Government has dismissed as false, claims by MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa that President Mnangagwa was evading former South African President Mr Thabo Mbeki in an equally “fallacious” narrative that he wanted to facilitate political dialogue between Zanu PF and the opposition party.

Speaking at the Bulawayo Press Club on Wednesday, Chamisa claimed that Mr Mbeki had told him that President Mnangagwa was neither taking nor returning his calls to talk about the “dialogue”.

In an interview at the State House in Bulawayo yesterday, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba said President Mnangagwa and Mr Mbeki actually met at the recent African Union Summit in Ethiopia.

“I don’t know what he was referring to. He is not a member of the Mbeki house as far as I know, or is he a member of the Mnangagwa household, so he wouldn’t know what goes on between the two of them,” said Charamba.

“In reality, the two met briefly on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa and had a bit of a chat and I can assure you that the President of Zimbabwe, out of courtesy, updated the former President of South Africa on the developments in the country.”

Charamba said the MDC-A’s wish for a Mr Mbeki-driven dialogue will not be realised as there already is the Political Actors Dialogue set up for engagement between political players in the country.

“By the way, there is a misconception to say that President Mbeki came to Zimbabwe to mediate between MDC and Zanu PF,” he said. “That’s not true, it is actually a wish by the MDC which will not be realised.

“The President has made it clear that the only available platform for national political dialogue is the Political Actors Dialogue. Anyone or everyone interested in engaging Zanu PF or any other party will do so within the context of Polad and no other platform.”

Charamba said Polad was not structured around size, imagined or real, but around the need to depoliticise the society, debate developmental issues for the country to move forward in harmony.

“It is not about the electoral strength of respective parties, after all, let it not be forgotten that the offer for dialogue is actually voluntary. It is not a requirement of the Constitution, it is not a logical outcome of a winner takes all kind of electoral system,” he said.

“It is really a wish on the part of the President to carry on board everyone who participated in the 2018 elections in the spirit of harmony and in the spirit of ensuring that all energies of the country are harnessed towards a common purpose.”

State Media

“When people are brave and they stand up to it, guns will not work, the sound of the gun will not be heard.”

Nelson Chamisa, 14th February 2020.

Below is a side transcript of MDC leader Nelson Chamisa at Masvingo on Friday. Chamisa spoke at length saying his party is demanding a people’s government not one created by a constitutional court.

He also said he refuses to be forced into action by people with agendas. He said, “Some people I hear them saying Nelson Chamisa you must lead from the front, but this is the struggle; I have come a long way … but when we do our thing we will not be forced to do things.”

FULL TEXT: When people are brave and they stand up to it guns will not work the sound of the gun will not be heard.

You don’t debate about solidarity; we must go together, fight together, we weep together and we enjoy together. So now Mai Sikhala we want to thank you. Some of you do not know that for the struggle to move there are heroes, thank you very much. I thank you all, these are the people who when there are problems they are there. I saw them where the police were.

Excuse me our Secretary-General and all the leadership assembled here, the chair of the women and the youth.

I was once a youth and I used to refuse to be used. I would sing Hatidi zvekupihwa order nemasaskamu!

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

https://youtu.be/USi3zhzwa5U

I think you the whole standing committee…

We said this is not Valentine’s Day it is Morgan Tsvangirai Day.

The second thing we are gathered here; we are gathered here because one of our heroes had been arrested… another one will be appearing in court on the 28th of February. When you arrest one of us you have arrested all of us.

So we have come here for this party is now large. There is no party which is greater, larger than this one the whole of the African continent. It is a fact that the MDC has 28 out of 30 mayors in the whole of Zimbabwe. It is a fact that this party was voted in by more than 2.6 million people.

Some people I hear them saying Nelson Chamisa you must lead from the front, but this is the struggle; I have come a long way … but when we do our thing we will not be forced to do things.

I said for people to do what they should do they do it according to the right timing.

When I came here I found the police waiting and some of my people told me president if your go through this way you will be teargassed so I passed through the middle of them.

We will not allow police to be used for wrong things, a police officer has a badge of honour. That is why you see the police, their badge it says for the law, for the people, and for the country, so the police must not be used to assault us. Our people after throwing targas at me they don’t have a bag of tea, after throwing teargas at me they don’t even have an underwear to wear. After throwing targas at me, their shoe is still opened wide.

Mr Sikhala I saw your zvidobi. They are zvidobis of the struggle. Aaah Maiguru, are these the dobis you are getting at home? LAUGHTER.

The first thing is love the second thing is hope the third thing is sacrifice. This is the life of Morgan Tsvangirai.

Everywhere I go people are saying Nelson Chamisa Morgan Tsvangirai left you directions to the way.

I will not be misled.

Mnangagwa does not have a clue. Chiwenga has no clue.

Today as we speak what Morgan tsvangirai talk about hope he said no matter how difficult life becomes you remain holding onto hope you will get there. We will get there we will get there when we get there.

Tsvangirai represented sacrifuce. He used to eat bans and cream soda. He was a basic man. That is what I said no matter how broke we are we must never compromise the struggle.

Our only gift to the people is to lead them and deliver the struggle. Real love is to represent the people and to do what they want.

Yes, we will correct the problems of Masvingo party leadership. We want to ensure we get 26 out of 26 not what we saw in Mwenezi(sic). Can ZANU win over here?

Tsvangirai was a man of love and unity he told me to unite with Biti and Welshman. The vision has got nothing to do with too many people a vision is with one person. So to all those who follow when I say jump you must jump when I say run you must run. That is why you see soldiers are told to march left right left right.

We said that this year we have 5 critical zones:

Number 1 – the fight we have is that there must be a people’s government not this one of the constitutional court not this one of Emmerson Mnangagwa.

When people are brave and they stand up to it guns will not work the sound of the gun will not be heard.

Mnangagwa tells people that they must eat potatoes and vegetables while he himself is feasting on meat while he is on a private jet.

Number 2 – We are fighting for a people’s budget not the kind of life that we are seeing when people cannot afford basics we want our dignity returned to the people.

Number 3 – We want to address the problem of corruption. We are missing $3bln. Who is responsible Mr Biti?

Biti replies: it is Mnangagwa!

I said those people I will tell you myself. They know what we are doing.

The 4th thing – is the one that we have come here such as this one of Sikhala. We are struggling with this issue of Mashurugwi. We must not call them that. They are Mnangagwa’# people.

Number 5 – is the issue of the constitution Emmerson Mnangagwa is messing with the constitution; he is now possessed with the demons of Ian Smith and Robert Mugabe. Mugabe changed this 19 times, Mnangagwa wants to change it 27 times in one year.

So what is the way forward the way forward is for you and me where you are, looking at me, let us fix our country there is no one else with powers more than you as an individual, everyone let us fix the country we don’t want to get to May, June while we are in this problem, we can fix it. Until when will we drink from boreholes? While we use generators?

What kind of a country is that in which: school fees rtgs; a whole government forming a committee of roller meal! A whole government setting up a committee for mealie meal.

If you give us this thing we will not take a day before you start enjoying the country and getting suffocated with goodness.

I told Emmerson Mnangagwa why don’t we use the United States dollars while we fix the country? give the soldiers the US dollar give the police officers the US dollars so that people can survive, why do you want the people to live on rtgs dollars?

Let us not insult others. MDC let us be full of love.

My last words that I leave you the people of this province that one has been on this issue of dialogue. I told him I am ready to talk, I had been sent by our council. We want to give peace a chance and so I told Emmerson Mnangagwa let us agree, you stole the elections we are not going to go ahead to 2023 before we are clear that you stole the elections.

There will be no elections in this country until we resolve this issue. The elections must be respected. This year we have a right to fix the country all of us all of us all of us all of us all of us all of us.

Emerson Mnangagwa will not be able to run this country he is refusing dialogue. And now he is busy saying Nelson Chamisa is the problem. I am advising him that this country is burning. I am saying to him hear me so that we can fix this country before it is too late.

State Media|President Mnangagwa yesterday said he takes seriously the grievances of the people of Matabeleland, including dialogue towards finding closure to the emotive and sensitive Gukurahundi issue.

He made the remarks at State House in Bulawayo where he met civic society organisations from Matabeleland in a frank and open discussion over a number of issues.

The President was accompanied by Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe, Acting Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Dr Joram Gumbo and Registrar-General Mr Clement Masango to respond to concerns from the meeting.

Secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Mrs Virginia Mabhiza, who is also head of secretariat in the engagement and dialogue with Matabeleland civic society organisations, presented the implementation matrix from last year’s meeting with Matabeleland Collective, before the engagement was broadened to include all organisations from the region.

The President listened to submissions by speakers, including suggestions on how to find closure on Gukurahundi.

He praised the speakers for speaking from their hearts on Gukurahundi, saying the approach will lead to consensus in mapping the way forward.

“My Government is committed to promoting the spirit of cooperation and dialogue amongst all Zimbabweans, where dialogue totally eclipses confrontation as a method of choice in resolving thorny issues that may rise or have risen in our society.

“Allow me, therefore, to proffer a few words of advice in view of the issues that have been raised by the Matabeleland Civic Society which are of such sensitivity and pain, that they are always going to raise sharp differences and emotions in any discussion to resolve them.

“However, we must resist the urge to elevate any differences that arise out of discussions aimed at resolving the issues in Matabeleland to a level where they become permanent barriers that prevent meaningful dialogue amongst us.”

President Mnangagwa said his door remained open to everyone, even those who did not attend yesterday’s meeting on issues that affect the region.

“Let me assure you that, as I have demonstrated by convening this meeting today, I shall continue to monitor this dialogue very closely and hold all my officials accountable for the successful implementation of issues discussed here,” said the President.

“I reiterate that, as Zimbabweans, we are one. Together we can overcome any challenges that confront us.”

President Mnangagwa took time to respond to issues raised by various speakers.

Dr Dumisani Ngwenya from Matabeleland Collective asked President Mnangagwa if he was sincere about bringing closure to Gukurahundi.

“I think Cde Ngwenya, I’m very pleased with what you said because it came from your heart. A platform like this one is created for that purpose, once those grievances are stated,” said President Mnangagwa.

“Again, it will require all the stakeholders with grievances to come together and say how do we move forward and not how do we move backwards?

“You are wondering whether this Government is sincere, if I ask you, are you sincere? What would you say? And I believe what you were saying is sincere from your point of view, I also believe that you should believe me that after 39 years of silence, I say let’s talk about this thing and you doubt my sincerity. I don’t know what you would want to see.”

The President said Zimbabwe could not leave in the past, but learn from it and adopt the good things and never repeat the bad.

A representative of the Zipra Veterans Trust Mr Buster Magwizi raised the issue of Zipra’s properties.

President Mnangagwa reminded Mr Magwizi that there were engagements outside yesterday’s meeting that he was aware of, and advised him that the processes should remain in that platform.

The President urged Matabeleland Collective coordinator Mrs Jenny Williams not to lose heart in engaging the Government after she reported to him that a Cabinet Minister called her names.

President Mnangagwa said Government was working at achieving consensus on how best to address the exhumation and reburial of Gukurahundi victims in a manner that will not offend anyone.

“In due course, I will receive recommendations from all concerned parties, including the affected families, the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) and the traditional leaders and other civic society groups,” he said.

“It is my sincere desire that we conduct the exercise of these exhumations in a manner that will bring healing to those in pain and unity within our society.”

President Mnangagwa said it was Government policy that ECD children should be taught by people who spoke their mother language.

“The importance of access to quality and relevant education cannot be over emphasised, more so during the formative stages of our learners,” he said.

“My Government recognises the need to use 16 recognised national languages, in particular at ECD levels.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education reiterated this Government policy only last week. We urge communities to encourage those in the teaching fraternity with competences in various languages to come forward as building blocks for the success of the policy.”

President Mnangagwa said the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services was concluding processes to issue language-based community radio stations.

“These endeavours by my Government are designed to entrench the principle of inclusivity and unity in our diversity,” he said.

President Mnangagwa urged provinces to use devolution funds to pursue priority developmental projects in their respective areas.

Own Correspondent|President Emmerson Mnangagwa was in Bulawayo for a second meeting with the Matabeleland Civil Society leaders on Friday where he had a torrid time as Matabeleland demanded answers on how the government would bring closure to the Gukurahundi atrocities, which happened in the region in the early 1980s.

Mnangagwa was in Bulawayo to make a follow up on achievements made from his Match 2019 engagement with the Matabeleland Collective. In his first meeting, Mnangagwa had it easy as the group appeared uncoordinated and not sure how to handle him. Issues were presented haphazardly giving Mnangagwa a chance to ride above the grouping. In fact, the collective immediately split after Mnangagwa’s first engagement with a splinter section blaming the leadership for being too nice and soft with Mnangagwa.

Those who left the Collective have since formed a counter Matabeleland Forum which has vowed that it will never meet with Mnangagwa as such meetings will be tantamount to endorsing his “illegitimate” presidency.

The former members boycotted the engagement, claiming that the union had been hijacked by Mnangagwa’s blue-eyed boys.

Those who attended on Friday were in a no nonsense mood as they heavily grilled Mnangagwa on his failure to own up and bring closure to the Gukurahundi massacres.

Baster Magwizi, a former ZIPRA cadre and Zimbabwe National Army officer, challenged Mnangagwa to come out in the open and acknowledge his participation in Gukurahundi and offer a genuine apology to the people of Matabeleland.

“We must start with and acknowledgement that Gukurahundi happened. It occurred in the past, but it is still happening,” he said.

“That public acknowledgement sets benchmarks for an apology. As ZIPRA, we are victims of Gukurahundi. We were the first victims and when we were first victimised we ran home where we were butchered with our families.

“I was in the army, I saw it. This is not acrimonious nor vengeance, but we want public acknowledgement that Gukurahundi was a traumatic experience. We don’t want to take the matter to the international arena, we believe in home grown solutions. The president must release the Dumbutshena and Chihambakwe commissions. People must know what happened in Entumbane and Seke. There must be space for full disclosure,” said Magwizi.

A youth representative, Zibusiso Moyo said youths wanted to be told the truth on exactly what happened during Gukurahundi and why their parents were murdered.

She demanded that Gukurahundi history be put in books and taught in schools.

“It has to be documented and academically taught,” she said.

In his address, Mnangagwa tried to escape from Magwizi’s barrage claiming that he was also a founder member of ZIPRA in 1962 and would therefore want to be involved when ZIPRA discusses its issues.

Without words to say in response to the attack on his Gukurahundi involvement, Mnangagwa escaped the issue by calling for a careful consideration of the Gukurahundi issues.

“Gukurahundi requires careful consideration with due regard to families. My government is working on how best to solve this in a manner that does not offend anyone,” he said.

However, the Permanent Secretary in the Justice Ministry, Virginia Mabhiza, said the government was set to start exhumations of Gukurahundi victims.

“Exhumations are to be done orderly in a legal manner. Communities, faith-based organisations and NPRC (National Peace and Reconciliation Commission) are to work together legally,” she said.

“There were some who wanted to conduct illegal exhumations and government had to object. It was made clear that discussing Gukurahundi was not a criminal offence as long as the talks are not in bad faith or incite violence but to assist the healing process. Government hasn’t received any victimisation reports.”

Mabhiza said the Public Service and Health ministries were identified as line ministries to provide medical and psycho support services for the surviving Gukurahundi victims as counselling in communities.

Freelance journalist Tarisai Mudahondo survived a fatal accident that claimed seven people outside Kwekwe on Monday.

Mudahondo was among the Zimbabwe United Passengers Company (ZUPCO) passengers when the accident occurred.

Speaking from her Kwekwe home she said she cheated death and could not stand watching blood stained corpses.

“I was in the bus when l suddenly saw the bus veering off the road trying to avoid a head on crash with a Honda fit that had encroached into the Harare -bound bus’s lane,”said Mudahondo.

“The bus hit the fit, vendors and another kombi before uprooting a tree, it was so horrible as a lot of people were seriously injured and some died on the spot it was so disturbing to see blood all over the place and blood on dead bodies.”

The journalist said she  lost her belongings before being rushed to Kwekwe general hospital where she was admitted for two days.

“I lost most of my belongs soon after being rushed to the hospital where l was admitted for two days l was stitched on my leg and currently suffering chest pains the doctors said it was due to impact but on x-ray they said it is not affected.”

Meanwhile, ZUPCO buses have been heavily involved in fatal road accidents.

-Byo 24

Socialite and businessman Genius Kadungure, who is in custody, has filed a bail appeal with the High Court after Acting Chief Magistrate Mr Munamato Mutevedzi denied him bail last week.

He is facing fraud charges for allegedly undervaluing excise duty for his top- of-the-range Bentley Continental GT to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).

He paid US$81 000 instead of US$139 665, allegedly prejudicing Zimra of $58 665.

High Court judge Justice Webster Chinamora subsequently ordered Kadungure to pay an additional US$58 000.

Through his attorneys, Venturas and Samukange Legal Practitioners, Kadungure argued that Mr Mutevedzi erred in concluding that he committed an offence whilst on bail and that he was not a suitable candidate for bail.

The lawyers argued that this was despite the absence of a criminal record, and his incarceration negated the presumption of innocence applying to all pending charges.

The court failed to note that the same matter had been resolved at the High Court recently, they argued.

“The court a quo erred and misdirected itself in failing to give due regard to the fact that the charge against the appellant (Kadungure) pertained to an issue already determined by the High Court and that there was no prejudice to the fiscus with duty having been reassessed and paid, thus rendering the offence to lose its sting and a prosecution mala fide,” said Kadungure’s lawyers.

They argued that Kadungure was not a flight risk since he had handed himself over to the police.

“The State case is weak if regard is to the fact that appellant had since complied with the High Court order from which the present matter emanates,” they said.

The case is yet to be heard.

Kadungure is related to Marry Mubaiwa nee Chiwenga, the estranged wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, and there are suspicions the VP is behind his alleged persecution.

Chiwenga and Marry are going through a nasty divorce that has already seen the former army general get his wife arrested and spending several weeks in remand prison.

Kadungure, a first cousin to Marry is seen as the collateral damage in the VP’s war of attrition.

Legal experts say it is puzzling Kadungure who was already out on bail for a more serious offence involving over $5 million is now being denied bail over a case involving only $58 665.

-State media

Below is a press release from Eswatini on the first suspected case of COVID-19;

The country has registered the first suspected case of COVID-19, a condition caused by Corona Virus, on the 14th February 2020. The case was identified in one of the health facilities in the country, following which the MOH Rapid Response Team responded and blood samples were taken for further investigation.

The suspected case is under clinical management in the health facility observing all infection prevention
and control standards relevant for a suspected case.

The suspected case has history of travel to Mainland China, and arrived in the country on 6th February 2020 through Ngwenya port of entry and has been on the list of people being followed up on arrival according to the Ports of Entry health screening protocol.

In this regard, the Ministry would like to request everyone who has had recent travel to China, in particular the students studying there to call 977 to register as a returned traveller from China.

The Ministry of Health would like to remind the public that the country remains at high alert for the Corona virus. You are therefore urged to observe preventive measures as listed below:Cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing

Wash hands regularly with soap and water

Open windows in buses and venues where people congregate

If you have fever, cough, and difficulty breathing or flue-like symptoms and a history of travel, seek medical assistance

Health workers should screen all patients and take a detailed history of anyone presenting with flue-like symptoms

The situation is being monitored closely by the Ministry of Health with guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO). The public will continue to be informed on any further developments.

DR. V. MAGAGULA
DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES

ZIFA president, Felton Kamambo, yesterday said there will be no honeymoon period for new Warriors’ coach, Zdrakvo “Loga” Logarusic.

The Croat, who was officially unveiled in Harare yesterday, officially began work as the Warriors coach with Kamambo challenging him to deliver.

He will begin his tenure with tough back-to-back 2021 Afcon qualifiers against African champions Algeria next month.  

Soon, afterwards, the Warriors will compete in the Chan tournament which runs from April 4-25 in Cameroon. 

Loga faces a tricky situation as the domestic Premiership is currently off season.

Kamambo yesterday reiterated the Afcon and World Cup campaigns remain the main goals for Zimbabwe. 

He challenged the coach to come up with a plan to make sure the Warriors qualify for the 2021 Afcon finals in Cameroon as a starting point. 

Zimbabwe have been to the continental football jamboree four times in 2004, 2006, 2017 and 2019 but, on all occasions, failed to progress from the group stage.  

“We settled for Loga because we believe he shares our dream of taking our football to greater heights,” said Kamambo. 

“We have already begun providing the necessary tools for him to start work right away and we will continue to support the coach and his technical team. 

“He has quite a busy schedule. 

“We want to make sure that, in the next 10 days, he would have visited all the country’s 10 provinces.

“We also have a busy schedule, as far as the national teams are concerned, so there is no time to sit and relax. 

“Our goal is to make our national team competitive and our thinking, as the board, is that we have the right players at the moment who we are confident have the capacity to surpass any achievements of the past. 

“There is a target already set. We have coaches who have managed to take our team to Afcon, so you need to do much better than that. 

“There is a lot of expectation from our football family.’’

The Warriors are scheduled to resume their 2021 Afcon qualifying campaign with an away match to Algeria on March 23. 

They return home to complete the back to back clashes on March 31. 

Zimbabwe are currently second in Group H with four points from two games.

The Warriors drew 0-0 at home against Botswana before upsetting Zambia 2-1 at their backyard in Lusaka. 

Loga said he was geared up for the Warriors job. 

The 54-year-old left his role as coach of Sudan in December when his contract was not renewed.

He will be assisted by Joey Antipas, who had been the Warriors’ caretaker coach from August to December, Lloyd Chitembwe and Tonderai Ndiraya.

“I cannot do it by myself. In this job I need proper support from my technical staff,’’ he said.

“I need proper support from the players, proper support from the association and’, most importantly, the media and the supporters. 

“We must create an environment that gives us results. With that we don’t care who is Algeria or any other opponent.

“I am happy for this opportunity and I will not disappoint you. But, also, don’t disappoint me, you will see we will do it. 

“We have talent out there,” he said.

Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo has introduced a new system that will see high-profile corruption suspects being summoned to court when their dockets are ready.

Suspects, in terms of the new approach, will not be arrested while investigations are in progress.

Justice Matanda-Moyo said once the docket was completed and ready for trial, the suspect would be summoned to court. “We are changing style this time,” she said. “We want to take suspects to court on summons rather than arresting and placing them on remand for long. The traditional way of doing things is proving to be difficult.

“Lawyers will start making endless applications and those matters are not going to trial. So, we have changed strategy. We are completing our dockets first and once we complete our dockets, we then take those accused persons to court on summons.”

Justice Matanda-Moyo said the new strategy was set to register more convictions.

Meanwhile, ZACC and Transparency International Zimbabwe yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at fighting corruption.

Justice Matanda-Moyo and Transparency International Zimbabwe executive director Ms Muchaneta Mundopa represented the two organisations.

Justice Matanda-Moyo said corruption had been affront to the corporate governance of most public institutions, thereby negatively affecting service delivery. “The concept and practice or collaboration will guarantee success in fighting corruption and engender public confidence, trust and belief in the general Government efforts to curb corruption and promote sustainable economic growth.”

Ms Mundopa said fighting corruption required a committed and holistic approach through the participation of all stakeholders. “The signing of this MoU today between these two institutions is, therefore, a significant milestone in the fight against corruption as it formalises and strengthens the already existing collaboration between ZACC and Transparency International Zimbabwe,” she said.

-State media

By A Correspondent | Below is a picture of Emmerson Mnangagwa just before he threw plastics at the Matebeleland region at State House yesterday.

Mnangagwa who is not only the face, but the live person announcing this year he will use the army to punish civilians on allegations of petty things like stopping the rain, was yesterday told to his face he has to apologise to the people for annihilating 22,000 civilians for naught between 1983-84 when he described people as pests who must be wiped out with DDT (pesticide), statements he has also repeated just a few months ago when he killed an additional 17.

Just 4 weeks ago, Mnangagwa told Harare’s Kuwadzana residents he will send the army to surround them once he discovers they are responsible for stopping the rain.

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

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) January 4, 2020

When he got 17 people killed in January last year, Mnangagwa denied there were killings, getting to the point of screaming, show me the graves to prove that there were any killings by the army.

Speaking at state house yesterday, Mnangagwa said:

“Today I was in Bulawayo to meet Matabeleland civil society organisations and discuss issues facing the region, as part of an ongoing dialogue with local groups.

“We are committed to dialogue and cooperation as a means to address and resolve issues between the different strands of our nation.

“We will continue to talk and to listen, and to deal with our differences with sensitivity, compassion and respect.

“To the people of Matabeleland and all Zimbabweans, my door remains open.”

Public relations practitioners and communicators should be sufficiently equipped to enhance their capacity in rebranding Zimbabwe, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa has said.

Minister Mutsvangwa was addressing the inaugural Institute of Public Relations and Communication Zimbabwe (IPRCZ) workshop held yesterday in Harare.

Zimbabwe is on a rebranding offensive since the inception of the New Dispensation in 2017 after the country’s ranking as a viable tourism and investment destination slumped over two decades owing to bilateral differences between Harare and London.

Immediately after his inauguration in 2017, President Mnangagwa adopted the “Zimbabwe is open for business” policy and sought reengagement with the international community.

Minister Mutsvangwa noted that Zimbabwe had for long endured bad reputation, pointing out that both Government and the private sector had a responsibility to portray the country’s true image.

“Public relations practitioners must be capacitated to be able to represent their organisations and the country at large. We want to see more of training and workshops for public relations practitioners and communicators so as to enhance their capacities in terms of rebranding the country to a better and more prosperous Zimbabwe,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.

Running under the theme; “Earning trust, establishing valuable relationships to rebranding Zimbabwe in line with vision 2030,” the meeting intended to brainstorm best ways possible to reposition Zimbabwe to its rightful place among other countries.

Economist and member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Mr Eddie Cross said Government, especially the Finance Ministry, should be at the forefront of communicating the state of the economy to avoid misinterpretation of events by the general public.More in Home

Mr Cross implored Zimbabweans to select the kind of information they disseminate about their country, particularly on social media platforms.

“Communication is at the heart of understanding where we are, the problem of confidence in our country, in our Government can only be addressed through communication.

“We need to market our country and communicate a good message about our country. Zimbabwe has achieved macro-economic stability but we need to explain why we have inflation to basically make it clear to the people.

“Communication is not simple, communicators are required to be frank and we should use all our tools at our disposal for our people to regain confidence in our country,” said Mr Cross.

The convener of the meeting and executive director of IPRC, Mr Proctor Nyemba weighed in saying public relations should be in sync with Government’s vision.

“This meeting’s objective was to create an engagement between the public sector and Government on how to manage the public relations of the country. We want both of them to have a common vision on how to envision 2030,” he said.

-Herald

By Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ally has slammed the Prosecutor General’s department for agreeing to prosecute opposition MDC deputy national chairperson Job Sikhala saying there was no crime committed that warranted prosecution.

Commenting in the Herald, Advocate Tinomudaishe Chinyoka said,

“There was no crime committed and the Prosecutor General (Mr Kumbirai Hodzi) should never have agreed to prosecute the matter,” he said.

Own Correspondent| The Meteorological Services Department has said rains were expected to continue during the weekend in Mashonaland Provinces, Harare, Midlands, and northern parts of Manicaland.

The wet weather conditions that have been ongoing since early this week have also resulted in slight improvement in dam water levels with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority providing an update on the current dam levels.

Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) corporate communications manager Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said dam levels were rising.

“As at February 13, 2020, the national dam level average had risen to 50,4 percent up from 49,6 percent on February 6, 2020,” she said.

“The national dam level average, however, remains way below the 69 percent normally recorded during this time of the year. The dam levels are set to continue improving as more inflows are expected into the dams in the coming few days.”

Significant increases were recorded in dams in Masvingo Province, followed by dams in Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North.

“Tugwi-Mukosi, the country’s largest inland water body gained 2,3 percent, while Mutirikwi, the second largest water body, recorded a 1,6 percent increase in water levels,” said Mrs Munyonga.

“Significant increases in water flows have also been noted in the major rivers of Odzi, Pungwe, Musengezi, Runde, Save, Limpopo and the Zambezi.”

MDC President Nelson Chamisa has mocked President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for wanting to amend the constitution and heap more powers on the President.

Addressing party supporters in Masvingo yesterday, Chamisa said Mnangagwa had shown that he is worse than Mugabe who amended the charter 19 times in 33 years while his predecessor wants to make 27 changes in just one year.

” Mugabe changed this 19 times, Mnangagwa wants to change it 27 times in one year.”

A preacher outside and a woman basher in the home!

While some were devoting themselves to their evening devotions, a chaplain staying at ZRP Ross Camp who couldn’t practice what he teaches his congregation was administering a Tom and Jerry stunt on her wife forcing her to run for dear life while he chased after her with stones and clenched fists.

This came to light at the Tredgold magistrates courts on Monday where the couple seemed keen on laying their dirty laundry to the courts with the chaplain not embarrassed of randomly saying: “hantsho wathi ngiyakuncitsha (you said I don’t give you sex),” to his estranged wife.

The ordeal started when Strike Tshongwe (30) suspected his wife Phephisane Tshongwe (28) of infidelity. It was fuelled on 31 January around 10pm when he peeped in her phone and saw a particular “Babongile” that was constantly chatting with her.

“He tried snatching my phone saying he wanted to see this Babongile that I was talking to but I refused with my phone.

All of a sudden he started beating me and demanding to see my phone,” said Phephisane.

The court heard that in fury and defence, Phephisane rushed outside to where Strike’s car was parked and lit a fire under one of the seats in a bid to burn the car.

When Strike saw what was happening he reportedly hurried outside and put out the fire. After he was done, he allegedly started battering Phephisane even more than he did in the house.

“He punched me using fists on my face. I tried to run away going towards the police station to report him but it didn’t stop him.

He started picking up stones and throwing them towards me.

“He followed me all the way to ZRP Mzilikazi still assaulting me. He left me by the gate saying even if I reported him he would not get arrested,” said Phephisane.

Phephisane, who was seeing her husband’s other side, suffered wounds on her knees and sustained a swollen forehead and mouth.

Strike pleaded guilty before Bulawayo magistrate Shepherd Munjanja and was remanded out of custody to 19 February.

Recently, a similar incident occurred at Ross Camp where another police officer publicly assaulted his wife after accusing her of communicating with her ex-boyfriend on WhatsApp.

Government has dismissed as false, claims by MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa that President Mnangagwa was evading former South African President Mr Thabo Mbeki in an equally “fallacious” narrative that he wanted to facilitate political dialogue between Zanu PF and the opposition party.

Speaking at the Bulawayo Press Club on Wednesday, Mr Chamisa claimed that Mr Mbeki had told him that President Mnangagwa was neither taking nor returning his calls to talk about the “dialogue”.

In an interview at the State House in Bulawayo yesterday, Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba said President Mnangagwa and Mr Mbeki actually met at the recent African Union Summit in Ethiopia.

“I don’t know what he was referring to. He is not a member of the Mbeki house as far as I know, or is he a member of the Mnangagwa household, so he wouldn’t know what goes on between the two of them,” said Mr Charamba.

“In reality, the two met briefly on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa and had a bit of a chat and I can assure you that the President of Zimbabwe, out of courtesy, updated the former President of South Africa on the developments in the country.”

Charamba said the MDC-A’s wish for a Mbeki-driven dialogue will not be realised as there already is the Political Actors Dialogue set up for engagement between political players in the country.

“By the way, there is a misconception to say that President Mbeki came to Zimbabwe to mediate between MDC and Zanu PF,” he said.

“That’s not true, it is actually a wish by the MDC which will not be realised.

“The President has made it clear that the only available platform for national political dialogue is the Political Actors Dialogue. Anyone or everyone interested in engaging Zanu PF or any other party will do so within the context of Polad and no other platform.”

Charamba said Polad was not structured around size, imagined or real, but around the need to depoliticise the society, debate developmental issues for the country to move forward in harmony.

“It is not about the electoral strength of respective parties, after all, let it not be forgotten that the offer for dialogue is actually voluntary. It is not a requirement of the Constitution, it is not a logical outcome of a winner takes all kind of electoral system,” he said.

“It is really a wish on the part of the President to carry on board everyone who participated in the 2018 elections in the spirit of harmony and in the spirit of ensuring that all energies of the country are harnessed towards a common purpose.”

-State Media

A preacher outside and a woman basher in the home!

While some were devoting themselves to their evening devotions, a chaplain staying at ZRP Ross Camp who couldn’t practice what he teaches his congregation was administering a Tom and Jerry stunt on her wife forcing her to run for dear life while he chased after her with stones and clenched fists.

This came to light at the Tredgold magistrates courts on Monday where the couple seemed keen on laying their dirty laundry to the courts with the chaplain not embarrassed of randomly saying: “hantsho wathi ngiyakuncitsha (you said I don’t give you sex),” to his estranged wife.

The ordeal started when Strike Tshongwe (30) suspected his wife Phephisane Tshongwe (28) of infidelity. It was fuelled on 31 January around 10pm when he peeped in her phone and saw a particular “Babongile” that was constantly chatting with her.

“He tried snatching my phone saying he wanted to see this Babongile that I was talking to but I refused with my phone.

All of a sudden he started beating me and demanding to see my phone,” said Phephisane.

The court heard that in fury and defence, Phephisane rushed outside to where Strike’s car was parked and lit a fire under one of the seats in a bid to burn the car.

When Strike saw what was happening he reportedly hurried outside and put out the fire. After he was done, he allegedly started battering Phephisane even more than he did in the house.

“He punched me using fists on my face. I tried to run away going towards the police station to report him but it didn’t stop him.

He started picking up stones and throwing them towards me.

“He followed me all the way to ZRP Mzilikazi still assaulting me. He left me by the gate saying even if I reported him he would not get arrested,” said Phephisane.

Phephisane, who was seeing her husband’s other side, suffered wounds on her knees and sustained a swollen forehead and mouth.

Strike pleaded guilty before Bulawayo magistrate Shepherd Munjanja and was remanded out of custody to 19 February.

Recently, a similar incident occurred at Ross Camp where another police officer publicly assaulted his wife after accusing her of communicating with her ex-boyfriend on WhatsApp.

By A Correspondent| The now acquitted Zengeza MP Job Sikhala, has declared that this year 2020 will not end before ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has resigned.

He was speaking just after being acquitted by the High Court in Masvingo on charges of treason.

He said, “this year 2020 will not end before Emmerson Mnangagwa has resigned.”

BREAKING: Sikhala Slaps Mnangagwa With 2020 Ultimatum For Resignation https://t.co/yQdEOOAzWF via @ZimEye pic.twitter.com/7M8MPfDkXB

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 14, 2020

Below is a part transcript Sikhala speaking in Masvingo yesterday:

Excuse me president and all the leadership 1st of all president please allow me to thank the people of Zimbabwe for standing with me from the days this story started Emmerson Mnangagwa wanted to put me into a sack.

I am not even celebrating with all the people who are celebrating my acquittal… I lost my freedom for over a year and I could not travel around the world to represent my clients; they took my passport they charged me over $5000 today when I go to collect it, all that money is now a piece of paper now; once collect that money I am going to distribute it to provinces here, Nikita, Masvingo, and so forth This is money that president Emmerson Mnangagwa withheld so I am going to distribute it to the people; because the people freedom can not be Criminalised.

Some people have said that I was reckless by making these statements but it is Mnangagwa who is reckless who is reckless. He has robbed the people of this country I knew myself as a lawyer that there is nothing wrong in what I have said.

The problem we have in Africa is that we think that a president is untouchable; for a long time in Africa Mobutu Seseko. He was equated to Zaire…

ED is not equal to the government of Zimbabwe or equal to the people of Zimbabwe.

President, when you come to see all these people assembled here, this is a sign of the hope that we must take the bull by its horns.

The time of compromising with dictatorship is over … we all know the day when he conducted the coup on the 15th of November 2017 we know it was illegal; when Robert Mugabe wrote the letter of resignation he was under threat to be killed.

When I was arrested and I was put in Harare Central, I was put in police cells for 3 days. As I was being taken around, there was a team of 7 lawyers assembled.

Someone said there is a spirit of death here, they want to kill this man that is, myself.

Biti and Gonese, these men were told that if they continue following me they will be killed…

I was taken by one person called Daniel Joseph and then I was taken into another car and then blindfolded.

So I said these people are now going to kill me…

WATCH THE FULL SPEECH HERE:

In the footage below opposition MDC members are seen fighting running battles with the police in Masvingo. ..

Farai Dziva|Acquitted MDC vice chairperson Job Sikhala has related his ordeal at the hands of state security agents.

See part of Sikhala’s speech at the Morgan Tsvangirai Anniversary in Masvingo.

Excuse me president and all the leadership 1st of all president please allow me to thank the people of Zimbabwe for standing with me from the days this story started Emmerson Mnangagwa wanted to put me into a sack.

I am not even celebrating with all the people who are celebrating my acquittal… I lost my freedom for over a year and I could not travel around the world to represent my clients; they took my passport they charged me over $5000 today when I go to collect it, all that money is now a piece of paper now; once collect that money I am going to distribute it to provinces here, Nikita, Masvingo, and so forth This is money that president Emmerson Mnangagwa withheld so I am going to distribute it to the people; because the people freedom can not be Criminalised.

Some people have said that I was reckless by making these statements but it is Mnangagwa who is reckless who is reckless.

He has robbed the people of this country I knew myself as a lawyer that there is nothing wrong in what I have said.

The problem we have in Africa is that we think that a president is untouchable; for a long time in Africa Mobutu Seseko. He was equated to Zaire…

ED is not equal to the government of Zimbabwe or equal to the people of Zimbabwe.

President, when you come to see all these people assembled here, this is a sign of the hope that we must take the bull by its horns.

The time of compromising with dictatorship is over … we all know the day when he conducted the coup on the 15th of November 2017 we know it was illegal; when Robert Mugabe wrote the letter of resignation he was under threat to be killed.

When I was arrested and I was put in Harare Central, I was put in police cells for 3 days. As I was being taken around, there was a team of 7 lawyers assembled.

Someone said there is a spirit of death here, they want to kill this man that is, myself.

Biti and Gonese, these men were told that if they continue following me they will be killed…

I was taken by one person called Daniel Joseph and then I was taken into another car and then blindfolded.

So I said these people are now going to kill me…

The Marriages Bill that is before us in this House, we had public consultations and people said a lot.  I want to mention some of the things that were said including my opinion.  

What I want to dwell on is on Section 79 which criminalises HIV and AIDS. This is an Act that is there; instead of protecting people it ended up being a challenge to a number of people.  As we went around, we heard a lot of things.  

I was born and named Perseverance Mlambo but now I am called Perseverance Zhou.  My brother Mlambo Kaiboni was hurt by this Bill.  As I speak, I am in pain.  Yes, he was HIV positive but he agreed with his girlfriend that they would use protection.  

The woman was not found to be HIV negative but this Act was used against my brother and he got arrested. Instead of dying of HIV and AIDS, he died from stress because of this Act.  

The Act should be put in place to protect people but it was negatively used by those who are clever. Madam Speaker Maam, it is painful.  As we went round, it was clearly reflected that people are in pain.  

My brother died because of this Criminal Codification Act, especially in the courts, people use it in a negative manner, yet there was mutual consent for them to engage in sexual activity.  He died in prison.  

As we held our consultations, we realised that it affects many people.  There are women who were affected because when they go to clinic when they are pregnant, they are tested and they come and inform their husbands. They are accused of transmitting the disease and the men rushes to go and report. 

The HIV that is being talked about here which they say the wife has transmitted to them; is it red, green or purple?  I am happy that people have said it should be decriminalised.  It should not even be considered.  It should be removed from the Marriage Bill.  You can put it in other Acts where it fits because in the Marriage Bill, we are looking at the issue of marriage that people should engage in s_ex freely.  So it should be removed.  

Even when the Act is in place, it does not stop the spread of HIV and AIDS.  People are now scared that once they mention that they are HIV positive. They will be prosecuted.   They do not say out their results and they will never disclose their status.  

It was also realised that Zimbabwe is the one that criminalises sexual activity when one is HIV positive yet our Constitution says that we should not discriminate but we are discriminating against people with HIV/AIDS.  My request Madam Speaker is that this clause be removed. 

The other thing that I want to talk about is on this Marriage Bill, some people were requesting that it should be more like a Bible.  A Bible has so many chapters, New Testament and Old Testament, it is all in the Bible.  

Once you open it, all is well but now the Acts pertaining to marriage are all over.  You will find another Act that side, another one there, so we need to pool all the Acts relating to marriage to come under the Marriages Bills and be harmonised.  With these few words, my request is that the Marriage Bill should proceed and be adopted.  I thank you.

By A Correspondent- A 35 year old Bindura cannabis farmer was slapped with a 3 year jail term yesterday by a Bindura magistrate.

Member Kanyandure of Nyamakuwa village, Bindura will however spend 2 years in jail after the magistrate Ruramai Chitumbura suspended one year on condition of good behaviour.

Prosecutor Nicholas Danga told the court that on February 7 the convict was arrested following a tip off and 300 grams of dagga were found in his bedroom hut.

The police took Kanyandure to his garden where they saw his mother Tracy Simbi (55) busy uprooting the dagga in a bid to destroy evidence.

She had uprooted 17 plants and the total plants were 25.

Both the mother and son were arrested and taken to Chiwaridzo police station.

By A Correspondent- TNF workers have accused business of offering slave wages paid in the moribund Zimdollar while charging goods and services in a more stable United States dollar.

Talks in the Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) have reportedly stalled after parties failed to agree on a minimum wage, with workers threatening to pull out of the negotiations and declare a strike amid indications that there was no immediate solution to the deadlock.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), which represents workers, is demanding a minimum wage of $3 800 across the board, but business insists on offering a national basic minimum wage of $1 200 per month. The business also blocked the adoption of the South African rand, raising the ire of the ZCTU.

Both ZCTU president Peter Mutasa and Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe (Emcoz) president Israel Murefu yesterday confirmed the stalemate, saying the matter has now been referred to Cabinet.

“Business is charging goods and services in US dollars but does not want to peg salaries on the interbank rate. At least, we are agreed with the government, which has proposed to peg the minimum on half of 75% of the PDL [poverty datum line] that was obtained in August 2018. This gives the lowest-paid worker a minimum of $3 806,” Mutasa said.

“Although this is not what we wanted, we have compromised and accepted this middle of the way figure. Business is rejecting this and offering an amount that leaves workers in abject poverty and modern-day slavery. We have no choice, but to collectively fight this. Business can’t refuse to move to (South African) rand and also reject paying decent wages.

“Both business and government are adamant that they want the Zimbabwean dollar to stay and that it shall stabilise. We, therefore, demand that as they work towards the imaginary stabilisation, workers must be given a minimum wage that is in line with the realities on the ground.”

The workers insisted that any figure below a minimum wage of $3 800 would trigger “civil unrest” because the bulk of the workers were no longer able to report for work or feed their families.
The workers were also pressuring the government to, instead, officially adopt the rand and peg all salaries against the more stable rand and not the “valueless Zimdollar”.

Murefu said: “There is a bit of a differing of the minds between the social partners. Resultantly, the chairperson of the TNF (Paul Mavima) has taken the matter to Cabinet and we await the response from Cabinet. The workers want a blanket minimum wage, but we are saying it should be sector specific.”

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister Mavima, under which TNF falls, was on Wednesday tasked by Cabinet to bring the warring parties to the table.

The Emcoz boss added that business backed the mono-currency system provided that government implemented currency reforms, which include not borrowing from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and checking its expenditure, among others.

“We said we will stay in the mono-currency at the moment provided government implemented some reforms. For example, monetary authorities should contain money supply growth because money supply is what influences the movement in the exchange rate and also commit to manage the fiscal deficit to the level which is indicated in the budget,” he said.

This came as Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa on Wednesday told journalists that the TNF disagreements had been referred back to the TNF partners to strike a win-win solution.

“Cabinet considered and approved the recommendations from the TNF regarding the matter of (minimum) wage. Cabinet directed that dialogue be pursued to ensure an urgent win-win solution to the matter given the prevailing economic conditions,” Mutsvangwa said.-Newsday

Acquitted MDC vice chairperson Job Sikhala has said he will sue Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government for torturing him…

…Some people I hear them saying Nelson Chamisa you must lead from the front, but this is the struggle; I have come a long way … but when we do our thing we will not be forced to do things.

When people are brave and they stand up to it guns will not work the sound of the gun will not be heard.

You don’t debate about solidarity; we must go together, fight together, we weep together and we enjoy together. So now Mai Sikhala we want to thank you. Some of you do not know that for the struggle to move there are heroes, thank you very much. I thank you all, these are the people who when there are problems they are there. I saw them where the police were.

Excuse me our Secretary-General and all the leadership assembled here, the chair of the women and the youth.

I was once a youth and I used to refuse to be
I think you the whole standing committee…

We said this is not Valentine’s Day it is Morgan Tsvangirai Day.

The second thing we are gathered here; we are gathered here because one of our heroes had been arrested… another one will be appearing in court on the 28th of February.

When you arrest one of us you have arrested all of us.
So we have come here for this party is now large.

There is no party which is greater, larger than this one the whole of the African continent. It is a fact that the MDC has 28 out of 30 mayors in the whole of Zimbabwe. It is a fact that this party was voted in by more than 2.6 million people.

Some people I hear them saying Nelson Chamisa you must lead from the front, but this is the struggle; I have come a long way … but when we do our thing we will not be forced to do things.
I said for people to do what they should do they do it according to the right timing.

When I came here I found the police waiting and some of my people told me president if your go through this way you will be teargassed so I passed through the middle of them.
We will not allow police to be used for wrong things, a police officer has a badge of honour. That is why you see the police, their badge it says for the law, for the people, and for the country, so the police must not be used to assault us. Our people after throwing targas at me they don’t have a bag of tea, after throwing teargas at me they don’t even have an underwear to wear. After throwing targas at me, their shoe is still opened wide.
Mr Sikhala I saw your zvidobi. They are zvidobis of the struggle. Aaah Maiguru, are these the dobis you are getting at home? LAUGHTER.

The first thing is love the second thing is hope the third thing is sacrifice.

This is the life of Morgan Tsvangirai.
Everywhere I go people are saying Nelson Chamisa Morgan Tsvangirai left you directions to the way.
I will not be misled.
Mnangagwa does not have a clue. Chiwenga has no clue.

Today as we speak what Morgan tsvangirai talk about hope he said no matter how difficult life becomes you remain holding onto hope you will get there. We will get there we will get there when we get there.

Tsvangirai represented sacrifuce. He used to eat bans and cream soda. He was a basic man. That is what I said no matter how broke we are we must never compromise the struggle.

Our only gift to the people is to lead them and deliver the struggle. Real love is to represent the people and to do what they want.
Yes, we will correct the problems of Masvingo party leadership. We want to ensure we get 26 out of 26 not what we saw in Mwenezi(sic).

Can ZANU win over here?
Tsvangirai was a man of love and unity he told me to unite with Biti and Welshman. The vision has got nothing to do with too many people a vision is with one person.

So to all those who follow when I say jump you must jump when I say run you must run. That is why you see soldiers are told to march left right left right.

We said that this year we have 5 critical zones:
Number 1 – the fight we have is that there must be a people’s government not this one of the constitutional court not this one of Emmerson Mnangagwa.

When people are brave and they stand up to it guns will not work the sound of the gun will not be heard.

Mnangagwa tells people that they must eat potatoes and vegetables while he himself is feasting on meat while he is on a private jet.

Number 2 – We are fighting for a people’s budget not the kind of life that we are seeing when people cannot afford basics we want our dignity returned to the people.

Number 3 – We want to address the problem of corruption. We are missing $3bln. Who is responsible Mr Biti?

Biti replies: it is Mnangagwa!
I said those people I will tell you myself.

They know what we are doing.
The 4th thing – is the one that we have come here such as this one of Sikhala. We are struggling with this issue of Mashurugwi. We must not call them that. They are Mnangagwa’# people.
Number 5 – is the issue of the constitution Emmerson Mnangagwa is messing with the constitution; he is now possessed with the demons of Ian Smith and Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe changed this 19 times, Mnangagwa wants to change it 27 times in one year.

So what is the way forward the way forward is for you and me where you are, looking at me, let us fix our country there is no one else with powers more than you as an individual, everyone let us fix the country we don’t want to get to May, June while we are in this problem, we can fix it. Until when will we drink from boreholes? While we use generators?

What kind of a country is that in which: school fees rtgs; a whole government forming a committee of roller meal! A whole government setting up a committee for mealie meal.

If you give us this thing we will not take a day before you start enjoying the country and getting suffocated with goodness

I told Emmerson Mnangagwa why don’t we use the United States dollars while we fix the country?

give the soldiers the US dollar give the police officers the US dollars so that people can survive, why do you want the people to live on rtgs dollars?
Let us not insult others. MDC let us be full of love.
My last words that I leave you the people of this province that one has been on this issue of dialogue.

I told him I am ready to talk, I had been sent by our council. We want to give peace a chance and so I told Emmerson Mnangagwa let us agree, you stole the elections we are not going to go ahead to 2023 before we are clear that you stole the elections.

There will be no elections in this country until we resolve this issue. The elections must be respected. This year we have a right to fix the country all of us all of us all of us all of us all of us all of us.

Emmerson Mnangagwa will not be able to run this country he is refusing dialogue.

And now he is busy saying Nelson Chamisa is the problem. I am advising him that this country is burning. I am saying to him hear me so that we can fix this country before it is too late.

…Some people I hear them saying Nelson Chamisa you must lead from the front, but this is the struggle; I have come a long way … but when we do our thing we will not be forced to do things.

When people are brave and they stand up to it guns will not work the sound of the gun will not be heard.

You don’t debate about solidarity; we must go together, fight together, we weep together and we enjoy together. So now Mai Sikhala we want to thank you. Some of you do not know that for the struggle to move there are heroes, thank you very much. I thank you all, these are the people who when there are problems they are there. I saw them where the police were.

Excuse me our Secretary-General and all the leadership assembled here, the chair of the women and the youth.

I was once a youth and I used to refuse to be
I think you the whole standing committee…

We said this is not Valentine’s Day it is Morgan Tsvangirai Day.

The second thing we are gathered here; we are gathered here because one of our heroes had been arrested… another one will be appearing in court on the 28th of February.

When you arrest one of us you have arrested all of us.
So we have come here for this party is now large.

There is no party which is greater, larger than this one the whole of the African continent. It is a fact that the MDC has 28 out of 30 mayors in the whole of Zimbabwe. It is a fact that this party was voted in by more than 2.6 million people.

Some people I hear them saying Nelson Chamisa you must lead from the front, but this is the struggle; I have come a long way … but when we do our thing we will not be forced to do things.
I said for people to do what they should do they do it according to the right timing.

When I came here I found the police waiting and some of my people told me president if your go through this way you will be teargassed so I passed through the middle of them.
We will not allow police to be used for wrong things, a police officer has a badge of honour. That is why you see the police, their badge it says for the law, for the people, and for the country, so the police must not be used to assault us. Our people after throwing targas at me they don’t have a bag of tea, after throwing teargas at me they don’t even have an underwear to wear. After throwing targas at me, their shoe is still opened wide.
Mr Sikhala I saw your zvidobi. They are zvidobis of the struggle. Aaah Maiguru, are these the dobis you are getting at home? LAUGHTER.

The first thing is love the second thing is hope the third thing is sacrifice.

This is the life of Morgan Tsvangirai.
Everywhere I go people are saying Nelson Chamisa Morgan Tsvangirai left you directions to the way.
I will not be misled.
Mnangagwa does not have a clue. Chiwenga has no clue.

Today as we speak what Morgan tsvangirai talk about hope he said no matter how difficult life becomes you remain holding onto hope you will get there. We will get there we will get there when we get there.

Tsvangirai represented sacrifuce. He used to eat bans and cream soda. He was a basic man. That is what I said no matter how broke we are we must never compromise the struggle.

Our only gift to the people is to lead them and deliver the struggle. Real love is to represent the people and to do what they want.
Yes, we will correct the problems of Masvingo party leadership. We want to ensure we get 26 out of 26 not what we saw in Mwenezi(sic).

Can ZANU win over here?
Tsvangirai was a man of love and unity he told me to unite with Biti and Welshman. The vision has got nothing to do with too many people a vision is with one person.

So to all those who follow when I say jump you must jump when I say run you must run. That is why you see soldiers are told to march left right left right.

We said that this year we have 5 critical zones:
Number 1 – the fight we have is that there must be a people’s government not this one of the constitutional court not this one of Emmerson Mnangagwa.

When people are brave and they stand up to it guns will not work the sound of the gun will not be heard.

Mnangagwa tells people that they must eat potatoes and vegetables while he himself is feasting on meat while he is on a private jet.

Number 2 – We are fighting for a people’s budget not the kind of life that we are seeing when people cannot afford basics we want our dignity returned to the people.

Number 3 – We want to address the problem of corruption. We are missing $3bln. Who is responsible Mr Biti?

Biti replies: it is Mnangagwa!
I said those people I will tell you myself.

They know what we are doing.
The 4th thing – is the one that we have come here such as this one of Sikhala. We are struggling with this issue of Mashurugwi. We must not call them that. They are Mnangagwa’# people.
Number 5 – is the issue of the constitution Emmerson Mnangagwa is messing with the constitution; he is now possessed with the demons of Ian Smith and Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe changed this 19 times, Mnangagwa wants to change it 27 times in one year.

So what is the way forward the way forward is for you and me where you are, looking at me, let us fix our country there is no one else with powers more than you as an individual, everyone let us fix the country we don’t want to get to May, June while we are in this problem, we can fix it. Until when will we drink from boreholes? While we use generators?

What kind of a country is that in which: school fees rtgs; a whole government forming a committee of roller meal! A whole government setting up a committee for mealie meal.

If you give us this thing we will not take a day before you start enjoying the country and getting suffocated with goodness

I told Emmerson Mnangagwa why don’t we use the United States dollars while we fix the country?

give the soldiers the US dollar give the police officers the US dollars so that people can survive, why do you want the people to live on rtgs dollars?
Let us not insult others. MDC let us be full of love.
My last words that I leave you the people of this province that one has been on this issue of dialogue.

I told him I am ready to talk, I had been sent by our council. We want to give peace a chance and so I told Emmerson Mnangagwa let us agree, you stole the elections we are not going to go ahead to 2023 before we are clear that you stole the elections.

There will be no elections in this country until we resolve this issue. The elections must be respected. This year we have a right to fix the country all of us all of us all of us all of us all of us all of us.

Emmerson Mnangagwa will not be able to run this country he is refusing dialogue.

And now he is busy saying Nelson Chamisa is the problem. I am advising him that this country is burning. I am saying to him hear me so that we can fix this country before it is too late.

THE Prosecutor-Generals’ office has filed a High Court application seeking to confiscate property belonging to an ex-Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) official, after he failed to explain the source of his wealth following a lifestyle audit carried out by the organisation.

An application against Darlington Makosa and the City of Kadoma in terms of Section 80 of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act was instituted by Zimra.

In terms of the court papers, Kelvin Mufute from the Prosecutor-General’s Asset Forfeiture Unit, said he pursued the case against Makosa after going through a file from Darlington Makosa Zimra’s loss control division, which is mandated to carry out lifestyle audits and investigate money laundering cases involving its employees.

“I observed that during the scope and course of work, Zimra commenced investigations on October 20, 2019, following a tip-off received from a whistle-blower alleging that Makosa, a Zimra employee had acquired property using funds from corrupt activities and had abused his office to obtain the funds,” Mufute said.

He said during the investigations, Makosa’s work file was also analysed, while searches of immovable properties were also made at the Deeds Office at Kadoma City Council.

Makosa, who was employed by Zimra as a trainee revenue officer in June 2010, before he became a full revenue officer in 2012, cumulatively got US$124 779 in salaries between 2010 and 2019, the court was told.

However, Makosa in his 2016 Zimra asset declaration, claimed he owned two residential stands in Westbrooke, Kadoma, valued at US$10 000 each and another one in Mornington, Kadoma, worth US$5 400.

However, Zimra’s investigations showed that he had another residential stand in Westbrooke, Kadoma and another double-storey house in the same neighbourhood.

It also emerged that Makosa had developed some of the stands to a value of US$66 000 and US$94 000 respectively.

“I aver that Darlington Makosa refused to give an explanation to account for the source of funds for the purchase of residential and construction of a house in Westbrooke and Mornington in Kadoma and then he tendered resignation from work on October 20, 2019.

“I concluded that Makosa lied because he did not declare all the properties that he purchased to his employer. The total value of the properties registered in his name of US$196 015 is more than the amount of money he was paid by Zimra which is US$124 779,” Mufute said.

He said the cumulative amount of money earned by Makosa did not allow him to acquire the properties registered in his name.

Mufute said there was reasonable suspicion that Makosa was or is involved in serious crime in Zimbabwe or somewhere else. Makosa has not yet responded to the application.

Own Correspondent|Proceedings at Masvingo High Court on Friday halted after police fired teargas outside to disperse supporters of the opposition MDC backing party Vice Chairman Job Sikhala who was facing subversion charges.

The court was making a ruling on a request by Sikhala to drop the charges, which carry up to 20 years prison term upon conviction.

MDC vice president Tendai Biti and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, who were present in court, said the judge in the case was forced to adjourn proceedings after teargas started filtering into the court room in Masvingo.

Dozens of government opponents have faced subversion charges, with critics saying this shows the government is muzzling the opposition by reverting to harsh security laws from the era of Robert Mugabe, who died last September.

Political tension has increased as Zimbabwe grapples with its worst economic crisis in a decade.

Watch video downloading below:

According to Mark Oxley, a CIPE consultant on Facebook, CABS has been hacked and the hacker is withdrawing money from some accounts. Oxley said he was at Borrowdale Police station to report the case but discovered that he was the 6th person to report a similar case today.

Mark Oxley said:

Someone has got illegal access to the CABS payment system.Funds are being withdrawn from accounts. Reports are being made at the moment to Police Stations.

I am at Borrowdale Police Station and they have just recorded their sixth report this morning.
If you have a CABS Platinum account check with CABS urgently

No comment or statement has been released by the bank as yet. We will update this article as new details emerge.

Own Correspondent|Civil Society Organisations from Matabeleland have demanded that President Emmerson Mnangagwa apologises for his role in the Gukurahundi atrocities of the mid eighties.

In a no holds barred meeting held at the State House in Bulawayo on Friday, Civil Society Organisations and organisations falling under the Matabeleland Collective banner took turns to demand that Mnangagwa should be the first to own up to the atrocities before victims of the genocide are invited to speak on the issue.

The activists told Mnangagwa that the Gukurahundi can never be wished away without it being fully attended to with him in the lead.

Over 20 000 people in Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands provinces were killed by the Gukurahundi soldiers in an era which former President Robert Mugabe described as a moment of madness.

Watch video downloading below:

Jane Mlambo| Two people are feared dead after another mine collapse at Motsi mine in Kwekwe just after Truckers Inn.

This follows another mining accident which killed two people last week at Global Phoenix mine in Kwekwe after the shaft collapsed while miners were inside, two died, two escaped and another was seriously injured.

More to follow….

NewsDay|The family of the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday challenged President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to swallow their pride and urgently settle their political differences to end the country’s economic meltdown.

In an interview with NewsDay ahead of commemorations to mark the death of the late former Premier two years ago, Tsvangirai’s younger brother, Manase, said his elder brother agreed to enter into a unity government with the later former President Robert Mugabe in 2009 after defeating him in March 2008 to save the nation from sinking into the abyss.

“The people are suffering. The current situation should bring everybody on board,” Manase said.

“It was not the dream of Morgan Tsvangirai to see the people suffering. That is why after defeating Mugabe in March 2018, he accepted to enter into a unity government with him to save people from suffering. He was a selfless leader who put people first in all his decisions.

“I am challenging President Mnangagwa and MDC leader Nelson Chamisa to put people first and swallow their pride and enter into dialogue.”

Tsvangirai died on February 14, 2018 in South Africa, where he was undergoing treatment for colon cancer.

He was succeeded by Chamisa, who represented the party in a watershed poll in July 2018, but refused to accept defeat to Mnangagwa.

Pressure has been mounting on Mnangagwa and Chamisa to engage in talks that could end the country’s economic challenges characterised by hyperinflation, shortage of goods like fuel mealie-meal, among others, and extortionate prices against sub-economic salaries.

Former South African leader Thabo Mbeki was in the country in December last year to try and cajole the two into dialogue, which is expected to arrest the country’s political and economic downfall.

“The two (Mnangagwa and Chamisa) should swallow their pride and enter into dialogue to stop people’s suffering. This does not even need a foreign envoy. The dialogue should simply be anchored on sincerity. Zimbabweans problems can be resolved internally,” Manase said.

He said Tsvangirai could have outrightly won the 2018 elections against Mnangagwa and urged Zimbabweans to redefine their destiny.

“Zimbabwe is not a private property, it does not belong to Zanu PF, and neither does it belong to MDC. It belongs to everybody. Once we understand that, the bickering will stop. Zimbabwe will be there forever. We had Mugabe, he is gone, so was Tsvangirai, but Zimbabwe is still there. We should think deeply about what we want to leave for our children,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chamisa has said today should be declared Tsvangirai day to commemorate the life of the former Prime Minister.

In an interview yesterday, Chamisa, who was in Bulawayo to meet party structures, said the day could not go unnoticed in the eyes of the MDC.

He said the opposition party had lined up provincial in-house activities to celebrate and commemorate the life of the founding party president.

“Tsvangirai is the founder, an icon of the democratic movement in Zimbabwe and our honour and respect is to do with his accomplishments, his contributions but more importantly the values that he set. February 14 is a day of love,” Chamisa said.

“His love for humanity is what caused him to dedicate his whole adulthood to the struggle. We will celebrate him in style and so we have lined up a number of activities because, for us, February 14 is the Morgan Tsvangirai Day.”

Former Health Minister David Parirenyatwa should explain whether he had the authority to make appointments at Natpharm during his tenure as the minister, the court has said.

Harare regional magistrate Elijah Makomo said Parirenyatwa should also prove to court that he did not show favour when he ordered the appointment of Newman Madzikwa as the pharmaceutical company’s acting managing director when he knew that he was once dismissed from work over misconduct.

Magistrate Makomo said this when making a ruling in Parirenyatwa’s application for discharge at the close of State’s case. Parirenyatwa in his application had argued that the State had failed to produce enough evidence that warranted him to be put to his defence. He is facing criminal abuse of office charges after he allegedly ordered NatPharm board chairman George Washaya to terminate Flora Nancy Sifeku’s contract as managing director, saying that he required her services at the ministry’s headquarters in Harare.

The former minister is also alleged to have directed Washaya to appoint Newman Madzikwa as acting managing director of NatPharm with effect from June 1, 2018. Parirenyatwa is expected to be back in court on February 27.

By A Correspondent| Zimbabwe’s top barrister and the MDC Deputy President Tendai Biti received death threats over the now acquitted Zengeza MP Job Sikhala, it has emerged.

This was revealed by Sikhala himself as he narrated his ordeal having been abducted.

Below is Sikhala speaking in Masvingo today:

Excuse me president and all the leadership 1st of all president please allow me to thank the people of Zimbabwe for standing with me from the days this story started Emmerson Mnangagwa wanted to put me into a sack.

I am not even celebrating with all the people who are celebrating my acquittal… I lost my freedom for over a year and I could not travel around the world to represent my clients; they took my passport they charged me over $5000 today when I go to collect it, all that money is now a piece of paper now; once collect that money I am going to distribute it to provinces here, Nikita, Masvingo, and so forth This is money that president Emmerson Mnangagwa withheld so I am going to distribute it to the people; because the people freedom can not be Criminalised.

Some people have said that I was reckless by making these statements but it is Mnangagwa who is reckless who is reckless. He has robbed the people of this country I knew myself as a lawyer that there is nothing wrong in what I have said.

The problem we have in Africa is that we think that a president is untouchable; for a long time in Africa Mobutu Seseko. He was equated to Zaire…

ED is not equal to the government of Zimbabwe or equal to the people of Zimbabwe.

President, when you come to see all these people assembled here, this is a sign of the hope that we must take the bull by its horns.

The time of compromising with dictatorship is over … we all know the day when he conducted the coup on the 15th of November 2017 we know it was illegal; when Robert Mugabe wrote the letter of resignation he was under threat to be killed.

When I was arrested and I was put in Harare Central, I was put in police cells for 3 days. As I was being taken around, there was a team of 7 lawyers assembled.

Someone said there is a spirit of death here, they want to kill this man that is, myself.

Biti and Gonese, these men were told that if they continue following me they will be killed…

I was taken by one person called Daniel Joseph and then I was taken into another car and then blindfolded.

So I said these people are now going to kill me…

WATCH THE FULL SPEECH HERE:

Blantyre — Protesters in Malawi have shut down offices of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) in 10 districts in an attempt to force all commissioners to resign.

The move comes 10 days after the Constitutional Court nullified last May’s presidential elections because of “widespread” irregularities and ordered new elections. But commissioners have appealed the ruling and are refusing to step down.

In Blantyre, protesters used steel-iron chains and huge locks to seal the gate of the main entrance to MEC headquarters.

“What we are trying to mean here is that no one should get here as long as they are not resigning. All we need is [for MEC chairperson] Jane Ansah to resign and now we have included all the commissioners of the MEC because they have proven to be incompetent. We need people to have the competence,” said Masauko Thawe, the southern region coordinator for the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), which organized the protests.

The Constitutional Court said the irregularities showed the MEC’s incompetence in handling the presidential elections and ordered new elections in 150 days.

This week, members of parliament questioned the election commissioners at a public hearing to determine if they are capable of running a new poll.

The commissioners, including chairperson Ansah, dismissed accusations of incompetency.

Some said they will resign only if the Supreme Court of Appeal faults them, while others said they will not resign at all.

But HRDC’s Thawe says mechanisms are in place to safeguard the shutdown.

“We are going to monitor each and every day. You come, you check, you will see people here monitoring. And we are not stopping here.  It’s a continuous demonstration until we see these commissioners including the CEO [Chief Elections Officer] resign,” Thawe said.

Mustapha Hussein, who teaches political science at the Chancellor College of the University of Malawi, told VOA shutting down the MEC offices is ill-timed.

“Because the case of MEC is in the courts and we heard about the judgment which shows that there are solutions being put forward to what is happening. So, in that sense I would say that the act of shutting down the offices might be going too far and might not auger well with the laws of Malawi,” he said.

Hussein also said the shutdown would affect MEC preparations for the new elections expected to be held in June.

Ansah told parliament Wednesday that the electoral commission is currently working on the budget for the new elections.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

https://youtu.be/USi3zhzwa5U

“When people are brave and they stand up to it, guns will not work, the sound of the gun will not be heard.”

Nelson Chamisa, 14th February 2020.

Below is a side transcript of MDC leader Nelson Chamisa at Masvingo on Friday. Chamisa spoke at length saying his party is demanding a people’s government not one created by a constitutional court.

He also said he refuses to be forced into action by people with agendas. He said, “Some people I hear them saying Nelson Chamisa you must lead from the front, but this is the struggle; I have come a long way … but when we do our thing we will not be forced to do things.”

FULL TEXT: When people are brave and they stand up to it guns will not work the sound of the gun will not be heard.

You don’t debate about solidarity; we must go together, fight together, we weep together and we enjoy together. So now Mai Sikhala we want to thank you. Some of you do not know that for the struggle to move there are heroes, thank you very much. I thank you all, these are the people who when there are problems they are there. I saw them where the police were.

Excuse me our Secretary-General and all the leadership assembled here, the chair of the women and the youth.

I was once a youth and I used to refuse to be used. I would sing Hatidi zvekupihwa order nemasaskamu!

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

https://youtu.be/USi3zhzwa5U

I think you the whole standing committee…

We said this is not Valentine’s Day it is Morgan Tsvangirai Day.

The second thing we are gathered here; we are gathered here because one of our heroes had been arrested… another one will be appearing in court on the 28th of February. When you arrest one of us you have arrested all of us.

So we have come here for this party is now large. There is no party which is greater, larger than this one the whole of the African continent. It is a fact that the MDC has 28 out of 30 mayors in the whole of Zimbabwe. It is a fact that this party was voted in by more than 2.6 million people.

Some people I hear them saying Nelson Chamisa you must lead from the front, but this is the struggle; I have come a long way … but when we do our thing we will not be forced to do things.

I said for people to do what they should do they do it according to the right timing.

When I came here I found the police waiting and some of my people told me president if your go through this way you will be teargassed so I passed through the middle of them.

We will not allow police to be used for wrong things, a police officer has a badge of honour. That is why you see the police, their badge it says for the law, for the people, and for the country, so the police must not be used to assault us. Our people after throwing targas at me they don’t have a bag of tea, after throwing teargas at me they don’t even have an underwear to wear. After throwing targas at me, their shoe is still opened wide.

Mr Sikhala I saw your zvidobi. They are zvidobis of the struggle. Aaah Maiguru, are these the dobis you are getting at home? LAUGHTER.

The first thing is love the second thing is hope the third thing is sacrifice. This is the life of Morgan Tsvangirai.

Everywhere I go people are saying Nelson Chamisa Morgan Tsvangirai left you directions to the way.

I will not be misled.

Mnangagwa does not have a clue. Chiwenga has no clue.

Today as we speak what Morgan tsvangirai talk about hope he said no matter how difficult life becomes you remain holding onto hope you will get there. We will get there we will get there when we get there.

Tsvangirai represented sacrifuce. He used to eat bans and cream soda. He was a basic man. That is what I said no matter how broke we are we must never compromise the struggle.

Our only gift to the people is to lead them and deliver the struggle. Real love is to represent the people and to do what they want.

Yes, we will correct the problems of Masvingo party leadership. We want to ensure we get 26 out of 26 not what we saw in Mwenezi(sic). Can ZANU win over here?

Tsvangirai was a man of love and unity he told me to unite with Biti and Welshman. The vision has got nothing to do with too many people a vision is with one person. So to all those who follow when I say jump you must jump when I say run you must run. That is why you see soldiers are told to march left right left right.

We said that this year we have 5 critical zones:

Number 1 – the fight we have is that there must be a people’s government not this one of the constitutional court not this one of Emmerson Mnangagwa.

When people are brave and they stand up to it guns will not work the sound of the gun will not be heard.

Mnangagwa tells people that they must eat potatoes and vegetables while he himself is feasting on meat while he is on a private jet.

Number 2 – We are fighting for a people’s budget not the kind of life that we are seeing when people cannot afford basics we want our dignity returned to the people.

Number 3 – We want to address the problem of corruption. We are missing $3bln. Who is responsible Mr Biti?

Biti replies: it is Mnangagwa!

I said those people I will tell you myself. They know what we are doing.

The 4th thing – is the one that we have come here such as this one of Sikhala. We are struggling with this issue of Mashurugwi. We must not call them that. They are Mnangagwa’# people.

Number 5 – is the issue of the constitution Emmerson Mnangagwa is messing with the constitution; he is now possessed with the demons of Ian Smith and Robert Mugabe. Mugabe changed this 19 times, Mnangagwa wants to change it 27 times in one year.

So what is the way forward the way forward is for you and me where you are, looking at me, let us fix our country there is no one else with powers more than you as an individual, everyone let us fix the country we don’t want to get to May, June while we are in this problem, we can fix it. Until when will we drink from boreholes? While we use generators?

What kind of a country is that in which: school fees rtgs; a whole government forming a committee of roller meal! A whole government setting up a committee for mealie meal.

If you give us this thing we will not take a day before you start enjoying the country and getting suffocated with goodness.

I told Emmerson Mnangagwa why don’t we use the United States dollars while we fix the country? give the soldiers the US dollar give the police officers the US dollars so that people can survive, why do you want the people to live on rtgs dollars?

Let us not insult others. MDC let us be full of love.

My last words that I leave you the people of this province that one has been on this issue of dialogue. I told him I am ready to talk, I had been sent by our council. We want to give peace a chance and so I told Emmerson Mnangagwa let us agree, you stole the elections we are not going to go ahead to 2023 before we are clear that you stole the elections.

There will be no elections in this country until we resolve this issue. The elections must be respected. This year we have a right to fix the country all of us all of us all of us all of us all of us all of us.

Emerson Mnangagwa will not be able to run this country he is refusing dialogue. And now he is busy saying Nelson Chamisa is the problem. I am advising him that this country is burning. I am saying to him hear me so that we can fix this country before it is too late.

Following the announcement by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube that government was introducing the coupon system for roller meal, ZimEye ran a poll to establish whether the move was a good or bad move.

Below is the outcome of the poll where 83 percent of the respondents said it was a bad move while only 17 percent believe that the move was good.

Government introduces roller meal coupon system to help vulnerable families access the commodity at subsidised prices. Is this a GOOD or BAD move?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 13, 2020

The MDC is vindicated by the upholding of The Exception filed by Lead Counsel Beatrice Mtetwa to the scandalous charge of Subverting a Constitutional Government preferred against Honourable Job Sikhala by the illegitimate government of Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The consequences of the Ruling are that since Honourable Sikhala had pleaded not guilty to the charge he was entitled to a verdict and accordingly The Court so found

Put simply this was a charge that never was and in legal parlance you cannot find something from nothing and the words that formed the basis of the charge do not constitute an offence, notwithstanding whether they are admitted or not .

The persecution of Honourable Sikhala has thankfully come to an end but we lament the fact that countless citizens of Zimbabwe are facing baseless allegations in spite of the pretence that we are in a new dispensation.

The deception must be exposed for what it is and it is regrettable that the Prosecutor General s Office made a spirited attempt to defend the indefensible.

As the MDC, we now call upon the illegitimate regime to withdraw the numerous allegations of treason and Subverting a Constitutional Government which have been preferred against our leaders such as Secretary General Honourable Charlton Hwende and trade unionists Peter Mutasa and Obert Masaraure as well as numerous civil society and political leaders.

Unfortunately the regime has no shame and they will continue flogging a dead horse in the miraculous hope that it will be somehow resucitated.

The bottom line is that the persecution of the people and suppression of their rights must come to an end. The reason why the people will continue to protest is that their suffering is now unbearable and they can hardly make ends meet.

As The MDC we are very clear that the resolution of the crisis lies in engagement and genuine dialogue to return the country to legitimacy. Until the illegitimate regime wakes up to smell the coffee and comes to its senses, the country will remain in a mess.

Change is coming and no amount of repression and brutalization will deter us from leading the people to Canaan under the able leadership of the people s choice, Pastor Advocate Nelson Chamisa.

Innocent Gonese
MDC Secretary for Justice and Legal Affairs

State Media|MINISTER of Mines and Mining Development Winston Chitando was yesterday found in contempt of the High Court and sentenced to 90 days in prison.

Minister Chitando, according to the court, did not comply with two court orders issued in a mining claims dispute pitting RioZim Limited and North Rand Private Limited.

However, High Court judge, Justice David Mangota gave the minister seven days to comply, failure of which he will serve the jail term.

The court ordered the minister to ensure transfer of ownership of some mining claims from North Rand into the name of RioZim, but he did not comply.

Justice Mangota’s order reads:

“The first respondent (Minister Chitando) is found in contempt of the orders that were granted by this honourable court on the 6th of June, 2018 and the 10th of October, 2018 under HC4957/18 respectively.

“The first respondent be and is hereby committed to the Harare Remand Prison for a period of three months.

“The warrant of committal is, however, suspended seven days on condition that the first respondent shall faithfully and dutifully comply with the orders given in this court in Case Number HC4957/18 granted on the 6th of June and HC8198/18 granted on the 10th day of October 2019”

Harare lawyer Mr Liberty Ndangana and Advocate Thabani Mpofu represented RioZim.

The court slapped the minister with an order for costs on a higher scale.

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SIKHALA SAYS: THIS YEAR WILL NOT END BEFORE MNANGAGWA HAS RESIGNED @MuzvareBetty @MakomboreroH @nelsonchamisa @DrNkuSibanda pic.twitter.com/BP4Cctb21G

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 14, 2020

https://youtu.be/USi3zhzwa5U

By A Correspondent- Addressing party stalwarts at Mucheke stadium in Masvingo at an event to remember the late party’s founding father Morgan Richard Tsvangirai who died on 14 February 2018, a ZINASU representative said it was justified for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to leave power as he had failed.

He said:

“We are here as students in solidarity with the values held by the late Morgan Tsvangirai. We are here because we believe in access to education, access to good health and buying bread at a cost of a dollar for two. This is why we are saying Mnangagwa must go.”

Watch the video loading below for this and more…….

By A Correspondent- In a drama-filled incident a man assaulted his father-in-law at a funeral wake that was punctuated by pushing, shoving and hurling of insults.

Bulawayo’s Matshobane suburb residents were treated to a three-hour “movie” on Saturday over the burial of a woman who died in the neighbouring country — South Africa.

Salia Amidu (51)’s father Hanock Nkatha said a violent Geoffrey Amidu caused chaos after he barred his in-laws from viewing his wife’s body and the in-laws abandoned the funeral wake. 

He said up to today he was not sure if it was his daughter who was in the coffin and whether her body parts were intact or not, assuming she was the one.  He said a seething Amidu left the funeral wake at his home in a huff and stormed his in-laws’ home in the same suburb. 

He said his son-in-law hurled insults at everyone much to the shock and disappointment of mourners who had gathered to comfort them.

“We were really embarrassed as a family. I have been of poor health so I requested that my son-in-law should bring my daughter’s body to my house so that I pay my last respects. For some reason, the simple request turned things nasty. 

“At an alarming speed, he skidded to a stop in his car outside the gate and barged into my bedroom. He peppered me with insults and said I was a poor and ungrateful man. He said I should remember that he took care of me when I was sick in South Africa,” said the heart-broken elderly man.

The frail-looking Nkatha said when the argument got to a head his son-in-law poked him with a finger on the head.

“He tapped me on the forehead with his forefinger and bragged that he did us (family) a favour by bringing his wife’s body to Zimbabwe for burial so that I could attend the funeral. A relative swiftly intervened and pushed him away. Even then he continued to spew unspeakable obscenities,” said the dejected Nkatha.

Nkatha said his son-in-law changed his mind and decided to bring his daughter’s coffin to his home. 

“He came for the second time in a cortège but refused to open the casket. When the family members moved out of the house to receive the casket —  my son-in-law appeared to have second thoughts. With a squeal of tyres, he sped off movie-style and the other cars that he came with, including the one with the coffin followed suit, leaving the mourners shell-shocked,” said Nkatha.

A relative who spoke on condition of anonymity said Nkatha’s family then rushed to Kingdom Blue Funeral Parlour to block the burial.

“Kingdom Blue manager tried to engage them but they refused declaring that they wanted to bury our daughter on the particular day. What shocked us was why they were rushing the process when the storage was for free at the parlour,” said the relative.

She added: “We are not sure whether the body that was in the coffin was of our daughter. Assuming it was the one we are not even sure whether her body parts were still intact.”

He said they then rushed to report the matter to the police.

“Police came and tried  to talk  to them so that we understand each other but they stood their  ground insisting that they  were going ahead to bury her  because they wanted to return to South Africa. They left us at the parlour and went ahead and buried her,” said the relative.

B-Metro caught up with Amidu but he was reluctant to talk.

“Salia was my wife. I paid the bride price and I believe you know what that means. All being said and done I did what I wanted! I did not cause a scene but they are the ones who are a problem. Please I do not want this matter to be published in a newspaper,” he said.

Senator for Bulawayo Metropolitan province Hellen Mpofu said: “I had to call the police who stopped the pushing and shoving that was taking place. After that sanity prevailed although their son-in-law was a problem. I would like to urge residents to live in harmony,” she said. 

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A Mufakose woman who was reported missing by her family after she left for work has returned home after 4 days with no recollection of events which took place from when she was presumed missing.  

Thandiwe Chipamhadze, 32 who is a mother of 3 is reported to have turned up at her sister’s home in Kuwadzana 3 at around 3AM.

Her sister, Emelia confirmed her return to local media:

“She was cold and crying. She spoke very little. She said all she remembered was catching a lift on Saturday, and then the people who gave her a lift refused to let her disembark after taking her phone.

“The next thing she remembers was finding herself on Bulawayo road in Kuwadzana Extension. That’s when she walked to my house.”

The police have launched a formal investigation into Chipamhadze’s  mysterious disappearance and interviewed her before she was referred to the hospital.

Said her sister:

“We went to hospital and they conducted some tests. She has also been seeing a counsellor but she’s just broken. She won’t stop crying.”

Thandiwe who works in Chisipite as a hairdresser left her home in Mufakose on Saturday to commute to work.

She resides with her husband and their three children.

Her last known communication was a text to her niece at around 7AM.

In the text she told her niece that she was having transport difficulties and was worried she would be late for work.

However Thandiwe never made it to work on that day.

Emelia, who also works at the same hair salon presumed her missing and made desperate appeals on social media to help in finding her sister.

“We are just glad to have her back in one piece. The rest we will figure out as we go and help her regain her confidence,” said Emelia

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By A Correspondent- Harare City Council has barred doctors in private practice from handling any suspected cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Harare city health director Dr Prosper Chonzi told the state media that all suspected cases of the virus will be handled by public health institutions.

He said:

Private practitioners should not deal with infected patients at their surgeries. They should refer them to public institutions and we isolate them to protect the public.

We are training them and sensitizing them about this condition because they are the ones who are mandated to deal with infectious conditions.

Zimbabwe has started the training of local medical professionals in dealing with COVID-19 cases.

Reports indicate that 96 representatives from all over the country are at Wilkins Infectious Hospital undergoing training.

The Health Ministry announced recently that a total of 1 741 people are on surveillance for coronavirus after having entered the country from countries with confirmed cases of the viru

-statemedia

The current bank exchange rates for the ZWL$ today are as follows:

• USD to ZWL$: 17.7095
• ZWL$ to RAND: 0.8433

Data according to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Black Market Rates:

• USD to ZWL$ zimrates.com 28.00
• USD to ZWL$  zwl365.com 27.50
• USD to ZWL$ bluemari.info 27.40
• USD to BOND: zimrates.com 21.80

More: marketwatch.co.zw

https://youtu.be/upPZfIi4-wA

Below is the Herald story published following the acquittal of MDC deputy national chairperson Job Sikhala.

The state owned paper accused MDC supporters of throwing teargas inside the court room.

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The Herald reports comes despite LIVE footage which shows peaceful civilians being teargassed near the court building.

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FULL TEXT:

Movement for Democratic Change Alliance vice national chairperson Job Sikhala has been acquitted of subversion charges by Masvingo High Court Judge Justice Garainesu Mawadze today.

Meanwhile, proceedings at the Masvingo High Court where MDC Alliance’s trial for subversion is taking place today temporarily stopped this morning after tear smoke filtered into the courtroom.

Justice Mawadze, lawyers,journalists and other people in the courtroom had to leave the court room as tear smoke wafted into the packed room. The tear smoke is believed to have been thrown by MDC Alliance thugs who had massed outside the court room chanting party slogans while Justice Mawadze was delivering his ruling on the application to exception by Sikhala.

Areas around the High Court precincts were in complete lock down as police and belligent MDC Alliance supporters were involved in a cat and mouse game.

https://youtu.be/upPZfIi4-wA

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Own Correspondent| Opposition MDC legislator Job Sikhala has been cleared of his treason charges after Masvingo High Court judge Justice Garainesu Mawadze upheld the application for exception of charges.

More to follow…

Freedom for Job. Masvingo High Court Judge Justice Garainesu Mawadze rules that Zengeza West MP Hon. Job Sikhala represented by @ZLHRLawyers is not guilty and acquitted of charges of plotting to topple President Emmerson Mnangagwa. pic.twitter.com/MJj0P9a9up

— ZLHR (@ZLHRLawyers) February 14, 2020

By A Correspondent- Guruve villagers were left shell-shocked on Tuesday when a self proclaimed prophet Kennie Mazviyo drowned holding a clay pot while trying to perform church rituals.

The 28 year old prophet had taken his two clients Shephard Kamujariwa (48) and Tariro Mazviyo (43) to the river for ritual purposes.

Upon entering the river while holding a clay pot covered with a white cloth he drowned and Kamujariwa tried to rescue him but failed.

A witness Jasper Zhemu told a local publication on the scene of the incident that the prophet was used to perform his rituals in this river but somehow on the fateful day he drowned.

“We were all shocked to hear that madzibaba drowned because we knew him as a regular visitor of this river, that is where he took his clients all the time so the whole village is shocked,” Zhemu said.

The body of the deceased was retrieved Thursday afternoon by police sub-aqua unit.

By A Correspondent- Socialite and businessman Genius Kadungure, who is in custody, has filed a bail appeal with the High Court after Acting Chief Magistrate Mr Munamato Mutevedzi denied him bail last week.

High Court judge Justice Webster Chinamora subsequently ordered Kadungure to pay an additional US$58 000.

Through his attorneys, Venturas and Samukange Legal Practitioners, Kadungure argued that Mr Mutevedzi erred in concluding that he committed an offence whilst on bail and that he was not a suitable candidate for bail.

The lawyers argued that this was despite the absence of a criminal record, and his incarceration negated the presumption of innocence applying to all pending charges. 

The court failed to note that the same matter had been resolved at the High Court recently, they argued.

“The court a quo erred and misdirected itself in failing to give due regard to the fact that the charge against the appellant (Kadungure) pertained to an issue already determined by the High Court and that there was no prejudice to the fiscus with duty having been reassessed and paid, thus rendering the offence to lose its sting and a prosecution mala fide,” said Kadungure’s lawyers.

They argued that Kadungure was not a flight risk since he had handed himself over to the police. 

“The State case is weak if regard is to the fact that appellant had since complied with the High Court order from which the present matter emanates,” they said.

The case is yet to be heard.

By A Correspondent- The United States embassy in Harare will be closed on Monday, February 17, 2020, in observance of Presidents’ Day.

The embassy posted a short message on its Twitter handle that reads:

The Embassy is closed on Monday, February 17, 2020, in observance of President’s Day.

The Presidents’ Day is a public holiday in most states in the United States of America. The day commemorates past presidents of the USA.

The holiday first started in 1885 to mark the February 22 birthday of George Washington, the first president.

The holiday is on the third Monday of February each year, but records show that Washington was born on February 22.

Another eminent US President, Abraham Lincoln, was also born in mid-February.

More: USEmbassy

https://twitter.com/BitiTendai/status/1228247429847363585?s=19

By A Correspondent- Morgan Richard Tsvangirai died on 14 February 2018 at a private South African hospital where he was receiving treatment for colon cancer. MDC President Nelson Chamisa said the day is very significant for the party.

The MDC has lined up several provincial activities to commemorate the death of its founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai this Friday.

“We will celebrate him in style. We have lined up a number of activities to celebrate his (Tsvangirai) life. His love for humanity is what caused him to dedicate his whole adulthood to the struggle,” Chamisa told journalists in Bulawayo this week.

He said his predecessor sacrificed a lot for the main opposition party and deserved to be remembered. The main event is expected to be held in Masvingo Town where Chamisa will deliver a lecture on Tsvangirai’s life before hundreds of party supporters and invited guests.

“The late Morgan Richard Tsvangirai created an alternative movement which has grown big. So as we reflect on his painful journey that he has travelled, our duty is to make the party bigger and stronger.”

By A Correspondent- Hundreds of party supporters are currently at Masvingo High court in solidarity with the party’s deputy national chairperson Job Sikhala.

The supporters were beaten up by the police and were dispersed using water canons but they trickled back vowing “solidarity with their treason accused” party senior.

Watch the live video loading below…….

Violence broke out at Masvingo High court Friday morning.

Watch the live video loading below for this and more……

By A Correspondent | MDC supporters were this morning beaten and chased away from the High Court where they were giving solidarity to MDC deputy national chairperson Job Sikhala.

The police have barricaded the roads leading to Masvingo High Court.

Said an MDC official:

“Job Sikhala is being persecuted for freedom of speech but Mnangagwa is vindicating what the people of Zimbabwe have said that he is not in total control of the state but it is the army…….we are under military rule….he (Mnangagwa) has surpassed the Robert Mugabe era and he has even gone beyond Ian Smith’s era…We have never witnessed such cruelty, we’ve never witnessed such barbaric…that innocent Zimbabweans can be tortured, can be beaten just for sitting more than 200m away from the court, waiting for the judgement of Job Sikhala, that’s pathetic on the part of the government…”

Watch the two live videos loading below for this and more…..

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Police have just used water canons to disperse opposition MDC supporters who had gathered outside Masvingo High Court awaiting the handing down of judgement Job Sikhala’s application for exception of charges.

ZimEye managed to film the first 22 minutes before the dramatic moments-

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More to follow….

Happy Valentines to you darling Morgan….) can’t believe you have been gone for 2 years yet I still miss you every day and it’s always more difficult in this month of February when the anniversary of your death is approaching. In fact, the actual day, the 14th of February is easier than the weeks prior. Though the pain isn’t as profound as it was the first year, it still cuts deep when I take a moment to pause and reminisce. When I open my archives to revisit the events of your last days when I would visit you at 2 am just to assure you that it was going to be alright, my heart just breaks with pain.

The 14th of February used to be one of our favourite dates on the calendar. I used to remind you about Valentine’s from the 1st day of February until the 14th little did I know that I will be reminded of this day with so much pain.

I know people say it gets better with time but it doesn’t get any better, it just becomes different in how I have to deal with things. I still feel robbed, I always question why me, I still wonder how this plays into God’s plan for me? How could this be part of any plan? But I’m always reminded of Job when he tried to question God (Job 38:4) “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation’? Tell me, if you understand… that statement alone humbles me, I know God remains faithful and your soul is in a better place.

Rest in eternal peace, my love.

By A Correspondent- MDC supporters have turned up in their numbers to support treason accused Job Sikhala at Masvingo High Court.

MDC President Nelson Chamisa is also expected to attend the trial in solidarity with the Zengeza West legislator.

Watch the live video loading below for this and more….

By A Correspondent- Police in Masvingo used water canons on MDC supporters who had gathered at Masvingo High court in solidarity with treson accused party deputy national chairperson Job Sikhala.

Sikhala is set to get his judgement delivered today and indications are that MDC president Nelson Chamisa will attend the court case in solidarity.

Said an MDC official:

“Mnangagwa is just vindicating what the people of Zim have been saying that he is not in total control of the state it is the army…

We have never witnessed such cruelty we’ve never witnessed such barbaric act that innocent Zimbabweans can be tortured, can be beaten just for sitting more than 200m away from the court, waiting for the judgement of Job Sikhala, that’s pathetic on the part of the government.”

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By A Correspondent- The trial of treason accused opposition MDC Deputy national Chairperson continues today at Masvingo Magistrates court.

Watch the live video loading below for this and more…..

By A Correspondent- The trial of opposition MDC Deputy national chairperson Job Sikhala continues at Masvingo magistrates court today.

There was heavy police presence in Masvingo this morning.

Watch the video loading below for this and more..

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest updates.

Zimbabwe has announced that it will now have targeted subsidies for locals.

It will have mealie meal coupons for what it decides are vulnerable people across all provinces.

Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said this:

A targeted coupon scheme for the vulnerable is in the offing with the compilation of a database at an advanced stage

Who is in that database is not clear as the policy was just announced without the public being educated via mass distribution systems as far as we know of where one can register for the coupons. On top of that, nothing is said of one gets onto this database which prompted the biggest opposition party MDC to say the targeted people for subsidies wouldbe members of Zanu-pf.

The politics aside, the coupons themselves create another path for corruption. The subsidies themselves had essentially made a commodity like mealie meal a currency of its own, with those accessing it reselling the product for more.

The same way fuel coupons in the 2000s and now became a form of payment a coupon could become something that can be exploited as well. The corrupt will simply get a book of coupons and sell them off for say $50. With fuel officially at $70 as the government chases the black market price for some reason, a person will find a $20 save as significant. And if coupon maize is more guaranteed than the one in the shop because it is vulnerable people who are targeted it will make it gold dust.

With Zimbabwe obsessing about how it is a mono-currency, finding other ways for people to trade seems like a walk in a different directions.

This move also balkanises the population by parceling it out distinctly by those who can access certain products other than others. Whereas in other countries social services that support the most vulnerable have clear statutes, procedures and are backed by laws, this feels a little made up in a fit of panic.

The appetite for the dangerous in this economy is a bit strange.

Windhoek — Monica Geingos is on a mission to change the image of African first ladies and tackle sexism and inequality in Namibia, the world’s second most unequal country

Promising to give away all her wealth – estimated at $3 million – to charity when she dies, Monica Geingos is on a mission to change the image of African first ladies and tackle sexism and inequality in Namibia, the world’s second most unequal country.

Geingos married Hage Geingob on Valentine’s Day in 2015 – a month before he was sworn in as president of the southern African desert nation, which gained independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990 but remains starkly unequal.

The couple then voluntarily declared their combined assets of some 110 million Namibian dollars ($7.44 million), a popular move in a continent where politicians and their wives, like Zimbabwe’s Grace Mugabe, grab headlines over unexplained riches.

“I strongly believe that inheritance is one of the biggest drivers of inequality,” the 43-year-old lawyer and former head of Namibia’s first and largest private equity fund, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview at State House.

“If I’m telling poor children that they must be well educated, have the right attitude, and they must stay away from self-destructive behaviour and they’ll be fine, then surely that message should apply to my kids too?”

About 6% of Namibia’s 2.5 million people are white. They dominate businesses and land ownership, a legacy of German and South African colonial rule, along with a growing black elite.

Her veteran politician husband, who is about 30 years her senior, both have children from previous marriages.

Geingob faced criticism last year over the ‘fishrot’ scandal involving allegations that two ministers received kickbacks from an Icelandic fishing company in exchange for fishing quotas. Both men were arrested.

PRIVILEGE

While presidents’ wives are often portrayed as promiscuous, materialistic or political meddlers, said Geingos, her contemporaries are in reality doctors, economists and academics “who ran very productive lives before they became first ladies”.

Geingos has thrown her weight as first lady behind the One Economy Foundation, which she founded in 2016, and plans to leave all her money to it when she dies.

“Of all my achievements, the title of first lady resonates the least with me because it’s the one title that I have really done nothing to deserve, that I got by virtue of marriage,” said Geingos, whose husband won a second and final term in November.

“It is, to me, a form of unearned privilege but … it has changed a lot of my views on socio-economic issues in the country,” she said, adding that it felt “schizophrenic” to witness both wealth and poverty in her life and work.

Geingos’ parents were only allowed a basic primary education under Namibia’s racially segregated regime – an injustice which she said drives her to make the most of her life.

Her charity lends money to entrepreneurs, gives grants to students and supports victims of gender-based violence. Its board members include a security guard and a domestic worker.

Geingos offered free legal and psychosocial support to victims of sexual harassment last year when Namibia’s own #MeToo movement went viral on social media, with hundreds of women naming and shaming sexual predators.

Namibia ranked 12 out of 153 surveyed countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap, beating Denmark and France.

But Geingos said sexism remains common in Namibia’s private sector and media, which is quick to tear down prominent women like Isabel Dos Santos, Africa’s richest woman and daughter of Angola’s former president, recently accused of corruption.

“I am not saying she isn’t guilty. But there is a lack of consistency (in media coverage),” Geingos said adding that she and Geingob will soon update their wealth declaration.

“You will always be accused of everything under the sun in these kind of roles. But what you can do is put the information out there and let people decide themselves.”

She denied rumours of her presidential ambitions.

“I am not available for any executive political function … I am very convinced that you do not need to be a politician to effect change,” she said. “But I do feel this deep need that I can and I must do more.”

Own Correspondent|Farmers have expressed mixed feelings over delays in the distribution of Command Agriculture inputs from their local Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots.

Farmers say the slow pace at which they were receiving inputs like fertilizer from the GMB was disturbing.

In an interview with Zim Morning Post at the Norton GMB Depot where they had camped for a week while waiting for inputs, some Mashonaland West farmers said they had not got the promised fertilizers, adding the programme had been hi-jacked by corrupt people within Zanu PF and the government.

“We have been told since last month to come and collect our fertilizers but we are now being told different thingd,” Tawanda Makwembere, a Mashonaland West farmer, said.

“We are reading in the Press that people in Harare – who are not farmers – are being seen transporting tonnes of Command Agriculture programme fertilizers.

“What is going on?” Makwembere queried.

Albert Mubaiwa of Waterfalls was allegedlly found in illegal possession of fertilizer meant for the government’s Command Agriculture scheme by Mbare police officers.

Mubaiwa allegedlly confirmed to police that the 27 tonnes of fertilizers he was in possession of were Command Agriculture inputs, adding that he however had all the requisite papers.

“What is this,” said Makwembere.

Currently, Zimbabwe is under the throng of a biting drought, with the country having to import grain and other basic commodities from countries such as Zambia and Tanzania.

Source: Zim Morning Post

A headman drowned in Mbire, while at least 13 learners at Chitenje Secondary School in Karoi were yesterday struck and injured by lightning as heavy rains wreak havoc in different parts of the country.

Houses, livestock and property were destroyed in Chinhoyi.

This followed the death of one person in Binga on Tuesday and the extensive damage to infrastructure in the area and in Chimanimani, where 181 homes were destroyed, while two bridges were swept away.

The Department of Civil Protection Unit said it was on high alert and will continue to work with relevant authorities, including the police, Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), education officials, relief agencies and traditional leaders to see how they can reduce the damage caused by floods and heavy rains.

The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has forecasted scattered afternoon and evening thundershowers to continue today in all Mashonaland, Harare, Midlands and northern parts of Manicaland provinces, while the rest of the country is expected to start experiencing a decline in rainfall activity starting today.

There were widespread rains across the country on Wednesday, with considerable amounts recorded at Mukandi (94 millimetres), Sutsuku 92mm, Nyakomba 75mm, Chimhanda 67mm, Nyanga 62mm and Mutasa 56mm.

“Zimbabwe has been experiencing significant rains since February 6, and these rains persisted in most parts of the country,” said MSD yesterday. “Heavy downpours greater than 100mmm in 24 hours were recorded at a number of stations.

“The rainfall was not evenly distributed as some had localised heavy downpours, while some areas could receive much less rainfall. The significant reduction in rainfall activity is expected starting today with southern areas, including Matabeleland North, Bulawayo metropolitan southern areas of Midlands as well as Masvingo.

“The intensity of the rainfall is expected to decline as we move into Saturday and Sunday.”

Department of Civil Protection director Mr Nathan Nkomo yesterday urged people in Chimanimani, Manicaland, and Mashonaland Central to be on high alert as the ground had reached saturation levels which will result in floods.

He said in Binga, rescue operations were continuing.

“We are liaising with Petrotrade, the

only company which is running a fuel station there to ensure that supplies are in place to ensure mobility of rescue teams,” said Mr Nkomo.

“We had a successful stakeholders meeting this afternoon (yesterday) where it was agreed that focus on disaster preparedness activities should not only be focused on Binga, but Manicaland and Mashonaland Central, as the risk of flooding is high because heavy rains are still expected there until Saturday.”

In Masvingo, hundreds of schoolchildren across the province’s seven administrative districts have over the past few days failed to attend lessons after failing to cross flooded rivers.

While provincial education director Mr Zedious Chitiga could not give exact figures of affected schoolchildren, he said the development was worrisome.

Mr Chitiga said they were still waiting for reports from districts indicating the extent of the problem.

“We have noted with concern that pupils are foregoing school as they fail to cross flooded rivers in most areas and it’s a sad scenario,” he said.

Some of the flooded rivers blocking schoolchildren from learning include Mutirikwi and Pokoteke in Masvingo District, Runde and Chiredzi rivers in Chiredzi and Devure and Mungezi rivers in Gutu.

Masvingo District Civil Protection Unit chairman, Mr Roy Hove said: “The Civil Protection Unit (CPU) is on high alert for tragedies likely to emanate from the heavy rains and river flooding.

“The CPU will continue to work hand-in-glove with the police, education officials and traditional leaders in this regard.”

Acting Masvingo provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dehwa urged parents to accompany their children to school to prevent flood risks associated with crossing flooded rivers.

In Mashonaland Central, one person drowned in Mbire, while several people in five villages in Muzarabani were displaced due to the rising water levels in Hoya River.

The province has already activated its civil protection committees.

The CPU is on standby for evacuations in Mbire and Muzarabani, which are the two flood prone areas that are now at risk.

Bindura District development coordinator Mr Richard Chipfuva yesterday said a house was struck by lightning, while another collapsed in Mbire.

“The incessant rains have caused dam levels to rise, especially in low-lying areas of Mbire and Muzarabani,” he said.

“There is imminent threat to settlements downstream. A village head in Mbire, Mr Kapembere, drowned while trying to cross Hunyani River.

“One house was struck by lightning in Kanyemba and all properties were lost. Seven members of the family were not injured.”

In the same area, a house collapsed leaving three family members homeless.

Water levels in Hoya, Musengezi and Nzoubvunda rivers were reported to be rising rapidly, affecting villages in Chadereka, while some families have started moving to higher ground.

Areas like Kairezi, Chiwenga, Mutemapungu are now cut off because there is no bridge that can connect them.

“In Chadereka, five homesteads were razed to the ground and one man was injured when the house he was sleeping in collapsed,” said Mr Chipfuva. “Livestock and a granary were swept away. Most of the crops in the fields were destroyed.”

Civil protection units in Mbire and Muzarabani have stocked non-food items and require assistance with foodstuffs.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority latest dam level update shows that the national dam level average has risen to 50,4 percent up from 49, 6 percent on February 6, 2020.