Proton, a bread brand in Zimbabwe has announced new prices for its commodities including bread cookies and other confectioneries which will be effective starting on the 17th of June.

The bakery announced that a superior white and superior seeded loaves, in that order will now cost $60.30 and  $75.20 while burgers will now require $44.25.

See the attached notice.

A BULILIMA man fatally stabbed his friend for refusing to pay him after he had won a $10 bet in a card game.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred at Ntoli Business Centre on Thursday last week at around 5PM. He said the suspect Delani Ndlovu (28) stabbed Oscar Moyo (29) with an Okapi knife in the stomach and chest.

“I can confirm that we recorded a murder case which occurred at Ntoli Business Centre in Bulilima.

Delani Ndlovu and Oscar Moyo were playing a game of cards when they had a misunderstanding over an undisclosed issue. They started fighting and Ndlovu drew an okapi knife and stabbed Moyo in the chest and stomach.

“Moyo was rushed to a nearby clinic where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Ndlovu is still at large and we appeal to anyone with information that could lead to his arrest to contact the nearest police station.

As police we continue to urge people to desist from engaging in violence during disputes.

People should also desist from carrying dangerous weapons in public. These weapons have been the cause of a number of violent crimes of which some result in the loss of life,” he said.

Chief Insp Ndebele also urged members of the public to desist from engaging in illegal activities such as gambling.

A source close to the investigations who preferred anonymity said Ndlovu and Moyo were playing a game of cards and had each placed a $10 bet.

He said Ndlovu won and Moyo refused to pay up resulting in the altercation.

The source said when other villagers intervened, Ndlovu had already stabbed Moyo and fled from the scene-Chronicle

By a Correspondent- Zanu PF Youth League has joined progressive youths in the world in celebrating the 29th edition of the Day of the African Child.

Addressing the media, Zanu-PF Acting Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs Tendai Chirau said the onus is on the current generation of Zimbabwean children and youths to recalibrate their minds and step forward in creating and sustaining a heritage.

“We must never forget that the main beneficiaries of Vision 2030 are today’s children and the onus is on all Zimbabweans to make this vision 2030 a reality. Success requires focus as well as resilience and we must never waver in the face of local and foreign retrogressive forces who are desperate to reverse our independence,” he said.

Chirau said the carnage from the Soweto uprising must forever remind all citizens that independence was not served on a silver platter.

“As ZANU-PF youth we continue to draw from the Soweto uprising, important lessons on the critical role youths in the struggle for Africa’s socio-economic and political liberation. It is the responsibility of the current generation of young Africans to consolidate the gains of the Soweto Uprising and not only defend the continent but advance it,” he said.

The 29th Day of the African Child is being held under the theme “Access to a Child-friendly Justice System in Africa.

-ZBC

By A Correspondent- The Vice President of the opposition MDC Alliance, Welshman Ncube has castigated the leader of the MDC-T, Thokozani Khupe for claiming that she leads a party with 103 legislators.

Khupe made the remarks on Monday at Morgan Tsvangirai House during a press conference which followed the MDC-T’s first Standing Committee meeting at the building.

Khupe claimed that the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the MDC leadership crisis had restored her as the leader of the MDC left by the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai which fielded those MPs for the 2018 elections.

She said by virtue of thae fact that she was now the party’s leader, everyone who belonged to the party was under her leadership.

Commenting on the remarks, Ncube said:

The ability to feel shame is one of the most important social constraints which protects us from perverse conduct.

How does one become so SHAMELESS that she can sit in front of cameras & claim leadership & control of MPs who clobbered her in an election?

In 2018, Khupe formed the MDC-T party (which she says is no longer in existence), contested the 2018 elections and lost.

Her candidates for Parliamentary seats contested against those who were under the MDC Alliance ticket and lost.

The development comes amid revelations that in several towns Tuesday, frustrated soldiers were ordering citizens to go back home without giving them any valid reasons for that move.

ZimEye has it on good authority that today’s soldiers actions was a result of their pay cut which saw some of them receiving what they described as “peanuts and aittime money” for salaries.

Said one caller in an interview with ZimEye:

“…. Chamisa’s deafening silence is confusing them. The frustration is felt by all and sundry but Chamisa has remained quiet…..”

Watch the live video loading below…

Zimbabwe’s coronavirus cases have risen to 391 after 4 new cases were recorded on the 16th of June 2020.

The development was announced by the Ministry of Health in a statement which observed that all the new cases are returnees from South Africa.

The cases were distributed among between two provinces as follows:

• Mashonaland East – 3
• Masvingo  – 1

Meanwhile, 8 new people recovered from the virus bringing the total number of recoveries to 61.

By A Correspondent- Villagers in Chilonga, Chiredzi in Masvingo Province have threatened to drag the government to court over the planned eviction meant to allow Dendairy to embark on a lucerne grass project.

Through lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), the villagers wrote a letter a fortnight ago to Local Government minister July Moyo challenging the planned ejection. Reads the letter in part:

We have been instructed to request your office to furnish us with information in your custody and control, which our clients are entitled to in terms of Section 62 of the Constitution within 14 days of your receipt of this letter, which relates to the following: confirmation of whether or not villagers in Chilonga Communal Area will be displaced to pave way for a lucerne production project, government relocation plan for the Chilonga community and issues of compensation in case of displacements, how the government is going to engage the local community over the ancestral land (and) copies of all documents relating to the transaction between the ministry of Local Government and the Lucerne investor.

The villagers said that they were not consulted, they were not informed of where they will be relocated and how they will benefit from the project adding that the move ejects them from their ancestral lands.

They are also worried that the government will leave them stranded as was the case with victims of Tokwe-Mukorsi floods.

-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- The situation in most urban towns was generally tense as soldiers reportedly went on a rampage frustrating citizens and even beating them up while ordering them to go back home.

Watch our live discussion on the day’s events in the video downloading below. Please be patient while the video downloads.

Contract of Employment Entered Into Between Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation

(Hereinafter referred as the Company) and

Happison Muchechetere

(Hereinafter referred to as the Employee)

NATURE OF EMPLOYMENT:

The Company hereby engages the Employee as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC)

Responsibilities:

1. Managing and controlling the Corporation’s capital and operating budget.
2. Managing the operations of all the Corporation’s five Radio Stations.
3. Managing the operations of the Corporation’s two Television Stations.
4. Directing the expansion/growth of the Corporation’s Radio and Television divisions.
5. Directing the implementation of the Corporation’s Digitalisation program in line with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) December 2015 migration deadline.

The Employee shall report to the Board of Directors of ZBC through the Board Chairman.

The Key Result Areas of the Job of the Group Chief Executive Officer are:

i. Implementing Shareholder Editorial and Business Policies through the Board of Directors.

ii. Managing the (4Ms) of ZBC: Market, Manpower, Machinery, Money.

iii. Co-ordinating and monitoring the performance of all departments of ZBC.

iv. Mobilising and allocating resources to achieve organisational goals.

v. Generating revenue for the Company through advertising, licensing and other business strategies.

vi. Accomplish digitalisation by the December 2013 SADC deadline.

vii. Monitoring and enhancing the image of the Company.

Contract Period: The contract is performance based and is for a five (5) year fixed period and renewal upon satisfactory performance. The contract begins on 01 June 2011 ending 31 May 2016.

Basic Salary: Your basic salary shall be US15 000 (Fifteen thousand US dollars) per month, subject to regular reviews whenever necessary.

Performance Related Bonus: A quarterly performance-related bonus of 12,5% of annual basic salary payable upon meeting targets.

Annual Bonus: The Company will pay an annual bonus equal to the monthly gross salary (13th cheque). The bonus is payable at the end of November each year.

‌

Leave Entitlement: You will be entitled to 42 days vacation leave and 12 days casual leave per annum.

Motor Vehicle: Gratuity: To retain the vehicles you used during the expired contract as gratuity. You will be entitled to a personal S350 Mercedes and Toyota Land Cruiser (or equivalent) consistent with the profile and image expected of a Group Chief Executive Officer of such an institution. These will be fully serviced and maintained by the Company.

The vehicles allocated will be sold to you at book value at the expiry of three years, retrenchment or any other eventuality.

Housing: Gratuity: Company to pay off mortgage to existing property and give title deeds as gratuity for expired contract. You will be paid a housing allowance equivalent to prevailing market rates for a reasonable low-density house that is fully furnished. Company to construct an entertainment area for guests at the house.

Water and Electricity: The Company will pay for domestic water and electricity bills in full. The payment shall be on the production of invoices from the service providers.

Domestic Workers: You will be entitled to four domestic workers (two housekeepers and two gardeners), at prevailing market rates.

School Fees: You will be entitled to 100% school fees for academic, tertiary and local university studies for a maximum of three children to be paid upon production of school fees invoices.

Entertainment Allowance: You will be entitled to unlimited business entertainment allowance, provided it is reasonably controlled. It extends to home entertainment calculated @ 20% of your basic salary payable every month.

Medical Aid: A non-contributory medical aid package to cover self, spouse, children and not more than three adult family dependants will be provided.

Pension Scheme: A non-contributory pension scheme borne by the Employer.

Sporting Club and Professional Subscriptions: The Company will pay annual subscriptions for three sporting and professional associations of your choice.

Home Telephone and Internet: To be paid by the Corporation in full on supply of invoices from the service providers.

Cellphone: The Corporation shall provide three cellphone handsets and three sim cards from the three largest service providers. It must, however, be pointed out that the Corporation expects reasonable usage failing which the benefit may be reduced or withdrawn altogether.

These will be given to you at the expiry of your contract, retrenchment or any other eventuality.

Fuel: Provision of unlimited fuel per month at reasonable use.

Security: In addition to a 24-hour security guard at your residence, you will be entitled to a security wall with an electrified fence and razor wire.

Monitoring Gadgets: You will be entitled to three sets of personal radios, television sets and accessories for monitoring of all radio and television stations from home and for the entertainment area.

DSTV: Annual subscriptions for full bouquet DSTV facility at home and for the entertainment area.

Holiday Allowance:

a) You will be entitled to five Business Class return airfares every twelve months to overseas destinations of choice and the per diem for seven (7) nights at ZBC’s expense and including immediate members of the family.

b) You shall be entitled to three regional business return airfares to destinations of your choice, including members of your family.

c) You shall be entitled to unlimited local holiday destinations of your choice, including immediate family members.

Office Consumables: As per Company Policy.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish to congratulate you on this re-appointment. This offer is given in three copies. If you are in agreement kindly sign and return to me two of the copies at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Dr C.E. DUBE

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS – ZBC

MOTORISTS are set to be hit with new tollgate fees as government seeks to keep the charges at par with the United States dollar, NewsDay has learnt.

Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Joel Biggie Matiza confirmed the development.

“The toll fees are being reviewed and I can say the process is currently underway. The new toll fees will be out soon after we complete the whole (reviewing) process,” he said.

Motorists are currently paying $10 (US$,16) at black market rate for light vehicles, but inflation has rendered it worthless. Matiza, however, said he did not know what the new charges will be.
Zimbabwe National Road Administration board chairperson Michael Madanha said the proposed rates were awaiting Finance ministry approval.

“Definitely the toll fees are going to be reviewed up and anytime soon we will be having the new charges. We have already come up with proposed rates and we wait for approval from the Finance ministry. I am not privy as to what the new charges will be like as this lies with the Zinara executive,” he said.

The upward review of the toll fees was triggered by the current runaway inflation that has seen the local currency fast losing value against the US dollar.

In July last year, government increased toll fees that saw light vehicles being required to pay $10 up from $2, mini-buses $15 up from $4 and conventional buses $20 up from $5. Heavy vehicles and haulage trucks paying $25 and $50, respectively.

 NewsDay

The Secretary-General of the opposition MDC Alliance, Chalton Hwende has said a businessman based in South Africa has offered to pay a membership fee for 3500 people.

This comes as the party recently announced that it was recruiting new members who upon registration need to pay a membership fee amounting to $60. Posting on Twitter, Hwende said:

One businessman based in SA has just called me to offer to pay membership fee for 35 branches in rural areas to help us with our rural penetration Strategy each branch has 100 members so he will pay for 3500 members @ $210 000rtgs. Let’s adopt rural branches and help the Party.

The opposition in the country has often been accused of neglecting the rural vote which has unfortunately been the difference between the opposition and the ruling party in each and every election.

The recruitment drive comes at the backdrop of a leadership crisis in the MDC that has seen some of the MDC Alliance leaders and members defecting to MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe.

There was a general tense and unpredictable situation in much of the day in most urban centres on Tuesday as soldiers appeared to be on a rampage.

Watch our live discussion on the day’s events in the video downloading below. Please be patient while the video downloads.

Heavily Armed anti riot police and army officers in Harare and Bulawayo on Tuesday launched a surprise early morning massive crackdown on civilians who were in town intending to conduct various business activities, bringing the central business districts to a standstill.

As early as 5 am, State security agents were seen patrolling the city’s streets chasing away workers, motorists, and people queuing for various services such as in banks, fuel stations, and vegetable markets.

Commenting on the shutdown, former information minister, Jonathan Moyo, said some occult seemed to be in panic mode.

“More sights and sounds of soldiers and police acting funny in Bulawayo this morning. Some occult seems to be in panic mode, since going public with weird coup rumours. Someone else seems to be poking the panic, to expose it. The result is confusion in the streets!”

By Simba Chikanza | Below is an engagement debating the reasons why the military on Tuesday ordered citizens to disobey their boss, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mnangagwa has ordered people to go back to work and build the economy, but within 96 hrs, soldiers are telling the public to disregard his “presidential” instruction.

On the 12th June, Mnangagwa told the nation, to return to work to revamp the economy;

…within less than 4 days, the military are seen busy in the streets ordering the citizens to do the opposite, to turn their backs and go home, in what will certainly see the economy suffer setbacks.

In this feature, ZimEye contacts Emmerson Mnangagwa himself and also the senior military, among other core sources to the story, to find out what on earth is going on between the Limpopo and the Zambezi rivers.

The interviews come as state security insiders tell ZimEye, “soldiers are clearly tense.”

They explain the situation saying, “Someone spread a rumour of a coup, so Mnangagwa was trying to change military generals following that rumour, so they refused, so it’s that tense.

“Mnangagwa misfired because he took coup rumours very seriously, ” they added, as they spoke of a report by an American preacher called Nathan Hambyrd who alleges that Mnangagwa will be assassinated as ‘a hot bullet goes through his head.’

Says Hambyrd, “”Mr Mnangagwa, your thievery, your ungodly life, your murders, your abductions, your rapes, your pillaging, your immorality, your promiscuity, your devil worshipping, God is going to take your breath from you, a hot bullet will find you.

“It will go through your flesh, and blood will spill out everywhere, I’m not going to do it, but it will come from your own people, and that is the will of God, for you to bleed and die.”

“Mnangagwa believes in spiritualism from vapositori and witch doctors, so if he hears anything from the spiritualists, he becomes worked up.

“So now, he went on to shake the branch with its swarm of bees, so the army errupted into a loud disquiet, the soldiers are not happy,” they said.

Names and ranks of the generals up for firing had not been published at the time of writing (this report is being updated).

The leak, is however confirmed by a full Joint Operations Command announcement by the Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe flanked by full colour military generals when the US preacher’s name was dropped, as Kazembe also attacked the country’s leading investigative news network, ZimEye.com.

So which ranks are in a disquiet then?, our reporter asked, to which ZimEye was told, “when soldiers are fed up, what happens is when generals above are given money and perks, the lower ranks complain, but this larger part of the army even if it complains, nothing happens because they operate under a firm command structure; the lower ranks can never go into action without an order from the top.

“If the military can be allowed to roam around abusing their power it means that there is somebody up there who is allowing it to happen,” they added.

While video evidence from Harare and Bulawayo, showed soldiers as non violent albeit still sending people home, in their Commander In Chief’s own hometown, Zvishavane, it was blood on the floor, as it were – the direct message from the military to Mnangagwa was blasted louder: Soldiers who were reportedly beating civilians there following a sharp increase in fuel prices at Mnangagwa’s petrol stations. Below were some submissions from sources in the area, which ZimEye verified with several sources there.

In ZANU PF’s stronghold, Masvingo town, there were no beatings, although soldiers and police were roaming about in the neighbourhoods.

ZimEye reached out to Mnangagwa for a comment and his spokesman, George Charamba angrily reacted as he lashed out saying, “first disabuse your readers of the alarmist story you ran and then you and I can engage,” he said, while referring to the video article showing how soldiers went round the cities ordering workers to disobey their(the soldiers’) own commander in chief, to go back home.

Charamba’s denial came as a highly reliable source within the army has revealed to ZimEye.com that soldiers have closed off all major urban centres in the country in protest against government’s move to reduce their salaries by ZWL$1000.

Members of the military were apparently warned last month that they will receive reduced salaries this month (June) because a back pay that had been spread for four months – February to May – has been paid up.

A letter communicating this change, which ZimEye republishes, states in part, “expect a reduction in net salaries with effect from June 2020, because if the cessation of the backpay.”

Contacted for a comment, military spokesman Col Overson Mugwisi had a different story. He told ZimEye the ongoing military deployment is all to do with the coronavirus lockdown.

“Talk to the police, they’re in charge of the lockdown,” he said, referring to the COVID lockdown.

Below is a screenroll of the spokesman’s responses: “Who is turning away people?

“My brother I think you know the truth that lockdown measures are being done by the police.

“I really don’t know why you have an obsession of talking to the military…

“Talk to the police,they’re in charge of the lockdown…”

But the national COVID lockdown was officially scaled down to Level 2 last week Friday, with ZANU PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa announcing saying, people should now return to work to revamp the economy.

Towards the end of the day, state security sources reiterated to ZimEye, “there might not be a coup but there is a loud disquiet in the military ranks and it has been permitted.”

Own Correspondent

MDC Alliance Vice President Professor Welshman Ncube has taken shame at the leader of the MDC-T, Thokozani Khupe for claiming that she leads a party with 103 legislators.

Khupe claimed that the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the MDC leadership crisis had restored her as the leader of the MDC left by the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai which fielded those MPs for the 2018 elections.

She said by virtue of the fact that she was now the party’s leader, everyone who belonged to the party was under her leadership.

Commenting on the remarks, Ncube said:

New Ziana

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said on Tuesday by-elections for vacant constituencies and wards will be held after the government has relaxed lockdown restrictions.

The assurance follows an outcry mainly from the opposition that the electoral body was strangling democracy by suspending the holding of elections.

But ZEC said the “suspension of by-elections and other electoral activities was done in compliance with executive Presidential powers invoked as a result of a global pandemic recognised by the law as An Act of God.”

Zimbabwe has since March 30 undergone different levels of Covid-19 lockdown that are aimed at curbing the spread of the deadly virus.

Besides restricting the movement of citizens, the government has prohibited gatherings of over 50 people.

As of June 15, the country had recorded 387 confirmed Covid-19 infections, 54 recoveries and 4 deaths.

ZEC urged stakeholders to be patient as it was working on a draft policy that would guide the conduct of elections in the Covid-19 era.

“Again it should be noted that by-elections were suspended and not postponed which means that they will be conducted when lockdown restrictions have been relaxed to allow such activities to resume
without posing danger to the health of those involved,” the electoral body said.

“The Commission would like to advise its stakeholders to be patient while it finalises a draft on the Covid19 Electoral Practice Policy that will guide electoral staff, the electorate and other stakeholders on how to conduct themselves before, during and after electoral processes to avoid contracting the novel Coronavirus.”

A number of seats have fallen vacant following either the death or recall of incumbent Parliamentarians and councilors.

Reuters

Zimbabwe’s biggest gold miner RioZim Ltd said on Tuesday it had stopped had stopped production due to delays in payments for deliveries to the country’s sole buyer of bullion, which left the company unable to meet its operational expenditures.

Gold is Zimbabwe’s single largest foreign currency earner, and Fidelity Printers and Refiners, an arm of the central bank, has a monopoly on buying and refining all the country’s output.

However, a shortage of foreign currency in Zimbabwe has led to payment problems in the mining sector.

RioZim said it was owed US$2.46 million and $65.48 million Zimbabwe dollars (US$2.6 million) by Fidelity for gold deliveries.

That made it difficult to pay for electricity, fuel and a portion of salaries, which are all denominated in U.S. dollars, said RioZim, which owns three gold mines and a diamond mine.

“The company has therefore been forced to stop production of bullion due to its inability to buy essential consumables and spaces and is actively placing all its gold mines on care and maintenance until a viable solution is found,” RioZim said.

The company mines gold at Cam and Motor Mine in Kadoma, Renco Mine in Masvingo. It also owns Murowa Diamonds, Empress Nickel Refinery and Sengwa Coal Mine.

Fidelity and the central bank were not immediately available to comment.

The situation is similar to a case in 2018 during a credit crunch when RioZim accused Fidelity of making late payments, which Fidelity and the central bank both denied doing.

At that time RioZim temporarily halted production and sued Fidelity and the central bank for US$92 million over late payments. The arrears were later cleared and production resumed but the court case is still ongoing.

Large gold producers are paid 70 percent of their earnings in dollars and the balance in local currency at a fixed exchange rate that miners say disadvantages them.

That is because the Zimbabwe dollar is pegged at 25 to the U.S. dollar but trades at up to 90 per U.S. dollar on the black market. Most prices are calculated using the black market exchange rate.

The Chamber of Mines and tobacco farmers have urged the central bank to scrap the fixed exchange rate and allow the local unit to freely float.

Business Times

The United States (US) government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), would provide US$10m to Zimbabwe to help fight COVID-19.

The funds will go to the World Food Programme (WFP) for humanitarian assistance for nearly 100,000 vulnerable people in eight urban areas.

“This additional funding, which will help people facing increased food insecurity in Zimbabwe’s urban areas, demonstrates the US commitment to the people of Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans in urban areas need to practice social distancing measures to protect themselves from COVID-19 and continue to feed their families,” US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols said.

With this additional funding, US assistance to the COVID-19 response in Zimbabwe exceeds US$18 million.

USAID has provided nearly US$15 million, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided US$3 million, and PEPFAR has reprogrammed US$150,000 to deal with COVID-19.

Through this $10 million in new funding, USAID will collaborate with WFP to address increasing food insecurity in urban areas.

In September 2019, the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) determined that more than 2.2m Zimbabweans in urban areas face food insecurity as a result of rising food prices.

In May 2020, WFP estimated that this number had increased by as much as one million people as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, which further constrained the economy and severely affected Zimbabweans whose livelihoods depend on the informal sector.

This funding will ensure that nearly 100,000 people in eight urban districts have access to cash transfers that will ensure adequate food supplies between July and December 2020.

USAID’s emergency assistance to urban areas complements the more than US$110 million that USAID provided to rural areas in 2019, which reached more than 1.8 million rural Zimbabweans across 22 districts.

The United States remains committed to supporting the people of Zimbabwe to improve health outcomes, increase agricultural productivity, stimulate economic growth, protect human rights, and improve democratic governance in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Own Correspondent

The opposition MDC Alliance has castigated the government’s “fast-track” Constitutional Amendment Bill public hearings despite protests from stakeholders.

The hearings started on Monday 15 June 2020 in several parts of the country. We present the party’s statement in full below.

STATEMENT ON FAST-TRACK CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PUBLIC HEARINGS

The MDC Alliance notes with deep concern that the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has proceeded to hold public hearings on Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment No. 2 Bill notwithstanding protests from the public. We believe that respect for the Constitution is the bedrock of a strong society and that any Constitution-amendment process must be people-driven.

The public hearings commenced yesterday, the 15. of June 2020 and are scheduled to run until the 19. of June 2020. Initially, they were meant to run between March 29 to April 4, 2020, but the process was suspended due to the COVID-19 national lockdown. The lockdown remains at ‘Level 2′. It is yet to be lifted. This means that freedom of assembly is still greatly curtailed. The decision to fast-track the public-hearing process means that most people will not be able to attend the public hearings and make their voices heard due to restrictions on movement as well as the size of public gatherings. Section 328(4) of the Constitution requires that the public be given an opportunity to express their views on constitutional amendments and Parliament must provide facilities to enable them to do so. This decision is grossly unreasonable as it violates the citizens’ right to be heard and consulted in this important process.

The MDC Alliance maintains that Government’s focus should be on aligning laws to the Constitution as opposed to amending it. The proposed amendments entrench more power in the Executive and remove necessary checks and balances that are integral for the independence of the Judiciary and separation of powers. The proposed decoupling of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s delimitation process from the population census leaves the former process exposed and vulnerable to gerrymandering and political abuse.

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The attempt to amend over twenty clauses to the Constitution in such a fast-track manner confirms that if the Government had the political will to align laws to the Constitution, it would have done so. No changes should be effected to the Consitution until sincere reforms are implemented – including addressing the socio-economic crisis, the deteriorating human rights situation and the chronic scourge of corruption.

We demand that the Government implements the Constitution and carries out systemic political reform. We encourage citizens to continue to speak out and register their dissatisfaction with this clear violation of their rights.

Watch live Pastor Charles Charamba speaks…..

By A Correspondent- MSU said students will sit for examinations from July 6 to August 28 depending on the faculty. 

In a statement, the institution said:

The University would like to advise final year students that plans for opening our campuses in preparation for the end of semester examinations are at an advanced stage.

Remote teaching for these classes will continue until 19 June 2020. Thereafter, students will return to campus under a phased approach.

Please take note that only registered students will be allowed to write examinations. MSU Student ID cards will be required for entry into university premises to reduce the risk of entry by unauthorised persons.

MSU said it will also provide all students with on-campus accommodation as a precautionary measure to reduce exposure to Covid-19.

Studies were suspended in March following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

-StateMedia

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson, Clifford Hlatywayo has challenged Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to stop harassing innocent and hapless citizens.

Hlatywayo told ZimEye.com on Monday the regime was desperate to silence democratic forces through arrests, abductions, torture and intimidation of citizens.

He said Mnangagwa must focus on addressing factors affecting millions of suffering Zimbabweans.

“The issues that are affecting Zimbabweans in general are very clear . Mnangagwa must address the issues that are affecting ordinary Zimbabweans.

Unfortunately Mnangagwa has chosen to gag democratic voices through violence, intimidation and torture.

Instead of protecting the three girls, Joana, Cecilia and Netsai, Mnangagwa’s administration is determined to cow them into submission.

The girls must be released as a matter of urgency,” said Hlatywayo.

He added: ” Mnangagwa is in panic mode and he is at war with citizens. He is using every weapon at his disposal to silence dissenting voices.”

By A Correspondent- The MDC T led by Thokozani Khupe has revealed that the party’s top leadership is yet to reveal the way forward regarding POLAD.

Responding to a question on the way forward considering that several former MDC Alliance top leaders including Douglas Mwonzora, Morgen Komichi, Paurina Mpariwa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri were initially against POLAD while Thokozani Khupe joined POLAD at its inception, Douglas Mwonzora said:

“We are an opposition party that is going to engage with Zanu Pf the same way that Morgan Tsvangirai engaged with Zanu Pf..”

Watch the live video loading below…..

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance councillor for ward 4, Masvingo Urban, Godfrey Kurauone says he has nothing to worry about as he was only performing his social responsibility duty of feeding hungry people.

Kurauone related how government agents visited his house and accused him of violating lockdown restrictions.

On Monday, Councillor Kurauone bought lunch for the homeless in Masvingo.

Kurauone said : “CID officers came to my house at 9:28am and accused me of breaching the Covid-19 regulations yesterday after giving food to the disadvantaged and homeless people.

However, l informed them that, it is my social responsibility as councillor to feed the hungry. “

“This is an act of harassment.
I think they are harassing me because l am from the MDC Alliance led by President Chamisa, who defeated ED in 2018 harmonised elections.”

By A Correspondent- Addressing the media at Morgan Tsvangirai House, leader of the splinter faction of the MDC T Thokozani Khupe declared that her party is the official opposition in the country following the Supreme Court ruling which appointed her acting president.

Said Khupe, while flanked by Douglas Mwonzora, Morgan Komichi and Emgeneer Elias Mudzuri:

“After the Supreme Court ruling this is our first National Standing Committee meeting. We met here as a leadership and say let us reflect back on what happened and let us correct that.

These are the founding members of the MDC T. Most of the members that you are seeing here are the real founders of the MDC T…The people you are seeing here are the founding members of the MDC T…

We are here today, we are standing, we are now up on our toes, feet and on our toes We are rearing to go. Our desire as the opposition that will make sure that Zimbabweans have a better life. We want to make sure that we become a government in waiting…”

In an interview post 2018, Khupe who contested the 2018 elections using the MDC T logo and brand is however on record saying she was content with her performance in the presidential elections where she polled a paltry 45 573 votes.

While she boasted of beating 17 other contenders (men) who were vying for the country’s top job, Khupe who was proclaimed leader of the MDC T by a Supreme Court ruling was a distant third on the number of votes that she got compared to her former ally Nelson Chamisa of MDC Alliance who garnered 2 147 436 votes while Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zanu PF got 2 460 463 votes, which to date are disputed.

It therefore remains to be seen whether Khupe will indeed get the backing of the masses and only time will tell.

Watch the live video loading below…

The MDC Alliance is concerned by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s
unconstitutional decision to indefinitely suspend electoral activities because of the COVID-19 pandemic without regard for the Constitution, the country’s electoral laws and respect for the citizens’ civil and political rights. We are of the firm view that ZEC’s conduct is unlawful, unreasonable and unfair for the reasons that are set out below:

1. The indefinite suspension of electoral activities violates section 158(3) of the Constitution which states that elections should be conducted within 90 days following a parliamentary or local authority vacancy. There is no provision for the postponement of this 90-day time frame. The Chiredzi Ward 16 by-election was indefinitely postponed by ZEC on the 25th of March 2020.

Additionally, there are five confirmed local government vacancies. Most of
them have exceeded the 90-day time frame. Accordingly, ZEC is in breach of
the Constitution. The Constitution is the supreme law and supersedes any Act of Parliament or subsidiary legislation. ZEC has fallen foul of this binding constitutional provision. It has not approached a court of law to correct the anomaly in accordance with best practice as seen in other jurisdictions faced with the same difficulty.

2. ZEC has acted unilaterally in deciding to issue a blanket indefinite
suspension of electoral activities. The electoral management body did not
consult political parties, civic society organisations or voters as would be
required by the dictates of sound administrative conduct.

3. The statement by ZEC is vague concerning which electoral activities have
been suspended. There is no clarity on the status of by-elections in local
authorities, constituency seats, proportional representation vacancies, and
legally stipulated continuous electoral activities that include voter education and voter registration which require minimal physical interaction. With appropriate social distancing and hygiene etiquette measures, we believe that all these electoral activities can continue in the same way that court and parliamentary activities have resumed, without causing a public health disaster.

4. Notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic, electoral reforms remain
outstanding. We demand electoral reforms and the alignment of electoral
laws to the Constitution. Most urgently, consultation on the delimitation
exercise should commence forthwith.

Fadzayi Mahere
National Spokesperson

By Own Correspondent| A highly reliable source within the army has revealed to ZimEye.com that soldiers have closed off all major urban centres in the country in protest to government’s move to reduce their salaries by ZWL$1000.

LIVE: Soldiers Shut Down Harare, Bulawayo After Govt Cut Down Their Salaries, is there a causal connection? | WHAT’S HAPPENING? – ZimEye https://t.co/RrVwATYCtb pic.twitter.com/gUrD3yviwJ

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 16, 2020

Members of the military were apparently warned last month that they will receive reduced salaries this month (June) because a back pay that had been spread for four months – February to May – has been paid up.

Contacted for a comment, military spokesman Col Overson Mugwisi had a different story. He told ZimEye the ongoing military deployment is all to do with the coronavirus lockdown.

“Talk to the police,they’re in charge of the lockdown,” he said, referring to the COVID lockdown.

Below is a roll if his responses:’Who is turning away people? My brother I think you know the truth that lockdown measures are being done by the police.

“I really don’t know why you have an obsession of talking to the military…

“Talk to the police,they’re in charge of the lockdown…”

Military spokesman (O Mugwisi-OM): Who is turning away people? My brother I think you know the truth that lockdown measures are being done by the police. I really don't know why you have an obsession of talking to the military…Talk to the police,theyre charge of the lockdown.. pic.twitter.com/n7yxMsNnxp

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 16, 2020

But the lockdown was scaled down to Level 2 week, with ZANU PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa announcing saying, people should now return to work to rebuild the economy.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

People being turned away in the capital city Harare, at turnoff in Arcturus as well off Mabvuku tatodzima mota kupaka." pic.twitter.com/52nIhyUjZg

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 16, 2020

Soldiers turning people away in Luveve rd, Bulawayo pic.twitter.com/uq9VGNXkfQ

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 16, 2020

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY – REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR THE UPDATES.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

In a memorandum dated 28 May 2020, Lieutenant J.V. Nsimba said the cessation of the back pay will result in reduced net salaries for members of the military.

This is a developing story, more details to be provided as they unfold.

By Own Correspondent| State security agents have visited MDC Alliance Masvingo City Councillor Godfrey Kurauone at his home to interrogate him over his programme to feed the vulnerable yesterday, a day government set as a national day of prayer and fasting.

According to the MDC Alliance, the agents who visited him include, Gumbo from CIO, Sibanda from Police Intelligence, Tshabangu from Law and Order and another who did not disembark from his car.

“They threatened him for feeding the vulnerable yesterday,” the party said.

More to follow…

Farai Ndawana from St Marys in Chitungwiza said : “Mnangagwa cannot tell us to fast when we are starving already.”

Chipo Mwale from Chitungwiza said

“I only heard it on TV and its shocking that our leaders are not aware that we have been fasting since November 2017.”

By A Correspondent- Gwanda magistrate, Ndumiso Khumalo, who was beaten up by police in April following his arrest over suspected robbery, has lodged a complaint for the violation of his rights

Khumalo filed his complaint on May 29 at Hillside Police Station after he was assaulted on April 21 at 9pm in Waterford, Bulawayo.

In his letter, Khumalo stated that he was a magistrate at Gwanda (Criminal) Magistrates Court.

“It was on April 21, 2020 at 9pm, and I was walking home with a friend (neighbour) after visiting him where we had spent the evening indoors from around 6pm and two vehicles stopped on the main road. The occupants of the vehicles disembarked. The first vehicle to stop was a Honda Fit carrying approximately 10 men armed with knobkerries and police batons,” Khumalo wrote.

“The second vehicle was a kombi being driven by a tall, dark and big uniformed member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). The kombi had two other uniformed police officers, but the one I saw clearly was the driver. On disembarking from their vehicles, the part of men, armed with the weapons, started to assault me and my friend accusing us of hitting one of them with a brick and taking his bicycle in a nearby bush earlier that evening.”

Khumalo stated that the police officers asked them where the bicycle and a satchel (suspected to be stolen) were.

“The mob of armed men assaulted me severely on both sides of my pelvis using batons, knobkerries and did not stop until I was unable to feel my legs or stand. During the attack I ran and tried to beg the driver to intervene but he pushed me back to the armed men,” Khumalo wrote.

“I became half-conscious on the side of the main road after being assaulted by the mob and the police officer (driver) violently handcuffed me to his friend’s left hand. I was extremely in pain and could not feel my legs. The officers demanded that we get into the kombi saying we were under arrest as suspects for robbery.”

Khumalo said they were driven to Hillside Police Station where they were charged with robbery and detained.

The following morning Khumalo realised that they were victims of mistaken identity as the three robbery suspects were already in custody.

“The three young men confessed to beating and robbing a man of his bicycle,” Khumalo wrote.

After demanding to be released, Khumalo and his friend were charged with loitering during lockdown and ordered to pay $500 fine each. Khumalo showed the officers the wounds on his pelvis and convinced them that he required medical attention.

“An ambulance arrived and I was carried by officers into the vehicle, given back my shoes, cellphone and a piece of paper instructing the hospital to treat me,” Khumalo wrote, adding that he was treated at United Bulawayo Hospitals and released the following day, but his friend remained in custody.

Constable Rambi of Hillside Police Station called and asked Khumalo to bring a medical affidavit to the station so that he could lay assault charges against the officers who had battered him, but he could not because he was still receiving medical treatment.

Khumalo later discovered that his friend had been given handwritten summons to appear in court on a charge of robbery.

“To date I still cannot walk without feeling extreme pain, needless to say that I am still confused as to how this unfortunate incident befell me in my neighbourhood, near my house and near a police station,” Khumalo wrote.

The medical affidavit compiled by a doctor at the United Bulawayo Hospitals stated that Khumalo’s injuries were serious, permanent disability was likely to occur and that the examination showed that there was potential loss of life due to intracranial and internal bleeding.

The police are yet to respond to the letter.

Alert! Alert! Alert!

The dreaded Ferret team known for abductions and torture of opposition activists has just paid an unwanted and uninvited visit to the home of our MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Organizer, Clr Godfrey Kurauone just now!

Organ Kurauone’s crime is refusing to take part in Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Command Fasting Day held yesterday.

Below is Clr Godfrey Kurauone’s statement:

“4 people have just left my home now. Tendai David Runganga Gumbo from CIO, Sibanda from Police Intelligence, Tshabangu from Law and Order and the other one who did not disembark from his Car.

They are accusing me of not following Covid 19 regulations yesterday when i gave food to the disabled homeless people. They said they came to warn me to stop what i am doing.”

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson

Alert! Alert! Alert!

The dreaded Ferret team known for abductions and torture of opposition activists has just paid an unwanted and uninvited visit to the home of our MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Organizer, Clr Godfrey Kurauone just now!

Organ Kurauone’s crime is refusing to take part in Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Command Fasting Day held yesterday.

Below is Clr Godfrey Kurauone’s statement:

“4 people have jus left my home nw.
Tendai David Runganga Gumbo from CIO, Sibanda from Police Intelligence, Tshabangu from Law and Order and the other one who did not disembark from his Car.

They are accusing me of not following Covid 19 regulations yesterday when i gave food to the disabled homeless people.
Hanzi we have come to warn u to stop what you are doing.”

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson

By A Correspondent- Harare Magistrate Bianca Makwande on Monday 15 June 2020 ordered Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) to allow three victims of abduction and torture, who she condemned to prison after denying them bail, to be allowed access to food brought by their
lawyers after they complained of starvation while in detention.

Magistrate Makwande denied bail to Harare West legislator Hon. Joana
Mamombe aged 27 years, Cecelia Chimbiri aged 31 years and Netsai Marova aged 25 years, who appeared before her after they were arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police members and charged with publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state as defined in section 31(a)(ii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state as defined in section 31(a)(iii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

The trio was also charged with defeating or obstructing the course of
justice as defined in section 184(1)(f) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Magistrate Makwande told Hon. Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova that she
vetoed their bail application after being convinced that there were
compelling reasons not to admit them to bail.

The Magistrate who remanded the trio in custody to 26 June 2020
ordered ZPCS to allow Hon. Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova to be treated
for ailments sustained when they were abducted and disappeared by some
unidentified people on 13 May 2020.

The trio’s lawyers Alec Muchadehama, Jeremiah Bamu, Roselyn Hanzi and
Tinomuda Shoko of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, told Magistrate Makwande that their clients were starving in prison and had not eaten since Friday as ZPCS officers were not allowing them to get food coming from their lawyers when they visit them at Chikurubi Maximum Prison, where they are detained.

Watch MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere speaks to ZimEye shortly after the court ruling:

The abductees’ lawyers advised Magistrates Makwande that they will
challenge the placement of their clients on remand when they return to
court on 26 June 2020.

Hon. Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova went missing on 13 May 2020, when
they were abducted in Harare and were found on 15 May 2020 after being
dumped in Bindura in Mashonaland Central province.

They have already been charged with committing public violence after
they were arrested on 26 May 2020 for allegedly participating in an anti-government protest against hunger during the national lockdown period as defined in section 37 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and for contravening section 5(3) (a) as read with section 5(1) of Statutory Instrument 99 of 2020 of Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020 and will stand trial in August.

-ZLHR

By A Correspondent| Sugar producer Tongaat Hulett has hiked the price of sugar with effect from yesterday 15 June 2020.

This is despite the fact that the product is in short supply and rarely available in local supermarkets.

According to a communication from Tongaat Hulett, a 2kg pack of brown sugar is now being sold at a retail price of ZWL$140.45 while a 2kg of white sugar is now going for ZWL$147.86.

The company did not state reasons for the hike in prices.

Find below the Tongaat Hulett price schedule

By A Correspondent- The MDC T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe will soon hold its National Council Meeting once the modalities are in place.

ecretary general of the party Douglas Mwonzora:

“…..following the petition by some members of the National Council asking us to hold an emergency National Council meeting, and our attitude is that we will soon be holding the National Executive Council meeting as soon as the circumstances are permitting gatherings …that allow for big gatherings. As you know, there are 202 members of the council, and we will need our leadership…The president will give us a date.. we are not in a hurry to hold the meeting because we had another one on May 9 virtually.”

Watch the live video loading below…..

By A Correspondent- The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development is delaying the introduction of the $20 note and other higher denominations to avoid upsetting the market.

Treasury boss Mthuli Ncube said allowing citizens to use foreign currency in domestic transactions as well as delaying the introduction of higher Zimbabwe dollar denominations is meant to manage the growth of money supply.

Said Ncube:

At the moment we have allowed citizens to use free funds (forex), as a way to also manage the growth of money supply.

So, we said we will bring it ($20 note) but we need to ease pressure and we want to manage the introduction of whatever currency we have so that again we don’t balloon growth of money supply.

We use the swapping mechanism where we are swapping RTGS balances for cash and we have kept that approach and that’s the right approach to do it.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) introduced the $10 note at the end of May and had initially announced that the $20 note would be in circulation by the first week of June.

The exchange rate has spiralled out of control, with the local dollar now trading at 1:60 and above against the US$1 on the parallel market at a time when the fixed exchange rate remains at 1:25.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Manicaland police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa on Monday confirmed the report that a 14-year-old girl committed suicide by hanging.

Beloved Choga from Nhokwara village in Buhera hung herself to death after being reprimanded by her mother for failing to perform household chores.

Reports indicate that on June 10, Beloved was quizzed by her mother Memory Choga (38) why she was not doing her household chores.

Dejected and depressed over her mother’s rebuke, Beloved left home a few hours later and her mother failed to locate her.

After searching for the teenager for hours without much success, villagers gave up the search only for Shadreck Nhokwara to stumble upon the juvenile’s corpse two days later hanging from a tree.

Nhokwara reported the matter to the nearby police station.

-Newsday

State Media

Informal traders have begun registering or confirming registration and are readying their stalls in response to President Mnangagwa’s announcement of the lifting of a ban on informal business activities but most are only expected to resume operations next week after repairing and cleaning market areas.

Most of the informal sector has been inactive for 10 weeks since the start of the lockdown at the end of March to curb the spread of Covid-19 infection. Farmers’ markets and vegetable vendors received early emptions and the informal industrial sector came back into operation a little later, with all these opening under set conditions.

Government statistics suggest that close on three quarters of the economically active population earn their living in the informal sector, and while there is a temporary programme to give the most vulnerable families a survival stipend of $300 a month, the re-opening of this sector has had a high priority within the required public health guidelines.

Under amended regulations, those in the informal sector, but excluding cross-border traders and a few others, can resume business under the same conditions imposed on the formal sector so long as they are registered, which means they have hawker and vendor licences from their local authority, and pay presumptive taxes at the same time, or they have stalls in approved flea markets and peoples’ markets.

Besides registration they will have to follow the rules of compulsory mask wearing, social distancing and personal hygiene for both themselves and their customers.

Already the leadership of groups of informal traders are working to put safety measures in place.

At Mupedzanhamo market, men were hard at work fixing the panels of the precast concrete wall around the market, one of the conditions set by Harare City Council before the market reopens.

Mupedzanhamo traders are already registered by paying fees to the council but now have to fix up the market as well. Chairman of Mupedzanhamo Traders Committee Mr Charles Marufu told The Herald they expected to be back at work next week.

“We are already registered. We were already paying money to council and that has not changed. We engaged council informing them of our intention to reopen and they gave us conditions, which we are in the process of satisfying,” he said.

“We were told to fix precast walls, which were vandalised, and we are almost done with that then we engage them for inspection and subsequent reopening,” said Mr Marufu.

At the Mbare Market, the fresh produce and wholesale section was re-opened while the lockdown was at level four since food markets are deemed an essential service.

But the retail section has been tightly shut. Now the traders, again registered by paying council fees, are cleaning up their market. They have buckets with water and detergents at the entrances with a sanitisation booth being erected at each of the two entrances, which will be used.

Mbare retail market committee chairman Mr Archford Manjoro said traders were dedicating this whole week to cleaning.

“We were already registered, but we felt we could not open immediately after the President’s declaration. During the lockdown we were already engaging Médecins Sans Frontiers. They drilled a borehole for us and gave us sanitisation buckets, which we are currently using,” said Mr Manjoro.

In both markets, they have held meetings and came up with a set of rules, which include allowing limited numbers into the market, social distancing and mandatory wearing of face masks.

At Siyaso, the light industry area, there was less enthusiasm for Covid-19 precautions, and few were observing social distancing. No one had any idea if they were registered or deemed to be registered.

Harare City Council officials were also in the dark over the precise registration requirements. While the statutory instrument exempting the informal sector under conditions clearly states that paying presumptive taxes via a local authority, or renting stalls in a formal market, were the two routes, the mechanics have yet to be communicated to municipal staff.

In other cities and towns, local authorities were seized with registering informal traders seeking to make a quick return to their work.

Beitbridge Municipality has started registering and verifying existing registers for those wishing to operate under the local authority’s jurisdiction. Acting town clerk, Mr Sathulani Moyo said they expected the informal traders to start work today.

“First they register with our security and then the environmental health team will educate them on standard guidelines in line with national Government standards.

“We already have existing registers and the council has since contacted the people to find out if they are still available. In addition, we are registering new players,” said Mr Moyo.

Informal traders in Bindura have to wait a little longer before they can resume. Bindura Municipality said officials would meet the informal sector today and map a way forward on their operations.

Town clerk Mr Shangwa Mavesera said they received the statutory instrument yesterday and needed time to go through it and acquaint themselves with its implications.

In Marondera, informal traders were not allowed into their workplaces, as security officers could have none of it. But Marondera Mayor Chengetai Murowa said they were waiting for informal traders to come for registration.

“We have been waiting for informal traders to come for registration, we have been moving around the town to see whether vendors are back,” he said.

Informal traders, especially vendors in Kariba continued with their normal activities amid calls for others to register their businesses.

Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Association (ZCIEA) vice president Mrs Stella Chivandikwa called on players in the sector to register in compliance with Government’s precondition for resumption of business.

“We need our members to register but as of now we are yet to see how people are responding since it is something new. We hope by end of this week it will be clear on how people are responding,” said Mrs Chivandikwa.

The return of informal traders will increase pressure on Zupco, which is already strained for resources at peak periods although the major problem between peaks is that buses appear irregularly since Zupco has yet to reintroduce scheduled services.

Zupco acting chief executive officer did not respond to questions sent by The Herald on how it intends to react to the imminent increase in passengers.

State Media

Suitable transport arrangements are being made for when schools reopen, both for travel between and within cities, a Cabinet minister has said.

This comes as another four Covid-19 patients tested positive yesterday, bringing the total to 387. All four, like almost all cases, were returning residents from South Africa in formal quarantine.

But the Government is continuing to prepare, procuring more drugs and equipment with the bulk of the products now being locally manufactured.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa last night gave details of progress after a national taskforce meeting held at State House.

“In order to cater for the re-opening of schools, which will see learners, teaching and non-teaching staff commuting to and from schools, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development is developing guidelines that will assist schools in their preparations for operation as well as inter-city passenger transport services,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

She said a standard operating procedure in schools under Covid-19 had been circulated to all schools for them to input before the document is finalised.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the national taskforce got an update on the distribution of Covid-19 essentials made to all the Provincial and district medical centres over the past week.

“These essentials included personal protective equipment such as aprons, face masks and theatre gowns; supplies for the screening of Covid-19 such as infrared thermometers and disinfection materials such as knapsack sprayers. There has been no need for medications and drugs used to treat Covid-19 patients thus far, however, our medical facilities have to be ready to administer treatment to severe and critical Covid-19 cases,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“This past week, drugs that were identified in the treatment of Covid-19, Hydroxychloroquine, which was locally produced, and Alpha Interferon, which was sourced from Cuba, were distributed to provincial and central hospitals. Another primary drug, which is used in treating symptoms through lowering fevers and pain, paracetamol, is being locally manufactured. I am pleased to announce that the nation now has the following stocks of pharmaceuticals: 20 million paracetamol tablets, 20 000 paracetamol syrup, 755 000 Vitamin C and 420 000 chloroquine tablets.”

A subcommittee on materials inspected some manufactures of personal protective equipment last week and noted local companies were producing a variety of such equipment.

“Stocks of locally produced personal protective equipment and other Covid-19 essentials are increasing and this enhances the country’s ability to combat the virus. The report mentioned that we have a company that is daily producing 4000 hospital gowns, 2500 scrubs and 6000 facial masks using waterproof cotton fabric,” she said.

It was noted that tertiary institutions had so far produced 459 295 litres of hand sanitisers with current stocks pegged at 92 977 litres. They have also produced 367 769 masks to date and currently hold stocks of 70 861.

“Government commends efforts by local companies and tertiary institutions, a national response through using mostly local resources shows that we are refocusing, recalibrating and revamping to life under Covid-)19,” she said.

Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo said Government had taken a deliberate approach to concentrate available resources to test those in quarantine centres following complaints of delays.

“The complaints centred on delays in testing the returnees and where tests had been done, results were taking longer than expected to be delivered to rightful recipients. With effect from last week, Government took a deliberate approach to concentrate available resources to testing people in quarantine centres so as to alleviate challenges being faced by our people,” said Dr Moyo.

Covid-19 Chief Coordinator in the Office of the President and Cabinet Dr Agness Mahomva said Government came up with guidelines that will harmonise operations and practices to be applied in the quarantine centres.

“We have heard, we have listened from those who have been in facilities complaining. We took note and put that document together with all stakeholders. We also took note about the challenges that we got from those from quarantine. This document will take every aspect of management of individuals to ensure that we are sticking to the same thing throughout Zimbabwe,” said Dr Mahomva.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

People being turned away in the capital city Harare, at turnoff in Arcturus as well off Mabvuku tatodzima mota kupaka." pic.twitter.com/52nIhyUjZg

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 16, 2020

Soldiers turning people away in Luveve rd, Bulawayo pic.twitter.com/uq9VGNXkfQ

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 16, 2020

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY – REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR THE UPDATES.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

Own Correspondent

Econet Wireless, the country’s biggest mobile phone service provider is set to review its prices for data and sms services as from Wednesday.

The company made an announcement to its customers on Tuesday morning. As is the norm with the company, whenever they issue warnings to review tariffs it will be upwards and the same is expected again this time.

Econet more than doubled its charges at the end of April attracting heavy criticism from its customers with a good number migrating to the cheaper government run Netone.

The company announced in March that it was aiming at maintaining its charges in line with the United States Dollar rate to the Zimbabwean Dollar.

The local currency has been dropping on a daily basis against the US Dollar reaching a high of US$1 to ZWL$80 in the parallel market a week ago.

Below is the message sent out by Econet.

Dear Customer. Please take note, bundle prices for Data & SMS will be reviewed effective 17 June 2020. Dial *143# to buy Data or *140# to buy SMS Bundles.

Own Correspondent

Tongaat Hulett has announced new sugar prices which are effective from 15 June 2020.

Brown sugar’s recommended retail price will be as follows:

1kg: $70/pack
2kg: 140.45
5kg: 351.12
10kg: 702.24

Bloomberg

Zimbabwe’s fixed currency peg, adopted in March, has become the latest flash point between central bank Governor John Mangudya and Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube.

Mangudya unilaterally imposed the peg of 25 to the U.S. dollar as the country entered a coronavirus lockdown in March, ignoring the recommendations of the Monetary Policy Committee and Ncube, the people said, asking not to be identified as the dispute hasn’t been publicly disclosed. Prior to the central bank governor’s decision, a moving peg dictated by the market had been used.

The introduction of the peg came without warning and has further strained relations between Mangudya and Ncube, who have disagreed over a range of policy issues, the people said. It comes as black market rates for the Zimbabwe dollar range between 75 and 90 per unit of the U.S. currency and the country’s worst economic crisis since at least 2008 deepens.

That’s raised pressure on Mangudya and Ncube, who were last week called to testify to the politburo of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front over why the economy was deteriorating, the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper said. Inflation in April surged to 766% and shortages of fuel, foreign currency and power are commonplace.

The widening gap between the official and black market currency rates is pushing companies to use illegal means to source foreign currency. In a June 8 statement after a meeting of the central bank’s monetary policy committee, Mangudya said the committee had “expressed serious concern over the continued deterioration in the exchange rates that were widely being used by the private sector.”

Industry associations representing tobacco and gold miners, two key exports, have asked for an urgent review of the official currency peg, which is used to pay producers the local unit equivalent of their earnings. They have cited threats to their industries’ viability due to mounting debts and a decline in revenue.

The depreciation on the black market is “divorced from economic fundamentals,” the central bank said in a statement today.

Ncube, who also heads a currency task-force, will at the end of this week meet with President Emmerson Mnangagwa to seek his approval to free float the local unit and drop the currency peg, the people said.

Zimbabwe reintroduced its own currency last year after a 10-years hiatus, caused by the scrapping of the Zimbabwe dollar in 2009 after a bout of hyperinflation.

Own Correspondent

The Reserve Bank’s Financial Intelligence Unit will start arresting people who post black market foreign currency exchange rates on social media.

The unit said in a statement shared below:

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has been monitoring social media platforms where foreign currency dealers have been advertising and promoting their illegal trade. The FILI is aware of WhatsApp groups that have mushroomed in the country for the specific purpose of promoting and facilitating illegal foreign currency trade.

The FlU, in collaboration with the police, banks, mobile money I mobile phone service providers and relevant regulatory agencies, has embarked on an exercise to identify and take action against individuals who create, advertise on or participate (actively or passively) in WhatsApp groups or other platforms for illegal foreign currency trading.

The Flu and relevant institutions will take the following immediate actions:

• The mobile phone numbers used to join or advertise on the illegal groups will be shared with mobile phone operators and POTRAZ for barring;
  *Other mobile phone numbers registered in the names of such persons will also be identified and barred;
  *Any mobile money wallets registered in the names Of such persons will be frozen and the persons barred from accessing mobile money services with any operator;
• Bank accounts owned by a person so identified will be frozen and the person will be blacklisted and barred from accessing banking services with any bank; and
  *Identified persons will be investigated and prosecuted for illegally trading in or advertising illegal trading in foreign currency.

Members of the public are requested to report to the FIU any person, mobile phone number or bank account that continue to be used to engage in or advertise illegal foreign currency activities, using the following contact details:

FIU mobile and WhatsApp number; 0714039897

Own Correspondent

HARARE Magistrate Bianca Makwande on Monday 15 June 2020 ordered Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) to allow three victims of abduction and torture, who she condemned to prison after denying them bail, to be allowed access to food brought by their lawyers after they complained of starvation while in detention.

Magistrate Makwande denied bail to Harare West legislator Hon. Joana Mamombe aged 27 years, Cecelia Chimbiri aged 31 years and Netsai Marova aged 25 years, who appeared before her after they were arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police members and charged with publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state as defined in section 31(a)(ii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state as defined in section 31(a)(iii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

The trio was also charged with defeating or obstructing the course of justice as defined in section 184(1)(f) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Magistrate Makwande told Hon. Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova that she vetoed their bail application after being convinced that there were compelling reasons not to admit them to bail.

The Magistrate who remanded the trio in custody to 26 June 2020 ordered ZPCS to allow Hon. Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova to be treated for ailments sustained when they were abducted and disappeared by some unidentified people on 13 May 2020.

The trio’s lawyers Alec Muchadehama, Jeremiah Bamu, Roselyn Hanzi and Tinomuda Shoko of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, told Magistrate Makwande that their clients were starving in prison and had not eaten since Friday as ZPCS officers were not allowing them to get food coming from their lawyers when they visit them at Chikurubi Maximum Prison, where they are detained.

The abductees’ lawyers advised Magistrates Makwande that they will challenge the placement of their clients on remand when they return to court on 26 June 2020.

Hon. Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova went missing on 13 May 2020, when they were abducted in Harare and were found on 15 May 2020 after being dumped in Bindura in Mashonaland Central province.

They have already been charged with committing public violence after they were arrested on 26 May 2020 for allegedly participating in an anti-government protest against hunger during the national lockdown period as defined in section 37 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and for contravening section 5(3) (a) as read with section 5(1) of Statutory Instrument 99 of 2020 of Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020 and will stand trial in August.

Source: Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights

Own Correspondent

The MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa has announced its online initiative of registering new members. Those on WhatsApp can register by sending the message REGISTER to 0777101739 and instructions including the payment of the joining fee will be sent.

Those who are not on WhatApp or who do not have access to the internet can visit the party’s nearest branches and do the process manually.

The development comes when power issues in the MDC have seen some members of the MDC Alliance defecting to the MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe.

Own Correspondent

DRAX International local representative Delish Nguwaya remained behind bars Monday night awaiting bail ruling on Tuesday.

Nguwaya appeared for his bail hearing late Monday afternoon charged in the Covid-19 medical supplies scandal.

State, led by Charles Muchemwa opposed bail citing that Nguwaya had previous convictions and was a flight risk since he was facing a lengthy jail term.

It, however, emerged after cross examination that Nguwaya has no previous convictions as previously stated in the charge sheet.

This was after the investigating officer failed to substantiate this claim that the State had used on grounds of the Form 242 charge sheet.

Nguwaya’s defence led by Tafadzwa Hungwe of Samukange and Hungwe Attorneys, made submissions that he had no reason to flee since he was not answering in his own capacity.

Hungwe argued that Nguwaya was not a director of Drax neither was he involved, at any stage, in the authoring of the documents that initiated the deal in question.

The matter was presided over by magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti who rolled it over to Tuesday.

Zimbabwe’s coronavirus cases have risen to 387 after 4 new cases were recorded in Mashonaland Central (3) and Harare (1).

The Ministry of Health reports that all the new cases are returnees from South Africa.

This comes amid claims that some returnees are contracting the virus in substandard quarantine centres.

The new cases were recorded on Monday as the nation prayed for an end to the pandemic which has claimed four lives.

Coronavirus has affected 387 people in Zimbabwe from the 59 194 tested so far but 58 cases have been closed after 54 recovered.

The nation today held a national prayer and fasting day at State House at the invitation of President Emmerson Mnangagwa to ask for God’s intervention to end the pandemic.

Zimbabwe’s r

Businessman Strive Masiyiwa, who has been appointed the African Union special envoy to help fight the pandemic, today said the 45 ICU ventilators he promised to Zimbabwe have been delivered.

He said Zimbabwe will receive another 200 ventilators from the batch of 1 000 that is being manufactured in South Africa.

Own Correspondent

MDC-T leader Dr Thokozani Khupe yesterday held her inaugural national standing committee meeting at Morgan Tsvangirai House, days after reclaiming the headquarters from MDC-Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa where some senior positions were filled through co-option.

Shock appointment was that of former MDC-T youth vanguard leader Shakespeare Mukoyi as interim youth assembly leader.

Shakespeare Mukoyi is a known rival of Khupe who wanted her dead and out of the MDC-T at all cost.

Other members co-opted into the national standing committee were Mr Elias Mudzuri, as deputy national chairperson, Mr Gift Chimanikire (deputy national organising secretary), Mr Abednico Bhebhe (national organising secretary) and Manasa Tsvangirai was appointed as MDC-T secretary for elections.

“The MDC-T you know is here today,” said Dr Khupe.

“We are standing now on our toes. We are rearing to go. Our desire is to make sure that we are an opposition which is ready to build the country. We want to make sure that Zimbabweans have a better life.”

In March, the Supreme Court ruled that under MDC-T rules, Chamisa assumed the leadership of the opposition party illegally in 2018 and pronounced Dr Khupe as the interim president pending an extraordinary congress, in line with the party’s constitution.

After taking control of the MDC-T, Dr Khupe’s camp went on to recall four MPs who won their seats on the MDC-A ticket, but who were originally nominated by the MDC-T to contest the elections.

The High Court at the end of last month found that the MDC-A was not a legal entity, but just an electoral pact by a group of political parties, which retained their previous existence.

Dr Khupe confirmed that they had officially occupied their headquarters, which was a bone of contention with Chamisa’s faction since the demise of Mr Tsvangirai.

“We are here at Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House today,” she said.

“We are now working from the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House.

“We have been founded on the foundation of non-discrimination, we have been founded on the foundation of constitutionalism, we have been founded on the foundation of non-violence.

“We met here as a leadership to say let us reflect on what happened and lets us correct our mistakes because in life, it is important that when you make a mistake you must admit that you have made the mistake and to use those mistakes as a stepping stone to success.”

Dr Khupe challenged the party’s parliamentarians to attend Parliament sessions in order to serve the electorate.

“We have returned to our founding ideal values and principles of the MDC-T,” she said.

“We are going to make sure that whatever we do, we do according to our values.”

Secretary-general Mr Douglas Mwonzora said they would not hesitate to recall MPs and councillors who had joined the MDC-Alliance.

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ZBC

The supreme court created MDC-T has vowed to “take back the party to its founding principles” as outlined in its founding constitution after holding its first standing committee meeting.

In her first address at Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House formerly Harvest House, MDC-T leader Dr. Thokozani Khupe said she is on course to returning the party to its founding principles of non-discrimination and non-violence as she pushes to correct the mistakes created after the death of Morgan Tsvangirai.

“As the MDC-T we were founded on the foundation of constitutionalism, democracy, non-discrimination, and non-violence. We met here today as leaders to say let us reflect back on what happened and let us correct our mistakes because in life it is important that when you make a mistake you must admit that you have made a mistake but use those mistakes as a stepping stone to success. As you can see we are gathered here today, these are the founding members of the MDC-T and I would also like to allude to the fact that most of the members you are seeing here are the real founders from the ZCTU. ”

The party’s Secretary-General, Senator Douglas Mwonzora outlined the resolutions of the Standing Committee.

“Some of the resolutions that we dealt with today, number one dealt with Harvest House, whose property is it? We saw in the court some people claiming that the Harvest House belonged to them. We reiterate that Harvest House belongs to the Movement for Democratic Change as a party. We will do everything that is in our power to safeguard our property. We also resolved that we are going to fulfill the Supreme Court judgment and the Supreme Court was very kind to us in dealing with the document called the Constitution for the MDC. Nullification by the Supreme Court of the Presidency of Advocate Nelson Chamisa and everything that he did in his capacity as president that includes signing agreements with other people.”

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State Media

NAMING Covid-19 quarantine centre escapees is a violation of their rights which may lead to stigma and discrimination, the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has said.

This comes amid concerns that a number of people are fleeing from quarantine centres which were created to stop the spread of the global pandemic.

In recent weeks, most of the Covid-19 positive cases recorded in the country involve people returning mostly from South Africa, Botswana and Mozambique

A total of 169 returnees have escaped from quarantine centres countrywide, posing challenges in efforts to reduce Covid-19 cases.

The offence is a violation of Section 6 (4)(b) of the Statutory Instrument 77/20, cited as the Public Health (Covid-19 prevention, containment and treatment regulations) 2020.

It is mandatory for all people returning to the country to be quarantined.

“While we totally agree that non-disclosure of the escapees’ names represents a threat to public health, we believe that approach causes more public damage than good through exacerbating stigmatisation and discrimination of both the escapee and the immediate families,” says CWGH director Itai Rusike.

The organisation said the naming also violates the guarantee of patients’ confidentiality since some of them might be infected with Covid-19 disease.

“The CWGH calls on the Government to use a human rights-based approach when dealing with the escapees since they are also constitutionally entitled to the same rights enjoyed by everyone. In addressing the issue of escapees, the Government must be guided by the Public Health Act (PHA) which states that all information concerning a user, including information relating to his or her health status, treatment or stay in a health establishment is confidential,” said Mr Rusike.

CWGH called on the Government to use a human rights-based approach when dealing with the escapees since they are also constitutionally entitled to the same rights enjoyed by everyone.

“In addressing the issue of escapees, the Government must be guided by the Public Health Act (PHA) which states that all information concerning a user, including information relating to his or her health status, treatment or stay in a health establishment is confidential,” said Mr Rusike.

He added that quarantine centres must have basic facilities like decent accommodation, enough food, blankets and cost of PCR testing must be carried by government.

“It is also the role of the government to ensure that all the returnees are tested for Covid -19 and it must not dump that responsibility to individuals. Sadly, some of the inmates may even get infected with Covid-19 whilst in the quarantine centres due to the poor observation of the social distancing measures, hand washing and generally poor hygiene standards.”

State Media

TREASURY is taking caution not to upset the market through increased money supply by delaying the introduction of the $20 note and other higher denominations.

Following the introduction of the $10 note at the end of May, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) had initially announced that the $20 note would be in circulation by the first week of June.

However, despite helping ease cash shortages and enhancing consumer convenience in the market, the move has been followed by a wild exchange rate spiral against the local dollar, which now trades at 1:60 and above against the US$1 on the parallel market at a time when the fixed exchange rate remains at 1:25. The trend has worsened pricing distortions and further weakened consumer spending.

This is happening at a time when earnings for workers have remained stagnant amid limited business activity with employers also feeling the pinch in view of the adverse impact of Covid-19.

In a recent interview, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, said Government was cognisant of the prevailing manipulation of the market and the exchange rate, stating that concrete measures were being put in place to stem the tide and ease the burden on ordinary citizens. “At the moment we have allowed citizens to use free funds (forex), as a way to also manage growth of money supply.

“So, we said we will bring it ($20 note) but we need to ease pressure and we want to manage the introduction of whatever currency we have so that again we don’t balloon growth of money supply,” he said.

“We use the swapping mechanism where we are swapping RTGS balances for cash and we have kept that approach and that’s the right approach to do it,” said Prof Ncube.

He said Treasury through the Central Bank was determined to clamp down on currency speculation tendencies on the market, which have been blamed for parallel market distortions. “We said at the beginning of the year that one of our challenges is going to be exchange rate stabilisation and we are working on it. We are dealing with those in the speculation business in the parallel market,” said Prof Ncube.

He said the RBZ had taken measures to deal with deviants in terms of the law and in regulating the mobile platforms in transmitting money.

Prof Ncube said tackling the tide of speculation was critical in restoring currency stability and exchange rate challenge. He also said Treasury was keeping its focus in taming budgetary deficits, which have a huge bearing on currency stability.

“On the fiscal front, we are determined to make sure that we don’t run large budget deficits, which become a problem for currency stabilisation. But also on the monetary front, we make sure money supply growth stays within the limits to ensure it doesn’t add again to currency volatility,” said Prof Ncube.

A unique multi-faith prayer service at State House was the centre of the National Day of Prayer yesterday with the full spectrum of Christian groups — Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical and indigenous — plus representatives of the Islamic, Jewish and Hindu faiths converging to seek healing from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Day of National Prayer and Fasting was called by President Mnangagwa for Zimbabweans to commit themselves to repentance and deliverance in the face of the pandemic and the measures needed to confront it and beat it.

In his short address, the President said while he had declared June 15 as the National Day of Fasting and Prayer, the Bible implored people to observe God’s commandments by praying regularly.

“Today we come boldly before the heavenly throne of grace standing on the scripture, as I highlighted in the declaration of this day; found in 2nd Chronicles 7 v 13-15 which reads . . . ‘if I send pestilence among my people and people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open and my ears attend to the prayer that is made in this place’.

“We therefore gather in prayer, in the total belief and knowledge that the word of God is true for indeed ‘Heaven and earth will pass away but his word, shall not pass away’ (Matthew 24 v 35). We are also confident that God watches over his word, to perform it,” President Mnangagwa said.

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The President said God’s word is clear that pestilences such as Covid-19 would come as a warning to people to leave their sinful ways. As such, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans had two choices to make in light of the pandemic; either to repent and seek God’s help or continue to live in defiance of his word.

“In Zimbabwe we have chosen to be part of the first category of those who humble themselves, acknowledging God and glorifying him as God,” he said.

So far the global pandemic has killed four people in Zimbabwe with 383 infections and 54 recoveries but statistics worldwide are grimmer with close to half a million fatalities and close to 10 million confirmed cases along with millions more that were never tested.

Although Zimbabwe has kept the disease at bay, largely due to a raft of measures that were rolled by the Government such as social distancing, wearing masks and limiting movements — the President said the country still has to pray to God for total deliverance.

“We have chosen to repent and to seek his mercy, help, healing and healing in the face of this deadly coronavirus pandemic. I as your President have no hesitation in leading and calling us all to this path of seeking divine help.”

President Mnangagwa then led the nation in prayer asking for God’s forgiveness for the country’s sins, idol worshipping and worshipping of false gods, immorality and injustice and corruption that have made the poor die.

After the President’s address, religious leaders took turns to offer prayers.

Those attending included the Catholic Bishops Conference represented by Father Philip Kembo; Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (Dr Ezekiel Guti); Zimbabwe Council of Churches (Ephraim Ngadziore); Zimbabwe Indigenous Council of Churches (Bishop Goronga); Zimbabwe Inter-denominational Council of Churches (Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi — patron); Faith of Nation Campaign (Bishop Abel Sande); National Elders Forum (Reverend Felix Mukonowengwe); Jewish Community (Arnold Joffe); and Islamic Faith (Moulana Mohammed Ismail).

The Master of Ceremonies, Reverend Andrew Wutawunashe, emphasised the importance of prayer as he appealed to the nation to observe a few moments of devotion to the Lord, so that all sins are forgiven, and new avenues are opened for the good of the nation. Declaring that God is the Lord, he asked for the nation’s protection against the ravaging coronavirus.

Patron of the indigenous churches Nehemiah Mutendi thanked President Mnangagwa for convening such a gathering. He described President Mnangagwa as a rare breed of God-fearing presidents he had met.

“I would like to thank the President for this service. Of all the presidents I have seen, he is the only one that has shown respect and acknowledged that there is a higher authority than him,” Bishop Mutendi said.

He added that because of the Day of Fasting and Prayer, Zimbabwe had overcome the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As the Bible says, any commitment made here on earth would be bound in heaven. This service is a proclamation of the defeat of the pandemic,” Bishop Mutendi added.

Mrs Egnes Sithole, who joined the session under the banner of the Zimbabwe Interdenominational Council of Churches, said she believed life could never be the same again as the nation joined in prayer against the pandemic, and all other ills bedevilling the Motherland.

On the other hand, Madzibaba Moses Gwasira of Johane Masowe WeChishanu in Highfield said it was important for Zimbabweans to know that God had all solutions to life’s challenges.

“As Zimbabweans we should know that God has the answers to the problems and challenges we face so I thank the President for dedicating this day to praying and seeking God’s healing.

“Going forward we should have a day like this where we dedicate our country to God and not to only think of him when we have problems,” he said.

In his remarks VP Mohadi thanked the President for leading from the front in the fight against the pandemic. He said: “Our guest of honour (President Mnangagwa) has led from the front in the fight against the pandemic and believes that our culture and religion are at the centre of people’s lives.”

VP Chiwenga said yesterday’s prayer session would deliver the nation from the effects of the pandemic: “There is also no known cure for this pandemic to date but we know there can be a cure from God if we pray and submit to him like we have done today.”

A BULILIMA man fatally stabbed his friend for refusing to pay him after he had won a $10 bet in a card game.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred at Ntoli Business Centre on Thursday last week at around 5PM. He said the suspect Delani Ndlovu (28) stabbed Oscar Moyo (29) with an Okapi knife in the stomach and chest.

“I can confirm that we recorded a murder case which occurred at Ntoli Business Centre in Bulilima.

Delani Ndlovu and Oscar Moyo were playing a game of cards when they had a misunderstanding over an undisclosed issue. They started fighting and Ndlovu drew an okapi knife and stabbed Moyo in the chest and stomach.

“Moyo was rushed to a nearby clinic where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Ndlovu is still at large and we appeal to anyone with information that could lead to his arrest to contact the nearest police station.

As police we continue to urge people to desist from engaging in violence during disputes.

People should also desist from carrying dangerous weapons in public. These weapons have been the cause of a number of violent crimes of which some result in the loss of life,” he said.

Chief Insp Ndebele also urged members of the public to desist from engaging in illegal activities such as gambling.

A source close to the investigations who preferred anonymity said Ndlovu and Moyo were playing a game of cards and had each placed a $10 bet.

He said Ndlovu won and Moyo refused to pay up resulting in the altercation.

The source said when other villagers intervened, Ndlovu had already stabbed Moyo and fled from the scene-Chronicle