Farai Dziva|A Zimbabwean lecturer, Sam Mambande was shot on the forehead in front of his family a few hours into 2020, state broadcaster, ZBC has reported.
Mbande who had spent the entire night celebrating with his family and friends at a popular drinking spot in Chipinge’s Gaza high-density suburb was shot by an unidentified man, according to ZBC.
“We were coming out of this bar when we saw a car parked in the middle of the road.
He (Mambande) then hooted and went to ask why the driver was blocking the road thus when he was shot and they fled. We only managed to take the number plates of the vehicle,” said a Chipinge resident.
Chipinge residents have appealed to the police to protect members of the public saying that a number of gun cases have been reported in the area.
A Twitter user has shown ZACC Commisioner Jessie Majome, pictures of the Victoria Falls with little water.
Mr Manu Chisvo was responding to the lawyer’s screamer against the BBC over their recent article which says the falls are now dry.
Majome on new years eve uploaded the below video.
It was a Zimbabwean white Christmas 2019 @ the Mosioatunya a.k.a. @VictoriaFalls24, thundering away the naysaying & falsehoods! If this is dried up falls – gimme this splendour & wonder everyday! No wonder it’s still 1 of the @7wondersin7days . Have a wonderful 2020 Zimbabwe!?? pic.twitter.com/GBeBpAd4St
But Chisvo maintains the BBC was not wrong in their coverage. He published the below pictures.
Said Chisvo, “the falls at Victoria Falls as at 23.06.19. The water fall was very low and some parts there was no waterfall. Jessie Majome as for now the falls have increased. Its not a crime. Climate change is real.”
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF has pledged to create jobs in 2020 but political analysts are skeptical of the ruling party’s ability to do so.
Below is an article that was published by a state run publication:
Zanu PF national spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo has told the Herald that the party will soon be issuing its 2020 resolutions which are shaped by the party’s recently held Annual People’s Conference.
The ZANU PF conference resolved on a number of issues which the party said would be used to guide the government.
Among other things, the ZANU PF 18th Annual National People’s Conference that was held in Goromonzi, resolved to create jobs, establish gold centres and promote value addition and beneficiation.
The party also resolved that the collapsed industry needs to be revived, one of the avenues through which jobs can be created.
2020 is indeed a new year and a new decade yet there is nothing new for us to celebrate as Zimbabweans. Our economy is still in doldrums. Our streets are still dirty, we still have corrupt ministers and government officials…
Zimbabwe is still not open for open for business to Zimbabweans, there are still no jobs, industries are still shut down and still no restitution of externalized funds. No economic and political reforms in sight. Lack of political will to fix Zim is the tragedy of Zimbabwe
In the eyes of ordinary citizens the 2018 Zimbabwean situation is exactly the same as it was in 2019 with added potential to get worse. Access to basics like food, farming inputs, access to social services like education & healthcare is still a real struggle for millions of us
Instead of consolidating efforts to fix Zimbabwe some political actors have become masters of economic terrorism & economic sabotage.
Tungamirai Madzokere and Last Maengahama are still in Chikurubhi Maximum prison. Free political prisoners & let’s focus on rebuilding Zimbabwe
The coming of a new year brings new hope, but for us to realize that hope we have to have new mindsets. It is critical for us all to know that we are our own saviours as Zimbabwean citizens to save ourselves from the social, economic and political injustices.
There will be no superhero to come and free us.
2020 is a year of unity for progressive Zimbabweans across social, economic, and political divide to revive our country.
We should intensify all our efforts in educating the masses to understand the importance of DEPOLARIZATION
We need change of the governance system & those who seek to succeed in politics must only seek to succeed in the context of the success of the people of Zimbabwe.
Anyone who seeks to succeed outside that purpose cannot be furthering the interests of our nation.
Our independence must qualitatively transform the lives of the people of Zimbabwe.
Our politics must be underpinned by the need to make our independence meaningful to the majority of our people. This year is a year of action & transformation
By Business Reporter| The Chinese company at the centre of a leaked video of workers being paid in coins has spoken.
Sunny Yi Feng is the same company previously in trouble with Norton MP Temba Mliswa over a separate case. (Video loading)
Sunny Yi Feng employs 1 193 locals and is producing 30 000 – 35 000 square metres of quality tiles per day for both the local and export market. 70% of the tiles are exported to countries in the region including South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Botswana and the DRC.
Publishing on new years’ eve, Sunny Yi Feng Tiles said: “It looks like there is a bit of misconception on this video trending. Considering the harsh economic environment we are operating in we give of valued staff cushion allowances. It’s of great importance for all our valuable stakeholders to understand that these are not salaries.
“Some might be shocked by the use of scale to weigh money , this is indeed a creative way of making a quick payments to our 1700 employees. We have the understanding that coins contain the same value in terms or value and weight and therefore the values are homogeneous.”
2020 is indeed a new year and a new decade yet there is nothing new for us to celebrate as Zimbabweans. Our economy is still in doldrums. Our streets are still dirty, we still have corrupt ministers and government officials…
Zimbabwe is still not open for open for business to Zimbabweans, there are still no jobs, industries are still shut down and still no restitution of externalized funds. No economic and political reforms in sight. Lack of political will to fix Zim is the tragedy of Zimbabwe
In the eyes of ordinary citizens the 2018 Zimbabwean situation is exactly the same as it was in 2019 with added potential to get worse. Access to basics like food, farming inputs, access to social services like education & healthcare is still a real struggle for millions of us
Instead of consolidating efforts to fix Zimbabwe some political actors have become masters of economic terrorism & economic sabotage.
Tungamirai Madzokere and Last Maengahama are still in Chikurubhi Maximum prison. Free political prisoners & let’s focus on rebuilding Zimbabwe
The coming of a new year brings new hope, but for us to realize that hope we have to have new mindsets. It is critical for us all to know that we are our own saviours as Zimbabwean citizens to save ourselves from the social, economic and political injustices.
There will be no superhero to come and free us.
2020 is a year of unity for progressive Zimbabweans across social, economic, and political divide to revive our country.
We should intensify all our efforts in educating the masses to understand the importance of DEPOLARIZATION
We need change of the governance system & those who seek to succeed in politics must only seek to succeed in the context of the success of the people of Zimbabwe.
Anyone who seeks to succeed outside that purpose cannot be furthering the interests of our nation.
Our independence must qualitatively transform the lives of the people of Zimbabwe.
Our politics must be underpinned by the need to make our independence meaningful to the majority of our people. This year is a year of action & transformation
Farai Dziva|Government has no love for the education sector, ARTUZ leader Obert Masaraure has said.
See full statement below:
2 January 2020
The government of Zimbabwe has embarked on a spirited offensive aimed at destroying all the commons in Zimbabwe. They have destroyed healthcare, halted water supply, switched of electricity and are now destroying our once enviable education system. We have a government showing ordinary citizens the middle finger, we have no other option but to unite and fight back to defend and expand our commons in 2020.
The 2020 budgetary allocation for education is clear testimony that our government has no love for our education sector. We last received such a low budgetary allocation in the ESAP era and in 2000 when resources were diverted towards constitutional reform. Austerity measures are still in place contrary to the misleading statements from the Minister of Finance. The ZW$ 8, 5 billion allocated to education is not enough to cater for inter-bank rate salaries for the 140 000 teachers who are supposed to attend to our learners. Even if we were going to channel 100% of the allocated budget towards wages only, teachers will still be underpaid. There is nothing available for capital investment at a time when we have a shortage of over 2000 schools.
Our government has reneged on its constitutional mandate of providing basic education.
In previous years we have confined ourselves to the fight for labour justice for our membership. We have demanded a living wage and better working conditions but we have failed to work hand in hand with the parents and learners to holistically push for inclusive access to quality education for our learners. We were working in our isolated silo. The state took advantage and brutalized our members and incited parents against our teachers. We have to close that chapter and unite with the parents of our learners.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ will lead the process of reconstituting the Parents Teachers Association, PTA at a national level and build structures down to school level.
This is a vehicle for parents and teachers to come together lobbying and advocating for inclusive access to quality education for our learners. The PTA will also be involved in education management through advising the School Development Associations, SDA. The SDAs established through statutory Instrument 70 of 1993 are currently entrusted with education management but they only incorporate School administrators excluding the teachers.
ARTUZ will not bask in yesteryear glory, we will escalate our fight for a living wage with more protests lined up for the year 2020.
Our national congress to be held from 8 to 10 December will resolve on a concrete way forward. The Congress will be convened under the theme “Reigniting hope and defining the course of the working class struggle in the face of heightened repression and austerity.” We are positive that congress delegates will come up with bold resolutions to protect our education.
The National Executive Council, NEC of ARTUZ has already resolved that schools will not open in January until the salary crisis is resolved. We are glad that sister Unions have endorsed declaration and call upon parents to support this revolutionary cause.
The teachers of Zimbabwe are earning around US$30 per month which is not enough to cater for education for their dependence, food, shelter, healthcare and even transport to work.
The parents are also failing to secure learning materials and school fees for their children. The learners are traumatized by the brutal economic conditions and our teachers are severely incapacitated. Government is not disbursing sufficient funds for Basic Education Access Model to support vulnerable learners. The school ecosystem is in the intensive care and opening schools is virtually impossible.
We will not pretend to be teaching when we are not. We can’t hazard the future of innocent children by giving them substandard education. We will teach when the conditions are right. The poor performance of the 2019 Grade 7 class is a wakeup call for both parents and teachers. We have a duty to find a lasting solution to the education crisis.
Our objectives for 2020:
Recruit more teachers to join the fight for a pro poor education system
Build an alliance with the parents of our learners
Research on alternative education policies and table to government
We still demand
Interbank pegged salaries using our old United States dollar salaries as benchmark
A substantive rural retention attraction allowance to incentivize rural teachers
An education equalization fund to enhance access to quality education for marginalized communities
Fully Paid study leave for all teachers
Restoration of the legally provided vacation leave
Review of the new curriculum
Devolution of education planning and management.
Expanding of social security to cover health care by a more transparent and accountable National Social Security Authority.
The scrapping of the opaque pension contribution replaced with a more transparent system.
Employment of more teachers to resolve the crisis of staff shortages.
We commit ourselves to:
Provide ICT and leadership training for teachers and learners
Provide study loans for our members
Facilitate exchange visits for teachers
Produce and popularize safe schools regulations to enhance teacher and learner safety in schools
Provide comprehensive Sexual Reproduction Health Rights education for our learners and teachers
Produce quarterly reports on state of education and a labour justice index
Provide education on climate change to our rural communities
Initiate income generating projects for both teachers and communities.
Teach learners for free away from the government run schools until salary crisis is resolved.
Provide comprehensive education on Zimbabwe’s political economy for teachers, learners and communities
In 2020 we will protect and expand our commons. We will reach out to other citizens to build solid alliances.
Obert Masaraure
ARTUZ NATIONAL PRESIDENT
+263776129336 [email protected]
We the Murowa Ward Community in Zvishavane district totally regret voting for a “foreign” ward councillor and an absent member of parliament. We recommended that the duo be recalled and relieved of their duties immediately as they are sabotaging both the party (ZANU-PF) and HE The President. The councillor and MP must be fired for gross negligence of duty, excessive incompetence and absence from the electorate. Honestly, nobody is representing Murowa Ward both at national and local government levels as these two reside in Zvishavane town faraway from the suffering povo.
To make matters worse, the Presidential Farming Inputs and the grain from government meant for the povo is being stolen by the Councillor’s proxies. The recently donated Presidential rice was looted by these greedy people with each indvidual taking as much as 200kgs! Deserving farmers are being denied the farming inputs and poor families are not being given the grain from the GMB. These proxies, who are relatives of the ward councillor charge exorbitant fees for one to receive the farming inputs and grain. The collected money is shared amongst the proxies, transporter and even the Councillor himself. The distribution of the inputs and grain is corruptly done with the proxies favouring their relatives and clansmen at the expense of really deserving people. A few days ago $15 000 hard cash collected from the poor povo disappeared in the ward councillor’s bar. We urge the police to urgently act on this looting spree!
After each delivery, the proxies are seen with loads and loads of inputs and grain heading to their homes. Some of these ill gotten items are later sold to the needy. We call upon ZACC, ZRP and The President’s Office to investigate this massive looting of inputs and grain by these greedy individuals. We repeat our call for the said officials to be recalled and relieved of their duties immediately!
The government of Zimbabwe has embarked on a spirited offensive aimed at destroying all the commons in Zimbabwe. They have destroyed healthcare, halted water supply, switched of electricity and are now destroying our once enviable education system. We have a government showing ordinary citizens the middle finger, we have no other option but to unite and fight back to defend and expand our commons in 2020.
The 2020 budgetary allocation for education is clear testimony that our government has no love for our education sector. We last received such a low budgetary allocation in the ESAP era and in 2000 when resources were diverted towards constitutional reform. Austerity measures are still in place contrary to the misleading statements from the Minister of Finance. The ZW$ 8, 5 billion allocated to education is not enough to cater for inter-bank rate salaries for the 140 000 teachers who are supposed to attend to our learners. Even if we were going to channel 100% of the allocated budget towards wages only, teachers will still be underpaid. There is nothing available for capital investment at a time when we have a shortage of over 2000 schools.
Our government has reneged on its constitutional mandate of providing basic education.
In previous years we have confined ourselves to the fight for labour justice for our membership. We have demanded a living wage and better working conditions but we have failed to work hand in hand with the parents and learners to holistically push for inclusive access to quality education for our learners. We were working in our isolated silo. The state took advantage and brutalized our members and incited parents against our teachers. We have to close that chapter and unite with the parents of our learners.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ will lead the process of reconstituting the Parents Teachers Association, PTA at a national level and build structures down to school level.
This is a vehicle for parents and teachers to come together lobbying and advocating for inclusive access to quality education for our learners. The PTA will also be involved in education management through advising the School Development Associations, SDA. The SDAs established through statutory Instrument 70 of 1993 are currently entrusted with education management but they only incorporate School administrators excluding the teachers.
ARTUZ will not bask in yesteryear glory, we will escalate our fight for a living wage with more protests lined up for the year 2020.
Our national congress to be held from 8 to 10 December will resolve on a concrete way forward. The Congress will be convened under the theme “Reigniting hope and defining the course of the working class struggle in the face of heightened repression and austerity.” We are positive that congress delegates will come up with bold resolutions to protect our education.
The National Executive Council, NEC of ARTUZ has already resolved that schools will not open in January until the salary crisis is resolved. We are glad that sister Unions have endorsed declaration and call upon parents to support this revolutionary cause.
The teachers of Zimbabwe are earning around US$30 per month which is not enough to cater for education for their dependence, food, shelter, healthcare and even transport to work.
The parents are also failing to secure learning materials and school fees for their children. The learners are traumatized by the brutal economic conditions and our teachers are severely incapacitated. Government is not disbursing sufficient funds for Basic Education Access Model to support vulnerable learners. The school ecosystem is in the intensive care and opening schools is virtually impossible.
We will not pretend to be teaching when we are not. We can’t hazard the future of innocent children by giving them substandard education. We will teach when the conditions are right. The poor performance of the 2019 Grade 7 class is a wakeup call for both parents and teachers. We have a duty to find a lasting solution to the education crisis.
Our objectives for 2020:
Recruit more teachers to join the fight for a pro poor education system
Build an alliance with the parents of our learners
Research on alternative education policies and table to government
We still demand
Interbank pegged salaries using our old United States dollar salaries as benchmark
A substantive rural retention attraction allowance to incentivize rural teachers
An education equalization fund to enhance access to quality education for marginalized communities
Fully Paid study leave for all teachers
Restoration of the legally provided vacation leave
Review of the new curriculum
Devolution of education planning and management.
Expanding of social security to cover health care by a more transparent and accountable National Social Security Authority.
The scrapping of the opaque pension contribution replaced with a more transparent system.
Employment of more teachers to resolve the crisis of staff shortages.
We commit ourselves to:
Provide ICT and leadership training for teachers and learners
Provide study loans for our members
Facilitate exchange visits for teachers
Produce and popularize safe schools regulations to enhance teacher and learner safety in schools
Provide comprehensive Sexual Reproduction Health Rights education for our learners and teachers
Produce quarterly reports on state of education and a labour justice index
Provide education on climate change to our rural communities
Initiate income generating projects for both teachers and communities.
Teach learners for free away from the government run schools until salary crisis is resolved.
Provide comprehensive education on Zimbabwe’s political economy for teachers, learners and communities
In 2020 we will protect and expand our commons. We will reach out to other citizens to build solid alliances.
Obert Masaraure
ARTUZ NATIONAL PRESIDENT
+263776129336 [email protected]
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF has pledged to create jobs in 2020 but political analysts are sceptical of the ruling party’s ability to do so.
Below is an article that was published by a state run publication:
Zanu PF national spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo has told the Herald that the party will soon be issuing its 2020 resolutions which are shaped by the party’s recently held Annual People’s Conference.
The ZANU PF conference resolved on a number of issues which the party said would be used to guide the government.
Among other things, the ZANU PF 18th Annual National People’s Conference that was held in Goromonzi, resolved to create jobs, establish gold centres and promote value addition and beneficiation.
The party also resolved that the collapsed industry needs to be revived, one of the avenues through which jobs can be created.
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF has pledged to create jobs in 2020 but political analysts are sceptical of the ruling party’s ability to do so.
Below is an article that was published by a state run publication:
Zanu PF national spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo has told the Herald that the party will soon be issuing its 2020 resolutions which are shaped by the party’s recently held Annual People’s Conference.
The ZANU PF conference resolved on a number of issues which the party said would be used to guide the government.
Among other things, the ZANU PF 18th Annual National People’s Conference that was held in Goromonzi, resolved to create jobs, establish gold centres and promote value addition and beneficiation.
The party also resolved that the collapsed industry needs to be revived, one of the avenues through which jobs can be created.
By A Correspondent- Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe have issued a statement reiterating on the issues which the government has to address for them to effectively execute their duties and responsibilities.
Part of the statement which was posted on Facebook reads:
Interbank pegged salaries using our old United States dollar salaries as benchmark
A substantive rural retention attraction allowance to incentivize rural teachers
An education equalization fund to enhance access to quality education for marginalized communities
Fully Paid study leave for all teachers
Restoration of the legally provided vacation leave
Review of the new curriculum
Devolution of education planning and management
Expanding of social security to cover health care by a more transparent and accountable National Social Security Authority.
The scrapping of the opaque pension contribution replaced with a more transparent system.
Employment of more teachers to resolve the crisis of staff shortages.
The statement is issued when schools are reopening within a few weeks. Other teachers’ unions have since announced that they will not be going to work since they are incapacitated.
By A Correspondent- In his New Year’s address to the nation, President Emmerson Mnangagwa expressed optimism regarding the country’s developmental trajectory promising to walk hand in glove in unity, love and peace with the masses as a listening president.
Said Mnangagwa:
“As your Listening President and a Servant Leader, I will continue engaging with you and listening to your concerns so that we walk hand in hand, together in unity, love, peace and harmony towards a prosperous Zimbabwe.
There is indeed, much more to look forward to in the New Year. Tomorrow is a better and brighter day. I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.”
By A Correspondent- Norton legislator (independent), Temba Mliswa has claimed that there are divisions within Zimbabwe’s security sector and the machete gangs issue exposes that division.
His remarks are a strong redolent of sentiments expressed by some analysts who believe that machete gangs who are locally known as Mashurugwi and or Al Shabab are strongly connected to prominent people in the country.
Mliswa posted on Twitter and said:
The ongoing problem of machete gangs is a direct result and beneficiary of the schisms which are still prevalent in the country’s security system since the November 2017 government change.
Following November 2017 there was a division which segmented security sector with the police and CIO on one side and the army on the other side. This is still ongoing with each side suspecting the other of duplicating its job.
Today there is rampant infiltration of the mining sector by these security forces. They use their power to defend and protect those on their side when they are arrested. The security chiefs call when their mining allies are arrested demanding their release.
This is the reason why progress has been minimal in stemming the tide of machete gangs as all the security forces have been seemingly reluctant to come in until the killing of the police officer, Wonder Hokoyo.
By Nomusa Garikai- After 40 years of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship Zimbabwe is in a serious mess with the economy in ruins, millions of our people now living in abject poverty and, worst of all, plunging the country into political paralysis.
Zanu PF has imposed a tyrannical one party dictatorship that has stifled all meaningful public debate and has ruthless crashed its political critics and opponents. The party has usurped the people’s fundamental freedoms and rights including the right to a meaningful vote and even the right to life.
Ever since the signing of the Unity Accord between PF Zapu and Zanu PF, that saw the two parties merge to form Zanu PF, Mugabe has used the accord to justify the imposing of a de factor one-party dictatorship.
The 2008 elections were a watershed in Zimbabwe politics is that the ruling party Zanu PF was forced to accept its ruthless tyrannical rule was unacceptable in this day and age. Following a particularly outrageous election process in which Zanu PF blatantly cheated the vote count to force a run-off and then used wanton violence to punish the electorate for having rejected the party in the early vote and to force them to vote for the party’s candidate, Robert Mugabe.
Everyone, including both SADC and the AU renowned for giving a thumbs up to dodgy Zimbabwe elections in the past, rejected Zanu PF’s claim as the legitimate winner of the 2008 elections. SADC forced Mugabe to sign a Global Political Agreement agreeing to the need for Zimbabwe to implement a raft of democratic reforms designed to ensure the blatant cheating and wanton violence of 2008 will never be repeated ever again.
Sadly, not even one of the reforms were ever implemented; not one!
Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders, whose primary task in the GNU was to implement the reforms, with ministerial limos, generous salaries and allowances, a US$4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc.With their snout in the feeding trough MDC leaders forgot about the reforms.
Indeed, during the 2008 to 2013 GNU Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies quickly learned that they could have their cake and eat it too. They could keep their one-party dictatorship complete with all its carte blanche powers to rid elections as long as the party allowed the opposition to win a few gravy train seats. The strategy has worked so well everyone is Zimbabwe’s opposition camp participated in last year’s elections; there were 23 contestants in the presidential race alone!
Mnangagwa, who succeeded Mugabe as the leader of Zanu PF following the military coup of November 2017, on the wake of his rigged election victory of the 2018 elections launched Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD). POLAD is a forum grouping all the political parties (MDC A are under pressure to join) who obligingly participated in last year’s elections, knowing fully well that Zanu PF was rigging the elections.
Mnangagwa is sparing no expense in promoting POLAD as all the nation has ever wanted in a healthy and functioning political system.
“Parties under the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) plan to engage SADC, African Union, European Union and United Nations member states to explain their mandate as they press ahead with finding lasting solutions to the country’s economic challenges,” The Herald, the Zanu PF mouth piece, announced.
“An information desk is also being set up to raise awareness about the activities of POLAD. In the coming year, POLAD wants to assist Government to ensure constitutional and electoral reforms are in place. This comes after President Mnangagwa lauded POLAD members for their commitment towards nation-building and unity since its inception in May.”
Zanu PF can fool SADC and AU leaders and a few others like the Chinese and the Russians, who are only too pleased to take advantage of the economic and political chaos in Zimbabwe, with this POLAD nonsense. No one else will be fooled, especially the EU.
The EU dismissed Zimbabwe’s July 2018 elections as a farce. “The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability,” stated the EU Election Mission final report.
“As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards.”
In other words, the EU does not recognise Zanu PF as the dually elected and legitimate government with the people’s democratic mandate to rule Zimbabwe because the whole election process failed to meet acceptable minimum standards.
Considering all the actors in POLAD have endorsed the 2018 elections as having been free, fair and credible; Mnangagwa made is a condition for joining the group; it is clear whatever reforms the forum will push through they will not stop Zanu PF rigging the next elections!
Zanu PF has never ever recognised other people’s right to be heard much less to criticise the party. And so the country public print media and only electronic media have been a department of the party in all but name. The country’s small private print media, there is no private radio or TV stations, has been considered the enemy of the state and haunted from pillar to post.
Zanu PF has passed so many laws to control Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), many organisation have left the country and those still operating are all wearing Zanu PF straitjacket they are now called Government Organised Non Governmental Organisations (GONGO)!
In POLAD Zanu PF has managed to coerce the opposition into a Zanu PF organised opposition (Zoo)! At a time when the nation is desperate for meaningful political change and and end to the Zanu PF dictatorship, in walks Emmerson Mnangagwa, the new Zanu PF dictator, with his Zoo circus animals! POLAD is the epitome of Zimbabwe’s political paralysis!
“We are setting up a cutting-edge information sub-committee that is going to disseminate information relating to POLAD activities to all corners of Zimbabwe,” boasted Obert Gutu, one of the Zoo star performers.
“Within the next 90 days, virtually every Zimbabwean will be hearing, thinking and even dreaming about POLAD. We have got the requisite technical skills and intellectual fire-power to repackage and rebrand POLAD.”
The country’s public health care has all but completely collapse for lack of funds to pay doctors and nurses, to buy medicine and repair equipment, etc. But the country has money to buy Zoo cutting edge equipment; to get the circus, crocodile and all, to every corner of Zimbabwe and beyond!
By A Correspondent- The Law Society of Zimbabwe has issued a statement expressing concern over a statement that was issued by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission which purports that there are some judges who are being investigated for corruption.
ZACC had released a statement on the 29th of December last year which indicated that the commission had over 600 pending dockets against Ministers, judges, legislators and executive directors and managers of companies.
By A Correspondent- Marry Chiwenga‘s lawyer in her bail application hearing on Tuesday said Marry was too sick to have dragged her husband.
Mr Taona Nyamakura said the murder charges would not stick and called them nonsensical as he said Marry’s medical reports show she was too sick at the time to have committed the crime the way they are saying she did.
According to the publication:
He (Marry’s lawyer) said there was a medical report to prove that Mubaiwa was sick at the time the offence was allegedly committed and said it was not, therefore, possible for her to drag a fully grown man and disappear from the scene.
Marry is also facing forgery and externalisation charges.
By A Correspondent- Amalgamated Rural Teachers of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) have indicated plans to reconstruct the Parents Teachers Association in a bid to force the government to give attention to the education sector.
ARTUZ president, Obert Masaraure posted on Facebook and said that the organisation has been confronting the government alone for a sustained period of time now and members feel that it is important to recruit more teachers and parents to join the struggle.
He said that the adverse effects of government actions were detrimental not only to teachers but also to parents who pay school fees and learners who were being denied an education.
Masaraure posted:
“Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ will lead the process of reconstituting the Parents Teachers Association, PTA at a national level and build structures down to school level. This is a vehicle for parents and teachers to come together lobbying and advocating for inclusive access to quality education for our learners. The PTA will also be involved in education management through advising the School Development Associations, SDA. The SDAs established through statutory Instrument 70 of 1993 are currently entrusted with education management but they only incorporate School administrators excluding the teachers.”
These remarks are made when other Teachers’ unions have indicated that they will not be returning to work as schools reopen for the first term in 2020.
By Nomusa Garikai- After 40 years of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship Zimbabwe is in a serious mess with the economy in ruins, millions of our people now living in abject poverty and, worst of all, the plunging the country into political paralysis.
Zanu PF has imposed a tyrannical one party dictatorship that has stifled all meaningful public debate and has ruthless crashed its political critics and opponents. The party has usurped the people’s fundamental freedoms and rights including the right to a meaningful vote and even the right to life.
Ever since the signing of the Unity Accord between PF Zapu and Zanu PF, that saw the two parties merge to form Zanu PF, Mugabe has used the accord to justify the imposing of a de factor one-party dictatorship.
The 2008 elections were a watershed in Zimbabwe politics is that the ruling party Zanu PF was forced to accept its ruthless tyrannical rule was unacceptable in this day and age. Following a particularly outrageous election process in which Zanu PF blatantly cheated the vote count to force a run-off and then used wanton violence to punish the electorate for having rejected the party in the early vote and to force them to vote for the party’s candidate, Robert Mugabe.
Everyone, including both SADC and the AU renowned for giving a thumbs up to dodgy Zimbabwe elections in the past, rejected Zanu PF’s claim as the legitimate winner of the 2008 elections. SADC forced Mugabe to sign a Global Political Agreement agreeing to the need for Zimbabwe to implement a raft of democratic reforms designed to ensure the blatant cheating and wanton violence of 2008 will never be repeated ever again.
Sadly, not even one of the reforms were ever implemented; not one!
Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders, whose primary task in the GNU was to implement the reforms, with ministerial limos, generous salaries and allowances, a US$4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc.With their snout in the feeding trough MDC leaders forgot about the reforms.
Indeed, during the 2008 to 2013 GNU Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies quickly learned that they could have their cake and eat it too. They could keep their one-party dictatorship complete with all its carte blanche powers to rid elections as long as the party allowed the opposition to win a few gravy train seats. The strategy has worked so well everyone is Zimbabwe’s opposition camp participated in last year’s elections; there were 23 contestants in the presidential race alone!
Mnangagwa, who succeeded Mugabe as the leader of Zanu PF following the military coup of November 2017, on the wake of his rigged election victory of the 2018 elections launched Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD). POLAD is a forum grouping all the political parties (MDC A are under pressure to join) who obligingly participated in last year’s elections, knowing fully well that Zanu PF was rigging the elections.
Mnangagwa is sparing no expense in promoting POLAD as all the nation has ever wanted in a healthy and functioning political system.
“Parties under the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) plan to engage SADC, African Union, European Union and United Nations member states to explain their mandate as they press ahead with finding lasting solutions to the country’s economic challenges,” The Herald, the Zanu PF mouth piece, announced.
“An information desk is also being set up to raise awareness about the activities of POLAD. In the coming year, POLAD wants to assist Government to ensure constitutional and electoral reforms are in place. This comes after President Mnangagwa lauded POLAD members for their commitment towards nation-building and unity since its inception in May.”
Zanu PF can fool SADC and AU leaders and a few others like the Chinese and the Russians, who are only too pleased to take advantage of the economic and political chaos in Zimbabwe, with this POLAD nonsense. No one else will be fooled, especially the EU.
The EU dismissed Zimbabwe’s July 2018 elections as a farce. “The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability,” stated the EU Election Mission final report.
“As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards.”
In other words, the EU does not recognise Zanu PF as the dually elected and legitimate government with the people’s democratic mandate to rule Zimbabwe because the whole election process failed to meet acceptable minimum standards.
Considering all the actors in POLAD have endorsed the 2018 elections as having been free, fair and credible; Mnangagwa made is a condition for joining the group; it is clear whatever reforms the forum will push through they will not stop Zanu PF rigging the next elections!
Zanu PF has never ever recognised other people’s right to be heard much less to criticise the party. And so the country public print media and only electronic media have been a department of the party in all but name. The country’s small private print media, there is no private radio or TV stations, has been considered the enemy of the state and haunted from pillar to post.
Zanu PF has passed so many laws to control Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), many organisation have left the country and those still operating are all wearing Zanu PF straitjacket they are now called Government Organised Non Governmental Organisations (GONGO)!
In POLAD Zanu PF has managed to coerce the opposition into a Zanu PF organised opposition (Zoo)! At a time when the nation is desperate for meaningful political change and and end to the Zanu PF dictatorship, in walks Emmerson Mnangagwa, the new Zanu PF dictator, with his Zoo circus animals! POLAD is the epitome of Zimbabwe’s political paralysis!
“We are setting up a cutting-edge information sub-committee that is going to disseminate information relating to POLAD activities to all corners of Zimbabwe,” boasted Obert Gutu, one of the Zoo star performers.
“Within the next 90 days, virtually every Zimbabwean will be hearing, thinking and even dreaming about POLAD. We have got the requisite technical skills and intellectual fire-power to repackage and rebrand POLAD.”
The country’s public health care has all but completely collapse for lack of funds to pay doctors and nurses, to buy medicine and repair equipment, etc. But the country has money to buy Zoo cutting edge equipment; to get the circus, crocodile and all, to every corner of Zimbabwe and beyond!
By A Correspondent- A 42-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping a three-year-old on Boxing Day in Chingorogodzi Village, Guruve under Chief Chipuriro.
The accused man, Graham Chokuchichi, has since appeared at Bindura Magistrates’ Court and was remanded in custody to January 10, 2020.
Magistrate Moreblessing Makati presided over the case.
The State alleges that on December 26, 2019 and at Chingorogodzi village, Chokuchichi raped the minor in his bedroom.
On the day the complainant was outside the house with the family members and were busy playing music while the accused was sleeping in his bedroom.
The complainant is said to have been playing running in and out of the house where the uncle was.
So when the grandmother had gone to bed later. The complainant then went into the room of the accused where Chokuchichi raped her.
And after some time she followed her grandmother and told her that her uncle had touched her privates which were now painful.
They noticed blood on the complainant’s vagina.
The grandmother took the complainant and bathed her and the minor told the grandmother of the rape.
The accused was medically examined and evidence in court can be led from the complainant (name withheld) and medical report.
When they took her to the hospital they said that there was an attempt of penetration, though it did not succeed but she was left with some bruises on her legs, an act of rape.
By A Correspondent- Shop owners and vendors operating from the Harare building which was this morning razed down by fire have expressed shock at the development saying they are at a loss of words following the destruction of their wares.
Some of the women who spoke to ZimEye said they have no information regarding what transpired neither do they know the way forward following the tragedy.
Said one woman who did not identify herself:
“I just woke up in the morning receiving the sad news that the building had caught fire and all my things had been burnt. I was told that there was shop which started burning from behind the building and this saw the fire spreading to the whole building…..And when they were putting out the fire, they were protecting the service station which is near here.
No- one is really sure of what transpired, how the fire started or whether the building was insured, nothing has been communicated at all. Even the owners of the buildings are still mum on what happened or whether we will get our goods from the insurer. We know nothing at all…. All we heard was that when the fire brigade was called, there was no water and this is why they failed to contain the ravaging flame. This was our only source of livelihood, the business sustaining our families.”
Added another woman operating from the same building:
“I have lost everything… I have lost my goods worth over US$1k and in bond notes, i am not too sure how much it was. Fire brigade had no water. Maybe if they had water, we could have retained some of our stuff.”
Watch the video loading below for this exclusive footage courtsey of ZimEye.com…..
By A Correspondent- Police boss Godwin Matanga has declared war on MaShurugwi calling on illegal miners operating around the country to stop forthwith.
Matanga said this in a statement issued recently adding that the police would not hesitate to shoot to kill anyone found in possession of dangerous weapons and who resisted arrest.
By A Correspondent- The SADC Climate Services Centre (CSC) has forecasted that some parts of the SADC region are likely to receive more than 50mm of rainfall very soon.
We publish below pictures from Rufaro Stadium in Harare where Zimbabweans from all walks of life took time to bid farewell to the late former President Robert Mugabe on September 12 2019.
By Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo- The wider gap between the Government and citizens is detrimental.
Objectivity becomes subjectivity if validated into a balanced message. Leaders must accept constructive criticism if they are to buy into progressive politics and development.
There is a wide gap from Mugabe’s era and ED’s Government , and one of the reasons why ED could be in serious problems he is facing , it is mainly because of comparative politics between “ Mugabe and ED himself. It’s a natural discourse that people make comparisons and notions when dealing with leadership.
There is a general aspect which comes into mind when changes takes shape particularly if the change was effected in controversial ways. Let’s take for instance when Mugabe was addressing on international platforms his PR stance one of its kind and he was in his own world. His style of politics was synonyms and applied adjective.
During Mugabe era even if citizens were angry on him, you would leave public meetings laughing or even asking for more despite the rationale type of politics. Why would citizens run away from rallies which the President is addressing? Something sinister about it which needs further introspection. I will give you an example, during the 2018 elections when ED was addressing Bindura rally in Mash Central, people were seen running away from the rally whilst ED was addressing and this seems unusual during Mugabe days.
People differed with the former President on a number of issues, but there was some semblance of some respect. It’s normal for people to make personal judgments varying from politics to development. ED is facing opposition, internal fissures, civic society, general populace, military establishment within a confined civilian leadership and the economy itself.
My general assessment is his main nemesis and political arch-rivalry Nelson Chamisa looks young, appealing and strategically positioned on articulation and informative style of leadership. The major gap is widely created from top-bottom theory which evolves the political structure which feeds into the cycle of economics.
Yes there could be legitimacy problems which could be a cognitive aspect emanating from the 2018 election process but there could be more to it other than legitimacy problems.
The major question is how this gap should be closed or rather, does the gap exist. I can count Presidents who carried legitimacy tags on them and situational politics have generally taken shape, for example we have Edgar Lungu of Zambia, he had issues in 2016, but he has managed the politics very well, we have Uhuru in Kenya and he has managed the progression very well, we have others around the world, so my simple question is that is it about legitimacy or there could be more to it?
I can give you a simple one, on Information ministry which was managed by Jonathan Moyo previously, and the current team is struggling to balance particularly Hon Mutsvangwa who needs some technicalities and spinning on her part which she is lacking.
Some of these gaps can easily generate into civil strides. We have critical ministries like industry & commerce, energy, Finance and Economic Development etc , the vacuum which they have created depicts the normal human standards of any living society.
During Mugabe era, pick any primary pupil he or she would give you the list of cabinet ministers, and there is a shift mainly because of the way the current administration is handling governance matters. There is a serious wide gap between citizens and the Government.
There should be some semblance of respect even though legitimacy tag remains on the forehead of the regime. Let’s take for instance, the anti-sanction march which gobbled over 4 million, whoever advised ED to go for that is not progressive and destructive.
Look at the attendance of the general populace, the empty stadium and the general flop of the whole idea. If it was during Mugabe era, the national sports stadium was going to be easily filled. Was it a structure problem or it was capital appeal requirement?
Some of these researches must be conducted timeously to produce quality results for proper guidance and direction of the country. Why would the regime focus on the old song of sanction mantra, supposed they wanted to propagate their propaganda machinery into something reasonable?
The PR team failed to make sense on this one. Let’s go on the gift of public speaking. Let’s put Mugabe, ED , Chamisa and Tsvangirai on the table. Rhetorically speaking, Chamisa easily filled into Tsvangirai’s shoes of which ED is failing to do henceforth the public denial to forgive him. Image building is very important particularly for those people in high offices, when to speak using high tone and when to speak low.
The tone of emphasis on key matters is crucial. Several times I go through twitter rants from Nick Mangwana and team and there is a wider gap which is in the political spectrum.
Lastly I would want to touch on the serious vacuum which is beckoning mainly from the generational consensus.
You honestly tell me that in Zanu PF, there are no educated young people to occupy those ministerial posts such as Information, Finance and other critical offices? The image of the Government reflects the old ways of doing things and there is need for paradigm shift on approach.
Those cabinet briefings usually done every Tuesday are portrayed as public stunts and does not add up to people’s expectations. Grass-roots connectivity is the best practice in any governance style. Propaganda has destroyed the little trust that existed the citizens and the Government.
Look at the way Jonathan Moyo did his spinning and how the current team is doing their spinning? Spinning is an art which should be mastered. Some of the rants are so embarrassing and political novice.
As an independent advisor and researcher I can
safely say there are key areas which I feel needs critical attention on
Mnangagwa’s Government:
PR
team needs to be reviewed
Image
building is critical for his office
Advisory
team must be sacked
Voice projection on public platforms
Mugabe
way of doing things
Wider
gap between the old aged and young stock
Political
will
Reluctance
on key major economic and political reforms
Tinashe
Eric Muzamhindo is a Policy and Research advisor and he can be contacted at [email protected]
By A Correspondent- Government has applauded the Zimbabwe Young Nurses’ Association for volunteering to work at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals during the festive season.
Speaking during a tour of the hospital yesterday, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said he was impressed by the gesture shown by the student nurses.
“We have been informed about Zimbabwe Young Nurses’ Association, who have volunteered to work at the hospital during this festive season,” Dr Moyo said.
“I think it’s a good initiative. We are grateful that they came to give assistance because we will always need additional personnel, especially the nurses, because already we are short-staffed. The establishment is low and we want to improve our establishment.”
Minister Moyo said Government was going to grant those who had volunteered to work at the hospital first preference when hiring nurses.
“I’m also happy to note that they have come forward instead of just sitting at home and not utilising their skills which they spent so many years acquiring at school,” he said.
“I have said to the Health Services Board, since Cabinet and Treasury approved 700 nursing posts, we must give first preference to these nurses who volunteered their services so their list will be given top priority among those who are going to be engaged.
“Already, we had requested for more nurses, so we are just finalising the paperwork.”
One of the volunteer student nurses, Mr Dumisani Majongwe, said they had decided to work during the festive season because most nurses were on holiday.
“We wanted to cover that gap and give a helping hand during the festive season,” he said. Meanwhile, the chief executive of Sally Mugabe Hospital (formerly Harare Hospital), Dr Tinashe Dhobbie, said all doctors were back at work.
“We are anticipating the opening of our outpatients’ department after the holidays but we are thankful that the doctors have heeded the call by His Excellency President Mnangagwa. “We are not turning away any patients; we are admitting all those who need to be admitted to our hospital,” said Dr Dhobbie.
Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals clinical director Dr Aspect Maunganidze said services were back to normal at the hospital.
“All our junior doctors are back at work and service delivery is back to normal. As the year starts, we are planning on attending to more patients,” Dr Maunganidze said.
TRADERS at a new shopping mall at corner Robert Mugabe and Chinhoyi streets in Harare were left counting their loses after their goods worth thousands of dollars were destroyed by fire on Wednesday morning.
Police National Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident saying the cause of the fire is not yet known .
“Our teams are on the ground carrying out investigations to ascertain the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage,” he said.
Assistant Divisional Officer in the City of Harare’s emergency services department Mr Phillip Marufu said they could not ascertain the cause of the fire because of extent of the damage to the building which formerly housed Agribank.
A KADOMA traditional healer is on the run after reportedly administering 32 injections of traditional medicines resulting in their deaths.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa confirmed the incident.
Kakohwa said the incident happened in Mukutukutu village under Chief Nyashanu in Buhera.
He said the traditional healer Kudakwashe Ziwange (33) from Kadoma visited his mother Mweya Munhanzvu (52) in Buhera.
He was approached on December 24 at around 3pm by Peneil Zvinowanda (69), who was seeking treatment for chronic backache and leg ailment which had been troubling him for 20 years.
Ziwange administered 17 injections of traditional medicines on Zvinowanda’s back and legs.
The following day, Zvinowanda’s health deteriorated as he was walking back home. He sat by the roadside where his brother Tawanda Nyamande found him and took him home.
Zvinowanda developed blisters all over the body and started to bleed from his mouth and nose, leading to his death.
He died at around 3pm on Christmas Day and a report was made the following day at Murambinda Police Station.
In another matter, Ellen Marime (57) who was suffering from leg problems approached Ziwange on December 24 seeking medication.
She was administered 15 injections of traditional medicine and her health deteriorated the following day. She was taken to Murambinda Mission Hospital by relatives where she died upon arrival.
Marime also bled from her mouth and nose and had razor cuts all over her body.
The United Nations warns Zimbabwe faces another poor harvest this year because of patchy rains, compounding problems for millions grappling with drought and the worst economic crisis in a decade.
Soaring inflation, shortages foreign exchange, fuel and electricity brought back memories of the hyperinflation of a decade ago, amid criticism that President Emmerson Mnangagwa failed to turn the economy around.
“This season’s rains are again late and inadequate, with planted seed failing to germinate in many areas,” the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement.
“Forecasts of continuing hot and dry weather in the weeks ahead signal another poor harvest in April, putting lives and livelihoods at risk.”
Maize output fell 50% to 900,000 tons this year according to official data. Government plans to import 800,000 tons to make up the deficit.
Facing soaring prices for seed, fertiliser and chemicals, some farmers reduced planting during the summer cropping season that started in November, farmer unions said.
A majority of Zimbabweans live in rural areas and survive on farming. The southern African nation has only had one year of normal rainfall in the past five, according to WFP officials.
WFP says it needs $200 million in the first half of next year to assist 4.1 million Zimbabweans.
Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said government will spend $133 million on subsidies for maize meal to keep the price of the most consumed food affordable.
The economic crisis led to growing political tensions, with police clamping down on dissent, leading to opposition claims Mnangagwa is reverting to harsh tactics seen under the late Robert Mugabe’s rule.
THE government has said it can do little or nothing to stop schools from demanding groceries as part of tuition fees, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said.
A number of schools around the country are now demanding some groceries as part of tuition fees to beat inflation.
This is at a time when the majority of schools have increased their tuition fees several fold citing the hyper-inflationary environment.
Ziyambi told Senate recently that the Education ministry was aware that schools were also demanding groceries, but said it was the duty of parents and guardians to resist such during school development committee (SDC) meetings.
“The question that he has raised can only be addressed at the SDC meetings because that is where the school and parents agree as to how they will charge to ensure that their children can get adequate education. For me to give a substantive answer on issues that the parents have sat down and deliberated on how to ensure that the school provides a service, I would be lying,” Ziyambi said in response to a question by Senator Chief Clemence Nyabvudzi Nembire on what measures government was taking to stop schools from demanding groceries.
Ziyambi added that the Education Act was clear that the Education ministry’s hands were tied on the issue.
“It (Act) says that schools are supposed to sit with parents and agree on the pegging of fees. Those who sit in the meeting are the school and parents and they are the school development association. The consensus and recommendations is what is taken to the Ministry of Education,” he said.
“The response that I gave does not even require the Minister of Education to come and explain to say that at the school called Chipaga, the parents sat down and agreed that they are going to bring cooking oil for their children to get proper food such as chips, but the Minister cannot come in and say no, that is not right. Children cannot bring cooking oil for the children to get chips, but if he was saying that there is a school that has raised fees without the consent of parents, that is a different issue; we can agree.”
By A Correspondent| A Chipinge man was killed in front of his relatives and friends when an unidentified man shot him straight on the forehead just a few hours into the new year.
The South African-based lecturer, Sam Mambande was gunned down in the early hours of the new year after spending the entire night celebrating with family and friends at a popular drinking spot in Chipinge’s Gaza high-density suburb.
Eye witnesses who spoke to ZBC News said the shooting incident happened while the revellers were on their way home when Mambande approached the shooter’s car to inquire why he was parked in the middle of the road blocking traffic coming from the same leisure spot.
It is alleged that the killer then came out of his car, pulled a gun and shot the deceased before fleeing the scene.
“We were coming out of this bar when we saw a car parked in the middle of the road. He (Mambande) then hooted and went to ask why the driver was blocking the road thus when he was shot and they fled. We only managed to take the number plates of the vehicle”, narrated one of the relatives who was in the vehicle.
“I was sweeping the compound when I heard the noise, I thought it was fireworks but it was a gunshot,” a relative said.
“We are requesting the police to protect us, these cases have become frequent in Chipinge,” one of the residents said.
Family members said the unfortunate event has happened barely a week after burying the deceased’s mother.
Meanwhile, Police Officer Commanding Chipinge District, Chief Superintendent Trustworthy Makunike said they are still conducting investigations on the matter. He however cautioned residents to be on high alert especially this festive season when crime rates are high.
BINGA district development co-ordinator Lydia Banda-Ndethi has been demoted for allegedly boycotting a function where Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga was officiating, the Southern Eye has established.
Banda is alleged to have violated sections of the Public Service Regulations by choosing to attend a non-governmental organisation (NGO) programme instead of Chiwenga’s event held in July 2018 at Manjolo Business Centre.
According to a misconduct charge sheet dated December 17 signed by one Z.R Churu (Disciplinary Authority) on behalf of the Local Government permanent secretary, Banda violated section 44 (2) (a) as read with paragraphs 2 and 24 of the first schedule (section 2) of the Public Service Regulations, 2000 as amended.
Investigations against Banda, who is now deputy director local governance in the provincial development co-ordinator’s office, Matabeleland North, were conducted between August 19 and 21, 2019, Churu said.
“You allegedly prematurely left the function that the Vice-President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Chiwenga was officiating in July 2018 at the Manjolo Business Centre opting to attend to a NGO programme. You had lopsided priorities to the extent that the activities of NGOs were taking precedence ahead of government business,” the misconduct charge sheet reads.
Banda also stands accused of failing to hold government-funded national events such as the Heroes Day commemorations among other acts of misconduct.
“Heroes commemorations have allegedly not been held in the district at least since 2015 when you assumed duty in Binga district. During your tenure in Binga district, you allegedly routinely left chiefs to meet on their own during monthly meetings while your prioritised other errands.”
By so doing she allegedly violated paragraph 2 of the Public Service Regulations, 2000 as amended which states, “improper, negligent, inefficient or incompetent performance of duties.”
Her actions were said to be inconsistent with, and prejudicial to the discharge of duties that the Civil Service vested in her.
Banda was given no later than 14 days to respond to the charges from the day of receipt of the letter.
In an interview, Banda said her lawyer had advised her not to give her side of the story yet to the media. “My lawyer advised me not to give my side of the story to the media as it would problematic in the future,” Banda said yesterday.
By Precious Musarurwa – LEAD Party Presidential Spokesperson.|Machete wars in gold mining areas;
The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, President Mnangagwa said: “We are against that totally and those found harming others with machetes will be arrested. We want to increase the level of sentencing so that it is deterrent.”
LEAD applauds the President for further revealing that Zimbabwe has lost gold worth US$60 million through a syndicate of businessmen that clandestinely export the precious mineral to Dubai. The President made these revelations at the December 2019, commemoration of the Anti-Corruption Day Symposium under the theme: Taking Stock of the Anti-Corruption Agendas in Zimbabwe.
With taking stock in mind and following the proceedings of this day we learn of the hazards of corruption in the Zimbabwe having to affect the attainment of a $12 billion mining sector by 2023 because there would not have been transparency and accountability in the mining sector. That being a test of time for President Mnangagwa, key Ministries, stakeholders, survivors and people at large to together raise the Zimbabwe flag against use of machetes, corruption and loss of lives in the mines sector and beyond.
Machetes have become accesible tools not only used to rob in mines. Perpetrators of violence like thieves and murderers in rural and urban communities have adopted machetes as weapons to destroy lives and rob. Business people and poor fellows are becoming victims of machete wielding gangsters now spreading throughout the country.
We urge the respective public service offices to lead, ensuring transparency and advanced systems are placed to monitor actual production of minerals to avoid and or reduce the high level of side marketing happening at Fidelity and Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC). The country requires an active ready to serve police force that MUST be equipped to counter the kind of violence this nation faces. Corruption must be curbed within the police force and for this to become a reality, Zimbabwe needs a willing government.
At the Anti-Corruption Symposium the President highlighted that as a government they want to partner with ZMDC so that all the gold goes through Fidelity. We await the period of transparent actioning sooner.
Other miners have said they experienced problems with Zanu PF bigwigs that were unlawfully grabbing their mining claims. These complaints are a clear indication of violence tendencies by the ruling party. Recently a police officer was murdered by a machete gang known as Barca in Kadoma, barely 3 months after Mashonaland West held a symposium that was attended by the Minister of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi. People lamented their ordeals with machetes and mashurugwis and the government is aware of these challenges in Kadoma, Mazoe Jumbo and other areas. One wonders why ZANU PF a political party would be involved in such unethical behaviour that tarnishes its brand, if the claims are true.
We seek the office of the President and his government to transform the social economic environment for a justiciable political tolerance and positioning. A worthwhile cause that will resuscitate our economy. We no longer want to lose lives for life is Precious.
By Plot Mhako| As the year starts I will rant a bit. I thought I should talk a bit about the TOP 50s:
Radio and TV end of year chart shows are some of the highlights from the Zim music scene. They are a culmination of what would have transpired throughout the year „supposedly“, however year in, year out just like the different award platforms, these shows have left a lot of unanswered questions. They appear biased & not reflective of National platforms.
Well, I will narrow it to two main media outlets because of their national reach, multi-cultural programming and also that they are state-run. Radio Zimbabwe and ZBC TV. A glimpse into the 50 songs and 50 videos that made the list in 2019 is very worrisome for so many reasons.
Before breaking down these, I will reiterate that I am very aware that Harare is not Zimbabwe and also the internet does not give a true reflection of the musical consumption patterns and trends in the country. There is music that never goes viral on social media but still commands a huge following on Radio Zimbabwe, the same with videos, (most that are played on Ezomgido).
However, with that being said, we still have a problem. The challenges are systematic, institutional and have been perpetuated over the years. Regionalism, Tokenism!
Looking at the Top 50 lists you will see that we have one or two songs from the South and a blackout on the videos list. Some of the content on the lists is just poor. On the videos, Sho Madjozi, Sean Paul, Patoranking easily made it to the list. It is easy for foreign content to get recognized and played in Zim that other local content. Some will say there is a language barrier !!!
That’s crap. We groove to so much music whose languages we can’t even hear and when the artists come to Zim we fill up the venues.
There is a lot of talent in other towns, villages, and provinces, a lot of it but artists struggle to break the Harare boundaries. One, the gatekeepers, the distance, the systems, and the ignorance. A lot of the great content finds no space on the most important platforms unless if done in appeasement. Look at SHA SHA, BERITA KHUMALO, BEKEZELA and what they are doing. We only took notice of them when SA embraced them. If we deeply reflect we will get the point.
Now we have over 10 regional stations, commendable effort but as long as artists from other places find no space on the national frequency we are doing ourselves a disservice. Their music only travels as far as 40km radius and can easily be ignored. There is more value in getting national airplay, that way one can get more reach, more shows (if their content is good) and build a bigger brand. In today’s world, music and creative talents play a huge role in inspiring a nation, fostering national pride, cohesion, shaping the international image/narrative, creating employment and wealth. Zimbabwe is lagging behind on all of these.
There was a lot of great music and some amazing videos made in 2019 (i could give so many examples). Some could say the artists don’t submit, well it shows the lack of faith in the systems. Are the systems archaic, captured or simply out of touch? The internet has become a graveyard for so much great talent.
Back to the Top 50s: We skirt around these issues and pretend all is well but I think it is upon us to fix this. We need to collectively make conscious and deliberate steps to correct the crisis in our midst. We can not have a musical monopoly. We have so much talent, some of it blow-up and blows out quickly; the artists face a lot of discouragements at home and the struggle is real.
Nyasa Big Bullets coach Callisto Pasuwa’s manager Gibson Mahachi has said they are yet to engage Bullets on the prospects of extending his client’s contract.
Mahachi was quoted by The Herald that the Zimbabwean coachneeds some rest after a tough and gruelling season that saw the People’s Team defend the TNM Super League title after pipping thweir age-old rivals Be Forward Wanderers by a point.
He said: “There is nothing that we have discussed with Bullets yet. We should be able to engage them in the coming days.
“The coach needs a bit of rest after a long season. He has done well in the last two seasons and I believe they are still interested to keep him. But I will work with what the coach wants.
“Generally, Bullets have been very good to him. The players, the executive [committee] and the supporters as well, were all behind his efforts, and what more can you ask for from a coach if he delivers two titles in a row?” he was quoted as saying.
Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga said in an interview that they are eager to extend Pasuwa’s contract.
“We were impressed by Pasuwa’s league title defence and the successful team-building project which saw a number of youngsters, such as Charles Petro, Nixon Nyasulu, Peter Banda, Chimwemwe Idana and Hassan Kajoke, excelling in their debut season.
“We did not set any targets for him [Pasuwa]. The priority was the team-building project which has been a huge success as the predominantly youthful squad performed beyond everyone’s expectation to win the league,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mahachi has revealed that Pasuwa did not bother applying for the vacant Zimbabwe national team coaching post because he is still owed huge amounts of money by the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) amounting to $100 000 (about K74.4 million).
Pasuwa and his South African-based compatriot Norman Mapeza were considered as favourites for the vacant Warriors job.
According to The Herald, the 49-year-old, who led Zimbabwe to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualification, has been regarded as a one of the candidates likely to take over the reins of the national football team following the expiry of his contract with the People’s on December 31.
“Get me right, no Zimbabwean coach can say no to the call to serve his country. Pasuwa feels the same. If the call comes today, he is ready, but for now there are certain outstanding things that need to be sorted out first.
“Pasuwa did his best with the national team under challenging conditions. He always puts his country first. Of course, just like anyone else, he wasn’t a perfect individual. But it’s public knowledge he wasn’t paid his monies in his last job,” Mahachi was quoted as having said. He said they have written to Zifa several times, but got no response.
By Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo- The wider gap between the Government and citizens is detrimental.
Objectivity becomes subjectivity if validated into a balanced message. Leaders must accept constructive criticism if they are to buy into progressive politics and development.
There is a wide gap from Mugabe’s era and ED’s Government , and one of the reasons why ED could be in serious problems he is facing , it is mainly because of comparative politics between “ Mugabe and ED himself.
It’s a natural discourse that people make comparisons and notions when dealing with leadership. There is a general aspect which comes into mind when changes takes shape particularly if the change was effected in controversial ways.
Let’s take for instance when Mugabe was addressing on international platforms his PR stance one of its kind and he was in his own world. His style of politics was synonyms and applied adjective.
During Mugabe era even if citizens were angry on him, you would leave public meetings laughing or even asking for more despite the rationale type of politics. Why would citizens run away from rallies which the President is addressing? Something sinister about it which needs further introspection.
I will give you an example, during the 2018 elections when ED was addressing Bindura rally in Mash Central, people were seen running away from the rally whilst ED was addressing and this seems unusual during Mugabe days.
People differed with the former President on a number of issues, but there was some semblance of some respect. It’s normal for people to make personal judgments varying from politics to development. ED is facing opposition, internal fissures, civic society, general populace, military establishment within a confined civilian leadership and the economy itself.
My general assessment is his main nemesis and political arch-rivalry Nelson Chamisa looks young, appealing and strategically positioned on articulation and informative style of leadership.
The major gap is widely created from top-bottom theory which evolves the political structure which feeds into the cycle of economics. Yes there could be legitimacy problems which could be a cognitive aspect emanating from the 2018 election process but there could be more to it other than legitimacy problems.
The major question is how this gap should be closed or rather, does the gap exist. I can count Presidents who carried legitimacy tags on them and situational politics have generally taken shape, for example we have Edgar Lungu of Zambia, he had issues in 2016, but he has managed the politics very well, we have Uhuru in Kenya and he has managed the progression very well, we have others around the world, so my simple question is that is it about legitimacy or there could be more to it?
I can give you a simple one, on Information ministry which was managed by Jonathan Moyo previously, and the current team is struggling to balance particularly Hon Mutsvangwa who needs some technicalities and spinning on her part which she is lacking.
Some of these gaps can easily generate into civil strides. We have critical ministries like industry & commerce, energy, Finance and Economic Development etc , the vacuum which they have created depicts the normal human standards of any living society.
During Mugabe era, pick any primary pupil he or she would give you the list of cabinet ministers, and there is a shift mainly because of the way the current administration is handling governance matters. There is a serious wide gap between citizens and the Government.
There should be some semblance of respect even though legitimacy tag remains on the forehead of the regime. Let’s take for instance, the anti-sanction march which gobbled over 4 million, whoever advised ED to go for that is not progressive and destructive.
Look at the attendance of the general populace, the empty stadium and the general flop of the whole idea. If it was during Mugabe era, the national sports stadium was going to be easily filled. Was it a structure problem or it was capital appeal requirement?
Some of these researches must be conducted timeously to produce quality results for proper guidance and direction of the country. Why would the regime focus on the old song of sanction mantra, supposed they wanted to propagate their propaganda machinery into something reasonable? The PR team failed to make sense on this one. Let’s go on the gift of public speaking.
Let’s put Mugabe, ED , Chamisa and Tsvangirai on the table. Rhetorically speaking, Chamisa easily filled into Tsvangirai’s shoes of which ED is failing to do henceforth the public denial to forgive him.
Image building is very important particularly for those people in high offices, when to speak using high tone and when to speak low. The tone of emphasis on key matters is crucial. Several times I go through twitter rants from Nick Mangwana and team and there is a wider gap which is in the political spectrum.
Lastly I would want to touch on the serious vacuum which is beckoning mainly from the generational consensus. You honestly tell me that in Zanu PF, there are no educated young people to occupy those ministerial posts such as Information, Finance and other critical offices?
The image of the Government reflects the old ways of doing things and there is need for paradigm shift on approach. Those cabinet briefings usually done every Tuesday are portrayed as public stunts and does not add up to people’s expectations.
Grass-roots connectivity is the best practice in any governance style. Propaganda has destroyed the little trust that existed the citizens and the Government. Look at the way Jonathan Moyo did his spinning and how the current team is doing their spinning?
Spinning is an art which should be mastered. Some of the rants are so embarrassing and political novice.
As an independent advisor and researcher I can
safely say there are key areas which I feel needs critical attention on
Mnangagwa’s Government:
PR team needs to be reviewed
Image building is critical for his office
Advisory team must be sacked
Voice projection on public platforms
Mugabe’s way of doing things
Wider gap between the old aged and young people
Political will
Reluctance on key major economic and political reforms
Tinashe
Eric Muzamhindo is a Policy and Research advisor and he can be contacted at [email protected]
SOUTH African football giants Mamelodi Sundowns appear to have the inside lane to sign Zimbabwean ex-Kaizer Chiefs goal ace Knowledge Musona as his contract reportedly will soon be terminated at Anderlecht.
The local media with reliable sources said Sundowns are actively courting the signature of the “Smiling Assassin” as he seeks a return to the Premier Soccer League.
Musona is apparently keen to join Sundowns‚ who are sure to have made an attractive offer to the prolific striker.
Reports have been that the Zimbabwean will have his contract with Anderlecht – which ends in June 2022 – terminated soon‚ following the January transfer opening on Thursday.
Musona has suffered a well-documented unhappy year-and-a-half at Belgian powerhouses Anderlecht‚ where the striker played just eight times and scored once since a transfer from KV Oostende in July 2018.
He spent the past six months on loan at Lokeren‚ where he played just six league games and scored one goal.
As a teammate of Bafana Bafana midfielder Andile Jali’s at Oostende Musona had some success‚ scoring 35 goals in 103 appearances over three years.
This was after a less successful spell in the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim.
Before that‚ Musona made his name at Chiefs as a deadly striker in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. He was the PS’s top scorer with 17 goals in 2010-11.
Sundowns’ general manager Yogesh Singh could not be reached for comment.
Knowledge Musona has been linked with a move to Belgian top-flight Sint-Truidense VV, a club which was reportedly interested in him in the pre-season.
The Zimbabwean has failed to pin a place in the Anderlecht team and might move out this January in a potential swap deal also involving team-mate Pieter Gerkens for Ivorian forward Yohan Boli.
STVV have already freed some space in their squad with more departures expected this month.
The club has let go forward Cong Phuong who was on loan from Hoàng Anh Gia Lai in Vietnam.
Another forward Facundo Colidio is also being linked with a return to his parent club Inter Milan due to lack of game time.
Farai Dziva|Aston Villa are reportedly targeting former Leicester City midfielder Danny Drinkwater.
The 29-year-old Chelsea man, who is currently on loan at Burnely, is wanted by the Birmingham-based side to strengthen their defensive midfield, which consists of Zimbabwe international midfielder Marvelous Nakamba and John McGinn.
According to Sky Sports, the close relationship between Villa assistant coach John Terry and Chelsea manager Frank Lampard will most likely come in handy in ensuring that the deal goes through.
Dean Smith’s men are struggling in the English top division and currently languishing in the relegation zone and some new additions in the upcoming transfer window might be essential.
Aston Villa returned to winning ways with a hard fought 2-1 win over Burnley.
The match saw Zimbabwean international return to the starting lineup and he had a much improved performance playing the full match.
Villa thought they had taken the lead in in the 13th minute when Grealish headed in a cross but after a VAR the goal was ruled out as Wesly was adjudged to have been in an offside position.
However in the 20th minute Villa made their possession count with Wesly scoring after a good exchange with Wesly saw the ball fall kindly to him.
Four minutes before the break Grealish doubled the lead with Nakamba playing a key part in the build up of the goal.
Halftime came with Villa looking in control.
However Villa had a more challenging second half with Burnely pulling one back in the 80th minute but Villa held on to claim a much needed win.
The victory see Villa move out of the relegation zone to 16th position ahead of other New Year day fixtures.
Meanwhile Chelsea were denied all three points after a stunning late volley Alireza Jahanbakh to equalise. Chelsea had held the lead from the 10th minute through César Azpilicueta. Soccer 24
Farai Dziva|Galatasaray are keen to sign red-hot Zimbabwean striker Tinotenda Kadewere in this January transfer window and their interest seems to have escalated.
The Turkish giants are of three European clubs said to be interested in the services of the 23-year-old striker, who had an exceptional 2019, scoring 17 goals and providing 4 assists for his French Ligue 2 side Le Havre.
Many Turkish publications profiled the Zimbabwean striker yesterday, amid massive interest from Galatasaray, with some even claiming that an agreemenent had already been made between the two clubs for the player to move on loan this January.
Infact, a supposed agreement between them (pictured below) claims that Kadewere will be at the Turkish club on a six month loan stint.
First, the year 2019 was one of the hardest for us as citizens. The socio economic situation deteriorated and life continued to be harder for ordinary Zimbabweans.
Second, the ruling regime had no clue as to how to deal with the situation. They tried austerity measures which further worsened the situation. The economy is an albatross around this government’s neck!
The third thing we must remember is that in this 2020 which we are entering, this situation is unlikely to get any better. The Zanu PF regime remain arrogant, and unwilling to engage the general citizenry on the way-forward. This means our situation will get worse before boiling over.
The fourth thing we must remember as Zimbabweans is that none but ourselves can set ourselves free from this situation. We must rise above party lines, religious lines, tribal and whatever limitation before us and unite to approach this challenge together.
We must build a common vision for our nation. We must stand up to fight together. Indeed we are stronger together….
And of course we should not forget that our hope as a nation is in God. We must agree that we need to give GOD a chance. We have tried ALL we can as people but to no avail.
Let 2020 be the year we give GOD a chance as a nation!
Lastly, let us remember that God is raising a generation that fear him to take over this nation. The sooner we recognize this generation and embrace it, the better for our nation. The failure of Zimbabwe has been a failure of leadership. Zimbabwe needs God and the time is now.
2020 is indeed a new year and a new decade yet there is nothing new for us to celebrate as Zimbabweans. Our economy is still in doldrums. Our streets are still dirty, we still have corrupt ministers and government officials…
Zimbabwe is still not open for open for business to Zimbabweans, there are still no jobs, industries are still shut down and still no restitution of externalized funds. No economic and political reforms in sight. Lack of political will to fix Zim is the tragedy of Zimbabwe
In the eyes of ordinary citizens the 2018 Zimbabwean situation is exactly the same as it was in 2019 with added potential to get worse. Access to basics like food, farming inputs, access to social services like education & healthcare is still a real struggle for millions of us
Instead of consolidating efforts to fix Zimbabwe some political actors have become masters of economic terrorism & economic sabotage.
Tungamirai Madzokere and Last Maengahama are still in Chikurubhi Maximum prison. Free political prisoners & let’s focus on rebuilding Zimbabwe
The coming of a new year brings new hope, but for us to realize that hope we have to have new mindsets. It is critical for us all to know that we are our own saviours as Zimbabwean citizens to save ourselves from the social, economic and political injustices.
There will be no superhero to come and free us.
2020 is a year of unity for progressive Zimbabweans across social, economic, and political divide to revive our country.
We should intensify all our efforts in educating the masses to understand the importance of DEPOLARIZATION
We need change of the governance system & those who seek to succeed in politics must only seek to succeed in the context of the success of the people of Zimbabwe.
Anyone who seeks to succeed outside that purpose cannot be furthering the interests of our nation.
Our independence must qualitatively transform the lives of the people of Zimbabwe.
Our politics must be underpinned by the need to make our independence meaningful to the majority of our people. This year is a year of action & transformation
Farai Dziva|Government has no love for the education sector, ARTUZ leader Obert Masaraure has said.
See full statement below:
2 January 2020
The government of Zimbabwe has embarked on a spirited offensive aimed at destroying all the commons in Zimbabwe. They have destroyed healthcare, halted water supply, switched of electricity and are now destroying our once enviable education system. We have a government showing ordinary citizens the middle finger, we have no other option but to unite and fight back to defend and expand our commons in 2020.
The 2020 budgetary allocation for education is clear testimony that our government has no love for our education sector. We last received such a low budgetary allocation in the ESAP era and in 2000 when resources were diverted towards constitutional reform. Austerity measures are still in place contrary to the misleading statements from the Minister of Finance. The ZW$ 8, 5 billion allocated to education is not enough to cater for inter-bank rate salaries for the 140 000 teachers who are supposed to attend to our learners. Even if we were going to channel 100% of the allocated budget towards wages only, teachers will still be underpaid. There is nothing available for capital investment at a time when we have a shortage of over 2000 schools.
Our government has reneged on its constitutional mandate of providing basic education.
In previous years we have confined ourselves to the fight for labour justice for our membership. We have demanded a living wage and better working conditions but we have failed to work hand in hand with the parents and learners to holistically push for inclusive access to quality education for our learners. We were working in our isolated silo. The state took advantage and brutalized our members and incited parents against our teachers. We have to close that chapter and unite with the parents of our learners.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ will lead the process of reconstituting the Parents Teachers Association, PTA at a national level and build structures down to school level.
This is a vehicle for parents and teachers to come together lobbying and advocating for inclusive access to quality education for our learners. The PTA will also be involved in education management through advising the School Development Associations, SDA. The SDAs established through statutory Instrument 70 of 1993 are currently entrusted with education management but they only incorporate School administrators excluding the teachers.
ARTUZ will not bask in yesteryear glory, we will escalate our fight for a living wage with more protests lined up for the year 2020.
Our national congress to be held from 8 to 10 December will resolve on a concrete way forward. The Congress will be convened under the theme “Reigniting hope and defining the course of the working class struggle in the face of heightened repression and austerity.” We are positive that congress delegates will come up with bold resolutions to protect our education.
The National Executive Council, NEC of ARTUZ has already resolved that schools will not open in January until the salary crisis is resolved. We are glad that sister Unions have endorsed declaration and call upon parents to support this revolutionary cause.
The teachers of Zimbabwe are earning around US$30 per month which is not enough to cater for education for their dependence, food, shelter, healthcare and even transport to work.
The parents are also failing to secure learning materials and school fees for their children. The learners are traumatized by the brutal economic conditions and our teachers are severely incapacitated. Government is not disbursing sufficient funds for Basic Education Access Model to support vulnerable learners. The school ecosystem is in the intensive care and opening schools is virtually impossible.
We will not pretend to be teaching when we are not. We can’t hazard the future of innocent children by giving them substandard education. We will teach when the conditions are right. The poor performance of the 2019 Grade 7 class is a wakeup call for both parents and teachers. We have a duty to find a lasting solution to the education crisis.
Our objectives for 2020:
Recruit more teachers to join the fight for a pro poor education system
Build an alliance with the parents of our learners
Research on alternative education policies and table to government
We still demand
Interbank pegged salaries using our old United States dollar salaries as benchmark
A substantive rural retention attraction allowance to incentivize rural teachers
An education equalization fund to enhance access to quality education for marginalized communities
Fully Paid study leave for all teachers
Restoration of the legally provided vacation leave
Review of the new curriculum
Devolution of education planning and management.
Expanding of social security to cover health care by a more transparent and accountable National Social Security Authority.
The scrapping of the opaque pension contribution replaced with a more transparent system.
Employment of more teachers to resolve the crisis of staff shortages.
We commit ourselves to:
Provide ICT and leadership training for teachers and learners
Provide study loans for our members
Facilitate exchange visits for teachers
Produce and popularize safe schools regulations to enhance teacher and learner safety in schools
Provide comprehensive Sexual Reproduction Health Rights education for our learners and teachers
Produce quarterly reports on state of education and a labour justice index
Provide education on climate change to our rural communities
Initiate income generating projects for both teachers and communities.
Teach learners for free away from the government run schools until salary crisis is resolved.
Provide comprehensive education on Zimbabwe’s political economy for teachers, learners and communities
In 2020 we will protect and expand our commons. We will reach out to other citizens to build solid alliances.
Obert Masaraure
ARTUZ NATIONAL PRESIDENT
+263776129336 [email protected]
By A Correspondent| The Fire Brigade is still investigating the cause of the fire which destroyed a building at the Corner of Robert Mugabe and Chinhoyi Street.
Fire Brigade Divisional officer Clever Mafoti said they believe the fire could have started way before it was noticed and when the fire fighters arrived the inferno had already engulfed most of the property inside the building.
“It was difficult for us to know the cause of the fire because when we arrived at the scene 99 percent of it had been destroyed,” he said.
“We received a call at 0042hrs and were at the scene at 0047hrs. There were no witnesses to tell us what could have happened,”
He said signs at the scene indicate that the fire might have active inside the building with no one noticing.
Farai Dziva|Government has no love for the education sector, ARTUZ leader Obert Masaraure has said.
See full statement below:
2 January 2020
The government of Zimbabwe has embarked on a spirited offensive aimed at destroying all the commons in Zimbabwe. They have destroyed healthcare, halted water supply, switched of electricity and are now destroying our once enviable education system. We have a government showing ordinary citizens the middle finger, we have no other option but to unite and fight back to defend and expand our commons in 2020.
The 2020 budgetary allocation for education is clear testimony that our government has no love for our education sector. We last received such a low budgetary allocation in the ESAP era and in 2000 when resources were diverted towards constitutional reform. Austerity measures are still in place contrary to the misleading statements from the Minister of Finance. The ZW$ 8, 5 billion allocated to education is not enough to cater for inter-bank rate salaries for the 140 000 teachers who are supposed to attend to our learners. Even if we were going to channel 100% of the allocated budget towards wages only, teachers will still be underpaid. There is nothing available for capital investment at a time when we have a shortage of over 2000 schools.
Our government has reneged on its constitutional mandate of providing basic education.
In previous years we have confined ourselves to the fight for labour justice for our membership. We have demanded a living wage and better working conditions but we have failed to work hand in hand with the parents and learners to holistically push for inclusive access to quality education for our learners. We were working in our isolated silo. The state took advantage and brutalized our members and incited parents against our teachers. We have to close that chapter and unite with the parents of our learners.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ will lead the process of reconstituting the Parents Teachers Association, PTA at a national level and build structures down to school level.
This is a vehicle for parents and teachers to come together lobbying and advocating for inclusive access to quality education for our learners. The PTA will also be involved in education management through advising the School Development Associations, SDA. The SDAs established through statutory Instrument 70 of 1993 are currently entrusted with education management but they only incorporate School administrators excluding the teachers.
ARTUZ will not bask in yesteryear glory, we will escalate our fight for a living wage with more protests lined up for the year 2020.
Our national congress to be held from 8 to 10 December will resolve on a concrete way forward. The Congress will be convened under the theme “Reigniting hope and defining the course of the working class struggle in the face of heightened repression and austerity.” We are positive that congress delegates will come up with bold resolutions to protect our education.
The National Executive Council, NEC of ARTUZ has already resolved that schools will not open in January until the salary crisis is resolved. We are glad that sister Unions have endorsed declaration and call upon parents to support this revolutionary cause.
The teachers of Zimbabwe are earning around US$30 per month which is not enough to cater for education for their dependence, food, shelter, healthcare and even transport to work.
The parents are also failing to secure learning materials and school fees for their children. The learners are traumatized by the brutal economic conditions and our teachers are severely incapacitated. Government is not disbursing sufficient funds for Basic Education Access Model to support vulnerable learners. The school ecosystem is in the intensive care and opening schools is virtually impossible.
We will not pretend to be teaching when we are not. We can’t hazard the future of innocent children by giving them substandard education. We will teach when the conditions are right. The poor performance of the 2019 Grade 7 class is a wakeup call for both parents and teachers. We have a duty to find a lasting solution to the education crisis.
Our objectives for 2020:
Recruit more teachers to join the fight for a pro poor education system
Build an alliance with the parents of our learners
Research on alternative education policies and table to government
We still demand
Interbank pegged salaries using our old United States dollar salaries as benchmark
A substantive rural retention attraction allowance to incentivize rural teachers
An education equalization fund to enhance access to quality education for marginalized communities
Fully Paid study leave for all teachers
Restoration of the legally provided vacation leave
Review of the new curriculum
Devolution of education planning and management.
Expanding of social security to cover health care by a more transparent and accountable National Social Security Authority.
The scrapping of the opaque pension contribution replaced with a more transparent system.
Employment of more teachers to resolve the crisis of staff shortages.
We commit ourselves to:
Provide ICT and leadership training for teachers and learners
Provide study loans for our members
Facilitate exchange visits for teachers
Produce and popularize safe schools regulations to enhance teacher and learner safety in schools
Provide comprehensive Sexual Reproduction Health Rights education for our learners and teachers
Produce quarterly reports on state of education and a labour justice index
Provide education on climate change to our rural communities
Initiate income generating projects for both teachers and communities.
Teach learners for free away from the government run schools until salary crisis is resolved.
Provide comprehensive education on Zimbabwe’s political economy for teachers, learners and communities
In 2020 we will protect and expand our commons. We will reach out to other citizens to build solid alliances.
Obert Masaraure
ARTUZ NATIONAL PRESIDENT
+263776129336 [email protected]
The government of Zimbabwe has embarked on a spirited offensive aimed at destroying all the commons in Zimbabwe. They have destroyed healthcare, halted water supply, switched of electricity and are now destroying our once enviable education system. We have a government showing ordinary citizens the middle finger, we have no other option but to unite and fight back to defend and expand our commons in 2020.
The 2020 budgetary allocation for education is clear testimony that our government has no love for our education sector. We last received such a low budgetary allocation in the ESAP era and in 2000 when resources were diverted towards constitutional reform. Austerity measures are still in place contrary to the misleading statements from the Minister of Finance. The ZW$ 8, 5 billion allocated to education is not enough to cater for inter-bank rate salaries for the 140 000 teachers who are supposed to attend to our learners. Even if we were going to channel 100% of the allocated budget towards wages only, teachers will still be underpaid. There is nothing available for capital investment at a time when we have a shortage of over 2000 schools.
Our government has reneged on its constitutional mandate of providing basic education.
In previous years we have confined ourselves to the fight for labour justice for our membership. We have demanded a living wage and better working conditions but we have failed to work hand in hand with the parents and learners to holistically push for inclusive access to quality education for our learners. We were working in our isolated silo. The state took advantage and brutalized our members and incited parents against our teachers. We have to close that chapter and unite with the parents of our learners.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ will lead the process of reconstituting the Parents Teachers Association, PTA at a national level and build structures down to school level.
This is a vehicle for parents and teachers to come together lobbying and advocating for inclusive access to quality education for our learners. The PTA will also be involved in education management through advising the School Development Associations, SDA. The SDAs established through statutory Instrument 70 of 1993 are currently entrusted with education management but they only incorporate School administrators excluding the teachers.
ARTUZ will not bask in yesteryear glory, we will escalate our fight for a living wage with more protests lined up for the year 2020.
Our national congress to be held from 8 to 10 December will resolve on a concrete way forward. The Congress will be convened under the theme “Reigniting hope and defining the course of the working class struggle in the face of heightened repression and austerity.” We are positive that congress delegates will come up with bold resolutions to protect our education.
The National Executive Council, NEC of ARTUZ has already resolved that schools will not open in January until the salary crisis is resolved. We are glad that sister Unions have endorsed declaration and call upon parents to support this revolutionary cause.
The teachers of Zimbabwe are earning around US$30 per month which is not enough to cater for education for their dependence, food, shelter, healthcare and even transport to work.
The parents are also failing to secure learning materials and school fees for their children. The learners are traumatized by the brutal economic conditions and our teachers are severely incapacitated. Government is not disbursing sufficient funds for Basic Education Access Model to support vulnerable learners. The school ecosystem is in the intensive care and opening schools is virtually impossible.
We will not pretend to be teaching when we are not. We can’t hazard the future of innocent children by giving them substandard education. We will teach when the conditions are right. The poor performance of the 2019 Grade 7 class is a wakeup call for both parents and teachers. We have a duty to find a lasting solution to the education crisis.
Our objectives for 2020:
Recruit more teachers to join the fight for a pro poor education system
Build an alliance with the parents of our learners
Research on alternative education policies and table to government
We still demand
Interbank pegged salaries using our old United States dollar salaries as benchmark
A substantive rural retention attraction allowance to incentivize rural teachers
An education equalization fund to enhance access to quality education for marginalized communities
Fully Paid study leave for all teachers
Restoration of the legally provided vacation leave
Review of the new curriculum
Devolution of education planning and management.
Expanding of social security to cover health care by a more transparent and accountable National Social Security Authority.
The scrapping of the opaque pension contribution replaced with a more transparent system.
Employment of more teachers to resolve the crisis of staff shortages.
We commit ourselves to:
Provide ICT and leadership training for teachers and learners
Provide study loans for our members
Facilitate exchange visits for teachers
Produce and popularize safe schools regulations to enhance teacher and learner safety in schools
Provide comprehensive Sexual Reproduction Health Rights education for our learners and teachers
Produce quarterly reports on state of education and a labour justice index
Provide education on climate change to our rural communities
Initiate income generating projects for both teachers and communities.
Teach learners for free away from the government run schools until salary crisis is resolved.
Provide comprehensive education on Zimbabwe’s political economy for teachers, learners and communities
In 2020 we will protect and expand our commons. We will reach out to other citizens to build solid alliances.
Obert Masaraure
ARTUZ NATIONAL PRESIDENT
+263776129336 [email protected]
Revolutionary greetings to you all.Compliments of the new year.
I write to you to reinforce and reiterate the following;
We are the LEADING PARTY in Zimbabwe, the people’s party of excellence, a social Democratic Party.We value solidarity, freedom and justice. Our vision is to be leading and governing party in Zimbabwe. Our mission is to achieve democratic change and transform lives, communities and our nation through an inclusive, transformational, developmental democratic and ethical state.Our party goal is to win elections and attain state power to make a difference in people’s lives.
Organizationally, we ended the year on a high note with our NEC and NC meetings in Bulawayo being a resounding success.We have begun a good practice of holding our key party national meetings outside HARARE.We are radically reforming and changing our culture, structure, strategy and infrastructure to be the alternative Zimbabwe desires and deserves.
In 2019 we have known oppression, pain, loss, devastation, struggle & tears.We also fought & celebrated the resilience of a nation whose best is yet to come.Some have been persecuted, abducted, harassed and arrested. I know the hurts, setbacks, pain and despair you have had to endure in 2019 but you were resilient.
We have now entered a new decade, a decade of BIG transformational changes within the party and our nation.
Broad organizational interest is more important than opportunistic personal interest. We need to radically change and abandon certain negative and divisive tendencies.We must be fully paid up members in subscriptions. Indiscipline and malicious gossip will be jettisoned. Conflict entrepreneurship will be punished.Tough decisions will be made to deal with those. Those who don’t work will lose their positions.Those who are absent will be replaced.
We must focus on the core business and sole goal of the party agenda that is to WIN Elections and attain state power for real change. Our rural focus must be enhanced. Candidate selection better improved.We will demand political reforms .
We will have compulsory and mandatory meetings. We will use the first two weeks in January to plan and budget for the year at various levels. Thereafter, we roll out a program of action.The Secretary General shall issue out the important planning and budgeting dates including key agenda items for this month.
We must deal with all outstanding and unresolved disputes in certain provinces and districts with decisiveness and a firm hand.
We must strengthen our party and its base with a strong rural focus.We must have strong vibrant structures,zero imposition, zero corruption, zero division, zero factionalism and zero writing of names of fictitious structures or lists of friends. We must all work 24/7 for the cause of real change and root out all negative tendencies. We will only rest and celebrate when tyranny folds and poverty ends.
May God grant you strength and capacity to lead and act this 2020.Wishing you the best as you continue to provide cutting-edge, alternative and thought leadership for our party and nation at this critical juncture.We must lead in all people’s struggles and community issues.
We must show and be the difference and excel in the 9 zones of our National Democratic Revolution. We must lead in National Democratic struggle zones namely the a)street or village , b)Parliament, c)Local authorities, d)Media, e)International relations, f)Elections, g)Law-fare/ courts h)State and Policy I) Resources.
Our NECs, PECs, CCC and BECs shall be subjected to performance audits , results scorecard and deliverables on the basis of strategic plans, regular meetings, minutes,resolutions, performance output targets and work-plans.The SG’s office will guide in this regard.
Our MPs and Councillors must have regular feedback meetings and visible presence in constituencies and communities.We are introducing monitoring and evaluation frameworks for all representatives in party deployment. The National Chair’s office will lead the process.
We will deliver our New year message and statement to the nation on our national agenda and organizational program of action on Wednesday, the 15th of January 2020.
This statement will outline the roadmap and signposts on the path to change and year’s trajectory.This will basically set the agenda and tone for the year.
The nation is ready for us. People are waiting.We must lead! Action is our mandate. This is the year of the people’s Ascendancy to Victory. A year of Great CHANGE.We are all in it.Eyes on the ball. #Godisinit
Farai Dziva|The MDC Youth Assembly has said Zimbabweans have suffered for too and their patience has been stretched to the limit.
See below MDC Youth Assembly Stephen Chuma’s statement:
The level of deterioration and stinking poverty stalking ordinary citizens in ghettos and countryside due to misgovernance, corruption and maladministration by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military regime is painstaking and excruciating.
It is clear that Mnangagwa has succeeded in running down the country in a little less than two years since his 2018 grand electoral fraud.
From every facet of life, be it social, politics and economy, the military regime has failed the nation!
Using command policies, Mnangagwa has literally banned everything in this country except poverty.
It is regrettable that in this era of the 4th industrial revolution, the junta through its command elements regressively and continuously gravitate towards opposite direction as far as human rights and development is concerned.
It is only in Zimbabwe, with Mnangagwa as a catalyst whereby people die of eighteenth century diseases like typhoid and cholera as is the case in Glen View and other surrounding places.
From draconian MOPA to amendment of running mates clause, Mnangagwa is tearing apart our first homemade constitution and patching it up with ugly repressive pieces of legislation to consolidate his illegitimate stay in power.
Clearly Mnangagwa is taking us back to the painful colonial era by banning political gatherings, creative arts and music as is the case on MDC rallies, and Winky D music.
Simply put, Mnangagwa has dared the masses by banning everything revolving around our lives and like any normal citizens it’s time we dare to act and react!
The elasticity of our patience has surely been stretched to the limit by this military dictatorship.
United by our nervous conditions, it is time we must draw the line to say enough of this Mnangagwa nonsense!
The country has to move forward and we can not continue to be held at ransom by a senile old man who has no future in the affairs of our country.
The worst mistake this generation can make is to be de facto accomplices to Mnangagwa misrule by virtue of silence and docility.
Indeed we take heart from the notion that this country is not going to die for young people are ready to serve and save it.
It is now a generational mandate and duty to save our beloved motherland from Mnangagwa’s vampire military regime
A Happy Revolutionary 2020 Zimbabwe!
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDCYouthAssemblyNationalSpokesperson
Farai Dziva|The MDC Youth Assembly has described the ban on Winky D’s album by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government as “desperation of the worst kind.”
See below MDC Youth Assembly Stephen Chuma’s statement:
The level of deterioration and stinking poverty stalking ordinary citizens in ghettos and countryside due to misgovernance, corruption and maladministration by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military regime is painstaking and excruciating.
It is clear that Mnangagwa has succeeded in running down the country in a little less than two years since his 2018 grand electoral fraud.
From every facet of life, be it social, politics and economy, the military regime has failed the nation!
Using command policies, Mnangagwa has literally banned everything in this country except poverty.
It is regrettable that in this era of the 4th industrial revolution, the junta through its command elements regressively and continuously gravitate towards opposite direction as far as human rights and development is concerned.
It is only in Zimbabwe, with Mnangagwa as a catalyst whereby people die of eighteenth century diseases like typhoid and cholera as is the case in Glen View and other surrounding places.
From draconian MOPA to amendment of running mates clause, Mnangagwa is tearing apart our first homemade constitution and patching it up with ugly repressive pieces of legislation to consolidate his illegitimate stay in power.
Clearly Mnangagwa is taking us back to the painful colonial era by banning political gatherings, creative arts and music as is the case on MDC rallies, and Winky D music.
Simply put, Mnangagwa has dared the masses by banning everything revolving around our lives and like any normal citizens it’s time we dare to act and react!
The elasticity of our patience has surely been stretched to the limit by this military dictatorship.
United by our nervous conditions, it is time we must draw the line to say enough of this Mnangagwa nonsense!
The country has to move forward and we can not continue to be held at ransom by a senile old man who has no future in the affairs of our country.
The worst mistake this generation can make is to be de facto accomplices to Mnangagwa misrule by virtue of silence and docility.
Indeed we take heart from the notion that this country is not going to die for young people are ready to serve and save it.
It is now a generational mandate and duty to save our beloved motherland from Mnangagwa’s vampire military regime
A Happy Revolutionary 2020 Zimbabwe!
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDCYouthAssemblyNationalSpokesperson
By Farai D Hove| An unnamed artist has portrayed ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa fleeing Zimbabwe dressed as a woman.
The first time something similar was said was on the 7th November 2017 when the man physically fled the country while running away from his predecessor Robert Mugabe.
The late Vice President Joshua Nkomo once fled Zimbabwe allegedly dressed like a woman, when Mnangagwa, then State Security minister personally called for Ndebele people to be wiped out like cockroaches using DDT.
The below picture shows the man in a woman’s dreadlocks, literally looking like a female. It is self captioned, May 2020 be a year full of surprises and unexpected changes.
Chinese firm Sunny Yi Feng has said weighing coins for their over 1193 employees is "a fast way of giving them their cushioning allowance and not their salaries". Do you think that this money is a cushioning allowance or its their salaries?
By Business Reporter- The Chinese company at the centre of a leaked video of workers being paid in coins has spoken.
Sunny Yi Feng is the same company previously in trouble with Norton MP Temba Mliswa.
Sunny Yi Feng employs 1 193 locals and is producing 30 000 – 35 000 square metres of quality tiles per day for both the local and export market. 70% of the tiles are exported to countries in the region including South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Botswana and the DRC.
Publishing on new years’ eve, Sunny Yi Feng Tiles said:
“It looks like there is a bit of misconception on this video trending. Considering the harsh economic environment we are operating in we give of valued staff cushion allowances. It’s of great importance for all our valuable stakeholders to understand that these are not salaries.
“Some might be shocked by the use of scale to weigh money , this is indeed a creative way of making a quick payments to our 1700 employees. We have the understanding that coins contain the same value in terms or value and weight and therefore the values are homogeneous.”
The level of deterioration and stinking poverty stalking ordinary citizens in ghettos and countryside due to misgovernance, corruption and maladministration by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military regime is painstaking and excruciating.
It is clear that Mnangagwa has succeeded in running down the country in a little less than two years since his 2018 grand electoral fraud.
From every facet of life, be it social, politics and economy, the military regime has failed the nation!
Using command policies, Mnangagwa has literally banned everything in this country except poverty.
It is regrettable that in this era of the 4th industrial revolution, the junta through its command elements regressively and continuously gravitate towards opposite direction as far as human rights and development is concerned.
It is only in Zimbabwe, with Mnangagwa as a catalyst whereby people die of eighteenth century diseases like typhoid and cholera as is the case in Glen View and other surrounding places.
From draconian MOPA to amendment of running mates clause, Mnangagwa is tearing apart our first homemade constitution and patching it up with ugly repressive pieces of legislation to consolidate his illegitimate stay in power.
Clearly Mnangagwa is taking us back to the painful colonial era by banning political gatherings, creative arts and music as is the case on MDC rallies, and Winky D music.
Simply put, Mnangagwa has dared the masses by banning everything revolving around our lives and like any normal citizens it’s time we dare to act and react!
The elasticity of our patience has surely been stretched to the limit by this military dictatorship.
United by our nervous conditions, it is time we must draw the line to say enough of this Mnangagwa nonsense!
The country has to move forward and we can not continue to be held at ransom by a senile old man who has no future in the affairs of our country.
The worst mistake this generation can make is to be de facto accomplices to Mnangagwa misrule by virtue of silence and docility.
Indeed we take heart from the notion that this country is not going to die for young people are ready to serve and save it.
It is now a generational mandate and duty to save our beloved motherland from Mnangagwa’s vampire military regime
A Happy Revolutionary 2020 Zimbabwe!
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDCYouthAssemblyNationalSpokesperson
By Business Reporter| The Chinese company at the centre of a leaked video of workers being paid in coins has spoken.
Sunny Yi Feng is the same company previously in trouble with Norton MP Temba Mliswa over a separate case.
Sunny Yi Feng employs 1 193 locals and is producing 30 000 – 35 000 square metres of quality tiles per day for both the local and export market. 70% of the tiles are exported to countries in the region including South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Botswana and the DRC.
Publishing on new years’ eve, Sunny Yi Feng Tiles said: “It looks like there is a bit of misconception on this video trending. Considering the harsh economic environment we are operating in we give of valued staff cushion allowances. It’s of great importance for all our valuable stakeholders to understand that these are not salaries.
“Some might be shocked by the use of scale to weigh money , this is indeed a creative way of making a quick payments to our 1700 employees. We have the understanding that coins contain the same value in terms or value and weight and therefore the values are homogeneous.”
Farai Dziva|A Zimbabwean lecturer, Sam Mambande was shot on the forehead in front of his family a few hours into 2020, state broadcaster, ZBC has reported.
Mbande who had spent the entire night celebrating with his family and friends at a popular drinking spot in Chipinge’s Gaza high-density suburb was shot by an unidentified man, according to ZBC.
“We were coming out of this bar when we saw a car parked in the middle of the road.
He (Mambande) then hooted and went to ask why the driver was blocking the road thus when he was shot and they fled. We only managed to take the number plates of the vehicle,” said a Chipinge resident.
Chipinge residents have appealed to the police to protect members of the public saying that a number of gun cases have been reported in the area.
Farai Dziva|A Zimbabwean lecturer, Sam Mambande was shot on the forehead in front of his family a few hours into 2020, state broadcaster, ZBC has reported.
Mbande who had spent the entire night celebrating with his family and friends at a popular drinking spot in Chipinge’s Gaza high-density suburb was shot by an unidentified man, according to ZBC.
“We were coming out of this bar when we saw a car parked in the middle of the road.
He (Mambande) then hooted and went to ask why the driver was blocking the road thus when he was shot and they fled. We only managed to take the number plates of the vehicle,” said a Chipinge resident.
Chipinge residents have appealed to the police to protect members of the public saying that a number of gun cases have been reported in the area.
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF has pledged to create jobs in 2020 but political analysts are sceptical of the ruling party’s ability to do so.
Below is an article that was published by a state run publication:
Zanu PF national spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo has told the Herald that the party will soon be issuing its 2020 resolutions which are shaped by the party’s recently held Annual People’s Conference.
The ZANU PF conference resolved on a number of issues which the party said would be used to guide the government.
Among other things, the ZANU PF 18th Annual National People’s Conference that was held in Goromonzi, resolved to create jobs, establish gold centres and promote value addition and beneficiation.
The party also resolved that the collapsed industry needs to be revived, one of the avenues through which jobs can be created.
By Farai D Hove| An unnamed artist has portrayed ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa fleeing Zimbabwe dressed as a woman.
The first time something similar was said was on the 7th November 2017 when the man physically fled the country while running away from his predecessor Robert Mugabe.
The late Vice President Joshua Nkomo once fled Zimbabwe allegedly dressed like a woman, when Mnangagwa, then State Security minister personally called for Ndebele people to be wiped out like cockroaches using DDT.
The below picture shows the man in a woman’s dreadlocks, literally looking like a female. It is self captioned, May 2020 be a year full of surprises and unexpected changes.
By A Correspondent- An unnamed Chinese club is angling to “hijack” one of their rivals, who invited Prince Dube for an assessment following reports that they want to sign him outright.
Dube’s Ireland-based agents Joe Mart Sports and Events as well as Highlanders are keeping a tight lid on the player’s move to China, with two clubs reportedly interested in the Bosso star.
The 22-year-old national team striker sneaked out of the country on Christmas Eve to China to attend trials at a yet to be named Chinese club but reports have surfaced that another club has tabled an offer.
It is believed that the offer is “less-lucrative” than the one the 2019 Soccer Star of the Year second runner-up could get from the team which invited him for trials.
“His handlers (Joe Mart Sports and Events) have been handling the issue and are in constant communication with the club and this is why you saw the chief executive officer (Nhlanhla Dube) at the offices during the holidays.
“Another player (club) has come in and offered to sign Prince without trials but the team which invited him for trials has better financial muscle than these ones who want him without trials,” said the source.
Writing on their website joemartsportsandevents.com, Dube’s handlers revealed that clubs in Dubai, Morocco and Sweden have shown interest in the striker, who scored seven league goals for Bosso.
Dube was also instrumental in inspiring Highlanders to Chibuku Super Cup glory, scoring at every stage of the tournament.
The Bosso hitman had an unsuccessful stint with South African side SuperSport United after joining in July 2017 before returning to Highlanders at the beginning of 2019 to relaunch his career.
He became a vital component for Bosso, who had a poor start to the season, but ended strongly to finish sixth on the league table.
The 22-year-old Highlanders hitman finished the season in style as he scored an incredible goal in Chibuku Super Cup final to clinch the cup.
“He also finished top scorer in the Africa Cup of Nations Championships qualifiers with four goals. He also went on to win the runners-up medal for best player in the league. This undoubtedly set him up well for a number of clubs seeking his signature.
“Wydad Casablanca, Difaa Hassani D’el Jadida in Morocco, Al Ain in UAE and Dgugardens in Sweden all made clear intents to sign the player.
“However, the player seems to be heading for China where two teams have also confirmed interest in signing him,” reads a statement on the Joe Mart Sports and Events website.
Highlanders spokesperson Ronald Moyo said: “When the time is right, we will issue a statement.”
Mnangagwa: "We are encouraged by the reassuring messages from the independent churches of Zimbabwe. We appeal to the body of Christ…to intercede… because God moves with the majority and ZANU PF is the majority. " pic.twitter.com/QV9f2pNR3r
By Nomusa Garikai- Jonathan Moyo knows Zanu PF has been rigging elections for donkey years, especially since his rejoining the party in 2000. He is just being very selective on what he says.
“I studied electoral politics in Zimbabwe: 1985-92 & published VOTING FOR DEMOCRACY. In 2000 I managed ZanuPF election campaign as a consultant; in 2002 as information minister & in 2013 as a campaign manager. In 2018 I used my contacts & experience to write EXCELGATE!” he said.
In his first book Moyo was an academic and the book was to inform. He has said very little about Zimbabwe electoral politics in the period 2000 to 2017 because it would have been self incriminating. It is no secrete that he was mastermind behind Zanu PF vote rigging activities. His last book focuses on what Mnangagwa did that was new and left out all the dirty that could easily be traced back to Moyo’s vote rigging manuals.
How convenient!
“Looking back over the last 20 years, the people have squandered three opportunities for real change in 2000; then 2009 to 2013; and in 2017 when ZanuPF & the Army dug their own grave only for the people to fail to bury the two. Now there’s yet another opportunity: 2020!” confessed the sell-out Moyo.
In 2000 Zanu PF use the white farm invasions as cover for using violence against its political opponents. Indeed the farm invasions violence flared up again and again during elections for the next decade. Jonathan Moyo has often boasted of being the one who help Zanu PF win the elections post 2000 era.
The opportunity to bring about meaningful democratic change during the 2009 to 2013 GNU was lost because Zanu PF bribed Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC with the trappings of high office; the ministerial limos, very generous salaries and allowance, a US$4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. With their snouts in the feeding trough, MDC leaders forgot about implementing the reforms. There is no doubt that Jonathan Moyo played a major role in keeping making sure MDC leaders where distracted throughout the five years!
The only change Jonathan Moyo wanted to see following the 2017 military coup was for the people, SADC and the world at large to reject the coup and reinstating Mugabe and yours truly, Jonathan Moyo himself.
Jonathan Moyo and his fellow G40 members who were booted out of Zanu PF in the November 2017 coup are still entertaining hopes of staging a comeback. Hence the reason Moyo and company are very careful to blame everything that has gone wrong in Zimbabwe on Mnangagwa and his fellow November 2017 coup gang. Moyo and his Excelgate book is laser focusing on Mnangagwa as the only one who is illegitimate and not the whole Zanu PF regime!
“While there are many wrongs surrounding Zimbabweans today, a particularly insidious wrong that’s crying out for righting is the stolen 30 July 2018 presidential election, preceded by the 15 Nov 2017 military coup & followed by brutal massacres on 1 Aug 2018 & 14-28 Jan 2019!” Jonathan Moyo argues.
Jonathan Moyo’s book is about the dodgy compilation, on Microsoft Excel Sheet format and hence the name of the book with the gate borrowed from Richard Nixon’s infamous Watergate scandal, of the presidential election results from the 11 000 plus Polling stations.
Moyo has failed to mention 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora were denied the vote, that ZEC failed to produce a verifies voters’ roll, that there was no free public media, that the usual partisan behaviour of the Chiefs reduced rural voters into medieval serfs beholden to Zanu PF abused, etc. All these things render the whole election process flawed, illegal and meaningless. It is nonsense to expect that such a flawed electoral process could therefore produce a legitimate result even if the compilation of the result had been above board.
It was no accident that Moyo has ignored the denying of Zimbabweans in the diaspora the vote, the failure to produce a verified voters’ roll, etc. Most of these flaws and illegalities are the norm in Zimbabwean elections and the glaring hypocrisy of flagging then now would have been too much even for seasoned sell-out and hypocrite like him.
The root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown and political paralysis is the country’s failure to hold free, fair and credible elections. And the way forward has to look at implementing the democratic reforms to stop all the flaws and illegalities and not just the Excelgate ones only. It is only by implementing all the democratic reforms that we can expect to dismantle the dictatorship and not just remove one dictator.
“Compatriots, much as I would like to, sadly I’m unable to wish you a happy & prosperous new year not because of anything personal but because happiness & prosperity are no longer possible in Zimbabwe due to the live coup against the will of the people!” professed Professor Jonathan Moyo.
Happiness and prosperity have not been possible ever since this corrupt, vote rigging and tyrannical Zanu PF regime got into power in 1980. Of course, Professor Moyo must accept personal responsibility for the sorry state the nation is in because it was his work, as the party’s self proclaimed chief strategist and propagandist, that enable Zanu PF to have an iron grip on power and for it to la
Jane Mlambo| A circulating notice from one of the state owned universities the Midlands State University (MSU) reveals a steep rise in tuition fees, making university education beyond the reach of many especially civil servants who would need up to 10 months to raise the required amount for a single semester.
The new fees ranging from ZWL$6 500 to ZWL$51 000 will result in many bright students failing to enrol, thus perpetuating poverty cycle as most families especially in rural areas rely on education as the gateway out of poverty.
Find below the proposed fees schedule by the Midlands State University.
By Nomusa Garikai- After 40 years of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship Zimbabwe is in a serious mess with the economy in ruins, millions of our people now living in abject poverty and, worst of all, plunging the country into political paralysis.
Zanu PF has imposed a tyrannical one party dictatorship that has stifled all meaningful public debate and has ruthless crashed its political critics and opponents. The party has usurped the people’s fundamental freedoms and rights including the right to a meaningful vote and even the right to life.
Ever since the signing of the Unity Accord between PF Zapu and Zanu PF, that saw the two parties merge to form Zanu PF, Mugabe has used the accord to justify the imposing of a de factor one-party dictatorship.
The 2008 elections were a watershed in Zimbabwe politics is that the ruling party Zanu PF was forced to accept its ruthless tyrannical rule was unacceptable in this day and age. Following a particularly outrageous election process in which Zanu PF blatantly cheated the vote count to force a run-off and then used wanton violence to punish the electorate for having rejected the party in the early vote and to force them to vote for the party’s candidate, Robert Mugabe.
Everyone, including both SADC and the AU renowned for giving a thumbs up to dodgy Zimbabwe elections in the past, rejected Zanu PF’s claim as the legitimate winner of the 2008 elections. SADC forced Mugabe to sign a Global Political Agreement agreeing to the need for Zimbabwe to implement a raft of democratic reforms designed to ensure the blatant cheating and wanton violence of 2008 will never be repeated ever again.
Sadly, not even one of the reforms were ever implemented; not one!
Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders, whose primary task in the GNU was to implement the reforms, with ministerial limos, generous salaries and allowances, a US$4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc.With their snout in the feeding trough MDC leaders forgot about the reforms.
Indeed, during the 2008 to 2013 GNU Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies quickly learned that they could have their cake and eat it too. They could keep their one-party dictatorship complete with all its carte blanche powers to rid elections as long as the party allowed the opposition to win a few gravy train seats. The strategy has worked so well everyone is Zimbabwe’s opposition camp participated in last year’s elections; there were 23 contestants in the presidential race alone!
Mnangagwa, who succeeded Mugabe as the leader of Zanu PF following the military coup of November 2017, on the wake of his rigged election victory of the 2018 elections launched Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD). POLAD is a forum grouping all the political parties (MDC A are under pressure to join) who obligingly participated in last year’s elections, knowing fully well that Zanu PF was rigging the elections.
Mnangagwa is sparing no expense in promoting POLAD as all the nation has ever wanted in a healthy and functioning political system.
“Parties under the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) plan to engage SADC, African Union, European Union and United Nations member states to explain their mandate as they press ahead with finding lasting solutions to the country’s economic challenges,” The Herald, the Zanu PF mouth piece, announced.
“An information desk is also being set up to raise awareness about the activities of POLAD. In the coming year, POLAD wants to assist Government to ensure constitutional and electoral reforms are in place. This comes after President Mnangagwa lauded POLAD members for their commitment towards nation-building and unity since its inception in May.”
Zanu PF can fool SADC and AU leaders and a few others like the Chinese and the Russians, who are only too pleased to take advantage of the economic and political chaos in Zimbabwe, with this POLAD nonsense. No one else will be fooled, especially the EU.
The EU dismissed Zimbabwe’s July 2018 elections as a farce. “The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability,” stated the EU Election Mission final report.
“As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards.”
In other words, the EU does not recognise Zanu PF as the dually elected and legitimate government with the people’s democratic mandate to rule Zimbabwe because the whole election process failed to meet acceptable minimum standards.
Considering all the actors in POLAD have endorsed the 2018 elections as having been free, fair and credible; Mnangagwa made is a condition for joining the group; it is clear whatever reforms the forum will push through they will not stop Zanu PF rigging the next elections!
Zanu PF has never ever recognised other people’s right to be heard much less to criticise the party. And so the country public print media and only electronic media have been a department of the party in all but name. The country’s small private print media, there is no private radio or TV stations, has been considered the enemy of the state and haunted from pillar to post.
Zanu PF has passed so many laws to control Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), many organisation have left the country and those still operating are all wearing Zanu PF straitjacket they are now called Government Organised Non Governmental Organisations (GONGO)!
In POLAD Zanu PF has managed to coerce the opposition into a Zanu PF organised opposition (Zoo)! At a time when the nation is desperate for meaningful political change and and end to the Zanu PF dictatorship, in walks Emmerson Mnangagwa, the new Zanu PF dictator, with his Zoo circus animals! POLAD is the epitome of Zimbabwe’s political paralysis!
“We are setting up a cutting-edge information sub-committee that is going to disseminate information relating to POLAD activities to all corners of Zimbabwe,” boasted Obert Gutu, one of the Zoo star performers.
“Within the next 90 days, virtually every Zimbabwean will be hearing, thinking and even dreaming about POLAD. We have got the requisite technical skills and intellectual fire-power to repackage and rebrand POLAD.”
The country’s public health care has all but completely collapse for lack of funds to pay doctors and nurses, to buy medicine and repair equipment, etc. But the country has money to buy Zoo cutting edge equipment; to get the circus, crocodile and all, to every corner of Zimbabwe and beyond!
By A Correspondent- A 20-year-old man was found dead in the middle of the road in Hwange in a suspected hit and run incident.
Efforts to get a comment from Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese were fruitless as her mobile phone rang continuously without being answered.
However, a police source said the body of Ishmael Ncube (20) was found lying in a pool of blood along Independence Road near Compensation House in Hwange on Saturday.
“The body was found on Saturday morning and there were skid marks a few metres from the point of impact showing that the driver of the vehicle had applied emergency breaks. The body had a deep cut above the left eye and on the head while both legs were fractured,” said the source. The source said police were investigating the case.
In a related incident, a 49-year-old Binga man is battling for life in hospital after he was hit by a vehicle while cycling along the Lusulu Kariangwe Road.
Mr Peter Munkuli (49) was riding a bicycle last week when he was allegedly hit by a car driven by Herbert Sikazuka Silawe (39) who was going in the same direction.
The Chronicle was told that upon reaching the 98km peg, Mr Munkuli swerved from the centre of the road to the left intending to give way to the vehicle so it could overtake him but was hit from behind.
It is alleged that Mr Munkuli sustained a fracture on the left thigh and bruises on the face.
He was rushed to Binga District Hospital where he is still admitted.
Police opened a charge of negligent driving against Silawe as he is suspected to have been speeding.
By A Correspondent- A jealous Chiredzi man allegedly broke down a locked door to fatally stab a man for dating his former girlfriend that he parted ways with in 2018, police have confirmed.
Johannes Sunungurai Mukana (36) of 12 B Compound, Mkwasine Estate allegedly stabbed Mr Tawanda Muguvi (36) of the same location on the right thigh and he bled profusely leading to his death on the spot.
Masvingo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Charity Mazula said the incident occurred on Sunday at around 10 pm.
After realising that his rival had died, Mukana who was in the company of a friend, Daniel Madlaza (26) of the same compound, fled.
The pair is still at large and police have since launched a manhunt.
Chief Insp Mazula said Muguvi’s body was taken to Chiredzi District Hospital for post-mortem.
“I can confirm receiving a report of murder involving two rival suitors from Mkwasine Sugar Estate in Chiredzi. The suspect fled the scene together with his friend after fatally stabbing his rival for dating his ex-lover,” said Chief Insp Mazula.
She said Ms Rumbidzai Chauke (22) of 12 B Shumba Compound was at home with her new boyfriend, Muguvi and her two-month-old daughter.
Mukana who was still stalking Chauke, went to the woman’s house where he found the door locked with the two lovebirds inside.
Chief Insp Mazula said Mukana together with Madlaza knocked on the door but received no response. She said the enraged assailant kicked the door down and entered the house.
Sensing danger, Chauke ran out of the house while holding her child leaving Muguvi at the mercy of the emotionally charged Mukana who hurled insults at him accusing him of being a casanova.
She said Mukana drew a home-made double-edged knife from his pocket and stabbed Muguvi on the right thigh.
Muguvi, she said, ran a short distance but fell unconscious, bleeding to death on the spot.
She said a report was made to the police who attended the scene and took the body to Chiredzi General Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.
Chief Insp Mazula said the full wrath of the law will catch up with the suspects and also appealed to members of the public with knowledge on their whereabouts to contact the police.
Compliments of the brand new 2020 and I hope it brings with it the freshness of thought, vision, action and the conviction to always be guided by the Almighty and all his governance paraphernalia such as the Constitution.
My letter to you Mr President is driven by the cry to you to help football, which is a religion to millions in this country and billions to the outside world. In fact in Brazil it determines who becomes the republican President.
What has been happening in our football can not be ignored a minute longer. I know you do follow the events and that you are not enchanted by what is happening, is an open secret.
But this letter from me is specific. Zimbabwean football at the moment is tottering on the brink with corruption the basal cushion. I know how much you loathe that cancer of corruption, yet we have watched nothing has been done to Failton Kamambo and his crew at 53 Livingstone Avenue.
They have been in office since December 16, 2018 but the report card has been so dirty that they have already been hauled before a parliamentary portfolio Committee on Sport, Art and Recreation to answer to some charges.
Not much has established from that September visit because Zifa has not complied with requests from the Hon Matthias Tongofa chaired Committee. I have heard they maybe called again in the new year.
But Mr President why have there been no commitment to deal with this matter from the SRC, who have statutory authority to handle such miscreants?
You appointed a new board headed by a committed lawyer and officer of the court, Gerald Mlotshwa and the SRC Act is armed to the teeth with instruments of action especially Section 30.
Why have we not seen the use of Section 30 on Zifa and save you all this trouble? Who is being protected here Mr President and why? What hold has he on the entire establishment that they can abuse USD740 270K in obvious financial debauchery and nothing happens?
Yes, Mr President that money was from FIFA but once it gets deposited into an Ecobank account in Borrowdale it becomes our money and its transactionary activities is guided by the Banking Act, which is not a FIFA act. So, why can Phelimon Machana, the de facto Zifa president transfer that money from a Zifa account into his company account, Conduit investments ( a real conduit of pillage) without following due process?
Creditors are pilling up and they include former Warriors coaches such as Sunday Chidzambwa, Rahman Gumbo, Norman Mapeza, Madinda Ndlovu, Calisto Pasuwa but Machana instead decides to pay former CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze, whom we all know is the architect of all this football madness. Meanwhile Travel Genius was defrauded of USD56K for Cosafa women tickets by the same Zifa with Mashingaidze at the hub of the scheme.
Mr President can your honourable minister Kirsty Coventry do something to ensure SRC has dealt with Zifa. Is Zifa too special in your eyes that you can allow this nuasance daily?
Did you know Mr President that you are the only nation that has no interest in football? Football is the biggest constituents and I wonder why you’re taking no interest in this key bolt and nut of the political ecosystem. That is why you see FIFA Presidents make every effort to ingratiate themselves with sitting Presidents because the assumption is they know the full brand value of football ecosystem.
I am appealing to you to have a rethink on this. The UK government milks the occasion by knighting outstanding sportsmen from the time of Prime Minister Harold Wilson post 1966 World Cup triumph because they realise they can not ignore it. Tony Blair continued it pre France 98.
We can start with football. I know Mlotshwa at SRC is keen to act but has been discouraged by the aloofness of establishment in this genre. Surely it is never late to do the right thing.
There is no interference Mr President when you seek to sort out the mess. Zifa have to be in good standing with local laws before they can be registered with FIFA, CAF or Cosafa. This is statutory and FIFA acknowledges as much in their constitution. So why is the SRC not enforcing the rules? Are they also bribed or there is an instruction from somewhere?
Intervention is not intereference. And if any action you take Mr President results in a threat of expulsion from the exclusive FIFA club, you have everyone support to take Zimbabwe out and use the time out to sort this mess. That would be a masterstroke, a trump card of some sort.
It has happened in several countries and in most countries FIFA have responded by putting a Normalisation Committee, which is surrogate leadership were FIFA pays for running the affairs while the mess is sorted.
Zifa and Zimbabwe needs that. The Constitution is hollow. The Congress is captured. The finances are a bowl of fried fish and chips with no vinegar. FIFA money and equipment is abused. Coaches training programs are abused so much that for three years coaches who paid for courses have not been certificated and the technical director is still in the job. Worse, course instructors have not been paid in the same period.
Coaches can’t work and referees are in the same predicament. A commission of inquiry into these affairs would help Mr President…our game can’t be bewitched in broad day like this Shumba!
No one is in good standing with the association and our football is captured….so captured that the Zifa leadership can go to parliament and lie under oath and nothing happens to them.
Even PSL clubs have been reduced to useless constituents where they received a few balls and equipment from the FIFA 49 000 balls and equipment donated to all associations post the Kigali Congress two years ago. Yet, Machana misrepresented and said Zifa bought the equipment for junior development. Really? Can we still trust such a leadership?
The same Zifa is pulling out junior teams from competitions. Mr President, help us to put some oil in the tank for the resuscitation of our game. Systems must work and those that aren’t doing anything must be removed, our football is too important to die.
I hope the next 364 days will be used to help our football and if you need me, I am available Mr President. Thanking you for taking your time to listen to me. The football family is crying and don’t need your lullaby but MILK.
By A Correspondent- The Ministry of Health and Child Care has approved an increase in hospital fees, which has seen the fees shoot up beyond the reach of the majority.
The new hospital fees are effective from the 1st of January 2020.
In a letter addressed to all Chief Executive officers and Provincial Medical Directors, Permanent Secretary for Health and Child Care, Dr Agnes Mahomva wrote:
“The Ministry has approved new hospital fees, with effect from the 1st of January 2020. Please note the decision has been reached after taking into account the plight of the general populace, as well as the inflationary environment that we are currently in.
May you please ensure immediate implementation of the new fees as per attached schedule.”
However, the increase has been met with general criticism due to the high charges which are beyond the reach of most government workers. Most concerns have been raised about the Caesarian Section which now costs a massive $2500. Considering that most civil servants are earning around $1000 per month, this figure is rather intimidating.
The opposition MDC’s Department of Education, Sports and Culture commented on the matter on social media site Twitter saying:
“The Govt has increased hospital fees. Based on these new fees, a teacher does not earn enough money in a month to have a C-section at Parirenyatwa or Harare Hospital which now costs $2500.
Teacher remuneration is in urgent need of review given the rising cost of living.
Dr Peter Magombeyi, the acting President of the Zimbabwe Doctors Hospital Association (ZHDA) also raised concerns about the new charges saying,
“So look here cadres! I am earning an amount which is equivalent to 1 Caesarean Section (c/s) operation per month. That is for my wife only, when I personally do more than 300 c/s per month in maternity theatre. This is not fair. I will stay at home than being disgruntled in the hospital.
First, the year 2019 was one of the hardest for us as citizens. The socio economic situation deteriorated and life continued to be harder for ordinary Zimbabweans.
Second, the ruling regime had no clue as to how to deal with the situation. They tried austerity measures which further worsened the situation. The economy is an albatross around this government’s neck!
The third thing we must remember is that in this 2020 which we are entering, this situation is unlikely to get any better. The Zanu PF regime remain arrogant, and unwilling to engage the general citizenry on the way-forward. This means our situation will get worse before boiling over.
The fourth thing we must remember as Zimbabweans is that none but ourselves can set ourselves free from this situation. We must rise above party lines, religious lines, tribal and whatever limitation before us and unite to approach this challenge together.
We must build a common vision for our nation. We must stand up to fight together. Indeed we are stronger together….
And of course we should not forget that our hope as a nation is in God. We must agree that we need to give GOD a chance. We have tried ALL we can as people but to no avail.
Let 2020 be the year we give GOD a chance as a nation!
Lastly, let us remember that God is raising a generation that fear him to take over this nation. The sooner we recognize this generation and embrace it, the better for our nation. The failure of Zimbabwe has been a failure of leadership. Zimbabwe needs God and the time is now.
By A Correspondent- In his new year’s address on the eve of 1 January 2020, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the 2nd republic had successfully reigned in on the budget deficit in a development which had seen the nation attain budget surpluses.
He revealed that government would channel the budget surpluses to finance public services such as health care facilities, schools, roads and related projects that impact directly on the general populace’s welfare.
Said Mnangagwa:
“The fiscal discipline we have instilled under the Second Republic saw us rein in on the budget deficit.
The new trend of budget surpluses will continue and resources therefrom, used to finance more public services such as health care facilities, schools, roads and related projects with a direct impact on the people’s well being.
Resources towards devolution have been increased from the 2019 figure of ZWL720 million to about ZWL3 billion in 2020.
The onus is now on the various communities to accelerate the formulation and implementation of high impact projects which transform lives of our people.
We must all ensure that our ongoing development drive leaves no one behind. Let us all play a part.”
By A Correspondent- Former Sports Journalist Hope Chizuzu has written to the president to cut Felton Kamambo and his ZIFA team loose as they have contributed to the destruction of the country’s much-loved game.
Writing on Facebook Chizuzu penned this open letter to the president and took the time to ask why the SRC has remained mum when ZIFA was slowly leading the country’s football to the grave:
My letter to you Mr President is driven by the cry to you to help football, which is a religion to millions in this country and billions to the outside world. In fact in Brazil it determines who becomes the republican President.
What has been happening in our football can not be ignored a minute longer. I know you do follow the events and that you are not enchanted by what is happening, is an open secret.
But this letter from me is specific. Zimbabwean football at the moment is tottering on the brink with corruption the basal cushion. I know how much you loathe that cancer of corruption, yet we have watched nothing has been done to Failton Kamambo and his crew at 53 Livingstone Avenue.
They have been in office since December 16, 2018 but the report card has been so dirty that they have already been hauled before a parliamentary portfolio Committee on Sport, Art and Recreation to answer to some charges.
Not much has established from that September visit because Zifa has not complied with requests from the Hon Matthias Tongofa chaired Committee. I have heard they maybe called again in the new year.
But Mr President why have there been no commitment to deal with this matter from the SRC, who have statutory authority to handle such miscreants?
You appointed a new board headed by a committed lawyer and officer of the court, Gerald Mlotshwa and the SRC Act is armed to the teeth with instruments of action especially Section 30.
Why have we not seen the use of Section 30 on Zifa and save you all this trouble? Who is being protected here Mr President and why? What hold has he on the entire establishment that they can abuse USD740 270 in obvious financial debauchery and nothing happens?
Yes, Mr President that money was from FIFA but once it gets deposited into an Ecobank account in Borrowdale it becomes our money and its transactionary activities is guided by the Banking Act, which is not a FIFA act. So, why can Phelimon Machana, the de facto Zifa president transfer that money from a Zifa account into his company account, Conduit investments ( a real conduit of pillage) without following due process?
Creditors are pilling up and they include former Warriors coaches such as Sunday Chidzambwa, Rahman Gumbo, Norman Mapeza, Madinda Ndlovu, Calisto Pasuwa but Machana instead decides to pay former CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze, whom we all know is the architect of all this football madness. Meanwhile Travel Genius was defrauded of USD56K for Cosafa women tickets by the same Zifa with Mashingaidze at the hub of the scheme.
Mr President can your honourable minister Kirsty Coventry do something to ensure SRC has dealt with Zifa. Is Zifa too special in your eyes that you can allow this nuisance daily?
The wind of change in the great lakes region seems to have also slightly shaken the celebrated Bush war General.
With the declaration of Rwanda’s Paul Kagame not seeking reelection once his term of office elapses, President Museveni has also given a hint on when he intends to leave State House.
According to sources, Museveni said that he will not contest for power in 2036, that is close to Fifteen years from now.
It is said that he made this decision because his vision for the country will be obscured by poor vision as a result of old age, citing that at this time he would rather live comfortably at his farm.
Museveni who is currently 75 years, is widely expected to seek re-election in 2021 and after this, there will be two elections (2026 and 2031) for which he still hopes to contest, assuming he still has the energy.
Museveni reportedly said at this age, all he will be left with will be to live and occasionally wander into one of his kraals at Rwakitura.
For most days, he will most likely be stationed on the imposing verandah of his Rwakitura where he will bask in the sun as he listens to radio.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has struggled to control hyperinflation and stabilize the economy.
CNN|In tattered blue overalls and torn gumboots, Blessing Mautsa, 34, a sand dealer in Harare’s Mbare-Magaba industrial market sits miserably in the shade, his crestfallen face is evidence of a day’s toil for little return.
Mautsa’s only customer offered to buy a wheelbarrow of sand — a key ingredient in household construction works — at half the asking price. With little choice, he grudgingly agreed to sell at $70 Zimbabwean dollars (US$5 on the local interbank rate).
The father of five said his family has been forced to cut down on meals as the price of basic commodities soars thanks to hyperinflation.
“It has been a tough year. You simply cannot make enough to make ends meet,” Mautsa told CNN.
“On a good day, I make $200 Zimbabwean dollars, but lately business has been going down because the traders are too many. Last year was better, I could even save money for my children’s school fees, but this year inflation has decimated my income.”
Risk of starvation
As well as hyperinflation, Zimbabwe has been hit by severe drought in parts of the country. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday that food supplies will run out in early 2020 unless urgent assistance is provided.
“As things stand, we will run out of food by end of February, coinciding with the peak of the hunger season — when needs are at their highest,” said Niels Balzer, the WFP’s deputy country director in Zimbabwe. “Firm pledges are urgently needed as it can take up to three months for funding commitments to become food on people’s tables.”
The WFP announced earlier in the month that $293 million was needed to provide 240,000 tonnes of aid to vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe.
Its director, David Beasley, has appealed to the international community to step up funding to address the root causes of long-term hunger in Zimbabwe.
According to the UN, more than 2.2 million people in urban Zimbabwe and 5.5 million others in rural areas are at risk of starvation due to a drought in the last agriculture season and a prolonged dry spell.
Poor rains have exacerbated the food crisis in the southern African nation which is also grappling with providing drinking water for its citizens.
‘2020 will be worse’
A lack of social safety nets for the poor in urban Harare means many families have had to cut down on the number of meals they can afford to eat each day.
Mautsa said he had to watch his youngest daughter writhe in pain from a suspected case of pneumonia last month, and he could not afford her hospital bills.
The desperate father told CNN he had little choice but to borrow money from a loan shark who charged him extortionate rates of interest to pay her doctor’s fees, priced in US dollars.
“I think 2020 will be worse if the government does not do something to change our situation,” Mautsa said. “We do not need much, just food, a decent home and school fees for our children.”
As things stand, Mautsa said, he cannot afford those things. Adding to the hardship, rentals at his lodgings in the high-density suburbs of Harare are now also priced in US dollars.
Zimbabwe has banned the use of US dollars — preferring the Zimbabwe dollar — but its citizens still quote prices in American currency.
The official interbank market tends to be controlled by the central bank, and mostly does not reflect the currency’s real value, forcing many Zimbabweans to use black market dealers when trading foreign currencies.
Going to bed hungry
At Matagarika Flats in Mbare, Gladys Chihunda, 62, cooks a meal for her four grandchildren. She told CNN that they sometimes go to bed hungry.
Gladys Chihunda, 62.
“They haven’t eaten since yesterday, so I just bought rice for them. Last night we slept on an empty stomach. One of my grandchildren was returned from school because she was hungry,” Chihunda said.
Nearby, Esther Nyawondo, 35, has borne the brunt of taking care of her three children alone for the past year, after her husband was imprisoned.
“My husband was arrested last year. He is currently serving his six-year sentence. It’s very tough for me, I wish he was here to help me take care of the children,” a teary Nyawondo told CNN.
Other Zimbabweans see leaving the country as the only way out of grinding poverty; millions are estimated to have left in search of better opportunities elsewhere.
‘This country has reduced me to a pauper’
Natasha Munzara, 33, a street hawker who braves the blistering heat to eke out a living shouts herself hoarse attracting customers to her stall, but her meager earnings from selling vegetables and plastic wares are simply not enough to take care of her family.
The mother-of-three said she has been planning to leave Zimbabwe for the past two years, but has faced delays in getting a passport. And — crucially — she hasn’t been able to save enough money to care for her children in her absence.
Munzara said she lost her job as a professional chef at a local hotel last year. She believes finding work as a chef or even a maid in neighboring South Africa is the only way out for her family.
“Things are going up everyday. I rent two rooms and I have to pay US$30, which is way beyond what I earn. My husband is sick and he cannot provide for our family. This country has reduced me to a pauper. I am a professional cook,” Munzara told CNN.
“I have to get out of this country. We cannot continue like this until the next elections. I recently asked my aunt to register me for a food program, just to supplement our food at home, that is how bad it is.”
A ‘dead economy’
Zimbabwe’s economic woes are often blamed on its former ruler, Robert Mugabe, who led the nation for nearly four decades, until 2017. He died earlier this year.
New leader Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration has struggled to stabilize the moribund economy and curb hyperinflation while a severe drought has crippled productivity.
Mnangagwa has blamed US sanctions for Zimbabwe’s economic crisis. The US imposed economic sanctions in 2003 on Mugabe and 76 other high-ranking government officials, accusing them of undermining democracy.
“The continued judgment setting of Utopian standards for Zimbabwe are callous, vindictive and should not be allowed to continue … enough is enough,” Mnangagwa told supporters at a rally in October.
However, he later pleaded for patience from Zimbabweans, acknowledging that the country’s economy was “dead.”
“I’m aware of the pain being experienced by the poor and the marginalized. Getting the economy working again from being dead will require time, patience, unity of purpose and perseverance,” Mnangagwa said.
Healthcare crisis
At Parirenyatwa Hospital, one of the country’s biggest medical centers in Harare, Albert Sigauke, 21, waits impatiently for his aunt who has been taken into theater.
His aunt, a 40-year-old school teacher, suffered life-threatening burns as a result of a cooking gas explosion.
Sigauke says a prayer as he hopes for good news from the doctors — after hours spent trying to secure her a spot in the clinic’s intensive care unit.
“We came here at 2 am after trying other clinics close to our area. We could only get her admitted after 6 am. I am praying for the best. I just hope the burns are not that serious because we all depend on her as the breadwinner,” said Sigauke.
Sigauke’s story resonates with many Zimbabweans who cannot afford decent healthcare due to rising costs and the country’s ongoing doctors’ strike.
Many doctors in Zimbabwe — both junior medics and specialists — have been on strike for the past three months, in protest at their poor salaries and deteriorating conditions of service.
They accuse the government of failing to provide basics like bandages, syringes and gloves, and describe the country’s healthcare situation as a “silent genocide.”
“Hospitals are incapacitated… Our hospitals are in dire need of basic equipment to investigate simple conditions and also the fact that the equipment is obsolete. There is no water in the wards,” Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association treasurer general, Tapiwa Mungofa told CNN.
Parirenyatwa was once a busy hospital, serving thousands of patients daily. It is now virtually derelict. Only a few wards are occupied by critically ill patients.
“The authorities are not saying anything about what is happening in the hospitals. But we all know that people are dying. They are dying … avoidable deaths that shouldn’t happen when doctors are there,” Mungofa said.
Own Correspondent|Bouncers manning entrance into the Winky D Album Launch at the HICC on New Year’s Eve thoroughly beat up a group of suspected Zanu PF youths who were demanding free entry into the concert.
The group, wearing Zanu PF T-shirts and scarves, had to run for dear life after the bouncers lost patience on the youth pestering for entry into the much talked about show.
Inside the HICC, another group of suspected Zanu PF youths tried to cause commotion when Winky D was performing, but the attempts were ignored by a 5 000 strong crowd that attended the gig.
The much revered artiste, however, seemed to have come more than prepared for the launch as his stage was dominated by scores of bouncers just in case violence broke out.
Ahead of the much-anticipated launch, fears of violence dominated local media.
The ruling ZANU PF party claims that Winky D’s New Album Njema is mocking government while the musician insists that it has no political connotation at all.
Galatasaray are reportedly eager to sign red-hot Zimbabwean striker Tinotenda Kadewere in this January transfer window and their interest seems to have escalated.
The Turkish giants are of three European clubs said to be interested in the services of the 23-year-old striker, who had an exceptional 2019, scoring 17 goals and providing 4 assists for his French Ligue 2 side Le Havre.
Many Turkish publications profiled the Zimbabwean striker yesterday, amid massive interest from Galatasaray, with some even claiming that an agreemenent had already been made between the two clubs for the player to move on loan this January.
Infact, a supposed agreement between them (pictured below) claims that Kadewere will be at the Turkish club on a six month loan stint.
Neither the player nor his represantatives have broken silence on the situation nonetheless.
“Never again shall we allow the loss of precious lives of our countrymen to feed the agenda of a notorious few.”- Emmerson Mnangagwa
– GROUNDED IN ZIM FOR FIRST TIME SINCE REMOVING MUGABE.
– ANNOUNCING ANOTHER ROUND OF LIVE AMMUNITION AGAINST CIVILIANS.
– SHUTTING OUT CHIWENGA, MDC FROM ALL OPPORTUNITIES OF TAKING OVER.
– LAWYERS REVEAL TOTAL BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND ORDER
-STRIPPING CHIWENGA OF POWERS TO REPLACE HIM.
-MAKING VP, PROSECUTOR GENERAL, AND JUDGES MNANGAGWA’S OWN APPOINTEES SERVING AT HIS (PERSONAL) PLEASURE.
By Simba Chikanza| ANALYSIS | Somewhat running out of political-oxygen, an unrepentant Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced plans to once again use the security forces against civilians this coming January in ways previously condemned by the United Nations HQ in Geneva. Speaking in clear terms, Mnangagwa said this time he will ensure it will be done in total secrecy so that so called “oppostition elements” do not transform the evidence into what he termed “propaganda.”
This follows a long period stretching over a month the Zanu PF leader, has been caught on camera on several occasions, making loud visual-noises while holding his waist tight. The first time was on the day when his deputy general Constantino Chiwenga secretly flew into Zimbabwe. This was on the anniversary of his (Mnangagwa’s) coup presidency, the 23rd November after a mystery ridden 4 month medical sabbatical in China.
At a time when he is actually supposed to be on annual leave, Mnangagwa has remained ‘trapped’ at work while grounded inside Zimbabwe for the longest period ever since the day he usurped power in a military coup in 2017. What is going on and what is he planning? This short documentary details the man’s survival plans between 2019 and 2020.
While ZimEye’s efforts to get a direct comment from Mnangagwa at the time of writing were fruitless, the following were some factual findings so far.
The government spokesman Nick Mangwana told ZimEye: “When HE leaves the country, you complain that he travels too much, he doesn’t stay at home. He stays at home you complain that he is not leaving the country. He is damned when he does and damned when he doesn’t. But being President, he always exercises his executive judgement.”
When is ED going for his annual leave, and why has he remained 'trapped' in Zimbabwe, spending his longest ever home stay period (since Nov coup) here since VP Chiwenga returned on 23rd Nov @Jamwanda2@nickmangwana ? When is he leaving the country in the hands of his deputies? pic.twitter.com/J7vVAR0Hoe
When HE leaves the country, you complain that he travels too much, he doesn't stay at home. He stays at home you complain that he is not leaving the country. He is damned when he does and damned when he doesn't. But being President, he always exercises his executive judgement
ANOTHER ROUND OF LIVE AMMUNITION AGAINST CIVILIANS.
Speaking at his party’s Goromonzi conference on the 14th December, Mnangagwa revealed he will perform another military crackdown but this time involving a method the United Nations would never discover.
In January 2019, the UN in Geneva implicated him for killing 17 people during that month and 6 others on 1 August 2018. In a full statement, the UN said it was without question that the crackdown was a state operation.
This time Mnangagwa said his operation must nip all evidence in the budd.
He said is concerned about propaganda rather than human life losses. He clearly threatened to use the state apparatus to ensure secrecy when he carries out another crackdown. Last January when soldiers protested against the fuel price rise, (even criticised by pro ZANU countries such as Russia), his security minister switched off the internet for 3 days during which period 17 people were shot dead and several women raped. This time speaking at Goromonzi, Mnangagwa described the January 2019 protests where 17 people were killed by state agents as “nonsensical”.
“The January nonsense and periodic mischievous activities by the opposition elements such as those we witnessed this year must be nipped in the bud,” he said. “Never again shall we allow the loss of precious lives of our countrymen to feed the agenda of a notorious few.”
He repeated exactly what he told a French journalist earlier in the year, while blaming the MDC party for the mass murders which he did and while denying saying no one was killed.
Show me the graves, said Mnangagwa in the below interview. He also announced that he is hunting down every woman who reported rape.
From his own words, it is without guessing that the Zanu-PF leader is planning a repeat of the same operation this January.
SHUTTING OUT CHIWENGA, MDC FROM ALL OPPORTUNITIES OF TAKING OVER.
Another very clear plot by the zanu-pf leader is that of shutting out his deputy from the coup days, Constantino Chiwenga from ever taking over power. It has already been discussed he has put in place a mechanism to ensure that the opposition MDC party never gets a legal advantange to take over from him, and this by heaping the blame, legal and penal, for the killings on them.
RETWEET! – Mnangagwa in Mwenezi clearly threatened brutality against doctors and lawyers also threatening to shorten the lives of people who make noise. pic.twitter.com/fJx5dOemL5
When Chiwenga returned to Zimbabwe from his sabbatical, Mnangagwa’s spokeman George Charamba did not at all celebrate the miraculous return. Instead he splashed litres of ink attacking China’s deputy ambassador for conducting a welcoming ceremony for the vice president at the RGM International Airport ahead of of senior government officials. Chiwenga had secretly flown into the country, aboard a Chinese jet paid for by the Asian nation’s government. To this Charamba complained against the Chinese envoy saying, itsitsi dzei? – what kind of sympathy is that?
A Mubaiwa (Chiwenga wife) uncle has described Chiwenga’s jetting into the country as treasonous, alluding that he invaded Zim airspace without informing aviation authorities in advance.
STRIPPING CHIWENGA OF POWERS TO REPLACE HIM.
In less than 30 days of Chiwenga’s return, Mnangagwa rushed to accelerate a bill that reduces his deputy to a mere apppointee who will never be able to replace him.
This is detailed in the following legal advisory by the Law Society which has complained that there is now a breakdown of Law and Order, as Mnangagwa gathers to himself more powers than his predecessor Robert Mugabe possessed.
MAKING VP, PROSECUTOR GENERAL, AND JUDGES MNANGAGWA’S OWN APPOINTEES SERVING AT HIS (PERSONAL) PLEASURE.
FULL TEXT- On the 17th of December 2019, Cabinet at its 45th meeting approved several amendments to the Constitution. Some of the notable proposed amendments relate to the appointments of Vice Presidents, the Prosecutor General, Public Protector, promotion of judges and the terms of office of judges. The other notable proposed amendments relate to the composition of the provincial councils and the extension of the provision on the women’s quota which was scheduled to end in 2023.
The Constitution provides for its amendment. Although amendments to the Constitution are allowed these ought to be necessary for the promotion of the rule of law and protection of the principles of democracy. Our Constitution is a democratic document which came out of extensive consultations. It is a national document which should be enduring. Amendments to the Constitution must be necessary for the enhancement of enshrined rights, accountability and good governance. Amendments must not be retrogressive.
In terms of Section 92 of the Constitution a presidential candidate chooses running mates who upon election become the national Vice Presidents. The rationale for these provision was to introduce non-disruptive succession planning whilst ensuring that in the event of a Vice President taking over the office of President he would be having the people’s mandate. The effect of the proposed amendment to Section 94 means that Vice Presidents will no longer be elected but appointed by the President. This removes the transparency and democratic process sought to be achieved by Section 92 in relation to the assumption of these important offices. In addition, the Vice President’s tenure will be at the pleasure of the President. An amendment is expected to cure a problem or mischief. This is not apparent in the present case. The proposed amendments further seek to change the procedures for the appointment of the Prosecutor General. The current procedure for the appointment of the Prosecutor General is similar to that of the judges. This is a transparent way of appointing this important office, which like the judiciary ought to enjoy prosecutorial independence. The proposed amendment whereby the President appoints the Prosecutor General upon consultation with the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) is reverting to the old constitution. The current provisions promote transparency in the appointment process. This will not be achieved under the proposed amendment. It is not clear what mischief the proposed amendment seeks to address. The fact of the matter though is that the amendment is retrogressive. It emasculates a position that is pivotal to our criminal justice. The amendment will remove the Prosecutor General’s independence. The appointment system also does not guarantee meritocracy as the basis for appointment. This cannot be achieved by simply consulting the JSC. In any case in terms of section 339, such consultation may not be binding on the President.
Section 180 sets out the conditions that must be met in relation to the appointment of judges. The proposed amendment seeks to provide for the President to appoint a sitting judge to a higher court upon consultation with JSC. This approach seeks to reverse the elaborate, and transparent system currently in place. It is not clear why we should depart from the current system. The proposed changes will take us back to the pre 2013 era where judicial appointments were shrouded in a veil of secrecy.
The proposed extension of the tenure of judges albeit on a contract basis and subject to medical certification on fitness, is not desirable in a country with a vibrant legal profession. There are many legal practitioners who are fit to hold the office of judges.
The introduction of the office of the Public Protector should be based on a true desire to achieve administrative justice especially by public offices. The 2013 Constitution deliberately omitted this institution on the basis that the functions could be effectively undertaken by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. The Ministry of Justice was recently lamenting that this commission is under resourced. Instead of properly funding the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, the Cabinet is creating another institution which will have its own resource chewing bureaucracy. On the other hand, the present Constitution already provides for the establishment of an independent complaints mechanism to deal with misconduct by members of the security sector. This has not been instituted and yet Cabinet finds it necessary to create the public protector’s office. The Executive is failing to diligently and without delay perform all constitutional obligations as provided in Section 324.
The proposal to remove MPs and Senators from provincial councils also appear ill conceived. The presence of these members was supposed to bring the nexus between national and local development. The prosed amendments will perpetuate the disconnect between the national Programmes and the local/Provincial Programmes thus creating development inertia.
The Law Society of Zimbabwe reiterates that the provisions to the Constitution ought to be guarded jealously. Any proposed amendments to the Constitution should be for the people and by the people.
The Law Society of Zimbabwe further reiterates its position that the Constitution of Zimbabwe should be jealously guarded and protected in pursuance of the supremacy of the rule of law. The proposed amendments to the Constitution in the most, are unnecessary, retrogressive and are not in the interest of transparency, good governance and respect for the rule of law. Accordingly, the LSZ categorically denounces them.
Law Society of Zimbabwe
“Committed to Justice and the Rule of Law.”
Own Correspondent|There are some strange aspects to the hasty departure of South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka from Uganda on New Year’s Eve.
According to the Ugandan police, who issued a video statement, she was “deported” from the country because she had failed to comply with its immigration laws. The Ugandans say that she came into their country on an ordinary visa, yet by performing in a new year concert there she would have been on a working visit, requiring an employment visa.
That all seems logical – after all, sovereign countries are entitled to decide who they admit past their borders. However, even in the face of the official statement, Chaka Chaka was still insisting that she had not been deported. She had decided to return home, she claimed, because she did “not understand” what was happening.
But then she went further to say that reports of the incident were “fake news and hate speech”. A more absurd statement would be hard to imagine, because the deportation story was clearly true, having been confirmed by Ugandan authorities. But perhaps she was suggesting that anyone criticising a South African is committing “hate speech”.
This whole fuss is, completely symptomatic of the arrogance of South Africa’s elite – be they in politics, business or the arts – when it comes to our fellow Africans.
At the same time, though, there is the possibility that the deportation of Chaka Chaka may have been in some way related to her outspoken support for that country’s opposition politician and musician, Bobi Wine.
In 2018, she said Wine was Uganda’s Nelson Mandela…something which would not have gone down well in a country tightly controlled by President Yoweri Museveni and his ruling party.
Whatever the real reasons for her explusion, Chaka Chaka has handled it badly. That’s the truth – it’s not fake news or hate speech.
Own Correspondent|Former Sports Journalist Hope Chizuzu has written an open letter to President Emmerson Mnangagwa to intervene in the running of the country’s biggest sport, football.
The renowned sport critic invited Mnangagwa to dissolve the current ZIFA executive led by Felton Kamambo as they have contributed to the destruction of the country’s much-loved game.
Writing on Facebook Chizuzu took the time to ask why the SRC has remained mum when ZIFA was slowly leading the country’s football to the grave:
“My letter to you Mr President is driven by the cry to you to help football, which is a religion to millions in this country and billions to the outside world. In fact in Brazil it determines who becomes the republican President.
What has been happening in our football can not be ignored a minute longer. I know you do follow the events and that you are not enchanted by what is happening, is an open secret.
But this letter from me is specific. Zimbabwean football at the moment is tottering on the brink with corruption the basal cushion. I know how much you loathe that cancer of corruption, yet we have watched nothing has been done to Failton Kamambo and his crew at 53 Livingstone Avenue.
They have been in office since December 16, 2018 but the report card has been so dirty that they have already been hauled before a parliamentary portfolio Committee on Sport, Art and Recreation to answer to some charges.
Not much has established from that September visit because Zifa has not complied with requests from the Hon Matthias Tongofa chaired Committee. I have heard they maybe called again in the new year.
But Mr President why have there been no commitment to deal with this matter from the SRC, who have statutory authority to handle such miscreants?
You appointed a new board headed by a committed lawyer and officer of the court, Gerald Mlotshwa and the SRC Act is armed to the teeth with instruments of action especially Section 30.
Why have we not seen the use of Section 30 on Zifa and save you all this trouble? Who is being protected here Mr President and why? What hold has he on the entire establishment that they can abuse USD740 270K in obvious financial debauchery and nothing happens?
Yes, Mr President that money was from FIFA but once it gets deposited into an Ecobank account in Borrowdale it becomes our money and its transactionary activities is guided by the Banking Act, which is not a FIFA act. So, why can Phelimon Machana, the de facto Zifa president transfer that money from a Zifa account into his company account, Conduit investments ( a real conduit of pillage) without following due process?
Creditors are pilling up and they include former Warriors coaches such as Sunday Chidzambwa, Rahman Gumbo, Norman Mapeza, Madinda Ndlovu, Calisto Pasuwa but Machana instead decides to pay former CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze, whom we all know is the architect of all this football madness. Meanwhile Travel Genius was defrauded of USD56K for Cosafa women tickets by the same Zifa with Mashingaidze at the hub of the scheme.
Mr President can your honourable minister Kirsty Coventry do something to ensure SRC has dealt with Zifa. Is Zifa too special in your eyes that you can allow this nuasance daily?
The Midlands State Univesity has released its proposed fees for students on Block programmes.
The development comes when the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Professor Murwira has announced that Universities must not raise fees without the approval of the government.
An undated video was submitted last night of a Harare building on fire. The incident according to the voices on the clip allege the inferno is or was at corner Chinhoyi Street And Robert Mugabe Road. VIDEO:
BY DR MASIMBA MAVAZA | A police officer was killed and another officer was seriously injured by the Mashurugwi machete wielding gold panners. The Mashurugwi are identified with their dirty outfits covered in mud and always move around with assorted weaponry. Only in 2019 several police officers and soldiers were murdered by these Mashurugwi and hundreds of civilians were and are still being buried alive in the mine shafts all thanks to the Brutal Mashurugwi gangs.
Is Zimbabwe failing to control these Mashurugwi or there is one powerful person who is behind this barbaric group blood sucking idiots whose hands are dripping of the blood of the innocent people?
Mashurugwi murdered three soldiers in Bindura injuring seven others. Besides the soldiers several members of the public were killed in several towns by the Mashurugwi. their infamous presence has spread from Kwekwe to all towns of Zimbabwe. In Chitungwiza in December a young man was killed ruthlessly by the Mashurugwi. No one has been arrested yet and the carnage continues. Now they have again killed a police officer and injured one. Zimbabwe now leaves as if it is in the war time.
The Mashurugwi were created by one of the now senior ministers who is now so senior and filthy rich. Because of his proximity to the president the police are afraid to go out full throttle to these Mashurugwi murderers.
When they started they were called Alshabab. They were created as a protection unity of the minister and his criminal cabal. They were then transformed to be debt collectors. The senior officials will send them to the mines and collect thirty percent from any and every miner in the area. The officials will collect the money telling their victims that the money is for the president. This gave a very cold chill run down the spines of the law and security agents in the area. This was the main reason why ZANU PF lost in Kwekwe.
Any person who complained about these violent blood sucking vampires will be labelled a G40. As a result the Mashurugwi’s became a power unto themselves. Now the blood of the innocent floors down the streets of Zimbabwe with no protection from our law enforcement agents. Is Zimbabwe degenerating into security abyss.
Looking to the future, the MaShurugwi poses a bigger threat to the stability of the country. They are already beyond the police’s reach; they have shown it by the recent killing of a policeman. They killed three army officers in Bindura and the army has not acted. The people of Zimbabwe have their hope in the army, Only the army can now deal with them; but the army has been poked in the eye yet they are silent. for how long shall we suffer at the hands of the Mashurugwi.
MaShurugwi & related factions are aligned to politicians in the Midlands province, these politicians are known and feared. The army is very strong and well trained. If given a go ahead the Mashurugwi will be a thing of the past.
The Mashurugwi do not stand a chance with our army. So why are they flourishing. A military operation against MaShurugwi could easily overrun them. why is the army not called in. is there someone being protected. is the president aware of this. Gaika mine exposed these pretenders. Mashurugwis are allowed to survive because of impacts on economic interests of those now sitting in the seats of power.
If this is allowed we as a country are drifting into serious security risks.
The bigger risk for the nation is that MaShurugwi could become an even more ruthless armed insurgence. Already they are. They show how minerals have been abused to fund wars in the world. The Mashurugwi aim to exert their powers and authority in all areas where mining is operated.
If the Mashurugwi and their Godfather are not stopped another opposing group will be created and there will be more blood in our streets.
Zimbabwe is on the verge of a dangerous scenario with MaShurugwi. it is surely playing in the danger zone. Their link to politics and resource exploitation could lead to very serious armed conflict in the country.
If this is not taken seriously Zimbabwe will be the history of Somalia. There is a sense of paralysis when it comes to what should be done about gangs that have overrun areas where gold panning activities have become pronounced and how the attendant violence should be tackled effectively.
The number of lives lost and the people maimed or injured due to violence perpetrated by “Mashurugwi” throughout the country is
threatening to rival those lost to road traffic accidents. “Mashurugwi” is the term used to refer to outlaws that have become the terror of artisanal miners and mining companies.
As an example, in Kadoma District alone during the first 10 months of this year, police recorded 234 machete-related crimes, while in neighbouring Chegutu District, similar cases have risen from 108 to 125.
The belt stretching from Chegutu, Kadoma right down to Kwekwe has been the foremost active theatre of the most viciously fought battles, rendering it the equivalent of Zimbabwe’s Wild West. In Kwekwe a number of miners were burried alife in the mine shafts by the Mashurugwi. Nothing has been done and this has encouraged the Mashurugwi to perpetrate more violent acts.
“Artisanal miners are attacked, robbed, evicted, seriously injured if they are lucky to survive — and, in the worst case scenario, killed in the vile and barbaric attacks that defy conduct expected of normal human beings.”
The gangs can attack artisanal miners and take over their claims, but a pattern that is beginning to emerge is that they do not go that route because that is the more difficult approach. They wait for the miners at the end of the day’s work before pouncing because this is the easier, less taxing way.
In some instances, the gangs wait for the miners to sell their ore, before they move in and rob them. In this modern day, the savagery with which this is carried out is shocking. It is more shocking that nothing is being done about this behaviour.
The weapon of choice in most of the attacks has been the machete —ordinarily used in the manual harvesting of sugar cane or clearing brush.
These are weapons which are now turned to our people.
In Mazowe the Mashurugwis arrive and held the minors hostage. they will be forced to dig and dig. all the days work will be confiscated including their food and any other property.
These Mashurugwis have now taken their carnage into towns.
if they pick a fight in the bars The Mashurugwi retreat only to come back with an army of tens of machete wielding dirty men infamously known as Mashurugwi.
These people have no respect for Human life and they have no fear of the law. how can they be afraid of the law when they are backed by those who think they are above the law.
Action must be taken now and this year 2020 must be the year to protect the nation. Government must remove the murderous mindset that is driving the violence. who knows what next will these gangs use, guns, crowbars, knobkerries or spears?
Does the government need to wake up after more blood.
Minister Kazembe Kazembe must deal with this scourge as a matter of national emmergency How long will we be killed while Kazembe swims in fear of those vampires surrounding the president.
The army must be called to Cordon off areas found to have deposits or where there are official mining activities, they must help in providing a secure working environment for mining companies and gold panners.
Minister Muchinguri Kashiri must show her beauty by modelling the army towards the areas which bread the Mashurugwis The inclusion of the police, security companies and other resources from entities involved in mining activities could constitute a concerted response that could shut out the marauding gangs.
The war lords who are using the president’s name in crime must be flashed out. Zimbabwe does not need this.
The Army must secure the transportation of the gold from the mining areas to Fidelity Printers and Refiners, the counry’s official gold buyer and processor.
“Gold deposits continue to be found in the belt that stretches from Gwanda in the south of the country; Mberengwa, Shurugwi, Kwekwe in the Midlands; Kadoma, Chegutu and Chinhoyi in Mashonaland West; and Bindura, Guruve, Mazowe and Shamva in Mashonaland Central.
There are areas in Manicaland where gold is mined, but these are defined by the absence of violence accompanying them.”
Shurugwi itself is very peaceful. people of Shurugwi are angered by this abuse of their name. Shurugwi is a very beautiful town and it is not a violent town. The name given to these murderers is an insult to the real Shurugwi people.
The mystery of these killers is the question how the barbaric and brutal conduct of these gangs has been allowed to spiral out of control for so long yet they are under the watch of law enforcement agents. This comes to the point that the bigwigs should be reigned in.
Less inspiring is the absence of a coherent strategy to deal with and arrest the menace. Instead with each day and each gold find, the audacity of the gangs multiplies. the deaths of people goes unrecorded. The stories from the gold fields are knee shaking deeply depressing and flabbergasting.
The President had an opportunity to address the issue when he visited Kadoma for a youth conference which was held in November. Kadoma, Kwekwe and Chegutu are among the epicentres of violence in gold panning or mining areas in the country. The silence of our armed forces is telling.
We should all remember that In the beginning, the violence associated with artisanal mining was specific to the Midlands town of Kwekwe and Shurugwi but, like a raging wildfire, it has since spread throughout the country. The Midlands, Mashonaland Central and West provinces, however, come up as the worst theatres of violence in which the gangs are the lead actors. Shurugwi is only involved and blamed for allowing its name to be associated with these murderers.
Communities all over the country live in absolute terror of the gangs.
Somalia descended into chaos because the lawlessness there began as pockets confined to specific areas, but in due course spun out of control and to this day, the continent bears the brunt of that conflict. Zimbabwe must never allow this to happen. Zimbabweans are generally peaceful people and these gangs must be dealt with now and now is now.
Without action Zimbabwe risks falling into the hands of these warlords. That would be a recipe for disaster and Zimbabwean security is at risk. The situation with Mashurugwi now resembles a dog’s breakfast. There is, therefore, an urgent need for a comprehensive response that must bring the activities of these gangs so that artisanal miners can go about their work unperturbed. Marshalling in law enforcement agents alongside private security companies will be part of the required response.
There should be no sacred cows in dealing with this scourge.
As a country we are fast descending into the pool of confusion.
The Mashurugwi must be arraigned together with their sponsors.
By Nomusa Garikai | Jonathan Moyo knows Zanu PF has been rigging elections for donkey years, especially since his rejoining the party in 2000. He is just being very selective on what he says.
“I studied electoral politics in Zimbabwe: 1985-92 & published VOTING FOR DEMOCRACY. In 2000 I managed ZanuPF election campaign as a consultant; in 2002 as information minister & in 2013 as a campaign manager. In 2018 I used my contacts & experience to write EXCELGATE!” he said.
In his first book Moyo was an academic and the book was to inform. He has said very little about Zimbabwe electoral politics in the period 2000 to 2017 because it would have been self incriminating. It is no secret that he was mastermind behind Zanu PF vote rigging activities. His last book focuses on what Mnangagwa did that was new and leaves out all the dirty that could easily be traced back to Moyo’s vote rigging manuals. How convenient!
“Looking back over the last 20 years, the people have squandered three opportunities for real change in 2000; then 2009 to 2013; and in 2017 when ZanuPF & the Army dug their own grave only for the people to fail to bury the two. Now there’s yet another opportunity: 2020!” confessed the sell-out Moyo.
In 2000 Zanu PF use the white farm invasions as cover for using violence against its political opponents. Indeed the farm invasions violence flared up again and again during elections for the next decade. Jonathan Moyo has often boasted of being the one who help Zanu PF win the elections post 2000 era.
The opportunity to bring about meaningful democratic change during the 2009 to 2013 GNU was lost because Zanu PF bribed Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC with the trappings of high office; the ministerial limos, very generous salaries and allowance, a US$4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. With their snouts in the feeding trough, MDC leaders forgot about implementing the reforms. There is no doubt that Jonathan Moyo played a major role in keeping making sure MDC leaders where distracted throughout the five years!
The only change Jonathan Moyo wanted to see following the 2017 military coup was for the people, SADC and the world at large to reject the coup and reinstating Mugabe and yours truly, Jonathan Moyo himself.
Jonathan Moyo and his fellow G40 members who were booted out of Zanu PF in the November 2017 coup are still entertaining hopes of staging a comeback. Hence the reason Moyo and company are very careful to blame everything that has gone wrong in Zimbabwe on Mnangagwa and his fellow November 2017 coup gang. Moyo and his Excelgate book is laser focusing on Mnangagwa as the only one who is illegitimate and not the whole Zanu PF regime!
“While there are many wrongs surrounding Zimbabweans today, a particularly insidious wrong that’s crying out for righting is the stolen 30 July 2018 presidential election, preceded by the 15 Nov 2017 military coup & followed by brutal massacres on 1 Aug 2018 & 14-28 Jan 2019!” Jonathan Moyo argues.
Jonathan Moyo’s book is about the dodgy compilation, on Microsoft Excel Sheet format and hence the name of the book with the gate borrowed from Richard Nixon’s infamous Watergate scandal, of the presidential election results from the 11 000 plus Polling stations.
Moyo has failed to mention 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora were denied the vote, that ZEC failed to produce a verifies voters’ roll, that there was no free public media, that the usual partisan behaviour of the Chiefs reduced rural voters into medieval serfs beholden to Zanu PF abused, etc. All these things render the whole election process flawed, illegal and meaningless. It is nonsense to expect that such a flawed electoral process could therefore produce a legitimate result even if the compilation of the result had been above board.
It was no accident that Moyo has ignored the denying of Zimbabweans in the diaspora the vote, the failure to produce a verified voters’ roll, etc. Most of these flaws and illegalities are the norm in Zimbabwean elections and the glaring hypocrisy of flagging then now would have been too much even for seasoned sell-out and hypocrite like him.
The root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown and political paralysis is the country’s failure to hold free, fair and credible elections. And the way forward has to look at implementing the democratic reforms to stop all the flaws and illegalities and not just the Excelgate ones only. It is only by implementing all the democratic reforms that we can expect to dismantle the dictatorship and not just remove one dictator.
“Compatriots, much as I would like to, sadly I’m unable to wish you a happy & prosperous new year not because of anything personal but because happiness & prosperity are no longer possible in Zimbabwe due to the live coup against the will of the people!” professed Professor Jonathan Moyo.
Happiness and prosperity have not been possible ever since this corrupt, vote rigging and tyrannical Zanu PF regime got into power in 1980. Of course, Professor Moyo must accept personal responsibility for the sorry state the nation is in because it was his work, as the party’s self proclaimed chief strategist and propagandist, that enable Zanu PF to have an iron grip on power and for it to last 40 years and counting.
.- As severe drought conditions continue in Zimbabwe, close to 7 million people are facing food shortages, a Catholic aid agency warned this week.
“Families have run out of options to put food on their tables,” said Dorrett Byrd, Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) regional director for Southern Africa.
With repeated droughts over the past five years, many of Zimbabwe’s small farmers have found themselves unable to feed their families. The United Nations estimates that nearly half of the 16 million people in the country are urgently in need of food aid, and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network ranks the country as experiencing a “Phase 3 food crisis,” signifying widespread acute malnutrition.
The droughts have increased in frequency and intensity due to climate change, Byrd said. In addition to widespread crop failure, inflation has decimated many families’ savings.
Byrd warned that the struggle to find food has led many young people to leave the country, adding, “Migrating parents often leave their young children behind with grandparents who struggle to provide for them.”
Catholic Relief Services is working with farmers in Zimbabwe to teach soil and water conservation methods. The agency is also offering drought-resistant crops to farmers and is cooperating with the government in a notification system warning farmers about threats to their harvest.
Even with these steps, however, Byrd warned that more action needs to be taken in order for the people of Zimbabwe to recover.
Other countries in the region are also facing an escalating hunger crisis. The Food and Agriculture Organization reports that more than 45 million people in Southern Africa are currently faced with food insecurity.
“This area of the world needs help and it needs help now,” Byrd said. “We hope the economic situation improves soon, but if climate change is not addressed, countries like Zimbabwe will continue to suffer.”
Dear Editor
