Protesters at a demonstration linked to far-right groups clashed with police in central London on Saturday, after gathering to counter an anti-racism march despite officials urging people not to turn out due to coronavirus restrictions.
Thousands of people appeared to have defied the rules in and around Parliament Square, with footage on television news channels showing violent scuffles with police as some agitators threw punches and objects at officers.
Interior Minister Priti Patel called the chaotic scenes of violence and bottles, cans and smoke bombs being hurled at police “thoroughly unacceptable thuggery”.
“Any perpetrators of violence or vandalism should expect to face the full force of the law,” she said on Twitter, as footage of the disorder was shared widely on social media.
“Violence towards our police officers will not be tolerated,” she added, noting Covid-19 remained “a threat to us all” and those assembled should “go home”.
A protest by the Black Lives Matter group planned for Saturday had instead been held on Friday to avoid clashes with self-styled “patriots”, who had vowed to turn out to protect memorials damaged at anti-racism demonstrations last weekend.
Paul Golding, the leader of fringe far-right political group Britain First, which has seen its members jailed for hate crimes and been banned from Facebook, was among the first to assemble in Parliament Square.
He told the domestic Press Association news agency they had turned out to “guard our monuments”.
“Anyone who comes along today to try and vandalise them will probably be dealt with by all of these Englishmen that turned up, and they’re fed up as well,” he said.
A march by several hundred Black Lives Matter activists through the UK capital still went ahead at lunchtime Saturday, ending in Trafalgar Square near where the counter protesters had gathered and amid a heavy police presence.
London’s Metropolitan Police had said those who had ignored the pleas not to protest must comply with conditions imposed, including keeping to separate designated areas and dispersing by 1600 GMT.
“We are asking you not to come to London, and let your voices be heard in other ways,” Bas Javid, a Met commander, said in a statement ahead of the events.
‘Hijacked by extremists’
Britain has seen a wave of protests prompted by the death during a US police arrest of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American, which has triggered outrage around the world.
The majority have been peaceful, but demonstrations in London last weekend latterly turned violent while crowds in Bristol, southwest England, toppled a statue to a 17th century slave trader Edward Colston and threw it into the harbour.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said the protests had been “hijacked by extremists” while criticising the targeting of statues as “absurd and shameful” and also urging people not to rally.
The comments drew criticism from some opposition MPs, with Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokeswoman Christine Jardine accusing him of “stoking division and fear in our communities by suggesting they have been hijacked by extremists.”
Several central London memorials were boarded up as a precaution ahead of Saturday, including one of World War II leader Winston Churchill – which was defaced with the word “racist” last weekend — and the Cenotaph war shrine.
Former Conservative lawmaker Nicholas Soames, Churchill’s grandson, said the “very, very small, extremely explosive group of people” responsible for the vandalism were “behaving in an unspeakable and cowardly manner”.
But he told the Daily Telegraph: “The idea that the hard right should stand guard over Churchill is absolutely repulsive.
“It feels like a society that has lost its compass.”
Anti-racism group Hope Not Hate warned ahead of Saturday’s protests that hooligan gangs attached to some English football clubs intent on violence were planning to attend.
“For those in central London today, please be care(ful). Football hooligan gangs and far right activists are still planning to descend on the capital,” said Nick Lowles, of the organisation.
The department of correctional services has recorded over 100 new Covid-19 cases in prisons in the past 24 hours.
The department has 1,425 confirmed Covid-19 cases to date, with 510 of those being officials and 915 inmates.
The 111 additional cases announced on Thursday were inmates from the Western Cape (58 cases) and the Eastern Cape (53 cases).
Correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the department recorded 62 additional recoveries: 52 in the Western Cape, nine in Gauteng and one in the Eastern Cape.
“As a result, the total number of recoveries is standing at 510, leaving active cases at 905,” he said.
ZANU PF Harare Metropolitan Province is gearing to dismiss yet another senior party official and has issued a prohibition order against DCC 2 Chairman Godwin Gomwe for abusing social media to deliberately defame the characters of senior party officials.
Below is the prohibition order written by the Harare Metropolitan Province Interim Chairperson Oliver Chidau.
RE: PROHIBITION ORDER ISSUED TO YOU IN TERMS OF ARTICLE 10 SECTION 79 OF THE PARTY CONSTITUTION
ZANU PF Harare Metropolitan Province is hereby issuing this Prohibition order to you following the decision made at a meeting of the Provincial Coordinating Committee held on 28 May 2020.
The meeting resolved to recommend the institution of Disciplinary proceedings against you by the National Disciplinary Committee.
By copy of this letter, you are being advised that you will be suspended from performing the duties of DCC Chairman with immediate effect, pending finalisation of your case.
Notice of Charges
You are alleged to have committed the following acts of misconduct:
You deliberately abused the social media and launched an attack designed to tarnish and/or defame the characters of some senior Party officials namely: Cde. Oliver M Chidawu CC – Harare Province Interim Chairman Cde Kazembe Kazembe – Provincial Chairman Mashonaland West Cde. Joel Biggie Matiza – Provincial Chairman Mashonaland East and Cde Mike Madiro – Provincial Chairman Manicaland.
You posted social media messages that went viral, accusing the above of not defending His Excellency the President when he was under attack in the old dispensation.
You and your proxy named Carlton Kaziboni launched a tirade of social media attacks on Cde Chidawu and posted defamatory statements designed to tarnish his image.
You attacked the National Executive Council of the Women’s League for employing Cde Annastacia Ndlovu as a Deputy Director.
You abused your authority by bullying and harassing a City Council Police Officer who is also a War Veteran whilst she was lawfully carrying out her duties at Lusaka Market in Highfield, on 5 April 2020. You falsely accused her and all council employees of being MDC members.
It was established that your actions constituted a violation of provisions of the Party Constitution.
You violated Article 3 Section 21(2) by failing to observe and abide by the policies rules and regulations of the Party
You violated Article 3 Section 21(4) by failing to strongly promote and defend the Party and popularise its policies among the people, and
You violated Article 3 Section 21(5) by failing to conduct yourself honestly and honourably in your dealings with the Party and the public, your actions were meant to bring the Party into disrepute and ridicule.
You will be advised in due course on the date, place and time of the Disciplinary Hearing.
Midlands Province today recorded its first three coronavirus recoveries reducing the number of active cases from 29 to 26 but the country had 13 more positive cases raising the total to 356.
All 13 new cases were returning residents, 12 from South Africa and one from the United Kingdom.
The number of people that have recovered so far has risen to 54.
By Simba Chikanza | The below is a full (part 1) response to a senior lawyer who slams calls for the magistrate Bianca Makwande to be investigated.
– JUDGES CANNOT INVOKE JUDICIAL IMMUNITY FOR ACTS THAT VIOLATE CIVIL RIGHTS.
– PROTECTING THE MAGISTRATE FROM CRIMINALS.
Hello Advocate P***********. Thank you for your comment regarding the story of the magistrate who imprisoned the three UN protected victims of torture, Cecilia Chimbiri, Joana Mamombe, Netsai Marova. I am very open to criticism – I know that, yes, what I did is (deemed) unconventional and could be unethical in other contexts. Yes it could certainly damage the girls’ case, if there was one. If there is one that exists, it has already been damaged, and marred beyond recovery, by well known institutional criminals. This is no longer about the law, its practice or judicial procedures, it is now about an abuse of the court systems to torture three civilians. Someone is using the respected judicial systems to extenuate torture, already investigated by UN experts.
Judging me on theory basics of law, of course, you can strike the sharpest decibels and win.
On practicals, however, my question is – why did you not make a similar complaint about the state case, that is, the denial of bail plus the circumstantial context of the case? Why not raise concerns about the subjudicial boasts by their natural oppoment Emmerson Mnangagwa that he controls all the institutions in the country, beyond the ethereal? Why did you not raise similar concerns on Mnangagwa boasts that he will use the state security to undermine judicial processes?
If a magistrate at Rotten Row was to rule that a person appearing before them is now sentenced to death with a firing squad, because they are from the MDC Alliance party, you would keep quiet and do nothing about such a violation of both the constitution and the laws of Zimbabwe? The girls’ case is worse than that of a firing squad.
As a professional, I feel you should also raise your expert equal voice on these. After that I am strongly persuaded that you will discover the identities of certain criminals who are right now bending our institutions and soling our courts. As regards torture, judges and magistrates must know that one day they will answer for their personal actions.
I am a proponent of qualified immunity and in Zimbabwe’s case, those who advocate for absolute judicial immunity say that a judge/magistrate’s immunity must remain absolute because there are remedies, in that the case can be escalated to a higher court. But in Zimbabwe’s case there is none such, and everything is in the hands of a member of the executive who even boasts so. It is in this light, that I interrogate the magistrate, and say her options for immunity have been exhausted.
Those who call for qualified immunity discount the assumption that it would precipitate a flood of litigation. They maintain that decisions that judges typically make will seldom be litigated, as appellate review will satisfy most litigants. However, in the rare circumstances where a judge abuses her authority and someone is injured, these supporters contend, it is only fair to qualify a judge’s personal immunity. They argue that the removal of absolute immunity would, over time, deter judicial abuse: judges would not be intimidated, but they would be more careful to safeguard the rights of all parties.
PROTECTING THE MAGISTRATE FROM CRIMINALS
One could say Simba, you should uphold and respect judicial immunity, you are exposing the magistrate to abuse, but I am in fact doing the opposite, I am actually working to protect the magistrate. She is not safe because her immunity has been reproached by Emmerson Mnangagwa who in Feb 2019 announced he’s unleashing the state security to destroy the legal/ judicial system. Her personal life, her job, and the entire court system have become soiled.
Speaking at Mwenezi as he added to his announcement that all institutions are branches of his political party, ZANU PF, Mnangagwa said the state security will target the nation’s judicial systems and processes, by attacking the lawyers and doctors.
“Those who have been arrested they will approach lawyers, waiting to deploy judicial systems of defence… All those systems we shall pursue and attack…
“Hallelujah to those who choose peace and may their days be increased in the land ruled by black people. But those who chose to demonstrate their days will be shortened (shrunk).”
Mnangagwa is clearly coming after all officers of the court and the magistrates and judges need to be protected. Our courts need to be restored.
REFERENCES:
Block, Frederic. 1999. “Qualified Immunity: A View from the Bench.” Touro Law Review 15 (summer).Duffy, Shannon P. 1999. “Judges Have Absolute Immunity for Actions on the Bench, Circuit Rules.” New Jersey Law Journal 157 (September 27): 7.
Morgan, Thomas D., and Ronald D. Rotunda. 1993. Professional Responsibility: Problems and Materials. 5th ed. Westbury, N.Y.: Foundation Press.
Romo, Cheryl. 2002. “Jurist’s Infamous Case Set Judicial Immunity Precedent.” The Los Angeles Daily Journal 115 (December 30)
Bulawayo Residents in mini demonstration over the dirty water
THREE children in Bulawayo’s Luveve suburb have reportedly died from diarrhoea complications with their families alleging that it was linked to dirty and unsafe water pumped by the city council.
The shocking allegations come as more residents from the area have complained of diarrhoea after taking the water which comes out once a week following a six-day water rationing regime implemented by the council to save dwindling water levels.
Yesterday residents told Sunday News that water that has been coming out of the taps whenever the city council restored supplies was dirty and allegedly causing diarrhoea problems. The children who reportedly died are Freedom Tshuma (13), Bongiwe Ndlovu (9) and an unidentified Form Four pupil after they complained of stomach illness that resulted in severe diarrhoea. Freedom’s aunt, Ms Patricia Tshuma said they were informed on Tuesday by his mother that he was not feeling well and had been admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital and he passed away on Thursday afternoon.
“We are in great pain and shock that we can get sick from tap water as we had all along thought it is a trusted source. The water seems to have particles that look like tissues. Most of us are sick because of the dirty water and already there are three funerals because of this. We are appealing to the authorities to seriously look into the issue and fix the water,” she said at the family house where mourners were gathered.
“As it is, we need $4 900 for us to take the body to a funeral parlour and it is money that we do not have,” she said.
Freedom’s cousin Mr Bitwell Mguni said he was also experiencing stomach pains.
“I have been sick for one week with severe stomach pains and I’m struggling to eat and have been taking only a sugar and salt solution. When I eat, I feel like vomiting. The stomach pains are causing me sleepless nights.”
Bongiwe’s aunt, Ms Veronica Dube said the whole family experienced diarrhoea a fortnight ago which they believe was caused by tap water as most residents in Luveve were also complaining of the similar illness. She said Bongiwe seemed to recover after the initial bout of diarrhoea but on Wednesday last week she got worse and was ferried to Luveve Clinic before she was transferred to Mpilo where she died on Friday.
“We experienced stomach problems but they eased only for Bongiwe to get worse on Wednesday and she never recovered. The particles in the water are not visible but can be seen when you let the water settle. Most people in the neighbourhood have been complaining of diarrhoea and it seems to be affecting children more,” she said.
Bulawayo City Council Health Services director Dr Edwin Sibanda said following complaints from residents they had collected water samples from the area and swabs from residents that had diarrhoea and sent them to the laboratory for testing and were awaiting the results.
“We also collected swabs from those that had been admitted to Mpilo Hospital and the results are yet to come. Once the results are out, we will make an announcement. We cannot exactly state what the problem is but we urge residents to boil water before use,” he said.
However, in a statement issued on Friday, the city council said samples were taken from water, used for potable use, in containers (buckets) in the households returned with unsatisfactory results indicating bacterial presence while samples collected from municipal sampling points in the same area had satisfactory water quality.
“Rectal swabs were also taken and sent to the laboratory and nothing was detected in terms of notifiable diseases such as cholera and typhoid. We have teams on the ground that are currently investigating the source of the diarrhoea outbreak,” read the statement.
Meanwhile, as the water situation in the city worsens it has emerged that property owners with boreholes are now in the business of selling water. A survey by this publication revealed that people with boreholes were charging as much as US$20 for a 1 000 litre tank.
However, this has seen the rise of illegal borehole drilling with some unscrupulous individuals not following the required regulations for borehole drilling.
According to the Bulawayo City Council’s by-laws the minimum size of land where a borehole should be drilled is 425 square metres and above. All boreholes drilled in the city should be drilled with the consent of the council. Responding to e-mailed questions, the local authority’s senior public relations officer, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said while she could not comment on the charging of water in foreign currency, council has permitted the sale of water only for gardening and construction purposes.
“The sale of borehole water has been permitted for some registered companies in Bulawayo for non-potable use such as gardening and construction. This is because the use of municipal water is not permitted for these activities. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement may advise on the use of foreign currency for the water. The registration of boreholes is as per the Water Act and the National Water Policy. This is because all (underground) water in Zimbabwe belongs to the State. All clients who have drilled unregistered boreholes are requested to regularise them,” said Mrs Mpofu.
Sunday News spoke to a number of borehole water traders who said they decided to sell the water after noting the crisis the city was going through.
“All that I am doing is selling off the extra water which I have from my borehole. It’s not like I started overnight doing this, people have been approaching me to purchase the water, mainly for construction purposes. It is only now that people are also using this same water for domestic use but we always encourage them to boil the water before use for their own safety,” said a trader who identified himself as Mr Moyo.
Government will buy 500 additional buses over the next 12 months through Kuda Tagwirei’s Landela Investments, state media has revealed.
Under a deal that has been struck with Government, the firm uses foreign currency generated from its local ventures to facilitate the transaction, which will then be settled by authorities using local currency at the official interbank exchange rate.
“Apart from this being our own way of contributing to this economy, we as Landela have mines around the country and we can use the local currency payments by Government to cover the local needs of our mines,” a company representative, who elected to remain anonymous owing to the sensitivity of the matter, told The Sunday Mail.
“We know that this is not the exchange rate for us to recoup our investment on the buses, but the difference is our contribution to Government programmes. We did not receive any assistance from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, but used own resources to import the buses on behalf of Government.”
The firm said about 500 more buses were expected in the country by June 2021.
It is believed that 2 000 buses are required for the mass public transport system.
Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo said Government was not backing down on the acquisition of new buses as it moves to sanitise the public transport sector.
He said some elements who were opposed to the Zupco bus project and bent on spreading falsehoods.
Government, he added, will not be deterred.
“There are those who are opposed to Government programmes and they write incorrect information even on social media but we will continue to follow what the President (Mnangagwa) is doing to improve the transport system. He will launch more buses soon,” said Minister Moyo.
“Those willing to have their buses included can simply go and register under Zupco so that we have many owners but one system to control who does what. During the Covid-19 era, Zupco can be trusted in terms of sanitising the buses and checking passengers’ face masks than leaving it to kombi operators.
“The new transport system will also cover how vendors will be linked with the 457 bus termini to ensure health and safety measures are adhered to.”
It is believed that the decision to purchase buses from Landela Investments for the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) rather than procuring them from local suppliers could have saved the country more than US$6 million.
Information gathered last week revealed that the buses were acquired from Landela Investments for US$200 000 per bus, while the same coaches were fetching between US$223 000 and US$357 000 at other local suppliers.
Overall, had Government bought the 162 Marcopolo, VW and Golden Dragon buses locally, it would have spent over US$40 million compared to the US$34 million charged by Landela Investments.
Zimbabwe Motor Distributors, the franchise holder for VW buses, sells a single coach for US$286 000.
Landela Investments bought 30 VW buses for US$6 million, which represents a US$2,5 million discount.
At Faw Zimbabwe, which supplies Golden Dragon buses, a 64-passenger seater is pegged at US$223 300.
This translates to more than US$27 million for 122 buses.
However, Landela Investments sourced the same number of coaches for US$24 million, thereby saving US$3 million.
The company also bought 10 Marcopolo buses at a cost US$2 million, saving US$1,57 million in the process.
A single Marcopolo bus costs US$357 000 from Zimbabwe Motor Distributors.
Initially, Landela Investments was leasing its buses to the Central Mechanical and Equipment Department (CMED) in the same way companies and individuals do to Zupco.
The cost of hiring the buses was high, thus Government and Landela Investments entered into an agreement for the latter to sell its 162 buses.
Out of the 162 buses valued at $863,2 million, CMED has paid $132,4 million, leaving a balance of $730,8 million.
Had Government bought these buses using the parallel market rate of US$1: 70, each bus would have cost $14 million, while the total bill would have ballooned to $2,3 billion.
President Mnangagwa on Friday unveiled 40 more Zupco buses in Chinhoyi to boost the transport utility’s fleet.
The number of Zupco workers has increased from 372 to 4 500, while depots grew from seven in 2018 to the current 18.
Fuel prices might be reviewed upwards in order to address biting “artificial shortages” of the commodity on the local market, Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi has hinted.
In an interview with Zimbabwe Television Network (ZTN) on Friday, the Minister said the current price is heavily subsidised and not market-led.
“In the past few weeks, fuel (prices) had gone down considerably and there was fuel dumping but we knew that it wasn’t long-lasting. We will take the necessary measures to correct the situation,” he said.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail last night, he said some petroleum producers were arguing that fuel prices were supposed to correspond with the price of bread.
“I have been away but these discussions have been going on. Some are equating it to the price of bread and so forth. But let me talk to Mazambani (Eddington, the acting Zera chief executive) and get back to you,” he said.
However, attempts to get a detailed comment were unsuccessful by the time of going to print. Zimbabwe’s fuel is considered the cheapest in Southern Africa.
Motorists are currently paying $28,96 per litre of petrol, while diesel is retailing at $24,93 per litre.
In US dollar terms, at parallel market rates, this is equivalent to US0,37c and US0,32c, respectively.
South African motorists have to fork out US78 cents for a litre of both petrol and diesel, while Zambia sells a litre of petrol for US0,96c and diesel goes for US0,85c per litre.
In Mozambique, petrol trades at US0,92c per litre, while diesel is pegged at US0,86c. Fuel shortages have worsened in recent weeks.
Although motorists have been queuing for the product, petrol and diesel availability remained constrained mainly due to unsustainably low prices, foreign currency shortages and arbitrage.
Fuel stocks are available to last the country a month but can only be released by local and international traders once they are paid for.
Figures obtained from the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOIC) yesterday showed that for the first nine days of June, fuel retailers accessed 10 million less litres than the national requirement.
Commenting on the shortages, economist Professor Gift Mugano said they could be traced to the pricing system. He said there was need for a market-led regime so that fuel could be available and plug black market activities where speculators are hoarding the product.
“If there are price distortions, it results in rent-seeking behaviour where fuel is diverted to the parallel market. The product must be priced correctly because there is no need for subsidised fuel,” said Prof Mugano.
He recommended slashing of the import bill by increasing local production of cereals, fruits and vegetables, fertiliser and chewing gum, which are bought mostly from South Africa at a cost of US$2,3 billion.
Local production will then create space for using foreign currency to buy fuel.
Financial analyst Mr George Nhepera said the price of fuel should be revised upwards to meet the laws of demand and supply. Currently, there is increased demand for fuel but the supply is low while prices have remained static, thereby negatively affecting availability.
Said Mr Nhepera: “The solution to getting rid of current distorted prices of fuel in local currency lies in solving our current challenges of high inflation, unstable exchange rate and improving foreign currency export revenues.
“The intention by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) to go back to a market-determined exchange rate could be a right decision to adopt, which once implemented will lead to determination of the real optimum price levels. Once this has been done, people will either buy fuel priced in foreign currency or local currency.” Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president Mr Henry Ruzvidzo said: “The price paid by industry and commerce in business disruption far outweighs the benefit of cheaper fuel. The sector can benefit from liberalisation because the obtaining situation where two weeks can pass with very little fuel available at the pumps is costly to the economy. The fixed currency exchange rate makes the fuel price unrealistic and pushes up demand and arbitrage.”
The Indigenous Petroleum Association of Zimbabwe has been urging Government to liberalise the oil sector to allow players to determine the price of fuel and ensure product availability.
Mr Nhepera added that there was an urgent need to arrest inflation to single-digit level through creating more confidence in the economy by engaging more technical expertise and experience in addressing other economic issues which force prices to continue rising.
“Another problem that we have in this country, which many policymakers could be blind to, is that we have a two local currency system, which is the Zimbabwe dollar and RTGS or mobile money.
“Government has no choice but to put in place credible policies that ultimately result in a single local currency system of the same value whether the money is expressed in notes and coin or in RTGS or mobile money. This is what is commonly found in many monetary systems of the world, hence we should do our best to normalise this situation,” he said.
Boterekwa escarpment, a six-kilometre mountainous stretch of road linking Shurugwi town to Mapanzure communal lands to the south of the mining town, is finally giving in.
After years of being undermined, literally, by fortune-seekers, the meandering road that snakes its way through the Boterekwa Pass in Shurugwi is collapsing.
Built several decades ago by Italian craftsmen, the breath-taking road link has stood the test of time.
Despite several accidents, most of which have been attributed to human error, it has provided passage to cargo trucks, buses and small cars which use the highway from Beitbridge Border Post to Chirundu, the gateway to Zambia and much of Africa’s interior.
According to the district roads co-ordinator, Mr David Dhliwayo, over 100 haulage trucks use the road daily.
But apart from providing access to the two busy commercial border posts, Boterekwa Pass sits along the spine of the Great Dyke, a mineral belt endowed with rich natural resource tapestries.
Talk of gold, platinum, chrome and many other natural treasures — it has them all — hence for years both formal and informal miners have quenched their thirst from its hidden riches.
According to geological surveys, Boterekwa now sits precariously on top of mining tunnels.
The Government recently raised alarm after part of Boterekwa Pass caved in, leaving a huge sink hole in the middle of the road.
Officials from the Department of Roads, which falls under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, had to move in swiftly to patch the hole, which Mr Dhliwayo said was caused by underground illegal mining activities.
“The caving in of the road was a result of mining activities along Boterekwa Pass. We moved in and patched the road, but there is need to do a thorough assessment on the whole area with the assistance of geological reports about the area,” he said.
Former mines inspector in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development who operated in Shurugwi, Mr Tichafa Kwechekweche, told The Sunday Mail that due to the underground mining activities, the highway was now highly compromised.
It has become a double threat to drivers.
“I worked in Shurugwi for years and we did several reports about the status of the road, especially around Boterekwa, following years of mining activities underground,” said Mr Kwechekweche.
“There are several mines whose mining tunnels run directly under Boterekwa along the Shurugwi-Zvishavane highway. Illegal mining activities in the area by artisanal miners have worsened the situation.”
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Midlands provincial manager Mr Benson Bhasera said the agency will do a thorough geological survey of the area following the recent collapse of a section of the road.
He said EMA had long been battling to contain illegal mining activities by artisanal miners along the Boterekwa Pass, pointing out that they sometimes do joint operations with police to ward off artisanal miners.
“We had this problem of artisanal miners damaging the highway, especially in Boterekwa for years. Every now and then, we do joint patrols in the area, arresting illegal miners who are digging tunnels under the road,” said Mr Bhasera.
He said EMA has conducted campaigns in the area to educate the local community on the dangers of panning for gold along the highway.
Local traditional leader, Chief Mapanzure, said the Boterekwa road was no longer safe due to the mining activities in the area.
“Our problem is not solely at Boterekwa, but the whole stretch of our highway up to Zvishavane. We have several chrome and gold mining activities happening along the highway which has left huge open pits and underground tunnels.
“All these have become a danger to our lives. We have also lost livestock in these open pits that were left open by the miners,” said Chief Mapanzure.
He said there was need for responsible authorities to decisively deal with illegal mining activities in the area to avert disaster, especially at the Boterekwa Pass.
“Remember, there is a house which once collapsed in Shurugwi after it gave in due to some tunnels which were underground. That should have given the authorities enough warning that these illegal activities should stop.
“We are, however, grateful to the Minister of State for Midlands Province, Senator Larry Mavima, who has ordered a stop to mining activities along the highway in the Mapanzure area,” he said.
Midlands provincial roads engineer Denis Mapfurira said a new geological survey of the Boterekwa escapement was necessary due to the continued illegal mining activities in the area.
“There are surveys that were done before I came to the Midlands but the recent collapse of a section of the road, which we are still working on, provides that we do another survey and see the extent of the damage underground,” he said.
The Marriages Bill does not outlaw the payment of bride price (lobola), but it seeks to prohibit marriage officers from requesting proof of payment of the same when solemnising a customary marriage, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said.
The current law requires marriage officers to satisfy themselves with proof of payment of the traditional bride price before formalising a customary marriage.
As a result, some families were not consenting to solemnisation of customary marriages until the groom pays full or part of the amount he would have been charged by his in-laws.
Minister Ziyambi told The Sunday Mail yesterday that there was a glaring discrepancy where the same onerous requirement did not apply to civil marriages.
“In terms of our current marriages laws, there are two types of marriages: civil and customary marriages.
“What has been happening is that in the case of a civil marriage, a couple would go to the marriage officer to solemnise the marriage with no questions being asked about payment of lobola,” he said.
“As long as the couple satisfies the requirements set out in the law, they solemnise the marriage through their marriage certificate.
“However, in terms of a customary marriage, the marriage officer would ask whether lobola had been paid to the bride’s family.
“That requirement had to be satisfied first before the marriage is solemnised.
More in Home Boterekwa collapse a tip of the iceberg Boterekwa collapse a tip of the iceberg Govt mulls fuel price hike Govt mulls fuel price hike 500 more buses in next 12 months 500 more buses in next 12 months ‘Wash face masks before dumping them’ ‘Wash face masks before dumping them’ President rallies Zim to prayer President rallies Zim to prayer “What the new law will do now is that requirement will fall away.
“But this does not mean we are saying people should not pay lobola, no!
“Lobola will still be paid, but the provision requiring the marriage officer to request proof of lobola payment is the one we have done away with.
“The groom is still required to pay the bride price to the bride’s family as has been happening all along. It is only that when registering a customary union, the marriage officer is no longer required to satisfy himself that the bride price has been paid.
“There is no abolition of lobola.”
Presenting the Marriages Bill in the Senate last week, Minister Ziyambi said: “The transfer of marriage consideration (lobola) in our indigenous culture traditionally solidified bonds between families, but a disturbing trend has developed over time to commoditise or monetise the marriage relationship for material gain.
“Some guardians of brides hold out for the highest possible gain for themselves, while others refuse consent to the formalisation of marriage until the last cent of the marriage consideration is paid.
“This is why so many of our customary and non-customary marriages are unregistered. To solve this issue, the Bill will no longer require a customary marriage officer to satisfy himself or herself that there has been an agreement on the transfer of marriage consideration.”
The Marriage Bill seeks to consolidate the country’s two marriage laws: the Customary Marriages Act (Chapter 5:07) and the Marriage Act (Chapter 5:11).
Other provisions in the proposed law include the requirement of free and full consent to marriage by the intending spouses and the ban on pledging children in marriage.
The Bill will also propose equality of rights and obligations of spouses during marriage and at dissolution, including protection of any children of a marriage upon the dissolution of marriage whether by divorce or death.
The proposed law also recognises traditional chiefs as marriage officers.
State run Sunday Mail has come up with weird claims that arrested MDC Alliance members who were abducted by state v security agents with the help of the police faked the abduction in order to cause civil uprising in the country.
The paper claims that the opposition MDC has been actively working with foreign missions under an operation code-named “Operation Lighthouse” to cause civil disturbances in the country under the cover of hardships caused by coronavirus.
The elaborate plot was designed to culminate in bloodshed that would have attracted condemnation and further isolation of the country.
According to the media house, confidential information in their possession showed that the operation was supposed to have been rolled out in three phases, with the first stage expected to be ignited through “sporadic” or “flash” demonstrations.
Calculated to coincide with the ongoing lockdown, where restrictions on movement have been imposed, the demonstrations were expected to provoke a disproportionate reaction from the security forces after which international condemnation was expected to follow.
“In line with this, the recent flash demonstration led by MDC Harare West Member of Parliament Joana Mamombe, in Warren Park, was supposed to be the trigger for phase two.”
Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecilia Chimbiri participated in a demonstration in Warren Park, Harare, on May 13, 2020 after which they were later abducted by security agents.
The state has since claimed that the abduction was fake culminating in the arrest of the political activists last week.
Without providing evidence, the media house coffins that the “abduction” was designed to spawn a blood-letting “spontaneous uprising” “Arab-spring style”.
According to the report, there were some foreign missions that were prepared to provide small firearms that would have been used to entrap the security services.
The firearms were reportedly supposed to be trafficked disguised as food aid.
Added the source: “As hoped by the plotters, a proportionate response to armed protestors would culminate in collateral damage, which would cause more outrage and ultimately, full-blown conflict. Safe houses had even been established around Harare in Waterfalls, Bluffhill, Epworth and Zengeza to house the identified instigators after the expected bloody confrontations.”
The schemers behind “Operation Lighthouse” hoped the bloodshed would have led to foreign intervention under the guise of “protecting human rights”.
But the nascent plan was blunted by alert security agents according to The Sunday Mail.
Delish Nguwaya, a country representative for Drax Consult SAGL and Drax International (LLC), yesterday appeared in court on allegations of defrauding the Government of US$42 million in a botched medicinal products deal.
Nguwaya (36) was facing two counts of fraud when he appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti Guwuriro.
The State, led by Mr Charles Muchemwa and Lancelotte Mutsokoti, opposed bail before making an application for the matter to be postponed to Monday.
Nguwaya’s lawyer, Mr Tafadzwa Hungwe, opposed the State’s application to postpone the bail application to Monday, prompting the magistrate to rule that it be entertained later in the day.
When the matter resumed after lunch, the State insisted that the matter be postponed to Monday. Mr Mutsokoti said the State intended to lead evidence from the investigating officer, who was only identified as Superintendent Nyachega from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), on why bail is being opposed but could not proceed as he was called for other duties. Mr Hungwe told the court that when the charge was put to his client in the morning, Supt Nyachega was present in court, but he chose to excuse himself after the matter was briefly stood down.
He said bail was a right and urgent in its nature, therefore, its application cannot be postponed to Monday.
However, Mrs Guwuriro said the court’s hands were tied before postponing the matter to Monday for full bail application.
Allegations are that sometime last year, Nguwaya, in connivance with Llir Dedja, who is still at large, tendered an expression of interest to supply medicines through a US$20 million loan facility under a company called Papi Pharma.
It was, however, turned down after a vetting process by the relevant Government department.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care allegedly received another expression of interest dated August 22, 2019 for a similar US$20 million medical supply facility from the accused now under a company called Drax Consult SAGL.
The letter was addressed to Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo.
It is the State’s contention that in the expression of interest document, Nguwaya misrepresented that Drax Consult SAGL was a pharmaceutical company based in Switzerland whereas it was merely a consulting firm with no experience in the manufacture or supply of drugs and medicinal products.
The court heard that acting on the misrepresentation, Minister Moyo initiated a process through his then permanent secretary Dr Agnes Mahomva, which involved communication among all the relevant stakeholders, which included the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe and NatPharm, culminating into a contract between NatPharm and Drax Consult SAGL.
The State alleges that during the consultation process and in furtherance of their criminal enterprise and at the end of November 2019, Nguwaya presented himself before Flora Sifeku, the NatPharm managing director, where he introduced his accomplice, Llir Dedja, as owner of Drax Consult SAGL.
The court heard that during the consultation process, several written communications between Nguwaya and Government officials were made and delivered by Nguwaya.
It is alleged that on December 19, 2019, a written contract was eventually made between Drax Consult SAGL and NatPharm in which Nguwaya appended his signature as country representative for Drax Consult.
POLICE have launched a manhunt for two machete- wielding robbers who were part of a trio that attacked workers at Vova Mine in Gwanda. Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred on Sunday last week at around 1am.
He said Tabenga Mudenda (23) who has since been arrested was in the company of Tafirei Dube (23) and Culture Siyamwini (26) when they attacked four mine workers and left with R1 030, $6 900, four cellphones and an undisclosed amount of beer and airtime. He said Mudenda was apprehended by members of the community who tracked him down.
“I can confirm that we recorded a robbery case which occurred at Vova Mine. Three men that were armed with machetes went to the mine at around 1am and attacked four mine workers while they were asleep. They took R1 030, $6 900, four cellphones, airtime and beer before fleeing the scene.
“The mine workers teamed up with their colleagues and they pursued the robbers and managed to apprehend one of them and handed him over to the police. We managed to recover three machetes, two cell phones, $1 792, R250 and airtime worth $30.
Investigations are underway and we would like to appeal to members of the public with information that could lead to the arrest of these suspects to contact Assistant Inspector Chinoni on 0772 946 662/0712946662 or they can contact any nearest police station,” he said.-The Sunday News
Suspected CIO agents nearly assassinated the father of the tortured MDC Alliance leader Cecilia Chimbiri last night.
The incident reportedly happened at just after 8pm when Mr Henry Chimbiri was traveling to his home. (This is a developing story)
The development comes just after the three tortured activists who include Harare West MP Joana Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecilia, got UN backing, as experts at the world body ordered the Zimbabwe Republic Police to drop charges against them citing that they did nothing unlawful on the 13th May 2020. Within 48hrs of the announcement, the state rushed to heap several charges against them.
Mr Chimbiri was driving from the capital city, and he narrates the story as follows:
I was involved in a near accident, a high speed car chase and had two of my vehicle tyres damaged by potholes yesterday at around 2020hrs .
The cars that chased me were all unplated: a sedan black Toyota and a black Honda Fit.
They tried to sandwich my car but l would have none of it as l managed to escape at a high speed in my C240 mercedes. I am terribly shocked but unshaken by the behaviour of State agents who are being used wasting taxpayers coffers.
Previously on Monday 8th June 2020, l and Mr Kumbirai Mafunda (ZLHR) had a similar chase along 2nd Street and Baines Ave near the offices for the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights: it was by 4 agents who were in a white mercedes which l only managed to read the last number without the check letters 0441 ..
lt is my belief that they want to silence me and put fear in me. I will have none of it. And l don’t fear them. The struggle is on.
I had two of my vehicle tyres separated/ damaged by potholes along High Glen road near Olivine Industrial Complex in a high speed chase by two unplated vehicles. I managed to reach home in Budiriro. I humbly seek any help to replace the tyres and service the vehicle that is helping me run up and down for my three daughters who are now incarcerated in remand prison. An amount ranging $250 can help buy the tyres and refuel. I am now out of pocket and unable to move today to see my daughters in Remand prison. I am hurt and depressed. The State Agents are after my life. I will not have none of it. I will fight for my freedom of expression and media space.
THE Government will not exempt pupils from paying school fees for Term Two although some pupils will only resume classes in September.
However, parents and guardians might not pay the full fees for their children as consultations are going on to determine when and how much they should pay for the term, which if things were normal would be underway as of now. Schools were closed a week before the end of Term One in March as part of measures that were put in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The Government announced a phased reopening of primary and secondary schools that will see the first group comprising Form Six, Form Four and Grade Seven pupils resuming classes by end of July. That would be followed three weeks later by those in Lower Six, Form Three and Grade 6. The other grades and forms will resume later, depending on the Covid-19 situation, with lower classes such as Early Child Development (ECD) expected to start around September.
Under normal circumstances, September was supposed to be the beginning of the third term, meaning those who will start that month will have completely missed Term Two. Nonetheless, some schools are already conducting online classes.
The second term was supposed to run from 5 May to 6 August while the third term was supposed to start from 8 September to 3 December. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cde Cain Mathema told Sunday News yesterday that despite a situation where children had not been attending lessons in the conventional manner, parents were still expected to pay fees.
“We are going to make the country know about how we will go about it, Covid-19 is a new experience for everybody, we do not readily have all the answers as to how we are going to operate.
“Parents must not panic, schools will be functioning and what is required will be let known to them. It’s a new experience altogether for us.
“We want to make sure that every child goes back to school. What parents will pay and when they will pay is going to be addressed in due course.
These are details that we are going to work out with parents too, they have a right to make suggestions on what we should do, no one person or institution has an answer, we have to all come out with a solution that satisfies everybody,” he said.
Cde Mathema said parents, through their School Development Committees and Associations must air their views on how the issue of fees could be addressed.
“At the end of the day, the system must be sustainable, we do not want solutions that will make people believe all is in order when it is not. The education system cannot exist without money, so all of us have to contribute, the State, parents and guardians all have to contribute and our partners in education too,” he said.
Cde Mathema said parents should also move away from the “Messiah syndrome” that someone will come up with solutions suitable for them, but instead should give their own solutions best fit for them.
He added that no timetable has been set for radio lessons, which will first target primary school pupils. The lessons will be transmitted through the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, ABC Communications and Zimpapers radio. Last week, there was a notice circulating on social media purporting to show a timetable for radio lessons.
“We cannot work with social media reports, if you have not received anything from the ministry itself and if we have not issued a statement yet, we cannot work with that (social media). It causes panic,” he said.
Cde Mathema emphasised that individual schools must play a role on ensuring they contribute to the safety of staff and students once schools are open.
“We were in Marondera with Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, we are saying all schools will produce all things it requires, be it sanitisers, Personal Protective Equipment suits and face masks. We are creating factories in schools, if you look at departments like Fashion and Fabrics, textile technology and others, they must produce even their school uniforms and sanitary wear which is being imported into the country now.
“By law I should be providing sanitary wear for girls from Grade Three upwards which we can make for ourselves. Schools have shown that we have to think afresh and make things for ourselves that we need to fight Covid-19. We have asked for a ZW$3,6 billion budget from the Ministry of Finance to assist each school in making their own sanitary wear and other things.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said from tests conducted yesterday, 13 cases tested positive to Covid-19, bringing the total number of positive cases in the country to 356. The new cases were 12 returnees from South Africa and one returnee from United Kingdom. They are all now under isolation. A total of 54 infected people have recovered, leaving the country with 298 active cases and four deaths from Covid-19.
The attorneys for a black man fatally shot in Atlanta are speaking following the incident which has seen the local police boss stepping down with immediate effect.
VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
The Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) is probing the death of Rayshard Brooks, 27, and is looking at video from a security camera inside the Wendy’s restaurant and also eyewitness footage.
It says police had been called to the restaurant because Mr Brooks had fallen asleep in his car, which was blocking the drive-through lane.
According to police, Mr Brooks resisted arrest after he failed a breathalyzer test.
A report from the GBI said footage captured from inside the Wendy’s restaurant shows officers chasing Brooks before he turns and points a Taser at an officer.
A razer is a small device used to restrain Suspects.
“The officer then fired his weapon, striking Brooks,” the report said.
In the eyewitness video, Brooks can be seen on the ground outside a Wendy’s restaurant, struggling with two police officers.
He grabs an officer’s Taser and breaks free from the officers, running away. The other officer then manages to use a Taser on Brooks and both officers then run out of the frame of the video.
Gun shots can then be heard and Brooks is seen on the ground.
He was taken to hospital but later died. One of the officers was treated for an injury from the incident.
The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office is conducting a separate investigation into the incident, it said in a statement.
This is the 48th officer-involved shooting the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has investigated this year, according to ABC News. Of those cases, 15 of those were fatal .
A number of protesters gathered outside the Wendy’s on Friday, according to the New York Times.
Protests then began again in the centre of Atlanta on Saturday. Images from the protest show demonstrators holding signs with Brooks’ name and Black Lives Matter signs.
People in Atlanta had already been protesting following the death of George Floyd. He died on 25 May after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for over eight minutes. The officer has been sacked and charged with second-degree murder.
Calls to reform US police
Demonstrations have taken place across the US and across the world since Floyd’s death. Many in the US are calling for the police to be reformed.
In Minneapolis, where Mr Floyd died, the City Council passed a resolution on Friday to replace its police department with a community-led public safety system. Just days before it voted to disband the police department.
The council said it would begin a year-long process of engaging “with every willing community member in Minneapolis” to come up with a new public safety model.
In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered police departments to undertake major reforms. He also said he would stop financing local authorities that failed to adopt reforms addressing excessive use of force and bias in their police departments by next April. – BBC/ Agencies
CAPS United players have finally received their salaries in full, it has emerged.
There was chaos in the green half of the capital following a confrontation between players and the club’s vice president Nhamo Tutisani over outstanding salaries last week, with the face-off turning nasty as Tutisani threatened to terminate the contract of winger Phineas Bamusi following the exchange of harsh words between the pair.
Bamusi confirmed this morning that money has been deposited into their accounts.
“Yes we got all our money yesterday,” he said.
Amid the chaotic phase, Bamusi also had something to say about the Green Machine fans.
“We love them, they are always behind us. This situation affected them but they stood by us through and through and we thank them,” he said.
He also refuted the ‘ringleader’ reputation which some had aligned him with.
“I have always loved to be at CAPS United and I have a super working relationship with everyone,” Bamusi said- Soccer 24
The attorneys for a black man shot in Atlanta are speaking following the incident.
VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
The Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) is probing the death of Rayshard Brooks, 27, and is looking at video from a security camera inside the Wendy’s restaurant and also eyewitness footage.
It says police had been called to the restaurant because Mr Brooks had fallen asleep in his car, which was blocking the drive-through lane.
According to police, Mr Brooks resisted arrest after he failed a breathalyzer test.
A report from the GBI said footage captured from inside the Wendy’s restaurant shows officers chasing Brooks before he turns and points a Taser at an officer.
A razer is a small device used to restrain Suspects.
“The officer then fired his weapon, striking Brooks,” the report said.
In the eyewitness video, Brooks can be seen on the ground outside a Wendy’s restaurant, struggling with two police officers.
He grabs an officer’s Taser and breaks free from the officers, running away. The other officer then manages to use a Taser on Brooks and both officers then run out of the frame of the video.
Gun shots can then be heard and Brooks is seen on the ground.
He was taken to hospital but later died. One of the officers was treated for an injury from the incident.
The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office is conducting a separate investigation into the incident, it said in a statement.
This is the 48th officer-involved shooting the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has investigated this year, according to ABC News. Of those cases, 15 of those were fatal .
A number of protesters gathered outside the Wendy’s on Friday, according to the New York Times.
Protests then began again in the centre of Atlanta on Saturday. Images from the protest show demonstrators holding signs with Brooks’ name and Black Lives Matter signs.
People in Atlanta had already been protesting following the death of George Floyd. He died on 25 May after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for over eight minutes. The officer has been sacked and charged with second-degree murder.
Calls to reform US police
Demonstrations have taken place across the US and across the world since Floyd’s death. Many in the US are calling for the police to be reformed.
In Minneapolis, where Mr Floyd died, the City Council passed a resolution on Friday to replace its police department with a community-led public safety system. Just days before it voted to disband the police department.
The council said it would begin a year-long process of engaging “with every willing community member in Minneapolis” to come up with a new public safety model.
In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered police departments to undertake major reforms. He also said he would stop financing local authorities that failed to adopt reforms addressing excessive use of force and bias in their police departments by next April. – BBC/ Agencies
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first half missed penalty proved to be petty as Juventus drew 0–0 with 10-man AC Milan to book a place in the final of the Copa Italia at the Juventus Stadium on Friday.
The mouth-watering semi-final clash was the perfect restart for Italian football after a three-month suspension due to the Covid-19 crisis as the two giants, who drew 1-1 in the first leg at the San Siro in February, looked to progress to the decider in Rome.
The hosts were presented with a golden opportunity to take the lead on the night and in the tie when the referee pointed to the spot for a handball offense 15 minutes on the clock, which was reviewed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Ronaldo stepped up but his effort crashed against the post before Milan’s Ante Rebic was sent off a minute later for a foul on Danilo.
Neither team was able to break the deadlock; goalless at the interval.
The second half produced little in terms of goalmouth action as the Old Lady held on to book a place in the final on the away goals rule.
They will now meet the winner of the other semi-final between Inter and Napoli- Soccer 24
The Gwanda solar project remains one of the priority projects for the Government in its quest to make the country energy self-sufficient.
Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi recently wrote to ZESA Holdings directing it to find a lasting solution with the contractor working on the project — Intratrek Zimbabwe — so that the country can tap power from the venture in the shortest possible time.
In an interview, Minister Chasi said the country could not afford the relentless legal wrangles around the 100MW Gwanda solar project, especially at a time when it was facing power shortages.
“People are confusing two things: there is the prosecution side; I have nothing to do with it, I am not interested, I have not ordered anyone not to be prosecuted; I do not have the power and the Prosecutor-General is seized with that,” he said.
“All we have said is that we cannot tolerate ZESA being in court for more than five years without the power project going on. Government is the sole shareholder there and I have a mandate, as Energy Minister, to deliver sufficient power.”
The High Court, he said, previously directed the parties to “sit down and discuss”, but it seems they were squandering precious time and resources squabbling over the issue.
“And the period that the contractor is suggesting is six months. If I can get 10MW in six months, I would be very happy instead of spending 10 months with nothing and enriching lawyers — it is pointless,” he said.
Minister Chasi says it is pragmatic to negotiate with the current contractor rather than terminate the contract and refloat the tender, a process that was likely to take an inordinate amount of time.
“Gwanda started in 2012 and so we have already lost a lot of time already and the country does not have power. We cannot have the luxury of (shuttling) between courts.
“The appetite to resolve the matter is not there at ZESA.
“I cannot and I will not just sit and watch these people playing games with this project. Gwanda has no power . . .”
It was also encouraging, he added, that pre-commencement works, for which the contractor received payment but had initially not done all the work, had finally been completed.
Government is now bullish about the project, especially after a new project implementation and financing matrix to be overseen by reputable individuals with extensive experience in contract execution was developed, he said.
The new implementation plan includes a new financing model driven by consultants — African Transmission Corporation (ATC) — who recently delivered a photovoltaic power plant in Nyabira, Mashonaland West.
A new project implementation team had been constituted comprising some experienced legal minds.
Added Minister Chasi: “Should we completely ignore the fact that experts like Victor Utedzi (African Transmission Corporation), who recently delivered 5MW through a photovoltaic centre grid in Nyabira, have promised that within six months they will deliver the first 10MW.
“Should we instead start a new process that will take no less than 18 months before work begins, making it effectively 7 years?”
A meeting of all the senior management of ZESA and Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), ZESA’s generation arm, which included the entities’ chief executive and managing director, respectively, was reportedly held on May 22, 2020 to discuss the proposed new plans for the project.
The meeting sought to discuss the formative steps towards thrashing out fresh terms of an amended EPC contract to replace the existing one, which has been the subject of an ongoing legal dispute.
ZESA, through its generation unit ZPC, has since 2017 been involved in a bruising contractual dispute with the contractor after terminating the contract for Gwanda solar project over missed timelines.
Intratrek approached the courts for recourse.
Minister Chasi said ZESA and ZPC were already in contempt of High Court judgments passed by Justice Chitapi, which directed the parties to sit down and find an amicable solution to the wrangle.
“It is hoped that key projects like the one involved in this case are not stalled by unnecessary bickering and extra contractual frustrations and parties should desist from merry-dancing in the courts of law and fighting in boardrooms instead of implementing this project of national importance at the site,” Justice Chitapi ruled.
Funding is also reportedly now available for delivery of the first 10MW of solar energy within six months, which will benefit over 30 000 residents of Gwanda under a phased development of the project.
The prospective financier, African Transmission Corporation (ATC), has been playing a pivotal role in the debt/equity structuring for the ongoing US$1,4 billion 600MW Hwange 7 and 8 expansion project, which is now over 30 percent complete and US$500 million Kariba South for 300MW.
ATC recently successfully commissioned a 5MW photovoltaic centre grid at Nyabira, which is now feeding the national grid.
Notable professionals in the restructured EPC contractor’s board include Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) chairperson and lawyer, Mr Edwin Manikai.
Mr Manikai is reportedly now leading the legal conscription of the financial and technical variation of the amended project contract for Gwanda through Dube, Manikai and Hwacha Legal Practitioners.
Mr Wilson Manase has also been appointed the new executive chairperson of Intratrek Zimbabwe.
Government, Minister Chasi said, believes in the capacity of CHiNT Electric — a Chinese electrical engineering firm that has been contracted to execute the project.
The Shanghai Stock Exchange-listed firm has an asset base of US$12 billion.
He added: “At the revised (EPC) price of US$139 million (from US$173 million initially), the debt/equity model will be less rigorous and financial closure will be reached expeditiously.”
The revised lower EPC contract price is in tandem with declining cost of building solar power plants, as technologies continue to evolve with cheaper ones coming through. Sunday Mail/state media
Suspected CIO agents nearly assassinated the father of the tortured MDC Alliance leader Cecilia Chimbiri on Friday night.
The incident reportedly happened at just after 8pm when Mr Henry Chimbiri was travelling to his home.
The development comes just after the three tortured activists who include Harare West MP Joana Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecilia, got UN backing, as experts at the world body ordered the Zimbabwe Republic Police to drop charges against them citing that they did nothing unlawful on the 13th May 2020. Within 48hrs of the announcement, the state rushed to heap several charges against them.
Mr Chimbiri was driving from the capital city, and he narrates the story as follows:
I was involved in a near accident, a high speed car chase and had two of my vehicle tyres damaged by potholes yesterday at around 2020hrs .
The cars that chased me were all unplated: a sedan black Toyota and a black Honda Fit.
They tried to sandwich my car but l would have none of it as l managed to escape at a high speed in my C240 mercedes. I am terribly shocked but unshaken by the behaviour of State agents who are being used wasting taxpayers coffers.
Previously on Monday 8th June 2020, l and Mr Kumbirai Mafunda (ZLHR) had a similar chase along 2nd Street and Baines Ave near the offices for the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights: it was by 4 agents who were in a white mercedes which l only managed to read the last number without the check letters 0441 …
lt is my belief that they want to silence me and put fear in me. I will have none of it. And l don’t fear them. The struggle is on. I had two of my vehicle tyres separated/ damaged by potholes along High Glen road near Olivine Industrial Complex in a high speed chase by two unplated vehicles.
I managed to reach home in Budiriro. I humbly seek any help to replace the tyres and service the vehicle that is helping me run up and down for my three daughters who are now incarcerated in remand prison. An amount ranging $250 can help buy the tyres and refuel.
I am now out of pocket and unable to move today to see my daughters in Remand prison.
I am hurt and depressed. The State Agents are after my life. I will not have none of it.
I will fight for my freedom of expression and media space.
‘Bring no more vein oblations, incense are an abomination to me, the new moon and Sabbath, the calling of assemblies, (be they presidential), I cannot, away with them! It is an iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moon and appointed feast, my soul hates. They are trouble unto me. I am weary to bear them. And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. When you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood’, (Isaiah 1:13-15).
Verse 15 in particular, captures what God promises to do on the 15th of June. The just called for presidential national day of prayer is a development that has happened not only at a time when the president and his aides have just promised another spate of violence, persecution, arbitrary arrests and abductions through the guise of the ‘Long arm of the Law’, but also at a time when they have just brutally tortured the three young women for their involvement in the flash demonstration, arrested honorable Biti and company for requesting the police to facilitate their entry into their party headquarters, but also at a time when many fingers are pointing to the first family in relation to corruption allegations surrounding the supply of COVID response equipment.
It is common knowledge that this second republic has blood in their hands.
They killed on the 1st of August 2018, they killed on October 10 2018, they killed from January 14-16 2019 and applied law selectively wherein they arrested those that looted but those that raped and killed still roam the streets.
They have just killed a man in Bulawayo during this COVID-19. They then call for a national day of prayer. God will not hear. The event will be loathsome before him.
The first thing to do Mr President is to openly repent of your sins: murder, corruption, deceit etc. The scripture that you quoted places a condition of leaving your wicked ways. I charge that you do so sincerely, submit to the authority of the church for guidance and counsel. Without that, the 15th of June national day of prayer is a nullity before God and the church.
For the church and the citizenry, let us push persistently through labor pains, the birthing of a new Zimbabwe.
The illegal detention of 3 MDC Alliance Youth Assembly female leaders at Chikurubi Maximum Prison is a clear indication that Emmerson Mnangagwa’s illegitimate regime is anti-women.
The trio, National Vice Chairperson, Cecilia Chimbiri, Deputy Organ, Netsai Marova and National Secretary for Policy and Research Hon Joana Mamombe were yesterday evening sent to the filthy maximum prison where they are going to spend the weekend pending bail hearing on Monday.
Chikurubi Maximum Prison is hell’s waiting room and the prison facility which habours the worst of the worst criminals and murderers is a symbol of Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military dictatorship.
The so called ‘New Dispensation’ adminstration uses the facility as a concentration camp for punishing dissenting voices and opposition figures.
But more curious and heartbreaking is that the patriarchal military dictatorship often uses the facility to punish women.
Chimbiri, Marova and Momombe case is not the first case in point where Mnangagwa’s military regime exhibited tendencies of misogyny and hatred for womanhood.
A quick flashback to 02 March 2020 shows that the two Chitungwiza women, Taurai Nyamanhindi and Tanyaradzwa Zawaira whom I was charged together with were made to languish in this same concentration camp disguised as a prison for the whole of March.
A further dig into history also shows that even the wife of Mnangagwa’s deputy, Mary Chiwenga huffed and puffed in the same prison facility for not less than 2 weeks during Christmas festive season last year.
In January 2019 more and more women were raped by rogue soldiers at the instruction of their Commander in Chief for simply voicing that their homes are empty.
The list of cases of women abuse under Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military dictatorship is infinite but what is clear is that his regime detests everything women.
It is time real men and women of this land must stand up to this unAfrican, inhumane and intolerable abuse of women!
Chimbiri, Marova and Momombe were abducted, tortured, abused and raped, and as such they are supposed to be in courts as witnesses and not as the accused.
The real candidates for Chikurubi Maximum Prison are those that ordered the broad daylight butcherings of civilians by soldiers on 01 August 2018!
A man who stays in Runyararo West had the shock of his life when his pregnant girlfriend suddenly stormed into his dining room where he was relaxing with his wife and his three children last week.
There was drama when the wife heard the purpose of the woman’s visit and she attacked the stranger with a pot before the two started fighting.
Sources told The Mirror that Tecla was a bar lady at KMP at Mbudzi in Runyararo South West where she met Takawira and the two fell in love. Mafa later fell pregnant and Takawira promised to look after his girlfriend and the unborn child.
However, a few weeks after announcing her pregnancy, Takawira stopped visiting Tecla at the place where she was lodging or even looking after her.
Tecla who did not know the place where Takawira stayed hatched a plan and told the latter’s two friends that she wanted to go and collect US$10 from her boyfriend and she would give her some money for beer if they accompanied her.
The two innocently accompanied Tecla and told her to wait outside the gate while they went inside to collect Takawira.
However as soon as they entered the house, Tecla followed them into the house where Takawira and his wife were. She announced in front of the wife that she was pregnant and a fight broke out.
Takawira declared to Tecla that their affair was over because she had told her wife contrary to their secret arrangement.
By A Correspondent- A 45 year old Harare based man has appeared before the Bindura Magistrate Maria Msika yesterday facing charges of robbery involving property and cash in excess of $40 000.
Fero Pharoah Gurudza of number 6554 Western Triangle, Highfield in Harare pleaded not guilty to charges of orchestrating an armed robbery in Concession late last year.
Prosecutor Edward Katsvairo alleged on October 19 last year, the accused and other assailants still at large, pounced on house number 1813 Sherwood in Concession while armed with a pistol, an axe and iron bars, fired two shots and assaulted the complainant and family demanding $30 000.
Further allegations are that the accused took cell phones, a digital camera, a laptop, fuel, money and escaped the premises after deflating two vehicles belonging to the accused. Gurudza was arrested last week while goods worth $600 were recovered.
Just to remind you Mr. Matemadanda that the pro-democracy movt (civics, liberal minded activists, lawyers, journalists & others) were in solidarity with you and your allies when you were persecuted by the previous administration. There is a God in heaven!
Who are u to boast about killing opposition activists? Get away. Wachembera iwe plus the country belongs to all Zimbabweans nt the corrupt few who claim t hv liberated this country.
Matemadanda,be a human being,do you remember the days you were persecuted by Mugabe hapana kana macdes ako aida kumira newe,wakabatsirwa ne vanhu ve MDC,let me warn I you, Gadhaffi akarohwa nemwana mudiki ,the same will happen to you one day
— Cdevikela@ chauyachauya (@cdevikela) June 13, 2020
It is sad how a generation that should be grooming the young ones is seen actually threatening them… I pray God raises a generation of mentors those who would want to see young ones succeed. .. in their areas of passion regardless of political affiliation…
Tibvirei, ko vese vakaenda kuhondo yeIndependence vakaenda vakura here kana kuti vakaenda vari vana vadiki? Imimi mese ndimi maakufanira kuenda kuRetirement mosiya vadiki vabate basa.
Is this not a death threat ? ah are such statements not the one that gets, one arrested for intent any lawyers to help me get this, straight. What category are these statements
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Malawi, 64, has been forced into retirement on account of age albeit not reaching 65 the retirement age.
Andrew Nyirenda is the judge who annulled that country’s latest election citing widespread irregularities and fraud forcing the country to go for a rerun election slated for the 23rd of this month.
President Peter Mutharika had narrowly won the May 21, 2019 vote.
The development was announced in the government’s public notice which reads:
PROCEEDING ON LEAVE PENDING RETIREMENT
Government wishes to inform the general public that the Right Honourable Andrew K. C. Nyirenda, S.C., Chief Justice of Malawi, will proceed on leave pending retirement with immediate effect.
The Honourable Chief Justice has accumulated more leave days than the remainder of his working days to retirement date.
in accordance with the Constitution, the most senior Justice of Appeal will act as Chief Justice until such time as His Excellency the President will appoint a successor.
Lloyd A. Muhara CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT 12th June, 2020
By A Correspondent- Former cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo while responding to a tweet by the Information Ministry permanent secretary Nick Mangwana warned him against making public comments based on cabinet reports regarding abducted persons.
He said this while responding to Mangwana’s tweet where he said:
“We presented 3 scenarios over the alleged abduction of Joanna Mamombe et al. 1- There was no abduction 2- Third Force did it 3- MDC and anti-ED characters within the establishment did it. We will release irrefutable evidence that there was no abduction. Scenario 1 is correct.”
Prof Moyo however responded to Mangwana and said:
“We? Be careful. As information minister I burnt my fingers by making public comments based on cabinet reports on abducted persons. The reports had constructive lies to protect state agents, the abductors. My advice to you @nickmangwana: let the security arms speak for themselves!”
The government is yet to produce irrefutable evidence to substantiate their claims as posted by Mangwana.
By A Correspondent- A photo of a man with a hairstyle which is not associated with police officers in Zimbabwe has sparked controversy on social media with some claiming that he was not in the force.
Police officer
Zimbabwean police are most of the times bald-headed but are also allowed to be clean-shaven while the Central Investigation Department, responsible for, among other things, evidence gathering by scientifically examining crime scenes, gathering fingerprint evidence and linking suspects is allowed to have hairstyles of their choice, even dreadlocks.
A picture of a man whose hairstyle is not usually associated with police officers has sparked debate on social media. Do you think that this is a REAL Police officer or it's the mysterious THIRD FORCE?
This comes when the identity of people who allegedly abducted MDC Alliance trio – Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova is not yet known.
Government officials including the Ministers of Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs and International Trade, in that order, Kazembe Kazembe and Sibusiso Moyo have said the said abductions were staged to soil the government’s image.
They, however, do not explain how the trio was found dumped in Bindura, which is several kilometres away from Harare when they had been arrested and detained.
The government has often alleged that there was a third force that is kidnapping members of the opposition and human rights defenders in the country.
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe has recorded 13 more coronavirus cases on the 13th of June bringing the total number of known cases in the country to 356.
The development was announced in a statement by the Ministry of Health and Child Care which observed that of all the new cases, 12 are returnees from South Africa whilst 1 was from the United Kingdom.
The Ministry also reported that 3 more people recovered from the virus bringing the total number of recoveries to 54 while deaths remain at 4.
The majority (8) of the new cases were from Masvingo Province.
By A Correspondent- The government of Botswana has dismissed as false reports saying that Gaborone police sexually assaulted and later killed a Zimbabwean man.
In a statement issued on the 2nd of June, Botswana says police have arrested and are questioning a 37-year-old Zimbabwean man over the circulation of false information.
We present the statement in full below.
Police arrest a suspect for publishing false information on social media
Gaborone West police are questioning a 37-year-old Zimbabwean man in relation to false information circulating through social media networks since Sunday (31/05/2020). This follows audio messages that have been circulating purporting that some police officers at Gaborone West Police Station raped a Zimbabwean female illegal immigrant and later killed her husband on Sunday (31/05/2020).
We would like to categorically and unequivocally state that the allegations are misleading and malicious. The truth of the matter is that we the police have never registered a case of such nature at Gaborone West Police Station or anywhere in the country.
The police would like to caution members of the public to desist from publishing misleading statements through the use of social media and other mediums of communication intended to cause panic, fear and alarm to the public.
The public is further reminded to observe the provisions of the Cybercrime and Computer related Act as failure to do so attracts stringent penalties.
By A Correspondent- The MDC Alliance victims of abduction and torture will spend the weekend in jail after Harare Magistrate Bianca Makwande indicated that she will hand down her ruling on their bail application next week after they were arrested on Wednesday 10 June 2020 and charged with falsifying their abduction and torture at the hands of suspected state security agents.
Harare West legislator Hon. Joana Mamombe aged 27 years, Cecilia Chimbiri aged 31 years and Netsai Marova aged 25 years appeared before Magistrate Makwande after they were arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police members and charged with a cocktail of charges including publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state as defined in section 31(a)(ii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, 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.
Prosecutor Charles Muchemwa told Magistrate Makwande that Hon. Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova stage managed their abduction and told falsehoods to their lawyers, relatives and friends that they had been abducted on 13 May 2020.
Muchemwa said the false statements by the MDC-Alliance youth leaders attracted some adverse comments from local and international organisations including from some heads of missions at some foreign embassies and the United Nations Special Rapporteurs, who condemned the abduction and torture, thereby tarnishing the image of the country and affecting the country’s prospects of an economic recovery.
In response to the allegations by Muchemwa, Alec Muchadehama and Jeremiah Bamu, the lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, representing the trio told Magistrate Makwande that their clients were being victimised for seeking justice over their abduction, torture and sexual molestation and that the arrest and prosecution of the trio was an attempt by Zimbabwean authorities to cover up their abduction and torture.
The lawyers argued that their clients who are victims of abduction and enforced disappearance and torture had been turned into villains.
While Muchemwa had argued that Hon. Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova should be denied bail and detained in prison because they would flee Zimbabwe with the assistance of some foreign embassies before they stand trial, Muchadehama and Bamu dismissed the claim as scandalous.
Magistrate Makwande postponed the matter to Monday 15 June 2020 when she will hand down her ruling on the trio’s bail application.
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.
South African Police Services have arrested African National Congress (ANC) top leader allegedly for fraud and corruption.
On Friday afternoon, SAPS released a press statement with details of the alleged culprit, Ladybrand Claudia Tsokoliso Seitleko. according to the police press statement, the 39-year-old former Chief Financial Officer at Mantsopa Municipality has stolen roughly R829 908 from the government.
The corrupt politician was found guilty on 23 counts of fraud, two counts of theft as prescribed in the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA). The court discovered that in processing all the monies, Seitleko fraudulent used former government employee personal details
Thrilled South African Police Service also revealed that the case against Seitleko was remanded to the 20 August 2020 for sentencing and a confiscation order in terms of Section 18 of POCA Act was also granted by the court.
Many political pundits applauded the police for cracking this case but they also said this case alone will not convince the public that the police are now on top of their game.
THE Matabeleland South provincial taskforce committee on Covid-19 has called for the speedy transfer of returnees to their respective provinces as the province is running out of quarantine space.
Speaking during a meeting on Wednesday, Acting Provincial Development Co-ordinator who is also the chairperson of the taskforce committee, Ms Sithandiwe Ncube, said with the opening of schools imminent the province had lost several quarantine facilities and more which had been identified were not ready for use.
The province has over the past month recorded an upsurge in the number of deportees returning home through the Plumtree and Beitbridge border posts. They have been housed at quarantine centres in Beitbridge and Plumtree while awaiting to be transferred to their respective areas.
In Plumtree returnees were being housed at Plumtree High School and Allen Redfern Primary School but with the opening of schools which has been scheduled for end of July, returnees have to be removed from schools that were being used as quarantine facilities to make way for learners.
“We are running out of quarantine space and if we continue to receive people from either border we will have a challenge. At the moment we are working on relocating those being quarantined in schools to other facilities to make way for opening of schools. With learning institutions now out of the picture we have a challenge. “Most of the facilities which we have identified as quarantine centres are just halls which need partitioning, ablution facilities and other works which require funds.
“As a result, there is need for returnees which we have in the province or those that we will be receiving to be transferred to their respective areas speedily. “For those from this province we have referred them to their respective districts to make way for more people that will be coming in.
“The truth is that as a province we are overwhelmed by returning residents as our structures are not ideal,” she said. Ms Ncube said they had engaged the national command centre to ensure that people were quickly moved to their respective provinces. She said there were a lot of formalities that needed to be done in moving the returnees.
She said there was also a need for continuous disinfection in Plumtree and Beitbridge especially at the border posts and quarantine centres as they were red zones.
Speaking during the same meeting Matabeleland South provincial social welfare officer, Criswell Nyakudya said Beitbridge NSSA Hotel had 96 returnees and 38 of these had tested positive for Covid-19 and had been placed under isolation. He said the facility can accommodate 140 people.
He said at Plumtree High School 24 people were been transferred to Esikhoveni Training Centre while 10 were referred to Matobo Research Centre and 11 more people were still at the facility waiting to be transferred to their various districts. Nyakudya said Allen Redfern had 11 people who were waiting to be referred to another institution. He said there was concern from some returnees at Nssa Hotel in Beitbridge as they did not want to be housed within the same institution as returnees that had tested positive for Covid-19.
The call by Emmerson Mnangagwa to Zimbabweans to fast and pray for the ailing economy which was killed by him and his Zanu PF cronies is totally hypocrisy.
It is just as good as Satan asking us to fast so that we can go to heaven where he was chased away because of failure to abide by the heavenly rules.
Zimbabweans are not fools and cannot be hoodwinked into thinking that Mnangagwa has Zimbabwe at heart by turning to God when he actually knows that he is not sincere.
Mnangagwa was actually supposed to surrender the reigns and tell the people that he has failed them and then turn to God and ask for forgiveness.
Infact Zimbabweans mus turn against him and fast for his peaceful departure than to pray for economy that is already dead.
Let us go to the book of 1 Kings 21:7-15, Jezebel(King Ahab’s wife) the most wicked woman in the bible calls for a fast :
Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him.
In those letters she wrote: So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them.
They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people.
Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.”
Zimbabweans let us not be fooled, what is the motive of the so called Presidential National Prayer Day?
On Sat 13th June our news network re-ran a story with a headline which misled readers to believe that Professor Jonathan Moyo has criticised MDC President Nelson Chamisa on allegedly gagging party leaders and restricting media communications to spokesperson Fadzai Mahere.
The same headline appeared on the ZimEye.com Facebook and Twitter pages.
We apologize for this misleading headline and admit that it did not represent Professor Jonathan Moyo’s comments on his Twitter page. It was not our intention to misrepresent the remarks or in any way be disingenuous in our reporting.
We also apologize to Jonathan Moyo, Nelson Chamisa and Fadzai Mahere for in any way, misleading the public.
We once again apologize for the inappropriate headline.
Tendai Reuben Mbofana while writing for The Zimbabwean said it is clear that the “blasphemous, heartless, vindictive, and sadistic regime” would do anything to cling to power and he urged Zimbabweans to “trust in the promises of our God for He knows no lies, and always hears the cries of his children.”
In the length piece Mbofana opined:
If there is anything I find most detestable and repulsive than everything else on this planet, is the purposeful blaspheming of the name of our Almighty Jehovah, in the fulfilment of shallow, narrow-minded, and selfish ambitions and objectives – especially, when those making such utterances deliberately, arrogantly, and stubbornly do exactly the opposite of what that same God commands.
If ever anyone resorts to invoking the most powerful and sacred name of Jehovah, this needs to be done in a sincere and humble manner, in seeking His face – through His faithful and righteous son Jesus Christ – but, certainly not as a means of hiding one’s own sinful, wicked, and devilish deeds behind this Holy name, in an attempt to hoodwink those whose message is targeted.
No one can dispute that Zimbabwe is a majority Christian nation, and as such, can be so easy for those harboring their own nefarious agendas to bastardize and abuse the Bible and God’s name to meet these ends – yet, without the slightest intentions of ever genuinely giving their hearts to Christ Jesus, and obeying Jehovah’s commandments.
ServicesBuildingHomeGroceries DatingJobsCommercialHealth A few days ago, the Zimbabwe government declared 15 June 2020, as the Presidential National Day of Prayer and Fasting, in order for the country to be healed and protected from the ravaging effects of the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which has wrecked unprecedented havoc across the entire globe – claiming the lives of over 400,000 people worldwide, and 4 in this country.
Of course, from face value, this would readily be embraced as a very noble, and much needed, solution to this menacing and devastating outbreak – as God Almighty, through His son Christ Jesus, is the great healer and protector, whose omnipotence can never be equalled by any other force, and would most surely be the only most effective route, not only for Zimbabwe, but the entire planet, as well.
Indeed, even when proclaiming this Presidential National Day of Prayer and Fasting, Zimbabwean president Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, swiftly quoted a widely known biblical scripture (2 Chronicles 7:14), which validates that our God is most able, and willing, to “Hear from heaven, and forgive (our) sin, and heal (our) land”.
What wonderful and glorious words, indeed!
With such a loving and powerful God – whom we can so easily turn to in times of need and danger, with His unwavering promises and assurances to be there for us – there is certainly no need for us to be alarmed and unsettled when confronted with such pestilences as COVID-19, or any other catastrophe, for that matter.
In fact, in another popular scriptural verse (Psalm 23:4), the writer joyously, boldly, and confidently declared, “Though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me”.
Nevertheless, there is a catch.
When we return to the verse quoted by Mnangagwa, God gives a very clear condition for His promise – that is, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land”.
Herein lies the crux of the matter.
Indeed, the Presidential National Day of Prayer and Fasting on 15 June 2020 implores us to humble ourselves, pray, and seek God’s face.
However, another very crucial condition is that, we need to turn from our wicked ways.
The question then is, “Are we turning from our wicked ways? Are we humbly confessing and repenting our sin, before asking, and expecting, God to hear us from heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land”?
It is impossible to answer this question on a national scale,but we can certainly look at the issue based on those hosting, and calling for, this national day of prayer and fasting.
Leaders of any nation are supposed to be God’s representatives, on His people – and, therefore, are held to very high standards, as they are expected to lead in a manner that glorifies His name, and shows His love, grace, and compassion.
In other words, leaders’ conduct, behaviour and leadership qualities should be examplary and representative of the character of God – which is why, even in the Bible, prophets were sent to them to ensure that they abided by His very high standards, and were immediately rebuked and admonished, should they disregard His commandments.
As a matter of fact, God would broken-heartedly remove from His favor any leaders who perverted His expectations and instructions – as so often occured, with kings such as Saul, Jeroboam, Ahab, and many others, easily coming to mind.
A nation’s victory, prosperity, and peace was attached to its leader’s adherence to Jehovah’s statutes and values – as those under wicked rulership, could lose battles, face pestilences, and even driven into slavery.
However, those who heeded God’s calls, or sincerely confessed and repented, in the face of sinfulness – for instance, kings David, and Hezekiah – had their nations healed, protected and prospered.
Without meeting this criterion, no nation could ever hope for Jehovah’s intervention, blessings, and protection.
This, then, takes us back home to Zimbabwe.
How has the Zimbabwean leadership fared so far – especially, the so-called ‘new dispensation’, which took over power through the barrel of the gun in November 2017, with the resultant loss of several lives?
Has the rulership in the country diligently and honestly played its expected role of being the face of God over His people? A God who embraces, protects, loves, cherishes, cares for, and provides for His people?
Has the government of Zimbabwe been faithful with the abundant natural wealth and resources, which this same God has endowed our nation with?
Has the country’s leadership protected the sanctity of life of all Zimbabweans, as they are God’s children – fearfully and wonderfully made in His image and likeliness?
Have those in power in this country ensured that each and every Zimbabwean is worthy of his or her wages, and is paid accordingly – so that, he or she may live a life of dignity and relative comfort?
Can we confidently assert that, those in the ruling establishment have been honest and above board in all their dealings, and have remained true to the tenets laid down by Jehovah?
Of course, I would be lying – and sinning to God – if I said, “Yes”, to any of the above, as the answer is known to all, and it is an unequivocal, “NO”.
This Zimbabwean government – which, is calling for a Presidential National Day of Prayer and Fasting – has, apparently, done everything in its powers to defy, ridicule, and attack anything that the same God they are mobilizing the nation for, has demanded of them.
This is a regime that has never left its chosen path of stealing, killing, and destroying – the very description given by our Lord Jesus Christ, of Satan the Devil – as, surely these people in power in Zimbabwe know not love, compassion, care, and protection for the long-suffering citizenry, but would rather burden, brutalize, and bludgeon them on an ever-increasing frequency.
This is a regime that has proven not to be interested in turning away – repenting – from its wicked ways, but would rather use its security forces to cold-bloodedly shoot dead dozens of unarmed protestors on the streets in August 2018 and January 2019.
Is this not the same unrepentant junta that would rather savagely beat up to a pulp, and humiliate all those deemed to have defied the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) inspired lockdown – that has already led to the death of two people (one having actually been shot in his car)?
Is this not the same government that ridicules, and stubbornly fails to properly launch independent investigations into over 50 cases of alleged abductions of political and labour activists, reported just in the past one year – that have resulted in the atrocious beating up, torture, and sexual abuse of the abductees?
These are the same people, who led a campaign of terror in the Matebeleland and Midlands provinces in the 1980s – where I hail from, and personally witnessed some of these atrocities – which led to the genocidal massacre of over 20,000 innocent men, women, and children (including unborn babies gouged from their pregnant mothers’ wombs by security forces using bayonets), as well the merciless mass raping of women, hacking off body parts of males (with wives and children being forced to eat them), and torching homes of all perceived ‘enemies’.
Such satanic acts continued in the 2000s, when hundreds of opposition supporters met a similar fate, at the hands of the same regime.
To make matter even worse, none of the perpetrators of all the innumerable acts of banditry and barbarousness of the Zimbabwe government have ever been held accountable, as these never-repentant power-hungry butchers have hardly shown any remorse, and never acknowledged the full extent of their demonic and diabolical deeds – but, instead choosing to whitewash, trivialize, and even ridicule such.
Furthermore, these are the same authorities who have presided over the massive and disgusting looting of the country’s national resources, thereby destroying the country to the point that ordinary Zimbabweans now live in abject poverty – with over 7 million (more than half the population) requiring food aid, can not afford to send their children to school, university graduates can barely find a decent job, and have to resort to street vending and illegal alluvial gold panning, or those forced (or, have chosen) to go into self-employment can not make ends meet, as the economy is in a freefall.
Therefore, if Zimbabweans have to pray and fast for anything, it would be for Jehovah to remove this evil from amongst us – and as a truly listening God, He will most certainly hear us.
Christ Jesus assured us that, whatever we ask for, in His name, the Father will do – and according to the prayer He taught His disciples, we can freely pray for God to “deliver us from the evil one”, and is exactly the prayer we need to unite together behind.
Such a prayer should not trouble anyone, as we would not be praying for anyone’s death, but merely for this wicked regime to be removed from burdening us – as God Himself guarantees us that such evildoers and workers of iniquity “shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:2).
As a matter of fact, Jehovah uses such united fasts and prayers to unshackle his people from the bonds of wicked oppressors, as He declared, “Is not the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the throngs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6).
As such, let every man, woman, and child – who has been burdened by this Zimbabwe regime (and all those progressive people across the globe, who empathize with us), use this National Day of Prayer and Fasting to boldly come before God’s throne of grace, in united prayer and fasting, to finally call upon our listening, loving, caring, providing, and protecting Jehovah – in the name of His holy son Christ Jesus – to remove this burden from us, that has choked, starved, and brutalized us for as long as they have been in power since the country gained its political independence from Britain in 1980.
Let us all trust in the promises of our God – for He knows no lies, and always hears the cries of his children.
The people of Zimbabwe have had more than enough of this blasphemous, heartless, vindictive, and sadistic regime – which has proven beyond doubt, that it is unrepentant, and is unwilling to turn away from its wicked ways, but would rather do anything in its disproportionate power, no matter how gruesome and murderous, to stay in office, and continue looting the nation of its resources, for self-aggrandizement…whilst, the rest of the population becomes poorer and more desperate by the day.
Energy Minister Fortune Chasi this week got himself into trouble after it emerged that he instructed ZESA authorities to withdraw corruption charges against Wicknell Chivhayo.
The Minister has tried to explain himself out and we publish below his efforts to do that.
“My thanks go to all who have given their views on the Gwanda project. I have endeavored to express myself on this project. But I do think that I may not have adequately expressed myself. Let me clarify an issue which has attracted criticism.
There are essentially 2 issues which must be separated & dealt with that way. Mr Chivhayo faces criminal prosecution. Never have I even thought about that process. It’s of no consequence to the execution of the project.
The other issue is a civil matter between the parties. Zesa has lost twice and there’s an appeal before the Supreme Court.
In the criminal appeal recently the court ordered that Mr Chivhayo goes back for trial in respect of which he had been acquitted in the lower court.
Simultaneously zesa had lodged an appeal in respect of aspects of the contract with Mr Chivhayo. That appeal is still pending. It was this appeal that has drawn my ire. It constitutes an albatross around the project. I was also concerned about the fact that.
whilst employees got no increases, lawyers would always be paid. Legal issues & fees together suggest the parties sit down & talk. In doing so Chitapi J spoke on our behalf as Zimbabweans. Added to this the fact that ZESA IS INSOLVENT. Staff have not had salary reviews since 2012.
Appoint has been that I have reposed trust in individuals to the detriment of institutions. The Judicary is a key institution. It ordered that the parties settle. It was exasperated. I am asking that that order be respected. From the day of the court order the parties never spoke
This is contemptuous of the court. I have pointed this out in very clear terms to zesa, where gvt is sole shareholder. Their attitude was too dilatory given the exigencies of power in the country.
Subsequently, I called them to the table and told that the disrespect of the order was simply unacceptable. I need to “develop” power as minister of Energy & Power Developmént.
There has also been a very curious suggestion that I may be interfering with witnesses in the Chivhayo trial. This is preposterous. This is an acute case of overzealousness.
However, for what it’s I can assure you that that is not the case. I’m focusing on the civil matter. As I said whilst zesa must protect the “national interest” thru the courts, it can not afford protracted LITIGATION.
I used the word “litigation” in my letter. No reference whatsoever to the PROSECUTION of Mr Chivhayo. The dramatics personae (the players” in the PROSECUTION are the State and the accused. It’s not zesa and Intratek or Mr Chivhayo. Only the Prosecutor can stop. Not even zesa.
Some, maybe out of genuine ignorance, or mischief, say I have directed that the PROSECUTION ends. No, I haven’t & I can’t at all.
I must thank all of who have commented on this. In my view that is as it be. You help public officers like myself to account
CAPS United players have finally received their salaries in full, it has emerged.
There was chaos in the green half of the capital following a confrontation between players and the club’s vice president Nhamo Tutisani over outstanding salaries last week, with the face-off turning nasty as Tutisani threatened to terminate the contract of winger Phineas Bamusi following the exchange of harsh words between the pair.
Bamusi confirmed this morning that money has been deposited into their accounts.
“Yes we got all our money yesterday,” he said.
Amid the chaotic phase, Bamusi also had something to say about the Green Machine fans.
“We love them, they are always behind us. This situation affected them but they stood by us through and through and we thank them,” he said.
He also refuted the ‘ringleader’ reputation which some had aligned him with.
“I have always loved to be at CAPS United and I have a super working relationship with everyone,” Bamusi said- Soccer 24
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first half missed penalty proved to be petty as Juventus drew 0–0 with 10-man AC Milan to book a place in the final of the Copa Italia at the Juventus Stadium on Friday.
The mouth-watering semi-final clash was the perfect restart for Italian football after a three-month suspension due to the Covid-19 crisis as the two giants, who drew 1-1 in the first leg at the San Siro in February, looked to progress to the decider in Rome.
The hosts were presented with a golden opportunity to take the lead on the night and in the tie when the referee pointed to the spot for a handball offense 15 minutes on the clock, which was reviewed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Ronaldo stepped up but his effort crashed against the post before Milan’s Ante Rebic was sent off a minute later for a foul on Danilo.
Neither team was able to break the deadlock; goalless at the interval.
The second half produced little in terms of goalmouth action as the Old Lady held on to book a place in the final on the away goals rule.
They will now meet the winner of the other semi-final between Inter and Napoli- Soccer 24
The illegal detention of 3 MDC Alliance Youth Assembly female leaders at Chikurubi Maximum Prison is a clear indication that Emmerson Mnangagwa’s illegitimate regime is anti-women.
The trio, National Vice Chairperson, Cecilia Chimbiri, Deputy Organ, Netsai Marova and National Secretary for Policy and Research Hon Joana Mamombe were yesterday evening sent to the filthy maximum prison where they are going to spend the weekend pending bail hearing on Monday.
Chikurubi Maximum Prison is hell’s waiting room and the prison facility which habours the worst of the worst criminals and murderers is a symbol of Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military dictatorship.
The so called ‘New Dispensation’ adminstration uses the facility as a concentration camp for punishing dissenting voices and opposition figures.
But more curious and heartbreaking is that the patriarchal military dictatorship often uses the facility to punish women.
Chimbiri, Marova and Momombe case is not the first case in point where Mnangagwa’s military regime exhibited tendencies of misogyny and hatred for womanhood.
A quick flashback to 02 March 2020 shows that the two Chitungwiza women, Taurai Nyamanhindi and Tanyaradzwa Zawaira whom I was charged together with were made to languish in this same concentration camp disguised as a prison for the whole of March.
A further dig into history also shows that even the wife of Mnangagwa’s deputy, Mary Chiwenga huffed and puffed in the same prison facility for not less than 2 weeks during Christmas festive season last year.
In January 2019 more and more women were raped by rogue soldiers at the instruction of their Commander in Chief for simply voicing that their homes are empty.
The list of cases of women abuse under Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military dictatorship is infinite but what is clear is that his regime detests everything women.
It is time real men and women of this land must stand up to this unAfrican, inhumane and intolerable abuse of women!
Chimbiri, Marova and Momombe were abducted, tortured, abused and raped, and as such they are supposed to be in courts as witnesses and not as the accused.
The real candidates for Chikurubi Maximum Prison are those that ordered the broad daylight butcherings of civilians by soldiers on 01 August 2018!
Suspected CIO agents nearly assassinated the father of the tortured MDC Alliance leader Cecilia Chimbiri on Friday night.
The incident reportedly happened at just after 8pm when Mr Henry Chimbiri was travelling to his home.
The development comes just after the three tortured activists who include Harare West MP Joana Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecilia, got UN backing, as experts at the world body ordered the Zimbabwe Republic Police to drop charges against them citing that they did nothing unlawful on the 13th May 2020. Within 48hrs of the announcement, the state rushed to heap several charges against them.
Mr Chimbiri was driving from the capital city, and he narrates the story as follows:
I was involved in a near accident, a high speed car chase and had two of my vehicle tyres damaged by potholes yesterday at around 2020hrs .
The cars that chased me were all unplated: a sedan black Toyota and a black Honda Fit.
They tried to sandwich my car but l would have none of it as l managed to escape at a high speed in my C240 mercedes. I am terribly shocked but unshaken by the behaviour of State agents who are being used wasting taxpayers coffers.
Previously on Monday 8th June 2020, l and Mr Kumbirai Mafunda (ZLHR) had a similar chase along 2nd Street and Baines Ave near the offices for the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights: it was by 4 agents who were in a white mercedes which l only managed to read the last number without the check letters 0441 …
lt is my belief that they want to silence me and put fear in me. I will have none of it. And l don’t fear them. The struggle is on. I had two of my vehicle tyres separated/ damaged by potholes along High Glen road near Olivine Industrial Complex in a high speed chase by two unplated vehicles.
I managed to reach home in Budiriro. I humbly seek any help to replace the tyres and service the vehicle that is helping me run up and down for my three daughters who are now incarcerated in remand prison. An amount ranging $250 can help buy the tyres and refuel.
I am now out of pocket and unable to move today to see my daughters in Remand prison.
I am hurt and depressed. The State Agents are after my life. I will not have none of it.
I will fight for my freedom of expression and media space.
‘Bring no more vein oblations, incense are an abomination to me, the new moon and Sabbath, the calling of assemblies, (be they presidential), I cannot, away with them! It is an iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moon and appointed feast, my soul hates. They are trouble unto me. I am weary to bear them. And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. When you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood’, (Isaiah 1:13-15).
Verse 15 in particular, captures what God promises to do on the 15th of June. The just called for presidential national day of prayer is a development that has happened not only at a time when the president and his aides have just promised another spate of violence, persecution, arbitrary arrests and abductions through the guise of the ‘Long arm of the Law’, but also at a time when they have just brutally tortured the three young women for their involvement in the flash demonstration, arrested honorable Biti and company for requesting the police to facilitate their entry into their party headquarters, but also at a time when many fingers are pointing to the first family in relation to corruption allegations surrounding the supply of COVID response equipment.
It is common knowledge that this second republic has blood in their hands.
They killed on the 1st of August 2018, they killed on October 10 2018, they killed from January 14-16 2019 and applied law selectively wherein they arrested those that looted but those that raped and killed still roam the streets.
They have just killed a man in Bulawayo during this COVID-19. They then call for a national day of prayer. God will not hear. The event will be loathsome before him.
The first thing to do Mr President is to openly repent of your sins: murder, corruption, deceit etc. The scripture that you quoted places a condition of leaving your wicked ways. I charge that you do so sincerely, submit to the authority of the church for guidance and counsel. Without that, the 15th of June national day of prayer is a nullity before God and the church.
For the church and the citizenry, let us push persistently through labor pains, the birthing of a new Zimbabwe.
IF your face mask does not have more than one layer of fabric it may expose you to Covid-19 infection, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on home made masks.
Also, anyone who wears a single mask for more than three hours increases chances of infection.
Unlike medical masks which are produced for hospitals, handmade masks yield higher infection rates caused by droplets and airborne micro-organisms.
Studies have shown that multi layered masks offer more protection and single layer cloths masks are riskier.
Cloth masks, become magnets for the virus when they get wet, even due to vapour from breathing in and out.
WHO points out that homemade masks become less effective if they are not used in conjunction with other Covid-19 prevention measures like social distancing and hygiene.
Masks, the organisation advises, should be washed using hot water in a basin with laundry detergent and if hot water is not available, cold water with 0.05 percent chlorine should be used.
They should be soaked for 30 minutes and then be rinsed with water and laundry detergent. Low resource countries will have to rely on the handmade cloth masks to contain Covid-19 which has so far infected 292 people in Zimbabwe and killed four.
Globally, more than 7 million have been infected and deaths top 400 000.
Local manufacturers and tailors have ventured into mask making after Government made it mandatory for everyone to wear a mask in public spaces. A majority use just any cloth in single layers.
Police have been arresting people spotted without face masks after the law was enacted, effective May 4.
WHO says cloth masks should not replace respirators and should never be used by healthcare workers in health institutions.
“Homemade cloth masks may offer marginal protection from droplet and airborne infections from asymptomatic persons by reducing the number of respiratory droplets from them to others,” read the statement from WHO.
“Homemade cloth masks can be assembled from many different materials readily available within the community.
Yet, preliminary data shows that masks made up of two or more cloth layers are more effective at keeping particle penetration lower than single-layered masks.”
The guidelines also recommended that in providing routine care to a Covid-19 patient, health care workers should wear surgical masks.
“Make sure to keep the homemade cloth mask dry at all times. Even moisture from exhaling could potentially make the fabric more prone to transmitting infection,” said WHO.
“Homemade cloth masks may be worn up to three hours without an increase in particle penetration and they must be cleaned daily.”
WHO also emphasised the need for physical distancing of at least 1-metre and adopting sound hand hygiene practices in addition to wearing masks.
Credit:WHO
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
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By A Correspondent- Drax Consult SAGL Zimbabwe representative Delish Nguwaya was on Saturday remanded in custody to Monday for a bail hearing.
Nguwaya is facing fraud charges after his company procured, at exorbitant prices, personal protective equipment for the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
In a very unusual development, Nguwaya, who was arrested Friday around 1800hrs was brought to court in a prison van which reversed into the courtyard, in an act which deterred journalists and photographers from taking his pictures.
Drax International is strongly linked with Collins Mnangagwa the son of President Mnangagwa. Collins has however denied any association with the company.
The state is opposing his bail arguing that he is a convicted criminal who also has other cases that are pending.
The Matabeleland South provincial taskforce committee on Covid-19 has called for the speedy transfer of returnees to their respective provinces as the province is running out of quarantine space.
Speaking during a meeting on Wednesday, Acting Provincial Development Co-ordinator who is also the chairperson of the taskforce committee, Ms Sithandiwe Ncube, said with the opening of schools imminent the province had lost a number of quarantine facilities and more which had been identified were not ready for use.
The province has over the past month recorded an upsurge in the number of deportees returning home through the Plumtree and Beitbridge border posts. They have been housed at quarantine centres in Beitbridge and Plumtree while awaiting to be transferred to their respective areas.
In Plumtree returnees were being housed at Plumtree High School and Allen Redfern Primary School but with the opening of schools which has been scheduled for end of July, returnees have to be removed from schools that were being used as quarantine facilities to make way for learners.
“We are running out of quarantine space and if we continue to receive people from either border we will have a challenge. At the moment we are working on relocating those being quarantined in schools to other facilities to make way for opening of schools. With learning institutions now out of the picture we have a challenge.
“Most of the facilities which we have identified as quarantine centres are just halls which need partitioning, ablution facilities and other works which require funds.
“As a result, there is need for returnees which we have in the province or those that we will be receiving to be transferred to their respective areas speedily.
“For those from this province we have referred them to their respective districts to make way for more people that will be coming in.
Government has blamed poor road network for failure to feed hungry villagers in Nkayi, Matabeleland North province, amid reports that the majority of people in the district were starving.
Humanitarian aid agencies estimate that 7,7 million people in rural and urban areas are at risk of severe hunger, owing to climate change-induced drought and COVID-19 economic shocks.
A collapsing economy characterised by ever-rising prices of basic commodities has exacerbated the situation, pushing many into deep ends of poverty.
Government claimed it was providing food aid to ease the crisis, but reports show that hunger is affecting many in Nkayi.
In an interview yesterday, Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs minister Richard Moyo blamed Nkayi’s poor road network for failure to transport food aid from Bulawayo to the villagers.
“That is why I was with the Transport minister last week touring unfinished road projects in the province. We have some truckers who are refusing to transport the grain, citing bad roads in Nkayi,” Moyo said.
When Transport minister Joel Biggie Matiza on Friday toured the Bulawayo-Nkayi and Bulawayo-Tsholotsho road rehabilitation projects, he said the completion of the roadworks remained a major priority.
Moyo added: “Of course, we have some truckers that agree, but they are very few. What we have said now is let us have the Nkayi Road re-graded in the interim to allow truckers to transport the grain to the villagers there so that no one starves.”
Former Nkayi South legislator Abednico Bhebhe described the hunger situation in the district as dire, blaming the government for abdicating its responsibility to ensure the right to food is guaranteed.
“To blame roads is a diversionary tactic by a failing government. The hunger situation in Nkayi is very bad as we are witnessing families going for days without a meal. It is the direct responsibility of the government to feed its people and not to wait for non-governmental organisations to play that role,” Bhebhe said. The Bulawayo-Nkayi Road, whose construction began in 1993 and was supposed to be completed by 2009, is in a sorry state and the same reads for the Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road. Less than 50km of the nearly 170km Bulawayo-Nkayi Road has been widened and resurfaced.
Former Vice-President Joice Mujuru once blamed hunger for the government’s failure to finish construction of the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road, saying billions of dollars meant for the project were diverted to feed hungry Zimbabweans.
Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu also once told State media the construction of the roads was affected by sanctions as partners pulled out before the work was complete.
By A Correspondent- Police officer, Constable Talson Hove (30) stationed at the Lupane Police Station, who is accused of insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was convicted by the police disciplinary court and sentenced to 14 days in detention.
Hove’s lawyer Bruce Masamvu confirmed the development on Friday saying the disciplinary court was presided over by a Superintendent Mutepfe. Masamvu said:
Hove has been convicted at police trial and sentenced to 14 days in detention and ordered to pay a fine of $300. He was convicted for saying Mnangagwa has failed and ‘our salary is now equivalent to US$100 only.’
Hove is among a number of people who have so far bee arrested for remarking that president Mnangagwa has failed to rule Zimbabwe resulting in the country’s economy deteriorating at an unparalleled rate since Mnangagwa took over from his long time boss and mentor, the late Robert Mugabe.
Mnangagwa took over in 2017 giving the nation high hopes that he would turn around of the fortunes of the troubled, but, the opposed has transpired so far with economic and humanitarian and political crises having worsened.
Prior to the conviction, Hove had applied for discharge citing violation of his right to free expression but the disciplinary court dismissed his application for discharge and ruled that he should proceed to trial.
By Patrick Guramatunhu- Mnangagwa is a creature of habit – his habit is to make promises which he clearly has no intention of honouring. Empty promises! “Charovedzera charovedzera, gudo rakakwira mawere kwasviba!” as one would say in Shona.
“President Mnangagwa has further relaxed the coronavirus-induced national lockdown as he sought to re-activate what he termed ‘freedoms promised’ at the outset of the ‘new dispensation.’” Reported Bulawayo24, quoting FinX.
“In an address, which contained reminders of perhaps the difficult task, which his presidency met when he took over from Robert Mugabe, Mnangagwa said the country must once again refocus, recalibrate and revamp.
“Let us recall that Zimbabwe was in the midst of deep and broad reforms. We were reforming distortions, which have bedeviled our economy for decades, we were reforming the old, creating the new and building stronger foundations for a prosperous Zimbabwe.”
“President Mnangagwa, who is currently facing sharp criticism over his failure to deal with the economic challenges and his failure to rein in corruption, said the progress had been registered on the economic and political landscape as well as media space by removing antiquated laws and opening up new channels for dialogue and debate. “Unfortunately as Zimbabwe was opening up both internally and externally, we were forced to closed”
“The President said the country will open under certain conditions and that the creation of jobs will return to the top of the Government’s agenda. He promised to work twice as hard, “work with promise and promise to improve lives and give children a better future.””
The real tragedy here is that the nation is stuck with a regime it cannot remove from office because the party, Zanu PF, has carte blanche powers to rig the elections.
The number one real change the nation has been dying for these last 40 years is the raft of democratic changes to restore the people’s freedoms and rights including the right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country. In his “new dispensation”, Mnangagwa has made a big song and dance about the freedoms and rights he would restored but never did.
Corrupt and murderous tyrants like Mnangagwa will never ever understand the concept that these freedoms and rights are birth-rights and inalienable. They are therefore not his or anyone else to give to some and deny to others as their dictatorial whim sees fit.
In Zimbabwe, the people’s fight for freedoms and human rights has suffered a real setback with the election of Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends into power. The people have risked life and limb to elect MDC leaders into office on the understanding, once in power, they would bring about the democratic changes necessary to restore the people’s freedoms and human rights.
Sadly, once they got into power the MDC leaders, just like Zanu PF leaders before them, betrayed the people.
Morgan Tsvangirai et al had their best chances ever to implement the democratic reforms and end the Zanu PF dictatorship during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Mugabe bribed them with the trappings of high office and, to show their appreciation to the dictator, they throw all reforms out of the window.
And ever since the GNU, Zanu PF has learnt that it does not have to give up its dictatorial powers, the party can continue to deny the people their freedoms and rights including rigging elections and yet fudge legitimacy by making sure MDC participates in the elections. Zanu PF bribed MDC to participate by offering a few gravy-train seats as bait.
Ever since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980 till the watershed 2008 elections it was easy to condemn Zimbabwe elections because there was all the evidence of the blatant cheating and wanton violence. The GNU change things in that in those five years the opposition was given the opportunity to implement the reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections.
So, post 2008 GNU it was not enough for the opposition to claim the elections were rigged they had to explain why they had failed to implement the reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections.
They could not do so, not without admitting they had sold-out. And Zanu PF has exploited this weakness, naturally; the party has rigged elections and used the MDC’s continued participation as a smoke-screen for legitimacy.
So ever since the GNU fiasco, MDC has pretended to pursue the democratic change agenda to impress the naïve and gullible populous when in reality the party had settled for the few gravy-train seats Zanu PF was giving away as bait..
“MDC has stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections!” boasted Chamisa before the 2018 elections. Of course, MDC had no such measure!
Indeed, MDC did not even have the common sense to demand that ZEC produce a verified voters’ roll, itself a legal requirement too!
Understanding the subtlety of how MDC’s continued participation in flawed and illegal elections is, nonetheless, giving some modicum of credibility to the process thus legitimacy the ensuing government is vital in unlocking the now, seeming intractable political impasse.
Understand that, and the notion of that MDC leaders are hunting with the Zanu PF hounds whilst, outwardly, they continue running with the povo hare; makes perfect sense.
But more significantly, it makes perfect sense to even povo themselves why they must now disown the corrupt, incompetent and sell-out MDC leaders if the nation is to finally break the vicious cycle of legitimising rigged elections by participating.
A discredited MDC cannot give legitimacy to the vote rigging Zanu PF regime. And starved of legitimacy Zanu PF will be forced to step down to allow the implementation of the reforms and restoration of the people’s freedoms and rights. At long last!
By A Correspondent- Harare West legislator Joana Mamombe and two other party activists Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova have denied charges that they lied to police about being abducted and tortured last month, their lawyer said, as the women were remanded in custody.
Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova were arrested at their lawyer’s offices.
They had visited the lawyer to discuss another case in which they were charged over their participation in a protest last month.
The three women were admitted to hospital with various injuries after they were arrested in that case and said they had been taken to a place out of town by unidentified men who allegedly sexually assaulted one of them.
Their lawyer, Alec Muchadehama, said the three were charged with “making false statements prejudicial to the state.”
“When they reported their abduction to the police, the police are now saying they were not telling the truth,” Muchadehama told journalists outside the Harare magistrate’s court Friday.
He said they “are denying the charges.”
MDC-Alliance spokeswoman Fadzayi Mahere queried how the women could be said to have lied about their abduction and torture when they had injuries to show for the assaults.
On arrival at the court Marova was seen limping and using a crutch, and was helped by Mamombe.
The three were remanded in custody until the magistrate rules on a bail application on Monday.
On Wednesday, nine UN special rapporteurs — who do not speak for the UN but report their findings to it — called on Zimbabwe to drop the earlier charges against the women and stop the reported pattern of disappearances and torture.
“Targeting peaceful dissidents, including youth leaders, in direct retaliation for the exercise of their freedom of association, peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, is a serious violation of human rights law,” they said.
By A Correspondent- On Friday, the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission interrogated the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo and the former permanent secretary Dr Agness Mahomva over the procurement of overpriced personal protective equipment (PPEs).
A local publication reports that the interrogation degenerated into chaos after Mahomva accused Moyo “of handpicking the controversial company, Drax International.”
Speaking to the publication, an anonymous source said:
The two, Moyo and Mahomva arrived around 5:30 pm and left around 2130 hours.
The interrogation turned nasty as Mahomva fumed that her stint at the health ministry was marred by the minister’s interference.
Mahomva’s statement comes at a time when officials from the president’s office said Drax failed security checks but the health minister went ahead to deal with such a “shelf company.”
It also comes after the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, George Guvamatanga who authorised the procurement absolved himself of any wrongdoing saying he exchanged several correspondences with the Health Ministry, the president’s office and the National Pharmacy where he raised a red flag over the deal.
On Sat 13th June our news network re-ran a story with a headline which misled readers to believe that Professor Jonathan Moyo has criticised MDC President Nelson Chamisa on allegedly gagging party leaders and restricting media communications to spokesperson Fadzai Mahere.
The same headline appeared on the ZimEye.com Facebook and Twitter pages.
We apologize for this misleading headline and admit that it did not represent Professor Jonathan Moyo’s comments on his Twitter page. It was not our intention to misrepresent the remarks or in any way be disingenuous in our reporting.
We also apologize to Jonathan Moyo, Nelson Chamisa and Fadzai Mahere for in any way, misleading the public.
We once again apologize for the inappropriate headline.
By A Correspondent- Owners of Harvest House have revealed that none of the MDC formations by whatever name or description own the property but the MDC Alliance is in occupation of the property with the blessing of the company.
Said Ian Muteto Makone in a letter dated 5 June 2020:
To Whom it may concern.
I Harvest House Pvt Ltd the company,
owns a certain piece of land situated in the district of Salisbury called Stand 856 Salisbury Township of Salisbury Lands measuring 892 square metres, together with all buildings and improvements there on known as Harvest House, 44 Nelson Mandela Avenue, Harare (hereinafter so called the property).
2. None of the MDC formations, by whatever name or description, own the property
3. The company is not in occupation of the property. The MDC Alliance , since its formation, has been in undisturbed possession of the property with the permission and blessing of the company.
The MDC Alliance does not own the property. It is in occupation with the permission and blessing of the company.
4. The company expects that its property rights will be respected. It reserves its right in this regard.
By A Correspondent- Owners of Harvest House have revealed that none of the MDC formations by whatever name or description own the property but the MDC Alliance is in occupation of the property with the blessing of the company.
Said Ian Muteto Makone in a letter dated 5 June 2020:
To Whom it may concern.
I Harvest House Pvt Ltd the company,
owns a certain piece of land situated in the district of Salisbury called Stand 856 Salisbury Township of Salisbury Lands measuring 892 square metres, together with all buildings and improvements there on known as Harvest House, 44 Nelson Mandela Avenue, Harare (hereinafter so called the property).
2. None of the MDC formations, by whatever name or description, own the property
3. The company is not in occupation of the property. The MDC Alliance , since its formation, has been in undisturbed possession of the property with the permission and blessing of the company.
The MDC Alliance does not own the property. It is in occupation with the permission and blessing of the company.
4. The company expects that its property rights will be respected. It reserves its right in this regard.
By A Correspondent- Owners of Harvest House have revealed that none of the MDC formations by whatever name or description own the property but the MDC Alliance is in occupation of the property with the blessing of the company.
Said Ian Muteto Makone in a letter dated 5 June 2020:
To Whom it may concern.
I Harvest House Pvt Ltd the company,
owns a certain piece of land situated in the district of Salisbury called Stand 856 Salisbury Township of Salisbury Lands measuring 892 square metres, together with all buildings and improvements there on known as Harvest House, 44 Nelson Mandela Avenue, Harare (hereinafter so called the property).
2. None of the MDC formations, by whatever name or description, own the property
3. The company is not in occupation of the property. The MDC Alliance , since its formation, has been in undisturbed possession of the property with the permission and blessing of the company.
The MDC Alliance does not own the property. It is in occupation with the permission and blessing of the company.
4. The company expects that its property rights will be respected. It reserves its right in this regard.
By Tatenda Nyanyira | The world has been shook by yet another instance of police brutality and we are still dealing with the aftershock. We’re in the middle of a revolution that is being televised. Tension is at an all-time high and anxiety is at an all-time high. As a black woman, every time something like this happens it triggers my own bouts with racial intolerance that I’ve endured since birth. We are currently fighting a battle that has been fought for centuries, but that doesn’t make it any less exhausting.
Overt racism and racial intolerance is nothing new—it’s always been here. It may be outwardly expressed, or it may show up in the form of microaggressions. From kids not wanting to play with you in the playground because you look different, to you never getting the job you applied for as a graduate because your name just sounds ethnic. It shows up when you enter a shop and the shop owner follows you through every aisle because they assume you’re there to steal. It shows up when your co-worker asks you to speak on behalf of all black people. It shows up when people are surprised or shocked by your intellect. It shows up when non black people of color want to use the n-word and want to relate to you, but outwardly express relief that they’re not black. It shows up in every stereotype portrayed in our social spheres.
It shows up in the underrepresentation in the media. It shows up when scrolling through social media and people of other races deem it appropriate to say that blacks need to go back to their countries. Or when they call us the n-word. Or when they muster up the audacity to excuse the killing of our people because they shouldn’t have done X crime. Even the worst of criminals don’t deserve to die on sight before they see a day in court. When white people cause massacres and heinous crimes, they make it to the police station unharmed time and time again. So, why is it different for us? We’re literally saying we want people to stop killing us and that somehow has turned into a debate. We’re fighting for our basic human right to live.
As a child, it was instilled in me to work twice as hard to achieve the same things that my white peers were given. My white friends never have to worry about having a space available for them in the work force, in entertainment, or in any market because the world caters to white people. So, when black people create a space for us, where we employ people that look like us, and we promote what society has always told us is “ugly” or “ghetto” and that gets taken from us, we are angry. For centuries white people have stolen from us and taken credit for it and we’re still seeing it today. When I went to school in cornrows as a child, I was made fun of and bullied for it. When I see other black women don a similar hairstyle we are classified “trashy” or “unprofessional”. We are scrutinised for showing up in the work force or in our schools with our hair the way that it grows out of our heads. Yet, when a white celebrity chooses to wear any of these hairstyles it is immediately considered “high fashion” and “trendy”. We used to be ridiculed for the way our bodies naturally are built. Our large lips, large hips and rear ends were made fun of until they became trendy and people of all other races now go to doctors to buy those same features. Everyone wants to enjoy black culture, and black music but don’t want any part of the struggle. The world may think that black people have a chip on their shoulder, but that’s the world stepping on our necks and we’ve had enough. We are tired and have every right to be.
As black people we wake up and eat trauma for breakfast. And it’s the last thing we see before we go to bed. For years, time and time again we watch our people brutally murdered, on camera and their killers walk away scotch free. This is traumatising because nothing separates us from those who have lost their lives to police brutality. We look like them too, so we could go out tomorrow and have a similar interaction and end up as a hashtag. In recent weeks, I have had to take a step back from my day to day life and process the personal triggers that come with a movement like this. I only recently acknowledged that this can be damaging to one’s self esteem and mental health. So, while we educate and empower ourselves and others, let’s be mindful of the imagery and words that we publicise. We’re all fighting this fight, but it’s not an easy one. It can easily take a toll on one’s mental health and how they show up in the world.
To my fellow black people, don’t ever feel ashamed for living out your truth. Stand up for what you believe in, regardless. And while you carry the heaviest weight on your shoulders as you navigate where and how you belong in a society and system that was never build to protect you, don’t lose sight of your value. It’s an exhausting battle, it’s tiring to wake up face the reality that we do on a daily basis. You’re allowed to exude joy and seek peace in times like these. It’s okay to step away from the media and persistent damaging and traumatising imagery to rest and make sure that you’re okay. It’s not easy to wake up and scroll through social media and see someone who looks like you be murdered, assaulted or villainized and dehumanised solely because of the colour of their skin. You carry a heavy weight and often times you aren’t recognised. Don’t ever let that stop you from realising your full potential. The world has tried to take us out time and time again, but we won’t let it happen. They gon’ get this black girl magic and they gon’ get this black boy joy. PERIOD.
By A Correspondent- Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa said he has no time to discuss issues that are before the courts with regards to the ownership of the main opposition headquarters, the Morgan Tsvangirai House, which was invaded by the Khupe-led splinter group last week.
In an inteview with a local publication, Chamisa said he was not fazed by Harvest House squabbles but on the State House.
He said:
“My focus is not on the Harvest House, that one belongs to the people. My dispute is at the State House. We must be talking about who should be occupying the State House.
“We are in a crisis as a nation and the central issue is on the occupants of the State House. Once that is resolved then Zimbabweans will be free,” Chamisa said.
Chamisa said the people are in a state of shock at how the state is involved in MDC issues.
“Everyone is in state of shock. Look at the cost of keeping riot police at Harvest House. How much fuel is lost by policing the innocent citizens. That is wrong politics and wrong politics is expensive.
“We can do better than that and invest all those resources in changing the people’s livelihoods.
“We have more police vans in the CBD than delivery vans. Government is in mortal combat with its own people and a time is coming when they will get tired.”
On being asked on the way forward Chamisa said: “There has to be a mechanism where citizens will demand a resolution.”
“The circumstances are enough signal for everyone to demand transformation. This government’s priorities are wrong and that is the only signal for everyone to demand that we are aligned in a direction facing forward,” he said.
By A Correspondent- Mr Buzwani Ngwenya the father of 20-year-old Tawana Ngwenya who is alleged to have brutally murdered Thabelo Mazolo, and mutilated her body has opened up on his son’s act.
Tawana, allegedly cut off palms and breast before stuffing the deceased’s body in a drum of acid under the instruction of a South African based traditional healer in a get rich quick ritual spoke about the shocking gruesome murder committed by his young son.
Speaking to the state media, Ngwenya said:
He was a quiet young man and seemed to be in good books with Thabelo. She would call him for assistance whenever she was in town on business. They appeared to get along very well. I’m crushed to learn he could have killed her in this beastly manner.
I am afraid to even approach Thabelo’s family but we obviously have to meet over this at some time. I need some respectable people to accompany me to talk to them. These people have been very good to us. I do not know what evil spirit possessed him to do this.
Imagine we were looking for her and he was assisting us yet he could have known she was already dead. I feel like I’m losing my mind.
Neighbours who also spoke to the publication about Tawana also said he was polite, respectfully and a soft-spoken young man who was always formally dressed:
He was a smart formal dresser. He never wore casual stuff like jeans. He worked at a company that sells chemicals and was known for selling detergents in the area. He looked like a focused young man. I cannot believe he committed this cold-blooded killing. I guess the quiet ones always shock us.
The Allan Wilson schooled Tawana will be transferred to Bulawayo where he will assist the police with investigations, while his unfortunate victim Thabelo Mazolo will be buried in Zhombe tomorrow.
By A Correspondent- A Durban court that had convened to hear the bail application of Fungai Nyamadzawo who is alleged to have killed her 6-year-old daughter Alexia before making a false report that she was kidnapped, was adjourned after the state said it has obtained information about Fungai’s mental status and a history of mental illness, and it needed more time to subpoena the reports from medical professionals, News24 reports
The Prosecutor Sanesh Rambaran according to the publication said:
“….the defence had some doctors’ reports “which might be relevant” and the State intended to subpoena the reports from the medical professionals. This was to ascertain whether or not she should be sent for mental observation to establish her fitness to stand trial and her mental capacity at the time of the commission of the offence.
Her lawyer Rakesh Maharaj addressing journalist after the hearing reportedly said his client was very emotional and that it had been challenging to get instructions from her.
Fungai who is facing, kidnapping, obstruction of justice and murder charges will be remanded in custody till 17 June 2020.
Chamisa insists that only spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere speaks to media.
FORMER Cabinet Minister and MDC Alliance sympathizer Professor Jonathan Moyo has said reports that Nelson Chamisa has gagged party officials from speaking their own views on social media platforms reduces the party into a “toothpaste company” and exposes Chamisa as a “Stanilist and control freak”.
Lately, several top opposition officials including Job Sikhala and Dr. Tapiwa Mashakada had turned to social media and online publications to air their views on party issues, but the Daily News reports that Chamisa has gagged all officials.
The report says Chamisa insists that only spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere speaks to media.
Responding to the developments, Professor Moyo said on Twitter: “Pray this is not true. Only Stalinists and control freaks restrict messaging to a select group of party apparatchiks.”
The self-exiled Moyo said that in political movements, as many people must be able to speak and articulate the party position, but was quick to add that this was achievable where leadership instils discipline in the party.
“In political communication, it’s not about WHO should speak but WHAT should be said by EVERYONE: message discipline. What’s needed are MANY voices with One message!” said Moyo, who revealed that he funded the MDC Alliance election campaign in 2018.
When Moyo was told by one of his followers that it was important for the sake of professionalism to have only the spokesperson speak on politics, the political science guru dismissed the idea of gagging people on their own private social media platforms.
“That may be true for toothpaste companies, not for political parties!” Moyo retorted.
The Chamisa camp has been hit by reports that apart from Sikhala and Mashakada, six legislators will next week make a switch to the rival opposition camp led by Thokozani Khupe
By A Correspondent- A Harare Magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti Guwuriro convicted High Court Judge Justice Joseph Mafusire’s son Tendai Mafusire of theft and sentenced him to 12 months in prison.
35-year-old Tendai pleaded guilt to the charges of theft and he pleaded for leniency as he said he stole his mother’s clothes and personal items valued at $2448 to buy drugs.
6 months of his sentence were suspended on condition of good behaviour and another 6 months on condition he makes restitution.
It is the state’s case that Tendai who resides at 25 Bieby Road, Glen Forest Borrowdale:
Forced open the main door to his mother’s house and stole various goods and clothes valued at US$2 448. The police were informed that Tendai was selling the loot in Hatcliffe,
Armed with the information, police arrested Tendai and upon interviewing him they recovered goods worth US$1 638.
The prosecutor also said Tendai was biting the hand that feeds him and his parents had tried to reprimand him but failed.
Zimbabwe is returning to almost full economic activity with the reopening of the informal economy.
By last night, the number of confirmed Covid-19 positive cases had reached 343, with another 11 cases announced yesterday.
Is this a good decision by Mnangagwa? Make your call in the poll on the link below.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has got Zimbabwe returning to almost full economic activity with the reopening of the informal economy. Covid-19 cases have meantime been going up.
Poll: Payment of bride price, Lobola will no longer be regarded as a barrier in solemnising marriage between two consenting adults if they satisfy other requirements of the law, government has decided.
A Harare Magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti Guwuriro convicted High Court Judge Justice Joseph Mafusire’s son Tendai Mafusire of theft and sentenced him to 12 months in prison, The Herald reports.
35-year-old Tendai pleaded guilt to the charges of theft and he pleaded for leniency as he said he stole his mother’s clothes and personal items valued at $2448 to buy drugs.
6 months of his sentence were suspended on condition of good behaviour and another 6 months on condition he makes restitution.
It is the state’s case that Tendai who resides at 25 Bieby Road, Glen Forest Borrowdale:
Forced open the main door to his mother’s house and stole various goods and clothes valued at US$2 448. The police were informed that Tendai was selling the loot in Hatcliffe,
Armed with the information, police arrested Tendai and upon interviewing him they recovered goods worth US$1 638.
The prosecutor also said Tendai was biting the hand that feeds him and his parents had tried to reprimand him but failed.
Health Authorities spraying a classroom in one of the schools
The Western Cape says 55 schools have been affected by cases of Covid-19 in the province, while 30 schools in Gauteng have reported cases.
A total of 11 Western Cape schools were closed on Friday due to Covid-19 concerns, but were expected to reopen on Monday.
This was confirmed on Monday by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), which manages 1 509 schools across the province.
School gates in the province opened for their second week on Monday.
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said: “Over 99% of our schools were open as of last Friday. Eleven schools were closed on Friday due to cleaning. These schools should be open today [Monday], however, reports have yet to be collated in this regard.”
On the number of cases of the coronavirus, she advised: “Last week 55 schools reported new employee cases of Covid-19. This affected 66 employees. In each case, the necessary cleaning must take place. This may or may not affect the school in terms of closure, as some cleaning can take place on a weekend. It depends on the day of confirmation and the times at which the cleaning can take place.”
In Gauteng, Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi confirmed on Sunday that 30 schools in the province reported cases of Covid-19. The province manages approximately 2 000 schools.
Lesufi said 26 are public schools, and four are independent. Six of the cases were pupils.
Hammond was asked to detail the steps taken at schools, and explained: “Whenever an employee or learner tests positive or is exposed to someone who has tested positive, the necessary protocols are followed. These protocols can be found in WCED Guideline L: Managing Covid-19 cases in schools.”
“Schools have been provided guidelines on cleaning, as well as what to do when there is a positive case of Covid-19 in a school or if someone has been in contact with a positive case of Covid-19.
“Those who have been in close contact (e.g. handshake or hug) with a confirmed positive case are required to self-isolate for 14 days from their last contact with the individual. Those not in close contact do not have to self-isolate.
“If there has been a confirmed case of Covid-19 then the school is required to contact the district for assistance in terms of further cleaning. In all other cases, schools should follow the guidelines and protocols for cleaning as provided,” the education department’s spokesperson concluded.
There was a scare in Tanzania when President Pompe magufuli was commissioning firefighter headquarters, He started coughing uncontrollably in public interrupting his speech momentarily .
The government has stopped publishing data on the number of coronavirus cases in the country.
On 29 April, the last day official data was released, there were 509 cases, with 21 deaths in Tanzania. However, Mr. Magufuli said last week that only four patients were receiving treatment in the largest city, Dar es Salaam.
Last month, Tanzania’s government dismissed a US embassy warning that hospitals in Dar es Salaam were “overwhelmed” and that the chances of contracting the virus were “extremely high”.
Mr. Magufuli has repeatedly said the health crisis has been exaggerated and urged people to attend services in churches and mosques, saying that prayers “can vanquish” the virus
Tanzania stopped testing of Coronavirus after the president announced that pawpaw and a goat had tested positive.
The president recently declared the country COVID-19 free. The country has returned to normal as its neighboring country beef up the measure to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Another country that has chosen to downplay Coronavirus is Burundi. On Tuesday president Pierre Nkurunziza who was set to step down on August died of a complication related to COVID-19.
In Burundi life has been normal has it is the only country in Africa that didn’t stop sporting activities.
President Pompe Magufuli has many time quashed the severity of Coronavirus and even touting treatment for Coronavirus yet to be proven by COVID-19.
Jailed Bindura man, Fradreck Utsiwegota, who is serving a seven-year jail term for duping an investor of mining equipment worth US$500 000 was yesterday denied bail pending his appeal against his conviction and sentence at the High Court.
Bindura provincial magistrate Mr Tinashe Ndokera ruled that there were no prospects of success in the appeal.
He said his sentence was based on the nature of the offence, quantity of goods stolen and the effect to investment and not the monetary value.
“There was no persuasive offer for restitution therefore there was no need to consider it for sentencing,” he said.
“There are no prospects of success on appeal, application for bail pending appeal is dismissed.”
In his application, Utsiwegota said the sentence induced a sense of shock and on appeal another court might come up with a different ruling.
His grounds of appeal are that there was no complainant in the matter as the first State witness Ramason Bupendra had no authority to represent the company without a resolution.
Utsiwegota also says evidence led during trial failed to establish essential elements of the offence and there was no evidence that he disposed of the property.
Utsiwegota (38) was convicted of theft of trust property charges after swindling a Singapore investor, Bupendra.
Prosecuting, Mr Garudzo Ziyaduma said on July 5, 2012 Utsiwegota and Bupendra registered Decade Mining (Pvt) Limited and both became directors.
Bupendra was the sole financier in the company and 51 percent shares were awarded to Utsiwegota to comply with the Indigenisation law. In July 2013, Bupendra left the country for Singapore and left Utsiwegota in charge of the company assets and day-to-day running of the business.
Utsiwegota advised him against coming back saying the political situation was not conducive for foreigners before disposing of company machinery worth US$500 000.
He sold 20 000 tonnes of gold dump with neither board resolution, nor consent.
Bupendra returned to Zimbabwe in June last year without Utsiwegota’s knowledge and realised that the company had ceased operations and its assets were missing.
In his defence, Utsiwegota — a divorced father of five children — said the company operated without a board meeting since 2013 and he was acting in its best interest when he committed the offence.
SA’s Covid-19 death toll had climbed to 1,354 with a mortality rate of 2.2%, health minister Zweli Mkhize said in an update on Friday evening.
“Regrettably, we report a further 70 Covid-19 related deaths: 39 from Western Cape, 30 from the Eastern Cape and 1 from Limpopo,” he said in a statement.
The cumulative number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in SA on Friday was 61,927.
The total number of tests conducted has increased to 1,060,425 of which 32,026 were done in the past 24 hours.
Recoveries to date are 35,008 which translates into a recovery rate of 56.5%.
Mkhize, wrapping up a two-day visit to the Eastern Cape on Friday, said: “With the loosening of the lockdown, the numbers have started to increase. A lot more responsibility has to be taken by each and every one of us as individual South Africans.”
TimesLIVE reported earlier in the day that people with diabetes were more likely to die from Covid-19 than any other high-risk group while those with HIV appear to be at less risk — according to the latest Covid-19 mortality data from the Western Cape.
The provincial health department said that, based on current data, it estimated that out of every 100 people within the public health care sector who died from Covid-19, 52 had diabetes, followed by 19 with hypertension and 12 with HIV.
MDC-Alliance members — Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova were yesterday denied bail in court on new charges of publishing false information or obstructing the course of justice.
This emerged yesterday at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts, where they were being charged with publishing or communicating false information prejudicial to the State, with an alternative charge of obstructing the course of justice.
Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova, represented by lawyers Jeremiah Bamu and Alec Muchadehama, were not asked to plead when they appeared before Ms Bianca Makwande, but were remanded in custody until Monday for ruling on their bail application.
The State, represented by Charles Muchemwa, Tafara Chirambira and Teddy Kamuriwo, opposed bail saying they were facing a serious offence and had gained sympathy in other jurisdictions, which may assist them to flee. The State said the trio faced a jail term of up to 20 years upon conviction.
“The borders are porous and they are likely to abscond trial,” said Mr Muchemwa. “They are facing a serious offence and there is overwhelming evidence against them.”
In their application for bail, the three told the court that they had other pending matters, charges of breaching lockdown regulations during an unapproved demonstration, which were more serious.
“The court must balance the interest of justice and the interests of the accused,” said Mr Muchadehama.
“Nothing has been placed before the court to suggest the accused should be denied bail. Nothing came from the State in terms of evidence. The accused are denying the charges and the charges are nonsensical and they are being charged for nothing. They are now being turned into villains. The accused would like to make an undertaking that they will voluntarily avail themselves to police whenever they want them.”
The three told the court that they were seeing a psychiatrist as part of their recovery from hospital. They argued that they had since surrendered their passports to the Clerk of Court and there was no way they could abscond trial.
Ms Makwande remanded the three in custody to Monday for bail ruling.
Allegations against the trio are that on May 13 at around 12.30pm they gathered at Choppies Supermarket in Warren Park 1 with other MDC-Alliance youths and staged a demonstration against the recalling of their MPs from Parliament and the alleged misuse of funds for the Covid-19 pandemic by Government.
On the same day, they allegedly called their friends, family and lawyers, saying they had been arrested at a roadblock near Exhibition Park and were taken to Harare Central Police Station. Upon receiving the communication, their lawyer Mr Jeremiah Bamu reportedly went to the police CID Law and Order.
Mr Bamu is alleged to have approached a senior officer, saying the accused had been arrested and taken to Harare Central Police Station. According to the State, checks were made and it was established that they were not arrested.
On the same day, social media platforms and local newspapers were awash with news that the three had been arrested, it is alleged.
Two days later, on May 15 at around 1am, Mr Bamu advised the police that the three were at Muchapondwa business centre in Bindura.
The police and Mr Bamu went to the business centre, collected them and took them to a hospital in Waterfalls, Harare, since they claimed to have been tortured.
On May 19, Marova told a police detective that she was abducted and tortured by the police, with Mamombe and Chimbiri later interviewed on May 25, according to the State.
It is said investigations by the police revealed that they were never abducted, but allegedly stage-managed the kidnapping.
Further accusations are that during the time of the alleged kidnapping, they were at Belgravia Shopping Centre in Harare.
The State alleges that they were seen at around 1645hrs in a Mercedes Benz, which was being driven by Mamombe.
The illegal detention of 3 MDC Alliance Youth Assembly female leaders at Chikurubi Maximum Prison is a clear indication that Emmerson Mnangagwa’s illegitimate regime is anti-women.
The trio, National Vice Chairperson, Cecilia Chimbiri, Deputy Organ, Netsai Marova and National Secretary for Policy and Research Hon Joana Mamombe were yesterday evening sent to the filthy maximum prison where they are going to spend the weekend pending bail hearing on Monday.
Chikurubi Maximum Prison is hell’s waiting room and the prison facility which habours the worst of the worst criminals and murderers is a symbol of Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military dictatorship.
The so called ‘New Dispensation’ adminstration uses the facility as a concentration camp for punishing dissenting voices and opposition figures.
But more curious and heartbreaking is that the patriarchal military dictatorship often uses the facility to punish women.
Chimbiri, Marova and Momombe case is not the first case in point where Mnangagwa’s military regime exhibited tendencies of misogyny and hatred for womanhood.
A quick flashback to 02 March 2020 shows that the two Chitungwiza women, Taurai Nyamanhindi and Tanyaradzwa Zawaira whom I was charged together with were made to languish in this same concentration camp disguised as a prison for the whole of March.
A further dig into history also shows that even the wife of Mnangagwa’s deputy, Mary Chiwenga huffed and puffed in the same prison facility for not less than 2 weeks during Christmas festive season last year.
In January 2019 more and more women were raped by rogue soldiers at the instruction of their Commander in Chief for simply voicing that their homes are empty.
The list of cases of women abuse under Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military dictatorship is infinite but what is clear is that his regime detests everything women.
It is time real men and women of this land must stand up to this unAfrican, inhumane and intolerable abuse of women!
Chimbiri, Marova and Momombe were abducted, tortured, abused and raped, and as such they are supposed to be in courts as witnesses and not as the accused.
The real candidates for Chikurubi Maximum Prison are those that ordered the broad daylight butcherings of civilians by soldiers on 01 August 2018!
A third band of cheaper electricity has been added to existing two by energy regulator, Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (zera), that will help larger families that were struggling to remain within 200 units a month, especially in winter.
Under the new domestic tariff rates, residential customers will now pay $2.94 a unit for consumption between 201 and 300 units. The existing special prices of 49c a unit for the first 50 units a month, and $1,08 a unit for the next 150 remain.
With the five percent rural electrification levy, this means a family buying 200 units will pay around $197, but can now buy another 100 units for $294.
The standard price of $4,51 a unit is paid for all units in excess of 300.
After abduction, torture and arrest of MDC Alliance activist Cecilia Chimbiri and her colleagues Netsai Marowa and MP Joanna Mamombe, state security agents have turned their focus to outspoken Henry Chimbiri, Netsai’s father.
The father who is also an MDC Alliance member survived an assassination attempt on Friday evening in the Harare City Centre.
Watch video downloading below as Chimbiri explains his narrow escape. Please be patient as the video downloads.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa announcing relaxation of lockdown measures
Zimbabwe is returning to almost full economic activity with the reopening of the informal economy, where three quarters of the economically active population earn their living, but under the “new normal” of masks, registration with local authorities, high levels of personal hygiene, social distancing and minimum non-business travel.
By last night, the number of confirmed Covid-19 positive cases had reached 343, with another 11 cases announced yesterday, all among returning residents and citizens in formal quarantine.
Almost all cases have been in this quarantined group with very few infections within the community.
Announcing new permitted activities, President Mnangagwa stressed that Zimbabwe remained under Level Two lockdown and that with the threat of Covid-19 still hanging over the country, people had to embrace the new normal ways of living to minimise the risks of infection.
All in the informal sector needed to register before resuming operations, with a Government spokesman last night saying this meant registering with their local authority under long-existing regulations. Fuller details would be available within a few days, with the legally required amendments to the lockdown regulations.
Compulsory wearing of masks in public, and other laid down rules such as washing or sanitisation of hands and social distancing would remain.
Most of the formal sectors, along with agriculture, food markets, tobacco marketing and the informal industrial sector, have already been allowed to reopen under set conditions and, in many cases, restricted opening hours.
At the same time, the moratorium on rent payments will be ended but rent arrears can be settled in instalments over six months.
Religious services with a maximum of 50 people present can now resume and in full compliance of the Covid-19 prevention measures.
People have been urged to travel only when necessary.
In his Covid-19 update address at State House, the President said the threat posed by the global virus is still hanging over Zimbabwe and therefore people should start embracing the new normal that has been brought by the pandemic, which at present has no cure.
“Over the last few months, you have been burdened with a truly heavy task. This is not an ordinary period in our history. A new normal has emerged. For the first time, we have asked you not to go to work, not to see your families, and to keep your distance from each other. This is the very opposite of the Zimbabwean way which is characterised by warmth and closeness. The vast majority of Zimbabweans have acted selflessly, and with great responsibility.
“Like a country in wartime, you put your nation first and put aside individual needs and rights. You understood that the battle against this deadly virus which has taken hundreds of thousands of lives around the world, is an existential threat, one which is of the proportion of a conventional war,” said the President.
The rapid response by the Government, to enforce a national lockdown following the first reported case of Covid-19 has been credited with minimising infections in the country.
Even as the country and the world at large is yet to emerge from the contagion and its crippling effects on global economies, the President said Zimbabweans have to work hard under the new normal and pledged to ensure that the country will enjoy, the freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and religion as well as freedom to vote in free and open elections as promised by the Second Republic under his leadership.
The effects of the worldwide pandemic have been made worse by the fact that Zimbabwe was still emerging from decades of economic recession when it was forced to declare a lockdown, while the impact of natural disasters such as Cyclone Idai and successive droughts was still very much bei0ng felt.
“These are hardly the conditions in which to implement tough spending cuts and deep structural economic reforms. But we have no choice. If we do not reform now, we will continue to drown in debt or peddle along in mediocrity. Zimbabweans deserve better. Zimbabwe deserves better.
“Although our lockdown remains at Level 2, let us begin to further open up, remembering that we all have a role to play. Government, hand in hand with an empowered private sector, will do all in its power to open up the economy, to provide the jobs and the opportunities the people of Zimbabwe so richly deserve.
“Likewise, the creation of jobs, the commitment to new opportunities for our talented youth, must once again be driven to the top of our agenda. We cannot and will not allow the period of Covid-19 to appear in our history books as anything more than a mere hurdle which we jumped over along the path to prosperity.
“As your President, I commit that we will work twice as hard, work with promise and purpose, to improve your lives, and to give your children a better future. It is time to accelerate our development. From the pains of the pandemic, we must now find new impetus in rebuilding.
“The liberalisation of our economy must continue in earnest. This includes the privatisation of bloated State industries which must now be expedited. Investment commitments must now be turned into tangible jobs. Our creative people must be allowed to grow and prosper,” said the President.
He added that reforms that are “stuck in the wheels of bureaucracy, must be unleashed, catalysed and implemented. The time for action is now. However, as the workforce is slowly released from a painful lockdown, let us remember that we are not returning to the old normal, but to a very new normal which must cause each and every one of us to rethink our lives. How we communicate, how we do business, how we meet and greet, and how we protect the health of our neighbours, our family, and indeed ourselves”.
The President reminded Zimbabweans, to observe the Covid-19 preventive measures that he said although they may look “rudimentary” can save lives.
“In this new normal, we must be vigilant. We must not rest. The virus is still with us. It has neither disappeared nor been destroyed. It has neither vanished nor been vanquished; it lives amongst us. So please act with caution. Wear a mask at all times when you are outside your homes.
“Don’t cough into your hands and maintain social distance wherever possible. Do not spend time in enclosed spaces with strangers, and ensure that windows are open in workspaces. Wash or sanitise your hands regularly and thoroughly.
“This may seem rudimentary, but these small acts may just save the life of your grandmother or grandfather, brother or sister, mother or father, friend or co-worker; even your own life. This will not last forever. We will — someday — return to the warm ways of Zimbabwe once again. However, the status-quo and the immediate future demand our active diligence,” said the President.
In the fight against the global pandemic, Zimbabwe has received assistance from both local and international partners noticeably China, a country that the President saluted for coming to the assistance of Zimbabwean people during the ominous times of Covid-19.
Apart from coming up with a scientific approach to the new normal, the President has also called upon the whole nation to prayer and fasting on Monday to seek divine intervention against the global contagion.
By Simba Chikanza | Suspected CIO agents nearly assassinated the father of the tortured MDC Alliance leader Cecilia Chimbiri last night.
The incident reportedly happened at just after 8pm when Mr Henry Chimbiri was traveling to his home. (This is a developing story)
The development comes just after the three tortured activists who include Harare West MP Joana Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecilia, got UN backing, as experts at the world body ordered the Zimbabwe Republic Police to drop charges against them citing that they did nothing unlawful on the 13th May 2020. Within 48hrs of the announcement, the state rushed to heap several charges against them.
Mr Chimbiri was driving from the capital city, and he narrates the story as follows:
I was involved in a near accident, a high speed car chase and had two of my vehicle tyres damaged by potholes yesterday at around 2020hrs .
The cars that chased me were all unplated: a sedan black Toyota and a black Honda Fit.
They tried to sandwich my car but l would have none of it as l managed to escape at a high speed in my C240 mercedes. I am terribly shocked but unshaken by the behaviour of State agents who are being used wasting taxpayers coffers.
Previously on Monday 8th June 2020, l and Mr Kumbirai Mafunda (ZLHR) had a similar chase along 2nd Street and Baines Ave near the offices for the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights: it was by 4 agents who were in a white mercedes which l only managed to read the last number without the check letters 0441 ..
lt is my belief that they want to silence me and put fear in me. I will have none of it. And l don’t fear them. The struggle is on.
I had two of my vehicle tyres separated/ damaged by potholes along High Glen road near Olivine Industrial Complex in a high speed chase by two unplated vehicles. I managed to reach home in Budiriro. I humbly seek any help to replace the tyres and service the vehicle that is helping me run up and down for my three daughters who are now incarcerated in remand prison. An amount ranging $250 can help buy the tyres and refuel. I am now out of pocket and unable to move today to see my daughters in Remand prison. I am hurt and depressed. The State Agents are after my life. I will not have none of it. I will fight for my freedom of expression and media space.
Former Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri
All known Zimbabwean assets of former Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri have now been placed under management while Chihuri, who is accused of side-tracking US$32 million of public funds into family companies and buying a large swathe of properties, must explain his link to the companies and properties which the State has listed for forfeiture, the High Court has ruled.
The State seeks to freeze Chihuri’s companies and the properties, which his family acquired during his 25 years at the helm of the police force, pending the final outcome of possible criminal investigations and civil suits.
Justice Felistas Chatukuta yesterday granted an application by Prosecutor-General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi for an order forcing Chihuri and his wife, Isobel Halima Khan, to explain how they acquired their properties and to interdict them from having any dealings with the companies.
Chihuri and his co-respondents listed on the application did not contest the application.
Chihuri’s daughter Samantha Hamadziripi Chihuri, and son Ethan Takudzwa Augustine Chihuri were listed as respondents in the application along with relatives Aitken and Netsai Khan and the six companies — Croxile Investments, Adamah Enterprises, Mastermedia (Pvt) Ltd, Mastaw Investments and Rash Marketing.
The companies won orders for the supply of goods and services without going to tender.
According to the uncontested order, Chihuri is required to explain his relationship with Nodpack Investments (Pvt) Ltd, Croxile Investments (Pvt) Ltd, Mastaw Investments (Pvt) Ltd, Rewstand Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, Rash Marketing (Pvt) Ltd and Adamah Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd.
Chihuri and his wife are also required to explain their roles, if any, in the engagement of the companies by the police between July 2, 2014 and December 2017. The court also wants Chihuri’s wife to explain the nature of Nodpack Investments contractual relationship with the police which led to the police transferring US$5 766 251.31 from the force’s revolving fund to the company’s bank account held by Ecobank Borrowdale between July 28 2012 to December 11 2017.
“Second respondent (Isobel Hakima Khan Chihuri) produces documentation showing a breakdown of services and goods supplied to ZRP by Nodpack Investments (Pvt) Ltd including delivery notes and payment vouchers,” said Justice Chatukuta.
The Chihuri family and relatives cited in the matter are further required to give details concerning Adamah Enterprises and Mastermedia and both companies’ contract with the police.
The two companies received a combined US$12 992 870 between March 25 2013 and January 1 2018.
Chihuri and his family and his listed relatives have also been ordered to explain their source of capital and engagement with the listed corporate entities while the Chihuri couple need to also disclose the financial rewards they received from that engagement.
Further, the couple and their co-respondents with an interest, or who once had an interest, in the vehicles targeted for forfeiture should explain in detail the extent and scope of their interests with the top-of-the-range cars, some of them with personalised number plates.
The State is also seeking an explanation from Chihuri on how he acquired and funded the equipment which is installed at his farm in Mashonaland Central, acquired in 1990 for US$60 000 before it was transferred to his son Ethan through a donation valued at US$46 000.
The couple must also explain the source and origins of farm equipment at the family Shamva Farm known as Inyika Farm.
Mastaw Investments is registered in South Africa and the Chihuri couple have to explain their interest in the company and disclose details of a First National Bank account, produce bank records, and give the source of funds held under the SA account number 62725356457.
The explanation is to be made in writing individually by each person named in the order to the Prosecutor General within 15 days, said Justice Chatukuta.
Chihuri is under investigation for criminal abuse of office, money laundering, theft and fraud. He is being accused of establishing a “syndicated criminal mafia” meant to siphon public funds for his personal benefit and that of his cronies.
This, according to Mr Hodzi, would have entailed externalisation of money and laundering abroad.
The Prosecutor-General argued in his application that Chihuri established the companies in connivance with his relatives for the alleged purposes of siphoning funds from the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s revolving fund held under CBZ Account number 0212050619002.
Isobel Chihuri is the managing director for Mastaw Investments, which received US$3 823 285 from ZRP General Headquarters after giving an allegedly fake business address, said Mr Hodzi.
Rewstand Enterprises received US$10 401 500 from ZRP despite using an allegedly fake address. Investigations by the police found a different company operating from that address.
Nodpack Investments (Pvt) Ltd of Bure Close in Strathaven, Harare, whose directorship includes Clever Nziramasanga and had Isobel Halim Chihuri as general manager, allegedly received US$5 766 252.31 from the police.
But this address was a residential property for a Mrs Marange who does not know Nodpack, raising strong suspicion that the address was fake, the court heard.
Croxile Investments (Pvt) Ltd of 8 St Aubins Walk in Chisipite received US$1 892 040 from the police, with Vanessa Madalisto Banda listed as director and Isobel Chihuri as general manager. But the property owner is a Mr Matongo who does not know about Croxile.
ZRP also released US$10 575 732 to Adamah Enterprises Pvt Ltd of 29 Carsberg Avenue in Alexandra Park in Harare, which is also managed by Isobel Chihuri with Nelia Mafunga listed as director.
But investigations found that this address belonged to another company called Brightcoast Construction owned by Clever Nziramasanga.
Mastermedia (Pvt) Ltd, according to the State, is owned by Isobel Khan Chihuri and it received US$1 073 038.08 from the ZRP Revolving Fund from January 5, 2016 to February 9, 2017.
Rash Marketing, which is owned by a CBZ employee called Shingirai Maponga and his spouse, Sharon Maponga nee Tiyani, received US$764 370 from November 14, 2016 to December 12, 2016.
Chihuri also acquired 11 listed properties: Seven residential stands at Police Heights on Gletwin Farm in north-east Harare; 571 Zengeza Township; 9 hectares at Fishponds in Lomagundi District (Deed of Transfer 3177/90); Stand 231 in Athlone in Greendale (Deed 1214/85) measuring 4 639 square metres; and 431 Quinnington in Borrowdale (5284/14) measuring 5 500 square metres.
Four vehicles are also listed under assets that need explanation. Two combine harvesters, six tractors, two planters, three motorbikes and a boom spray were found at Chihuri’s farms at Shamva and Darwendale.
The High Court has reserved judgment in an urgent chamber application filed by MDC-Alliance to regain Harvest House following their recent eviction by MDC-T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe.
The matter was heard before Justice David Mangota. MDC-A was seeking a spoliation order, that is an order declaring the takeover of the building by the MDC-T illegal and restoring possession to the MDC-A.
The applicants are MDC-A and Chalton Hwende and they are suing MDC-T, Dr Khupe, Douglas Mwonzora, the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans and the Commissioner General of Police. The MDC-A lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama argued that the eviction was not lawful and peaceful based on the events of June 4 when the MDC-T took over the building.
He said the notice by recently reinstated secretary general, Mr Douglas Mwonzora of the handover-takeover to their members was the factual foundation that proves the MDC-T was not in occupation of Harvest House before the eviction.
Mr Muchadehama added that the presence of the police and the army on the day in question to assist Dr Khupe to take total ownership of the building and was an indication that the act was not peaceful as alleged.
MDC-T and its leaders, represented by Professor Lovemore Madhuku, argued that the MDC-A’s application should not be entertained as it lacked merit.
He further argued that the MDC-A should not even be heard because the group had dirty hands by its contemptuous attitude towards the courts.
In his major argument, Prof Madhuku contended since the inception of the MDC as a political party it had been in charge of the Harvest House despite factional disputes.
The MDC-T led by Dr Khupe was the legally recognised MDC party and so had the right to the building.
“The MDC-A has failed to even produce an lease agreement to support their case.”
“The handover-takeover was of the security personnel which belong to MDC as an entity. Changes were caused by issues of allegiance within the MDC factions,” said Madhuku. He said there was not enough evidence on paper to prove MDC-A was in possession of the building so a final order could not be granted on the basis of speculations.
The police and the army, through their lawyer, distanced themselves from the MDC infighting, saying that their presence at Harvest house was only to ensure that Covid-19 regulations on social distancing were observed.
The army said it was never deployed there to help seize the building and that its duty was not to favour any political party and therefore could not be roped into the MDC fights.
President Mnangagwa having a feel of one of the buses
Another 40 buses joined the Zupco urban fleet yesterday, with President Mnangagwa commissioning them in Chinhoyi, the capital of Mashonaland West Province.
Mashonaland West, home of the cities of Chinhoyi and Kadoma, plus the municipalities of Chegutu and Kariba, and a spread of smaller towns, will be allocated 21 of the buses, with Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) having exclusive use of one. The other 19 will reinforce the Zupco fleet in other provinces.
“The launch of these buses in Chinhoyi is a clear demonstration of the commitment by the Government towards the devolution policy,” President Mnangagwa said. “We shall therefore continue to guarantee inclusive growth through addressing multifaceted development gaps in the implementation of our devolution agenda.
“This is in fulfilment of the provisions in our Constitution, which encourage participatory governance and equitable access to national resources, wealth and public services by all Zimbabweans.
Government had engaged countries that included Belarus and China to procure more buses for Zupco, which would be distributed equally across all provinces.
President Mnangagwa said the ongoing rebuilding of the Zupco fleet sought to provide a safe, reliable and affordable mass public transport system for the commuting public.
“As Government, we are now working on innovative models, which will see the establishment of a sound financial base for each provincial and metropolitan council and local authority.
“The models will be premised on growth and development being initiated and implemented by provinces with central Government playing a facilitator role,” he said.
The President urged Zupco management to put in place measures to prevent accidents and ensure regular servicing and maintenance of the buses.
He also commended Zupco for practising recommended hygienic measures to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo said the procurement of the Zupco buses was the President’s initiative aimed at improving the livelihoods and welfare of people in the Second Republic.
Speaking at the same occasion Mashonaland West Minister of State, Mrs Mary Mliswa-Chikoka thanked President Mnangagwa for commissioning the buses in her province.
She said the provision of an efficient mass public transport system would contribute to the achievement of Vision 2030 of a middle income society by 2030.
Zupco acting chief executive officer, Mr Everisto Madangwa also thanked Government for recapitalising Zupco. He said the fleet had grown from 78 conventional buses in 2018 to 770 plus 1 000 omnibuses, including franchises.
Zupco’s employees had grown from 372 to 4 500 while depots had increased from seven in 2018 to the current 18 plus another 15 satellite depots.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa took the opportunity of the occasion to remind Chinhoyi residents to observe guidelines issued by Government to curb the spread of Covid-19 and urged communities to report returnees who disregarded quarantine regulations meant to protect both the returning residents and local communities.
The President also urged the residents to take part in the National Day of Fasting and Prayer to be held on Monday.
The Centre for Gender Studies is pleased to announce the appointment of Everjoice Win as Professor of Practice. Everjoice Win is currently International Director for Programmes and Global Engagement at ActionAid.
Speaking about the appointment Everjoice Win said: “It is a great honour and privilege to be invited as Professor of Practice by a prestigious institution such as SOAS. I am humbled and thrilled that SOAS has created this space for activist-practitioners like myself, to contribute and share our experience to the growing body of feminist knowledge, theory and practice. I particularly look forward to engaging with younger feminists, students, especially those who are building new movements and organising in this fast evolving world.”
Dr Awino Okech, Chair of the Centre for Gender Studies said: “The Centre for Gender Studies at SOAS is very pleased to welcome Everjoice Win as a Professor of Practice. EJ as she is known amongst her comrades is a feminist practitioner and activist who has provided thought leadership and supported feminist movements working on HIV/AIDS, feminist leadership in organisations, women’s political leadership and civil society organising more broadly. EJ has the rare talent of balancing community organising in contexts where material conditions often mean the space for dialogue about structural transformation can be limited whilst providing blue sky thinking about transnational organising. EJ not only brings an extensive body of work from the African continent that spans over thirty years but also has a history of organising with movements and actively supporting feminist and cross-movement work in over 30 countries in the global south.”
Everjoice Win has been active in feminist and social justice movements in Zimbabwe, the African continent and globally. She started her development career with a feminist organization- Women’s Action Group, in Zimbabwe, where she designed and implemented popular education and community-based development programs as well as national policy advocacy campaigns. Everjoice is one of the founders of the Zimbabwe National Constitutional Assembly, a civil society network, which spearheaded constitutional transformation in that country. In the 1990s, EJ worked with the Pan-African Women in Law and Development in Africa, (WiLDAF). The network brought together legal rights, human rights, and development organizations to demystify the law, raise women and excluded communities’ consciousness of their rights, and influence governments to promote and protect women’s human rights. Working collectively with other feminists Everjoice’s work transformed and shaped the women’s human rights landscape across some 24+ African countries. This includes the passing of new laws and policies on domestic violence, inheritance as well as shifting societal norms and values.
The High Court has reserved judgment in an urgent chamber application filed by MDC-Alliance to regain Harvest House following their recent eviction by MDC-T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe.
The matter was heard before Justice David Mangota. MDC-A was seeking a spoliation order, that is an order declaring the takeover of the building by the MDC-T illegal and restoring possession to the MDC-A.
The applicants are MDC-A and Chalton Hwende and they are suing MDC-T, Dr Khupe, Douglas Mwonzora, the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans and the Commissioner General of Police. The MDC-A lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama argued that the eviction was not lawful and peaceful based on the events of June 4 when the MDC-T took over the building.
He said the notice by recently reinstated secretary general, Mr Douglas Mwonzora of the handover-takeover to their members was the factual foundation that proves the MDC-T was not in occupation of Harvest House before the eviction.
Mr Muchadehama added that the presence of the police and the army on the day in question to assist Dr Khupe to take total ownership of the building and was an indication that the act was not peaceful as alleged.
MDC-T and its leaders, represented by Professor Lovemore Madhuku, argued that the MDC-A’s application should not be entertained as it lacked merit.
He further argued that the MDC-A should not even be heard because the group had dirty hands by its contemptuous attitude towards the courts.
In his major argument, Prof Madhuku contended since the inception of the MDC as a political party it had been in charge of the Harvest House despite factional disputes.
The MDC-T led by Dr Khupe was the legally recognised MDC party and so had the right to the building.
“The MDC-A has failed to even produce an lease agreement to support their case.”
“The handover-takeover was of the security personnel which belong to MDC as an entity. Changes were caused by issues of allegiance within the MDC factions,” said Madhuku. He said there was not enough evidence on paper to prove MDC-A was in possession of the building so a final order could not be granted on the basis of speculations.
The police and the army, through their lawyer, distanced themselves from the MDC infighting, saying that their presence at Harvest house was only to ensure that Covid-19 regulations on social distancing were observed.
By Jane Mlambo| Government has announced that it will continue to subsidize mealie meal to ensure that basic commodities remain within reach of the vulnerable.
According to Public Service and Social Welfare minister Sekai Nzenza, government will maintain the ZWL$70 per 10 kilogram bag of mealie meal but has since adjusted the subsidy to millers from ZWL$73,90 to ZWL$216.15 per 10kg.
The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has been granted permission to implement a new tariff structure for domestic consumers with effect from the 11th of this month.
Below is the new ZESA Tariff structure.
Consumption Bands
ZWL $/kWh
First 50 Units
0.49
51-200
1.08
201-300
2.94
301+
4.61
The development was announced in a letter by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority dated which is dated 11 June 2020 and addressed to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) Managing Director Eng. Katsande.
Farai Dziva|Richard Tsvangirai, the son of the late MDC president and former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, has accused Zanu PF of using the COVID -19 pandemic to suppress democratic voices.
Quoting his late father’s words, Richard argued saying Zanu PF will not be able to rig the economy.
“Comrades, it is very unfortunate that I come to you in the middle of a pandemic, and it is with sorrow, comrades that occupants of the shake shake building have decided to capitalize on this pandemic by suffocating our democratic rights.”
“You can rig the election, but you can never rig the economy” Morgan Tsvangirayi…
He also taunted Emmerson Mnangagwa :
“Ndakatanga kuzviziva kuti ma1 paakati 10+ 4 =40. Ko iwewe?”
A 27-year-old man has been jailed for 15 years for raping a sex worker and robbing her of $180 as well as her cellphone.
Nkosiyabo Prince Khumalo from Gadadi Village in Ntabazinduna pleaded not guilty to rape and robbery charges but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence against him by Gwanda regional magistrate, Mrs Sibonginkosi Mkandla.
He was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment but three years were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
Khumalo denied ever meeting the complainant or engaging her services and later raping her.
Prosecuting, Mr Khumbulani Nyoni said Khumalo met the complainant at a nightclub in Filabusi and offered to pay her for her services.
He then left the bar with her and when they reached a bushy area near Filabusi Police Station, Khumalo raped and robbed the woman.
“On 5 November 2019 at around 4AM the complainant who is a commercial sex worker was at 727 Nightclub in Filabusi when she met Khumalo who offered to pay her $120 for her services and she agreed. They left the nightclub and Khumalo led the complainant into a bushy area near Filabusi Police Station saying that he didn’t want to be seen,” said the prosecutor.
“While in the bushes, Khumalo grabbed the complainant by her neck and pushed her to the ground. Khumalo withdrew a knife from his pocket and threatened to stab her if she didn’t comply. He demanded cash from the complainant who gave him $180 and he also demanded the complainant’s cell phone.”
Mr Nyoni said the accused person raped her and after he was done, he ordered the complainant to go with him.
He said along the way the complainant fled and ran towards Filabusi Police Station where she met a police officer and narrated what had happened.
Testifying in court, the complainant said Khumalo approached her for her services.
“He told me that he was a police officer and said he would take me to his place of residence at Filabusi Police Station where he would give me the remainder of my money after our session. When we neared the police station, he led me to a bushy area saying he didn’t want anyone to see him. When we were in the bushes that is when he pushed me to the ground and attacked me,” he said.
By Own Correspondent| Three victims of abduction and torture will spend the weekend in jail after Harare Magistrate Bianca Makwande indicated that she will hand down her ruling on their bail application next week after they were arrested on Wednesday 10 June 2020 and charged with falsifying their abduction and torture at the hands of suspected state security agents.
Harare West legislator Hon. Joana Mamombe aged 27 years, Cecelia Chimbiri aged 31 years and Netsai Marova aged 25 years appeared before Magistrate Makwande after they were arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police members and charged with a cocktail of charges including publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state as defined in section 31(a)(ii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, 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.
Prosecutor Charles Muchemwa told Magistrate Makwande that Hon. Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova stage managed their abduction and told falsehoods to their lawyers, relatives and friends that they had been abducted on 13 May 2020.
Muchemwa said the false statements by the MDC-Alliance youth leaders attracted some adverse comments from local and international organisations including from some heads of missions at some foreign embassies and the United Nations Special Rapporteurs, who condemned the abduction and torture, thereby tarnishing the image of the country and affecting the country’s prospects of an economic recovery.
In response to the allegations by Muchemwa, Alec Muchadehama and Jeremiah Bamu, the lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, representing the trio told Magistrate Makwande that their clients were being victimised for seeking justice over their abduction, torture and sexual molestation and that the arrest and prosecution of the trio was an attempt by Zimbabwean authorities to cover up their abduction and torture.
The lawyers argued that their clients who are victims of abduction and enforced disappearance and torture had been turned into villains.
While Muchemwa had argued that Hon. Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marova should be denied bail and detained in prison because they would flee Zimbabwe with the assistance of some foreign embassies before they stand trial, Muchadehama and Bamu dismissed the claim as scandalous. Magistrate Makwande postponed the matter to Monday 15 June 2020 when she will hand down her ruling on the trio’s bail application.
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.
‘Bring no more vein oblations, incense are an abomination to me, the new moon and Sabbath, the calling of assemblies, (be they presidential), I cannot, away with them! It is an iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moon and appointed feast, my soul hates. They are trouble unto me. I am weary to bear them. And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. When you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood’, (Isaiah 1:13-15).
Verse 15 in particular, captures what God promises to do on the 15th of June. The just called for presidential national day of prayer is a development that has happened not only at a time when the president and his aides have just promised another spate of violence, persecution, arbitrary arrests and abductions through the guise of the ‘Long arm of the Law’, but also at a time when they have just brutally tortured the three young women for their involvement in the flash demonstration, arrested honorable Biti and company for requesting the police to facilitate their entry into their party headquarters, but also at a time when many fingers are pointing to the first family in relation to corruption allegations surrounding the supply of COVID response equipment.
It is common knowledge that this second republic has blood in their hands.
They killed on the 1st of August 2018, they killed on October 10 2018, they killed from January 14-16 2019 and applied law selectively wherein they arrested those that looted but those that raped and killed still roam the streets.
They have just killed a man in Bulawayo during this COVID-19. They then call for a national day of prayer. God will not hear. The event will be loathsome before him.
The first thing to do Mr President is to openly repent of your sins: murder, corruption, deceit etc. The scripture that you quoted places a condition of leaving your wicked ways. I charge that you do so sincerely, submit to the authority of the church for guidance and counsel. Without that, the 15th of June national day of prayer is a nullity before God and the church.
For the church and the citizenry, let us push persistently through labor pains, the birthing of a new Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe Warriors forward in landmark move to French giants …
FRENCH multi-millionaire businessman, Jean-Michel Aulas, has revealed Tino Kadewere beat intense competition to end up securing a four-and-half year deal with his Ligue One club, Olympique Lyon, in January.
The 71-year-old Aulas, with a net worth of an estimated US$700 million, is the owner and president of Olympique Lyon, a club he took over in 1987, reeling from debt, before transforming it into one of the giants of French football.
His masterplan saw him clear the debt, lift the club from the Second Division into seven-time champions of France, while also completing their stunning transformation into among the richest football clubs in the world.
On Wednesday, Aulas officially unveiled his latest recruitment, Zimbabwe international forward Tino who — like Karim Benzema and Alexandre Lacazette before him — dreams of becoming a big star in Europe. And, the French business tycoon believes they got the right man to strengthen their squad.
“We are very happy that Tino is here. He was a significant transfer signing in January,’’ Aulas told the media in comments which were carried by the club’s official website yesterday.
“He stayed with Le Havre for six months and now arrives to strengthen the team as they start preparing for the Champions League and the Coupe de la Ligue final.
“He has many qualities, on and off the pitch, this is part of our recruitment strategy.
“There was a lot of competition to add to the squad and Tino stood out, he was top scorer in Ligue 2 last season and won a number of best player (awards) last season.
“He is an international, which was a very strong element in our decision, we believe in him. He will be qualified to play as soon as the first matches happen.”
Aulas masterminded Olympique Lyon’s rise from obscurity to become the dominant club in French football at the turn of the millennium when they won seven straight French league titles-The Herald
LONDON. — Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta revealed the club’s gesture for the Black Lives Matter movement was masterminded by star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Gunners warmed up before their friendly against Brentford at the Emirates Stadium wearing T-shirts in support of the campaigning against racial injustice, sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, USA.
The Arsenal stars wore various different shirts, with some that read:
‘’My skin is not a crime,’’ ‘’I stand with you’’ and ‘’I can’t breathe’’ — the same words spoken by Floyd when he was being held to the ground by a police officer before he died.
Hector Bellerin’s warm-up T-shirt said: ‘’I’m not black but I stand with you’’ on the front, whilst Arteta wore a shirt that read: ‘’We stand in solidarity.’’
The Spanish boss later revealed that the powerful gesture from the North London club was Aubameyang’s idea, as he called him up before their friendly match against the Championship side. ‘’The thing that I like most is that it came from them,’’ Arteta told Sky Sports. ‘’I got a phone call from the captain asking to do that.
I spoke with the club straight away and we were very clear that we wanted to support their intentions, everyone collaborated, we created the shirt.
‘’It was a really strong message and it is more powerful because it comes from them. They think they have to support these types of causes.’’
The players also took a knee before the match began, a gesture in support of the BLM movement that has also been observed in the Bundesliga.
Jadon Sancho and Marcus Thuram have been two leading figures in using their platform to support that campaigning for change.
The Gunners were then shocked by Brentford at the Emirates, as the Championship side beat Arteta’s men 3-2 – leaving the Premier League side with much work to do one week before their return to action against second-placed Manchester City.
Arteta fielded a strong team in the Brentford defeat as Joe Willock gave Arsenal the lead just before half-time.
Mesut Ozil was among the Gunners stars that came on in the second half as the Bees made it 1-1 with 20 minutes left in the match- The Herald /Sky News
A MAN who waylaid two lovers in Bulawayo while they were out for an evening stroll before striking them with a brick resulting in one the victims succumbing to the injuries has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Munyaradzi Nyoni (41) whose residential address was not given, struck Mr Tinashe Nemakonde (23) and his girlfriend Ms Sibonisiwe Mpofu and they both lost consciousness.
He robbed them of a bag containing three cellphones, $3, two exercise books and a national identity card.
Ms Mpofu later regained consciousness and fled from the scene leaving her boyfriend who was later taken to Mpilo Central Hospital where he succumbed to the injuries.
Nyoni was convicted of murder with actual intent by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese.
In passing sentence, Justice Makonese condemned his conduct, saying he was driven by greed to commit the crime.
“The accused person committed a very serious offence. This matter was committed in aggravating circumstances and it was premeditated and carried out in pursuant of a robbery,” he said.
“It is sad that lives continue to be lost as a result of robbers who attack their victims to steal gadgets such as cellphones, which they go on to sell for as little as $30. The accused person attacked his victims viciously and with extreme brutality.”
Justice Makonese said the courts have a duty to protect the sanctity of human life through passing deterrent sentences.
“These courts would fail in their duty to protect the sanctity of human life if lenient sentences were imposed where life is callously and needlessly lost.
The sentence should reflect the seriousness of the offence,” he said.
The judge said Nyoni escaped the death sentence because he admitted attacking the deceased.
Prosecuting, Mr Trust Muduma said on September 25 in 2018 at around 9PM, Ms Mpofu and her lover were taking a stroll on a footpath near Magwegwe Water Reservoir when the accused person spotted them from a distance.
He waylaid the two lovers and when they got closer, he hit the deceased with a brick on the head and he fell down and lost consciousness.
“The accused person then threatened the deceased’s girlfriend and ordered her to sit down. He ordered her to search her boyfriend’s pockets but she found nothing,” he said.
The court heard that Nyoni hit Mpofu with a brick twice on the head and she fell down unconscious.
Nyoni took Mpofu’s handbag containing a Huawei cellphone, Mobicel Tablet, $3 and two exercise books. He also took the deceased’s Nokia cellphone and his satchel.
“Mpofu regained consciousness and managed to run away leaving the accused person still attacking the deceased with a brick,” said Mr Muduma.
Mpofu reported the matter to the police and an ambulance came and took Nemakonde to Mpilo Central Hospital where he later died-Chronicle
A Gokwe man poisoned his father whom he accused of causing misfortune in his life.
Justine Chakauya (28) of Village 15A, Musadzi Village, Chireya in Gokwe, was arraigned before a Gokwe magistrate facing a murder charge after he poisoned his father Benias Chakauya.
Gokwe magistrate Musaiona Shortgame remanded him in custody and advised him to apply for bail at the High Court.
Prosecuting, Liberty Chimwaradze told the court that Chakauya approached a traditional healer and told him that his father was causing misfortune in his life and he was hindering him from amassing wealth.
The traditional healer, the court heard, gave the accused a concoction which he went and put into his father’s drink. Upon consuming the laced drink, the now deceased fell unconscious, bleeding from the mouth and nose.
He was rushed to Gokwe Hospital where he died upon admission. Chakauya was arrested and arraigned before the courts.
The accused left the court dumbfounded after pleading guilty to the offence and telling the court he did it because his father was behind his misfortune.
“I do admit to the charges of causing the death of my father.
I did it out of frustration because he was the one who was causing all the misfortunes I have been experiencing in my life,” he told the court. He said he never thought the concoction would kill his father.
“I was just taking the advice of a healer who gave me the poison which I then administered to my father resulting in his death.
I never thought it would kill him, I just thought I was muthi that would make me rich,” he told the court-B-Metro
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has said Emmerson Mnangagwa must not blame the opposition for the crisis in the country.
Zimbabwe is facing a man-made governance crisis, according to Chamisa.
“The solidarity is much appreciated CIC.Zimbabwe is facing a man-made governance crisis characterized by egregious corruption, looting and institutionalized violence.We are comforted by this fluent language of brotherhood and sisterhood. One Africa..One fight against corruption,” Chamisa wrote on Twitter.
He was commenting on Julius Malema’s message on the chaos in Zimbabwe:
“We applaud the fight against corruption and looting of public funds going on in Zimbabwe. It is cruel and evil for anyone regardless of who they are to steal money meant to help citizens fight Covid-19. There is nothing revolutionary or patriotic about thieving. Pasi neMbavha,” Malema tweeted.
Chamisa also denounced the harassment of legal practitioners:
“Adv Sylvester Hashiti today became one the latest casualties of a state crackdown on lawyers as he was arrested and granted a $10000 bail over a charge of criminal nuisance. As usual, the charge is frivolous!Brilliant lawyers must be allowed to freely practice in their profession!”
