coup.

COMMENT – Meanwhile, should the development be true, firing Dr Sibanda especially at this time, will be disastrous for Nelson Chamisa and the entire party, while giving political ammunition to his nemesis, Douglas Mwonzora. Subsequently the person to gain out of all this is Emmerson Mnangagwa, there perhaps won’t be any need for ZANU PF to use state security against Chamisa, he will have finished himself.

The MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe on Friday got an interim court order from the Magistrates Court to occupy the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai (MRT) House which is the headquarters of the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance.

The interim court order was granted after the MDC-T deputy chairperson Morgen Komichi sought to bar Chalton Hwende and the MDC Alliance (MDCA) from coming to Harvest House.

The Magistrate Court ordered the 1st and 2nd respondents, Hwende and MDCA respectively, not to harass, assault or commit any acts of violence against members of MDC-T “in any manner likely to lead to a breach of peace”.

The order blocked MDCA from taking possession of the MRT House without a valid court order.

The Magistrates Court also ordered police to use all the necessary means to maintain law and order at MRT House and to enforce the provisions of the order.

Commenting on the court order, MDCA Secretary for Education, David Coltart said:

If one wrote this as fiction it would be rejected as far fetched. MDCT having unlawfully taken possession of MRT House with the help of the army now gets an order from the Magistrates Court (which doesn’t have jurisdiction) against a party the MDCT and ZANU-PF say isn’t a party, MDCA.

The court order was issued more than 12 hours after the military seized MRT House from MDCA and handed it over to Khupe’s party.

We publish below the order:

A chinese national has shot and injured two natives in Gweru over a salary dispute. And no arrest has bren made @ZimEye @PoliceZimbabwe @EricgonoJnr @nickmangwana @daddyhope @advocatemahere @TafadzwaChivau1 @mdc_byo_youth pic.twitter.com/6VQqGyBvvp

— Womberaiishe Nhende (@Cde_Wombe) June 21, 2020

By A Correspondent- The governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, John Mangudya has announced that the auction system which will tell the official peg of the local currency against foreign currencies will start working this Tuesday.

He made the remarks during an interview with the Sunday Mail during which he also said that the 1:25 rate which the government recently ditched was not viable. He said:

What we are saying is very clear in that the auction market is going to receive bids starting Tuesday from an array of foreign currency users. After receiving the bids we will end up having an average rate that will be used for all official systems.

All shops will now be obliged to display the official rate so that they can peg prices in that regard as opposed to pegging prices based on the parallel market.

He added that the move was premised at addressing inflation and variation between the official and the black market forex rates.

Mangudya also said starting Tuesday, the country will have an official market for foreign currency adding that it will be used for all transactions involving foreign currency.

The local currency has been rapidly losing value against other currencies thereby triggering a rise in inflation.

Looking ahead ceteris paribus, it's common cause that the 2018 presidential election was stolen from @nelsonchamisa. That should inform the transition from Mnangagwa's military imposed administration to a new Zimbabwe. Anything else is mumbo jumbo!#ZanupfMustGo

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) June 21, 2020

Watch the live video below……

https://youtu.be/6pXOztFkSxo

By A Correspondent- Former MDC Alliance secretary for Policy and Research, Tapiwa Mashakada has accused the party leadership of employing the services of cyber mercenaries to target fellow party members and silence them from speaking out on the chaos that has become of the party.

Mashakada who is the Hatfield legislator told ZBC News that the schemers of the cyberattacks include Pedzisayi Ruhanya and former legislator Kuwadzana East Charlton Hwende.

He said:

“They are Masters of media theatrics and chicanery. Ruhanya is a former Daily News Political Editor. The desperate cabal led by Ruhanya and Hwende is so desperate to muzzle me and soil my image.

Recently they desperately staged an interview using Zim-eye featuring a confused man claiming I had snatched his wife. I bet you the next stupid drama they will stage is a rape case. They will even make attempts on my life. I now fear for my life and that of my family.”

Responding to the allegations, Ruhanya labelled Mashakada a ZANU PF agent adding that his remarks were childish.

This comes when tensions between the MDC formations led by Nelson Chamisa and Thokozani Khupe have in the recent past intensified following the Supreme Court ruling that reinstated Khupe as the MDC leader.

-StateMedia

RETRACTION – We take great care in the accuracy of our reports and wish to notify our readers and listeners that the below announcement purportedly firing Health Minister Obadiah Moyo is false as per our previous warnings in two of our morning broadcasts. We apologise. pic.twitter.com/z3eB53xVE3

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 21, 2020

Watch the live video loading below….

https://youtu.be/6pXOztFkSxo

By A Correspondent- The strike by nurses at Bulawayo’s two major hospitals entered day two on Saturday with a handful of the health workers reporting for work.

Nurses at Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals on Friday went on strike demanding that their salaries be reverted to 1 October 2018 levels which were in United States dollars, which they said was a stable currency that can store value of their salaries.

Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer Mr Solwayo Ngwenya said only 21 nurses out of 80 who were expected yesterday afternoon had reported for duty.

“Yes, it’s still on (strike). A total of 21 out of 80 nurses expected to be on duty are at work. No doctors are on strike. A few student nurses and student midwives are also at work,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from the UBH acting chief executive officer Dr Narcisius Dzvanga were fruitless but an insider said the situation was bad.

“It is a terrible situation that we have this side, we cannot function efficiently without the nurses.

Those in the maternity department were working with one midwife in the labour ward which is not acceptable and risky too looking at the number of cases.

We cannot work this way for such a big institution, we have had to go back to emergency mode but still we are failing to cope, it’s just not a workable way out. Nurses are truly the backbone of healthcare in any country, they are essential.”

The source said nurses were ward managers and were a critical part in the functioning of a hospital.

“They spend a lot of time with patients and when they are not there it is a disaster.”

Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Mr Enock Dongo was quoted last week saying the nurses’ salaries in US dollars were stable as local currency was continuously eroding pensions, savings, medical aid and funeral policies, among other things- The Sunday News

By A Correspondent- Today was his birthday and Paul Munakopa would have turned 35.

Munakopa was thirty four when he was fatally shot by suspected police officers in Hillside suburb while driving with his fiancé in May 2020.

Munakopa, who was shot around 10 pm along Caithness Road in Hillside on a Saturday, succumbed to the gunshot wounds at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) in the early hours of the next Sunday morning.

Munakopa’s fiance, Tracy Mufudzi, told CITE in an interview that her fiancé was shot four times by suspected police officers who were reportedly driving in a white Toyota Fortuner with civilians believed to members of a neighbourhood watch committee.

Mufudzi said she had linked up with Munakopa earlier in the day and they had gone together to Burnside suburb to view a house which they were planning to rent.

“We went to my place and parked outside the gate. We were so excited about moving in together and starting our own home. He said the house was a bit old and would need some renovations. He then suggested that we go to Malindela suburb where he would show me a house he once revamped while he was still staying there,” she narrated.

Mufudzi said they proceeded to Malindela suburb and parked by near the house.

She said they sat in the car talking for about 20 minutes and as they drove off the white car appeared from nowhere.

“Munakopa reversed his car and we drove off. When we got to Cecil Avenue we spotted the car following us. They caught up with us at Hillside Teachers College and blocked our way. This car had no siren or anything on it and we were just puzzled as to whom it was. We reversed and turned into Caithness Road,” she narrated.

She said the car blocked their way again and two white men, who were wearing camouflage caps and had bandanas tied to their faces disembarked from the vehicle.

“We were now panicking because we couldn’t even see who these people were nor did we know what they wanted. He tried to reverse again. At the time when he started to drive off we heard four gunshots. He was hit on his hands, the car lost control and fell into a trench on the side of the road,” she said.

“There was no warning shots or anything. They just started firing. At least they could have hooted or asked us to pull over. There was no way we could have just known that these were police officers chasing us.”

She added that the two armed cops came to the car and started smashing the windows.

“I was seated at the back seat of the car and I was screaming. I reached out for Munakopa and held his head. I felt blood all over it. One of the white men told the cops that Munakopa was bleeding and asked for something to help to apply pressure to prevent blood loss,” she said.

“The man then called for an ambulance, more police officers came to the scene. I asked them why they didn’t fire warning shots, the cops said they fired at us because we did not stop.”

Mufudzi said an ambulance came about 30 minutes later, but she remained at the scene until their car had been towed away.

Her brother then picked her up and they drove to UBH.

“At UBH they said I should have been accompanied by a police officer who would explain what had transpired. They said he had lost a lot of blood because the bullets had hit several atteries. They said they’d only give him painkillers and operate on him the following day. Around 4 AM I got a message that he had passed on,” she said.

She said she then proceeded to Central Police Station to open a case against the police but was referred to Hillside police station.

“When I got there I was ushered into a room where we found one of the officers who shot at us. He looked at me and laughed. I ran out of the room crying. They then started recording my statement as a witness to the case. I told them that I wanted to open a case too against the police but they told me that I was not allowed to do so,” she said.

When contacted for a comment, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the shooting incident and said investigations are still underway.

Nyathi said an official statement will be issued once circumstances around the incident have been established.

“Police are investigating a case in which a high-speed chase resulted in a fatal shoot out by police officers who were on patrol. The now-deceased man was found naked with his partner in their car. We are yet to get finer details pertaining to the incident and an official statement will be issued,” Ass Comm Nyathi said in May 2020.

That was the last time the police spoke about the matter.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe has recorded two coronavirus deaths within 24 hours bringing the total number of fatalities related to the virus to 6.

One of the deceased is a woman from the Midlands Province who was tested for coronavirus when she was already dead while the second one was a case from Bulawayo Province who had tested positive for the virus on the 17th of June.

Meanwhile, the number of recoveries has risen to 64 after one person recovered from the virus.

This was announced by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in a statement which also observed that the total number of known coronavirus cases in the country rose to 486 after seven cases were recorded.

The Ministry reported that of all the new cases, six are returnees from South Africa while one case was from Portugal.

It is not clear from the statement if the two fatalities (death in quarantine and community death) are part of the 7 new cases.

THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has launched a new operation code-named “Wakazvitenga Sei?” that is set to see individuals who fail to account for their wealth forfeiting it to the State.

ZACC chair Justice Loyce Matanda-Moyo said the anti-graft body was empowered by the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Act to seize assets bought through proceeds of crime.

Even if the suspected corrupt person is acquitted by the courts, the unexplained wealth orders give the commission and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) power to forfeit the properties.

The law demands that anyone suspected of corruption explain his or her source of wealth, failure of which they will lose the properties.

It is understood that some persons of interest, including high-profile individuals, are already being investigated by ZACC.

Justice Matanda-Moyo told The Sunday Mail that those that would be under investigation are expected to produce verifiable and auditable data to support their wealth.

“This is an intensive lifestyle audit on some of the rich people. They have to produce their invoices on what goods or services they rendered and this has to match the value of the acquired properties,” she said.

“We will also be checking if these people or their businesses were paying taxes. This means that the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is also on board as we seek to ensure compliance to all laws.”

However, before the properties or wealth is seized, an application would be made through the NPA.

Those who are under investigation will then be afforded an opportunity at the High Court to account for their wealth.

Failure to do so will automatically result in seizure and forfeiture.

Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara)’s  former chief executive officer Mr Frank Chitukutuku’s properties have been frozen while investigations into his case continue.

A former Zimra revenue official Mr Kennedy Nyatoti recently lost a US$150 000 mansion and a vehicle after the taxman conducted a lifestyle audit which exposed that his earnings did not match his possessions.

ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure said the country now has robust legal instruments to fight corruption such as the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Act and Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Writing in his bi-weekly column, Corruption Watch, which is published by The Sunday Mail, Commissioner Makamure said the unexplained wealth orders were recently enacted into law and gave impetus to assets forfeiture of properties reasonably suspected to have been acquired through corruption.

“The unexplained wealth orders are a profound development in the quest for zero tolerance to corruption. This is because someone can be acquitted in a criminal trial but still have assets forfeited as long as on the balance of probabilities there is reasonable suspicion that they were acquired from corrupt activities.”

Commissioner Makamure said they were closely working with the NPA, which makes applications at the courts to seize targeted properties under the operation.

“We are confident that the improved legal framework on asset recovery should enable the commission to surpass its target of recovering assets worth $300 million by the end of this year.”

Legal expert Mr Oliver Marwa said while the current statutes were adequate to combat corruption, there is need to double down on efforts to fight the scourge considering its prevalence.

There was need for ZACC to hire competent chartered accountants and lawyers who should be well paid to avoid bribery from suspects, he said.

“Corruption in Zimbabwe is more pronounced in the public sector where politicians have more assets compared to their counterparts in the developed world. They acquire houses and cars, hence it is not difficult to seize and forfeit properties acquired from proceeds of crime,” said Mr Marwa.

He recommended that asset seizure should be done expeditiously as properties could be easily transferred or sold to third parties and render the whole exercise futile.

“Corruption is very complicated. So let us be serious because it sustains itself in that if someone is arrested he/she can easily pay a bribe and be released. In some cases, one may never get evidence of corruption,” said Mr Marwa.

“In Zimbabwe, we have the slowest action in dealing with corruption but this must change if we want to win this war.”

President Mnangagwa’s administration has declared war against corruption and has been propping up institutions that fight graft to be able to deliver on their mandate.

By A Correspondent- The newly formed party The Patriotic Front on Saturday announced its founding National Executive Committee set to lead The Third Way until at least its official launch.

In a statement, the Patriotic Front said the party’s National coordinators made the resolutions at its meeting held on Thursday evening. Reads the statement in part:

True to the party’s multiracial, multi-ethnic approach of uniting Zimbabweans towards finding lasting solutions to the country’s multifaceted crisis, TPF elected a structure which is a blend of races, ethnic groups, youth and experience.

In line with its resolve to economically emancipate and empower people in their communities while also trying to restore national, regional and international confidence in Zimbabwe, the leadership comprises business leaders, economic experts, technocrats, politicians and community leaders.

Members of TPF interim National Executive Committee were announced as:

1. President –  Darryl Collet;
2. Deputy Presidents – Patrick Matsinhanise and Anele Ndlovu;
3. National Chairperson – Tamary Mukuna;
4. Secretary-General – Andrew Nyathi;
5. Deputy SG – Thutho Mavula;
6. Secretary for Mobilization and Organising – Stanley Eden Ncube;
7. Deputy Secretary for Mobilization and Organising – Joyful Ncube & Simbarashe Mupundu;
8. Secretary For Innovation – Sam Mudzimurema;
9. Secretary for Information – Mxolisi Ncube and Deputy, Vanessa Gonyonga.
10. Secretary for International Relations – Nkanyezi Ndlovu;
11. Secretary for Economic Development –  St John Smallbones;
12. Secretary for Legal Affairs – Vusani Khumalo;
13. Secretary for Commercial Agriculture – Adam Forbes;
14. Secretary for Subsistence Agriculture – Tanyaradzwa Makumbo;
15. Sec for Elections – Muchengeti Hwacha;
16. Secretary for Arts and Culture – Peter Sinek;
17. Secretary for Health and Welfare – Butholezwe Nyathi.

Darryl Collet, is a 73-year-old businessman and dispossessed former owner of Mjingwe Ranch, a lucrative wildlife ranch in Masvingo’s Mwenezi district.

By A Correspondent- A Zimbabwean human rights defender, Tatenda Mombeyarara has said that he is terrified by the recent reports of abduction and torture of three MDC Alliance trio – Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova.

Mombeyarara was last year kidnapped from his home at ungodly hours, tortured and sustained a fractured leg.

He is one of many people who were last year arrested on grounds that they were intending to subvert a constitutionally established government.

Speaking to DW, Mombeyarara said dissent can lead to abduction and torture.

He said:

I am petrified and terrified. It is a difficult situation to become a villain when you are the victim. You are forced to decide to keep to yourself to prevent further victimization. You have to remain gagged to heal. The nature of harm caused on you goes beyond physical.

Although the identity of the perpetrator of these human rights abuses is not yet known, the opposition MDC and human rights organizations say in most incidences, the pattern of the violations points towards the state.

The government, however, has denied involvement with the Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe saying the government does not engage or permit any of its agencies and institutions to use methods such as torture, forced disappearances or abductions.

Kazembe accused the opposition of working with foreign organizations to destabilize the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa adding that “torture and forced disappearances are alien to us.”

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch Southern Africa Director Dewa Mavhinga observes that Zimbabwe’s failure to decisively deal with cases of abductions disappearances and torture severely undermines the standing of the country within the international community and reengagement efforts.

-DW

After veteran soccer coach Cosmas Tsano Zulu expressed his views about renaming Barbourfields after the legendary former Highlanders, Warriors and Mamelodi Sundowns team manager Peter Nsukuzonke Ndlovu, this has sent tongues wagging amongst supporters and soccer players across the country.

The following had this to say.

Former Highlanders goalkeeper who preferred anonymity had this to say ‘’. name changing Barbourfields stadium would not come good as the stadium popularly known as B.F, the ceremonial home of football which comes with memories and culture, its like someone who buys Orlando Pirates and wants to change its name. He went on to make references on Old Trafford, that because of culture and memories it has not been changed to David Beckam stadium. The best we can do for him is maybe naming a certain stand e.g Mpilo End or VIP after him. Highlanders is a team of culture and history, so we don’t change the name of the stadium, why him in particular? The name Barbourfields comes with lot of things, to the opponent’s teams it brings fear, to the Bosso supporters it brings hope and solace. We can’t honor our legends by doing the wrong thing, of course it’s good to honor our legends…’’ voiced the shot stopper.

Sjabuliso Nyathi, AKA Sjega , a Bosso diehard fan based at Jotsholo had this to say ‘’….why Peter Ndlovu, whats there in him? How about British Mloyi , Rahman Gumbo, Rambo Sibanda to name but a few, after all Peter has not done anything for Highlanders to deserve all this except organizing a friendly match between Highlanders and Mamelodi Sundowns. If they want to honor Peter Ndlovu let them build a new stadium and name it after him like what happened with Moses Mabhida stadium.

Meanwhile one Paul Ndlovu Sibanda who hails at Meadowlands Zone 10, Soweto is of the idea that the stadium should be named after the legendary Mamelodi Sundowns Manager. Actully he feels it should be named ‘’Nsukuzonke’’ Peter’s nickname.

One soccer player from Harare based Premier Soccer Leage team, feels that renaming B.F after Peter Ndlovu would encourage the young and upcoming players.

Yet one Titus Tembo AKA Mr T, who usually leads the ‘’Soweto Choir’’ , feels that B.F can be renamed after any other player but not Peter Ndlovu, ‘’… B.F can be named anything but not Peter Ndlovu, fine I don’t doubt he was one of the best players to dawn the black and white stripe but it just ended there, what contributions has he made for Bosso ever since he left the team, it was surely a stepping stone for him into the English Premier League and stardom but it just ended there…’’ echoed Mr T.

State Media

OPPOSITION MDC-T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe has hit back at its rivals who are alleging that the formation was a Zanu-PF project noting that those who were peddling such falsehoods were attempting to get an unfair political advantage.

Supreme Court judge Justice Bharat Patel, sitting with Justices Paddington Garwe and Antonia Guvava, in April ruled that Mr Nelson Chamisa was not the legitimate MDC-T leader in terms of the party’s constitution and subsequently ordered the convening of an extra-ordinary congress within three months to elect a new president.

Since the ruling, members of the Chamisa-led MDC-Alliance have labelled Dr Khuphe a sell-out, even claiming that she was a pawn of the ruling Zanu-PF. Last week, MDC Alliance vice-president, Professor Welshman Ncube was quoted in the private media saying Dr Khupe was shameless.

Responding to questions from the Sunday News, MDC-T, deputy secretary for information and publicity, who is also Dr Khupe’s spokesperson, Mr Khalipani Phugeni said Dr Khupe’s detractors were just angered by the fact that she refused to be submissive and allow for the infringement of her rights. He said most of the accusations that were being levelled against the party’s leaders were not provable by either Mr Chamisa or his cronies.

“It is a sad thing that people would treat others in a manner they would not want to be treated themselves, because we all know that natural justice demands that he that accuses must prove. Dr Khupe has previously been arrested over seven times, she has received nothing, publicly or privately from Zanu-PF, which the same cannot be said about her detractors.

“Simply because she stood firm and pushed back against infringement of her rights and stood resolute defending not only herself but her gender because she was being marginalised on the basis of her gender and ethnicity, so she stood firm, which the ruling elite and the private media did not like. They did not like this woman who was not submissive,” said Mr Phugeni.

He took a swipe at Prof Ncube and the MDC-Alliance co-vice-president Mr Tendai Biti for spreading baseless allegations noting that the two had themselves previously been labelled Zanu-PF projects by the same individuals they were now siding with.

“Dr Khupe’s working with Zanu-PF is only restricted or defined by the fact that it is the governing party of the day, so you can’t boycott Government because it is the Government that provides social services, build roads, gives us birth certificates to mention but a few, so if that is being Zanu-PF then all of us are Zanu-PF, as citizens of this country.

“Strange enough those that are now clamouring louder on this Zanu-PF tag, in particular Prof Ncube, has also once been called a Zanu-PF project by the same people he has joined ranks with. Tendai Biti was also once in the same boat, which was even worse for him as our late president Dr Morgan Tsvangirai is on record accusing him of having stolen large sums of money, so you are talking of a thief here, according to Dr Tsvangirai,” said Mr Phugeni.

He further clarified on the issue of recalling MPs and councillors saying they were still establishing those of their representatives that were pushing the party’s agenda and those that were not for them to come up with a detailed list of those that were to be recalled.

“Our agenda is not to recall, our agenda is to deliver, so you will appreciate that our representatives which we deploy in Government are being deployed to help us achieve this agenda. The issue does not have to do with whether one supports Dr Khupe or not but more of the values, aims and objectives of the MDC-T. This is something that we are patiently taking our time on because the violent takeover of the party did not help so the process of establishing those MPs and councillors that are carrying out their mandate with exception is taking time but very soon our caucus will be in shape,” he said.

On the issue of reclaiming of the MDC-T’s offices and assets around the country, Mr Phugeni said while the issue was still before the courts it was known to all that when Mr Chamisa usurped power he took both the party and its assets hence it had to follow that Dr Khupe’s MDC-T should also repossess their offices around the country.

He further revealed that at the moment they were not worried about public perception but were focusing on doing what was right in terms of the party constitution.

“We have not followed the public discourse mainly because we are doing what is right, it is not a popularity contest, it’s all about doing right by the party, Remember, Dr Khupe as the president of the party, she has what is called a fiducial duty towards the MDC-T and she must carry it out without fear or prejudice. The best way to carry out this mandate is not to worry much about public perception, I’m not saying public perception is not important but it is not a popularity contest, we are just making sure that the mandate of our people is carried out to the best of our ability,” said Mr Phugeni.

Two women, a 79-year-old from Bulawayo and a 60-year-old from the Midlands, died of the coronavirus yesterday bringing the total to six so far.

The last coronavirus death in Zimbabwe was on 22 April.

The Bulawayo woman was diagnosed with the virus on 17 June while the Midlands woman tested positive on 19 June.

One person from Mashonaland Central recovered bringing the total to 64.

Seven people, six returning residents from South Africa and one from Portugal, however, tested positive raising the total to 486 cases.

Own Correspondent

MDC Alliance Vice President and former Finance Minister, Tendai Biti has called on incumbent Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube to resign from his position as he is failing.

Below is Biti’s presentation on a point of privilege in parliament.

Mr. Speaker Sir, we are gravely concerned about the continuous shifting of our Monetary Policy. We are concerned particularly about the constant changes to our Monetary Policy. In 2009, we introduced the basket of multiple currencies. The basket of multiple currencies lasted until 2016, when in November 2016, the Bond Note was introduced through amendments that were made to the Reserve Bank Act. In 2017, Mr. Speaker Sir, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Finance spent the bulk of the year convincing Zimbabweans that the Bond Note was on par with the US dollar. They ran an expensive campaign called Operation gedye gedye, persuading the people of Zimbabwe to accept that the bond note was equal to the US dollar. We were shocked Mr. Speaker Sir when on the 1st of October 2018 banks were suddenly advised by the Reserve Bank in an exchange control directive that they had to separate people’s accounts into nostro FCAs and nostro RTGS. We were further shocked when on the 20th of February 2019, Statutory Instrument 33 of 2019 was introduced which said we now have a new currency called the RTGS, which initially was at 1:1 then 1:2.5 and then was floated.

In June of 2019, Mr. Speaker Sir, we were advised by the esteemed Minister of Finance that the country had dedolarised; that the regime of multiple currencies were no longer legal tender in Zimbabwe; that the Zimbabwean dollar had been restored as the sole currency in this country. Mr. Speaker Sir, some people protested and made the point that the country was not ready to introduce its own currency. We made the point that conditions did not exist for the introduction of our own currency. We were further confused yesterday when the Minister of Finance effectively dedollarised by the introduction of a US$75 allowance to civil servants and US$30 to war veterans. It is our contention Mr. Speaker that the Minister of Finance owes Zimbabweans an apology that he should not introduce dollarisation through the back door; that he should repeal Statutory Instrument 33 and Statutory Instrument 142 and the Finance Act. Mr. Speaker Sir, the Minister of Finance has failed in absolute terms and must resign. I thank you very much Mr. Speaker Sir.

State Media

THE Bulawayo City Council has identified the disease which has killed nine people in Luveve as a gastrointestinal disease but warned that it was incapacitated to handle an outbreak of another disease at a time the country is battling coronavirus.

Nearly 1 000 people have already been treated of the disease which has diarrhoea symptoms, while nine people have died since the outbreak of the disease which residents blame on water supplied by the council.

The Mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni, revealed that health officials have identified the illness as a gastrointestinal disease outbreak.

A gastrointestinal disease is a condition or disease that occurs within the gastrointestinal tract, it includes conditions as constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, haemorrhoids, anal fissures, perianal abscesses, anal fistulas, perianal infections, diverticular diseases, colitis, colon polyps and cancer.

He revealed that so far the outbreak has been clustered in Old Luveve, New Luveve and Gwabalanda.

“At least 726 suspected cases of Gastrointestinal Disease have been seen and evaluated at Luveve Clinic this week (last week) and at least 37 seen at their homes as at 18 June 2020. At least 15 were transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital from Luveve area (including the clinic) on 16 June with the hospital reporting at least 59 people being admitted and five having died (five children and one adult) as of 16 June 2020.

Investigations on community deaths is ongoing, with at least three having been reported. Symptoms being reported include watery diarrhoea, bloody diarrhoea, fever, vomiting and abdominal cramps and pain,” said Clr Mguni.

He said four treatment stations have been set up, with mobilisation of mobile ablution facilities in progress.

“The inter-departmental investigations (health and engineering services) are ongoing with water samples from taps, storage containers and unprotected wells being collected and sent to different laboratories for testing.

“The city continues with engagement of local leadership and community structures, council has also waivered water shedding in the affected area,” he said.

Clr Mguni said some of the patients who were admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital had been diagnosed with Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome, which is a group of blood disorders characterised by low red blood cells, acute kidney failure, and low platelets.

“Initially most of the Luveve cases complaining of diarrhoea were not reporting to the health facility citing that they did not have money to pay for service fees at the clinic. Patients were advised to seek care immediately while issue of payments was going to be addressed using the council’s pro-poor policy or unfunded mandate framework as has always been the case in outbreak situations.

“After that campaign, the numbers of patients seeking services has increased. It was also observed that the affected cases were not administering the home-made sugar and salt solution as they did not have sugar or salt at times. Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) at clinics was distributed to those affected,” said Clr Mguni.

The Mayor said one of their major challenges to date in handling this gastrointestinal disease outbreak was the lack of personnel as already their officials were engrossed with containing the Covid-19 pandemic in the city.

“Council has inadequate human resources to cater for two outbreaks and maintain essential services, further there is a major worry in terms of the frequency of the diarrhoea deterring patients from seeking health services early. Water shortages are also deterring messages on hand washing as there was backlash experienced from the community. The danger is that the outbreak may not be limited to Luveve only,” said Clr Mguni.

The mayor dispelled social media reports that there was an outbreak of typhoid in the city. Meanwhile, the local authority has reported that it requires US$1 482 000 to address the problem of water contamination in the affected areas.

The plan of action according to the local authority’s engineering services department includes the rehabilitation of the existing water and sewer infrastructure with the local authority noting that one of the possible causes of the contamination was the obsolete infrastructure.

“The infrastructure is over 50 years old and has not had any water quality challenges. The 144- hour shedding strained the already aged network, further complicating the system and reducing its ability to self-cleanse due to prolonged hours of no water in the network.

“Part of Old Luveve water mains are being replaced under BWSSIP ( Bulawayo Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project) which is an African Development Bank (AfDB) on-going project, to eliminate such challenges. The water connections are being separated and repositioned to run front-verge, whilst the sewer drainage will remain mid-block. However, funding has not been adequate to cover the whole of Old Luveve,” reads a council report on the contamination.

The targeted projects include; rehabilitation of the outfall sewer line with hand dug wells (US$1,2 million), repair of all water and sewer service connections (US$250 000), pipe laying and replacement (US$25 000), repair of the reclaimed line (US$5 000) and pipes and fittings (US$ 2 000).

In the immediate term the local authority revealed that it will be back-filling all unprotected hand dug wells and their use will be strongly discouraged. On Friday, the Government also ordered that all those treated for running tummies in the area must be tested for Covid-19.

Correspondent

The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority, ZESA has reportedly started rolling out power cuts as the country has started to slowly reopen the economy.

The development has also been attributed to the winter-wheat farming which the power utility has given priority to ensure enhanced wheat production in the country.

The power utility had last implemented load-shedding before the coronavirus induced lockdown was imposed on the country in March.

There were reports of power cuts from a number of suburbs in Harare including Kuwadzana, Mbare, Warren Park on Friday.

There is however no official communication from the power utility to explain the recent power cuts.

Zimbabwe has a power crisis that has seen some parts of the country going for about 18 hours without power during the peak of the crisis.

The crisis is attributed to ageing equipment at Hwange Power Station and shrinking water levels at Kariba Dam, issues that have seen the country generating less than required power.

The crisis has also been blamed on corruption by government officials which has stalled the refurbishment of the country’s power stations and has also seen the Gwanda Solar Power Project by Intratek fronted by Wicknell Chivcayo failing to take off since 2015.

Correspondent

Former tourism minister, Walter Mzembi has demanded that President Emmerson Mnangagwa explains how arrested local businessman Delish Nguwaya holds a diplomatic passport

Nguwaya is a holder of a diplomatic passport? Who gave him? pic.twitter.com/WsV2ka63VW

— African (@ali_naka) June 19, 2020

Nguwaya is currently in remand prison after he was denied bail when he was arrested over a week ago on charges of fraudulently acquiring a US$42 million tender to supply Covid-19 testing kits and equipment to the government.

The government has been strenuously trying to dismiss claims that Nguwaya has close links to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s family, in particular his son, Collins.

Mzembi said during his tenure as tourism minister, he struggled but failed to facilitate one for world-acclaimed Zimbabwean musician, the late Oliver Mtukudzi.

“Mr. President! Please explain why this thief holds a diplomatic passport?” Mzembi asked.

“Despite repeated pleas and submissions for Oliver Mtukudzi to the then Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mmbengegwi to consider a diplomatic passport for this cultural icon (Mtukudzi), my ministry and ZTA (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority), were given a flat NO. Uyu (Nguwaya) akazokosha kupfura Tuku nhai? (So, Nguwaya is more important than Tuku!”

Diplomatic passports are issued by the President at his mercy and are a preserve of government ministers, senior government officials, and selected MPs.

Watch video downloading below.

https://youtu.be/PgwkjehEs1I

The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) of Zimbabwe has expressed concern over reports saying 19 600 day-old chicks that had been smuggled from South Africa into Zimbabwe across the Limpopo River were intercepted and burnt by police.

On Tuesday, police told The Herald that they had intercepted and arrested Admire Ndlovu of Mwenezi and Prince Gumbo of Dulivhadzimu suburb in Beitbridge who were transporting the consignment.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident saying: “Our team on patrol intercepted some suspects after smuggling chicks into the country.

“The matter has since been referred to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) for further management. We understand that the chicks were destroyed by fire as per standard customs regulations.”

The state media further indicated that customs officials claimed to have had discussed the issue with the veterinary department who observed the burning.

“Following their arrest, they were taken to Zimra officials where the chicks were destroyed with guidance from veterinarians,” said the State Media.

The veterinary department has however issued a statement expressing ignorance of the act. The department said they are investigating the issue.

Below is their statement.

pic.twitter.com/YDvbDxt9MX

— Veterinary Services Zimbabwe (@DVSZim) June 19, 2020

State Media

ALL schools’ out and indoor sporting activities have been suspended ahead of next month’s opening of learning institutions as Government implements measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The measures, which include the prohibition of learners from school playgrounds, engaging in choral practices and physical contact among others, are contained in Standard Operating Guidelines sent to all primary and secondary schools recently.

According to the guidelines, break and lunchtimes will be staggered or held in class.

Further, classrooms will accommodate not more than 35 learners seated one metre apart.

Learners are prohibited from sharing textbooks and other learning materials, with the Government encouraging hot sitting to accommodate all students.

The guidelines state that all school authorities should strictly adhere to the “new normal” and failure to do so attracts punitive action.

“As schools prepare for reopening, special considerations have been made to ensure the safety of both learners and teachers during the new normal,” read part of the guidelines.

“In light of this, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has developed Standard Operating Procedures which are meant to guide heads of schools, teachers, learners and stakeholders on how they should be conducting business.

“It is, therefore, made clear in this document that failure by any school head for any reason to observe these guidelines is deemed an act of misconduct and will attract serious disciplinary action.

“The seating arrangement in every classroom should be that there is a distance of one metre from one learner to another.

“To achieve this, there should be one learner at each desk or the school should use the desk and chair approach and a classroom should not accommodate more than 35 learners.

“Social and physical distancing should be practised in hostels, the use of bunk beds in hostels is therefore prohibited.

“All sporting activities, including matches, choral practice, indoor games and festivals are prohibited during the new normal.

“The use of play centres, sporting equipment, gymnasium and sporting facilities are prohibited since they may facilitate the transmission of coronavirus.

“Schools should avoid mixing learners for lessons and after-school activities. Learners in a class should stay in one classroom throughout the day while teachers move between classrooms in secondary schools.”

Also, each school will be required to have sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and a health coordinator trained by the Ministry of Health and Child Care before schools open.

Each classroom should be equipped with a hand washing facility, running water and soaps. Ablution facilities, according to the guidelines, should be cleaned and disinfected thrice a day.

Transport services will be required to carry one student per seat with a distance of one metre effected.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has also mandated schools to come up with Covid-19 awareness programmes for learners.

The start of the phased reopening of primary and secondary schools has been set for Tuesday, July 28.

Primary and Secondary school heads who spoke to this publication said they had no objection to the guidelines.

They, however, said their school coffers were empty.

“Though we were saying school heads are ready to work for as long as we receive material support in terms of resources such as masks and sanitisers, currently schools rely on fees and coffers are empty,” said one school head who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Government tasked schools to provide masks and sanitisers to their learners.

Teachers Unions have also been opposed to the opening of schools saying there was need for adequate time to procure PPEs.

Own Correspondent

Zanu PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa has fired Obadiah Moyo from his cabinet.

https://youtu.be/PgwkjehEs1I

Below is a statement from goverment indicating the move by Mnangagwa.

This is a developing story more details to follow.

Standard

Freda Rebecca Gold Mine a subsidiary of Kuda Tagwirei owned Landela Investments has been licenced to buy gold directly from 500 smal-scale miners and artisanal miners operating within its claims.

Freda Rebecca has gold claims spreading over 60 000 hectares, which are concentrated in Manicaland and Mashonaland provinces.

In terms of the licence and agreement with Fidelity Refiners and Printers Freda Rebecca would purchase gold at the same price as that being offered by Fidelity of US$45 000 per kilogramme.

On the back of this agreement, Freda Rebecca Holdings has entered into a partnership with CBZ Bank, which will see specific banking halls being converted into specialised gold buying and handling centres.

The bank’s extensive branch network has been utilised to ensure the gold buying centres are located as close to the miners as possible.

“We are basically buying gold from small-scale miners, who are operating from our claims, so we are basically mobilising unaccounted for gold and we officialise it to Fidelity Refiners and Printers,” said Freda Rebecca Gold Mine general manager Eliakem Hove.

“This gesture helps towards ensuring transparency within the gold sector.

“We have close to 500 small-scale miners who we are empowering through this initiative.”

Speaking on the sidelines of an inspection of the recently completed pilot buying centre in Harare, Landela Holdings officials said the initiative followed realisation that artisanal miners were being short-changed by unscrupulous middlemen who sought to undervalue proceeds from small-scale miners and in turn illegally export the gold.

The artisanal miners would be paid their full amount for gold delivered in United States dollars from CBZ banking halls, and the bank has already committed to creating products tailored for the miners to enable them to access loans for capital expenditure as well as working capital.

This initiative is expected to increase the government’s gold receipts considering the level of transparency as gold from all Freda Rebecca’s claims will be accounted for.

CBZ must be able to do the same with other gold mining companies and open branches in Kwekwe, Kadoma, Gweru, Gwanda, Bindura, and Harare for the benefit of other miners outside Freda Rebecca’s mining claims, an official said.

Landela will offer technical support, equipment and financial support to small-scale miners as a way of boosting their operations, which will be recovered through gold sales.

Freda Rebecca has set in motion a process to re-register holders of tributaries on its mining claims to ensure that all activities are legalised.

This exercise will see the stopping of custom milling, which is happening on its claims since they may fail to channel their gold through a formal system.

“The aim is to buy 500kg of gold monthly from artisanal miners and tribute holders while the overall vision is to attain one tonne monthly over the next three years,” Hove said.

Own Correspondent

HEALTH Minister Obadiah Moyo, who was arrested by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) officers Friday night, is reported to have spent the same night at his home before coming to court the next day.

This was contrary to earlier reports he spent the night detained at Harare’s Rhodesville police station.

Obadiah-Moyo is Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cousin, a term called “uncle” or sekuru, in the Shona vernacular.

He is son to Mnangagwa’s mother’s brother.

When the police arrested him on Friday, while he was signing a warned and cautioned statement, they decided to release him on Mnangagwa’s orders. The head of the Central Intelligence Organisation, Isaac Moyo is another of his relatives who worked together with Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi. They together went to Mnangagwa and organised that everything be staged so that he (Obadiah Moyo) is served so to subdue growing public angers over the Draxgate scandal. The plan was that Obadiah Moyo would sleep inside the police cells, and then bail be granted (and even that was cut short – he left Rhodesville Police station soon after arrival.)

The CIO Director General and Ziyambi then went to get Obadiah Moyo’s own muzukuru, cousin, Munamato Mutevedzi who is the acting Chief Magistrate. Mutevedzi was invited to come and sit on the same case and the case had the prosecutor saying that bail is not opposed.

Moyo was arrested Friday over a US$42 million scandal surrounding the illegal procurement of coronavirus drugs, test kits, and equipment.

The scandal has sucked in President Emmerson Mnangagwa through son, Collins, who however vehemently denies any involvement.

It emerged Saturday the “arrested” minister drove to the Harare Magistrates’ Court Saturday morning in style, in a convoy of four State-issued luxury vehicles, accompanied by aides and ZACC investigating officers.

Also accompanying the graft accused minister was his wife, Memory and a handful relatives.

MDC Alliance co-vice presidents Tendai Biti and Lynnette Karenyi were two weeks ago arrested and went through a hard time in the hands of the police.

Biti on his release said; “We were not provided blankets or mats on which to sleep. The toilets were stuffed with torn copies of The Herald, the state-owned newspaper, for which there is no better use. There was no water and we were forced to walk in filth without shoes.

“In our new holding room, other prisoners were present, including policeman Shungudzemoyo Kache, who had been charged with sedition for allegedly calling Mnangagwa ‘a used condom’.

“Most had been arrested for not wearing masks and hadn’t been able to pay the fines. Yet to heap irony on the ridiculous, there was no social distancing, temperature checks or sanitisers provided then or at any point that day.”

Moyo was granted a $50 000 bail by chief magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi. Surprisingly, the state did not oppose bail considering the seriousness of the offence.

The STATE ARRESTS a suspect, allows him to sleep at his home. The suspect comes to court with STATE protection and the state does not oppose bail. The suspect leaves court with STATE protection. Thats the state under ZANU PF; full of corrupt contradictions pic.twitter.com/n3wYi3UmIs

— Pedzisai Ruhanya (@PedzisaiRuhanya) June 20, 2020

FLASHBACK- President Emmerson's Mnangagwa's Five year pledge. Please comment with a love if you think he is on course and a retweet if you think he is failing and will not achieve anything as promised. pic.twitter.com/Fu6yd8sCMN

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 21, 2020

You & your lot will never fool history. From 2013 to 2017, @Hon_Kasukuwere, @PatrickZhuwao & me did the best we could in cabinet, politburo & society to save Zim from Mnangagwa's lot. As for @Hon_Kasukuwere & me, our homes & families have scars from Mnangagwa's military attacks! https://t.co/GYxgcpB9gd

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) June 21, 2020

We actually engaged the opposition. Ask my brothers like @BitiTendai & @ibbosnr or journalists like @Mathuthu, @EdmundKudzayi, @DumisaniMuleya or the Bulawayo Press Club and a host of business lights, activists, traditional leaders & clergy who know better. The gun is dangerous!

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) June 21, 2020

State Media

THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has launched a new operation code-named “Wakazvitenga Sei?” that is set to see individuals who fail to account for their wealth forfeiting it to the State.

ZACC chair Justice Loyce Matanda-Moyo said the anti-graft body was empowered by the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Act to seize assets bought through proceeds of crime.

Even if the suspected corrupt person is acquitted by the courts, the unexplained wealth orders give the commission and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) power to forfeit the properties.

The law demands that anyone suspected of corruption explain his or her source of wealth, failure of which they will lose the properties.

It is understood that some persons of interest, including high-profile individuals, are already being investigated by ZACC.

Justice Matanda-Moyo told The Sunday Mail that those that would be under investigation are expected to produce verifiable and auditable data to support their wealth.

“This is an intensive lifestyle audit on some of the rich people. They have to produce their invoices on what goods or services they rendered and this has to match the value of the acquired properties,” she said.

“We will also be checking if these people or their businesses were paying taxes. This means that the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is also on board as we seek to ensure compliance to all laws.”

However, before the properties or wealth is seized, an application would be made through the NPA.

Those who are under investigation will then be afforded an opportunity at the High Court to account for their wealth.

Failure to do so will automatically result in seizure and forfeiture.

Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara)’s former chief executive officer Mr Frank Chitukutuku’s properties have been frozen while investigations into his case continue.

A former Zimra revenue official Mr Kennedy Nyatoti recently lost a US$150 000 mansion and a vehicle after the taxman conducted a lifestyle audit which exposed that his earnings did not match his possessions.

ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure said the country now has robust legal instruments to fight corruption such as the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Act and Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Writing in his bi-weekly column, Corruption Watch, which is published by The Sunday Mail, Commissioner Makamure said the unexplained wealth orders were recently enacted into law and gave impetus to assets forfeiture of properties reasonably suspected to have been acquired through corruption.

“The unexplained wealth orders are a profound development in the quest for zero tolerance to corruption. This is because someone can be acquitted in a criminal trial but still have assets forfeited as long as on the balance of probabilities there is reasonable suspicion that they were acquired from corrupt activities.”

Commissioner Makamure said they were closely working with the NPA, which makes applications at the courts to seize targeted properties under the operation.

“We are confident that the improved legal framework on asset recovery should enable the commission to surpass its target of recovering assets worth $300 million by the end of this year.”

Legal expert Mr Oliver Marwa said while the current statutes were adequate to combat corruption, there is need to double down on efforts to fight the scourge considering its prevalence.

There was need for ZACC to hire competent chartered accountants and lawyers who should be well paid to avoid bribery from suspects, he said.

“Corruption in Zimbabwe is more pronounced in the public sector where politicians have more assets compared to their counterparts in the developed world. They acquire houses and cars, hence it is not difficult to seize and forfeit properties acquired from proceeds of crime,” said Mr Marwa.

He recommended that asset seizure should be done expeditiously as properties could be easily transferred or sold to third parties and render the whole exercise futile.

“Corruption is very complicated. So let us be serious because it sustains itself in that if someone is arrested he/she can easily pay a bribe and be released. In some cases, one may never get evidence of corruption,” said Mr Marwa.

“In Zimbabwe, we have the slowest action in dealing with corruption but this must change if we want to win this war.”

President Mnangagwa’s administration has declared war against corruption and has been propping up institutions that fight graft to be able to deliver on their mandate.

By A Correspondent- A Zimbabwean human rights defender, Ttaenda Mombeyarara has said that he is terrified by the recent reports of abduction and torture of three MDC Alliance trio – Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova.

Mombeyarara was last year kidnapped from his home at ungodly hours, tortured and sustained a fractured leg.

He is one of many people who were last year arrested on grounds that they were intending to subvert a constitutionally established government.

Speaking to DW, Mombeyarara said dissent can lead to abduction and torture.

He said:

I am petrified and terrified. It is a difficult situation to become a villain when you are the victim. You are forced to decide to keep to yourself to prevent further victimization. You have to remain gagged to heal. The nature of harm caused on you goes beyond physical.

Although the identity of the perpetrator of these human rights abuses is not yet known, the opposition MDC and human rights organizations say in most incidences, the pattern of the violations points towards the state.

The government, however, has denied involvement with the Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe saying the government does not engage or permit any of its agencies and institutions to use methods such as torture, forced disappearances or abductions.

Kazembe accused the opposition of working with foreign organizations to destabilize the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa adding that “torture and forced disappearances are alien to us.”

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch Southern Africa Director Dewa Mavhinga observes that Zimbabwe’s failure to decisively deal with cases of abductions disappearances and torture severely undermines the standing of the country within the international community and reengagement efforts.

-DW

State Media

HEALTH and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo, who was arrested on Friday on charges of abuse of office, was yesterday released on $50 000 bail when he appeared before chief magistrate Mr Munamato Mutevedzi.

He is alleged to have been involved in NatPharm’s unprocedural contract with Drax International LLC to supply medicines and surgical sundries.

He was remanded to July 31.

The State, led by Mr Clemency Chimbare did not oppose bail, but successfully proposed stringent bail conditions.

Moyo was ordered to reside at his given address, report to the police thrice a week, not to interfere with witnesses, surrender his passport as well as title deeds for his wife’s Eastlea property.

Moyo is facing three counts of criminal abuse of office as a public officer clearly defined in Section 174 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.

On count one, the State alleges that sometime in March 2019, the accused was approached by Delish Nguwaya — a country representative for Papi Pharma LLC — who presented a letter of interest to supply medicines and medical sundries under a US$15 million loan facility.

“After receiving the letter from the company, the accused called the former Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Retired Major General Dr Gerald Gwinji, and told him to process the paperwork and award the tender to Papi Pharma LLC under direct purchase,” reads the charge sheet.

“Acting on the accused’s orders, Dr Gwinji on March 20, 2019 wrote a letter to Treasury requesting that due diligence be taken on Papi Pharma LLC before it is contracted for business by the Government of Zimbabwe.”

It is further alleged that the accused, using his position and influence, verbally directed Dr Gwinji to engage Papi Pharma LLC before a response on due diligence was received from Treasury.

On March 25, 2019, Dr Gwinji is said to have received a response from Secretary for Finance and Economic Development, Mr George Guvamatanga, requesting to be furnished with comparative international prices for the various medicines outlined in the schedule by Papi Pharma LLC.

Resultantly, Dr Gwinji directed NatPharm, through its general manager Flora Nancy Sifeku, to engage Papi Pharma LLC and proceed with the procurement process.

NatPharm then used direct purchase method on May 29, 2019 and awarded tender number NAT DP 11/19 to Papi Pharma LLC before due diligence was concluded.

On June 14, 2019, an adverse report was received from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador James Manzou, indicating that the company and its director, Klodian Allajbeu, were linked to a terrorist group known as Gulen Movement. The State argues that by causing the awarding of a tender and entering into a contract with Papi Pharma LLC, Dr Moyo showed favour to the company, causing a potential prejudice of US$15 million to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

On count two, the State alleges that Nguwaya, whom the accused had dealt with representing Papi Pharma LLC, visited the accused’s office on August 22 2019 in the company of Ilir Dedja, a legal representative of Drax Consult SAGL.

It is said that during their visit, Delish Nguwaya and Ilir Dedja presented to the accused a letter of expression of interest to supply medicines worth US$20 million under Drax Consult SAGL.

The accused then called the former Permanent Secretary for Health and Child Care, Dr Agnes Mahomva, to his office and handed her the letter of expression of interest for processing.

Dr Mahomva then wrote to Treasury requesting due diligence to be conducted on Papi Pharma LLC.

According to the charge sheet, on September 19 2019, Mr Guvamatanga received a response from the Office of the President and Cabinet to the effect that the business activities of the company could not be ascertained.

Guvamatanga then wrote a letter to Dr Mahomva on September 25 2019 advising against engaging Drax Consult SAGL due to the adverse due diligence report.

The State further alleges that the accused phoned Mr Guvamatanga indicating that new information had been received and that Drax Consult SAGL had been cleared when in fact the company’s activities were yet to be ascertained.

Mr Guvamatanga refused to act on the basis that he had no other information disputing the letter dated September 19 2019.

“The accused, however, exerted pressure on his subordinates, particularly Dr Mahomva to award a tender to Drax Consult SAGL for the supply of medicines to Zimbabwe through NatPharm during meetings he held in his office with officials from Ministry of Health and Child Care, NatPharm and representatives from Drax Consult SAGL,” reads the charge sheet.

“On 11 December 2019, NatPharm and Drax Consult SAGL entered into a contract under tender number NAT DP 19/19 and NAT DP 20/19.”

Drax Consult SAGL supplied medicine and surgical sundries worth US$2,7 million, of which US$2 million was paid by Treasury into Drax Consult SAGL bank account in Hungary.

The State argues that by causing NatPharm to enter into a contract with Drax Consult SAGL in circumstances where due diligence report was adverse, the accused showed favour to Drax Consult SAGL, causing a potential prejudice to the State of US$17 million.

On count three, the State alleges that the accused, having dealt with Papi Pharma LLC and Drax Consult SAGL, was aware of the fact that Papi Pharma LLC and its directors had an adverse report.

Dr Moyo received a letter of interest from Drax International LLC to supply medicines and surgical sundries worth US$40 million and verbally directed Dr Agnes Mahomva to urgently process the awarding of a tender to Drax International LLC.

Acting on the accused’s instruction, Dr Mahomva referred the letter of interest to NatPharm for processing.

“The accused, well knowing that Drax Consult SAGL had not performed fully as per terms of the contract under tender numbers NAT DP 19/19 and NAT DP 20/19, caused another contract to be entered between NatPharm and Drax International LLC under a US$40 million loan facility,” reads the charge sheet.

“This was despite the fact that Treasury had not been involved before the contract was entered into. As a result, Treasury ordered the cancellation of the contract, which was done by NatPharm.”

Under tender number NAT DP 04/20, Drax International LLC supplied Covid-19 test kits valued at US$987 720, which were procured after the contract was cancelled.

It is also alleged that on May 8 2020, the accused phoned Mr Guvamatanga instructing him to write a letter to the Ministry of Health and Child Care to initiate the release of Covid-19 test kits which were held at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

The Covid-19 test kits had been supplied under the cancelled Drax International LLC contract worth US$40 million.

On the same date, the accused personally handed over an invoice worth US$987 720 to Mr Guvamatanga.

“To influence acceptance of Covid-19 test kits under Drax International LLC’s cancelled contract and urgent payment, the accused claimed that there were 15 000 Covid-19 test kits at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport,” reads the charge sheet.

“Upon visiting the airport, Mr George Guvamatanga discovered that there were around 3 700 Covid-19 test kits which Drax International LLC had exported to Zimbabwe.”

Basing on the invoice, Mr Guvamatanga wrote a letter to Secretary for Health and Child Care, Dr Mahomva, authorising for the release of the Covid-19 test kits subject to review of the prices and reiterated the contract remains cancelled.

“The accused acted contrary to or inconsistent with his fiduciary duty, that of acting in the best interest of the State, by causing the awarding of tender and contract to Drax International LLC under tender number NAT DP 04/20 and by causing an acceptance of Covid-19 test kits supplied by Drax International LLC well knowing that the contract had been cancelled.

“The accused’s actions showed favour to Drax International LLC by causing the awarding of tender number NAT DP 04/20 well knowing that its sister companies, Papi Pharma and Drax Consult SAGL had failed the due diligence process.”

The State, therefore, alleges that it suffered a potential prejudice of US$40 million.

Own Correspondent

The appointment of Obadiah Moyo, who it has since emerged, is a very close relative to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, as Health and Child Care minister in September 2018 has really never been endorsed by the public.

Indeed, when he was appointed, on one hand, there were lots of people who wanted to see a change of leadership at the ministry.

Key among their issues were the need to find holistic solutions to the perennial human resources conflicts in the Health ministry.

Most medical practitioners were also getting impatient with the persistent underfunding of the health care system and the duplicity of medical aid companies as both insurers and service providers. Transparency and governance scandals, including the Psmas saga where the former Health minister David Parirenyatwa was allegedly “capitated” had tainted the previous leadership.

With these challenges in hindsight, Moyo’s appointment evaded intense scrutiny as most people desperately wanted change.

However, the new minister’s honeymoon was to be shortlived as both medical practitioners and investigative journalists questioned his academic credentials.

Although the constitution of Zimbabwe does not require anyone to be a medical doctor in order to be appointed Health minister, many found it problematic for Moyo to claim qualifications, which are in serious doubt.

This appointment will remain controversial as to date the minister has not provided any credible information to back up his purpoted academic qualifications.

The president had to later appoint renowned physician John Mangwiro to deputise the minister in attempts to pacify those that raised questions around Moyo’s qualifications.

Nonetheless, Mangwiro has remained mainly in the shadows as he has stayed for long periods of time outside Zimbabwe as he accompanied Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, who was hospitalised in China for a time.

On Saturday, Moyo, was charged with criminal abuse of duty as a public officer, accused of illegally awarding a multi-million-dollar contract for COVID-19 medical supplies to a shadowy company that sold the government $28 face masks and other materials at inflated prices.

Below is a summary of how Obadiah Moyo may never be imprisoned for fraud involving USD60million, as ZimEye is told:

If you thought Obadiah Moyo will ever be tried, you are mistaken. It will never happen. Obadiah-Moyo is Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cousin, a term called “uncle” or sekuru, in the Shona vernacular.

He is son to Mnangagwa’s mother’s brother.

When the police arrested him on Friday, while he was signing a warned and cautioned statement, they decided to release him on Mnangagwa’s orders. The head of the Central Intelligence Organisation, Isaac Moyo is another of his relatives who worked together with Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi. They together went to Mnangagwa and organised that everything be staged so that he (Obadiah Moyo) is served so to subdue growing public angers over the Draxgate scandal. The plan was that Obadiah Moyo would sleep inside the police cells, and then bail be granted (and even that was cut short – he left Rhodesville Police station soon after arrival.)

The CIO Director General and Ziyambi then went to get Obadiah Moyo’s own muzukuru, cousin, Munamato Mutevedzi who is the acting Chief Magistrate. Mutevedzi was invited to come and sit on the same case and the case had the prosecutor saying that bail is not opposed.

He was charged a bail of USD50,000, which is just USD380. a small amount over a case involving USD60 million.

He had to take a fall to save Mnangagwa’s son.l, Collins, so he is actually a hero, in Mnangagwa’s eyes.

Hatfield legislator Tapiwa Mashakada has made a sensational claim that MDC Alliance suporters are employing the services of mercenaries to target fellow party members and silence them from speaking out against Nelson Chamisa.

According to state run ZBC News, Mashakada spoke of the mudslinging and character assassination by his MDC colleagues, which is aimed at muzzling him from speaking out about financial imprudence and hijacking of the party by ‘Johnny-come-latelies’.

The scheme according to Dr. Mashakada involves a cabal led by Pedzisayi Ruhanya and former legislator Kuwadzana East Charlton Hwende.

“The cabal is trying all dirty tricks in the book to muzzle me. Now imagine if such a cabal becomes in charge of State media and State machinery one day. They will arrest, put on trial, and judge their opponents using the pen. Their student like behaviour will not go away so easily,”

“They are Masters of media theatrics and chicanery. Ruhanya is a former Daily News Political Editor. The desperate cabal led by Ruhanya and Hwende is so desperate to muzzle me and soil my image. Recently they desperately staged an interview using Zim-eye featuring a confused man claiming I had snatched his wife. I bet you the next stupid drama they will stage is a rape case. They will even make attempts on my life. I now fear for my life and that of my family,” Dr. Mashakada said.

Dr. Mashakada urged the media not to be used by desperate characters within the troubled MDC Alliance faction who want to bury the truth about the murky happenings in the party.

The MDC Alliance outfit is currently mired in financial misappropriation scandals with 2 million dollars reported to have gone missing, all this coinciding with the party’s legitimacy crisis borne from the unconstitutional succession of Morgan Tsvangirai by advocate Nelson Chamisa.

The Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T has hit back at its detractors who are alleging that the formation was a Zanu-PF project noting that those who were peddling such falsehoods were attempting to get an unfair political advantage.

Supreme Court judge Justice Bharat Patel, sitting with Justices Paddington Garwe and Antonia Guvava, in April ruled that Mr Nelson Chamisa was not the legitimate MDC leader in terms of the party’s constitution and subsequently ordered the convening of an extra-ordinary congress within three months to elect a new president.

The decision by the court settled the acrimonious MDC leadership wrangle pitting Mr Chamisa and Dr Khupe. Ever since the ruling members of the Mr Chamisa-led MDC-Alliance have labelled Dr Khuphe a sell-out, even claiming that she was a pawn of the ruling Zanu-PF. Last week, MDC Alliance vice-president, Professor Welshman Ncube was quoted in the private media saying Dr Khupe was shameless.

Responding to questions from the Sunday News, MDC-T, deputy secretary for information and publicity, who is also Dr Khupe’s spokesperson, Mr Khalipani Phugeni said Dr Khupe’s detractors were just angered by the fact that she refused to be submissive and allow for the infringement of her rights. He said most of the accusations that were being levelled against the party’s leaders were not provable by either Mr Chamisa or his cronies.

“It is a sad thing that people would treat others in a manner they would not want to be treated themselves, because we all know that natural justice demands that he that accuses must prove. Dr Khupe has previously been arrested over seven times, she has received nothing, publicly or privately from Zanu-PF, which the same cannot be said about her detractors.

“Simply because she stood firm and pushed back against infringement of her rights and stood resolute defending not only herself but her gender because she was being marginalised on the basis of her gender and ethnicity, so she stood firm, which the ruling elite and the private media did not like. They did not like this woman who was not submissive,” said Mr Phugeni.

He took a swipe at Prof Ncube and the MDC-Alliance co-vice-president Mr Tendai Biti for spreading baseless allegations noting that the two had themselves previously been labelled Zanu-PF projects by the same individuals they were now siding with.

“Dr Khupe’s working with Zanu-PF is only restricted or defined by the fact that it is the governing party of the day, so you can’t boycott Government because it is the Government that provides social services, build roads, gives us birth certificates to mention but a few, so if that is being Zanu-PF then all of us are Zanu-PF, as citizens of this country.

“Strange enough those that are now clamouring louder on this Zanu-PF tag, in particular Prof Ncube, has also once been called a Zanu-PF project by the same people he has joined ranks with. Tendai Biti was also once in the same boat, which was even worse for him as our late president Dr Morgan Tsvangirai is on record accusing him of having stolen large sums of money, so you are talking of a thief here, according to Dr Tsvangirai,” said Mr Phugeni.

He further clarified on the issue of recalling MPs and councillors saying they were still establishing those of their representatives that were pushing the party’s agenda and those that were not for them to come up with a detailed list of those that were to be recalled.

“Our agenda is not to recall, our agenda is to deliver, so you will appreciate that our representatives which we deploy in Government are being deployed to help us achieve this agenda. The issue does not have to do with whether one supports Dr Khupe or not but more of the values, aims and objectives of the MDC-T. This is something that we are patiently taking our time on because the violent takeover of the party did not help so the process of establishing those MPs and councillors that are carrying out their mandate with exception is taking time but very soon our caucus will be in shape,” he said.

On the issue of reclaiming of the MDC-T’s offices and assets around the country, Mr Phugeni said while the issue was still before the courts it was known to all that when Mr Chamisa usurped power he took both the party and its assets hence it had to follow that Dr Khupe’s MDC-T should also repossess their offices around the country.

He further revealed that at the moment they were not worried about public perception but were focusing on doing what was right in terms of the party constitution.

“We have not followed the public discourse mainly because we are doing what is right, it is not a popularity contest, it’s all about doing right by the party, Remember, Dr Khupe as the president of the party, she has what is called a fiducial duty towards the MDC-T and she must carry it out without fear or prejudice. The best way to carry out this mandate is not to worry much about public perception, I’m not saying public perception is not important but it is not a popularity contest, we are just making sure that the mandate of our people is carried out to the best of our ability,” said Mr Phugeni.

-State Media

The High Court has given exiled former minister Saviour Kasukuwere the greenlight to evict war veterans, who recently invaded his Corncorpia Farm in Mazowe.

Kasukuwere had approached the court on an urgent basis with an application seeking leave to evict the invaders pending their Supreme Court appeal against his victory in the High Court.

The matter was dealt with by Justice Edith Mushore. Mushore said the order would “operate and be executed pending the outcome of the appeal in case number SC220/20”.

Last month Kasukuwere, known as Tyson during his time in Zanu PF, obtained an eviction order against Efanos Mudzimunyi, Kudakwashe Moyana, Kenneth Mudzimunyi and Akim Mudzimunyi to vacate his farm, which they invaded earlier this year.

The war veterans, however, refused to move on the basis that they had lodged a Supreme Court appeal.

According to court papers, the farm was given to Kasukuwere during the land reform programme but early this year his offer letter was withdrawn under unclear circumstances and without notice, resulting in the case spilling into the courts.

After the former Zanu PF commissar won a court order to evict the war veterans, they went on to file a Supreme Court appeal in a bid to continue staying at the property, claiming that they also had the right to be at the same farm through offer letters.

The move by the war veterans then prompted Kasukuwere to approach the High Court again seeking leave to execute Mushore’s order.

In his founding affidavit, Kasukuwere argued that the invaders’ appeal could only be described as an abuse of the court’s process.

He also submitted that the invaders were unlawfully harvesting produce at his farm and that they were disrupting farming activities in a manner that showed that they were aware that their appeal was simply intended to buy time within which to harass him.

–The Standard

Yesterday, Zimbabwe recorded seven new COVID-19 cases to take the total number to 486, 64 recoveries and six deaths.

According to the ministry of health and child care, the new seven cases were all returnees from South Africa (6) and Portugal (1).

Yesterday, the country recorded two COVID-19 deaths, both females aged 79 and 60.

OPPOSITION MDC-T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe has hit back at its detractors who are alleging that the formation was a Zanu-PF project noting that those who were peddling such falsehoods were attempting to get an unfair political advantage.

Supreme Court judge Justice Bharat Patel, sitting with Justices Paddington Garwe and Antonia Guvava, in April ruled that Mr Nelson Chamisa was not the legitimate MDC leader in terms of the party’s constitution and subsequently ordered the convening of an extra-ordinary congress within three months to elect a new president.

The decision by the court settled the acrimonious MDC leadership wrangle pitting Mr Chamisa and Dr Khupe. Ever since the ruling members of the Mr Chamisa-led MDC-Alliance have labelled Dr Khuphe a sell-out, even claiming that she was a pawn of the ruling Zanu-PF. Last week, MDC Alliance vice-president, Professor Welshman Ncube was quoted in the private media saying Dr Khupe was shameless.

Responding to questions from the Sunday News, MDC-T, deputy secretary for information and publicity, who is also Dr Khupe’s spokesperson, Mr Khalipani Phugeni said Dr Khupe’s detractors were just angered by the fact that she refused to be submissive and allow for the infringement of her rights. He said most of the accusations that were being levelled against the party’s leaders were not provable by either Mr Chamisa or his cronies.

“It is a sad thing that people would treat others in a manner they would not want to be treated themselves, because we all know that natural justice demands that he that accuses must prove. Dr Khupe has previously been arrested over seven times, she has received nothing, publicly or privately from Zanu-PF, which the same cannot be said about her detractors.

“Simply because she stood firm and pushed back against infringement of her rights and stood resolute defending not only herself but her gender because she was being marginalised on the basis of her gender and ethnicity, so she stood firm, which the ruling elite and the private media did not like. They did not like this woman who was not submissive,” said Mr Phugeni.

He took a swipe at Prof Ncube and the MDC-Alliance co-vice-president Mr Tendai Biti for spreading baseless allegations noting that the two had themselves previously been labelled Zanu-PF projects by the same individuals they were now siding with.

“Dr Khupe’s working with Zanu-PF is only restricted or defined by the fact that it is the governing party of the day, so you can’t boycott Government because it is the Government that provides social services, build roads, gives us birth certificates to mention but a few, so if that is being Zanu-PF then all of us are Zanu-PF, as citizens of this country.

“Strange enough those that are now clamouring louder on this Zanu-PF tag, in particular Prof Ncube, has also once been called a Zanu-PF project by the same people he has joined ranks with. Tendai Biti was also once in the same boat, which was even worse for him as our late president Dr Morgan Tsvangirai is on record accusing him of having stolen large sums of money, so you are talking of a thief here, according to Dr Tsvangirai,” said Mr Phugeni.

He further clarified on the issue of recalling MPs and councillors saying they were still establishing those of their representatives that were pushing the party’s agenda and those that were not for them to come up with a detailed list of those that were to be recalled.

“Our agenda is not to recall, our agenda is to deliver, so you will appreciate that our representatives which we deploy in Government are being deployed to help us achieve this agenda. The issue does not have to do with whether one supports Dr Khupe or not but more of the values, aims and objectives of the MDC-T. This is something that we are patiently taking our time on because the violent takeover of the party did not help so the process of establishing those MPs and councillors that are carrying out their mandate with exception is taking time but very soon our caucus will be in shape,” he said.

On the issue of reclaiming of the MDC-T’s offices and assets around the country, Mr Phugeni said while the issue was still before the courts it was known to all that when Mr Chamisa usurped power he took both the party and its assets hence it had to follow that Dr Khupe’s MDC-T should also repossess their offices around the country.

He further revealed that at the moment they were not worried about public perception but were focusing on doing what was right in terms of the party constitution.

“We have not followed the public discourse mainly because we are doing what is right, it is not a popularity contest, it’s all about doing right by the party, Remember, Dr Khupe as the president of the party, she has what is called a fiducial duty towards the MDC-T and she must carry it out without fear or prejudice. The best way to carry out this mandate is not to worry much about public perception, I’m not saying public perception is not important but it is not a popularity contest, we are just making sure that the mandate of our people is carried out to the best of our ability,” said Mr Phugeni.

-State Media

THE strike by nurses at Bulawayo’s two major hospitals entered day two on Saturday with a handful of the health workers reporting for work.

Nurses at Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals on Friday went on strike demanding that their salaries be reverted to 1 October 2018 levels which were in United States dollars, which they said was a stable currency that can store value of their salaries.

Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer Mr Solwayo Ngwenya said only 21 nurses out of 80 who were expected yesterday afternoon had reported for duty.

“Yes, it’s still on (strike). A total of 21 out of 80 nurses expected to be on duty are at work. No doctors are on strike. A few student nurses and student midwives are also at work,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from the UBH acting chief executive officer Dr Narcisius Dzvanga were fruitless but an insider said the situation was bad.

“It is a terrible situation that we have this side, we cannot function efficiently without the nurses.

Those in the maternity department were working with one midwife in the labour ward which is not acceptable and risky too looking at the number of cases.

We cannot work this way for such a big institution, we have had to go back to emergency mode but still we are failing to cope, it’s just not a workable way out. Nurses are truly the backbone of healthcare in any country, they are essential.”

The source said nurses were ward managers and were a critical part in the functioning of a hospital.

“They spend a lot of time with patients and when they are not there it is a disaster.”

Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Mr Enock Dongo was quoted last week saying the nurses’ salaries in US dollars were stable as local currency was continuously eroding pensions, savings, medical aid and funeral policies, among other things- The Sunday News

By Jane Mlambo| One of the two ladies arrested while protesting against the constitutional amendment bill number 2, Namatai Kwekweza has spoken out following her release yesterday.

Kwekweza together with her colleague, Vongai Zimudzi were arrested on Friday while protesting outside the Ministry of Justice, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs.

Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 2 entrenches power in the office of the President who will have power to appoint judges of all upper courts without public scrutiny.

The bill also removes the running mate Clause, widely touted as a progressive move in sync with morden day democracies, among other key provisions.

Posting on Twitter, Kwekweza thanked Zimbabweans for rallying behind her and colleague Vongai Zimudzi but was quick to issue a reminder that the focus should not be diverted from an illegal process that was already in motion.

“Hello all, I am now okay. Thank you for the support. Remember the focus is not on me & @zimudzi_vongai getting arrested. It’s on the illegal process of amending our Constitution after a cosmetic consultation process during a pandemic,” she said.

Her determination has won her the hearts of Zimbabweans who believe her courage is what is needed to move the nation forward.

Kwekweza and Zimudzi appeared before Harare Magistrates Court yesterday and were granted zwd$3000 bail.

By Jane Mlambo| MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has claimed that his former Secretary for Policy and Strategy Morgan Komichi imposed himself on his election team in the run-up to the July 2018 elections.

Chamisa was responding to remarks by Komichi that he confided in Senator Douglas Mwonzora that the youthful politician would fall.

“The chief elections agent was Jameson Timba. Komichi went there saying he was interested in knowing what was happening, but he was not an official of my team,” Chamisa said.

Komichi told journalists on Friday that he was never part of the MDC Alliance but was working on a strategic pull out.

“I was never part of them, even if you ask our secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, I used to pull him (Mwonzora) by the side telling him that he should relax and wait because the time for Chamisa would come to an end sooner,” he said.