Zimbabwe will keep its coronavirus lockdown for the time being, though businesses will be allowed to open for longer and the restrictions will be reviewed every two weeks, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Saturday.
The southern African nation, which has reported 42 cases and four deaths from the novel coronavirus, went into lockdown on March 30 and has been gradually easing the measures to help revive its troubled economy.
Economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak will exacerbate climate-induced shocks and monetary woes afflicting an economy battling shortages of foreign exchange, food electricity and medicines.
“Zimbabwe will… continue on the level two lockdown for an indefinite period. The country needs to ease out of the lockdown in a strategic and gradual manner,” Mnangagwa said in a live broadcast.
He said informal street markets, where millions of Zimbabweans eke a leaving selling everything from used clothes to vegetables, will remain shut while the government consults health specialists on how to reopen them safely.
Businesses such as manufacturers, supermarkets and banks, which have been allowed to continue operating, will now be able to work between 8 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. compared with the six-hour day imposed previously.
Shared taxis will remain banned, forcing commuters to use buses operated by the state, which have struggled to cope with demand.
Mnangagwa said the hundreds of Zimbabwean migrants returning home every week, mainly from South Africa and Botswana, will have to undergo a 21-day quarantine in school and college buildings set aside for the purpose.
The president said only students writing final examinations this year would be allowed to resume classes but did not say when. The government is still working on plans of phased re-opening of schools.
Media Statement|The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) is appalled and registers its deepest contempt on the abduction and torture of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance Member of Parliament Joana Mamombe and Youth Assembly leaders Cecelia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova. What the three have endured, constitute the most egregious and extensive sufferings a human being can experience, as proscribed by the Constitution of the land: unlawful and arbitrary detention (section 49), infringement of human dignity (section 51), violation of bodily and psychological integrity – including sexual assault (section 52), torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment – including being forced to eat and drink human excreta (section 53) and violation of equal protection of the law (section 56).
This followed an arrest for exercising their constitutional rights to speak out and to their conscience, including through peaceful demonstration.
Manner of arrest and abduction
The Forum noted the article in the Herald newspaper on 14 May in which the national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi was quoted confirming the trio’s arrest, although he was still to find out where they were being held. The Forum also notes the corroboration from the trio that they were initially taken to Harare Central Police Station upon arrest. Additionally, the Forum notes the further social media communication of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) through their Twitter handle, to the effect that the trio was not in police custody. Cogent explanation is needed on how and why the trio, if they indeed were in police custody, left that custody. Similarly, explanation is needed on the contradictory statements issued by the police.
It is worrisome, and everyone is justified to worry for their security and safety, if people in police custody can find themselves in a situation as the three. The State is duty bound to account for all its citizens and to protect and ensure their security and well-being, even if under lawful detention. No citizen should live in fear of extra-legal treatment, either at the hands of the State or non-State actors.
No justification for abduction and torture
For whatever reason, and under whatever circumstance, no one should be abducted or tortured. Section 56(1) of the Constitution demands that all persons are accorded equal protection and benefit of the law. The law provides for the mechanisms through which even those who break the law are arrested, tried and if found guilty, treated.
For those who seek to apportion blame to the victims in whatever manner or form, the Forum reminds them that once a culture of disregard of the law and human rights takes root, and a cycle of violence and abuse of due process is established, no one is safe, including perpetrators. It is folly for anyone to derive pleasure in ascribing the heinous crime to “self-abduction” and other shocking explanations and justifications, and to revel in a self-sense of security. The culture of violence must be nipped in the bud.
Sexual assault
Sexual assault continues to be used as a weapon of abuse and torture. All right-thinking citizens should be outraged. Whether one has committed an offence under the country’s laws or not, sexual assault can never be an appropriate response.
Respect for privacy
The constitutional right to privacy, as with any other right, stems for the need to respect human dignity, and not humiliate and expose victims to further trauma. It is extremely important for the media and for political leaders to vigorously speak out, when heinous crimes such as this are committed. In so doing however, the obligation to respect privacy remains. The Forum reminds the media and individuals visiting the victims to take extra caution to ensure a fine balance between exposure of the crimes committed and the protection of the victims’ privacy. Sensitive graphic material should be shared with discretion.
Call to action
The time is now for government to categorically state its repugnance towards such savage and barbaric conduct. If the government shares the same standards of law abidance that it demands of its citizens, it is critical that the government condemns the violations both in speech and deeds. Episodes such as these simply serve to remind of impunity and the unjust past Zimbabweans have long suffered. If our leaders are sincere in turning a leaf to a truly new dispensation, the strongest condemnation of these acts is expected, and concrete, meaningful steps must be taken. The nation and the international community are watching.
The Forum strongly urges all concerned and well-meaning Zimbabweans to call for decisive action from the authorities. In particular, the Forum demands of the government to:
Thoroughly and exhaustively investigate the circumstances of the arrest, abduction and torture of the three, and bring perpetrators to justice; Ratify and domestic the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances; Ratify and domesticate the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; and Amend the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act to include a stand-alone offence of torture, accompanied by severe punishment.
By Simba Chikanza | ZimEye.com reveals evidence of police abduction of the three MDC Alliance youth leaders which the government publication the Herald deleted after proving that the Zimbabwe Republic Police truly abducted the victims on Wednesday 13th May 2020.
For several weeks the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the military have been randomly assaulting civilians walking out to fetch essential services such as water and medication, and 3 weeks ago, the military spokesman Overson Mugwisi in an interview denied that soldiers and police were assaulting civilians in Harare, Gweru, and Masvingo. This was despite footage particularly from Harare which had been earlier on confirmed by ZANU PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesman, George Charamba.
Civilians have been complaining that they feel oppressed and on Wednesday a group of MDC Youths conducted a short flash demo attended by less than 25 youths. The three female MDC youth leaders, Cecilia Chimbiri, Joana Mamombe, and Netsai Marova were arrested by the police and taken to the Harare Central Police station.
2 days later, the government spokesman, Nick (Ndavangi) Mangwana has issued a contradicting report saying they were never arrested, and were never in police custody.
All this comes at a time when New Zealand’s former Prime Minister, Helen Clark got frustrated after noticing that even the Voice of America, a respected US government funded media house also deleted evidence of the abduction, something which follows the way they also handled the abduction of Hospital Doctors Association President Dr Peter Magombeyi in September last year. (See tweets below with video-tweet)
Strange – the link has disappeared – but there are plenty of others about the abduction & torture of #Zimbabwe ?? MP Joana Mamombe & 2 other #women: https://t.co/stKfkE4kvS
Exactly a year ago, VOA journo Marvelous Mhlanga signed up to work for @edmnangagwa to do social engineering work, and create PR packages:today she interrogates a distraught,disturbed, and terrified victim of torture,Dr @DMagombeyi leading to his arrest last night @MakomboreroHpic.twitter.com/YYLlWmmslz
Mnangagwa says ZANU PF is everything in Zimbabwe and must be respected. We are the police the army….we are everything in this country pic.twitter.com/HrRFrSGUoh
By Simba Chikanza | ZimEye.com reveals clear evidence of police abduction of the three MDC Alliance youth leaders which the government publication the Herald deleted after proving that the Zimbabwe Republic Police truly abducted the victims on Wednesday 13th May 2020.
For several weeks the Zimbabwe Republic Police and those of the military have been randomly assaulting civilians seeking to fetch essential services such as water and medication, and 3 weeks ago, the military spokesman Overson Mugwisi in an interview denied that soldiers and police were assaulting civilians in Harare, Gweru, and Masvingo despite footage from Harare confirmed by the government spokesman George Charamba.
Civilians have been complaining that they feel oppressed and on Wednesday a group of MDC Youths did a short flash demo attended by less than 25 youths. The three female MDC youth leaders were arrested by the police and taken to the Harare Central Police station.
2 days later, government spokesman, Nick (Ndavangi) Mangwana has issued a contradicting report saying they were never arrested, and were never in police custody.
This comes at a time when New Zealand’s former Prime Minister got frustrated after noticing that even the Voice of America a respected US government funded media house also deleted evidence of the abduction, something which follows the way they also did to the abduction of Hospital Doctors Association President Dr Peter Magombeyi in September last year.Watch video below :
Marshall Munetsi has signed a new contract with French Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims, just a season after joining the club.
The Zimbabwean added another year to his initial deal which was set to expire in 2023. He will now stay at the club until 2024.
The club announced the news on Saturday afternoon.
Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot said Munetsi has been rewarded with a new contract for his hard work.
He said: “On a sporting and human level, Marshall is one of great satisfactions of the season. This signature touches me more since I know all the additional work that the player has done to take his chance …
“Marshall was our first recruit of the last summer transfer market. At the time, he was responding to the staff’s need to be able to count on an athletic player capable of playing in central defence as well as in a midfield position.”
Munetsi made 21 appearances across all competitions before the French season was cancelled due to coronavirus.-Soccer 24
Farai Dziva|Cameroon’s legendary forward Samuel Eto’o believes he is the greatest African footballer of all time.
The former forward made the claims while responding to El-Hadji Diouf who had put himself on top of the list of best players to ever come out of the continent.
Speaking to Goal.com, Eto’o said the Senegalese is not on his level and also took a jab on Didier Drogba who is regarded among the African legends.
“Even if my brother Diouf the last time, with an extra glass, got a little lost, there is no debate”, said Eto’o, in a reference to the Diouf video where the former Senegal international appeared a little drunk.
“None of them [Diouf and Drogba] can come and say that they were at my level or better. And it’s not the fact that I say it, it’s a fact, it’s something that is there. I wanted to be number one and I have been throughout my career.”
The Cameroonian has won African Player of the Year four times, level with Yaya Toure, while Drogba and Diouf earned the award twice.
He also finished third in the running for the FIFA World Player of the Year, making him the only African after Liberian George Weah to get into the top three of the award.
Eto’o’s remarkable array of trophies include four Champions Leagues, three La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, a Serie A, a Coppa Italia, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance National Secretary for Healing, Peace, Reconciliation and Integration, Blessing Chebundo, has called on human rights organizations to act on the abduction and torture of the party’s youth leaders.
Below is Honourable Chebundo’ s statement :
THE MDC-A ORGAN FOR PEACE CALLS UPON THE ZIMBABWE COMMISSIONS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER, AND PEACE, TO ACT UPON THE ‘ THE ARREST: ABDUCTION AND TORTURE OF THE THREE YOUNG LEADERS
The Organ for National Healing: Peace-building: Reconciliation: and Integration, (NHPRI) of the MDC-A Calls upon the Constitutional Independent Commissions for Human Rights; for Peace; and for Gender, to take this latest case of ‘arrest, abduction, and torture’ as a serious National urgent matter that calls for the commissions to put all their constitutional mandated roles into motion.
Chapter 12, section 232 of the constitution of Zimbabwe, outlines that the Independent Commissions are there to support human and democracy in Zimbabwe.
Amongst the commissions are, Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission: The Zimbabwe Gender Commission: and The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission’.
Section 233 outlines the objectives of the commissions, ‘inter-alia, to support and entrench human rights and democracy; and to secure the observance of democratic values and principles by the State, and all institutions and agencies of government, and government-controlled entities; and ensure that injustices are remedied.
Section 235 of the constitution guarantees the ‘independence of the commissions. ‘The independent Commissions are independent and are not subject to the direction or control of anyone; and must exercise their functions without fear, favour or prejudice’;
Therefore, we call upon the ZHRC, established in accordance with section 242 to act with ‘urgency on this matter’, and within its broader scope of functions as per section 243, among other functions, ‘to protect the citizens against abuse of power and maladministration state and public institutions and by officers of those institutions. The ZHRC has right to visit the cases in directly.
The Zimbabwe Gender Commission outlined under Part 4, section 245 equally has to be moved by this serious case, because of the gender aspect involved in the reported serious abuse by the torturers So is the NPRC, whose role is outlined under section 251 of the constitution and includes, ‘ taking action on such matters of violence’.
We challenge these Commissions to ‘live-up’ to their mandate; to act with urgency on this matter of ‘arrest/abduction, torture, abuse, violence, and attack of young ladies’. The commissions must be moved by this continuation of the abductions that went on the increase since 2019. We have not heard, or saw significant actions from these commissions over these abductions.
We do not expect ‘business as usual’ when such inhuman treatment continue to be inflicted upon citizens. These abductions have gone too far. The Commissions need to remove their face masks and see, and act as enshrined in the constitution. The persisting ‘Evil’ has to be stopped..
Hon Blessing Chebundo MDC-A.
(National Secretary for Healing, Peace, Reconciliation and Integration).
On Saturday night ZimEye broadcast a LIVE investigation on the Julie Condliffe scam. Condliffe is a UK based Zimbabwean businessman who has been traveling around the country claiming she is a millionaire. ZimEye explores in detail how she is duping scores of British citizens using hypnosis and other techniques, before pouncing on them again using threats of a legal nature. Below is the summary-
CONDLIFFE – NOTES FROM POWEL (one of the partners)
Condliffe sold to the Complainants a house (in Easington) for GBP 31,000.
The Complainants paid 31k altogether…the agreed price for buying was GBP28,000 plus GBP3,000 for sourcing. The complainants later discovered that the property was in fact hers, that she wasn’t sourcing anything.
They have documents to prove this agreement.
The Complainants were told (by Condliffe) if they refurbish it they would resell it for GBP40,000
The title deeds were never delivered.
Upon this development, the complainant reported to their bank account for a reversal of funds paid
But Condliffe told the bank that further to the contract of sale, she had conducted a one to one sit down with further explanations -she alleged that there was an arrangement in which the complainants would pay the money, and Condliffe keep the property until it can be sold for GBP40,000
The complainant however says this is not true.
The Complainants say they then began demanding that the money must be refunded as they feel deceived.
The Complainants say they never entered the property at any time since day one.
“We just did everything out of trust. We paid the whole money and we just believed Julie (Condliffe) and went ahead to pay her.”
May 2019 we got involved with the bank and started an investigation…
“I felt confused – when she said I will keep the property within my limited company so that I don’t transfer to sellers so to speed u[ the process to transfer to another seller. But she only said this 7 months after…,”they tell ZimEye
But she said this 6 months after the payment was done.
Farai Dziva|The Ministry of Health and Childcare has announced that 13 people have recovered from the new Coronavirus.
See full statement: The Ministry reports that 4 cases tested positive for Covid-19 today.
1 (One) positive case from Mashonaland East Province and 1 from Harare, both travellers from South Africa. The other 2 are from a quarantine centre in Mashonaland West Province.
To date we have 42 confirmed cases, 13 recoveries, 4 deaths and 25 active cases since the onset of the outbreak on 20 March 2020.
The four new positive cases came out of 659 rapid and 370 PCR tests that were done on Friday in both the public and private laboratories.
Cumulatively, 14 077 Rapid and 11 401 PCR Covid-19 tests have been done to date in Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions(ZCTU) is horrified that once again another NAZI style kidnapping and abduction of opposition activists has taken place in Zimbabwe under the so called ‘New Dispensation’ and ‘Second Republic’.
The kidnapping, abduction and torture of MDC Alliance Member of Parliament for Harare West Constituency Hon Joana Mamombe together with The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Deputy Chair Cecilia Chimbiri, and MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Deputy Organiser Netsai Marova on Thursday 14 May 2020 is the latest in a series of barbaric events that have happened since President Mnangangwa took power in 2017 promising of a new era of tolerance, respect for human rights and freedoms.
Unfortunately things are going the opposite way because the country has seen arrests, abductions and torture of political activists, civic organisations leaders, trade unions and even artists who dared to oppose the current administration.
Suprising no one has been apprehended or questioned, giving credence to the theory that this is purely State sanctioned .
The ZCTU is convinced that the police have highly experienced personnel that is capable of investigating and bringing the perpetrators to book but are deliberately not making an effort for unknown reasons.
The three MDC Alliance activists are said to have suffered horrific abuse, including sexual abuse at the hands of their tormentors.
The modus operandi of the kidnappers seem to be the same for all their operations. This systematic pattern points to a well coordinated and centralised approach by a well trained team getting directives from the high echelons of power.
This is supported by the fact that the Zimbabwe Republic Police initially confirmed that they had arrested the MDC trio only to make a dramatic U-turn claiming that they do not know the whereabouts of the three.
These latest abductions and torture of the three MDC alliance activist is a testimony that we have not reformed to embrace diversity. We have remained with the old legacy that has brought us to be a pariah and authoritarian state. This is the legacy Zimbabweans endured during the Robert Mugabe era. We do not expect that citizens stopped at an official checkpoint and taken to a police station can dissapear and resurface brutalized in the bush.
The ZCTU condemns the abductions and demand an unfettered investigation into the matter by an independent team of investigators since the police have been paying lip service to these issues for a long time.
All over the world, the COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant loss of life, disrupting livelihoods, and threatening the recent advances in health and progress towards global development goals highlighted in the 2020 World Health Statistics published by the World Health Organization (WHO) today.
“The good news is that people around the world are living longer and healthier lives.
The bad news is the rate of progress is too slow to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and will be further thrown off track by COVID-19,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“The pandemic highlights the urgent need for all countries to invest in strong health systems and primary health care, as the best defense against outbreaks like COVID-19, and against the many other health threats that people around the world face every day. Health systems and health security are two sides of the same coin.”
WHO’s World Health Statistics — an annual check-up on the world’s health — reports progress against a series of key health and health service indicators, revealing some important lessons in terms of progress made towards the Sustainable Development Goals and gaps to fill.
Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy have increased, but unequally.
The biggest gains were reported in low-income countries, which saw life expectancy rise 21% or 11 years between 2000 and 2016 (compared with an increase of 4% or 3 years in higher income countries).
One driver of progress in lower-income countries was improved access to services to prevent and treat HIV, malaria and tuberculosis, as well as a number of neglected tropical diseases such as guinea worm.
Another was better maternal and child healthcare, which led to a halving of child mortality between 2000 and 2018. But in a number of areas, progress has been stalling.
Immunization coverage has barely increased in recent years, and there are fears that malaria gains may be reversed. And there is an overall shortage of services within and outside the health system to prevent and treat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, heart and lung disease, and stroke.
In 2016, 71 per cent of all deaths worldwide were attributable to NCDs, with the majority of the 15 million premature deaths (85%) occurring in low and middle-income countries. This uneven progress broadly mirrors inequalities in access to quality health services.
Only between one third and one half the world’s population was able to obtain essential health services in 2017.
Service coverage in low- and middle-income countries remains well below coverage in wealthier ones; as do health workforce densities. In more than 40% of all countries, there are fewer than 10 medical doctors per 10 000 people. Over 55% of countries have fewer than 40 nursing and midwifery personnel per 10 000 people.
The inability to pay for healthcare is another major challenge for many. On current trends, WHO estimates that this year, 2020, approximately 1 billion people (almost 13 per cent of the global population) will be spending at least 10% of their household budgets on health care. The majority of these people live in lower middle-income countries.
“The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need to protect people from health emergencies, as well as to promote universal health coverage and healthier populations to keep people from needing health services through multisecotral interventions like improving basic hygiene and sanitation,” said Dr Samira Asma, Assistant Director General at WHO.
In 2017, more than half (55%) of the global population was estimated to lack access to safely-managed sanitation services, and more than one quarter (29%) lacked safely-managed drinking water. In the same year, two in five households globally (40%) lacked basic handwashing facilities with soap and water in their home.
The World Health Statistics also highlight the need for stronger data and health information systems. Uneven capacities to collect and use accurate, timely, and comparable health statistics, undermining countries’ ability to understand population health trends, develop appropriate policies, allocate resources and prioritize interventions.
For almost a fifth of countries, over half of the key indicators have no recent primary or direct underlying data, another major challenge in enabling countries to prepare for, prevent and respond to health emergencies such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
WHO is therefore supporting countries in strengthening surveillance and data and health information systems so they can measure their status and manage improvements.
“The message from this report is clear: as the world battles the most serious pandemic in 100 years, just a decade away from the SDG deadline, we must act together to strengthen primary health care and focus on the most vulnerable among us in order to eliminate the gross inequalities that dictate who lives a long, healthy life and who doesn’t,” added Asma.
“We will only succeed in doing this by helping countries to improve their data and health information systems.”
Credit:WHO
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
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The MDC-Alliance Demands an independent inquiry to investigate human rights abuses, torture and inhuman degrading treatment of female youth leaders
The MDC-Alliance takes note with concern the reluctance, incapacity and unwillingness of the Mnangagwa regime to open a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances leading to the arbitrary arrest, criminal detention, torture and sexual assault of Joanna Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova.
Given the human rights abuse track record of the Mnangagwa regime, the regime is conflicted, incapacitated and lacks political will to act to bring to a complete stop these crimes against humanity.
The MDC-Alliance demands that a prompt, thorough, impartial and effective investigation into this criminal act be launched by the United Nations.
We also call on fellow Zimbabweans, local and international civil society and regional and international bodies to support this urgent demand which must result in justice for the three and which must also stem the tide of criminal activities by state security apparatus.
The abduction and torture of three young women including a parliamentarian are serious local and international crimes which are in violation of the Convention of Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Convention Against Torture, and the Maputo Protocol and should have jolted into action any serious government concerned about the welfare of its citizens but in this case there has not been any action from the Mnangagwa regime serve for a vague, insipid and lethargic statement by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Nick Mangwana.
Zimbabwe has a long history of abductions, inhuman and degrading treatment and torture of citizens in the same pattern and nature as happened in this case. In 2019 alone, the MDC Alliance recorded a total of 49 cases of abduction and torture.
Furthermore, past investigations have not brought justice to the victims. Mnangagwa has demonstrated incapacity, lack of interest and political will; he is conflicted as he is implicated as the chief sponsor of these heinous crimes. He is not in a position to launch an investigation that brings confidence, justice and accountability. Hence our call for a prompt inquiry into this case.
The deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe is worsened by the fact that it is happening in an already fragile political situation stemming from Mr Mnangagwa’s illegitimacy born out of the disputed and unresolved electoral outcome of 2018.
While efforts are made to improve the human rights situation, equal effort must be put towards resolving the political crisis. Zimbabweans are urged to peacefully stand up for their rights and dignity.
MDC-Alliance : Change That Delivers
MDC Secretary for Public Service and Social Welfare
MDC Vice President Lynette Karenyi has refuted allegations that she has dumped the main MDC faction led by Nelson Chamisa and joined the smaller MDC faction led by Thokozani Khupe.
The allegations arose after veteran broadcaster Zenzele Ndebele reported that a reliable source had given him information to the effect that Karenyi was participating in the build-up to the much-hyped MDC Extraordinary Congress.
Read Karenyi’s statement below:
There are false and malicious social media posts claiming that I have resigned from my position as VP of MDCA.
It is not usually my policy to respond to malicious reports by certain people with hidden agendas. However, I want to make it clear that the MDC Alliance is the only vehicle confronting the regime and there is no question of me abandoning that national project for which many lost their lives.
Whilst I appreciate the role of the media to inform the nation I would appreciate it if in future the media would check with me before publishing information that is not verified. All my official announcements are usually put on my facebook page.
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance vice president Lynette Karenyi has dismissed as malicious claims that she has resigned from her position.
Karenyi has also effectively distanced herself from Thokozani Khupe’s MDC T.
Below is Karenyi’s statement:
Press Statement:
16/05/2020
There are false and malicious social media posts claiming that I have resigned from my position as VP of MDCA.
It’s not usually my policy to respond to malicious reports by certain people with hidden agendas.
However I want to make it clear that the MDC Alliance is the only vehicle confronting the regime and there is no question of me abandoning that national project for which many lost their lives.
Whil I appreciate the role of the media to inform the nation I would appreciate it if in future the media would check with me before publishing information that is not verified. All my official announcements are usually put on my facebook page.
By Prince Njagu| The ZANU PF regime should be held accountable for the disappearance and torture of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance, legislator Joanna Mamombe, youth leaders Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova. The trio were ostensibly arrested on Wednesday for demonstrating against the chaotic government Covid-19 response.
As the vast of Zimbabweans are starving during this lockdown, and a few brave citizens took to the streets for peaceful demonstrations, the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) mafia run government goes on to abduct and abuse these people for exercising their constitutional right.
The MDC Alliance trio only surfaced a two days later, after massive calls for their release from several local and international pressure groups. They were found in bad condition, dumped at Muchapondwa shops in Bindura South.
The British and United States embassies in the country had also expressed concerns over the disappearances of the MDC Alliance trio.
European Union had issued a statement urging authorities to act “in line with constitutional and legal obligations … to establish their whereabouts and well-being.”
Every citizen of a state has the right to express their discontentment, and demonstrations should not be used as grounds by the government to abduct and torture protestors.
Is this what the ZANU PF mafia regime calls democracy? It is an individual’s civic right to take to the streets and express discontent, without being persecuted after excising your right.
The ZANU PF regime should desist from these barbaric abductions and torture of oppositional members. This is the 21st century and everyone has the right to express their discontent.
An administration cannot talk of democracy, when people vanish from police custody, and only to resurface days later abused and tortured.
Police spokesperson, Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the three MDC officials; and them disappearing is just unorthodox.
The police are supposed to safeguard the citizenry, but when people are arrested and go missing under their custody tells a lot about the ZANU PF regime.
Such things can only happen in a mafia state, not in a democracy. When citizens are arrested, they should be charged, not tortured.
This regime has gotten away with numerous, atrocious human right violations over the years. It is high time the international community step in and free Zimbabweans who are under bondage.
The international community should see the gross abuse of power by the ZANU PF mafia regime. Individuals cannot vanish from police custody, only to resurface badly abused and tortured.
This is so traumatising and disheartening especially at a time when the country should be joining forces.
Under no circumstances should anyone be exposed to inhuman treatment or torture.
The ZANU PF regime has been known for these abductions and torture antics, even during the Mugabe era. The question which many are asking at the moment is when will all this come to an end? When will Zimbabweans be free from this authoritarian regime which masks itself as a democracy.
Elections are stolen, abductions, torture and now the citizenry are starving under the government enforced lockdown without any government assistance.
SCHOOLS and colleges will remain closed as many institutions of learning are being used as quarantine facilities for visitors and returning residents.
Chief coordinator for National Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Office of the President and Cabinet Agnes Mahomva told the ZBC that schools will remain closed until conditions are safe for learners.
Mahomva said the large numbers of people in quarantine areas and returning residents that are being received at the country’s ports of entry meant that many cautionary factors had to be taken into account before opening schools.
“If we open schools now the question is where would we put those numbers that continue to come back?” she said.
The MDC-Alliance Demands an independent inquiry to investigate human rights abuses, torture and inhuman degrading treatment of female youth leaders
The MDC-Alliance takes note with concern the reluctance, incapacity and unwillingness of the Mnangagwa regime to open a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances leading to the arbitrary arrest, criminal detention, torture and sexual assault of Joanna Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova.
Given the human rights abuse track record of the Mnangagwa regime, the regime is conflicted, incapacitated and lacks political will to act to bring to a complete stop these crimes against humanity.
The MDC-Alliance demands that a prompt, thorough, impartial and effective investigation into this criminal act be launched by the United Nations.
We also call on fellow Zimbabweans, local and international civil society and regional and international bodies to support this urgent demand which must result in justice for the three and which must also stem the tide of criminal activities by state security apparatus.
The abduction and torture of three young women including a parliamentarian are serious local and international crimes which are in violation of the Convention of Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Convention Against Torture, and the Maputo Protocol and should have jolted into action any serious government concerned about the welfare of its citizens but in this case there has not been any action from the Mnangagwa regime serve for a vague, insipid and lethargic statement by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Nick Mangwana.
Zimbabwe has a long history of abductions, inhuman and degrading treatment and torture of citizens in the same pattern and nature as happened in this case. In 2019 alone, the MDC Alliance recorded a total of 49 cases of abduction and torture.
Furthermore, past investigations have not brought justice to the victims. Mnangagwa has demonstrated incapacity, lack of interest and political will; he is conflicted as he is implicated as the chief sponsor of these heinous crimes. He is not in a position to launch an investigation that brings confidence, justice and accountability. Hence our call for a prompt inquiry into this case.
The deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe is worsened by the fact that it is happening in an already fragile political situation stemming from Mr Mnangagwa’s illegitimacy born out of the disputed and unresolved electoral outcome of 2018.
While efforts are made to improve the human rights situation, equal effort must be put towards resolving the political crisis.
Zimbabweans are urged to peacefully stand up for their rights and dignity.
MDC-Alliance : Change That Delivers
MDC Secretary for Public Service and Social Welfare
As the People’s party, the MDC Alliance regrets that up to now, the Police are still refusing to release the personal assets belonging to our Youth Assembly leaders who were recently abducted, tortured and dumped at Bindura.
The Police must release all their personal assets unconditionally and immediately
These assets include the Mercedes Benz car that belongs to our Youth Assembly Secretary for Policy and Research, Hon. Joanah Mamombe, the mobile phones belonging to all our three abducted Youth Assembly leaders and other personal belongings.
If the Police fail to return the personal assets soonest, we will be left with no choice but to approach the courts for a recourse.
By Own Correspondent| Zimbabweans have launched an online petition to the Boris Johnson administration in the United Kingdom to strip Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana of his British citizenship.
They accused Mangwana of defending violence and abduction of opposition members by the President Emmerson Mnangagwa regime.
Below is the full petition:
The government of Zimbabwe has been involved in gross human rights offenses. The United Nations documented 49 abductions.
Out of about 49 Abductions since 2019 no arrests have been made. The Abductors who torture and sexually abuse are still at large the State through their secretary Nick Mangwana claims abductions are fake without any evidence.
Recently 3 MDC, A female activists Jona Mamombe, Netsai Marowa, and Cicilia Chimbiri were abducted and violently raped. Police through their spokesperson admitted in the State Newspaper the herald that these ladies were in their custody after being arrested.
The next morning the same police denied having them in their custody. The 3 ladies were later found in Bindura ,bruised,raped and badly beaten.
We believe Nick Mangwana as secretary is part of a repressive system which is being used to oppress women in Zimbabwe. He should be stripped of his UK citizenship and his family deported back to Zimbabwe.
Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi will on Tuesday visit Zimbabwe to attend the SADC Extraordinary Summit in Harare.
According to a statement from the Ministry of International Affairs and Cooperation, Masisi will attend an Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation (Organ) Troika in his capacity as the incoming Chair of the SADC Organ.
The statement reads: “The Organ is one of the institutions of SADC, and included among its structures, is the Troika which comprises the Chairperson of the Organ, the Incoming Chair who serves as the Deputy Chairperson, and the Outgoing Chairperson. The Organ Troika is responsible for providing
policy direction and decision making on regional political, defence, and security issues”.
It is not clear what is the agenda of the summit. Last month during the height of international travel bans, Masisi hosted a special envoy appointed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Lesotho, Jeff Radebe and his delegation at the State House in Gaborone to discuss the political situation in Lesotho.
It further stated that the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Kabo Morwaeng and senior government officials would accompany the President and return on the same day.
The Attorney General has brought to my attention the judgement on the Exchange Control Directive No. R120/18 pertaining to the separation of RTGS FCA accounts and FCA Nostro accounts.
Government and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe do not agree with the conclusion in the judgement to the effect that the Exchange Control Directive is unconstitutional. They take the view that the court has failed to give a proper interpretation to the directive.
In the circumstances, Government and the Reserve Bank intend to file an appeal against the judgement. They are further fortified in this cause of action by the fact that the court did not impugn the provisions of the Finance (No.2) Act, 2019 and the amendments made to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Act [Chapter 22:15] which were based on the Exchange Control Directive in question.
According, Government and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe wish to assure the nation that the monetary arrangements which were put in place as a result of the Exchange Control Directive in question will remain in place pending the outcome of the appeal to be noted in the next few days.
By Jane Mlambo| South African opposition leader, Mmusi Maimane has expressed disappointment over the latest reports of abduction of MDC Alliance youth leaders saying the use of intimidation, torture and rape against civilians should end.
Posting on Twitter, Maimane said he was disappointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military and police who continue to abuse political opponents.
“Mr Mnangagwa we are gravely disappointed to hear that your military and police forces are abusing political opponents. The use of intimidation, torture and rape against civilians must end,” said Maimane.
Zim will therefore continue on the Level 2 Lockdown for an indefinite period. We shall have regular 2 week interval reviews to assess progress, or lack of it. …The modified phased approach, will further allows us to increase surveillance including early detection, testing… pic.twitter.com/fLyKaraM6V
Former MDC T Vice President Elias Mudzuri has said the party will unite all MDC members after the court-sanctioned congress which is slated for July 2020.
Mudzuri tweeted and said all those that contributed to the struggle will not be left behind.
Tweeted Mudzuri:
All those who have contributed towards this struggle for democracy will not be left behind. After the Extraordinary Congress, negotiations will take place to unite all MDC family members under one big tent of our Great party
Meanwhile, Douglas Mwonzora has confirmed that one of Chamisa’s deputies has joined one of Khupe’s allies’ WhatsApp group.
By A Correspondent- The wearing of face masks remains compulsory while the quarantine of returning residents remains in place as Zimbabwe’s Lockdown is extended indefinately.
This was revealed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in his state of the nation address on COVID 19.
“Zim will therefore continue on the Level 2 Lockdown for an indefinite period. We shall have regular 2 week interval reviews to assess progress, or lack of it. …
The modified phased approach, will further allows us to increase surveillance including early detection, testing….”
By Stanley Goreraza- Get well soon baby girl Joanna, and the other two young ladies who were physically violated and stripped of their dignity with you, by the slithering system that coiled itself around Zimbabwe 40 years ago and continues to squeeze the life out of us today.
There are times that we disagree, that being the character of life, but there are times that bring us together and this is one such time.
The regime feeds on illegalities, indecency and inhumanity, like vampires get nourishment from blood. When they are feeding, they are doing evil, when they are doing evil they are feeding. If they do not do evil they get hungry because evil is their food and fuel.
I always go back to the author of this system, Robert Mugabe and the editors of this system, Jonathan Moyo, Kasukuwere, Didymus Mutasa, we all know the others and they are many. (Mnangagwa has become co-author, jumping from publisher) . Va Mugabe created this monster out of the inhumanity that was in his heart.
He laid eggs and they hatched and today there are little Mugabes running around all over the country, little snakes that are growing, feeding on evil.
I almost lose my mind everytime they try to make him out to be what he was not – an icon. He stands right next to the likes of Idi Amin and Adolf Hitler on the history parade. His story is written in blood.
We should thank God that the girls are back and alive. Itai Dzamara did not have such luck. Mr Mugabe’s hatchlings got him.
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced that only ZUPCO contracted buses are to operate as the country remains in Lockdown indefinitely.
Mnangagwa revealed several other measures to be observed during what he termed as Level 2 of the country’s Lockdown including the mandatory wearing of masks.
He also revealed that the Level 2 Lockdown had been extended indefinitely.
He said:
“….Zimbabwe will therefore continue on the Level 2 Lockdown for an indefinite period. We shall have regular 2 week interval reviews to assess progress, or lack of it. …The modified phased approach, will further allows us to increase surveillance including early detection, testing….”
Watch the live video below…
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest updates
Mnangagwa said this while revealing a host of other Lockdown conditions. He said:
Zim will therefore continue on the Level 2 Lockdown for an indefinite period. We shall have regular 2 week interval reviews to assess progress, or lack of it. …The modified phased approach, will further allows us to increase surveillance including early detection, testing… pic.twitter.com/fLyKaraM6V
“….Zimbabwe will therefore continue on the Level 2 Lockdown for an indefinite period. We shall have regular 2 week interval reviews to assess progress, or lack of it. …
The modified phased approach, will further allows us to increase surveillance including early detection, testing…..”
By A Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has extended the country’s COVID-19 Lockdown indefinitely revealing that bars and gyms among other centres should remain closed.
Watch Mnangagwa’s address to the nation in the live video loading below…
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has extended the national lockdown by an indefinite period with two week reviews to be done to assess progress or lack of it.
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance vice president Lynette Karenyi has dismissed as malicious claims that she has jumped the ship and resigned from her position joining the Thokozani Khupe faction.
Karenyi distanced herself from Khupe’s MDC T adding that the reports are not only fasle but malicious.
Below is Karenyi’s full statement:
Press Statement:
16/05/2020
There are false and malicious social media posts claiming that I have resigned from my position as VP of MDCA.
It’s not usually my policy to respond to malicious reports by certain people with hidden agendas.
However I want to make it clear that the MDC Alliance is the only vehicle confronting the regime and there is no question of me abandoning that national project for which many lost their lives.
While I appreciate the role of the media to inform the nation I would appreciate it if in future the media would check with me before publishing information that is not verified.
All my official announcements are usually put on my facebook page.
By A CorrespondentA 56-year-old man from Ascot in Gweru is in court facing rape charges after he allegedly drugged and raped a 15-year-old girl.
The State says that on April 30, 2020 Jonasi Mwale (56) proposed love to the girl who turned him down.
The accused asked the girl to follow him to his house and at the house, Mwale allegedly drugged the juvenile with an unknown substance and she fell asleep. Tripsitter analysts did their own research and believe the drug was DXM – commonly found in cough syrup.
Prosecutor Margret Mukucha said that Mwale took advantage of the situation and had sex with the girl.
When the girl regained consciousness, she was urged not to cry or tell anyone about the incident. She was also told that she would soon get used to the sex.
The girl disclosed the matter to her parents after they noticed that she could not walk properly.
Parents have expressed anger at the way in which their children are living at this boarding school allegedly co- owned by Spencer Banda a popular sportscaster at Zimpapers and Star FM.
Sodbury High School
Here are shocking pictures of a rundown Sodbury School located in Mashonaland West, Darwendale area, some 65 km from Harare.
Sodbury High school Sodbury High school
Sources say parents are paying $575 per term and many do not know that their children are living in unhealthy prison-like conditions.
Pictures shared by sources show kids sitting on torn bunker beds, dirty toilets and potholes on dormitory floors making people to question if this is a young offenders’ institution or a real school.
Sodbury High School
Said, one observer:
“I would not be shocked. I visited a school yrs back and the toilets were full of feces with no running water and the students were used to it. So much for affordable schools. Sadly we have exonerated government from its role by letting SDA bear the burden of making schools habitable.
“That school has to be shut down with immediate effect, do u have health inspectors in Zimbabwe ??? Prison cells are better, Chikurubi young offenders Prison more like, not school. Ma1.”
An anonymous parent revealed the dire situation at the institution. She said school children pay $30 per month for the internet but there are no computers, the school does not have a dining hall, children bring their own plates, children are taught agriculture and science yet there are no fields and no labs for experiments. Food is allegedly saved from the same containers used for cleaning.
As women we are failing to come into terms with the level of inhumane treatment of our daughters Ceclia, Joana and Netsai by the regime’s state security. The trio were taken by police at a roadblock after staging a flash demonstration over hunger with other youths in Warren Park on Wednesday afternoon. They were taken to Harare Central Police Station and they told alerted leadership that they were indeed at Police Station. People who went there could not find them and also checked in all police stations to no avail.
They were later dumped along Bindura road at a certain homestead heavily beaten and tortured by state security. They were sexually assaulted, made to sing and toyi toyi, called all sorts of names and accused of wanting to overthrow an elected government. This was all denounced by President Chamisa during his presser at the hospital after seeing the girls. We are so concerned as the Assembly of Women that the state can target harmless women, with no guns at all and beat them for merely exercising their rights. These youths leaders were only highlighting the plight of all Zimbabweans who are dying of hunger under lockdown. Their constitutional rights were violated by the state security who actually are supposed to be protecting them.
We condemn this barbaric act in its strongest term and demand that justice prevail by bringing these perpetrators to book. We note with great concern that this has been going on for quiete a long time and perpetrators have just been left scot free.
We would want to unequivocally state that women’s rights are human rights and no woman must be subjected to this kind of treatment by anyone particularly the state. We will do every thing we can to make sure that our girls get justice. We are hurt as mothers and we are feeling the same pain as them and we say NO to Abductions and torture of innocent citizens especially the youth who are the leaders of today and not tomorrow.
We call upon all women and Women’s Organisations to stand up against state brutality and Women rights violations. We call upon International Organisations to speak out about Mnangagwa’s brutality and abuse of human rights. Zimbabwe is a signatory to so many human rights protocols, conventions and charters that are binding.
We would like to wish our girls speedy recovery and we are going to stand with them in solidarity until justice prevails. We end by saying state torture is an International crime and must be dealt with accordingly.
Barbara Tanyanyiwa Spokesperson MDC Alliance Assembly of Women
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions(ZCTU) is horrified that once again another NAZI style kidnapping and abduction of opposition activists has taken place in Zimbabwe under the so called ‘New Dispensation’ and ‘Second Republic’.
The kidnapping, abduction and torture of MDC Alliance Member of Parliament for Harare West Constituency Hon Joanna Mamombe together with The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Deputy Chair Cecilia Chimbiri, and MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Deputy Organiser Netsai Marova on Thursday 14 May 2020 is the latest in a series of barbaric events that have happened since President Mnangangwa took power in 2017 promising of a new era of tolerance, respect for human rights and freedoms.
Unfortunately things are going the opposite way because the country has seen arrests, abductions and torture of political activists, civic organisations leaders, trade unions and even artists who dared to oppose the current administration.
Suprising no one has been apprehended or questioned, giving credence to the theory that this is purely State sanctioned .
The ZCTU is convinced that the police have highly experienced personnel that is capable of investigating and bringing the perpetrators to book but are deliberately not making an effort for unknown reasons.
The three MDC Alliance activists are said to have suffered horrific abuse, including sexual abuse at the hands of their tormentors.
The modus operandi of the kidnappers seem to be the same for all their operations. This systematic pattern points to a well coordinated and centralised approach by a well trained team getting directives from the high echelons of power.
This is supported by the fact that the Zimbabwe Republic Police initially confirmed that they had arrested the MDC trio only to make a dramatic U-turn claiming that they do not know the whereabouts of the three.
These latest abductions and torture of the three MDC alliance activist is a testimony that we have not reformed to embrace diversity. We have remained with the old legacy that has brought us to be a pariah and authoritarian state.
This is the legacy Zimbabweans endured during the Robert Mugabe era. We do not expect that citizens stopped at an official checkpoint and taken to a police station can dissapear and resurface brutalized in the bush.
The ZCTU condemns the abductions and demand an unfettered investigation into the matter by an independent team of investigators since the police have been paying lip service to these issues for a long time.
By A Correspondent- Pastor Shingi Munyeza, a member of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) which advises President Emmerson Mnangagwa has continued to attack the ruling ZANU PF which he said is responsible for the deteriorating state of affairs.
He speaks when Zimbabwe is submerged under an acute socio-economic crisis characterised by lack of food, medicine, fuel and other essentials.
He tweeted:
CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS
1.We can’t move backwards
2.We can’t move forward
3.We can’t move sideways
THE THINKING, THE VALUES & THE SYSTEMS that got us here have no CAPACITY nor ABILITY to move us forward WE NEED A NEW “VEHICLE” New wine & new wineskins Matthew 9:17 #Zimbabwe
Munyeza in his recent sermon predicted that the regime, which he likened to the Egyptian Pharaoh in the Bible, was going to fall very soon.
While some say Munyeza has finally seen the light, some are sceptical saying by virtue of being an advisor to President Mnangagwa, he is part of the system which was already bad when he agreed to be part of it.
Some even go further to accuse him of using his sermons as a strategy to create false hope for the masses, to buy time for the ruling ZANU PF.
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to address the nation on the novel coronavirus later today.
This comes when the business community and some members of the public have urged the government to lift the COVID-19-induced lockdown in a bid to save the struggling economy.
The expected address was announced by ZBC News on twitter in a post which read:
#COVID-19 address to the nation by H.E. President @edmnangagwa later today on ZTV, our 6 radio stations and also the digital and online platforms.
Zimbabwe first announced a three-week lockdown in March and then extended that, prior to the latest extension which is due to expire this Sunday.
The latest extension ushered the country into ‘level 2’ which saw some regulations relaxed to allow some sectors of the economy to resume operations.
Mnangagwa has already hinted on extending the lockdown saying that he would put people’s lives ahead of the economy.
The lockdown has shuttered an economy struggling with acute shortages of foreign currency, food, electricity and medicines.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to address the nation on the next move with the stage 2 national lockdown announced two weeks ago set to expire tomorrow midnight.
Spencer Banda, who is in a rape accusations storm has told his accusers to take him to court if they truly have a case against him.
Spencer Banda
In an interview Banda said his stance on the issue has not changed despite all the evidence presented to ZimEye.com by his accusers who accused him of raping them when they were pupils at his family school.
“I have said it before, and I will say it again, rape is a serious allegation that’s not reported and defended on social media, if anyone was raped in the gruesome ways being narrated on social media, they should report the matter and let me have my day in court, I am waiting,” he said.
Banda said it was not the first time that he has been labelled a rapist. He was even taken to court on the charge in Chegutu where he was acquitted.
“If someone alleges that I raped them, they should take me to court as what happened in 2004, we went to court and it was discovered that they were lying, so if anyone feels that I was unjustly cleared, we can go back to court again,” he said before hanging up.
Banda was once tried over allegedly raping two minors at Chinhoyi Magistrates Court in 2004.
In an interview run on ZimEye.com live, former students at Sodbury High School accused him of rape, molestation and ‘murder’ of a student who was reportedly beaten to death by his school staff and it was covered up as suicide.
In the live video, it was revealed that prior the old students deciding to go live and sharing the horrors perpetrated by Banda, they had added him and his wife Sharon to a WhatsApp group where they confronted them over the “crimes” they committed at the school.
Sharon was implicated in the rape storm for allegedly protecting Banda whenever the students reported rape and molestation. It was alleged that she would beat the complainants and sweep the reports under the carpet.
Several other callers called in corroborating what the previous callers had said.
However, Banda believes this was staged by people with an agenda, insisting that his hands are clean.
But constitutional law experts say the new prime minister can now be sworn in even if Thabane doesn’t resign
Own Correspondent|Embattled Lesotho Prime Minister Tom Thabane is reportedly refusing to resign until the date that he set for himself, the end of July.
But constitutional law experts say the new prime minister could now be sworn in even if Thabane didn’t resign
The 80-year old appears to have tricked his opponents by signing the agreement to form a new coalition with the opposition Democratic Congress (DC) so that he can demand to head that coalition.
Sources within Thabane’s All Basotho Convention (ABC) party said he now wanted to remain leader of the ABC/DC coalition and prime minister reneging on the understanding that Finance Minister Moeketsi Majoro would take over.
But constitutional law experts differ on whether he can stay
Some say the National Assembly process was definitive in deciding that he no longer enjoyed a majority and set the wheels in motion for the appointment of a new prime minister
This view argues that this is the basis on which the speaker declared a transition and that as soon as the speaker gives the name of the nominated successor to the king, the new prime minister can be sworn in and Thabane can be removed unceremoniously.
However, other experts said only Thabane’s resignation would trigger the process for his successor to be sworn-in.
And if he doesn’t resign, MPs will have to wait until 22 May to remove him with a vote of no confidence.
Whatever happens next will show how powerful the position of the speaker is as stated in the Constitution.
Star FM has dismissed news that football commentator Spencer Banda still works for the company.
Banda, who used to cover Sunday matches with Howard Musonza and contribute to the Daily Sports Zone show on the station, has been embroiled in a s__xual abuse scandal after students at Sodbury High School made numerous allegations against him.
As a way to protect its brand, Star FM has issued a public notice, advising that the sportscaster left the radio station in July 2018.
“Please be advised that Spencer Banda does not work for Star FM,” reads the notice. “He left Star FM in July 2018 and there is no association between him and the station as is being alleged on social media.”
Below is the transcript of a Whistleblower’s statement over the situation at Sodbury High School. The accused, (school owner)Spencer Banda, was on ZimEye.com two days ago to answer to the allegations.
“Tete we learnt at Sodbury High School. I think you know the owner Spencer Banda. I learnt at the school 1998 to 2001. The things that used to happen there are horrific. Spencer used to rape kids. He raped almost 3 quarters of the whole school’s girls.
“So we have a group of former classmates. The girls are looking for assistance. So we tried to talk to him to ask for forgiveness in front of all of us ‘, but we failed to agree with him. He is saying he did not rape anyone, but when he exited the group he went to every girl’s inbox, those who are accusing him and asked for forgiveness personally and directly, which we are not agreeable to. We want him to stand before all of us and ask for forgiveness; All of us boys and girls tell us that he (he has forgiven us of the truth – sic).
“We are scared for the kids at the school that they are being abused in exactly the same way, and they do not have anyone to complain to.
“I was asking you please if I could add you to the group so that you can hear it for yourself. That you can decide what you want to do. I thank you very much Tete.
“Okay Tete, we thought you would help us. Some of the victims are now overseas, some are in SA, Some in Dubai.
“Our intention was not to expose the man, but to protect the kids presently at the school, so that at least if you can help us, he can stop what he is doing.”
Banda left Star FM following another scandal after a picture of him half-naked went viral with allegations that he was caught dating a married woman.
A MAN from the dormant tin mining town of Kamativi allegedly hanged himself fearing arrest after hearing police were on his trail for bedding a 14-year-old girl from his neighbourhood.
Nkosilathi Mumpande, 26, who resided at Kamativi Compound, reportedly had a love affair with the juvenile leading to sexual intercourse.
In terms of the country’s laws, a girl under 16 years of age is regarded incapable of consenting to sex.
Mumpande hanged himself the following day at a nearby hill.
A friend he had earlier confided in discovered the body and alerted police.
“Police received a report of sudden death in Kamativi where a man committed suicide by hanging.
“The background of the case is that, earlier police received a report of having sex with a young person and the now deceased was implicated.
“He was summoned for initial inquiries and he admitted to the charge of having sex with a young person,” reads a police report.
He was released as police intended to proceed by way of summons after completing investigations.
Mumpande went home and told his friend, one Polite Sande that he wanted to kill himself as the case was haunting him.
On Saturday, Sande checked on his friend and got worried as he was not there while his mobile phone was not being answered.
“He told me last Friday that he was being haunted by the issue. On Saturday, I called his number to check on him and I got worried as no one was picking. I went to his house in the company of a friend and we couldn’t find him.
“We spotted his footprints going out of the yard, and because he had threatened to kill himself, I became suspicious and we traced his foot marks.”
They led us to the hill where we found his body hanging from a tree with a rope.
“I got so scared and could hardly move or say anything,” said Sande.
She said she reported the matter to the police who later retrieved the body.
Hwange magistrate Rangarirai Gakanje waived postmortem as no foul play was suspected.
ZBC|SCHOOLS and colleges will remain closed as many institutions of learning are being used as quarantine facilities for visitors and returning residents.
Chief coordinator for National Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Office of the President and Cabinet Agnes Mahomva told the ZBC that schools will remain closed until conditions are safe for learners.
Mahomva said the large numbers of people in quarantine areas and returning residents that are being received at the country’s ports of entry meant that many cautionary factors had to be taken into account before opening schools.
“If we open schools now the question is where would we put those numbers that continue to come back?” she said.
Below is the transcript of a Whistleblower’s statement over the situation at Sodbury High School. The accused, (school owner)Spencer Banda, was on ZimEye.com two days ago to answer to the allegations. FULL TEXT:
Bashed and shamed for eating the forbidden fruit, former ZBC TV presenter, Spencer Banda.
“Tete we learnt at Sodbury High School. I think you know the owner Spencer Banda. I learnt at the school 1998 to 2001. The things that used to happen there are horrific. Spencer used to rape kids. He raped almost 3 quarters of the whole school’s girls.
“So we have a group of former classmates. The girls are looking for assistance. So we tried to talk to him to ask for forgiveness in front of all of us ‘, but we failed to agree with him. He is saying he did not rape anyone, but when he exited the group he went to every girl’s inbox, those who are accusing him and asked for forgiveness personally and directly, which we are not agreeable to. We want him to stand before all of us and ask for forgiveness; All of us boys and girls tell us that he (he has forgiven us of the truth – sic).
“We are scared for the kids at the school that they are being abused in exactly the same way, and they do not have anyone to complain to.
“I was asking you please if I could add you to the group so that you can hear it for yourself. That you can decide what you want to do. I thank you very much Tete.
“Okay Tete, we thought you would help us. Some of the victims are now overseas, some are in SA, Some in Dubai.
“Our intention was not to expose the man, but to protect the kids presently at the school, so that at least if you can help us, he can stop what he is doing.”
AN inyanga from Insuza, Matabeleland North Province, has been arrested after he allegedly raped an 18-year-old client, claiming to be cleansing her of evil spirits.
The traditional healer, whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of the victim as they are of the same village, is alleged to have told the teenager that she was troubled spiritually and that she had to be given herbs and also had to be intimate with him, to be fully healed.
He allegedly lured her into his hut where he raped her and said she would be healed, only if she kept the sex attack a secret.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.
“We are investigating a matter where an 18-year-old woman was raped by an inyanga whom she had visited to consult. She was taken into a hut where she was raped. The matter came to light when she confided in a friend about the ordeal, who advised her that she must report the matter to the police. They then proceeded to a police station where a rape report was filed,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
Asst Comm Nyathi warned traditional healers who take advantage of helpless women who approach them for help, saying they would be arrested.
“We warn traditional healers that they must not take advantage of their positions to commit crimes and violate those who approach them with faith and trust in the services they offer.
“We also warn women that they must never be too trusting of strangers, even people that they know. Where possible they must visit these traditional healers in the company of people that they trust. It is always better to be with a friend, for privacy one may consult alone but have someone close in case something goes wrong.
“We cannot continue to have such violations in society. We also encourage people to report such cases so that all perpetrators of such crimes are removed from society before hurting more people,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
State Media|Zanu-PF Politburo member and former Youth League leader Absolom Sikhosana has died.
The Bulawayo Minister for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube, said Sikhosana died at the United Bulawayo Hospitals last night.
“He died last night at the United Bulawayo Hospitals where he had been admitted since Monday,” said the Minister.
“He was so friendly to everybody, free to talk to anytime, he was that type of a leader and leading from behind. We have lost a great man,” she said.
Zanu-PF secretary for administration Dr Obert Mpofu said Sikhosana was a loyal and dedicated cadre.
“Cde Sikhosana was a disciplined and dedicated cadre that we worked with for many years. He was unflinching in his resolve to serve the party and when he was leader of the youths, there was so much discipline in the party.
“He was a hardworking leader and until his death he was loyal and committed to the party. It is sad that we have lost our brother. He has never veneered off the revolutionary path. Because of his discipline, he was made interim chairperson of Bulawayo despite being a politburo member while they fix their structures and there was now order in Bulawayo because Cde Sikhosana was at the helm,”said Dr Mpofu.
“He was loved by everyone and loved everyone too and was very active in the party. It is sad for us because just yesterday we buried another national hero and now we have lost our brother.”
Dr Mpofu said consultations will be made with Sikhosana’s family on the way forward.
Sikhosana was at the helm of the ZANU PF Youth League until he was way over sixty years with now President Emmerson Mnangagwa protecting him from ouster.
In the run up to the 2014 ZANU PF congress, Mnangagwa, then Secretary for Legal Affairs in the party warned that Sikhosana was untouchable.
“You can only elect as far as your national youth vice-chairman . . . you start from the lower levels electing your youth leaders, that we can allow you, but when it comes to Sikhosana, you end there.
“For those who are jostling and looking to seek answers on whether Sikhosana is going to be there or not, please don’t stress because it’s not your job . . . if you find yourself straying into that area, please brew some beer and say to your ancestors you are now leading me astray please cleanse my evil thoughts,” said Mnangangwa adding that Sikhosana would be retained because he was the most trusted person to lead Zanu PF youths.
State Media|Four more people, all travellers from South Africa or in official quarantine on their return to Zimbabwe, have tested positive for Covid-19 bringing the number of confirmed cases to 42.
None of the new patients appear to have been infected within Zimbabwe.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Child Care reported that four people had tested positive for Covid-19: one was from Mashonaland East and one from Harare, both being travellers from South Africa.
The other two were from a quarantine centre in Mashonaland West.
“To date we have 42 confirmed cases, 13 recoveries, four deaths and 25 active cases since the onset of the outbreak on 20 March 2020,” read the statement.
People drinking from broken water tap, It's happening in Rimuka Kadoma where residents of ward 4 and 7. – Photo Credit: Kadoma Progressive Residents Association. pic.twitter.com/scIphZDdeb
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Pretoria, Mr David Hamadziripi
State Media|The first batch of 200 people is expected in the country today as Government, working with its partners, has started rolling out an assisted repatriation package for distressed Zimbabweans based in South Africa.
Zimbabwe’s Consul-General to Johannesburg, Mrs Melody Chaurura, yesterday confirmed the returning of the citizens.
She said they were seeking clearance for six buses to transport hundreds others.
“We are working on the logistics to transport 200 of our nationals on the assisted model after we secured partners to fund the transportation and feeding 400 people,” she said.
“So far we are starting with those in Johannesburg and Pretoria and other settlements in Gauteng province. These are expected to travel by road through Beitbridge Border Post.”
On Wednesday, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Pretoria, Mr David Hamadziripi, said they had entered into a partnership with businessman Mr Justice Maphosa of Bigtime Strategic Partnership to transport 400 people back home.
He said the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United National Migration Agency were providing technical and humanitarian support to Zimbabweans affected by the lockdown in South Africa.
Over 2 680 Zimbabweans had registered for repatriation as at May 6, while 4 172 others needed food assistance.
IOM yesterday donated an assortment of disinfecting equipment, and infrared thermometerfor use at the NSSSA quarantine centre.
Below is the transcript of a Whistleblower’s statement over the situation at Sodbury High School. The accused, (school owner)Spencer Banda, was on ZimEye.com two days ago to answer to the allegations. FULL TEXT:
Watch the video loading below as former students of Sodbury narrate how they were raped by Spencer Banda at the school around 1998 to 2001.
Bashed and shamed for eating the forbidden fruit, former ZBC TV presenter, Spencer Banda.
“Tete we learnt at Sodbury High School. I think you know the owner Spencer Banda. I learnt at the school 1998 to 2001. The things that used to happen there are horrific. Spencer used to rape kids. He raped almost 3 quarters of the whole school’s girls.
“So we have a group of former classmates. The girls are looking for assistance. So we tried to talk to him to ask for forgiveness in front of all of us ‘, but we failed to agree with him. He is saying he did not rape anyone, but when he exited the group he went to every girl’s inbox, those who are accusing him and asked for forgiveness personally and directly, which we are not agreeable to. We want him to stand before all of us and ask for forgiveness; All of us boys and girls tell us that he (he has forgiven us of the truth – sic).
“We are scared for the kids at the school that they are being abused in exactly the same way, and they do not have anyone to complain to.
“I was asking you please if I could add you to the group so that you can hear it for yourself. That you can decide what you want to do. I thank you very much Tete.
“Okay Tete, we thought you would help us. Some of the victims are now overseas, some are in SA, some in Dubai.
“Our intention was not to expose the man, but to protect the kids presently at the school, so that at least if you can help us, he can stop what he is doing.”
Own Correspondent|Both the government and police have adopted a very shocking denial stance against the abduction and brutal torture of MDC activists who were abducted on Wednesday only to be dumped in a remote area on Thursday night.
In a very disturbing statement, government said police will investigate the case to establish the truth on the abduction instead of investigating the abduction to establish the perpetrators.
Harare West legislator Joana Mamombe (27), Netsai Marova (25) and Cecilia Chimbiri (33) were found at Muchapondwa Business Centre, 30km from Bindura along the Harare-Domboshawa Road after disappearing in the hands of the police on Wednesday.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana made the statement on behalf of the government.
“Investigations are currently underway to establish what transpired to the three women from the time they left the demonstration up to the point when they were reportedly picked up at Muchapondwa Business Centre.
“Government will uphold the law and constitutional safeguards contained therein and if any law has been broken, the law will be enforced.
“We are calling on the three citizens to work with the law enforcement agents in order to bring the truth to light and we are appealing to anyone with information concerning this case to make a report with the police,” said Mr Mangwana.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi who shortly after the disappearance issued a statement to the effect that the three ladies were in police custody, has come up with a changed stance indicating that police never arrested the ladies.
“Police are conducting investigations to establish what transpired on May 13, 2020 after the flash demonstration in Warren Park 1, Harare had been dispersed.
“It is only after full scale investigations that police will be in a position to pin point what actually happened between May 13 and May 15 2020. This includes the movement of demonstrators, their associates and subsequent location of the trio at Muchapondwa Business Centre,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
Government said information gathered shows the case emanated from a demonstration that was staged in Warren Park.
“The three were part of a group of MDC youths that defied the lockdown laws in the country and took part in an illegal demonstration in Warren Park. While police were looking for them, social media chatter indicating the three had disappeared was observed. Measures were put in place to locate them. On the night of the 14th, the police were informed that the three suspects had been located at Muchapondwa Business Centre in Bindura,” reads the statement.
Brigadier General Masuku being ferried to his final resting place by soldiers.
Own Correspondent|After an initial shocking hero status snub of gallant liberation war fighter, late Brigadier-General Crispan Masuku has been conferred the National Hero Status.
Zanu-PF Politburo conferred national hero status on Masuku on Friday after he was laid to rest at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo earlier in the day.
ZimEye.com raised concern on the hero status snub by ZANU PF before he was buried.
Zanu PF secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu announced the conferment of national hero status in a statement last night.
“This is to notify that the late Brigadier-General, Crispan Masuku has been declared a national hero. Brigadier General Masuku, who is a liberation fighter whose Chimurenga name was Cde Kid Manzini, passed on Wednesday May 13, 2020.”
A delegation led by Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs Minister Richard Moyo, Zanu PF Politburo member Angeline Masuku and Dr Mpofu, visited the late Brig Gen Masuku’s homestead and conveyed the national hero status message to the family.
“I am here as I have been sent to convey this message by the President (Mnangagwa). The late General Masuku has been declared a national hero and his works speak for themselves. He dedicated his life to service and until his time of death, he remained a committed serviceman,” said Dr Mpofu.
“The Government has seen him fit to be conferred national hero status. It is unfortunate that he is being declared a National Hero after his burial. However, this does not take away the honour that has been bestowed upon him. The Covid-19 has made processes much more difficult as we are working remotely as we practice social distancing.
“Messages may take time to be heard and acted upon. However, we thank the family for doing such a splendid job in giving the late general befitting send-off. His place at the National Heroes (Acre) shall be always known and he will not be forgotten for the works he has done.”
He is survived by his wife Nomathemba Ndiweni and three children Ngqabutho, Nqobile and Nomagugu Adelide.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) has suspended without salary and allowances Registrar-General Clemence Masango who is facing charges of criminal abuse of office as a public officer after he allegedly instructed CMED to buy a double cab and six single cab pick-up trucks without Cabinet approval before using the vehicles at his farm.
The suspension will run from May 8, 2020 to August 2020 and is meant to allow Auditor General Mrs Mildred Chiri to conduct a forensic audit of the central registry.
Masango has denied any wrongdoing saying the process of buying the cars started long before he assumed duty as Registrar-General and that payments were made within 10 days of him assuming duty on September 24, 2018.
He said he found no reason to seek authority from accounting officers, as CMED was mandated to procure vehicles on behalf of the Government. Masango also denied misusing Government vehicles at his farm, saying he only acquired the land in December last year.
When contacted yesterday over the suspension, Masango declined to comment referring questions to Secretary for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Mr Aaron Nhepera.
Mr Nhepera confirmed the suspension. “That issue is handled by the PSC because of his level as a senior Government official. I only come in when I asked him to sign the letter to show that he had received it,” said Mr Nhepera.
According to a letter signed by PSC Secretary Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe, Masango was suspended to allow a forensic audit and will not be allowed to leave the country without the permission of the employer. His bail conditions included the need for him to surrender his passport to the court, so he is now under a double travel ban.
“The reasons for your suspension are that your continued attendance at work or your continued performance of duties would enable you to hinder or interfere with the investigations or evidence relating to the alleged misconduct, occasion prejudice to any moneys or property likely to be handled by you in the course of your work and also be undesirable in the public interest or likely to lead to a loss of public confidence in the Public Service.”
Masango was directed not to go to work during the period of his suspension.
“Since the nature of the allegations you are facing involve financial prejudice to the Government, you shall not be entitled to a suspension allowance during the period of suspension.”
Last week Masango was granted $10 000 bail by a magistrate court and had to handover the title deeds to his home as extra surety when he appeared for his initial remand.
Masango was arrested last week by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission after an investigation into allegations raised by one of his subordinates, chief accountant Peter Bwanya, who is himself facing a disciplinary hearing after allegedly forcing one of his subordinates to resign at gunpoint.
Former Zanu PF Secretary for Youth Affairs and Politiburo Member, Absolom Sikhosana has passed away. He was 71.
This is according to a Zanu PF linked State of the Nation Twitter post this morning.
Sikhosana was the Secretary for Youth Affairs during the late President Robert Mugabe reign. He was later replaced by Kudzanai Chipanga who later got fired after the November 2017 military coup.
By Wilbert Mukori| As of today, Friday 15 May 2020, Zimbabwe has 42 confirmed covid-19 cases, 13 have recovered, 4 deaths and 25 active cases, none of whom are in hospital. The country imposed a 3-week total nationwide lockdown 30 March 2020 with 7 confirmed cases. The lockdown was eased to level 2 and extended by 2 weeks. The 2-week end 17 May and authorities will now have to decide whether to extend the lockdown or end it. If we assume that the government has been testing aggressively as it should and it promised to then imposing a nationwide lockdown does not make any sense when the number of new cases has gone from 34 to 42 in two weeks in a country with a population of 16 million and the majority of the cases have a history of having travelled outside the country. It would make a lot of sense to restrict movement of people in those provinces with reported covid-19 and also in and out of those provinces. Those provinces which have had no reported cases should be allowed to carry on as normal. The level 2 lockdown allows most economic activity to go ahead but not the informal sector activities. It is clear that there has been no meaningful adherence to the physical distancing in the shops and people queuing to get on the buses, in the buses, etc. It is therefore unfair that vendors have been singled out when everyone else is allowed to operate violating the physical distancing rules. The vendors are generally the poorest of the poor and they have no political voice and hence are the easiest to pick upon! No one should have to face the impossible choice of starving or violate the lockdown restrictions and face the brutality of the state! If Mnangagwa is going to extend the lockdown on 17 May 2020, then government must have a demonstrative plan to make sure all those who need such basic needs as food, water and medicine are all going to get it! There is growing evidence to suggest that this government is not testing for covid-19 as aggressively as it should. Some provinces such as Midlands and Masvingo had 3 and 0 tests carried out in 15 May report and have consistently reported low tests. It is inconceivable that there have been no reported deaths with covid-19 like symptoms in these provinces. It seems Zimbabwe has not been testing aggressively to keep the covid-19 cases and deaths as low as possible. The low covid-19 figures will give the impression the country has the virus under control when in reality the virus is spreading even faster than it should otherwise. If people knew that malaria patients are in fact covid-19 patients, for example, then they will be a lot cautious than otherwise. Covid-19 is a virus just like flu and winter is flu season. Watch out! The tragedy for Zimbabwe is the country has imposed a nationwide lockdown too early and, because the lockdown was poorly planned, it failed to stop the virus spreading. By failing to test and track covid-19 cases aggressively nation has failed react and stop the virus spreading far and wide. Covid-19 has wreaked economic and humanitarian havoc the world over. Even those nations with vast economic wealth and five-star health care services have been hit hard economically and their health care services have been stretched to the limit and many people have died of the virus. 40 years of gross mismanagement and rampant corruption meant Zimbabwe was an impoverished nation whose health care had all but collapse. The country does not even have clean running water even in urban centres so people can wash their hands regularly, a basic covid-19 hygiene requirement. So, we know the country is going to be hit particularly hard. The worst case scenario projected covid-19 death toll in the developed countries is 0.1% of the population. In most developing countries the figure will be ten times that, 1%. Given Zimbabwe’s sorry economic state and Zanu PF’s continued blundering incompetence in the handling of this pandemic, the country will be very lucky to get away with 2% or 320 000 death rate!
Eighty one returnees have been discharged from the Beitbridge Quarantine Centre, which expected several busloads of more Zimbabweans repatriated late Friday and on Saturday.
Director of Social Welfare Totamirepi Tirivavi said those discharged yesterday were expected to finish their 21-day quarantine in their provinces.
Unlike earlier arrangements where repatriates finished the remainder of their quarantine at home, the government had said quarantine period will now be completed in confinement.
“Those discharged were earlier expected to finish their quarantine at home but some have not adhered to that and a decision has been reached that everyone be confined until the finish the 21-day period,” said Tirivavi.
Cabinet last week resolved all people finish the internationally recommended mandatory 21 day period during which the Coronavirus is expected to have manifested itself if any.
Earlier, the government had reduced quarantine period to eight days after anyone testing negative on rapid examination was allowed home for self-quarantine.
Tirivavi said the bulk of the busloads were from Gauteng, where Zimbabweans have expressed the desire to go home in the wake of uncertainties surrounding employment.
SA has said companies that open will be subjected to vigorous scrutiny to ensure its citizens were preferred ahead of foreigners.
Of those discharged yesterday six were children and the rest were juveniles and adults.
Twenty-eight of the 81 are from Masvingo, 32 from Matabeleland South, seven from Manicaland, five from Harare while the Midlands, Mashonaland West, and Mashonaland Central had four, three and one returnees respectively.
Meanwhile, officials at the Beitbridge quarantine centre received about 17 locals from around Beitbridge, who were deported by the South African government after they had sneaked into that country possibly for illegal activities.
The 17 were mostly juveniles from the Mapai and Dumba areas in the outskirts of the border town who eke out a living as porters for smugglers.
By Own Correspondent| MDC Alliance Secretary General Charlton Hwende has reported that personal belongings of three youth leaders including a car are still missing despite being forced forced to surrender the items at Harare Central Police station.
Posting on Twitter this morning, Hwende said;
“According to the 3 when they were arrested they were taken to the Central Police they were then asked to leave all their bags cellphones and their car and they were bundled into a black car. Police confirmed this arrest. Their car, cellphones and handbags have now vanished,” said Hwende.
Four more people, all travellers from South Africa or in official quarantine on their return to Zimbabwe, have tested positive for Covid-19 bringing the number of confirmed cases to 42.
None of the new patients appear to have been infected within Zimbabwe.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Child Care reported that four people had tested positive for Covid-19: one was from Mashonaland East and one from Harare, both being travellers from South Africa.
The other two were from a quarantine centre in Mashonaland West.
“To date we have 42 confirmed cases, 13 recoveries, four deaths and 25 active cases since the onset of the outbreak on 20 March 2020,” read the statement.
MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa has condemned the abduction of party youth leaders Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova.
The three were abducted and severely assaulted by suspected government agents.They were dumped in Bindura.
“Lawyers just informed us that Cecilia Chimbiri,Joana Mamombe and Netsai Marova victims of enforced disappearance, were dumped and found late last night.
Sadly, they are in bad shape having been subjected to torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
These rogue regime terror tactics,” Chamisa tweeted.
Three Female MDC Youth Assembly Leaders Were S*xually Abused -Chamisa
Three female MDC Alliance Youth Assembly leaders were severely tortured and sexually abused, party leader Nelson Chamisa has said
A Cyber attack has hit online sensational drama Wadiwa Wepamoyo, where their YouTube channel was hacked and all their content deleted.
The drama that touched the hearts of many Zimbabweans with its simple but relatable storyline was produced by College Central, which posted on Twitter the sad news.
College Central YouTube Channel has been hacked #YouTube #WadiwaWepaMoyo #CollegeCentral.
The hacker has taken over the account and renamed it Dave Ramsey Live.
According to some sites, accounts are taken over and renamed by the hackers to sell them quickly before they become worthless.
Last year a similar attack happened across YouTube.
The way they take over the account is fairly easy as according to Forebes.com, emails are sent to people to be targeted from the list of YouTuber influencers, luring them to a fake Google login page. This is used to harvest their Google account credentials which then give the attacker access to YouTube accounts.
To protect oneself is to have a twostep verification code, which is a process that involves two authentication methods performed one after the other to verify that someone or something requesting access is who or what they are declared to be.
By Own Correspondent| Mabvuku residents are mooting a legal intervention to coerce council to supply them with safe potable water amid lamentations over chaotic bulk water distribution that has seen residents relegated to access water in open shallow ponds near Lafarge Cement.
In a letter addressed to the City of Harare, Mabvuku residents are claiming that the chaotic and uncoordinated bulk water supplies have necessitated gender based violence and creating a fertile ground for the spread of covid 19.
The demands by the residents of Mabvuku are part of the Provision Order granted by the High Court on the 31st of March 2020 which called on for the supply of clean, potable and safe water, availability of municipal officers at water points to enforce social distancing guidelines and access to information.
Mabvuku residents are requesting the City of Harare to urgently comply to the provisions of the Interim Relief granted by the Court by doing the following; • Produce, publicise and disseminate a schedule with times and places where water will be accessed through water bowsers in Ward 19. • Ensure coordination with bulk water suppliers so that bowsers do not congregate at one place a situation that has implications on social distancing rules as residents’ rally to access water at one point. • Water bowsers should be evenly distributed across the whole Ward to ensure equitable distribution of water to all residents. • Increase quantity of water supplied through bulk water suppliers. • Take measures to equitably distribute municipal water to Mabvuku Ward 19 so as to decongest few boreholes and water bowsers supplying water. • Repair four (4) non-functional boreholes of the six boreholes that are in Ward 19 • Ensure that municipal officers “man” bulk water distribution and attend to water points to enforce social distancing rules.
The Combined Harare residents Association calls on the City of Harare to take the demands of residents seriously by complying with the High Court Order as this has serious legal implications to the local authority. CHRA also reiterate that the government must provide resources for water provision in the City.
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance Parliamentarians have described the torture and abduction of the opposition party’s youth leaders as a desperate attempt by the Illegitimate Zanu PF government to silence democratic voices.
Three MDC Alliance youth leaders Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova were abducted, tortured and dumped in Bindura by suspected state security agents.
See full statement below:
MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus Statement :
The MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus condemns the abduction, kidnapping, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment of Our Member of Parliament for Harare West Constituency Hon Joana Mamombe together with The MDC Alliance Young Assembly National Deputy Chair Cecilia Chimbiri, and MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Deputy Organiser Netsai Marova.
Enforced disappearance, and torture are crimes against humanity and unacceptable in a democratic society. They are International crimes where those that are responsible must be prosecuted and punished.
The fact that the three female activists were abducted in broad day light is a serious indictment to the Illegitimate regime of Zanu PF. The Hitler style of suppression of citizens is condemned and has no place in The 21st century politics.
Abducting and torturing Women a few days after Mother’s Day makes it more ugly and heartless.
The intention is definitely to intimidate citizens and silence the opposition voices and close down on democratic space.
The Zimbabwe Government’s intention is to destroy in totality or The MDC Alliance.
The government activities are wide spread and systematic, and the targeted group is the MDC Alliance. In Zimbabwe, the MDC Alliance is now an endangered population that risks total extinction through deliberate targeted actions of abductions and torture, arrests and persecutions, as well as targeted eliminations through intentionally designed accidents and poisoning.
The abduction and torture of citizens, including a Member of Parliament is regrettably a confirmation of the fact that Zimbabwe is moving steps backwards in democratic practices and deeper into dictatorship and authoritarianism.
SADC and AU must intervene and stop the government of Zimbabwe from continuing in this terrible path of human rights abuses.
For and on behalf of The MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus
Thabitha Khumalo( Chairperson) Leader of the House in Parliament Hon P C Mutseyami Senator Lillian Timveous Chief Whips
Aspiring Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) president and FIFA match agent Ellen Chiwenga has attained another top post at the world football governing body.
The United Kingdom-based football intermediary, who has made known of her ambitions to lead Zimbabwean football starting in 2022, has been appointed as one of the advisers in the FIFA Ethics and Regulations Watch.
“Ellen Chiwenga, hopeful Candidate for ZIFA presidency in the 2022 elections. A member of the Association of Football Agents (AFA), the International Association of Fifa Licensed Football Match Agents (FIFMA), and Women in Football (WIF),” reads her profile on the FIFA Ethics and Regulations Watch website.-Soccer 24
The Ministry reports that 4 cases tested positive for Covid-19 today.
1 (One) positive case from Mashonaland East Province and 1 from Harare, both travellers from South Africa. The other 2 are from a quarantine centre in Mashonaland West Province.
To date we have 42 confirmed cases, 13 recoveries, 4 deaths and 25 active cases since the onset of the outbreak on 20 March 2020.
The four new positive cases came out of 659 rapid and 370 PCR tests that were done on Friday in both the public and private laboratories.
Cumulatively, 14 077 Rapid and 11 401 PCR Covid-19 tests have been done to date in Zimbabwe.-Ministry Of Health and Childcare
By Simba Chikanza| The former MDC Alliance Vice President, Elias Mudzuri last night refused to comment on the plight of the three abducted MDC Alliance youth leaders saying the matter is not important. He said he would rather talk about things that ‘make us go somewhere.’
Below are excepts of the interview:
“I’m sorry let’s talk tomorrow.”
QN: it’s a life and death matter.
“What are you saying?
QN: This is a life and death matter.
“Whose life and death matter? – life and death yaani?”
QN: The three MDC Alliance activist who were abducted 2-days ago.
“I know about it and I will answer tomorrow.
“I don’t think it’s necessary, what time is it now? I know what happened, and I’m not clear with the circumstances. And I don’t think it’s the time to intervene and phone people at this hour.
“Let’s talk about things that make us go somewhere.
“Simba, I don’t want us to be fair. Let’s be fair.”
QN: Are you being fair to the electorate to the people you say you represent?
NetOne chief executive officer Lazarus Muchenje, six senior executives and former board member Paradzai Chakona were arrested yesterday by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on charges of criminal abuse of office.
ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure confirmed the arrests, but could not give details on the swoop, one of the biggest on a State-owned enterprise since the inception of the anti-graft body in 2004 and was unable to disclose the identities of the other six accused executives who are likely to appear in court today along with Muchenje and Chakona.
“I can confirm that Mr Muchenje and his alleged accomplices have been arrested. The charges relate to alleged criminal abuse of duty as public officers and the suspected violation of the Public Finance Management Act,” said Comm Makamure.
Muchenje’s lawyer, Mr Innocent Chingarande of Titan Law Chambers, said his client was facing seven counts of criminal abuse of office, with the alternative charges being fraud, and that the evidence was similar to that presented in recent disciplinary investigations.
Mr Chingarande said his client was being held at Avondale Police Station and was expected to appear in court today.
He said Chakona was facing one count of criminal abuse of office from what was presented when a warned and cautioned statement was taken.
Mr Chingarande could however, not reveal details of the allegations last night although these will be presented when the eight appear in court .
“He (Muchenje) will appear in court tomorrow as has been advised. I cannot comment on the six other executives as they are not my clients.
The charges arise from the same facts as the disciplinary hearing charges that NetOne had preferred against Mr Muchenje but with a few amendments and additions,” said Mr Chingarande.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he could not comment on the arrests and detention, referring all questions to ZACC.
Sources close to the matter said some of the arrested executives included chief technology officer Darlington Gutu, acting chief finance officer Tinashe Severa, acting head legal affairs Tanyaradzwa Chingombe and manager interconnection and roaming Tawanda Sibanda.-State media
Zimbabwe has become the “rape country” of the world and the worst zone for women…
Three female MDCA leaders were abducted by CIO, tortured and made to do horrendous things before being dumped. They have been stripped naked and violated.
The three Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri, and Netsai Marova were found along Bindura road in a bad state after being brutalized and dumped.
People feared the 3 could have been killed. Recently Zimbabwe has witnessed a surge in violence where brutalised and raped bodies of women have become an essential component of most parts of the country.
Meanwhile, these 3 survivors were taken to hospital for medical attention.
The MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus condemns the abduction, kidnapping, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment of Our Member of Parliament for Harare West Constituency Hon Joana Mamombe together with The MDC Alliance Young Assembly National Deputy Chair Cecilia Chimbiri, and MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Deputy Organiser Netsai Marova.
Enforced disappearance, and torture are crimes against humanity and unacceptable in a democratic society. They are International crimes where those that are responsible must be prosecuted and punished.
The fact that the four female activists were abducted in broad day light is a serious indictment to the Illegitimate regime of Zanu PF. The Hitler style of suppression of citizens is condemned and has no place in The 21st century politics.
Abducting and torturing Women a few days after Mother’s Day makes it more ugly and heartless.
The intention is definitely to intimidate citizens and silence the opposition voices and close down on democratic space.
The Zimbabwe Government’s intention is to destroy in totality or The MDC Alliance.
The government activities are wide spread and systematic, and the targeted group is the MDC Alliance. In Zimbabwe, the MDC Alliance is now an endangered population that risks total extinction through deliberate targeted actions of abductions and torture, arrests and persecutions, as well as targeted eliminations through intentionally designed accidents and poisoning.
The abduction and torture of citizens, including a Member of Parliament is regrettably a confirmation of the fact that Zimbabwe is moving steps backwards in democratic practices and deeper into dictatorship and authoritarianism.
The rumors that the female activists have been found near Bindura in Mashonaland Central and with visible marks of injuries of torture shows that there is serious violation of human rights in Zimbabwe. SADC and AU must intervene and stop the government of Zimbabwe from continuing in this terrible path of human rights abuses.
For and on behalf of The MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus
Thabitha Khumalo( Chairperson) Leader of the House in Parliament Hon P C Mutseyami Senator Lillian Timveous Chief Whips
Farai Dziva|The three MDC Alliance youth leaders Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova were severely assaulted and forced to eat human faeces, it has emerged.
According to Senator Lilian Timveous, the three MDC Alliance officials were “damaged beyond measure.”
Said Senator Timveous: “They were damaged beyond measure but we thank Our Almighty God, we thank Zimbabweans all over the World for exerting pressure on the regime- they are alive.
But the trauma they went through shame, I hear they are just crying continuously.
We hear they were forced to eat human faeces.They really need need critical care.”
Independent|THE European Union (EU) has ruled out prospects of providing budgetary support to the broke Zimbabwean government, citing “massive misuse” of public funds as exposed by various audits and the failure to ensure transparency and predictability…
Failure to implement substantive economic and political reforms is also a major concern to the EU. Finance minister Mthuli Ncube last month made an impassioned plea to international financial institutions for support which includes debt rescheduling or cancellation.
In his letter, which was leaked to the media, the Treasury chief painted a grim picture of the country’s economic crisis. He pointed out that the economy would contract by between 15% and 20% this year, adding that the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives globally, will spawn a national catastrophe with potentially devastating consequences for the rest of southern Africa.
In an exclusive and wide-ranging interview with the Zimbabwe Independent this week, the EU’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Timo Olkkonen, said assisting this country with budgetary support is not under consideration.
“At the moment, budget support is not on the table. Currently, we are not in the clear what is happening with government revenue and expenditure. The Auditor-General’s report shows massive misuse of public funds. That is not a fiscal environment where I would be willing to see European taxpayers’ money go,” Olkkonen said.
“The EU has been supporting the government in public financial management through the World Bank-managed ZIMREF (Zimbabwe Reconstruction Fund), but there is still much more to be done to create transparency and predictability.”
Olkkonen pointed out that Zimbabwe has been added by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to a list of countries that are risky in terms of money laundering and terrorism financing because the country has failed to fulfil certain recommendations within a set timeframe.
FATF is an inter-governmental organisation founded in 1989 as an initiative of the Group of Seven (seven of the largest economies in the world) to develop policies to combat money laundering.
According to FATF, Zimbabwe’s deficiencies include: insufficient understanding of the key money laundering and terrorist financing risks. The country is also deficient in the implementation of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing policy based on the identified risks. There are further shortcomings in the implementation of risk-based supervision of financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs).
“Lack of adequate risk mitigation measures among financial institutions and DNFBPs entailing the application of proportionate and dissuasive sanctions to breaches; shortcomings in the legal framework and mechanism to collect and maintain accurate and updated beneficial ownership information for legal persons and arrangements, and to ensure timely access by the competent authorities,” the FATF notes in its report.
“Gaps in the framework and implementation of targeted financial sanctions related to terrorist financing and proliferation financing. On this basis, Zimbabwe should be considered as a country having strategic deficiencies … under Article 9 of directive (EU) 2015/849”.
Olkkonen said the European Commission’s decision to list Zimbabwe among countries that are not serious about fighting money laundering is the EU’s way of implementing the FATF ruling.
“The FATF decision itself was taken as a consequence of a process with Zimbabwe, where the country was given a set of recommendations that were not fulfilled in the given timeframe,” Olkkonen said.
“The European Commission decision means that European banks need to exercise enhanced due diligence when processing financial transactions to and from Zimbabwe. The listing will be active from 1 October onwards, as it was deemed appropriate to delay it because of the corona pandemic.”He said Harare’s implementation of the recommendations it agreed with FATF will go a long way in having the country removed from the list.
“The EU has resources to support countries to implement the required actions and Zimbabwe could make a request for that support,” Olkkonen said.
The EU ambassador to Zimbabwe said the country does not qualify for the debt-service moratorium for developing countries because of its failure to service its debts to international financial institutions (IFIs) and bilateral creditors.
“Zimbabwe owes significant debts to several EU member states bilaterally, and member states are shareholders and represented on the boards of the IFIs, including that of the European Investment Bank. In general, the European Commission has announced its support for a debt service moratorium for developing countries struggling with the response to Covid-19,” Olkkonen said.
“A moratorium of payments would not be applicable to Zimbabwe, since the country unilaterally stopped servicing its debts to most IFIs and bilateral creditors years ago.”
He said reforms are imperative if the country is to normalise relations with IFIs.“The IMF Staff-Monitored Programme was seen as a starting point for creating macro-economic balance, and there is still a hope that serious economic reforms would pave a way towards closer engagement with IFIs, which could also be a stepping stone towards addressing the debt issue,” Olkkonen pointed out. “In addition to purely macro-economic measures, governance and addressing the leakages in the economy would be crucial.”
Farai Dziva|Controversial Masvingo based clergyman, Isaac Makomichi’ s anointed “love potion herb” has sparked raging debate in Christian circles.
Makomichi, the leader of Calvary Prayer Group and the president of Vulnerable Youth Support Network Trust distributes the “anointed love potion herb” to needy women and girls across the country for free.
A 62-year- old woman recently claimed she got married after using the herb.
However, it is the testimony of a well known sex worker with 3 children who reportedly got married to a 30- year -old rich boy- that has sparked debate in Christian circles.
The sex worker says she has been using love potion herb to attract rich boys.
Church leaders in Masvingo have expressed mixed sentiments on the love potion herb.
“I think in Christian circles we should not use the so called anointed love potion herb. I don’t see it’s relevance to a believer,” said a senior church leader.
However another church leaders said: ” I can’t rush to criticize the anointed herb.Maybe that’s the revelation the prophet got. Personally I am not against the anointed love potion herb.”
Makomichi said those willing to ask him about the herb should contact him on 0777469342.
A consignment of cocaine of about one kilogramme was allegedly confiscated by security personnel yesterday in Harare and one person has since been arrested in connection with the package.
Reports are that the consignment came through a DHL courier. Efforts to get a comment on the issue from the police were fruitless.
However, a source close to investigations confirmed that one person was arrested in connection with the consignment yesterday.
The source said apart from the cocaine suspect nabbed, six more people were also arrested in Harare on drug related offences. State Media/Herald
Farai Dziva|Controversial Masvingo based clergyman, Isaac Makomichi’ s anointed “love potion herb” has sparked raging debate in Christian circles.
Makomichi, the leader of Calvary Prayer Group and the president of Vulnerable Youth Support Network Trust distributes the “anointed love potion herb” to needy women and girls across the country for free.
A 62-year- old woman recently claimed she got married after using the herb.
However, it is the testimony of a well known sex worker with 3 children who reportedly got married to a 30- year -old rich boy- that has sparked debate in Christian circles.
The sex worker says she has been using love potion herb to attract rich boys.
Church leaders in Masvingo have expressed mixed sentiments on the love potion herb.
“I think in Christian circles we should not use the so called anointed love potion herb. I don’t see it’s relevance to a believer,” said a senior church leader.
However another church leaders said: ” I can’t rush to criticize the anointed herb.Maybe that’s the revelation the prophet got. Personally I am not against the anointed love potion herb.”
Makomichi said those willing to ask him about the herb should contact him on 0777469342.
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa has condemned the abduction of party youth leaders Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova.
The three were abducted and severely assaulted by suspected government agents.They were dumped in Bindura.
“Lawyers just informed us that Cecilia Chimbiri,Joana Mamombe and Netsai Marova victims of enforced disappearance, were dumped and found late last night.
Sadly, they are in bad shape having been subjected to torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
These rogue regime terror tactics,” Chamisa tweeted.
Three Female MDC Youth Assembly Leaders Were S*xually Abused -Chamisa
Three female MDC Alliance Youth Assembly leaders were severely tortured and sexually abused, party leader Nelson Chamisa has said
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa has condemned the abduction of party youth leaders Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova.
The three were abducted and severely assaulted by suspected government agents.They were dumped in Bindura.
“Lawyers just informed us that Cecilia Chimbiri,Joana Mamombe and Netsai Marova victims of enforced disappearance, were dumped and found late last night.
Sadly, they are in bad shape having been subjected to torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
These rogue regime terror tactics,” Chamisa tweeted.
Three Female MDC Youth Assembly Leaders Were S*xually Abused -Chamisa
Three female MDC Alliance Youth Assembly leaders were severely tortured and sexually abused, party leader Nelson Chamisa has said
#AfricanLivesMatter I cannot believe that in this day and age Members of Parliament in Zimbabwe can be abducted & tortured and the Speaker of Parliament, Human Rights Commission, Gender Commission, Ombudsman and the Head of State are dead silent? What then do you consider wrong?
— Brian Tamuka Kagoro (@TamukaKagoro77) May 15, 2020
A 90-YEAR-OLD man died after he was hit by a haulage truck while crossing the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road in Lutumba area in Beitbridge.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred on Monday at the 264 kilometre peg along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road at Lutumba Business Centre.
Chief Insp Ndebele said Titus Murindadare from Chapfuche area in Beitbridge was hit by a haulage truck which was towing two trailers and he died on the spot.
“I can confirm that we recorded a fatal road accident which occurred at Lutumba Business Centre where a 90-year-old man was hit by a truck while he was crossing the road. The driver of the truck Itayi Chiyedza was driving along the Masvingo- Beitbridge Road and when he got to the 264 kilometre peg at Lutumba Business Centre he hit Titus Murindadare who was crossing the road and he died on the spot,” said Chief Insp Ndebele.
“The matter was reported to the police who attended the scene and investigations are underway.
As police we would like to urge motorists to adhere to road regulations and adhere to speed limits. Lutumba Business Centre is a busy area that we would expect motorists to approach with caution in order to avoid such incidences. We are set to engage the Ministry of Transport to put up speed humps in that area as we have been recording a number of fatal road accidents there. Pedestrians are also urged to check both sides of the road before crossing.”
In another incident a 27-year-old woman died after a scotch cart she was travelling in hit a tree stump and overturned in Fort Rixon.
Chief Insp Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred on Sunday at around 1pm.
He said the now deceased Petronella Moyo was travelling in a donkey drawn scotch cart which was being led by Mr Godknows Gumbo.
He said one of the tyres of the scotch cart hit a tree stump and it overturned and knocked Moyo on the head in the process.
Chief Insp Ndebele said Moyo died on the spot as a result of the accident.
“As police we would like to urge members of the public to be careful when travelling in scotch carts as they can be as fatal as other vehicles,” he said.-State media
A 90-YEAR-OLD man died after he was hit by a haulage truck while crossing the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road in Lutumba area in Beitbridge.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred on Monday at the 264 kilometre peg along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road at Lutumba Business Centre.
Chief Insp Ndebele said Titus Murindadare from Chapfuche area in Beitbridge was hit by a haulage truck which was towing two trailers and he died on the spot.
“I can confirm that we recorded a fatal road accident which occurred at Lutumba Business Centre where a 90-year-old man was hit by a truck while he was crossing the road. The driver of the truck Itayi Chiyedza was driving along the Masvingo- Beitbridge Road and when he got to the 264 kilometre peg at Lutumba Business Centre he hit Titus Murindadare who was crossing the road and he died on the spot,” said Chief Insp Ndebele.
“The matter was reported to the police who attended the scene and investigations are underway.
As police we would like to urge motorists to adhere to road regulations and adhere to speed limits. Lutumba Business Centre is a busy area that we would expect motorists to approach with caution in order to avoid such incidences. We are set to engage the Ministry of Transport to put up speed humps in that area as we have been recording a number of fatal road accidents there. Pedestrians are also urged to check both sides of the road before crossing.”
In another incident a 27-year-old woman died after a scotch cart she was travelling in hit a tree stump and overturned in Fort Rixon.
Chief Insp Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred on Sunday at around 1pm.
He said the now deceased Petronella Moyo was travelling in a donkey drawn scotch cart which was being led by Mr Godknows Gumbo.
He said one of the tyres of the scotch cart hit a tree stump and it overturned and knocked Moyo on the head in the process.
Chief Insp Ndebele said Moyo died on the spot as a result of the accident.
“As police we would like to urge members of the public to be careful when travelling in scotch carts as they can be as fatal as other vehicles,” he said.-State media
@edmnangagwa you have been involved in every abduction, forced disappearance, torture & political murders in Zim since 1980. You must account for the perpetrators of the sexual torture of MP @JoanaMamombe & the two MDC activists or you resign before you're ousted!#ZanupfMustGo
By A Correspondent- A political commentator has called on First lady Auxilia Mnangagwa to speak out against the abduction and torture of MDC Alliance female youth leaders at the hands of suspected state security agents.
The trio, were arrested at a roadblock and taken into police custody before they were handed over to unidentified assailants who tortured and sexually assaulted them before dumping them in Bindura.
@DMwonzora@MKomichi say there's Rule of Law in Zimbabwe as well as believe in the judgements of the state captured judiciary. They are all very quiet and have not spoken out against these gross human rights violations against 3 MDC Alliance politicians #shameful
By A Correspondent- Vice president Lynette Kore has implored women to rise up and demand the safety and security of women following the abduction and torture of MDC Alliance youth leaders.
Said Kore:
“The Constitution allows us to say enough is enough. Peaceful demonstrations are guaranteed in the Constitution… Right now they are looking for our youth leader Obey Sithole and they have in the past taken Itai Dzamara and where is he now…We must say enough is enough”
State Media|A BULAWAYO family suffered double trauma when Falakhe Funeral Services delayed delivering the body of their relative who died in South Africa by over 20 hours before eventually giving them a wrong body for burial.
The Ncube family had expected to bury Mthokozisi Ncube (37), who died of kidney failure on May 3, as soon as they received his body. The arrangement was in line with Covid-19 regulations that repatriated bodies should all be treated as if they are contaminated.
After failing to deliver the body, parlour officials suddenly became unreachable on their phones.
The family was frantic with worry and endured a sleepless night where they imagined all scenarios that could have caused the funeral parlour to disappear without notice. Yesterday morning the parlour called the family to collect the body and grief-stricken members said they suffered a “cruel blow” when they were shown the body of an “old man” who was a stranger to them.
The family paid Falakhe Funeral Parlour about R11 000 to bring the body into the country for burial.
Pouring out the family’s harrowing ordeal to Chronicle yesterday at Athlone Cemetery where Ncube was eventually buried after the mix-up was cleared, family spokesperson Mr Mfaniselwa Mpofu said the parlour had exposed them to unimaginable distress.
“We spent the whole of yesterday (Wednesday) waiting for my nephew’s body as we were told he would arrive by 11AM. We waited but his body didn’t arrive as expected and upon inquiring, officials at Falakhe told us there were delays at the border,” he said.
“They promised us that the body would be in Bulawayo by 3PM which also did not happen. We tried reaching the parlour after 3PM and they went silent on us, their phones were not going through. We spent a sleepless night without any communication,” said the disgruntled Mr Mpofu.
According to Mr Mpofu, the body arrived during the wee hours of yesterday morning and the family was only contacted around 8AM.
“We went to Falakhe and we were shown a coffin which was supposedly carrying Mthoko’s body. Our daughter-in-law back in South Africa had sent us pictures of the coffin and the one we were shown looked different. This prompted us to ask to at least see his face before proceeding to bury him,” he added.
Mr Mpofu said Falakhe officials were rude and refused to open the coffin claiming that it was sealed and could not be opened for any reason.
“We had accepted that due to Covid-19 we could not conduct a body viewing service but at least one of us had to ensure it was indeed Mthoko before we could bury him.
“After a struggle, they opened the coffin and we immediately thought something was amiss because the face of the body was covered with a piece of cloth.
When it was removed, we saw an old man that we had never seen before.” said Mr Mpofu.
He said emotions of family members that had been overstretched reached boiling point.
Mr Mpofu said there was an exchange of harsh words between the family and Falakhe officials who claimed there could have been a mix up as they had brought two corpses from South Africa at the same time.
They claimed the body the family had seen was in transit to Kezi in Matabeleland South.
“About three hours later, they told us they had Mthoko’s body. That is when we did paper work and proceeded to Athlone where he is now being buried,” he said.
Mr Mpofu said the family was still traumatised and disappointed in Falakhe. “Falakhe is one of the oldest funeral parlours we have and we expected better from them. We hope that one day we will heal from the trauma they brought upon the family which was worsened by the fact that Mthoko’s wife and son could not attend his burial due to Covid-19 conditions.”
Contacted for comment, an official from Falakhe Funeral Parlour, Mr Eugene Ncube, said the company had acted on Government’s directive in refusing to let the family open the coffin.
He referred this reporter to the Ministry of Health and Child Care and refused to comment on what would have happened if the Ncube family had buried the wrong body. “We dealt with the person who paid for the policy and explained to them so I do not know where these allegations are coming from. This whole issue is because the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care wrote a letter banning us from conducting body viewing programmes or even opening coffins from outside the country,” said Mr Ncube.
“This policy is affecting us as a business as families are always questioning our stance. However, these allegations are false.We told the family there were delays at the border and they cannot accuse us of anything, we are simply following instructions laid out in the letter from the Ministry.”
Dear Editor|IT was in 2000 when I had just begun my “A” level studies at Rupare High school in Bikita, Masvingo.
We were going towards the 2000 parliamentary election. Zanu-PF had just lost a constitutional referendum in February of that year.
The Movement for Democratic Change had been formed in 1999 and was to participate in the 2000 election for the first time. The wind of hope swept across the country. I saw people being as hopeful as they were during the first decade of Independence (1980-1990). I did not anticipate the violence that was to come.
As we approached the 2000 elections, I witnessed and heard of iniquitous violence which I never thought would become a long and savagery chapter of our political system.
Violence-mongering elements mounted “roadblocks” in the villages. They stopped and searched vehicles for MDC materials. Those who were found in possession of these, or anything which is red in colour, were tortured or harassed. Those who would not stop had their vehicles stoned, many times injuring the passengers. They visited teachers’ cottages and searched houses.
Many teachers went through nightmarish experiences. Schools were closed. Many of them were turned from centres of education to centres of interrogation and torture. It is conscience-wrenching to recount the horrors of June 27, 2008. It was the epitome of savagery of human against human. Entire homesteads were torched; livelihoods were destroyed or appropriated; eyes were gouged out; limbs were hacked and heads were crushed.
Villagers slept in mountain caves and along river banks. It was reminiscent of their excruciating experiences during the liberation war. I heard of heart-rending stories of old women, some in their 80s, who were flogged.
In September 2019, I visited my rural home. One day, I took a walk. I met a familiar village woman. During our conversation, she stated that she is a converted Zanu-PF supporter. Her major reason for moving from the MDC was the belief that the party’s splits and focus on personal power and aggrandisement are evidence of its lack of appreciation of the hard sacrifices which have been made by its grassroots supporters.
She said: “ZveMDC hazvina shumo. Vanogara vachingorwa nekuparadzana gore negore. Havana futi kana chavanoitira vanhu. Vanomboziva here kuti vanhu vanovasapota vasangana nezvakawanda. Tarira kuurawa kwakaitwa vana Richard Chatunga na Richard Maposa. Umwe wakaururwa nemuururo waiswa mumoto. Umwe wakatemwa musoro. Mapurisa haana kana kupindira” (MDC is always splitting year afteryear.Plustheyhavenotdoneanything for the people. Do they even appreciate what their supporters have gone through over the years because of their allegiance? Just look at how people like Richard Chatunga and Richard Maposa were killed. One was burnt while the other’s head was bashed in. The police did nothing).
The other day, I was seating under the mutondo tree with my mother when another woman from the village came. We talked about many issues, including politics. She told me that if I want to join politics, I should not follow the path of Jacob Ngarivhume, who is in the opposition. She enjoined me to join Zanu-PF.
She said that in the village and surrounding areas, only Zanu-PF supporters get food aid. “Dhongi rinomwa padhongi, mombe pamombe. Munhu ungasapota MDC inechii. Zanu-PF ndiyo inebhegi. Izvezvi isu hatichemi chikafu. Vhunza mai vako. VeMDC vachafa nenzara gore rino, vachadya masilogani iwayo,” she said, with a strong sense of conviction and contentment.
This conversation was interrupted when a young man from the village arrived. He is an MDC supporter. He wanted to harvest some grass to feed his domestic rabbits. After harvesting the grass, he came and sat with me. I asked him how life was going. He said that “these old women are letting us own by voting Zanu-PF”. He told me a long story of what he lost because of supporting the MDC.
I asked him why he continues to support the MDC. He said: “I cannot renounce my support for the MDC because I want food aid. All I want is a good economy. In a functioning economy, I can raise my own income and buy food for myself. I want what is good for us all, not for me alone. Right now, my family cannot get food assistance. It is tough but ok, we will have to work hard to put food on the table. That is why I have this project of domestic rabbits”.
These are the stories of many MDC supporters across the country. For the past 20 years, they have sacrificed, even the last drop of their blood, for what they believe is a long fight for the common good. Let me now turn to the story of MDC leadership.
It is incontestable that the leadership has fought against enormous odds, but there are also many areas of concern. In 2005, the party encountered a split because of controversy over whether to participate in the senatorial elections of that year.
The splinter group formed MDC-M, which was led by Arthur Mutambara and Welshman Ncube. Job Sikhala formed MDC-99. The MDC witnessed another split after the 2013 elections. Tendi Biti formed the People’s Democratic Party and Elton Mangoma formed his own party. In 2018, it split. Thokozani Khupe limped away, but claimed leadership of MDC-T. Chamisa morphed the party into the MDC-Alliance. On March 31, 2020, the Supreme Court ruled, quite expectedly but strangely, that Khupe is the legitimate leader of the MDC.
The MDC’s narrative is that these splits are caused by infiltration by Zanu-PF. The brutal truth is that this is a convenient and scapegoating narrative. It is the MDC itself which creates a fertile ground for infiltration.
To be blunt, the root cause is greed. When Biti left the MDC in 2013, he vociferously argued that the party had been “hijacked” by a “fascist clique” which uses violence, abuse of power, ethnicity, and informal methods to run party structures and stifle internal democracy.
In 2016, I interviewed a number of MDC leaders and supporters as part of my PhD studies. The general sense was that the splits are caused by personal egos, top-down decision-making processes, the rewarding of hero-worshiping, the repression of critical thinking, loss of moral compass, corruption, greed, internal violence, and the creation of parallel structures.
It is not only about fights and splits. During the Government of National Unity, the party’s representatives focussed on feathering their own nests. Municipal authorities under its leadership have been characterised by corruption. Its parliamentarians have demanded “obscene” perks and benefits. Its lawyer-politicians have defended former Zanu-PF politicians in the courts.
In 2017, it participated in the events which led to the removal of Mugabe by mobilising its supporters to march on November 18; by expressing the eagerness to participate in the impeachment process and by attending the inauguration of Emmerson Mnangagwa. It was evident that the MDC’s major ask was the formation a coalition government.
When this failed, its emissaries advocated for the retention of sanctions before the US Committee on Foreign Relations. On August 1 2018, six demonstrators were shot and killed and more were injured. Chamisa stated that the demonstrators were “stupid, very stupid” because the results had not been announced. On the delivery front, the MDC has merely promised a “new Zimbabwe”, without much tangible delivery. It is now 20 years, but there are no “pockets of delivery” which demonstrate its willingness and capability to deliver a “new Zimbabwe”.
Impoverished MDC supporters are willing to sacrifice their wellbeing and even lives, for what they believe is a long struggle for the common good. But alas, this is not the case with MDC leaders. Where and when their power ambitions hit a rock, they are ready, not only to walk away, but to turn back and wage war against the MDC, even if it means working with Zanu-PF. It leaves one wondering whether they have been fighting for the democratic cause.
MDC leaders should not be judged on account of how long they have been in the party, but of what they can do to pursue and retain power, or when they are frustrated, especially in respect of their power ambitions. Using this barometer, despite its shortcomings, it is arguable that the majority of MDC leaders are not in the struggle in order to seek the common good. They do not appreciate the depth and breadth of sacrifices and suffering which the party’s supporters have gone through for the past 20 years. This is a sheer pity, and my heart goes to these Wananchi.
We should never again make the historical mistake of believing the myth that those who lead the struggle are the most important cadres of the struggle. Whether historical, present or future, the greatest custodians and cadres of any struggle are the people themselves. It is common to see MDC leaders sharing pictures of themselves, especially where and when they were victims of brutality. They use this to push the narrative that they have suffered in the struggle for democratic change. Sure? Do you want us to show you the pictures of grisly remains of ordinary people who were murdered, whose limbs were hacked and eyes gouged out, of villagers whose entire homes and livelihoods were torched to ashes, of children whose parents or guardians were murdered? None of the crop of MDC leaders, past and present, suffered as much as the ordinary people did.
To be fair, after 20 years, one would expect MDC supporters to ask whether it is worth the fight, pain and loses, when the party’s leaders are largely fixated on feathering their own nests. MDC leaders should be made accountable, they cannot be immune to criticism, and they cannot hide behind the bogus smoke screen of infiltration. But sure, this is not the MDC’s struggle. Let me divert and conclude with the following quotations, whatever their import:
“Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them.” (Assata Shakur).
“Dictators and authoritarian regimes are not easily removed from office through democratic means.” (John Makumbe).
——— Tofa holds a PhD in Political Studies from the University of Johannesburg and a PhD in Peace Studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He writes in his own capacity. Feedback: [email protected]
State Media|Chitungwiza Municipality has reinstated the sister-in-charge of St Mary’s clinic whom it had suspended, after her subordinates went on strike over council’s failure to provide them with personal protective equipment and covid19 lockdown allowances.
While nurses from all the four council-run clinics had gone on strike over the same concerns, only the sister-in-charge Sr Shingirai Tsvangirai was suspended causing an uproar among her subordinates who felt she was being persecuted.
She was under suspension without salary and benefits.
In a twist of events, The Herald on Thursday was tipped that council had reversed its decision and it got hold of a letter confirming the latest position.
The letter was referenced ‘Notice of withdrawal of suspension with loss of salary and benefits and confirmation of your immediate reinstatement without loss of salary and benefits.’
State Media|THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has introduced new $10 and $20 bank notes and reviewed upwards weekly withdrawal limit to $1000 from $300.
In a statement today RBZ Governor, Dr John Mangudya, said the $10 notes will be in circulation by Tuesday next week with $20 notes set to be injected into the market early next month.
“The RBZ wishes to advise the public that the $10 and $20 dollar bank notes issued on 14 May 2020 through Statutory Instrument 103A of 2020 will come into circulation as follows:
-the $10 bank notes will commence circulation on Tuesday, 19 May 2020, the $20 bank notes will be in circulation by the first week of June 2020,” said Dr Mangudya.
“The features of the said banknotes will be publicised prior to circulation.”
The Apex Bank has also announced the upward review of withdrawal limits, a move likely to excite depositors.
“The Bank also advises that it has revised withdrawal limits upwards from $300 per week to $1000 per week with effect from 19 May 2020,” said Dr Mangudya.
He said banks have since been directed to ensure that the withdrawal limits were strictly observed. On the back of illicit cash deals and illegal money transfers, the Governor warned that decisive measures will be taken against those found on the wrong side of the law.
MUTARE – Esau Mupfumi is the only Zanu PF politician to ever be voted into parliament for an entirely urban constituency in Mutare since 2000.
And he is hoping to have a second bite of the cherry.
The recalling of Dangamvura-Chikanga legislator and MDC Alliance chief whip Prosper Mutseyami is offering the businessman-cum-politician another opportunity to contest his former seat.
“This is a chance for people to reflect on their experiences with me as MP before the 2018 election and what they had over the past two years.
“I hope they will be a bit more objective about their political choices if a by-election is called for,” Mupfumi said.
The former Dangamvura-Chikanga lawmaker has been a hard worker before, during and after his 2015 electoral victory.
During his tenure he even at one point moved to charm his often-distrustful constituency with an impassioned plea for forgiveness for unfulfilled promises.
Mupfumi who has expended thousands of dollars in cultivating the urban constituency knows that the odds are against his party in an urban electoral contest against the opposition MDC.
In 2015 victory was handed to him on a silver platter when the MDC-T recalled Arnold Tsunga for allegedly crossing the floor to MDC Renewal before boycotting the polls.
The seat is an opposition stronghold which Zanu PF last won before MDC came into the fray back in the 2000 parliamentary election.
Despite his 2018 electoral loss, Mupfumi has continued to actively engage the constituency by continuing to support its urban poor after he was designated the shadow-MP by his party.
He has not let up on providing water to areas without council water connections and providing his buses for funeral assistance.
“I also availed buses at half the price when commuter omnibus operators were taking advantage of transport shortage to reap-off commuters before government introduced Zupco buses,” he said.
In fact, the Zupco model was inspired by his intervention, Mupfumi opines. “The Zupco model was inspired by what we had begun to do in Mutare.”
The Zanu PF central committee member said he has developed a special bond with the locals who gave him over 10 thousand votes in the populous constituency with nearly 60 thousand registered voters.
“Despite everything that has happened in my political career I have an attachment to this constituency,” he said.
But all the good work do not always count for much for a Zanu PF politician in an urban setting.
Former Zanu PF Secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo during his 2015 election campaign even once expressed sympathy for the top businessman’s vulnerability to being fleeced by both party fellows and locals only to be dumped at the polls.
Mupfumi has previously committed resources to the city and like his late friend and fellow business mogul Shadreck Beta has often been taken for a ride by local residents who in spite of benefitting from their generosity have enjoyed dumping them on election day.
Chombo even likened Mupfumi’s situation to the late Bulawayo politician Sikhanyiso Ndlovu who he said always lost regardless of supplying Mpopoma residents truckloads of maize during their time of need, opening 12 butcheries across the constituency and dedicating a fleet of commuter omnibuses as well as funding many cooperatives.
Mupfumi is hopeful that his hard work and charm offensive will help him gain the trust of locals and secure him an electoral victory in the 2018 watershed election.
But he can only wish that years of service and hundreds of thousands of personal resources expended in philanthropic work in the constituency will be rewarded.
“I know they don’t trust my party,” Mupfumi said. “I hope they just give me the seat so that l can finish off this term as a show of gratitude.”
Country’s confirmed cases at 12 739, with 5676 recoveries
The total number of Covid-19 deaths in South Africa now stands at 238, with Health Minister Zweli Mkhize reporting 19 further fatalities on Thursday.
This represents the biggest single day increase in coronavirus-related deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country.
The Western Cape accounts for over half of these deaths, at 129, while the Eastern Cape has seen a spike in deaths, which now stands at 31. It has more Covid-19 deaths than Gauteng, which stands at 24. KwaZulu-Natal still has the third highest number of deaths, at 44.
Mkhize noted in a brief statement that, as of Thursday, the total number of confirmed cases in South Africa is 12 739. The country’s active Covid-19 cases stands at 7063, with the minister reporting 5676 recoveries.
He added that 16 666 new Covid-19 tests had been done over a 24-hour cycle, taking the total number of tests in the country beyond the 403 000 mark.
Source: National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)/ Department of Health
During his latest address to the nation on Wednesday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that more than nine million people had also been screened as part of the country’s health response to the pandemic.
In addition to a significant increase in testing and screening capacity, he said that government has been able to acquire 25 000 more beds for quarantine as well as more quantities of personal protective equipment and medical equipment.
Ramaphosa noted that this represented the “largest and most extensive public health mobilisation in the history of our country”.
“By delaying the spread of the disease, we have been able to strengthen the capacity of our health system and to put in place wide-ranging public health programmes to better manage the inevitable increase in infections,” he said.
