By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance youth spokesperson Womberai Nhende’s court case is set to commence this Monday afternoon at Parirenyatwa hospital where he is currently recuperating.

Nhende was brutally assaulted by the police following his arrest before he was taken to Parirenyatwa hospital following the intervention of his lawyers and his party MDC Alliance.

Said a source privy to developments:

“Nhende’s court case is set to commence any time from now from his hospital bed. He is however in pain following the brutal attack by the police.”

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has said his main aim is to lead Zimbabwe to a phase of prosperity and national unity.

Chamisa said petty fights would not deter the wave of revolution.

Quoted by NewsDay, Chamisa said:

It’s not about me or the MDC Alliance, it is about the people of Zimbabwe, the democratic space is being choked by Zanu PF and it is time we act, draw a line in the sand or we will be choked to death
Look at how everyone has become an enemy of the State and under siege, first it was the doctors, then they came after journalists, then lawyers, human rights activists, the whole nation can’t breathe now.”

“It is a Zanu PF party culture of label and condemnation.

I am not seeking to be the president of MDC. I am already the president of MDC Alliance and I am not going to be reduced into petty fights.

I am seeking to establish national consensus for all people. I am not going to label people condemning them because of who they are. I know I am going to lead Zimbabwe including Mnangangwa and his Zanu PF, so I am going to lead the entire nation.

Why should I say I don’t want to see Mnangagwa when you are a leader you must unify people.

That is my fundamental problem with Mnangagwa.

Instead of unifying people, he is waging a gap of hatred within people.”

Chiredzi South villagers on Wednesday last week raised placards in the presence of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga to protest against a lucerne grass farming project which is bound to displace over 1 000 families from their ancestral land.

The Vice President visited Chilonga communal lands with Ministers Perence Shiri (Agriculture), Fortune Chasi (Energy), Ezra Chadzamira (State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs), July Moyo (Local Government), John Mangwiro (Health deputy) and Clemence Chiduwa (Finance deputy).

However, after villagers spent the whole day waiting for the Vice President he arrived at 4pm and delivered a 10 minute speech.

After Chiwenga’s address, some villagers peacefully protested by raising placards inscribed with such messages as ‘consult us on lucerne’ and ‘takaramba investor’.

In his 10-minute address, Chiwenga promised to resuscitate Chilonga Irrigation Scheme and vowed to push through the grass project, which he said was important for the future.

Without elaborating, he warned that rural people should expect a new form of societal organization post-pandemic, arguing that the current arrangement was not sustainable.

“We need to work together now. We need you to work together with the team we are going to send back (from Harare) in order to speed up the process. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, we will never get back to our traditional arrangement of living. We are going to start a new living arrangement. Are we together?” said Chiwenga.

Villagers are resisting government plans to remove them from their land, fearing a repeat of the fate thousands of villagers who were dumped in the semi-arid Chingwizi Area of Mwenezi East with no basic amenities during construction of Tungwi-Mukosi Dam.

A few years ago, hundreds of families were displaced to pave way for bio-energy company Green Fuel to grow sugarcane and set-up an ethanol plant in the Chisumbanje area of the neighbouring Chipinge District.

After enduring hardships at Chingwizi transit camp, the Tugwi-Mukosi flood victims were later allocated one-hectare plots on a portion of Nuanetsi ranch in the arid Mwenezi district as part of compensation for the relocation. Zimbabwe Bio-energy owns the ranch, a company owned by millionaire businessman Billy Rautenbach. Last year, the businessman threatened to kick the villagers out of his property. He displaced several families in Chisumbanje to pave way for Green Fuel’s ethanol project nearly two decades ago. Some of the displaced villagers are yet to receive compensation.

SOURCE: MASVINGO CENTRE FOR RESEARCH ADVOCACY AND DEVELOPMENT (MACRAD)
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B y A Correspondent- A 33-year-old man who tested positive for coronavirus escaped from Chipadze Isolation Centre in Bindura in the early hours of today.

Tichaona Mutema from Madondo Village in Mt Darwin escaped between 2am and 6am.

The provincial  development coordinator Mr. Cosmas Chiringa confirmed the incident.

Mr. Chiringa said the isolation centre is manned by police between 2pm and 10pm only.

By A Correspondent- LEAD President Linda Masarira has invited opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to join rebrand, restrategise or join her party.

Masarira, who herself was once a member of the break away faction of the MDC T led by Thokozani Khupe before she fell out with her earstwhile leader leads her year old party, LEAD.

Said Masarira in an invitation to Chamisa:

Dear Nelson Chamisa

How have you been my brother? I’ve been following the events unfolding between your party and the MDC T. For your sanity, my advise to you is rebrand, restrategise and or join LEAD and let’s work togethre to Rebuild Zimbabwe. Tikabatana tinokunda, Siyambambana Siyangoba.”

Chamisa is yet to respond to the invitation.

By A Correspondent- LEAD President Linda Masarira has invited opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to join rebrand, restrategise or join her party.

Masarira, who herself was once a member of the break away faction of the MDC T led by Thokozani Khupe before she fell out with her earstwhile leader leads her year old party, LEAD.

Said Masarira in an invitation to Chamisa:

Dear Nelson Chamisa

How have you been my brother? I’ve been following the events unfolding between your party and the MDC T. For your sanity, my advise to you is rebrand, restrategise and or join LEAD and let’s work togethre to Rebuild Zimbabwe. Tikabatana tinokunda, Siyambambana Siyangoba.”

Chamisa is yet to respond to the invitation.

Watch live video as opposition leader Nelson Chamisa speaks on how the Supreme Court has reinstated Thokozani Khupe as the headgirl of a school in the past…..

By A Correspondent- In a heart-shattering development, a South African man met his demise at the hands of his live-in lover after an altercation over beer money. The incident occurred in KwaThema township, East Rand, on Wednesday.

The deceased, Veli Mahlangu,40, succumbed to stab wounds administered by his lover, whose identity has not been disclosed. This was allegedly after the pair had gotten into an altercation over money for liquor.

What is reported to have sparked the wrangle is that Mahlangu bought a large amount of mealie-meal and had left money insufficient to purchase beer.

In an interview with SowetanLive, the couple’s neighbour revealed that he heard noises coming from the couple’s room, with the girlfriend demanding money for alcohol.

He added that she lambasted Mahlangu for buying a big pack of mealie meal when they did not have beer to drink. Mahlangu’s girlfriend blew a gasket and stabbed him with a knife. 

In vain, Mahlangu tried to flee with his girlfriend in hot pursuit. She caught up with him and stabbed him several times until he died.

A neighbour who witnessed the fracas said that the accused had threatened Mahlangu with death over the issue. ‘Because Veli was a down to earth man who did not like violence, he just came to chill with us outside and we calmed him down. He went back to the room an hour later, hoping she had calmed down.

“I heard a noise again and then he came out of the room. He looked weak and was holding his chest. Before we could get to him, we saw him running out of the yard with his girlfriend chasing him with a knife. She stabbed him twice more in the chest, once in the neck and in his back.’ the neighbour said.

Another neighbour said Mahlangu collapsed on the pavement near his home.

“I watched him run in my direction. I walked towards him but when I got to him, he was already on the ground and was bleeding profusely and he was running out of breath,” he said.

Gauteng police spokesperson Mavela Mason confirmed the incident.

By A Correspondent- Former Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Dr  Augustine Chihuri’s estranged mistress, Sithulisiwe Mthimkhulu, who in the past dominated headlines for demanding child maintenance from the former police boss, has again hogged headlines.

Assistant Commissioner Sithulisiwe Mthimkulu allegedly had an affair with one of her subordinates’ husband.

The subordinate, Assistant Inspector Happiness Lunga, recently approached the courts seeking a peace order against Mthimkulu whom she claims snatched her husband- whose name has not been revealed- ending her 16-year-old marriage.

According to a local tabloid, Lunga clashed with Mthimkhulu after a heated confrontation over her affair with her husband. She also alleged that the homewrecker visited her matrimonial house in Nketa 9 suburb, Bulawayo, and struck her with a bolt cutter before she pepper-sprayed her in the eyes. 

‘On 11 March 2020 at around 10 pm the respondent came to my house purporting to be looking for my husband. I got out and I asked her not to disturb our peace. She became violent threatening to assault me. I stood my ground and she eventually left.

‘I am employed by the Ministry of Home Affairs as a police officer and I am currently based at Nkulumane Police Station. I hold the rank of Assistant Inspector. I am married to my husband and have been married to him for 16 years and we have two minor children.

‘Sometime in August 2019, I discovered that the respondent (Sithulisiwe Mthimkhulu) was having an affair with my husband and I sent her a message telling her that was married to me and that as such she should back off.

‘She responded through a WhatsApp message saying that she knows that my husband was married and that she only needed him for sex as and when necessary.

‘In the same WhatsApp message, she indicated that she too was married and that it was not her intention to wrestle my husband away from me,” Lunga’s papers read in part.

She said from the time she asked her boss to stop having an affair with her husband she turned violent and started harassing her by sending vulgar messages via WhatsApp.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- The High Court this morning granted an interim order that has barred MDC-T from replacing recalled MDC Alliance legislators.

The development comes amid revelations that the MDC T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe seeks to replace recalled MDC Alliance legislators following the Supreme Court ruling which nullified the presidency of Nelson Chamisa.

The four MDC Alliance MPs and Senators made an application at the same court seeking to have their recall invalidated. 

The 4 MDC Alliance MPs include Secretary-General Chalton Hwende who represents Kuwadzana East, Prosper Mutseyami (Dangamvura-Chikanga) who was also the opposition party’s chief whip, Thabitha Khumalo (proportional representative for Bulawayo Province) and Senator Lillian Timveous (Midlands).

The quartet were recalled by Senator Douglas Mwonzora after the supreme court ruled that the Nelson Chamisa was not the legitimate MDC leader and restored the party’s 2014 structures.

More to follow

By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance youth leader Womberai Nhende who was arrested and brutally assaulted by the police sustained serious injuries.

The deputy national spokesperson of the youth assembly was admitted at a local hospital after being assaulted by police officers.

The party posted on Twitter suggesting that Nhende was admitted in the early hours of Saturday.

Said the party:

Around 1am Womberai Nhende was admitted in hospital under police guard. He is in bad shape and Drs are investigating to rule out head injury and chest trauma. Wombe was assaulted by @PoliceZimbabwe during his arrest outside MRT House.

On Friday, the party’s recently appointed national spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere had reported that Nhende was in bad shape.

Said Mahere:

Womberai Nhende, our Deputy Spokesperson for the Youth Assembly, was badly beaten by police outside Harvest House today for no reason.

He can’t breathe and urgently requires medical attention. Police refused to release him to be seen by his doctors.

We publish below the gruesome pictures showing Nhende’s injuries..

The mandatory percentage of ethanol blending has been restored to 20 percent after sitting at 10 percent  after ethanol production fell below market requirements..

Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi announced the restored percentage in a general notice gazetted as General Notice 926A of 2020.

Government introduced fuel blending in 2008 following the licensing of Green Fuel’s Chisumbanje Ethanol Plant, which resumed operations in 2013.

Blending of fuel is exclusively conducted by licensed blenders and currently there are 11 such licensees who abide and comply with Zera regulations.

Five of the 11 fuel dealers licensed to blend petroleum products have blending depots in Harare and Bulawayo and oil companies can acquire either already blended fuel from National Oil Infrastructure Company (NOIC) of Zimbabwe, or unblended fuel which they blend with a licensed blender.

-State Media

By A Correspondent- A 3 months old baby from Kadoma has tested positive for COVID-19, Newsday reports.

This was revealed by Kadoma health services director Daniel Chirundu who was speaking on the sidelines of the Mashonaland West Edutech Wash Project which was being commissioned by Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka on Friday.

Chirundu said:

In Zimbabwe, we have 265 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of yesterday (Thursday). Here in Kadoma district, we have had numerous suspects and we now have three confirmed cases which we are handling as a district. Among them is a three-month-old baby. With that we have broken the world record of being an area where there is the youngest person to test positive. We are not proud of that record.

Meanwhile, cases jumped to 279 positive cases yesterday according to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| The High Court has barred a faction of the opposition MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe from replacing legislators who were recently recalled from parliament.

Posting on Twitter this morning, MDC Alliance Secretary General Charlton Hwende said the High Court has stopped the Khupe faction from replacing the four legislators pending the determination of the legality of calls.

“We have just won our case at the High Court before Justice Mafusire. MDC-T Khupe and Mwonzora have been bared from replacing those recalled pending the court’s determination of the legality of the recalls,” said Hwende.

The recalled MPs are Charlton Hwende, Tabitha Khumalo, Prosper Mutseyami and Lilian Timveos.

Watch live video as opposition leader Nelson Chamisa speaks on how the Supreme Court has reinstated Thokozani Khupe as the headgirl of a school in the past…..

By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has said the struggle to defeat the ruling party is no longer up to the MDC Alliance only but to all Zimbabweans as he likened the current administration’s governance to a yoke choking the country’s democratic space to an extent that it could not breathe.

Said the youthful MDC leader:

It’s not about me or the MDC Alliance, it is about the people of Zimbabwe, the democratic space is being choked by Zanu PF and it is time we act, draw a line in the sand or we will be choked to death

Look at how everyone has become an enemy of the State and under siege, first it was the doctors, then they came after journalists, then lawyers, human rights activists, the whole nation can’t breathe now,

Chamisa also took the time to address rumours that he was being funded and taking advice from members of the now-defunct former Zanu PF G40 faction:

“Yes, I am G40, my age is 42, so what? It is a Zanu PF party culture of label and condemnation. I am not seeking to be the president of MDC. I am already the president of MDC Alliance and I am not going to be reduced into petty fights.

I am seeking to establish national consensus for all people. I am not going to label people condemning them because of who they are. I know I am going to lead Zimbabwe including Mnangangwa and his Zanu PF, so I am going to lead the entire nation.

Why should I say I don’t want to see Mnangagwa when you are a leader you must unify people. That is my fundamental problem with Mnangagwa. Instead of unifying people, he is waging a gap of hatred within people.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Political analyst Pedzisayi Ruhanya has accused the Zimbabwean government of using the COVID 19 Lockdown as a political tool to suppress the opposition and trample on citizens’ rights.

Ruhanya said the political incidents that have been implemented under the guise of the Lockdown are numerous calling on government to divert its efforts in fighting the coronavirus.

He said:

“The indefinite COVID-19 pandemic Lockdown has now proved clearly that its political. Just check the number of political incdents that have happened. If such efforts were put on fighting the coronavirus, Zimbabwe would be a world class success story against the pandemic.”

By A Correspondent- Lawyer Tapiwa Makanza spent the night at Rhodesville Police Station after he was charged with defeating the course of justice, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has revealed.

Makanza is alleged to have created a fictitious character, Simbarashe Zuze, who challenged the appointment of Kumbirai Hodzi as Prosecutor General.

In the case in question, he instructed Advocate Thabani Mpofu to oppose the appointment.

Makanza is being represented by ZLHR lawyer Paidamoyo Saurombe.

Two other lawyers, Advocates Mpofu and Choice Damiso were also been arrested over the same case last week.

Mpofu was granted a $20 000 bail.

Health Minister Obaddiah Moyo has said coronavirus patients would be named because the pandemic is a contagious and notifiable disease.

This also comes as the number of coronavirus patients continue going up with the number of confirmed cases now at 237 with 31 recoveries and 4 deaths.

However, naming of the patients remains illegal under the Public Health Act. But Moyo said unlike HIV which was in a different category, coronavirus patients had to be named because the disease was contagious.

Heath experts and human rights activists however say that the planned move by Government would violate people’s privacy rights and will only promote stigmatization around the patients.

Own Correspondent|The Ministry of Health and Child Care has declared that 2 South African and 1 South Sudan returnees tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday bringing the national figure up to 282.

The Ministry has also indicated that a number of returnees have escaped from quarantine centres and they pose a health scare to the nation.

The Ministry has appealed to Zimbabweans to report any escapees to the police on anonymous tip offs on Police line 0242703631, or reporr to the nearest Police station.

Below is the latest Covid-19 statistic for the country.

Own Correspondent|The court has given MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe an order to occupy Harvest House without any disturbances from the rival MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa.

A copy of a draft peace order issued by the Magistrate’s Court to bar MDC Alliance members from entering into Harvest House is making rounds in local media.

The Movement for Democratic Change Tsvangirai and Morgen Komichi, in that order, are cited as 1st and 2nd applicants while Charlton Hwende, the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance and officer Commanding ZRP Harare District were cited as 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents, respectively.

Meanwhile, some allege that MDC-T Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora used a fake stamp since a “Magistrate has no power to issue this interdict.”

Reads the draft order:

WHEREUPON, after reading documents filed of record;

IT IS ORDERED:-That a Rule Nisi be and is hereby granted calling upon the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents, to show cause, if any, to this court on the 9th day of June 2020 at I11:15 am or soon thereafter as parties can be heard, why the following order should be made:

FINAL ORDER SOUGHT

1. The application be and is hereby granted.

2. 1st and 2nd Respondents and all those persons claiming through them be and are hereby permanently interdicted from disturbing Applicants’ peaceful and undisturbed use and possession of Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House, No. 44 Nelson Mandela Avenue, Harare.

3. 1st and 2nd Respondents pay the costs of this application.

INTERIM RELIEF GRANTED

1. The 1st Respondent and members of the 2nd Respondent be and are hereby interdicted from coming to Applicant’s premises at No. 44 Nelson Mandela Avenue, Harare.

2, 1st and 2nd Respondents be and are hereby ordered not to harass, assault or commit any acts of violence against is’ Applicant’s members or the ed Applicant in any manner likely to lead to breach of peace.

3. The 1st and 2nd Respondents be and are hereby ordered not to take possession of the ie Applicant’s premises without a valid court order.

4. 3rd Respondent be and is hereby ordered to use all the necessary means to maintain law and order at the 1st Applicant’s premises and to enforce the provisions of this order.

BY THE MAGISTRATE

CLERK OF COURT

Former Finance Minister, Tendai Biti, who is MDC Alliance co-deputy president said that Zimbabwe urgently needs a political solution and a national transitional authority to avoid a possible upheaval.

Biti made the remarks on Friday during an interview with the
Daily News on Sunday shortly before he was arrested for “criminal nuisance” and “violating lockdown regulations”.

He said:
We urgently need a political solution in this country because if we do not do that, as (Finance minister) Mthuli Ncube admits in his letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), there is going to be an implosion.

An implosion could mean another military coup, people going into the streets and being shot … but for crying out loud we need a political solution and a national transitional authority.

The economy is arrested by a milieu of debilitating challenges, that are beyond Mnangagwa, Mthuli and the Zanu PF government.

At the centre of these challenges is the failure to resolve the deep political crisis in the country.

The country’s economic situation is deteriorating alarmingly with inflation approaching 1 000 per cent.

The majority of workers, including civil servants, earn less than US$50 per month and those employed in the informal sector are not allowed to conduct their activities as the country has been under coronavirus lockdown since March.- Daily News

State Media|As Great Zimbabwe University re-opened its doors yesterday to final year students, a new programme to train teachers and other frontline workers in the education sector on preventing Covid-19 was announced.

This is the second university to allow final year students to return after Chinhoyi University of Technology let in its first batch of final years on Friday last week.

Great Zimbabwe arranged with Zupco to start moving its students to the university yesterday. All students were interviewed on arrival, according to university spokesperson Anderson Chipatiso, to assess their risk of exposure to Covid-19.

Students were asked where they had been since they left the campus last, who they had seen and if they had been ill.

All returning students have to follow social distancing rules and wear masks outside their room. The university has rearranged desks and other furniture to ensure social distancing is observed in lecture halls, seminar rooms, dining facilities and everywhere else on campus. Students will have their temperatures scanned frequently and all visitors are banned.

All universities are permitted to re-open for final year students once they have fulfilled minimum safety conditions. Permission for other students will be granted once health authorities are satisfied that the increase in numbers will not significantly increase the health risk. With only final years, numbers are low enough to make social distancing and other measures simple to implement and manage.

Teachers who will be involved in the return of examination forms to schools are set to undergo training during the next two weeks on how to minimise health risks and prevent Covid-19 infection.

Under the educational policy, schools will re-open classes in phases starting with this year’s forms sitting public examinations. The second phase will be next year’s public examination forms. Most pupils write public examinations in November and need intense teaching in their final few months to fulfil their full potential in the exams.

However, a far smaller number will be writing mid-year and the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council has set O-Level and A-Level examinations over three weeks starting on June 30.

According to a memo written by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs Tumisang Thabela to provincial education directors, the training should be completed by June 24.

The training is mainly for school heads, teachers of examination classes, school health coordinators and invigilators and will be done according to standards set by the World Health Organisation.

“Provincial education directors are requested to work with the provincial medical directors in their respective provinces with the assistance of the provincial teams that usually work with the Ministry of Health and Child Care,” reads part of the memo.

Mrs Thabela could not give further details on the training and only said: “We are planning to do that.”

However, Zimbabwe Teachers Association chief executive office Dr Sifiso Ndlovu welcomed the decision by Government to train teachers on preventing infection.

“This is what we have been proposing all along and it is all part of the preparations towards the re-opening of schools.

“It is a pro-active way of preparing for the re-opening. The training does not mean schools are re-opening because we believe that more should be done to ensure the safety of both teachers and pupils,” Dr Ndlovu said.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe programmes officer Mr Ladistous Zunde said the training of the education personnel was premature.

“We have made our position clear that there should be minimum conditions that should be in place before we consider re-opening of schools.

“At least 60 000 more teachers should be employed to ensure social distancing that is required is met; the conditions of service for teachers should be addressed and teachers and pupils should be tested for the diseases before classes resume,” Mr Zunde said.

He added that there was no need to rush the sitting for the June examinations if the minimum conditions had not been met.

Last week the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education advised against re-opening of schools in June saying necessary precautions were not in place, such as running water at all schools, protection for teachers and pupils, and temperature scanners at all schools. The committee criticised the plans of the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) for setting examination dates for the of this month saying no minimum standards as set out by the World Health Organisation had been met.

Ms Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (MDC-T proportional representative), the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education, presented the report of the committee and was supported by parliamentarians from across the political divide.

She said the interactions her committee had with various stakeholders showed that the country was not ready for the re-opening of schools.

State Media

A total of 197 health workers at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo have been placed in self-quarantine after three patients and a nurse tested positive recently for Covid-19 at the hospital.

Two of the patients were positive after they had been admitted at the hospital, while the third person was an outpatient.

It is suspected that the nurse contracted Covid-19 due to interactions with one of the patients who had come to the referral hospital.

After the confirmed cases at Mpilo Central Hospital, Bulawayo’s rapid response team was contacted to contain the potential spread of the virus.

Through contact tracing, the team identified 197 health workers who were at high risk of contracting the disease, placing them on 14-day mandatory self-quarantine, while under surveillance.

The self-quarantine process started on June 28 and is expected to end on Thursday.

The Mpilo Central Hospital staffers have undergone initial tests for Covid-19 and would be retested before being given the green light to resume normal duties.

The hospital was also fumigated and disinfected.

Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive Dr Solwayo Ngwenya said out of more than 2 000 health workers at the facility, 197 were placed on self-quarantine.

He commended the health workers for their commitment.

“This resulted in 197 health workers going in self-isolation at their homes including the nurse who was asymptomatic. So far all of them have tested negative for the virus. They are in self-isolation for 14 days and are supposed to complete process on Thursday. I guess we can say we were very lucky to have escaped this one,” said Dr Ngwenya.

He said the hospital had to improvise to cover for the health workers placed on self-quarantine.

Dr Ngwenya said it was critical for communities to adhere to lockdown and Covid-19 preventive measures as the hospital scare gives an impression of how the pandemic could impact on the health sector.

“If hospital staff get degraded and are unable to cope with the rising numbers, at the end of the day people will not have anyone to look after them. So, it’s extremely important that people follow lockdown regulations, wear masks properly otherwise failure to do so could cripple the health sector,” said Dr Ngwenya.

Acting Bulawayo provincial medical director Dr Welcome Mlilo, said Government would continue working to improve safety of health care workers.

“It is back to the issue of personal protective equipment.

“Government is procuring the protective clothing, which is being availed to health workers including those as Mpilo. We also fumigated the hospital, while taking all precautionary measures to ensure that staff does not contract the virus. The rapid response team is following on those who need to be followed for contact tracing and they are put in isolation until they are cleared to come back,” said Dr Mlilo.

A police officer, Shungudzemoyo Kache, on Saturday appeared in court after he was arrested and charged with “insulting and undermining” Emmerson Mnangagwa by likening him to a “condom”, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has revealed.

Kache allegedly told one Stanley Mabhachi, who was wearing a scarf with the Zimbabwean flag colours, that Mnangagwa is a “used condom”.

Kache’s lawyer Jeremiah Bamu of ZLHR told the court that his client was taken to ZANU PF headquarters after he was arrested.

In his latest Big Saturday Read (BSR), renowned law expert Alex Magaisa observed that police and prosecution authorities have a strong appetite to apply provisions criminalising presidential insults, hence the rampant arrests and prosecutions.

Said Magaisa:
“… while the police and prosecution authorities have a strong appetite to apply provisions criminalising presidential insults, hence the rampant arrests and prosecutions, the Constitutional Court has been a more reluctant customer. The Constitutional Court has been more dismissive of these offences.”

The remarks by both the late Chief Justice Chidyausiku and the current Chief Justice Malaba have been highly critical of these prosecutions which do more damage to the presidency than the comments on which they are based- News24online

A police officer, Shungudzemoyo Kache, on Saturday appeared in court after he was arrested and charged with “insulting and undermining” Emmerson Mnangagwa by likening him to a “condom”, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has revealed.

Kache allegedly told one Stanley Mabhachi, who was wearing a scarf with the Zimbabwean flag colours, that Mnangagwa is a “used condom”.

Kache’s lawyer Jeremiah Bamu of ZLHR told the court that his client was taken to ZANU PF headquarters after he was arrested.

In his latest Big Saturday Read (BSR), renowned law expert Alex Magaisa observed that police and prosecution authorities have a strong appetite to apply provisions criminalising presidential insults, hence the rampant arrests and prosecutions.

Said Magaisa:
“… while the police and prosecution authorities have a strong appetite to apply provisions criminalising presidential insults, hence the rampant arrests and prosecutions, the Constitutional Court has been a more reluctant customer. The Constitutional Court has been more dismissive of these offences.”

The remarks by both the late Chief Justice Chidyausiku and the current Chief Justice Malaba have been highly critical of these prosecutions which do more damage to the presidency than the comments on which they are based- News24online

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance president, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has strongly condemned the incessant persecution of senior party officials by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.

MDC Alliance officials Tendai Biti, Lynnette Karenyi-Kore, Gladys Hlatshwayo, Lovemore Chinoputsa, Vongai Tome and David Antony Chimhini were arrested in Harare on Friday.MDC Alliance Youth Assembly deputy spokesperson, Womberaiishe Nhende was also brutally assaulted by ZRP cops.

On Thursday night Thokozani Khupe captured Harvest House with the help of soldiers.

Advocate Thabani Mpofu and MDC Alliance Youth Assembly chairperson Obey Sithole were also arrested.

Advocate Chamisa argued:

” Instead of Mnangagwa dirty schemes to arrest people, have schemes to arrest prices.

The Opposition is not your problem but your policy positions. Bad governance and poor leadership,not MDC Alliance, is the source of national agony. ED has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing! Lead don’t Rule!”

Also watch video below :

Own Correspondent

The Vice President of the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC-Alliance), Welshman Ncube, has said that the MDC Alliance is prepared to lose everything to Thokozani Khupe than to have the party members agree to be led by a “ZANU PF project.”

Ncube said this following the capture of the MDC Alliance offices in Harare by Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T.

The Supreme Court recently ruled on the party’s leadership crisis reinstating Thokozani Khupe as the legitimate leader and demoted Nelson Chamisa to a mere Secretary of Policy and Research.

Watch the video below for more.

Own Correspondent

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

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

Below is the memo as shared on social media.

Media has this weekend been awash with a pay slip for May this year showing that soldiers were already being paid peanuts.

Below is the payslip that caused a major uproar.

The Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) is deeply concerned with reports of an increase in alleged corruption by ZRP officers, ZNA soldiers and the Municipal Police, and the District Development Coordinators’ offices among others. If not curbed, corruption by these corrupt public officials may reverse the gains made and putting all investment, including donor aid to waste. A research conducted by ACT-SA has confirmed that ZRP officers, ZNA soldiers, and Municipal police are soliciting bribes in exchange for giving a blind eye to violations of the COVID-19 regulations as well as helping all those arrested to enjoy freedom. Also implicated in corruption are the Offices of the District Development Coordinators (DDCs) country-wide.

ACT-SA has shown in its report that the national lockdown declared by President Emmerson D. Mnangagwa, pursuant to the Public Health (COVID-19) Prevention, Containment and Treatment (National Lockdown Order, 2020), has unfortunately and shamefully presented an environment ripe for public corruption.

Mr. Obert Chinhamo, the Director of ACT-SA has expressed disappointment that the management of the ZRP is not doing well in responding against corruption by ZRP officers and instilling a culture of integrity within the police service.

“What is clear from these recent developments is that the Commissioner-General of Police is still harbouring corrupt ZRP officers. And he has for a long time been too lenient when allegations of corruption are leveled against ZRP officers. More often, we have witnessed all those accused of corruption and other malfeasance being transferred from one station to the other where they continue with their immoral activities. I think the management of the police should be very strict in its approach. This lockdown has exposed the epidemy nature of corruption in the police similar to the levels, even exceeding the levels it had reached during the Augustine Chihuri era” he says.

Mr. Chinhamo added that the heavy fines for violating the COVID-19 regulations are part of the corruption problem.

“We have also observed that corrupt ZRP officers solicit bribes that are less than the gazetted fines. That’s how these corrupt public officials lure their clients to pay the bribes. The heavy fines are actually being used as bait by these corrupt officials. Accused persons thus prefer to save money by paying bribes instead of paying those heavy fines. If they were lower, accused persons would simply pay the fines without any problems,” he says.

A leading South African based human rights lawyer Advocate Gabriel Shumba, who is also one of the ACT-SA Trustees, had this to say:

“I am not sure if ZRP officers are being adequately supervised. For instance, if it is not permitted why were some ZRP officers reportedly seen parking their personal cars at checkpoints? This just means that ZRP officers are not being adequately supervised or that their supervisors are giving a blind eye,” he adds.

Advocate Shumba called upon the government to ensure that laws and policies are fully implemented:

“Laws and regulations on corruption busting are not an end in themselves. Implementation and enforcement are critical. Government, ZACC, and civil society must strengthen partnership to ensure good governance, especially in so far as the protection of whistleblowers is concerned” he says.

The ACT-SA report also lambasts the Government of Zimbabwe for giving empty promises, especially to the micro, small to medium enterprises and the general populace. Food aid and rescue packages were not given to the people as promised. Hunger forced people to venture out of their homes in search of food where they met these corrupt public officials.

In addition, the ACT-SA report covered corruption in the health and water sectors. In some areas community boreholes were politicized. In Mbare in Harare, it was alleged that ZANU PF supporters were given first preference to fetch water at community boreholes. It was also alleged that suspected ZANU PF youths have taken over control of some community boreholes near Budiriro 2 in Harare.

ACT-SA calls for more investigation and action on allegations arising from the report.

Source: Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA)

THE Matabeleland South provincial task force on Covid-19 has called for strict supervision of cross-border truck drivers transporting goods following reports that some of them were assisting some people to  illegally cross into the country.

During a meeting on Sunday that was held in Gwanda, stakeholders from the province said there was need for thorough searches of trucks at the border and at roadblocks as illegal activities pose a health threat following the outbreak of Covid-19.

Truck drivers who transport goods into the country stand accused of offering transport to border jumpers whom they drop off just before reaching the South African border to cross on foot through unauthorised points and then later pick them up after crossing the Zimbabwean border.

Speaking during the meeting, Beitbridge Senator, Tambudzani Mohadi, said there was need for movement of truck drivers to be monitored.

“We have a major problem with truck drivers who bring goods into the country. There is a need for restrictions and for their movements to be controlled. During this time when we are faced with the Covid-19 pandemic we have to be cautious. Some of these truck drivers give lifts to border jumpers. They also make stops anywhere and they attract vendors that sell goods along the highway which isn’t safe,” she said.

“They need to be thoroughly checked at roadblocks and at the border to ensure they don’t smuggle people.”

Speaking during the meeting the Officer Commanding Matabeleland South Province Assistant Commissioner Adolf Moyo said the major challenge was that the truck drivers were offering people lifts and dropping them off before reaching the South African border and later collecting them after crossing the Zimbabwean border.

He said trucks had been given the green light to ferry goods and some of them were not being searched.m

Also speaking during the same meeting, the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu who is part of the Ad-Hoc Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on the Covid-19 outbreak said there is need for law enforcement agents to curtail these illegal activities.

He said border jumpers were a major threat to the country as they were not going through necessary testing and mandatory quarantine.

“In terms of truck drivers there are designated stopping points which the Ministry of Transport came up with on each of the major roads. At these stopping points that were published it was made clear that drivers shouldn’t entertain any locals.

“Truck drivers are also offering lifts to border jumpers and an example is a group of Malawians who were intercepted in a bush after they had been dropped off by a truck. There is need for law enforcement agents to be thorough on this,” he said.

“Border jumping and smuggling is a serious problem and there is a need for surveillance to be increased. This is our biggest threat as these people are not going through the medical facilities for screening and testing.”

Matabeleland South Provincial Medical Director, Dr Rudo Chikodzore said about 800 trucks pass through the Beitbridge Border Post daily. She said all the drivers were being screened for Covid-19 upon reaching the border.

-State Media

Farai Dziva|Bishop Ancelimo Magaya has described the country’s leadership as wicked.

Bishop Magaya also condemned the harassment of MDC Alliance leaders following the grabbing of Harvest House by Thokozani Khupe.

See Bishop Magaya’s statement :

The God of regime change is watching and will judge.

“Can wicked rulers be aligned with you, those who frame injustice using the law? They band together against life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death, but the Lord has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of refunge.

He will bring back on them their inequality, wipe them out of their wickedness. The Lord our God will wipe them out” ( Psalm 94 vs 20-23 ).

The foregoing portion of scripture succinctly captures God’s heart and word in this season. As the church is called upon to pray prophetically it is my deep conviction that the prayers should not just be the usual pious like, lacking in specifics and substance. The church should pray in the light of this portion of scripture. Please note the guidelines as given by the scriptures in the quoted passage.

1. Wicked rulers have no capacity to align with God, and conversely God can not fellowship with them.

You do not have to love Nelson Chamisa or to hate Mnangangwa for you to see this truth that our leaders are wicked and are failing to align themselves with God.
2. They use the law to frame injustice, or mischief.

Events that are ongoing are a clearest evidence of a rogue state who craft laws for purposes of driving their own interests as they get into an overdrive of suppressing the people that think differently. The arrest of Tendai Biti and his fellow leaders for allegedly violating lockdown regulations, whilst others are allowed unfettered access to their supporters is just one of many examples of governments abuse of law.
3. Divine verdict is clear from the psalmist.

God will wipe them always! I am strongly persuaded that God has rejected this system and as the church, inkeeping with their prophetic mandate to the nations praise forthrightly for Gods judgement and faithfulness to this word and I mean that which you have just read afore, God will cause that word to come to fruition. Join me in this prayer now :” Oh Lord the faithful and awesome God in whom we put all our trust and in whom all power is reposed, in accordance with your word which says because the wicked rulers do not align with you, and therefore you can not fellowship with them. They craft injustice and mischief using the law. See what they do to your people.

See how they lie! See you they are deceitful and desperately wicked! See how they are flourishing in corruption !

Lord, in the Name of Jesus, judge them and bring to effect your word, which when sent it will not come back void. We decree the coming to an end of their rule. You are the God of regime change! In the Name of Jesus we pray”

And may all Gods people say Amen!

May God bless you and continue praying accordingly.

A Congolese man narrates to ZimEye how he was allegedly beaten up by ZRP cops in Selous Ave in Harare Saturday night. He says the attackers also took away his wallet

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

By A Correspondent- MDC acting President Thokozani Khupe has been told to recall all legislators elected under rival political leader Nelson Chamisa, failure which she will face a lawsuit.

A US-based businessman Devine Mafa threatened Khupe with a lawsuit if she failed to recall the MPs from Chamisa’s administration.

Mafa described opposition MPs elected under Chamisa as “mercenaries” who defied Chamisa’s call for them to disengage from Parliament, adding that the same MPs ar now offering themselves to whoever makes the highest bid between Khupe, Douglas Mwonzora, Morgen Komichi and Elias Mudzuri for the vote at the upcoming extraordinary congress.

“Those MPs elected under Chamisa proved to Chamisa himself that they are not loyal to anyone except their pocket. They disobeyed calls to disengage Parliament because they got into Parliament via imposition when they were in good books with Chamisa in 2018.

“Now that they see Chamisa has lost the case at the Supreme Court, they immediately switched allegiance to Khupe to save their jobs.

“Madame Khupe mustn’t keep such treacherous characters in the party because soon as it becomes convenient for them to do so, they will also dump her the same way they ditched Chamisa.

MDC interim president Thokozani Khupe must clean the deck and fire all mercenary MPs to rerun the part to full democracy, says Devine Mafa. The US-based businessman threatens to sue her of she doesn’t recall them.

“MDC needs loyal leaders who stand by the party through thick and thin. Why are they afraid of being recalled if indeed they got elected by popular vote and if they know people are on their side?

“All it shows is that they know they were imposed and can’t risk a by-election which in all probability they will lose. So, the best way forward is for Khupe to recall all of them and start from a clean slate with democratically elected legislators via free and fair primary elections,” said Mafa.

Having been resident in the United States for slightly over 20 years, Mafa said he values the tenets of democracy and believes officials all the way from ward Councillors to the President must only be elected via democratic elections.

He threatened to sue Khupe if she does not recall all the MPs. So far, the Khupe camp has only recalled Chalton Hwende (Kuwadzana East), Prosper Mutseyami (Dangamvura Chikanga), Thabitha Khumalo (proportional representation MP) and Senator Lillian Timveos.

With the MDC set to hold an extraordinary congress by July 21st, Mafa reckoned that there is massive horsetrading in the party as Khupe, Mwonzora, Komichi and Mudzuri are trying to buy favours from the MPs in exchange for votes at the extraordinary congress.

Mafa says opposition MPs must all be recalled as they have already proven they are loyal to their pockets. Mudzuri and Mwonzora are believed to be some of the heavyweights angling for support from the MPs at the extraordinary congress.

“My feeling is that Khupe may not want to recall a good number of these MPs as she wants to use them as leverage to win power at the upcoming congress. The same can be said of Mwonzora, Komichi and Mudzuri, hence the apparent reluctance by these leaders to wield the axe on disloyal party legislators.”

Turning to his father, Dr Felix Mafa Sibanda who was recently appointed MDC Alliance deputy national spokesperson by Chamisa, Devine Mafa described Chamisa’s move as ‘disrespectful and tribal’.

Said Mafa: “Chamisa has proven to all and sundry that he is not the leader to deliver a new Zimbabwe. He is divisive, ageist and tribal.

“How can Dr. Mafa, a founding member of the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai be made an understudy to Fadzayi Mahere, a greenhorn in opposition politics who for intents and purposes was only contesting against the MDC just under two years ago?

“This is like Emmerson Mnangagwa appointing Tatenda Mavetera (Zanu-PF Seke-Chikomba women’s quota MP) the party spokesperson deputized by someone who understands the Zanu-PF system better, like July Moyo. That won’t work.

“Chamisa in making that appointment was clearly disrespectful to the people of Matebeleland as well as tribal against the same people.

“One gets the intended sense that people from a certain region may not get positions of influence no matter the experience they have in the trenches. It’s absolute hogwash.”

Since February 2018 when Chamisa succeeded Tsvangirai without the convening of an extraordinary congress, Mafa has been consistent in calling for a return to constitutionalism in the opposition movement.

By A Correspondent- Jah Prayzah has disbanded the Military Touch Movement (MTM) stable and cancelled all contracts. In a statement released this Sunday, the musician said it is now time to “let these superstars go out there to concur the world in music”.

We present the statement in its entirety below:

When I started MTM, my dream was to have a movement that is driven solely by the ambition of the artists and producers involved in it. It has been 3 years since we began the journey and I can say it has been fruitful.

We have shared so many joys as a team and joys I will continue to cherish and celebrate. Like any other organisation, we also did share our lows and again we went through these together.

Today we celebrate superstars who have been housed in MTM and that was part of the mission, for us all to grow together and celebrate our achievements together.

I feel everyone who was involved in MTM is now in a position where they can now also take part in grooming and raising more talent out there.

I appreciate the trust that was given to me by these artists who are now brands and also for the privilege of working with legends like ExQ who have been in the game for so many years even before the start of my musical career. It is not an easy process to be able to trust putting your brand under someone else’s umbrella.

I would want to let the whole of Zimbabwe and other global music lovers who have been following our journey that it is now time I let these superstars go out there to concur the world in music and I have so much confidence in their ability to do so.

I have done my part in putting in the little resources I had at that time but do feel the artists have outgrown the label and though it is painful, I feel it is the right time to release them and also terminate all contracts that were in place.

What is important is the growth of talent as opposed to any return on money put in, again I repeat this was a movement put in place to encourage growth and not for profit.

Under the same light, I would like to categorically put it on record that until now and going forward, I do not have any amount of money that I collected from any of the artists who were involved in MTM.

I would, however, love to thank the producers, Tamuka and Rodney for the role they have played in helping me grow musically.

They have played a very significant role and my music would not be where it is today if not for them. I can never thank them enough or in any way that would really show how much I appreciate their efforts.

I would like to applaud Tamuka on the start of Mushroom Media, a dream he has always had and he also took time to brief me about the project. I am proud that under MTM he has achieved what he always dreamt and dared to achieve.

I did personally give him my blessing and would like to make it known out there too that I fully endorse the start and growth of his projects and cannot wait to release my first song recorded at Mushroom media.

Having been subjected to so much abuse at some points in this journey, I have become really sceptical about recruiting new artists under MTM as this in many occurrences has tainted my brand.

The main objective, however, was not to get praise from helping artists achieve their dreams. I have decided, I will proceed with finding other artists from the grassroots and will put in my effort to ensure they are talked about and their music grows.

For them, it will also come a time when they will also have to go out and spread their own wings and not under any umbrella.

I wish my team all the best,

Jah Prayzah

By A Correspondent- A notorious Muzarabani thief swept clean a fellow villager’s head after he stole 40 sheep from the grazing land which he loaded in a truck for resale.

The matter came to light at the Guruve magistrates courts yesterday where Obvious Muvezwa (29) stood before magistrate Shingirai Mutiro facing theft charges.

Mutiro sentenced Muvezwa to an effective 4years behind bars for stock theft.

The court heard that on April 25 Muvezwa went to the grazing land where Kingston Zisengwe had left Patricia Chikore’s sheep.

Muvezwa with his two accomplices who are still at large hatched a plan to steal the sheep and they hired a truck.

The trio loaded the stolen sheep and passed through both to ZRP Muzarabani and Veterinary department for clearance.

The trio managed to clear the stock and went to Tynwald South, Harare where they intended to sale the sheep.

The complainant filed a police report lading to the arrest of the suspect.Only 23 sheep were recovered.

By A Correspondent- A 28 year old Mutoko uncle who raped a 14 year old mentally ill niece has been hauled to court.

Pension Usayi appeared before Mutoko magistrate Jairosi Mutseyegwa who remanded him in custody until 12 June 2020.

He is accused of rape.

Majuru told the court that on 23 May 2020 at around 17 00hours, the complainant arrived at home from the bush where she had gone to fetch some firewood.

Prosecutor Majuru told the court that she was raped in the family kitchen hut.

“Complainant proceeded to the accused person grass thatched kitchen to drink some water as she was feeling thirsty. As she entered the kitchen, the accused followed her, closed the door after he entered into the house. It was then that he started fondling her breasts before undressing the complainant. He further went on to unzip his trousers and raped her once,” Majuru told the court.

The state further alleges that accused person told the complainant to conceal the rape.

He threatened her claiming that she would be arrested by police if she dared to report the matter.

However, she could not take the threats seriously as she went to reveal the act to her mother Sanisai Gumbeze who was attending their vegetable garden.

The complainant together with her mother filed a police report at Mutoko police and a medical examination revealed that there was definite evidence of penetration and there is a psychiatric report that she is mentally challenged.

-online

Farai Dziva|Bishop Ancelimo Magaya has described the country’s leadership as wicked.

Bishop Magaya also condemned the harassment of MDC Alliance leaders following the grabbing of Harvest House by Thokozani Khupe.

See Bishop Magaya’s statement :

The God of regime change is watching and will judge.

“Can wicked rulers be aligned with you, those who frame injustice using the law? They band together against life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death, but the Lord has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of refunge.

He will bring back on them their inequality, wipe them out of their wickedness. The Lord our God will wipe them out” ( Psalm 94 vs 20-23 ).

The foregoing portion of scripture succinctly captures God’s heart and word in this season. As the church is called upon to pray prophetically it is my deep conviction that the prayers should not just be the usual pious like, lacking in specifics and substance. The church should pray in the light of this portion of scripture. Please note the guidelines as given by the scriptures in the quoted passage.

1. Wicked rulers have no capacity to align with God, and conversely God can not fellowship with them.

You do not have to love Nelson Chamisa or to hate Mnangangwa for you to see this truth that our leaders are wicked and are failing to align themselves with God.
2. They use the law to frame injustice, or mischief.

Events that are ongoing are a clearest evidence of a rogue state who craft laws for purposes of driving their own interests as they get into an overdrive of suppressing the people that think differently. The arrest of Tendai Biti and his fellow leaders for allegedly violating lockdown regulations, whilst others are allowed unfettered access to their supporters is just one of many examples of governments abuse of law.
3. Divine verdict is clear from the psalmist.

God will wipe them always! I am strongly persuaded that God has rejected this system and as the church, inkeeping with their prophetic mandate to the nations praise forthrightly for Gods judgement and faithfulness to this word and I mean that which you have just read afore, God will cause that word to come to fruition. Join me in this prayer now :” Oh Lord the faithful and awesome God in whom we put all our trust and in whom all power is reposed, in accordance with your word which says because the wicked rulers do not align with you, and therefore you can not fellowship with them. They craft injustice and mischief using the law. See what they do to your people.

See how they lie! See you they are deceitful and desperately wicked! See how they are flourishing in corruption !

Lord, in the Name of Jesus, judge them and bring to effect your word, which when sent it will not come back void. We decree the coming to an end of their rule. You are the God of regime change! In the Name of Jesus we pray”

And may all Gods people say Amen!

May God bless you and continue praying accordingly.

NewsDay

EMBATTLED former Information deputy minister Energy Mutodi is yet to receive his suspension papers, thereby slowing his disciplinary hearing, NewsDay Weekender has learnt.

The outspoken Goromonzi West lawmaker was fired last month by President Emmerson Mnangagwa from his ministerial post under unclear circumstances, but observers believed it was more to do with his alleged abuse of his microblogging Twitter handle.

Mutodi was removed as a provincial Zanu PF member at a meeting held in Murewa the same week.

According to a Zanu PF official from Mashonaland East, Mutodi is yet to receive the prohibition order issued out by the provincial executive committee (PEC) as he is currently in his home area of Masvingo.

“The position is that he (Mutodi) is yet to be served with the papers following his suspension from the provincial executive,” the official, who requested anonymity, said.

“The people who were sent could not find him and he confirmed that he was in his rural area in Masvingo province.

“Mutodi did even send a video confirming that he was in Masvingo province. We hope he will get the suspension letters given that Parliament has begun its business. As it stands, the whole disciplinary issue is still in limbo.”

Provincial disciplinary committee chairperson Michael Madanha yesterday confirmed that Mutodi was not around despite his office having done all the necessary papers to serve the former deputy minister.

“You can go to the (provincial) office and get correct information,” he said.

“What I know is that all the paper work was done and there have been some changes on the dates for the disciplinary hearing.

What I know is that all the paper work was done and there have been some changes on the dates for the disciplinary hearing.

“The last time I checked, the office personnel could not serve him the papers as he was away in his home area, in Bikita and there was no need to follow him there. Everything is on course and the process will be through anytime soon.”

MDC Alliance president, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has said “it is now time to draw a line in the sand.”

This follows the seizure of Harvest House by Thokozani Khupe and the arrest of vice presidents Tendai Biti, Lynette Karenyi and several party officials.

“I’ve just been to MRT hse where soldiers and police are obstructing our leaders and staff from occupying their place of work.Riot police earlier arrested
@mdczimbabwe

VPs Kore and Biti,other leaders at MRT Hse after they went to their place of work. It’s time to draw a line in the sand,” tweeted Advocate Chamisa.

MDC Alliance Spokesperson, Advocate Fadzayi Mahere has also pointed out that the seizure of Harvest House by Thokozani Khupe, with the help of the army, is calculated to divert the nation’s attention from real issues affecting citizens.

Commenting on the seizure of Harvest House political analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya said:

Khupe and Mwonzora’s MDC-T lease agreement with Trustees of Harvest House expired in December 2019. MDC Alliance has a 20 year- lease agreement with Harvest House Trustees. So what is the police enforcing?

Mwonzora as a lawyer knows he has no binding lease agreement.

The world must unequivocally speak against these abuses but also see regime accomplices like Mwonzora, Khupe for what they are; attempting to create facade democracy with captured opposition.

Zim Independent

THE opposition MDC is in the middle of a political crisis, with rival groups fighting for the heart and soul of a party whose founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai made decisions that are now at the centre of the turmoil. MPs elected on the MDC-Alliance ticket are grappling with a dilemma that could change Zimbabwe’s political landscape: whether to remain loyal to their president Nelson Chamisa or defect to Thokozani Khupe’s camp. Khupe, who was declared the bona fide leader of the MDC-T by the courts, has teamed up with Douglas Mwonzora, Morgen Komichi and Elias Mudzuri. Senior reporter Bridget Mananavire (BM) this week had a discussion with the communications secretary of the MDC-Alliance women’s assembly, Barbara Tanyanyiwa (BT, pictured), on the politics gripping the party and the participation of women. Below are excerpts of the interview:

BM: Following the Supreme Court judgment ordering the MDC to go back to the 2014 structures and the recall of four MPs from parliament by a faction aligned to Khupe, where does the allegiance of the women’s assembly lie?

BT: The MDC-A assembly of women’s allegiance lies with president Advocate Nelson Chamisa 100%. We are aware that the Supreme Court ruling was political and so we decided to deal with it politically. There is no way the courts can choose a leader for us.

BM: How is the ongoing power struggle in the MDC affecting women’s participation and involvement in opposition politics in Zimbabwe?

BT: The only effect is that it is a woman who is causing all this power struggle; that is Thokozani Khupe, who is being used by the system to try and destroy the genuine opposition by trying to force her on people who rejected her. She ended up forming her own party.
This struggle has made us as women much stronger and united and eager to fight on until we bring change in Zimbabwe.
BM: Do women have a voice in the decision-making processes in the party?

BT: Oh yes, we do as women. Our chair, Honourable Paurina Mpariwa, sits on the national standing committee, the body that makes day-to-day decisions of the party in between the national executive meetings.

Five women sit on the national executive committee including myself and 14 women sit on the national council which is the highest decision-making body in-between congresses.

So, we really have a voice as we can fully participate and deliberate freely in making decisions of the party. Also, all assembly of women provincial chairs and secretaries sit in the national council.

BM: How do you feel about the promotion of a woman to an influential role of party spokesperson? And this is in reference to Fadzayi Mahere.
BT: We feel very greatly honoured as women and we are so happy that for the first time in the history of the party we have a female spokesperson and that is a very fine achievement.

We say congratulations to Mahere and we wish her all the best in her new appointment. This showed us that president Chamisa is gender sensitive and we would like to thank him for that.

BM: How are you advocating for more women to take up leadership positions in the party?
BT: By empowering those from the grassroot level up to national level. We make sure that each and every portfolio secretary works independently by coming up with plans of action and giving them the opportunity to execute their duties in their different portfolios.

We also managed to fight for a 50% women’s quota in all public offices, which is a great achievement, although we are yet to achieve this fully.
BM: We recently witnessed what lawyers have described as enforced disappearance and torture of three female members of the MDC, including parliamentarian Joana Mamombe. As mothers in the party, how do you feel about this?

BT: We are very much disturbed and pained by the torture of our girls by the state security. We feel that we are not safe as women as this is not the first time women have been abducted. We demand that justice prevails by bringing perpetrators to book.
BM: What do you think should be done to make sure such incidents do not recur?

BT: The only way out is to have reforms which the government is reluctant to formulate. There should be separation of powers that is the executive, legislature and judiciary.
As it is, there is no independence of these three arms, that is why up to now no arrests have been made and no investigations are going on, which is a very sad situation.

BM: Do you think the country has allowed women to freely participate in the political space?
BT: No, I do not think so. Women continue to be victims of torture and harassment and sexual abuse by the same people that are supposed to protect them.
Cases of police brutality against women keep on rising and we do not have anywhere to run to when victimised or abused. This is done to stop us from being active in politics, thereby shrinking our political space.

BM: Do you feel as the women’s assembly you made enough noise about this?
BT: Yes, I feel we made enough noise as the assembly of women. We have cried out loud to other women’s organisations, locally and internationally. We wrote statements, petitions, we did live shows on social media until they (the arrested MDC youth leaders) were released before 48 hours.
We also lobbied the international Community which also responded swiftly to our calls. Their abduction news reached all four corners of the world, which was great.

BM: Have you engaged other women’s organisations so as to join forces and act and speak against the abuses of women in politics?
BT: Yes, we have and they responded well. Some even did petitions calling for the government to carry out independent investigations and bring perpetrators to book.
BM: What is the MDC-Alliance women’s assembly doing to support women in this time of the Covid-19 pandemic given that most women have lost sources of their income?

BT: We sourced some food hampers for the vulnerable and we are also doing masks and selling them at give-away prices. We also did some awareness programmes on Covid-19.

BM: What is the role of the women’s assembly and are you fulfilling it?
BT: It is to mobilise and empower women in the party so that they become self-sustainable. Educate and fight for their rights and freedoms, representing them in different fora locally, regionally and internationally and also to support and defend the party all the times. I can safely say we are fulfilling the role, although there may be challenges here and there.

BM: What are the challenges?

BT: The challenges are the crippling economy where most women are failing to make ends meet. The coronavirus and the lockdown have caused untold suffering to many women who depend on the informal economy which is totally shut down.

Households are experiencing severe hunger due to the fact that they can no longer afford basic commodities as a result of the collapsing Zimbabwean currency. The other challenge is that of the illegitimate government that is clueless and does not care about the suffering of its people.

There is selective application of the Covid-19 regulations and cases of gender-based violence that continue to rise during this lockdown.

CITE

Ndodana Ngwenya, a livestock farmer in Natisa, Matobo, in Mat South, was left counting his losses when rustlers invaded his farm last week and drove away 53 head of cattle.

Five of the cows were later discovered.
Narrating his ordeal to CITE, Ngwenya said he dipped his cattle on Monday last week and after that, he moved them to the paddocks.

The incident was only discovered on Friday, when his herd boys went to collect the cattle from the paddocks and discovered that a significant number of the beasts had gone missing.

Ngwenya said he immediately alerted his neighbours and later made a police report.

“When I alerted some of my neighbours, they told me that they had seen some people driving the cattle in the direction of Gwanda. I made a police report on Friday evening and they only responded on Saturday morning,” said Ngwenya.

Ngwenya said he also dispatched a search party to check with local cattle abattoirs while he and some police officers followed a trail until it came to a dead-end, where he believes the cattle were loaded into a truck and driven away.

A permit authorising the movement of the cattle out of the area was processed by a police officer based at Collen Bawn and 18 of the cattle were later discovered slaughtered at an abattoir in Umguza, in Mat North.

“I then got a call from a business associate, informing me that he had managed to identify some of the cattle at an abattoir in Umguza. Some of them had already been slaughtered but he managed to identify our branding from the hides,” he narrated.

Investigations at the abattoir yielded positive results, as they managed to identify some of the people allegedly involved in the theft.

“We managed to track down the driver of the truck that had delivered the cattle to the abattoir and he admitted that he was following his employer`s orders. We took him to the police and also tracked down the truck owner, who said he had been hired to ferry the cattle to the abattoir,” Ngwenya said.

The businessman expressed concern that he was not getting much help from the police, although some of those allegedly part of the syndicate had been identified.

Own Correspondent

Buoyant Supreme Court reinstated MDC-T National Chairman Morgen Komichi says that his party is hard at work “auditing” works of the MDC Alliance at the party headquarters in Harare.

Komichi claimed that they have sort police and army security because the MDC Alliance wants to burn down the iconic Harvest House building.

Komichi said yesterday: “Yes, I can confirm that we have finally occupied our headquarters, Richard Morgan Tsvangirai House (Harvest House). We are currently carrying out an audit of party assets such as vehicles, furniture, books of accounts and party offices in all the provinces and appropriate action will be taken at the appropriate time. The legitimate leadership of the MDC party has finally occupied their head office,” said Senator Komichi.

He said the occupation of Harvest House was a fulfilment of the Supreme Court ruling that stated that everything that was presided over by Mr Chamisa, since he illegally took over the reins of the party in 2018, was null and void.

He added that since Mr Chamisa had claimed to be the leader of the MDC Alliance he cannot lay claim to Harvest House whose ownership is enshrined in the party’s constitution to be the MDC-T.

Komichi claimed threats of violence from loyalists of the MDC-A, who he claims threatened to burn down Harvest House and also to physically deal with senior members of the MDC, Komichi said they then engaged the police for their security and also to protect party properties.

“Chamisa and his team mobilised hooligans to burn the building as a way of stopping us from occupying the party offices. They had mobilised people to make noise in town so we informed the police,” said Mr Komichi.

Yesterday police blocked MDC-A leaders from entering Harvest House.

Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the MDC-A leaders for “violating the national lockdown.”

“There was an influx of people in Harare central business district this afternoon (yesterday) in violation of Statutory Instruments related to Covid-19 with regards to health, security and safety of the public.

“In the same vein, Tendai Biti, Vongai Tome, Gladys Hlatshwayo, Louis Chimhini, Lynette Karenyi Kore and Lovemore Chonoputsa who were part of a group who had illegally gathered in the Harare central business district, were arrested for violating Covid-19 lockdown regulations,” said Assistant Commissioner Nyathi.

MDC-A secretary general Chalton Hwende confirmed yesterday that they had been removed from Harvest House.

“Yes I can confirm that MDC-T led by Dr Khupe is now in charge of Richard Morgan Tsvangirai House but they were assisted by the police,” he said.

Movement for Democratic Change Alliance vice-president Tendai Biti, his co-vice-president Lynette Karenyi-Kore, deputy secretary-general David Chimhini, international relations secretary Gladys Hlatywayo, her deputy Lovemore Chinoputsa and Vongai Tome, were today granted bail of $1 000 when they appeared in court facing two charges.

The six were arrested yesterday outside Morgan Tsvangirai House which had been occupied by the rival faction led by interim MDC-T president Thokozani Khupe.

They are charged with public nuisance and violating coronavirus lockdown regulations.

Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reference is made to the consulate’s earlier public notices relating to the suspension of regular consular services since the beginning of the lockdown in South Africa.

Members of the public are hereby further advised of temporary suspension of the issuance of both temporary travel documents and repatriation certificates with immediate effect.

This precautionary measure has been taken against the background of a suspected Covid-19 case at the mission, hence the need to allow time for thorough medical investigations and decontamination of the institution before reopening doors to our valued clients.

In the meantime, service will be restricted to the electronic processing of repatriation clearances in respect of deceased Zimbabwean nationals.

Members of the public will be duly notified once this position has been reviewed.

Please note that interaction with the Consulate on issues of mutual interest remains possible via the usual channels:

Facebook page: Zimbabweconsulate Boeing Road Bedfordview
Twitter: Zimbabweconsulatejhb
WhatsApp: +27 82 82 494 35

Email: [email protected]
The inconveniences caused are deeply regretted. Thanking you all in advance for your understanding and good cooperation.

State Media

REPORT border jumpers or be quarantined with them.

This is the lesson learnt by a Victoria Falls family after it failed to notify authorities about its 17-year-old daughter and five-year-old grandson who illegally returned into the country from South Africa without going through screening processes as per Covid-19 prevention procedures.

The girl and her sister’s son aged five, names withheld because they are minors, reportedly used a cross-border transporter popularly known as umalayitsha to illegally enter the country a few days ago.

The two went straight home in Victoria Falls without presenting to health officials for screening.

The girl’s parents Mr Trust Mlauzi (54) and Ms Misiwe Moyo (52) welcomed the two and also did not notify authorities as is expected under lockdown rules. However, community members tipped a Covid-19

Rapid Response Team that there were some border jumpers.

The team raided several homes on Thursday after investigations and fished them out.

In Victoria Falls’ Mkhosana suburb, the team found Mr Mlauzi, his wife Ms Moyo, a five-year-old boy and the two border jumpers and took them all to Mosi-oa-Tunya High School quarantine centre where they were immediately quarantined.

All family members will be accommodated at the facility and go through testing for Covid-19, and will likely spend the mandatory 21 days in quarantine.

At a separate house in the same suburb the team found Mr Thomas Sibanda (53) who had sneaked into the country from Namibia where he was based and hid at his place of residence.

Mr Cabangani Sibindi (33) was also fished out of his homestead in Matetsi about 40km outside Victoria Falls where he had been hiding since illegally entering the country more than a fortnight ago when he came as a border jumper from South Africa to attend his mother’s funeral.

Messrs Sibindi and Sibanda were also taken to Mosi-oa-Tunya quarantine centre, now with 47 returnees as at yesterday afternoon.

Matabeleland North Provincial Social Welfare Officer Mr Macnon Chirinzepi said: “At the time of writing this report we had received a total of 12 returnees. Five came from Namibia through Victoria Falls border while one illegal immigrant from the same country was taken from Mkhosana. Another illegal immigrant from South Africa was found in Matetsi while two others were in Mkhosana in Victoria Falls.

“The illegal returnees had evaded the quarantine process. The ones in Mkhosana had come into contact with their family being two males and one female local residents, who have also been brought to the centre.”

Government recently said it is illegal to harbour returning citizens who do not go through set Covid-19 prevention procedure.

Police could not clarify if the border jumpers will be arrested for evading immigration processes as provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese could not be reached on her mobile phone.

However, police sources said they may be left to complete the mandatory quarantine processes and charged on their release.

Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo urged members of the community to inform authorities about returning citizens who evade due Covid-19 processes.

“We are always telling people to report border jumpers to authorities. People coming from outside through wrong means should be reported immediately so that we all protect each other from the spread of coronavirus,” said the Minister.