Bulawayo Residents jostling for a ZUPCO Bus ride back home from town. No social distancing to talk about here.
FOLLOWING the relaxation of the lockdown guidelines by Government, there was an increase of human traffic in Bulawayo yesterday.
President Mnangagwa on Friday extended the lockdown by a further 14 days but downgraded the emergency response to Covid-19 to level two which allows industry and commerce to resume operations if they comply with set health guidelines to curb the spread of the disease. The relaxation started yesterday.
Level four was the original lockdown under which only essential services were permitted to operate. Level three was reached when mining, manufacturing and tobacco sales were authorised to resume operations.
Those who had been going to work under levels four and three of the lockdown continue to report for duty as usual.
Zupco is the only public transport service provider allowed to operate during the lockdown.
In Bulawayo, yesterday long queues were observed at Zupco pick-up points at around 4pm in the CBD after businesses had closed as per the lockdown regulations which stipulate that business ends at 3pm. Security forces worked hard trying to ensure social distancing.
Buses were overwhelmed and hundreds of people were left stranded mostly at Herbert Chitepo Street. The public transporter had to call in Zupco kombis to relieve buses.
Although the kombis charge $4 compared to $2 on buses, commuters swarmed them as they were eager to go home.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Zupco southern region manager Mr Tinaye Rwasoka said that today everything will go back to normal as more kombis would be availed.
“Yesterday we received an influx of commuters after relaxation of the lockdown, which saw the opening of a number of businesses. We have since called on the Zupco kombi operators to come on board and assist the buses which are overwhelmed as they only carry a maximum of 50 passengers,” said Mr Rwasoka.
He said the commuting public should today expect an improved service and urged them to comply with preventive and safety measures when boarding the buses or kombis.
State Media|THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) will maintain tight leash on broad money supply growth, to avoid fuelling already high inflation and exchange rate volatility, after loosening screws on key interest rate benchmarks.
Last week the central bank cut the bank policy rate from 25 to 15 percent and the applicable rate on the medium term bank accommodation (MBA) facility from 15 to 10 percent to lower the domestic cost of borrowing.
The measures are designed to breathe a fresh lease of life into the economy in the face of constraints emanating from the Covid-19 pandemic, which has forced several weeks of national lockdowns across the world.
RBZ’s monetary policy committee (MPC) met on 24 April and deliberated on a number of issues including the impact of Covid-19 on the economy and the necessary policy interventions to ensure that the economy remains on a growth trajectory.
“The MPC noted the compelling need to reinforce the first round of economic policy responses to the Covid-19 pandemic,” RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya said in a statement released by the bank sometime last week.
However, no comment could be obtained from him yesterday. Estimates show that the global pandemic, which has killed over 340 000 and infected more than 3,5 million people across the globe, will plunge the global economy into a recession last seen before the World War Two.
Highly placed sources in the bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) told The Herald Finance & Business that the bank was mobilising resources from the open market for on-lending by banks; meaning there will be no money creation.
“We are mobilising the funding from the open market and giving to the bank at 10 percent. We have over $3 billion in the savings bond and we are paying 7 percent, so there is no new money creation,” the source said.
Keeping a stranglehold on money supply growth also comes as the bank will reportedly release new denominations from about mid this month.
The bank has recently been releasing $50 million physical cash per month into circulation to address shortages that have turned the notes and coins into a tradable commodity, with the total cash in circulation now at $1,4 billion.
This however, remains far below the standard levels of cash to total money supply, which can range anywhere between 10 percent and 15 percent.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube earlier this year said half a billion was going to find its way into the economy in the first half of 2020, but it would injected sparingly to keep Zimbabwe’s broad money supply — widely believed to be a major driver of inflation — in check.
Minister Ncube said the RBZ was tightening controls to maintain the leash on broad money supply, which also drives demand for foreign currency thereby pushing exchange rates up, making it a tool for inflation transmission.
Zimbabwe inflation has increased from 5,39 percent in September 2018 to 676,39 percent in March this year, have gone on a wild run since after reintroduction of local currency, from a multi-currency regime, in February last year, when the RBZ also floated the currency on the interbank market.
Dr Mangudya is on record saying the bank is this year targeting monthly inflation below 10 percent in the first quarter and cutting the annual rate to 50 percent by end of this year, barring the unforeseen impact of Covid-19.
The exchange rate has also galloped, maintaining an exponential downslide that has seen it plunge from $2,5 to the US dollar on being floated last year to a fixed US$1 to $25 in March, as part of efforts to tie down prices and enhancing pricing certainty following the Covid-19 outbreak.
Broad money supply stood at $34 billion by end of December last year, having raced past RBZ’s targeted growth margins of at most at 50 percent by October 2019.
Previously, laxity in managing broad money supply, including perennial budget overruns, and general money creation, have been blamed for fuelling or funnelling excess liquidity in the economy, which has caused rapid rise in inflation.
While all businesses in the formal sector can now reopen under strict health conditions as Zimbabwe moves into level 2 lockdown, many were unable to do so yesterday with the rapid testing of staff being the biggest single problem as private suppliers were demanding US$25 a test kit, payable only in foreign currency.
The illegal demand for foreign currency, and high prices of test kits, made it hard for many companies, already hit by cash flow problems after five weeks of lockdown, to restart. Business owners said public sector health institutions were not yet ready to handle queries from employers.
Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza yesterday conceded that testing kits were expensive and there was a shortage on the market.
“We are encouraging testing at all levels. However, we have also realised that there is a challenge in accessing those test kits. The second challenge is the cost of testing. So this morning, the people from industry, private sector and SMEs got together in a dialogue to say: ‘If we are going to test everybody across the board, how best are we going to do it”’ she said.
A second problem was in police control of traffic. While all police roadblocks were enforcing the new legal requirement for face masks even-handedly, turning away those without, some were also demanding proof that the person being stopped was in fact employed in a permitted business. Employers are ready to give suitable letters to staff, but usually the member of staff has to come to work in the first place to get the letter.
Under the revised lockdown regulations, formal businesses can reopen from 8am to 3pm so long as their staff are tested for Covid-19, wearing of facemasks at work is enforced, social distancing is observed, and all staff and customers are scanned for temperature.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police had noted more people travelling to the city centres. He urged companies to provide letters stating that particular staff members were employed in an exempted concern and warned that those without facemasks would not just be turned away but could be arrested.
The testing condition needs urgent attention.
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) chief executive officer Mr Takunda Mugaga said suppliers of test kits were seeking to profiteer.
“The test kits are very expensive and they are being charged in US dollars. Why are they charging in US dollars only? That is unacceptable and should be addressed otherwise only 25 percent of the workforce will be tested,” said Mr Mugaga.
It is illegal in Zimbabwe to insist on foreign currency payments, although during the Covid-19 emergency businesses may accept foreign currency payments, but have to quote in Zimbabwe dollars.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president Mr Henry Ruzvidzo said while some businesses did not open after struggling to interpret the lockdown developments, the health sector was also not ready to immediately handle enquiries from industrialists.
“The issue of testing has been received with mixed reactions with many not sure on the effectiveness and benefit of the rapid tests from a company perspective. The precondition for the tests is seen as a major challenge for timely resumption of business activities as indications have shown challenges in the readiness of public health institutions to conduct the tests.
“Tests at private institutions might have cost challenges as well as the limited number of institutions that have been accredited so far. Business hopes that Government will consider extending the coverage of the $18 billion stimulus fund to include the cost of testing,” said Mr Ruzvidzo.
In the Midlands, most companies opened with skeleton staff as they waited to test employees.
Bata Shoe Company managing director, Mr Simon Mutisya, said they had 150 employees so as to maintain social distance.
Thousands of people thronged Gweru city centre.
Victoria Falls recorded an increase in human and vehicular traffic in the town centre as some businesses reopened.
Most people moved around streets with face masks, mostly home-made ones.
Hwange District Medical Officer Dr Fungai Musinami-Mvura said: “We haven’t started conducting tests for companies so far because test kits are not yet there. “
Most banks were open to the public while some small shops that had been closed all along, also reopened yesterday.
Workers in some clothing shops said they spent the day at work but with doors closed as they feared to open before being tested.
Earlier, the District Medical Office had circulated messages instructing companies that wished to open, to forward their names and details of employees for testing logistics.
In Mutare, some hair salons, clothing, hardware, electrical and cellphone shops, opened. Shops in the downtown area remained closed.
Police continued to mount roadblocks on all major roads leading into the city.
Shop owners who spoke on condition of anonymity said although they had opened their doors, they had skeleton staff as they awaited Government to clarify how the testing of employees should be conducted.
In Beitbridge, more businesses are yet to open under the new lockdown guidelines but there is a high level of compliance at the shops, which have been operational in the last 30 days.
A 43-YEAR-OLD police officer has been arrested for allegedly raping his 17-year-old daughter on several occasions since she was 10-years-old.
The cop, a member of CID Gwanda who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda facing a rape charge.
He was remanded out of custody to May 29 on $1 000 bail. The police officer is alleged to have abused his daughter when her stepmother was not home.
Representing the accused person, Mr Bukhosi Ncube from Malinga and Mpofu Legal Practitioners tendered a bail consent form from the chief public prosecutor.
“Considering that this matter falls under the third schedule I sought permission from the chief public prosecutor which was granted for the court to have jurisdiction over the matter.
According to the consent the national public prosecution isn’t opposed to bail. May the accused be granted bail on the conditions started in the consent form,” he said.
Mrs Sibanda granted the accused person bail on condition that he resides at his given address and does not interfere with State witnesses.
Prosecuting, Miss Glenda Nare said the accused person allegedly started raping his 17-year-old daughter in 2012 while she was 10-years-old.
She said the accused person continued raping the complainant who will turn 18 years later this year until the matter came to light last week.
“Sometime in 2012 the complainant was asleep at home when she felt a heavy weight on top of her. She woke up and realised that it was her father. She tried to scream but he threatened to beat her up and went on to rape her,” she said.
“Sometime in 2014 while the complainant was staying with her father in Beitbridge he raped her several times while her step mother was not around and he warned her against reporting the matter.
Sometime in 2016 they relocated to Lupane where he raped her several times.”
Miss Nare said they later relocated to Gwanda where the accused person continued raping the complainant.
She said the last incident occurred on April 29 when the accused person called the complainant into his bedroom and raped her.-State media
OVER 100 people have been arrested in Bulawayo, mainly for not wearing masks in public, as medical experts said the home-made mask is safe to use in fighting Covid-19, if properly used. It is now mandatory for people to wear masks outside their homes as the country enters level two of the national lockdown.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube yesterday said 115 people were arrested in the city for disobeying level two lockdown regulations and said the majority was for non-adherence to the standing orders on wearing of masks.
“We arrested 115 people, most of them for issues to do with wearing of masks. We are enforcing a law announced by President Mnangagwa that people must be wearing masks at all times if outside of their homes. We are seeing some people displaying masks but not wearing them.
If one is in public places, the mask must be covering your nose and mouth, and it must not be hanging on your chin or just on your forehead, or in your handbag. It must be worn,” said Inspector Ncube.
“So, we are arresting all those people with masks but not wearing them, and those without. We are flexible on what people are using as masks. We just want the mouth and nose covered that is all. People can improvise and use what is available but they must be covered when not at home.”
He commended Bulawayo residents who complied with the new requirements.
“We, however, applaud Bulawayo residents because most of them who were moving about yesterday had masks on, especially in the CBD where there is usually limited social distancing,” said Inspector Ncube.
Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZIMA) secretary-general Dr Sacrifice Chirisa said if worn correctly, homemade masks were safe and people did not have to fork out money to buy surgical masks at pharmacies.-Soccer 24
HOME-made face masks yesterday sold like hot cakes with vendors plying their business closer to security checkpoints, where those not wearing masks were being turned away.
At first, police were being lenient, turning such travellers away before they started arresting them for violating the recently gazetted Statutory Instrument 99 of 2020, which criminalises failure to put on a mask.
The vendors enjoyed brisk business in the early hours of yesterday when scores of employees returned to work.
Vendors, mainly women, were jostling for clients without observing social distance regulations.
In terms of the new health regulations gazetted on Saturday, those who fail to wear masks in public face punitive action or imprisonment of up to one year.
Explaining the new requirement Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo said every time a person leaves home, he or she has to wear a mask.
He said masks could be anything that covers the nose and mouth.-State media
ZIFA have set either August or September as the months for the possible start of the domestic football season, pending authority from the Government, CAF and FIFA, in what could be a conversion, by default, to the calendar used predominantly in Europe.
CAF have also been realigning their football programme to fit into the August-May calendar, something which the Premier Soccer League here have been fighting for since Farai Jere became chairman two years ago.
Although the proposal by the top-flight league was rejected, amid concern from the lower leagues that they had not been consulted fully and the poor state of the stadia could complicate issues during the rainy season, it appears the change is now attracting growing support.
Already, the Division One clubs have said that, if the Covid-19 outbreak is contained, they will have no problems having their leagues starting in August this year.
The domestic football programme, which was supposed to start in March this year, has been paralysed by the Covid-19 outbreak which has also halted sport around the world.
The ZIFA leaders held an emergency meeting on Sunday and resolved that, should authorities give them the greenlight, local football will start either in August or September this year.
‘‘In its meeting on May 3, 2020, the ZIFA Emergency Committee also noted that other football associations were planning to resume football operations around August/September 2020 and has tentatively set this date as to when our leagues will commence should our Government announce the complete end of the lockdown any day before the envisaged dates,’’ the association said in a statement yesterday.-State media
Farai Dziva|The Zimbabwe Republic Police has warned haulage truck drivers against illegally ferrying passengers during the lockdown arguing doing so is risky in the wake of the deadly new Coronavirus.
ZRP National Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi also urged the public to adhere to stipulated regulations as level 2 of the lockdown begins.
He said : “Police and other security services we are working with are ready to ensure that lockdown measures are followed in this second leg as industry and commerce are opening.
We will serve the public to ensure that all lockdown regulations are duly followed People will travel within cities however intercity travel remains prohibited.
We remind people that for public service vehicles, only Zupco buses will be transporting the public.
We are aware that some kombis are now operating at night and we strongly warn those that are doing so that they will be arrested.
We want to also warn haulage truck drivers who are abusing their positions and pirating as public service vehicles.
They must know that they are breaking the law, and more so, are exposing themselves and the passengers they illegally carry to the risk of contracting Covid-19.”
Two Bulawayo women accused of peddling fake news on social media platform WhatsApp by sharing a false Press statement bearing President Mnangagwa’s signature announcing the extension of the lockdown period have been arrested.
The statement purportedly issued by President Mnangagwa was headlined: “Extension of lockdown period by 13 days only.”
Prisca Gumbo (44) of Mpopoma suburb and Renah Takudzwa Muhambi (20) of Hillside suburb appeared in court yesterday facing charges of publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the State as defined in section 31 (a) (i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
They were both remanded out of custody by Bulawayo magistrate Mr Shepherd Mjanja.
Gumbo was released on $1 000 bail and ordered to report once every fortnight at Western Commonage Police Station as part of the bail condition.
She was also ordered to surrender her passport and to continue residing at her given address until the matter is finalised.
Muhambi was granted $500 bail and ordered to report once every two weeks at Hillside Police Station. She was also ordered not interfere with State witnesses as well as continue residing at her given address.
In granting them bail, Mr Mjanja ruled that the State failed to proffer compelling reasons warranting their continued detention pending trial.
Through their lawyer, Mr Tinashe Runganga of Tanaka Law Chambers, the two women said they were good candidates for bail. They argued that the State failed to advance compelling grounds justifying their continued detention.
The State, which was represented by Mr Carlington Dliwayo, had opposed the bail application, arguing there was no guarantee that if released, the two accused persons would not abscond due to the gravity of the offence.
“The accused persons are wary of the fact that upon conviction, they face up to 20 years in jail hence if released on bail they are likely to abscond,” he said.
The investigating officer, Zibusiso Moyo said there was likelihood the two accused persons would interfere with witnesses. He further argued that the accused persons had the propensity to commit further crimes if granted bail.
“Releasing the accused persons on bail is tantamount to trivialising the offence and undermining the effects of Covid-19 through spreading of fake news,” he said.
Mr Dliwayo said between April 7 and 10, Gumbo and Muhambi allegedly published a false Press statement purporting to have been issued and signed by the President.
The false statement with the President’s fake signature, was extending the lockdown period by 13 days from April 20 to May 3, 2020.
“Accused persons then circulated the fake document on different WhatsApp platforms using their cellphones. Gumbo used a Samsung JS1 with an Econet line while Muhambi used a Huawei with an Econet number to forward the fake message,” said Mr Dliwayo
According to the State, President Mnangagwa did not originate or sign the said fake statement.
Spreading fake news on social media and mainstream media about coronavirus (Covid-19) has been categorised as a Level 14 offence, the highest in the country and people convicted of the crime face up to 20 years in jail.
Recently, President Mnangagwa warned peddlers of falsehoods regarding coronavirus (Covid-19) issues saying they faced a 20-year jail term if convicted.
He said this at his Precabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe, after returning from a tour of Mkoba and Senga suburbs in Gweru to assess residents’ levels of compliance to regulations of the previous 21-day lockdown.
The President dismissed as nonsensical, social media reports then claiming that he had extended the initial lockdown when no such decision had been made.
He then ordered an investigation into the origins of such messages circulating on social media. Lovemore Zvokusekwa (36) of Chitungwiza, the man who allegedly authored and circulated the fake statement was last week granted $1 000 bail coupled with stringent conditions after spending 10 days in remand prison.
The fake statement was circulated on social media platforms nearly two weeks ago when the country was still in the initial 21-day lockdown period. Chronicle/state media
MultiChoice Zimbabwe has blown up its prices up to 17%.
The company has announced price increases for its DStv packages as of June 1.
The DStv Lite package will increase from US$7 to US$8 while the Access package will increase from US$11 to US$13. Family package will increase from US$17 to US$19, Compact package from US$25 to US$29, Compact Plus from US$40 to US$45, Premium from US$65 to US$75, HD PVR Premium from US$76 to US$88, XtraView access fee from US$11 to US$13 and Indian package from US$32 to US$37.
This price adjustment comes at a time the broadcast satellite service is seemingly running out of content, evidenced by the repeats of its programming with some popular dramas being put on hold due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown.
In a statement, MultiChoice Zimbabwe said: “Effective 1 June, 2020, the prevailing 14,5 percent VAT charge in Zimbabwe will be incorporated in DStv subscriptions charges.
“Accordingly, DStv monthly subscription fees will be adjusted for the first time in four years.
They added that they value has been added as they have increased their channels and added latest movies to BoxOffice for their customer’s viewing.
“In appreciation of the tough times in Zimbabwe, the business is adding value to its customers at a time when they need it. DStv added more channels to its line-up, brought more of the latest movies to BoxOffice and acquired the best award-winning documentaries from around the globe through SuperSport.”
Meanwhile, more than 100 000 South Africans have signed an online petition demanding that DStv drops its prices as they do not have fresh content to offer as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. South Africans had their DStv prices hiked last month. -State Media/Chronicle
A 43-YEAR-OLD police detective has been arrested for allegedly raping his 17-year-old daughter on several occasions from the time she was 10 years old.
The cop, who cannot be named for ethical reasons and is a member of the Criminal Investigations Department in Gwanda, was not asked to plead when he appeared briefly before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda facing a rape charge.
He was remanded out of custody to May 29 on $1 000 bail.
Representing the accused person, Mr Bukhosi Ncube from Malinga and Mpofu Legal Practitioners tendered a consent form from the chief public prosecutor enabling him to apply for bail at the Gwanda Magistrate’s Court.
“Considering that this matter falls under the third schedule I sought permission from the chief public prosecutor which was granted for the court to have jurisdiction over the matter.
“According to the consent the national public prosecution isn’t opposed to bail. May the accused be granted bail on the conditions started in the consent form,” he said.
Mrs Sibanda granted the accused person bail on condition that he deposits $1 000 at the Gwanda Magistrate’s Court clerk of court office, that he resides at his given address and does not interfere with State witnesses.
Prosecuting, Ms Glenda Nare said the accused person allegedly started raping his 17-year-old daughter in 2012 while she was 10 years old. She said the accused person continued raping the complainant until the matter came to light in April.
“Sometime in 2012 the complainant was asleep at home when she felt a heavy weight on top of her. She woke up and realised that it was her father. She tried to scream but he threatened to beat her up and went on to rape her.
“Sometime in 2014 while the complainant was staying with her father in Beitbridge he raped her several times while her step mother was not around and he warned her against reporting the matter. Sometime in 2016 they relocated to Lupane where he raped her several times,” she said.
Miss Nare said they later relocated to Spitzkop North Suburb in Gwanda where the accused person continued raping the complainant.
She said the last incident occurred on April 29 when the accused person called the complainant into his bedroom and raped her.
Miss Nare said the complainant revealed the matter to her aunt who then reported the matter to the police. She said the complainant was taken to Gwanda Provincial Hospital for medical examination and the matter was also reported to Social Welfare Department. She said the complainant was now under the care of the Social Welfare Department. State Media/Chronicle
Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza yesterday conceded that testing kits were expensive and there was a shortage on the market.
“We are encouraging testing at all levels. However, we have also realised that there is a challenge in accessing those test kits. The second challenge is the cost of testing. So this morning, the people from industry, private sector and SMEs got together in a dialogue to say: ‘If we are going to test everybody across the board, how best are we going to do it”’ she said.
A second problem was in police control of traffic. While all police roadblocks were enforcing the new legal requirement for face masks even-handedly, turning away those without, some were also demanding proof that the person being stopped was in fact employed in a permitted business. Employers are ready to give suitable letters to staff, but usually the member of staff has to come to work in the first place to get the letter.
Under the revised lockdown regulations, formal businesses can reopen from 8am to 3pm so long as their staff are tested for Covid-19, wearing of facemasks at work is enforced, social distancing is observed, and all staff and customers are scanned for temperature.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police had noted more people travelling to the city centres. He urged companies to provide letters stating that particular staff members were employed in an exempted concern and warned that those without facemasks would not just be turned away but could be arrested.
The testing condition needs urgent attention.
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) chief executive officer Mr Takunda Mugaga said suppliers of test kits were seeking to profiteer.
“The test kits are very expensive and they are being charged in US dollars. Why are they charging in US dollars only? That is unacceptable and should be addressed otherwise only 25 percent of the workforce will be tested,” said Mr Mugaga.
It is illegal in Zimbabwe to insist on foreign currency payments, although during the Covid-19 emergency businesses may accept foreign currency payments, but have to quote in Zimbabwe dollars.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president Mr Henry Ruzvidzo said while some businesses did not open after struggling to interpret the lockdown developments, the health sector was also not ready to immediately handle enquiries from industrialists.
“The issue of testing has been received with mixed reactions with many not sure on the effectiveness and benefit of the rapid tests from a company perspective. The precondition for the tests is seen as a major challenge for timely resumption of business activities as indications have shown challenges in the readiness of public health institutions to conduct the tests.
“Tests at private institutions might have cost challenges as well as the limited number of institutions that have been accredited so far. Business hopes that Government will consider extending the coverage of the $18 billion stimulus fund to include the cost of testing,” said Mr Ruzvidzo.
In the Midlands, most companies opened with skeleton staff as they waited to test employees.
Bata Shoe Company managing director, Mr Simon Mutisya, said they had 150 employees so as to maintain social distance.
Thousands of people thronged Gweru city centre. Victoria Falls recorded an increase in human and vehicular traffic in the town centre as some businesses reopened.
Most people moved around streets with face masks, mostly home-made ones.
Hwange District Medical Officer Dr Fungai Musinami-Mvura said: “We haven’t started conducting tests for companies so far because test kits are not yet there. “
Most banks were open to the public while some small shops that had been closed all along, also reopened yesterday.
Workers in some clothing shops said they spent the day at work but with doors closed as they feared to open before being tested.
Earlier, the District Medical Office had circulated messages instructing companies that wished to open, to forward their names and details of employees for testing logistics.
In Mutare, some hair salons, clothing, hardware, electrical and cellphone shops, opened. Shops in the downtown area remained closed. Police continued to mount roadblocks on all major roads leading into the city.
Shop owners who spoke on condition of anonymity said although they had opened their doors, they had skeleton staff as they awaited Government to clarify how the testing of employees should be conducted.
In Beitbridge, more businesses are yet to open under the new lockdown guidelines but there is a high level of compliance at the shops, which have been operational in the last 30 days. -Herald/state media
Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has been accused planning to push Chiredzi villagers out of their ancestral land to create space for his sympathisers.
In a statement, the councillor for ward 18, Chiredzi West Constituency, Gilbert Mutubuki accused Mnangagwa of “pushing for the eviction of local villagers” to create space for Dendairy, a company reportedly owned by his friends.
Said Mutubuki:
“The plan to evict people from their ancestral area and grow grass for cattles will not work.
The plan by government to remove people in Chambuta,Chipinda,Velemu,Chibwedziva and Masivamele in Chikombedzi will face povo resistance.
We are not going to fold our hands and watch people being evicted from their land.
Dendairy owners are close to Mnangagwa and he is rewarding his friends with our land.”
Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has been accused planning to push Chiredzi villagers out of their ancestral land to create space for his sympathisers.
In a statement, the councillor for ward 18, Chiredzi West Constituency, Gilbert Mutubuki accused Mnangagwa of “pushing for the eviction of local villagers” to create space for Dendairy, a company reportedly owned by his friends.
Said Mutubuki:
“The plan to evict people from their ancestral area and grow grass for cattles will not work.
The plan by government to remove people in Chambuta,Chipinda,Velemu,Chibwedziva and Masivamele in Chikombedzi will face povo resistance.
We are not going to fold our hands and watch people being evicted from their land.
Dendairy owners are close to Mnangagwa and he is rewarding his friends with our land.”
Farai Dziva|Controversial Masvingo based preacher, Isaac Makomichi has sensationally declared that doctors and scientists will discover a permanent cure for the deadly Covid-19 pandemic next month.
Makomichi, who is known as the Lion of witches by his followers, says he has embarked on a six day fasting session to seek God’s wisdom in the wake of the ravaging Coronavirus scourge.Makomichi is also the president of Vulnerable Youth Support Network Trust, a Non Governmental Organisation that represents the voice of vulnerable youths in the country.
In a statement on Monday Makomichi said:
“I have embarked on a fasting programme to seek God’s grace so that doctors and scientists can discover the much awaited cure for the deadly Coronavirus.
I know God will answer my prayers as He always does.
Doctors and scientists will discover the cure for the deadly pandemic next month.”
Makomichi also distributes what he describes as the anointed love potion herb to women and girls across the country.
Farai Dziva|A Non Governmental Organisation, ICOD Zimbabwe has written a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, expressing concerns about “gross abuse of human rights by the police force.”
ZRP Cops have been accused of assaulting civilians during the lockdown.
See part of the petition written by ICOD Zim:
ACKNOWLEDGING that the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013 (Constitution) mandates Parliament of Zimbabwe to make laws, carry out executive oversight and discharge a representative role, as well as protect the Constitution and democratic governance in Zimbabwe;
COGNISANT that in the exercise of its legislative function and authority Parliament can in fact initiate, prepare, consider or reject any legislation; RECOGNISING that the State and all institutions and agencies of government at every level are accountable to Parliament; AWARE that Section 210 (Independent complaints mechanism) of the Constitution peremptorily requires:
An Act of Parliament must provide an effective and independent mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about misconduct on the part of members of the security services, and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct; MINDFUL of the following peremptory provisions of the Constitution [t]he national security of Zimbabwe must be secured in compliance with this Constitution and the law.
Section 206(2) (National Security) [i]n particular, the protection of national security must be pursued with the utmost respect for (a) the fundamental rights and freedoms and the democratic values and principles enshrined in this Constitution; and (b) the rule of law. Section 206(3) (National Security); [t]he security services are subject to the authority of this Constitution, the President and Cabinet and are subject to parliamentary oversight. Section 207(2) (Security Services); [m]embers of the security services must act in accordance with this Constitution and the law.
Section 208(1) (Conduct of members of security services); and [n]either the security services nor any of their members may, in the exercise of their functions violate the fundamental rights or freedoms of any person.
Section 208(2)(d) (Conduct of members of security services) CONCERNED that close to seven years since the adoption of the Constitution in 2013, no tangible action has been taken towards realising the constitutional imperative of an effective and independent mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about misconduct on the part of members of the security services, and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct; DISTURBED by reports of assault, corruption and other misconduct by members of the security services during the national lockdown that was announced by H.E. the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and provided for in Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020 – Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020 from 30th of March, 2020, to the 19th of April, 2020;
AWARE that although the High Court of Zimbabwe, on April 16, 2020, granted an interim order – in a case that challenged torture, inhumane and degrading conduct, disregard of human dignity and violation of the Constitution by members of the Police Service and the Zimbabwe National Army – requiring members the security services to respect human rights, dignity and fundamental freedoms when enforcing the National Lockdown regulations, such an order does not provide for the investigation of complaints against misconduct and the remedying harm caused by such misconduct.
WORRIED that the absence of an effective and independent mechanism envisaged under Section 210 deprives members of the public a constitutionally prescribed avenue for redress; MINDFUL that asking members of the public to report complaints about misconduct on the part of members of the security services and expect remedies any harm caused by such misconduct to internal mechanism provided by the security services is woefully inadequate to satisfy the dictates of Section 210 which requires an effective and independent mechanism.
NOW THEREFORE your petitioner beseeches the Parliament of Zimbabwe to exercise its constitutional role and address the following issues of public concern:
Ensure the promulgation of an Act of Parliament envisaged by Section 210 of the Constitution to provide an effective and independent mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about misconduct on the part of members of the security services, and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct; Ensure the protection of the public through Parliament’s oversight functions vis-à-vis the aforesaid mechanism; Subject the relevant mechanism to such oversight as may be provided in the relevant Act of Parliament; and Inquire, using its constitutionally provided oversight function, into reports of assault and other misconduct by members of the security services during the national lockdown.
PETITIONER’S PLEA AND PRAYER:
The petitioners beseech the Parliament of Zimbabwe to exercise its constitutional mandate to give effect to Section 210 of the Constitution and inquire into reports of assault and other misconduct by members of the security services during the national lockdown.
WHEREFORE, we pray that your Honourable House will be pleased to take this case into favourable consideration, and grant any other such relief as it may deem fit,
AND your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
Farai Dziva|A Non Governmental Organisation, ICOD Zimbabwe has written a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, expressing concerns about “gross abuse of human rights by the police force.”
ZRP Cops have been accused of assaulting civilians during the lockdown.
See part of the petition written by ICOD Zim:
ACKNOWLEDGING that the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013 (Constitution) mandates Parliament of Zimbabwe to make laws, carry out executive oversight and discharge a representative role, as well as protect the Constitution and democratic governance in Zimbabwe;
COGNISANT that in the exercise of its legislative function and authority Parliament can in fact initiate, prepare, consider or reject any legislation; RECOGNISING that the State and all institutions and agencies of government at every level are accountable to Parliament; AWARE that Section 210 (Independent complaints mechanism) of the Constitution peremptorily requires:
An Act of Parliament must provide an effective and independent mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about misconduct on the part of members of the security services, and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct; MINDFUL of the following peremptory provisions of the Constitution [t]he national security of Zimbabwe must be secured in compliance with this Constitution and the law.
Section 206(2) (National Security) [i]n particular, the protection of national security must be pursued with the utmost respect for (a) the fundamental rights and freedoms and the democratic values and principles enshrined in this Constitution; and (b) the rule of law. Section 206(3) (National Security); [t]he security services are subject to the authority of this Constitution, the President and Cabinet and are subject to parliamentary oversight. Section 207(2) (Security Services); [m]embers of the security services must act in accordance with this Constitution and the law.
Section 208(1) (Conduct of members of security services); and [n]either the security services nor any of their members may, in the exercise of their functions violate the fundamental rights or freedoms of any person.
Section 208(2)(d) (Conduct of members of security services) CONCERNED that close to seven years since the adoption of the Constitution in 2013, no tangible action has been taken towards realising the constitutional imperative of an effective and independent mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about misconduct on the part of members of the security services, and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct; DISTURBED by reports of assault, corruption and other misconduct by members of the security services during the national lockdown that was announced by H.E. the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and provided for in Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020 – Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020 from 30th of March, 2020, to the 19th of April, 2020;
AWARE that although the High Court of Zimbabwe, on April 16, 2020, granted an interim order – in a case that challenged torture, inhumane and degrading conduct, disregard of human dignity and violation of the Constitution by members of the Police Service and the Zimbabwe National Army – requiring members the security services to respect human rights, dignity and fundamental freedoms when enforcing the National Lockdown regulations, such an order does not provide for the investigation of complaints against misconduct and the remedying harm caused by such misconduct.
WORRIED that the absence of an effective and independent mechanism envisaged under Section 210 deprives members of the public a constitutionally prescribed avenue for redress; MINDFUL that asking members of the public to report complaints about misconduct on the part of members of the security services and expect remedies any harm caused by such misconduct to internal mechanism provided by the security services is woefully inadequate to satisfy the dictates of Section 210 which requires an effective and independent mechanism.
NOW THEREFORE your petitioner beseeches the Parliament of Zimbabwe to exercise its constitutional role and address the following issues of public concern:
Ensure the promulgation of an Act of Parliament envisaged by Section 210 of the Constitution to provide an effective and independent mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about misconduct on the part of members of the security services, and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct; Ensure the protection of the public through Parliament’s oversight functions vis-à-vis the aforesaid mechanism; Subject the relevant mechanism to such oversight as may be provided in the relevant Act of Parliament; and Inquire, using its constitutionally provided oversight function, into reports of assault and other misconduct by members of the security services during the national lockdown.
PETITIONER’S PLEA AND PRAYER:
The petitioners beseech the Parliament of Zimbabwe to exercise its constitutional mandate to give effect to Section 210 of the Constitution and inquire into reports of assault and other misconduct by members of the security services during the national lockdown.
WHEREFORE, we pray that your Honourable House will be pleased to take this case into favourable consideration, and grant any other such relief as it may deem fit,
AND your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
By A Correspondent- Born Felistas Murata, the comedienne who is currently holed up in the UK due to the Covid-19 pandemic penned a song ‘Let him go’ featuring Kazz Khalif and its lyrics are believed to be after her separation with Zizoe.
Socialite and gospel musician Mai Titi has collaborated with an international musician and recorded a song titled Let Him Go during the national lockdown in the United Kingdom.
Mai Titi confirmed penning an emotional song accusing Zizoe of wasting her time saying God is taking her far. “Let him go song is a direct response to Zizoe who seduced me with a hidden intention to market his songs while wasting my time,” said Mai Titi.
“I am moving on with my life and besides marriage, God blessed me with gifts that cannot be stolen by anyone and singing gives me hope and strength.
“God opened a door for me to meet international musician like Kazz and the song is now trending in England that I see myself reaching far by forgetting the past,” said Mai Titi.
She said England is taking serious health precautionary measures to curb the spreading of Covid-19 and that will take her more days before she returned to Zimbabwe.
“I am only returning when the quarantine is over because I do not want to risk my life and that of my children,” said Mai Titi.
By A Correspondent- A senior nurse at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) was last week rushed to the theatre after a nasal swab used to collect a COVID-19 sample reportedly broke inside her nose.
A local publication was told that the nurse, who is a Sister-In-Charge was reportedly operated on and the swab was removed. The publication quoted its source as having said:
The sister in charge was operated on and was kept in the ICU for monitoring.
The clinical test sample is called a Nasopharyngeal swab and is inserted through the nose to collect nasal secretions from the back of the nose and throat.
This diagnostic method is commonly used in the testing of suspected cases such as the coronavirus.
Zimbabwe has done a total of 11 647 screening and diagnostic tests done to date, with 34 confirmed cases including 5 recoveries and 4 deaths.-CITE
By A Correspondent- Government has instituted a forensic audit into allegations against Registrar General, Mr Clemence Masango that he might have unprocedurally procured vehicles for Central Registry’s office.
Auditor General, Ms Mildred Chiri has been roped in to investigate the case which was raised by the Department’s Chief Accountant, Mr Peter Bwanya in a development that saw the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission moving in and impounding two vehicles for the Central Registry a fortnight ago.
Mr Bwanya wrote a letter to Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Permanent Secretary, Mr Aaron Nhepera alleging that only six vehicles, Isuzu KB250 single cab were delivered against eleven that the Department had procured.
By A Correspondent- Chitungiwza Municipality employees have not received full salaries for the past 4 years amid reports that top management is splashing vast sums of money in unnecessary trips and workshops.
This was revealed by the Council’s Workers Union president Reverend Ephraim Katsina who spoke to the publication and said:
We are in between 45 to 50 months’ salary arrears depending on grade. Health workers are owed millions in professional and retention allowances.
Sewerage and water workers are owed Zinwa allowances and former employees are owed more than $3 million in salary arrears. Grades 1 to 3, which is management, have less salary backlogs of between four to 12 months.
According to the publication, some workers are still owed allowances as far back as 2008, and those who are owed by the council are the least paid staffers. The salaries and allowance backlog was confirmed by the city ‘s acting town clerk Dr Tonderai Kasu who according to the publication said;
From January, management approved a salary increase for ordinary employees of 608 percent, while managers were yet to get a salary hike in the last two years.
Health workers had been paid allowances for working during the first cholera outbreak, while they were trying to address the arrears for the second outbreak.-StateMedia
Two Bulawayo residents were arraigned before the courts, Monday, on allegations of sharing a fake press statement purportedly issued by President Emmerson Mnangagwa extending the lockdown to May 3.
Prisca Gumbo (44) of Mpopoma suburb and Renah Takudzwa Muhambi (21) allegedly forwarded the statement via their WhatsApp platforms to several contacts on their mobile phones.
Gumbo and Muhambi who appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Shepherd Munjanja, were charged with “publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the State.”
The pair, both represented by Tinashe Runganga of Tanaka Law Chambers, were remanded to May 18.
Gumbo was freed on ZWL$1000 while Muhambi was ordered to pay ZWL$500.
State allegations, as presented by Carlington Dhliwayo, are that on April 7, Gumbo communicated a false press document purported to be issued and signed by Mnangagwa which was headlined “Extension of lockdown by 13 days only.”
Dhliwayo said Muhambi circulated the same statement on April 10 citing that the lockdown period would be extended from April 20 to May 3.
“The two, on separate occasions, disseminated the false document which was neither made nor signed by Mnangagwa through WhatsApp using their mobile phones,” said Dhliwayo.
“The police recovered Gumbo and Muhambi’s phones, with Econet lines together with the forwarded messages. There are also witnesses who received the document from both accused persons.”
The two are not the first people to be arrested over circulating the same statement.
Lovemore Zvokusekwa (36) of Chitungwiza appeared before a Harare Magistrates Courts on April 20 charged with fabricating and circulating the same statement.
Zvokusekwa was denied bail at the lower court but was granted one for ZWL$1 000 by High Court Judge Justice Jacob Manzunzu after spending 10 days in remand prison.
THE rumbling sound of a goods train crossing the border from South Africa distinctly pierces the night across the small shipping town of Beitbridge slightly after 10pm.
In the absence of the usual loud music blurring from drinking holes in the border town, the clattering sound of the train’s iron wheels riding the rail line expansion joints is audible up to some 3 kilometres away in the still night.
As the train driver blows his horn signalling arrival at Beitbridge Station, the hooter sparks discussion the way a fresh song put on the decks by a disc jockey would in a bar.
Without music to talk about, imbibers dwell on the train subject as they sip deep into the night.
Across the road from the men at the street end, some ladies and their partners have been making short errands to buy beer from the source, a house in the row where three other house owners run the illegal beer outlets.
With licenced premises closed under the lockdown, Beitbridge shebeens have helped fill the gap left by beer outlets, nightclubs and bottle stores, though illegally.
It has been 33 days since the government in response against the spread of Covid-19 ordered the closure of beer outlets throughout the country spelling death to Zimbabwe’s night life.
The officer commanding Beitbridge police district Chief Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo said compliance by beer outlets had been impressive and the border town was orderly.
“At the beginning of the lockdown we arrested a number of shebeen operators and confiscated beer from unlicensed dealers. “We discourage crowding associated with beer outlets,” he said.
Supermarkets because they offered take aways, were allowed to operate.
“We have reports that rural outlets maybe opening, but we will go on an outreach for compliance with relevant statutes related to Covid-19,” he said.
He did not have figures of those arrested, but said they were more than five.
A survey by Standard Style, however, showed that shebeens had picked up pace taking advantage of a vacuum created by the closure of licenced outlets.
The shebeen operators are either fed from closed bottle stores or enterprising money changers who saw the gap.
They deal in mostly quarts and locally brewed beverages.
A source at Delta Beverages in Beitbridge said sales had actually picked up.
“We have others who buy for export taking advantage of beer scarcity in South Africa. They know how to export,” said the source.
During the day, Beitbridge residents drive out of town to remote bottle stores in rural areas to drink away from the eyes of the police and military.
Gone are the scantily dressed and usually attractive ladies of the night, who stampeded against each other in the beer outlets where customer bases are high.
Some of these ladies were permanently booked in lodges and hotels of Beitbridge as demand for their services soared.
They have left Beitbridge.
A bottle store owner said she had put her workers on unpaid leave.
Unlike South Africa, which has totally banned liquor sales, some beer outlets in the country have been allowed to trade.
Supermarkets, which by their nature sell to people who do not stay or sit in, have enjoyed business even in Beitbridge.
They are in no competition except with shebeens, which in the past had superior patronage due to their stocks of imported beer that are now a scarce commodity.
“We negotiate with the police. By nature they also want drinks and we sell them at good prices,” said one shebeen owner in Beitbridge.
Police have in many cases raided shebeens in the border town where some beer has been confiscated.
Vice-President Kembo Mohadi on Friday said it was difficult to follow up local coronavirus infections and considering the large numbers, who frequented err outlets any single case would multiply and be difficult to pursue.
“Many people go into bars and if there is any infected person, it will be difficult to trace the people, who will have gone into contact with them,” Mohadi said during a tour to asses the preparedness of Beitbridge, expected to receive thousands of returning residents from neighbouring South Africa.
Renah Takudzwa Muhambi the young sister of controversial ZANU PF leader Davis Muhambi has been arraigned before the Bulawayo Magistrate court for spreading falsehoods about President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
According to reports by online publication CITE the 21-year-old Muhambi and one Prisca Gumbo of Mpopoma suburb and Renah allegedly sharing a fake press statement purportedly issued by President Emmerson Mnangagwa extending the lockdown to May 3. The pair is said to have forwarded a statement via their WhatsApp platforms to several contacts on their mobile phones.
They are charged for publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state, as defined by the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
The two accused persons who were represented by Tinashe Runganga of Tanaka Law Chambers were sentenced to May 18 by Magistrate Shepherd Munjanja.
Gumbo was freed on ZWL$1000 while Muhambi was ordered to pay ZWL$500.
Muhambi’s brother Davis is no stranger to controversy. Last year he was arraigned at West Commonage magistrates’ courts accused of pointing a firearm at a motorist and was charged under the Firearms Act.
Muhambi was reported to have pulled a pistol during a road rage incident following a minor accident at a traffic light controlled intersection in Nguboyenja suburb.
Lawyer and MDC Alliance vice-president Tendai Biti said he was looking at SI99 of 2020 with a view to challenging discriminatory measures put in place by Mnangagwa’s government, allowing Zupco buses and formal businesses to operate, while systematically closing out commuter omnibuses and the informal sector.
MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa said the lockdown’s new rules allowing the formal sector, which only constitutes around 10% of the economy to operate, while exposing the majority in the informal sector to vagaries of the lockdown, violated the Constitution.
“There are issues to do with taxes, there are issues to do with the informal traders, who are basically the bulk of our society. You can’t just say we will continue with the lockdown where informal traders are not trading. You are paying a blind eye and a deaf ear to their concerns of livelihoods. Livelihoods are very important, you know you can’t just cage an animal and not give it food and oxygen, unless if you either want to suffocate it out of cruelty, suffocate people, but you have to give mechanisms of survival for the informal traders and the workers, even for the unemployed,” Chamisa said.
Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association president Tawanda Zvakada said the cushioning allowance government wanted to give informal traders and other vulnerable groups was not enough.
“We commend the government for their efforts, however, the funds which they announced are a small gesture. It is not enough to cater for the people for a long time. They also need to start thinking of their long-term plans as to what the informal sector is going to live on after the lockdown,” Zvakada said yesterday.
Tanzania's top scientist Nyambura Moremi sent home after Magufuli's complain on coronavirus results
Tanzania’s Minister of Health Ummy Mwalimu on Monday afternoon sent home a group of scientists following a complain by President John Magufuli that the country’s experts were faking coronavirus results.
The Director of the National Health Lab in Tanzania, Dr Nyambura Moremi was suspended alongside the institution’s Quality Assurance Director Jacob Lusekelo.
The two were suspended pending an investigation will look into the claims made by President Magufuli.
Dr Nyambura holds a PhD in medical microbiology from the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg in Germany.
A committee constituted by the country’s health minister includes lead scientists in Tanzanian universities.
On Sunday, Magufuli made sensational claims that the country’s scientists may have been compromised and were releasing fake positive results on behalf of unidentified “white colonialists”.
The Tanzanian President claimed that he had personally sent samples collected from a bird, a pawpaw, and a goat which came out positive.
The last batch of results was released on Friday and showed Tanzania had 480 confirmed cases.
Magufuli has since ordered his ministers to stop release of positive results, downplaying the effect of the deadly virus.
Zimbabwe is yet to meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) conditions for the lifting of the Covid-19 lockdown, a government official has said.
In a media brief, Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the situation on the ground does not permit the lifting of the lockdown.
“As the total lockdown, Level 4, came to an end, the obtaining situation on the ground showed that Zimbabwe was yet to meet the conditions for lifting the lockdown that had been announced by the World Health Organisation (WHO),” said Mutsvangwa
She said among the conditions was the need to have systems that tests and treat Covid-19.
“Key among these conditions was the need to have in place health systems that are capable to test, isolate, treat and trace every contact. However, as considerable work had been undertaken, the lockdown was eased to level 3 where Government allowed the mining sector to resume or scale up operations,” she said.
On the easing of lockdown regulations to level 2 which has opened the door for industry and commerce to resume operations, Mutsvangwa said they will have to meet laid down regulations contained in the Statutory Instrument 99 of 2020.
“First and foremost, those who are now allowed to resume operations are businesses in the formal commercial and industrial sector. What is recognized as formal are businesses that hold a shop license or other license from a local authority and operate the business in question from a specified premise.”
On Saturday, President Mnangagwa announced the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown to level 2 where only Industry and Commerce is allowed to operate.
According to WHO, nations can lift lockdowns only when they have met six conditions that is; disease transmission is under control, health systems are able to “detect, test, isolate and treat every case and trace every contact”, hot spot risks are minimized in vulnerable places, such as nursing homes, chools, workplaces and other essential places have established preventive measures, the risk of importing new cases “can be managed” as well as communities are fully educated, engaged and empowered to live under a new normal.
Kazungula Bridge is a road and rail bridge under construction over the Zambezi river between the countries of Zambia and Botswana at Kazungula.
In August 2007 the governments of Zambia and Botswana announced a deal to construct a bridge to replace the existing ferry.
Construction of the US$259.3 million project, which includes international border facilities in Zambia and Botswana officially began on 12 October 2014 and was due to be completed by 2021.
The bridge is being financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the African Development Bank.
The 923-metre-long (3,028 ft) by 18.5-metre-wide (61 ft) bridge will have a longest span of 129 metres (423 ft) and link the town of Kazungula in Zambia with Botswana and is curved to avoid the nearby borders of Zimbabwe and Namibia.
The bridge will feature a single-line railway track between two traffic lanes and pavements for pedestrians.
Upon its completion, the bridge will be connected to the Mosetse-Kazungula railway. to replace the existing ferry.
Recently, The Governments of the Republic of Botswana and Zambia through the Kazungula Bridge Project Office (KBPO) have hereby invites Individual Consultants to indicate their Interest in the following assignments: Consultancy Services for the Design and Development of Training Materials/Modules in Trade Facilitation & Border Management and Delivery of the Training of Trainers Programme.
Mnangagwa Has Truly Signed A Military Contract To Protect Mozambique's Nyusi After The Fake Polling Stations Filmed By Masvingo Mirror In Oct | NYUSI ACHAKWIDZA / or KU NYUDZA vaMNANGAGWA?
By A Correspondent- Deputy Government Spokesperson Dr Energy Mutodi has thrown a jibe at Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli for his lackadaisical approach in dealing with the deadly Coronavirus.
Magufuli recently called on citizens to turn to God and to keep the economy turning. While countries across Africa have imposed curfews, partial and full lockdowns, Tanzania has resisted such measures. Schools and universities have been shut but markets, bus stops and shops bustle as usual.
Said Mutodi,
“HE John Pombe Magafuli’s Tanzania now has 630 COVID-19 cases with prayers but without a lockdown while His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe only got 31 cases with a lockdown & masks. An insight into how managers can be game changers.”
According to online reports, in just a month, Tanzania went from having only 20 coronavirus cases recorded to 480 cases, an alarming increase which puts the country with the highest number of cases in East Africa.
Deputy Minister, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Lovemore Matuke,
CITE|COVID-19 patient in Bulawayo who is on isolation at Elangeni Training Centre slept on an empty stomach on Sunday evening as his meals that were supposed to be delivered from the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) did not make their way to the institution, CITE can reveal.
As a result, the patient whose last meal was lunch Sunday afternoon allegedly missed out on dinner and Monday morning breakfast.
A drive from UBH to Elangeni Training Centre takes less than 20 minutes.
The 27-year-old patient is Case 34 who was moved to the isolation centre in Khumalo suburb on Sunday by the Rapid Response Team.
The centre was identified by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, to accommodate those patients who cannot self-isolate at home.
Since the patient stayed in a high rise apartment in Bulawayo’s Central Business District, he was not eligible for self-isolation at home as he shared living space with other residents at the flat.
Concerned friends and relatives discovered that the patient did not eat when they checked up on him since he is reportedly the only patient at the centre.
In an interview with CITE, health officials who spoke on condition of anonymity admitted that a logistical error took place during delivery of the food.
“His meals were prepared at UBH and supposedly taken to Elangeni Training Centre but somehow it seems the food was lost during delivery. We think there was a logistical mishap and for some reason, the patient didn’t receive their food,” said one of the sources.
“The patient did not eat but the food has since been delivered. He has received his breakfast.”
Contacted for a comment, Acting Bulawayo Provincial Medical Director, Dr Welcome Mlilo, said the patient’s meals were being provided for.
“The meals are being provided by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in conjunction with the Department of Social Welfare,” he said.
Deputy Minister, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Lovemore Matuke, told CITE that if a patient was admitted at a hospital they became the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
“When someone is hospitalised, the ministry of health must provide food. If the ministry has no adequate resources to finance the provision of food, then the department of Social Welfare will come in to assist,” he said.
Matuke said once his ministry has a full appreciation of the matter, they would step in to assist the host ministry, that is if there were challenges to cater for the patients.
“I’m now looking for details but since you have asked I will task my directors to go check and ask Elangeni Training centre if there is anything we can do,” he said.
Bulawayo has 12 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with one death.
Nationally, the country has 34 confirmed cases including five recoveries and four deaths.
By A Correspondent- A 47 year old police detective based in Gwanda has been arrested for allegedly raping his 17-year-old daughter on several occasions since she was 10-years-old.
The accused was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Nomagugu Sibanda facing a rape charge.
He was remanded out of custody to May 29 on $1 000 bail.
Prosecutor Glenda Nare told the court that the accused person allegedly started raping his 17-year-old daughter in 2012 while she was 10-years-old.
Said Nare:
Sometime in 2012, the complainant was asleep at home when she felt a heavy weight on top of her. She woke up and realised that it was her father. She tried to scream but he threatened to beat her up and went on to rape her.
Sometime in 2014 while the complainant was staying with her father in Beitbridge he raped her several times while her stepmother was not around and he warned her against reporting the matter. Sometime in 2016, they relocated to Lupane where he raped her several times.
The accused and his daughter later relocated to Gwanda where the abuse continued until April 29.
The complainant revealed the matter to her aunt who then reported the matter to the police.-statemedia
It appears the Zimbabwean government has yet again reduced the number of Coronavirus infected people in the country from 34 to 31.
The new figure was highlighted by Deputy Information Minister Energy Mutodi in a Twitter post on Monday.
Mocking Tanzanian President John Magafuli for his different approach to the control of the pandemic, Mutodi said Zimbabwe only has 31 cases while Health Ministry had earlier in the day maintained 34.
Zimbabwe has twice reviewed downwards its Coronavirus statistics. Two weeks ago the country brought down its count by one person claiming that the patient had been counted twice. Last week the Ministry of Health and Child Care further confused the world cutting down the number of cases in the country from 40 to 34 after claiming that six cases were incorrectly diagnosed.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa first hinted the reduction from 40 to 34, hours before the Health Ministry proclaimed the figures and Mutodi’s assertion may also just be another precursor of what government will announce.
MultiChoice Zimbabwe has announced price increases for its DStv packages as of June 1.
The South African based Pay TV facility has been keeping several Zimbabwean families entertained during the Coronavirus Lockdown and the increase is likely to affect a number of families.
The company said in a statement:
Effective 1 June 2020, the prevailing 14,5 per cent VAT charge in Zimbabwe will be incorporated in DStv subscriptions charges.
Accordingly, DStv monthly subscription fees will be adjusted a follows:
The DStv Lite package will increase from US$7 to US$8 while the Access package will increase from US$11 to US$13. Family package will increase from US$17 to US$19, Compact package from US$25 to US$29, Compact Plus from US$40 to US$45, Premium from US$65 to US$75, HD PVR Premium from US$76 to US$88, XtraView access fee from US$11 to US$13 and Indian package from US$32 to US$37.
Deputy Minister for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Energy Mutodi has mocked Tanzania’s president, John Magufuli for encouraging prayer to deal with coronavirus.
Tanzania is one of the few countries in the world that have not imposed a hard lockdown to arrest the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus which causes the COVID-19 disease.
In a tweet this Monday, Mutodi said Tanzania now has 630 COVID-19 cases while Zimbabwe has 31, proof that Zimbabwe’s strategy is working better than Tanzania’s.
Mnangagwa Has Truly Signed A Military Contract To Protect Mozambique's Nyusi After The Fake Polling Stations Filmed By Masvingo Mirror In Oct | NYUSI ACHAKWIDZA / or KU NYUDZA vaMNANGAGWA?
Government has instituted a forensic audit into allegations against Registrar General, Mr Clemence Masango that he might have unprocedurally procured vehicles for Central Registry’s office.
Auditor General, Ms Mildred Chiri has been roped in to investigate the case which was raised by the Department’s Chief Accountant, Mr Peter Bwanya in a development that saw the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission moving in and impounding two vehicles for the Central Registry a fortnight ago.
Mr Bwanya wrote a letter to Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Permanent Secretary, Mr Aaron Nhepera alleging that only six vehicles, Isuzu KB250 single cab were delivered against eleven that the Department had procured.
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman was admitted to hospital with a heart problem on Sunday.
The news has been confirmed by his wife Bartina and agent Rob Jansen who told Dutch national broadcaster NOS.
The 57-year-old was taken to hospital in Amsterdam after falling ill at his home. He is now in a stable condition and expected to be released from hospital on Monday.
The Dutch football association, the KNVB, also issued a statement which reads:
“Ronald Koeman was hospitalised on Sunday evening after chest complaints.
The 57-year-old national team coach of the Dutch national team has undergone a successful cardiac catheterisation and will return home tomorrow (Monday). We wish Ronald a lot of strength and improvement.”-Soccer 24
Mohamed Salah has laughed off Sky Sport’s suggestion that the forward’s services are no longer deemed essential at Liverpool.
The Egyptian posted three laughing emojis in response to a question from Sky on Instagram on whether the Reds should sell him or not.
The post had the caption: “Mohamed Salah, keep or sell? We look at why the Egyptian’s changing role means Liverpool might need to look for a new forward.”
Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas Issa also posted a series of tweets on Saturday night appearing to be in response to Sky’s post also.
Abbas tweeted: “In 2018/2019 M. Salah was the team’s top scorer in both the Premier League, and the Champions League.
“This season M. Salah is the team’s top scorer in both the Premier League, and the Champions League.
“Since joining Liverpool FC in 2017, M. Salah has missed out on zero Golden Boots….and he’s not a CF.”
The Egypt star has won the English Premier League’s Golden Boot in back-to-back seasons, sharing the honour last term with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sadio Mane.
He has scored 91 goals in 144 appearances for Liverpool since joining the club from Roma in 2017.-Soccer 24
I find it very much disturbing as a concerned citizen of the Republic.
How do you value your personal interest over the health of Zimbabweans.
In the year 2018 you managed to distribute Zanu PF t-shirts, and zambias so that you could be voted into power.
Now we are faced with the Covid 19 pademic, you fail to distribute mask but you enforce the law for poor zimbabweans to be arrested if they dont have mask, paying a fine of ZWL500.00.
I vividly remember you as the minister of Justice. Is this justice that you and your government are doing. Justice delayed is justice denied. We need justice. Distribute the mask.
Citizens should not be arrested for not having a mask, because you and your government have failed to give the poor ordinary Zimbabwean a mask.
Should we be paying $500,00 fine, because we dont have mask? Where do we buy them since we are not allowed to go to the shops that sale them.
Mr President this is no ones fault. But it is in our hands. You and your government cannot fight this convid 19 alone. Together we can.
We need right policies to fight this convid 19. Arresting and making citizens pay fine, will not fight convid19. Lets donate and seek for mask from the clothing industry.
Warriors and SuperSport United winger Kudakwashe Mahachi has extended his hand to help the elderly in the Bulawayo high density surburbs of Mzilikazi and Makokoba.
The former Chicken Inn man, who is from the City of Queens himself, donated food packs to elderly in the two suburbs courtesy of his foundation The Mahachi Foundation.
Mahachi’s charity organization runs under the theme, ‘Dedicated in helping the elderly and less privileged in our community.’
Zimbabwe has been under lockdown since March 30 due to the coronavirus crisis and food has evidently become a scarcity to some people.-Soccer 24
Farai Dziva|Controversial Masvingo based preacher, Isaac Makomichi has sensationally declared that doctors and scientists will discover a permanent cure for the deadly Covid-19 pandemic next month.
Makomichi, who is known as the Lion of witches by his followers, says he has embarked on a six day fasting session to seek God’s wisdom in the wake of the ravaging Coronavirus scourge.Makomichi is also the president of Vulnerable Youth Support Network Trust, a Non Governmental Organisation that represents the voice of vulnerable youths in the country.
In a statement on Monday Makomichi said:
“I have embarked on a fasting programme to seek God’s grace so that doctors and scientists can discover the much awaited cure for the deadly Coronavirus.
I know God will answer my prayers as He always does.
Doctors and scientists will discover the cure for the deadly pandemic next month.”
Makomichi also distributes what he describes as the anointed love potion herb to women and girls across the country.
Farai Dziva|Former Dynamos player, Eddie Mashiri says the national lockdown has affected his new job, leaving him struggling financially.
The 36-year old is now a coach at a local private school after securing the job in March.
In an interview with the Daily News on Sunday, Mashiri revealed he was not receiving his pay while on lockdown.
“You know how it’s when you work on a contract basis, you are not a permanent employee, your earnings are decided by the amount of time you spend at work.
“When the lockdown came into effect we were just a week old into our contracts I don’t want to lie to you, it has been difficult because we were looking forward to starting getting some inflow, but all that came to a crashing standstill.”
The retired star added the birth of his son last month made the situation worse as his wife, Tendai, and their new child are still trapped in South Africa.
The couple chose South Africa for the birth of their baby after they failed to raise US$ 2,500 needed for delivery in Zimbabwe.
“We settled for South Africa through the help of a good friend of mine who is resident that side. That is where my wife is as we speak.
“And my way wife ended up having an emergency operation after some complications but she managed to deliver our fourth child though it was not easy,” Mashiri added.
Government has encouraged companies to buy rapid tests kits and arrange with designated testing facilities for their employees to be tested for Covid-19.
Last Friday, President Mnangagwa extended the national lockdown by a further two weeks, but directed some sectors to start operating.
In a statement, Health and Child Care Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr Agnes Mahomva said the country remains with 34 positive Covid-19 cases including five recoveries and four deaths.
She said Covid-19 testing for workers is mandatory.
“As announced by His Excellency, the President Cde E.D Mnangagwa the reopening of the industry and commerce during the lockdown extension effective 4 May 2020, is premised on the mandatory testing of employers and employees. The Ministry has put in place the following plan to ensure immediate implementation of this policy; Designated public health facilities that conduct routine screening and medical examination for workers will now also conduct Covid-19 rapid testing,” she said.
“To expedite the testing process, companies are encouraged to procure the rapid tests kits for themselves, guided by the Ministry in terms of test kits specification, employers must arrange with the designated testing facilities (public and private) for their employees to be tested at the agreed time at the facility or at the workplace.”
Dr Mahomva said companies should ensure that they have adequate social distancing space and facilities for infection prevention and control.
Economic Freedom Fighters Zimbabwe celebrates World Press Freedom Day, a day in which the media raises awareness regarding the importance of the press.
This year’s theme “Journalism without fear and favour” reminds the world of the importance of freedom of the press. EFF Zimbabwe, however, believes that press freedom is yet to be attained in Zimbabwe and continentally.
The Zimbabwean government has an obligation to protect the rights and freedoms of the press yet press continues to be victimized simply for daring to report the truth.
Privately owned media does not report freely as it is constantly under attack, harassed and accused of being western projects by the country’s partisan security sectors.
We recognize the fearless journalists who toil every day often at great risk to their lives.
Freedom of expression has been under attack through criminal violence and impunity.
EFF Zimbabwe is of the view that for society to be stable and successful Zimbabwean citizens and Africans, in particular, should be afforded an opportunity to access information freely in order to be able to hold their governments to account.
In undertaking, it is the hope of EFF Zimbabwe that the media continues to play an important role in monitoring the society and government.
The government must introduce new media tools that will help empower citizens to exercise their freedoms of speech and association for the betterment of the country.
Today we acknowledge the active role that journalists partake in strengthening representative governance around the continent and the world and we say kudos to the unflinching, unshrinking spirited journos who have given their lives in fearless pursuit of the truth.
How can we push for a better Zimbabwe and link to Global development?
We need an understanding of state building which is creating and strengthening our institutions which are necessary to support a long term economic, social, and political development. We must never take these institutions for granted because in Zimbabwe they are weak and otherwise absent.
Development is simply not taking place in Zimbabwe because our state institutions such as the Legislature, Judicial System, Police and military forces and executive agencies such as Treasury, Education etc are precariously weak or have failed. Zimbabwe especially after the fall of Mugabe has failed to build a working government, protect basic human rights, and escape from profound poverty and political unrest.
The Zimbabwe government is on the brink of failure having failed to provide its basic function of ensuring security and maintain control over terrorists groups such as Mashurugwi and abductions of citizens. These groups are taking advantage of the regime’s inability to control the rule of law in order to justify its mount of brutal, violent, hostile and illicit acts on unarmed citizens.
The regime has failed to provide the basic needs of its people, providing education, health care, and an environment conducive to economic growth. The regime has also failed to foster its legitimacy by protecting basic rights and freedoms and enabling citizen participation in the political process.
This has allowed and created a violent political opposition and violent activism, increasing opportunities for corruption.
Now it is our local ordinary citizens who are suffering most due to this regime’s failure to meet basic needs and this is leading us to circumstances that test our moral and humanitarian resolve. China and its illicit networks is targeting Zimbabwe because of our weakness, and minimal law enforcement.
The challenge we face as a nation is the spillover effects of the collapse of this regime which can spawns a wider regional conflict and can also spark civil war in our country. This can also further hinder the prospects of Zimbabwe economic prosperity through reduced trade and economic growth.
The only solution to seize opportunities for economic stability, development and growth is to push this regime for engagement and reform to ensure a stable and peaceful transition to democracy and our freedoms.
This can facilitate removal of restrictions on engagement with global economic institutions that are able to assist and help our country on a path to peace and economic stability by contributing to democracy and governance programs.
Farai Dziva|The Zimbabwe Republic Police has warned haulage truck drivers against illegally ferrying passengers during the lockdown arguing doing so is risky in the wake of the deadly new Coronavirus.
ZRP National Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi also urged the public to adhere to stipulated regulations as level 2 of the lockdown begins.
He said : “Police and other security services we are working with are ready to ensure that lockdown measures are followed in this second leg as industry and commerce are opening.
We will serve the public to ensure that all lockdown regulations are duly followed People will travel within cities however intercity travel remains prohibited.
We remind people that for public service vehicles, only Zupco buses will be transporting the public.
We are aware that some kombis are now operating at night and we strongly warn those that are doing so that they will be arrested.
We want to also warn haulage truck drivers who are abusing their positions and pirating as public service vehicles.
They must know that they are breaking the law, and more so, are exposing themselves and the passengers they illegally carry to the risk of contracting Covid-19.”
By A Correspondent- Two Bindura thieves who hatched a plan to steal maize cobs from a commercial farmer were convicted on Friday by Bindura magistrate Moreblessing Makati.
The duo Dadirai Zindonde (23) and Gladis Siburinyu(22) were slapped with $500 fine each failure to pay will earn them a month in prison.
Prosecutor Vincent Marunya told the court that the thieves stormed in Tatenda Kuhlengisa’s field and stole 272 maize cobs valued at $7000RTGS which they packed in two sacks.
The convicts were intercepted by a security guard Simbarashe Deve who informed his employer of the case.
The two were taken to a police station before being taken to court.-StateMedia
By A Correspondent- A 22 year old Dete man has been arrested for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl who turned down his love proposal.
The man allegedly pestered the girl asking her to marry him and after his advances were denied several times, he raped her on Sunday last week. He was not asked to plead to rape when he appeared before Hwange magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje who remanded him in custody to Thursday.
Prosecuting, Mr John Chisango Mutyakaviri said the man assaulted the girl before raping her once in a bush.
“On 26 April, the accused proceeded to a homestead where the complainant was staying and asked her to accompany him to his home as she was meant to be his wife. The girl refused and the accused pestered her insisting she was his wife. The girl was staying with some neighbours in the same village.
“A woman (name withheld to protect the girl’s identity) who was present at the homestead suggested that they proceed to the complainant’s mother who would help them resolve the matter,” he said.
The accused, the girl and the woman set off to the girl’s parents’ homestead and along the way, the man suddenly pounced on the girl and pushed her down while grabbing a t-shirt she was wearing. The court was told that the girl managed to free herself and escaped half-naked leaving the man holding the t-shirt.
He allegedly chased after the girl and caught up with her.
“He assaulted the complainant with open hands and also used some sandals that he was wearing to assault her all over the body,” said Mr Mutyakaviri.
The woman who was accompanying the two tried to intervene but was overpowered by the man. She left the man and the girl as she went to seek help. The man took the opportunity to rape the girl once.Source -statemedia
Today a dark cloud hangs perilously above the Pfebve family, 20 years ago today, on the 30 April 2000.
Government sponsored youth & militia pounced the village of Nyakatondo in MT Darwin, a murder gang operating with impunity of more than 600, abducted, maimed, raped and murdered my brother Mathew.
This was coordinated at highest level of government, with DDF logistics, government vehicles and CIO trucks. Torture camps were set 3 weeks before the invasion, one at Kamutsenzere.
This follows an earlier attempted assassination at Rushinga turn-off on 15 April 2000 by a mafia gang led by Saviour Kasukuwere, numbering over 700.
A series of attempted assassinations by Border Gezi in Bindura and an attempted assassination in Chiweshe by Chenhamo Chumutengwende.
The assassinations, murders, rape, arson attacks and violence were coordinated and continue to be coordinated at national and regional government level.
Zimbabweans need to be united and disrupt the growth of toxic politics, autocracy and intolerance by the current regime.
As an MDC party, we have a duty of candour to rescue the people of Zimbabwe at the messy of the ruthless government.
It is not business as usual,
If the government institutions are captured
If the government meant to save the people is in a state of paralysis
If the judiciary, the executive and legislature is captured
If mass abductions, murders, rape continue with impunity
If the elections continue to be symbolic, devoid of free and fair
If food, jobs & services continue to be politicised.
If the civic society, workers, citizens’ rights continue to be violated and gauged.
Solution:
MDC needs to rebrand, redeploy, and engage in disruptive innovative leadership that cut across all spectrum and structures. A new approach to politics and leadership before is too late.
The Supreme Court ruling is a sideshow meant to divert MDC attention from the struggle using our vulnerable sell out comrades whose appetite for dirty money has given them out as sell outs.
MDC must not read much into the Finance Act money disbursement fiasco; let the ED government pay their puppets. When MDC was formed, its membership and well-wishers funded it, we can do it again! Money follows good politics.
There is no point complying with oppressive laws enacted by an illegitimate regime, which grabbed power through rigging.
Grateful to have lawyers in MDC leadership but that may be counterproductive if we spent so much time arguing before captured courts, colluding with the enemies of the people.
By A Correspondent- Soccer legend Esrom Nyandoro donated 105 tonnes of Mealie Meal in Bulawayo yesterday to the elderly and the vulnerable members of society.
Said a source privy to developments:
“Well Done our Soccer Legend for your kind gesture!! May God Bless you!”
By Jane Mlambo| Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has renewed his fight against fellow Chivi South parliamentarian Killer Zivhu over his new house which he has been flaunting on social media lately.
Mliswa who since his election as Norton legislator has fought to represent residents of Galloway suburb who bought stands from Zivhu’s company said the new house was something those aggrieved residents could attach should they win their battle against the former Chivi councillor.
Zivhu’s organisation Zimbabwe Amalgamated Housing Association (ZAHA) is developing housing stands in the Galloway part of Norton.
But it appeared Galloway residents had issued with Zivhu whom they accused of making them pay huge sums of money in subscriptions before Mliswa fought on their side.
They accused Zivhu of making them pay subscriptions while they did not have land ownership documents.
Now after Zivhu posted pictures of his new mansion, Mliswa responded saying the people of Galloway who have been fighting Zivhu will have something to attach when justice is finally served in their case.
“Thank you @killerzivhu1 the people of Galloway have an asset to attach. Allegedly built with their money it’s an asset to be repossessed as their justice is served…. Mwari vanoshamisa zveshuwa & is a Lord for all,” said Mliswa.
Farai Dziva|The MDC Alliance has described as futile, attempts by Morgen Komichi and Douglas Mwonzora to tamper with the opposition party’s structures.
Komichi and Mwonzora claim they are in charge of the opposition party.
Mwonzora and Komichi are reportedly running a WhatsApp group in the name of the party’s National Council.
Below is a memo written by the opposition party :
Attention : All Provincial Chairpersons and Organising Secretaries.
As the National Organising Department we did not form any new National Council WhatsApp group.
So do not join the so called new NC WhatsApp group.
The rebels are now desperate and are masquarading as the National Organising department.
Report all suspected structural issues to the National Organising Secretary Hon A.Chibaya and his deputies Hon Masara and Hon Chidziva or Manager National Organising Farai Chinobva.
Farai Chinobva (Manager National Organising and Party Building)
Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has been accused planning to push Chiredzi villagers out of their ancestral land to create space for his sympathisers.
In a statement, the councillor for ward 18, Chiredzi West Constituency, Gilbert Mutubuki accused Mnangagwa of “pushing for the eviction of local villagers” to create space for Dendairy, a company reportedly owned by his friends.
Said Mutubuki:
“The plan to evict people from their ancestral area and grow grass for cattles will not work.
The plan by government to remove people in Chambuta,Chipinda,Velemu,Chibwedziva and Masivamele in Chikombedzi will face povo resistance.
We are not going to fold our hands and watch people being evicted from their land.
Dendairy owners are close to Mnangagwa and he is rewarding his friends with our land.”
I would like to name and shame Cimas for such unprofessional conduct.
After sending them proof of payment for my May subscriptions, I get a reply that my subscriptions have doubled as at the 1st of May. There was no email from Cimas advising the Increase just telling me I need to pay Z$4489 from Z$2835.
Cimas Medical Aid you have no shame. You think we all growing money in our backyards. No notice to your clients. You do what you want.
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe’s telecommunications company Econet is set to review its tarriffs for data and messages tomorrow 5 May 2020.
It was however still vague whether the mobile operator is set to review upwards or downwards its tarriffs.
Below is the Econet notice:
Dear Customer. Please take note, bundle prices for Data & SMS will be reviewed effective 5 May 2020. Dial *143# to buy Data or *140# to buy SMS Bundles.
By Jane Mlambo| Following the extension of the national lockdown by a further 14 days, the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) has also moved the dates for courts operation to the 11th of May.
In its practice direction number two, the JSC set remand dates from the 4th of May going forward but with the latest government decision the dates have been pushed further next week Monday (11th of May.)
“All courts shall become operational with effect from 11 May 2020.
“Accused persons automatically remanded to dates between 4 May 2020 and 8 May 2020 under practice direction 2 of 2020, will be remanded by the courts to dates after 11 May 2020,” said Chief Justice Luke Malaba.
He further noted that members of the public without business at court will not be allowed inside during the the current period.
Malaba also said litigants who are required to attend Court in a Province or District other than where they are normally resident will have to obtain the necessary letters of clearance at the nearest police station.
Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has dismissed imported coronavirus testing kits as faulty, saying they returned positive results on samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw.
Magufuli made the remarks during an event in Chato in northwestern Tanzania on Sunday. He said there were “technical errors” with the tests.
The president, whose government has already drawn criticism for being secretive about the coronavirus outbreak and has previously asked Tanzanians to pray the coronavirus away, said he had instructed Tanzanian security forces to check the quality of the kits.
They had randomly obtained several non-human samples, including from a pawpaw, a goat and a sheep, but had assigned them human names and ages.
These samples were then submitted to Tanzania’s laboratory to test for the coronavirus, with the lab technicians left deliberately unaware of their origins.
Samples from the pawpaw and the goat tested positive for COVID-19, the president said, adding this meant it was likely that some people were being tested positive when, in fact, they were not infected by the coronavirus.
“There is something happening. I said before we should not accept that every aid is meant to be good for this nation,” Magufuli said, adding the kits should be investigated.
On Saturday, Magufuli announced that he had placed an order for a herbal treatment for the coronavirus touted by the president of Madagascar.
“I have already written to Madagascar’s president and we will soon dispatch a plane to fetch the medicine so that Tanzania can also benefit from it,” he said.
The herbal remedy, called “Covid Organics” and prepared by the Malagasy Institute for Applied Research, is made out of Artemisia, a plant cultivated on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar.
Despite a lack of scientific evidence, President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar claimed that the remedy has already cured some Madagascans of COVID-19. Children returning to school have been required to take it.
THE Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) has poked holes into government’s recent directive deferring payment of rentals and stopping tenant evictions during the lockdown period, saying the move was illegal and likely to be challenged in court.
LSZ in a statement yesterday said while the decision gave a reprieve to the tenants, it condemned landlords and property owners to penury as they were expected to carry their tenants’ burdens until the end of the lockdown on May 17.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week proclaimed Statutory Instrument (SI) 96 of 2020, Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Deferral of Rent and Mortgage Payments During National Lockdown) Regulations, 2020, giving tenants breathing space to pay their rentals for April and May in instalments after the lockdown.
“It is the LSZ’s considered view that the above basis as stated in the preamble to the regulations does not meet the criteria set out in section 2 of the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act,” LSZ said.
“The situation as given above does not address the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, the economic interest of Zimbabwe or the general public interest. The situation describes an economic difficulty in respect of a section of the population and only in respect of a section of the national economy. In this regard, therefore, the LSZ believes the regulations are ultra vires the enabling Act.”
“It is the LSZ’s belief that SI 96 of 2020 would therefore be irrational when measured against the principal law from which it draws its authority.”
The lawyers’ association said government should have proffered other solutions such as ordering public entities such as power utility Zesa, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) and local authorities to suspend or defer service charges to cushion the public against the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Instead of holistically solving the burden brought about by the lockdown, the SI seeks to take the burden from one citizen and thrust it upon another who may also be suffering the consequences of the lockdown. It is the expectation of the LSZ, its membership and the populace that government will cause public service providers like Zinwa, local authorities and Zesa to suspend or defer charging for their services which are basic needs if the inspiration behind SI 96 of 2020 was to cushion the public against the negative effects of the COVID19 pandemic,” the statement read in part.
“The LSZ believes government could have approached this issue in a more holistic manner if indeed the rationale was to reduce the burden of COVID-19 effects on the populace. It is important that during these difficult times and at all times, every State action must be lawful, transparent, compassionate and conform to domestic and international human rights standards.”
Harare Residents Trust director Precious Shumba last week said government’s intervention lacked depth and revealed widespread contempt for genuine consultation of the citizens and other stakeholders. Shumba argued that some landlords survived on rentals from their properties, thus deferring payments would condemn them to starvation.
The Insurance and Pensions Commissions (IPEC) also said that the failure by tenants to pay rentals on account of business closure was going to result in a serious reduction in investment income.
IPEC commissioner Grace Muradzikwa, however, told NewsDay recently that they had called on industry to assess the impact and arrange engagements with the government.
By A Correspondent- Alliance for the People’s Agenda led by Dr Nkosana Moyo has expressed concerns over the increase in the local transmission of Covid 19 in the country.
Said Moyo:
“Now more than ever, the act of greatest love for family and friends is to keep a safe distance from them. Shows of affection by hugging, hand shaking and close quarters interactions are the last thing you want to do.
At the outset of the pandemic history of international travel was a cardinal screening tool for high risk for COVID-19. That time is long gone. The silent killer is now prowling our streets quietly within our loved ones.”
The party said but we can kill it dead in whoever it is in now by making sure it doesn’t get to the next person.
“That’s how social distancing can easily wipe this scourge of the century. By staying a safe distance from uninfected people, an infectious person allows enough time for their body to overcome/destroy the virus as their immune system enforces a lockdown on the virus in their body. That’s how they stop being infectious. If we love each other enough to stay away from each other to stop spreading the virus, all human to human transmission of the virus will cease. The pandemic will end,” said the party.
“We can then go back to our embraces again, but still maintaining our heightened levels of personal hygiene and hand washing. The unsaid truth in this whole pandemic is we get infected by ‘eating’ an infected infectious person’s fluids from their nose and or their mouth. Let us always guard against that.”
So as we observe the lockdown to stop the spread of the coronovirus let us use soap and water. At a personal level hand washing is the final frontier in this war to the death. Kill the virus before it kills you.
OPPOSITION leader Nelson Chamisa has accused the Zanu-PF government of deceiving local industries by dangling an $18 billion bailout package at a time State coffers were dry.
Chamisa yesterday said President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government, which has so far failed to disburse the $200 million bailout packages to starving families and US$200 million for health-care workers fighting COVID-19, was too broke to bail out collapsing companies.
“They just pull figures out of thin air, they allocated about $200 million for relief to vulnerable families where each family was supposed to get $200 and they are yet to disburse it. Where will the $18 billion come from? I was listening to the Minister of (Public Service, Labour and) Social Welfare saying we have not paid out the money and also remember this is RTGS money and it will be losing value,” Chamisa said.
Government has already sent an SOS to multilateral institutions begging for aid, saying if it does not come, the country could collapse.
In announcing the stimulus package on Friday, Mnangagwa admitted that the bailout to industry would be a challenge without aid from multilateral financiers.
Economist Godfrey Kanyenze said while government could not sit on the sidelines, the $18 billion stimulus package was a drop in the ocean.
“There will be need for emergency relief to support businesses to support the informal economy, to ensure that employee livelihoods are safeguarded. So, it’s a very tricky situation even if you were in government, as you know government collects taxes that’s why they have insisted that we move from level five to level two (of the lockdown).
“You are talking about it as if it’s a lot of money. If you translate it into US dollars, it’s probably US$430 million. Just divide by 25, so you can’t say that it’s a lot of money even to deal with the challenges that are upon us. We did some matrix where just if you look at the employees that may need support, the businesses that may be in distress, the amounts they require will actually go beyond that $400 and something million,” Kanyenze said.
By David Hofisi| In this post, I review succession and party constitutionalism in ZANU PF in light of the events of November 2017 and subsequent comparisons between Phelekezela Mphoko and Thokozani Khupe. 1. How is the President of ZANU PF removed from office? There are two ways in which a sitting ZANU PF president can lose his or her office. The first basis is absence from three consecutive meetings of a party organ without reasonable cause. The second is a motion of no confidence by the relevant organ. The president sits in the Central Committee, Politburo and even the National Consultative Assembly. These could pass motions to remove the president if he or she is absent from three consecutive meetings without just cause or upon a motion of no confidence on the grounds of incompetence/and or dereliction of duty, gross misconduct/disloyalty or treachery. In all other instances, the president serves out his or her term until the next elective congress. 2. What happens if the President of ZANU PF is removed, dies or resigns? There is no provision specific to this circumstance. However, the ZANU PF Constitution states that an extra-ordinary congress can be convened whenever it is deemed necessary. It is likely that the death, resignation or removal of the president would fit such purpose. The only other circumstance triggering such congress is the need to pick a successor for the national presidency. In all other instances, this power is discretionary. The constitution is silent on which Vice President would act towards the extraordinary congress. In November 2017, that Vice President would have been Phelekezela Mphoko as the only sitting Vice President, but the party quickly removed him from that position in a manner which I question below. 3. Is this how Mugabe was removed? Not at all. On 19 November 2017, the ZANU PF Central Committee announced that it had ‘recalled’ Robert Mugabe. He was dismissed together with Phelekezela Mphoko, with Mnangagwa reinstated as a party member and interim president. However there is no right of recall in the ZANU PF Constitution. There is only a power to pass a motion of no confidence on the grounds listed, or pass a resolution based on absence from three consecutive meetings. Even the National Constitution does not have a right to recall the President. It is only members of parliament who can be recalled. The ruling party only retains a right of replacement if the President dies, resigns or is removed from office. The right of recall is generally exercised in countries where parliament elects the president or prime minister. As a directly elected president, the Zimbabwean leader cannot be ‘recalled.’ Thus, the Central Committee Resolutions of 19 November 2017 were patently unconstitutional. The Central Committee ought to have passed a vote of no confidence in Robert Mugabe to constitutionally unseated him from the ZANU PF presidency.
4. Was the Central Committee correctly constituted? It was not. Many have correctly highlighted that in terms of section 38 of the ZANU PF Constitution, the Central Committee is presided over by the President and in their absence, the Vice Presidents or National Chairman. In other words, the Central Committee is not separate from what ZANU PF calls the Presidium. It works with the Presidium, without which it is not properly constituted. On 19 November 2017, the Central Committee was chaired by Obert Mpofu as its most senior member. This is not supported by the ZANU PF Constitution. It was only Robert Mugabe or Phelekezela Mphoko who could have presided over such session. However, both were ‘recalled’ in terms of the same meeting.
Thus, the Central Committee ought to have at least invoked its section 37(8) power to amend the Constitution and allow the most senior member to preside over that session. Such amendment would have remained vulnerable to the charge that it could not be validly made when the committee was not properly constituted. This means the Central Committee was not properly constituted and also proceeded to wield a non-existent power of recall. This puts paid to all the comparisons of Phelekezela Mphoko to Thokozani Khupe. The recall of Mugabe was coterminous with that of Mphoko so the latter could not lead the party since his incumbency had been also been terminated. To the extent that Mugabe’s recall was invalid, so was Mphoko’s, meaning he could not be lead ZANU PF when it retained a valid president. Thus, there was no constitutionally mandated period of incumbency which he was denied.
5. Does this make Mugabe’s resignation invalid? No. It makes his ‘recall’ invalid. Robert Mugabe’s resignation as national president, the delivery of his letter to the Speaker of Parliament and subsequent inauguration of Emmerson Mnangagwa were all in tandem with the provisions of the National Constitution. Whilst one may question the motives that led to the resignation, the resignation itself was constitutionally valid. Phelekezela Mphoko became Acting President by operation of law since the Constitution does not require a swearing in ceremony for the Acting President. More poignantly, the National Constitution does not state how parties select the successor to the presidency. That is provided in the ZANU PF Constitution, section 26(2) of which provides as follows: An extraordinary session of congress may be convened… (2) In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of National President requiring the party to nominate a successor, at the instance of the Secretary for Administration It is when a vacancy occurs that such congress may be convened to nominate the successor. It is not convened to endorse a nomination but to make it. The successor to the president is nominated within 90 days in terms of the National Constitution. ZANU PF had more than enough time to give six weeks’ notice for its extraordinary congress and nominate its preferred candidate. However, following Robert Mugabe’s resignation on 21 November 2017, ZANU PF nominated Emmerson Mnangagwa the very next day and he was sworn in on 24 November 2017. The extraordinary congress was held much later in December 2017, at which it endorsed the Central Committee’s nomination of Emmerson Mnangagwa. This was a remarkable reversal of roles. Even though the ZANU PF Constitution gives powers of nomination to the extraordinary congress, the Central Committee arrogated this power to itself, leaving the extraordinary congress only with the role of endorsing its actions. Derek Matyszak has previously written of the growing influence of the ZANU PF Politburo. However, by the end of 2017, it was the Central Committee which had granted itself a new power to recall the president, a new basis to sit in the absence of the Presidium and had successfully usurped the power to nominate the president’s successor. 6. What is the remedy? As with the MDC scenario, we are left with the so what question. Even undoing these events would lead to bigger questions. As Matyszak explains, the pre-2017 era was itself problematic since Mugabe, Mphoko and Mnangagwa were not constitutionally elevated at the 2014 ZANU PF Congress. Rather predictably, the ZANU PF scenario leads to an infinite regress of constitutional transgression. It points to the larger problem of political parties ignoring constitutional provisions for political expediency. This is deleterious to democracy as it fosters lack of respect for due process and the rule of law. It creates a false choice between populism and constitutionalism when political parties could easily achieve both. This is made worse by the reality that party loyalists will support their cause, unfazed by constitutional indiscretion. Yet it is only the party faithful that can enforce their supreme constitutive documents. Zimbabwe needs to move beyond the false binary of populism on the one hand and constitutionalism on the other and embrace popular constitutionalism. This requires popular leaders to use their mass appeal to demand adherence to, rather than sacrifice of, constitutional commitments. If constitutionalism is the ideal to which the MDC is held as a potential ruling party, it stands to reason that ZANU PF must be held to this standard even more stringently as the actual ruling party for close to half a century.
By Own Correspondent| Through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States has committed US$3 million from the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to support Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 National Preparedness and Response Plan.
This new donation brings to over US$6 million the total amount that the United States has committed to the fight against COVID-19 in Zimbabwe, while continuing to respond to the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe.
CDC will award the new funding in early May 2020 through existing CDC Zimbabwe implementing partners: ICAP at Columbia University, the Biomedical Research & Training Institute (BRTI), and the International Training & Education Center for Health (ITECH). Programs will increase laboratory diagnostic capacity; enhance central and district-level surveillance; strengthen infection, prevention, and control in healthcare facilities; and support vaccine preparedness.
CDC will also use approximately US$75,000, part of the US$150,000 previously announced President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funds, to support COVID-19 prevention measures for people living with HIV.
CDC also supports Zimbabwe through technical assistance. CDC Zimbabwe has several public health experts serving and supporting as co-chairs and technical experts in government entities established by Zimbabwe’s national plan, including: surveillance and epidemiology, infection prevention and control, laboratory, case management, and risk communication and community engagement. CDC technical assistance, together with other partner support, has assisted the Government of Zimbabwe to develop COVID-19 case definitions, protocols for surveillance, contact tracing, quarantine, infection prevention and control, treatment, and diagnostic testing.
CDC’s support aims to enhance COVID-19 response capabilities while building longer-term, sustainable capacity to respond to highly communicable diseases in the future. Through ICAP, CDC provides vehicles and supplies from Zimbabwe Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (ZIMPHIA) activities to fight COVID-19.
“The goal of the CDC and U.S. global health response to COVID-19 is to limit human-to-human transmission and minimize the global impact of COVID-19 through partnership with countries, multilateral and non-governmental partners to mitigate vulnerabilities and gaps in preparedness. This U.S. funding and technical support builds on our long-standing partnership and investments to contribute to a healthier Zimbabwe,” said Dr. Kelsey Mirkovic, CDC Acting Country Director.
The United States has been a long-standing development partner for the people of Zimbabwe. We invested over US$370 million in health, humanitarian and development assistance in 2019. We are working tirelessly to ensure that we maintain critical health and humanitarian assistance activities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United States Government is monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic globally and remains committed to directing and allocating resources based on changing epidemiology and response requirements.
Mosi-oa-Tunya Quarantine Centre in Victoria Falls has released the first group of 15 returnees after they completed the mandatory 21 days in isolation and tested negative for Covid-19.
The centre, located at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School, started receiving returning citizens on the second week of April.
It had reached its capacity of 100 people after receiving 16 more returnees between Friday and Saturday.
There were 84 returnees from Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Cameroon and South Africa by Friday.
The Social Welfare department which is in charge of the returnees’ welfare was yesterday mobilising transport for the discharged returnees.
Two are Victoria Falls locals, while six are from Hwange, with Binga, Lupane, Bulawayo, Kadoma, Chinhoyi, Harare and Rusape having one each.
Matabeleland North Provincial Social Welfare Officer Mr Macnon Chirinzepi said a Zupco bus will be availed to carry those going to Binga, Lupane, Bulawayo, Kadoma, Chinhoyi, Harare and Rusape while some cooperating partners transported those going to Hwange.
“The quarantine centre received more returnees and the total was now 100 on Saturday including 90 adults and 10 children. The first batch of results of Covid-19 tests for 15 people were received on Saturday. In light of this, the 15 returnees who got their results have started being released from the centre,” said Mr Chirinzepi.
The two locals were discharged on Saturday while the other 13 were discharged yesterday.
Mr Chirinzepi yesterday said test results for 20 more were expected last night after which transport logistics will be finalized for them to be carried by a Zupco bus as a bigger group.
AN employee of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) in Bulawayo, who was in self-isolation pending her Covid-19 test results and allegedly violated regulations by travelling to Gweru with four other people in her car, has tested negative.
The other four people she travelled with have also been traced, tested and put under quarantine.
In an interview yesterday, the Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Larry Mavima confirmed the development.
Minister Mavima, who is also the Covid-19 Midlands Provincial Taskforce chairperson, said the Zimra officer’s Covid-19 results came back negative.
“The results of the Zimra Bulawayo officer came out negative. The woman is said to have travelled to Gweru before her Covid-19 results came out. The four passengers she travelled with to Gweru have been contacted and had Covid-19 tests done. They are waiting for results and they have all been put in quarantine just to be sure,” he said.
The female employee is said to have travelled to Gweru after her workmate, a 27-year-old male, tested positive for Covid-19 in Bulawayo on April 29 prompting Zimra to close its Bulawayo offices and send 52 of its workers who might have been exposed to the virus for testing and mandatory self-isolation.
The female officer, who is one of the 52 workers from the Bulawayo office, allegedly disregarded self-isolation regulations and travelled to Gweru where her family is based.
It is understood that the woman who resides in Senga high-density suburb in Gweru but works in Bulawayo was told by officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care to go under self-isolation and avoid interacting with other people but failed to comply and travelled to Gweru with four other passengers.
Her trip to Gweru was discovered after the Bulawayo Provincial Covid-19 Response Team visited her place of residence for routine check-ups. The team was then advised that she had left for Gweru, prompting it to advise the Midlands Provincial Covid-19 Rapid Response Team to look for her at the Senga family home.
Zimra Commissioner-General Faith Mazani had earlier issued a statement confirming that 52 people from the revenue authority’s Bulawayo offices have been subjected to testing and self-isolation after one of the workers tested positive.
“We were notified by the Health and Child Care Ministry that a frontline staff member of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority tested positive for coronavirus on 29 April. As Zimra, we wish to inform our valued clients and members of the public that our Bulawayo port offices have been immediately closed pending comprehensive disinfection as well as receipt of results of 52 officers who may have been exposed to the virus. All the tested individuals have since been put under mandatory self-isolation for at least 14 days,” she said.
By Wilfred Mukori| “Today Zimbabwe stands on the edge of the precipice, and it is no time for prevaricating, but one for action. The political crisis must be addressed with urgency, and we can see no other way than the steps we have outlined,” surmised Ibbo Mandaza in an article titled “There is no other way than a National Transitional Authority (NTA) in Zimbabwe” in Bulawayo 24.
Yes, Zimbabwe is standing on the edge of the precipitous abyss but unless we know and understand what we did wrong, all these last 40 years to get to the edge of the precipice; our next urgent, without prevarication, step could well take us over the edge. He acknowledges that the nation is on the precipice because of bad governance and proposes this NTA a solution.
“Behind all the problems lies the failure of governance and political leadership, and the latter is not exclusive to Zanu-PF, but bedevils all political parties without exception,” argued Mandaza.
“It is this realisation that prompted the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHCoD) call for the Sabbath, the establishment of the National Convergence Platform (NCP) last year, and the call for political settlement, national dialogue and a transitional arrangement. This call is now more urgent than ever in the face of the apparent inability of the government to address the Covid-19 crisis.”
This is just nonsense. If Mandaza believes, as stated above, that the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic and political problems is bad governance and that both Zanu PF and the entourage of opposition parties are all beyond the pale then he can not endorse ZHCoD’s NTA proposal too. The Church leaders are calling for Zanu PF and MDC leaders to settle their differences and form the NTA.
It was Zanu PF and MDC’s failed leadership that frog marched the nation these last 40 years to get us where we are today, standing on the edge of the precipice it is insane to even suggest the same failed leaders, or be it under a new title, will lead us away from the precipice.
As long as Zanu PF and MDC leaders are allowed to play any role in the NTA, it will be a Zanu PF government in all but name, and the next step will be over the edge into the abyss!
“The partial solutions to previous crises — Lancaster House, the Unity Accord, the Global Political Agreement (GPA) and the coup — did not address the fundamental problem: the politics and the lack of a genuine, people-centred social contract,” continued Mandaza.
The primary purpose of the 2008 GPA was for the GNU partners to implement the raft of democratic reforms designed to end the blatant cheating and wanton violence and ensure future elections were free, fair and credible. The GPA was not perfect but it could have achieved its primary objective. It failed to so for two reasons, one, Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends sold-out. They failed to implement even one reform in five years. Mugabe bribed them with the trappings of high office, ministerial limos, generous salaries, a US$ 4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. and, with their snouts in the feeding trough, MDC leaders forgot about the reforms.
The second reason for the failure was the people themselves. For all the decades of clamouring for democratic change, the overwhelming majority of Zimbabweans had no clue the primary purpose of the GPA was to implement the reforms, what those reforms were, how they were to be implemented, etc., etc. The people failed to effectively supervise Tsvangirai et al to make sure they implemented the reforms and not just waste time enjoying themselves.
A healthy and functioning democracy demands an informed and diligent electorate. A democracy is a government by the people for the people; the people are the master and those holding public office are their servants. How can the people hold the politicians to democratic account if they have no clue what the politicians are doing?
Of course, we the people, have let ourselves down badly by failing to take our responsibility to make sure we have good, competent and accountable leaders at all times. We are standing on the edge of the precipitous abyss today not because we took a wrong turn two or five years ago! We have been down this ruinous path for the last 40 years.
Zimbabwe is in this economic and political hell-on-earth because of 40 years of gross mismanagement, rampant corruptions and tyrannical rule by Zanu PF. The party blatantly rigged the July 2018 elections, the party does not have the democratic mandate to govern, it is illegitimate. The corona virus outbreak has brought into sharp focus the critical importance of a competent government because Zanu PF’s blundering incompetence have made a bad situation worse.
“The global pandemic will take a heavy toll on the health sector, with many lives being lost and raise poverty to levels not seen in recent times, including worsening food security. A domestic collapse also would have potentially adverse regional effects, where spill-overs are significant,” confessed Zimbabwe’s Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube, a begging letter to IMF. He was begging for a bailout to avoid Zimbabwe imploding.
The IMF has ignored him completely because IMF and the international community regards Zimbabwe as a Banana Republic ruled by corrupt, incompetent and vote rigging thugs. As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state then the country will into implode into economic and political chaos.
What the country needs to do is take a step back; Zanu PF must step down and allow the appointment of an totally independent body that the IMF and the international community can trust to implement the democratic reforms and thus end the country’s pariah state curse. To admit Zanu PF leaders are corrupt and incompetent and yet still want them back in the NTA is the kind of irrational thinking that got us to the edge of the precipice in the first place and, if followed, will take over the edge.
“Think, that you may not walk over the edge of the precipitous abyss: the spirit indeed is willing, but the intellect is weak!” to paraphrase Jesus’ warning.
Masvingo province has resumed Covid-19 testing after being absent from the daily test results table released by the Ministry of Health and Child Care due to a shortage of test kits.
Masvingo last appeared on the national test results diagram on April 23 when 10 of the 460 national specimens tested that day were from the province. This was then followed by an eight-day long hiatus which caused much concern until May 02 when national results showed that 68 of the 1 436 tests done on that day were from Masvingo.
Apparently, specimens that are sent to the country’s two testing centres; the National Microbiology Referral Laboratory in Harare and the National Infectious Diseases Referral Laboratory in Bulawayo are first tested at local isolation centres using Rapid Test Kits.
Currently, the province has 10 isolation centres across the seven districts but work is being done to establish the 11th one at Mashava Mine Hospital.
Specimens are then sent either to Bulawayo or Harare where confirmatory tests are done using a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) system whose results are more reliable. This test uses sample mucus often drawn from a person’s nose or throat to trace the genetic material of coronavirus.
The first batch of Rapid Test Kits that provincial authorities received in mid-April got finished, and tests could no longer continue.
“We had run short of tests kits but we have now received another batch so we will resume testing today (May 02). Our specimens are now being sent to Bulawayo for confirmatory tests because Harare is congested,” said Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Amadeus Shamu.
There is, however, another nagging problem: the acute shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) at all hospitals and clinics, a situation which puts nurses, doctors and other staff members at great risk.
Early last month, the body of a woman who died after exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms at Chiredzi General Hospital spent almost two days on the deathbed after nurses refused to take it to the mortuary as they were not sufficiently protected.
The woman, however, posthumously tested negative for coronavirus.
In mid-April, government pledged a ‘mass testing’ programme for citizens, promising to conduct 40 000 tests every month but that seems too hard a target considering that the daily averages of recent days have been far off the mark.
Shamu said only frontline health staff and those that met the criteria of clear suspected cases were getting tested, and the service is not yet available for random walk-ins.
Econet wireless has announced that it will be reviewing its data and sms bundles tariffs effect from Tuesday.
The giant telecom company which has recently been complaining of dwindling business made the announcement in a bulk message to all its subscribers on Monday morning.
“Dear Customer. Please take note, bundle prices for Data & SMS will be reviewed effective 5 May 2020,” read the message.
The company declared last week that its business viability is under threat because of the free-falling local currency and effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has emerged.
Econet pleaded with its suppliers to reduce their costs by 20% citing the unfavourable operating environment that had been worsened by the outbreak of Covid-19.
A senior official from the telecoms giant said the plea to suppliers was motivated by a realisation that the economic situation had become a threat to the business.
“The whole slowdown that has been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a business slow down,” the official said.
“During the lockdown, the cities were quiet and the usage of phones went down.
“Most of the phone usage business we get is from people doing business and these were mostly on WhatsApp.
“We can see that as long as most sectors of the economy are not firing, it also affects people’s usage of phones, so never mind about us talking about how we need an-economic tariff and so on.
“It will get to a point where people are not able to call because they have been laid off and that will affect us.
“In that regard, if the economy’s size, for example, was say US$10 billion and reduces to US$4 billion, it also means that our potential income will come down by that factor”.
A memo to Econet suppliers that was leaked on social media last week showed that the company was pleading with its suppliers to reduce their charges by at least 20% starting from May 1.
“As Econet we operate in a regulated industry where our tariffs are significantly trailing the upward movement in our operational costs, threatening the viability of our business,” wrote Econet chief supply chain officer, Sharon Marufu in the memo.
“We, therefore, need to take drastic measures now to safeguard the business and ensure we remain viable so that we are able to continue offering our services to our customers and to retain our suppliers.”
It is understood that the suppliers targeted in the memo provide fuel, trucks, shop space for retail outlets, and land for base stations.
The family of the late Zimbabwe radio disk jockey Peter Johns are in a dilemma.
That Johns , who died in the United Kingdom on Monday, is a legend is not in question.
However, the family cannot answer the question on where the late former Radio 3 deejay will be buried.
ZTN sources in London intimated that the family is also considering cremating him and bringing his remains back home later.
“The other issue slowing a decision on where he is to be buried is that his children are all in Europe, but in different countries,” said a family source.
“As you know a decision on where someone will be buried is a collective one and as we speak consultations are yet to fully take place. We will do the consultations and advise the world on when and where the PJ Your DJ will be buried.”
Johns (60) had been unwell for some time having suffered three strikes as well as undergoing a heart operation.
Meanwhile, tributes continue to pour in for Johns with Power FM (formerly known as Radio 3) saying: “It is with sad hearts that Powerfm heard of the passing of much loved radio DJ Peter Johns. He was affectionately known as “PJ your DJ” & “The Radio Driver”. He hosted the Midday Jam on Radio 3. He left the station in 2002 and was now based in the United Kingdom.”
“Extremely saddened to hear of the loss of DJ Peter Johns. If you’re a 90s kid, you know he was the soundtrack to our generation. His radio genius will not be forgotten – ever. He made Radio 3 magical. May he rest in peace and may his family be comforted,” tweeted lawyer Fadzai Mahere.
“I won’t forget him saying ‘This one is fresh off the AirZim flight from London’ PJ your DJ,” said sports caster Barry Manandi
South Africa recorded an additional 447 cases of Coronavirus infections on Sunday making it the highest number of cases in 24 hours in the country.
The tally of COVID -19 cases in South Africa now stands at 6,783 cases.
8 new deaths were also reported, and the total number of fatalities is 131.
The health Minister indicated that, Western Cape is the most impacted province, with 3,044 cases, followed by Guateng, where 1,624 confirmed cases has been reported since the beginning of the outbreak. KwaZulu-Natal now has 1,075 cases, and the Eastern Cape has 774 cases. Free State has now reported 122 confirmed cases, Limpopo 37, North West 36, Mpumalanga 46, and Northern Cape 24 cases respectively. A total number of 245,747 tests have been conducted to date said the Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize.
Zimbabwe has not recorded any new coronavirus cases in three days despite testing just over 3 000 people according to briefings from the Military of Health.
The last two cases were recorded on 29 April, bringing the total to 34.
The ministry yesterday tested 920 people but it did not release results.
It has so far tested 11 647.
Zimbabwe extended its five-week national lockdown by another two weeks starting today but has relaxed some of the conditions by allowing some businesses to operate.
People are now required to wear face masks whenever they leave their homes.
State Media|Chitungwiza Municipality workers have gone for almost four years without full salaries, amid allegations that top managers were splashing millions of dollars in unnecessary trips and workshops.
Some of the workers are reportedly owed allowances from as far back as 2008 for their efforts in fighting cholera.
A recent audit revealed that some managers got two annual holiday trips to a regional destination of choice, amid a host of other benefits that do not accrue to ordinary workers.
Those owed salaries for up to 50 months are the least paid staffers, while those raking anything from $30 000 onwards have a backlog of about four months. The Council’s Workers Union president Reverend Ephraim Katsina said the salary backlog disparity between non-managerial staff and top executive raised eyebrows.
“We are in between 45 to 50 months’ salary arrears depending on grade,” he said. “Health workers are owed millions in professional and retention allowances.
“Sewerage and water workers are owed Zinwa allowances and former employees are owed more than $3 million in salary arrears. Grades 1 to 3, which is management, have less salary backlogs of between four to 12 months.”
Acting Chitungwiza town clerk Dr Tonderai Kasu confirmed the salary and allowances backlog, but said the number of months owed was exaggerated and rejected that money was being wasted on useless functions.
Dr Kasu said from January, management approved a salary increase for ordinary employees of 608 percent, while managers were yet to get a salary hike in the last two years.
He said health workers had been paid allowances for working during the first cholera outbreak, while they were trying to address the arrears for the second outbreak.
Cholera broke out in 2008 and in 2018.
“The current management team steered through council and obtained a full council resolution for the re-introduction of professional and retention allowances for health workers after these professional and retention allowances had been withdrawn by a previous management team,” said Dr Kasu.
“This full council (meeting) resolution to re-introduce professional and retention allowances for health workers is being implemented by the current management and is being effected on the pay roll.”
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman was admitted to hospital with a heart problem on Sunday.
The news has been confirmed by his wife Bartina and agent Rob Jansen who told Dutch national broadcaster NOS.
The 57-year-old was taken to hospital in Amsterdam after falling ill at his home. He is now in a stable condition and expected to be released from hospital on Monday.
The Dutch football association, the KNVB, also issued a statement which read: “Ronald Koeman was hospitalised on Sunday evening after chest complaints. The 57-year-old national team coach of the Dutch national team has undergone a successful cardiac catheterisation and will return home tomorrow (Monday). We wish Ronald a lot of strength and improvement.”
MORE than 19 000 people have been arrested countrywide for defying lockdown regulations since the promulgation of the Covid-19-induced national lockdown on March 30.
At the same time only just over ten thousand people have been tested and mostly as contacts of previous case. If the country would test everyone being arrested, over thirty thousand could be tested by now.
According to the police, 19 317 people were arrested as at yesterday afternoon, with Bulawayo still topping the list in lockdown arrests, followed by Manicaland Province and Harare.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said police had made enough preparations and were ready to ensure that lockdown regulations under level two were followed.
“Police and other security services we are working with are ready to ensure that lockdown measures are followed in this second leg as industry and commerce are opening. We will serve the public to ensure that all lockdown regulations are duly followed,” he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi called on the transport sector to abide by the standing rules and orders of Level Two of the lockdown, which only allows public buses to operate as public service vehicles.
“People will travel within cities however intercity travel remains prohibited. We remind people that for public service vehicles, only Zupco buses will be transporting the public. We are aware that some kombis are now operating at night and we strongly warn those that are doing so that they will be arrested. We want to also warn haulage truck drivers who are abusing their positions and pirating as public service vehicles. They must know that they are breaking the law, and more so, are exposing themselves and the passengers they illegally carry to the risk of contracting Covid-19,” he said.
He called for members of the public to follow the new rules and recommendations in level two of the lockdown, especially on putting on masks when in public spaces to help reduce the risk of contracting or spreading Covid-19.
Asst Comm Nyathi said people without masks will not be allowed in public spaces.
“May we also remind the public that, as said by President Mnangagwa, they will be expected to wear face masks all the time when they are in public and those who fail to do will have to deal with law enforcement agents,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He said people who had to take special medication or have special conditions must liaise with their local police stations wherever possible to get assistance in putting in place modalities for their travel.
He added that further information and clarity on mobility during level two of the lockdown will be provided today after they receive clarity on the re-opening of industry and on the scrapping of exemption letters.
The Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) wants the Government to allow property owners to defer payment of local authority rates, water and electricity bills on the same terms as the deferment of rent by their tenants.
According to temporary regulations made by President Mnangagwa, payments for rent of residential accommodation and mortgage payments can be deferred during the lockdown, but become due in the month following the end of the lockdown, although the back payments can then be spread over three months for each month of lockdown.
Evictions and legal action over late mortgage payments are barred, but if tenants and mortgage holders do not meet the schedule for back payments then legal action can be taken in the normal way.
Blasting Mnangagwa on the decision on residential rents, the Law Society feels that property owners needed even more than just deferred mortgage payments for the system to be fair.
Owners normally have other bills to pay out of their rent income.
In a statement yesterday, the Law Society wants public service providers such as the Zimbabwe National Water Authority, local authorities and Zesa to defer their charges in line with the rent deferments.
“The Law Society of Zimbabwe believes Government could have approached this issue in a more holistic manner to reduce the burden of Covid-19 effects on the populace,” said the Law Society in a tatement.
A police officer who was enforcing lockdown regulations along Masvingo-Mashava Road recently, is in trouble after he allegedly demanded $50 bribe to allow passage to a motorist who was taking his sick mother to hospital.
Tatenda Mtigwa (29) reportedly received the bribe in $5 denominations to facilitate passage for Rangarirai Chikozho who did not have a letter authorising him to drive into Masvingo city centre.
The policeman was arrested after he was seen receiving the money by military and police officers that were passing through.
Mtigwa has since appeared before Masvingo magistrate Mr Mbonisi Ndlovu facing criminal abuse of office charges.
He was remanded to May 26 for trial on $100 bail.
Appearing for the State, the prosecutor, Mr Edmund Mapope, alleged that on April 21 this year, Mtigwa was part of law enforcement agents comprising the military police and ZRP manning a roadblock near SIMBI Plant, just outside Masvingo city centre.
Chikozho, who was driving an unregistered Nissan Caravan, was stopped by Mtigwa, but failed to produce an exemption letter.
He was allegedly ordered by Mtigwa to turn back and he complied while pleading to be allowed to drive through with his sick mother.
Mtigwa reportedly demanded $50 and Chikozho gave him the money.
While receiving the money, two police superintendents and an army officer who were driving through the roadblock noticed it and stopped.
This allegedly prompted Mtigwa, who was standing by the roadside to quickly open the passenger door to Chikozho’s vehicle and throw all the notes inside.
One of the senior officers opened the door and recovered all the money.
Coronavirus test kits used in Tanzania were dismissed as faulty by President John Magufuli on Sunday, because he said they had returned positive results on samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw.
Magufuli, whose government has already drawn criticism for being secretive about the coronavirus outbreak and has previously asked Tanzanians to pray the coronavirus away, said the kits had “technical errors”.
The COVID-19 testing kits had been imported from abroad, Magufuli said during an event in Chato in the north west of Tanzania, although he did not give further details.
The president said he had instructed Tanzanian security forces to check the quality of the kits. They had randomly obtained several non-human samples, including from a pawpaw, a goat and a sheep, but had assigned them human names and ages.
These samples were then submitted to Tanzania’s laboratory to test for the coronavirus, with the lab technicians left deliberately unaware of their origins.
Samples from the pawpaw and the goat tested positive for COVID-19, the president said, adding this meant it was likely that some people were being tested positive when in fact they were not infected by the coronavirus.
“There is something happening. I said before we should not accept that every aid is meant to be good for this nation,” Magufuli said, adding the kits should be investigated.
As of Sunday, Tanzania had recorded 480 cases of COVID-19 and 17 deaths but unlike most other African countries, Dar es Salaam sometimes goes for days without offering updates, with the last bulletin on cases on Wednesday.
Magufuli also said that he was sending a plane to collect a cure being promoted by Madagascar’s president. The herbal mix has not yet undergone internationally recognised scientific testing.
“I’m communicating with Madagascar,” he said during a speech, adding: “They have got a medicine. We will send a flight there and the medicine will be brought in the country so that Tanzanians too can benefit.”
COVID-19 infections and fatalities reported across Africa have been relatively low compared with the United States, parts of Asia and Europe. But Africa also has extremely low levels of testing, with rates of only around 500 per million people.
Paul Nyathi|THE family of late former Vice President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo has dismissed efforts by any organisation calling itself the Joshua Nkomo National Foundation (JNNF) of trying to bring together President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition MDC Nelson Chamisa through the name of the late revolutionary icon.
This comes after JNNF last week announced it was organising a lunch of Inhloko and Isitshwala for the two rival leaders to sit down and talk.
Said the late Nkomo’s elder son, Sibangilizwe in a hard hitting statement, “On behalf of the Joshua Nkomo family and the Nyongolo clan that I represent as head of the family, we have been following some disturbing events and developments where we have witnessed the abuse and political exploitation of our father and icon, Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo’s name by some unscrupulous and dubious characters and individuals in the name of the Joshua Nkomo National Foundation to be specific.
“A gentleman by the name Mmillili Evans Tapela and his colleagues who allegedly claim that they have the blessings and approval of one of our family members and sister, Mrs Thandiwe-Ebrahim Nkomo in carrying on with their shenanigans that are not only meant to bring the good name of our late father into dispute, but selfish gains and sinister motives.”
Sibangilizwe described the foundation’s Mnangagwa and Chamisa planned meeting as mischievous.
“We just learnt with shock that the same guys at the Joshua Nkomo National Foundation (JNNF) are up to their political mischief again and this time they have notched their game higher.
“There are on–going advertisements and media reports of a proposed Political Gathering (Inhloko) whose aim is said to be bringing together, His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to be hosted by the same (JNNF).
“We believe that this is not only misleading but irresponsible on their part and is again meant to soil the Joshua Nkomo name and legacy.
“Therefore, we would like to make it categorically clear as a family and the Nyongolo clan that we are very disappointed and disgusted by these development and would like to disassociate ourselves from activities and programmes of Joshua Nkomo National Foundation (JNNF) because of these unpleasant developments,” said Sibangilizwe.
The family also accused the foundation of hijacking a memorial lecture of the late struggle icon.
“The same people in the JNNF deliberately hijacked an on-going programme to use it as a platform to settle their political scores with government.
“This is contrary to the vision and objectives of establishing the annual Joshua Nkomo Lecture Academic Memorial Lecture Series which we have successfully run on four previous occasions,” said the family.
The Law Society of Zimbawe dismissed as irrational, an order by President Emmerson Mnangagwa barring landlords from compelling tenants to pay their rentals this month due to the continuing Coronavirus Lockdown on grounds of loss of income.
The Law Society of Zimbabwe said the decree suppressed the rights of a section of society in attempts to protect those of the another.
The opening of the High and Supreme Courts, due today, will be delayed while protective equipment is sourced for all who work in these courts and with Chief Justice Luke Malaba today expected to issue a statement on the country’s courts activities and measures before the resumption of business.
The courts have been attending to urgent matters, mainly remands, bail hearings and matters deemed urgent but the bulk of legal work, civil hearings and criminal trials, have been put on hold. Judicial Service Commission secretary Mr Walter Chikwanha told The Herald yesterday, a delay in the opening of the courts is inevitable.
“The Chief Justice will tomorrow make a statement on the judiciary position. Courts cannot open to the public without necessary equipment,” he said.
“We need to acquire personal protective equipment for all the members of the judiciary who are going to man the courts including judges and magistrates, in compliance with the regulations and requirements announced by the President in this regard. As result we may delay opening courts by a few days.”
President Mnangagwa last Friday extended the lockdown by another two weeks, but allowed formal businesses to reopen under strict conditions, while an $18 billion package to resuscitate all economic sectors and vulnerable groups was announced.
As part of the conditions for further relaxation announced by the President, it will be compulsory to wear masks in reopened businesses and outside homes, although these can be home-made.
Businesses will have to have ensure that all employees are tested by public health authorities before opening and have temperature scanners.
