The ruling Zanu PF party fears that the worsening economic crisis could be used to as an excuse to overthrow the President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration by “foreign sponsored anti-government campaigns”.
Mnangagwa creates Political Actors Dialogue (Polad), and tells the economy they are not at all actors but "party leaders" | ED IS SMART OR STUPID?
Zimbabwe is in the throes of its worst economic crisis in a decade characterised by shortages of cash, medicines, fuel and rolling power cuts of up to 20 hours a day.
Inflation rocketed to 481,5% in November, a new post-dollarisation high, eroding earnings and decimating pensions, while Zimbabweans have to grapple with constant price increases.
Meanwhile, salaries have remained depressed, with consumer spending severely curtailed.
Hopes of a quick economic turnaround when Emmerson Mnangagwa took over from long time ruler, the late Robert Mugabe, in November 2017 quickly faded after a disputed election last year, with Mnangagwa failing to address the crisis.
In its report, Zanu PF’s Chitepo School of Ideology claimed that there was a sustained global campaign targeting “undemocratic” governments, including Malawi, Venezuela, Hong Kong and Zimbabwe.
“On the international front, we have witnessed a global phenomenon of well-organised pro-Western anti-government mass protests targeting governments portrayed by the west as ‘undemocratic’ with a determined view to unseat them,” the report read.
Referring to the violence that gripped the country after the July 30 elections, when security forces shot and killed six civilians, the report said: “That sad chapter in our recent history marked the beginning of a well-organised, meticulously co-ordinated and generously funded campaign of economic sabotage and misinformation designed to mislead both the Zimbabwean population as well as the international community with the ultimate aim of overthrowing the elected government.
“The reaction of countries of the West to the events of 1 August 2018, 14 January 2019 and many other anti-government activities have demonstrated, in no uncertain terms, that these countries have not changed in their decision to remove Zanu PF from power through the mantra of regime change.”
The report said the party was disturbed by the continued economic sanctions against Zimbabwe and negativity by Western embassies against Zimbabwe.
According to the report, activists have been trained in foreign lands by intelligence forces on how to organise and apply strategies to undermine the government and its economic policies.
“This is meant to render the country ungovernable and incite the population to revolt and overthrow a legitimate government.”
Seven rights activists were hauled before the courts early this year on allegations of plotting to subvert the Zanu PF government.
Frank Mpahlo, Beauty Rita Nyampinga, Sithabile Dewa, George Makoni, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Gamuchirai Mukura, Nyasha Mpahlo and Farirai Gumbonzvanda were accused of participating in a meeting held in Maldives, where they allegedly underwent a training workshop organised by a Serbian non-governmental organisation, Centre for Applied Non-violent Action and Strategies, aimed at subverting constitutionally-elected governments through civil disobedience.
In its report, Zanu PF has blamed everyone, but itself for the crisis in the country, including the West, the MDC, saboteurs, G40 remnants and natural disasters.
THE OUTSPOKEN Ntabazinduna chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni has reiterated his suggestion that an interim transitional government (ITG) of technocrats must be put in place to abolish the bond note and implement a raft of political and economic reforms.
Ndiweni said Zimbabwe does not need a government of national unity (GNU), adding any dialogue process among the country’s political actors will only result in another unity government, which he said would be a waste of time.
There have been calls for dialogue to unlock the country’s political and socio-economic logjam with former South African president Thabo Mbeki also visiting the country last week to ostensibly lay the groundwork.
Ndiweni, however, argued the same process will not solve the country’s crisis such as a democracy deficiency.
“The mechanism for resuscitating our democracy is an ITG. This is not a GNU,” he said in a press release.
“A GNU is not capable of resuscitating our democracy.
“We had a GNU before and here we are again in not only economic meltdown but with the total collapse of democracy engineered by an emboldened politically corrupt establishment.
“Hence let us not waste time on a GNU.
“The dialogue being championed by the current administration is also a waste of time because it is designed to ultimately lead to a GNU.
“An ITG is a highbrid government that has a fixed short term and has a specific job description. In our case, its remit is to resuscitate democracy in our country,” he said.
How come you ignore the breakdown of law and order in Zimbabwe where the state has used live ammunition killing 25 civilians and raped women? What msg are you sending to investors when you ignore these realities for which you neither profer solutions? @ZadhrDoctors@ZLHRLawyers
In 365 days Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa sends exactly the same message to the same people. How long should it take for you to address such small issues like cash crisis, fuel crisis, etc? pic.twitter.com/WApT32HE7N
By A Correspondent- Rusape residents have raised concern over the cruel manner in which the local authority is putting down stray dogs, that council is saying are a health threat.
Rusape Town Council (RTC) mayor Lyton Sithole confirmed the operation to a local publication yesterday, saying they would not stop until residents comply with by-laws.
However, some residents claim that they have lost their vaccinated dogs in the operation.
“Currently, I don’t have a figure of how many dogs have been shot, but the operation of eliminating stray dogs is ongoing until we are satisfied that all our residents are complying with the laws,” Sithole said.
“Currently, I am yet to receive a complaint from any dog owner. Maybe they will come.”
Rusape Concerned Residents Trust member Godfrey Mufuranhewe said dogs were being killed in an inhumane manner.
“(The) operation of killing stray dogs is going ahead. Yesterday (Saturday), they killed my dog at the gate. It was very unfortunate my dog died a painful death. I think the method of elimination is inhuman. They are supposed to use traps not bullets,” he said “My dog Blackie was vaccinated a few months ago. It was a good dog, they killed a pet with good communication skills, friendly to my children. The method of elimination lacks accuracy.
How can you shot a dog three times? It affected me, even my neighbours. Why shoot my dog less than a metre from my gate.”
Another resident said council should change the way it is putting down dogs.
But another resident, Resident Tapiwa Murombo, welcomed the move, saying his wife was once attacked by a stray dog.
“I welcome the move by RTC because recently my wife was bitten by a dog while she was coming from work. So keep your dogs inside your fence or security walls,” he said.
By A Correspondent- Analysts who spoke to a local publication said President Mnangagwa’s dialogue platform a waste of time and resources if it does not involve Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the largest opposition party.
Political analyst Alexander Rusero also described Polad as a charade that Mnangagwa created.
“You can’t sit around with a bunch of electoral losers and pretend to be talking and in the process, leave out your main rival,” Rusero said.
“For starters, it is Mnangagwa who is setting the pace, agenda and at times venue to conduct the ‘dialogue’ meetings. That must not be the case. Real dialogue with real players will come, only after Zimbabwe has reached the mutually hurting stalemate like what happened in 2008.”
United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean lawyer and political analyst Alex Magaisa said attempts to trivialise Chamisa’s consent to dialogue were futile.
“They have already tried it with the Political Actors’ Dialogue. Without the biggest opposition leader, Polad was a sham from the beginning,” Magaisa wrote on his blog on Saturday.
“It has since proved to be no more than a group of enablers desperate to align with Mnangagwa and using attacks on Chamisa and the MDC Alliance to buy their way onto the gravy train.
Polad was presented as an inclusive dialogue, but for Mnangagwa, it is just a platform to trivialise and dilute his main rival, Chamisa.”
He added that Chamisa would lose credibility among his party’s followers if he joins Polad, adding even if they gave it a new name, it would still be foul.
Transport operators plying rural routes have increased fares to capitalise on an increase in the number of people travelling to their homes to spend Christmas with their families.
A snap survey by The Chronicle yesterday revealed that buses plying the Bulawayo-Nkayi route are now charging $80 for a single trip from $60 while those using kombis have to part with at least $120 from $100 for the same distance.
Kombis plying the Bulawayo-Tsholotsho route charge $70.
Previously they charged $50. Buses are charging $100 for a trip from Bulawayo to Lupane while those travelling to Binga will have to fork out $200 from $150 for a single trip.
A trip to Halisupe in Gwanda district and Maphisa in Matobo district now costs $100 from $80.
Some transport operators who spoke to The Chronicle attributed the hike to an acute shortage of diesel at service stations which is forcing them to resort to the informal traders who are charging exorbitant prices.
At filling stations, diesel is going for $18,89 a litre while on the black market the commodity is sold for US$2 per litre (about $32 using the interbank rate).
“Usually during this time of the year, we increase fares due to demand, but in this case, the push factor is a shortage of diesel, which we are now sourcing from the black market at an exorbitant price. Unfortunately, we are then left with no other option but to pass the buck to our passengers,” said Mr Benson Gumede, a driver of a Nkayi-bound bus.
Mr Luckmore Ndlovu, a kombi driver who plies the Bulawayo-Brunapeg route, said they were charging $150 from the previous $100.
When a Chronicle news crew visited Renkini Bus Terminus and Entumbane Country Bus Terminus yesterday, there was a hive of activity as scores of travellers jostled to catch buses to their rural homes ahead of the Christmas holiday.
However, bus conductors and kombi drivers said this year the number of travellers was down compared to the previous year during the same period.
“We normally handle a huge influx of travellers during this time of the year as people will be travelling home for Christmas. However, this time the numbers have gone down and this could be attributed to the prevailing economic challenges,” said Mr Lazarus Ndebele who plies the
Bulawayo-Maphisa route.
Mr Lungile Mlotshwa, a vendor who operates at Renkini Bus Terminus concurred with Mr Gumede.
“I have been operating in this place for the past five years and usually it becomes busy during this time as most people will be travelling to their rural homes for Christmas. This year, it is less busy and my business has been adversely affected due to the decline in the number of travellers,” he said.
The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) has deployed 20 teams nationwide that are conducting periodic road safety awareness campaigns to reduce carnage on the roads during the festive season. The awareness campaigns started on December 16 and will run to January 3, 2020.
Police are also urging motorists to observe road regulations when driving and have mounted roadblocks on most roads to check whether or not vehicles are roadworthy and stamp out speeding and other road offences.
Jane Mlambo| Zanu PF Twitter mole Kudzai Mutisi has fired shots at POLAD members for always hammering MDC Alliance saying they should have targets that seek go do good for Zimbabweans so that they can be appreciated.
Posting on Twitter, Mutisi said the business of attacking and judging the MDC leader Nelson Chamisa should be left to Zimbabweans.
“On POLAD:
Do not justify your existence, do good for Zimbabweans, they will see & appreciate.
Have definite goals/targets – shouldn’t be an open ended program
Leave @mdczimbabwe & @nelsonchamisa alone, dialogue is VOLUNTARY. Zimbos will judge him on their own
Asante,” said Mutisi.
POLAD members in particular Obert Gutu and Thokozani Khupe have never missed an opportunity to hit back at Chamisa whom they accuse of snatching power following the death of party founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai in February last year.
Mutisi is one of the countless Zanu PF activists deployed on Twitter to push the ruling party agenda and counter opposition narrative.
His post seems to be a divergence from what his fellow colleagues do everyday on Twitter, attacking Chamisa and MDC with reckless abandon.
"Chamisa must do the right thing and join POLAD", @ChronicleZim 23/12/19
Losing an election is strength only in Zimbabwe. The idea that the cheated winner can be weakened by being stampeded into joining losers in a coalition of the weak is preposterous!https://t.co/ZewqjoeAF5
By Jane Mlambo- The opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa has announced the passing on of its Chegutu Ward 2 Councilor Memory Banda.
In a Twitter message posted on MDC Mashonaland West handle, the party said they had lost Banda, Ward 2 councilor since 2013.
Said the party :
“The MDC Mashonaland West Province regrets to inform you all that we have lost Chegutu Ward 2 Councilor Memory Banda. She was our councilor for Chegutu ward 2 since 2013.
Our deepest condolences go to her family. May her soul rest in eternal peace.”
The party however did not disclose the cause of her death.
By A Correspondent- The Chicken Inn Couple, Makhosana Mguni and Belinda Nyoni, set to wed on boxing day have said preparations are at an advanced stage and they can’t wait to say their I dos.
A local publication spoke to the bride and groom who expressed their joy and said:
This has been a hectic time organising the wedding, but with the help from our relatives, it has been less stressful. Makho and I are ready for the big day and I can’t wait to say I do – Belinda
My suit which was bought by Pride Tendy, a Zimbabwean based in Turkey is ready and I can’t wait for the wedding day – Makhosana
Makhosana and Belinda trended on social media when Makhosana was initially ridiculed for proposing at a Chicken inn drive through till Chicken Inn stepped up and made them brand ambassadors and well-wishers started pledging to help them with their wedding preparations.
By A Correspondent- Analysts who spoke to a local publication recently called President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s dialogue platform a waste of time and resources if it does not involve Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the largest opposition party.
Political analyst Alexander Rusero also described Polad as a charade that Mnangagwa created.
“You can’t sit around with a bunch of electoral losers and pretend to be talking and in the process, leave out your main rival,” Rusero said.
“For starters, it is Mnangagwa who is setting the pace, agenda and at times venue to conduct the ‘dialogue’ meetings. That must not be the case. Real dialogue with real players will come, only after Zimbabwe has reached the mutually hurting stalemate like what happened in 2008.”
United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean lawyer and political analyst Alex Magaisa said attempts to trivialise Chamisa’s consent to dialogue were futile.
“They have already tried it with the Political Actors’ Dialogue. Without the biggest opposition leader, Polad was a sham from the beginning,” Magaisa wrote on his blog on Saturday.
“It has since proved to be no more than a group of enablers desperate to align with Mnangagwa and using attacks on Chamisa and the MDC Alliance to buy their way onto the gravy train.
Polad was presented as an inclusive dialogue, but for Mnangagwa, it is just a platform to trivialise and dilute his main rival, Chamisa.”
He added that Chamisa would lose credibility among his party’s followers if he joins Polad, adding even if they gave it a new name, it would still be foul.
By A Correspondent- A 36 year old man has been taken to court for defrauding a homeseeker of US$13 000.
Lawrence Marinye appeared before Harare magistrate Victoria Mushamba, who remanded him to January 25, 2020 on $1 000 bail pending finalisation of investigations.
Allegations are that Marinye posted a message on a WhatsApp group that he was selling a stand in Tynwald.
The court heard that the complainant got interested and requested to meet Marinye with the intention of viewing the stand.
They are said to have met in the company of Valerie Muzonzini, who masqueraded as the registered owner of the stand and the complainant expressed interest and was told to deposit US$13 000.
It is alleged that an agreement of sale was prepared by Blessed Jairos of Kanoti and Partners Legal Practitioners.
The offence came to light on December 13 after the complainant received information that Marinye and Muzonzini did not own the stand.
The complainant filed a report to the police, leading to Marinye’s arrest.
By A Correspondent- A field orderly at Camsasa Clinic in Guruve was last week arraigned before the courts for possession of two elephant tusks.
Last Chaatama (39) pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded in custody to December 31 by Guruve resident magistrate Shingirai Mutiro.
Prosecutor Albert Mazhindu alleged that on December 17, a team comprising Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority officials and police officers were tipped that Chaatama had some ivory and they visited his homestead at night.
On arrival, they found a minor who advised them that the accused was not at home.
The team conducted a search at the residence in the presence of the minor and found the ivory weighing 4,8kg valued at US$1 200 hidden in a sack in a tobacco ban.
The minor told the officers that the ivory belonged to Chaatama, who was later apprehended.
In another case, a 19-year-old Chiweshe robber was sentenced to four years in jail by a Concession magistrate for robbing two women of cash.
Takudzwa Banda, of Mupandenyama Village in Chiweshe, was convicted by magistrate Nyasha Machiriori, who conditionally suspended two years of the sentence.
Prosecutor Kumbirai Nyamvura told the court that on September 24, Banda and two accomplices assaulted Shylet Midzi and Caroline Midzi before snatching a handbag, which contained some money and three cellphones.
By A Correspondent- Fresh details have emerged on the Herentals FC Match Fixing allegations levelled against them by Bulawayo Chiefs.
The state media reports that an official from Herentials reportedly first approached The Twitter Kings’ coach and when they were unsuccessful they then approached players.
According to the publication:
Chiefs reportedly notified the PSL about Herentals’ alleged underhand dealings, claiming that an official from the Students (name withheld) and another from a Bulawayo-based club (name withheld) first made overtures to “bribe” coach Thulani Sibanda before turning to the players after the Chiefs gaffer dismissed their approaches.
Herentals on the last matchday came 1 hour late to their last match of 2019 despite the PSL directive that all games were to kick off at the same time to reduce match-fixing dealings. Herentals is also in another match-fixing storm after Black Rhinos reported them to PSL.
By A Correspondent- The Defence and War Veterans ministry and commander of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Edzai Chimonyo have filed court papers challenging a $340 000 suit filed by a Harare man who claimed he was assaulted by soldiers during the January fuel hike protests.
Slyden Zvinowanda is seeking compensation from the army after claiming he was attacked by soldiers in Mufakose, Harare.
However, the Defence ministry and Chimonyo have filed an appearance to defend before making a request for further information.
In order to fully respond to the claim, the ministry demanded Zvinowanda’s address, his full name and a copy of his national identity card.
The ministry also demanded to know if Zvinowanda received any medical treatment, the name of the hospital that attended to him, if he reported the alleged assault to the police, if there are any witnesses and a justification of the amount being demanded.
Zvinowanda is demanding $200 000 for shock, pain and suffering as well as $140 000 for contumelia.
on the very day of Mbeki's arrival, he subtly declared that @nelsonchamisa has caused all the killings, lootings, vote rigging, and 3 things must now happen: US sanctions on ED must be removed, Chamisa must give up complaining about killings, vote rigging, he must join Poladites pic.twitter.com/GIOqnx3bz3
By A Correspondent- In a move that has left civil servants angry and disheartened the govt on the 11th hour has reneged on its promise to give civil servants a cushioning allowance for the festive season.
This was revealed by the Apex Council’s secretary-general David Dzasukwa who spoke to the publication and said:
We were all frustrated and angry because we expected that the government had come with a proposed figure, but we were shocked when the employer announced to us that in fact they had nothing for us because the budget had already been done without factoring in the Cola.
We were told by the employer that the only time an adjustment to our conditions of service was possible is January next year so we are going to be meeting early next month as the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) to consider that.
Own Correspondent|ZANU PF politburo member Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube says that President Emmerson Mnangagwa though not offended by his book, he questioned him on why he opted to write and release a book his life, ‘Quiet Flows The Zambezi, while still alive.
Contrary to many Zimbabwean politicians, particularly from the old guard that fought the country’s war of independence, often seek to have their books published by posterity when they are gone for fear of a backlash from those they may have offended in their writings.
Dube feels he had to break tradition and pen his own story when he was still alive.
“…So I thought I should put just a little bit in my biography, sharing my story and not what I heard from others.
“Even our President (Mnangagwa) asked me, he said how do you write a book when you are still alive but if I leave it until I am dead, I won’t be able to defend the book,” said the politician.
Dube added, “Zimbabwe has a lot of stories to tell. We lost thousands of people during the liberation war…those stories are told passively. We (former combatants) are the people to tell those stories in detail for the benefit of young people.
“The story of our liberation is so big.”
In his book, Dube shows his disapproval for a lost opportunity by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to embrace his MDC rivals just when then national leader Robert Mugabe was ousted in a popular military coup November 2017.
The Zanu PF top official says President Mnangagwa has not been offended by his candid comments.
“We are in new dispensation. I don’t think anyone has been offended by what I wrote,” he said.
A former DR Congo prime minister and opposition leader on Monday called for the government to wage war on neighbouring Rwanda as a way to end militia violence. The Democratic Republic of Congo was at the heart of two bitter regional wars between 1997-2003 involving its neighbours Rwanda and Uganda. Kinshasa accused Rwanda and Uganda of trying to destabilise the DR Congo while its neighbours said militias opposed to their governments had used DR Congo as a rear base for attacks.
“We have to wage war on Rwanda to restore peace in our country. Rwanda influences our politics. So does Uganda,” former premier Adolphe Muzito said at a press conference in Kinshasa. “We can only make peace by threatening Rwanda, by occupying its territory if possible by annexing it,” he said. Two other leaders of Lamuka, the country’s main opposition, Moise Katumbi and Jean-Pierre Bemba, distanced themselves from Muzito, saying they were “surprised” by his comments.
AFP was unable to immediately reach the government for reaction. For a quarter of a century, the eastern part of the DRC has been plagued by insecurity due to the presence of dozens of local and foreign armed groups. Earlier this year five Great Lakes countries — the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda — decided to combine their military operations in the region.
Zambian State House has said that President Edgar Edgar Lungu is deeply saddened by the death of a Solwezi woman in a tragic accident involving a Police Service vehicle on Saturday.
According to a statement released to the media by his Press Aide, Mr. Isaac Chipampe, the President said that he had learned of the accident with extreme sadness.
“Death of any kind is regrettable. But death arising from an accident and involving a young person is deeply saddening,” said the President.
President Lungu said he is grieving with the bereaved family.
“At this moment my thoughts are with the bereaved family,” the President said.
And President Lungu wished the other victim of the accident quick recovery.
Tawanda Majoni|The day Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga decided to press criminal charges against his wife, Marry, was the day when an otherwise domestic standoff became a national issue.
Precisely because this matter is a big statement on the political leadership we are burdened with.
Marry will next week spend probably her most miserable Christmas in the past 38 years she has lived.
After her arrest last week, she has been remanded in custody to December 30, facing a slew of charges that include trying to murder her then ill husband, externalizing a million greenbacks and fraudulently attempting to solemnize her marriage while the VP was critically ill.
In her legal hurl-back at the court, Marry says all the charges are fabricated. For her, the VP concocted the charges in order to gain an unfair advantage in their ongoing divorce proceedings. Her prosecution will press poor Marry against the wall and force her to make reluctant concessions. That’s the implication in this line of defense.
Well, Marry remains innocent until the courts prove her guilty. In other words, whether she is guilty or innocent is a matter for the official courts to decide.
But, quite frankly, the court of public opinion travels ahead of the official courts all the time. It has already ruled that the attempted murder charge is a huge bag of goo. And it has reserved judgment on the externalization and marriage fraud bits. So, if the court of public opinion had its way by the end of the day, Marry would be out there, as free as a lark, with her children.
Don’t undervalue the power of the court of public opinion. They say matters that are pending in the official courts are sub-judice.
This means you must keep your mouth shut as the judges and magistrates do their work and use factual evidence to prove things beyond a reasonable doubt. But the law was born an ass, and born an ass, always an ass, according to the popular court of public opinion.
The judges can proceed as they like, as far as that is possible, considering that the politicians are always making them sweat under those funny medieval wigs.
After all, the sub-judice principle is also an ass, perhaps the thickest of asses. It’s unconstitutional because it violates provisions on freedom of expression and conscience. Well, freedom of assembly at the court of public opinion too. Judges and magistrates must rely on hard facts. That means opinions and utterances made in the Zupco buses, kombis and bars mustn’t matter at all.
The verdict is already out. We have rotten leadership, simple. That’s how the court of public opinion sees things. Here is why. First, the Marry issue shows that we are suffering a vindictive leadership.
The timing of the charges says it all. It’s now common cause that Chiwenga and Marry are no longer the best of friends if they ever were. The VP wants out because of things that must have stuck to the bedroom but are now subject to public speculation.
Whether Marry is going to be found guilty or innocent doesn’t matter for the court of public opinion.
The court of public opinion thinks that the VP brought up the charges as a way of fixing Marry because the two now have issues. That’s the narrative you get in the Zupco kombis and bars. Worse, the court of public opinion strongly suspects that Chiwenga is abusing his office to settle personal scores. And it’s not amused by that. Because, you see, it’s saying if the VP can abuse his office in a matter relating to his wife, what will happen if he decides to settle scores with people he doesn’t even know?
He has kids with Marry. Never mind the fact that the court of public opinion is already claiming that the VP has doubts over his paternity of the three kids.
In this age of fake news and faking social media, it’s to be expected. Officially, the kids are his. That means there is a bond, an intimacy, between the VP and Marry that will survive beyond their graves. Imagine what is going through the kids’ minds and hearts right now. They are having nightmares, literally, during the day and when they go to bed. They may not say it to anyone, but they are going through a very tormenting phase. And that’s the kind of torment they will live with for a long, long time. They will grow up bitter, sore and with a feeling of disillusionment. Most of the time, kids blame the father when things happen that way.
For a good reason too. As we speak, the grandma and other paternal relatives may be feeding them with all sorts of hate stuff. It happens more often than not. They are likely saying, “Look at your brutal father. He is using his position as a VP to torment your mother. What kind of father does that on his wife and children?” It’s called perception, and perception is a hard fact of life.
This may not have occurred in the VP’s mind, but that perception of vindictiveness has a national, and then international implication. It spawns fear, then revulsion, among the Zimbabwean citizenry. Because, in the court of public opinion, a man who does that on his wife — guilty or not guilty — can do worse on the citizenry. The international community will ask itself if it must have any business to do with a leadership that is so vindictive.
Take potential investors for instance. They are probably wondering if it would ever make sense to invest in Zimbabwe. Money is a coward. It doesn’t want to go where it feels it can be harmed any time because the leadership is vindictive. That’s an economic conversation now. So, take it or leave it, the decision to press charges against Marry has the potential of scaring potential investors. It’s something that doesn’t come too obviously, because, more often than not, potential investors will not say we can’t come to Zimbabwe because your VP caused his wife to be locked up. They will just say Zimbabwe is an uncertain investment destination.
And there, President Emmerson Mnangagwa is implicated in the court of public opinion. Have a look, the late ex-president Robert Mugabe had a messy domestic life by all standards. But he was well-known for one thing. He had a poor regard for lieutenants who were publicly known to run messy domestic affairs. It seems contradictory, but that was the fact. Quite a number of his ministers got demoted for merely divorcing their wives or washing their dirty bedroom linen in public. Check the records.
Now, the court of public opinion will say, “So what’s the president doing about his own VP?” Mnangagwa is damned if he doesn’t intervene, and damned too if he does. If he does, it would look like he is interfering with court issues. It would also bring him to loggerheads with his VP, who many out there think he is pretty afraid of. Where does it happen for a president to be afraid of his VP?
Normally, you expect the VP to consult his boss even in matters personal. It’s not clear if that happened. If that happened, it means that what the court of public opinion is accusing the VP of, it will accuse the president of. The rotting buck will be cut in two and shared between the two of them. So, what started off of as a domestic Chiwenga dispute is quickly manifesting as a condemnation of the president. That’s how damned the president will become if he doesn’t talk to his guy so that a domestic matter is settled in the bedroom.
After all, chaps who will be regular participants this Christmas at the public courtroom will be asking a whole range of other questions in cross-examination of the VP in absentia. At what stage did you discover that Marry had externalized a million bucks?
Why didn’t you act then? Is that all the money that was in your home, in cash? Did you not keep more cash on yourself? Is it true that you also took millions, in cash, from Chiadzwa through Anjin as Global Witness alleged in 2012? Why were you keeping many guns in your cabinet that you allege your other former wife, Jocylene Mauchaza, stole? What war did you have in mind? Why are you in the habit of settling domestic issues in court? What kind of a VP do you think you are? What has Zimbabwe done to deserve you?
l Tawanda Majoni is the Information for Development Trust (IDT) national coordinator and can be contacted on [email protected]
Matebeleland North Provincial Administrator, Lastiso Dlamini seeking has been dragged by Siboniso Lesley Maseko the wife of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Brigadier–General Simo Maseko over allegations of an adulterous relationship with the army boss.
Mrs Maseko, through her lawyer, Godfrey Nyoni is seeking $500 000 as compensation for the alleged affair. In her court papers, Siboniso said:
On diverse occasions and at various places including but not limited to Dlamini’s place of residence, the defendant committed and still continues to commit adultery with my husband, Simo Maseko.
I have further demanded that the defendant desists from continuing with her adulterous affair with my husband. Despite such demands, the defendant has continued with her actions.
She claims that she suffered damages for continued disrespect, loss of comfort, society, companionship and services of her husband in the combined sum of $500 000 which she says Dlamini should pay with an interest of five percent from the date of issue of summons to the date of full payment.
Cletus Mushanawani Senior Writer FUEL supplies have improved with shorter queues than seen recently at service stations that had received deliveries.
A survey at some of the service stations along the Harare-Mutare Highway showed that motorists were not queuing for long periods.
In Rusape and Headlands queues were short, while at one of the service stations, there was fuel, but it was not being sold since there was no electricity.
Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi said measures had been put in place to ensure that supplies were improved.
“Like we said last week, we tried as much as possible to ensure that supplies are improved. Most service stations have the commodity and we want to ensure that they are comfortable this festive season.
“People should enjoy their holidays with enough supplies. I drove around the city today (yesterday) and I witnessed relatively short queues. I don’t have the quantities of supplies off hand, but I can assure the nation that enough stocks are there even beyond the festive season,” said Minister Chasi.
Last week, Government announced that it was speeding up the issue of Letters of Credit to indigenous fuel suppliers to maximise fuel deliveries.
Presenting the 45th Cabinet Matrix Decision, the last one for 2019, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said: “The Minister of Energy and Power Development updated Cabinet on the fuel supply situation. Cabinet assures the nation that necessary steps are being taken to ensure that the fuel situation is normalised during the festive season and beyond.”
Transport operator, Mr Decent Rimbi who plies the Harare-Mutare route, confirmed the improvement of fuel supplies.
“The fuel situation has greatly improved and we are accessing it from fuel service stations. Queues are also short. We are servicing our routes very well and we did not review our fares. For the Harare-Mutare route we are charging $100. We are encouraging our employees to charge the same fare regardless of what form of payment a passenger will be using.
“When we were buying fuel on the black market, our fares would vary, but now we are getting it from service stations, there is no need to hike the fares,” said Mr Rimbi.
A motorist at one of the service stations in Harare, Mr Josphat Mabuto, said fuel supplies had improved during the past few days.
“I did not spend much time in a queue unlike in the past where long and winding queues were the order of the day. I can now enjoy the festive season with my family as we intend to travel to our rural home,” he said.
Passengers Association of Zimbabwe president Mr Tafadzwa Goliati said fewer people were travelling this festive season due to the high fares being charged by most operators.
“I am in Kadoma right now, but have observed that there are fewer buses on the road compared to previous years. Some of the people I spoke to said they would rather save whatever money they have for school fees next year.”
LIVE Murder investigation on at 7pm London time concerning the killing of 2 Zimbabweans in a bomb explosion; ft -Tezvara waChiwenga. For over 6 years ZimEye has assisted British Police carrying out sophisticated probes including one in which Gibson Mazikana convicted for murder pic.twitter.com/fznr11ZNUI
Own Correspondent |A Zambian presidential motorcade hit and killed one person in North West of the country where President Edgar Lungu was touring, state radio reported.
“A 40-year-old female employee of Kachema Butcheries in Solwezi has been killed after being run over by one of the police vehicles in the Presidential convoy. This was when she tried to cross the dual carriage way on Independence Avenue,” it reported quoting a police statement.
North Western Province Police Commissioner Hudson Namachila said Muyunda Mboma sustained “fatal injuries and died on the way to a local hospital”.
A statement from State House said President Lungu “is deeply saddened by the death of a Solwezi woman in a tragic accident involving a Police Service vehicle on Saturday”.
President Lungu has learnt of the accident with extreme sadness, it added.
It was not clear whether the President was in the convoy at the time of the accident.
News of The South – Zimbabwe is now in a situation where the Diaspora needs to stand up and be counted. The Diaspora action is not seen in big government projects where Diaspora names are called.
Diaspora must assist by starting helping their families nucleus and extended. Where ever is possible as humans we must help each other. Watching your parents suffer can be a scary prospect, especially as they get to the point where they will need more help from you. It can be difficult to help your parents out financially if you are struggling with bills in Diaspora and providing for your own family. However, it is important to make a plan to communicate with your parents so you can determine what needs to be done, and how you can help.
It is true that it is difficult to make ends meet in Zimbabwe these days people are literally suffering. It is now a luxury to have two meals a day. Most families are surfing on one meal a day. The draught did not help things at all.
John Timba of Manchester was asked by his friend to go and give a phone to a relative in Murehwa. After spending few days in Harare John took a trip to Murehwa. Murehwa is just Under hundred kilometres from Harare. John arrived at Zaranyika village around 12 midday. He was ushered in a round kitchen which is common in Murehwa. There was a house which was a bit bigger but visitors will grace the round hut first. John noticed the dried pieces of meat hanged on a meat drier just above the traditional stove.
After introducing himself to the old lady who was at the house John saw a gloom smile flickering from the lady. He at the same time noticed a tear or two racing down the dried chicks of this frail woman. She confirmed she was the mother of Mr X who had sent John. The woman told a very chilling story. She last had a normal meal five days ago at funeral in the village. life was hard. If her son sends her money he usually sends ecocash but by the time she gets to use the money a great chunk of the percentage will have been taken by Ecocash costs and taxes.
She said her son sends her 500 bond ecocash. It will get to her phone at 490 bond. She goes to the shops to buy where she is asked to pay a fee for using ecocash. By the time she gets home she is minus 100 bond in taxes, fines and under pocket charges. She has no strength to negotiate.
She can not get any cash at all so she has to do with ecocash. Sometimes she arrives at the shop and is told that there is no ecocash. She has to walk back home empty handed. By the time she gets lucky ecocash charges have taken half of her allowance. At the end of the day she has used 200 bond of 500 bond sent to her by her son. She asked John to hand her a bucket which was at the back of the door. She tilted it to show the contents. That was the mealie meal bucket it was empty. She said we are dying slowly here my son.
John was about to leave when about six children covered in dust came in. He was told they were children of her dead son the brother of John’s friend. they were visibly hungry and they were coming from picking up (derere) okra.
This time tears were in John’s eyes. he took a chunk of notes from his pocket he gave it to the old lady and said to her mother take this buy some maize. He walked to his car wondering what the parent with no child in the Diaspora was surviving on.
Most of us in Diaspora we concentrate on expensive big cars designer clothes throwing extravagant parties but our parents survive on the straw.
One in five Diasporans provide financial support to their parents, often by putting their own finances at risk. If you can afford to help your parents financially, please do not hesitate. Zimbabweans in Zimbabwe are suffering and your help will go a long way.
Posting your photos in Dubai and contesting your status with photos of over dressed self is witch craft if your parents are eating with pigs. Parents fighting for food with goats is a pathetic sight.
Misheck from Milton Keynes was driving from Masvingo to Harare. He saw people lining the road picking up maize grains which were spilled by a passing lorry. This is what we have become. You cannot lie that things are better in your family. Families need your help. They need you. Ask yourself when last did you send food to you brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe.
The media makes it seem like all Diaspora mooch off their parents. But an increasing number of families are finding themselves in the opposite situation.
One can assume that medical bills are taking a lot of monies sent to the parents but nearly three quarters of the financial aid goes towards general living expenses like food and housing.
If you are human you wouldn’t let your parents starve or live on the streets. Half of those giving their parents money should be shocked to find out just how much money their parents needed. We naturally assume our parents have saved enough for retirement. But many didn’t, or lost a lot of it during the recession. On average, the young adults who find themselves taking care of their parents have their own problems. but these must not be above the lives of those who brought you to this world.
Helping out your parents does not stop you from fulfilling own dreams. Because of the money you are giving away to your parents God will reward you. Want to know the weirdest part of this whole thing? Only about half of the people supporting their parents have even talked to them about what’s going on!
That’s right. Everyone involved — the parents and the children — are so uncomfortable about the situation that they’d prefer not to talk about it at all.
Why are they avoiding the conversations? When you reach a certain age, you become aware of everything your parents did for you during your childhood. And you’ll do anything to help them during their time of need. But you need to think about yourself, and your old age, too.
If you’re supporting your parents (or think you may have to one day), you may have some questions about how to deal with sticky situations that pop up.
Families in Zimbabwe desperately needs our help. After all is done most of us will be back to our families. We need to support people back home they need your help.
This holiday season its not late to send help to your parents. Here in England we know that you are baba London. You are a big man you travel in Range Rover 2019. But just for this year make you parents proud of you. Do something for them. Remember them.
A GRANNY (84) from Bulawayo’s Emganwini suburb was burnt to death after the room she was sleeping in caught fire when a lit candle allegedly fell on her bed during Zesa load shedding on Sunday.
An ambulance crew pronounced Elizabeth Mguni dead upon arrival at her family’s home following a distress call.
The incident occurred at about 9PM while the suburb was also without water due to the Bulawayo City Council’s water shedding exercise.
Mguni’s nephew Mr Loveson Mguni said his aunt had retired to bed while the rest of the family was still killing time in the lounge.
“She went to bed early and the rest of us were still chatting in the lounge. Due to Zesa load shedding we had placed a lit candle in her room and also lit a mosquito coil. We don’t even know how the fire broke out. But I just saw my wife who was lying on the couch suddenly screaming and dashing to her room. She said she smelt smoke,” said Mr Mguni.
He said the granny had already been burnt on the face as well as back.
“The fire was concentrated on her pillow. But she was seriously burnt on her back and her face. We suspect she could have died due to suffocation.
“There was just too much smoke that was coming from her room. We managed to pull her out of the room while our neighbours reported the incident to emergency services and an ambulance was called. By the time it arrived we had managed to put out the fire. However, the ambulance crew pronounced her dead on arrival,” he said.
Mr Mguni said they also called police.
He said they put out the fire before it spread to other rooms.
“If it wasn’t for that little water that was stored in the house, we could be telling a different story. We didn’t have running water in the house due to water shedding,” he said.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango said the matter was being treated as a sudden death.
“There is no foul play suspected in this case and we are treating the matter as a sudden death. We however, want to appeal to members of the public to avoid leaving lit candles especially around children and the elderly,” said Chief Insp Simango.
News of The South– Zambia’s President, Edgar Lungu, yesterday said Zambians should not be surprised when the country is fixed by the Americans.
Lungu said that there is a ploy by western countries to fix countries that are against homosexuality.
He further added that nothing would change his stance on homosexuality because Zambians are Christians.
Lungu’s sentiments are as a result of Daniel Foote, America’s ambassador to Zambia who has been protesting against the 15 year prison sentence which was handed over to a gay couple a few weeks ago by the country’s High Court. “Why should we say we are going to be civilized if we allow it. Are you saying that we are very primitive now because we are frowning on homosexuality?
Even animals don’t do it, so why should we be forced to do it because we want to be seen to be smart, civilized and advanced and so on,” said Lungu.
Last week Lungu announced that Zambia had written to the American government to withdraw its ambassador.
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has revealed that he fired the previous Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) chaired by Job Wabira because the commissioners were corrupt. Mnangagwa said this on Friday last week during a no-holds barred anti-corruption event organised by the African Parliamentarians Network against Corruption (APNAC), in conjunction with Zacc and the Transparency International Zimbabwe (TI-Z) to commemorate the Anti-Corruption Day symposium.
“Corruption did not begin in Zimbabwe. Even during the time of Jesus, corruption was there and they fought it, and so we will also continue fighting corruption,” he said.
“I dismantled the previous Zacc because the public did not have confidence any more in that commission because it was a corrupt commission and how could they have dealt with corruption when they were corrupt themselves?
“I then created a new commission and at the helm is a lady, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo, who has a good history with a strict background in terms of administration, is a former judge and a no-nonsense person and so we now have a commission that can fight corruption.”
He did not say why the “corrupt” commissioners were still walking free.
But APNAC chairperson Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga told Mnangagwa that even if he had changed commissioners, the staff employed by the previous commission was still at Zacc.
APNAC secretary-general Tatenda Mavetera then played Mnangagwa a satirical video circulating on social media which depicted government taking a “catch and release” stance towards bigwigs alleged to be involved in corruption crimes.
The video sent Mnangagwa into stitches as it showed a President ordering his subordinates to write down names of all corrupt people to be arrested for graft, except his name and the first lady’s.
He was then grilled on issues of corruption by youthful business executives Munenyasha Hove, managing director of Hollard Logistics, Rumbidzai Muzite, the director of Brand Advocate, and Domingo Samu, a chief executive officer of a security company.
The young businesspersons raised issues of corruption in the transport sector and services sector like the passport offices.
“There are cameras at the Registrar-General’s Offices, but a lot of bribes take place in closed doors and Zimbabweans are denied rights to passports. Land ownership must be a basic right and each family must have a stand, but people are asked to pay bribes in order to get land,” Muzite said.
“Health is also a basic right, but people who do not have connections at hospitals are dying because they cannot access treatment. People fail to get blood at hospitals after being told that it is in short supply, but when those who are connected come to get it, they only spend 10 minutes and they are treated. Medicines are also stolen from hospitals and sold on the streets.”
Mavetera said there was massive corruption at Zesa, where transformers were being stolen, while the country is experiencing electricity shortages.
Mnangagwa said he should, instead, be congratulated for solving the land corruption issues in the country.
“You should congratulate us because as soon as we took over, we set up the Urban Land Commission and a lot of things have been happening. We now know who the land barons are and the bigwigs in government and the private sector that are involved. We must now use legislation to deal with the culprits,” he said.
“The video by Mavetera was interesting. However, we must let Zacc investigate first and when there is a prima facie case, arrests must be made. We have no authority to say to magistrates that one person is guilty and the other is not. It is true that people are arrested and let go and I am very angry with that. You see a person taken to court and they are granted bail and then the case is postponed and postponed.”
Mnangagwa said there were corruption cases that came to the courts and surprisingly, the prosecution then promotes the weakest point and the entire case is lost.
“So there are weaknesses, but my administration will continue to tighten and tighten, and those with sins will continue kuunyana (to shrink),” he said.
State Media Editorial|There is an urgent need for South African authorities to ensure greater safety of and protection for cross-border shoppers, and travellers, who contribute to the growth of their economy on a daily basis.
In the lead-up to this festive season, numerous robberies have been reported on the NI Highway — the major route linking Zimbabwe and countries to the north with major cities of Musina, Polokwane and Johannesburg in South Africa.
Robbers know that cross-border travellers have money and that their shopping can be offloaded on the informal sector in South Africa or disposed of in various other ways.
While the majority of those robbed are Zimbabweans, there are also Malawians and Zambians, among the victims.
A familiar pattern to these robberies emerges — robbers trail a cross-border bus departing Park Station in Johannesburg on its way north.
Somewhere before it makes the Beitbridge Border Post, it is intercepted and its passengers robbed of their shopping, money and other valuables.
It must have become evident to the South African authorities that the number of robberies targeting cross-border buses has been on the increase and they ought to have adopted a proactive approach.
The problem is only showing a spike during the festive season because like everyone else, the robbers wish to have a Merry Christmas, even though this will be at the expense of others.
While some of the buses are fitted with cameras, which help in the identification of suspects, the focus really should be on prevention.
There is no available evidence that arrests of the robbery suspects is correspondingly increasing.
There is also no evidence of the victims being offered counselling to help them cope with the ordeal and trauma of being robbed either at gun or knife-point.
The victims are left to experience recurrent nightmares on their own without skills to cope with the traumas. Having buses fitted with cameras only works as a deterrent to an extent.
However, in the majority of cases criminals tend to be ahead of law enforcement, although eventually they end up being caught.
A much more effective deterrent measure would be for the South African police to have regular highway patrol teams policing the NI Highway.
This way their visibility will make it harder for the criminals to mount raids on cross-border buses and their passengers with such regularity.
An additional proactive measure would be for the bus operators to ensure their employees are properly vetted.
This argument is made because evidence suggests that bus crews could be working in cahoots with some of the robbers.
In this case “faults” on buses are faked in order to allow the robbers time to catch up with the buses and carry out the raids.
Bus operators could also consider having their buses fitted with panic alarms which can be activated once the bus drivers believe an attack is imminent.
This could be linked to the N1 Highway police patrol teams or private security companies for rapid reactions.
The police highway patrols or security companies could also be stationed at strategic points along the N1 Highway.
It is unlikely that cross-border travellers concerned about the security situation will fly, they are more likely to go to Botswana or Namibia.
In that case, South Africa would be the eventual loser.
While the wheels of bureaucracy tend to turn slowly, the South African Embassy in Zimbabwe could help the Department of International Relations to appreciate the gravity of the situation.
It would be tragic for action to be taken only after lives have been lost in the process of being robbed.
It is not as if all the cross-border shoppers and travellers have inexhaustible resources. Some save for months ahead of undertaking the shopping trips.
And to have to lose their money and the proceeds of their hard-earned effort is heart-rending. The loss can have a devastating impact, financially and psychologically.
There is need, therefore, for a swift response by South African authorities in order to ensure the safety and security of cross-border shoppers and travellers, who support businesses in that country through purchases they make and the lodgings in which they put up.
State Media|President Mnangagwa yesterday afternoon took people at the Kwekwe long-distance bus terminus by surprise when he visited and bought eats from vendors.
He alighted from his motorcade and headed straight towards the marketplace and bought groundnuts, snot apples (matohwe) and maize cobs. Commuters, kombi crews and vendors jostled to catch a glimpse of the President at the marketplace.
The President took time to listen to concerns raised by vendors.
The President was accompanied by State Security Minister Owen Ncube.
Patricia Moyo, who sold groundnuts to President Mnangagwa, said he paid using local currency and asked her about the challenges she was facing.
“We heard his motorcade and suddenly he appeared. I was elated when he headed straight to my market where he asked how much I was charging. After I told him, he took money out his pocket and paid. I even gave him change,” she said.
She was happy to have told her problems to the highest office in the land.
“I am hoping that he is going to address our challenges like he promised. I, for one, told him the problems we are facing and he promised to look into them,” said Moyo.
A commuter omnibus operator, Thabani Sibanda, said he never thought the President would visit a market place and bus terminus.
If you want the reader to take you seriously then you must respect him/her by treating historic facts with respect.
“Former South Africa President Mr Thabo Mbeki’s record of pulling off political settlements against the odds is well known. As Sadc-appointed mediator to dialogue in our country, he delivered the Global Political Agreement (GPA) on 15 September 2008 between Zanu-PF, MDC and MDC-T, ushering in the inclusive government,” you said in your editorial.
“The talks were necessary to move the country forward as elections that had been done five months earlier had yielded a hung parliament.”
Everyone including SADC and AU, who have turned a blind eye to Zanu PF rigging elections in the past, rejected Zanu PF’s claim that it won the 2008 elections because the whole election process was marred by blatant cheating in the March 2008 vote followed by the wanton violence during the run-off. As a way out of the political impasse, SADC proposed the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
To therefore, claim the GNU was formed because the 2008 elections had “yielded a hung parliament” is a blatant lie! The GNU was formed because the elections had failed to produce a legitimate result.
Mugabe and Zanu PF were forced to sign the GPA agreeing to the implementation of the raft of democratic reforms designed to stop the cheating and wanton violence. Sadly, not even one meaningful democratic reform was implemented in five years hence the reason we had yet another blatantly rigged elections last year.
You failed to mention the failure to implement any reforms and hence the continued curse of rigged elections; a serious error of omission.
“He (Nelson Chamisa) does not deserve the preferential treatment he is demanding because he constitutes a minority against others in POLAD. MDC Alliance might be the biggest opposition party in the country but in the broader scheme of things, the party is just a minnow. They only hold 88 seats in the legislature and contribute a far smaller proportion at local government level. On the other hand, Zanu-PF holds 179 seats in Parliament and a larger majority at local government level. President Mnangagwa won the presidential poll by more than 300 000 votes,” continued the Editorial.
The error of omission is explained.
What is the point of Mnangagwa saying he won “by more than 300 000 votes” and yet no one can verify that result because the regime failed to produce something as basic to free, fair and credible elections as a verified voters’ roll.
Mnangagwa’s 300 000 become meaningless when viewed in the context of the 3 million Zimbabwean in the diaspora he denied the vote!
Zimbabwe is in this economic mess with the economy in total meltdown because the country is a pariah state ruled by corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs who have rigged elections to stay in power. By blatantly rigging last year’s elections Mnangagwa confirmed that Zimbabwe was still a pariah state contrary to his post November 2017 coup claims of a “new democratic dispensation”.
Zimbabwe is stuck in this hell-on-earth of our own making. The way out is for the country to implement the raft of democratic reforms agreed in the 2008 GPA. And since Zanu PF and MDC will not implement the reforms, nothing stop them getting this done during the GNU and beyond except the lack of political will and vision, the nation should appoint other people who will.
Zanu PF must step down, the regime has no political mandate to rule since last year’s elections were flawed and illegal and could not possibly produce a legitimate result. The rigging of the elections, the formation of POLAD, the invitation of former SA President Thabo Mbeki and, worst of all, the use of brute force to silence all dissent; these are all political machinations by Mnangagwa to legitimise his illegitimate government and extend his stay in power. Zanu PF is holding the nation to ransom; no nation on earth can ever permit that!
No doubt you, Chronicle Editor and your staff, know you have been helping Zanu PF in these treasonous pursuits of rigging elections, etc. act with your lies, omissions and brainwashing of the people. And to think that it is none other than the people who pay your thirty pieces of silver!
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has warned police officers against demanding bribes from the public, insisting that those found on the wrong side of the law would be prosecuted.
In his Christmas message delivered on Friday, the Officer Commanding Harare Province, Commissioner Bernard Dumbura said policing without co-operation from the public was meaningless and so they have to get their support.
“Let me reiterate that police does not condone any form of corruption. Help us, therefore, to weed out all forms of corruption.
Report any corrupt officers that you come across. Also remember that it is said, it takes two to tango.
“Therefore, resist the temptation of giving police officers bribes because bribery is a crime that spares neither the giver nor the receiver.
Remember, our services are transparent, above board and free of charge. Anything less or more to that should deservingly be questioned and/or disregarded,” he said.
Comm Dumbura said police would be out in full force to protect the public and property during this festive season.
“Illegal beer outlet operators, pick pocketers, thugs and mushikashika teams, be warned. Police will arrest you and execute their duty without fear or favour.
“Public safety and security is the heart of our policing. Our mission is to ensure that you enjoy your holiday peacefully without the fear of crime,” Comm Dumbura said.
“You must be reminded or informed that criminal activities tend to increase now compared to other periods due to the hive of activities characterising festive periods.
The joyful but somewhat relaxed and carefree mood of the moment is the breeding ground for crime.
Let your celebratory mood be compounded with a measure of alertness, self-control and security-consciousness.”
Comm Dumbura said most troublesome in this period were unlawful entry and theft cases which are known as housebreaking and thefts since people normally leave their houses unattended. He urged people to put up security measures to curb such criminal activities.
“We urge you to be wary of robbery cases. Robbers may take advantage of the current situations to pounce on unsuspecting travellers and the general public. Do not move around with large sums of money. Hiking transport at undesignated pick up points also puts you in danger of being attacked by robbers.State media
Political parties under the auspices of the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) will within a few weeks have a proper information unit to publicise their successes.
POLAD co-convener Retired Justice Selo Nare said participants had noticed with concern the negative publicity by parties pushing for exclusive dialogue.
Some of POLAD’s major successes include visiting Cyclone Idai victims and helping to mobilise resources for the affected communities “a major milestone by POLAD”.
“Another major highlight was the positive response by Government in subsiding mealie-meal after POLAD’s engagement with responsible ministers. The response by SADC to POLAD in solidarity with the Government on the unconditional removal of sanctions was also a major success,” he said.
A report on progress and the need for further action were crafted when political leaders met in Kadoma on Saturday to discuss achievements and challenges during the year.
It was presented to President Mnangagwa during their Unity Day meeting yesterday.
Said Justice Nare: “POLAD also noted the spirited disinformation campaign by parties outside POLAD and has resolved to activate its information response mechanism as a matter of urgency.”State media
A GRANNY (84) from Bulawayo’s Emganwini suburb was burnt to death after the room she was sleeping in caught fire when a lit candle allegedly fell on her bed during Zesa load shedding on Sunday.
An ambulance crew pronounced Elizabeth Mguni dead upon arrival at her family’s home following a distress call.
The incident occurred at about 9PM while the suburb was also without water due to the Bulawayo City Council’s water shedding exercise.
Mguni’s nephew Mr Loveson Mguni said his aunt had retired to bed while the rest of the family was still killing time in the lounge.
“She went to bed early and the rest of us were still chatting in the lounge.
Due to Zesa load shedding we had placed a lit candle in her room and also lit a mosquito coil. We don’t even know how the fire broke out. But I just saw my wife who was lying on the couch suddenly screaming and dashing to her room. She said she smelt smoke,” said Mr Mguni.
He said the granny had already been burnt on the face as well as back.
“The fire was concentrated on her pillow. But she was seriously burnt on her back and her face. We suspect she could have died due to suffocation.
“There was just too much smoke that was coming from her room.
We managed to pull her out of the room while our neighbours reported the incident to emergency services and an ambulance was called. By the time it arrived we had managed to put out the fire. However, the ambulance crew pronounced her dead on arrival,” he said.
Mr Mguni said they also called police.
He said they put out the fire before it spread to other rooms.
“If it wasn’t for that little water that was stored in the house, we could be telling a different story.
We didn’t have running water in the house due to water shedding,” he said.State media
On the 17th of December 2019, Cabinet at its 45th meeting approved several amendments to the Constitution. Some of the notable proposed amendments relate to the appointments of Vice Presidents, the Prosecutor General, Public Protector, promotion of judges and the terms of office of judges. The other notable proposed amendments relate to the composition of the provincial councils and the extension of the provision on the women’s quota which was scheduled to end in 2023.
The Constitution provides for its amendment. Although amendments to the Constitution are allowed these ought to be necessary for the promotion of the rule of law and protection of the principles of democracy. Our Constitution is a democratic document which came out of extensive consultations. It is a national document which should be enduring. Amendments to the Constitution must be necessary for the enhancement of enshrined rights, accountability and good governance. Amendments must not be retrogressive.
In terms of Section 92 of the Constitution a presidential candidate chooses running mates who upon election become the national Vice Presidents. The rationale for these provision was to introduce non-disruptive succession planning whilst ensuring that in the event of a Vice President taking over the office of President he would be having the people’s mandate. The effect of the proposed amendment to Section 94 means that Vice Presidents will no longer be elected but appointed by the President. This removes the transparency and democratic process sought to be achieved by Section 92 in relation to the assumption of these important offices. In addition, the Vice President’s tenure will be at the pleasure of the President. An amendment is expected to cure a problem or mischief. This is not apparent in the present case. The proposed amendments further seek to change the procedures for the appointment of the Prosecutor General. The current procedure for the appointment of the Prosecutor General is similar to that of the judges. This is a transparent way of appointing this important office, which like the judiciary ought to enjoy prosecutorial independence. The proposed amendment whereby the President appoints the Prosecutor General upon consultation with the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) is reverting to the old constitution. The current provisions promote transparency in the appointment process. This will not be achieved under the proposed amendment. It is not clear what mischief the proposed amendment seeks to address. The fact of the matter though is that the amendment is retrogressive. It emasculates a position that is pivotal to our criminal justice. The amendment will remove the Prosecutor General’s independence. The appointment system also does not guarantee meritocracy as the basis for appointment. This cannot be achieved by simply consulting the JSC. In any case in terms of section 339, such consultation may not be binding on the President.
Section 180 sets out the conditions that must be met in relation to the appointment of judges. The proposed amendment seeks to provide for the President to appoint a sitting judge to a higher court upon consultation with JSC. This approach seeks to reverse the elaborate, and transparent system currently in place. It is not clear why we should depart from the current system. The proposed changes will take us back to the pre 2013 era where judicial appointments were shrouded in a veil of secrecy.
The proposed extension of the tenure of judges albeit on a contract basis and subject to medical certification on fitness, is not desirable in a country with a vibrant legal profession. There are many legal practitioners who are fit to hold the office of judges.
The introduction of the office of the Public Protector should be based on a true desire to achieve administrative justice especially by public offices. The 2013 Constitution deliberately omitted this institution on the basis that the functions could be effectively undertaken by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. The Ministry of Justice was recently lamenting that this commission is under resourced. Instead of properly funding the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, the Cabinet is creating another institution which will have its own resource chewing bureaucracy. On the other hand, the present Constitution already provides for the establishment of an independent complaints mechanism to deal with misconduct by members of the security sector. This has not been instituted and yet Cabinet finds it necessary to create the public protector’s office. The Executive is failing to diligently and without delay perform all constitutional obligations as provided in Section 324.
The proposal to remove MPs and Senators from provincial councils also appear ill conceived. The presence of these members was supposed to bring the nexus between national and local development. The prosed amendments will perpetuate the disconnect between the national Programmes and the local/Provincial Programmes thus creating development inertia.
The Law Society of Zimbabwe reiterates that the provisions to the Constitution ought to be guarded jealously. Any proposed amendments to the Constitution should be for the people and by the people.
The Law Society of Zimbabwe further reiterates its position that the Constitution of Zimbabwe should be jealously guarded and protected in pursuance of the supremacy of the rule of law. The proposed amendments to the Constitution in the most, are unnecessary, retrogressive and are not in the interest of transparency, good governance and respect for the rule of law. Accordingly, the LSZ categorically denounces them.
Law Society of Zimbabwe
“Committed to Justice and the Rule of Law.”
LONDON. — The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) called for a government inquiry into racism in football after Chelsea’s 2-0 English Premier League win at Tottenham on Sunday was marred by alleged racist comments from the crowd, the latest in a string of recent incidents.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said the problem needed “to be dealt with strongly” and Tottenham promised “a thorough investigation” after referee Anthony Taylor halted play during the second half when Antonio Rudiger complained of hearing monkey noises from spectators.
Moments earlier the Chelsea defender had been involved in a second-half clash with Son Heung-min that saw the South Korean sent off.
Shortly after the stoppage, an announcement made over the public address system warned that “racist behaviour among spectators is interfering with the game” and Taylor spoke to both managers, Lampard and Jose Mourinho.
Two further public address announcements followed after play was resumed.
“It’s just such a shame that racism still exists in 2019. When will this nonsense stop?” Rudiger tweeted.
“I really hope that the offenders will be found and punished soon, and in such a modern football ground like the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with dozens of TV and security cameras, it must be possible to find and subsequently punish them.
“If not, then there must have been witnesses in the stadium who saw and heard the incident.”
The PFA said in a statement late on Sunday: “We are disgusted and dismayed that once again, a Premier League fixture has been tainted by abuse from the stands towards players.AFP
Zimbabwe is now in a situation where the diaspora needs to stand up and be counted. The diaspora action is not seen in big government projects where diaspora names are called. Diaspora must assist by starting helping their families nucleus and extended. Where ever is possible as humans we must help each other. Watching your parents suffer can be a scary prospect, especially as they get to the point where they will need more help from you. It can be difficult to help your parents out financially if you are struggling with bills in diaspora and providing for your own family. But, it is important to make a plan to communicate with your parents so you can determine what needs to be done, and how you can help.
It is true that it is difficult to make ends meet in Zimbabwe these days people are literally suffering. It is now a luxury to have two meals a day. Most families are surfing on one meal a day. The draught did not help things at all.
John Timba of Manchester was asked by his friend to go and give a phone to a relative in Murehwa. After spending few days in Harare John took a trip to Murehwa. Murehwa is just Underba hundred kilometres from Harare. John arrived at Zaranyika village around 12 midday. He was ushered in a round kitchen which is common in Murehwa. There was a house which was a bit bigger but visitors will grace the round hut first. John noticed the dried pieces of meat hanged on a meat drier just above the traditional stove.
After introducing himself to the old lady who was at the house John saw a gloom smile flickering from the lady. He at the same time noticed a tear or two racing down the dried chicks of this frail woman. she confirmed she the mother of Mr X who had sent John. the woman told a very chilling story. She last had a normal meal five days ago at funeral in the village. life was hard. If her son sends her money he usually sends ecocash but by the time she gets to use the money a great chunk of the percentage will have been taken by Ecocash costs and taxes. she said her son sends her 500 bond ecocash. It will get to her phone at 490 bond. She goes to the shops to buy where she is asked to pay a fee for using ecocash. By the time she gets home she is minus 100 bond in taxes, fines and under pocket charges. She has no strength to negotiate.
She can not get any cash at all so she has to do with ecocash. sometimes she arrives at the shop and told that there is no ecocash. She has to walk back home empty handed. By the time she gets lucky ecocash charges have taken half of her allowance. at the end of the day she has used 200bond of 500 bond sent to her by her son. She asked John to hand her a bucket which was at the back of the door. she tilted it to show the contents. that was the mealie meal bucket it was empty. She said we are dying slowly here my son. John was about to leave when about six children covered in dust came in. he was told they were children of her dead son the brother of John’s friend. they were visibly hungry and they were coming from picking up derere oakra.
This time tears were in John’s eyes. he took a chunk of notes from his pocket he gave it to the old lady and said to her mother take this buy some maize. He walked to his car wondering what is the parent with no child in Diaspora surviving on. Most of us in Diaspora we concentrate on expensive big cars designer clothes throwing extravagant parties but our parents survive on the straw.
One in five diasporans provide financial support to their parents, often by putting their own finances at risk. If you can afford to help your parents financially, please do not hesitate. Zimbabweans in Zimbabwe are suffering and your help will go a long way.
Posting your photos in Dubai and contesting your status with photos of over dressed self is witch craft if your parents are eating with pigs. Parents fighting for food with goats is a pathetic sight.
Misheck from Milton Keynes was driving from Masvingo to Harare. He saw people lining the road picking up maize grains which were spilled by a passing lorry. This what we have become. You cannot lie that things are better in your family. Families need your help. they need you. ask yourself when last did you send food to you brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe. The media makes it seem like all Diaspora mooch off their parents. But an increasing number of families are finding themselves in the opposite situation.
One can assume that medical bills are taking a lot of monies sent to the parents but nearly three quarters of the financial aid goes towards general living expenses like food and housing. If you are human you wouldn’t let your parents starve or live on the streets.
Half of those giving their parents money should be shocked to find out just how much money their parents needed. We naturally assume our parents have saved enough for retirement. But many didn’t, or lost a lot of it during the recession.
On average, the young adults who find themselves taking care of their parents have their own problems. but these must not be above the lives of those who brought you to this world. Helping out your parents does not stop you from fulfilling own dreams. Because of the money you are giving away to your parents God will reward you.
Want to know the weirdest part of this whole thing? Only about half of the people supporting their parents have even talked to them about what’s going on! That’s right. Everyone involved — the parents and the children — are so uncomfortable about the situation that they’d prefer not to talk about it at all.
Why are they avoiding the conversations? When you reach a certain age, you become aware of everything your parents did for you during your childhood. And you’ll do anything to help them during their time of need. But you need to think about yourself, and your old age, too.
If you’re supporting your parents (or think you may have to one day), you may have some questions about how to deal with sticky situations that pop up.
Family in Zimbabwe desperately needs our help. After all is done most of us will be back to our families. we need to support people back home they need your help.
This holiday season its not late to send help to your parents. Here in England we know that you are baba London. you are a big man you travel in Range Rover 2019. But just for this year make you parents proud of you. Do something for them. Remember them.
It is a breath of fresh air when you hear bodies such as the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission say that there is need for a
“reconciled nation, a healed nation and a united nation,” that is achieved by addressing past conflicts to bring about justice, facilitating dialogue and ensuring the rehabilitation of victims. This means the dialogue process should not gloss over issues, should not pretend that Emerson Mnangagwa won a free and fair election when he did not.
There is no shortage of evidence of intimidation and rigging by Zanu PF, and Mnangagwa and Zanu PF should admit that these things indeed happened if we need to move the country forward, and any meaningful dialogue should never shy away from these things.
For Thambo Mbeki therefore to say that people should accept court judgement when there is abundance that the judgement is flawed is an exercise in futility. After all, judges are human being who can also err.
Mbeki must know fully well that Zanu PF cheats – already they are busy amending the constitution to suit themselves. They are abusing impoverished Zimbabweans by demanding allegiance to Zanu PF in order to receive food aid donated by donors. Zanu PF publicly declared at its annual conference that even if it loses elections, it has other means of retaining power. Zanu PF has now made it mandatory for professionally trained teachers to first get oriented on Zanu PF ideology before they can be deployed to go and teach. You can never expect anything good from Zanu PF as it make frantic efforts to retain power at all costs.
Mbeki has said before that the problem with African leaders is that they do not want to embarrass each other and will support each other in their wrong doing, so if he is to be involved in any mediation process, he should knock sense into the heads of the SADC leaders to ensure they are objective in their assessment of the Zimbabwean situation.
The need for dialogue has been accepted by all parties, but the dialogue should address the true facts that has taken Zimbabwe to where it is today.
Farai Dziva| MDC T leader Thokhozani Khupe says she is humbled by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s efforts to resuscitate the economy.
See below a tweet posted by ZBC:
MDC -T President Dr Thokozani Khupe says she’s deeply humbled by the efforts made by His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa of resuscitating the economy as testified by what she saw at the President’s farm in Kwekwe. “I will continue supporting him”,she added.
Farai Dziva| MDC T leader Thokhozani Khupe says she is humbled by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s efforts to resuscitate the economy.
See below a tweet posted by ZBC:
MDC -T President Dr Thokozani Khupe says she’s deeply humbled by the efforts made by His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa of resuscitating the economy as testified by what she saw at the President’s farm in Kwekwe. “I will continue supporting him”,she added.
Farai Dziva|MDC vice president Lynette Karenyi presented Christmas gifts to Gogo Tsvangirai, the mother of the late veteran opposition leader and trade unionist, Morgan Tsvangirai.
See statement below:
Blessed be the womb that bore our icon and MDC founding President, the late Dr Richard Morgan Tsvangirai.
Today, on behalf of the loving and caring MDC family, I felt honoured to pay a visit and hand over Christmas gifts to our late President’s mother Gogo Tsvangirai in Buhera.
It was an emotional moment that reminded me just how much sorrow the great Tsvangirai family has had to endure over the past few years.
The MDC, through the leadership of our President Nelson Chamisa, will continue to pay tribute and offer our gratitude to the Tsvangirai family for gifting us with a bona fide hero of social justice.
Gogo Tsvangirai and the entire Tsvangirai family, may you have a blessed Christmas and prosperous new year!
Farai Dziva|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has said Zanu PF cannot brag about unity when it is terrorizing hapless citizens.
Speaking about the Unity Day Chamisa said:
“It cannot be unity when you beat up people for saying they are hungry. If doctors say they are incapacitated and they want money, you fire them, when teachers say they want money, you set dogs on them. Is that unity?
It cannot be unity when it appears there are two countries in one. Unity shouldn’t be between parties for power, but it must be about institutions and for the good of everyone, tribes, religion, all provinces, seeing there is something for them.
Unity is important, but they think it is partisan.
There is no unity when you can’t resolve issues and hold free and fair elections…”
Farai Dziva|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has said Zanu PF cannot brag about unity when it is terrorizing hapless citizens.
Speaking about the Unity Day Chamisa said:
“It cannot be unity when you beat up people for saying they are hungry. If doctors say they are incapacitated and they want money, you fire them, when teachers say they want money, you set dogs on them. Is that unity?
It cannot be unity when it appears there are two countries in one. Unity shouldn’t be between parties for power, but it must be about institutions and for the good of everyone, tribes, religion, all provinces, seeing there is something for them.
Unity is important, but they think it is partisan.
There is no unity when you can’t resolve issues and hold free and fair elections…”
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said the Law Society Of Zimbabwe should return to its original identity of being “Zimbabwean” and desist from turning into political activism.
Minister Ziyambi said this last week following a statement by LSZ criticising Government for the pproposed constitutional amendments.
The amendments, which were described as retrogressive and undesirable, were approved by Cabinet last week.
“The LSZ has lost its mandate,” said Minister Ziyambi in an interview with the state media
“They have converted themselves into an activist lobby group. They no longer know why they exist, they have lost their bearings.”
In its statement, the LSZ criticised the proposed amendment for the appointment of the Prosecutor-General, which allows the President to appoint the incumbent after consultations with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
The law forum said such a scenario undermined the PG’s independence by emasculating a position they felt was pivotal in the criminal justice system, but Minister Ziyambi said the PG was not a judge.
“What ought to be known is that the PG prosecutes on behalf of the State,” he said. “What is wrong for him to be appointed by the Head of State? What they are saying is nonsense.”
On appointment of judges, the LSZ said Government should have retained the interview process when a High Court judge was being promoted to a superior court such as the Supreme Court or the Constitutional Court.
The new amendments seek to provide for the President to appoint a sitting judge to a higher court upon consultation with JSC.
“This approach seeks to reverse the elaborate, and transparent system currently in place,” read a statement from the LSZ.
“It is not clear why we should depart from the current system.”
But Minister Ziyambi slammed the LSZ for misdirecting itself, saying a sitting judge would have already been interviewed by a competent panel to be a judge of the High Court.
He said there was no need to humiliate a sitting judge through another interview when being considered for promotion.
“We are saying the process of interviews will remain, but it will only apply to those who are not judges,” said Ziyambi.
“For the person to be a judge of the High Court, he or she would have been interviewed by a panel from JSC, which is almost the same with the one which the LSZ wants to interview him or her again when consideration for promotion is being made.
“It does not make sense. Besides, you want a sitting judge to be humiliated and expect him or her to retain the same respect that he had?”
Turning to the removal of running mates in the Constitution, Minister Ziyambi said the provision was not desirous since it created two centres of power.
In its statement, LSZ said the rationale for introducing the concept of running mates was to have a non-disruptive succession plan and ensuring that the Vice President would assume the office of the President with the people’s full mandate.
I have followed closely as you argue l need those informed to the process to guide us with facts:
What is POLAD?
RESPONSE: POLAD is a platform created for all 2018 Presidential candidates who had ideas of how they thought they could move the country forward. It is a platform I can best describe as that of farmers of thought. Ideas are shared and proposals made as to how we can best move the country forward.
Where did it get it’s MANDATE? The qualification to participate came from the fact that one was a presidential candidate and therefore the mandate come from those that forwarded the aspiring Presidential candidate and those who subsequently voted for those candidates.
What motivated POLAD?
The realization that we all have a responsibility to build the Zimbabwe we want. The majority does not always necessarily have the monopoly of ideas of how to move the country forward especially in a polarised environment like we have in Zimbabwe where the minority groups may never win elections based or tribal voting tendencies we have witnessed over the years.
The majority always have a say and the minority follow out of fear of being left out. The minority seem to be voting with the majority just so they also belong and not necessarily because the majority have their interests.
What will be the key achievables of POLAD for it to be defined successfully? Polad is not a governing platform but it is a platform that generates ideas of what people would like to see happen in their communities.
Where does POLAD differ in other failed political settlements like the GNU?
RESPONSE: POLAD is not a power sharing arrangement. IT does not seek to share power but to hold the governing party and all legislatures responsible to what they were voted to do in the spirit of inclusiveness and moving the country forward.
Is POLAD going to bring long lasting permanent political solution in Zimbabwe if so what is its strategy learning from previous mistakes?
RESPONSE :
POLAD is on a voluntary participation basis of those that want to see the country move forward. Unity and respect among the participants is there fore key. It is a platform where people come together based on their willingness to cooperate with each other. The POLAD platform does not compell every one to be a participant in but all those that have a shared vision of a better Zimbabwe and better life for all.
It has been endorsed by UN, AU SADC and other international bodies as a platform of inclusivity and a home brewed solution for Zimbabweans by Zimbabweans.
I have followed closely as you argue l need those informed to the process to guide us with facts:
What is POLAD? RESPONSE: POLAD is a platform created for all 2018 Presidential candidates who had ideas of how they thought they could move the country forward. It is a platform I can best describe as that of farmers of thought. Ideas are shared and proposals made as to how we can best move the country forward.
Where did it get its MANDATE? The qualification to participate came from the fact that one was a presidential candidate and therefore the mandate come from those that forwarded the aspiring Presidential candidate and those who subsequently voted for those candidates.
What motivated POLAD?
The realization that we all have a responsibility to build the Zimbabwe we want. The majority does not always necessarily have the monopoly of ideas of how to move the country forward especially in a polarised environment like we have in Zimbabwe where the minority groups may never win elections based or tribal voting tendencies we have witnessed over the years.
The majority always have a say and the minority follow out of fear of being left out. The minority seem to be voting with the majority just so they also belong and not necessarily because the majority have their interests.
What will be the key achievables of POLAD for it to be defined successfully? Polad is not a governing platform but it is a platform that generates ideas of what people would like to see happen in their communities.
Where does POLAD differ in other failed political settlements like the GNU?
RESPONSE: POLAD is not a power sharing arrangement. IT does not seek to share power but to hold the governing party and all legislatures responsible to what they were voted to do in the spirit of inclusiveness and moving the country forward.
Is POLAD going to bring long lasting permanent political solution in Zimbabwe if so what is its strategy learning from previous mistakes?
RESPONSE :
POLAD is on a voluntary participation basis of those that want to see the country move forward. Unity and respect among the participants is there fore key. It is a platform where people come together based on their willingness to cooperate with each other. The POLAD platform does not compell every one to be a participant in but all those that have a shared vision of a better Zimbabwe and better life for all.
It has been endorsed by UN, AU SADC and other international bodies as a platform of inclusivity and a home brewed solution for Zimbabweans by Zimbabweans.
By A Correspondent| Express Links Money Transfer held the draw for the five winners of the company’s Christmas Box promotion on Friday 20th December and wrapped up the calendar year with the highly popular promotion putting the cap on a remarkable year for the financial services firm and their customers.
The Christmas Box competition draw was held live on Friday night hosted by Express Links Brand Ambassador King Alfred and Express Links Manager Glisabel Masango, with the five winners; namely Joranda Muzandu Guuna, Lourens Tjirimuje, Edwill Hove, Albert Clemence Mafurutu and Saul Chiwara being the lucky recipients of the grand prize of £100 each for the sender and same amount for the recipient courtesy of Express Links.
The competition, among others which were run this year, were the company’s way of showing gratitude to the customers, with CEO Mr Pembere acknowledging their customers among other partners and stakeholders.
“As our year comes to an end with this glorious promotion, here at Express Links we would like to express our gratitude to our customers, who are the mainstay of our business, expansion and their endorsement of our services have gone on to grow the family and challenged us to keep on going better in all we do,” he said.
“Our year would also not have been smooth without our hard working staff, who carry the Express Links name with pride and cheerfulness. The media has also been a constant supporter with coverage of our activities and not holding back valuable feedback at all times. Our partners and everyone who has shared the year with us, I say happy holidays to you all and look forward to a prosperous 2020.’’
The company capped off the fruitful year with their gift to the customers who participated by making a transaction minimum of £30 on the money transfer services as well as other competitions, but it remains business as usual for the company, with services open to people wanting to send money to their loved ones over the holidays. They are also prominent supporters of various initiatives in arts and culture such as Mzansi Fest and Zimfest Live 2019 and national causes such as sponsoring the ZimGems with allowances during the Netball World Cup for the team’s duration in the tournament.
Express Links is a financial services firm based in London who also offer money transfer services to the continent with cash available for collection in countries such Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi, among other countries.
Paul Nyathi|The late tough Zimbabwean opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, in 2008 told then South Africa’s president, Thabo Mbeki, that he was not fit to serve as the region’s mediator in Zimbabwe’s political crisis owing to a “lack of neutrality”, and that “there will be no country left” if Mbeki continued to side with President Robert Mugabe.
And indeed since then there is no country left to talk about.
The warning came in a letter from the MDC leader to Mbeki made public just days after it was revealed that the then South African president had written a four-page letter to George Bush demanding that the US president stop criticising Mugabe.
In his letter, Tsvangirai accused Mbeki of colluding with Mugabe to play down the deepening political crisis, of blocking UN security council discussions on Zimbabwe and of trying to facilitate a controversial weapons delivery from China to the Zimbabwean military.
The strongest criticism by Tsvangirai was over Mbeki’s reaction to the escalating state-sponsored campaign of murder, violence and arrests against the opposition in the run up to the run-off presidential election between him and Mugabe in 2008.
At least 150 people were killed and thousands beaten and/or displaced.
The letter, dated May 13, 2008, accused Mbeki of ignoring evidence that Mugabe was planning the violence, including a leaked Zimbabwean military document outlining the strategy that Tsvangirai personally handed to Mbeki.
“When you started mediating, Zimbabwe still had a functioning economy, millions of our citizens had not fled to other countries to escape political and economic crisis, and tens of thousands had not yet died from impoverishment and disease. In fact, since the March 29 election, Zimbabwe has plunged into horrendous violence while you have been mediating. With respect, if we continue like this, there will be no country left,” wrote Tsvangirai.
“As you know, when MDC attempted to appeal to the UN security council to investigate and help stop the carnage, it was you, the so-called ‘neutral’ mediator, who blocked a possible road to resolution of the crisis.”
Tsvangirai said Mbeki continued to act as if everything was normal, even after the Zimbabwean government blocked the release of poll results showing that Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party had lost.
“Your lack of neutrality became increasingly evident when I arrived to the Lusaka summit to see you and Mr Mugabe on television together proclaiming there is ‘no crisis’ in Zimbabwe,” the letter says.
Tsvangirai also accused the South African government of facilitating the delivery of weapons via Durban from a Chinese ship that was eventually turned away by dock workers and legal action.
“Not only have you been unable to denounce the well-documented post-election attacks on our people, but your government even played a role in Zimbabwean government procurement of weapons of repression … and agree to allow passage of arms of war purchased by the same government through South African territory during the troubled post-election period,” he wrote.
The letter demanded Mbeki step down as the Southern African Development Community mediator on Zimbabwe, as the MDC no longer had confidence in him.
Mbeki denied knowledge of the letter even though the MDC said it had a receipt showing it was delivered to Mbeki’s office.
Responding to a question in the National Assembly, he declined to make a statement on the matter “because we don’t have the letter”.
By A Correspondent| Ten cases of suspected typhoid have been reported in Glen View, a Harare suburb which has over the years been a hot spot for cholera.
This was confirmed by Harare City Council Health Services Director Dr Prosper Chonzi who told a local publication that residents have been reporting to the clinics.
He said:
In Glen View, close to where the clinic is, people there are reporting at the clinic with symptoms consistent with typhoid, fever with temperatures of around 39 – 40, headache and abdominal discomfort, which are consistent with typhoid.
Most of them have gone to the clinic and gotten anti-biotic and so when their culture is tested the results will come out negative because they have been given anti-biotic.
Harare has been struggling to consistently provide water to several suburbs and when it does provide the water, it will be unsafe for most domestic uses including drinking.
The local government authority cites the inadequacy of chemicals caused by shortage of foreign currency and dwindling water levels in its water sources as the main reasons why water supply has been intermittent.
Ten cases of suspected typhoid have been reported in Glen View, a Harare suburb which has over the years been a hot spot for cholera.
This was confirmed by Harare City Council Health Services Director Dr Prosper Chonzi who told ZTN that residents have been reporting to the clinics.
He said:
In Glen View, close to where the clinic is, people there are reporting at the clinic with symptoms consistent with typhoid, fever with temperatures of around 39 – 40, headache and abdominal discomfort, which are consistent with typhoid.
Most of them have gone to the clinic and gotten anti-biotic and so when their culture is tested the results will come out negative because they have been given anti-biotic.
Harare has been struggling to consistently provide water to several suburbs and when it does provide the water, it will be unsafe for most domestic uses including drinking.
The local government authority cites the inadequacy of chemicals caused by shortage of foreign currency and dwindling water levels in its water sources as the main reasons why water supply has been intermittent.-ZTN
Zimbabwe Premier League champions FC Platinum are set to unveil Hendrik Pieter de Jongh as the new head coach, Soccer24 can exclusively reveal.De Jongh opted not to extend his stay with Highlanders with his contract set to expire at the end of the month.
The Dutchman arrived at Bosso in September and signed a short-term performance-based deal. Following a successful three-month spell which included winning the Chibuku Super Cup, the club offered him a new contract but he turned it down this week and indicated he will be seeking a new challenge.
De Jongh has signed a pre-contract with FC Platinum and will be unveiled in the new year. “Everything went quite fast and he will be the new FC Platinum head coach from January a source close to the deal told Soccer24.
FC Platinum have been on the hunt for an experienced substantive head coach since the departure of Norman Mapeza.
Information just received is that the United States (US) Government has recalled it’s Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote.
This follows a demarche by the Zambian Authorities to the US Government after Foot’s demeaning remarks on Zambia’s judiciary after jailing of a gay couple.
Foote also spoke strongly of corruption and human rights abuse by the Zambian Government.
His last day of work is January 2, 2020. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY
Zimbabwe Premier League champions FC Platinum are set to appoint Hendrik Pieter de Jongh as their new head coach.
De Jongh opted not to extend his stay with Highlanders with his contract set to expire at the end of the month.
The Dutchman arrived at Bosso in September and signed a short-term performance-based deal.
Following a successful three-month spell which included winning the Chibuku Super Cup, the club offered him a new contract but he turned it down this week and indicated he will be seeking a new challenge.
De Jongh has signed a pre-contract with FC Platinum and will be unveiled in the new year. “Everything went quite fast and he will be the new FC Platinum head coach from January a source close to the deal told Soccer24.
FC Platinum have been on the hunt for an experienced substantive head coach since the departure of Norman Mapeza. Soccer 24
The 2019-20 ABSA Premiership campaign continued with match day 14 and here is how Zimbabwean players based in the Rainbow Nation fared.
Terrence Dzukamanja scored for Bidvest Wits in their 2-0 win over Cape Town City.
Ovidy Karuru, whose contract with AmaZulu was terminated on mutual ground, penned a deal with a new club, which despite not being confirmed yet, is believed to be Stellenbosch.
Khama Billiat returned to Kaizer Chiefs’ line up in their entertaining 1-1 stalemate with Maritzburg United at the Harry Gwala Stadium. In that same game, Willard Katsande conceded a second half penalty but fortunately for him, Daniel Akpeyi denied Maritzburg’s Daylon Klasen from 12 yards.
For the Team of Choice, Clive Augusto was on the bench while Gabriel Nyoni was again not the in the match day squad.
Kelvin Moyo was in the Chippa United’s side which edged Kaitano Tembo’s SuperSport United 1-0. Moyo is part of a defence which has now kept a historic 5th consecutive clean sheet as the Chilli Boys’ resurgence under Norman Mapeza continues.
For Matsatsantsa, Kuda Mahachi and Onismor Bhasera featured.
George Chigova was named man-of-the-match despite Polokwane City succumbing to their 10th defeat in a row, a 0-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns. Charlton Mashumba also took part for Rise and Shine.
Elvis Chipezeze was between the sticks when his Baroka lost 0-1 to Stellenbosch.
The trio of Danny Phiri, Devine Lunga and Knox Mutizwa were in Lamontville Golden Arrows’ team which lost to Highlands Park. Tendai Ndoro was an unused substitute for the Lions of the North.
Ronald Pfumbidzai is currently nursing an injury and did not feature for Bloefontein Celtic in their 2-1 loss to Talent Chawapiwa’s AmaZulu.Soccer 24
Farai Dziva| MDC T leader Thokhozani Khupe says she is humbled by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s efforts to resuscitate the economy.
See below a tweet posted by ZBC:
MDC -T President Dr Thokozani Khupe says she’s deeply humbled by the efforts made by His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa of resuscitating the economy as testified by what she saw at the President’s farm in Kwekwe. “I will continue supporting him”,she added.
Farai Dziva|Former Orlando Pirates coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojević, has praised Norman Mapeza following his turnaround of Chippa United.
Mapeza has steered the Chilli Boys out of danger in remarkable fashion, winning four of their last five games and not conceding a goal in the process, after taking over at a time when they were win-less and bottom -placed, earning Micho’s admiration in the process.
“Thank you very much for appreciating a great coach, and my dear respected friend and brother, a recognized football gentleman from Zimbabwe — Norman Mapeza,” Micho told The Herald.
“I was in touch with him and firmly believed that he can turn the tables in that extraordinary club and situation.
“He is doing well but he has no time and space to relax as the situation can reverse but I undoubtedly believe in his human and sports qualities.”
Farai Dziva |Warriors midfielder Marvelous Nakamba got the lowest rating ever since he joined Aston Villa in side’s 1-3 loss to Southampton on Saturday.
The 25-year-old, who came on as a substitute in the first half replacing the injured John McGinn, gifted Danny Ings with the Saints’ third goal, which killed off the contest.
Writing for the Birmingham Mail, Villa correspondent Ashely Preece gave the former Club Brugge man a rating of 4.5 out of 10.
“Marvelous Nakamba, 4.5
Busy as ever and tried his hardest. His mistake killed the game off once and for all, though, Nakamba’s heavy touch allowing Ings to smash home Saints’ third,” wrote Preece.
By Own Correspondent| Aspindale Residents who are challenging Billy Rautenbach’s ownership of stand 48 and 49 have been threatened to stop pursuing the Court challenge against the controversial businessman.
Sources within the cooperatives alleged that the leadership of the cooperatives were summoned to a meeting this week where Minister Jorum Gumbo instructed the residents to comply with Billy Rautenbach’s demands and to also withdraw the court case challenging Rautenbach’s ownership of the land under contestation.
It is alleged that Joshua Nkomo Cooperative was also instructed to withdraw it’s court case against the Ministry of Local Government with immediate effect.
The sources further alleged that the leadership of the housing cooperatives were told to stop complaining about the issue that Billy has no Title Deeds over the land and stop convening meetings with residents anymore.
Residents further alleged that the Minister also demanded that the Cooperative should stop inviting their legislators, Themba Mliswa and Willias Madzimure to come and address them on this issue.
A source who spoke to CHRA alleged that residents were also told that any resistance to Rautenbach’s demands will attract arrests and armed forces would be deployed to stop any resistance to Rautebach’s efforts.
“Billy has no right over that place as he doesn’t have title deeds Honourable Gumbo should be aware and not abuse people like this.”Charged Honourable Mliswa.
Information gathered so far have proved that the controversial business man, Billy Rautenbach does not have title deeds over the land .
Attempts by the Ministry of Local Government to withdraw the offer letter it gave the Cooperatives hit a brick wall after the High Court in July this year declared the cancellation of the offer letter “null and void.”
The Aspindale issue is a litmus test for the ED administration on dealing with land barons.CHRA calls on the Zimbabwe government to respect and protect the right to shelter for Aspindale residents.
The threats by the Minister Gumbo are clear violations of the constitutional provisionsof the freedom of assembly and association as well as the right to shelter.
In responding to the perpetual human rights violations and oppression of Aspindale residents CHRA has commenced a process of engaging the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission over the gross human rights violations under way in Aspindale ,in addition to a litigation process under way.
A 34-YEAR-OLD Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officer is in soup after allegedly raping a colleague in the dark in the absence of her husband.
Philani Ncube of ZRP Madlambuzi was arrested after rap_ing a fellow cop last week.
Sources close to the investigation allege on December 16 around 9pm the complainant arrived at her place of residence from work and retired to bed whilst her husband was at a bar.
While asleep Ncube sneaked into the complanant’s dark bedroom and started fondling the complainant’s breasts and kissing while the complaint responded thinking that it was her husband.
He raped her once and while in the middle of sexual intercourse, the complanant’ managed to observe that it was not her husband and she was being raped.
She screamed for help and Ncube apologized before fleeing.
When the complanant’s husband came back from the bar the victim narrated her ordeal and she was accompanied by her husband to file a report leading to the arrest of the accused.
— Byo24
Five Armed robbers pounced on an unsuspecting businessman in the dead of the night at his home and got away with cash, a
kombi and other valuables.
The robbers reportedly disarmed Mr Mapungwana’s security system and tapped him and his security guards before taking away the valuables.
According to the publication, Mr Shepherd Mapungwana of Lee and Lee lost:
US$5 500, $23 000, ZAR3 700, a camera, pistol, a television set, a Toyota Quantum microbus and two mobile phones.
The robbers deflated Mr Mapungwana’s other cars’ tyres before taking. The matter was reported to Mvuri Police.NewsDay
Farai Dziva|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has said Zanu PF cannot brag about unity when it is terrorizing hapless citizens.
Speaking about the Unity Day Chamisa said:
“It cannot be unity when you beat up people for saying they are hungry. If doctors say they are incapacitated and they want money, you fire them, when teachers say they want money, you set dogs on them. Is that unity?
It cannot be unity when it appears there are two countries in one. Unity shouldn’t be between parties for power, but it must be about institutions and for the good of everyone, tribes, religion, all provinces, seeing there is something for them.
Unity is important, but they think it is partisan.
There is no unity when you can’t resolve issues and hold free and fair elections…”
Farai Dziva|The Movement for Democratic Change has accused the ruling party Zanu PF of monopolizing Unity Day Celebrations.
Below is the party’s statement on Unity Day:
Towards a shared Zimbabwean dream
The liberation icon, Joshua Nkomo , said at the signing of the Unity Accord in 1987, “… unity is not just the signing of documents, unity is what follows.”
What has followed is a country at odds with its own ideals, a country that speaks the rhetoric of unity yet its citizens are imprisoned by deeply rooted divisions made worse by the government’s inability to acknowledge the trauma and suffering of its citizens.
The injustices of the past continue to be swept under the carpet.
The colonial-era injustices, the liberation war era injustices, and post-independence injustices must all be negated through a national process of truth-telling, nation-building, national healing and rehabilitative restorative justice.
The Gukurahundi atrocities remain glossed over and dismissed as mere “disturbances” while the victims continue to live with the trauma of unhealed wounds left to fester through insincerity and negligence.
The very fabric of the Zimbabwean dream continues to be eroded by the plague of greed and corruption as our people languish in poverty and hunger.
Murambatsvina left many homeless and hopeless. Violent elections and politically instigated violence have left many dead and wounded.
Government policies have eroded peoples’ savings and wealth.
Pensioners and the vulnerable are without any cushion against the brutality of the harsh economic circumstances.
This is not unity.
True peace and reconciliation require us to sincerely address the divisions in our society, to give voice to those who are marginalised and oppressed, to work together in common purpose to ensure the promises of liberation are enjoyed by every single Zimbabwean without fear or favour.
Until this day comes, we cannot claim to be united or free.
We cannot preach unity when we pursue economic policies that widen the divide between the rich and the poor. We have seen the imposition of austerity measures that punish the poor, for the mistakes made by the selfish, ruling elite.
These economic policies do not unite us. They divide us.
Inequality is growing. It’s one of the biggest threats to the security of our country, and to our unity as a people.
This is not the unity Joshua Nkomo signed for.
The MDC will continue to fight for a truly united Zimbabwe where the ideals of freedom, democracy, peace, and reform belong to every citizen of our beloved nation.
True unity must be beyond just the unity of parties or its leaders. It must be a unity of all people of our beautiful Zimbabwe in vision, ideals, values and destiny.
We must all build the Zimbabwe we deserve and want-the shared Zimbabwean dream.
United we stand.
The liberation icon, Joshua Nkomo , said at the signing of the Unity Accord in 1987, “… unity is not just the signing of documents, unity is what follows.”
What has followed is a country at odds with its own ideals, a country that speaks the rhetoric of unity yet its citizens are imprisoned by deeply rooted divisions made worse by the government’s inability to acknowledge the trauma and suffering of its citizens.
The injustices of the past continue to be swept under the carpet.
The colonial-era injustices, the liberation war era injustices, and post-independence injustices must all be negated through a national process of truth-telling, nation-building, national healing and rehabilitative restorative justice.
The Gukurahundi atrocities remain glossed over and dismissed as mere “disturbances” while the victims continue to live with the trauma of unhealed wounds left to fester through insincerity and negligence.
The very fabric of the Zimbabwean dream continues to be eroded by the plague of greed and corruption as our people languish in poverty and hunger.
Murambatsvina left many homeless and hopeless. Violent elections and politically instigated violence have left many dead and wounded.
Government policies have eroded peoples’ savings and wealth.
Pensioners and the vulnerable are without any cushion against the brutality of the harsh economic circumstances.
This is not unity.
True peace and reconciliation require us to sincerely address the divisions in our society, to give voice to those who are marginalised and oppressed, to work together in common purpose to ensure the promises of liberation are enjoyed by every single Zimbabwean without fear or favour.
Until this day comes, we cannot claim to be united or free.
We cannot preach unity when we pursue economic policies that widen the divide between the rich and the poor. We have seen the imposition of austerity measures that punish the poor, for the mistakes made by the selfish, ruling elite.
These economic policies do not unite us. They divide us.
Inequality is growing. It’s one of the biggest threats to the security of our country, and to our unity as a people.
This is not the unity Joshua Nkomo signed for.
The MDC will continue to fight for a truly united Zimbabwe where the ideals of freedom, democracy, peace, and reform belong to every citizen of our beloved nation.
True unity must be beyond just the unity of parties or its leaders. It must be a unity of all people of our beautiful Zimbabwe in vision, ideals, values and destiny.
We must all build the Zimbabwe we deserve and want-the shared Zimbabwean dream.
United we stand.
THE Mubaiwa family has made a passionate plea to President Emmerson Mnangagwa to intervene and place jailed Marry Chiwenga (nee Mubaiwa), the wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, under house arrest to protect her honour.
Marry was remanded in custody last week, facing charges of attempting to kill the VP and fraud.
However, the family feels that her honour and respect has been dragged through the mud by incarcerating her with convicted criminals as she is innocent and coming from a ‘higher authority.’
“Coming from a higher authority like that, there is need to honour her. She is the wife of the Vice President, she needs to be respected and honoured regardless of anything else around,” Harrington Mubaiwa, an uncle to Marry told NewZimbabwe Sunday.
Harrington went on to suggest that Marry should instead be placed under house arrest.
“The best they can do is for her to be put under house arrest for now. There is nowhere she can go but there is need for a level of dignity for her,” he said.
According to the uncle, before her arrest Marry was staying with her five children. After her arrest, the VP took three of the children he sired with his wife while he sent the other two packing to stay with the Mubaiwa’s.
“It is illegal for Chiwenga to come and take the children,” said Harrington before accusing their in-law of using military and political power to influence the police and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to get back on his wife.
Chiwenga is a former army general and is also going through a messy divorce process with Marry.
However, the Mubaiwa family feels that Mnangagwa should intervene and rescue Marry from what it views is persecution not prosecution.
“But the President being a custodian of freedom, safety and liberty of the citizens must intervene because my daughter is being denied that right,” said Harrington.
“President Mnangagwa, I request you to take this matter and give my daughter Marry Mubaiwa the dignity she deserves. I want to appeal for ED Mnangangwa’s intervention in this case in such a way that our daughter is handled with the level of dignity and protection that every citizen should have.”
The Mubaiwa family said it was also saddened with how the arrest of Marry was being handled as it was a family issue not a criminal case.
“We know that when a family has a disagreement, the husband who is unhappy with his wife should approach parents of the wife and discuss the way forward. This has not been done and it shows how Chiwenga despises the Mubaiwa family.
“He should have thought as a strategic man. He should have thought about this and I am sure he considered it but found it to be unnecessary because he perceives that we don’t have powers.
“And coming from a higher authority like that there is need to honour Marry, she is the wife of the Vice President, she needs to be respected and honoured regardless of anything else around.
Marry will be back at the High Court Friday for her bail application hearing.
Chippa United coach Norman Mapeza outwitted his compatriot at Supersport United, Kaitano Tembo, during an Absa Premier League match played at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday evening.
The Chilli Boys won 1-0 through a Xolani Mahola goal in the 42nd minute.
The win takes Mapeza’s side to ninth place on the log standings, having now kept five clean sheets in a row.
Meanwhile, the defeat leaves SuperSport in third, 10 points behind league leaders Kaizer Chiefs.
When Mapeza took over at Chippa, the club had not won a single match in over five games and was languishing at the foot of the table, with relegation looking certain.
More: SuperSport
Farai Dziva|Real Madrid drew 0-0 at home to
Athletic Club on Sunday night and ended 2019 in frustration.
Zinedine Zidane’s side extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 13 games, but failure to score at the Santiago Bernabeu means Los Blancos have now drawn their last three La Liga matches.
After rescuing a point in the 95th minute away to Valencia last weekend, Madrid drew 0-0 at Camp Nou in El Clasico on Wednesday night and were looking to head into the winter break level with Barcelona by beating Athletic on Sunday.
But Real were denied by the woodwork three times and unable to convert any of their 20 chances as they dropped two points off the pace at the top of the table after 18 rounds of matches.
ZIMBABWE’s current mealie meal shortages have been blamed on the Industry and Commerce ministry which failed to register over 60 millers for maize subsidy, with millers withholding their stocks to avoid losses.
Mnangagwa’s government scrapped maize subsidies at the start of the month, but reintroduced them after a public outcry over high prices.
Government, however, introduced a new condition that millers should be registered with the Industry ministry to qualify for the subsidy programme, in a statement released on December 13 by the Finance ministry.
But some millers have complained that the registration process was very slow and about 60 millers have not been registered for the subsidy programme.
The millers are now withholding their stocks for fear that they may not be registered at all.
“The 60 millers are holding on to their maize stocks and cannot risk producing roller meal without being registered,” a miller who requested anonymity said.
“The few who have been registered are struggling to supply the market and this has caused serious shortages of the product on the market. Only highly priced refined mealie-meal being sold at around $115 per 10kg is found in the shops.”
The gazetted price of the roller meal is $50, which is seen as affordable for the public.
NewsDay observed yesterday that many retail shops did not have roller meal.
The registered millers include National Foods Limited (NFL) and Blue Ribbon Foods, which were allocated 28 000 tonnes and 10 000 respectively, out of the 40 000 which government has availed to millers.
Millers who spoke to NewsDay said they were being sent from one office to another without getting any assistance.
Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) spokesperson Garikai Chaunza confirmed receiving reports of delayed registration process from millers.
“We are receiving calls from our members asking if the association could assist them and it is our hope that the authorities would speed up the process, so that millers who are holding on to their maize grain start milling and supply the market given that we are in the festive season, where mealie-meal is one of the products on demand,” he said.
“We have the capacity to supply the nation throughout the festive season and what we are waiting for is that government registers us.
“Millers are now required to register with the Industry ministry and after that, approach the Finance ministry, which will give them the subsidy money before they go to GMB for maize collection. The process is cumbersome and millers are complaining that there is no transparency in the process.”
GMAZ used to facilitate the process for its members.
Last week, GMAZ Southern region members raised concern over what they described as a show of “unfair and anti-competitive behaviour,” shown by NFL, which allegedly met government privately and secured over half of the total subsidised monthly maize allocation of 40 000 metric tonnes outside the association.
However, according to the December 13 statement by the Finance ministry, not only GMAZ members qualified for the subsidy programme.
Industry minister Sekai Nzenza yesterday said the matter would be addressed.
“I am surprised that the process is taking long as the team is working hard to register millers. However, we need to resolve this matter quickly and there should be no shortages at all. Please do send the questions to my PA, Victoria Sigauke, and we will investigate,” she said.
I have followed closely as you argue l need those informed to the process to guide us with facts:
What is POLAD? RESPONSE: POLAD is a platform created for all 2018 Presidential candidates who had ideas of how they thought they could move the country forward. It is a platform I can best describe as that of farmers of thought. Ideas are shared and proposals made as to how we can best move the country forward.
Where did it get its MANDATE? The qualification to participate came from the fact that one was a presidential candidate and therefore the mandate come from those that forwarded the aspiring Presidential candidate and those who subsequently voted for those candidates.
What motivated POLAD?
The realization that we all have a responsibility to build the Zimbabwe we want. The majority does not always necessarily have the monopoly of ideas of how to move the country forward especially in a polarised environment like we have in Zimbabwe where the minority groups may never win elections based or tribal voting tendencies we have witnessed over the years.
The majority always have a say and the minority follow out of fear of being left out. The minority seem to be voting with the majority just so they also belong and not necessarily because the majority have their interests.
What will be the key achievables of POLAD for it to be defined successfully? Polad is not a governing platform but it is a platform that generates ideas of what people would like to see happen in their communities.
Where does POLAD differ in other failed political settlements like the GNU?
RESPONSE: POLAD is not a power sharing arrangement. IT does not seek to share power but to hold the governing party and all legislatures responsible to what they were voted to do in the spirit of inclusiveness and moving the country forward.
Is POLAD going to bring long lasting permanent political solution in Zimbabwe if so what is its strategy learning from previous mistakes?
RESPONSE :
POLAD is on a voluntary participation basis of those that want to see the country move forward. Unity and respect among the participants is there fore key. It is a platform where people come together based on their willingness to cooperate with each other. The POLAD platform does not compell every one to be a participant in but all those that have a shared vision of a better Zimbabwe and better life for all.
It has been endorsed by UN, AU SADC and other international bodies as a platform of inclusivity and a home brewed solution for Zimbabweans by Zimbabweans.
I have followed closely as you argue l need those informed to the process to guide us with facts:
What is POLAD?
RESPONSE: POLAD is a platform created for all 2018 Presidential candidates who had ideas of how they thought they could move the country forward. It is a platform I can best describe as that of farmers of thought. Ideas are shared and proposals made as to how we can best move the country forward.
Where did it get it’s MANDATE? The qualification to participate came from the fact that one was a presidential candidate and therefore the mandate come from those that forwarded the aspiring Presidential candidate and those who subsequently voted for those candidates.
What motivated POLAD?
The realization that we all have a responsibility to build the Zimbabwe we want. The majority does not always necessarily have the monopoly of ideas of how to move the country forward especially in a polarised environment like we have in Zimbabwe where the minority groups may never win elections based or tribal voting tendencies we have witnessed over the years.
The majority always have a say and the minority follow out of fear of being left out. The minority seem to be voting with the majority just so they also belong and not necessarily because the majority have their interests.
What will be the key achievables of POLAD for it to be defined successfully? Polad is not a governing platform but it is a platform that generates ideas of what people would like to see happen in their communities.
Where does POLAD differ in other failed political settlements like the GNU?
RESPONSE: POLAD is not a power sharing arrangement. IT does not seek to share power but to hold the governing party and all legislatures responsible to what they were voted to do in the spirit of inclusiveness and moving the country forward.
Is POLAD going to bring long lasting permanent political solution in Zimbabwe if so what is its strategy learning from previous mistakes?
RESPONSE :
POLAD is on a voluntary participation basis of those that want to see the country move forward. Unity and respect among the participants is there fore key. It is a platform where people come together based on their willingness to cooperate with each other. The POLAD platform does not compell every one to be a participant in but all those that have a shared vision of a better Zimbabwe and better life for all.
It has been endorsed by UN, AU SADC and other international bodies as a platform of inclusivity and a home brewed solution for Zimbabweans by Zimbabweans.
Farai Dziva|MDC vice president Lynette Karenyi presented Christmas gifts to Gogo Tsvangirai, the mother of the late veteran opposition leader and trade unionist, Morgan Tsvangirai.
See statement below:
Blessed be the womb that bore our icon and MDC founding President, the late Dr Richard Morgan Tsvangirai.
Today, on behalf of the loving and caring MDC family, I felt honoured to pay a visit and hand over Christmas gifts to our late President’s mother Gogo Tsvangirai in Buhera.
It was an emotional moment that reminded me just how much sorrow the great Tsvangirai family has had to endure over the past few years.
The MDC, through the leadership of our President Nelson Chamisa, will continue to pay tribute and offer our gratitude to the Tsvangirai family for gifting us with a bona fide hero of social justice.
Gogo Tsvangirai and the entire Tsvangirai family, may you have a blessed Christmas and prosperous new year!
Farai Dziva|MDC vice president Lynette Karenyi presented Christmas gifts to Gogo Tsvangirai, the mother of the late veteran opposition leader and trade unionist, Morgan Tsvangirai.
See statement below:
Blessed be the womb that bore our icon and MDC founding President, the late Dr Richard Morgan Tsvangirai.
Today, on behalf of the loving and caring MDC family, I felt honoured to pay a visit and hand over Christmas gifts to our late President’s mother Gogo Tsvangirai in Buhera.
It was an emotional moment that reminded me just how much sorrow the great Tsvangirai family has had to endure over the past few years.
The MDC, through the leadership of our President Nelson Chamisa, will continue to pay tribute and offer our gratitude to the Tsvangirai family for gifting us with a bona fide hero of social justice.
Gogo Tsvangirai and the entire Tsvangirai family, may you have a blessed Christmas and prosperous new year!
NORTON’S Member of the House of Assembly Temba Mliswa has disclosed that he has turned down overtures by President Emmerson Mnangagwa for him to rejoin Zanu-PF, because “the party is full of corrupt people.”
Zanu-PF was also infested with unrepentant land barons, Mliswa said.
Mliswa made the revelations while handing over Christmas cheer donations to a community in his constituency.
Said Mliswa: “His Excellency President Mnangagwa said I should come back to Zanu PF, but how can I come back to a party whose leadership is so corrupt . . . The issue of land barons is the latest as exposed by the recent report. Besides our coming back shouldn’t be conditional just as the President’s come back was not conditional.
“I thought President Mnangagwa was going to recall all members fired by the G40 who include Amai Joyce Mujuru, Didymus Mutasa, Rugare Gumbo, Jabulani Sibanda since he was also fired by the same people and came back. Mr President why do you want us to write letters when you did not?”
Mliswa, who recently indicated this is his last term as MP since he now wanted to look for money, said Zanu-PF will continue losing elections in Norton because of the land barons in that town who are aligned to the ruling party but are untouchable.
“Mr President Norton residents voted Zanu PF out because of land barons who you are protecting. It’s a system that was started by former (Local Government) minister Ignatius Chombo and people like Justice Mayor Wadyajena, Killer Zivhu (Chivi South MP) and Cuthbert Mupamhi have been fingered by the report,” Mliswa said.
Mupamhi, however, said Mliswa is the one who is corrupt because he wants to politicise the land issue by roping in the President.
“If there is one person who is corrupt in this whole issue, it is Temba Mliswa. He has been fighting me since he was Zanu PF provincial chairperson; he wants my private land… I was arrested by Zacc and cleared” he said.
By A Correspondent| Norton legislator Themba Mliswa turned down the president’s invitation for him to rejoin the ruling party and said its infested with corruption and he won’t join the ruling party again.
Mliswa said this as he was handing over Christmas presents from Norton residents and companies to the president when he said;
His Excellency President Mnangagwa said I should come back to Zanu PF, but how can I come back to a party whose leadership is so corrupt . . . The issue of land barons is the latest as exposed by the recent report. Besides our coming back shouldn’t be conditional just as the President’s come back was not conditional.
I thought President Mnangagwa was going to recall all members fired by the G40 who include Amai Joyce Mujuru, Didymus Mutasa, Rugare Gumbo, Jabulani Sibanda since he was also fired by the same people and came back. Mr President why do you want us to write letters when you did not?
Themba is among the group of politicians that were sacked from the ruling party together with Mujuru in 2014.
By Patrick Guramatunhu| “I told (President) Mbeki that we have a platform for political dialogue which is Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD). It is the only one that we will use.
If anyone wants to join including the MDC led by Chamisa, they are welcome to do so,” said President Emerson Mnangagwa.
This reminded me of You Tube video of this little girl who asked for Ice Bucket Challenge. When some one obliged and emptied an bucket of ice cold water on her, the response was heartfelt swearing. Hilarious!
Last week UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, was beside himself with joy for winning the British elections with a “thumping majority”.
The Conservatives won 365 seats in a 650 seats House of Commons; that is 39 seats past the 326 for a clear majority.
PM Theresa May, Boris’ successor in the famous 10 Downing Street, had 318 and was compelled to go into a coalition arrangement with the Northern Ireland’s DUP with its 10 MPs just to give her government the 2 parliamentary votes for a simple majority.
Even then, the DUP did not always vote with the Conservatives hence the reason her Brexit proposals were rejected again and again. Theresa May was hamstrung!
With 39 seats past the simple majority, PM Boris Johnson, knows his government can govern without reference to an other political support.
With his more that 2/3 majority in parliament President Mnangagwa had comfortably carryout all his day to day business which require a simple majority vote. He can also carryout the more demanding tasks such as changing the constitution where he must get 2/3 majority to pass.
Indeed, Mnangagwa has already started abusing his 2/3 parliamentary majority to change the constitution in ways designed to consolidate his presidential powers at the expense of the other democratic institutions such as the judiciary and parliament.
So why President Mnangagwa is going out of his way to woo all the country’s opposition parties, even parties with not even one council seat much less an MP, with this POLAD is, at first sight, hilarious. Is he like the little girl asking for the ice bucket challenge; is he negotiating with these not aware he does not their support to govern!
A closer examination of the facts reveals the sinister intentions behind Mnangagwa to corral all Zimbabwe’s opposition into POLAD. It is now nearly a year and a half since Mnangagwa was sworn in as president of Zimbabwe and all the confidence and novelty of the new broom sweeping clean has worn off.
His “Zimbabwe is open for business!” mantra which he was so cocksure will open the floodgate of investors has failed to attract any one.
By failing to stamp out corruption and blatantly rigging last year’s elections Mnangagwa has confirmed that Zimbabwe is still a pariah state ruled by corrupt, incompetent and vote rigging thugs; same as the Mugabe days, nothing has changed. Investors do not do business with thugs, Mnangagwa should have known that from his days as Mugabe’s henchman.
There are two reasons Mnangagwa is determined to get Nelson Chamisa to join POLAD:
Whilst PM Boris Johnson knows exactly what he has to do to “Get Brexit done!”, for example; the same cannot be said of President Mnangagwa. Of course, Mnangagwa would like to end Zimbabwe’s worsening economic meltdown, he has no clue how to do it. He knows that, if he does not do something to stop the economic rot, his strangle hold on power is becoming increasingly tenuous.
Mnangagwa is hoping against hope that the opposition leaders in POLAD will come up with the solutions to the country’s serious economic problems, especial Chamisa who has said he has the key to getting the sanctions lifted and economic recovery.
Given Zimbabwe will remain a pariah state with or without POLAD, it is almost certain there will be no meaning economic recovery. Mnangagwa’s plan B is to use POLAD to silence the opposition voices and to keep the threatened public demonstration off the streets.
“It’s probably better to have him inside the tent pissing out than outside the tent pissing in,” said USA President Lyndon Johnson in 1971 of a dangerous rival.
Zimbabwe is in this economic and political mess because the country has been stuck with the same corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs for the last 39 years; they rigged the elections and thus deny the people the chance to remove them from power.
POLAD is Mnangagwa’s insurance that he remains in office until 2023, that no meaningful reforms are implemented and Zanu PF will once again rig the elections.
Mnangagwa has no clue what to do to revive the nation’s ruined economy but we must not underestimate his resolve to retain political power regardless.
Zanu PF has rigged elections for the last 39 years and got away with it, the real challenge, ice bucket challenge, is to make sure Zanu PF does not get away with it this time.
If Mnangagwa has his POLAD then he would certainly get away with yet another rigged elections; he would be throwing a bucket of acid, not icy water, on us! It will be sheer folly on our part to let him do that!
The new Zimbabwe Progressive Doctors’ Association (PDAZ) yesterday said it wants serious discussions with the Health Services Board and has compiled its monetary and non-monetary expectations.
The list has already been sent to the board for its consideration.
The association believes junior doctors have legitimate grievances, the same that led to the job action, but that these must be addressed in meaningful negotiations while doctors are at work.
In an interview, PDAZ spokesperson Dr Anesu Rangwani said they were hopeful the employer would put a meaningful offer on the table.
“We want to be progressive, but we are not going to label anyone who has not been coming to work because doctors did not down tools for no reason,” he said.
“However, as PDAZ we are saying the past should stay in the past. Yes, incapacitation was there, our grievances still stand and they are still genuine, but what we need now is a solution. We need to forge a way forward.
“We have commenced the process (of negotiating with Government) and we have since submitted our proposals in terms of what we expect as salaries and non-salary benefits. There is nothing solid yet, but we are hopeful that an agreement is imminent.”
Although he could not provide the exact number of PDAZ membership so far, Dr Rangwani said the response from fellow junior doctors had been encouraging.
He said following their launch in Harare recently, a number of junior doctors had been signing resumption of duty forms from their respective health institutions, a sign that many were taking heed of their call to return to work and pursue negotiations while on duty.
“Initially, people were sceptical, but a week later following our launch in Harare a number of junior doctors returned to work and that has been our call for people to go back to work and give negotiations another chance,” said Dr Rangwani.
He said PDAZ’s vision was driven
by the Hippocratic Oath that doctors take, which places patients first before anything else.
“The idea of coming up with a different association from the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association (ZHDA) came around day 81 when we realised that weeks had gone by with no solution in sight,” said Dr Rangwani..
“A group of doctors with like-minded thoughts then came together and formed PDAZ with the hope of breaking the longstanding labour dispute between Government and junior doctors. Our grievances remain the same with those presented by the ZHDA but we differ in approach,” said Dr Rangwani.
Since its formation, PDAZ has been calling on its members and fellow junior doctors to return to work.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care show that all junior doctors at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Chitungwiza Central Hospital and most from Harare, Mpilo and United Bulawayo hospitals, had by Friday not only signed their resumption of duty forms, but actually availed themselves for work.
PDAZ’s call also followed a 48-hour moratorium provided by President Mnangagwa to the striking junior doctors to return to work despite earlier dismissal by the HSB.
Higher Life Foundation (HLF) also offered a $100 million education facility as scholarships for the doctors to complete their education.
The ZHDA had rejected both offers, arguing that it needed to solve its labour dispute with the employer first before any other interventions from well-wishers.
Most junior doctors went on to apply for the HLF incentive nicodemously and have since returned to work, leaving ZHDA out in the open.
Some senior consultant doctors have also started trickling back at work, joining several others who never downed tools since the beginning of the strike.
By Own Correspondent| The recently launched Progressive Doctors’ Association Of Zimbabwe has hit the ground running as they are claiming they understand that incapacitation is there and have started to negotiate for better incentives with the government.
PDAZ spokesperson Dr Anesu Rangwani in an interview with the publication said:
We want to be progressive, but we are not going to label anyone who has not been coming to work because doctors did not down tools for no reason.
However, as PDAZ we are saying the past should stay in the past. Yes, incapacitation was there, our grievances still stand and they are still genuine, but what we need now is a solution. We need to forge a way forward.
We have commenced the process (of negotiating with Government) and we have since submitted our proposals in terms of what we expect as salaries and non-salary benefits. There is nothing solid yet, but we are hopeful that an agreement is imminent.
Doctors have been on strike since 3 September 2019 citing incapacitation
Unit O shopping centre paTaita: Riot police harassing vanhu pamusika nema tuckshop in Chitungwiza….Ne poverty iri munyika muno vanhu vanorarama nei shuwa? pic.twitter.com/gA6AQjH04i
There were no western sanctions at all when Emmerson Mnangagwa ordered the killing of more than 22,000 Zimbabweans between 1982 and 1984 and no sanctions at all for a whole 20 years since independence, and information minister Monica Mutsvangwa has come out to say Ndebeles who were pushed into Botswana went there because of sanctions.
Monica Mutsvangwa
STATE MEDIA FULL TEXT:
The Government has said the 137 people that have been repatriated by Botswana through the Plumtree Border Post are not victims of Gukurahundi but people who had probably gone to the neighbouring country to look for employment as the facts do not add up to give the story the post-independence narrative.
Commenting on the reports that the returnees fled the country because of Gukurahundi, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, said in an interview that people should not use the Gukurahundi episode for political capital.
She said the fact that a number of the returnees have confirmed to having left the country 15 years ago disqualifies it from being a Gukurahundi story but essentially an economic one. She added that to give the story a Gukurahundi narrative is a politically expedient way of apportioning weight so as to gain sympathy from the international donor community.
“I have seen the report which allege that some people have been living out of Zimbabwe for 15 years and this clearly has nothing to do with Gukurahundi legacy,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said she fails to see how the number of years they have been out of the country connects with Gukurahundi, unless that was stated for political reasons which were not historically factual.
“As a country we have faced a number of challenges mainly due to the impacts of illegal sanctions imposed by the West on Zimbabwe. For almost 20 years Zimbabwe has been isolated.
“There have been no meaningful investments, in fact there has been disinvestment, most industries closed down leaving most of our people unemployed.
“This triggered migration of our people seeking greener pastures in our neighbouring countries and abroad. Some have made their lives and families elsewhere but should they think of coming home, we will embrace them because we all know home is best,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
The minister said that there were people trickling back into the country speaks volumes on the success and sincerity of the engagement and re-engagement efforts of the new political dispensation.
“The Second Republic in its engagement and re-engagement efforts has not left out our diasporans. Zimbabwe is their home and they are always welcome,” she added.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Lovemore Matuke confirmed receiving reports of the returnees and echoed Minister Mutsvangwa’s sentiments that they, like so many others went to neighbouring countries under the weight of economic rather than political challenges.
He said the ministry was going to assess their needs and if need be start assisting them under vulnerable groups.
“We are going to assess their needs. If there is a need for them to be treated as a special group we will do so and make sure they get the assistance they require from the money allocated in the budget. They should not lie about Gukurahundi to gain donor sympathy, we are going to help them the way we are doing with everybody who is in need of assistance,” he said.
Matuke said it was not a secret that a number of economic refugees left the country under the guise of political asylum seekers when in fact they were not threatened politically.
Reports say about 640 refugees are expected to be deported back home with the 137 that have already arrived in Zimbabwe being the first group of returnees. The returnees were provided with transport by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR).
The Botswana government has reportedly given the refugees an ultimatum to register for voluntary repatriation by 31 December or face forced removals.
Reports suggest that Botswana believes the refugees will not suffer any form of persecution by the present political administration which is what precipitated its decision to return the refugees to Zimbabwe.
“The Botswana government is convinced that Zimbabwe is safe for the so-called political refugees. The thawing relations between Harare and Gaborone is on the mend following a change of administration in both countries with sincerity and engagement seemingly being the hallmark of the two’s political and economic route going forward,” said an official at the border.- Sunday News
By A Correspondent| The real Chiwenga “Tezvara,” Hannington Mubaiwa came on camera first the 2nd time last night.
He joined a news review with Chief Svosve on ZimEye.com [program below]. Hannington Mubaiwa was a contractor in Zimbabwe, before relocating to the United States Of America. He is now a Social Scientist, who designs transformation-al economies and comes from a business background.
FULL LIVE VIDEO LOADING BELOW
https://youtu.be/KjJvdc075zg
He tells ZimEye, I was the one who built the houses in places such as Kuwadzana, Harare, Zimbabwe the 3000 houses built there. I am a scholar focusing on transforming economies of the future. I design mordenisation plans for Third World Countries. My study is national transformation.
By Patrick Guramatunhu- Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) members meet at Mnangagwa’s Sherwood farm, near Kwekwe. The grouping will never come up with any solution to the nation’s many teething problems!
“It was a request made by POLAD members. The programme is very simple, a couple of hours of business and then another couple of hours touring the farm. So it is almost like a farmers’ field day after the serious business of talks,” explained George Charamba.
“It does clinch the notion of productivity which has been the President’s watchword that we should work, work and work for our economy to grow.”
Charamba is Mnangagwa’s spokesperson and spin doctors. He is never short of an explanation, often irrational as is the case here.
Zimbabwe is a banana republic complete with Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland type institutions and characters.
Here is what we know about POLAD; it is a gathering of individuals, exact number is unknown, mostly presidential candidates in last year’s rigged elections.
All who join are required to public affirm the elections were free, fair and credible and that one Emerson Mnangagwa is the legitimate President of the banana republic.
POLAD is a talk-shop with not rules, no minutes are taken, no quorum, no power to call anyone to appear before gathering and no one is expected to tell the truth or talk sense.
Most important of all, Mnangagwa, the chairperson of POLAD by virtue of being the founder and funder, will, as a rule of thumb, ignore everything said in the talk-shop.
This compares very favourably with Lewis Carroll’s fairytale.
“Alice and the other animals are still wet, prompting the Dodo to suggest a Caucus race. The Dodo marks out a course, sets everyone in place, and yells “go.” explained sparknotes.
“The animals run around haphazardly until the Dodo declares half an hour later that the race is over. The Dodo says that all of them have won the Caucus race and elects Alice to confer prizes.
“Alice passes mints to all the animals, leaving herself without a prize. Finding a thimble, she hands it to the Dodo, who in turn presents it back to her as her prize. Alice solemnly accepts the thimble but cannot help feeling that the gesture is absurd.”
Zimbabwe is a country in serious, serious economic trouble. Unemployment has been 80% plus for the last two decades now. 34% of the population are now living in extreme poverty, according to a recent WB report.
The country’s health care has all but completely collapsed, hundreds are dying everyday of easily treatable ailments. If the country is ever going to get out of this mess and end the tragic human suffering and deaths, it needs a forum where there is going to be serious debate.
The root cause of the country’s economic meltdown is the failure by key state institutions like parliament and cabinet to come up with solutions to the nations many problems.
The Zanu PF dictatorship has usurped the people’s power to elect competent MPs and parliament is now full of party loyalists whose primary concern is to please and appease the dictator. There is no quality debate in parliament. Cabinet is not any better!
Whatever little parliamentary and cabinet debates there was still, it is all going as POLAD, the talk-shop, takes over as the supreme policy and decision making body in the land.
“It is almost like a farmers’ field day after the serious business of talks!” Yeah, right! Name one “serious business” POLAD has accomplished; one year after it was launched and with millions of taxpayers’ money spent on its talk-shops?
If Zimbabwe is to ever get out of the economic and political mess, four decades of Zanu PF dictatorship have landed the nation in; we must end the curse of rigged elections, the foundation on which the dictatorship stands, and restore good governance.
POLAD seeks to stifle all meaningful debate and democratic discourse under the pretext of unity. It is just another foolish “caucus race” from the Dodo Mnangagwa at a time the country is desperate for a way out of this man-made hell-on-earth.
on the very day of Mbeki's arrival, he subtly declared that @nelsonchamisa has caused all the killings, lootings, vote rigging, and 3 things must now happen: US sanctions on ED must be removed, Chamisa must give up complaining about killings, vote rigging, he must join Poladites pic.twitter.com/GIOqnx3bz3
