TB Joshua has addressed his botched prophesy in which he claimed the Coronavirus pandemic would end on 27 March 2020. The religious leader said the Holy Spirit gave him the message that the pandemic would end on 27 March.
During an interview on his own TV, Emmanual TV the preacher addressed his controversial prophecy and said;
I am not a politician, I just have to give you the message as the Spirit gave it to me
Meanwhile, Joshua has also claimed COVID-19 is a failure in advanced technology adding fuel to the COVID-19 5G conspiracy theories that have overtaken the world.-Online
STATE security agents deployed to enforce the 21-day national lockdown to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus have been accused of terrorising residents in several towns and cities, with some of the victims left seriously injured.
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum director Blessing Gorejena yesterday said her organisation had documented 51 assault cases involving security agents, with most of the cases recorded in urban areas.
“Besides what we have documented through our structures, several cases are going unreported although we are working round the clock to help victims suffering from human rights violations by mainly State actors,” Gorejena said.
The lockdown became effective last Monday, before reports of police and army brutality emerged from different parts of the country, while videos of members of the uniformed forces “punishing” lockdown offenders went viral.
But police yesterday challenged the assault victims to report to their nearest police stations, while the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) dismissed the reports as false.
On Monday, soldiers reportedly violently dispersed people at Chigovanyika Business Centre in St Mary’s, Chitungwiza, and in Kuwadzana 4, a few hours before President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s convoy passed through the busy shopping centres.
Later at night, the soldiers are said to have bashed the residents for booing Mnangagwa earlier in the day. In Karoi and Kariba, police and the army reportedly harassed residents, leaving some nursing injuries.
A 79-year-old Kariba resident, Homani Matamba, claims he was assaulted by police officers while seated at home with his two sons.
“I was seated outside around 8pm when I was assaulted by the police, who accused us of not staying indoors. When they hit me, I passed out and don’t remember how I fell after they hit me all over the body and face. I was only attended to by my wife after the police had left,” he said.
Lucia Masvondo (26) from Chikangwe high-density suburb, Karoi, said police beat her up and unleashed a dog on her after finding her preparing supper using firewood inside her yard.
“I am worried that this lockdown is forcing us to be indoors at 8pm. Are we not allowed to prepare supper? Is it what the President has told these officers?” she asked.
Another resident Kemptson Guvheya (46) was assaulted as he was seeing off his brother.
Human rights lawyer Jeremiah Bamu said: “A lockdown is not a declaration of a state of emergency. People still have their rights and members of the security services have an obligation to respect, protect and promote these rights. Anyone whose rights have been violated has recourse in terms of the Constitution and law. They need to consult their lawyers on the available remedies they may have at law.”
Contacted for comment, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged the assault victims to report to their nearest police stations.
“We urge those being abused by the police officers enforcing lockdown to report to their nearest police stations for investigations to be instituted. We are seeing some of these issues on social media, but when we try to investigate them, we find nothing on the ground,” Nyathi said.
ZNA spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Alphios Makotore yesterday said the allegations of police and army brutality were false.
“The issues you have raised with reference to the allegations against the Zimbabwe National Army members, who are assisting the Zimbabwe Republic Police in enforcing the lockdown, are not true. On the contrary and as a matter of fact, the broad spectrum of our citizens are complying with the lockdown without any adverse reports coming from either other security forces, government and community leaders involved in the national effort to curb the pandemic,” he said in a written response.
“Our advice is that anyone who claims to be a victim must promptly report to the nearest Zimbabwe Republic Police or the Zimbabwe National Army camps. It is futile to raise such serious allegations in the social media and/or media houses without reporting them to the relevant authorities.”
$43.6m from ?? to help ?? fight #COVID19. All delivered through #UN and other partners to make sure it gets where it’s needed most. Calling on others to step up too. We’re all in this together. https://t.co/KU7X9B16MA
Staff members of Mater Dei hospital in Bulawayo been in strict isolation since the 2nd of April after a suspected case of Coronavirus was detected at their health institution.
Although the government and the hospital have not publicly stated the name of the institution where the 79-year-old man who passed away on the the 4th of April was admitted at, reports have indicated that he was at Mater Dei.
On Thursday, Christian Brothers College Deputy Senior Prefect Jamie Mitchell took some food to the staffers at the hospital.
CBC posted on the Facebook page saying, “Our deputy senior prefect, Jamie Mitchell, and his mum, Mandi Mitchell, a staunch supporter of the college for many years,have been doing deliveries of baked goods and other tasty treats to the Mater Dei.
“This is an initiative to help boost the morale of the hospital staff who have been in strict isolation, away from their families, since last Thursday. Mrs Mitchell said the staff have been so grateful for the deliveries, and wish to extend their sincere thanks to the Bulawayo community for their support during this difficult time.”
US based Chimurenga music legend Thomas Mapfumo has hit back at Energy Mutodi after the Deputy Information Minister attacked the outspoken singer for his political views on Sunday.
Writing on his twitter page, Mutodi stated:
“Good music does not translate to good politics. I like Dr. Thomas Mafirenyika Mapfumo’s music. He is excellent but he gets lost when it comes to politics. After witnessing the war and signing in support of the struggle, Mukanya is losing it all because of age.”
Mukanya who had no time to waste with the Zanu PF minister was quick to respond,
“Mutodi anga akura zvakanaka kwazvo. I know aimbove tsotsi paaimborohwa nevanhu mu town aba mari dzema stands. Tinongonzwawo kuti aane degree re PhD. Kare PhD yaiera iyi.
“Munhu aiti akavhura muromo wainzwa kukosha kwefundo. Iye zvino vamwe vacho vane ma PhD ava kana kuverenga chaiko havagone. Zvinofungwa zvacho kana kutaurwa hazvina maturo.
“Ngaasiyane neni.
“No one can silence my activism. In any case, as Zanu PF, they actually must focus more on how to deal with the coronavirus that’s threatening millions of our people.
“People will need food, medicines, ventilators and support. Is our Government ready? We also hear they took Jack Ma’s donations from China for the coronavirus relief and heaped them in Mount Pleasant to build an elitist clinic for the Zanu PF bigwigs. Manje Corona haina shefu.
“Ngavazadzane ku Mount Pleasant ikoko tinovaona vobudamo manje manje.
“I also challenge Mutodi to focus on the catch and release project that has seen all corrupt big fish being set free na Mnangagwa. No one gets arrested in Zimbabwe. The 100 days of Mnangagwa in office passed by. Did we see anyone arrested? No. Was anyone forced to return stolen wealth?
“No. It’s a crisis in Zimbabwe. Mutodi should leave me and my age alone. No one stated that he is always right when he blabbers about silly Zanu PF propaganda. There is better business to take care of than try to silence my political activism that is part of my soul.”
South African cabinet Minister Stella Abrahams Ndabeni who was lately reported violating lockdownSA regulations has offered an emotional apology to South Africans for her act.
According to the lockdown rules all South Africans are ordered to remain indoors but Stella did the opposite. Stella was spotted on the picture posted on social media having lunch with Manana and friends.
Calls and criticism left Stella Ndabeni in the cold lonely cry. President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed suspending Stella for two months without pay.
Julius Malema’s Eff criticised the actions of the President.
According to the Eff, Stella Abrahams should be fired and locked up in jail like everyone else. Police and Soldiers have been seen beating up people who violate lockdown rules. Some of the people have been arrested as per the call by Minister Bheki Cele.
“A couple from Kzn was arrested on their wedding day, so let it be to Stella Ndabeni,” Eff said
By Patrick Guramatunhu- “Did you know? Govt spent an unbudgeted $4 million on hapless anti-sanctions march but they won’t spend any money on buying #Covid19 tests.
They’re putting lives at risk & creating a situation where many may have #Corona Virus but there’s no infrastructure to test them,” Fadzayi Mahere said via Twitter.
Zimbabweans have had many chances, the best chances being during the 2008 GNU, to end the Zanu PF dictatorship and have wasted them all. The nation has paid dearly for the 40 years plus of corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF rule and, with this corona virus outbreak, the price is shoot through into the stratosphere!
Zimbabweans will now have the time to reflect on all the wasted opportunities to end the Zanu PF dictatorship particularly on MDC leaders’ selling out during the 2008 GNU when they failed to implement even one reform in five years.
The situation could have been saved if the sell-out opposition opportunists, Mahere included, had not participated in the flawed and illegal July 2018 elections. The village idiots participated in the elections even when Zanu PF failed to produce even something as basic as a verified voters’ roll!
It is rich for the village idiots like Mahere to now be telling us the troubles we are in with this Zanu PF regime when it was their greed that gave the elections and regime some modicum of credibility! The village idiots knew that by participating with no reforms, they will be giving the flawed process credibility as David Coltart, MDC A Senator and Treasurer admitted.
“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections,” confessed Coltart in his 2016 book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of tyranny in Zimbabwe.
“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”
A number of the MDC factions reconciled and formed the MDC Alliance before the July 2018 and still they participated in that plebiscite knowing fully well that not even one had been implemented since the rigged 2013 elections for the same reason – greed.
Mahere and her fellow MDC A colleagues, she joined the party soon after the July 2018 elections, have been calling for reforms to be implemented but have refused to rule out participating in the 2023 plebiscite even if no meaningful reforms are implemented.
The one reform Zanu PF is certain to implement is creating the constitutionally recognised opposition leader and shadow cabinet complete with the ministerial salaries, limos, the full works. Zanu PF knows that Mahere and her colleagues in the opposition camp will find this sweetened bait irresistible. Their eyes glaze over just at the thought of driving around in the super comfort of a ministerial limo – at long last! And long may it last too!
MDC leaders have had the best chances to implement the democratic reforms and end the Zanu PF dictatorship; they have been on the political stage for 20 years and have nothing to show for it. MDC and all those who have participated in flawed and illegal elections have completely abandon the common cause of implementing the reforms to ensure free, fair and credible elections – the pre-requisite for competent and accountable government. They have accepted the status quo of Zanu PF rigging the elections as long as they get a share of the spoils of power.
If Zimbabwe is to finally achieve the objective of implementing the reforms and ending the curse of rigged elections and bad governance then Zimbabweans must finally accept the reality that people like Chamisa, Mahere, etc. will never implement the reforms. Never ever! We need to find competent and focused men and women to do so.
“Did you know? Govt spent an unbudgeted $4 million on hapless anti-sanctions march but they won’t spend any money on buying #Covid19 tests!” Yes, we know that but more importantly we also know your participation in the July 2018 elections out of selfish greed gave this regime the modicum of legitimacy! Worse still, we know you will participate in the 2023 elections for the same reason – greed!
Malawi recorded its first Covid-19 death and added three new cases to its tally on Tuesday, bringing its overall number of infections to eight.
According to health minister Jappie Mhango, who also heads the country’s Covid-19 cabinet committee, the deceased was a 51-year-old woman who died in Blantyre on Tuesday morning.
News website, Malawi24 reported that the woman was of Indian origin and had recently returned to Malawi from the United Kingdom.
“She had an underlying medical condition. Our Blantyre District Health Office and Environmental Health Team is assisting with the burial arrangements. As a nation we grieve with the family of the deceased and I urge you all to respect their privacy,” the publication quoted Mhango saying.
Two of the three new cases were recorded in Blantyre, while the other case was from Chikwawa, Malawi24 reported.
One of the patients is a 34-year-old woman who came into contact with the first case victim, who was registered on Monday.
The second patient is a 28-year-old woman who travelled from the United Kingdom to Malawi on March 19.
The third patient is a 30-year-old man who travelled from South Africa to Malawi on March 16.
The coronavirus first surfaced in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
It has since spilled over to other parts of the world, with 1.3 million infections confirmed globally. Over 76 000 deaths have been recorded, and close on 300 000 people have recovered from the virus, according to statistics referencing website Worldometers.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is “improving” after two nights in intensive care with coronavirus, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said.
The chancellor said Mr Johnson was now “sitting up in bed and engaging positively with the clinical team”.
The PM was taken to St Thomas’ Hospital in London on Sunday – 10 days after testing positive for the virus – and then moved to intensive care on Monday.
It comes as a record 938 daily deaths were reported in UK hospitals.
The total number of UK deaths now stands at 7,097, according to the latest Department of Health figures.
At the daily coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, Mr Sunak said Mr Johnson was “receiving excellent care from the NHS team at St Thomas'”.
“The prime minister is not only my colleague and my boss but also my friend and my thoughts are with him and his family,” he added.
At the briefing, the chancellor also unveiled a £750m package to keep struggling charities afloat during the pandemic.
The measures, which involve cash grants direct to charities providing key services during the crisis, follow concern that some charities are facing collapse because of enforced shop closures.
Mr Sunak added, however, it was “simply not possible” to “save every single job, protect every single business or indeed every single charity”.
Asked by BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg whether the crisis would lead to a recession, he said: “I have been very honest that this will have a significant impact on our economy.”
He added that the government had put in place “an enormous amount of support to help as many people as possible to get through this”.
The UK based researcher, Howard Nyoni goes LIVE to challenge Harare based Emmanuel Makandiwa over his Coronavirus Prophecy… He has invited Makandiwa to join in – https://t.co/RMz9FsNfBupic.twitter.com/tls6QG80VT
GOVERNMENT has approved a paltry $200 once-off cushioning allowance for needy people on the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare database to cover their needs during the 21-day national lockdown period.
This was announced on Tuesday by Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister Paul Mavima in a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare.
He said the facility would benefit at least one million people, with beneficiaries receiving their money via OneMoney wallet, a mobile money transfer platform operated by mobile network operator, NetOne.
“We are taking those really disadvantaged as a result of the lockdown, especially in urban areas. Our target is one million,” he said.
“It will be $200 per individual, so if there are four people at a particular household, they will get $800.”
Unsubsidized Mealie Meal is going for an average of $300 in most shops.
Mavima said government was also negotiating the use of Telecash and EcoCash platforms for the transactions.
Mavima said homeless people in Harare were now being housed in different facilities that include Jamaica Inn, Mt Hampden and Beatrice Centre.
“We have 163 people at Mt Hampden, including males taken from the streets. We have 20 people at Jamaica Inn, with 14 of them being women and six children,” he said.
Mavima added that 59 others were being housed at Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre, but would soon be moved to another facility since there was no water at the centre.
Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said government would leave no stone unturned in the fight against COVID-19, but admitted it was not rosy as “we are in a war-like situation”.
Own Correspondent|South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has not ruled out the possibility of a lockdown extension.
According to the president, government will assess the effectiveness of the 21-day lockdown, which will end on 16 April, in the coming days.
Following the daily increase on number of confirmed coronavirus cases in South Africa, Ramaphosa said it was unclear if the lockdown was working.
“We are still doing an assessment about the effectiveness of the lockdown. In terms of compliance, we are finding that many of our people throughout the country are abiding by the lockdown, and its regulations. There are pockets, here and there, of people who are still getting on with their lives as though there is no coronavirus.
“We will be able to make a proper, if you like, scientific assessment, in a few days’ time, to see how well this lockdown is serving the people of our country.”
However, the president said that without the lockdown, the infection rate in the country would have been much higher.
Own Correspondent|Countries that have a widespread vaccination programme involving the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) jab have a coronavirus death rate almost six times lower than nations that do not use it, a study reveals.
The BCG vaccine was invented a century ago and gives immunity to tuberculosis (TB) — a bacterial infection — but it is known to have other benefits.
Previous trials discovered people that receive the jab, which costs very little, have improved immune systems and are able to protect themselves from infection.
For example, in a trial among Native Americans, BCG vaccination in childhood was able to offer protection against TB up to 60 years after vaccination.
The precise way this durable vaccine helps fend off other infections is relatively unknown but it may be by boosting the immune system’s innate mechanisms.
These so-called off-target effects include enhanced protection against respiratory diseases, and have been recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine (pictured) is used to fend off tuberculosis (TB) but it has long been known to have other health benefits, including helping a person’s immune system to fend off respiratory infections
In Zimbabwe all schoolchildren between ten and 14 were injected with the vaccine for decades until recently.
As TB infection rates dropped, doctors abandoned mass vaccination and, switched to targeting only the most at risk — such as babies with infected relatives.
Researchers hope it will turbo-charge the immune system so that it is in a heightened state of readiness and able to detect and destroy the virus before it wreaks havoc on the body.
The researchers adjusted for factors which can skew the findings, such as a nation’s wealth and the percentage of elderly people in its population.
They then looked at the mortality per one million residents of every country with sufficient data.
Researchers from the US write in their paper: ‘After adjusting for country economic status, proportion of older population and aligning the epidemic trajectories of the highest hit countries, the intriguing observation of a significant association between BCG use and lower COVID-19-attributable mortality remained discernable.’
The findings were published online on archive site medRxiv and not in a journal as the research has yet to be peer-reviewed — the process in which other academics scrutinise research.
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health experts pooled publicly available data for the analysis.
An estimate on case fatality rate was produced from the best available data on mortality for the top 50 countries reporting highest case events.
‘In order to mitigate the bias centered around the differential epidemic time curves experienced by the different countries, we calculated days from the 100th COVID-19-positive case to align the countries on a more comparable time curve,’ the researchers explain.
The cases and deaths was then compared to vaccination programmes for the BCG vaccine.
Average death rate was also found to vary significantly according to a country’s economic classification.
COVID-19 mortality per one million for low-middle-income, upper-middle-income and high-income countries were 0.4, 0.65 and 5.5, respectively
Researchers call the fact the wealthier nations have a higher death rate ‘counter-intuitive’.
Own Correspondent|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has conspicuously opted to remain silent on the second Zimbabwe Coronavirus death.
Zimbabwe’s 11th confirmed Covid-19 case and second death is that of Bulawayo man (79), who died on Saturday after being initially admitted to hospital for pneumonia.
In a statement last night, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said the patient first saw his own doctor on March 23 with a sore throat and fever. When he did not improve on the oral antibiotics prescribed, he was hospitalised in Bulawayo last Thursday showing the symptoms of a cough, difficulty in breathing, sore throat and fever.
He had not travelled outside Zimbabwe, but had visited a tourist resort in Hwange from March 14 to 16.
He was admitted for clinical management of bacterial pneumonia. But his condition deteriorated on Thursday and he was moved into the intensive care unit and management in isolation under a specialist physician. The Bulawayo Covid-19 response team took samples and sent these to the national laboratory in Harare.
While awaiting the results, his medical team continued to treat him both for pneumonia and Covid-19, but his condition continued to deteriorate until he died, said the Ministry.
When Zimbabwe encountered its first death, that of journalist Zororo Makamba, Mnangagwa mourned in shock and immediately announced a raft of measures to contain the virus.
He ordered the closure of all borders to human traffic and banned non-essential travel except for the movement of cargo.
The Government also promulgated Statutory Instrument (SI) 77 of 2020 that provides for up to 12 months imprisonment for people who gather in crowds of more than 50 people, likely to promote the spread of Covid-19.
Makamba had been admitted to the hospital after testing positive for coronavirus as the country’s second patient.
“His passing on so suddenly has been unexpected as we had held high hopes also for his steady recovery following the good news about our first confirmed victim of the virus who has registered commendable recovery. Sadly, for Zororo, this was not to be as he had an underlying heart condition for which he had been receiving medical attention,” said President Mnangagwa.
“Zimbabwe has lost a promising young man from a crop of highly skilled and gifted youthful journalists striving to produce excellent local content and professionalism to broadcasting in this country.”
He extended his condolence message to the Makamba family.
“On behalf of Government, Zanu-PF, my family and on my own behalf, I wish to extend to the Makamba family, his relatives and friends, my heartfelt condolences on this their saddest loss which is our loss together,” he said.
Outspoken former MDC legislator for Bulilima East Norman Mpofu has told MDC Alliance Presidents Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti to shut up on the squabbles between their leader Nelson Chamisa and MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe.
His remarks cam in the wake of the two having dismissed the Supreme Court ruling which set aside the ascendance of Chamisa to the Presidency as overtaken by events and outdated.
Below is Mpofu’s outline on the matter:
Can Welshman Ncube Tendai Biti shut up. They are mourning more than the bereaved on the Thoko vs Chamisa constitifional case. They are all handling this case with dirty hands. As top notch lawyers they even failed to give supporters clear legal opinions as to where the Supreme Court misdirected it self. As lawyers they were supposed to point out like what Alex Magayisa did where the supreme court went wrong than their biased opinions meant to protect their vested interest.
That Chamisa grabbed power unconstitutionally is a fact. That MDC A is a brainchild of Morgan Tsvangirai under his Big Tent concept can not be contested. That MDC A is MDC T + other peripheral parties is public knowlege. That Morgan Komichi aided Chamisa to grab power uncostitutionally is also known. That Thokozani Khuphe has commit ted political suicide and joined zanupf is in the public domain. The courts and the people know that Chamisa has a massive support.
Thanks to Alex Magagisa one can now walk up to Chief Justice Malaba and argue that your court was biased.
I urge the 2 with dirty hands to stand aside and allow Chamisa and Mwonzora to find each other and try to rebuild their Party. Zimbabweans know very well that the above named mourners have an an ulteror motive. Even Chamisa is not a fool. Zanupf must not be allowed to win again by dividing MDC.
Militant MDC Alliance youths have threatened to end the country’s 21-day national lockdown by taking to the streets to resist the planned takeover of their headquarters by Thokozani Khupe’s MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora.
Mwonzora on Monday claimed he had taken over the MDC headquarters following the Supreme Court ruling last week declaring Thokozanu Khupe as the acting president of the opposition party.
MDC Alliance national youth secretary-general, Stephen Siziba, yesterday told NewsDay that any attempt by Mwonzora to take over the party offices would be resisted.
“There is an attempt by a hostile one to capture Harvest House (MRT), first to manufacture concerns in the court of public opinion by Douglas Mwonzora and to test the feelings of the people’s movement,” Siziba said.
“The attempt to take over Harvest House (MRT house) will be resisted. We want to make it very clear in no uncertain terms that Harvest House is our headquarters and we are going to defend it with our blood.”
Siziba added: “As the general secretary of the youth assembly I am mandated to communicate that position to Zanu PF that any attempt to take over will be the end of the lockdown.
“I am also communicating the party’s position to the democratic forces that we are prepared to surrender ourselves before we can surrender our party headquarters.”
But Zanu PF distanced itself from the MDC leadership fights.
Meanwhile, former MDC-T vice-president Obert Gutu has revealed that the Khupe-led outfit derailed Chamisa’s presidential bid in July 2018 and vowed to block him again in the 2023 presidential polls.
“2018 for us was a brave statement. We said let us stop this young dictator from getting to State House, indeed we stopped,” Gutu said.
“2023 we will stop him because we know what he is. A dictator is dangerous, we want to stop that.”
Chamisa garnered two million votes, narrowly lost to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, but has refused to endorse the Zanu PF leader accusing him of rigging the polls. Khupe, came a distant third with a measly 45 000 votes.
Chamisa’s backers yesterday accused Gutu of working to sustain the Zanu PF rule of out his selfish desires, not the good of the people.
By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance secretary-general Chalton Hwende says out of the Party’s 111 MPs, 109 of them have confirmed that they are still Members of the Party.
Hwende added that all the 109 MPs are paid up members and only Morgen Komichi and Douglas Mwonzora have crossed the floor to join MDC-T in violation of electoral laws.
Hwende has signed an affidavit form in which he swore his allegiance to the MDC Alliance. He said:
I, Chalton Hwende do hereby make an oath and state that
1. I am a member of parliament for Kuwadzona East Constituency. I was elected as such /appointed as such pursuant to the 30 July 2018 election MDC Alliance party ticket.
2. I confirm that I am a member of the MDC Alliance political party
3. I confirm that the President of our party is Adv Nelson Chamisa and the Secretary-General is Chalton Hwende with other leaders that were elected at our congress in Gweru in May 2019
4. I confirm that I am bound by the Party constitution, the code of ethics and the pledge that is contained in our party constitution.
5. 1 confirm that undertake to uphold our party constitution and to respect and show loyalty to the said constitution and the leadership of the party. I undertake to defend the party in all circumstances.
Komichi and Mwonzora dumped the MDC alliance after the Supreme Court ruled that Thokozani is the legitimate leader of the opposition MDC-T party. The duo failed in their bid to become MDC Alliance vice president and secretary-general, respectively at the party congress held in Gweru in 2019.
Own Correspondent|Eight people have died in Gwanda South District in Matabeleland South since February this year from what villagers describe as a strange disease which Ministry of Health insists to be a malaria outbreak
About 60 cases have been recorded so far.
The outbreak has caused panic in the area with the villagers linking the fatalities to the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19).
Speaking in a media interview, Matabeleland South Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Dr Rudo Chikodzere allayed fears insisting that the death were not caused by the deadly pandemic.
“Yes I can confirm having received 58 cases of malaria related symptoms.
Out of the 58 cases there are 8 deaths.
“The deaths were recorded between February and April 2020. As the ministry of health we were 100 percent satisfied after conducting the tests that it was indeed malaria,” said Dr Chikodzere.
The PMD attributed the cause to the moderate rains received last year.
“We expect cases to peak in June due to the rainy weather that provided a conducive breeding environment for mosquitoes. Because of the rains received, there is tall grass, which is blooming, there are puddles of water that is stagnant. The grass needs to be cut and water bodies tested and if there is mosquito larva, it has to be killed,” Dr Chikodzo said.
She noted the province has implemented several activities as intervening measures.
“We are dealing with breeding sites as soon we can, putting treatment where there can be potential infection of the disease. We are carrying out bio- larva sighting where we identify breeding places and use chemicals to destroy the lava,” the PMD cited.
Dr Chikodzo highlighted that under case management, communities were urged to come for testing as quickly as possible.
“The malaria test kits were distributed across provinces and those with signs must be tested and put on treatment. The challenge is some come later when the disease has progressed to severe malaria,” she said.
“The truth is that there is no Covid-19 case in this province. All the suspected cases we tested came out negative and for now I can say the province is safe from Coronavirus,” she said.
A community leader in the area who spoke to ZimEye.com however challenged the Ministry to prove that indeed the deaths were were not Coronavirus linked by doing Coronavirus tests and not malaria tests.
He questioned why the Ministry and funeral parlours are insisting on quick burials, no mourners and other such Coronavirus related measures if it’s one hundred percent that the deceased died of malaria.
“What we want is for the Ministry to come to the ground with Coronavirus Test kits and test for Coronavirus and provide with conclusive results that the affected people are not infected by the virus,” he said.
“We are also more worried because officials from the Ministry have come down in motorbikes to educate us more about Coronavirus and how we must handle sick people and the dead according to Coronavirus guidelines not according to Malaria guidelines. As a community we strongly believe that government is not genuine with us,” he added.
The World Health Organisation has emphasised the critical importance of sustaining efforts to prevent, detect and treat malaria during the Coronavirus era.
“As COVID-19 continues its rapid spread, WHO would like to send a clear message to malaria-affected countries in Africa,” said Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme. “Do not scale back your planned malaria prevention, diagnostic and treatment activities. If someone living in a place with malaria develops a fever, he or she should seek diagnosis and care as soon as possible.”
By A Correspondent- The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union has lamented the challenges being experienced by rural students in accessing online learning adding that the majority of them cannot afford internet data.
Obert Masaraure told ZimEye in a no holds barred live interview loading below that the majority of students are failing to access the services of teachers during the coronavirus lockdown because they cannot afford expensive internet data.
Watch the live interview loading below for this and more….
By A Correspondent| One of Zimbabwe’s top sculpture artists, Tom Blomefield, has died.
He was 95.
He
Blomefield who spent nearly 100 years investing in people, is the founder of the Tengenenge Sculpture Community which is in Guruve.
VIDEO LOADING BELOW..
Below was a statement by his son, Steve.
Greetings everyone I have sad news. Tom Blomefield, my father and one of the main movers of the Zimbabwe sculpture movement peacefully passed away today at 11am today in Holland.
Tom Blomefield
He will be sorely missed by tens of thousands of people whose family members learned art at Tengenenge and fed extended families, and who survived droughts, locust invasions and army worm infestations. Many of the thousands who learned sculpture are scattered throughout the world blessing others through their art works.
He lived a long, happy life serving his community and the nation of Zimbabwe. He spoke two African languages fluently [Chewa and Yao] and learned to coexist within these cultures. He also spoke English, Dutch and German.
The UK based researcher, Howard Nyoni goes LIVE to challenge Harare based Emmanuel Makandiwa over his Coronavirus Prophecy… He has invited Makandiwa to join in – https://t.co/RMz9FsNfBupic.twitter.com/tls6QG80VT
MDC Alliance secretary-general Chalton Hwende says out of the Party’s 111 MPs, 109 of them have confirmed that they are still Members of the Party.
According to Hwende, all the MPs signed the affidavit written as below signed by him.
I, Chalton Hwende do hereby make an oath and state that
1. I am a member of parliament for Kuwadzona East Constituency. I was elected as such /appointed as such pursuant to the 30 July 2018 election MDC Alliance party ticket.
2. I confirm that I am a member of the MDC Alliance political party
3. I confirm that the President of our party is Adv Nelson Chamisa and the Secretary-General is Chalton Hwende with other leaders that were elected at our congress in Gweru in May 2019
4. I confirm that I am bound by the Party constitution, the code of ethics and the pledge that is contained in our party constitution
5. 1 confirm that undertake to uphold our party constitution and to respect and show loyalty to the said constitution and the leadership of the party. I undertake to defend the party in all circumstances.
Mwonzora and Komichi have ultimately dismissed themselves from the party and crossed over to the Thokozani Khupe MDC-T which may result in their recall from parliament according to the MDC constitution.
The duo failed in their bid to become MDC Alliance vice president and secretary-general, respectively at the party congress held in Gweru in 2019.
By A Correspondent- Marondera MP Caston Matewu has taken to Twitter to narrate how he failed to donate protective gloves to Marondera ZRP as he says he was constantly tossed from one office to another until he gave up.
Matewu Tweeted:
I tried to donate protective gloves to Police in Marondera but was tossed from one Office to another. It was clear politics was at play so I ended up giving them to Municipal workers. In times like these Unity is key
Matewu’s tweet comes at a time where ZRP officers are sometimes seen carrying out their duties without gloves which can be used to help curb spreading COVID-19.
The Warriors are now facing an exhausting fixture schedule after their three Afcon qualifiers scheduled for March and June were postponed.
The fixture build-up followed after Fifa and Caf cancelled all international games in March and June due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The national team was supposed to play Algeria in back-to-back fixtures at the end of March before travelling to Botswana for the Match-day 5 encounter in June. The qualifying campaign was initially set to end during the September international break at home against Zambia.
The World Cup qualifiers were then to follow in October and November against Ghana, Ethiopia and South Africa.
But according to reports, Fifa is now proposing a fixture list to be shifted out, a development that will see the Warriors playing three games during each week-long international break starting in September to reduce the backlog.
The back-to-back tie with Algeria and the Botswana trip will fill the first slot while the Zambia game and two World Cup qualifiers take place in October.
In that way, the qualifying calendar will be put back on track with a further World Cup qualifier set for November.-Soccer 24
Ronaldinho has been released from prison following his arrest for allegedly trying to enter Paraguay using a fake passport.
The Brazil legend, 40, and his brother, Roberto Assis (who is also his business manager), were arrested in March and spent 32 days behind the bars.
Gustavo Amarillo ruled on Tuesday that the two should be released from prison following a sentencing review hearing. They are now under house arrest, staying at Hotel Palmaroga, in Paraguayan capital city, Asuncion.
Ronaldinho and Assis will not be allowed to go beyond the boundaries of the hotel.
A bond of US$ 1,6m was paid for their release, according to reports.
Meanwhile, the investigations in the falsified passports have expanded into possible money laundering, but the authorities are yet to get any evidence in the matter.-Soccer 24
DYNAMOS founder member and board chairman Bernard Marriot has rubbished as unfounded reports that The Glamour boys were mooting a sensational pull-out from the Premier Soccer League in protest over what they claimed was meagre sponsorship from Delta Beverages.
Sources had claimed that the country’s most successful club had raised the red flag over the PSL package from Delta Beverages which they felt was too little compared to the mileage that the beverages manufacturer, through their Castle brand, was getting. “DeMbare are not happy and they want to pull out.
At the moment they also want their biggest rival Highlanders to buy into the idea then other smaller teams will naturally follow. DeMbare wanted, from the sponsorship package, Delta Beverages to cover such issues as playing uniforms and quarterly grants,” a source had claimed to this publication.
The same source said some ambitious Division One teams would also be approached in what would initially be a 14-team league with a mobile phone operator as well as a leading financial institution being earmarked to bankroll the league that would be called Zimbabwe Super League (ZSL).
Highlanders chairman Kenneth Mhlophe recently told an online publication that the Bulawayo giants have no intention of breaking away from the PSL.
In 1975 Highlanders pulled out of the then Rhodesia National Football League over ill-treatment and dissatisfaction with the national administration led by John Madzima.
In 1979 a number of Harare-based teams saw the wisdom behind Bosso action and joined them leading to the formation of the National Professional Soccer League.
However, in an interview yesterday Marriot said such talk is the imagination of enemies of progress as they were happy with the work being done by the Premier Soccer League. “I wonder where all this talk is coming from.
People must remember that it was Dynamos together with teams like Black Rhinos and Chapungu that started organised football way back in the 1960s and if we are not happy with the way things are done in the league, we will approach them directly, why should we be cowards and pull out?
“As Dynamos we are happy with our participation in the PSL,” said Marriot.-State media
A BATTLE to control MDC headquarters Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House, formely Harvest House, has erupted between factions of the party headed by dethroned president Nelson Chamisa and reinstated secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, the Daily News can report.
This followed last week’s Supreme Court ruling which removed Chamisa as party president for unconstitutionally assuming the leadership of the party following the death of founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai in February 2018.
The court ruled that Thokozani Khupe is the interim president of the MDC, Mwonzora secretary-general and Morgen Komichi, the national chairperson.
Since the judgment there have been accusations and counter-accusations between the two factions as they battle to seize control of the party and its assets, with Harvest House being the main centre of the combat.
Mwonzora on Monday claimed he had taken control of the day-to-day running of Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House, named in honour of the founding president who succumbed to cancer of the colon.
He was reported to have locked down the building.
In an interview yesterday, Mwonzora denied ever locking up the headquarters.
“We said Harvest House is under lockdown and that the security was ordered to lock the offices so that no business takes place there. It is not like I came with a new set of keys, but that I instructed the security to make sure nobody conducts business there,” Mwonzora said.
“I am aware that (Chamisa faction secretary-general Chalton) Hwende went to the office to work, but he knows he is acting in contempt and being irresponsible. We suspect that he wants to tamper with documents, especially financial records. We want to warn against that.
“We have a lot of options, but it is not our intention to be prejudicial, but they must never underestimate our resolve. We know they were disappointed with the court ruling and we allowed them time to cool off.”
Mwonzora said he would re-open the offices after the 21-day national lockdown imposed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa last month as part of efforts to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
On the other hand, the MDC youths aligned to Chamisa warned Mwonzora against “testing our patience” by claiming ownership of the party headquarters.
“Initially, we thought they were going to deal with issues regarding their party, the MDC-T, which we have no problem with. We are, however, saddened by the fact that Mwonzora attempted to lock down our headquarters and he must be warned against testing our patience,” youth assembly chairperson Obey Sithole told the Daily News.
“If he does, we will simply unlock it because we mean no harm, but should that persist, we will solve the matter in the shortest possible time.”
He did not say how they would solve the matter.
Chamisa’s allies argue that the MDC Alliance is a political entity separate from the MDC-T, hence would not be bound by the Supreme Court ruling.
Since the court ruling, the MDC factions have been trading war of words with the Mwonzora camp warning parliamentarians and councillors backing Chamisa that it would not hesitate to cut loose all those who would disobey its interim leadership.
The court mandated Khupe to organise an extra-ordinary congress to elect a substantive leadership of the party.
Own Correspondent| A Zimbabwean man, Onismos Murambiwa has won one million dollar jackpot in Canada after taking his bet on the 6/49 draw.
Born and bred in Zimbabwe, this 47-year-old father of three could not believe his luck after winning a one million dollar jackpot on the 19th of February 2020.
Murambiwa, who is based in Brampton, Canada won the money after taking a bet on the 6/49 lotto draw. He realised his win after checking his “winning ticket” by using the Ticket Checker at a local retailer.
Upon discovering his win, Mr Onismo Murambiwa admitted that he had a hard time believing that he’d truly won. As such he repeatedly scanned his ticket to confirm if he had indeed won.
He even went as far as taking a photograph of the Ticket Checker in case his “claims” were dismissed! That’s how visibly shocked the man was.
“I don’t know what to say – this feels like a dream” were the words uttered by this instant millionaire. And we can’t say we’re surprised. Winning that amount of money is enough to leave anyone speechless.
When asked about his plans with his new found wealth, Mr Onismo Murambiwa said that he planned to spoil himself by purchasing a car. Being a sensible family man, he also mentioned that he plans to put up the rest of his money into savings.
The global Corona virus epidemic has helped a lot of people to pause and assess life. One of the overlooked issues of life is ironically death. With or without COVID-19, death is inevitable at some point in time. Whether you have made a positive step by taking a funeral policy or you are contemplating taking one, there is something you should know.
Not all funeral policies are created equal.
We are going to look at two most common funeral policies; a funeral cash plan and a funeral service plan. A funeral cash plan offers you cash pay-out in the event of death and the funeral service plan offers you services in exchange for your monthly paid premiums. These services may be in the form of buses to ferry mourners, caskets or food.
Funeral and death scenarios every person has to think about.
Before we look at the benefits of a cash funeral plan over a service plan, let’s create scenarios which may happen.
(i) One which is happening now – the Corona virus epidemic. Flights are grounded, boarders are closed, no gatherings of more than a few people and burial methods may be dictated depending on cause of death. What use is a service plan which offers a bus to hundreds of people or a casket or repatriation service?
(ii) You relocate from one diaspora country to another. The service relevant in one territory becomes obsolete.
(iii) You suffer an accident or natural catastrophe (flight, tsunami/ earthquake) and your body is nowhere to be found. What purpose will be a casket?
(iv) What if you decide to change burial method, say you decide cremation instead of burial?
1. No Risk of irrelevant services being offered
When you initially sign up for a funeral plan, the sales pitch is always out of this world. You assume that you’ll get a royalty send off, which is almost always the case. However, there are some services that might lure you to a sign up for the plan which may be meaningful at the time of signing up but not so much for when you die. Take for example the bus service offered by most funeral service providers.
They may offer you an unlimited supply of buses to ferry your loved ones to your final resting place at the time of your death. While it may seem like a wonderful idea at the time, think about how that very same service will be of very little or no good use should you die at a time like now when there may be a pandemic which restricts gatherings of a large number of people. You would have paid for the service, but sadly, you may not get to use it. Same goes for some of the other cherries on top of service based funeral plans which we may think we will need while we are alive but when we die, the services are even overlooked. With a Cash plan, you are guaranteed that you are free to alter and apportion its use to suit the prevailing circumstance.
2. Cash is Non- Territorial- It’s a universal tool of trade.
A cash plan goes beyond borders. No matter where you signed up for the cash plan, you are not tied down to be buried in that exact same place. This is unlike a Service plan where you may need to be in the country of membership for you to enjoy the services that you paid for. Because of this, the Diaspora Insurance cash plan gives you the comfort of knowing that while you are signed up for it in the UK, you are not tied down to being buried here. You may be taken home to rest in perfect peace wherever in the world you are eligible to do so because you can afford it.
3. It goes beyond your death.
Ensuring that you have a decent burial and send off may be one of the most important reasons why people sign up for Funeral Plans. However, it is not the only reason why you should. With a Cash plan, your loved ones can be rest assured that even after your death, they can still have a little cash in hand to pay for bills, fees or any other obligations that may arise. It’s essential to remember that there is also life after death and unlike a Funeral Service plan which mainly offers assistance and services during the funeral, the Cash plan provides an option for your cash pay out to be used even after your burial by your loved ones as they see fit.
4. What you see is exactly what you get, or even more.
How frustrating is it to be unable to give your loved one the best send off because the coffins within their service package are not up to standard with your desires. In most cases upgrading will cost an arm and a leg which most of our remaining relatives won’t have the capacity to foot at the time of your death. A Cash plan provides you with the choice to apportion your cash pay-out where it is needed the most and sometimes it may be contributing towards the purchase of the lavish coffin you kept telling them about prior to your untimely death. Your pay-out is exactly as described in your on-boarding forms hence your loved ones are better positioned to plan ahead and make choices and decisions that work out for you best.
5. Your Voice Matters- You are a part of this too
With a Cash Plan your priorities matter and your family’s freedom to decide on how certain services are to be delivered is not restricted at all. With a Cash pay-out, you choose the types of caterers you want, the flower arrangement company you prefer because you have the power of currency in hand. This is something that warms the hearts of many families as they feel involved in the last moments of your time on earth.
Conclusion
In good times and in uncertain times like in these COVID-19 times, it may be in your best interests to opt for a funeral cash plan instead of a funeral service plan.
DiasporaInsurance.com are providers of the bespoke Diaspora Funeral Cash Plan, a leading global funeral cash plan which was designed with the diaspora community in mind. As a global villager, you need a policy that ensures stability in the ever-changing world, where you suddenly have to adjust to various societal norms previously regarded rare.
To move your funeral service plan from your current provider or to request a quote for the Diaspora Funeral Cash Plan, visit www.diasporafuneralcashplan.com/register
Benefits of a Funeral Cash Plan vs. A Funeral Service Plan.
By A Correspondent- At least four people have died in Beitbridge in the last 5 days and several others are admitted at a local hospital due to Malaria.
The outbreak was confirmed by Matabeleland South provincial medical director Rudo Chikodzore who said;
The district team is working to address the drivers of malaria in the affected area and will work out an action plan which seeks that.
The deaths have been blamed on late reporting to the hospital. A source at the Beitbridge Hospital close to the developments told the publication that:Most will be dehydrated and it is those that delay who have complicated cases
A father who brought his son to the hospital also narrated how he had to act promptly as his son who had contracted the disease’s condition deteriorated after they delayed taking him to the hospital. Meanwhile, a suspected case of pneumonia outbreak has been reported in Matebeleland South even though the authorities are yet to confirm it.-Newsday
The myth that football players are not educated has once again come under massive scrutiny after Zimbabwean winger Gabriel Nyoni authored a motivational book.
Nyoni(27), who plies his trade for South African ABSA Premiership side Maritzburg United, is a holder of a Degree in Marketing with the National University of Science and Technology (NUST).
The title of the book is Reposition Yourself.
Nyoni, formerly with Highlanders and CAPS United before crossing the river Limpopo, took to Twitter to reveal the development.-Soccer 24
Bulawayo residents have implored the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to drill more boreholes in the city to reduce the movement of people during the 21-day lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
This comes at a time when the local authority has revised its water shedding programme from 96 hours to 108-hour weekly, as water levels at the city`s supply dams continue to dwindle. Bulawayo dam levels are currently at 32 percent following poor rainfalls during the 2019/2020 rainy season.
BCC has already warned those living in high lying areas to brace for the worst as they might end up receiving water through water bowsers if the shedding exceeds 48 hours.
Speaking to CITE, Alpheus Tshuma, a resident from Luveve said the 108-hour water shedding defeats the purpose of the 21-day lockdown.
“The 108-hour water shedding programme will worsen the situation as it is now we are under a 21-day lockdown and we will be forced to leave our homes to search for water,” said Tshuma.
“There is a need to drill more boreholes in schools, churches so that residents don’t walk long distance looking for water”.
Tshuma also said its high time BCC brought in the central government to deal with water woes in the City.
“It is now an issue that is beyond residents and the local authority now has to bring in the national government because they are the ones who introduced Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) that is responsible for overseeing the bulk water supply, but ZINWA is also failing looking at this critical time when we are facing the drought season,” he said.
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) Communication Officer, Kelebone Khabo said it is high time the local authority seriously lobbied the government for alternative interventions.
“While we cannot escape the fact that Bulawayo dams have reached a critical level, we need to see what BCC is doing in terms of coming up with a plan so that people continue to have water. Water shedding will only help to preserve the little that we have but what the city now need is to have more human interventions in terms of availing water to the residents, so we start to talk about boreholes,” said Khabo.
“Its high time they seriously lobby the government in terms of availing of funds and source other funds from world African bank to try and make sure that people have water. We cannot be waiting for the rainy season, for the past two years we have suffered a drought in Bulawayo which has really affected our water sources so for us to say we are going to wait for the next rainy season to have water is far-fetched and we are not certain if that is going to happen.”
In addition, Bulawayo Residents Association (BURA) chairperson, Winos Dube said the increased water shedding will make it difficult for residents especially during the lockdown period.
“We have been talking strongly about the issue of water shedding, I even spoke to the Mayor to say why don’t they suspend this water shedding during the lockdown period and he argued that if they do so, by December we wont be having water,” said Dube.
“This issue of increased water shedding period is worrying us especially as we are currently under lockdown, this now means people will be moving around and meeting in boreholes looking for water, Bulawayo is just going through a difficult time,” he said.
WASHINGTON — President Trump lashed out on Tuesday at the World Health Organization, choosing a new political enemy to attack and threatening to withhold funding from a premier health institution even as a deadly virus ravages nations around the globe.
“We’re going to put a hold on money spent to the W.H.O. We’re going to put a very powerful hold on it and we’re going to see,” Mr. Trump said during the daily coronavirus briefing at the White House, accusing the organization of having not been aggressive enough in confronting the virus. “They called it wrong. They call it wrong. They really, they missed the call.”
In effect, Mr. Trump sought to denounce the W.H.O. for the very missteps and failures that have been leveled at him and his administration. Public health experts have said the president’s public denials of the virus’s dangers slowed the American response, which included delayed testing and a failure to stockpile protective gear.
In fact, the W.H.O. sounded the alarm in the earliest days of the crisis, declaring a “public health emergency of international concern” a day before the United States secretary of health and human services announced the country’s own public health emergency and weeks before Mr. Trump declared a national emergency.
After saying flatly that the United States had decided to “put a hold” on the organization’s money, the president later denied that he had made those remarks and appeared to back down.
“I’m not saying that I’m going to do it. But we’re going to look at it,” he said. When a reporter noted that he had indeed said the funding would end, Mr. Trump insisted, wrongly: “No, I didn’t. I said we’re going to look at it.”
The president appeared to be particularly angry at the W.H.O. for issuing a statement saying it did not support his decision on Jan. 31 to limit some travel from China because of the virus. At the time, the group said that “restricting the movement of people and goods during public health emergencies is ineffective in most situations and may divert resources from other interventions.”
France-based Zimbabwe international midfielder Marshall Munetsi has implored his countrymen to remember him in their prayers, amid the coronavirus turmoil that has ravaged most parts of Europe.
The Stade de Reims player called for divine intervention following the death of team doctor committed suicide after testing positive for the virus.
“Everything is in God’s hands, we have to pray hard for each other and adhere to the precautions against this deadly disease.
“For now I am safe, but I hope and pray that everyone here and back home is going to keep safe because this virus is taking lives,” he said.
Like many European countries, France has not been spared by COVID-19 and safety remains elusive with many players fearing for their livelihoods.-Soccer 24
RESPONSE ON THE ALLEGED BEATING UP OF PEOPLE IN CHITUNGWIZA, KAROI, KARIBA, KUWADZANA AND OTHER PLACES DURING LOCKDOWN
The issues that have been raised with reference to the allegations against the Zimbabwe National Army members who are assisting the Zimbabwe Republic Police in enforcing the lockdown are not true.
On the contrary and as a matter of fact, the broad spectrum of our citizens are complying with the lockdown without any adverse reports coming from either other security forces, government and community leaders involved in the national effort to curb the pandemic.
Our advice is that anyone who claims to be a victim must promptly report to the nearest Zimbabwe Republic Police or the Zimbabwe National Army camps.
It is futile to raise such serious allegations in the social media and/or media houses without reporting them to the relevant authorities.
Director Army Public Relations Lt Colonel Alphios Makotore
By Own Correspondent| Beatific Ngumbwanda a journalist with TellZim weekly newspaper was on 8 April 2020 arrested by the police in Chiredzi who accused him of violating the lockdown regulations as stipulated in terms of Statutory Instrument (SI) 82 of 2020.
Ngumbwanda was detained for almost two hours before the police subsequently decided to release him.
MISA Zimbabwe understands that he was arrested while conducting his lawful professional duties despite his explanations to the police that he was a journalist.
He even produced his accreditation card but the police were nonetheless adamant that he was committing an offence.
MISA Zimbabwe position MISA Zimbabwe condemns the continued harassment and arrests of journalists conducting their lawful professional duties following the 21-day COVID-19 lockdown. The journalists were either arrested for using the 2019-accreditation cards or for allegedly violating the lockdown regulations.
This is despite the fact that the media is among the sectors categorized as an essential service allowed to operate during the lockdown. In addition, the Zimbabwe Media Commission is on record saying that journalists should be allowed to operate using their 2019-accreditation cards until the Commission issues the new 2020 cards.
The media plays a critical communication and information dissemination role that facilitates the exercise and enjoyment of citizens’ right to access to information particularly at this critical moment when the country has put in place measures to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
MISA Zimbabwe urges the police to co-operate with the media by recognizing the important role of journalists as providers of an essential service and in line with the directive by the Zimbabwe Media Commission and the Ministry of Information to the effect that 2019 accreditation cards are still valid until the new ones for 2020 are duly issued by the Commission.
The day is celebrated on the 7th of April every year.
The day was set aside by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote awareness to different health topics.
The theme for 2020 is to: Honour contribution of nurses and midwives. Since we are in the Coronavirus era (COVID-19) all health workers playing a role in the fight against the pandemic are to be celebrated and thanked.
Health is a complete physical, mental and social well-being not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.Let’s keep ourselves health.
For the physical well-being we should always exercise and eat healthy to keep our bodies in shape and reduce risk factors for heart disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus and stroke.
Mentally we should always confide to our loved one and those we love to always keep a healthy mindset. Always think positive. Socially in our workplaces and homes let’s interact well with others.
Encourage one another. Even in this period where there are lock downs all these things can be achieved.
Always keep yourself in good shape and let’s unite in celebrating World Health Day.
Producrd by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information like/ follow our Facebook page:
The day is celebrated on the 7th of April every year.
The day was set aside by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote awareness to different health topics.
The theme for 2020 is to: Honour contribution of nurses and midwives. Since we are in the Coronavirus era (COVID-19) all health workers playing a role in the fight against the pandemic are to be celebrated and thanked.
Health is a complete physical, mental and social well-being not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.Let’s keep ourselves health.
For the physical well-being we should always exercise and eat healthy to keep our bodies in shape and reduce risk factors for heart disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus and stroke.
Mentally we should always confide to our loved one and those we love to always keep a healthy mindset. Always think positive. Socially in our workplaces and homes let’s interact well with others.
Encourage one another. Even in this period where there are lock downs all these things can be achieved.
Always keep yourself in good shape and let’s unite in celebrating World Health Day.
Produced by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information like/ follow our Facebook page:
It is disheartening that COVID-19 has caused havoc throughout the world in the manner it has, seemingly unabated and showing no signs of retreat.
Our prayers are with those infected and affected by this pandemic. We hold in great honour doctors, nurses and all those who are on the front line in this battle of our time.
However, we note with serious concern, recent reportage on the testing of new corona vaccines on Africans as suggested by two French doctors.
This has been rightly condemned by many people the world over. Most importantly, the World Health Organization condemned it and assured Africa and the world that it will not happen and that the world will be protected from such malice.
As PNZ, we are gravely worried about the silence of African leaders over this serious issue. Our expectations were that they would stand up against all attempts at using their people as guinea pigs by unscrupulous Western companies whose evil intentions are clearly known about Africa.
It is time the world heeds to the voice of God. He reveals to redeem. A cure to this catastrophic pandemic would have been sought early but noone took heed to this prophetic signal.
We pray and petition our Zimbabwean Government to rise and lead in standing against COVID-19 vaccine experimentations being done in Africa.
Why are they not done in those countries worst hit by the pandemic. We implore the Zimbabwean and South African leaders to use their strong positions of influence in AU and SADC to lead the charge to send a strong message to the west that Africa is not a lab for testing half done vaccines.
Yes, we continue to pray for a vaccine to be found, tested and produced to save the world. We stand with world citizens as we go through this pandemic and call on everyone to respect the advice of medical experts and governments in dealing with the virus. Stay at home, wash hands regularly and observe social distancing as advised.
PNZ also calls on African governments to invest in their own health care systems and stop running abroad every time they need medical attention. Rather, we urge African governments to prioritise medical research and disaster management in their development thrusts. We condemn corruption in African States which has contributed to poor heath care services and reduced our ability to adequetly respond to outbreaks of this magnitude.
In conclusion, we urge the World Health Organization to continue ensuring that Africa and the rest of the vulnerable world is protected against unethical vaccine and product development.
Farai Dziva|Prayer Network of Zimbabwe, a coalition of Christians from different denominations, has challenged Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to reject the Coronavirus vaccine.
See full statement below:
It is disheartening that COVID-19 has caused havoc throughout the world in the manner it has, seemingly unabated and showing no signs of retreat.
Our prayers are with those infected and affected by this pandemic. We hold in great honour doctors, nurses and all those who are on the front line in this battle of our time.
However, we note with serious concern, recent reportage on the testing of new corona vaccines on Africans as suggested by two French doctors.
This has been rightly condemned by many people the world over. Most importantly, the World Health Organization condemned it and assured Africa and the world that it will not happen and that the world will be protected from such malice.
As PNZ, we are gravely worried about the silence of African leaders over this serious issue. Our expectations were that they would stand up against all attempts at using their people as guinea pigs by unscrupulous Western companies whose evil intentions are clearly known about Africa.
It is time the world heeds to the voice of God. He reveals to redeem. A cure to this catastrophic pandemic would have been sought early but noone took heed to this prophetic signal.
We pray and petition our Zimbabwean Government to rise and lead in standing against COVID-19 vaccine experimentations being done in Africa.
Why are they not done in those countries worst hit by the pandemic. We implore the Zimbabwean and South African leaders to use their strong positions of influence in AU and SADC to lead the charge to send a strong message to the west that Africa is not a lab for testing half done vaccines.
Yes, we continue to pray for a vaccine to be found, tested and produced to save the world. We stand with world citizens as we go through this pandemic and call on everyone to respect the advice of medical experts and governments in dealing with the virus. Stay at home, wash hands regularly and observe social distancing as advised.
PNZ also calls on African governments to invest in their own health care systems and stop running abroad every time they need medical attention. Rather, we urge African governments to prioritise medical research and disaster management in their development thrusts. We condemn corruption in African States which has contributed to poor heath care services and reduced our ability to adequetly respond to outbreaks of this magnitude.
In conclusion, we urge the World Health Organization to continue ensuring that Africa and the rest of the vulnerable world is protected against unethical vaccine and product development.
Ministry of Health and Child Care CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE: 07 APRIL 2020 The Ministry would like to report that today, the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory (NMRL) tested 21 samples.
One of these, tested positive for COVID-19 bringing to eleven the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported to date.
However, this eleventh case passed away in hospital on Saturday 4th April 2020.
The eleventh case was a 79-year-old-male resident of Bulawayo who initially presented to a General Practitioner on the 23rd of March 2020 with a history of cough, sore throat and fever. When he did not improve on oral antibiotic treatment, he presented to a local hospital on Thursday 2 April 2020, where he was admitted.
At the time of admission, he had presented with cough, difficulty in breathing, sore throat and fever but no reported history of travel outside Zimbabwe.
He however indicated that he had been to a tourist resort in Hwange from the 14. to le March 2020. He was therefore admitted for clinical management as a case of bacterial Pneumonia with an underlying comorbidity.
His condition deteriorated during the evening of the day of admission and he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for critical care and management in isolation under a Specialist Physician. The local COVID-19 Rapid Response Team was called in and samples were collected and sent to the NMRL for COVID-19 testing.
Whilst waiting for the COVID-I9 test results, the patient continued to receive intravenous antibiotics and additionally, he received medical treatment as a clinical case of COVID-19.
On Saturday the 4th April, his condition continued to deteriorate despite management in ICU until he deceased.
Contact tracing for the above case is in progress and the Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-I9 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Ministry would like to remind the nation that, the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-I9 are to practise good personal hygiene and social distancing.
For assistance, please call the COVID-I9 toll free hotline number: 2019.
By Jane Mlambo| A consortium of Community based organisations has challenged government to provide citizens with information on coronavirus to help protect themselves while curtailing the spread of the deadly virus.
In a statement released yesterday, Association of Community Based Organisations (ACBOs) applauded government for the measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 but expressed concern that communities outside urban centres did not have enough information on the disease.
“The Alliance of Community Based Organisations (ACBOs) positively notes the measures put forward by the government, aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19, including but not limited to inessential travel bans and closure of entry ports, screening, 21-day self-quarantine for returning residents, physical distancing and ultimately the 21-day lockdown together with additional attendant measures,” noted ACBOs.
The grouping however accused government of not doing enough to relay information on the disease to remote communities.
“A wide information gap on Covid-19 awareness and safety measures for citizens to protect themselves still exists,” the grouping added.
They further alleged that some unidentified people were moving around in Mashonaland Central registering details of community members for anticipated distribution of government aid.
ACBOs challenged government to ensure that every community is provided with adequate information that tells them everything they need to know to prevent themselves as well as playing a role in curbing the spread of the disease.
They also want government to publicly declare and fully account for all Covid-19 related in-kind and material support received from domestic and international sources while ensuring transparency regarding any engagement process with the private sector players on the resuscitation and/or renovation of health facilities to work as centres for Covid-19 cases.
The organisations also called on the government to take advantage of COVID-19 intervention programmes to address the marginalisation of rural communities and vulnerable groups who continue to be left out in critical national processes.
“Avoid using the advent of Covid-19 to perpetuate the marginalization of vulnerable groups in our local communities and instead take it as an opportune moment to reflect and address not only the symptoms but the root cause of our dysfunctional health and broader social-services delivery system.
“Ensure the provision of adequate potable water supplies in all communities countrywide in order for the Covid-19 hygienic measures to be pragmatic,” further noted ACBOs.
Farai Dziva|South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has effectively suspended a government Minister for violating lockdown restrictions.
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has been placee on special leave for two months – one month of which will be unpaid.
According to media reports, Ndabeni-Abrahams violated the lockdown regulations when she visited the home of a friend, contrary to the lockdown regulations.
“Ramaphosa summoned Ndabeni-Abrahams on Tuesday where he expressed his disapproval of her actions and ordered her to deliver a public apology to the nation,” a southern publication reported.
“The nation-wide lockdown calls for absolute compliance on the part of all South Africans.
Members of the National Executive carry a special responsibility in setting an example to South Africans, who are having to make great sacrifices.
None of us – not least a member of the National Executive – should undermine our national effort to save lives in this very serious situation.
I am satisfied that Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams appreciates the seriousness of what she has done and that no-one is above the law,” said Ramaphosa.
Farai Dziva|South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has effectively suspended a government Minister for violating lockdown restrictions.
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has been placee on special leave for two months – one month of which will be unpaid.
According to media reports, Ndabeni-Abrahams violated the lockdown regulations when she visited the home of a friend, contrary to the lockdown regulations.
“Ramaphosa summoned Ndabeni-Abrahams on Tuesday where he expressed his disapproval of her actions and ordered her to deliver a public apology to the nation,” a southern publication reported.
“The nation-wide lockdown calls for absolute compliance on the part of all South Africans.
Members of the National Executive carry a special responsibility in setting an example to South Africans, who are having to make great sacrifices.
None of us – not least a member of the National Executive – should undermine our national effort to save lives in this very serious situation.
I am satisfied that Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams appreciates the seriousness of what she has done and that no-one is above the law,” said Ramaphosa.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that its findings after a review are that there’s no need for healthy people to wear face masks in public.
Guidelines by WHO released on Monday 6 April following a review say that masks, though helpful were insufficient on their own.
WHO was reviewing data from Hong Kong which suggested masks helped in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in communities.
There is currently no evidence that wearing a mask (whether medical or other types) by healthy persons in the wider community setting, including universal community masking, can prevent them from infection with respiratory viruses, including COVID-19.
Prof David Heymann, who chaired the WHO’s scientific and technical advisory group for infectious hazards, said wearing masks is for the protection of others, not oneself.
People think they are protected when they are not, People think they are protected when they are not.
The organisation’s findings conflict with recent advice from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, which urged the US public to wear masks in public places.-World Health Organization
Farai Dziva|Police flatly rejected a donation of gloves from MDC MP for Marondera Central Caston Matewu.
Matewu donated the protective gloves to the police in Marondera as part of efforts to enhance their safety and protection in the fight against Coronavirus.
“I tried to donate protective gloves to police in Marondera but I was tossed from one office to another.
It was clear politics was at play so I ended up giving the gloves to municipal workers. In times like these unity is key,” said Matewu.
By A Correspondent- In what is another change to the original set of lockdown rules, a government gazette published on Tuesday sets out the new requirements.
It states that a child can be moved between the parents, provided there are “arrangements in place”.
These include having a court order, or that a “parental responsibilities and rights agreement” or a “parenting plan” exists. That plan must be registered with the family advocate.
The gazette, signed by social development minister Lindiwe Zulu, states that the parent transporting the child must have the relevant documentation with them at all times.
It also states that nobody in the home that the child is being moved to can have Covid-19 or have come into contact with someone suspected of having the respiratory illness.-Timeslive
REVERED playwright and actor Aaron Chiundura-Moyo reckons people should not believe everything which comes on social media regarding Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The affable Shona writer, who is holed up at his Glen View residence, said the 21-day lockdown has made him a social media fan.
Chiundura-Moyo has however said he views and reads most stories which comes from social media with a critical mind.
“I have been following social media a lot but some of the stories you hear are not true at all,” he said.
Moyo said while social media was the in-thing, he said it could be misleading especially where there is a crisis.
“At the moment, there is this global pandemic – Covid-19 – which has claimed many lives.
“In Zimbabwe, it has claimed one person but stories being circulated on social media paint a bad picture of a nation in real crisis.
“As such, we urge people not to believe everything they hear and read on social media.
“If we closely assess our situation, I can safely say we are safe in Zimbabwe and we only need to take precautions,” he said.
The veteran arts practitioner has however appealed to Government to conduct door to do exercises giving out food handouts to citizens.- H-Metro
FASTJET ZIMBABWE IS CURRENTLY PLANNING TO RESTART FLIGHT OPERATIONS ON TUESDAY 21 APRIL 2020
* ALL FASTJET GROUP EMPLOYEES HAVE ACCEPTED A VOLUNTARY SALARY REDUCTION EFFECTIVE FROM 1 APRIL 2020 OF UP TO 30%
* SALARY REDUCTION DEPENDING ON THEIR CURRENT SALARY SCALES, WITH LOWEST EARNERS AFFECTED LEAS* EXPECTS REDUCED GLOBAL OIL PRICES TO HELP TO CUSHION FINANCIAL IMPACT OF FORECAST LOWER PASSENGER DEMAND WHEN OPERATIONS RESTART
* TIMELINES DISPOSAL OF CO’S HOLDING IN FASTJET ZIMBABWE ARE NO LONGER PRACTICALLY ACHIEVABLE
* FASTJET ZIMBABWE HAS FULLY PAID OFF ALL OF ITS EMBRAER EMB145 AIRCRAFT
* INVESTOR CONSORTIUM CONFIRMED THAT IT REMAINS COMMITTED TO DIVESTMENT PROPOSAL
* INVESTOR CONSORTIUM INDICATED THAT IT WOULD POTENTIALLY FORESEE MODIFIED TERMS OF SALE NEEDING TO BE DISCUSSED, NEGOTIATED
* FASTJET ZIMBABWE’S UNFLOWN FORWARD TICKET SALES OBLIGATION WAS US$ 616,476 AS OF 31 MARCH, MUCH LOWER THAN TRADITIONALLY EXPERIENCED* FEDAIR HAS ENTERED A RESTRUCTURING PROCESS
* RESTRUCTURING PROCESS OF FEDAIR WILL RESULT IN 55% OF ITS FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES BEING RETRENCHED
* IN 55% OF ITS FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES WILL BE RETRENCHED IN FEDAIR
* SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF 14 AIRCRAFT FLEET HAS BEEN TERMINATED BY FEDAIR
* FEDAIR SEEN DRAMATIC DOWNTURN IN FORWARD TICKET SALES & RESERVATIONS & MAJORITY OF PASSENGERS THAT WERE BOOKED HAVE DEFERRED THEIR TRAVEL
* FEDAIR HAS RETAINED LIMITED CREW TO OPERATE THESE SIX AIRCRAFT, WHICH WILL BE CORE FLEET RETAINED FOR REMAINDER OF 2020
* FEDAIR IN TALKS WITH AIRCRAFT FINANCIERS RELATING TO OWNED AIRCRAFT TO SUSPEND & DEFER CAPITAL REPAYMENTS ON AIRCRAFT LOANS UNTIL DEC 2020
* FEDAIR WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL CASHFLOW OF APPROXIMATELY US$ 1.0M BY 31 DECEMBER 2020
* BOARD IS REASSESSING GOING CONCERN ABILITY OF ENTIRE GROUP IN ITS CURRENT FORM, WITH BOTH FEDAIR AND FASTJET ZIMBABWE BUSINESSES RETAINED* GROUP WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO MEET ITS OPERATIONAL NEEDS UNTIL END OF JUNE 2020
* IF UNABLE TO COMPLETE DISPOSAL/RAISE FURTHER NEW CAPITAL BY 30 JUNE DIRECTORS BELIEVE GROUP TO BE UNABLE TO CONTINUE TRADING AS GOING CONCERN
* FEDAIR WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL CASHFLOW OF APPROXIMATELY US$ 1.0M BY 31 DECEMBER 2020
By A Correspondent- Scientists around the world have been tirelessly working to find a cure for Covid-19. A group of South Africa-based scientists and researchers have contributed to the cause and have made a vital discovery, and the group includes Zimbabwean scientist Dr. Stanford Kwenda.
Dr. Kwenda attended Lord Malvern in Harare, before graduating with a BSc. Hons Biological Sciences from the Midlands State University (MSU) in Gweru. He previously worked as a Molecular Biologist at the Tobacco Research Board in Harare, before moving to South Africa.
Today, media in South Africa reports that Dr. Kwenda is among a team from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the South African National Bioinformatics Institute (SANBI) at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) who have successfully sequenced South Africa’s first SARS-COV-2 genome.
The full list of medical scientists involved in South Africa’s first SARS-COV-2 genome is: Dr Arshad Ismail, Dr Zamantungwa Khumalo, Dr Phillip Senzo Mtshali, Florah Mnyameni, Dr Mushal Allam, Dr Stanford Kwenda and Dr Jinal Bhiman.
What does this mean? A genome is the genetic material of an organism. The team of researchers were able to sequence the first SARS-COV-2 genome in South Africa, which will provide a genetic “fingerprint” that can help scientists understand and contain the spread of Covid-19.
“Much like you look more similar to your siblings and cousins than you do to a person chosen at random, this fingerprint of viruses can be used to organise the samples into clusters and thus understand the spread of the disease,” said Peter van Heusden, SANBI researcher.
Scientists from the NICD were able to obtain enough virus DNA from a sample to complete a virus genome.
Until now it was challenging to get a complete virus genome from samples gathered from a patient’s nose and throat, “but the NICD managed to do it,” said Van Heusden.
How does this discovery contribute to finding the cure?
The work is a contribution to the global efforts to track and trace the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As of the beginning of April, more than 3000 SARS-Cov-2 genomes were globally sequenced and uploaded to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) website.
“Ideally, you want to be able to analyse virus DNA samples to better understand the spread of disease or predict when an outbreak will occur,” says Van Heusden. “With a sufficient number of sequenced genomes, it is possible to reconstruct a phylogenetic tree of the mutation history of a family of viruses.”
After the SANBI researchers were able to decode the first SARS-COV-2 genome in South Africa they then compared the virus genome to others around the world.
“Firstly they give us a ‘fingerprint’ that is useful to understand the spread of the virus,” Van Heusden notes. “In this case the version of the virus found in South Africa looks like the ones found in Europe and the USA, suggesting that the virus is travelling alongside people travelling between SA and those places.
” According to SANBI researcher Dr Ruben Cloete, there are changes in the virus genomes, however they are mostly neutral and make very little difference in how the virus acts.
“It’s important to note that this is true for most changes in a virus: they don’t create ‘super mutants’ but are just like the difference between your eye colour and that of someone else,” Van Heusden notes. “People sometimes panic when they hear that a virus is mutating, but that’s just natural – and most mutations just don’t matter much.”
Scientists playing a vital role
SANBI-UWC is working alongside teams such as Africa CDC to develop sustainable training across the public health institutes in Africa, helping equip public health workers across the continent in tracking and fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.-SouthAfricanMedia
The issues you have raised with reference to the allegations against the Zimbabwe National Army members who are assisting the Zimbabwe Republic Police in enforcing the lockdown are not true.
On the contrary and as a matter of fact, the broad spectrum of our citizens are complying with the lockdown without any adverse reports coming from either other security forces, government and community leaders involved on the national effort to curb the pandemic.
Our advice is that anyone who claims to be a victim must promptly report to the nearest Zimbabwe Republic Police or the Zimbabwe National Army camps.
It is futile to raise such serious allegations in the social media and/or media houses without reporting them to the relevant authorities.
By Allan Muburwa Murozvi in Chipinge| As we enter into the 10th day out of the 21 days lock down order from the government, Platform for Youth and Community Development Trust (PYCD) continues to reflect through sharing our own response.
Our response is guided by a three week strategy already shared with the public, where we have pledged to monitor and report on the level of compliance by rural communities we are working with.
My reflection in this article is based on my observation under the banner of the PYCD, a community based organisation operating in Manicaland province with headquarters at Checheche growth point in Chipinge district. It is also important for the reader to take note that I am a resident of ward 8 in Chipinge Central constituency. The announced lock down is bound to continue until the last day on the 21st of April 2020, but certainly it has brought some challenges that is pitting citizens and the government of Zimbabwe into a battle of survival versus order. The plight of vendors and most of the people whose livelihood depends on daily economic activities has given a headache to the government task force on Covid- 19 who are determined to ensure compliance on the lockdown laws.It has become a paradox of chasing the tail. The revision on the directive is unavoidable as it is becoming glaring that some of the lockdown laws are untenable and not feasible to implement in a rural setting.It is within this context,that the directive to open up markets like Mbare and Sakubva is welcome.Based on my observation and that of my colleagues,this decision needs close monitoring so that the nation remains focused to comply with the health standards announced by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare together with the World Health Organisation. In the revisionist announcement, Minister of State for Manicaland Cde Ellen Gwaradzimba addressed the vendors at Sakubva market pursuant to the directive urging the local authorities to provide basic and adequate facilities such as water and proper ablution facilities in the market places. The address was motivated by the need to ensure that there is compliance with the health standards during this lockdown. This development is interpreted to mean that informal traders, and in particular vendors, have been given the status of essential service providers forcing Minister Gwaradzimba to apologise for the embarrassing incident in which police in Mutare confiscated and burnt some consignments for Sakubva vendors. Having been informed after making spot checks to assess the status of vendors in growth points like Checheche, Birchenough Bridge and in Chipinge town. I can confirm that the decision to revise the rules on vending is welcome and announced at the most important time. After witnessing the running battles between the vendors and the police in Chipinge, it was gradually going to create a very difficult and ugly moment against the stay at home campaign. Vendors had confided in me during my interviews that they were going to defy the directive, and somehow it was beginning to be a well-coordinated feeling throughout the country that would have matured into defiance.
In the interest of sustaining the campaign against Covid-19, the local authorities in Chipinge district, and in particular Chipinge RDC and Chipinge Town Council should should engage all stakeholders including vendors to resolve livelihood issues and concerns. Great effort must therefore be made to ensure that services such as clean water and refuse collection and ablution facilities are in place in major market places.
I recommend that our local authorities comply with the presidential directive to enable farmers to supply their produce in towns and rural service centres. At the same time citizens should continue to adhere to the requirements of the lockdown because Covid-19 is real.
As a parting shot, I wish to reiterate that PYCD is working closely with relevant government stakeholders and other civic society organisations to ensure there is enough information and awareness meant to contain the spread of Corona-Virus. We raise concern for the government task force on Covid -19 to increase the number of people who are being tested so that our statistics truly reflects our situation and our level of preparedness as a country.
(Muburwa Allan Murozvi is a Local Governance practitioner and human rights defender and working with PYCD to achieve genuine community development)
Dear @edmnangagwa. I hereby advise you to relieve Obadiah Moyo of the post of Minister of Health. He is clearly out of depth for this position. The Ministry of Health deserves a leader that is capable of steering the ship away from the iceberg.
By A Correspondent- Socialite Jackie Ngarande has issued a statement after rogue figures hiding behind shadowy social media accounts alleged that she was bedding the country’s Finance Minister, Mthuli Ncube.
The allegations said Ncube was buying cars and houses with taxpayers’ money so that he can have bedroom gymnastics with the vivacious Harare girl.
Ncube is reported to have demanded an explanation from Jackie following the leak. There was more buzz on the issue on April 1 when a Zimbabwe based publication claimed that Mthuli Ncube and Jackie Ngarande had been caught red-handed by the Minister’s wife after she made a surprise visit using a chartered private plane. The article that appeared on April Fools Day has since been deleted.
But Jackie is now saying enough is enough and she has issued the statement below to set the record straight.
See below:
6 April 2020
Ref: Jacqueline Tinovimbika Ngarande Press Statement For Immediate release.
This press statement is with reference to news stories that widely circulated on social media and online publications concerning an alleged relationship/affair between myself and a certain minister of the Government of Zimbabwe.
These allegations are malicious, unfounded and an attempt to damage my image and reputation and also to tarnish the image and reputation of all those mentioned in the stories including my long time friend Miss P Nare. I do not have have a relationship with the said minister either personally or professionally, and like any other citizen of Zimbabwe, I have only read about him in the newspapers due to the nature of his work.
I would like to urge the purveyors of these falsehoods to desist from such hideous acts as they negatively impact on families. They strain relationships and in the process destroy careers. I have since sought legal advice from my lawyers concerning this unfortunate incident with a view to stop the circulation of such hurtful lies and to bring the perpetrators of fake news to book.
2018 Presidential elections candidate Bryn Taurai Mteki says he is taking no chances with the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) and has since gone into self-isolation.
The Nora hit maker who has since joined the ruling Zanu PF disclosed this in a video he posted on his WhatsApp status last week.
However, he did not reveal his recent travel history in the video, but Standard Style established that Mteki, who contested the presidential election as an independent candidate, had entered the country from either Europe or the United States via Johannesburg on March 20.
“I am not just feeling a little bit well you know [sic]”, he said.
“It could be coronavirus, you know, corona scare. Just stay away, stay at home.
“I am just feeling a little bit under the weather, you know.”
Standard Style could not reach out to the musician to ascertain whether he had sought medical assistance or had gone for Covid-19 testing since he had travelled from high-risk areas.
However, a source close to the musician said Mteki was in self-isolation and taking no chances.
“He has no symptoms and looks perfectly well, but he decided not to mix with people, including his family, and has gone into self-isolation,” the source said.
In January, Mteki told this publication that he would spend the better part of this year in Europe and the US where he would hold exhibitions and attend arts festivals.
Popularly known as Sekuru Tau, Mteki surprised all and sundry when he threw his hat into the political ring for the July 31, 2018 presidential election as an independent candidate.
A popular Zimbabwean mother, Matho Thobela has died in England.
Prominent journalist Ezra Tshisa Sibanda posted on Facebook announcing Mathobela’s tragic death, saying she succumbed to COVID-19.
“This is shattering, I’m heartbroken and lost for words. Surely l still cant understand how Mathobela has gone like that. A super woman who has also succumbed to COVID-19, her family has confirmed. She was a lovely person, very caring and a true humanitarian. She leaves behind a 13 year old girl who is now with a friend.
Mathobela’s mum Matshuma is devastated and cant believe what has happened to her loving daughter and recently she also lost her own sister in Zimbabwe and Mathobela went there not knowing a month later she would be dead as well. A very dark cloud has descended on this family, very sad.
To Mathobela l couldn’t help with your request Mzukulu, it’s a process, it wasn’t easy and this thing has taken you before your sister had managed to join you here. Only a moment you stayed Matho, but what an imprint your footprints have left on our hearts. Rest In Peace our loving angel. I know you are in a better place #shocked“
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams on special leave for two months – one month of which will be unpaid.
Ndabeni-Abrahams allegedly violated the lockdown regulations when she visited the home of a friend who hosted a lunch, contrary to the lockdown regulations.
Ramaphosa summoned Ndabeni-Abrahams on Tuesday where he expressed his disapproval of her actions and ordered her to deliver a public apology to the nation.
Said Ramaphosa:
The nation-wide lockdown calls for absolute compliance on the part of all South Africans. Members of the National Executive carry a special responsibility in setting an example to South Africans, who are having to make great sacrifices.
None of us – not least a member of the National Executive – should undermine our national effort to save lives in this very serious situation. I am satisfied that Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams appreciates the seriousness of what she has done and that no-one is above the law.
By A Correspondent| One of Zimbabwe’s most prominent doctors, Dr Morgan Nyakabau has died.
He was 67 and is survived by 4 children.
He was based in Harare.
He died on Saturday 4th April and his demise has left questions why the state media failed to publish it.
His first wife, Dr Anna Nyakabau confirmed the legendary medic is no more.
She described him as an outstanding man who was loving, and smart.
“It is really a great loss to the nation to an individual who did not understand, he was a great writer, he was an avid reader, he was an artist, (it is only that) for people who would have grown up in the rural areas those talents would not have been developed well. I am talking from a person who knew him.
“Yes I was no longer with him but I have a lot of respect for him,” she said.
Prominent author, Tsitai Dangarembwa said, ‘ I hear with deep sadness that Dr Morgan Nyakabau has passed on. We have lost a fine physician and a compassionate human being. I send my condolences to his family, wishing them strength and comfort, and Dr Nyakabau final rest in the arms of his Maker.”
Meanwhile, a colleague told ZimEye his body was tested at Wilkins Hospital and found to be negative of the coronavirus.
By A Correspondent- A 37-year-old Victoria Falls man who went on a housebreaking spree at night in Mkhosana suburb stealing cellphones has been arrested.
Member Mudenda residing at 1149 in Aerodrome used a metal bar with a hook on one end to force open closed doors or fish cellphones out through windows. He was arrested after investigations by the police following a housebreaking spree between 24 March and last Sunday.
Mudenda pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful entry and another four of theft when he appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa.
The magistrate sentenced him to four years in jail for the unlawful entry counts and a further two years for the theft counts. Three years were suspended on condition that Mudenda does not commit similar offences within five years. He will serve an effective three years in jail.
Prosecuting, Mr Onias Nyathi said Mudenda used the same modus operandi to break into houses while the occupants were asleep at night.
“On the 24th day of March the complainant Ms Christine Mpofu of Mkhosana retired to bed at night leaving her property intact. During the same night the accused person proceeded to the complainant’s place of residence and inserted a hook through the bedroom window and fished out a cellphone,” said Mr Nyathi.
He said Mudenda went away without being noticed. Ms Mpofu discovered that her phone was missing in the morning and reported the matter to the police.
The following night, the court was told, Mudenda broke into Ms Eunice Dube’s place of residence in the same suburb where he used a metal bar to force open a locked door to gain entry into the sitting room. He took a cellphone and went away unnoticed.
On March 26 Mudenda broke into Mr Hillary Tshuma’s place of residence using the same modus operandi and stole a cellphone which was in the sitting room while the complainant was sleeping and went away.
Mudenda was at it again on Sunday night when he inserted the hooked metal through Mr Blessed Chamoka’s window and fished out a cellphone before disappearing into the night. He was arrested after police investigations following reports made by the complainants.
The total value of stolen property was RTGS$13 000 and all was recovered.-StateMedia
By A Correspondent- MultiChoice Zimbabwe has announced the creation of a pop-up channel on DStv dedicated for the Easter commemoration.
The new channel is aimed at Christians from all denominations and will run from Thursday, April 9, through to Easter Monday, April 13.
The channel is to be known as the African Easter Channel and is being hosted in collaboration with TBN Africa.
African Easter will be available on DStv channel 344.
The development was confirmed to a local publication by Liz Dziva, publicity and public relations manager of MultiChoice Zimbabwe.
She said:All Christians will be pleased with this special channel, which will provide a means of hearing more about the meaning and messages of Easter despite confinement during the lockdown.
The channel’s schedule will include significant input from the Methodist, Anglican and Catholic churches. Popular gospel artists such as Zimbabwean Michael Mahendere, Dr Tumi and Rebecca Malope will also feature prominently in the channel.
We are delighted that DStv can give viewers a meaningful experience of Easter at this most important time for Christians, and we are sure that people disappointed at not being able to commemorate in church the various points of worship during the Easter weekend will be pleased at this outreach opportunity, knowing they do so in fellowship with so many other Christians in their own homes.
The content for the channel is being recorded by various churches in safe conditions and will include music, sermons and services.
Good Friday marks the holiest day of the Christian calendar, while the celebration of Christ’s resurrection is on Easter Sunday.
This year Christians across Zimbabwe failed to observe Palm Sunday because of the government’s stay-at-home orders to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).-Online
By A Correspondent- Tatenda Govere, 31, was shocked to see Harare streets clean as he walked from Harare Central Prison to find transport to Glen Norah last Thursday when he was released after serving four years for stealing from his brother.
One of the released inmates who benefited from the Presidential Amnesty, Govere said while prisons are still safe from coronavirus, should the disease find its way there, no- one would survive.
“Harare is totally new following the lockdown and I was shocked to find clean streets and few security guards as I walked from the prison into town,” said Govere.
“I learnt about coronavirus while in prison since we were allowed to view television programmes as well as current news.
“I want to believe that COVID-19 is still to find its way at Harare Central prison and if it happen to find a gap no one will survive due to conditions that do not allow us to distance self from the other inmate.
“Although I leave the cells free from coronavirus, I regret time I lost while serving jail sentence after I stole my brother’s money by engaging my friends to access his property.
“I stole from the hand that was feeding me and he is the same person who visited me while in prison and is the one who gave me money for transport after he learnt of my release.
“He accepted my forgiveness as well as his wife and this left me facing real facts of life and I repented.
“Prison life is bad and it’s like being buried alive that it is my prayer not to return to prison over committing crime but helping inmates,” said Govere. Govere was convicted of theft in 2015 and sentenced to eight years. He thanked His Excellency President Mnangagwa for the pardon.-StateMedia
Bulawayo City Council has extended water-rationing hours from 96 to 108 per week due to challenges being experienced at the Criterion reservoirs and at Criterion water treatment plant.
The drastic measures to conserve water are with immediate effect besides threats of a Coronavirus outbreak.
One person has already died of the mass killer disease in the City.
Market Watch|Just before COVID-19 hit our shores, rates were trending towards the 50 mark; certainly above 45! Immediately after the announcement of the 21-day lock-down, the ZWL seemed to have been strengthening and the rate went down to as low as 35 in some instances. In the last week, in the typical topsy-turvy fashion we have become accustomed to, the local currency has started weakening again.
The question is surely why is this happening when companies are supposed to be on a lock-down and therefore demand for hard currency should be diminished?
‘Dummy’ Trades? While most traders were quoting rates between 35 and 40 immediately after lockdown, it does not seem as if there was much trading going on at those levels, from a volume and value basis. In addition, our analysis revealed that while bids were quite strong at those levels from the main players, selling was very constrained due to a non-market reflective rate. If anything, the players were only buying, but not selling. Those bids were largely speculative while everyone was trying to assess the situation.
Offline trading platform? Most of the transactions in this business are largely relationship and face-to-face driven. During the early days of lockdown, everyone was unsure of the extent of the lockdown in terms of allowing movements and interactions. A very hard lockdown would have reduced interactions and therefore impacted the trading of FX. However as the situation has progressed and due to the relaxed nature of the lockdown, the players have found ways to interact and continue transacting. We have seen in some groups, traders beginning to be more innovative and now offering de-centralised transacting points in various neighbourhoods.
Everyone is a critical sector! While initially a few companies were considered critical and therefore to remain open during the lockdown, we have seen in recent days literally everyone being allowed to open as they are a ‘critical’ service. We are not qualified to comment on the impact that has on flattening the curve; so will pass. What this has done is to increase demand for hard currency as players need to retool and produce.
Did I hear you say SI 85? We are now all allowed to transact in any currency after another policy shift by RBZ. The simple question is are you better off holding ZWL and hoping to transact in local currency or seeking USD that will most likely conserve value and give you transacting flexibility? That’s a no brainer! In fact, this policy alone will push demand for FX and might lead to the death of ZWL!
Zimbabwe’s largest fresh produce market, Mbare Musika, officially reopened yesterday, but with social distancing and washing of hands not being observed.
Such measures were, however, in force at the smaller Highfield Market, a few kilometres away, with soap and water available, while officials enforced social distancing.
President Mnangagwa reclassified all produce markets as essential services and directed that farmers should be allowed to deliver their vegetables to the markets.
Police and council officials were maintaining order at Mbare Musika, but without setting and enforcement of health measures.
Health authorities, following advice of the World Health Organisation, continually urge high levels of personal hygiene, with hands being frequently washed.
Murehwa farmer, Passmore Manyere, voiced his concerns about the lack of health measures at Mbare Musika, saying people should not forget the need to stay safe and follow the recommended ways of doing business.
“We are thankful to the President for allowing us to bring our produce to the market,” he said.
“When the lockdown started some of us had a lot of ready produce and it all perished. My worry now is also on the state of this market.
“Yes, we need to make money, but there are health measures that we should strictly follow to curb the spread of Covid-19. We expected to see the city council officials here with sanitisers or water to wash our hands and also limiting the number of people entering the market at any one time so that social distancing can be observed.”
Manyere blasted Harare City Council for not cleaning the market, despite a joint operation last week by police and the council to disinfect the area.
Mr Edward Kahana of Macheke said there was need to take preventive measures since the market was well known for overcrowding.
He reported a slow start to business, despite large crowds, and thought a lot of his personal customers were observing the lockdown.
“We sell perishable products and the lockdown had affected us,” said Mr Kahana.
“Business is slow today. Our customers are locked in their homes. We hope the situation will improve as days go by.”
Mr Kahana repeated calls for Harare City to provide sanitisers and water for people to wash their hands.
To show what is possible in Harare, the nearby Highfield Market presented a quite different scene.
Officers manning the market were instructing farmers and the public to wash their hands with water and soap, which was provided by the city council.
They were controlling the number of people allowed in the market encouraging everyone to maintain social distancing.
Farmers at the Highfield market also commended the Government for allowing them to open the markets, but recognised that many normal customers were observing the lockdown.
“I am into horticulture and I have a lot of tomatoes at my farm in Mutoko,” said Mrs Mapfumo.
“When the lockdown was announced, I had a lot of tomatoes and cucumbers which were ready for the market and they all perished.
“The decision by our President to reopen our markets came at the right time and we are thankful. Some of our produce is still in the fields and ready again for market. On a normal day, we could have gone back to Mutoko by now, but we still have a lot of produce to sell.”
Beitbridge town has since reopened its four fresh produce markets, with town clerk Mr Loud Ramakgapola saying they had set opening times between 8am and 3pm.
“We have opened the Bulk Market, Mashakada, Mashavire and Dulivhadzimu,” he said.
“These are easy to monitor because they are in built up areas and their operation time has been set to match that of other essential shops, which open at 8am and close at 3pm.”
A team of municipal police and the environmental health officials is on the ground enforcing standard operational procedures as set out in the national Covid-19 response plan.
In Masvingo, the main fresh produce market, Chitima Market, was also open and set its trading hours at between 5am and 7am, bringing relief to residents seeking fresh produce.
Masvingo in conjunction with the provincial Covid-19 taskforce resolved to designate Chitima as a wholesale market operating for two hours daily to avert congestion.
Sakubva vegetable market in Mutare opened for business at 6am, as farmers from across the province brought in their produce.
It will be operating for three hours until 9am daily.
Municipal and ZRP officers were posted at strategic positions to maintain order around the open space that was identified within the market for farmers to sell from.
Farmers complied with social distancing with most of them selling their wares from their cars or trucks.
Three retail market areas in the city centre were given the nod to operate by the Mutare district Covid-19 taskforce.
All retail markets in town are expected to operate from 9am to 3pm when all the shops close for the day.
Zimbabwe Association Doctors for Human Rights has raised questions over the coronavirus case number 11 saying they are very worried at the possible exposure of both the public and health personnel who treated the Bulawayo resident who later succumbed to the disease.
I a statement yesterday, ZADHR questioned why it took so long to have the first results after samples were taken and why the patient was treated at a health institution not designated to handle infectious diseases, a situation that could have exposed medical personnel to COVID-19.
By A Correspondent| ZimEye on Monday investigated reports which alleged that truck drivers are being injected with an unknown substance since the weekend.
The reports submitted on the afternoon of the 6th April 2020, had two videos of men complaining mainly in the Shona language that they do not want to be injected.
A source told ZimEye their siblings were witnesses of a said similar incident which they said happened on Monday afternoon. They alleged that the incidents are happening at Kazungula border.
One of the videos begins with the following narration: this is how it is here at the University of Zambia. This crowd you are seeing here all of them are truck drivers, we were at Kazungula border. We were kept there for some days. Some of us entered on the 30th of March, others entered earlier than us.
“After leaving Kazungula, we were told to come down here to Lusaka because some of the drivers their papers are still with the customs officials and the police so they were told to come down here to Lusaka to get their papers but upon coming here we were told to leave our trucks, park our trucks and come here to the University of Zambia.
“We came here to the University of Zambia yesterday last night. We were told to sleep and this morning there is nothing that has happened we are just waiting for the officials to come and address us…
“I think there is one official here who is addressing; I want to see exactly what is going on here but we are being guarded like we are criminals you can see there is a lot of police.
“To our surprise it is only one border which is being targeted because our friends who are using Chirundu they are moving freely. It is only those using Kazungula and Vic Falls coming from South Africa who are the ones brought here to Lusaka. Actually the main reason for bringing us here we don’t know.
“We are yet to find out what’s the reason for bringing us here.”
In another video which is not clear where it was shot there are men dressed as doctors or nurses seen surrounding a group of drivers and a woman screaming, “aaaah, deport to our country it is better to deport us. “
Soon after that another woman then screams in the Shona language saying “these are the chemicals that are killing people. These chemicals will cause reactions in people’s bodies.”
Efforts to get a comment from the Zambian police were fruitless. ZimEye was in the process of making several telephone calls to different government offices, when we were told by at least 3 drivers that, “it is not true that they are injections. We got swabbed on the nose as part of testing for coronavirus, ” one of the drivers told ZimEye.
The other two drivers repeated just about the same response.
At the close of day there were no other direct comments from drivers, among those stranded in the neighbouring country.
VIDEO LOADING BELOW….
HAVE YOU WITNESSED CORONAVIRUS VACCINE(S) BEING ADMINISTERED? CONTACT ZIMEYE RIGHT NOW
By A Correspondent- Government is inspecting underutilised farms in Manicaland Province and those exceeding maximum sizes as it prepares to downsize them.
This follows recommendations by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement to reduce the sizes of at least 15 farms in the province in order to boost capacity utilisation.
In 2016, four farms in Chipinge were identified for the exercise. Thirteen were identified in Makoni, two in Nyanga and six in Mutare.
No farms were identified in Buhera, Mutasa and Chinamimani districts.
The Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs, Ellen Gwaradzimba, on Monday said that Government is seized with downsizing the farms.
“We are carrying out an exercise to downsize the farms in line with the Government’s directive. We must adhere to the maximum farm size per each region.
“The land size or hectarage is based on the capacity of the farmers
Dr Gwaradzimba said the land re-allocations will prioritise those with capacity to productively utilise land.
She said war veterans, traditional leaders, women and youths would also be catered for.
“There are special groups that are also going to be allocated the land. These include the war veterans because there is a policy that states that they should be given land,” she said.
The maximum farm size in Region One, which largely covers Chimanimani, Nyanga, Mutare, Mutasa and Chipinge, was pegged at 250ha. However, this excludes timber plantations.
In Region Two, which includes parts of Mutare, Makoni and Mutasa districts, the maximum farm size is 500ha.
The farm size ceiling in Region Three, which encompasses parts of Makoni, Mutasa and Mutare districts, is 750ha.
In Regions Four and Five, which largely encompasses parts of Nyanga North, Chipangayi, Chisumbanje, Makoni South and Chipinge, the maximum farm size is 1 500ha and 2 000ha, respectively.-StateMedia
State Media|The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described views of two French scientists who last week suggested that trials for a Covid-19 vaccine could be done in Africa as “racist” and a hangover of “colonial mentality”.
Speaking to journalists during his daily virtual Press briefings on Monday, WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said human beings were equal.
He insisted that existing laid down procedures for trials would be adhered to in all research anywhere in the world.
“We will follow all the rules to test any vaccine or therapeutics all over the world, using exactly the same route, whether it is in Europe, Africa or wherever. We will use the same protocol,” said Dr Ghebreyesus.
He warned the scientists to stop what he described as a “hangover from colonial mentality”.
“It was a disgrace, appalling to hear during the 21st century from scientists, that kind of remark,” said Dr Ghebreyesus.
“We condemn it in the strongest terms possible, but we assure you that this will not happen in Africa and will not happen elsewhere in any country.
“Proper protocols will be followed and human beings will be treated as human beings because we are all human beings.”
The two French scientists, Dr Camille Locht, head of research at the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) and Dr Jean-Paul Mira, head of intensive care at Cochin Hospital in Paris were having a discussion on vaccines during a televised programme, which aired on the French channel LCI last week.
The scientists both agreed that Africa was the best location for their BCG tuberculosis vaccine tests, which is currently being tried in Europe and Australia against Covid-19, because of Africa’s vulnerabilities.
“If I can be provocative, shouldn’t we be doing this study in Africa, where there are no masks, no treatments, no resuscitation,” said Dr Mira during the debate.
“A bit like it is done elsewhere for some studies on Aids. In prostitutes, we try things because we know that they are highly exposed and that they do not protect themselves.”
Dr Locht chipped in, “You are
right. We are in the process of thinking about a study in parallel in Africa.”
Dr Mira has since apologised for the wayward remarks, while INSERM said comments by one of their scientist Dr Locht had been misunderstood.
What puzzled many about the two scientists’ views was that they came at a time statistics showed that far many people were being affected by Covid-19 in Western countries, as compared to African countries.
Some people were of the view that the tests of the vaccines should start in the most affected Western countries before coming to Africa where the disease has so far affected less numbers.
There is an unverified hypothesis that the BCG vaccine may give some resistance to Covid-19, or at least lessen the severity of the infection.
A proper trial has now started in Australia, using volunteer health personnel who are frequently exposed to infection, but results are not expected for some months.
Most children in Africa and most other developing countries have, in fact, been routinely vaccinated with BCG for some decades as part of the programme to eliminate tuberculosis, with only people in the developed world normally not vaccinated.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) has called for an urgent investigation surrounding the death of a Bulawayo man who passed away on the 4th of April 2020 after testing positive of the deadly Coronavirus disease.
The organization said the opaque circumstances surrounding the death of the 79-year-old man.
Read the full statement below:
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) calls for an urgent audit of the circumstances leading to the death of patient number 11 diagnosed with COVID -19 in Zimbabwe (Ministry of Health and Child Care Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: 07 April 2020).
ZADHR is deeply concerned by the continued lack of preparedness in handling severe COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe. Equally, we are extremely worried about the possible exposure of health workers both in private and public facilities who are working without PPEs. We urge the health authorities to account for the following grey areas in the management of this case:
i. It took five days (from 2nd April to 7th April) to get the result of the COVID-19 test a period which is rather too long. The absence of diagnostic facilities for COVID- 19 brings to question the state of preparedness of center outside Harare. What is the government doing to improve the turn-around time for tests?
ii. The patient was treated at a local hospital. Is this an infectious diseases hospital or a COVID-19 designated facility? Previously the Minister of Health and Child Care has assured the nation that the country is ready to deal with COVID 19 cases countrywide. The lack of clarity arouses lots of questions.
iii. The inability to diagnose on time is a clear sign that health professionals attending the deceased were exposed as they lack essential protective equipment (PPEs).
iv. Does this case reflect the lack of knowledge on the case definition for suspected cases of COVID-19? The patient was first seen on 23 March and was not advised to self-quarantine, get tested for COVID-19, and managed as a suspected case.
v. What is the state of preparedness in centers outside Harare?
ZADHR believes this case and the continued demise of severe cases of COVID-19 patients mirrors the utter lack of preparedness of the health system. It also reflects the minimal focus on other regions outside Harare. Lastly, the Minister of Health and Child Care must be made to account on what he referred to when he claimed the country was prepared for COVID-19 when such regional inequities and pervasive logistical issues characterize our response to date.
By A Correspondent- Former Regency Group of Hotels director, Dr Fredrick Kasese had a terrifying and potentially deadly ordeal after discovering a huge black mamba snake in his staff quarters house in Morningside, Masvingo.
The black Mamba snake was 3.8m long.
It is said to have entered the one roomed quarter and curled on an empty sack.
Two security guards who were making a morning inspection of the room were alerted by a sudden movement in the room after opening the door.
The huge reptile immediately went on the defense and landed along a gable in the roof, ready to strike.
The security guards fled the scene in terror and went to report the matter to Dr Kasese who came armed with a 22 Hornet gun.
“There are plenty of snakes here, some bigger than this one. We live in harmony but they become dangerous once they get into houses like this and the only option is to kill it,” said Dr Kasese.
Dr Kasese said his understanding of animals helped him in handling the snake and in knowing where to shoot.
He shot the area just above its tail which he said gives it the power to move.“It dropped onto the floor and started attacking anything it could but it had no movement because it had been immobilised by the first bullet.
We moved out to safety and allowed it to bleed for five minutes.
We came back when it was now very weak and I shot it in its head and finished it off,” said Dr Kasese.
The reptile was burnt.
We had to burn it because snakes usually move in pairs. When a snake is burnt it produces a scent that drives away other snakes and our aim was to drive away the other snake which should have been in the environs of the homestead,” said Dr Kasese.
Dr Kasese, whose plot harbors a lot of wildlife said so far a python has devoured his 5 dogs.
He also said hippos and and crocodiles also live nearby as there is river close to his home.-Online
By A Correspondent- Farmers and vendors whose produce was confiscated and burnt by the police at the Sakubva vegetable market last week will be compensated.
Three tonnes of vegetables were confiscated from more than 300 farmers that had converged at the market to sell their produce.
Manicaland Covid-19 Taskforce chairperson Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba has described the incident as unfortunate and said all the affected farmers would receive part of the $600 million being extended to small businesses, vendors and the elderly by Government to compensate them for loss of income.
“The incident that happened at Sakubva market was unfortunate, especially given that we had come up with modalities on how people could continue to trade, but in an organised fashion under the watch of our forces to ensure adherence to issues of hygiene and social distancing,” she said.
“The fact that they all ran means they were aware that they were violating the conditions of the lockdown. But as a leadership with the people at heart, we understand that people were trying to find a way of survival and that they lost out on hard-earned income.”
So far, only 14 farmers have come forward and submitted their names for compensation.
Minister Gwaradzimba urged all the affected farmers to register with the provincial taskforce.-Online
The issues you have raised with reference to the allegations against the Zimbabwe National Army members who are assisting the Zimbabwe Republic Police in enforcing the lockdown are not true.
On the contrary and as a matter of fact, the broad spectrum of our citizens are complying with the lockdown without any adverse reports coming from either other security forces, government and community leaders involved on the national effort to curb the pandemic.
Our advice is that anyone who claims to be a victim must promptly report to the nearest Zimbabwe Republic Police or the Zimbabwe National Army camps.
It is futile to raise such serious allegations in the social media and/or media houses without reporting them to the relevant authorities.
By A Correpsondent| A top Zimbabwean Scientist based in London, Dr Paul Matewele has died.
Dr Matewele passed on after a battle with a Coronavirus infection, his employers said in a statement.
The below was a video just a few days ago.
Described as a “gentle giant,” Dr Paul Matewele who was a senior lecturer in microbiology immunology at London Metropolitan University, died at Barnet Hospital in London.
He had published several studies on the dangers of life-threatening bacteria being passed through cash and public transport.
He has been praised as “a larger than life character, very funny and kind.”
"We're deeply saddened that a much-loved member of our community, Dr Paul Matewele, has died following a battle with a coronavirus infection.
Staff and students have been invited to share their tributes to Paul, which will be shared on this page" – London Metropolitan Uni pic.twitter.com/YbreTIKPJx
The government is set to start a door to door COVID-19 testing exercise to curb the spread of the deadly pandemic, Health minister Dr Obadiah Moyo has said.
In an interview with a local publication, Moyo yesterday said government was hoping to decentralise the COVID-19 testing exercise before they can embark on an aggressive door-to-door campaign that would be informed by the rate at which cases would be soaring.
“We are in the process of decentralising the whole process. Currently, we have the kits for PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing and the PCR is the definitive testing used to detect early infections,” said Dr Moyo.
“However, while it is being done just in Harare, the Ministry of Health has already entered an agreement with National University of Science and Technology (NUST) so that their equipment can be used at Mpilo, where there is a level three laboratory.
“After that, we will then increase the number of testing sites in Harare and then eventually go countrywide. This will be done in the shortest time possible,” Dr Moyo added.
He added that in exposed areas like Beitbridge, rapid testing will be the way to go.
“For rural areas like Gokwe, if a patient shows signs of the disease we have the rapid response team that is in every province and those teams will attend to any case,” said Dr Moyo.
He poured cold water on reports that the country is using defective testing kits saying they are using the definitive golden standard which takes five hours to produce results.
“The only reliable testing that is taking place in the country is being carried by the government and not private hospitals. As government, we are using the golden standard which is definitive, although this takes five hours for results to show,” added Dr Moyo.
“We hope to get more testing kits so that we come up with results early,” Dr Moyo added.
Zimbabwe is currently under a 21-day lockdown gazetted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Only nine people have tested positive to coronavirus from around 300 tests done in the country.
There are growing concerns that the number of people who have been tested is too low compared to other countries such as South Africa.
His breathing deteriorates; country declares additional 439 deaths, taking toll to 5,373 with infection figure rising to 51,608
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is still battling coronavirus in intensive care today with ‘no change’ in his condition overnight – amid a wave of support from across the nation.
Mr Johnson was moved to ICU at St Thomas’ Hospital in central London and given oxygen after his health deteriorated sharply over just two hours, leaving doctors fearing he will need a ventilator.
The 55-year-old was transferred to intensive care at 7pm because of breathing difficulties – forcing him to ‘deputise’ Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to take the reins of government.
In a round of broadcast interviews this morning, Cabinet minister Michael Gove said Mr Johnson was getting the ‘best care’.
‘As we speak the PM is in intensive care being looked after by his medical team receiving the very, very best care from the team in St Thomas’s and our hopes and prayers are with him and with his family,’ he told BBC Breakfast.
Mr Gove played down concerns that the government will be paralysed with the leader out of action.
‘The Cabinet is the supreme decision making body,’ he said
The Queen is being kept informed about Mr Johnson’s condition, while Mr Raab will chair a meeting of the government coronavirus task force this morning.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump revealed he has offered to send Mr Johnson experimental drugs to treat his coronavirus.
‘I’ve asked two of the leading companies … They’ve come with the solutions and just have done incredible jobs – and I’ve asked him to contact London immediately,’ Mr Trump said. ‘The London office has whatever they need. We’ll see if we can be of help. We’ve contacted all of Boris’s doctors, and we’ll see what is going to take place, but they are ready to go.’
The PM’s sharp downturn came 11 days after he first suffered coronavirus symptoms and went into isolation. He looked increasingly unwell when glimpsed in public and in ‘selfie’ videos posted on social media, and ministers were then shocked by his grim appearance at a Zoom conference on Sunday.
Downing Street sources confirmed Mr Johnson is not yet on a ventilator – but was moved to intensive care to be near one if needed. Some medical experts forecasting this course of action is now ‘very likely’.
Two thirds of patients in intensive care with coronavirus are sedated and put on a ventilator within 24 hours of arriving as the illness attacks their lungs.
But last night, one doctor told The Times Mr Johnson was conscious and had not been intubated – the process of putting a tube in the windpipe to aid breathing. He was said to have required around four litres of oxygen rather than the 15 litres used by an average Covid-19 ICU patient.
Only two hours before his move to intensive care, No10 was insisting Mr Johnson was still spearheading the government’s coronavirus response, despite de facto deputy Mr Raab chairing the morning crisis meeting.
Yet shortly after the Foreign Secretary left the Number 10 podium following the daily 5pm press briefing, Mr Johnson, 55, suffered breathing problem.
Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, held an emergency video conference with the cabinet to tell them the bad news, in a moment one minister described as ‘truly shocking’.
No10 has been urged to be more ‘transparent’ about the premier’s condition, amid claims a hospital bed was being prepared for him as early as last Thursday.
Speaking last night, Mr Raab vowed that ‘government business will continue’ and said there is a strong ‘team spirit’ rallying around the leader. He also reassured that the premier was ‘receiving excellent care’ and thanked the NHS staff who were treating him and other patients across Britain.
Mr Johnson’s handing of power to Mr Raab – the second most senior cabinet minister after the PM himself – came after days of insisting he remained in the driving seat of the UK’s fightback against the virus.
But on Sunday, the tenth day of isolation in his Number 11 flat, Mr Johnson’s declining health became clear to Cabinet colleagues during a 10am Zoom video conference call.
During the 45-minute meeting with ministers including Michael Gove, Rishi Sunak and Matt Hancock, insiders described the PM as pale and strained, while some detected breathlessness as he spoke.
A Number 10 spokeswoman said last night: ‘Since Sunday evening, the Prime Minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital, in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus.
‘Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital.
‘The PM has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is the First Secretary of State, to deputise for him where necessary.
‘The PM is receiving excellent care, and thanks all NHS staff for their hard work and dedication.’
Downing Street has been accused of downplaying the seriousness of Mr Johnson’s illness.
When he was admitted to hospital on Sunday night, Number 10 made clear he was undergoing tests as a precaution on the advice of his doctor.
But a Tory source said: ‘No 10 tried to play this down but think it through: the Prime Minister was being taken to hospital in his car at 8pm on Sunday, the precise moment the Queen was making her broadcast to the nation. It therefore cannot have been completely routine.’
Insiders on the Sunday Zoom cabinet call also claimed it was clear Mr Johnson was not well.
A senior Whitehall source said: ‘His symptoms were persisting. He was plainly not getting any better. In fact he’d got worse.’
Determined to emulate the grit of his political hero Winston Churchill, insiders said Mr Johnson was reluctant to go to hospital.
A source said: ‘Do not underestimate the macho nature of the Westminster political Establishment. Boris will not have wanted to look weak.’
However, he eventually gave ground to his doctor and travelled to St Thomas’ with bodyguards on Sunday night.
It was the first time Mr Johnson was believed to have left Downing Street since Thursday, when he stood on the steps of Number 11 to applaud NHS workers at 8pm.
This was the last time the PM has been seen in public and came amid whisperings in Westminster that he was not as well as aides were claiming.
As early as Thursday, a bed was being prepared for Mr Johnson at St Thomas’, a source told the Guardian.
The next day, wearing an open collar shirt and looking exhausted, the PM used a Twitter video to reveal he had failed to shake off his high temperature and so would continue to self-isolate, while still keeping a firm hand on the tiller.
Mr Raab is now primed to take charge of the government’s coronavirus response and deputise for Mr Johnson ‘where necessary’, although it is understood he will not be a temporary PM.
At yesterday’s Downing Street press briefing, he confirmed a further 439 coronavirus deaths, taking the toll to 5,373, while the number of patients rose by 3,802 to 51,608.
Health experts tonight appeared unanimous in their view that the PM’s admission to intensive care means he is ‘extremely sick’.
But the four litres of oxygen which the Times reports were given to Mr Johnson is below the 15-litre threshold for typical intensive care patients, suggesting he is not as ill as most in ICUs.
World leaders and politicians around the globe rallied around Mr Johnson, who received well wishers from David Cameron, Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sent a tweet saying his thoughts and prayers are with Mr Johnson this morning.
He said: ‘To my dear friend @BorisJohnson , my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, as you fight for a swift recovery. The people of Japan stand with the British people at this difficult time.’
The Queen has also been kept informed by Downing Street about Mr Johnson’s condition, Buckingham Palace said.
Mr Raab last night vowed to keep the machines of government firing on all cylinders while the PM recovered.
The one-time Tory leadership contender said: ‘The Prime Minister is in safe hands with that brilliant team at St Thomas’ hospital, and the focus of the Government will continue to be on making sure that the Prime Minister’s direction, all the plans for making sure that we can defeat coronavirus and can pull the country through this challenge, will be taken forward.’
He added: ‘There’s an incredibly strong team spirit behind the Prime Minister, and making sure that we get all of the plans the Prime Minister’s instructed us to deliver, to get them implemented as soon as possible.
‘And that’s the way it will bring the whole country through the coronavirus challenge that we face right now.’
Senior doctors branded the PM’s admission to intensive care a ‘huge concern’ and underscores how indiscriminate the virus is.
Dr Simon Clarke, a professor on cellular microbiology at Reading University, told Sky News: ‘The NHS particularly in this moment doesn’t give up intensive care beds just for people to be looked over. It doesn’t work that way even for PMs.
‘He wouldn’t be in intensive care unless he needed to be in intensive care. Especially not at this time.’
He added: ‘It is probably about time that the press people in No10 started levelling with us about what his condition really is.’
Downing Street sources confirmed Mr Johnson is not yet on a ventilator, although medical experts forecast this course of action is ‘very likely’.
Prof Derek Hill, Professor of Medical Imaging, University College London, said: ‘As often happens with COVID-19, his condition has now deteriorated so he has been admitted to intensive care where he is very likely to have been put on a mechanical ventilator to breath for him.’
He added: ‘One of the features of COVID-19 in all countries seems to be that many more men become seriously ill than women – especially in the over 40 age group.
‘Also we know that people under about 60 seem to have a higher chance of making a recovery from critical illness with COVID-19 than older people. But there is no doubt this turn of events means Boris Johnson is extremely sick.’
Mr Johnson’s pregnant fiancée Carrie Symonds, who is due in the early summer, is self-isolating in her own Camberwell apartment with the couple’s dog Dilyn after symptoms surfaced.
The 32-year-old said on Saturday: ‘I’ve spent the past week in bed with the main symptoms of Coronavirus. I haven’t needed to be tested and, after seven days of rest, I feel stronger and I’m on the mend.’
Politicians of all stripes rallied around Mr Johnson, including from ex-prime minister David Cameron and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: ‘My thoughts are with the PM and his family – sending him every good wish.’
Mr Johnson fell ill with the virus on the same day as Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has since recovered.
Alarm bells started ringing that the nerve centre of the government’s crisis response had been compromised when chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and top Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings also began showing symptoms. (Mail)
By Dr Masimba Mavaza| MDC has an engine running twenty four hours. This is the engine of scheming and plotting.
As the establishment’s need to keep Mwonzora and all the senior folks away from power has grown more urgent and desperate, so has the nature of the attacks which has become physical and brutal. The debacle exposes MDC shenanigans and under hand operations in the MDC.
Ideologically Mwonzora was resolutely against the thrust of four decades of a turbo-charged neoliberal capitalism and sanctions. Mwonzora practices mature politics while Chamisa surrounded himself with those who advocate for student politics. The radicalism in Chamisa was a clashing point with the conservative veterans in the MDC. Chamisa failed to mature fast; he could not move from student politics to national politics.
His marriage with Job and Biti stinks to the the high places. He surrounded himself with inexperienced over excited morons who can not appeal to the seasoned mature politicians like Mwonzora, Komichi and Mudzuri. So Mwonzora, Mudzuri and Komichi were singled out for expulsion. All what had to be done was wait for the opportune moment. So two distinctive factions emerged within MDC.
Chamisa had the support of Biti and Job Sikhala both Biti and Sikhala are political prostitutes who left MDC after sharp differences with Tsvangirai. Tsvangirai had to resort to violence which helped him to fire Biti and Mangoma. Job had left earlier to form MDC 99. Their rebellious behaviour did not sit well with Mwonzora hence the friction.
Mwonzora was not kin to have Biti back in the big tent.
In the latest of the interminable media “furores” about Mwonzora dating ZANU PF supposed unfitness to lead MDC it is easy to forget where we were shortly before Mwonzora became a target for cleansing. He had won the support of an overwhelming majority of MDC members to head the party’s secretariat department a position he beat Chamisa to.
In the preceding years, it was hard to contain Mwonzora whose influence was too much for Chamisa to handle. Mwonzora had reinvented himself, after years of battling rebellious attitude which Chamisa and his inner circle were introducing in the party , as a spiritual guru-cum-political revolutionary in the MDC Mwonzora gained the hatred of the youthful overzealous group then hamisa group backed by the NEC and by the vanguard.
Chamisa employed all dirty tactics to soil Mwonzora and all those who represented the old MDC guards. The recalling of Biti and Welshman NCUBE Sikhala and the crew was to see the final takeover of the MDC by Chamisa.
The senior Adviser to Chamisa, Tendai Biti does not hide his dislike of Mwonzora and he has put much pressure to have him removed from the party. It is not a secret that Biti is a schemer and he has his eyes on the throne. If he removes those he sees as obstacles it will be easy for him to elbow chamisa out. Biti is fully aware that Chamisa commands the support of the majority supporters so he is playing his cards carefully.
Biti’s fast-talking, plain-speaking criticism of the existing political order, calling it discredited, unaccountable and unrepresentative, was greeted with smirking condescension by the political and media establishment. Nonetheless, in an era before Chamisa had become president of the party which is not a party, the media were happy to indulge him for a while, seemingly believing he or his ideas might prove a ratings winner with younger audiences.
But Chamisa started to look rather more impressive than anyone could have imagined. He took on supposed party heavyweights like Mudzuri Mwonzora and Orbert Gutu he charmed and shamed them into submission – both with his compassion and his thoughtful radicalism. Even in the gladiatorial-style battle of wits he made these titans of the political world look mediocre, shallow and out of touch. He was quick to connect any descending voice with ZANU PF. With Chamisa anyone who does not support him is ZANU PF or CIO.
Rumours of these head-to-heads allegations against the old guard went viral, and Chamisa fooled and won hundreds of thousands of new followers who are youthful.
Then he overstepped the mark and assumed the dictatorial tendencies. Chamisa is a product of illegality so anything legal in his party he fights it with all his heart.
Instead of simply criticising the political system, Chamisa argued that it was in fact so rigged by the powerful, by corporate interests, that party democracy had become a charade. Elections were pointless. Our votes were simply a fig-leaf, concealing the fact that our political leaders were there to represent not us but the interests of globe-spanning corporations.
Political and media elites had been captured by unshored corporate money. Our voices had become irrelevant.
Mwonzora didn’t just talk the talk. He started committing to direct action. Mwonzora’s revolutionary words had turned into revolutionary action
But just as Chamisa’s rejection of the old politics began to articulate a wider mood, it was stopped in its tracks by the Supreme Court. After Chamisa was unexpectedly elevated to the party presidency offering for the first time in living memory a politics that did not listen to people before money, his style of rejectionism looked a little too cynical, or at least premature.
While Chamisa’s illegal victory marked a sea-change, it is worth recalling, however, that it occurred only because of a mistake. Or perhaps two.
First, a handful of NEC members agreed to nominate Chamisa for the leadership contest, scraping him past the threshold needed to get on the throne without procedures.
Most backed him only because they wanted to give the impression of an election that was fair and open. After his victory, some loudly regretted having assisted him. None had thought a representative of the tiny and besieged left wing of the parliamentary party stood a chance of winning – not after ED and his acolytes had spent more than two years remaking ZANU PF using their own version of entryism to eradicate any vestiges of socialism in the party.
Chamisa had very different ideas from most of his colleagues. Over the years he had broken with the consensus of the dominant Tsvangirai faction time and again consistently taking a minority view that later proved to be on the right side of history.
He alone among the leadership contenders spoke unequivocally against unity with ZANU PF regarding it as a way to leech away more public money to enrich the corporations and banks that had already pocketed vast sums from the public coffers – so much so that by 2018 they had nearly bankrupted the entire economic system.
And second, Chamisa won because of a recent change in the party’s rulebook – one now much regretted by party managers. The members, unlike the party machine, wanted Chamisa
Even the best designed systems have flaws, especially when the maintenance of the system’s image as benevolent is considered vitally important. It wasn’t that Chamisa’s ascendency had shown MDC’s political system was flawed and unaccountable. It was simply evidence that corporate power had made itself vulnerable to a potential accident by preferring to work out of sight, in the shadows, to maintain the illusion of democracy. Chamisa was that accident.
‘Brainwashing under freedom’
Chamisa’s success also wasn’t evidence that the power structure he challenged had weakened. The system was still in place and it still had a chokehold on the political and media establishments that exist to uphold its interests. Which is why it has been mobilising these forces endlessly to damage Mwonzora and team and avert the risk of a further, even more disastrous “accident”, such as his becoming Zimbabwean President. ..
Listing the ways the media have sought to undermine Mwonzora would sound preposterous to anyone not deeply immersed in these media-constructed narratives. But almost all of us have been exposed to this kind of “brainwashing under freedom” since birth.
The initial attacks on Mwonzora were for being poorly dressed, sexist, unstatesmanlike, a security threat, a ZANU PF spy – relentless, unsubstantiated smears the like of which no other party leader had ever faced. But over time the allegations became even more outrageously propagandistic as the campaign to undermine him intensified with Welshman Ncube Biti and Sikhala forming a force behind Chamisa aimed at Mwonzora.
As the establishment’s need to keep him away from power has grown more urgent and desperate so has the nature of the attacks.
It was difficult to attack Mwonzora directly for these positions. There was the danger that he might prove popular with voters. But Mwonzora was seen to have an Achilles’ heel. He was a life-long anti Mugabe activist and well known for his support for the rights of the long-suffering Zimbabweans. He was soon being presented as a leader happy to preside over an “institutionally” ZANU PF party.
The bad faith of the Mwonzora ZANU PF smears were particularly clear.
MDC has been typical in mischaracterising Mwonzora’s remarks not once but each time it has covered developments in his case.
That system is not impregnable, however.
As long as we colluded in the manufactured consensus of tyrant the system operated without challenge or meaningful dissent. A deeply ideological system destroying democracy was treated as if it was natural, immutable, the summit of human progress, the end of history. Those times are over. Accidents like Chamisa will happen more frequently, as will extreme climate events and economic crises.
The power structures in place to prevent such accidents will by necessity grow more ham-fisted, more belligerent, less concealed to get their way. And we might finally understand that a system designed to pacify many while a few grow rich at the expense of our children’s future and our own does not have to continue. That we can raise our voices and loudly say: “No!” The plot against Mwonzora shows that MDC can not be trusted with our nation. Too much underhand activities. The party is being run mafia style and Biti Sikhala and professor Ncube are vampires waiting to swallow our democracy. The interest Zimbabwe should have in MDC affairs is vested in the fact that our heroes fought for Democracy and died for democracy. It therefore pains them to sit and see a dictator being created under our nose.
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) has called for an investigation into the second COVID-19 death in the country.
Here’s the ZADHR statement in full:
STATEMENT ON SECOND COVID-19 DEATH
07 April 2020
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) calls for an urgent audit of the circumstances leading to the death of patient number 11 diagnosed with COVID -19 in Zimbabwe (Ministry of Health and Child Care Comnavirus (COVID-19) Update: 07 April 2020). ZADHR is deeply concerned by the continued lack of preparedness in handling severe COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe. Equally. we are extremely worried by the possible exposure of health workers both in private and public facilities who are working without PPEs. We urge the health authorities to account for the following grey areas in the management of this case:
i. It took five days (from 2nd April to 7th April) to get the result of the COVID-19 test a period which is rather too long. The absence of diagnostic facilities for COVID-19brings to question the state of preparedness of centre outside Harare. What is the government doing to improve the turn-around time for tests?
ii. The patient was treated at a local hospital. Is this an infectious diseases hospital or a COVID-19 designated facility? Previously the Minister of Health and Child Care has assured the nation that the country is ready to deal with COVID 19 cases countrywide. The lack of clarity arouses lots of questions.
iii. The inability to diagnose on time is a clear sign that health professionals attending the deceased were exposed as they lack essential protective equipment (PPEs).
iv. Does this case reflect the lack of knowledge on the case definition for suspected cases of COVID-19? The patient was first seen on 23 March and was not advised to self-quarantine. get tested for COVID-19, and managed as a suspected case.
v. What is the state of preparedness in centres outside Harare?
ZADHR believes this case and the continued demise of severe cases of COVID-19 patients mirrors the utter lack of preparedness of the health system. It also reflects the minimal focus on other regions outside Harare. Lastly, the Minister of Health and Child Care must be made to account on what he referred to when he claimed the country was prepared for COVID-19 when such regional inequities and pervasive logistical issues chara
Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi says the army will defend the country against "intruders."
VOA|Botswana’s president has proposed extending a state of emergency in the southern African country to last six months.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi says the measure is needed because people are not complying with restrictions on movement to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Critics worry the plan, if initiated, would put too much power in the hands of the president.
Botswana’s parliament will convene on Wednesday to deliberate on Masisi’s proposal.
The president wants the state of emergency, declared last week in reaction to the outbreak of the coronavirus, to last six months.
Initially, Masisi had announced a 28-day lockdown period after the southern African country recorded its first six coronavirus cases, including one death, last week.
“I will cause, therefore, to be a meeting of parliament at which I will seek the endorsement of parliament to extend the state of public emergency for a total period of six months, for the single purpose of dealing with COVID-19, totally based on the signs available and the advice we got from our experts,” he said.
Under the state of emergency, the president will hold absolute power.
Local political analyst Lawrence Ookeditse argues such a move would pose a risk to the country’s democracy.
“For a republic, for a democracy and for a country in which the leading president and the leading party won an election on the basis of the rule of law, I think it’s too long a period of time. It brings in a period of instability and uncertainty,” he said.
Masisi said the rule of law will be respected during the state of emergency.
“Those who are schooled in law advised that it is not a suspension of the constitution, neither will it be a total abrogation of rights people hold, as courts will function. Any matter can be taken to court if anybody believes their rights have been unduly oppressed,” he said.
Masisi’s ruling Botswana Democratic Party has control of the National Assembly, after winning 38 of the 57 seats in parliament in last October’s general election.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s, they do not reflect the views of Opera News.
ILLEGAL money changers are slowly coming back to the city centre in Bulawayo while a majority are now operating from residential areas as the 21-day national lockdown entered Day 9 yesterday.
The money changers, in blatant defiance of the lockdown directive for people to stay at home, have started pushing street forex rates up again.
Government last week allowed businesses to trade in forex and pegged the US dollar at 1:25.
At the time, street rates were as high as 1:43 for electronic transfers and due to absence of money changers on the street, they went as low as 32 but had risen to around 39 yesterday.
The lockdown which started last week on Monday, is meant to mitigate against the spread of Covid-19 which has infected more than 1,3 million people globally and killed over 78 000.
In Zimbabwe, 10 have been infected and one has died.
The shutdown entails that citizens should only leave home for essential movements like seeking health services, buying food and medicines.
However, the illegal money changers who do not constitute essential services have started coming back to the streets.
Some of them are now operating in western suburbs as most citizens are not getting into the central business district.
Over the past few days, The Chronicle has observed that the number of illegal money changers is increasing by the day.
In the central business district, most of them were operating from cars in their main spots including areas surrounding Tredgold Buildings, popularly known as the World Bank for money changers. Some of them were operating along Leopold Takawira Avenue between Fort Street and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street while others were operating along Jason Moyo Street between 8th and 9th Avenues.
Another spot that had illegal money changers was along George Silundika Street between 10th and 11th Avenues.
At Entumbane and Nkulumane the illegal money changers are taking advantage of increased traffic of people visiting the suburban shopping malls to buy groceries among other things. They are said to be also targeting diaspora remittances after the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe instructed international money transfer agencies to start operating from today.
An illegal money changer who spoke on condition of anonymity said only a few money changers were operating.
“This is our way of survival. We have no option but to return to the streets. How come some people are going out to buy groceries. If we do not do this we will starve with our families,” said the illegal currency dealer.
Another one said they were getting their float from Harare but only trusted traders were being given the money as some have come up with “stories” during the 21-day lockdown period.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said police officers also observed that the money changers were coming back to the streets, defying Government lockdown measures.
“As we were doing our lockdown campaigns in the central business district, we observed that Osiphatheleni were coming back to the streets. We ordered those who were in their cars to leave town and comply with Government’s directive on lockdown. We will continue conducting raids on them,” said Insp Ncube.
“We have realised that they are taking advantage of the fact that some members of the public would be coming into town for essential services. These illegal money changers also want to take advantage of those coming into town.”
A PROPHET who caused the death of a four-year old dumb girl from Bulawayo after prescribing a herbal concoction purportedly to help her gain speech has been sentenced to a wholly suspended prison term.
Senzeni Jiyane (61) of Makokoba suburb was jointly charged for murder together with the deceased’s mother, Lindiwe Ncube (38) of Mzilikazi suburb.
They were however acquitted of murder and convicted of a lesser charge of culpable homicide by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa.
The two were both sentenced to four years in jail each, wholly suspended for five years on condition that each one of them does not within that period commit a similar crime.
In passing the sentence, Justice Mabhikwa warned faith healers against experimenting with people’s lives, saying the courts have a duty to protect the sanctity of human life.
“These courts, however, and as usual, will not condone the loss of life that was so special. Traditional healers, faith healers and prophets alike will better be warned that the courts will not look aside as they at times experiment with people’s lives,” he said.
Justice Mabhikwa said the courts do not condone acts of negligence which result in loss of life.
“In casu, the child could not communicate effectively as she was dumb and the accused persons should have taken extra precaution. Negligence that leads to the death of a human being, let alone a child, will not be tolerated and both accused persons are each sentenced to four years imprisonment wholly suspended for five years,” ruled the judge.
Prosecuting, Mr Blessing Gundani said on March 5 last year, Ncube took her daughter Thabile Ncube, who was dumb, to Jiyane’s shrine for healing.
Upon arrival at the shrine, they found Jiyane conducting prayer sessions.
Ncube approached Jiyane seeking assistance for her daughter. As part of her healing, Jiyane prepared a mixture of salt, two eggs, water and an unidentified herb to serve the child.
“Jiyane prayed for the deceased’s healing after which she then prepared a concoction of eggs, salt and water and the accused person gave the child the concoction to drink,” said Mr Gundani.
The court heard that after drinking the concoction for two days, the child started screaming and bleeding from the mouth and nose.
Ncube then took her daughter to Mpilo Central Hospital where she died at the Paediatrics Casualty ward three days later.
According to the post mortem report the cause of death was aspiration pneumonitis and concoction ingestion.
A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of the two accused persons.
THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) says the latest fuel price increase has been caused by the recent adjustment in the forex exchange rate, which is now fixed at US$1:ZWL$25 on official platforms.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has also granted the greenlight for consumers and businesses to trade in foreign currency and suspended, until further notice, any increase in charges related to the provision of electronic payments.
The interventions are part of monetary measures in response to the financial vulnerabilities caused by Covid-19. In this regard Government has shelved the ‘managed floating exchange’ model and adopted a fixed exchange rate system pegged at interbank level of ZW$25 to the US dollar. This has seen Zera increasing the pump price of diesel and petrol.
“Please be advised that the fuel prices effective 05 April 2020 are as follows: maximum pump price for diesel ZWL$21,52, blend E5 ZWL$21,77 per litre.
“Operators may, however, sell at prices below the cap depending on their trading advantages,” said the energy regulator.
“The causes of the increase is the exchange rate. Remember our previous price was pegged at ZWL$18,42 and now we have got an exchange rate of ZWL$25 to the dollar (United States) and then duty on petrol.
“And duty, when we had the previous price regime (before the latest price adjustment), it was ZWL$4,26 for diesel, ZWL$4,44 for petrol, it’s now ZWL$5,82 diesel and ZWL$7,28 for petrol.”
Mr Mazambani said when looking at the prices in US dollars, the country is far below the regional comparison.
“Our prices are way below a dollar. In actual fact, if you look at the previous prices in dollars, it’s more than the prices we have now in US dollar terms.
“So, as much as the prices might have increased in RTGS form, in actual fact in US dollar terms, the prices have actually come down, which is in line with the international trade.
“It’s just that the exchange rate moved and also the duties moved,” he said.
Meanwhile, crude oil prices have plunged to US$20 per barrel, which is the lowest since 2002, on the back of low demand due to a global lockdown on coronavirus fears.
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), and Russia were expected to meet this week to discuss oil output cuts until Thursday.
Zimbabwe’s largest fresh produce market, Mbare Musika, reopened after it had been closed under the lockdown restrictions imposed by the government to control the spread of the coronavirus.
This followed a directive by President Mnangagwa last week that farmers should bring their produce to the markets during the lockdown period without hindrance.
However, the government has failed to ensure the safety of farmers and traders as there is no social distancing, sanitisers, medical face masks and control.
The market is open for a few hours, from 0600 hrs to 1130 hrs but the situation is considered a ticking Coronavirus time bomb.
CHAOTIC scenes were witnessed at the market place in Bulawayo yesterday as it also opened up.
It took police and soldiers to maintain law and order as people wrestled each other during the commotion.
Long winding queues were the order of the day as people from all walks of life thronged various fruit and vegetable shops. In some shops, elderly persons could be seen pleading with shop employees to get first preference.
Anti-riot police and soldiers kept a close eye as they continually monitored the potentially volatile situation characterised by an exchange of harsh words, particularly from vendors who accused each other of attempting to jump queues during the melee.
Farmers whose produce was destroyed by Mutare city’s health department at the Sakubva vegetable market last week will be compensated.
Three tonnes of vegetables were confiscated from more than 300 farmers that had converged at the market to sell their produce.
Manicaland Covid-19 Taskforce chairperson Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba has described the incident as unfortunate and said all the affected farmers would receive part of the $600 million being extended to small businesses, vendors and the elderly by Government to compensate them for loss of income.
“The incident that happened at Sakubva market was unfortunate, especially given that we had come up with modalities on how people could continue to trade, but in an organised fashion under the watch of our forces to ensure adherence to issues of hygiene and social distancing,” she said.
“The fact that they all ran means they were aware that they were violating the conditions of the lockdown. But as a leadership with the people at heart, we understand that people were trying to find a way of survival and that they lost out on hard-earned income.”
So far, only 14 farmers have come forward and submitted their names for compensation.
Minister Gwaradzimba urged all the affected farmers to register with the provincial taskforce.
Zimbabwe’s 11th confirmed Covid-19 case and second death is that of Bulawayo man (79), who died on Saturday after being initially admitted to hospital for pneumonia.
In a statement last night, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said the patient first saw his own doctor on March 23 with a sore throat and fever. When he did not improve on the oral antibiotics prescribed, he was hospitalised in Bulawayo last Thursday showing the symptoms of a cough, difficulty in breathing, sore throat and fever.
He had not travelled outside Zimbabwe, but had visited a tourist resort in Hwange from March 14 to 16.
He was admitted for clinical management of bacterial pneumonia. But his condition deteriorated on Thursday and he was moved into the intensive care unit and management in isolation under a specialist physician. The Bulawayo Covid-19 response team took samples and sent these to the national laboratory in Harare.
While awaiting the results, his medical team continued to treat him both for pneumonia and Covid-19, but his condition continued to deteriorate until he died, said the Ministry. His contacts are now being traced.
The 23-year-old Bikita woman who was tested for Covid-19 has had her results back and they show she is negative.
Ministry of Health and Child Care CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE: 07 APRIL 2020 The Ministry would like to report that today, the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory (NMRL) tested 21 samples.
One of these, tested positive for COVID-19 bringing to eleven the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported to date.
However, this eleventh case passed away in hospital on Saturday 4th April 2020.
The eleventh case was a 79-year-old-male resident of Bulawayo who initially presented to a General Practitioner on the 23rd of March 2020 with a history of cough, sore throat and fever. When he did not improve on oral antibiotic treatment, he presented to a local hospital on Thursday 2 April 2020, where he was admitted.
At the time of admission, he had presented with cough, difficulty in breathing, sore throat and fever but no reported history of travel outside Zimbabwe.
He however indicated that he had been to a tourist resort in Hwange from the 14. to le March 2020. He was therefore admitted for clinical management as a case of bacterial Pneumonia with an underlying comorbidity.
His condition deteriorated during the evening of the day of admission and he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for critical care and management in isolation under a Specialist Physician. The local COVID-19 Rapid Response Team was called in and samples were collected and sent to the NMRL for COVID-19 testing.
Whilst waiting for the COVID-I9 test results, the patient continued to receive intravenous antibiotics and additionally, he received medical treatment as a clinical case of COVID-19.
On Saturday the 4th April, his condition continued to deteriorate despite management in ICU until he deceased.
Contact tracing for the above case is in progress and the Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-I9 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Ministry would like to remind the nation that, the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-I9 are to practise good personal hygiene and social distancing.
For assistance, please call the COVID-I9 toll free hotline number: 2019.
DYNAMOS founder member and board chairman Bernard Marriot has rubbished as unfounded reports that The Glamour boys were mooting a sensational pull-out from the Premier Soccer League in protest over what they claimed was meagre sponsorship from Delta Beverages.
Sources had claimed that the country’s most successful club had raised the red flag over the PSL package from Delta Beverages which they felt was too little compared to the mileage that the beverages manufacturer, through their Castle brand, was getting. “DeMbare are not happy and they want to pull out.
At the moment they also want their biggest rival Highlanders to buy into the idea then other smaller teams will naturally follow. DeMbare wanted, from the sponsorship package, Delta Beverages to cover such issues as playing uniforms and quarterly grants,” a source had claimed to this publication.
The same source said some ambitious Division One teams would also be approached in what would initially be a 14-team league with a mobile phone operator as well as a leading financial institution being earmarked to bankroll the league that would be called Zimbabwe Super League (ZSL).
Highlanders chairman Kenneth Mhlophe recently told an online publication that the Bulawayo giants have no intention of breaking away from the PSL.
In 1975 Highlanders pulled out of the then Rhodesia National Football League over ill-treatment and dissatisfaction with the national administration led by John Madzima.
In 1979 a number of Harare-based teams saw the wisdom behind Bosso action and joined them leading to the formation of the National Professional Soccer League.
However, in an interview yesterday Marriot said such talk is the imagination of enemies of progress as they were happy with the work being done by the Premier Soccer League. “I wonder where all this talk is coming from.
People must remember that it was Dynamos together with teams like Black Rhinos and Chapungu that started organised football way back in the 1960s and if we are not happy with the way things are done in the league, we will approach them directly, why should we be cowards and pull out?
“As Dynamos we are happy with our participation in the PSL,” said Marriot.-State media
Ministry of Health and Child Care CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE: 07 APRIL 2020 The Ministry would like to report that today, the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory (NMRL) tested 21 samples. One of these, tested positive for COVID-19 bringing to eleven the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported to date.
However, this eleventh case passed away in hospital on Saturday 4th April 2020.
The eleventh case was a 79-year-old-male resident of Bulawayo who initially presented to a General Practitioner on the 23rd of March 2020 with a history of cough, sore throat and fever. When he did not improve on oral antibiotic treatment, he presented to a local hospital on Thursday 2 April 2020, where he was admitted.
At the time of admission, he had presented with cough, difficulty in breathing, sore throat and fever but no reported history of travel outside Zimbabwe.
He however indicated that he had been to a tourist resort in Hwange from the 14. to le March 2020. He was therefore admitted for clinical management as a case of bacterial Pneumonia with an underlying comorbidity.
His condition deteriorated during the evening of the day of admission and he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for critical care and management in isolation under a Specialist Physician. The local COVID-19 Rapid Response Team was called in and samples were collected and sent to the NMRL for COVID-19 testing.
Whilst waiting for the COVID-I9 test results, the patient continued to receive intravenous antibiotics and additionally, he received medical treatment as a clinical case of COVID-19.
On Saturday the 4th April, his condition continued to deteriorate despite management in ICU until he deceased.
Contact tracing for the above case is in progress and the Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-I9 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Ministry would like to remind the nation that, the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-I9 are to practise good personal hygiene and social distancing.
For assistance, please call the COVID-I9 toll free hotline number: 2019.
ILLEGAL money changers are slowly coming back to the city centre in Bulawayo while a majority are now operating from residential areas as the 21-day national lockdown entered Day 9 yesterday.
The money changers, in blatant defiance of the lockdown directive for people to stay at home, have started pushing street forex rates up again.
Government last week allowed businesses to trade in forex and pegged the US dollar at 1:25.
At the time, street rates were as high as 1:43 for electronic transfers and due to absence of money changers on the street, they went as low as 32 but had risen to around 39 yesterday.
The lockdown which started last week on Monday, is meant to mitigate against the spread of Covid-19 which has infected more than 1,3 million people globally and killed over 78 000.-State media
Farai Dziva|MDC Youth Assembly chairperson Tererai Obey Sithole has dismissed reports that Senator Douglas Mwonzora is now in charge of Morgan Tsvangirai House.
“The news that one Douglas Mwonzora has taken over our party HQ is fake and remains fake!!!
I was not only at the HQ but I was in my office, having conversations with some members of the staff manning our offices during this lockdown period.
Stay calm, President Nelson Chamisa is in charge,” Sithole wrote on Facebook.
“Just finished a very fruitful meeting with the MDC Alliance North America Province Youth Assembly leadership.
Their support remains unwavering, their message is very clear, Nelson Chamisa is our President. Locally & abroad shoko ndiro ndiro, Chamisa Chete Chete!”
MDC Alliance co-vice president Welshman Ncube has said the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T will not be able to hold an extraordinary congress as it lacks the required quorum.
In an interview with CITE , Ncube said Khupe, Douglas Mwonzora and Morgen Komichi cannot implement the Supreme Court judgement which declared that Khupe is the legitimate MDC-T acting president because the 2014 structures are no longer there. The majority of the people who were in the structures are now within the MDC Alliance structures.
Said Ncube: Unless they create fake structures they are incapable of implementing that Supreme Court judgement because those 2014 structures in 2018 they didn’t exist.
If they go to individuals to say we want to put you in structures those individuals will say we don’t want because they are members of the MDC Alliance, they are not interested in this Zanu PF project, it is an impossibility it can’t be done.
They can’t convene a meeting of the National Council with a quorum, they cannot hold a congress without a quorum.
Remember that congress will require two-thirds of congress members for you to have congress.
Where are they going to get it from? Mwonzora is however on record saying if people decided to boycott the congress, a decision will be made on their behalf by others.-CITE
Farai Dziva|Former MDC- T vice president Obert Chaurura Gutu has vowed to sabotage MDC president Nelson Chamisa’s 2023 Presidential bid.
In an interview with an online publucation, Gutu described his homeboy as a “young dictator.”
Gutu also boasted of blocking Chamisa’s path.
However, political observers believe Gutu’s remarks are loaded with emotional overtones.
According to NewsDay senior reporter, Blessed Mhlanga, Gutu’s latest remarks indicate that Khupe’s party does not want State power or to serve the people but to stop Chamisa from becoming the president of Zimbabwe.
“Gutu has just spilt the beans – they don’t want state power or to serve the people noooo. They just want to stop @nelsonchamisa.
The truth is only @nelsonchamisa and @edmnangagwa have a plan of getting into power.”
