Watch live dancehall singer Ras Caleb’s live perfomance loading below……….

By A Correspondent- nformation permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana yesterday said schools were likely to re-open in August due to the COVID-19 scourge.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa early last month ordered a premature shutdown of schools and universities as a precautionary measure after the country recorded its first COVID-19 death.

However, Mangwana said schools may not re-open soon. He predicted that schools would likely re-open in August and run until Christmas time.

“We still need to bring people to classes and whatever number of days that have been lost in the current school calendar would have to be covered,” he said.

“It may mean that we are going to open schools around maybe August and go all the way to Christmas with no breaking between.

“I am not saying this is what we are going to do, but we are still talking so that we ensure learners recover.”

Mangwana was speaking during an online workshop for journalists from across the country co-ordinated in Harare. It was organised by the United Nations Development Programme and Higher Life Foundation, in partnership with the Information ministry.

He added:

“The school calendar is one of the most affected in our country because of the lockdown and because of the virus. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is working on ensuring that those who can do things online right now can continue learning.

“Introducing online learning in Zimbabwe will be a challenge as the majority of pupils live in rural areas where there is little access to electricity and the prohibitive cost of mobile data.-Newsday

Mangwana said at least 1,5 million primary and secondary education students were pursuing their studies from home through an online platform called Ruzivo.

Zimbabwe has an enrolment of about 3,6 million students.

Reports just received claim that one person has been killed and four others injured in a road accident involving First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa’s motorcade.

The accident happened in Muzarabani, Mashonaland Central province on Friday afternoon and confirmed details are that that four of the First Lady’s security officials were seriously injured.

The First Lady is, however, safe and not harmed, as she was in another vehicle.

The First Lady was on her way to donate foodstuffs including her dried vegetables and other goods to the vulnerable people of Muzarabani, near the Mozambican border, when the accident occurred.

More details to follow…

MDC Alliance ward 8 Chipinge Town Council Chrispen Rambu has been  called to CID today for allegedly calling Emerson Mnangagwa a fool.

It is alleged that Rambu compared Mnangangwa to South African President Ramaphosa who announced R500 billion package.

MDC Alliance councillor is accused  to have said that the head of state is a fool for failing to cater for citizens during lockdown.

According to allegations at the CID, Rambu has been quoted saying, “You won’t doubt that we’re having a fool for a head of state.”

Chrispen Rambu is represented by Lawyer Rinonzi Gwamanda.

HUMAN rights doctors have threatened to approach the courts to seek urgent enforcement of a High Court order forcing government to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for health personnel at the forefront of fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, the High Court ordered government to provide PPEs for frontline healthcare workers across the country to help prevent possible contraction while attending to patients.

This was after the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR), represented by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, filed an application demanding that government provides equipment to frontline healthcare workers.

“ZADHR will soon approach the courts to seek urgent enforcement of the High Court order,” the human rights doctors said.

The human rights doctors said “special treatment of politically connected patients must not violate screening and infection control measures in hospitals and ports of entry.”

They said the continued exposure of healthcare workers to COVID-19 due to absence of PPE was in violation of the law, adding “health workers must be protected”.

“ZADHR calls upon all health institutions (private and public) to urgently institute measures that protect health workers from COVID-19,” the doctors said.

Zimbabwe on Friday revised downwards its number of coronavirus cases to 28, saying a positive case had been counted twice.

The Health and Child Care ministry had earlier reported that the country’s coronavirus or Covid-19 cases had risen to 29 from the previous day’s total after a patient tested positive in the second city of Bulawayo.

“The ministry would like to report that of the 101 PCR tests done in Bulawayo, which had pending results on April 22, one was not for a new case but from a retest of a case that had been reported previously,” reads the statement.

“This reduces the cases of Bulawayo from 11 to 10 and nationally from 29 to 28 since the Covid 19 outbreak.”

It has also been noted that the government’s figures for tests are also not accurate.

On Monday, the government said it had conducted 3 308 tests, the following day it said 841 tests were conducted.

Cumulatively, that means 4 149 tests were conducted, but government records said 4 159 tests were done.

When asked about this, a government official said it was probably a typographical error, which was going to be corrected.

However, that error remains uncorrected.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has remained silent on the highly sensitive matter which in other countries may have cost the officials responsible their jobs.

Former MDC strongman Morgan Komichi has warned that all MDC Alliance parliamentarians will be recalled from parliament as soon as parliament resumes business after the Coronavirus Lockdown.

In an interview, with ZimEye on Friday afternoon, Komichi claimed that him and his colleagues Thokozani Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora have the powers to recall the MPs.

Listen to the audio below:

Independent|THE extension of the country’s lockdown by two weeks has worsened the plight of worker as employers struggle to keep their companies afloat. The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) recently revealed that 82% of companies will not be able to pay salaries beyond one month, and some companies have already laid off workers, while others have sent them on forced leave.

Zimbabwe Independent reporter Bridget Mananavire (BM) engaged Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Peter Mutasa (PM) on these and other issues to unpack and understand the employment crisis caused by the lockdown implemented to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Below are excerpts of the interview:

BM: What is your assessment of the current lockdown and how it has affected workers?

PM: Covid-19 has had catastrophic impact on almost all facets of live. The UN stated that this is a health crisis unlike any in 75 years of UN existence.
For Zimbabwe it came at a time we were already facing a serious humanitarian crisis due to various factors. The lockdown therefore brought additional trouble to a troubled nation.

Firstly, we believe the lockdown was essential for us to understand the epidemic and to prepare whilst still facing few cases. It also helped to slow down infections especially imported cases due to closure of borders.

But, l think we missed an opportunity, by failing to have mass testing, isolation and effective management of the cases. ln this regard, the lockdown opportunity was not fully utilised.

The lockdown while beneficial on health considerations had its negative socio-economic problems. For workers in the formal sector many are earning below the poverty datum line, which is fictitiously put at ZW$5 293 for February 2020. Even a big number of workers earn lower than the food poverty line of ZW$2 097.
As a result, many are not able to purchase food for their families enough for 21 days. Many depend on moonlighting and other income-generating projects that cannot be done now during the lockdown. In addition, some employers put workers on unpaid leave and some terminated employment contracts.

Those in the informal sector, which has the majority of employed persons amounting to around 2,2 million or 75,6%, have no social security like paid leave. They live from hand to mouth and without work they are facing starvation.

The majority of workers from formal and informal sectors are starving and in need of urgent help. To make matters worse prices of basic food items shot up steeply.

Although electricity is generally available, it is expensive and way beyond the reach of the majority. There are also shortages of essentials like mealie-meal and water making people break the lockdown rules in search of these. Many people in the suburbs are literally scavenging for food.

BM: What are your plans regarding companies that are temporarily laying off workers and those sending workers on forced leave?
PM: We expected government to issue a moratorium on retrenchments and other terminations of employment until we have an agreed post-Covid-19 social contract between business, labour and government.

The government has failed workers, maybe because many in government are shareholders in businesses. They therefore refrained from making decisions that affect their interests in companies. However, we are still pursuing our demands at TNF (Tripartite Negotiating Forum).

We are also going to take various measures against these unpatriotic employers who prioritise profits over national survival.

Firstly, we believe all the terminations or lay offs are unlawful because there cannot be a valid legal ground for terminations. Secondly, we are going to have sustained campaigns against such brands once we get out of the crisis. If a company dismisses workers during our time of great need, it simply means they despise workers.

We will also mobilise workers to choose alternative brands to purchase using salaries from employers who kept them at work. We are, therefore, compiling the list of all such employers and once we finish with this lethal enemy, we will for a long time face these brands.

Not even fake charity through some posturing called corporate social responsibility programmes will erase this from our black book. Such brands are going to pay dearly for neglecting workers and the nation during this period of need.

BM: Can you explain or comment on the issue of remuneration of workers during the lockdown?

PM: There is a general agreement amongst legal and industrial relations practitioners that employers are obliged to pay salaries during the lockdown. There are international conventions that protect wages such as the ILO Protection of Wages Convention 95. In addition, the Constitution of Zimbabwe guarantees the right to fair labour practices and standards and payment of a fair and reasonable wage.

Furthermore, the Labour Act protects workers against unlawful deductions of salaries as well as guaranteed payment of wages during different forms of leave including special and sick leave. So, there are legal provisions securing workers wages during this period, but we always call for social dialogue to address any challenges each partner faces.

BM: What has been the impact of the lockdown on jobs?

PM: We are still assessing and will probably get the full scale of the carnage after the lockdown when restrictions are lifted and unions start holding meetings with employers and workers.

However, it is given that there would be massive job losses unless we craft equitable and inclusive public policies that protect and create jobs. ILO estimates that 6,7% of working hours translating to 195 million full-time jobs will be wiped out globally by second quarter of 2020.
ZNCC project that 25% of Zimbabwean formal jobs could be lost. Without doubt this crisis, which the ILO describes as the worst crisis since World War II, poses serious threats to jobs. We submit that we can reduce these projections drastically if we dialogue and come up with a post Covid-19 economic recovery that is focused on employment led growth.

BM: What must employers do to save jobs?

PM: The task to save jobs is not for one particular player in the labour market. Business, labour and government have responsibilities towards saving jobs. Only through collective action based on social dialogue and solidarity will we be able to save and create jobs.

Government has to come up with fiscal and monetary policy measures that assist businesses in most affected sectors such as tourism, transport and logistics, retail, informal sector and SMEs. These can get tax breaks, bailouts, suspended loan repayments and debt restructuring.

Employers, on their part, maybe tempted to come up with new models that result in job losses. We demand that they involve workers in dialogue around restructuring of the workplaces and new working methods.

During the lockdown employers should, in consultation with workers, consider working from home, shifts, teleworking and other forms that protects jobs. Employers should also invest in training, up-skilling and re-skilling of their workers for them to acquire necessary skills for the transition.

Workers also have to appreciate that post Covid-19 is going to transform the labour market. There will be new challenges especially new working methods. The epidemic may tend to speed up digitalisation and automation. Employers will try to minimise future risk of production disruption and also consolidate the digital distribution channels they experimented with during the lockdown.

BM: What do you think of the government-imposed minimum wage?

PM: lt is awfully inadequate and simply entrench slavery that has sadly become the hallmark of independent Zimbabwe industrial relations since the ill-informed adoption of Esap (Economic Structural Adjustment Programme).

During negotiations we had agreed with government for around US$238 converted at interbank rate. This would have given us around ZW$5 950 at current fixed official rate. This will still be below the Consumer basket, which we calculated to be around ZW$10 850 in February.

Now with the current price increases, it is way above that. This shows how the minimum wage is a pittance. We were only disrupted from vigorously challenging this because of the common enemy we now face, Covid-19.

BM: CZI recently said 82% of companies will not be able to pay salaries beyond one month, what is your reaction to this, what is your plan?

PM: We implore on businesses to understand the need for national solidarity that is required for us to go through this crisis. We believe many can pay April salaries as we look at how to move forward. Companies should therefore pay salaries more so now that some are operational. Those who are not genuinely able to pay should be known and assisted by the State, but these must be in the minority.

BM: Are your workers safe to return to work, in relation to the partial lockdown?

PM: The decision of government to open more workplaces without satisfying safety and health conditions may turn to be a disaster. Our assessment so far revealed that many workplaces are not safe. Workers have no personal protective equipment and clothing. Workers are using congested public transport.

In some mines, as many as seven workers stay in one room. Mining workers are susceptible to respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumoconiosis and the lifting of the lockdown puts them into danger. The government succumbed to business demands and prioritised profits over lives.

We are going to demand safety of workers and have already demanded that unions be part of the inspectors. The partial lifting of lockdown goes against the WHO recommendations for Zimbabwe which has not yet met the preconditions set by the organisation.

BM: Some countries are giving out packages to workers and companies during the lockdown, have you engaged the government on this issue?

PM: We gave the government and employers our proposals, and now we have an agreed TNF Covid-19 response. However, our government does not treasure social dialogue. We are almost going past the lockdown and issues we proposed as interventions during the lockdown have not been implemented.

What the government has proposed so far is not sufficient to address the needs of business and citizens. It proposes to pay ZW$200 per person as cash transfers to the vulnerable. This is pathetically low, it only purchases a 10kg mealie-meal pack. We proposed a raft of measures to lessen the burden of citizens. These include cash transfers using food poverty line of ZW$1 863 or the ZW$2 500 minimum wage. This is not enough but better than the ZW$200.

We also suggested that government should subsidise or allocate foreign currency towards foods import and production so that prices of basic food items are reduced. The majority cannot afford electricity at the current tariffs and the government should subsidise for the poor suburbs. The same for LPG cooking gas as well as ensuring constant supply of water.

For businesses, we suggested the setting up of a fund to bail out the companies in distress. We also advised that government should use both fiscal and monetary policies to address the funding needs of businesses and informal sector players in order to ensure a quick recovery.

Unfortunately, dialogue and effective participation of citizens in policy formulation has not been accepted as important by the government. We are likely to have government making the same blunders it has always been making sinking us deeper into post Covid-19 crisis.

Currently, the government is giving workers and poor citizens a choice between Covid-19 deaths or starvation. Citizens must reject this and demand prevention against both Covid-19 deaths and starvation. Protection of citizens against harm and preventable deaths is the central role of government. Zimbabwe can reprioritise its expenditures and ensure we put resources towards health services, income security and food security of all.

We also need international humanitarian assistance and a multi-sectoral resource mobilisation task force which must be composed of respected and trusted local leaders for us to build the lost confidence.

Already, many are questioning the selection criteria and disbursements of the social assist. Without transparency we will not be able to mobilise sufficient international support to complement national resources.

Two Harare men who allegedly used a vehicle-unlocking device to neutralize remote-controlled locking before stealing cash and official documents belonging to President Mnangagwa’s office, appeared in court yesterday.

They were charged with theft from a motor vehicle after they took $5 000, US$528 and official documents belonging to the President’s Office.

The car was parked at N. Richards along Bulawayo Road in Harare.

They were remanded in custody to May 8 and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

Source: Daily News

Angry Zimbabweans engage Morgen Komichi as he bounces back into the interview – watch video below :

Farai Dziva|Controversial Masvingo based church leader, Isaac Makomichi says he is ready to meet a Malawian traditional traditional healer, who has challenged contemporary prophets’ “supernatural powers.”

Makomichi, who is known as the lion of witches by his followers, is the leader of Calvary Prayer Group.The n’anga in question is currently based in Zaka.

Makomichi publishes weekly statements about his work on social media.

According to social media reports the traditional healer openly denounced present day prophets.

Makomichi said he was not afraid of the n’anga adding he was ready to confront him.

” I wish to send a strong warning to a Malawian traditional healer who is challenging servants of God.

He must desist from despising anointed men and women of God.

He cannot win the battle against anointed servants.

The n’anga is inviting trouble.I am not afraid of him. I am ready to confront him,” declared Makomichi.

The n’anga reportedly threatened to cast a bad spell on what he described as fake “prophets” in Zimbabwe.

By A Correspondent- A criminal case was opened up at the Brighton Beach Police Station in Durban, after a white woman on Facebook, referred to President Cyril Ramaphosa as “an ape trying to act like a first world president”, before deactivating her account under pressure from South Africans.

Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Thursday evening, regarding the easing of lockdown. He introduced five lockdown stages and said the country would move down a stage as of Friday 1 May. 

According to TimesLIVE, a man took offence to the Facebook post where the woman called Ramaphosa an ape and immediately went to the Brighton Beach police station in Durban to open a case against her.

In the post, the woman was accusing the government of being at fault for the current national lockdown and then proceeded to call Ramaphosa an ape — a derogatory term.

The man, who didn’t want to reveal his identity, said he was offended and found the post to be in bad taste.

“ON THE 23RD OF APRIL, I WENT UP TO MY NEAREST POLICE STATION IN BRIGHTON BEACH TO LODGE A COMPLAINT AND OPEN A CASE AGAINST A LADY THAT SENT A FACEBOOK PAGE SUGGESTING THAT THE PRESIDENT [CYRIL RAMAPHOSA] IS AN APE PRETENDING TO ACT LIKE A PRESIDENT OF A FIRST-WORLD COUNTRY. I DID FIND THE POST DISTASTEFUL AND I DID [NOT] HESITATE TO OPEN UP A CASE.”

Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo confirmed the incident to The South African saying:

“I CAN CONFIRM THAT A CASE OF CRIME INJURIA IS BEING INVESTIGATED AGAINST A KZN WOMAN AFTER SHE ALLEGEDLY REFERRED TO THE PRESIDENT [CYRIL RAMAPHOSA] IN A DEROGATORY MANNER IN HER FACEBOOK PAGE. THE CASE WAS REGISTERED AT BRIGHTON BEACH POLICE STATION AT ABOUT 20:00 ON TUESDAY 21 APRIL 2020.”

A woman by the name of Penny Sparrow, back in 2016, also took to social media, referring to black people on the beach as monkeys.

Sparrow, who lost a battle with lung cancer in 2019, was initially ordered to pay R150 000 to the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation for her racist comments. 

She was also given a suspended prison sentence of up to three years for her outburst, on the grounds of “crime injuria”.

If the woman from KZN is found to be guilty of her comment towards the president, she could face similar charges, if not worse.

Ramaphosa, on Thursday evening, introduced five lockdown levels that we have to meander through to get back to our normal lives — challenge accepted.

Ramaphosa explained that the heard lockdown cannot go on beyond Thursday 30 April. Here’s why: 

“WE CANNOT SUSTAIN A NATIONWIDE LOCKDOWN INDEFINITELY. OUR PEOPLE NEED TO EAT AND EARN A LIVING. COMPANIES NEED TO TRADE. WE HAVE ACCORDINGLY DECIDED BEYOND THURSDAY 30 APRIL, WE WILL BEGIN A PHASED RECOVERY OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY,” SAID RAMAPHOSA.

South Africa will move from level 5 to level 4 on Friday 1 May. 

• Level 5: Drastic measures are required to contain the spread of disease (what we are in now);
• Level 4: Some activity will be allowed, subject to extreme precautions (what will be in place from 1 May);
• Level 3: Easing of restrictions, including work and social activities;
• Level 2: Further easing of restrictions, with some form of social distancing still in place; and
• Level 1: Most normal activity can resume, providing we follow health guidelines.

By A Correspondent- A road accident in Muzarabani, Mashonaland Central province, has seriously injured four of First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s security details.

A local publication has claimed that four of the First Lady’s security officials were seriously injured Friday afternoon when the car they were travelling in was involved in a road accident.

The First Lady is, however, safe and not harmed, as she was in another vehicle.

There is a report of a death which occurred, but that could not be verified at the time of publishing.

The First Lady was on her way to donate foodstuffs and other goods to the vulnerable people of Muzarabani, near the Mozambican border, when the accident occurred.

Through her charity Angel of Hope, the First Lady has been traveling across the country handing over foods, clothing and other necessities for the vulnerable who cannot fend for themselves during the COVID-19 lockdown.

This is a developing story. More details to follow…

-ZimbabweVoice

Government should eliminate fuel subsidies to ensure sustainability, economic analysts have said.Fuel recently went up with diesel now costing ZW$21,52, while petrol costs ZW$21,77, which is beyond the reach of many motorists.

But even at this rate, economists say the countries fuel remain one of the cheapest in the world. The upward adjustment of the interbank exchange rate, which was fixed at ZW$18,42, to ZW$25 to the greenback contributed to the shift in the price of fuel.

This meant that free on board prices of fuel actually declined by 25,7% for diesel and 35,8% for blend, when compared to the previous month.
The exchange rate shift also pushed upwards other major cost drivers, with duty, oil companies and dealers’ margins rising by about 13 US cents per litre for diesel and eight US cents per litre for blend, in total.

Economist Clemence Machadu recently told businessdigest that there is a need to strike a balance that ensures sustainability.“The pricing regime poses two challenges in terms of fostering sustainable demand and an equilibrium market for fuel. Firstly, those who access foreign currency from different sources and change it on the black market for the Zimbabwean dollar, create an excessive demand for fuel, which distorts the fuel equilibrium as shortages then arise.
There are also opportunities for arbitrage as a result of the shortages as well as exchange rate differentials for fuel sellers and buyers, which is why there currently is a thriving black market for fuel,” Machadu said.

“On the other hand, the fuel is also expensive for the majority of the working motoring public that earn their incomes in the Zimbabwean dollar, as one needs about ZW$1 200 on average for a full tank, which is a significant portion on their salary”.

The prices are therefore seen continuing to skyrocket as the parallel market rate goes up till service stations switch to the US dollar pump prices.
Economist and Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce chief executive Christopher Mugaga said the price of fuel has to increase to reach some equilibrium adding that government has to stop subsidies as they are an expense to exporters.

“If you see right now more than 60% of fuel is sold through the black market. You won’t find it on pumps but in drums at backyards. That should confirm to you that the official price is already wrong,” Mugaga pointed out.

“Everywhere in the world, fuel is not easily accessible to the ordinary guy. That’s what our government must learn to stop. Subsidies are an unnecessary tax to exporters.”

The economy is projected to decline by at least 8% in 2020 due to the negative impact of Covid-19 on trade, tourism and mining.“The subsidy on fuel was too heavy, I think given the fiscus exposure to Covid-19 expenses, it was reasonable to lift the burden on government through striking off that necessary subsidy,” Mugaga said.

“The importance of fuel has been reduced at this hour due to many factors, which includes end of load shedding, factories and public transport significantly reduced which therefore means its demand has become so elastic and its increase can be avoided by both factories and households.”

However, trade economist Gift Mugano says the fuel increase are government mechanisms to try and relieve pressure as it shifts its attention to combatting Covid-19.

“This means that it will slightly reduce subsidies on the fuel sector forcing importers to cushion themselves marginally through price increases,” Mugano said
Although global prices per barrel have nosedived, he said the economy cannot be governed by conventional theories as it is not a normal economy.
While admitting that there was no logical explanation for fuel increases in Zimbabwe, he said following the demand and supply model, fuel prices should have come down.

“We cannot, however, look at the Zimbabwean situation and apply normal economics. Fuel increase in Zimbabwe has nothing to do with costs drivers,” Mugano said.

“The reality on the ground is that if they wanted to follow economic models, prices of fuel would have gone down because the crude oil per barrel has gone to its lowest in years. Covid-19 could have worked to our advantage. Fuel is subsidised even though government is dodgy about it. There is no way fuel can be less than a dollar. The reason could be government is trying built its coffers on the back that fuel has no substitute.”

-Zimbabwe Independent

By A Correspondent- Zimbabweans have blasted Senator Morgen Komichi describing him as an enemy of progress over his alliance with Dr Thokozani Khupe and Senator Douglas Mwonzora.

Komichi’s alliance with Khupe comes following the Supreme court ruling which nullified Chamisa’s presidency.

Caller after caller blasted Komichi’s hypocrisy alleging that he had been bought by Zanu Pf hence his latest stance.

Queried one caller:

“When you (Komichi) were appointed by Chamisa, why did you not reject the post and say Chamisa is an illegitimate leader? Why did you even attend and contest for a position at the MDC T congress?”

Watch the live video loading below…….

By A Correspondent- A top private school in Harare, St. John’s College, is charging students up to $99,000 per term for online lessons during the lockdown currently happening in Zimbabwe, saying it continued to incur fixed costs even as students are not in school.

St John’s school has has directed parents to deposit the money so as to facilitate the on going efforts to improve online learning.

Part of the letter read:

As you will be well aware, we have for some time been operating in increasingly difficult circumstances in Zimbabwe. The latest unwelcome challenge we face is the onset of the Covid19 pandemic which has only served to complicate things further.

At this point in time, we have had no communication from Ministry of Education, and therefore we do not know whether schools will re-open on Tuesday 5 May.

We have, to a certain extent, been fortunate that the lockdown has, up to now, coincided with the school holidays.

However, as you will be aware, St John’s had already started online and remote schooling at the end of the first term which was truncated by the lockdown.

Since then, the schools’ management and staff have been hard at work, both continuing with the provision of online learning, and proactively preparing and improving systems for online and remote teaching in the event that the lockdown extends beyond the start of the Trinity term.

Our sincere appreciation goes to our management and staff for all their hard work on preparations for the upcoming term during the lockdown.

From a financial perspective our schools continue to incur fixed costs, whether the schools are fully open with students attending school, or in providing online and remote teaching.

For this reason, your Board has decided at this stage to raise an interim deposit to meet these fixed costs for the Trinity Term. This deposit covers the cost of ensuring that academic online and remote teaching operation will be in place for the full term.

Once we have been informed by Ministry of Education of the official date for the re-opening of the schools, the Board’s Finance Committee will reconvene to determine the level of incremental costs there will be, and any resulting further fee requirement to open the schools in line with Ministry dates and guidelines.

Angry Zimbabweans have described Morgen Komichi as a traitor, watch video below :

By A Correspondent- Senator Morgen Komichi has justified his actions for joining Dr Thokozani Khupe and Senator Douglas Mwonzora in supporting and endorsing the Supreme Court ruling that nullified opposition leader Nelson Chamisa’s presidency arguing that the move was necessary in order to bring nomalcy to the MDC-T.

In an exclusive interview with ZimEye Friday afternoon, Komichi said while his move was indeed a disruption to the party’s focus in challenging president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s legitimacy and ensuring that democracy prevails in Zimbabwe, his move was a necessary disruption.

Said Komichi:

“…yes it was a disruption… but it was a necessary disruption to bring nomalcy to the MDC…”

Watch the live video loading below…..

Morgan Komichi has claimed that they will move to recall Members of Parliament who defy the Supreme Court ruling, as soon as parliament business resumes.

WATCH INTERVIEW BELOW…

Farai Dziva|The Ministry of Health and Childcare has corrected the blunder it made on the number of COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe.

The Ministry announced that the number of cases had increased to 29, yet the figure is still 28.

See statement below :
The Ministry would like to report that of the 101 PCR tests done in Bulawayo which had pending results on the 22nd of April 2020, one was positive for COVID-19.

However, the positive result was not for a new case but from a re-test of a case that has been reported previously.

The re-test was conducted in line with WHO guidelines for confirming clinical recovery.

Therefore, the positive result from Bulawayo was not for a new case.

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 practise good personal hygiene and exercise social distancing.

Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has angered the Christian community after equating Kuda Tagwirei to biblical character Simon Peter.

Mnangagwa likened the Sakunda Holdings Chief Executive to Biblical Apostle Peter following his donation of of equipment to the government -meant to fight the new Cronavirus.

Mnangagwa said :
I want you all to know, that we accept with similar gratitude whatever you have brought but, of course, even Jesus had twelve disciples but we all know he had more favour towards Peter.

I don’t know the reason but maybe Peter quickly understood Jesus’ character more than the others.

I am saying so because I have a list from Sakunda. They have done quite a lot in the volumes of things that we need.”

Church leaders have described Mnangagwa’ s utterances as blasphemous.

“This is totally unacceptable, I think the President should retract his words.His utterances are blasphemous,” said a Masvingo based church leader.

By A Correspondent- The Prosecutor-General’s Office yesterday demanded that High Court judge Justice Garainesu Mawadze’s son, Munyaradzi’s bail application must not be heard by any sitting judge of the High Court, but rather by a retired judge who has no links with the suspect’s father.

Munyaradzi is being jointly charged with Elvin Dongo Saungweme (22) and Dellon David Balani (22) on allegations of killing Million Ncube by slitting his throat with a knife after robbing him of three iPhone Promax 11 cellphones in March this year.

When the matter was brought before Justice Webster Chinamhora for determination, prosecutor Henry Muringani made an application for the judge to recuse himself, saying he could not deliberate on a matter involving his co-worker’s son.

Ironically, when Mawadze’s accomplices, Saungweme and Balani appeared in the High Court early this month seeking bail, Justice Chinamhora recused himself from hearing the matter on the basis that he knew one of the suspects, but yesterday he had taken a position to entertain the bail application which move was opposed by the State.

The judge then rolled over the matter to Tuesday when he is expected to make a ruling on whether he will recuse himself or not.

According to court papers, on March 12, 2020 around midday the trio approached the now-deceased while they were in their Honda Accord vehicle registration AEE9472 and lured him into the car on the pretext that they wanted to buy three cellphones from him.

Ncube, who was allegedly known to Mawadze got into the vehicle before they agreed that each phone would cost US$1 800 and the trio indicated the money was at the judge’s house in Waterfalls, Harare.

Ncube agreed to go with the them to Waterfalls and the suspects diverted the route and drove along Chiremba Road passing Epworth going towards Ruwa. It is alleged they reached a secluded place along Chiremba Road where they robbed Ncube of his cellphones and an unknown amount of money.

The State alleges the trio went on to stab Ncube with a knife before slitting open his throat, killing him instantly and drove away from the murder scene.

It is the State’s case that in order to cover up for their offence, Mawadze sent a text message using Ncube’s cellphone alleging that he (Ncube) had been kidnapped and also cleaned the blood-stained vehicle before fleeing to his father’s workplace in Masvingo.-Online

By A Correspondent- With schools closed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, parents and guardians have called on the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) to postpone the 2020 June and November examinations to December.

The first term was cut short after the government introduced a string of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Parents and guardians feel that their children may not have sufficient time to adequately prepare for the exams hence the call for their postponement.

ZIMSEC spokesperson Nicky Dhlamini told a loal publication that the decision on whether to postpone the exams will be made in consultation with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE). Said Dhlamini:

We don’t work independently. We work with the ministry and government. The latter is the supreme authority of the nation, so we don’t go ahead of them. Just like when the President announced that schools were closing early, he will announce the dates when they will open. We will not make decisions independently.

MoPSE spokesperson Patrick Zumbo referred the publication to ZIMSEC, saying that though the Ministry was an interested party, issues to do with exams are dealt with by the exams body.

Meanwhile, Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana early this week said schools may reopen in August due to the coronavirus pandemic.-Newsday

The current bank exchange rates for the ZWL$ today are as follows:

• USD to ZWL$: 25.0000
• ZWL$ to RAND: 0.7661

Data according to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Black Market Rates: 

• OMIR $67.28
• USD to ZWL$ zimrates.com  $49.00
• USD to ZWL$  zwl365.com $47.50
• USD to ZWL$ bluemari.info $45.00
• USD to BOND: zimrates.com $35.7

More: marketwatch.co.zw

By Jane Mlambo| Goodness and Mercy Ministries founder Prophet Tapiwa Freddy believes residents of Glen View where his church was domiciled do not like him as witnessed by wild celebrations when City of Harare demolished his church structure on Wednesday.

Speaking on Facebook live, a tearful T Freddy said Glen View people who are benefitting from a borehole he drilled for them celebrated when his structure was going down.

“I saw locals in Glenview celebrating as the structure went down. Remember this is a place I grew up in and I know I have a lot of enemies there which is ok.

“But the same people who celebrated are the same people benefiting clean borehole water that is at the facility,” said Freddy.

He added that he was operating on a temporary lease license he got from council accusing the municipality of failing to communicate with him prior to the demolition.

“We were operating on a temporary lease from the city council. We were even paying the legal dues of that temporary lease to council. We were complying to the dictates of that lease which instructed us to strictly stick to non-permanent structure hence the tents the shed, which is removable, that we constructed,” he said.

Freddy queried why the city council ignored to communication and choose the humiliation way despite a lease agreement between the two parties.

“Why did you choose to humiliate me by demolishing the structure instead of communicating with me to remove my structure peacefully. Even a four hours notice would have allowed us to remove materials we can re-use in building elsewhere,” said Freddy.

By A Correspondent- A woman who became the second wife in a polygamous marriage apparently revealed how sharing a man through a sex-roster is really like when she sued her husband’s first wife for threatening her with unspecified action allegedly fuelled by a fight over their husband’s attention.

Sikhathele Sibanda (35) from Makokoba suburb claimed her husband Francis Ncube (65)’s first wife Virginia Sibanda(53) who also stays in the same suburb but at different houses was apparently overwhelmed by jealousy as she suspected that she was getting more attention from their husband than her.

Sikhathele said she was living in fear of Virginia after she threatened to come to her house and “curse” her.

The dispute, centred on their husband’s attention, was heard at the Bulawayo Civil Court where Sikhathele was seeking a peace order against Virginia.

“I am a female adult aged 35 and a second wife in a polygamous marriage. I am applying for a peace order against Virginia Sibanda who is my husband Francis Ncube’s first wife. On 3 March this year, Virginia came to my house and threatened me for no apparent reason. This happened in the presence of our husband who she also insulted for defending me.

“She further threatened me saying she wants to come and do something at my house and I don’t know what she wants to do. She is also coming to my house in my absence and I am now living in fear as I do not know what she will be coming to do in my absence.

“It is against this background that I am pleading with the court to grant me a peace order against Virginia who is now a threat to me and my child,” pleaded Sikhathele.

In response Virginia said she was not a jealous person at all adding that she had a big heart and was also willing to live peacefully with Sikhathele.

“I am not opposed to her application. The reason why I went to her house is because I wanted to go and inquire from my husband about my medical aid card. I dispute that I wanted to do something at her house,” said Virginia before she extended her hand to Sikhathele in a desperate bid to make peace with her.

Presiding magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu who was apparently touched by Virginia’s remorsefulness dismissed Sikhathele’s request for a peace order.-Statemedia

By Own Correspondent| High Court Judge Justice Joseph Mafusire has ordered the state-run public broadcaster, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and government to immediately end the violation of rights of some Deaf, blind and visually impaired people by providing them with information on the coronavirus epidemic in a format which is accessible to them.

Justice Mafusire granted the order on Monday 20 April 2020 after he was petitioned by three organisations namely Centre for Disability and Development Trust, Deaf Zimbabwe Trust and Zimbabwe National League of the Blind representing people who are visually impaired and Deaf, who sued government and the state-run ZBC demanding to be provided with information on coronavirus in a format which is accessible to them.

In the application filed by Denford Halimani and Doug Coltart of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Centre for Disability and Development Trust, Deaf Zimbabwe Trust and Zimbabwe National League Of The Blind argued that given the state of public health emergency and the national lockdown, there is need for ZBC to have sign language as part of its programming to enable the Deaf and Hard of Hearing people to be fully informed about the coronavirus pandemic and continuous changes effected on compliance with the national lockdown by the citizens and any subsequent measures taken by government.

The rights of persons with disabilities, Centre for Disability and Development Trust, Deaf Zimbabwe Trust and Zimbabwe National League Of The Blind argued, had been infringed by government and ZBC during a public health emergency crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic as there was a lack of access to information in a format that is accessible to persons with disabilities, notably Deaf and Hard of Hearing people and the blind and partially sighted persons.

In his ruling, Justice Mafusire ordered ZBC to provide subtitles/captions such as a word for word transcription of the dialogue) for all pre-recorded programmes and to provide sign language interpretation for all main bulletins such as lunch time news, 8PM news and 11 PM on weekdays.

ZBC, Justice Mafusire ruled, should allow Deaf Zimbabwe Trust to second trained sign language interpreter(s) to the state-run broadcaster to provide additional sign language interpretation beyond ZBC’s existing capacity.

The High Court Judge also ordered ZBC to provide sign language interpretation for all live announcements subject to the state-run broadcaster receiving sufficient notice and for ZBC to progressively increase its provision of sign language interpretation for all live programming including news bulletins.

Justice Mafusire also ordered Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Hon. Monica Mutsvangwa, Health and Child Care Minister Hon. Obadiah Moyo and Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Hon. Paul Mavima, who were cited as respondents to the application, to immediately cause the production of pamphlets in Braille and large text with information about coronavirus including information about the disease itself, how to prevent contracting it, how and where to access healthcare facilities and emergency contact details.

Mutsvangwa, Moyo and Mavima, the Judge said, should distribute the information on coronavirus to visually impaired persons throughout Zimbabwe including by providing it to Centre for Disability and Development Trust and Zimbabwe National League of the Blind and any other organisations representing the interests of visually impaired and blind persons registered in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare’s database and providing the same at all health care centres.

Mutsvangwa, Moyo and Mavima were ordered to immediately ensure that all written information related to coronavirus provided by government, including daily updates, is also made available in formats accessible to blind and partially sighted persons, including audio recordings of the content distributable by WhatsApp, and/or readable digital text, and distributed to the blind and visually impaired persons including by providing it to Centre for Disability and Development Trust and Zimbabwe National League of the Blind and organisations representing the interests of blind and visually impaired persons registered with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare’s database.

Moyo, the Health and Child Care Minister, was ordered to ensure that his ministry’s coronavirus hotlines and centres are staffed with persons who are equipped to deal with the unique needs of persons with disabilities including how and where they can receive information about coronavirus in a format accessible to them.

Mutsvangwa was ordered to immediately issue a statement urging private entities, including mass media and hospitals, to ensure that any services they provide to the public relating to coronavirus are accessible to persons with disabilities including, but not limited to, urging all private healthcare facilities to provide accessible information and all news outlets to disseminate information about how and where persons with disabilities can access information, testing and treatment for coronavirus.

The Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister was also ordered to give ZBC sufficient notice of any intended announcements by government pertaining to coronavirus.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe National Army has trashed reports that soldiers are beating up civilians during the Lockdown.

ZimEye ran a poll to gather citizens’ views on the matter and to confirm whether the army’s assertions were true or utter nonsense.

According to the poll, 75 percent of those that voted however said it was utter nonsense that the army would refute the truth while 15 percent believed that the senior army official was telling the truth.

Of those that voted, 6 percent revealed that they were confused while a paltry 4 percent said they trust and respect the army.

Below is the final poll result:

Watch the live video loading below …..

By Jane Mlambo| Ministry of Health and Child Care has revised the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases from 29 which were reported last night to 28 saying the last case was a re-test.

In a revised COVID-19 report released today, Ministry of Health said the 101 PCR tests done in Bulawayo which had pending results on Wednesday, one came out positive, adding that the positive result was not for a new case but a re-test of a case reported previously.

“The ministry would like to report that of the 101 PCR tests done in Bulawayo which had pending results on the 22nd of April 2020, one was positive for COVID-19. However, the positive result was not for a new case but from a re-test of a case that has been reported previously.

“The re-test was conducted in line with WHO guidelines for conforming clinical recovery. Therefore the positive result from Bulawayo was not for a new case,” the ministry said in a statement today.

Below is the ministry statement;

Government has roped in medical personnel from the uniformed forces to assist in testing as many people as possible for Covid-19 in line with its target of testing at least 1 000 people per day.

This follows a recommendation from the Ministerial Taskforce on Covid-19 to employ all possible strategies to ensure that the set target is met.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said medical personnel from the army, police and prisons will now be involved in taking samples for confirmatory tests.

“We have now come up with a strategy. The taskforce has implored that we get support services from the medical core of the security services that is from the police, prisons and army.

“We have since roped them in so that they may be able to assist in the sampling process so that we come up with a sizable number of samples per day and this is going to happen countrywide,” said Dr Moyo.

The Government is yet to meet its target of 1 000 tests per day. It has broadened its case definition for Covid-19 to include anyone with a chronic condition in an institution of care, anyone exhibiting flu-like symptoms or pneumonia.

All health workers and all those who are working during the lockdown have also been included on the priority list of people who should be tested for Covid-19.

“Therefore, a sizeable number of people are going to be tested in line with our target. For example, if you look at nurses, we have at least 18 000 nurses, so that’s a big number on its own and this excludes the other health workers.

“So in terms of numbers, we are really pushing to make sure that we get more candidates enrolling and being sampled appropriately,” said Dr Moyo.

With 1 000 tests a day, Government is targeting to test at least 33 000 people by end of April.

A total of 4 990 people have been tested so far according to the Health Ministry and around 800 people are now getting tested each day.

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has suspended the licences of two more bureaux de change and charged another two for flouting foreign currency exchange regulations in what openly shows the central bank failure to tame exchange rates.

In a statement yesterday, RBZ governor Dr John Magudya said the central bank was instituting disciplinary action against the two bureaux de change whose licences were suspended last week.

“Both Cash Twenty Four and Crediconnect were referred to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which upon carrying out further investigations, has charged both for not adhering to money laundering requirements, inter alia, failure to record and report transactions as required by the law,” he said.

“The two institutions carried out several off book foreign currency purchases and sales, which they did not declare in periodic regulatory regulatory returns.”

Mangudya said Cash Twenty Four had pled guilty to the charge and had been fined $2,5 million, while the case against Crediconnect was still pending.

The two companies’ licences were suspended two weeks ago, with the central saying it had information showing that the two institutions had been engaging in illicit foreign currency transactions, which are adversely affecting the economy.

The RBZ said it had also found that Shons Finance Services and Kwik Forex had either not been declaring or had been under declaring their foreign exchange transactions in breach of the law.

The two companies’ licences were suspended.

The central bank said Stallion Financial Services, Forbes Financial Services and Juso Global were operating without licences.

All these cases have been reported to the FIU.

The Zimbabwe dollar has been on a freefall on the parallel market and the RBZ believes that this is driven by errant bureaux de changes among others, who are fuelling illicit trades.

The government licensed the bureaux de changes in an effort to help boost foreign the country’s foreign currency trade and improve forex reserves.

By A Correspondent- The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has suspended operating licenses of some Bureaux de Changes and other entities accused of fueling the parallel forex market exchange rates.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the central bank said that the statement was an update following the suspension of operating licences of Cash Twenty Four (Pvt) Limited and Credconnect (Pvt) Limited for allegedly participating in illicit foreign currency transactions.

RBZ added that both entities were referred to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) which investigated and charged them for not adhering to the anti-money laundering requirements, interalia, failure to record and report transactions as required by the law

The central bank added:

THE TWO INSTITUTIONS CARRIED OUT SEVERAL OFF-BOOK FOREIGN CURRENCY PURCHASES AND SALES WHICH THEY DID NOT DECLARE IN PERIODIC REGULATORY RETURNS.

CASH-TWENTY FOUR HAS SINCE ADMITTED THE CHARGE OF FAILING TO RECORD AND DECLARE FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS AND HAS SINCE PAID THE IMPOSED ADMINISTRATIVE FINE OF ZW$2 500 000 (TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS). THE CASE AGAINST CREDICONNECT IS STILL PENDING DETERMINATION.

FURTHER, THE BANK HAS IDENTIFIED TWO MORE BUREAUX DE CHANGE, NAMELY, SHONS FINANCE SERVICES (PVT) LIMITED (SHONS FINANCE SERVICES) AND SUPERDEAL ENTERPRISES (PVT) LTD TRADING AS KWIK FOREX (KWIK FOREX), WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN DECLARING OR HAVE BEEN UNDER-DECLARING THEIR FOREIGN EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS, IN BREACH OF THE LAW. THE BANK HAS ALSO IDENTIFIED THREE UNLICENSED ENTITIES, NAMELY STALLION FINANCIAL SERVICES (PVT) LIMITED (STALLION), FORBES FINANCIAL SERVICES (PVT) LIMITED (FORBES) AND JUSO GLOBAL (PVT) LIMITED (JUSO GLOBAL), WHICH HAVE BEEN TRADING IN FOREIGN CURRENCY.

THE BANK, HAS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT, SUSPENDED THE OPERATING LICENCES OF SHONS FINANCE SERVICES AND KWIK FOREX, PENDING FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS AND REGULATORY ACTION. THE BANK HAS REFERRED THE UNLICENCED ENTITIES (STALLION, FORBES AND JUSO GLOBAL) TO THE FIU FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND APPROPRIATE ACTION IN TERMS OF THE LAW. MEANWHILE, THE FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT HAS FROZEN ALL THE ACCOUNTS OF ALL THE ABOVE MENTIONED ENTITIES.

THE BANK CONTINUES TO MONITOR FINANCIAL SERVICES PLAYERS WIITH A VIEW TO DEALING EFFECTIVELY WITH MARKET INDISCIPLINE.

By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has likened Sakunda Holdings owner Mr Kudakwashe Tagwirei to the biblical Peter afta the businessman yesterday donated medical equipment worth US$2.6 million to Government to assist in fighting Covid-19.

Sakunda also donated Arundel Hospital, which it recently spruced up, to Government.

The firm said the hospital will be open to everyone AT NO COST.

Receiving the donations at State House this Thursday, President Mnangagwa showered praises on Sakunda saying the firm was vital to the development of the country.

Likening Tagwirei to the biblical Peter for his efforts, President Mnangangwa said the businessman had headlined the Covid 19 donations.
“I want you all to know, that we accept with similar gratitude whatever you have brought but of course, even Jesus had twelve desciples but we all know he had more favor towards Peter,” President Mnangagwa said.

“I don’t know the reason but maybe Peter quickly understood Jesus more than the others. I am Saying so because I have a list of Sakunda who have done quite a lot in the volumes of the things that we need. I feel comfortable because there can’t be anymore crying when it comes to equipping front line workers in the ministry of health professionals in terms of Personal Protective Equipment. “

The number of people contracting the disease is increasing and the donations are a timely boost.

Sakunda said it was going to pay the 55 medical workers to be stationed at Arundel Hospital for the next six months.

“Sakunda Holdings and its associates came up with a private initiative to compliment government efforts to curb this pandemic specifically in the provision of health facilities, equipment, training and vaccines. The equipment being donated today include PPEs, 15 emergency ventilators, 40 portable ventilators, 35 thousand rapid testing kits, among others worth USD2.6 million,” said Sakunda Holdings Chief Executive Officer Kudakwashe Tagwirei in a statement.

Sakunda Holdings further donated Arundel Hospital for use by the government of Zimbabwe as a COVID-19 centre.

“The facility will be accessible to every Zimbabwean at no cost. To ensure operationalisation of the hospital, 55 medical professionals have been employed and their salaries for six months have been provided.

Renovations, equipment installed and running cost at the hospital have cost Sakunda about USD 2.8 million. Five emergency ventilators, 10 protable ventilators, 3 portable ultra sound scan, 2200 rapid testing kits, 1350 protective suits among other equipment have been installed at the hospital,” said Tagwirei.

Besides what has been donated to government, Sakunda has another consignment which is in transit from China which include, PPEs, 41 ICU ventilators, 41 ventilator monitors, 10 oxygen concentrators and 20 beds.

“Sakunda’s partners are also donating 300 thousand litres of fuel, thus 50 thousand litres monthly for the next six months, 1800 tonnes of maize to the government to assist in the national COVID-19 response. Sakunda Holdings is also facilitating a ZWL30 million grant, at ZWL5 million monthly for six months which will be available to universities of Government choice for research and development in the area of COVID-19,” he said.

GWERU City Council has given vendors operating in city markets 48 hours to collect their wares and vacate the sites in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

This followed a council resolution to shut down all vending markets.

Part of the minutes where the resolution was made on Tuesday, read: “In light of the recent lockdown and the increasing number of COVID-19 cases countrywide, it is prudent to be proactive and take reasonable steps in order to avert further spread of the coronavirus.

“As an initiative, it is important to note that our densely-populated marketplaces have to be closed for the time being and this will curb the spread of the coronavirus.”

Other local authorities such as Harare and Mutare have also taken advantage of the lockdown to demolish illegal vending stalls.

The council also resolved to “destroy all illegal structures and vending bays after the lapse of the two-day notice” while another resolution gives management authority to “seek assistance of law enforcement agents in the event of any resistance”.

Yesterday, Gweru mayor Josiah Makombe said the position was a result of a directive that was issued by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to demolish vending structures when he toured the city last week to assess compliance with the lockdown measures.

“True that (order from Mnangagwa). There is a directive to demolish, but as Gweru, we don’t want to demolish. We engaged our vendors to remove their goods so that we can start the renovations.”

Makombe said the affected vendors would be relocated to Mtapa Shopping Centre.More in Home

However, Gweru Vendors’ Association chairperson Lovemore Reketayi said they would engage the local authority to reconsider its decision.

“People have no formal jobs,” Reketayi said.

“They actually survive from hand-to-mouth from doing vending. So closing all vending markets even for a day after the lockdown will affect them badly.”

He added: “It is likely to take time, which is long for the said relocations to be done because they have to first develop the new area, so we are going to plead with council to shelve their plans.”

Gweru Urban MP Brian Dube (MDC Alliance) said: “I am not really aware of that. Nobody has ever told me. Let me follow up on the issue. But if what you are saying is true, it will be very unfair.

“Due notice of seven days and human ways of dealing with people are the legitimate ways of handling issues. There may be a good cause, like trying to prevent the spread of the disease due to congestion and litter, but it must be done properly.”

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- A Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) official based in Bulawayo is now at large after she allegedly swindled the company of over ZWL$29 000 in an allowance scam on 8 April this year.

In a statement, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said the suspect, Rossetta Muzvidziwa, presented a food allowance claim supposedly for point inspectors on deployment and it later turned out that the claim was for non-existent employees. The statement read:

ZRP Mzilikazi is keen to interview a Bulawayo based ZUPCO official, Rossetta Muzvidziwa in – connection with a case of fraud involving ZWL$ 29 054.00.

On 8 April 2020, the suspect presented a food allowance claim supposedly for point inspectors on deployment.

Some irregularities were noted on the voucher prompting an internal investigation which revealed that claims for non – existent employees were submitted and processed prejudicing the institution of the stated amount.

The government has been on a mission to revive ZUPCO since January 2019 after spontaneous riots triggered by a fuel price hike caught the government by surprise.

ZUPCO buses are currently the only public mode of transport available for citizens during the current lockdown as the government fights to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has likened Sakunda Holdings Chief Executive Officer Kudakwashe Tagwirei to the Biblical Apostle Peter following his donation of an assortment of equipment to the government for use in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

Receiving the donations that were availed by Tagwirei on Thursday, President Mnangagwa said:

I want you all to know, that we accept with similar gratitude whatever you have brought but, of course, even Jesus had twelve disciples but we all know he had more favour towards Peter.

I don’t know the reason but maybe Peter quickly understood Jesus more than the others.

I am saying so because I have a list of Sakunda who have done quite a lot in the volumes of the things that we need.

Sakunda Holdings donated equipment worth US$2.6 million to Arundel Hospital for free to be used by every Zimbabwean in need at no cost.

The equipment included PPEs, 15 emergency ventilators, 40 portable ventilators, and 35 thousand rapid testing kits.-Online

AN acute shortage of COVID-19 test kits is hampering the completion of screening on 456 Zimbabweans in Bulawayo who were recently deported from Botswana soon after the start of the neighbouring country’s lockdown.

Some of the deportees are quarantined at the Bulawayo Polytechnic College while the other group which includes women and children is housed at the United College for Education.

Addressing stakeholders in Bulawayo, Social Welfare Deputy Minister, Lovemore Matuke said 193 of the returnees had tested negative and the remainder were still waiting for the arrival of test kits to undergo screening.

“I was informed that Bulawayo Polytechnic is housing 256 people from Botswana and I am happy to say 94 were tested and are negative. We will try and have more test kits, but I understand another 42 are set to be tested once we have enough resources so that they can join their families,” said Matuke.

The deputy minister encouraged those released from isolation centres to stay at home for two weeks as a precautionary measure to stop them from contracting the highly infectious and deadly disease.

“As the 94 return to their homes, they will also stay at home and comply with the mandatory two weeks extension of the country’s lockdown until May 3,” he said.

Some of the deportees who were caught up in the lockdown dragnet are shoppers and former prisoners who had recently been pardoned by the Botswana President, Mokgweetsi Masisi. Most had no proper documentation.

The deputy minister also confirmed the government was facing logistical nightmares to repatriate the deportees to their various destinations across the country.

“The next step is to try to provide transport as it is the responsibility of the government to transport those brothers and sisters back to their original homes. One is going to Tsholotsho, the other to Zvimba, others to Masvingo so the officials are now seized with those arrangements to make sure we provide enough transport,” he said.

Apart from transport, the minister also said that the government is also obliged to give the deportees pocket allowance so that they buy food along the way.

POLICE have warned that those who disregard the Government’s lockdown directives will be prosecuted, with 11 196 people having so far been  arrested for defiance since inception of the Covid-19 containment measures last month.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged the public to heed the call by authorities to adhere to all measures and directives aimed at containing and preventing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

President Mnangagwa on Sunday announced the extension of the lockdown period by a further 14 days.

Police said all deployments would remain in place to enforce lockdown measures and ensure compliance.

Asst Comm Nyathi said police had noted with concern an increase in motorists and pedestrians entering major cities, with most of them without exemptions.

“Today (yesterday) we noted an increase in the volume of traffic in Harare and Bulawayo and also long queues of motorists waiting to be cleared at checkpoints. Some of them had no exemptions. People must stay at home if they are not exempted,” he said.

“We also noted that in most residential areas, children are left to play football in streets with some adults also into a habit of drinking alcohol in their private vehicles. We are urging everyone to take our warnings seriously, all those who are defying the lockdown will be arrested.

“Our message to the public is for them to adhere to all health measures in place. Where appropriate, arrests will be effected on those who disregard Covid-19 lockdown measures. People should take heed so that they will not cry foul when they are arrested.”

He appealed to every Zimbabwean to be compliant and contribute to the fight against the deadly pandemic, which has to date killed four people in the country.

Many people have been arrested for various offences, including operating shebeens, conducting business without exemptions, unsanctioned gatherings and unnecessary movements.

The majority of those arrested were fined, while others were referred to court.

President Mnangagwa has likened Sakunda Holdings owner Mr Kudakwashe Tagwirei to the biblical Peter afta the businessman yesterday donated medical equipment worth US$2.6 million to Government to assist in fighting Covid-19.

Sakunda also donated Arundel Hospital, which it recently spruced up, to Government.

The firm said the hospital will be open to everyone AT NO COST.

Receiving the donations at State House this Thursday, President Mnangagwa showered praises on Sakunda saying the firm was vital to the development of the country.

Likening Tagwirei to the biblical Peter for his efforts, President Mnangangwa said the businessman had headlined the Covid 19 donations.

“I want you all to know, that we accept with similar gratitude whatever you have brought but of course, even Jesus had twelve desciples but we all know he had more favor towards Peter,” President Mnangagwa said.

“I don’t know the reason but maybe Peter quickly understood Jesus more than the others. I am Saying so because I have a list of Sakunda who have done quite a lot in the volumes of the things that we need. I feel comfortable because there can’t be anymore crying when it comes to equiping front line workers in the ministry of health professionals in terms of Personal Protective Equipment.”

The number of people contracting the disease is increasing and the donations are a timely boost.

Sakunda said it was going to pay the 55 medical workers to be stationed at Arundel Hospital for the next six months.

“Sakunda Holdings and its associates came up with a private initiative to compliment government efforts to curb this pandemic specifically in the provision of health facilities, equipment, training and vaccines. The equipment being donated today include PPEs, 15 emergency ventilators, 40 portable ventilators, 35 thousand rapid testing kits, among others worth USD2.6 million,” said Sakunda Holdings Chief Executive Officer Kudakwashe Tagwirei in a statement.

Sakunda Holdings further donated Arundel Hospital for use by the government of Zimbabwe as a COVID-19 centre.

“The facility will be accessible to every Zimbabwean at no cost. To ensure operationalisation of the hospital, 55 medical professionals have been employedand their salaries for six months have been provided.

Renovations, equipment installed and running cost at the hospital have cost Sakunda about USD 2.8 million. Five emergency ventilators, 10 protable ventilators, 3 portable ultra sound scan, 2200 rapid testing kits, 1350 protective suits among other equipment have been installed at the hospital,” said Tagwirei.

Besides what has been donated to government, Sakunda has another consignment which is in transit from China which include, PPEs, 41 ICU ventilators, 41 ventilator monitors, 10 oxygen concentrators and 20 beds.

“Sakunda’s partners are also donating 300 thousand litres of fuel, thus 50 thousand litres monthly for the next six months, 1800 tonnes of maize to the government to assist in the national COVID-19 response. Sakunda Holdings is also facilitating a ZWL30 million grant, at ZWL5 million monthly for six months which will be available to universities of Government choice for research and development in the area of COVID-19,” he said.

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By Own Correspondent| As part of his ongoing nationwide food assistance initiative, millionaire traditional healer Sekuru Banda yesterday extended a helping hand to sports personalities George Shaya and Alphonse Mosquito Zvenyika.

Last week, Sekuru Banda made another round of food handouts to over a hundred Seke villagers under Headman Rubatika.

Sekuru Banda’s intervention is aimed at alleviating the pain and suffering being faced by the elderly due to coronavirus and the national lockdown imposed by government to try and curb the spread of the global pandemic.

George Shaya is considered the all time best footballer to come out of Zimbabwe with five soccer star of the year accolades while Alphonse Mosquito Zvenyika equally dominated the boxing arena in the 90s.

Speaking after receiving the food handouts, Shaya urged Sekuru Banda to extend his helping hand to as many people as possible.

Zvenyika said Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown had made it difficult for him to work and earn money with Sekuru Banda’s donation coming at the most opportune time when food stocks in his household were drying.

“I want to thank Sekuru Banda for what he has done to me, we did not have food to eat and his donation came at the right time,” said Zvenyika.

In an interview with a local online TV, Sekuru Banda said his intention is reach out to as many elderly people as possible.

“We are targeting the elderly because unlike the young ones, they are not able to cope with the pressure of queueing to buy mealie meal,” he said.

Sekuru Banda’s intervention is aimed at alleviating the pain and suffering being faced by the elderly due to coronavirus and the national lockdown imposed by government to try and curb the spread of the global pandemic.

Own Correspondent|Zimbabwean returnees who are being quarantined as a precaution to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) are reported to have finished four boxes of cond0ms in less than 24 hours, last week.

The demand for cond0ms by the returning Zimbabwean citizens was revealed by the Secretary for Social Welfare Simon Masanga who said that the people may have disregarded social distancing requirements.

Masanga stressed that the quarantine facility was not a military camp, and as such the authorities could not force the quarantined people to stick to a strict schedule and regimen.

Below is a report on the issue which was carried out by Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN)

20 & 21 April 2020 – Days 22 and 23

1.         Introduction
On 27 March 2020, President Mnangagwa declared a 21-day national lockdown which ended on 19 April 2020. The lockdown was extended for another 14 days to 3 May 2020. The extension of the lockdown was followed by the gazetting of Statutory Instrument (SI) 2020-094 Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (Amendment) Order, 2020 on 21 April 2020. The SI in large part replicated the original lockdown Instrument. Of note is that the new instrument designated journalists, newspaper vendors, internet service providers and broadcast services as essential services.On days 22 and 23 of the lockdown, official statistics by the Ministry of Health and Child Care indicated that COVID-19 confirmed cases had increased to twenty-eight (28), whilst the number of deaths relating to COVID-19 remained at three (3). The Ministry of Health and Child Care decentralised COVID-19 testing to provincial and district level, leading to an increase in daily tests of suspected cases. Thus as of 21 April, cumulative tests of suspected COVID-19 cases had increased to four thousand one hundred and forty-nine (4 149), of which four thousand one hundred and twenty-one (4 121) were negative.
2.         Methodology

This report encompasses reports covering the 10 provinces of the country through reports received from the following Forum Members:

• Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP)
• Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
• Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
• Counselling Services Unit (CSU)
• Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights, (ZADHR)
• Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights)

3.         General Atmosphere
Part of the consignment of personal protective equipment and ventilators imported by Sakunda Holdings and Chinese business-people operating in Zimbabwe for use in the COVID-19 response arrived at Robert Mugabe International Airport on 20 April 2020. Sakunda Holdings recently partnered with the government to contribute to COVID-19 response initiatives in the country. It was reported that the consignment will be handed over to the Ministry of Health and Child Care for distribution.The Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting, Mr Nick Mangwana, reported through a Twitter post that an estimated 65 Zimbabweans who returned from the United Kingdom aboard an Ethiopian Airlines refused to be quarantined at Belvedere Teacher’s College, demanding that they be booked into a hotel. It was reported that the returnees complained about water, sanitation and social distancing as they were required to share bathrooms. Zimbabwe is receiving several returnees from various countries, including COVID-19 hotspot, and management of such returnees does not seem to be flowing smoothly.In Mutare, the Mutare City Council shut down Sakubva farmers market due to the increase in human traffic and the continuous defiance of social distance. The Council has since decentralized farmers markets to Dangamvura, Chikanga and Hobhouse.

In Harare, long queues of vehicles coming into the Harare CBD were witnessed at Mabvuku turnoff police roadblock. It was reported that some of the motorists who did not have required documentation turned off the road and used auxiliary roads to avoid the roadblock. Of concern was the large number of people who are defying the lockdown by going into town without required documentation.

In Glenorah, Harare City Council officers instructed vendors to remove vending stalls and temporary shelter. It was reported that Council officials were destroying the shelters in the absence of the owners, and owners were also not allowed to take remaining building materials from the destroyed vending stalls and temporary shelter. This is part of a “clean-up” crusade the City of Harare has been engaged in, which started in Mbare and in Machisipa from Independence Day on 18 April. On 21 April, however, Harare Mayor Obert Gomba issued a statement indicated that he had engaged with the Town Clerk to stop the demolitions until a comprehensive policy has been devised to approach the issue.

In Kuwadzana, it was reported that people were going about their normal business defying the lockdown and social distance. Scores of people besieged the streets whilst children were playing and running around in the streets. In Glen View, anti-riot police were reported to have confiscated 20 crates of alcohol at Mude business centre in Glenview 7. It is alleged that the beer hole was selling alcohol through the back door.

In Chinhoyi, vendors were selling their products on their usual sites. However, most of them were not exercising social distance or sanitizing their hands. It was also reported that police have started night patrols due to the increase in illicit bars.

In Chipinge, scores of people were seen moving around in Chipinge CBD. There were roadblocks on all the roads leading to Chipinge town manned by ZRP officers and soldiers. There were also long queues at N Richards supermarket and OK supermarket of people who were waiting for their turn to buy mealie meal.

4. Arrests
In Chitungwiza on 18 April 2020, police officers arrested Lovemore Zvekusekwa for allegedly circulating false information during the COVID-19 national lockdown. Zvekusukwa appeared in court on 20 April 2020 on charges of contravening section 31(a)(i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. It is alleged that Zvekusekwa developed and forwarded a fake press statement which indicated that the President was extending the lockdown by 13 days from 20 April to 3 May. Zvekusekwa was denied bail when he appeared in court, and is due to appear in court on 13 May. This is the first arrest relating to the circulation of “false news” relating to COVID-19. The arrest comes after the President indicated that he had instructed members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) to track down and arrest individuals circulating fake news relating to COVID-19.

In Nkayi, it was reported that police officers arrested seven (7) people for defying the lockdown and for public drinking. It was reported that the arrested persons were buying alcohol through the backdoor at Vimbana bottle store when police officers arrested them. They were taken to Nkayi police station where they were fined ZWL200 before being released.

5. Assaults
In Highfields, Harare, it was reported that three (3) ZANU-PF youths were assaulted by police officers with baton sticks near OK supermarket Machipisa. It was indicated that the trio tried to stop police officers from destroying their vending structures indicating their affiliation to ZANU-PF.  The police would, however, have none of it and assaulted the trio notwithstanding the existence of the recent high court order barring police from assaulting people.

It was reported that police officers assaulted six (6) people at Mkoba 6 shopping centre with baton sticks. It is alleged that community members were queued at Choppies supermarket for groceries when police officers descended on the people and started assaulting them indicating that they were not observing social distance.

6.         Summary of Violations
The table below summarises human rights violations documented by the Forum Secretariat and Forum Members from 30 March 2020 to 21 April 2020.

7. Litigation Monitoring
Harare High Court judge Justice Joseph Mafusire ordered the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) to ensure that there is a sign language interpreter on all news broadcasts. He also ordered the Ministry of Health and Childcare to ensure that its daily update on the COVID-19 situation is also sent as a voice recording to enable the blind to also access information. He ordered this in a matter which had been brought to court by the Centre for Disability and Development, Deaf Zimbabwe Trust and Zimbabwe National League of The Blind against ZBC; the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services; the Minister of Health and Child Care and the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.

In a separate application brought to the High Court by the Media Insitute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe chapter, Justice Musakwa ordered the Ministry of Health and Child Care to publish and disseminate information on the testing and treatment centres at national, provincial and district hospitals allocated for dealing with COVID-19 cases.

The High Court also ordered police to recognize 2019 press cards and not to interfere with the work of journalists on the basis that their press cards were issued in 2019.   The order was granted by Justice Jacob Manzunzu who also ordered the Commissioner of Police to ensure that the Zimbabwe Media Commission’s statement about the validity of the 2019 press cards is communicated to all police stations in Zimbabwe within 3 days of the order. The matter had also been filed by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe.

In addition reports of assaults and excessive use of force by the police, continue to be received in different parts of the country.   These action are a potentially a wilful contempt of the court which has barred the police and the army from assaulting citizens in implementing the lockdown.

8. Conclusion
As Zimbabwe is now in extended lockdown, it is imperative that a human-rights based approach be taken, in order to reap the dividends of the lockdown. This includes stepping up measures to ensure provision of basic needs for people, improving case management systems, and adequately equipping personnel and facilities handling COVID-19 related cases. Although the government has been ordered to provide personal protective clothing to health workers and frontline responders, there has been no positive feedback from health workers countrywide that government has started supplying the equipment.  The Forum urges the government to comply with court orders that have been issued by the courts so far to ensure that rights are protected in the response measures. Meanwhile, the Forum continues to implore upon everyone in Zimbabwe to cooperate with authorities and observe guidelines and best-practices as provided by the World Health Organisation.

State Media|At least 29 Zimbabweans living in Britain have died of Covid-19, mostly nurses and other medical staff, according to the Zimbabwean Embassy in London.

The pandemic has so far killed at least18 738 in Britain, while in Zimbabwe four have died.

Britain is one of the countries hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, the Embassy said while it had no official figures it “has been able to gather information from the Diaspora community and religious leaders, cluster leaders, affected individuals and the media, on Zimbabweans who have passed on due to Covid-19”.

Sources in the UK said most of the deceased were nurses and other frontline health workers. Zimbabweans with nursing and medical qualifications have found it relatively easy to legally work in Britain.

Explaining the lack of official figures, the Embassy said: “To date, the Embassy has not received updated information from the host Government on the deaths of Zimbabweans due to Covid-19, understandably because the British government has explained that it is currently seized with implementing measures to contain the pandemic. They have promised to provide detailed information as soon as it is possible.”

The Embassy has hailed cordial relations between Zimbabwe and Britain, which have seen the donation of medical supplies to Zimbabwe.

“Zimbabwe-United Kingdom relations continue to improve. The two countries have witnessed increased diplomatic exchanges which have opened avenues of enhanced communication and collaboration in health, education, tourism, trade and investment.

“The British Government recently announced a US$43,6 million aid package towards Covid-19 medical supplies to assist in fighting the pandemic in Zimbabwe. This generous gesture, among others, is indicative of the growing bilateral and diplomatic relations between the two countries,” reads the statement.

Ambassador Christian Katsande, according to the statement, has established platforms to interact with Zimbabweans in the UK, such relations have also assisted in the compilation of Covid-19 statistics.

“He set up clusters that include (health cluster, education cluster, agriculture cluster, infrastructure and financial services cluster) to assist in coordinating activities and communication between the Embassy and the Diaspora community. The Embassy has also cultivated mutually beneficial relationships with various Zimbabwean community and religious leaders across the United Kingdom,” the Embassy said.

During the UK lockdown, the Embassy said it will continue serving its nationals, rendering assistance whenever it is required.

“The Embassy, as per its mandate to offer consular services to all Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland, facilitates applications for passports, birth certificates and the Temporary Travel Document for those without or have lost their Zimbabwean travel documents or identity documents.

“The Embassy also provides documents required for the repatriation of deceased nationals, particularly those who passed on without adequate Zimbabwean documents.

“Despite the lockdown, the Embassy continues to provide a more efficient and user-friendly service to the public.”

With so many Zimbabweans in the nursing field in Britain, they are now particularly vulnerable. Care workers, according to sources, work with vulnerable population of the society. This puts 60 000 Zimbabweans in England at risk of being infected.

“It shows the incredible bravery of every member of the National Health Services who goes into work knowing that these dangers are there. The coronavirus continues its grim march, but every life lost makes me Zimbabwean, determined than ever to push for victory,” said one Zimbawbean nurse.

Another Zimbabwean nurse said she lost a brother, had two uncles who were critically ill, had lost a cousin and a friend.

“It has psychological impact on the whole family. It’s a really difficult time. Even within my community I know a lot of families who have lost loved ones due to coronavirus.

“You get to a point where you don’t want to pick up the phone. You are just constantly worried and you are frightened who is next, or who has been taken to hospital.”

HEALTH workers reporting for duty have started receiving the Covid-19 risk allowance from Government amounting to $1 500.

The allowance is based on the risk factor as determined by the authorities.

The health workers have been grouped into three risk categories: high, moderate and low risk for the Covid-19 allowances.

In the high-risk category are health workers in contact with the positive cases and these include doctors, nurses, radiographers, laboratory staff, environmental health workers, oral health staff, nurse aides, ambulance drivers, mortuary attendants and general hands.

In the moderate risk category are those in contact with patients or suspected cases and these include the pharmacy, rehabilitation, laundry and health promotion staff.

All other health workers fall into the low risk category as they have been deemed to have indirect contact with patients or suspected cases.

The health workers on the higher risk level will receive 100 percent of the risk allowance which is $1 500, while 60 percent and 40 percent of that amount – $900 and $600 – is paid to those on the moderate risk and low risk levels.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) president Dr Tawanda Zvakada said the doctors who are at high risk received a risk allowance amounting to $1 500 which will be paid every month.

“We received the risk allowance but it is not much at all. The $1 500 is not enough, taking note of the increase in prices of basic commodities at the shops,” said Dr Zvakada.

He dismissed social media claims that health workers received US$100 as a risk allowance.

Apex Council Health chairperson, Mr Enock Dongo said health workers started to receive the risk allowance on top of their monthly salaries this month.

He said health workers who are in contact with the Covid-19 patients get a higher amount.

“The health workers have started receiving the monthly risk allowance as of this month’s pay date. All the nurses, doctors and general hands were put at the high-risk level. Supporting staff at the hospital who are those who do not come into contact with the patients but are there at the hospital are the ones on moderate level. Those who are in the administration were graded into the low risk,” said Mr Dongo.

He said they will continue to appeal to Government to review the risk allowance upward.

“We appeal to the Government and the corporate world to come on board and make sure they motivate the frontline workers.

“We are like in a war. Everyone should come up and pull resources together for the health workers in this pandemic. Going to work not knowing what will happen to our families since we are breadwinners, psychologically affects the health workers. There is a need to ensure that they are cushioned in this era,” said Mr Dongo.

He said if health workers are not motivated in the fight against Covid-19, then more positive cases in the country are inevitable.

“The moment the health workers are not motivated definitely they are not going to put their maximum efforts and knowledge to come and contain the spread of Covid-19, thus this risk allowance should be reviewed upwards. We are also not happy about the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at hospitals.

It’s like we are sending soldiers to war without guns,” said Mr Dongo.

State Media|ABOUT 100 female returnees and deportees from Botswana who were staying at the United College of Education (UCE) in Bulawayo were last night left stranded after they were dumped at a hiking spot by officials from the Department of Social Welfare.

An official from the Department of Social Welfare (name supplied) allegedly ordered them to vacate the institution following the expiry of the mandatory 21-day Covid-19 quarantine period.

The group was part of the 456 who were recently brought from an isolation centre at Plumtree High School, to provide them with better living conditions and ease crowding.

They were released from the quarantine centre yesterday evening after testing negative for Covid-19.

Initially, authorities had promised them that they would be ferried to their destinations in Zupco buses but yesterday the authorities made a U-turn and decided to give them bus fare pegged at Zupco rates.

They were, however, given the bus fare around 5PM and subsequently directed to immediately vacate the premises.

Chronicle last night caught up with the stranded returnees at the hiking spot along the Bulawayo-Harare Road near Bulawayo Prisons where they were waiting for transport to travel to their respective homes.

Due to lockdown, most vehicles stop moving around 4PM.

Some of the women had babies strapped on their backs, exposing the infants to the cold weather.

The returnees who spoke to Chronicle last night said they were literally kicked out of the UCE premises by the official.

One of the returnees, Ms Yvonne Ndlovu from Gokwe, a mother of a week-old baby, said she literally went down on her knees begging to be accommodated for at least a night for the sake of the baby, but the official was not moved by her plight.

“I voluntarily returned from Botswana where I was employed because I wanted to give birth at home, but ended up delivering at Plumtree High School where we were initially quarantined before we were moved to Bulawayo.

“The treatment at Plumtree was exceptionally good despite the unhygienic conditions and the officials were quite friendly unlike at UCE where the officials were hostile,” she said.

Ms Jerita Gunde from Sanyati who was deported from Botswana had no kind words for the official.

“The kind of treatment that we got today (yesterday) was inhuman. We were told that we had overstayed our welcome before the official ordered us to surrender the blankets that we were given in Plumtree and locked the rooms, which we were using during our stay at the quarantine centre,” she said.

“They gave us bus fare and immediately ordered us to vacate the premises. We tried to plead with them since some of us had babies, but the official refused to listen.”

Another returnee, who declined to be named, said she defaulted in taking her antiretroviral drugs after a nurse told her that they could not assist since she had no medical records.

“I was just picked by Botswana police in the streets while doing piece jobs and they deported me. I was never given a chance to collect my belongings including my medical records. I am on ART and since my deportation I have not been taking medication,” she said.

“When I returned home, I was taken to the quarantine centre. I had hoped that health officials would assist me, but they insisted on seeing my medical records.”

Ms Rumbidzai Maguta, a mother of two-months old twins said: “As you can see, I have two month old twins, I don’t have diapers and I am going to Mutare, but I don’t have anything with me and I do not even know how I will raise my babies when I get home because my husband is suffering from cancer.”

Ms Tariro Mwanakwaye who was deported from Gaborone said she was arrested while walking home after work.

She accused Social Welfare officials at UCE of deliberately starving them.

A local pastor, Reverend Pedzisayi Sithole rescued the stranded returnees and offered them overnight accommodation at his house in Famona suburb.

“I came across these people after my wife’s relative who was part of the group of returnees, contacted us upon her release from the quarantine centre. I then discovered that there were actually many others, and it was so touching to see some of them with babies, which is why I offered to accommodate them all at my place of residence,” he said.

“I am aware of Covid-19, but the spirit of humanity comes first under such circumstances and that is what compelled me to render assistance to these innocent souls.”

Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Lovemore Matuke said they resorted to offering the returnees bus fare after some of them declined to be taken to their homes in Zupco buses.

“We had some rowdy characters who were pushing to be given bus fare yet we had initially agreed to hire buses for them. The other challenge is that these returnees are from different parts of the country hence in terms of logistics it was going to be a challenge to transport them,” he said.

“Some of these returnees claimed that we didn’t want to release them yet we were arranging transport for them. We ended up agreeing that we should give them bus fare while those who opted to use our transport could remain behind and be accommodated at the quarantine centre.”

President Mnangagwa yesterday accepted a wide range of donations and support from Zimbabwean companies and the Chinese Embassy at a ceremony at State House, with research into the Zimbabwe Covid-19 pandemic now guaranteed.

Sakunda Holdings pledged $30 million over six months to fund university research and development.

The firm also handed over the fully equipped Arundel Hospital, renovated at a cost of $2,8 million, and will pay the 55 staff for six months. The rest of the company’s gift was 300 000 litres of fuel, and US$3,6 million of protective equipment, some still in transit from China, including face and surgical masks, face shields, googles, disposable gowns, as well as emergency ventilators, portable ventilators and ultra sound scans.

Accepting the donations, President Mnangagwa said: “On behalf of the Government and on my own behalf, I sincerely and deeply thank you for coming forward in response not really to my appeal, but it’s your own individual or collective conscience that has persuaded you to take the actions that you have taken.

“I did appeal, but if your conscience did not want to come forward to make a contribution towards fighting the pandemic, mitigation against the pandemic, I would do nothing about it, so my gratitude goes towards your personal or collective conscience towards your country.”

Sakunda Holdings chief executive officer Mr Kuda Tagwirei said of his company’s support: “We pray that this gesture will assist in the fight and assure you of our continued support to the Government and the people of Zimbabwe at large in this dark hour,” he said.

The Chinese embassy donated 166 000 masks, 7 600 protective suits, 20 000 test kits, 12 000 pairs of gloves and five ventilators.

A further 8 000 protective suits, 15 095 respirators, 150 000 surgical masks, 7 000 pairs of gloves and shoe covers were expected soon.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Guo Shaochun commended relations between the two countries.

“It’s truly gratifying to see that under the enormous stress of Covid-19 disease, China and Zimbabwe friendship is standing stronger ever,” he said.

“China will not forget how Zimbabwe was among the first to give us confidence and support in the hard days of our own struggle against the virus.”

Ambassador Guo said an 11-member team of Chinese experts was expected in the country soon to assist in the fight against the pandemic.

“A few days ago, Zimbabwe and China celebrated the 40th anniversary of the founding of diplomatic ties,” he said. “Although we were not able to enjoy the day in fanfare, our joint efforts to fight the disease was also a remarkable way to commemorate the milestone.”

Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines president Ms Elizabeth Nerwande said mining companies had managed to raise US$1 million to go towards purchase of PPEs and equipment that included ventilators and hospital beds, while their members had adopted hospitals in the districts and hospitals they operate in.

A HARARE man appeared in court on Wednesday charged with the murder of his wife during the current lockdown called by the Government to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The case comes against the backdrop of concerns over a sharp increase in gender-based violence (GBV) over the lockdown period.

Prince Chada (25) of Amsterdam Park, Harare South, allegedly fatally assaulted his wife, Tafadzwa Bhinzi, on April 19 and appeared before magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga charged with murder.

He was remanded in custody to May 7 with instructions to apply for bail at the High Court due to the gravity of his offence.

Prosecuting, Mr Panganai Chiutsi alleged that on April 19, Chada was at home with his wife when an altercation ensued between them.

Chada allegedly became violent and started punching and kicking his wife.

He is said to have armed himself with an electrical cable, which he used to further assault her, the court heard.

She cried for help, but no one came to her rescue. Chada, it is alleged, kept on whipping her as she lay on the floor pleading for mercy until she died.

In a separate incident, five brothers allegedly teamed up and assaulted their neighbour, seriously injuring him after accusing him of having an extra-marital affair with one of their sisters-in-law.

Lee, Nelson, Valentine, Ashton and Arthur Hufa from Chinamhora, Mushayapekuvaka village, recently appeared in court before magistrate Mr Richard Ramaboa charged with attempted murder.

They are being jointly charged with their colleague, Silas William.

The six were remanded in custody after the State led by Mr George Manokore opposed bail on the basis that the complainant, Tineyi Hamba, was battling for his life at a local hospital.-State media