Josey Mahachi, who contested the 2018 elections on a Zanu Pf ticket, has made a u-turn blasting her former party over failure to run the country.

She aspired to become the Hatfield legislator but was defeated by MDC Alliance’s Tapiwa Mashakada.

The u-turn, which drew criticism from her former party Zanu PF torched a social media storm after twimbos retweeted and magnified the harshtag #ZanuPFMustGo.

We publish below reactions to Zanu PF Patriots tweets:

By A Correspondent- Nelson Chamisa’s failure to heed calls to join the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) has hampered much-needed national dialogue to help resolve Zimbabwe’s myriad challenges, presidential spokesperson George Charamba has said.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Daily News on Sunday this week, Charamba also insisted that President Emmerson Mnangagwa would not hold private talks with Chamisa outside Polad – as “this would amount to privileging him” above other opposition players.

This comes as the country’s political and economic crises are deepening, amid growing local and international calls for inclusive national dialogue to lift Zimbabwe out of its quagmire.

“The essence of dialogue is not about re-visiting the 2018 election results, it is to move forward in a co-operative environment – seeking to solve the country’s economic challenges.

 “So, really, you cannot revoke the 2018 results because if we were to use that logic, then the president has no reason to invite him.

“If the Constitution says with 50 percent plus one vote you govern and the opposition opposes, this means that the measure of the interaction with them (the opposition) is extra-constitutional and its basis cannot be founded on the results of the elections,” Charamba told the Daily News on Sunday.

“It just doesn’t make sense. What we are refusing is this big-headedness on the part of Chamisa, to say I’m the second biggest brother after the president, and to also bring to the table his squabbles with his peers in the MDC,” he added.

This comes after Zanu-PF stalwart and politburo member, Tshinga Dube, recently re-ignited the inclusive dialogue issue, telling the Daily News on Sunday last month that a government of national unity (GNU) was the panacea to the country’s political and economic crises.

In the same vein, South Africa’s International Relations minister, Naledi Pandor, revealed last week that her country was making all efforts to persuade the country’s political protagonists to find each other – adding that Zimbabwe’s solution to its crises required its leaders to engage each other.

But Charamba insisted that in the case of Chamisa, his biggest stumbling block that was hindering him from participating in Polad was that he did not want to share the stage with the MDC’s interim leader, Thokozani Khupe.

Khupe is part of Polad, a platform for political parties which fielded presidential candidates in the 2018 harmonised elections to contribute to social, economic and political progress in the country. It was launched in May last year.

Chamisa has refused outright to be part of the platform, arguing that it is there to further Mnangagwa’s political interests – whose leadership of the country he also disputes.

“The biggest stumbling block in Chamisa’s participation in Polad is not Polad. It is the fact of sharing the seat with Thokozani Khupe. That’s what he can’t countenance.

“He doesn’t want Khupe to appear (on the same stage) at all. He has no difficulty working with the likes of Welshman Ncube who got far less votes compared to him or Tendai Biti.

“But he has a problem with sitting in the context of Polad with Khupe, whom he acknowledges got the most votes after him. What is the logic here?” Charamba further told the Daily News on Sunday.

He added that Chamisa was hoping that his interaction with Mnangagwa would be an “extra string in his bow, so that he shoots better at competition within his own party”.

“That can’t be our basis for dialogue. We have no reason absolutely to oblige him on such a motive. That’s not our purpose.

“We want to unite Zimbabweans across the political divide and tackle welfare issues, not so that we help a besieged politician to settle squabbles in his political party.

“Zanu-PF doesn’t bring its personal issues to Polad,” Charamba said.
He also dismissed claims that Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF were behind the ugly factionalism bedevilling the MDC – which has spilled into the courts.

“First of all, people must not pretend like they don’t know the rules of litigation. Zanu-PF is not a litigant (in the MDC’s wars).

“So, how then does it become party to a legal dispute that it has no stake in? The whole idea is that pitting Chamisa against Khupe doesn’t resonate with the donor community.

“You need to have ED as an opponent for you to become a sympathy figure and for you to be worth investing in because the world out there will not be appeased by anything short of ousting Zanu-PF,” Charamba further told the Daily News on Sunday.

“So, if you oust Khupe it has no political value to the donors. You have to be seen fighting Zanu-PF which is the arch-enemy of the Western countries.

“So, what better way to gain that sympathy than to drag in a non-party to a legal process who happens to be the enemy of your donors.

“They took each other to court on their own,” Charamba added.
He also said MDC leaders had brought misfortunes upon themselves when they decided to take their battles to the courts, instead of resolving their differences internally.

Therefore, Charamba added, they could not blame Zanu-PF which had managed to deal with its own internal challenges on its own.

“They (Chamisa and his allies) appealed and brought misfortunes to themselves. When they lose they blame others for their loss.

“The fact that judges dealing with their cases are arriving at different positions is a vindication of the autonomy of the judiciary system, because a judge is allowed to treat a case individually and interpret the law.

“So, really, the long and short of it is that there is never going to be a separate platform to accommodate Chamisa,” Charamba said.

“If he feels nationalistic enough to want to participate in national processes, the Polad door stands ajar for him to walk in.

“Thankfully, he is so slim and the door is so wide that he doesn’t have to squeeze in. He can walk in freely.

“Also, as he walks in by the door step, could he leave his party’s problems so that he comes on to the table with a mind which predisposes him to focus on solving national issues,” Charamba further told the Daily News on Sunday.

-DailyNews

Five Mbire men were slapped with $500 fine each for poaching a kudu by Guruve resident magistrate Shingirai Mutiro yesterday. 

Thomas Tofa(25), Fannuel Gwekwerere(34),Trymore Ngarumwe (44), Freedom Chikomwe (21) and Simbarashe Mudzingaidzwa (19) pleaded not guilty before the magistrate.

They told the magistrate that they committed the crime due to hunger.

“We killed the Kudu in search of relish we are hungry your worship please spare us a jail term,” they pleaded.

Prosecutor Albert Mazhindu alleged  that on the 9th of June the game scults from Dande Anti poaching unit Rajabu Kazembe and Prince Mhosira were informed that the accused persons removed kudu meat at Kateshiko village.

The residents claimed that the water is the source of ill health for most of the community members adding that engaging the local authorities has not helped.

Watch the video loading below…..

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF chief whip, Pupurai Togarepi has hit back at Julius Malema, leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) after he criticised the Zimbabwean government over reports of massive looting of funds under the guise of fighting the novel coronavirus.

Togarepi accused Malema of being a G40 puppet who should focus on his country’s problems rather than Zimbabwe’s. Togarepi said in a statement:

The whole world is groaning under the weight of Covid-19, our President H.E Emmerson Mnangagwa has made it clear that the primary goal is to save lives Malema has no moral ground to lecture to Zimbabwe on how it can handle the Covid-19 pandemic, while he raises pertinent issues around corruption and possible misuse of donations, he is, in this instance a puppet of the country’s detractors masquerading as journalists yet they are vigilante groups who are trying to use the cover of Covid-19 to remove a constitutionally elected government.

We will forgive Malema for he is a dancing puppet in a show of puppetry by former G40 functionaries, like Saviour Kasukuwere. Yes, we also know that there is a relationship between Kasukuwere and Malema but that should not make him hallucinate and prescribe views on how Zimbabwe can solve its problems.

The president has unequivocally spoken against corruption and we don’t want foreigners to offer prescriptive views on us. No nada, please Mr Malema, focus on challenges in your EEF and your country in general before you look at the spec in the eye of a brother.

-ZimMorningPost

By A Correspondent- A Beitbridge couple has been arrested for sharing on WhatsApp a photoshopped picture of Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa wearing Zanu-PF regalia around his neck with a male organ adorned with a mask at its end.

Sarudzayi Ambiri Jani, 38, and Remember Simbarashe Ncube, 34, were arrested and charged on Friday with undermining the authority of or insulting the president in contravention of the Criminal Law Act.

Police details who arrested the couple alleged that they made an abusive, indecent or obscene statement about Mnangagwa that may engender feelings of hostility towards him, with the knowledge that the statement is false.

Chief Inspector Kenneth Mushongahande, who is a member of the residents WhatsApp group, reported the couple to law enforcement agents, who arrested and detained them overnight at Beitbridge Urban Police Station.

The couple also faces a charge of contravening the Censorship and Entertainments Act, which criminalises the production and publishing of certain material and if convicted, they face up to a year in prison.

By Jane Mlambo| United Kingdom based constitutional law expert, Dr Alex Magaisa has dismissed the arrest of controversial businessman Delish Nguwaya as a facade which is likely to leave government with an egg on the face.

In a Twitter thread, Magaisa said police documents on the Nguwaya criminal case suggests that if sued, government will be found in breach of contract.

Below is the full thread….

I’ve read the police documents in the Nguwaya criminal investigation concerning #DraxGate #CovidGate It’s a classic example of a case that is deliberately designed to fail. The defence lawyers will have a field day. The scandal is they are presenting this facade as action.

If anything, facts suggest that if sued by Drax, the government, through NatPharm, will be held liable for breach of contract. The government freely entered into 2 contracts with Drax. The real scandal is how & why Drax got the contracts if the government did due diligence

It is senior government officials, especially the Minister of Health, who have serious questions to answer because they hold public office & are custodians of public funds. How did they allow US$60 million public contracts to be awarded to a company represented by a criminal?

The charges are spurious. Easy to tell. Lawyers will simply argue that the facts do not disclose an offence. That the case is weak case is deliberate. The regime wants to give a false impression that it’s fighting corruption when in fact it’s actually protecting the corrupt.

In short the case against Nguwaya as presented by the State is much ado about nothing. The state will be sued for breach of contract & it will probably lose. The chief targets of investigation & prosecution are the public officers and their political principals who allowed it.

By A Correspondent| Social media has gone ablaze over an image of a prison truck which defied the norm by reversing deep inside Harare Magistrates Court backyard to collect controversial Businessman Delish Nguwaya who was set to go into remand after being denied bail.

What caused social media furore is the fact that other top officials including Prisca Mupfumira, Samuel Undenge, Ignatius Chombo among others were usually picked outside the gate to the premises.

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono writing on Twitter questioned the special treatment given to Nguwaya.

“We have seen many cabinet ministers arrested and boarding prison trucks from Chombo to Mupfumira to Marry Chiwenga.

“Yet today the van had to be driven inside to get Delish Nguwaya of Drax International fame.
WHY?

“WHAT is so special about Delish Nguwaya?,” questioned Chin’ono.

This has raised doubts on whether the state is sincere in its commitment to tackle corruption especially with claims that Nguwaya is linked to the first family.

Musician Tambaoga of the ‘The Blair that I know is a toilet’ has apologized to his fans over his previous Zanu PF links.

Tambaoga born Last Chiyangwa rose to prominence in the early 2000 when his Zanu PF aligned jingles including Rambai Makashinga were repeated countless times on national radio and television.

On Friday night, Tambaoga had a show to remember when he performed on Nash TV online show alongside South African duo Mafikizolo.

He got rave reviews from music fans who said his previous links to the ruling party had shadowed his talent as a musician.

But in a rather show of his rebirth, Tambaoga begged music lovers to forgive him for his past.

“Hello Zimbabwe. You can watch my last night performance on Nash Tv YouTube Channel

Forgive Me for my association with a certain political party! I’m back now and i need your support,” said Tambaoga on Twitter.

ZANU PF Mberengwa North district executive member and prominent businessman, Tinashe Shumba has torched a tribal storm after he reportedly insulted members of the Lemba (VaRemba) community who refused to chant ruling party slogans as well as denigrate MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa.

The development has since angered the opposition MDC Alliance with the party’s Midlands provincial spokesperson Takavafira Zhou warning the Zanu PF politician that he risked facing the wrath of the Lemba community.

The Lemba people are a minority tribe, but were part of early settlers to come from Sudan, Tanzania and Yemen upon which they settled in various parts of Zimbabwe including Mberengwa.

Southern Eye is reliably informed that on Sunday, Shumba also known as Goga, had several meetings at Takarangana, Magavakava, Rusvinge and other areas in Mberengwa North where those who attended said he was canvassing for support to become the constituency MP in the next elections on a Zanu PF ticket.

–Newsday

A 25-year-old Binga man who fatally assaulted his 72-year-old aunt with switches after accusing her of “bewitching him in a dream” was last Wednesday jailed for seven years.

Tutambulye Munkuli of Siachipanda 4 Village, Lusulu in Binga attacked his aunt, Belita Mugande with mopane tree switches accusing her of bewitching him in his dreams before threatening to burn down her homestead. He appeared before Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Maxwell Takuva facing a murder charge during the second term of the Hwange High Court circuit last week. Munkuli, however, offered a limited plea of culpable homicide arguing that he had unintentionally killed his aunt, Mugande.

Munkuli told the court that although he did not have evidence to support his claims that his aunt was bewitching him, he argued that the dreams he was having and misfortune had pushed him to commit the crime.

“I did not intend to kill my aunt, I got angry after I became convinced that she was bewitching me especially after I saw her in my dreams. After going through a series of misfortunes and the subsequent dreams I began to suspect her of being the cause,” he said.

In passing sentence, Justice Takuva said Munkuli deserved a harsh sentence for killing his aunt.

“You deserve a harsh sentence because you took the life of the only woman that showed you love, that fed you and clothed you after your parents separated. You killed her only because you dreamt of her bewitching you and there was no evidence to support those claims. You were cruel in your conduct as you just assaulted the now deceased without any misunderstanding and left her to die and did not offer first aid. I don’t know what the young ones are doing nowadays busy thinking of witchcraft and killing instead of engaging in productive projects that will give them money,” said Justice Takuva.

According to a statement of agreed facts between the State led by Ms Memory Munsaka and the defence counsel, Ms Joylyn Change of Muvhiringi and Associates on 5 November 2019 at around 8.30am, Munkuli met his aunt along a footpath. He went on to accuse her of bewitching him before striking her several times all over the body with mopane switches.

Efforts to restrain Munkuli by a fellow villager, Mr Reason Munsaka who had rushed to the scene were futile as he continued to assault the woman. Munkuli eventually stopped assaulting his aunt before leaving her lying on the ground.

The aunt’s children who had also rushed to the scene after hearing her screams, found her lying on the ground and took her home where she later died. According to the post-mortem report, Ms Mugande suffered brain contusion and head trauma as a result of the assault.

–State Media

By Own Correspondent| Government has saved US$6 million after buying 162 buses through a local firm Landela Investments, investigations have revealed.

The buses are being used to modernise the public transport system in Zimbabwe and Government intens to bring 500 more buses through Landela by mid next year.

Investigations have shown that Landela is charging Government between US$200 000 and USD 220 000 per bus including duty and taxes for the buses while local suppliers are charging between US$223 000 and US$357 000 per bus.

Government is buying mainly Marcopolo, VW and Golden Dragon buses.

Having 162 such coaches locally could have seen government spenting about US$40 million.

Landela charged Government US$34 million.

Landela Investments has been linked to businessman mogul Kudakwashe Tagwirei but a search at the registrar of companies has revealed that he is neither a shareholder nor a director in the company.
Zimbabwe Motor Distributors (ZMD), which is the franchise holder for VW buses, is selling each bus for USD286 000.

Landela bought 30 VW buses at about US$6 million but had it bought them locally it cld, it could have parted with US$8,5 million.

Faw Zimbabwe is selling each Golden Dragon bus for US$223.300.

Landela brought in 122 such buses and instead of using US$27 million locally, it used US$3 million less. .

Landela Investments also bought 10 Marcopolo buses at about US$2 million and saved US$1,57 million for government as Zimbabwe Motor Distributors qoutes esfh bus for US$357 000 per bus.

Landela is using its resources to buy the buses and the juice part of the deal is that government is settling the money in local currency using the official exchange rate system.

Landela has been leasing its buses to the Central Mechanical and Equipment Department (CMED) the same way several bus companies and individuals are leasing to Zupco.

It proved that the cost of hiring the buses was high and Government and Landela entered into an agreement for the latter to sell its 162 buses.

Out of the 162 buses valued at ZWL$863,2 million, CMED has paid ZWL$132,4 million, leaving a balance of ZWL$730.8 million.

Landela Investments, and which owns several mines across the country, says this was its way of paying back to the community as it works on bringing in 500 more buses by June next year.

“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 components needs of our mines. We know that this is not the exchange rate for us to recoup our investments on the buses but the difference is our contribution to Government programmes,” said the company.

Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo said Government was not backtracking on increasing its fleet through beneficial arrangements.

He said everyone was allowed to bring his or her own bus.

“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.”

THE Government has reiterated that private transport operators are still barred from taking to the road except those registered under Zupco.

On Friday President Mnangagwa addressed the nation on the national lockdown which is on Level Two and announced that the informal sector can resume operating after formalising their operations. The development however, does not include private transport operators.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana told Sunday News that transport operators including taxis who have not been operating following the introduction of the nationwide lockdown were still barred.

“The only kombis that are allowed to operate are those under the Zupco franchise. We are still under lockdown Level Two and the SME’s referred are not in the transport sector,” he said.

Mr Mangwana said the window was still open for those that wish to resume operations but under Zupco. He said those that were interested should register at Zupco depots countrywide.

Nonetheless, Tshova-Mubaiwa Transport Co-operative Limited chairman Mr Atlas Moyo said they were not ready to be assimilated under the Zupco franchise. The co-operative has hundreds of kombis operating in Bulawayo.

“Those that wish to join Zupco can do so but we are not going in that direction. We are a company, not an association so that move is difficult for us. We have built a garage as a company where we are securing our own fuel for our fleet, so we cannot leave all that and go and be under the Zupco franchise,” he said.

Mr Moyo said their company has already secured the requisite Personal Protective Equipment (PEE) for its workers together with sanitisers and disinfectants awaiting a time when the Government gives them the green light to resume operations.

He said they have all documentation that permits their vehicles to be on the road and have written to relevant authorities seeking permission to be on the roads.

“We were also surprised to hear that other sectors have been given the green light to return to work and not us. Who will ferry those extra people to their various destinations as there is high demand for transport now?” he said.

President Mnangagwa said in his address that informal traders need to formally register their business and follow the set requirements of having PPE and sanitisers among others, in order for them to go back to work.

“All our people in the informal sector, who have not formally registered themselves or their enterprises, are directed to do so. Once they can prove that such registration has been made, they can resume their operations. Upon resuming their work, they are compelled to adhere to the laid down Covid-19 prevention requirements, such as the wearing of masks, washing or sanitisation of hands and social distancing,” he said.

-State Media

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.

–State Media

By Jane Mlambo| United Kingdom based constitutional law expert, Dr Alex Magaisa has dismissed the arrest of controversial businessman Delish Nguwaya as a facade which is likely to leave government with an egg on the face.

In a Twitter thread, Magaisa said police documents on the Nguwaya criminal case suggests that if sued, government will be found in breach of contract.

Below is the full thread….

I’ve read the police documents in the Nguwaya criminal investigation concerning #DraxGate #CovidGate It’s a classic example of a case that is deliberately designed to fail. The defence lawyers will have a field day. The scandal is they are presenting this facade as action.

If anything, facts suggest that if sued by Drax, the government, through NatPharm, will be held liable for breach of contract. The government freely entered into 2 contracts with Drax. The real scandal is how & why Drax got the contracts if the government did due diligence

It is senior government officials, especially the Minister of Health, who have serious questions to answer because they hold public office & are custodians of public funds. How did they allow US$60 million public contracts to be awarded to a company represented by a criminal?

The charges are spurious. Easy to tell. Lawyers will simply argue that the facts do not disclose an offence. That the case is weak case is deliberate. The regime wants to give a false impression that it’s fighting corruption when in fact it’s actually protecting the corrupt.

In short the case against Nguwaya as presented by the State is much ado about nothing. The state will be sued for breach of contract & it will probably lose. The chief targets of investigation & prosecution are the public officers and their political principals who allowed it.

COVID-19 cases continue to rise with Zimbabwe recording 13 new cases yesterday to take the country tally to 356, 54 recoveries and four deaths.

As has become the trend all the 13 cases are from returnees from South Africa and United Kingdom.

Zimbabwe recorded three new recoveries which were all from the Midlands province.

Own Correspondent

The ZBC radio lessons schedule for primary schools has been published for 15 June to 19 June 2020 for ECD, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 and Grade 7.

The ZBC radio lessons schedule for primary schools has been published for 15 June to 19 June 2020 for ECD, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 and Grade 7.

Zimbabwe Radio lessons for ECD pupils

On Monday ECD pupils will learn English and Maths 9-9:15am and science 11 to 11:15 in the morning and Family and Heritage studies on Tuesday 11 to 11:15 am..

On Wednesday ECD pupils will learn English in the morning 9:00 -9:15 am and Maths and Science 11am to 11;15am

On Thursday ECD students will study Family and Heritage Studies in the morning 11:00 to 11:15 am.

They will not study in on Friday.

Grade 1 Radio lessons in Zimbabwe

Grade 1 pupils will study Maths and Science in the morning 10 am to 10:15 am on Monday. They will not study on Tuesday but will study Family and Heritage Studies on Wednesday at 11:45 to 12am.

On Thursday they will study Family and Heritage Studies between 11:45 and 12am and they will rest on Friday.

Grade 2 radio lessons

Monday From 9:30am – 10am Grade 2 students will study Maths and Science. On Tuesday and Wednesday they will study Family and Heritage in the afternoon from 2 pm to 2:15 pm. On Thursday they will study Maths and Science in the morning rom 10am to 10:15 am.

Grade 3 pupils

Grade 3 pupils will study Maths in the morning on Monday from 9:30 am to 10am. Then Family, Religion and Moral. Education (FAREME) from 3 to 3:30 pm. They will study Maths from 9:30 to 10am on Thursday.  They will study FAREME on Friday in the morning 9:30 to 10am on Friday.

Grade 7  primary school radio lessons in Zimbabwe

Monday: English 11-11:30am, Mathematics 11:30 to 12am

Tuesday: 11-11:30 am English, Maths 11:30 to 12am, Environmental Science 3:00 to 3:30 pm

Wednesday:  Mathematics 11am to 11:30 am, Environmental Science 3:00 to 3:30 pm

Thursday: English 11-11:30am,

Friday: 11:00 to 12am Environmental Science

Own Correspondent

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:

1. 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.

2. 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.
3. You attacked the National Executive Council of the Women’s League for employing Cde Annastacia Ndlovu as a Deputy Director.
4. 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.

1. You violated Article 3 Section 21(2) by failing to observe and abide by the policies rules and regulations of the Party
2. You violated Article 3 Section 21(4) by failing to strongly promote and defend the Party and popularise its policies among the people, and
3. 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.

Own Correspondent

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.

Some 58 239 people have been tested so far.

State Media

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.

State Media

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.

It also has 15 satellite depots.

State Media

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.

State Media

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.

Own Correspondent

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.

State Media

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.

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.

-State Media

By Own Correspondent

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.

By Bishop Ancelimo Magaya

‘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.

God save Zimbabwe.

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.

The matter was not reported to the Police.

-MasvingoMirror

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.

He has been remanded in custody to June 24.

-Online

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.

-Twitter

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 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.

Retraction On Daily News Article

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.

Own Correspondent

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

More: Advocate Frotune Chasi

By Own Correspondent

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.

By Bishop Ancelimo Magaya

‘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.

God save Zimbabwe.

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.

Find the state’s Request for Remand:

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.

State Media

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.

-Newsday

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.

Newsday

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.

– AFP

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.

He added that his hands were tied on the matter

-ZimMorningPost

ZimEye.com Editorial

Retraction On Daily News Article

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.

Ian Muteto Makone

Director

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.

Ian Muteto Makone

Director

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.

Ian Muteto Makone

Director

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.

-ZimMorningPost

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.

-StateMedia

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.

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

iHarare/Daily News

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.

-StateMedia

Own Correspondent

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.

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.