THE various strategies being employed in the ongoing fight against the novel coronavirus will continue even after the pandemic has been contained in order to improve the country’s readiness to deal with any similar outbreaks in future.

Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga said this yesterday at Chipindura High School in Bindura, Mashonaland Central, while assessing the province’s readiness to handle Covid-19 cases.

The Mashonaland Central tour followed a similar assessment mission in Mashonaland East on Friday.

The country’s top leadership is assessing the level of preparedness across the country.

“Even when this pandemic is over we are going to continue with such awareness programmes, and even the resources we have gathered will not be taken away so that in the future when we have such pandemics, our people will be better prepared and we are not found wanting,” said Chiwenga.

While well-wishers from all over the world could assist the country in fighting the virus, he said, the onus to defeat the disease lay with Zimbabweans.

“We may receive donations from outside, which is appreciated, but we should know that we are our own liberators, we must deal with this situation as Zimbabweans.”

He thanked ordinary people, corporates and other organisations that have contributed in cash and kind towards efforts to curb the spread of the disease.

Returning residents, citizens or other foreign visitors should be quarantined on entry at Government-controlled facilities to stem the spread of the disease, he said.

The Vice-President also censured fake prophets who were profiting by making false healing claims.

In his remarks, Mashonaland Central Provincial Medical Director Dr Clemence Tshuma said some of the materials the province needed include personal protective equipment (PPE) and food for frontline workers, ambulances and the setting up of an ICU (intensive care unit) at Mvurwi General Hospital, which has been designated as the province’s Covid-19 centre.

Chiwenga toured Chipadze Isolation Centre in Bindura, oguru Clinic in Mvurwi, Mvurwi General Hospital and other facilities in Mt Darwin and Guruve.

Separately, Chiwenga also said Zimbabweans should continue celebrating the sacrifices made by freedom fighters in liberating the country from colonial bondage despite foregoing the national festivities.

“Those who will come after us will be told that this year’s celebrations were unusual because we could not have our usual festivities due to Covid-19.

The celebrations were supposed to be held in Bulawayo in line with our devolution principle; however, we will celebrate our independence in our hearts and minds and remember those who perished or were maimed during the liberation struggle,” he said.-State media

By Jane Mlambo| Zimbabwe recorded one more coronavirus case to take the total number to 25, according to the ministry of health and child care.

In their daily update yesterday evening, the health ministry conducted 133 tests in all the ten provinces of Zimbabwe and out of the total number only one case in Harare tested positive.

The ministry said the case relates to a person who travelled out of Zimbabwe to Europe.

Despite conducting a record 1192 tests on Friday, the ministry backtracked and only conducted 133 raising questions if the targeted 33 000 tests will be achieved by 30 April.

Below is the MoHCC update;

By Isaac Mabuka| Greetings My Fellow Zimbabweans:

Today the 18th of April like every year, we all reflect on our Great National event, that is our Independence Day. Despite the pains of uncertainty and fear caused by the covid-19 virus, we share together the values of our nationhood. We are called Zimbabweans because in 1980, the 18th of April a foreign flag was brought down and the Zimbabwean flag was raised. This happened because as a people we massively rejected to remain second class human beings in our land. We gave up our comfort of those days and many sacrificed their lives so that we could regain our dignity. Fellow Country men and women, we must forever cherish our Independence because we brought it with our own blood and sweat

As Zapu we are part of the toiling masses in our own motherland today. We are saddened by the level of greed by some Zimbabweans who have built so much power around themselves. This has led to an unforeseen socio-economic decay beyond our imagination. We watch with shock every time when we see a deliberate departure from what we had fought for so hard with all the sacrifice possible.

Zapu calls upon every Zimbabwean to accept the reality that as it was us the people who confronted the evil racist regime of Ian Smith, it has to be us now again to confront the state sponsored corruption and all the repressive mechanisms that we see every day .We must commit ourselves to fight for social justice, genuine freedom, human rights and democracy in our country.

We got our Independence but it has been painfully soiled by all evil that has culminated in desperate but very costly regime preservation tactics of rapacious people believing that our independence is their “affair”.

Fellow Zimbabweans, Zapu urges all Zimbabweans to redefine our independence to make it what it has to be. 

Isaac Mabuka is the current ZAPU President.

By Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has called for a radical transformation and creation of a society that embraces inclusivity among Zimbabweans saying the country is more divided that it was at independence in 1980.

Presenting his Independence day speech, Chamisa said it is imperative for Zimbabweans to now build a nation that everyone cherishes, something he says the liberation struggle generation failed to address post independence.

“On the national question, Zimbabweans are today more divided than they were at Independence in 1980.

“The liberation struggle generation has failed to address the national question. What is now needed is radical transformation by the next generation of leadership to create an enabling environment for an inclusive sense of belonging among Zimbabweans to build the kind of nation that Zimbabweans have always wanted to be.” said Chamisa.

He also called for an end to the era of violence saying the challenge is up to the next generation to resolve.

“There’s a need for the radical transformation of Zimbabwe’s electoral politics to put an end to the era of disputed elections. This is a challenge that the next generation of leadership must resolve,” said Chamisa.

MDC Alliance Treasurer General David Coltart has urged government to consider extending the current 21-day lockdown which set to end tomorrow (19 April) to the 5th of May when schools re-open.

Coltart urged the government, international community and the private sector to use the extension to work hard and implement a number of measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Some of the measures suggested by Coltart include testing of front line medical staff and those still working in public, provision of face masks for the unemployed, compelling businesses to enforce social distancing, all businesses to be compelled to use hand sanitizer, provision of free food to the poor, educating the police and army to enforce the lockdown humanely, among others.

Read Coltart’s statement below:

Some personal thoughts on Zimbabwe’s Coronavirus lockdown policy

The Zimbabwean Coronavirus lockdown is due to end at midnight on Sunday the 19th April. Mr Mnangagwa has stated that his government is going to review that policy and has suggested he will make a decision on the 20th April, but if it is left that late that will only cause unnecessary confusion. Businesses need to be able to plan ahead and government should announce its intentions today. It will cause chaos if government waits until the weekend, or after the weekend, to announce its decision.

Be that as it may any decision to end or extend the lockdown is fraught with problems. On the one hand it is clear that infections are rising and that Zimbabwe may only be at the early stages of its total number of infections, if statistics of other countries in the world are anything to go by. On the other hand it is clear that in many respects the lockdown is not working in Zimbabwe, and in any event is unsustainable. Lockdowns may work in countries with resilient economies but the danger in Zimbabwe is that more people may die from starvation than Covid 19. In addition it is virtually impossible for poor people to remain in their tiny homes for weeks on end without any ability to make an income and feed themselves.

It is clear that we need to finesse our lockdown policy so that we limit infections as far as possible but ensure that poor people in particular are not in greater danger from malnutrition than they are from Covid 19. We need to move away from the two extreme ends of the policy spectrum to a balance between a total lockdown and no lockdown at all. The current lockdown is clearly unsustainable but against that a sudden end to the lockdown could have catastrophic consequences.

Prior to making suggestions I must state the obvious. I do not have public health policy expertise, nor do I pretend to have it. I simply have been reading the views of a wide range of experts both within Zimbabwe and world wide and it seems to me that common sense dictates that the following broad principles should be applied:

1. It would be wrong to simply end the lockdown on Sunday. With infections rising in the country it will send a wrong and dangerous message to many Zimbabweans who are already not practising safe social distancing and personal hygiene methods, namely that the danger is past.

2. The current lockdown should be extended to the beginning of the next school term – Tuesday the 5th May – and during that extension government, the international community and the private sector must work vigorously on the following measures.

3. Government in conjunction with the international community must urgently ramp up testing of front line medical staff and those still working in public. As resources and testing kits become more freely available testing must be extended to all displaying symptoms of Covid 19.

4. Goverment in conjunction with the private sector must use this period to produce face masks on a massive scale which should be provided free to unemployed people and at a subsidised cost to others. By the 5th May it must be made mandatory for all people to wear masks in public places. Government should avail clothing manufacturing companies throughout Zimbabwe the necessary financial support to manufacture hundreds of thousands of masks in the coming weeks.

5. Government must immediately commence a massive education policy regarding social distancing and compel all government institutions and businesses to mark out 2 meter distances for customers in all public places. A range of new laws should be enacted to compel social distancing in all public places. Laws will have to be introduced to stipulate maximum numbers of people who can travel in various categories of public transport.

6. Government in conjunction with the private sector must ramp up the production and importation of hand sanitisers and laws must be introduced to compel all businesses and all institutions to use sanitisers at all entrances to all public buildings.

7. All efforts to expedite the refurbishment and fitting out of hospitals countrywide to accommodate Covid 19 patients should be made by government, the private sector and the international community. The Minister of Finance should regulate that any donations made by private citizens and companies towards recognised government hospitals or charities involved in this exercise should be tax deductible.

8. UN agencies have recently warned that over 5 million Zimbabweans are food insecure and many are malnourished. If we are to avoid widespread looting of stores during the lockdown government, with its international and civil society and church partners, must urgently designate food outlets throughout urban areas (particularly in high density areas) well controlled by the police, where basic food such as mealie meal, vegetables and cooking oil can either be provided to poor people for free or at minimal cost. The private sector should be engaged to assist in the transportation of food to the outlets and the general organisation thereof.

9. Government in conjunction with the private sector must rapidly escalate the production/ importation and supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for front line medical staff.

10. The police and army must immediately be clearly instructed and educated that their role is to enforce the lockdown humanely. The widespread reports of soldiers beating innocent civilians over the last few days are unacceptable. Those responsible for these beatings should be suspended and charged and statements should be made from the highest authorities that the role of the police and army is to assist the public to ensure that social distancing and hygiene measures are respected.

11. The lockdown provisions should be relaxed to the extent that people be allowed to exercise for two hours daily so long as they do not participate in groups of more than 3 people, practice safe social distancing habits and wear masks. This should be implemented immediately – poor people in particular cannot be expected to remain cramped up in tiny flats or homes for weeks on end. The existing policy is not working and is impossible to enforce.

12. The lockdown should be reviewed at the end of April and businesses given adequate warning if the lockdown is be varied on the 5th May.

13. In any event if the lockdown is varied, or reduced, on the 5th May provision must be made to extend the lockdown and protection of all institutions catering for particularly vulnerable people such as old age homes. Policies must be implemented to ensure that other vulnerable people, for example those suffering from diseases such as lung disease and diabetes, are protected as far as possible. In any event all large public gatherings where there is close contact of people in confined spaces should be banned indefinitely pending confirmation that infections are under control.

In closing it is clear that government does not have the resources needed to implement all of the policies suggested above. This can only be achieved if we get the support of both the private sector and the international community. With regard to the latter it is important that the key political leaders from across the political spectrum make a combined appeal and approach to the international community for assistance.

Senator David Coltart
Bulawayo
17th April 2020

THE various strategies being employed in the ongoing fight against the novel coronavirus will continue even after the pandemic has been contained in order to improve the country’s readiness to deal with any similar outbreaks in future.

Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga said this yesterday at Chipindura High School in Bindura, Mashonaland Central, while assessing the province’s readiness to handle Covid-19 cases.

The Mashonaland Central tour followed a similar assessment mission in Mashonaland East on Friday.

The country’s top leadership is assessing the level of preparedness across the country.

“Even when this pandemic is over we are going to continue with such awareness programmes, and even the resources we have gathered will not be taken away so that in the future when we have such pandemics, our people will be better prepared and we are not found wanting,” said VP Chiwenga.

While well-wishers from all over the world could assist the country in fighting the virus, he said, the onus to defeat the disease lay with Zimbabweans.

“We may receive donations from outside, which is appreciated, but we should know that we are our own liberators, we must deal with this situation as Zimbabweans.”

He thanked ordinary people, corporates and other organisations that have contributed in cash and kind towards efforts to curb the spread of the disease.

Returning residents, citizens or other foreign visitors should be quarantined on entry at Government-controlled facilities to stem the spread of the disease, he said.

The Vice-President also censured fake prophets who were profiting by making false healing claims.

In his remarks, Mashonaland Central Provincial Medical Director Dr Clemence Tshuma said some of the materials the province needed include personal protective equipment (PPE) and food for frontline workers, ambulances and the setting up of an ICU (intensive care unit) at Mvurwi General Hospital, which has been designated as the province’s Covid-19 centre.

VP Chiwenga toured Chipadze Isolation Centre in Bindura, Suwoguru Clinic in Mvurwi, Mvurwi General Hospital and other facilities in Mt Darwin and Guruve.

He was accompanied by Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Tsitsi Gezi, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe and Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Minister Monica Mavunga.

Separately, VP Chiwenga also said Zimbabweans should continue celebrating the sacrifices made by freedom fighters in liberating the country from colonial bondage despite foregoing the national festivities.

“Those who will come after us will be told that this year’s celebrations were unusual because we could not have our usual festivities due to Covid-19.

The celebrations were supposed to be held in Bulawayo in line with our devolution principle; however, we will celebrate our independence in our hearts and minds and remember those who perished or were maimed during the liberation struggle,” he said.-State media

THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has warned Zanu PF against politicisation of COVID-19 aid meant for vulnerable households facing hunger during the 21-day lockdown claiming deserving families have been left out of the scheme.

In a report, ZimRights accused Zanu PF of partisan distributions of aid.

The human rights lobby group alleged that the party’s supporters were the sole beneficiaries of a $200 million cushion availed by government to assist hungry families.

“Following this, ZimRights members reported that during the second week of the lockdown, there were incidents of partisan distribution of aid, listing down of names of supporters of the ruling Zanu PF party for aid,” the report read.

“There were reports of partisan aid distribution and selective listing of beneficiaries of the government funds to cushion those in the informal sector.”

During the first week of the lockdown, government announced that it would avail a monthly grant of $200 million to a million vulnerable households.

Government further announced a World Bank-funded package to assist informal traders whose work has been affected by the lockdown.

This comes after the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) raised alarm over Zimbabwe’s severe hunger status.-NewsDay

Masvingo Mayor, Advocate Collen Maboke has clashed with Masvingo District Development Co-ordinator over politicisation of the $600m Covid-19 relief fund put in place by Government recently to help the vulnerable.

Maboke confirmed to The Mirror in an interview that compilation of the list of would be beneficiaries is being done by losing Zanu PF candidates of the 2018 harmonised elections.

The entire MDC team of seven councillors in the city have been strategically left of the process, said Maboke.

He said the international community is justified to refuse aid to Zimbabwe if Government behaves in this manner.

He said there are hundreds of starving residents who will be refused aid by Zanu PF and left to starve simply because they don’t support the ruling party.

President Mnangagwa set up the fund a few weeks ago to cushion vulnerable individuals and companies from the effects of Covid-19 particularly after he declared a 21-day lockdown. However, there have always been strong sentiments and fears that Zanu PF would use the Fund for political expediency.
Maboke accused Roy Hove, the District Development Co-ordinator (DDC) for Masvingo of leading the illicit process and added that the lists are being submitted to his offices by Zanu PF operatives.

Asked for a comment Hove said he would find out.

However, Maboke told The Mirror that every Government office that he checked with identified Hove as the lynchpin of the process.

“After discovering that this fund has been politicised, I checked with every Government Department to establish the centre of the process.

I even confronted the Minister of State for Masvingo, Ezra Chadzamira but I did not get a clear answer.
“I asked Hove and he told me that he had no information on the process.

I went to his offices and actually saw Zanu PF activists bringing lists including one brought by Sylvester Chikondo from Ward 9. When I confronted Hove with this evidence, he excused himself and asked me to meet him the next day but he is now elusive,” said Maboke.-Credit :The Mirror

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called on citizens to remain optimistic adding that Vision 2030 remained alive despite the current huddles being faced by the majority.

Below are excepts of his address to the nation as Zimbabwe turns 40.

“Forty years after independence, let us remain hopeful and steadfast in our spirits. Vision 2030 is alive and beyond Covid-19. Its accomplishment must be accelerated.

“Our present experiences, in the wake of this pandemic, teach us that friends and investors may assist us. However, it is the collective efforts of all our nationals across all sectors, that will make the difference. We must, thus scale up dialogue among each other to harness our abilities, competencies, skills and resources.”

“May our children and grandchildren always enjoy freedom while defending their rich cultural heritage and working hard, in unity, for an ever prosperous future.

“In addition we must produce, produce and produce. That way, we celebrate our independence by saving lives and our economy,” he said.

“Achieving food security remains a key priority to my Government. Today our stocks are being replenished through massive food imports. Food will reach vulnerable households so that no one will starve. This includes those in urban areas.

“Orphans and the vulnerable continue to benefit from the Basic Education Assistance Module with a total of 1,2 million children expected to be on the scheme this year,” President Mnangagwa said.

“The land shall forever remain united with the people and the people to their land. To this, there is no wavering or going back. However, we shall not shy away from fine-tuning our strategies to enhance land utilisation, equitable access and productivity.

“It is the expectation that buoyant industries that meet our needs, while serving regional, international, continental and even global demand will emerge henceforth.

“Scientific research, development, innovation and technologies for the vast economic spectrum towards value addition will be encouraged. Let us strive to be a knowledge building and knowledge driven society by turning our literacy levels to real goods and services for our people and beyond,”

“In respect of our social service sector, Government is engaging all stakeholders to facilitate the modernisation of the sector. In this regard, local authorities must shift focus from their traditional political roles to being engines of economic development and transformation. Our rural sector has proved a refuge and fortress in times of national and global crisis. Government will move with greater speed to relook at and implement our rural development policy.

“The need for suitable housing, sanitation, energy, along with accessible water, ICT and social amenities in rural areas should not be placed on the back burner of our national development agenda.”

“The country’s diplomatic missions have refocused towards economic diplomacy, through the promotion of trade and investment, for win-win partnerships. Although our country has been a victim of unjustified illegal economic sanctions and other hostile measures, we continue to reach out for unqualified friendship.”

“As we begin this important ‘Decade for Action’, may we never lose focus of the bigger vision, to develop and modernise Zimbabwe towards an upper middle income economy by 2030.”

THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) yesterday advised various stakeholders and the public to disregard a leaked document which had been circulating on social media purporting to reveal its de-dollarisation plan.

In a statement yesterday, RBZ governor John Mangudya said the de-dollarisation document had been leaked prematurely and was not final.

This comes as the central bank recently indicated that it would produce a road-map on how the country would de-dollarise in the next five years, as part of moving towards the single use of the Zimbabwe dollar in the country.

“The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe wishes to advise the public that the document titled “De-dollarisation Road Map” which has been circulating on social media was leaked by senior Bank economist, Philton Makena, who had access to a document on the macro-economic policy measure to support the five-year de-dollarisation strategy which was being worked on by a team of economists in the Bank.

“The draft document is not official as it has not even been discussed at both Bank and government levels.

“The document should therefore be disregarded,” Mangudya said.

“The draft document was being worked on by the team of economists on a computer allocated to a chief economist in the Bank, Paul Gilmour Mukoki.

“The bank has since established that Mukoki was not responsible for the leakage of the document.

“Makena’s conduct amounted to breach of the oath of secrecy by which all Bank employees are bound.

“Accordingly, the Bank has suspended him, with immediate effect, and has commenced disciplinary proceedings against him,” Mangudya added.

He said the RBZ regretted the incident.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is going to give a directive regarding the lockdown on Sunday, Information Secretary Ndabaningi Nick Mangwana has said.

In a tweet on Saturday Mangwana said, “Regarding the question of whether the #LockDownZim will be extended or not, and if extended, what shape that will take, we would like to advise that an announcement will be made tomorrow.

Zimbabwe’s lockdown is ending on Sunday midnight and people were expecting President Mnangagwa to address the question during his independence day speech.

THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has warned Zanu PF against politicisation of COVID-19 aid meant for vulnerable households facing hunger during the 21-day lockdown claiming deserving families have been left out of the scheme.

In a report, ZimRights accused Zanu PF of partisan distributions of aid.

The human rights lobby group alleged that the party’s supporters were the sole beneficiaries of a $200 million cushion availed by government to assist hungry families.

“Following this, ZimRights members reported that during the second week of the lockdown, there were incidents of partisan distribution of aid, listing down of names of supporters of the ruling Zanu PF party for aid,” the report read.

“There were reports of partisan aid distribution and selective listing of beneficiaries of the government funds to cushion those in the informal sector.”

During the first week of the lockdown, government announced that it would avail a monthly grant of $200 million to a million vulnerable households.

Government further announced a World Bank-funded package to assist informal traders whose work has been affected by the lockdown.

This comes after the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) raised alarm over Zimbabwe’s severe hunger status.-NewsDay

WHILE most churches conducted services from home during the Easter holidays in line with the Covid-19 lockdown regulations, a prayer session turned tragic when three apostolic church members died in a Murahwa Hills cave, Mutare, as the Sungano Apostolic Sect leaders were clandestinely conducting a 10-day prayer session.

Both the church and Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa, confirmed the sad news.

Timothy Mandeya (23), Roderick Mafongoyo (28) and Nigel Maimbo (17) of Chikanga passed away while attending a prayer session in Murahwa Mountain.

Seven congregants — Walter Kwaini, Prince Chingoda, a 14-year old juvenile, Dadirai Chirevo, Tapiwa Samunda, Tanatswa Ziremu and Benjamin Paradza — survived the ordeal.

They were arrested for contravening Section 5 of Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020 Covid-19 Lockdown Offences Act, which outlaws gatherings of more than two individuals in a public place during the 21-day lockdown period.

The survivors gave narratives of mysterious events leading to the death of the trio and claimed that the deaths were linked to spiritual chastisement.

However, Inspector Kakohwa dismissed the claims and said investigations are still in progress to establish the cause of the deaths.

“Information at hand indicates that 10 people were attending a church prayer meeting which was supposed to last for 10 days in Murahwa Mountain. They gathered at the place last Wednesday at around 1pm.

“The next day as they continued with their prayers, it became very cold. According to our investigations, they decided to seek shelter in a tunnel. While inside, they lit a fire to warm themselves up. However, there was too much smoke in the tunnel and some of them decided to go back outside, thereby leaving Mandeya, Mafongoyo and Maimbo inside,” said Inspector Kakohwa.

He said Kwaini and Chingoda then decided to go back inside the tunnel to check on their colleagues after a few minutes, but found them dead.

They reported the case at Chikanga Police Station. Sungano Apostolic Church leader, Bishop Rackson Samunda, was one of the people who arrived at the scene soon after the tragic incident.

He claimed that one of the survivors had said mysterious apparitions were witnessed before the three’s death.

“We were informed by one of the survivors that they discovered that their colleagues had remained inside the tunnel. They quickly went back in to search of them, but instead met three dreadlocked men who rebuked them for praying in the cave, before mysteriously disappearing,” claimed the bishop.

But Inspector Kakohwa shot back, encouraging members of the public to wait for the conclusion of investigations before making such claims.

Acting Chief Mutasa said the mountain in question is a no go area for such activities.

“That is a sacred area. Yes, we are a free country but some areas cannot be visited willy-nilly,” he said.

Christians in Manicaland and beyond celebrated the Easter holidays at home glued to either their television sets or smart phones as church leaders conducted services on various social media platforms.

Anglican Diocese of Manicaland, Bishop Eric Ruwona said people need to abide by the regulations put in place in order to stop the spread of Covid-19.

“We have outlawed church gatherings until this pandemic is over. There were no gatherings during the Easter Holidays. The church did live presentations on our Facebook page. We are taking this isolation thing very seriously and we have advised our members accordingly,” he said.

Father Simba Rukanda of St Paul’s Roman Catholic Church in Dangamvura said Catholics are staying at home and observing social distancing.

“During the Easter holidays, we used our social media platforms to send messages and prayers. The virus is causing havoc across the world. As Christians, we need to pray for salvation,” he said.

According to the World Health Organisation, there were 2 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 as of yesterday (16 April), while 130 000 people had lost their lives due to the virus.

In Zimbabwe, there were 23 confirmed cases, including three deaths, as of yesterday.

One recovery has been recorded so far.

State Media

Masvingo Mayor, Advocate Collen Maboke has clashed with Masvingo District Development Co-ordinator over politicisation of the $600m Covid-19 relief fund put in place by Government recently to help the vulnerable.

Maboke confirmed to The Mirror in an interview that compilation of the list of would be beneficiaries is being done by losing Zanu PF candidates of the 2018 harmonised elections.

The entire MDC team of seven councillors in the city have been strategically left of the process, said Maboke.

He said the international community is justified to refuse aid to Zimbabwe if Government behaves in this manner.

He said there are hundreds of starving residents who will be refused aid by Zanu PF and left to starve simply because they don’t support the ruling party.

President Mnangagwa set up the fund a few weeks ago to cushion vulnerable individuals and companies from the effects of Covid-19 particularly after he declared a 21-day lockdown. However, there have always been strong sentiments and fears that Zanu PF would use the Fund for political expediency.
Maboke accused Roy Hove, the District Development Co-ordinator (DDC) for Masvingo of leading the illicit process and added that the lists are being submitted to his offices by Zanu PF operatives.

Asked for a comment Hove said he would find out.

However, Maboke told The Mirror that every Government office that he checked with identified Hove as the lynchpin of the process.

“After discovering that this fund has been politicised, I checked with every Government Department to establish the centre of the process.

I even confronted the Minister of State for Masvingo, Ezra Chadzamira but I did not get a clear answer.
“I asked Hove and he told me that he had no information on the process.

I went to his offices and actually saw Zanu PF activists bringing lists including one brought by Sylvester Chikondo from Ward 9. When I confronted Hove with this evidence, he excused himself and asked me to meet him the next day but he is now elusive,” said Maboke.-Credit :The Mirror

MDC Alliance Treasurer General David Coltart has urged government to consider extending the current 21-day lockdown which set to end tomorrow (19 April) to the 5th of May when schools re-open.

Coltart urged the government, international community and the private sector to use the extension to work hard and implement a number of measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Some of the measures suggested by Coltart include testing of front line medical staff and those still working in public, provision of face masks for the unemployed, compelling businesses to enforce social distancing, all businesses to be compelled to use hand sanitizer, provision of free food to the poor, educating the police and army to enforce the lockdown humanely, among others.

Read Coltart’s statement below:

Some personal thoughts on Zimbabwe’s Coronavirus lockdown policy

The Zimbabwean Coronavirus lockdown is due to end at midnight on Sunday the 19th April. Mr Mnangagwa has stated that his government is going to review that policy and has suggested he will make a decision on the 20th April, but if it is left that late that will only cause unnecessary confusion. Businesses need to be able to plan ahead and government should announce its intentions today. It will cause chaos if government waits until the weekend, or after the weekend, to announce its decision.

Be that as it may any decision to end or extend the lockdown is fraught with problems. On the one hand it is clear that infections are rising and that Zimbabwe may only be at the early stages of its total number of infections, if statistics of other countries in the world are anything to go by. On the other hand it is clear that in many respects the lockdown is not working in Zimbabwe, and in any event is unsustainable. Lockdowns may work in countries with resilient economies but the danger in Zimbabwe is that more people may die from starvation than Covid 19. In addition it is virtually impossible for poor people to remain in their tiny homes for weeks on end without any ability to make an income and feed themselves.

It is clear that we need to finesse our lockdown policy so that we limit infections as far as possible but ensure that poor people in particular are not in greater danger from malnutrition than they are from Covid 19. We need to move away from the two extreme ends of the policy spectrum to a balance between a total lockdown and no lockdown at all. The current lockdown is clearly unsustainable but against that a sudden end to the lockdown could have catastrophic consequences.

Prior to making suggestions I must state the obvious. I do not have public health policy expertise, nor do I pretend to have it. I simply have been reading the views of a wide range of experts both within Zimbabwe and world wide and it seems to me that common sense dictates that the following broad principles should be applied:

1. It would be wrong to simply end the lockdown on Sunday. With infections rising in the country it will send a wrong and dangerous message to many Zimbabweans who are already not practising safe social distancing and personal hygiene methods, namely that the danger is past.

2. The current lockdown should be extended to the beginning of the next school term – Tuesday the 5th May – and during that extension government, the international community and the private sector must work vigorously on the following measures.

3. Government in conjunction with the international community must urgently ramp up testing of front line medical staff and those still working in public. As resources and testing kits become more freely available testing must be extended to all displaying symptoms of Covid 19.

4. Goverment in conjunction with the private sector must use this period to produce face masks on a massive scale which should be provided free to unemployed people and at a subsidised cost to others. By the 5th May it must be made mandatory for all people to wear masks in public places. Government should avail clothing manufacturing companies throughout Zimbabwe the necessary financial support to manufacture hundreds of thousands of masks in the coming weeks.

5. Government must immediately commence a massive education policy regarding social distancing and compel all government institutions and businesses to mark out 2 meter distances for customers in all public places. A range of new laws should be enacted to compel social distancing in all public places. Laws will have to be introduced to stipulate maximum numbers of people who can travel in various categories of public transport.

6. Government in conjunction with the private sector must ramp up the production and importation of hand sanitisers and laws must be introduced to compel all businesses and all institutions to use sanitisers at all entrances to all public buildings.

7. All efforts to expedite the refurbishment and fitting out of hospitals countrywide to accommodate Covid 19 patients should be made by government, the private sector and the international community. The Minister of Finance should regulate that any donations made by private citizens and companies towards recognised government hospitals or charities involved in this exercise should be tax deductible.

8. UN agencies have recently warned that over 5 million Zimbabweans are food insecure and many are malnourished. If we are to avoid widespread looting of stores during the lockdown government, with its international and civil society and church partners, must urgently designate food outlets throughout urban areas (particularly in high density areas) well controlled by the police, where basic food such as mealie meal, vegetables and cooking oil can either be provided to poor people for free or at minimal cost. The private sector should be engaged to assist in the transportation of food to the outlets and the general organisation thereof.

9. Government in conjunction with the private sector must rapidly escalate the production/ importation and supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for front line medical staff.

10. The police and army must immediately be clearly instructed and educated that their role is to enforce the lockdown humanely. The widespread reports of soldiers beating innocent civilians over the last few days are unacceptable. Those responsible for these beatings should be suspended and charged and statements should be made from the highest authorities that the role of the police and army is to assist the public to ensure that social distancing and hygiene measures are respected.

11. The lockdown provisions should be relaxed to the extent that people be allowed to exercise for two hours daily so long as they do not participate in groups of more than 3 people, practice safe social distancing habits and wear masks. This should be implemented immediately – poor people in particular cannot be expected to remain cramped up in tiny flats or homes for weeks on end. The existing policy is not working and is impossible to enforce.

12. The lockdown should be reviewed at the end of April and businesses given adequate warning if the lockdown is be varied on the 5th May.

13. In any event if the lockdown is varied, or reduced, on the 5th May provision must be made to extend the lockdown and protection of all institutions catering for particularly vulnerable people such as old age homes. Policies must be implemented to ensure that other vulnerable people, for example those suffering from diseases such as lung disease and diabetes, are protected as far as possible. In any event all large public gatherings where there is close contact of people in confined spaces should be banned indefinitely pending confirmation that infections are under control.

In closing it is clear that government does not have the resources needed to implement all of the policies suggested above. This can only be achieved if we get the support of both the private sector and the international community. With regard to the latter it is important that the key political leaders from across the political spectrum make a combined appeal and approach to the international community for assistance.

Senator David Coltart
Bulawayo
17th April 2020

The long and bitter struggle for independence united and organised Zimbabweans to work as a people, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has said.

In her independence message to mark this year’s 40th Independence Day anniversary, Minister Mutsvangwa said Zimbabwe was a nation of resilient people who always rise to occasion in face of tough challenges.

“Our long and bitter struggle united us, it organised us, it disciplined us. Zimbabwe is a nation of resilient people thus a nation which always rise to occasion no matter how tough the challenge is,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“We witnessed it last year when our country was hit by Cyclone Idai, a calamity which ravaged parts of our country. Zimbabweans within and outside came on board to assist. Now with Covid-19 threatening pandemic, it is heartening to see the corporate world and many Zimbabweans heeding our President’s call to assist. The large and deep pockets of our companies will play a complimentary role to Government efforts.”

Minister Mutsvangwa said this year’s celebrations were unique as they came in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. She said the absence of gatherings does not in any way dampen the independence celebratory mood.

“Our Independence Day 18th April has fallen at a time when we have joined other nations across the globe in fighting a pandemic that knows no race, age, religion nor sex,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“The Coronavirus threat has made us change the way we live and this year Zimbabwe celebrates its 40th birthday in a different style and manner. Still that should not stop us celebrate this auspicious occasion with more courage and determination to win the war against Covid-19. On April 18 we celebrated the birth of our nation, a nation that was built out of a desire for freedom. A nation whose founding blocks are the need for independence, equality, justice and freedom.”

Minister Mutsvangwa said Zimbabweans sacrificed life and limb in the modern war against foreign invaders over two decades until victory was achieved in 1980. She urged all citizens to mark this independence while maintaining social distance and lockdown.  Minister Mutsvangwa said the focus of Independence Day celebration was the national address by President Mnangagwa.

Said Minister Mutsvangwa: “For entertainment, the national broadcaster will be hosting a virtual concert on Ztv along with a top 40 count down. We will try to create an atmosphere through the media both print and electronic. On this note, I would like to wish all Zimbabweans a happy 40th Independence Day celebration. I would like to remind you to stay at home and maintain social distancing so that we remain health and celebrate many more years of independence”

-State Media

The Postal Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) says there is no scientific link between fifth generation (5G) cellular mobile technologies and Covid-19 or any clinical evidence linking the technology to the novel virus.

Further, Potraz assured Zimbabweans that only standardised network equipment would be allowed for deployment into the country.
This followed unproved conspiracy theories linking the G5 to the spread of Covid-19. Fifth Generation is the latest wireless mobile phone technology first deployed in 2019.

In various countries, G5 and communication infrastructure had been subjected to vandalism and acts of arson and sabotage as people were being misled to believe that there is a link between the two.

In a statement, Potraz director general Dr Gift Machengete said: “There is no scientific link between 5G and Covid-19 or its spread. There is no clinical evidence linking 5G and Covid-19 or its spread. 5G operates in the non-ionising portion of the electromagnetic field and currently there are no 5G deployments in Zimbabwe. All network deployments in Zimbabwe are done in accordance with ITU based international standards and under Zimbabwe law, network vandalism or intentional damage to critical information infrastructure is a criminal offence which upon conviction carries a minimum of 10 years in jail.”

Dr Machengete said unlike its predecessors, 5G will be more human and environmentally friendly as it will employ beam0forming antennas to focus signals more efficiently towards the device in use rather than having the signal spread in broad directions as in current base station antennas.

He said no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technologies.

“Health related conclusions are drawn from studies performed across the entire radio spectrum including those to be used for 5G,” he said.
“Tissue heating is the main mechanism of interaction between radiofrequency fields and the human body. Radio frequency exposure levels from current technologies result in negligible temperature rise in the human body.”

State Media

A plot to appoint self-styled communications strategist William Gerald Mutumanje to some position was scuttled by ZANU PF activists on Saturday, it has emerged.

A ZANU PF online propaganda official (Murakashi) Jones Musara did a frenzied Twitter on Saturday warning Minister of Health Obadiah Moyo from appointing Mutumanje.

Said Musara, “The message being sent is that loyalty haina kana basa. Very dangerous message. Anyway, ED havana mhosva, vane mhosva ndeavo who lobby for disloyal elements whilst blocking ED loyalists. Hmmmm this rewarding of disloyalty cant go unchallenged. Unless if the system position is now that kurakasha President ED kuri right!

“We are going to tell Minister Obadiah Moyo that he has been misled to reward disloyal elements. Live and direct. Make no mistake about that. Enough of this nonsense of rewarding disloyal elements whilst blocking loyalists!
Kana kutuka President ED kuchiunza promotion ngaigare promotion yacho. I took an oath to not attack the President and I shall not waver!”

Musara added that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had assure him that the communications department of the party was going to be handled in a professional manner.

“We are being discouraged to not continue supporting the President and The Party but we shall not waver.  When I held the closed door meeting with President ED at State House on 23 March 2020, he was very clear that he recently appointed the Zanu PF Director of Information and Publicity Cde Tafadzwa Tuboyi Mugwadi to boost communication works etc. It wld have meant undermining the President to proceed with appointing someone especially an ED hater to do same work before that Presidential appointee has had adequate time to do his mandate.”

After an hour Musara [posted a celebratory tweet alleging he had managed to stop the appointment.

“Kkk in less than an hour tazvivharisa zvange zvichirongwa zvekuita elevate this ED hater. We could not be quiet whilst a mercenary infiltrates. Aluta continua”

-Byo 24

By Own Correspondent| Opposition MDC Alliance Vice President Tendai Biti has mocked the President Emmerson Mnangagwa administration saying they cannot wait for the lockdown to end as they have run out of money to continue functioning.

Biti accused government of imposing a lockdown without giving workers and the business sector enough time to prepare saying this forced most businesses to fail to pay their tax obligations.

“The regime unwisely imposed a lockdown from March 30 without giving workers and business time to organise. Most businesses did not pay statutory obligations like PAYE, VAT, QPD and NSSA on March 31. Regime is now broke. Treasury is empty. They can’t wait to reopen,” he tweeted.

The World Health Organisation has warned countries against prematurely ending lockdowns before putting in place adequate measures to contain the virus, a move that could be bad news to Zimbabwe if Biti’s remarks are anything to go by.

“Given that it’s foreseeable that there will be a two-week lockdown extension, we urge the authorities to base all decisions on data, science, experts and the experience of other countries,” Biti said.

“We urge provision of adequate notice to allow workers to stock-up and businesses to adjust. We urge authorities to carry out extensive decentralised testing during the extension period.

“We urge compliance with High Court orders on protective personal equipment, isolation centres and the rule of law. We urge provision of safety nets particularly water, food and cash hand-outs. We urge transparency and full disclosure.”

By Jane Mlambo| Former Zanu PF politburo member and cabinet minister Dr Walter Mzembi has blasted the current government led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa saying it has reduced Zimbabweans to worser levels than during the late former ruler Robert Mugabe.

In his independence day statement, Mzembi castigated what he said was a copy and paste approach to COVID-19 response by Mnangagwa.

Mzembi said Zimbabwe was now a military state and “an enterprising slavery nation where 90% of citizens fend for themselves in the informal sector presided over by a new master”.

“Even more paradoxical is how people, hardly three years down the line find conditions under Mugabe much better than they are now under his successor who has run the country under a laughable and largely dismissed brand payoff line of a ‘New Dispensation’ which ironically turned out to be a ‘New Deception’.

“What passed for Independence in 1980 has been a mirage of deferred dreams and aspirations by our people who were the rear guard of material, logistical, moral and reconnaissance support to the guerrillas during our war of liberation fought from the early 1960s to the end of 1979.”

He added, “Zimbabwe pretends to be in a lockdown copying and pasting responses from other countries but continues to breach international best practice and this is evident from State House right down to the village.

“We simply do not have the humility as a people anymore to submit to expert knowledge let alone to each other.

“Added to this is a lockdown that ignored safety nets for the vulnerable who have now surpassed 50% of our population.

“For them it’s a choice between dying of Hunger or Covid-19.

“A national forage for basics like MEALIE MEAL has disrupted all we have been taught about social distancing, fortunately God has been merciful and our infection rates have been minimal.”

“Politically, we have been bankrupted by the November 2017 coup which contrary to expectations reversed our democratic gains, upset constitutionalism and statecraft and firmly established a Military State.”

Mzembi was forced to skip the country 2018 when the current government opened corruption allegations against former Mugabe allies in what was believed to be politically targeted prosecutions

Opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has called for a radical transformation and creation of a society that embraces inclusivity among Zimbabweans saying the country is more divided that it was at independence in 1980.

Presenting his Independence day speech, Chamisa said it is imperative for Zimbabweans to now build a nation that everyone cherishes, something he says the liberation struggle generation failed to address post independence.

“On the national question, Zimbabweans are today more divided than they were at Independence in 1980.

“The liberation struggle generation has failed to address the national question. What is now needed is radical transformation by the next generation of leadership to create an enabling environment for an inclusive sense of belonging among Zimbabweans to build the kind of nation that Zimbabweans have always wanted to be.” said Chamisa.

He also called for an end to the era of violence saying the challenge is up to the next generation to resolve.

“There’s a need for the radical transformation of Zimbabwe’s electoral politics to put an end to the era of disputed elections. This is a challenge that the next generation of leadership must resolve,” said Chamisa.

 Saturday, 18 April 2020
 
Happy Independence Day fellow Zimbabweans, wherever you are and whatever your political affiliation or station in life.
 
As I wish you happy Uhuru Day,

I know and I understand that some of you might feel a tinge of some discomfort; because of the very difficult times that you are going through as individuals, families, organisations or communities in your endeavours to make ends meet to sustain your livelihoods.  
 
I also am fully aware that your difficulties have been compounded by impact of the coronavirus pandemic which is threatening lives and livelihoods in our country in ways that, from  public health point of view, have not been seen or experienced not perhaps since 1918 when the Spanish Flu attacked humanity resulting in untold loss of life.

Be this as it may, the 40 years of our nationhood is not a short period to be ignored; the attainment of 40 years as an independent nation is a milestone. Applied to an individual, 40 years mark the beginning of life; hence the saying that life beings at 40. But of course, the life of a nation cannot be compared to that of nation.
 
It is worth recalling that the number 40 itself, is biblically and spiritually an important symbolic number; not as a judgment point or day as some are wont to see it, but as a period of trials and tribulations that enjoins all of us, as a people united as one nation, to retrospect, introspect and prospect together; in terms of where we have come from, where we are and where we should be going.

It is this opportunity of collective reflection, that makes this day, the 40th anniversary of our Independence, an important day in our country’s history. As such, it is with humility that I have the honour and privilege to extend to you my compatriots, Fortieth Independence Day felicitations to each and all of you in recognition of the milestone we have reached as nation.
 
Over the last 40 years, our country has made remarkable strides to redress the injustices visited upon us by and under some one hundred years of brutal and dehumanising colonial rule.
 
The first wo or so decades of our Independence inspired hope, raised national expectations and instilled broad-based confidence in our country; as the new national leadership from the heroic liberation struggle laid a promising foundation for radical transformation in the key areas of reconciliation, education, health and agriculture.

In the circumstances, Zimbabwe became a beacon of peace and stability in the region and our security forces were sought after by the United Nations as peacemakers and peace enforcers around the world; our exemplary primary education system saw the country recording the highest literacy rate in Africa; our healthcare system became second to none; while our agriculture transformed the country into Africa’s breadbasket.
 
It is also a tragic truth that the same two decades of commendable success, witnessed the marginalisation parts of our country – notably in the Matabeleland region – where some 20,000 citizens were massacred with many more tortured, while thousands were internally or eternally displaced amid untold destruction of livelihoods in what has come to be known as the gukurahundi atrocities.
 
Related to this, another tragic truth is that the last 20 years have witnessed wanton use of violence in our politics.

Cases in point are what happened in the implementation of the land reform programme, while a necessary fulfilment of a fundamental goal of the liberation struggle; its violent implementation, which bordered on racism, was unnecessary, unwarranted and unjustifiable.
 
Other challenges of our heroic Independence over the last 20 years include Operation Murambatsvina; the shocking violence in the 2008 presidential runoff election; the 2017 political developments; the 1 August 2018 massacre of citizens in Harare which was repeated between 14 and 28 January 2019 across the country’s urban centres.

On balance, our country’s performance over the last 40 years can be assessed on the basis of key national grievances that were behind the national liberation struggle:
 

1. Addressing the land question to reclaim the people’s land rights.
    
2. Addressing the national question to unify the country.
    
3. Addressing the democratic question to ensure that every Zimbabwean has a right to vote and that the exercise of that right is respected and honoured.
    
4. Addressing the sovereignty question, which is the essence of National Independence, to ensure that sovereignty belongs the people, and not to a few individuals who call themselves the State.
    
   The land reform programme is now irreversible, notwithstanding the fact that its implementation left a lot to be desired. Going forward, there’s a need for radical transformation by the next generation of leadership to rationalise land tenure issues and to give title deeds and promote productivity on the land.
    
   On the national question, Zimbabweans are today more divided than they were at Independence in 1980. The liberation struggle generation has failed to address the national question. What is now needed is radical transformation by the next generation of leadership to create an enabling environment for an inclusive sense of belonging among Zimbabweans to build the kind of nation that Zimbabweans have always wanted to be.
    
   And the hitherto elusive democratic question must resolved. There’s a need for the radical transformation of Zimbabwe’s electoral politics to put an end to the era of disputed elections. This is a challenge that the next generation of leadership must resolve.
   Corruption
    
   Lastly, while sovereignty, that is to say, Independence, has over the last 40 years been for the State; a new paradigm – through radical transformation consistent with our new Constitution – is needed to make clear that sovereignty belongs to the people, not to the State. It’s the people who are free and who should define their sovereignty.
    
   Against this backdrop, when we look back over the last 40 years, and especially when we focus on the last two decades, the milestone we rightly commemorate today is a mixed bag: we have made some strides, but we have also failed ourselves in a big way. However, a New beginning is not only possible but is necessary and is coming.  For it to happen, we must each and all of us, play our part and be hold The New!
    
    
   THE DEMOCRATIC TRANSFORMATION TASK-

As Zimbabwe turns 40 today. Indeed a new nation has to be born. The nation has just to be born again.The next generation has to kick in to rebuild our country.

As we approach the decade before us, we need a new consensus, the intergenerational consensus. This inter-generational consensus is an agreement on solutions to the challenges facing the broad masses of Zimbabwe, namely the struggle for social justice and prosperity. The old should work with the young. The young must take the lead.

We must to create a socially just democratic transformative state with a humble and empathetic God fearing and God Loving leadership in respect of which will adhere to the values of social justice, transparency, accountability and equality.

We also must fulfil the unfinished agenda of the liberation struggle, in particular, the economic emancipation of our people.
We must establish a sustainable, democratic Zimbabwe.

In short, we pledge to create a free New Zimbabwe in respect of which the citizen does not live in fear and is free to pursue her aspirations.

A transformed NEW Zimbabwe in respect of which strong institutions, big ideas and a functional state prevails over tyranny, autocracy, big men syndrome and fear.
Let us all build a NEW nation and a NEW Zimbabwe built on pillars of forgiveness, peace, great ideas, progressive alternative policies, freedom, tolerance and patriotism.

We must make Zimbabwe the jewel of Africa and indeed the jewel of the world.
We must all take this moment to press a reset button so as to start promoting greater social cohesion and unity of purpose while discouraging the toxic levels of hostility and intolerance that sometimes characterise much of political discourse.

In building our nation, we must focus on building strong institutions to curtail the vices of the past. Strong institutions are inclusive in both their character and effect. Most countries that have made economic, social and political progress have usually done so on the back of strong institutions. It is these strong institutions that form pillars of the nation. They provide the social and moral compass. These pillars are the referees that restrain men and women with or without power from indulging in excesses that harm society. 

Even nations that have had strong personalities, such as South Korea, have developed strong institutions along the way, placing them in good stead for life long after the departure of the strong leader. Strong institutions must be able to survive governments, which are transient. Strong institutions are able to resist the corrupting influence of personalities and political factions. Strong institutions stand firm in the face of demagogues and populists. 

The first 40 years of our independence have shown us ample evidence of the danger of extractive institutions which benefit only a few elites and their associates. The catalogue of corruption fills many pages. We do not have to look far. The blessings of Chiadzwa diamonds turned out to be a curse for the local community and the nation at large because of extractive institutions. In the next 40 years we have a generational challenge to build inclusive institutions and to dismantle extractive institutions.We must decisively deal with corruption.

We must build strong and modern infrastructure for our great country. We need spaghetti roads, bullet trains, skyscrapers, SMART agriculture, new smart cities and towns, urbanized smart villages and world-class digital health facilities and digital government.

Going forward, we must rediscover and nurture our national values. Our home-grown constitution has a provision which outlines the founding values and principles of the nation. They include constitutional supremacy, the rule of law, good governance, gender equality and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms. 

There are many more values which derive from our culture as African people. They include Ubuntu, fairness, mutual respect, restraint and cooperation. These values which are present in our day to day lives must also inform how we conduct our politics at national level.       

Nation-building and economic prosperity require a progressive national vision. All great nations of this world have been driven by a firm national vision. A national vision can outlive its authors. Some nations have continued to pursue visions crafted more than one hundred years ago. We need a collective effort to craft a national vision. Seven years ago, we achieved something outstanding: a national constitution. It was a product of collective effort, not unilateralism. We must use the same spirit to craft a national vision as an economic, political and social compass for our nation. Indeed, we are 10 years to our silver jubilee.

Our target should not be that we should still be here in 2030. Rather, it must be that our nation will be the jewel of the world. We have a limited time remaining to complete a jubilee with great successes.

Let us join hands and combine minds in a new amity, givenness and Oneness derived from our common essence and desire to build a great Zimbabwe that will be the pride of all  Africa and the jewel of the world
The beauty about our circumstances is that the best days of our lives haven’t happened and are yet to come!

This is the beginning of a new era. Let us embrace it. Let us cherish it. We dare not fail.

I would like to assure you again, that the new independence is here. It has arrived. Feel it.
 
Remember to wash your hands, keep good hygiene, maintain social distance and spread the message.
Remember to pray for our country and indeed the entire world.
 
Happy birthday Zimbabwe!
 
God bless you,
God bless Zimbabwe,
God bless AFRICA.

WATCH the video loading below…..

By A Correspondent| Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has called for a paradigm shift towards building a Zimbabwe that satisfies the liberation ethos.

In his Independence day address, Chamisa said the signal towards realising the Zimbabwe envisaged by those who went to war would come from citizens.

“We cannot celebrate our 40th golden jubilee as a Zimbabwe in ruins….”

18 April 2020

For Immediate release

LEAD 2020 INDEPENDENCE STATEMENT

The year 1980 was special year for every Zimbabwean dead or alive, born or not yet born, black or white. It was a year that not only saw the beginning of black self-rule but also marked a new dispensation of Zimbabwean domestic and international politics.

It was a year that saw the beginning of a true democratic dispensation at the hands of the majority and based on universal suffrage. It was a year that marked a departure from the politics of apartheid and racial discrimination.

A glimpse at the new inclusive government that was established showed some sense of seriousness and urgency on the part of the new government outfit in pursuit of a new Zimbabwean political, social and political order.

Now we reflect on 40 years of the Zimbabwean democratic experiment and are all surprised at what we have been able to or been forced to carve out. The question we all ask ourselves is what has become of our shot at democracy?

As we celebrate 40 years of independence, it is important to reflect on the achievements we have had and challenges we have encountered as a nation. If we are to recall, the Mugabe government during the early years of its tenure used to pursue five year development plans.

That was a time when government focused on national development and not on political survival. The confrontation between Zanu and Zapu of the eighties derailed the Zimbabwean political and developmental train. Political survival overtook genuine developmental engagement and national governmental agenda.

At the end of the 1980s government began to battle with the cancer of corruption as exposed by the Sandura commission. Of note was the Toyota Cressida scandal. It is unfortunate that government never managed to wake up from that scandal.

Today the culture of corruption has become a norm in both public and private economic engagements. The 1990s saw the imposition on Zimbabwe of the economic policy popularly known as ESAP.

This policy had been tried in many third world economies and the result was always catastrophic, resulting in increased unemployment levels. Since that time the Zimbabwean workers continue to be disenfranchised.

In celebrating 40 years of independence, over 90% of the Zimbabwean workforce is not only unemployed and unproductive but overly destitute.

The year 2000 saw the ambitious land reform programme by government which succeeded not only in displacing the white farmers but also in destroying both the farming and manufacturing sectors of our economy. Government did a good thing in repossessing our land but unfortunately it failed to come up with a plan to make the land productive. The failure of agriculture coupled with the sanctions imposed by the West on our motherland resulted in a progressive economic deterioration in our country.

Today the only form of production and economic activity in the country is the informal sector whose economic returns cannot sustain the growing Zimbabwean population.

In response to sanctions the Mugabe regime took the route of affirmative action centered on black empowerment. This also was a disaster as it succeeded in scaring away investors and reducing FDIs.

On the political front our nation continues to suffer from the effects of confrontational politics which began in the 1980s. Our people are polarized on party lines.

This problem was compounded by the political engagements between Zanu pf and MDC and is unfortunately standing in the way of meaningful national engagement and dialogue.

While we welcome the POLAD initiatives, it unfortunately has been firing blanks ever since its inception. Real and productive national dialogue should embrace all voices including mainline politics, civic society and industry.

If the nation has to move forward those in charge of ruling and opposition politics should put the national agenda ahead of party interests.

Finally, it’s sad that we celebrate independence this year in the background of the COVID 19 pandemic.

This is not only a national but an international crisis which poses a serious threat on population and economies of nations. As we speak we are about to end the first phase of the national lockdown response strategy.

While the lockdown is an effective method to deal with an infectious disease it will not yield results if it’s not followed by strict population control measures. It will also not yield results if it is not coupled with intensive testing of all people.

We urge government to embrace all the components of an effective national lockdown including food relief and assistance for business.

Happy Independence Day Zimbabwe!

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira
LEAD President

A plot to appoint self-styled communications strategist William “Acie Lumumba” Mutumanje to some position was scuttled by ZANU PF activists on Saturday, it has emerged.

A Zanu PF online propaganda official (Murakashi) Jones Musara did a frenzied Twitter on Saturday warning Minister of Health Obadiah Moyo from appointing Acie “Lumumba” Mutumanje.

Said Musara, “The message being sent is that loyalty haina kana basa. Very dangerous message. Anyway, ED havana mhosva, vane mhosva ndeavo who lobby for disloyal elements whilst blocking ED loyalists. Hmmmm this rewarding of disloyalty cant go unchallenged. Unless if the system position is now that kurakasha President ED kuri right!

“We are going to tell Minister Obadiah Moyo that he has been misled to reward disloyal elements. Live and direct. Make no mistake about that. Enough of this nonsense of rewarding disloyal elements whilst blocking loyalists! Kana kutuka President ED kuchiunza promotion ngaigare promotion yacho. I took an oath to not attack the President and I shall not waver!”

Musara added that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had assure him that the communications department of the party was going to be handled in a professional manner.

“We are being discouraged to not continue supporting the President and The Party but we shall not waver.  When I held the closed door meeting with President ED at State House on 23 March 2020, he was very clear that he recently appointed the Zanu PF Director of Information and Publicity Tafadzwa Tuboyi Mugwadi to boost communication works etc. It wld have meant undermining the President to proceed with appointing someone especially an ED hater to do same work before that Presidential appointee has had adequate time to do his mandate.”

After an hour Musara [posted a celebratory tweet alleging he had managed to stop the appointment.

“Kkk in less than an hour tazvivharisa zvange zvichirongwa zvekuita elevate this ED hater. We could not be quiet whilst a mercenary infiltrates. Aluta continua”.-Byo24

watch the live video loading below…..

Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa’s Independence day message to Zimbabwe as the nation turn 40 today 18 April 2020.

Watch the live video loading below…………

Watch video loading below as MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa issues his Independence Day message as Zimbabwe turns 40 today April 18 2020…..

By A Correspondent- Vice President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday toured a number of COVID-19 isolation centres in Mashonaland East as Zimbabwe;s COVID 19 positive cases increased according the latest statistics by the Health Ministry.

Chiwenga, who flew to China last month for urgent medical attention de-spite the outbreak, concluded the tour at Mt St Mary’s Hospital in his home area of Hwedza.

Clad in a hazmat suit, Chiwenga arrived in the provincial capital Maronde-ra before leaving for Hwedza in a military chopper.

In Marondera, there was heavy army presence compared to previous days with the military ensuring that there was sanity in both the central business district and residential areas.

The former army commander toured an isolation centre at Nyamapanda Border Post before flying to Mutoko and other areas to assess the preparedness of medical facilities to handle the deadly virus. He met notables from both government and Zanu PF party, Joel Biggie Matiza and Sydney Sekeramayi among others.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week made rounds to assess if the lockdown measures were being observed. Mnangagwa announced a 21-day national lockdown that ends tomorrow in a bid to contain the spread of the deadly virus that has killed over 148 000 people and infected over 2,2 million globally.

Zimbabwe has 24 confirmed cases and three deaths, with Bulawayo alone recording 10 and Harare nine. The number is, however, set to rise as the country rolls out mass testing next week.

Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa last week revealed during a post-Cabinet briefing that the country was targeting to test more than 1 000 people everyday.

Health permanent secretary Agnes Mahomva, in a circular to public and private hospitals this week, disclosed that the country was targeting to test 33 000 people by the end of the month.

The country has, however, managed to test only 1 299 people since last month when it recorded its first case.-Newsday

MDC Alliance official David Coltart says the 21-day lockdown set to elapse tomorrow (19 April) should not be lifted but has to be extended to the 5th of May when schools re-open.

Read Coltart’s statement below:

Some personal thoughts on Zimbabwe’s Coronavirus lockdown policy

The Zimbabwean Coronavirus lockdown is due to end at midnight on Sunday the 19th April. Mr Mnangagwa has stated that his government is going to review that policy and has suggested he will make a decision on the 20th April, but if it is left that late that will only cause unnecessary confusion. Businesses need to be able to plan ahead and government should announce its intentions today. It will cause chaos if government waits until the weekend, or after the weekend, to announce its decision.

Be that as it may any decision to end or extend the lockdown is fraught with problems. On the one hand it is clear that infections are rising and that Zimbabwe may only be at the early stages of its total number of infections, if statistics of other countries in the world are anything to go by. On the other hand it is clear that in many respects the lockdown is not working in Zimbabwe, and in any event is unsustainable. Lockdowns may work in countries with resilient economies but the danger in Zimbabwe is that more people may die from starvation than Covid 19. In addition it is virtually impossible for poor people to remain in their tiny homes for weeks on end without any ability to make an income and feed themselves.

It is clear that we need to finesse our lockdown policy so that we limit infections as far as possible but ensure that poor people in particular are not in greater danger from malnutrition than they are from Covid 19. We need to move away from the two extreme ends of the policy spectrum to a balance between a total lockdown and no lockdown at all. The current lockdown is clearly unsustainable but against that a sudden end to the lockdown could have catastrophic consequences.

Prior to making suggestions I must state the obvious. I do not have public health policy expertise, nor do I pretend to have it. I simply have been reading the views of a wide range of experts both within Zimbabwe and world wide and it seems to me that common sense dictates that the following broad principles should be applied:

1. It would be wrong to simply end the lockdown on Sunday. With infections rising in the country it will send a wrong and dangerous message to many Zimbabweans who are already not practising safe social distancing and personal hygiene methods, namely that the danger is past.

2. The current lockdown should be extended to the beginning of the next school term – Tuesday the 5th May – and during that extension government, the international community and the private sector must work vigorously on the following measures.

3. Government in conjunction with the international community must urgently ramp up testing of front line medical staff and those still working in public. As resources and testing kits become more freely available testing must be extended to all displaying symptoms of Covid 19.

4. Goverment in conjunction with the private sector must use this period to produce face masks on a massive scale which should be provided free to unemployed people and at a subsidised cost to others. By the 5th May it must be made mandatory for all people to wear masks in public places. Government should avail clothing manufacturing companies throughout Zimbabwe the necessary financial support to manufacture hundreds of thousands of masks in the coming weeks.

5. Government must immediately commence a massive education policy regarding social distancing and compel all government institutions and businesses to mark out 2 meter distances for customers in all public places. A range of new laws should be enacted to compel social distancing in all public places. Laws will have to be introduced to stipulate maximum numbers of people who can travel in various categories of public transport.

6. Government in conjunction with the private sector must ramp up the production and importation of hand sanitisers and laws must be introduced to compel all businesses and all institutions to use sanitisers at all entrances to all public buildings.

7. All efforts to expedite the refurbishment and fitting out of hospitals countrywide to accommodate Covid 19 patients should be made by government, the private sector and the international community. The Minister of Finance should regulate that any donations made by private citizens and companies towards recognised government hospitals or charities involved in this exercise should be tax deductible.

8. UN agencies have recently warned that over 5 million Zimbabweans are food insecure and many are malnourished. If we are to avoid widespread looting of stores during the lockdown government, with its international and civil society and church partners, must urgently designate food outlets throughout urban areas (particularly in high density areas) well controlled by the police, where basic food such as mealie meal, vegetables and cooking oil can either be provided to poor people for free or at minimal cost. The private sector should be engaged to assist in the transportation of food to the outlets and the general organisation thereof.

9. Government in conjunction with the private sector must rapidly escalate the production/ importation and supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for front line medical staff.

10. The police and army must immediately be clearly instructed and educated that their role is to enforce the lockdown humanely. The widespread reports of soldiers beating innocent civilians over the last few days are unacceptable. Those responsible for these beatings should be suspended and charged and statements should be made from the highest authorities that the role of the police and army is to assist the public to ensure that social distancing and hygiene measures are respected.

11. The lockdown provisions should be relaxed to the extent that people be allowed to exercise for two hours daily so long as they do not participate in groups of more than 3 people, practice safe social distancing habits and wear masks. This should be implemented immediately – poor people in particular cannot be expected to remain cramped up in tiny flats or homes for weeks on end. The existing policy is not working and is impossible to enforce.

12. The lockdown should be reviewed at the end of April and businesses given adequate warning if the lockdown is be varied on the 5th May.

13. In any event if the lockdown is varied, or reduced, on the 5th May provision must be made to extend the lockdown and protection of all institutions catering for particularly vulnerable people such as old age homes. Policies must be implemented to ensure that other vulnerable people, for example those suffering from diseases such as lung disease and diabetes, are protected as far as possible. In any event all large public gatherings where there is close contact of people in confined spaces should be banned indefinitely pending confirmation that infections are under control.

In closing it is clear that government does not have the resources needed to implement all of the policies suggested above. This can only be achieved if we get the support of both the private sector and the international community. With regard to the latter it is important that the key political leaders from across the political spectrum make a combined appeal and approach to the international community for assistance.

Senator David Coltart
Bulawayo
17th April 2020

– David Coltart

BULAWAYO health officials have said a Covid-19 patient who violated self-isolation regulations has been placed under quarantine at Thorngrove Infectious Disease Hospital and clarified that the individual is not patient number 15.

On Thursday, Chronicle reported patient number 15 as having violated self-isolation procedures, but health officials say it was a mix-up in their description of the patients as another patient, and not patient 15, is the one who violated self-isolation regulations.

The non-complying patient whose profile number was not released has since been placed on quarantine at Thorngrove Infectious Disease Hospital for violating isolation rules.

The patient who did not comply with procedures was seen at some shopping centres and other public places in Bulawayo.

The Rapid Response Team also did not find the patient at home during the prescribed time of home self-isolation.

In clarifying the matter, newly appointed acting Bulawayo Provincial Medical Director Dr Welcome Mlilo said they were satisfied with patient number 15’s compliance to self-isolation after testing positive on Monday, but another patient had violated rules.

In response to that violation, the said patient was taken from home and quarantined at Thorngrove Infectious Disease Hospital.

“I really was not keen to discuss the individual cases per say, patient 15 and patient 16. But on this one, I think I will make an exception; it is proper for me to set the record straight.

“Patient 15 as far as we are aware, as far as our response team, has been fully in compliance with self-isolation protocol which is in place,” said Dr Mlilo.

He said council has since put on forced quarantine a patient who violated the self-isolation procedures, risking residents’ lives.

“On the other case where one of the patients who was diagnosed Covid-19 positive has broken self-isolation protocol, we have moved in to take that patient and quarantine him or her in one of our facilities.

“So that is how we are going to proceed going forward. If anyone is found to be breaking the self-isolation protocol that are in place, we will move in and quarantine that person,” said Dr Mlilo.

Editor’s Note: In our story published on April 16 headlined “Beware of this patient! Covid-19 positive woman gallivants around town,” we quoted Bulawayo City Council health services director Dr Edwin Sibanda saying the local rapid response team was investigating patient number 15’s case after receiving information that she did not comply with lockdown measures. It has since emerged that while it was true that a patient under self-isolation had violated protocols by leaving home, Dr Sibanda erroneously identified the patient as number 15. For our part in this regrettable error, we have since apologised to patient 15, through her representative, and extend an unreserved apology to our valued readers. For the record, the director of health services is a leading authority in the fight against Covid-19 in Bulawayo, and continues to be one of our go-to sources.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has remained silent on whether he is extending or allowing to end the 21 day Coronavirus Lockdown.

In a rather disappointing 40th Independence Day Celebrations address beamed live by the National broadcaster on TV and Radio, Mnangagwa chose not to give a guideline on how the country will proceed after midnight tomorrow.

A Victoria Falls resident who was the first to be diagnosed of Covid-19 in the country has opened up on his endurance during the 32 days he was in self-isolation at his home before fully recovering from the deadly virus.

Patient Number 1, name withheld for ethical reasons, detailed the mental anguish he went through caused mainly by anxiety about the virus that has killed more than 152 000 people worldwide.

He talked about the strain of having limited contact with his family and the constant fear of possibly infecting his wife, son and community.

Finally, he told of the immeasurable joy he felt at being told he was fully recovered.

He becomes the second person to recover from Covid-19 from the 24 that have been officially recorded in Zimbabwe.

Three have died, two from Harare and one from Bulawayo.

On Thursday, health authorities discharged Patient Number 1 from self-isolation after he tested negative following a second set of tests conducted on him after his initial 21-day quarantine.

The shock he got when he was advised that he was positive for Covid-19 on 20 March, turned into joy as he instantly hugged his wife in celebration soon after being told he had tested negative.

While expressing concern about spread of fake news about coronavirus on social media, Patient Number 1 said he became friends with Facebook and WhatsApp platforms during his isolation, while also helping his family with household chores to keep himself busy and as a coping mechanism.

He said on Thursday, he quickly shared the good news with family and friends.

Responding to questions sent to him via WhatsApp, the recovered patient said soon after being told he was positive, he started researching about the novel virus while also taking advice from medical officials.

“I received the news late at night. The baby was sleeping and so I wasn’t able to jump and shout with joy. I waited till the morning. But my first reaction was to tell my wife and we hugged. Then I proceeded to thank the doctors and the Rapid Response Team (RRT). After that I wrote to family and friends to spread the good news.

“Isolation was hard. In total I spent 32 days in isolation. I managed to keep my mind busy which was the most important thing, by doing work where possible, speaking to friends and family through social media as well as reading. I was also doing chores around the house so that was a good diversion from the reality that I had a virus,” he said.

The man said his other source of strength came from the fact that he got into self-isolation when the whole world was also reacting to the Covid-19 and the whole process felt to him like a “unified action.”

His family had minor flu symptoms but is safe, he said.

“I have recovered and I am feeling 100 percent healthy after being clinically tested while my family is well too. That is the most important thing that they are well,” he said about his wife and little son.

He said he departed Zimbabwe on March 5 going to the United Kingdom to market the country on behalf of a conservation company that he works for and in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Tourism Association.

In the UK he went to areas North of England and moved around until he got to London, meeting travel agents to talk about Zimbabwe’s tourism.

He was screened together with other passengers on his return on March 15.

“It is very important to note that before undertaking the trip, we had checked with the UK and travel advisories and it was deemed safe to travel. I would not have travelled if there was a threat of contracting the virus.

“I was screened upon my return to Zimbabwe at the Victoria Falls International Airport. I was not having a temperature though, so it was impossible to detect. I cannot recall if I was screened at OR Tambo as I was in transit to and from the UK,” he said.

Patient Number 1, who is 37 years old and was born in Harare, said he suffered minimal discrimination as he urged people to research and understand about the disease.

“Sadly, to an extent yes. We had many tourists visiting who may have not been tested as the pandemic hadn’t hit the world yet. They could easily have unwillingly brought it to Zimbabwe and by no means do I believe I was the first to enter with the virus, rather the first to be tested.

“This is by no means anyone’s fault. We had no idea what was happening and how fast it could spread. Many people have not researched or understood how easily it can spread and being the first official case that was discovered, some uneducated people were very upset thinking I was the only one to possibly have it. This is where I am extremely grateful that I self-isolated from the word go and was not able to affect others by going shopping or playing sport and attending work,” he narrated.

Patient Number 1 said he developed flu-like symptoms two days after arriving home and immediately contacted his doctor who advised that he be tested.

He said he felt he had a civic duty to voluntarily get tested since he had just returned from a country which had recorded some cases.

The patient said he advised all his domestic staff to go on paid leave during his isolation and he remained with his wife and child.

“To be honest, my symptoms had been mild and I thought I just had a common flu so the results being positive were a bit of a shock. However, based on everything I had researched, my age, my fortunate health and support around me from family, community and medical professionals, I was always confident of beating it.

“Remember, no one deliberately catches the virus and no one deliberately spreads it but it can happen so fast. I was disciplined to stay at home, not going to work, sports or shops where I would have unwittingly spread it.

“This happened at a time the virus was hitting the news widely and so it was easier to make a decision on self-isolation. Isolation was necessary and so my social life will take a back seat. Facebook and WhatsApp became my social life!

“It was just me and my family. We are strong as a family and we help each other. It is likely that I passed it to my wife and child. However, I was fortunate to be young and healthy enough and so were they. We only had minor symptoms. I was always in contact with the doctors in Victoria Falls and they monitored us from a distance and did an amazing job. Our symptoms fortunately did not need a hospital and it was safer for me to remain isolated at home so as to not risk infecting others. I am happy to say all three of us are well and I am recovered,” Patient Number 1 said.

He paid tribute to his employers for allowing him to stay at home and isolate and the support rendered by his workmates as well as medical staff, Emergency Response Team and everyone that handled him from the airport until his last day of isolation, saying they deserve “10 out of 10.”

Patient Number 1 urged the world to unite in the fight against the virus and flatten the curve to restore normalcy.

He urged people to desist from spreading fake news about coronavirus.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is addressing Zimbabwe on video on the occasion of the country’s 40th Independence Day Celebrations.

Mnangagwa is expected to give direction on how the country will proceed with the Coronavirus Lockdown which is expected to end on Sunday at midnight.

Watch video downloading below:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All victims were fully refunded.

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

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

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

On the same day, Chikore was held in Coventry.

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

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

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

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

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

— Evening Standard

By Own Correspondent| As President Emmerson Mnangagwa delivers his 40th Independence anniversary speech today, Zimbabweans will be eager to know if the current lockdown set to end tomorrow will be extended considering that the global pandemic has not slowed down nor under control to warrant returning the country to normalcy.

Mnangagwa is expected to deliver his Independence Day speech in the morning today.

Government has since upscaled Covid-19 tests as it seeks to meet its 30 000 tests target by 30 April and this could be an indicator that there could be an extension of the lockdown especially in light of remarks that this new targeted screening is expected to inform their future programming post lockdown.

Commenting on a Twitter discussion, one user had this to say;
Extension of the lockdown is obvious to most of us for very obvious reasons BUT, please advise the President that more stringent measures to limit human movements is critically required, especially here in Bulawayo’s low density areas. Otherwise we wont achieve anytn.

Others questioned the data extracted from the lockdown in terms of demographics;

Pandemic was serious before the lockdown started. This is a difficult disease to control and requires transparency and honesty to deal with it. Where are the hotspots? How many tests do you have left?

The Zimbabwean embassy in Namibia has told all Zim nationals to leave that country or face 35 days in quarantine. 

In a letter released on Friday, the Embassy gave Zimbabweans in Namibia up to 21 April to register their names to be repatriated where they will be expected to go into mandatory quarantine for 21 days.

Surprisingly, the embassy says travellers will meet their own transport costs further complicating the situation considering how the coronavirus pandemic has affected production and income capabilities of most workers except those on government payrol.

Below is the full letter from the Embassy to Zimbabweans;

The Zimbabwe Embassy in Namibia is requesting all Zimbabwean nationals who have been affected by the lockdown and would wish to return to Zimbabwe to register their names at the Embassy of Zimbabwe on 20 – 21 April 2020 from 1100 hours to 1300 hours. 

Those who wish to travel back home should have valid travelling documents and Zimbabwean national identity cards.

Please take note of the following:

1. Travelers will meet their own transport costs.

2. There is possibility of a 14 day quarantine at the Zambian border before proceeding to Zimbabwe at your own cost. The Zambian Government will only provide accommodation.

3. Botswana borders are not open to non-Batswana citizens so chances of transiting through Botswana are nil at the moment.

4. Mandatory 21 day quarantine upon arrival in Zimbabwe

Police in Kwekwe have arrested three men suspected to be members of the armed gang of robbers who lured their victim from Harare before robbing him of $600 cash and other valuables at gunpoint.

Officer Commanding Kwekwe District Chief Superintendent Conrad Mubaiwa confirmed the arrest of Cain Mukainganwa (34) of Mbizo, but has been based in Cape Town, South Africa; Obvious Mugodhi (23) and Tawanda Chiku, both from Mbizo.

He said police also recovered a loaded pistol, believed to have been smuggled from South Africa.

“The three suspects were arrested on Monday following a tip-off from members of the public,” said Chief Supt Mubaiwa.

The robbers called their victim, who is based in Harare, on March 18 and told him they were selling  vehicle catalysts. The complainant expressed interest in the vehicle parts and was asked to travel to Kwekwe, arriving in the Midlands city the same day around 4pm before meeting Mukainganwa, said Chief Supt Mubaiwa.

He said Mukainganwa suggested that they go to a secluded place to conduct their business.

“They then walked towards Winston Road and stopped at a secluded place,” said Chief Supt Mubaiwa. “While they were still chatting one of the accused persons, Mugodhi, approached the two and pretended to be a Zimbabwe Republic Police officer on duty. He drew a pistol and ordered the complainant to surrender all his belongings.”

Chief Supt Mubaiwa said the suspects, who were immediately joined by their third accomplice Chiku, took $600, a cellphone and a blue satchel from the complainant before they force-marched him to a nearby bridge.

“They ordered him to walk under the bridge at gunpoint and he complied,” he said. “The three then took to their heels and got into the CBD where they had parked their getaway car, a blue Nissan Sylphy,” said Chief Sup Mubaiwa.

-State Media

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THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has warned Zanu PF against politicisation of COVID-19 aid meant for vulnerable households facing hunger during the 21-day lockdown claiming deserving families have been left out of the scheme.

In a report, ZimRights accused Zanu PF of partisan distributions of aid.

The human rights lobby group alleged that the party’s supporters were the sole beneficiaries of a $200 million cushion availed by government to assist hungry families.

“Following this, ZimRights members reported that during the second week of the lockdown, there were incidents of partisan distribution of aid, listing down of names of supporters of the ruling Zanu PF party for aid,” the report read.

“There were reports of partisan aid distribution and selective listing of beneficiaries of the government funds to cushion those in the informal sector.”

During the first week of the lockdown, government announced that it would avail a monthly grant of $200 million to a million vulnerable households.

Government further announced a World Bank-funded package to assist informal traders whose work has been affected by the lockdown.

This comes after the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) raised alarm over Zimbabwe’s severe hunger status.-NewsDay

Substandard sanitisers are readily available at Mbare Musika Market, as unscrupulous dealers capitalise on the unavailability and unaffordability of authentic ones.

Industry and Commerce Minister Sekai Nzenza revealed this when she toured Mbare Fresh Produce Market in Harare yesterday and came face to face with backyard sanitisers, which are being used at the entrance into the market.

Their makers cannot have access to the major and critical ingredient, either ethanol or isopropal alcohol, although the formal and university producers in Zimbabwe now use the pure ethanol produced in large quantities in the Lowveld, primarily to blend with petrol.

While bulk sanitisers are now being made, and are becoming increasingly available to Government and corporate customers, the basic effective sanitiser, which can be made cheaply, is not available to the general public who have to either go without or spend a large sum on a product that includes extra ingredients for skin care, rather than for killing viruses and bacteria.

Zimbabwe has adopted the basic four-ingredient formula set out by the World Health Organisation with 76,7 percent of the final solution to be pure ethanol, an eighth of a percent being hydrogen peroxide and just under 1,5 percent being glycerol with pure water being used to bring the solution up to 100 percent. The alcohol is the critical ingredient rapidly dissolving the layer of fat molecules that coats the coronavirus and then destroying the strand of RNA that is the virus.

The hydrogen peroxide kills any bacteria on applicators, hands and contaminating the opened solution and the glycerol helps protect the skin of the user. These two also have the side benefit of making the sanitiser undrinkable.

Soap and water works just as well and health experts recommend soap when sanitiser is not available.

Even just using the jug and basing method most Zimbabweans are familiar with when washing before meal, with two sloshes of water, one to wash with soap and one to rinse, being the only adaptation.

So far, there are 23 registered companies producing sanitisers and following formulas that work with universities now also in production…

When Minister Nzenza made the unannounced visit to Mbare Musika yesterday, she witnessed laxity on screening and use of sub-standard backyard sanitisers. Social distancing was also a huge challenge.

Some of the farmers pleaded with Minister Nzenza to look into prices of sanitisers, which they described as unaffordable.

“The challenge we have is all people now suddenly say we manufacture sanitisers yet they don’t have hydrogen peroxide and glycerine.

This is why we are insisting on standards and quality to protect the consumer,” said Minister Nzenza.- State media

PERSONS with disabilities have sued government for failing to use accessible formats in disseminating information concerning the coronavirus (Covid-19).

In an urgent chamber application filed in the High Court by Centre for Disability and Development, Deaf Zimbabwe Trust and Zimbabwe National League of The Blind, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Health minister Obadiah Moyo and Public Service minister Paul Mavima were cited as respondents.

They want ZBC ordered to immediately provide sign language or captions on all its content on ZTV pertaining to coronavirus during and after the lockdown for the benefit of the deaf and hard-of-hearing people in Zimbabwe.

The advocacy groups want Mutsvangwa and Mavima ordered to immediately distribute Braille pamphlets, audio versions, large text, and readable digital text to visually-impaired persons throughout Zimbabwe.

They also seek to have Mutsvangwa ordered to immediately issue a statement urging private entities, including mass media and hospitals to ensure that any services they provide to the public relating to Covid-19 (including information, testing, treatment etc) are accessible to persons with disabilities.

Masimba Kuchera, executive director and trustee at Centre for Disability and Development said they had written to ZBH since 2016 seeking redress on the implementation of sign language in its television programmes.

The court heard on April 3 Deaf Zimbabwe Trust sought legal assistance from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and a letter was written and served to the national broadcaster and Mutsvangwa to provide alternative accessible formats of information.

However, Kuchera claims that since then there has not been a consistent implementation of sign language to cater for the interests of deaf and hard-of hearing persons.

Kuchera noted with concern how Mnangagwa’s announcement of the national lockdown, Mutsvangwa and (Obadiah) Moyo’s updates and inter-ministerial task force’s updates and other programming related to Covid-19 failed to accommodate their needs.

“These are critical updates and information which are not necessarily covered in full or at all in prime-time news meaning that our members are kept in the dark,” Kuchera said.

“What has prompted this application is a series of events that have posed a grave danger to all persons with disabilities given the information gap they are experiencing.

“The platforms being used to communicate information are not accessible to persons with disability.

“Statements from the ministry of Health have typically been circulated as a scanned image which is not readable for blind persons.-Daily News