Manicaland Diocese Anglican Bishop Eric Ruwona has been arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission in connection with fraud involving $700 000.

Bishop Ruwona and his accomplices in 2016 allegedly used Manicaland Diocese to apply for a loan of $100 000 from Agribank claiming they wanted to built Saint Catherine’s Girls High School in Rusape and buy a vehicle for the bishop.

The accused persons allegedly used a piece of land belonging to the church as collateral without the knowledge of the church standing committee and congregants.
As a result of the alleged misrepresentation, the loan was approved and the accused pocketed the money.

On the second count, the accused in the same year fraudulently applied for another loan from the same bank for $350 000.

The bishop and his accomplices later allegedly withdrew an overdraft of $250 000 from the Agribank account without the knowledge of the church.

Bishop Ruwona spent the night at Mutare Central Police Station and is expected to appear in court today.-State media

By Farai D Hove | NCA leader Lovemore Madhuku has inferred the MDC led by Nelson Chamisa is not a political party.

Writing on Tuesday, Madhuku went further to describe parties which are not in Emmerson Mnangagwa’s group of political actors, Polad, as “other citizens.”

To the MDC, Madhuku is:

– a competitor (leader of the NCA party.

– a legal adversary (the lawyer of MDC renegade, Thokozani Khupe).

– An incriminator – prosecutor equivalent, a decision maker in the Kgalema Motlanthe Commission set up to put blame on Chamisa’s MDC party for Emmerson Mnangagwa’s crimes against humanity on the 1st August 2018.

FULL THREAD –

Lovemore Madhuku: Polad is a platform created by political parties. Other citizens may create other platforms. When I criticised the President for not taking the Polad position on the gazetting of constitutional amendments, it was all about engagement. Polad will achieve its objective: engagement.

Nichole: What kind of professor are you though? Engagement without results? Sic

Madhuku: Engagement is in itself an excellent result for the building of our democracy in Zimbabwe.

HouMuza: Engagement is two way. And actions speak louder the words. The snub has spoken. If intentions are pure, the snub should have hurt because there’s lack of two-way participation.

Farai Dziva|The Movement for Democratic Change has dismissed claims that party Secretary General Charlton Hwende is linked to MaShurugwi.

See the party’s full statement below:
The MDC condemns the sensational claims by Justice Wadyajena in which he tries to link the menace of Mashurugwi to our Secretary General Hon Chalton Hwende.

Wadyajena’s alarmist claims border on insanity.

They are but a desperate attempt to deflate pressure on senior politicians in Zanu PF who are the creators and kingpins of the vigilante groups. It is public secret that the machete-wielding Al Shabaab and Mashurugwi vigilante groups are fronted right from the securocratic corridors of power.

They were founded solely to defend the elastic extractive interests of the highest offices in the country. To maintain, hold, instil fear and elude all the tax obligations of proper mining in the country.

To then link such to the MDC or its senior officers is not only far-fetched but defies logic. It is an attempt to mud-sling where it won’t stick.

The fact of the matter is that Mashurugwi are an indictment on Mnangagwa and his team.
Their lack of respect for human life and their inability to administer the rule of law and the killings are a clear sign of a total breakdown of the rule of law and disregard of Constitutional order. More fundamentally, it is a reflection of economic decay, poverty and unemployment now pervasive in the country.

This combination brings unpalatable suffering to the nation which ultimately pushes especially young people to extremist means of survival. Instead of blaming the MDC, Zanu PF must accept the blame, take full responsibility of lives lost and confront their front-men who now own the gangs.

Beyond this, there must be serious reform in the mining sector including the promulgation of a new Mining and Minerals Act which, among other things, must address the following.

1. That obtaining of mining claims be done in a professional and transparent manner
2. Redefinition of mining licences and mineral purchasing, marketing, holding licences
3. That there be a cap on exportation of minerals in their raw form and that there must be deliberate beneficiation to create more decent jobs.
4. That a significant chunk of resources generated in mining be retained to develop and benefit local mining communities.
5. That the Revenue Authority be allowed to station officers at any stage of mining they require to stem revenue bleeding.

Beyond mining reforms, there must be strengthening of law enforcement, culprits must be arrested and prosecuted.

The police service in its work must be guided by the National Constitution particularly the conduct provided in section 208 of the Constitution.

They must do their work without let or hindrance.

MDC Communications

Watch video below

Farai Dziva|People’s Progressive Party leader Pastor Timothy Chiguvare has urged Zimbabweans to unite and liberate themselves from Zanu PF oppression.

See statement below:

By Timothy Chiguvare -PPPZ president

Without action and unity, we are doomed to live far from our land of birth, or to live in poverty where basic needs are an everyday struggle, where law and justice only serve the rich and corrupt because they have infiltrated the justice system, or turn a blind eye to corruption.

It is only going to get worse, as now we see gangs and cartels running around killing and terrorising local populations, and this indeed is very bad, as it means that the rule or law is almost non -existent …this will be the beginning of civil war and strife if it is not stopped in its tracks NOW.

Below is the full text of the phone discussion with Emmerson Mnangagwa’s deputy Constantino Chiwenga. He spoke to ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza (SC) Tuesday the 15th January 2019 morning.

SC: Good morning VP.
Chiwenga: Yes?
SC: Murikutaura naSimba Chikanza. (You are speaking with Simba Chikanza)
Chiwenga: Nani? ( with who?)
SC: NaSimba Chikanza ( With Simba Chikanza)
Chiwenga: Simba Chikanza?

SC: Yes sir, ndini ndakambokubatsirai last time ne nyaya yemudzimai uya wekuDomboshawa aiti akanga arohwa. ( I am the one who helped you with the case of that woman from Domboshawa who was alleging that she had been assaulted…  [BACKGROUND – 2 months before, an injured woman had requested Simba Chikanza access to speak with Chiwenga over an alleged assault matter by Chiwenga’s wife’s bodyguards]
Chiwenga: Akanga arohwa nani? ( Who had been assaulted by who?)
SC: Mudzimai uya aiti akanga arohwa nemaguards amai. (That woman who alleged that she had been beaten by Mrs Chiwenga’s guards).
Chiwenga: Wakataura neni? ( Did you talk to me?)
SC: Yes, Matondikanganwa? (Don’t you remember me?)
Chiwenga: Anyway ngatitaure hedu, hongu. (Anyway we can go ahead with the conversation).
SC: VP ndanetseka, ndiri kuona kuti internet yaitwa shut down on your instruction, yeEconet ne Net One. ( I am troubled. I can see that the internet has been shut down on your instruction.)
Chiwenga: Handizive, ndiani ari kutaura izvozvo? (I don’t know, who is saying that?)
SC: Eh itori shut down as we are speaking so , izvozvi. ( It is has been shut down even as we speak right now)

Chiwenga: No, I don’t know anything about that. Minister mambovafonera here kumanhingi kwacho? Mambotaura navo? ( Have you called the responsible minister? Have you spoken to him?
SC: Okay
Chiwenga: Hello?
SC: Variko maworkers vari kutaura kuti this is a government directive. ( The Workers there are saying this was a government directive)
Chiwenga: Ah, hatina chatinoziva. Hatiite directive yakadaro. Ende hatina capacity yekuitazvinhu zvakadaro. ( Ah, we don’t know anything about that. We don’t make such directives; and we have have no capacity to do that)
SC: Okay, yah, okay. Then pane mavideos akaita circulate nezuro of masoja, sorry, in this case not masoja but of varume vaiva vakabata maAK 47 nemassault rifles in civilian clothes. Vanhu vakapfurwa several and 5 have died so far. Makambonzwawo nezvawo? (What of the videos that were circulated yesterday of men in civilian clothes with AK 47s and other assault rifles. As a result people were shot, leaving 5 dead. Have you heard about them?)
Chiwenga: Asi mapfurwa? Endai kumapurisa ka monotaura nhingi izvozvo. Madarirei kudaro? Uri Simba Chipunza… uri kufona uri kupi? ( Who are you saying was shot? Why don’t you take such matters to the police then? Why are you doing this? You said you are Simba Chipunza, where are you calling from?)
SC: Ndiri kufona ndiri kuLondon. ( I am calling from London)
Chiwenga: Sorry! ..(hangs up)
SC: Hello! VP? VaChiwenga?
(Hello, VP? Mr Chiwenga?)

WE WILL BE GOING LIVE SHORTLY 

FOLLOW SIMBA CHIKANZA HERE

Farai Dziva|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has castigated the ruling party Zanu PF leadership for attempting to “personalize the state.”

“The Constitution being a sacred document defines the contract between the governed and governing. Changes can’t be made against we the people.

The personalisation of the state must be emphatically rejected in parliament and across by all progressive citizens.#AlignmentNotAmendment,” wrote Chamisa on Twitter.

Lovemore Madhuku: Polad is a platform created by political parties. Other citizens may create other platforms. When I criticised the President for not taking the Polad position on the gazetting of constitutional amendments, it was all about engagement. Polad will achieve its objective: engagement.

Nichole: What kind of professor are you though? Engagement without results? Sic

Madhuku: Engagement is in itself an excellent result for the building of our democracy in Zimbabwe.

HouMuza: Engagement is two way. And actions speak louder the words. The snub has spoken. If intentions are pure, the snub should have hurt because there’s lack of two-way participation.

As your future President, I would not approve of a Wild West monetary system. Economies are complex and not single-dimensional, thus require broad and inclusive multifaceted Prescriptions. Zimbabwe must urgently stop the Godfather syndrome. We’re not a private enterprise.

The citizens must have confidence in the value systems and securities presented. Mutuality is critical for the practical functioning of any economy. Command money and policies a more egocentric and unsustainable because citizens will opt for the best alternative.

Private wealth, trade or investments can’t be stolen from citizens while the ‘Have’ are insulated. What about the ‘Have not’? Parliament established that Gono was doing was illegal and unconstitutional but Zanu PF MP’s were wiped to legitimize the biggest robbery of all time.

No one is above the law, yet Gono presided and actively participated in the operation of the Recon Act (Expropriation) and more. The country fed from Gono’s hands (Army, Police, including many quasi-fiscal activities). This opened the floodgates of the mess we are in today.

To fix the economy we must reset all national drivers. Constitutionalism, rule of law, uncapture the Judiciary, repeal of all unconstitutional laws and statutes, human rights, and corruption. No to indiscretions. No to the printing of money.

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA)

By A Correspondent- Finance minister Mthuli Ncube yesterday poured cold water on civil servants’ demand for United States dollar-benchmarked salary adjustments, saying the broke Zanu PF government will, instead, continue giving them cushioning allowances.

Civil servants have threatened to down tools unless government adjusts their salaries to the equivalent of what they used to earn during the US dollar era.

At the moment, the least-paid government employee gets a gross salary of around $1 100.

While presenting the 2020 national budget last November, Ncube reviewed the tax threshold from $700 to $2 000.

Last week, the public service workers shot down a 97% salary increase offered by government and threatened a crippling nationwide strike, with teachers boycotting classes starting today.

Addressing journalists on the sidelines of a meeting between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and visiting Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi at State House, Ncube ruled out substantial salary increases for civil servants, saying government had other pressing commitments at the moment, among them drought relief food and energy imports.

He said civil servants will get their January allowances of between $400 (US$16) and $750 (US$32) starting today.

“The government is committed to paying our civil servants a decent salary and you know when you negotiate, there are disagreements. At times that is normal, but we are expecting to reach an agreement with them in a few weeks,” he said.

“We are not going to agree on a once-off agreement, but we will follow last year’s trend, where we were cushioning them whenever there is inflation. We will (have) multiple negotiations as we did when we gave them cushioning allowance in May, salary increment and another cushion in July.

“We do have some urgent issues like climate change, food security and energy and also we are mobilising resources for Command Agriculture. We are also seized with issuing licences to independent energy suppliers to produce energy.”

The Apex Council, the umbrella body for civil servants’ unions, described Ncube’s remarks as misplaced and out of sync with the reality on the ground.

“We only respect pronouncements that arise out of resolutions made in the National Joint Negotiating Council, as they are binding. If at all this is the government’s position, then it really shows how out of touch it is with the dire incapacitation that is set to impact negatively on service delivery and the livelihoods of its workers,” Apex Council spokesperson David Dzatsunga said.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure confirmed that their members were not reporting for duty today.

“Government last paid teachers a full salary in September 2018. We have been earning 7% of the last negotiated income. Attempts to engage the government have been futile since then. An ordinary teacher’s salary cannot fend for food, shelter, transport, education and healthcare,” he said.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Marry Mubaiwa, the estranged wife of Acting President Chiwenga, who is facing charges of attempted murder, money laundering, foreign currency externalisation and fraud has appeared for routine remand at the Harare Magistrates court and has been remanded out of custody to the 14th of February 2020.

When Mubaiwa appeared for routine remand this Tuesday she notified the state that when next she appears in court she will be demanding a trial date or else she will apply for refusal of further remand.

Mubaiwa was granted ZWL$50 000 bail by the High Court on the 6th of January 2020 after spending the Christmas and New year holidays in custody.

Mubaiwa is accused of trying to kill her former husband, Retired General Constantino Chiwenga during the time he was sick in South Africa by allegedly removing life support medical equipment on her husband.

In granting bail, the High Court judge, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda indicated that submissions by the State that were accepted by the court in denying Mubaiwa bail at the lower court were not fair.

“The State submitted with a perception of catch and release. The State suggested that the perception arose from the fact that persons facing corruption charges who are admitted to bail absconded trial after their passports were returned to them and in some cases without passports,” read the ruling, by Justice Kwenda.

“The decision of the court a quo is substituted with the following, the accused is hereby admitted to bail pending trial, the accused shall deposit the sum of $50 000 with the clerk of court at Harare Magistrates court, the accused shall reside at her Borrowdale Brooke residence in Harare. The accused shall surrender her diplomatic passport to the clerk of court at Harare Magistrate’s court. The accused shall report to the Police at Borrowdale Police Station once a fortnight on a Friday. The accused shall not interfere with State witnesses.”

On Charges of attempted murder on the vice president, the 38-year-old Mubaiwa denies attempting to kill her former husband saying the charges were fabricated. She argues that her former husband had brought the murder charges against her in an attempt to force her hand in divorce proceedings that are pending in the high court.

Mubaiwa told the court through her lawyers that her alleged offence occurred when the vice president was already physically frail and nursing injuries sustained in a bomb attack in Bulawayo in June last year.

In denying charges of attempting to murder her husband, Mubaiwa told the high court that Rtd Gen Chiwenga had asked President Emmerson Mnangagwa to make arrangements to have her sent to China, where he was being treated, and also gave her money.

Mubaiwa said in her bail application that President Mnangagwa “even sent his personal security with US$30,000 for her personal upkeep and use”.

All this occurred after July 2019, Mubaiwa’s lawyers told the court, adding that “it is inconceivable that this would have happened had she tried to murder her husband”.

On charges of externalisation of foreign currency, money laundering and fraud, Mubaiwa argued that the State has no reason to charge her, as the offences she is accused of were committed through her companies, where she is only a director. She said the State was supposed to charge the companies and not her.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- There was drama at Concession magistrate court today when a Mazowe man claimed to be a wizard after  appearing before Nyasha Machiriori on a stock theft charge.

Zivai Lusuious (32) of Summerdale, Mazowe was remanded in custody to tomorrow for judgement.

“I am a wizard and I can change human flesh to goat meat so this goat you are referring to you is human flesh which I changed,” said Lusuious during trial.

Prosecutor Munyaradzi Nengomasha told the court that on December 28 Lusuious approached Givemore Chimusuva’s pen and stole a she goat before disappearing.

Chimusuva discovered that one of his goat was missing and got assistance from his son Stephen and some members of the community to conduct a search.

They followed footprints which led them to the suspect’s house and they found a skin under his pillow leading to his arrest.

The police have today proscribed Agenda 2020, a key event for the party that was scheduled for tomorrow in Mbare, Harare, citing flimsy excuses that the event cannot proceed because the police are busy with the schools that are opening this week, as if the police have anything to do with opening of schools.

Tomorrow’s event was scheduled to be addressed by the party leadership. We are noting a disturbing trend where the police are routinely proscribing MDC events and treating the party as a banned organization in the country.

Starting with our scheduled peaceful and constitutional public protests in the various cities that were brutalLy quelled by the police in August last year, as well as President Nelson Chamisa’s Hope of the Nation Address that was violently proscribed on 20 November 2019, we have noted a very disturbing trend where the police are banning legitimate and constitutional activities by the party.

In each of these instances, we had complied with the law and given the police due notification but we continue to be treated like a banned or a terrorist organization when we are a legitimate political party that is in Parliament and that controls 28 out of 32 urban local authorities.

The police have periodically abused our compliance with the law and as a party, we are reviewing whether under the current circumstances, we should continue to co-operate with unjust laws and unjust requirements. We have had enough.

The MDC national leadership has met today and as a mark of responsible leadership has said no to confrontation and is having to stop the people who were ready to attend the event in Mbare tomorrow.

For fear of their lives against this brutal dictatorship, and given what this regime has done before, we have decided to postpone the Agenda 2020 event to next week on Tuesday at a venue to be announced.

But this does not mean that we are complying with dictatorship. We have given the regime due notice of all our constitutional activities and they have denied us the chance to exercise our democratic rights.

This is a peaceful event, a mammoth event on this year’s national calendar to that is set to be attended by ordinary people as well as diplomats in which the party will lay to the people its agenda for the year, including its programme of action as well as the party’s programme of activities for the year.

We have postponed the event because the regime was budgeting for a clash, for blood and for violence and as a party we will not sacrifice the lives of innocent Zimbabweans.

I reiterate that we are reviewing the position of whether we should continue to comply and co-operate with unjust laws and unjust requirements that are inimical to democracy.

We have postponed our event because we do not want any sideshow. We want to give Zimbabweans a chance to hear the party’s calendar of critical path targets for the year that will address the key challenges affecting the ordinary people as well as the party’s plan to rescue the nation out of the current morass.

Luke Tamborinyoka Deputy National Spokesperson

High Court judge Justice Webster Chinamora has condemned the widespread practice of inmates masquerading as lawyers in the country’s jails, writing legal motions for fellow prisoners in exchange for meals and other favours.

Many self-actors applying for bail at the High Court now have a tendency of submitting poorly crafted applications before a bail judge, outlining what they term “compelling reasons” why they should be granted bail.

However, Justice Chinamora said such practices cannot provide assistance to the court and urged prison authorities to help inmates to get professional lawyers.

The judge made the remarks in a bail application by Onismo Tafirejee, who was seeking bail pending appeal on both conviction and 10-year imprisonment term imposed on him for contravening the Parks and Wildlife Act.

Justice Chinamora asked Tafireje, a self-actor, who had drafted the application for him, after noting that there was no application before him based on changed circumstances.

In his response, Tafireje said a fellow inmate had drafted the application for him in exchange for his meal. The judge then asked the prison officer who was in court to advise the officer-in-charge to discourage such practices.

“Inmates should not be utilising the services of unqualified fellow inmates masquerading as lawyers,” said Justice Chinamora.

“They should be encouraged and assisted in securing the services of professional practising legal practitioners or be helped in accessing lawyers from the Legal Aid Directorate.

“Applications by unqualified inmates unnecessarily clog the court roll without providing any assistance to the court or value to the accused inmate.”

Tafireje was convicted of illegal possession of ivory. Dissatisfied with both conviction and sentence Tafireje filed an appeal at the High Court.

He is now seeking bail pending the determination of his appeal. Opposing the application, prosecutor Mr Douglas Chesa argued that the conviction against Tafireje was unassailable.

Mr Chesa said the defence offered by Tafireje was bare denial as he failed to explain to the trial court as to how he came into possession of the ivory without authority.

“The trial court conducted an inquiry into special circumstances and none were found,” said Mr Chesa.

“Once the court found no special circumstances its hands were tied and it had to impose the minimum mandatory sentence.”

Mr Chesa said there was no misdirection on the part of the trial magistrate in the manner in which the proceedings were conducted to warrant the High Court to interfere with either the conviction and sentence.

The Kariba Dam, one of Zimbabwe’s main sources of hydropower, has seen an increase in water level, the reports confirmed on Monday.

The water level in the facility which dropped from the operational 485 meters down to 476 meters during 2019’s drought has recently jumped back to 482 meters due to the heavy rains.

“Flows at Ngonye increased due to sporadic rainfall activities being recorded around the catchment, closing the week at 426 cubic metres per second on 27th December 2019, while last year’s flow on the same date was 295 cubic metres per second,” the Zambezi River officials stated.

The Kariba Dam generates 1, 050 MW of electric energy ensuring the constant power supply across the country while the national grid remains unstable.

Own Correspondent|Acting President Constantino Chiwenga’s wife, Marry Chiwenga, has demanded the court to give her a formal charge and a trial date or else she will apply for refusal of further remand when she next appears in court on Valentine’s day.

Marry is facing charges of fraud, money laundering, externalisation and attempted murder. She is currently out on bail.

She has denied the charges arguing that they were levelled against her to force her hand in the divorce case with her husband.

She was arrested in December last year.

Zimbabwe School Examination Council has released the November 2019 A’level results.Candidates who sat for the examinations are expected to collect results from their respective schools and centres starting tomorrow.

Own Correspondent|Bulawayo magistrate Lizwe Jamela has set free a Saviour Kasukuwere supporter who was arrested by police for distributing campaign material of the #tysonwabantu campaign.

Jamela, a former Human Rights Lawyer with the Zimbabwe Human Rights Lawyers placed Andifasi Banda off remand on Tuesday and ruled that the matter will proceed by way of summons.

Banda was arraigned before the courts for distributing fliers and party regalia in Nkulumane and Makokoba suburbs in Bulawayo.

Tyson Wabantu Movement is a suspected political outfit reportedly fronted by exiled former Zanu PF heavyweight Saviour Kasukuwere.

Banda (41) was not asked to plead to a charge of failure to comply with a prohibition notice.

Magistrate Jamela said the case had not been properly investigated and there was no evidence clearly linking Banda to the offence.

According to State papers as presented by Terrence Chakabuda, on December 2, 2019, Banda gave notice to the police that he intended to do public processions in Bulawayo West and Nkulumane police districts.

“The accused person did processions in support of the National Patriotic Front (NPF). The offence was discovered by the police and leading to investigations and the arrest of Banda. Exhibits in the form of fliers drumming up support for one Savior Kasukuwere were recovered.”

The State further alleged that there was information from vendors that about 15 NPF party members were distributing fliers and giving out party regalia, T-shirts at Sokusile shopping center from around 1300hrs to 1315 hrs.

“At around 1430hrs in Makokoba 2 BMW vehicles and three BUPTA kombis had several passengers putting on green t-shirts whistling and throwing fliers through the windows. The convoy turned to 6th street and proceeded to Fusini shopping Centre,” said Chakabuda.

By A Correspondent- Marry Mubaiwa Chiwenga, the estranged wife of Acting President Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga, who is facing charges of attempted murder, money laundering, foreign currency externalisation and fraud has appeared for routine remand at the Harare Magistrates court and has been remanded out of custody to the 14th of February 2020.

When Mubaiwa appeared for routine remand this Tuesday she notified the state that when next she appears in court she will be demanding a trial date or else she will apply for refusal of further remand.

Mubaiwa was granted ZWL$50 000 bail by the High Court on the 6th of January 2020 after spending the Christmas and New year holidays in custody.

Mubaiwa is accused of trying to kill her former husband, Retired General Constantino Chiwenga during the time he was sick in South Africa by allegedly removing life support medical equipment on her husband.

In granting bail, the High Court judge, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda indicated that submissions by the State that were accepted by the court in denying Mubaiwa bail at the lower court were not fair.

“The State submitted with a perception of catch and release. The State suggested that the perception arose from the fact that persons facing corruption charges who are admitted to bail absconded trial after their passports were returned to them and in some cases without passports,” read the ruling, by Justice Kwenda.

“The decision of the court a quo is substituted with the following, the accused is hereby admitted to bail pending trial, the accused shall deposit the sum of $50 000 with the clerk of court at Harare Magistrates court, the accused shall reside at her Borrowdale Brooke residence in Harare. The accused shall surrender her diplomatic passport to the clerk of court at Harare Magistrate’s court. The accused shall report to the Police at Borrowdale Police Station once a fortnight on a Friday. The accused shall not interfere with State witnesses.”

On Charges of attempted murder on the vice president, the 38-year-old Mubaiwa denies attempting to kill her former husband saying the charges were fabricated. She argues that her former husband had brought the murder charges against her in an attempt to force her hand in divorce proceedings that are pending in the high court.

Mubaiwa told the court through her lawyers that her alleged offence occurred when the vice president was already physically frail and nursing injuries sustained in a bomb attack in Bulawayo in June last year.

In denying charges of attempting to murder her husband, Mubaiwa told the high court that Rtd Gen Chiwenga had asked President Emmerson Mnangagwa to make arrangements to have her sent to China, where he was being treated, and also gave her money.

Mubaiwa said in her bail application that President Mnangagwa “even sent his personal security with US$30,000 for her personal upkeep and use”.

All this occurred after July 2019, Mubaiwa’s lawyers told the court, adding that “it is inconceivable that this would have happened had she tried to murder her husband”.

On charges of externalisation of foreign currency, money laundering and fraud, Mubaiwa argued that the State has no reason to charge her, as the offences she is accused of were committed through her companies, where she is only a director. She said the State was supposed to charge the companies and not her.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- There was drama at Concession magistrate court today when a Mazowe man claimed to be a wizard after  appearing before Nyasha Machiriori on a stock theft charge.

Zivai Lusuious (32) of Summerdale, Mazowe was remanded in custody to tomorrow for judgement.

“I am a wizard and I can change human flesh to goat meat so this goat you are referring to you is human flesh which I changed,” said Lusuious during trial.

Prosecutor Munyaradzi Nengomasha told the court that on December 28 Lusuious approached Givemore Chimusuva’s pen and stole a she goat before disappearing.

Chimusuva discovered that one of his goat was missing and got assistance from his son Stephen and some members of the community to conduct a search.

They followed footprints which led them to the suspect’s house and they found a skin under his pillow leading to his arrest.

Correspondent|ZIMBABWEAN cricket player, Tarisai Musakanda is back home after he was fired by his Australian club, New City Cricket Club following his conviction for driving while under the influence of alcohol.

Musakanda came home last week, with New City president Chris Green stating that they had to take a strong stand by sending the player packing since his conduct is not part of the principles they seek to uphold as an institution.

“His behaviour is not representative of the values we hold dear at the New City Cricket Club. “We’ll grow into a very strong club for a long time, but if we didn’t make a stand now, we won’t,’’ Green was quoted.

Musakanda headed off to Australia in November last year, having played for Budleigh Cricket Club in England.

The 25-year Musakanda, a middle order batsman has represented Zimbabwe 22 times across the three formats of the game, with his best score being the 43 runs he compiled against Pakistan on his Twenty20 International debut at Harare Sports Club in July 2018.

His sacking for deplorable conduct will not do his reputation any good as he was seen as one of the candidates for future leadership of the Zimbabwe senior national team. He had already showed his leadership qualities by captaining the Zimbabwe Select XI at the 2018 edition of the Africa T20 in South Africa. He was in superb form in that particular competition and his brilliance with the bat saw him named as captain of the Team of the Tournament.

Musakanda’s remarkable display at the crease was key in Zimbabwe Select XI winning three of their four group games.

Police thwart MDC event scheduled for tomorrow

The police have today proscribed Agenda 2020, a key event for the party that was scheduled for tomorrow in Mbare, Harare, citing flimsy excuses that the event cannot proceed because the police are busy with the schools that are opening this week, as if the police have anything to do with opening of schools.

Tomorrow’s event was scheduled to be addressed by the party leadership. We are noting a disturbing trend where the police are routinely proscribing MDC events and treating the party as a banned organization in the country.

Starting with our scheduled peaceful and constitutional public protests in the various cities that were brutaly quelled by the police in August last year, as well as President Nelson Chamisa’s Hope of the Nation Address that was violently proscribed on 20 November 2019, we have noted a very disturbing trend where the police are banning legitimate and constitutional activities by the party.

In each of these instances, we had complied with the law and given the police due notification but we continue to be treated like a banned or a terrorist organization when we are a legitimate political party that is in Parliament and that controls 28 out of 32 urban local authorities.

The police have periodically abused our compliance with the law and as a party, we are reviewing whether under the current circumstances, we should continue to co-operate with unjust laws and unjust requirements. We have had enough.

The MDC national leadership has met today and as a mark of responsible leadership has said no to confrontation and is having to stop the people who were ready to attend the event in Mbare tomorrow.

For fear of their lives against this brutal dictatorship, and given what this regime has done before, we have decided to postpone the Agenda 2020 event to next week on Tuesday at a venue to be announced. But this does not mean that we are complying with dictatorship.

We have given the regime due notice of all our constitutional activities and they have denied us the chance to exercise our democratic rights.

This is a peaceful event, a mammoth event on this year’s national calendar to that is set to be attended by ordinary people as well as diplomats in which the party will lay to the people its agenda for the year, including its programme of action as well as the party’s programme of activities for the year.

We have postponed the event because the regime was budgeting for a clash, for blood and for violence and as a party we will not sacrifice the lives of innocent Zimbabweans.

I reiterate that we are reviewing the position of whether we should continue to comply and co-operate with unjust laws and unjust requirements that are inimical to democracy. We have postponed our event because we do not want any sideshow.

We want to give Zimbabweans a chance to hear the party’s calendar of critical path targets for the year that will address the key challenges affecting the ordinary people as well as the party’s plan to rescue the nation out of the current morass.

Luke Tamborinyoka Deputy National Spokesperson

Own Correspondent|MDC National Deputy Spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka has declared that the opposition party has lost patience with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s continued blockage of its programmes.

In the latest incident, government blocked the party from holding an event in Mbare High Density Suburb claiming that they did not have enough police details to cover the event.

An angry Tamborinyoka declared on Facebook;

“We are about to draw the line on the sand, we cannot continue obeying repressive laws….”

“If they refuse us muchaona zvatichaita”

Full Statement from the party read as follows:

Police thwart MDC event scheduled for tomorrow

The police have today proscribed Agenda 2020, a key event for the party that was scheduled for tomorrow in Mbare, Harare, citing flimsy excuses that the event cannot proceed because the police are busy with the schools that are opening this week, as if the police have anything to do with opening of schools.

Tomorrow’s event was scheduled to be addressed by the party leadership.

We are noting a disturbing trend where the police are routinely proscribing MDC events and treating the party as a banned organization in the country.

Starting with our scheduled peaceful and constitutional public protests in the various cities that were brutaly quelled by the police in August last year, as well as President Nelson Chamisa’s Hope of the Nation Address that was violently proscribed on 20 November 2019, we have noted a very disturbing trend where the police are banning legitimate and constitutional activities by the party.

In each of these instances, we had complied with the law and given the police due notification but we continue to be treated like a banned or a terrorist organization when we are a legitimate political party that is in Parliament and that controls 28 out of 32 urban local authorities.

The police have periodically abused our compliance with the law and as a party, we are reviewing whether under the current circumstances, we should continue to co-operate with unjust laws and unjust requirements.

We have had enough.

The MDC national leadership has met today and as a mark of responsible leadership has said no to confrontation and is having to stop the people who were ready to attend the event in Mbare tomorrow.

For fear of their lives against this brutal dictatorship, and given what this regime has done before, we have decided to postpone the Agenda 2020 event to next week on Tuesday at a venue to be announced.

But this does not mean that we are complying with dictatorship. We have given the regime due notice of all our constitutional activities and they have denied us the chance to exercise our democratic rights.

This is a peaceful event, a mammoth event on this year’s national calendar to that is set to be attended by ordinary people as well as diplomats in which the party will lay to the people its agenda for the year, including its programme of action as well as the party’s programme of activities for the year.

We have postponed the event because the regime was budgeting for a clash, for blood and for violence and as a party we will not sacrifice the lives of innocent Zimbabweans.

I reiterate that we are reviewing the position of whether we should continue to comply and co-operate with unjust laws and unjust requirements that are inimical to democracy.

We have postponed our event because we do not want any sideshow. We want to give Zimbabweans a chance to hear the party’s calendar of critical path targets for the year that will address the key challenges affecting the ordinary people as well as the party’s plan to rescue the nation out of the current morass.

Luke Tamborinyoka
Deputy National Spokesperson

Own Correspondent|ZESA Holdings has revealed that it is paying its employees a Hardship Allowance. The allowance comes twenty four hours after government awarded its employees a cushion allowance.

The development also comes when the power utility has been failing to provide enough power to the country and also owes lots of money to a number of foreign and local creditors.

See the circular below.

Watch video loading below. ..

We are about to go live at the MDC headquarters.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW – REFRESH TO WATCH

By Jane Mlambo| Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has piled more misery on his estranged wife Marry telling the High Court she should stay at her own house, not the one she indicated on her court papers.

In her bail Application, Marry had highlighted that she was was now a destitute after being denied access to their Borrowdale house where her children, clothes and other possessions are being kept.

But Chiwenga in a notice of opposition to the former model’s interim application, said she should instead change the address she used when applying for bail at the High Court.

“In Zimbabwe, she has houses mentioned in the summons. That is not a destitute. On the bail condition, she must amend (paragraph c) to indicate where she is currently residing right now.”

In her sworn affidavit, Marry said her children aged 8, 7 and 5 were all minors and needed the love and care of their mother.

Marry further sought the court’s intervention to have access to her clothes and five cars but Chiwengs said only one of the five cars, a Range Rover Autobiography belongs to her.

The other four cars according to Chiwenga did not belong to him.

Chiwenga and wife Marry are going through a messy divorce amid accusations that the Miss Zimbabwe patron attempted her husband when he was battling for life at a South African hospital.

Chiwenga is being represented by Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners while Marry is represented by top human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa.

Own Correspondent|Reports just received indicate that pupils at Dominican Convent in Harare have been closed out of school as the school is demanding full payment of $27000 school fees.

According to parents at the school, the school has not opened. Pictures from the scene show parents and students waiting outside the Catholic school as the school officials refuse to open the school gates.

One parent said, she arrived at 06:08 at the school and upto now at 07:30, the school hasn’t opened. Word is they are demanding parents pays $27000 per child.

The school hiked the fees for 2020 in November last year and demanded that the fees be paid in full before the end of the year ” in view of the inflationary pressure in our economic environment.”

The school advised parents and guardians who felt they will not be able to afford the fees to advise the school by 6th December so that “we offer those who are on the waiting list.”

Find below the letter to parents from the school:

Following the SDC EGM on Monday 18th November, the 2020 first term fees will be as follows:

• Form 1-4 – $12 500.00
• Form 5-6 – $15 000.00

In view of the inflationary pressure in our economic environment, the initial fee of $3 600.00 must be paid up by Friday 29 November 2019, and the balance of $8 900 by Tuesday 31 December 2019.

Should you find you will be unable to continue with us, please let us know by 6 December 2019, so that we offer those who are on the waiting list.

Failure to pay the initial $3 600.00 by the stated date will be taken to mean that you have declined the offer.

Pictures and additional reporting: Mbare Times.

A recent photograph of President Emmerson Mnangagwa that was taken whilst he was in the middle of his presidential wave which appears as opposition party MDC open palm symbol has sent tongues wagging on social media.

The photograph was taken yesterday at the statehouse where he met visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi after interrupting his 3-week annual leave. After the photograph made its way to social media, some mischevious netizens were already claiming that the president was now showing signs of ‘reforming’.

 ‌

Four teachers from Chingele Secondary School in Chiredzi have been suspended after it had been disclosed that they wrote ZIMSEC examinations for their wives and or girlfriends.

This was after investigations by a team from Zimsec in Harare found out that the schoolhead Mike Maluleke allegedly connived with his deputy Checkson Tsumele, mathematics teacher Roddington Sithole and English teacher Misheck Mahungu to write the examinations on behalf of their girlfriends at home.

“Four teachers (head, deputy and two senior teachers) were involved in improper association with schoolchildren and former schoolchildren. These four were writing examinations for the eight candidates while one teacher was writing for his second wife. Combined Science paper 3 ( practical paper) examination was written in more than two hours and no proper supervision was in place, and candidates were even discussing answers in the examination,” Dlamini said.

The development was confirmed by ZIMSEC spokesperson, Nicky Dlamini who said that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, through the Public Service Commission suspended the four teachers. He said:

Four teachers (head, deputy and two senior teachers) were involved in improper association with schoolchildren and former schoolchildren. These four were writing examinations for the eight candidates while one teacher was writing for his second wife. Combined Science paper 3 ( practical paper) examination was written in more than two hours and no proper supervision was in place, and candidates were even discussing answers in the examination.

The suspended are school head Mike Maluleke, his deputy Checkson Tsumele, mathematics teacher Roddington Sithole and English teacher Misheck Mahungu.

Dlamini also said that nine candidates will have all their results for the November session nullified as per the provisions of the Zimsec policy and combined science results for the whole school have also been cancelled.

ZIMSEC has over the years experienced the leakage of examination papers prompting some to doubt the credibility, validity and reliability of the results.

Source: NewsDay

State Media|The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA) is struggling to repay the loan acquired from the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) to upgrade the Plumtree-Bulawayo -Mutare Highway due to prevailing foreign currency shortages.

This has resulted in a series of defaults, which will see the country paying much more.

This also comes at a time when the national road administrator has appointed an advisor to assess this contract entered into under Public Private Partnerships to evaluate the impact.

Zimbabwe awarded Group Five, a South African firm to rehabilitate the 882 kilometre highway, which began in 2012 and funded to the tune of US$206 million.

The scope of works on the rehabilitation of the highway, which started during the inclusive Government era between Zanu-PF and two MDC formations, involved 50 percent resealing, 29 percent shoulder widening and surfacing (7m to 10m), 21 percent reconstruction in some sections and 9 percent state-of-the-art toll gates installation.

The Plumtree-Bulawayo-Mutare Highway upgrade is probably one of the huge road investments undertaken by the Government since independence nearly 40 years ago.

Under the deal, the money for loan repayment should come from toll gate fees collections.

But the prevailing foreign currency shortages has seen ZINARA struggling to repay.

It is a 10-year loan, which should be fully repaid in the next two years, but due to a series of defaults, Zimbabwe will need more years to settle the debt.

More so, the country is left to pay huge penalties arising from failure to timely settle its obligations.

The adoption of mono-currency has also made the situation even more complicated as ZINARA now needs more local dollars to butt the US dollars.

The deal was entered during the multi-currency regime dominated by the US dollar.

Critics, however, say this might not be peculiar to ZINARA as some State-owned entities, which borrowed money from foreign financiers to fund their projects may also be struggling to settle their debts in light of forex shortages.

For instance, ZESA received a US$533 million from China to expand its Kariba hydroelectric plant but has been facing forex challenges even to import power to narrow the supply gap.

ZINARA chairman Michel Madanha told our sister paper The Sunday Mail Business that the only source of foreign currency are transit fees, not sufficient to meet its monthly obligations.

As such, the national road administrator was looking at re-negotiating repayment terms.

“The assessment of the deal is still being undertaken by the transactional advisor contracted by ZINARA and it is coming at a time when the sourcing of foreign currency to pay the DBSA loan has become difficult given foreign currency challenges in the economy,” Mr Madanha said in an interview.

“Loan repayment is currently coming from the transit fees, which is the only source of foreign currency.”

Asked whether the arrangement was yielding impressive dividends for the country, Madanha said:

“The assessment on whether the PPP is yielding dividends to the country is what the new ZINARA board and new management team are seized with .

ZINARA has engaged the transactional advisor to assess all contracts that gave rise to the PPP and evaluate whether it has achieved the intended purpose that was there at the inception of the contract.”

Efforts to get a comment from DBSA proved fruitless.

Correspondent|FINANCE and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube yesterday said Government was seized with addressing salaries for civil servants and the issue will be solved in a few weeks’ time. The Government last week offered civil servants a 100 percent pay rise, in a move that will result in the least-paid worker taking home $2 033, up from $1 023 per month.

However, civil servants rejected the offer.

They continued demanding that their salaries be pegged on the interbank rate, with the lowest-paid worker getting the equivalent of US$475 monthly.

“We are negotiating with civil servants against the vagaries of inflation,” said Minister Ncube.

“Those negotiations are making progress. When negotiating there can be disagreements and that is normal. But we as the employer, we are going to make sure there is a decent salary for civil servants.

“We appreciate the work that they do and also we are going to honour that by this cushioning allowance. It is our expectation that we come to some agreement in the next few weeks so that we can move forward.”

More than 15 civil servants’ associations and eight staff associations met in Harare yesterday to receive feedback on Government’s position on last week’s meeting.

In an interview after the meeting, Public Service Association president Mrs Cecilia Alexander said civil servant’s representatives met and disagreed with the Government offer.

“They said they are incapacitated, hence there is need to peg their salaries equivalent to US$475 at the interbank rate for the minimum worker,” she said.

“We will continue to engage the Government until our demands are met.”

An economic analyst, Mr Persistence Gwanyanya, said while experts were fully convinced about the need to improve the remuneration of civil servants in line with the rising cost of living, that should be in line with the major objectives to achieve low and stable inflation.

“Now, pegging salaries against the interbank rate does not achieve this as it’s likely to result in wage price spiral,” he said.

“This will take us back to the hyperinflation period of 2008. What this means is we should understand that we are in a transition and we can’t achieve all goals at once. We need logical sequencing of interventions.”

Mr Gwanyanya said ideally, salaries should be increased, but not to the extent of pegging them to a set US dollar figure paid out at the interbank rate.

He said Government and labour should agree with a level of salary increase that achieves the major objective of low and stable inflation whilst improving the standard of living of civil servants.

“The subsidies model currently in place has to be effectively implemented to reduce the cost of living,” said Mr Gwanyanya.

“That is where Government can provide an acceptable excuse not to increase salaries in line with the interbank rate.”

Source: State Media

THE Meteorological Service Department (MSD) yesterday warned people to brace for more thunderstorms this week.

In a statement, the MSD said Matabeleland North, Midlands, north of Manicaland, Harare Metropolitan and all Mashonaland provinces will be mostly cloudy and will experience rain showers followed by thunder and lightning.

“Localised heavy falls remain probable. On the other hand, Matabeleland South, Bulawayo Metropolitan, Masvingo and south of Manicaland should be mostly sunny with isolated light showers that may be thundery in places,” the MSD statement said.

The MSD said rains will not be uniform with some areas expected to experience heavy downpours while others will receive showers or no rainfall.

In cases of thunderstorms, the department urged people to avoid seeking shelter under trees or shades and to avoid outdoor activities.

The department also urged people to get rid of mosquito breeding grounds.

“Mosquitoes proliferate during this season, any areas that allow stagnation of water become breeding grounds for these vectors and people should fumigate possible mosquito breeding grounds within your vicinity,” read the statement.

Own Correspondent|Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube yesterday issued government employees with surprise “cushioning allowances,” at a time when most of the workers are formulating a crippling industrial action.

Civil servants will each get between $400 and $800, depending on grades, beginning today as a once off payment.

“We appreciate the work that they do and also we are going to honour that by this cushioning allowance. It is our expectation that we come to some agreement in the next few weeks so that we can move forward.”

Minister Ncube said the Government was going to repeat what happened last year when civil servants were awarded cushioning allowances and adjustments constantly.

“Last year we did it twice during the year,” he said.

“We had a cushioning allowance and then had another adjustment in April last year, another adjustment in July and a bonus in November. So, this year again, we will follow a similar pattern with multiple points to cushion civil servants.”

More than 15 civil servants’ associations and eight staff associations met in Harare yesterday to receive feedback on Government’s position on last week’s meeting.

In an interview after the meeting, Public Service Association president Mrs Cecilia Alexander said civil servant’s representatives met and disagreed with the Government salary review offer.

State Media|Live streaming of court proceedings in cases of public interest will now be a permanent feature as the Judiciary moves to promote transparency and accountability.

Speaking during the official opening of the 2020 Legal Year in Harare yesterday, Chief Justice Luke Malaba admitted that Zimbabwe has been slow in introducing live broadcasts.

He told the gathering, including judges and lawyers, the diplomatic corps and high-ranking Government officials who attended the traditional opening ceremony that the live streaming of the 2018 presidential poll petition marked a new era for the country’s Judiciary.

“It demonstrated our Judiciary’s commitment to upholding the values of transparency and accountability,” said Chief Justice Malaba.

“In that case, I noted that live broadcast of court proceedings promotes transparency and public confidence in the justice system.”

Other cases of public interest have since been broadcast live from the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice Malaba said the broadcast of court proceedings is inescapable in the administration of justice.

“Few people are able to attend court proceedings at any given time, yet cases of public interest affect more than the litigants before the courts.

“They also affect the interests of a large section of society,” he said.

“Many reasons explain this. One of the most common impediments is the location of the court. For instance, the Constitutional Court only sits in Harare, yet people from all corners of the country are invariably interested in the proceedings before that court.

“This results in operations of courts being considered as secretive by the public.

“As a result, the ordinary man and woman may view the decisions of the courts with suspicion.

“The public have the opportunity to observe first-hand court proceedings as they unfold,” he said.

“They have the opportunity to learn how courts function in the process of hearing and adjudicating disputes between citizens on the one hand and citizens and the State on the other.”

The Chief Justice, however, said fear of sensationalism is allayed through strict regulation of the broadcasting process so as to protect the dignity of the proceedings.

“This trajectory is intended to foster public trust and confidence in the court system by debunking the myth that court proceedings are esoteric and that courts want to mask their decisions,” he said.

Own Correspondent|MEMBERS of a 40-member machete gang which invaded a police base in Gokwe North in an attempt to rescue their arrested counterparts, have been denied bail.

Gokwe magistrate Mr Musaiona Shortgame remanded the gang to 22 January for trial.

Mr Shortgame said the gang members were facing a serious crime and are flight risks if released on bail.

“The court has proved beyond doubt that there are compelling reasons as to why the accused should remain in custody. The court concurred with the State submissions that the case against the accused persons was strong and that may induce them to abscond if released,” said Mr Shortgame.

He said their release may also endanger the safety of the public.

Their defence counsel Mr Tinashe Matiyashe of Matiyashe Law Chambers argued that his clients were not flight risks since they were Gokwe residents.

But the State led by Mr Liberty Chimwaradze argued that the case should not be taken lightly since the accused posed a threat to national security.

“These are people of no fixed abode who are likely to do anything, your Honour, they are likely to abscond. I therefore pray to this court to detain the accused persons in custody,” said Mr Chimwaradze.

The gang is definitely set not to have it easy at the courts as government has adopted a tough stance against the lawless machete thugs taking over the country.

The National Prosecuting Authority recently ordered all courts to be firm when handling cases involving the thugs.

“We have noted with concern the upsurge in the number of cases of violence involving the use of machetes, especially by illegal artisanal miners. In a bid to stamp out the scourge, you are hereby directed to oppose bail and to request custodial sentences in the event of any convictions in all such cases,” wrote Justin Uladi, the National Director of Public Prosecutions.

Speaking at the opening of the 2020 Legal Year yesterday, Chief Justice Luke Malaba said special courts have been set up countrywide to deal specifically with organised machete gang attackers that are terrorising citizens, especially in gold mining areas, and show the Judiciary had capacity to fight crime and enforce the law.

The specialised courts are expected to clamp down speedily and decisively on the machete gang menace following grisly murders, including that of a Kadoma police officer, robberies and vicious assaults.

Machete gangs have become a major force in gold-rich mining towns like Kwekwe, Kadoma, Bindura and Chegutu, where they are killing and sexually abusing gold miners and civilians.

They have also moved into some towns and cities.

Chief Justice Malaba strongly warned rogue elements behind the wave of machete and knife violence.

“As we speak, the country is gripped by another spate of violence perpetrated by the so-called machete gangs,” he said.

“The Judiciary acknowledges the work being undertaken by law enforcement agencies in bringing perpetrators of that violence to book.

“May I assure the nation that the courts stand ready to decisively deal with those accused of these offences in accordance with the law. Special courts to specifically try the cases have been set up in all affected areas across the country. I call upon all stakeholders in the administration of justice to make concerted efforts to end this problem.”

Chief Justice Malaba said institutions mandated to protect citizens could not sit back and watch while a few rogue elements terrorised the nation for their selfish benefits.

Own Correspondent|Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube has agreed on a unique deal with China where Chinese investing in Zimbabwe will be allowed to take back to China in foreign currency all the profits they will have generated in the country.

“One issue that has been of concern is we need to make sure there is full repatriation of profits. The returns are guaranteed so we make sure the accounts remain in hard currency or are guaranteed to be so. Those are the issues that will allow us to unlock more resources from China.

“China is the leader in the world in terms of strategies for developing infrastructure and we want to learn from them. There is a lot of resources to tap in terms of infrastructure development,” he said.

Minister Ncube said due to the difficulties of having to service debts and liabilities for Chinese investments into Zimbabwe, they had entered into a currency swap arrangement deal.

“There are those who will be investing in Zimbabwe from China and those who require their profits to be remitted back to China, which is normal. The idea is those individuals will then swap so that those investing in Zimbabwe will be able to have the domestic currency and they use foreign currency which they are bringing to invest in Zimbabwe to pay those who are exiting.

“This will do with any country that has a similar relationship as Zimbabwe. But with China specifically, we have this special relationship and the Chinese Government has approved this currency swap. It will strengthen our capacity to honour our liabilities with China and also attract new investors from China,” he said.

Minister Ncube said the currency swap had been approved and was only awaiting implementation.

Mthuli Ncube’s flashy proposal already appears difficult to understand as China’s heavy involvement in any country, words like “exploited” and “corrupted” replace rosier depictions of the country’s activity. Recently, phrases such as “human rights abuses,” “volatile race relations,” “unsustainable trade,” and “labor violations” have resonated with most Chinese companies in the country leaving one wondering how the deal Mthuli Ncube is pushing will survive.

On the sale of State enterprises, he said they had not discussed the issue with Mr Wang, but he was of the view that any bidder globally or locally was free to bid or express interest for Zimbabwe’s partial privatisation of its assets.

Source: State Media

Own Correspondent|Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Wang Yi completed his his five-nation Africa tour yesterday with a meeting with on leave President Mnangagwa at State House.

Mr Wang left for China after the meeting.

President Mnangagwa confirmed that they had a meeting which he called fruitful though he had to come out of his leave to meet the Minister instead of delegating Acting President Constantino Chiwenga to do the task.

“He is very happy that we had the occasion to go over our relations between China and Zimbabwe on all issues and he goes back home satisfied that our relations are on a solid foundation.

“What remains is further consolidation and deepening those relations. We scaled up relations in September 2019 from all-weather friendship between the two countries to a strategic comprehensive partnership. We, as Zimbabwe, are happy with our relations with China,” said President Mnangagwa.

In a statement, issued from the Chinese Embassy in Harare yesterday, Wang said China and Zimbabwe had achieved fruitful results and were facing important opportunities under the guidance of Presidents Xi Jinping and Mnangagwa.

He said his discussions with Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo were fruitful and confirmed that consensus was reached on a lot of important issues.

“First, China-Zimbabwe friendship is unbreakable. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zimbabwe. Over the past 40 years, Sino-Zimbabwe friendship has withstood the test of strong winds and waves and has always been unswerving.

“Among others, the most fundamental experience is mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual support. China supports the efforts of the Zimbabwe people to safeguard its national sovereignty and national dignity, and supports its independent choice of a path to development in line with its national conditions.

“We also appreciate the fact that Zimbabwe has made its relations with China a diplomatic priority, and we thank Zimbabwe for its valuable support in relation to China’s core interests. We are willing to be good friends, good partners and good brothers with Zimbabwe forever.”

Mr Wang said China and Zimbabwe were at an important point of national development and rejuvenation and the two countries had to adhere to the concept of win-win cooperation, continue to carry out good cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, mining and actively expand new growth areas.

“As a good friend of Zimbabwe, we are also willing to actively provide policy advice in accordance with the wishes of the Zimbabwe people, and share the experience of the Chinese side. The joint construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative” and the China-Africa Cooperation Forum are two major platforms for promoting Sino-Zimbabwe cooperation, and will provide an important driving force for Zimbabwe’s economic and social development,” he said.

Mr Wang said China advocated equality among countries and opposed the use of strength over the weak.

A MAN from Inyathi in Bubi District, Matabeleland North province who allegedly ganged up with his mother and fatally struck his father with an axe before the woman attempted to conceal the murder, has been arrested.

Musawenkosi Ncube (18) who had been on the run after allegedly axing his father Mr Sipho Ncube (42) more than a week ago, a crime his mother Beauty Ncube (40) allegedly tried to cover up, was arrested at the weekend.

Mr Ncube died at Mpilo Central Hospital last Wednesday due to injuries sustained during the attack.

Beauty allegedly attempted to conceal the murder by giving a false report to the police that the deceased was injured after he fell on a rake.

Beauty and Musawenkosi of Mahlabathini village jointly appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Nomasiko Ndlovu facing a murder charge and they were remanded in custody to January 30.

Prosecuting, Mr George Rufumoyo said on January 5, the deceased and his wife had a misunderstanding in which Mr Ncube accused Beauty of engaging in an extra-marital affair with another man.

“The dispute degenerated into a fight resulting in the deceased striking Beauty on the head with a harrow,” said Mr Rufumoyo.

The court heard that when Musawenkosi discovered that his mother was under attack, he picked an axe and allegedly struck his father once on the head.

Beauty hit the deceased once on the ribs.

The deceased died three days later at Mpilo Central Hospital where he had been admitted.

It is alleged that Beauty tried to cover up the crime by allegedly lying that her husband was drunk and fell onto a rake.State media

Farai Dziva|Zimbabwean teachers are now earning the equivalent of US $35 per month.

See below Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union statement :
The over 5 000 members of Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ have unanimously resolved to desist from reporting for duty until the salary dispute is fixed.

The teachers are severely incapacitated since they are earning an equivalent of US$35 per month.

The proposed increment by the government falls way below the legitimate expectations of the hard-working teachers.

Teachers are demanding a United States dollar interbank rate indexed salaries.

The 97% offer by the government comes at a time when government services have been hiked by over 500%.

Government is even charging some of its services in United States dollars, for example, an emergency passport fee of US$318 from RTGS$ 318. We are simply asking to be accommodated into the national economy.

Government last paid teachers a full salary in September 2018, we have been earning 7% of the last negotiated income. Attempts to engage the government have been futile since then.

The employer has been calling for endless pity parties which have not yielded any positive result. Countless petitions have been submitted but no favourable response has been received as yet.

An ordinary teacher salary cannot fend for food, shelter, transport, education and health care. Teachers cannot afford transport to go back to work.

Our members stationed at far-flung schools like
Gokwe but domiciled in
Manicaland , for example, cannot make it back to work under these circumstances. Such a member would fork out RTGS$ 700 for transport alone.

School fees are now beyond the reach of teachers and teachers cannot afford the service they provide. It is rumoured that parents are now incentivizing teachers to report for duty, it should be noted that rural communities cannot afford to pay these incentives.

The responsibility for providing education solely lies on the shoulders of the government, other actors can only play a supporting role.
Our recently convened congress resolved to deploy our leadership to engage the Joint Operations Command, (JOC) to avert the victimization of teachers by state agents.

We warn the government and school administrators to refrain from the sick culture of targeting teachers who are tabling genuine labour grievances. We will pursue all remedies to put an end to this debauchery.
We encourage the government to urgently pay teachers a living wage to save our education from collapse. The pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals is derailed by the underfunding of critical sectors like education.

Teachers will not pretend to be teaching under these untenable conditions lest we hazard destroying the future of our learners and our nation. The drop in 2019 grade 7 pass rates is a clear testimony of erosion of the quality of our education.

We call upon like-minded sister unions and the broader working class to join this noble fight aimed at rescuing our education.

Parents are encouraged to keep their children at home, there will be no teachers to attend to the learners at school.-ARTUZ

Farai Dziva|Chief Justice Luke Malaba has called for transparency and accountability in the judiciary system.

He made the remarks at the official opening of the 2020 legal year.

See part of his statement below :
A system of accountability is executed through various mechanisms and reforms that ensure openness. The two concepts are mutually inclusive.

Unless there is accountability, transparency is of little value. In the same vein, without transparency it becomes impossible to hold public officials to account.

Transparency is a priceless prerequisite for any modern judiciary. It operates as a mechanism of governance, administration and management by the Judiciary.

It allows for control and participation by citizens in public matters. The administration of justice by the courts is one such public matter. Public power is exercised by the judiciary on behalf of the citizens.

Transparency and accountability foster within the public a sense of ownership and trust in government.

The concepts reinforce the notion that judicial officers are employees of the people.

Public decision-making processes ought to reflect the will of the people. It is for this reason that section 162 of the Constitution provides that judicial authority derives from the people of Zimbabwe.

In that regard, citizens are major stakeholders in the business of the courts. The courts must therefore, from time to time, account to the citizens on how they are performing their functions.

Such is the importance of transparency and accountability that the preamble to the Constitution lists them amongst the values which need to be entrenched to guide institutions of the State at every level in the discharge of constitutional obligations. The preamble states that there is “the need to entrench democracy, good, transparent and accountable governance and the rule of law”.
The concepts of transparency and accountability exist as indispensable components of democratic governance. Democratic governance, simply put, entails the system by which government and its institutions operate according to democratic processes and norms.

Transparency and accountability are crucial in the maintenance of a sustainable relationship of reciprocity and trust that must exist between the government and its people.

From this viewpoint, the Judicial Service Commission’s (“the Commission”) and the Judiciary’s understanding of transparency is one of openness in relation to activities. It lays bare what is being done, where, how and for what reason and the results thereof.

In the context of central government, transparency directly relates to the obligation by government to provide the public with access to information about the government. It is a duty to disclose on the part of the public office bearers and a right to demand disclosure on the part of the citizens. It plays the crucial role of countering private and public corruption, excesses in the use of public power.

As a result, there is reduction of abuse of discretion and political manipulation. It protects individual rights and ensures the security of persons and their property. Public confidence in the integrity of government processes increases.

Transparency is particularly important in judicial institutions because it promotes accountability, combats corruption and helps to eliminate arbitrariness.

Courts wield enormous power, the exercise of which can affect the interests of citizens.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

Said the MDC in a statement:

IN MEMORY OF STATE BRUTALITY….It all started exactly a year ago to the day with the midnight press conference addressed by ED himself announcing a massive fuel price hike.

The people’s peaceful response to the resultant price hikes was met with an orgy of massive State brutality in which over 19 innocent people lost their lives. Today, we remember.

By A Correspondent| MDC national vice chairperson, Job Sikhala has rejected a Masvingo legal practitioner appointed by the State to represent him on the treason charge he is facing.

Sikhala was approached by Charles Ndhlovu saying he was instructed by the Masvingo High Court registrar to represent him on “pro deo”.

A fuming Sikhala told a local publication:

How did the registrar just pick a legal practitioner when it is clearly indicated on the indictment papers that they were served to my legal practitioner.

I wonder what their motives are. At law, someone can be allocated a legal practitioner to represent him or her on two grounds.

Firstly, when the accused person has requested it and, secondly when the accused person is not able to choose a legal practitioner of choice on a serious offence.

A pro deo refers to legal representation availed by the State to a person accused of a capital offence but is unable to afford a legal practitioner.

Sikhala is being represented by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| Chief Justice Luke Malaba said that special courts have been set up to deal with the infamous machete wielding criminals commonly referred to as Mashurugwi.

Malaba made the remarks while officially opening the 2020 legal year at the Constitutional Court in Harare on Monday. He said:

The country is gripped by another spate of violence perpetrated by the so-called machete gangs.

The judiciary acknowledges the work being undertaken by the law enforcement agencies in bringing perpetrators of that wave to book.

May I assure the nation that the courts will decisively deal with the accused of these offences in accordance with the law.

Towards the end of 2019, there was an upsurge in cases of robberies perpetrated by gangs of people wielding machetes mainly in the mining communities.

In December, a machete gang attacked and killed a police officer who was guarding a mine in Kadoma.

By A Correspondent| The MDC youth wing has vowed to press ahead with plans to hold gatherings in commemoration of the 19 people killed last January during protests triggered by a sharp fuel price hike.

The party’s national youth chairperson Obey Sithole told a local publication on Sunday that they will continue to demand answers until the killers are brought to justice.

He said:

As young people, we are going to do everything within our means to remind the world that on that day a gross crime against humanity was committed under (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa’s instruction.

We will continue to demand answers on the efforts that have been made to bring the culprits to book. We are going to have commemorations across the country.

Meanwhile, Deputy Information minister Energy Mutodi on Sunday chillingly warned that the government will not hesitate to employ the shoot-to-kill policy on violent demonstrators if necessary.

In the last few years, security forces have been accused of using disproportionate force against unarmed protestors resulting in the death of dozens.

-DailyNews

By A Correspondent| The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has called upon all workers, formally employed and those in the informal sector, to come together and confront the government in protest over slave wages.

ZCTU secretary-general Peter Mutasa  scoffed at President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s remarks that people should not pine for meat but rather eat vegetables for their health.

Said Mutasa:

The issue that is bringing us all together as people is that of hunger. Every person who is working in this country must not be forced to eat vegetables and potatoes. A worker must get money enough to purchase foods that constitute a balanced diet.

Our message is that we do not have any other way to go because most avenues have been closed, but we now need to fight oppression and exploitation of workers. We do not have any other choice.

So that is our first message (to workers) that we are going ahead with demonstrations and we are going to maintain our stance of fighting government policies which are oppressing the people.

In January 2019, ZCTU called for a mass stay away after the government had unilaterally hiked the price of fuel by over 130 per cent.

Protests erupted across the country in response to the price hike and Union leaders were subsequently charged with treason.

-Newsday

The MDC youth wing has vowed to press ahead with plans to hold gatherings in commemoration of the 19 people killed last January during protests triggered by a sharp fuel price hike.

The party’s national youth chairperson Obey Sithole told the Daily News on Sunday that they will continue to demand answers until the killers are brought to justice. He said:

As young people, we are going to do everything within our means to remind the world that on that day a gross crime against humanity was committed under (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa’s instruction.

We will continue to demand answers on the efforts that have been made to bring the culprits to book. We are going to have commemorations across the country.

Meanwhile, Deputy Information minister Energy Mutodi on Sunday chillingly warned that the government will not hesitate to employ the shoot-to-kill policy on violent demonstrators if necessary.

In the last few years, security forces have been accused of using disproportionate force against unarmed protestors resulting in the death of dozens.

More: Daily News

Dear Colleagues RE: TEACHER INCAPACITAITON AND OPENING OF SCHOOLS

1.1. This circular letter updates our several nuggets in 2019 and the 2020 National Secretary General’s New Year message. It further conveys the National Executive’s decision of 21 December 2019 on the above captioned subject.

2. TEACHER INCAPACITATION DEEPENS AND WILL NOW AFFECT THE OPENING OF SCHOOLS

2.1. ZIMTA National Executive now rallies its members to desist from worsening their situation by over borrowing so as to facilitate their transport and subsistence back to work. This is the employer’s responsibility. To that end, National Executive stands by all its members who have indicated that they will wait for the employer to capacitate them before going back to schools.

2.2. Sustaining one’s living on a salary deficit of ninety three percent (93%) is impossible and can only be done miraculously, by any breadwinner.

2.3. The employer should take full responsibility for this development and for carelessly handling our members’ requests for meaningful salary adjustments in 2019 through 2020.

3. WAY FORWARD

3.1. Members are advised to take the following measures when incapacitated, so that this state of affairs is not interpreted as collective job action, but be understood to be what it is, incapacitation.

3.2. Advise your colleagues, superiors and those with a legal obligation to supervise or superintend over your work, about your whereabouts.

3.3. Remember you are not on strike but you have been made redundant by your employer.

3.4. Avoid being “cushioned” by enslaving increases that do not transform your situation or seeking refuge in institutional accommodation and getting pacified by such ineffective ways.

3.5. ZIMTA has cautioned the employer of this eventuality and continues to request the employer to intercede in a meaningful and impacting way.

4. CONCLUSION

4.1. Members are advised that the National Executive’s decision to support members on this was reached after a wide consultation and analysis over a period of time.

4.2. You are advised to keep in touch with your Association, should you find yourselves in an invidious position on matters related to this or work.

Sibanda Tapson N. (Mr)

NATIONAL SECRETARY GENRAL

Following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on the 21st of December 2019 at ZIMA House, and a subsequent inception board meeting held on the 11th of January 2020 at the ZADHR offices, the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) wishes to announce to the public and all stakeholders of the election of a new board to steer the work of the organization for the next three years.

The new board comprises of the following; Dr Fortune Nyamande (Chairperson), Dr Fungisai Mazhandu (Vice-Chairperson, Dr Norman Matara (Secretary), Dr Mufudzi Mushaninga (Treasurer), Dr Tendai Tsuro, Dr Artmore Chakanyuka, Dr Ratidzo Mugumbate, Mr Jeremiah Bamu (legal advisor), Dr Nyamande takes over from Dr Brighton Chizhande who served the ZADHR board with distinction and previously served as the Spokesperson of ZADHR.

It is our conviction as ZADHR that the new board will further entrench the values and pursue the mandate of the organization to ensure that the health and human rights of Zimbabweans are promoted, protected and defended.

We have no doubt that the esteemed new board of these outstanding individuals will bring new ideas for the growth of the organisation during their tenure.

As we welcome the new board and wish them the best as they work to continue serving the medical fraternity and the Zimbabwean citizens as a whole, we also take this opportunity thank Dr Chizhande and his team and wish them the best in their endeavours.

NewsDay|Zimbabwe is on the verge of a complete shutdown as private and public sector workers, as well as college students, plan to take to the streets.

Teachers, lecturers, and students are planning to coalesce with the rest of the civil service for a strike that could cripple essential services and the start of the school calendar tomorrow.

Government workers last week rejected an offer by the government to double their wages and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) is planning “mother-of-all” demonstrations to press the government to address key national issues and reverse “anti-poor people policies”.

The 97% salary hike would have seen the lowest-paid government worker getting
$2 033.

But the civil servants demanded that their salaries to be indexed to the United States dollar equivalent to those they earned during the dollarisation period.

Alternatively, the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), Zimbabwe
Teachers Association and Zimbabwe National Students Union (Zinasu), as well as the rest of the civil servants, are pressing the government to raise wages to bring the lowest paid civil servant to a monthly salary of $5 000.

The confrontation is likely to start tomorrow when schools open, with PTUZ secretary-general Raymond Majongwe calling for a united front with pupils, parents, and teachers to confront the government.

“Government must be taught … economic volatility in this country is increasing every day. Economic and political frustration is increasing every day. It’s better they engage people and they give us what we are worth because we are offering our labor to the country for the benefit of the nation and we need solidarity from everybody, the kids the parents and everybody out there,” he said.

“Why do people want to justify that they will seat and smile as government behaves like a bull in a china shop? You can’t tell me that somebody who is asking to be paid $6 000 for them to report for duty is asking for too much!”

Acting Primary and Secondary Education minister Amon Murwira said he was aware of the concerns by teachers, but said the matter was being handled by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and an announcement would be made soon.

“We have hope, I have hope, but at the moment, this is being dealt with the PSC and an announcement will be made regarding that,” he said.

The government has failed to effectively deal with the industrial action by junior doctors, which has continued for over four months, with hospitals partially closed.

Munyaradzi Gwisai, leader of the International Socialist Organisation in Zimbabwe, has called on all workers to have a joint demonstration and a shutdown of government business, saying workers have had enough and should not allow themselves to work for slave wages.

“We now need a united front of all victims of austerity to lead the resistance against austerity and the junta. Students, workers, youths, vendors and the villagers … we have to learn the lesson that the late Morgan Tsvangirai, as secretary-general of ZCTU, learned then that sometimes negotiations yield nothing. You can’t keep talking to people who are not listening.

There is no bigger army that the power of the workers and villagers,” Gwisai said.

Irked by the increase in college fees against poor salaries, Zinasu has also warned it will be taking to the streets to protest what it called attempts to push them out of school.

“They pay student teachers $150 and not even constantly, they pay our mothers $100, then they proceed to us students and demand $5 000 per term, $15 000 per year exclusive of other necessities … They must be stopped, they must be resisted. They are evil,” Zinasu said in a statement in response to a statement from Seke Teachers College, which increased fees for resident teacher students from $2 416 to $5 016 effective January 10.

The ZCTU has already declared 2020 as a year for resisting slave wages and confronting government over poor policies and the poverty-inducing austerity measures.

“We have been mandated by the workers to ensure that we resist all these slave wages and engage in peaceful and constitutional action, which will end the suffering of workers, toiling every day yet they can’t pay just rentals or send their children to school. As we speak right now, many of our members are being evicted from their homes. Action has to be now,” ZCTU secretary-general Peter Mutasa said.

He added that it was important for all workers to join hands and fight from the same corner.

“Our message is that it is no longer effective for workers to fight from their different unions or groups. It is no longer tenable for the doctors to protest alone. It is also no longer effective for teachers to fight the government alone. The same goes for nurses, bank employees or those (who) do general cleaning. They can’t fight from their corners,” he said.

“It is also now impossible for workers who work for famous companies to fight without joining hands with those who are self-employed. So we are saying let us have unity of workers who work in formal and informal sectors. We now also want to see unity in the protests between the workers who work in cities and those who work in rural areas.”

Mutasa lashed out at President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call for people to avoid meat and eat vegetables and potatoes.

“The issue that is bringing us all together as people is that of hunger. Every person who is working in this country must not be forced to eat vegetables and potatoes. A worker must get money enough to purchase foods that constitute a balanced diet,” he said.

Mutasa said workers no longer had any other way of dealing with the government to solve the multi-layered national crises than to take to the streets.

“Our message is that we do not have any other way to go because most avenues have been closed, but we now need to fight oppression and exploitation of workers. We do not have any other choice. So that is our first message (to workers) that we are going ahead with demonstrations and we are going to maintain our stance of fighting government policies which are oppressing the people,” he said.

The ZCTU has also said it was against the government’s introduction of a mono currency and maintained workers must be paid either in US dollars or the equivalent of their salaries in the greenback as at September 2017.

Through the Zimbabwe Hospitals Doctors Association (ZHDA), the doctors — who have been on strike for more than four months now — have vowed to press on until their demand for better wages is met.

“It has been four months since our members declared incapacitation, our employer has to date offered a net salary of $3 600 equivalent to less than US$170. A clear breach of our contractual agreement of net US$1 800. We remain steadfast in our call for a decent wage for our members,” ZHDA said.

THE judiciary has established special courts to deal “decisively” with the notorious machete gangs known as Mashurugwi.

Officially opening the 2020 Legal Year at the Constitutional Court in Harare Monday, Chief Justice Luke Malaba said the terror gangs could create anarchy if they were not quickly neutralised.

“As we speak the country is gripped by another spate of violence perpetrated by the so called machete gangs”, Malaba said.

“The Judiciary acknowledges the work being undertaken by law enforcement agencies in bringing perpetrators of that wave of violence to book.

“May I assure the nation that the courts stand ready to decisively deal with those accused of these offences in accordance with the law,” he said.

“Special courts to specially try the cases have been set up in all affected areas across the country. I call upon all stakeholders in administration of justice to make concerted efforts to end this problem.”

Malaba added; “Institutions mandated to protect the citizens cannot sit back and watch a few rogue elements terrorise the entire nation for their selfish benefits.

“We hear stories of callous murders of ordinary Zimbabweans and law enforcement agents, citizens’ rights of freedom of movement, freedom to conduct their affairs without fear and freedom of association are being violated with impunity.

“Courts must demonstrate to the public they are possessed of real capacity to enforce the law and punish crime.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza officially opened the 2020 Legal Year at the Bulawayo High Court where she also implored stakeholders in the administration of justice to make concerted efforts to end the machete killings.

Gangs of artisanal miners are roaming in gold mining communities injuring and killing people using machetes before stealing gold, cash and other valuables.

According to the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) October 2019 report, 105 murders and 221 cases of assaults were reported in gold mining areas, but no arrests have been made.

Recently, a Kadoma-based machete gang killed Constable Wonder Hokoyo at Good Hope Mine in Battlefields, Kadoma.

Last week, robbers pounced on a Chegutu family, gang-raping an 80 year-old woman and her 16 year-old relative before killing them. The gang also attacked and seriously injured three minor members of the family.