By A Correspondent- Matobo Rural District Council has been accused of delaying the approval of a site for the construction of Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo School of Tourism and Hospitality in the area.
The accusations are being made by Lalangwe Mbambangwe Memorial Trust, a non-governmental organisation founded by a former ZPRA cadre, Linganiso Mdabuko Nyathi, in honour of the late former Vice President Joshua Nkomo.
Nyathi told News Day that the Trust engaged the Council back in 2011 but nothing has happened to date. He said:
Despite Matobo RDC’s retrogressive attitude of not pegging our site, we are focused. Their action is viewed as deprivation of development to the community.
Since 2011, the local authority has been dragging its feet in approving the site for us.
Meanwhile, Matobo RDC chief executive officer Elvis Sibanda said that he could not remember the project and would have will have to reconsult his records and respond to the matter on Monday when he comes back to office.
Own Correspondent|MDC Vice President and ex-Finance Minister Tendai Biti has told Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya to consider shutting his mouth than make a fool of himself through presenting a meaningless monetary policy statement.
This comes after the central bank chief on Monday took time to present his statement which, according to observers, was less inspiring considering the country’s myriad problems, a result of government’s muddled up economic policies.
What was the point of that Monetary Policy Statement ?Some institutions and individuals must learn to shut up when they have nothing useful to say . Which is essentially one way of saying they must permanently shut up.
By A Correspondent- Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe has announced that it will be closing two of its branches, Chitungwiza and Beitbridge effective March 31, 2020, to pave way for a digitisation strategy.
The intended closure was announced by Stanbic Bank chief executive, Mr Joshua Tapambgwa, who told the state media that the digitisation strategy would leave the financial player with a physical footprint of 17 branches across the country.
He said:
The model we are following has been adopted by many financial and non-financial institutions in other parts of the world but very few in Southern Africa.
The new banking technologies we are introducing continue to bring ease ofbanking to our customers, which gives us the confidence to move to the next level of banking.
He added that customer accounts which are being maintained at these two branches will be safely migrated to Southerton and Bulawayo Joshua Nkomo Street branches, with the option of visiting any one of their 17 branches should they need service from physical branch facilities.
Tapambgwa also highlighted that all the staff members currently working in these two branches will be redeployed to other departments of the bank, which are driving the digital bank strategy.
Cape Town – There has been a twist in the case involving the whereabouts of Alfa Mpetsheni as his family in Gauteng have been informed that their son is being detained.
This latest information comes after the Chinese Embassy in South Africa claimed he boarded a flight to Bangkok, Thailand.
Mpetsheni has been studying in China and his mother Nokuthula last spoke to him on WeChat on January 18, while his friends last saw him on January 15, his father Thulani said.
Following their worrying over his whereabouts, his family reached out to the authorities and according to the embassy, Alfa boarded a flight.
In new developments this week, Thulani said the Department of International Relations (Dirco) emailed them on Friday to tell them that he was found in Shanghai.
“Dirco informed us that the South African Consulate in Shanghai found that Alfa was detained by the Shanghai Security Bureau.
“The consulate was given a chance to speak to him on the phone and apparently Alfa told them he was instructed to tell them what charges he faced,” he said.
Thulani said the family was concerned because they did not know whether he was imprisoned.
“I don’t know what is really happening, something is just not right.
“In the initial stages of the search, there were rumours that he was detained in prison.
“We requested the consulate to investigate and the authorities in China allegedly informed them they had no South African in custody.
“So where was he before?
“The consulate will write to Shanghai authorities to request that they see him because we are worried about his well-being,” Thulani said.
The embassy did not respond to questions.
Dirco spokesperson Lunga Ngqengelele said they could neither confirm nor deny that Alfa was detained.
“The only people we can share information with regarding Alfa Mpetsheni is his family, and we are in constant communication with them.
“It is up to the family to share our findings with the media or public.
“There will be no statements issued by Dirco. We are trying to resolve this issue the best way we can,” said Ngqengelele.
POLITICAL Actors Dialogue (Polad) partners have upped the stakes on President Emmerson Mnangagwa, threatening to walk out on him if his government does not withdraw the Constitutional Amendment Bill gazetted by Justice minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi early this year.
Chairperson of the Polad’s gvernance and legislative agenda subcommittee, Lovemore Madhuku, said his committee had recommended to the group to have the Constitutional Amendment Bill withdrawn.
He said the recommendation was adopted as a resolution, meaning Mnangagwa should now instruct his minister to withdraw the Bill.
Madhuku warned that if Mnangagwa did not enforce the resolution, it would be a clear sign that the platform was not effective and would therefore not need to continue.
“Given that the recommendations on the Constitutional Amendment Bill are unanimous, a refusal by government will be a disbanding of Polad. There will be no Polad to talk about. Zanu PF is part of Polad. It runs the government. If it is sincere in being part to the Polad recommendations, it has to influence the government to accept the Polad position,” Madhuku said.
Parties in Polad are increasingly under pressure from their supporters to record some wins and stop behaving like they were owned by Zanu PF.
Madhuku said apart from recommending the withdrawal of the Bill, the committee also said there was no need for government to change the terms and conditions of judges.
“We found that the Bill has areas that you would accept, they are very few but many of the areas that are in the Bill, we feel they are unacceptable and not to be debated further,” he said.
“I need to say here the one which is of interest to the public, which has come out of Polad is the area related to the Judiciary. All the proposed changes to the Judiciary which are contained in the Bill we totally recommended a rejection of those proposals, so that we remain with the current constitutional provisions of the Judiciary, meaning that there must not be a change to the retirement age of 70. There must not be that provision which is suggesting yearly extensions up to five years for judges of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, which we have made clear.”
Polad said it would also write its own Bill on electoral reforms, making it the third such effort after Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (Zesn) which has since submitted a draft to Speaker of the House of Assembly Jacob Mudenda and the MDC which said it’s in the process of coming up with its own Bill.
Zanu PF representative in Polad Paul Mangwana was not immediately available for comment as his number was unreachable, while Ziyambi was not picking calls.
Prime minister Thomas Thabane and his wife Maesaiah Thabane at a public function recently
AFP|Lesotho’s ruling party gave its embattled prime minister an ultimatum to resign by Thursday after his wife was charged in connection with the murder of her rival.
Thomas Thabane’s current wife Maesaiah Thabane, 42, appeared in court Tuesday over the murder of the prime minister’s previous wife, who was gunned down two days before the premier was sworn into office in 2017.
The supreme decision-making body of Thabane’s All Basotho Convention (ABC) party met on Monday and agreed on a deadline for the 80-year-old Thabane to step down.
“We… have decided that the PM should leave office by Thursday,” Montoeli Masoetsa, the party spokesman said.
“We cannot afford to have him any longer in office and we think it’s only for the best,” he told AFP.
The party had last month urged the premier to resign, after police investigations linked his mobile number to communication records from the scene of the murder of his estranged wife.
Lilopelo Thabane, who was 58, was gunned down by unknown assailants on the outskirts of the capital Maseru in June 2017.
The prime minister promised to leave on grounds of advanced health, but did not give a timeline for his resignation.
“This is no longer about waiting for him to give us a date but it’s the decision of the (party) that he should go by 20 February,” said Masoetsa.
The prime minister was also questioned by police last month over his estranged wife’s murder.
The long unresolved murder of the prime minister’s previous wife has stunned the small southern African kingdom surrounded by South Africa.
Opposition parties in the country of 2.2 million people, also want Thabane gone.
Former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai with former President Robert Mugabe.
Kwekwe and Mutare town councils have proposed to rename some of their streets after Zimbabwe’s former Prime Minister, the late Morgan Richard Tsvangirai.
The local government authorities say that the renaming of roads after Tsvangirai will be in recognition of his contribution to democracy in the country.
Speaking to the Southern Eye, Kwekwe Deputy Mayor, Mr Shadreck Tobaiwa said that the proposal to name some streets after Tsvangirai will be on the next council’s meeting agenda where a resolution is expected to be made. He said:
“We expect a resolution to regularise the naming of one of our streets after Morgan Richard Tsvangirai to be made at our next full council meeting expected at the end of this month. The proposal or motion to that regard was made at our last council meeting and it was unanimously adopted by the councillors. No councillor opposed the proposal.
Mutare town council is also reportedly mulling the same.
The development comes three weeks after Kwekwe renamed Robert Mugabe Way to Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Street.
Analysts have however argued that there should be no contest or competition between the central government and local authorities over such a matter but they should be pushing to modernise the same roads they are scrambling for.
Following the recent announcement by Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube that the Government had offered civil servants a 100 percent pay hike, I received an e-mail from a worker in industry, asking why the Government had not increased the salaries of workers in the private sector as well.
“We are suffering due to poor remuneration. Our employers say they cannot increase our salaries because production levels are low and they are not making any profits due to persistent power outages. Why does the Government not increase our salaries as it used to do in the past?” reads the e-mail in part.
It is true that soon after independence, the Government determined salary increments for most workers in the country, including those in the private sector, through the Minimum Wages Act which was introduced in July 1980.
The Act allowed the Labour Minister to set national minimum wages for workers in all sectors of the economy.
However, the Act was revoked and the responsibility of determining salary increments for workers in the private sector is now in the hands of employers and trade unions.
In the public sector, salary increments are determined by the Government and workers’ representatives through their umbrella body — the Joint Negotiation Council. As can be seen, currently there exist two different systems of collective bargaining and wage/salary determination in the country — one for the public sector and the other for the private sector.
Through hindsight, it can be seen that when the Government gave employers and labor unions the mandate to determine salary increments for workers in the private sector, labour unions across the length and breadth of the country hailed this as a progressive move that would usher in a rich socio-economic harvest for workers in the private sector.
Workers began to envision a scenario where industry would be transformed into the biblical Garden of Eden with decent emoluments for all workers, improved working conditions and respect for workers’ rights. But alas, this has turned out to be mere wishful thinking.
Truth be told, since employers and labour unions assumed the responsibility of negotiating salary increments for workers in the private sector, workers in industry have toiled for wages/salaries that have remained characteristically pathetic and far below the alleviation of poverty stratum.
The Total Consumption Poverty Line (TCPL), commonly referred to as the Poverty Datum Line (PDL), for an average household of 5 persons stood at ZW$2 191.62 in September last year, according to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat). The PDL reached $3 700 last November, a 15,7 percent rise from October’s $3 160. This means an average household required that much to buy both food and non-food items for them not to be deemed poor.
The heart-rending reality is that the average worker in industry today toils for a measly ZW$300 a month, according to one survey.
This scribe’s views and perceptions are based on experience. I joined industry in 1985 after a 5-year stint in the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA). In industry, I became involved in trade unionism as a workers’ representative for several years.
As a workers’ representative, I attended a plethora of wage/salary negotiations at both company and National Employment Council (NEC) levels.
One pertinent observation I made during the salary negotiations I attended, is that employers in industry always bury their heads in the sand like ostriches when asked to increase the salaries of their workers. They always contend that they cannot hike workers’ salaries because their enterprises are in the doldrums in terms of productivity and profitability.
The tragic irony is that they use the same tired mantra today to keep hordes of workers in industry in the death-trap of economic destitution.
Shockingly though, the same employers pay company executives hefty salaries that, according to some well-placed sources in industry, exceed ZW$17 000 a month when allowances are factored in.
These company executives drive ostentatious German car models and own grandiose, mountain-side palatial mansions in exclusive suburbs.
Some of them spend their lucrative, company-sponsored annual holidays in Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, Great Zimbabwe, Nyanga and various other holiday resorts. Others fly out of the country to spend their holidays on the ski-slopes of Europe.
It is quite heart-breaking to note that while company executives in industry live like Hollywood stars, ordinary workers are literally scrounging around to eke out a living. They foot or cycle to and from work daily — even during the middle of the night when they are on night shift.
These workers are so impoverished that they often fail to travel to their rural homes to be with their families during their annual shut-down. It is really sad.
While workers blame employers for their economic woes, I think it would be naivety of elephantine proportions to exonerate labour unions, as they are equally to blame.
If what is currently happening in industry is anything to go by, it would not be totally incorrect to conjecture that the struggle for economic justice in industry is now a lost one. Alas, it is a struggle that has failed ignominiously to yield the expected bumper harvest of decent remuneration for the generality of workers in industry.
This is primarily because the struggle has been hijacked by opportunism, hypocrisy, self-aggrandisement and an insatiable appetite for instant riches by some union leaders.
It is no secret that labour leaders in industry have, for the proverbial 30 pieces of silver, abrogated their role of serving the interests of workers and are conniving with employers in sanctioning policies that perpetuate the economic subjugation of the very workers whose interests they are supposed to serve. What a shocking paradox!
Parting point: With all due respect, my submission is that in order to bail workers in industry from the searing poverty that are in, the Government should revert to its previous role of negotiating their salary increments.
Employers in industry are generally motivated by greed and avarice, and to expect them to pay workers decent salaries without being compelled to do so by some form of legislation is a naïve expectation that can only be found in a utopian world which does not exist.
Cuthbert Mavheko is a freelance journalist living in Bulawayo.
Dear Editor|FEBRUARY 14 marked exactly two years after we lost the founding opposition MDC father Richard Morgan Tsvangirai.
His death shocked the whole nation. He was an iconic leader of the democracy struggle who fought a brave war for the democratisation of the nation.
He will always be remembered as a great father and leader, with his works in the struggle bearing testimony. When it comes to action, Tsvangirai was steadfast and he urged everyone else to be strong. He was a person who was not self-centred because he did not want the party to be a one-generation movement, reinforcing his desire to pass the baton stick to younger generations.
The veteran trade unionist urged us to support an alliance of hope, vigilance, positive action, a brighter future and active youth engagement.
While he was on his death bed, he said replacing the late President Robert Mugabe with his then deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, without the fundamental reforms to transform the institutions of governance was just a waste of time. Tsvangirai didn’t just talk words which did not come to pass. He was just like a prophet.
He also said the introduction of bond notes was a way of trying to rig the economy and stealing from the people.
What he said is exactly what the country is now experiencing. Mnangagwa is holding us to ransom, ruling this great nation with an iron fist. He is worse than Mugabe. Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has been stealing our money through his policies. While Tsvangirai predicted all this, he urged us to be strong and fight because freedom will not come on a silver platter.
Own Correspondent|Government has announced several measures that will be put in place in a bid to clear the backlog of passport applications one of which is to her staff at the passport processing office to work night shifts.
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage minister Kazembe Kazembe made the remarks at a post-cabinet briefing in Harare last night.
“Printing two thousand passports a day will not clear the backlog but we are working to raise capacity to 8 000 passports a day. To be on the safe side, we need up to around mid-year to clear the backlog once we get all the consumables.
“We even have the capacity to have our manpower work night shift to have work done,” he added.
He also announced that ordinary and emergency passports fees have been revised upwards in order for government to acquire material to process the passports.
The Government has also approved for the use of foreign currency by those with the currencies to get their passports processed even quicker.
Kazembe said his ministry is only waiting for Finance minister Prof Mthuli Ncube to come up with a Statutory Instrument governing the approval.
“Clearing our passport backlog that currently stands at 400 000 is not going to happen soon. However, as government we are subsidising the issuance of passports because it is a basic right for citizens to have the identification documents.
“We have revised upwards our ordinary and emergency passport fees application from RTGS$53 and RTGS$253 to RTGS$150 and RTGS$650, respectively.
“Because we are subsidising the production of passports, cabinet has also approved that citizens can make their applications using foreign currency. We are just waiting for Finance Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube to come up with a Statutory Instrument,” said Kazembe.
Among other interventions announced by Minister Kazembe in clearing the passport backlog, the Finance ministry is providing a USD$1 million debt settlement facility, which “will be maintained.”
SELF-EXILED former minister and Zanu PF politburo member Jonathan Moyo is seeking to apologise to Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga after accusing him of using a ghost writer for his doctoral thesis.
On July 11, 2017, four months before Chiwenga led a coup that toppled long time ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, Moyo alleged that the then Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces did not write the thesis for his doctorate from the University of KwaZulu Natal. Chiwenga sued and demanded $5 million in defamation claims.
But yesterday, Moyo’s lawyers confirmed the two parties were in touch over the matter with the hope of concluding it cordially despite it being before the courts.
Moyo’s lawyer, Chris Mhike of Atherstone and Cook said legal representatives of the respective parties were “still mutually and amicably seized with the matter, with a view to concluding it cordially.”
“It is highly regrettable that correspondence which was designed to be strictly private and confidential has been widely publicised on social media, apparently for mischievous and malignant reasons,” Mhike said.
“It must be noted that the High Court case remains pending, and is therefore sub judice. We are therefore unable to meaningfully comment on the issue. The furthest we can go at this stage, in terms of commentary, is to confirm that the legal representatives of the respective parties are still mutually and amicably seized with the matter, with a view to concluding it cordially.”
Chiwenga’s lawyer, Wilson Manase was not picking his calls yesterday.
Moyo and Chiwenga were embroiled in vicious clashes during the height of factionalism in Zanu PF between a faction aligned to then Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa under the moniker, Lacoste and another better known as G40 that coalesced around the former First Lady Grace Mugabe.
While Moyo was a key G4O proponent, Chiwenga was said to be the power behind the Lacoste faction led by Mnangagwa.
Chiwenga accused Moyo of being a war deserter who fled from the liberation struggle, a claim that angered the former Information minister.
Moyo snapped back on Twitter:
“Finally, I’m happy that Chiwenga wants pre- and post-independence disclosures about who was who, who did what and so forth. That’s good.
“Meanwhile, I take that to mean he wants the disclosure of who contributed what to his doctorate and who really wrote his KZN PhD. Again, the Shona wisdom that kunyarara kurinani panekutaura, applies. #Handeitione,” Moyo said in the statement that triggered the lawsuit.
Moyo is now in exile after escaping the crackdown by the army during the coup that led to Mugabe’s ouster.
The murder trial of the wife of Lesotho’s prime minister, accused of murdering his previous wife, is set to start next month, a court official said yesterday.
Maesaiah Thabane was arrested and charged earlier this month for the murder of Prime Minister Thomas Thabane’s estranged wife Lipolelo, who was shot dead near her home in Lesotho’s capital, Maseru, on June 14, 2017.
Maesaiah Thabane, who denies the charges and is on bail, appeared in the court briefly yesterday.
The magistrate court set March 17 as the date for the start of the trial, a spokeswoman for the court, Mampota Phakoe, said.
Lesotho police claim Maesaiah Thabane hired assassins to kill Lipolelo and was not actually present at the shooting herself.
Thomas Thabane took office two days after the killing, then married Maesaiah two months later. Lipolelo had reportedly refused to grant her husband divorce after he started a relationship with Maesaiah.
The case has stunned citizens of Lesotho, an independent kingdom of two million people lying in the middle of a South African mountain range.
Police Commissioner Holomo Molibeli told Al Jazeera the prime minister ordered he be sacked for pursuing the investigation. A court later ruled that his job be protected.
“We were facing some difficulties in that people were not ready to talk or give us information or evidence, but of late people are coming in droves to give us intelligence,” Molibeli said.
Fahmida Miller, reporting from Maseru, said a woman who was travelling with the victim and was wounded in the attack has fled the country, fearing for her safety.
“It’s a very complex case for people in Lesotho trying to understand how their first lady could possibly be involved in such a controversial scandal, and ultimately one that could see the prime minister, Thomas Thabane, charged as he’s also been implicated in this murder,” said Miller.
But Thabane’s daughter, Mabatsoeneng Hlaethe, defended the prime minister.
“He is not the kind of guy to plot a killing, I still stand to be corrected. But I have different convictions as far as his new wife is concerned,” she said. — Al Jazeera.
Former Zanu PF Youth League deputy secretary Lewis Matutu and his associates have been barred by the High Court from entering or occupying a farm in Kwekwe belonging to Mr Onsimo Zhavairo.
Justice Pisirayi Kwenda recently handed down a final order interdicting Matutu and his associates after he granted an interim interdict and spoliation order in December last year.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement was cited as the second respondent in the application by Mr Zhavairo after his farm was invaded by Zanu-PF youths led by Matutu who was the first respondent.
Justice Kwenda ordered that Matutu and his associates should not enter subdivision 7 of Bezuidenhouts Kraal in Kwekwe and refrain from being violent towards Mr Zhavairo, his family and employees.
Mr Zhavairo, in his court papers, said he had been living on the farm for the past 14 years and had an offer letter issued in November 2015.
The invaders allegedly slaughtered a pig and four goats before harvesting butter-nuts.
They allegedly went ahead to chase away Mr Zhavairo’s workers, forcing them to sleep on the road.
TWO men have each been sentenced to 10 years in jail for stealing copper cables worth $28 000 from a National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) railway line.
Tafadzwa Wafa (26) from Kwekwe and Tinashe Tafadzwa (22) from Bulawayo appeared before Gweru Provincial Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa each facing a count of cutting, damaging, destroying or interfering with any apparatus for generating, transmitting, distributing or supplying electricity.
Wafa and Tafadzwa pleaded guilty to the charge. Mrs Msipa sentenced them to 10 years each in prison.
Prosecuting, Mr Kelvin Guvheya told the court that on February 20, Wafa and Tafadzwa together with a Panashe, who is still at large, connived and proceeded to Gweru-Kwekwe railway line at Nala area.
“They started digging armoured electricity copper cables using a digger and a shovel. After digging, they cut the cables into pieces of different sizes using a hacksaw,” he said.
The court heard that Wafa and Tafadzwa burnt some of the electric armoured copper cables and retrieved copper wire which they stashed into a sack.
The trio then decided to put up for the night but at a distance away from their loot.
“While the three were asleep, an NRZ security guard who was on patrol with his tracker dog saw them and sought assistance from people who were passing by to apprehend them. Wafa and Tafadzwa were apprehended while their accomplice disappeared into the night,” the court heard.
The court heard that a sack of burnt copper wire, rolls of copper cables, a hacksaw, a hacksaw blade, black polythene plastic paper and a mattock handle were recovered.
The recovered electric copper cables weighed 46 kilogrammes and the copper wire weighed 24 kilogrammes.
The value of the stolen property was $28 000 and it was all recovered.
THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has issued a final warning to two fuel firms who risk losing their licences without a hearing if they wantonly increase fuel prices in future based on fake news from social media.
Zera acting chief executive officer, Mr Eddington Mazambani, said this in an interview here on the sidelines of the ongoing annual general and annual conference of the Regional Energy Regulatory Association of Southern Africa (RERA).
The companies concerned, which Mr Mazambani declined to name, immediately increased the fuel price to $23 for diesel on Sunday following the generation and circulation of the fake news report on social media.
“Without giving names, yes, there was one or two outlets which had increased prices of fuel based on social media fake news, which was circulating,” he said.
“But they managed to correct the prices in a short period of time after we engaged them. This is the second time that it is happening and we have spoken with the outlets concerned that any future indiscretions of that nature, will result in us revoking the license without us entering into any negotiations.
“Normally, what we do when someone has broken the regulations, we give them what we call a compliance order, which gives them time to correct whatever wrong they would have done. But we have said to these guys that this is the final time they have done this. Any indiscretions in future we just cancel the license without affording them any opportunity to comply.”
On Sunday, many service stations stopped selling fuel when doctored messages, allegedly from Zera, started circulating warning of a massive price increase of $23 from $19,55 per litre for diesel. Many motorists rushed to service stations supposedly to buy the product before prices were adjusted, resulting in unusually long queues in most parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the RERA conference went into full swing yesterday with side events, which are specific topics of interest to the energy sector that are discussed by the membership. Two key topics on gender mainstreaming and the creation of a regional energy regulatory authority were discussed. Presently, RERA is an association, made of regional energy regulators but they now want to set up an authority. In terms of gender mainstreaming, a presentation was done on the impact of energy to women since they are the ones who do most of the social work at home, such as looking for energy sources and food preparation. Discussions also centred on electricity tariffs, especially in so far as they affect low income earners, since the rich will migrate to alternatives such as solar and gas.
Today, Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi is expected to officially open the conference, a development described by Mr Mazambani as indicative of Government’s commitment to energy issues.
Energy Deputy Minister Magna Mudyiwa arrived yesterday while Permanent Secretary Dr Gloria Magombo sat through most of the discussions yesterday.
The conference started on Sunday and ends of Friday with an AGM.
STANBIC Bank Zimbabwe says it will close its Beitbridge and Chitungwiza branches next month as it adopts a digitisation strategy, which allows clients to conduct transactions and other services online.
The bank will be closing the two branches with effect from March 31, 2020, to pave way for a digitisation strategy, said the bank. Stanbic Bank chief executive, Mr Joshua Tapambgwa, said the digitisation strategy would leave the financial player with a physical footprint of 17 branches across the country.
He said Stanbic Bank views the digitisation drive as a futuristic move necessitated by technological advancements that have taken over the sector worldwide.
“The model we are following has been adopted by many financial and non-financial institutions in other parts of the world but very few in Southern Africa.
“The new banking technologies we are introducing continue to bring ease of banking to our customers, which gives us the confidence to move to the next level of banking,” he said.
Mr Tapambgwa reassured customers with accounts being maintained at these two branches that their accounts will be safely migrated to Southerton and Bulawayo Joshua Nkomo Street branches, with the option of visiting any one of their 17 branches should they need service from physical branch facilities.
“In order to make this strategy a reality, Mr Tapambgwa acknowledged the need for great innovation, which is why the bank has seen it fit to re-deploy staff members from these branches to digital banking innovation-related and sales roles within the bank. All our staff members currently working in these two branches will be redeployed to other departments of the bank, which are driving the digital bank strategy, that way, we retain our talented employees and continue to move our business forward for the benefit of our customers,” he said.
Mr Tapambgwa expressed satisfaction with customer migration towards adopting the digital banking platforms.
The bank’s head of personal and business banking, Mr Patson Mahatchi, has pointed out that the institution was making strides in its journey towards becoming a digital bank for the utmost customer convenience.
“We remain compliant with consumer protection laws as we continue to implement digital technologies set to enhance the customer experience,” he said.
Mr Mahatchi noted that one technological milestone realised last year was the bank’s remote on-boarding functionality, which enables new customer accounts to be opened at the customers’ preferred location, allowing them access to digital banking facilities instantly.
VICTORIA Falls Mayor, Councillor Somvelo Dlamini has been slapped with a $300 000 lawsuit by a local resident accusing him of engaging in an adulterous relationship with his wife.
Mr Shaktya Nyathi, is accusing Clr Dlamini, who is also MDC Alliance councillor for Ward 9 in the resort town, of having a love affair with his wife Mrs Sithabile Nyathi (nee Sibanda).
Mr Nyathi said their marriage was solemnised in terms of Chapter 5:11 of the Marriages Act before a priest at St Kizito Roman Catholic Church in Victoria Falls. The marriage date was however, not stated in court papers.
Mr Nyathi, through his lawyers Ncube Attorneys, filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court under case number 351/20, citing Clr Dlamini as a defendant.
In papers before the court, Mr Nyathi said his wife has since deserted their matrimonial home following his discovery of the illicit affair. He alleged that on various occasions and at different places, Dlamini and his wife Ms Sibanda committed adultery.
“On various occasions and at places not known to the plaintiff, the defendant and the plaintiff’s spouse committed adultery and a result of that, the plaintiff suffered contumelia damages, loss of comfort and his wife has deserted him due to wrongful and intentional actions by the defendant,” said Mr Nyathi’s lawyers.
He is seeking a total of $330 000 in damages for contumelia, loss of the comfort, society and services.
“Wherefore plaintiff claims judgment against the defendant for an order for payment of $180 000 for loss of consortium, $150 000 in damages for contumelia as well as payment of five percent interest on the total amount calculated from the date of summons to the date of full and final payment,” read the summons.
Mr Nyathi also wants the court to direct Clr Dlamini to pay the legal costs he incurred.
Clr Dlamini is yet to respond. He was recently arrested by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) for alleged abuse of office.
He is accused of forging title deeds of a housing stand in 2013 before illegally selling the stand for US$ 20 000.
Clr Dlamini acquired the residential stand for US$7 962 in Aerodrome area when he was first elected as a councillor in 2013.
He then allegedly sold the stand to one Ms Memory Sithole for US$20 000 in September 2017 without first paying for it at Victoria Falls Town Council.
He had bought the stand at 40 percent discount, but sold it to Ms Sithole at full charge.
Investigations established that at the time Clr Dlamini sold the stand to Mrs Sithole in 2017, there was no development and the accused had corruptly acquired a title deed which was used by the buyer to obtain a loan from CABS.
Clr Dlamini was remanded to February 25 on $1 500 bail.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care is planning to raise US$4,7 million to boost the country’s preparedness and response to Covid-19.
Speaking at the National Preparedness Case Management workshop held at Wilkins Hospital on Monday, the ministry’s deputy director of Epidemiology and Disease Control Dr Andrew Phiri said a national budget was drafted in line with the preparedness and response plan to Covid-19.
“About US$4,7 million is needed for the Covid-19 national preparedness. This will be used for surveillance including contact tracing, rapid response team activation and training at all levels, laboratory readiness and sample collection,” he said.
Other activities covered under the response strategy are physician order entry readiness for detection of the new coronavirus, infection prevention and control and risk communication and community engagement.
More than 60 nurses and doctors from across the country attended the workshop, which was aimed at equipping them with skills on how to treat patients affected by the Covid-19 virus.
Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Dr Portia Manangazira, said partners such as the World Health Organisation and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development had come on board.
“WHO has chipped in to assist with resources for national co-ordination of meetings and the budget has also been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance, which is willing to support the programme.
“What we have also done is to draw up long-term requirements, for example refurbishment of some hospitals so that they are well-equipped to deal with infectious diseases,” she said.
Dr Manangazira said the ministry is also focusing on training health practitioners on patient management.
“In line with the preparedness towards the Covid-19 the Ministry of Health also trained health practitioners who will be on the frontline of treating patients, detecting the virus and the actual management of patients,’’ said Dr Manangazira.
State Media|CABINET yesterday approved strategies to clear the passport backlog which will see the fees going up and those with free funds being allowed to pay in foreign currency. A Statutory Instrument is being crafted to allow payment in foreign currency.
With immediate effect, fees for an ordinary passport go up from $53 to $150 while an emergency passport will cost $600, up from $253.
The move seeks to clear the backlog of 400 000 passports in the next six months and cater for new applicants.
Briefing journalists in Harare after yesterday’s Cabinet session, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the Government had approved a huge budget towards the clearance of the passport backlog.
“Cabinet considered and approved the strategies to clear the passport backlog at the Central Registry as presented by the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage,” she said.
“The strategies are as follows, that the costs of ordinary and emergency passports currently pegged at $53 and $253 respectively, be increased to ZW$150 for an ordinary passport and ZW$600 for an emergency passport.
“That Treasury avails US$6 796 500; 580 200 Euros and ZW$11 781 900 towards meeting the cost of clearing the passport backlog.”
Asked why the Government was not allowing those with free funds to pay for their passports in foreign currency, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe said: “That has been approved by Cabinet and we are waiting for the Statutory Instrument to be in place. We have received requests from various people with free funds and we are waiting for the Statutory Instrument to be in place then we can allow them.”
Minister Kazembe said the current backlog would be cleared in six months, adding that the procurement of consumables took at least 16 weeks to complete.
He said access to travel documents was a basic right and Government was subsiding them to ensure they were affordable.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Fidelity Printers to acquire 600 000 securitised inner passport papers, enough to clear the current backlog.
Secretary for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Mr Aaron Nhepera signed on behalf of the ministry, while Fidelity Printers was represented by its general manager Mr Fredrick Kunaka.
Said Mr Nhepera: “The contract involves the acquisition of about 600 000 securitised inner passport papers, which will be enough to clear the backlog and also provide enough material to cater for the new applications until the end of the year.
“We are going to get 600 000 consumables from Fidelity. It’s going to be an ongoing process, but this is just an initial batch we are getting, but we will be working with Fidelity going forward in that regard. We do have contracts with other suppliers to supply other consumables that are required in the production of passports.”
Said Mr Kunaka: “We promise to do the job to the best of our ability to ensure that we deliver to the benefit of our nation.
“The MoU basically is meant to ensure that we produce the feedstock for the production of passports as per the order required by the Registrar-General’s Office. This is going to be an ongoing exercise and they will always be giving us additional.
“The initial figure we will start with is 600 000 and there will always be an additional as per requirements, given the uptake of the consumables.”
State Media|Grain Marketing Board (GMB) senior executives were yesterday accused of allocating subsidised maize to millers who are allegedly diverting it to the black market and countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In the last National Budget, Government switched from subsidising maize to roller meal actually milled and distributed to ensure that markets continue to operate properly for farmers and importers.
But in hearings, legislators heard that some trucks plying the Sadc region had been ferrying Zimbabwe’s subsidised maize allegedly issued through a named senior GMB executive who was allocating grain to some millers beyond their plant capacities.
The millers were giving evidence before Parliament’s Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Resettlement Portfolio Committee chaired by Gokwe Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena (Zanu-PF).
The committee heard that trucks, upon offloading copper in South Africa from DRC, would return and be cleared at the Zimbabwean border ostensibly carrying maize only to pick the grain in Harare before heading for Kinshasa.
The committee sought to understand how a US$27 million wheat import facility from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) was used.
a miller, Mr Wayne Moss of Mr Brands, said he had seen subsidised maize being sold on the black market in several areas and in Mozambique.
“The abuse is rife. It is so serious that it has to be dealt with. There is abuse within GMB which you are already dealing with on who gets what allocation. People are using roller meal maize to process other commodities. There is maize going to DRC,” said Mr Moss. “I have been in Mozambique, in Mutare if you go to a retailer and I have evidence, there is (10kg) mealie-meal which is being sold at $110 transfer. I have got the receipt.
“If you are in the milling industry, if you are importing maize, you cannot sell it at $110. It can only be subsidised maize, which is for roller meal, and not super refined.”
Another miller, Mr Davies Muhambi of United Milling Company said some millers were getting maize allocations from GMB beyond their plant capacities and would offload the excess on the black market.
He said excess maize would either be sold to bigger millers or exported to neighbouring countries.
“GMB would inspect your plant and they had ratings of the plant and they would give you a certain rating of capacity and that was supposed to be used to allocate maize.
“The guy with the biggest capacity should get the biggest allocation because he can utilise it, and a smaller guy should get proportionately less.
“From the list of allocations I saw, I realised that certain millers with a plant capacity of milling, say 200 tonnes per week, would get 600 tonnes per week.
“This is where you need to inquire. Where was that balance going because every week, you have to submit returns to justify the next allocation?” said Mr Muhambi.
“That list was controlled by Lawrence Jasi of GMB. This is what led the Government to change the whole scenario of the subsidy programme. We hear so many stories that some of the maize would be sold to bigger millers who would use it for other processes like stockfeeds, porridge and remember the subsidised maize is cheap.”
He said trucks were carrying subsidised maize to DRC after buying the grain for a song.
“That was the maize that was then being loaded to DRC. Trucks that carry copper from the north which is Zambia and DRC, going to South Africa, they come back empty. But at the border they are stamped to have cargo which is maize from South Africa. They come through Harare, pick up that maize, exit Chirundu with Zimbabwean subsidised maize. This is what has been happening. But we are not an investigative arm. If I go to those organisations involved and ask for certain documents I will not get, so it will be hard to have evidence. But if you give us a team, we will give you leads,” he said.
National Foods group chief executive officer Mr Mike Lashbrook said the millers’ relationship with the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) led by Mr Tafadzwa Musarara was helping millers in lobbying to get good terms from Government for their business.
He was responding to suggestions that GMAZ had been captured by big millers with a huge financial muscle who were benefiting at the expense of smaller and struggling millers.
Earlier on, some smaller millers had indicated that they were getting a raw deal from GMAZ which they said was being run by huge milling businesses.
ZDRAVKO “Loga” Logarusic says the Warriors will be brutally tested at the 2020 CHAN finals but has challenged them to prove they deserve to battle with the best teams on the continent.
The Warriors will face hosts Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Mali in Group A at the CHAN finals in April.
It will be Loga’s first assignment with his men.
Cameroon and Burkinabe clubs have failed to make an impression in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup while the two nations failed to win a match at the last CHAN finals.
“First, we are not looking for any excuse, but l think our group is the toughest one,’’ said the Croatian gaffer.
“The draw is complicated but if you want to be champion, you have to beat the champions, that means our job is to go there and produce results.
“In those games, you never have favourites, because every team can produce results in one game.
‘‘For us, I think, it’s also a fantastic opportunity for Zimbabwean players to showcase themselves because this is a first game.
“First game, everyone will watch and so it is a fantastic opportunity to show to Africa how good Zimbabwe is.
“I am a bit unlucky, because we haven’t got season started.
When you check Cameroon, Mali and Burkina Faso, their position on FIFA rankings are around 53, 56 and 59 (respectively).
‘‘But Zimbabwe are a bit far at position 111, that means their league and the national teams are much better ranked but that doesn’t mean anything.
“Football is not always just ranking, it’s not always the name.
“Mali players, most of them are big and most of them are strong, it’s a different physical structure, but we have our advantages and they have their advantages and let’s see which advantages will win.’’-State media
Former Zanu PF Youth League deputy secretary Lewis Matutu and his associates have been barred by the High Court from entering or occupying a farm in Kwekwe belonging to Mr Onsimo Zhavairo.
Justice Pisirayi Kwenda recently handed down a final order interdicting Matutu and his associates after he granted an interim interdict and spoliation order in December last year.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement was cited as the second respondent in the application by Mr Zhavairo after his farm was invaded by Zanu-PF youths led by Matutu who was the first respondent.
Justice Kwenda ordered that Matutu and his associates should not enter subdivision 7 of Bezuidenhouts Kraal in Kwekwe and refrain from being violent towards Mr Zhavairo, his family and employees.
Mr Zhavairo, in his court papers, said he had been living on the farm for the past 14 years and had an offer letter issued in November 2015.
The invaders allegedly slaughtered a pig and four goats before harvesting butter-nuts.
They allegedly went ahead to chase away Mr Zhavairo’s workers, forcing them to sleep on the road.-State media
Businessman Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure was yesterday granted $10 000 bail by High Court Judge Justice Erica Ndewere after spending two weeks in remand prison.
Kadungure was represented by Advocate Sylvester Hashiti and Mr Keith Kachambwa of Venturas and Samukange Legal Practitioners while prosecutor Fortunate Kachidza appeared for the State.
Justice Ndewere ordered Kadungure to reside at his house in Domboshava, surrender the title deeds of his Borrowdale house and his passport to the Clerk of Court.
He was forbidden from interfering with State witnesses and must report to the police once every two weeks on Fridays.
Kadungure appealed to the High Court after Harare magistrate Mr Chrispen Mberewere had denied him bail.
He is facing fraud charges for allegedly undervaluing excise duty for a Bentley Continental GT to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).
He paid US$81 000 instead of US$139 665, allegedly prejudicing Zimra of US$58 665.
High Court Judge Justice Webster Chinamora subsequently ordered Kadungure to pay an additional US$58 000 which he agreed to pay.
Meanwhile, Kadungure faces trial in another case expected to start on February 28 at the Harare Magistrates Court.
Allegations are that Kadungure and his company declared to Zimra that they made total sales of $3 194 329,47, including VAT, yet they had made $24 187 026, prejudicing Zimra of $2 512 149 in VAT.-State media
A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy died after he was hit by a commuter omnibus while attempting to cross a street in Bulawayo.
The incident happened on Monday at around 4PM at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Fort Street.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident but could not reveal the identity of the deceased as his next of kin have not been formally notified of his death.
He said the commuter omnibus, a Toyota Hiace, failed to stop as the driver was turning right into Fort Street.
He then struck the deceased who sustained serious head injuries and body bruises.
“I can confirm that we attended to an accident involving a pedestrian and a motor vehicle where a nine-year-old boy died on the spot after being hit by a commuter omnibus.
The incident happened on Monday afternoon and the deceased was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are still investigating the matter,” said Insp Ncube.
He called for sanity on the roads, saying most accidents in the Central Business District are a result of human error.
“We appeal to motorists to drive with caution.
That area has a lot of school children who will be crossing from McKeurtan and Robert Tredgold schools.
“It is one of the busiest intersections in town and motorists, especially drivers of public service vehicles, are in the habit of speeding along that road, especially when they cruise through the Lobengula Street robots along 3rd Avenue and make a sharp turn into Fort Street. It’s very dangerous behaviour and will continue to cause loss of life if it is not addressed,” he said.-State media
The Officer Commanding
Harare Suburban
Harare Central Police
HARARE
Dear Sir/Madam
NOTICE OF PROTEST MARCH TO PARLIAMENT TO HAND OVER PETITION ON GRADE 7 AND ‘O’ AND ‘A’ LEVEL EXAMINATION FEES HIKES BY ZIMSEC
We write to give notice that The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe shall be marching to Parliament to handover a Petition to seek urgent Parliamentary intervention to reverse/reduce the recent astronomic Grade 7 and ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level examination fees hikes by ZIMSEC.
It is our belief that the duty and obligation to defend and protect the rights of children squarely rests on us as teachers and parents.
The march shall be on Thursday 27 February 2020.
We shall proceed from Harare gardens via Julius Nyerere, through 2nd street to Nelson Mandela and then to Parliament, Building.
The march shall happen between 1 pm – 2 pm.
Expected number of marchers is plus or minus 500.
You may attend if you so wish
Yours Sincerely
Raymond Majongwe
PTUZ SECRETARY GENERAL
The Officer Commanding
Harare Suburban
Harare Central Police
HARARE
Dear Sir/Madam
NOTICE OF PROTEST MARCH TO PARLIAMENT TO HAND OVER PETITION ON GRADE 7 AND ‘O’ AND ‘A’ LEVEL EXAMINATION FEES HIKES BY ZIMSEC
We write to give notice that The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe shall be marching to Parliament to handover a Petition to seek urgent Parliamentary intervention to reverse/reduce the recent astronomic Grade 7 and ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level examination fees hikes by ZIMSEC.
It is our belief that the duty and obligation to defend and protect the rights of children squarely rests on us as teachers and parents.
The march shall be on Thursday 27 February 2020.
We shall proceed from Harare gardens via Julius Nyerere, through 2nd street to Nelson Mandela and then to Parliament, Building.
The march shall happen between 1 pm – 2 pm.
Expected number of marchers is plus or minus 500.
You may attend if you so wish
Yours Sincerely
Raymond Majongwe
PTUZ SECRETARY GENERAL
Farai Dziva|A senior government official has claimed political dialogue in Zimbabwe does not require an external mediator.
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba, quoted by Daily News last week said:
“Why would he (Mnangagwa) need to invite President Mbeki? Who wants President Mbeki to mediate?
I don’t know about the South African embassy because that (Mbeki) is their national. They can expect him in the country anytime.
What would be wrong is for anyone to create an impression that the political dialogue in Zimbabwe requires external mediation.”
“That position has been made clear to all and sundry, including local players and well-wishers.
The former president of South Africa is aware of that position by the government of Zimbabwe.
He is also aware of the standing arrangement of interaction among parties which is called POLAD and that there won’t be any other.
As for the claims that President Mnangagwa did not make a call, or did not receive a call from or to President Mbeki, the truth of the matter is that there was no need for a call from either side.
If anything, the two met on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) strictly from a position of camaraderie … briefing a colleague about political developments in the country, economic developments … but more critically … about sanctions,” added Charamba.
Two pedestrians have died, one on the spot and another later at Chinhoyi Provincial hospital after being hit by a truck which veered off the road in a bid to avoid a pothole along the Harare-Chirundu Highway near Vuti Secondary School.
The accident was confirmed on Monday by Mashonaland West provincial police spokesperson Inspector Ian Kohwera who said that four passengers, who were aboard the truck, were injured and ferried to Karoi District Hospital for treatment and were discharged.
He said:
The truck driver tried to avoid one of the two potholes on the highway when the accident occurred. The truck veered off the road before hitting two pedestrians which saw one passing on on the spot. The truck went on to hit a tree and rolled once before landing on its roof. One of the accident victims was affected when the tree was uprooted.-Credit :NewsDay
Two pedestrians have died, one on the spot and another later at Chinhoyi Provincial hospital after being hit by a truck which veered off the road in a bid to avoid a pothole along the Harare-Chirundu Highway near Vuti Secondary School.
The accident was confirmed on Monday by Mashonaland West provincial police spokesperson Inspector Ian Kohwera who said that four passengers, who were aboard the truck, were injured and ferried to Karoi District Hospital for treatment and were discharged.
He said:
The truck driver tried to avoid one of the two potholes on the highway when the accident occurred. The truck veered off the road before hitting two pedestrians which saw one passing on on the spot. The truck went on to hit a tree and rolled once before landing on its roof. One of the accident victims was affected when the tree was uprooted.-Credit :NewsDay
Five family members were struck to death by lightning in the Muzvezve area of Sanyati District.
Tragedy struck when the family, which was tending their maize field, sought refuge under a tree when it started raining yesterday afternoon in Village 6, Muzvezve 1.
A lightning bolt hit the tree. The five who died went under one tree while three other family members who survived went under another nearby tree.
Sanyati District civil protection unit officer, Mr Amigo Mhlanga confirmed the development saying the unit has since been activated to offer assistance.
“Five members of the same family have died after being struck by lightning while being sheltered under a tree. The district CPU has been activated and we are going to the area to assess the situation while also looking at how the family can be assisted because of the magnitude of the tragedy,” said Mr Mhlanga.-State media
Five family members were struck to death by lightning in the Muzvezve area of Sanyati District.
Tragedy struck when the family, which was tending their maize field, sought refuge under a tree when it started raining yesterday afternoon in Village 6, Muzvezve 1.
A lightning bolt hit the tree. The five who died went under one tree while three other family members who survived went under another nearby tree.
Sanyati District civil protection unit officer, Mr Amigo Mhlanga confirmed the development saying the unit has since been activated to offer assistance.
“Five members of the same family have died after being struck by lightning while being sheltered under a tree. The district CPU has been activated and we are going to the area to assess the situation while also looking at how the family can be assisted because of the magnitude of the tragedy,” said Mr Mhlanga.-State media
TEAM Zimbabwe UK have shown the way by presenting Warriors legend Peter Ndlovu with an Award of Excellence in honour of his trailblazing football career in Europe and the tremendous contribution to the game in Zimbabwe.
The former Warriors skipper was honoured in absentia during the Team Zimbabwe UK victory celebrations held in London at the weekend.
The award was received by his brother Brian, the youngest sibling in the legendary football dynasty that also produced former national team players Madinda and the late Adam.
“As an organisation we saw it befitting to give an Award of Excellence to Peter Ndlovu to honour him for his outstanding achievements in football,” said Team Zimbabwe UK CEO Marshall Gore.
“We are giving this to him to honour him as the greatest ever Zimbabwean player in the last 40 years, most capped (100 caps) and the country’s all-time top goalscorer (38 goals).
“As Zimbabwe captain, we felt that Peter demonstrated true leadership both on and off the pitch. His outstanding performances were also felt here in the UK.
“We felt he deserved to be honoured because of his contributions to the communities and to the national game itself.
“So it’s only befitting that we honour our legend as it will also help inspire the new generation of players coming up to be motivated knowing that if they do good they will also get rewarded by the community.”
Ndlovu, who remains one of the rare talents to emerge from the country, holds the distinction of being the first African player to feature in the English Premiership when he joined Coventry City in 1991 from Highlanders.
As a raw teenager, the forward had stars written all over his future after he burst onto the domestic football scene and became the youngest player ever in the history of Zimbabwe to win the Soccer Star of the Year award in 1990, albeit in an unprecedented tie with George Nechironga.
But he went on to win it again the following year and could have bagged the award multiple times had the English Premier League not opened its doors for him in 1991.
Ndlovu was scouted by John Skillet while playing for Bulawayo giants Highlanders and English football legend Terry Butcher facilitated his signature for the trailblazing move to Coventry City in July 1991.
History was to be made on Wednesday August 19, 1992, when Ndlovu officially became the first African footballer to feature in the English Premier League in a match against Tottenham, although he played for only 20 minutes.
The Flying Elephant, as he was affectionately known, later played alongside legendary striker Micky Quinn, who joined Coventry City in November 1992, and their partnership was formidable.
In his debut season, the slippery forward made 32 appearances and scored seven goals at a rate of a goal every four games or so for his whole career average at Coventry, which spanned six years.
He scored over 90 goals during his 12 seasons, garnering about 338 appearances in the English leagues. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers to emerge from Zimbabwe, earning 100 caps for his country and scoring 38 international goals.
Ndlovu captained the national side that made history by qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations for the very first time in 2004 after years of agonising near misses.-State media
The Warriors have learnt their opponents in the 2020 Chan competition to be held in Cameroon from 4-25 April 2020.
They will face hosts Cameroon in the opening match of the tournament. Other Group A opponents are Burkina Faso and Mali.
This will be the second time Zimbabwe will face the Burkinabes and the Malians in the Chan competition. The national team played against the two sides in 2014, winning in both encounters.
The 2020 Chan will be the first tournament for Zdravko Logarusic who was unveiled as the Zimbabwe national team coach a week ago.
Draw:
Group A: Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, Mali.
Group B: Niger, Congo, DRC, Lybia
Group C: Morocco, Togo, Uganda, Rwanda.
Group D: Tanzania, Namibia, Guinea, Zambia- Soccer 24
“When people are brave and they stand up to it, guns will not work, the sound of the gun will not be heard.”
Nelson Chamisa, 14th February 2020.
Below is a side transcript of MDC leader Nelson Chamisa at Masvingo on Friday. Chamisa spoke at length saying his party is demanding a people’s government not one created by a constitutional court.
He also said he refuses to be forced into action by people with agendas. He said, “Some people I hear them saying Nelson Chamisa you must lead from the front, but this is the struggle; I have come a long way … but when we do our thing we will not be forced to do things.”
FULL TEXT: When people are brave and they stand up to it guns will not work the sound of the gun will not be heard.
You don’t debate about solidarity; we must go together, fight together, we weep together and we enjoy together. So now Mai Sikhala we want to thank you. Some of you do not know that for the struggle to move there are heroes, thank you very much. I thank you all, these are the people who when there are problems they are there. I saw them where the police were.
Excuse me our Secretary-General and all the leadership assembled here, the chair of the women and the youth.
I was once a youth and I used to refuse to be used. I would sing Hatidi zvekupihwa order nemasaskamu!
VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
https://youtu.be/USi3zhzwa5U
I think you the whole standing committee…
We said this is not Valentine’s Day it is Morgan Tsvangirai Day.
The second thing we are gathered here; we are gathered here because one of our heroes had been arrested… another one will be appearing in court on the 28th of February. When you arrest one of us you have arrested all of us.
So we have come here for this party is now large. There is no party which is greater, larger than this one the whole of the African continent. It is a fact that the MDC has 28 out of 30 mayors in the whole of Zimbabwe. It is a fact that this party was voted in by more than 2.6 million people.
Some people I hear them saying Nelson Chamisa you must lead from the front, but this is the struggle; I have come a long way … but when we do our thing we will not be forced to do things.
I said for people to do what they should do they do it according to the right timing.
When I came here I found the police waiting and some of my people told me president if your go through this way you will be teargassed so I passed through the middle of them.
We will not allow police to be used for wrong things, a police officer has a badge of honour. That is why you see the police, their badge it says for the law, for the people, and for the country, so the police must not be used to assault us. Our people after throwing targas at me they don’t have a bag of tea, after throwing teargas at me they don’t even have an underwear to wear. After throwing targas at me, their shoe is still opened wide.
Mr Sikhala I saw your zvidobi. They are zvidobis of the struggle. Aaah Maiguru, are these the dobis you are getting at home? LAUGHTER.
The first thing is love the second thing is hope the third thing is sacrifice. This is the life of Morgan Tsvangirai.
Everywhere I go people are saying Nelson Chamisa Morgan Tsvangirai left you directions to the way.
I will not be misled.
Mnangagwa does not have a clue. Chiwenga has no clue.
Today as we speak what Morgan tsvangirai talk about hope he said no matter how difficult life becomes you remain holding onto hope you will get there. We will get there we will get there when we get there.
Tsvangirai represented sacrifuce. He used to eat bans and cream soda. He was a basic man. That is what I said no matter how broke we are we must never compromise the struggle.
Our only gift to the people is to lead them and deliver the struggle. Real love is to represent the people and to do what they want.
Yes, we will correct the problems of Masvingo party leadership. We want to ensure we get 26 out of 26 not what we saw in Mwenezi(sic). Can ZANU win over here?
Tsvangirai was a man of love and unity he told me to unite with Biti and Welshman. The vision has got nothing to do with too many people a vision is with one person. So to all those who follow when I say jump you must jump when I say run you must run. That is why you see soldiers are told to march left right left right.
We said that this year we have 5 critical zones:
Number 1 – the fight we have is that there must be a people’s government not this one of the constitutional court not this one of Emmerson Mnangagwa.
When people are brave and they stand up to it guns will not work the sound of the gun will not be heard.
Mnangagwa tells people that they must eat potatoes and vegetables while he himself is feasting on meat while he is on a private jet.
Number 2 – We are fighting for a people’s budget not the kind of life that we are seeing when people cannot afford basics we want our dignity returned to the people.
Number 3 – We want to address the problem of corruption. We are missing $3bln. Who is responsible Mr Biti?
Biti replies: it is Mnangagwa!
I said those people I will tell you myself. They know what we are doing.
The 4th thing – is the one that we have come here such as this one of Sikhala. We are struggling with this issue of Mashurugwi. We must not call them that. They are Mnangagwa’# people.
Number 5 – is the issue of the constitution Emmerson Mnangagwa is messing with the constitution; he is now possessed with the demons of Ian Smith and Robert Mugabe. Mugabe changed this 19 times, Mnangagwa wants to change it 27 times in one year.
So what is the way forward the way forward is for you and me where you are, looking at me, let us fix our country there is no one else with powers more than you as an individual, everyone let us fix the country we don’t want to get to May, June while we are in this problem, we can fix it. Until when will we drink from boreholes? While we use generators?
What kind of a country is that in which: school fees rtgs; a whole government forming a committee of roller meal! A whole government setting up a committee for mealie meal.
If you give us this thing we will not take a day before you start enjoying the country and getting suffocated with goodness.
I told Emmerson Mnangagwa why don’t we use the United States dollars while we fix the country? give the soldiers the US dollar give the police officers the US dollars so that people can survive, why do you want the people to live on rtgs dollars?
Let us not insult others. MDC let us be full of love.
My last words that I leave you the people of this province that one has been on this issue of dialogue. I told him I am ready to talk, I had been sent by our council. We want to give peace a chance and so I told Emmerson Mnangagwa let us agree, you stole the elections we are not going to go ahead to 2023 before we are clear that you stole the elections.
There will be no elections in this country until we resolve this issue. The elections must be respected. This year we have a right to fix the country all of us all of us all of us all of us all of us all of us.
Emerson Mnangagwa will not be able to run this country he is refusing dialogue. And now he is busy saying Nelson Chamisa is the problem. I am advising him that this country is burning. I am saying to him hear me so that we can fix this country before it is too late.
DURBAN – The ANC said on Tuesday that the sincerity of an apology made by former president FW de Klerk following offensive comments about apartheid would be visible through his actions.
This as the Nelson Mandela Foundation on Tuesday said it welcomed de Klerk retracting the statements that apartheid was not a crime against humanity.
De Klerk first made the statements during a television interview two weeks ago, which caused consternation at Thursday’s state of the nation address (SONA), with EFF MPs demanding that he leave parliament, where he was seated as a guest.
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe: “The sincerity of Mr de Klerk’s apology will be tested by his posture to selflessly commit both in words and in deeds towards the advancement of the ongoing reconstruction and development project through nation building in his local community.
“The ANC has consistently maintained, in line with the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, that apartheid was and remains a crime against humanity,” said Mabe.
He said the convention adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1973 declared that apartheid was a crime against humanity, “and that inhuman acts resulting from the policies and practices of apartheid and similar policies and practices of racial segregation and discrimination … are crimes violating the principles of international law, in particular the purposes and principles of the charter of the United Nations, and constituting a serious threat to international peace and security”.
Mabe said that “unfortunate and inconsiderate utterances” went against the spirit of unity that was trying to be fostered in South Africa, and were ” unhealthy for our young democracy”.
“It is therefore expected of our elders and statesmen to carry the moral duty of helping to unite and reconcile all of South Africa’s people with an unequivocal measure of humility.
“The callous brutality, oppression, indignity and destruction that apartheid brought to millions of black South Africans should never be trivialised by anyone in our country regardless of their political affiliation, beliefs, skin colour and station in life,” he said.
Any form of denying apartheid was a crime against humanity was an affront “to the lived reality of the majority of South Africans and a complete digression from the noble cause of social cohesion”, said Mabe.
“Our new democratic society is based on the values of non-racialism, national unity, and acknowledgement of the brutality and injustices of our past”.
Meanwhile, Sello Hatang, the chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, slammed de Klerk and called for dialogue.
“We believe that this kind of statement (the retraction and the apology) does not take us anywhere in terms of the nation-building, reconciliation path that Nelson Mandela put us on, but also in tackling the difficult systemic issues the nation is dealing with.”
“In terms of engaging with the FW de Klerk Foundation, we believe that that is the only way forward. The rise of racism and the rise of the denial of crimes such as apartheid is something that we see progressing.
“If we are to do anything right, it is to continue to engage those kind of voices with a view to ensuring that we can then transform our nation into one that [sees clearly],” he said.
De Klerk on Monday apologised for his reluctance to fully accept the classification of apartheid as a crime against humanity and said he concurred with the wording of the Statute of Rome, which describes it as such.
The climb-down came amid a furore after his eponymous foundation last Friday likened to “Soviet agitprop” the pressure on De Klerk over recent remarks where he, like in the past, appeared to take issue with the definition of the racial oppression of South Africa’s black majority as crime against humanity.
That statement came a day after the EFF disrupted the opening of parliament with a demand that South Africa’s last white president leave the National Assembly, terming him a “murderer” and apartheid apologist.
“I have taken note of the vehement reaction to our response to the EFF’s attack on me at the State of the Nation address on Thursday night,” De Klerk said.
“I agree with the Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation that this is not the time to quibble about the degrees of unacceptability of apartheid. It was totally unacceptable. The FW de Klerk Foundation has accordingly decided to withdraw its statement of 14 February unconditionally and apologises for the confusion, anger and hurt that it has caused,” De Klerk said on Monday.
He added that while apartheid was dismantled by 1994, when the Statute of Rome was adopted four years later, it was ranked as a crime against humanity and defined it as “inhumane acts …committed in the context of an institutional regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime.”
“The FW de Klerk Foundation supports this provision,” De Klerk said.
The Bulawayo City Council has the powers to change street names in the city contrary to claims by deputy local government minister Marian Chombo that the local authority cannot effect the name changes.
Two weeks ago, Chombo, reacting to a report that BCC had changed street names, said the local authority had no authority to make the changes.
However, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has clarified that local authorities can change street names.
“The naming of streets name places is in two parts. There are those that are done by local authorities subject to approval and gazetting,” said Ziyambi in response top a question from MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe who had asked who has legal powers to change street names.
Added Ziyambi Ziyambi, “Then there are some that are named by central Government subject to the relevant procedures and approval by Cabinet, gazetting and then the names will be changed or named accordingly.”
Some of the effected changes are as follows:
Leopold Takawira Avenue (from Samuel Parirenyatwa Street to Umguza River Bridge along Gwanda Road) which is now King Mzilikazi Road, Nketa Drive is now Queen Lozikheyi Dlodlo Drive, Athlone Avenue is Simon Vengai Muzenda Road and 23rd Avenue is Landa John Nkomo Road.
Lady Stanley Avenue is now Mama Joanna Mafuyana Avenue, Steeldale Road and Anthony Tylor Road is now Albert Nxele Road, Dunde Drive has been renamed Sikhanyiso Duke Ndlovu Drive, Fife Street is now Nikita Mangena Street and Fort Street has been renamed Lookout Masuku Street.
Old Khami Road is Sydney Malunga Road, Basch Street is Dumiso Dabengwa Road, Waverley Road is Jairos Jiri Road while Fairbridge has been renamed Erick Bloch Way.
Other roads renamed are Hillside Road which is now Sir Garfield Todd Road, Van Riebeck Road is Joseph Msika Drive, Connaught Avenue is Cephas Cele Avenue, Collenbrander Road is Daniel Madzimbamuto Road, Manchester Road is now George Nyandoro Road, Vera Road is now Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu Road, Birkenhead Road has been renamed Sikanjaya Muntanga Road and Doncaster Road is now Maria Msika Road.
Lobengula Street has been corrected to King Lobengula Street, together with Moffat Road in Hillside which has been corrected to Robert Moffat Drive and Leander Road in Hillside which is now Dr Leander Star Jameson.
A 22-year-old man from Plumtree was recently arrested after he robbed and raped his 71-year-old employer before fleeing the scene.
After he robbed his employer of some cash and cellphones, Justice Ndebele raped her before taking a rope which he used to tie her hands and legs before he fled.
However, his luck ran out when the police caught him.
National Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident in a statement.
“Justice Ndebele alias Majority (22) of Dilankombe village, Plumtree was arrested on February 13 for armed robbery and rape. Accused attacked his employer, a female aged 71 years, stole some cash and two cellphones and then raped her before tying her hands and legs with a rope,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
He said the granny managed to untie herself, went to make a police report which lead to the arrest of Ndebele and the recovery of the stolen property. After the arrest, Asst Comm Nyathi said it was discovered that Ndebele was on a police list of wanted people for various criminal cases.
State Media|MDC-Alliance legislators must be charged with contempt of court for their failure to respect President Mnangagwa during Parliamentary proceedings after the Constitutional Court ruled that he was duly elected as Head of State and Government, Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said.
He said the MDC-Alliance lawmakers were also in violation of the Constitution which they swore to uphold as Members of Parliament.
Advocate Mudenda said this in his affidavit filed at the High Court where he was defending his decision to dock five months sitting allowances for opposition lawmakers for constantly walking out each time President Mnangagwa comes to Parliament.
The legislators have approached the High Court challenging Adv Mudenda’s ruling directing that they forfeit five months allowances.
“The applicants must be charged with contempt of court , in particular the highest court of the land, the Constitutional Court. Their walking out on the President and refusal to rise in respect of the President is contemptuous not only of the Office of the President, but also the Constitutional Court which ruled that the President was duly elected,” said Adv Mudenda in his court papers.
This followed a ruling by the Constitutional Court which dismissed an election petition filed by MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa challenging the 2018 harmonised election result won by President Mnangagwa.
Adv Mudenda said there was need for the opposition lawmakers to uphold the law.
“The applicants are in violation of the provisions of the Constitution and the oath of office they took before assumption of office as Members of Parliament. In terms of the Constitution, Members of Parliament are required to take the oath of an MP before he or she sits in Parliament. The need to agree under oath, to uphold the Constitution is an unequivocal requirement to holding public office as a Member of Parliament. In simple terms, if you uphold something such as the law, a principle, or a decision you must support and uphold it,” he said.
Adv Mudenda said the opposition legislators remained seated when they should have stood up and walked out when they should have remained in the Chamber in utter contempt of the Head of State.
“The applicants are aware of the procedures that need to be followed in regard to demonstrations and the House was not such a platform,” he said.
Adv Mudenda said at one point the MDC Alliance sent some emissaries led by Ms Tabitha Khumalo, Mr Prosper Mutseyami, Mr Amos Chibaya and Ms Lilian Timveous to apologise for their conduct.
Adv Mudenda said he acted within his powers in terms of Standing Rules and Orders when he stopped payment of their allowances.
“I invoked the provisions of Standing Order 206 in my capacity as the only authority who could do so in the circumstances. The Members of the MDC-Alliance tested my patience beyond reasonable measure and yet I had previously let their actions slide without any immediate censure,” he said.
THE Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has urged government to provide decent and fair working conditions in the health sector to avoid unnecessary conflicts between healthcare workers.
This comes as doctors and nurses last week clashed over working hours after the latter complained that doctors are not reporting for duty as much as expected, leaving all the work to nurses.
In an interview with the Daily News yesterday, CWGH director Itai Rusike has attributed the rift between members of the two professions to the exclusion of nurses in the Higher Life Foundation(HLF) package.
Rusike, however, said government should now come in and address health workers’ poor working conditions and should not expect the HLF to cater for all workers’ salaries.
“The selective award of allowances to health workers has a demoralising effect on those that do not receive them, particularly in circumstances where the working hours and conditions are similar.
“The fact that nurses are now demanding a similar rescue package arrangement demonstrates that the Higher Life Foundation arrangement is a stop-gap measure as the humanitarian foundation cannot fund salaries for all the health workers. That still remains the responsibility of the government,” Rusike said.
The CWGH director said government should come up with retention strategies targeting all staff categories, including those in training institutions.
HLF recently offered doctors a $100 million fellowship programme that will see them getting salaries ranging between $5 000 and $10 000 for 12 months in a bid to end a four-month strike that was crippling the health sector.
Nurses have complained that despite being capacitated, doctors are bunking work, thereby contributing to the collapse of the health sector.
“Go and do the rounds right now and you will find the junior doctors already gone. The law says they are supposed to work for eight hours. Patients with emergency situations die before doctors even arrive.
“You go to district hospitals; a doctor is in on Monday and not there on Tuesday. They know themselves. They are paid for working 24/7 but they do not come everyday,” Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Enock Dongo said.
Progressive Doctors Association of Zimbabwe secretary-general Sitshengisani Vuma, on the other hand, said the allegations raised by nurses are misguided statements meant to cause unnecessary fights between the two professions.
“These fights, if allowed to come to life, are what might compromise patient care. Ask the patients in the ward whether doctors are attending to them or not. Doctors investigate, diagnose and synthesise the management.
“The nurses then come in to make sure the medications are given. So that being said, not all doctors are expected to be in the ward throughout the day but we always leave some on standby in case of an emergency in each ward,” Vuma added.
Five family members were struck to death by lightning in the Muzvezve area of Sanyati district.
Tragedy struck when the family, which was tending their maize field, sought refuge under a tree when it started raining yesterday afternoon in Village 6, Muzvezve 1. A lightning bolt hit the tree. The five who died went under one tree while three other family members who survived went under another nearby tree.
Sanyati district civil protection unit Mr Amigo Mhlanga confirmed the development saying the unit has since been activated to offer assistance.
“Five members of the same family have died after being struck by lightning while being sheltered under a tree. The district CPU has been activated and we are going to the area to assess the situation while also looking at how the family can be assisted because of the magnitude of the tragedy,” said Mr Mhlanga.
Many leading Chinese scientists are starting to speak out and say COVID-19 (coronavirus) originated at a government bioweapons research facility in Wuhan, rather than the widely-held belief that it emerged from the city’s Huanan seafood markets.
In a recent video by a popular media outfit, the reporter revealed that the cause may be connected to bioweapons which the development centre is situated in Wuhan city of China.
The report also added that the revelation by the scientists over the cause of CoronaVirus comes after a renowned law professor in Beijing “went missing”.
According to reports, he went missing after publicly condemning Chinese President Xi Jinping for failing to contain the spread of the virus at an early stage.
He even added the condemnation could be the last message of his life.
The revelation has been publicized by many media outlets around the world. See screenshots below…
Watch video below…
BREAKING: Many leading Chinese scientists are starting to speak out and say COVID-19 (coronavirus) originated at a government bioweapons research facility in Wuhan, rather than the widely-held belief that it emerged from the city's Huanan seafood markets.https://t.co/DsxwJSAox2pic.twitter.com/TbshN8eDni
File Picture of a Zuva Garage displaying prices when fuel shot up in 2019.
Own Correspondent|President Emmerson Mnangagwa linked ZUVA Petroleum on Tuesday announced that eight service stations will be accepting foreign currency payments across the country.
The arrangement was made under the Direct Fuel Import scheme which means these sites are likely to have guaranteed fuel supplies.
Here are the USD fuel prices:
Harare: $1.25 Diesel – $1.22 Blend
Mutare: $1.23 Diesel – $1.20 Blend
Bulawayo: $1.25 Diesel – $1.24 blend
Beitbridge: $1.26 Diesel – $1.25 Blend
Victoria Falls: $1.29 Diesel – $1.28 Blend
Posting on Twitter earlier in the day, the company said:
We are excited to announce 8 Zuva DFI Service Stations that will be accepting foreign currency payments across the country as follows:
Harare: Lorraine, Groombridge, Pendennis, & Valley
OPPOSITION MDC president Nelson Chamisa yesterday conceded that he was under “immense pressure” from restless party supporters who want to confront President Emmerson Mnangagwa over his handling of the country’s economy.
Zimbabwe is facing its worst economic crisis in a decade, with prices of basic goods soaring and shortages of medicines, fuel and electricity, while rising inflation has wiped out wages.
Chamisa said supporters wanted to take to the streets, a sentiment he said was popular with the party faithful during his whirlwind tour of provinces that began two weeks ago.
The opposition leader told NewsDay yesterday that in all places he had been, which include Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands, Mashonaland Central and others, there were overwhelming calls for action to deal with the crisis in Zimbabwe.
“I have been to Gweru, Bulawayo and Masvingo, the sentiment I got is that there is pressure among people to go on the streets,” Chamisa said.
“People want to be on the street as early as yesterday to protest against government. Considering that people are suffering and dying while crossing the flooded Limpopo to South Africa looking for opportunities that are deprived back home, the pressure is unbearable. People want to be in the street as early as yesterday to have the situation resolved.
“They look forward to the political leadership to resolve the crisis, which is not happening. But what I want to assure people is that change will come and it is not far. This situation is not sustainable, it cannot subsist for a long time.”
Efforts to have Mnangagwa and Chamisa dialogue to end the Zimbabwean crisis, characterised by fuel shortages, cash crisis, mealie-meal shortages, hyperinflation, power cuts among other issues, have hit a brickwall.
This is despite the intervention by former South African President Thabo Mbeki to try and bring the warring parties to the table.
Mnangagwa has been accused of failing to deal with the deepening economic crisis, with observers saying dialogue was the only way out.
Chamisa has insisted on talks, but hinted he was giving up on any prospect for dialogue as Mnangagwa has not been forthcoming, to the extent of ignoring moves by Mbeki.
While Mnangagwa remains adamant that dialogue will only happen under the Political Actors’ Dialogue banner, Chamisa has said he will not join a captured project.
There have been calls from within the MDC for a more combative approach to the current situation with mainly protests being one of the key points.
Said Chamisa: “Mnangagwa has not been taking an olive branch we extended to him on dialogue, and now we don’t have a choice, but take action.
“It is foolhardy to continue talking about elections that are not elections, elections whose outcome is predetermined. We have been down this road since 2000, people voting and being cheated and their vote being disregarded as was the situation in 2008.
“We cannot continue with this national deception and global deceit. The people have the total sovereign power to resolve their problems; it is through elections that executive authority is driven, legislative as well as judicial.”
Job Sikhala, the MDC deputy national chair, said time was fast ripening to bring down the Mnangagwa dictatorship.
“Zimbabwe cannot survive further with these people (Mnangagwa and Zanu PF). Their time is up and a thunderstorm of anger is gathering. Let me make this promise. Very soon, from the forefront, we are going to liberate our country,” Sikhala said in his message thanking the MDC family and people for their support during his treason trial.
Meanwhile, fresh details have emerged on why Chamisa suspended the James Gumbi-chaired Masvingo executive last week as it was revealed that the leadership was not in touch with reality on the ground, neglecting some districts, leading to a paltry 27 votes in the Mwenezi by-election held recently.
Zanu PF garnered 1 811 votes, while the MDC got only 27 in the by-election as the top leaders of the Masvingo executive are all based in Harare, with the chairman working full time in the capital together with the secretary, who is a lawyer in Harare.
“They are visitors in Masvingo and we got complaints from the districts on the matter, so we had to act,” a senior MDC official said.
“Senior members in the executive stay in Harare and they never set their feet in Mwenezi to campaign, yet Zanu PF was visible and well represented. The people ended up voting for Zanu PF because they had no protection from their leaders in the province,” the insider said.
“If they decide to go to Masvingo, before they reach Mbudzi roundabout, Zanu PF officials would have arrived for meetings in the province and we can’t have that kind of leadership now. People were used to impunity and we said now, we are drawing a line in the sand.”
This robbery at the Mall of Africa was beyond casual, but authorities still haven’t caught up with Bathobile Mlangeni after she made her escape.
When you think of some of the most successful robberies throughout history, things like detailed blueprints and slick teams of criminal master-planners come to mind. But, if you’re Bathobile Mlangeni – the suspect in a R4 million robbery at the Mall of Africa in Johannesburg– you simply just walk in, take what you want, and ride into the sunset.
SBV South Africa – who specialise in the transfer of physical cash amounts across the country – have apparently been betrayed by one of their own. Mlangeni was an employee at the depot in Midrand, and she used her position of trust to gain access to the motherload in July 2019. The details of her crime are astounding:
Bathobile Mlangeni is accused of infiltrating the depot she worked at, raiding the cash reserves at SBV.
It’s believed two cash bags were split open, and the suspect filled-up bin liners with banknotes.
Mlangeni can be seen on CCTV, exiting the depot with a trolley full of cash.
The employee never returned to work the day after the money went missing, and she’s not been heard from since.
She has successfully evaded SAPS, SBV and the threat of detection for the past seven months.
Bathobile Mlangeni is a wanted woman
Mark Barrett is a CEO for SBV. He confirmed that the incident remains under investigation, and the firm are now stepping-up their pursuit of the missing Bathobile Mlangeni. She’s spent more than half-a-year on the run, but this renewed campaign hopes to bring the main suspect in for questioning:
“As a key service provider that ensures that cash is available for the citizens of South Africa, and as a responsible corporate citizen, we do not tolerate any crime and take all internal and external incidents in a serious light. We are cooperating with the relevant authorities to investigate the incident.”
“This is not a cash centre but a collection facility for cash collected from tenants in the mall. If an incident does occur, we will focus our efforts together with the relevant authorities to ensure that the perpetrators involved are brought to justice.”Mark Barrett, Group CEO
SBV is appealing to members of the public to phone our confidential hotline on 083 408 7029 to report any information in relation to this crime.
Correspondent|FIVE people, including an opposition MDC councillor, are under police custody following the skirmishes that marred the acquittal of opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) vice-chairman, Job Sikhala, on treason charges.
Law enforcers allege the individuals damaged a police vehicle and destroyed property when Sikhala appeared at the High Court in the ancient town of Masvingo last Friday.
Police arrested the suspects, including Godfrey Kurauone, the MDC councillor for Masvingo Central, on Sunday.
His co-accused are Peter Chigamba, Kissmaker Mapote, Daniel Mberikunashe and Olivia Tobaiwa.
They have been charged with malicious damage to property under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers alleged that they threw stones at a police vehicle and damaged windows at some retail shops during the court appearance of Sikhala, who is also a legislator of Zengeza West in the capital Harare.
The appearance was marred by tensions with law enforcement agents firing teargas canisters to disperse people who had gathered outside the courthouse to follow proceedings.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has secured the release of the suspects.
They are to appear in court by way of summons.
Meanwhile, High Court Judge, Justice Garainesu Mawadze, last Friday acquitted Sikhala on charges of plotting to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
The outspoken Sikhala was arrested in July last year following a political rally he addressed in the mining town of Bikita in Masvingo Province.
He was alleged to have declared MDC would have removed Mnangagwa from power before the next elections.
Own Correspondent|Cabinet recently declared that it was beginning its 2020 business paperless following the launch of the e-Cabinet project by President Mnangagwa.
The President said the e-Cabinet project will also speed up decision-making in Cabinet.
“Today’s event marks the completion of phase one of the e-Cabinet project which will see the Cabinet secretariat carry out paperless administrative and secretarial functions,” he said.
“This is indeed part of the contemporary ways of conducting meetings and storage of information. Through this system, members of Cabinet will now be able to conduct all their work within the Cabinet room on an electronic platform that should expedite decision-making, information analyses and the execution of action plans.
“Furthermore, the e-Cabinet system will result in a robust database which facilitates easy access to stored records of Government.”
However, in a surprise turn of events, cabinet Ministers appeared in Tuesday’s cabinet briefing with hoards of papers which Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube battled to surf through.
Government has announced an increase in the charges for passport applications. Ordinary passport goes up from ZWL$52 to ZWL$150. Cabinet briefing pic.twitter.com/pvOyMZAqP7
The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) representative to the European Union (EU), Grace Kwinjeh, has resigned from her post to focus on her studies in South America.
FRONT LINE activist: Grace Kwinjeh waits outside the Harare Magistrates Court in an ambulance after she was brutally assaulted by riot police in 2007
Nehanda Radio understands the veteran journalist turned human rights activist and politician has secured a scholarship to study global politics for the next two years. Kwinjeh has over 20 years experience in communications, lobbying and advocacy, at national, regional and international levels.
She rose to fame in the late 90s as one of the young Zimbabweans, led by the late founding MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who challenged ZANU PF’s political hegemony.
Kwinjeh became a vocal champion for human rights, suffering long periods of persecution under regime of the late Robert Mugabe. Pictures of her badly beaten body along with that of Sekai Holland went viral in 2007 cementing her legacy as one of the brave fighters of her generation.
Kwinjeh is also an experienced editor who has studied theology and International Relations and has worked with news agencies and national newspapers, in Africa and Europe.
In 2015 Kwinjeh co-authored a book with Liberia’s former President Sirleaf Johnson and other female leaders representing the African continent titled, Women’s Leadership in Peace Building: Conflict, Community and Care. She is also published in leading academic journals.
This has to be put as crude as it is. Mnangagwa, Zanu-PF government and the Shona majority that cheered the Zimbabwe National Army 5th Brigade and celebrated the death of innocent Matebeles in the 1980s, collectively owe us the blood of more than 40 000 Matebeles that were dastardly murdered by the Zimbabwe National Army 5th Brigade.
It is deception of highest order for Mnangagwa and many other perpetrators of Matabeleland genocide, their Matabele agents, funders, advisors and Shona majority supporters to conclude that Matabeleland genocide, 1979 Grand Plan and continuous oppression of Matabeles have had their indented combined effect of psychologically killing us to the point that we no longer have the ability to stand up and defend ourselves. They must never make the mistake of thinking that the continuous heartless stomping on our genocide wounds is acceptable to us. Matabeleland genocide is a time bomb. One stupid mistake, Zimbabwe will be socked in blood.
It must be stated here that the Mnangagwa’ s handling of Matabeleland genocide borders on total disrespect and disregard of the people of Matabeleland, a clear sign that he is still unrepentant and remorseless. No wonder why he thinks of us as cockroaches.
The people of Matabeleland must ask themselves why all of a sudden, the Zimbabwe government is floating fake devolution and launching false Matabeleland genocide process, after years of denial, ignorance and oppression.
It is a plot to counter Matabeleland statehood restoration cause which causes sleepless nights for the government of Zimbabwe.
No one on earth will lose like the Zimbabwe government and its Shona majority should Matabeleland become independent. That is the reason why there are loud cries in Mashonaland that Zimbabwe is a ‘unitary state”, Zimbabwe “is indivisible” and Zimbabwe “is one country from Limpopo to Zambazi river.” As an act of desperation and fear, the above words were added on the new Zimbabwe constitution that was written in 2013.
The following is what they will lose and they know it, that is why they have started counting their loses as evidenced by loud cries from Harare.
i) Matabeleland is a large chunk of fertile land that measures 45 749 680 acres. It is bigger than Belgium, Seychelles, Rwanda, Burundi, Lesotho, Eswatini and Equatorial Guinea, all combined.
ii) It boasts very busy inland borders like Beitbridge that racks in US$ 2 million a day, Plumtree, Victoria Falls, Pandamatenga and the soon to be erected post at Battle Fields linking the Republic of Matabeleland and the Republic of Zimbabwe.
iii) Minerals- huge gold deposits in Bubi, Bulawayo environs, Mvuma, Tsholotsho, Gwanda, Plumtree, Victoria Falls and Insiza. According to Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines 80% of gold output in Zimbabwe comes from Matabeleland. Huge deposits of platinum in Shabani, chrome in Guinea Fowl, Selukwe and Shabani. Diamonds in Beitbridge , Somabhula and Tsholotsho. Nickel in Shangani, tin in Kamativi, Iron ore deposits in Redclif. Emerald in Bheligwe and other minerals like copper tantaline etc. Coal and gas in Lupane and Whange. All electricity generating power plants are situated in Matabeleland. Thermal power plant in Wange and hydro electric power plant in Kariba.
iv) Biggest tourism sites like Victoria Falls, Whange National Park, Matoposi National Park, Khami Ruins , Dlodlo ruins, Old Bulawayo and Lake Kariba.
v) Hard timber like teak, mukwa etc in Fictoria Falls, Tsholotsho and Nkayi.
vi) Bulawayo, Gwelo, Kwekwe are three big cities that will be lost to the Republic of Matabeleland. All have disused industries suitable for both light and heavy industries which just need rehabilitation.
vii) Two international airports. JM Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls International Airport.
viii) Shona majority will lose jobs in Matabeleland hospitals, police, correctional service, judiciary, education, banks, industries, ports of entry and tourism industry which they dominate by over 95% through tribal segregation policy that shuts out Matabele.
So, loud cries from Mashonaland are understandable though misplaced. Who in the world will not cry at the prospect of losing so big? It is now clear as to why a 77 year old president who views us as pests and once said that gukurahundi is a closed charpter, after 40 years of genocide denial and oppression of Matabeles, all of a sudden stands up and pretends to be committed to healing Matabeleland genocide wounds and rolling out devolution to try and hoodwink the people of Matabeleland and the world. Nice try old man! But we do not by into your nonsense.
In isiNdebele we say indoda ifa izamile . Ukukhala akusizi kwehlula imbuzi ngekhisimusi. Uzakhala zome.
When Mnangagwa is done playing gukurahundi games in Matabeleland with groups led by his girl friend and Shonas like Magwizi who come from as far as Mutoko and claim to represent Matabeleland, he would sobber up and attend serous issues in Matabeleland.
Who is Magwizi to tell us that he does not want Matabeleland genocide to be taken to the international court? As far as we know, even though ZAPU leadership was 75% Shona, not even one Shona was killed.
Serous issues that need immediate attention in Matabeleland are peaceful restoration of Matabeleland state and US $100 billion compensation for Matabeleland genocide, abuse of Matabeles and illegal exploitation and plundering of Matabeleland resources for 40 years. These are issues that Mnangagwa must attend to. Anything else is a waste of time, energy and money.
Matabeleland restoration is a noble cause of which Matabeles are prepared to shed blood for. Give us Matabeleland or death!
The lefthand just doesn’t seem to know what the right hand is doing in Zimbabwe as senior government officials practise opposing polices.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa linked Zuva Petroleum has announced 8 service stations that will be selling fuel in foreign currency across the country.
The arrangement was made under the Direct Fuel Import scheme which means these sites are likely to have guaranteed fuel supplies.
Posting on Twitter Zuva Petroleum said:
We are excited to announce 8 Zuva DFI Service Stations that will be accepting foreign currency payments across the country as follows Harare: Lorraine, Groombridge, Pendennis, & Valley Bulawayo: Macs Garage Beitbridge: Oasis Mutare: Palmerstone Victoria Falls: Zambezi pic.twitter.com/6DHG0YM6J4
An unidentified #Harare man is battling for his life after he shot himself on Tue, at Newlands shopping centre over unclear circumstances. Eyewitnesses said the man only identified as Mabhara’s young bro fired 4 shots @ his galfriend & missed her before turning the gun on himself https://t.co/pxw4kRTkmDpic.twitter.com/xMqmFEXryi
ZANU PF National Chairperson Oppah Muchinguri is reportedly mobilizing members of the Central Committee to back her in a bid to confront President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the party’s decision to suspend two ZANU PF Youth leaders Godfrey Tsenengamu and Lewis Matutu.
A highly placed ZANU PF source who spoke to this reporter revealed that ZANU PF Commissar Victor Matemadanda had assurd the embattled pair that the National Chairperson was mobilising Central Committee members to stand with Matutu and Tsenengamu in their anti corruption fight.
Said the source, “Oppah Muchinguri is using her position as National Chairperson to whip central committee members into supporting Matutu and Godfrey Tsenengamu, while Pupurai Togarepi uses his influence on ZANU PF MPs who are also members of Central Committee by virtue of being MPs.
“The game plan is to out number politburo members and out veto their decision in a bid to bring back Matutu and Godfrey Tsenengamu who are useful foot soldiers of the Muchinguri bid for Vice Presidency. The group also wants the positions of vice president and Chairperson to be contested positions and not appointees and they seek to propose an ammendment to that effect.”
Chris Mutsvangwa is rumoured to be angling for the National Chairman’s position hence his support towards an Oppah Muchinguri promotion so that she creates space for him in the Presidium.
“The group has already gathered ammunition to use against former Army General Constantine Chiwenga who they say is physically unfit, morally unfit and lacks Probity to hold the second highest office in the ruling party. Marry Chiwenga and her affidavit against Chiwenga will be the cornerstone of their final push against Chiwenga.” The source added
The Warriors have learnt their opponents in the 2020 Chan competition to be held in Cameroon from 4-25 April 2020.
They will face hosts Cameroon in the opening match of the tournament. Other Group A opponents are Burkina Faso and Mali.
This will be the second time Zimbabwe will face the Burkinabes and the Malians in the Chan competition. The national team played against the two sides in 2014, winning in both encounters.
The 2020 Chan will be the first tournament for Zdravko Logarusic who was unveiled as the Zimbabwe national team coach a week ago.
Draw:
Group A: Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, Mali.
Group B: Niger, Congo, DRC, Lybia
Group C: Morocco, Togo, Uganda, Rwanda.
Group D: Tanzania, Namibia, Guinea, Zambia- Soccer 24
Farai Dziva|Atletico Madrid’s confidence has been boosted massively ahead of their blockbuster Champions League clash with defending champions Liverpool tonight following the return to fitness of star striker Diego Costa.
The 31-year-old Spaniard returns for Diego Simione’s men 95 days after limping off with a slipped disc injury.
Atletico face a daunting task to eliminate a Liverpool side which has been firing from all cylinders in the Premier League but the return of Costa will add the much-needed attacking impetus.
CAPS United have confirmed the deal with Chapungu over the transfer of Ian Nyoni.
The forward had been a target for the Green Machine in the pre-season but the relegated Waru-Waru side was reluctant to lose one of their star players in the 2019 campaign.
Nyoni, 25, finished the term with six goals, one behind the club’s top scorer Brighton Mugoni.
The Harare giants are rebuilding their team as they look to replace the majority of the squad that agonisingly missed the championship on the final day of last season.
With only twelve players retained from the lot, the club’s initial target is to bring in a total of forty new players for all age groups and eighteen signings have been made so far.
The confirmed arrivals are Ishmael Wadi, Tatenda Tumba and Munyaradzi Diro-Nyenye who all joined from Harare City, Leeroy Mavhunga from Yadah and talented former Chicken Inn player Innocent Mucheneka.-Soccer 24
The Officer Commanding
Harare Suburban
Harare Central Police
HARARE
Dear Sir/Madam
NOTICE OF PROTEST MARCH TO PARLIAMENT TO HAND OVER PETITION ON GRADE 7 AND ‘O’ AND ‘A’ LEVEL EXAMINATION FEES HIKES BY ZIMSEC
We write to give notice that The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe shall be marching to Parliament to handover a Petition to seek urgent Parliamentary intervention to reverse/reduce the recent astronomic Grade 7 and ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level examination fees hikes by ZIMSEC.
It is our belief that the duty and obligation to defend and protect the rights of children squarely rests on us as teachers and parents.
The march shall be on Thursday 27 February 2020.
We shall proceed from Harare gardens via Julius Nyerere, through 2nd street to Nelson Mandela and then to Parliament, Building.
The march shall happen between 1 pm – 2 pm.
Expected number of marchers is plus or minus 500.
You may attend if you so wish
Yours Sincerely
Raymond Majongwe
PTUZ SECRETARY GENERAL
DYNAMOS manager Richard Chihoro says they are not yet done on the market.
The Glamour Boys have roped in 14 new players and retained 10 from last season.
They will promote five juniors from their Division Two team.
“We have 29 players so far, 14 new players, ten we retained from last season and five juniors. We will promote five juniors and we will announce the names in due course.
“We have Nigel Katawa and Simbarashe Chinani who are in Russia for trials, if we add them we will be 31.
“It’s a full house for now but there is a possibility of loading and offloading along the way,” said Chihoro.
Chihoro said they haven’t received any formal latter considering the duo of Katawa and Chinani.
He said the goal is to deliver what Coach Tonderai Ndiraya needs.
“We cannot rule another signing as of yet, we don’t know where Chinani and Katawa stand.-H-Metro
The people of Kuwadzana, Harare were the worst brutalised by soldiers in August 2018 when Emmerson Mnangagwa deployed the army to kill many while changing election results, and on the 4th August local clinics told ZimEye.com of how military trucks would arrive at night and officers begin assaulting residents. Being reminded of these atrocities could not be any more hurting.
A soldier clearly fires live ammunition at protesting citizens
Soldiers move in to disperse crowds of opposition Movement for Democratic Change supporters outside the party’s headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe, August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
An armed soldier points his gun at an innocent aged vendor
VOICE 1 (Talent Chiwenga)- Izvozvi ndichitaura zvandirikuita izvi, havasirivo vaMnangagwa vakatuma ma soldier kupfura vanhu. Nyaya iyoyo irikutovanetsawo but havasikuziva kuti voita sei nayo. … Asi izvozvi zvandirikutaura izvi Mwari vakandiudza kuti havana kumbotuma vanhu.
VOICE 2 (ED) – Asiyo Ka. Deno taiziva kuti vanhu vekuKuwadzana vasingadi kuti mvura inaye, aaah, taingoti army kombai tirove.
Farai Dziva|The MDC Youth Assembly has rejected Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, John Panonetsa Mangudya’s Monetary Policy presentation.
See statement below :
Reserve Bank Governor, John Mangudya’s misleading, misguiding, misinforming and deceiving de-dollarization utterances outpoured yesterday in his presentation of what was supposed to be a Financial Monetary Policy is complete hogwash and rubbish!
In his utter nonsense and delusional stupor disguised as a Financial Monetary Policy, Mangudya claimed that the country is on the right track in curbing inflation since the ban of multi currency system.
A modern day Annanias, Mangudya deliberately lied that businesses no longer trade in foreign currency but Zimdollar yet we all know that US dollar is now our de facto legal tender.
From every tuck shop to street vendor and retailers to wholesalers, all business transactions including of basic goods are being conducted in US dollar and not in Mangudya’s useless and valueless paper currency.
Clearly Mangudya must be smoking a substance that is dangerous to his mental well being!
Just like his masters Mthuli Ncube and Emmerson Mnangagwa, clearly Mangudya is not in sync with the realities on the ground!
If anything, Mangudya is an insult to the sancrosanct office of Reserve Bank Governor which was once occupied by men of repute, probity, excellence and honor like Leonard Tsumba and Kombo Moyana.
To better understand Mangudya’s chameleonic tendencies, it is important to unpack this treacherous fellow.
Mangudya is the very same man who deliberately lied to the whole nation that surrogate Bond Note is one as to one with US dollar!
This is the very same chap who fooled the whole nation to adopt plastic money only to later connive in dark corridors with Mthuli Ncube to rob the public through 2% taxation on every transaction.
Overtly Magudya is a master of inconsistency and policy summersault!
That this useless Governor even talks of improvements because of de-dollarization in five years is a clear indication that the man is divorced from political and economic realities of the day.
Mangudya is blind and deaf to the fact that citizens are hungry and angry.
In five years time Mangudya and his political master Emmerson Mnangagwa will already be gathering dust in political museum!
Mangudya should wake up, sober up and smell the coffee because the winds of change are blowing through the air!
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDCYouthAssemblyNationalSpokesperson
Farai Dziva|The MDC Youth Assembly has rejected Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, John Panonetsa Mangudya’s Monetary Policy presentation.
See statement below :
Reserve Bank Governor, John Mangudya’s misleading, misguiding, misinforming and deceiving de-dollarization utterances outpoured yesterday in his presentation of what was supposed to be a Financial Monetary Policy is complete hogwash and rubbish!
In his utter nonsense and delusional stupor disguised as a Financial Monetary Policy, Mangudya claimed that the country is on the right track in curbing inflation since the ban of multi currency system.
A modern day Annanias, Mangudya deliberately lied that businesses no longer trade in foreign currency but Zimdollar yet we all know that US dollar is now our de facto legal tender.
From every tuck shop to street vendor and retailers to wholesalers, all business transactions including of basic goods are being conducted in US dollar and not in Mangudya’s useless and valueless paper currency.
Clearly Mangudya must be smoking a substance that is dangerous to his mental well being!
Just like his masters Mthuli Ncube and Emmerson Mnangagwa, clearly Mangudya is not in sync with the realities on the ground!
If anything, Mangudya is an insult to the sancrosanct office of Reserve Bank Governor which was once occupied by men of repute, probity, excellence and honor like Leonard Tsumba and Kombo Moyana.
To better understand Mangudya’s chameleonic tendencies, it is important to unpack this treacherous fellow.
Mangudya is the very same man who deliberately lied to the whole nation that surrogate Bond Note is one as to one with US dollar!
This is the very same chap who fooled the whole nation to adopt plastic money only to later connive in dark corridors with Mthuli Ncube to rob the public through 2% taxation on every transaction.
Overtly Magudya is a master of inconsistency and policy summersault!
That this useless Governor even talks of improvements because of de-dollarization in five years is a clear indication that the man is divorced from political and economic realities of the day.
Mangudya is blind and deaf to the fact that citizens are hungry and angry.
In five years time Mangudya and his political master Emmerson Mnangagwa will already be gathering dust in political museum!
Mangudya should wake up, sober up and smell the coffee because the winds of change are blowing through the air!
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDCYouthAssemblyNationalSpokesperson
Maintaining a regular exercise routine throughout your pregnancy can help you stay healthy and feel your best.
Regular
exercise during pregnancy can improve your posture and decrease some common discomforts such as backaches and fatigue .
There is evidence that
physical activity may prevent gestational diabetes (diabetes that develops during pregnancy), relieve stress, and build more stamina needed for labor and delivery.
If you were physically active before your pregnancy, you should be able to continue your activity in moderation.
Don’t try to exercise at your former level; instead, do what’s most comfortable for you now. Low impact aerobics are encouraged versus high impact.
The pregnant competitive athlete should be closely followed by an obstetrician .
If you have never exercised regularly before, you can safely begin an exercise program during pregnancy after consulting with your health care provider, but do not try a new, strenuous activity. Walking is considered safe to initiate when pregnant.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise per day on most if not all days of the week, unless you have a medical or pregnancy complication.
Who Should Not Exercise During Pregnancy?
If you have a medical problem, such as
asthma, heart disease, or diabetes , exercise may not be advisable.
Exercise may also be harmful if you have a pregnancy-related condition such as:
Bleeding or spotting
Low placenta
Threatened or recurrent miscarriage
Previous premature births or history of early labor
Weak cervix
Talk with your health care provider before beginning an exercise program.
Your health care provider can also give you personal exercise guidelines, based on your medical history.
What Exercises Are Safe During Pregnancy?
Most exercises are safe to perform during pregnancy, as long as you exercise with caution and do not overdo it.
The safest and most productive activities are swimming , brisk walking, indoor stationary cycling, step or elliptical machines, and low-impact aerobics (taught by a certified aerobics instructor). These activities carry little risk of injury, benefit your entire body, and can be continued until birth.
Tennis and racquetball are generally safe activities, but changes in balance during pregnancy may affect rapid movements.
Other activities such as jogging can be done in moderation, especially if you were doing them before your pregnancy. You may want to choose exercises or activities that do not require great balance or coordination, especially later in pregnancy.
To learn strength and toning exercises that are safe to do during pregnancy, see
Sample Exercises .
What Exercises Should Be Avoided During Pregnancy?
There are certain exercises and activities that can be harmful if performed during pregnancy.
They include:
Holding your breath during any activity.
Activities where falling is likely (such as skiing and horseback riding).
Contact sports such as softball, football, basketball, and volleyball.
Any exercise that may cause even mild abdominal trauma such as activities that include jarring motions or rapid changes in direction.
Activities that require extensive jumping, hopping, skipping, bouncing, or running.
Deep knee bends, full sit-ups, double leg raises, and straight-leg toe touches.
Bouncing while stretching.
Waist-twisting movements while standing.
Heavy exercise spurts followed by long periods of no activity.
Exercise in hot, humid weather.
Credit -WebMD Medical Reference
For more information follow like our Facebook page :Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
The MDC is disappointed and dismayed by the postponement today, of the handing down of the ruling on the Exception to the charge filed by the lawyers for our two national leaders Hon. Amos Chibaya (Organising Secretary) and Hon. Sibusisiwe Masara (Deputy Organising Secretary) to Tuesday the 25th February 2020.
As the famous legal cliche goes Justice delayed is Justice denied.
Our two Honourable Members are being persecuted and have been wrongly charged for committing a non-existent crime. We have stated it before that The Public Order and Security Act (POSA) was a draconian piece of legislation which has no place in any civilized and democratic society. However, it is a tragedy that its demise witnessed the enactment of an even worse piece of Legislation in the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act. (MOPA)
The illegitimate regime has perfected the art of Ruling by Law instead of upholding the Rule of Law and in the instant case charging the convenors of a public demonstration which the Police unjustly prohibited at the eleventh hour with failure to stop the Demonstration is the height of hypocrisy.
It is unfortunate that the Magistrate presiding over the case is said to be indisposed and hence the postponement but in our respectful view the case as outlined in the charge sheet and State outline has no merit and it is a sad indictment on the National Prosecuting Authority that they saw it fit to proceed to set the matter down
As the MDC we yearn for the day that we will have professional Law Enforcement Agencies and that will only happen when we have a People’s government led by Pastor Advocate Nelson Chamisa.
In the meantime we hope that the learned Magistrate will have the wisdom to do the right thing and uphold the exception and acquit our innocent leaders.
Innocent Gonese
MDC Secretary for Justice and Legal Affairs
The MDC is disappointed and dismayed by the postponement today, of the handing down of the ruling on the Exception to the charge filed by the lawyers for our two national leaders Hon. Amos Chibaya (Organising Secretary) and Hon. Sibusisiwe Masara (Deputy Organising Secretary) to Tuesday the 25th February 2020.
As the famous legal cliche goes Justice delayed is Justice denied.
Our two Honourable Members are being persecuted and have been wrongly charged for committing a non-existent crime. We have stated it before that The Public Order and Security Act (POSA) was a draconian piece of legislation which has no place in any civilized and democratic society. However, it is a tragedy that its demise witnessed the enactment of an even worse piece of Legislation in the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act. (MOPA)
The illegitimate regime has perfected the art of Ruling by Law instead of upholding the Rule of Law and in the instant case charging the convenors of a public demonstration which the Police unjustly prohibited at the eleventh hour with failure to stop the Demonstration is the height of hypocrisy.
It is unfortunate that the Magistrate presiding over the case is said to be indisposed and hence the postponement but in our respectful view the case as outlined in the charge sheet and State outline has no merit and it is a sad indictment on the National Prosecuting Authority that they saw it fit to proceed to set the matter down
As the MDC we yearn for the day that we will have professional Law Enforcement Agencies and that will only happen when we have a People’s government led by Pastor Advocate Nelson Chamisa.
In the meantime we hope that the learned Magistrate will have the wisdom to do the right thing and uphold the exception and acquit our innocent leaders.
Innocent Gonese
MDC Secretary for Justice and Legal Affairs
Farai Dziva|A senior government official has claimed political dialogue in Zimbabwe does not require an external mediator.
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba, quoted by Daily News last week said:
“Why would he (Mnangagwa) need to invite President Mbeki? Who wants President Mbeki to mediate?
I don’t know about the South African embassy because that (Mbeki) is their national. They can expect him in the country anytime.
What would be wrong is for anyone to create an impression that the political dialogue in Zimbabwe requires external mediation.”
“That position has been made clear to all and sundry, including local players and well-wishers.
The former president of South Africa is aware of that position by the government of Zimbabwe.
He is also aware of the standing arrangement of interaction among parties which is called POLAD and that there won’t be any other.
As for the claims that President Mnangagwa did not make a call, or did not receive a call from or to President Mbeki, the truth of the matter is that there was no need for a call from either side.
If anything, the two met on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) strictly from a position of camaraderie … briefing a colleague about political developments in the country, economic developments … but more critically … about sanctions,” added Charamba.
The people of Kuwadzana, Harare were the worst brutalised by soldiers in August 2018 when Emmerson Mnangagwa deployed the army to kill many while changing election results, and on the 4th August local clinics told ZimEye.com of how military trucks would arrive at night and officers begin assaulting residents. Being reminded of these atrocities could not be any more hurting.
A soldier clearly fires live ammunition at protesting citizens
Soldiers move in to disperse crowds of opposition Movement for Democratic Change supporters outside the party’s headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe, August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
An armed soldier points his gun at an innocent aged vendor
VOICE 1 (Talent Chiwenga)- Izvozvi ndichitaura zvandirikuita izvi, havasirivo vaMnangagwa vakatuma ma soldier kupfura vanhu. Nyaya iyoyo irikutovanetsawo but havasikuziva kuti voita sei nayo. … Asi izvozvi zvandirikutaura izvi Mwari vakandiudza kuti havana kumbotuma vanhu.
VOICE 2 (ED) – Asiyo Ka. Deno taiziva kuti vanhu vekuKuwadzana vasingadi kuti mvura inaye, aaah, taingoti army kombai tirove.
Two pedestrians have died, one on the spot and another later at Chinhoyi Provincial hospital after being hit by a truck which veered off the road in a bid to avoid a pothole along the Harare-Chirundu Highway near Vuti Secondary School.
The accident was confirmed on Monday by Mashonaland West provincial police spokesperson Inspector Ian Kohwera who said that four passengers, who were aboard the truck, were injured and ferried to Karoi District Hospital for treatment and were discharged.
He said:
The truck driver tried to avoid one of the two potholes on the highway when the accident occurred. The truck veered off the road before hitting two pedestrians which saw one passing on on the spot. The truck went on to hit a tree and rolled once before landing on its roof. One of the accident victims was affected when the tree was uprooted.-Credit :NewsDay
Reserve Bank Governor, John Mangudya’s misleading, misguiding, misinforming and deceiving de-dollarization utterances outpoured yesterday in his presentation of what was supposed to be a Financial Monetary Policy is complete hogwash and rubbish!
In his utter nonsense and delusional stupor disguised as a Financial Monetary Policy, Mangudya claimed that the country is on the right track in curbing inflation since the ban of multi currency system.
A modern day Annanias, Mangudya deliberately lied that businesses no longer trade in foreign currency but Zimdollar yet we all know that US dollar is now our de facto legal tender.
From every tuck shop to street vendor and retailers to wholesalers, all business transactions including of basic goods are being conducted in US dollar and not in Mangudya’s useless and valueless paper currency.
Clearly Mangudya must be smoking a substance that is dangerous to his mental well being!
Just like his masters Mthuli Ncube and Emmerson Mnangagwa, clearly Mangudya is not in sync with the realities on the ground!
If anything, Mangudya is an insult to the sancrosanct office of Reserve Bank Governor which was once occupied by men of repute, probity, excellence and honor like Leonard Tsumba and Kombo Moyana.
To better understand Mangudya’s chameleonic tendencies, it is important to unpack this treacherous fellow.
Mangudya is the very same man who deliberately lied to the whole nation that surrogate Bond Note is one as to one with US dollar!
This is the very same chap who fooled the whole nation to adopt plastic money only to later connive in dark corridors with Mthuli Ncube to rob the public through 2% taxation on every transaction.
Overtly Magudya is a master of inconsistency and policy summersault!
That this useless Governor even talks of improvements because of de-dollarization in five years is a clear indication that the man is divorced from political and economic realities of the day.
Mangudya is blind and deaf to the fact that citizens are hungry and angry.
In five years time Mangudya and his political master Emmerson Mnangagwa will already be gathering dust in political museum!
Mangudya should wake up, sober up and smell the coffee because the winds of change are blowing through the air!
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDCYouthAssemblyNationalSpokesperson
Five family members were struck to death by lightning in the Muzvezve area of Sanyati District.
Tragedy struck when the family, which was tending their maize field, sought refuge under a tree when it started raining yesterday afternoon in Village 6, Muzvezve 1.
A lightning bolt hit the tree. The five who died went under one tree while three other family members who survived went under another nearby tree.
Sanyati District civil protection unit officer, Mr Amigo Mhlanga confirmed the development saying the unit has since been activated to offer assistance.
“Five members of the same family have died after being struck by lightning while being sheltered under a tree. The district CPU has been activated and we are going to the area to assess the situation while also looking at how the family can be assisted because of the magnitude of the tragedy,” said Mr Mhlanga.-State media
Opposition MDC president Nelson Chamisa yesterday conceded that he was under “immense pressure” from restless party supporters who want to confront President Emmerson Mnangagwa over his handling of the country’s economy.
Zimbabwe is facing its worst economic crisis in a decade, with prices of basic goods soaring and shortages of medicines, fuel and electricity, while rising inflation has wiped out wages.
Chamisa said supporters wanted to take to the streets, a sentiment he said was popular with the party faithful during his whirlwind tour of provinces that began two weeks ago.
The opposition leader told NewsDay yesterday that in all places he had been, which include Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands, Mashonaland Central and others, there were overwhelming calls for action to deal with the crisis in Zimbabwe.
“I have been to Gweru, Bulawayo and Masvingo, the sentiment I got is that there is pressure among people to go on the streets,” Chamisa said.
“People want to be on the street as early as yesterday to protest against government. Considering that people are suffering and dying while crossing the flooded Limpopo to South Africa looking for opportunities that are deprived back home, the pressure is unbearable. People want to be in the street as early as yesterday to have the situation resolved.
“They look forward to the political leadership to resolve the crisis, which is not happening. But what I want to assure people is that change will come and it is not far. This situation is not sustainable, it cannot subsist for a long time.”
Efforts to have Mnangagwa and Chamisa dialogue to end the Zimbabwean crisis, characterised by fuel shortages, cash crisis, mealie-meal shortages, hyperinflation, power cuts among other issues, have hit a brickwall.
This is despite the intervention by former South African President Thabo Mbeki to try and bring the warring parties to the table.
Mnangagwa has been accused of failing to deal with the deepening economic crisis, with observers saying dialogue was the only way out.
Chamisa has insisted on talks, but hinted he was giving up on any prospect for dialogue as Mnangagwa has not been forthcoming, to the extent of ignoring moves by Mbeki.
While Mnangagwa remains adamant that dialogue will only happen under the Political Actors’ Dialogue banner, Chamisa has said he will not join a captured project.
There have been calls from within the MDC for a more combative approach to the current situation with mainly protests being one of the key points.
Said Chamisa: “Mnangagwa has not been taking an olive branch we extended to him on dialogue, and now we don’t have a choice, but take action.
“It is foolhardy to continue talking about elections that are not elections, elections whose outcome is predetermined. We have been down this road since 2000, people voting and being cheated and their vote being disregarded as was the situation in 2008.
“We cannot continue with this national deception and global deceit. The people have the total sovereign power to resolve their problems; it is through elections that executive authority is driven, legislative as well as judicial.”
Job Sikhala, the MDC deputy national chair, said time was fast ripening to bring down the Mnangagwa dictatorship.
“Zimbabwe cannot survive further with these people (Mnangagwa and Zanu PF). Their time is up and a thunderstorm of anger is gathering. Let me make this promise. Very soon, from the forefront, we are going to liberate our country,” Sikhala said in his message thanking the MDC family and people for their support during his treason trial.
Meanwhile, fresh details have emerged on why Chamisa suspended the James Gumbi-chaired Masvingo executive last week as it was revealed that the leadership was not in touch with reality on the ground, neglecting some districts, leading to a paltry 27 votes in the Mwenezi by-election held recently.
Zanu PF garnered 1 811 votes, while the MDC got only 27 in the by-election as the top leaders of the Masvingo executive are all based in Harare, with the chairman working full time in the capital together with the secretary, who is a lawyer in Harare.
“They are visitors in Masvingo and we got complaints from the districts on the matter, so we had to act,” a senior MDC official said.
“Senior members in the executive stay in Harare and they never set their feet in Mwenezi to campaign, yet Zanu PF was visible and well represented. The people ended up voting for Zanu PF because they had no protection from their leaders in the province,” the insider said.
“If they decide to go to Masvingo, before they reach Mbudzi roundabout, Zanu PF officials would have arrived for meetings in the province and we can’t have that kind of leadership now. People were used to impunity and we said now, we are drawing a line in the sand.”
"So this is what has been happening like Mr Mu' said here… We are not an investigative arm… If you give us a tip will point you where the evidence is…" @JusticeMayorW told pic.twitter.com/HPpcQCGW5F
By A Correspondent- Microsoft founder, Bill Gates has said that a spread of the COVID- 19 which was once known as novel coronavirus into Africa may result in chaos since most of the countries do not have strong health systems that could withstand the virus.
Speaking at the AAAS meeting in Seattle just hours before the first case was confirmed in Cairo, Egypt, Gates said that the virus could disrupt health systems and economies and cause more than 10 million excess deaths. He said:
This disease, if it’s in Africa it’s more dramatic than if it’s in China, even though I’m not trying to minimise what’s going on in China in any way.
He gave reference to Ebola saying that most of the excess deaths were caused because the health service shut down.
Gates added that the health systems in Africa already were in bad shape therefore they could not contain the epidemic effectively and timeously.Coronavirus was first reported to the World Health Organisation in December last year when it was discovered in China.
It has now since spread to more than 20 other countries and the death toll is now beyond 1600.-Telegraph
By A Correspondent- The governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Dr John Mangudya on Monday projected that Zimbabwe’s de-dollarisation process would be completed in five years.
He said the remarks while presenting the country’s 2020 first half Monetary Policy Statement during which he also claimed that the use of the local currency for domestic transactions had improved.
The bank believes that the macro-economic signals that include fiscal and monetary discipline, prospects of positive economic growth and lower inflation are improving to support a gradual de-dollarisation process within a time-frame of five years.
In June 2019, Zimbabwe through Statutory Instrument (SI) 142 of 2019, banned the use of all foreign currencies on domestic transactions. The SI also reintroduced the local currency which had been ditched in 2009 following hyperinflation that reached a 231 million per cent record high.
Businesses have however not welcomed the transition as they are still charging their commodities in foreign currencies particularly the United States dollar and the South African Rand.
They assert that the local currency which is constantly shedding value against other currencies is not sustainable for business.
By A Correspondent- Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi was in Shurugwi last week where he officially opened and blessed a service station owned by a young church member who started off as a vegetable vendor working together with his mother.
Bishop Mutendi who heads Zion Christian Church (ZCC), one of Zimbabwe’s biggest locally found churches hailed Moses Zuva for opening Mondi Filling Station in the small mining town of Shurugwi. He said it was impressive that he opened a service station at a time when the economy is facing difficult times.
Bishop Mutendi became the first customer at the service station when he bought fuel for US$1 000.
The official opening was attended by heads of Government departments, church members and members of the public.
“I am really pleased with what this young man is doing in Shurugwi even in the face of these economic difficulties. I am here to bless his work and may God continue to bless this young man. I will be the first customer by buying fuel for US$1 000,” said Bishop Mutendi.
Zuva said he was overjoyed by the blessings that he gets from God through the church. He said that his hard work is being rewarded and told a local publication that everything comes through hard work and the blessings of God.
“I am from a very poor back ground. My mother and I used to be vendors selling vegetables, tomatoes and sugar. I then graduated into an illegal gold panner and raised fees for a diploma from in Business Management. I have now just started a degree at MSU in Business Management.
“God is everything. I have experienced all highs and lows of business. I have flourished, I got broke to the extent that I sold everything that I had and I am up again.
“The best thing in my life is when my wife invited me to her church. That is when business started growing firmly and an now a proud owner of one of the biggest crèches in Shurugwi called Sunshine, I have business stands, I own a mine and a mill and today I have opened a filling station,” said Zuva.
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been told to tell the truth about what transpired during the Matebeleland massacres known as Gukurahundi on the aftermath of independence.
The warning was issued by activists at talks that were held in Bulawayo, three days after Sudan’s new rulers agreed to send ousted President Omar al-Bashir to be tried at the ICC for alleged war crimes.
Mnangagwa is implicated in the massacres as he was the minister of Defence at the time when the North Korean trained 5th brigade raided Midlands and Matebeleland and killed villagers and ‘dissidents’.
The tragedy is unfortunately engraved in the history of Zimbabwe and some of the victims are still suffering the consequences of to date.
Reports suggest that some of the victims are still in the diaspora while some are unable to access essential identity documents including birth certificates.
Mnangagwa has however allowed for a free and impartial discourse on the matter which has been kept a ‘danger zone’ during former president Mugabe’s era.
This saw some of the remains of Gukurahundi victims repatriated and reburied last year.
Some of the victims are however saying that the gesture is not enough and they are demanding that those who were responsible be brought to book and they are also demanding compensation.-TimesLives
Milling companies operating in Zimbabwe are currently appearing before the Justice Mayor Wadyajena led parliamentary committee on lands and agriculture to explain on the challenges they are facing as well as on how they used wheat they received from their association the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ).
By A Correspondent- The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and captains of industry on Friday sharply differed on the currency in use in local trading.
Government mid-last year outlawed use of multi currencies in the economy, marking a return of the Zimbabwean dollar as the official mono-currency.
But since then several institutions and sectors such as tourism have been given special dispensations to charge for their goods and services in foreign currency, notably the US dollar.
And while in formal trade, the currency used is generally the local dollar, the situation is largely the opposite in the informal market.
But even some formal businesses are demanding payment in foreign currency though receipting in local currency.
Presenting a paper on “De-dollarisation or re-dollarisation,” RBZ’s deputy director economic research, Dr Nebson Mupunga said Zimbabwe had “successfully de-dollarised” after Government banned use of multi-currencies.
But admittedly, this had not been easy, he said.
“We have done it (de-dollarise) in a very short space of time, which has not been done anywhere else in the world,” Dr Mupunga said, speaking on behalf of his principal, Dr John Mangudya at the launch of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries manufacturing sector survey report for 2019.
The central bank, he said, was now focusing on “strengthening the demand for the Zimbabwean dollar,” which was slowly being pumped into the market.
Dr Mupunga said it was, however, not easy to “de-dollarise people’s minds.”
“Someone who has held a (US) dollar still wants to hold the dollar but as policy makers we want to strengthen the demand for the Zimbabwean dollar,” he said.
Captains of industry who attended the event were, however, at odds with the central bank’s sentiments, instead boldly declaring that it was Government that had de-dollarised on paper but not the people.
Dairibord Holdings chief executive, Anthony Mandiwanza said, “Zimbabwe has not de-dollarised, there is a dysfunction between what is on the ground and what is there at policy level.”
“If the central bank truly believes we have de-dollarised then we have a very serious problem.”
Another participant said there was a difference between dollarisation that happened in 2009 and the de-dollarisation announced last year.
“In 2009, Government just formalised what was already the norm, but in 2019, it is Government that de-dollarised but the people did not,” the participant said.
The issue of lack of confidence in the local currency stemmed from mistrust from previous experiences that the population had in policy makers, participants said.
“No one wants dollarisation but it is forced upon us because no one trusts the RBZ,” said economist Farai Mutambanengwe.
The lack of confidence in the local currency has resulted in the existence of multi-exchange rates in the economy distorting prices, argued economist Joseph Mverecha.
He said it would be impossible for the economy to stabilise as long as people continued to speculate due to exchange rate instabilities, which fuelled inflation.
This week, Finance Minister, Mthuli Ncube told a local paper Government would come up with stiff penalties for local businesses that insist on charging people in foreign currency.
The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has clarified some ‘misconceptions surrounding the US$27 million fund meant for the rehabilitation of national silos saying the money did not come from either government or Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe as widely shared by the portfolio committee on lands and agriculture.
In a statement released late Monday by GMAZ spokesperson, Garikai Chaunza said;
“We learnt with shock and disbelief of a statement by the Portfolio Committee Chair, on his personal twitter account, that GMAZ is snubbing Parliament with regards to accounting for US$27M. For the record GMAZ has never received loan, grant or any financial assistance from Government or Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe,” said Chaunza
He said the money in question was sourced by the millers and subsequently paid to the respective supplier with proof of payments submitted to parliament.
“The US$27M in question relates to foreign currency that GMAZ bought at the prevalent exchange rate at the time with the funds remitted to respective supplier. The necessary acquittals proving that the wheat came into the country were done through our bankers,” he said.
He said proof of foreign payments to wheat suppliers and allocation were submitted to the Portfolio Committee on 19 March 2019 and video footage was available as supporting evidence.
Chaunza said they had through the media publicly published statistics showing the quantum and distribution of the wheat and that the source documents were available for inspection.
He added that Parliament affairs must not be communicated through twitter accounts since the institution has its official communication platforms.
By A Correspondent- Two people died – one on the spot and the others upon arrival at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital – when a haulage truck hit a pothole, veered off the road and ploughed into pedestrians at the 255km peg along the Harare-Chirundu Highway near Vuti Secondary School.
Mashonaland West provincial police spokesperson Inspector Ian Kohwera confirmed the accident yesterday.
“The truck driver tried to avoid one of the two potholes on the highway when the accident occurred. The truck veered off the road before hitting two pedestrians which saw one passing on on the spot. The truck went on to hit a tree and rolled once before landing on its roof. One of the accident victims was affected when the tree was uprooted,” he told NewsDay.
Four passengers, who were aboard the truck, were injured and ferried to Karoi District Hospital for treatment and were discharged, police added.
The deceased were identified as Dickson Chatewe, who left behind a one-month-old baby and Eliphias Nyanyiwa, a youth.
Meanwhile, Nyanyiwa’s burial was snubbed by members of Johannes Marange apostolic sect amid allegations that he had sought hospital treatment after the accident.
“We witnessed the burial of Nyanyiwa on Saturday, but members of the Johanne Marange sect snubbed his burial, claiming that he had sought medical treatment, hence he was no longer abiding by the church doctrine of not seeking medical attention even when they are sick,” revealed another villager, Thomas Matera.
By Victor Bhoroma| The prevailing foreign currency retention thresholds to various sectors of the economy are acting as a disincentive to formal production and investment in the country. Zimbabwe’s economy contracted by between 6.5% and 12% in 2019 for the first time since 2008. At the heart of the economic decline is the foreign exchange control directive that compels all exporters to cede a portion of their export proceeds to the government at the ruling interbank exchange rate within 24 hours of receipt. The directive also obliges the exporters to utilize their export proceeds within 30 days before they are forfeited to Zimbabwean Dollars at the interbank rate. The policy has not been favorable to various producers due to the spread between the interbank rate (Currently at 1US$: ZWL$17.54) and the parallel market rate (Trading above 1US$: ZWL$26.50). Furthermore, the exporters bemoan the need to settle foreign obligations (including dividends), import spares and raw materials that need foreign currency. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) passed Exchange Control Directive RU 28 of 2019 on the 22nd of February of the same year and that directive has seen production slump in key sectors that anchor the local economy such as Tobacco farming, Mining and Manufacturing.
Previously the Zimbabwe Miners Federation
(ZMF), Chamber of Mines, Zimbabwe Tobacco Association (ZTA) and Confederation
of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) have tried to engage the central bank and the
government to have the export retention thresholds reviewed upwards. As a
result of the forced retention, producers have resorted to diverting produce to
the parallel market. Gold exports fell from an all-time high of 33.2 tonnes
recorded in 2018 to 27.6 tonnes in 2019. The trend is expected to continue in
2020 as smuggling channels to South Africa continue to see more supplies from
disgruntled miners. The Zimbabwean government pointed out that the country is
losing at least 34 tonnes of gold worth close to US$2 billion every year due to
smuggling of Gold. The figure multiplies if smuggling of other minerals such as
Diamonds, Nickel and Chrome is factored in.
Equally disgruntled
are Tobacco farmers who produced a record high of 258 kilograms of the golden
leaf in 2019. Despite the 2% growth in delivered tobacco from the 2018 output,
earnings fell from US$736.2 million to US$522.6 million in 2019. The average
price for tobacco in 2019 was US$2.03 per kg, 30.52% lower than the average
price of US$2.92 per kg paid in 2018. Tobacco farmers went home poorer as 50%
of their earnings were retained by the government while strict conditions were
set on the utilization of the remaining 50%. This year, less tobacco is
expected at the Auction floors as registered growers and seed sales have
significantly declined for the 2019/20 planting season.
The manufacturing
sector is largely feeling the pinch of the export retention scheme on the
settlement of their foreign obligations. The central bank retains 20% of the
exporter’s earnings in the manufacturing sector and unlike other sectors, the
manufacturing sector in Zimbabwe is hamstrung by the high production costs in a
market in which they are compelled to sell their produce in local currency. The
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) committed to assume foreign legacy debts of over
US$1.2 billion at a rate of 1:1 to the US Dollar in February 2019. However, no
payment has been made to date, leaving local manufacturers to fend for
themselves and renegotiate with foreign suppliers. Manufacturers’ debts
constitute the biggest chunk of the debts that date as far back as 2015. Local
manufacturers require more than US$300 million per month to import raw
materials and settle foreign debts. As a result, capacity utilization has
slumped in the sector especially for manufacturers of Pharmaceuticals,
Industrial and Home Chemicals, Clothing and Footwear, Packaging materials and
Plastics, Auto Parts, Tyres and Cement.
The central bank
has justified the export retention scheme as necessary since all natural
resources are owned by the government. The apex bank points that there is need to
cushion other sectors of the economy that do no earn foreign currency but play
a critical role in the local economy. The central bank points that in order to
ensure price stability, foreign currency requirements for strategic imports
such as fuel, electricity, water chemicals, medicines, cooking oil, maize and
wheat shall be met through Letters of Credit (LCs) facilities and support by
the Foreign Exchange Allocation Committee. This effectively means that the
government is still subsidizing the importation of the above commodities for
the local market since various importers access foreign currency through a
centralized system instead of the open market. The question however remains on
the sustainability of such government interventions in the market and its
contribution to the scourge of corruption on the allocation of foreign currency
by the apex bank. Foreign currency is now a hot commodity in Zimbabwe due to
record inflation of over 521% bedeviling the recently introduced Zimbabwean
Dollar. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) recently pointed out
that Zimbabwe loses at least US$1.8 billion annually to corruption and the
allocation of foreign currency has been fingered as being central to various
cartels that control the local market. The office of the Prosecutor General (PG)
recently highlighted that shortages of electricity, fuel and medicine can be
traced back to the influence of various cartels that control the local economy.
It is now critical
for the central bank to review upwards the retention thresholds in line with justifiable
demands from producers, while reporting on the utilization of these retained
earnings since these are public funds. However the most sustainable policy
would be to allow exporters to retain all their export earnings while
repatriating 100% of them to Zimbabwe either through selling to local financial
institutions (Including Bureau De Change houses) or maintaining those proceeds
in Foreign Currency Accounts (FCA). This will be key in oiling the local
interbank market. The latter is practiced in various Sub-Saharan countries such
as Mozambique, Malawi, South Africa and Rwanda. Other countries such as Ghana,
Tanzania and Zambia have completely removed foreign exchange controls in order
to attract foreign investment and push their economies to free market
capitalism.
Victor Bhoroma is a freelance economic analyst. He
holds an MBA from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ). For feedback, mail him on vbhoroma@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @VictorBhoroma1.
Convicted rap_ist Munyaradzi Kereke, serving a 10-year term for rap_ing an 11-year-old girl, was receiving unusually favourable treatment in prison, being allowed home visits and enjoying c0njugal rights, three former top officers from Chikurubi Maximum Prison said in court yesterday.
The three said this in their defence on charges of concealing transactions from a prison chicken project, partially set up by Kereke.
The three, former Chikurubi Maximum Prison officer-in-charge Nobert Chomurenga and his then top juniors, Cephas Chiparausha and Tonderai Mutiwaringa, are on trial at Harare Magistrates Court for receiving more than $10 500 from the chicken project without telling their superior.
Chomurenga was the officer-in-charge at Chikurubi Maximum Prison being deputised by Mutiwaringa, while Chiparausha was the head of security at the time of the alleged offences.
After Kereke was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in July 2016, he was committed to Chikurubi Maximum Prison where he then met the three top prison officers.
On September 25, 2017, it is alleged Chomurenga and Chiparausha, who were acting in connivance with Mutiwaringa, in their personal capacities, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Humanity Earth Trust, which has links with Kereke.
It is alleged that from September 25, 2017 to August 2018, Humanity Earth Trust provided a total of 3 000 birds, feed, medicines and other sanitary requirements for the chicken-rearing project.
Further allegations are that the trio, as part of the agreement, provided space and labour in the form of prisoners, but for their personal benefit.
When the chickens were being sold, the customers paid money into Chiparausha’s EcoCash account and he received a total of $8 282. In December 2017, Mutiwaringa, who took over as officer-in-charge after the promotion and transfer of Chomurenga, received $2 252 from Chiparausha through his EcoCash account being proceeds of the project.
In their defence, Chomurenga, Chiparausha and Mutiwaringa told the court that all their actions were with the ZPCS Commissioner General Paradzai Zimondi’s blessings and they were only arrested after his fall-out with Kereke.
By A Correspondent- The late Mugodhi Apostolic Faith Church (Mugodhi) leader Tandewu Mugodhi’s three children are facing jail after they locked out their father’s successor Tonnie Sigauke from the church’s headquarters in Wedza, in defiance of a court order.
The church has since filed a contempt of court application before the High Court.
Washington Mugodhi, the son of the late Mugodhi Apostolic church leader Tadewu, who was appointed as the new church leader after being anointed by his late father, has been taken to court for contempt of court after the High Court barred him from leading the church until a matter challenging his selection as unconstitutional is finalised. Washington was appointed as the substantive church leader at his father’s memorial service last week.
According to a High Court order dated December 18, 2019 the applicant, Mugodhi Apostolic Faith Church, was granted a final order to access the church premises particularly the church’s shrine in Wedza, while Tadewu’s children – Washington, Innocent and Enock Mugodhi – who were cited in the application were ordered to pay the costs of court.
“Pending finalisation of this matter, an interim order is hereby granted on condition that the interim order shall remain operational despite noting of an appeal by the respondents,” read the High Court order.
Reports indicate that Tony Sigauke, who was the vice bishop of the church, was supposed to succeed Tadewu as the church leader, according to its constitution, but the late leader allegedly violated it and reserved the position for his son and this did not go down well with other con- gregants. Medical attention
According to the church’s constitution, Sigauke is now the rightful church leader as per the High Court judgment and was expected to succeed Tadewu.
According to the High Court, Tadewu was not supposed to anoint his son, who was not in the church leadership hierarchy, as his successor before he had been cleansed by Sigauke after he allegedly went to South Africa to seek medical attention, which is against the church’s tenets.
Washington is yet to respond to the High Court application.
Gen Mujuru was found dead in a suspicious house inferno in August 2011.
The book describes him as an illustrious African liberation fighter in the 1970s and, until his suspicious death in 2011, an important figure in Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU PF party in Zimbabwe.
This first full-length biography of General Solomon Mujuru or Rex Nhongo throws much needed light onto the opaque elite politics of the 1970s liberation struggle, post-independence army and ZANU PF. Based on the unparalleled primary interviews with informants in the army, intelligence services, police and ZANU PF elites, Blessing-Miles Tendi examines Mujuru’s moments of triumph and his shortcomings in equal measure. From his undistinguished youth and poor upbringing in colonial Rhodesia’s Chikomba region, his rapid rise to power, and role as the first black commander of independent Zimbabwe’s national army, this is an essential record of one of the most controversial figures within the history of African liberation politics.
About the Author
Miles Tendi is an Associate Professor in the Politics of Africa, in the University of Oxford’s Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR) and the African Studies Centre (ASC). Thematically, Tendi is interested in: Intellectuals and Politics; Civil-Military Relations; The Existence and Use of ‘Evil’ in Politics; Gender and Politics; Intelligence Studies; and Biographical Research
By A Correspondent- Former Zanu Pf Bikita West legislator Munyaradzi Kereke who was convicted of rape after he sexually abused an eleven-year-old girl is reportedly getting preferential treatment while serving jail time.
Kereke was in 2016 sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was convicted on sexual abuse charges.
Three former Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) officers alleged in court this Monday that Kereke was enjoying home visits and conjugal rights.
The three, former Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison officer-in-charge Nobert Chomurenga and his then lieutenants, Cephas Chiparausha and Tonderai Mutiwaringa, are on trial at the Harare Magistrates Courts for receiving over $10 500 from the prison chicken project partially set up by Kereke without informing their superior.
However, ZPCS has denied the allegations that Kereke received preferential treatment adding that the former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor was never a candidate for transfer to an open prison
By A Correspondent- Prominent socialite and a veteran of the war of liberation Frank Takavarasha aka TK has died.
Takavarasha who was a long serving technician with the state broadcaster and later Transmedia Corporation died at Masvingo Provincial Hospital after a short illness.
TK whose Chimurenga name was Shingirai Chimurenga was 62 at the time of his death.
He was declared a liberation war hero upon the request of his fellow war veterans from Masvingo Province although his family requested that his remains be interred at his rural home in Chivi.
TK was buried at his homestead in Takavarasha Village under Chief Chivi last Sunday where hundreds of people from all walks of life including his close friends who used to socialise with him in the popular Room 7 Senior Officer’s Mess at Masvingo Provincial Police HQ converged to pay their last respects.
“TK our muzukuru was a humble person who had no ill feelings with anyone. He was always cheerful and lovely. We miss him greatly,” said Cassian Mtsambiwa a prominent Masvingo based architect who is the deceased’s uncle.
After the war of liberation, TK was sent to Germany by the Government for an advanced training course in radio and television transmission and came back in 1983 and went on to work in different parts of the country although he spent most of his working years stationed in Masvingo his home town.
Takavarasha had a passion to serve his people said his uncle former Tongaat CEO Sydney Mtsambiwa at the funeral.
“Transmedia and the whole nation benefited a lot from his vast experience and knowledge of the broadcasting infrastructure. Popularly known as TK, he was a jovial character who enjoyed his work. He could easily interact with all people across economic classes. He will be sadly missed by many,’’ said Rufaro Zaranyika, Transmedia Corporation chief operations officer at the burial site.
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe Republic Police have said that they are investigating the disappearance of a Chinese couple on Valentine’s Day after visiting a friend in Eastlea, Harare.
The investigations were confirmed by police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday. He said that Lei Ding (35) and his wife Chi Lifen (30), went missing after visiting a friend, but their vehicle was later found dumped along Arcturus Road, with keys in the ignition. He said:
The Zimbabwe Republic Police is investigating a case involving the missing of two Chinese nationals who were last seen on February 14, 2020 in Eastlea after visiting a friend.
We are appealing to (anyone) who may have information on their disappearance or possible location to contact their nearest police station or the national complaints desk.
GWERU residents have implored the local authority to come up with a by-law effectively banning the rearing of donkeys in the city following an upsurge in their numbers as they are used as draught power by firewood dealers.
Speaking at a feedback meeting held at Mkoba 10 hall by former mayor and ward 10 councillor Charles Chikozho, the residents said the donkeys were now a menace as their handlers have a tendency of letting them stray, thereby roaming into private properties and messing up the streets.
“The problem of donkeys, if left unchecked, will see the city’s suburbs becoming peri-urban villages. Right now, the problem has reached a stage where even some of our bus stops, like in Mkoba 5, are now known as Pamadhongi due to the high population of the beasts in the area. These animals are abused by people who travel to rural areas to ferry firewood so as to cash in on desperate residents affected by rolling power outages,” a resident Nomore Matarirano (48) said during the meeting.
Pardington Manyika (33), another Mkoba resident, said several donkeys die on the roadside and the owners do not remove the rotting carcasses, which pose a health hazard.
“If you walk on our roads, you see bodies of donkeys that are just decomposing, yet it is in the heart of the suburb where there are homes. The putrid smell is a cause for concern. We no longer live comfortably in our homes as we cannot afford to open windows no-matter how hot the weather could be,” another resident, Mercy Murisa (43) said.
Motorists also said the donkeys can cause accidents, particularly at night, since they are left to roam the streets.
Chikozho told Southern Eye yesterday that when he was Gweru mayor, the proposal to come up with a by-law that outlawed keeping of donkeys was made, but did not get to a stage of becoming a resolution.
“We will have to sit down again as city fathers and say this is what our residents are saying. I am sure a position leading to the drafting of a by-law banning the keeping of donkeys in our suburbs should be made. The problem is affecting our people greatly and I am making a commitment to help find a lasting solution,” he said.
Last year, the city council embarked on an operation to round up the stray donkeys, but it seems the operation died a natural death.
Correspondent|Former deputy president FW de Klerk has apologised for his remarks that apartheid was not a crime against humanity.
He made the comments which have been widely slammed by political parties and NGOs during a TV interview on the SABC.
On Friday, he had also issued a statement which said the idea of apartheid as a crime against humanity was communist propaganda.
De Klerk was also at the centre of a chaotic late start to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation address when the EFF demanded he be kicked out of Parliament for his remarks.
National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise had refused De Klerk being kicked out, stating he had been invited by Parliament to attend SONA.
But on Monday, following increasing public pressure and a backlash, the last leader of the apartheid regime retracted his comments and duly apologised.
“I agree with the Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation that this is not the time to quibble about the degrees of unacceptability of apartheid. It was totally unacceptable,” De Klerk said.
“The FW de Klerk Foundation has accordingly decided to withdraw its statement of 14 February unconditionally and apologises for the confusion, anger and hurt that it has caused.
“The international crime of apartheid did not disappear with the demise of apartheid in South Africa.
“In 1998 it was included in the Statute of Rome, which established the International Criminal Court. In terms of Article 7(1) a ‘crime against humanity’ is defined as acts committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack.
“It includes ‘the crime of apartheid’ as a crime against humanity and defines it as ‘inhumane acts …committed in the context of an institutional regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime.”
