Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s estranged wife, Marry Mubaiwa, was yesterday denied bail for allegedly assaulting the family’s housemaid at Hellenic School in Borrowdale following an altercation over the custody of children last week.

She was remanded in custody to February 14. In passing the ruling, Harare regional magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande said although the case was one of common assault, the accused had a propensity for violence since she committed the crime while on bail for another case.

The State was represented by prosecutors Clemence Chimbare, Michael Reza, and George and Tinashe Manokore.

The four argued that granting Mubaiwa bail would undermine the bail system as her actions showed she was “unrepented and had total disregard of the judiciary system”.

It is the State’s case that on Tuesday last week, Mubaiwa slapped Delight Munyoro (38) using the back of her hand resulting in the complainant sustaining a cut on the cheek and a loose tooth.

According to court papers: “On the 28th of January 2020 at around 12.05 hours, the complainant (Munyoro) proceeded to Hellenic Primary School, Borrowdale, Harare, to collect Michael Chiwenga, son of the accused person and Vice President Chiwenga.

“When it was time to collect the child, Batsirai Furukiya — the driver (of VP Chiwenga) — went to collect the child and the complainant (Munyoro) remained seated in the vehicle.

“When the driver was walking with the child, going to where the vehicle was parked, the accused person followed behind.

“When she arrived at the vehicle, where the complainant was seated, she started shouting at Munyoro accusing her of being a witch.

“The complainant remained quiet whilst in the car and the accused struck her once on her left cheek,” reads part of the court papers.

Mubaiwa is being represented by Harare lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa.

Last week, Ms Mubaiwa won a High Court appeal for custody of the couple’s three minor children and access to the matrimonial home.

But her joy was short-lived after VP. Chiwenga filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court, challenging the lower court’s decision.

The filing of a notice of appeal effectively suspends the court ruling until determination of the appeal.

Ms Mubaiwa was last month granted $50 000 bail for attempting to murder VP Chiwenga, illegally externalising US$1 033 000, laundering US$990 000 and fraudulently seeking to upgrade her customary union to a civil marriage without her husband’s consent.

– state media

Farai Dziva| A Zimbabwean bishop has urged MDC leader Nelson Chamisa to accept the outcome of the 2018 polls because “God approved Emmerson Mnangagwa’s victory.

Bishop Roderick Makusha of Deeper Life Ministries suggested that God “approved the rigging.”

“Sometimes even if you lose after being rigged you have to be realistic and accept the result because God would have given his stamp of approval.

You have to accept the results so that the nation can move forward.

You have to focus on the future because one day if you are still alive you will rule Zimbabwe,” said Bishop Makusha.

By Nelson Chamisa| Back in 1978, this day marked my introduction to this world. 42 years ago, in 1978 and in the ‘am’ hours on a Thursday. To be precise, at 3am, the journey started.

The world was waiting. I was overdue and had to be delivered to this world at Silveira mission in Bikita of Masvingo.

Two years before the birth of Zimbabwe in 1980, my journey had begun. I am two years older than the beautiful Zimbabwe, our country. As the nation turns 40 this year I turn 42.

I have sworn to dutifully and loyally serve my beloved country, Zimbabwe. I have been an MP and a Cabinet Minister (inclusive government) and an advocate in the superior courts of Zimbabwe.I have served in the three arms of the state.I have served my country to the best of my ability in the legislature, executive and the judiciary.I have also served internationally through representing Zimbabwe in the ACP-EU in Brussels, Belgium.I thank God’s Grace in all this.

It is my humble desire and cherished pledge to build, create and lead a New Zimbabwe before I ultimately retire from active public life. I have this strong vision and drive to make Zimbabwe great. We will make Zimbabwe a powerful, successful and wonderful nation.

But I have a confession to make ..I am a perfectionist.I’m difficult to please.I even hardly please and satisfy myself. I keep trying to be better.Excellence is my goal. I carry this infinite craving for knowledge and insatiable curiosity for wisdom. I love learning and books. I cherish knowledge, information and education. I love the Bible and the word of God. I love peace and bringing people together. I love gathering rather than scattering.I cherish uniting.

I often ask myself ..what’s next and why? who next and why ? When next and why? When I die, what next ?? I care about the ‘hereafter’ and the ‘henceforth’. For the next decade, God willing, I hope to be serving my country and the wonderful people of God in Zimbabwe before finally exiting national duty and the public space.

Thereafter, I settle to focus on leadership coaching & youth mentoring, philanthropy and winning souls for the Kingdom. I believe leaders must lead and leave. Leaders must leave and live.

I have already begun building a foundation, the The Nelson Chamisa Foundation and writing books. I have written four books yet to be published and released.

My rural home in Gutu shall be my retirement home. Where I was born, there I shall retire and there I shall finally rest. We must all be our best then rest.I must retire before I tire and get tired.

I thank and love God, the Overseer of the universe, the Master and Judge of this world. God is my creator and I am HIS. I am a composition of God’s grace and a fine definition of HIS infinite mercies. I believe in The Lord Jesus Christ as the King and saviour of my life and indeed all lives. I thank Jehovah for giving me the chance of life and yet showing me the best and greatest of life. Before we all go back to the maker, we must strive to make the world a better place and the human life worthwhile. All this, for God’s glory.

For the journey thus far, I thank Thoko my wife, Ashlee my son, my parents and the entire for their magnanimity to share me with the world.

I also profoundly salute all of you friends, my earth-mates in this world. Leadership is no easy enterprise.You encourage and support me.You continue to make me the person I am. You perfect my imperfections, you polish my blemishes, you correct my mistakes, you subsidize my inadequacies. More importantly, and in all circumstances, you cover up my shortcomings. Friends, the best is yet to come.Better days are coming!!

To Whom Much is Given, Much Will Be Required. To whom much is given, much will be expected (Luke 12:48)

God bless you.

Excellence, Difference, Brilliance!

Godisinit

pamabvihatibvi

nelson chamisa,
Under my hand, this 2nd February 2020.

Jane Mlambo| Firebrand Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa yesterday met sex workers from his constituency whom he said requested for a meeting with him to highlight the challenges they are encountering in their chosen trade.

After meeting the ladies of the night who numbered nearly 100, Mliswa said he will be looking at dealing with their social plight through introducing empowerment projects and alternative jobs.

“Meeting with commercial sex workers from the Norton community. They have sought me for assistance in various challenges they are facing in their trade.

“Most of the commercial sex workers are in it due to other pressing social issues thus we shall be looking at dealing with those through initiatives such as empowerment and providing alternative jobs.”

Yesterday, Marry Mubaiwa Chiwenga was denied bail by the Harare Magistrates on the grounds that she has propensity to commit violence.

She had been arrested on charges of assaulting her maid, the lady in the picture below.

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s estranged wife, Marry Mubaiwa, was yesterday denied bail for allegedly assaulting the family’s housemaid at Hellenic School in Borrowdale following an altercation over the custody of children last week.

She was remanded in custody to February 14. In passing the ruling, Harare regional magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande said although the case was one of common assault, the accused had a propensity for violence since she committed the crime while on bail for another case.

The State was represented by prosecutors Clemence Chimbare, Michael Reza, and George and Tinashe Manokore.

The four argued that granting Mubaiwa bail would undermine the bail system as her actions showed she was “unrepented and had total disregard of the judiciary system”.

It is the State’s case that on Tuesday last week, Mubaiwa slapped Delight Munyoro (38) using the back of her hand resulting in the complainant sustaining a cut on the cheek and a loose tooth.

According to court papers: “On the 28th of January 2020 at around 12.05 hours, the complainant (Munyoro) proceeded to Hellenic Primary School, Borrowdale, Harare, to collect Michael Chiwenga, son of the accused person and Vice President Chiwenga.

“When it was time to collect the child, Batsirai Furukiya — the driver (of VP Chiwenga) — went to collect the child and the complainant (Munyoro) remained seated in the vehicle.

“When the driver was walking with the child, going to where the vehicle was parked, the accused person followed behind.

“When she arrived at the vehicle, where the complainant was seated, she started shouting at Munyoro accusing her of being a witch.

“The complainant remained quiet whilst in the car and the accused struck her once on her left cheek,” reads part of the court papers.

Mubaiwa is being represented by Harare lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa.

Last week, Ms Mubaiwa won a High Court appeal for custody of the couple’s three minor children and access to the matrimonial home.

But her joy was short-lived after VP. Chiwenga filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court, challenging the lower court’s decision.

The filing of a notice of appeal effectively suspends the court ruling until determination of the appeal.

Ms Mubaiwa was last month granted $50 000 bail for attempting to murder VP Chiwenga, illegally externalising US$1 033 000, laundering US$990 000 and fraudulently seeking to upgrade her customary union to a civil marriage without her husband’s consent.- state media

Farai Dziva|They say there are no permanent friends in politics.

Barely two years after playing an influential role in propelling Emmerson Mnangagwa to the highest office in the land, Ezra Chadzamira has now become an enemy of the First Family, particularly Auxillia, who is reportedly pushing for the expulsion of the Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs.

Zanu PF insiders say Auxillia Mnangagwa is using Killer Zivhu and disgruntled party stalwarts in the province to push for the removal of Chadzamira from office.Chadzamira was taunted and ridiculed by Grace Mugabe as he fought in Mnangagwa’s corner.

Zivhu who ironically was Mrs Mugabe’s blue -eyed boy at the height of the Dr Amai Rallies, has also managed to win Mrs Mnangagwa’s sympathy, according to ruling party sources.

“The First Lady is pushing for the expulsion of Chadzamira because she feels he is neglecting the old guard.

She is working with Zivhu, Oppah Muchinguri and Josiah Hungwe to push Chadzamira out of office,” said a ruling party source.

Zivhu is also reportedly seeking Mrs Mnangagwa’s protection as he is facing expulsion for “abusing social media platforms.”

Zivhu was not available for a comment at the time of writing.

Three people had a close shave with death in Chinhoyi’s high-density suburb of Chikonohono when tanks filled with liquid petroleum (LP) gas caught fire and exploded on Thursday.

An eyewitness, Peter Virimo told The Herald that the fire was caused by gas leakages that were ignited by flames from a restaurant nearby.

One of the injured was the gas owner, who attempted to close the leaking cylinder valves after the fire had started.

Said Virimo:
When the guy realised that one of his tanks was leaking, he carried a toddler that was with him to safety before going back to close the valve.

A female bartender who came to witness the inferno and a physically challenged man who was also close to the accident site are said to have been the other casualties.

Chinhoyi Municipality town clerk Maxwell Kaitano told the publication that it was regrettable that the trader failed to be circumspect resulting in the accident.-State media

By A Correspondent| A Bulawayo teenager allegedly broke into Luveve High School premises and stole two laptops on Monday.

Luck Ncube (19), was arrested after he was caught charging the laptops directly from a Zesa substation through illegal connections.

The incident was confirmed by Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Inspector  Abednico Ncube on Friday.

He said:

A 19-year-old suspect has been arrested for theft and tampering with Zesa installations. The suspect was caught red-handed while charging two laptops from a Zesa power substation where he had connected an adapter directly to the power cable.

Further investigations revealed that the two laptops had been stolen by the suspect after he broke into Luveve High School premises.

Ncube is facing charges of tampering with Zesa installations, possession of an unlicensed firearm, unlawful entry and theft of property.

-Statemedia

By A Correspondent| The ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has put security forces on high alert in the capital, Harare.

There is an ongoing stop and search on all truck going into Harare on all roads, ZimEye reveals.

Whispers were all over alleging that he (Mnangagwa) “fears” a coup; and stop and search operation is countrywide at the moment.

Most roads into the CBD are being manned by armed police at least 2 police officers with AK47 rifles and no motorist can run away because they already look like they can open fire.

Is the machete phenomenon a genuine concern to the ZANU PF government?

Top politicians aligned to the ZANU PF leader reveal with evidence that the machete chaos was started by Mnangagwa himself and he is on video in the last few months threatening to use machetes on citizens as a form of punishment.

He is also on video amid the machete phenomenon, telling party members on the 14th Dec 2019 that this year, all evidence implicating him for state violence must be “nipped in the bud ” before it reaches the United Nations.

Analysts say he will this year use a cover for violence to deal with political opponents.

While efforts to get a comment from the Joint Operations Command were fruitless at the time of writing, a latest JOC report says the security forces are targeting the opposition MDC party.

While the United Nations has fingered Mnangagwa’s administration for the 1 August 2018, and the January 2019 violence, the man has continued to state the opposite.

Earlier on the Norton legislator Temba Mliswa warned that marauding machete wielding gangs that have caused massive terror through murder, rape, robbery and other forms of anarchy in parts of the country’s mining areas could work against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu-PF’s ambitions to remain the country’s governing authority.

He was speaking at the Information for Development (IDT) panel discussion forum at Sapes Trust in Harare on: “The Machete Militia: Origins, Responses and Implications.”

Mliswa said the gangs have morphed into a strong, rogue unit which enjoyed tacit army backing.

“These criminals are now working with law enforcement agents but the truth of the matter which you can take is that these guys will take them (Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF) out of power, remember this day,” said Mliswa.

“They have gone too far, they (senior Zanu-PF politicians) feel that they are helping them but they are doing more harm to the people of Zimbabwe.

“The people of Zimbabwe have a tendency to keep quiet, they have the patience to keep quiet for five years, when they vote and that is when they speak.”

Mliswa also questioned the government’s sincerity in dealing with the menace and implicated senior officials in Zanu-PF, army and police for bankrolling the terror gangs.

“He whoever controls gold, controls politics; the military is involved, the police is involved. Operation Restore Legacy happened and after that happened have we gone back to the institutions we were working with or we now have a situation where we have one institution in charge and that institution is the military at the end of the day?

“The police itself is weak because (Operation) Restore Legacy exposed the police, Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO). We say that you are weak. We (Zimbabwe Defence Forces) are the people that have brought this new dispensation (and) as a result, we are in control’.

He said it was time that senior politicians including ministers and the State security agents became honest.

“It is about time we are honest, but if the army then becomes so involved in people being killed, in situations where the law enforcement agents who arrest like the police cannot do their job then we need to ask, who is in control?”

A police operation to flush out the Mashurugwi has netted hundreds of suspected members.

However, allegations continue swirling that senior Zanu-PF politicians, army generals and the police are protecting the armed gangs.

The MDC has also pointed fingers at Mnangagwa, Minister of State Security Owen Ncube, Minister of Justice Ziyambi Ziyambi and Local Government Minister July Moyo and Zanu-PF MP Dexter Nduna as being behind the terror groups.

“I have listened to our colleagues in Zanu-PF at a high level, nobody; none of them has condemned the crisis we have in the country of organised, commanded, initiated from the top violence, which is challenging to the security of persons,” opposition leader Nelson Chamisa said last month.

“If we don’t stand up together as a people to defend ourselves, we will go the Rwanda way. We have a soft genocide taking place,” he said referring to the 1994 Rwandan genocide in which over 800 00 people were massacred. – Byo24/Additional Reporting

• LIVE program follows on ZimEye.com

ZIMBABWE’s liberation war fighters have demanded that the proposed Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board, set to take care of their welfare, should be chaired by ex-Zipra and ex-Zanla combatants on a rotational basis.

This came out during public hearings on the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, 2019 Bill, which were held in the Midlands and Matabeleland North provinces this week. The Bill is currently before Parliament.

Among other provisions the Bill will establish the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board and spell out its composition and functions. Presently, war veterans’ concerns are being championed by the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association.

Sonny Key Mguni (Bubi MP Zanu PF), who led a team of MPs from the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs who are gathering evidence from war veterans told Southern Eye that former Zipra fighters were demanding 50/50 representation on the board with their ex-Zanla counterparts.

“Everywhere the committee went in Matabeleland and Midlands, war veterans suggested there must be rotation of board chairpersonship by Zanla and Zipra,” Mguni said.

“They said if a chairperson of the board is Zanla, and their term expires, then the incoming term must be chaired by a person from Zipra,” he said. Mguni said former fighters also demanded that the title of Commander of the Defence Forces be changed to High Commander.

“Everywhere we went – and there was 100% attendance – the committee was told by war veterans that they now want the commander of the army to be a war veteran,” Mguni said.
“They said the term Commander of the Defence Forces must be changed to High Commander, adding that the person they want to command the army must be a very experienced person and not a mafikizolo (Johnny come lately),” he said.

If passed as is, the Bill will have a profound economic impact given that the former freedom fighters are pushing for their pensions to be at the same scale with a retired army major or lieutenant colonel.

“They were clear that they want their legacy respected in the same manner that World War II veterans are cherished and well taken care of. They said their children should benefit and be supported through scholarships, adding that the Bill should stipulate that their medical care should include access to hospitals outside the country,” Mguni said, adding that there were also calls for monthly stipends commensurate with the poverty datum line.Among other privileges, section 21 (1) of the Bill stipulates that war veterans are entitled to 20% of gazetted State land.

Vice President Chiwenga has for the second time refused to take food, drinks, wine, or water at public gatherings.

Sources said: “I have witnessed indications of the soaring tension between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga during the prayer meeting at the National Sports Stadium today.

After being offered a glass of water VP Chiwenga refused to take it for fear of being poisoned.”

Other sources claim that Chiwenga is not taking food in public as an operation done on him requires him to use specialised tubes to feed directly through the throat and not the normal way.

VP Chiwenga has since stopped taking food at public gatherings.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office has reportedly decided to ignore the recently acquired AirZim Boeing 777.

Sources from the national airliner and Civil Aviation Authority (CAAZ) said the President’s office has not shown any interest in using the plane for the number 1 as was hoped. It is not clear why Mnangagwa will not use the plane.

The plane purchased from Malaysia is more than 10 years old and has bad safety history after one of them vanished from the skies.

Flight MH370 disappeared from Radar a few minutes after take off with 227 passengers on board in March 2014 a move which prompted the Malaysian airline to dispose entire Boeing 777 fleet.

One official with CAAZ said fear of the plane missing may have prompted the President to ditch the new jet.

‘I am sure it is more to do with safety issues as you are aware Boeing planes are not the safest at the moment the maker has issues the Max also.

Despite the challenges I still think the 777 is safe we are yet to hear of any issue since the 2014 one and there is no legit reason for our President to fear flying it’.

Millions of scarce foreign currency will be wasted on hiring private jet from Dubai. Since taking over from the late Robert Mugabe in a coup Emmerson Mnangagwa has been blowing millions on chartered flights. Comlux the owners of the luxury jet which Mnangagwa uses charge U$30,000.00 per hour and in 2019 alone the President blew over U$15 Million.

Source: Dangwe Media

Media Statement|Ahead of a municipal by-election in Kuwadzana, Zanu PF political commissar Victor Matemadanda has distributed 28 tonnes of maize meal in a crass act of vote-buying in violation of the Electoral Act.

As usual, the captured ZEC will turn a blind eye to this violation of the laws of the land. Elsewhere, especially in rural areas and those areas where there are pending by-elections, Zanu PF continues to illegally use food as a political weapon.

This is the reason why some in the country have lost faith in the electoral route. But those of us in the MDC are a democratic party and we have sought to use democratic means in the prosecution of our struggle. We will continue to fight for reforms to ensure the electoral route is vaccinated against Zanu PF’s piranha instincts.

As a party, we have unstinting faith in democracy and in the electoral route. That has always been the culture and character of the party and that is why a comprehensive reform agenda is one of our key demands.

We challenge ZEC to take action on Matemadanda but we are well aware that the captured election management body will do no such thing.

ZEC has shown that it is an extension of Zanu PF and we challenge them to take decisive action against the Zanu PF political commissar not only to prove their autonomy but also to show their teeth, assuming they have them.

A captured ZEC is one of the reasons why the MDC national executive yesterday adopted an alternative Electoral Bill that will, among other key tenets, ensure that ZEC is a truly independent and impartial institution.

Despite Victor’s vote-buying antics, we know Zanu PF will not be victors in Kuwadzana. What Victor has simply done is dare ZEC to take action.

ZEC must step up to the plate and if they don’t take action, and by the good heavens they will not, then Victor’s Kuwadzana antics provide glaring evidence why this country is always mired in this vicious cycle of disputed elections, which has bred the illegitimacy that is at the very heart of our current national crisis.

#thepeoplesgovernment.

Luke Tamborinyoka
MDC Deputy National Spokesperson

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has foiled an attempt by 25 machete-wielding gang members to invade a mine in Chinhoyi, national police spokesperson Paul Nyathi has confirmed.

This comes at a time when the country is battling to contain the menace of machete-wielding gang members who have caused havoc in several mining towns across the country.

“Twenty-five illegal miners armed with iron bars, shovels, picks and machetes attempted to invade a mine in Makonde, Chinhoyi on January 26, 2020. Police moved in to disperse them using teargas and firing some warning shots,” Nyathi said.

The police have since launched Operation Chikorokoza Ngachipere, which has so far netted in over 2009 machete gang members across the country, as the police seek to end illegal activities in mining towns.

The on-going operation has also seen the arrest of illegal miners in Penhalonga and Matobo, according to Nyathi.
“On January 24, 2020, four men were arrested for illegal gold panning along Mutare River, Penhalonga. A 50kg bag of gold ore was recovered.  On January 25, 2020 ZRP Matobo arrested 15 people for illegal gold panning, one for possessing dagga in the on-going operation against illegal mining activities,” Nyathi said.

The High Court also this week denied bail to at least seven machete gang members, who were reportedly involved in the murder of Kadoma police constable Wonder Hokoyo in December last year.

High Court judge Amy Tsanga ruled that Lyton Panashe Tshuma, Obvious Mawire, Tonderai Musasa, Richwell Tshuma, Bornlight Mukute, Taurai Munetsi and Tinashe Demo, were not suitable candidates for bail.

The other suspect, a 14-year-old boy, has since been freed on bail.

The suspects are accused of having invaded Good Hope Mine in Kadoma on December 28 last year.

“The severity of the punishment they are likely to face in light of the crime having been committed under aggravating circumstances has been alluded to by the State and is likely to induce absconding. The strength of the State case in this instance is bolstered by the identification parade which was carried out, which unearthed two of the applicants.

“Weapons were recovered from two others. Moreover the applicants are said not to be permanently resident at the given address. It would not be in the interest of justice to release them on bail when they have tenuous ties to the place of residence,” Tsanga said, before dismissing the gang’s bail application.

MARRY Chiwenga, the estranged wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga
was Saturday remanded in custody by a Harare Magistrate after she was denied bail on fresh charges of assaulting a family maid last week.

Marry is facing charges of assaulting a family maid, Delight Munyoro who had accompanied the feuding couple’s minor children to Hellenic School in Borrowdale, Harare last Tuesday.

Denying her bail, the magistrate said Marry had a “propensity to commit crimes of violence”.

In December last year, Marry was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) officers on charges of attempting to murder her husband while he was receiving treatment at a private hospital in South Africa and spend three weeks in remand prison.

Farai Dziva|They say there are no permanent friends in politics.

Barely two years after playing an influential role in propelling Emmerson Mnangagwa to the highest office in the land, Ezra Chadzamira has now become an enemy of the First Family, particularly Auxillia, who is reportedly pushing for the expulsion of the Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs.

Zanu PF insiders say Auxillia Mnangagwa is using Killer Zivhu and disgruntled party stalwarts in the province to push for the removal of Chadzamira from office.Chadzamira was taunted and ridiculed by Grace Mugabe as he fought in Mnangagwa’s corner.

Zivhu who ironically was Mrs Mugabe’s blue -eyed boy at the height of the Dr Amai Rallies, has also managed to win Mrs Mnangagwa’s sympathy, according to ruling party sources.

“The First Lady is pushing for the expulsion of Chadzamira because she feels he is neglecting the old guard.

She is working with Zivhu, Oppah Muchinguri and Josiah Hungwe to push Chadzamira out of office,” said a ruling party source.

Zivhu is also reportedly seeking Mrs Mnangagwa’s protection as he is facing expulsion for “abusing social media platforms.”

Zivhu was not available for a comment at the time of writing.

Three people had a close shave with death in Chinhoyi’s high-density suburb of Chikonohono when tanks filled with liquid petroleum (LP) gas caught fire and exploded on Thursday.

An eyewitness, Peter Virimo told The Herald that the fire was caused by gas leakages that were ignited by flames from a restaurant nearby.

One of the injured was the gas owner, who attempted to close the leaking cylinder valves after the fire had started.

Said Virimo:
When the guy realised that one of his tanks was leaking, he carried a toddler that was with him to safety before going back to close the valve.

A female bartender who came to witness the inferno and a physically challenged man who was also close to the accident site are said to have been the other casualties.

Chinhoyi Municipality town clerk Maxwell Kaitano told the publication that it was regrettable that the trader failed to be circumspect resulting in the accident.-State media

By A Correspondent|At conventional prayer meetings, people display the holy scriptures on stage with a devotion to encounter God’s face (See examples below). People even wave the Bible – for it is all about the book and its author. You see the Bible standing out at the front or at least some scriptural extraction focusing on the Creator placated, the culture is portrayed in Exodus where Moses cried out, “show me your face Lord!” The whole purpose of prayer is thus for people to encounter the Creator’s face. But at the national sports stadium on Saturday morning people were made to encounter the face of Emmerson Mnangagwa. It was his portrait at the front and the Bible at the backside. See videos below

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Marry Mubaiwa-Chiwenga has appeared before the Magistrates Court today on charges of common assault on a maid; and has been remanded in custody after the Magistrate denied her bail on grounds that she has a “propensity to commit crimes of violence”.

More to follow….

Ahead of a municipal by-election in Kuwadzana, Zanu PF political commissar Victor Matemadanda has distributed 28 tonnes of maize meal in a crass act of vote-buying in violation of the Electoral Act.

As usual the captured ZEC will turn a blind eye to this violation of the laws of the land. Elsewhere, especially in rural areas and those areas where there are pending by-elections, Zanu PF continues to illegally use food as a political weapon.

This is the reason why some in the country have lost faith in the electoral route. But those of us in the MDC are a democratic party and we have sought to use democratic means in the prosecution of our struggle. We will continue to fight for reforms to ensure the electoral route is vaccinated against Zanu PF’s piranha instincts.

As a party, we have unstinting faith in democracy and in the electoral route. That has always been the culture and character of the party and that is why a comprehensive reform agenda is one of our key demands.

We challenge ZEC to take action on Matemadanda but we are well aware that the captured election management body will do no such thing. ZEC has shown that it is an extension of Zanu PF and we challenge them to take decisive action against the Zanu PF political commissar not only to prove their autonomy but also to show their teeth, assuming they have them.

A captured ZEC is one of the reasons why the MDC national executive yesterday adopted an alternative Electoral Bill that will, among other key tenets, ensure that ZEC is a truly independent and impartial institution.

Despite Victor’s vote-buying antics, we know Zanu PF will not be victors in Kuwadzana. What Victor has simply done is dare ZEC to take action.
ZEC must step up to the plate and if they don’t take action, and by the good heavens they will not, then Victor’s Kuwadzana antics provide  glaring evidence why this country is always mired in this vicious cycle of disputed elections, which has bred the illegitimacy that is at the very 
heart of our current national crisis.

Luke Tamborinyoka (MDC Deputy National Spokesperson)

By Jane Mlambo| A response to a post by South African News24 in which they reported about an Indonesian crocodile with a tyre stuck on its head for years, has become a source of ridicule after a Zimbabwean likened it to President Emmerson Mnangagwa affection for his scuff.

Find below screenshot to the post and @ChipsChaps’ reaction.

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube has announced that an additional $500 million in notes and coins will be put into economy in the first six months of 2020.

Ncube said that the initiative is premised at easing the cash crisis that has lingered for years now. Zimbabwe has attempted a number of tricks including the introduction of the surrogate currency, the bond note to address the cash shortage issue but results have been frustrating, so far.

The minister added that the introduction of the additional $500 million will also address the money-laundering issue.

He said:

An additional $500 million in notes and coins will be put into the economy in the first six months of 2020. We expect this to ease the demand for physical cash and you won’t be ripped off by money dealers who sell cash.

His remarks come when parallel markets are now fully established and have become defacto sources of official foreign currency exchange rates.

Economists have warned that money-laundering will continue to be a dorminant threat to the government as long as the cash crisis is not addressed.

-Statemedia

35'
ZIM 0-0 Malawi
U20 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier leg 2
1-1 aggregate
Chances to score on either end but none taken. Yet pic.twitter.com/JSEzj6udxZ

— Zimbabwe Football Association (@online_zifa) February 1, 2020

By A Correspondent- A picture of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and UFIC leader Emmanuel Makandiwa has hogged the limelight with netizens coming up with various “theories and guesses” on what the two men were discussing.

What do you think Makandiwa was telling VP Chiwenga?

Ahead of a municipal by-election in Kuwadzana, Zanu PF political commissar Victor Matemadanda has distributed 28 tonnes of maize meal in a crass act of vote-buying in violation of the Electoral Act.

As usual the captured ZEC will turn a blind eye to this violation of the laws of the land. Elsewhere, especially in rural areas and those areas where
there are pending by-elections, Zanu PF continues to illegally use food as a political weapon.

This is the reason why some in the country have lost faith in the electoral route. But those of us in the MDC are a democratic party and we have
sought to use democratic means in the prosecution of our struggle. We will continue to fight for reforms to ensure the electoral route is vaccinated
against Zanu PF’s piranha instincts.

As a party, we have unstinting faith in democracy and in the electoral route. That has always been the culture and character of the party and that
is why a comprehensive reform agenda is one of our key demands.

We challenge ZEC to take action on Matemadanda but we are well aware that the captured election management body will do no such thing. ZEC
has shown that it is an extension of Zanu PF and we challenge them to take decisive action against the Zanu PF political commissar not only to
prove their autonomy but also to show their teeth, assuming they have them.

A captured ZEC is one of the reasons why the MDC national executive yesterday adopted an alternative Electoral Bill that will, among other key
tenets, ensure that ZEC is a truly independent and impartial institution.

Despite Victor’s vote-buying antics, we know Zanu PF will not be victors in Kuwadzana. What Victor has simply done is dare ZEC to take action.
ZEC must step up to the plate and if they don’t take action, and by the good heavens they will not, then Victor’s Kuwadzana antics provide
glaring evidence why this country is always mired in this vicious cycle of disputed elections, which has bred the illegitimacy that is at the very
heart of our current national crisis.

Luke Tamborinyoka (MDC Deputy National Spokesperson)

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube is set to put into circulation an additional $500mil of notes and coins which he said will be pumped into the economy. Do you think that this move will ease the current cash crisis?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 1, 2020

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube has announced that an additional $500 million in notes and coins will be put into economy in the first six months of 2020.

Ncube said that the initiative is premised at easing the cash crisis that has lingered for years now. Zimbabwe has attempted a number of tricks including the introduction of the surrogate currency, the bond note to address the cash shortage issue but results have been frustrating, so far.

The minister added that the introduction of the additional $500 million will also address the money-laundering issue.

He said:

An additional $500 million in notes and coins will be put into the economy in the first six months of 2020. We expect this to ease the demand for physical cash and you won’t be ripped off by money dealers who sell cash.

His remarks come when parallel markets are now fully established and have become defacto sources of official foreign currency exchange rates.

Economists have warned that money-laundering will continue to be a dorminant threat to the government as long as the cash crisis is not addressed.

-Statemedia

#NationalPrayerMeeting "My Gvt is seized with putting the requisite infrastructure to stimulate economic growth. To that end, the implementation of numerous projects in mining, road construction & rehabilitation, agriculture & power creates employment for people" – @edmnangagwa pic.twitter.com/vEqDW7dx3j

— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) February 1, 2020

By Patrick Guramatunhu- To herald the 2008 to 2013 GNU as a success is a grotesque misrepresentation of historic facts that will not be allowed to go unchallenged!

“Mbeki – who helped to broker the stability-inducing 2008 government of national unity between opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and ex-president Robert Mugabe, who are both late – was in the country last December to try and nudge Mnangagwa and Chamisa to hold talks,” reported a local publication.

Rubbish!

The 2008 to 2013 GNU principle purpose was to implement the raft of democratic reforms agreed in the 2008 Global Political Agreement, the reforms were designed to ensure future elections in Zimbabwe were free, fair and credible elections and not a repeat of the blatant cheating and wanton violence of 2008! Sadly, not even one of the reforms saw the light of day. Not one!

SADC leaders made one last desperate effort to have the 2013 elections postponed until the reforms are implemented. 

“In 2013 the Maputo Summit, in June 2013, before the elections, the Maputo Summit was all about having the elections postponed – the SADC summit. I went there. I was there at the Summit and Mugabe pretended to agree to a postponement of the elections,” Dr Ibbo Mandaza told Violet Gonda. 

The SADC leaders got Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends, away from Mugabe, and warned them “If you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done!”

As we know MDC leaders ignored the warning for exactly the same reason they had ignored implementing the reforms for the last five years – greed, as David Coltart, MDC minister during the GNU, ready confessed in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe. 

“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections,” confessed Coltart.

“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”

Greed had the better of the MDC again in 2018 as they went on to contest the elections knowing fully well that not even one reforms had been implemented since the rigged elections of 2013 and therefore Zanu PF will rig those elections too. And that is exactly what happened. 

By participating in the flawed and illegal elections MDC has given some modicum of credibility and legality, as Coltart admitted, to the vote rigging and, per se, illegitimate Zanu PF regime. 

The Constitutional Court challenge of the 2018 presidential race result by MDC on the grounds that the vote counting process was flawed was an exercise in futility. The whole process was flawed and illegal and not just the counting. 

”We now have fresh evidence after the Constitutional Court determination of the dispute between us and Mnangagwa, particularly in the ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) report that was tabled in Parliament, wherein the commission is indicating that they flouted the law and the procedures of elections in announcing the elections of 2018,” said Chamisa in a recent SABC interview.

“We don’t want to have a recycling of the same old problems. This is a vicious cycle that has to be curbed so that we will have credible elections.” 

ZEC had flouted the law by failing to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, at least a month before nomination day. Chamisa and his MDC friends knew this and ignored this and many other blatant violations in the election process only to pick on the counting of the vote. This is just a time wasting gimmick, bolting the door when the horse has bolted. 

Chamisa is in SA to meet both President Cyril Ramaphosa and former President Thambo Mbeki “in a last ditch effort to foster dialogue between him and President Emmerson Mnangagwa”, according to the Daily News. 

The economic recovery President Mnangagwa had hoped for with his “Zimbabwe is open for business!” mantra has not materialised. The success of his mantra was premised on him keeping his promise to end corruption, to hold free and fair elections, etc., etc. He has failed to honour any of these promises and thus confirming that Zimbabwe was still a pariah state or be it under new management following the November 2017 coup. 

As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state, ruled by corrupt and vote rigging thugs, there will be no meaningful economic recovery. None!

Chamisa is taking advantage of the worsening economic situation to advance a false narrative that the country would be enjoying economic recovery if he had been declared the winner of the July 2018 presidential race. As a way forward, he is proposing a dialogue with Mnangagwa, presided over by a mediator, to negotiate a power sharing arrangement, Nation Transition Authority (NTA).

Since the electoral dispute is over the presidential result, MDC is proposing the party must share cabinet and presidential power with Zanu PF. Zanu PF will keep its parliamentary 2/3 majority since the parliamentary results are not disputed. 

As the main selling pitch, Chamisa insists the NTA will implement “comprehensive democratic reforms and end the curse of disputed elections”. This is nonsense. 

The NTA is a watered down version of the 2008 to 2013 GNU; with the same key players, Zanu PF and MDC, but with Zanu PF, with its 2/3 majority in parliament, holds the trump cards. The GNU failed to get ever one reform implemented in five years it is naive to believe the NTA will do any better.

It is a lie to suggest that the 2008 GNU produced stability and worse still to suggest the NTA with Zanu PF and MDC,  GNU mark 2, will do any better. The way forward is for the vote rigging, and per se, illegitimate Zanu PF regime to step down so we can appoint an independent and competent interim administration to implement the reform leading to free and fair elections.

POISONING fears in Zimbabwe’s presidium have escalated after Vice President Constantino Chiwenga on Saturday refused to drink water at the Zimbabwe Indigenous Churches organised National Day of Prayer in Harare.

The incident follows various conspiracy theories ignited after Chiwenga spent close to four months in China where he was seeking medication after an alleged poisoning scare.

Since his return Chiwenga has been refusing to consume any form of food stuff at public events.

He refused to take a glass of champagne at the official arrival of a new Air Zimbabwe aircraft last month, choosing to spill the glass’ contents on the floor.

On Saturday, Chiwenga was offered a glass of water while he was introducing President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the church organised event.

He blatantly refused to take the glass in full glare of the congregants.

It sparked further speculation that there is trouble in paradise amid reports of emerging factional wars in the ruling Zanu PF.

At the height of internal strife in Zanu PF, during the ousted late president Robert Mugabe’s regime, the then vice president Mnangagwa was poisoned at a rally in Gwanda.

-Zim Morning Post

By A Correspondent- Harare City Council has embarked on an Operation to destroy structures and businesses built illegally along Kirkman Road (which links the sprawling high-density suburb of Dzivarasekwa to the city centre), and Lomagundi Road.

Illegal Shops selling various goods ranging from construction material to live animals opposite N. Richards Wholesalers after Westlea were affected.

Harare’s corporate communications manager Michael Chideme vowed that the city council will not relent on the demolitions.

He said:

Investing in illegal settlements is a waste of time and resources.

We are encouraging people to settle on legal places to avoid having their structures destroyed. Anyone on illegal settlements should make sure that they remove their structures.

We also want to preserve wetlands; so we want people to stop putting up structures on wetlands as well.

Armed officers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and municipal police are working together during the cleanup operation.

After moving into an area, they ask the traders to destroy their structures but if they resisted, front-end loaders will be used to forcibly pull down the structures.

-statemedia

By A Correspondent- A 13 year old girl from Stanhope Village in Nyamandlovu died during a gruesome rape ordeal at the hands of her 18-year-old cousin who later allegedly burnt her body before burying it in a shallow grave, police confirmed yesterday.

He then buried it in a nearby bush. Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Simphiwe Makonese confirmed the incident which happened on Sunday last week at around 3AM. She said Moyo had been arrested.

Insp Makonese said on the day in question, Moyo was left at home with the victim and two other children. She said he woke up in the middle of the night and went to the girl’s bedroom where he allegedly raped her twice.

Insp Makonese said Moyo’s mother (45) left home on Sunday morning to visit some relatives in Bulawayo and left him with three children, his victim included. The two other children were a girl, the deceased’s young sister aged eight and a boy aged 11 years.

“They were sleeping in the same room: the boys were sleeping on the bed and the deceased was sleeping with the younger girl on the floor. At around 3AM, the accused person sneaked into the deceased’s blankets and raped her while his hand was on her mouth and the other hand on the neck choking her to muffle noises. The minor died as a result of choking,” said Insp Makonese.

She said after realising that the minor had died, the suspect took the body to a nearby bush. “He took her body and went to the bush and sprinkled it with paraffin. He burnt the body before burying it in a shallow grave,” Insp Makonese said. She said when the other children asked him about the whereabouts of his cousin, he pretended as if he did not know what had befallen her.

Insp Makonese said the deceased’s young sister went to inform the village head that her sister was missing. Upon interrogation by villagers, Moyo confessed that he had killed her.

‘’I advise parents that they must not leave the girls alone at home. They must seek an adult female who will take care of them while they are away,” said Insp Makonese. When The Chronicle visited the area, there was a sombre atmosphere.

The village head, Mr Ocean Moyo, said when the children, who were worried about the now deceased, went to his homestead to report the matter, they saw his wife as he was not home at the time.

“My wife notified other villagers who then teamed up to search for her. When the remains of the girl were found, one of my committee members called me.

“I then instructed them to call the police for help. They took my car from home which they used to go to Nyamandlovu police station and when the police came the body was exhumed. The parents of the suspect had arrived, that’s when the suspect said he raped and killed her,” said Mr Moyo.

A villager Miss Nelisiwe Dube said the deceased’s young sister first told neighbours that she could not locate her sister and they advised her to report to the headman.

She said when the deceased’s younger sister woke up in the morning and asked Moyo about her sister, he initially pretended as if he knew nothing before he later opened up saying she disappeared after they had a misunderstanding over the issue of washing plates.

The younger sister notified their neighbours who then advised her to report the matter to the village head. Another villager who identified herself as Mrs Ndlovu said: “Before they conducted the search, the villagers together with members of the neighbourhood watch apprehended Moyo after he exhibited signs that he was the one who was involved in the disappearance of his cousin.

“While searching they stumbled upon the fresh shallow grave where the victim was buried.” – state media/additional reporting

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ally Chris Mutsvangwa ranted against Vice President Constantino Chiwenga in a chance encounter with the MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa, a local publication reported.

The shock development comes as the Zanu-PF Youth League has recently become vocal against “cartels”, seen as a precursor to an all-out war with Chiwenga by first targeting his financial backer, Kudakwashe Tagwirei, an influential player in the petroleum industry.

Chamisa was at the Robert Mugabe International Airport on January 29 ahead of a trip to South Africa when he came across the chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association who was also at the airport on undisclosed business.

Two sources who witnessed the encounter said Mutsvangwa initially requested a photo to be taken with Chamisa, before launching into an unrestrained attack on Chiwenga, Mnangagwa’s ambitious deputy.

“He told Chamisa to disengage from Chiwenga, stating that the former army general was claiming influence that he did not have, both in the military and Zanu-PF,” one source said.

Chamisa reportedly expressed surprise that Mutsvangwa was associating him with Chiwenga, remarking: “You are donating me to Chiwenga, and Chiwenga donates me to you. Which is which?”

Mutsvangwa did not care who was listening, another source who witnessed the encounter said. The war vets chief, said the source, appeared convinced that Chamisa was open to a political alliance with Chiwenga.

“He was particularly dismissive of Chiwenga, questioning his fitness for higher office,” the source, who had just walked over to greet Chamisa, told ZimLive.

Referring to Chiwenga’s nasty divorce from his former model wife, Marry Mubaiwa, Mutsvangwa told Chamisa: “Don’t be fooled by a man who has a prostitute running rings around him.”

Chamisa reportedly asked “who’s the prostitute, and who’s the man?” before the two men separated, both laughing.

The encounter reveals deepening divisions in Zanu-PF, with two distinct factions – one led by Mnangagwa and the other by Chiwenga – each seeking to take decisive control of the party before the next elections in 2023.

Chiwenga was the army general who led a coup against the former late president Robert Mugabe in November 2017. He recalled Mnangagwa, Mugabe’s former deputy, from exile to make him president in a bid to sanitise the coup.

But the two men have differed sharply after Mnangagwa claimed victory in a presidential election in August 2018 by just over 35,000 votes. Chiwenga’s camp says the 76-year-old Zanu-PF leader is unelectable and has failed to effectively run the country, imperilling their project with the lurking dangers of a popular uprising or annihilation in a future election.

Mnangagwa, through his son Emmerson Junior, has reportedly engaged the Zanu-PF Youth League to push back against Chiwenga.

Youth League deputy secretary Lewis Matutu and Godfrey Tsenengamu, the political commissar, have taken to social media to launch thinly-veiled attacks on Sakunda Holdings boss, Tagwirei, believed to be Chiwenga’s moneyman.

Tagwirei, the local partner of global commodities trader, Trafigura, is accused of running a near monopoly in the petroleum industry and fleecing the state through the opaque Command Agriculture scheme run by Sakunda.

A parliamentary committee says agriculture ministry officials have failed to account for US$3 billion expenditure on the scheme, and Tagwirei has refused to testify before parliament.

Writing on Facebook on January 29, Matutu said: “How can a few individuals prosper on majority’s tears?”

Avoiding naming Tagwirei, he added in another post on January 31: “We will be judged by our deeds as a generation. Personally, l refuse to be amongst the cursed ones simply because l would have ignored evil things happening whilst watching and right now l have an opportunity to make things right #cartelsmustfall.”

Tsenengamu, also taking to Facebook, said: “We will pay the price, either for fighting the blood-sucking cartels or for smiling at them while they suffocate us. I choose to fight.”

Tsenengamu said Zimbabwe was being destroyed “not by those few who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing something positive.”

“Monday is the day #CartelsMustFall,” he wrote on January 31, hinting strongly that the Youth League would pursue some action soon.

Zanu-PF sources told ZimLive that Matutu was also personally angry after recently going to the party’s secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu, to demand that he be issued a Toyota Land Cruiser “like all other politburo secretaries”, and being rebuffed.

All Zanu-PF secretaries in the politburo had Land Cruisers purchased for them by Tagwirei, and if Matutu had been granted his wish, the party would have turned to the Sakunda boss who has used his vast fortune to buy influence.

The convergence between Matutu and Tsenengamu has surprised some, who say the two men have rarely been aligned.

“It shouldn’t surprise anyone, however, because Tsenengamu will do anything for money or a voucher. He’s shamelessly unscrupulous. For a thousand dollars, he would slap the president, he’s that sort of guy,” a member of the Youth League said.

Mnangagwa’s son, Emmerson Junior, is reportedly pulling the financial strings on the Youth League to do his father’s bidding.

Mnangagwa has identified Tagwirei – whose accounts were temporarily frozen by the Reserve Bank last year over allegations that he was manipulating the local currency – as the power behind Chiwenga, and hopes by targeting him, he would leave his 63-year-old deputy financially weaker and unable to mount any challenge to his rule.

The Zanu-PF leader has, since taking power in 2017, been reorganising the military top brass and retiring other senior officers in moves aimed at diminishing Chiwenga’s influence.

The Zimbabwe Independent reported on Friday that “an unsettled Mnangagwa” had made moves to “coup-proof” his regime by changing the commanders of the Presidential Guard, the infantry battalion which, together with the Mechanised Brigade, played a critical role in the 2017 military coup that toppled Mugabe.

The Presidential Guard, responsible for providing protection to the president and securing Harare, is a specialised force trained to fight in built up areas. It consists of two battalions, the 1 PG Battalion commonly known as State House Battalion, and the 2 PG Battalion situated in Dzivaresekwa.

Mnangagwa has named Lieutenant-Colonel Alison Chicha as the commander of 2 PG Battalion, replacing Lieutenant-Colonel Regis Mangezi, who moves over to command the 1 PG Battalion. Mangezi takes over from Lieutenant-Colonel Solomon Murombo, removed from the unit after he clashed with Mnangagwa’s wife – an incident caught on a leaked audio tape.

Mnangagwa’s wife, Auxillia, accused Murombo of spying on her and plotting to kill the president. Her outburst betrayed the first family’s fears and concerns about their security. Murombo has been shunted off to Zimbabwe Defence House, the military headquarters

-ZimLive

By A Correspondent- The military must now step in to stop machete gangs who are terrorising and killing people in many parts of the country, Norton MP Temba Mliswa has said.

Speaking at a policy dialogue meeting organised by the Southern African Political Economy Series (Sapes) Trust in conjunction with the Information for Development Trust (IDT) in Harare on Thursday, Mliswa also said he had challenged State Security minister Owen Ncube to come out in public and set the record straight concerning reports that he was behind the machete gangsters.

Mliswa said the Constitution empowers the military to help the police in dire situations.

“Machete wars have now gone out of hand and the police are struggling to contain the menace.

However, we have a mighty military force in the country. The generals of the army are also very intelligent. They don’t go to war and use that time to study. So they can actually strategise and deal with this machete gangster problem,” he said.

“Section 251 (of the Constitution) gives the army the mandate to carry out such an operation of flushing out machete gangsters. The army conducted Operation Restore Legacy which removed the late President Robert Mugabe from power. So it means the army is powerful and can manage to deal with the problem of machete gangsters,” said Mliswa.

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Mbizo MP, Settlement Chikwinya (MDC Alliance) said there was need for the authorities to interview criminals convicted of machete violence so that they explain how the menace was organised.

“In the prisons we have the small fish who were jailed due to machete violence. These are the ones who should tell us how they operated and name the big fish behind them. There have been names of top officials that have been implicated but we can only get the true stories from the small fish in the prisons,” he said.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Disheartening accident occurred yesterday along at the 58 kilometer peg along Mvurwi- Kanyemba highway, two people who were riding a motor bike crashed into scotch-cart and sustained severe injuries.

Bulawayo24.com has learnt that Tawarira Forgiveness (27) who was together with Godknows Shungu on his motorbike underestimated the speed of ox drawn cart and tried to overtake.

In result of that underestimation Forgiveness who was driving is said to have rammed into the cart and both of them were seriously injured.

Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mudembe confirmed the accident.

The duo is presently admitted at Guruve hospital.

In relation to the incident the police warned people to put reflections on ox drawn carts for road users to see at night.

By Patrick Guramatunhu- To herald the 2008 to 2013 GNU as a success is a grotesque misrepresentation of historic facts that will not be allowed to go unchallenged!

“Mbeki – who helped to broker the stability-inducing 2008 government of national unity between opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and ex-president Robert Mugabe, who are both late – was in the country last December to try and nudge Mnangagwa and Chamisa to hold talks,” reported the Daily News.

Rubbish!

The 2008 to 2013 GNU principle purpose was to implement the raft of democratic reforms agreed in the 2008 Global Political Agreement, the reforms were designed to ensure future elections in Zimbabwe were free, fair and credible elections and not a repeat of the blatant cheating and wanton violence of 2008! Sadly, not even one of the reforms saw the light of day. Not one!

SADC leaders made one last desperate effort to have the 2013 elections postponed until the reforms are implemented. 

“In 2013 the Maputo Summit, in June 2013, before the elections, the Maputo Summit was all about having the elections postponed – the SADC summit. I went there. I was there at the Summit and Mugabe pretended to agree to a postponement of the elections,” Dr Ibbo Mandaza told Violet Gonda. 

The SADC leaders got Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends, away from Mugabe, and warned them “If you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done!”

As we know MDC leaders ignored the warning for exactly the same reason they had ignored implementing the reforms for the last five years – greed, as David Coltart, MDC minister during the GNU, ready confessed in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe. 

“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections,” confessed Coltart.

“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”

Greed had the better of the MDC again in 2018 as they went on to contest the elections knowing fully well that not even one reforms had been implemented since the rigged elections of 2013 and therefore Zanu PF will rig those elections too. And that is exactly what happened. 

By participating in the flawed and illegal elections MDC has given some modicum of credibility and legality, as Coltart admitted, to the vote rigging and, per se, illegitimate Zanu PF regime. 

The Constitutional Court challenge of the 2018 presidential race result by MDC on the grounds that the vote counting process was flawed was an exercise in futility. The whole process was flawed and illegal and not just the counting. 

”We now have fresh evidence after the Constitutional Court determination of the dispute between us and Mnangagwa, particularly in the ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) report that was tabled in Parliament, wherein the commission is indicating that they flouted the law and the procedures of elections in announcing the elections of 2018,” said Chamisa in a recent SABC interview.

“We don’t want to have a recycling of the same old problems. This is a vicious cycle that has to be curbed so that we will have credible elections.” 

ZEC had flouted the law by failing to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, at least a month before nomination day. Chamisa and his MDC friends knew this and ignored this and many other blatant violations in the election process only to pick on the counting of the vote. This is just a time wasting gimmick, bolting the door when the horse has bolted. 

Chamisa is in SA to meet both President Cyril Ramaphosa and former President Thambo Mbeki “in a last ditch effort to foster dialogue between him and President Emmerson Mnangagwa”, according to the Daily News. 

The economic recovery President Mnangagwa had hoped for with his “Zimbabwe is open for business!” mantra has not materialised. The success of his mantra was premised on him keeping his promise to end corruption, to hold free and fair elections, etc., etc. He has failed to honour any of these promises and thus confirming that Zimbabwe was still a pariah state or be it under new management following the November 2017 coup. 

As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state, ruled by corrupt and vote rigging thugs, there will be no meaningful economic recovery. None!

Chamisa is taking advantage of the worsening economic situation to advance a false narrative that the country would be enjoying economic recovery if he had been declared the winner of the July 2018 presidential race. As a way forward, he is proposing a dialogue with Mnangagwa, presided over by a mediator, to negotiate a power sharing arrangement, Nation Transition Authority (NTA).

Since the electoral dispute is over the presidential result, MDC is proposing the party must share cabinet and presidential power with Zanu PF. Zanu PF will keep its parliamentary 2/3 majority since the parliamentary results are not disputed. 

As the main selling pitch, Chamisa insists the NTA will implement “comprehensive democratic reforms and end the curse of disputed elections”. This is nonsense. 

The NTA is a watered down version of the 2008 to 2013 GNU; with the same key players, Zanu PF and MDC, but with Zanu PF, with its 2/3 majority in parliament, holds the trump cards. The GNU failed to get ever one reform implemented in five years it is naive to believe the NTA will do any better.

It is a lie to suggest that the 2008 GNU produced stability and worse still to suggest the NTA with Zanu PF and MDC,  GNU mark 2, will do any better. The way forward is for the vote rigging, and per se, illegitimate Zanu PF regime to step down so we can appoint an independent and competent interim administration to implement the reform leading to free and fair elections.

By A Correspondent- The leader of the opposition MDC, advocate Nelson Chamisa has said that the socio-economic and political crises were as a result of the toxic politics in the country adding that by working together can this country be revived again.

He speaks when the nation is divided over almost everything. There is always binary characterisation of citizens, one is either a supporter or member of the MDC or belongs to the ruling ZANU PF. There is no room for objective thinking!

Posting on microblogging site, Twitter, Chamisa said:

Everywhere I went in South Africa, I met anxious yet hopeful Zimbabweans working so hard to help families at home. Zimbos love their country& expect the problems to be fixed. We must fix our politics to fix the economy. We do it as one. Good politics invites good business.

Efforts have been made, however, to bring the standoff between ZANU PF and the MDC to an end yet there seems the concerned parties are not prepared to deescalate.

Chamisa’s remarks are a strong redolent of the sentiments by many analysts who have often said that the impasse was hamstringing efforts to revive the economy and to reengage the international community.

By A Correspondent- Cuban Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Carmelina Ramirez Rodriguez has said Cuba is likely to increase the number of doctors serving in Zimbabwe in the near future.

Cuba currently has 36 doctors operating in Zimbabwe under a government-to-government arrangement.

Ambassador Rodriguez said this while briefing journalists after meeting Acting President Kembo Mohadi at his Munhumutapa offices yesterday.

She said Harare and Havana enjoyed deep-rooted relations which dated back to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.

“Our relations date back to the 1970s when the liberation movement was training. We were talking about how to increase cooperation. We have cooperation in health and in education at the Bindura University of Science Education. We have some professors there and also our doctors are all around the country. Currently we have 36 doctors,” said Ambassador Rodriguez.

Asked if there was a likelihood that Cuba could increase the number of its doctors in Zimbabwe, she said: “Of course, we have doctors everywhere in Africa, so we can see that our cooperation in health is very important to help Zimbabwe and support the people of this beautiful country.”

When she met Senate president Mabel Chinomona last year, Ambassador Rodriguez called for stronger ties between Zimbabwe and Cuba.

“In light of the international politics we are currently experiencing, countries like Cuba and Zimbabwe have to cooperate and share ideas, including with other Third World countries,” she said.

“We have developed cooperation in many sectors, particularly in health and education, with a lot of Zimbabweans having studied in Cuba while a number of doctors from the health brigade have been to Zimbabwe,” she said.

Zimbabwe and Cuba shared a common history.Both countries are reeling from the unjustified US sanctions which seek to influence global politics either through war or other punitive measures. As brotherly countries, some Zimbabwean doctors and other experts were trained in Cuba.-statemedia

By A Correspondent- Three top members of the presidential guard, Blessmore Tembo (32), Gilbert Charuma (31) and Liberty Munemo (31) together with a former broadcaster, Musorowegomo Mukosi (41) on Thursday 30 January appeared before Mt Darwin magistrate Rutendo Muchena facing assault charges.

News Day reports that the accused were granted $500 bail each.

Reports suggest that the accused were arrested for allegedly assaulting 15 villagers and forcefully tried to take Chin gold mine in Mt Darwin.

The prosecutor told the court that the accused pounced on Mushaki Business Centre, Mt Darwin, armed with a pistol and demanded identity cards from artisanal miners, assaulted them before they disappeared.

The assaulted individuals reportedly regrouped, pursued the quartet and effected citizen arrest on the suspects.

The alleged assault happens when there is chaos in the mining sector caused by the notorious machete gangs popularly known as Mashurugwi or Al Sabab.

Machete gangs have all along been torturing, killing and or robbing miners and members of the public, particularly in mining towns until recently when reports suggested that they were even invading cities including Harare.

Economic analysts have warned that the anarchy in the mining sector might scare off potential investors and also the country risked losing potential revenue as performance is affected by the violence.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- A man from Chidobe outside Victoria Falls town has been hospitalised with fractured ribs after he was assaulted by a neighbour.

Mr Lungisani Weza (41) of BH36 under Chief Mvuthu had confronted his neighbour Fanuel Sibanda (40) about a herd of cattle that had grazed his maize crop.

Sibanda allegedly responded by assaulting Mr Weza with a knobkerrie on the ribs.

The incident, which happened last year, only came to court this week as police were still carrying out investigations.

Sibanda pleaded not guilty to assault when he appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje. He told the court that he acted in self-defence after Mr Weza confronted him armed with an axe and a log.

“I was about to drive my herd of cattle away when he followed me carrying a log and axe. He hit me once on my left shoulder and that is when I snatched the log from him,” said Sibanda. The magistrate remanded Sibanda out of custody on his own cognisance to February 27.

Prosecuting, Mr Onias Nyathi said the two neighbours had a misunderstanding after the complainant’s cattle strayed into the accused’s field.

“On 7 January 2019, Mr Weza went to his field around 5pm to drive out the accused’s herd of cattle that had strayed into the field. Upon arrival, he saw the accused and questioned him why he was leaving his cattle feeding on his crops. The accused person went on to assault the complainant by striking him several times on the head and the ribs using a knobkerrie,” said Mr Nyathi.

He said Mr Weza suffered three broken ribs and sustained a swollen left hand.  He was taken to  Victoria Falls Hospital before being transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo. Sibanda was arrested after a report was made to the police.

-StateMedia

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By A Correspondent- Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has called for military intervention to stop machete gangs who are terrorising and killing people in many parts of the country.

Speaking at a policy dialogue meeting organised by the Southern African Political Economy Series (Sapes) Trust in conjunction with the Information for Development Trust (IDT) in Harare on Thursday, Mliswa also said he had challenged State Security minister Owen Ncube to come out in public and set the record straight concerning reports that he was behind the machete gangsters.

Mliswa said the Constitution empowers the military to help the police in dire situations.

“Machete wars have now gone out of hand and the police are struggling to contain the menace.

However, we have a mighty military force in the country. The generals of the army are also very intelligent. They don’t go to war and use that time to study. So they can actually strategise and deal with this machete gangster problem,” he said.

“Section 251 (of the Constitution) gives the army the mandate to carry out such an operation of flushing out machete gangsters. The army conducted Operation Restore Legacy which removed the late President Robert Mugabe from power. So it means the army is powerful and can manage to deal with the problem of machete gangsters,” said Mliswa.

Mbizo MP, Settlement Chikwinya (MDC Alliance) said there was need for the authorities to interview criminals convicted of machete violence so that they explain how the menace was organised.

“In the prisons we have the small fish who were jailed due to machete violence. These are the ones who should tell us how they operated and name the big fish behind them. There have been names of top officials that have been implicated but we can only get the true stories from the small fish in the prisons,” he said.

State Media|THE National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) is in the process of educating the police about Gukurahundi as law enforcement officers will play an important role of summoning witnesses to testify during the commission’s hearings on the issue.

The Commission will this week also outline its work plan on addressing Gukurahundi including the sensitive issue of exhumation and reburial of victims of post independence disturbances in Matabeleland and the Midlands provinces.

NPRC chairperson Retired Justice Selo Nare said the commission has engaged the police and observed that junior officers do not seem to understand issues relating to Gukurahundi, hence do not see the reason why it should be spoken about.

“Some young police officers believe this should not be talked about. We have held courses for the police so that they have a knowledge of what we are doing so that if we go to Maphisa, the public will not be frightened by the presence of the police thinking that they will come after them,” said Rtd Justice Nare.

He said the NPRC’s first interactions with the police was with Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga and his top lieutenants last year.

Rtd Justice Nare said in their discussions, the commission made it clear that President Mnangagwa has encouraged citizens to speak freely about Gukurahundi.

“We quoted very freely what the President said and what the former President (late Cde Robert Mugabe) had said. President Mnangagwa has said that people should talk very freely about Gukurahundi.

“There is change and police appreciate that. The thematic group on investigations (that is where the police come in), that is where in terms of the Act you can go to the police so that they can subpoena some people to come and give evidence. Police have a role to play in the reconciliation process,” said Rtd Justice Nare.

He said the commission will next week outline its work plan on addressing Gukurahundi as the exhumation process has taken long to commence.

“Let me talk to you about the sensitive area of Gukurahundi. We should have been there yesterday had we not been told to put on hold the exhumations. But also, we are short staffed but the research teams will be on the ground as quickly as possible. We had a planning retreat which took place in Kadoma where we were planning the way forward. This coming week we should wrap up the process and we will produce a document of where to go, what steps to take next,” he said.

Rtd Justice Nare said while some political figures might claim that the late former President Cde Mugabe and late former Vice President Joshua Nkomo resolved Gukurahundi, a lot still needs to be done at grassroots level.

“We as NPRC say that was at the top level not the people at the bottom. People at the bottom were not involved at all. They were not asked whether they want reparations, whether they want an apology. What we hear now from the ground when we talk to the people is that they are looking for an apology, other things will follow but an apology to them is necessary. Some people might look for development and other things,” said Rtd Justice Nare.

He said provincial peace committees will play an important role in addressing some of the Gukurahundi issues.

Rtd Justice Nare said the NPRC has also engaged local universities who have staff specialising in peace building in trying to resolve some of the existing conflicts.

OUTSPOKEN Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has warned marauding machete wielding gangs that have caused massive terror through murder, rape, robbery and other forms of anarchy in parts of the country’s mining areas could work against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu-PF’s ambitions to remain the country’s governing authority.

He was speaking at the Information for Development (IDT) panel discussion forum at Sapes Trust in Harare on: “The Machete Militia: Origins, Responses and Implications.”

Mliswa said the gangs have morphed into a strong, rogue unit which enjoyed tacit army backing.

“These criminals are now working with law enforcement agents but the truth of the matter which you can take is that these guys will take them (Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF) out of power, remember this day,” said Mliswa.

“They have gone too far, they (senior Zanu-PF politicians) feel that they are helping them but they are doing more harm to the people of Zimbabwe.

“The people of Zimbabwe have a tendency to keep quiet, they have the patience to keep quiet for five years, when they vote and that is when they speak.”

Mliswa also questioned the government’s sincerity in dealing with the menace and implicated senior officials in Zanu-PF, army and police for bankrolling the terror gangs.

“He whoever controls gold, controls politics; the military is involved, the police is involved. Operation Restore Legacy happened and after that happened have we gone back to the institutions we were working with or we now have a situation where we have one institution in charge and that institution is the military at the end of the day?

“The police itself is weak because (Operation) Restore Legacy exposed the police, Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO). We say that you are weak. We (Zimbabwe Defence Forces) are the people that have brought this new dispensation (and) as a result, we are in control’.

He said it was time that senior politicians including ministers and the State security agents became honest.

“It is about time we are honest, but if the army then becomes so involved in people being killed, in situations where the law enforcement agents who arrest like the police cannot do their job then we need to ask, who is control?”

A police operation to flush out the Mashurugwi has netted hundreds of suspected members.

However, allegations continue swirling that senior Zanu-PF politicians, army generals and the police are protecting the armed gangs.

The MDC has also pointed fingers at Mnangagwa, Minister of State Security Owen Ncube, Minister of Justice Ziyambi Ziyambi and Local Government Minister July Moyo and Zanu-PF MP Dexter Nduna as being behind the terror groups.

“I have listened to our colleagues in Zanu-PF at a high level, nobody; none of them has condemned the crisis we have in the country of organised, commanded, initiated from the top violence, which is challenging to the security of persons,” Chamisa said last month.

“If we don’t stand up together as a people to defend ourselves, we will go the Rwanda way. We have soft genocide taking place,” he said referring to the 1994 Rwandan genocide in which over 800 00 people were massacred.

The IDT public forum was also attended by MDC Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya and Charles Masunungure from the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) who were part of the panellists.

State Media|THE Government is working on non-monetary benefits including a cost-effective solar power facility for civil servants to be rolled out in the first quarter of the year in an effort to improve their conditions of service.

Other schemes include introduction of medical and pension fund schemes, vehicle import, housing and establishment of a public service training academy to upgrade workers’ skills.

Non-monetary benefits were not on the agenda at the Tripartite Negotiating Forum that met on the sidelines of the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) and Health Service Bipartite Negotiating Panel workshop where a salary increase deal was struck this week in Victoria Falls.

However, the issue was topical during NJNC discussions where both Government and public service representatives concurred that improving working conditions was key to the country’s socio-economic development.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima said Government was committed to improving the conditions of service for public servants.

The minister said he would be seeking final Cabinet approval for the establishment of the Public Service Academy in the next few weeks.

Public Service Commission deputy chair Ambassador Mary Margaret Muchada said a cost-effective solar project for civil servants will be rolled out. An extra 30 buses will be added to the 60 already dedicated for civil servants’ transport in a scheme launched last year.

“We have over 60 buses on the road for civil servants and we are expecting 30 more in the not so distant future. Their fares are not economical but Government is subsidising for the sake of workers.

“The PSC is pursuing a project for cost-effective solar power facilities at civil servants’ households in the next three months. The repayment period will be spread over a reasonable period of time,” said Ambassador Muchada.

She said plans were advanced for the establishment of medical and pension fund schemes under which employee benefits will be invested on the money market with the help of Treasury.

Ambassador Muchada said the PSC was engaging the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities over a civil servants’ housing scheme.

Apex Council president Mrs Cecilia Alexander said Government had for a long time not prioritised civil servants’ non-monetary needs.

“Non-monetary benefits like pension, healthcare and housing schemes are critical for civil servants. Administration of pensions has been a thorny issue with some citizens dying miserable deaths and many of the victims of land barons are civil servants who have been conned while some had their houses demolished after being duped. We need clear ways of putting non-monetary benefits in place as we address conditions of service,” she said.

State Media|Harare City Council has descended on illegal businesses operating on roadsides, demolishing structures, including car sales and cabins.

The demolitions will be extended to houses built on illegal land and wetlands.

Council has a court order to demolish illegal houses in Crowborough Farm and Westlea.

Yesterday, municipal police together with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), descended on businesses operating illegally along Tynwald Road in Westlea and Solomon Mujuru Drive (formerly Kirkman Drive).

Businesses operating along Solomon Mujuru Drive towards Dzivaresekwa and Lomagundi Roads, are set to be destroyed in the next few days.

Those affected by the blitz include car dealers and people selling cabins, bricks, pre-cast walls, flowers, goats, sheep, cement and charcoal.

Illegal shops selling construction steel, cement and roofing timber opposite N. Richards Wholesalers after Westlea were not spared.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and municipal police officers, who were armed, would ask the traders to destroy their structures but if they resisted, a front-end loader would move in.

The city’s corporate communications manager Mr Michael Chideme said people operating illegally have already been served with notices.

He said there was no going back on the demolitions, which are part of efforts to clean-up the city in line with the vision of a World Class City by 2025.

“Investing in illegal settlements is a waste of time and resources,” said Mr Chideme.

“We are encouraging people to settle on legal places to avoid having their structures destroyed. Anyone on illegal settlements should make sure that they remove their structures.

“We also want to preserve wetlands; so we want people to stop putting up structures on wetlands as well.”

Solomon Mujuru Drive expressed sadness over the demolitions, claiming they were paying rates to the local district offices and were shocked to see a front-end loader demolishing their structures.

Chairman of the Kirkman Traders Association Mr Fidelis Magava said they were not served with eviction notices.

“When we started these projects, we paid rates to council and we agreed to pay $300 every month to operate our businesses here,” he said.

“Council then told us that there were people operating under electricity lines and they needed to be removed. Today (yesterday) we are shocked to see a front-end loader coming to destroy our businesses.

“But if the clean-up is meant to create a safe environment for us, we have no problem with it. What worries us is that we have lost our property and council did not give us any notice so that we remove important things.”

Addressing a Wetlands Indaba at Town House on Thursday, Harare Mayor Councillor Herbert Gomba warned that the demolition of houses built on illegal sites was imminent.

“Right now, we must be able to find money to pay the Messenger of Court so that our demolition team can start demolition of houses.

“We are starting our operation next week in Crowborough. Those people who are illegally occupying wetlands will be forced to vacate. People should not settle on wetlands as it affects our environment.

“A team has been set up to demolish illegal structures, and people occupying the land should vacate. We have to protect human rights to shelter, but we also need to protect the environment,” said Clr Gomba.

Botswana registered its first suspected case of the coronavirus on Thursday, according to the country’s Ministry of Health and Wellness.

The case was registered at Gaborone’s Sir Seretse Khama International Airport.

A passenger travelling from China had arrived at the airport on an Ethiopian Airways flight.

“The suspected case is still being investigated,” the ministry said.

It advised travellers to take precautions, such as practising good hygiene, getting medical help should they experience symptoms of the virus, and making sure they were screened at points of entry for early diagnoses.

“The ministry continues to monitor the situation closely in consultation with the World Health Organisation and will keep the public updated.”

-News24

Own Correspondent| They say there are no permanent friends in politics.

Barely two years after playing an influential role in propelling Emmerson Mnangagwa to the highest office in the land, Ezra Chadzamira has now become an enemy of the First Family, particularly Auxillia, who is reportedly pushing for the expulsion of the Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs.

Zanu PF insiders say Auxillia Mnangagwa is using Killer Zivhu and disgruntled party stalwarts in the province to push for the removal of Chadzamira from office.Chadzamira was taunted and ridiculed by Grace Mugabe as he fought in Mnangagwa’s corner.

Zivhu who ironically was Mrs Mugabe’s blue -eyed boy at the height of the Dr Amai Rallies, has also managed to win Mrs Mnangagwa’s sympathy, according to ruling party sources.

“The First Lady is pushing for the expulsion of Chadzamira because she feels he is neglecting the old guard.

She is working with Zivhu, Oppah Muchinguri and Josiah Hungwe to push Chadzamira out of office,” said a ruling party source.

Zivhu is also reportedly seeking Mrs Mnangagwa’s protection as he is facing expulsion for “abusing social media platforms.”

Zivhu was not available for a comment at the time of writing.

POLITICAL Actors Dialogue (Polad) members have told government not to rush through the Constitutional amendment bill by withdrawing it to allow robust debate including inputs from all political parties.

The 27 proposed constitutional amendments include the proposed removal of the Presidential running mate clause, increase in the number of non-parliamentary appointed Cabinet Ministers and extension of the women’s quota beyond the 2023 elections.

Polad consists of political parties that participated in the 2018 harmonised elections, minus the MDC Alliance which has chosen to stay away.

Its subcommittee on governance and legislative reforms held a two-day workshop that ended in Bulawayo yesterday to discuss proposed constitutional amendments.

In recorded interviews and during their deliberations on Thursday, the members who include Constitutional lawyer and National Constitutional Assembly president, Professor Lovemore Madhuku and MDC-T Bulawayo Proportional Representation MP Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga endorsed the changes.

The Polad members said in principle they agree that the Constitution should be amended with respect to identified clauses, although some areas need fine-tuning.

Among others Prof Madhuku said the Presidential running mate clause was dangerous as it could lead to the running mate plotting against a sitting President for political expediency while Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga said while the proposed constitutional amendments give the President the power to appoint seven unelected individuals into Cabinet instead of five as is the case now, they suggested that the number be increased to eight or more. Their endorsement is available in recorded interviews and their own discussions that can be accessed on the Chronicle website www.chronicle.co.zw.

However, during a Press conference held at the end of the workshop in the city yesterday, the Professor Madhuku-led subcommittee on governance and legislative reforms made a U-turn and rejected in entirety the proposed constitutional amendments.

Prof Madhuku said they will be recommending to their plenary that includes President Mnangagwa among other leaders of political parties to have the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill withdrawn. 

“Now I can speak authoritatively on the positions that we have come up with in relation to constitutional amendments. We have totally rejected those amendments. So, it’s not correct to say Polad endorses the amendments. We totally rejected it and we have taken a two-stage approach to it. We are going to recommend to the full plenary that we are calling on the Government to withdraw the Bill from Parliament. We want them to withdraw it forthwith,” he said.

“This is what we are going to be recommending to our plenary. We are saying its premature for Government to publish a Constitutional Amendment Bill when the purpose of Polad is to have all the political actors discussing all constitutional challenges, our electoral challenges, political challenges ahead of 2023 and reach agreement on the reforms that we would wish to have undertaken.”

Prof Madhuku said after identifying the challenges, they will then map the way forward.

“So, our subcommittee in its wisdom did not find any logic in the Government rushing with the amendment because in all the amendments that are being proposed there is no amendment that has to be done today or tomorrow,” he said.

Prof Madhuku said they were pinning their hopes on Zanu-PF members who constitute their subcommittees to influence the ruling party that constitutional amendments should not be fast-tracked.

He said Polad members including those from Zanu-PF do not want to see retirement ages for judges being increased from 70 years to 75 years.

“We made a total rejection that even if Government will not take our withdrawal, we will fight the provisions relating to the judiciary. It’s a unanimous position which is even accepted by Zanu-PF that we want to retain the current provisions on judges, that judges should retire at 70 years mandatory. The Bill proposes that judges at the Supreme Court and Constitutional can go up to 75 years. We have said totally, all of us in the Polad subcommittee, that we don’t want that. People must continue to retire at the age of 70,” Prof Madhuku said

Senior members of the Zanu PF Youth League have taken to social media to register their disgruntlement over I equalities in the country saying only a few are benefitting from the economy while the majority chokes.

Party Deputy Youth Secretary Lewis and Commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu have all shared almost similar messages with the latter vowing to fight against cartels he feels are responsible for the unsavoury situation Zimbabweans are finding themselves in.

Business tycoon, Strive Masiyiwa’s daughter Elizabeth Tanya Masiyiwa has taken to Twitter to celebrate her success after opening her international school in Domboshava.

Masiyiwa tweeted:

We did it! A year ago I sat with my team and I told them I wanted to build an international school in an area people would least expect. We opened our doors this week and it is beyond what we could’ve dreamt or imagined. 

The school opening was confirmed by Higherlife Foundation which also tweeted:

It was all smiles and excitement yesterday(14 January 2020) at the opening of @Simba_Edu Prep School- a first of its kind early years learning centre in the heart of #Dombashava Congratulations to team Simba on the successful opening of the school. More on Simba here:simbaeducation.com

According to Simba Education Website:

SIMBA EDUCATION IS AN EARLY YEARS SERVICES COMPANY WITH INNOVATION AT ITS CORE. WE DESIGN TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND OTHER PRODUCTS THAT LOWER THE BARRIERS OF ACCESSING AN AFFORDABLE EARLY YEARS EDUCATION

Preparations for the national prayer meeting scheduled for today, which President Mnangagwa is set to attend, are at an advanced stage with tents and all major requirements having been set by last night.

The national prayer meeting was organised by the Zimbabwe Interdenominational Council of Churches (ZICC), a grouping of 110 churches chaired by Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi of the Zion Christian Church.

President Mnangagwa is the guest of honour and is expected to deliver the keynote address.

It will be held at the National Sports Stadium and will run from 8:30am until 1pm.

Bishops from all the churches are invited.

Over 400 buses were sourced to ferry delegates from all the country’s 10 provinces. Spokesperson for the organisers, Pastor Richard Takaendesa, said some of the delegates started arriving in Harare yesterday.

An all-night prayer was scheduled for last night until 6:30am today.

“Preparations are well on course. We have set coordinating provincial committees, which will oversee the transportation of the people from various provinces. Some people from provinces such as the Midlands, Masvingo, Manicaland have already arrived,” he said.

“Those from Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South, are on their way. Those from neighbouring provinces such as Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central are already here while others will arrive early morning tomorrow (today).

“We want everyone to be seated by 8:30am.”

The national prayer meeting runs under the theme “Joining hands, minds, hearts and voices together in Christ to serve, build and strengthen our nation.”

-State Media