PRESS STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE HONOURABLE KAZEMBE KAZEMBE ON THE CURRENT PASSPORT SITUATION

The Ministry, through the Department of Civil Registry, is responsible for; among others, production and issuance of travel documents including passports.

The Civil Registry Department is experiencing a backlog in the production of passports. The backlog is currently at 359 288 backdating to August 2018.

This is mainly due to the limited availability of foreign currency to procure the required consumables such as ink, films, ribbon and passport paper.

This situation has been exacerbated by the low passport fees being charged by the Department. The Department is charging all its clients in local currency yet consumables for the production of passports are imported and require foreign currency

The Ministry is aware of the high expectation from members of the public for timely provision of service delivery particularly in the areas of issuance of travel documents.

The Ministry is also aware of what citizens are going through especially those living abroad whose passports have expired.

Citizens in the diaspora need to have valid passports in order to regularize their stay in the host countries.

As a way of assisting the Department to attend to requirements for passports by citizens in the diaspora, Government has therefore authorized the Department to charge USD$318 for passports; in respect of those in the diaspora. The applications will be prioritized on an urgent basis.

Further details on the implementation of this decision are being worked out by the Civil Registry Department in consultation with other stakeholders.

I THANK YOU

By A Correspondent- More political parties in the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) are set to join or re-join Zanu PF following in the footsteps of Brian Mteki, the ruling party spokesperson said yesterday.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo told journalists after a politburo meeting that the appetite for Polad members to join Zanu PF was high.

“The political commissar (Victor Matemadanda) gave his report where he said there was a groundswell of political parties wanting to rejoin or join Zanu PF. The year 2020 will no doubt be a milestone as the party gathers more strength,” Moyo said.

Among the Polad members are Thokozani Khupe of MDC-T and Lovemore Madhuku who leads the National Constitutional Assembly.

MDC has accused political parties who are in Polad of being Zanu PF appendages, arguing they were not engaged in any meaningful dialogue except agreeing with the ruling party.

The politburo also considered the lands commission report where Zanu PF called for swift action against land barons fingered in the illegal sale of State land.

“Upon receiving the report by the commission of inquiry on the sale of State land in urban areas, the party stands with the majority hence issues like living in squalid conditions with no clean water, sanitation, roads and other social amenities must be addressed,” Moyo said.

“The issue of corruption and land barons must be dealt with and the law must take its course without fear or favour.”

He said the politburo also discussed preparations for the party’s conference which will be officially opened by President Emmerson Mnangagwa tomorrow and closed on Saturday, adding the issues of leadership would not be discussed.

“There is a rumour that is circulating that we are going to Goromonzi for elections. I want to emphasise that the 18th national people’s conference is not a congress,” Moyo said.

“It is, therefore, not elective like any other conference. As per our constitution, it’s only congress that entertains elections.

“Therefore please take note very seriously over this misleading social media report that we are heading to Goromonzi to elect leadership, there is no such thing.”

Mnangagwa said the conference would be used to mobilise Zimbabweans towards economic growth.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Chairperson of Goromonzi Housing Cooperative Consortium and Solomon Mujuru Housing Cooperative, Oswell Ndumo Gwanzura, on Tuesday appeared in court on allegations of defrauding Ruwa homeseekers of US$11 340 and $34 510 by selling land that belonged to someone else.

Gwanzura (77) was facing fraud charges when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Victoria Mashamba.

He was remanded in custody to Friday next week.

Allegations are that during September 2013, Gwanzura, in a bid to fleece home seekers and working in cahoots with other cooperative members who are still at large, formed Goromonzi Housing Cooperative Consortium encompassing five cooperatives, including his own, Solomon Mujuru Co-operative.

The four other chairpersons — Joicy Chirodza, Charles Humboto, Nelson Mandizvidza and Edward Muzeza — were named in court as accomplices.

The court heard that during the same year, Gwanzura and his accomplices allegedly invited home seekers to join their cooperative upon paying a US$200 joining fee and US$25 monthly subscriptions in cash or bank transfers into Solomon Mujuru Cooperative’s ZB Bank account.

Gwanzura and his accomplices registered their housing cooperative with the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperatives and they applied for land in Solomio in Ruwa to the to the local board which was approved for the purpose of residential stands.

It is alleged that the complainants paid both the deposit and purchase price.

The court heard that in 2015, an order was granted by the High Court to the effect that ZB Bank and Landela Safari (Private) Limited were the legal owners of Lot 199883 subdivision of Galloway Hofmoor Estate measuring 598,096 hectares, with the bank holding 60 percent and the company 40 percent.

Gwanzura and his accomplices were evicted.

It is alleged that regardless of the eviction orders, Gwanzura and his accomplices went on to illegally occupy the open land, subdivided it into residential stands and allocated them to themselves and other cooperative members and further subdivided the already allocated stands to new beneficiaries to the prejudice of the complainants.

The court heard that when Gwanzura and his accomplices were doing this, they allegedly lied to their members that the Ministry of Local Government had already transferred the property into their name.

As a result of this representation, the complainants suffered a total prejudice of US$11 340 and $34 510.

Nothing was recovered.

-StateMedia

Correspondent|Gerald Mlotshwa, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son-in-law has been appointed to the board of Redcliff based coke-making firm, ZimCoke.

Former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) deputy governor and former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Nicholas Ncube, has been appointed the chairperson. In a statement on Tuesday, Ncube said:

ZimCoke, the recently formed company responsible for the production of Coke and related products in Zimbabwe, has announced the establishment of its first Board of Directors.[These individuals are] prominent Zimbabweans and also include the depth and breadth necessary to help guide and advise the Company as it conducts operations necessary to bring back into production the 160 coke ovens that formerly comprised the Coke Division of Ziscosteel Limited

Besides Mlotshwa and Ncube, the other board members include Philemon Nhachi, Emma Fundira, Eddie Cross, Lillian Mbayiwa, ZimCoke Operations Director Michael Moore and Valentine Mushayakarara.

Mlotshwa was recently appointed the chairperson of the Sports and Recreation Commission while Cross was appointed to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Monetary Policy Committee.

Struggling budget airline FastJet has confirmed it aborted take-off from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Sunday because of LOW FUEL.

Passengers shared their shock on Twitter after pilots on the morning flight to Harare announced that they had been stationary for too long on the runway waiting for permission to take off – and the wait had depleted their fuel.

Passengers accused the airline of “playing with lives” by failing to fuel sufficiently for the flight.

When a passenger on a different flight posted that they finally got a boarding call following lengthy delays, one Twitter user replied: “Pray the aircraft has fuel. A Harare-bound aircraft aborted take-off earlier today on the runaway after it ran out of fuel whilst taxiing!”

Chimed in another: “True story. The plane is FastJet.”

A passenger who was on the Embraer ERJ-145LU aircraft, flying as flight FN8332, told ZimLive they were later made to disembark and return to the terminal after the aborted take-off.

“The plane left its parking bay and went to the taxiway. The pilot came on and told us that we would take off after a plane which was visible to our left had taken off. That plane took-off after a few minutes. Then as we were expecting our turn to take-off, we were then informed that the plane had run out of fuel,” the passenger said, declining to be named.

“We waited another eight minutes for the fuel truck. The refuelling took about three minutes. A bus then turned up and they took us back to the terminal building. We waited there a little while and then they took us back to the plane.”

The passenger said they were concerned for their safety.

“It occurred to us that FastJet cut it a bit too fine on their fuelling. I’ve been on flights where take-off is delayed even for 30 minutes and this is the first time that I’ve heard of a plane running out of fuel on the runway. They’re playing with people’s lives, it’s crazy,” the passenger said.

In a brief statement on Twitter, FastJet said: “Our fuel loading is a controlled process by aircraft type and industry standard. The impact on the fuel requirement was as a result of an extended taxiway delay.”

A ZimLive request for a comment on the safety of its aircraft had not been answered.

Aviation experts say taxiing consumes a large amount of jet fuel, more than when an aircraft is in flight. Fuel consumption is estimated to be as high as 27 percent of total fuel burn for a 90-minute flight where waiting in queue adds to the time on the ground.

Last week, the loss-making airline announced plans to dispose of its Zimbabwean unit. FastJet has already pulled out of Tanzania.

The airline said it is looking to offload the Zimbabwe unit to a consortium led by its major shareholder, Solenta Aviation, for US$8 million.

FastJet said if the restructuring plans do not pan out by the end of February, the Africa-focused company may not be able to continue trading as a going concern.

Persistent volatility and uncertainty in the Zimbabwean market would see the company report a loss after tax of around US$7 million to US$8 million for 2019, compared with a loss of US$ million last year.

— ZimLive

The Ministry, through the Department of Civil Registry, is responsible for; among others, production and issuance of travel documents including passports.

The Civil Registry Department is experiencing a backlog in the production of passports. The backlog is currently at 359 288 backdating to August 2018.

This is mainly due to the limited availability of foreign currency to procure the required consumables such as ink, films, ribbon and passport paper.

This situation has been exacerbated by the low passport fees being charged by the Department. The Department is charging all its clients in local currency yet consumables for the production of passports are imported and require foreign currency

The Ministry is aware of the high expectation from members of the public for timely provision of service delivery particularly in the areas of issuance of travel documents.

The Ministry is also aware of what citizens are going through especially those living abroad whose passports have expired.

Citizens in the diaspora need to have valid passports in order to regularize their stay in the host countries.

As a way of assisting the Department to attend to requirements for passports by citizens in the diaspora, Government has therefore authorized the Department to charge USD$318 for passports; in respect of those in the diaspora. The applications will be prioritized on an urgent basis.

Further details on the implementation of this decision are being worked out by the Civil Registry Department in consultation with other stakeholders.

I THANK YOU

President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured South Africans the lights will stay on, even if it means using offshore generators as a last resort.

Load shedding had touched a raw nerve among South Africans, President Cyril Ramaphosa said during his apology to the nation and said Eskom would be keeping the lights on between December 17 and January 13. “Many of our power stations are an average of 37 years old, with some of them being 55 years old,” Ramaphosa said. “The new ones (Kusile and Medupi) are also giving us enormous challenges.” One of the proposals to increase capacity to about 5,000MW “if we are to have the system stabilised” was to have offshore generators. “It will be very expensive but it will…

‌Load shedding had touched a raw nerve among South Africans, President Cyril Ramaphosa said during his apology to the nation and said Eskom would be keeping the lights on between December 17 and January 13.

“Many of our power stations are an average of 37 years old, with some of them being 55 years old,” Ramaphosa said.

“The new ones (Kusile and Medupi) are also giving us enormous challenges.”

One of the proposals to increase capacity to about 5,000MW “if we are to have the system stabilised” was to have offshore generators.

“It will be very expensive but it will be examined,” Ramaphosa said, noting “self-generation” was also an option.

“We have been assured by management they are going to stabilise the system and embark on a recovery plan and that between December 17 leading into January and even beyond that, as we are working on all the requests we have made we will be able to have no load shedding during that period,” Ramaphosa said, noticeably stumbling over the “no load shedding” phrase.

Ramaphosa also said all leave had been cancelled for Eskom employees.

Eskom group executive of generation Bheki Nxumalo said a number of units had been brought back online.

“On top of that, some of our big units which were down for maintenance over July/August will also be coming back,” Nxumalo said.

Koeberg would also be coming back online mid-January, with Nxumalo noting the units which were coming online were highly reliable and “robust”.

Bernard Magoro, general manager for system operations at Eskom, said it was important to note Eskom was still in recovery mode.

“This is why we were able to step down from Stage four [on Tuesday] to stage two [yesterday],” Mogoro said.

On Monday, Magoro said the system should be more stable, with demand dropping over the weekend.

However, Energy Expert Coalition’s Clyde Mallinson despaired at the suggestion of offshore gas generators being used.

“In 2014, the Development Bank of South Africa put out a request for information on how much they should pay people to drop 5,000MW of consumption for 14 hours a day to allow Eskom to undertake deep maintenance,” Mallinson said.

“I proposed that instead of whatever they were thinking of paying people not to use electricity, if they subsidised me I could build 5,000MW of new capacity so that instead of sucking it out of the economy we could put it into the economy.”

Five years later, said Mallinson, and Eskom was looking for 5,000MW again.

“I don’t believe you can bring in gas barges on an emergency basis in under six months unless there’s a couple floating around like floating Ubers,” Mallinson said.

“I’ve heard stories the guys would only come in if they had a five-year contract and were paid around R5 per kilowatt/hour.

“Running the diesel generators costs Eskom around R4/kWh, so Eskom is saving itself R4kWh at the expense of R100kWh to the economy. They don’t have money for diesel so we’re being load shed instead.”

Citizen

State Media|THE Public Service Commission (PSC) has said former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko will only be paid his pension in local currency and should not expect any other benefits.

This follows an application lodged at the High Court by Mr Mphoko, through his lawyer, Mr Zibusiso Ncube of Ncube and Partners seeking an order directing the Government, through the PSC, to award him more than US$300 000 in benefits and monthly pension payouts.

In papers before the Bulawayo High Court, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, PSC secretary Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe, Salary Services Bureau (SSB) paymaster and PSC pensions master, K. Makiwa, were cited as respondents.

Mr Mphoko wanted an order declaring the withholding of his pension by the Government illegal and unconstitutional.

He is seeking an order directing the respondents to pay him US$308 000 or the equivalent in local currency at the interbank rate.

In response to Mr Mphoko’s demands, the Government, through the Civil Division in the Attorney-General’s Office, said it will pay his pension in local currency.

The letter, addressed to Mr Ncube, stated that Mr Mphoko will not receive any other benefits that he is claiming.

“We take note of your application filed on 4 October, 2019 and served on the Public Service Commission on 8 October, 2019,” reads part of the letter signed by Ms Rejoice Hove on behalf of the director of the Civil Division.

“However, our client’s attitude on the matter is that they will pay your client pension only as provided for in the Constitution, and no other benefits.

“Furthermore, the payment will be effected in Zimbabwe dollars in accordance with the country’s laws.”

According to the letter, the amount for Mr Mphoko’s pension will be subjected to computation by the Pensions Office in consultation with the SSB.

The AG’s Office indicated that it will file opposing affidavits on behalf of the respondents despite being out of time in terms of High Court Rules.

In his founding affidavit contained in the application, Mr Mphoko said having joined the civil service in October 1981, he was entitled to his benefits and pension.

“This is an application for a declaratur to declare unconstitutional the withholding of my pension by the respondents and for ancillary relief,” he said.

“I joined the civil service in October 1981 and served as an Ambassador of Zimbabwe to various countries.

“On December 10, 2014, I was appointed to the position of Vice President of the country, a position I held until I was removed from office in November 2017.”

Mr Mphoko argued that in terms of section 102(3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, he was entitled to a pension which is equivalent to the salary of a sitting Vice President.

“From the time I left office, I have not received a single dime in respect of my pension,” he said.

Mr Mphoko said despite approaching Dr Sibanda to assist him secure his benefits, there has been no joy, prompting him to approach the courts for a declaratur.

He said in the event that salaries are adjusted before the order being sought is granted, the respondents should pay him at the prevailing interbank rate.

State Media|FOUR miners at Esikhoveni Mine in Esigodini, Matabeleland South Province, are feared dead after a movable cabin they were working in collapsed and fell into a 62-metre mine shaft on Monday morning.

The incident occurred at around 7.30am and efforts are underway to rescue the quartet named as Andrea Malunga (79), Ashton Shiwilimba (86), Dumisani Sibanda (43) and Tapiwa Moyo (41).

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police were working with stakeholders to rescue the four, but there was no geological map of the mine, he said.

The mine is owned by Mr Jan Blighnut and it is an old mine that was run by Germans years ago.

Asst Comm Nyathi said relatives of the four were officially informed.

“Police are still conducting investigations to ascertain what transpired and we are working together with relevant stakeholders,” he said.

In an interview with ZTN, the mine manager, Mr Vessel Mpofu said the four were working inside a shed that was unknowingly established on a disused mine shaft when the structure suddenly collapsed around 7.30am.

“We then informed the police and the Ministry of Mines officials. They came here and we began the search. The search continued until 8pm last night (on Monday night) and we resumed this morning at 7.30am.

“We are, however, experiencing challenges in our rescue efforts,” he said.

He said this is the first time the mine has experienced a major incident since operations commenced in 2002.

Meanwhile, the Civil Protection Department (CPD) has also roped in How Mine’s rescue team and the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to assist.

Acting Umzingwane CPD chairperson, Siphathisiwe Mlotshwa said the arrival of an excavator will see the start of the rescue mission, despite persistent rains. Workers at Esikhoveni Mine were due to close for the festive holidays yesterday.

Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has filed an urgent application at the High Court seeking an order against some members of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) who allegedly evicted his workers from Karoi Country Club.

In his application filed at the court on Tuesday, Mliswa, who is the chairman of the club, cited Joseph Serima Manjengwe, Alick Chingodza, Life Magedi and Bridget Chingodza as respondents.

He argues that the war veterans on November 29 this year allegedly took the law into their own hands by forcibly occupying the premises, changed locks and evicted his employees without a court order.

They indicated that the war veterans’ association had been given a permit by Karoi Town Council to use the country club for youth projects but no proof of such authority was exhibited to any of the country club’s employees who were present.

Mliswa wants a court order for the youths to vacate the premises and be banned from interfering with the running of the club.

He argues that the case must be treated urgently on the grounds that he and his workers had been evicted from the club premises and their property was still on the premises amidst threats that it would be destroyed.
The case is yet to be heard.State media

Farai Dziva|
OVER 70 000 prospective Form One pupils are yet to secure Form One places, it has emerged.

100 000 pupils applied for boarding places and only places are available, government has revealed.

In a statement, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema said pupils who will not make it into boarding schools must accept it and be enrolled into day schools in their communities.

“The nation has 24 000 boarding places. We estimate that about 100 000 learners are seeking boarding places.

Those who will not be successful in securing boarding places will, therefore, be accommodated at day schools in their school zones,” said Mathema.

Farai Dziva|The Movement for Democratic Change has said the desperate Zanu PF regime has run out of ideas to revive the economy.

See the party’s full statement:
It was a classic case of political persecution and not criminal prosecution. Period.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) feels totally vindicated by the outcome of the State’s case against our Youth Assembly Secretary General, Gift Ostallos Siziba.

Magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti on Monday 9th December 2019, set free leader Siziba after ordering that he be removed from remand for allegedly inciting people to revolt against the ED-led illegitimate regime.

Leader Siziba had been appearing in court since he was arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers on Wednesday 10th July 2019 and charged with incitement to commit public violence as defined in section 187 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

From the day he was arrested, we as the MDC have consistently insisted that leader Siziba was clearly being targeted for political victimisation by the illegitimate regime.

Indeed, leader Siziba’s only real crime was that he had chosen to stand out in public and openly fight for a better future for the millions of long-suffering Zimbabweans

Leader Siziba is certainly not the only one who has been politically victimised using our courts.

The list of political victims has been growing relentlessly ever since the so-called New Dispensation took over power in Zimbabwe.

Indeed, in the last two years, more and more outspoken opposition politicians and civil society activists have been targetted for unjust political victimisation using our courts.

One case that been diverted towards all our outspoken opposition politicians and civil society activists.

The people’s party is also demanding for the unconditional release of all current political prisoners such as Last Maengahama and Tungamirai Madzokere.

MDC: Change That Delivers!

Daniel Molokele
MDC Spokesperson
071 372 6552

Farai Dziva|The Zimbabwean government has been accused of illegally obtaining electricity from Eskom.

See below an article published by Ihlayanews.com:

The Zimbabwean government has been powering almost half of their country from illegal connections and Eskom had been trying to figure out where the lost electricity is actually going without success until the past weekend.

Zimbabwe had an Electricity deal with Eskom in which they are defaulting by over R300 million rands which is nothing compared to the electricity they had been stealing for years without Eskom’s knowledge.

The Zimbabwean government had targeted power lines and sub-stations near the Limpopo river.

They ran their connections underground into the Limpopo river and then into their country.

Over the years Eskom had learned that whenever there is load shedding in parts of Limpopo near the border some areas in Zimbabwe get affected too but that was not enough for and investigation.

It appeared that someone did not pass the torch in the electricity department in Zimbabwe that the new Zimbabwean electricity authorities started complaining to Eskom to at least inform them when there is load shedding coming up. Eskom does not do load shedding on the electricity they sell legally to Zimbabwe. That was the first red flag.

Now after the recent heavy rains, some of the connections were mess up under the Limpopo river they asked Eskom to assist and that’s when the 15-year long theft was discovered.

As of now, it is not clear if there is any South African involved in this electricity heist.

By A Correspondent- Former Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere says he is not guilty of the US$ 3 Billion that has been reportedly lost to land barons due to illegal land deals involving state land.

When threatened that he will be arrested over the issue Kasuskuwere said he is the one that initiated that Land Commission of Inquiry.

“I initiated the Land Commission of Inquiry and decision adopted at a cabinet meeting chaired by HE Mugabe. Your excitement is misplaced and short lived for you shall soon come across reality. It was meant to correct a situation not for vindictiveness.”

The former ZANU PF Commissar challenged every everyone who is accusing him of illegitimately benefitting from the deals to take the matters to the police.

So you worked very hard to acquire that million dollar mansion and all those assets without funny government swindling in that short space of time??, I admire your ethic then

“By the time I joined government as Minister in 2005, I had built businesses throughout the country and region. I still maintain very strong ties with banks and building societies who have funded and advanced loans to my entities.

“Please hand over the files to the Police and ZACC. I have nothing to hide and that’s why I returned in May and September 2018. If there are any other allegations let me know.”

One of the pre-requisite of good governance in leadership and development is transparency and accountability which boosts confidence and investor’s interests.

Writes Eric Tinahse Muzamhindo:

In short, since the departure of Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe has witnessed rampant corruption in all critical sectors of the economy, and this is a clear sign and admission of failure on Governance.

The few remaining potential investors will only adhere to our issues once we stick to the rules of accountability and transparency. The only trump card we can use for re-engagement on international platforms is a clean sheet of accountability of an every single dollar which belongs to the tax payers.

I have few fundamental aspects which I feel the Government of Zimbabwe is obliged to when dealing with State funds and resources. It is the duty and obligation of those in charge of the instruments of power and state resources to show remorse and principality when dealing with tax payer’s money and resources belonging to the state.

Since the expulsion of Zimbabwe from common wealth and other world bodies we have never recovered economically, and most of these international partners and creditors have given a lifeline of transparency and accountability as a measuring tool for re-admission. My question is simple, how do we run a successful economic recovery plan without the involvement of development partners who can contribute Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)?

5.9 Billion Which went missing for Command Agriculture

I went through the budget statement and Muthuli’s presentation in Parliament today, he never uttered anything about the 5.9 billion which went missing. Surprisingly, not even a single legislator from the opposition spoke about this delicate issue? Opposition is supposed to be providing checks and balance to the Government by promoting transparency and accountability. 5.9 billion Is a huge amount which could buy grain for the next 10-15 years and put some in reserves? As we speak, we have grain that can last for the next two months.

More than 4.1 million is facing starvation. In the past food security was a serious concern in rural areas, but presently, more than 3 million people are facing starvation in urban areas. Half of the population in urban areas is surviving on less than 0.50 cents (USD) a day.

My simple question is where did the 5.9 billion go? What happened to the 5.9 billion? According to Ministry officials from Agriculture and Finance, when they appeared before the parliamentary committee chaired by Harare lawmaker Tendai Biti, there was no single invoice or voucher of the prescribed amount.

This is why we have a difficult problem of economic recovery because of people who loot national resources which they have not worked for. Sakunda Holdings was given 5.9 billion backdated from 2017 after the military coup to date, according to the Auditor General report, and there was no single invoice or voucher for the amount. How then do we expect investments to flow to Zimbabwe when we have such a scenario where public funds disappear without trace?

Under Funding the Auditor General Office

I was following live parliamentary debates when Muthuli Ncube was defending his budget statements after some few adjustments. Legislators from both parties, Zanu PF and MDC Alliance, together with independent legislator Temba Mliswa questioned Muthuli Ncube why the auditor General office is receiving 0.01% of the budget, and yet according to law or even in comparison of other countries, the office of the Auditor General is supposedly to receive 1% of the total budget for funding so that they can be able to fulfil their duties and obligations. The question from William Madzimure directed to Finance Minister, whether it is a deliberate ploy by the Minister to under-fund the office of the Auditor General as acts of sabotage or lack of resources?

No explanation on the 2% tax returns

Since the collection of the two percent from citizens, there is no adequate report about how much was collected from citizens, how much was re-directed to the mainstream economy? The breakdown of the critical analysis breakdown of the critical path?

Breakdown of the income and expenditure pertaining to the tax and its obligations. This has not been despite approaching 2020. In actual terms, the budget statement did not acknowledge the receipt of the two percent revenue collections, this was simply done in bracket terms, in a mere statement and no proper breakdown and other ground rules of finance.

I remember very well, Finance Minister during his mid-term review policy, he mentioned about cutting expenditure of the executive, on their salaries and allowances, from that amble time he has never come back to parliament to give a report on how much was raised from the executive and ministers after cutting expenditure and allowances from the executive.

Monthly, quarterly and annual reports are important

How do we work in an environment where there is no reporting particularly when millions of state funds are being abused with individuals? Parliament should not even ask for these reports, it is the duty of the minister to report back to the nation on how state funds were used during the 2018/19 season. We have ministries that were allocated state funds meant for development, road projects, devolution, farming equipment etc, and there is never a single report regarding to that effect.

Today he spoke of resources for census which he said will be mobilized from somewhere? I was utterly shocked when the finance minister said we will mobilize 85 million from somewhere? Is the finance portfolio his personal entity or account to an extent that you will simply tell the whole nation that we are mobilizing the resources somewhere without telling the nation clearly where those funds are coming from? Under what terms? Under which conditions? How did he arrive at 85 million?

Opposition MPs were quiet when this blanket statement was made in parliament today. In actual terms, 85 million is a huge figure and it is supposedly to go through parliament for approval under the consolidated revenue fund (CRF).

Public Accounts Committee

This is one of the committees doing exceptionally well in Parliament. There must be a round of applause for Tendai Biti, Madzimure and others on this one. They have managed to grill public officials on public funds which were diverted for personal use. There was an attempt to dissolve this committee under the pretext that it was undermining the rules of the standing orders and rules for parliament on legitimacy issues.

This actually came after opposition MPs refused to stand for President Mnangagwa in Parliament. I’m for the idea that this committee must be well oiled with resources so that it works closely with the Auditor General’s office and anti-corruption so that they will bring sanity in public institutions.

Most public officials have been absconding after realizing that Biti is a hard liner in finance matters and they were not prepared to face the former finance minister, and they were forced to give excuses.

Grabbing of mines and farms around the country

It is disturbing to note that there are several reports with the regards to grabbing of mines and farms around the country, particularly Midlands, Mash central and other parts of Mash west. Whilst I may agree to the one man one farm policy, it is not ideal to use force acquire state land.

We have the Mugabes, controlling over 13 farms around the country, but this must be done properly. We easily scare the potential investors who may be willing to partner with Zimbabwe in critical sectors of the economy.

These farms were supposed to be gazette using an act of parliament, and the minister of agriculture was supposed to give a detailed report on the acquisition of farms which were grabbed by Mugabe family. Impeccable sources clearly indicate that several mines have been invaded countrywide using the militia group popularly known as the “mashurugwis” which have become a security threat to national stability.

What is surprisingly is that not even a single statement has been issued regarding to the effect. My question is how do we widen the tax base in these critical sectors of the economy such as mines and agriculture when mines and farms are being grabbed?

Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo (PhD Candidate in Development studies) writes in his personal capacity as the Director of Global Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (GIPAR), which is responsible for Policy and Research. He is also a leading consultant in Project Management. He also holds a B.A from Solusi University, MA from University of Lusaka, Zambia and Post-Grad from University of Zimbabwe.

By A Correspondent| At the ongoing England Winter Championships, Zimbabwean swimmer Liam Davis broke the 200M short course breaststroke previously set by Liam O’Hara.

This was revealed by Sports Rifle 7/24 in a tweet when they said;

From Liam O’Hara’s to Liam Davis Huge congratulations to Zimbabwean swimmer Liam Davis for breaking the200m short course breaststroke record last night at that England Winter Championship. Liam Davis broke Liam O ‘Hara’s 2.14.44 record to 2.13.54 

Liam joins teenage swimmer Donata Katai in breaking records and winning swimming medals in 2019.

By A Correspondent- Controversial Public Official,  Information Deputy Minister Energy Mutodi once again, in a way that left some Twimbos with question marks when he took a swipe at the commonwealth and called it a club of former colonies.

Mutodi was talking about “them” not having excitement about rejoining commonwealth when he said:

Re-joining the Commonwealth may be crucial to the UK & to Ambassador Melanie Robinson from one angle but to us there is no excitement in rejoining a club of former colonies without guarantee of mutual respect & sovereignty. The game of endless reforms is shameful.

Mutodi also claimed, the British are after Africa’s natural resources and Zimbabwe is fine with China and Russia as their allies.

They obviously need a longer list of former colonies in their solely controlled Commonwealth club. Remember there are still a lot of natural resources to exploit in Africa with Zim shining with platinum. But we have China & Russia. We will not be desperate to join Commonwealth

Mutodi is known for his controversial tweets which some think are not befitting a man of his position.

By A Correspondent| LEAD President Linda Masarira has revealed that a Zimbabwean man has been burnt inside his home in Capetown, South Africa.

Masarira said:

“I am sad to announce the passing on of Archie, Maria Masarira’s first born. He was burnt in his house in Capetown last night. Funeral arrangements will be advised soon. I am in so much pain.”

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF national political commissar Victor Matemadanda has threatened to dissolve the party’s Midlands provincial leadership led by chairperson Daniel Mackenzie Ncube on allegations of sleeping on duty.

Speaking at a provincial coordinating committee meeting in Gweru on Saturday, Matemadanda accused the Midlands top brass of sitting on its laurels and failing to grow the Zanu PF support base since the 2018 harmonised elections.

Despite Zanu PF having grabbed 23 out of 28 parliamentary seats in the Midlands, Matemadanda said the overall performance of the party including the votes that President Emmerson Mnangagwa got was “almost dismal”.

“I came here not happy and proud because of the performance we had in the last harmonised elections. What disappoints me more is that I have not heard of a programme that you have had as a province to research on why we performed almost dismally,” he said.

“I have not heard of any leader in the province who has said let us find out what hit us. In this province, that is where the President (Mnangagwa) comes from. Then we have MDC coming here to have their congress, where (Nelson) Chamisa stole power. That is being belittled.”

Matemadanda warned that the provincial leadership could be dissolved because of failure to act on poor performance.

“It is unfortunate that I had to start speaking on a sad note, but if I tell you that I am happy I will be lying. I wanted to come here and hear you saying we lost in the elections but this is what made us lose and we are now correcting the poor performance this way. Otherwise you chairman (Mackenzie) and your province you will be dissolved by the new dispensation,” he said.

While some Zanu PF hardliners, including Mnangagwa himself, have been calling for the flushing out of G40 remnants, Matemadanda said they should be embraced.

“What I hear here (in Midlands) are problems. Scheme after scheme… scheme after scheme… plotting against each other. The job that we were given by President Mnangagwa is to make sure that as many people as possible join the party… some (party leaders), however, will say this person we know him, he is G40 (so he can’t join the party.)”

“In what we call war veterans today, there are former Rhodesian soldiers who were captured and indoctrinated with the party’s ideology. They then came back to lead the (liberation) war. So the aim of the party is not to create as many enemies as possible but to recruit more people… you cannot be a province known for turning away people from the party,” Matemadanda said.

Contacted for comment, MDC secretary for elections Jacob Mafume said:

Matemadanda is the thief of power. He cannot talk about president Nelson Chamisa. They stole power from (the late former) President Robert Mugabe in a coup to the extent he was even afraid of them until his death. He had to be buried in a fortified grave because he was afraid they could even “coup” his remains. The MDC Gweru congress was in order and president Chamisa did not steal power. He was elected by the MDC people.”

— NewsDay

https://twitter.com/SibbsMbonisi/status/1204791713421807621?s=19

Instead of using digital social media to create start ups and innovation for development, you have a gov that’s that funds moronic elements in its rank and file for authoritarian consolidation and going against 4IR dictates. For Zanu PF the digital sphere must die!

— Pedzisai Ruhanya (@PedzisaiRuhanya) December 11, 2019

By A Correspondent- The government has dismissed social media reports circulating purporting that the government has bumped up the Doctors’ wages with amounts varying from $8 000 to $26 000 the state media reports.

Disputing the rumours, a statement released by the Health Ministry’s Public Relations Department reads in part:

It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Health and Child Care that there is a document circulating on social media purporting an upward review of doctors remuneration package by Government. This statement is false and mischievous as Government has not reviewed salaries of doctors and other Health workers in the manner purported in this document.

Government distances itself from this false announcement, which should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. The last official review of salaries by Government was in September 2019 when all its Health workers where awarded a 100 percent increase, which still stands.

Doctors have been on strike for the past 14 weeks and have raised 10 issues of concern with the government which they claim are running down the public hospitals. 

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Two Zimbabwean students from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Andile Dube and Cephas Svosve have won prestigious scholarships to further their studies at Oxford University in the United Kingdom under the 2020 Zimbabwe Rhodes Scholarship.

Dube, a final year medical student at NUST, is passionate about trauma care and at Oxford he hopes to study Musculoskeletal Science with a focus on trauma management.

Dr Tariro Makadzange, National Secretary for Rhodes Scholarship in Zimbabwe confirmed the development and said that Dube was also an avid tennis player and he had committed a substantial amount of his time to research, advocacy, and education in surgery.

“His work in surgery so far has been achieved through the Zimbabwe Student Surgical Network of medical students and interns – an Organisation which he founded,” she said.

Another beneficiary, Svosve, a philanthropist went to St Faith High School and proceeded to NUST where he has been studying Actuarial Science and is now headed for a Master of Science Degree in the field of Mathematical and Computational Finance at the University of Oxford.

Aspiring to be a quantitative analyst, Svosve has a dream to develop High Technology Investment Banking in Zimbabwe to enhance protection of the value of pension funds against inflation risk through pushing for responsible investments that are Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) directed. These include directing funds for investments in clean energy resources.

Cephas also has plans to grow his cofounded scholarship foundation called Peniel Foundation that is currently sponsoring four Students at St Faith Primary School in Rusape operating under the mantra Advancing Equal Opportunities in Education.

“The two Zimbabwe 2020 Rhodes Scholars will have the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford and join an elite alumni network that includes Zimbabwe Rhodes scholars such as James Manyika, Cyril Ruwende, former Zimbabwe deputy prime Minister Arthur Mutambara and a global community of Rhodes scholars that include former and current presidents, prime ministers, scientists, leading academics, Nobel laureates, writers, lawyers, and business leaders, among others,” Makadzange said.

Makadzange said the two were chosen after a shortlist of interviews with the following 10 candidates.

Tariro Chatiza – UCT; BMedSci (First); BSc in Biological Sciences (Distinction), Arundel High School.

• Michael Dzine – Asheshi University (Ghana); BSc Electrical Engineering; St George’s and Zengeza High School.

• Joy Rukanzakanza – Bryn Mawr, PA USA; BA International Studies; Sizane High.

• Andile Dube – MSc (Res) NUST Medicine and Dentistry; CBC, Bulawayo.

• Blessing Maunze – UZ, LLB ; St Faiths High School.

• Stewart Mangezi – Asheshi University, Ghana; BSc Electrical Engineering; Marondera High.

• Cephas Svosve  – NUST; BSc Actuarial Sciences; St Faith’s.

• Kieran Dunn – BPhil Philosophy; Colby College – BA in History, Philosophy and Theology (one year at Trinity College Dublin); Hellenic.

• Nomaquikiza Nkala – Jacobs University Bremen, Germany; BSc Electrical Engineering (1); Arundel

• Prince Chakanyuka – University of Edinburgh; BSc in Chemistry, St George’s, and Mufakose 2 High School.

The Rhodes Scholarship identifies young talented individuals (25 years and below) who would have excelled academically and shown leadership, strong intellect, character and commitment to service.

By A Correspondent- A syndicate in South Africa has been unmasked as four Zimbabwean women reportedly face 20-year jail terms in Mauritius after they smuggled 1,487 kg of heroin worth R22 million in their bellies and bags.

The alleged drug mules Mercy Mudembo, 24, Kohwai Lisa, 24, Mitchel Makuwaza and Patience Sami were arrested upon arrival at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) International Airport in Mauritius from South Africa.

The four allegedly disguised in religious T-shirts and lied to customs officials that they were on a Catholic Church pilgrimage.

Reports say their bosses are based in South Africa and recruit Zimbabwean women promising huge amounts of money then eventually use them as drug mules.

Furthermore, it is alleged that the mules are fed heroin with instructions not to eat anything until they arrive at their destination so that they excrete pellets of heroine.

One Mery Kahla who identified one of the women named Mitchel Makuwaza lamented how she had left her nine month old baby and husband in Kempton Park.

“Ohhh my goodness second from left is my sister’s best friend ane mwana haasati ambosvitsa gore i am so shocked and crying at the same time, she moved to Johannesburg last year hanzvadzi yake iri kuno ku Capetown.

“I just called my sister hapana kana hama yake ikuzviziva akasiya mwana nemurume wacho, murume wacho hanzi arikuti akaenda ku London ndabuda musodzi ndakatombogara naye mwana uyu,” she said.

A source who escaped by a whisker after she was almost recruited to join the syndicate revealed to H-Metro how the syndicate operates.

“Yvette ndiye anouya oti haudi kuenda kunze kwenyika here, paunodzoka wopihwa R20 000 kana wadzoka and anongokupa contact yema Nigerians then meet up with them.

“Ana Yvette basa ravo kurecruiter vaskana then u go moudzwa zvekuita.

“If passport is overstayed they fix it for you chavanoda kuti uende chete.

“U won’t be knowing kwaukuenda munhu arikumberi ndiye anokuonai kana masvika be it neHembe dzamenge makapfeka or Pic or number.

“You know around Kempton Park kwakazara maNigerians and they always recruit girls kuti vaende nzvimbo dzakasiyana delivering drugs but ana Mitchy they thought they could aim big going overseas with drugs.

“Dai vasina kubvuma kuenda kunze at least deliver around SA sezvinoita vamwe zvaive nani,” said the source.

H-Metro contacted Yvette from South Africa for comment and she threw obscenities to this reporter saying they got what they deserved.

“Makuzondibhowa manje, tsvagai ma criminals kwete kutsvagana nesu, saka mati mukati H-Metro ndovhunduka here.

“H-Metro inoshanda kwamuri not kwandiri kuno, ivo vaida mari vakama*a, asi mari yacho manga muchiidawo here,” she said.

Rosh Cee wrote a comment on Facebook on how the drug mules are used by drug lords.

“It’s a cartel guys, at the airport they usually know who has drugs… so even if you report I’m sure the kingpins would know uri snitch and either way unourayiwa.

“Security is not as clean as we think, vanozobatwa ava its just a destruction otherwise pakatopfuura lots of kgs zuva racho iroro.

“Otherwise pakatopinda zi huge consignment on the other side but the officials were tipped to look out for vasikana vema t-shirts, attention yese ikaiswa ikoko.

“Kunobatiswa one or a few to cause confusion and shift attention from the main horses vanenge vane bigger stuff,” she said.

Lulu Mutomba added:

“Hakuna munhu anomedza madrugs asingazive zvaari kuita.

“Uyo ane mwana knew the risk yacho before she did and she chose dirty money over mwana.

“Some of us have been approached but ukaramba vanosiyana newe.

“Working an honest job has never killed any1, nyaya yequick money ndiyo inonetsa.

“These people befriend u vokuratidza good life, so iwe if u struggling u will want in on the game.

“That’s when they tell u how they do it and how easy it is and they rarely lie to you.

“Unotoudzwa pachena senyaya at first and when they come vanouya vakachena all glamourous even take you out for a bit se girls.

“And iwewe unotozvibvunza kuti ko sei zvangu zvirikuramba you ask ka uchida kuziva how they are doing it woudzwaa pachena chena but then decision to join is all yours hautombomanikidzwe plus vanenge vanotoona face kuti haa ava ndohwina ava.

“Asi kumedza unenge uchitoziva zvauri kuita zvasiyana nekunzi huya kusouth ndakuwanira basa woti wasvika ikoko woona yohwee ava vanotokuudza pachena.

“They have their people scouting in different locations looking out for vanoda zveku slayer nhema vaye vanoda the good life.

“Just be careful and do not trust anyone or wish to have someone else’s life.

“Aya madhiri unotopinda uchiziva.

“Kungoti zvakaenda nepamwe,” she said.

-StateMedia

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

There will be a feast befitting a king. There will be eating and drinking for close to 10 000 people.

In the midst of such bountiful supply, the feast will take place among many hungry stomachs.

Such has become the mark of Zanu PF conferences and congresses.

They have become choreographed scenes of how to devour huge meals in the presence of salivating onlookers.

Never mind the national food crisis which raised panic in the international community, especially the United Nations.

Zanu PF will feast while the nation fasts and of course not by choice.

As of yesterday, according a report by the ruling party, 53 beasts were to be slaughtered while eight tonnes of maize have since been delivered.

Five tonnes of chicken will be consumed during the mega event, while farmers mainly in Mashonaland East province have pledged tomatoes and vegetables.

Goromonzi High School is the venue with delegates from across the country being accommodated in distant places which shows that the ruling party has availed thousands of litres of fuel for its supporters.

Some of the delegates will be housed at Marondera High School, others at Mandedza High School in Seke while some will be attending the conference from St Johns High School.

“We have 90 buses and they will be arriving here (venue) on Thursday. They (delegates) will have their lunch and dinner here before they go to where they will be staying,” Zanu PF director for administration Dickson Dzora said.

Top 5 Largest Data Breaches Of All Time Affected Millions Of People

On Monday, leading meat company Koala was busy offloading all sorts of meat at the school’s kitchen.

Officials from power utility Zesa were also busy putting final touches as they installed a transformer at the venue while a heavy generator is on standby in case of electricity problems.

Government parastatals Zinwa and DDF have drilled boreholes as well as create a car park that will accommodate thousands of cars.

Mobile network service providers have since erected boosters at Goromonzi High School to ensure smooth availability of internet services.

“It’s all systems go. This will be a memorable conference and as Mashonaland East province we are happy that we have everything in place despite the short time we had,” said Seke legislator Munyaradzi Kashambe, who is also Zanu PF’s provincial secretary for finance.

The road that connects the venue from the Harare-Mutare Highway has since been spruced up while other feeder roads in Goromonzi district have been rehabilitated.

However, it is the tent set up that will leave many concluding that Zanu PF has splashed millions of dollars for this year’s conference.

At least 20 offices have been established apart from the main auditorium that will accommodate more than 7 000 party delegates.

The hosting constituency, Goromonzi North, has pledged to furnish President Emmerson Mnangagwa, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and Mnangagwa’s deputies’ offices with new furniture.

The security system at the entrance has been upgraded with one’s face to appear upon the scanning of a bar code on the accreditation card.

Despite the opulence, the highway to the venue tells a different story at the same time exposing the gap between the rich and the poor.

Women and children are found by the roadside selling wild fruit, popularly known as mazhanje, as they try to eke out a living in a country whose economy is in abyss.

To them, the conference offers a big opportunity to maximise their sales ahead of the festive season. All in all, Zanu PF’s penchant of spoiling its delegates still stands.

The latest feasting comes after two others that include the anti-sanctions march and youth convention that also gobbled a lot of money.

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s top ally Christopher Mutsvangwa yesterday angrily stormed out of a debate after he was confronted over the manner in which government reintroduced the local currency and rendered savings and pensions worthless.

Mutsvangwa was unhappy over interjections by MDC secretary.

More to follow….

Wednesday marked a hundred days since doctors in Zimbabwe went on strike.

The industrial action, which began on 3 September, affected most major hospitals.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government appeared hopeful that after 100 days, the doctors’ strike may finally be drawing to a close.

The Health Services Board said at least 80 doctors applied to return to work after an offer of financial support was made by the Higher Life Foundation, a charity run by billionaire Strive Masiyiwa. But, that figure was still only a fraction of the 1,600 doctors in government service.

Most of them had joined the strike.

Own Correspondent|The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe has revealed that it will increase the price of mealie meal if the Ministry of Finance does not avail the subsidy that it promised to the millers.

The Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube announced that after President Emmerson Mnangagwa reversed the removal of subsidies, the Ministry will give the millers money for subsidies.

Read the full message from GMAZ below:

Reference is made to our agreed subsidy regime arrangement on roller-meal which you correctly announced to the consuming public last week.

Regrettably, Ministry of Finance is yet to make good on its upfront payment of the subsidy funds to millers.

However, as a gesture of goodwill, millers had already started to reduce prices. Unfortunately, our members are financially handicapped to continue selling at the subsidised prices in the absence of the subsidies paid upfront as agreed.

Accordingly, unless the said funds are provided today, our members will have no choice but to revert back to previous prices on Thursday 12 December, 2019.

Popular Economist and commentator Eddie Cross has penned the following items and labelled them his Christmas wishlist. Here is Eddie’s Christmas Wishlist for his country:

1. The first item is, these wretched shortages: Fuel, power and food basics…We have to switch the procurement of these essential commodities to the private sector and use the infrastructure of the SOEs to deal with logistics and storage.
2. The second item on my wish list is property rights. It is time that we recognised, as a nation, not just in government, that property rights are sacrosanct. If we do not have a legal system and a government or even a national perspective on this issue, we are going nowhere.
3. My third wish on the list is to adopt policies that recognise the value of foreign exchange and the need to use it responsibly and on a market-driven allocation basis. Right now we have a system that transfers control over foreign exchange from those who have earned it to people who control its allocation as a source of power, influence and privilege
4. My fourth wish is that we as a nation must strive in 2020 to agree on where we are going as a country. The Bible says that a ”house divided cannot stand” and that ”a nation without vision will perish”. At present we are stuck with both problems and we must accept that unless we get to grips with this issue we will not make real progress and maintain our stability.
5. My fifth wish is that we get to grips with how we manage our local authorities. What we are doing now is just not working.
6. Finally, our leadership must recognise that no Nation can make its way in the world of today without a good education and health services. We spend a lot of money on both, but performance is deteriorating and fast. If we do not get this right we put all our futures, not just the next generation, at risk.

More: Newsday

Chitungwiza acting town clerk Engineer David Duma and director of Housing Mrs Hazel Sithole have been suspended with immediate effect pending finalisation of their cases of criminal abuse of office.

Government has since written to the municipality notifying them of the suspension, which the full council endorsed during their meeting on last night.

Duma and Sithole allegedly sold a commercial stand for the construction of a service station in Seke without following laid down procedures.

The pair, is also alleged to have unlawfully sold another commercial stand at Chigovanyika Shopping Centre in St Mary’s without following the correct procedures.

Chitungwiza Residents Trust (Chitrest) director Mrs Alice Kuvheya welcomed the decision to suspend the pair fingered in corruption.

Karanda Bridge deck which is under-construction was last night swept away by heavy rains that have pounded Mount Darwin for the past two days.

Rushinga Member of Parliament Tendai Nyabani confirmed the incident but referred questions to Mt Darwin East legislator Norman Marikisi who was not readily available for a comment.

“It’s confirmed the bridge was swept away last night and I have also shared the information on social media but that is not my constituency. The washed away bridge borders Mt Darwin South and Mt Darwin East constituencies,” said Nyabani.

Harare City Council has increased its towing and clamping fees 1000 fold effective this Friday following Government’s approval.

The fees used to range from $57 to $90.

Wheel clamping of light motor vehicle will now cost $500 from $57, while for commuter omnibus 15-seater will be $600 and $700 for an 18-seater.

Conventional buses and lorries will now be penalised $800 and articulated heavy lorries $900.

For tow away, charges will now range from $500 to $800 depending with the type of the vehicle.

Light motor vehicles will now be charged $500, commuter omnibus 15-seater and 18-seaters is now pegged at $700 and $800 respectively.

The city’s acting communications corporate manager Mr Innocent Ruwende confirmed the new charges.

Own Correspondent|A number of long-distance passengers have been left destitute after losing everything when the bus they were travelling in caught fire on the N1 Highway, Southbound, just after William Nicol on Wednesday morning.

The bus was carrying 44 passengers, many of them were women and children, and was en route from Cape Town to Zimbabwe. 

Emergency services have been on the scene to assess the incident.

Department of Transport’s spokesperson, Ayanda Allie-Paine says no injuries or fatalities were reported.

“Passengers lost everything they had saved up for and purchased for their family members back home,” says Allie-Paine. 

Watch below as Allie-Paine speaks to one of the  Zimbabwean national Viola Sunday says she lost all her documentation in the blaze and that her child was her priority when smoke engulfed the passenger bus.

Allie-Paine also shows the aftermath of the fire where passengers are seen trying to salvage what is left of their luggage.

By A Correspondent- The government has dismissed social media reports circulating purporting that the govt has bumped up the Doctors’ wages with amounts varying from $8 000 to $26 000.

Disputing the rumours, a statement released by the Health Ministry’s Public Relations Department reads in part:

It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Health and Child Care that there is a document circulating on social media purporting an upward review of doctors remuneration package by Government. This statement is false and mischievous as Government has not reviewed salaries of doctors and other Health workers in the manner purported in this document.

Government distances itself from this false announcement, which should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. The last official review of salaries by Government was in September 2019 when all its Health workers where awarded a 100 percent increase, which still stand.

Doctors have been on strike for the past 14 weeks and have raised 10 issues of concern with the government which they claim are running down the public hospitals. 

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Chitungwiza acting town clerk Engineer David Duma and director of Housing Mrs Hazel Sithole have been suspended with immediate effect pending finalisation of their cases of criminal abuse of office.

Government has since written to the municipality notifying them of the suspension, which the full council endorsed during their meeting on last night.

Duma and Sithole allegedly sold a commercial stand for the construction of a service station in Seke without following laid down procedures.

The pair, is also alleged to have unlawfully sold another commercial stand at Chigovanyika Shopping Centre in St Mary’s without following the correct procedures.

Chitungwiza Residents Trust (Chitrest) director Mrs Alice Kuvheya welcomed the decision to suspend the pair fingered in corruption.

-StateMedia

CROSS border bus crews have been urged to tighten security on the road through avoiding picks and drops at undesignated points as well as searching all passengers using metal detectors.

They were also reminded to keep records of their passengers as a security measure.

An upsurge in cases where travellers are robbed of groceries and cash while on the South Africa-Zimbabwe route prompted the police and the passenger associations to issue out warnings and give bus drivers safety tips.

The latest case is the recent hijacking of an Inter Cape Bus that was travelling to Harare from South Africa by eight armed robbers. The incident occurred on the South African side.

The criminals were armed with an AK 47 rifle, pistols and knives. The passengers had boarded the bus at Park Station in Johannesburg at around 7.30pm on Saturday night to Harare and the hijacking occurred soon after leaving Pretoria after the first toll plaza. Four of the robbers were part of the passengers.

Robbers, who pose as desperate transport seekers are now targeting buses during the night. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged bus operators to intensify their security.

“We have been always saying bus operators should step up on their security to ensure passengers are safe and secure at all costs.

“They should also keep the particulars of their passengers with them.

“We also encourage drivers not to stop at any place for recess because some of these people who demand recess, would be working in connivance with robbers.

“We are also urging members of the public to be alert when travelling,” he said.

Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) president Mr Tafadzwa Goliati said drivers should desist from the habit of picking up and dropping passengers at undesignated points as they put their passengers at risk.

“Bus operators should advise their drivers to avoid picking up and dropping passengers at undesignated points.

“They should not be greedy for money. Reputable bus operators do not do that hence they are not robbed.

“Bus crews should also have the passenger manifesto bearing the names of all the passengers and this will assist them to identify those who could have committed any criminal activity,” he said.

Farai Dziva|A seemingly energetic Constantino Chiwenga is attending an ordinary session of the Zanu PF Politburo meeting.

This comes after reports that the former army commander complained of dizziness yesterday.

Some sources suggested that Chiwenga collapsed during a government meeting.

“Zanu PF First Secretary and President, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa says the ruling party stands with the victims of illegal land sales while land barons will face the full wrath of the law,” Zanu PF Patriots tweeted.

“An ordinary session of the Zanu PF politburo is underway at the party headquarters in Harare which signifies the commencement of the party’s 18th annual people’s conference.”

Farai Dziva|The Zimbabwean government has been accused of illegally obtaining electricity from Eskom.

See below an article published by Ihlayanews.com:

The Zimbabwean government has been powering almost half of their country from illegal connections and Eskom had been trying to figure out where the lost electricity is actually going without success until the past weekend.

Zimbabwe had an Electricity deal with Eskom in which they are defaulting by over R300 million rands which is nothing compared to the electricity they had been stealing for years without Eskom’s knowledge.

The Zimbabwean government had targeted power lines and sub-stations near the Limpopo river.

They ran their connections underground into the Limpopo river and then into their country.

Over the years Eskom had learned that whenever there is load shedding in parts of Limpopo near the border some areas in Zimbabwe get affected too but that was not enough for and investigation.

It appeared that someone did not pass the torch in the electricity department in Zimbabwe that the new Zimbabwean electricity authorities started complaining to Eskom to at least inform them when there is load shedding coming up. Eskom does not do load shedding on the electricity they sell legally to Zimbabwe. That was the first red flag.

Now after the recent heavy rains, some of the connections were mess up under the Limpopo river they asked Eskom to assist and that’s when the 15-year long theft was discovered.

As of now, it is not clear if there is any South African involved in this electricity heist.

Farai Dziva|A Zimbabwean man brutally killed his wife and drove his vehicle into a haulage truck, according to the Legendary Family Facebook page.

Details of the shocking incident are still sketchy.

“RIP But Varume musadaro vabateyi mushe vanhukadzi ndovakaita tivepo,” Legendary Family posted.

By A Correspondent- The High Court has granted an order for temporary stay of proceedings in a matter in which former Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) board chairman Stanley Kazhanje is jointly charged with Intratrek boss Wicknell Chivayo, on bribery charges.

Kazhanje approached the High Court yesterday, arguing that he was not ready to proceed to trial as he wanted to acquire a record from another case where he was convicted on almost similar allegations.

He was jailed for a year for concealing a US$10 000 transaction he received from Chivayo in a botched tender deal.

But, the former ZPC board chair was brought back to court where he is being jointly charged with Chivayo on bribery charges.

Kazhanje then approached the High Court seeking an order to temporarily stay proceedings at the magistrates’ court saying he wanted to acquire the court record to use in preparing his defence.

The former ZPC board chairman cited Chivayo and his Intratrek Zimbabwe (Pvt) Limited, magistrate Pasipanodya Maturure and the Prosecutor-General as respondents.

“The applicant filed an application to review the decision of the third respondent to dismiss applicant’s application for a postponement on the basis of the need to obtain court records in another matter to which the applicant had been convicted.

“In its judgment, the court prematurely pre-empted all the applicant’s exceptions and defences before the same had been raised and dismissed. In so doing, the court a quo effectively denied the applicant adequate time and facilities to prepare his defence as provided in Section 70 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

“The court a quo erred in effectively dismissing an exception which had not yet been made. In so dismissing it, consequently denied the applicant the right to protection and benefit of the law and the right to a fair, impartial and independently conducted trial as provided in Sections 56 and 69 of the Constitution.

“The court took away vested rights when same had not been activated, leaving the applicant with no remedy at law.

“The above being constitutional rights, they go to the very roots of not only the applicant’s own rights, but the proper administration of justice and the supremacy of Constitutional rights,” said Kazhanje in his urgent chamber application prepared by his lawyers from Mhishi Nkomo Legal Practice.

Justice Phiri granted the order for temporary stay of proceedings.

Yesterday, Kazhanje also appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court along with Chivayo, where they also sought a postponement of the matter pending the High Court’s determination on his application for stay of proceedings.

Chivayo asked for the matter to be deferred to another date as he was not prepared to commence trial saying his lawyer of choice was out of the country.

He was being represented by Mr Wilson Manase, who was standing in for Advocate Lewis Uriri, who is representing the Intratrek boss.

Kazhanje and Chivayo are expected back in court on January 12 next year.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- A bus driver reportedly died while on the wheel this past weekend.

The deceased Amos Mapfumo had left Mutare for Harare and was now on the return trip back to Mutare when he reportedly died while on the wheel near Ruwa and died.

According to a source that echoed what Bolt Cutter Busses’ Wilfred Chibage said, claims:

He was supposed to return that very same day and on their way back to Mutare the driver is said to have stopped in Ruwa and bought some water at George shopping centre.

They continued with the journey but minutes later the bus started going off road and we just thought the driver was avoiding potholes.

Only to see that the driver was losing control, a passenger who is a member of the army jumped to the driver’s seat and pushed him aside. He then took over the steering wheel and controlled the bus.

-StateMedia

Farai Dziva|The Movement for Democratic Change has said the desperate Zanu PF regime has run out of ideas to revive the economy.

See the party’s full statement:
It was a classic case of political persecution and not criminal prosecution. Period.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) feels totally vindicated by the outcome of the State’s case against our Youth Assembly Secretary General, Gift Ostallos Siziba.

Magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti on Monday 9th December 2019, set free leader Siziba after ordering that he be removed from remand for allegedly inciting people to revolt against the ED-led illegitimate regime.

Leader Siziba had been appearing in court since he was arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers on Wednesday 10th July 2019 and charged with incitement to commit public violence as defined in section 187 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

From the day he was arrested, we as the MDC have consistently insisted that leader Siziba was clearly being targeted for political victimisation by the illegitimate regime.

Indeed, leader Siziba’s only real crime was that he had chosen to stand out in public and openly fight for a better future for the millions of long-suffering Zimbabweans

Leader Siziba is certainly not the only one who has been politically victimised using our courts.

The list of political victims has been growing relentlessly ever since the so-called New Dispensation took over power in Zimbabwe.

Indeed, in the last two years, more and more outspoken opposition politicians and civil society activists have been targetted for unjust political victimisation using our courts.

One case that been diverted towards all our outspoken opposition politicians and civil society activists.

The people’s party is also demanding for the unconditional release of all current political prisoners such as Last Maengahama and Tungamirai Madzokere.

MDC: Change That Delivers!

Daniel Molokele
MDC Spokesperson
071 372 6552

By A Correspondent- Exiled politician’s book on how the elections were stolen last year debuted for $35 at a Harare Bookshop this morning. 

Jonathan Moyo’s book Excelgate was launched simultaneously in Harare, South Africa, Europe and the US.

The book can be bought at Sapes Trust at 4 Deary Road in Belgravia in Harare according to the former education minister.

COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON, JUSTICE TENDAI UCHENA’S PRESENTATION

To

HIS EXCELLENCY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE

Summarising Findings and Recommendations

THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO THE MATTER OF SALE OF STATE LAND IN AND AROUND URBAN AREAS SINCE 2005

1. Introduction

· Your Excellency, on behalf of the Commission of Inquiry which you appointed on 1 February 2018, I present to you Your Excellency, the Commission’s Report on findings and recommendations of the Commission.

·      Section 7 (c) of the Commissions of Inquiry Act [Chapter 10:07] and Paragraph f (vi) of SI 102 of 2017 place an obligation on us as the Commission to report to you your Excellency, in writing, the result of the Inquiry.

1. The Reports

• Your Excellency, Given the nature of Inquiry, we produced three (3) categories of reports which we shall present to you as follows:

1. A Main Report which presents the background against which the Commission was established; the procedure which the Commission adopted in the execution of its mandate and an outline of the applicable laws, policies and procedures on urban state land administration. The Main Report should be read together with the Provincial Reports.
2. Provincial Reports which present findings and recommendations of the Commission on all the investigated farms/urban state land units in the ten (10) Provinces of the country:
3. The Executive Summary specifically produced for your reference, Your Excellency, which summarises the Main Report and findings and recommendations arising from the inquiry into the sale of urban state land since 2005 in the ten (10) provinces

3. Methodology

• Your Excellency, Section 11 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act and Paragraph f (v) of S.I. 102 of 2017 guided us on the methodology we had to adopt in order for us to arrive at the findings and recommendations we made for the Report.
• Our methodology was inquisitorial. This approach allowed witnesses to freely adduce evidence before us without adhering to stringent rules of evidence.
• The methodology is outlined under Item 1.4 of your Executive Summary.

1. Summary of Findings

• Your Excellency, our findings which are outlined both in the Main Report and Provincial Reports and summarised in your Executive Summary were guided by the Terms of References you prescribed for the Commission. I will touch on the Commission’s findings on a few selected issues of interest:
• Handover of Farms for Urban Development;
• Payment of Intrinsic Value for urban state land;
• Infrastructure development needs; and
• Other findings

Handover of Farms for Urban Development

• The Commission established that generally, sale of urban state land, planning and development took place on 91 farms which were acquired by the Ministry responsible for lands and handed over for urban development to the Ministry responsible for Local Government. Sale of urban state land, planning and development also took place on 79 farms which were acquired by the government before such farms were handed over for urban development. This makes a total of 170 farms in and around urban areas where urban development is taking place.
• People in the farms/ urban state units or settlements we inquired on are living without basic human and urban necessities such as access to potable water, sewer and access roads.
• Over and above farms acquired since 2005, the Commission inquired into land which has always been state land under the jurisdiction of the Ministry responsible for Local Government, in terms of paragraph (f) (vi) of S.I 102 of 2017 which allowed the Commission to investigate any other matter which it deemed appropriate and relevant to the inquiry.

Payment of Intrinsic Value

• The Commission established that the Ministry responsible for Local Government has a responsibility to value all the farms handed over to it and recover the monetary value from the local authorities, developers and cooperatives in the form of intrinsic value.
• However, the Ministry responsible for Local Government has not been able to value all the farms utilised for urban development.
• Accordingly, planning, allocations, development and occupation have taken place without valuation for most farms.
• The Commission’s computation of the total value of the farms according to the Ministry responsible for Local Government is USD3 004 368.931 [three billion four million three hundred and sixty-eight thousand nine hundred and thirty-one United States Dollars]
• However, the government of Zimbabwe has recovered less than 10% of the intrinsic value of the land and is owed almost three (3) billion United States Dollars by beneficiaries of urban state land. To be exact, the total full prejudice to the State stands at USD 2 977 072 819 [two billion nine hundred and seventy-seven million eight hundred and 19 thousand united states dollars]

Infrastructure Development

• The Commission established with serious concern that most new residential estates on urban state land throughout the country have no services such as roads, water reticulation, sewer reticulation and amenities, yet these settlements are already occupied.
• The Commission further established that in some cases where development is taking place, it is being done without approved engineering designs for roads, water and sewer reticulation.
• The Commission found that for infrastructural development in urban settlements the country needs USD 1,420,241,598 [one billion four hundred and twenty million two hundred and forty-one thousand five hundred and ninety-eight]for roads; USD 857,721,234 [eight hundred and fifty-seven million seven hundred and twenty-one thousand two hundred and thirty-four] for sewer; and USD 226,315,016 [two hundred and twenty-six million three hundred and fifteen thousand and sixteen]for water. This adds up to USD 2,504,277,849 [two billion five hundred and four million two hundred and seventy-seven thousand eight hundred and forty-nine]for the whole infrastructural needs of urban state land in and around urban areas since 2005.

Other Findings

• The identification and Occupation of farms in and around urban areas was a complex process, which involved:
  1. Farm invasions by home-seekers;
  2. Farm invasions by war veterans for agricultural purposes, which subsequently morphed into urban settlements;
  3. Allocations to co-operatives, trusts and land developers by the Ministry responsible for Lands and Ministry responsible for Local Government;
  4. Creation of new urban settlements by aspiring or sitting Members of Parliament as a way of mobilizing political support;
  5. Abuse of political office in the allocation and appropriation of urban state land; and
  6. Use of names of the top ruling party leadership to exert undue influence on government institutions and processes.
• This led to:

1. The illegal sale of urban state land;
2. Cooperative leaders and developers selling state land and pocketing the proceeds without developing on-site and off-site infrastructure;
3. Weakened Government institutions, inadequate policies, administrative and state land development control roles;
4. Creation of opportunities for land barons/criminals to sell urban state land. Land barons are usually politically-connected, powerful, self-proclaimed illegal state land ‘authorities’ who illegally sold state land in and around urban areas without accounting for the proceeds;
5. Housing development has occurred on unplanned areas such as wetlands, under power lines, on top of sewer lines, sites designated for institutional or commercial use (schools and clinics), and recreational centres and for other public uses.

• The State suffered prejudice due to losses, which occurred as a result of Ministry of Local Government undervaluing urban state land or complete failure to value it, poor record-keeping, poor financial management and failure to invoice developers and beneficiaries of urban state land;
• In an attempt to accelerate housing delivery, the Ministry of Local Government introduced the policy of parallel development resulting in houses being built without adequate services such as access roads, water and sewer reticulation.
• As a result of lack of water and sewer reticulation, pit latrines have been built very close to water sources, thus polluting the underground water sources and creating circumstances which can cause the outbreak of water-borne diseases.

1. Cases for Further Investigations

• The Commission established that there are several serious cases which require further investigations by relevant bodies which have arresting and enforcement powers such as the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, National Prosecuting Authority and the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
• The statistics for cases recommended for further investigations are as follows:

2. Recommendations

• Your Excellency, while both the Main Report and Provincial Reports have presented recommendations, allow me to outline some of the Ministry-Specific recommendations which may be prioritised.
• The Commission recommends the following:
• Ministry-Specific Recommendations

a) Ministry of Local Government

The Ministry Should:

• Suspend new allocations of un-serviced urban state land to co-operatives, trusts, land developers and individuals for housing development.
• Carefully scrutinize all pending applications for approval under Section 43 of the Regional Town and Country Planning Act and Section 205 of the Urban Councils Act to ensure that no new settlements are approved without compliance with all planning and development requirements.
• Suspend approval of layout plans where there is no clear indication of how off-site infrastructure will be provided.
• Suspend approval of sub-division permits in terms of Section 40 of the Regional Town and Country Planning Act for acquired urban state land where indigenous persons are claiming ownership of state land until issues of ownership are resolved.
• Prohibit local authorities from issuing parallel development permits to enable beneficiaries to settle and develop before on-site and off-site infrastructure is put in place.
• Suspend consideration of applications for conversion of acquired agricultural land use to urban.
• Sign all outstanding memoranda of understanding, draw up and sign Memorandum of Agreements for co-operatives, trusts, land developers and individuals who were allocated un-serviced land through offer letters and partnership agreements.
• Cause valuation of all urban state land handed over to it by the Ministry responsible for Lands and allocated to co-operatives, trusts, land developers and individuals who should be required to pay intrinsic value.
• Investigate all officers, past and present, involved or connected with management of urban state land (allocation, planning, valuations, survey, and allocation of commonage, creation and transfer of title) since 2005 on allegations of abuse of office, receiving bribes, and general corrupt conduct; and conduct lifestyle audits on them.
• Enforce payment of intrinsic value by all allocatees of urban state land based on updated valuations of urban state land.
• Update all records of urban state land handed over to it by MLRR and urban state land developed for housing before such handover.
• Review with a view to cancelling or enforcing all Memorandum of Agreements with co-operatives, trusts, land developers and individuals, which are long outstanding where there is no meaningful development on the ground.
• Review its policy on sale of urban state land clearly stating the roles of the Ministry responsible for Local Government and defining elements of illegal sale of state land.
• Establish an interim management body or structure for areas such as Caledonia, Nyatsime and Crowhill in order to fill the administrative vacuum and spearhead development.

b)Ministry responsible for Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement (MLRR)

The Ministry Should:

• In view of the water crisis affecting every city and urban sprawl which has taken place without water supply posing a serious risk of outbreak of water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid in towns and cities, it is imperative that the Zimbabwe National Water Authority, working in conjunction with Catchment Councils, takes urgent steps to utilize all available nearby water bodies to supply additional bulk water to towns and cities while awaiting the development of long term projects such as Kunzvi Dam, Gwaai-Shangani Dam and Muda Dam.
• Update all records of state land handed over to Ministry responsible for Local Government for urban development purposes.
• In consultation with Ministry responsible for Local Government, identify record and hand over all state land acquired since 2005, which is being used for urban development.
• Respond to all requests by the Ministry responsible for Local Government for the handover of land for urban development.
• Exercise due diligence in the issuance of certificates of No Present Interest to avoid issuing such certificates in respect of acquired state land as happened in the cases of Zimati kop and Rockingstone farms in Makoni district near Rusape town or issuing large tracts of state land to one beneficiary because of their political connections such as land which was offered to Muungwe Properties (Pvt) Ltd owned by one family in Makoni District which is almost the size of land occupied by Rusape Town Council.
• Investigate all officers, past and present, involved or connected with the issuance of certificates of No Present Interest, handover of state land to Ministry responsible for Local Government without authority and transfer of acquired land to individuals.
• Not directly allocate or settle beneficiaries for housing development.
• Not settle people for farming within municipal boundaries.

c) The Department/Ministry responsible for Cooperatives

The Department Should:

• With immediate effect, effectively supervise housing cooperatives by ensuring that they prepare and submit audited annual financial reports and financial statements.
• Update its records of all registered and compliant housing cooperatives with a view to de-registering non-compliant cooperatives.
• Enforce punitive measures provided for in the Cooperative Societies Act against non-compliant housing cooperatives.
• Monitor the operations of housing cooperatives to ensure strict compliance with the law in terms of the Cooperatives Societies Act.

d)The Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs

The Ministry Should:

• Cause an audit of all urban state land transfer records in the Deeds Registry offices (Harare and Bulawayo) with a view to identifying un-procedurally transferred urban state land (to be carried out by the Auditor General’s office).
• Ensure that the Deeds Registry system is computerised to minimise tampering with transfer records.
• Ensure that all title deeds of acquired farms are endorsed as such.
• Ensure that the Deeds Registry, after consulting with the Ministry responsible for Local Government and Ministry responsible for Lands and other relevant authorities, keeps a proper inventory of all acquired farms/urban state land units.

e) The Judicial Services Commission

The Commission should:

• Introduce specialised land courts to deal with land disputes, sale of urban state land, allocations among other issues quite distinct from the Administrative court.
• Ensure that judicial officers are trained in handling land disputes.
• Ensure that the courts expeditiously deal with cases involving the sale of state land.
• The judicial system should be tightened to prevent the production of fake court orders.

f) The Ministry of Home Affairs and Culture

The Ministry Should:

• Introduce specialised police units to investigate land disputes, sale of urban state land, allocations among other issues quite distinct from the Land Inspectorate.
• Ensure that police officers are trained in investigating cases of abuse of state land.
• Ensure that police officers expeditiously and fully investigate all reported and suspected land cases.
• The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development

The Ministry of Finance Should:

• Follow up on individuals, land developers, housing trusts, housing cooperatives and institutions involved in land development for compliance with tax obligations arising from their operations.
• Taxation on change of use and non-agricultural use should be restrictive to discourage farmers from offering their land for urban development.

6.2. General Recommendations

• In view of the water crisis affecting every city and urban sprawl which has taken place without water supply posing a serious risk of outbreak of water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid in towns and cities, it is imperative that the Zimbabwe National Water Authority, working in conjunction with Catchment Councils, takes urgent steps to utilize all available nearby water bodies to supply additional bulk water to towns and cities while awaiting the development of long term projects such as Kunzvi Dam, Gwaai-Shangani Dam and Muda Dam.
• The government should insulate urban state land administration from corrupt and negative political influence.
• The Ministry responsible for Local Government’s current position on the elements of illegal sale of state land should be refined to clearly spell out circumstances, which constitute civil and criminal liability. The illegality referred to by the Ministry responsible for Local Government may be a breach of contract, which may not, subject to the full facts of each case, be a criminal offence.
• The Ministry responsible for Local Government should carefully look into all its state land records  of allocated land to enable it to do the following:

1. To audit and compile an inventory of all urban state land units and allocatees.
2. To complete the valuation of all urban state land/units and issue invoices to allocatees.

• To claim from allocatees who sold its land the value of such land.

1. To ensure that all allocatees sign Memorandum of Agreements, Partnership Agreements or Agreements of Sale.
2. To enforce compliance by allocatees with conditions of allocation as contained in the offer letters, Memorandum of Agreements and partnership agreements, in particular, the provision of infrastructure.
3. To, where applicable, regularize plans and development on its urban state land in order to comply with planning and development standards.

• To audit all urban state land and compile an inventory of commonage, institutional, commercial and industrial stands receipts and allocations.
• To facilitate the issuance of enforcement orders against illegal developments.

1. Pursue criminal prosecutions against cooperative leaders, trusts leaders, developers, companies and individuals who sold urban state land

• There is a need to enact/review targeted laws to regulate:
  1. Urban state land administration, specifically regulating allocations, withdrawals, valuation, intrinsic land value, structural aspects thereof, and commonage.
  2. Housing Development trusts.
• Housing Development cooperatives.

1. Implementation Strategy

• Your Excellency, the Commission’s findings highlight five interrelated challenges that the government must attend to if the country is to succeed in spearheading sustainable urban development as follows:

1. The violation of urban development laws and policies;
2. Inadequate urban development laws and policies;
3. Deficits in infrastructure provision;
4. Weakened local government systems; and
5. Weak Central Government monitoring role.

• Your Excellency, failure to confront these challenges is a threat to society in terms of an outbreak of disease, dissatisfied population and poor performance of the economy.
• There is a need to upgrade the various settlements created and bring infrastructure development to a desirable urban development standard as soon as possible.
• Evidence on the ground shows a lack of capacity for infrastructural development in both the Central Government and Local Authority levels. The task is onerous hence there is a need for joint actions and coordination. The Office of President and Cabinet appears well placed to handle this task.

The Proposal– Special-purpose Vehicle

• It is recommended that the OPC creates a special purpose vehicle for taking up this task. This special vehicle should be given the responsibility to develop the required standard of infrastructure and then hand it over to local authorities for maintenance. Some local authorities were in the past, not involved in the identification and allocation of urban state land under their jurisdiction. It is their mandate to provide this infrastructure.
• The special vehicle should not be viewed as another addition to bureaucracy. It must be given a special task, targets and timeframes to complete the assignment. It should not be kept for more than ten years.
• The primary objective of establishing the special purpose vehicle is to strengthen the country’s technical, financial and institutional capacity to supply affordable housing and comfortable cities and towns through reform of:

1. the urban land management system to establish a steady land market and improve access to affordable land for housing, commerce and industry;
2. the urban development infrastructure system to improve the supply of serviced land;
3. the housing delivery system including financial systems to improve access to finance and mortgage; and,
4. Local government institutions for the supply of urban infrastructure and related services.

• A Cabinet Committee may be necessary for the supervision of this special purpose vehicle.
• A Working Party of Permanent Secretaries is needed to synthesize and monitor the implementation of the special purpose vehicle’s mandate and to take timely corrective action.
• A Secretariat is important for the planning and coordination of the various specialized programmes.
• The special vehicle needs to be well integrated with the key line Ministries.
• It is suggested that the bulk of the staff with the necessary expertise for the special purpose vehicle be seconded from the line Ministries.
• The special purpose vehicle has budgetary implications which the government has to fund or may approach its partners for such support.
• The following four components are suggested for the special purpose vehicle’s mandate:

1. Institutional Development Component;
2. Finance and Development Component;
3. Capital Development Component; and
4. Capacity building and Skills Development
5. Presentation of Reports

• Your Excellency, allow me to present to you the Executive Summary: [handing over to His Excellency the President]
• Further, allow me, Your Excellency, to present the Main Report: [handing over to His Excellency the President]
• Allow me, Your Excellency, to present the Reports on findings and recommendations for Ten (10) Provinces arranged in the following order:

1. Report on findings and recommendations for Harare Metropolitan Province;
2. Report on findings and recommendations for Mashonaland Central Province;
3. Report on findings and recommendations for Mashonaland East Province;
4. Report on findings and recommendations for Mashonaland West Province;
5. Report on findings and recommendations for Manicaland Province;
6. Report on findings and recommendations for Masvingo Province;
7. Report on findings and recommendations for Matabeleland South Province;
8. Report on findings and recommendations for Midlands Province; and
9. Combined Report on findings and recommendations for Bulawayo Metropolitan and Matabeleland North Provinces.

 [Handover to His Excellency the President]

• We have also printed extra copies for you and your office. [Handover to His Excellency the President]

1. Conclusion

• Let me take this opportunity to thank you and your office for the support you extended to us since the day you swore us into work as Commissioners.
• I also wish to convey my gratitude and that of the Commissioners for the opportunity you availed to us to learn and deepen our experience in the area of urban state land administration.

I thank you, Your Excellency

By A Correspondent- The High Court has quashed both conviction and sentence against Bulawayo City Council (BCC) which was fined $600 for culpable homicide when a 15-year-old boy drowned after he slipped and fell into a pit in Pumula South suburb.

The pit was dug up in 1995 by council to extract gravel for road repairs and maintenance and over the years, it collected water during the rainy season.

The ruling by Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Martin Makonese, who was sitting with Justice Maxwell Takuva during a criminal appeals court, follows an application by BCC challenging its conviction and sentence by a Bulawayo magistrate.

In papers before the court, BCC is the appellant while the State represented by Mr Khumbulani Ndlovu of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was cited as a respondent.

BCC was last year convicted of culpable homicide and fined $600. This was after the 15-year-old boy from Pumula South suburb drowned in January 2017 in a pool of water at the council’s landfill site adjacent to Entembeni Road in Pumula South.

Justice Makonese ruled that BCC could not be held liable for the death of the boy arguing that there was an act of negligence on his part.

“It was not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the negligence of the appellant was the proximate cause of the death of the victim. However, on the facts of this matter, the State did not prove factual and legal causation. Accordingly, I would allow the appeal and set aside the conviction and sentence,” he ruled.

“Criminal liability can only be attributed to a person where that person’s conduct or lack of it is deemed to have been causative of that outcome. I am satisfied that in the present case, the appellant demonstrated its reasonableness by putting up a warning sign.

“The proximate cause of the death of the deceased in this matter was his voluntary act of stepping into the water when it was not safe to do so.”

Justice Makonese, however, urged BCC to take urgent steps to rehabilitate the gravel pits and prevent further deaths from occurring since they are close to residential areas. 

-StateMedia

President @edmnangagwa will today be the Guest of Honour at the Joint Ministry & Stakeholders Exhibition at the ZANU PF Headquarters. The theme of the exhibition is: "Supporting Youth In Agriculture" pic.twitter.com/7AZdqkdMoK

— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) December 11, 2019

ZANU PF Secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu, Tuesday rubbished rumours that Defence Minister, Oppah Muchinguri has been nominated for party co-Vice President.

This comes after social media platforms were awash with reports that Muchinguri and former cabinet minister, Tshinga Dube were set to replace Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi.

Zanu PF holds its annual national conference in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East this week, but the process is not elective.

Muchinguri is currently the ruling party national chairperson while Dube is Deputy Finance Secretary in the Politburo.

Speaking to NewZimbabwe, Mpofu dismissed the reports as a ‘myth’ as no such endorsements had been made by the party’s provinces.

“How can you believe such a myth. We don’t have such,” Mpofu said.

“Our nominations are done by all provinces and it is about the president nobody else.”

Mpofu was referring to nominations for party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.

The Zanu PF conference commenced Tuesday will last for five days, ending on the 15th of December.

— NewZimbabwe