Advocate Thabani Mpofu who is the lawyer of opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has claimed that the recalling of four MDC legislators from Parliament was illegal.
Below is Mpofu’s submission.
The illegal recall
Purporting to give effect to the Supreme Court judgment by recalling MDC-Alliance MPs from Parliament is unlawful for many reasons. I give a few:
Douglas Mwonzora is no longer the Secretary-General of the political party whether it be called MDC-T or MDC-Alliance.
The Alliance is a political party for purposes of the Electoral Act, was recognised as such by ZEC and contested the elections in its name and right. That counts for something. Various judgments of the court accept that including the 137 paged judgment in the presidential election petition. You would need to temporarily suspend honour and reality before you can take a position to the contrary.
Contrary to popular belief based on hysteria, the Alliance does not need a written constitution constituting it as a universitas personarum at law. A universitas personarum is created by contract. Such contract can be reflected in a constitution but does not have to be. It could be orally established. In certain instances, the contract may even be established by conduct. Surely that there is a political party known as the MDC-Alliance is known even by my dog.
The relationship between the MDC-T and MDC-Alliance has been completely if not dishonestly misunderstood. The Speaker of Parliament does not at law know anything other than the political parties represented in Parliament. He is not required to know how they came into existence much the same way he cannot take notice of the relationship between Zanu PF and organisations that support and have established synergies with it. He only knows that there is an MDC-Alliance which has members directly elected and yet others elected by proportional representation through a party list system. The party list system was utilised on an MDC-Alliance list. He cannot be blind to that reality “only for five minutes” during a national lockdown. Neither can he properly forget that there is a political party in his House called the MDC-T.
For my present purposes, I wish to make it abundantly clear that this is the position in law. In law, the processes of the MDC-Alliance cannot and have not been affected by anything. To the contrary, they have been insulated by the Gweru congress whose resolutions have legal effect.
The Supreme Court judgment came late in the day and has no effect for the reasons I have given. As regards Parliamentary business, the Speaker can only deal with the MDC-Alliance in matters that affect MDC-Alliance members. THIS IS THE LAW!
Advocate Thabani Mpofu is a lawyer for MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa
The Ministry would like to report that today, 1150 rapid screening tests and 333 PCR tests were done in the public sector. No PCR tests were done in Bulawayo today. All the PCR tests done in Harare today were negative for COVID-19. Therefore, to date, Zimbabwe has thirty-four confirmed cases. including nine recoveries and four deaths.
The latest recoveries include 4 cases from Harare. These were confirmed through two consecutive PCR negative tests from samples taken at least 24 hrs apart in line with the WHO guidance.
Cumulatively, a total of 9 594 rapid screening tests and 8 141 PCR diagnostic tests have been done to date.
Most of the screening tests were conducted on returning residents who were screened for COVID-19 at our ports of entry. As one of the mitigatory measures against COVID-19. all returning residents will undergo mandatory quarantine at designated centres. Additionally. diagnostic PCR testing will he done on all before discharge from the quarantine centre.
The Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-I9 pandemic and would like to remind the nation the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to practise good personal hygiene, always wear a face mask in public places and exercise social distancing.
The Opposition Movement for Democratic Party (MDC) has dismissed allegations by the Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Energy Mutodi, that Nelson Chamisa faces arrest for misusing party coffers.
Commotion in MDC-Alliance as over 40 MDCT legislators disagree with decision to withdraw from Parliament. Chamisa also faces arrest for misappropriating party funds.
Mutodi had posted on Twitter reiterating the claims which were previously made on social media which suggested that Chamisa had directed into personal use the $2 million dollars which MDC was allocated under the Parties Act.
The MDC responded:
2. Stop telling malicious, defamatory lies. President @nelsonchamisa has no power to misappropriate party funds as he is not a signatory to any of the party accounts. Only the Treasurer-General @DavidColtart & Secretary-General @hwendec control party finances. https://t.co/FGJalxec2J
— Citizens' Coalition for Change (@CCCZimbabwe) May 7, 2020
A TAXI driver from Victoria Falls who fled to Botswana after being sentenced to one year imprisonment for draining fuel from two vehicles to refuel his taxi, was arrested soon after release from a local quarantine centre.
Prosper Dziwanyika (32) of 4460 Chinotimba was arrested on Saturday soon after his release from Mosi-oa-Tunya High School quarantine centre where he had been isolated for 21 days following his deportation with other returning citizens.
Dziwanyika fled to Botswana in February this year after being sentenced to 12 months for a case of malicious damage to property and another of theft on January 24.
The court suspended three months from the total sentence on condition he did not commit similar offences within five years.
A further seven months was suspended on condition that he performed 245 hours of community service at ZRP Victoria Falls Canine Section which he started on January 27.
The other two months had been suspended on condition that Dziwanyika restituted nearly $2 000 to the complainant Mr Lovemore Ndlovu.
The restitution was the cost of two petrol pipes he cut from two vehicles and was to be paid before January 31.
Dziwanyika fled to Botswana before completing the community service or paying the restitution.
He was one of the Zimbabweans who were deported from Botswana early last month and quarantined in Victoria Falls.
Dziwanyika appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa for default inquiry.
The magistrate brought into effect the whole sentence of 12 months after the court established that he had willfully defaulted both community service and restitution.
The court was told that Dziwanyika last performed community service on February 4.
“I went to Botswana in April after asking for time to go and bury my grandmother,” said Dziwanyika when asked why he defaulted.
Prosecuting, Mr Jacob Kuzipa said Dziwanyika cut fuel pipes from Mr Ndlovu’s two vehicles and drained 40 litres of petrol on January 14. The vehicles were parked in front of Mr Ndlovu’s house.
“The complainant discovered the offence next day and reported the matter to the police. Investigations led to the arrest of the Dziwanyika and recovery of 20 litres which was in the taxi he was driving,” said the prosecutor.-
Already struggling with the twin crises of the coronavirus pandemic and a Biblical scourge of locusts, the region is now being lashed by exceptionally heavy rainfall, with floods that threaten life and livelihood from Ethiopia to Tanzania, and all parts in between.
For the continent’s most economically vibrant region, the trifecta of tribulations may well add up to a fourth: food scarcity.
This ghost from East Africa’s past could hardly have picked a worse moment to return. The world is distracted by the pandemic, and traditional sources of succour — the US and Europe — face their own economic distress. China, the region’s economic partner of choice in recent years, has not yet demonstrated the ability (or indeed the desire) to fill the vacuum.
Even before the floods, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) was warning of “an unprecedented threat to food security” in East Africa. Blame the emergence of huge new locust swarms. The Climate Prediction and Application Centre in Nairobi says locusts are “invading the Eastern Africa region in exceptionally large swarms like never seen before.”
The swarms are a product of climate change: Unusually wet weather over the past 18 months created perfect breeding conditions. The war in Yemen may also have played a role, by constraining the ability of local authorities to control the first swarms before they crossed over into the Horn of Africa.
The voraciousness of the locusts has hit East African farmers hardest. According to Gro Intelligence, a privately funded commodity data and analysis service, the insects have damaged more than 25 million hectares of farmland in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
Worse is to come. The current wet conditions may swell new swarms in the summer, just as harvest season begins.
Fighting locust swarms requires pesticides, and an army of people to spray them. But the coronavirus pandemic is hampering the effort. It is delaying the delivery of pesticides and equipment, and jacking up shipping costs. Governments need to protect their populations from the virus, and travel restrictions designed to impede its spread are constraining efforts against the swarms.
But the danger to food security is so great, countries may feel they do not have the luxury of choosing between scourges. Uganda, for instance, is asking its farmers to go ahead with crop planting, even though it is struggling to get them face masks — and despite the risk that locusts will ruin much of the harvest anyway.
The FAO is calling for $153 million to assist East African countries, along with Sudan and Yemen, in fighting the swarms; so far, more than two-thirds of that sum has been pledged or received. But combating the food shortages, now exacerbated by the floods, will require much larger sums. And still more will be needed to put East African economies, until recently the envy of the continent, on life-support as the world recovers from the pandemic.
Where will the money come from? East African countries will compete with their African neighbours — and the wider developing world — for emergency funds from multilateral lenders like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, and eventually for bigger bailouts.
There will also be competition among African nations for the rescheduling, or outright forgiveness, of payments owed to China, the continent’s largest creditor. Beijing has agreed to join other G20 members in a $20 billion debt moratorium for some poor nations, but is not committing itself to more. Some African governments say China is demanding strategic state assets in return for easing or erasing debt. Other lenders worry that any consideration they give African debtors will, in effect, benefit Chinese lenders.
Neither man nor nature, it seems, is inclined to give East Africa a break.
SOUTH Africa-based Zimbabwe footballers are reportedly working with top agent Michael Ngobeni of M Sport Management to assist their fellow countrymen stranded across the Limpopo due to the Coronavirus pandemic to return home.
Ngobeni, who has Warriors and Kaizer Chiefs talisman Khama Billiat among top players in his stable, told Soccer Laduma that they are working with relevant authorities to assist some of the needy Zimbabweans that are keen on returning home.
“It’s been two months now of working on this programme and eventually I have managed to get everything together. I have been talking to Zimbabwean players (in the PSL), and they are willing to help their own people return home. They are stuck in South Africa and some have lost their jobs.
“Most soccer players are donating money and we are doing it with the Zimbabwean embassy and IOM (International Organisation for Migration), and I am very excited because they are under the United Nations,” Ngobeni said.
The aim of the project is to provide humanitarian assistance to up to 4 500 Zimbabweans stranded in Mzansi to mitigate against the negative socio-economic impact of Covid-19.
MOBILE money and fund transmission service providers will not be allowed to review transaction charges without approval of the Reserve Bank Zimbabwe (RBZ).
With the mobile money interoperability now in place, mobile money services are now deemed to be financial services institutions subject to the RBZ’s recently-gazetted regulations on banking (money transmission, mobile banking and mobile money interoperability).
According to the new regulations, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube, has, in terms of Section 81 of the Banking Act [Chapter 24:20], indicated that mobile money providers are now regarded as financial institutions subject to apex bank oversight.
“Money transmission providers and mobile banking providers wishing to provide the service of money transmission services and mobile banking must— where they are mobile network operators be licensed in terms of the Postal and Telecommunication Act [Chapter 12:05]; obtain recognition of their payment system in terms of section 3(1) of the National Payment Systems Act [Chapter 24:23] together with the application and annual fees specified in the First Schedule, and must comply with the conditions attached to that recognition and with these regulations.
“On the date of commencement of these regulations, money transmission providers and mobile banking providers recognised in terms of the National Payment Systems Act [Chapter 24:23] are deemed to be licensed under these regulations,” he said.
Prof Ncube said going forward it will be mandatory for every money transmission service provider and mobile banking provider to be connected to a national payment switch, as shall be directed by written notice by the Reserve Bank from time to time that enables interoperability of payment systems and services.
He said for the purposes of connecting to the national payment switch every money transmission provider and mobile banking provider shall install, deploy or commission such infrastructure and connection protocols, credentials and documentation necessary to enable integration with any recognised payment system in terms of the National Payment System Act [Chapter 24:23].
“Every money transmission provider and mobile banking provider shall open and maintain a bank account that is designated exclusively for mobile banking services. Every money transmission provider and mobile banking provider shall ensure that no money is transmitted or is retained on the payment system without a corresponding correct bank balance,” said Prof Ncube.
He said every money transmission provider and mobile banking service provider must submit periodic returns to the RBZ at intervals as shall be determined by the apex bank from time to time.
The returns, Prof Ncube said, shall include the values and volumes including the cumulative total from the beginning of the year to date, a reconciliation of the mobile account balances between mobile money platform and the core banking system, snapshots of the mobile account balance from the mobile money platform and core banking systems plus all material developments or operational challenges.
“The periodic returns shall be kept for a period of seven years from the day of generation of such returns. Every money transmission provider and mobile banking provider must provide an audit report on the product after six months of operation and annually thereafter.
“Every money transmission provider and mobile banking provider should allow the Reserve Bank read-only real time access to its payment system,” he said.
Prof Ncube said every money transmission provider and mobile banking provider must have policies and procedures for sound internal controls and risk management practices including data protection and cyber security on an ongoing basis.
“Every money transmission provider and mobile money banking providers must not accept a transaction request from a customer if the customer has not yet registered (where registration is required) or has not been authorised or cleared to use the service or where authorisation has been withdrawn or suspended, the transaction amount requested by the customer is outside the minimum and maximum amounts for transaction, which shall be specified from time to time by both parties…” he said.
Prof Ncube said if it comes to the notice of the Reserve Bank that default is made in complying with the regulations, the Reserve Bank may serve penalty orders upon the defaulting mobile money provider.
Another day another confusing decision by the RBZ… The central bank has directed EcoCash and other mobile money service providers (think OneMoney, Telecash & MyCash) to freeze accounts belonging to agents with transaction activity above ZW$100 000.
Whilst at this point its fair to say we have become accustomed to such weird declarations and laws coming from the central bank, one would go on a limb to say this is one of the most senseless decisions they’ve made in a while.
ZW$100 000 amounts to around US$2000 according to the current parallel market rates. That is pocket change for agents who interface with hundreds if not thousands of consumers per month.
Even going by the official interbank rate – which is pointless since agents don’t get money at that rate- ZW$100 000 still amounts to just US$4000. Cashing out anything above this threshold will mean an agent sees their account being frozen.
This is problematic because this means agents are no longer incentivised to facilitate more transactions and will make less on commission as a result. Less economic activity doesn’t sound like the solution to Zimbabwe’s turmoil.
EcoCash’s statement makes sure to note that they were not consulted in this directive as they obviously would not have agreed to such a directive which not only affects their business but also affects agents and consumers who will have less agents to offer cash out or cash in services because most will simply be banned due to this directive.
There is the new national payment switch that the government is working on. One of the things about the switch is that the RBZ will have real-time access to monitor transactions and if their motivation for that is so that they can dish out such directives and enforce them more freely then we’re in trouble.
All councils have been given the green light to continue cleaning-up and renovating workspaces occupied by informal traders to improve their state ahead of resumption of business when the lockdown ends, according to a Government circular.
Some informal traders and residents’ associations had blocked the exercise after lodging an urgent chamber application at the High Court seeking an order to stop the demolition of illegal structures countrywide.
The High Court recently ordered local authorities to stop the demolition of workspaces used by informal traders in Epworth and Chitungwiza saying the act was illegal.
Government’s latest directive is contained in a circular5 May 2020 written by Secretary for Local Government and Public Works Mr Zvinechimwe Churu.
It was directed to all town clerks, town secretaries and chief executive officers.
Reads the circular in part: “The court in its final determination ordered that the Circular Minute Number 3 of 2020 is legal and the clean-ups and renovations of Small and Medium Enterprises and informal traders’ workspaces by local authorities should proceed.” Chitungwiza Residents Trust (Chitrest), which is part of the group that approached the High Court to block the demolition of tuckshops and vending stalls, yesterday raised a red flag again.
“The circular is misleading. The court order never said the circular was lawful. The lawfulness of the circular has not yet been decided. We got a consent order stopping the demolitions as they are un-procedural so as residents we stick to that,” said Chitrest director Alice Kuveya.
In the initial circular dated April 8, 2020, Mr Churu said Cabinet had directed all local authorities to take advantage of the national lockdown to clean-up and renovate workspaces occupied by informal traders and by small and medium enterprises “so that these areas will be more conducive to operate from when business reopens”.
The circular designated as essential the workers doing the renovations and clean-up.
In the consent order stopping the demolitions, residents and vendors organisations including Kushinga Epworth Residents’ Association were represented by Dr Tarisai Mutangi and Moses Nkomo of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
They said the widespread demolition, by local and central Government, of tuckshops, vending stalls and other property used by small and medium enterprises and informal traders was unlawful and should be stopped immediately.
TWO Bulawayo men allegedly linked to a consignment of smuggled Broncleer worth $1,2 million confiscated by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) Tuesday before armed robbers raided the taxman’s depot and seized the drugs have been arrested.
Broncleer, commonly known as Bronco, is a cough mixture which was banned over its abuse as a euphoric drug.
Mhlalisi Nyathi (37) of Cowdray Park, who is a cross-border transporter and Khumbulani Ndlovu (43) of Penwith Court in the city’s central business district and is employed as truck driver by a South African transport company were arrested on Tuesday after their truck loaded with 144 boxes of Broncleer smuggled from South Africa was impounded.
The contraband, which was concealed under a consignment of groceries, was being transported to Bulawayo in a haulage truck when it was intercepted by police in Esigodini.
Nyathi allegedly hired Ndlovu’s truck to ferry the smuggled consignment from South Africa. The contraband was seized by Zimra officials near Esigodini and taken to their container depot in Bulawayo. Hours later, armed robbers raided the premises and went away with the consignment.
Nyathi and Ndlovu appeared yesterday before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Shepherd Mjanja facing charges of possession of unregistered drugs.
They were remanded out of custody to August 3 on $1 000 bail each.
As part of the bail conditions they were ordered to report at Luveve Police Station once every two weeks and to continue residing at their given addresses until the matter is finalised.
They were also ordered not to interfere with State witnesses.
Prosecuting, Mr Carlington Dliwayo said detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Drugs Section, received information that there was a haulage truck, a Mercedes Benz, which was impounded by Zimra after it was intercepted while carrying a smuggled consignment from South Africa.
“Acting on the information, the detectives with the assistance of a Zimra official searched the truck and managed to recover 144 boxes of Broncleer cough syrup, which is not registered in Zimbabwe. It has more than 5mg of codeine content valued at $1 224 000,” he said.
Nyathi and Ndlovu were arrested and a notice of seizure was issued by Zimra under number 014982L on Tuesday.
The truck and smuggled drugs were taken to the Zimra container depot at Raylton Industrial Area in Bulawayo.
A gang whose exact number could not be ascertained struck at the depot on the same day at around 7.30PM.
The suspects who were armed with an FN rifle threatened to shoot security guards who were manning the premises in the event that they raised alarm before tying their hands using a rope. They offloaded the impounded goods from the truck. Sources said the suspects were travelling in a Toyota Quantum which had no number plates.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the suspects used bolt cutters to destroy the locking system at the main entrance before they drove in.
He said two suspects who were armed with iron bars and bolt cutters emerged first from the Toyota Quantum and confronted the security guards. He said they were later joined by their accomplices and they offloaded the loot from the impounded truck. “Initially, it is these two suspects who confronted the security guards and later on the kombi drove into the premises and it could not be established how many others were inside the vehicle. They loaded some illicit goods which were in a truck that had been impounded with smuggled goods, which included 144 boxes of Broncleer and four boxes containing bottles of Gordon’s Gin,” said Asst Comm Nyathi said.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has sent out an order to Zimbabwe’s largest mobile wallet operator, Ecocash to shut down some of its agents after giving a similar instructions to banks Banks last week. The order instructs Ecocash to freeze the agent lines of all traders whose transactions exceed $100 000 ZWL per month until certain KYC activities are completed.
The full statement from Ecocash on the issue:
Notice to Customers & Agents EcoCash wishes to advise that we received a directive from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the Financial Intelligence Unit of Zimbabwe to the effect that all Agents with transaction limits of over ZWL$100.000 per month should have their accounts frozen with immediate effect, except for
This directive will impact Agent business operations as Agents will not have access to their float funds as well as liquidations. EcoCash was not consulted on this directive. We, therefore, did not provide any input into it The directive will not only impact the affected Agents but also the transactions they do with over 53,000 other EcoCash Agents and consequently our 11 million customers countrywide who rely on the Agent network. Agent-reliant transactions to be affected are;
Cash-in,
Cash-out,
Airtime sales,
Customer registrations,
Prepaid electricity sales,
Kindly note that all other EcoCash transactions are not affected by this directive. We will provide you with an update on any further developments. EcoCash Cassava Smartech
The UN’s Humanitarian Chief, Mark Lowcock, has called for swift and determined action to avoid the most destabilizing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as he releases a $6.7 billion appeal and an updated global plan to fight coronavirus in fragile countries.
COVID-19 has now reached every country, with nearly 3,596,000 confirmed cases and over 247,650 deaths worldwide. The peak of the disease in the world’s poorest countries is not expected until some point over the next three to six months. However, there is already evidence of incomes plummeting and jobs disappearing, food supplies falling and prices soaring, and children missing vaccinations and meals.
The humanitarian system is taking action to avert a sharp rise in conflict, hunger, poverty and disease as a result of the pandemic and the associated global recession. Today’s updated Global Humanitarian Response Plan has been expanded in response. It includes nine additional vulnerable countries: Benin, Djibouti, Liberia, Mozambique, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Togo and Zimbabwe, and programmes to respond to the growth in food insecurity.
Today’s new appeal and updated humanitarian response plan were released at a virtual event hosted by Mark Lowcock, alongside the Executive Director of WHO Health Emergencies, Mike Ryan; the President and CEO of Oxfam America, Abby Maxman; the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi; and the Executive Director of WFP, David Beasley. The plan was first launched by the UN Secretary-General in March.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock said:
“The COVID-19 pandemic is hurting us all. But the most devastating and destabilizing effects will be felt in the world’s poorest countries. In the poorest countries we can already see economies contracting as export earnings, remittances and tourism disappear. Unless we take action now, we should be prepared for a significant rise in conflict, hunger and poverty. The spectre of multiple famines looms.
“If we do not support the poorest people – especially women and girls and other vulnerable groups – as they battle the pandemic and impacts of the global recession, we will all be dealing with the spillover effects for many years to come. That would prove even more painful, and much more expensive, for everyone.
“This pandemic is unlike anything we have dealt with in our lifetime. Business as usual will not do. Extraordinary measures are needed. As we come together to combat this virus, I urge donors to act in both solidarity and in self-interest and make their response proportionate to the scale of the problem we face.”
The COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan is the international community’s primary fundraising vehicle to respond to the humanitarian impacts of the virus in low- and middleincome countries and support their efforts to fight it. The plan brings together appeals from WHO and other UN humanitarian agencies. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and NGO consortiums have been instrumental in helping shape the plan. They are key partners in delivering it and can access funding through it.
The plan provides help and protection that prioritize the most vulnerable. This includes older people, people with disabilities, and women and girls, given pandemics heighten existing levels of discrimination, inequality and gender-based violence. The plan includes programmes that respond to the growth in food insecurity.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, said:
“The caseload in most countries in the Global Humanitarian Response Plan may seem small, but we know that the surveillance, laboratory testing and health systems’ capacity in these countries are weak. It is therefore likely that there is undetected community transmission happening. At the same time, confinement and other measures are having a major impact on essential health services. It’s extremely important to maintain these services, from vaccination to sexual and reproductive health, WASH and mental health.”
Abby Maxman, President & CEO of Oxfam America, said:
“NGOs, especially at the local level, are on the front lines of this crisis every day, and we are seeing that the most vulnerable among us are being hit the hardest. We are ramping up and adapting our response around the globe to provide life-saving aid such as clean water and sanitation, food, cash and other support. To make our response most effective, we now need to ensure our colleagues and partners have safe access to the most vulnerable communities and to see the rapid delivery of flexible funding. We owe it to our heroic colleagues and the communities they work with to keep their voices and needs at the centre of this response and to get this right.”
Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said:
“The pandemic is inflicting deep wounds across our world. For people who fled wars and persecution, the impact on their mostly hand-to-mouth existence and on their hosts has been devastating. Together with our NGO partners, the UN is determined to stay the course and deliver for refugees, internally displaced, stateless people, and their hosts, and ensure their inclusion in public health responses and social safety nets. The needs are vast, but not insurmountable, and only collective action to curb the threat of the coronavirus can save lives.
Timely, generous and flexible response from all our supporters is critical.” David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, said: “On any given day, WFP offers a lifeline to nearly 100 million people. Unless we can keep those essential operations going, the health pandemic will soon be followed by a hunger pandemic.
It is critical that the global community delivers a global humanitarian response – built around a strong logistics backbone – that will protect the world’s most vulnerable citizens from humanitarian catastrophe.” Since the plan was first launched on 25 March, $1 billion in generous donor funding has been raised. This includes $177.4 million from OCHA’s pooled funds to support efforts across 37 countries, with $95 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund and $82.4 million from 12 Country-based Pooled Funds.
This has enabled:
• The installation of handwashing facilities in vulnerable places like refugee camps; and the distribution of gloves, surgical masks, N95 respirators, gowns and goggles, and testing kits to help vulnerable countries respond to the pandemic.
• The creation of new transport hubs from which supplies can be transported by air.
• More than 1.7 million people around the world, including health workers, to be trained in virus identification and protection measures through WHO’s online COVID-19 training portal.
Everything achieved so far has only been possible because of the generous funding from donors.
It can only continue if additional funding is made available that is proportionate to the scale of the problem we face. Analysis by the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs shows that the cost of protecting the most vulnerable 10 per cent of people in the world from the worst impacts is approximately $90 billion. This is equivalent to 1 per cent of the current global stimulus package put in place by OECD and G20 countries.
It calculates that two thirds of those costs could be met by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund if they are supported to change the terms on which they help the most vulnerable countries. The remainder will need to come from increased official development assistance over the next 12 months.
REGISTRAR-GENERAL Clement Masango, who was arrested on Wednesday for criminal abuse of office, spent another night in custody as the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) was still recording statements.
Masango, according to ZACC, is accused of flouting tender procedures in procuring five Government vehicles.
He is also accused of taking seven other Government vehicles to his farm.
ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure said Masango was expected to appear in court today.
“He will appear in court tomorrow (today) in the morning. Today we needed to record statements from other witnesses,” Comm Makamure said.
Comm Makamure said Masango was facing two counts of criminal abuse of office.
He said the Registrar-General is accused of procuring five vehicles without following laid down tender procedures and also faces another count of taking seven Government vehicles to his farm.
Last week, Masango clashed with the chief accountant in his office, Mr Peter Bwanya, who accused him of abuse of office.
Masango denied all wrongdoing, saying Mr Bwanya was fighting disciplinary action over alleged incompetence and misbehaviour.
Mr Bwanya levelled a number of allegations, mainly involving the purchase or non-purchase of vehicles, which Masango responded to point by point, while criticising ZACC for launching an investigation before seeking an audit report on the allegations.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi
AT least 52 people countrywide were arrested yesterday and fined between $200 and $500 each for not wearing face masks in public.
Government recently gazetted a law compelling all people to wear face masks in public.
In terms of new health regulations gazetted on Saturday, those who fail to wear masks face punitive action or imprisonment of up to one year.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests saying the offenders were all fined at various police stations across the country.
“Police arrested 52 people across the country yesterday for not wearing face masks in public. Wearing of masks in public is now a legal requirement and we have been urging members of the public to be compliant with the new health regulations.
“Unfortunately, there are some people who are disregarding this and not taking our messages seriously. We continue to urge the nation to always adhere to the set Covid-19 regulations.
“We also remind the nation that the police are there to enforce the law and those caught on the wrong side of the law will be arrested,” he said.
Meanwhile, the number of people arrested for various offences since the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown in the country has risen to 22 174.
Asst Comm Nyathi said the majority of offenders were caught travelling without exemption letters while claiming to be offering essential services.
He appealed to employers to give employees necessary documentation to enable them to pass through security checkpoints.
“We continue to appeal to companies exempted to operate during the extended lockdown to give their employees requisite documentation confirming they are allowed to work during the lockdown.
“This will help them to be easily identified at checkpoints or when asked for such by officers who would be on patrol. We will not allow anyone to pass through a checkpoint without exemption letters and masks,” he said.
MDC MPs quitting parliament sounds like the juiciest news in ZANU PF’s ears.
An overly excited Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has immediately warned that parliament will quickly invoke the Constitution and Standing Orders to deal decisively with MDC-Alliance legislators who fail to attend parliament sittings.
Ziyambi Ziyambi said Parliament would not deal with political parties, but individual legislators, should they fail to attend sittings and portfolio committee meetings.
Minister Ziyambi’s remarks followed an announcement yesterday by the MDC-Alliance directing its Members of Parliament to “disengage” from the House.
“As Parliament, we do not deal with political parties, but individual MPs when it comes to attendance of sittings and portfolio committee meetings. If a Member of Parliament fails to attend Parliament sittings and portfolio committee meetings the due process will be instituted,” said Minister Ziyambi who is also Leader of Government Business of House.
He said their failure to attend Parliament would not disrupt Parliamentary business given that Zanu PF has a two thirds majority.
Addressing journalists yesterday, MDC-Alliance deputy national chairperson, Mr Job Sikhala said the party’s national standing committee had resolved not to participate in all activities of Parliament by its legislators pending further consultation with a view to withdraw from the august House.
He said the party will not countenance the wishes of individual MPs such as their financial benefits like vehicles and salary.
“This is in the interest of the people and not the interest of individuals,” said Mr Sikhala.
“All MDC-Alliance MPs will forthwith suspend all participation in Parliament and disengage from all platforms in which the party has to interact with Zanu PF pending consultations with the relevant constituencies of the party, that is the electorate and Zimbabweans at large on the decision for a total withdrawal from Parliament.”
Mr Sikhala said Messrs Elias Mudzuri, Morgan Komichi and Mwonzora had “expelled themselves” from the party for working with MDC-T leader Dr Thokozani Khupe who was recently declared legitimate leader of the opposition party by the Supreme Court.
Adv Mudenda said he could only comment if the MDC-Alliance had put their concerns in writing.
“They have not yet communicated that to me. In the absence of such communication I cannot comment,” said Adv Mudenda.
The decision to direct legislators from the MDC-Alliance has riled most of them as they risk losing sitting allowances, vehicle and other benefits all legislators are entitled.
Besides risking losing financial benefits, the legislators also face expulsion from Parliament should Mr Mwonzora further wield the axe on errant MPs.
The succession row pitting the sons of ageing African Apostolic Church leader, Archbishop Paul Mwazha, popularly known as Mudzidzisi, has deepened with the matter being reported to police, setting the stage for it ending in court.
Archbishop Mwazha turns 102 this year and he has reportedly indicated his intention to step down and let one of his sons succeed him.
Alfred Kushamisa Mwazha and Tawanda Mwazha are at the centre of the succession wrangle.
On Monday, things turned nasty when Alfred, his other brothers and sympathisers visited Archbishop Mwazha’s residence in Hatfield, Harare, to initiate a succession ceremony.
They were however, stopped by other family members, Nyasha and Malcom Chapfunga, who argued that the Archbishop preferred his youngest son, Tawanda, to succeed him.
Tawanda is reportedly holed up in South Africa due to the Covid-19 lockdown. The Monday clashes occurred in full view of the African Apostolic Church leader.
Irked by Alfred’s actions, Tawanda’s nephew, Nyasha, took the matter to Hatfield Police Station where it was reported under RRB4382864.
Nyasha said Alfred violated their peace and destroyed property at the clergyman’s house after they forced entry into the premises.
Nyasha reportedly told the police that Alfred and his brothers broke the gate’s lock to gain entry into the yard, violating Covid-19 national lockdown rules that restrict movement of people, gatherings and observance of social distancing. Police yesterday could neither confirm nor deny the development.
However, sources close to the goings-on said Tawanda had since instructed his legal team to file a suit against Alfred, his other brothers and sympathisers.
“Lawyers have been instructed to prepare a suit against Alfred and his followers.
Indications are that Tawanda wants to file for a peace order against Alfred and his team.
“They want to bar Alfred from hurriedly claiming the reigns and speeding the process, especially when people’s movements are restricted because of coronavirus.
“Their question is on why he is rushing to claim power and failing to wait until when all the people are in place?” he said.-State media
ORLANDO Pirates midfielder Ben Motshwari has become the first South African Premier Soccer League footballer to test positive for Covid-19 bringing to two the number of South African sportspersons to test positive for the virus following cricketer Solomzi Nqweni’s confirmed case yesterday.
According to the Sowetan, the 26-year-old fast-bowling all-rounder‚ who is recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome‚ announced on Twitter that he’s a Covid-19 statistic.
“So last year I got GBS‚ and have been battling this disease for the past 10 months and I’m only half way through my recovery. I got TB‚ my liver failed and my kidney failed. Now today I tested positive for coronavirus. I don’t understand why all of this is happening to me‚” wrote Nqweni on Twitter.
Motshwari’s condition was confirmed yesterday on a day that the National Soccer League board of governors was set to hold a crucial virtual meeting to give an indication on the way forward regarding the Absa 2019/20 season.
Pirates confirmed the development via a statement yesterday. “Orlando Pirates Football Club can confirm that Ben Motshwari has tested positive for Covid-19.
Ben was presented with flu like symptoms last week and after undergoing tests, his results have come back positive.”-State media
EcoCash wants the High Court to stop the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) from suspending mobile money agents from conducting financial transactions and restore full functionality to those affected.
EcoCash is the leading mobile payment platform, and while direct payments and bill payments have not been affected, the suspension of a large number of agents has hit transactions involving cash-in and out.
The lawsuit follows the central bank’s move on Monday to freeze transactions of an unspecified number of mobile money agent lines from EcoCash and suspected to have been behind fuelling recent exchange rate volatility by using their agent status to buy and sell foreign currency.
The RBZ directive issued on Monday suspended and froze EcoCash accounts and NetOne One Money accounts of agents with a monthly transactional threshold of $100 000 after transactions totalling $75 million were recorded.
The suspension of the mobile money agent lines and accounts across all networks was to facilitate investigations into potential illegal foreign currency activities.
In an urgent chamber application filed at the High Court on Wednesday, EcoCash, represented by Mtetwa and Nyambirai law firm, wants an interdict prohibiting the enforcement of the RBZ’s directive issued on Monday.
The chief executive officer of EcoCash’s parent, Cassava Smartech, Mr Eddie Chibi, argued in his affadavit that EcoCash has 11 million subscribers and benefits people from all parts of the country.
The RBZ action had the effect of limiting Ecocash customers from accessing its services through its agents as most of them have been suspended.
“Because of the legality of the suspension is challenged, a delay in dealing with the matter will result in prejudice not only to the applicant but also ordinary members of the public,” said Mr Chibi.-State media
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s deputy Constantino Chiwenga knows several companies which have dodged financial reports for over 10 years, it has emerged.
This is revealed in a latest government media report.
Full Text: The Government will enforce compliance of good corporate governance by State enterprises and parastatals to ensure they contribute meaningfully to the economy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said yesterday.
Government, he said, should consider shutting down State enterprises that were no longer strategic or of national importance.
Some enterprises had failed to submit financial statements for the past 10 years despite strict rules in the Public Finance Management Act and the Companies Act if they are a private limited company with the State as sole shareholder or their original founding Act.
Addressing a defence course at the Zimbabwe National Defence College in Harare yesterday on the role of parastatals and State enterprises in enhancing national security and achievement of Vision 2030 , VP Chiwenga said some State enterprises were still operating without a board charter or code of ethics.
“State enterprises should be subjected to effective oversight and compliance enforcement in order to maximise their contribution to the competitiveness and development of the Zimbabwean economy, as well as enhance its security architecture,” said VP Chiwenga.
“While there was a marked improvement in the number of state enterprises complying with the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act, on submission of financial statements for audit, those that did not submit remain a cause for Government concern.
“In the worst case, we still have some State enterprises that have not been submitting the financial statements for the last 10 years. Certainly, Government will quickly move in and enforce compliance as required by the law.”
VP Chiwenga said some entities were operating for an extended period without full boards and it was observed that some chief executive officers of these institutions were more accountable to line ministers than to the board of directors.
He said strong State enterprises were key to the country’s efficient allocation of resources and economic development.
“It is worrying that the economic performance of some State enterprises in Zimbabwe has deteriorated to unacceptable levels,” said VP Chiwenga.
“It calls for decisive action to turn them around or close them, if they are no longer of strategic national significance.
“The new dispensation is determined to ensure that State enterprise reforms are successfully undertaken in the shortest possible time for the good of the economy. The supervision of State enterprises by the Government will therefore be strengthened to ensure that their performance enhances rather than undermines national security conceived from both a traditional state-centric and contemporary human security perspective.”
VP Chiwenga said Government had created a database for all individuals who were already board members and those seeking to sit on boards of state enterprises managed by the Corporate Governance Unit.
He said the database was linked to the Office of the President, ministries, departments and agencies to make it easy and faster to identify potential members for any board.
VP Chiwenga said there were some state enterprises that continued to rely on direct or indirect support through subsidies, recapitalisation or guarantees. Herald/state media
GOVERNMENT has dismissed as false, reports that Zimbabwe has deployed troops to Mozambique stressing that it will tell the people, as constitutionally required, if forces are sent outside the country.
Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said the Government had noted with concern continued false reports claiming that Zimbabwe had deployed its army to fight an Islamic State insurgency in Mozambique.
In a statement, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the deployment of soldiers in foreign countries was governed by the Constitution and members of the public would be told whenever the Government makes such a decision.
“The Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Affairs would like to inform the public that it is not true that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces has deployed troops in Mozambique to fight some armed elements destabilising that country. The deployment allegations are not only outright falsehoods but malicious hence the fake news should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves.
Whenever the ZDF is deployed, the population is always informed in accordance with the dictates of the country’s Constitution,” said Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri.
There have been disturbances in some parts of Mozambique where gruesome acts have been committed by Islamist terrorists.
A fortnight ago President Mnangagwa held a one-day working meeting with Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi in Chimoio, where they discussed the security situation in Cabo Delgado and parts of Mozambique’s Manica and Sofala provinces.
The two leaders shared information and exchanged views on the political and economic situation in their two countries, Sadc, Africa and the world at large.-State media
EcoCash wants the High Court to stop the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) from suspending mobile money agents from conducting financial transactions and restore full functionality to those affected.
EcoCash is the leading mobile payment platform, and while direct payments and bill payments have not been affected, the suspension of a large number of agents has hit transactions involving cash-in and out.
The lawsuit follows the central bank’s move on Monday to freeze transactions of an unspecified number of mobile money agent lines from EcoCash and suspected to have been behind fuelling recent exchange rate volatility by using their agent status to buy and sell foreign currency.
The RBZ directive issued on Monday suspended and froze EcoCash accounts and NetOne One Money accounts of agents with a monthly transactional threshold of $100 000 after transactions totalling $75 million were recorded.
The suspension of the mobile money agent lines and accounts across all networks was to facilitate investigations into potential illegal foreign currency activities.
In an urgent chamber application filed at the High Court on Wednesday, EcoCash, represented by Mtetwa and Nyambirai law firm, wants an interdict prohibiting the enforcement of the RBZ’s directive issued on Monday.
The chief executive officer of EcoCash’s parent, Cassava Smartech, Mr Eddie Chibi, argued in his affadavit that EcoCash has 11 million subscribers and benefits people from all parts of the country.
The RBZ action had the effect of limiting Ecocash customers from accessing its services through its agents as most of them have been suspended.
“Because of the legality of the suspension is challenged, a delay in dealing with the matter will result in prejudice not only to the applicant but also ordinary members of the public,” said Mr Chibi.
EcoCash platform is the most widely used payment platform in the country and serves the unbanked in accessing financial services, which include the purchase of basic amenities such as electricity, said Mr Chibi.
It was also Mr Chibi’s contention that the directive issued at a time of lockdown, will result in members of the public having to travel to transact services that they can easily access through the EcoCash platform.
Mr Chibi further argued that EcoCash agents were not heard before the directive was issued in breach of provisions of the Administrative Justice Act.
The Act requires that an administrative authority acts lawfully, reasonably and in a fair manner, which does not violate the rights of those affected by the decision.
The majority of financial transactions in Zimbabwe are conducted on mobile platforms with EcoCash accounting for about 95 percent of the mobile volumes with the remainder handled by NetOne’s OneMoney.
Preliminary investigations by the RBZ’s financial intelligence Unit (FIU) allegedly show that transactions valued at more than $75 million were being executed on the agent lines even though the nature of their businesses did not support such huge money movement.
What prompted the suspicion was the fact that the value of transactions remained excessively high despite the country being under the Covid-19 lockdown for the past five weeks.
The central bank wants to ensure that people or businesses with the agent lines are bona fide entities and they have to prove the source of their funds.
The FIU, which tracks financial transactions in this country, wants mobile operators to enhance their Know Your Customer framework after establishing that there is weak enforcement of this rule given the amount of suspicious transactions.
It is also understood that the intention of the blitz was to stop illegal foreign exchange transactions that could be artificially pushing the exchange rate volatility, thereby fuelling inflation.
Recently, the RBZ suspended some bureaux de change and micro finance institutions over suspected illegal forex activities causing exponential depreciation of the domestic currency.
This is widely believed to be the driving force behind a sustained rise in prices, which has seen inflation galloping to new record levels. -Herald/state media
At least 52 people countrywide were arrested yesterday and fined between $200 and $500 each for not wearing face masks in public.
Government recently gazetted a law compelling all people to wear face masks in public. In terms of new health regulations gazetted on Saturday, those who fail to wear masks face punitive action or imprisonment of up to one year.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests saying the offenders were all fined at various police stations across the country.
“Police arrested 52 people across the country yesterday for not wearing face masks in public. Wearing of masks in public is now a legal requirement and we have been urging members of the public to be compliant with the new health regulations.
“Unfortunately, there are some people who are disregarding this and not taking our messages seriously. We continue to urge the nation to always adhere to the set Covid-19 regulations.
“We also remind the nation that the police are there to enforce the law and those caught on the wrong side of the law will be arrested,” he said.
Meanwhile, the number of people arrested for various offences since the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown in the country has risen to 22 174.
Asst Comm Nyathi said the majority of offenders were caught travelling without exemption letters while claiming to be offering essential services.
He appealed to employers to give employees necessary documentation to enable them to pass through security checkpoints.
“We continue to appeal to companies exempted to operate during the extended lockdown to give their employees requisite documentation confirming they are allowed to work during the lockdown.
“This will help them to be easily identified at checkpoints or when asked for such by officers who would be on patrol. We will not allow anyone to pass through a checkpoint without exemption letters and masks,” he said. – Herald
The events that have unraveled in our country over the past month have proven beyond any reasonable doubt that we are at war with ZANU-PF and that the war requires nothing short of our vigilance and clarity to confront the people’s enemy head on.
It has become more clearer that it is ZANUPF’s immediate plan to destroy the our party, the people’s party and consequently suffocating the democratic space in Zimbabwe and this has been further confirmed by the recent illegal recalling of four MDC Alliance MPs.
We would like to state it categorically, here and now that any plans to undermine the very stability of our party will not be taken lightly, we are up for the task to protect all the democratic space.
In that regard, we would like to assure the generality of the citizenry that we the young people, remain resolute in the execution of our democratic revolution for the restoration of hope and dignity to the citizens of this country.
The pregnancy of a cat does not bother a bull, we are MDC Alliance, we are unmoved by the happenings in other parties even those that aspire to be us, we remain solidly behind our visionary leader, the only legitimate foot forward, President Nelson Chamisa.
While others remain busy in planning to destroy us, I urge every young person of this country to get ready, stand up and be counted as we embark on a series of political action in defense of democracy which is under serious threat and the broad implementation of our #Agenda2020.
Zimbabwe has been robbed of almost everything else by the illegitimate Mnangagwa and his cabal, we would like to warn the regime and its enablers that we will defend what is left for us fearlessly by all means necessary.
Stay calm Zimbabwe, Wamba Dia Wamba is in charge and we are on guard.
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance national youth leader Tererai Obey Sithole has declared that the vibrant wing is prepared to fight for real change in spite of desperate attempts by Zanu PF to destroy the people’s movement.
See full statement below : The events that have unraveled in our country over the past month have proven beyond any reasonable doubt that we are at war with ZANU-PF and that the war requires nothing short of our vigilance and clarity to confront the people’s enemy head on.
It has become more clearer that it is ZANUPF’s immediate plan to destroy the our party, the people’s party and consequently suffocating the democratic space in Zimbabwe and this has been further confirmed by the recent illegal recalling of four MDC Alliance MPs.
We would like to state it categorically, here and now that any plans to undermine the very stability of our party will not be taken lightly, we are up for the task to protect all the democratic space.
In that regard, we would like to assure the generality of the citizenry that we the young people, remain resolute in the execution of our democratic revolution for the restoration of hope and dignity to the citizens of this country.
The pregnancy of a cat does not bother a bull, we are MDC Alliance, we are unmoved by the happenings in other parties even those that aspire to be us, we remain solidly behind our visionary leader, the only legitimate foot forward, President Nelson Chamisa.
While others remain busy in planning to destroy us, I urge every young person of this country to get ready, stand up and be counted as we embark on a series of political action in defense of democracy which is under serious threat and the broad implementation of our #Agenda2020.
Zimbabwe has been robbed of almost everything else by the illegitimate Mnangagwa and his cabal, we would like to warn the regime and its enablers that we will defend what is left for us fearlessly by all means necessary.
Stay calm Zimbabwe, Wamba Dia Wamba is in charge and we are on guard.
Farai Dziva|Discredited Zanu PF heavyweight Obert Mpofu has claimed the ruling party has nothing to do with the infighting in the Movement for Democratic Change.
Said Mpofu: “That’s a recognition that we are the party in power.
We are the party of choice. The MDC is grappling with a decision by the Supreme Court and how Zanu-PF comes into it is something we fail to understand.
We are happy that the law has taken its course, not only to MDC, but in all court cases, as a law abiding party, as a law abiding Government.
So it’s not a question of being happy but respecting the rule of law which they have been talking about themselves and in any case it’s not Zanu-PF that went to court it’s themselves that went to court so the problem there is their own making and Zanu-PF can only say the law has taken its course.”
He added:”They think that by aligning with him Zanu-PF, their supporters will believe that he is Zanu-PF but he is not. But what would you expect from a frustrated and defeated leader?”
Farai Dziva|Discredited Zanu PF heavyweight Obert Mpofu has claimed the ruling party has nothing to do with the infighting in the Movement for Democratic Change.
Said Mpofu: “That’s a recognition that we are the party in power.
We are the party of choice. The MDC is grappling with a decision by the Supreme Court and how Zanu-PF comes into it is something we fail to understand.
We are happy that the law has taken its course, not only to MDC, but in all court cases, as a law abiding party, as a law abiding Government.
So it’s not a question of being happy but respecting the rule of law which they have been talking about themselves and in any case it’s not Zanu-PF that went to court it’s themselves that went to court so the problem there is their own making and Zanu-PF can only say the law has taken its course.”
He added:”They think that by aligning with him Zanu-PF, their supporters will believe that he is Zanu-PF but he is not. But what would you expect from a frustrated and defeated leader?”
Communique from the National Standing Committee read by MDC national vice chairperson Hon Job Sikhala
The National Standing Committee of the MDC -Alliance met in Harare and made the following resolutions:
The Standing Committee noted the perverse and insidious attempt by ZANUPF and its proxies to dismember the MDC Alliance by executing a coup against the legitimately elected leadership of the MDC Alliance under the guise of implementing the equally insidious judgement of the Supreme Court which seeks to foist ZANUPF proxies as leaders of the MDC Alliance in brazen violation of the MDC Constitution.
The MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus shall forthwith suspend its participation in all Parliamentary processes, programmes and activities pending the party’s consultations with its structures and a final resolution of the National Council on the way forward given the ZANUPF insidious attempted coup against the elected and legitimate leadership of the MDC Alliance.
The MDC Alliance shall forthwith disengage from all platforms in which the party has to interact with Zanu PF.
4.The Standing Committee noted that Zanu PF staged an illegal and unconstitutional coup against Robert Mugabe in November 2017 and yet another one on the 30th July 2018 against the people’s sovereign will by which the people had elected Nelson Chamisa as the President of the country.
The Standing Committee further noted the in progress attempt to stage yet another coup, this time against the leadership of the MDC Alliance duly elected at the party’s Congress in Gweru in May 2019, a Congress which has not been set aside by any Court of law.
The Standing Committee resolved to reject in toto and with utter contempt the ZANUPF and its proxies attempt to foist modern day Muzorewas as leaders of the MDC Alliance.
7.The Standing Committee maintains the truism that only the MDC Alliance has the power and authority to recall iMPs elected under its ticket.
8The Standing Committee resolved to urgently consult the structures of the party at Provincial and constituency levels through the National Executive Committee and the National Council on appropriate responses to the attempts to dismember the party by staging a coup against its elected leadership.
9.The MDC Alliance will not allow Zanu PF to hold a Congress under the name of the MDC. Zanu PF cannot write another political party’s constitution and hold a congress under its name.
10.The Standing Committee noted that Morgen Komichi, Douglas Mwonzora and Elias Mudzuri expelled themselves from the MDC Alliance by joining another party and thereby automatically expelled themselves from the party which has accordingly resolved to relieve them of their positions in the party and to withdraw them from all positions to which they had been deployed by the party.
11.The Standing Committee resolved to demand all monies due to the MDC Alliance under the Political Parties Finance Act and to take all necessary steps and measures to lain claim to its money.
12.The Covid-19 Supreme Court judgement has engendered an illegality by seeking to extend the mandates of the 2014 structures which had since expired. The terms of office of all 2014 structures expired in October 2019 and the toxic judgement illegally seeks to give a Lazarus moment by seeking to resurrect the expired mandate of the 2014 MDC-T structures.
13 The meeting took note of the COVID19 pandemic and the dislocated livelihoods of the vulnerable and the majority of Zimbabweans who are surviving in the informal sector. The illegitimate regime has provided no safety nets whatsoever to assist the despondent Zimbabweans.
They have instead destroyed the vending stalls where the majority of Zimbabweans are eking a living through informal trading
Communique from the National Standing Committee read by MDC national vice chairperson Hon Job Sikhala
The National Standing Committee of the MDC -Alliance met in Harare and made the following resolutions:
The Standing Committee noted the perverse and insidious attempt by ZANUPF and its proxies to dismember the MDC Alliance by executing a coup against the legitimately elected leadership of the MDC Alliance under the guise of implementing the equally insidious judgement of the Supreme Court which seeks to foist ZANUPF proxies as leaders of the MDC Alliance in brazen violation of the MDC Constitution.
The MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus shall forthwith suspend its participation in all Parliamentary processes, programmes and activities pending the party’s consultations with its structures and a final resolution of the National Council on the way forward given the ZANUPF insidious attempted coup against the elected and legitimate leadership of the MDC Alliance.
The MDC Alliance shall forthwith disengage from all platforms in which the party has to interact with Zanu PF.
4.The Standing Committee noted that Zanu PF staged an illegal and unconstitutional coup against Robert Mugabe in November 2017 and yet another one on the 30th July 2018 against the people’s sovereign will by which the people had elected Nelson Chamisa as the President of the country.
The Standing Committee further noted the in progress attempt to stage yet another coup, this time against the leadership of the MDC Alliance duly elected at the party’s Congress in Gweru in May 2019, a Congress which has not been set aside by any Court of law.
The Standing Committee resolved to reject in toto and with utter contempt the ZANUPF and its proxies attempt to foist modern day Muzorewas as leaders of the MDC Alliance.
7.The Standing Committee maintains the truism that only the MDC Alliance has the power and authority to recall iMPs elected under its ticket.
8The Standing Committee resolved to urgently consult the structures of the party at Provincial and constituency levels through the National Executive Committee and the National Council on appropriate responses to the attempts to dismember the party by staging a coup against its elected leadership.
9.The MDC Alliance will not allow Zanu PF to hold a Congress under the name of the MDC. Zanu PF cannot write another political party’s constitution and hold a congress under its name.
10.The Standing Committee noted that Morgen Komichi, Douglas Mwonzora and Elias Mudzuri expelled themselves from the MDC Alliance by joining another party and thereby automatically expelled themselves from the party which has accordingly resolved to relieve them of their positions in the party and to withdraw them from all positions to which they had been deployed by the party.
11.The Standing Committee resolved to demand all monies due to the MDC Alliance under the Political Parties Finance Act and to take all necessary steps and measures to lain claim to its money.
12.The Covid-19 Supreme Court judgement has engendered an illegality by seeking to extend the mandates of the 2014 structures which had since expired. The terms of office of all 2014 structures expired in October 2019 and the toxic judgement illegally seeks to give a Lazarus moment by seeking to resurrect the expired mandate of the 2014 MDC-T structures.
13 The meeting took note of the COVID19 pandemic and the dislocated livelihoods of the vulnerable and the majority of Zimbabweans who are surviving in the informal sector. The illegitimate regime has provided no safety nets whatsoever to assist the despondent Zimbabweans.
They have instead destroyed the vending stalls where the majority of Zimbabweans are eking a living through informal trading
BREAKING: Another Zimbabwe female careworker (name withheld) has died. Her husband died last week. She was the manager of a care home in Reading. – More to follow
The Ministry would like to report that all the PCR tests done in and Bulawayo on the 5S of May 2020 were negative for COVID-19.
Cumulatively a total of 8 244 rapid screening tests and 7 808 PCR diagnostic tests have been done to date.
Today 564 rapid screening tests and 667 PCR tests were done.
In the public institutions all the PCR tests done today were negative for COVID-19.
Therefore to date Zimbabwe has thirty -four confirmed cases, including five recoveries and four deaths.
The Ministry continues to implement a comprehensive approach in response to COVID-19- this includes prevention and intensified survailance to ensure early case detection timely testing, isolation and appropriate case management.
Seven days have passed since the last reported PCR confirmed case.
The Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-19 pandemic and would like to remind the nation the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to practise personal hygiene and exercise social distancing.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
Cover your nose and mouth with tissue paper or flexed elbow when coughing and sneezing. ..
Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) disinter between yourself and others.
The Ministry would like to report that all the PCR tests done in and Bulawayo on the 5S of May 2020 were negative for COVID-19.
Cumulatively a total of 8 244 rapid screening tests and 7 808 PCR diagnostic tests have been done to date.
Today 564 rapid screening tests and 667 PCR tests were done.
In the public institutions all the PCR tests done today were negative for COVID-19.
Therefore to date Zimbabwe has thirty -four confirmed cases, including five recoveries and four deaths.
The Ministry continues to implement a comprehensive approach in response to COVID-19- this includes prevention and intensified survailance to ensure early case detection timely testing, isolation and appropriate case management.
Seven days have passed since the last reported PCR confirmed case.
The Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-19 pandemic and would like to remind the nation the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to practise personal hygiene and exercise social distancing.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
Cover your nose and mouth with tissue paper or flexed elbow when coughing and sneezing. ..
Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) disinter between yourself and others.
DARING armed robbers raided a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) container depot in Bulawayo and went away with a consignment of 148 boxes of Broncleer, a cough mixture which was banned over abuse as a euphoric drug.
The total value of the contraband, which includes four cases of gin, is about US$20 000.
The stolen goods believed to have been smuggled from South Africa were confiscated by Zimra on Tuesday and the gang struck at the depot on the same day at around 7.30PM.
The suspects were armed with an FN rifle and they threatened to shoot the security guards who were manning the premises in the event that they raised alarm before tying their hands using a rope.
The suspects whose exact number could not ascertained used bolt cutters to destroy the locks at the main gate to access the premises.
They found four security guards and ordered them to lie down at gunpoint before they tied them and offloaded the impounded goods from the truck.
The contraband, which was concealed under a consignment of groceries, was being transported to Bulawayo in a haulage truck when it was intercepted by police in Esigodini.
The truck was seized and taken to the Zimra container depot at Raylton Industrial Area in Bulawayo.-State media
DARING armed robbers raided a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) container depot in Bulawayo and went away with a consignment of 148 boxes of Broncleer, a cough mixture which was banned over abuse as a euphoric drug.
The total value of the contraband, which includes four cases of gin, is about US$20 000.
The stolen goods believed to have been smuggled from South Africa were confiscated by Zimra on Tuesday and the gang struck at the depot on the same day at around 7.30PM.
The suspects were armed with an FN rifle and they threatened to shoot the security guards who were manning the premises in the event that they raised alarm before tying their hands using a rope.
The suspects whose exact number could not ascertained used bolt cutters to destroy the locks at the main gate to access the premises.
They found four security guards and ordered them to lie down at gunpoint before they tied them and offloaded the impounded goods from the truck.
The contraband, which was concealed under a consignment of groceries, was being transported to Bulawayo in a haulage truck when it was intercepted by police in Esigodini.
The truck was seized and taken to the Zimra container depot at Raylton Industrial Area in Bulawayo.-State media
RETWEET! – A Bulawayo female citizen was tortured by a certain Constable Zariro. This ZRP cop has gained a reputation of assaulting residents for some time. Do you know him? SENS US HIS PICTURES, PHONE NUMBER, AND BADGE NUMBERS @PoliceZimbabwepic.twitter.com/ctBJQ49UJR
Zanu Pf's Energy Mutodi has suggested that the masses are saying recalled MDC Alliance MPs must be replaced by NOMINEES instead of going for by elections. Should they be replaced by NOMINEES or the electorate mst be given an opportunity to elect new leaders through BY-ELECTIONS?
Own Correspondent|French top league side,Angers, star El Melali on Tuesday was arrested for mustarbating in public.
According to Le Parisien, Melali was taking into police custody.
The Algerian superstar was apparently celebrating his 23rd birthday plus the extension of his contract, he has since admitted to being guilty of the offence, and was allowed to go home.
It is said that he was caught helping himself while looking at the window of his female neighbour’s, what makes this is that the officials who apprehended him, claims that this is the second time with the player with the same act.
His defence team claims that Melali thought his neighbors were not looking, he will shortly be judged based on his guilty plea and is facing fine. It remains to be seen if the club will take actions against the player or take him to a rehab as this shows that the player has a problem.
Angers are positioned at position 11 after the league has been cancelled with PSG crowned the ultimate champions, as the league couldn’t proceed due to Coronavirus outbreak.
The Masvingo provincial Covid-19 taskforce is happy with progress made in the rehabilitation and equipping of isolation centres to prepare the province for any outbreak with three of the eight planned district centres now ready for use.
Masvingo has isolation centres in each of its seven administrative districts and the main provincial isolation centres housed at Gaths Mine Hospital in Mashava and Masvingo Provincial Hospital, which backs up a clinic in the city for the district.
Gaths Mine is the province’s biggest isolation centre with capacity of more than 300 beds and is fitted with intensive care unit (ICU) facilities while at Masvingo General Hospital, a compartment within the health facility was turned into an isolation facility with ICU services.
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs Cde Ezra Chadzamira, who chairs the taskforce, on Monday expressed satisfaction with progress in readying for any Covid-19 outbreak.
Work was progressing well in equipping and face-lifting isolation centres after Government received a shot in the arm from big firms such as Lowveld sugar producer Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe and platinum miner Mimosa chipping in with $12 million and US$40 000 respectively for the task.
“We are very happy with progress in equipping and upgrading all our isolation facilities across the province so that they are able to handle any Covid-19 case that might occur,” he said.
“Work is progressing at some of the centres including the main isolation centre at Gaths Mine in Mashava, but very soon everything will be 100 percent. At the moment there are three centres — Rujeko (Masvingo District), Chiredzi District Hospital and Gutu Rural Hospital — that are now 100 percent ready and we are quite hopeful that very soon the remaining ones will come on board as work is progressing very smoothly,” said Minister Chadzamira.
He paid tribute to individuals and organisations that continue providing both material and financial resources for upgrading these isolation centres.
Masvingo has remained on top of the Covid-19 scourge with the province still to record its first positive case of the disease since its outbreak globally.
Minister Chadzamira and his taskforce are working round the clock to make sure all isolation centres have ICU facilities to be ready for any outbreak and be able to treat patients who need hospital care close to their homes.
Deputy national Covid-19 taskforce chair and Cabinet Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri recently toured the province’s isolation facilities and implored authorities to improve the state of ICU facilities, but expressed general satisfaction with province’s state of preparedness.
National University of Science and Technology (Nust) students who did not manage to travel to their homes outside Bulawayo when the national lockdown was announced on March 30 are now stranded and running out of food.
After President Mnangagwa first announced the national lockdown, he subsequently extended it by a further two weeks twice and the stranded students did not anticipate that the lockdown was going to be extended hence they did not travel back home.
Universities just like schools have remained closed as Government is conducting consultations on how to open them while ensuring the safety of learners.
Nust students who received food hampers from Non-Governmental Organisations yesterday at the institution’s campus said most of them were running out of food.
The students said they never anticipated that the lockdown would be extended hence their decision to stay put at their lodgings.
Lockdown regulations prohibit inter-city travelling and most of the students are not from Bulawayo. Civil and Water Engineering second year student Mr Pardon Gandiya said life had become increasing hard for them due to the prolonged lockdown.
“When this lockdown was announced in March, we thought it was going to be for that three weeks. So, to me it didn’t make sense that I travel back home in Harare and return after three weeks. But now it has been extended for the second time and I no longer have food at home,” he said.
“I am struggling for survival. I cannot even pay rent to my landlord who is demanding foreign currency. Due to this lockdown my parents were also not working making life even more difficult.”
He said the food hamper which consists of a 2 litre of cooking oil, soya mince, 2kg rice and 500g salt came handy for him and his friend whom he shares a room with.
Final year Banking and Investment student Miss Barbra Pangai from Gutu in Masvingo, said she did not travel back home as she wanted to dedicate more time to her dissertation.
While the lockdown gave her ample time to focus on her work, it has seen her struggling to make ends meet.
“For starters it has been difficult to just travel to buy groceries. We are facing difficulties in accessing food or even money while we are here. Some of our parents, due to the national lockdown have had their salaries cut.
“Therefore, it has been difficult for them to support us and our families back home. We appreciate this donation as it cut costs on some of the goods that I would have bought,” she said.
Miss Pangai said well-wishers should also consider donating sanitary wear as it now too expensive for students.
Nust student representative council president Mr Innocent Dombo said the lockdown has presented myriad of challenges for students who are grounded.
“Some of the students are now food insecure as parents and guardians have lost their source of livelihoods. While we are students, this is an adult population and most students would not want to be bothering their parents as they understand the challenges they are facing.
“Some of the students are no longer getting financial support they were getting before the lockdown because their families are also affected by the lockdown,” said Mr Dombo.
He said the students’ body has also started counselling for mental distress.
“Some of the parents and guardians of the students live and work in Covid-19 hotspots in the diaspora. So, we have observed that students are facing psychological issues as they worry of their families considering the seriousness of the virus in other countries,” he said.
Mr Dombo said the food donation came after they engaged some organisation to assist the vulnerable student population.
Zimbabwe Humanitarian Livelihood Development Trust humanitarian officer Miss Charmaine Dube who was part of the food hampers mobilisation team said students’ welfare is overlooked when Government is addressing the needs of the vulnerable people in communities.
She said her younger sister was a student at a local university and after interacting with her she got the picture of challenges facing university students.
“My appeal is for Government to come up with interventions that also target students. They come from the same communities that are facing challenges. They are also facing challenges and need help,” she said.
Organisations that were heavily involved in sourcing food hampers for the students are Organisation of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP), Eat out Movement and Feed the City Nust acting communications and marketing and director Mr Thabani Mpofu expressed gratitude for the food hampers mobilisers saying students were in great need of a bailout, considering that they were grounded away of their families.
“There are about 100 students who have benefitted from this food hamper donation but the students who are living in the areas surrounding Nust could be more. The donation was mobilised by the SRC who got in touch with students through their contacts.
“As the university we are just here to observe the kind gesture and we are grateful for the donations that our students have received,” said Mr Mpofu.
He said students did not anticipate that the lockdown was going to be extended hence most of them had not travelled to their respective homes.
State Media|Government has today dismissed repeated allegations that it had deployed its army to Mozambique to fight some armed elements bent on destabilising that country.
Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said members of the public would be informed whenever the Government deployed soldiers to a foreign country.
“The Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Affairs would like to inform the public that it is not true that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces had deployed troops in Mozambique to fight some armed elements destabilising that country. The deployment allegations are not only outright falsehoods but malicious hence the fake news should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve. Whenever the ZDF is deployed, the population is always informed in accordance with the dictates of the country’s Constitution,” said Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri in a statement.
Zimbabwe’s largest mobile phone-based money transfer, financing and microfinancing service, Ecocash has dragged the Reserve of Bank (RBZ)to court after the central bank blocked Ecocash’s Agents for allegedly buying and selling foreign currency without permission from the bank.
Ecocash suggests that the central bank shut down some of its agents who trade above Z$100,000 per month.
RBZ recently released a list of Ecocash and OneMoney Agents which it said were allegedly participating in illegal buying and selling of the foreign currency.
The bank also other banks and mobile money operators (NetOne’s One Money and Econet’s Ecocash) to freeze the accounts of the agents that were on the list.
The move was reportedly meant to stop the local currency from further losing value against other currencies, particularly the United States dollar.
Constitutional Law lawyer, Professor Lovemore Madhuku has said that the recalling of four MDC Alliance MPs from Parliament was in accordance with the Constitution.
He said this in remarks on Twitter in response to questions by Open Parly who wanted to know the legality of the move.
Madhuku who was representing Thokozani Khupe in the MDC stewardship case which she eventually won said:
The MPs were recalled in terms of section 129(1)(k) of the Constitution. That section refers to “a political party of which he or she was a member when elected”. Parliament proceeded on the basis that party concerned is the MDC and not MDC ALLIANCE. Only a court can reverse.
His remarks come when MDC members aligned to Nelson Chamisa are saying that the recalling of the legislators is a political move by the ruling ZANU PF.
They said that Thokozani Khupe who was reinstated by the Supreme Court as the leader of the opposition MDC has no authority to “recall legislators who belong to MDC Alliance since she was reinstated as the leader of the MDC-T.”
Douglas Mwonzora, the reinstated MDC-T Secretary-General says the recalled members had “expelled themselves from the MDC-T, the party they belonged to which joined the MDC Alliance in 2018 and for the purposes of that year’s elections,” therefore they had to be recalled.
REGISTRAR General (RG) Clemence Masango will spend another night in police cells awaiting his court appearance this Friday.
Masango was expected to appear in court Thursday but he did not show up amid reports that his docket was still being prepared by police investigating officers.
The RG was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) Wednesday on allegations of flouting tender procedures.
ZACC spokesperson John Makamure said he is facing two counts of abuse of public office and flouting tender procedures.
Makamure claimed in the first count, Masango purchased Ford Ranger Wilde truck and five Isuzu trucks without authority and following tender procedures.
“The value of Wilde Track is valued at US$78 000 while Isuzu pickup trucks are at US$95 000,” said Makamure.
On the second count, the former high ranking police officer is accused of abusing his office by diverting seven vehicles meant for use at the Registrar’s district offices for personal use at his farm and house.
A 27-YEAR-OLD e-hailing taxi driver was shot and killed in Khayelitsha. The driver was picking up a customer in Site C on Sunday when the incident happened.
The owner of the vehicle, who wanted to remain anonymous, says the deceased was a Zimbabwean national and had no family in South Africa.
“He was a hard worker and was supporting his family back home from the earnings,” the woman explained.
She says attacks on e-hailing drivers are increasing.
“Our drivers are attacked in places like Khayelitsha, Nyanga, KTC and Philippi. People request rides only to rob them.
“It is heartbreaking for a man this young to die like this.”
Other drivers have since warned each other to stay away from “red zones” and stop accepting requests from these areas.
But the taxi owner says this would be difficult: “Accounts are suspended if you do not accept a request even if it is from a dangerous area. If your account is suspended, you cannot work.”
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana says a case of murder was opened and no arrests have been made.
She says upon arrival at the scene, officers “found the deceased inside a Nissan Almera with a gunshot wound to his body.”
State run Herald Deputy Editor Ranga Mataire (RM) spoke to MDC-T secretary-general Senator Douglas Mwonzora (DM) on the reasons behind the recall of four MDC legislators and the way forward on leadership wrangles that threaten to decimate the opposition political party.
Mwonzora said party leader Nelson Chamisa disrespected them leading to the move to recall the MPs.
Read the interview below.
RM: Mr Mwonzora, I understand you are a signatory to a letter to the Speaker of Parliament requesting the recalling of four MDC-T legislators. What informed this decision? DM: Basically, the four are senior members who ought to have acted responsibly in the discharge of their duties, particularly after the Supreme Court ruling, which directed that we revert to the 2014 structures.
RM: Have you tried yourself or as a group to engage Mr Chamisa after the Supreme Court ruling? DM: Yes, we did through Honourable Elias Mudzuri. He tried to set an appointment with Advocate Chamisa. He was not forthcoming and we sense that he did not have enough respect for us. Maybe he thought that we don’t matter.
But as I said before, our aim is never to divide the party, but to have a responsible leadership. If you can see; Adv Chamisa has not commented for one month. He has not commented on the Supreme Court decision and we think that he has commented via his deputy presidents and other party officials who were just dismissive.
All they would say is that anybody speaking a different opinion was a ZANU PF agent. That’s their standard answer. Anybody who differs with them is ZANU PF and is supposed to have been bought. Sometimes they even volunteer figures. This is their trademark and its tragic. These are young people and they ought to do things in a modern way.
RM: When you say “us” and “them”, who are you referring to? DM: The party, the majority is us. The people who are saying let’s follow the law; let’s follow values, let us be a party of discipline, let’s follow our own constitution and let us be a party of rules. It is critically important. I heard someone saying that why should we worry about the constitution and what does it help?
The world’s biggest economy is the United States economy and that country’s economy is predicated on its strong constitution and the respect for that constitution. If you have respect for constitution, you will then have respect for institutions and a country with strong and inclusive institutions has been shown by empirical evidence to develop faster.
Even in commerce, we must have rules otherwise we have corruption and clientelism setting in.
Constitutionalism is critically important. People who meet in a particular political party are not necessarily friends. They are united by certain values. A political party must be known for something. It must be known to represent something. Does it represent democracy? Does it represent nationalism? Does it represent anarchy? Where we were going was anarchy.
RM: How do you respond to the accusation that what is happening has happened before and you are a divisive element sent by ZANU PF to destroy the MDC? Others are saying Mr Chamisa will remain the MDC-T leader in the court of public opinion despite the Supreme Court’s ruling. DM: Well, what has happened has not happened before. Definitely not. This is very unique. This is a division caused by a court judgment. And the difference between all the court judgments in the past, for example, the court judgment versus President Mnangagwa. It was a court judgment versus an external person.
In this court case, it was an MDC’s Elias Mashavira who is the organising secretary in Gokwe versus the MDC president. So it was MDC versus MDC. It was an internal dispute that spilled onto the public arena.
Once you have an internal dispute between yourselves and is resolved by the highest court in the land, you have to obey it because if you don’t, when that dispute comes back home, it doesn’t go away. That’s why some of us were saying we must follow the ruling.
So the basis for the division is between anarchy and lawfulness. It is a moral issue. It is not always true that there was a problem of Biti and Tsvangirai and the former lost in the court of public opinion and there was a problem between Welshman and Tsvangirai and again Welshman lost in the court of public opinion.
Therefore, if there is a conflict between Chamisa and Komichi or Chamisa and Mwonzora then the court of public opinion will be in Chamisa’s favour.
History will show that this is too early for people to write off other people. Nelson Chamisa is certainly not Tsvangirai and the disputes are different. The worrying thing is that instead of listening to one another to say what exactly is the issue, people rush to say you have been bought by ZANU PF and that I am sponsored.
I can’t be sponsored by ZANU-PF. I have been a lawyer for almost 30 years and in those years I have attempted three times to write the Constitution of Zimbabwe. I failed on two occasions, but on the third occasion together with others, I succeeded. My passion is constitutionalism. It is order, it is against anarchy.
RM: Assuming that we have by-elections for the seats left vacant by the recalled MPs, how do you foresee the candidates in terms of their representations? DM: These will be by-elections you have never seen before. I am sure you have seen the number of people in the provinces writing statements in support of the court judgments. There have been statements from youths in Manicaland, Masvingo, Mashonaland Central, women in Mashonaland East, youths in Harare and I am told that the South African province has also issued a statement. This is unprecedented in the history of the movement and leaders must begin to listen.
RM: But Mr Mwonzora, I don’t remember any youths in Harare issuing a statement in support of the Supreme Court ruling. DM: Yes, through Paul Gorekore, he issued a statement a few days ago and I can send you a copy.
RM: So Mr Mwonzora, you are saying we don’t anticipate to have more MPs recalled? The ones who were recalled were the ones who had acted irresponsibly as leaders. DM: Not only that. They actually did something that was positively wrong. Besides being in authority, they actually acted in a manner that invited the recall. For example, Mr Hwende tweeted that he was no longer a member of the MDC that was once led by Tsvangirai.
That was a positive act and that is a statement we can never allow. First of all, it is factually incorrect and secondly, it is politically incorrect.
RM: Lastly, how far have you gone with preparations for the extraordinary congress? DM: The preparations are going on very well. We have been reconstructing the structures because there was a lack of cooperation on the part of the immediate past administration.
They were refusing to give us information of the people. But we are now in communication with these people. We have, of course, been disturbed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which makes certain organisation methods not appropriate.
For example, we are going to have our national council meeting online on Friday. And then after that we will find ways of getting to the delegates without jeopardising their health and our technical team is looking at all this. On Friday, we will be announcing the date of the congress and unveiling the rules concerning the nomination of the candidates. Our hope is that if we get one candidate nominated unopposed, then there may not be need for a bigger gathering.
Once a candidate has been nominated unopposed, then they are automatically elected unopposed.
RM: Then how do you hope to resolve the issue of the party headquarters currently occupied by the faction aligned to Mr Chamisa? DM: We have said to the people who were occupying the building that they should hand it over, but they have not done so.
In fact, they have been promising a bloodbath. I am told there are about 30 youths holed inside there with all manner of crude weapons to do harm to anybody who comes. Now, that is something we cannot accept. We are trying to use dialogue and persuasion for them to see sense and do what is right. The long and short of it is that we will have the building.
The MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus will forthwith suspend its participation in all Parliamentary processes, programmes and activities pending the party’s consultations with its structures.
This was said by the party’s national vice chairperson Job Sikhala during a media briefing in Harare on Thursday.
Meantime BREAKING NEWS is that an attempt by Douglas Mwonzora to take over the party headquarters MRT House with the help of the police has failed.
10 ZRP Police allegedly stormed MRT House accompanied by Rhino Mashaya. They had come to effect a letter from Mwonzora instructing the security team to hand over keys to Mashaya and Crew.
Follow our live discussion on these issues on the video downloading below:
2/ The political parties in this country have perception challenges. People have lost confidence in political parties. I see an influx of Independent legislators, especially in areas where the elected are popular & serve the people.
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) May 7, 2020
4/ The only safe person in Parly is myself, an Independent as I cannot be recalled by anybody, I can only recall myself. Once people understand what being Independent means, the number of Independent MPs is likely to increase. The way to go is Independence.
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) May 7, 2020
6/ It’s important to realise the true extent & depth of people’s despondency. The by-elections will illustrate whether people are for @nelsonchamisa or not. Will the numbers emerging be more or less?
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) May 7, 2020
8/ Chamisa must now prove his mettle as a true brand, the so called two million people that followed him must now come through. Unfortunately most Presidential voters, don’t belong to political parties, this fact usually emerges during an election.
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) May 7, 2020
10/ The real issue here is @ZANUPF_Official can’t celebrate too soon. Political parties must stop seizing opportunities through other parties by negative means. ZANU-PF at times acts like an opposition party not the governing party.
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) May 7, 2020
12/ I don’t think they will though. If they were well organised, they could do a lot that would be difficult to amend in the future. However history will show that there are many constitutional amendments that have never seen the light of day due to the lack of organisation
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) May 7, 2020
14/MDC are confused, this will be a test. If they really believe in their vision & leader Chamisa, resigning en masse isn’t an option. The trouble with Zim politics is the politicians are not wealthy. After vacating their office as a legislator they’ve no other means of income.
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) May 7, 2020
16/ Ultimately @nelsonchamisa will know who’s for him & who’s not, an important lesson to go through in life. When I was persecuted by the RGM/Chihuri regime, I knew who was for me & who wasn’t, I knew who was powerful & who wasn’t; but ultimately God was forever there.
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) May 7, 2020
18/ Politics is about being on the ground for people, not just appearing in Parly. Sitting in Parly is a fraction of what’s needed to be done as a politician, the rest is on the ground with the people.
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) May 7, 2020
20/ I look forward to their comeback as we need a strong opposition in this country to keep the ruling party on their toes. MDC needs to put its house in order as there was a cocktail of bananas, apples, oranges etc they need to separate themselves&understand who they really are
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) May 7, 2020
Two Chipinge macadamia nuts farmers fatally assaulted an employee whom they accused of stealing and selling macadamia seedlings to neighbouring farmers.
Brothers Vusimuzi (41) and Witness (36) Sithole of Plot 11 New Castle Farm, appeared before Chipinge magistrate Elizabeth Hanzi. They were not asked to plead and were remanded to May 19 for routine remand on $3 000 bail each.
The State led by Mr Thembelani Dhliwayo alleges that on Saturday, the brothers went to their farm to question their employee, only identified as Mapamba, on suspicion that he was stealing and selling their seedlings.
They found Mapamba at a nearby farm, force-marched him to their plot and quizzed him over macadamia nuts seedlings.
Not satisfied with Mapamba’s answers, they started beating him with logs.
Mapamba was bruised on his back and legs and had a deep cut on the forehead.
As he could not walk on his own after the attack, the brothers took him to his farm dwelling where they covered him with a blanket and locked him in from the outside.
On Sunday, around 6.30am, the two brothers returned to their plot where they found Mapamba dead. They called the police voluntarily indicated on how they fatally assaulted Mapamba, the court was told.
Logs they used to assault Mapamba were found on the scene.
Dear Editor |A female police officer on Wednesday heavily assaulted a middle-aged woman on her forehead using a button stick at a sugar queue at TM Supermarket Sakubva in an overzealous effort to maintain order on the queue.
Alice Makanike went on to report the case at ZRP Sakubva Musika base with the open wound on her forehead and her clothes blood-stained.
At the police base, the female police officer tried to disguise herself by changing her face mask but later apologised after her victim correctly picked her out among colleagues.
Makanike demanded immediate medical assistance and the police officer accompanied her to a nearby clinic.
Makanike said the police officer had acted irrationally and was overzealous in her work, choosing to beat her up badly despite that she had properly maintained her place in the queue as was expected.
State institutions are being abused to destroy the opposition, using and abusing the instruments of the State. Nobody who works with the regime against the people will ever succeed. The will of the people will ever triumph. @JobSikhala1@mdczimbabwepic.twitter.com/iuollqXXEx
Communiqué and Resolutions of the MDC National Standing Committee Held on Wednesday 6th May 2020
PreambleNoting with regret and sadness, the sharp rise in contradictions within the State, the lack of political cohesion, the serious closure of political spaceparticularly the overt use of the Covid -19 pandemic to suppress and repress the citizens, the continued monopolisation of media spaces and the broken down social contract. Further noting the massive increase in corruption and arbitrage, and vested self interest, in every sector of the economy including command agriculture, fuel, Covid-19 donations, procurement and commodities. LOCATING Zimbabwe’s multiple faceted crisis, to the unresolved crisis of legitimacy, and the stolen election of July 2018.
REALIZING that the Lockdown has been abused to lock down only the people and the MDC Alliance and to further ambush the people with the Supreme Court judgement and recalling of People’s MPs. Concerned that the concerted attacks and desperate measure unleashed by the State, Zanu Pf and Mr Mnangagwa on the MDC Alliance.
Further concerned by the regime’s obsession with the MDC Alliance at the time when the country faces unprecedented multiple crisis including aneconomic meltdown, Covid-19, hunger and starvation. Further concerned by the brazen capture and use of State institutions to further undemocratic power retention agendas of Mr Mnangagwa and his illegitimate cronies. CONVINCED that what is being witnessed is a war by Mnangagwa and ZANU PF through proxies against the MDC Alliance having not forgiven the partyfor defeating him in the 2018 general elections. The end game is to totally annihilate the opposition and establish a one party state. Further Convinced that the biggest ‘crime’ that MDC Alliance and its candidates committed was to garner over 2 million votes in the last Presidentialelections; which is a serious threat to the system and reason for this frantic efforts to destroy or eliminate the MDC Alliance. AWARE that: They wanted MDC Alliance to join POLAD. They wanted MDC Alliance President to accept to be Leader of Opposition in Parliament. They wanted MDC Alliance to accept the stolen election outcome. They want to tell MDC Alliance who to partner and how to oppose. They wanted MDC Alliance Mps to recognize Emmerson Mnangagwa as legitimate President of Zimbabwe after the stolen and disputed 2018 general election. THEREFORE, in this context, the National Standing Committee of the MDC Alliance met today in Harare and made the following resolutions
(1) Supreme Court judgement
(i) The NSC noted the judgement of the Supreme court that ws handed down on the 30th March 2020 in the matter of MDC Case No SC56/2020. The NSC categorically restates that , the party , the MDC Alliance was not a party to this litigation. (ii) The NCS restate that a political party is a voluntary organisation of willing people and the MDC Alliance, was created through the voluntary agency of the Zimbabwean People whose right to form a political organisation is protected by the constitution of Zimbabwe and cannot be interfered by any power or authority. (iii) The NSC noted the undisputable legal fact that the MDC Alliance is a separate legal entity from the MDC-T and participated in the election of July 2018as MDC Alliance and that same entity held its congress in May 2019 as MDC Alliance. (iv) The NSC restates that any attempt to infringe or impinge on the existence of the MDC Alliance is an assault on the Constitutional right of the same. (v) The Supreme Court judgement has engendered illegalities and created unconstitutional outcomes which include the following,
extending the terms of office of the 2014 structures which were elected in October 2014 with the terms therefore expiring in October 2019.
The judgment also conflates three different organisations the MDC, the MDC-T and the MDC Alliance (the latter two which competed against
each other in the 2018 election).
Ignoring the juridical fact of the MDC Alliance being established by virtue of participation in the 2018 elections.
Ignoring the juridical act of the MDC Alliance congress of May 2019.
(2) The recall of MDC Alliance members of Parliament
(i) The NSC notes that a separate independent the MDC Alliance participated in the election of July 2018.
(ii) That being so, the NSC condemns as wrong and false, the decision taken by the Speaker of Parliament and the President of the Senator in recalling 4 members of Parliament namely, Our Chair Thabitha Khumalo, Our secretary general Chalton Hwende, Lillian Timveous, and Prosper Mutseyami. (iii) Only the MDC Alliance has the power to recall its MPs. No-one else has the mandate to do that except only the MDC Alliance.
(3) The position of MDC Alliance in Parliament
(i) Pursuant to the above, the NSC resolved that with immediate effect the MDC Alliance suspends the membership in parliament by its members of Parliament pending consultation with the electorate and other stakeholders on the way forward. (ii) For the avoidance of doubt this means that no MDC member shall attend any parliamentary committee or the sitting of parliament or any official business of parliament until such time as a decision is made. (4) The Protection of the Struggle
(i) The MDC Alliance has noted that Morgen Komichi, Douglas Mwonzora and Elias Mudzuri have decided to cooperate with Zanu PF and the state.They therefore have expelled themselves from the MDC Alliance and are forthwith relieved of their positions and membership in the party. They are further withdrawn from all positions to which they had been deployed by the party. Replacements have been made and shall be announced in duecourse. (ii) The party resolved to take all the necessary steps to recover all the gains of the peoples’ democratic struggle.
(iii) The Standing Committee noted the perverse and insidious attempt by Zanu PF and its proxies to dismember the MDC Alliance by executing a coup against the legitimately elected leadership of the MDC Alliance under the guise of implementing the equally insidious judgement of the SupremeCourt which seeks to foist Zanu PF proxies as leaders of the MDC Alliance in brazen violation of the MDC Constitution.
(iv) The MDC Alliance will not accept the holding of a Zanu PF organized extra-ordinary congress in the MDC. Zanu PF cannot write another political party’s constitution and hold a congress on its behalf to impose a puppet leadership.
(5)On Covid-19
(i) The National Standing Committee took note of the COVID19 pandemic and the dislocated livelihoods of the vulnerable and the majority ofZimbabweans who are surviving in the informal sector. (ii) The illegitimate regime has provided no safety nets whatsoever to assist the despondent Zimbabweans. They have instead destroyed the vending stalls where the majority of Zimbabweans are seeking a living through informal trading (iii) Pursuant to our Agenda 2020 program of action, we put forward the five fights that we, the people of Zimbabwe must pursue this year. They are as follows; • The fight for a people’s government, reforms and return to legitimacy. • The fight for a better life, dignity and livelihoods. • The fight against corruption. • The fight for rights, freedoms, security of persons and rule of law. • The fight in defence of the constitution and constitutionalism.
We now call upon the people of Zimbabwe to build a broad consensus and united front of all progressive citizens to address the national crisis.
Bulawayo police on Tuesday arrested a man who broke into a vehicle parked at Bootleggers located between 10th and 11 Avenue and stole a handbag containing $50, US$500 and R600, Samsung tablet and a laptop bag.
Ncube confirmed the arrest of Arnold Kuzakwenhamo (33) of Tshabalala after a high-speed chase by the woman’s husband.
Kuzakwenhamo was apprehended after he jumped out of a moving getaway vehicle and sustained injuries on both legs and back.
He was admitted at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for treatment under police guard, said Ncube.
The stolen property was recovered.
Police are also investigating a robbery which occurred at Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) warehouse depot in Belmont industrial area on Tuesday, where a truck loaded with cough syrup impounded by Zimra officials was looted.
Ncube said the robbery occurred at around 7pm on Tuesday.
A total of 164 citizens who were in mandatory quarantine at the United College of Education(UCE) were discharged today. We sincerely apologise to those that ended up staying for a longer time than scheduled whilst waiting for their #Covid19Zim test results.
BULAWAYO police have said they do not take joy in arresting COVID-19 lockdown offenders as they appealed to locals to observe regulations aimed at slowing the spread of the disease.
The city recorded the highest number of arrests — 3 973 — for violating lockdown regulations as of April 30, and on Monday, as much as 115 people were nabbed for not wearing face masks in public.
A survey shows that face masks — disposable and re-usable — are being sold for anything between US$1 and US$5.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa said home-made face masks were also permissible.
On Friday, Mnangagwa made the wearing of face masks mandatory as industry and commerce opened after weeks of closure.
Prior to the Friday announcement, Bulawayo had recorded the highest number of lockdown violations in the country.
Previous figures showed that 16 321 people had been arrested countrywide for violating COVID-19 lockdown orders since March 30.
“We don’t enjoy arresting people. We can only be at peace as a city if we are all compliant with the lockdown regulations and stop the spread of COVID-19,” Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube told Southern Eye.
Bulawayo has 12 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and one casualty out of the national total of 34 and four deaths.
Ncube added: “Our wish is for people to comply with the laws. We will be all happy if everyone is compliant as this is also about their safety against contracting COVID-19 and nothing else.”
Bulawayo police have been under attack for violating the rights of many residents upon arrest for allegedly violating lockdown restrictions.
The Matabeleland Forum, a grouping of human rights organisations in the region, in a complaint cited the abuse of two Cowdray Park women assaulted and labelled prostitutes after their arrest while coming from grocery shopping.
“While the lockdown has measures for restricting movement, residents are normally allowed to move within a 5km radius of their homes to access essential services, as long as social distancing measures are observed,” the Forum complained.
“According to the two ladies, who happen to be sisters, nothing they did was in violation of such rules nor required such heavy-handedness from law enforcers.”
The Botswana Ministry of International Affairs and Cooperation has released a press statement that the Government of the Republic of Botswana, and the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe, will embark on another joint voluntary repatriation exercise to aid Zimbabwean nationals who have requested to be assisted to return home.
According to the Botswana MinistryThe exercise will be conducted from 6th to 8th May 2020.
The ministry said the repatriation will be by road and Zimbabwean authorities will receive the returnees at the Ramokgwebana Border Post as was the case with the recent voluntary repatriation exercise conducted on 16th April 2020.
The two Governments recognise the current challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and its far-reaching adverse impact on livelihoods, and are therefore committed to work closely together on the voluntary repatriation of Zimbabwean nationals as and when required. The two Governments are also committed to ensure the safe and humane repatriation of the concerned nationals.
The Ministry further also clarify that in addition to the Government of Zimbabwe, the Government of Botswana continues to collaborate with other governments to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of their citizens from Botswana.
State institutions are being abused to destroy the opposition, using and abusing the instruments of the State. Nobody who works with the regime against the people will ever succeed. The will of the people will ever triumph. @JobSikhala1@mdczimbabwepic.twitter.com/iuollqXXEx
Communiqué and Resolutions of the MDC National Standing Committee Held on Wednesday 6th May 2020
PreambleNoting with regret and sadness, the sharp rise in contradictions within the State, the lack of political cohesion, the serious closure of political spaceparticularly the overt use of the Covid -19 pandemic to suppress and repress the citizens, the continued monopolisation of media spaces and the broken down social contract. Further noting the massive increase in corruption and arbitrage, and vested self interest, in every sector of the economy including command agriculture, fuel, Covid-19 donations, procurement and commodities. LOCATING Zimbabwe’s multiple faceted crisis, to the unresolved crisis of legitimacy, and the stolen election of July 2018.
REALIZING that the Lockdown has been abused to lock down only the people and the MDC Alliance and to further ambush the people with the Supreme Court judgement and recalling of People’s MPs. Concerned that the concerted attacks and desperate measure unleashed by the State, Zanu Pf and Mr Mnangagwa on the MDC Alliance.
Further concerned by the regime’s obsession with the MDC Alliance at the time when the country faces unprecedented multiple crisis including aneconomic meltdown, Covid-19, hunger and starvation. Further concerned by the brazen capture and use of State institutions to further undemocratic power retention agendas of Mr Mnangagwa and his illegitimate cronies. CONVINCED that what is being witnessed is a war by Mnangagwa and ZANU PF through proxies against the MDC Alliance having not forgiven the partyfor defeating him in the 2018 general elections. The end game is to totally annihilate the opposition and establish a one party state. Further Convinced that the biggest ‘crime’ that MDC Alliance and its candidates committed was to garner over 2 million votes in the last Presidentialelections; which is a serious threat to the system and reason for this frantic efforts to destroy or eliminate the MDC Alliance. AWARE that: They wanted MDC Alliance to join POLAD. They wanted MDC Alliance President to accept to be Leader of Opposition in Parliament. They wanted MDC Alliance to accept the stolen election outcome. They want to tell MDC Alliance who to partner and how to oppose. They wanted MDC Alliance Mps to recognize Emmerson Mnangagwa as legitimate President of Zimbabwe after the stolen and disputed 2018 general election. THEREFORE, in this context, the National Standing Committee of the MDC Alliance met today in Harare and made the following resolutions
(1) Supreme Court judgement
(i) The NSC noted the judgement of the Supreme court that ws handed down on the 30th March 2020 in the matter of MDC Case No SC56/2020. The NSC categorically restates that , the party , the MDC Alliance was not a party to this litigation. (ii) The NCS restate that a political party is a voluntary organisation of willing people and the MDC Alliance, was created through the voluntary agency of the Zimbabwean People whose right to form a political organisation is protected by the constitution of Zimbabwe and cannot be interfered by any power or authority. (iii) The NSC noted the undisputable legal fact that the MDC Alliance is a separate legal entity from the MDC-T and participated in the election of July 2018as MDC Alliance and that same entity held its congress in May 2019 as MDC Alliance. (iv) The NSC restates that any attempt to infringe or impinge on the existence of the MDC Alliance is an assault on the Constitutional right of the same. (v) The Supreme Court judgement has engendered illegalities and created unconstitutional outcomes which include the following,
extending the terms of office of the 2014 structures which were elected in October 2014 with the terms therefore expiring in October 2019.
The judgment also conflates three different organisations the MDC, the MDC-T and the MDC Alliance (the latter two which competed against
each other in the 2018 election).
Ignoring the juridical fact of the MDC Alliance being established by virtue of participation in the 2018 elections.
Ignoring the juridical act of the MDC Alliance congress of May 2019.
(2) The recall of MDC Alliance members of Parliament
(i) The NSC notes that a separate independent the MDC Alliance participated in the election of July 2018.
(ii) That being so, the NSC condemns as wrong and false, the decision taken by the Speaker of Parliament and the President of the Senator in recalling 4 members of Parliament namely, Our Chair Thabitha Khumalo, Our secretary general Chalton Hwende, Lillian Timveous, and Prosper Mutseyami. (iii) Only the MDC Alliance has the power to recall its MPs. No-one else has the mandate to do that except only the MDC Alliance.
(3) The position of MDC Alliance in Parliament
(i) Pursuant to the above, the NSC resolved that with immediate effect the MDC Alliance suspends the membership in parliament by its members of Parliament pending consultation with the electorate and other stakeholders on the way forward. (ii) For the avoidance of doubt this means that no MDC member shall attend any parliamentary committee or the sitting of parliament or any official business of parliament until such time as a decision is made. (4) The Protection of the Struggle
(i) The MDC Alliance has noted that Morgen Komichi, Douglas Mwonzora and Elias Mudzuri have decided to cooperate with Zanu PF and the state.They therefore have expelled themselves from the MDC Alliance and are forthwith relieved of their positions and membership in the party. They are further withdrawn from all positions to which they had been deployed by the party. Replacements have been made and shall be announced in duecourse. (ii) The party resolved to take all the necessary steps to recover all the gains of the peoples’ democratic struggle.
(iii) The Standing Committee noted the perverse and insidious attempt by Zanu PF and its proxies to dismember the MDC Alliance by executing a coup against the legitimately elected leadership of the MDC Alliance under the guise of implementing the equally insidious judgement of the SupremeCourt which seeks to foist Zanu PF proxies as leaders of the MDC Alliance in brazen violation of the MDC Constitution.
(iv) The MDC Alliance will not accept the holding of a Zanu PF organized extra-ordinary congress in the MDC. Zanu PF cannot write another political party’s constitution and hold a congress on its behalf to impose a puppet leadership.
(5)On Covid-19
(i) The National Standing Committee took note of the COVID19 pandemic and the dislocated livelihoods of the vulnerable and the majority ofZimbabweans who are surviving in the informal sector. (ii) The illegitimate regime has provided no safety nets whatsoever to assist the despondent Zimbabweans. They have instead destroyed the vending stalls where the majority of Zimbabweans are seeking a living through informal trading (iii) Pursuant to our Agenda 2020 program of action, we put forward the five fights that we, the people of Zimbabwe must pursue this year. They are as follows; • The fight for a people’s government, reforms and return to legitimacy. • The fight for a better life, dignity and livelihoods. • The fight against corruption. • The fight for rights, freedoms, security of persons and rule of law. • The fight in defence of the constitution and constitutionalism.
We now call upon the people of Zimbabwe to build a broad consensus and united front of all progressive citizens to address the national crisis.
Paul Nyathi|South African Home Affairs Minister, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi says that officials in his department are facilitating the deportation of 574 Zimbabwean nationals being held at the Lindela repatriation centre.
This follows the deportation of 94 Lesotho nationals from the centre near Johannesburg on Thursday morning.
The department is hastening the deportations after 37 people escaped from the centre on Sunday. The escape was as a result of an internal war between the security guards and their employer which is a private company contracted to run the centre.
The disputes between the guards and their employer resulted in the guards knocking off 3 hours earlier than they were supposed to. This then gave an opportunity to the 37 illegal immigrants to escape.
Zimbabweans and Lesotho nationals have been chosen because they constitute the largest number of people there. Of the 1,500 people at the centre, 574 are Zimbabweans.
Mozambicans constitute the third largest group so they will be next in the list after Zimbabweans have been deported. All the detained illegal immigrants have been screened for Covid-19 and the only two who exhibited high temperatures were tested and found to be negative.
South Africa normally just dumps the deported Zimbabweans at the Zimbabwean side of the Beitbridge Border Post where they are received by local police and the Department of Social Welfare.
However with the out break of the Coronavirus a slightly different arrangement which might need the inclusion of the Ministry of Health and Child Care from Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwean Embassy In South Africa.
However, on enquiry, an official at the Zimbabwean Embassy said that they were not aware of the intended deportations.
The Beitbridge town Coronavirus task team has previously indicated that it does not have the capacity to handle the huge number of returning Zimbabweans expected soon from South Africa. The extra 600 of the deported people will certainly have a huge impact on the task force.
By A Correspondent- Deputy Government Spokesperson Energy Mutodi has alleged that opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa faces arrest over misappropriation of party funds.
Mutodi alleged that about 40 MDC Members of Parliament have refused to accept a directive by the Party’s Standing committee to withdraw their participation in parliamentary activities.
Said Mutodi:
“Commotion in MDC-Alliance as over 40 MDCT legislators disagree with decision to withdraw from Parliament. Chamisa also faces arrest for misappropriating party funds.”
On Thursday the main opposition party announced that the MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus shall forthwith suspend its participation in all Parliamentary processes, programmes and activities pending the party’s consultations with its structures and a final resolution of the National Council on the way forward given the ZANUPF insidious attempted coup against the elected and legitimate leadership of the MDC Alliance.
Addressing the media, Sikhala said the decision was made by the party’s National Standing Committee at an emergency meeting held on Wednesday following the recall of three legislators by Mwonzora and his team.
Said Sikhala:
“Morgen Komichi, Douglas Mwonzora & Elias Mudzuri have expelled themselves from the party on account of their decision to work with ZANU PF. They are no longer members of the MDCA. Their replacements shall be announced in due course.”
Watch the live video loading below for a full text of this resolution……..
State institutions are being abused to destroy the opposition, using and abusing the instruments of the State. Nobody who works with the regime against the people will ever succeed. The will of the people will ever triumph. @JobSikhala1@mdczimbabwepic.twitter.com/iuollqXXEx
The Bundesliga season will be allowed to resume in the second half of May after German chancellor Angela Merkel gave the green light.
The campaign has been on hold since mid-March like every other major league because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Following the relaxation of lockdown regulations in the European country on Monday, the government have now told the Bundesliga to resume the season, with May 15 the earliest possible date.
The games will, however, be played behind closed doors.
Meanwhile, clubs started training since early April but in small groups.-Soccer 24
Communiqué and Resolutions of the MDC National Standing Committee Held on Wednesday 6th May 2020
Preamble
Noting with regret and sadness, the sharp rise in contradictions within the State, the lack of political cohesion, the serious closure of political space particularly the overt use of the Covid -19 pandemic to suppress and repress the citizens, the continued monopolisation of media spaces and the broken down social contract.
Further noting the massive increase in corruption and arbitrage, and vested self interest, in every sector of the economy including command agriculture, fuel, Covid-19 donations, procurement and commodities.
LOCATING Zimbabwe’s multiple faceted crisis, to the unresolved crisis of legitimacy, and the stolen election of July 2018.
REALIZING that the Lockdown has been abused to lock down only the people and the MDC Alliance and to further ambush the people with the Supreme Court judgement and recalling of People’s MPs.
Concerned that the concerted attacks and desperate measure unleashed by the State, Zanu Pf and Mr Mnangagwa on the MDC Alliance.
Further concerned by the regime’s obsession with the MDC Alliance at the time when the country faces unprecedented multiple crisis including an economic meltdown, Covid-19, hunger and starvation.
Further concerned by the brazen capture and use of State institutions to further undemocratic power retention agendas of Mr Mnangagwa and his illegitimate cronies.
CONVINCED that what is being witnessed is a war by Mnangagwa and ZANU PF through proxies against the MDC Alliance having not forgiven the party for defeating him in the 2018 general elections. The end game is to totally annihilate the opposition and establish a one party state.
Further Convinced that the biggest ‘crime’ that MDC Alliance and its candidates committed was to garner over 2 million votes in the last presidential elections; which is a serious threat to the system and reason for this frantic efforts to destroy or eliminate the MDC Alliance.
AWARE that: -They wanted MDC Alliance to join POLAD. -They wanted MDC Alliance President to accept to be Leader of Opposition in Parliament. -They wanted MDC Alliance to accept the stolen election outcome. -They want to tell MDC Alliance who to partner and how to oppose. -They wanted MDC Alliance Mps to recognize Emmerson Mnangagwa as legitimate President of -Zimbabwe after the stolen and disputed 2018 general election.
THEREFORE, in this context, the National Standing Committee of the MDC Alliance met in Harare and made the following resolutions
(1) Supreme Court judgement
(i) The NSC noted the judgement of the Supreme court that ws handed down on the 30th March 2020 in the matter of MDC Case No SC56/2020. The NSC categorically restates that , the party , the MDC Alliance was not a party to this litigation.
(ii) The NCS restate that a political party is a voluntary organisation of willing people and the MDC Alliance, was created through the voluntary agency of the Zimbabwean People whose right to form a political organisation is protected by the constitution of Zimbabwe and cannot be interfered by any power or authority.
(iii) The NSC noted the undisputable legal fact that the MDC Alliance is a separate legal entity from the MDC-T and participated in the election of July 2018 as MDC Alliance and that same entity held its congress in May 2019 as MDC Alliance.
(iv) The NSC restates that any attempt to infringe or impinge on the existence of the MDC Alliance is an assault on the Constitutional right of the same.
(v) The Supreme Court judgement has engendered illegalities and created unconstitutional outcomes which include the following,
extending the terms of office of the 2014 structures which were elected in October 2014 with the terms therefore expiring in October 2019.
The judgment also conflates three different organisations the MDC, the MDC-T and the MDC Alliance (the latter two which competed against each other in the 2018 election).
Ignoring the juridical fact of the MDC Alliance being established by virtue of participation in the 2018 elections.
Ignoring the juridical act of the MDC Alliance congress of May 2019.
(2) The recall of MDC Alliance members of Parliament
(i) The NSC notes that a separate independent the MDC Alliance participated in the election of July 2018.
(ii) That being so, the NSC condemns as wrong and false, the decision taken by the Speaker of Parliament and the President of the Senator in recalling 4 members of Parliament namely, Our Chair Thabitha Khumalo, Our secretary general Chalton Hwende, Lillian Timveous, and Prosper Mutseyami.
(iii) Only the MDC Alliance has the power to recall its MPs. No-one else has the mandate to do that except only the MDC Alliance.
(3) The position of MDC Alliance in Parliament
(i) Pursuant to the above, the NSC resolved that with immediate effect the MDC Alliance suspends the membership in parliament by its members of Parliament pending consultation with the electorate and other stakeholders on the way forward.
(ii) For the avoidance of doubt this means that no MDC member shall attend any parliamentary committee or the sitting of parliament or any official business of parliament until such time as a decision is made.
(4) The Protection of the Struggle
(i) The MDC Alliance has noted that Morgen Komichi, Douglas Mwonzora and Elias Mudzuri have decided to cooperate with ZANU PF and the state. They therefore have expelled themselves from the MDC Alliance and are forthwith relieved of their positions and membership in the party. They are further withdrawn from all positions to which they had been deployed by the party. Replacements have been made and shall be announced in due course.
(ii) The party resolved to take all the necessary steps to recover all the gains of the peoples’ democratic struggle.
(iii) The Standing Committee noted the perverse and insidious attempt by ZANU-PF and its proxies to dismember the MDC Alliance by executing a coup against the legitimately elected leadership of the MDC Alliance under the guise of implementing the equally insidious judgement of the Supreme Court which seeks to foist ZANUPF proxies as leaders of the MDC Alliance in brazen violation of the MDC Constitution.
(iv) The MDC Alliance will not accept the holding of a ZANU PF organized extra-ordinary congress in the MDC. ZANU PF cannot write another political party’s constitution and hold a congress on its behalf to impose a puppet leadership.
(5) On Covid-19
(i) The National Standing Committee took note of the COVID19 pandemic and the dislocated livelihoods of the vulnerable and the majority of Zimbabweans who are surviving in the informal sector.
(ii) The illegitimate regime has provided no safety nets whatsoever to assist the despondent Zimbabweans. They have instead destroyed the vending stalls where the majority of Zimbabweans are seeking a living through informal trading
(iii) Pursuant to our Agenda 2020 program of action, we put forward the five fights that we, the people of Zimbabwe must pursue this year. They are as follows;
The fight for a people’s government, reforms and return to legitimacy.
The fight for a better life, dignity and livelihoods.
The fight against corruption.
The fight for rights, freedoms, security of persons and rule of law.
The fight in defence of the constitution and constitutionalism.
We now call upon the people of Zimbabwe to build a broad consensus and united front of all progressive citizens to address the national crisis.
Highlanders handed over the proceeds of the Covid-19 crowd-funding initiative to Ekusileni Medical Centre in Bulawayo on Wednesday.
The club managed to raise ZW$ 16,757 which was used to buy hand sanitizers, surgical gloves, face masks, cotton wool, toilet rolls among other items.
The goods were handed over by Bosso executive chairman Rtd Colonel Kenneth Mhlophe. Also in attendance was Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube who chairs the provincial Covid-19 task force.
In his speech, Mhlope thanked everyone who contributed to the fight against the virus.
“We would like to thank everyone for making this great sacrifice at a time when COVID-19 is bringing global economies down to their knees,” he said.
“I would also like to thank our players who have been heavily involved in this initiative from the beginning up to the last day.”- Soccer 24
Farai Dziva|Warriors and Liverpool legend Bruce Grobbelaar has picked Alisson Becker as the current best goalkeeper in the world.
In an interview with Liverpool Echo, Grobbelaar conceded that the Brazilian keeper has played a vital role in helping the Reds to the top of domestic and European competitions.
“This chap Alisson is the best goalkeeper in the world today,” he said.
“He has an unbelievable record with his angles. He is the best for that. For me, I look at goalkeepers all the time and I can pick out where the faults are, but he is a fantastic No.1.
“Since myself and a few others like Pepe Reina, we haven’t had a goalkeeper who has commanded his area as well as Alisson.
“We’ve had a lapse with some keepers who stayed on their line and never came for crosses, but Alisson comes out, sweeps up at the back and he has shown he is superb at it.
“He is just all-round the best goalkeeper in the world.”
Alisson joined Liverpool from Roma in 2018 in a record-breaking £65 million ($81m) deal.
He has settled well at the club, winning the first-ever Yashin Trophy at 2019 Ballon d’Or awards.
Former cabinet minister Walter Mzembi, fresh from selling his Vainona house to fund his People’s Party’s activities, has resigned from the same, along with his deputy, Dr Godfrey Gandawa.
The two quit their positions as party president and deputy, respectively.
The resignations come a few days after Zanu PF’s Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena alleged that Walter Mzembi received US$1 million from a local businessman.
The sensational allegation which generated a lot of spark on social media platform Twitter, has been the source of contradictions as party members were throwing insults at the party leadership.
In their resignation letter, which they jointly signed, Mzembi and Gandawa cite failure to resolve internal contradictions.
“Having failed to resolve internal contradictions that have recently bedevilled the People’s Party, we have reached a decision together with my deputy, Dr Godfrey Gandawa, to step down from our positions in the interest of the party.”
“The party was started with the sole objective of facilitating democratic change in Zimbabwe, and that sacrosanct goal remains bigger than any individual, including those occupying the Presidency.
In that vein, we have decided to hand over control of the party to Secretary-General Lloyd Msipa. We wish the party good success in its democratic endeavour,” the two added.
The decision to dump the financially crippled party also follows squabbles which sucked in the party’s treasurer-general Agrippa Bopela Masiyakurima who has been firing members on social media.
Lloyd Msipa who assumed leadership of the party was ostensibly fired by Masiyakurima on allegations of bringing the party into disrepute.
The People’s Party, freshly minted this year, has been struggling to stay bouyant in the political waters of Zimbabwe.
Both Mzembi and Gandawa are former cabinet ministers in the late deposed President Robert Mugabe’s administration.
Serie A club Torino has confirmed one of their players tested positive for the coronavirus in the first round of testing ahead of the club’s planned return to training on Friday.
Torino said the player who is showing no symptoms is now in quarantine and will be constantly monitored.
“During the first medical examinations carried out on the players of Torino FC, a positive result emerged for COVID-19,” the club said on its website on Wednesday.
“The player, currently asymptomatic, was immediately placed in quarantine and will be constantly monitored.”
Meanwhile, Juventus forward Paulo Dybala has fully recovered from coronavirus more than a month after he was first diagnosed.
The forward’s two latest tests came back negative and according to Juve, he “will no longer be subjected to the home isolation regime”.-Soccer 24
Farai Dziva|Discredited Zanu PF heavyweight Obert Mpofu has claimed the ruling party has nothing to do with the infighting in the Movement for Democratic Change.
Said Mpofu: “That’s a recognition that we are the party in power.
We are the party of choice. The MDC is grappling with a decision by the Supreme Court and how Zanu-PF comes into it is something we fail to understand.
We are happy that the law has taken its course, not only to MDC, but in all court cases, as a law abiding party, as a law abiding Government.
So it’s not a question of being happy but respecting the rule of law which they have been talking about themselves and in any case it’s not Zanu-PF that went to court it’s themselves that went to court so the problem there is their own making and Zanu-PF can only say the law has taken its course.”
He added:”They think that by aligning with him Zanu-PF, their supporters will believe that he is Zanu-PF but he is not. But what would you expect from a frustrated and defeated leader?”
World Hand Hygiene Day – 5 May 2020 It is a day celebrated every year to mobilise people around the world to increase adherence to hand hygiene especially in health care facilities.
The theme for 2020 is: “SAVE LIVES: Clean your hands”.
The main goal of Global Hand Hygiene Day is to recognize that handwashing is one of the most effective action you can take to reduce spread of pathogens and prevent infections including COVID-19 virus.
In this era of COVID-19 hand washing has proven to be one of the most key prevention measure.
World Health Organization(WHO) aims is to:
Make hand hygiene a global priority
Inspire hand hygiene and behavior change
Engage with health care workers in their role in clean care and prevention of infections
An alcohol based hand rub or washing hands with soap and water are the recommended ways to keep our hands clean.
Gloves are not a substitute for hand hygiene and should only be worn as a form of hand hygiene.
When using an alcohol hand rub, apply and rub hands for about 20-30seconds. If hands are visibly soiled use soap and water for 40-60seconds.
When to observe hand washing everyday at home:
After using the toilet 2.Before preparing or handling food 3.After changing diapers or nappies
If hands are visibly soiled Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information like/ follow our Facebook page:
World Hand Hygiene Day – 5 May 2020 It is a day celebrated every year to mobilise people around the world to increase adherence to hand hygiene especially in health care facilities.
The theme for 2020 is: “SAVE LIVES: Clean your hands”.
The main goal of Global Hand Hygiene Day is to recognize that handwashing is one of the most effective action you can take to reduce spread of pathogens and prevent infections including COVID-19 virus.
In this era of COVID-19 hand washing has proven to be one of the most key prevention measure.
World Health Organization(WHO) aims is to:
Make hand hygiene a global priority
Inspire hand hygiene and behavior change
Engage with health care workers in their role in clean care and prevention of infections
An alcohol based hand rub or washing hands with soap and water are the recommended ways to keep our hands clean.
Gloves are not a substitute for hand hygiene and should only be worn as a form of hand hygiene.
When using an alcohol hand rub, apply and rub hands for about 20-30seconds. If hands are visibly soiled use soap and water for 40-60seconds.
When to observe hand washing everyday at home:
After using the toilet 2.Before preparing or handling food 3.After changing diapers or nappies
If hands are visibly soiled Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information like/ follow our Facebook page:
Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance says it will not participate in the “so called extra ordinary congress organised by Douglas Mwonzora and others”
Speaking during a media briefing in Harare, MDC Alliance deputy national chairperson Job Sikhala said:
MDC Alliance MPs will suspend all Parliament activities as the party consults with all the organs on the way forward.
The party will not participate in the extra ordinary congress being organised by Mwonzora et al.
The party had expelled Mudzuri, Komichi and Mwonzora according to our Constitution which says anyone who joins or supports a rival party expels themselves from the party.
The party will activate an action plan that will be announced soon…”
The events that have unraveled in our country over the past month have proven beyond any reasonable doubt that we are at war with ZANU-PF and that the war requires nothing short of our vigilance and clarity to confront the people’s enemy head on.
It has become more clearer that it is ZANUPF’s immediate plan to destroy the our party, the people’s party and consequently suffocating the democratic space in Zimbabwe and this has been further confirmed by the recent illegal recalling of four MDC Alliance MPs.
We would like to state it categorically, here and now that any plans to undermine the very stability of our party will not be taken lightly, we are up for the task to protect all the democratic space.
In that regard, we would like to assure the generality of the citizenry that we the young people, remain resolute in the execution of our democratic revolution for the restoration of hope and dignity to the citizens of this country.
The pregnancy of a cat does not bother a bull, we are MDC Alliance, we are unmoved by the happenings in other parties even those that aspire to be us, we remain solidly behind our visionary leader, the only legitimate foot forward, President Nelson Chamisa.
While others remain busy in planning to destroy us, I urge every young person of this country to get ready, stand up and be counted as we embark on a series of political action in defense of democracy which is under serious threat and the broad implementation of our #Agenda2020.
Zimbabwe has been robbed of almost everything else by the illegitimate Mnangagwa and his cabal, we would like to warn the regime and its enablers that we will defend what is left for us fearlessly by all means necessary.
Stay calm Zimbabwe, Wamba Dia Wamba is in charge and we are on guard.
Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance national youth leader Tererai Obey Sithole has declared that the vibrant wing is prepared to fight for real change in spite of desperate attempts by Zanu PF to destroy the people’s movement.
See full statement below : The events that have unraveled in our country over the past month have proven beyond any reasonable doubt that we are at war with ZANU-PF and that the war requires nothing short of our vigilance and clarity to confront the people’s enemy head on.
It has become more clearer that it is ZANUPF’s immediate plan to destroy the our party, the people’s party and consequently suffocating the democratic space in Zimbabwe and this has been further confirmed by the recent illegal recalling of four MDC Alliance MPs.
We would like to state it categorically, here and now that any plans to undermine the very stability of our party will not be taken lightly, we are up for the task to protect all the democratic space.
In that regard, we would like to assure the generality of the citizenry that we the young people, remain resolute in the execution of our democratic revolution for the restoration of hope and dignity to the citizens of this country.
The pregnancy of a cat does not bother a bull, we are MDC Alliance, we are unmoved by the happenings in other parties even those that aspire to be us, we remain solidly behind our visionary leader, the only legitimate foot forward, President Nelson Chamisa.
While others remain busy in planning to destroy us, I urge every young person of this country to get ready, stand up and be counted as we embark on a series of political action in defense of democracy which is under serious threat and the broad implementation of our #Agenda2020.
Zimbabwe has been robbed of almost everything else by the illegitimate Mnangagwa and his cabal, we would like to warn the regime and its enablers that we will defend what is left for us fearlessly by all means necessary.
Stay calm Zimbabwe, Wamba Dia Wamba is in charge and we are on guard.
Farai Dziva|Discredited Zanu PF heavyweight Obert Mpofu has claimed the ruling party has nothing to do with the infighting in the Movement for Democratic Change.
Said Mpofu: “That’s a recognition that we are the party in power.
We are the party of choice. The MDC is grappling with a decision by the Supreme Court and how Zanu-PF comes into it is something we fail to understand.
We are happy that the law has taken its course, not only to MDC, but in all court cases, as a law abiding party, as a law abiding Government.
So it’s not a question of being happy but respecting the rule of law which they have been talking about themselves and in any case it’s not Zanu-PF that went to court it’s themselves that went to court so the problem there is their own making and Zanu-PF can only say the law has taken its course.”
He added:”They think that by aligning with him Zanu-PF, their supporters will believe that he is Zanu-PF but he is not. But what would you expect from a frustrated and defeated leader?”
By A Correspondent- The announcement was made by the party’s deputy national chairperson Job Sikhala Thursday.
Addressing the media, Sikhala said the decision was made by the party’s National Standing Committee at an emergency meeting held on Wednesday following the recall of three legislators by Mwonzora and his team.
Said Sikhala:
“Morgen Komichi, Douglas Mwonzora & Elias Mudzuri have expelled themselves from the party on account of their decision to work with ZANU PF. They are no longer members of the MDCA. Their replacements shall be announced in due course.”
Watch the live video loading below for a full text of this resolution……..
By A Correspondent- A total of 328 Zimbabweans based in SouthAfrica have been cleared for self-repatriation via Beitbridge Border Post with the first group expected to arriving from Cape Town in two buses today, ZimEye has been reliably informed.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest updates
Farai Dziva|Discredited Zanu PF heavyweight Obert Mpofu has claimed the ruling party has nothing to do with the infighting in the Movement for Democratic Change.
Said Mpofu: “That’s a recognition that we are the party in power.
We are the party of choice. The MDC is grappling with a decision by the Supreme Court and how Zanu-PF comes into it is something we fail to understand.
We are happy that the law has taken its course, not only to MDC, but in all court cases, as a law abiding party, as a law abiding Government.
So it’s not a question of being happy but respecting the rule of law which they have been talking about themselves and in any case it’s not Zanu-PF that went to court it’s themselves that went to court so the problem there is their own making and Zanu-PF can only say the law has taken its course.”
He added:”They think that by aligning with him Zanu-PF, their supporters will believe that he is Zanu-PF but he is not. But what would you expect from a frustrated and defeated leader?”
Farai Dziva| The MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus will forthwith suspend its participation in all Parliamentary processes, programmes and activities pending the party’s consultations with its structures.
This was said by the party’s national vice chairperson Job Sikhala during a media briefing in Harare on Thursday.
See full statement below:
Communique from the National Standing Committee read by MDC national vice chairperson Hon Job Sikhala:
The National Standing Committee of the MDC -Alliance met in Harare and made the following resolutions:
The Standing Committee noted the perverse and insidious attempt by ZANUPF and its proxies to dismember the MDC Alliance by executing a coup against the legitimately elected leadership of the MDC Alliance under the guise of implementing the equally insidious judgement of the Supreme Court which seeks to foist ZANUPF proxies as leaders of the MDC Alliance in brazen violation of the MDC Constitution.
The MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus shall forthwith suspend its participation in all Parliamentary processes, programmes and activities pending the party’s consultations with its structures and a final resolution of the National Council on the way forward given the ZANUPF insidious attempted coup against the elected and legitimate leadership of the MDC Alliance.
The MDC Alliance shall forthwith disengage from all platforms in which the party has to interact with Zanu PF.
4.The Standing Committee noted that Zanu PF staged an illegal and unconstitutional coup against Robert Mugabe in November 2017 and yet another one on the 30th July 2018 against the people’s sovereign will by which the people had elected Nelson Chamisa as the President of the country.
The Standing Committee further noted the in progress attempt to stage yet another coup, this time against the leadership of the MDC Alliance duly elected at the party’s Congress in Gweru in May 2019, a Congress which has not been set aside by any Court of law.
The Standing Committee resolved to reject in toto and with utter contempt the ZANUPF and its proxies attempt to foist modern day Muzorewas as leaders of the MDC Alliance.
7.The Standing Committee maintains the truism that only the MDC Alliance has the power and authority to recall iMPs elected under its ticket.
8The Standing Committee resolved to urgently consult the structures of the party at Provincial and constituency levels through the National Executive Committee and the National Council on appropriate responses to the attempts to dismember the party by staging a coup against its elected leadership.
9.The MDC Alliance will not allow Zanu PF to hold a Congress under the name of the MDC. Zanu PF cannot write another political party’s constitution and hold a congress under its name.
10.The Standing Committee noted that Morgen Komichi, Douglas Mwonzora and Elias Mudzuri expelled themselves from the MDC Alliance by joining another party and thereby automatically expelled themselves from the party which has accordingly resolved to relieve them of their positions in the party and to withdraw them from all positions to which they had been deployed by the party.
11.The Standing Committee resolved to demand all monies due to the MDC Alliance under the Political Parties Finance Act and to take all necessary steps and measures to lain claim to its money.
12.The Covid-19 Supreme Court judgement has engendered an illegality by seeking to extend the mandates of the 2014 structures which had since expired. The terms of office of all 2014 structures expired in October 2019 and the toxic judgement illegally seeks to give a Lazarus moment by seeking to resurrect the expired mandate of the 2014 MDC-T structures.
13 The meeting took note of the COVID19 pandemic and the dislocated livelihoods of the vulnerable and the majority of Zimbabweans who are surviving in the informal sector. The illegitimate regime has provided no safety nets whatsoever to assist the despondent Zimbabweans.
They have instead destroyed the vending stalls where the majority of Zimbabweans are eking a living through informal trading
By Jane Mlambo| Chipinge’s Musikavanhu legislator Joshua Murire has refused to complete a clinic project initiated by former area parliamentarian Prosper Mutseyami saying it is not part of the programme he sold to the constituency in the run up to the 30 July 2018 polls.
In a chat leaked to ZimEye, Murire was asked by one resident to complete the clinic to save one of the Musikavanhu constituency’s Mbeure community from walking long distance to access health care at Rimbi Growth Point.
Mutseyami, from the MDC Alliance moved to Dangamvura constituency before completing the clinic project which is at roofing stage.
The Mbeure Clinic which Hon Murire has refused to complete despite the previous legislator using CDF funds
The clinic was constructed using Constituency Development Fund and the communities felt the current legislator could as well finish it off but Murire showed them that he does not want to associate himself with Mutseyami’s projects.
Below are the chats…
[18:22, 5/6/2020] Shingai Gapara: He is former mp for musikavanhu . [21:57, 5/6/2020] General Batsi: Tokumbirawozve MP mutipedzisirewo clinic yepaMbeure yakatangwa ndi MP Mutseyami . It is good for continuity and development purposes. [22:01, 5/6/2020] Shingai Gapara: Munoti former [22:10, 5/6/2020] General Batsi: Noted hwevr the point is on the clinic [22:37, 5/6/2020] Dr Joshua Murire: I was not elected to finish mutseyami’s unfinished business. I sold my programme to the people of musikavanhu and they bought it so it is the one I will live up to. [22:38, 5/6/2020] Shingai Gapara: Maida kuitwa Sara pavana kkkkkk [22:38, 5/6/2020] Dr Joshua Murire: Kkkk [22:40, 5/6/2020] Dr Joshua Murire: I wish to advise members that I am currently out of the constituency. I am in Harare attending to my brother who is critically ill. I hope to be back at work in the constituency by Friday. [07:45, 5/7/2020] General Batsi: While I respect your opinion Honourable but is it not good and honourable enough to do what is good for the community. Is there anything wrong with completing the clinic. Imagine the distance between Kondo clinic and Rimbi clinic. The idea of having a clinic at Mbeure is a very noble one. Aisi nyaya yembiri yekuti zvakatangwa ndiyani, the issue is about a medical facility which will help vana, vabereki harahwa nechembere munharaunda. Vanhu vofa ere veitikida mumango Dhumisai to Kondo or from Mbeure to Rimbi and leaving a near complete structure to collapse. It is ant-progress in my opinion kukorera kuita continuity of projects that benefit the community. Tinokumbirawo Honourable Murire mutidetsere kuti clinic ipere vanhu vadetsereke [08:12, 5/7/2020] Dr Joshua Murire: My friend I have a mandate to discharge and this is exactly what I am going to do not to forward mutseyami’s agenda. If the issue is about the community’ need for a clinic then that what I pursue. As to whether it was started by mutseyami let that remain a quotation in your hear and not to be shared with me for inclusion in my election agenda. I suppose you hear me loud and clear
Communique from the National Standing Committee read by MDC national vice chairperson Hon Job Sikhala
The National Standing Committee of the MDC -Alliance met in Harare and made the following resolutions:
The Standing Committee noted the perverse and insidious attempt by ZANUPF and its proxies to dismember the MDC Alliance by executing a coup against the legitimately elected leadership of the MDC Alliance under the guise of implementing the equally insidious judgement of the Supreme Court which seeks to foist ZANUPF proxies as leaders of the MDC Alliance in brazen violation of the MDC Constitution.
The MDC Alliance Parliamentary Caucus shall forthwith suspend its participation in all Parliamentary processes, programmes and activities pending the party’s consultations with its structures and a final resolution of the National Council on the way forward given the ZANUPF insidious attempted coup against the elected and legitimate leadership of the MDC Alliance.
The MDC Alliance shall forthwith disengage from all platforms in which the party has to interact with Zanu PF.
4.The Standing Committee noted that Zanu PF staged an illegal and unconstitutional coup against Robert Mugabe in November 2017 and yet another one on the 30th July 2018 against the people’s sovereign will by which the people had elected Nelson Chamisa as the President of the country.
The Standing Committee further noted the in progress attempt to stage yet another coup, this time against the leadership of the MDC Alliance duly elected at the party’s Congress in Gweru in May 2019, a Congress which has not been set aside by any Court of law.
The Standing Committee resolved to reject in toto and with utter contempt the ZANUPF and its proxies attempt to foist modern day Muzorewas as leaders of the MDC Alliance.
7.The Standing Committee maintains the truism that only the MDC Alliance has the power and authority to recall iMPs elected under its ticket.
8The Standing Committee resolved to urgently consult the structures of the party at Provincial and constituency levels through the National Executive Committee and the National Council on appropriate responses to the attempts to dismember the party by staging a coup against its elected leadership.
9.The MDC Alliance will not allow Zanu PF to hold a Congress under the name of the MDC. Zanu PF cannot write another political party’s constitution and hold a congress under its name.
10.The Standing Committee noted that Morgen Komichi, Douglas Mwonzora and Elias Mudzuri expelled themselves from the MDC Alliance by joining another party and thereby automatically expelled themselves from the party which has accordingly resolved to relieve them of their positions in the party and to withdraw them from all positions to which they had been deployed by the party.
11.The Standing Committee resolved to demand all monies due to the MDC Alliance under the Political Parties Finance Act and to take all necessary steps and measures to lain claim to its money.
12.The Covid-19 Supreme Court judgement has engendered an illegality by seeking to extend the mandates of the 2014 structures which had since expired. The terms of office of all 2014 structures expired in October 2019 and the toxic judgement illegally seeks to give a Lazarus moment by seeking to resurrect the expired mandate of the 2014 MDC-T structures.
13 The meeting took note of the COVID19 pandemic and the dislocated livelihoods of the vulnerable and the majority of Zimbabweans who are surviving in the informal sector. The illegitimate regime has provided no safety nets whatsoever to assist the despondent Zimbabweans.
They have instead destroyed the vending stalls where the majority of Zimbabweans are eking a living through informal trading
The Ministry would like to report that all the PCR tests done in and Bulawayo on the 5S of May 2020 were negative for COVID-19.
Cumulatively a total of 8 244 rapid screening tests and 7 808 PCR diagnostic tests have been done to date.
Today 564 rapid screening tests and 667 PCR tests were done.
In the public institutions all the PCR tests done today were negative for COVID-19.
Therefore to date Zimbabwe has thirty -four confirmed cases, including five recoveries and four deaths.
The Ministry continues to implement a comprehensive approach in response to COVID-19- this includes prevention and intensified survailance to ensure early case detection timely testing, isolation and appropriate case management.
Seven days have passed since the last reported PCR confirmed case.
The Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-19 pandemic and would like to remind the nation the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to practise personal hygiene and exercise social distancing.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
Cover your nose and mouth with tissue paper or flexed elbow when coughing and sneezing. ..
Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) disinter between yourself and others.
People working in the informal sector say that they are struggling to make ends meet during the lockdown period where modalities for them to begin operating again in safe environments have still not been crafted.
Government extended the lockdown, but eased some of the restrictions to allow people in formal employment to go back to work, keeping the informal sector on ice as a measures to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
In an interview with NewsDay yesterday, Cosmas Sithole, a vendor who sells roasted maize in central Harare, said life has been tough for him and his family since the lockdown came into force on March 30.
“I used to operate from the Avenues area in the evenings — targeting workers that will be returning home after a long day of work and the sales were very good. I would make around $350 on a good day after selling about 50 roasted cobs at $7 each,” Sithole said.
“This enabled me to pay rent and buy food as well as send my two children to school.” Sithole said while he made good money, his informal business depended on the availability of fresh maize. With the COVID-19 striking during the maize harvesting season, he says this will affect his trade.
Another vendor living with a disability, Marko Sibanda, who used to survive by selling snacks and cigarettes, said life will never be the same again.
“I am very vulnerable right now together with my family. I do not even know where I will get my next meal because I am grounded,” Sibanda said.
Although illegal vending is not allowed in Zimbabwe, most people in the country have turned to informal employment and the extended lockdown will subject them to abject poverty. Government promised to dish out $200 cushioning allowances to vulnerable people, but the money has not yet been disbursed six weeks into the lockdown.
A recent report by the International Monetary Fund states that Zimbabwe is only second to Bolivia in the world in terms of informal economies and is rated 62, 3% informal.
Legal think-tank Veritas said people in the informal sector were the most vulnerable during the lockdown as they no longer had means to survive.
“The informal worker is particularly the most vulnerable during the current COVID-19 shutdown period. Measures to assist informal workers are essential, and they should be thorough, implementable, practical and relevant to the people,” Veritas said in a statement.
Veritas said it was crucial for government to come up with measures pertaining to vendors as they constitute more than 60% of the economy and Zimbabwe’s economic recovery post-COVID 19 depends on them.
“The sector will be crucial to the post-COVID-19 recovery of the economy. Its workers should not be overlooked during this time.”
According to the International Labour Organisation, up to 300 million jobs are at risk worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic.
By A Correspondent- Police have recovered US$18 000 worth of crack cocaine, cutting utensils, a cutting agent and a scale from a vehicle and house of a local businessman following a tip off.
Tafungiswa Kennedy Jasi (52) of Borrowdale, appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro last Saturday charged with unlawfully dealing in dangerous drugs and was remanded in custody to May 19. Jasi is the chief executive for Pringle Haulage Company and Pringle Technical Engineering.
This came after another businessman, Elliot Kariyana (45), who is also in the trucking business, appeared in court recently after being found in possession of 18kg of mbanje with a street value of about $15 000.
The dagga was found in the boot of his car. In denying Jasi bail, Mrs Muchuchuti-Guwuriro said the amount of cocaine found in his possession was big and that would make him a flight risk.
Prosecutor Mr George Manokore opposed bail on the basis that the State had a strong case against Jasi, who was likely to go to jail for a lengthy term if convicted.
“Your Worship, the accused person was caught red-handed, thus removing the presumption of innocence,” he said.
“He is also facing a serious offence and is likely to face a prison term if convicted, hence this will induce him to abscond. “The State has overwhelming evidence against him. Also, investigations are still ongoing and more people are likely to be arrested in connection with this offence, hence if released on bail, he is likely to interfere with the investigations.”
Jasi, through his lawyer Mr Knowledge Maeresera, maintained that he was innocent until proven guilty. He further said he was not a flight risk since he was a family man with business interests in Zimbabwe. After hearing submissions from both parties, the court ruled in favour of the State.
On April 30, detectives received information that Jasi was a cocaine dealer and proceeded to Borrowdale where they mounted an ambush. They were monitoring movements at the house when Jasi came driving a Ford Ranger. The detectives stopped him and searched his vehicle and found sachets of cocaine which were stashed under the steering wheel.
They further searched his house and found more granules of crack cocaine, cutting utensils, cutting agent and a scale in Jasi’s bedroom, which they seized. Jasi was arrested and taken to CID drugs and narcotics where field tests were conducted and the substance recovered was proven to be cocaine weighing 221 grammes.
In another matter, Constantine Tsuro (29), a member of the Central Intelligence Organisation appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Richard Ramaboa yesterday charged with unnecessary movement during the Covid-19 lockdown period, unlawful possession of dangerous drugs and selling liquor without a licence.
According to the State led by Mr Terence Mashaire, Tsuro had no exemption letter and neither did he have a licence to sell alcohol from his vehicle nor authority to possess mbanje. It is alleged he was selling the dangerous drug and liquor at Budiriro 3 shopping centre.
By Jane Mlambo| The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has offered a reward to anyone who positively identifies a man sitting in a vehicle bragging and showing off packaged brand new Zimbabwe dollar notes.
In a press statement issued today, RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya said, “it is keen to interview the man to establish the circumstances under which he came into possession of the cash.”
“The bank is offering a financial reward to the first person who will provide information leading to the positive identification and location of the man in the video.”
Mangudya also encouraged the man in question to come forward and present himself to the Financial Intelligence Unit to assist with investigations.
By A Correspondent| MDC-A MPs have suspended participation in parliament, pending consultations with the electorate, with a view to their total withdrawal from the parliament.
This was announced by the party’s national vice chairperson Job Sikhala at a press briefing in Harare, Thursday morning.
Said Sikhala:
“….Zanu PF is trying to impose its own puppet leadership in the MDC that is malleable to Mnangagwa.”
Watch the live video loading below for this and more….
Said a whistle blower……
Dear Editor
Information received from intelligence sources is that Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Grand Plan to Anhilliate the MDC Alliance. They are waiting for the Thokozani Khupe’s MDCT Congress in 3 months.
After the congress they are going to form a Transitional Government and suspend elections for a longer period. So even by-elections may be suspended subject to ratification by their two thirds majority in parliament.
Participate in a ZimEye poll on the recent decision by the MDC Alliance to withdraw its legislators from parliament or Vice Chairperson Job Sikhala’s words, any processes involving Zanu PF.
Read the question below and cast your vote?
The MDC National Standing Committee has resolved that its MPs in parliament will "disengage" from parliamentary business following the recall of some of its legislators by Dr Khupe and her team. Do you think all MDC Alliance MPs should boycott parliament enmasse?
By A Correspondent- Registrar General Clemence Masango has been arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on charges of flouting tender procedures when buying five vehicles for the Central Registry and taking seven other Government vehicles to his farm for personal use.
Masango spent last night at Mabelreign Police Station pending his initial court appearance today.
Giving details of the charges, ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure said: “He faces two counts of criminal abuse of office. He is accused of procuring five vehicles without following laid down tender procedures. He also faces another count of taking seven Government vehicles, meant for the RG’s provincial offices, to do his personal errands at his farm,” said Comm Makamure. “He will appear at the Harare Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.”
Last week Masango clashed with the chief accountant in his office, Mr Peter Bwanya, who accused him of abuse of office over vehicles. But Masango denied all wrongdoing, saying Mr Bwanya was putting up a smokescreen since he is fighting disciplinary action over alleged incompetence and misbehaviour.
Mr Bwanya made a swathe of allegations, mainly involving the purchase or non-purchse of vehicles, which Masango responded to point by point, while criticising Zacc for launching an investigation before seeking an audit report on the allegations and on his office’s purchases and use of its purchasing budget.
The only one of Mr Bwanya’s allegations that now forms part of the charges against Masango is the purchase of five vehicles when 11 were approved and budgeted for.
Masango responded to that allegation by saying that when the approval and budget were given, the exchange rate was 1-1 between the RTGS dollar and the US dollar. When the foreign currency was released there was a US dollar cost. The second charge, of the misuse and personal use of seven vehicles by Masango, was not part of Mr Bwanya’s allegations and arises out of Zacc’s own investigations.-StateMedia
By A Correspondent- Former Minister of Education David Coltart has claimed that Douglas Mwonzora and Thokozani Khupe breached the Constitution and recalled four MDC Members of Parliament with the assistance of Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda.
The recalled MPs are Chalton Hwende (Kuwadzana East),Thabitha Khumalo,proportional representation of Bulawayo province,Prosper Mutseyami (Chikanga-Dangamvura) and Midlands sentor Lillian Timveous.
“On reflection l think that we are concentrating too much on Mr Mwonzora and Madam Khupe this week. They would never have been able to breach the Constitution of #Zimbabwe in the brazen way they have without the connivance of ZANU PF Speaker, and my former client, Jacob Mudenda,” said Coltart via Twitter.
Meanwhile, ZANU-PF says it has no hand in the vicious infighting within the MDC-T that culminated in the opposition party recalling four of its legislators from Parliament on Tuesday, Politburo member Obert Mpofu has said.
Addressing a media conference in Harare after a Politburo meeting at the ruling party’s headquarters yesterday, Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu said the chaos within the opposition party was a result of legal processes that were settled by the courts.
COMMUNIQUE OF THE MDC ALLIANCE NATIONAL STANDING COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY,
7TH MAY 2020
REALIZING that the Lockdown has been abused to lock down only the people and the MDC Alliance and to further ambush the people with the Supreme Court judgement and recalling of People’s MPSS.
ACKNOWLEDGING the desperate attempts by the regime to destabilize, weaken and destroy the people’s party, the MDC Alliance, a voluntary association, by seeking to impose and force it to accept puppet leaders imposed upon them by the system.
REJECTING the illegal act in parliament to illegally and unlawfully recall MDC Alliance MPs at the instruction of imposters purporting to represent that party.
FURTHER REJECTING Speaker of Parliament’s abuse of parliament to fight MDC Alliance for insisting on Emmerson Mnangagwa’s illegitimacy. This act has taken illegitimacy to parliamernt. Only an illegitimate President will preside over this kind of a circus. State institutions are being abused to destroy the opposition abusing instruments of the state. Nobody who works with the regine sgainst the people will ever succeed.
CONVINCED that what is being witnessed is a war by Mnangagwa and ZANU PF through proxies against the MDC Alliance having net forgiven the party for defeating him in the 2018 general elections. The ond game is to totally annihilate the opposition and establish a one party state.
CONCERNED that the biggest ‘crime’ that MDC Alliar and its candidates committed was to garner over 2 million votes in the last presidential elections; which is a serious threat to the system and reason for this frantic efforts to destroy or eliminate the MDC Alliance.
AWARE that:
They wanted MDC Alliance to join POLAD. They wanted MDC Alliance President to accept to be leader of Opposition in Parliament. They wanted MDC Alliance to accept the stolen election outcome. They want to tell MDC Alliance who to partner and hew oppose. They wanted MDC Alliance MPs to recognize Emmerson Mnangagwa as legitimate President of Zimbabwe after the stolen and disputed 2018 general election.
THEREFORE, in this context, the National Standing Committee of the MDC Alliance met today in Harare and made the following resolutions:
1. The Standing Committee noted the perverse and insidiesattempt by Zanu-PF and its proxies to dismember the MDC Alliance by cecuting a coup against the legitimately elected leadership of the ME Alliance under the guise of implementing the equally insidious judgenent of the Supreme Court which seeks to foist Zanu PF proxies as leaders of the MDC Alliance in brazen violation of the MDC Constitution, The Standing Committee thus resolved to reject in toto and with utter contemp Zanu PF and its proxies’ attempt to foist it’s cousins and partners as leaders of the MDC Alliance.
2. All MDC Alliance MPs will forthwith suspend all contribution in Parliament and disengage from all platforms in which the party has to interact with Zanu PF pending consultations with their constituencies, the electorate and Zimbabweans at large on the decision for a total withdrawal from parliament. The party reiterates that only the MDC Alliance has the nower to lawfully recall or redeploy its MPs elected under its ticket. one else has the mandate to do that except only the MDC Alliance.
The MDC Alliance in the meantime is engaging the NEC, National council, all party organs and the people of Zimbabwe on a robust program of action to resolve the legitimacy national question.
The MDC Alliance will roll out a programme of action togeher with civil society, professional bodies, churches, labour, be5s, war veterans, political parties, women and youth groups.
The MDC Alliance will not accept the holding of a Zanu PF organized extra-ordinary congress in the MDC. Zanu PF cannot dictate another political party’s constitution and hold a congress on its behalf and impose a puppet leadership.
The MDC Alliance has noted that Morgen Komichi, Douglas Mwonzora and the Elias Mudzuri have decided to cooperate with ZANU PF forging ter own alliance with the state. They therefore have expelled themselves from the party and are forthwith relieved of their positions and membership in the party. They are further withdrawn from all positions to which they had been deployed by the party. Replacements have been made and shall be announced in due course.
8. The party resolved to take all the necessary steps to recor all the gains of the peoples’ democratic struggle. 9. The Supreme Court judgement has engendered an illegal team seeking to extend the expired mandates of the 2014 structures which had since expired. The terms of office of all 2014 structures expired In October 2019 and the toxic judgement illegally seeks to give a Lazarus moment by seeking to resurrect the expired mandate of the MDC-T structures.
10. The National Standing Committee took note of the COVID-19 pandemic and the dislocated livelihoods of the vulnerable and the majority of Zimbabweans who are surviving in the informal sector, The illegitimate regime has provided no safety nets whatsoeve to despondent Zimbabweans. They have instead destroyed vending stalls where the majority of Zimbabweans are erking a living in informal trading.
Pursuant to our Agenda 2020 program of action, we put forwathe five fights that we, the people of Zimbabwe must pursue this yThey are as follows;
• The fight for a people’s government, reforms and return • The fight for a better life, dignity and livelihoods. • The fight against corruption. • The fight for rights, freedoms, security of persons and ru’ • The fight in defence of the constitution and constitutionalism
We now call upon the people of Zimbabwe to build a broader sensus and united front of all progressive citizens to address the national crisis. Thank you God Bless you
By A Correspondent- An investigation has been launched after a Zambian laboratory technician died in a bus accident while transporting Covid-19 samples, local media reported.
The technician, identified as Ian Mutambo, 24, reportedly used a public bus from Zambezi on Saturday and was killed when the vehicle became involved in an accident.
According to a report in the Rainbow newspaper, the bus driver lost control of the bus as he was crossing the Kabompo River, hit the side of the bridge and plunged down the river bank.
The bus was carrying 19 passengers, of whom four died and 15 sustained serious injuries.
News website Zambia Watchdog reported that Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya justified the transport of Covid-19 samples from Zambezi on a public bus, claiming there was no threat to passengers and that it was normal practice for the health ministry to transport samples on public transport.
According to the publication, Chilufya claimed that there was no threat to the passengers on the bus because the samples were packaged in a triple layer and that the cooler box containing them was isolated.
He said it was decided that Mutambo should use public transport because all the vehicles for the hospital in Zambezi were being used for referrals.
However, he did not indicate whether the samples were recovered from the accident scene.
The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) reported that investigations have been launched, following a directive by President Edgar Lungu.
The broadcaster reported that Chilufya has urged the public to avoid speculating about the incident and wait for investigations to be concluded, as speculation would risk reversing the gains scored in the fight against Covid-19.
Zambia reported 13 new cases of Covid-19 on Monday, bringing the total to 137 cases, with three deaths and 78 recoveries.-ANA
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe security nabbed 18 people who sneaked into the country from South Africa through crossing illegal entry points.The citizens are said to have committed the crime because they feared being subjected to mandatory quarantine days.
Confirming the matter Secretary for Information Nick Mangwana said, “Security in Masvingo intercepted 18 Zimbabweans who got in the country through udesignated crossing points with SA. There are 10 men, 6 women and 2 children. Social Welfare has organised a bus for them to be taken to Rupangwana Quarantine Centre in Chiredzi.”
Mnangagwa’s government recently reduced the mandatory quarantine period for possible coronavirus cases by one-half.
The government said it lacks the resources to take care of patients in isolation for the two-week period recommended by the World Health Organization.
Health Minister Obediah Moyo told journalists that Harare does not have the resources to continue following the two-week quarantine period for people entering the country.
Speaking at a news conference streamed on social media, Moyo said the Cabinet decided to reduce the quarantine period to seven days.
“And if they are found to be positive they will be sent to an isolation center. And if they are found to be negative they will be released. It decongests the facilities,” said Moyo.-StateMedia
By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance Vice National Chairperson Job Sikhala has trashed the upcoming MDC T congress as a non event adding that true democratics will not take part in a sham, Zanu Pf organised event.
Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Harare Thursday, Sikhala said:
“We will not lose sleep over the Zanu Pf organised MDC T congress which is set to take place…we have nothing to do with it and we will not participate in (Khupe, Mwonzora’s) Zanu Pf initiative…..it is their democratic right to hold the congress”, Job Sikhala
“We have drawn a line in the sand….we have been abused in parliament by Jacob Mudenda….” said the deputy national chairperson of the MDC Alliance Job Sikhala.
By A Correspondent- Secretary General of the small MDC faction led by Dr Thokozani Khupe, Douglas Mwonzora has accused MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa of undermining other opposition officials.
Mwonzora who was responding to a question on whether he has tried to engage Chamisa said:
“Yes, we did through Honourable Elias Mudzuri. He tried to set an appointment with Advocate Chamisa. He was not forthcoming and we sense that he did not have enough respect for us. Maybe he thought that we don’t matter.”
Mwonzora further accused MDC Vice Presidents Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti of undermining the rule of law and branding dissenting voices as sponsored by the ruling ZANU PF.
“But as I said before, our aim is never to divide the party, but to have a responsible leadership. If you can see; Adv Chamisa has not commented for one month. He has not commented on the Supreme Court decision and we think that he has commented via his deputy presidents and other party officials who were just dismissive.
“All they would say is that anybody speaking a different opinion was a ZANU PF agent. That’s their standard answer. Anybody who differs with them is ZANU PF and is supposed to have been bought. Sometimes they even volunteer figures. This is their trademark and its tragic. These are young people and they ought to do things in a modern way.” Mwonzora added.
History will show that this is too early for people to write off other people. Nelson Chamisa is certainly not Tsvangirai and the disputes are different. The worrying thing is that instead of listening to one another to say what exactly is the issue, people rush to say you have been bought by ZANU PF and that I am sponsored.
I can’t be sponsored by ZANU-PF. I have been a lawyer for almost 30 years and in those years I have attempted three times to write the Constitution of Zimbabwe. I failed on two occasions, but on the third occasion together with others, I succeeded. My passion is constitutionalism. It is order, it is against anarchy
ZimEye will be livestreaming a press conference by the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa over the path to be taken by the party following the recall of its legislators by Dr Thokozani Khupe and her team from parliament.
Last night, Nelson Chamisa revealed that the die had been cast and his party had come up with key resolutions to be followed by the party.
The party yesterday held a crisis meeting chaired by Chamisa following the expulsion of the MPs by Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda after Senator Douglas Mwonzora had written to him seeking their recall.
The affected legislators are; secretary-general and Kuwadzana East MP, Chalton Hwende; House of Assembly chief whip and Dangamvura/Chikanga MP, Prosper Mutseyami; party national chairperson, Tabitha Khumalo and Senate chief whip, Lilian Timveous.
Said Chamisa:
“Just been chairing a long MDC Alliance National Standing Committee Zoom meeting. We came up with key resolutions and action points to be released by the party’s deputy national chairperson Hon. Job Sikhala. Whatever the case, the die is cast! Victory and freedom to our motherland!,” Chamisa wrote on Twitter.”
By A Correspondent- A 78-year-old man and his grandson have been arrested for allegedly stealing nine head of cattle from a farm in Gwanda. Cetshwayo Nyathi, his grandson Ndumiso Nyathi (28) and Sibangilizwe Ncube (42) all from Gwanda were not asked to plead when they appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda facing a stocktheft charge.
They were remanded in custody to May 28.
Representing the State, Miss Glenda Nare who opposed bail said the accused persons were facing a serious offence and could be a flight risk. She said there was overwhelming evidence pinning the trio to the offence as Ncube was intercepted while driving the cattle and he implicated his accomplices.
Miss Nare said the old man and his grandson hatched a plan to steal cattle from Doelfontein Farm in Gwanda and they engaged Ncube’s services to drive the animals to the old man’s homestead.
“On 25 April Cetshwayo and Ndumiso hatched a plan to steal nine cattle belonging to three people from Doelfontein Farm. They went to the farm with Ncube and showed him the nine beasts which they wanted him to drive. They further took him to Silikwe area where he was supposed to deliver the cattle at Cetshwayo’s homestead,” she said.
“On 29 April Ncube drove the cattle from Doelfontein Farm and when he was in Nkashe Village while on his way to Silikwe area he was spotted by some villagers. The villagers confronted him and demanded to see a clearance letter giving him authority to be in possession of the animals. Ncube failed to produce any documents and the villagers apprehended him and led him to the police base.”
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele commended villagers from Nkashe area for being on the alert and assisting police in apprehending the suspects. He urged members of the public to work with the police to ensure culprits are brought to book.
Chief Insp Ndebele said the province recorded an increase in stocktheft cases during this time of the year as most farmers drive their cattle to grazing areas and leave then unattended.-Statemedia
By A Correspondent- Health Services Apex Council team leader Enock Dongo, who is also the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) president, said the nurses were mulling industrial action after government failed to come up with a reasonable offer at Tuesday’s meeting.
The meeting, which Health and Child Care secretary Agnes Mahomva attended, took place at the behest of the nurses.
Dongo revealed that the indaba ended in a deadlock after it emerged that Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, who heads the Cabinet taskforce on COVID-19, had directed that nurses be docked of flexible working hours and report for duty full-time.
Dongo said although a final position on the strike is yet to be taken, the nurses have been left with no choice, but to down tools if their concerns are not addressed.
“The nurses are now saying let us withdraw labour and collapse the health system altogether rather than go to work on empty stomachs and bear the risk of contracting the COVID-19, more so, because of lack of personal protective equipment,” Dongo said.
“Can you imagine a situation where all nurses contract the COVID-19 and put on 21 days isolation? What will be the situation like at our hospitals?
“Other civil servants are at home, but we are being forced to be at the frontline without solving our grievances. It is very unfair labour practice.”
Last year, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga fired hundreds of nurses after they had engaged in a strike over paltry salaries.
However, Dongo said the nurses are now prepared to go on the same path.
“The nurses are saying there is a risk of being fired for going on strike, but it is better to save their lives as well,” Dongo said.
“So the nurses are saying let us all go on strike and even if they fire us all, we will return later after issues have been solved because government will need us. We did not reach an agreement at the meeting and there was a deadlock.
“Firstly, what we were saying is that nurses need to work on flexible hours of two days a week instead of five to reduce their exposure to COVID-19 cases.
“Secondly, we were saying their salaries or remuneration is too inadequate to take them to work on all days after meeting living expenses since prices of basic goods and everything have gone up steeply and it has been rendered useless.”
“Before the COVID-19, we had declared incapacitation. It is shocking that they now want us to work all days when the situation is now even worse in terms of prices of basic commodities in shops and other costs if other basic needs.
“Our previous demands made in 2019 have not been met and nothing has changed, yet they want us to return to normal working days. That is big challenge and unrealistic.”
He said nurses were still earning measly salaries of $3 000 per month and will get a further $1 500 (US$25) as risk allowance, but Dongo said it was insignificant.
“A nurse earns about $3 000 and that money is now useless,” he said.
The nurses said they wanted United States dollars denominated salaries indexed at the interbank market rate while negotiations continue on demands of at least US$1 000 salaries.
Meanwhile, 16 811 healthcare workers will be receiving 20kg of roller meal each monthly after the Grain Millers of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) and Zina signed a memorandum of understanding last weekend.
GMAZ chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara and Dongo confirmed the development.
Musarara said GMAZ would supervise the deliveries by millers to designated public hospitals on the scheduled dates.-Newsday
At least 52 people countrywide were arrested yesterday and fined between $200 and $500 each for not wearing face masks in public.
