LONDON. — All elite football in England has been suspended until at least April 3 as a result of the spread of coronavirus pandemic.
All English Premier League games, EFL fixtures and matches in the FA Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship have been postponed.
The measure to postpone Premier League football was agreed at an “emergency club meeting” yesterday and in light of Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and Chelsea midfielder Callum Hodson-Odoi confirming they had tested positive for the virus.
The English Premier League said action would resume on April 4 “subject to medical advice and conditions at the time”.
The Football Association said England’s games against Italy on March 27 and Denmark four days later are off.
The EFL, which hopes to resume play a day earlier than the Premier League on April 3, said clubs were also advised to suspend “non-essential activities” such as “player appearances, training ground visits and fan meetings”.
The news was confirmed in a collective statement: “The FA, Premier League, EFL and Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship have collectively agreed to postpone the professional game in England until April 3 at the earliest.
“This action, which will be kept under constant review, has been taken due to the increasing numbers of Clubs taking steps to isolate their players and staff because of the COVID-19 virus.-State media
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings has reviewed listeners’ licence fees for both radio and television, in a development that will see motor vehicle radio licence fees pegged at $300 from $10 per quarter.
Companies will have to pay $600 per quarter for car radio licences, up from $80, while businesses with television sets will have to pay $1 000.
This is contained in a Statutory Instrument of a Government Gazette published yesterday by ZBC with the approval of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa in terms of the Broadcasting Services Act.
The new fee structure is expected to bring relief to the public broadcaster which a fortnight ago told Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services that service delivery was being hampered by low licence fees, which were reportedly last reviewed in 2009.
“A listener may pay any fee referred to in subsection (1) in Euros, British Pounds, South African Rand or Botswana Pula at the international cross rate of exchange of the currency in question for the Zimbabwean dollar, rounded downwards or upwards to the nearest multiple of 10,” reads the notice.
Those in rural areas will have to pay $25 per quarter for radio, while those in urban areas pay $50 per quarter.-State media
Foreign currency service stations will be limited to two in each province, with oil companies allowed to hold no more than two licences, each in a different province, and competitive bidding will kick off if more than two companies want the two stations in any province, under regulations gazetted yesterday.
Foreign currency fuel will be marked, probably by a special dye, to stop ordinary fuel being sold for foreign currency or for legal forex fuel being diluted with ordinary fuel.
Service stations selling in foreign currency will be compelled to bank all that currency into a suitable account approved by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
This will prevent owners of these stations keeping foreign currency in cash. Non-oil bills will have to be paid in Zimdollars, preventing the forex stations from being a start of redollarisation.
Swinging penalties for cheating are set with fines and civil penalties varying, but the accompanying jail terms almost always set at five years in the long awaited Petroleum (Direct Fuel Imports and Marketing of Fuel) Regulations 2020 issued yesterday by Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi, after consultation with the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority.
Only the larger holders of procurement licences, the oil companies, can even start applying for their maximum of two forex service stations.
An oil company has to own at least 25 retail licences before applying and then has to satisfy the Petroleum Regulatory Authority, which licences all oil companies and service stations, that all petrol and diesel sold at the service station will be procured using free funds or legally held foreign currency they have earned.
The several requirements and limits set mean that a maximum of 20 service stations can be converted nationally to forex stations and even the smallest qualifying oil company will be able to convert no more than two of its 25 stations, so must keep 92 percent of its business in Zimdollar stations with larger companies keeping a higher percentage as ordinary Zimdollar stations.
Thus the overwhelming bulk of service stations are to be retained as ordinary Zimdollar stations with the forex stations just being a tiny percentage.
The set maximum of two forex stations in each of the 10 provinces, and every oil company having their two stations in different provinces, has an extra limitation.-State media
By Staff Reporter| MDC deputy chairperson Job Sikhala, who was recently cleared of treason charges, has said Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi does not have any prospect of succeeding in his intended Supreme Court appeal against the acquittal.
This comes after Hodzi, through Justin Uladi, who is an acting national director of public prosecutors, sought leave to appeal against High Court Judge Garainesu Mawadze’s ruling.
However, Sikhala told the court that the State was going on a fishing expedition, as it lacked sufficient grounds that could help overturn the High Court ruling.
“There are absolutely no prospects of success in any intended appeal as ought to be clear from the State’s poor drafting of both the indictment and the summary of the evidence it proposed to lead.
“From the poor documents presented before the court, which included a truncated utterance by myself which had obviously been edited in what was a clear cut and paste job, the court could not have found that the words complained of violated the provisions of Section 22 (2)(a)(i) of the Criminal Law Codification & Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23),” Sikhala told the court.
The Zengeza West legislator was arrested in October last year on charges of attempting to subvert a constitutionally-elected government, after he allegedly told his party’s rally in Bikita East that he would overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration before the next elections due in 2023.
Sikhala, however, told the court in response to Hodzi’s application, that as a politician, he had clear political rights that entitled him to challenge actions of other political players.
He said while the State claimed that he intended to overthrow the government, he had not mentioned the government in his statement but Mnangagwa.
“In any event, the court could not read ‘government’ into the statement relied upon when government was never mentioned. That Emmerson Mnangagwa and president are separate and distinct from ‘government’ appears to have eluded the applicant,” Sikhala said.
The Zengeza West legislator said Uladi, who filed an affidavit in the application, had no legal standing to do so as he was never part of the court proceedings in the lower court and was not privy to what transpired in the matter.
In the application, Hodzi is challenging the acquittal, claiming Mawadze misdirected himself.
“The learned judge misdirected himself on a point of law by not taking into account that, for attempting to overthrow the government it is not an essential element of the offence to show or prove the attitude of the audience addressed that is whether the audience was responsive or unresponsive to the utterances,” the State argued.
The matter is still pending before the Supreme Court.
President Mnangagwa is happy with the work that the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) is doing to bring solutions to some of the challenges facing the country.
This came out of a meeting of thematic committees that presented reports to the full assembly of POLAD at State House yesterday.
President Mnangagwa was among other POLAD leaders that received reports from the six thematic committees.
Briefing journalists after presentation of the reports, the President said: “I am extremely happy. It was very nice, especially the one that dealt with engagement and the economy, it was very detailed and I think it’s very useful.”
He said the committees raised some issues on which that they were not in agreement with the Government.
The President promised to review the issues.
Another meeting of leaders of political parties in POLAD has been scheduled for next week where President Mnangagwa will give feedback on some of the issues raised yesterday.
The meeting was an opportunity for the six sub-committees to give their reports to the full assembly of POLAD.
“The first one was the economic committee, which hosted the economic forum last time, which in my view, did a sterling work,” said President Mnangagwa.
“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.”-State media
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.
The new rules were gazetted yesterday 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.
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 proprotion 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.
While commercial banks do have depositors with extra cash that they are ready to lock up for a decent return, mobile money is generally used to pay bills and make quick payments and has never been seen as an investment vehicle by most. It has largely replaced actual cash in wallets, and originally was a way of sending people a few dollars instantly, rather than as a way of holding large sums.
The regulations also open opportunities for the three mobile transfer agencies to introduce new products that do make it easy to lock in cash for longer than 30 days.
The financial and monetary authorities are ever keener for Zimbabweans to build savings rather than spend everything they get as they get it. State Media / Herald
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.-state media/Herald
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 – all powerful 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.
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 – @ProfMadhuku@HealZimpic.twitter.com/P513ICAvtR
“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.”
Jogging not only improves your physical appearance, it increases you confidence, which in some people is dependent on the physical improvements they see on their bodies, and it improves self-worth. It also helps confidence because of its anti-depressive and stress reduction qualities.
Jogging teaches perseverance
Jogging like most workouts teaches you that nothing can be achieved without perseverance. This also applies to other aspects of life, you would need to persevere to gain any results. The results could be being able to run further, or help you achieve the health benefits expected.
Jogging puts you on the road and the only option you have is to keep running, and you could apply that in other areas of your life, jogging gives you a psychological edge.
Jogging is free
Unlike most other workouts the only thing jogging would cost you is a good pair of trainers, no need for extra equipment or a gym membership fee, all you have to do is wake up and run.
Basically your health can be improved to a substantive level for free, no hidden charges.
Jogging promotes self-sufficiency
The importance of self-sufficiency cannot be overstated. It’s important to know your capability alone.
Jogging not only helps you know what you are capable of, it also helps you push those capabilities. This is due to the fact that while jogging, it is completely up to you to make targets and meet the targets.
And if you find out you are unfit which could find out by jogging, it would help you push through those limits.
Jogging helps the cardiovascular system
The cardiovascular system consist of the heart, veins, arteries and capillaries, their work is basically transporting blood around the body.
And it’s through blood that oxygen and carbon dioxide and most other nutrients are transported between the cells of the body and the lungs.
Blood pressure is reduced because of the burning of cholesterol, and the risk of heart disease or a stroke is lowered. And the lungs usually grow extra alveoli, and the density of the capillary would increase around the body to make sure that the oxygen is getting to the new muscle and the already existing parts in the body.
Jogging aids all that above and also aids the capillaries which are where exchanges are made between the blood and the cells, which leads to each cell receiving the oxygen and other essentials in a larger quantity and much faster. So due to your jogging routine each cell will be functioning to a higher degree of efficiency.
Jogging helps you organize your thoughts
Jogging doesn’t just have physical effects it also has mental effects, jogging helps to organize thoughts. When in a stressful or complicated situation, a jog could help you feel as though you are moving through your thoughts physically, and it helps you come to a solution.
This may be due to the fact that you are spending time with your body that you feel as though you are getting closer to what is really important to you.
Increased attention to Health
Jogging shows you exactly where your body’s physical health is at. When we avoid exercise or lack exercise we usually don’t see the damages that are caused by drinking, smoking and unhealthy meals, mostly because we don’t push ourselves out of our comfort zones.
Credit:Fitnesszin.com
Compiled by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
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A Gokwe man who was living with his sister in Binga, who went berserk and axed 5 people to death in cold blood last week explained why he axed those 5 people who were his brother in law’s neighbours in court, The Chronicle reports.
Christopher Gotore told the court that he had a recurring dream in which he saw the deceased trying to kill him. According to the publication, Gotore:
Told the court that he killed the victims because he was haunted by a recurring dream where he always saw the victims in a vision visiting him with pigs and threatening to kill him.
He said one of the victims Admire Nyangarai and his brother-in-law Mr Bruce Sibanda’s aunt Chiravigwa Sibanda threatened to kill him in his sleep.
The magistrate has ordered that he be examined by 2 psychiatrists before his next court appearance on 24 March.-State media
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/Herald
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.
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.
By Gift Ostallos Siziba, MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General
Towards smart cities
Witnessing the signing of solemn declaration by our public officials to declare to the party and the people their assists as per our congress resolution.
This process was informed by 3 things:
1) Our ideological disposition
2) Our policy position
3) Our political mandate bestowed upon the party’s deployees.
The MDC as a social democratic alternative whose key values include transparency and accountability must ensure that it sets a the tone and direction in terms of conduct and behavior of public officials.
Our party officials must be the torch bearers of 21st century pan African ideologies.
By Gift Ostallos Siziba, MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General
Towards smart cities
Witnessing the signing of solemn declaration by our public officials to declare to the party and the people their assists as per our congress resolution.
This process was informed by 3 things:
1) Our ideological disposition
2) Our policy position
3) Our political mandate bestowed upon the party’s deployees.
The MDC as a social democratic alternative whose key values include transparency and accountability must ensure that it sets a the tone and direction in terms of conduct and behavior of public officials.
Our party officials must be the torch bearers of 21st century pan African ideologies.
Farai Dziva|There is tension in the ancient city of Masvingo as the Movement for Democratic Change prepares to hold a rerun of its district elections in the Masvingo Urban Constituency.
The elections were initially held last Saturday but the whole process degenerated into chaos as rival camps fiercely exchanged blows.
“On Saturday the 14th of March 2020, Masvingo Urban MDC will elect its leadership.
The elections will be conducted at the provincial in offices at 8am,” said the party in a statement.
Farai Dziva|There is tension in the ancient city of Masvingo as the Movement for Democratic Change prepares to hold a rerun of its district elections in the Masvingo Urban Constituency.
The elections were initially held last Saturday but the whole process degenerated into chaos as rival camps fiercely exchanged blows.
“On Saturday the 14th of March 2020, Masvingo Urban MDC will elect its leadership.
The elections will be conducted at the provincial in offices at 8am,” said the party in a statement.
It’s a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and it’s associated health problems worldwide.
Kidney diseases are non communicable diseases. The theme is: Kidney health for everyone everywhere – from prevention to detection and equitable access to care.
Tips for a maintaining healthy kidneys:
Exercise and stay active everyday .
Check your blood pressure, weight and blood sugar
Eat healthy. Avoid eating fatty products
Avoid smoking and excessive drinking.
Drink plenty of fluids unless instructed by a health professional to limit water intake because of other conditions.
Avoid use of over the counter medicines for long periods.
Be aware of family history and get regular check ups if if have positive history of kidney disease.
Compiled by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
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By Dr Masimba Mavaza| After decades of sanctions, mismanagement and corruption, Zimbabwe is in economic trouble. Zimbabweans are poor and hungry and can not make ends meet. In a country that was once among Africa’s most industrialised, electricity is now a very rare occurrence if it comes it will be for only a few hours a night. Industries , companies factories and bakeries are only but the shadows of their former selves. Water has become a thing of the past life in Zimbabwe is a struggle and indeed the country is on its knees.
With all this suffering in the country of plenty some people celebrate the problems of the nation by calling for more sanctions in the country and the country’s fragile economy. Industrial Workers arrive after dark, hoping that if they are patient they will be able to switch on their machines or ovens. Zimbabweans are no longer enjoying the quality of life, their sleeping partner has changed. They have to wake up midnight to find electricity in their homes. Despite the absence of electricity the bill comes very high yet there was no electricity the whole day and half of the night. Every Zimbabwean has been turned to become a night worker people wake up in the middle of the night to cook or iron their shirts or just to charge their phones or other electric gadgets.
Water no longer runs down the water pipes. People have resorted to boreholes for fresh water. We thank God for smiling over Zimbabwe. Most of the borehole waters are sixty percent row sewage. The boreholes are sunk in towns the ever blocking sewage always sips in the soil and finds its way in the water tables and finally the raw sewage is found in the kitchens of almost all Urban dwellers. The situation in Zimbabwe is best described as dog’s breakfast.
Tendai Biti, an opposition mp and former finance minister, complains that life has gone back to colonial times: “I’m washing in a bucket, my friend, as if it is Southern Rhodesia in 1923.” But he forgot to say he is the one who made a trip of shame to America to beg for sanctions against Zimbabwe. Biti has the mentality that of its not him no one can have it. He is like a bully herding cattle. Who sets the cows in someone’s field because he has not been given his lunch. Or the boywho runs away with the football because his team has lost. The opposition has played a greater role in the suffering of the ordinary Zimbabweans. The crisis is Zimbabwe’s worst since the bad days of 2008-09, when President Robert Mugabe’s money-printing sparked hyperinflation so intense that prices doubled several times an hour. The situation of 2008 only came to normalcy after the country adopted the US dollar. To make things worse for Zimbabwe the country has faced a severe drought and the rains came very late. But the real problem is corruption and the failure to prosecute those suspected of corruption. Illicit money traders on the streets of Harare have substituted the banks. Banking system has collapsed and the mattress bank has taken over. Zimbabwe’s inflation was at 605 percent, indicating the country is still in a precarious economic situation.
Zimbabwe has a wonderful chance of turning its fortunes after Mugabe was removed from power. The euphoria following a regime change blinded the leaders into believing that they can make ZIMBABWE better again. Unfortunately those put in the positions of trust are betraying the nation. We need to know how ZIMBABWE came to this level Of suffering. My university lecture described confusion as when the police shoot a murderer and the doctors work 24/7 to save his life then the judge sentences him to DEATH. This is the circle our economy is doing.
No economic populist program is complete without its own inflationary agenda. Mugabe was more than willing to turn the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe into his personal printing press and pursue the most devastating hyperinflationary monetary policy in recent memory. One would think Mthuli had learnt something but we are in a confused state. Zimbabwe reached comic book levels of inflation in 2008, when hyperinflation became well established at a peak of 79.6 billion percent. After completely wiped out the value of the local currency, Zimbabwe effectively “dollarized” and switched to different currencies such as the dollar and the African rand. To make matters worse, the Zimbabwean government tried to combat inflation in the most futile way possible — by enacting price controls. A policy that has failed from Ancient Rome all the way to contemporary Venezuela, price controls predictably exacerbated already existing shortages and further hastened Zimbabwe’s economic debacle.
Zimbabwe’s vaunted agricultural sector experienced a notable implosion, as agricultural production nosedived by $12 billion from 2000 to 2009, according to a report from the Commercial Farmers Union.
The road to reform will not be a walk in the park given that Mthuli himself is no saint. Although Zimbabwe has left the realm of hyperinflation, it continues to have structural problems that impede market reforms.
This is often the case in developing countries, where the succeeding government — despite all its promises and vows to break free from the preceding government’s corruption — ends up breaking down because of incompetence and corruption in its ranks.
A large portion of high-ranking officials in Zimbabwe have been instructed in these schools of thought at Western universities abroad — where strange ideas are being fully implemented to the detriment of the realistic economic policies. However, many developing countries are fertile soil for destructive policies and this has destroyed our economy. Widespread wealth gaps between the politically connected haves and the disconnected have-nots, general ignorance about the implications of interventionism among the public, and a predatory political class that is shielded from popular backlash makes these countries susceptible to mass intervention.
When the West can’t implement some of its economically illiterate ideas at home, it finds willing importers in the developing world. Zimbabwe would completely depart from the Mugabe legacy and replicate Progressive policies. Suffice to say, nothing short of an economic exorcism is needed in Zimbabwe. Based on what President Mnangagwa has done so far, it does seem that Zimbabwe is actually serious about making tough reforms. But the stubbornness of the minister of finance and the bankruptcy in reasoning has dragged us dipper in the mud. The country bleeds and both the opposition and ruling party members a busy fattening their pockets. Zimbabwe deserves better it can not remain in the doldrums of poverty for this long. We need a better country better policies better nation.
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority has announced that it has amended the Petroleum Sector Notice that was issued on Monday 9 March 2020 after some stakeholders raised concern.
ZERA announced that it has scrapped section B of the Monday Notice which among other things stated that licensees were required to have at least 25 service stations.
The section also stated that licensees should provide a performance bond with a value of ZWL$30 million before licensing.
See below both the latest notice and the one which is being amended.
Below is the Notice which is being amended.
Some had argued that it was a strategy by owners of Zuva and Puma to push other players out of business.
Zimbabwean journalist, Hopewell Chin’no claims that President Mnangagwa and Sakunda boss Kuda Tagwirei who have shares in Zuva and Puma respectively must have influenced the decision to have the demands in the first Notice isseued on Monday.
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has welcomed the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to postpone all AFCON 2021 qualifiers slated for later this month owing to Coronavirus fears.
CAF made the decision today, meaning the Warriors will not play the Algeria double header, a decision which the country’s football governing body feels is the right one.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association welcomes the decision of CAF to postpone international matches due debilitating effects of the COVID-19 virus .
We wish to inform the football fraternity that as a result of this decision the Under 20 Women team will break camp on Monday 16 March 2020 while the CHAN team will continue in camp in line with Coach Loga’s 10 day preparation plan, pending CAF’s decision on whether the tournament will go ahead or not ,” wrote the Association’ spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela.
“Ma, I love you so much, I will always love you,” were the last words six-year-old Aiden Goodal said to her mother when she left for school yesterday.
Odile Goodal’s two other children – Lashay, 10, and Learyn, 11, – also told her that they loved her as they bid her goodbye in the morning. This was something unusual because whenever the children left for school, they would just say “goodbye”.
Little did Goodal, 30, know that the words “I love you” would be the last she would hear from her two daughters and boy who all died in a car crash about 3km away from their home. The accident happened just before 7am on the Golden Highway in Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg. The children were on their way to Robertsham Primary School and are among the 12 people who died when a taxi collided with a Toyota Avanza.
When Sowetan visited the scene, a shoe, hat and a cap were among the remaining items at the crash site. Blood splattered on the tarred road was covered with sand. Family and friends gathered at the Goodal family house in Ennerdale and wept for the children.
Goodal said she had no words to describe how she felt.
“They were such bubbly children and I never thought I was bidding them farewell for the last time this morning. I can’t believe that I will never see them again. They all told me that they love me and I should enjoy my day,” Goodal said.
Their grandfather Mervin Maart, 53, said the family was shocked by the incident.
“When we received a call that there was an accident involving school pupils we never thought it was our children. I lost all my grandchildren. We are deeply hurt. If we knew that by sending them to school we were sending them to their death, we would have kept them at home,” he said.
A tow truck driver who witnessed the crash said he had “never seen something like that before”.
“My sister, I heard a loud bang and then I saw people coming out of the taxi. There were two passengers who were hanging from the windscreen of the taxi. Both cars got stuck to one another. In the Avanza, there were four school pupils and the driver. The driver of the Avanza and three children died on the spot. They used Jaws of Life to free the taxi driver,” he said.
Acting education MEC Jacob Mamabolo, who visited the school and the children’s family, said it was a sad moment for the province.
“We are saddened by the tragic accident and we felt that we should put everything aside and attend to it. The pain you feel is the same pain we are feeling,” he said.
Mamabolo said they were told the driver of the taxi lost control and hit the Avanza head on.
“Nine people are currently in hospital, including a twoand-a-half-year old baby. The police are investigating the cause of the accident,” he said.
School principal Sharon Lynch said they were saddened by the passing of the siblings who were in grades 1, 5 and 6 and joined the school this year. The deaths of the Goodal siblings brings to 27 the number of Gauteng pupils who have died since the beginning of the school year.
Yesterday, education department spokesperson Steve Mabona announced that two other pupils had died.
Mabona said Siyanda Ntshangase, a grade 8 pupil at Protea Glen Secondary School No 2, in Soweto, died on Wednesday last week after he suffered from an extreme migraine.
Another pupil Sinesipho Mangaliso, a grade 5 pupil at Zenzeleni Primary School in Alexandra died on Friday after she was hit by a stray bullet while dining with her family at her home.
Yesterday, Sowetan reported about the deaths of two pupils who died after being fed poison.
A Free State man who was reportedly the first South African to have contracted coronavirus without travelling outside the country has now tested negative.
Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said on Thursday night that the man was tested at a private facility in the Free State. Mkhize said that because the man “did not fit the case definition”, the test was done again at the National Health Laboratory Service in Johannesburg. That test came back negative.
As a result, the number of South Africans who have tested positive for coronavirus is now 16.
“We can’t explain why some tests come out positive then later negative. We released the result of positive, we then did additional verification, which confirmed it was negative. It’s not a crisis, it happens every now and then. This particular patient is now negative after verification,” said Mkhize.
At the media conference, The Ranch, a four-star hotel near Polokwane, Limpopo, was identified as a quarantine point for South Africans being flown back from coronavirus-hit Wuhan.
Mkhize announced that the 145-bedroom facility, 25km south of Polokwane, was the quarantine point.
Mkhize said the location was chosen because they wanted the repatriated South Africans to “come to a place [where] they are comfortable”.
The Ranch was a place were they could be observed, but also where they could “sit, enjoy themselves, call home, relax and have no real challenge”.
“Except that they can’t meet their families, there are no real restrictions,” he said.
However, he said they would remain in their rooms.
“They will stay in their rooms; that is where the quarantine will be taking place. They are not sick, no symptoms, no reported infections or any presence of the virus,” said Mkhize.
He added that The Ranch was chosen because there were no communities nearby. Also, the space available meant there were two lines of defence — one patrolled by the army, and one patrolled by the police.
“There is no chance anybody will be able to mix with the people. They are not criminals. They are not sick. They are not patients,” said Mkhize.
He added that generals were given specifications, including that the site was away from human habitation, and that it must be isolated. Families also needed to be housed together and not separated, he said.
“If anyone falls ill, they will be moved from here. Here, there will not be anyone who is either sick or shows any evidence of coronavirus,” he said.
In an interview with the Polokwane Review publication, The Ranch’s general manager Paul Shearer confirmed that the establishment was identified as the quarantine proximity point.
“We will be a quarantine facility where the patients will be observed for 21 days,” he was quoted as saying. “The Ranch, however, is not a facility for infected patients. Those of which there is the slightest possibility of having contracted the virus, will be accommodated elsewhere.”
He also confirmed to News24 that: “The property will be used as a quarantine facility under the full direction and guidance of the local authorities.”
Attempts by TimesLIVE to contact the hotel over the phone and through their Facebook page were unsuccessful on Thursday.
A SowetanLIVE reporter, who was in the area, tweeted pictures and videos of the army and of police arriving at the venue ahead of the press briefing.
Government spokesperson Phumla Williams said that, originally, 180 requests for repatriation were received. But over time, and having made consideration of personal circumstances, some South Africans indicated their decision to rather stay on at their respective commitments in Wuhan.
She was quoted early this week saying: “The flight will leave Wuhan City in the early hours of the morning and land back in SA on March 13.”
Meanwhile, Mkhize also responded to reports that, over the past two weeks, there were students who came to Limpopo — and several other provinces — from China.
“There’s been a lot of speculation about the status of these students. We knew that they were not at risk; however, with mounting speculation, we felt it was important to take necessary precautions just to make sure this matter is put to bed. It was all agreed that these students must be called and we do the tests.
“There were 14 students tested from Limpopo, two days ago. They have all tested negative. They do not have an infection. We want to put the issue behind us,” said Mkhize.
File Picture of white commercial farmers evicted from farms.
Zimbabwe has announced plans to give back land controversially taken over under its controversial fast track land reform programme, which started in 2000.
The programme, which was criticised for being both chaotic and violent, resulted in numerous deaths in the course of land seizures.
On Friday, the Zimbabwean government gazetted new legislation under which former landowners may opt for repossession or monetary compensation. The new regulations will apply to indigenous farmers whose farms were appropriated, as well as to those whose land was protected by bilateral treaties.
Several countries, among them South Africa, Austria, France, Germany, Mauritius, Holland, Sweden and Malaysia, had signed investment protection agreements with Zimbabwe at the time.
Of those covered by bilateral treaties, South Africans were the worst affected, according to the Commercial Farmers Union in Zimbabwe, as over 200 farmers lost their land.
However, the new legislation does not automatically grant compensation. Any application may be rejected “on the basis that granting it would be contrary to the interests of defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, regional or town planning or the general public interest”, according to the gazetted regulations.
Land ‘waiting to be used’
The South African Embassy in Zimbabwe welcomed government’s decision to return land under Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreements (BIPPAs) and Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) to its former owners.
“We welcome the development, as we believe there is enough land waiting to be used,” a spokesperson from the South African Embassy, speaking on behalf of ambassador Mphakama Mbete, said by phone from Harare.
“We think the position is in line with the mantra ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’.”
He said commercial agriculture would grow “exponentially” now that land is being availed again to those with expertise and the required capital.
“While we don’t have the numbers, in terms of those likely to benefit, we have spoken to a number of South African farmers who already have their own funding to start agriculture activity in Zimbabwe, so this decision is welcome,” he said.
Despite droughts that have befallen the southern African country several times since year 2000, land reform has been blamed for Zimbabwe’s failure to feed itself, with the country resorting to imports and international help.
The United Nations World Food Programme plans to double the number of Zimbabweans that it assists, up to 4.1 million, and will require over $200 million to meet needs in the first half of 2020 alone.
After POTRAZ increased the ceiling for Mobile Network Operator rates, EcoNet has announced their new tariffs which will be effective from tomorrow.
Voice Tariffs
Econet will be charging the same rate for peak and off peak calls. There is no distinction also between pre-paid (Buddie) tariffs and post-paid tariffs. The MNO is charging $1.5019 per minute for Econet to Econet calls. They bill this per second at a rate of $0.0250 per second. These fees are VAT inclusive.
Interestingly, Econet is charging less when you call other networks. Their tariff for that is now $1.4418 per minute. This is again billed per second at a rate of $0.0240 per second. The reason why this is cheaper is that when you call a none Econet number (say NetOne), Econet will be entitled to an interconnection fee from the network you would have called. They will still make the same per minute as if you called another Econet number.
Data
Out of bundle access to the internet will start being charged at $0.3004 per MB of data. There is no difference again between peak and off peak access to the internet.
SMS and USSD
Local SMS is now $0.3805 per message whilst international SMS will be $4.2712 per message.
When you use your bank’s mobile banking facility via USSD for example, your bank will be charged $0.3805 per session.
THE High Court has dismissed an appeal by Bulawayo MDC proportional representation MP, Ms Dorcas Sibanda who was challenging eviction from her rented house in Paddonhurst suburb, Bulawayo over US$1 800 rental arrears.
The rentals accumulated over a period of 11 months. The house from which Ms Sibanda was evicted belongs to former national police spokesperson Mr Wayne Bvudzijena.
Ms Sibanda was served with an eviction order in July 2018 by the Messenger of Court after Bulawayo magistrate Ms Adelaide Mbeure ruled in favour of Mr Bvudzijena under Case Number 2796/18.
Aggrieved by Ms Mbeure’s ruling, Ms Sibanda, through her lawyer Mr Thulani Ndlovu of Sansole and Senda Legal Practitioners, filed a notice of appeal at the Bulawayo High Court citing Mr Bvudzijena and the Messenger of Court as respondents.
Justice Martin Makonese, who was sitting with Justice Thompson Mabhikwa during the civil appeals court at the Bulawayo High Court, yesterday ruled that the appeal lacked merit.
“The appeal (against eviction) by the appellant is hereby dismissed in its entirety,” ruled Justice Makonese.
In her grounds of appeal, Ms Sibanda said the lower court erred by finding that she breached the deed of settlement.
She argued that the document did not include clauses allowing Mr Bvudzijena to evict her.
In her ruling, Ms Mbeure ordered Ms Sibanda to pay Mr Bvudzijena US$1 803,73 being rental arrears and operating costs for a period extending from April 2017 to March 2018.
The magistrate also ordered Ms Sibanda to pay her landlord holdover damages of US$14 per day calculated from April 1, 2018, to the date of eviction including his legal costs.
Ms Sibanda had been given up to July 2, 2018, to liquidate or settle the full debt failure of which Mr Bvudzijena was entitled to execute the judgment. The evictions were, however, blocked following Ms Sibanda’s appeal at the High Court.
In her heads of argument, Ms Sibanda said she advanced payment to Mr Bvudzijena as per agreement.
“However, the sums which the first respondent (Mr Bvudzijena) is claiming as remaining arrears were not in existence when the parties entered into a deed of settlement. It is the appellant’s contention that there is no court order which functions in perpetuity,” argued Ms Sibanda’s lawyers.
Mr Bvudzijena, through his lawyer Ms Martha Mazango of R Ndlovu and Company, said initially Ms Sibanda defended the matter before she later on successfully negotiated a settlement, which was reduced into a deed of settlement and subsequently confirmed as an order by consent entered on July 2 in 2018.
“It is clear from the court a quo’s ruling that after having found that appellant breached the deed of settlement and the consent order, the court made a finding that the first respondent was indeed entitled to instruct the Messenger of Court to attach and remove the appellant’s movable property and evict her,” said Ms Mazango.
According to court papers, in terms of the lease agreement signed between the two parties, Ms Sibanda was obliged to pay monthly rentals and operating costs to Mr Bvudzijena through his real estate agent, John Pocock Company on or before the 7th of each month.
However, Ms Sibanda failed or neglected to pay the rentals and operating costs timeously resulting in the arrears accumulating to US$1 803,73. Chronicle
The first lady of Canada,Justin Trudeau’s wife tested positive for coronavirus.
PM Justin Trudeau with his wife, Sophie
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau who returned from a speaking engagement in Britain and was showing mild flu-like symptoms underwent test and the result confirmed her positive.
Aljazeera says the spokeperson to the Prime Minister said that only the wife suffered this, the husband is in good health with no symptoms. As a precautionary measure and following the advice of doctors, he will be in isolation for a planned period of 14 days.
His office said the doctor’s advice to the prime minister is to continue daily activities while self-monitoring, given that he is exhibiting no symptoms himself.
“Also on the advice of doctors, he will not be tested at this stage since he has no symptoms. For the same reason, doctors say there is no risk to those who have been in contact with him recently,” the statement said.
The office said he would resume his duties on Friday.
Sophie Trudeau issued a statement thanking those who have reached out, expressing optimism that she will recover soon .
Justin Trudeau wins second term in hard-fought Canada election (2:18)
Sophie Trudeau also issued a statement thanking those who have reached out.
A SOUTHAfrican registered haulage truck overturned in Entumbane suburb in Bulawayo and spilled nearly six tonnes of hazardous substances.
The truck which was enroute to the DRC, was carrying 32,5 tonnes of the hazardous substances, some of which spilled when it overturned on Monday.
The driver of the haulage truck who declined to be named, is a Zimbabwean who probably was visiting relatives in the suburb when the accident happened.
He immediately reported the acccident to Zimra who then contacted the Environment Management Agency ( EMA) since it involved a hazardous substance.
In an interview, EMA provincial environmental manager for Bulawayo, Mr Descent Ndlovu said he visited the accident scene on Tuesday.
He said it seems residents are ignorant of the dangers of such substances as they did not bother to report the spillage to EMA.
Mr Ndlovu who said the substance that spilled was not very dangerous, said EMA has since Tuesday been supervising the clean up exercise.
He however urged residents to immediately report such spillage to either EMA or City Council as some substances could be very harmful.
Residents who were at the scene said they were not aware that they should report such spillage to EMA or the City Council.
“I was not sure of what it is but I just thought it’s agricultural lime,” said one of the residents.
Asked to comment, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube said the truck driver violated the council by-laws by driving the truck to the suburb.
He said trucks carrying such harzadous substances were not allowed in residential areas.
By A Correspondent| As government goes ahead to push through constitutional amendments to turn Emmerson Mnangagwa into a monster leader with powers far greater than President Robert Mugabe’s, just what type of a country is this lovely nation about to turn into? Hard Video V11s show the ZANU PF leader saying he believes that all election winners are mere corpses, literally.
In a chilling warning during the same function where he said if he were God, he would deprive all MDC supporters of oxygen, Mnangagwa told a Masvingo gathering in May 2014, democracy is only found among corpses.
He spoke in the Shona vernacular saying, “to all of us here I always ask where are the majority, among the living or among the corpses?
“They are among the dead.
“Democracy says we must go to the majority. That’s why there is death on earth.
“It’s democracy, those who win elections are the majority.”
"All of us here I always ask where are the majority, among the living or among the corpses? They are among the dead. Democracy says we must go to the majority. That's why there is death on earth. It's democracy, those who win elections are the majority" – Mnangagwa. @TeamZim3pic.twitter.com/87CIBvLGZ3
STATE-OWNED telecommunications firm NetOne chief executive Lazarus Muchenje, whose suspension was lifted yesterday by the High Court on a technicality, is facing numerous charges, in which he is accused of swindling the company of huge amounts of money.
The High Court also ordered the NetOne board of directors not to institute disciplinary proceeedings against him.However, according to the charge sheet, the NetOne board accuses Muchenje of prejudicing the company of at least US$2,6 million and ZW$10,4 million through unauthorised purchases, awarding himself huge allowances outside his terms of employment, and unilaterally allocating himself hefty holiday stipends.
He also allegedly included his personal domestic workers on the NetOne payroll and leased himself a deluxe company house in Harare’s leafy Borrowdale suburb for just a fraction of its market value, further financially prejudicing the company.
The business executive is also being accused of awarding himself a disproportionate bonus of ZW$$510 000 in December 2019 while his monthly salary was pegged at ZW$67 000.
The amount is way above the stipulated threshold for parastatal CEOs.
According to the charge sheet, in November 2019, Muchenje allegedly allocated himself and his wife ZW$895 000 as a holiday allowance although she was not eligible for it. In terms of his employment contract, only Muchenje is eligible for two all-expensespaid holidays, one regional and another international, and his wife is not covered.
“In November 2019, you wrongfully and unlawfully paid to yourself the total sum of ZW$895 000 for air tickets, per diem and entertainment allowance for you and your spouse in contravention of the terms of your contract of employment and without Board approval. You unlawfully encashed the sum of ZW$895 000 in lieu of your vacation holiday contrary to the express terms of your employment contract,” the charge sheet reads.
Muchenje, working with NetOne acting chief finance officer Tinashe Severa, also allegedly prejudiced the company of US$2, 24 million after unlawfully signing an interconnect agreement with Bankai International Private Limited, on December 10 2019.
“In terms of this agreement Bankai purchased nine million minutes for US$1 million contrary to the company’s ruling rate of 36 cents per minute. Further the agreement contravened schedule five of SI (Statutory Instrument) 163 of 2008 (Postal and Telecommunications (international Termination rates) Amendment Regulations 2008. As a result the company was prejudiced US$2 240 000,” the document reads.
It is also the board’s case that Muchenje, on two occasions in June and August 2019, caused NetOne to purchase fuel worth ZW$7 637 382 and ZW$1 242 000 from LED Tours and Travels respectively without seeking board approval.
The board alleges that by so doing, NetOne ended up buying fuel at a price much higher than the officially gazetted pump price.”You did not seek the board’s prior approval before the said fuel purchases. You neglected and/or failed to ensure that the company did not buy from a bulk fuel supplier which did not have Zera (Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority). You caused the company to buy fuel at above Zera gazetted prices from a supplier without first going to tender, using request for quotations method of procurement, as a result of which NetOne paid more than the Zera gazetted pump price,” the board alleges.
In addition to that, Muchenje allegedly leased the company’s fully furnished double storey four-bedroomed Borrowdale house for just ZW$1 000 per month, when its actual market lease value stood at US$2 500 per month on an unfurnished basis and US$3 500 per month when fully furnished.
“After obtaining the market-related rentals for the said house, you proceeded to occupy the fully furnished company house for a nominal rental of ZW$1 000 per month, contrary to the recommended sum of US$3 500 per month for a fully furnished house, thus causing substantial loss to the company,” the charge sheet reads.
Muchenje, the board further alleges, bought household goods and appliances using company funds, at a cost of ZW$623 587 without the board’s approval. He also added his domestic workers stationed at the property to the NetOne wage bill as well as unlawfully hiring 24-hour security guards at the house at the company’s expense.
Muchenje was also implicated in a second-hand vehicle procurement scandal. The board alleges that on or about February 8 2019, Muchenje allowed Severa to procure 12 pre-owned and problematic vehicles for company use, which have since proven costly to maintain.
The vehicles were over the five-year age limit provided for in the company’s vehicle policy.”The company not only paid out the sum ZW$546 712.50, but has to date paid the sum of ZW$233 625.87 in repairs to the vehicles,” the board says.
In his employment contract, Muchenje agreed to provide his own vehicle to facilitate the fulfilment of his duties. To enable him to do so, the company facilitated a vehicle financing scheme with Stanbic Bank, terms of which he would pay the loan out of his monthly salary.
He accessed the vehicle loan facilitated by the company, resulting in him buying a car which he never used for work purposes in according with his employment contract.
Instead, the board alleges, he allocated himself two motor vehicles, namely a Navara twin cab and a Mazda 3, which was later replaced with a VW Passat CD 20. He is also accused of hiring a Fortuner motor vehicle for personal use in contravention of his contract. Muchenje is also being accused of defying a board instruction for him to hand over documents to auditors during the audit period.
“Following the board’s decision to conduct an audit into the company’s affairs, you were directed to hand over documents to the auditors appointed by the company. You not only failed to hand over the documents but deliberately concealed the documents from auditors,” the charge sheet reads.
Efforts to get a comment from Muchenje were fruitless as he initially said he was on another call while further phone calls to him went unanswered. Muchenje read questions sent to him, but did not respond.
Information Communication Technology and Courier Services minister Jenfan Muswere vowed to root out corruption at the state enterprise.
He said: “Our actions will be guided by the government audit and statutes which stipulate operations of state entities. They will also be guided by the cardinal points of Vision 2030, one of which is eradication of corruption. We will not condone corruption so the law has to take its course. We also want to bring back sanity at NetOne and make it into a telecomms giant.”
GOVERNMENT has given ZIFA an ultimatum to produce audited financial statements of the money they got from Treasury by this weekend or the association will not receive any more funding from the public purse.
This comes as several legislators called for the disbandment of the ZIFA board, accusing them of failing to account for funds they received from either the Government or FIFA.
Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister, Kirsty Coventry, yesterday told the National Assembly the Sports and Recreation Commission had directed ZIFA to bring audited accounts to a meeting to be held tomorrow.
The indaba will be attended by other national associations.
Coventry was fielding questions from legislators, who wanted clarity on a ministerial statement she issued about the state of football in the country.
“On Saturday, national federations have been called for a quarterly meeting. ZIFA has not produced audited accounts and, if they do not produce audited accounts by Saturday, there will be non-compliance,’’ said Coventry.
“They will no longer be able to get any financial assistance from the Government until they have complied.’’
Several legislators said they wanted the Government to dissolve the ZIFA board for alleged bungling, including their failure to advise the Government and other stakeholders about concerns from CAF on the state of stadiums in the country.
Southerton MP, Peter Moyo (MDC Alliance), said it was only proper that Coventry dissolves the ZIFA board so that several issues could be addressed.
Norton MP, Temba Mliswa (Independent), said there have been a lot of financial irregularities at ZIFA which warranted the dissolution of the national association. “After all, we have been losing the matches, so let us ban ZIFA, you have the powers Minister, they should also produce audited statements for the money they got from FIFA,” said Mliswa. Vungu MP, Omega Sibanda (Zanu-PF), said ZIFA had failed to recognise the authority of COSAFA.
Coventry said while she shared the concerns of legislators, disbanding ZIFA would affect players who would no longer play international football since FIFA would ban Zimbabwe from such events.
“Government is allowed to request for an audit of money that they have given, which we have done,’’ said Coventry.
“I cannot request ZIFA to show me what they do with FIFA or CAF money, we will be banned.
“If we want Zimbabwe to be banned, we can do that, but — in terms of coming back — it will be a long process and it does not just take a few years.
“Cricket was a different situation.’’
She castigated ZIFA for failing to inform the SRC and Government about the impending ban of the country’s stadiums.
“I rely on my stakeholders, in terms of the communication, honesty and this has not been happening and I have been let down on numerous occasions,’’ she said.
Former Warriors coach Callisto Pasuwa has suggested a tactical plan Zifa should implement ahead of the Afcon qualifier against Algeria this month-end.
The association is searching for a foreign venue for the encounter after all local stadiums were banned from hosting international games due to their poor state.
Pasuwa, who is now coaching at Nyasa Big Bullets in Malawi, thinks using an artificially surfaced field will work in the Warriors’ favour as the Algerians are not used to that.
“It’s a pity that Zimbabwe has been denied a chance to host Algerians at Barbourfields Stadium,” the coach told B-Metro. “However, as a counter move the Warriors can play them at a country that has artificially surfaced pitches like Malawi.
“Zifa should maybe consider playing the match at Kamuzu Stadium because Algerians are used to playing on natural grass and the counter move can always work in the Warriors’ favour.
“For a fact, I know our boys can greatly run them (Algerians) down at an artificial pitch like Kamuzu Stadium.”
•Declare ZANU PF a terrorist organization •Declare PRESIDENT OF ZIMBABWE an illegitimate President •Support Zimbabwean Citizens & Zimbabwe election with reforms •Freeze all assets acquired by Zanu PF through corruption
As Concerned Zimbabwean Citizens we would like to state that: Zanu PF has violated Human Rights by a) Abducting innocent civilians b) Torturing any opposing voices c) Raping of citizens by soldiers d) Murdering innocent citizens Ndebele Genocide Gukurahundi, 2008 election rerun, August 1st, 2018 protests, January 14th, 2019 protests ….
Zifa president Felton Kamambo has confirmed that the Warriors’ supposed South African venue for the match against Algeria is no longer available for use for the game.
Zifa had approached their South African counterparts, seeking permission to use Orlando Stadium for the Afcon qualifier after all local stadiums were deemed unsuitable to host international games by CAF.
An agreement was reached earlier this week, with SAFA CEO Gay Mokoena confirming the match will be played at Orlando Pirates.
However, there was a dramatic turn of events on Wednesday when SAFA informed ZIFA that the Soweto venue was no longer available.
Kamambo told the Parliament’s Youth & Sports Committee on Thursday about the development.
He said: “Initially, they said Orlando was available, but they wrote to us yesterday saying the venue was no longer available.
“The only available stadium is Dobsonville in the same area, but, technically, we have not yet secured it because SAFA need to engage their government first and inform that they are two countries coming to South Africa.”
Farai Dziva|
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Arsenal have closed off their training centre since the development while their EPL clash with Brighton that had been set for Saturday has been postponed.
The Premier League said it would now hold an emergency meeting on Friday morning to consider what action to take for the rest of the Premier League fixture with growing concerns about the spread of the epidemic.
In light of Arsenal’s announcement tonight confirming that their first-team coach Mikel Arteta has tested positive for COVID-19, the Premier League will convene an emergency club meeting tomorrow morning regarding future fixtures read a statement from the EPL.
Football Leagues in a number of countries including Spain, Italy ,Belgium, Switzerland and the USA have been suspend due to the Coronavirus outbreak while UEFA are understood to be considering suspension of both the Champions League and Europa League.
The Kaizer Chiefs fans leant with shock yesterday afternoon that midfielder George Maluleka rejected a 2-year contract offered by the club and signed a pre-contract with Mamelodi Sundowns instead.
“Following a string of negotiations, the player himself revealed to the Club that he has signed a pre-contract with Mamelodi Sundowns.
Maluleka joined Kaizer Chiefs in January 2014 and his current contract is due to end on 30 June 2020,” announced the ABSA Premiership log leaders.
What that simply means is Maluleka, a key player in the Amakhosi setup, will join the Brazilians next season and his move might have come with some element of irony considering that Khama Billiat made the same move in 2018, the only difference being it was the other way round.
Billiat’s move to Chiefs equally surprised many, with some suggesting that he ought to have chosen somewhere else, with Europe or the Egyptian league better destinations for the Aces Youth Academy graduate according to some.
To somewhat justify those suggestions, Billiat is, if the truth is to be told, no where near the player he was at Mamelodi Sundowns. Admittedly, injuries have hindered his progress at Naturena, but to what extent?
His last goal for Chiefs was against AmaZulu in September last year, shocking statistics for a player who barely 3 years ago, was in the running for the CAF Player of the Year (african based player).
Now, Maluleka’s decision was simply one made by choice but the fact that he made it at 31 years of age somewhat shows the pedigree Chiefs have in South African foootball.
Was Amakhosi the right destination for Billiat in 2018 and is Pitso Mosimane right to say the Chiefs style of play does not suit the Zimbabwe international?-Soccer 24
The Zimbabwe Football Association has revealed the amount it needs to host Algeria on foreign soil.
The Warriors are scheduled to play the Desert Foxes in back-to-back Afcon Qualifiers, starting with the away encounter in Blida on March 26 before hosting them at a venue to be decided three days later.
With no local grounds eligible for international games following a CAF ban last month, the home leg will be played on a foreign soil, most likely in South Africa.
Appearing before the Parliament’s Sport and Youth committee, Zifa president Felton Kamambo revealed that they need at least US$ 200 000 for the fixture should it be played outside Zimbabwean borders.
The Association boss explained that the extra costs will arise from stadium hire which could amount to $50 000
He said: “In US dollar terms for the national team, we usually budget US$150 000, including allowances, airfares, accommodation and everything for a game we host locally.
“But if we are going to South Africa the rest (of the costs) remain the same save for the venue. We are now saying there is that extra US$20 000-plus in forex and all that, so chances are that we are now going to get into US$200 000.”
Meanwhile, Kamambo also confirmed that the Warriors’ supposed South African venue for the match against Algeria is no longer available for use for the game.
Zifa wanted to use Orlando Stadium in Soweto but will now have to look at Dobsonville Stadium in the same area.-Soccer 24
By A Correspondent- South Africa has confirmed 8 more cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 24 at the time of going to press.
More positive tests were confirmed and the ministry will make a further announcement as soon as the statistics are out.
Just yesterday, the country had 16 confirmed cases by the Minister of Public Health.
The figure has seen an almost meteoric rise overnight.
The first patients to be zeroed out included a group of people who had traveled to Italy, which has become another Coronavirus hotspot, a BMW South Africa Employee who had traveled overseas, a man who contracted it from his Chinese Employer and parent at a Jewish school who had contact with an infected person.
Said Minister of Public Health Zweli Mkhize in a statement:
I wish to announce that as of this morning, South Africa now has a total of 24 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
To be clear, from the 16 that I announced yesterday, 8 more cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed.
Gauteng 4
A 39 year old female who had travelled to Switzerland and Austria A 50 year old male who had travelled to Austria A 21 year old female who had travelled to Italy A 57 year old male who had travelled to Switzerland
KwaZulu-Natal: 2
A 79 year old male who had travelled to Greece and Italy A 52 year old male who had travelled to Switzerland
Western Cape: 2
A 50 year old male who had travelled to Switzerland and Austria A 46 year old male who had travelled to Italy
The patients have now been informed and tracing of their contacts is underway.
At this point I wish to also bring it to your attention that there are more positive results that have come out.
The NICD and NHLS are now verifying the information and these results. Thereafter we will make a formal announcement
Farai Dziva|UEFA is considering whether to suspend the Champions League and Europa League due to coronavirus.
According to Sky Sports, the move is due to the Coronavirus outbreak which has affected several parts of the globe. It’s reported that senior figures want the games suspended with the virus beginning to affect a number of the teams involved in their competitions.
A couple of matches in the European tournaments were in recent weeks played behind closed doors while others were suspended.
The second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie between Manchester City and Real Madrid at the Etihad on Tuesday is now in doubt after the Spanish side’s first-team squad was placed in quarantine.
Some domestic competitions have also been threatened by the virus with the Italian Serie A and, most recently, La Liga suspended.
By A Correspondent- A 15-year-old boy was arrested in Zambia for allegedly defaming President Edgar Lungu in Facebook posts, police said Wednesday as critics accuse the regime of turning increasingly authoritarian.
The unnamed teenager based in the central small town of Kapiri Mposhi was arrested on Monday and charged with three counts of libel. He will appear in court “soon”, police said.
“Police have charged and arrested a male juvenile aged 15 years for the offence of defamation of the president,” police spokesperson Esther Katongo said in a statement.
“The suspect is alleged to have created a Facebook page using the name ZOOM and published defamatory matters against the republican president.”
The juvenile faces a maximum five-year jail term.
One of his posts read “which other name can you name a dog apart from Edgar Lungu”, while another said “we are better off as a country without Edgar Lungu”.
Lungu, in power since 2015, faces mounting complaints that he is cracking down on dissent and seeking to consolidate power ahead of next year’s elections.
A few opposition leaders have been arrested in recent years on charges of defaming Lungu.
Outspoken hip-hop musician and activist Chama “Pilato” Fumba has also been previously arrested over his antigovernment protests.
On one occasion he was arrested over his hit song, “Koswe Mumpoto” (Rat in the Pot), which supporters of the ruling Patriotic Front saw as an attack on Lungu and his government.-Wires
By Alice Majola| Of all the Zanu politicians, no one is more annoying and toxic than Nick Mangwana. This guy is on twitter 24 hours of the day, posting lie after lie defending Zanu like his life depends on it.
He is the face of Zanu’s propaganda machine. If Zanu is like the
Nazi’s then Nick is the regime’s Joseph Goebbels. If Mnangagwa is the devil
then Nick is the devil’s advocate. Terrible things are being done by Zanu and Nick
is constantly saying these things are good and when he acknowledges that they
are bad things happening he says it’s not the fault of Zanu. He goes out of his
way to present a distorted view of an oppressive government that is causing
huge suffering in millions of Zimbabweans – the rotten economy, fake currency,
non existent public services, people dying from preventable diseases because of
a collapsed health system, harassment of the opposition, political abductions,
shooting of protestors, rigging of elections, fuel queues as long as the Wall
of China. Despite all these things happening, Nick will come out defending Zanu
and will blame the problems on someone else. He really is a warped person.
It really irks me how people tolerate this guy and try to debate him
on social media. Trying to reason with Nick is like trying to give therapy to a
fly to stop it from eating excrement. If
people really want to make a difference regarding Nick, they need to petition
the western governments to put his name on the sanctions list. He has been
getting away with it for far too long. Propaganda is a critical part of an
oppressive government and Nick is right at the centre of it in the case of
Zimbabwe. He should face travel bans just like the Zanu killers he advocates
for.
Before I end this, let me say this: Nick needs to be reminded that the last Zanu gobshite who discharged verbal diarrhoea at this rate was non other than Jonathan Moyo who is probably now fluent in Kikuyu for self preservation purposes. Things will fall apart for him one day.
It’s a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and it’s associated health problems worldwide.
Kidney diseases are non communicable diseases. The theme is: Kidney health for everyone everywhere – from prevention to detection and equitable access to care.
Tips for a maintaining healthy kidneys:
Exercise and stay active everyday .
Check your blood pressure, weight and blood sugar
Eat healthy. Avoid eating fatty products
Avoid smoking and excessive drinking.
Drink plenty of fluids unless instructed by a health professional to limit water intake because of other conditions.
Avoid use of over the counter medicines for long periods.
Be aware of family history and get regular check ups if if have positive history of kidney disease.
Compiled by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information like/ follow our Facebook page:
By A Correspondent- An unfortunate messenger of Court, bore the brunt of furious former farm workers and their families after he had come to enforce an eviction order.
The dramatic incident took place at Water Vlei Farm along Seke Road in Chitungwiza, where the messenger of court was viciously attacked by the crowd.
They claimed that the farm previously belonged to a sand quarrying syndicate called Supersands, whose owners allowed them to stay on the land.
Messenger of court
The original white owners left 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.
Things went south when the Messenger of Court dumped goods and property on the side of the road as is standard practice and barred the workers from entering their “homes”.
The residents then retaliated by blocking the truck and started beating up staff of the Messenger of Court.
One worker, 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.
One, 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.
Jogging not only improves your physical appearance, it increases you confidence, which in some people is dependent on the physical improvements they see on their bodies, and it improves self-worth. It also helps confidence because of its anti-depressive and stress reduction qualities.
Jogging teaches perseverance
Jogging like most workouts teaches you that nothing can be achieved without perseverance. This also applies to other aspects of life, you would need to persevere to gain any results. The results could be being able to run further, or help you achieve the health benefits expected.
Jogging puts you on the road and the only option you have is to keep running, and you could apply that in other areas of your life, jogging gives you a psychological edge.
Jogging is free
Unlike most other workouts the only thing jogging would cost you is a good pair of trainers, no need for extra equipment or a gym membership fee, all you have to do is wake up and run.
Basically your health can be improved to a substantive level for free, no hidden charges.
Jogging promotes self-sufficiency
The importance of self-sufficiency cannot be overstated. It’s important to know your capability alone.
Jogging not only helps you know what you are capable of, it also helps you push those capabilities. This is due to the fact that while jogging, it is completely up to you to make targets and meet the targets.
And if you find out you are unfit which could find out by jogging, it would help you push through those limits.
Jogging helps the cardiovascular system
The cardiovascular system consist of the heart, veins, arteries and capillaries, their work is basically transporting blood around the body.
And it’s through blood that oxygen and carbon dioxide and most other nutrients are transported between the cells of the body and the lungs.
Blood pressure is reduced because of the burning of cholesterol, and the risk of heart disease or a stroke is lowered. And the lungs usually grow extra alveoli, and the density of the capillary would increase around the body to make sure that the oxygen is getting to the new muscle and the already existing parts in the body.
Jogging aids all that above and also aids the capillaries which are where exchanges are made between the blood and the cells, which leads to each cell receiving the oxygen and other essentials in a larger quantity and much faster. So due to your jogging routine each cell will be functioning to a higher degree of efficiency.
Jogging helps you organize your thoughts
Jogging doesn’t just have physical effects it also has mental effects, jogging helps to organize thoughts. When in a stressful or complicated situation, a jog could help you feel as though you are moving through your thoughts physically, and it helps you come to a solution.
This may be due to the fact that you are spending time with your body that you feel as though you are getting closer to what is really important to you.
Increased attention to Health
Jogging shows you exactly where your body’s physical health is at. When we avoid exercise or lack exercise we usually don’t see the damages that are caused by drinking, smoking and unhealthy meals, mostly because we don’t push ourselves out of our comfort zones.
Credit:Fitnesszin.com
Compiled by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
For more information like/ follow our Facebook page:
Farai Dziva|MDC led councils should challenge unconstitutional directives from the Zanu PF- that are affecting their independence.
This came out as part of resolutions of the MDC Councils Summit.
See full statement below :
Resolutions of the SMART Councils Inaugural Summit 11-12 March 2020 Harare
Cognisant of the pre and post-independence history of Zimbabwe, the role Local Government played and continue to play in the shaping of the socio-economic and political discourse of the country through service Delivery.
Irked by the continued unconstitutional central government interference in particular the Minister of Local Governance in the operation of Councils directly affecting full execution of local authority mandates.
Appreciating the efforts being put in place by the MDC led Councils and Councillors against all odds under unfavourable circumstances and unconducive economic environment presided over by an illegitimate Mnangagwa regime.
Acknowledging that Residents must be at the centre of council programming, their needs must be the highest motivation in the creation of Smart Councils.
Considering the role, form and nature of the Mnangagwa regime and alive to the potential of State capture of our councillors in Zanu PF’s attempt to penetrate MDC zones of autonomy.
Concerned by the proposed Constitutional Amendment No 2 which has a huge bearing on the mandate and jurisdiction of our Councils.
Further Concerned by the lack of implementation and genuine operationalization of Devolution in accordance with the constitution which remains a hindrance around the necks of our Councils and their success.
Having had intense two day deliberations which ran under the theme “2020 People’s Councils for SMART Service Delivery” a gathering of 540 Councillors, Civil Society, Church, Labour, women, youths and the Diplomatic Community who resolved as follows:
The Councillors should be guided by our SMART policy to ensure that they provide effective service delivery
Gender mainstreaming in programme implementation, structure and city/town planning should be at the core of responsive service to the largest population demography
The Councils should challenge unconstitutional directives affecting their independence from the executive including the following:
a. Procurement Laws.
b. Revisiting the current joint ventures.
c. The Role of ZINARA in licensing and its impact on Council revenue , projects and the ability to attend to roads.
d. The deliberate failure to approve 2020 budgets for many Councils and some unapproved budgets in 2019.
e. Ministerial Directives and interference on the day to day running of Council Business.
f. The non-appointment of the Local Government Board which is stalling the recruitment of crucial staffers of Council especially the bureaucrats.
Engage with citizens in a spirit that reflects the Social Democratic values of freedom, solidarity and Justice especially with the informal sector (Vendors in particular), the vulnerable including managing challenges around informal settlements.
Reimagining models of Smart Councils, exhibiting innovation and vision through provision of Smart services which resonate with forth industrial revolution while ensuring that they are green and inclusive.
Councils should protect the environment and wetlands, no allocation of stands should be done on wetlands.
The Party will have zero tolerance on any corrupt activities that have a potential of debranding the good work being done by both the Council and the MDC.
The Councils through their Mayor or Chairperson should ensure the following
a. Monthly Progress reports submitted to the Party and Secretary of Local Government.
b. Have bi-monthly meetings with provincial structures led by the Mayor/Chairperson.
c. Wards should have report back meetings both to the Mayors and to the Provincial leadership.
d. Bi-Monthly MP-Council interface meetings are mandatory.
e. Monthly Town Hall meetings with Residents Associations and stakeholders.
f. MDC led councils should work to ensure that they defend the MDC’s zones of autonomy enabling full accountability on delivery.
g. Support should continue to be given to Rural District Councillors whose operational environment remains very delicate and fragile.
In conclusion, the SMART Councils Summit shall be an annual event where implementation of resolutions shall be reviewed, insights gained shared and new decisions made.-MDC Communications
By A Correspondent- At least six people have been set free after they stood trial on charges of participating in anti-government protests staged in 2019 over the country’s worsening economic crisis.
Harare Magistrate Yeukai Chigodora on Wednesday acquitted five Harare residents namely Norman Ngulube, Ngonidzashe Danzwa, Desmond Kanhukamwe, Doubt Gumi and Tafadzwa Moyi after she granted their application for discharge at the close of the prosecution case.
Ngulube, Danzwa, Kanhukamwe, Gumi and Moyi had been on trial after they were arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers on 16 August 2019 and charged with contravening section 37(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence, breaches of peace or bigotry.
In their defence, Ngulube, Kanhukamwe, Gumi and Moyi, who were represented by Gift Mtisi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) all told Magistrate Chigodora during trial that they were alone walking in Harare’s central business district and attending to their normal and legal while Danzwa, who was seated with his grandmother when they were rounded up by some police officers, who arrested them wrongly on false allegations of participating in a public gathering with intention to cause public violence, bigotry or breaches of peace.
In their application for discharge at the close of the prosecution case, the five Harare residents argued that the ZRP officers who apprehended them did so in dragnets arrests based on assumption that they were protestors, who had taken part in demonstrations called for by MDC Alliance party on 16 August 2019, which was suppressed by ZRP officers on the basis that the protest was not sanctioned.
Also in Rusape in Manicaland province, Magistrate Obedience Matare recently acquitted Isaac Juao aged 37, who had been on trial after he was apprehended in January 2020 by some ZRP members, who accused him of participating in the January 2019 anti-government protests held across the country to protest against the unilateral hike in fuel prices.
Juao, who was represented by Taurai Khupe of ZLHR, was accused of contravening section 36(1)(a)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, it being alleged that he committed acts of public violence including tearing a campaign billboard of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, burnt tyres and erected barricades across Chiduku road in Rusape.
In acquitting Juao, Magistrate Matare ruled that prosecutors had failed to lead evidence during the trial of the 37 year-old man linking him to the commission of the offence. In Harare, ZRP officers on Tuesday 10 March 2020 set free Chitungwiza Mayor Lovemore Maiko and Wendy Makaza, a resident of Mabelreign suburb, who spent one night in police detention after they were arrested on Monday 9 March 2020 and charged with criminal nuisance as defined in section 46 2 v of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
ZRP officers accused the duo of singing and causing discomfort to a group of some law enforcement agents, who were reportedly stationed outside Morgan Tsvangirai House, the opposition MDC-Alliance party headquarters.
Maiko and Makaza, who were represented by Marufu Mandevere of ZLHR were released into the custody of their lawyer and were advised that police officers would proceed by serving them with summons to appear in court for trial if they intended to pursue with prosecuting them.
By A Correspondent- Public servants in Kenya have been banned from non-essential travel to countries that have been affected by coronavirus (Covid-19).
In a statement to newsrooms Thursday evening, government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna further advised the public to also avoid undertaking any non-essential travel.
The government has also directed that anyone who has returned from any affected country should self-isolate, even if they do not have symptoms. Almost 125,000 cases have now been reported to WHO, from 118 countries and territories.
“Today the President met with the National Emergency Response Committee to receive a progress report on the implementation of key preparedness and response measures undertaken so far,” said Oguna.
Mr Oguna also said that a simulation exercise meant to determine the country’s level of preparedness to handle cases of Covid-19, should there be a need to, will be carried out at Mbagathi Hospital on Sunday.
In the past two weeks, the number of cases reported outside China has increased almost 13-fold, and the number of affected countries has almost tripled, the WHO added.
Six new countries in the WHO African region have reported confirmed Covid-19 cases, namely, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, and Togo – this in addition to Algeria, Nigeria and Senegal who confirmed cases in the past week.
As of 11 March 2020, a total of 47 confirmed Covid-19 cases were reported across nine countries in the region: Algeria (20), South Africa (13), Senegal (5), Nigeria (2), Cameroon (2), Burkina Faso (2), Cote d’Ivoire (1), Democratic Republic of the Congo (1), and Togo (1). There were no deaths.
“In the rest of the African continent, a total of 66 confirmed Covid-19 cases were reported from three countries: Egypt (59), Tunisia (5) and Morocco (2),” the statement from WHO situation report noted.-AP
Resolutions of the SMART Councils Inaugural Summit 11-12 March 2020 Harare
Cognisant of the pre and post-independence history of Zimbabwe, the role Local Government played and continue to play in the shaping of the socio-economic and political discourse of the country through service Delivery.
Irked by the continued unconstitutional central government interference in particular the Minister of Local Governance in the operation of Councils directly affecting full execution of local authority mandates.
Appreciating the efforts being put in place by the MDC led Councils and Councillors against all odds under unfavourable circumstances and unconducive economic environment presided over by an illegitimate Mnangagwa regime.
Acknowledging that Residents must be at the centre of council programming, their needs must be the highest motivation in the creation of Smart Councils.
Considering the role, form and nature of the Mnangagwa regime and alive to the potential of State capture of our councillors in Zanu PF’s attempt to penetrate MDC zones of autonomy.
Concerned by the proposed Constitutional Amendment No 2 which has a huge bearing on the mandate and jurisdiction of our Councils.
Further Concerned by the lack of implementation and genuine operationalization of Devolution in accordance with the constitution which remains a hindrance around the necks of our Councils and their success.
Having had intense two day deliberations which ran under the theme “2020 People’s Councils for SMART Service Delivery” a gathering of 540 Councillors, Civil Society, Church, Labour, women, youths and the Diplomatic Community who resolved as follows:
The Councillors should be guided by our SMART policy to ensure that they provide effective service delivery
Gender mainstreaming in programme implementation, structure and city/town planning should be at the core of responsive service to the largest population demography
The Councils should challenge unconstitutional directives affecting their independence from the executive including the following:
a. Procurement Laws.
b. Revisiting the current joint ventures.
c. The Role of ZINARA in licensing and its impact on Council revenue , projects and the ability to attend to roads.
d. The deliberate failure to approve 2020 budgets for many Councils and some unapproved budgets in 2019.
e. Ministerial Directives and interference on the day to day running of Council Business.
f. The non-appointment of the Local Government Board which is stalling the recruitment of crucial staffers of Council especially the bureaucrats.
Engage with citizens in a spirit that reflects the Social Democratic values of freedom, solidarity and Justice especially with the informal sector (Vendors in particular), the vulnerable including managing challenges around informal settlements.
Reimagining models of Smart Councils, exhibiting innovation and vision through provision of Smart services which resonate with forth industrial revolution while ensuring that they are green and inclusive.
Councils should protect the environment and wetlands, no allocation of stands should be done on wetlands.
The Party will have zero tolerance on any corrupt activities that have a potential of debranding the good work being done by both the Council and the MDC.
The Councils through their Mayor or Chairperson should ensure the following
a. Monthly Progress reports submitted to the Party and Secretary of Local Government.
b. Have bi-monthly meetings with provincial structures led by the Mayor/Chairperson.
c. Wards should have report back meetings both to the Mayors and to the Provincial leadership.
d. Bi-Monthly MP-Council interface meetings are mandatory.
e. Monthly Town Hall meetings with Residents Associations and stakeholders.
f. MDC led councils should work to ensure that they defend the MDC’s zones of autonomy enabling full accountability on delivery.
g. Support should continue to be given to Rural District Councillors whose operational environment remains very delicate and fragile.
In conclusion, the SMART Councils Summit shall be an annual event where implementation of resolutions shall be reviewed, insights gained shared and new decisions made.-MDC Communications
A Gokwe man who was living with his sister in Binga, who went berserk and axed 5 people to death in cold blood last week explained why he axed those 5 people who were his brother in law’s neighbours in court.
Christopher Gotore told the court that he had a recurring dream in which he saw the deceased trying to kill him. According to the publication, Gotore told the court that he killed the victims because he was haunted by a recurring dream where he always saw the victims in a vision visiting him with pigs and threatening to kill him.
He said one of the victims Admire Nyangarai and his brother-in-law Mr Bruce Sibanda’s aunt Chiravigwa Sibanda threatened to kill him in his sleep.
The magistrate has ordered that he be examined by 2 psychiatrists before his next court appearance on 24 March.-State media
A Gokwe man who was living with his sister in Binga, who went berserk and axed 5 people to death in cold blood last week explained why he axed those 5 people who were his brother in law’s neighbours in court, The Chronicle reports.
Christopher Gotore told the court that he had a recurring dream in which he saw the deceased trying to kill him. According to the publication, Gotore:
Told the court that he killed the victims because he was haunted by a recurring dream where he always saw the victims in a vision visiting him with pigs and threatening to kill him.
He said one of the victims Admire Nyangarai and his brother-in-law Mr Bruce Sibanda’s aunt Chiravigwa Sibanda threatened to kill him in his sleep.
The magistrate has ordered that he be examined by 2 psychiatrists before his next court appearance on 24 March.-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.
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.
Farai Dziva|There is tension in the ancient city of Masvingo as the Movement for Democratic Change prepares to hold a rerun of its district elections in the Masvingo Urban Constituency.
The elections were initially held last Saturday but the whole process degenerated into chaos as rival camps fiercely exchanged blows.
“On Saturday the 14th of March 2020, Masvingo Urban MDC will elect its leadership.
The elections will be conducted at the provincial in offices at 8am,” said the party in a statement.
By A Correspondent- The 15 MDC activists charged with public violence over the skirmishes that rocked Chitungwiza on February 29 this year will spend another weekend behind bars after their bail hearing application yesterday was postponed to Tuesday next week.
The postponement has been done to allow the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to file its response.
Their lawyers, Job Sikhala and Tapiwa Muchinerepi from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), appeared before High Court judge Justice Moses Foroma, who also indicated that he was unable to decipher the handwriting by a Chitungwiza magistrate who entertained the initial bail hearing.
The judge then instructed the State to ensure that properly typed court documents be made available to enable the court to deal with the matter next week.
On Monday this week, the NPA was ordered by a Chitungwiza magistrate to investigate the claims that 12 of the opposition activists were denied access to their lawyers after they were arrested and charged with public violence.
The activists, who include MDC youth spokesman Stephen Chuma, said they were also not notified of their charge until almost eight hours after their detention at St Mary’s Police Station.
Some of the arrested activists include Chuma (32), Nyasha Mutsindikwa (23), Elton Tendai Marimbe (21), Dambudzo Leeroy Mhike (29), Tendai Timuri (40), Jabulani Chatindiara (42), Chris Murecha (35), Terrence Manjengwa (25), John Mulevelengi (43), Brian Mushakwe (26), Tanyaradzwa Zawaire (26) and Taurai Nyamanhindi (36).
All the suspects are accused of participating in a public gathering with intent to promote public violence and the NPA opposed bail on grounds that the group was facing a serious charge and would likely face a custodial sentence if convicted.
The State is alleging that the MDC activists allegedly clashed with police, and were, therefore, not good candidates for bail. -Newsday
By Gift Ostallos Siziba, MDC Youth Assembly Secretary General
Towards smart cities
Witnessing the signing of solemn declaration by our public officials to declare to the party and the people their assists as per our congress resolution.
This process was informed by 3 things:
1) Our ideological disposition
2) Our policy position
3) Our political mandate bestowed upon the party’s deployees.
The MDC as a social democratic alternative whose key values include transparency and accountability must ensure that it sets a the tone and direction in terms of conduct and behavior of public officials.
Our party officials must be the torch bearers of 21st century pan African ideologies.
By Own Correspondent| Six people have been set free after they stood trial on charges of participating in anti-government protests staged in 2019 over the country’s worsening economic crisis.
Harare Magistrate Yeukai Chigodora on Wednesday 11 March 2020 acquitted five Harare residents namely Norman Ngulube, Ngonidzashe Danzwa, Desmond Kanhukamwe, Doubt Gumi and Tafadzwa Moyi after she granted their application for discharge at the close of the prosecution case.
Ngulube, Danzwa, Kanhukamwe, Gumi and Moyi had been on trial after they were arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers on 16 August 2019 and charged with contravening section 37(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence, breaches of peace or bigotry.
In their defence, Ngulube, Kanhukamwe, Gumi and Moyi, who were represented by Gift Mtisi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) all told Magistrate Chigodora during trial that they were alone walking in Harare’s central business district and attending to their normal and legal while Danzwa, who was seated with his grandmother when they were rounded up by some police officers, who arrested them wrongly on false allegations of participating in a public gathering with intention to cause public violence, bigotry or breaches of peace.
In their application for discharge at the close of the prosecution case, the five Harare residents argued that the ZRP officers who apprehended them did so in dragnets arrests based on assumption that they were protestors, who had taken part in demonstrations called for by MDC Alliance party on 16 August 2019, which was suppressed by ZRP officers on the basis that the protest was not sanctioned.
Also in Rusape in Manicaland province, Magistrate Obedience Matare recently acquitted Isaac Juao aged 37, who had been on trial after he was apprehended in January 2020 by some ZRP members, who accused him of participating in the January 2019 anti-government protests held across the country to protest against the unilateral hike in fuel prices.
Juao, who was represented by Taurai Khupe of ZLHR, was accused of contravening section 36(1)(a)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, it being alleged that he committed acts of public violence including tearing a campaign billboard of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, burnt tyres and erected barricades across Chiduku road in Rusape.
In acquitting Juao, Magistrate Matare ruled that prosecutors had failed to lead evidence during the trial of the 37 year-old man linking him to the commission of the offence.
In Harare, ZRP officers on Tuesday 10 March 2020 set free Chitungwiza Mayor Lovemore Maiko and Wendy Makaza, a resident of Mabelreign suburb, who spent one night in police detention after they were arrested on Monday 9 March 2020 and charged with criminal nuisance as defined in section 46 2 v of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
ZRP officers accused the duo of singing and causing discomfort to a group of some law enforcement agents, who were reportedly stationed outside Morgan Tsvangirai House, the opposition MDC-Alliance party headquarters.
Maiko and Makaza, who were represented by Marufu Mandevere of ZLHR were released into the custody of their lawyer and were advised that police officers would proceed by serving them with summons to appear in court for trial if they intended to pursue with prosecuting them.
By A Correspondent- Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe Chairman Tafadzwa Musarara has urged grain milers not to increase the price of mealie meal due to the current economic challenges obtaining in the country.
In a letter seen by this reporter, Musarara said, “The current prize to retailers of ZWD63/10KG by millers must hold for now so that the retail prize remain at ZWD70/10KG. Government subsidy to millers be ZWD85/10KG.”
Musarara’s intervention comes at a time when the Zimbabwe dollar has lost value and trading at ZWL41.2 against USD1.
The crash of the Zim dollar has caused most of the prices of commodities in shops to skyrocket, a situation that will bite ordinary Zimbabweans.
Maize meal is Zimbabwe’s staple food.
Recently South Africa’s Prophet Shepherd Bushiri announced that he will be supplying maize to GMAZ as a means of assisting the government of Zimbabwe to deal with maize shortages.
Musarara recently appeared in front of the parliamentary portfolio committee on agriculture where he gave oral evidence on the purchasing and supply of grain by GMAZ.
The meeting was attended by millers like National Foods and Blue Ribbon who corroborated the evidence given by Musarara.
The portfolio committee is chaired by Gokwe-Nembudziya Member of parliament Mayor Justice Wadyajena.
Responding to Wadyajena during the hearing, the National Foods group chief executive officer, Mike Lashbrook said that the relationship with GMAZ was helping millers in lobbying to get good terms from Government for their business.
Bakhresa group of companies the new owners of Blue Ribbon Foods’ general manager, Yusuf Kamau, also told Wadyajena that the imported wheat was equitably distributed by the association to all wheat millers.
“We had several meetings as GMAZ members where we agreed that GMAZ as an association acquires the grain on behalf of all of us because our foreign suppliers had refused to supply us because we owe them.
“The imported grain was allocated to us by the whole GMAZ committee made up of all wheat millers themselves those are the ones who allocate the wheat, and the allocations were and are done in accordance with one’s milling capacity and we had no problems with that,” said Kamau.
By A Correspondent- A verification exercise to identify the number of farms earmarked for downsizing following the completion of the land audit has started in Mashonaland East.
The land audit is aimed at identifying land utilisation patterns and optimal farming activities, which will influence appropriate policies for increased agricultural productivity, poverty alleviation and sustainable utilisation of the land.
Youths and women will get the excess land identified in the land audit to empower them so that they participate in the mainstream economy.
Mashonaland East became the first province to work on modalities to embark on the land redistribution exercise soon after the land audit.
Over 37 000 prospective farmers are on the waiting list in Mashonaland East Province.
Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs Minister Aplonia Munzverengwi said they identified farms for downsizing in Macheke, Hwedza, Beatrice and Goromonzi.
In Goromonzi, 10 farms have been identified, and they are at verification stage.
After completing the exercise in Goromonzi, the provincial lands committee will visit Beatrice.
Minister Munzverengwi said the provincial lands committee was verifying the size of farm and production levels.
The farms will be pegged without compromising operations.
“The motive is to identify underutilised farms and allocate it to landless people, especially the youths, who did not benefit from the first phase of the land reform programme,” she said.
Fuel shortages have caused delays in the programme.
Farm owners have been asked to cooperate with the Government’s directive as the exercise is not a witch-hunt, but an attempt to ensure everyone has access to land.
By A Correspondent- A Hatcliffe woman was so hurt when she learned that her married son was having an adulterous affair with a woman whom she does not approve of that she tried to kill herself.
When Susan Mutunha learned that her son Lennox Piyasi was engaged in an extramarital affair with Faith Magadu, she decided to show her disapproval conclusively. Mutunha went to Magadu’s place of residence where downed rat poison. She was rushed to a nearby hospital where spent an entire week recuperating.
Unfortunately for Mutunha, her efforts were all in vain because her son Piyasi still deserted his wife and three children to move in with Magadu. Narrating her ordeal to H-Metro, the hurt mother said,
“I am a mother, all I wanted was for my son to see how serious I was about the issue.
We were once neighbours with Magadu, and I know her very well; she is not good for my son.
I don’t want to see my grandchildren suffering because of poor decisions made by their father.
I was trying to stop the nonsense before it got worse.”
Mutunha insisted that she will never accept Magadu as her daughter-in-law,
“I am optimistic that my son will stop the affair soon. When a man starts cheating, his life and behaviour changes. I am positive that he will listen because I can’t accept Magadu as my daughter-in-law; never!”
Curiously, one of Matanhu’s relatives claimed that they suspected that Magadu was using charms to lure Piyasi because she had once dated his older brother.
“Magadu could have used charms on Piyasi, we need the holy spirit’s intervention here.”
Magadu refused to comment on the matter. However, her mother said that she was relieved that her potential new in-law had survived the suicide attempt. Faith’s mother, Mai Magadu said,
“We don’t want to keep talking about the same incident over and over again. I’m surprised with how the incident unfolded.
“It looked like a joke, now she has recovered and we are hearing she is back at work, its good news. It wouldn’t paint a good picture knowing she died at my house.
“She was like, ‘ndauya kuzofira pano, mwana wenyu akuramba kusiyana nemwana wangu,” according to H-Metro.
“I also tried to hear what my daughter did to her, but she said nothing. I also don’t know why she doesn’t like her. Besides, it is not my daughter who approached her son.
“It is also not my daughter who moved in with her son, it is actually the other way round. Besides these are two grown-ups. They aren’t kids, what can Ido. People always look for someone to blame, I don’t know where I am wrong here,”-HMetro
By A Correspondent- A 21-year-old University of Cape Town student plunged to his death from the 17th floor of the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare in an apparent suicide, police said.
Kundai Ganjani died on Wednesday after a furious row with his parents.
Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi told ZimLive.com that they were concerned about a growing number of people walking into tall buildings and jumping to their deaths.
Nyathi said: “I can confirm that our officers attended to an incident at Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare on March 11 following reports of a body discovered on M2 (Mezzanine Floor 2).
“Our investigations established that the 21-year-old male had jumped from the 17th floor of the hotel.”
Nyathi said a review of CCTV showed Ganjani walking into the hotel. He apparently evaded security, ending up on the 17th floor which has some of the hotel’s luxury rooms.
“We know from the CCTV that he spent some 15 minutes in a common room before he jumped to his death. His parents were called to the scene and they identified his body. He was a student in South Africa and it is alleged that he abused some money availed by his parents. When he travelled to Zimbabwe recently, the parents told him he was not going back to South Africa, and that’s when he went to Rainbow Towers,” Nyathi said.
A friend of the 21-year-old said his family was concerned about what he described as an “out of control drug habit”.
“We had a pastor who jumped at Ruzende in September last year, and a Prince Edward student who jumped off from the same buildings two weeks later. When people walk into high rise buildings and commit suicide, it’s a matter of concern,” said the police spokesman.
Rainbow Towers corporate communications manager Pride Khumbula said: “I can confirm there was an incident at the Rainbow Towers Hotel on March 11, 2020. The matter was reported and handed over to the police. As the matter is now under police investigation, we are unable to make any comment on the same.”
She maintained that Rainbow Towers was secure for their guests.
“The safety of our guests is our priority. Our hotels have the necessary safety requirements to ensure guests’ safety,” Khumbula added.
Zanu PF has dismally failed to exorcise the demon of corruption among its rank and file, resulting in Zimbabwe being ranked among one of the most corrupt countries on the continent, a recent survey revealed.
The factional ridden cult led by Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has a long and standing culture of shamelessly protecting those in its midst who are ruthlessly corrupt and have an unrelenting propensity to loot national resources.
At their caucus meeting in Parliament on Wednesday, Zanu PF MPs resolved not to allow the MDC to chair virtually all parliamentary committee meetings.
MDC believes that the move was meant to protect business mogul, Kudakwashe Tagwirei, who was supposed to testify before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday.
Last year, Tagwirei snubbed the PAC, where he was supposed to submit oral evidence on the contracts his company got from the government under the Command Agriculture and Presidential Input Scheme.
Clearly, this represents abuse of power which is bolstered by the two-thirds majority vote Zanu PF has in Parliament.
Apperantly, this shows just how the ruling or more appropriately the ruining party, with its two-thirds majority, is prepared to go all out to protect rotten apples in its midst.
Besides the Zanu PF government’s monumental leadership and policy fissures, among other issues, the party has also aided in derailing any prospects of success Zimbabwe may have had, turning the country into a poverty-stricken pariah State.
As MDC youth assembly, we challenge Zanu PF and its leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to investigate, prosecute and sanction all reported cases of corruption, without fear or favour.
Ian Sean Hamandishe
MDC National Youth Deputy Secretary for Constitutional & Parliamentary Affairs
By Jane Mlambo| Political analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has hinted that former MDC Spokesperson Obert Gutu is set to be appointed POLAD Spokesperson today.
POLAD is an alliance of political parties that participated in the 2018 harmonised elections though MDC led by Nelson Chamisa has refused to be part of a process they dismissed as a ‘choir’.
According to Ruhanya, Gutu who quit the Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T is set to assume the position of POLAD Spokesperson, though it was previously occupied by Khalipani Phugeni.
“Unconfirmed reports say former Khupe VP, @GutuObert will today be appointed POLAD spokesperson at State House meeting of the political outfit,” said Ruhanya.
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana has confirmed the State House meeting today saying, “POLAD has an Executive Plenary Meeting at State House today. The Co-Convenors are also expected to appoint a Spokesperson today.”
By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo man was dealt a huge blow by his wife of 19-years after she booted him out of the house because he is jobless.
Tensions reportedly had been simmering for some time between Saunders Bongani Moyo and his wife Moureen Cindrela Zulu and things reached a boiling point when Zulu went berserk and chased her husband from their matrimonial home.
Moyo was unfairly denied the chance to be romantic with his wife before putting his finance’s in order.
The matter was heard before the magistrate’s court and saw both parties trading nasty accusations. In the highly charged court proceedings, Zulu called out her husband for allegedly having an adulterous affair which resulted in a child. She also called him a drunk and sensationally claimed that she had lost her social standing because of Zulu’s rowdy drunkard behaviour.
I have been customarily married to Saunders Bongani Moyo for 19 years. During the course of our marriage, he abused me in the following ways: physically, verbally and financially. I am single-handedly supporting the family paying all the rentals, school fees and buying food.
During the subsistence of our marriage, he secretly wedded another woman Venanda Mangisi. The marriage is still subsisting and is blessed with a child. I, however, pleaded with him to annul the marriage and he refused. Because of all these problems bedevilling our marriage, I decided that we go on separation.
In defence, Moyo denied the allegations, saying he did not beat her up or threaten to kill her. I never assaulted her or threatened to kill her. She is the one who assaulted me. We have been together for 19 years and our problems started when I became jobless.
When I was working, I was the one who was taking care of the family. She is accusing me of being a drunkard and useless just because she is now working and I am jobless.
I am aware that she needs financial assistance but I can’t provide for her now since I am not employed.-StateMedia
By A Correspondent- Zimdancehall artiste Zizoe PaMyk has reached out to Mai Titi soon after their recent break up thanking her for everything she did for him boosting his career and fame.
Now fans are confused because Zizoe is still referring to Mai Titi with the pet name he used to call her whilst they were still together as Mai Mkweso.
In the message, Zizoe said that he wanted to live a private life so is it that all the negative social media comments about his relationship with Mai Titi are now too much for him to deal with or he was just using Mai Titi to gain more fans and boost his career.
By A Correspondent- Belgian authorities arrested a man who removed his face mask, licked his fingers and then wiped them on a pole in a train as if trying to spread the coronavirus.
The train was withdrawn from service and disinfected.
A video of the incident went viral on the social media.
At the time of publishing this article, Belgium had more than 300 cases of coronavirus.
The World Health Organisation has warned people to disinfect their hands frequently and to cover their noses and mouths when sneezing and coughing.
Police investigations into the disappearance of journalist-cum-political activist Itai Dzamara are continuing, with law enforcement agents submitting over 113 fortnightly updates to the High Court, the state media reported.
Investigators are working closely with human rights lawyers in compliance with a court order issued five years ago.
The High Court compelled the police and intelligence officers to “do all things necessary to determine his whereabouts, including advertising, within 12 hours of the granting of this order, on all State media including all radio stations, ZTV, The Herald and Chronicle”.
According to the court order, the police and CIO were required to despatch a team of detectives to work with lawyers appointed by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights to search for Mr Dzamara.
They were also ordered to report progress of such search to the Registrar of the High Court by 4pm every Friday fortnightly until his whereabouts were determined.
Since March 2015, police have been submitting updates on investigations.
A record in the High Court gleaned by The Herald yesterday indicated that 113 reports had been filed by police although no inroads had been made.
“The whereabouts of Itai Peace Kudakwashe Dzamara of House Number 11640 Glen View 7, Harare, who went missing since 9 March 2015, remains unknown,” reads the report from the Police General Headquarters sent to the Civil Division in the Attorney-General’s Office.
“No new information about his whereabouts has been received so far. The reward offered by the police of $10 000 is still standing. Police is still appealing to anyone with information to come forward to help in the investigations.”
The AG’s office in turn submitted the report to the Registrar of the High Court.
Permanent Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said Government had been making regular appeals to the public to supply information that may lead to the establishment of Mr Dzamara’s whereabouts.
He was responding to comments by the European Union (EU), which called on the Government to shed light on Mr Dzamara’s case.
Mr Mangwana said police reports submitted to the High Court in compliance with an order of that court were available for the public.
He expressed concern over undiplomatic insinuation that the Government did not intend to shed light on Mr Dzamara’s whereabouts.-Statemedia
Government yesterday announced yet another policy change, ostensibly to address the inefficiency of the foreign currency interbank market and stabilise the exchange rate.
The new “managed float” exchange rate regime will see government attempting to stabilise the rate by buying and selling foreign currency in competition with the market.
It is immediately apparent that the policy will not work because the country has no foreign currency reserves with which it could intervene in the market to defend the Zimbabwe dollar.
With just two weeks of import cover, the authorities know they are in an impossible position, yet they insist on prolonging the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe by carrying on their currency charade. It is time to redollarise.
The fundamentals are simply not in place for Zimbabwe to sustain a currency. The authorities are well aware of this but are just buying time. It is inconceivable that government was not aware that the 1:1 policy was unsustainable, but they carried on, depriving exporters of their earnings, until mines began to shut down.
They then devised another cunning scheme though the interbank market where exporters continue to lose money. While parallel market rates are at Z$41 against the greenback, government is robbing exporters and giving them Z$18.
Production is essential for import substitution and the concomitant reduction in the amount of local currency in the market for foreign currency. Government appears to believe that it can somehow defend a currency without production.
Similarly, the authorities conduct their affairs through the use of compulsion and brute force instead of instilling confidence through transparency and policy consistency. This thuggish approach to government undermines currency stability.
The government has been aggressively printing money to support expenditure despite claiming to have a surplus. This growth in money supply invariably leads to a weakening of the currency.
Unless the aforementioned
fundamentals are addressed, the currency will continue to slide. The government
has competent economists in its employ and is well aware of these facts, but it
continues to play games to hoodwink the population and buy time.
Given the present circumstances, it
has become impossible for business to make any meaningful plans using the
ever-weakening local currency. The only solution is for government to restore
the multi-currency system and allow the market to freely trade and establish
the value of the local currency.
Government is unable to do this
because it does not have the support of the international community and thus
cannot provide the social safety net required while the economy realigns itself
to the free market.
The international community has been
clear about the need for political and economic reforms before any financial
assistance will be extended to Zimbabwe. The Zanu PF government has rejected
this hand of friendship, preferring to protect its political interests at the
expense of the wellbeing of the people of Zimbabwe.
This cannot be allowed to continue;
we will not allow it to continue.
RESOLUTIONS OF THE JOINT MEETING BETWEEN EDUCATION
SECTOR CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS AND THE PARLIAMENTARY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION.
WE
members of the civil society in partnership with the Parliamentary Portfolio
Committee on Primary and Secondary Education met today the 12th of
March 2020 in Harare
RECOGNIZING
the crisis in the education sector; deterioration of the standards in the
education sector due to policy inconsistency and the volatility in the economy
that has limited government capacity to fulfil its obligations
APPRECIATE
the role of ZIMSEC in the administration of national examinations as an
independent body
HOWEVER,
concerned that the Executive has defined ZIMSEC as a parastatal operating on a
cost recovery basis
DISTURBED
that ZIMSEC has no financial capacity to perform its mandate without government
assistance.
CONCERNED
that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education issued a Press Statement
on the 11th of March 2020, announcing new examination fee structures
for primary and secondary education, EFFECTIVELY reversing the earlier Press
Statement issued on the 19th of February, 2020 which had advised
parents and guardians to continue payment of old fees approved in 2015.
FURTHER
CONCERNED that the new examination fees structure are retrogressive and a
reversal of the detects stipulated in the Education Amendment Act (Chapter 25:04)
on achieving progressive realization on the rights set out in Section 75 (1) of
the Constitution.
EMPHASIZE
that education is a human right which prepares learners for life and work
IN
THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD, RESOLVED TO CALL UPON THE GOVERNMENT TO assume
full responsibility on payment of examination fees in the spirit of progressive
realization of the right to education.
By Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo- Rising and prominent MDC Senator for Buhera district, Christine Rambanepasi nee Java has raised the development flag and banner high as she makes strong inroads in Buhera.
The senior MDC official and political stalwart was born on 11 November, 1961 from humble beginnings and she is cherished by many as an exemplary in society across political divide.
Senator Rambanepasi who rose through humble beginnings to become one of the strongest politicians in the modern day world because of her charity works.
The 59 year old politician is liked by many across the political divide. She has a story to tell which many academics and politicians have been pushing her to write a book. Senator Java is the mother to the two popular prominent preachers, Apostle Java and Pastor Passion Java.
She has been a giver from the onset, she took many by surprise after she won the hearts of many by mobilizing resources for the underprivileged and orphans not only in Buhera but across the country. Java left footprints in her popular home town, Chitungwiza where she has been paying fees for many, and dishing out a revolving fund for youth and women empowerment.
In her home village, Buhera she is loved by many across political spectrum. Contacted for comment in her village through a telephone interview, the rising star made it clear that she is on war path to break barriers of divisions and politics of label and she is on a mission to revive many who had lost hope and reviving them through an empowerment agenda.
Her philanthropic work began in the early 80s when she was known for dishing out goodies to old people’s homes, giving others, preaching and sharing the little she had and even going an extra mile to remain with nothing by offering what she had for others.
She sacrificed a lot for others. Her philanthropic work drew attention across the country when she has helped over 4000 children with food and school fees, and going to an extent of drawing her salary from parliament and donating to her constituencies. She has been hailed by many within MDC file ranks for her good works.
She is in the process of establishing a trustee which will be responsible for her philanthropic work, and the trustee will be named after her after realizing that all these good works must not be confined with Buhera district but the idea is to transform the whole Zimbabwe.
Schools that have benefited from her good works namely Chiteshe secondary school, Chawatama, both primary and secondary, chiturike , both primary and secondary, she has donated food hampers to traditional leaders and villagers in many parts of Buhera in what many have described her as tremendous in development. Rambanepasi, sober and level headed has contributed positively at senatorial level.
She campaigned vigorously for Nelson Chamisa and his MDC Led Alliance during the run up to 2018 elections making inroads in critical political hotspots, particularly in most rural parts of Manicaland Province. Rambanepasi is a widow, with five children.
She has been described by many as someone and who thrives on loyalty and self-dedication to service.
She believes in servant leadership. Despite being one of the prominent politicians, she has spent much of her time in her rural home in Buhera, mostly in schools assisting the underprivileged and preaching the gospel of peace.
Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo is a Policy Advisor and Researcher, and he is also a lead Thinker for Zimbabwe Institute of Strategic Thinking (ZIST) and he can be contacted at [email protected]
By A Correspondent- State owned telecommunications firm NetOne chief executive Lazarus Muchenje, whose suspension was lifted yesterday by the High Court on a technicality, is facing numerous charges, in which he is accused of swindling the company of huge amounts of money.
The High Court also ordered the NetOne board of directors not to institute disciplinary proceeedings against him.However, according to the charge sheet, the NetOne board accuses Muchenje of prejudicing the company of at least US$2,6 million and ZW$10,4 million through unauthorised purchases, awarding himself huge allowances outside his terms of employment, and unilaterally allocating himself hefty holiday stipends.
He also allegedly included his personal domestic workers on the NetOne payroll and leased himself a deluxe company house in Harare’s leafy Borrowdale suburb for just a fraction of its market value, further financially prejudicing the company.
The business executive is also being accused of awarding himself a disproportionate bonus of ZW$$510 000 in December 2019 while his monthly salary was pegged at ZW$67 000.
The amount is way above the stipulated threshold for parastatal CEOs.
According to the charge sheet, in November 2019, Muchenje allegedly allocated himself and his wife ZW$895 000 as a holiday allowance although she was not eligible for it. In terms of his employment contract, only Muchenje is eligible for two all-expenses paid holidays, one regional and another international, and his wife is not covered.
“In November 2019, you wrongfully and unlawfully paid to yourself the total sum of ZW$895 000 for air tickets, per diem and entertainment allowance for you and your spouse in contravention of the terms of your contract of employment and without Board approval. You unlawfully encashed the sum of ZW$895 000 in lieu of your vacation holiday contrary to the express terms of your employment contract,” the charge sheet reads.
Muchenje, working with NetOne acting chief finance officer Tinashe Severa, also allegedly prejudiced the company of US$2, 24 million after unlawfully signing an interconnect agreement with Bankai International Private Limited, on December 10 2019.
“In terms of this agreement Bankai purchased nine million minutes for US$1 million contrary to the company’s ruling rate of 36 cents per minute. Further the agreement contravened schedule five of SI (Statutory Instrument) 163 of 2008 (Postal and Telecommunications (international Termination rates) Amendment Regulations 2008. As a result the company was prejudiced US$2 240 000,” the document reads.
It is also the board’s case that Muchenje, on two occasions in June and August 2019, caused NetOne to purchase fuel worth ZW$7 637 382 and ZW$1 242 000 from LED Tours and Travels respectively without seeking board approval.
The board alleges that by so doing, NetOne ended up buying fuel at a price much higher than the officially gazetted pump price.”You did not seek the board’s prior approval before the said fuel purchases. You neglected and/or failed to ensure that the company did not buy from a bulk fuel supplier which did not have Zera (Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority). You caused the company to buy fuel at above Zera gazetted prices from a supplier without first going to tender, using request for quotations method of procurement, as a result of which NetOne paid more than the Zera gazetted pump price,” the board alleges.
In addition to that, Muchenje allegedly leased the company’s fully furnished double storey four-bedroomed Borrowdale house for just ZW$1 000 per month, when its actual market lease value stood at US$2 500 per month on an unfurnished basis and US$3 500 per month when fully furnished.
“After obtaining the market-related rentals for the said house, you proceeded to occupy the fully furnished company house for a nominal rental of ZW$1 000 per month, contrary to the recommended sum of US$3 500 per month for a fully furnished house, thus causing substantial loss to the company,” the charge sheet reads.
Muchenje, the board further alleges, bought household goods and appliances using company funds, at a cost of ZW$623 587 without the board’s approval. He also added his domestic workers stationed at the property to the NetOne wage bill as well as unlawfully hiring 24-hour security guards at the house at the company’s expense.
Muchenje was also implicated in a second-hand vehicle procurement scandal. The board alleges that on or about February 8 2019, Muchenje allowed Severa to procure 12 pre-owned and problematic vehicles for company use, which have since proven costly to maintain.
The vehicles were over the five-year age limit provided for in the company’s vehicle policy.”The company not only paid out the sum ZW$546 712.50, but has to date paid the sum of ZW$233 625.87 in repairs to the vehicles,” the board says.
In his employment contract, Muchenje agreed to provide his own vehicle to facilitate the fulfilment of his duties. To enable him to do so, the company facilitated a vehicle financing scheme with Stanbic Bank, terms of which he would pay the loan out of his monthly salary.
He accessed the vehicle loan facilitated by the company, resulting in him buying a car which he never used for work purposes in according with his employment contract.
Instead, the board alleges, he allocated himself two motor vehicles, namely a Navara twin cab and a Mazda 3, which was later replaced with a VW Passat CD 20. He is also accused of hiring a Fortuner motor vehicle for personal use in contravention of his contract. Muchenje is also being accused of defying a board instruction for him to hand over documents to auditors during the audit period.
“Following the board’s decision to conduct an audit into the company’s affairs, you were directed to hand over documents to the auditors appointed by the company. You not only failed to hand over the documents but deliberately concealed the documents from auditors,” the charge sheet reads.
Efforts to get a comment from Muchenje were fruitless as he initially said he was on another call while further phone calls to him went unanswered. Muchenje read questions sent to him, but did not respond.
Information Communication Technology and Courier Services minister Jenfan Muswere vowed to root out corruption at the state enterprise.
He said: “Our actions will be guided by the government audit and statutes which stipulate operations of state entities. They will also be guided by the cardinal points of Vision 2030, one of which is eradication of corruption. We will not condone corruption so the law has to take its course. We also want to bring back sanity at NetOne and make it into a telecomms giant.” -Independent
Captains of industry and economists are holding a breakfast dialogue with the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank on the state of the economy in Harare this morning.
Watch the live proceedings of the dialogue in the video below:
By A Correspondent- A man’s hopes for fresh meat were shattered when he was stopped in his tracks disguised as a goat inside the goat’s kraal attempting to capture one at Springs Farm village near Imbizo Barracks.
The 24-year-old Artwell Ncube who had managed to gain entry into Silas Ngwenya’s (63) home was caught red-handed by Ngwenya trying to steal a goat that was inside the kraal.
It was heard in court that when Ncube saw he was about to be caught, he allegedly knelt and took the posture of a goat holding on to the horns of the goat that was facing him.
Prosecuting, Mehluli Ndlovu said Ngwenya’s neighbour heard funny noises before noticing Ncube suspiciously loitering around Ngwenya’s kraal around 10pm last month. The neighbour quickly went to alert Ngwenya who was inside the house that is in the same yard with the kraal.
The neighbour accompanied Ngwenya to the kraal and they reportedly saw Ncube among the many goats standing on all fours imitating a goat posture. He was holding onto the horns of the goat that was in front of him with part of his head showing.
The duo reportedly chucked Ncube from his posture and questioned the allegedly stammering Ncube at the time as to what he was doing in Ngwenya’s kraal. They apprehended and dragged him to Queens Park Police Station where they reported and opened a case against him.
In his defence, Ncube said he was not trying to steal any of Ngwenya’s goats but instead he had scurried for cover inside Ngwenya’s yard.
“I was drinking beer with some people at the bar and as we got drunk, they wanted to beat me for some unknown reason. I tried to run away from them and I got inside Ngwenya’s yard. When I saw the kraal I went inside it because I knew that my chasers were not going to be able to find and get to me inside the kraal.
“I clutched on to the horns in front of me for balance and to have a bit of view to see if I had really escaped,” said Ncube.
However, Ngwenya disputed Ncube’s defence as he said that Ngwenya looked sober when he caught him inside the kraal on that day.
Ncube was charged with attempted livestock theft and presiding magistrate at Tredgold, Nomagugu Maphosa remanded him out of custody for sentencing on Friday. -Independent, DailyNews
By A Correspondent- Talent Chiwenga appeared before a Mutare magistrate on Tuesday facing charges of smuggling radio and teargas equipment.
The Harare-based clergyman allegedly smuggled five Kenwood two-way communication radios, solar battery chargers and teargas injectors through the Forbes Border Post.
Chiwenga appeared before Mr Nottbulgar Muchineripi, who granted him $400 bail and remanded him to March 31.
He was charged with contravening a section of the Customs and Excise Act.
Chiwenga was represented by Advocate Tariro Paul Machiridza, while the State was represented by prosecutor Perseverance Musukuto.
Ms Musukuto told the court that on December 11, 2019, Chiwenga drove from Mozambique to Zimbabwe through the Forbes Border Post in the company of Lovemore Kanyuru and Darlington Moyo.
The court further heard that after immigration formalities, Chiwenga passed through the customs and clearing counter without declaring goods in his possession.
“A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority official later asked Chiwenga to take his goods for scanning, where it was discovered that the goods were not declared, which then led to his arrest,” said Ms Musukuto.-StateMedia
12 MDC activists who were arrested about two weeks ago over public violence charges in Chitungwiza languish longer in prison until next Tuesday after High Court judge, Justice David Foroma failed to read badly written record of the magistrate’s record.
Vongai Muchuchuti from Harare Magistrate’s Court was the magistrate who handled the case in Chitungwiza.
The judge postponed the case to 17 March to allow the State to have the record transcribed again.
“The judge couldn’t read the docket. It was so badly written that he could not pick what was contained,” the suspects’ lawyer, Job Sikhala after the postponement of the bail ruling.
They are accused of participating in a public gathering with intent to promote public violence.
The government of Zimbabwe has reportedly failed to pay for 18 buses from Belarus which were intended to be given to the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO).
This was revealed by Freeman Chari, an MDC activist based in the USA who also said that Sakunda Holdings boss, Kuda Tagwirei bought the buses in question and is set to lease them to ZUPCO. Chari said:
So it turns out the government failed to pay for 18 buses from Belarus. Tagwirei then bought the rest of the buses you saw and he is going to lease to ZUPCO. I have confirmed this with sources at ZIMRA that some of the buses were held up because he had not paid for duty.
Zimbabwe intended to import buses to revive the collapsed public transport system in the country.
Tagwirei has in the past been accused of using his money to manipulate political elites and influence policies in the country.
NewsDay|THE Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou says teachers have relapsed into incapacitation because the salary increment effected by government in February for civil servants has since been eroded by inflation.
Government in February this year increased civil servants salaries by between 140% to 200% depending on the grades of the government employees, a development that enabled the least paid to take home $3 000.
“We said it in February that teachers did not need a salary increase, but restoration of their purchasing power parity. Those who thought PTUZ was radical need to look at basics. When teachers got that so called salary increase in February, a standard pocket of potatoes was $80 cash,” Zhou said.
“It is now $200 or more; 1 litre of milk was $15, and it’s now $27, bread was $17, it is now $24. The salary of teachers is being eroded against United States dollar with US$10 now trading at $400. Rentals are now charged in US dollars with a single small room costing between US$30 and US$50; fuel has virtually dried up except at garages selling in forex and 1 litre costs US$1.25.”
Zhou said the economy was dollarising fast despite government denial.
“We reiterate our long held view that teachers do not need a salary increase or cushion, but restoration of the US$520 salary or its equivalent in terms of inter-bank rate. Any other claim is ludicrous lunacy that must never be entertained by trade union leaders worth their salt,” Zhou said.
“The more things appear to change in Zimbabwe, the more they remain the same. Yes, the government and Apex Council talked of continued negotiations after the increase. But have you ever heard of any further negotiations after the Victoria Falls meeting? Virtually nothing.”
He urged teachers’ unions to take the collective action to address the plight of educators.
“We also call upon the Apex Council to rise to the occasion and show workers fruits of further negotiations that they alluded to from the Victoria Falls meeting. The cause of workers cannot be surrendered even under difficult conditions,” he said.
“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary actions and extraordinary solutions. Teachers are their own liberators.”
Following the negotiations between government and its workers in January, Apex Council president Cecilia Alexander said her outfit was pushing government to have salaries reviewed quarterly and Labour minister Paul Mavima also promised to negotiate with Treasury for periodic salary reviews.-
Wuhan hosted 2019 Military World Games in October last year, in which the US armed forces had participated.
China has made a stunning allegation against the US saying it may have brought the coronavirus to Wuhan and caused the epidemic that’s unleashing distress and deaths around the world. China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lijian Zhao said this while referring to the admission by the director of the US Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that the country had many deaths before they were able to test for the virus.
Zhao lambasted the US for the late admission and accused it of lacking transparency. “When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be the US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!” Zhao said in a English tweet. Earlier, CDC Director Robert Redfield some cases of coronavirus in the US had been misdiagnosed.
Chinese anger against profiling, conspiracy theories
Coming from a responsible and highly placed Chinese official, the charge is astounding, even after discounting the Chinese anger against the West for blaming it for various things like a cover-up of the death toll. China was also cut up with the alleged racial profiling as well as insinuations that the coronavirus may have been leaked from a Wuhan lab.
When the senior Chinese official says the American military may have brought the virus to Wuhan, the reference is to the Military World Games in Wuhan last year in which the US participated. Wuhan had hosted 2019 Military World Games, officially known as the 7th CISM Military World Games, between October 18–27 in Wuhan.
The deadly coronavirus strain, officially named Covid-19 by the World Health Organisation, broke out in Wuhan in late last year. While China bore the brunt of the virus in the initial stages, seeing more than 3,000 deaths, the focus has now shifted to the West.
87-year-old patient and doctor watch sunset outside a hospital in Wuhan.
Iran made similar charge earlier
The head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards had also made a similar claim last week. The Iranians said Covid-19 was possibly produced as a biological weapon by the US and had it had deliberately spread it in Iran and China, two of its chief adversaries. However, the theory, as outlandish as it sounds, does not explain why Nato ally Italy is the worst hit now.
The US congress has received a report that says between 70 and 150 million people could be infected with the novel coronavirus in the US, a Congresswoman said on Thursday. “Congress’s attending physician told the Senate that he expects between 70 to 150 million people to eventually contract the coronavirus in the United States,” Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib said at the House of Representatives.
Italy remains worst-hit
In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the scare is not over yet and more people are going to die from coronavirus, in the country. Italy’s crisis deepened on Thursday with deaths going past 1,000 even as most of the country is under lockdown. As many as daily death toll jumped by 189 on Thursday.
While the exact origins of the novel coronavirus is not yet established conclusively, experts have said it might have spread from a Wuhan meat market. The virus may have developed in snakes or bats and then spread to the humans at the market where Chinese shop for assorted live animals.
However, in January, an Israeli biological warfare analyst kicked up a row when he made the sensational claim that the Coronavirus 2019-nCoV was developed by China as part of its covert biological weapons programme. The claim got wide currency after it was picked up by the Washington Times.
While China questions the US over its patient zero, Beijing has also not been come out with a plausible theory around its own patient zero. However, with the outbreak seemingly in control, China has lately pushed it back against the detractors who blamed it for the epidemic.
China mouthpiece criticices US
Earlier this week, influential Communist Party mouthpiece Global Times accused the US of gross inefficiency in handling its own virus problem. “This is worrisome because the US, the world’s superpower which is thought to have the strongest medical resources in the world, can’t even confirm the exact number of COVID-19 infections,” the publication said.
“It’s time for the US and the West to let go of their egotism, start to confront the epidemic from the perspective of protecting people’s lives and health, learn from China’s experience, adopt effective measures and jointly cooperate on defeating COVID-19 with other countries,” it added.
Mthuli Ncube, Emmerson Mnangagwa graphic, uS dollar
GOVERNMENT has insisted that the country is not despite continued use of the US dollar in the economy and expressed confidence that full de-dollarisation would be achieved in five years.
In June last year Government outlawed use of multiple foreign currencies in the economy, marking the return of the Zimbabwean dollar as the official currency.
But since then several institutions and sectors such as tourism, have been given special dispensations to charge for their goods and services in foreign currency, notably the US dollar. And while in formal trade, the currency used is generally the local dollar, the situation is largely the opposite in the informal market.
Even some Government institutions like the Registrar General’s office have been allowed to charge foreign currency for passports, prompting many to conclude that the country was slowly re-dollarising, an assertion Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya denied on Wednesday.
Dr Mangudya said de-dollarisation was a process which would take years to fully implement.
“I think we are suffering in this country from definitional issues that we should not suffer from, de-dollarisation is a gradual movement rom dollarisation,” he said.
“On February 22 of 2019 when Zimbabwe introduced the inter-bank exchange rate and its own currency, that was the beginning of the journey which we do believe as the Central Bank will take five years.”
Mangudya said other countries had taken up to 10 years to fully de-dollarise.
“When you talk of dollarisation, it does not mean that we lose everything. We take the benefits of the dollarisation, the benefits of a de-dollarised environment, bring them together to form one thing called a journey, it is a process,” he said.
“Some of us we do not see any contradiction to policy. We are seeing a process and the process is painful but it needs to be done. What is lacking is confidence that we need to ensure we give to the market.”
Meanwhile, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, said the country was generating enough foreign currency.
“In 2019 we generated about $6.8 billion and this really matched the demand, so the issue is not about supply, the issue is about the efficacy of the system, we have enough foreign currency coming into Zimbabwe,” he said.
“Clearly there is a lot of foreign currency sloshing around, but that is not the issue, the issue is the efficacy of how the system works in distributing and allocating the abundant foreign currency.”
By Business Reporter| Cuba has had severe US sanctions since the 1960s to this day, and yet it is not complaining, the tiny isolated island is producing and exporting; Speaking on Trevor Ncube’s program, Dr Solomon Guramatunhu also talked about Finand.
He then jumped onto Singapore which he said has transformed itself from a Third World nation with no minerals or agriculture to becoming a First World giant now competing with European countries
He said in full: We go to Singapore, [a] small island, sand in stone, not a single mineral, no agriculture.
“In 1965 they were so poor they lived in thatched houses, and they said our only natural resource is our brains.
“So they got the best brains to develop Singapore, paid them the best to develop Singapore.
“And they ran it like a company, so from Third World to First World 1965 to the year 2000, in 35 years they’ve moved from 3rd World to 1st World, they’re now even better than European countries.
“Now, you ask about ourselves what do we have?
“We got diamonds, we got gold all over, we got platinum, we got chrome everywhere, we got lithium, we have got 60 different minerals, best soils, climate, we can grow anything, mangoes, strawberries … ” VIDEO-
By A Correspondent| The Supreme Court of Appeal panel of seven judges has declined a request by President Peter Mutharika and Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to grant the stay order on the judgement by the Constitutional Court in its entirety.
MEC lawyers made a frantic plea to the judges to consider suspending the Constitutional Court ruling until the Supreme Court makes a final determination on the election matter in an appeal.
The Malawi Congress Party’s Campaign Director, Moses Kinkuyu, speaks to ZimEye following the Supreme Court verdict last night : (video loading below)
VIDEO LOADING BELOW…..
The Supreme Court of Appeal panel of seven judges has declined a request by President Peter Mutharika and Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to grant the stay order on the judgement by the Constitutional Court in its entirety. MEC lawyers made a frantic plea to the judges to consider suspending the Constitutional Court ruling until the Supreme Court makes a final determination on the election matter in an appeal.
The electoral body argues that a better date for the next elections would be October 28 2020 to enable the commission prepare the activities properly.
But lawyer for petitioners Titus Mvalo said the basis on which MEC is presenting its proposal is not holding, adding they have opposed them as they know that there is capacity to hold elections and that the provision for the momet was made by Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha in Mid-Year Budget Review last month. ….
Last night ZimEye caught up with the Malawi Congress Party’s Campaign Director, Moses Kinkuyu who said: (video loading below)
Ever optimistic economist Eddie Cross, who is also a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, says the Zimbabwe dollar might initially drop to 22:1 on the interbank market but it is possible it might end the year at 10:1.
Effiel Ncube of the National Consumer Rights Association, however, did not agree. He said the Zimbabwe dollar could fall to 500:1 against the South African rand which is currently trading at 16:1 against the United States dollar.
Zimbabwe announced a “managed float” exchange rate yesterday giving commercial banks and bureaux de change a bigger role in the market.
Previously the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe controlled the exchange rate regime.
“These measures should bring the rate down – how much is impossible to say,” Eddie Cross said. “But I think 10 to 1is possible later this year. I would be very happy if we came down to 22 to 1 next week.”
Effiel Ncube disagreed.
“A managed floating exchange rate system works where there is production and where there are reserves to back up the local currency,” he was quoted by the Daily News as saying.
“Zimbabwe has none of those and what we are going to see is the exchange rate shooting up, thereby resulting in an increase in the prices of basic goods and services.
“Honesty, when market forces are at work, the Zimbabwe dollar is likely to drop to 500 against the rand and other currencies because what the interbank rate has been doing is to overvalue the local currency.”
The interbank market rate remained at 18.1 to 1 today but the black market rates went down to 41:1 for electronic money and 30:1 for cash according to Marketwatch.
Some businesses were today pegging the dollar at 47:1 for electronic money and 35 to 1 for cash.
Cross has always argued that the exchange rate will appreciate if the central bank allows the market to operate transparently.
Two weeks ago, he said that the country was on the right path and asked why Zimbabweans were complaining so much.
He received a bashing for this comment which was on his personal blog with most people accusing him of singing for his supper.
Cross, a former policy adviser for the Movement for Democratic Change and former legislator for Bulawayo South, quit active politics just before the 2018 elections and has openly supported the Emmerson Mnangagwa government especially Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube.
Although now a member of the Monetary Policy Committee which is chaired by central bank governor John Mangudya, Cross has accused Mangudya on several occasions of frustrating Mthuli Ncube’s efforts to turn around the economy.
Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) president Felton Kamambo said that the South Africans have reneged on an agreement to avail Orlando Stadium for the upcoming Warriors Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Algeria later this month.
Kamambo told the Parliament’s Youth & Sports Committee on Thursday that the South African Football Association (SAFA) informed ZIFA on Wednesday that the match venue was no longer available for use for the game. Said Kamambo:
Initially, they said Orlando was available, but they wrote to us yesterday saying the venue was no longer available.
The only available stadium is Dobsonville in the same area, but, technically, we have not yet secured it because SAFA needs to engage their government first and inform that they are two countries coming to South Africa.
Kamambo also told the legislators that it will be cheaper for the Warriors to play in South Africa than Zambia as ZIFA will be controlling gates.
Furthermore, ZIFA is also banking on South Africans to support the Warriors unlike in Zambia which is in the same group with Zimbabwe.
THE National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) has slammed the Registrar General’s (RG’s) Office in Bulawayo for lacking a humane face in dealing with citizens seeking national documents.
This is the second time that the Registrar General’s Office has been criticised for not properly servicing people seeking national documents.
Last year, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) which was conducting a national inquiry into access to documentation, observed that some citizens were failing to access birth certificates, national IDs and death certificates due to rigidness of RG’s Office employees.
The ZHRC urged officials at the RG’s office to be flexible when assisting individuals seekings national documents especially those affected by the Gukurahundi disturbances.
Individuals without national documents cannot benefit from Government or NGOs’ relief programmes.
Officials at the RG’s Office have been accused of being rude and arrogant yet they work at one of Government’s key offices that deals with national documents.
NPRC Commissioner Leslie Ncube, who is in charge of Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South, said officers from the RG’s Office need to change their attitude and strive to provide the best services.
He said failure to access national documents was a major grievance hence the commission has included the RG’s Office in its peace-building process as it wants the shortcomings in the operations of the RG’s Office to be addressed.
Comm Ncube was speaking on the sidelines of the training of Bulawayo provincial peace committee members at a city hotel.
“If you look at the RG’s Office, the passport office, I think you agree with me that many people dread to go there because of the poor service. It has become a nightmare to access national documents yet it is a right of every citizen to access these important documents such as a birth certificate, ID or passport.
“It’s a key issue in Bulawayo when it comes to documentation and that is why the Deputy Provincial Registrar is here and the person that is responsible for issuance of birth certificates is also here. Documentation is one of the sources of conflict,” he said.
Comm Ncube said according to reports from members of the public, some people are dismissed by officials before they even explain themselves.
He said civil servants should remember that they are guided by a Government Charter that requires them to strive to provide the best services.
“We need to bring sanity in that particular office because issues to do with documentation are a right at law. We have to ensure that everyone is enabled accordingly. You should not suffer to get national documents,” he said.
He passed on yesterday morning after a short illness aged 71.
His son and family spokesperson Mayfield Daka described him as a great motivator, who was ever joking.
“He was one of the best motivators and ever joking, never angry and always humble. His nickname was ‘Ghost’ because he was always joyful and loved football,” said Mayfield.
“We only have fond memories of utopi. The time I spent with him was all laughter. He has left a big void that will be hard to fill for many years to come.”
Daka started his footballing career in the early 1960s playing for a number of youth clubs dotted around Bulawayo before joining Highlanders in 1965.
“We played in Matshobana, Sizinda and all around the City of Bulawayo. That is why people always talk of Highlanders playing at Greenspan,” Daka once told former Highlanders coach Keutsepilemang Ndebele.
He played alongside the Nxumalo brothers James and Josiah, Majuta Mpofu, Ananias Dube, Billy Sibanda, Kenny Ngulube, Edward Dzowa, Andrew Jele, Tommy Masuku, Lawrence Phiri, Geoffrey Mpofu, Boet Van As, Tymon Mabaleka, Gavin Dubely and Bruce Grobbelaar, among other Bosso greats.
He left Highlanders to join Hwange, then Wankie, and was part of the 1973 squad that lifted the Castle Cup while in Division One after shocking Dynamos 2-1 in the final.
He returned to Highlanders, albeit briefly, before aligning with a breakaway group of players, who went on to form Olympics. At Olympics he became the first ever player coach after undergoing training.
But his heart was always with Highlanders.
He rejoined Bosso as assistant coach to Briton Bobby Clark in 1983 before taking over the dressing room as head coach the following year.
Daka went on to win the 1984 Chibuku Trophy, beating archrivals Dynamos 2-1. The following year, he led Highlanders to the BAT Rosebowl glory and was a losing finalist in the Chibuku Trophy, going down 0-1 to Arcadia United.
In 1986, Daka led Bosso to the Chibuku Trophy, Rothmans Shield and Castle Cup triumphs. He produced the Soccer Star of the Year in 1987 when steely right-back Mercedes ‘Rambo’ Sibanda was voted the finest player in the land.
Bosso went on to clinch every knockout silverware on offer in 1988, but missed out on the league title, which was clinched by city rivals Zimbabwe Saints, who also produced another defender Ephraim Chawanda as Soccer Star of the Year.
In 1989, Highlanders reached the semi-finals of the BAT Rosebowl and final of the Africa Day Cup, with players such as the late Fanuel Ncube, Titus Majola and Abraham Madondo, Alexander Maseko, Tobias Mudyambanje, Dumisani Ngulube, Ronnie Jowa, Tito Paketh, Mpumelelo Dzowa and Amin Soma forming the backbone of Daka’s squad.
He quit Highlanders to join Railstars in 1997 before leaving the railwaymen two years later.
Daka moved to Botswana in 2001, taking over as head coach of Notwane, but had to wait for six years before clinching his maiden league title in the neighbouring country with Ecco City in 2007, an achievement that saw him being named Coach of the Year.
At international level, Daka clinched a silver medal as assistant coach to Wieslaw Grabowski in the 1995 All-Africa Games when their Under-23 side lost to Egypt in the final.
That Young Warriors team consisting of talented players such as Gift Muzadzi, Lloyd Jowa, Alois Bunjira, Stewart Murisa, Elasto Lungu, Methembe Ndlovu, Vusi Laher, Engelbert Dinha, Cain and Abel Muteji is considered the best ever assembled junior team in the country.
Mayfield revealed that his father passed away at a time he was in the middle of writing a book about the history of Zimbabwean football.
“Like I said he was a funny character full of jokes, I remember two of his jokes he would tell us that ‘uHomela (Gibson Homela) ligorila elileface enhle,’ and ‘eTunisia kuthiwa sitshiye abafana abangoclever sabuya labobhare’.”
At the time of his death, Daka was a member of the Bulawayo City FC panel of football advisors.
Daka is survived by a wife, four children, Mayfield, Michelle, a nurse in Swaziland, Lorraine, a bank manager in South Africa, and Marcelene, a medical doctor in Botswana, and 10 grandchildren.
Two of his children Rosweter and Billy are late.
Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.
Mourners are gathered at House Number 153, Barbourfields.
THREE suspected cases of coronavirus have been reported at Mpilo Central Hospital and the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).
The city’s emergency services have reacted swiftly to the cases.
So far, no one has tested positive of the virus in Zimbabwe despite numerous suspected cases.
A Zimbabwean woman who is said to have travelled to Dubai and returned to Bulawayo via South Africa this week was taken to Mpilo Central Hospital with flu-like symptoms.
The hospital’s Public Relations Officer Mr Ozias Ndlovu confirmed the incident yesterday.
While stressing that the hospital was just following laid down emergency response procedures, he said the patient has not yet tested positive for Covid-19 and it could have been a false alarm. “We received a patient who presented herself this afternoon. She showed flu like symptoms. She had travelled to Dubai and returned via South Africa. She arrived in the city sometime this week. She said her husband in South Africa also had flu. However, we are taking all the necessary precautions to ensure that we treat the matter carefully as we cannot be lax,” he said.
“We are working on modalities to transfer the patient to Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital.”
Later, Mr Ndlovu said the woman was examined by the Rapid Response Team (RRT) and appears to be free of the virus.
“However, we have put her under self-quarantine at her home for 21 days as an additional precaution,” he said.
At UBH two people who were said to have recently travelled to Italy allegedly presented at the hospital with Coronavirus like symptoms. UBH Clinical Director Dr Narcisius Dzvanga dismissed the allegations and said UBH had not attended to any white patients in a very long time.
The patients were allegedly attended to by personnel from Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital, who had to be called to the scene when nurses at UBH refused to attend to them.
Bulawayo City Council, which runs Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital said they did not receive the matter and referred questions to UBH staff.
In a Press statement, BCC senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said the city has a rapid response team on call to attend to suspected Covid-19 cases.
“It (RRT) responds to calls from all over the city to assess if the client fits the WHO case definition for Covid-19 and then either; Causes the patient to be moved to Thorngrove, along with follow up provisions for isolation, or/ and excludes the patient as a suspect, hence the patient can have all their medical services in the usual manner,” she said.
She said council was training health staff to capacitate them to deal the virus.
Robert Mugabe and Emmerson Mnangagwa during the Gukurahundi era
THE National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) has constituted a special Gukurahundi committee for Bulawayo and similar panels will be established in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces in due course.
The NPRC has said it has started laying the groundwork for a process that will culminate in Gukurahundi exhumations, with President Mnangagwa expected to participate in an indaba to map the way forward.
President Mnangagwa has encouraged citizens to openly speak on Gukurahundi and has reiterated that no subject should be made taboo in resolving conflicts surrounding the subject.
The President has so far held two meetings with civil society groups and a separate one with chiefs to promote national healing and the NPRC has said another meeting is on the cards.
The special Gukurahundi committees that are being constituted are meant to deal with the 1980s disturbances that were concentrated in Matabeleland region and parts of the Midlands province.
The committee members would be drawn from Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Midlands provinces.
Bulawayo’s eight-member special Gukurahundi committee was constituted on Wednesday and it is chaired by Mr Johnson Mkandla, who is also the one of the Bulawayo provincial peace committee deputy chairpersons.
The Bulawayo committee was constituted at the end of a three-day provincial capacity building training workshop for Bulawayo provincial peace committee members that ended on Wednesday.
Next week, the NPRC will train provincial peace committee members from Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South before moving to Midlands province.
During the training workshops for provincial peace committees, members of each provincial peace committee will second selected members who will be part of the provincial Gukurahundi special committee.
NPRC says while the provincial peace committees will be responsible for tackling various conflicts in provinces there is a need to set up a special team to tackle Gukurahundi issues only.
In an interview, NPRC commissioner Patience Chiradza said the special Gukurahundi committee members will bring under one roof concerns of people from affected regions and how they want the matter to be addressed.
“I think it is important to have a collective meeting because we have been speaking in different spaces. But we now need to come together and say this is what needs to be done. We need to give appropriate policy recommendations to our Government and to other players that need to do work around this issue. It will also guide us on what is the collective voice saying remember the work that we are supposed to do is centred on the needs of the people,” said Comm Chiradza.
She said the special committee will also be tasked to come up with a collective position as NPRC is preparing for a meeting to be held with President Mnangagwa, chiefs and civil society organisations from Matabeleland region.
“We will have a collective voice there. When we were talking about Gukurahundi it becomes overlapping to other provinces. So, it becomes difficult to discuss it in the different spaces. We want to bring the voices together and agree on a roadmap that will encompass the views of everyone,” she said.
Mr Mkandla said it was important to set up special Gukurahundi committees targeting the four provinces that were worst affected by the disturbances. He however said individuals like him were constrained just being limited to Bulawayo yet they had so much information regarding Gukurahundi, that some people in Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and the Midlands do not have.
NPRC chairperson Retired Justice Selo Nare said peace committees from which the special Gukurahundi committee members are drawn from are key in ensuring that NPRC fulfills its mandate.
NewsDay|Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday allegedly snubbed his boss President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s field day held at the latter’s Pricabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe, as reported power struggles continue to haunt the running party.
Chiwenga was the guest of honour at the gathering comprising Cabinet ministers, Zanu PF bigwigs and restive party supporters.
According to a source, Chiwenga snubbed in protest over Mnangagwa’s alleged weekend meetings at the farm with loyalists to discuss ways of solidifying his grip on power.
“In January when Chiwenga made a surprise visit to the farm in the company of only his driver on a Sunday, he actually came in to check on what happens at the farm, contrary to State media reports that the visit showed his good relations with ED,” the source said.
“Today, he snubbed an important event and it is a latest indication of the power struggles between the two. Why would Chiwenga not come when he is in the country? With a helicopter, it’s a journey of less than two hours from Harare.”
However, Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba last night downplayed the snub. “Well, yes, VP Chiwenga was supposed to come.
But he did not pitch up because he was given another assignment by President Mnangagwa. Defence minister (Oppah) Muchinguri ended up being the guest of honour,” he said.
Charamba said Chiwenga’s absence does not equate to bad blood between the two.
“That he did not come does not show that the two have a rift. That would be a creation of the media. The truth is that he was given another assignment, that is the reason why he did not come. How can he snub his boss? Yourself, can you snub your Editor?” Charamba asked rhetorically.
When Chiwenga returned from China last year where he had gone for medical treatment, Mnangagwa and senior Zanu PF officials were conspicuous by their absence at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, where he was received by Chinese deputy ambassador Zhao Baogang.
Exiled former Cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo has lately been claiming that there is a rift between Chiwenga and Mnangagwa, insisting that the former army commander, who pushed out the late long-time ruler Robert Mugabe in the November 2017 coup, is planning to stage another palace coup to remove his boss from power.
In his speech yesterday, Mnangagwa did not talk about Chiwenga, but focused on government’s efforts to reverse effects of climate change, promising that in two years, Zimbabwe would be food secure.
He said the country, currently confronted with severe food shortages, with the World Food Programme estimating that over seven million people are in need of aid, will be food secure through the promotion of small holder farmers.
“Two years from now, we should be food secure due to that scheme,” he said.
Government has been banking on its ambitious scheme, Command Agriculture, for food security, spending US$2,3 billion from the fiscus, but corruption and poor rains left the country vulnerable.
Some of the Cabinet ministers who attended the event include, Mthuli Ncube (Finance), July Moyo (Local Government), Cain Mathema (Primary and Secondary Education), Owen Ncube (State Security), Monica Mutsvangwa (Information), Sekai Nzenza (Labour) and Perrance Shiri (Lands), Larry Mavhima (Midlands Affairs) and Ezra Chadzamira (Masvingo provincial affairs). Munyaradzi Machacha, the head of the Chitepo School of Ideology and Zanu PF youth leader, Tendai Chirau, party secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana and Midlands provincial chairperson Daniel Mackenzie Ncube, among others, were also in attendance.
Own Correspondent|State run Herald Newspaper claims that police investigations into the disappearance of activist Itai Dzamara are continuing, with law enforcement agents submitting over 113 fortnightly updates to the High Court.
Investigators are working closely with human rights lawyers in compliance with a court order issued five years ago.
The High Court compelled the police and intelligence officers to “do all things necessary to determine his whereabouts, including advertising, within 12 hours of the granting of this order, on all State media including all radio stations, ZTV, The Herald and Chronicle”.
According to the court order, the police and CIO were required to despatch a team of detectives to work with lawyers appointed by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights to search for Mr Dzamara.
They were also ordered to report progress of such search to the Registrar of the High Court by 4pm every Friday fortnightly until his whereabouts were determined.
A record in the High Court gleaned by The Herald yesterday indicated that 113 reports had been filed by police although no inroads had been made.
“The whereabouts of Itai Peace Kudakwashe Dzamara of House Number 11640 Glen View 7, Harare, who went missing since 9 March 2015, remains unknown,” reads the report from the Police General Headquarters sent to the Civil Division in the Attorney-General’s Office.
“No new information about his whereabouts has been received so far. The reward offered by the police of $10 000 is still standing. Police is still appealing to anyone with information to come forward to help in the investigations.”
The AG’s office in turn submitted the report to the Registrar of the High Court.
Fire fire! Tendai Biti versus Christopher Mutsvangwa
Own Correspondent|Zanu PF Politburo member Christopher Mutsvangwa has accused MDC Vice President Tendai Biti and the MDC of conspiring with detractors to smuggle back colonial rule into Zimbabwe.
In a highly-charged panel discussion hosted by Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) in partnership with the United Nations on Sustainable Development Goals last night, Mutsvangwa said Biti and his peers were responsible for inviting illegal sanctions that have ravaged the country’s economy.
“You went to America with your colleagues to ask for sanctions and this is the problem that we have of domestic elements conspiring with foreign countries against their country,” he said.
“This is the bane of Africa.”
In the debate, Biti accused Mutsvangwa of being a thug.
Watch the full robust discussion in the video downloading below:
The skyline Tollgate where millions disappeared in a month
Own Correspondent|The Zimbabwe National Roads Authority, ZINARA, has sensationally revealed that close to $2 million may have been stolen by its collection staff at one tollgate in one month.
This was revealed by the new management, which came into office in September last year. The new team claims to have tackled corruption and theft and is using new technologies at the top gates to promote accountability.
Skyline tollgate along the Harare-Masvingo highway, which was notorious for theft and corruption, was upgraded by the new management, resulting in revenue collection jumping from $251 451 in December 2019 to $2 071 415 in January 2020.
At its 2020-2023 strategic meeting recently, Zinara’s acting finance director Mr Strauss Tembo said the administration had set a target collection of $1 billion.
“Zinara came up with innovative revenue collection strategies at its 2020-2023 strategy formulation session where the target for 2020 was set at $1,275 billion,” said Mr Tembo.
Mr Tembo said overall revenue collection had increased by 50 percent since September 2019 following radical revenue assurance strategies deployed at tollgates and other revenue centres.
He said they were also ridding the system of corrupt elements.
Zinara has removed the familiarity risk at tollgates by rotating staff and dismissing corrupt elements.
It has also restored revenue collection systems that had been vandalised.
Said Mr Tembo: “In order to further improve revenue assurance, Zinara will deploy the services of loss control officers and introduce tip-off anonymous to ensure corruption is nipped in the bud and revenue leaks are plugged.”
Zinara will be taking steps to stop tendencies by road users to bypass tollgate using side roads.
Marvellous Nakamba played against the three players on Monday.
Own Correspondent|Three Leicester City first-team players have self-isolated after showing symptoms of coronavirus and “have been kept away from the rest of the squad”, manager Brendan Rodgers has said.
Rodgers did not specify which players had been quarantined but added that the club had “followed procedures”.
The reports immediately turn the spotlight onto Marvelous Nakamba and his Aston Villa teammates.
The two sides clashed in an English Premiership match on Monday at King Power Stadium with the Foxes powering to an impressive 4-0 win.
The Foxes are also due to play Watford at Vicarage Road in the Premier League on Saturday at 12:30 GMT.
“We had a few players that have shown symptoms and signs,” Rodgers said.
“It would be a shame [if the Watford game were postponed], but the public’s health is the most important in all of this.”
Asked if the game could be played behind closed doors, Rodgers said: “The game is all about the players and the fans and if you have one of those not there, it’s obviously not the same.”
Leicester later released a statement saying: “In recent days, all three players presented with extremely mild illness and were advised by club medical staff, consistent with current government guidance.
“All three players were subsequently advised by NHS 111 that their symptoms were consistent with common seasonal illness and that a seven-day period of self-isolation was appropriate as a precaution. There was no recommendation that further testing would be necessary. The club is in regular contact with the relevant players, whose symptoms remain mild and self-manageable.”
The UK government is expected to announce on Thursday that it is stepping up its response to the pandemic.
It is anticipated the UK will switch to tactics aimed at delaying its spread, rather than containing it, when the government’s emergency committee meets.
Delay is the phase in which “social distancing” measures will be considered – which could include restrictions on public gatherings above a certain number of people, although this is not thought likely at this stage.
It comes after the World Health Organization designated the outbreak of the disease a pandemic.
There are 484 confirmed cases in the UK and eight people have died.
Top-flight leagues in Spain and Italy have been postponed, while Wednesday’s game between Manchester City and Arsenal was postponed as a “precautionary measure”.
Five Gunners players were in self-isolation after meeting Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Talent Chiwenga appeared before a Mutare magistrate on Tuesday facing charges of smuggling radio and teargas equipment.
The Harare-based clergyman allegedly smuggled five Kenwood two-way communication radios, solar battery chargers and teargas injectors through the Forbes Border Post.
Chiwenga appeared before Mr Nottbulgar Muchineripi, who granted him $400 bail and remanded him to March 31.
He was charged with contravening a section of the Customs and Excise Act.
Chiwenga was represented by Advocate Tariro Paul Machiridza, while the State was represented by prosecutor Perseverance Musukuto.
Ms Musukuto told the court that on December 11, 2019, Chiwenga drove from Mozambique to Zimbabwe through the Forbes Border Post in the company of Lovemore Kanyuru and Darlington Moyo.
The court further heard that after immigration formalities, Chiwenga passed through the customs and clearing counter without declaring goods in his possession.
“A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority official later asked Chiwenga to take his goods for scanning, where it was discovered that the goods were not declared, which then led to his arrest,” said Ms Musukuto.
The value of the goods was not mentioned in court papers.
State Media|Tobacco farmers will this year have unlimited access to foreign currency from the sale of their crop after the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) designated tobacco proceeds as free funds.
Last year farmers were getting 50 percent of their earnings in United States dollars with the rest in local currency at the prevailing interbank rate.
However, most farmers could not access foreign currency due to stringent control measures where they were expected to submit applications for foreign exchange.
In line with Government efforts to promote production, RBZ has effected changes to the foreign currency allocation.
Under the new regulations farmers are can keep the money in their foreign currency accounts for an indefinite period and will be free to conduct inter-FCA transfers or make any foreign transfers without restrictions.
The development was announced in a statement co-signed by RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya and Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) chief executive Dr Andrew Matibiri.
“The 50 percent foreign currency portion shall be paid directly into the growers’ foreign currency bank accounts (FCAs) and the 50 percent local currency portion directly into the growers’ local currency bank accounts or e-wallets on the day of the sale,” said the RBZ and TIMB.
“To facilitate adequate preparations and importation of inputs for the next growing season, the foreign currency entitlements for growers shall be treated as free funds and may be retained in their FCAs for an indefinite period.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, holders of such funds are permitted to conduct inter-FCA transfers or effect foreign payments without any restrictions and the FCA balances will not be subject to any liquidation requirements,” reads the statement.
The bank and the board also advised that farmers will still be required to adhere to the stipulated booking requirements at the auction or contract floors.
Under the new payment modalities growers who require cash to settle immediate requirements shall have access to cash, at a rate of $1,50 per kg of delivered tobacco up to a maximum of $2 000. There will be adjustments to the local currency maximum cash withdrawals as the season progresses.
Meanwhile, farmers have welcomed the new payment modalities.
RBZ and TIMB met stakeholders in the industry including farmer organisations after most farmers incurred losses last season.
Tobacco Association of Zimbabwe president, Mr George Seremwe said they were happy authorities consulted farmers.
“We are happy with the developments. Our concerns have been addressed. We have seen the liberalisation of the foreign currency rate and we hope it will work.
“With these developments we expect to see many farmers going back to the land next season.
“We hope the RBZ will closely monitor banks. Last year farmers had challenges with some banks. We also hope unscrupulous buyers will be eliminated this season,” he said.
Zimbabwe National Farmers Union, executive director, Mr Edward Dune applauded the RBZ, but said a 100 percent allocation of foreign currency was ideal.
“Hopefully, authorities will deliver on their promises this time. Last season, we got the same promises, but farmers ended up not accessing the foreign currency we just pray that goal posts will not be changed.
“Some farmers have lost faith in the system and this is the reason why there has been a decline in the number of farmers growing tobacco this season,” he said.
Tobacco Industry Development Support Institute for Southern Africa director, Mr Jeffrey Takawira said there had been a slight improvement, but added that farmers should not be taxed.
“There has been an improvement in the FCA management, but farmers should be exempted from taxes, as this will erode their profits. We also hope there will be consistency in these developments,” he said.
Zanu PF Politburo member Chris Mutsvangwa last night took MDC-Alliance vice president Tendai Biti to task for inviting illegal sanctions that have ravaged the country’s economy.
In a highly-charged panel discussion hosted by Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) in partnership with the United Nations on Sustainable Development Goals last night, Mutsvangwa said Biti and his peers were conspiring with detractors to smuggle back colonial rule.
“You went to America with your colleagues to ask for sanctions and this is the problem that we have of domestic elements conspiring with foreign countries against their country,” he said.
“This is the bane of Africa.”
Mutsvangwa said the liberation struggle was an essential element of Zimbabwe’s history, adding that people could not develop without knowing their history.
He said freedom fighters sacrificed their lives for all Zimbabweans to enjoy.
Biti said there was nothing special about participating in the liberation struggle.-State media
THE domestic football fraternity plunged into mourning yesterday following the death of Highlanders legend, Barry Daka.
Daka, who starred for Bosso both as a player and coach, passed away yesterday morning at his Barbourfields home after a short illness.
He was 71.
Bosso paid tribute to their former player and coach on Twitter.
Former Warriors coach, Sunday Chidzambwa, who worked with Daka at different points in their careers, said the game had lost one of its pillars.
“We have lost a legend, someone I had known for a long time both as an opponent and a workmate,’’ said Chidzambwa.
“I started to play against him while he was still with Wankie in a Castle Cup before we met again in several other high-profile matches.
“He was one of the most talented, soft-spoken and down-to-earth person who liked his job.
“We travelled together several times, he was my assistant, and he helped me with a lot of ideas.’’
The Botswana Football Association president, Maclean Letshwiti, also sent their condolences to the Daka family.
The coach guided a number of clubs in that country.
“It is with great sadness that this morning we learnt of the untimely passing of highly-respected coach Barry Daka.
“Daka served many clubs in Botswana, his country and in other African countries.
“Coach Daka has certainly contributed to our football development, nurturing and developing a number of local players over the many years he has spent with several clubs in Botswana.
“His untimely death is certainly a great loss to the region and, in particular, to many aspiring coaches who were inspired by his tactical acumen and technical ability to guide players and lead teams.
“Our hearts are with his family, friends and clubs such as Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Ecco City Greens, and Notwane with whom he had relations through football.’’
Veteran football journalist, Charles Mabika, said the sport had lost someone who introduced football to several young players.
“He had an eye for talent as he is the one, together with Roy Barreto, introduced players like Peter Ndlovu, Adam Ndlovu (late) and Benjamin Nkonjera (late), to mention but a few, to professional football.
“We have lost a father figure who saw it all from playing to coaching.”
Former DeMbare coach, David Mandigora, said Daka was one of the people who were interested in working with young footballers.-State media
