A 27-YEAR-OLD Bindura man was fined $2 000 for impersonating a soldier and controlling mealie-meal queues in Bindura.
Tichaona Maforo of Chipadze, Bindura, was fined $2 000 by magistrate Tinashe Ndokera and failure to pay will earn him 40 days behind bars.
Prosecutor Thembinkosi Mananga told the court that on April 13, Maforo, who was in civilian clothes, joined members of the Zimbabwe National Army in controlling a mealie-meal queue while pretending to be a soldier.
On April 21, the convict called the soldiers enquiring about their whereabouts and was told, he followed them and started controlling a queue. One of the soldiers Isaac Ngwana (24) quizzed Maforo about his credentials, leading to his arrest.
Meanwhile, a primary school teacher was sentenced to two months in prison by Bindura magistrate Moreblessing Makati yesterday for defying the lockdown order.
Prudence Ruwizhi (29) who teaches at Bungu Primary School was, however, ordered to pay $600 fine.
Prosecutor Vincent Marunya told the court that on April 26, police officers stopped the convict who was driving a VW vehicle and he failed to produce a clearance letter, leading to his arrest.
“We need Madagascar Covid Organics in South Africa now” South Africans beg Cyril Ramaphosa
Barely a week after the official the launch of cure for Covid19 by the government of Madagascar, South Africans are asking the government to as a matter of urgency request for the Covid Organics Syrup from Madagascar amidst rising cases
of covid-19 infections in the country.
It was reported that Madagascar president Andry Rajoelina approved and launched the use of as a cure for Covid19 after some people were healed after taking the medicine.
The medicine also has the capability to prevent the virus from finding its way into human bodies.
Senegal, Dr Congo, Guinea Bissau and Cameroon were among the first countries to express interest in placing order for the drugs.
Apparently, South Africans does not want to be left out as they pleads for president Cyril Ramaphosa to make move.
See their reactions.
“What is South Africa waiting for with so many cases already? Good job Senegal, African countries should follow in supporting this initiative.”
“South Africa will wait for Americans or Chinese or British to discover the vaccine otherwise they won’t help grow Madagascar by ordering African herb to heal Africans.
A TOTAL of 14 774 people were arrested countrywide for violating Covid-19 orders since the beginning of the lockdown period on March 31.
Statistics obtained from the Police General Headquarters show that Bulawayo still tops the numbers with 3 578 people arrested so far, followed by Manicaland Province at 2 990 arrests.
Harare comes third in arrests at 1 866 while 1 589 people have been arrested so far in Midlands Province. In Mashonaland West Province, 1 321 people were arrested while 487 were arrested in in Mashonaland Central.
Matabeleland South has so far recorded 1 035 arrests while Matabeleland North province has 667. In Mashonaland East Province, 529 people have been arrested while the support unit separately arrested 107 people countrywide.
In a telephone interview, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police were concerned with continued violation of lockdown orders and the increasing number of pirate taxis, popularly known as mushikashika, illegally transporting commuters during this period.
“We continue to make arrests and Bulawayo still tops the statistics chart in terms of arrests of violators, with Manicaland Province following closely. We are now also worried by the number of pirating taxis that are operating during the lockdown and we warn offenders that they will be arrested. We also have a problem of people roaming aimlessly in residential suburbs after 6pm and we also warn them strongly that they will be arrested under section 4 of S.I 83 of 2020,” said Assistant Commissioner Nyathi.
In Bulawayo 25 members of the group of 48 Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide Revelation group that was arrested on Sunday while holding a church service in Tshabalala suburb have since paid $500 fines while the rest of the church members were released to look for the money as police considered that keeping them in cells would put them at risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said the congregants were given up to today to get the money.
Inspector Ncube said more than 800 vehicles had been impounded in the city, with 285 of them impounded under the Joint operation between Police, the Bulawayo City Council and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).
“BCC is checking parking tickets and other fines, while Zimra is checking if they were imported via the proper channels into the country and police are checking through VTS if these cars have not been reported as stolen. More than 800 have so far been impounded although some have been released as their owners would have paid outstanding fines and fees,” said Inspector Ncube.
Villagers from Mhondoro Mubaira reportedly fled from their homesteads as COVID-19 response teams approached their homes, to try and take samples from them as they might have been in contact with Mbuya Nguni who succumbed to the disease last week, journalist Brezh Malaba claims.
Malaba’s tweeted:
Covid-19 arrives in rural Zimbabwe.The invisible enemy has disrupted life in the idyllic villages of Mhondoro-Mubaira. Response teams were deployed on Sunday & again 2day. It’s a public health emergency,a huge task.More than 300 villagers had to be tested without delay
The rural setting is affected by several factors:a relatively high number of elderly folk; lack of health facilities; illiteracy; water & sanitation challenges. More importantly, the same sense of communal amity which unites villagers can suddenly become their greatest weakness.
Samples have been collected in these 2 days & the results are expected in 3 days.But there are more challenges ahead:nobody is explaining to me what will be done about those 2 clinics & Chegutu Hospital where the part-time nurse who tested positive continued reporting for duty.
Covid-19 arrives in rural Zimbabwe. There were moments of pandemonium in rural Mhondoro-Mubaira yesterday & today when panic-stricken villagers sprinted off as soon as the response teams approached their homesteads. Awareness campaigns are needed in rural communities.
New Zealand has recorded a major Victory in the fight against the global pandemic coronavirus. The Pacific nation appears to be the first Western nation to win the battle against the global contagion Coronavirus following an elimination strategy adopted by the country in mid – March.
Speaking to reporters, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that her country has successfully put an end to ” widespread, undetected community transmission ” of Coronavirus. As the country look forward to easing the harsh restriction measures used to contain and eventually “eliminate” the global pandemic coronavirus. In the words of Mrs. Ardern :
“There is no widespread, undetected community transmission in New Zealand. We have won that battle. But we must remain vigilant if we are to keep it that way.” The Prime Minister said, sounding a warning note to make sure that the country does not fall into a second outbreak of the pandemic.
Indeed, New Zealand has proven to the rest of the world that “Hard Way is the only way” in defeating the global pandemic coronavirus. In mid – match New Zealand adopted a strict restriction rules that aimed at total elimination of COVID-19 from the country. During this period, basically all the businesses in New Zealand were completely closed as well as schools; and the people were strictly kept indoors except when it’s necessary to probably go out to purchase what to eat at the supermarkets.
Speaking about easing of the restrictions, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that the country would do so very carefully to make sure everything goes well as planned.
“We are opening up the economy but we are not opening up people’s social lives.” She said.
The first case of Coronavirus in New Zealand was reported on 28th February, 2020 and as at 27th April, 2020, the country has a total of 1,469 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 19 deaths.
The drama in the Thokozani Khupe MDC-T is setting up for boiling point as the sham extraordinary congresses ordered by the Supreme Court nears.
After Douglas Mwonzora declared his interest to challenge Khupe, the controversial Morgen Komichi has also submitted his interest to contest the presidency.
A campaign poster of his has also emerged in the social media declaring his interest.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has announced that Zimbabwe’s coronavirus cases have risen to 32 after a Harare man tested positive for the virus.
We present the Ministry’s statement in full below.
To date, more than3 million confirmed cases and more than 200 000 deaths have been reported globally.
The Ministry would like to report that today (27 April 2020), a total of 439 tests were done as shown in the table below, giving a total of 6834 screening and diagnostic tests to date. Of the PCR tests done in Harare today, one was positive for COVID-19. All PCR tests done in Bulawayo today were negative for COVID-19.
Mat South – 165
Mat North – 30
Harare – 204
Bulawayo – 38
Midlands – 2
Therefore, to date, Zimbabwe now has thirty-two confirmed cases including five recoveries and four deaths as detailed table 2 below.
Mat North – 1 Case – 1 Recovery – 0 Deaths
Harare – 14 Cases – 0 Recoveries – 2 Deaths
Bulawayo – 10 Cases – 0 Recoveries – 1 Deaths
Mashonaland East – 4 Cases – 4 Recoveries -0 Deaths
More details on the latest case to be given in tomorrow’s update.
The Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-19 pandemic and would like to remind the nation that the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to practice good personal hygiene and exercise social distancing.
A gang of robbers, fed with information by an inside accomplice, robbed a Harare businessman of US$59 000, by pretending to be police officers enforcing lockdown regulations and then two of them squandered the money on Mercedes Benz vehicles, leaving the informer out.
Simba Kanyepi (24), an illegal foreign currency dealer who works for and stays with the victim, allegedly connived with Hemish Chagadama (32) and Shingai Mazviwanza (29) to rob Mr Luke Kwezera of his money, with Kanyepi keeping the robbery gang posted on Mr Kwezera’s movements with money.
The three appeared in court yesterday before magistrate Mr Richard Ramaboa charged with robbery. They were freed on $5 000 bail each and ordered to report to the police daily pending their next court appearance on May 27.
Representing the State, Messrs Hatizivo Chatikobo and Norman Karopi alleged that the three had planned to rob Mr Kwezera as soon as they knew he would be carrying a large sum away from home.
On April 24, he decided to go to a car sales in Newlands to see a client who wanted a lot of cash in United States dollars.
So at noon, Kanyepi, who was in the same car as Mr Kwezera, texted Chagadama and Mazviwanza telling them that his boss was carrying US$59 000, where it was hidden in the car, and where they were going.
The gang members raced to the same car sale. They told Kanyepi not to continue texting them since they had spotted the two and would be following them.
After the intended money transaction had failed, Mr Kwezera passed through town on his way home.
Chagadama, Mazviwanza and others who are still at large who had been following his car suddenly blocked it at the intersection of Sam Nujoma Street and Robert Mugabe Road in the city centre.
Three of the robbers were wearing police uniform and holding batons.
They reportedly confronted Mr Kwezera demanding his permit to move around since the country was under lockdown.
Then they allegedly slapped him, took his car keys from the ignition, handcuffed him and bundled him into the back seat. They searched him and took his three cellphones, a Samsung J4, Samsung M30 and Samsung M20.
In the melee, a silver Mercedes Benz arrived with other members of the gang.
The gang grabbed the US dollars, and kept Mr Kwezera and Kanyepi who was still pretending to be a victim, in his car and said they would drive the two to Rhodesville Police Station.
Instead, these other robbers drove Mr Kwezera’s vehicle to the roundabout at the intersection of Mutare Road and Harare Drive, where they removed the handcuffs from him before dumping the two and making good their escape.
Chagadama and Mazviwanza bought vehicles with their share of the loot two days after the robbery, while Kanyepi told the police that he was still to get his share, it is alleged.
The new vehicles that the two bought are being held as exhibits, while police have information on the communication among gang members before, during and after the commission of the crime.
Facebook’s Director of Public Policy, Africa, Kojo Boakye
Facebook (www.Facebook.com) is expanding its Coronavirus Information Center to 24 more countries in Africa as part of its ongoing commitment to empowering people around the world with timely and accurate news from trusted health authorities.
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center is featured at the top of News Feed and provides a central place for people to keep informed about the Coronavirus. It includes real-time updates from national official sources, regional and global organizations such as the Africa Center for Disease Control (https://bit.ly/3cH9PN5) and the World Health Organization as well as helpful resources – articles, videos and posts – and tips about social distancing and preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Facebook users can opt-in to the Center to get notifications and see updates in their News Feed from official government, regional or global health authorities.
Facebook’s Director of Public Policy, Africa, Kojo Boakye, says: “Facebook is supporting the public health community’s work across the world to keep all communities informed during the coronavirus pandemic. We are happy to provide nearly every country in Sub-Saharan Africa with its own Information Center so people across the continent have a central place to find authoritative information around COVID-19.”
The new countries where Facebook is launching the Coronavirus Information Center are:
Botswana
Burundi
Central African Republic
Comoros
Congo
Djibouti
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini
Gambia
Guinea-Bissau
Lesotho
Madagascar
Malawi
Mozambique
Namibia
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Sierra Leone
South Sudan
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
The Coronavirus Information Center is already in place in the following sub-Sahara African countries:
By Showbiz Reporter| A red-tracksuited Harare man caught with another man’s wife has refused to reveal his identity saying he is an intelligence officer, this will put him in trouble with his bosses. VIDEO LOADING BELOW….
The man was pounced on while inside the house and told by a Mr Matenga’s wife [ the woman at the centre of the scandal] to rush into a room and hide in there.
Soon after being caught, the man was filmed as he was grilled by a large team led by the woman’s father in law. The development as ZimEye reveals, comes at a time when the husband is away on a trip.
The video footage begins right in the middle of the confrontation with the father inlaw saying: No, it”s very simple shamwari, you yourself if you leave here and go to your house in Chishawasha Hills, where you are building a house…”
The accused then quips in screaming, ” I don’t stay in Chishawasha Hills,” to which the father continues –
“Either in Chishawasha or in Zengeza Four, in Nehanda road, at No 10760, if you go there and see your wife and there is another man inside, surely you would ask questions, you are inside my house, if this is a work issue, what are you doing here? “
An elderly woman jumps in saying: Besides, it is an illegal meeting. He said it himself that it is an illegal meeting, why are you coming to hold an illegal with somebody’s wife inside their house?
The father continues saying:
“Because here in this house, this lady has got a husband, he is not here. And this morning you came picked her up, you went and came back again to be inside this house.
“Today, this is the third time, and three or four days ago, you came in with a car, ADU 8581, you came here on Tuesday or on Monday, you slept here and left at 9am the following day, so why shouldnt we ask you questions?
“We have no problem with you. Actually if you had replied us, we would have opened the gate for you to leave, and we would have let you off.”
To this, the woman, then pleads with her father in law asking if the accused man can be allowed out of the house. She says, ” is it okay if I can excuse him, because I feel like those other things don’t actually concern him because he is just purely coming here for my work?”
The father in law, however appears unperturbed, and shoots in saying: “yeah, we are a little bit baffled because this is the Matenga home, and we don’t appreciate to see a person coming here, a man, and then he rushes to hide inside one of the rooms. “
Another Matemga family man says” it still feels strange for me and hard to believe that this man he doesn’t want to give identification, to which the muroora says it’s:
“because of the nature of our work.”
But if he is caught by the police who does he say he is?
The confrontation continues with more details being revealed.
Towards the end the father in law appears as if pulling back to say:
“That’s fine shamwari, I think what we just want you to do – to realise and accept is we as The Matenga family, and where her husband comes from, we are deeply upset with your presence, and it’s probably you are not the only person who comes here . I think there is quite a few guys , if you are not Linos, then it means it is now you, Kwaramba, and there is Linos, there is Chinyani and all sorts of people who have been coming in and out, whether it is the kind of work this Amai does or not, …”
Is this your first time to be here?, a female family member asks.
No it is my second time, he answers.
When was your first time?
He then answers saying, “I think it was three weeks ago.”
So when Mr Matenga is here do you come here?, he is questioned, to which he replies saying, “I don’t even know that there is a Mr Matenga, he says.”
VIDEO LOADING BELOW
Efforts to get a comment from the accused woman’s husband were fruitless at the time of writing.
1|A staff row at the Registrar-General’s Office has sucked in the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) after chief accountant, Mr Peter Bwanya, accused Registrar-General Mr Clement Masango of embezzlement over motor vehicles while the latter denies all wrongdoing and says Mr Bwanya is putting up a smokescreen since he is fighting disciplinary action over alleged incompetence and misbehaviour.
But ZACC has since impounded two vehicles — a Ford Ranger and an Isuzu KB250 — from the Central Registry and has launched investigations into allegations of abuse of office and unprocedural procurement of vehicles by Mr Masango.
ZACC’s action followed a complaint by Mr Bwanya, who accused Mr Masango of embezzlement of funds and the disappearance of six Isuzu KB250 single cab vehicles that he said the department had procured, but were not delivered
In his letter to Secretary for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Mr Aaron Nhepera, Mr Bwanya said only five of 11 vehicles bought by the department had been delivered while mystery surrounded the whereabouts of a Toyota Land Cruiser that he said the Central Registry had bought.
However, Mr Masango has launched a scathing attack on Mr Bwanya and four officials from ZACC who impounded the vehicles.
In his response to Mr Nhepera, Mr Masango said Mr Bwanya was making the allegations to divert attention from pending disciplinary cases against him.
He accused the four ZACC officials of colluding with Mr Bwanya to embarrass him.
Mr Masango said his department bought only five vehicles out of the intended 11 after Treasury revoked the 1:1 parity between the Zimbabwe dollar to the United States dollar, while plans to procure the Land Cruiser were abandoned after the authority to buy it was rescinded.
He said there was paper trail for all the transactions and Mr Bwanya should have verified this if he was acting in good faith.
ZACC spokesperson, Commissioner John Makamure, said: “I can confirm that we are investigating that case, but cannot divulge details now.”
Contacted for comment, Mr Masango confirmed the development, but said the intervention of ZACC was “strange and unprecedented” since normally there was first an audit which would recommend a course of action.
He referred further questions to Mr Nhepera, who said he was aware of the case, but promised to comment substantively after meeting ZACC officials.
“Why don’t you wait because there is a likelihood that the involvement of ZACC was premature? I was dealing with this matter administratively and I do not know how ZACC came in. But I am going to meet them,” said Mr Nhepera.
In his letter dated February 13, Mr Bwanya said on September 14, 2018 payment of $596 037 to the Central Mechanical Equipment Department (CMED) for 11 vehicles was made, without procurement authority.
He said only five vehicles were subsequently delivered together with a Ford Ranger, whose purchase was allegedly
done at the behest of Mr Masango.
Mr Bwanya suspected that a Land Cruiser was bought despite the fact that the then Secretary for Home Affairs Mr Melusi Matshiya, had rescinded his authority.
In response, Mr Masango said the decision to buy the 11 vehicles was done well before he joined the department.
He said the department requested its bank to secure foreign currency upon realising that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) was struggling to do so due to other pressing national requirements. But before the transaction could be concluded, the intermarket rate was introduced at US$1: $2,51.
This meant the forex availed by their bank was no longer enough to buy the intended vehicles.
Said Mr Masango: “We then directed that the US$173 037,50 be used to purchase one Ford Ranger at a cost of US$78 505 instead of one Isuzu KB250 double cab stated in the initial order.
“The balance of US$95 291, including the local component, was then used to purchase five Isuzu KB250 single cab vehicles.”
He said allegations of flouting tender procedures had no substance since procurement was done through CMED, which had the requisite authority.
On the Land Cruiser vehicle, Mr Masango said no funds were used to buy it since authority had been rescinded.
He said the chief accountant had been served with warnings of incompetence and misbehaviour, which to date he had not disputed.
“What he surprisingly omitted to mention is the fact that he has also three charges of misconduct all pending against him and that your office is processing,” said Mr Masango.
On the conduct of ZACC officials, he said there was no justification to impound the two vehicles as there would be no prejudice if they had remained with the department.
“The inescapable motive on the part of these ZACC officials was obviously to cause inconvenience and embarrassment on me before staff and the public which they succeeded to do, as they seized and drove away the vehicles in full view of staff,” he said.
State Media|Politicians and senior Government officials bullying health officials to release their friends and relatives held in Covid-19 quarantine will be arrested, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has warned.
The commission is investigating reports of prominent people accused of facilitating the release of those being held in quarantine before being cleared by Covid-19 tests and undergoing the minimum quarantine in a designated centre.
The authorities have already shortened quarantine in centres so long as they can trust those who must be isolated will keep promises to stay at home, but even here they insist on a negative test before they allow home-quarantine for the rest of the 21 days.
ZACC chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo said using political muscle to release relatives and friends from quarantine was tantamount to corruption and those found on the wrong side of the law would be arrested.
“We strongly warn politicians, ministers and other Government officials against abusing their powers to remove people from quarantine in this Covid-19 era.
“As ZACC, we will not hesitate to arrest those who commit such a serious offence. That should never be done and we will arrest them without fear or favour,” said Justice Matanda-Moyo.
She said such public figures would be breaching the trust bestowed on them as leaders in communities.
“We expect those people to be protectors of the masses. This becomes serious in the sense that we haven’t yet found a cure for the pandemic and people are dying worldwide,” she said.
Meanwhile, Justice Matanda-Moyo said investigations were underway to establish the circumstances under which a person in Covid-19 quarantine who was reported to be a relative to a minister was released from quarantine.
“We gathered information that the person was corruptly released from quarantine after some intervention by a relative who is a minister. We are investigating the case and if anyone is found on the wrong side of the law, he or she will be prosecuted. Whose relatives should be quarantined? Does that mean patients related to ministers or other high-ranking officials cannot spread the virus?” said Justice Matanda-Moyo.
Her office wrote at the end of last week to the Ministry of Health and Child Care to get more details on the case but the Permanent Secretary Dr Agnes Mahomva was yet to respond.
Veteran ZBC Radio disc jockey, Peter John’s has died.
He died in the United Kingdom on Monday evening.
Peter Johns, who was affectionately known by such sobriquets as “PJ Your DJ” or “The Radio Driver”, hosted the Midday Jam on Radio 3 (now Power FM) in Zimbabwe.
He left the station in 2002.
He was now based in the United Kingdom at the time of his death where he continued as club DJ, internet radio broadcaster and host at many functions, especially those involving Zimbabweans in the diaspora.
Peter’s health had been failing. According to Mark, his eldest son: “Peter was in a South London hospital after succumbing to three strokes and a heart attack.
This was not the first time Peter was hospitalised. In 2010 he suffered a mild cardiac arrest and was operated on.
Peter Johns spent over 20 memorable years on the club scene and as a radio DJ. In that time, Peter established himself as a popular radio DJ with programmes like Weekend Love and Mellow Madness. PJ, as he was also affectionately known, honed his studio skills in Zimbabwe and eventually gained notice from top touring jockeys, relocating to the UK in 2002 where he pursued studies in Digital Radio Broadcasting and Packaging.
Starting out as a club DJ in 1980, at the age of 20, PJ played at Scamps, a night-club in Harare owned by DJ Tim Breen and Zac Almeida. His initial guest appearance resulted in him gaining a Friday and Saturday night residency at Scamps almost immediately. Soon, his energetic remixes and sharp original productions found themselves in sets and over time, his mixed tapes and club nights, solidified his status as one of Zimbabwe’s best DJs. He was very passionate about his career as a DJ and took a professional attitude to it.
PJ’s mobile disco business ran parallel with his residency at various clubs, guest appearances at concerts, and promotions with international artistes. In 1981, after the launch of Radio 3, which started with a 19 hour broadcast time and eventually moved to become a 24 hour station, John Matinde, then manager responsible for recruitment at ZBC, gave PJ his first break into radio. He offered him a part-time slot every Sunday evening.
Through PJ’s connections in the UK and US and his continued thirst for up-to-date knowledge of musicians and their music, the dynamic DJ was exposed to newly emerging trends in music from the UK and US, rocking local radio. This enabled him to update and build on his ever-growing collection of music. Every week, he would receive at least 10 vinyl albums from either the United States or from the United Kingdom through his contacts based in these countries. Needless to mention that it cost him a lot of money. Incorporating international music with local jams proved to be a great recipe, boosting his radio shows and leading to an increase in shows he hosted on air. These included Monday Mellow Madness, which he continues to host on the internet, the UK top 40, hit-pick and others.
PJ is credited with interviewing the bad boy of Ragga music, Shaba Ranks, during his visit to Zimbabwe in the 1990s. He has interviewed several other celebrities, including Maxi Priest, King Sounds and Jimmy Cliff. The introduction of satellite television brought another great break for PJ — TV broadcasting.
Sponsored shows, such as Coca Cola on the Beat, gave him a marvelous break. His star was to continue shining until circumstances changed. Peter often talked about the experience he had one New Year’s eve as he recalled the good times he had in Zimbabwe. PJ played for a private party aboard a train across the Victoria Falls gorge in 1999.
“The highlight was of course the countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve when the train stopped on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. What a way to see the new millennium!” he said.
In 2002, through restructuring by the then Information minister Jonathan Moyo and a change of policies at state radio, PJ was left with no choice, but to leave the radio station he had served for a great many years, albeit with bitter-sweet memories. “The bulk being sweet,” as he put it.
Peter Johns’s contemporaries on Zimbawe’s Radio 3 throughout the 1980s and 1990s included Admire Taderera, Josh Makawa, Wellington Mbofana, Comfort Mbofana, Fungai “The Voice” Marange, Musi Khumalo, Kudzi “Mr Cool” Marudza, Witness Matema, Hosea “The Hitman” Singende, Busi Mhlanga-Chindove, Eunice Goto, Caleb Tondhlana, Elvis Chimene, Sophie Chamboko, Norah Chipaumire, Simon Parkinson, Jerry Jackson, Patrick Bajila, Alison Chavunduka, Tich Mataz, Kelvin Sifelani, Joe “Muzukuru” Hussein, George Munetsi, Hilton “Dr Bob” Mambo, John Matinde, Mike Mhundwa and Dennis Wilson.
Additional reporting by: Fred Zindi Writing For The Standard.
A TOTAL of 14 774 people were arrested countrywide for violating Covid-19 orders since the beginning of the lockdown period on March 31.
Statistics obtained from the Police General Headquarters show that Bulawayo still tops the numbers with 3 578 people arrested so far, followed by Manicaland Province at 2 990 arrests.
Harare comes third in arrests at 1 866 while 1 589 people have been arrested so far in Midlands Province.
In Mashonaland West Province, 1 321 people were arrested while 487 were arrested in in Mashonaland Central.
Matabeleland South has so far recorded 1 035 arrests while Matabeleland North province has 667.
In Mashonaland East Province, 529 people have been arrested while the support unit separately arrested 107 people countrywide.
In a telephone interview, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police were concerned with continued violation of lockdown orders and the increasing number of pirate taxis, popularly known as mushikashika, illegally transporting commuters during this period.
“We continue to make arrests and Bulawayo still tops the statistics chart in terms of arrests of violators, with Manicaland Province following closely.
We are now also worried by the number of pirating taxis that are operating during the lockdown and we warn offenders that they will be arrested.
We also have a problem of people roaming aimlessly in residential suburbs after 6pm and we also warn them strongly that they will be arrested under section 4 of S.I 83 of 2020,” said Assistant Commissioner Nyathi.
In Bulawayo 25 members of the group of 48 Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide Revelation group that was arrested on Sunday while holding a church service in Tshabalala suburb have since paid $500 fines while the rest of the church members were released to look for the money as police considered that keeping them in cells would put them at risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus.-State media
Ronaldinho says he was “totally surprised” to have been arrested and charged with using a fake passport in his first interview after being released from prison.
The former Barcelona footballer and his brother Roberto Assis were arrested in Paraguay in early March for allegedly using fake documents to enter the country. After spending 32 days in prison, judge Gustavo Amarilla decided that the duo can live in a hotel in Asuncion while they await trial on their charges.
Speaking to Paraguayan television network ABC Color from the Palmaroga hotel in the Paraguayan capital, the 40-year-old former Brazil international said they came to the country to be at the launch of an online casino.
Former Ballon D’Or winner Ronaldinho, part of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad, said the entire situation had been very hard and he was working with the police to try and resolve matters.
He said: “We were totally surprised to learn that the documents were not legal. Since then our intention has been to collaborate with the justice system to clarify the facts.
“From that moment until today, we have explained everything and facilitated everything that has been requested of us.”
Speaking of the moment he was told he was going to jail, Ronaldinho said: “It was a hard blow, I never imagined that I would go through such a situation.
All my life I have sought to reach the highest professional level and bring joy to people with my football.”-State media
Network service providers are being asked to offer free Internet access to university websites so students can access online learning material, as Government moves to enhance digital learning platforms during the Covid-19-induced national lockdown.
Government recently advised all universities to develop material for online lectures to ensure learning is not disrupted while at the same time upholding the social distancing principles as well as minimising movement and interaction between students and lecturers.
In an interview, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira said the ministry was negotiating with network service providers and pushing for free access to online learning material as well as university websites.
Prof Murwira said the ministry has already presented the proposal and now awaits response.
“Universities in the country are working on online learning and there is a lot of progress. We are now working in having zero rating for their websites. We want telecommunication companies not to charge students when they visit university websites to obtain learning material. We are now working on the modalities of that and we have written letters to that effect. We are now waiting to see how it can be concluded,” he said.
Prof Murwira said the ministry will be guided by the Government decisions on Covid-19 to decide on whether e-learning becomes full scale.
The free access to university websites will cater for underprivileged students who might not have resources to access the Internet frequently.
“The position that we have taken as a ministry is to be guided by the decisions taken by the Head of State and Government. We follow directives through the emergency rules. Our primary objective is to safeguard lives,” he said.
Midlands State University (MSU) has already complied with the directive and introduced online lectures for students through its e-learning platforms.
MSU Vice Chancellor, Professor Victor Muzvidziwa said education across the globe has taken a new trajectory and it was incumbent upon universities to embrace new learning methods and enhance access to education.
“Covid-19 is not peculiar to our country. We do not know how and when it will end. So, we need to prepare ourselves for anything.
As MSU we are fortunate that we had our electronic library where our students were accessing electronic journals and books. We have electronic resources for our students. We have to also not over-rely on brick and mortar libraries.-State media
A staff row at the Registrar-General’s Office has sucked in the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) after chief accountant, Mr Peter Bwanya, accused Registrar-General Mr Clement Masango of embezzlement over motor vehicles while the latter denies all wrongdoing and says Mr Bwanya is putting up a smokescreen since he is fighting disciplinary action over alleged incompetence and misbehaviour.
But ZACC has since impounded two vehicles — a Ford Ranger and an Isuzu KB250 — from the Central Registry and has launched investigations into allegations of abuse of office and unprocedural procurement of vehicles by Mr Masango.
ZACC’s action followed a complaint by Mr Bwanya, who accused Mr Masango of embezzlement of funds and the disappearance of six Isuzu KB250 single cab vehicles that he said the department had procured, but were not delivered
In his letter to Secretary for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Mr Aaron Nhepera, Mr Bwanya said only five of 11 vehicles bought by the department had been delivered while mystery surrounded the whereabouts of a Toyota Land Cruiser that he said the Central Registry had bought.
However, Mr Masango has launched a scathing attack on Mr Bwanya and four officials from ZACC who impounded the vehicles.
In his response to Mr Nhepera, Mr Masango said Mr Bwanya was making the allegations to divert attention from pending disciplinary cases against him. He accused the four ZACC officials of colluding with Mr Bwanya to embarrass him.
Mr Masango said his department bought only five vehicles out of the intended 11 after Treasury revoked the 1:1 parity between the Zimbabwe dollar to the United States dollar, while plans to procure the Land Cruiser were abandoned after the authority to buy it was rescinded.
He said there was paper trail for all the transactions and Mr Bwanya should have verified this if he was acting in good faith.
ZACC spokesperson, Commissioner John Makamure, said: “I can confirm that we are investigating that case, but cannot divulge details now.”
Contacted for comment, Mr Masango confirmed the development, but said the intervention of ZACC was “strange and unprecedented” since normally there was first an audit which would recommend a course of action.
He referred further questions to Mr Nhepera, who said he was aware of the case, but promised to comment substantively after meeting ZACC officials.
“Why don’t you wait because there is a likelihood that the involvement of ZACC was premature? I was dealing with this matter administratively and I do not know how ZACC came in. But I am going to meet them,” said Mr Nhepera.
In his letter dated February 13, Mr Bwanya said on September 14, 2018 payment of $596 037 to the Central Mechanical Equipment Department (CMED) for 11 vehicles was made, without procurement authority.
He said only five vehicles were subsequently delivered together with a Ford Ranger, whose purchase was allegedly
done at the behest of Mr Masango.
Mr Bwanya suspected that a Land Cruiser was bought despite the fact that the then Secretary for Home Affairs Mr Melusi Matshiya, had rescinded his authority.
In response, Mr Masango said the decision to buy the 11 vehicles was done well before he joined the department.
He said the department requested its bank to secure foreign currency upon realising that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) was struggling to do so due to other pressing national requirements. But before the transaction could be concluded, the intermarket rate was introduced at US$1: $2,51.
This meant the forex availed by their bank was no longer enough to buy the intended vehicles.
Said Mr Masango: “We then directed that the US$173 037,50 be used to purchase one Ford Ranger at a cost of US$78 505 instead of one Isuzu KB250 double cab stated in the initial order.
“The balance of US$95 291, including the local component, was then used to purchase five Isuzu KB250 single cab vehicles.”
He said allegations of flouting tender procedures had no substance since procurement was done through CMED, which had the requisite authority.
On the Land Cruiser vehicle, Mr Masango said no funds were used to buy it since authority had been rescinded.
He said the chief accountant had been served with warnings of incompetence and misbehaviour, which to date he had not disputed.
“What he surprisingly omitted to mention is the fact that he has also three charges of misconduct all pending against him and that your office is processing,” said Mr Masango.
On the conduct of ZACC officials, he said there was no justification to impound the two vehicles as there would be no prejudice if they had remained with the department.
“The inescapable motive on the part of these ZACC officials was obviously to cause inconvenience and embarrassment on me before staff and the public which they succeeded to do, as they seized and drove away the vehicles in full view of staff,” he said. – state media/herald
Farai Dziva|Movement for Democratic Change Youth Assembly National Organising Secretary, Godfrey Kurauone has said Emmerson Mnangagwa clearly violated the Zanu PF Constitution to grab power.
Citing a clause of the Zanu PF Constitution, Kurauone described Mnangagwa as an illegitimate leader of the ruling party.Kurauone is also the MDC councillor for ward 4, Masvingo Urban Constituency.
Kurauone argued :”ED is illegitimate, you dont need a lawyer to win this case in court.
The Central Committee meeting which was convened to dismiss Mugabe was unconstitutional..
The million dollar question, who presided over the Central Committee meeting?”
How does a party leader who won 45371 votes get $7,5 million under Political Parties Finance Act, through the Supreme judgement?
ZIYAMBI ZIYAMBI
Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has confirmed that the government would disburse the $7,5 million due to the MDC under the Political Parties (Finance) Act to the Thokozani Khupe led group that is temporarily in charge of the party following the recent court rulings – in a move which strengthens them significantly in the unfolding battle for the leadership of the party.
“The money has not been released because of Covid-19, but I think the claims by the Mwonzora group are correct.
“My understanding is that the Alliance is a grouping of several parties and the MDC is the bigger party in that Alliance,” he said.
In the meantime, Chamisa’s faction says it is aware of the “machinations” of its former colleagues to secure the millions due to the party.
“The law is clear, the party that would have deployed MPs in Parliament are entitled to the funding. As things stand now, there are only two parties that are entitled to that funding, that is the MDC Alliance and Zanu-PF.
“Any action outside this by whoever in government or otherwise would be unlawful,” MDC deputy secretary-general Jameson Timba said.
“We are, however, conscious of the political intentions of Zanu-PF, who are working with our erstwhile colleagues who left the party, to stifle the operations of the MDC Alliance. But these political machinations will be resisted,” he added.
In a sign of the trouble brewing for Chamisa, the re-instated chairperson for Mashonaland East, Piniel Denga, has accused the youthful politician of acting contrary to principles of democracy.
Denga contested for the leadership of the province at the MDC’s chaotic congress that was held in Gweru last May, but lost to Anthony Mutodza.
“After the Supreme Court judgment that said things were not done according to our constitution, we have one group of leadership which is calling for us to implement our own constitution.
“However, there is another group of leadership that is afraid that if things are done according to our constitution they might lose their influential party positions.
“This group of leaders is now going about labelling as Zanu-PF those who say let’s follow the constitution,” Denga wrote on Facebook.
He confirmed to the Daily News On Sunday that he had posted the statement on his page.
“Did Zanu-PF write our constitution for us? Is it not true that Advocate Chamisa, through his lawyer in the Supreme Court case, agreed that the constitution that was being used was the correct constitution of the party?
“That is the same constitution that other leaders are saying let’s follow in line with the Supreme Court ruling,” Denga added.
He said it was wrong for Chamisa and his allies to distance the MDC Alliance from the MDC because they were still using the party’s constitution.
“When was our party dissolved in terms of our constitution? Why were primary elections in constituencies allocated to (Tendai) Biti’s PDP and (Welshman) Ncube’s MDC not open to those from MDC T as was left by Morgan Tsvangirai?
“Why did we hold the Gweru congress as the party’s fifth if we have now become MDC Alliance?
“Why did Chamisa appeal against the High Court ruling if the ruling had nothing to do with our party? Dishonest leadership will not take the party anywhere,” Denga said further.
The former Mbare MP also claimed that he had taken Chalton Hwende to task on whether they would not have accepted the court ruling had it been in their favour.
“Hwende did not answer my question. As a response I started seeing my message to him being circulated in social media groups.
“I was also removed from the National Executive WhatsApp group and some leaders called me a sellout.
“If following our party constitution is selling out then I accept being a sellout in that respect. I am selling out dishonesty,” Denga said.
He also took a swipe at Chamisa for accepting Biti and Ncube back into the party after they broke away from Tsvangirai, having called him names.
“When these two came back to the party they were celebrated, but no one asked them to renounce their Zanu-PF membership as was alleged when they split.
“No one asked them to take back their words against our now late president. Biti called him “Gumbura’ and Ncube called him a dictator.
“These leaders said many unprintable bad words against our party and our late leader. When they went away they took with them party assets and money and everyone knows it.
“And everyone knows when they came back they did not bring back what they took with them,” Denga also let rip.- DailyNews
Farai Dziva|Respected political analyst, Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has pointed out that Douglas Mwonzora, Morgen Komichi and Thokozani Khupe are clearly working with Zanu PF to destroy the Movement for Democratic Change.
This, Ruhanya argues, is calculated to “annihilate genuine opposition in the country.”
Speaking on the MDC leadership dispute, Mwonzora, quoted by NewsDay claimed :
“The response for the congress is overwhelming. It will be oversubscribed.
Thousands of delegates have already confirmed their attendance at the congress … much more than the quorum.
For now, we are mostly interested in the delegates who will be coming to the congress and not in everyone else … we will meet everyone else after the congress.
Although we have had limitations because of the health situation, in terms of preparations we are at an advanced stage and we are going to elect a new MDC president soon.”
However, Ruhanya argued : It appears ZANU PF is helping Mwonzora and crew with people to assemble at the said congress. Gore rino tichazipigwa.
How do you have an oversubscribed congress as Mwonzora and ZANU PF say? It means it’s a bogus and illegitimate thing filled with Zanu PF members masquerading as MDC structures.”
Farai Dziva|Respected political analyst, Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has pointed out that Douglas Mwonzora, Morgen Komichi and Thokozani Khupe are clearly working with Zanu PF to destroy the Movement for Democratic Change.
This, Ruhanya argues, is calculated to “annihilate genuine opposition in the country.”
Speaking on the MDC leadership dispute, Mwonzora, quoted by NewsDay claimed :
“The response for the congress is overwhelming. It will be oversubscribed.
Thousands of delegates have already confirmed their attendance at the congress … much more than the quorum.
For now, we are mostly interested in the delegates who will be coming to the congress and not in everyone else … we will meet everyone else after the congress.
Although we have had limitations because of the health situation, in terms of preparations we are at an advanced stage and we are going to elect a new MDC president soon.”
However, Ruhanya argued : It appears ZANU PF is helping Mwonzora and crew with people to assemble at the said congress. Gore rino tichazipigwa.
How do you have an oversubscribed congress as Mwonzora and ZANU PF say? It means it’s a bogus and illegitimate thing filled with Zanu PF members masquerading as MDC structures.”
Farai Dziva|MDC deputy president Tendai Biti has denounced the violation of human rights by Emmerson Mnangagwa’ s government during the lockdown.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has announced that more than 8000 people have been arrested for allegedly flouting lockdown restrictions. At the same time, argues Biti, government’s lack of zeal to test as many people is appalling.
“In 2018 we pulled no stops in our campaign to finish off what we started in 2009.
In their hearts of hearts they know they stole from the people . In his he knows he is not legitimate. In their hearts of hearts they are afraid.Very afraid…
Despite the #Lockdown systematic abuse of human rights continues.
More than 8000 people have been arrested during the lockdown-much more than the number of COVID-19 tests.
Pointing out that Emmerson has no plan is a fact protected by freedom of speech.”
At a time when there are hundreds of people who have died of so called malaria and scores of others have manifested symptoms that are perfectly similar to covid-19, the government has published its latest paper in which it says that they are only 32 cases in Zimbabwe.
Fellow MDC members and all progressive revolutionaries of the democratic struggle, please ignore malicious falsehoods published by one Hosiah Mviringi that is making rounds in social media.
This is a deliberate attempt by the enemy to misrepresent my position and unquestionable support for our visionary President, Advocate Nelson Chamisa.
I have stated it before and let me state it now that I, Cecilia Chimbiri and the Youth Assembly in general we are ?% in solidarity with President Chamisa and his vision for a new Zimbabwe. No amount of propaganda will diffuse our conviction to remove ZANU PF with President Chamisa as the Commander in Chief!
Fellow MDC members and all progressive revolutionaries of the democratic struggle, please ignore malicious falsehoods published by one Hosiah Mviringi that is making rounds in social media.
This is a deliberate attempt by the enemy to misrepresent my position and unquestionable support for our visionary President, Advocate Nelson Chamisa.
I have stated it before and let me state it now that I, Cecilia Chimbiri and the Youth Assembly in general we are ?% in solidarity with President Chamisa and his vision for a new Zimbabwe. No amount of propaganda will diffuse our conviction to remove ZANU PF with President Chamisa as the Commander in Chief!
Farai Dziva|Controversial Masvingo based church leader, Isaac Makomichi has threatened to strike a traditional healer from Zaka with blindness for denigrating contemporary prophets.
According to social media reports the traditional healer openly denounced present day prophets.
Last week, the n’anga reportedly threatened to cast a bad spell on “prophets” in Zimbabwe.The n’anga is originally from Malawi, according to social media reports.
In a statement on Monday, Makomichi, known as the Lion of Witches by his followers, warned that the n’anga “should stop playing with fire.”
“In the book of Acts we read about a sorcerer who was struck with blindness.Apostle Paul declared that the man would be blind and it happened just like that.
I would like to say the n’anga is playing with fire.
I have the spiritual authority and power to pronounce blindness on him.
The bible says, touch not the anointed one…,” said Makomichi.
However, a church leader based in Masvingo said : “I think the fight will be very difficult.To be frank, the showdown may not be necessary after all. I know that he (Makomichi) is a great preacher but I strongly feel there is no need for him to concentrate on petty issues.Church leaders must not fall for the devil’s tricks.”
Farai Dziva|Controversial Masvingo based church leader, Isaac Makomichi has threatened to strike a traditional healer from Zaka with blindness for denigrating contemporary prophets.
According to social media reports the traditional healer openly denounced present day prophets.
Last week, the n’anga reportedly threatened to cast a bad spell on “prophets” in Zimbabwe.The n’anga is originally from Malawi, according to social media reports.
In a statement on Monday, Makomichi, known as the Lion of Witches by his followers, warned that the n’anga “should stop playing with fire.”
“In the book of Acts we read about a sorcerer who was struck with blindness.Apostle Paul declared that the man would be blind and it happened just like that.
I would like to say the n’anga is playing with fire.
I have the spiritual authority and power to pronounce blindness on him.
The bible says, touch not the anointed one…,” said Makomichi.
However, a church leader based in Masvingo said : “I think the fight will be very difficult.To be frank, the showdown may not be necessary after all. I know that he (Makomichi) is a great preacher but I strongly feel there is no need for him to concentrate on petty issues.Church leaders must not fall for the devil’s tricks.”
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF has begun to belittle MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa, calling him “Secretary for Policy and Research” in a desperate attempt to discredit the youthful politician.
Surprisingly, Zanu PF accused Chamisa of “instructing MPs and councillors to distribute food aid to card- carrying MDC members.”
Political analysts say Zanu PF’ s line of argument reflects desperate measures to dilute the MDC leader’s growing influence.The argument is fraught with contradictions, according to political observers.
Zanu PF tweeted :MDC Alliance Secretary for Policy and Research @nelsonchamisa is said to have ordered MDC MPs and notorious councillors to overlook deserving beneficiaries of global aid, demanding MDC-cards for one to have their name enlisted as a beneficiary of donated basics.
This Must Stop! This trend has been observed in Highfields East and West, Harare East and Mabvuku.
This is in direct violation of President’s Directive to stop patronizing relief aid.
Meanwhile, ZANU PF MPs have been reminded to work with people in their constituencies regardless of political color.”
Commenting on the ruling party’s assertion, Masvingo based political analyst Jeffryson Chitando said:” Zanu PF is desperate to denigrate Chamisa.Zanu PF officials are losing sleep over Chamisa’ s growing influence.The argument is a smorgasbord of contradictions and half-truths. Can a secretary instruct MPs and councillors to do something?This is a weak line of argument.”
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF has begun to belittle MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa, calling him “Secretary for Policy and Research” in a desperate attempt to discredit the youthful politician.
Surprisingly, Zanu PF accused Chamisa of “instructing MPs and councillors to distribute food aid to card- carrying MDC members.”
Political analysts say Zanu PF’ s line of argument reflects desperate measures to dilute the MDC leader’s growing influence.The argument is fraught with contradictions, according to political observers.
Zanu PF tweeted :MDC Alliance Secretary for Policy and Research @nelsonchamisa is said to have ordered MDC MPs and notorious councillors to overlook deserving beneficiaries of global aid, demanding MDC-cards for one to have their name enlisted as a beneficiary of donated basics.
This Must Stop! This trend has been observed in Highfields East and West, Harare East and Mabvuku.
This is in direct violation of President’s Directive to stop patronizing relief aid.
Meanwhile, ZANU PF MPs have been reminded to work with people in their constituencies regardless of political color.”
Commenting on the ruling party’s assertion, Masvingo based political analyst Jeffryson Chitando said:” Zanu PF is desperate to denigrate Chamisa.Zanu PF officials are losing sleep over Chamisa’ s growing influence.The argument is a smorgasbord of contradictions and half-truths. Can a secretary instruct MPs and councillors to do something?This is a weak line of argument.”
The City of Bulawayo is in the process of implementing a strategy to decogest the city during and beyond the Covid 19 lockdown period.
The strategy is guided by the the Resilient Food Supply Chain Management System as suggested by cabinet though the Ministry of Lands; Agriculture; Water and Rural Resettlement. The city in response; has identified Food Distribution Hubs (FDH) or Food Markets (FM) and Vending Sites (VS) to comply with strict hygiene requirements of any identified site.
The sites are located closer to places of residence of our vendors in order to decentralise the fresh produce markets as informed by the spatial distribution of those vendors on council database.
The identified Food Markets with already existing infrastructure include; Tshabalala market; Emganwini Mupedzanhamo; Sekusile Nkulumane; New Magwegwe Terminus; Lobengula Market Konron; Magwegwe North Terminus; Old Pumula Market; Luveve Chigumira Terminus site; Entumbane Complex Market; Njube Market near Desert; Makokoba Market Efusini; Nkunzi Beer Garden; Burombo Beer Garden; and many other sites to be identified by the Housing & Community Services Department.
These measures will result in the closing off of the 5th Avenue market ( from Robert Mugabe Way to King Lobhengula Street) permanently to any form of fresh produce trading.
The street will now be re-opened as a public road after the relocation of traders to their respective sububan shopping areas. The Khothama second hand clothes flea market which used to operate on 8th Avenue/ R. Mugabe Way & J. Tongogara Streets has been closed and will not be open after the lockdown.
The same will be decentralised to suburban shopping centres as well. We urgue our residents and stakeholders to bear with us as we try to re-organise the city during 2020 and beyond as we work on delivering a smart and transformative city by year 2024.
The 30th March Supreme Court ruling that effectively stripped opposition leader Nelson Chamisa of his claim over the main faction of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is bringing the party closer to the brink of implosion.
The judgement has grave implications for the opposition and for potential political dialogue in Zimbabwe.
In a country where national institutions – including the judiciary – are perceived to be conflated with ruling party interests, many in the opposition’s rank and file see the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) as being behind this ruling, which pulls the rug out from beneath Chamisa’s feet.
With a limping Chamisa, there is effectively no opposition to talk about as most other candidates who contested the 2018 elections have been co-opted into the Political Actors Dialogue.
This platform was created by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, but rejected by Chamisa.
The Supreme Court issued a ruling on 31 March 2020 – a day after the 21-day national lockdown to slow the spread of Covid-19 began. The decision went the way of former MDC deputy president Thokozani Khupe.
Chamisa led the MDC-Alliance, a grouping of opposition factions, in the 2018 elections and was narrowly beaten by Mnangagwa who escaped a run-off by a whisker. Khupe led a smaller faction and got just over 45,500 votes.
The ruling has further fractured the opposition, casting doubt over its credibility as an alternative to Zanu-PF.
It is unfathomable that Khupe, who couldn’t garner even 50,000 votes in the 2018 elections, has any political clout and can rally Zimbabweans against Zanu-PF.
Meanwhile, the MDC-Alliance maintains it is unmoved by the court ruling and Chamisa has so far been conspicuous by his silence.
The wrangling over who should lead the party ensued after MDC founder Morgan Tsvangirai died in February 2018. Just before his death, Tsvangirai controversially appointed two vice presidents, Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri, in addition to Khupe who was elected to this position during the party’s 2014 congress.
The move was viewed as political exigency to balance out factional succession fights within the MDC-T, the main MDC grouping led by Tsvangirai at the time. It also sowed the seeds of the party’s split.
Even the most loyal MDC-T supporters have been at pains to explain the constitutionality of Tsvangirai’s last-minute decision to appoint Chamisa and Madzuri.
The political imperatives for the move were clear, however. In his 2018 New Year’s address to the nation, Tsvangirai revealed his desire to have the party’s young people take up more positions of responsibility and define the course of the party.
This was a strategic move to counter Zanu-PF, which is perceived to be a party of the old with nothing to offer the youth.
Khupe, while seen as hardworking and politically mature, lacked the charisma required to give the MDC a chance in presidential elections. It’s a pity Tsvangirai didn’t trust his party’s democratic processes to make the right choice.
With Tsvangirai’s death, all three vice presidents wasted no time trying to secure the prime position, with Chamisa emerging ahead of the pack.
In March 2018, the party split again and the MDC, then under Chamisa, merged with other formations to form the MDC-Alliance. Khupe kept the MDC-T label and contested the presidential elections.
Succession in politics is often less about legalities than political strategy. Tsvangirai’s death robbed the opposition of its best asset. In his absence, the party and the alliance had to be strategic regarding who leads the opposition’s charge forward.
The mood in the country was not only for leadership renewal but generational change, and Chamisa, 42, now represented that youthful front.
Even the creation of the G40, a group of emerging young leaders in Zanu-PF in Robert Mugabe’s last few years, speaks to this growing appetite.
Without Tsvangirai at the helm, the trump card from a strategic point of view became the generational consensus against the seemingly renewed Zanu-PF.
One of the MDC’s main weaknesses has been its eclectic nature. There are clearly limits to how long people will stay in an opposition party that is a conglomeration of diverse interests, and maintain a cohesive hold over its affairs in the face of repression.
The conflict between Chamisa and Khupe has played out more in the realms of ambition, entitlement and populism than the greater national good and the MDC-T’s founding values. The two protagonists find themselves trapped in their own realities.
Khupe felt constitutionally entitled and as such could not be convinced to be politically pragmatic.
Chamisa was emboldened by the surge in the generational consensus drive and the perception of being anointed by the late Tsvangirai.
Thus there were no strong incentives on either side to find common ground and focus on the electorate.
While Khupe celebrates the court victory, she has lost in the political game of numbers. The ruling is unlikely to give her any political mileage.
At the same time, Chamisa and the main opposition have been exposed to be hypocrites paying lip service to democracy and constitutionalism while disregarding their own constitution and using Zanu-PF tactics in succession.
Chamisa’s comeback has to be strategic, and he must rebrand himself. He need not feel tied to the MDC, but should rather proffer a real alternative to the controversy and murkiness of MDC politics.
In all this, the struggling Zimbabwean is the clear loser. The electorate is left with no viable alternative that can be trusted to walk the talk when it comes to principles, constitutionalism and rule of law.
Covid-19 restrictions, including an extended lockdown, have robbed the opposition of any chance of staging a mass response through demonstrations or marches in solidarity with their leader. And Chamisa’s silence on the court ruling so far has left his followers in disarray.
Star FM News|The Registrar General’s office says when normal service resumes after the covid 19 lockdown applicants for non-urgent passport will be served in alphabetical order using their surnames.
In an interview with Zimpapers Radio Division Registrar General Clemence Masango said those who had secured appointments to submit urgent passport prior to lockdown should contact their respective passport offices for further guidance.
Meanwhile, Registrar General Masango urged passport seekers to cooperate with the guidelines in order to maintain order and reduce the spread of covid19 pandemic
Zimbabwe African People’s Union RSA Province would like to congratulate South Africans for safeguarding their Freedom as they celebrate their 26th Freedom day Anniversary. People of South Africa have proven to the world that a nation can overcome the challenges of the past and forge a unity that cuts across all races, tribes, religious beliefs and sexism. Building a proud nation from the ashes of apartheid looked like a mission impossible.
South Africans have demonstrated that the past can be put to rest and pave a future that is bright for all who live in South Africa.
We as ZAPU RSA Province cherish most the overcoming of racism and the observation of human rights, protection of the rule of law and keeping the State organs such as the Judicial system and State Security untainted by the politics of the country is a major milestone.
The respect of people’s views and freedom of speech is a serious challenge facing other African countries, yet South Africans have managed it with ease.
We strongly encourage the people of South Africa to remain resilient to the cause of the struggle and maintain unity in diversity. Let there be no persecution of people with different political views from the government of the day. Democracy must be safeguarded jealously.
Your democracy might be young but you have become a teacher of democracy to other African countries that got their freedom long before you.
We therefore say enjoy your freedom day South Africans. Remember to stay home, constantly wash your hands, put on your masks and beat COVID-19.
Kim Jong-un congratulated President Cyril Ramaphosa on Freedom Day (Picture: Reuters)
Reuters|Kim Jong-un has sent a message to mark South Africa’s Freedom Day amid rumours that he had died after undergoing surgery.
The North Korean leader, 36, congratulated President Cyril Ramaphosa on the national holiday and expressed the belief that relations between the two countries is growing ‘steadily stronger’, the KCNA reports.
It comes amid conflicting reports about Kim’s health, fuelled by his absence from the commemoration of the 108th birthday of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, on April 15.
The Supreme Leader is reported to have undergone heart surgery at his family’s private hospital Mount Paektu, after collapsing several days earlier.
The Supreme Leader has not been seen in public for some time (Picture: Reuters)
Some reports indicate he had a stent fitted, which is a routine operation, but rumours suggest the surgeon made an error which proved to be fatal for the ruler.
Vice director of HKSTV Hong Kong Satellite Television, Shijian Xingzou, said a ‘very solid source’ told her that Kim had died, while Japanese magazine Shukan Gendai reported the leader was in a ‘vegetative state’ after the procedure.
A team of Chinese medical experts were previously sent to advise on how to treat him. If Kim has died, his sister Kim Yo-jong is likely to take over as leader.
She has already been exercising significant influence within the government, an analyst at South Korea’s private Sejong Institute said.
Cheong Seong-Chang added that social upheaval would be unlikely in the event of the Supreme Leader’s death, as most members of Pyongyang’s leadership share an interest in North Korea staying within the Kim family.
On Sunday, a top official in South Korea denied reports that Kim had died on the operating table, stating that there were no ‘unusual developments’ in North Korea.
Unification minister Kim Yeon-chul said South Korea has ‘enough intelligence’ to confidently know what is happening in their neighbouring nation.
By A Correspondent- Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Sello Malema has called for the government of South Africa to consider the plight of foreigners who live in the Southern neighbouring country.
Malema who was delivering a Fre3ddom Day speech on Monday said the interventions implemented by government must not segregate based on one’s nationality.
He added that South Africa’s solidarity to all poor nations must go beyond our narrow boarders.
Read an excerpt of his speech below:
The food parcels and all the grants are meant for South Africans only. Even the small business grants are structured for South Africans only.
When financial and economic relief was communicated by President Ramaphosa, there was no mention of the continent and all the African migrants who live amongst us
The migrants, even those who are registered with permanent residency will be overlooked, excluded and probably even deported during this covid19 crisis.
This is the reason all other countries in the world will never see a black lives as worthy of dignity, respect and remorse; we do no not feel remorse to each other right here on the continent , we do not feel solidarity for each other.
Do you think small and big businesses of British citizens will not get tax relief from SARS? Do you think they will not get payment holidays from SBSA? Do you think the British Citizens in America will not get financial help from the USA government?
Former MDC Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora is set to contest MDC-T Acting President Thokozani Khupe at the impending MDC-T Congress.
A campaign image for Mwonzora has surfaced on social media.
Mwonzora recently said that the congress they are organising following court ruling will be oversubscribed, have surpassed the required quorum and thousands of delegates have confirmed their attendance.
JOHANNESBURG – President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoy for Lesotho Jeff Radebe has continued with his meetings in the region.
However, in Lesotho the senate has failed to pass a law that was promised for the prime minister’s retirement.
Radebe has met Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is chair of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Organ on Politics And Defence, and Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
The political and security situation in the Mountain Kingdom has deteriorated again, and the country’s Prime Minister Tom Thabane has been criticized for putting the army and the police on a collision course.
Concluding his visit to Lesotho earlier this week, Radebe said political leaders had agreed to pass a constitutional amendment that would facilitate Thabane’s retirement.
The senate was expected to vote on and pass the amendment on Thursday, but it has been postponed to next week – raising concerns that delays will deteriorate the situation further.
Radebe’s meeting with the Mnangagwa and Masisi means South Africa is not leaving anything to chance.
No way out, police to block people from leaving the cities to rural areas.
Government will tighten its national lockdown measures by clamping down on unnecessary travel between the country’s urban and rural areas.
Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo said that Government had increased its monitoring capacity and check points along the major highways to stop urban dwellers from travelling to the rural areas following Case 27’s death.
Arsenal players have returned to training at their London Colney base today as Mikel Arteta’s squad observe strict social distancing guidelines.
Premier League teams are stepping up preparations for football to return as early as June 8.
A meeting of Premier League shareholders is pencilled in for this Friday, with plans for resumption of the campaign expected to gather pace.
Arsenal’s first-team squad arrived at London Colney today in small groups for individual training work, though attendance was not compulsory.
Social distancing measures were maintained, with no more than five players allowed on each of the complex’s 10 pitches at once and sessions lasting no more than an hour. Players arrived and departed in training kit.
A small group of staff were in attendance, although it was unclear if manager Mikel Arteta, who tested positive for the virus last month, was present today.
The club’s decision came after they were forced to remind players of social distancing guidelines after Nicolas Pepe, David Luiz and Granit Xhaka were caught training in public last week.
Former Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba’s bid to become the next head of the Ivorian Football Federation took a massive hit after he secured zero votes from members of the Association of Former Ivorian Footballers.
Of the 14 members in the Association, 11 voted for his rival, league president Sory Diabate, while three persons abstained.
The third candidate, the current Vice President, Idriss Diallo also got no votes from the ex-players.
The results of the election, which was done via video conferencing, has reportedly sparked a massive debate in the Ivory Coast, with many struggling to understand how Drogba, who had also been endorsed by 48 professional clubs in the country could be rejected by his fellow former professionals including Didier Zokora.
It has now emerged that the members of the Association of Old Players who were eligible to vote, were made up of former Ivorian players from the 80’s and 90’s, who still harbour spite for the affection the Drogba generation has received at their expense.
Bit of context on Drogba getting zero votes in Ivorian FA polls.
Delegates were mostly stars from the 80s and 90s, mostly ex-ballers who have felt slighted by the success of Drogba’s generation.
While the explanation generally makes sense, it still fails to explain why Zokora, who was deputy captain to Drogba, failed to vote for the former captain.
Members of the Former Players Association: Abdoulaye Traore, Oumar Ben Salah, Aka Kouame Basile, Soro Jean, Zezeto, Didier Zokora, Ibrahim Kone, Badra Siby Aliou, Youssouf Fofana, Beugre Yago Eugene, Didier Otokore, Fadel Keita, Kassi Kouadio Lucien, Alain Gouaméné
Drogba will hope to have better luck when members of the Active Footballers Association, the coaches, referees and the physios also cast their votes.
“I want to get more involved. I think more and more about it. I know Ivorian football, I have played in selection for years and I invested in Ivorian football lately,” Drogba recently said about his ambitions.
Grief and sorrow filled every corner of the country at around 22:45hrs of 27th April 1993 when the news broke that the de Havilland Canada DHC-5D Buffalo plane with registration number AF-319 carrying the players crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, shortly after taking-off from Libreville, Gabon.
The Heroes are resting outside the iconic Independence stadium in Lusaka.
The Zambia national team was en route to Dakar, Senegal to fulfill a FIFA World Cup Qualifier match against The Lions of Teranga when they plunged into Atlantic killing everyone on board.
The team was Zambia’s most talented generation even though they did not win any major silverware.
18 players were on board with 3 coaching staff, a team doctor, a Football Association official, a journalist, a public servant and 5 crew members. The fallen heroes will always be remembered. Here are the 30 name of the people who were on the plane;
The flight had been specially arranged by the Zambian Air Force for the football team
On this day 27 April 1993 (Exactly 27 years ago today) The DHC-5 Buffalo transport aircraft of the Zambian Air Force crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after taking off from Libreville, Gabon.
The flight was carrying most of the Zambian national football team to a FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Senegal in Dakar. All 25 passengers and five crew members were killed. The official investigation concluded that the pilot had shut down the wrong engine following an engine fire. It also found that pilot fatigue and a faulty instrument had contributed to the accident.
Accident
The flight had been specially arranged by the Zambian Air Force for the football team. The journey was scheduled to make three refueling stops; the first at Brazzaville, Congo, the second at Libreville, Gabon, and the third at Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
At the first stop in Brazzaville engine problems were noted. Despite this, the flight continued and a few minutes after taking off from the second stop in Libreville the left engine caught fire and failed.
The pilot, who had also flown the team from a match in Mauritius the previous day, then shut down the right engine, causing the plane to lose all power during the climb out of Libreville Airport and fall into the water 500 m offshore.
A Gabonese report released in 2003 attributed the pilot’s actions to a faulty warning light and fatigue on the part of the pilot.
Aircraft
The aircraft entered service in 1975. The plane had been out of service for five months from late 1992 until 21 April 1993. Test flights were carried out on 22 and 26 April. Prior to the departure for Senegal, checks revealed a number of defects in the engine: carbon particles in oil filters, disconnected cables and trace of heating. However, the flight went ahead as scheduled
Passengers
The Chipolopolo were a very promising Zambia national team. At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul they thrashed Italy 4–0. They had their eyes on the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations trophy and a place at their first World Cup.
All 30 passengers and crew, including 18 players, as well as the national team coach and support staff, died in the accident. The Chipolopolo’s captain, Kalusha Bwalya—later national team coach and president of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ)—was not aboard the flight as he was in the Netherlands playing for PSV at that time and had made separate arrangements to make his own way to Senegal to take part in the match.
Charles Musonda, at the time playing in Belgium for Anderlecht, was previously injured and thus was not on the flight. Bennett Mulwanda Simfukwe, who had been seconded to the FAZ by his employers (ZCCM) for 5 years and was supposed to be on this flight, wasn’t on the flight because his employers demanded that he should immediately be removed from the list of those who were officially scheduled to travel to Senegal.
Investigation
A campaign to have the Gabonese crash investigation publicly released continued into the 2000s. In November 2003 a preliminary crash investigation report was released by the Gabonese government. Despite this relatives of the victims continue to lobby the Zambian government to produce a report on how the aircraft was allowed to leave Zambia.
Aftermath
The members of the national team killed in the crash were buried in what became known as “Heroes’ Acre”, just outside the Independence Stadium in Lusaka.
A new side was quickly assembled, and led by Bwalya, faced up to the difficult task of having to complete Zambia’s World Cup qualifiers and then prepare for the upcoming African Nations Cup which was only months away.
The resurrected team defied the odds, and displaying an attacking playing style, reached the final against Nigeria. They took the lead in the first half, but the Super Eagles quickly equalised and followed up with the winner in the second half. In spite of the loss, the Zambian side returned home as national heroes
In 2012, Zambia won the Africa Cup of Nations in Libreville, only a few hundred metres inland from the crash site; the victory was dedicated to the ones who lost their lives in the tragedy. Zambia beat Côte d’Ivoire 8–7 in a penalty shoot out after the game ended 0–0 after normal and added time.
The accident was the subject of the 2014 Spanish/Zambian documentary film Eighteam, directed by Juan Rodriguez-Briso
September 12 2019. Julius Malema addressing a memorial service of the late Robert Mugabe that the EFF had arranged in Soweto.
During his Freedom day message, South Africa Economic Freedom Fighters leader, CIC Julius Sello Malema has again reiterated that freedom without economy is useless.
He called on African countries to stand on their own not rely on China and the west. Malema has been calling for Africa to be on their own so that African people can benefit from the wealth of Africa.
The former ANC Youth league President mentioned that Zimbabwe was economically damaged when Former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe enforced the Lancaster house agreement with the Britain government.
“It was in the economically sabotaged Zimbabwe, where Robert Mugabe enforced the agreements of the Lancaster Agreement after being betrayed by Britain where Independence was achieved”, reiterates Malema.
He also called that it is important that we remember this day as the important tool used to gain our democracy.
“As revolutionaries, it is important that we remember this day as an important transition to a democratic dispensation, but not one where we achieved Independence”, tells Malema.
Reuters|When Saul Sakudya arrived in an ambulance at a hospital in Zimbabwe’s capital after catching Covid-19, he said the medical staff wouldn’t go near him because they were afraid of becoming infected.
The 52-year-old businessman was among the first people in Zimbabwe to test positive for the new coronavirus after a trip to Dubai last month to buy supplies for his electronics shop, and hospital personnel had not yet been issued protective clothing.
“The way they dispersed was as if there were 10 hungry lions being released from the ambulance, imagine, yet I am just a human being,” Sakudya told Reuters. “I thought I would die.”
After a three-hour wait in the ambulance, doctors brought the father of four into an isolation ward at the Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital, he said.
Prosper Chonzi, health director for Harare city, which runs the hospital, told Reuters that when Sakudya was admitted, it had not yet implemented protocols to handle coronavirus patients.
The national government is now renovating the hospital to deal with such cases, said Chonzi.
Even in the best of times, Zimbabwe’s health system suffers from shortages of medicine and basic equipment. The government has been raising donations of protective clothing, but frontline health workers say supplies are still inadequate.
Covid-19 survivor Saul Sakudya talks with his wife Joyce during a nationwide lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus in Harare.
As of Friday, the country had recorded 31 cases of Covid-19 and four deaths.
Sakudya’s symptoms were relatively mild. So when his wife and two adult sons tested positive for the virus while he was in hospital, he opted to return home where the four could take care of each other.
He has since recovered and says his family members are also doing well. But he fears they will have to live with the stigma of the disease for some time.
Although he was given the all clear after two tests, friends and relatives won’t visit or talk to him, even from a distance, he said.
“Some people somehow think I still have residue of the virus,” he said.
“I heard one person referring to my road as corona road, and some people now avoid the road altogether. It hurts, but I have to be mature and accept it.”
JoKuDe referring to a Trust of Harare West Constituency representatives led by Hon Joana Mamombe, Kudzai Kadzombe and Denford Ngadziore. JoKuDe friends of JoanaKudzaiDenford a non political Trust formed in 2019 by Harare West 2018 Harmonized elections Deployeees.
To answer to various challenges bedevilling the people within Harare West Community. No one has ever become poor by giving or assisting someone. Instead blessed is the hand that gives than the one that receives.
JoKuDe is a well wisher’s Community Funded and Public run platform .
As JoKuDe, in Partnership with Harare Pastors Fraternity HAWEPAF ,we have come up with a Humanitarian responsive system . The main objective of JoKuDe humanitarian program is to help fundraise for those in desperate need. The main focus of the fundraising will be food stuffs which include basics like mealie meal, cooking oil, sugar, flour, rice, some green vegetables in the long run we will fundraise for blankets as we enter winter and school uniforms especially for those under Basic Education Module BEAM.
When other people hear about Harare West they think of the affluent areas such as Mabelreign, Westgate, Bluffhil and Madokero. We have visited around the Constituency during this Lockdown period and a number of people are finding it difficult to have food on their table. The worst situation is in different Farm Compounds and Plots. The farm compounds in Mukwishu Compound with a total of 75 families amonting to 950 peoples. Chichera a total of 40 families with 245 people. Rakata a total of 33 families with 180 families, Tomu a total of 120 families with 1500 people. Chimombe a total of 60 families with over 500 people. Pensioners, elderly, infomal traders and unemployed youths amount to 10 000 people
We are appealing to all stakeholders to be supportive to this program through donations of anything at your disposal. There are some residents who are struggling to have a decent meal per day, we also understand that there are residents who own farms or plots who can assist us with some food stuffs for some vulnerable members of the community.
Food donations will be handed over to the Salvation Army Church along Clevering Avenue – Haig Park Mabelreign to Major Chirandu . We have also set a humanitarian response team led by Pastor Benhura of Life Church, Pastor Tekwa, Major Chirandu of Salvation Army Church and five Pastors from Roman Catholic Church, AFM, and Methodist Churches.
Let us all try to play our part in assisting those in need. There shall be a form at the Salvation Army Church to fill in details of the donor and kind of donations received. Those who intend to donate in the form of money ,we will unveil an Ecocash number to the public.
Donations shall be mainly targeting affected people in various farm compounds, informal traders, Pensioners/senior citizens ,people living with disabilities and farm workers. We shall be working with churches, Ward Development Committee representatives for each Suburb, Community Based Organizations and Constituency Development Committee to identify those in need.
Harare West Pastors Fraternity HAWEPAF will be the accounting authority of the donations received. Due to the Covid19 lockdown period, we will be using social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other sites to fundraise towards this noble cause.
We will have less publicity on beneficiaries of donations so as protect the dignity of our people. This is not a time for political scoring but a time to make sure our people are not stranded or exposed during this Lockdown period.
For those who would want to donate but do not have transportation to bring the donations to the Salvation Army Church in Mabelreign, please get in touch with Collen Mawere contact number 0777648080 who will be responsible in driving around collecting the donations.
Residents and Stakeholders can also use community social groups to announce donations if one feels like doing so as to encourage others to donate.
Covid19 virus is real:
-Wash your hands frequently. -Always maintain the required social distance. -Avoid touching your eyes, nose and the mouth. -Practice respiratory hygiene. -Use of approved face masks where possible.
JoKuDe (JoanaKudzaiDenford ) in support of Harare West Pastors Fraternity HAWEPAF
Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced Sunday that his country will soon begin the process of reopening its economy after undergoing the longest novel coronavirus lockdown in the world to date.
In a nationwide television address, Conte said that beginning May 4, Italians would be allowed to use parks, visit relatives and attend funerals as part of a phased plan for lifting restrictions as the daily number of new COVID-19 cases trends downward from a peak of 6,557 on March 21.
There have been more than 26,000 deaths in Italy from the disease since the country’s first cases were reported just over two months ago. On Sunday, Italy reported 260 new deaths, its lowest daily total since March 14.
Conte said if all goes well, stores and museums would reopen beginning May 18 and sports teams could resume group training. Restaurants, cafes and hair salons would be allowed to reopen on June 1.
He said classes at schools would resume in September.
The wearing of face masks in public and continued social distancing would be strictly enforced, even as other restrictions were gradually lifted.
Italy was embarking on an era of “responsibility and coexistence with the virus,” Conte told the nation.
“We cannot continue beyond this lockdown — we risk damaging the country’s socioeconomic fabric too much,” he said, adding that the “damage” to the national fabric if the shutdown is not lifted “could be irreversible.”
However, Conte warned that “the curve of contagion can rise again, it will go out of control, deaths will climb and we’ll have irreparable damage” to the economy if the people do not carefully adhere to the guidelines.
The prime minister did not outline plans for religious services, but after Italy’s bishops complained, Conte’s office said it would release plans for a return to public worship as soon as possible.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has revealed that professional sports teams in the country can resume training on the 18th of May.
The country’s top flight, Serie A, was temporarily suspended on March 9 in the wake of escalating cases of coronavirus in the third most populous country in Europe.
In his televised address to the nation on Sunday, Conte highlighted that athletes are free to start invdiual training on the 4th of May then move to training in groups on the 18th the same month as the authorities ease lockdown restrictions.
The minister also said that a decision on when the league would resume, will be made at a later date.
Defending champions Juventus lead proceedings in the Italian top division on 63 points, one ahead of secod-placed Lazio with 12 games remaining.-Soccer 24
The victim reported the matter to the police and was referred to the hospital but opted to seek treatment elsewhere. Her condition deteriorated 2 days after the assault and she died. The matter will be referred to court soon.
— Zimbabwe Republic Police (@PoliceZimbabwe) April 27, 2020
Harare, 27 April 2020 – Zimbabwe remains in the grip of severe food insecurity, with millions of people already requiring humanitarian assistance due to prolonged drought, climate-related shocks, economic deterioration and the situation set to worsen as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, according to the new Global Food Crisis Report Forecast (GFCRF).
The joint report, released by the European Union, FAO, OCHA, UNICEF, USAID and WFP anticipates a worsening food insecurity situation in 2020 with an estimated 4.3 million rural Zimbabweans, including children, are in need of urgent action. On top of environmental factors, this is mainly due to the current economic crisis including hyperinflation, shortage of currency, fuel and prolonged power shortages; widespread poverty; high levels of HIV/AIDS; and low agricultural output as drivers of the crisis.
“Millions of Zimbabweans are already struggling to put food on the table, having faced prolonged drought and economic hardship for some time. It is imperative that we unite, to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe and provide urgent food assistance safely to prevent an already vulnerable population from slipping deeper into this hunger crisis,” said WFP Country Director and Representative Eddie Rowe.
More than half of the children experiencing malnutrition are living in countries affected by the food crisis. The GFCRF estimates that 75 million children worldwide are stunted and 17 million are wasted.
Zimbabwe is also one of 10 countries where fewer than 20% of children between 6-23 months received a minimally adequate diet further compromising their lifelong quality of life, according to the new report. In addition, Zimbabwe’s Multi Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019, revealed about 1 in 4 children, under 5 were stunted and at risk of impaired physical and cognitive growth.
“Food crises have a major impact on the quality, frequency and diversity of children’s diets and this is compounded by the inability for families across the country to provide adequate childcare during these increasingly challenging times,” said UNICEF Representative, Laylee Moshiri. “During this COVID-19 pandemic we must act decisively to continue essential nutrition and health services for all children.”
FAO Representative Jocelyn Brown Hall said, “Measures to curb the further spread of COVID-19 have the potential to impact negatively on the food system in Zimbabwe, such as through restricted access to markets by both farmers and consumers, and a glut of perishable nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables. Deliberate measures are needed to prevent and mitigate against these.”
Globally the report states that in 2019, 135 million people across 55 countries and territories experienced acute food insecurity. These same countries’ food systems are highly vulnerable to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which will result in compromised health due to hunger which can increase the risks of exposure to the virus. The World Food Programme’s Executive Director, David Beasley, who interacted with communities throughout Zimbabwe during an August 2019 visit, told the UN Security Council last week that the world was on the verge of a hunger pandemic caused by the Coronavirus. “If we don’t act now, we could be facing multiple famines of biblical proportions within a few short months,” Beasley said.
The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all countries across the globe, including the OECD countries and other high-income countries. This is making it increasingly difficult to prioritise the needs of populations typically affected by food crises. This has put an increased challenge on the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, towards the eradication of hunger and malnutrition.
Farai Dziva|Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea says he has no intention of leaving Old Trafford in the near future.
The 29-year-old signed a new long-term deal in September that expires in June 2023. He has already spent the last nine years with the Red Devils, having joined the side from Atletico Madrid in 2011.
“Yeah, I’m getting older. Just to be a part of this club is amazing.
“So imagine, to be nearly 10 years, it’s like a dream. It’s great to play games with this club, so I hope I can be here more years, many years,” The Spanish international told The Daily Mail.
The keeper also shared his thoughts on the team’s recent performance.
Before the coronavirus break, United had gone on an unbeaten run stretching back to the end of January, which included eight wins from 11 games with only two goals conceded in that time.
“I think the whole team improved a lot,’ added De Gea. “We were in a good moment. I think we were in very good, top form…
“But hopefully with some players that were injured will be fit when it all starts again, so it will be a good challenge for everyone.”
Joint statement by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the United States of America Donald Trump commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the meeting on the Elbe April 25, 2020 18:00
April 25, 2020, marks the 75th Anniversary of the historic meeting between Soviet and American soldiers, who shook hands on the damaged bridge over the Elbe River. This event heralded the decisive defeat of the Nazi regime. The meeting on the Elbe represented a culmination of tremendous efforts by the many countries and peoples that joined forces under the framework of the United Nations Declaration of 1942. This common struggle required enormous sacrifice by millions of soldiers, sailors, and citizens in multiple theaters of war. We also recognize the contributions from millions of men and women on the home front, who forged vast quantities of war materials for use around the world. Workers and manufacturers played a crucial role in supplying the allied forces with the tools necessary for victory. The “Spirit of the Elbe” is an example of how our countries can put aside differences, build trust, and cooperate in pursuit of a greater cause. As we work today to confront the most important challenges of the 21st century, we pay tribute to the valor and courage of all those who fought together to defeat fascism. Their heroic feat will never be forgotten.
Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp has reportedly called Kylian Mbappe’s father in a bid to convince the PSG star to move to Anfield.
The Reds have long been linked with the 21-year old who could cost as much as £250million.
According to French outlet Le10 Sport, Klopp recently spoke with Mbappe’s father over the phone as he tries to gain the upper hand over transfer rivals. The English club is said to be keen to sign the star ahead of next season.
The forward who won the World Cup with France in 2018 is under contract with PSG until June 2022.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are also in contention to snap him up and a few weeks ago before the coronavirus lockdown reports had suggested the La Liga giants were leading the race to his signature.- Soccer 24
By A Correspondent- A 27 year old man was arrested and fined by a magistrate yesterday for impersonation and controlling maize meal queues as a soldier in Bindura.
Tichaona Maforo of house number 139 Chipadze street Bindura was slapped with $2000 by magistrate Tinashe Ndokera failure to pay would earn him 40 days behind bars.
Prosecutor Thembinkosi Mananga told the court that on April 13 Mapere who was in his civilian clothes joined members of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) in controlling maize meal queue after disguising to be a soldier.
On April 21 the convict called the soldiers asking their whereabouts and was told ,he followed and started controlling the queue one of the soldiers Isaac Ngwana (24) gained courage and quizzed Maforo of his credentials and he failed to produce them leading to his arrest
Farai Dziva|Diego Costa has said his former Chelsea coach Antonio Conte would not last for long at a club like Real Madrid because he is too “suspicious”.
The two developed differences just weeks after they won the Premier League in 2017 at the Blues.
Costa, who is now with Real city rivals Atletico Madrid, was dropped to the bench in the following campaign, forcing him to return to Spain in the mid-season transfer window.
Costa told ESPN Brasil:”We had problems off the pitch, but I think he is a really good manager. I have no hard feelings towards Conte.
“But to be a top, top manager, he needs to change the human side of his management. He is very suspicious.
“At a like, say, Real Madrid, he would never last a season.”
The 31-year-old also revealed why he snubbed to represent Brazil, his birth country, and chose Spain in international football.
“I remember several forwards were injured but [then-manager Luiz Felipe] Scolari would not select me. I stayed quiet, but wasn’t selected for the Confederations Cup.
“The possibility of Spain emerged and I accepted. How could I say no? Suddenly, they started saying Scolari wanted me.
“Well, he never called me once. How could it be that he wanted me? I then saw it written that I had ruined the dreams of millions of Brazilians. Why not say that he didn’t look for me? Then it’s simple,” he added.
Farai Dziva|The Ministry of Health and Childcare says it has intensified contact tracing and surveillance processes in a bid to control the spread of the deadly new Coronavirus.
See full statement from the Health Ministry below :
Ministry of Health and Childcare Covid -19 Update
As of 26 April 2020, a cumulative total of 2 804 796 confirmed cases and 193 722 deaths were reported from more than 210 countries/territories globally (Source WHO Sitrep No. 97)
The Ministry would like to report that today, a total of 328 tests were done, giving a total of 6 395 screening and diagnostic tests done to date. All the PCR tests done in Harare and Bulawayo today were negative for COVID-19.
Therefore, to date, Zimbabwe has thirty-one confirmed cases including five recoveries and four deaths as detailed in the table below.
Matabeleland North – 1 case – 0 recovered- 0 deaths Bulawayo – 10 cases – 0 recovered- 1 death Harare – 13 cases – 0 recovered- 2 deaths Mashonaland East – 4 cases – 4 recovered- 0 deaths Mashonaland West – 3 cases – 0 recovered- 1 death Total – 31 The Ministry of Health continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVI-19 pandemic.
As part of the intensified surveillance and contact tracing the Ministry has to date identified and collected samples from 69 contacts of the late case #27.
Case N29 and Case N30 reported yesterday involve a 46-year-old female and 66-year-old male patients respectively. Both are residents of Mhondoro, and were direct contacts of the late, case #27.
The Rapid Response Team visited them at home in their village for assessment and collected samples for testing. Currently, they have been advised to self-isolate at home as both have mild disease.
Case #31 also reported yesterday is a 31-year-old Harare resident who returned from the United Kingdom on the 13th April 2020. He is stable and currently on mandatory isolation.
The Ministry continues to remind the nation that the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to practice good personal hygiene and exercise social distancing.
It is a day set aside highlighting global efforts to control malaria and celebrating the gains that have been made so far.
Malaria remains a big problem in other parts of the world and in Zimbabwe it’s a public health problem. It is common in areas that are hot and moist. The theme for 2020 is “Zero malaria starts with me”.
What is malaria? It is a disease caused by infection with a parasite female anopheles mosquito. The mosquito is the vector that transmits the infection. Found mainly where there are open water bodies.
In Zimbabwe malaria peaks from November to April. The most effective control and prevention strategy is through prevention of mosquito bites.
Symptoms include fever, chills, rigors, headache, nausea,anorexia, joint pains, malaise and sweating.
There is also a history of staying in an area known to be endemic of malaria or traveling to that area. However one might not present with all the symptoms. In this era of COVID-19 pandemic excluding it is also important in those diagnosed with malaria.
Treatment – Malaria is a treatable disease. There are oral medications and intravenous medicines that can be used to cure the disease.
The disease progress quickly therefore early treatment saves life than late treatment.
There is no vaccine for malaria. Malaria can affect anyone of any age and despite previous infection you can still get malaria.
Prevention – Sleeping under a treated mosquito net and using mosquito repellents.
Wearing long sleeved shirts at night to avoid mosquito bites. Spraying open water bodies and covering them.
Taking malaria prophylaxis when traveling to a malaria endemic area.
Malaria is still a disease that kills thousands to millions of people every year.
Therefore let’s prevent malaria in our communities.
Compiled by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
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Try taking 20 minutes a day doing something that they choose – play a game or read with them. Quality time will make them feel safe and loved.
Praise is powerful. Try praising your child or teenager for something they have done well. They may not show their appreciation, but you’ll see them doing that good thing again.
Routine up! A structured day helps kids feel secure and makes it easier to manage them. Try making a timetable, with schoolwork, games, free time, exercise, and handwashing.
Kids at home driving you crazy? Feeling like you are going to scream? Give yourself a 1-minute pause. Breathe in and out five times. Then respond.
Crowded house? Stressed out? Share your feelings. Take a break. Looking after kids 24-7 during COVID-19 isn’t easy. Remind yourself of what you did well today. Think about the good moments.
Take care of yourself so you can take care of your children.
Credit: World Health Organization
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
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Mass Covid-19 testing is being done in Chitemere Village, Mhondoro-Mubaira, and the surrounding villages after two more people in the area, who were in contact with the late Gogo Nguni nee Chitemere tested positive for Covid-19.
One of the latest positive cases did not live in the same house with the late Gogo Nguni, indicating that there is local transmission within the Chitemere community.
Her son, former MP for Mhondoro-Mubaira Constituency and former Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office, Mr Sylvester Nguni, plus his wife and his two sisters, all of whom were with Gogo Chitemere when she was taken to a private hospital in Harare, have tested negative for Covid-19.
Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo told The Herald yesterday that mass testing has since begun in the village.
“Our teams from Harare and Mashonaland West have since started combing the whole area, tracing and testing all individuals as we try to get to the bottom of this issue,” said Dr Moyo.
Mr Nguni has denied relations with Christopher Chitemere of Harare, who arrived in the country from the United Kingdom recently, saying it was a mere coincidence on names.
He said his mother never got in touch with this Chitemere and the only time she came to Harare in recent days was when she was brought to West End Hospital for treatment.
However, Mr Nguni said he has an uncle with the same name who lives in the Mhondoro area, close to his mother’s homestead.
Mr Nguni said the family was eagerly waiting for results of all close contacts to their mother as they seek closure on the issue.
According to the latest Covid-19 update from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, three more cases tested positive on Saturday bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 31.
The ministry reported that their condition was stable and were not in hospital.
As of 26 April 2020, a cumulative total of 2 804 796 confirmed cases and 193 722 deaths were reported from more than 210 countries/territories globally (Source WHO Sitrep No. 97)
The Ministry would like to report that today, a total of 328 tests were done, giving a total of 6 395 screening and diagnostic tests done to date. All the PCR tests done in Harare and Bulawayo today were negative for COVID-19.
Therefore, to date, Zimbabwe has thirty-one confirmed cases including five recoveries and four deaths as detailed in the table below.
Matabeleland North – 1 case – 0 recovered- 0 deaths Bulawayo – 10 cases – 0 recovered- 1 death Harare – 13 cases – 0 recovered- 2 deaths Mashonaland East – 4 cases – 4 recovered- 0 deaths Mashonaland West – 3 cases – 0 recovered- 1 death Total – 31 The Ministry of Health continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVI-19 pandemic.
As part of the intensified surveillance and contact tracing the Ministry has to date identified and collected samples from 69 contacts of the late case #27.
Case N29 and Case N30 reported yesterday involve a 46-year-old female and 66-year-old male patients respectively. Both are residents of Mhondoro, and were direct contacts of the late, case #27.
The Rapid Response Team visited them at home in their village for assessment and collected samples for testing. Currently, they have been advised to self-isolate at home as both have mild disease.
Case #31 also reported yesterday is a 31-year-old Harare resident who returned from the United Kingdom on the 13th April 2020. He is stable and currently on mandatory isolation.
The Ministry continues to remind the nation that the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to practice good personal hygiene and exercise social distancing.
PTUZ SUBMISSIONS ON EDUCATION RE LOCKDOWN AND POST-LOCKDOWN SCENARIOS
The PTUZ wishes to make the following submissions on what we believe should be the way forward in relation to Covid-19 and the education sector.
Background As we are all aware, schools were closed on 24 March 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, which was just making inroads into the African continent. At the time schools were shut, we were exactly nine working days away from the planned closing date. The country had barely registered a case and there was palpable fear and apprehension in the country towards the virus, which was wreaking havoc in Europe and China.
South Africa had closed down schools and engaged in a lockdown, which Zimbabwe also declared on 29 March 2020. Developments since then Since the lockdown that was declared on 29 March, Zimbabwe has officially registered 31 cases, 4 deaths and two recoveries to date.The country has also tested a bit more than 5 thousand people for the virus. Our major fear is that winter is also kicking in, with cases expected to soar as a result of the cold conditions that will be prevailing. That being the case, we are presenting our document under two broad categories, best case scenario and worst-case scenario respectively.
There is talk that the Ministry expects to get permission to re-open schools, without specifying when exactly that could happen. Our submission is that at the moment, it would be grossly irresponsible for the government to re-open schools at a time when it is not clear whether we are moving forward, backwards or stationary in terms of managing the novel disease. We are actually in a worse position than we were when we closed schools. There are also many people returning from abroad, and we do not know what danger they pose or whether they do carry the Coronavirusornot. Granted, some may have been tested, but the fact that the number of asymptomatic cases is rising elsewhere in the world works glaringly against early and haphazard opening of schools without taking a systematic, empirical, realistic and informative environmental scan.
We cannot put learners, teachers and stakeholders at risk of contracting the disease by opening schools now. We should wait at least until mid-July and review the situation then, in view of the fact that winter is a time of flu and other respiratory illnesses and it is easy to conflate the ordinary flus with Covid-19. We need to be careful about the timing of the opening of schools. There is no prize for exhibiting Dutch courage against a disease that has brought even countries with the best health care systems to their knees. In fact, in the worst-case scenario, it may even be necessary to re-open schools post-winter, possibly in August going forward.
In relation to the usual ZIMSEC examination schedule, which is meant to start towards end of May, we again suggest an extreme cautionary approach. It is, therefore, prudent that we learn from regional and international jurisdictions on how other Education ministries and examination boards have done. As you may be aware, some countries such as Britain have deferred the scheduled examinations as the full impact of the pandemic is yet to be assessed, analysed and felt. In the worst-case scenario, it may be necessary for us to do the same until there is clarity and certainty on the scale of danger posed by this coronavirus within our borders. In the best-case scenario, examinations may continue later on as indicated by the latest Zimsec statement, but only subject to the following rigorous conditions, interalia, being met: a) There should be no other activity at a centre on a day exams are being written, including learning, in order to minimise the possibility of cross-infections and to ensure the efficacy of the social distance operational matrix; b) Exam rooms should be fumigated before and after every examination session at govt or Zimsec cost; c) All candidates and invigilators must be provided with PPEs by the government at zero cost. ZIMSEC should, therefore, ensure both candidates and invigilators are provided with PPEs during the duration of the exam; d) There should be a health inspector at each centre to ensure the right procedures are adhered to including the use of sanitisers at gates to the school as well as into the examination rooms; e) All invigilators should be provided with all PPEs such as work suits, gloves and masks by ZIMSEC and/or the government; f) All those involved in the administration of examinations must be paid a meaningful COVID-19 risk allowance by ZIMSEC given the risk they take in running these examinations; and g) all centres administering examinations must have running water or copious amounts of water to enable the necessary hygienic conditions to prevail.
It is our fortified view and conviction that schools should be opened in phases rather than at once. For this reason, it may be prudent to start with only examination classes given the absolute necessity of social distance and the existence of over-crowding in the generality of our schools.
That way, these examination candidates would be spread as much as possible in the whole school so that the concept of social distance is observed and takes premium.
After a full month the situation can be reviewed to see the possibility and feasibility of admitting other grades and forms.
We want to reiterate that our emphasis as a country should be meeting the criteria set by WHO as a precondition for re-opening schools before trusting our instincts as well as personal and national egos.
We have 9159 schools on the country,6.5 million students covering ECDA to Upper Sixth,135000 teachers and more than 60000 ancillary staff. As you can see this is more than half the country and thus endangering them by opening schools without following the necessary WHO regulations would beak into mass murder of Hitlerian proportions.
The govt should endeavor to meet the following WHO guidelines for removing the lockdown before we start entertaining the idea of reopening schools for all;
Disease transmission is under control
Health systems are able to”detect, test, isolate and treat every case and trace every contact”
Hot spot risks are minimized in vulnerable places, such as nursing homes 4Schools, workplaces and other essential places have established preventive measures
The risk of importing new cases “can be managed”
Communities are fully educated, engaged and empowered to live under a new normal.
Furthermore, we are calling on the government to take full responsibility of the payment of salaries and allowances of all School Development Committee/School Development Association workers in the interim given that schools will be unable to pay them if schools do not open soon as there is no payment of fees during this period and schools are running or have already run out of financial reserves.
When schools finally open It is a fact that sooner or later, schools are going to open. We are, therefore, proposing the following minimum conditions to be in place as much as is practically possible when schools reopen:
The Ministry should ensure that all teachers and learners have all necessary PPEs of the very minimal standard such as disposable gloves and reusable masks. There should also be adequate test kits for all school no matter how remote they are from urban centres;
Before schools open, teachers should be trained on handling and managing learners and other stakeholders during the course of their duties with a view to eradicating the possibility of transmission of the disease;
All schools to be compelled to have sanitisers and thermometers at entry points to the school, every classroom and staffroom;
The government should pay a meaningful risk allowance to teachers in view of the fact that they are frontline workers in the fight against the disease since it is an uncontestable fact that teachers interact with thousands of children from a diversity of backgrounds per day;
Classes to be immediately de-congested through splitting and lowering the current high teacher-pupil ratios in schools to 1:15 at most so as to reduce the possibility of infections. This can be done through the employment of more teachers since we already have a low hanging fruit of a pool of unemployed qualified teachers; We want to state without any equivocation that our members are not prepared to take the risk of teaching classes with more than 20 learners for nothing as the consequences are dire.
As a union, it would be an abdication of responsibility if we sacrifice the lives of our members at the altar of national expediency;
The government should subsidise the fees of all learners by at least 50% in view of the fact that most parents were unable to scrounge for money during the lockdown. This should be done for at least one term;
There should be an ad Infinitum suspension of learner seminars, sporting activities, school assemblies, prize-giving ceremonies and Annual General Meetings in respect of social distance and also to minimise the possibility of infections from outside;
We also demand an immediate review, de-bunching and regrading of our salaries and education sector-specific allowances so that they are commensurate with our experience, qualifications and responsibilities;
For the avoidance of doubt, we demand the payment of our salaries at the prevailing interbank rate in view of the fact that the government has presided over inordinate price increases. Zimstats figures supported by the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe indicate that the consumer basket is now well above ZWL$6680 as was highlighted at the latest government Price Moratorium presser recently held;
The government should set up quarantine centres for learners affected by the disease;
The usual behaviour of Ministry officials where they move around schools under the guise of supervision should be stopped in order to avoid the possibility of them carrying the virus from one station to another. In fact, movements should for now be restricted to the ritual of home station-home until it is safe to wade out of that schedule;
We have also noted that some schools such as Mosi High, Plumtree and others have been used as quarantine centres for those returning from the diaspora. There should be fumigation of these centres before they can be used by learners again; and
There is need to monitor school buses so that they are fumigated as per regulations, whenever they are used to transport learners and teachers to and from schools.
In fact, it is imperative that the govt reserves some buses strictly for learners and teachers so that they reduce mingling with ordinary people during the course of moving to and from schools.
There is nothing like being too careful. We have to protect the lives of these learners and teachers.
Hope you will seriously consider these views gathered from the PTUZ members scattered around the country.
Yours faithfully RAYMOND MAJONGWE (PTUZSecretaryGeneral)
Farai Dziva|Movement for Democratic Change Youth Assembly National Organising Secretary, Godfrey Kurauone has said Emmerson Mnangagwa clearly violated the Zanu PF Constitution to grab power.
Citing a clause of the Zanu PF Constitution, Kurauone described Mnangagwa as an illegitimate leader of the ruling party.Kurauone is also the MDC councillor for ward 4, Masvingo Urban Constituency.
Kurauone argued :”ED is illegitimate, you dont need a lawyer to win this case in court.
The Central Committee meeting which was convened to dismiss Mugabe was unconstitutional..
The million dollar question, who presided over the Central Committee meeting?”
More than hundred mourners were last week dispersed by police for violating the stipulated number in line with Covid-19 guidelines at a farm in Mashonaland East Province.
In a statement, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident urging traditional leaders to monitor villagers and make sure they are complying with Government directives on Covid-19.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to confirm the incident where mourners were dispersed at a farm …,” said Ass Comm Nyathi.
“Circumstances were that relatives of the deceased were claiming that they were experiencing a bizarre incident where body of the buried woman was seen in the village.
“Police dispersed the mourners over failure to meet health measures set by Government in curbing the spreading of Coronavirus and chief among them was that of social distance.- H- Metro
Farai Dziva|Respected political analyst, Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has pointed out that Douglas Mwonzora, Morgen Komichi and Thokozani Khupe are clearly working with Zanu PF to destroy the Movement for Democratic Change.
This, Ruhanya argues, is calculated to “annihilate genuine opposition in the country.”
Speaking on the MDC leadership dispute, Mwonzora, quoted by NewsDay claimed :
“The response for the congress is overwhelming. It will be oversubscribed.
Thousands of delegates have already confirmed their attendance at the congress … much more than the quorum.
For now, we are mostly interested in the delegates who will be coming to the congress and not in everyone else … we will meet everyone else after the congress.
Although we have had limitations because of the health situation, in terms of preparations we are at an advanced stage and we are going to elect a new MDC president soon.”
However, Ruhanya argued : It appears ZANU PF is helping Mwonzora and crew with people to assemble at the said congress. Gore rino tichazipigwa.
How do you have an oversubscribed congress as Mwonzora and ZANU PF say? It means it’s a bogus and illegitimate thing filled with Zanu PF members masquerading as MDC structures.”
Fellow MDC members and all progressive revolutionaries of the democratic struggle, please ignore malicious falsehoods published by one Hosiah Mviringi that is making rounds in social media.
This is a deliberate attempt by the enemy to misrepresent my position and unquestionable support for our visionary President, Advocate Nelson Chamisa.
I have stated it before and let me state it now that I, Cecilia Chimbiri and the Youth Assembly in general we are ?% in solidarity with President Chamisa and his vision for a new Zimbabwe. No amount of propaganda will diffuse our conviction to remove ZANU PF with President Chamisa as the Commander in Chief!
Farai Dziva|MDC deputy president Tendai Biti has denounced the violation of human rights by Emmerson Mnangagwa’ s government during the lockdown.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has announced that more than 8000 people have been arrested for allegedly flouting lockdown restrictions. At the same time, argues Biti, government’s lack of zeal to test as many people is appalling.
“In 2018 we pulled no stops in our campaign to finish off what we started in 2009.
In their hearts of hearts they know they stole from the people . In his he knows he is not legitimate. In their hearts of hearts they are afraid.Very afraid…
Despite the #Lockdown systematic abuse of human rights continues.
More than 8000 people have been arrested during the lockdown-much more than the number of COVID-19 tests.
Pointing out that Emmerson has no plan is a fact protected by freedom of speech.”
By A Correspondent- A Chitungwiza woman has been arrested for allegedly hiring thugs to physically assault her husband over a domestic dispute.
The husband, Owen Nyakudya, was left with bruises all over the body and cuts on palms after being beaten to a pulp and sliced with a knife by the thugs.
The woman, only identified as Mrs Nyakudya, was by yesterday still in police custody at St Mary’s Police Station.
Nyakudya told H-Metro that his wife had been arrested after hiring thugs to beat him up, following a misunderstanding over money.
“Thugs came to take me from my house and dragged me to a nearby bush where they thoroughly beat me up.
“They tied both hands and legs and forced me to eat mud before they started beating me up all over the body with various weapons. The hired men also sliced my palms with a knife,” he said.
The local councillor, Reginald Mashingaidze, also confirmed the incident. “I received reports that a Mrs Nyakudya hired thugs to physically assault her husband over a domestic dispute.
The woman has since been taken by police for investigations over the matter.
“As of now I have assisted with a vehicle to ferry him to St Mary’s Clinic, where he is getting medical assistance,” he said.
A source said that the men who assaulted Nyakudya were linked to the wife.
“Nyakudya had a dispute with his wife while drunk last night (Saturday) and the woman just left home only to return with several men.
“They started quarreling and when neighbors tried to intervene, the wife said the men were his brothers.
The same people are the ones who assaulted Nyakudya,” said the source.
By A Correspondent- Limpopo’s health department said tests have confirmed that a man who died at a private medical practice was Covid-19 positive but did not appear to have known he had the virus.
“Unfortunately he has demised and was diagnosed through post-mortem results,” the department said in a statement on Sunday.
The province has 30 Covid-19 infections but this one, which ended in death, was the first to be recorded in the Sekhukhune region.
“The deceased is a 55-year-old male who worked in Cape Town as both a freelancer in the film industry and a traditional healer,” the department said.
“Both his responsibilities and the area he was operating at made him to be a risk candidate. He is believed to have fallen ill while in Cape Town and his son chose to drive him back to the province where he arrived on the 15th of April 2020 to consult both his prophet and traditional healer.”
It was not immediately clear how the two travelled under the lockdown.
On April 20 the man’s health deteriorated, prompting his family to seek medical intervention.
“The family took him to one of the private practitioners in the area where he was declared dead on arrival after spending less than 30 minutes in the practice.”
A swab was taken after his death, later confirming he was positive for Covid-19.
The health department said it was taking swabs and checking every “suspicious” fatality.
The surgery where the man died is being disinfected.
Tracer teams were dispatched to locate all of his contacts for testing.
“The challenges faced by the team is poor co-operation by his son who is our only hope to trace all the contacts.
“The doctor and his five staff members have been tested and are now in quarantine. The surgery has since been closed,” said the department.-TimesLive
By Own Correspondent| Harare residents have made a passionate call for authorities to act against land barons who have apparently taken advantage of the current lockdown to invade wetlands.
Residents have scaled down on monitoring activities being undertaken on wetlands and land barons are now capitalizing on the situation and intensifying invasions.
The Marimba River which feeds into Lake Chivero is under serious threat as a result of the wetlands invasions.
Residents from the Greencroft area have expressed serious concern over the issue and called on council to act.
“Whilst we are under lockdown, land barons are not stopping. A wetland behind the Ellis Robins High School area of Greencroft and Sentosa has had two stands already pegged and cleared near the headwaters of the Marimba river tributary and bricks are already on site.
“One of the builders at the sight has said that they will begin building soon,” said a resident on condition of anonymity.
The Zimbabwe Combined Residents and Ratepayers Association (ZICORRA) blamed corruption for the continued destruction of wetlands in Harare.
ZICORRA is also pursuing the issue of the invasion of the Ellis Robins wetland and investigations by the association shows that developers who have invaded the wetland had offer letters which the association said could have been fraudulently acquired.
“Why must institutions keep corrupt officials within their ranks? When someone signs offer letters or building plans for developments on wetlands, they are guilty of denying Harare residents the right to water. It’s actually shocking that the developers have all the required paper work when they are seeking to build on a wetland. Corruption and greed is behind all these fraudulent activities.
“If this kind of a situation is allowed to continue, then efforts to address Harare’s water crisis will be in vain,” said ZICORRA’s provincial chairperson for Harare, Lawrence Kuleya.
The Councilor for Ward 7, Happymore Gotora refuted claims the area was wetland.
“I disagree with people who are saying the area is a wetland because you do not even need a special foundation to build there. The other developer was taken to the police by residents and he produced all the required paper work including offer letters . I am also aware that there are about 20 other stands that were allocated at the area by the previous council and all this was done above board,” said Gotora.
Residents who spoke on condition of anonymity blamed his inaction over the continued invasion of wetlands in his area.
Asked on the current status of wetlands in Harare, Council’s Environmental Management Committee Chairperson, Councilor Kudzai Kadzombe said she was going to enquire and give feedback but had however not done so by the time of going to print
Wetlands are major water sources for Harare but have of late been under serious threat from urban farming and construction projects.
Stakeholders are making concerted efforts to save the wetlands with the Harare Wetlands trust mobilizing community based organizations to actively participate in saving wetlands in Harare.
Harare Wetlands Trusts’ (HWT) Residents Liaison Officer, Jimmy Mahachi said they have noted with concern an increase in the case of invasion of wetlands during the lockdown.
“We continue to receive disturbing reports from areas such as Mount Pleasant, Malborough, Hillside among others and it is quite clear that land barons are taking advantage of the lockdown. We however continue to mobilize residents and court action also remains an option for us,” said Mahachi.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is on record calling for action against land barons who continue to invade wetlands in Harare but on the ground, the practice is apparently going on unabated.
By A Correspondent- South Korea has said Kim Jong Un is “alive and well” following reports the leader had fallen seriously ill after undergoing heart surgery.
Moon Chung-in, the top foreign policy adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, told CNN:
“Our government position is firm.”
“Kim Jong Un is alive and well. He has been staying in the Wonsan area since April 13. No suspicious movements have so far been detected.”
The North Korean leader, 36, was last seen in public on 11 April at a meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party politburo.
But four days later he was absent while the rest of the country celebrated the birthday of his late grandfather and state founder Kim Il Sung.
His lack of attendance sparked rumours about his health including Japanese magazine Shukan Gendai’s report that Kim Jong Un was in a “vegetative state” after heart surgery earlier in the month.
The third-generation hereditary leader, who came to power in 2011 following the death of his father, has no clear successor.-CNN
Daily Post| A coalition of Nigerian legal practitioners has dragged the People’s Republic of China to court over the effects of the Coronavirus outbreak on the West African giant.
The lawyers are demanding $200 billion as damages for the “loss of lives, economic strangulation, trauma, hardship, social disorientation, mental torture and disruption of the normal daily existence of people in Nigeria.”
This was contained in a statement on Sunday by the lead prosecutor, Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN)
Azinge’s law firm, Azinge, and Azinge, is championing the legal action, stressing that they had concluded pleadings for the class action against the Chinese government.
The statement added, “The team of legal experts planned a two-phase line of action-: first is with the federal high court of Nigeria and secondly to persuade the government of Federal Republic of Nigeria to institute a state action against the People’s Republic of China at the International Court of Justice at the Hague
“The legal experts will be claiming damages to the tune of 200billion dollars, the Chinese Government will be served through its Embassy in Nigeria.”
Azinge is currently a member of the Commonwealth Arbitral Tribunal London, representing Nigeria and Africa.
By A Correspondent| There was pandemonium at Budiriro 1 shopping centre (Sunday) when police details fired warning shots into the air after a crowd reportedly tried to rescue a wanted criminal who was reportedly evading arrest.
A source close to the developments told ZimEye that members of the CID had been chasing a wanted criminal movie style before they apprehended him at Budiriro 1 shopping centre.
Said an eyewitness on condition of anonymity:
“The people wanted to rescue the wanted criminal. One of the police details in plain clothes however fired a warning shot in the air.
The people however did not retreat, they would just run away and come back to try and assist the arrested suspected criminal.
The police fired the warning shots thrice, but the people still came back. They only ran away when a truck of soldiers passed by.”
ZimEye is currently seeking a comment from the police as this is a developing story.
By Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC Alliance leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has made a donation of medical supplies worth US$3 000 to the Kwekwe City Council.
The donation was made towards fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
The donation which consisted of 27 boxes of face masks, each with 50 masks, 1×50 boxes of dust masks, 10×150g washing powder, 16×5 litres of hand sanitisers, 10×1000 packs of theatre caps.
Former Health Minister and MDC Secretary for Health, Dr Henry Madzorera handed over the donations on behalf Chamisa.
“Today, I am handing over materials worth US$3 000 to the mayor of the city on behalf of the MDC Alliance President Chamisa,” said Madzorera
“The president wanted to show solidarity with the government and all matters relating to the COVID-19 war, and to emphasise that this is an epidemic which knows no boundary, including political, religious, class and other boundaries,” added Madzorera.
Kwekwe Mayor Angeline Kasipo received the donation on behalf of Kwekwe City Council.
By A Correspondent- The government has reportedly embarked on mass testing for coronavirus in Mhondoro villages where Gogo Chitemere-Nguni resided.
Gogo Nguni was mother to former government Minister Sylvester Nguni, succumbed to the virus last week becoming the country’s fourth COVID-19 death.
The Ministry of Health reported that two of her contacts have since tested positive prompting the ministry to embark on the mass testing exercise.
Speaking to The Herald on Sunday, Health Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo said:Our teams from Harare and Mashonaland West have since started combing the whole area, tracing and testing all individuals as we try to get to the bottom of this issue.
Meanwhile, the Nguni family has denied earlier reports which had suggested that gogo Nguni had come into contact with a relative who had returned from the United Kingdom saying that they do not know Christopher Chitemere of Harare although they have a relative with the same name.
It said that it was a mere coincidence of names adding that Gogo Nguni never got in touch with this Chitemere and the only time she came to Harare in recent days was when she was brought to West End Hospital for treatment.-StateMedia
Government of Zimbabwe continues to establish isolation centres to house COVID-19 patients across the country. Below is the list of isolation centres for Manicaland and Masvingo provinces.
ZimEye is going LIVE over 165 black Zimbabweans who are currently trapped in China as they endure racism and other attacks. They reveal they were kicked out of work 4 months ago and now want to go back home. They are currently stuck near Beijing Airport.
BELOW IS THEIR WRITTEN UNEDITED ACCOUNT:
Hello ZimEye
We have a big problem here in China and as it is now the is know one helping us.
Many Zimbabwe are stuck here the can not find a flight to go back home and also the can not afford to keep on staying here because we still need to buy food and pay rent .
We only need the government to assist us with any airplane so that we can be able to flight back home .We have ask the embassy to help us and we still did not get any answer.
We did not want a free plane no we can can afford to pay for it we just want them to help us to live this country.
I hope you can help us to send this massege to them so that many Zimbabwe here may find help before its too late.
We have gone to the airport to confirm and they tell us the only people who can help you are the embassy. Because the can ask a plane to take us back home in group if we have the money for our tickets . According to people who am talking to here each and everyone have the money to pay for the flight but we did not have the flight and we need our government to help us just to talk to any plane and give us the price so that we can be able to go back home . We are in big big trouble and we are more that 165 for now and I did not how many more out there please help us by put this on breaking news so that everyone can see and we can get the assist we need please help us
By A Correspondent- A 42 year old man was arrested while seated in the Toyota Land Cruiser, but he denied ownership of the vehicle and the groceries.
Police impounded the vehicle and held the groceries that included 55 cartons of soap and 18 boxes of corn snacks (jiggies) as exhibit.
Police in Beitbridge last week intercepted a pick-up truck laden with smuggled groceries and arrested Trust Munekwa, a passenger who was in the vehicle. The driver escaped when police approached them and it is believed the goods were smuggled from South Africa.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the case, saying the driver was still on the run.
“On April 21, police in Beitbridge recovered a navy blue Toyota Land Cruiser registration ABT 4197 laden with suspected smuggled goods near Beitbridge airstrip,” he said.
“The goods included 55 boxes of Britelite soap and 18 boxes of snacks (jiggies).
“The driver of the vehicle fled into the nearby bush on seeing police officers on patrol. One of the people who were in the vehicle, Trust Munekwa, failed to escape. He denied ownership of the vehicle after he was arrested. He is in our custody assisting the police with investigations.” Asst Comm Nyathi said security officers were on high alert at all ports of entry and anyone caught smuggling goods would be arrested.-Nehanda
By A Correspondent- Chivi South MP Killer Zivhu has called on the powerful and mighty to be humble and stop being overzealous with borrowed power.
Said Zivhu who in the past faced the chop for his blunt talk which ruffled feathers within his party Zanu Pf:
“Power is temporary, and for those who have it, don’t abuse it. The good thing that you can do is to show love to others and stop being overzealous with borrowed power which you are going to lose in the near future.”
It could however not be immediately established who Zivhu was referring to.
power is temporary vanaro musafarisa the good thing u can do show love to others kwete zvekuonererwa with borrowed power inotorwa manje manje
By Charles Dhewa| The majority of developing countries are still to tear themselves away from the colonial set up where major food markets were located in cities or towns in order to provide food for low income people working in formal industries. Under that arrangement food had to travel from rural areas most of which were 100km away to cities where the main distributors were pro-poor mass markets like Mbare market in Harare. While the majority of urban consumers depended on pro-poor mass markets for food, supermarkets were for the elite and middle class. With the emergence of COVID-19, international standards of dealing with the pandemic have compelled African countries to close mass food markets. However that has happened at the expense of the urban poor on depend on these markets.
Disruption of natural remedies COVID-19 has dealt a heavy blow on poor people’s access to natural remedies. Over the past few years, African mass markets have witnessed an increase in the supply and demand for seasonal indigenous fruits, tubers and herbs that have provided stiff competition to exotic colonial foods. The marked increase in the consumption of indigenous foods has revealed urban consumers’ preference for natural remedies. Since most of the indigenous foods and herbs are not sold through modern supermarkets, the closure of mass markets as part of combatting the spread of COVID-19 has denied urban people access to the natural foods and remedies they have become accustomed to over the years. Farmers and rural people who were earning income from harvesting indigenous fruits, herbs and edible insects for sale in mass markets have also been left in the cold by the closure of mass markets.
Urban dwellers who had become accustomed to consuming tsvubvu, matufu, nyii, nhengeni, nhunguru and other fruits that ripen at the same time as field crops have not been able to get such fruits due to COVID19-included lockdowns and restrictions in movement of people and commodities. According to many consumers, indigenous fruits and herbs have medicinal properties that cannot be substituted with pharmaceutical products that are also beyond the reach of the majority.
Towards resilient food supply chains In the wake of challenges caused by COVID-19, many African countries no longer have money to waste on ill-conceived agribusiness models. That is why the government of Zimbabwe and its partners has started putting in place carefully thought-through food supply chain systems. Besides assisting to cope with immediate, medium term and long-term impacts of COVID19, a robust food supply chain system is envisaged to have meaningful benefits for several value chain players as explained below:
Food supply chain benefits for farmers – A resilient food supply chain will enhance production planning guided by market volumes and trends. Most farmers do not know market trends and start looking for the market when commodities have ripened or already in the truck at the market. That should be a thing of the past. Information generated along the food supply chain is beginning to make farmers aware of the diversity and volumes of commodities consumed by each market, enabling farmers to plan their production in ways that minimize waste of inputs by producing what does not have a market. Aggregation centres are being set up in production zones so that farmers with smaller volumes of commodities sell closer home and do not have to incur losses by travelling to distant urban markets.
Benefits for seed companies – Seed companies in Africa currently compete to produce more seed than farmers can use. That is why a lot of seed is seen in retail shops well after the planting season is over. Some seed companies end up persuading government to embed their seed volumes in government input programs. A clear supply chain will show the actual demand for seed and help seed companies to plan their seed production properly.
Benefits for nurseries – By showing quantities of food produced and consumed in different areas, the supply chain will assist nurseries to produce seedlings in the right quantities unlike producing more than is needed, leading to throwing away of some seedlings due to absence of demand.
Benefits for stock feed manufacturers – The supply chain will show statistics about livestock producers and their volumes, enabling stock feed manufacturers to produce and distribute stock feed to known potential buyers unlike sending stock feed to communities where demand is not clear. When smallholder farmers produce maize, their major priority is meeting household consumption. They do not plan for livestock unless they are contracted. By revealing volumes for human consumption in particular communities, the food supply chain is beginning to show volumes that can be set aside for livestock. At community or ward level, the supply chain will soon enable people to plan for household consumption, livestock consumption and surplus for the market so that they do not run out of food.
Benefits for supermarkets, food processors and fast food chains – Most of these players have depended on middlemen for years. If they put their needs and specifications on the supply chain they will get what they need on time. Their volumes are often too low to the extent that it does not make economic sense for them to go and fetch commodities on their own from farmers in distant areas.
Benefits for financial institutions – The days of banks giving loans to agricultural clients based on bank statements are over. The supply chain will show statistics of each player’s participation and such evidence will be used as collateral. In fact the supply chain itself will be a collateral for the entire food system.
Characterizing traders and flushing out unscrupulous ones – By separating genuine traders from the unscrupulous lot, the food supply chain has started eliminating inflation caused by middlemen who merely exchange commodities and increase prices before passing on the prices to the consumers. When negotiating with farmers most middlemen have become used to cite high transport costs as the reason why they should pay less to the farmer but a critical look at transport costs would show that they are not as high as claimed. In any case, why should the farmer meet the trader’s transport costs?
Who says butternut, sweet potato, carrots, green beans, green pepper and many other bulky commodities should be sold in a 60-70kg bag called a semia or saseka? In Zimbabwe such measurements have been distorting value to the farmer’s expense for decades. Instead of allowing traders to set rules of the commodity trading game, the supply chain will introduce proper standards and measurements starting at local aggregation centres. Most of the bad trading practices are not market-driven but introduced by cartels of traders. For how long are African farmers going to continue selling their commodities in big sacks some of which are over-filled in ways that disadvantage smallholder farmers? Introducing modern measurements like weighing scales at local aggregation centres will sweep bad trading practices away.
Time to build home-grown social safety nets Among other knowledge and resource gaps, COVID19 has revealed the need for African countries to revisit colonial food policies that have continued to guide decisions about food production and supply without fully taking into account the important role of pro-poor mass food markets. To the extent COVID19 has first attacked donor countries and sources of food aid, low income countries have to urgently start building home-grown self-sustaining social safety nets and resilient food supply chains. Currently, smallholder farmers do not originate units of measurement because they lack a basis for doing so. Most elements for pricing and price determination come from the market. What policy, institutional or operational measures can governments put in place to transfer the power of originating units of measurement from traders to farmers? This is a powerful avenue for building resilient food systems.
NAME: Munyaradzi Nkomo BORN: 23 November 2000 GENDER: Male
BIOGRAPHY My name is Munyaradzi Nkomo and I am 19 years old. I was born in Waterfalls, Mbuya Maternity clinic and I’m the only child.
EDUCATION A ended Houghton Park Primary School for his primary level before enrolling into St Francis Xavier College of Kutama. Finished O level and A level at the Ins tute of Herentals College. Now a ending the Na onal Gallery of Zimbabwe of Visual Arts and Design.
Music Career I recorded my first professional song in September 2019 and worked with NOLIMITS ENT. On my first track, I worked with Ti Gonzi on an afro pop song titled LETS KEEP IT UP. Songs released: Nga danane
By A Correspondent- A UK based Zimbabwean nurse who is in self isolation after testing positive to COVID-19 has encouraged those diagnosed with the disease to continue having faith and never stop praising God despite their challenges.
Said Cindy:
“….I am fearful for my children, but all i know is that God is with us. It is frightening and noone knows what tomorrow holds, but let us keep on praising God. I have taken this disease home and i gave it my children. I took the disease home but i want to thank God because i am not feeling as bad as i was feeling last week. Our children become front line victims too because of us, but this is not out of choice. God remains God, He remains God and he has not forsaken us. My friend who is at work right now, go back and work with a brave face, God is with you.”
By A Correspondent- Government has called on private institutions testing and treating COVID-19 related illnesses to register with the ministry first before treating the infectious disease.
Permanent Secretary in the Health ministry Agnes Mahomva said in a press statement:
“When we look at infectious diseases, clinics treating these diseases must register with us. Your clinics, that want to work with us should register with us first. We note that there are several private institutions already working on COVID 19 related illnesses, and we are saying stop it and come to us first. We agree that we need your help, but we have to certify that you have the facilities and capacity to deal with the scourge and we must assess you first and certify your health institution.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has released a statement updating the nation on the novel coronavirus.
The ministry said that as of 26 April 2020, Zimbabwe had a total of 31 coronavirus cases including 4 deaths and 5 recoveries.
We present the Ministry’s statement in full below.
As of 26 April 2020, a cumulative total of 2 804 796 confirmed cases and 193 722 deaths were reported from more than 210 countries/territories globally (Source WHO Sitrep No. 97)
The Ministry would like to report that today, a total of 328 tests were done, giving a total of 6 395 screening and diagnostic tests done to date. All the PCR tests done in Harare and Bulawayo today were negative for COVID-19.
Therefore, to date, Zimbabwe has thirty-one confirmed cases including five recoveries and four deaths as detailed in the table below.
Matabeleland North – 1 case – 0 recovered- 0 deaths
Bulawayo – 10 cases – 0 recovered- 1 death
Harare – 13 cases – 0 recovered- 2 deaths
Mashonaland East – 4 cases – 4 recovered- 0 deaths
Mashonaland West – 3 cases – 0 recovered- 1 death
Total – 31
The Ministry of Health continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVI-19 pandemic. As part of the intensified surveillance and contact tracing the Ministry has to date identified and collected samples from 69 contacts of the late case #27.
Case N29 and Case N30 reported yesterday involve a 46-year-old female and 66-year-old male patients respectively. Both are residents of Mhondoro, and were direct contacts of the late, case #27. The Rapid Response Team visited them at home in their village for assessment and collected samples for testing. Currently, they have been advised to self-isolate at home as both have mild disease.
Case #31 also reported yesterday is a 31-year-old Harare resident who returned from the United Kingdom on the 13th April 2020. He is stable and currently on mandatory isolation.
The Ministry continues to remind the nation that the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to practice good personal hygiene and exercise social distancing.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has revealed that professional sports teams in the country can resume training on the 18th of May.
The country’s top flight, Serie A, was temporarily suspended on March 9 in the wake of escalating cases of coronavirus in the third most populous country in Europe.
In his televised address to the nation on Sunday, Conte highlighted that athletes are free to start invdiual training on the 4th of May then move to training in groups on the 18th the same month as the authorities ease lockdown restrictions.
The minister also said that a decision on when the league would resume, will be made at a later date.
Defending champions Juventus lead proceedings in the Italian top division on 63 points, one ahead of secod-placed Lazio with 12 games remaining.
The continued lockdown in South Africa is reportedly further choking Zimbabweans as land lords continue to demand rental despite the fact that their employers have since declared no work no pay policy to the foreigners.
Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association director Michael Mdladla Ndiweni said was paying his tribute to the hard working people in South Africa.
“Phoke sizoba yini! The unveiled lockdown easing phases appear will be a very long wait. The sentiments by Minister Tito Mboweni must get us quickly thinking about the fate of our people. We cant just wish them away. It appears to have serious implications to our people,” he said.
“Let us spare a thought on our #COVID19 hardest people in South Africa. I have been chatting to a number of them. The situation is getting dire everyday. Landlords are demanding their rentals, their food stocks are getting depleted and they are not working. I know our renowned activists are doing all they can to keep some going under these difficult conditions.”
“Let us spare a thought and pay tribute to our hard working Omalayitsha who endured all the harassment, extortionists when were ferrying our informal cross border traders with goods for resale to keep families going, when they brought food for our families, when they brought building materials for us to have decent shelter, when they brought us cheaper goods from SA, when they brought us cheaper spare parts to keep our old cars going, their contribution in our livelihoods cannot just be poked fun at today. Their contribution to our lives is indelible.”
He said people must spare a thought and pay tribute to hard working people in South Africa who have been working in places of entertainment like restaurants, those who worked in hotels, those who worked travel agents, they have been key in keeping families fed at home, sent kids to school, young people to universities, the sick accessing medication, people were being dressed through their monthly remittances.
“What can urgently be done to make sure our people restart their lives again, it is becoming inevitable that some will be forced by these circumstances to come back home. What are the immediate strategies that can be employed to try and make them survive when they return. Some may dismiss me and say nothing will happen because maybe they are privileged and have authentic papers in SA. I am talking about our people who survived on menial jobs particularly those mentioned above,” he said.
“I remind our people at home to never forget how useful these people are in our lives in good times. I have seen some gloating about their conditions now. I cant blame South Africa, it is their country after all even though we have contributed immensely in their economy, bangenza loba yini ngezwe labo, kodwa thina sisheshe sikhohlwe.”
News Agents|More than a dozen countries on four continents recently disclosed problems with Chinese-made coronavirus tests and personal protective equipment. The problems range from test kits tainted with the coronavirus to medical garments contaminated with insects. Defective Chinese face masks, purchased by Spain’s Ministry of Health, were distributed to hospitals and nursing homes across the country, and more than 100 healthcare workers who used them tested positive for Covid-19.
A shipment from China of 8.6 million protective face masks and 150 tons of sanitary equipment arrives at Paris-Vatry Airport in France, on April 19, 2020. (Photo by Francois Nascimbeni/AFP via Getty Images)
Gatestone Institute recently reported that millions of pieces of medical equipment purchased from China by European governments to combat the coronavirus pandemic are defective and unusable.
Since that report, more than a dozen countries on four continents have disclosed problems with Chinese-made coronavirus tests and personal protective equipment. The problems range from test kits tainted with the coronavirus to medical garments contaminated with insects.
Chinese authorities have refused to take responsibility for the defective equipment and in many instances have cast blame on the countries that purchased the material. They have also called on nations of the world to stop “politicizing” the problem — at the same time that Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Communist Party have sought to leverage the pandemic to assert a claim to global leadership.
Spain, the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in Europe, has experienced the greatest number of problems with medical equipment purchased from China.
After the epidemic hit Spain, the Spanish government purchased medical supplies from China in the amount of €432 million ($470 million). Chinese vendors demanded they be paid up front before making any deliveries. It now appears that much of the material being supplied by China is substandard.
In late March, for instance, the Spanish Ministry of Health revealed that more than a half million coronavirus tests it had purchased from a Chinese vendor were defective. The tests, manufactured by Shenzhen Bioeasy Biotechnology, a company based in China’s Guangdong Province, had an accurate detection rate of less than 30%. Bioeasy had claimed, in writing, that its tests had an accurate detection rate of 92%.
After the swindle made international headlines, Bioeasy agreed to replace the tests. On April 21, however, the Spanish newspaper El Paísreported that all 640,000 replacement tests were also useless. The Spanish government is now seeking a refund.
The Chinese Embassy in Madrid blamed the Spanish government for purchasing the tests from an unauthorized vendor. Bioeasy, apparently, does not have a license to sell coronavirus tests. Spain, however, has also reported problems with material purchased from vendors that are authorized by the Chinese government.
On April 15, Spain’s Ministry of Health recalled 350,000 so-called FFP2 masks after laboratory tests determined that they were substandard. The defective masks were manufactured by Garry Galaxy Biotechnology, a company included on the Chinese government’s list of approved manufacturers of personal protective equipment. FFP2 masks are required to filter at least 94% of aerosols, but those delivered to Spain filtered only between 71% and 82% of aerosols.
The defective masks were purchased by the Spanish Ministry of Health and distributed to hospitals and nursing homes across the country. After the defective masks were recalled, more than a hundred healthcare workers who had used them tested positive for coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
In the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia, local health officials on April 18 recalled 180,000 Covid-19 antibody tests — also known as serological tests — because of their low rate of detection. The tests, produced by the Chinese manufacturer Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech, were purchased by the central government in Madrid and distributed to regional health authorities to detect Covid-19 in two priority groups: healthcare personnel and elderly people in nursing homes. The Wondfo tests reportedly gave negative results to people who had previously tested positive for Covid-19, and also failed to distinguish between two types of antibodies, including those that confer immunity.
In the eastern city of Alicante, the General Hospital recalled 640 disposable medical garments after one of the boxes from China contained cockroaches. The hospital said that it had received a total of 3,000 garments in 75 boxes and that it found two insects inside one of the boxes. It added that given the shortage of medical supplies, the garments would be sterilized, not destroyed.
Other countries — in Europe and beyond — have also criticized the quality of Chinese medical supplies:
Australia. On April 1, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that the Australian Border Force (ABF) had seized nearly one million Chinese-made faulty face masks and other protective clothing that was exported to Australia to help halt the spread of coronavirus. The material was valued at A$1.2 million (US$760,000). “We started seeing this stuff arriving roughly three weeks ago when news of the pandemic was really taking off,” an ABF official told ABC. “The dodgy material is coming via air cargo because there is a backlog of sea freight at Australian ports.”
Austria. On April 6, the Ministry of Economic Affairs confirmed that 500,000 masks ordered from China for use in South Tyrol were “completely unusable” because they did not meet safety standards: “The result of the quality control check showed that the masks do not meet an FFP standard. When putting on the masks, it is impossible to obtain a tight fit in the area of the chin and cheeks.” Minister of Economics Margarete Schramböck complained that international providers of the urgently needed FFP2 and FFP3 masks had not delivered the required quality in nine out of ten cases. On April 9, Austrian media reported that the defective mask problem was far greater than initially thought. The Austrian Red Cross ordered 20 million masks from the same Chinese manufacturer that made the defective masks for South Tyrol.
Belgium. On March 31, the University Hospital of Leuven rejected a shipment of 3,000 masks from China because the equipment was substandard.
Canada. On April 7, the City of Toronto recalled more than 60,000 surgical masks made in China. The masks, valued at more than $200,000, were provided to staff at long-term care facilities. Toronto health authorities were investigating whether caregivers were exposed to Covid-19 while wearing the equipment. The masks represented around 50% of Toronto’s inventory of surgical masks, according to Matthew Pegg, Toronto’s fire chief and general manager of emergency management.
Czech Republic. On March 23, the Czech news site iRozhlasreported that 300,000 coronavirus test kits delivered by China had an error rate of 80%. The Czech Ministry of Interior had paid $2.1 million for the defective kits.
Finland. On April 10, the Managing Director of Finland’s National Emergency Supply Agency, Tomi Lounema, resigned after he admitted to spending €10 million ($11 million) on defective protective equipment from China.
Georgia. On March 27, Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze cancelled an order for 200,000 coronavirus tests manufactured by the China-based Shenzhen Bioeasy Biotechnology Company. The move came after Spain reported that 640,000 tests that it purchased from the company were defective. She said: “Georgia had a contract with this company, but today it has been canceled. The money has not been transferred. We are negotiating with another company and at first, they will send two thousand tests. If the reliability of those is approved by us, we will purchase an additional quantity.”
India. On April 16, the Mumbai-based Economic Timesreported that 50,000 pieces of personal protective equipment donated by China were defective and unusable.
Ireland. On April 6, the Health Service Executive (HSE) revealed that a large portion of the €200 million delivery of personal protective equipment supplied by China was found to be unusable for health care workers. The HSE told the Chinese company responsible for the delivery that unless the quality of the equipment being sent is guaranteed, there will not be any more deals between the two nations with regards to PPE. The government said that it was seeking a refund.
Malaysia. On April 16, Malaysian authorities approved the use of coronavirus test kits from South Korea after similar kits from China were found to be defective. A senior official in the Ministry of Health, Noor Hisham Abdullah, said that the accuracy of the Chinese tests was “not very good.” He expressed optimism over the South Korean tests: “Now that we have a test kit that is fast, portable and is cheap, that will make the difference.”
Netherlands. On March 28, the Netherlands recalled 1.3 million face masks produced in China because they did not meet the minimum safety standards for medical personnel. The so-called KN95 masks are a less expensive Chinese alternative to the American-standard N95 mask, which currently is in short supply around the world. The KN95 does not fit on the face as tightly as the N95, thus potentially exposing medical personnel to the coronavirus.
Philippines. On March 29, the Department of Health apologized for comments it made a day earlier that two batches of coronavirus test kits provided by China were substandard. Undersecretary for Health Maria Rosario Vergeire had said that kits made by Chinese manufacturers BGI Group and Sansure Biotech were only 40% accurate in diagnosing Covid-19 and that some of them would have to be discarded. The Chinese Embassy in Manila rejected those accusations and claimed that the kits complied with standards established by the World Health Organization. “The Chinese Embassy firmly rejects any irresponsible remarks and any attempts to undermine our cooperation in this regard,” a spokesman tweeted.
Slovakia. On April 1, Prime Minister Igor Matovič disclosed that more than a million coronavirus tests supplied by China for a cash payment of €15 million ($16 million) were inaccurate and unable to detect Covid-19. “We have a ton of tests and no use for them,” he said. “They should just be thrown straight into the Danube.” China accused Slovakian medical personnel of using the tests incorrectly.
Turkey. On March 27, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said that Turkey had tried Chinese-made coronavirus tests but authorities “weren’t happy about them.” Professor Ateş Kara, a member of the Turkish Health Ministry’s coronavirus task force, added that the batch of testing kits were only 30 to 35% accurate: “We have tried them. They don’t work. Spain has made a huge mistake by using them.”
United Kingdom. On April 6, the London-based newspaper The Timesreported that 17.5 million coronavirus antibody tests supplied by China were defective. The Chinese manufacturers of the tests blamed British officials and politicians for misunderstanding or exaggerating the utility of the tests. The British government, which reportedly paid at least $20 million (£16 million) for the tests, said that it was seeking a refund. Meanwhile, other coronavirus tests destined for the UK were found to be tainted with coronavirus.
United States. On April 17, the director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Sandy Karsten, revealed that 3.9 million KN95 masks manufactured in China were defective. The State of Missouri had signed a $16.5 million contract with an unidentified vendor for the masks and paid half in advance. The vendor is refusing to return the $8.25 million. Missouri Governor Mike Parson said: “We got cheated here in this state and we are going to go out there and try to get our money back and hold people accountable.” In neighboring Illinois, Governor J.B. Pritzker said that the state had spent $17 million on KN95 masks that may be unusable: “You know things come in shipments of a million — you can’t go through one mask at a time and so you try to take samples from the shipments that come in, make sure you got what you are paying for.” In Washington State, 12,000 coronavirus testing kits produced in China were recalled after some of them were found to be contaminated with the coronavirus.
On March 30, China urged European countries not to “politicize” concerns about the quality of medical supplies from China. “Problems should be properly solved based on facts, not political interpretations,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.
On April 1, the Chinese government reversed course and announced that it was increasing its oversight of exports of coronavirus test kits made in China. Chinese exporters of coronavirus tests must now obtain a certificate from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in order to be cleared by China’s customs agency.
On April 16, the Wall Street Journalreported that millions of pieces of medical equipment destined for the United States were being held in warehouses in China due to the new export restrictions imposed by the Chinese government. “We appreciate the efforts to ensure quality control,” the U.S. State Department said. “But we do not want this to serve as an obstacle for the timely export of important supplies.”
U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler from Georgia accused China of holding up shipments of test kits: “Testing is core to opening our country back up. I’m concerned that China’s holding up test kits. They’re playing games with trade policy to prevent us, the United States, from getting the testing that we need.”
The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the flaws of globalization by laying bare how the West has allowed itself to become dangerously dependent on Communist China for the supply of essential health care and medical products.
Andrew Michta, Dean of the College of International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, explained:
“The Wuhan Virus and the attendant misery that the Chinese communist state has unleashed upon the world (very much including its own people) has laid bare a core structural flaw in the assumptions underpinning globalization. It turns out that the radical interweaving of markets — which was supposed to lead to the ‘complex interdependence’ that international relations theorists have been predicting for the better part of the century would lead to an increase in global stability… has instead created an inherently fragile and teetering structure that is exacerbating uncertainty in a time of crisis….
“If there is any good to come from the devastating impact on our nation of this pandemic brought about by the Chinese communist regime through its malice and incompetence, it will be the likely demise of enthusiasm for globalization as we know it across the West. After three decades of intellectual gymnastics aimed at convincing Americans that the off-shoring of manufacturing and the attendant deindustrialization of the country are good for us, the time has come for a reckoning.
“Since the end of the Cold War, Western elites seem to have been in thrall to the idea that various ‘natural forces’ in the economy and politics were propelling us forward to a digitally interconnected brave new world, one in which traditional considerations of national interest, national economic policy, national security, and national culture would soon be eclipsed by an emergent peaceful global reality. This virus crisis is a wake-up call, and while some argue we are waking up too late to effectively counter current trends, my money is on the ability of the American people to rally in a crisis and on the resilience of Western democratic institutions.
“Today, while battling the Wuhan Virus consumes the attention of our government agencies and health care systems, we should not lose sight of the foundational strategic challenge confronting the West in the emerging post-globalization era: We are in a long twilight competition with the Chinese communist regime, a struggle we cannot escape, whether we like it or not. Now is the time to wake up, develop a new strategy for victory, and to move forward.”
THE Diaspora Funeral Cash Plan, a bespoke cash based final expenses policy provided by Diaspora Insurance, a leading global funeral insurance company, has assured clients it will continue offering normal services during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking during a live conference call with Diaspora Funeral Cash Plan senior advisor Morrison Mamutse, company chief executive, Jeff Madzingo said although the world was facing trying times in light of the global coronavirus, the company remained operational and ready to serve its clients across the globe.
The United Kingdom headquartered company, he said, continued to offer agreed funeral covers to a bereaved family within 24 hours of showing proof that they had lost a relative.
“The Diaspora Funeral Cash Plan is paying as usual under the COVID-19 pandemic. We are supporting our clients. Our clients are our family and we have capacitated the whole team to continue to provide services from home,” Madzingo said.
“We have a big call centre in South Africa which is also supporting clients wherever they are in the world. We are paying within 24 hours as always has been promised.
“Today (Thursday), we paid tens of thousands of dollars worth payments in terms of COVID-19 claims. The support is available, we are paying the beneficiaries as was always promised. We are not reneging on our promises. We are able to meet our obligations,” he said.
Mamutse also said the Diaspora Funeral Cash Plan is operational in 13 Africa countries.
“Diaspora Funeral Cash Plan covers 13 countries and is based in Birmingham and our cover has stretched to countries such as Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Eswatini, Botswana, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi Ethiopia, Namibia, Mozambique,” said Mamutse.
“It is our responsibility as a responsible, ethical, and morally driven organisation to bring up to date information to our clients and to potential clients.”
Madzingo said it was important for people working in foreign lands to open a funeral cover as relatives will be able to meet their funeral expenses without challenges.
“Don’t get caught up in a situation where you have a double tragedy of losing a loved one and having to look for funeral support from the wider community or Go Fund Me or begging from the community groups or WhatsApp groups. The purpose of our policy is to give families funeral interventions,” he said.
Madzingo said because of the COVID-19 outbreak, burials had changed as people dying from coronavirus had to be buried within 24 hours making it impossible for a body to be flown home where most countries like Zimbabwe and South Africa, are under lockdown.
“It is a very difficult time for families but they can easily switch and bury their loved ones in the country of current residence.”
Economic Freedom Fighter leader, Julius Malema has lashed out on landlords demanding rent from their tenants during lockdown, saying they must ‘voetsek’.
Malema was responding to a letter shared by a social media user who claimed that his landlord has given him until the 1st of May to settle the rent for the month.
Following Malema’s response, some people agreed with him, saying that the landlord was being unfair by expecting rent to be paid while some people are not getting salaries due to the lockdown.
During this lockdown period it stands to reason that some tenants might experience some difficult in meeting their monthly obligations in terms of rent.
File picture of Nelson Chamisa in Covid-19 protective equipment
MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa has donated medical supplies worth US$3 000 to the Kwekwe City Council to help the MDC-run local authority fight the spread of COVID-19.
The donation was handed over to the Kwekwe mayor by former Health Minister in the now-defunct inclusive government, Henry Madzorera on behalf Chamisa.
Kwekwe Mayor Angeline Kasipo took delivery of the donation which consisted of 27 boxes of face masks, each with 50 masks, 1×50 boxes of dust masks, 10×150g washing powder, 16×5 litres of hand sanitisers, 10×1000 packs of theatre caps.
“The president wanted to show solidarity with the government and all matters relating to the COVID-19 war, and to emphasise that this is an epidemic which knows no boundary, including political, religious, class and other boundaries,” he said.
The former minister said the COVID-19 goods were sourced by Chamisa from party members living and working in the Diaspora.
South African Police Minister, Bheki Cele has apologised to the Muslim community for blasphemous remarks made by an officer towards prophet Muhammed when arresting congregants who had converged at a Mosque to pray on Friday.
Cele says the remarks made by the officer which can be heard at the end of a video that went viral on social media is unfortunate and that the matter will be investigated and the officer who made the remarks will be identified.
“It is rather unfortunate and it is unacceptable that someone could make such an utterance, this matter too will be investigated and the person who made the comment about the Prophet will be identified and brought to book,” he said.
The South Africa Police Service in Pretoria also says they arrested 41 congregants in two separate religious gatherings.
In the first incident, members of the SAPS Tactical Response Team(TRT) arrested 17 men on Friday, 24 April 2020 at approximately 13:00. The congregants had converged in a building in Pretoria West in what appeared to be a religious gathering.
All 7 suspects were arrested and kept in police custody over the weekend.
“They will be released on bail, issued with a fine and or taken to court on Tuesday, 28 April 2020, depending on the outcome of the preliminary investigations,” said SAPS.
The second incident, 24 congregants were arrested on Friday, 25 April 2020 after they too formed a part of what appeared to be a religious gathering in an area called Masibekela in the Mbuzini policing jurisdiction of Mpumalanga and not Pretoria West.
“Contrary to various reports, it was these arrests, and not Pretoria West, that were captured on the video which went viral on social media platforms,” they noted.
In both incidents, the congregants are alleged to have contravened the Regulations of the Disaster Management Act.
Minister Cele has however, called on all church leaders to discourage gatherings and comply with the Disaster Management Regulations Act which are being implemented to combat the COVID-19 virus.
“These regulations are in place to ensure that all people in South Africa are safe and protected against the virus, religious leaders should discourage gatherings,” he said.
A 14-year-old boy was killed by a crocodile in Mazvikadei on Saturday and his remains were retrieved yesterday afternoon.
The crocodile has since been put down by professional hunters and other people that were on the ground. The boy is set to be buried today.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo confirmed the incident.
“Yes, that is what happened in Mazvikadei,” he said.
“It’s unfortunate that a 14-year-old boy was killed by a crocodile whilst he was trying to cross a river. It happened yesterday (Saturday) and then from Saturday up until today (yesterday), we have been searching for the remains of the young boy. We fortunately managed to retrieve the body mid-day. We were working with the sub-aqua unit and also our officers down there.
“It’s unfortunate and a sad development. We are deeply saddened as an authority.”
Mr Farawo said they deployed officers in the area, urging people to stay away from water bodies. He said the biggest problem was that there was overpopulation of animals — especially elephants and crocodiles, resulting in them invading communities.
ZIMBABWEANS returning from South Africa have begun trickling into the Beitbridge quarantine centre at the former Rainbow Hotel with the arrival of about 10 more yesterday making the total 46.
Of these new arrivals, eight were said to be environmental health technicians recently hired by government on their way from South Africa to Matabeleland North where they will be stationed.
There was also confusion on the new arrivals some of whom were said to be Beitbridge-based shipping agents who had disappeared from the poorly secured centre.
At the same time 15 of the 46 currently held are due to depart the centre with one having completed a 14day term while 14 others will benefit from the new eighth-day quarantine rule. Beitbridge district development co-ordinator Sikhangezile Mafu was not picking calls yesterday for comment.
A source from the district development committee, however, confirmed that 15 were expected to leave the centre, but awaited final clearance.
They are expected to undergo final COVID-19 tests after which they will be released.
