By A Correspondent- The zonal maize meal distribution system is aimed at curbing the rampant movement of people in search of the basic commodity as well as improving social distancing while queuing for the product at shops as part of efforts to restrict the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Grain millers will on Tuesday introduce a zonal maize meal distribution system, which will see the product being delivered to all residential shops at selected urban areas as part of efforts to ensure the public conforms with the country’s National Lockdown policy.

In a statement, the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) chairman, Mr Tafadzwa Musarara, said the organisation has partnered with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to introduce a zonal maize meal distribution system in cities and towns where the demand is high as a way of improving suppliers and reducing decongestion.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police has agreed to members of Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe nationwide supplying maize meal using a zonal system in the main seven hotspots namely Harare, Mutare, Bulawayo, Marondera, Kwekwe, Gweru and Chitungwiza.

This arrangement will provide for more shops to receive and sell maize meal so that consumers buy the product in their respective areas of residence. The police will provide the necessary passage and will deploy details to oversee the delivery and selling of the maize meal,” read the statement. Mr Musarara said the arrangement would be carried out during the course of the national lockdown.

“This exercise, which will run during the currency of the lockdown is vital in ensuring social distancing during queuing and will allow more households to buy the product at their nearest retail shop. The zonal based maize meal distribution will commence on Tuesday,” he said.

In a separate statement ZRP Chief Staff Officer (Operations) Commissioner Isaac Tayengwa confirmed the arrangement. 

“Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe has agreed with Zimbabwe Republic Police to have mealie-meal delivered to consumers according to a zoning system. The system will allow the consumers to access the commodity from supermarkets and retail shops in areas where they stay,” he said.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe now has 14 cases of coronavirus, an increase of one from Friday, the ministry of health reported early Sunday.

The ministry offered no further details about the latest case, but a provincial tally accompanying the update suggested the positive sample was from Bulawayo, which now has two confirmed cases.

The previous Bulawayo case was that of Ian Hyslop, a 79-year-old old pensioner who lived with his wife in a gated retirement home. He died on April 4, but due to delays in getting his sample to Harare the results were only confirmed on April 7.

Some 47 people who came into contact with him have been traced, officials said, including seven staff members at Ganda Lodge in Hwange where he went on safari with his wife between 14 and 16 March. The seven were “asymptomatic”, the ministry said without confirming whether specimens had been collected for testing.

The update for Saturday, posted on the ministry’s Twitter handle at 1.33AM on Sunday, “came later than anticipated because they carried out a massive number of tests… using one lab,” government spokesman Nick Mangwana said.

The health ministry said its main lab in Harare, the only one testing for coronavirus so far, examined 84 samples from four provinces, obtaining 79 results of which one was positive for the virus which causes a disease known as Covid-19.

“The samples were from Bulawayo (58), Harare (23), Mashonaland East (2), and Mashonaland Central (1). Of the 79 samples available at the time of the print, one tested positive for Covid-19. More details to follow later,” the update said.

The ministry says to date the country has run 547 tests, which health experts say is too low for a population of 15 million.

Three people, all men aged 79, 50 and 30, have died from the virus, critics of the government’s handling of the crisis say the numbers are understated because of the low testing, and the secrecy surrounding a community of about 500 Chinese nationals who arrived in the country since January.

Meanwhile, the ministry of health said it had established a new testing lab at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo which will handle all samples from the southern parts of the country, starting on Easter Monday.

The lab, to be run in conjunction with the National University of Science and Technology, has capacity to test 300 samples daily, officials said.-Online

Zimbabwe African People’s Union bids farewell to yet another illustrious son of the soil, Comrade Naison Mgatsho Msebele, who succumbed to a short illness in a London hospital on the 8th of April 2020.

Naison Mgatsho Msebele was born in 1943 in the then Lower Gwelo, Rhodesia. He went through his education paces and afterwards, worked for Bata Company and for the Bulawayo City Council before leaving for the UK in the late 1970s with his wife, Sithandiwe and their young family.

In the UK he worked and held a number of positions including political and economic analyst, refugees advocate with Amnesty International, a local government manager, and in latter years he trained as a teacher then psychotherapist.
He continued with his education and resultantly held multiple degrees in politics, economics and psychotherapy, to name a few.

Before Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980, Mr Msebele was a loyal and committed cadre of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union – ZAPU and was treasurer of the UK chapter of the liberation movement. He also served as advisor to the ZAPU delegation to the Lancaster House talks, a delegation that included his cousin and mentor, the late national liberation hero TG Silundika.

Comrade Msebele would remain a loyal member and supporter of the mother party even after the end of active participation on its and indeed national politics.

The most loved and cherished father, khulu, brother, uncle, friend and comrade, Comrade Msebele’s values went beyond his immediate family and borders. He was passionate about family, community and the nation and was always ready to assist through whatever means and ways, regardless of ones background. His home always had an open door to all with uBaba Msebele becoming an embodiment of the spirit of ‘’Ubuntu.” His African culture but also his Christian faith was always central to his identity and personality.

He was an active and respected leader and board member of the SDA church in the UK (Plaistow)

He is survived by seven children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. While we mourn this loss, the mother party would like to thank the Msebele family, his children, grandchildren for generously allowing us a share of the love, care, warmth and wisdom of the larger than life character and their very own, ubaba Msebele. We convey our deepest condolences to family and friends. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Iphithule Thembani kaMaphosa
Secretary for Information Publicity and Marketing
Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU)

By A Correspondent- In a refreshingly candid admission, Vice President Kembo Mohadi says the government should do more to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Speaking to the Daily News On Sunday – after a meeting with doctors in Harare on Friday – the usually introverted Mohadi said bluntly that he was not happy with what the country had done to prepare for the lethal disease.

He also conceded that the number of people who have so far been tested for the virus in the country, at less than 500, did not reflect well on Zimbabwe’s efforts to combat the global pandemic.

This comes as Zimbabwe has registered its third death from coronavirus, from the 13 people who have so far tested positive for the deadly disease — a development that has made the country’s Covid-19 mortality rate among the highest in the world, at 27 percent.

It also comes as health experts have also raised the red flag over Zimbabwe’s preparations for Covid-19, citing a glaring lack of testing kits, intensive care units, ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE), among other critical things.

“Tests should be done expeditiously and they (doctors) said we should also move out of Harare and go to other areas. Even before the lockdown, we did not know who had been where and who they had visited and met. We need to do more testing using facilities that are there. I am equally not happy myself that we have only tested over 400 people. We need to have tested more,” Mohadi said.

“The same with Bulawayo, we have an international airport there. So, there is a possibility that we might be having people that might have been somewhere who might have sneaked into the country without us knowing. We need to do the necessary sampling,” the VP added.

Mohadi also disclosed that the government would soon dispatch teams to hunt for possible cases at busy ports of entry such as Victoria Falls and Beitbridge.

The MDC Youth Assembly condemns in strongest terms selective treatment and racial abuse of blacks in China in face of Covid-19 pandemic.

Stinking information and videos flooding global news sites points to a retrogressive approach by some Chinese nationals who mistreat blacks as carriers of Corona virus.

As young social democrats who believe in principles of equality and justice, we strongly detest such retrogressive stigma especially from a country whose nationals are littered everywhere in the African continent.

In this day and age where nations have globalized, it is very shameful for a country rated second in this 4th Industrial Revolution age to be somewhat found stigmatizing the black race as couriers of a virus that originated in their mother country.

We all know that Wuhan is not Addis Ababa, Harare, Bujumbura or some African city but a Chinese city where the Corona virus originated from.

So for Chinese nationals to pull a racial card in face of Covid-19 is not only disgraceful and retrogressive but Afrophobic!

As an Assembly we believe we are past that dark age whereby light skinned people treat people of color as second class citizens of the earth.

It is just totally unacceptable for a country that has gone through a painful past like China to play racial card on Africans in face of a pandemic that ironically has its roots in the very same country.

Now that China is part of today’s family of nations, we expect her to abide by the dictates of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We urge the Chinese government to put a full stop on this racial nonsense that is currently unfolding in China.

If anything, the world demand an apology from the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

That China prefix herself as People’s Republic, it therefore defies logic when people of another race appear not to be welcome in her community.

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Youth Assembly National Spokesperson

By A Correspondent- As Zimbabwe and the rest of the world battle the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, EcoCash has moved to remove all processing fees for cash transfers designated as COVID-19 relief, to enable the Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)s and any other relief organizations to freely give the support to vulnerable groups and communities at no extra cost for the transfers.

The CEO of Cassava Smartech Zimbabwe, the holding company of EcoCash, Mr Eddie Chibi, said the goal of the company was to use their digital solutions to address the current epidemic.

“We are a digital capability company and our goal is to create as many digital solutions as possible to address the current COVID-19 crisis so that lives are saved, first and foremost,” said Mr Chibi.

“The wide distribution of some of our products and services means that we can use our platform and smart data network to reach even the most vulnerable in our country, and create services that bring convenience to millions of citizens.”

Mr Chibi said his company was currently working with the government and development agencies to avail their platform and digital services network to deliver relief where its needed most “as quickly as possible”.

Mobile money and digital electronic transfers become a vital mechanism through which help can be extended to vulnerable groups in times of crisis, speedily and in a convenient and safe manner.

The EcoCash platform has over 11 million customers registered in Zimbabwe and accounts for the bulk of transaction volumes processed in Zimbabwe. It has over 200 000 outlets, accounting for the country’s largest distribution network of agents, merchants and partners for the payments of good and services.

During the COVID-19 epidemic, the ability for people to send money and pay merchants (shops, pharmacies, hospitals, and many others) through their mobile phones minimizes the need for physical contact, and therefore lowers the risk for potential transmission of the virus between individuals.

Zimbabwe is among the countries with the highest level of digital financial inclusion in Africa.

EcoCash launched proximity payments two years ago, a proposition that allows shop till operators to enter a customer’s number on a point of sale (POS) machine and the customer receives a push message at ‘far proximity’ confirming the payment on their mobile phone. EcoCash is currently working with supermarkets to increase the adoption of proximity payments, according to its CEO Ms Natalie Jabangwe.  

Ms Javangwe said:

“Customers should be able to order over the phone or online and make a proximity payment from the comfort of their home without the need to travel to the shop. Our partnership with Vaya makes goods delivery safe and convenient”.

She said so far Food World and Spar shops were piloting the proximity payments at scale, before a full telesales and proximity scale-up operation is launched across the country with other retailers.

“Digital has changed everything in this global crisis. Work and communication has moved to the digital sphere in an unprecedented fashion,” Ms Javangwe said.Agencies

By A Correspondent- A 25-year-old Bindura man committed suicide after a misunderstanding with his wife after he squandered money on girlfriends.

Iaan Chivanevana, of Sango Farm in Bindura, hanged himself on Tuesday after a fight with his 19-year-old wife.

Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mundembe confirmed the incident.

“I can confirm a sudden death case in Bindura where a man committed suicide by hanging himself with an electric cable,” Mundembe said.

Chivanevana allegedly went home drunk after squandering the family savings with girlfriends.

When his wife complained, he assaulted her until she ran away. Chivanevana then locked their bedroom hut before hanging himself with an electric cable.-Standard

By A Correspondent- Some churches are offering their buildings to the government so that they can be used as isolation centres for coronavirus centres.

The Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe is one of the churches that have offered their facilities to the cause. The church’s vice president Pastor Trevor Masuku announced during the launch of the “I am for Bulawayo fighting COVID-19” initiative on Friday that they had already pledged their facilities.

He said:

We met with the President a week ago where we said that churches have huge auditoriums and buildings they are occupying, all over the country, which during this period are not being utilised hence we are availing them for use as isolation centres whenever they are required for use by the Government.

This comes amid plans to turn Hillside Teachers College and Elangeni Training Centre into isolation centres. A few days ago, the Minister of Local Government, Mr July Moyo, directed local government authorities to handover health institutions in their jurisdictions to the Ministry of Health and Child Care so that they can be used in the fight against the pandemic.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- The government of Zimbabwe has disqualified businesses who are wantonly increasing prices of their commodities for cushioning facilities.

This was announced by the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni who also that the government was putting in place SMEs and informal sectors’ cushioning facility that was announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently.

She said:

We are saying all rural and urban retail shops that are fond of wantonly increasing prices of commodities should not bother to apply for the cushioning facility, as their applications will be rejected forthwith.

Her remarks come when some businesses are taking advantage of the 21-day national lockdown to increase prices of their commodities since they have little competition.

The majority of local companies have closed in adherence to the lockdown regulations and the few who are operational are taking advantage of that.

The government intends to cushion businesses since the closure of borders and the lockdown resulted in their businesses going down as they can no longer purchase commodities to restock.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Cowdray Park and ZANU PF Councillor, Mr Kidwell Mujuru has refuted claims that he diverted government subsidised mealie-meal to the black market.

The Sunday News reports that residents were left fuming last Monday after a truck delivering the product at TM Cowdray Park in Bulawayo only offloaded half the load before being allegedly diverted by Clr Mujuru to the new stands popularly known as Esigodweni.

Responding to the allegations, Mujuru said that it is not true that the intention was to supply the black market.

He said:

I think people misread my intentions. It is true that the truck took some of the roller meal to the area you are mentioning but this was solely so that people from the area can benefit too because most of them were failing to get to TM or even the terminus where the product was sold.

As a local councillor I then got in touch with the suppliers and asked them to go to Esigodweni and deliver the product.

This comes when the country has a huge shortage of mealie-meal due to the El Nino induced drought and poor agricultural policies since two decades ago.-StateMedia

Press statement

Harare, 11 April, 2020- The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe would like to unreservedly apologize for the document which has some spelling mistakes which is circulating on social media platforms.

We would like to inform the public that the internal document leaked before it was edited.
The spelling mistakes were in all the English, Shona, and Ndebele languages ( documents), and there was not intention whatsoever, to offend any particular grouping. The corrected document is now available. We, however, take the blame given the fact that the leaked and unedited document unintentionally ended up in the public domain and was consumed by innocent citizens.

One again we would like to unreservedly apologize for this unfortunate eventuality.

The decision to announce the maize meal zoning measure was urgent and it was meant for the benefit of our citizens, during the difficult time we are faced with.

Garikai Chaunza
GMAZ media and public relations manager.

State Media|SPREADING fake news on social media and mainstream media about coronavirus (Covid-19) has been categorised as a Level 14 offence, the highest in the country and people liable will be jailed for 20 years, officials have confirmed.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus in China last December and later on in most countries across the world, fake news especially on social media have become the order of the day. In Zimbabwe most of the fake news is spread through WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook social media platforms.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told Sunday News yesterday that the measure to categorise spreading of fake news about the pandemic as a Level 14 offence was part of Government’s efforts to ensure that the country effectively contains the spread of Covid-19.

“This is part of a Statutory Instrument (SI) under the Public Health Act, which now criminalises the peddling of falsehoods relating to this pandemic. The reason we had to come up with that SI was after we noted the proliferation of fake news, which were hindering the fight against the spread of the pandemic. We are using the Public Health Act which according to Section 68, empowers the Minister of Health and Child Care to make such regulations in times of emergencies, to help contain such viruses,” said Minister Ziyambi.

He said it was vital for people to realise the effect of spreading falsehoods on the functions of society as it had the danger of causing unnecessary panic and even affect Government efforts to contain emergencies.

“No society can function when lies are peddled willy-nilly, these could have a far reaching ripple effect that could even affect the nation more than the effects of the pandemic alone, hence the reason Government has decided to criminalise this practice especially on various social media platforms,” said Minister Ziyambi.

Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo who is a member of the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Covid-19 reiterated this when he said journalists also risk being jailed for writing falsehoods around the pandemic. Minister Moyo heads the sub-committee on resource mobilisation and co-ordination.

“The media are an integral part of this fight against this pandemic, of which they must give the people daily updates on what is happening on the ground. However, they must be responsible, falsehoods will exacerbate panic of which we are already scared of this pandemic and trying to understand it. In terms of jail term, one can spend up to 20 years behind bars, in terms of fines, it is the highest possible fine which we haven’t even as yet set a figure,” he said.

The minister said they were also monitoring people who forwarded false messages they received on their mobile phones as they were equally liable even if they had not originated the messages. According to Statutory Instrument 83 of the 2020 Public Health, Covid-19 Prevention, Containment, Treatment and Lockdown Order; “For the avoidance of doubt any person who publishes or communicates false news about any public officer involved with enforcing or implementing the national lockdown in his or her capacity as such, or about any private individual that has the effect of prejudicing the State’s enforcement of the national lockdown, shall be liable for prosecution under Section 31 of the Criminal Law Code and liable to the penalty there provided, that is to say a fine up to or exceeding level 14 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 20 years or both”.

A number of countries in the region have also promulgated laws to curb the spread of falsehoods on social media, with authorities concurring with the Zimbabwean Government that such acts hampered efforts being made to contain the pandemic.

In South Africa the government gazetted a new law under their Disaster Management Act where citizens could receive a fine or a six-month prison term for spreading fake news about the coronavirus. The Act classifies fake news as “publishing any statement through any medium, including social media, with the intention to deceive any other person about measures by the government to address Covid-19.” Last week, a man from Cape Town, South Africa was dragged to court for allegedly publishing falsehoods about Covid-19 testing.

Meanwhile, the Association of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe (AACZ) has called on members of the public to refrain from relying on unofficial social media platforms for information related to the coronavirus. AACZ president Archbishop Tsungai Vushe said people should rely on the mainstream media for relevant information and avoid being misled by some media platforms, which have become havens of peddling falsehoods.

“People should ignore rumours and fake news being disseminated on various media platforms about the coronavirus but rather they should stay informed through news or information from mainstream media such as newspapers, radio and television. We should also support our Government’s various initiatives and programmes in its bid to curb the spread of this deadly disease while we also co-operate with the Ministry of Health and Child Care,” he said.

Archbishop Vushe also applauded the Government for the 21-day national lockdown to contain the spread of the Covid-19.

“On behalf of my association, AACZ, we are very happy with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s decision to declare a 21-day national lockdown. As Christians we are praying indoors and we are always geared to pray for our national and the well-being of the people.

Furthermore, I’m urging all Zimbabweans not to panic as God is in control. Coronavirus is real and it’s there so let’s take this pandemic seriously. As Christians, we must be exemplary and good listeners remembering that God helps those who also help themselves,” he said.
AACZ is a grouping of Apostolic and Zion sects with a membership of over 400 denominations.

A dispute between a daughter and mother over which television channel to watch turned fatal when the latter went on to axe her husband for allegedly failing to reprimand their daughter during the misunderstanding.

The incident happened on Friday night at Bulawayo’s Emganwini suburb when Ordetta Mpofu (44) allegedly axed her husband, Mr
Thembani Mpofu (52), an employee of the Bulawayo City Council three times on the head for failing to support her during the fight over the remote control with their daughter.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident and said investigations were in progress.

“Police in Bulawayo are investigating a case of murder which occurred on 10 April in Emganwini. On the day at around 7.45pm, the now deceased (father) was watching television with his wife and their two children.

One of the children changed the channel they were watching and that did not go down well with her mother who asked her to return to the previous channel,” said Insp Ncube.

Insp Ncube said a misunderstanding arose between the mother and the daughter while the father was watching and did not interfere.

“A misunderstanding arose between the daughter and her mother.

The mother became angry and the father didn’t intervene and indicated that he was not involved in their misunderstanding and retired to bed.

At around 9.30pm, the mother armed herself with an axe, got into their bedroom and axed her husband three times on the head while he was asleep leading to his death,” said Insp Ncube.

The provincial police spokesperson said the mother confessed to her daughter that she had killed her father for failing to reprimand her during the misunderstanding.

“She got out of the bedroom and told her daughter that she had killed her father.

The daughter got into the bedroom and discovered that her father was bleeding profusely, she then screamed and informed her brother,” said Insp Ncube.

A report was made to the police who attended to the scene and found the man already dead. The accused was arrested and is assisting police with investigations.

Insp Ncube urged members of the public to unite as families.

“As police we urge members of the public to be patient with each other in their respective families. It was needless really to lose such a precious life over a channel of a television.

Let’s all exercise self-restraint,” said Insp Ncube.-Sunday News

By Commissioner John Makamure| ZIMBABWE Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) chairperson, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo, recently issued a statement calling on those conferred with the mandate to manage Covid-19 donations to exercise a high degree of transparency and accountability or face severe punishment for abuse of the aid.

Part of her statement read: “The Commission is aware that the Ministry of Health and Child Care has received donations of money, medical equipment and medication donated by individuals, the business community, Non-Governmental Organisations, international organisations and the donor community on behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe.

“In the past, there have been incidences of failure by the relevant authorities to account for donations of similar proportions.

“The Commission, therefore, implores the responsible individuals in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, from the accounting officer, those in charge of hospitals, clinics and pharmacies to put in place systems that ensure transparency, accountability and fair distribution of all the said donations”.

Justice Matanda Moyo went further to state that: “The Commission would like to warn individuals against embarking on any corrupt and fraudulent activities. Those found on the wrong side of the law will be dealt with accordingly”.

Indeed these are not empty threats by the Zacc chairperson.

She issued the statement against the background of highly publicised incidences, in the past, where donated items towards a public emergency were looted by greedy and corrupt elements within society.

The aid that was meant for victims of Cyclone Idai is a case in point.

Zacc has a constitutional mandate to combat and prevent such malpractices.

Section 255 of the National Constitution outlines the functions of the Commission as follows:

to investigate and expose cases of corruption in the private and public sectors;
to combat corruption, theft, misappropriation, abuse of power and other improper conduct in the public and private sectors;

to receive complaints from the public, and to take such actions on the complaints as it deems appropriate;
to refer corruption matters to the National Prosecuting Authority for prosecution;
to direct the Commissioner-General of Police to investigate cases of corruption and report to the Commission on the findings of such investigation;
to promote honesty, financial discipline and transparency in the private and public sectors;
to require assistance from members of the Police Service and other investigative agencies of the State; and
to make recommendations to Government and other persons on measures to enhance integrity and accountability, and prevent improper conduct in the private and public sectors

Ensuring proper management of public and donated resources, in furtherance of a national cause, is no doubt in line with the constitutional functions.

The Commission will not sit idly and allow the aid to be plundered at a time when the United Nations has already declared Coronavirus the worst crisis since World War II.

Zimbabwe is already experiencing other huge economic challenges and cannot afford wastage and theft of the few available resources (that have largely been diverted from other pressing needs) to fight the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Commission would like to remind those in charge of the resources that, first and foremost, the laws of the country must be fully complied with in the management of public and donated resources.

The Constitution, the supreme law of the land, has numerous provisions to promote transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.

For example, Chapter 9 outlines basic values and principles governing public administration.

Some of these include a high standard of professional ethics; efficient, transparent and economical use of resources.

Section 298 outlines principles of public financial management.

They include transparency and accountability in financial matters; prudent, economical and effective use of public funds; and responsibility in financial management.

Another important statute is Statutory Instrument 144 of 2019 Public Finance Management (Treasury Instructions), in particular Sections 114 and 115.

Section 114 provides for all gifts or donations, in cash, to be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund or relevant public fund set up for that purpose.

All gifts or donations, in the form of assets, will form part of public property and shall be treated and accounted for through the Public Finance Management System as such.

In circumstances where there is no clarity on the purpose for which a gift or donation shall be applied, Treasury shall provide guidance. Accounting officers are required to maintain a register of all gifts and donations offered or accepted during the year.

It is the responsibility of accounting officers to ensure that any conditions restricting the use of donations are complied with.

Section 115 deals with reporting and audit of gifts and donations. It provides for all gifts, donations or sponsorships received during the course of the financial year to be disclosed as a note to the financial statements of the ministry. The records relating to gifts and donations should be made available for audit by internal audit, Auditor-General, and private audit firms that may be engaged by donors.

An internal audit shall be instituted for the gifts and donations registers at least once a year.

We have in place the public procurement law which must not be violated in the process of expediting procurement to address the extra-ordinary situation.

The Commission’s view is that those suppliers who have acted irregularly before or are under investigation for other offences must not be engaged by the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.

Once again, Zacc will descend heavily on such greedy individuals in the public and private sectors bent on illegally enriching themselves at the expense of the general citizenry.

Offences of bribery, use of false documents, concealing a transaction to one’s principal, conflict of interest, money laundering, embezzlement and abuse of power as a public officer will be thoroughly investigated and dockets swiftly compiled for submission to the National Prosecuting Authority for prosecution.

Zimbabwe has in place adequate statutes to punish the offenders.

For example, the Public Finance Management Act outlines in Chapter 9 what constitutes financial misconduct by public officials.

Notwithstanding any other enactment, financial misconduct is a ground for the dismissal of, or other disciplinary sanction prescribed under Section 87 of the Act against an accounting officer or public official.

Section 91 (1) provides that an accounting officer shall be guilty of an offence and liable, upon conviction, to a fine not exceeding level ten or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or to both such fine and such imprisonment, if that accounting officer willfully or in a grossly negligent way fails to comply with Section 10 or a requirement of Part IV of the Act.

These provisions speak about the role and functions of accounting officers and preparation and reporting of financial statements, respectively.

Section 91 (5) provides that any person who, under examination by an internal or external auditor, in terms of Part VIII of the Act, makes any statement which he or she knows to be false or does not have reasonable grounds to believe to be true, shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level seven or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

The Commission urges the members of the public to report cases of corruption in the management and distribution of the Covid-19 donations on the following platforms [email protected], [email protected] , twitter @ZACConline and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission face book page. The Commission toll free lines are 08004367/08010101.

The Commission would also like to call upon Parliament to fully exercise its oversight role on State revenues and expenditure role as provided for in Section 299 of the National Constitution.

The provision states: “Parliament must monitor and oversee expenditure by the State and all Commissions and institutions and agencies of Government at every level, including statutory bodies, Government-controlled entities, provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities in order to ensure all revenue is accounted for; all expenditure has been properly incurred; and any limits and conditions on appropriations have been observed”.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committees are empowered by the Public Finance Management Act to receive monthly and quarterly financial reports and any other reports relating to management of public funds.

We therefore expect that when the situation normalises and Parliament returns to work, the reports on the usage of Covid-19 resources will be submitted to the relevant portfolio committees in a timely manner for scrutiny.

Commissioner John Makamure is the Zacc spokesperson and chairs the Committee on Prevention and Corporate Governance.

A Zimbabwean human rights lawyer Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda has been appointed into a group which will advise International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director, Kristalina Georgieva.

The external advisory group will provide perspectives from around the world on policy responses to the impact of the coronavirus.

“Even before the spread of Covid-19 and the dramatic health, economic, and financial disruptions it has brought, IMF members confronted a rapidly evolving world and complex policy issues,” Georgieva said in a statement.

“To serve our membership well in this context, we need top-notch input and expertise from the widest range of sources, inside and outside the Fund.”

She said the advisory group is compose of “eminent individuals with high-level policy, market, and private sector experience”.

Gumbonzvanda will sit in the advisory group with former Nigeria’s Finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, (Senior Minister of Singapore and Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore), Kristin Forbes (Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology), former Australia,’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Lord Mark Malloch Brown, former United Nations Deputy Secretary-General.

Other members are Feike Sijbesima (Honorary Chair, DSM, Former CEO, Royal DSM) , Raghuram Rajan (University of Chicago professor), Santander group executive chairman Ana Botín, Harvard’s professor Carmen Reinhart, Mohamed A. El-Erian (Chief Economic Adviser, Allianz) and Scott Minerd, chief investment officer, Guggenheim Investments.

Writing on microblogging site, Twitter on Friday, Gumbonzvanda said: “Am honoured to join the external advisory group to IMF Managing Director @KGeorgieva, in these challenging times with #COVIDー19. We had our first meeting today. A feminist, justice & human rights values grounded in our community reality inform my work.”

-Business Times

Gokwe Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena has dashed to the defence of under-fire health minister Obadiah Moyo saying criticism against him is not taking into account lack of resources and running an incapacitated ministry.

Posting on Twitter, Wadyajena said ministerial allocations are not disbursements calling for his capacitation before judging his performance.

“All this empty noise about how DrMoyo ought to be fired is stupidity on steroids. How do you expect more testing with no reagents? How do you expect isolation centres when there’s no money? @MoHCCZim’s budget allocations AREN’T actual disbursements! Capacitate him 1ST, then judge,” said Wadyajena.

Obadiah has been under fire amid deepening calls for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to fire him for incompetency.

Those pushing for his dismissal includes Presidential Advisory Council member Trevor Ncube and Hopewell Chin’ono among others.

They argue that Moyo is failing even basic things like proper communication on the coronavirus leaving the country vulnerable.

COWDRAY Park councillor Kidwell Mujuru has refuted allegations that he was diverting Government subsidised mealie-meal to the black market.

Residents were left fuming last Monday after a truck delivering the product at TM Cowdray Park in Bulawayo only offloaded half the load before being allegedly diverted by Clr Mujuru to the new stands popularly known as Esigodweni.

“I think people misread my intentions. It is true that the truck took some of the roller meal to the area you are mentioning but this was solely so that people from the area can benefit too because most of them were failing to get to TM or even the terminus where the product was sold. As a local councillor I then got in touch with the suppliers and asked them to go to Esigodweni and deliver the product. It is not true that the intention was to supply the black market.

However, the sale of the mealie-meal only stopped after one person was detected to have bought more than 20 times because the owner apparently runs a tuckshop and wanted to re-sell the product.”

He said when that was discovered the culprit then mobilised other residents and they started disrupting the smooth process of selling the product in the area.

“This was an open space although I had asked our local police to control. The company (maize meal supplier) then said it cannot continue selling and they drove off. I have since arranged that we use Cowdray Park Primary School. I cannot be that irresponsible to divert mealie-meal to the black market, that would be blatant corruption,” said Clr Mujuru.

The mealie-meal black market is thriving in the suburb with some people selling a 10kg bag for $200 cash. Sunday News observed long winding queues at some of the shops where the product was delivered. However, most of the people were not observing social distancing as directed by the Government during the lockdown period.

Residents also blasted one of the retail shops where the owner was only accepting foreign currency and cash at a time.

“Where do they think we can get cash, when they purchase the mealie-meal at GMB (Grain Marketing Board) they use plastic money but now they demand cash or forex from us. I think shops such as these must not be allowed to sell mealie-meal, its best the supplier sells straight from the truck,” said a resident Mr Tawanda Nhopi.

-State Media

Zimbabwe yesterday recorded a new Covid-19 case to take the total number of confirmed cases to 14 from the 528 tests done so far.

In its daily update released yesterday, government said a new testing centre has been set up in Bulawayo and is already functional with tests from the Southern part of the country commencing at the new centre on Monday.

Below is the statement from the ministry of health and child care…

MORE than 4 000 people have been arrested countrywide in the past two weeks for flouting various provisions of the 21-day lockdown which was put in place by the Government to combat the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19).

National police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said police were working tirelessly to ensure that people adhere to the lockdown regulations.

“We have so far arrested 4 198 people who have contravened the lockdown directive.

We are also working with traditional leaders and other community leaders in rural areas to ensure that they have relevant information with regards to Covid-19. We would want our communities to be fully aware of the lockdown and ensure that people also in rural areas comply with the directive. Our police stations in rural areas are vigilant and are implementing the lockdown,” he said.

Speaking during a Provincial Taskforce briefing of Members of Parliament yesterday, Midlands Provincial Taskforce chairperson on lockdown implementation, Commander 5 Brigade, Brigadier-General Simo Maseko said police and the army were working closely to ensure that people adhere to the lockdown.

“ZRP are the lead lockdown implementers and as the Zimbabwe National Army we are there to assist. I must say that we are not impressed with the compliance level in the province.

Also, we are at around 70 percent of compliance, we still have other problem areas. So far 666 people that flouted lockdown regulations have been arrested. Kwekwe is one of our problem areas.

The situation has, however, improved. We have covered all main centres in all districts. We are concerned with the general attitude of people.

People are flouting the regulations.
However, we have managed to control them,” he said.

Brig-Gen Maseko said most Members of Parliament and councillors were illegally issuing exemption letters to people to flout lockdown regulations.

“Councillors and MPs have no capacity to issue exemption letters for travelling. That will not be recognised by our security forces.

We have a human approach. Our biggest problems are coming from exemptions. This has an effect on how we implement the lockdown. These are the challenges that we have been facing,” he said.-Soccer 24

THE country’s 10 provinces will soon have Covid-19 testing, referral and isolation centres, as members of the Cabinet taskforce were yesterday deployed to various stations countrywide to assess progress on readiness to combat the novel coronavirus.

This comes as the Global Fund last week released US$5 million to Zimbabwe out of the US$25 million that it has pledged to the country for the anti-Covid-19 fight.

To ease pressure on the country’s sole testing unit, the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory in Harare, 167 testing machines are expected to be installed countrywide from rural clinics to provincial hospitals, in a development that will increase the number of people tested for the virus.

Starting this week, Mpilo Provincial Hospital is set to become the second Covid-19 testing centre after a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) unit was set up at the institution.

A detailed report on Covid-19 readiness is expected tomorrow after Cabinet ministers were tasked to work with provincial health officials to identify and refurbish the centres.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said under Government’s grand plan, all the country’s provinces would become autonomous in attending to Covid-19 cases.

“The vast majority of the testing will be conducted through the use of GeneXpert PCR machines.

Countrywide, we have 167 GeneXpert PCR machines but at the moment they cannot be used because they do not have the required Covid-19 cartridges.

“These cartridges are on order and are expected to arrive in the country within a week, or at the most two weeks.

“So if we can get all these 167 machines up and running we will be able to carry out testing in all the provinces down to the rural clinic level,” he said.-State media

By Jacob Ngarivhume, president Transform Zimbabwe

January 3 1983 Emmerson Mnangagwa as Minster of State for National Security of Zimbabwe oversaw the start of a brutal reign of terror on the Ndebele people.

Over a period of 4 years innocent men, women and children were beaten, burned alive or shot. 20 000 people lost their lives.

As the world mourns the 90 000 lives lost from COVID 19 we are reminded of the sanctity of life.

Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu PF do not respect the sanctity of life as evidenced in his “Bring a dead body to the mortuary” speech.

They can pretend to care about the people of Zimbabwe but their true nature is evident.

When COVID 19 is defeated they will return to their routine intimidation of people, criminal looting of natural resources, imprisoning and murdering those who dare to speak the truth.

Zimbabwe will again be left unprepared to handle new global health threats that could be far worse than COVID 19.

We cannot allow this to happen. We must not go back to business as unusual after COVID 19.

It is time for JUSTICE to reach the people responsible for destroying Zimbabwe; the judges who’ve been complicit, politicians at the forefront of crafting oppressive laws, police and army generals who have violated domestic and international laws.

Emmerson Mnangagwa MUST face justice for what he did to 20 000 innocent people.

President Charles Taylor of Liberia is serving a 50-year prison sentence for human rights violations in Liberia.

Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso has an international arrest warrant out for him for murdering Thomas Sankara and violating human rights during his 27-year term.

It’s high time we show corrupt politicians that NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

Zimbabwe is a nation in shambles because of Zanu PF. With no transparency in the Zanu PF government, the people of Zimbabwe have no idea how much money is lost daily to corruption.

Our natural resources are managed under a thick cloud of corruption while millions of Zimbabweans face starvation and death. This is no longer acceptable and something needs to be done to stop this!!

It Is time for the people of Zimbabwe to UNITE and actually fight against corruption and stop talking about it.

To our brothers and sisters in the armed forces – For decades you have been used as pawns, as foot soldiers to prop up evil and corrupt men.

You have been given the green light to violate human rights by those who stand to benefit the most from oppressing the people.

By choosing to stand with corrupt politicians, millions of your countrymen are starving to death or dying in hospitals with no doctors or medicine.

The constitution of Zimbabwe compels you to protect the “PEOPLE” of Zimbabwe against those who would harm them both foreign and domestic.

Zanu PF has done more harm to Zimbabwe than any terrorist organization ever could.

To our brothers and sisters in the police – many of you served under Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri. Today he is in hiding.

During his term you were forced to turn a blind eye to government corruption and made to focus your attention on bread thieves and political activists.

Chihuri built a mansion in Chishawasha using resources meant for the Police. He enriched himself while low ranking officers lived in small government flats and struggled to feed their families.

Today Zanu PF politicians continue to steal in broad daylight in front of the whole nation because they believe they are untouchable.
Our appeal to you our brothers and sisters in the uniformed services is to do the RIGHT THING.

Politicians have used you for power. WITHOUT YOU THEY HAVE NO POWER.

Stand with the people of Zimbabwe to hold Emmerson Mnangagwa accountable for the serious crimes he has committed.

He authorized the murder of women and children, and amassed a fortune from stolen diamonds in the Congo.

Cheating his way to the presidency does not absolve him of the crimes he has committed and promising dialogue over Gukurahundi will not right the wrong.

Instead of driving around in bullet proof cars under heavy police escort Mnangagwa must face a court of justice and answer for what he and his colleagues have done to Zimbabwe.

Our calls for justice will be labeled as treason or regime change agenda.

This is every dictator’s last stand to preserve control over the people. An order will be released to the army and police to be on high alert to intimidate the people calling for accountability.

But the true act of treason is betraying the people of Zimbabwe by plundering their natural resources and mortgaging the nation to foreign powers.

Creating laws to oppress the people and denying millions of Zimbabweans the right to vote- that is treason.

This is the hour of Justice- What Zanu PF has done to Zimbabwe is unforgivable.

We are a nation that can barely take care of itself. We rely on donations from foreign governments and local businesses to provide medicine for the sick or to save our people from hunger.

Children are taught right from wrong only to watch those who lead the country violating laws with impunity.
COVID19 has given us the wake-up call we needed. Those elected to government must be held accountable starting NOW.

They have no special rights; they are not untouchable and most importantly they are NOT ABOVE THE LAW.

LET THE PEOPLE ZIMBABWE UNITE FOR JUTICE for our time has come to turn this ship of state and put it on a course towards true prosperity for ALL THE PEOPLE.

President Mnangagwa yesterday wished Zimbabweans, both at home and abroad, a happy and peaceful Easter holiday, but hinted that security arms will intensify patrols to ensure compliance with the 21-day national Covid-19 lockdown.

He said this year’s Easter holiday, which starts today, was unique in the sense that no gatherings were allowed as the country observes the lockdown aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19.

In his address on the eve of Good Friday at State House, the President said the difficulties and challenges being faced by the nation would not last forever.

“I am aware that in the past, the Easter holiday season would see most families, friends, as well as worshippers gather together to remember the gift of eternal life given to us by God through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,” said President Mnangagwa.

“Sadly, this will not be possible this holiday, as we continue to observe the essential lockdown we instituted to prevent the spread of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.

However, do not despair for the Bible says in Matthew 18 verse 20, where two or three gather, the Lord is present with them.

“I urge us all to continue to stay at home, as well as practising good hygiene and observing social distance.”

The President wished citizens a joyful Easter filled with blessings, peace, love and the hope of a brighter tomorrow.

He said as the nation goes through this year’s Easter holiday, citizens should find hope and strength in the words of Jesus Christ in John 16 verse 33, who reminds people that in the world, there will be many trials tribulations, but called for peace, and to be of good cheer, since He has overcome the world.

“In the midst of the darkness, may the light of Jesus Christ shine,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said people should be further encouraged by the knowledge that Jesus Christ triumphed over death.

The President said as part of efforts to fight the spread of Covid-19, security arms will be intensifying patrols to ensure compliance and to curb the movement of pedestrians and vehicles.

Government plans to continue to scale up and improve its preparedness to handle the Covid-19 threat and consolidate the gains made in keeping the country safe.

President Mnangagwa applauded frontline workers that have dedicated their lives to fighting Covid-19.

“We pay tribute to the many men and women constituting the essential services and are keeping our country functional during this lockdown period.

We shall be moving with greater speed to provide the workers in the frontline with all the adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and personal protective clothing as well as the requisite training to ensure their safety in the wake of the Covid-19 threat.

In addition, I would like to commend the various stakeholders, from across the social spectrum, who are giving generously towards our fight against Covid-19. Together we are stronger,” he said.

The answer to the Covid-19 crisis, said the President, lay in people’s discipline and unity.-State media

Farai Dziva|Former Zanu PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere has said lying to the nation is the worst crime one can commit.

Kasukuwere subtly attacked Emmerson Mnangagwa while responding to questions on good governance from Masvingo based, church leader, lsaac Makomichi of Calvary Prayer Group.

“In the event that you assume power and one of your favourite Ministers lies to the nation, how will you react?” Makomichi asked Kasukuwere.

“It’s important to have serious discipline among leaders.Lying and misleading the nation is the worst crime one can ever commit,”Kasukuwere responded.

Kasukuwere is expected to lead a team of G-40 members in the supposed fight against Mnangagwa in the 2023 elections.

Kasukuwere is also seen as an integral component of the much anticipated political negotiations in the country.

Commenting on his conversation with Kasukuwere, Makomichi said:

“Kasukuwere is a good leader with people at heart but I’m sure he needs to join hands with President Mnangagwa and Nelson Chamisa to build our nation.”

By Own Correspondent| Opposition leader Thokozani Khupe on Saturday ran for dear life after she together with other party officials were chased away by the Harare Municipal Police in Kambuzuma Harare.

Khupe, reportedly left one of her shoes in the process after the municipal police details chased her while she was at one of her party members’ residence and 2018 aspiring councillor only identified as Mrs Masiiwa.

Said a source privy to the development who spoke to ZimEye:

“While running for dear life, Khupe dropped one of her red high heeled shoes before she reached the place where her car was parked.

Together with Douglas Mwonzora, they however proceeded to Chitungwiza, where they addressed another meeting of 13 people at Delma’s home.

The source alleged that Khupe and her team were however protected by the police.

Said the source:

“At Delma residency, 15 police officers could be seen driving around the area until after they (Khupe and her team) had finished their meeting and that is when the police drove off.”

Khupe and her team however continued and tried holding another meeting in Unit G, Seke but failed after residents protested the move citing COVID 19 fears.

“After their meeting at Delma’s place, they tried to have a review meeting at Mai Panganai’s house in Unit G around 6.15pm but the meeting failed after residents protested the move over COVID 19 fears.”

The development comes after the Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga last night told ZimEye that he is not aware of any police escort assigned for Khupe.

“Here’s to two decades of being great together!”

Happy anniversary babes

Wrote Tongai Mnangagwa on a Facebook post:

Wow its been 19 years of ups and downs , lows and highs but what matters the most is there has always been love between us.

Our love for each other conquers all. You have lived up to your promise of filling up my home with many beautiful children.

If I where to be reincarnated , I would want to be your man again and again. Thanks for your loyalty and commitment to the relationship.

I still remember the first day I saw you and fell in love . I told myself I want to spend the rest of my life with this kid and look 19 years later you are still the one I love .

All I can say babie is “STILL” I love you so much Gwen I think your family should give me another opportunity to come and pay lobola for the second time because you have delivered more than expected.

Considering now that am also a big boy, please tell your people who have become my people as well that am bringing elephants ??????????????? as a token of my appreciation of how they raised you into a decent young woman that I fell in love with.

You look more and more beautiful as you mature .

Thank you for supporting me in my career , thanks for dropping everything for me to make sure I achieve my dreams.

The saying that goes ” behind every successful man there is a strong woman ” is very true in our situation babes.

You’ve been strong for me for years. You’ve believed in me since you were 15 years old and you still believe that we will achieve more together .

Ndinotenda nekuvimbika kwenyu AMAI.

The biggest loser in this circus will be Khupe. Her MDC-T party has every right to expell her becoz as they had a Congress, it was indeed a new party with Mps. Pple there have no interest in the old MDC. Then she wil go to this silly extraordinary congress & lose again. @ZimEye

— Adv. Dr. Tapiwa Shumba (@ShumbaTapiwa) April 11, 2020

Farai Dziva|Former Zanu PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere has said lying to the nation is the worst crime one can commit.

Kasukuwere subtly attacked Emmerson Mnangagwa while responding to questions on good governance from Masvingo based, church lsaac Makomichi of Calvary Prayer Group.

“In the event that you assume power and one of your favourite Ministers lies to the nation, how will you react?” Makomichi asked Kasukuwere.

“It’s important to have serious discipline among leaders.Lying and misleading the nation is the worst crime one can ever commit,”Kasukuwere responded.

Kasukuwere is expected to lead a team of G-40 members in the supposed fight against Mnangagwa in the 2023 elections.

Kasukuwere is also seen as an integral component of the much anticipated political negotiations in the country.

Commenting on his conversation with Kasukuwere, Makomichi said:

“Kasukuwere is a good leader with people at heart but I’m sure he needs to join hands with President Mnangagwa and Nelson Chamisa to build our nation.”

Farai Dziva|Thokazani Khupe, Douglas Mwonzora and Morgen Komichi are trapped in a political dungeon, an MDC official has said.

MDC Youth Assembly national spokesperson, Stephen Sarkozy Chuma described the three politicians as “hopeless political misfits.”

Said Chuma: “Wisdom that has been tested over time teaches us that those who move nenhendeshure risk a dead end.

Kubondera chete! From 2020 we go to 2024 Congress not 2014!

Komichi, Khupe and Mwonzora have fallen into a deep, dark and dangerous political gorge.

In essence the three are trapped in a political dungeon.”

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has accused soldiers who were patrolling Warren Park suburb yesterday of assaulting and killing a yet to be identified person for Breaching lockdown rules.

The incident happened yesterday and the now deceased man is believed to have been taken to Parirenyatwa Mortuary.

“Sad events in Warren Park 2 along 5ave soldiers beat and left for dead one person. We reiterate enforcing lockdown is not the same with human rights violations,” said CiZC while posting on Twitter.

Sad events in Warren Park 2 along 5ave soldiers beat and left for dead one person. We reiterate enforcing lockdown is not the same with human rights violations! @ZLHRLawyers @PoliceZimbabwe @ercafrica @WHO @Studio7VOA @ndiL3O @SAHRDNetwork @tsunga_arnold @DeproseM @SiphoMalunga pic.twitter.com/0eB6qMhVU5

— Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (@crisiscoalition) April 10, 2020

This is a developing story, ZimEye will share more details as they come….

 By A Correspondent- The document sought to announce a decentralised mealie meal distribution schedule.

The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe has issued a public apology over a leaked document which contained spelling errors.

The spelling errors attracted criticism from the Matabeleland community who felt aggrieved.

The program is a welcome development which has been hailed by many as a welcome development because it seeks to address the critical shortage of maize meal during the perilous times of Coronavirus. R

ead the full statement by the GMAZ Public Relations manager below:

Harare, 11 April 2020

The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe would like to unreservedly apologize for the document which has some spelling mistakes which is circulating on social media platforms. We would like to inform the public that the internal document leaked before it was edited.

The spelling mistakes were in all the English, Shona, and Ndebele languages ( documents), and there was not intention whatsoever, to offend any particular grouping.

The corrected document is now available. We, however, take the blame given the fact that the leaked and unedited document unintentionally ended up in the public domain and was consumed by innocent citizens.

One again we would like to unreservedly apologize for this unfortunate eventuality. The decision to announce the maize meal zoning measure was urgent and it was meant for the benefit of our citizens, during the difficult time we are faced with.

Garikai Chaunza

GMAZ media and public relations manager.

Farai Dziva|Former Zanu PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere has said lying to the nation is the worst crime one can commit.

Kasukuwere subtly attacked Emmerson Mnangagwa while responding to questions on good governance from Masvingo based, church leader, lsaac Makomichi of Calvary Prayer Group.

“In the event that you assume power and one of your favourite Ministers lies to the nation, how will you react?” Makomichi asked Kasukuwere.

“It’s important to have serious discipline among leaders.Lying and misleading the nation is the worst crime one can ever commit,”Kasukuwere responded.

Kasukuwere is expected to lead a team of G-40 members in the supposed fight against Mnangagwa in the 2023 elections.

Kasukuwere is also seen as an integral component of the much anticipated political negotiations in the country.

Commenting on his conversation with Kasukuwere, Makomichi said:

“Kasukuwere is a good leader with people at heart but I’m sure he needs to join hands with President Mnangagwa and Nelson Chamisa to build our nation.”

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe police officers who are enforcing the 21-day lockdown have revealed that they no longer have food.

They claim that they were promised food to sustain them for the duration of the lockdown but their bosses are not sending them any.

One officer who spoke to a local publication on condition of anonymity said:We were promised to be fed throughout the lockdown.

The food ran out after only two days and the bosses had hope that government, through the Ministry of Health, was going to allocate funds to cater for the food and our protection but that was never the case.

My wife has to pack rice and soup that I carry to work daily.

Sources privy to developments also revealed that the police procurement department fulfilled its obligation of raising requisition invoices for food, but some suppliers had no commodities or had closed due to the lockdown.

The source said:

I hear that because of the lockdown the guys responsible for buying food changed traditional suppliers and enlisted services of unreliable suppliers and their friends.

As a result of the mismanagement, the quartermaster only distributed the rations that were available.-ZimMorningPost

Soldiers reportedly forced mapostori to consume alcohol at their shrine after finding them conducting a prayer, which was in defiance to the 21 day LOCKDOWN as announced by President Mnangagwa. Do you think that the soldiers' action/punishment was fair or not?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) April 11, 2020

By A Correspondent- Soldiers in Harare reportedly forced mapositori to drink the alcohol they had confiscated from bars for defying lockdown regulations, according to a social media message doing the rounds on whatsapp.

The message alleges that the soldiers, instead of beating up the worshipers forced them to drink alcohol which is considered taboo by the sect.

Read the whatsapp message:

“Please avoid night prayers and stay home.Yesterday in Dzivarasekwa vanamukoma (the soldiers) were busy making their rounds confiscating beer from bars that had defied the Lockdown and opened for business. On their way back to the barracks, there were apostolic sect members and other female worshipers who had gathered for their night prayers.

The soldiers did not beat them up but they just took the crates of beers that they had confiscated and told the worshipers to drink the beer all night while singing their church hymns. The worshipers could not defy the order and they drank beer all night against the belief that beer cannot be consumed at their apostolic sect shrines. The belief is only applicable before you are given a directive by the soldiers.”

Below is the shona version of the circulating message:

“Magunners vakangosvika havana kurova vanhu asi vakangoburutsa macrates avo ema super pamasowe zvikanzi madzibaba nemadzimai ngatinwei husiku hose tichiimba. Masese anwiwa zvekuti pamasowe hapanwiwe doro unenge usati waapihwa nana Mukoma (Soldiers).”

By A Correspondent- Social media is awash with a collated image which suggests that President Mnangagwa was handed either $5 or $6 million dollars by Delta Corporation as a donation to fight coronavirus.

The circulating image creates confusion as it purports that the government received $6 million but claims it received $5 million.

See the image below.

This resonates with what Delta who posted on Twitter saying:

As a response to the H. E’s appeal to business leaders today Delta made a cash donation of ZW$5,000,000 to the Government of Zimbabwe’s COVID – 19 Disaster Fund. This will be augmented by a further ZW$1 million worth of medical accessories which will be channelled directly.

At our MDC headquarters now. The police refused that l enter the premises saying we should wait for a court judgement. Intersection of Nelson Mandela and Angwa roads closed. pic.twitter.com/rVQLZ7Lb8j

— Gift Ostallos Siziba (@Cde_Ostallos) March 31, 2020

…Ziyambi Ziyambi named in plot but denies knowledge or involvement

TOP SECURITY ALLOCATED FOR MDC-T LEADER.

…Police Commissioner Godwin Matanga at first denied knowledge of the development, but….

Opposition MDC-T President Thokozani Khupe’s “Holy Alliance” with Zanu Pf has been exposed amid revelations from a leaked memo that she has been allocated Police Protection Unit (PPU) with effect from 8 April 2020.

The memo which has been confirmed by 2 officers, says:

‘A request to deploy the PPU to the recently confirmed opposition leader was made to Home Affairs Minister Hon Kazembe Kazembe by Minister of Justice Hon Ziyambi Ziyambi so as to make it possible for her to lead the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling on MDC versus Mashavire.

“PPU Officers are deployed to provide escort services and residence security for Dr Khuphe.

“Other MDC T officials will be allocated plain clothe police officers.

“The programme submitted to Officer Commanding PPU by Comm Gen Matanga states that on 24 April 2020, Dr Khuphe and other MDC-T officials will be escorted by PPU to Morgan Tsvangirai House for a Congress preparation meeting.”

A ZRP whistleblower commenting on the development said, “Clearly this is an extention of ZANU PF.

‘To all MDC Alliance faithfuls, please don’t allow your Headquarters to be a playing ground of ZANU PF.

“By Concerned Police Officer (PPU)”

An analyst told ZimEye while she can get PPU, Khupe will need a second court order in order to take over the Harvest House building.

When contacted by ZimEye, Police Commissioner Godwin Matanga at first denied knowledge of the development, but after being grilled further, said “I will have to check with my officers tomorrow and come back to you.”

Also contacted for a comment was the Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi who vehemently denied as he said, “can you send me the memo. In what capacity would I instruct a police protection unit? ”

He added, “perhaps you are just looking for a story to write. How can I as a minister instruct the police?”

The development comes as suggestions were speculated by Khupe’s party that she now has powers to recall Nelson Chamisa’s MPs. It also comes as a hoarde of police officers were last week seen barricading the office building on the day of the Supreme Court ruling as one of them told the MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General Gift Ostallos Siziba, he is not allowed inside the building until after the Supreme Court has ruled on who the legitimate MDC leader is. 

“At our MDC headquarters now. The police refused that l enter the premises saying we should wait for a court judgement.

“Intersection of Nelson Mandela and Angwa roads closed.’

But analysts have said Khupe is hopeless in her attempts to take over the MDC, and below was an analysis by legal expert, Tapiwa Shumba.

By Dr Tapiwa Shumba | The recall of MDC Alliance MPs and Councillors by the MDC-T is legally and procedurally impossible.

All the MPs and Councillors who contested under the MDC Alliance belong to the MDC Alliance, in total. There is no such a thing such as that there are MPs under the jurisdiction of some distinct political parties that don’t exist at ZEC or in Parliament.

Our electoral law does not provide for the system of coalitions. No one can register a coalition to contest an election. ZEC only registers political parties. Which is the same reason why the MDC Alliance had to be a political party and not a coalition in order to register at ZEC, that is, the MDC-T alone would not be able to recall a member of the Alliance. All they would do is to make a resolution and ask the Alliance to write to parliament recalling a deployee.

For example, there are only ANC MPs in the South African Parliament. Parliament doesn’t listen to COSATU or SACP because they all contest under the ANC. The SACP cannot recall Hon Blade Mzimande from Parliament. Only the ANC (coalition) leadership can do so.

Indeed even the then Alliance coalition MOU was alert to this reality. Parliament has no business involving itself in electoral pacts that are not provided for under our law.

In fact apart from the record at ZEC which culmimates into the Parliamentary register after election results, Parliament has no other means of identifying which of the many parties in a coalition, an MP belongs. Such means just don’t exist because they are not needed.

Secondly, in other jurisdictions there is a parliamentary system called FLOOR-CROSSING where Mps are allowed to move with their seats from the political party they contested under to another party. The Zimbabwe Constitution abhors that system.

The purpose of s129 (1) (k) & (l) of the Zimbabwe Constitution is to specifically prohibit floor-crossing. Even a person who won as an independent is prohibited from crossing the floor. (Hon Themba Mliswa probably wants to rejoin ZANU-PF but he can’t, he will lose his seat).

Anyone who contested for a seat under MDC Alliance but claims to now belong to another party and relinquishes their membership of the Alliance floor-crosses and therefore offends the Constitution.

It also follows that no MP can claim to belong to two different political parties. In parliament, you cannot say I ran under the ANC but I am a SACP Mp. i.e You cannot say I ran under the MDC Alliance but I’m a PDP or MDC-T Mp. That’s just nonsense in Parliamentary terms. – CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW DR SHUMBA

For the entire electoral cycle, an MP must belong to the political Party he contested under. The party whose manifesto you sold to the electorate. If you don’t belong to the MDC Alliance anymore, its you who has crossed the floor and you must recalled immediately.

Again, this is deliberate under our Constitution to protect the electorate who elected members believing that they will carry the mandate and manifesto of the MDC Alliance they sold to them. This protection should be respected.

In truth, only the MDC Alliance will have jurisdiction over Mps who ran under the MDC Alliance. You risk embarrassing yourself and any Speaker of Parliament who listens to you if you write to Parliament and say I am the MDC-T leader, I want to recall an MDC Alliance MP.

No parliament should entertain such a letter, that is, currently, only the leadership of the MDC Alliance, through its Secretary Hon Chalton Hwende can legally, procedurally and officially converse with Parliament on matters concerning MDC Alliance MPs.

Lastly, I am sorry but this is the reality of the coronaboys and all flies that follow their corpses to the grave.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW DR SHUMBA

By A Correspondent- In an unconfirmed dramatic twist of events, a message is circulating on WhatsApp alleging that soldiers in Harare forced mapositori to drink the alcohol they had confiscated from bars for defying lockdown regulations.

The message alleges that the soldiers, instead of beating up the worshipers forced them to drink alcohol which is considered taboo by the sect.

Read the whatsapp message:

“Please avoid night prayers and stay home.Yesterday in Dzivarasekwa vanamukoma (the soldiers) were busy making their rounds confiscating beer from bars that had defied the Lockdown and opened for business. On their way back to the barracks, there were apostolic sect members and other female worshipers who had gathered for their night prayers.

The soldiers did not beat them up but they just took the crates of beers that they had confiscated and told the worshipers to drink the beer all night while singing their church hymns. The worshipers could not defy the order and they drank beer all night against the belief that beer cannot be consumed at their apostolic sect shrines. The belief is only applicable before you are given a directive by the soldiers.”

Below is the shona version of the circulating message:

“Magunners vakangosvika havana kurova vanhu asi vakangoburutsa macrates avo ema super pamasowe zvikanzi madzibaba nemadzimai ngatinwei husiku hose tichiimba. Masese anwiwa zvekuti pamasowe hapanwiwe doro unenge usati waapihwa nana Mukoma (Soldiers).”

At our MDC headquarters now. The police refused that l enter the premises saying we should wait for a court judgement. Intersection of Nelson Mandela and Angwa roads closed. pic.twitter.com/rVQLZ7Lb8j

— Gift Ostallos Siziba (@Cde_Ostallos) March 31, 2020

…Ziyambi Ziyambi named in plot but denies knowledge or involvement

TOP SECURITY ALLOCATED FOR MDC-T LEADER.

…Police Commissioner Godwin Matanga at first denied knowledge of the development, but….

In what has been described as a clearly “Zanu Pf” move, MDC-T President Thokozani Khupe has been allocated Police Protection Unit (PPU) with effect from 8 April 2020, a leaked memo reads.

The memo which has been confirmed by 2 officers, says:

‘A request to deploy the PPU to the recently confirmed opposition leader was made to Home Affairs Minister Hon Kazembe Kazembe by Minister of Justice Hon Ziyambi Ziyambi so as to make it possible for her to lead the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling on MDC versus Mashavire.

“PPU Officers are deployed to provide escort services and residence security for Dr Khuphe.

“Other MDC T officials will be allocated plain clothe police officers.

“The programme submitted to Officer Commanding PPU by Comm Gen Matanga states that on 24 April 2020, Dr Khuphe and other MDC-T officials will be escorted by PPU to Morgan Tsvangirai House for a Congress preparation meeting.”

A ZRP whistleblower commenting on the development said, “Clearly this is an extention of ZANU PF.

‘To all MDC Alliance faithfuls, please don’t allow your Headquarters to be a playing ground of ZANU PF.

“By Concerned Police Officer (PPU)”

An analyst told ZimEye while she can get PPU, Khupe will need a second court order in order to take over the Harvest House building.

When contacted by ZimEye, Police Commissioner Godwin Matanga at first denied knowledge of the development, but after being grilled further, said “I will have to check with my officers tomorrow and come back to you.”

Also contacted for a comment was the Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi who vehemently denied as he said, “can you send me the memo. In what capacity would I instruct a police protection unit? ”

He added, “perhaps you are just looking for a story to write. How can I as a minister instruct the police?”

The development comes as suggestions were speculated by Khupe’s party that she now has powers to recall Nelson Chamisa’s MPs. It also comes as a hoarde of police officers were last week seen barricading the office building on the day of the Supreme Court ruling as one of them told the MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General Gift Ostallos Siziba, he is not allowed inside the building until after the Supreme Court has ruled on who the legitimate MDC leader is. 

“At our MDC headquarters now. The police refused that l enter the premises saying we should wait for a court judgement.

“Intersection of Nelson Mandela and Angwa roads closed.’

But analysts have said Khupe is hopeless in her attempts to take over the MDC, and below was an analysis by legal expert, Tapiwa Shumba.

By Dr Tapiwa Shumba | The recall of MDC Alliance MPs and Councillors by the MDC-T is legally and procedurally impossible.

All the MPs and Councillors who contested under the MDC Alliance belong to the MDC Alliance, in total. There is no such a thing such as that there are MPs under the jurisdiction of some distinct political parties that don’t exist at ZEC or in Parliament.

Our electoral law does not provide for the system of coalitions. No one can register a coalition to contest an election. ZEC only registers political parties. Which is the same reason why the MDC Alliance had to be a political party and not a coalition in order to register at ZEC, that is, the MDC-T alone would not be able to recall a member of the Alliance. All they would do is to make a resolution and ask the Alliance to write to parliament recalling a deployee.

For example, there are only ANC MPs in the South African Parliament. Parliament doesn’t listen to COSATU or SACP because they all contest under the ANC. The SACP cannot recall Hon Blade Mzimande from Parliament. Only the ANC (coalition) leadership can do so.

Indeed even the then Alliance coalition MOU was alert to this reality. Parliament has no business involving itself in electoral pacts that are not provided for under our law.

In fact apart from the record at ZEC which culmimates into the Parliamentary register after election results, Parliament has no other means of identifying which of the many parties in a coalition, an MP belongs. Such means just don’t exist because they are not needed.

Secondly, in other jurisdictions there is a parliamentary system called FLOOR-CROSSING where Mps are allowed to move with their seats from the political party they contested under to another party. The Zimbabwe Constitution abhors that system.

The purpose of s129 (1) (k) & (l) of the Zimbabwe Constitution is to specifically prohibit floor-crossing. Even a person who won as an independent is prohibited from crossing the floor. (Hon Themba Mliswa probably wants to rejoin ZANU-PF but he can’t, he will lose his seat).

Anyone who contested for a seat under MDC Alliance but claims to now belong to another party and relinquishes their membership of the Alliance floor-crosses and therefore offends the Constitution.

It also follows that no MP can claim to belong to two different political parties. In parliament, you cannot say I ran under the ANC but I am a SACP Mp. i.e You cannot say I ran under the MDC Alliance but I’m a PDP or MDC-T Mp. That’s just nonsense in Parliamentary terms. – CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW DR SHUMBA

For the entire electoral cycle, an MP must belong to the political Party he contested under. The party whose manifesto you sold to the electorate. If you don’t belong to the MDC Alliance anymore, its you who has crossed the floor and you must recalled immediately.

Again, this is deliberate under our Constitution to protect the electorate who elected members believing that they will carry the mandate and manifesto of the MDC Alliance they sold to them. This protection should be respected.

In truth, only the MDC Alliance will have jurisdiction over Mps who ran under the MDC Alliance. You risk embarrassing yourself and any Speaker of Parliament who listens to you if you write to Parliament and say I am the MDC-T leader, I want to recall an MDC Alliance MP.

No parliament should entertain such a letter, that is, currently, only the leadership of the MDC Alliance, through its Secretary Hon Chalton Hwende can legally, procedurally and officially converse with Parliament on matters concerning MDC Alliance MPs.

Lastly, I am sorry but this is the reality of the coronaboys and all flies that follow their corpses to the grave.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW DR SHUMBA

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has noted with concern the proliferation of illegal forex exchange syndicates during the COVID-19 lockdown. Some of the groups or individuals are using vehicles, backyard offices and some homes to engage in the criminal acts.

Whilst the Government has allowed the operation of money transfer services during the COVID-19 lockdown, Police urges members of the public to receive their money from authorised dealers and then go to the shops which have been authorised to transact in both local and forex to buy basic commodities or access medication from pharmacies.
There is no need therefore for people to queue to change money in some shops especially in the Central Business Districts or engage illegal foreign currency dealers, while in the process exposing themselves to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police will arrest all illegal foreign currency dealers who are committing such criminal acts whilst at the same time disregarding the Governments COVID-19 lockdown measures.

By A Correspondent- The unidentified woman told a local publication that she walked from Epworth into town unaware that people had letters to accompany them for movement during the 21 days national lockdown.

Dressed in rags and picking up plastic bottles for resale in the CBD despite the 21 day Lockdown, the woman said:

“I am just picking empty plastic bottles for sale and I am not aware that we are not allowed to carry our business in town.

I am used to walk in a way of saving money since I have two children to look after following my separation with my abusive husband. What surprised me upon arriving in town is the number of people and the closure of shops but I decided to fulfil my purpose of coming,” she said.

The woman exposed visibility of city council and police officers on day 9 in the Central Business District.

A survey by a local publication on Day nine of the 21-day national lockdown saw an increase in the volume of traffic in the CBD as compared to previous days. 

Supermarkets, Banks Automated Teller Machines, government offices and few others remained the points where a number of people would be seen.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care on Friday reported that the country had recorded two more coronavirus cases.

The Ministry also said that the new patients were 21-year-old males who had contact with the 10th case, a female, who they had travelled with to the United Kingdom.

In a statement released on 10 April 2020, the Ministry said:The two new cases involve 2 (two) 21-year-old male residents of Harare who travelled from the UK together with case #10. As part of contact tracing and follow-up, the local COVID-19 Rapid Response Team visited their homes, and samples were collected for COVID-19 testing. Both are clinically stable. with mild disease and under self-isolation at home.

This comes when it is alleged that the elderly and people with preexisting conditions are more vulnerable to the deadly pandemic compared to young and healthy people.

Meanwhile, the vaccine for the virus has not yet been found hence the need to adopt preventive measures to avoid the spread and transmission of the virus.