OVER 30 000 plus frontline health workers in the country are vulnerable to coronavirus after government reportedly ignored a court order to provide them with personal protective equipment (PPE), with healthcare providers warning that this was a ticking time bomb.

Already, two heath workers in Bulawayo, identified as case numbers 15 and 19 last week tested positive for the novel virus but thousands are facing increased risk as they deal with the rising number of returning residents from COVID-19 hotspots and community transmission cases.

“The PPE situation remains very critical. We have not received any positive feedback from health workers countrywide (that government had started supplying the equipment),” Fortune Nyamande, the chairman of the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) told NewsDay yesterday.

He said there has been no indication from government how it wanted to proceed. “We are consulting with our lawyers how to seek enforcement of the High Court order in view of the continued exposure of health workers.”

The exposure of health workers to coronavirus has become an issue of concern internationally. More than 27 000 health workers in Spain have tested positive for coronavirus, according to that country’s emergency co-ordination centre. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States figures show that nearly 9 300 healthcare workers contracted COVID-19 during the course of their work and 27 have died in that country while in Italy, more than 41 doctors died while over 5 000 doctors and nurses had tested positive to the deadly virus. In the United Kingdom, at least 100 healthcare workers have died of coronavirus, according to Nursing Notes, a platform run by nurses in that country.

In Zimbabwe, on April 14 the High Court ordered the government to provide personal protective equipment for frontline health workers across the country to protect them against contracting COVID-19 while attending to patients after ZADHR went to court to argue that the State was putting them at risk by not providing them with PPE.More in Home

The government was also not carrying out tests on the frontline health personnel, putting them and patients at risk of infection, while ZADHR argues that it did not use proper equipment to screen a few.

“A few health workers were screened using the rapid diagnostic test kits last week. The numbers are still very low and almost insignificant,” Nyamande said.

“The tests used are also not the diagnostic PCR tests which are the gold standard in diagnosing COVID-19. All registered health workers in Zimbabwe are at risk, both private and public practitioners.”

Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) president, Enock Dongo told NewsDay that failure by government to avail PPE to heath workers was creating a breeding ground for the fast-spreading virus.

“Government officials will be quick to point out that no health worker in the country has tested positive for the virus or is affected in one way or another. It is easy to say that but mind you, none of the essential healthcare workers have been tested so far for COVID-19,” Dongo said.

He said efforts to raise the issue with government had fallen on deaf ears as none of the senior government officials was keen on taking the association’s advice seriously.

“Zina has been advising government to ensure that there is testing of the nurses who are the first instance persons when it comes to the coronavirus. Nurses are the first ones who observe the patients and check them every time they go to a hospital with symptoms of the coronavirus.

“If those nurses contract the virus, they are in a very big risk of spreading it around themselves and among patients and the only way to avoid this is to test them and be sure that none of them have contracted the virus.

The challenge is that no one in government is listening to our advice,” Dongo added.

The Zina boss said the few kits that his organisation’s members had received were inadequate, with some of the members mostly working without the protective gear.

“The kits for personal protection are highly adequate. Most of our members are exposed to this pandemic because there are no protective clothing kits. Testing of nurses has been poor so far. It seems nobody cares at all.

“If the nation fails to take care of those that are in the first line of defence, it means very little care is taken about all the other people who are also likely to contract the virus. We are worried as Zina as to why government is failing to focus on those issues that concern health workers,” Dongo said.

He warned that coronavirus cases in the country would likely spike if government continuously fails to act.

“We have said a lot and nobody seems to be listening. Should we continue as if everything is normal. We are at a high risk of having a massive rise in the numbers of those that have the virus,” Dongo said.

“We have to look at the spread ratios of this pandemic. If we don’t contain it at the first level and we leave nurses so exposed, they will infect others who will in turn infect others and the infection chain will continue to grow. In the end, we will have an unmanageable situation which we could have avoided had our government listened to what we tell them.”

-Newsday

A $17 million relief fund to support youth-led businesses and associations to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 on their operations has been set up by Government.

The fund is being given as a grant and is meant to build capacity among youth-led businesses and registered youth organisations engaged in activities complementing the national taskforce’s relief efforts.

Such activities include manufacturing and distribution of protective materials such as face masks, sanitisers and soaps.

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry said yesterday: “This relief fund targets youth enterprises and registered youth associations. To qualify for the grant, associations or enterprises owned by Zimbabwean youths must have been existing and operating for a period of at least six months to a year before the lockdown.

“They must also demonstrate how their activities have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Their business must have a formalised structure complying with the statutory requirements governing that sector.

“They must demonstrate innovation, value addition, and or beneficiation and enterprises helping combating Covid-19 will be given priority in the release of funds. The association or enterprise must be able to produce a bank statement dating back six months to a year prior to the lockdown.”

Minister Coventry said applicants should not have benefited from other Government Covid-19 relief facilities.

The principals should be youths aged between 18 and 35 and should be citizens of Zimbabwe who reside and operate in the country. “They must show proof of place of operation, for example, Zesa bill or water bills,” said Minister Coventry.

She said disbursement of funds to qualifying beneficiaries shall be a once off payment.

“I wish to assure the nation that mechanisms are in place to ensure that the fund will be administered in an open and transparent manner as well as to ensure that all Zimbabwean youths who meet the above set criteria will have an equal chance of benefiting from the programme,” said Minister Coventry.

“No application will be turned away. In fact, those that do not qualify under this fund will be referred to other facilities such as the social protection and arts sector support scheme.

“The application process involves various online platforms mainly because of the precautionary measures put in place to avoid further spreading of the corona virus. Youths who fail to access our online platforms can liaise with our provincial contact persons for onward submission to the head office and it will be a continuous process.”

-State Media

The state broadsheet, the Herald has run a story in which they claim that a UK-based Zimbabwean woman Mary Nyandoro is among the group of 26 who the government is abusing at the Belvedere Teachers College since Monday. 

The story is published as the same person is currently in London right now near Buckingham Palace and has not been in Zimbabwe for several years.

Government journalist accuse the woman of assaulting the foreign affairs minister SB Moyo while on his trip in London in July last year.

ZimEye reveals with clear live video Mary enjoying the sun while assisting in the covid fight.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

The state Media article however alleges as follows in full print:

ONE of the United Kingdom-based Zimbabweans who attacked Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo and his delegation while on Government business in London is among the 26 returnees quarantined at Belvedere Technical Teachers’ College, The Herald is reliably informed.

It is alleged that the attacker, Ms Mary Nyandoro, is a known MDC-A activist. She is also believed to be one of the people who tried to resist compulsory quarantine at the college citing “poor conditions” and preferred to be accommodated in a hotel.

Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Lovemore Matuke confirmed her presence, saying Government had noted with concern that some of the 26 UK returnees were actually MDC-Alliance activists who attacked Dr Moyo and other senior Government officials in London last year.

“Ms Nyandoro is among the batch of 26 UK returnees who are complaining about the facilities at the college,” he said.

“Now is not the time to score cheap political mileage, as Government, with the rest of the world is making frantic efforts to fight the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

“These people are attention seekers with a political agenda. This is not time for politicking, the pandemic is serious. We cannot risk their families because they have their own motives. The activists are trying to politicise Covid-19 and trying to destabilise the spirit of unity, which is currently prevailing in the country.

“We will only be able to give attention to such behaviour after we manage to control the pandemic.”

The returnees cited deplorable state of affairs at the isolation centre that included lack of running water and being forced to share toilets and bathrooms.

It has since been revealed that toilets are working properly and there is clean running water for bathing, while mineral water for drinking is provided.

There is also uninterrupted electricity, with the group enjoying three-course meals a day.

Government has since declared that there would be no red carpet treatment for the UK returnees, stating that they would be quarantined just like any other Zimbabwean returning, as the country joins the rest of the world in the battle to contain the spread of Covid-19.

In July last year, Dr Moyo was accompanied by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana, among other Government officials, to London on a four-day re-engagement programme to strengthen ties and lure investors.

While, on the re-engagement mission, they were attacked by placard-waving protesters who were demanding the release of MDC-Alliance deputy chairperson Mr Job Sikhala who had been arraigned before the courts for allegedly trying to subvert a constitutionally-elected Government.

Ms Nyandoro was part of the crowd seen showering the delegation with bottled water and calling the delegation names, and she was the most vocal among the group.

She held a placard labelled “TOO EARLY TO REMOVE SANCTIONS”, referring to illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by some Western countries that have affected the economy.

By Own Correspondent| Zimbabwean authorities on Friday 24 April 2020 charged a Chipinge man with undermining authority of or insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa after he allegedly circulated a message on WhatsApp in which the ZANU PF party leader was accused of ineptitude.

Chrispen Rambu of Chipinge in Manicaland province, who is an opposition MDC Alliance party Councillor for Ward 8 in Chipinge urban constituency was summoned by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members to appear at Chipinge Central Police Station, where he was charged with insulting and undermining authority of President Emmerson Mnangagwa as defined in section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

ZRP members claimed that Rambu denigrated Mnangagwa when he allegedly forwarded a message onto a local WhatsApp group which reads “Ramaphosa just announced R500 billion SA ‘Stimulus package. Seeing him addressing and comparing him with E.D you won’t doubt that we are having a fool for a head of state”.

Rambu, who is represented by Mekias Gwamanda of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights is expected to appear at Chipinge Magistrates Court on Saturday.

Three Zimbabwean men have been jailed for between two and six years after they admitted their role in an elaborate “industrial scale” cheque fraud in the United Kingdom.

Criminal mastermind Patson Mupinyuri (37), forger Collen Chikore (42) and Simbarashe Dengu (30) engaged four con-women who power-dressed to scam charities, schools, businesses and a church out of £750 000 during a UK-wide crime wave.

Unemployed Tracey Henry (52) disguised herself as a businesswoman to cash counterfeit cheques and invoices at banks including branches in Chelsea, Richmond, Wimbledon, Camden, Paddington and Wood Green.

Henry, of Harlesden, Cynthia Archibong (48) of Grays, Toni Shorley (38) and Amy Browne (37) of north London, also impersonated wealthy account holders for ringleader  Mupinyuri, Inner London Crown Court heard.

Mupinyuri splashed out thousands on cars and hotels for his “runners” as the gang committed crimes from Exeter to Aberdeen.

On one occasion, he booked rooms at the five-star Celtic Manor golf resort in Newport, South Wales.

Mupinyuri would research businesses to target and harvest bank signatories’ names, dates of birth and addresses.

He provided these stolen details to Chikore, who used advanced technology to produce high-quality forged cheques and invoices.

Fake driving licences together with the stolen account and security details were used to impersonate genuine customers.

Accounts belonging to a variety of institutions and businesses including charities, schools, town councils and a church were targeted.

Police said £746 679 was stolen between February 2017 and July last year.

More than 220 counterfeit cheques were cashed with a typical value of £2 000.

But the gang was rumbled when bank staff spotted identical frauds and alerted the dedicated card and payment crime unit, a specialist police department funded by the finance industry.

All victims were fully refunded.

After “runner” Colin Mosdel (33) was arrested, an investigation led to Mupinyuri and Dengu, who were detained alongside Archibong and Shorley in Hull.

They were in a Mercedes car preparing to drive off having tried to cash several fraudulent cheques at a bank.

Archibong was seen counting £50 notes before officers seized a large quantity of fake licences, blank cheques and handwritten notes of accounts details.

On the same day, Chikore was held in Coventry.

A search of his home uncovered equipment used to mass- produce counterfeit cheques including specialist paper, cutting equipment, UV inks and several colour printers.

Detective constable Alex Coubrough, who investigated the case, said: “We have dismantled a highly organised criminal gang who were committing cheque fraud on an industrial scale.

“We are delighted to have brought these criminals to justice and to have removed the threat they posed to the banking industry and its customers.”

After each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud, Mupinyuri, of Northampton, was jailed for six years; Chikore, of Coventry, six years and two months; Dengu, of Nuneaton, two years and 10 months; and Browne, of London, one year and six months.

For their part as runners, Henry, received three years and three months; Archibong, three years and one month; Shorley, of Cardiff, two years and one month; and Mosdell, of no fixed abode, two years and three months. 

— Evening Standard

Covid-19 screening and testing will be integrated into malaria response to mitigate the recent spike in deaths and cases, with the death toll hitting 205, so far this year.

This would mean capacitating community health workers who are instrumental in malaria response in most rural communities to screen and test for Covid-19 and providing them with personal protective equipment.

The consideration followed challenges noted by Government that were prompted by the outbreak of Covid-19, although malaria so far remains the most dangerous.

Statistics on malaria availed by Government showed that deaths shot up from 127 between January 1 and April 23 last year to 205 in the same four months this year.

Similarly, cases have also increased from 117 715 last year to 203 964 this year between January and April.

Addressing a press conference ahead of the World Malaria Day today, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said Zimbabwe had made great strides in reducing the burden of malaria in central and southern western parts of the country and was now concentrating on the eastern and northern parts, which border Mozambique and Zambia.

He said malaria incidences had gone down by about 83 percent from 36 per 1 000 people in 2 000 to 22 per 1 000 people in 2019.

Similarly, Dr Moyo said mortality had declined by 75 percent from 1 069 deaths in 2003 to 266 deaths in 2019.

He said 28 malaria endemic districts were already recording less than five cases per 1 000 people — a stage referred to as pre-elimination.

“However, these gains are being threatened by the Covid-19 pandemic, a disease which has common initial symptoms to malaria, which include fever, headache, generalised body pains and weakness,” said Dr Moyo.-State media

Second Covid-19 tests done on samples taken from the late Gogo Nguni have come out positive.

The second tests were necessitated by information from Gogo Nguni’s relatives who insisted that the now deceased person lived in a self-isolated homestead, never got in touch with anyone from Covid-19 hotspots and never left the country.

This information left her relatives wondering on the credibility of the initial results, thereby forcing health authorities to do a second round of the same polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Government has intensified contact tracing in Chitemere village under Mhondoro-Mubaira, where the late Gogo Nguni lived with two house maids and two herders before she was taken to Harare for treatment while Harare City Health department has also initiated a parallel process on her relatives in Harare, some of whom went to pick her for treatment.

“Obviously someone brought the virus to Gogo and this is what we are trying to establish. Our teams are already seized with the matter and we are hoping to have a clearer picture as soon as possible as contact tracing progresses both in Harare and Mhondoro,” said principal director policy, planning, monitoring and evaluation in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Robert Mudyiradima.

Earlier, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo had told journalists during a press conference on Covid-19 update that Mhondoro-Mubaira had now become an area of interest.

“This has become an area of interest and therefore we are going to be hot-spotting by making sure that the population around there is screened. That is the only way we can make a determination on the source of Gogo’s infection,” said Dr Moyo.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa added that even the Mashonaland West provincial Covid-19 taskforce was going to visit the area for their own assessment, to try and understand circumstances surrounding transmission in that area.

“It is very sad that we lost our grandmother. As a member of the national taskforce, in charge of Mashonaland West and I have since engaged with the provincial taskforce, which is also seized with this matter.

“They told me that they are going to visit this area to make sure that it is disinfected and that people in this village are conscientised on the need to up their hygienic practices. Even the MP for the area was very worried and is equally seized with the matter,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

Gogo Nguni, nee Chitemere passed on at West End Hospital on Wednesday morning becoming the fourth Covid-19 casualty in Zimbabwe.

Before receiving treatment at West End Hospital, Gogo Nguni had earlier experienced a bout of flu, from which antibiotics were prescribed and seemed to have gotten better.

Her condition deteriorated on Monday, forcing her relatives to take her to West End for treatment. She however died before receiving any treatment nor further investigation into her condition as authorities waited for Covid-19 results first, which then came out positive.

To date four people have died of Covid-19 in Zimbabwe. The other three were a 79-year old man from Bulawayo, who also died before receiving confirmatory results, a 50-year old man from Harare who had travelled from the United Kingdom and a 30-year old man from Harare who had also travelled from the United States of America.

ZBCtv has been affected by the national lockdown due to Covid-19, as some of its programmes like soapies and talk shows have run out of episodes.

Among those affected are soapies Indlalifa- The Heir, Estate Blues and Zvazviri.

As such, the national broadcaster is looking to partner online productions such as Wadiwa Wepa Moyo for possible showing and also bring back old shows to ensure people are entertained during the lockdown.

ZBCtv’s head of production and television services, Godknows Chera said the national broadcaster approached producers of hit online soapie Wadiwa Wepa Moyo to find out how they can have the soapie that was shown weekly on YouTube, on television.
“The lockdown has affected our programming as ZBCtv.

We have programmes such as Estate Blues, Bvunze and soapies like Zvazviri and Indlalifa being affected.

We’re now discussing with producers, some whose productions are doing well online such as Wadiwa Wepa Moyo to see how we can partner with them,” Chera said.-State media

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. Several church leaders have also expressed similar sentiments.

Angry Zimbabweans have accused Senator Morgen Komichi of betraying the “people’s struggle”-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.

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.

We want the stolen tax payers money to STOP being channeled to Sakunda pockets only for them to pretend to be donating it back to us when they feel like it!

— Concerned Zimbabwe Citizens (@_CCZim) April 24, 2020

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

Following the disruption of the school calender due to the #LockdownZimbabwe imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, parents here have implored govt to postpone the June and Nov exams. Do you think that the June and November examinations should be postponed?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) April 24, 2020

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:

Zimbabwe Military Says Beatings During Lockdown Are Just "Fake News" | TRUTH or NONSENSE?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) April 17, 2020

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.