THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc), working with the police has advised tenants to anonymously use their offices and police stations to report landlords who are demanding rentals in foreign currency as the body prepares to swoop on the culprits.

Most landlords across the country are demanding rentals in foreign currency for both residential and business properties. A survey by Sunday News revealed that the practice of charging rentals in foreign currency has spread to almost all towns and cities in the country.

In Bulawayo landlords in the high-density suburbs are charging 100 Rand for a room while some charge US$50 for a five-roomed house. In the low density suburbs landlords charge between US$200 and US$400 per month for a three-bedroomed house.

“In the eastern suburbs the charges vary depending on the type of surburb, location and state of the property,” said an estate agent with offices along George Silundika Street. In Gweru houses in Mkoba are going for about US$100 per month.

Students from Midlands State University (MSU) who rent in Senga are made to pay US$50 per head and a landlord rakes in as much as US$500 for an average house in the high-density suburb.

“It depends on the landlord, some are charging US$50 while others are demanding US$20 per head,” said a student from MSU.

In Gwanda, landlords prefer to charge in Rand and houses are pegged between R200 and R2 000 per month.

However, Zacc has reiterated the Government’s stance that the foreign currency demands were illegal. Zacc spokesperson Mr John Makamure told Sunday News that while the monitoring of rental charges was not their primary mandate, they were, however, working with the police to ensure the implementation of Statutory Instrument 213 of 2019 which criminalises the charging in forex without seeking such a mandate from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

“What is happening is that we are working with the police in monitoring this therefore we encourage members of the public to either approach our officials or their nearest police station. As you might know Zacc and the police are more of one entity in fighting such corrupt elements, worse still when there is a specific law that criminalises such acts,” said Mr Makamure.

Affirmative Action Group Matabeleland Chapter president Mr Reginald Shoko took a swipe at the landlords saying such people were not only bleeding the economy but were contributing to the suffering of Zimbabweans.

He said the fact that the landlords collected rentals in forex but subsequently were not remitting their taxes and rates in the same currencies was reason enough for them to be arrested and charged for corruption.

“We know that some people now think it is normal to demand rentals in forex but what monthly repairs do they do to their properties that require foreign currency, they don’t pay rentals in forex, neither do they remit taxes in forex. Clearly these people are contributing to the country’s economic meltdown because what they are doing is tantamount to money laundering,” said Mr Shoko.

Bulawayo Real Estate managing director, Mr Michael Nekati said while it was illegal for landlords to charge their rentals in forex, they were faced with a situation where some were demanding such payment as a means of cushioning themselves from inflation. 

“It is a difficult scenario because while you have the law that criminalises this practice, landlords come in and claim there is a problem of the runaway inflation hence I feel there is a need for relevant stakeholders to look into this and come up with a lasting solution,” said Mr Nekati.

Meanwhile, Bulawayo residents are also up in arms with the council over the local authority’s recent move to effect a 716 percent rates and rental hike, with residents arguing that it violates their basic human rights. This comes amid revelations that a meeting organised by the council in Mpopoma to explain the council’s new credit policy was abandoned after the local authority sent a junior official.

The local authority this month started billing residents using their new rates as prescribed by the approved 2020 budget with a survey by this publication revealing that residents are now forking out between $280 and $700 in council rates per month.

In a letter to the Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) secretary for administration Mr Thembelani Dube said the new tariffs left residents exposed to the poverty trap as a huge chunk, if not all their monthly savings would now be directed to paying of council bills.

“The high increase means that residents will be forced to pay more than 50 percent of their earnings towards utility bills which directly violates the economic principles which recommends that utility bills should not cost more than six percent of one’s earnings for them to be considered affordable.

“The new rates fall outside what ordinary civil servants earn and what residents are able to generate from informal trading. Residents will not be able to escape the poverty trap given the high cost of rates as they shall be left with no disposable incomes to pay on other needs after paying council,” said Mr Dube.

The residents further accused the local authority of ignoring their concerns regarding the budget claiming it was not accurate that residents had endorsed it during outreaches held by council.

“This has been vindicated by the fact that during the consultations on the credit policy, council is sending junior employees who go on their own without anyone recording minutes and residents’ views. A meeting was recently aborted in Mpopoma after residents protested the decision by BCC to send a junior council employee with no one to take minutes and record their grievances. Residents felt taken for granted by this gesture,” said Mr Dube.

Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni is on record saying it was impossible for the local authority to review downwards its new rates as these had been endorsed by both the residents and the Government. He added that the new rates will enable council to provide services to residents.

Standard|President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s security details went into overdrive during an event at the Zanu PF leader’s Kwekwe farm, going to the extent of using a drone in scouring for potential threats.

Guests that sat with Mnangagwa at the VVIP tent during a field day held at his farm last Thursday revealed that close circuit television cameras had been set up to monitor proceedings at the high table.

The VVIP tent accommodated Mnangagwa, his wife Auxillia, cabinet ministers, Zanu PF politburo members, ZCC founder Nehemiah Mutendi and top executives from agro-based companies led by Seedco.

A drone, which was being operated by military personnel took aerial shots to monitor the event.

Villagers from the Sherwood area said some soldiers had frisked them while they were carrying out their normal chores far from Pricabe Farm where the field day was being held.

“My friend was setting up his traps for mice and was rounded up by the soldiers who perhaps thought he could have been doing something sinister. He was later freed after being quizzed,” said a villager.

Mnangagwa used a helicopter to travel to the farm.

On the 3km strip road from the Harare highway to the farm, there were four security checkpoints with the ZRP manning the middle one while soldiers were at the other two checkpoints.

Nick Mangwana, the government spokesperson, said there was nothing unusual about Mnangagwa’s security arrangements.

“Any security arrangements are always dynamic to remove any predictability and details of such are not a subject of public discourse,” he said.

But political analyst Eldred Masunungure said the increased security around Mnangagwa was understandable given the volatile situation in the country.

“Currently the situation is volatile and anything can happen,” he said.

“The centre cannot hold and it is a matter of how long it can stay like that.”

Another political analyst, Rashweat Mukundu, said Mnangagwa should be a worried man due to the current deepening economic crisis.

“Generally one coup begets another because coups are antithesis of democracy and inspired by selfishness yet what we want is orderly, peaceful and constitutional transitions,” he said,
“While this is possible it is not something we should wish for as citizens, but rather that the right of citizens to elect leaders remains sacrosanct as per the constitution.”

Mnangagwa rose to power in 2017 after long time rule Robert Mugabe was toppled in a military coup.

Barely three months after telling the nation to eat, vegetables and potatoes, because the country was going through tough economic challenges, President Emmerson Mnangagwa told thousands of villagers gathered at his Kwekwe farm that he only ate meat with his meals.

On Thursday, Mnangagwa organised a field day at his Precabe Farm where scores of government ministers were on tow to marvel at their boss’ farming prowess.

Also in attendance were villagers from the local community.

During his address, Mnangagwa could not hide his love for meat to go along with his meals.

“At this farm, we have plenty of livestock including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and countless poultry. From all those we eat whatever, we want when we feel like,” he told his guests.

“Here we say production, production and trade. So to add value to the crops we produce here, we moved to processing and marketing. We chose maize and wheat which we value-add.

“If we all show interest in farming we can kick hunger out of the country. If we embrace new forms of farming, our country will be food sufficient,” he said.

Early this year, Mnangagwa shocked Zimbabweans when he urged them to eat vegetables and potatoes because the country was facing economic challenges and doctors encouraged people not to eat meat as it was unhealthy.

“Ahh! Meat! How about vegetables? Doctors recommend that people should eat vegetables. Doctors want you to eat vegetables so that you will be healthy, meat is not good for you,” Mnangagwa told Kuwadzana residents in Harare who had complained that meat was now expensive.

“I think I beg to differ. I listen to what the doctors say that’s why I eat vegetables.”

All Africa / Newzimbabwe

SILAS Songani marked his return to the domestic scene with two goals, the first a marvellous free kick to propel FC Platinum to victory over Highlanders in the Castle Challenge Cup match at Barbourfields Stadium, in an entertaining fixture that was marred by crowd trouble right at the end.

The 30-year-old former Warriors striker, playing his first competitive match for the three times-in-a-row Zimbabwean champions since his return from Denmark struck a stunning free kick from outside the box past goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda, then later tucked the ball in after being beautifully put through by the industrious Perfect Chikwende.

FC Platinum, for the third time in a row hoisted the Castle Challenge Cup which came with a cash prize of $400 000 while Highlanders picked up $250 000. It seems the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for some Highlanders fans who invaded the pitch just before the end, threw stones at police officers which led to a lengthy stoppage. Referee Arnold Ncube blew his whistle to end proceedings soon after as police officers had cleared the fans off the field.

Songani, the 2013 Soccer Star of the Year first runner-up when he was with Harare City was delighted to pick up his first medal with FC Platinum.

“I am really excited for my first medal in Zimbabwe. I am looking forward to the 2020 season with FC Platinum,” Songani said.

Highlanders coach, Mark Harrison conceded that his players were outclassed.

After their promising displays in the two friendly matches against Black Rhinos and Chapungu, Harrison feels that his players did not come to the party against FC Platinum.

“I think the game was won and lost in the first half, obviously coming in at half-time two nil down is not a good situation, especially against FC Platinum, we didn’t turn up, the team didn’t turn up today, all the work we’ve done through pre-season so far, the way they (players) were looking, they were looking good, but today they just didn’t show up,’’ Harrison said.

The Briton pointed at the midfield, which he said did not click at all by not being able to retain possession.

“Our midfield didn’t function in any form, that’s where it went wrong, if you can’t keep the ball then you can’t win football matches.”

It was a sweet victory for former Highlanders coach, Pieter Hendrik De Jongh, back at Emagumeni to face Bosso for the first time, with the Dutchman gloating about the attractive football displayed by his team. He declared that he was at FC Platinum to win trophies.

“It was a football show, we played very well, we played very aggressive, high pressure, created a lot of chances, Highlanders totally had no answer. I am at FC Platinum to win titles and cups, this is the first cup, more to come,’’ De Jongh said.

Highlanders were outclassed and while they fought hard in the first half, they were completely off in the second period.

Usually dependable defender Peter Muduhwa in the 20th minute conceded a free kick outside the box when he pushed Chikwende off the ball. Songani struck the ball with such precision, his exquisite strike giving Sibanda no chance at all.

Chikwende made light work of the Highlanders defence in the 36th minute and Songani was left with an easy task of tucking the ball past Sibanda.

The match that was streamed live on social media was watched by fans as far as Italy.

One fan Roberto Ciampa tweeted: “All our country is forced to stay at home (due to coronavirus) but this game made our afternoon happier, Thank you Zimbabwe, from Italy.”

Highlanders: A Sibanda, C Siamalonga, B Banda, M Katsvairo (Lunga 73 mins), N Masuku, A Mbeba, M Dube (Makanda 58 mins), P Muduhwa, M Ndlovu, P Dube, D Mhindirira

FC Platinum: P Mhari, G Mbweti, G Bello, L Mhlanga, T Chikore, K Madzongwe, R Kawondera, S Songani (Chinyerere 90+4 mins), P Chikwende, R Kutsanzira (Khumalo 63 mins), S Ngala (Maguri 77 mins)

Zanu PF is likely to retain Chimanimani ward 16 council seat with results from 10 of the 11 polling stations already counted showing the ruling party’s firm grip on rural wards and constituency.

According to unconfirmed results from 10 of the 11 polling stations, Zanu PF candidate had garnered 1587 against MDC’s 226.

Results for Chimanimani Rural District Council ward 16 by-election
(For 10/11 polling stations)

ZANU PF 1587
MDC A 226

Prior to the By-Election held yesterday, the opposition MDC accused Zanu PF of threatening Chimanimani villagers with another Cyclone should they vote for the MDC.

The POLAD Committee on International re-engagement has told President Emmerson Mnangagwa that they faced challenges in their recent process due to diplomatic missions’ insistence on broad-based dialogue inclusive of MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, churches and civil society.

In their presentation to Mnangagwa last week, the committee said their recent engagement with diplomatic missions, they hailed the platform while pushing for everyone to come on board.

“In key issues raised by the diplomatic community in our recent engagements, although they applaud and appreciate the great initiative taken by His Excellency ED Mnangagwa and the political leaders that participated as presidential candidates in the 2018 harmonised elections, that of coming together to establish POLAD, they are all of the view that the on-going dialogue process should rather be broad-based, with key stakeholders that include the MDC Alliance, civic society, religious groups, white commercial farmers and business,” the report read in part.

The opposition MDC Youth Assembly has joined the global fight against the pandemic coronavirus and have created an information sheet on how people can protect themselves from this deadly disease.

The information sheet, already shared on their social media platforms has six preventive measures including washing of hands, covering of mouth when sneezing among other guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation.

By Jane Mlambo| Incarcerated opposition MDC Youth Assembly leader, Stephen Chuma who is currently at Harare Remand Prison has vowed to take on President Emmerson Mnangagwa saying his arrest will not dampen his spirit and commitment to the democratic change.

Speaking to the MDC Students Council who visited him at Harare Remand prison yesterday, Chuma said the struggle he is fighting is not personal but generational.

“The walls of Harare Remand Prison will never dampen my spirits, if anything they will spur me on to take Emmerson Mnangagwa`s illegitimate regime head on.

This is not a personal struggle but a generational struggle to pursue the National Democratic Agenda. Indeed change is on the horizon and we pride ourselves for the sacrifices towards that which is good.”

“Very soon we will be out and we are going to take the struggle to Mnangagwa’s doorstep”, added the firebrand Youth Assembly mouthpiece.

Chuma was arrested with 12 other youths over Chitungwiza violence that occurred a fortnight ago.

A WOMAN and a man drowned in a stream along Tuli River in Gwanda last Saturday while they were fishing with friends, police have confirmed. 

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele said the bodies of a man, Michael Paurini (49) and a woman identified as Melody Mpofu (24) were retrieved last Sunday.

“A set of two teams went on a fishing escapade at Tuli River using mosquito nets where the proposed Tuli Manyange dam is sited. As they were fishing, Mpofu fell into the deeper part of the river. Paurini came from the other team in a bid to rescue Mpofu but also drowned,” said Insp Ndebele.

Chief Insp Ndebele said the deceased woman had no particulars and left behind a three-year-old child who is in the custody of  police at Guyu Police Station, and police are calling on the public with information that might lead to the child’s relatives.

“We are calling on the public who can assist with information of the relatives of Mpofu who is suspected to be from Kezi and was working in Ntepe to contact the nearest police station,” he said.

Anyone with information about the woman’s family can contact Officer in Charge Guyu Police Station, Inspector Mukorobi on 0777615766 or any nearest police station. 

-State Media

JUDICIAL officers in Bulawayo have raised a red flag over the overcrowding at Tredgold Building — where the magistrates’ courts are housed — revealing that this was impacting negatively on their security.

The courts which have over the past few months been undergoing renovations share the building with a number of other Government departments. Speaking during a tour to assess the renovations at the courts, Bulawayo chief magistrate, Mr Munamato Mutevedzi said the courts were fast losing their value due to  overcrowding, noting that some unscrupulous individuals were now taking advantage of that, posing as bogus legal practitioners thereby conning unsuspecting members of the public.

The tour was attended by Chief Justice Luke Malaba, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi, Local Government and Public Works Minister, Cde July Moyo and the Minister of State for Bulawayo Metropolitan Provincial Affairs, Cde Judith Ncube.

Mr Mutevedzi said there was a need to address the overcrowding problem so as to restore the status of the courts of law.

“We have serious overcrowding within this building because there are various departments who also occupy this building so it was our hope that resources permitting and other challenges having been overcome measures could be taken to decongest the building so that it becomes a workable environment.

“Because of the overcrowding that happens here we are grappling with issues to do with bogus legal practitioners and a lot of underhand dealings end up taking place in and around this building. At times we do not know who is coming to court and who is not coming to work, we can’t even enforce the stop and search measures that are done at other court houses hence security is highly compromised,” he said.

Mr Mutevedzi said with the prevailing scenario the decorum required of any court house has now decayed as people came into the building willy-nilly.

“The Labour Court is also housed in this building and the space that they occupy is not sufficient for a superior court so it was our idea that with resources permitting we could expand the Labour Court so as to give the decorum that is required of a court of that magnitude. 

“It is also very difficult here at Tredgold Building to control traffic that comes into this court house, if you see even outside this building it is very difficult just to get parking, even to meander your way into the building it’s a hustle that members of staff including judicial officials have to grapple with on a daily basis,” he said.

Earlier, magistrate-in-charge for Bulawayo Metropolitan, Mr Enias Magate had revealed that the four storey building also housed 12 other Government departments. In his address, Chief Justice Malaba bemoaned the state of affairs at the building saying this was compromising the delivery of the country’s justice system.

“There can never be a marriage between illegality and justice so activities of an illegal nature must never be part and parcel of the justice system be it externally or internally. We hope that those activities in the environs or surroundings of Tredgold Building that are not wholesome must be stopped and I don’t think we should have a compromise on that issue,” he said.

-State media

THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc), working with the police has advised tenants to anonymously use their offices and police stations to report landlords who are demanding rentals in foreign currency as the body prepares to swoop on the culprits.

Most landlords across the country are demanding rentals in foreign currency for both residential and business properties. A survey by Sunday News revealed that the practice of charging rentals in foreign currency has spread to almost all towns and cities in the country.

In Bulawayo landlords in the high-density suburbs are charging 100 Rand for a room while some charge US$50 for a five-roomed house. In the low density suburbs landlords charge between US$200 and US$400 per month for a three-bedroomed house. 

“In the eastern suburbs the charges vary depending on the type of surburb, location and state of the property,” said an estate agent with offices along George Silundika Street. In Gweru houses in Mkoba are going for about US$100 per month. 

Students from Midlands State University (MSU) who rent in Senga are made to pay US$50 per head and a landlord rakes in as much as US$500 for an average house in the high-density suburb.

“It depends on the landlord, some are charging US$50 while others are demanding US$20 per head,” said a student from MSU.

In Gwanda, landlords prefer to charge in Rand and houses are pegged between R200 and R2 000 per month.

However, Zacc has reiterated the Government’s stance that the foreign currency demands were illegal. Zacc spokesperson Mr John Makamure told Sunday News that while the monitoring of rental charges was not their primary mandate, they were, however, working with the police to ensure the implementation of Statutory Instrument 213 of 2019 which criminalises the charging in forex without seeking such a mandate from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

“What is happening is that we are working with the police in monitoring this therefore we encourage members of the public to either approach our officials or their nearest police station. As you might know Zacc and the police are more of one entity in fighting such corrupt elements, worse still when there is a specific law that criminalises such acts,” said Mr Makamure.

Affirmative Action Group Matabeleland Chapter president Mr Reginald Shoko took a swipe at the landlords saying such people were not only bleeding the economy but were contributing to the suffering of Zimbabweans.

He said the fact that the landlords collected rentals in forex but subsequently were not remitting their taxes and rates in the same currencies was reason enough for them to be arrested and charged for corruption.

“We know that some people now think it is normal to demand rentals in forex but what monthly repairs do they do to their properties that require foreign currency, they don’t pay rentals in forex, neither do they remit taxes in forex. Clearly these people are contributing to the country’s economic meltdown because what they are doing is tantamount to money laundering,” said Mr Shoko.

Bulawayo Real Estate managing director, Mr Michael Nekati said while it was illegal for landlords to charge their rentals in forex, they were faced with a situation where some were demanding such payment as a means of cushioning themselves from inflation.

“It is a difficult scenario because while you have the law that criminalises this practice, landlords come in and claim there is a problem of the runaway inflation hence I feel there is a need for relevant stakeholders to look into this and come up with a lasting solution,” said Mr Nekati.

Meanwhile, Bulawayo residents are also up in arms with the council over the local authority’s recent move to effect a 716 percent rates and rental hike, with residents arguing that it violates their basic human rights. This comes amid revelations that a meeting organised by the council in Mpopoma to explain the council’s new credit policy was abandoned after the local authority sent a junior official.

The local authority this month started billing residents using their new rates as prescribed by the approved 2020 budget with a survey by this publication revealing that residents are now forking out between $280 and $700 in council rates per month.

In a letter to the Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) secretary for administration Mr Thembelani Dube said the new tariffs left residents exposed to the poverty trap as a huge chunk, if not all their monthly savings would now be directed to paying of council bills.

“The high increase means that residents will be forced to pay more than 50 percent of their earnings towards utility bills which directly violates the economic principles which recommends that utility bills should not cost more than six percent of one’s earnings for them to be considered affordable. 

“The new rates fall outside what ordinary civil servants earn and what residents are able to generate from informal trading. Residents will not be able to escape the poverty trap given the high cost of rates as they shall be left with no disposable incomes to pay on other needs after paying council,” said Mr Dube.

The residents further accused the local authority of ignoring their concerns regarding the budget claiming it was not accurate that residents had endorsed it during outreaches held by council.

“This has been vindicated by the fact that during the consultations on the credit policy, council is sending junior employees who go on their own without anyone recording minutes and residents’ views. A meeting was recently aborted in Mpopoma after residents protested the decision by BCC to send a junior council employee with no one to take minutes and record their grievances. Residents felt taken for granted by this gesture,” said Mr Dube.

Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni is on record saying it was impossible for the local authority to review downwards its new rates as these had been endorsed by both the residents and the Government. He added that the new rates will enable council to provide services to residents.

-State media

Farai Dziva|MDC deputy president and former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has described Mthuli Ncube’s economic policies as disastrous.

Biti told Daily News on Wednesday Mthuli Ncube’s textbook policies would trigger further economic chaos.

Biti said:

The move by Mthuli Ncube is an ill-thought one. We are currently facing shortages of foreign currency and we have no productivity in Zimbabwe to support economic growth and the local dollar.

Floating the Zimbabwe dollar will result in the exchange rate shooting up, triggering hyperinflation and price increases.

What Mthuli has done will result in a serious devaluation of salaries. For example, today people who are earning $7 000 with the current parallel market rate of 1:40 are earning around US$200.

In just a few weeks the parallel rate will hit 1:100 and that is when it will be clear that Mthuli has failed.

The other thing that will follow is the shortage of every essential that is imported, including electricity, fuel and medication.

If we do not have these essentials like electricity and fuel then we cannot talk about production and economic growth.

14 March 2020

Yesterday the MDC Students Council NEC visited Youth Assembly spokesperson Steven “Sarkozy” Chuma and the Chitungwiza 12 comrades at Harare Remand prison.

The visit however was interrupted by one overzealous prison official who upon realising that we had come in numbers to give moral support to our cdes in remand refused to give permission to all the 14 NEC members to see the cdes.

He said that we had come to cause disturbances at the remand prison and expressed his dismay over the MDC protests which he said will never result in the MDC taking power.

The prison official openly declared that
“MDC haimbotonge unless isu veSecurity tazvibvumira”. He later pulled out a Prison Ordinance which he claimed did not permit us to see the cdes.

However, after much pursuasion he later only allowed the Chairperson Prince Gora to see Sarkozy and the other 12 cdes.

He found the comrades in high spirits and the YA spokesperson had this to say, ”

“The walls of Harare Remand Prison will never dampen my spirits, if anything they will spur me on to take Emmerson Mnangagwa`s illegitimate regime head on.

This is not a personal struggle but a generational struggle to pursue the National Democratic Agenda. Indeed change is on the horizon and we pride ourselves for the sacrifices towards that which is good.”

“Very soon we will be out and we are going to take the struggle to Mnangagwa’s doorstep”, added the firebrand Youth Assembly mouthpiece.

By Tamuka Gurure
Spokesperson
MDC Students Council

Members of Parliament (MPs) who belong to the opposition MDC have called for the immediate resignation of the Minister of Finance Professor Mthuli Ncube.

The legislators are citing Ncube’s failure to address the economic and humanitarian crisis in the country whilst some say he is actually worsening it by his unpopular policies.

Among the legislators who called for Ncube’s resignation is MDC spokesperson, Daniel Molekele who said that Ncube’s policies are a reflection of his detachment from reality on the ground.

He said:
The only reason why the minister is coming up with one statutory instrument after another, task force after another is because he does not seem to understand what is happening on the ground.

The only way forward for the minister of Finance is to resign immediately,
Ncube has been under fire for his austerity measures which have caused untold suffering on members of the public.

Some analysts including Alex Tawanda Magaisa, a law lecturer in the United Kingdom view the ruling party as the major impediment to economic growth saying Ncube, like everyone else, “had a working strategy until he joined ZANU PF.”

Zimbabwe is in the worst economic and humanitarian crisis of the decade.Credit :Daily News

14 March 2020

Yesterday the MDC Students Council NEC visited Youth Assembly spokesperson Steven “Sarkozy” Chuma and the Chitungwiza 12 comrades at Harare Remand prison.

The visit however was interrupted by one overzealous prison official who upon realising that we had come in numbers to give moral support to our cdes in remand refused to give permission to all the 14 NEC members to see the cdes.

He said that we had come to cause disturbances at the remand prison and expressed his dismay over the MDC protests which he said will never result in the MDC taking power.

The prison official openly declared that
“MDC haimbotonge unless isu veSecurity tazvibvumira”. He later pulled out a Prison Ordinance which he claimed did not permit us to see the cdes.

However, after much pursuasion he later only allowed the Chairperson Prince Gora to see Sarkozy and the other 12 cdes.

He found the comrades in high spirits and the YA spokesperson had this to say, ”

“The walls of Harare Remand Prison will never dampen my spirits, if anything they will spur me on to take Emmerson Mnangagwa`s illegitimate regime head on.

This is not a personal struggle but a generational struggle to pursue the National Democratic Agenda. Indeed change is on the horizon and we pride ourselves for the sacrifices towards that which is good.”

“Very soon we will be out and we are going to take the struggle to Mnangagwa’s doorstep”, added the firebrand Youth Assembly mouthpiece.

By Tamuka Gurure
Spokesperson
MDC Students Council

Members of Parliament (MPs) who belong to the opposition MDC have called for the immediate resignation of the Minister of Finance Professor Mthuli Ncube.

The legislators are citing Ncube’s failure to address the economic and humanitarian crisis in the country whilst some say he is actually worsening it by his unpopular policies.

Among the legislators who called for Ncube’s resignation is MDC spokesperson, Daniel Molekele who said that Ncube’s policies are a reflection of his detachment from reality on the ground.

He said:
The only reason why the minister is coming up with one statutory instrument after another, task force after another is because he does not seem to understand what is happening on the ground.

The only way forward for the minister of Finance is to resign immediately,
Ncube has been under fire for his austerity measures which have caused untold suffering on members of the public.

Some analysts including Alex Tawanda Magaisa, a law lecturer in the United Kingdom view the ruling party as the major impediment to economic growth saying Ncube, like everyone else, “had a working strategy until he joined ZANU PF.”

Zimbabwe is in the worst economic and humanitarian crisis of the decade.Credit :Daily News

ECONOMIC analysts have raised their concerns on the Finance and Economic Development Minister, Prof Mthuli Ncube’s state of the economy report which he presented this Wednesday.

They bemoaned policy inconsistency in the foreign exchange market and how it brings in rent-seeking behaviour across various economic agents.

Speaking this Friday at the State of the economy report breakfast meeting in Harare, Executive Director of Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS) an economist, Dr Gift Mugano, said the Minister of Finance and Economic Development’s state of the economy report is filled with policy inconsistencies.

“The recently announced exchange rate management measures by Minister of Finance whilst good on paper faces several risks which will undermine their effectiveness.

“Because the system does not include everyone who wants foreign currency to trade through the interbank, the black market rate will continue to thrive. The Minister’s report is filled will serious distortions.

“RBZ does not have enough liquidity(foreign currency) to seed into the market with a view of stabilising it. There is a misplaced understanding of what constitutes a demand for foreign currency. A large component of demand for foreign currency is coming from the informal sector, economic households and even firms which are not importing all in the name of trying to preserve the value of their money in the face of chronic inflation,” highlighted Dr Mugano.

However the central bank governor, Dr John Mangudya explained to the economists that complete de-dollarisation would be done gradually over five years, based on other countries’ experiences.

“De-dollarisation is a gradual process of the reduction of dollarisation. Most countries in the world they have a level of dollarisation, Liberia is at 70%, Zambia 45%, Zimbabwe is at 32%, Uganda at 32%, Tanzania 30 %, Mozambique 28%, Botswana 15 % and Kenya 13%. The argument is how can we motivate people to utilise local currency not saying how do we throw away the USD,” he said.

Dr Phineas Kadenge, an economic analyst also blamed the finance ministry for inconsistency in its policies.

“The elephant in the room is the Ministry of Finance. We should look at the impact of our policies before implementation. In business we are seeing reduced competitiveness resulting from an increased cost of doing business because of the nature of the policies we introduce,” he said.

The economists stressed that the ministry’s measure of setting up a task force to stabilise the exchange rate and reduce inflation will not work.

“You cannot control the informal sector, they don’t care, they do not even understand what you are talking about. They don’t even know the statutory instrument you are talking about,” said Dr Mugano.

“The informal sector is where the game is now. We have a fundamental disconnect between the politicians, the formal and the informal sector,” said another economist, Vince Musewe.

They also highlighted that while the government is on a drive to de-dollarise, what is happening on the ground is the opposite because the informal sector has dollarised.

The government last year abolished the US dollar-dominated multi-currency regime in use since February 2009 and made the Zimdollar legal tender.

While Government’s policy thrust is to switch the economy to the Zimdollar, some sections of the economy continue to charge in US dollars or index prices to the US dollar parallel market exchange rates.

-State Media

By Jane Mlambo| Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa has urged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to fire all his ministers who bunk parliament where they are expected to provide answers to questions from legislators.

Posting on Twitter, Mliswa told Mnangagwa to take on board only those who move with his vision while those who continue to disregard parliament should be dumped.

It's time for @edmnangagwa take on board those who move with his vision. These Ministers who fail to come Parliament to answer critical national questions must be fired@Bulawayo24News @revelatorspiri1 @ZimEye
Watch Videohttps://t.co/874fDuqH6G

— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) March 14, 2020

By Jane Mlambo| The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa now stands at 38 after 14 new cases were confirmed today.

The numbers have increased by 14 from yesterday’s confirmed cases of 24, Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize has said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an urgent cabinet meeting to held on Sunday.

This meeting will explore ways of intensifying the country’s response to this outbreak.

By Own Correspondent| ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa while ignoring complaints concerning the gaining of Draconian Presidential powers by him, has said he is happy with the Polad club of small parties.

His comments come as one of the Polad members, Prof Lovemore Madhuku slammed Mnangagwa’s plans to change the constitution so he becomes an immutable – infallible president.

“This govt which has been running our country since 1980 they don’t respect the view that the constitution is higher than other laws. They take the view that the constitution is like any other law… And here I am speaking as Lovemore Madhuku the citizen,” said Madhuku at a recent debate over the matter.

“The first one was the economic committee, which hosted the economic forum last time, which in my view, did a sterling work,” said Mnangagwa.

He continued,

“It brought together the major stakeholders in our economy; industry, commerce, mining, agriculture, Consumer Council (of Zimbabwe) and labour, were all represented.

“They submitted their reports. There was the governance and the constitutional legislative committee chaired by Professor Lovemore Madhuku. They also presented their report which was broken into major two components — the process of the constitutional amendments and the content of the amendments.

“The third one was the one on international relations, which is mandated to deal with engagement and re-engagement. They have done a fantastic job, which I was not aware of.”

CARTELS comprising butchery owners, rogue elements in the police service and officers from the Veterinary Services Department are corruptly clearing cattle infected with January disease and anthrax before unleashing uninspected beef on the market, The Herald can reveal.

Butchers have set up bases for agents in most rural communities like Mhondoro, Buhera and Murehwa.

Infected cattle are selling for as little as US$25 each, while the agents demand commission ranging from $100 to US$10 for every beast sold. January disease, also known as Theileriosis, is a tick-borne disease common between December and March and is spread through the bite of the brown ear tick.

Thousands of cattle have died since last year and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement is still to establish the actual number of deaths.

An investigation exposed connivance between butcheries and cattle owners. Officers responsible for cattle clearance were also cited as part of the illicit trade.

Most cattle, according to the investigation, are dying after receiving Butachem, a drug used to fight January disease.

The drug, according to animal health experts, can cause cancer if people consume the meat before or within 42 days of treatment.

Director of the Veterinary Service Department Dr Josephat Nyika warned people against consuming products of cattle infected or that would have died of January disease or any other illnesses.

“Please do not ever eat that beef,” he said. “Once a beast dies after receiving a dosage of Butachem, it must be burnt or the owner should do a deep burial. That meat should never be eaten. After giving the cattle the drug, there should be a 42-day withdrawal process, which should occur before the meat becomes safe for human consumption.

“Consuming it before or within those 42 days is disastrous. The drug causes various cancers. To the people of Zimbabwe, I say, do not eat that meat.”

Despite warnings by the animal health experts, uninspected and possibly infected beef still finds its way to the market through corrupt acts.

What makes the matter of more concern is that meat consumers cannot tell if the meat would have been inspected before they buy it from butcheries or other outlets.

Dr Nyika said the only way to prevent cattle from dying of January disease was regular dipping.

“It is not known yet how many cattle have died from this scourge because cattle owners are not reporting all deaths to the authorities,” he said.

“However, provinces are still compiling a list of deaths and we will be able to give out the correct figures soon.”

The investigation covered areas in Mhondoro, Mashonaland West and Buhera in Manicaland, where villagers confirmed the death of cattle and the sale of the uninspected meat to buyers from towns like Harare and Chitungwiza.

At Watyoka Business Centre in Mhondoro, an agent identified as Tawanda, charged $100 commission for any beast purchased.

“Those which show little signs of sickness cost around US$60 each, while others that are visibly affected and dying are selling at prices between US$25 and US$40,” said Tawanda.

“How many do you want my brother? I can assure you that within an hour, we will start receiving the beasts.”

True to his word, Tawanda took the news crew to a Mrs Mahuyo’s place, less than a kilometre from the business centre.

Mrs Mahuyo’s cow, which was visibly sick, was pegged at US$50.

Tawanda said he had connections at the local police station where a police officer (name withheld) charged US$5 for every beast cleared.

“Police clearance is not a problem because I have a friend who clears cattle at the police station,” said Tawanda.

“We simply take the particulars of the seller and those of the buyer to the veterinary office, who can even sign the clearance papers without inspecting the cattle.

“Last week, with the assistance of these officers, I sold 15 cattle to Harare buyers.”

Butcheries at Watyoka and Mubaira business centres have already slashed beef price from $80 to $40, as beef has flooded the market.

Chief Mashayamombe of Mhondoro-Mubaira lamented the death of cattle in the area and the rampant sale of uninspected beef.

He urged Government to urgently address the January disease problem and put in place strict measures to end sale of uninspected beef.

“Most of my subjects are now without any cattle at all,” said Chief Mashayamombe.

“In some areas, people have now switched to using donkeys which are now costing between US$50 and US$70.

“Those responsible for protecting these cattle from diseases should up their game. There should be awareness campaigns to educate the public on the dangers of the uninspected beef.”

Mhondoro villagers are now resorting to buying donkeys from elsewhere to replace the dying cattle as draught power. In Buhera, most households were also left without cattle.

At Nharira Business Centre, some 50 kilometres west of Murambinda, an agent identified as Gweje confirmed the prevalence of “dirty meat deals”.

He said most of his clients were from Chitungwiza.

“I have been into this business of selling cattle and beef for a long time,” he said.

“I have a lot of clients in Chitungwiza. Most of the butchers prefer the infected cattle, which are cheaper.”

Gweje charged US$10 commission for each sell he would facilitate.

“I can organise as many cattle as you want,” he said. “I am charge US$10 for each beast, or equivalent of the amount in bond notes. The prices are reasonable and I can get you good beasts for as little as US$40.”

Just like Tawanda in Mhondoro, Gweje relied on his connections at the local police station and the veterinary officers, saying clearance was not a challenge.

-State Media

IRATE legislators are baying for under-fire Finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s blood — in the wake of his new economic measures which have led to the collapse of the wobbly Zimbabwe dollar and hefty hikes in prices of basic goods.

This comes as Ncube himself has readily admitted that the local currency, which he prematurely re-introduced last year, is creating immense problems for the country — including sky-high inflation and economic instability.

Debating in Parliament following Ncube’s decision on Wednesday to float the Zim dollar, MPs said he had failed dismally to revive the country’s dying economy, and thus now needed to pack his bags and go.

Highfield East MP, Eric Murai, led the push for Ncube to quit his ministerial post.

“I want to understand from the Minister of Finance and Economic Development…people are suffering in this counytry and are at the stage that…it is now uncontrollabe, when do we expect him to…resign?” Murai asked.

Hwange Central MP, Daniel Molokeli, weighed in saying Ncube’s policies had failed to inspire confidence, to the extent that they were confusing ordinary Zimbabweans.

“The minister of Finance should explain why it is possible for Zimbabweans to pay in US dollars when all the rules and regulations and the salaries are in RTGS.

“Where do they expect an ordinary Member of Parliament like me to have money in US dollars. How do I get that money?

“As things stand right now, the only source of that money is on the parallel market,” Molokeli said.

“What I am worried about is that there is a gap between where the minister of Finance is and where the people on the ground are.

“The only reason why the minister is coming up with one statutory instrument after another, task force after another is because he does not seem to understand what is happening on the ground.

“The only way forward for the minister of Finance is to resign immediately,” Molokele added.

On his part, former Finance minister in the government of national unity, Tendai Biti, said the floating of the local currency would not work if the supply of foreign exchange was not free.

“Inflation is going to shoot up. As I am talking to you right now, the price of 10 kilogrammes of maize-meal is now around $200. By the end of the week it will be around $400.

“I urge the Speaker to take into account the fact that a currency is a function of two things. It is a relationship between your exports and your imports.

“Right now, we have a deficit in our current account. For every dollar of foreign currency that comes in as export earnings, four dollars are going out as imports. The equation is not balancing,” Biti said.

“Honourable Speaker, a currency is also a function of confidence. There is no confidence in my brother, the esteemed minister of Finance and Economic Development.

“So I just want to say to my esteemed friend that do the right thing. Repeal SI 33/2019 and SI 142/2019. Allow the two currencies to co-exist.

“Let the market settle on the exchange rate. Encourage productivity, eliminate export surrender requirements, budget deficits and the rogue printing of money by the reserve bank,” Biti said further.

Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa, told the National Assembly before Ncube’s arrival in the august House that the minister had “totally failed” and as such President Emmerson Mnangagwa should fire him.

“We cannot continue like this. If the president is not happy with the dogs that he is hunting with, he must change the dogs and hunt with new dogs.

“The president is a hunter and he must hunt with his dogs. If his dogs are not able to bite, you change them as a hunter and you find those that can bite,” Mliswa thundered.

But Ncube brushed aside the MPs’ concerns and said floating the Zim dollar was part of his efforts to try and fix the country’s problems.

“He (Biti) is well aware that this country has no shortage of foreign currency in terms of the quantum of supply.

“In 2018, our export proceeds were about $6,4 billion. In 2019 we had almost $7 billion, which is almost equal to the demand.

“So, the supply of forex is not the problem. The problem is the system that allocates prices in foreign currency and that is what we are fixing,” Ncube said.

“On the floating rate, it is not just a floating rate but a managed rate to make sure that it does not run away unnecessarily.

“The problem with a freely floating exchange rate is that it over-prices the risk premium and, therefore, overstates the exchange rate as is the case right now,” he added, as he batted away calls for his resignation.

-Daily News

The man who destroyed Zimbabwe’s economy, Chief Justice Luke Malaba, has begun complaining about the presence of money changers who are struggling to survive in the second capital city, Bulawayo.

Malaba is remembered for his infamous 24th August 2018 ConCourt verdict, a defective judgement from a case in which he refused to hear evidence showing how fraudulent the 2018 elections were. Malaba passed the verdict at a time when it was very clear with even ZBC TV evidence showing that there was massive vote rigging as the military was used to alter the 2018 election results. 

CHRISTOPHER MUTSVANGWA on 15 December 2017 at 1.32pm in MNANGAGWA'S PRESENCE in Harare pic.twitter.com/CvBQli2VxG

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 14, 2020

The finance ministry announced during the Motlanthe commission that the economy lost over USD16 billion in business value due to the military operation in which over 6 people were shot dead and many others injured using live ammunition in the capital city on 1 August 2018. 

The economy has not recovered ever since that day and the decline has caused thousands of Citizens to swarm the streets vending in order to survive.

In the latest development, the same man who is responsible for all this, Malaba has called upon responsible authorities in Bulawayo to deal with illegal money changers operating in areas around Tredgold Building that houses several courts.

Bulawayo’s Tredgold Magistrate court is undergoing renovations and this has seen the revamping of the building which houses several courts to meet world-class standards.
However, a disturbing sight of illegal money changers conducting their business almost at the doorstep of the building has not gone down well with Chief Justice Luke Malaba, who toured Bulawayo courts this Friday in the company of Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi and the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, July Moyo.

“To some extent, l don’t know how much this has been done, they can never be a marriage between illegality and justice,” said the Chief Justice.

“They can never be a marriage between illegality and justice, so the activities of an illegal nature must never be part and parcel of justice system externally and internally. So we hope that in the surroundings of this building that are not wholesome must be stopped.
“I don’t think we should have a compromise in that issue. I find it difficult in that you can have people allowing illegal changes of money outside this building sometimes inside them and seen as no problem at all. It should never be.”

Tredgold Building houses Bulawayo Magistrate courts and other government departments. -state media /additional reporting.

It's time for @edmnangagwa take on board those who move with his vision. These Ministers who fail to come Parliament to answer critical national questions must be fired@Bulawayo24News @revelatorspiri1 @ZimEye
Watch Videohttps://t.co/874fDuqH6G

— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) March 14, 2020

By A Correspondent- Thirty minutes of being deployed at a new place didn’t stop a security guard from allegedly “moving” company cables to a much “secure” place inside a sack as per his “extended job description”. 

Prosper Mhlanga (22) from Cobra Security Company defied the odds when reportedly he mistook “getting to know the place” with “getting things out of the place” as he was allegedly caught red-handed by his supervisor Michaels Servias (55) stealing a huge sack of cables at TelOne Mabuthweni Exchange.

Prosecutor Nathan Marime said Servias was on duty on the day and noticed that Mhlanga had been making funny rounds in the place but did not pay much attention as he thought he (Mhlanga) was familiarising himself with the place.

“He was supposed to be manning the gate on that day. When I looked through the window I saw him struggling with a huge sack walking to the back of the Exchange. When he got there he took a ladder and tried positioning it,” said Servias.

Servias left his office and approached Mhlanga who was still trying to position the ladder.

“When he saw me approaching him he threw down the ladder and stood next to the sack looking terrified,” said Servias.

Servias said he went and peeped inside the sack where he saw TelOne cables which they had placed in the yard. Mhlanga reportedly started apologising for his behaviour and promised his supervisor not to do it again.

“I pretended as if I had forgiven him and told him to go back to his position at the gate. I went back inside and called his security company and the TelOne manager informing them of what had happened,” added Servias.

When he went back to check on Mhlanga, the court heard, he had already fled with the cables that were not recovered.

The prosecutor revealed that on the same day after escaping, Mhlanga called his security manager and told him that he was being framed for theft at TelOne.

Mhlanga has since appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Shepherd Munjanja for theft and was remanded out of custody for trial on 23 March.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- The four leaders of a 100-member machete and iron rods-wielding gang will serve two years behind bars after attacking a Nyanga mine owner’s home and destroying his property.

On Tuesday, Munyaradzi Muswe, Munyaradzi Marasha, Rodrick Mutinhima and Tendai Tambara were convicted by Nyanga magistrate Ms Anniah Ndiraya.

The quartet denied the public violence charges when they first appeared in court in December. However, they were convicted after a full trial as defined in Section 36 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

The State heard that the gang accused the complainant, Nathan Manyuchi, of attempting to bar them from accessing a mining shaft.

Manyuchi is a co-director at Nabee Chisero mining site.

Following the misunderstanding at the mining site, the gang followed Manyuchi to his house and destroyed his property.

Prosecutor Mr Cuthbert Bhosha said:  “A multitude of more than 100 men, which was led by the four men, was armed with machetes, catapults, iron rods and stones. They went to Manyuchi’s workplace and destroyed windows and property worth more than $1 000.”-ManicaPost

By A Correspondent- A guard at a farm in Chipinge allegedly shot and killed a villager after accusing him of stealing macadamia nuts from his employer.

The accused, Foster Macheza, handed himself to the police on Tuesday soon after committing the offence.

Chipinge Criminal Investigations Department spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Vincent Chikuvadze, confirmed the incident and said Macheza was assisting police with investigations.

He will appear in court soon.

“It is alleged that at around 8pm on Monday, the suspect was drinking beer at Mandaraza Bottle Store at Clearwater in the company of his brother Musavengana Macheza (30).

“While they were drinking beer and watching soccer, Musavengana confronted the now late Edmore Dhlakama and Richard Mapokoto of Morganson Farm and accused them of stealing macadamia nuts from his employer’s field,” said Ass Insp Chikuvadze.

A fistfight ensued between Musavengana and the two, who were armed with machetes.

“Musavengana was overpowered. Seeing that his brother was being assaulted by the two, Macheza intervened and was also overpowered. The accused then rushed to Plot Number 2, Sweet Acres Farm, about 2km away from the bottle store. He armed himself with a rifle and went back to the bottle store. When he came back, he fired one shot into the air, forcing revellers to scurry for cover,” he said.

It is alleged that Macheza then followed the duo who had gone to Boss Maninja Bottle Store. He fired more shots into the crowd. A shot hit Dhlakama in the stomach and left hip, and he died instantly,” he said.

The matter was reported to the police, but Macheza disappeared from the scene. He later handed himself over to law enforcement agents the following day.-ManicaPost

By A Correspondent- PHD leaderWalter Magaya’s young daughter has been electrocuted, in what is alleged to be a sign of neglect.

The minor, is a daughter he allegedly sired with one of the women he ended up paying a lumpsum last year to withdraw rape charges against him.

The story was exclusively covered by ZimEye mid last year and involved a young woman by first name, Chenai.

The tragic mishap happened last weekend. ZimEye is in possession of extremely disturbing pictures which show the child with bloody blisters and having lost 2 fingers.

Revealed the source:

“She touched an open socket.”

ZimEye is still consulting lawyers on how to publish the pictures of the minor, following international legislation bottlenecks.

Family members privy to the developments have also revealed how Magaya is not paying maintenance for the child. It is also said Magaya has not paid up in full what he promised the woman in an out of court settlement last year July.

At the time of writing, the minor was undergoing skin grafting surgery.

ZimEye is carrying out more interviews over the matter, and efforts to get the preacher for a comment were fruitless at the time of printing.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY- REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR LATEST UPDATES

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF youths in Mashonaland Central province have accused Mazowe North legislator Campion Mugweni of bribing fellow youths who are eyeing the youth affairs post in Mazowe district ahead of the District Development Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections.

The youths who spoke to a local publicaction on condition of anonymity said Mugweni is bribing potential candidates vying for post in the youth league as he is trying to position himself well in the party.

“As youths in the province we know all the bribed youths (names withheld) by Mugweni and he has vowed to grab the post to cushion himself in the 2023 elections since his constituency is complaining about his incompetence and alleged corruption at Mazowe mine, “sources said.

Mugweni said youths want him on the post just because he is hardworking and has the necessary qualities. “I have not bribed anyone, youths want me there because they know l work hard, l hope you get richer by writing my name in the press,” Mugweni said.

By A Correspondent | In what could be the clearest signs of neglect, Walter Magaya’s young daughter has been electrocuted.

This is the daughter he sired with one of the women he ended up paying a lumpsum last year. The story was exclusively covered by ZimEye mid last year and involved a young woman by first name, Chenai.

The mishap happened last weekend. Extremely disturbing pictures show the child with bloody blisters and having lost 2 fingers from one hand.

“She touched an open socket,” a source told ZimEye.

ZimEye is still consulting lawyers on how to publish the pictures of the minor, following international legislation bottlenecks.

Family members have also revealed how Magaya is not paying maintenance for the child. It is also said Magaya has not paid up in full what he promised the woman in an out of court settlement last year July.

At the time of writing she was undergoing skin grafting surgery. ZimEye is carrying out more interviews over the matter, and efforts to get the preacher for a comment were fruitless at the time of printing.

Magaya is currently suing the Gender Commission saying they should not investigate him on allegations of abusing women.

– THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY –

By A Correspondent- The Law Society of Zimbabwe has dragged president Emmerson Mnangagwa, Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and its governor John Mangudya over Statutory Instrument (SI) 33 of 2019.

The SI converted United States dollar bank balances to Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) resulting in individuals and companies losing their money as the RTGS rapidly depreciated afterwards.

The LSZ asserts that the move constituted a compulsory deprivation of property, but, there was no compensation to individuals and companies who had their US dollars converted into RTGS.

In an affidavit accompanying their application on Friday, Edwin Mapara, the LSZ’s executive secretary, said:

The actions of the respondents in compulsorily ordering and effecting the conversion of United States dollar balances in the applicant’s account into RTGS in February 2019 amounted to compulsory deprivation and expropriation of such U.S. dollars without adequate compensation and therefore breached section 71 (2) and (3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe (which prohibits compulsory deprivation of property).

Following the SI, a number of court cases were filed as the creditors demanded to be paid in USD which was on their agreements.

Only recently, former Finance Minister Tendai Biti urged the government to repeal both SI 33 and 142 of 2019 which effected the ban of the multicurrency system in the country.-ZimLive

By A Correspondent- Government has come under the spotlight for allowing a Grade 3 set book containing false information that celebrated musician Lovemore Majaivana is dead to be distributed to schools. Majaivana is alive and lives in the United States.

MDC Alliance said they were appalled by the embarrassing error as they called for the book to be withdrawn.

“We’re appalled that a book that is “approved by the Ministry of Education” contains embarrassing errors like this. Lovemore Majaivana is not ‘late.’ He’s alive. There should be no room for such sloppiness in the school curriculum. The book must be recalled and corrected,” said the party in a statement.

Respected Academic Dr Alex Magaisa said the book is toxic to children.

“The authors, publishers and the Ministry of Education which approved this book decided to “kill” music legend Lovemore Majaivana. He is late, they say. Whatever happened to basic fact-checking? What other poison are they feeding the kids in the name of education?” he said

By A Correspondent- Outspoken comedienne Mai Titi has threatened to shoot controversial Sweden-based transgender socialite Tatelicious Karigambe-Sandberg after the latter recorded a live video claiming she has evidence that Mai Titi was paid to bring over her young lover, musician, Zizoe Pamyk to the UK.

Tatelicious made sensational claims that she spoke to a relative of Zizoe in the UK who alleges Mai Titi who has now broken up with Zizoe, was actually paid to facilitate the trip to the UK for the young budding musician. No one knows if the “Tichironga” hitmaker is going back to Zimbabwe.

To add salt to injury during the LIVE broadcast, Tatelicious played old recordings of private phone conversations where Mai Titi could be heard backstabbing fellow comedienne Madam Boss.

Mai Titi, however, was furious with the claims made by Tatelicious and responded with the threats;

“Gurundoro uyaya, mark my words, I will kill him. Gurundoro I will kill him. Ndichazviita and when I do it I will go to jail. Mark this and repeat it, write this, Tatelicious you will die with my bullet.

“This is a warning and I will do it. You think you are a judge, mark my words. I will shoot you. I have already said this, you think you are a celebrity. I will kill you Tatelicious Karigambe.

“I have already said this. Let me hope you are not unlucky enough to meet me. I will google you and find out about you,” a furious Mai Titi said in her LIVE video.Video Player00:0002:03

On Thursday Mai Titi announced that she was breaking up with her lover Zizoe, real name Blessed Zingwe, amid rumors of infidelity in the relationship. The comedienne said she was finding it difficult to “delete” her Ben 10 (younger boyfriend) from her heart.

Mai Titi has claimed that a few days after they arrived in the UK, she bumped into Zizoe with another lady who is said to have claimed Zizoe was her man and Mai Titi was the homewrecker.

Mai Titi announced she was breaking up with Zizoe on Facebook Live leaving her followers lambasting him for using the comedienne to further his mileage.

Some say Zizoe was using the advantage that Mai Titi is HIV positive.

Mai Titi however, came back to social media and warned her followers not to blast Zizoe adding that she was deep in her heart still in love with Zizoe.

“Deleting Zizoe haa musadaro aman. I will never delete him for anything. That is the only thing that will stress me to death. I love Zizoe so much that i can not delete him because of what people are saying. Do you know Zizoe was my strength,” she said.

Mai Titi has described as emotional the situation she faces trying to heal the wounds of being mistreated by man.

“We all carry invisible scars that come from inner wounds—perhaps from a divorce, from what somebody did, from a mistake we made, from a loss. So often we try to hide our scars. They remind us of the hurt. But you can be at peace with your scars.

“Those scars are your testimony; they tell your story. Instead of being depressed over what you’ve been through, have a new perspective—the enemy tried to stop you, but God brought you through it, healed you, and you have a scar to prove it,” she said.-NehandaRadio

By A Correspondent- Lovemore Madhuku, in his capacity as the chairperson of the Governance and Legislative Agenda committee in Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD), has remained defiant that the government must withdraw the Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2 for debate before Parliament.

Instead, Madhuku wants the government to incorporate the views of other stakeholders including those of POLAD into the contentious Bill before it is tabled for debate in Parliament.

On Friday, Madhuku was part of POLAD committee chairpersons who presented their reports to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House in Harare.

Speaking after the event, Madhuku who is the President of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), said the proposals that his committee presented to Mnangagwa were for Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2 to be withdrawn for debate in Parliament.

“We have tabled before the President our proposal that the Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2 must be withdrawn to give more time to POLAD and others to put input into one Bill we call the Omnibus Constitutional Bill that will look at other things,” Madhuku said.

“So what we have currently, which is before Parliament is what the government thinks. But we think that, that is not enough. We must have before Parliament what the government thinks and what other people think especially so that we start moving together. So that proposal is receiving consideration,” he said.  

Last year, the government gazetted the Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2, which seeks to introduce at least 27 amendments to the Constitution that was adopted in 2013 through an overwhelming voter support at a referendum.

However, Mnangagwa has been accused of trying to use the controversial amendments to create an imperial presidency and reduce Parliament’s oversight role.

If passed by Parliament, where Zanu PF enjoys a two-thirds majority, the running mate clause for the vice-presidents will be scrapped and the president will be given the sole responsibility to appoint judges and the prosecutor-general.

The proposed amendments will increase the number of ministers without parliamentary seats and limit Parliament’s powers in the adoption of international treaties, among other far-reaching governance issues.-Wires

• republished –

By Simba Chikanza | ANALYSIS| No other politician in human history has talked about people dying and corpses more than Emmerson Mnangagwa-The man who has over a period of over 37 years polluted the human space with immoral banter concerning human suffering going to the level of celebrating dead bodies and offering prizes for coffin-space, has said he urges “excellent levels of personal hygiene.”

It was on 4th April 1983 when Mnangagwa caused the Zimbabwean economy to crash as he described people as cockroaches who deserve to die for supporting protesters, who he labeled dissidents. He said anyone supporting dissidents would have their days on earth reduced. 22,000 from Midlands and Matebeleland areas were killed as a result.

” But woe unto those who will choose the path of collaboration with dissidents for we will certainly shorten their stay on Earth,” he said.

The economy nosedived.

He would after that deny that anyone was killed, and what he told the BBC in 1983, is the same he repeated to France24 36 years later, in February 2019.

And then on 15th May 2015, Mnangagwa said democracy is only found in the World of the Dead. He said election winners are just corpses. (VIDEO)

Mnangagwa: Democracy Is Only Found Among Corpses, All Election Winners Are Mere Corpses | VIDEO V11 https://t.co/u3a0mEVALf via @ZimEye pic.twitter.com/rEtr7NLhld

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 11, 2020

Fast forward to 1st August 2018, he deployed the army onto the streets of Harare and his most senior advisor announced in his presence this was in order to change election results so they match an outcome greater than the one ZANU PF obtained in 1980.

CHRISTOPHER MUTSVANGWA on 15 December 2017 at 1.32pm in MNANGAGWA'S PRESENCE in Harare pic.twitter.com/CvBQli2VxG

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 14, 2020

WATCH: Mutsvangwa Reveals How President Mnangagwa Is Winning 2018 Elections Resoundingly https://t.co/IrD3Ts7lvA via @ZimEye

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) December 16, 2017

And then in February 2019, Mnangagwa celebrated the killing of 17 people and raping of 17 women saying he would do more, to the point of physically attacking doctors and lawyers attending the victims. VIDEO:

RETWEET! – Mnangagwa in Mwenezi clearly threatened brutality against doctors and lawyers also threatening to shorten the lives of people who make noise. pic.twitter.com/fJx5dOemL5

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 17, 2019

On the 3rd January 2020, he told people in Harare’s Kuwadzana surbub, still nursing their wounds from beatings by the Zimbabwe national army, that he would re-deploy the army on them once he discovers they are the ones who stopped the rain. This is not a reading from a horror movie or a novel this is real life in modern day Zimbabwe. (VIDEO).

Mnangagwa: "But once we know it is the people of Kuwadzana who do not wish it to rain, we will deploy the army to surround them to beat them up" Video- ZBC pic.twitter.com/apQ05pc4jn

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) January 4, 2020

And now in March 2020, Mnangagwa has announced a prize for the first person to die, literally (VIDEO)

Humour or just childish? pic.twitter.com/pUYCS1XlSF

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 11, 2020

The same Mnangagwa who for a whole 37 years celebrates people suffering and dead bodies rotting, has this time however taken to paradoxical levels announcing that he urges excellent levels of personal hygiene.

He said-

“I urge my fellow Zimbabweans to maintain excellent levels of personal hygiene.

“Wash your hands thoroughly with soap, cover your nose & mouth with a tissue when you cough, & avoid unnecessary travel abroad.

“We must keep our nation, safe, secure & healthy.”

BELOW WERE SOME REACTIONS TO HIS SPEECHES

• 

ECONOMY CRASHING SINCE 1983.

Economy data shows how the country’s GDP crashed down following the operation, and effects were immediately felt from 1983 all the way to 1985.

Fast forward to the period 2004 – 2018 more evidence shows the correlation between economic performance and the rule of law, specifically human rights adherence.

A UK based academic has investigated human rights violations and economic decline. In the graphs below revealed by ZimEye.com, it is displayed that for instance in the 14 years since 2004, investor interest has either risen or declined in a direct consequential correlation with Human Rights.   Dr Admore Tshuma from Kent University was asked by SABC: What were you aiming to achieve?, and he answered as follows: “the study is a socio-economic perspective. The study explores how the future in South Africa may unfold if expropriation of land without compensation goes ahead. “The aim is not to take a side in this argument, but to unpack the perspective, of human rights and economic paradigms. This is the first time that such a question has been examined by social science using an objectively collected data. The main aim is not to diminish claims for redistribution of land, but to highlight the detriment of the expropriation of land without compensation. “In this study I am very mindful of the sensitivity of the issue of land and I am also aware that there is little consensus of what benefit expropriation of land will produce for South Africa.

“Hence the basic aim is to suggest an alternative and progressive policy on what could constitute an economically sensible cause of action if South Africa is to pursue.

“In this case Zimbabwe remains an empirical case study, for such a social policy, a public policy. The primary focus in this study is to illustrate the interaction between human rights and the economy, also to highlight the model of retributive Justice in response to growing calls for the land question in South Africa as what happened in Zimbabwe.

“And some of my objectives basically are to raise awareness of the potential long term social economic harm that may result in the expropriation of land, it is also to show the interaction, the inter-twinement … the globalisation of the world, how world nation states have become smaller: how the international law has become supreme…part of what I am looking into, and basically the project in the end, it demonstrates the growing recognition that deep-rooted problems of Human Rights violation… are most likely to affect the economy, it is a very broad subject…”

By A Correspondent- Former first daughter, Bona Mugabe’s nuptials to Simba Chikore, was the stuff that only fairy tales and royal weddings are made of. 

A new video clip of Bona and Simba’s wedding day has gone viral online, including a never been seen before behind the scenes footage of Bona getting ready for her wedding.

The video captures all the precious moments from the benediction of the ceremony in a Catholic church, Bona’s majestic walk down the aisle to a live trumpet band and the whole preparation which captures Bona in her room getting her to make up done.

We also catch a glimpse of the former late president Robert Mugabe who was the proud father of the bride and his wife former First Lady Grace Mugabe. Bona and Simba’s ‘first meet’ reads like the whole ‘boy meets girl then boy likes girl’ scenario.

Her mother Grace once recounted that the two met during a flight and she noticed Simba staring at her daughter in awe.

Grace then unabashedly asked Simba if he liked her daughter and the rest, as they say, is history. The couple now has 2 kids to date and love keeping their relationship under wraps only making rare public appearances.

Bona stood by Simba’s side when he was arrested and hauled before the courts for unlawfully detaining an Air Zimbabwe employee and for fraud. She was spotted attending his court sessions several times and giving him the moral support that he really needed during the tumultuous time. 

Watch the video loading below….

-wires

By A Correspondent- The new rules were gazetted recently by Finance and Economic Development Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube using his powers under the Banking Act and the three mobile transfer services have to credit the total interest on daily balances at the end of each month.

EcoCash, OneMoney and Telecash must now pay interest on daily balances held by their customers at a rate equivalent to 50 percent of the prevailing yield on Treasury Bills, which these days is between 13 percent and 15 percent a year or around 0,02 percent a day.

For many, this will not come to that much. But someone with $100 in their phone for a day can expect 2c at the end of the month, and if they average $100 a day for the whole month they can expect around 60c. But it will help offset the modest charges the three charge for making payments.

Under the Banking (Savings Interest Rates) Regulations, 2020 you can do better if you lock your money in for 30 days to six months. You then get 75 percent of the Treasury Bill yield. And locking your money in for more than six months gets you 90 percent.

But almost all the money held by the three mobile concerns, in their trust accounts with commercial banks, is designed to be instant cash so those keeping a few dollars in their phone just get the lower rate.

The different rates are normal in banking practice since a banker or quasi-banker has to keep more money on hand for demand deposits although, from experience knows what proportion can be safely invested in assets that are easy to liquidate.

A higher percentage of money that depositors are prepared to tie up for longer fixed periods can be invested, so the depositors can be given a better deal.

By A Correspondent- Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga has called on Kenyans to cooperate with government agencies in a bid to counter the spread of coronavirus in the country.

This comes after Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in Kenya on Friday, March 13.

In a statement, Raila reminded Kenyans that the whole nation was united in containing the virus and ensuring Kenyans’s safety thus there was no reason to be worried or afraid.

“As a country, we are in this together and we appeal to our citizens not to panic but instead cooperate with the government which has factual and science based advice on how we must proceed,” he stated.

Health CS Kagwe announcing government’s decision to suspend all public gatherings. 

Whereas the government was doing everything within its means in regards to the infection, the ODM boss noted the measures will definitely cause disruptions across the nation.

“A raft of measures has been announced by the government…These measures will cause disruptions but we must adhere to them as the best scientific advices that we can rely on to overcome the danger,”he added.

An isolation facility at Mbagathi Hospitals for treatment of coronavirus patients. Kenya has such isolation level five hospitals. Photo: Kenyatta National Hospital.

Earlier on the day, Kagwe announced government’s decision to suspend all public gatherings including inter- school events, prison visits, church crusades and all other public meetings.

He, however, exempted normal churches as long the congregants are provided with hand sanitisers.

“We have suspended all public gatherings, meetings, religious crusades, games and all events that are of a huge public nature. Normal church service can go on, provided they provide hand sanitisers s people go into the worship areas,”he directed.

The patient, a 27-year-old student traveled in from USA via a London flight.

She had been tested in Chicago and Ohio but all results were negative.

“This was a lady who was living on her own, I want to thank her because she has put citizen responsibility to the test. Because the minute she started feeling unwell and she said to us having read what you have been publishing she thought that she took her herself to the hospital,” the CS confirmed.

With the confirmation, Kenya became the first country in Eastern Africa to report the first coronavirus case.

By Friday, March 13, at least 5,082 people out of 138,252 cases had died.-Wires

By A Correspondent- Exiled former Cabinet Minister, Professor Jonathan Moy has recommended the cancellation of Zimbabwe’s Independence bash that is scheduled for the 18th of April at Barbourfields in Bulawayo.

Moyo cites the novel coronavirus as the reason why Zimbabwe should cancel the event.

Posting on Twitter this Saturday, Moyo said:

If it’s right for #CAF to postpone #Warriors Afcon games to prevent spread of #CoronaVirus & save lives, it must be right to cancel Zim@40 Uhuru bash at BF Stadium in Byo on 18 April to save lives.

His remarks come after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had announced the postponement of the Women’s 2020 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers that were slated for the first week of April and the Men’s 2021 AFCON qualifiers that were scheduled to be played at the end of this month.

Moyo also speaks after the World Health Organisation country representative, Dr Gasasira has also recommended that gatherings are limited as much as possible urging those with symptoms to self-isolate and visit stipulated health facilities.

Two top Ministry of Health and Child Care employees were yesterday hauled to court charged with fraud after they reportedly misrepresented to their principal claiming fuel worth $27 000 that was not due to them.

The duo of Douglas Enos Mangwanya, 61, and Simbi Raiva, 43, were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa.

The two were granted $1000 bail and were ordered to report once a fortnight, to surrender their travel documents and not to interfere with State witnesses.

Mangwanya is the Director of Laboratories Services in the Ministry of Health and Child Care and Raiva is his deputy.

The court heard that the duo misrepresented to Crossman Mavayo, the Administrator of National Microbiology Reference Laboratory Department under the Ministry that they required extra quantities of fuel coupons as their monthly allocations.

In fact, the duo was not entitled to receive any fuel coupons from the Department of National Microbiology Reference Laboratory since he had already been allocated from the Ministry Head Office.

The two claimed extra fuel coupons without authority from the Ministry’s accounting officer.

As a result of the misrepresentation, Mangwanya received 80 litres of petrol coupons and 720 litres of diesel coupons which he used for personal benefit casing an actual prejudice of $14 931.

As a result of the misrepresentation, Raiva received 80 litres of petrol coupons and 600 litres of diesel which he used for his own benefit causing an actual prejudice of $12 920.

The offences came to light when an internal audit inspection was carried out by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

Sabastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State. H-Metro

TWO nurses at Bulawayo’s Mpilo Central Hospital allegedly caused the death of a one-day-old girl after she fell from a maternal bed when they left her mother unattended to give birth.

The nurses allegedly ignored the patient when she told them she was experiencing labour pains, until she gave birth and the baby crashed to the floor.

Sekesai Museka (41) of Parklands suburb and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu (36) of Cowdray Park suburb both employed as general nurses at the hospital allegedly caused the death of Ms Purity Dube’s daughter.

Ms Dube who resides in Cowdray Park suburb is being represented by Mr Bruce Masamvu of Mutatu, Masamvu and Da Silva-Gustavo law chambers.

Museka and Ndlovu were not asked to plead to culpable homicide when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Lizwe Jamela yesterday.

They were remanded out of custody on their own cognisance to March 26.

Prosecuting, Mr Denmark Chihombe said on November 20 last year, Ms Dube was admitted at Mpilo Central Hospital where she was due to give birth.

“At around 3AM, the complainant began to feel labour pains and called for help from the accused persons who were on duty but they ignored her.

“She gave birth on her own and the baby fell on the floor through a delivery blood trap hole on the maternity bed,” he said.

It is alleged that after some minutes, the nurses entered the room where Museka cut the umbilical cord from the unconscious baby and took her to a resuscitation room.

Some doctors allegedly attended to the baby but the duo did not inform them that the baby had fallen on the floor.

“At around 5AM that same day, the baby was transferred to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit but died at around 11PM,” Mr Chihombe said.

A post mortem report revealed that the baby died from intracranial haemorrhage and head injuries.

The matter was reported to the police who carried out investigations leading to the arrest of the two nurses.

Political analysts and councillors in Mashonaland Central province have said former ZANU PF provincial chairperson Dickson Mafios was better in mobilizing party Supporters to rallies than the incumbent Kazembe Kazembe.

Kazembe who was co-opted on the post soon after the president Emmerson Mnangagwa coup is reportedly failing to mobilize party supporters there by prompting the presidium in snubbing the province.

Political analysts Gift Mukombwe said Mafio was good at mobilising people as former president Robert Mugabe rallies in the province were all fully packed than those of Kazembe.

“Kazembe  has failed the new dispensation by failing to mobilize people during Mafios tenure not even a single rally flopped but Kazembe soon after the 2018 presidential elections the party has failed to hold a single successful presidential rally.

A councillor who spoke on condition of anonymity said Kazembe is not open in coordinating programs hence people are always caught unaware.

“The problem we have now with our chairperson is he is not open about presidential  rallies we are only told of the rallies a day or two before that is very different from Mafio’s era where everyone was told weeks before and urged to mobilize each other to attend.”

Another analysts Stephen Chawawa said Mafios era was better economically than that of Kazembe.

“Mafios operated in a better economic condition than Kazembe because during Mafios’ era fuel was readily available to ferry people to rallies but now Kazembe is operating in a harsh economic environment where service station are dry,” he said.

Another councillor said Kazembe is a bitter man who works with a few of his allies for his selfish gains which is different from Mafios’ time.

“Mafios worked for the party without segregation but Kazembe only works with his allies there by creating serious rifts in the party.

Meanwhile, Mashonaland Central province is busy preparing for District Development Coordinating Committee elections with a lot of vote buying already in existence especially from the legislators’ who are accused of using presidential food handouts for their selfish gains.

CHIEF Justice Luke Malaba yesterday warned osiphatheleni and other people involved in illegal activities around Tredgold Building, which houses the Bulawayo Magistrates Courts, saying there was an urgent need for them to be permanently flushed out of the area.

In 2018, while commissioning three additional courtrooms at the Bulawayo High Court, the country’s top judge bemoaned illegal foreign currency exchange activities around the environs of Tredgold Building resulting in police clamping down on illegal forex dealers. Police also sealed the parking area around the building. The operation was however short-lived and osiphatheleni have since returned.

Yesterday, CJ Malaba urged Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube and the city council to find a permanent solution to the problem of osiphatheleni.

He said illegal activities being carried out on the doorstep of Tredgold Building compromised the delivery of the country’s justice system.

“There can never be a marriage between illegality and justice so activities of an illegal nature must never be part and parcel of the justice system be it externally or internally. We hope that those activities in the environs or surroundings of Tredgold Building that are not wholesome must be stopped and I don’t think we should have a compromise on that issue,” he said.

“I, for one, want to see the Resident Minister and the powers-that-be of Bulawayo dealing with this illegality once and for all and ensure that this environment is healthy, respects and protects justice.”

CJ Malaba said it was not a healthy situation to have illegal activities taking place on the doorstep of the courts.

“I find it difficult to understand that you can have people allowing illegal changing of money outside this building and sometimes inside the building and it’s seen as normal. This is a fountain of justice; a temple of justice and we all know what Jesus said when he got to the temple and found activities that were not healthy. He put a bit of some switch and I won’t do that, but I think my tongue is enough,” he said.

CJ Malaba, who was on tour of Tredgold Building to assess progress on the ongoing refurbishment of courtrooms and magisterial offices, commended the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works for complementing their efforts.

“The refurbishment of Tredgold is a reflection of Government efforts and we are here to enforce Government policy. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is not an isolated organisation working on its own, it is an organisation that embraces all the policies of Government,” he said.

“Access to justice is a fundamental principle and we are saying the speedy delivery of justice, and at the same time in an ambient health environment must reflect the dignity of human beings and their aspirations. There has never been a society without courts in this world and even our own societies have always had courts and mechanisms of delivering justice.”

The Chief Justice said the environment in which justice is delivered should be healthy and attractive to the public.

“It is not JSC alone seeking to deliver justice to other people, we must be symbiotic in that relationship to ensure that we are understood and people are confident of the judicial system. The refurbishments of the courts in the isolation of the whole building is helpless and futile because justice must be holistic. You can’t approach a building and expect it to be a temple of justice only to look for a particular office or court in a sea of chaos,” he said.

The golden couple of Dr Eve Gadzikwa (55), a well-known business person, philanthropist and author, and husband Celestine Gadzikwa, businessman and Varichem financial director, has crashed into divorce, with the two now fighting over how their family assets are to be counted and split.

While all Zimbabwean divorces are no fault divorces, the fight over how Celestine’s company, CM Gadzikwa (Pvt) Ltd, is to be treated and even if the divorce court should see its records, has made the divorce details public and led to both giving explicit evidence of why the marriage has broken down.

Celestine places adultery by Eve with a married boyfriend as the main cause of the breakdown, while she is equally frank in saying her husband has shown zero love and affection for five years, not touching her in this time.

Eve is a well-known public figure.

She is director general and secretary to the Standards Association of Zimbabwe and 13th president of Africa Union standards body, the Africa Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and is the past board chairperson of the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange and past chairperson of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Zimbabwe. She has won many local and international accolades.

On the other hand, Celestine is an esteemed businessman and Varichem Holdings financial director with his company, CM Gadzikwa, thought to be rather well funded.

So, their divorce is attracting public notice.

Celestine is the one who has applied in the High Court for divorce, giving evidence that the breakdown of the marriage is due to his wife’s alleged frequent adultery with a married man, which he alleges she has confessed to.

Through his lawyers, Dube, Manikai and Hwacha, he waxes almost lyrical over his “extended tolerance, forbearance, mediation and counselling”.

Celestine states he is “continuously haunted and tormented by the fear of being publicly humiliated, considering the real possibility that the women and woman with whom (Eve) is in conflict over her boyfriend have threatened to sue her and expose damaging pictures, audios and videos of defendant in compromising, adulterous and undignified circumstances’’.

In her response, Eve consents to divorce, but is demanding 50 percent distribution of the family property, including shares in CM Gadzikwa (Pvt) Ltd.

She blames the breakdown of the marriage on Celestine, whom she blames of failing to discharge his obligations as a husband over the past five years.

Through lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa, she makes it plain that the marriage has collapsed because Celestine “showed no love and affection in the last five years of the marriage. (He) has generally failed to treat (Eve) with the love, respect, support . . . intimacy as expected between husband and wife.”

And then comes the reason why the couple did not divorce quietly in a negotiated settlement to be presented to and confirmed by the court.

Eve, argues that though she agreed to an uncontested divorce, she declined to sign the consent paper which she considered to be tilted in favour of Celestine financially.

“I contend that the only way that the divorce court can make a fair and equitable order would be to have the company joined as a party to the proceedings so that its entire operations can be looked into,” she argues.

Celestine, she argues, will not suffer any prejudice if the company is joined as a third party to the divorce proceedings.

Celestine is opposing Eve’s application, arguing that he formed the company before the two got married.

The High Court will now have to decide whether or not any growth in company assets between the marriage and the divorce should be part of the divorce proceedings.

Former workers and their families at Water Vlei Farm along Seke Road in Chitungwiza yesterday attacked staff of the Messenger of Court as they enforced an eviction order.

They said the farm previously belonged to a sand quarrying syndicate called Supersands, whose owners allowed them to stay on the land.

The white owners left the farm during the Land Reform Programme in 2000, but left the workers in the compound.

According to witnesses, the Messenger of Court forced entry into houses by breaking locks using a bolt cutter and dumped possessions and furniture along Seke Road, leaving more than 50 families stranded.

The farm is now owned by Mrs Tambudzai Kachepa, who said she inherited it from her father, Mr Dickson Kachepa, who bought it in 1984 and had all the title deeds.

Mrs Kachepa said the residents were given ample time to pack their belongings in 2017 but had resisted moving on at least two previous occasions.

The eviction became violent when the Messenger of Court dumped goods and property on the side of the road, as is standard practice. The former workers were then barred from entering their “homes”.

The Messenger of Court told residents not to speak to The Herald reporters and pushed one away from the camera. Residents then retaliated by blocking the truck and started beating up staff of the Messenger of Court.

Mrs Dorica Chakoroma said she needed ample time to pack her belongings and find alternative accommodation.

“We didn’t resist eviction but it’s only that we haven’t been given ample time to pack our things and go. Can you imagine how difficult things are nowadays? Where can we go? We don’t have money even to transport our belongings,” said Mrs Chakoroma.

Octogenarian Mr Moyo Faraki (96) stood motionless resting his knuckles on his waist as he gazed at his few belongings strewn by the roadside.

Mr Sylvester Mamhovha had no kind words for the court emissaries’ conduct. “We are not happy with the way these people executed the evictions. They have destroyed our goods. We are now counting our losses,” said Mr Mamhovha.

Another resident, Mr Shadreck Jasi, said he had lost his national identity card and his children’s birth certificates during the eviction.

Watch video downloading below:

State Media|CARTELS comprising butchery owners, rogue elements in the police service and officers from the Veterinary Services Department are corruptly clearing cattle infected with January disease and anthrax before unleashing uninspected beef on the market, state media has also revealed.

Butchers have set up bases for agents in most rural communities like Mhondoro, Buhera and Murehwa.

Infected cattle are selling for as little as US$25 each, while the agents demand commission ranging from $100 to US$10 for every beast sold. January disease, also known as Theileriosis, is a tick-borne disease common between December and March and is spread through the bite of the brown ear tick.

Thousands of cattle have died since last year and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement is still to establish the actual number of deaths.

An investigation exposed connivance between butcheries and cattle owners. Officers responsible for cattle clearance were also cited as part of the illicit trade.

Most cattle, according to the investigation, are dying after receiving Butachem, a drug used to fight January disease.

The drug, according to animal health experts, can cause cancer if people consume the meat before or within 42 days of treatment.

Director of the Veterinary Service Department Dr Josephat Nyika warned people against consuming products of cattle infected or that would have died of January disease or any other illnesses.

“Please do not ever eat that beef,” he said. “Once a beast dies after receiving a dosage of Butachem, it must be burnt or the owner should do a deep burial. That meat should never be eaten. After giving the cattle the drug, there should be a 42-day withdrawal process, which should occur before the meat becomes safe for human consumption.

“Consuming it before or within those 42 days is disastrous. The drug causes various cancers. To the people of Zimbabwe, I say, do not eat that meat.”

Despite warnings by the animal health experts, uninspected and possibly infected beef still finds its way to the market through corrupt acts.

What makes the matter of more concern is that meat consumers cannot tell if the meat would have been inspected before they buy it from butcheries or other outlets.

Dr Nyika said the only way to prevent cattle from dying of January disease was regular dipping.

“It is not known yet how many cattle have died from this scourge because cattle owners are not reporting all deaths to the authorities,” he said.

“However, provinces are still compiling a list of deaths and we will be able to give out the correct figures soon.”

The investigation covered areas in Mhondoro, Mashonaland West and Buhera in Manicaland, where villagers confirmed the death of cattle and the sale of the uninspected meat to buyers from towns like Harare and Chitungwiza.

At Watyoka Business Centre in Mhondoro, an agent identified as Tawanda, charged $100 commission for any beast purchased.

“Those which show little signs of sickness cost around US$60 each, while others that are visibly affected and dying are selling at prices between US$25 and US$40,” said Tawanda.

“How many do you want my brother? I can assure you that within an hour, we will start receiving the beasts.”

True to his word, Tawanda took the news crew to a Mrs Mahuyo’s place, less than a kilometre from the business centre.

Mrs Mahuyo’s cow, which was visibly sick, was pegged at US$50.

Tawanda said he had connections at the local police station where a police officer (name withheld) charged US$5 for every beast cleared.

“Police clearance is not a problem because I have a friend who clears cattle at the police station,” said Tawanda.

“We simply take the particulars of the seller and those of the buyer to the veterinary office, who can even sign the clearance papers without inspecting the cattle.

“Last week, with the assistance of these officers, I sold 15 cattle to Harare buyers.”

Butcheries at Watyoka and Mubaira business centres have already slashed beef price from $80 to $40, as beef has flooded the market.

Chief Mashayamombe of Mhondoro-Mubaira lamented the death of cattle in the area and the rampant sale of uninspected beef.

He urged Government to urgently address the January disease problem and put in place strict measures to end sale of uninspected beef.

“Most of my subjects are now without any cattle at all,” said Chief Mashayamombe.

“In some areas, people have now switched to using donkeys which are now costing between US$50 and US$70.

“Those responsible for protecting these cattle from diseases should up their game. There should be awareness campaigns to educate the public on the dangers of the uninspected beef.”

Mhondoro villagers are now resorting to buying donkeys from elsewhere to replace the dying cattle as draught power. In Buhera, most households were also left without cattle.

At Nharira Business Centre, some 50 kilometres west of Murambinda, an agent identified as Gweje confirmed the prevalence of “dirty meat deals”.

He said most of his clients were from Chitungwiza.

“I have been into this business of selling cattle and beef for a long time,” he said.

“I have a lot of clients in Chitungwiza. Most of the butchers prefer the infected cattle, which are cheaper.”

Gweje charged US$10 commission for each sell he would facilitate.

“I can organise as many cattle as you want,” he said. “I am charge US$10 for each beast, or equivalent of the amount in bond notes. The prices are reasonable and I can get you good beasts for as little as US$40.”

Just like Tawanda in Mhondoro, Gweje relied on his connections at the local police station and the veterinary officers, saying clearance was not a challenge.

Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa has ripped into President Emmerson Mnangagwa over the remarks he recently made while officially unveiling a mortuary in Gutu, Masvingo.

President Mnangagwa became a subject of social media ridicule over a video in which he was captured describing a new Gutu Hospital mortuary ‘as very cool’ while making reference to his time as a Kwekwe legislator when he paid a prize to the first family to use his donated mortuary. The video has been trending on various social media platforms.

Addressing MDC party Councilors at the Inaugural SMART Councils summit at the party’s headquarters Chamisa said Mnangagwa was out of touch with reality and his days as President were numbered.

“The exchange rate is now at forty something, even if you are an effective councillor, father, mother or husband you cannot plan under these circumstances. When you are organised the state disorganizes you” said Chamisa

Chamisa said the country was struggling for everything and an educated person like Engineer Elias Mudzuri has become an ordinary person.

“Even Engineer Mudzuri has become an ordinary person, if you do not struggle for water you struggle for power and if you don’t struggle for power you struggle for cash…..we are struggling in everything. Zimbabweans lets fight for our rights, let’s not wait for anyone else to tell us to fight. It’s natural to fight when you are being fought”

He said in other countries the Mnangagwa mortuary sentiments would result in someone being burnt.

“In other countries, this talk of mortuaries by Mnangagwa, he would have been burnt because if you see a President celebrating such things it shows that he is out of reality and also his days are numbered” said Chamisa.

-Online

Zizoe Pamyk has reached out to Felistas Edwards better known as Mai Titi soon after their break up thanking her for everything she did for him. Zizoe says he now wants to live a private life.

Below is the chat that Mai Titi shared on social media,

Stay Strong and sorry for letting you down, sorry for saying bad things to you keep going and keep on keeping on. I just want (to say) Thank you for everything you did in my life (.) you take me places and you did the best for me always, sorry for telling you bad words hapana chandakaunza muupenyu hwako kunze kwe marwadzo(.) I always take the blame, I just want my life to (be) private for a while (.) So no problem zvaitika nhasi zvinotokuendesa mudenga (.)

So u have to stay on top of your game like always (.) am not good mukupindurana so I will stay quite tirimo muma teres (.) wish you all the best (.) please handisi pahondo asi iwe handikumise kuita zvaunoda isarudzo yako (.) thanx for this u gve me (,) thanx for ma fans ako(,) thanxs for the joy and happiness (.)

This stays with us you know keep the fire burning and don’t let anyone takes you down like always

CHEERS

Zanu PF legislators Marko Raidza and Dexter Nduna today disrupted proceedings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting accusing the chairperson Tendai Biti’s party MDC of refusing to recognize President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Following disruptions, Biti asked the press and Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission officials to leave the house while they sort out their issues, with the committee reconvening after an hour with Zanu PF legislators to continue with their disruptions.

The Public Accounts Committee was due to get explanations from parastatals that failed to submit their financial accounts to the Auditor General for audit.

“My point of order is in connection with our issues regarding this committee, particularly our chairmanship that we have been disputing as Zanu PF comrade members of PAC. We have raised the issue in our previous meeting. You in particular as MDC have refused to recognize our President,” Raidza said.

Biti however interjected by asking the ZACC officials led by one of the commissioners, Mr Gabriel Chaibva and the press to take their leave while they sort out their grievances in private.

“No, the issue has nothing to do with ZACC and I would have thought the issue was raised before we had invited our visitors and the press,”

“We were on our own before ZACC came, before the press came. So I’m actually disturbed by the timing of your question. But be that as it may, I will ask comrade Chaibva and your team to excuse us,” Biti said.

This is not the first time the PAC has adjourned its business following a similar stunt by Zanu pf officials who walked out of the meeting when Zanu pf sympathizer and owner of Sakunda Holdings, Kuda Tagwirei had been called for investigation for alleged corrupt tendencies.

The inter-party politics have seriously affected the smooth operations of the committee with some Zanu pf officials constantly coming up with shrewd ways to frustrate investigations into some of the party darlings.

Upon return after having sought guidance from the Clerk of Parliament who restated the committee to continue, Nduna and Raidza continued to disrupt proceedings.

Some MDC members accused the two of being bribed by Sakunda, who are due to give oral evidence to the committee next week to set the precedence.

-263Chat

THE Confederation of African Football yesterday finally bowed to pressure and postponed the 2021 AFCON qualifiers set for this month amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

The CAF leaders this week had given the hint the matches would go ahead as scheduled but, with more countries reporting new cases of coronavirus, they were left with no option but to postpone the matches.

This means that Zimbabwe’s back-to-back qualifiers against Algeria will not be played this month.

It’s also a relief to ZIFA, who had been struggling to find a home for the Warriors to host Algeria, after CAF placed a blanket ban on all the local stadiums from hosting international matches.

The new developments, given that the next international break will be in June, provide the country with a chance to work on both the National Sports Stadium and Barbourfields and present them to CAF as facilities suitable to host the match against Algeria.

ZIFA had also hinted that they would have required a US$200 000 budget to host the Desert Foxes in South Africa.

‘‘Following the growing concerns of the COVID-19 virus and the declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) describing it as pandemic, CAF has decided to postpone the following competitions until further notice:

Total AFCON 2021 Qualifiers: Match Day 3 and 4 of the qualifiers scheduled for March 25-31, 2020;

FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup Qualifiers: scheduled for March 20-22, 2020, and March 27-29, 2020;

Total Women’s AFCON 2020 Qualifiers: scheduled for April 8-14, 2020.

‘‘A new schedule shall be announced in due time.’’

Warriors coach, Zdravko Logarusic, had yesterday announced his squad for the matches against Algeria.

But, doubts still persisted about the availability of most of his European-based players, because of the travel restrictions to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

The Algerian and Zimbabwean Governments had also questioned the need to have the matches played amid this global health crisis.

The Algerians, too, were unlikely to be allowed to enter South Africa, which is batting to contain the outbreak of the virus.

The technical team had retained most of the players, who represented the country in the opening two matches, against Botswana and Zambia last year in a glimpse of the players the Croat wants to use for national duty.

Skipper Knowledge Musona had been named to lead a contingent of eight European-based players, who included Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, Alec Mudimu (Moldova), Marshall Munetsi (France), Teenage Hadebe (Turkey), goalkeeper Martin Mapisa (Spain) and Tino Kadewere (France), who has lit the French Ligue 2 with his goal-scoring prowess.

The technical team had also extended the call to England-based striker Macauley Bonne, who was ruled out the last time because of a medical condition.

However, even as the team was released, it was clear the European teams were not going to release their players because of the travel restrictions imposed by Governments and health authorities.

In Belgium, where Musona plies his trade at KAS Eupen, league games have been suspended after the country recorded 556 cases of coronavirus and three deaths.

The Belgian National Security Council decided to take far-reaching measures by declaring a state of emergency over the entire country.

Under the new emergency measures, all recreational and sporting events will be cancelled or postponed, while public places like restaurants, bars, cafés and discos have been ordered to shut from midnight yesterday until April 3.

Schools, meanwhile, will be closed as of Monday, with a day-care service maintained for working parents with no other alternatives.

Midfielder Nakamba has also suffered a similar fate after the English Premiership matches were suspended until April 3.

Bonne also plays in England at Charlton Athletic. Spain, where goalkeeper Mapisa plies his trade at Zamora CF, may also be affected by the strict travel restrictions in the country after 3 000 cases were reported.

But Zimbabwe were confident, if the matches had gone ahead, of getting their South Africa-based contingent, who make the bulk of the squad.

There were eight players based in South Africa in the Warriors squad, including Khama Billiat, Knox Mutizwa, Butholezwe Ncube, Ovidy Karuru, Kuda Mahachi, Charlton Mashumba and goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze.

Defender Divine Lunga had also returned to the fold after missing the previous qualifiers against Zambia and Botswana.

Tafadzwa Kutinyu, who has been involved in the CAF Champions League football with Guinea giants Horoya AC, had also bounced back into the team.

But, there were no places for Thabani Kamusoko, Cliff Moyo, Kelvin Moyo and Highlanders forward Prince Dube, who had also been dropped from the CHAN squad.

Zimbabwe were scheduled to play Algeria on March 26 at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Blida with the return match set for South Africa on March 29.

The novel coronavirus, which was first detected in China late last year, has wreaked havoc mostly in Europe and Asia and has hit sport hard after several events were either cancelled or postponed.

Zimbabwe’s opponents Algeria have also borne the brunt in Africa after 24 cases were recorded. Algeria has become one of the hotspots in Africa and the Government of Zimbabwe has spoken against sending the team to the North African country at this point.

Algeria lead the group with six points while Zimbabwe are in second place after two rounds of play.

The back-to-back clashes, should they go ahead, are likely to be decisive as Zambia, without a point, and Botswana (one point), also engage in duels to keep their hopes alive.

Apart from the coronavirus threat, Zimbabwe were also facing a headache on their travel arrangements because of the spacing of the back-to-back matches.

-State media

Zimbabwe is not concealing any cases of Covid-19 and no country can do so due to the nature of the disease which manifests and spreads rapidly for anyone to hide, World Health Organisation (WHO) country representative Dr Alex Gasasira has said.

He said if Zimbabwe was hiding cases of Covid-19, which is caused by the coronavirus, positive cases would have come out by now.

In an interview yesterday, Dr Gasasira said in fact, health authorities were actually grappling with misinformation pertaining to Covid-19.

“This pandemic can be contained if countries do the right thing,” he said. “Covid-19 by its nature is too rapid to be concealed by any country. By now, if Zimbabwe was concealing any case, they could have come out.

“While we grapple with containing it, the greatest challenge we face is misinformation, which is making it very difficult to contain the virus.”

Dr Gasasira said it was important for people to rely on reliable sources of information, adding that everyone had a role in containing Covid-19. He said it was not just the Government’s responsibility to contain the pandemic, but individuals and other stakeholders had critical roles to play.

The remarks come at a time when the Government stands accused of hiding positive cases of coronavirus by some sections of society.

The social media went ballistic recently when a Thai man, who was a coronavirus suspect, disappeared from Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital, with many people saying he was positive and wanted to intentionally spread the disease.

After a manhunt was launched, the Thai man handed himself in and eventually tested negative.

Dr Gasasira urged African countries to consider minimising social gatherings in the face of increasing cases of Covid-19.

Although Zimbabwe has not yet recorded any confirmed case of coronavirus, neighbouring South Africa has so far confirmed 24 cases.

Fourteen other African countries have confirmed varying numbers of coronavirus.

“Now is the time to minimise social gatherings, Zimbabwe and Africa should act,” said Dr Gasasira. “While there is no need for a lock down for Zimbabwe since it has not recorded any cases, there is need to emphasise on social distancing and reduce gatherings.

“Social distancing is one of the critical measures that a country can use to contain the pandemic. Gatherings should be limited as much as possible and those with symptoms should self-isolate and present at stipulated health facilities.”

Social gatherings include churches, parties, and political gatherings.

Since the first case was recorded in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, the virus has so far claimed nearly 5 000 lives worldwide and infected over 134 000 people.

While official statistics show a decline in cases in China, elsewhere in the world, cases of coronavirus continue to increase with Italy, Iran and South Korea being the hardest hit.

Over 100 countries in the world have been affected by coronavirus, forcing the WHO to declare the disease a pandemic.

As of yesterday, Zimbabwe had not yet reported any positive cases, but had isolated a number of suspected cases and had screened and put 8 700 people under surveillance.

The people passed through Zimbabwe’s different ports of entry, some travelling from the affected countries.

-State Media